South Africa: Women's economic empowerment critical in fight against GBV

President Cyril Ramaphosa says the economic empowerment of women remains an important pillar in the battle against the scourge of gender based violence and femicide.

He was addressing the nation through the weekly Presidential Newsletter.

The President said as the world celebrates International Womens Day later this week, society must reflect on how it can do better to empower women.

The economic empowerment of women is an important pillar of our struggle to end gender-based violence and femicide. We have recognised that unequal access to resources and economic opportunity makes it more difficult for women to escape situations of abuse and violence.

On the occasion of International Womens Day, we call on men and women across society to strengthen the fight against gender-based violence.

President Ramaphosa said government has embarked on several efforts to transform the economy to the benefit of women and their emancipation.

As a country, we must shift economic power into the hands of women through, among other things, earmarking 40% of all public procurement for women-owned businesses.

To achieve this, government has been providing training to women entrepreneurs so that they can tender for government work and successfully provide the goods and services that government needs. To date, we have trained more than 6 000 women-owned enterprises.

He said through governments Women Economic Assembly held over the past two years, opportunities have been created for women-owned businesses in several industries.

These include agreements for women farmers to provide large retailers with produce ranging from dried chillies to chicken. A new black women-owned textile manufacturing plant began production in October last year, with support from the Industrial Development Corporation [IDC].

"As part of the commitment of the motor industry to gender transformation, four new car dealerships owned by black women were also launched last year.

[The] IDC has earmarked approximately R9 billion to invest in women-led businesses. Other entities, including the Public Investment Corporation and the National Empowerment Fund, have also committed to establish special purpose vehicles to support women-owned businesses.

The President emphasised that for women who are in the jobs market, the gender pay gap must become a priority.

[We] need to ensure that women and men receive equal pay for work of equal value. Across the economy, women are paid on average less than their male counterparts doing similar work. Ending the gender wage gap must therefore be a priority of all social partners, especially government, business and labour, if we are to achieve an equal and just society.

Empowerment

President Ramaphosa emphasised that the first step to empowering women starts by ensuring that as young girls, they are given equal access to education and an equal chance to succeed.

They need to be able to pursue studies of their choice, especially in areas that have traditionally been the preserve of men. One of the achievements of the democratic South Africa dispensation is that girls and boys are equally represented in primary and secondary education.

It is significant that last year, more females passed the matric exams and got more distinctions than their male counterparts. There are currently more female students enrolled at institutions of higher learning than males.

This is great progress but it has yet to translate into the economy, where women are more likely to be unemployed than men. Around half of all women in South Africa are unemployed, including those who have given up looking for work. Moreover, on average, women still earn far less than men.

The President said the equal treatment of women must also extend beyond the school yard and the jobs market.

We must overcome the idea that a womans place is in the home. Even women who have jobs are often expected to do housework and childcare, making it more difficult for them to find employment, earn a decent wage, be promoted or start a business.

This is the situation we are determined to change in South Africa and advocate for change across the world.

The President said although governments efforts to empower women can be celebrated, work needs to continue for women to reach their full emancipation.

On this International Womens Day, we should celebrate these achievements. But we must also recognise that the gap between the economic position of men and women is still huge.

We must use this day to reaffirm our shared commitment to work even harder to narrow that gap and to, within a generation, get rid of it."  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2023-03-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
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Israel Ministry of Tourism recently hosted a familiarization trip for nine travel agents from the UAE and invited them to the 29th International Mediterranean Tourism Market (IMTM 2023) and Israel Where Else Convention in Tel Aviv.



IMTM, running from February 9 to 14, is a global networking and industry event designed to connect professionals from all levels of business and service in tourism and travel. The platform offers the national & international tourism exhibitors to network with global buyers to drive inbound and outbound travel from Israel and the region.



The aim of the trip was to highlight the multifaceted attractions of Israel and create a marketplace for partners from Israel to network with the partners from the UAE as part of the global delegation to understand the Israel travel offerings and create packages to promote it amongst the UAE travellers.



The itinerary of the trip entailed  A Tale of Two Cities- Tel Aviv & Jerusalem and  A Spiritual Journey in the Holy Land where the travel partners could experience the amazing beaches of Tel Aviv that run along the stretch till Jaffa (Yafo) the unique experience of the lowest point in the earth  the Dead Sea, the Holy Land of Jerusalem and Nazareth which are interesting landmarks for those who love to know more about culture and history & a haven for food lovers.



In addition to the visits to historical and holy sites, other highlights of activities experienced by the agents included guided walking Graffiti tour & workshop in Tel Aviv, Raizers ride tour of the agricultural greenhouses in Tel Azekah, interactive participation at Peres Centre for Peace and Innovation Centre, exhibiting Israeli innovations and technologies as Start-Up nation, traditional Jewish dinner as part of home hospitality, Foraging workshop delving into the tradition of foraging wild plants, and gala networking evenings at Jerusalem Aquarium and Noor Jaffa, Tel Aviv.



During the IMTM, Sara Salansky, Senior Department Manager, IMOT said: We are very excited to be hosting travel partners from the UAE for the first time at IMTM and Israel Where Else Convention in Tel Aviv. We are ready to welcome tourists from the UAE and are hoping to attract the locals as well as the expats. Israel is an unexplored destination in the UAE.



We are promoting the country in the UAE as a destination in close proximity targeting families, religious travellers, FIT and leisure travellers through various B2B and B2C activities like destination workshops, Israeli MasterChef at Taste of Dubai, e-learning and joint collaborations with travel agents, airlines and media. We will also be participating at the ATM 2023



The UAE trade delegation included following partners: Travel Wings, South Travel, Elevate Trips DMCC, Byond Borders Travel, ATS Travel, Relax Travel, Al Rostamani Travel, Musafir.com and Uranus Travel & Tours.  TradeArabia News Service
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to look into the concerns, raised by opposition leaders over alleged "misuse" of central agencies, seriously. While addressing a press conference here, the former Union Minister took note of the opposition's joint letter and said he was the first one to sign the letter to PM Modi. "The first sign in the letter to PM Modi is mine. We want PM Modi to take our concerns seriously," Pawar said. Referring to Delhi former Education Minister Manish Sisodia's arrest by CBI in connection with the now-scrapped liquor policy, he said, "Sisodia worked well for the education sector and was praised by many but he is being arrested." Earlier on Sunday, nine leaders of eight political parties wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the arrest of former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in the excise policy case, and alleged that the "misuse" of the central agencies suggests that the country has "transitioned from being a democracy to an autocracy". The leaders alleged that the timings of the lodging of cases or arrests of the Opposition leaders "coincided with elections" which makes it clear that the action taken was "politically motivated". Among the Opposition leaders who were the signatories of the letter included BRS chief K Chandrashekhar Rao, JKNC chief Farooq Abdullah, AITC chief Mamata Banerjee, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. However, there were no representations from Congress, JDS, JD (U), and CPI (M) in the letter. (ANI)
Leader of Opposition in the Punjab legislative Assembly Partap Singha Bajwa has condemned the actions of AAP-led government for the alleged mistreatment of editor-in-chief of the Ajit Group of publications in Punjab and claimed that the freedom of speech is being curtailed in the State. Partap Singh Bajwa reacted to the allegations made by Barjinder Singh, Ajit Group of publications and took to Twitter to condemn the actions of the AAP. He claimed that the "soul of Hitler has entered into Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann." "I strongly condemn this attack on freedom of the press by @AamAadmiPartyGovt in Punjab. It seems that the soul of Hitler has entered into CM Bhagwant Mann. It's shocking that @dailyajitnews head Barjinder Singh Hamdard ji is getting threats from different agencies of Punjab Govt", Bajwa tweeted. Earlier Barjinder Singh in his letter to Punjab Governor Banwari Lal Purohit had alleged that the Punjab Government has banned the entry of Ajit Samachar staff reporters, special reporters, cameramen and videographers during the ongoing budget session in the State Assembly. He further stated that Punjab Government has ordered all departments that not even a small tender notice should get published in the Ajit Group of publications Barjinder Singh also pointed out in his letter to the Punjab Governor that state police officials in Punjab are threatening him and trying to implicate him in false cases on the orders of the state government. While reacting to this development Leader of Opposition in Punjab Vidhan Sabha Partap Singh Bajwa stated that he will be raising this matter in the ongoing budget session. "I will be raising this issue strongly tomorrow in Punjab Vidhan Sabha. Perfect case of How Power Corrupts!" Bajwa tweeted. The Punjab budget session is underway and will continue until March 24. (ANI)
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has called the visit by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team at former Bihar CM Rabri Devi's residence as "humiliating". The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor was speaking at the inauguration event of the Ashram flyover in the national capital Referring to the visit of the CBI team at Rabri Devi's residence, Kejriwal said, "This is wrong, raids like these are humiliating." On being asked about can this be seen in connection with the letter written by the Opposition leaders to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Delhi Chief Minister said, "It can be seen like that also. It is becoming a trend, that wherever there are Opposition governments, they won't be allowed to function. They (BJP) use ED, CBI and Governor to trouble them. Democracy will go ahead only when everyone will work together, whoever has a government should be allowed to work there." Senior advocate Kapil Sibal also reacted to the incident and pointed out the 'fragile health' of Lalu Prasad. "CBI heat on Lalu. We all know the fragile state of his health. To pressurise Tejasvi. The more the government does this more the people will turn against this government," Sibal tweeted. Earlier in the day, CBI reached the residence of former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi in Patna in connection with the land-for-job case. The CBI officials told ANI that the CBI team had visited Rabri Devi's residence in connection with the land for jobs case. The official statement from CBI on the matter is awaited. Incidentally, in an attempt to echo the Opposition's voice in unison, nine leaders of eight political parties on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the arrest of former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in the excise policy case. They alleged that the "misuse" of the central agencies suggests that the country has "transitioned from being a democracy to an autocracy". The leaders further alleged that the timings of the lodging of cases or arrests of the Opposition leaders "coincided with elections" which makes it clear that the action taken was "politically motivated". Among the Opposition leaders who were the signatories of the letter included BRS chief K Chandrashekhar Rao, JKNC chief Farooq Abdullah, AITC chief Mamata Banerjee, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. However, there were no representations from Congress, JDS, JD (U), and CPI (M) in the letter. "We hope you would agree that India is still a democratic country. The blatant misuse of central agencies against the members of the opposition appears to suggest that we have transitioned from being a democracy to an autocracy," the leaders wrote. Calling the action against Sisodia, who was arrested on February 26 by the CBI, a "long witch-hunt", the letter alleged that the allegations levelled in connection with the excise policy are a "smack of a political conspiracy". They claimed that Sisodia's arrest has "enraged" people across the country and alleged that his arrest will "confirm what the world was only suspecting" that India's democratic values were "threatened" under the BJP rule. (ANI)
Delhi's Dwarka court on Monday extended the judicial custody of Sahil Gahlot and five other accused including his father and two cousins in the Nikki Yadav murder case for two weeks. Accused of killing his live-in partner Yadav and stuffing her body into a fridge, Sahil, was arrested on February 14. Later on other accused were arrested by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police and sent to judicial custody. The accused persons were produced in the Dwarka court today after the completion of their judicial custody. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Samiksha Gupta extended the judicial custody of Gahlot and other accused till March 20. The court also allowed the family members of co-accused Ashish and Lokesh to meet them in the courtroom. Advocate Anirudh Yadav counsel for accused Lokesh moved an application seeking the marking of the case diary and expressed his apprehension of manipulation in the case diary. The court will hear this application on March 13. On February 22, the court remanded Sahil Gahlot to 12 days of judicial custody after seven days of police custody. Delhi Police arrested Sahil's father, two of his cousins Ashish and Naveen and two friends Amar and Lokesh after an interrogation. According to the police during his interrogation, Sahil had disclosed that the deceased was asking him not to marry another girl because both (Sahil and deceased) had already solemnised their marriage in the year 2020. She was actually his wife and not a live-in partner. Therefore she was pleading with him not to go ahead with the marriage fixed by his family with another girl on February 10, 2023, police said. Thereafter, they hatched the conspiracy and planned to remove the deceased from their way, police alleged. Accordingly, Sahil executed the plan and murdered her and informed the other co-accused persons about it on the same day February 10, 2023, and then all of them went ahead with the marriage ceremony. The Court on February 15 granted five days' remand of Sahil Gahlot to the Crime Branch of Delhi Police to interrogate him and to ascertain the route where he went after executing the crime. The Investigation officer (IO) had submitted before the court that the place of the alleged offence is to be ascertained. The route he adopted after the crime is also to be ascertained. The IO submitted that the accused is to be taken to places where he went with the deceased. He also submitted that some searches are also to be made and recovery of CCTV footage has to be made. It is alleged that Sahil allegedly murder Nikki as she was pressurising him to marry her. It is also alleged that he married another girl after the alleged crime. (ANI)
BJP MP Vivek Thakur on Monday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his address at Cambridge and accused him of being an "agenda carrier" of another country. Thakur added that he is "seriously considering" bringing a Privilege Motion (against Rahul Gandhi) in the upcoming budget session of Parliament. While talking to ANI, Thakur said, "Rahul Gandhi deliberately spoke the anti-India language in a foreign land again and again, so, I am seriously considering bringing a Privilege Motion (against Rahul Gandhi) in the upcoming budget session of Parliament." Thakur added that Rahul Gandhi is instigating and painting the wrong picture of India. He further said, "it's very clear that he is an agenda carrier of some other country...I am seriously considering bringing a Privilege Motion (against Rahul Gandhi) in the upcoming session as it has been happening again and again." "Rahul Gandhi misleading the rising image of India and he is working to tarnish the image of India by going to other countries of the world," he further added. "You must have heard his speech in Cambridge properly, he said that the minority is not wanted in India. If you listen to it carefully, it is provocative and presents a wrong picture of India. It is clear that he is carrying the agenda of some other country," Thakur told ANI. BJP leader told ANI, "He should realize that after Bharat Jodo Yatra, the election results of three states have come. He has no concern for the people of India. The soul of Jawaharlal Nehru ji, Sardar Patel must be crying when he (Rahul Gandhi) talks like this." "I am thinking very seriously about bringing a Privileges motion against him in the coming session because Mani Shankar Aiyar goes to another country, and Rahul Gandhi goes to another country and speaks against India," he added. He further said, "Rahul Gandhi repeatedly spoils the image of the country by going outside. I think this is not freedom of speech, it is being done intentionally." Attacking the centre in an interaction arranged by the Indian Journalists Association in London, Congress leader Gandhi on Sunday called the recent raids conducted at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) offices across India a "suppression of voice", alleging that BJP under its "new Idea of India" wants India to be "silent". While speaking at the event, Gandhi was asked about the controversy regarding the BBC documentary, and the centre's allegations of a "colonial hangover", to which Rahul Gandhi replied, "It's sort of similar to Mr Adani, it's also a colonial hangover." Gandhi added, " They have an ideology of hatred, violence, a disrespectful ideology that attacks people because of their ideas. You must have noticed one thing. This is in the nature of the BJP and the RSS. If you have noticed a statement by the foreign minister, he said China is much more powerful than us. How can I pick a fight with them?" "'BJP wants India to be silent ...Congress has interesting ideas on Opposition unity, don't want to spoil the surprise," he further added. Stepping up his attack on the Narendra Modi-led government, senior Congress leader Gandhi has said that the BJP wants India to be "silent" and argued that there is "suppression of voice" across the country. Emphasising that the Congress is talking to other Opposition parties, Gandhi said the party had some interesting ideas to bring the Opposition together and did not want to spoil the surprise now. (ANI)
The head of the Islamic Centre of India Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali on Monday issued an appeal for peaceful celebrations of Holi and Shab-e-Barat. The Centre after a meeting on Sunday issued an advisory on the ceremonial Islamic festival Shab-e-Barat. ICI chief Maulana Mahali said, "We should respect each other's religious sentiments and I appeal to not indulge in actions that may cause problems to those celebrating Holi". He pointed out that last year too both Holi and Shab-e-Barat had coincided and it was celebrated in a peaceful way. He said, "The festival of Holi is a very happy and fun festival for our Hindu brothers. Last year it both Shabe Barat and Holi were celebrated on the same date. Both our communities had celebrated both the festivals with peace and harmony, displaying understanding. This year too we can also celebrate both festivals taking care of religious sentiments". "We all live in a mixed society. We are advocates of Ganga Jamuni tehzeeb. We all practice brotherhood and national unity. We need to act sensibly this time too and prove by our actions that we all are peace-loving and law-abiding" he added. He also appealed to Muslims to visit cemeteries in the evening. "Muslims have been appealed to go to the cemeteries only after 5 pm so that our Hindu brothers do not have any problem in playing Holi and you also do not have any problem in going to the cemetery" the cleric said. He has also appealed to those observing Shab-e-Barat to spend the night in prayer. "This is a night of prayer please spend it in prayer and do not use any type of firework. Help the poor and helpless people. Pray for those who have suffered the aftermath of earthquakes in countries of Turkey and Syria. Pray for the people there" he said. (ANI)
Reacting to the encounter of the accused in the Umesh Pal murder case, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Monday said that the remaining suspects in the case will also be nabbed and punished. Talking to ANI, Maurya said, "I would like to congratulate the police team for this success. Those criminals murdered Umesh Pal and later two police personnel also. In today's encounter, the second murderer was killed." He said that strict action will be taken against the remaining criminals as well. "I would like to ensure the people of Uttar Pradesh that even if criminals go underground and flee the state or country, they will be nabbed and punished by the UP Police. The rest of the criminals will also be nabbed and stringent action will be taken against them," he added. Earlier, UP Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak, had said that the police and Special Task Force are carrying out raids and no one will be spared. Talking to ANI, Pathak said, "You have seen how dreaded these criminals are, that they are even attacking the police. In response, police had to open fire, in which another criminal was killed". "The police and the Special Task Force (STF) is investigating the matter. Raids and arrested are being carried out, and no one will be spared off and that's our priority," he added. Earlier in the day, an accused named Usman was killed in an encounter with the Uttar Pradesh Police. Vijay Chowdhary alias Usman was killed in the encounter that took place in Kaundhiyara in Prayagraj. The Emergency Medical Officer of the Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital told ANI that Usman was brought dead in the hospital. "Patient Usman was brought dead. We performed the examinations following which he was declared dead and the body was sent to the mortuary. He was shot," the officer said. Taking on Twitter about the incident, UP MLA Shalabh Mani Tripathi said, "Didn't we say that we will destroy them (mafia nexus)!! Usman, the dreaded killer who fired the first shot at Umesh Pal and Sandeep Nishad, was also killed in a police encounter today." Gorakhpur MP Ravi Kishan also said, "Pujya Maharaj @myogiadityanath ji had said that they (mafia nexus) will be destroyed. The dreaded absconding killer Usman, who fired the first shot at Umesh Pal and Sandeep Nishad, was also killed in an encounter by the police today #up." Earlier last month, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, during his address at the state Assembly, said that the UP government will destroy the mafia nexus in the state [Mafiaon Ko Mitti Me Mila Denge]. Launching a scathing attack on Samajwadi Party for nurturing the mafia in the state CM had said the UP government would destroy the mafia. CM Yogi also held the previous Samajwadi Party led-government responsible for nurturing and patronizing criminals and mafia in the state. "The Samajwadi Party not only glorified the mafia during its tenure but also garlanded them," he had said. The Chief Minister also assured the House that the government would leave no stone unturned to act against mafias. (ANI)
Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) national president and Jamui MP Chirag Paswan on Monday attacked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over reports of targeted attacks on Bihar's migrants in Tamil Nadu. Paswan said, "If the Bihar CM would have worked for the betterment of my state (Bihar) then they would have been working in our own state and not migrated. It's because of the lack of opportunity in my state. The only person responsible for this particular scenario is our CM Nitish Kumar." He claimed that people call him from Coimbatore stating that they have been attacked and threatened. "I request the Tamil Nadu CM and the Government to look into this matter on humanitarian grounds. If this happened in any district of the state, CM should act and take action and if it's just a rumor then action should be taken against those doing this," Paswan said urging for a thorough investigation of the reports. Earlier, on March 3 the LJP chief also wrote a letter addressing Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking his intervention on the matter regarding the alleged assault on migrants in Bihar and tweeted a copy of the letter. After unverified reports on social media claimed that migrant labourers were targeted in Tamil Nadu, Nitish Kumar on Thursday expressed concern over the situation which he said came to his notice through newspaper reports. The reports created a ruckus in the Bihar Assembly with the opposition demanding Nitish Kumar's resignation. Tamil Nadu BJP also sought to blame the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government. Tamil Nadu Police has deemed the reports as fake. The Southern India Mills Association (SIMA) and Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) also released a joint statement on the incident and said that the videos showing the attacks on Bihari migrant workers are false. On Saturday, Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin spoke to his Nitish Kumar stating that his government will always stand to protect the migrant brothers. "Strict legal action will be initiated against those who deliberately post fake videos of migrant workers being attacked and spread fear and panic in the state," chief minister Stalin said in a statement. Stalin said that it is highly condemnable that some people are indulging in such dirty politics on social media. Tamil Nadu State BJP President released a statement stating that migrant labourerswere are safe in Tamil Nadu but the Chief Minister Stalin led-Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and its alliance party leaders are the reason for the hate against them. He also opposed the spread of false news on the attack on the people from Bihar in the State, saying that Tamils don't support "separatism" and "vile hatred" against north Indians. Tamil Nadu's Director General of Police Sylendra Babu released a statement, saying that the video doing rounds of social media was "false" and "mischievous". "Somebody in Bihar posted false and mischievous videos saying that migrant workers were attacked in Tamil Nadu. Two videos were posted. Both are false as these incidents happened at an earlier date in Tiruppur and Coimbatore. One was a clash between two groups of migrant workers from Bihar while another was from a clash between two local residents in Coimbatore," the top cop said. (ANI)
The Rouse Avenue Court on Monday granted bail to Hyderabad-based chartered accountant Butchibabu Gorantla, arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam. Butchibabu Gorantla is the former auditor of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's daughter MLC K Kavitha whose name surfaced in the case. Special Judge MK Nagpal on Monday granted bail to Butchibabu and asked him to surrender his Passport. The same court on Monday also sent former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia to judicial remand till March 20, in the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam. The court also imposed a condition while granting bail that the accused shall not tamper with evidence and influence witnesses. Recently Rouse Avenue Court granted permission to Enforcement Directorate (ED) to quiz Butchibabu Gorantla in judicial custody. ED had moved an application and sought permission to quiz him and also to record his statement in the money laundering case pertaining to the Excise Policy. CBI arrested Butchibabu in the Delhi excise policy case on February 8. After his arrest, CBI informed in a statement that the accused CA was arrested for his alleged role in formulating and implementing the Delhi Excise Policy and causing wrongful gain to Hyderabad-based wholesale and retail licensees and their beneficial owners. Recently ED in its chargesheet stated that the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) investigation done so far revealed that, the Delhi Excise Policy, 2021-22 was created by the top leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to continuously generate and channel illegal funds to themselves. ED further stated that the extent of involvement and abatement done by AAP leaders of the criminal activities undertaken by the accused covered in the subject Prosecution Complaint further substantiates their design and scheme of the scam. The policy promoted cartel formations through back door awarded an exorbitant wholesale profit margin of 12 per cent and a huge retail profit margin of 185 per cent and incentivized other illegal activities on account of criminal conspiracy by the top leaders of AAP to extract kickbacks from the businesses, stated the ED. Vijay Nair, on behalf of AAP leaders, has received kickbacks to the tune of Rs 100 crore from a group, for convenience, we may call it the South Group (as termed in the statements of various persons recorded during the investigation, whose prominent persons are Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, Raghav Magunta, Sarath Reddy and K Kavitha). The South Group was represented by Abhishek Boinpally, Arun Pillai and Butchibabu. Abhishek Boinpalli facilitated the transfer of Rs 100 crore kickback in connivance and conspiracy with Vijay Nair and his associate Dinesh Arora, claimed the ED. The ED and the CBI had, last year registered cases alleging that irregularities were committed while modifying Delhi's Excise Policy, undue favours were extended to licence holders, the licence fee was waived or reduced and the L-1 licence was extended without the competent authority's approval. The beneficiaries diverted "illegal" gains to the accused officials and made false entries in their books of account to evade detection. As alleged, the Excise Department had decided to refund the Earnest Money Deposit of about Rs 30 crore to a successful tenderer against the set rules. Even though there was no enabling provision, a waiver on tendered licence fees was allowed from December 28, 2021, to January 27, 2022, due to Covid-19, which allegedly caused a loss of Rs 144.36 crore to the exchequer, which has been instituted on a reference from the Union Home Ministry following a recommendation from Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena. The CBI inquiry was recommended on the findings of the Delhi chief secretary's report filed in July showing prima facie violations of the GNCTD Act 1991, Transaction of Business Rules (ToBR)-1993, Delhi Excise Act-2009, and Delhi Excise Rules-2010, officials had said. (ANI)
Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Monday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his statement attacking the BJP-led cehtral government in London. Speaking to ANI on Monday, Thakur said, "Rahul Gandhi vivaadon ki aandhi ban chuke hain (Rahul Gandhi has put himself at the centre of a storm of controversies)." "Be it foreign friends, agencies or foreign shores, he is leaving no stone unturned to defame India. It seems he has taken up the job of defaming India on foreign land in a bid to hide his own failures. This is being done in a pre-planned manner," Thakur said. During is ongoing visit to London, Rahul, who is currently a member of the Lok Sabha from Wayanad, has been unsparing in his criticism of the Centre Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi during his visit to London has repeatedly attacked the centre with allegations. During his address at the Cambridge University on March 3, Rahul claimed that the basic structure of Indian democracy was under attack. He claimed further that advanced Israeli spyware 'Pegasus' was being used to listen in on his phone calls, adding that he had been warned by the country's intelligence officers to be "careful" while speaking on the phone as his calls were being recorded. "I myself had Pegasus on my phone. A large number of politicians had Pegasus on their phones. I have been called by intelligence officers who told me, 'Please be careful about what you are saying on the phone because we are sort of recording the stuff. So this is the constant pressure that we feel -- cases on the Opposition. I have got a number of criminal liable cases for things that should under no circumstances be criminal liable cases. That's what we are trying to defend," the Congress leader said in his address at the prestigious university. Interacting with the Indian diaspora in London on Sunday, Rahul said what lies in the core of the BJP's ideology was nothing but 'cowardice'. "it (cowardice) is there in their ideology. It is evident from the recent statements of our foreign minister. You can imagine what the ruling party stands for if the foreign minister says we don't fight China because it is stronger than us. The Britishers were also superior and stronger than us. So, should we not have fought them? Could we have achieved independence following the principles of the BJP and the RSS? What lies at the heart of their political ideology is cowardice," Rahul said. During another interaction organised by the Indian Journalists Association in London, the Congress leader dubbed the recent tax survey at the India offices of British public broadcaster BBC as "suppression of voice", alleging that the BJP, as part of its "new idea of India" wants the country to be silent to the muzzling of free speech. "If the BBC stops writing against the government, everything will be normal. All the cases will disappear, everything (will) go back to normal. So, this is the new Idea of India. The BJP wants India to be silent. They want it to be quiet, the Dalits, the lower castes, the Adivasis, the media -- they want silence. They want to take what's India's and give it to their close friends," Rahul alleged. (ANI)
Oman Air, the national airline of the Sultanate of Oman, has announced the delivery of a new Boeing 737 MAX 8 from CDB Aviation.



The aircraft is the last in a series of five deliveries contracted as part of a sale and leaseback transaction with the global aircraft lessor, which is a wholly owned Irish subsidiary of China Development Bank Financial Leasing (CDB Leasing).



Designed to offer exceptional performance, flexibility and efficiency, the 737 Max 8 is equipped with the CFM Leap 1B27 engines and configured with 12 Business and 150 Economy Class seats to support the carriers expanding network.



Oman Air has been introducing routes throughout the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent, as well as several cities in Europe, South Asia, and Africa, in recent years and is focused on growing additional connectivity to North and South America and Australia through strategic codeshares with its partner airlines.



Abdulaziz Al Raisi, Chief Executive Officer of Oman Air, said: As air travel demand continues to grow post-pandemic, Oman Air has the opportunity to expand progressively. The latest addition to our fleet will serve both domestic and short-to-medium international sectors, further extending our seamless connectivity to a growing number of destinations.



We are glad to have CDB Aviation as our partner in growth and continue to place ourselves at the forefront of aviation technology, enhance our operational efficiency, as well as provide our guests with an exceptional on-board experience.



Paul Boyle, CDB Aviations Head of EMEA, said: We are very pleased to build on our relationship with Oman Air and to expand our presence in the Middle East with this sale and leaseback transaction. These new technology, fuel-efficient aircraft will support the airlines ongoing recovery efforts, providing the airlines passengers with greater connectivity and a wider choice of destinations from its hub in Muscat.



The addition of the 737 MAX now brings Oman Airs fleet up to 52 aircraft, including 10 Airbus A330s, 33 Boeing 737s and nine Boeing 787s. The airlines exciting fleet and network expansion programme has already seen the launch of two new routes in 2022, with more planned in the coming months.  TradeArabia News Service
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has said that the Central agency is likely to question former Bihar Chief Minister and Union Railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav in connection with the land-for-job case. CBI has also said that it had also served notice to Yadav a few days ago. "A few days ago, CBI had served notice to former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Yadav in connection with the land-for-job case. CBI is likely to question Lalu Yadav soon," a CBI official told ANI on Monday. Earlier in the morning, CBI reached the residence of former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi in Patna in the alleged case. CBI had filed the chargesheet in October last year, against former Bihar chief ministers Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, their daughter Misa Bharti and 13 others in the land-for-jobs scam. Chargesheet stated that during the investigation, it was found that the accused in conspiracy with the then GM Central Railways and CPO, Central Railways engaged persons as substitutes in lieu of land either in their name or in the name of their close relatives. This land was acquired at prices lower than the prevailing circle rate and much lower than the market rate. It was also alleged that the candidates have used false TC and submitted false attested documents to the Ministry of Railways, said the CBI statement. The alleged scam occurred between 2004 and 2009 when Lalu Yadav was the Railway Minister. Apart from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief, the chargesheet also includes the name of the then Railway General Manager. CBI stated that the investigation had revealed that the candidates were considered for their engagement without any need for substitutes and there was no urgency for their appointment which was one of the main criteria behind the engagement of substitutes and they joined their duties much later from the approval of their appointment and they were subsequently regularised. There were several anomalies found in the applications of the candidates and the documents that were enclosed due to which the applications should not have been processed and their engagement should not have been approved but it was done. Further, in most of the cases, the candidates joined their jobs in their respective divisions on many later dates which defeated the purpose of appointment of Substitutes and in some cases, the candidates could not clear their medical examination under the required category to which their engagement was made and subsequently, they were considered and appointed on the posts where inferior/lower medical category was required, said the CBI. Recently on February 27, while taking cognizance of the CBI chargesheet, Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court issued summons against Lalu, his wife Rabri Devi and 14 others in connection with alleged land-for-job scam. (ANI)
Delhi Traffic Police have made special traffic arrangements for Shab-e-Barat, an Islamic ceremonial festival celebrated on the intervening night of March 7 and March 8 wherein a large number of devotees from Delhi and outside are likely to offer prayers at graveyards and mosques in Delhi. The devotees are likely to travel throughout the night from one place to another, for which adequate traffic arrangements are required to be made. Delhi Traffic Police will ensure the safety of motorists on roads, ensure a smooth flow of traffic, keep the pedestrians on the footpaths, guide the devotees/road users regarding routes and traffic diversions and prevent rash and negligent driving or performance of stunts on two-wheelers. "Delhi Traffic Police will be making elaborate traffic arrangements from 2000 hours of 07.03.2023 to 0600 hours of 08.03.2023 to ensure the safety of motorists on roads, ensure smooth flow of traffic, keep the pedestrians on the footpaths, guide the devotees/road users regarding routes and traffic diversions and to prevent rash and negligent driving or performance of stunts on two-wheelers," read an official statement from Delhi Traffic police. According to the officials, 759 officers will be deployed at 283 strategic locations in the entire Delhi area. Special Traffic Police checking teams along with PCR and Local Police teams will be stationed on various roads. "For this purpose, 759 traffic officers will be deployed at 283 strategic locations in the entire Delhi area. Special Traffic Police checking teams along with PCR and Local Police teams will be stationed on various roads and strategic locations/intersections all over Delhi to check drunken driving, Red Light jumping, etc. Radar Guns will be deployed at various vulnerable roads to check incidents of speeding," it read. Further, as per the directions of the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety, in cases of drunken driving, red light jumping, using a mobile phone while driving, dangerous driving and speeding, a driving license will also be seized and liable for suspension for a period of minimum 3 months. "The action shall also be initiated against the registered owners of vehicles whose vehicles are found to be driven by minors/unauthorized persons, performing stunts, driving without a license, etc," it read. Delhi Traffic Police appealed to all motorists to avoid traffic violations especially drunken driving, over speeding, triple riding, riding without helmet, driving in wrong carriage way, (ANI)
Keeping up its close association with the local Monpa Tribe of Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, the Indian Army participated in the week-long festivities of the Losar festival. The Monpa Tribe, which inhabit the Tawang and West Kameng areas of Arunachal and has its distinct rituals and traditions, celebrate the Losar festival with much fervour and enthusiasm, as per an official press release. Losar is a one-of-a-kind festival during which residents of Monpa village come together and break into unbridled celebrations. The festival, marking the onset of Spring in the Northeast state, begins on the first day of the Lunar calendar. According to the release, the festival commences a week before the dates with residents cleaning their houses and the community rustling up various delicacies, especially the Khow Suey. The Metho ceremony during the festivities is very conspicuous to Tawang, the release stated further, adding that during this ritual, sacred chants along with the burning of sacred fire torches cleanse the evil spirit and pave the way for the holy spirit in the area. The Monpas have called Tawang their home since 500 BC and are devout followers of Himalayan Buddhism. The locals reached out to Army jawans deployed at Zimithang, Kereteng and various other spots as part of the celebrations.The heartwarming gesture touched the troops with 'a home away from home' feeling, stated the release. The army has adopted several rituals of the Monpa Tribe into its secular fabric and even extends assistance to various Sho (villages) in arranging these events. "The Tawang area has witnessed large-scale infrastructure development and implementations of various schemes of Government specific to the development of the border areas. This has provided the Monpas with opportunities and avenues towards greater economic prosperity. The Losar Festival interweaves people and drenches them in the colour of festivities. Riots of colour in terms of religious flags and decorations create such an aura of irresistible charm," the release read. (ANI)
Detailing the incident, the doctors alleged that a woman came for treatment at the emergency block of the hospital and two night-duty doctors were beaten up.

Emergency Services at the hospital were shut for some time after the incident. Protesting doctors demanded action against the accused and sought protection against such incidents in future.

As per police, an FIR was lodged in the matter. The accused have been identified, while a detailed probe is underway into the matter, police said.

According to police, a woman who suffered nose injuries came to the hospital at night. She was asked to wait as two senior doctors present there were attending to other patients. The woman police said began arguing and called those who were accompanying her.

The family started to pressure the staff and attendants to provide the woman with immediate treatment. Dr Shivam (on duty) and other doctors got hurt in the incident. (ANI)
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Shehzad Poonawalla on Monday came down heavily on Rahul Gandhi alleging that the Congress leader has sought the intervention of foreign countries in India's affairs and dubbed his act as a "betrayal of Bharat" in the 75th year of the country's Independence. Poonawalla said that Gandhi has crossed all limits in his hatred for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP. The BJP leader's remarks came after Rahul Gandhi in the UK said, "Why Europe and the US - the defenders of democracies were oblivious of how a huge chunk of democracy in India has come undone?" Slamming Gandhi for his statement, Poonawalla said, "Rahul Gandhi was a serial offender and this time he has crossed all limits while allowing his hatred for one person and party to grow into hatred for India." He labelled the Congress leader as a "constant cynic and purveyor of propaganda", and asked if Gandhi's remarks were not an assault on India's sovereignty and an insult to its citizens. "If there are issues, we solve our own matters internally but how can Rahul seek the intervention of a foreign nation? What action is he seeking on India? Do we complain about our internal affairs to a neighbour? Today Rahul has emulated Mani Shankar Aiyyar who sought Pakistan's help to dislodge PM Modi from power once," he said. "This was an act of Betrayal of Bharat and that too in the 75th Year of Independence when India celebrates Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav you have an Indian MP go to Britain and seek the intervention of a former colonial master! Ironically he said that a person of Indian origin was leading Britain but here Rahul Gandhi wants foreign intervention!" Poonawalla added. Earlier today, BJP MP Vivek Thakur slammed Rahul Gandhi over his address at Cambridge and accused him of being an "agenda carrier" of another country. Thakur added that he is "seriously considering" bringing a Privilege Motion (against Rahul Gandhi) in the upcoming budget session of Parliament. "Rahul Gandhi deliberately spoke anti-India language in a foreign land again and again, so, I am seriously considering bringing a Privilege Motion (against Rahul Gandhi) in the upcoming budget session of Parliament," Thakur said while speaking to ANI. Thakur added that Rahul Gandhi is instigating and painting the wrong picture of India. He further said, "it's very clear that he is an agenda carrier of some other country...I am seriously considering bringing a Privilege Motion (against Rahul Gandhi) in the upcoming session as it has been happening again and again." "Rahul Gandhi is tarnishing the image of India and for this he is going to other countries of the world," he added. (ANI)
Lashing out at the opposition parties for writing a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about misuse of the central agencies, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that PM Modi's thoughts and his works are only for the welfare of the countrymen. Addressing the reporters here, CM Chouhan on Monday said, "PM Modi's thoughts, his thinking and his works are only for the welfare of the people and the country. He had said that neither he would indulge in corruption nor allow anyone to do so. Action is being taken against those who were involved in corruption." PM Modi has said that whoever it may be, this is the thinking of the Modi government. If anyone messes up, no matter how powerful the person is, action will be taken against him, Chouhan said, adding that instead of writing a letter to the Prime Minister, don't indulge in corruption. If one doesn't involve corruption then no action will be taken. If anyone does corruption, then the people of the country also agree that irrespective of party, action should be taken against them, the Chief Minister said. Notably, nine opposition leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal wrote to PM Modi on the arrest of former Delhi deputy CM Manish Sisodia in the excise policy case on Sunday (March 5). They have stated that the action appears to suggest that "we have transitioned from being a democracy to an autocracy". The nine opposition leaders include Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) chief Mamata Banerjee, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal, AAP leader and Punjan CM Bhagwat Mann, Rashtriya Janata Dal's (RJD) Tejashwi Yadav, Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) chief Farooq Abdullah, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. CM Chouhan further said, "The people of Madhya Pradesh are continuously working to make a positive state. I am happy to say that Madhya Pradesh's water warriors Anita Chaudhary, Ganga Rajput and Sarpanch Neetu Parihar have been awarded with the Swachh Sujal Shakti Samman 2023 for their special contribution in water conservation. I congratulate them." PM Modi has praised the sisters of the self-help group of Khirki village in Burhanpur district for ensuring the supply of drinking water through tap connection in every house, Chouhan added. CM Chouhan once again slammed former CM Kamal Nath over raising questions on recently launched Ladli Behna Yojana. He said, "Nath is constantly raising questions on the Ladli Behna Yojana, I am repeating my question to Nath again today. I will keep asking the question until he answers the question". "We started giving Rs 1000 to Baiga, Bharia, Sahariya sisters in their accounts for their empowerment. But as soon as the Congress government returned into power, why was their Rs 1000 stopped, those women are asking questions," Chouhan said. Besides, Chouhan targeted Nath for making an announcement of increasing Rs 1000 a month to women under Ladli Behna Yojana to Rs 1500 a month when Congress will return to power. The Chief Minister said, "They (Congress) could not give Rs 1000 to Baiga, Bharia, Sahariya sisters and stopped his amount. How will Nath give Rs 18000 a year to women." (ANI)
Meghalaya Chief Minister-designate Conrad Sangma on Monday urged all parties to work with a "positive mindset" for the state. He also expressed gratitude to the United Democratic Party and People's Democratic Front for giving support to the National People's Party in forming the government after the Sangma-led party fell short of attaining the majority in the Meghalaya Assembly polls which concluded this month. "I appeal to all parties that the election is over and now we need to move forward with the real work. I request all parties that let us all work with a positive mindset...I thank UDP and PDF for accepting my request and giving support to NPP-led Govt," Sangma said. He informed that the alliance comprising NPP, BJP, UDP, and PDF will be known as Meghalaya Democratic Alliance-2.0. "The alliance will be known as Meghalaya Democratic Alliance-2.0, all agreed as the partners are the same. We have decided to elect the Chief Minister as the Chairman of the MDA-2 as well," he said. The Chief Minister-designate also laid down the cabinet berth distribution to the respective parties in the alliance and said that the NPP will bag the most number of cabinet seats. "In the cabinet out of the 12 members, 8 will go to The National People's party, 2 will go to United Democratic Party, 1 to Hill State People's Democratic Party and 1 to BJP," he said. The decision was taken in the meeting of the ally parties of the National People's Party (NPP) in Meghalaya held on Monday in Shillong. However, the drama that unfolded in Meghalaya comes to an end with the regional United Democratic Party (UDP) extending support to the NPP-BJP alliance on Sunday. Metbah Lyngdoh, president of UDP told ANI that UDP has extended its support to NPP to form the government. "We (UDP and PDF) have extended our support to NPP," Metbah Lyngdoh said on Sunday. The strength of the Conrad Sangma-led coalition has now increased to 45 and he is likely to be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Meghalaya for a consecutive second term on March 7 after being elected the NPP legislature party leader. Earlier, BJP, two MLAs of HSPDP and two Independent MLAs extended their support to NPP. The swearing-in ceremony will be held at Raj Bhawan in Shillong where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also be present. Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma won from the South Tura constituency with a margin of 5,016 against Bharatiya Janata Party's Bernard N Marak, as per the data shared by the Election Commission of India on March 2. United Democratic Party (UDP) bagged 11 seats in the results of assembly polls announced on Thursday. Congress won five seats. Trinamool Congress, which had inducted all Congress MLAs in the previous assembly, also got five seats. BJP, People's Democratic Front and Hill State People's Democratic Party bagged two seats each. Voice of the People Party got four seats. Two seats were won by independent candidates. BJP and NPP were partners in the outgoing government but fought the assembly polls separately. (ANI)
Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan on Monday called on Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi at the Raj Bhavan in Chennai. The meeting came in the bakdrop of panic sweeping the state's migrant labourers from Bihar amid rumours of attacks. Paswan also interacted with migrant labourers from Bihar amid rumours of targeted attacks. "Today, the national president of Lok Janshakti Party @iChiragPaswan met Bihari labourers living in Tamil Nadu and assured them of all possible help against the atrocities being committed against them," the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) said in a tweet. Earlier, on Sunday, the Tiruppur administration of Tamil Nadu conducted a meeting with representatives of business and industry associations and migrant labourers amid the alleged attacks. KM Subramanian of the Tiruppur Exporters' Association sought to allay fears of the state's migrant workforce, saying their relations with the locals have always been good and continues to be so even in the wake of the rumoured attacks. Meanwhile, the Bihar Association in Tamil Nadu also held a meeting with migrant workers based in Chennai, on Monday. "I am safe here. The videos (of alleged attacks) being circulated on social media are fake. My family has been concerned about my safety since rumours of attacks started doing the rounds. I reassured them about my safety," Santosh Kumar, a migrant worker from Bihar told ANI. Panic gripped the state's migrant workers after several videos of purported attacks were widely circulated on social media. The state of anxiety and panic only gained ground after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on March 2 voiced his concerns over the rumoured attacks and directed officials concerned to take up the matter with their counterparts in the southern state. Panic in the wake of the rumoured attacks affected the medium and small industries of Tamil Nadu, as the migrant workers that they rely on largely stayed off work fearing for their safety. Taking note of the panic pervading the state's migrant workforce, Tamil Nadu's Director General of Police, Sylendra Babu, released a statement saying that videos doing the rounds of the social media were "false" and "mischievous". "Somebody in Bihar posted false and mischievous videos saying migrant workers were attacked in Tamil Nadu. Two such videos were posted. Both are false as these incidents happened at an earlier date in Tiruppur and Coimbatore. One was a clash between two groups of migrant workers from Bihar while another was from a clash between two local residents in Coimbatore," the top cop said. The DGP also said those behind this "rumour-driven panic" will not be spared. (ANI)
Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party Kadapa MP YS Avinash Reddy on Monday said that he is ready to join the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry in the case pertaining to the former minister YS Vivekananda Reddy on March 10. CBI, probing the case, served a third notice to Avinash Reddy, asking him to appear at its Hyderabad office on Monday, but the latter couldn't appear before the agency following his prior programmes. This time, the investigation agency also served notice to his father YS Bhaskar Reddy, asking him to appear along with his son for questioning in connection with the case. "CBI has issued notices to me and my father YS Bhaskar Reddy to attend for the enquiry on the 10 March and 12th March of this month," Reddy said while talking to media on Monday in Kadapa. He further said that he would join the investigation on the same date. "According to the notices, we will attend the hearing and support the authorities. I am going attend the enquiry on 10th March and my father will attend it on 12th March for enquiry," Reddy added. The Kadapa MP, who is a cousin of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, has appeared twice before the agency. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday chaired a high-level meeting to review the preparedness for hot weather in the upcoming summer season, the official said. According to the PM office, Modi was briefed about the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) weather forecast for the next few months and the likelihood of a normal monsoon in the meeting. Prime Minister said that in a wake of the summer season, separate awareness material should be prepared for different stakeholders including citizens, medical professionals, municipal and panchayat authorities, disaster response teams like firefighters etc. It was also instructed to incorporate some multimedia lecture sessions in schools to sensitize children on dealing with extreme heat conditions. Prime Minister said that protocols and dos and don'ts for hot weather should be prepared in accessible formats, and various other modes of publicity like jingles, films, pamphlets etc. should also be prepared and issued. "He was also briefed about the impact of weather on Rabi crops and the expected yield of major crops. The efforts underway to monitor irrigation water supply, fodder and drinking water were also reviewed. Further, Prime Minister was briefed about the preparedness of states and hospital infrastructure in terms of availability of required supplies and preparedness for emergencies," an official statement from the PM office said on Monday. PM Modi also asked IMD to issue daily weather forecasts in a manner which can be easily interpreted and disseminated. It was also discussed that TV news channels, FM radio etc. could spend a few minutes daily to explain the daily weather forecast in a manner which would allow citizens to take necessary precautions. Prime Minister stressed the need for detailed fire audits of all hospitals and that mock fire drills be done in all hospitals by firefighters. "The need for a coordinated effort to deal with forest fires was also pointed out. It was discussed that systemic changes should be made to support efforts to prevent and tackle forest fires," the statement said. Prime Minister instructed that availability of fodder and water in reservoirs should be tracked. Food Corporation of India was asked to prepare to ensure optimal storage of grains in extreme weather conditions. The Principal Secretary to the PM, Cabinet Secretary, Home Secretary, Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and other officials attended the meeting. (ANI)
Como Hotels and Resorts, an award-winning, family-owned group of 15 hotels and resorts worldwide, recently conducted its first-ever General Managers Roadshow in the Middle East.



We covered trade events in Dubai, Qatar, Kuwait and Riyadh  in addition, in Dubai we also hosted our media lunch, said Felipe Gomez, Global Director of Sales, Middle East. In Riyadh, we also had an event in collaboration with one of our trade partners  this was for Saudi social media influencers and media personalities.



Como The Halkin in London, has re-opened last September after an elegant up-lifting of its spacious 41 rooms and suites.



The Middle East market is extremely important for us, representing one of the top feeder markets in some of our destinations like London or Thailand. Qatar and Saudi are also on top of our business from the Middle East, Gomez added.



We identified also the high potential for other destinations where we have presence like Bali, Italy and Maldives, hence we opened our Middle East Global Sales Office back in 2020. Como Laucala Island in Fiji, Como Uma in Bhutan and Como Parrot Cay in Turks and Caicos can also benefit and we must continue increasing destination awareness too.  TradeArabia News Service
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that India's resolve to become the world's third-largest economy can be achieved by imparting skills to youth. Addressing the Gujarat Rozgar Mela virtually, PM Modi said, "There is a need to prepare skilled manpower on a large scale for new possibilities being created in the country. India can achieve its target of becoming the third largest economy through youth's skill power only and we are trying to ensure the benefit of skill to all sections of society." Prime Minister said the enormous amount of investment in sectors like infrastructure and information technology is channelizing growth leading to employment creation. Over Rs 1.25 lakh crore is being spent alone in Gujarat resulting in the creation of lakhs of opportunities. He said in the Union budget 2023-24 a provision of Rs 10 lakh crore has been made for infrastructure development. "Experts across the world are saying that India is going to be the largest manufacturing hub in the coming years. Gujarat has a great role in this. Gujarat is going to become a great hub for semiconductors," PM Modi said. He said the holistic approach to development and policy reforms created a startup-friendly ecosystem in the country. PM Modi said there are over 90,000 startups operating in the country even in tier-II and tier-III cities. He said Mudra Yojana and Stand-up India promoted self-employment in the country. Self-help groups have empowered women. He said in the last five years over 1.5 lakh government jobs were provided to the youth by the state government in Gujarat. In recent years over 18 lakh youth were provided jobs in Gujarat through the Employment Exchange. "I was informed by the state government that preparations were made to provide employment to 25,000 youth in Gujarat this year. Gujarat's government made the recruitment process transparent using technology. This was the second time that Rozgar Mela was organised in Gujarat Prime Minister Modi, on October 22, last year, launched the first phase of the 'Rozgar Mela', where appointment letters were handed over to more than 75,000 new recruits.It marked the beginning of the campaign to provide 10 lakh government jobs. Since then, PM Modi has so far addressed similar job fairs in several states. (ANI)
Amid the ongoing military standoff with China on the Line of Actual Control, defence intelligence agencies have issued a strong advisory to formations to ensure that the troops are not using Chinese mobile phones. "Formations and units are to sensitise their personnel through various forms and channels to exercise caution with such (Chinese) mobile phone devices," the advisory issued by the defence intelligence agencies said. In the advisory accessed by ANI, the military spy agencies asked the formations to "discourage troops and their families from purchasing or using phones from countries hostile to India."The forces issued the advisory as there have been cases where malware and spyware have allegedly been found in Chinese-origin mobile phones by agencies, the sources said. The spy agencies have asked the units and formations to "carry out the transition to other phones against the phones" mentioned in the list attached with the advisory. The Chinese mobile phones available in the commercial market in the country include Vivo, Oppo, Xiaomi, One Plus, Honor, Real Me, ZTE, Gionee, ASUS and Infinix. The spy agencies have been very active against Chinese mobile phone applications also in the past as multiple such applications were deleted from military personnel's phones. The defence forces have also stopped using Chinese mobile phones and applications on their devices. India and China have been engaged in a military standoff since March April 2020 and have deployed heavily against each other on the LAC in Eastern Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh. (ANI)
The Delhi High Court has sought responses from the Delhi government and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in a plea moved by an NGO raising the issue of corruption in the purchase of the disinfectant for the AIIMS Trauma Centre at exorbitant rates without any tender in 2012-2014. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma on March 3 issued notice to the CBI and Delhi Government and sought status reports from them. The Counsel for the CBI and Delhi Government accepted the notice and sought time to file a status report. The bench has also issued notice to MC Mishra, the former director of AIIMS, T R Mahajan, former Store officer and Dr Amit Gupta, Professor, AIIMS Trauma Centre and all partners of Drishti Medicose and Surgical, Dwarka, New Delhi. The matter has been listed on September 14, 2023. The notice has been issued on the revision petition moved by the NGO Janhit Abhiyan-A Campaign for People Voice through its convener Raj Narayan. The petition has been moved by Advocate Rudra Pratap. The NGO has sought a direction to set aside the order passed by the CBI Judge (South), Saket Court February 7, 2018, call the trial court record, and remand the complaint case back to the trial court for further proceedings. The NGO has challenged the order of the CBI judge dismissing the complaint on the basis of a false report filed by the CBI and without following the procedure laid down by the law. It is alleged in the petition that all the accused persons conspired and caused loss to the government exchequer by embezzlement of funds in violation of the rules laid down in the Central Government General Finance Rules. It is also alleged the accused in conspiracy with each other purchased disinfectants and fogging solutions, from the firm owned by their own son and daughter-in-law of the accused, without any tender or quotation, on the basis of a forged proprietary certificate, at a substantially higher price, at which the same items were being purchased in the main hospital through rate contract. The said purchases were allegedly made from November 2012 to March 2014, of cleaning disinfectants and fogging solutions by declaring these as proprietary items, the petition stated. "It is to be noted that proprietary items are only those items which are innovative in nature, technologically so complex that manufactured by a particular firm, while the items in this case, were very general in nature," the NGO's plea stated. It also claimed that to facilitate this purpose, forged entries were made into the certificate regarding efforts made to locate alternative sources of supply, substitutes that/internet search has been made while the fact is that internet search revealed that the same item was available at much cheaper prices, the petitioner claims. It is also said that the most important evidence in this regard was the fact that the same items were being purchased in the main hospital through rate contracts at substantially lower rates. The petition also mentioned that then Chief Vigilance Officer Sanjiv AIIMS found the misappropriation of Government Funds by illegal means to pass the benefits to the accused persons and he referred the matter to CBI. The preliminary enquiry was held and CBI found the above irregularities. It is also said that similarly two other particular firms, were repeatedly benefitted, through the splitting of supply orders in violation of Rules and also to benefit these two particular firms, items were purchased in excess of requirements and during a single inspection of the Vigilance Team constituted by the complainant, from 17-21 February 2014, items around Rs. 67 lakhs were found unused and expired. The NGO had first filed two complaints for the offences mentioned above, before the Metropolitan Magistrate, when the SHO and DCP failed to take action on the complaints against the Respondent. The session court heard the matter and without waiting for the action taken report sought by the Magistrate, dismissed the complaints for want of sanction while disposing of an application under section 156 (3) of Cr.P.C. It is alleged that the CBI did not investigate the forgery committed, the genuineness of participating firms, the violation of rules in declaring proprietary items, the coincidence of the same two firms succeeding and criminal liability for the excess purchase of surgery items worth Rs. 67 lahks which expired without use. The Special Judge had dismissed the complaint filed by the petitioner on the ground of the absence of sanction and lack of material on record for ordering the registration of FIR without appreciating the fact that it was the report of the CBI and CVO present on record that the ex store officer issued tenders to the firm of his son and the other respondent illegally issued proprietary certificate and also used it repeatedly to avoid tendering. The Complainant had sought sanction from the competent authorities, but they failed to respond within 90 days. The Complainant thereafter filed a second complaint against the accused persons and the same was marked for hearing before Special Judge (PC Act) (CBI) South District, Saket Court, New Delhi which was dismissed. (ANI)
The operation was carried out by a combined team of Assam Rifles and the Customs Department, Champhai based on specific information.

The approximate cost of the recovered areca nuts is Rs 57.68 lakh. The seized consignment was handed over to the Customs department, Champhai for further legal proceedings.

The ongoing smuggling of illegal areca nuts is a major cause of concern for the state of Mizoram. Assam Rifles, rightly christened as the 'Sentinels of Northeast' have successfully launched such operations against the smuggling activities in Mizoram.

Earlier in the day, Phundrei Battalion of Assam Rifles under the aegis of HQ IGAR (South) apprehended an active Prepak Pro insurgent in Hiyanglam, Kakching District, Manipur.

Based on the specific input about the presence of a Prepak Procadre involved in illicit activities like extortion, the troops of Assam Rifles undertook a joint operation with the customs department which led to the apprehension of an active Prepak Pro Cadre at Hiyanglam, Kakching District, added the press release.

The arrested individual has been handed over to Hiyanglam Police Station for further investigation and necessary legal action, as per the statement. (ANI)
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav took a jibe at the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)'s action on Monday in the alleged land-for-job scam, saying that he has been witnessing these actions since his childhood. "I have been witnessing this since my childhood. Let it be, there is no problem with it," Yadav said while talking to the reporters. Yadav further said that he had anticipated this when the 'Mahagathbandhan' government was being formed in Bihar. "The day the trust vote was ongoing, and our Mahagathbandhan government was formed under the leadership of Nitish Kumar ji, I knew that these things would keep on happening." On being asked about whether the CBI had sent notice earlier too, Yadav said, "This is a legal proceeding, but everybody knows the truth." He further jibed at the central agency, saying that it is better to open an office at his residence rather than come every month. "Everyone knows what's happening in the country," he added. On Monday, CBI reached the residence of former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi in Patna in connection with the alleged case between 2004 and 2009 when Lalu Yadav was the Railway Minister. Earlier on October 7 last year, the CBI filed a chargesheet against former Bihar chief ministers Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, their daughter Misa Bharti and 13 others in the alleged land-for-job scam. Back in August last year, Nitish Kumar ended his alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led (BJP) National Democratic Alliance and joined hands with Tejashwi Yadav under 'Mahagathbandhan' (Grand Alliance) becoming the chief minister of Bihar for the eighth time. JD-U and BJP had fought the 2020 assembly polls together and Nitish Kumar was made the chief minister of the alliance though the BJP had won more seats. Nitish Kumar's ties with BJP stretched over two decades and he was a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 1996. (ANI)
After Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) victory in the recently concluded Tripura Assembly polls, the caretaker Chief Minister Manik Saha has been elected as the leader of BJP legislative party on Monday. Earlier on Monday, there was a general meeting of all the newly elected BJP MLAs who unanimously proposed the name of Manik Saha for the leader of the legislature party. "My sincere gratitude to all for electing me as the leader of the legislature party. Under the guidance of PM Narendra Modi ji, we shall work together to build 'Unnata Tripura, Shrestha Tripura' and ensure the welfare of all sections of people," tweeted Saha after the meeting. Manik Saha on Friday submitted his resignation to Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya at Raj Bhavan in Agartala and the Governor asked him to continue till the new government is sworn in. BJP returned to power in the state by winning an absolute majority. According to the Election Commission of India, BJP won 32 seats with a vote share of around 39 per cent. Tipra Motha Party came second by winning 13 seats. Communist Party of India (Marxist) got 11 seats while Congress bagged three seats. The Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) managed to open its account by winning one seat. The CPI(M) and the Congress, arch rivals in Kerala, came together in the Northeast this time in a bid to oust the BJP from power. The combined vote share of CPI(M) and Congress remained around 33 per cent. Chief Minister Saha defeated Congress' Asish Kumar Saha from the Town Bordowali seat by a margin of 1,257 votes. In the 60-member Tripura assembly, the majority mark is 31.The BJP, which had never won a single seat in Tripura before 2018, stormed to power in the last election in alliance with IPFT and had ousted the Left Front which had been in power in the border state for 35 years since 1978. The BJP contested on 55 seats and its ally, IPFT, on six seats. But both allies had fielded candidates in the Ampinagar constituency in the Gomati district.The Left contested on 47 and Congress on 13 seats, respectively. Of the total 47 seats, the CPM contested 43 seats while the Forward Bloc, Communist Party of India (CPI) and Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) contested one seat each. The CPI(M)-led Left Front ruled the state for nearly four decades, with a gap between 1988 and 1993, when the Congress was in power but now both parties joined hands with the intention to oust BJP from power. (ANI)
BJP spokesperson Prashant Umrao has knocked the doors of the Delhi High Court seeking transit anticipatory bail in an FIR recently lodged by Tamil Nadu Police against him for allegedly posting a "fake" video about the 'attack' on Bihar migrants in Tamil Nadu. Prashant Umrao Patel, BJP's Spokesperson of Uttar Pradesh has filed an application under Section 438 of CrPC seeking transit anticipatory bail in the matter arising out of the FIR bearing Crime registered at police station Thoothukudi Central, Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu under Sections 153/153(A)/504/505 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 against him in the State of Tamil Nadu. The applicant stated that the FIR has been wrongly registered against him in response to certain tweets which he had posted on the social media platform 'Twitter' based upon the news covered by national news agencies. Prashant Patel further stated that he only gained knowledge of the said FIR through a Press Release of the Tamil Nadu Police and several news articles which have been recently published covering the action initiated by the state of Tamil Nadu in response to similar tweets and news articles. Patel further submitted that on March 4, 2023, the state of Tamil Nadu through the Director General of Police, Tamil Nadu has published a Press Release wherein it has informed that action is being taken against people who published certain information relating to migrant laborers being attached in Tamil Nadu and a case has been registered against the Applicant under Sections 153, 153(A), 504, and 505 of the IPC. The state of Tamil Nadu has also informed that special teams have been formed under the orders of the Director General of Police, Tamil Nadu to arrest certain persons including the applicant. The applicant/Prashant Patel is a resident of the NCT of Delhi and is a practicing lawyer before the Courts in Delhi. The applicant is a member of the Delhi High Court Bar Association. The applicant is also serving as Standing Counsel for the State of Goa before the Supreme Court, stated the plea. According to the Tamil Nadu Police, it has registered FIR against one Journalist and Uttar Pradesh BJP spokesperson Prashant Patel Umrao, who allegedly tweeted disinformation about people coming from Bihar in Tamil Nadu. (ANI)
Holi also known as the festival of colours will be celebrated on March 8.

According to officials, the metro services will not be available till 2:30 pm on all lines of Delhi Metro including the Rapid Metro/Airport Express Line.

"Metro train services will thus start at 14.30 Hrs (2:30 PM) from terminal stations on all lines on 08th March and will continue normally thereafter," said officials.

According to officials, the Metro Feeder bus services will also resume after 2:30 PM on March 8.

Ahead of Holi, Holika Dahan, a ritual that symbolises the victory of good over evil is performed.

During this festival, people put tilaks with holi colours on each other's foreheads. Holika Dahan has cultural significance in addition to its religious significance.

The festival of Holi celebrates the spirit of inclusiveness and humanity heralds the onset of spring after winter in the Indian subcontinent. The festival marks the victory of good over evil is celebrated on two days - Holika Dahan and Holi Milan. (ANI)
After Kerala Police conducted raids at the Asianet News office, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said broadcasting fake videos cannot be considered media work adding that his government does not attack media outlets that advocate oppositional views. Addressing the state Assembly, Kerala CM said, "In November 2022, a video was aired on the Asianet News TV channel, in which a minor girl in her uniform was introduced, which amounts to spreading the misapprehension that the government schools in Kerala are under the grip of drug abuse." In August 2022, the Chief Minister said the police investigations proved that a similar video prepared by using another minor girl was not based on facts. In the case of the latest incident, it was pointed out that the video was prepared by reproducing the audio of the earlier one, by using another girl and airing it. Consequent to the complaint given by MLA PV Anwar to the State police chief, about this, a case has been registered in the Vellayil Police station, Kozhikode in which the inquiry is underway, he said. Vijayan further said that protests occurred in various parts of the state against the making of such a video and the misuse of a minor girl for it. The Students' Federation of India (SFI) workers as well have organised a protest march to the TV channel's office in Ernakulam district. A case has been registered in Palarivattom Police station under sections 143, 147, 149, 447 and 506 of IPC and eight accused were arrested, apropos the complaint received from the media organisation that the protestors have gate-crashed into the office and disrupted the functioning of the office. Further investigation into the case is going on. "The question about freedom of media does not at all arise here. The legal procedures against someone who commits a criminal offence are not initiated after checking the person's occupation. The law does not allow this," Kerala CM stated. He said making and broadcasting fake videos cannot be considered media work. Trapping a minor girl in such an act without informing her that she is being misused and asking for protection to uphold media freedom does not at all form part of valiant media work. The majority think that such deterioration should not happen in the media field. "Those who are asking for the privilege of protection enjoyed by the media to the criminal act of making fake videos by misusing a girl should say whether a murder will not be murder if it is committed by someone amid a news broadcasting job. Will it become a 'holy act' which has the privilege of protection enjoyed by the media?" he said. In reference to the Income Tax department survey at BBC offices, Vijayan said the protest that happened here cannot be compared to the raid conducted at the BBC office. "The raid at the BBC office was an act of revenge against the revelation by the channel about the role of a person who is in power in the Gujarat massacre. But the fake video made by a channel here (Asianet News) was not made as a revelation against any ruler or a government and it is not provoking any ruler in that sense. Hence, no resentment shall arise from any ruler against it. So the allegation of 'revenge against media' won't even stand here," said the Kerala CM. "We do not attack media outlets that advocate oppositional views. But both the Congress and BJP regularly follow this practice of silencing media," CM Vijayan added. Attacking the Congress, Vijayan said seven foreign reporters were expelled from the country, 250 journalists were jailed and 54 people were denied accreditation. "This is the so-called Congress style. Even media persons were labelled as terrorists to hunt them down. This is the history of Congress," he said. The crime branch police team raided the Asianet News office, one of the leading news channels in Malayalam, based on a complaint by MLA PV Anvar. The channel telecasted a report titled 'Narcotics is a dirty business ' on November 10.The MLA alleged this report is fabricated and submitted a written complaint to DGP. Based on this, the police registered a case naming four people from Asianet as accused. Two days back SFI activists had barged into the Asianet office in Kochi. Today's raid by crime branch Assistant Commissioner V. Suresh and seven cops is a continuation of the incidents.A case was registered under sections of POCSO and the Indian Penal Code. (ANI) Following the raids, Asianet News Executive Editor Sindhu Sooryakumar on Sunday said in a statement that the channel "will do free and fair journalism without fear" adding that it will cooperate with the investigation process. "Asianet news will cooperate with any investigation as per law. The investigation is against a story as part of the campaign against the drugs mafia which is gaining strength. There are allegations in the FIR that attempts to defame the image of government were made," Sooryakumar said. (ANI)
Outrightly dismissing the reports of alleged 'attacks' on the Bihar migrant labourers in Tamil Nadu, the state's top police official on Monday said that the situation is peaceful and the workers have resumed their work. The police official said that the videos which were circulated on social media regarding the alleged 'attacks' were fake and most of them did not even take place in Tamil Nadu. Speaking to ANI, Tamil Nadu DGP C Sylendra Babu also urged the media to act responsibly while also asking the people not to spread any such messages on social media which are "offensive". "The situation now is peaceful and the workers have resumed their work. A few of them have left for the Holi celebrations. They had already booked their tickets and therefore they are gone, otherwise, we are able to convince them through the employers. The police officers have reached out to the migrant workers and also convinced them that there is no such incident of attack on Bihari workers or workers from any other state here. Whatever they have seen in the media that the migrant labourers are attacked, they are all fake videos," the police official said. He said that the migrant labourers are now convinced, as a result of the reach out by the police. "Most of them have not even taken place in Tamil Nadu. They were now convinced. In the places where the north Indian workers were employed, we have intensified the police patrol. Hindi-knowing police officers are in constant touch with them," he said. The DGP informed that special helplines were set up in districts including Erode, Tripur, Coimbatore, and Chennai to encourage people to come forward to give a complaint "if at all there is any". "There has been not even one complaint from them," he said. Mentioning the team from Bihar which visited the state to gather information about the alleged 'attacks', the police officer said that they have visited almost all places in the state where the migrant labourers are employed. "They have got the first-hand information that every offensive information that has been published from March 1 onwards, is devoid of truth. They are completely fake videos. The district administration and the police are in touch with the employers and sometimes the workers," he said. The DGP elaborated on the steps taken by the administration and police to counter the rumours and said that the real motive behind the rumours and fake videos can be ascertained after the investigation. "Since March 1, we started countering the fake information. On March 2, I came on video and clarified the situation about a particular video. My officers who are also from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh also gave video bytes. Our 37 social media cells have also countered in terms of comments, and other means that these incidents have never taken place in Tamil Nadu. We requested to delete these contents. Many of the channels did not delete, therefore, we have registered criminal cases against them. Because of this, many of them have deleted the contents," he said adding that some of them are still keeping it. He said that the police have registered nine cases so far and investigating the matter. "We have registered nine cases so far based on the legal opinion and complaints. We are investigating and based on the investigation, it will be possible for us to know what is the real motive behind the creation of such videos and without verifying the facts, they still continue to do it," the police official said. He appealed to the migrant workers not to believe in what has been reported in the media and the rumours on social media stating that the police officials are active in their protection. "Rumours are very dangerous and can cause serious law and order problems. Therefore, do not forward any such posts on social media which is very offensive and which can cause serious bitterness between two groups of people. I appeal to the migrant workers that there is nothing of this nature which has been reported in the press has happened. You can trust our officers, we are in touch with you. Keep attending to your work. There is nothing adverse here. We are always here for your protection," he said. "Everybody must act responsibly including the members of the press," the DGP added. (ANI)
Cebu Pacific (CEB), the Philippines leading airline, is offering Dubai-Manila seats for AED27 ($7.35) one-way base fare, exclusive of fees and surcharges from March 6 to 10 in celebration of its 27th anniversary this month.



With twice daily flights, travellers can plan their Philippine trip ahead of time, as the travel period covers April 1 to September 30, 2023.



CEB is running a month-long series of promos and seat sales as gratitude to its loyal customers over the past 27 years.



Travellers can march their way to the Philippine culture as they roam around the historic walled city of Intramuros in Manila, then hop on a flight to Cebu to explore the history of ancient Philippines. They can go on a water-rafting adventure in Cagayan De Oro, satisfy their cravings with the delectable cuisines of General Santos and Davao, and enjoy the sights and scenes of Iloilo, Bacolod, and Bohol with direct flights from Manila via Cebu Pacific.



Passengers with existing Travel Funds may use these to pay for flights and other add-ons. Apart from the Travel Fund, other payment options such as payment centres, credit or debit cards, and e-wallets may also be used.



CEB is set to restore 100 per cent of its pre-COVID network and capacity in March 2023. It now flies to 34 Philippine and 25 international destinations, spanning across Asia, Australia and the Middle East.  TradeArabia News Service
BJP legislators, led by Leader of Opposition (LoP) Jayanarayan Mishra, met Odisha Governor, Professor Ganeshi Lal, on Monday and submitted a memorandum against the state government over alleged lawlessness. The visit by the BJP leaders to the Governor followed violent protests in Bhubaneswar against the daylight killing of former Odisha minister Naba Kisore Das. The protestors railed against Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, alleging 'deteriorating' law and order in the eastern state. Invoking the murder of Naba Kisore Das, LoP Jayanarayan Mishra said, "It's been a month since Health minister Naba Kishore Das was shot dead in broad daylight and the Crime Branch, which is probing the case, is still clueless. We are firm on our demand for a CBI inquiry into the minister's murder. We have no faith in the ongoing investigation by the CBI." "It's unfortunate that Odisha reported 1,379 murders and 3,184 rape cases in 2022 alone. Crimes against women are on the rise across the state with every passing day. Such is the state of affairs that women feel unsafe to step out at night," LoP Mishra added. Earlier, on February 28, Opposition leaders and workers took out a protest claiming a sharp decline in the state's law-and-order situation. Naba Kishore Das was shot at by a policeman in Brajarajnagar in the Jharsuguda district on January 29 and succumbed to his injuries at a Bhubaneswar hospital on the same day. Thousands of BJP Yuva Morcha supporters, led by the BJP youthwing's president in Odisha, Irasis Acharya, marched towards the Assembly during a mega rally against the alleged lawlessness in the state. A few police personnel and some BJP workers sustained injuries as the two sides came to blows.The national general secretary of the BJP Yuva Morcha, Rohit Chahal, told ANI that law and order have collapsed in the state. "Law and order have totally collapsed in the state. People are sick of the lawlessness in Odisha. We want to ask why the CM is silent on the Naba Das murder case. Why is the investigation not being done into the matter? We won't sit silently," he said. Hitting out at CM Naveen Patnaik, he said, "We want to ask the CM who is running the government? The Assembly is in session and he (CM) is visiting Mumbai." (ANI)
Following the killing of an accused in the Umesh Pal murder case Usmaan in an encounter, Uttar Pradesh's top police official on Monday said that no accused will be spared neither will the people giving protection to them. Vijay Chowdhary alias Usman was killed in the encounter that took place in Kaundhiyara in Prayagraj on Monday. Addressing a press conference here, ADG Prashant Kumar said that the killed accused had a bounty of Rs 50,000 in his name. "On February 24, Arbaaz was killed in a police encounter and on February 27, mastermind Sadaqat was sent to jail...Usmaan got injured during an encounter and was admitted to the hospital where he died," he said. "A reward of Rs 50,000 was announced in Usmaan's name...in a video circulated it can be clearly seen he killed our police personnel," the ADG added. He said that the Uttar Pradesh Police is determined to nab the culprits and bringing them to book. "The accused will not be spared nor will the people who protect them...Illegally built properties of people associated with this case were demolished...UP Police is determined to catch hold of the culprits and present them in court," he said. Earlier today, taking on Twitter about the incident, UP MLA Shalabh Mani Tripathi said, "Didn't we say that we will destroy them (mafia nexus)!! Usman, the dreaded killer who fired the first shot at Umesh Pal and Sandeep Nishad, was also killed in a police encounter today." Gorakhpur MP Ravi Kishan also said, "Pujya Maharaj @myogiadityanath ji had said that they (mafia nexus) will be destroyed. The dreaded absconding killer Usman, who fired the first shot at Umesh Pal and Sandeep Nishad, was also killed in an encounter by the police today #up." Hours after the encounter of the accused Usman alias Vijay in the Umesh Pal murder case, the deceased's wife, Suhanne claimed that she had "no idea" about her husband's 'Usman' name. Speaking to ANI, the accused's wife Suhanne said, "We have no idea about his 'Usman' name, we only called him 'Vijay' and 'Naan Baba' at home." "He (Vijay alias Usman) left the house yesterday, and was missing since then," she added.Suhanne said that she got to know about the encounter incident only by the police. "I had no idea about this incident, and I got to know about it only after the police called me for investigation," she said. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said that the remaining suspects in the case will also be nabbed and punished. Talking to ANI, Maurya said, "I would like to congratulate the police team for this success. Those criminals murdered Umesh Pal and later two police personnel also. In today's encounter, the second murderer was killed." (ANI)
Stepping up the investigation into the rumours of the alleged 'attack' on the Bihar migrant labourers in Tamil Nadu, the police of both states have swung into action with the Bihar Police issuing the preservation notice to social media platforms while the Tamil Nadu Police is conducting the reach out programmes to the labourers to allay their fears. The Bihar Police has asked the platforms like YouTube, Facebook and Gmail to save the links of the posts by the miscreants in connection with the rumours of the alleged 'attack', to help in the probe in the future. "We have sent preservation notices to Facebook, Youtube and Gmail under which all these service providers are directed to save the links with them for about three months so that thorough investigation is done in case someone deletes it," Jitendra Singh Gangwar, ADG Police Headquarters said in a press conference today. On the other hand, the Tamil Nadu Police is reaching out to the migrant workers attempting to send the message that the atmosphere is peaceful and the labourers can return to their work. "The situation now is peaceful and the workers have resumed their work. A few of them have left for the Holi celebrations. They had already booked their tickets and therefore they are gone, otherwise, we are able to convince them through the employers. The police officers have reached out to the migrant workers and also convinced them that there is no such incident of attack on Bihari workers or workers from any other state here. Whatever they have seen in the media that the migrant labourers are attacked, they are all fake videos," Tamil Nadu DGP C Sylendra Babu said while speaking to ANI. He dismissed the reports of any 'attack' on the Bihar migrant labourers and said that videos circulated on social media are fake and most of them have not taken place in Tamil Nadu. "Most of them have not even taken place in Tamil Nadu. They were now convinced. In the places where the north Indian workers were employed, we have intensified the police patrol. Hindi-knowing police officers are in constant touch with them," he said. The Bihar Police official also stressed that the video which went viral was made "deliberately".] "The video was made deliberately to sway the public with propaganda. There could have been worse situations arising because of this video. A DSP and 4 members are currently in Tamil Nadu," the police official said. The Tamil Nadu Police DGP said that they have set up helpline numbers in many districts asking people to file complaints about any such incident. "Special helplines have been set up in districts including Erode, Tripur, Coimbatore, and Chennai to encourage people to come forward to give a complaint if at all there is any. There has been not even one complaint from them," he said. The police official also mentioned the team which visited from Bihar to gather information about the alleged 'attacks' and said that they have been informed about the "offensive information" that was spread in the last few days. "They have got the first-hand information that every offensive information that has been published from March 1 onwards, is devoid of truth. They are completely fake videos. The district administration and the police are in touch with the employers and sometimes the workers," he said. The DGP elaborated on the steps taken by the administration and police to counter the rumours and said that the real motive behind the rumours and fake videos can be ascertained after the investigation. "Since March 1, we started countering the fake information. On March 2, I came on video and clarified the situation about a particular video. My officers who are also from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh also gave video bytes. Our 37 social media cells have also countered in terms of comments, and other means that these incidents have never taken place in Tamil Nadu. We requested to delete these contents. Many of the channels did not delete, therefore, we have registered criminal cases against them. Because of this, many of them have deleted the contents," he said adding that some of them are still keeping it. He said that the police have registered nine cases so far and investigating the matter. "We have registered nine cases so far based on the legal opinion and complaints. We are investigating and based on the investigation, it will be possible for us to know what is the real motive behind the creation of such videos and without verifying the facts, they still continue to do it," the police official said. He appealed to the migrant workers not to believe in what has been reported in the media and the rumours on social media stating that the police officials are active in their protection. "Rumours are very dangerous and can cause serious law and order problems. Therefore, do not forward any such posts on social media which is very offensive and which can cause serious bitterness between two groups of people. I appeal to the migrant workers that there is nothing of this nature which has been reported in the press has happened. You can trust our officers, we are in touch with you. Keep attending to your work. There is nothing adverse here. We are always here for your protection," he said. "Everybody must act responsibly including the members of the press," the DGP added. Meanwhile, amid the row over alleged 'attacks' over Bihar migrant workers, Tamil Nadu Minister for Labour Welfare and Skill Development CV Ganesan on Monday said that the state government is in the middle of a process of conducting a census of the migrant labourers. The Minister stressed that the migrant labourers are safe in the state, stating that this has been conveyed to the 4-member team from Bihar which had visited Tamil Nadu to gather information about the alleged incidents of 'attack'. "Tamil Nadu Govt is in process of collecting a census of migrant labours. Migrant workers in Tamil Nadu are safe, they themselves told this to the team that came to Tamil Nadu on behalf of govt from Bihar," Ganesan said in a press conference. He further said that the MK Stalin-led government has taken steps to make sure that the migrant labourers from across the country are safe. "The Tamil Nadu government has been actively taking steps to ensure the safety of migrant labourers. A Census of Migrant workers is ongoing in every district. There are approximately 6 lakh Migrant workers in Tamil Nadu," the Minister said. Earlier on Saturday, a 4-member team from Bihar reached Chennai and participated in a meeting with Chennai District Collector, Commissioner of Tamil Nadu Labour Department and other government officials in connection with the matter. The Bihar government had sent the team to the Southern state after reports of alleged attacks on the migrant labourers surfaced. The four-member team included D Balamurugan, Secretary, Rural Development, P Kanan, IPS (IG CID), Shree Alok, Special Secretary, Labour Department and an IPS officer will submit a report to the Bihar chief minister after their visit. (ANI)
After Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) electoral success in the recently held Tripura Assembly polls, Chief Minister-designate Manik Saha on Monday called on Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya to stake claim to form the government in the Northeast state. Earlier on Monday, there was a general meeting of all the newly elected BJP MLAs who unanimously proposed the name of Manik Saha for the leader of the legislature party. "My sincere gratitude to all for electing me as the leader of the legislature party. Under the guidance of PM Narendra Modi ji, we shall work together to build 'Unnata Tripura, Shrestha Tripura' and ensure the welfare of all sections of people," tweeted Saha after the meeting. Manik Saha on Friday submitted his resignation to Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya at Raj Bhavan in Agartala. The Governor asked him to continue until the new government is sworn in. Ahead of oath taking ceremony on March 8, CM-designate Manik Saha on Sunday visited Astabal Maidan to inspect the venue of the swearing in event. Saha also had visited the Swami Vivekananda maidan where he along with the high officials inspected the preparations for the upcoming oath ceremony. Speaking to the media, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also attend the event on March 8. "Last time, the oath-taking ceremony took place at Assam Rifles Ground and this time it will take place at the Swami Vivekananda Maidan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will remain present in the ceremony," Saha told reporters. He further said that BJP president JP Nadda will also visit the state to take part in the oath-taking ceremony. "Union Home Minister Amit Shah will also be there during the Oath taking ceremony along with various other leaders of the party," he added. He said several chief ministers of BJP ruled states will also join the event. BJP returned to power in the state by winning an absolute majority. According to the Election Commission of India, BJP won 32 seats with a vote share of around 39 per cent. Tipra Motha Party came second by winning 13 seats. Communist Party of India (Marxist) got 11 seats while Congress bagged three seats. The Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) managed to open its account by winning one seat. The CPI(M) and the Congress, arch rivals in Kerala, came together in the Northeast this time in a bid to oust the BJP from power. The combined vote share of CPI(M) and Congress remained around 33 per cent. Chief Minister Saha defeated Congress' Asish Kumar Saha from the Town Bordowali seat by a margin of 1,257 votes. In the 60-member Tripura assembly, the majority mark is 31.The BJP, which had never won a single seat in Tripura before 2018, stormed to power in the last election in alliance with IPFT and had ousted the Left Front which had been in power in the border state for 35 years since 1978. The BJP contested on 55 seats and its ally, IPFT, on six seats. But both allies had fielded candidates in the Ampinagar constituency in the Gomati district.The Left contested on 47 and Congress on 13 seats, respectively. Of the total 47 seats, the CPM contested 43 seats while the Forward Bloc, Communist Party of India (CPI) and Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) contested one seat each. The CPI(M)-led Left Front ruled the state for nearly four decades, with a gap between 1988 and 1993, when the Congress was in power but now both parties joined hands with the intention to oust BJP from power. (ANI)
The Punjab Government on Sunday suspended seven jail officials and arrested five of them for negligence on duty over a gang fight in which two gangsters were killed inside Goindwal jail on Feb 26. The gangsters who were killed were facing charges in the Sidhu Moosewala murder case among other cases. While addressing a press conference, Sukhchain Singh Gill, IGP of Punjab Police said "Two groups of gangsters fought with each other in Goindwal jail on Feb 26 in which two gangsters died while one was injured. The Punjab govt took stringent action, and seven jail officials were suspended." "FIR against gangsters and jail officials was registered. 5 jail officials have been arrested. A video has gone viral today of a gang war on 26 Feb in Goindwal jail. FIR against gangsters, who made this video viral, and jail officials were registered," he added. IGP Punjab Police stated that these jail inmates are members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang. "Our guess is that there was a scuffle-over difference on some matter between these two gangs which started the brawl. Inmates have been shifted to different jails now" he said. He pointed out that stringent action was taken against jail officials as they failed to do their duty. "It was a clear case of negligence and dereliction of duty. How can mobile phones go inside?" IGP Gill said. A video had gone viral on social media where a gangster was calling himself Sachin Bhiwani, from Lawrence Bishnoi gang and he claimed that he killed gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang members Mandeep Singh Toofan and Manmohan. Another video surfaced where jail inmates were seen celebrating the killings of the two jail members. In this regard, Punjab Police has registered a case under multiple sections. "A fresh case has been registered under Section 66 of the Information Technology Act, Section 52 of the Prisons Act, Sections 506 and 149 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Police Station Goindwal Sahib" he said. IGP Punjab Police further informed that Jail Superintendent Iqbal Singh Brar, Additional Jail Superintendent Vijay Kumar, Assistant Jail Superintendent Harish Kumar, Assistant Sub Inspector Joginder Singh, and ASI Harchand Singh are the five arrested officials and other two suspended jail officials are Additional Jail Superintendent Jaspal Singh Khaira and Head Constable Savinder Singh. (ANI)
The protest is against the alleged non-fulfilment of promises made to them by the state government. The women were staging a dharna outside Sachin Pilot's residence.

"This behaviour against women and especially widows of those who have sacrificed their lives for our country is punishable and unapologetic. The government will have to take strict action against the police and people involved in this," Pilot told reporters after meeting the women.

The women sitting on dharna say that they hope that Sachin Pilot can make them meet Gandhi family.

They said that the Gehlot government of the state is not paying attention to their demands, so they want to convey their message to the Gandhi family.

The women have been staging a dharna for several days in Jaipur. Police allegedly assathe women when they wanted to meet Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot over their demands. (ANI)
The Delhi High Court on Monday directed the national consortium of concerned departments to hold a meeting and give its recommendations on the funding of clinical trials for rare diseases including Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). The High court has also sought a status report from AIIMS on the treatment of children suffering from rare diseases. Justice Prathiba M Singh directed the National Consortium for Research, Development, and Therapeutics for rare diseases to hold a meeting by March 26 and said that the recommendations would be comprehensive in nature and the consortium is free to call upon the participation of agencies and people required for this purpose. The bench said during the meeting the consortium shall consider the age of children suffering from rare diseases and the expenses incurred on the treatment. The court asked the consortium to explore the possibility and feasibility of indigenous therapies in the already-approved trials as it would be a cost-effective option. The high court also said the consortium shall also deal with the companies who already have approved therapies for rare diseases in India for any negotiation and agreement. During the hearing, the doctor from AIIMS was also present, they informed the bench that 4 children have been found capable to be included in the clinical trial. The requisite examination and test will be done on these children on Thursday. It was also informed that the trial will commence only if the parents agree. One of the petitioners is also included in the few patients upon whom the trial is being conducted by the company M/s Sarepta. The company may induct some more patients and permission for this has been sought. The Delhi High Court last week had pulled up the central government, AIIMS, and even the counsel for petitioners for not informing it about the beginning of clinical trials for rare disease medicine. The court was hearing the batch of petitions by the children affected by the rare diseases. Justice Prathiba M Singh going expressed her displeasure and said the court was "kept in dark" by all parties about an ongoing trial here for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). The court asked the AIIMS to examine the possibility of the children participating in the trial after their evaluation and file a report by Monday. Dr. Sheffali Gulati informed the court that trials are going on upon 69 patients in the country out of which 11 are in AIIMS. She informed the court she has all the details and would file it before the court. Sarepta is conducting these trials. The bench asked the doctors why it was not informed prior to the trials were approved. "Why was this court kept in the dark about this trial? Neither government is telling nor is AIIMS. Government, DGCI, Health Ministry, petitioners, everyone kept the court in the dark," justice expressed her displeasure. (ANI)
Border Security Force (BSF) jawans on Monday celebrated Holi with locals at the International Border in the Samba sector of Jammu and Kashmir. They also extended best wishes to locals ahead of the festival of colours. The BSF, which is called the first line of defence, are deployed at the International Border with Pakistan. Speaking to ANI, a woman jawan said that the locals visit the BSF camp every festival and celebrate. "We are celebrating Holi. While the Jawans are here, locals have also joined in the celebrations. They come to us and celebrate every festival. We don't feel too far away from home when we are around them. We want to tell the people to celebrate the festival without a worry in the world. The borders are secure," she said. Another jawan, too, extended his best wishes for Holi saying that the locals have been very supportive. "The civilian population on the borders is very supportive. They come to us to celebrate every festival together. It gives us great joy when they are here celebrating festivals with us. I would like to extend my best wishes to the people ahead of the festival of colours. Celebrate the festival with happiness. We are guarding the borders and there's no reason to worry," he said. "They are like a family. While we miss our loved ones back home, especially on festivals, they lift our spirits by celebrating with us. We spend time together. I extend my best wishes to fellow countrymen on the occasion of Holi," another jawan said. While Holi is celebrated over two days in North India, its preparations and all related events start a week in advance. Choti Holi and Holika Dahan will be marked on March 7 (Tuesday). It is marked during Pradosh Kaal (which starts after sunset) while Purnimasi Tithi is prevailing, as per Hindu beliefs. The festival of Holi celebrates the spirit of inclusiveness and humanity and heralds the onset of Spring in the Indian subcontinent. The festival, marking the victory of good over evil, is celebrated over two days -- Holika Dahan and Holi Milan. (ANI)
The opposition has come out in support of Lalu Prasad and his family after the CBI on Monday reached at the residence of former Chief Minister Rabri Devi. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress General Secretary, said, "Those opposition leaders who have not bowed down against BJP are being subjected to harassment through ED and CBI. Today, they are torturing Rabri Devi while Lalu Prasad and his family are being harassed for years because they did not bow down. BJP wants to crush the opposition voice." Independent MP Kapil Sibal too slammed the CBI for interrogating former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi. Sibal said that it is being done to pressurise Lalu Prasad. "The CBI heat is on Lalu Prasad. We all know the fragile state of his health. To pressurise Tejashwi, the more the government does this, the more the people will turn against this government," Sibal said in a tweet. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) told IANS that it was not any raid or search operation, but the team paid a visit to the house of the former Bihar Chief Minister for further investigation in connection with the land for job scam involving former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and others. The opposition leaders accused the CBI of conducting raids ahead of Holi. In this case, Rabri Devi, Lalu Prasad and others have been summoned by Delhi's Rouse Avenue District Courts to appear before it on March 15. The CBI has got the prosecution sanction against Lalu Prasad in the case. --IANS miz/arm ( 266 Words) 2023-03-06-19:36:04 (IANS)
According to the police, the surrendered accused has been identified as Arjun Babu, the Ernakulam District Secretary of SFI. Apart from Arjun Babu, Athul, Akhil, Nanda Kumar, Joel, Nassar, Ananthu and Aswin surrendered before Palarivattom police today.

With this, the total number of people who have been arrested by the police is 16.

According to police, cases against the accused have been registered under sections 143, 147, 149, 447 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

On March 4, SFI workers protested and barged into the Asianet News office in Kochi.

They organised this protest following a statement by the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at the Assembly on Sunday regarding news published by Asianet News in connection with an interview of a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) case victim.

The protestors were alleging that the interview was a fake one.

After barging into the office, the protestors placed banners inside the office and infront of the office, saying that "this organisation is an insult to cultured Kerala."

A case was registered on the complaint which was given by Abhilash G Nair, the Regional Bureau Chief of Asianet News.

After Kerala Police conducted raids at the Asianet News office, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said broadcasting fake videos cannot be considered media work adding that his government does not attack media outlets that advocate oppositional views. (ANI)
Destination wellness resort operator Jayasom has revealed plans to deliver an integrative multigenerational health offering for Amaala, one of the worlds most ambitious tourism destinations developed by Red Sea Global (RSG).



With a planned total of 153 keys and 24 Branded Residences, Jayasom Wellness Resort, Amaala is situated in Triple Bay and will comprise of a family wellness product alongside an adults-only zone, as well as residences for sale to private owners.



The resort experience and all facilities are designed to immerse guests in a journey of personal transformation, with approximately 7,000 square metres dedicated to covering Holistic Health, Fitness, Physiotherapy, Nutrition, Aesthetic Beauty, and Spa. This will be complemented by an extensive conscious cuisine offering across multiple outlets.



We are delighted to announce our inaugural flagship property and look forward to sharing our integrative wellness approach with visitors and residents at Amaala. Health is a key motivator for travellers today and we are honoured to be leading the way on this ambitious project in partnership with RSG. Together, we will set new standards for the global wellness travel industry and help propel it to the next level. Our partnership is built on shared values of sustainability leadership and community responsibility, and we are proud to bring our sector expertise to this project driven by service excellence, commented Karen Campbell, CEO of Jayasom.



An all-encompassing approach to health and wellness will pay careful attention to the needs of each guest, curating stays that draw together Western evidence-based practice, holistic remedies, and local wisdom. Guest journeys will be delivered as retreat experiences by an expert team of highly trained therapists and staff, including medically certified specialists.



From tailor-made movement-based programmes to build strength and flexibility, to minimally invasive beauty procedures using the latest US FDA-approved technology, all programmes are supported by nutrition and education on mindful consumption. Innovation will also play a central part in the offering, with treatments based on real-time research and technology delivering a new pinnacle in personalisation and seamless guest journeys.



Spaces across the resort will be dedicated to contemplation, self-healing, and self-discovery, and seamlessly integrated wellness trails, yoga pavilions and labyrinths have been designed to offer a sense of discovery. The state-of the-art spa has been designed to respect the two offerings of the resort  a serene adults-only space and a more energetic family experience. Guests will encounter a cocoon type environment beautifully integrated within a horseshoe shaped natural land formation. An adult entry and family entry will be included to support Jayasoms multi-generational resort.



John Pagano, Group CEO of Red Sea Global added: Jayasom will offer our guests a holistic sanctuary where they will be surrounded by the stunning natural landscape of the Red Sea coastline. We want visitors to truly appreciate the beauty of this unique destination while focusing on their transformative journey through the world-class wellness facilities on offer. This partnership is yet another exciting step in growing our luxury brand portfolio at Amaala and welcoming our first guests next year.



The adults-only zone of the resort will allow a peaceful and tranquil environment to facilitate a truly rejuvenating experience, dedicated to contemplation, healing, and self-discovery.



Meanwhile, the family section will be where guests come together to make meaningful connections, enriched by truly authentic experiences. Branded residences will offer an opportunity for families to make the Jayasom philosophy a permanent part of their lifestyle. While enjoying the comfort of their own private villa, homeowners will benefit from a wellness community and the holistic wellness offerings of the resort.



Sustainability is a cornerstone of Amaala, with the entire destination set to be powered by 100% renewable energy. The development targets a 30 percent net conservation benefit by 2040, which will be achieved by the expansion of key natural habitats that encourage biodiversity to flourish.



Once complete, Amaala is set to employ approximately 50,000 through direct, indirect and induced roles. Jayasom Wellness Resort, Amaala will form part of the first development phase of Amaala, which is well underway and expects to welcome its first guests in 2024. This will consist of eight resorts offering upwards of 1,300 hotel keys.



Upon completion, Amaala will be home to more than 3,000 hotel rooms across 25 hotels, and approximately 900 luxury residential villas, apartments, and estate homes, alongside high-end retail establishments, fine dining, wellness, and recreational facilities.  TradeArabia News Service
While the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd (CPCL) officials have plugged the oil leak in its underground pipeline, the fishermen are protesting demanding the removal of these pipelines from the Nagapattinam sea.

The oil spill was detected by fishermen on March 2 in the sea at the Nagapattinam coast and when informed, the officials of CPCL conducted an inspection and found a leak in the 9 km pipeline off the Nagapattinam coast in Pattimancherry, which is a fisherman hamlet.

The leak was plugged on Sunday (March 5) evening after the workers of the CPCL carried out repairs for three continuous days.

The fishermen leaders announced a road roko' agitation on March 8 after continuous protest since March 2, and abstained from fishing for the fourth consecutive day on Monday.

Nagapattinam district collector, Arun Thamburaj, has conducted an inspection at the spot and told mediapersons that CPCL had plugged the leak on Sunday and has been instructed not to pump oil till further information.

Even as the fishermen of Pattimancherry have announced a road roko on March 8, the revenue and fisheries department will be conducting a peace meeting with the protesting fishermen.

While hundreds of litres of crude oil were pumped into the sea from the CPCL, the officials said that it was a minor leak and was plugged on Sunday evening.

--IANS aal/arm

( 258 Words)

2023-03-06-20:16:05 (IANS)
Calling the state budget as 'Bharose Ka Budget' (Budget of Trust), Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel described it as progressive as well surplus and claimed it covered every section of society. While talking to ANI after tabling the budget on Monday, CM Baghel said, "This is not a deficit budget, instead it is surplus. In this budget, every section of society has been considered. Be it farmers, tribal people, those belonging to the SC category, labourers, unemployed, Anganwadi workers or others, the interest of everyone is considered in this budget." "They (without naming BJP) were earlier saying what budget a farmer will prepare, but this is the first time that after 2011-2012 (till March 6), we have not borrowed loan from the market," said CM Baghel and recalled the situation in ex-CM Raman Singh's three terms. The CM highlighted that every section of society has been covered in this budget, and people across the state are celebrating this budget. "This budget is progressive in nature and is going to hurl Chhattisgarh on the path of development in terms of infrastructural development, improvement of peoples' economy and other factors," stated CM Baghel. On being asked about the provision of employment general in the budget (which is being frequently questioned by the opposition leaders), CM Baghel alleged that BJP has kept the reservation bill, which is needed to give jobs, stuck in Raj Bhavan. "If the reservation was implemented, we would have invited much recruitment for several posts in the revenue department, education, health department, police and others. We have invited applications for recruitment in several posts, but BJP is guilty of the existing situation as they are making pressure on the bill by misusing the Raj Bhavan," the CM said. Terming the budget as the election budget and the budget of publicity, Leader of Opposition (LoP) Narayan Chandel said, "No groundwork is going to be taken in this budget." "I wanted to ask CM Baghel that does work related to the provisions made in the last budget has started, the foundation for how many works has been laid, how many works completed, and tendering process started in how many works. As administrative approval for several works of the last budget is yet to be availed, what expectations are to be made from this budget," said LoP Chandel. Commenting on the salary hike of Anganwadi workers, assistants and others, Chandel said, "The decision in this regard was taken under the pressure of opposition as BJP has prominently raised this issue and brought it to the attention of the government." Expressing his view on the allowance announced for the unemployed educated youths, Chandel said, "The government has not taken any step for offering and generating employment to them." (ANI)
He visited the residence of Pradeep at Erukula Basti, in Amberpet and consoled his parents.

Kishan Reddy, who is Member of Parliament from Secunderabad constituency, extended financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh from his salary and another Rs 1 lakh on behalf of BJP corporators.

He also announced that he will take care of the expenses for education of Pradeep's sister.

He urged the Telangana government to bring in necessary amendments to the current policies for a holistic approach to combat growing menace of stray dogs, including shifting of dog sterilisation centers to low population density areas.

Kishan Reddy blamed the negligence of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) for the unfortunate death of the child.

The heart-wrenching incident occurred on February 19 in a car servicing centre where the boy's father Gangadhar was working as watchman.

--IANS ms/vd

( 193 Words)

2023-03-06-20:46:03 (IANS)
Rajnath Singh, who arrived in Goa on Monday afternoon, reviewed the operational capabilities of the navy during the Naval Commanders' Conference held aboard India's first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier INS Vikrant.

He lauded the Navy for standing firm and protecting national interests with courage and dedication. "The Indian Navy has strengthened India's position as 'Preferred Security Partner' in the Indian Ocean Region," he said.

He described secured borders as the first requirement to ensure social and economic progress.

"Defence sector has emerged as a major demand creator, which has been boosting the economy and ensuring the country's development. In the next 5-10 years, orders worth over $100 billion are expected to be placed through the defence sector and it will become a major partner in the economic development of the country. Today, our defence sector is on the runway, soon when it takes off, it will transform the country's economy," he said.

Rajnath Singh also commended the Navy for being at the forefront of indigenisation and innovation through inductions of ships and submarines and development of niche technologies, in consonance with the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' vision.

The operational demonstrations witnessed by the Defence Minister included complex aircraft carrier and fleet operations, weapon firing by ships and aircraft, and underway replenishment at sea.

--IANS sbk/vd

( 248 Words)

2023-03-06-20:54:02 (IANS)
Tiruchirappalli's Superintendent of Police Sujit Kumar, who hails from Bihar himself, on Monday said that there was no threat to workers from other states in Tiruchi and other parts of Tamil Nadu. He said that there are 2,784 guest workers in Tiruchi which include 406 women and said that most of them are working in the area since the past 10 years. Condemning the fake videos that were circulating about alleged attacks on the migrant workers from north India, Sujit Kumar, while talking to reporters here, said: "Such incidents did not happen in Tiruchi or elsewhere in Tamil Nadu. Senior police officers have interacted with migrant workers and no one has complained of any threat to them." He, however, said that north Indian migrant workers have left for their home states as Holi is on March 8 and not because of any threat. The SP said that the employers of Tamil Nadu were looking after their workers well and have been providing accommodation and food for the guest workers near their workplace. Noting that there are students from north India at the prestigious National Institute of Technology, Trichy and the Tamil Nadu National Law University (TNNLU), he said that he has not received any complaints of harassment from students in these institutions. He also said that the district police have issued a helpline number and some calls had landed in that number but none was for help regarding any harassment of north Indian workers. --IANS aal/vd ( 262 Words) 2023-03-06-21:08:04 (IANS)
The youth who killed his friend in a most brutal fashion by beheading him, ripping out his heart, and chopping off private parts over a girl, had taken her to the crime scene to show the victim's body, revealed Telangana Police on Monday. Abdullapurmet police under Rachakonda commissionerate revealed more shocking details of the macabre killing following the questioning of accused P. Hari Krishna. The police also included his girlfriend as the third accused in the case and arrested her. Hassan, who has already been arrested in the case, is named number two accused in the case Hari Krishna had killed his friend N. Naveen, 21, an engineering student, at Pedda Amberpet on the outskirts of Hyderabad on February 17 but it came to light a week later when the accused surrendered before police. Deputy Commissioner of Police, LB Nagar, B. Sai Sri told media persons that after killing Naveen, Hari Krishna severed his head, ripped out his heart, fingers and private parts. He kept the organs in a bag and took it to the house of his friend Hassan at Brahmanapally village on a two-wheeler. He, along with Hassan, later dumped the organs near Manneguda and returned to Hassan's house, changed the clothes and spent the night there. The next morning, Hari Krishna went to the girl's house at B.N. Reddy Nagar colony. He told her about Naveen's murder, took Rs 1,500 from her for his expenses and left. Subsequently, they remained in contact over the phone. On February 20, Hari Krishna went to the girl's house and took her out on a two-wheeler. He took the girl to the place where he had killed Naveen and showed her the body from a distance. When Naveen's family members called Hari Krishna on February 21 to check about Naveen's whereabouts, he panicked. Fearing that his crime may get exposed, he left for Khammam. Later, he went to Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam and went to Warangal to meet his father on February 23. His father informed him that police are on the lookout for him and suggested that he surrender. On February 24, Hari Krishna came to Hyderabad and went to Hassan's house. They went to the place in Manneguda where they had thrown body parts of Naveen. They brought the body parts to the place where he had killed Naveen and set them on fire. Hari Krishna then went to his girlfriend's house and took a bath. From here he went straight to Abdullapurmet police station and surrendered. --IANS ms/vd ( 434 Words) 2023-03-06-22:28:02 (IANS)
Arrested alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar on Monday, in a letter, extended his greetings to Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez on the occasion of Holi, but, rather in a "personal way". "I wish the most fantastic human, the amazing, my ever-beautiful Jacqueline, a very Happy Holi. On this day, festival of colours, I promise you, the colours which faded or disappeared will be brought back to you, a 100x folds," Sukesh wrote in his letter, released through his advocate. "This year in full jazzy and brightness, my style. I will make sure of that and its my responsibility. You know I will got to all extent, for you my baby girl," he wrote. "I love you my baby, stay smiling. You know well what you mean to me and how much you mean to me. Love you my princess, miss you loads, my bee. My bomma. My love. My Jackie," he added in his letter. --IANS ssh/vd ( 173 Words) 2023-03-06-22:30:02 (IANS)
Protests broke out in Greece on Sunday over a deadly train collision which claimed the lives of 57 people, CNN reported. The protests have been reported despite an apology from Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. In a statement, Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis said "we cannot, will not, and must not hide behind human error," as per the CNN report. In a statement issued on Sunday, Mitsotakis stressed that it should not be possible for two trains moving in opposite directions "to be on the same track and not be noticed by anyone." "As prime minister, I owe everyone, but above all to the relatives of the victims, a big sorry. Both personally, and in the name of all those who ruled the country for years," Mitsotakis said in the statement as per CNN. The Greek PM's statement suggested systemic issues in the Greek railway network, promising announcements to "improve the safety of the railways" in the coming days, as per the news report. A passenger train carrying over 350 people collided with a freight train on Tuesday evening in Tempi near Larrisa. The collision has sparked anger among people over safety standards in the Greek railway network. The protests which erupted on Sunday were only the latest, with police using tear gas on demonstrators who gathered outside parliament in Athens. According to CNN, one of the slogans read, "This crime should not be covered up, we will be the voice of all the dead." On Thursday, after a train station manager was arrested in Larissa in connection with the collision, Greek authorities made public dispatch recordings revealing that one of the train drivers involved had got instructions to ignore a red light, as per the news report. The Greek Transport Minister had resigned after the train collision. Greek Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis said the railway system inherited by the government is "not up to 21st century standards" as he resigned from his post, On Thursday, the Greek federation of rail workers decided to launch a 24-hour strike to highlight poor working conditions and chronic understaffing, CNN reported. Meanwhile, the Greek metro workers had also announced another 24-hour strike. (ANI)
Malaysia will consider new search operations for Flight MH370 if "new and credible" information emerges about its location, Malaysia's Transport Minister Anthony Loke said, MalayMail reported. The Malaysian Transport Minister's statement comes ahead of the ninth anniversary of the Malaysia Airlines MH370's disappearance in 2014. He also offered sympathies to the families of those onboard the Malaysia Airlines flight that vanished without a trace, as per the news report. "As transport minister, I will not summarily close the book on this tragedy," MalayMail quoted Anthony Loke as saying. "I reiterate the government of Malaysia's position that due consideration will be given to future search operations should there be new and credible information on the potential location of the aircraft's final resting place," he added. At a special commemoration event called the 9th Annual MH370 Remembrance Event 2023 on Facebook, event host Grace Subatharai Nathan called for the search to resume for all the people who lost their family members in the flight, MalayMail reported. She asked for closure for the loved ones of the people onboard the flight. "So much has happened in nine years. There was an unborn baby as a next of kin was expecting when the plane disappeared. That baby is now going to school and is in Standard One or Two, that's how much time has passed," MalayMail quoted Grace Subatharai Nathan as saying. "I was a student at the time and now am a mother. Others are grandparents, husbands but what we've always said is MH370 is not history, it's the future. If we don't know what happened to MH370, we cannot prevent it from happening again," she added. She said, "Today it's us, tomorrow it could be anyone who boards a plane and that should be prevented at all costs. This is not a mystery that should be left a mystery forever, it is just not acceptable." Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 was flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014, when it went missing over the South China Sea, as per the news report. To date, the plane and the 239 people, which included 227 passengers and 12 crew have not been found despite a multinational search effort that lasted years. Underwater searches have been carried out for the flight in the Indian Ocean that have covered 120,000 square kilometres and cost about A$200 million. The underwater searches were subsequently suspended indefinitely in January 2017. However, Malaysia accepted a "no-cure, no-fee" offer from US exploration firm Ocean Infinity in 2018. The three-month search effort covered 112,000 sq km north of the original target area. However, no discovery was made during the search. The search was called off in May 2018. An official 495-page report in July 2018 said that MH370 was deliberately taken off course by a person or persons unknown, MalayMail reported. It has been recorded as the most expensive search operation in aviation history. (ANI)
The toxic acids evaporated from the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant may pose a threat to the Sri Maha Bodhi tree, the oldest living tree of the world with a written history, reported Ilankai Tamil Sangam (Sangam.org), an association of Tamils of Sri Lanka in the US. The Lakvijaya Power Plant, also known as the Norochcholai Power plant, is situated in Norochcholai, Puttalam in the Northwestern province of Sri Lanka, at the southern end of the Kalpitiya peninsula. It is the largest thermal power plant in Sri Lanka. Sri Maha Bodhi Tree is a sacred and historical Bo tree (Fig tree) that is located in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. It is believed that this tree is grown from a branch of the sacred Bodhi tree in Gaya, India, under which Siddhartha Gautama (Lord Buddha) attained enlightenment. It holds significant importance for Buddhists who visit and pay homage to the sacred tree, which has a direct link to Lord Buddha himself. According to ecologists, there is a chance that clouds carrying dangerous acid deposits will move in the direction of Anuradhapura, where the revered Sri Maha Bodhi tree is located, reported Sangam.org. Closer to the power plant, trees have already started showing symptoms of damage. The leaves of taller trees have started turning yellowish due to the emission of these gases. It won't be too long before the effect of toxic emissions start appearing on the sacred tree. Moreover, the acidic condition is also spreading towards the sea areas as a result. Therefore, rebuilding such harmful coal power plants in future is a threat to the eco-system, reported Sangam.org. Sri Lanka's first coal-fired thermal power plant and the largest power station is implemented as a venture of the Ceylon Electricity Board with the aid of EXIM Bank of the Republic of China. Located 100m inland from the shoreline, the construction was undertaken by the CMEC (China Machinery Engineering Corporation) and the total estimated cost of the project was USD 1.35 billion. The Lakvijaya Power Station which is also known as the Noracholai Power Station generates a significant amount of Sri Lanka's total electricity production. Emissions from the 900MW coal power plant in the Kalpitiya peninsula are much above permissible standards possibly due to frequent breakdown, intermitted operations and unexpected storage of fly ash in open pits. The power plant also gives rise to a large amount of solid waste, heat waste and water pollution due to the release of heated water. This will have long-term environmental impacts, reported Sangam.org. The emissions from the Lak Vijaya power plant have produced significant negative impacts on the environment as well as on resident society. The main source of energy at the Lakvijaya power plant is coal which is also the most depleted resource. Coal depletion is a global externality which is felt by all countries relying on fossil fuels for energy needs. Groundwater is drawn up for the coal yard and yard operations at this facility in huge amounts. However, it is not replenished again as it usually gets evaporated, reported Sangam.org. For various operations such as boiler feed water, condenser cooling water etc, the power plant uses seawater. This may lead to the destruction of marine life, such as benthic organisms, microorganisms, eggs and larvae of marine animals due to the high water withdrawal rate. Local villagers have stated that marine life especially sea turtles is not found near the area surrounding the power plant. It is to be noted that out of a total of seven living species of sea turtles, five are reported to nest along the beaches of the Puttalam-Kalpitiya coastal belt, reported Sangam.org. The main issues with the plant are related to fly ash and bottom ash produced during the power generation process. Fly ash and bottom ash are by-products of the coal combustion process, where fly ash is fine particles that escape combustion chambers with exhaust gases, while bottom ash is a non-combustible residue that collects at the bottom of the broiler. Fly ash open dumping is also of significant concern as the yard is open to wind erosion and leaching. As it is smaller than 10 microns, it is easily lifted by the winds and carried away, disrupting agriculture, polluting water supplies and causing various diseases. It has been reported that several children in the areas surrounding the Norochcholai power plant have contracted skin diseases. Patches, that look like rashes have appeared on the skin of several children. Not even newborns are safe from this, who are born with these patches, reported Sangam.org. The children and the elderly in the region are more vulnerable to skin and respiratory diseases like asthma. Inhaling coal dust can cause bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma, emphysema, and heart disease, among other things, reported Sangam.org. (ANI)
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) group Travelsoft has announced the acquisition of B2B booking engine provider to travel companies, Travel Compositor, as part of the groups strategy to become the worlds leading travel SaaS.



Spanish headquartered Travel Compositor is well known for its multi-destination booking engines and is well established in Southern Europe, as well as growing in emerging markets such as Latin America and Asia.



Founded in 2014, Travel Compositor employs 90 staff and operates a SaaS model, generating 1 billion in bookings and 11.5 million in revenues annually.



This makes Travel Compositor the third company of Travelsoft group, which was founded in Paris in 2000 and specializes in software that makes it easier for the tourism industry to sell travel packages by automating production and booking, efficiently handling data for marketing purposes, and increasing conversion rates.



With the inclusion of Travel Compositor, the group will now transact bookings in the order of 5 billion annually through over 300 tour operators connected to 600 suppliers in over 40 countries, mainly in Europe and the Americas.



Employing over 200 travel technology experts globally, Travelsoft will generate revenues of over 35 million (including annual recurring revenues (ARR) of 32 million) and will have an R&D investment capacity of over 5 million per year.



In 2022 the company acquired Germany-headquartered Traffics, which was founded in 1999 and offers innovative and customer-oriented development of consulting, search and booking systems for more than 6,000 travel agencies as well as renowned travel portals, airlines, hotels and travel suppliers  and the company has more than 1.5 billion euros in brokered travel sales per year.



Whilst Travelsoft is also the holding company of French-headquartered Orchestra, which was founded in 2000 and allows travel professionals to produce, administer, distribute and manage a complete leisure offer  including packages, hotel nights, airline tickets, dynamic packages and a la carte  on all distribution channels with 2.5 billion of travel sales per year through its platform.



Each of the Travelsoft Group's companies  Travel Compositor, Traffics and Orchestra  will maintain strong autonomy, including keeping their names and brands, and benefits from implementing inter-company synergies that make the most sense in their respective products and markets.



Manuel Aragones, Co-Founder of Travel Compositor, said: We are very excited to join such a global project to build-out further our tech edge and business. Less than nine years after the creation of Travel Compositor, we are entering an exciting new phase of accelerated growth in Europe, Latin America, and Asia."



Meanwhile his Co-Founder Vicente Rossello commented: Significant potential for synergies and new developments between the different platforms of the Travelsoft group, particularly in terms of direct connectivity with airlines and hotels and in the various upcoming innovations."



Christian Sabbagh, Founder & CEO of Travelsoft adds: "We share with Manuel and Vicente an entrepreneurial culture that facilitated this merger and welcome them to our group. It is a new step in Travelsoft's strategy to serve its customers in all geographies with platforms adapted to each ecosystem and sharing best practices. The need for booking platforms is growing and we see many opportunities for consolidation, so watch out for more acquisitions as we build the worlds leading travel SaaS."  TradeArabia News Service
The UN Member states have finally agreed to a legally-binding "high seas treaty" to protect marine life in international waters, a fragile and vital treasure that covers nearly half the planet, according to the United Nation news. After the UN passed this agreement, the UN chief Antonio Guterres in a statement issued by his Spokesperson late Saturday evening stated, "This action is a victory for multilateralism and for global efforts to counter the destructive trends facing ocean health, now and for generations to come". The agreement reached by delegates of the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, better known by its acronym BBNJ, is the culmination of UN-facilitated talks that began in 2004. The agreement was signed after two weeks of negotiations at the United Nations headquarters in New York ended in a mammoth final session of more than 36 hours - but it has been two decades in the making. On Saturday evening, conference President Reena Lee, after the UN member states agreed, said, "The ship has reached the shore." According to the UN news, the 'High Seas Treaty', the legal framework would place 30 per cent of the world's oceans into protected areas, put more money into marine conservation, and covers access to and use of marine genetic resources. Through his Spokesperson, Guterres said the treaty is crucial for addressing the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. "It is also vital for achieving ocean-related goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework," said the statement, referring to the so-called '30x30' pledge to protect a third of the world's biodiversity - on land and sea - by 2030 made by a historic UN conference in Montreal this past December. The statement issued by the UN Spokesperson said the Secretary-General also recognized the critical support of non-governmental organizations, civil society, academic institutions and the scientific community. Reacting to the agreement, UN General Assembly's 77th President Csaba Korosi tweeted, "Congratulations to all delegates and #IGC President Rena Lee for reaching consensus on a global legal framework for the high seas #BBNJ." "This is a massive success for multilateralism. An example of the transformation our world needs and the people we serve demand," he added. (ANI)
China's Covid-related lockdowns in 2022 crippled the flow of important pharmaceutical products around the world. The events are prompting a reconsideration of the structure of international supply networks, along with geopolitical competitiveness and macroeconomic pressures. India may become a destination in the US's new "friend-shoring" policy for the pharmaceutical industry, reported Hinrich Foundation. The term friend-shoring is used for the act of moving supply networks to nations with little chance of political unrest disrupting them. Notably, the Hinrich Foundation is an organisation that works to advance mutually beneficial and sustainable global trade through research and education programs that build understanding and leadership in global trade. National leaders no longer seem to believe in the logic of free trade as the world economy recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic, especially when it causes the concentration of essential supply chains of crucial businesses in certain geopolitically hazardous geographies. Supporting the growth of supply chains in friendly countries is known as "friend-shoring," and among US authorities it has emerged as a strategic shift away from the costs and alleged drawbacks of both uncontrolled foreign investment and the "onshoring" industries, read a paper jointly authored by Akhil Ramesh and Rob York for Hinrich Foundation. Given the recent economic liberalisation measures in India, the expanding alliance between New Delhi and Washington, and India's position as the "pharmacy of the world," the pharmaceuticals sector, whose significance was increased by the pandemic, is a good possibility. However, the indigenous industry in India confronts difficulties because of inadequate regulatory monitoring, reliance on China for component supplies, and problems emerging from environmental damage related to their manufacturing. China has provided considerable economic support to the pharmaceutical industry over the past two decades, while the US has brought a knife to a gunfight by not applying industrial policy planning to its pharmaceutical and API businesses to a comparable amount. Since then, the US has intensified its shift towards such industrial policies. America continues to have a strategic edge as the biggest buyer of medications in the world. To change the supply chain, the US might use its market for pharmaceutical consumption as a weapon. The US might increase its edge in supply chain diversification if it can convince Japan and France to join the friend-shoring movement, the paper in Hinrich Foundation further read. The Mineral Security Partnership (MSP) and the CHIP4Alliance for semiconductors are two comparable partnerships that the US has previously started. In order to achieve this, the US could first use the "panopticon effect"41 to collect crucial strategic information from the Indian government and pharmaceutical sector. Second, it might promote the security establishment's participation. (ANI)
Pakistan's economic troubles are intertwined with its inconsistent treatment of terrorists, writes Husain Haqqani, a senior fellow and Director for South and Central Asia at the Hudson Institute, in Foreign Policy. For decades, Pakistan has allowed some terrorist groups to operate freely while cracking down on others. Terrorism and foreign sanctions resulting from terrorist financing have made it difficult for Pakistan to attract investment. Moreover, sympathy for jihadis among the public and within law enforcement and intelligence, along with inaction by members of the political class, has allowed domestic terrorist groups to operate with some impunity, reported Foreign Policy. Islamist and sectarian groups first launched attacks inside Pakistan in the early 1990s, following the end of the Soviet-Afghan War. After the success of the Afghan mujahideen in driving out the Soviets--with US support--Pakistan's security services mobilized similar ideologically motivated groups to try to force India out of Kashmir. Pakistani jihadists fought in the Afghanistan civil war that followed the Soviet-backed regime's collapse from 1992 to 1996, and later alongside the Taliban beginning in 2001. (Pakistan supported the Afghan Taliban regime in the 1990s). Islamabad must change its tack if it hopes to prevent a full-blown insurgency and recover its global standing, said Haqqani. Islamist groups recruiting in Pakistan cited hadith--traditions and sayings attributed to the prophet Mohammed--that prophesied a great battle in the Indian subcontinent. Pakistan's security services expected that radicalization through religion could help break the deadlock over Kashmir and empower Pakistan's allies in Afghanistan. The strategy instead made Pakistan a battleground of competing interpretations of radical Islamist ideas, said Haqqani. In the last 30 years, Pakistan has supported some jihadi groups and tolerated others, while also participating in the United States-led war against terrorism. This juggling act has eroded Pakistan's international standing and led some jihadi factions to target Pakistan's military and security forces, occasionally inviting retaliation. January 30 suicide bombing at a mosque in Peshawar is a case in point resulting in the death of 101 worshippers, most of them policemen. At the same time, Pakistan is facing violence from Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an offshoot of the Afghan Taliban movement that is ideologically aligned with the Afghan branch but draws its leaders from within Pakistan, reported Foreign Policy. The TTP has claimed responsibility for many attacks in the latest spate of terrorism in Pakistan; a TTP splinter group said it had carried out the January mosque attack. The group seeks to overthrow Pakistan's government and create an Islamic emirate. Pakistan's security services and some politicians, including former PM Imran Khan, have advocated a nuanced approach to the TTP and other terrorist groups, suggesting the groups reflect Islamic aspirations that need not be seen as inimical to Pakistan. But events have repeatedly proven that compromise with armed and violent radical Islamist groups is impossible, said Haqqani. Years of contradictory policies have undermined Pakistan's ability to tackle the challenges of Islamist militancy. More than 8,000 members of Pakistan's security forces have lost their lives in terrorist incidents since 2000. In 2014, the TTP attacked Peshawar's Army Public School, killing 141 people, including 132 children of military officers and soldiers. The January 30 attack targeted policemen. Both attacks appeared intended to demoralize the Pakistani military and law enforcement and to dissuade Pakistan's leaders from going to battle with the TTP, reported Foreign Policy. Meanwhile, domestic terrorism has adversely affected the country's economy, which is now mired in crisis. Pakistan's Ministry of Finance estimates the country has lost USD 123 billion in direct and indirect costs due to terrorism. Many foreigners no longer want to travel to Pakistan, which directly affects tourism and exports. Pakistan's large troop presence along the Afghan border with Afghanistan, occasional military operations, and intelligence operations have all added to the defence budget. Falling foreign direct investment and foreign sanctions over terrorist financing and money laundering have also taken an economic toll, said Haqqani. (ANI)
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief and former prime minister Imran Khan will appear before the Lahore High Court on Monday seeking protective bail in three FIRs lodged against him including the Toshakhana case, Geo News reported citing Khan's lawyer. The bail plea was filed after the Islamabad police reached former prime minister Imran Khan's Zaman Park residence to arrest him but returned after assurance from his legal team that he will appear before the court. According to Azhar Siddique Khan's lawyer, the bail pleas were filed at the Chief Justice House on Sunday. The counsel shared that they have applied for bail in the two cases registered against the PTI chief at Islamabad's Ramna Police Station and Toshkhana case, reported Geo News. Two separate cases against the PTI chief were registered at the Ramna Police Station after the vandalism at Judicial Complex and Islamabad High Court during Khan's appearance last week. The 70-year-old ousted former prime minister has thrice skipped indictment hearings in an Islamabad sessions court in the case. Khan is accused of allegedly concealing details of the gifts in his assets declarations he retained from the Toshakhana, a repository where presents handed to government officials from foreign officials are kept, the Dawn reported. Officials are legally allowed to retain gifts if they pay a pre-assessed amount, typically a fraction of the value of the gift. The Toshakhana case refers that Imran had not shared details of the gifts he retained from the Toshaskhana (during his time as the prime minister) and proceeded with their reported sales, A case was filed by lawmakers from the ruling coalition last year. On October 21, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) concluded that the former premier had indeed made "false statements and incorrect declarations" regarding the gifts. The Toshakhana is a department under the Cabinet Division that stores gifts given to rulers and government officials by heads of other governments and foreign dignitaries. According to Toshakhana rules, gifts/presents and other such materials received by persons to whom these rules apply shall be reported to the Cabinet Division. The watchdog's order had said Imran Khan stood disqualified under Article 63(1)(p) of the Constitution, Pakistan's Dawn news reported. (ANI)
The populism of ousted Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan represents a threat to the Pakistani military and to its relationship with the country's population, reported 9 Dashline. There is an irony in the military selecting an individual that could, plausibly, lead to its own downfall. In the past, the reverse has often been the case. In 1976, then Pakistani Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto appointed General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq as COAS, only to be deposed -- and later hanged -- by Zia the following year. Similarly, Nawaz Sharif had appointed General Pervez Musharraf in 1998 before facing the same fate as Bhutto in 1999, albeit without losing his life. Having tacitly played a major role in installing Khan, the chief of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) at the summit of Pakistani politics and giving him the platform to build on his then-already burgeoning cult of personality, the shoe is on the other foot for the military, said Marcus Andreopoulos, a senior research fellow at the Asia-Pacific Foundation. At the end of November 2022, after six years at the helm of the single most powerful institution in Pakistan, General Qamar Javed Bajwa was officially succeeded by General Asim Munir as the country's Chief of Army Staff (COAS). Out of office, Khan is proving to be a relentless source of pressure, first for Bajwa and now for Munir. Munir took office at a precarious time for the country, as the civilian government prepares for contentious elections in 2023 and as the military grapples with an array of strategic challenges, reported 9 Dashline. The most urgent and immediate threat facing Munir and the coalition government is the populist rhetoric of Imran Khan, reported Andreopoulos. Khan has accused the military of holding the country back during a time of economic and humanitarian catastrophe. Meanwhile, supporters of the now-leader of the opposition are rallying around the notion that the army was behind his downfall. The failed attempt on Khan's life at the start of November has only reinforced this populist narrative. Khan continues to build on this momentum, hosting rallies attended by thousands of adoring supporters -- both new and longstanding -- much to the government's and military's frustration. Eliminating critics of the establishment is not unheard of in Pakistan and even has precedent in recent history. In October 2022, Arshad Sharif, a Pakistani journalist and outspoken critic of the army, was killed in Nairobi, with allegations that the ISI were behind the plot. While we will likely never know for sure if the military orchestrated the failed assassination of Khan, the military establishment should take some solace in the fact that it failed, said Andreopoulos. Khan's populism has built him a formidable following throughout Pakistan and his movement continues to win hearts and minds as a result of his political fate. (ANI)
The district and session court in Islamabad has reserved the verdict on the petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief and former Prime Minister Imran Khan against the suspension of his non-bailable arrest warrant in the Toshakhana case, Geo News reported. In today's hearing, Khan's lawyers Ali Bukhari, Qaiser Imam and Gohar Ali Khan appeared before the court. Bukhari contended that his client has always followed court orders. Meanwhile, the judge remarked that the PTI chief could have approached the Islamabad High Court for the suspension of the warrant. The judge also stated that the PTI chief's lawyer had informed them that their client will not appear in court. The bail plea was filed after the Islamabad police reached former prime minister Imran Khan's Zaman Park residence to arrest him but returned after assurance from his legal team that he will appear before the court, reported Geo News. The 70-year-old ousted former prime minister has thrice skipped indictment hearings in an Islamabad sessions court in the case. Khan is accused of allegedly concealing details of the gifts in his assets declarations he retained from the Toshakhana, a repository where presents handed to government officials from foreign officials are kept, the Dawn reported. Officials are legally allowed to retain gifts if they pay a pre-assessed amount, typically a fraction of the value of the gift. The Toshakhana case refers that Imran had not shared details of the gifts he retained from the Toshaskhana (during his time as the prime minister) and proceeded with their reported sales, A case was filed by lawmakers from the ruling coalition last year. On October 21, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) concluded that the former premier had indeed made "false statements and incorrect declarations" regarding the gifts. The Toshakhana is a department under the Cabinet Division that stores gifts given to rulers and government officials by heads of other governments and foreign dignitaries. Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court also reserved the verdict on the admissibility of the contempt court plea against the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief organizer Maryam Nawaz, ARY News reported. (ANI)
Cultural and religious relations between Bhutan and India have a long and rich history, which have influenced both countries' identities. The most prominent connection between the two nations is their shared legacy of Buddhism which played a significant role in Bhutan and India's religious and cultural landscapes for centuries, The Bhutan Live reported. The strong cultural and historical ties that exist between Bhutan and India are attested by the two countries' shared religious heritage. Since it was brought to Bhutan in the 7th century, Buddhism has played a significant role in defining Bhutanese identity and culture. Buddhism was founded in India around the fifth century BCE, and it had a major impact on the history and culture of the nation. The existence of Buddhist pilgrimage sites is one of the most important religious connections between Bhutan and India. The Buddha is supposed to have acquired enlightenment in Bodh Gaya, and he is also said to have preached the Dharma for the first time in Sarnath, both of which are in India. Buddhists from all over the world, including those from Bhutan, hold these locations in the highest regard and frequently conduct pilgrimages there, reported The Bhutan Live. The Tiger's Nest Monastery, which is built on a cliff overlooking Paro Valley, is one of many notable Buddhist pilgrimage sites that can be found in Bhutan. According to legend, Guru Rinpoche, one of the most significant personalities in Bhutanese Buddhism, meditated in the monastery in the eighth century. The Cheri Monastery and the Punakha Dzong are two other significant pilgrimage destinations in Bhutan, both of which are widely revered by the local Buddhist population. According to The Bhutan Live, the diplomatic and economic relationships between Bhutan and India have also been impacted by their shared religious beliefs. Since the two nations' diplomatic relations were established in 1968, India has played a significant role in assisting Bhutan's development. Many of the projects that India has supported in Bhutan have been connected to the preservation and promotion of Bhutanese culture and religion. The Indian government, for instance, has contributed money to the building of new monasteries and religious schools in Bhutan as well as to the preservation of significant Buddhist writings and relics. Additionally, the two nations' approaches to international affairs have also been affected by the spiritual linkages that exist between Bhutan and India. Both nations place a high value on the Buddhist percept of non-violence, which is central to their respective cultures. Due to their shared aversion to violence, the two nations now work together to address regional and international problems like climate change and sustainable development as well as concerns like disarmament and peacekeeping. Bhutanese Buddhism has also influenced Buddhism outside of Bhutan and India, helping to shape the growth of the world's Buddhist population. Buddhists from around the world have drawn inspiration from Bhutans' distinctive kind of Buddhism, which emphasises the fusion of daily life and spirituality. Particularly lauded as a role model for other nations to adopt is the notion of Gross National Happiness, which the Bhutanese government created as a means of measuring the nation's success holistically and sustainably. Yet there are issues with the shared religious tradition between India and Bhutan. The effect of modernisation and globalisation on conventional religious rituals is one of the main obstacles. There is rising concern that modernisation is undermining ancient Buddhist traditions, which is resulting in the loss of cultural and spiritual heritage, in both Bhutan and India. This is particularly true in Bhutan, where the country's quick economic growth has sped up urbanisation and disseminated Western cultural influences throughout the nation. The strong cultural and historical ties that exist between Bhutan and India are attested to by the two countries shared religious heritage. Buddhism has had a huge impact on both Indian and Bhutanese culture and identity. Its influence has helped to shape the countries' friendship, The Bhutan Live reported. (ANI)
India''s G20 Presidency is an opportunity to resume focus on the Arctic and its impact on the world as there is a complete lack of engagement between Russia and the West in the aftermath of the Moscow-Kyiv conflict, reported The Arctic Institute. In protest against Russia''s actions, on 3 March 2022, seven (A7) of the eight members of the Arctic Council (AC), announced a historic suspension of participation in all activities of the council. This was followed on the same day by the Nordic Council of Ministers. Much of the research and data sharing between scientists has been put on hold due to restrictions imposed by funding agencies in Europe and the US. Several field experiments originally planned for the region have shifted to the North American or European Arctic. The relevance of the Arctic for India can be broadly explained under three categories: Scientific Research, Climate Change and Environment; Economic and Human Resources; and Geopolitical and strategic reasons, said Anurag Bisen, a Research Fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. The Arctic and the Himalayas, though geographically distant, are interconnected and share similar concerns. The Arctic meltdown is helping the Indian scientific community to better understand the glacial melt in the Himalayas, which has often been referred to as the ''third pole'' and has the largest freshwater reserves after the North and South Poles. The changes occurring in the Arctic are yet to be understood fully, but apart from affecting global weather, climate, and ecosystems, they also influence the monsoons in India and have a significant negative impact on India''s economy as well as other human and development indices, reported The Arctic Institute. Moreover, India is the only developing country, apart from China, to have a permanent research station in the Arctic since 2008. India has undertaken 13 scientific expeditions to the Arctic since 2007, reported Bisen. The rising sea levels can have a significant impact not only on India''s 1,300 island territories and maritime features and the welfare of 1.3 billion Indians but also on India''s immediate neighbourhood. There are also some good consequences arising out of global warming-induced changes in the Arctic. The warming Arctic is leading to increased availability and accessibility of resources. The Arctic has the potential to secure India''s energy and rare earth mineral deficiencies. For India, geopolitically, the Arctic is of special significance as its two most significant strategic partners, the United States and Russia, and its principal adversary, China, are locked in an ever-increasing direct strategic contestation. While India has adroitly balanced the geo-political and geo-economic ramifications arising out of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, it needs to remain engaged in the Arctic region, to secure its increasing national interests, said Bisen. The resumption of scientific exchange is an imperative that can be ignored only at the cost of collective detriment to the world. Since there is a deep trust deficit in the Arctic, the resumption of scientific exchanges will need a mediator with legitimacy, credibility, and acceptability of all member states. No other country and organisation other than India and G20 fit the bill, reported The Arctic Institute, said Bisen. Promotion of security and stability in the Arctic region and pursuit of international cooperation and partnerships with all stakeholders in the region, inter alia are listed as objectives in India''s Arctic policy. Most importantly, in keeping with India''s civilizational ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam--The World Is But One Family, India offers its readiness to "play its part and contribute to the global good" in its engagement with the Arctic. The resumption of scientific cooperation in the Arctic is one such global good that India could strive for, by bringing together the conflicting protagonists, said Bisen. Eleven of the 19 G20 member countries, representing a majority 60 per cent of the forum, have an Arctic stake, with three of them--the United States, Russia and Canada, being permanent members of the Arctic Council. Eight G20 countries--China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom--are Observers at the Arctic Council. Further, three other Arctic Council members (Denmark, Finland, and Sweden) and two Observers (Spain and Poland) are also represented at the G20 by the virtue of their European Union membership and EU being a G20 member. Thus, six of the eight Arctic Council Permanent Members and 12 of the 13 Observers are represented at the G20. Moreover, the Arctic is no longer the distant and cold region that it was once considered. It stands at the crossroads of several issues with global consequences such as climate change, increased accessibility and availability of resources, and an arena of global strategic contestation, that has made the region increasingly relevant to the world. As such, the stakes of a large portion of humanity cannot be decided by a select few. (ANI)
Australian High Commissioner Barry O'Farrell on Monday said Australia's respect for Indian sovereignty is unwavering, adding that the "so-called" Khalistan referendum call has no legal standing in Australia. The Australian High Commissioner added that the Khalistan Referendum stands on no legal grounds in Australia as his country has an "unwavering respect" for India's sovereignty. The hardening of stance against suspected Khalistani elements in the country comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit Down Under this week. Barry O'Farrell said, "Respect for Indian sovereignty is unwavering. The so-called Khalistan referendum call has no legal standing in Australia." "Most appalled to see temples being targeted, police are active and continue to be active to deal with those responsible," the Australian High Commissioner to India said further. There have been fears of an upturn on activities by the separatist outfit after suspected Khalistan supporters vandalised temples in Australia. Concerns grew further after suspected Khalistan supporters allegedly vandalised the Indian Consulate in Brisbane on the night of February 21. While there have been multiple attacks on Indians settled in Australia, this marked the first time an institution belonging to the Indian government came under attack. "The attack the Indian Consulate in Brisbane (by suspected Khalistan supporters) is a direct attack on the Government of India," J Bhardwaj, editor, The Australia Today, told ANI earlier. Honorary Consul of India in Brisbane, Archana Singh, said she found a Khalistan flag attached to the office when she arrived for work on February 22. She added that she immediately notified the Queensland Police, which confiscated the flag and ensured that the Indian Consul was not under any immediate threat. Australia Today had reported earlier that External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his deputy Minister V Muraleedharan's visit to Sydney and Melbourne in February had rattled the Khalistanis based in the US and Canada. However, on the same day, suspected Khalistan supporters allegedly vandalised two Hindu Temples during celebration of Mahashivratri. Emboldened by the alleged inaction of Australian security agencies and respective state police authorities, Khalistan supporters called Sydney Murugan Temple's director, A. Poopalasingam and the director of Educational Activities, T. Sinnarajah, threatening them with dire consequences if they did not raise pro-Khalistan slogans, Australia Today reported earlier. In January, Australia Today reported the vandalism of the historic Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple in the Carrum Downs suburb of Melbourne by Khalistan supporters on the occasion of the three-day-long "Thai Pongal" festival. A video was circulated by suspected Khalistan supporters in which they were heard threatening volunteers of Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple on the morning of February 18. The temple was threatened with dire consequences before starting the 'havan' if pro-Khalistan slogans were not raised. "If not, we will raise the Khalistan flag in your temple," the threat call, as reported by The Australia Today, went. President of the Victoria chapter of the Hindu Council of Australia, Makrand Bhagwat, was quoted as saying by The Australia Today, "I can't tell you how upset I am seeing Hindu temples being threatened with Khalistan propaganda." In a statement to The Australia Today, the Indian High Commission in Canberra said, "(The) High Commission of India has taken up the issue with relevant Australian authorities for necessary action." Meanwhile, the Australian High Commissioner to India informed further that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will arrive in Ahmedabad on Wednesday evening to take part in Holi celebrations. PM Modi and his Australian counterpart will also watch day 1 of the final test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Ahmedabad, the envoy informed. (ANI)
German Ambassador to India, Philipp Ackermann, on Monday said that G20 under the Indian presidency was a fantastically organised conference and everybody was happy with the context. "G20 under current circumstances is a difficult business...but I can say that the Indian side did that masterfully. It was very under the circumstances, it was a fantastically organized and fantastic setup conference. Everybody was happy with the context. My minister had a couple of very good bilaterals on the side. When she left, she was very happy also," Ackermann said. The German envoy said he regrets that the geopolitical situation was overshadowing everything else in the G20. "On the G20, I would say, unfortunately, the Russians and the Chinese did not allow communique because they didn't accept any more the language of Bali they had accepted earlier. That is a shame because I think the Indian chair presented a very interesting draft and we negotiated for quite a while. But like in Bangalore, the Russians and the Chinese have made that communique impossible. I regret that it is clear that the geopolitical situation was overshadowing everything else in the G 20," the German envoy said. "But I have to say I was following attentively what people say. I'm very glad that other items also came on the agenda, like food security, like poverty reduction, like climate change. Everything was on the agenda as well. And again, I must say I admire the Indian chair in doing under these circumstances and coming up with a very interesting conference. Thank you. Thank you very much. Especially in all these groups," Ackermann added. On the Raisina Dialogue, which was organised in Delhi from March 2-4, he said, "And then of course, there was this big Raisina movement in India where also a couple of German parliamentarians came and what I get from their impressions is that it was a great success." "So kudos to the Indian side, kudos to Indian protocol. First and foremost because they did a fantastic job," Ackermann said. He said Indians have had a very hectic week with the G20 and the German chancellor's visit. "Our Indian friends had a ten times more hectic week and I just want to make that clear that...the Indian side has done outstanding work on every level. So I think we had an excellent Chancellor's visit. I must say we were highly satisfied. The Chancellor left India after a day in Delhi and a day in Bangalore with the best feelings and the best impressions and I think the purpose of the visit was completely fulfilled. The Prime Minister was, as expected, a very gracious host," he said. He said there is a clear commitment from the German business to invest more in India. "And we'll see in the next weeks and months, we'll see a lot of engagement from the German side," he said. (ANI)
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese extended hearty wishes to Indians on the occasion of Holi ahead of his three-day visit to India beginning Wednesday. In a statement, the Australian PM said he would be honoured to celebrate this year's Holi in India. "I'm delighted to send my best wishes to all Australians celebrating the great festival of Holi. Steeped in faith and tradition, Holi has a special place in modern Australia and around the world. This Holi I will be honoured to celebrate in India. This will be my third visit, but first as Prime Minister," read the statement quoting the Australian PM. "In all its colour and joy, this festival has become a beloved fixture on the Australian calendar, and it will be especially significant to see celebrations in India. Holi's message of renewal through the triumph of good over evil is an enduring reminder for all Australians," the statement further quoted the Australian PM as saying. He added, "No matter what your faith is or where you've come from we celebrate and value what unites us. May this Holi be a season to make connections and build communities so that, long after the gulal has drifted away, the ties between us endure." The Australian High Commissioner to India informed further that Prime Minister Albanese will arrive in Ahmedabad on Wednesday evening and take part in Holi celebrations. PM Modi and his Australian counterpart will also watch day 1 of the final test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Ahmedabad, the envoy informed. (ANI)
The two countries during the 5th Foreign Office Consultations on Monday reviewed the ongoing bilateral cooperation. Both sides expressed satisfaction at the growing pace of engagement, according to a release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

The Indian side was led by the Ministry of External Affairs Secretary (East) Saurabh Kumar and the Uruguayan side was led by Uruguay's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Nicolas Albertoni.

The last round of consultations was held in November 2021 at Montevideo.

The two sides also exchanged views on regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest.

Both sides agreed to hold the next consultations at a mutually convenient date in Montevideo, according to the MEA release.

"Secretary East @AmbSaurabhKumar and Vice Minister @N_Albertoni co-chaired the 5th India-Uruguay Foreign Office Consultations in New Delhi. Wide-ranging discussions held on bilateral, multilateral and regional issues," MEA official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted on Monday. (ANI)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a virtual meeting on Monday with Denis Manturov, deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and minister of Trade and Industry and co-chair of the India-Russia Inter-governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC). The EAM and Russian Minister reviewed the progress achieved in the various Working Groups and Sub-Group Meetings under the IRIGC-TEC framework since their meeting in Moscow in November 2022 and gave guidance to prepare the ground for the next in-person meeting of IRIGC-TEC which will be held in New Delhi at mutually convenient dates. The two sides agreed to work together to unlock the full potential of India-Russia bilateral trade and economic relations including by addressing the trade deficit and market access issues. "Pleased to co-chair a virtual meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation with DPM Denis Manturov. Noted the expansion of trade and discussed trade deficit and market access issues," EAM Jaishankar tweeted. The Inter-governmental Commission is a mechanism for regularly monitoring bilateral progress across the sectors of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries which was set up by an Agreement on inter-governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation signed in May 1992. The first session of IRIGC was held on 13 and 14 September 1994. So far, 23 IRIGC meetings have been held. The 23rd Session of IRIGC was held on 14 September 2018 in Moscow. The 24th IRIGC-TEC meeting will be hosted by India and today's review meeting will pave the way for the same. (ANI)
Chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Siraj-Ul-Haq said that the Pakistan Democratic Movement's (PDM) government has totally failed. Slamming the current Pakistan government, he said that during the last 11 months, they did nothing except waive the corruption cases against them, as reported by Pakistan vernacular media outlet, Intekhab Daily. Chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Siraj-Ul-Haq said there is nothing left in the country in the name of accountability. The law has become a piece of wax in the hands of the men of power, Intekhab Daily reported. He said that four drivers were driving the car and all they did was waive corruption charges against themselves. He said that before the PDM government, PTI was doing the same thing. "Whoever joined the PTI, became clean. If the situation was terrible during the PTI government, it is worse today," he added. He said that these parties have nothing to offer to the country and only the Jamaat E Islami government can solve the problems of the country. He said that transparent elections are the only solution to the present problems. It will be better if the establishment does not interfere this time. Give the people the right to select their representatives without any pressure or interference, Pakistan vernacular media, Intekhab Daily reported. (ANI)
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) announced that they will hold a "historic" rally in Lahore on Wednesday, which will be attended by party chairman and the former prime minister Imran Khan, Tribune reported. Party leader Hammad Azhar said no one can silence the ex-PM as his voice is Pakistan's voice right now. The announcement comes as Imran Khan has been evading arrest attempts by law enforcement agencies and is facing charges of money laundering and the Toshakhana case where he illegally sold the gifts received during his tenure as the prime minister. Despite the ongoing legal issues, the PTI leadership remains undeterred and is keen to showcase its strength in Lahore, the Tribune reported. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, party leader Hammad Azhar said, "When that lion (Imran Khan) will leave Zaman Park on Wednesday, there will be historic scenes in Lahore. Future generations would read and see the pictures and videos of [this event]. They will see how a nation comes alive." Hammad also took a swipe at the ruling government, saying that the leaders sitting in Islamabad often forget what the actual temperament of Pakistan is, the report stated. "The weather is usually pleasant in Islamabad, so the people sitting on the throne often forget what the actual temperature of Pakistan is," he said. The Tribune reported that the PTI had previously suspended its 'Jail Bharo' movement earlier this month following the Supreme Court's ruling in a suo motu notice over the delay in the announcement of elections in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P). However, several PTI leaders and workers were still arrested as part of the movement, which sought to mark a protest against the government's policies and to put pressure on the government to announce elections. Further, as per the Tribune report, it remains to be seen how the government will respond to the PTI's planned rally in Lahore, particularly given Imran Khan's ongoing legal troubles. However, the PTI leadership is clearly determined to show that it still has the support of the people and that Imran Khan remains a potent force in the country's political landscape. (ANI)
Male students in Afghanistan on Monday returned to their classes after the reopening of universities following a winter break. Women, however, are barred from attending classes by the Taliban authorities, Afghanistan-based news agency Khaama Press reported. The Taliban-led Ministry of Higher Education in a statement on Wednesday said that male students' classes at public universities would commence on Monday. The statement, however, said nothing about the resumption of universities for female students. Since the Taliban retook control in August 2021, numerous limitations have been placed on women. One of these restrictions, the university ban, has outraged people worldwide, particularly Muslims. The Taliban regime issued the ban after accusing female students of disobeying the university's rigorous dress code and requiring them to travel to and from campus with a male relative. Tolo News recently reported that, as Afghan women continue to grapple with challenges related to education due to Taliban-imposed bans, the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in a statement said that the females in war-torn Afghanistan are living in exile in their own country. The UN Chief reiterated that the basic rights of Afghan women and girls are trampled due to the ban on education by the de-facto authorities. The UN said in a statement that Guterres expressed his concerns about the right of women and girls in Afghanistan. The spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, Zabiullah Mujahid, however, refuted the claims and asserted that women's and girls' rights have been upheld in Afghanistan and that the international community should refrain from exerting pressure on the current administration using the subject of women. "They should not make this a political tool and use it as a means of pressure," Mujahid said, as per TOLOnews. Females students in Afghnaistan have repeatedly called out to the Taliban to open education institutions for girls to attend at the earliest. "We ask the current government to reopen schools, madrassas and all educational centers to girls," said Nargis Niazi, a student. At the recent UN Human Rights Council in Geneva meeting, representatives of several countries expressed concerns over the existing restrictions on Afghan women and girls. President of the Saudi Human Rights Commission, Hala Mazyad Al-Tuwaijri, at the UN Human Rights Council, said Saudi Arabia calls on Kabul to rescind its decisions so women can "fully enjoy their rights without discrimination". (ANI)
Two-thirds of Britain's Chief Constables were either "too terrified" or did not care enough to acknowledge institutional racism in the force, the country's most senior Indian-origin police officer has said. According to The Telegraph, Neil Basu, who retired from the Metropolitan Police last year, said that "positive discrimination" should be introduced while recruiting ethnic minorities to combat institutional racism. The UK's former counter-terror chief revealed how a Chief Constable was told by his senior that he would be sacked for calling the force institutionally racist. According to Basu, positive discrimination is the "only thing that will work" to improve the representation of ethnic minorities within the police service and so help counter racism. "If you attract more people to join, you get more applicants. They are massively outweighed by the number of white middle-class undergraduate applicants," he told Danny Shaw, the interviewer for Crest. "If you do it on an equal waiting basis, they're always going to crowd out black and brown voices unless you actually do something to increase the possibility of getting through. That is not about lowering standards, that's about recognising if you've got a problem in that area." Around eight per cent of the British police workforce is from an ethnic minority, compared with 18 per cent of the population who belong to a black, Asian, mixed race or other ethnic groups, according to estimates. Born to a Bengali doctor, who migrated from Kolkata in the 1960s, and a Welsh mother, Basu said he didn't want positive discrimination 30 years ago when he joined the police. "I wanted people to think I was a great cop. I didn't want anyone to give me a leg up for any reason other than I was a great cop," Basu was cited as saying in The Telegraph. "And everybody I know with a protected characteristic, whether they're female, gay, black, brown also feel exactly the same way. We do not want positive discrimination. My point to the Government in setting policy is you will never have a representative police service without it." Basu was tipped for the post of Director General of Britain's National Crime Agency (NCA), equivalent to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the US. But he was turned down, reportedly due to honest differences with former Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the past. It was then that he had called on police chiefs in Britain to admit there is institutional racism in policing in the country. "I've been the only non white face as a chief officer for a very long time. I don't think the Home Office cares about this subject at all," he had said. Basu, who gave up a banking career to become a police officer, said that at least a third of Chief Constables probably don't think they are institutionally anything, and another third are "terrified of reducing morale by our frontline". --IANS mi/vd ( 497 Words) 2023-03-06-19:44:03 (IANS)
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government has made Hijab mandatory for female students and teachers at co-educational institutions in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. A notification to this effect has been issued by the PoK government in this regard, Samaa reported. According to the notification, it will be mandatory for female students and teachers to wear Hijab in co-educational institutions. Action will be taken against the head of the institution over the violation of the orders, as per the Samaa news report. Local journalists have criticized the decision of the Sardar Tanveer-led PTI government. Mariana Baabar took to her Twitter handle to criticize the decision and stressed that women should be given a choice. In a tweet, Mariana Baabar stated that PoK government has "made it mandatory for female students and teachers to wear the hijab in mixed-gender educational institutions, a circular issued on Monday stated.#give women a choice #stop dictating to women and men." Murtaza Solangi has compared the decision of the PTI-led government with that of the Taliban. Last year, the Taliban also made it mandatory for females to wear hijab in public in Afghanistan. Solangi said, "First Afghan Taliban broke the "shackles of slavery", as declared by Taliban Khan and now his great deputy" has "broken the shackles of slavery" in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. He further said, "The Toothless Dentist (Pak President Arif Alvi) who acts like an activist of the fascist party must answer how their govt is enforcing Taliban rule in PoK." Meanwhile, Pakistan vernacular publication Siasat recently reported that many families have been facing starvation due to the closure of crushing machines and developmental works in several parts of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), including Muzaffarabad. According to Siasat, thousands of people in PoK have lost jobs and their families are in great distress after sanctions from the environment and mineral resources departments on developmental and crushing works. (ANI)
Pakistan Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has claimed that former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan jumped his residence's wall and escaped to his neighbour's house to avoid arrest, The News International reported. Sanaullah's statement comes after Islamabad Police on Sunday arrived in Lahore to arrest Imran Khan. However, the law enforcement officers returned without an arrest as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf told them that he "wasn't home," as per the news report. According to The News International, Rana Sanaullah said in the press conference, "Yesterday, the team that went to arrest Khan faced a lot of drama. There are rumours that he [Khan] jumped into his neighbours' house [to hide]. After a while, he surfaced from somewhere and delivered a huge speech." Sanaullah stressed that this was not an appropriate strategy if the police wanted to arrest Imran Khan. He said, "The police went there to inform him about the court's orders. But he is a shameless person." He added that when the authorities want to arrest and present him before the court, they will do so without hesitation. Rana Sanaullah accused Imran Khan of misusing authority with regard to Toshakhana gifts. "If the court acquits Imran Khan, we will accept it," Sanaullah said, adding that the government has no desire in arresting him, but he should ensure his appearance before the courts, according to The News International report. On February 28, Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal issued Imran Khan a non-bailable arrest warrant for continuously failing to appear before the court in the Toshakhana case. Meanwhile, a local court in Islamabad rejected PTI Chairman Imran Khan's plea seeking suspension of his arrest warrant in the Toshakhana case. Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal announced the verdict reserved after hearing the arguments on an application filed by the PTI chief seeking the cancellation of his warrants, Dawn reported. According to the court orders, the Islamabad Police team on Sunday, led by a superintendent of police, visited Zaman Park to implement the arrest warrant. However, they failed to arrest him. Former Pakistan PM had also approached the Lahore High Court on Monday for post-arrest bail in the case. During the hearing, Khan's lawyers Ali Bukhari, Qaiser Imam and Gohar Ali Khan appeared before the court. "A warrant shall remain enforced until it is cancelled by the court which issued it or until it is executed as per Section 75(2) Cr.P.C," the court order stated as per the Dawn report. It said that the warrant had been issued for Imran's appearance in the trial. However, he did not appear in court even today. According to Dawn report, the court order further said, "The accused has not surrendered himself before the court till yet and no application for his personal appearance for today is annexed with the [court] record. The accused has not appeared in court for ensuring his appearance in the trial in future, therefore, the application is rejected." (ANI)
(Reuters) - Trading in new near-dated U.S. options contracts can supercharge volatility in U.S. stocks, potentially leading to tremendous intraday declines, analysts at JPMorgan said.

The U.S. equity options market has seen a rise in the trading of options contracts set to expire at the end of the trading day - dubbed 0DTE (zero day to expiry) options - with their daily notional value rising to about $1 trillion, according to JPMorgan data.

Their recent growth has been eyed as one cause of intraday volatility, with JPMorgan's Marko Kolanovic last month warning they could spark a massive volatility event under certain circumstances.

In a Monday note, the banks analysts attempted to further quantify the derivatives potential impact, estimating that in an extremely dire scenario, 0DTE options could turn an intraday 5% drop in the S&P 500 into a 25% rout - a magnitude of decline not seen since the Black Monday crash of 1987, when the index fell 20.5%.

Such a scenario could occur if the S&P 500 fell 5% in five minutes, triggering $30.5 billion in 0DTE option-related trading that would tack another 20 percentage points onto the index's decline, the banks analysts said.

If the S&P 500 fell between 1% and 5% in five minutes, it could lead to an unwinding of positions in the range of $6.6 billion to $14.2 billion, translating to an additional 4 to 8.1 percentage points of decline, JP Morgan's analysts said.

"The estimated market impacts from unwinding of 0D option exceed the original market shocks in all scenarios, highlighting the reflexive nature of the 0D options and their potential risk posed to market stability," JPM analysts Peng Cheng and Emma Wu wrote in a note.

Furthermore, JPM noted that retail traders were not the main driver of volume growth in 0DTE options, with individual investors accounting for about 20% of the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust options volume and only around 5% of the S&P 500 same-day options.

(Reporting by Ankika Biswas in Bengaluru, additional reporting by Medha Singh; Editing by Ira Iosebashvili and Matthew Lewis)
One person is dead after a private jet suffered severe turbulence that forced the plane to land in a Connecticut airport, officials said Sunday.

A Bombardier CL30 jet departed Dillant-Hopkins Airport in Keene, New Hampshire, Friday en route to Leesburg Executive Airport in Virginia, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement to USA TODAY. During the flight, the plane encountered "severe turbulence" and diverted to Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, around 4 p.m. local time.

The National Transportation Safety Board told USA TODAY three passengers and two crew members were on the jet, and the turbulence resulted "in fatal injuries" to one of the passengers.

Latest updates: Jet where passenger who worked two presidential administrations died may have had 'trim issues'

Aviation officials investigate severe turbulence incident

The NTSB is leading an investigation into the incident, alongside the FAA. The aircraft is secured at Bradley International Airport, the NTSB said.

"NTSB investigators have removed the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder and are continuing to gather information from the flight crew, operator, and passengers about the circumstances of the event," the agency added.

A preliminary report is expected to be released within the next three weeks.

Deceased individual identified

Connecticut State Police confirmed to USA TODAY the deceased individual was 55-year-old Dana Hyde of Cabin John, Maryland.

Authorities said state troopers responded to Bradley International Airport, and Hyde was transported to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Diverted: 7 hospitalized when Lufthansa flight hits severe turbulence

What is turbulence?

The FAA defines turbulence as "air movement created by atmospheric pressure, jet streams, air around mountains, cold or warm weather fronts or thunderstorms" that can give airplanes "a sudden jolt."

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Turbulence can be unexpected and can happen when weather conditions appear clear.

Mobility device lost or damaged by an airline? USA TODAY wants to hear your story

Severe turbulence and injuries

Passengers and flight crewmembers that aren't buckled into their seat belts can sustain injuries, the FAA says. Data from the agency showed that turbulence resulted in 146 serious injuries from 2009 to 2021, 116 of which involved crewmembers. An NTSB report found turbulence accounted for 37.6% of accidents on commercial flights from 2009 to 2018.

The FAA said a serious injury is one that results in hospitalization for more than 48 hours, bone fractures, severe hemorrhages, involves internal organs or second-or third-degree burns.

The incident comes after seven travelers on a Lufthansa flight from Austin, Texas to Frankfurt, Germany were hospitalized after their flight hit a "brief but severe" patch of turbulence. In December, 36 people were injured after a Hawaiian Airlines flight from Phoenix to Honolulu was struck by severe turbulence.

Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jordan_mendoza5.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Woman dead after private jet hit with severe turbulence: Officials
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Yes, sun protection that wont break you out is possible.

Real Simple / Alli Waataja

Sunscreen is a crucial part of any skincare routine, as it protects your skin from the suns harmful rays. "I always suggest using sunscreen every day, whether with a separate sunscreen and moisturizer or with a combo product that offers sunscreen infused into moisturizers," says Jennifer Hurtikant, chief science officer for Prime Matter Labs, a contract manufacturer of beauty and personal care products.

If you have acne-prone skin, you might (rightfully!) be concerned about the products you layer onto your skin to avoid triggering a breakout. Fortunately, there are many sunscreen formulas that are designed specifically for acne-prone skin. The key is to look for non-comedogenic, oil-free sunscreens, as these will be less likely to clog your pores. You should also look for products that contain zinc oxide. "Zinc oxide may help acne since it is anti-inflammatory and antibacterial," says dermatologist Dr. Elaine F. Kung of Future Bright Dermatology in New York City.

To come up with this list, we researched the best sunscreens for acne-prone skin based on formula, ingredients, and level of protection. Our top picks are non-comedogenic and designed specifically with acne-prone skin in mind, so they shouldn't clog pores.

Hero Cosmetics Force Shield Superlight Sunscreen SPF 30

Best Overall Sunscreen for Acne-Prone Skin

Buy at Amazon.com

Buy at Ulta.com

Who its for: People who want a mineral sunscreen that neutralizes redness and combats acne.

Who its not for: People who want an oil-free or waterproof sunscreen.

Mineral sunscreen is a better option than chemical sunscreen for those with sensitive skin, and this particular formula is designed with acne-prone skin in mind, too. Its active ingredient is zinc oxide, which not only serves as a barrier between your skin and UVA and UVB rays, but also has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that can help treat your acne. And while mineral sunscreens often leave a white chalkiness behind, this sunscreen is formulated to be super sheer, with a subtle green tint to help neutralize redness.

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The one downside to this sunscreen is that it's not oil-free. It is, however, non-comedogenic and formulated without fragrance, mineral oil, petrolatum, parabens, and sulfates, among other potentially irritating ingredients. And we love that this sunscreen applies easily with a non-greasy feel. It absorbs quickly into the skin and even moisturizes and smooths, which makes it ideal as a primer under makeup. It isn't waterproof, though, so you should reapply after swimming (although you should reapply every two hours anyway).

Price at time of publish: $20

Product Details:

Key Ingredients: Zinc oxide, antioxidant botanicals

SPF: 30

Size: 1.7 ounces

Eucerin Oil Control Face Sunscreen

Best Drugstore Sunscreen for Acne-Prone Skin

Buy at Amazon.com

Buy at Walgreens.com

Who its for: People who want an affordable, broad-spectrum sunscreen thats great for oil control.

Who its not for: People who prefer mineral sunscreen.

If excess oil production is the cause of your acne, this sunscreen might be able to help out. Sun protection might be its primary focusit's a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF 50 ratingbut it also doubles as a mattifying, oil-control lotion.

The key is the five antioxidants in its formula: glycyrrhetinic acid, licochalcone A, vitamin E, vitamin C, and Oxynex ST. These ingredients, along with several oil-absorbing minerals, help to remove oil from your skin and leave a long-lasting matte finish, which makes this sunscreen ideal for use under makeup. The antioxidants also protect your skin against free radicals.

While this sunscreen is oil-free and non-comedogenic, it is a chemical sunscreen, which can be harsh for some people with sensitive skin. Some research suggests this sunscreen's key ingredients may be endocrine-disrupting, but there isn't enough research yetand for now, all these ingredients are FDA-approved.

Price at time of publish: $14

Product Details:

Key Ingredients: Avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, octocrylene, 5 AOX Shield

SPF: 50

Size: 2.5 ounces

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Mineral Zinc Oxide Sunscreen SPF 50

Best Mineral Sunscreen for Acne-Prone Skin

Buy at Amazon.com

Buy at Target.com

Who its for: People who want a lightweight mineral sunscreen formulated with antioxidants.

Who its not for: People who want a more budget-friendly sunscreen.

La Roche-Posay is well regarded for its skincare products, including its Anthelios sunscreens, all of which are formulated with antioxidant-rich water from the La Roche-Posay thermal spring in France. This particular product is an extremely lightweight mineral sunscreen that uses both titanium dioxide and zinc oxide for protectionboth of which have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.

It's well formulated to avoid the chalky white residue typical of mineral sunscreens, absorbing quickly into the skin and leaving an almost powdery-soft (but not white!) matte finish. Buyers should note that while La Roche-Posay is technically a drugstore brand, this sunscreen is on the pricier side. But with its broad-spectrum, SPF 50 coverage and lightweight feel, we think it's worth the extra spend. Plus, it's water-resistant for up to 40 minutes.

Price at time of publish: $35

Product Details:

Key Ingredients: Titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, vitamin E, dimethicone, silica, thermal spring water

SPF: 50

Size: 1.7 ounces

make p:rem UV Defense Me. Daily Sun Fluid

Best Reef-Friendly Sunscreen for Acne-Prone Skin

Buy at Amazon.com

Buy at Yesstyle.com

Who its for: People who want a non-greasy sunscreen that contains no oxybenzone and octinoxate.

Who its not for: People who want an inexpensive sunscreen.

If you plan on swimming in any natural body of water, a reef-friendly sunscreen is a must. This non-greasy sunscreen from Korean brand make p:rem is not only reef-friendly, but is also made with acne-prone skin in mind. It contains moisturizing ingredients that prevent any stickiness with application, as well as natural acne-fighters like rosemary leaf extract, black currant seed oil, and sunflower seed oil.

As far as sun protection goes, this product is a standout. It combines chemical and mineral protection and has an SPF 50 rating, so you can feel good about using this sunscreen whether you're spending the day at the beach or running errands. The only downside is that it's expensive, but for those with oily, acne-prone skin it can replace a regular moisturizer, so it's really two products in one.

Price at time of publish: $38

Product Details:

Key Ingredients: Titanium dioxide

SPF: 50

Size: 5 ounces

Dr. Jart+ Every Sun Day Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+

Best Sunscreen for Sensitive and Acne-Prone Skin

Buy at Drjart.com

Buy at Sephora.com

Who its for: People who want a mineral sunscreen with a barely-there feel.

Who its not for: People with darker skin who want to avoid any white cast.

Mineral sunscreens are better for people with sensitive skin because they avoid the sometimes harsh chemical reactions created by chemical sunscreens. They simply create a barrier between the skin and the sun's damaging rays. For high SPF coverage in a lightweight formula, this titanium dioxide and zinc oxide sunscreen hits the mark with a fast-absorbing, lightweight formula.

The only downside to this sunscreen is that it succumbs to the mineral sunscreen plagueits finish leaves a subtle chalky white tint on your face, which isn't great for people with darker skin. It's not as egregious as other mineral sunscreens, but it's definitely something to be aware of. It also has fragranceDr. Jart+ mentions that the product contains less than one percent synthetic fragrance, but there are natural fragrances that come from ingredients like mandarin orange peel oil.

Price at time of publish: $40

Product Details:

Key Ingredients: Titanium dioxide, zinc oxide

SPF: 50+

Size: 1.7 ounces

Proactiv Clear Skin SPF 30 Sunscreen

Best Mattifying Sunscreen for Acne-Prone Skin

Buy at Amazon.com

Buy at Target.com

Who its for: People who want an oil-free, mattifying sunscreen that wont clog pores or cause breakouts.

Who its not for: People who want a water-resistant sunscreen.

You might know Proactiv for its cleanser-toner-moisturizer combo of old, but its expanded product line is worth knowing too. Case in point: this oil-free sunscreen that provides broad-spectrum protection for your skin. Because Proactiv specializes in acne treatments, this sunscreen is designed to not cause breakouts. Yes, it's oil-free, fragrance-free, and non-comedogenic, and it helps control shine with its matte finish.

Unfortunately it's not a water-resistant sunscreen, so it won't provide you protection while swimming, and it could be easy to sweat off. For that reason, we think it's best to use this as a daily sunscreen bolstered by water-resistant sunscreen if you're going to be particularly active.

Price at time of publish: $24

Product Details:

Key Ingredients: Avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene

SPF: 30

Size: 1.5 ounces

Paula's Choice Ultra-Light Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 30+

Best Moisturizing Sunscreen for Acne-Prone Skin

Buy at Sephora.com

Buy at Amazon.com

Who its for: People who want a hydrating sunscreen that calms the skin and targets breakouts.

Who its not for: People who want a sunscreen with a higher SPF.

Part of Paula's Choice "Clear" line, which is designed to target acne, this oil-free sunscreen is filled with plant-based antioxidants, including one derived from chamomile, to calm the skin and reduce inflammation. At the same time, it protects the skin from UVA and UVB rays with a rating of SPF 30and locks in moisture with glycerin and dimethicone, two powerful and popular ingredients in moisturizers.

The result is an effective "featherweight" sunscreen that applies smoothly and evenly, treating acne and moisturizing the skin, too. It works well for all skin types, but the mattifying effect is particularly good for those with oily skin. It can be worn alone, added to your normal skincare routine, and even used as a primer beneath makeup. It's a pricier sunscreen, but the benefits are immense, particularly for those with acne-prone skin.

Price at time of publish: $37

Product Details:

Key Ingredients: Octinoxate, glycerin, octisalate, octocrylene, dimethicone, grape seed extract

SPF: 30

Size: 2 ounces

Black Girl Sunscreen Make It Hybrid SPF 50 Sunscreen

Best Sunscreen for Dark Acne-Prone Skin

Buy at Target.com

Buy at Macys.com

Who its for: People who want the protection of a mineral sunscreen without the white residue.

Who its not for: People who want a true mineral sunscreen and people with very oily skin.

While no one wants white residue on their face from their sunscreen, people with darker skin are particularly affected by this issue common in many sunscreensnotably mineral sunscreens. Because zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are white, sunscreens made with these ingredients typically leave a white cast on the face. But this sunscreen is specifically formulated for people with darker skin, despite the fact that it has zinc oxide as one of the ingredients.

It's a hybrid sunscreen that combines mineral and synthetic ingredients to provide all-around sun protection. It's also a moisturizer, thanks to the inclusion of aloe and shea butter. Jojoba soothes skin and prevents acne, while lavender oil reduces redness and helps heal breakouts.

Price at time of publish: $16

Product Details:

Key Ingredients: Zinc oxide, homosalate, octisalate, octocrylene

SPF: 50

Size: 3 ounces

EltaMD UV Clear Tinted Broad-Spectrum SPF 46

Best Tinted Sunscreen for Acne-Prone Skin

Buy at Amazon.com

Buy at Skinstore.com

Who its for: People who want a moisturizing sunscreen that will even out their skin tone and provide blue light protection.

Who its not for: People with very fair skin might find this tint too dark.

If you want all the benefits of a multi-step skincare routine in a single product, EltaMD UV Clear is both a moisturizer and a tinted sunscreen in one. Not only does tinted sunscreen help to even out your skin tone, but its also formulated with iron oxides, which help reduce whiteness and provide blue light protection. This is a hybrid product that uses both mineral and chemical elementszinc oxide and octinoxate, respectively. It's rated to the very specific SPF of 46 and provides protection against both UVA and UVB rays.

On the moisturizer front, it contains niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and the antioxidant vitamin E. And did we mention that it's specially formulated for those with acne-prone and sensitive skin? For a one-and-done addition to your morning skin routine, this sunscreen is the holy grail. As such, it commands a high price, but remember, this is a three-in-one product.

Price at time of publish: $43

Product Details:

Key Ingredients: Zinc oxide, octinoxate, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, vitamin E

SPF: 46

Size: 1.7 ounces

Neutrogena Sport Face Oil-Free Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 70+

Best Sport Sunscreen for Acne-Prone Skin

Buy at Amazon.com

Buy at Target.com

Who its for: People who are very active and want sweat-, water-, and rub-resistant sunscreen.

Who its not for: People who want a reef-safe sunscreen.

Not all sunscreens are water-resistant or sweat-resistant, so if you plan on being active out in the sun (or indoors in a room with natural light!), you'll want to use a sunscreen that can hold up to the conditions. This one is heavy duty in terms of its staying power and resistance to rubbing, sweating, and wiping. But despite this "stickiness" (the product doesn't feel sticky, however, as it applies smoothly and absorbs quickly into the skin), the sunscreen is non-comedogenic and oil-free, which works well for people with acne-prone or sensitive skin.

The sunscreen is also formulated with an electrolyte complex that nourishes the skin, leaving it feeling smooth and supple after use. Though you might not be putting makeup on over this product if you're just going to be sweating it all off, it does work well as a make-up primer. The only negative is that it's not a reef-safe formula.

Price at time of publish: $9

Product Details:

Key Ingredients: Avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, octocrylene, electrolyte complex

SPF: 70+

Size: 2.5 ounces

Final Verdict

We've selected Hero Cosmetics Force Shield Superlight Sunscreen SPF 30 as our top pick. Its main ingredient is zinc oxide, which protects against UVA and UVB rays and has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties beneficial to those experiencing acne. It also has a green tint that counteracts redness.

How to Shop for Sunscreen for Acne-Prone Skin Like a Pro

Ingredients

All sunscreens contain different ingredients, and some may be friendlier to acne-prone skin than others. For instance, some sunscreens may contain acne-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid, which can help control breakouts. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, two common ingredients in mineral sunscreens, are typically gentle on sensitive skin and therefore may be a good choice for those with acne-prone skin. Both have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, toohelpful when dealing with acne.

Formula

The risk of breaking out when using sunscreen typically comes from a formula that has oils or other comedogenic (a term to describe something that is likely to clog your pores) ingredients. "People with acne-prone skin should look for products that are oil-free and non-comedogenic. These are less likely to irritate and clog pores," says Jennifer Hurtikant, chief science officer for Prime Matter Labs.

Then there are two major types of sunscreen: chemical and mineral (aka physical). Chemical sunscreens use chemical reactions to turn UV rays that have penetrated your skin into heat, protecting your skin from the rays' damaging effects. Mineral sunscreens, on the other hand, directly block UV rays from reaching your skin, and they are typically far more gentle on the skin. Therefore those with sensitive skin should opt for mineral sunscreens when possible.

Broad Spectrum Protection

There are three types of UV (ultraviolet) rays emitted by the sun: UVA, UVB, and UVC. While UVC rays are typically absorbed by the ozone layer, UVA and UVB rays reach the surface of the planet, and they can cause damage to your skinexposure can even lead to skin cancer. You'll want protection against both UVA and UVB rays, which is indicated by the phrase "broad-spectrum protection" in sunscreens.

SPF

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor, and it's a rating that indicates how strong a sunscreen's protection is against sunburn. A higher SPF isnt always better, but most experts recommend using a face sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 30. Whats more important than using a high SPF is reapplying frequently to provide continuous protection.

Questions You Might Ask

Can sunscreen cause acne?

It all depends on the formula and your skin. "If your sunscreen is made with ingredients that are a 2 or above on the comedogenic scale, then you may clog your pores and acne may develop, says Dr. Elaine F. Kung, dermatologist at Future Bright Dermatology in New York City. I advise people to search for sunscreens that are oil-free and non-comedogenic if they are concerned about acne," she says. "I also suggest making sure the sunscreen is cleaned off like makeup. Since sunscreens are meant to be water-resistant, just rinsing with water won't remove sunscreen. You can use micellar water or oil cleanser to remove sunscreen followed by rinsing with your usual facial cleanser."

Is mineral sunscreen better for acne-prone skin?

Generally speaking, yes. "Mineral sunscreens also tend to be less irritating versus those with chemicals, so they are often a better option for those with acne-prone skin," says Hurtikant. But ultimately, whether or not you'll break out from a mineral sunscreen depends on your skin and the sunscreen's specific formula. And those with darker skin tones should keep in mind that mineral sunscreen is more prone to leaving behind a white cast.

Which sunscreen ingredients are bad for acne-prone skin?

"I have seen some sunscreens formulated with ingredients like jojoba esters, beeswax, shea butter, isopropyl myristate, and isopropyl palmitate, which may be comedogenic if layered with other products or if someone's face is already oily," says Kung.

Take Our Word for It

This article was written by Stefanie Waldek. Stefanie is a contributing writer for Real Simple with nine years of writing experience and four years of experience reviewing products. To come up with these recommendations, Stefanie spent hours researching sunscreens for acne-prone skin, and she ultimately narrowed down the list based on formula, ingredients, and level of protection. She also tapped dermatologist Dr. Elaine F. Kung of Future Bright Dermatology in New York City and Jennifer Hurtikant, chief science officer for Prime Matter Labs, a contract manufacturer of beauty and personal care products.



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Read the original article on Real Simple.
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Once a young boy who enjoyed tinkering with computers, Bill Gates now is one of the richest people in the world. According to Forbes, Gates' net worth was at a staggering $110 billion as of March 2023.

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These days, Gates is more interested in giving his money away than he is in acquiring more. In 2010, Gates -- along with his now ex-wife, Melinda, and fellow multi-billionaire Warren Buffett -- co-founded The Giving Pledge, which encourages the world's wealthiest people to give away most of their fortunes to charity. He has donated at least $35.8 billion in stock from Microsoft, the company he co-founded, to his own Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, according to Forbes. In 2021, they made a multiyear pledge of $15 billion to the foundation, The Chronicle of Philanthropy reported.

Budding entrepreneurs and philanthropists want to know how Gates amassed his fortune so that they might join the Billionaires' Club one day. Here are a few habits that helped Bill Gates become a massive success.

Cj Gunther/EPA/Shutterstock

He Has a Thirst for Knowledge

Gates attended Harvard University only briefly before he dropped out, yet he attributes his time there to his success.

"It was an amazing privilege (studying at Harvard); and, though I left early, I was transformed by my years at Harvard, the friendships I made, and the ideas I worked on," Gates said in a 2007 commencement speech.

Gates studied computers, but he also dabbled in many other subjects that interested him at the Ivy League school.

"Academic life was fascinating," he said during the speech. "I used to sit in on lots of classes I hadn't even signed up for."

This thirst for knowledge and his willingness to always improve and learn contributed to the growth of his eventual business.

He remains a staunch supporter of education. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation launched the Global Education Program in 2018 with a focus on teaching reading and math skills to primary school children in sub-Saharan Africa and India.

Story continues

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John Froschauer/AP/Shutterstock

His Parents Were Supportive

When asked in 1998 about his role models, Gates said he looked up to his parents. Gates' parents nurtured and supported his interest in computers as well -- even after he decided to abandon his Harvard education. Gates' father, Bill Gates Sr., told Forbes that his son's decision to drop out of college "wasn't precisely what my wife and I had envisioned for any of our children."

However, Gates' parents were extremely supportive of his endeavors after that. After Gates' mother died in 1994, she helped her son "get the contract that led to a lucrative relationship with IBM for his fledgling Microsoft Corporation," according to The New York Times.

As for his father, Gates long cited him as an inspiration for his philanthropic work, which has dominated the younger Gates' time and energies since he left his day-to-day work at Microsoft in 2008. The elder Gates was actively involved in his son's philanthropic work -- he even wrote the first check for Gates' foundation -- until his death in 2020 at the age of 94.

Bill Gates is the father of three children -- daughters Jennifer and Phoebe, born in 1996 and 2002, and son Rory, born in 1999. In interviews and speeches, he has given his ex-wife credit for 80% of the child rearing and said they followed the "love and logic" parenting method of the 1970s.

Leon Neal / AP / Shutterstock.com

He Reads a Lot

In the Forbes interview, Gates' father said his son was an incredibly avid reader as a child.

"Just about every kind of book interested him -- encyclopedias, science fiction, you name it," he said. "I was thrilled that my child was such an avid reader, but he read so much that Bill's mother and I had to institute a rule: no books at the dinner table."

That hasn't changed. In 2021, in honor of World Book Day, he tweeted about his passion.

"I try to read every day, whether I have a busy day at the office or am out for a hike," he wrote. "It's one of my favorite ways to learn new things and better understand the world."

Reading likely contributed to Gates' net worth, as it helped provide him with the knowledge he would need to become a successful entrepreneur. He recommends books on his blog, GatesNotes.

Photo courtesy of Living Computers: Museum + Labs

He Chose a Great Business Partner

Gates has made countless brilliant business decisions, many of which have involved the people he has chosen to work with.

"I'd say my best business decisions really have to do with picking people," Gates said in the 1998 interview. "Deciding to go into partnership with Paul Allen is probably at the top of the list."

Allen and Gates were friends growing up, and they co-founded Microsoft in 1975. Allen left the company eight years later, after being diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease. A fellow philanthropist who gave away more than $2 billion, Allen owned the NFL's Seattle Seahawks and the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers at the time of his death, at age 65, in 2018 from complications of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Throughout the years, Gates and Allen had a "complex relationship," as outlined in Allen's book, "Idea Man: A Memoir by the Cofounder of Microsoft." However, Gates attributes Microsoft's early success to his partnership with Allen and the many lessons they learned along the way.

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lembi / Shutterstock.com

He Has Remained Passionate About His Work

As many entrepreneurs have said, you must love what you do if you hope to be successful. Bill Gates fell in love with computers as a child and spent a lifetime building one of the most successful businesses in the world.

"You've got to enjoy what you do every day, and for me that's working with very smart people," Gates said in 1998. "It's working on new problems. ... The competition, the breakthroughs, the research make the field I'm in, I think, the most exciting field there is."

Even though he left his day-to-day role at Microsoft more than a decade ago, Gates served as Microsoft's chairman of the board. In 2020, however, he left the board to focus solely on his philanthropic work.

Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto

He Stayed Confident in His Dream and Vision

Gates was fortunate to attend Lakeside School, an elite private school in Seattle that gave him access to computers when he was in the seventh grade. Instead of just teaching students how to use computers in the conventional sense, the school "unleashed" them, according to Gates. Looking back, he said his experiences at the school gave him the vision and encouragement he needed to do the impossible.

His vision continues today, though on a different front. His aim now is to better arm the world to fight the threat from future pandemics. The Gates Foundation, as of January 2022, had given more than $2 billion to vaccines and other efforts related to COVID-19.

Gates has written a book, "How to Prevent the Next Pandemic," which is due for release on May 3, 2022.

Dwayne Newton/AP/Shutterstock

He Had an Emergency Fund for Microsoft

Gates learned early that, in order to be successful, he had to amass a large emergency fund for Microsoft, which would keep the business afloat if it ever encountered financial obstacles.

"I always had to be careful that we wouldn't hire too many people," he said in a 2018 interview on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." "I was always worried because people who worked for me were older than me and had kids, and I always thought, 'What if we don't get paid? Will I be able to meet the payroll?'"

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Mario Tama / Getty Images

He Learned From His Mistakes With Microsoft

Everyone makes mistakes, including Gates. The key, however, is to learn from those errors, and that's exactly what Gates has done.

At a 2019 Village Global event, Gates said his biggest mistake was not jumping into competition with Apple after it released its first iPhone in June 2007. Google did just that with its Android device in 2008.

"These are winner-takes-all markets. So the greatest mistake ever is whatever mismanagement I engaged in that caused Microsoft not to be what Android is," he said. "That was a natural thing for Microsoft to win."

Glenn Copus/Evening Standard/Shutterstock

He Gets Seven Hours of Sleep

Although many successful businessmen like to brag about how little sleep they get, Gates is the opposite. He knows he's not superhuman and that sleep is required for his intellectual curiosity to be at its best.

"I like to get seven hours of sleep," he told The Seattle Times in 1990. "Even though it's fun to stay up all night -- maybe taking a red-eye flight -- if I have to be creative, I need seven hours."

He hasn't changed his mind in the ensuing years. In a December 2019 post on his blog, he doubled down. "Does everyone really need seven or eight hours of sleep a night?" he pondered. "The answer is that you almost certainly do, even if you've convinced yourself otherwise. In the words of Dr. Thomas Roth, of the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, 'The number of people who can survive on five hours of sleep or less without impairment, and rounded to a whole number, is zero.'

Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images

He Learns From Those Around Him

Gates and legendary entrepreneur Warren Buffett became friends 30 years ago when the two met over Fourth of July weekend in 1991 in Seattle by chance -- not through business. Gates celebrated that friendship -- and Buffett's 90th birthday -- in a blog post in 2020 and discussed one of the ways Buffett has influenced him.

"As Warren himself put it a few years ago when we spoke with some college students, 'You will move in the direction of the people that you associate with. So it's important to associate with people that are better than yourself,'" Gates wrote. "The friends you have will form you as you go through life. Make some good friends, keep them for the rest of your life, but have them be people that you admire as well as like."

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Mark Schiefelbein/AP/REX/Shutter

He Diversified His Private Portfolio

When Gates was building Microsoft, he put most of his time, energy and creative talent into making it arguably the greatest tech company in the world. Once he got rich, however, he did what most financial advisors recommend investors do regardless of their net worth: He diversified. At the time he stepped down from the Microsoft board in March 2020, he owned about 1% of the company's stock, Forbes reported.

He then used the cash to invest in a wide range of stocks and other assets that protected his massive portfolio from a single-security calamity. Forbes said he holds stock in Canadian National Railway and AutoNation and that he is among the largest owners of American farmland. CNBC reported in April 2022 that he also is an investor in Motif FoodWorks, a plant-based food company.

Joe Marquette/AP/REX / Shutterstock.com

He Knew When He Had Outgrown Partnerships

Microsoft's partnership with IBM formed the backbone of the 1980s personal computer revolution. The two companies collaborated to create the operating systems that breathed life into most PCs. By the early 1990s, however, the partnership had stagnated and Gates determined Microsoft would be better going it alone.

The gamble paid off.

When the separation was complete in 1992, IBM walked away with the jointly created OS/2 operating system and Microsoft left with the software that would make it king: MS-DOS and Windows. In 2016, Forbes wrote of Gates, "His decision to divorce IBM stands as one of his best. Microsoft took control over its own destiny."

Barry Sweet/AP/Shutterstock

He Learned To Give Up Control

According to a 2019 report from Inc., Gates found success only after he learned to trust the people he hired and delegate responsibility to them. That, however, required Gates to do something that was antithetical to his entire personality: Forfeit control.

In Microsoft's early years, Gates maintained a tight grasp on everything that happened and did whatever he could himself, but how could he grow Microsoft to its full potential if he spent all day writing or editing code? He couldn't.

Instead, he developed relationships with key employees, and those relationships were based on mutual trust. He found that the new mentality allowed him to take on the role of mentor instead of micromanager, which, it turns out, suited him well.

This ability to be creative, work with his team and have a big enough cash cushion to continuously grow and try new things contributed greatly to Microsoft's success and, eventually, Gates' fortune.

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Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

He Has Remained Passionate About His Work

As many entrepreneurs have said, you must love what you do if you hope to be successful. Bill Gates fell in love with computers as a child and spent a lifetime building one of the most successful businesses in the world.

"You've got to enjoy what you do every day, and for me that's working with very smart people," Gates said in 1998. "It's working on new problems. ... The competition, the breakthroughs, the research make the field I'm in, I think, the most exciting field there is."

Even though he left his day-to-day role at Microsoft more than a decade ago, Gates served as Microsoft's chairman of the board. In 2020, however, he left the board to focus solely on his philanthropic work. As the COVID-19 pandemic swept the world, Gates reinvented himself again by emerging as a leading advocate for science-based policy in government while donating hundreds of millions of dollars to coronavirus-related research and causes.

More From GOBankingRates

Andrew Lisa contributed to the reporting for this article.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 13 Habits That Helped Bill Gates Build His $110 Billion Fortune
People look at a 16-year-old critically endangered Hawksbill turtle after releasing it into the sea at the Sea Turtle Conservation Center east of Bangkok August 10, 2010. Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters

The planet is likely experiencing a mass extinction a major collapse in animal populations.

14 ocean animals have gone extinct in the last 100 years, and 72 are on the verge of extinction.

An international deal was reached Saturday to protect marine wildlife, after decades of talk.

The planet is in the midst of a sixth mass extinction, according to scientists.

A recent United Nations report found that up to a million plant and animal species are threatened with extinction, and many could disappear within decades.

The report blamed one factor for this trend: humans. Pollution, deforestation, and habitat destruction due to farming and development have already "severely altered" 75% of all land and 40% of marine environments, it said.

At least 41% of marine species are at risk of climate change, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) said in 2022.

But there may be hope. An international treaty was agreed on Saturday, after decades of negotiation. The High Seas Treaty aims to protect 30% of the Earth's oceans by 2030.

Here are the 14 extinct ocean animals (that we know of), and dozen others that are on the verge of extinction. And one that we thought was extinct but resurfaced recently.

Since the 1500s, 15 ocean animals have vanished from the world's oceans. Many were never photographed.

The Kiribati, or Christmas, Sandpiper (Prosobonia cancellata) went extinct in the 1800s. Wikimedia Commons

According to environmental news site Mongabay, the 15 extinct species include various marine birds and mammals, sea snails, and the Christmas sandpiper pictured above.

There's urgency to protect wildlife. A 2017 study suggested the Earth is undergoing a process of "biological annihilation." As many as half of the total number of animal individuals that once shared the planet with us are already gone, it found.

The last Labrador duck ever seen was in Elmira, New York in 1878.

There are 55 specimens of the Labrador duck preserved in museum collections worldwide. John James Audubon/Wikimedia Commons

The sea duck generally wasn't hunted for food, but it's possible that European settlers pushed the animal out of its natural habitat.

Far fewer ocean species have gone extinct over the past 500 years than those on land  just 15 marine animals have gone extinct, compared to 514 terrestrial animal species, a 2015 study from the found. But that ratio could shift in the coming years.

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The great auk disappeared in the mid-1800s. The flightless bird was not closely related to penguins, despite their similar appearance.

The great auk lived and swam in the waters of the northern Atlantic between Europe, Greenland, and Canada. John Gerrard Keulemans/Wikimedia Commons

Humans once hunted the bird and harvested its eggs extensively. The great auk was even eaten by Neanderthals 100,000 years ago.

Other extinct ocean birds include the Saint Helena petrel and Pallas's cormorant.

The only marine fish to have gone extinct thus far is the New Zealand grayling. The Galapagos Damsel fish may also be extinct, but that has not yet been officially confirmed.

The grayling was only found in lowland rivers and streams of New Zealand. Frank Edward Clarke/Wikimedia Commons

These graylings were amphidromous  meaning they spawned in freshwater streams then migrated, maturing in saltwater.

The Eelgrass limpet, a species of sea snail, used to be abundant in the waters of the western Atlantic.

The eelgrass limpet (Lottia alveus) lived in the western Atlantic Ocean until 1929. University of California, Santa Barbara

It lived and fed exclusively on one type of seagrass called eelgrass. But the population and distribution of eelgrass plummeted from disease in the 1930s, causing the limpet to die out.

Another species of sea snail native to China, called Littoraria flammea, also disappeared in the last 100 years or so.

The IUCN officially declared the Caribbean monk seal extinct in 2008, after the creature hadn't been seen for more than 50 years.

A captive Caribbean monk seal, Monachus tropicalis, at the New York Aquarium in 1910. New York Zoological Society

Monk seals were a target for hunters, who caught them easily while they were resting or nursing their pups.

The Japanese sea lion, which swam in the northwest Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, also went extinct in the 1970s.

A watercolor drawing of the Japanese sea lion (Zalophus japonicus). Kawahara Keiga/Wikimedia Commons

In 2007, experts thought they had located some remaining Japanese sea lions, but the creatures turned out to be California sea lions, which look very similar.

The carnivorous sea mink, which swam along the rocky coasts of New England and Nova Scotia, was hunted to extinction at the turn of the 20th century.

The American mink (Neovison vison) is a close relative of the now-extinct sea mink. Wikimedia Commons

It was the largest type of mink, so hunters and fur traders pursued it with aplomb.

Stellar's sea cow, a manatee-like creature, was discovered in the frigid waters of Alaska's Bering Sea in 1741. Within 27 years, the animal had been hunted to extinction for its meat and hide.

One of the Stellar sea cow's living relatives, the dugong, swims near Marsa Alam, Egypt. Julien Willem/Wikimedia Commons

As its name suggests, this sea cow was an herbivore, feeding mainly on kelp. It was covered in blubber like today's walruses to keep warm in the Arctic waters.

The dugong, a cousin of the Stellar's Sea cow, is now critically endangered.

An adult dugong swimming and feeding in the shallow water of Abu Dhabab in Marsa Alam, Red sea, Egypt Sunphol Sorakul/Getty images.

The primary threats to the dugong are boat injuries, unintentional capture in fishing gear in East Africa, and poaching in New Caledonia, per an IUCN 2022 update.

Pollution from agriculture or oil exploitation is also leading to seagrass to become too scarce in both locations, per the IUCN

There are now only 250 mature individuals in East Africa and under 900 in New Caledonia.

In the past three decades, about 50% of coral reefs around the world have died.

A 2017 photo from NOAA shows bleached coral in Guam. David Burdick/NOAA/AP

Oceans hit their warmest levels on record for the fourth consecutive year in 2022, according to a new report by two dozen scientists.

Higher water temperatures and acidification cause corals to expel the algae living in their tissues and turn white, a process known as coral bleaching.

Almost 33% of reef-forming corals are threatened with extinction, according to the recent UN report.

The beautiful iradescent abalone seashells are also under threat.

A Paua or abalone shell. iStock / Getty Images Plus

Twenty of the world's 54 abalone species are now threatened with extinction, per the ICUN 2022 update.

Increasingly frequent and severe marine heatwaves are a critical danger for abalones. A 2011 heatwave killed 99% of Roe abalone in Western Australia, and the increased marine temperatures are making diseases spread more easily.

Overall, more than one-third of the world's marine mammals are threatened with extinction.

Duat Mai stands atop a dead whale at Ocean Beach in San Francisco, May 6, 2019. Jeff Chiu/AP

According to the IUCN's Red List, 72 marine animal species are critically endangered, meaning they face an extremely high risk of extinction.

The short-nosed sea snake hadn't been seen since 2000. But it was spotted again in 2021, offering hope the species survived.

A short-nosed sea snake from Ashmore Reef, Australia. Kate L. Sanders, Tina Schroeder, Michael L. Guinea, and Arne R. Rasmussen/Wikimedia Commons

According to Australian Geographic, the species resides only in the Ashmore Reef and Hibernia Reefs off the coast of northwestern Australia.

The venomous snake prefers to munch on eels and fish and has been negatively impacted by warming ocean waters.

The snake had thought to have been extinct. But it was thankfully spotted once in 2021.

"The short-nosed sea snake was thought to be lost forever from Ashmore  so it truly is a remarkable find, the whole ship of researchers was squealing in excitement," said Karen Miller of the Australian Institute of Marine Science who made the discovery.

The most endangered marine mammal alive today is the vaquita, a tiny porpoise that swims in the warm waters of the Gulf of California.

Two vaquita swim in the Gulf of California off the western coast of Mexico. NOAA/Wikimedia Commons

Vaquita means "little cow" in Spanish, and despite conservationists' best efforts to save the species, less than 30 of the animals remain today, according to the Marine Mammal Center.

Other critically endangered marine creatures include the Hawksbill turtle.

Hawksbill turtles are predominantly found in tropical oceans and coral reefs. Hoffryan/Wikimedia Commons

An adult Hawksbill can weigh up to 150 pounds, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Named for its pointed beak, the Hawksbill turtle enjoys eating sea anemones, sponges, and jellyfish found around coral reefs. But poor reef health limits the turtles' access to food.

This endangered smalltooth sawfish looks like a shark, but it's actually a type of ray.

A smalltooth sawfish swims in the Sydney Aquarium. Holiday Point/Flickr

Named for its distinct nose, this creature was the first marine fish to receive federal protection as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act in 2003, according to NOAA.

The Nassau grouper is an iconic Caribbean reef fish, but it's threatened by overfishing.

Nassau groupers can be seen around reefs in the Caribbean sea. Oregon State University/Flickr

These fish are predators and are found near southern Florida, the Florida Keys, Bermuda, the Yucatan, and the Caribbean. The groupers swallow fish, crabs, and shrimp whole using suction created by their protruding mouths.

The starry sturgeon is also critically endangered. This fish frequents the Black, Azov, Caspian, and Aegean seas near central Europe and Asia.

Starry Sturgeon in the Pryvoz Market in Odessa, Ukraine. Jewgienij Bal/Wikimedia Commons

Starry sturgeons can reach more than 7 feet in length and weigh 180 pounds. They, too, are threatened by overfishing. Fishermen harvest the species for its caviar.

The population of southern bluefin tuna has declined dramatically over the last five decades as well. Due to the high fat content of the fish's flesh, it's a popular delicacy.

A fisherman catches a southern bluefin tuna for tagging and release. Scientists tag the fish so they can learn more about their areas of distribution and behavior. Marine Research, CSIRO/Wikimedia Commons

These tuna swim in the open seas and only breed in one part the Indian Ocean, southeast of the island of Java. They can reach lengths of 8 feet and weigh up to 570 pounds.

European eels are also approaching extinction due to overfishing.

The European eel is found throughout the Atlantic Ocean and the western Mediterranean. Wikimedia Commons

In the Netherlands, eels are smoked and eaten with toast. Londoners eat jellied eels and enjoy eel stew. In Italy and Egypt, eels are often fried as a tasty treat.

In addition to overfishing, the construction of dams and decreasing water quality have caused declines in European eel populations, according to the European Commission.

Despite its clever camouflage tactics on the Atlantic ocean floor, the angelshark, or monkfish, is critically endangered, too.

An angelshark swims near Spain's Canary Islands. Philippe Guillaume/Flickr

Since 2010, it has been illegal to keep angelsharks caught in waters of the European Union.

In addition to all the species listed here, there are more than 60 other critically endangered marine animals in the oceans today, according to the IUCN. All of these creatures have been negatively impacted by dying coral reefs, rising ocean temperatures, and pollution.

The High Seas Treaty aims to protect more of the ocean.

People walk past United Nations headquarters in New York on March 3, 2023 Daniel SLIM / AFP/Getty Images

Two-thirds of the world's oceans are in international waters, and up to now, only 1% of those were protected.

That means that most of the marine wildlife was at risk from climate change, fishing, and collisions with boats.

The treaty aims to achieve the protection of 30% of the ocean by 2030.

A previous version of this article was published on May 6, 2019 and was updated to reflect the High Seas Treaty agreement. Aylin Woodward contributed to the previous version of this article.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Dallas police have arrested a 14-year-old suspect accused in the fatal shooting of a Lake Highlands High School student less than a mile from the school on Feb. 28, according to a news release.

Police do not release the names of underage suspects.

The murder suspect was arrested Saturday. Further details about the arrest have not been released.

Officers responded to the shooting in the 7300 block of Skillman Street around 5:40 p.m. The victim died at a local hospital from his injuries.

Lake Highlands High School officials identified the victim as Dadrien Harrison, a junior, in an email obtained by the Lake Highlands Advocate.

Harrisons family told KDFW-TV that he was shot in the back during a disagreement with some other kids. Its not clear what the disagreement was about.

He was with some friends, and they chased him, and he was shot, Ashley Kelly, Harrisons mother, told KDFW.

School officials said in the email that the campus would use metal detectors for the rest of the week and a crisis counseling team would be available to talk to students.

Lake Highlands High is part of the Richardson Independent School District.
A 16-year-old boy was arrested early Sunday morning and charged with the fatal shooting of a man in February at a local apartment complex, according to a release from the Gainesville Police Department.

GPD obtained an arrest warrant on Feb. 23 for Elijah Moore in connection with the Feb. 16 shooting at the Phoenix, 3120 SW 26th Terrace.

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An officer spotted Moore at about 12:32 a.m. while on patrol in the 900 block of East University Avenue, the department reported.

Several officers responded to the area, worked their way through a crowd and made contact with Moore. The release says that when officers ordered Moore to the ground, a Glock 26 handgun fell out of his pocket.

Police later determined that the gun was stolen in 2020 in Lake City.

In addition to the murder charge, Moore faces charges of grand theft of a firearm and carrying a concealed weapon.

Moore is being held at the Alachua County Jail on no bond and is scheduled to be arraigned on March 30 at 9 a.m.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Gainesville police officers arrest suspect in February murder case
Aerospace Academy president Evaristo Marina with one of his students outside the school on Oct. 26, 1979.



Aerospace Academy president Evaristo Marina with one of his students outside the school on October 26, 1979.

On October 25, 1979, students at a Miami military academy experienced a frightening outbreak of sudden mass hysteria that began in a science class and spread throughout the school. A newspaper article published the next day used a single-word headline to mull the cause: DEMONS? Demons? Probably not.

But what else could have caused students and teachers to run through the hallways screaming about spirits and being possessed? To smash windows and rip a door off its hinges?

Read more

As Psychology Today reports:

Outbreaks of mystery illness are more common than we think - often a physical culprit is discovered, but psychological stress and anxiety are sometimes the cause. Epidemics of hysteria have been recorded as far back as the Middle-Ages and continue to strike today. Most often, the outbreaks afflict children and teenagers, girls more than boys, and fainting and hyperventilation are the most common symptoms. Occasionally the illness persists for days; but usually, once the afflicted crowd disperses, symptoms tend to disappear, probably because they are only contagious when new victims observe others falling ill. Rumors about the cause of these outbreaks tend to spring up throughout the communities.

Some of the 10th graders at Miamis Aerospace Academy (whose mystery illness was clearly of a particularly vigorous strain) had been having an unusual lesson that pre-Halloween day, on hypnotism and the supernatural. The class apparently included a demonstration of hypnotism. As the DEMONS? article, which appeared in the Evening Independent, reported, events unfolded like a domino effect when one kid after another fainted in class.

It didnt take long before people were yelling and screaming that they were possessed, according to an entry on the incident in the book Outbreak! The Encyclopedia of Extraordinary Social Behavior. Fire official Dan LaMay reported seeing students flaking out all over the place and screaming about Bloody Mary.

Story continues

Heres more about the general phenomenon from Psychology Today:

When we face uncertainty, our minds crave explanations. If we have no way to account for symptoms, we feel out of control and our fear escalates. And, if we learn that our own minds may have caused these very real symptoms, we tend to feel more anxiety about what our minds might do next. People may worry that their brains are possessed by some outside spirit, or perhaps a poltergeist has taken charge of their willpower.

Fortunately, none of the schools 300 students were seriously hurt. And the schools president and founder, Evaristo Marina (a colorful character who students called El General), had a more cynical explanation for the outbreak, suggesting that it had something to do with his City Council campaign (years later, he ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Miami). Somebody put the kids up to it, he told a reporter. One week before the election and everybody is out to get me.

As a follow-up note: This wasnt the last time Aerospace Academy received negative publicity. In 1985, a UPI story noted that the school was under fire for a much more serious reason:

The Miami Aerospace Academy, beleagured by a widening sex scandal, is unlicensed, unaccredited and virtually unregulated because it is a private, non-profit school, education officials said. Four cadets at the Little Havana military school were arrested on charges of sexually assaulting younger boys. A 17-year-old girl attending the school has said she became pregnant by another cadet who forced his way into her dormitory room at night. None of the school`s teachers or employees have been implicated in the allegations of sexual abuse, which owner Evaristo Marina maintains are untrue.

In addition to a later rape charge against a cadet (this time, the victim was just five years old), there were also concerns about the living conditions at the school, as well as financial problems, according to the Miami New Times. In 1989, mired in scandal, the school closed its doors for good, although according to Marina, [state investigators] could never prove anything.

Update March 6, 2:40 pm: This case is getting new attention thanks to a new documentary streaming on Discovery+ titled The Devils Academy. Learn more about the show here.





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Big city or small town? That is a question that many Americans ask when planning a vacation.

Big cities on the water have their perks, but small towns are more charming, and quiet and have a more hometown feel.

Provincetown and Marblehead were recently named on USA Todays list of 10 Best Coastal Small Towns in the U.S. for 2023.

The list was voted on by USA Todays readers and consists of towns all over the country.

Marblehead came in at No. 3 on the list.

This New England town is just a short drive from Salem and Boston, but feels like a whole different world and has something for everyone.

If you love history, check out Fort Sewall and the Jeremiah Lee Mansion, while nature lovers will be delighted with a kayaking trip to nearby Crowninshield Island. Other places to check out include the independent cinema Warwick Place and the Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary.

Coming in at No. 5 is no other than Provincetown, Massachusetts

Provincetown is a loved vacation spot on the tip of Cape Cod. This town has a mix of galleries, bars, museums, beaches, and shopping experiences.

This is the full list of the 10 Best Coastal Small Towns in the U.S. for 2023:

Sandusky, Ohio Stuart, Florida Marblehead, Massachusetts Bayfield, Wisconsin Provincetown, Massachusetts St. Augustine, Florida Sanibel Island, Florida Rehoboth Beach, Delaware Nags Head, North Carolina Cannon Beach, Oregon

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[Source]

Two Native Hawaiian men who were found guilty of a hate crime for attacking a white homeowner in Maui has been sentenced in federal court.

On Nov. 17, 2022, a federal jury found Kaulana Alo-Kaonohi, 32, and Levi Aki, Jr., 33, guilty of a hate crime for what prosecutors called "racially motivated attacks" on Christopher Kunzelman, a white homeowner, in Maui in 2014.

On Thursday, Alo-Kaonohi was sentenced to six and a half years in prison while Aki received four years and two months for their racially motivated attack.

The defendants previously barged into Kunzelmans property to demand he leave the village, threatening to tie him up and make him go missing if he refused.

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Kunzelman was beaten in the head with a shovel and kicked in the ribs, causing him to suffer a concussion, two broken ribs and head trauma.

It was obviously a hate crime from the very beginning, Kunzelman's wife Lori told The Associated Press. The whole time theyre saying things like, You have the wrong skin color. No haole is ever going to live in our neighborhood.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division said that such violence will not be tolerated.

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The defendants in this case nearly killed a man because they believed he did not belong in their neighborhood because of the color of his skin. The law protects everyone in this country from racially motivated violence, and these sentences send a strong message that such violence will not be tolerated.

At the hearing, the government also introduced evidence that Alo-Kaonohi committed a similar unprovoked attack on a white-skinned man just months after his attack on Kunzelman.

Alo-Kaonohi reportedly approached the man at a bar in Wailuku and punched him repeatedly in the head until he was unconscious.

Story continues

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The victim sustained a gash on his head that required seven staples to close. He also suffered permanent brain damage.

Alo-Kaonohi was sentenced to a year in prison for the assault.

No one should suffer the violence, cover up and injustice the defendants wrought in this case, U.S. Attorney Clare E. Connors for the District of Hawaii said. All persons have a right to freedom from violence motivated by racial hatred, and the Department is committed to ensuring that right is protected in a court of law.

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While both men were found guilty of hate crimes, Aki and Alo-Kaonohis attorneys alleged that it was Kunzelmans entitled and disrespectful attitude that provoked them, not his race.

According to the defense attorneys, Kunzelman said he moved into the village with the intention of helping residents improve their homes and boost property values without considering higher property taxes. Kunzelman also testified he had cut locks to village gates because he was getting locked in and out and wanted to provide the area and its residents with better locks and keys.

In a letter to the judge, Aki said that he was not a racist, stating: Not only because I am almost half-Caucasian but also because I have people who I love and care about who are white.

Local lawyers believe that Alo-Kaonohi and Akis case is the first time the U.S. has prosecuted Native Hawaiians for hate crimes.

The incident has since sparked discussion regarding Hawaiis racial complexity.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Judy Rohrer, an author and a professor at Eastern Washington University, said white people residing outside of Hawaii are unaccustomed to being identified racially.

Were used to being in the majority and then we get to Hawaii and all of a sudden were not in the majority, and that makes us uncomfortable, Rohrer said.

About 38% of Hawaiis 1.5 million residents are Asian, 26% are white, 20% are Native Hawaiians, 2% are Black and many others are of multiple ethnicities, according to U.S. census figures.

According to reports, Aki referred to Kunzelman as a rich haole guy, a dumb haole, and a typical haole thinking he owning everything.

Rohrer noted that the Hawaiian word haole is used to describe a foreigners behavior or attitudes that are not in sync with local culture. To act haole means to act out of entitlement, and like you own the place, she said.

Tiare Lawrence, a Native Hawaiian community advocate on Maui, explained to the Associated Press that the tensions surrounding the case goes back to Hawaiis history of U.S. colonization.

The threat of outsiders coming in ... brings a lot of sadness for Hawaiians who are trying so hard to hold on to what little piece of paradise we have left, Lawrence said, adding that she does not condone the attack.

While Lori acknowledged that she was unaware of Hawaiian history, she said that attacking an individual white man doesnt change history or improve things or justify actions on anybodys part.
LANTANA, Fla.  Two men died Sunday night when a small plane crashed and caught fire at Palm Beach County Park Airport, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue said.

Officials have not identified the men aboard the plan who died. Paramedics declared them dead at the scene.

The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday that the plane was a single-engine Diamond DA40 and that it crashed shortly after taking off from the airport, at about 9:25 p.m.

The two people were the only ones on board. Crews arrived minutes later and quickly extinguished the fire.

Florida: Battery fire aboard Spirit Airlines flight sends passengers, crew to hospital

Nation: Four US citizens kidnapped by armed men after crossing border into Mexico, FBI says

Southwest flight: Florida-bound jet makes emergency landing in Cuba after suspected "bird strikes"

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash, with the NTSB leading the probe. FAA investigators arrived Monday morning to assess the remnants of the plane, left crumpled by the crash's impact. The FAA's initial report, released Monday, said only that "unknown circumstances" caused the wreck.

The airport is a popular destination for small planes, often by people traveling to and from Palm Beach County from other states.

Four-seat plane made several stops en route to Florida

The tail number identified the plane as belonging to Diamond Aircraft Sales of Kentucky LLC in Henderson, Kentucky, a city along the Ohio River opposite Evansville, Indiana.

According to the aviation website FlightAware, the four-seat plane traveled between multiple airports Sunday.

It took off from Henderson at 11:58 a.m. ET, then landed in Pine Mountain, Georgia, at 2:39 p.m.

It then flew to Williston, Florida, southwest of Gainesville, leaving at 4:30 p.m. and landing at 6:40 p.m.

It left Williston for Lantana, Florida, at 7:23 p.m.

Its destination after Lantana was not immediately known.

The weather around that time was mild with no rain and light southeast winds not reaching over 8 mph, Will Redman, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said Monday.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Plane crash at Florida airport: 2 die when aircraft crashes on takeoff
A man slips while walking on an icy road as residents throughout the San Bernardino Mountains remain trapped in their homes by snow on March 1. David McNew/Getty Images

Two teenage boys in California were stranded when a snowstorm hit during their hiking trip.

Riley Ramirez and Cole White, both 17, were seasoned hikers, the Associated Press reported.

They huddled together for warmth after their tent broke and Ramirez lost his jacket.

A pair of teenage hikers managed to survive a massive snowstorm in southern California by huddling together for warmth.

Riley Ramirez and Cole White, both 17, were dropped off near the Pacific Crest Trail for a hiking trip, per a March 3 news release from the Morongo Basin Sheriff's Department.

Ramirez and White are both seasoned hikers who went into their 10-day hike prepared with food, a tent, and snowshoes, the Associated Press reported.

"They knew there was weather. But I don't think they expected the amount," John Scalise, a sergeant at the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, told the AP.

The boys' parents last managed to contact them on February 28, five days before they were rescued. Ramirez's father, Cesar Ramirez, was also tracking the boys through a phone app. He called the San Bernardino Country Sheriff's Department when he lost track of them on the app, per the AP.

The police managed to find the boys on March 3 by going to their last known location, the AP reported. This was on the Pacific Crest Trail, near San Gorgonio Mountain, the highest peak in California south of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, said the Morongo Basin Sheriff's Department.

A rescue team found the boys slightly hypothermic and huddled together for warmth, Scalise told the AP. Scalise told the AP the boys had spent three nights stranded on the mountain. Their tent was damaged, and Ramirez had lost his jacket.

The two were flown by helicopter over to the Morongo Basin sheriff's station, where they were given food, water, and medical attention, per the police department's news release.

"During the five days they were hiking, they encountered four to five feet of snow drifts, limiting visibility and making it difficult to stay on the trail," read the news release from the sheriff's department.

Story continues

"Riley and Cole expressed how severe the weather conditions were and believed they would not have survived without assistance from the Sheriff's Department," it added.

Cesar Ramirez told the AP the boys said they were "convinced" they were going to die in the snowstorm.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on March 1 for 13 counties in California after a huge snowstorm hit southern California on February 25.

The accumulated snowfall blocked roads, trapped people in their homes, and caused power outages, per CBS News. Around 85,000 homes and businesses across Los Angeles lost power on Saturday, Reuters reported.

Representatives for the Morongo Basin Sheriff's Department and the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.

Read the original article on Insider
Story at a glance

A 22-year-old man was rescued after he spent nearly eight hours in the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday, according to the U.S. Coast Guard Station in St. Petersburg, Fla.

U.S. Coast Guard crews stated that they were dispatched near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge around midnight after they received calls about a person spotted in the water near the bridge.

According to officials, the U.S. Coast Guard along with the St. Petersburg Fire Rescue continued searching for the 22-year-old until about 4:30 a.m., when crews spotted him in the water near Egmont Key.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA)  A 22-year-old man was rescued after he spent nearly eight hours in the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday, according to the U.S. Coast Guard Station in St. Petersburg.

U.S. Coast Guard crews stated that they were dispatched near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge around midnight after they received calls about a person spotted in the water near the bridge.

According to officials, the U.S. Coast Guard along with the St. Petersburg Fire Rescue continued searching for the 22-year-old until about 4:30 a.m., when crews spotted him in the water near Egmont Key.

8-foot alligator found living in persons backyard for years

The Coast Guard stated that the man had been dragged into the Gulf by a barge and spent nearly eight hours there.

Authorities said the man was alert and conscious after he was rescued and was taken back to the Coast Guard station to meet with EMS before being taken to a nearby hospital.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard Southeast Facebook page, the 22-year-old is reportedly in stable condition.

Our crew was able to rescue this person from the water thanks to our quick response and joint agency efforts, Petty Officer Third Class Justin Swaim said in a statement. All of the assets on scene responded with extreme professionalism during the rescue efforts and ultimately resulting in a life being saved.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A caseworker determined children should be removed from a residence south of Dallas on Friday, just before three of them were found dead and two injured, officials said Saturday.

Shamaiya Deyonshana Hall, 25, has been charged with three counts of capital murder, the Ellis County Sheriffs Office said in a statement.

She was being held at the Wayne McCollum Detention Center in lieu of $6 million bond, according to the sheriffs office and jail records. Those records give her address in nearby Forney, Texas.

It wasnt clear if she has been appointed counsel in the case. The sheriffs office did not make clear what relationship, if any, she may have had to the victims.

The sheriffs office did not publicly identify the children, but said the three killed were a 6-year-old boy and 5-year-old twins, a girl and a boy.

A 13-month-old girl and a 4-year-old boy were hospitalized with serious injuries, the office said.

Sheriffs officials said a Child Protective Services caseworker on a home visit Friday made a determination to remove the children. The caseworker called 911 about 4 p.m. Friday, the office said.

An Italy city police officer responding to the call then discovered the children harmed, the sheriffs office said.

Authorities investigate the scene where three children were found dead and two others were injured inside a home in the Ellis County city of Italy, Texas, on March 3. (NBC DFW)

Sheriffs Deputy Jerry Cozby said at a evening news conference on March 3 that there was no threat to the community.

In an earlier statement, the sheriffs office characterized the situation as an isolated incident.

Sheriffs investigators were called to the home in a residential area that also includes an elementary school and a Catholic church, after 4 p.m., Cozby said.

Italy, Texas, police had asked the sheriffs office for help for a death investigation, it said in that earlier statement. In a statement on March 4, the sheriffs office said it fielded the initial 911 call, but it was dispatched to city police, apparently as a matter of routine.

When we arrived we found multiple victims on scene, Cozby said on March 3. Three deceased victims were found inside the home. All victims were children. Two children were taken to local hospitals.

Story continues

We are shocked by this incomprehensible tragedy, and already working with law enforcement to investigate how this happened, and why, a Texas Department of Family and Protective Services spokesperson said in a statement.

Italy has a population of about 2,300 and is about 44 miles south of Dallas.

This article originally appeared on NBCNews.com.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
Police arrested a 34-year-old man who they say tried to kidnap two women in Miami and Miami Beach.

Camilo Andres Pedraza faces two counts of attempted kidnapping, one of sexual battery with no serious injury and another of stalking, to which he pleaded not guilty on Monday, Miami-Dade County court records show. A judge also ordered him to stay away from one of the victims.

The Miami resident remained behind bars at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a $26,000 bond as of Monday afternoon.

According to a Miami police report, one of the victims left a Ross Dress for Less clothing store in Coral Gables around 8 p.m. Nov. 2 and began walking eastbound on Coral Way to go home in what should normally be about a 30-minute walk. After making several turns, she held her cellphone and turned on its back light to see where she was going as she neared the intersection of Southwest 22nd Avenue and 24th Street.

Moments later, detectives say Pedraza ran up to the victim from behind, squatted down, grabbed her by the waist and tried to pick her up in the 2200 block of Southwest 24th Street. The woman screamed and a neighbor came outside to see what was going on. Pedraza let her go, causing her to fall onto the ground, and then he ran westbound on 24th Street, investigators say.

Minutes after the attack, however, the victim told cops she exited her home to go to her vehicle when she saw Pedraza walking very slowly by her fence. They made eye contact, and the woman said she got an unsettling feeling about him. She entered her home and asked her father to walk her to the car when they heard someone yell outside. Thats when her dad ran after the suspect until he lost sight of him, according to police.

Camilo Andres Pedraza, 34, was arrested March 3, 2023, in Miami Beach, his arrest report shows.

Security cameras captured Pedraza parking a black Toyota Corolla on the corner of Southwest 25th Avenue and 22nd Terrace, exiting the vehicle, putting on a hat and walking in the direction of the woman, detectives say. They say he was then seen on video walking around the area before running back to his car and driving away.

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Pedrazas cellphone data also places him in the area of the clothing store and later in the area of the attempted kidnapping at the time of the incident, detectives say.

His attorney didnt immediately respond to the Miami Heralds request for comment.

Did Pedraza try to kidnap a woman in Miami Beach?

This wasnt the last time that Miami investigators were alerted of Pedraza.

On March 1, a Miami Beach police detective contacted them about a kidnapping attempt with an identical pattern in their jurisdiction. After reviewing this case, Miami detectives determined that the suspect on both attacks drove an identical Toyota Corolla and had the same physical build.

In the Miami Beach case, the offender followed a woman, ran up to her, grabbed her and groped her, according to the Miami police report. Police say he then fled after she began to panic and bystanders were alerted. The date and address of the Miami Beach kidnapping attempt wasnt included in the report. Miami Beach police didnt immediately respond to the Heralds information request.

Cops arrested Pedraza on Friday night at the intersection of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue in Miami Beach, where he was driving the same black Corolla used in the attacks, the police report shows.
Thirty-five people were detained in Atlanta on Sunday after a violent protest at the site of a new police training center, police said.

The Atlanta Police Department described a group of violent agitators who used the cover of a peaceful protest to clash with authorities in a coordinated attack on construction equipment and police officers.

They changed into black clothing and entered the construction area and began to throw large rocks, bricks, Molotov cocktails, and fireworks at police officers. The agitators destroyed multiple pieces of construction equipment by fire and vandalism, police said.

Thirty-five were arrested, and police said Sunday night that detentions were ongoing. Officials didnt specify how many of those detained were also arrested or what charges were brought.

Protests have been ongoing over the proposed Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, which activists have dubbed Cop City and would reportedly include a mock village for cops to practice raids.

This was a very violent attack that occurred this evening. Very violent attack. This wasnt about a public safety training center, this was about anarchy and this was about the attempt to destabilize, Atlanta Police Department chief Darin Schierbaum told reporters. This was not a protest, this was criminal activity.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) released a statement saying that domestic terrorism will NOT be tolerated in this state.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
[Source]

South Korean police have requested an arrest warrant for a woman accused of stabbing three people on a subway after she got offended when they called her ajumma.

The incident reportedly occurred inside a subway train en route to Jukjeon Station in Yongin, a city in Gyeonggi Province, on the Suin Bundang Line on Saturday.

Authorities said the 37-year-old assailant, whose name was not revealed in the report, was talking on the phone when a woman asked her to lower her voice and referred to her as "ajumma."

Angered by the woman's request, the assailant began attacking other passengers with a knife, injuring a man in his 50s and a woman in her 60s. While there were no reported fatalities, one of the victims had to undergo surgery for their injuries.

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The police are looking to charge the woman with special violence inflicted on another, which is similar to an aggravated assault charge that carries a jail sentence of one to 10 years.

A person can be charged with "special violence" if they cause an injury using a deadly weapon.

Although the woman was carrying a knife on board the subway train, a violation of South Koreas Article 42 of the Railroad Safety Act, reports said authorities did not request charges for the transgression.

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Under the act, riders are forbidden from bringing with them any goods or substances that may harm other passengers or the general public, such as weapons, explosives, hazardous chemical substances or highly inflammable substances.

The word ajumma, a casual way to refer to a middle-aged woman of no relation, has become an offensive term through the years.

The word, which came from the more polite term ajumeoni, has reportedly developed a negative connotation that describes someone who can be seen as aggressive and self-centered, such as in scenarios where a middle-aged woman pushes another person out of the way.

Story continues

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Ajumma has also become associated with the stereotypical appearance of a middle-aged woman, such as one with short, permed hair who wears a sun visor, according to The Korea Herald.

Since the term has become a form of mockery, several companies in the past few years have reportedly chosen to forego the use of the word, including Hy  formerly known as Korea Yakult  in 2019, when the company announced that it would start calling its female sales staff Fresh Managers instead of Yakult ajumma.

More from NextShark: Canadian startup is transforming millions of used, discarded chopsticks into home decor and furniture
Officials confirmed a third victim has died following a shooting in February.

On Feb. 18, Columbus police began investigating a shooting at a Motel 6 on Victory Drive.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

According to police, 53-year-old Michael Carter, Sr. and 19-year-old Michael Carter, Jr. with gunshot wounds inside the hotel room. They were both pronounced dead at the scene.

In addition to the two men killed, officers said 50-year-old Toya Carter and a child were also shot during the incident and are in critical condition at an area hospital.

TRENDING STORIES:

Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan told Channel 2 Action News that 50-year-old Toya Carter was pronounced dead two weeks after the shooting.

Bryan added that the 4-year-old did not sustain life-threatening injuries and is home with other family members.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call Sgt. D. Baker at 706-225-4296.

IN OTHER NEWS:
Mexican National Guard members in Matamoros, Mexico. ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP via Getty Images

Four U.S. citizens were assaulted and kidnapped by armed gunmen in northeastern Mexico, the FBI said Sunday.

In a statement released through the U.S. Embassy in Mexico, the FBI said the kidnapping occurred in the city of Matamoros, located in the state of Tamaulipas on the U.S.-Mexico border across from Brownsville, Texas.

The Americans reportedly crossed into Mexico on March 3, driving a white minivan with North Carolina license plates. "Shortly after crossing into Mexico, unidentified gunmen fired upon the passengers in the vehicle," the FBI said, adding that the four Americans "were placed in a vehicle and taken from the scene by armed men."

It is unclear why the four Americans, who have not been identified by the FBI, had crossed into Matamoros. The agency is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to their return. CBS News reported that a post on Twitter appeared to show the moment of the kidnapping, though the video has not been confirmed by the FBI.

Matamoros is home to numerous warring factions of the Mexican drug cartels. Shootouts in the city became so bad over the weekend, The Associated Press noted, that "the U.S. Consulate issued an alert about the danger and local authorities warned people to shelter in place." AP added that violence often goes unaccounted for in Matamoros because cartel members take their victims with them.

The city has long been the base of operations for the Gulf Cartel, described by CNN as "a once-powerful smuggling operation that has splintered into small, competing gangs."

Tamaulipas is one of six Mexican states that the U.S. State Department has issued a 'Do Not Travel' advisory for because of its "organized crime activity  including gun battles, murder, armed robbery, carjacking, kidnapping, forced disappearances, extortion, and sexual assault."

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The four Americans who traveled to Mexico last week from the Carolinas have been found, according to a Mexican governor. Two of them were found dead, one of them was wounded, and one was unharmed, Tamaulipas Gov. Americo Villarreal said Tuesday.

The kidnapping victims were identified as Zindell Brown, Eric James Williams and cousins Latavia Tay McGee and Shaeed Woodard, according to ABC News. Its not yet clear who was killed.

READ MORE:

The surviving Americans were back on U.S. soil after being sped to the border near Brownsville, the southernmost tip of Texas, in a convoy of ambulances and SUVs escorted by Mexican military Humvees and National Guard trucks with mounted machine guns.

The FBI had reported Sunday that it was searching with Mexican authorities for the missing Americans, who had been kidnapped Friday. A relative of one of them said Monday that they had traveled together from South Carolina so one of them could get a tummy tuck from a Matamoros doctor.

Shortly after entering Mexico Friday they were caught in the crossfire of rival cartel groups. A video showed them being loaded into the back of a pickup truck by gunmen.

Villarreal confirmed the deaths by phone during a morning news conference by Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, saying details about the four abducted Americans had been confirmed by prosecutors.

Of the four, two of them are dead, one person is wounded and the other is alive and right now the ambulances and the rest of the security personnel are going for them to give the corresponding support, Villarreal said

The governor did not share any additional details about where or how they were found.

Mexican officials said a Mexican woman also had died in Fridays crossfire.

The incident illustrates the terror that has prevailed for years in Matamoros, a city dominated by factions of the powerful Gulf drug cartel who often fight among themselves. Amid the violence, thousands of Mexicans have disappeared in Tamaulipas state alone.

Story continues

This is a breaking update, check back for new information.

Tourism safety

With spring break and summer travel season coming up, safety is top of mind. The U.S. Department of State breaks down countries -- and even areas of countries -- that it deems unsafe to travel.

Those guidelines can be helpful. Some areas of Mexico are extremely popular for tourism, but there are some, according to the state department, where you just should not go.

Tamaulipas, the state where the four Americans were kidnapped, carries the highest warning on the state departments website: Level 4: Do not travel to.

(Click continue to map below)

But popular tourist destinations for spring break and summer travel, like Cancun and Cozumel, are in the state of Quintana Roo, which is listed as Level 2: Exercise increased caution.

As the investigation continues into the kidnapping of those Americans, Attorney General Merrick Garland has vowed to find those responsible.

Ive been briefed by the FBI, which is working with Mexican authorities, he said. And senior department officials are working closely with our counterparts at the state department. During this difficult time, I want to offer my deepest sympathies to the families of the Americans who were attacked and kidnapped.

This incident is weighing heavily on many peoples minds as Americans get ready for a busy spring break travel season, especially for young adults.

The state department has some precautions you should take when traveling to another country:

Enroll in STEP -- The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. Its a free service where you can enroll your trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or consulate. Make sure you write down that contact info.

Read the travel advisories for the countries youre traveling to.

Check in with loved ones regularly.

Check the CDC website to see if you need any vaccinations or for other health considerations.

You do need a passport to go pretty much anywhere abroad, including Mexico, so make sure you plan for emergencies. The state department recommends making two copies of all of your travel documents in case of emergency, and leave one with a trusted friend or relative.

EARLIER

Four Americans who traveled to Mexico last week to seek health care got caught in a deadly shootout and were kidnapped by heavily armed men who threw them in the back of a pickup truck, officials from both countries said Monday.

The four were traveling Friday in a white minivan with North Carolina license plates. They came under fire shortly after entering the city of Matamoros from Brownsville, at the southernmost tip of Texas near the Gulf coast, the FBI said in a statement Sunday.

All four Americans were placed in a vehicle and taken from the scene by armed men, the FBI said. The bureau is offering a $50,000 reward for the victims return and the arrest of the kidnappers.

Zalandria Brown of Florence, South Carolina, said she has been in contact with the FBI and local officials after learning that her younger brother, Zindell Brown, is one of the four victims.

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This is like a bad dream you wish you could wake up from, she said in a phone interview. To see a member of your family thrown in the back of a truck and dragged, it is just unbelievable.

Zalandria Brown said her brother, who lives in Myrtle Beach, and two friends had accompanied a third friend who was going to Mexico for a tummy tuck surgery. A doctor who advertises such surgeries in Matamoros did not answer calls seeking comment.

Brown said the group was extremely close and they all made the trip in part to help split up the driving duties. They were aware of the dangers in Mexico, she added, and her brother had expressed some misgivings.

Zindell kept saying, We shouldnt go down, Brown said.

A video posted to social media Friday showed men with assault rifles and tan body armor loading the four people into the bed of a white pickup in broad daylight. One was alive and sitting up, but the others seemed either dead or wounded. At least one person appeared to lift his head from the pavement before being dragged to the truck.

The scene illustrates the terror that has prevailed for years in Matamoros, a city dominated by factions of the powerful Gulf drug cartel who often fight among themselves. Amid the violence, thousands of Mexicans have disappeared in Tamaulipas state alone.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Monday that there was a confrontation between groups, and they were detained, without offering details. He originally said the four Americans came to Mexico to buy medications.

Tamaulipas chief prosecutor, Irving Barrios, told reporters that a Mexican woman died in Fridays shootings. He did not specify whether she was killed in the same gunfight where the kidnapping took place.

A woman driving in Matamoros who asked not to be identified for fear of reprisal said she witnessed what appeared to be the shooting and abduction.

The white minivan was hit by another vehicle near an intersection, then gunfire rang out, the woman said. Another SUV rolled up, and several armed men hopped out.

All of a sudden they (the gunmen) were in front of us, she said. I entered a state of shock, nobody honked their horn, nobody moved. Everybody must have been thinking the same thing, If we move they will see us, or they might shoot us.

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She said the gunmen forced a woman, who was able to walk, into the back of a pickup. Another person was carried to the truck but could still move his head.

The other two they dragged across the pavement, we dont know if they were alive or dead, she said.

Mexican authorities arrived minutes later.

Zindell Browns family asked people to share any relevant information with local authorities. Odell William Brown, his father, said the family is still searching for answers.

I dont know which way to go right now, he said. We dont know whats what.

Shootouts in Matamoros were so bad on Friday that the U.S. Consulate issued an alert about the danger and local authorities warned people to shelter in place. It was not immediately clear how the abductions may have been connected to that violence.

U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said in a statement Monday the Americans were kidnapped at gunpoint and an innocent Mexican citizen died in the attack. He said various U.S. justice agencies were working with their Mexican counterparts to recover the missing persons.

Authorities have provided no other details about the victims.

President Joe Biden had been informed of the situation, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday. She declined to answer other questions, citing privacy concerns.

Victims of violence in Matamoros and other large border cities of Tamaulipas often go uncounted because the cartels have a history taking bodies of their own with them. Local media often avoid reporting on such episodes out of safety concerns, creating an information vacuum.

RELATED: Kyle Busch releases statement on arrest in Mexico after discovery of firearm

The State Department warns U.S. citizens not to travel to Tamaulipas. However U.S. citizens who live in Brownsville or elsewhere in Texas frequently cross to visit family, attend medical appointments or shop. Its also a crossing point for people traveling deeper into Mexico.

As the headquarters of the Gulf cartel, Matamoros was once relatively calm. For years, a night out in the city was part of the two-nation vacation for spring breakers flocking to Texas South Padre Island.

But increased cartel violence over the past 10 to 15 years frightened away much of that business. Sometimes U.S. citizens are swept up in the fighting.

Three U.S. siblings disappeared near Matamoros in October 2014 while visiting their father and were later found shot to death and burned. Their parents said they had been abducted by men dressed in police gear identifying themselves as Hercules, a tactical security unit in the city.

(WATCH BELOW: Deaths of 3 Americans in Mexico City Airbnb under investigation)
US-MEXICO-BORDER-TEXAS

An electronic observation tower looks out over the border fence in Brownsville, Texas, on Feb. 11, 2022. Credit - Jim WatsonAFP via Getty Images

Two of the four Americans who the FBI said went missing on Friday in an armed abduction in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico have been found dead, the Tamaulipas state governor said Tuesday, according to the Associated Press. Governor Americo Villarreal said that of the two individuals alive, one was wounded and the other unharmed.

Derived from the joint search actions, the four American citizens deprived of their liberty last Friday were found, tweeted Tamaulipas Attorney General Irving Barrios. Unfortunately, two dead. Investigation and intelligence work continue to capture those responsible. Details will be given later.

Heres what to know about the abductions, their identities, and how officials are responding.

What we know about their identities

The individuals were previously identified by a family member as a group of close friends who were driving from South Carolina and crossed the border from Brownsville, TX so that one of them, Latavia Tay Washington McGee, a 33-year-old mother of six, could undergo a tummy tuck procedure in the Mexican state. McGee was accompanied by Shaeed Woodard, Zindell Brown, and Eric James Williams but they never arrived for the Friday appointment.

The survivors, Eric James Williams and McGee, have returned to the U.S., their families said.

Williams wife, Michelle Williams, said the FBI told her that he had been shot three times in his legs.

Williams and McGee were transported to the Port of Entry in Brownsville where they are receiving hospital treatment, the FBI said in a statement.

The bodies of Woodard and Brown were reportedly to the U.S. on Tuesday, Mexican officials said.

McGee had previously gone to Mexico for a medical procedure two to three years ago, Burgess told CNN. Mexico has become an increasingly popular destination for medical tourism.

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How were they kidnapped?

The group of friends had journey from South Carolina, crossing the border into Mexico from Brownsville, TX, in a white minivan. After crossing the border, they were attacked in the border city of Matamoros.

According to the U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Mexico, the attackers then moved the passengers to another vehicle and drove away from the scene.

A Twitter post on Friday appears to show the kidnapping, CBS reported on Monday. The video has not been officially verified.

Just the usual dragging of bodies after a cartel shootout in broad daylight, today in Matamoros.#Mexico #Narcostate #FailedState pic.twitter.com/bfWwNgjBcB  David Wolf (@DavidWolf777) March 4, 2023

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Monday that the four Americans intended to buy medicine and got caught up in crossfire between armed groups.

The U.S. State Department has a Level 4: Do Not Travel warning for the Tamaulipas region because of high crime there.

Criminal groups target public and private passenger buses, as well as private automobiles traveling through Tamaulipas, often taking passengers and demanding ransom payments, according to U.S. State Department guidance.

The U.S. Consulate in Matamoros issued a warning to its employees on Friday following the kidnappings.

How have U.S. and Mexican officials reacted?

The FBI, along with federal partners and Mexican law enforcement agencies, have said they are investigating the matter. The FBI had offered a $50,000 reward for the fours return and the arrest of those involved.

U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said Monday that the kidnappings also resulted in the killing of an innocent Mexican citizen. Salazar did not offer further details.

Investigators believe the four were mistaken for Haitian drug smugglers by a Mexican cartel, a U.S. official familiar with the investigation told CNN.

John Kirby, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, said on Tuesday, We offer our deepest condolences to the friends and families of those who were killed in these attacks.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said Tuesday that the Department of Justice will do everything in our power to hold the perpetrators accountable.

Lopez Obrador said one person has been arrested in connection with the kidnapping of four Americans.

We continue to work every day towards peace and are very sorry that this has happened in our country, he said. We send our condolences to the victims friends and family and the American people.

 ARMANI SYED CONTRIBUTED REPORTING
The concept of smartphones and electric cars seemed like a pipe dream 20 years ago, but today, nearly 6.92 billion people, or 86.4% of the global population, have personal smartphones. Governments worldwide are moving toward a green future by encouraging the use of electric cars instead of vehicles with combustible engines.

Investing in burgeoning technologies could increase your wealth within the next two decades. Take look at some of the most promising technologies poised to catch on.

Generative Artificial Intelligence

In recent months, generative artificial intelligence (AI) has taken a much larger role in daily life than normal. ChatGPT is rewriting curriculums and being used at publications like Buzzfeed Inc. But thats just the beginning. While ChatGPT has been growing in prominence, other aspects of the field have been under-reported.

For example, RAD AI is a startup using generative AI to increase the efficiency of marketing campaigns with the worlds first AI marketing platform built to understand emotion. The startup is raising on startup investing platform Wefunder and has raised over $2.5 million from everyday investors.

Other types of generative AI examples include programs used to generate images, paintings, drawings, text-to-speech and full videos using nothing but AI.

To stay updated with top startup investments, sign up for Benzingas Startup Investing & Equity Crowdfunding Newsletter

Commercial Space Exploration

2021 was a pivotal year for commercial space exploration, with startups such as Jeff Bezos-backed Blue Origin LLC and Elon Musks Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) successfully kickstarting commercial space travel. Virgin Galactic, backed by billionaire Richard Branson, also launched the first fully crewed flight to the edge of space in July 2021.

These startups are gearing up to begin commercial space travel by 2024. But given recession concerns and supply chain issues, no concrete plans have been made. Many companies delayed their schedules by at least a year as the macroeconomic headwinds piled on.

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With tickets priced at nearly $500,000 each, commercial space travel is currently only accessible to high-net-worth individuals. But you can expect prices to drop over the next two decades, as companies invest heavily to develop sustainable space stations and other infrastructure. China Business Knowledge predicts space travel to become more affordable over the next 15 to 20 years, stating, Many people alive today will have a real chance of traveling to space in their lifetimes.

Green Hydrogen

The majority of policies developed by nations over the past two years has been focused on transitioning to carbon-neutral energy. While the energy crisis resulting from the prolonged Russia-Ukraine war has thrown off the timeline, several countries have pledged to phase out fossil fuel emissions to eliminate their carbon footprints by 2050.

Solar, wind and geothermal energy are at the forefront of this transition, and the popularity of hydrogen as an alternative source is peaking. Green hydrogen has immense applications across the agriculture, manufacturing and transportation industries. Boston-based startup Electric Hydrogen, which produces green hydrogen from water, raised $198 million in Series B funding last June.

While green hydrogen production is expensive, scientists worldwide are working toward developing ways to produce carbon-neutral hydrogen commercially. Norwegian fuel cell company Nel ASA, the worlds largest manufacturer of electrolyzers, expects green hydrogen production costs to become equivalent or lower than fossil fuel production by 2025 at the earliest.

Private Equity Secondary Markets

The private equity market is dominated by venture capitalists and angel investors. This has been a point of contention for retail investors for some time. It triggered the meme stock rally in the last two years as retail traders used social media to create immense selling pressure on institutional investors.

But with the rising popularity of startup investments among everyday investors, companies are working on establishing a solid secondary market for reselling private equity assets. Startups typically remain private for 10 to 12 years before becoming mature enough to go public while seed money invested remains locked in. But with the development of a secondary trading market, institutional and retail investors do not have to wait for an initial public offering (IPO) to cash in their investments.

StartEngine, the largest equity crowdfunding startup in the U.S., is working toward developing an inclusive secondary market for trading such securities. As the private equity market rapidly evolves, secondary trading markets facilitating reselling of such asset classes are expected to be one of the biggest advances in the retail investing space.

Read More in Startup News & Investing Opportunities:

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This article 4 Technologies That Aren't That Big Today but Will Likely Be Massive in 20 Years originally appeared on Benzinga.com

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 2023 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Fear of flying afflicts as much as 40 percent of the U.S. population. The nations armrest-grippers may be heartened to know that aviophobia is perfectly normal, and easily treated.

Only about 5 percent of Americans have aviophobia so severe that they cannot fly. The earthbound population rises with every new aviation horror story, like the Lufthansa Airbus A330 that went into free-fall over Tennessee on Wednesday after hitting severe turbulence. Several passengers landed in the hospital.

Many more people board airplanes with unease, suffering in silence as the craft lurches improbably into the air, swallowing curses when it hits rough air, digging nails into upholstery amid the controlled chaos of landing.

Do they show it? No, said Jonathan Bricker, a University of Washington psychologist who studies anxiety in air travel. But they might have an extra drink. They might sleep more. They might not look out the window. And its not the whole flight. Its takeoff. Its landing. Its turbulence.

The full extent of aviophobia is one of psychologys fuzzier statistics. One 2016 research paper stated its prevalence as a range from 2.5 percent to as high as 40 percent. The National Institute of Mental Health does not collect data on fear of flying.

A long-running poll by CBS News and YouGov found that, as of 2015, only 41 percent of Americans surveyed reported being not at all afraid of boarding an airplane. The share of Americans without fear of flying dipped to 38 percent after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, according to earlier Gallup polling.

Both surveys suggest that, even in the best times, nearly half of the American public harbors some fear of air travel.

Lisa Hauptner was fine on airplane flights until a moment in her late twenties, when suddenly she wasnt.

I reached a point where the anticipation of my next business trip resulted in an Amtrak from New York to Tampa, she recalled. Its a long, horrible ride. When I got back, I realized I had to do something.

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Hauptner enrolled in a fear-of-flying program called SOAR, run by a former commercial pilot named Tom Bunn. It worked so well that Hauptner quit her finance job to help Bunn build the program.

The best aviophobia programs boast a success rate of 90 percent, said Barbara Rothbaum, a psychiatry professor at the Emory University medical school. Rothbaum has pioneered one of those programs, which uses virtual reality to replicate airplane flight  turbulence and all  to help patients conquer their fears.

A virtual airplane works just as well as a real one, Rothbaum said, and its far more practical in an era when one does not simply walk into an airport.

Treating aviophobia starts with identifying its source. Researchers generally divide aviophobes into two camps. One group fears fiery death in a plane crash. The other fears confinement in the cabin, a form of claustrophobia. Some scholars add a third group, which doesnt suffer claustrophobia per se but fears the onset of a panic attack while trapped in the plane.

For the small group of Americans who will not fly for love or money, aviophobia can cancel reunions, vex vacations and destroy careers.

It gets in the way of your life, said Luana Marques, an associate professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School. If somebody has a phobia of flying, they may get a promotion and get offered millions of dollars, and they wont take the promotion because they dont want to fly.

Fear of dying in a commercial air crash is, of course, utterly irrational. Two people, in all, have died in U.S. commercial airplane crashes since 2010, according to industry data. The nations last large-scale air disaster was Continental Connection Flight 3407, which stalled during landing maneuvers in 2009 and crashed into a house, killing all 49 on board.

Aviophobia feeds off of something called confirmation bias. The irrational brain scans the universe for any data that might confirm the illogical fear. Even reports of comparatively trivial harm, such as last Wednesdays Lufthansa drama, feeds the fear.

This news will confirm their thought that planes crash often, Marques said. Theyre dismissing any other data.

Successful treatment of aviophobia often involves exposure therapy. Participants face their fears, gradually and in a safe space, working their way back into the air.

Many years ago, aviophobes might have gathered in an airport and board parked airplanes over several meetings before taking a real flight, all in the confines of a class.

In the modern era of enhanced airport security, some programs have moved to virtual reality platforms, which can recreate the sensation of flight in a laboratory setting.

The SOAR program, launched in 1982, used to meet at LaGuardia Airport in Queens, N.Y. Today, the program offers coursework and counseling away from airports and aircraft.

First, you learn about the psychology of fear of flying, Hauptner said. The second part is about aviation, how airplanes work and what keeps them aloft. The third part is about learning to control the anxiety, and the end kind of puts it all together.

Many aviophobes mistakenly think they can make their anxiety go away. The scary parts of airplane flights  takeoffs, landings and turbulence  all trigger the fight-or-flight response. The instinct is natural, and once triggered, its hard to turn off.

People try to deep-breathe or to talk themselves out of it, instead of experiencing the physiology, Marques said.

What your body is doing on that plane is no different than what your body would be doing if you were face to face with a lion. The only difference is the plane experience, in most cases, is a false alarm, whereas the lion is a real threat.

The better course, Marques said, is to recognize that sweaty palms and a thumping heart are normal, and then to remind yourself that you are still safer in an airplane cabin than you would be in a moving car or on a crosswalk.

Fear of flying seems to rise at moments when external forces, such as the 9/11 terror attacks or the COVID-19 pandemic, make airplane travel appear less safe.

Gallup polling in 2021 found that only 38 percent of Americans had taken a commercial flight in the past year, the lowest quotient in nearly two decades of polling. A year earlier, at the height of the pandemic, 52 percent of Americans told Gallup they were not comfortable flying at all.

Pandemics, plane crashes and terror attacks dont create aviophobia, researchers say. But all of those things can activate and amplify the fear in people who already have it, which is a lot of people, said Bricker, the air travel psychologist.

Airlines know this. That is why the pilot comes on the intercom with a calm, reassuring voice, to explain why the seatbelt sign is on and to apologize for the inconvenience of bouncing around the cabin until it is turned off.

At such times, pilots use gentle words: turbulence becomes bumps or rough air, the seatbelt sign a mere precaution.

Bricker calls it comfort language, and it dates to the 1950s, when airplane flights were loud and turbulent and flight attendants were nurses, ministering to passengers who put the air-sickness bags to good use. Those days are gone, but the fear endures.

They take emotion out of the equation, Bricker said of the nations pilots. Emotion on a plane is contagious.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A 47-year-old man is facing several charges in connection to a drive-by shooting at a north Georgia home.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

On Sunday, around 3:30 p.m. Holly Springs officers responded to a drive-by shooting at a home on Palm Street.

The Holly Springs Police Department along with Paulding County Sheriffs Office arrested Steven Nance of Dallas, Georgia.

Authorities did not say how many times Nance shot into the home.

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Nance was arrested and booked into the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center. Hes charged with three counts of aggravated assault, aggravated family violence, criminal trespass, and possession of a firearm in the commission of a crime.

Authorities said no one in the home was injured during the time of the shooting.

Officials did not say how many people were in the home at the time of the shooting.

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A boy in Little Rock, Arkansas, helped change his favorite Waffle House employees life after learning he needed transportation.

The post 8-Year-Old Boy Raises Over $100K To Help His Favorite Waffle House Employee Get A New Car appeared first on Blavity.

Kayzen Hunter and his family visit their local Waffle House weekly as a family outing to grab breakfast. Devonte Gardner, an employee there, was usually on the clock when they dropped in to eat. Hunter described the waiter as a dedicated worker and the most joyous and positive person with the biggest smile, which led the family to grow a rapport with him.

Gardner had been saving money to purchase a new car to help with his and his familys transportation needs. However, he unexpectedly fell on hard times when living in his home became a safety hazard after discovering that black mold was growing in the house and had a rat infestation. Due to this, he moved his wife and two young daughters into a motel nearby that cost $60 per night, which cut into the money he had been saving for a vehicle.

All my tips and everything that I get go straight to my kids, Atlanta Black Star reported Gardner said. I pay for the room, daily pay $60 a day, and its just eating my pocket alive.

When Hunter learned of the unfortunate situation and that Gardner had been walking to work, he wanted to help his friend in any way possible. So, he and his parents decided to help the father of two get into a clean rental property and created a GoFundMe account to raise $5,000 toward new transportation.

He was looking for a decent priced car, and his family was unfortunate and ended up in an apartment riddled with black mold. He had to get his kids out and it set him back a lot. We are now helping him get into a clean rental property and want to help him even more by raising funds so he has a reliable vehicle to drive his family and get to and from work, Hunters family wrote on the GoFundMe donation page.

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Hunter surpassed his goal and became a huge blessing to Gardner because he has received 2.7K donations amounting to $100,505 and counting.

Blown away by the kindness of his 8-year-old buddy and his family, Gardner was in disbelief at how much money people had donated to help him and his family.

Im really touched deeply by it all. And as far as my little buddy goes, hes my best friend for life, Gardner told The Washington Post.
An 8-year-olds act of kindness has brought an online community together to support a Little Rock, AR, resident and his family.







The post 8-Year-Old Starts GoFundMe For A Waffle House Employee To Buy A Car, Raises Over $100K appeared first on AfroTech.

During one of his weekend visits, loyal customer Kayzen Hunter and his grandfather, John Donofrio, discovered that Devonte Gardner, a Waffle House waiter, often walked miles to commute to and from work due to not having enough money for a car, The Washington Post reports.

The outlet details that the father had to move his wife and two daughters into a motel room after they had to move out of their apartment, which was infested with rats and contaminated with black mold. The family was also forced to give up most of their belongings because of the black mold.

After learning that Gardner was struggling to make ends meet, the second-grader stepped in.

He kept saying, We have to start a GoFundMe and help Devonte get a car, Kayzens mother, Vittoria Hunter recalled, according to the outlet. He didnt give up on it. Hes a kid with a big heart.

Devonte is a positive person who works hard to make everyone happy, the 8-year-old said. Sometimes people just need a little help.

Following a local news station picking up on Hunters fundraising efforts, the donations began to overflow. According to the GoFundMe page, it has raised over $100,410 as of this writing, exceeding the initial goal of $5,000.

I started crying  Id been quietly struggling and didnt want to ask anybody for anything, Gardner told the outlet.

He added: I love working at Waffle House because I have an opportunity to make people feel good every day. I love the people who come in, especially Kayzen. For this little guy to do this out of the kindness of his heart is really humbling.

Thanks to the fundraiser, Gardner planned to move himself and his family out of the Little Rock motel and into a one-bedroom apartment later this month, as well as purchase a car.

Im really touched deeply by it all, he said. And as far as my little buddy goes, hes my best friend for life.
A woman who died after the business jet she was aboard hit heavy turbulence while flying over New England was identified Monday as a prominent Beltway lawyer who once served on the 9/11 Commission.

Dana J. Hyde's name was released by the Connecticut State Troopers, one of the agencies investigating Friday's emergency landing at Bradley International Airport just north of Hartford.

Dana J. Hyde. (Conexon)

Hyde, 55, who lived in Cabin John, Maryland, was rushed by ambulance to Saint Francis Medical Center in Hartford, where she was pronounced dead, the agency said.

Her remains are with the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner while the FBI and the National Transportation Safety Board investigate what happened aboard the Bombardier executive jet that was traveling from Keene, New Hampshire, to Leesburg, Virginia, before suddenly diverting to Bradley.

Five people were aboard the private jet, which is owned by Conexon, a company based in Kansas City, Missouri, according to a Federal Aviation Administration database.

"We can confirm that the aircraft was owned by Conexon and that Dana Hyde was the wife of Conexon partner Jonathan Chambers," company spokesperson Abby Carere said in an email. "Jonathan and his son were on the flight also and not injured in the incident. "

Conexon specializes in expanding high-speed internet service to rural communities.

NTSB investigators were interviewing the two crew members and two surviving passengers to see, among other things, whether they were wearing seat belts when the plane was hit by turbulence, The Associated Press reported. The jets cockpit voice and data recorders were sent to the NTSB headquarters for analysis.

Hyde is identified on her LinkedIn page as the co-chair of the Aspen Institute's Partnership for an Inclusive Economy.

Jon Purves, a spokesman for the organization, said Hyde was a part-time consultant and, in that role, served as co-chair of APIE from 2020-2021.

"During her time with us, Dana was a brilliant and generous colleague who worked closely with programs across the organization to build partnerships and enhance our collective work," he said. "The thoughts of our entire Aspen Institute community are with Danas family and loved ones."

Prior to that, Hyde served in both the Obama and the Clinton administrations and was in private practice as well, according to her biography. From 2002 to 2004, she also served on the commission that investigated the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Hydrogen holds promise for zero-emissions aviation, via either fuel-cell electric motors or jet engines that burn H2 directly. Now, Universal Hydrogen has announced that it completed a 15-minute test flight in a 40-seat Dash-8 commuter plane using a fuel-cell hydrogen engine. The company called the flight "historic" and said it is "committed to being North Americas first zero-emission airline."

With a fuel cell from Plug Power and electric motor built by magniX, the power plant is the largest ever to take to the sky. However, it was only installed on the left side of the aircraft, while a standard Pratt & Whitney turboprop engine was fitted to the right wing for "safety of flight," the company said. It supplied the engines with emissions-free "green" hydrogen (made via electrolysis from renewable power sources), connected via its own modules that keep the highly volatile gas in liquid form for up to 100 hours.

A Dash-8 commuter plane flew for 15 minutes with a hydrogen fuel-cell engine

The Dash-8 was highly modified to accommodate the engine, 30kg (66 pounds) of liquid hydrogen and two racks of electronics and sensors. While the turbine engine was mainly used for takeoff, pilots were able to cruise mostly on hydrogen power during the second circuit. The flight attained a height of 3,500 feet.

Though it had some yaw due to the imbalance in power, "the airplane handled beautifully, and the noise and vibrations from the fuel cell powertrain are significantly lower than from the conventional turbine engine," said chief pilot (and former US Air Force test pilot) Alex Kroll. The company received FAA approval for the flight just weeks ago.

The British/American firm ZeroAvia flew with a similar configuration on its twin-engine, 19-seat Dornier 228 plane earlier this year. Airbus recently announced that it's building a fuel cell that could power a 100-seat aircraft around 1,150 miles, and Rolls-Royce recently completed tests of a jet engine converted to run directly on hydrogen fuel.

Potential problems still abound, though. Hydrogen has about a quarter the energy density of regular jet A fuel, so it's only good for short hops. And as I've detailed in an explainer, there's very little hydrogen fuel infrastructure, it's tricky to work with and extremely explosive. Still, Universal Hydrogen is confident it can beat the odds. "Our business model resolves the chicken-and-egg problem between hydrogen airplanes and hydrogen infrastructure by developing both in parallel and with a uniquely low-cost approach," said CEO and co-founder Paul Eremenko.
Hartford, CT - (NewMediaWire) - March 6, 2023 - Connecticut Bail Bonds Group offers 24-hour loans to clients who need bail money urgently. Getting into trouble with law enforcement is often a frustrating experience. Once a loved one is arrested, there is not much they can do to get themselves out of that situation. They rely on their contact with the outside world to arrange for a lawyer and perform other legal requirements to get them released. One of the most frightening ordeals is knowing that a loved one cannot get out of jail because there isn't enough money to bail them out. Fortunately, some reliable bail bondsmen can help raise the money needed for bail while giving clients a flexible payment plan that eliminates the pressure of paying back the cash in one installment. Connecticut Bail Bonds Group is a reliable bail bondsman that provides loans to facilitate clients' release from a jailhouse, correctional facility, or courthouse. They are available all day and night to arrange for bail money. Their 24-hour service is open to suspects arrested for crimes ranging from simple misdemeanors to more complex felony cases. Often, collateral requirements hinder clients from accessing the total amount they need but Connecticut Bail Bonds Group eliminates this challenge by allowing clients to borrow without collateral for specific crimes. A client's criminal record is a factor of consideration in determining whether they will need collateral. The Hartford bond bailsman provides a flexible payment plan for clients that are reasonably priced and spread out over a lengthy period. The process is seamless, with minimal paperwork. The loans adhere to the loan interest set by the state; the company does not charge more than the required amount. They have 3% cash bonds which allow clients to pay under 3% of their bail bond plan and repay the remaining percentage through an agreed payment plan. The company's repayment plans are scheduled either weekly, monthly, or bi-weekly, depending on clients' capacity to repay. The company can spread the payment over 15 months to provide more relief and convenience. Some of the crimes that Connecticut Bail Bonds Group provides loans for include assault and identity theft. They have loans for suspects of domestic violence, drug crime, juvenile, white collar, DUI, and parole violation crimes, among many more. Once clients reach out to the company, one of their agents goes directly to meet the client. The client will privately meet with a local bondsman who will inform them whether they require collateral. If the collateral is necessary and handed over, the bondsman will receive the bond. The company agent will process any complicated paperwork, which takes about 30-40 minutes, and have the client's loved one released. Connecticut Bail Bonds Group offers clients a free consultation session to discuss their bail bonds needs. The staff knows the legal process for bail and bonds in Connecticut. They provide the necessary guidance to clients and inform them of their role in the legal process. A quote from the company website said this about their services: "We are one of the most affordable options for Hartford bail bonds, so we are available whenever you need help bailing someone out of jail. Whether you need a bail bond at 2 am or 4 PM, we can be there for you to help you. We are Connecticut's reliable bail bondsman and are always ready to help you get your loved one out of any jailhouse, courthouse, or correctional facility 24 hours a day. With affordable bail bonds payment options and addiction treatment resources available, we are proud to be one of the most trusted providers for affordable bail bonds." In addition to bail and bond loans, Connecticut Bail Bonds Group offers other services like addiction treatment resources and attorney resources. These resources are available on the website for viewing by any interested party. Clients may ask the company agent for referrals to reputable lawyers and addiction treatment centers during a consultation. For consultation and booking, contact the staff at (860) 420-2245. Visit the company website for more information on their bail bond loans to clients whose loved ones have been arrested for various crimes. Connecticut Bail Bonds Group is located at 11 Asylum St, Suite 512, Hartford, CT, 06103, US. Media Contact: Company Name: Connecticut Bail Bonds Group Contact Person: Sheila Sanchez Phone: (860) 420-2245 Address: 11 Asylum St, Suite 512 City: Hartford State: CT Postal Code: 06103 Country: USA Website: https://www.connecticut-bailbonds.com/hartford-ct-bail-bonds/
New Feature Film 'Making Him Famous' God Had Other Plans For Him to Release March 17th

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Cornelius Muller Productions (CMP)

March 6, 2023

BURLINGTON, N.C., March 6, 2023 /Christian Newswire/ -- "Making Him Famous," God Had Other Plans For Him, a new feature film by North Carolina-based Cornelius Muller Productions, will release in select theaters in Greensboro/High Point/Winston Salem, Durham and Charlotte DMA March 17th.

"Making Him Famous" tells the story of Mario King, a young man who exemplifies his faith as he embarks on a journey of self-discovery and fame. King's goal in life is to unveil the power of God, the only true hero who can transform lives and change the world in a culture where people are mesmerized by celebrities, brands, superheroes, and villains.

As King's pride continues to escalate, it begins to take a heavy toll. At the cusp of fame, his life begins to crash down around him. After an awakening shows him the error of his ways, he then decides to live a life of service and help others in need. He relocates to a small town where his work at a local homeless shelter offers him an opportunity for redemption. After the dust has settled, His name will still be known, but just who will "He" be when God has other plans?

The film stars Vonii Bristow, Morgan Graham, Cornelius Muller, Joseph Gray, and Ashlee Payne. It was directed by Burgess Jenkins, who is best known for his roles in films including "Remember the Titans," "Army Wives," and "The Reaping." Executive Producer Cornelius Muller is joined by producers Joseph Gray and Jen Foster.

Supporting actors include Cameron Arnett ("I Still Believe," "Overcomer," "Star Trek: The Next Generation") and Lara Silva ("The Chosen," "Blue Ridge," "Queen of the South"). Music is licensed by Elevation Worship.

Other independent films produced by CMP include "Brothers," "Find A Way," and "Sacred Hearts."

Cornelius Muller Productions (CMP) is a North Carolina-based film company that produces independent motion pictures. Its goal is to generate sustainable income to fund charities such as Feed the Hunger and Water for Life, as well as scholarships, to those in need. CMP is dedicated to producing family films that inspire, uplift, and entertain, from story concept, script, to screen, that captivate audiences worldwide.

SOURCE Cornelius Muller Productions (CMP)

CONTACT: Angela Roberts, 336-813-7884


GRANVILLE  It took a little time, but shes living her dream.

"My first dream was to become an Olympic ice skater," recalled Kristin Ream. "But that lasted until the first time I tried ice skating. From that moment on, I knew I wanted to go into teaching. Ive always had in the back of my mind that Id like to be a youth director. Faith has been an incredibly big part of my lifes journey."

Today, Ream is director of senior high youth and communications at First Presbyterian Church in Granville.

"Im in charge of the churchs social media and email/print communications," she explained. "I also get to hang out with high schoolers! We have youth group weekly, and I get to meet with teens as needed and go to high school events, etc."

Kristin Ream, director of senior high youth and communications at First Presbyterian Church in Granville, with her 11-year-old dog Tuke in the teen area of the West Broadway chuch. Ream often brings Tuke along to serve as emotional support when she meets with teens.

Ream spent the first 13 years of her life in Greensburg, Pennsylvania then moved to Princeton, New Jersey, where her father, the late Rev. Craig Sell, attended Princeton Theological Seminary.

"My fathers first call was to First Presbyterian Church of Granville," she said, "so we moved to Granville when I was a junior in high school."

Ream graduated from Granville High School in 2004, then Butler University in Indianapolis with a degree in elementary and special education. She later earned certificates in reading education and gifted ed.

"My first job was teaching gifted education in Lawrenceburg, Indiana," she said. "Then John (Ream) and I got married and moved to Seattle where he was employed with Boeing. I taught special education for four years and then was lucky enough to stay home when our boys were born. I loved being a stay at home mom, but John and I had always had a dream of opening a brewery, so we decided to take a leap of faith and start Trek Brewing Company when our kids were 3 and 2. We moved home to open Trek, and I became the preschool director at the Licking County Family YMCA."

Still, she added, "Always in the back of my mind, Id think about becoming the youth director at the church because one of my closest friends and mentors, Sara (Sharp) Rodocker, was such an influential part of my life. I started having conversations with the church and it was honestly just Gods good timing."

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Ream started at the church in August 2021.

"Kristins amazing and has such a heart for young people and a heart for God," assessed Sara (Sharp) Rodocker. "Shes full of love and light and has a great sense of humor. Shes very open and approachable and relates to many. She has a gift of making people feel comfortable and welcome and shes a gifted conversationalist. She was one of my teens when I was doing the job shes doing at First Presbyterian. I was on the interview committee at FPC when we were looking for a senior high youth director and when Kristin applied, I knew it was right. This is so amazing for me!"

"Its the complete fulfillment of a call," Ream responded. "Its the best fitting job Ive ever had. Its been such an incredible journey! To work with high school teens, and have faith and fellowship weekly, its a dream come true."

Aces of Trades is a weekly series focusing on people and their jobs  whether theyre unusual jobs, fun jobs or people who take ordinary jobs and make them extraordinary. If you have a suggestion for a future profile, let us know at advocate@newarkadvocate.com or 740-328-8821.

First Presbyterian Church is located at 110 W. Broadway in Granville. For more information, call 740-587-0178 or log on www.granpres.org.

This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Aces of Trades: First Presbyterian's Kristin Ream living her dream
Nine different AdventHealth hospitals across Central Florida are hosting two hiring events this week.

The events are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.

Theyre looking to fill positions for medical lab techs, EMTs, pharmacists and more.

Watch: Orlando City, Orlando Pride & CITY Furniture delivers hope to families

Hospital leaders said they will be hiring onsite with sign-on and relocation incentives up to $20,000 for select roles.

The event is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on both days.

Read: Popular Central Florida thrift store, damaged by Hurricane Ian reopens for business Monday

The participating AdventHealth locations are:

 AdventHealth Altamonte Springs

 AdventHealth Apopka

 AdventHealth Celebration

 AdventHealth East Orlando

 AdventHealth for Women and AdventHealth for Children

 AdventHealth Kissimmee

 AdventHealth Orlando

 AdventHealth Winter Garden

 AdventHealth Winter Park

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.
Vyacheslav Gladkov, Governor of Belgorod Oblast of Russia, has stated that Russian air defence shot down three missiles in the city of Novy Oskol.

Source: Gladkov on Telegram

Quote: "Our air defence was activated in Novy Oskol. Three missiles were shot down. The aftermath is being ascertained."

Details: According to Gladkov, one man has received a shrapnel wound to his arm.

In addition, the Russian governor has reported that some buildings and power transmission lines in several villages near Novy Oskol have been damaged by fragments.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
The authorities issued an air-raid warning throughout Ukraine on 6 March. The danger lasted about an hour and 45 minutes.

Source: Air-raid warning map; Belaruski Hajun, an independent Belarusian military monitoring media outlet, on Telegram

Details: Sirens began to sound in the capital and central oblasts at 09:07. Very quickly, the air-raid warnings spread to the entire territory of the country.

The sound of sirens signifies the threat of missile and air strikes. It is essential to go to a shelter at the time the sirens sound.

Belaruski Hajun reported that at 09:05, a MiG-31K of the Russian Aerospace Forces took off from Machulishchy airbase in Belarus.



Update at 10:50: The all-clear was given at 10:49. The danger lasted about an hour and 45 minutes.



Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
A firearm intercepted by TSA at Tallahassee International Airport.

Tallahassee International Airport (TLH) set a record for gun interceptions in 2022, with 15 firearms  13 of them loaded  being discovered by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

The previous record at TLH was 10 interceptions in 2019.

In the U.S., 6,542 guns were intercepted at airports in 2022, according to TSA data.

There has been a steady upward trend, with the only exception being 2020 when passenger volume was considerably lower due to coronavirus, said TSA spokesperson Sari Koshetz.

Three airports in Florida made the year's list of the top 10 airports with firearm discoveries nationwide.

Orlando International Airport had 162, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport had 134 and Tampa International Airport had 131.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport had the most confiscations nationally at 448. Of the firearms discovered nationwide, 88% were loaded.

So far in 2023, only one gun has been intercepted at TLH.

A breakdown of guns intercepted by the TSA at airports in the U.S.

What happens when a firearm is found during airport security?

While TSA is the agency that intercepts firearms, they do not confiscate weapons. They partner with the FBI for investigations and local law enforcement for arrests, citations and confiscations. The Tallahassee Police Department works with TSA and the FBI on gun interceptions at TLH.

Whenever a firearm is detected by our officers, we freeze the bag inside the X-ray tunnel and immediately notify and partner with local law enforcement, who ultimately determine the disposition of the firearm and whether the passenger will be arrested or cited, Koshetz said.

Usually, TSA and the FBI deal with interceptions and handle investigations, said TPD public information officer Heather Merritt, Were the boots on the ground for confiscations.

Bringing a gun into a TSA checkpoint is a violation of federal law.

TSA advises travelers with firearms to be aware of laws regarding air travel with guns in the state of their departure and their destination to avoid an arrest or a civil penalty up to $15,000.

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How to legally fly with a gun

National guidelines on air travel with guns are to declare your firearms to the airline when checking in your baggage. Always contain your firearms, along with ammunition, in a secured, locked case. Transportation of firearms in carry-on luggage or on your person is not permitted, according to TSA.

Every passenger bears the responsibility of knowing exactly where their gun is before entering the security checkpoint and where that is should never be in your carry-on or on your person, said Koshetz. An accidental discharge could result in tragedy.

Koshetz also noted that firearms may not be legal to transport in checked baggage in some jurisdictions.

Contact Democrat writer Alaijah Brown at ABrown1@gannett.com and on Twitter at @BrownAlaijah.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee airport sets record in 2022 for TSA gun interceptions
Energy Harbor, the Akron-based FirstEnergy spinoff company, has been sold to a Texas energy company called Vistra.

Energy Harbor, the Akron-based FirstEnergy spinoff company at the heart of an ongoing public corruption trial in Ohio, has been sold to a Texas energy company called Vistra.

Vistra announced the $3.43 billion merger deal Monday, underscoring a push by U.S. utilities to shift to clean energy, Reuters reported. Energy Harbor owns the Perry and Oak Harbor nuclear power plants, which are on the Lake Erie shore.

What this means for Akron was not immediately clear. Energy Harbor is headquartered on East Market Street across from the Haven of Rest homeless shelter. The headquarters of the merged company will be in Irving, Texas, but it will have retail offices in Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Illinois.

"We focus on being a preferred place to work and a core member of the communities where our plants, retail offices, and customers are located, which will soon include Akron among other locations in Ohio and Pennsylvania," Vistra President and CEO Jim Burke said in a statement.

Energy Harbor on Monday had not issued a statement of its own, and a spokesman did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Ohio corruption scandal:What you need to know about Ohio's corruption scandal, Larry Householder trial

The deal comes at an extraordinary moment, with a jury in Cincinnati federal court about to decide whether the state's former House Speaker Larry Householder received $61 million in bribes pumped through dark money groups by FirstEnergy and Energy Harbor in exchange for a $1 billion bailout bill.

No one from Energy Harbor has been indicted in the case, the largest in Ohio's history.

But during Householder's trial, Energy Harbor Excecutive Chairman John Kiani has repeatedly come up during testimony and in evidence, including text messages.

Kiani, a hedge fund manager, had a long career as an energy analyst before taking over Energy Harbor in 2019. The company, formerly called FirstEnergy Solutions, split off from parent company FirstEnergy Corp. when it emerged from bankruptcy the same year.

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Former FirstEnergy Solutions lobbyist Juan Cespedes testified that Kiani planned to operate Energy Harbor's nuclear plants for a short period, get a government bailout and then sell the power plants in a deal that could make Kiani $100 million.

According to evidence presented during Householder's trial, Kiani was deeply involved in getting lawmakers to pass the bailout and then afterward, when a group of taxpayers tried to have it overturned.

It was not immediately clear whether Kiani will benefit from the merger with Vistra.

The deal involves $3 billion in cash and Energy Harbor shareholders getting a 15% stake in a newly formed subsidiary holding company called Vistra Vision.

Kiani was listed as Energy Harbor's executive chairman Monday on the company's website. John W. Judge was listed as president and CEO of the company.

Energy Harbor's senior leadership is expected to remain with that company through at least the closing of the merger transaction, according to a statement from Vistra.

Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder walks out of U.S. District Court in Columbus on July 21, 2020, after being charged with being part of a racketeering conspiracy. Federal officials arrested Householder and four colleagues as part of a bribery investigation involving the state's $1.3 billion nuclear plant bailout and Householder's maneuverings to secure support to lead the legislative chamber.

In 2021, FirstEnergy signed a deferred prosecution agreement with federal prosecutors and agreed to pay a $230 million penalty for its role in the case. It has since cooperated with the investigation and fired some leaders, including former CEO Chuck Jones.

The company has also conceded in court papers to bribing state officials.

Jones has denied that he or anyone else at the company did anything unlawful.

"Whether one agrees with it or not, the First Amendment and campaign finance laws allow the use of 501(c)(4) entities for appropriate political activity; allow individuals and corporations to support political candidates in a lawful manner; and allow individuals and corporations to lobby on behalf of legislation and government policies," he said in a statement released after the deferred prosecution agreement.

FirstEnergy Corp. President and CEO Charles "Chuck" Jones appears at the company's Akron headquarters in 2015.

Federal prosecutors have not said whether Jones or Kiani could face charges.

Some outside observers familar with federal corruption cases say proseuctors often break complicated cases with multiple defendents into different chapters. Jurors can easily be confused by multiple defendants with multiple attorneys, said Michael J. Clark, a former FBI agent who now teaches at the University of New Haven.

He doesn't know if a second prosecution chapter will follow Householder's trial.

But if Householder is convicted, Clark said, other defendants may be anxious to cut a deal.

"It's like the people in (the next chapter) see the turret of a tank pivot and take aim at them," Clark said. "They usually collapse."

Laura A. Bischoff contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron Energy Harbor nuclear power plants sold to Texas company Vistra
A local alcohol board has recommended denying license renewals for clubs Kalakutah and Onyx, two Indianapolis bars with a history of shootings, assaults and other violence.

The Alcoholic Beverage Board of Marion County voted unanimously on Monday to deny the renewals, deeming the clubs public nuisances and sending its decisions to the Indiana Alcohol & Tobacco Commission for final approval.

"It's like you just don't care," board member Peter Luster said after a vote was held to recommend the denial of Club Kalakutah's permit. "The applicant does not maintain a high, fine reputation and it does not have a good moral character."

Located in the Lafayette Square area, Club Kalakutah is operated by Kalakutah Republic Grill. The night club was the site of a February 2022 shooting that left 25-year-old Secoya Williams dead in the parking lot.

Onyx Indianapolis:Indianapolis strip club closes after police raid

Ryan Carlson, who describe himself as the ownership representative for Club Onyx, and attorney Mark Webb defend the club's request to renew its alcohol permit at the Alcohol Beverage Board meeting on March 6.

IMPD and the leaders of three neighborhood groups testified against the renewal of Club Kalakutahs license.

IMPD Capt. Christopher Boomershine, who leads the department's commercial crimes branch, identified six shootings or reports of gunfire outside the club. Those included the killing of Williams, which Boomershine said began with a dispute inside the club. In a separate incident, one of the club's security guards shot a man in the leg, Boomershine said.

At least four assaults were also reported at the club. One involved a 19-year-old victim, Boomershine said. Nobody under 21 is supposed to be admitted to the club.

Olusola Akinbolawa, owner of Kalakutah Republic Grill, which owns Kalakutah, apologized to the Marion County Alcohol Beverage Board at its March 6 meeting. Akinbolawa sought to have his alcohol license renew.

Vice detectives and excise police also discovered marijuana use in the club and a server without an alcohol permit. When the ATC declined to extend the businesss license in December, it continued to serve alcohol, according to its most recent citation.

Theres a trail of violence and death related to this operation, Boomershine said. Please do not renew this license.

Despite problems, the ATC took no steps to shut the club down. Even after Akinbolawa was charged last year with corrupt business influence, theft and failure to pay taxes, the club remained open.

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Akinbolawa chalked up most of his violations to misunderstandings, but acknowledged he had made mistakes.

Im very sorry for everything that Ive done, he said.

IMPD Capt. Christopher Boomershine holds up a photo of 25-year-old Secoya Williams who was shot and killed at Club Kalakutah in the early morning hours of Feb. 25, 2022.

Club Onyx in Indianapolis closed Feb. 28

Club Onyx, a south side strip club located in the 4400 block of South Harding Street, abruptly closed on Feb. 28, roughly one week after Indianapolis Metropolitan Police raided the club and arrested several employees on prostitution, gun, alcohol and drug charges.

IMPD Det. Tiffany Mastin played videos of a shooting at the club last year and an undercover sting at the club in January and February. The graphic video showed dancers performing simulated sex acts on undercover officers and engaging in what police called public nudity.

Mastin also described at least 10 reported assaults at the club, some allegedly perpetuated by bouncers or other employees.

'Her light will just keep shining':After fatal shooting, mom honors daughter's life

In one case last year, a security guard grabbed a woman by the neck and dragged her on her stomach to the entrance even though she stated multiple times that she was pregnant, Mastin said.

In another case, management told a detective that the only security camera that would have captured the assault "had recently experienced a power surge and the video was unrecoverable," Mastin said.

There were also at least four shootings reported at the club. Some of them involved heavily armed unlicensed security guards, she said. One shootout between a gunman and security guards left a bystander injured. An excise police investigation found the shooting took place after the club was serving alcohol after the 3 a.m. cutoff. Another incident resulted in security guards firing toward a neighboring motel, Mastin said.

IMPD Det. Tiffany Mastin detailed the history of violence at the Club Onyx during a March 6 Marion County Alcohol Beverage Board meeting where she also presented videos and photos depicting shootings, explicit acts and drugs found at the establishment.

Thefts were also common at the club, she said. At least 12 vehicle break-ins in the club's parking lot resulted in 13 stolen firearms.

She said even after IMPD arrested the owner of the club's security company for operating without a license, the club hired another security company that was also unlicensed in Indiana.

Ryan Carlson, who described himself as representative for the club's owner, acknowledged the club had served patrons after hours.

But his attorney, Mark Webb, who is also a former Indiana Alcohol & Tobacco Commission official, objected to much of the evidence presented by police, calling it hearsay because it hadn't been adjudicated yet.

They said the club voluntarily closed its doors last week to address IMPD's concerns with plans to re-brand the strip club in an effort to install different management and attract a different clientele  though board members were quick to remind Carlson that good business practices start at the top with ownership.

Carlson and his attorney also blamed some of the club's problems on an IMPD policy prohibiting off-duty officers from working at strip clubs. Carlson, who operates strip clubs across the country, said that's not the case in more "sensible" municipalities.

Graves, the local board's chairman, took exception to that characterization. He also called out Carlson for commenting during one of the undercover police videos, "That's your taxpayer dollars at work."

Ryan Carlson, ownership-representative for Club Onyx, defended the club's request to renew its alcohol permit at the March 6 Marion County Alcohol Beverage Board meeting.

Police say they're powerless to shut down problematic bars, clubs

The local board's decisions come after an IndyStar investigation published last month that detailed unchecked violence at Indianapolis bars, clubs and event centers.

In all, IndyStar identified more than 600 reports of violence tied to 80 alcohol establishments since 2016. That includes 49 homicides, more than 150 shootings, 20 stabbings and 37 rapes or sexual assaults.

IMPD and city officials say they are powerless to shut down bars, even after scores of police runs and multiple shootings. That's because a decades-old state law that explicitly prohibits cities and counties from regulating alcohol establishments. Only state regulators at the Indiana Alcohol & Tobacco Commission have that authority.

49 killed, 154 shot or stabbed: How Indiana law protects bad bars

But IndyStar's investigation, produced in partnership with Fox59, found that the ATC doesn't track violence at bars and is severely understaffed. It's alcohol enforcement efforts have fallen dramatically over the past decade and bars have remained open even after police arrest the owner.

Board member Peter Luster said Monday's meeting was the first time during his four years on the board that he can remember denying two license renewals.

Graves, the board's chairman, said: "Ive never been more confident in a vote the board has taken than in the two votes taken today. Those votes needed to be cast and they were cast correctly in my opinion."

Contact IndyStar reporter Tony Cook at 317-444-6081 or tony.cook@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter: @IndyStarTony.

Contact IndyStar reporter Alexandria Burris at aburris@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @allyburris.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis clubs Onyx and Kalakutah deemed public nuisances
Alex Murdaughs attorney has made a bizarre  and chicken-related  return to Twitter after he received a dressing down from the judge for his social media posts during the high-profile murder trial.

On Saturday, defence attorney Jim Griffin tweeted a photo of himself with his face in a wooden cut-out photo prop of a cowboy riding a chicken.

Walterboro, you were a gracious host. Happy Trails, he wrote.

The bizarre post marked his first since 18 February, when a tweet landed him in hot water with Judge Clifton Newman.

That Saturday  in the midst of Murdaughs trial for the murders of wife Maggie and son Paul  Mr Griffin shared a link to a The Washington Post op-ed titled: Alex Murdaugh trial reveals a sloppy investigation.

Judge Newman brought up the post in the courtroom the following Monday, saying that the attorneys actions go against the spirit of the law and does not pass the feel test and comparing him to NBA star Kyrie Irving.

The judge said that he had received emails concerning a social media post by Mr Griffin commenting on witness testimony and the quality of the investigation by the state.

Mr Griffin is this part of your defence strategy? the judge asked, eliciting a laugh from the gallery and an awkward pause from the attorney.

Your honour, all I did was retweet an article that was published in The Washington Post. I didnt put any comment or make any statement. I just retweeted an article that was in the newspaper, Mr Griffin responded.

At that point, the judge compared Mr Griffin to Irving who was suspended from the Brooklyn Nets last year for retweeting an antisemitic post.

Walterboro, you were a gracious host. Happy Trails. pic.twitter.com/OO3xz6LLVx  Jim Griffin (@lawyergriffin) March 4, 2023

We had a professional basketball player who retweeted an article that resulted in him being suspended from the NBA for about 10 days and cost him about $10m in salary, so retweeting is the same as  to some  as if [its] your tweet, he said.

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Irving was embroiled in controversy in late October when he tweeted a link to Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America, a documentary which peddles several antisemitic conspiracy theories and falsehoods. The post sparked an instant backlash and he was suspended without pay from the Nets.

After making the comparison, the judge then elicited some laughs when he said he was not a Twitter friend of Mr Griffins but had still come across the post.

Judge Newman told Mr Griffin that his actions do not pass the feel test.

Mr Griffin had conceded that he would not tweet again  about the case or at all  until the trial was over.

That day came on Thursday when the jury convicted Murdaugh of murdering his wife and son on the familys Moselle property back on 7 June 2021.

Murdaugh, 54, was then sentenced by Judge Newman to life in prison the following day  and Mr Griffin shared the lighthearted tweet on Saturday.

Mr Griffins choice of photo for his return to the social media platform is perhaps more unusual given the prominent role that a chicken played in his clients conviction.

Alex Murdaugh trial reveals a sloppy investigationhttps://t.co/CALb9FzP1v  Jim Griffin (@lawyergriffin) February 18, 2023

Key to the prosecutions case was a damning cellphone video that Paul captured just minutes before he and his mother were brutally killed.

In the video, taken at 8.44pm on the night of 7 June, the 22-year-old was filming his friends brown labrador in the dog kennels on the familys 1,700 acre estate.

Off-camera, three distinct voices can be heard: Paul, Maggie and Alex Murdaugh.

Maggie is heard shouting that their dog Bubba had caught a chicken in its mouth. Murdaugh is then heard shouting at the dog.

The video destroyed Murdaughs alibi, placing him at the scene of the murders and proving that he had lied about when he last saw his wife and son alive.

Jurors continued to hear repeated references to Bubba and the chicken during the murder trial  with Murdaugh claiming the dog often caught chickens.

He also claimed that he quickly retrieved the chicken from the dogs mouth  with the bird killed in the incident  and then left the scene when his wife and son were still alive.

Jurors didnt believe his version of events though, instead determining beyond reasonable doubt that Murdaugh took two guns and killed his family members minutes after the video was taken.

Alex Murdaugh led into Colleton County Courthouse on Friday for his sentencing (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Paul was shot twice with a 12-gauge shotgun while he stood in the feed room of the dog kennels  the second shot to his head blowing his brain almost entirely out of his skull.

Maggie was shot five times with a .300 Blackout semiautomatic rifle including twice in the head after she had fallen to her knees.

It took less than three hours for jurors to return a unanimous verdict of guilty.

Murdaughs conviction has now shone a spotlight on some other mystery deaths tied to the South Carolina legal dynasty.

Days on from the murders, an investigation was reopened into the 2015 death of Stephen Smith, who was found dead in the middle of the road in Hampton County.

The openly gay 19-year-old had suffered blunt force trauma to the head and his death was officially ruled a hit-and-run. But the victims family have long doubted this version of events, with the Murdaugh name cropping up in several police tips and community rumours.

An investigation was also reopened into another mystery death connected to the Murdaugh family  that of their longtime housekeeper Gloria Satterfield.

She died in 2018 in a mystery trip and fall accident at the family home. Murdaugh then allegedly stole around $4m in a wrongful death settlement from her sons.

Murdaugh is now also facing around 100 charges over a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme and a bizarre botched hitman plot.
Three jurors in the high-profile double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh said Monday that they don't believe he should have taken the stand in his defense and that his emotions during his two days of testimony appeared manufactured.

"No, I didn't think he was crying. He turned it on and off," juror Gwen Generette said in a live interview on NBC's "TODAY" show.

"No, it wasn't genuine," she added.

"We already know that he's a lawyer," juror James McDowell said of Murdaugh. "He's able to be emotional with cases. He's able to be emotional with himself. I think we were able to read right through that."

Another juror, Amie Williams, said Murdaugh "didn't help himself" by testifying.

Jurors James McDowell, Gwen Generette and Amie Williams spoke about why they convicted Alex Murdaugh. (Nathan Congleton / TODAY)

Murdaugh, 54, was sentenced Friday to two consecutive life terms for murdering his wife, Margaret, 52, and their son Paul, 22, in June 2021.

After a roughly six-week trial in which 75 witnesses were called, including Murdaugh, the 12-member jury took less than three hours to deliberate and find Murdaugh, a personal injury lawyer, guilty in the fatal shootings at the family's rural estate in Colleton County.

At the onset of deliberations, the jurors took an anonymous poll to see where they stood: Nine said Murdaugh was guilty, two said not guilty, and one was undecided. But after they talked through their concerns, all decided to convict him.

The key piece of evidence was a video taken from Paul's cellphone in the moments before the killings that helped to prove Murdaugh was there, Generette said.

"I think it probably would have been a hung jury had it not been for that video. It's like he spoke from the grave," Generette said of Paul.

During Murdaugh's sentencing, South Carolina Circuit Court Judge Clifton Newman condemned him for his lack of remorse and said the former lawyer would have to reckon with his conscience and the "monster you've become."

The trial had drawn intense interest in a region of South Carolina known as the Lowcountry, where three generations of Murdaugh patriarchs had been elected top prosecutors spanning a consecutive 87 years. The family's fingerprints have been on countless cases tied to the legal system in the Lowcountry, and Murdaugh had also been a part-time prosecutor who took part in trials in the same courtroom where he would be convicted.

Story continues

It was a bizarre series of events, including a roadside shooting three months after the murders in which authorities said Murdaugh sought to have himself killed, that placed attention back on him as the prime suspect in the slayings.

With the Murdaugh name so recognizable and the case already grabbing headlines and becoming the focus of true crime docuseries and podcasts, court officials had mailed out an astounding 900 jury summonses in Colleton County, home to about 38,600 people.

The jurors were not allowed to take notes during the trial, but they could use notepads to jot down questions when they returned to the jury room during breaks.

Before deliberations began, Newman allowed the jurors to tour the scene of the crime  the family's sprawling estate known as Moselle, where Margaret and Paul were shot multiple times near the outdoor kennels and a feed room.

Williams said that was beneficial in helping her come to her decision and understanding the distances between places explained during testimony.

"I wanted to see how big that feed room was. It was very tiny in person," she said. "I also wanted to see if you could see down there to the feed room, the kennels from the house, and you could."

Image: Alex Murdaugh (Chris Carlson / AP)

Prosecutors with the state attorney general's office did not present hard evidence, such as a confession or security video, that Murdaugh fired the guns used in the killings, and said investigators had not located the weapons. Instead, their case against him was built primarily on circumstantial evidence and the premise that he had the motive, means and opportunity to kill his family.

Prosecutors allege that, for years, Murdaugh had schemed and stolen about $8.5 million from more than a dozen victims, including through his family's law firm and from clients. On the day of the murders, the chief financial officer of the firm testified, she had confronted Murdaugh about $792,000 in missing client settlement funds. But after the killings, she said, she halted her investigation.

Paul was struck twice with a shotgun before Margaret was shot multiple times with an AR-style rifle, according to investigators.

Murdaugh denied to investigators that he had been at the kennels that night and said the last time he saw his family was earlier in the evening at dinner and that he took a short nap before visiting his ailing mother, who has Alzheimer's disease.

The prosecution, however, played video taken from Paul's cellphone at the kennels at 8:44 p.m. to cast doubt on Murdaugh's alibi. Three voices could be heard in the video speaking, and several of the state's witnesses identified the voices as belonging to Paul, Margaret and Murdaugh.

In response, Murdaugh was called to the stand by his lawyers and said he had lied multiple times to investigators, admitting that he was dishonest about his location before the murders because of his longtime addiction to prescription pain pills and his general paranoia.

During closing arguments, lead prosecutor Creighton Waters seized on his change of story to question Murdaugh's credibility and proclaim he orchestrated an alibi.

"Why would he lie about that, ladies and gentlemen," he asked the jury. "Why would he even think to lie about that if he was an innocent man?"

Defense lawyer Jim Griffin reiterated that Murdaugh had lied about his actions and his addiction to pain pills, but called the prosecution's motive that he killed his wife and son because he was under financial pressure and about to be exposed for swindling money from his family's law firm an "illogical" theory.

But the three jurors said Monday that Murdaugh's testimony and the revelation that his voice was in the video from the kennels worked against him.

"I realized it was him in the kennel video, that just kind of sealed the deal," Generette said.

The detailing of Murdaugh's financial crimes throughout the trial was also critical in the case against him.

"We could only consider it as part of the motive," Williams said. "It helped in showing that he was very convincing and manipulative. And so it made sense" to include it into evidence.

"I don't think we'll ever know" why Murdaugh killed his wife and son, she added.

Generette said Murdaugh's need to influence people to his advantage played a role.

"He wanted to have control of everything," she said. "I'm thinking it was more like greed."

After his sentencing Friday, Murdaugh was transported to a state prison in Columbia for medical and mental health evaluations. He will eventually be assigned to a specific custody level and placed in one of the state's maximum-security prisons for inmates serving life sentences.

Apart from the murder charges, Murdaugh still faces 99 charges related to financial crimes. His defense attorneys said last week they plan to appeal the double murder conviction.

McDowell and other jurors said it was important to be in the courtroom for Murdaugh's sentencing Friday.

"We spent six weeks there. We bond. We're a very close-knit jury in that point in time," McDowell said. "It was very important to see it to the end."

The jurors also explained one of the lighter moments at the end of the trial, when Newman dismissed a juror for improper conversations about the case outside the courtroom. Newman had asked her whether she needed to take anything with her, and she responded that she had a dozen eggs in a back room.

The jurors said on "TODAY" that the dismissed juror had about three dozen brown eggs to give away to everyone. They laughed and agreed that it showed they had become a family and made "new friends for life."

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Four jurors in Alex Murdaughs murder trial have now come forward to explain why they found him guilty after a dramatic six-week trial.

Three of the jurors revealed they werent fooled by Murdaughs ability to turn the tears on and off on the witness stand in an NBC interview on Monday. A fourth juror told ABC Murdaugh came across as a big liar.

It comes as Murdaughs conviction for the murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul has shone a spotlight on other mystery deaths tied to the legal dynasty.

In the aftermath of the June 2021 slayings, SLED opened investigations into the deaths of Stephen Smith and Gloria Satterfield.

Smith, 19, was found dead in a road in 2015. His death was ruled a hit-and-run but there has long been suspicion of foul play, with the Murdaugh name cropping up dozens of times in the initial investigation.

Satterfield was the Murdaughs longtime housekeeper who died after a mystery fall at their property in 2018.

Murdaugh was found guilty of the murders and sentenced to life in prison last week. He is being held at the Kirkland Correctional Facility, before being transferred to a state prison.

Alex Murdaugh murder trial

Conviction shines spotlight on mystery death of Stephen Smith

Alex Murdaughs attorney makes bizarre return to Twitter

Second juror speaks out about verdict

Murdaugh maintains innocence as hes sentenced to life in prison

First juror speaks out after conviction

Alex Murdaugh found GUILTY of murders of son Paul and wife Maggie

How Murdaughs son helped seal guilty verdict from beyond the grave

18:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Since birth, he enjoyed the privileges that came from being the heir to a local legal dynasty.

For a decade he got away with stealing millions of dollars from his law firm, legal clients and friends.

And for 13 months he evaded justice after murdering his wife and adult son in a brutal fashion on the familys estate.

But, in the end, Alex Murdaughs crimes caught up with him.

And it was his own son who unknowingly helped cement his downfall from beyond the grave with a damning 50-second cellphone video of a dog.

Story continues

How a 50-second video of a dog brought down Alex Murdaugh

Murdaugh didn't help his defense by testifying

17:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex Murdaugh didnt help his defense when he took the stand at his trial for the murder of his wife and son, three jurors said on Monday.

Murdaughs testimony only managed to cement what they were already thinking  that he easily lied and could turn on and off his tears at will, the jurors said on the NBC Today show.

Jurors: Murdaugh didn't help his defense by testifying

Whats next for Alex Murdaugh?

17:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Disgraced legal scion Alex Murdaugh will spend the rest of his life in prison after being found guilty of the brutal murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul.

The once-powerful attorney was convicted of two counts of murder and two weapons charges after a dramatic six-week trial of the century inside the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina.

Jurors took less than three hours to reach the verdict after hearing how he had gunned down his wife Maggie and son Paul on the familys sprawling 1,700-acre Moselle estate in Islandton, South Carolina, back on 7 June 2021. He continued to claim his innocence as he received two consecutive life sentences on 3 March.

But this is far from the end of the scandals, criminal cases and unanswered questions surrounding Murdaugh.

Rachel Sharp explains.

Whats next for Alex Murdaugh?

John Oliver has a message for OJ Simpson about the Murdaugh trial

16:45 , Oliver O'Connell

John Oliver had a message for OJ Simpson during the latest episode of Last Week Tonight.

The comedian ran through the biggest stories of the previous week, one of which was the verdict in the Alex Murdaugh trial and addressed a video posted by Simpson regarding the trial.

Jacob Stolworthy has the story.

John Oliver tells OJ Simpson why people think hes an expert on Alex Murdaugh trial

Watch: Murdaugh juror reveals how long it took to reach unanimous guilty verdict

16:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex Murdaugh juror reveals how long it took to reach unanimous guilty verdict

Murdaughs attorneys say son Busters pleas wouldnt have made difference in sentencing

15:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Attorneys for convicted family killer Alex Murdaugh have explained why they decided against having his son plead for leniency during his sentencing.

Defence attorneys Jim Griffin and Dick Harpootlian held a feisty press conference outside Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, on Friday after their client was sentenced to two life sentences by Judge Clifton Newman. They vowed to fight the murder conviction but said that the sentencing was expected.

Andrea Blanco reports.

Busters pleas wouldnt have changed Alex Murdaugh sentence outcome, defence say

Murdaugh attorney makes bizarre  chicken-related  Twitter return

15:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex Murdaughs attorney has made a bizarre  and chicken-related  return to Twitter after he received a dressing down from the judge for his social media posts during the high-profile murder trial.

On Saturday, defence attorney Jim Griffin tweeted a photo of himself with his face in a wooden cut-out photo prop of a cowboy riding a chicken.

Walterboro, you were a gracious host. Happy Trails, he wrote.

Rachel Sharp has the latest.

Alex Murdaughs attorney makes bizarre chicken-related Twitter return

Watch: Three jurors open up about deliberations

14:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Three people on the jury for Alex Murdaughs double murder trial, James McDowell, Gwen Generette and Amie Williams, open up to @craigmelvin about the proceedings and the deliberations that led to a guilty verdict. pic.twitter.com/LCrgIODPsj  TODAY (@TODAYshow) March 6, 2023

Whats next for Alex Murdaugh?

14:15 , Oliver O'Connell

This is far from the end of the scandals, criminal cases and unanswered questions surrounding Murdaugh.

Whatever the verdict had been in the murder case, Murdaugh was never walking out of court a free man, as he is being held on bond on more than 100 charges in cases including a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme and a botched hitman plot.

Heres whats next for the disgraced attorney:

Whats next for Alex Murdaugh?

Second juror says the panel prayed before finding Murdaugh guilty

14:00 , Rachel Sharp

A second juror has now spoken out about what went down in the jury room in Alex Murdaughs murder trial.

James, who did not want to reveal his last name, told Law & Crime that the panel prayed before reaching their unanimous guilty verdict.

At 22, James is the same age that Paul was when he was gunned down by his father at the familys property.

He said that he is confident in the outcome of the case.

We all, I think, were very good at looking at all of the evidence and not jumping to conclusions but rather taking all of the evidence and seeing where it led us, he said.

We did have a few that were not on the same page, so we did like an anonymous vote, in the beginning, to see where everybody was at and make sure everybody was on the same page.

Once we found that out, we kind of just opened the floor for anybody, whoever had questions, and then we would talk through those. We had the evidence in the other room.

How Alex Murdaughs son helped seal his guilty verdict from beyond the grave

13:30 , Oliver O'Connell

For a decade he got away with stealing millions of dollars from his law firm, legal clients and friends.

And for 13 months he evaded justice after murdering his wife and adult son in a brutal fashion on the familys estate.

But, in the end, Alex Murdaughs crimes caught up with him.

And it was his own son who unknowingly helped cement his downfall from beyond the grave with a damning 50-second cellphone video of a dog.

Rachel Sharp explains how.

How a 50-second video of a dog brought down Alex Murdaugh

Alex Murdaughs attorney makes bizarre return to Twitter

13:03 , Rachel Sharp

Alex Murdaugh's attorney Jim Griffin made a bizarre return to Twitter at the weekend after he came under fire for tweeting during the trial.

Mr Griffin shared a photo of himself with his face in a wooden photo prep of a cowboy riding a chicken.

Walterboro, you were a gracious host. Happy Trails, he wrote.

This came after his last tweet led to a dressing down from Judge Clifton Newman.

On 18 February, Mr Griffin shared a link to a The Washington Post op-ed titled: Alex Murdaugh trial reveals a sloppy investigation.

Judge Newman brought up the post in the courtroom, saying that his actions go against the spirit of the law and does not pass the feel test  and also comparing him to Kyrie Irving.

Mr Griffin had conceded that he would not tweet again  about the case or at all  until the trial ended.

Walterboro, you were a gracious host. Happy Trails. pic.twitter.com/OO3xz6LLVx  Jim Griffin (@lawyergriffin) March 4, 2023

Why was Alex Murdaugh convicted of murder?

12:30 , Oliver O'Connell

During the six weeks of Alex Murdaughs double murder trial, jurors heard hours upon hours of gruesome testimony about how his wife Maggie and son Paul were gunned down at the dog kennels of the familys sprawling 1,700-acre Moselle estate.

Two different guns were used in the 7 June 2021 attack  neither of which have ever been found.

Paul was ambushed by his attacker as he stood in the feed room of the kennels, being shot twice with a 12-gauge shotgun.

The first shot struck his chest, while a second fatal shot tore through his shoulder, neck and head, blowing his entire brain out of his skull.

Just yards away from Paul, Maggie was shot five times with a .300 Blackout semiautomatic rifle, as she tried to flee her killer.

On 2 March, Murdaugh was found guilty of the murders after jurors deliberated for less than three hours.

Heres how the prosecution and the defence argued the case:

Alex Murdaugh: What the defence and prosecution argued over six weeks of trial

What prison is Alex Murdaugh going to?

12:00 , Rachel Sharp

Alex Murdaugh was handed two consecutive life terms at his sentencing on 3 March, hours after the guilty verdict came down. The sentence will be served at one of the states seven maximum security prisons, which only house violent criminals.

Upon leaving the court, he was to be handed over to the custody of the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDOC) and taken to the Kirkland Correctional Institution in Columbia.

All male inmates are originally taken to this facility after sentencing, which is one of the states maximum security prisons.

Once there, he is expected to have a two-month evaluation including mental and physical health checks.

This evaluation  together with the inmate classification system  will be used to determine which of South Carolinas highest-security prisons Murdaugh will be sent to spend the duration of his sentence.

The evaluation process takes about 45 days, the SCDOC said in a statement following Murdaughs sentencing.

Timeline of murders, financial fraud, unexplained deaths, arrest and conviction

11:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Disgraced legal dynasty heir Alex Murdaugh has been convicted in a South Carolina courthouse of the murders of his wife and son.

Murdaugh, 54, was found guilty on 2 March of shooting Paul, 22, twice with a shotgun and Maggie, 52, five times with a rifle on the familys sprawling hunting lodge in Islandton on 7 June 2021.

He was arrested more than a year after the killings in July 2022 and charged with their murders.

In the 20 months since the brutal double murders propelled the Murdaughs onto national headlines, a series of other scandals, allegations and alleged crimes have also come to light.

Heres a timeline of the key moments in the case:

Alex Murdaugh: A timeline of murders, financial fraud, crime scene and conviction

Prosecutor Creighton Waters joins Twitter

11:00 , Rachel Sharp

Creighton Waters, the lead prosecutor who secured the conviction of Alex Murdaugh, has joined Twitter for the first time.

Mr Waters opened an account and tweeted for the first time on Saturday, commenting about the case.

Yes this is me. So happy this trial is over. So proud of my team. And so grateful the jury spoke justice for Maggie and Paul. I want to thank everyone in the public for all the support  it has meant a lot, he wrote.

Creighton Waters Twitter (Twitter)

Questions over mystery death of Gloria Satterfield

10:30 , Rachel Sharp

The death of Gloria Satterfield has also come back under the spotlight following Alex Murdaughs murder conviction.

Satterfield was the Murdaugh familys housekeeper of two decades who died in a mysterious trip and fall death at the Moselle estate.

In 2018, Satterfield was found at the bottom of the steps leading up to the familys home. She died weeks later from her injuries.

At the time, her death was regarded as an accidental fall  though her death certificate cited her manner of death as natural and no autopsy was performed.

After her death, Murdaugh reached an agreement to pay her family $4m in a wrongful death settlement  but then allegedly stole the money as part of his fraud scheme.

On 15 September 2021, days after Murdaughs crime schemes were exposed, SLED announced it was reopening an investigation into Satterfields death.

In early 2022, officials announced plans to exhume her body.

It is not clear what evidence may have led investigators to do so  or where the investigation may be headed.

Conviction shines spotlight on mystery death of Stephen Smith

10:00 , Rachel Sharp

Alex Murdaughs conviction for the double murder of his wife Maggie and son Paul has shone a spotlight on the other mystery deaths tied to the legal dynasty.

Just days after the 7 June 2021 slayings of Maggie and Paul, SLED said that it was reopening an investigation into the death of Stephen Smith based on information that had come to light during the murder investigation.

Stephen Smith, 19, was found dead in the middle of a road in Hampton County back in 2015.

He had suffered blunt force trauma to the head and his car was left down the road.

His death was officially ruled a hit-and-run but the victims family  and investigators who worked on the initial case  have long doubted this version of events.

There have long been murmurings in the community that a Murdaugh boy may have been involved and the Murdaugh name came up 40 times in documents in the initial case, reported Live5News.

It is not clear what may have prompted SLED to open an investigation six years on from his death.

In January 2023, SLED said it had made progress in the case but no other details have been released.

All the key revelations from the Alex Murdaugh trial

09:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Its a dramatic saga that now includes murder, a botched hitman plot, multi-million-dollar fraud schemes and a series of unexplained deaths.

The now-disbarred attorney denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty.

After six weeks of dramatic testimony at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, the jury took less than three hours to return a guilty verdict. Murdaugh was then sentenced to life in prison.

Here are the key revelations from the trial:

Key revelations from the bombshell Alex Murdaugh murder trial

How Alex Murdaughs murder trial became a circus

07:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Murder. A botched hitman plot. Mystery deaths. Millions of dollars of stolen money. Opioid addiction.

The case involving Alex Murdaugh appears to have it all when it comes to drama and plot twists.

Its then little surprise that his murder trial in Walterboro, South Carolina, captivated the public all across America in the weeks before the jury convicted him.

But it should then also come as little surprise that the high-profile case spilled out into a spectacle far beyond the testimony jurors heard in the courtroom.

Rachel Sharp breaks down some of the more unusual moments of the trial.

How Alex Murdaughs murder trial became a circus

Watch: Craziest courthouse moments from the Alex Murdaugh trial

05:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The craziest courthouse moments from the Alex Murdaugh trial

A minute-by-minute timeline of the night Maggie and Paul were murdered

03:30 , Oliver O'Connell

At the trial South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Agent Peter Rudofski presented a 43-page report compiling GPS points, phone calls, text messages, and orientation data, detailing the movements of Alex, Maggie and Paul on the night of 7 June 2021.

Minute-by-minute timeline maps out the night Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were murdered

Why was Alex Murdaugh convicted of murder?

01:30 , Oliver O'Connell

During the six weeks of Alex Murdaughs double murder trial, jurors heard hours upon hours of gruesome testimony about how his wife Maggie and son Paul were gunned down at the dog kennels of the familys sprawling 1,700-acre Moselle estate.

Two different guns were used in the 7 June 2021 attack  neither of which have ever been found.

Paul was ambushed by his attacker as he stood in the feed room of the kennels, being shot twice with a 12-gauge shotgun.

The first shot struck his chest, while a second fatal shot tore through his shoulder, neck and head, blowing his entire brain out of his skull.

Just yards away from Paul, Maggie was shot five times with a .300 Blackout semiautomatic rifle, as she tried to flee her killer.

On 2 March, Murdaugh was found guilty of the murders after jurors deliberated for less than three hours.

Heres how the prosecution and the defence argued the case:

Alex Murdaugh: What the defence and prosecution argued over six weeks of trial

Murdaugh prosecutors speak to cheering crowd after guilty trial verdict

Sunday 5 March 2023 23:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Prosecutors in South Carolina reacted with elation to the guilty verdict against Alex Murdaugh on Thursday night, telling a cheering crowd: Justice has been done.

At a jubilant press conference outside the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, state attorney general Alan Wilson hailed a great day for the people of South Carolina.

Todays verdict proves that no one  no one, no matter who you are in society  is above the law.

Elated Alex Murdaugh prosecutors speak to cheering crowd after guilty verdict

Alex Murdaughs new mugshot revealed

Sunday 5 March 2023 22:30 , Andrea Blanco

The Department of Corrections released Alex Murdaughs new mugshot just hours after he was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison for murdering his son and wife.

The disgraced legal scion attorney was sentenced to two consecutive life terms on Friday in South Carolinas Colleton County Court by Judge Clifton Newman. Murdaugh will be held at the Kirkland Correctional Facility while the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) determines where he will serve time permanently.

Read more:

Voices: We knew the Alex Murdaugh case was complicated - but no one expected this

Sunday 5 March 2023 21:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Rachel Sharp writes:

Power and prominence couldnt save Murdaugh from facing justice for Maggie and Pauls murders.

If anything, it only showed how much further he had fallen.

The Murdaugh case was complicated - but this is deeper than anyone expected | Voices

Man who shot Murdaugh in botched hitman plot reacts to guilty verdict

Sunday 5 March 2023 20:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The man who allegedly shot Alex Murdaugh in the head in his bizarre botched hitman plot has spoken out after the once-powerful legal figure was found guilty of killing his wife and son in the summer of 2021.

Curtis Cousin Eddie Smith  a former law firm client, distant cousin and alleged drug dealer of Murdaugh  released a statement through his attorney.

Man who shot Alex Murdaugh in the head in botched hitman plot reacts to verdict

Voices: Will Alex Murdaugh remember what brought him down?

Sunday 5 March 2023 19:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Megan Sheets writes that holes in Alex Murdaughs memory did not go unnoticed by the jury at his double-murder trial at the same time he recalled a mountain of tiny details.

Will Alex Murdaugh remember what brought him down?

Murdaugh to appeal guilty verdict as defence continues to gripe about case

Sunday 5 March 2023 18:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Disgraced legal dynasty heir and convicted family killer Alex Murdaugh is already planning to appeal his verdict after a jury of 12 found him guilty of the murders of his wife and son.

Defence attorneys Jim Griffin and Dick Harpootlian held a feisty press conference outside Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, on Friday where they vowed to fight the murder conviction which has landed Murdaugh behind bars for life.

Mr Harpootlian said that they will be filing appeal documents within 10 days and vowed that they would appeal his conviction all the way up to the US Supreme Court.

Rachel Sharp has the story.

Alex Murdaugh to appeal guilty verdict as defence gripes about case after sentencing

Murdaugh judge's own legal story unfolded in South Carolina

Sunday 5 March 2023 17:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The judge who sentenced Alex Murdaugh on Friday to life in prison for killing his wife and son has earned attention and plaudits for his even-handed demeanor throughout the trial and for his dressing-down of the once-prominent lawyer just before he sent him to prison.

Murdaugh judge's own legal story unfolded in South Carolina

Judge decries Murdaughs continued lies about wife and sons murders

Sunday 5 March 2023 16:30 , Oliver O'Connell

A South Carolina judge harshly condemned Alex Murdaugh for continuing to lie about his guilt in the murders of his wife and son as he was sentenced to life in prison.

The disgraced legal scion was given two consecutive life sentences by Colleton County Court Judge Clifton Newman on Friday morning, hours after a jury found him guilty of shooting dead his wife Maggie and son Paul in June 2021.

Murdaugh addressed the court briefly, once again professing his innocence and insisting: I would never hurt Maggie and Paul.

Judge Newman seized on Murdaughs continued denials as they faced each other directly in front of the court.

Judge decries Alex Murdaughs continued lies about murders in sentencing remarks

Whats next for Alex Murdaugh after guilty verdict?

Sunday 5 March 2023 15:30 , Oliver O'Connell

This is far from the end of the scandals, criminal cases and unanswered questions surrounding Murdaugh.

Whatever the verdict had been in the murder case, Murdaugh was never walking out of court a free man, as he is being held on bond on more than 100 charges in cases including a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme and a botched hitman plot.

Rachel Sharp has the details.

Whats next for Alex Murdaugh?

Busters pleas wouldnt have changed Alex Murdaugh sentence outcome, defence say

Sunday 5 March 2023 14:30 , Andrea Blanco

Defence attorneys Jim Griffin and Dick Harpootlian held a feisty press conference outside Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, on Friday after their client was sentenced to two life sentences by Judge Clifton Newman. They vowed to fight the murder conviction but said that the sentencing was expected.

We could have had Mother Teresa up there speaking on behalf of Alex at sentencing, but he was getting a double life sentence. That was expected, attorney Jim Griffin told reporters outside the court, per Fox News. Judge Newman, he is a very stringent punisher when it comes to crimes and sentences. That was never in dispute.

Mr Griffin added that the defence did not want to put Murdaughs only surviving son Buster through unnecessary trauma after he experienced more than anybody that we can imagine has ever been through. Buster testified for the defence and was at the gallery every day, with reports emerging that his behaviour prompted warnings by Judge Newman.

Why was Alex Murdaugh convicted of murder?

Sunday 5 March 2023 12:30 , Oliver O'Connell

During the six weeks of Alex Murdaughs double murder trial, jurors heard hours upon hours of gruesome testimony about how his wife Maggie and son Paul were gunned down at the dog kennels of the familys sprawling 1,700-acre Moselle estate.

Two different guns were used in the 7 June 2021 attack  neither of which have ever been found.

Paul was ambushed by his attacker as he stood in the feed room of the kennels, being shot twice with a 12-gauge shotgun.

The first shot struck his chest, while a second fatal shot tore through his shoulder, neck and head, blowing his entire brain out of his skull.

Just yards away from Paul, Maggie was shot five times with a .300 Blackout semiautomatic rifle, as she tried to flee her killer.

On 2 March, Murdaugh was found guilty of the murders after jurors deliberated for less than three hours.

Heres how the prosecution and the defence argued the case:

Alex Murdaugh: What the defence and prosecution argued over six weeks of trial

Timeline of murders, financial fraud, unexplained deaths, arrest and conviction

Sunday 5 March 2023 10:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Disgraced legal dynasty heir Alex Murdaugh has been convicted in a South Carolina courthouse of the murders of his wife and son.

Murdaugh, 54, was found guilty on 2 March of shooting Paul, 22, twice with a shotgun and Maggie, 52, five times with a rifle on the familys sprawling hunting lodge in Islandton on 7 June 2021.

He was arrested more than a year after the killings in July 2022 and charged with their murders.

In the 20 months since the brutal double murders propelled the Murdaughs onto national headlines, a series of other scandals, allegations and alleged crimes have also come to light.

Heres a timeline of the key moments in the case:

Alex Murdaugh: A timeline of murders, financial fraud, crime scene and conviction

Who were the key players in the Alex Murdaugh saga?

Sunday 5 March 2023 08:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Who were the key players in Alex Murdaugh murder trial?

Key revelations from the Alex Murdaugh murder trial

Sunday 5 March 2023 06:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Its a dramatic saga that now includes murder, a botched hitman plot, multi-million-dollar fraud schemes and a series of unexplained deaths.

The now-disbarred attorney denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty.

After six weeks of dramatic testimony at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, the jury took less than three hours to return a guilty verdict. Murdaugh was then sentenced to life in prison.

Here are the key revelations from the trial:

Key revelations from the bombshell Alex Murdaugh murder trial

Murdaugh judge's own legal story unfolded in South Carolina

Sunday 5 March 2023 04:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The judge who sentenced Alex Murdaugh on Friday to life in prison for killing his wife and son has earned attention and plaudits for his even-handed demeanor throughout the trial and for his dressing-down of the once-prominent lawyer just before he sent him to prison.

Murdaugh judge's own legal story unfolded in South Carolina

Cousin Eddie who shot Murdaugh in botched hitman plot reacts to verdict

Sunday 5 March 2023 02:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The man who allegedly shot Alex Murdaugh in the head in his bizarre botched hitman plot has spoken out after the once-powerful legal figure was found guilty of killing his wife and son in the summer of 2021.

Curtis Cousin Eddie Smith  a former law firm client, distant cousin and allegedly drug dealer of Murdaugh  released a statement through his attorney.

Man who shot Alex Murdaugh in the head in botched hitman plot reacts to verdict

Judge decries Murdaughs continued lies about murders

Saturday 4 March 2023 23:30 , Oliver O'Connell

A South Carolina judge harshly condemned Alex Murdaugh for continuing to lie about his guilt in the murders of his wife and son as he was sentenced to life in prison.

The disgraced legal scion was given two consecutive life sentences by Colleton County Court Judge Clifton Newman on Friday morning, hours after a jury found him guilty of shooting dead his wife Maggie and son Paul in June 2021.

Murdaugh addressed the court briefly, once again professing his innocence and insisting: I would never hurt Maggie and Paul.

Judge Newman seized on Murdaughs continued denials as they faced each other directly in front of the court.

Judge decries Alex Murdaughs continued lies about murders in sentencing remarks

South Carolina Department of Correction released Alex Murdaughs new mugshot

Saturday 4 March 2023 22:30 , Andrea Blanco

The Department of Corrections released Alex Murdaughs new mugshot just hours after he was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison for murdering his son and wife.

The disgraced legal scion attorney was sentenced to two consecutive life terms on Friday in South Carolinas Colleton County Court by Judge Clifton Newman. Murdaugh will be held at the Kirkland Correctional Facility while the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) determines where he will serve time permanently.

In a mugshot released on the same day of his sentencing, the convicted family killer appeared with a shaved head and wearing a yellow prison jumpsuit. A source told Fox News that it is standard procedure to shave incoming inmates heads.

Murdaugh will spend the next 45 days at Kirkland, according to a statement by the SCDC. There, he will undergo medical tests, mental health and education assessments that will help officials assign a custody level.

He will then be sent to one of SCDCs maximum-security prisons, like all new inmates serving life sentences.

(Screenshot/ Department of Corrections)

Where will Alex Murdaugh go to prison?

Saturday 4 March 2023 22:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex Murdaugh is used to the high life.

Coming from a long line of top prosecutors, his wealthy family once dominated the legal system in the lowcountry.

As a powerful and well-known attorney himself, he earned upwards of $1m a year (not to mention the millions that he allegedly stole from legal clients and his law firm).

He lived on a huge 1,700-acre in Islandton with his family while also enjoying a second home in Edisto Beach.

Now, his lifestyle will be a little bit different.

Where will Alex Murdaugh go to prison?

Voices: We knew the Alex Murdaugh case was complicated - but no one expected this

Saturday 4 March 2023 21:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Rachel Sharp has followed the Murdaugh case since day one. She writes that power and prominence couldnt save Alex Murdaugh from facing justice for Maggie and Pauls murders.

If anything, it only showed how much further he had fallen.

The Murdaugh case was complicated - but this is deeper than anyone expected | Voices

Murdaugh maintains his innocence as hes sentenced to life in prison

Saturday 4 March 2023 20:00 , Oliver O'Connell

A shackled Alex Murdaugh continued to claim his innocence as he was sentenced to life in prison for the brutal murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul.

The disgraced legal dynasty heir appeared for his sentencing in Colleton County Courthouse on Friday morning where he was told he will spend the remainder of his life behind bars.

Dressed in a prison jumpsuit, with his hands cuffed and feet shackled, it was a far cry from the powerful and wealthy lifestyle that Murdaugh once enjoyed as the heir of a family that reigned over the Lowcountrys legal system.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Alex Murdaugh maintains his innocence as hes sentenced to life in prison for murders

Voices: Will Alex Murdaugh remember what brought him down?

Saturday 4 March 2023 19:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Megan Sheets writes that holes in Alex Murdaughs memory did not go unnoticed by the jury at his double-murder trial at the same time he recalled a mountain of tiny details.

Will Alex Murdaugh remember what brought him down?

Police chief promises justice for all of Alex Murdaughs victims

Saturday 4 March 2023 18:00 , Oliver O'Connell

South Carolina officials have vowed to get justice for all of Alex Murdaughs other alleged victims after he was sentenced to life in prison for the brutal murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul.

SLED Chief Mark Keel gave a brief press conference outside Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, moments after Murdaugh was handed the highest possible sentence over the 7 June 2021 slayings.

Read on:

Police chief promises justice for all of Alex Murdaughs victims

Murdaugh verdict could have been very different

Saturday 4 March 2023 17:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The verdict in Alex Murdaughs high-profile double murder trial could have turned out to be very different  if it hadnt been for the actions of a juror with a dozen eggs.

A panel of 12 jurors deliberated for less than three hours before they unanimously found him guilty of all charges  two counts of murder and two weapons charges.

But, according to an insider, the removal of a juror just hours before the deliberations got under way could have changed the course of the convicted killers fate.

Rachel Sharp has the story.

Did an Alex Murdaugh juror with a dozen eggs change the verdict?

Murdaugh juror reveals what led panel to find him guilty

Saturday 4 March 2023 16:00 , Oliver O'Connell

A juror in Alex Murdaughs double murder trial has broken his silence to reveal what it was that sealed the fate of the disgraced legal dynasty heir.

Craig Moyer spoke out for the first time on Thursday just hours after the jury convicted Murdaugh of the savage double murder of his wife Maggie and son Paul in Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina.

Mr Moyer told ABC News that Murdaughs lack of remorse, crocodile tears and the damning cellphone video captured by Paul minutes before his murder convinced the panel of his guilt.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Alex Murdaugh juror reveals what led panel to find him guilty of murder

Watch: Moment disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in jail

Saturday 4 March 2023 15:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Moment disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in jail for double murder

Busters pleas wouldnt have changed Alex Murdaugh sentence outcome, defence say

Saturday 4 March 2023 14:30 , Andrea Blanco

Defence attorneys Jim Griffin and Dick Harpootlian held a feisty press conference outside Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, on Friday after their client was sentenced to two life sentences by Judge Clifton Newman. They vowed to fight the murder conviction but said that the sentencing was expected.

We could have had Mother Teresa up there speaking on behalf of Alex at sentencing, but he was getting a double life sentence. That was expected, attorney Jim Griffin told reporters outside the court, per Fox News. Judge Newman, he is a very stringent punisher when it comes to crimes and sentences. That was never in dispute.

Mr Griffin added that the defence did not want to put Murdaughs only surviving son Buster through unnecessary trauma after he experienced more than anybody that we can imagine has ever been through. Buster testified for the defence and was at the gallery every day, with reports emerging that his behaviour prompted warnings by Judge Newman.

The full story of Alex Murdaughs spectacular fall from grace

Saturday 4 March 2023 13:30 , Oliver O'Connell

On the surface, Alex Murdaugh had it all.

He was a high-powered attorney who ran both his own law firm and worked in the local prosecutors office.

He was the son of a powerful legal dynasty that dominated the local South Carolina community for almost a century.

And he was a family man who lived with his wife and two adult sons on their sprawling country estate.

But over the last 20 months, Mr Murdaugh has experienced a spectacular fall from grace, culminating in what has been described as the trial of the century now taking place in a courtroom in Walterboro, South Carolina.

Heres how he found himself on trial for the brutal slaying of his wife and son.

The story of Alex Murdaughs spectacular fall from grace

A minute-by-minute timeline of the night Maggie and Paul were murdered

Saturday 4 March 2023 11:30 , Oliver O'Connell

At the trial South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Agent Peter Rudofski presented a 43-page report compiling GPS points, phone calls, text messages, and orientation data, detailing the movements of Alex, Maggie and Paul on the night of 7 June 2021.

Minute-by-minute timeline maps out the night Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were murdered

Inside Alex Murdaughs $4m Moselle estate in South Carolinas lowcountry

Saturday 4 March 2023 09:30 , Oliver O'Connell

On 1 March, the jury was taken to the familys sprawling 1,700-acre Moselle estate in Islandton, South Carolina, to see for themselves the crime scene where Maggie and Paul were killed back on 7 June 2021.

They toured the dog kennels where Murdaugh ambushed his son in the feed room, shooting him once in the chest and a second time in the head, neck and shoulder with a shotgun.

They saw where, moments after gunning down Paul, the husband and father turned on his wife Maggie.

They saw where she desperately tried to flee her killer, backing into an ATV under a hangar outside before being shot five times with a semiautomatic rifle.

But thats not all jurors saw.

Three bodies, 1,700 acres and a whole lot of hogs: Alex Murdaughs $4m Moselle estate

Watch: Judge tells Alex Murdaugh murdered son and wife visit him at night

Saturday 4 March 2023 07:30 , Oliver O'Connell

ICYMI: Alex Murdaugh freezes as guilty verdict is read

Saturday 4 March 2023 05:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Shamed legal dynasty heir Alex Murdaugh has been found guilty of the brutal murders of his wife and adult son.

The 54-year-old disbarred attorney was convicted of two counts of murder and two weapons charges after a dramatic six-week trial of the century inside the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina.

Rachel Sharp reports on the culmination of six weeks of testimony.

Alex Murdaugh is found guilty of brutal murders of wife and son

Murdaugh prosecutors speak to cheering crowd after guilty trial verdict

Saturday 4 March 2023 03:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Prosecutors in South Carolina reacted with elation to the guilty verdict against Alex Murdaugh on Thursday night, telling a cheering crowd: Justice has been done.

At a jubilant press conference outside the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, state attorney general Alan Wilson hailed a great day for the people of South Carolina.

Todays verdict proves that no one  no one, no matter who you are in society  is above the law.

Io Dodds has the story.

Elated Alex Murdaugh prosecutors speak to cheering crowd after guilty verdict

Buster Murdaugh remains stoic as father Alex is convicted of murder

Saturday 4 March 2023 02:00 , Oliver O'Connell

A stoic Buster Murdaugh kept his emotions close to his chest as he watched the moment his father Alex was convicted of killing his brother Paul and mother Maggie.

Buster, 26, looked on in Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, on Thursday evening as a jury handed down a verdict of guilty on all charges to his only living parent.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Buster Murdaugh stoic as father Alex is convicted of killing brother and mother

Murdaugh to appeal guilty verdict as defence continues to gripe about case

Saturday 4 March 2023 01:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Disgraced legal dynasty heir and convicted family killer Alex Murdaugh is already planning to appeal his verdict after a jury of 12 found him guilty of the murders of his wife and son.

Defence attorneys Jim Griffin and Dick Harpootlian held a feisty press conference outside Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, on Friday where they vowed to fight the murder conviction which has landed Murdaugh behind bars for life.

Mr Harpootlian said that they will be filing appeal documents in a matter of days and vowed that they would appeal his conviction all the way up to the US Supreme Court.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Alex Murdaugh to appeal guilty verdict as defence gripes about case after sentencing

How Paul Murdaugh helped seal his fathers guilty verdict from beyond the grave

Saturday 4 March 2023 01:00 , Oliver O'Connell

In the end, Alex Murdaughs crimes caught up with him.

And it was his own son who unknowingly helped cement his downfall from beyond the grave with a damning 50-second cellphone video of a dog.

How a 50-second video of a dog brought down Alex Murdaugh

Alex Murdaughs new mugshot revealed

Saturday 4 March 2023 00:38 , Andrea Blanco

The Department of Corrections released Alex Murdaughs new mugshot just hours after he was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison for murdering his son and wife.

The disgraced legal scion attorney was sentenced to two consecutive life terms on Friday in South Carolinas Colleton County Court by Judge Clifton Newman. Murdaugh will be held at the Kirkland Correctional Facility while the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) determines where he will serve time permanently.

In a mugshot released on the same day of his sentencing, the convicted family killer appeared with a shaved head and wearing a yellow prison jumpsuit. A source told Fox News that it is standard procedure to shave incoming inmates heads.

Murdaugh will spend the next 45 days at Kirkland, according to a statement by the SCDC. There, he will undergo medical tests, mental health and education assessments that will help officials assign a custody level.

He will then be sent to one of SCDCs maximum-security prisons, like all new inmates serving life sentences.
Did you know there are some financial metrics that can provide clues of a potential multi-bagger? One common approach is to try and find a company with returns on capital employed (ROCE) that are increasing, in conjunction with a growing amount of capital employed. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. Although, when we looked at Alpina Holdings (Catalist:ZXY), it didn't seem to tick all of these boxes.

What Is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?

Just to clarify if you're unsure, ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. To calculate this metric for Alpina Holdings, this is the formula:

Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT)  (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)

0.052 = S$1.7m  (S$47m - S$14m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2022).

So, Alpina Holdings has an ROCE of 5.2%. In absolute terms, that's a low return, but it's much better than the Construction industry average of 4.2%.

Check out our latest analysis for Alpina Holdings

roce

Historical performance is a great place to start when researching a stock so above you can see the gauge for Alpina Holdings' ROCE against it's prior returns. If you're interested in investigating Alpina Holdings' past further, check out this free graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.

The Trend Of ROCE

When we looked at the ROCE trend at Alpina Holdings, we didn't gain much confidence. Over the last four years, returns on capital have decreased to 5.2% from 43% four years ago. On the other hand, the company has been employing more capital without a corresponding improvement in sales in the last year, which could suggest these investments are longer term plays. It's worth keeping an eye on the company's earnings from here on to see if these investments do end up contributing to the bottom line.

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On a related note, Alpina Holdings has decreased its current liabilities to 30% of total assets. So we could link some of this to the decrease in ROCE. What's more, this can reduce some aspects of risk to the business because now the company's suppliers or short-term creditors are funding less of its operations. Since the business is basically funding more of its operations with it's own money, you could argue this has made the business less efficient at generating ROCE.

In Conclusion...

To conclude, we've found that Alpina Holdings is reinvesting in the business, but returns have been falling. Since the stock has declined 27% over the last year, investors may not be too optimistic on this trend improving either. All in all, the inherent trends aren't typical of multi-baggers, so if that's what you're after, we think you might have more luck elsewhere.

Alpina Holdings does come with some risks though, we found 3 warning signs in our investment analysis, and 1 of those is significant...

While Alpina Holdings isn't earning the highest return, check out this free list of companies that are earning high returns on equity with solid balance sheets.

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.

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Amazon plans to close eight of its cashier-less Go convenience stores in Seattle, New York City, and San Francisco, marking the companys latest round of cost-cutting moves.

The affected stores  two in Seattle, two in New York City, and four in San Francisco  will close on April 1 and will operate as usual until then, Amazon said. Both Seattle locations have been closed for some time.

"Like any physical retailer, we periodically assess our portfolio of stores and make optimization decisions along the way," an Amazon spokesperson said in an email. "We remain committed to the Amazon Go format, operate more than 20 Amazon Go stores across the U.S., and will continue to learn which locations and features resonate most with customers as we keep evolving our Amazon Go stores."

Despite the closures, the company said it will continue to open Go stores, including its new location in Puyallup, Washington. Last year, Amazon opened its first suburban Go store in Mill Creek, Washington.

The retail giant also said its working with affected employees to identify other roles at the company, including other nearby Go stores.

Amazon HQ2: Amazon second headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, pauses construction

Amazon layoffs: Amazon begins next round of layoffs, as tech giant cuts total of more than 18,000 jobs

The first Amazon Go store opened to the public in 2018 at the companys Seattle headquarters. The stores feature Just Walk Out technology that allows customers to skip the checkout line, as sensors and cameras detect what shoppers take off the shelves.

The news of the store closures comes after Amazon paused construction of its second headquarters, known as HQ2, in Virginia following the company's biggest round of layoffs.

The Amazon Go closures were previously reported by Geekwire.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Amazon Go stores closing in Seattle, New York City and San Francisco
Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters

A growing number of companies are racing to get into the space defense businessbut a major conflict of interest scandal could be on the horizon.

One such company, True Anomaly, is using artificial intelligence to pilot small satellites that will be able to detect spy satellites from adversaries like China and Russia. In October, True Anomalywhich is backed by U.S. Senator JD Vances venture capital firm, Naryaplans to launch two vehicles for the U.S. Space Force on a rocket owned by Elon Musks SpaceX.

Companies like True Anomaly have raised concerns about whether the increasingly militarized frontiers of space should be privatized in the same way Musk is turning civilian space voyages into commercial enterprises. While private industry can launch high-tech satellites cheaper and faster than the government, some experts say that commercial space defense has its downsides.

By outsourcing, it becomes much more difficult to make sure the overriding security interests of military operations can be adequately protected, Frans G. von der Dunk, a professor of space law at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, told The Daily Beast. The private sector focuses on maximizing commercial gain and may well inadvertently or even consciously forego the security risks implied by allowing a private sector entity to decide whom to serve. Military activities are supposed to be undertaken for the sake of protecting the general interests of a people, a State, or a group of those in the context of security, not to make money for investors and entrepreneurs.

Even Rogers, one of the founders of True Anomaly, said the company could provide space defense technologies that are more effective than the current military systems. The company is building satellites that can get close to the satellites of potential enemies and find information about them or intercept communications.

Moscow Could Be Prepping for Space War With Aggressive New Satellites

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True Anomaly is building technologies that contribute to the stability of the space in environment by fielding systems designed to collect information on commercial and adversary space capabilities, Rogers, a former U.S. Air Force major who developed the Orbital Warfare Doctrine for the U.S. Space Force, told The Daily Beast. This information reduces the likelihood of miscalculation and escalation and helps the U.S. government make more precise investments.

True Anomaly is only one of many companies in the space defense business. In the U.S., large defense contractors like Lockheed, Northrop, L3-Harris, Raytheon, and many smaller companies, including Blue Canyon and Maxar, are vying for defense dollars.

Rogers predicted that the space defense industry will grow exponentially over the next decade and could achieve a trillion-dollar global market size by 2040.

At present, the majority of True Anomalys technologies are targeting the defense sector, he added. However, as launch costs continue to drop and space technologies evolve commensurate with the opportunity presented by reduced costs, the security complexities and dilemmas will grow as a result.

The nimble private sector can offer real advantages over clumsy government bureaucracy. Svetla Ben-Itzhak, an assistant professor of space and international relations at the U.S. Air Forces Air War College, told The Daily Beast that privatizing space defense will likely improve efficiency and encourage innovation. She pointed to the success of SpaceX, a private company that contracts with NASA and other federal agencies to design, manufacture, and launch satellites, cargo, and rockets into orbit.

On the other hand, privatization of space defense can lead to losing a certain degree of direct control, Ben-Itzhak added. As private entities become the middleman between the command centers and mission outcomes, the freedom to maneuver, to oversee, and to direct may become more restricted. Delegating space operations, processes, and assets to the private sector can be expected to result in a loss of control over resources and over people: a process that can ultimately take a life of its own that may produce unintended mission outcomes.

With a record year for both civilian and military space launches in 2022, observers note that more competition among space contractors has its downsides. The U.S. government is competing for launch space with companies sending private satellites into orbit.

If youve got a company that is making money putting payloads in space, how high a priority is to put a particular government payload in when you may have other things that might be more lucrative? Michael C. Desch, an expert in the space industry who is the Packey J. Dee Professor of International Relations at the University of Notre Dame, told The Daily Beast. And how do you manage that? Does the government pay a premium to have to queue for the next site? Things get delayed, and Im not sure if thats been fully thought through as we increasingly rely on the private sector to boost capacity.

The rat race

The market for space defense contractors is booming. Iain Boyd, the director of the Center for National Security Initiatives at the University of Colorado, said that with the proliferation of private space companies, it is likely that militaries around the world will increase the use of commercial services for a broad range of activities including various types of imagery and communications.

This will also motivate companies to develop and implement more sophisticated and capable systems, he told The Daily Beast.

But the line between military and private satellites is getting blurry. Ukraine, for example, is taking advantage of Elon Musks network of Starlink communications satellites in its war with Russia. Boyd said that private satellites could be a valid military target.

This question has already come up for companies providing imagery to Ukraine in the Russia conflict, he added. For Russia to attack a private satellite that is providing information to the public all around the world and to the military of some countries, it is a difficult decision for them to make.

Business is so good for the space defense industry that companies are seeking to expand beyond the U.S. government as a customer. Aaron Bateman, a faculty member at the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University, told The Daily Beast that some companies are using satellites to detect radio signals around the world. The information that is collected from the satellites can be sold to nearly anyone willing to pay the price.

How Elon Musk Walloped Jeff Bezos in the Billionaire Space Race

So youre basically doing signals intelligence from space, Bateman added. Now, theres a limited number of organizations that have these capabilities, but in the future, you could see a proliferation of space-based intelligence capabilities that could be used by a wide variety of nefarious actors.

Up to now, the space defense industry has primarily focused on passive activities like satellite reconnaissance. But space weapons that attack satellites could quickly become an option as competition in orbit heats up with potential adversaries like China and Russia.

While we can hope that we will not see aggressive military action in the space domain, the recent anti-satellite test by Russia in November 2021and the increase in the spate of rendezvous and proximity capability demonstratorssuggest that nations are willing to test the bounds of peaceful purpose, Michelle L.D. Hanlon, the co-director of the Center for Air and Space Law at the University of Mississippi School of Law, told The Daily Beast. That there might be an international market for space weaponry is not the most hopeful sign, but it is also not a doomsday indicator.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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MUMBAI, India (AP)  Amitabh Bachchan said he was injured while shooting a film in southern India and is recovering at home.

The 80-year-old Bollywood superstar posted on his blog Sunday night that he sustained a rib injury while working in Hyderabad on the science fiction film Project K. It's being made in the Hindi and Telugu languages and is slated for release in 2024.

Bachchan wrote that he had a damaged rib cartilage and a muscle tear. He said the injury was painful and he consulted a doctor before he flew home to Mumbai, where he was advised to rest.

I shall be unable to meet the well wishers at Jalsa Gate this evening, so do not come, the actor said to fans who often gather outside his home in Mumbai. All else is well, he wrote.

He said his work on the film was suspended until hes healed.

It was not the first time he was hurt on a film set. In 1983, during a fight scene on the set of Coolie, he suffered a serious injury in an accident and was declared clinically dead. People across India spent days holding public prayers. He eventually recovered and finished the film.

Bachchan has acted in more than 200 Indian films. His breakthrough came in the 1973 film Zanjeer, or The Chain, and he rose to superstardom playing bold characters, inspiring fans to copy his hairstyle, clothes and deep voice.

The hugely popular actor is also a former politician and a television host.
ISLAMABAD (AP)  A leading international rights group appealed on Monday for the U.N. Human Rights Council to address the ongoing, relentless abuses by Afghanistans Taliban rulers, including severe restrictions on women and freedom of speech.

Despite initial promises for a more moderate stance, the Taliban have imposed harsh measures since taking power in August 2021 as U.S. and NATO forces were in the final weeks of their pullout from Afghanistan after 20 years of war.

The Taliban have banned women from public life and girls education beyond the sixth grade, carried out public executions after sentences before Taliban courts and cracked down on minority communities.

Amnesty International said the Taliban have also targeted womens rights defenders, academics, and activists in recent months and detained them unlawfully. The arrests are arbitrary and those detained have no legal recourse or access to their families.

The London-based watchdog called on the U.N. Human Rights Council to establish an independent investigative mechanism in Afghanistan as soon as possible and for United Nations members to act toward ending impunity and ensuring justice for victims of Taliban abuses.

The human rights situation in Afghanistan is deteriorating rapidly, and the Talibans relentless abuses continue every single day, said Agnes Callamard, Amnesty's secretary general.

It is clear that the Taliban are not willing nor able to investigate actions by their members that grossly violate the human rights of Afghanistans population, she added.

The group also said that people who publicly criticize abusive rules of the Taliban have been arrested without any explanations while the crackdown on women's rights and public killings of minority ethnic Hazaras continue unchecked.

Among those detained are Narges Sadat, a womens rights defender; civil society activist Fardin Fedayee; author and activist Zekria Asoli and also Afghan-French journalist Mortaza Behboudi. Former Afghan lawmaker Qais Khan Wakili and journalist Muhammad Yar Majroh are also in custody, Amnesty said.

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In many cases, no information was given for the arrest and whereabouts of those detained, amounting to enforced disappearance, the group said.

Taliban spokesmen were not immediately available to comment on Amnesty's report.

Separately, Amnesty reported Taliban abuses in northern Panjshir province, where their forces are fighting resistance members of the so-called National Resistance Front. The rights group said it authenticated photos and videos on social media posts of at least eight incidents between May and August 2022, showing arbitrary arrests and detentions of some 87 people in Panjshir.

Amnesty cited an unnamed witness as saying that in one of those incidents, the Taliban called residents in the village of Dan-i-Rivat in Panjshir from a mosque loudspeaker to a meeting, then tied some 50 men who showed up, hands behind their backs, and beat them with their rifle butts before taking them away.
By Josh Horwitz

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China plans to splurge to help its chip sector overcome U.S. export curbs, but money can only do so much unless Chinese firms can break from a cycle that hinders innovation and traps them at the low end of the value chain, industry players said.

The government has earmarked $140 billion that could include subsidising the purchase of domestically produced chipmaking equipment, Reuters reported in December, likely benefiting manufacturers such as China's sole semiconductor lithography specialist, Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment Group (SMEE).

The outlay was in response to the United States increasingly tightening export restrictions of chipmaking technology for fear it could be used to produce chips for applications such as artificial intelligence which could be used by China's military.

But money alone is not enough to catch Western rivals who are generations ahead. SMEE and local peers mainly sell to domestic chip foundries and the lack of exposure to advanced chipmaking facilities of the likes of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC) and South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co Ltd has made it difficult for them to independently solve engineering problems and move up the value chain, industry workers and market watchers said.

"This prevents whatever advances they make in R&D from getting into mass production, and also limits them from learning more tricks of the trade," said Mark Li, who tracks China's chip sector at Bernstein Research.

SMEE did not respond to a request for comment.

Just as in the aviation industry, chipmaking equipment manufacturers work closely with clients, offering long-term services including installation, calibration, maintenance and repair of machines that can cost over $100 million each.

This collaboration can result in a substantial sharing of know-how that helps both sides advance technologically.

TOO DIFFICULT TO SOLVE

People who worked at SMEE and other Chinese firms in areas such as etching told Reuters how barriers to entry did not seem too high until supply chains became even more global, the engineering more complicated, and the market cornered by firms such as Dutch lithography giant ASML Holding NV.

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Top management at SMEE - led by a state power firm executive who launched the company in 2002 - had no lithography experience and staff built their first machines by buying and studying second-hand equipment and by reading public patents and papers, one former SMEE engineer said.

The firm advanced enough to produce a machine that could print circuit patterns as tiny as 90 nanometers (nm) on silicon wafers - two decades behind ASML. It was hailed as a domestic breakthrough nonetheless and in 2018 won a local government award.

SMEE has not made any major advancements since, in part due to difficulties in procuring equipment from abroad, the engineer told Reuters.

"Even if we could have built the machines, we wouldn't have known how to service and maintain them," the engineer said.

Another former top staffer at a Chinese chipmaking equipment manufacturer recounted how while working to master the etching procedure for 3D NAND Flash, the company could not perfect a critical element, namely the channel hole, or hole size.

"We knew what it takes to do that, but we were limited by the equipment's design capability. Our U.S. rival had already solved that," the staffer said.

COMPLETE RETHINK

Some people in the industry have urged a complete rethink in the way China can catch up by focusing on what the next era of chipmaking could look like rather than compete with overseas peers in trying to make circuits on chips denser and denser.

Late last month, two senior academics from the Chinese Academy of Science published an article advocating the re-focus of efforts on research and development for new technology and materials, rather than on emulating existing tech from overseas.

By amassing patents and managing their use overseas, the authors wrote, "We can set our own chokepoints and barriers in the global chip supply chain, create countermeasures, and hopefully resolve the current technological pain points."

In the meantime, Chinese chip firms have become even more isolated since restrictions the United States imposed in October that barred U.S. companies such as Lam Research Corp and Applied Materials Inc from supplying equipment that can produce relatively advanced chips without a licence.

The situation could be worsened for Chinese companies should Japan and the Netherlands agree with the United States to also restrict exports of chipmaking equipment to China.

"When the sanctions came out, all the American companies followed," an engineer at a Chinese memory chipmaker told Reuters.

"When we bought our equipment, we used to get customer service. Now we can't even get that because of the sanctions."

(Reporting by Josh Horwitz; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
Semen Kryvonos was appointed the new director of NABU

In his video address posted on Facebook on March 6, Kryvonos said he would consider the main indicator of the effectiveness of his work if every corrupt person, before thinking about committing a corruption crime, fears God, the people of Ukraine and NABU.

Read also: NABU suspects former Naftogaz head Kobolev of embezzling over $6 million

I will remain open to civil society, journalists, professional organizations, and international partners, he said.

It is an honor for me to have the opportunity to work with NABUs professional and well-coordinated team. I will make every effort to preserve the independence and development of the institution.

Read also: Three finalists shortlisted in the running for NABU Director

At the same time, the Anti-Corruption Action Center (AntAC) noted that the newly appointed NABU chief has no experience in investigating corruption and has connections with the deputy head of the Presidents Office, Oleksiy Kuleba.

The activists claim that Kryvonoss wife, Halyna Polshynska, served as the head of the security department for the first deputy head of the Kyiv City State Administration, headed by Kuleba at that time.

Kryvonos also has connections with Tymur Tkachenko, Kulebas former business partner in Asper Estate LLC. In the income declaration for 2018, Tkachenko pointed out that he used the apartment in Kyiv owned by Kryvonoss wife.

The AntAC also said that Kryvonoss declarations state that he has been using an Audi Q5 car, owned by Tkachenkos wife, since January 1, 2018. At the same time, in the declaration for 2019, Kryvonos no longer indicated the owners of the car.

Activists reiterated that Tkachenko and Kuleba had recently managed the Kyiv City State Administrations Public Works Department. After Kuleba was promoted from the post of department head to deputy head of the Kyiv City State Administration in 2021, the department was headed by Tkachenkos first deputy and exporter.

What should we do with this? the activists said.

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For us at the AntAC, this is a reason to continue to carefully monitor the work of NABU. And if we notice any hint at the Presidents Office having a hand in this, we will hit both this hand and the one reaching for it. Were sure that the new director is perfectly aware of this.

Read also: NABU seizes $18 million on accounts of Kolomoisky-related firm

On March 6, Ukraines government appointed Semen Kryvonos as new NABU head.

The NABU has been working without a permanent head since April 2022 after the Cabinet of Ministers voted to dismiss former NABU Director Artem Sytnyk. Gizo Uglava, Sytnyks deputy head, was appointed as the acting head of the agency.

Ukraine promised the International Monetary Fund and the European Union that it would appoint a new NABU head by April 2023.

Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron!

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Photo Illustration by Kelly Caminero/The Daily Beast/Reuters

It was the perfect fairytale.

Twenty-eight-year-old Democratic Socialist Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, a waitress from the Bronx, topples moderate machine politician. Her win was billed as a victory for the extreme left over the middle. Good versus evil. In reality, the victory was largely about low turnout and an opponent who not only didnt campaign or take the election seriously but also didnt live in the district.

But putting those inconvenient details aside, AOC had her fairy tale moment. Her favorite lipstick flew off shelves, her selfie videos went viral, and overnight she became the standard bearer for Democratic Socialism in America (that last part, it's worth noting, is only prized for a teeny tiny fraction of, mostly woke 18-25-year-olds, but nevertheless an accomplishment). The mere presence of the now 33-year-old sends Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer quaking. The far left cant get enough of her, and the far right loves to hate her.

Congressional Investigators Say AOCs Met Gala Dress May Have Been Impermissible Gift

Yes, AOC is a modern-day political fairy tale. And, so, it was vital that she have a fairy godmother, a ball, a carriage, and a dress. Enter Anna Wintour, the $35,000/ticket Met Gala, a $600 one-way car service, and a $2,300 Tax the Rich Aurora James rental designer outfit. When added up, AOC, the standard bearer for the Democratic Socialists of America, who decries capitalism by day, had an $80,000 fairy tale evening by night. That is, before she allegedly stiffed everyone involved on the bill.

Can you imagine where the Twitter outrage machine would be if the glass slipper was on the other foot?

AOC claimed she wanted to make a statement. But if that were true, why didnt she ask a struggling student at one of New York Citys fashion institutions to sew her gown, take the subway to the event, do her own makeup, and ditch the fiance to bring a minimum wage worker as her guest? Alternatively, she could have skipped it altogether and protested the concentration of wealth and gluttony on display from the other side of the red velvet rope.

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Putting aside the very real questions around whether or not AOC might have violated House ethics rules and perhaps federal law by accepting gifts associated with the event, the revelations of the eye-popping figures associated with her fairy tale evening are the equivalent of the clock striking midnight. Is AOC truly the socialist crusader she presents herself to be? Or is she simply a media darling in search of celebrity?

In the spirit of transparency, I should disclose that in my former professional lifeas secretary to former New York Governor Andrew CuomoI sparred with AOC on things like COVID and Amazon, while she and others criticized our administration, and the governor himself (and continue to do so), on issues big and small.

But this isn't about whether or not you subscribe to the virtues of AOCs politics or my more moderate-leaning views. The truth is, AOC is hardly alone. Met Gala-Gate is just the latest in a string of situations in which politicians were caught with their pants down, leaving themselves open to criticism that they are phonies and reinforcing cynicism in politics and government.

While not all the same in terms of egregiousness, whether its Elise Stefanik trading in her BMW for a Ford F-150 to appear more in touch with her district, Kevin McCarthy privately telling his members Trump must go while publicly defending him, or the revelations that nearly everyone at Fox News wait for it.. actually did know the 2020 election wasnt stolen, despite telling the public otherwise, it seems everywhere you look these days you find more evidence that perception, as it turns out, is not necessarily fact reality.

It is unquestionable that we are living through a period defined by the atrophying of basic democratic institutions necessary for a functioning democracy. Nationally, people dont trust the government or the media. Looking for proof? Its in the numbers.

According to Pew Research Center, only 20 percent of Americans trust the government today; in 1964 that number was 77 percent. Layer that on top of Americans' fundamental distrust of mainstream mediatrust that is so low that nearly half of Americans now believe that news organizations deliberately mislead them. And while 76 percent of Americans believe the media should strive to give equal coverage to all sides of an issue, an eye-popping 55 percent of journalists disagree. And we wonder why society is so polarized, cynical, and apathetic.

Taken together, we are in very dangerous territory.

This isnt just about a socialist hobnobbing with the same people she purports to revile. Public trust is paramount to individual compliance with laws, ranging from paying taxes to adhering to vaccine requirements. It fosters political participation in elections and cultivates institutional legitimacy. And public trust in government is requisite to society taking on blockbuster challenges like once-in-a-century pandemics, climate change, and wars. Thats why it's incumbent on elected officials and the media to more seriously consider their individual impact on the collective and recalibrate accordingly.

At the time, AOC said she was attending the nations most exclusive gala to make a statement, The medium is the message, she said. The time is now for childcare, healthcare, and climate action for all. Tax the Rich .  But in the end, the real takeaway from AOCs $2,300 Met Gala outfit is that in politics, the emperor truly has no clothes.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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NOGALES, Ariz. (AP)  An Arizona rancher accused of killing a Mexican man on his land near the U.S.-Mexico border pleaded not guilty Monday to murder and other charges.

George Alan Kelly was present during his arraignment in Santa Cruz Superior Court in Nogales on charges of second-degree murder and aggravated assault.

The 74-year-old spoke briefly, only answering yes-or-no questions from the judge.

Judge Thomas Fink set a trial date of Sept. 6, denying a request from Kelly's defense attorney for a two-month continuance. Brenna Larkin had asked for more time to interview her own experts and because the state executed an additional search warrant Monday on Kelly's property.

Kelly left the courtroom immediately after the hearing. He has been allowed to remain free on $1 million bail.

Prosecutors lowered Kellys charge from a single count of first-degree murder, which would have required a finding of premeditated intent to kill and could have led to a death sentence. Mexico officials have told U.S. prosecutors that they believe Kelly should have faced a first-degree murder charge.

Kelly is accused of fatally shooting Gabriel Cuen-Buitimea, an unarmed 48-year-old migrant from Nogales, Mexico.

Prosecutors have said Kelly had no basis for intentionally or recklessly firing an AK-47 rifle toward eight or so unarmed migrants about 80 to 100 yards (meters) away.

Larkin said her client shot into the air above the migrants. She has said Kelly feared for his and his wifes safety and the property, and that he had seen people with rifles and backpacks passing through his property.
FREEHOLD - Bloods gang members Avery Hopes and Vernon Sanders are on trial in Superior Court, charged with the murder of rival Crips member Denzel Morgan-Hicks in Asbury Park in 2017.

The trial, which began Feb. 9 before Superior Court Judge Jill Grace O'Malley, has exposed some of the inner workings of the Bloods in Asbury Park.

Prosecutors allege Hopes and Sanders ambushed Morgan-Hicks when he returned to his Ford Expedition after visiting a friend in an apartment on Prospect Avenue in Asbury Park about 10:30 p.m. on Nov. 22, 2017, the night before Thanksgiving.

Morgan-Hicks died on the spot in a hail of gunfire.

Here's what we know about the case:

Who is the victim?

Denzel Morgan-Hicks, according to trial testimony, was a former Asbury Park resident, a drug dealer and member of the Crips who was living in Barnegat at the time of his death at age 27, just months after he was released from a five-year state prison term he served for a weapons offense.

Who are the defendants?

Avery Hopes, 27, of Asbury Park, is a member of the Neighborhood 20 set of the Bloods in Asbury Park, according to trial testimony. Vernon Sanders, 37, of Brick, is an "OG,'' or high-ranking member of the Queens Street Double I set of the Bloods in Asbury Park, according to testimony.

Vernon Sanders and Avery Hopes trial video tease image

How did Morgan-Hicks die?

Prosecutors allege Hopes and Sanders lay in wait for Morgan-Hicks to emerge from the apartment building and return to his vehicle after visiting his friend. When he did, the pair ran up on either side of the victim's vehicle and repeatedly fired on him, cooperating codefendants have testified.

Morgan-Hicks was dead on the spot. There were two bullet holes in the windshield of his vehicle and additional bullet holes on the front, passenger-side quarter panel and front passenger door, as well as one in a side mirror that dislodged the light inside the mirror.

Three bullets were recovered from the victim's body during his autopsy, from his right arm, right humerus and right shoulder, according to trial testimony. Four bullet fragments were recovered from the victim's head.

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The victim was unarmed.

What was the motive for the killing?

Accomplices have testified that the Double I set of the Bloods were seeking revenge on Morgan-Hicks because they believed he had killed one of their fellow gang members, 21-year-old Edric Gordon of Neptune. Gordon was fatally shot at Dewitt and Springwood avenues in Asbury Park in May 2011 by a gunman riding a bicycle. Caitlyn Sidley, assistant Monmouth County prosecutor, insisted in her opening statement at the trial that prosecutors never had evidence to charge Morgan-Hicks in Gordon's murder, and that any talk that he was responsible was only a rumor.

Despite that, accomplices who cooperated with authorities in the Morgan-Hicks killing have testified that the Double I set was waiting for Morgan-Hicks to get out of prison so that they could exact their revenge.

Who are the state's star witnesses?

Steven Taylor, 40, of Asbury Park, testified he was a member of the Double I set of the Bloods until he "resigned'' in January. That's when he decided to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit the murder of Morgan-Hicks and testify for the state.

He told the jury he first learned the Double I set wanted revenge on Morgan-Hicks at a cookout in Asbury Park attended by all the members of the set in August 2017. Steven Taylor testified he only knew Morgan-Hicks to see him in the neighborhood and didn't know Gordon. Despite that, when he saw Morgan-Hicks pull up on Prospect Avenue on Thanksgiving Eve 2017 and go into an apartment building, he told his brother, Michael, to call Hopes and tell him to bring a gun. Steven Taylor said he was selling drugs in the alleyway outside his grandmother's apartment in the Frederick Douglas housing complex when he called Sanders to tell him he had Morgan-Hicks "boxed in.'' Hopes and Sanders showed up on Prospect Avenue shortly afterward, he said.

Steven Taylor testifies about role in Asbury Park murder of Denzel Morgan-Hicks during the trial for Avery Hopes and Vernon Sanders, charged in the shooting.

Steven Taylor said he left the area with Dazmiere Bellamy, another gang member who would provide him with an alibi because Bellamy was wearing a court-ordered ankle bracelet with GPS tracking. The ankle bracelet would show he wasn't at the murder scene, Steven Taylor said.

Michael Taylor, 38, of Asbury Park, a member of the Bounty Hunter set of the Bloods, also testified under a cooperation agreement with the state after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit murder. Michael Taylor testified that he did call Hopes to summon him to the area when his brother asked him to.

Michael Taylor testifies about the murder of Denzel Morgan-Hicks in Asbury Park before Superior Court Judge Jill O'Malley at the Monmouth County Courthouse Thursday, February 23, 2023. Vernon Sanders and Avery Hopes are on trial in the murder.

Michael Taylor testified that when Hopes showed up on Prospect Avenue with a gun, wearing a white, hooded sweatshirt, his brother said that was too bright an article of clothing to wear to commit a murder. So, Michael Taylor said he went inside his grandmother's apartment and retrieved a grey sweat suit, which Hopes changed into in the alleyway.

Michael Taylor testified he was going to leave to buy pie crusts that his grandmother asked him to get for her to make sweet potato pie for Thanksgiving when he realized he left his wallet at the apartment. He said he was heading back to the apartment to get his wallet when he heard gunfire.

At that point, Michael Taylor said he ran to a drug dealer's blue Honda that he was driving that night, but he had trouble starting the car. That's when he said Hopes ran up and told him how to start the car, and the pair fled in it.

Michael Taylor said they were chased by an unknown black vehicle until he pulled down a dead-end street in Neptune. He said they ditched the car at a nearby junkyard, and Hopes discarded his gun in a garbage can in back of a firehouse. Then, they walked to his girlfriend's house in Neptune, where they met up with his brother and Bellamy, Michael Taylor testified.

Michael Taylor told the jury he got a pie crust from his girlfriend's house before his brother drove him back to Asbury Park.

What about other testimony?

Sgt. Joe Leon, who was the lead detective on the Morgan-Hicks murder case for the Asbury Park Police Department, acknowledged during cross-examination that a red sport-utility vehicle Michael Taylor told him Sanders was driven to and from the murder scene in did not show up on any surveillance video from the area.

Leon also acknowledged that the only eyewitness to the murder gave a vastly different description of the gunman who authorities allege is Hopes. The eyewitness said the gunman on the passenger side of the victim's vehicle had long dreadlocks, while Leon acknowledged Hopes had short hair at the time, as he does now.

What is coming next?

Sgt. Keith Finkelstein, a gang expert with the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, is expected to testify when the trial resumes Tuesday.

Kathleen Hopkins, a reporter in New Jersey since 1985, covers crime, court cases, legal issues and just about every major murder trial to hit Monmouth and Ocean counties. Contact her at khopkins@app.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Bloods gang members on trial for Asbury Park murder: What we know
[Source]

University of Oklahoma (OU) police are searching for two suspects in two separate sexual assaults that occurred on campus last week.

The first incident reportedly occurred at 401 West Brooks at around 8:40 p.m. on Thursday.

The suspect, described as an Asian male, allegedly grabbed the male victims hand and placed it on the suspects clothed genital area.

Police said the suspect then apologized and headed to a restroom. The victim, on the other hand, left the area and called the authorities.

More from NextShark: Sriracha factory slows from producing 18,000 bottles of Sriracha an hour to just 2,000 an hour

The suspect is believed to be in his mid-20s, standing 5 feet and 7 inches tall, with short hair and a mustache. He was seen wearing a black hoodie and black pants and carrying a black backpack, according to reports.

The second incident occurred at the 1200 block of N. Everett Drive at around 12:10 a.m. on Saturday, less than 48 hours after the first sexual assault was reported.

This time, police declined to provide details on the assault.

More from NextShark: Man Who Threw Rocks at Asian Mother and Child in Fullerton Charged With Hate Crime

However, they described the suspect as a Hispanic male, standing 5 feet and 8 inches tall, with a stocky build, short straight hair, a buzz cut on the sides and a short and/or stubble beard.

He was seen wearing a solid gray hoodie, jeans and work boots and allegedly fled in a White Chevy Silverado single cab.

OU sophomore Lanston Strong told KFOR that he has heard of similar stories.

More from NextShark: New online form available in 30 languages lets Asian elders anonymously report hate crimes

Its actually very surprising I would say I feel safe, Strong said. Ive definitely heard stories of it happening before, but never like this close to where I live.

Investigations into both cases are ongoing.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the OU Police Department at 405-271-4911. Meanwhile, those who have experienced sexual assault, abuse or stalking on campus are encouraged to call an OU Advocate at 405-615-0013.

More from NextShark: Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea mural in Vancouvers Chinatown defaced
The Ask.com Jeeves balloon moves through Times Square in New York 23 November, 2000, during the 74th Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade (Getty Images)

The co-founder of the search engine Ask Jeeves has said that artificial intelligence chatbots like ChatGPT have the potential to finally fulfil his vision for how the internet should operate.

Garrett Gruener, who now works as a venture capitalist in California, said his original conception for Ask Jeeves was similar to what Microsoft is currently trying to achieve by incorporating ChatGPT into its Bing engine.

When Ask Jeeves launched in 1997, it set itself apart from the competition by encouraging users to ask questions using natural language rather than just keywords.

At the time, however, machine learning and language recognition tools were not advanced enough for the search engine to function effectively in this way.

It became clear that the web needed search but that mere mortals without computer-science degrees needed something easy, even conversational, he told The Atlantic in a recent interview.

We tried to discern what people were trying to say in search, but without actually doing the natural-recognition part of it.

Ask Jeeves was one of the most popular sites on the internet in the early days of the web, handling more than 1 million queries every day.

But its dominance was ultimately eclipsed following the arrival of Google, with Mr Gruener selling it for just under $2 billion in 2005 before he was able to fully realise his so-called master plan.

This involved transforming Ask Jeeves into a digital concierge that would serve as an all-encompassing version of voice assistants like Amazons Alexa and Apples Siri.

If you look at Amazons Alexa, theyre essentially using the same approach we designed for Jeeves, just with voice, Mr Gruener said.

We were right for the consumer back then, and maybe wed be right now. But at some point the consumer evolved... Ultimately, as the tech has come around, the big guys have come around to what we were trying to do.
(This March 6 story has been refiled to say that Daiichi Sankyo is a co-developer of Enhertu)

(Reuters) - AstraZeneca said on Monday a mid-stage trial of its cancer drug Enhertu, co-developed with Daiichi Sankyo, showed positive results across multiple HER2-expressing advanced solid tumours in heavily pre-treated patients.

The ongoing DESTINY-PanTumor02 Phase II trial is assessing the efficacy and safety of Enhertu in patients with locally advanced or metastatic previously treated solid tumours that are not eligible for curative therapy, including cervical, ovarian, pancreatic, and rare cancers.

"Enhertu has already demonstrated its potential to improve outcomes for patients with HER2-targetable breast, gastric and lung cancers, and these positive initial results in other tumour settings with significant unmet need are very encouraging," Cristian Massacesi, AstraZeneca's chief medical officer and oncology chief development officer, said in a statement.

(Reporting by Yadarisa Shabong in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
The site of a proposed new police training centre in a forested area outside Atlanta has become the focal point of the US environmental movement in recent weeks amid a series of confrontations between protesters and police.

The latest clash between protesters and police at the site came on Sunday, when the Atlanta Police Department detained some 35 people who they claim set fire to a construction vehicle and threw bricks and rocks at officers as part of what the police department said was a a coordinated attack on construction equipment and police officers.

Activists dispute that narrative, with Kamau Franklin telling CNN that the law enforcement response further demonstrates policies of police aggression and the tactical response of over-policing.

Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said that DeKalb County prosecutors and the Georgia Attorney Generals office are coordinating to bring charges against the protesters arrested on Sunday. The arrests took place at the beginning of a week of mass mobilisation against the project, with organisers calling on people to come to Georgia and defend the forest.

Part of the call to supporters is also to honour the life of Manuel Esteban Paez Teran, an activist who was shot and killed during a Georgia Bureau of Investigation operation at the protest site. The killing of Teran, who was known as Tortuguita, or Little Turtle, was the first documented killing of an environmental activist by US police.

The project has pitted a climate movement increasingly willing to use direct action to try to stop major construction projects against a state aparatus that appears increasingly willing to use violence against protesters to facilitate those projects.

What is Cop City?

Local power brokers began discussing the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center as far back as 2017.

Plans call for the project to bulldoze at least 85 acres of the South River Forest, or the Weelaunee forest as it is known to the native Muscogee (Creek) people, outside of city limits to make way for a police shooting range, Blackhawk helicopter landing pad, and a full mock city to practise large-scale operations.

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The majority of its funding is slated to come from the private Atlanta Police Foundation, which counts as donors and board members representatives of major corporations like Amazon, Chick-fil-A, and Delta Airlines with operations in the city.

The Atlanta City Council has approved plans to lease a plot of land to the Atlanta Police Foundation so it can build a state-of-the-art police and firefighter training centre, a project that critics call Cop City.

Backers, including former mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and the editorial pages of top Atlanta newspapers like the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, have framed the centre as a solution to a crime wave in the city and a once-in-a-generation investment in public safety. Theyve also argued its a way for the beleaguered Atlanta Police Department to boost morale and retention, which have been in short supply following the 2020 racial justice protests and scandals like the APDs killing of Rayshard Brooks, who was shot in the back by police officers less than three weeks after George Floyd was killed.

To many community members, however, the project seemed to be rammed through city government without their voice on public safety solutions mattering much at all.

By the time plans for the project were well known in the summer of 2021, a wide range of community groups, from civil rights activists to neighbourhood organisations, were opposing Cop City, which they saw as local officials putting another undesirable project in a working-class, Black area thats already home to six landfills, five prisons, and two demolished public housing sites. Atlanta, thanks to a network of security cameras funded by the Atlanta Police Foundation, is already one of the most heavily surveilled places in the world. Cop City marked another increase in the police footprint in the city.

It was organisations across a ton of different areas, local organiser Micah Herskind told The Independent. Anti-gentrification. Anti-police brutality. Abolitionists. And there were people who just cared about on the level of just neighbourhood associations. We dont want this massive noisy toxic thing near our house. There were preschoolers who were hosting marches.

The potential impacts of Cop City go well beyond a lack of public input and another massive investment in the police state. The broad, leaderless coalition of individuals and communities opposing the project say the $90m training centre is historically insulting and environmentally damaging as well.

The forest where the project is being built, which lies outside of Atlanta city limits, was previously home to the Muscogee (Creek) people before they were forcibly displaced, then was the site of a prison farm. The training centre could also lead to the destruction of 85 acres or more of greenspace in a city where forests are rapidly declining.

According to Dr Jacqueline Echols of the South River Watershed Alliance, the forest where the training centre is being built is known as the fourth lung of Atlanta and was once described in a city plan as the site of future protected park land. More development would further pollute the nearby Entrenchment Creek, one of the citys most important waterways, which already exceeds legal pollution limits.

Environmentalists say the Cop City project will destroy one of the Atlanta areas few remaining green spaces and pollute waterways in a largely Black, working class community.

What is the broader impact?

The stakes of the project and the fight to stop it in the Atlanta area are clear. But far beyond Atlanta, the battle against Cop City is resonating as emblematic of the battles likely to come in the fight to stop climate change  an interconnected fight against environmental degredation, racism, colonialism, and capitalism.

It may also come to represent turning points in the tactics the climate movement is willing to use and the risks they take in pursuing its aims. In late January, Georgia Gov Brian Kemp issued an emergency declaration for protests, empowering him to deploy the National Guard to subdue the protests and arrest people.
Two local hospital systems are lifting their visitor restrictions that were instated late last year, during a period with a high level of respiratory illnesses.

Novant Health and Atrium Health both announced the changes on Monday. The decisions eliminate the changes made to the visitor policies on Nov. 15.

PREVIOUS: NC hospitals limit visitors under 12 due to spread of respiratory viruses

Starting Tuesday at 7 a.m., all Novant facilities and Charlotte-area Atrium facilities will lift their flu and RSV-related visitor restrictions that limit visitors under age 13, according to two news releases.

Atrium attributed the change to a significant drop in the number of patients being seen with flu-like symptoms.

Both Atrium and Novant said all other restrictions will remain in place, including the mask requirement for all visitors.

(WATCH BELOW: Mobile emergency department sent to Atrium main, childrens hospitals)
A man was injured in a shooting Sunday night in Tacomas West End neighborhood, according to police. Gunfire broke out after a husband and wife were approached by two armed robbers who demanded money.

The attempted robbery occurred in the parking lot of an apartment complex near the 1000 block of South Whitman Street, Tacoma Police Department said. Officers were called there shortly after 9 p.m.

Gunmen went up to the couple after they parked, then one shot at them as they tried to drive away, police spokesperson Wendy Haddow said. She said the couple had been driving home from the hospital before the shooting occurred. One bullet struck the man.

The gunshot victim, a 29-year-old man, was driven to a hospital by his wife. Haddow said they called 911 while on the way. He was treated for an injury that wasnt life threatening.

No arrests have been made. Police said the suspects ran from the shooting. Anyone with information about the crime was asked to contact Crime Stoppers online or by calling 1-800-222-TIPS.
A man has been charged with murder after stabbing his 52-year-old aunt multiple times inside an Indiana home, police say.

Jonathan Benyoun, 36, was discovered running naked on a road following the stabbing, which police said took place on Friday, March 3, in Gary, a northwest Indiana suburb of Chicago.

Benyoun is the nephew of Jacqueline Peden, who was discovered in the Gary home with multiple stab wounds, police said.

A witness inside the residence stated she had seen her cousin on top of the victim stabbing her with what appeared to be a knife-like item with a black handle, Gary police said in a news release posted on Facebook. The victim had told her to run, and she fled the residence seeking help.

Peden died after being taken to a hospital for treatment, police said in the release.

The nephew fled the home after the stabbing, but officers learned of a man that matched Benyouns description running naked in the road about 1 mile away, according to the news release. He was taken into custody.

A motive for the killing is unclear.

Benyoun was charged with murder and public nudity. He will be taken to the Lake County jail, police said.
Screenshot from a criminal complaint of CCTV footage showing a man with a red backpack. Department of Justice

North Carolina resident Chris Carnell was arrested in connection to the January 6 riots.

Accessories helped authorities to identify him, including a pair of Pit Viper sunglasses.

Carnell also snapped photos with white nationalists Nick Fuentes and Baked Alaska the day prior.

A Capitol rioter from North Carolina was charged by federal authorities who identified him and a friend by the brightly colored  and sometimes painfully obvious  accessories they wore when storming the Capitol.

Christopher Carnell, who appeared in a Raleigh court on Thursday, was caught on CCTV cameras with a bright, red backpack with his last name stitched on the back. Other fashion statements that helped to identify him and his friend David Worth Bowman included a pair of Pit Viper sunglasses and a blue facemask.

Carnell faces five charges for his participation in the riots, including one count for obstructing, influencing, or impeding an official proceeding, which carries a sentence of up to 20 years. Bowman is not currently facing charges, although it is unclear if any will be brought against him.

A spokesperson for the DOJ did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

According to criminal complaint prepared by the FBI filed Wednesday, authorities were first alerted to Carnell and Bowman after they arrested another rioter, Aiden Henry Bilyard, in November 2021. Bilyard, who admitted to pepper-spraying officers during the riots, is currently awaiting sentencing and faces up to five years in prison.

After seizing Bilyard's phone, authorities found a group chat with three of Bilyard's friends, including Carnell and Bowman.

According to messages sent in the group chat, on November 14, 2020  following the presidential election  the friends took photos at the "Million MAGA March" with white nationalist Nick Fuentes and Tim Gionet, a streamer better known as Baked Alaska, and shared them in the group chat.

Before January 6, 2021, the group texted about plans to attend the "Stop the Steal" rally, messages show. On the day of the rally, Bowman bragged to his friends via text that he gave Baked Alaska his Pit Viper sunglasses, signaling to authorities that he had worn the sunglasses at some point in the day.

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Two days after the riot, the group also spoke in code about entering certain parts of the US Capitol Building. For example, they referred to the Capitol building as a "Minecraft building" and asked their friends to delete their chat history "for fun."

After reviewing video footage, officers found a man on the Senate floor with Pit Viper glasses and a blue mask speaking to a man with a red MAGA hat and a red backpack with the name "CARNELL" stitched in white thread.

On December 1, 2022, Bowman, in a voluntary interview with FBI agents, admitted he was the one in the sunglasses and identified his friend Carnell as the one in the MAGA hat.

"Bowman further stated that he was unaware of what was occurring within the Senate Chamber earlier in the day, but understood that Mike Pence needed to certify something in the House Chamber," the affidavit said.

"Bowman explained that once he and Carnell actually entered the Senate Floor, they had no clear purpose or agenda. He stated, 'like we are in here  like uh  we're a dog, we caught the car, we don't know what to do.'"

The affidavit stated there was "probable cause" that Carnell and Bowman violated multiple crimes.

Carnell is set to appear in a Washington, DC, federal court via Zoom on Tuesday at 1 p.m.

At least 1,000 people have been charged in the Capitol insurrection so far, according to an Insider database.

Recently, former President Donald Trump mythologized the rioters in the form of a song titled "Justice for All," which features the voices of multiple insurrectionists singing the national anthem.

Bowman and Carnell did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A male victim was shot to death Monday morning near Exchange Avenue and 9th Street in East St. Louis, authorities said.

The name of the victim was not released.

East St. Louis Police and the Illinois State Police are investigating. Also at the scene were deputies from the St. Clair County Sheriffs Department.

An officer from the Illinois State Police was patrolling Intersection of 9th Street and Winstanley Avenue around 9:20 a.m. when he saw someone laying in the street, according to State Police. The injured person was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, the release states.

No further information was available.
By Andrew Osborn and Caleb Davis

LONDON (Reuters) -Exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya was handed a 15-year jail term on Monday after being convicted in absentia for treason and "conspiracy to seize power", a verdict she said was punishment for her efforts to promote democracy.

Tsikhanouskaya, 40, a former English teacher, fled to neighbouring Lithuania in 2020 after running against incumbent leader Alexander Lukashenko in a presidential election, which official results showed Lukashenko won by a landslide.

She and the opposition said at the time that the results had been doctored to hand victory to Lukashenko instead of herself. Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus with an iron hand for nearly 30 years, denied the claim.

Mass protests against Lukashenko, a close ally of Russia's President Vladimir Putin, then erupted which his security forces suppressed, locking up his opponents or forcing them to flee.

The authorities put Tsikhanouskaya, the opposition's de-facto head, on trial in absentia in January, accusing her and other opposition figures of trying to seize power in an unconstitutional way.

Belta, the state news agency, said a court in Minsk had sentenced Tsikhanouskaya to 15 years in a prison camp after finding her guilty of treason and conspiracy to seize power.

The same court handed an 18-year prison sentence to Pavel Latushko, a prominent member of the Belarusian opposition council, and 12-year jail sentences to three other activists convicted of being part of the same plot, Belta reported.

"15 years of prison. This is how the regime 'rewarded' my work for democratic changes in Belarus," Tsikhanouskaya said on Twitter.

"But today I don't think about my own sentence. I think about thousands of innocents, detained & sentenced to real prison terms. I won't stop until each of them is released."

Rights activists estimate about 1,500 people are in jail in Belarus on politically motivated charges.

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Tsikhanouskaya's own husband, Syarhei, is serving an 18-year jail term after being found guilty in 2021 of organising mass unrest in a ruling she said was political revenge and part of a crackdown by Lukashenko on anyone he viewed as a threat.

Nobel Peace Prize winner and human rights activist Ales Bialiatski was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Friday by a court in Minsk in a trial condemned in the West as a "sham".

Lukashenko, in power since 1994, has accused the West of trying to destabilise Belarus and promised to crack down hard on any new attempts to challenge his rule.

(Reporting by Caleb Davis and Andrew OsbornEditing by Gareth Jones)
(Bloomberg) -- A court in Belarus sentenced exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya to 15 years in a penal colony as the nations authorities continue to crack down on opposition at home and abroad.

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Another opposition politician, former diplomat and culture minister Pavel Latushka, was also sentenced in absentia to 18 years, the state-owned Belta news agency reported Monday. They both were found guilty on charges that included plotting to overthrow the government and calling for sanctions against Belarus.

Tsikhanouskaya rallied thousands of people in support when she ran in the 2020 presidential elections instead of her detained husband Siarhei Tsikhanouski, who is now serving an 18-year term in Belarus. She left the country shortly after the Aug. 9 vote, whose official outcome wasnt recognized by the US and the European Union.

The elections ended in incumbent Alexander Lukashenko, in power since 1994, claiming another term and triggering unprecedented protests. Ensuing repression by the authorities resulted in thousands of arrests and people fleeing the country, which was later used by Russian President Vladimir Putin as a launchpad for his invasion of Ukraine.

European Parliament Vice President Nicola Beer called the trial a farce and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis condemned the sentence.

Tsikhanouskaya dismissed todays verdict of the Minsk court and vowed to continue working toward reinstating democracy in Belarus, she said in a statement on her Telegram channel.

(Updates with comments from EU, Lithuania in fifth paragraph.)

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Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko's government has sentenced opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya in absentia to 15 years in prison.

The Belarusian state media, which is under the control of Lukashenko's regime, stated that Tsikhanouskaya was guilty of aiming to seize state power in an "unconstitutional way," creating an "extremist formation", and "harming" the national security of Belarus.

In response to the news, Tsikhanouskaya said, "I don't think about my own sentence. I think about thousands of innocents, detained & sentenced to real prison terms. I won't stop until each of them is released."

Tsikhanouskaya ran against Lukashenko for the presidency in 2020 after her husband, pro-democracy blogger Sergei Tsikhanousky, was arrested and jailed. Her campaign platform included the release of political prisoners and strengthening democratic institutions in Belarus.

In August 2020, Tsikhanouskaya fled abroad after Lukashenko proclaimed 80% victory, which came under international scrutiny. Since then, Tsikhanouskaya has continued advocating for a free and democratic Belarus in meetings with world leaders and international institutions.
Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet (D) is asking the Biden administration to pump the brakes on a railway project that he warns could contaminate the Colorado River basin if a train derailment spills crude oil into the famed rivers headwaters.

In a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack dated Monday, Bennet asked the Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Forest Service not to authorize the construction of a railway through the Ashley National Forest.

Bennet is raising the alarm over the risks to Colorados communities, water, land, air, and climate from the Uinta Basin Railway Project, which would connect shale oil fields in Utahs Uinta Basin to the national rail network, sending up to 350,000 barrels of oil a day through Colorado.

Bennet says this could set the stage for another environmental disaster on a scale similar to the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, which spewed toxic chemicals into the surrounding watershed that feeds into the Ohio River.

These trains would run for over 100 miles directly alongside the headwaters of the Colorado River  a vital water supply for nearly 40 million Americans, 30 Tribal nations, millions of acres of agricultural land, Bennet wrote in the letter, which was signed by Colorado Rep. Joe Neguse.

A train derailment that spills oil in the headwaters of the river would be catastrophic not only to our states water supplies, wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation assets but also the broad river basin, the lawmakers warned.

The project, if approved, would enable the shipment of more than 4 billion gallons of crude oil per year from Utah to the Gulf Coast, allowing as many as five, two-mile-long trains to travel the railway every day, Bennet and Neguse wrote.

The Colorado lawmakers say the Forest Service advanced the project based on a deeply flawed environmental and risk analysis that understated its potential danger.

But they noted that even that analysis estimated the risk of a derailment in Colorado would double if the project were built and the state could see an oil spill every four years.

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Bennet and Neguse want the Agriculture Department and the Forest Service to work with federal agencies to more fully review the dangers of oil spills and fires posed by the rail project.

The disaster unfolding in East Palestine, Ohio is a terrible reminder that train derailments do occur, and that the damage from transporting hazardous materials by rail can be catastrophic, they wrote.

We urge you to prevent this dangerous project from moving forward until a robust supplemental review can be completed, they urged Vilsack.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Can This Bernie Sanders Bill Make Social Security Solvent and Increase Benefits?

Ginning up fears that Social Security is going broke or is running out of money is a mainstay of American politics  and an argument that experts point out simply isnt true.

A financial advisor can help you plan for Social Security and build other income streams for retirement. Find a fiduciary advisor today.

While the current Social Security trust fund may come up short sometime in 2034 according to recent projections, the reality is that the program is simply too important and too popular with the majority of Americans that it ever would be allowed to run dry, notes Shai Akabas, director of economic policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center.

Social Security has been around for well over 80 years now and it has more support than just about any other government function, Akabas told CNBC. It is highly unlikely that it is going to disappear anytime soon.

What Social Security does need is a plan to make up a projected deficit that, at worst, would cut benefit checks by about 20% sometime in the future. That plan could be the one recently unveiled by Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), along with Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and Val Hoyle (D-Ore.) in the U.S. House of Representatives.

What the Bill Proposes

Can This Bernie Sanders Bill Make Social Security Solvent and Increase Benefits?

The proposed measure  dubbed the Social Security Expansion Act  would expand benefits by an average of $2,400 a year per person and completely finance Social Security for the next 75 years. The bill calls for a new tax on some investment income and the elimination of the cap on wages taxed to support the Social Security trust fund.

Under existing law, the payroll tax rate is 12.4%, half paid by workers and half paid by employers, with self-employed workers paying the entire amount. In 2023, all earned income above $160,200 is exempt from Social Security tax, while investment income isnt taxed at all.

Right now, a couple earning $75,000 a year pays Social Security tax at the 6.2% rate, while someone earning $325,000 is taxed on slightly less than half of what he earns at an effective rate of 3.02%  a much lower rate than the one paid by couple that makes less.

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The wage cap  which automatically adjusts each year based on increases in the national average wage index  rose from $147,000 in 2022 and $128,400 in 2018, an increase of close to 25% in five years.

Under the proposed Social Security Expansion Act, investment income would be taxed at the self-employed payroll rate of 12.4% starting at $200,000 for individuals and $250,000 for joint tax filers. In addition, income of $250,000 or more would be subject to the payroll tax. Income in the gap between the current wage cap and $250,000 wouldnt be taxed. Instead, the proposed rules would wait until the wage cap rises to $250,000, at which point the cap becomes moot.

Potential Impact

Can This Bernie Sanders Bill Make Social Security Solvent and Increase Benefits?

Sanders released a table showing the effect of the tax on the 10 highest-earning CEOs in the U.S. With compensation of $23.5 billion in 2022, Tesla CEO Elon Musk paid a Social Security tax rate of 0.00004% on his earnings. Under the Social Security Expansion Act, Musk would pay an additional $2.9 billion into Social Security, leaving him with a still-impressive $21.5 billion paycheck.

The legislation that we are introducing today will expand Social Security benefits by $2,400 a year and will extend the solvency of Social Security for the next 75 years by making sure that the wealthiest people in our society pay their fair share into the system, Sanders said in a statement.

Right now, a Wall Street CEO who makes $30 million pays the same amount into Social Security as someone who makes $160,000 a year. Our bill puts an end to that absurdity which will allow us to protect Social Security for generations to come while lifting millions of seniors out of poverty.

The bill, which was initially introduced in June 2022, was recently reintroduced in February to the newly seated Congress.

Bottom Line

The Social Security trust funds are projected to run dry by 2035, potentially resulting in a 20% reduction in benefits. However, Democratic-proposed legislation calls for major changes that would boost benefits by an average of $2,400 per person per year and extend the life of the safety net by another 75 years. Sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Democrats on Capitol Hill, the Social Security Expansion Act would lift the payroll tax wage cap and institute a new tax on investment income to fully fund Social Security.

Tips for Claiming Social Security

Figuring out when is the optimal time to claim Social Security is an important part of retirement planning. SmartAssets Social Security calculator can help you estimate your benefits and plan ahead.

If need additional help planning for Social Security and retirement, consider working with a financial advisor. SmartAssets free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If youre ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.

Photo credit: iStock.com/mphillips007, iStock.com/Zinkevych, iStock.com/YinYang

The post This Bernie Sanders Bill Could Hike Your Social Security by $2,400 and Ensure Solvency appeared first on SmartAsset Blog.
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Savvy Costco shoppers know how to make their membership cards pay them back and then some. But not everything is something you should buy at Costco -- or any wholesale club, for that matter.

Costco's Best Deals? Employee Reveals 10 Standout Buys for Your Money

Next: 3 Signs You're Serious About Raising Your Credit Score

The country's favorite membership chain has been dishing out bulk-buying discounts to generations of shoppers. But how can you know what's a great deal and what you so pass on and look for elsewhere?

GOBankingRates asked the experts for advice on what to snag and what to skip both in stores and online. Here's a look at what you can't miss and what you'd be wise to avoid when shopping at Costco.

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Best Costco Deals

Between its discount kitchenware, alcohol, and diapers, stocking up at Costco can save you big time on anything you need to buy in bulk -- and even some smaller items, as well. Here's what to look for at the warehouse store.

Take Our Poll: Are You Planning To Buy or Sell a House This Year?

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Rotisserie Chicken

The famous Costco rotisserie is still located at the back of the store and is still just $4.99.

"One of our favorite Costco deals is the classic rotisserie chicken," said Collin Morgan, owner of Hip2Save.com. "Costco sells bigger chickens than most grocery stores for $2 to $3 less. These are a great bargain as-is for meals, but we like to buy them for recipes that call for shredded chicken."

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Diapers

Morgan recommends Costco's store-brand diapers to get the best bang for your buck.

"Some Kirkland items are made by bigger name brands," she said. "Kirkland diapers are rumored to be made by the manufacturer of Huggies."

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Batteries

Batteries are another Kirkland Signature item that's worth buying.

"Kirkland batteries are actually made by Duracell, but the prices are much less than the name brands," Morgan said.

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Organic Maple Syrup

You don't have to pay an arm and a leg to eat organic, especially if you look for deals on organic foods at Costco. Their organic maple syrup is not only delicious, but it's cheap, selling for only 44 cents an ounce. That's a bargain compared to Walmart where their organic syrup sells for 80 cents an ounce.

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Gift Cards

"You'll almost always see a discounted rate for gift cards at Costco," said consumer analyst Julie Ramhold with DealNews.com. "It might not be a huge amount, but it's common to see things like two $25 See's gift cards for $39, or four $50 Texas de Brazil gift cards for only $154.99. Considering all you have to do is be a member, that's a hard discount to beat."

In addition to discounted restaurant gift cards, you can find theme and water park tickets, movie tickets, gym and weight management gift cards, and experience gift cards at discounted rates, she said.

Chase Brock / GOBankingRates

Prescription Medication

Costco often has cheaper medication than chain pharmacies, especially for generics, Ramhold said.

"For instance, a 30-day supply of generic Zoloft can be as much as $12 at pharmacies like CVS," she said.

At Costco, a 90-day supply is closer to $9. That's roughly 11 cents per pill at Costco versus 24 cents per pill at Walgreens.

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Alcohol

Not all Costco stores sell alcohol, but you can find great liquor deals at the ones that do, Ramhold said.

"For instance, many shoppers swear by Kirkland French Vodka -- in fact, rumors abound that it's actually Grey Goose, although that's been disproven," she said. "However, the reason people are so ready to believe it is because the vodka is just that good. Your mileage may vary on how much you'll save, but Costco's vodka is usually around $15 for 1.75 liters, and my local liquor store charges $60 for the same amount of Grey Goose."

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Baby & Kids' Clothes

"You can always find great deals on baby/toddler clothing and sleeper sets at Costco," said Rebecca Gramuglia, retail expert at TopCashback.com. "Whether you shop online or head to the store, Costco carries Carters, Nautica, Calvin Klein and many more."

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Kitchen Furniture

Howard Schaffer, former general manager of Offers.com, recommended visiting Costco Wholesale for a wide range of kitchen items.

"You can score tables, chairs and tablecloths at Costco in a variety of sizes for a great price," he said. "Costco even offers kids tables and buffet tables if you're looking for something different."

Oleh_photographer / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Kitchenware

For large crowds and potluck-style dinners, Schaffer noted the importance of having chafing dishes to keep food warm -- and advised purchasing them at Costco. It's also a great place to purchase glasses and dinnerware for hosting or everyday use.

"Costco sells disposable plates, napkins, cups -- including wine glasses -- and silverware in bulk for cheap," he said. "You can also stock up on other glassware or [serving ware] if disposable settings aren't your forte."

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Gourmet Treat Baskets and Tins

Perfectly packaged Costco gifts are great for any occasion.

"You can find large gourmet gift baskets and treat tins for great prices at Costco," Perez said.

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Photo Printing

Costco members receive 51% off every Shutterfly order, plus free shipping on orders over $49.

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Kirkland Signature Bacon

Kirkland Signature bacon received a nearly 4 out of 5-star rating on the Consumer Affairs review site. You can get four one-pound packages for $16.99.

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Eggs

Costco has both a great variety of eggs and great prices compared to many grocery stores, Business Insider reported. According to Costco's website, all of the chickens used in its egg production are cage-free.

Chase Brock / GOBankingRates.com

Food Court Items

Costco is famous for its food court's timeless $1.50 hot dog and soda deal -- and it was famous for its oversized $1 churros. Then, the deal got so hot that the churros disappeared. But now, according to Taste of Home, they've been spotted again at locations in California and places beyond. Although they're going for $1.50 now instead of $1, the churro deal is still too good to pass up if it comes to a Costco near you.

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Olive Oil

Costco's Kirkland Signature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil is professional-chef-approved. In the cookbook "Salt Fat Acid Heat," Samin Nosrat recommends this brand as one of the best-tasting olive oils you can get for your money, HuffPost reported.

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Almond Butter

Costco's store brand of creamy almond butter costs $7.99 for 27-ounces. Not only is Costco's almond butter cheaper than what you'd get at most stores, but it's healthier too, Cooking Light reported. The only ingredient in Costco's almond butter is roasted almonds, with no additional oils added.

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Parmesan Cheese

Parmesan cheese has a longer shelf life than most other cheeses, so you can likely get away with buying it in bulk. Its per-unit cost is cheap compared to what you would get anywhere else, Business Insider reported.

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Cereal

Cereal has a long shelf-life, so you can enjoy the great deals Costco offers on both name-brand and Kirkland Signature cereals without having to worry about it going bad.

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Pure Vanilla Extract

If you bake a lot, you know that nearly every recipe calls for vanilla extract. For the best price, GOBankingRates recommends buying it at Costco -- you can get two 8-ounce bottles for $32.99, paying only $2.06 per ounce. At Target, you'll find 2-ounce bottles of vanilla extract for $6.29 or $3.15 per ounce, over a dollar more than Costco's price.

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Worst Costco Deals

Although best known for its supersized deals, Costco has a few items you'll want to consider skipping. You might find a better deal elsewhere, in some cases. In others, buying in bulk might just not be practical.

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Produce

Not everything is a good deal when bought in bulk, and produce is a case in point.

"It's not that it isn't quality produce -- it can be really great -- but unless you're going to be able to eat it all fairly soon, you run the risk of it going bad," Ramhold said. "Unless you have concrete plans for those 5.5 pounds of pink lady apples, maybe skip the bulk buy and opt for your local grocery store instead to buy only what you need."

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Books

If you go to Costco searching for a specific book, you might not find it.

"Costco stores can have an OK selection, but you'll be able to find exactly what you want at Amazon," Ramhold said. "Even better, opt to support a local indie bookstore -- you tend to receive better customer service and you're supporting local, so it's a win-win."

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Spices

"Costco has a variety of dried spices, but unless you use them frequently, you're probably better off buying smaller quantities elsewhere," Ramhold said. "Spices won't necessarily go 'bad,' but they will lose their potency over time. That huge thing of garlic powder might seem like a great purchase, but if it's hanging around a year later, odds are it won't taste nearly as good."

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Canned Goods

Canned goods are one item where the brand name really doesn't matter, so you won't necessarily get a better deal at Costco.

"Because Costco sells brand-name items, it's cheaper to buy canned goods at your local supermarket. Pay less by purchasing generic options rather than name-brand products," Gramuglia said. "More often than not, the difference is just the price tag, and generic products are just as tasty or reliable as notable, name brands."

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Laundry Detergent

"Before you're tempted to buy a year supply of detergent from Costco, be warned that it typically loses some its effectiveness after six months," Gramuglia said. "Instead, get a normal-sized container of your favorite detergent at Walmart for a great price."

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DVDs and Blu-Ray Discs

Costco Wholesale often places DVDs and Blu-ray discs near the checkout lines in an attempt to lure customers into making impulse buys while waiting in line to pay. But these items aren't typically great bargains.

"You can find lower prices online or for pennies at your local thrift store," said Stephanie Nelson of The Coupon Mom who has conducted extensive research on wholesale clubs.

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Condiments

Costco Wholesale offers condiments in bulk sizes, but bigger isn't always better. After all, if you're not getting through your tub of mayonnaise before it expires, you're losing money.

"Unless you are entertaining, pay a lower cost overall by buying sale-priced condiments at the supermarket, with coupons that are frequently available on these items," Nelson said.

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Paper Products

Every good party host knows the importance of having enough napkins to go around, but Costco deals on these items aren't always the best in town. Nelson said you can pick up sale-priced paper towels, toilet paper, napkins and tissues for less at supermarkets or big-box stores like Walmart and Target -- and that's before coupons.

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Milk

Unless you have a large family that loves milk, chances are this purchase will go bad before you have a chance to finish it. The store also sells a wide variety of alt-milks, including almond, macadamia, oat, and coconut, all of which are likely too big for comfort.

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Flour

Flour has a limited shelf life so it's not something you should buy in bulk, according to Eat This, Not That. If you do decide to go big, consult U.S. Flour or another organization that provides tutorials on how to safely store flour in bulk.

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Soda

Soda will typically be cheaper at the grocery store, especially if you use coupons or take advantage of in-store promotions like two-for-one deals, according to Reader's Digest.

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Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds only last for a couple of months because they both contain high quantities of oil, which causes them to spoil, according to Eat This, Not That! Even if you get a good deal on these items at Costco, you might end up having to toss a lot away, which makes the deal not worth it.

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Coffee

Coffee tastes best when the beans are recently roasted, and that certainly won't be the case by the time you get to the bottom of the bulk beans you bought at Costco. Plus, coffee is relatively cheap even if you don't buy in bulk, so you're better off just buying it in a quantity that you can finish within a week or two.

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Hummus

Costco-sized tubs of hummus are too large for the typical household to get through before its expiration date.

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Kirkland Gel Dishwasher Detergent

Consumer Reports rated the Kirkland Signature Gel dishwasher detergent as one of the worst buys at Costco. Consumers said the product was ineffective at getting dishes, pots and pans clean.

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Memory Foam Mattress

Costco's Ara 13-inch 100% Visco Memory Foam mattress was also rated a product miss by Consumer Reports. It was rated low for back-sleepers and was only rated "mediocre" for providing stabilization.

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Sunscreen

Buying sunscreen in bulk might not be the best idea considering that sunscreen degrades and loses its efficacy over time. It might seem like a good deal, but if it goes bad before you use it, it can do more harm than good.

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Rice

You can usually find better deals on rice at an ethnic market than at Costco. YouTuber Flo Lum reported that a 25-pound bag of Jasmine rice cost her about $40 at Costco (GOBankingRates found it for $21.99), but only $14 at a neighborhood Asian market, according to Money.

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Shampoo and Conditioner

Look for deals on these products at chain drugstores, grocery stores and Target. When combined with coupons, you can usually get shampoo and conditioner for a better price than you would at Costco.

VladimirFLoyd / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Beauty Products

Beauty products have a shorter shelf-life than you might think. Liquid face makeup lasts six months, mascara lasts three months and skin care products last six months to a year at most, according to Good Housekeeping. Buying large containers or multipacks of beauty items will likely mean you won't get to use all of the product before it expires.

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Electronics

Don't assume that Costco will always have the best deals on electronics. Be sure to comparison shop for the same item at Best Buy, Walmart, etc. before hitting the check out.

More From GOBankingRates

Gabrielle Olya and Andrew Lisa contributed to the reporting for this article.

Disclaimer: Prices are accurate as of March 6, 2023. Photos are for illustrative purposes only. As a result, some of the images may not reflect the products listed in this article.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The Best and Worst Deals at Costco
The Biden administration plans to redesignate Temporary Protected Status for Nicaragua amid pressure from immigrant advocates and Democratic lawmakers, according to three people familiar with the plans.

Its not clear when the Department of Homeland Security would roll out the policy, and plans were subject to change before final approval. The White House and DHS declined to comment.

President Donald Trump sought to end Temporary Protected Status for Nicaraguans and several other nationalities in 2017 and 2018, putting more than 300,000 people at risk of losing their legal relief. Last fall, the Biden administration announced an 18-month TPS extension for multiple countries, including Nicaragua.

Immigration groups and Florida lawmakers have pushed the Biden administration to redesignate TPS for Nicaraguans living in the U.S., which would allow them to live and work in the country without fear of deportation.

Since taking office, President Joe Biden has leaned on TPS as a tool to grant immigration relief to hundreds of thousands of people as Congress remains in gridlock over fixes to the immigration system. Biden has designated six new countries for TPS since taking office and redesignated six other nations, making an additional 712,000 U.S. immigrants eligible for the status, according to the Migration Policy Institute. Backlogs at the U.S. Immigration and Citizenship Services have delayed approvals, but nearly 537,000 people had TPS as of November 2022.

Nicaraguans first received TPS in 1999 after Hurricane Mitch wreaked havoc in Central America. The Temporary Protected Status designation, created by Congress in 1990, helps residents from countries struck by natural disaster, armed conflict or other extraordinary and temporary conditions.

There were 4,250 TPS recipients from the country in 2021, the U.S. Immigration and Citizenship Services said in a congressional report.

A record-number of Nicaraguans sought to illegally enter the U.S. last year, as migrants fled political persecution and poor economic conditions in the country. In fiscal year 2022, border officials said there were 163,876 encounters with Nicaraguans.

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In a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas last month, federal lawmakers pointed to Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortegas political repression of protesters, clergy and students.

The increasingly totalitarian nature of the Ortega-Murillo regime and the brutal political repression Nicaraguans face in their daily lives exacerbate the urgent need for the Biden Administration to redesignate and extend TPS to Nicaragua, the letter said.

The letter also mentioned the governments release of over 222 political prisoners last month. The Biden administration orchestrated the relocation of the prisoners to the U.S. through its humanitarian parole program and have granted them this status for two years. Biden announced the parole programaimed to curb the flow of Nicaraguans, Haitians and Cubans  in January.

That policy forced migrants to apply for asylum from their home country, while expelling those who try to enter the U.S. unlawfully from Mexico. Migrants were only approved if they had a verified sponsor and were allowed to enter the U.S. by air. Border encounters have dropped significantly this year, which Biden officials credit to the new policy.

Last month, the Biden administration announced a proposed rule that will bar some migrants from applying for asylum in the U.S. if they cross the border illegally or fail to first apply for safe harbor in another country. The proposal  which immigrant advocates refer to as the transit ban or the asylum ban  will take effect on May 11 and serve as its policy solution to the long-awaited end of Title 42, a pandemic-era restriction that lifts the same day.
The Biden administration is preparing to challenge the Mexican ban on shipments of genetically modified corn from the U.S., a policy that has threatened billions of dollars in economic activity for American farmers.

The Mexican government is planning by next year to stop its imports of genetically modified corn, which makes up about 90 percent of what is grown in the U.S. The Biden administration said on Monday that it was requesting formal consultations with Mexico over the policy.

Mexicos policies threaten to disrupt billions of dollars in agricultural trade and they will stifle the innovation that is necessary to tackle the climate crisis and food security challenges if left unaddressed, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said in a statement. We hope these consultations will be productive as we continue to work with Mexico to address these issues.

Tais office said it was requesting talks with Mexico under the terms of the United StatesMexicoCanada Agreement (USMCA) trade pact. The official request comes after previous conversations between Tai and Mexican representatives in recent months.

Officials now have 30 days to discuss and resolve the issue, with the Biden administration saying it would consider all options, including taking formal steps to enforce U.S. rights under the USMCA, which could include tariffs on Mexican goods.

Mexican health officials are apprehensive of genetically modified corn, hesitancy that the scientific community and U.S. industry have pushed back against.

Mexico bought $4.2 billion worth of corn from the U.S. in 2022, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, making it the second-largest market for U.S. corn in the world, trailing only China and ahead of Canada.

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Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

March 7, 1965, was the apotheosis of the civil rights movement. The brutality of slavery, the collective trauma of the Civil War, and the oppression of Blacks in the South all met on the concrete of Edmund Pettus Bridge as activists marched for the right to vote.

Though lacking guns and bullets, the young revolutionaries led by John Lewis and the Rev. Hosea Williams marched, carrying with them the weapon of conviction. In the face of the zeitgeist of the 1960swhich held that the federal government shouldnt enact legal protections for Black voters in the Souththese civil rights activists were undeterred and refused to back down.

They believed that the dream of a multi-racial democracyproclaimed by a Baptist pastor from Georgia on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial less than two years earliercould, and should, become reality.

Martin Luther King Jr. Was No Moderate, He Wanted a Radical Revolution of Values

The marchers on the bridge knew they would be met with whips, dogs, fire hoses, and violence all sponsored by the state, but they were not going to be turned around. As they bravely faced Americas demons they sang, no matter what may be the test, may God take care of you. Its been 58 years since the march in Selma that became known as Bloody Sunday, where activists marched to pressure the president and Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Since then, America has made immense progress in protecting the right to vote, but theres still much more President Joe Biden and federal agencies can do to expand voting access to millions of Americans.

On March 7, 2021, President Biden issued an executive order on Promoting Access to Voting, a groundbreaking EO that has the potential to make registration and voting more accessible for millions of Americans, including communities historically excluded from the political process. In the Voting Access EO, the president directed federal agencies to consider ways to expand citizens opportunities to register to vote and to obtain information about, and participate in, the electoral process.

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President Bidens Voting Access EO is visionary. It puts the executive branch in the drivers seat of promoting voter registration.

But a recent study from over 50 organizations and some of the nations leading civil rights groups titled, Strengthening Democracy: A Progress Report on Federal Agency Action to Promote Access to Voting, highlights how much of the Voting Access EO still needs to be implemented. It also lays out what the Biden administration still has to do to help ensure every eligible voter has robust, easy, and equal access to the ballot box.

Democrats Need to Win State Elections to Stop Republicans From Rewriting the Constitution

Laura Williamson, the Associate Director of Democracy at the progressive-leaning think tank Demos, stated: We decided to put out this report now because we are halfway through the Biden administration and the right to vote continues to be under assault. We need the federal government to do all they can to promote access to the ballot.

Since the current House of Representatives shows no interest in passing meaningful federal legislation to restore the full power of the Voting Rights Act of 1965following the Supreme Court decisions of Shelby v. Holder and Brnovich v. DNC which weakened the landmark voting rights lawits difficult to see how the president can sign federal voting rights legislation into law. The Voting Access EO is Bidens way of showing voting rights are still a priority of his administration. But this has come with successes and difficulties.

The 22-page report shows theres been some progress in implementation of some of the initial commitments required by the Voting Access EO.

For example, the Veterans Administration (VA) has begun working with state election officials to secure National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA) designations. This means VA facilities in a few states could have the ability to become official voter registration locations through the NVRAwhich implements voter registration requirements for elections to federal offices. (Places like the Department of Motor Vehicles also allow for voter registration under this statute.)

American Students Barely Know Anything About Reconstruction

Still, opportunities of the Voting Access EO that would touch the most Americans have yet to be seized.

The Department of Education (DOE) promised to provide a toolkit to institutions of higher learning on ways they can assist with voter registration and voter information. The department has still not issued this toolkit, nor has it committed to integrating voter registration into the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process.

Almost 18 million students a year fill out a FAFSA application. According to the most recent National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, 84 percent of Black students, 74 percent of Hispanic students, and 75 percent of Native American students complete the FAFSA. If the DOE fully implemented this FAFSA voter registration plan, it would be a huge opportunity for the Biden administration to bring young voters into our democracy.

Democrats Need to Show Voters That a Healthy Economy Needs Democracy

With any government-wide and even agency-wide action, implementation understandably takes time, Xavier Persad, a Senior Policy Counsel with the ACLU, said. But given the opportunity presented by this executive order, its potential for significantly increasing participation in our democracyagencies must direct more resources toward achieving the recommendations of this report as quickly as possible.

Persad added, We applaud the commitment to voting rights President Biden demonstrated in issuing this vital executive order, and we look forward to continuing to work with the administration to ensure a timely, robust implementation.

As we commemorate the anniversary of Bloody Sunday, its important to recognize the progress thats been made in the United States.

But if we want to continue to make our democracy stronger, the Biden administration has to do all it can to promote voter registration. And that starts with fully implementing the Voting Access Executive Order.

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President Biden on Sunday called out Republicans for efforts to limit teaching parts of Black history as he marked the 58th anniversary of Bloody Sunday.

History matters, Biden said at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. The truth matters, notwithstanding what the other team is trying to hide. Theyre trying to hide the truth.

Biden highlighted the importance of teaching African American studies, which comes amid a growing debate over Republicans pushing to prevent the teaching of certain subject matters such as African American studies in schools.

No matter how hard some people try, we cant just choose to learn what we want to know but not what we should know. We should learn everything, the good, the bad, the truth of who we are as a nation. And everyone should know the truth of Selma, Biden said.

Republicans have in recent years ratcheted up their attacks on critical race theory, and earlier this year, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), a likely 2024 presidential candidate, moved to block a new Advanced Placement (AP) course for high school students on African American studies.

We know where weve been and we know more importantly where we have to go, forward, together, Biden said on Sunday. So lets pray, lets not rest, lets keep marching, lets keep the faith.

Together were saying loud and clearly that in America hate and extremism will not prevail, although they are roaring their ugly head in significance now, Biden added. Silence is complicity and I promise you, my administration will not remain silent.

Bloody Sunday, when 600 civil rights marchers and white police officers violently clashed on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1965 amid the Civil Rights movement, had served as a catalyst for the passage of the Voting Rights Act.

To mark the anniversary, Biden then walked across the Edmund Pettus Bridge along with Alabama Rep. Terri Sewell (D), Rev. Al Sharpton, South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn (D), Martin Luther King III, and Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge, among others.

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Biden greeted those on the bridge and then stood in the middle of the front line to walk across, locking arms with Sewell. And, he evoked the late Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), who was beaten by police on the bridge while leading the march from Selma to Montgomery.

Biden on Sunday renewed calls for Congress to pass the voting rights bill named after Lewis, which would update the 1965 Voting Rights Act (VRA). He also called for Congress to pass an assault weapons ban and the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which would ban chokeholds and no-knock warrants, end qualified immunity, and prohibit racial and religious profiling by law enforcement officers.

Updated: 5:50 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
President Joe Biden is planning to travel to California next week to raise campaign money, according to three sources familiar with his plans.

Its the latest sign that the 80-year-old president is readying another run for the White House.

Bidens trip west will take him to Rancho Santa Fe, a wealthy enclave of sprawling estates north of San Diego, two of the people told POLITICO. He also will have likely stops in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, Nev. The trip is planned for Monday and Tuesday, though the two people stressed Bidens itinerary is still being finalized and specifics remain fluid.

The White House did not comment.

Biden and Democrats are gearing up an expected reelection campaign, including by dispatching Vice President Kamala Harris to fundraisers of her own in her home state. On Friday, she headlined a midday event in the San Francisco suburb of Hillsborough at the home of longtime fundraiser Stefanie Roumeliotes and her husband, John Costouros.

Despite feeling no pressure to formally announce his re-election campaign, Biden has already held a handful of fundraisers out east to benefit the Democratic National Committee. Earlier this year, he gave a speech to DNC members in Philadelphia that aides described as a soft launch of sorts.

The presidents latest visit west is expected to include a mix of political and official events. Last year, he joined a stampede of Democrats who got behind Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, with Harris making several visits on behalf of Bass campaign and swearing her in.

Biden returned in mid-January to Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties to visit with communities and first responders impacted by the major winter storms.
(Bloomberg) -- President Joe Biden sought to shore up support from an important labor union whose members enjoy broad appeal across the political spectrum ahead of an expected 2024 reelection bid.

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I promise you, youve had my back and Ill have yours. said Biden in a speech to the International Association of Fire Fighters legislative conference in Washington Monday.

Biden hinted at plans to run for a second term, touting his accomplishments during his first two years in office. Im determined to finish the job, he added.

Firefighters routinely top polls of Americans most trusted professions, and the union was a key part of Bidens labor coalition in the 2020 presidential election. The IAFF was the first major organized labor group to endorse Biden in that campaign, throwing its support behind him just four days after he announced his candidacy in April 2019.

The president delivered his address to the union a day after a trip to Selma, Alabama, where he listed his legislative accomplishments on behalf of Black voters.

Strong support from organized labor and Black voters helped propel Biden to the White House and will be crucial to the presidents 2024 ambitions.

Earlier: Biden Marks Selmas 1965 Bloody Sunday With Eye on 2024 Race

The union has not made a decision on an endorsement for 2024, a union official said. But the IAFF has a long history with Biden, and has endorsed Democrats in every election since 1976  with the exception of 2016, when it declined to endorse either Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton or Republican Donald Trump.

Biden has reciprocated that support in his legislative agenda, including by signing a measure related aimed at strengthening federal firefighter benefits and another at protecting firefighters from so-called forever chemicals.

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The American Rescue Plan, Bidens pandemic-relief measure, also included $400 million in direct support to local fire and emergency services agencies, with millions more flowing indirectly in assistance to local governments.

Its about your dignity, said Biden Monday. Thats why I fight so damn hard to protect your right to collective bargaining. Make sure you have what you need to manage the risk of your job today.

Biden cited efforts to update safety standards which he said dont fully address the range of hazards firefighters face and fail to account for the latest advances in protective equipment.

Thats why the Occupational Safety and Health Administration convened a multiple agency panel to draft better standards to protect folks like you, to protect all the rest who protect the rest of us. Theyre on track to propose updated rules this fall, he said.

Biden said lawmakers were also working on legislation to extend the public safety officer benefit program to cover firefighters who die from cancer.

I support it, Congress should introduce it, pass it and get it to my desk for me to sign it, he said.

Biden is the first sitting president to address the conference since former President Bill Clinton, though he also appeared at the event when he was vice president.

Biden vowed his administration would be the most pro-union in US history and has regularly praised organized labor as responsible for building the countrys middle class. But he has failed to deliver on campaign promises including raising the federal minimum wage.

Labor activists have been key political allies for Biden and Democrats, but the president has also had a tense relationship with rank-and-file blue collar workers, many of whom have deserted Democrats in recent elections.

Earlier: Biden Loves Unions But Blue-Collar Workers Dont Love Him Back

The friction between Biden and organized labor intensified last year when the president angered some unions by signing legislation imposing a deal he helped broker between freight railroads and their workers averting a possible strike that threatened to cripple the US economy.

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(Bloomberg) -- White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre offered a dismissive response to Democrat Marianne Williamsons long-shot 2024 presidential campaign, poking fun at the self-help author and spiritual adviser.

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A reporter asked Jean-Pierre on Monday if President Joe Biden was annoyed or frustrated with Williamson, who formally announced her candidacy Saturday.

Just not tracking that, Jean-Pierre responded. If I had a  what is it called?  a little globe here, a crystal ball that I can tell you, a magic eight ball, whatever. If I could feel her aura, she continued, to laughter. I just dont have anything to share on that.

Oh gosh, you guys are making me laugh now, Jean-Pierre, who typically takes pains to avoid commenting on electoral politics from the White House podium, added.

Williamsons bid makes her the first known Democratic primary challenger to Biden, who has said he plans to seek reelection.

Williamson, 70, was a candidate for the 2020 Democratic nomination, calling for the creation of a Department of Peace and a Department of Childhood and Youth. Her campaign gained attention during the first Democratic debate, and she was the most-Googled candidate after her performance there. But she dropped out of the race before the Iowa Caucuses after months of polls that showed her struggling to reach 1%.

Williamsons campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Challenges to sitting presidents from within their party are rare.

I have run for president before, Im not naive, Williamson told supporters at her launch. I am not naive about the forces, which have no intention of allowing anyone into this conversation who does not align with their predetermined agenda.

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Williamson has been critical of Bidens stewardship of the economy, saying that his decision to tout its strength showed a disconnect between the analysis of party elites versus the struggle of everyday Americans, in a recent interview with Politico.

The majority of Americans are still struggling to survive, she said.

--With assistance from Josh Wingrove.

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WASHINGTON  With pressure mounting to visit the site of the toxic chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio, President Joe Biden said last week that, yes, he does intend to go.

But there is no trip in the works. Nothing on his schedule. Nor are there any plans in motion for Biden to visit the hard-hit area any time soon, administration officials said.

Ask the White House if Biden is going and the answer gets fuzzy: "When or if the president should go is of course a question we would talk about, but I don't think this is something we've been agonizing over in real-time," a senior White House official said.

More than a month into the train derailment that has threatened this village's health and economic future on the Pennsylvania border, Bidens absence thus far has left past and present officials mystified.

Im shocked that it hasnt happened, former Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio said. I just dont understand. This is not a hard one.

Its imperative that he shows up there and not just shed light on it [the cleanup] today but make sure the effort is sustained, added Ryan, who ran unsuccessfully for president in 2020 and Senate in 2022.

Opponents are relishing Biden's discomfort.

Donald Trump, who is running for president again in 2024, visited the site on Feb. 22, putting the White House in an awkward spot. Trump came with pallets of bottled water and accused the Biden administration of a lackluster response, creating a scenario where if Biden arrived on his heels he might look as if a potential rival had shamed him into going.

The White House insists that Biden didn't appear earlier for a simple and defensible reason: He doesn't want to distract from the effort to clean the site. Yet as time passes, officials are growing more bewildered that Biden has kept away.

Visiting a population thats been shaken by trauma is the sort of trip that Biden has made over and over in a long political career.

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A disaster hits and Biden, who has endured grievous personal loss in his own life, typically arrives on the scene to comfort the victims. His political identity rests on a connection forged with working-class families, with whom he can empathize having grown up in hardscrabble Scranton, Pennsylvania.

He met with fishermen while serving as vice president in 2010 during the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, leaving one to remark appreciatively that Biden was bent on helping the little man first. In January, he toured storm damage in California and spoke to business owners unnerved by a series of storms that had caused $1 billion worth of destruction along the central coast.

I do want the president to come and the sooner the better, said Michael Rulli, a Republican state senator from Ohio who represents the East Palestine area. Rulli added that hed like to see Biden bring along scientists who are prepared to answer residents questions about health hazards posed by the Norfolk Southern derailment.

He mentioned that at some point hed like to be there, he said. I think the point is right now.

Ohios Republican governor, Mike DeWine, has also called on Biden to make the trip. Look, he should come, DeWine told Fox & Friends last week. Theres no doubt about it. The president needs to come. The people want to see the president. He should be there.

Inside the Biden administration, some aides who are removed from direct deliberations over Biden's travels seem flummoxed by his failure to visit thus far.

I think he should have gone earlier, but I have to assume there were really smart discussions behind the scenes that presented a viable reason why he was waiting to go," one administration official said.

Those familiar with the White House's thinking offer this defense: Biden's focus is on rail safety and getting immediate help to residents, not the political theater of a presidential visit. A president carries a large "footprint" and a visit would slow progress on the cleanup.

What's more, Biden has been in constant touch with officials on the ground and members of his Cabinet have already visited the site. Its easier for them to travel because they don't come with the vast entourage that follows the president wherever he goes.

Michael Regan, who heads the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, has made repeated visits to East Palestine. And Pete Buttigieg, secretary of the U.S. Transportation Department, went on Feb. 23, nearly three weeks after the crash.

Yet even Buttigieg now recognizes that he waited too long. He told CNN in an interview: Sometimes people need policy work and sometimes people need performative work. And to get to this level, youve got to be ready to serve up both.

Those words could just as easily apply to Biden.

If and when Biden goes to the region, it would be a moment that makes sense  perhaps tacked onto another trip, a second White House official said.

A comparable situation arose when Biden traveled to the southern border. He had faced heavy criticism from Republicans for not visiting the entry point. He wound up going to El Paso, Texas, in January as part of a trip to Mexico City for a summit meeting with his North American counterparts.

There are no assurances that if Biden visited the scene, hed get a warm reception. East Palestine is part of conservative Columbiana County, where Trump defeated Biden, 72% to 27%, in the 2020 election. The mayor, Trent Conaway, gave an interview to Fox News last month in which he ripped Biden for visiting Ukraine and sending it money to defend itself in the war with Russia.

That tells you right now he doesnt care about us, Conaway said.

As is inevitably the case, Bidens travel plans have taken on a political hue, with opponents claiming that his absence is emblematic of a disregard for smaller heartland communities. Republicans have sought to capitalize on the issue. At Trump's campaign stop in East Palestine last month, he passed out bottled water and claimed without evidence that the only reason the Biden administration was giving more aid to the village was because he had announced he would visit.

"Republican elected officials have decided to make a political fight over when Secretary Pete went and if the president is going instead of holding a company that they know is responsible for this action accountable," said the senior White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity to talk more freely.

By waiting this long, Biden has to consider that if he visits the scene now, it may appear as if he's bowing to right-wing pundits and politicians who've shamed him into going.

David Pepper, a former Ohio Democratic Party chairman, said that Biden must not take cues from Tucker Carlson of Fox News.

The politics are exhausting, he said. What the residents most need is for people to bring answers about the health and environmental situation.

East Palestines conservative tilt is all the more reason for Biden to visit, some Democrats said. As someone who promised to unify the country, Biden needs to model behavior that shows he's committed to all Americans and shower some personal attention on a small town that sorely needs it, they added.

A visit would show youre the leader of the country and that nobody is forgotten, Ryan, the former congressman, said. It would say that you can disagree with my politics, but when the chips are down, I will be there for you and show up. Thats when you begin the healing process in this country.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
President Volodymyr Zelensky and Commander-in-Chief of Ukraines Armed Forces Valerii Zaluzhnyi have conflicting views on how the military should handle the situation in Bakhmut, according to unnamed sources within the Ukrainian political leadership cited in a report by Bild.

Bild writes that Zaluzhnyi was deliberating a tactical withdrawal from Bakhmut weeks ago over concern for the wellbeing of his troops.

The Ukrainian government told Bild that remaining in Bakhmut was the right decision due to the serious damage it inflicted on Russian military personnel and equipment. However, according to other sources cited by the publication, the situation is at risk of becoming untenable.

"The vast majority of soldiers in Bakhmut do not understand why the city is being held," a Ukrainian military analyst told Bild on condition of anonymity.

Another Ukrainian military analyst told Bild that the current ratio of casualties between the Ukrainians and Russians is 1:7, which is why the Ukrainian military pushed to hold Bakhmut. However, they added that "the troops should have been withdrawn three weeks ago when the Russians took Krasna Hora. The decision to keep Bakhmut was a good one, but they overdid it.

Meanwhile, the President's Office reported on March 6 that a meeting took place between Zelensky, Zaluzhnyi, and other officials regarding the situation in Bakhmut. According to the press release, they spoke in favor of continuing defensive operations and strengthening the Ukrainian military's position in Bakhmut.

U.S. Defense Secretary Loyd Austin told journalists during a trip to Jordan on March 6 that Bakhmut was more of "symbolic" than "strategic" value for the Ukrainian military and that he didn't think Ukraine's potential troop withdrawal would cause any major setbacks for the course of the war.

Ukrainian infantrymen recently told the Kyiv Independent of unprepared, poorly-trained battalions being sent to the front line to survive as best they could with little support from armored vehicles, mortars, artillery, drones, and tactical information.

The battle for Bakhmut, a city in Donetsk Oblast, has been raging for the past seven months. The Russian military is attempting to increase its grip over the entirety of the oblast, around half of which it currently occupies.


A bill passed the Washington state Senate on Friday that would improve police communication and collaboration on missing and murdered Native American women and people, announced Senator Nikki Torres in a news release on Friday.

Torres bill would implement recommendations from the Washington state Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People task force. The force produced an interim report in August 2022.

Crimes against Indigenous people, especially women, and children, have continued to plague our state and our nation, said Torres. Despite making up only 2% percent of our population, 136 indigenous people in our state have been identified as missing by the Washington State Patrol. Thats as of January. This is unacceptable.

SB 5477 is part of the Legislatures efforts to find the root cause of a shockingly large number of Native Americans who have turned up missing or murdered in Washington, said the release.

A 2021 report from the National Congress of American Indians said that Native American women face murder rates almost three times those of non-Native women, with 80% or more having experienced violence.

Torres bill would extend the MMIWP task force through June 30, 2025. It would be required to develop more recommendations for collaboration and coordination between law-enforcement agencies and social and health services. It would also improve communication and transparency with family members in cases involving missing and murdered indigenous women and people.

The bill would also require law enforcement agencies to enter a missing-person case into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System if a missing person has not been found within 30 days of the report, or if an investigation suspects criminal activity to be the cause of the disappearance.

SB 5477 now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.




Marc Andreessen says prices for education, health care, and housing are "going to the moon." Michael Kovac/Getty Images

Marc Andreessen recently wrote a blog post about regulation stymieing innovation in certain sectors.

Those regulations, he says, cause education and healthcare to get more and more expensive.

He said he also believes that regulation will keep AI from causing unemployment.

Marc Andreessen, a billionaire investor and entrepreneur, said he thinks that the prices of education, healthcare, and housing are "going to the moon," in a recent blog post.

"We are heading into a world where a flat screen TV that covers your entire wall costs $100, and a four year college degree costs $1 million, and nobody has anything even resembling a proposal on how to systemically fix this," Andreessen wrote.

The Silicon Valley investor said that sectors provided or controlled by the government have become "technologically stagnant." Innovation in certain highly regulated sectors, like education and healthcare, "is virtually forbidden," causing high prices, he wrote. Andreessen said that over time the price of highly regulated products will continue to climb, while less-regulated products, like flatscreen TVs, will become cheaper.

Andreessen pointed to a chart that pulled data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics from January 2000 to June 2022 to prove his point. The chart showed the price of television sets had decreased more than 80% in two decades, while college tuition and hospital services had each increased by more than 160%.

Data like this  which he says is caused by regulation  makes him less concerned about AI innovation replacing jobs, despite the current "panic."

"Those industries are monopolies, oligopolies, and cartels, with extensive formal government regulation as well as regulatory capture, price fixing, Soviet style price setting, occupational licensing, and every other barrier to improvement and change you can possibly imagine," Andreessen wrote.

He does not, however, provide any specific examples of regulation in the blog post.

The billionaire has made similar arguments in the past, saying in 2017 that there are two different economies: one in which innovation is encouraged and moves quickly, and one in which innovation moves slowly due to government regulations.

Since ChatGPT was released in November, the chatbot has spawned speculation that the technology could eventually replace some workers. Insider previously reported that some jobs could be at a higher risk of being replaced by AI than others. Still, the technology is far from perfect and has been known to generate misinformation and incorrectly answer coding problems.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A bipartisan group of senators on Monday introduced a bill that would end the commercial blockade on Cuba while maintaining other U.S. laws that impose human rights-based restrictions on the island nation.

The bill, introduced by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), showcases political divisions over a blockade thats been in place more than six decades.

An array of powerful Democrats and Republicans oppose leniency toward the Cuban regime, to say nothing of a radical policy shift such as lifting the trade embargo.

But some Republicans see Cuba as an untapped market of 11 million people a stones throw from Florida, and some Democrats see the embargo as a Cold War-era anachronism.

I have long pushed to reform our relationship with Cuba, which for decades has been defined by conflicts of the past instead of looking toward the future, Klobuchar said in a statement.

By ending the trade embargo with Cuba once and for all, our bipartisan legislation will turn the page on the failed policy of isolation while creating a new export market and generating economic opportunities for American businesses, she added.

Its no coincidence that both Republican co-sponsors are from Kansas, a major agricultural state.

The unilateral trade embargo on Cuba blocks our own farmers, ranchers and manufacturers from selling into a market only 90 miles from our shoreline, while foreign competitors benefit at our expense, Moran said.

In 2020, Cubas top imports were poultry meat, wheat, corn, concentrated milk, rice and dried legumes, according to the Observatory of Economic Complexity. And its top import partners were Spain, China, Italy, Brazil, Canada and the United States.

While the United States is one of the top exporters of food to Cuba  indeed the top exporter, according to a January 2022 report by CBS Miami  restrictions on trade make it harder for U.S. farmers to export their food there, according to a 2021 report from the Congressional Research Service (CRS).

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And because of the embargo, the Cuban government imposes restrictions on who can import and distribute U.S. products, further diminishing the market for those goods.

Im proud to sign onto the Freedom to Export to Cuba Act. Its important for the United States to boost our economic opportunities and increase market access for American-made goods, said Marshall.

According to the CRS report, Cuba was the ninth largest export market for U.S. agricultural products before 1960; it now ranks as the 50th market, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Dominican Republic, a U.S. ally in the Caribbean with a population similar to Cubas, ranks 15th and over the past three years has imported seven times more U.S. agricultural products than Cuba.

Because of its proximity to Cuba, the United States has a baked-in advantage over other major agricultural producers, but countries such as Brazil remain competitive because of unfettered trade with the island.

This legislation will expand market opportunities for U.S. producers by allowing them to compete on a level playing field with other countries. It is time to amend our own laws to give U.S. producers fair access to market to consumers in Cuba, Moran said.

While the economic argument may sway some Republicans from the plains states, any easing of sanctions on the communist regime is an uphill battle.

According to the bills proponents, it would maintain restrictions tied to the Cuban governments human rights record and to its takeover of private property following the 1959 revolution.

We can expand opportunities for American businesses and farmers to trade with Cuba while still holding the Cuban government accountable for its human rights record. This bipartisan legislation is a smart fix that will create American jobs and benefit the Cuban people, Murphy said.

But if the bill is picked up by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC), it will face two powerful Cuba hawks on either side of the aisle in Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and panel Chairman Bob Menendez (D-N.J.).

So good luck with that, said a senior Democratic aide.

And even if the bill manages to avoid SFRC, its unlikely it will be put to a vote unless leadership is convinced theres enough support for to get 60 votes.

Still, the bill gives voice to those who seek to rethink a policy toward Cuba thats remained essentially static for more than half a century.

It is long past time for us to normalize relations with Cuba, Warren said. This legislation takes important steps to remove barriers for U.S. trade and relations between our two countries and moves us in the right direction by increasing economic opportunities for Americans and the Cuban people.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Mariculture In Rongcheng

Aerial view of fishing boats sailing at a floating fish farm at sunrise on Jan. 2, 2023 in Rongcheng, Shandong Province of China. (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images) Credit - VCG/VCGGetty Images

When I sat down with two of my personal ocean heroes, fisheries biologist Daniel Pauly and economist Rashid Sumaila, science took something of a back seat to James Brown and racial justice. Our conversation was inspired not only by their having just jointly won the prestigious Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement, but also by their wish to honor Black history within conservation.

For nearly two decades, I have admired Pauly and Sumaila for their deep wisdom and prolific publishing on topics like overfishing, food security, and marine protected areasthey are each the most-cited researcher in their respective fields. They are professors (and collaborators) at the University of British Columbia, where Pauly founded and leads the Sea Around Us project. Rarely in all these years have I heard them publicly discuss their personal lives. But as two Black men at the top of their game, they decided they wanted to open up about their experiences with racism, their personal heroes, and why they do the work they do. Our conversation was wonderfully forthright.

Of course, we got into the science of it all toofisheries subsidies, the connections between fisheries and climate, and their answers to my favorite question: What if we get it right? Most pressingly, they had used the occasion of their award to issue an urgent call to ban fishing on high seas.

As we spoke, world leaders were meeting at the United Nations to negotiate a much-anticipated high seas treaty that could make that possible. And in the days since our conversation, the U.N. on March 4 finalized the treaty textmarking an historic deal to protect our oceans after two decades of negotiations.

The following is abridged and edited for clarity.

Ayana Elizabeth Johnson: Lets start with the message you wanted to spread as part of winning the Tyler Prize: the need for a ban on fishing the high seas. What would be the ecological and economic impacts of such a ban?

Daniel Pauly: The effect would certainly not be that we would have no fish, because the high seas produce only 5% to 8% of all fish that are landed. These fish are highly migratory, and they could instead be caught within a countrys Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). In fact, if they were not caught by the five or six countries that monopolize fishing on the high seas, they would be caught by a far wider range of countries.

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So, the overall catch would not be affected. Lots of other problems, such as slavery at sea, would be reduced because all fishing would take place under the governance of countriesas opposed to the currently vague international jurisdiction. And of course, the boats would not have to travel so far, which would reduce carbon emissions.

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Rashid Sumaila: Its also important to reflect on the potential equity from a ban of fishing on high seas, which is the area more than two hundred nautical miles from shore. Smaller countries in the Caribbean or in the Pacific would actually improve their catch. So, its important to think of these issues in terms of biodiversity, climate change, economics, and also equity.

(While the final U.N. treaty does not heed the specific call to ban fishing on the high seas, it does, among other things, create a framework for establishing marine protected areas on the high seas. Via email, Pauly wrote that he was excited by the positive news that showed humanity can agree on common issues. And Sumaila sees the agreement as putting us firmly on the way to turning the high seas into a fish bank for the world, starting with the goal of protecting 30% of the high seas by 2030a leap over the current 2%.)

2023 Tyler Prize Laureates Daniel Pauly (left) and Rashid Sumaila (right). Kim Bellavance

AEJ: A lot of your work focuses on equity, grounded in addressing food security, fishing rights, sustainable management, what we might call ocean justice. Do you conceive of your scientific research as being directed towards justice?

DP: I have always seen my work as trying to strike a balance between developed and developing countries. I grew up in Europe. And I began my career explicitly trying to develop methods that would enable my colleaguesfishery scientists in developing countriesto do fisheries assessments, as they didnt have access to the same information as colleagues in the Global North.

Later with colleagues I also developed a huge database of fishFishbasefor the same reason: because people in the Global South had no access to information. They couldnt get the books or the papers. They got bibliographiesbut that helped them as much as cookbooks in the middle of a famine. So we made the stuff availablefirst on diskettes, then CD-ROMs, then the Internet.

And now I lead the Sea Around Us project, which makes data available to enable people to document the fisheries for every country in the same way. I think we should have more stuff of that kind, where we treat everybody the same way and then we can compare the data and we can see global trends much better.

RS: As an African, equity is central and something very dear to my heart. Until Africa really gives the same opportunity to women as it does to men, we will never make it because half of our brain power is lost because the girls dont get the same opportunity. It is about diversity, its about inclusion, its about bringing all the brains that we have on board. All the data shows that talent is distributed equally all over the world but what is not distributed equally is opportunity.

I go to global meetings, and all you see represented are North America, Europe, Australia, and then maybe Cape Town, right? That is not the world. They forget Latin America, Asia, and most of Africa. Weve got to be inclusive so we can move this world forward. I also work with colleagues on intergenerational equity. So, its not only about those of us here, its also about the future generations. If you eat up the salmon and the tuna, are you going to leave just jellyfish for them?

AEJ: Daniel, reading your biography last year I learned so much about how race has shaped your path, which may be surprising to some because many people who read your work and have seen you speak dont even know that you are Black.

DP: Yes. This was on purpose. I was born in Paris, I grew up in Switzerland, studied in Germany, and Im culturally very conscious that Im European. But people always questioned where Im from. I was so fed up with this, that I thought the best thing I could do is move to a country where people are brown, then Ill stop getting asked this question.

I began studying agronomy in Germany, but the agronomy department was full of Nazis. Real Nazis, because they still had them in Germany at that time. So I shifted into the fisheries department. I went to Ghana for field work, and quickly learned that Im not African, because I got my first sunburn! But I had seen the racism to which people there were exposedmainly because they were darker than meand how it limited their ability to do things.

My whole life was structured by race because I decided to expatriate myself because of it. Then I pursued a career that did not emphasize race and me being biracial. I have avoided exposing myself to this toxic brew of negativism that I thought would prevent me from working. But a few years ago, when a lot of things were happening with the Black Lives Matter movement, it taught me that I have to be more than just a role model. I have to be actively engaged. I want to address specifically the issues of race.

AEJ: Rashid, I assume your story is quite different because with your darker skin you cant hide. What kind of role has race played in your career?

RS: My relationship with race is very different from Daniel. Were both Black, but him starting off in Europe and me starting off in the African continentits really different because of colonialism, because of slavery. You realize growing up as a young African, this idea that everybodys better than you. Its difficult to even say, but you enter a room and almost everyone thinks you are nobody. They assume you are poor.

I will tell you something I havent told anyone: I get a lot of confidence from James Brown. Say it loud! Im Black and Im proud. And I tell you, that music liberated me in a big way.

AEJ: Apart from James Brown, is there anyone in Black history whos really shaped your thinking? Its okay if its someone whose dance moves arent as good.

RS: Ill start with my own grandfather. He used to say you should walk on the earth as if it feels pain. Later I realized this is really advanced environmentalism. Also, Wangari Maathaithe Black, Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize winner who planted 50 million trees or more. She fought not only for the environment, but also for democracy and social justice.

And an African-American, Robert Bullard, who is described as the father of environmental justice. He said that every human being has a right to a clean environment, regardless of color or sex.

DP: For me, Im very political. Im a person of the left. One of my heroes is Nelson Mandela. I knew of him long before he was the saint that he has become. As a student, I went to the African National Congress in Londonthey were in a rundown office and they were trying to publicize who Mandela was and the struggle they were in.

And Angela Davis. Ive never met her, which is a pity, but I followed her. I named my daughter after her. I also have a wild cousin who was a mathematician and a Black nationalist. I had the option of doing the same that he didraising hellwhich is a good thing, but I chose to be a scientist.

AEJ: Youve been raising a little hell to end overfishing, I would say. So, the question thats been driving my work lately is What if we get it right? In fact, thats the title of my forthcoming book. Im curious to hear from you, if we do charge ahead with all these ocean-climate-justice solutions, what do you imagine the world would look like?

RS: If we manage to get it right, we will have what I call Infinity Fish. We will have an ocean teeming with life, which can therefore support our coastal communities and small-scale Indigenous peoples, forever. Almost like a trust. Well be able to draw on our ocean resources, the services we get from them, forever.

Ive also started thinking about universal basic income in the world. Theres money to do this, its just that were afraid to tax anybody these days. If we can implement a universal basic income, it will free the world to do what we need to do.

DP: Lets say we are 50 years from now and things have worked out. What would that involve? We would have to have broken the political might of Big Oil. We have to break their stranglehold over our politics. Industrial might must be used toward renewable energy instead of warfare. Certain forms of over consumption will no longer be possible.

We would have resolved the world problem of demography. The earth cannot sustain 10 billion peoplethe population we will be at very soon. We will have to get to a point where our population becomes stable, then gradually declines, because humanity cannot continue to eat up the earththe ocean and the landat the rate it does now.

RS: The inequality of consumption patterns is also a big issue. For example, when one person flies with a private jet and pumps out as much CO2 as is used by a whole village in Africa or Asia. The consumption levels in the developing world need to increase, and in the rest of the world they will have to come down. There is a level in the middle for everybody. In the Global North, we are supposed to consume and consume and consumebut the extra consumption doesnt really add anything to our quality of life.

AEJ: How do you connect the dots between your work on fisheries and the climate solutions that we need to pursue?

RS: If you overfish, if you fish down the food web and take down the habitat, you are making the stocks more vulnerable to climate change. Its like covid and people with preconditions. If youre healthier and youre hit by covid, youre more likely to withstand it.

DP: One of the direct impacts on climate change are the emissions of vessels that are subsidized to fish. So, if fishing vessels were not subsidized, fewer would remainwe would have the same catch, but with less effort and fewer emissions.

And another thing is that the fish populations that are reduced have less individuals and thus less genetic variability. For example, if you have lots of fish in the water, there will be some that are pre-adapted to higher temperatures. So they would be the ancestors of the future population. So you have to have genetic variability and marine protected areas or rebuilding programs to ensure the fish are abundant and can meet the challenge of the higher temperatures.

AEJ: Of all of your achievements, is there something that youre particularly proud of?

DP: I am most proud of the work that I do on the relationship between fish and oxygen and respiration. It was the topic of my dissertation over 40 years ago. At the time, this research was met with a resounding silence because global warming was not an issue.

A few years ago, I began working on this problem again. As our oceans warm, fish need more oxygen, but the water contains less oxygen, which means fish have difficulty breathing. If they dont get enough oxygen, they grow more slowly, or they move to cooler waters, or they perish. Now, because of increasing global warming, this topic is very urgent.

RS: What Im most proud of are the spaces that Ive been able to reach with my message. I never dreamed I could have those opportunities: to be in the White House, in the Senate, to be with then Prince Charles, at the African Union. You can do your science and publish in the journals and go to sleep. No. I am bringing my work to the people who can take the science and actually do something with it. And that makes me happy.



Johnson is a marine biologist, policy expert, and writer. She is co-founder of the non-profit think tank Urban Ocean Lab, co-editor of the bestselling climate anthology All We Can Save, and co-creator of the podcast How to Save a Planet. Her forthcoming bookWhat If We Get It Right?: Visions of Climate Futureswill be published by One World/PRH in autumn 2023.
A 46-year-old Cobb County man has been sentenced to a decade in prison for violently stabbing his ex-girlfriend, according to Cobb County District Attorney Flynn Broady.

On Feb. 13, 2021, Daniel Henderson and his then-girlfriend were living at a Motel 6 in Cobb County when they got into an argument. During the course of the argument, Henderson choked his girlfriend and then stabbed her 11 times, lacerating both the kidney and liver, according to officials.

Henderson then fled from the motel, and his girlfriend stumbled into the elevator, making it to the lobby before a clerk found her. The clerk called 911 while providing her with medical attention and then Cobb County Police responded to the scene.

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On Feb. 22 of this year, Henderson pled guilty to two counts of aggravated assault. This plea was five days before his trial was set to begin.

Henderson was arrested on March 15, 2021, in Douglas County.

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He was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by 5 years on probation.

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Police are investigating the death of a beloved Henry County bookstore owner whose body was found in a Georgia creek.

The Putnam County Sheriffs Office says deputies recovered 42-year-old Erica Atkins body on Sunday afternoon. Atkins owned Birdsong Books in Locust Grove.

Locust Grove police confirmed to Channel 2s Veronica Griffin that they arrested and charged Romero Johnson, an employee of the bookstore, in Atkins death.

Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills told Channel 2 Action News that his office received a call from Jones County Sheriffs Office about a fisherman spotting a womans body in Cedar Creek.

Jones County deputies called Putnam County because the body was on their side of the creek. Putnam County deputies proceeded to recover the womans body.

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Sills told Channel 2 Action News that he also received a call from Locust Grove police about a homicide investigation. Locust Grove police sent Sills photos of the homicide victim and confirmed it was Atkins.

Officials are working to determine Atkins cause of death and where she was killed.

Johnson faces murder and kidnapping charges and is currently sitting in the Henry County Jail.

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Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan suffered a muscle tear to his right rib cage while shooting a film in Hyderabad, India.

The 80-year-old actor revealed details of his injury in a blog post over the weekend.

Bachchan wrote that he had broken rib cartilage and a muscle tear while shooting for Project K.

He said the injury was painful and he consulted a doctor before he flew home to Mumbai, where he has been advised to rest.

I shall be unable to meet the well-wishers at Jalsa Gate this evening.. so do not come, the actor said to fans who often gather outside his home in Mumbai.

All else is well, he added.

Bachchan also said that his work on the film is suspended until the doctor gives him the green light.

Bachchan is an Indian actor, film producer, television host, occasional playback singer, and former politician known for his work in Hindi cinema.

(AP)

He has acted in more than 200 Indian films.

His breakthrough came in the 1973 film Zanjeer, or The Chain, and he rose to superstardom playing bold characters, inspiring fans to copy his hairstyle, clothes, and baritone voice.

In 2013, Bachchan made an appearance in Baz Luhrmanns The Great Gatsby, in which he played a non-Indian Jewish character, Meyer Wolfsheim.

Beyond the Indian subcontinent, the Sholay star has a large overseas following of the South Asian diaspora, as well as others, in markets including Africa, the Middle East, the UK, Russia, Central Asia, the Caribbean, Oceania, Canada, and the US.

Last year, Bachchan raised the issue of freedom of speech and tightened censorship in the film industry in recent years.

Referring to the history of censorship in Indian cinema, he said: But even now, I am sure my colleagues on the stage would agree, questions are being raised on civil liberties and freedom of expression.

He added that since the advent of cinema in India in 1913, films have gone through tremendous change, ranging from the subject to the medium.

From mythological films... the advent of the angry young man in the 70s and 80s viewed against the countless frustration of unemployed youth to the current brand of historicals couched in fictionalised jingoism along with moral policing..
Boston Police are searching for a missing teenage girl last seen Saturday night.

According to Boston Police, 15-year-old Cristina Esperansa Santos Rodriguez was last seen leaving a residence on Marion Street in East Boston.

She was reportedly wearing a red hat, black jacket with white sleeves, red pajama pants and white and red Nike sneakers.

Anyone with information regarding her whereabouts is advised to contact 911 or A-7 Detectives at 617-343-4234.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's central bank announced the start of a digital currency pilot project on Monday, aiming to replicate the success of its instant payment system Pix to popularize financial services in the country.

According to Fabio Araujo, coordinator of the initiative at the bank, the public use of the digital currency should begin at the end of 2024, after the completion of the testing phase - which will include buying and selling of federal public bonds among individuals - and its subsequent evaluation.

Araujo said the "digital real" will be built as a means of payment executed on distributed ledger technology (DLT), to support the provision of retail financial services settled through tokenized deposits in institutions of the financial and payment systems in Brazil.

"This environment reduces costs and brings the possibility of financial inclusion for people. You have services that are very expensive to carry out, such as repo operations, which today are only for banks, but which could be performed by anyone with a technology based on digital currencies," he said.

"This could reduce the cost of credit, the cost of improving the return on investments. There is a great potential for new service providers, fintechs, democratizing access to the market and offering new services."

Araujo stressed that the concept of the Brazilian central bank digital currency (CBDC) was not intended to leverage digital payments, as this is already being done on a large scale with Pix, which was launched at the end of 2021 and has been widely adopted in Brazil.

Bank deposits would continue to exist within the Brazilian CBDC, only being registered in a more modern environment, meaning that financial institutions would not lose this source of funds for credit generation.

"Banks are very interested in this new tokenized world, in every conversation we have they have shown a lot of interest," said Araujo.

(Reporting by Marcela Ayres; Editing by Leslie Adler)
(Bloomberg) -- Brazils development bank plans to issue tax-free bonds to double credit operations to nearly $40 billion without the Treasurys help, according to its planning and project structuring director.

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Nelson Barbosa, who served as finance minister under Dilma Rousseff and has now joined the ranks of the bank known as BNDES, said the bonds will be linked to development projects in areas where the institution wants to invest, such as energy transition, innovation and infrastructure. They will also be available to individual investors, sweetened by the exemption of income tax.

One of our goals is to restore BNDESs historical size, which means doubling the size of the bank, Barbosa said in an interview in his office in Brasilia. Instead of the Treasury borrowing and transferring funds to BNDES, the bank itself will raise the money.

BNDES had historically disbursed about 2% of Brazils gross domestic product in loans, or 200 billion reais ($38.5 billion) at current value, according to Barbosa. In order to achieve that, it will be necessary to double the volume of credit operations, currently slightly under $20 billion, by the end of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silvas term.

This time, however, the government wants to avoid past mistakes, including huge injections of public money that hurt public finances and Brazils fiscal credibility. BNDESs loan portfolio had gradually expanded with Treasury funding during Lulas first two terms in office, reaching $200 billion under his successor Rousseff, more than that of the World Bank at the time.

Read More: New CEO of Brazils BNDES Seeks to Ease Bank Investors Fears

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Much of the financing backed large companies such as state-owned oil giant Petroleo Brasileiro SA and meatpacker JBS SA as they embarked on ambitious acquisition sprees and global expansions. Along with the so-called national champions policy, came allegations that the bank was favoring political allies and handing generous bonuses to its employees based on the volume of credit operations they closed, which led to corruption probes. Internal investigations carried out by the bank found no wrongdoing.

Now, BNDES will direct its resources to certain economic activities it considers necessary to spur growth and jobs, not specific companies. If funds end up benefiting a small number of companies in a specific sector, that will be a consequence of the concentration that already exists, and not a strategy of the bank, Barbosa said.

Our focus is more on activities rather than companies, he said. We want to stimulate innovation, reindustrialization, artificial intelligence.

Read More: Lula Rules Out Giving Cheap Credit to Big Brazil Companies Again

For now, BNDES will also halt a large divestment plan that started during the Jair Bolsonaro, government when the bank slashed its holdings in equities, local bonds and investment funds by more than 56%. The new administration is taking a close look at the banks remaining portfolio of 60 billion reais in publicly traded firms before making a decision.

At this moment, the new board is evaluating what actions need to be taken, Barbosa said. There are no plans for large divestments in the short-term.

Americanas, Subsidies

The government is still measuring the impact of the implosion of retailer Americanas SA in the countrys credit market, Barbosa said. The company filed for bankruptcy protection last month after revealing $3.8 billion gap in its balance sheet.

For the time being, it is a liquidity crunch concentrated in the retail sector that can be resolved by the central bank and the banking system itself, he said.

Read More: Brazil Credit Crunch Is Brewing as Americanas Fallout Grows

Still, the government has detected a credit slowdown which may be structural or not, he said, adding that BNDES will step in if necessary, offering credit lines for micro, small and medium-sized companies, as well as for those in need of working capital.

The bank is also considering charging different interest rates depending on the profile of the client. In only some cases, the rate would be subsidized.

Subsidies should not be demonized, but we need to seek their ideal size and use them effectively and transparently, Barbosa said, citing sectors such as innovation, climate sustainability and energy transition as potential potential candidates. If there is a subsidy from BNDES, it will be done transparently and for a few select sectors.

(Updates with comments on BNDESs divestment plan in paragraphs 9-10.)

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BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian Justice Minister Flavio Dino on Monday ordered police to investigate an alleged attempt to bring in undeclared jewelry, a gift from Saudi Arabia valued at $3.2 million, to former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro.

The diamond necklace, ring, watch and earrings gifted to Bolsonaro and former first lady Michelle Bolsonaro by the Saudi government were seized by customs officials at Sao Paulo's international airport in October 2021.

The luxury jewelry, made by Chopard of Switzerland, were found in the backpack of a government aide who had traveled to Riyadh with then Energy Minister Admiral Bento Albuquerque.

The Saudi embassy did not reply to a request for comment at the time.

Bolsonaro, who left for the United States two days before his term ended in December without conceding defeat in his re-election bid, has denied committing any illegality, but his leftist successor President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called for an investigation. A cabinet minister called it "smuggling."

The investigation could add to the legal liabilities that Bolsonaro faces if and when he returns to Brazil, from probes into the inciting of violent protest by his supporters after he left office to criticism of Brazil's electronic voting system.

Brazilians are allowed to bring in $1,000 of goods or gifts and pay hefty taxes for anything over that value.

Bolsonaro's critics said gifts to president belong to the state and must go into a presidential collection. It is not clear what the intention of the Bolsonaros was in this case.

Dino ordered the federal police to investigate media reports that it was an attempt "to enter the jewels that would be delivered to the former president without complying with legal procedures" and could constitute a crime under the penal code.

The Folha de S.Paulo newspaper reported on Sunday that there was a second package of Chopard items gifted by the Saudi government, including a pen, cufflinks, a ring and a rosary, that were in the luggage of another member of Albuquerque's delegation and were not found by the customs officials.

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Brazil's Federal Revenue Service also said on Monday it will investigate whether customs laws were complied with for the entry into the country of the second package of jewelry. It said gifts to a president and his wife should were state assets.

In his only public comment on the jewelry, Bolsonaro said he was being "crucified" for a gift he never asked for and never received.

($1 = 5.2093 reais)

(Reporting by Ricardo Brito; Writing by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Aurora Ellis)
Dale "Brett" DiBiase, a former deputy administrator for the Mississippi Department of Human Services, pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to a charge of conspiracy to defraud the government, according to a news release from Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens.

I applaud our federal partners for continuing to pursue federal charges for each and every individual responsible for stealing from Mississippis most needy and vulnerable citizens, Owens said.

DiBiase, 34, pleaded guilty to a related charge in state court in December 2020, when he admitted he made fraudulent statements for the purpose of defrauding the government.

The former professional wrestler admitted in court documents he was given approximately $48,000 through Restore2 a limited liability company he set up shortly before the money was given to him.

DiBiase said he was not able to complete the work he was paid to do because he returned to rehab for drug addiction, but did not say what work he was supposed to do.

DiBiase comes from a family of pro wrestlers, following in the footsteps of his father Ted DiBiase and brother, Ted DiBiase Jr. All three men allegedly were given money from state welfare funds, according to a report by State Auditor Shad White. Neither Ted nor Ted Jr. have been criminally charged in the case.

More than $94 million in welfare funds were misspent, White said in an earlier story.

The Mississippi Department of Human Services last year filed a civil lawsuit against the three DiBiases, NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre and several other people and businesses in hopes of recovering some of the misspent funds.

The lawsuit, according to the Associated Press, says the defendants squandered more than $20 million in money from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families anti-poverty program.

Nancy New and her son Zachary New pleaded guilty in April 2022 to state charges tied to the misspent funds. They have agreed to testify against others in the case. Brett DiBiase also agreed to give testimony against his co-conspirators in his plea deal with the state.

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The News ran nonprofit and educational organizations that received funds managed by the DHS under the leadership of then-director John Davis.

Favre was paid $1.1 million in TANF funds to give motivational speeches that never took place. He has since repaid the money, but now the state hopes to recover $228,000 in interest White says Favre still owes.

Favre said he was unaware the money came from the TANF program. He has not been charged with any criminal wrongdoing.

Favre filed lawsuits this month against State Auditor Shad White and sports commentators Shannon Sharpe and Pat McAfee, claiming the three defamed him.

The latest filing:Brett Favre files defamation lawsuit against Shannon Sharpe, Pat McAfee and Shad White

Brett DiBiase's guilty plea adds to those made by his co-conspirators in what White calls the state's largest public embezzlement scheme.

Sentencing in state and federal courts will be made at a later date as the investigation into the fraud continues.

As I have said before, this case is far from over and both the state of Mississippi and the U.S. government will continue to pursue all those involved in this fraud, regardless of their position or standing, Owen said.

Filed in state court:Brett Favre, 'Million Dollar Man' Ted DiBiase among those sued over welfare misspending

DiBiase faces up to five years in prison and $250,000 in fines for the federal charge.

Others indicted and later convicted include Davis and Ann McGrew, financial officer for the News' Mississippi Community Education Center. Another DHS employee Latimer Smith was indicted but was accepted into a pretrial intervention program.

This story was corrected to reflect Latimer Smith was not convicted of a crime. Incorrect information was provided to the Clarion Ledger.

Do you have a story to share? Contact Lici Beveridge at lbeveridge@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @licibev or Facebook at facebook.com/licibeveridge.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Brett DiBiase pleads guilty to conspiracy charge in federal court
Editors note: The Kyiv Independent is not revealing the soldiers full names or the exact location of their deployment due to security concerns amid the ongoing war.

DONETSK OBLAST  At a cottage-turned-base some two kilometers from the front lines in Donetsk Oblast, soldiers from Ukraine's 24th Mechanized Brigade lay in sleeping bags or armchair sofa beds, hoping to get some rest in between rotations.

Loud radio communications constantly sound throughout the night.

Every 30 minutes or so, a raspy male voice is heard over the radio, sometimes notifying the soldiers that the front line is under control, sometimes that backup is needed.

"We've gotten used to sleeping this way," 54-year-old soldier Mykhailo told the Kyiv Independent the following day. "'Four  five  zero' means everything is fine," he said. "But if there is an offensive from (the Russian) side, we get up."

When the soldiers return to their two-day shifts in the trenches, they are tasked with detecting Russian aerial targets, mostly drones, and downing them before they can hit Ukrainian infantry units.

The 24th Mechanized Brigade took part in the Kherson counteroffensive, battles in Luhansk Oblast, and spent over two months in Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast, the hottest spot of Russia's war.

The platoon, part of the 24th, was deployed to Bakhmut with barely any break. The Kyiv Independent spent five days with the platoon after it was withdrawn from the city.

For several weeks, now out of Bakhmut, the soldiers say their front line north of the city has been rather stable. But with the Russian forces advancing in the Bakhmut area, they say the dynamic of the war could shift at any moment.

Platoon commander Oleh, 57, says it's vital not to underestimate the enemy.

"This direction is more or less calm for now, but I don't think for long," Oleh said. "I think the Russians will attack further and further."

Russia has amassed troops for months to capture Bakhmut, a city nearly emptied of its 70,000 residents.

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Despite heavy casualties, Russian forces, aided by the Kremlin-backed private mercenary Wagner Group, are inching toward encircling the city, posing threats to the surrounding areas  like the one where Oleh's platoon is deployed  in Donetsk Oblast.

"I wouldn't say that Russia is seeing the results it claims, but its tactics are still working," Oleh said.

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Grim days in the south

Before soldiers were deployed to Bakhmut in November, they took part in the long-anticipated southern counteroffensive in Kherson and Mykolaiv oblasts.

For many of them, including commander Oleh, it was their first time in an active war zone.

Defending the sky proved difficult because the soldiers didn't have anti-drone guns with radio waves back then, Oleh said. He added that they had to attempt shooting down the Russian drones using machine guns, which rarely worked.

Shooting down Russian aircraft, helicopters, or missiles, even with the American-made man-portable Stinger air-defense system, was also very difficult, according to Oleh.

During the counteroffensive, the soldiers were only given minimal information to complete the tasks assigned each day. They themselves found out about Ukraine's successes through media reports.

While Ukraine was eventually able to liberate swathes of land in the country's south, including the regional capital of Kherson, the campaign came with losses.

For Oleh's platoon, one of the grimmest days took place in the early days of the southern counteroffensive.

Yuriy, a 47-year-old soldier from the northeastern city of Sumy, said it began as an ordinary morning.

The soldiers were heading to a position, sitting on top of armored personnel carriers, when the Russian forces suddenly fired at them with artillery and mortars.

The blast wave threw the soldiers to the ground.

Yuriy said many soldiers were wounded. He remembers one of them with his leg torn off asking to be shot due to the pain.

That day, Zinovii was the only soldier from the platoon that was in the same armored personnel carrier as Yuriy  but he was nowhere to be found.

Under heavy fire, Yuriy could not find Zinovii. "I yelled 'Zinovii, Zinovii'  but he didn't answer," Yuriy said.

Zinovii's body was found months later after the area's liberation. Yuriy thinks that he could have attempted to escape the attack site and was killed by shrapnel.

That day, after they came under fire, Yuriy and two other soldiers began crawling in the direction that they came from  to get medical help. One was severely wounded, with shrapnel stabbing him in the stomach.

Adrenaline helped the three get back to Ukraine's position. Crawling was difficult, so they had to remove their bulletproof vests at the halfway point  as soon as the shelling abated.

The pain from their injuries was getting worse as they crawled. It took hours to get back.

Zinovii was 56-years-old and had two sons fighting in the war, and a daughter who died many years ago, Yuriy said.

"It was never boring with him because he would always tell jokes," Yuriy said of Zinovii.

Commander Oleh said the hardest part about his job is informing relatives about the death or injury of their loved ones. As a leader, he feels responsible for each death and injury in his platoon.

Soldiers Zinovii (L), 56, and Vasyl (R), 50, pose for a picture in southern Ukraine on Sept. 28, 2022. (courtesy)

Staying together

The most terrifying thing to hear on the battlefield is "the screams of your fellow soldiers," Vasyl, a 50-year-old soldier from the western Rivne Oblast, said.

Even if they were soldiers from other platoons or brigades, it doesn't hurt less.

But even in the darkest hour, having his decades-long friend Mykhailo from the same hometown next to him has helped him in unimaginable ways, he said.

They worked together as truck drivers traveling across Europe for 20 years before joining the military in 2022.

The two were initially deployed in different platoons, but they asked to be transferred to the same one. They said fighting alongside each other has helped them cope with homesickness and the longing to see their kids and grandkids.

Even so, Vasyl said he sees how much he has aged in the past year. Pulling up a photo of him from early 2022 in Luhansk Oblast, he said, "Look what a soldier I was: beautiful and young. These are just the first days of the war."

Other soldiers from the platoon are also dealing with homesickness, each in their own way.

Some talk with their families daily over the phone, while others try to limit it, hoping that less contact will make things easier.

Though the soldiers say the platoon is "a family," they all said the hardest part about fighting in eastern Ukraine was missing their loved ones back home. Vasyl, who recently became a grandfather, says he especially misses the little ones.

Andriy, a soldier from Rivne Oblast, tries his best not to worry his daughters, aged nine and twelve.

Even in Bakhmut, Andriy would tell his daughters, "Don't worry girls, I love you and will come back soon," before they went to bed each day.

The soldiers from the platoon told the Kyiv Independent that they long for civilian life and wish for simple things, such as doing repairs at home, but that they are ready to fight for the country until the end.

None of the soldiers imagined fighting in a war, but they dropped everything at home  some nearly 1,000 kilometers away  to defend the country. Hundreds of thousands of civiliansturned-soldiers have been mobilized in the Ukrainian military.

"I don't know what will happen tomorrow or in a week, but I think a person is always ready to defend their country," Oleh said. "I am satisfied with what I do. Let it be small, but be it good."

In peace times, Oleh yearns to live with his wife and son in Lviv and go on walks with his dogs. "First, I need to survive till the end," he then says.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Note from the author:

Hi, this is Asami Terajima, the author of this article.

Thank you for reading my story till the end. I met the platoon commander Oleh for the first time at a gas station, and he immediately welcomed me into his bases. His platoon was really like a family, and I never thought it would be so difficult to say goodbye to someone after spending five days together. The soldiers introduced in the article are all ordinary people who dropped everything at home to defend the country. They want nothing more than go back to their normal life  and do normal things like go to a grocery store, do house repairs, and play with their kids. They are looking forward to doing that after the war ends. To help the Kyiv Independent tell more stories like this one, please consider supporting us by becoming our patron.
Flag of Bulgaria

In response to a journalist request, the Bulgarian Minister of Economy said that country has not made ant agreement either with Ukrainian companies or state bodies and no export permissions have been issued in the period from Feb. 24, 2022, until Jan. 19, 2023.

However, last year alone, Bulgaria indirectly exported at least $1 billion worth of weapons to Ukraine. The publication notes that the supply of weapons to Ukraine began even before the full-scale invasion.

Read also: Bulgaria recognizes Holodomor of 1932-1933 as genocide against the Ukrainian people

Read also: Bulgaria covered much of Ukraines wartime diesel fuel needs

Bulgarian arms companies do not sell weapons and ammunition directly to Ukrainian companies because there is a practice for this to happen through foreign programmes, Velizar Shalamanov, former acting defence minister, told Euroactiv.

He added that the United Kingdom, the United States and Poland provide significant funding for weapons supplies to Ukraine. They also buy arms for supply to Ukraine from Bulgaria. Logistics were mainly set up for the supply of the arms via Poland.

The German outlet Die Welt wrote on Jan. 18 that Bulgaria secretly provided Ukraine with fuel and ammunition in the first months of the full-scale invasion. In general, Bulgaria has secured one-third of the Ukrainian army's needs in the first half year of the war, with funding coming from the the United Kingdom and the United States.

Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron!

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
The owner of a car restoration business tricked multiple people into sending him money for a 2002 Ford Excursion he listed for sale on social media sites, including Facebook, according to federal authorities.

The Missouri man also took payments from people needing their vehicles repaired but then never did the work he was paid to do, authorities said.

Ronald Johnson made at least $300,000 defrauding other people, then used that money to gamble and go on vacations with his girlfriend, according to a March 3 news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Missouri.

Now the 55-year-old man from St. Peters has been indicted on two counts of wire fraud and one count of bank fraud, records show. All counts are felonies.

Johnson pleaded not guilty on Feb. 24, according to court records.

The defense attorney representing Johnson did not immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News on Feb. 6.

Authorities said Johnson owned Full Out Customs LLC, and from December 2021 to December 2022, he sold a 2002 Ford Excursion to more than one buyer. In the indictment filed in court, prosecutors said two people wired money from Pennsylvania and South Dakota for the SUV.

He also created fake car titles and documents as part of the scheme, authorities said.

St. Peters is about 30 miles northwest of downtown St. Louis.

Doctor pressured patients into getting unnecessary brain treatments in Texas, feds say

Banker stole millions from customers  and then lost it on the stock market, feds say

Manager spent $1.5M using churchs credit card for guns, travel and cars, feds say
USA TODAY NETWORK/REUTERS

The son of convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh called law enforcement over the weekend to complain that he was being harassed by national media reporters.

According to a Beaufort County Sheriffs police report obtained by The Daily Beast, Buster Murdaugh called authorities at around 10 a.m. on Sunday to report that a photo showing him inside his Hilton Head home had appeared in a New York Post article. The article was published just days after his father received two life sentences for the June 2021 murder of his wife, Maggie, and his younger son, Paul.

Buster said he and his girlfriend [Brooklynn White] reviewed Ring camera video from the residence and observed a suspicious grey Dodge Challenger outside the residence on Saturday evening, the police report states. Buster believes the occupant of this vehicle took the photo, judging by Busters position in the residence when the photo was captured. No other identifiable vehicle or suspect information was noted.

Judge Sends Monster Murdaugh to Die in Prison

The report notes that deputies told the 26-year-old Murdaugh that the sheriff's office would deploy extra patrol cars around his South Carolina home and said he should contact police if he or his girlfriend note anything suspicious outside. About an hour later, White called police to say that she and Buster were being followed by the media in a grey SUV as they attempted to head out of Hilton Head.

An officer spotted the car in question and made a traffic stop for speeding and making improper lane changes, the report states. Inside the car, the report added, was what looked like a camera bag with the driver. The driver received a warning.

The continued spotlight on Buster is not surprising, given he is Murdaughs only surviving son. Throughout the six week trial, prosecutors alleged that Murdaugh murdered his family in a twisted attempt to evade questions about his financial crimes.

In addition to his life sentences, Murdaugh still faces over 100 additional charges, ranging from drug trafficking to money laundering to staging his own murder so Buster could receive his $12 million life insurance policy.

Story continues

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Bybit, the worlds fourth largest crypto exchange by volume, suspended U.S. dollar deposits and withdrawals via wire and bank transfers due to service outages from a partner, the company said Saturday in a blog post, without naming the partner.

See related article: Circle joins Crypto.com, Coinbase in cutting ties with Silvergate

Fast facts

The exchange said it will halt USD withdrawals via bank transfer from March 10 for the same reason, while adding that users can still purchase cryptocurrencies using credit cards.

Bybit did not reveal the name of the partner that caused the service outage, but the suspension follows California-based crypto bank Silvergate Capital Corp.s announcement last Friday that it is shutting down the Silvergate Exchange Network, an instant settlement banking service that was used by multiple crypto firms.

Bybit had not responded to Forkasts email request for the name of the partner involved by the time of publication.

Last week, Silvergate said in a filing that it is not able to meet the March 16 deadline to file its annual 10-K report, which shows the financial performance of a publicly traded company, to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, due to business and regulatory challenges.

Silvergate said on Thursday it was evaluating its ability to continue as a going concern, which resulted in multiple cryptocurrency service providers, such as Crypto.com, Coinbase, Gemini and others, cutting ties with the embattled bank.

Silvergate previously provided banking services to Sam Bankman-Frieds now-bankrupt FTX exchange. The company posted a net loss of US$949 million last year according to its earnings report released in January.

See related article: Ethereum core developers delay Shanghai hard fork to early April
There has been a remarkable turnaround. That's the effect frequent powerful storms with tremendous amounts of snow and heavy rain have had on easing California's persistent drought conditions this winter.

The status report from the U.S. Drought Monitor on Thursday, March 2, showed that the recent deluge of precipitation at the end of February and into the start of March lifted large sections of California out of drought entirely. This development followed earlier improvements after a series of atmospheric rivers helped eradicate the state's "extreme" or "exceptional" drought conditions back in January. On Nov. 29, 2022, nearly 85% of California was experiencing "severe" drought conditions, but that number had fallen to just under 25% by Feb. 28.

Nearly 17% of California is no longer under any type of drought, and that number could climb higher this week when the next drought monitor report is released on March 9. More than 9.7 million Californians still reside in drought areas.

"We have seen a tremendous improvement ... this was not expected for this winter, it was not expected to be this kind of winter, but we've been given a gift in California," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Ken Clark said.

Clark stated that the lessening of the drought problem came after a years-long and expansive period of below-normal rain and snowfall, including the 2021-22 winter season, when "hardly any snow or rain fell" from January through March.

"If we had another winter like we had the last three (years), we could be in serious trouble ... thankfully, that wasn't the case," he said.

A powerful winter storm unleashed heavy rain in the state, including more than 7 inches of rain in Southern California's Ventura County and 2.29 inches of rain in Los Angeles on Feb. 24, the wettest February day for the hub in 20 years. Prior to the late-February storm, a line of storms in late December and early January unloaded torrential downpours across the state, including in Montecito, where a two-day rainfall total of 8.07 inches in early January more than doubled the typical January precipitation for the area.

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Aside from rainfall, a vast improvement to the Sierra Nevada snowpack has also eased the drought conditions, with reports indicating that the southern Sierra snowpack was at 209% of average levels as of March 3. Climate scientist Daniel Swain, who works at the University of California, Los Angeles, said this past week that "it's very possible we'll end up vying for one of the top two snow years on record in parts of the state" -- a remarkable turnaround, according to Clark.

"Even if it didn't snow one more flake, we still end off the year far above normal ... that is a tremendous amount of water out in the Sierra right now, and that is going to be a tremendous hope as we get into the spring and summer (for) melting, filling up reservoirs even more," Clark said.

Even as fewer storms impact the region in the spring, the state will continue to reap the benefits of this prolific winter season as the snow melts and feeds into rivers, streams and reservoirs. However, there will be some risks due to the massive snowpack that has accumulated.

According to AccuWeather digital journalist and meteorologist Brian Lada, "melting snowpack across the Sierra Nevada can lead to flooding along streams and rivers flowing out of the mountains. The watersheds linked to the southern Sierra will be particularly vulnerable to flooding as the snowpack across this region of the mountain range is more than 200% of historical averages, and there is the potential for more storms throughout the spring."

Storm chaser Brandon Clement recently captured drone footage showing drastic improvement in water level and snowpack for places such as Folsom Lake, Lake Oroville and Donner Pass since last summer.

The late-February storm brought over 100 inches of snow to several mountain locations, such as China Peak, Running Springs and Soda Springs. Some residents were completely snowed in, unable to leave their homes, including in San Bernardino County where a state of local emergency was declared. Gov. Gavin Newsom later issued a state of emergency covering 13 counties to help residents trapped in their homes, many without power.

The Sugar Bowl Resort marketing office in Norden, California, was completely snowed in after the late February storms in the state. (Photo via Sugar Bowl Resort)

The snow "just continued, and continued, and continued ... it just didn't stop. It was relentless," stranded Lake Arrowhead resident Lisa Griggs told AccuWeather.

Clark said that while little to no rain or snow is expected in Southern California over the next several days, more storms are in store for the northern and central portions of the state. While these latest installments in the series of moisture-laden storms this wet season across California will once again bring a variety of life-threatening impacts while promoting the risk of property damage, the storms will also provide additional drought relief.

AccuWeather meteorologists expect that the majority or even all of the short-term drought across California can be wiped out by mid-April.

However, the state isn't out of the woods yet in terms of drought. "Clearly the amount of water that's fallen this year has greatly alleviated the drought," Swain told The Associated Press. "It has not ended the drought completely, but we're in a very different place than we were a year ago."

AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter noted that some longer-term drought impacts, including the recharging of deep aquifers, can persist despite the major short-term drought turnaround.

Clark added that day-to-day impacts for California residents due to the lessened drought include less rigorous water usage restrictions, including for agriculture, which accounts for the vast majority of water use in the state. The improved water levels will allow for more crop growing, including almonds, one of the state's key agricultural exports.

Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  Residents of Southern California mountain towns have continued to struggle to dig out and get necessities in the aftermath of a record-setting blizzard last month that dumped so much snow that roads became impassable and roofs collapsed.

Here's a closer look at the situation:

SURVIVAL

Free food distribution centers have been set up at five locations, including the community of Crestline, which sits at an elevation of about 4,600 feet (1,400 meters).

A line of people waited there Monday to pick up food and necessities, such as toilet paper stacked in a parking lot.

Imagine not having any food in your house after being trapped for 13 days, resident Michelle Calkins told KTLA-TV.

Pablo Tello, another Crestline resident, picked up a replacement for a broken shovel so he could get back to helping dig snow away from homes, with special attention to buried gas lines that have been linked to several fires.

Tello said his snowshoes used to be placed over his fireplace as a decoration, but now he's using them to help his neighbors and seniors not able to leave their homes.

THE BLIZZARD

Rare blizzard warnings went into effect in late February in the mountain ranges of Southern California as an arctic air mass plunged down the West Coast, plastering California's coast ranges and the Sierra Nevada.

In an extremely unusual event, staggering amounts of snow fell east of Los Angeles in the San Bernardino Mountains and the adjacent San Gabriel Mountains, where thousands of people live or visit communities at high elevations reached by windy, steep highways.

Both mountain ranges routinely have winter snowfalls, but what looked like the foundation for epic downhill ski days instead became a nightmare.

Big Bear City received 80 inches (203 centimeters) of snow over a seven-day period, the most since these records have been tracked, according to meteorologist Alex Tardy, with the National Weather Service in San Diego. Until now, the most snow recorded in a seven-day period there was 58 inches (147 centimeters) in 1979.

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Gov. Gavin Newsom declared emergencies in 13 of California's 58 counties beginning March 1.

SNOWED IN

Residents found themselves unable to leave their homes or vacation rentals, much less free their vehicles.

San Bernardino County authorities said the snowfall was so great it exceeded the capability of plows to clear roads, requiring earth-moving equipment and dump trucks to pick up and move snow.

A shortage of tire chains further hampered the response.

Highways were closed to all but emergency vehicles, frustrating residents who had been away when the storm hit and were forbidden to head back up to their homes.

Sections of key mountain roads in the Big Bear area were finally reopened Monday afternoon to residents only. The California Highway Patrol warned people returning home that they may encounter enormous snow drifts, downed power lines and potential gas leaks.

Roof collapses due to the weight of snow were reported, including a grocery store in the community of Crestline.

RECOVERY

Authorities began bringing in more snow removal equipment, organized convoys of grocery trucks, set up distribution centers and requested donations of nonperishable foods, water and general supplies.

Andrew Braggins told The Associated Press that hes one of the lucky ones. His street in Crestline is plowed and he was able to dig out his driveway. Most of his neighbors properties are still buried.

Braggins and his wife have been packing their Jeep with boxes of food from the distribution center and delivering them to neighbors. But its not as simple as just dropping the boxes at the front doors, he said.

We have to climb over 10-foot (3-meter) snow berms and carry them through deep snow down 60-foot (18-meter) driveways. It is exhausting, Braggins said.

A National Guard unit that normally fight wildfires was called in to use its shovels to help clear snow.

Clearing of state routes has been done by California Department of Transportation equipment.

Highways have intermittently been open to residents as conditions permit, but authorities warn than anyone who goes down may not be allowed back up.

As of Sunday, San Bernardino County estimated that it had made nearly 80% of county-maintained roads in the area passable, meaning that at least one lane was open. But the county noted that state and county plows are not allowed onto private property and residents will have to call in contractors to do those jobs.

FORECAST

Southern California has largely seen a respite since the blizzard, but heavy snow has continue to pile up in the north, including the Sierra, where totals so far this season are being measured in the dozens of feet.

The stormy weather calmed down Monday, but accumulations were forecast to continue through midweek.

The National Weather Service said the next Pacific storm is expected to arrive in California late in the week, and will be associated with a moderately strong atmospheric river, a long plume of moisture stretching back over the ocean.

Heavy rainfall and a mild airmass could cause rapid snowmelt in some areas that have received several feet of snow recently, the service said.
By Kanishka Singh and Ismail Shakil

OTTAWA (Reuters) -Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday he will appoint an independent special investigator to probe alleged election interference by China and also announced separate new probes into the suspected foreign meddling.

Canadian media have recently published detailed reports, citing anonymous intelligence sources, alleging schemes run by China to interfere in Canada's elections in 2021 and 2019.

Trudeau has come under scrutiny ever since those media reports came out and a recent poll showed a majority of Canadians wanted him to respond more forcefully to alleged election interference by China.

"I will be appointing an independent special rapporteur, who will have a wide mandate and make expert recommendations on combating interference and strengthening our democracy," Trudeau told reporters in a press briefing.

The rapporteur will be an "eminent Canadian" and will have power to make recommendations on foreign interference including a public inquiry, Trudeau said.

The prime minister also said he asked lawmakers in the parliament's national security committee to launch an investigation into the alleged foreign election interference.

China denies all allegations of interference, saying it has no interest in meddling with Canada's internal affairs.

Canada's National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP), an intelligence watchdog, will investigate and report its findings to the parliament.

Trudeau added he will ask another oversight agency, the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency (NSIRA), to review how national security agencies in Canada handled the foreign interference threat.

"Together, these measures will give us a better understanding of what happened in the last two elections, how foreign governments tried to interfere, how security agencies in Canada responded to the threat of interference and how the information flowed across government," the prime minister said.

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Trudeau and Canada's top security officials have acknowledged interference attempts by China, but they insist that election outcomes were not altered. They have not confirmed the media reports.

The Globe and Mail reported last month, citing intelligence sources, that China preferred the Liberal Party's government retaining power in 2021 over a Conservative Party win.

Despite sparring with Chinese President Xi Jinping over many issues, the Liberal government is seen as open to doing business with China, while the Conservatives are known to take a more hard-line stance against Beijing.

The accusations about covert Chinese schemes to meddle in Canadian affairs have added another layer of complexity to strained diplomatic relations between Canada and China.

Tensions between the countries mounted in late 2018 when Canadian police detained an executive of Chinese technology company Huawei Technologies and then Beijing arrested two Canadians on spying charges. All three were freed in 2021.

Earlier on Monday, Canadian police said they were investigating the media reports that cited secret intelligence for potential violations of information security laws.

Canada's Deputy Public Safety Minister Shawn Tupper told a parliamentary committee last week Canadian police were not investigating any of the allegations of Chinese influence. The police's statement on Monday indicated its investigation is targeted only on the information leaks.

Canada's spy agency is also conducting a probe of how classified information was leaked to news organizations.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh and Ismail Shakil; Editing by Sharon Singleton, Josie Kao and Sonali Paul)
Getty Images

The Education Department released new guidance to hold executives of for-profit colleges financially liable for unpaid costs to the government.

When a school shuts down or is accused of fraud, taxpayers or students often pay the costs.

The new guidance would determine the riskiest schools by considering existing criminal or civil lawsuits and settlements, among other things.

President Joe Biden's Education Department doesn't want to let executives of for-profit colleges that cause student debt to surge off the hook.

Last week, the Education Department released new guidance on implementing the Education Secretary's authority to hold executives of private colleges financially liable for the cost of unpaid debts defrauded students took on. When a school shuts down or is found to have engaged in fraudulent behavior, taxpayers and students often deal with the costs in the form of student debt or other sums owed to the federal government.

Currently, there is no practice to hold executives of those schools accountable for those costs  and the new guidance is intended to put a rule in place to make that happen.

"The Biden-Harris Administration is canceling the loans of more than a million borrowers cheated by for-profit colleges. But too often, the owners and executives of these colleges escape liability," Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal said in a statement. "Congress gave the Department the authority to make college owners and operators personally responsible for these losses in certain circumstances and we are going to use that authority to hold them accountable, defend vulnerable students, protect taxpayer dollars, and deter future risky behavior."

According to the press release, the guidance would require "an individual to assume personal liability on behalf of the institutions or groups of affiliated institutions that pose the largest financial risk to the United States," including schools that receive funding through federal financial aid each year. When determining what the riskiest institutions are, the department will consider:

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Existing civil or criminal lawsuits, settlements, or disciplinary actions by the government involving claims of fraud

Compliance issues or unpaid liabilities stemming from audits

And a compensation structure for executives that could "significantly affect the financial health of the institution."

For years, some Democratic lawmakers have been pushing for executives to be on the hook for behavior that caused students to take on more debt than they could afford to pay off. In 2021, top Democrat on the House education committee Bobby Scott told Education Sec. Miguel Cardona that taxpayers should not be responsible for costs of a defunct school.

"Given the substantial burden that is currently being borne by students and taxpayers when for-profit and converted for-profit institutions collapse, it is clear the Department has a responsibility to pursue any and all legal avenues available to recoup money that was allocated through financial aid programs," Scott wrote.

Federal Student Aid Director Richard Cordray later said that he "absolutely" agreed with Scott.

"More needs to be done to prevent people from abusing these student aid programs, from cheating taxpayers, from cheating students," he said at the time.

The department said it will evaluate costs for top executive on a case-by-case basis going forward. It has also taken other actions over the past year to help borrowers who believe they were defrauded by the school they attended by approving large batches of borrower defense claims, which are claims borrowers can file if they believe their school engaged in fraud, and if approved, their student debt would be discharged.

Over the summer, the department approved the largest group discharge to date for students who attended now defunct for-profit chains ITT Technical Institute and Corinthian Colleges.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The Cape Cod Canal has reopened after endangered whales were spotted in the water on Sunday afternoon.

The U.S. Coast Guard announced Sunday afternoon that the US Army Corp of Engineers had closed the canal to all vessel traffic due to the presence of three right whales.

Monday morning, the canal remained closed because the Coast Guard spotted another whale traveling through the water.

The canal reopened around 9:30 a.m on Monday.

In December 2022, a New England Aquarium official told Boston 25 News that the population for the North Atlantic right whales are in dire straights.

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
Falcon/Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) as the new Captain America in Falcon and the Winter Soldier. (Marvel Studios)

The Star-Spangled Man with a plan is back in Captain America: New World Order.

Well not quite yet, but he will be. Sam Wilson aka The Falcon aka the new Captain America is getting his own solo movie after the success of his team up mini-series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

Captain America: New World Order is set to be the tenth instalment of Marvels Phase 5 which kicked off with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and will serve as a sequel of sorts to the series.

Read more: Every upcoming MCU movie

Here is everything we know about the film so far.

Captain America: New World Order release date

So far, what we know is that film-wise Captain America will follow Nia DaCostas The Marvels, with a release date of 3 May, 2024.

Its release date comes before Thunderbolts which will pick up threads of other MCU characters like Bucky Barnes aka Winter Soldier.

Captain America: New World Order cast

Falcon/Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) in Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Marvel Studios)

The casting announced for Cap 4 already has people excited. Talking about taking on the mantle of Captain America from Chris Evans, Mackie told Yahoo: My Cap, hes not a superhero.

"He doesnt have a super-serum. So his superpower is his humanity. So I think with him he has to come to the stage with a very different understanding of what it is it to be a good guy or be a bad guy, and what are the decisions that make you tow that line in the way that you did. I just see him as more of a humane Cap, as opposed to a Cap of judgment, where this is right, or this is wrong. There are decisions that make you choose right or wrong.

Falcon/Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) in Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Marvel Studios)

And [hell have] a flyer costume, Mackie added in regards to Sam Wilsons new winged red, white and blue threads. Cause its leg day every day [in the gym]. We going straight spandex, none of this cotton stuff. We doing straight spandex.

Read more: Who is Kang the Conqueror?

Not only is Anthony Mackie back as Sam Wilson / Captain America marking his eight appearance in the MCU, but hell be joined by Harrison Ford as former General and Secretary of State Thaddeus Thunderbolt Ross.

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Harrison Ford will play Thaddeus Ross in the MCU. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Ford takes over the role from Wiliam Hurt who played him from 2008s The Incredible Hulk until 2021s Black Widow following his death from brain cancer.

Fords iteration will see the character moved up to being President of the United States suggesting once again Ross will be trying to control superheroes. Ford has signed on for two films, this one and Thunderbolts which will follow on.

Ed Norton and Liv Tyler in 2008's The Incredible Hulk. (Alamy)

Also returning from The Incredible Hulk is Liv Tyler's Betty Ross, marking her first appearance in the MCU for 15 years. She's the scientist daughter of Thaddeus Ross who was Bruce Banner's love interest when Ed Norton played the Hulk.

Read more on Deadline: Liv Tyler set for Captain America 4 return as Betty Ross (2 min read)

As well as Tyler, Tim Blake Nelson is also back as Dr Samuel Sterns from the 2008 film. Nelson was last seen as Bruce Banner's ally who had gamma-radiated blood dripped into an open wound showing him mutate.

Tim Blake Nelson as we last saw him in 2008's The Incredible Hulk. (Marvel Studios)

Since then theres not been much from him, but its suggested that Nelson will be taking on Sterns villainous alter-ego The Leader to cause trouble for Wilson.

Back from Falcon and the Winter Soldier is Carl Lumbly as Isiah Bradley, a former super soldier now living a normal life. Bradleys arc in the show showed that Black Americans were undervalued in the past and that will clearly weigh heavily on Sam going forwards.

Read more: Everything we know about Secret Invasion

Lumblys grandson Eli, portrayed by Elijah Richardson, also becomes the superhero Patriot in the comics. Whether that happens in the film or not remains to be seen.

(L-R): Eli Bradley (Elijah Richardson), Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly) and Falcon/Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. (Marvel Studios)

Also back is Joaquin Torres portrayed by Danny Ramirez. In the series he was an Air Force Lieutenant on the hunt for the Flag Smashers, but as promised by Marvel he will have a beefed up role in the movie and will don the Falcon suit as the second iteration of the character.

Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez) in in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. (Marvel Studios)

New cast members announced for the film include Emmy-nominated Israeli actress Shira Haas as Sabra, a character from the comics linked with the mutants. In the comics shes a Mossad agent with super powers like healing, strength and stamina as well as the ability to grant superpowers to others and transfer her life force. making the film feel like an intentional intrigue story.

Read more: Who are the Young Avengers?

Also in the cast is Xosha Roquemore though her role has not yet been disclosed. Roquemore is best known for roles in Precious, The Disaster Artist and Black Monday.

Captain America: New World Order plot

(L-R): Karli Morgenthau (Erin Kellyman) and Falcon/Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) in Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Marvel Studios)

Little is known about the plot outside of the so-far announced characters but we do know it will follow on from Falcon and the Winter Soldier is showing Sam grapple with being a Black Captain America in a world of heightened tensions.

Mackie has spoken about the weight that the name Captain America brings and the inclusion of Lumbly as Bradley suggests that this will still weigh heavily on Wilsons shoulders adding some much needed emotional weight.

Bringing back Sterns as an antagonist also suggests that this will be about bringing back threads from Phase 1 and making them relevant again, just as She-Hulk brought back Abomination.

Who is making Captain America: New World Order?

(L-R) Anthony Mackie, Carl Lumbly, Danny Ramirez, and Julius Onah pose during D23 2022. (Corey Nickols/Getty Images for IMDb)

Captain America: New World Order is being directed by Julius Onah. Onah previously directed science fiction sequel The Cloverfield Paradox and independent drama Luce.

Both of these give a feel for what Marvel are looking for in a director. Luce was very much about race and psychological exploration, while Cloverfield Paradox showed that Onah could handle a large ensemble, visual effects and the confines of working within a franchise, both of which bode well as he takes over the reigns of the franchise from previous directors Joe Johnston, The Russo Brothers and Kari Skogland.

Read more: Ant-Man 3's post-credit scenes explained

The screenplay is being written by Malcolm Spellman and Dalan Musson. Spellman was both writer and show runner on Falcon and The Winter Soldier while Musson also worked on scripts for the series suggesting that this will be as much as a sequel to the series as it is a new iteration of Cap.

Captain America: New World Order will be released 3 May, 2024.
Darcy Ross, Eve Smith, Sophie Russon, Shane Loughlin, Rafel Jeanne - Media Wales/Social media

Three dead and two seriously injured passengers lay undiscovered in car wreckage for as long as 46 hours, while police told a mother to stop ringing them about her missing daughter.

Gwent Police has been accused of appearing so unconcerned when it was contacted about three missing childhood friends on Saturday night that families were forced to mount their own searches.

Sophie Russon, 20, Eve Smith, 21 and Darcy Ross, 21, had been on a night out together on Friday, visiting bars in the towns of Newport and Porthcawl, South Wales.

They then travelled to the Cardiff area in the early hours of Saturday morning in a VW Tiguan with Rafel Jeanne, 24, and Shane Loughlin, 32, who were believed to be new acquaintances. All five of them vanished at around 2am.

A missing person report was first filed with Gwent Police at around 9pm on Saturday, police sources told The Telegraph. The family and friends of those missing, by now extremely worried, used social media to ask for information at around the same time.

Yet it was not until more than a day later, just after 11pm on Sunday, that Gwent Police finally put out its own public appeal.

The scene of the crash - WALES NEWS SERVICE

Its press statement was barely an hour old when the wreckage of the VW Tiguan was recovered among trees just off a roundabout on the A48 in the St Mellons area of Cardiff at 12.15am.

Ms Smith, Ms Ross and Mr Jeanne were all found dead, according to their families. Ms Russon and Mr Loughlin were seriously injured and have been taken to hospital where they remain in a critical condition, police said.

It is unclear precisely when the crash happened, but the abrupt end to all communications and social media updates at around 2am on Saturday raises the possibility the victims were lying there for nearly two days.

The mother of Ms Russon, Anna Certowicz, said she was dismayed by the polices apparent lack of concern when she first reported her daughter missing.

The scene in the St Mellons area of Cardiff where three people who disappeared on a night out have died in a road traffic accident - PA

She was eventually forced to mount her own search around the Gwent and Cardiff areas after the force told her to stop ringing the station for updates.

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They didnt seem to care, Ms Certowicz, 42, told the Daily Mail.

I had to drive to Cardiff to knock on doors myself because they were doing sod all. They just didnt seem to think it was worth investigating. It was so frustrating.

I think they assumed that Sophie was hungover somewhere, but shes a sensible girl who works in a bank and hasnt taken a day off for three years.

Shes not someone whos out clubbing in Cardiff all the time. On Friday nights shes more likely to be babysitting so other people can go out. She wouldnt just vanish like this unless something was wrong.

A vehicle is recovered and moved under cover from the scene - Gareth Everett/Huw Evans Agency

It later emerged that the car had not been found by police, but by friends of the missing women who were leading their own search party.



Speaking at the scene, Tamzin Samuels, 20, said: I do think the police could have done a lot more in putting the helicopters out earlier.



They only posted the appeal an hour before the girls were found. We found them before the police found them  we rang the police.



The search party found the girls before the police found the girls.



I think that speaks volumes really, they had all that equipment, and we had cars when we were looking.

A spokesman for Gwent Police said: "We understand how distressing it is when a loved one goes missing.

"We are aware of media reports regarding this, and we will be liaising closely with the families involved to find out more information and address any concerns of this nature."

Gwent Police and South Wales Police have referred themselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which will carry out an assessment of whether the forces need to be investigated for their handling of the case. South Wales Police are investigating the circumstances of the crash.

An IOPC spokesman said: We can confirm that Gwent Police have advised us that they are making a referral in connection with this tragic incident and we will carry out an assessment in due course to determine what further action may be required from us.

A spokesperson for South Wales Police said: To ensure independent oversight, South Wales Police has referred the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, as is usual in these circumstances.
Boeing David Calhoun received $22.5 million in total compensation for 2022. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo

Boeing CEO David Calhoun lost out on a $7 million bonus in 2022 for missing one of his goals.

But he still made $22.5 million in 2022.

In February, Boeing approved a $5.3 million incentive to encourage Calhoun to stay and lead the company.

David Calhoun, the CEO of Boeing, lost out on a $7 million bonus in 2022 as he missed one of his goals  but he still made $22.5 million for the year, according to a Friday regulatory filing.

Calhoun missed out on his payout as he couldn't get Boeing's new 777X aircraft into service by the end of 2023, the aviation giant said.

"It is clear that this goal will not be met, albeit for reasons largely beyond Mr. Calhoun's control," Boeing said in the regulatory filing. And while Calhoun made decisions about the management of the 777 program in the company's long-term interest, "that contributed to that goal not being met."

Boeing added in the filing that Calhoun's goals were set before the widespread onset of COVID-19 and the Aircraft Certification Safety and Accountability Act was passed in late 2020. The law reformed how the Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, certifies new planes.

Calhoun said at Boeing's first-quarter earnings call in April 2022 that the FAA is conducting all new airplane certifications with "rigor."

Despite the delay, Calhoun still received $22.5 million in total compensation for 2022  this is 6.6% higher than the $21.1 million he received for 2021, per Boeing. The sum includes his base salary of $1.4 million which was constant for both years, as well as stock and options awards.

Calhoun took over the CEO position at Boeing in January 2020  two months before the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic.

While Boeing's business was roiled by a slump in demand for travel during the pandemic, it's now rebounding. The Virginia-based company is set to hire almost 10,000 employees in 2023, Reuters reported on January 28.

In February, Boeing approved a grant of 25,000 restricted stock units to incentivize Calhoun to stay in the company through its recovery. "The award reflects the Board's recognition of and continued confidence in Mr. Calhoun's strong leadership," the company said in the February 16 filing. It's valued at over $5.3 million based on Boeing's current share price.

Boeing shares closed 2.4% higher at $215.11 on Friday. They are about 13% higher so far this year.

Read the original article on Business Insider
CAMDEN  A Burlington County woman facing state charges of stealing from an employer and posing as an attorney now is in trouble with federal authorities, too.

Rebecca Cronin, 39, of Southampton has allegedly violated terms of a sentence imposed by a federal judge in January 2019, according to court records.

More: Marijuana on the menu?Long-vacant diner on Route 73 could see new life as a cannabis dispensary

Cronin's sentence included a 15-month term in federal prison, followed by a three-year period of supervised release.

Violation of supervised release

She allegedly violated terms of her supervision by committing another federal, state or local crime, according to a court filing by a federal probation officer.

Evesham police on Feb. 21 charged Cronin, also known as Rebecca Shugars, with theft by deception, forgery and practicing law without a license. Her supervision period was scheduled to expire on March 19.

Among other offenses, police alleged she stole more than $100,000 from an unidentified employer.

She is also accused of forging a Medford lawyers signature on court documents and taking payments from victims for her purported legal services.

Theft from diamond traders

In the earlier case, Cronin was accused of stealing about $249,000 over two years while working for a family-run business that traded in diamonds in Philadelphia. She admitted guilt to wire fraud.

Bill Omar Carrasquillo of Woolwich was sentenced Tuesday in Philadelphia federal court.

The scheme took advantage of the firms PayPal account for online payments and money transfers, authorities said.

In the New Jersey case, Cronin - initially held in a county jail after her arrest - was released at a Feb. 27 hearing in Camden federal court. She awaits a revocation hearing next month.

The terms of her release bar Cronin from working with any business involving legal services "or where defendant may have access to individuals personal information."

The charges against Cronin are only allegations. She has not been convicted in the case.

An investigation into Cronin's alleged activities is continuing in New Jersey.

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Anyone with information, and/or believes they were victimized by Cronin is asked to contact Evesham police at 856-983-1116 or Evesham Police Detective Jared Halpern at HalpernJ@eveshampd.org.

Jim Walsh is a senior reporter with the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal.

This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Burlington County NJ woman accused of stealing adds new charge
A lawyer for one of Britain's longest-serving inmates, Charles Bronson, has described him as a "political prisoner", insisting "he is a product of the system in which he finds himself".

Bronson, 70, is appearing before a public parole hearing on Monday, having spent most of the last 50 years behind bars after being originally sentenced to seven years for armed robbery in 1974.

He has since committed a strong of violent offences, largely in prison, including holding a total of 11 people hostage at various points during his incarceration and attacking fellow inmates and prison guards - also spending a huge amount of time being held in solitary confinement.

Read more: Who is Charles Bronson and why has he been in prison for so long?

Lawyer Dean Kingham, who previously represented Bronson in an appeal, said Bronson hadn't been given a chance to demonstrate his rehabilitation.

"I think he is a political prisoner," he told GB News. "Because he is held in these extremely secure and almost alien conditions... he's not been given any opportunity to meaningly show to anybody - and that's the parole board - that he can be trusted or he can live a more pro-social life in the community or even in less secure prison conditions."

Charles Bronson (left), appeared via video link from HMP Woodhill during his public parole hearing. (PA)

Charles Bronson pictured during some time out from prison in 1992. (PA)

Bronson's hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London will be the second ever public appeal, although the latest in a string of pleas for release from Bronson that date back to 2002.

Kingham questioned whether the description of Bronson as Britain's "most notorious prisoner" was unfair given the nature of his offences.

"But if you really strip it all down and look at this case - he hasn't been convicted of murder, he's never raped anyone, he's never offended against children and it begs the question is he really Britain's most notorious prisoner when we have the killers of Lee Rigby, Levi Bellfield and Ian Huntley to name but a few?

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"Can we really say that someone convicted of Charlie's crimes is in fact the most notorious prisoner?"

Bronson, who in 2014 changed his name to Charles Salvador as an homage to surrealist artist Dali, became one of Britain's most well-known prisoners after numerous high-profile protests at his incarceration, including a rooftop demonstration that caused 250,000 worth of damage at Broadmoor.

A supporter of notorious inmate Charles Bronson outside the Royal Courts Of Justice, London, ahead of his public parole hearing.

"The vast majority of [offences] have occurred behind prison bars, they've occurred in prison," Kingham said. "If you were to speak to Charlie today, which unfortunately you cant, he would be the first to admit that he has fought the system but the system has fought him back and it continues to do so."

Kingham explained Bronson is currently being held in a "prison within a prison" and spends 23 hours every day in his cell and just one hour of recreation in a small exercise yard.

Bronson's family and supporters argue that the prisoner has long paid his debt to society, and that he has not been involved in a violent incident since 2018, however the justice secretary, Dominic Raab, is opposing his parole - arguing that he still poses a risk to the public.

In a Channel 4 documentary released last week, Bronson said: "Ive got a horrible, violent, nasty past, but I've never killed anybody and Ive never hurt a woman.

"Im focused, Im settled, I can actually smell and taste freedom like Ive never, ever done in me life. Im now anti-crime and anti-violence. So why the f*** am I still in prison?"
The children of a couple killed last year when a vehicle being chased by Sacramento police crashed into their car have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city and police, accusing officers of negligence by continuing a high-speed chase through rush-hour traffic.

The lawsuit stems from a 26-second police chase on May 21, 2022, in which the parents of Cathy and Johnny Le  Binh Nguyen and Tien Thuy Le  were killed as they were driving for coffee in the citys Little Saigon neighborhood. Cathy Le is 9, and her brother is 5.

The pursuit began around 8:45 a.m. that Saturday, with police reporting two vehicles driving recklessly on Stockton Boulevard and giving chase for about one-half mile.

The chase ended just north of 65th Street when a 2012 Mercedes Benz S550 allegedly driven by J C Monroe crashed into the couples 2016 Toyota RAV4, killing them.

Sacramento County jail records say Monroe remains in custody without bail on charges of murder, felony evading of police, driving under the influence and driving on a suspended or revoked license.

The lawsuit names Monroe and Marlena Verna Clovin, who allegedly was in the Mercedes with Monroe, as well as the city and police.

The suit, filed by Sacramento attorney Joseph Babich in Superior Court, says unnamed police officers negligently initiated and continued a police chase in early-morning rush-hour traffic in an area commonly overrun with pedestrian and vehicular traffic.

This horrific accident resulting in the devastating loss to these two young children should never have happened, Babich wrote in a statement to The Bee Monday. Our investigation has revealed the circumstances did not warrant such a police pursuit given the nature of the alleged crime and the traffic conditions at that time of day.

The suit alleges that officers failed to follow police pursuit guidelines and failed to terminate the subject police pursuit despite its high risk to public safety, leading to the foreseeable collision.

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A city spokesman declined to comment Monday, saying officials had not yet been served with the lawsuit.

A Sacramento Bee investigation last year found that Sacramento has the highest vehicle pursuit rate among Californias largest 10 cities.

The department initiated 725 chases from 2018 through 2021, a rate of about 10 chases per 1,000 reported violent or property crimes, The Sacramento Bee found, with 69 chases resulting in collisions with at least one injury.
SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Chile launched a program on Monday to protect the huemul, an endangered southern deer, by creating a biological corridor that includes an area recently donated by the family of the late philanthropist and founder of the North Face, Douglas Tompkins.

The Rewilding Chile Foundation, Tompkins' legacy, along with Chile's Ministry of Agriculture, said that the "Huemul National Corridor" will be made up of approximately 16 connected, state-protected areas alongside other private conservation initiatives.

"This public-private initiative seeks to reduce threats to the species, strengthen huemul populations in key conservation areas of the Patagonian Park Route," the ministry said in a statement, adding that it will also build the world's first Rescue, Rehabilitation and Reproduction Center for Huemuls.

Last week, Kristine Tompkins, co-founder and president of Rewilding Chile, met with President Gabriel Boric to donate 93,492 hectares (231,024 acres) for the creation of a new national park in the Magallanes region.

"This is one of the reasons that this park is so important not only for Chile but for the world," Tompkins told Reuters, adding that Southern Chile is an important source of carbon sequestration due to its peat bogs and untouched forests. "This is a 'great goal' for conservation and fighting against the climate crisis."

The huemul is one of two species of native deer found only in the Patagonian forests of Argentina and Chile. But habitat degradation has reduced the huemul to less than 1% of its original population, according to ministry data.

Adult huemuls, also known as guemuls, can reach about 1.55 meters (5.1 feet) in length, 80-90 cm (31.5-35.5 inches) in height and weigh up to 68 kg (150 lb). They are herbivores and live for about 14 years.

Despite being originally found in areas in central Chile, the huemul can now be seen mainly in the southernmost regions of Aysen and Magallanes.

"A species like the huemuls will not survive if all its places are not connected and this is a very broad vision that will serve as a model in many other parts of the world and will be the act that saves this species," Tompkins said.

(Report by Reuters Television and Fabian Andres Cambero; Editing by Sandra Maler)
China cameras

China could infiltrate Britains weapons supply chain, a defence minister has warned.

The Government is taking extremely seriously the threat from Chinese equipment, such as security cameras, that have the potential to compromise defence firms based in the UK, he said.

Alex Chalk, Minister for Defence Procurement, said he was concerned about Chinese infiltration of defence supply chains.

Asked at a defence conference about the risk of compromise by Chinese technology, Mr Chalk said: One of the things were doing in defence is applying a forensic look at the supply chain; all the bells and whistles that supply these highly complex weapons to try to understand the provenance and risk of Chinese, or indeed Russian infiltration.

Accepting that the UK was just clinging on to its position as the worlds second-biggest defence exporter, Mr Chalk said the Government was working with defence firms in the UK such as Rolls Royce and BAE Systems to ensure supply chains and manufacturing plants are free from Chinese surveillance.

Surveillance cameras at military bases

This is something were taking extremely seriously, he said, warning of the risks of developing exquisite weapons that may involve Chinese firms in the supply chain.

Thats not the path for the future, he said.

The news comes as the MoD admitted last month that Chinese surveillance cameras were still being used at numerous military bases, over a year since they should have been replaced.

The equipment suppliers, Chinese technology companies Hikvision and Dahua, have long been linked with the People's Liberation Army of China, although they deny handing any data to the Ministry of State Security, an internal spy agency.

MPs raised concerns as both companies are subject to Chinas National Intelligence Law, which requires them to hand over any information the country's police and intelligence services require.
(Bloomberg) -- China plans to create a central agency to manage the flow of data within the country and abroad, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Beijing intends to set up a new national data bureau that will become the top overseer of data-related issues, the Journal reported. The move centralizes power under one agency rather than the multiple bodies that now oversee information management, including the Cyberspace Administration of China.

Chinese officials have in recent years emphasized the need to strengthen their control over the valuable data generated by swaths of the economy, including its internet industry. Globally, governments are increasingly trying to gain better visibility into and control over the flow of information, particularly as new data-reliant technologies such as artificial intelligence emerge.

President Xi Jinping is moving to consolidate the Communist Partys hold over the worlds second-biggest economy, touting plans for sweeping changes to Chinas bureaucracy and more influence within private companies. The shift comes at a crucial time for Chinas economy, which is growing at closer to its slowest pace in decades following years of strict Covid restrictions and a wider geopolitical spat with the US that has brought punitive tariffs, sanctions and export curbs on advanced technology.

Read more: Missing Banker Reignites Fear of Xi Among Chinas Tech Bosses

Beijing has shown suspicion in recent years of the enormous amounts of data that private firms are amassing in the mobile era, a key reason behind a sweeping government crackdown on companies like Ant Group Co. and Didi Global Inc. that began in late 2020.

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The envisioned data regulator would have powers to investigate the use of software algorithms to manipulate data or encourage internet addiction, the Journal reported. It could also identify cybersecurity vulnerabilities and rule on whether multinational companies operating within the country can export data abroad, the newspaper added.

Its unclear how the various agencies that now deal with data, from the CAC to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, will work with the new body, the Journal said.

(Updates with details of an imminent overhaul from the fourth paragraph)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2023 Bloomberg L.P.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang delivers a government work report during the opening session of China's National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Sunday, March 5, 2023. Credit - Ju PengXinhua News Agency/AP

Given that Sunday was Premier Li Keqiangs final Work Report to Chinas annual rubberstamp parliament before retirement, you could forgive him for appearing more nostalgic than usual, lauding the governments truly momentous and remarkable achievements over the last five years, such as lifting almost 100 million people out of poverty.

In fact, a total of 26 pages of the 32-page report concerned past successes, compared with only eight out of 30 pages last year. Some analysts believe Lis focus on former glories suggests a lack of consultation with his successor regarding future plans. Others surmise that it means Chinas near-term looks grimly uncertain. In any case, Lis unveiling of an around 5% GDP growth target for 2023 was decidedly conservative, verging on pessimistic, though perhaps understandable amid confirmation that China achieved an expansion of just 3% last year, missing its target of 5.5%. (Lis first Work Report back in 2014 set a growth target of 7.5%.)

Still, a refocus on the economy does make sense. The early success of Chinas zero-COVID policy compared to the rest of the world gave President Xi Jinping a lot of space to pursue politically motivated, strategic goals at the expense of growth. And Xi used it to crack down on everything from tech monopolies to a runaway real estate market and even after-school tutoring. But a stalling of the economy as zero-COVID faltered led to rocketing youth unemployment, which has climbed steadily to around 20% today. On Sunday, Li told Beijings cavernous Great Hall of the People that the governments top priority for 2023 was economic stability by boosting domestic demand and creating another 12 million urban jobs. Tellingly, Xis signature policy of common prosperity didnt appear at all.

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So what were starting to see is a backing off from some of those political goals  and trying to get the economy moving back in the right direction, Jacob Gunter, a senior economics analyst at the Mercator Institute for China Studies, told a press briefing.

But its unclear whether dialing back politics is even possible in Xis China. At last Octobers Chinese Communist Party Congress, Xi installed staunch loyalists into his inner circle while assuming a protocol-breaking third leadership term. In 2019, he even changed the CCPs evaluating criteria for leading cadres so that the very first is commitment to his eponymous political thought. It has contributed to a cult of personality not seen since Mao Zedong.

However, during a speech on March 1 to mark the opening of the CCP Central Committee Schools spring semester, Xi expressed dissatisfaction with officials who overdo directives to trumpet their political loyalty or virtue-signal. Instead, he called for more professionalism among the rank and file. Leading officials must improve their capabilities in all respects, strive to be highly proficient in their work, and make constant efforts to enhance their professionalism to be more competent, Xi said.

Whether Xi is truly willing or able to soften his ideological urges for economic expediency is anyones guess. Economists believe that this years modest growth target is eminently achievable following the dismantling of zero-COVID. Still, household consumption in China remains lowunder 40% of GDP, compared to around 60% in high-income economiesand Li proposed 3.8 trillion yuan ($550 billion) for special-purpose local government bonds to help raise it. Efforts to boost consumption are being undermined by contradictory political imperatives, such as fostering technological self-reliance, with capital pumped into strategic industries rather than lessening the burdens of working families.

Consumers just dont make decisions based on the strategic technology goals of Beijing, says Gunter. They dont care whether the polymers that go into their laptop or cellphone or car are coming from a German chemical company or a Chinese chemical company.

In foreign policy, too, politics threatens to upset economic goals. Li announced that defense spending would rise by 7.2% in 2023, which is the fastest pace since 2019 amid increasing tensions with the U.S. on myriad issues, not least the status of Taiwan, the self-ruling island which Beijing claims as its sovereign territory. Uncertainties in the external environment are on the rise, Li told delegates. External attempts to contain and suppress China are escalating as well.

Still, since the CCPs stated deadline for military modernization by the Peoples Liberation Army centenary in 2027 is fast approaching, few analysts are surprised by the hike. Meanwhile, the softer tone in Lis Work Report to promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and advance the process of Chinas peaceful reunification with Taiwan seems to indicate an invasion isnt foremost on the agenda. The overtone seems to be one of patience and incremental progress rather than a rush for achieving quick results on Taiwan, says Wen-Ti Sung, a scholar specializing in Chinese elite politics at the Australian National University.

But once again, that all depends on putting politics on the backburnerwhich is a huge question mark under Xi. On Wednesday, the U.S. approved the sale of an additional $619 million of arms and equipment to Taiwan, prompting China to send 21 combat planes flying into the islands airspace. For all the talk of focusing on the economy, theres little sign that a newly emboldened Xisurrounded by lackeys and sycophantsis going to back down on his key policy priorities to make it happen.

Perhaps Xi can feel much more comfortable in terms of getting the bureaucracy to do his bidding, says Sung. But theres also the echo chamber effect which makes it harder to receive constructive criticism and feedback.
BEIJING/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Chinese tech giant Meituan plans to restructure its ride-hailing service and reduce the number of staff it has working on the platform, according to an internal letter seen by Reuters on Monday and two sources.

The company intends to reduce the amount of resources dedicated to the service and a portion of the service's staff will be transferred to other business lines, according to the letter sent by the company's CEO Wang Xing.

Meituan declined to comment. The company's main app is known in China as a 'superapp' which has services from food delivery to restaurant bookings. Local media outlets such as 36Kr first reported the letter earlier on Monday.

The move marks the latest flip in approach by Meituan to its ride-hailing service, which it relaunched as a standalone app in 2021 after regulators barred the Chinese market's dominant player Didi Global from registering new users and removed its apps from app stores amid a cybersecurity investigation.

Meituan first launched the Meituan Dache app in 2017 but removed it from app stores two years later citing losseslocal media reported at the time. But over the whole period, it has offered the ride-hailing service among the suite of services on its main app.

Didi's Chinese service was allowed to resume new user registrations in January after it was dealt a $1.2 billion fine over data-security breaches.

Meituan's decision also comes as many of its tech peers are evaluating non-core businesses and cutting costs as the economy slows. Meituan was badly hit by COVID-19 curbs last year but it swung back to profit last quarter as it put the brakes on heavy investment on its new initiatives.

(Reporting by Jenny Wang, Kevin Huang and Brenda Goh; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
By Yew Lun Tian

BEIJING (Reuters) -Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Monday private companies should be "rich and loving" by shouldering a responsibility along with state-own firms to achieve prosperity for all.

Private Chinese and foreign firms have been waiting for Beijing to flesh out details on how it intends to pursue "common prosperity", Xi's signature initiative to narrow China's wealth gap, and how it expects private firms to contribute.

Speaking in a closed-door meeting with government advisers representing the business sector during the annual session of parliament, Xi urged private firms and entrepreneurs to be "patriotic" and participate actively in charity undertakings, state radio reported on Monday.

Xi also said that private firms should share the fruits of their growth with employees more equitably, in what he called a "community of shared interests".

"Be rich and responsible, be rich and benefit others, be rich and loving," state radio cited Xi as saying.

Some analysts say private firms are concerned that Xi's call for "common prosperity" could translate into a de facto tax as debt-ridden local governments struggle to boost fiscal revenue.

"The problem with 'common prosperity' is it can lead to a very uncertain tax burden, unlike the official corporate tax rate as stated by law," Alfred Wu, associate professor at the Lee Kwan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, told Reuters.

He said it is unfair to expect private firms to share the social responsibility for "common prosperity" with state-owned firms, which enjoy privileged access to markets and preferential loans not always available to private firms.

Xi said on Monday that China would always treat private firms and entrepreneurs as "family" and promised to remove institutional obstacles that prevent private companies from being able to compete fairly, according to state radio.

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Beijing has pledged to support a private sector reeling from a regulatory crackdown in the property, technology and private education industries and recovering from state-imposed COVID restrictions that were lifted in December.

Xi blamed the West for the difficulties faced by China's economy. "Led by the United States, the West has implemented all-round containment to suppress China, bringing unprecedented challenges to China's development," state radio quoted Xi as saying.

(Reporting by Yew Lun Tian and Beijing Newsroom, editing by Mark Heinrich)
Chris Christie said the "half-full" crowd at CPAC this weekend is a sign of Trump's unpopularity.

Christie said Trump may be the GOP's 2024 frontrunner now, but he's not as powerful as he was before.

"There are lots of indicators here that he's not what he used to be," Christie said.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said the small crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference this weekend shows how much former President Donald Trump's popularity has waned.

"You saw the scenes at CPAC, that room was half-full," Christie said during an appearance on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday.

Christie said that "only the most desperate people showed up at CPAC to even speak, other than Trump or people within Trump's orbit."

Christie added that he suspects Trump isn't holding rallies often now because he knows the crowd size won't "be nearly as big" as it used to be.

"He measures that as an example of his own power and his own authority, and I don't think he has it anymore," Christie said, citing how Trump got upset about having a smaller crowd at his 2017 inauguration than his predecessors.

But Christie conceded that Trump remains the front-runner in the GOP presidential race, mostly because he's a former president running for re-election.

"There are lots of indicators here that he's not what he used to be," Christie said on ABC.

Christie's criticism comes as no surprise  he's a one-time Trump ally turned vocal critic of Trump. And in November, Christie told the Washington Examiner that he'll decide in five to six months if he wants to run for president himself. If he does run, he'll be one of Trump's rivals for the GOP's 2024 ticket.

It's unclear if this year's attendance at CPAC was markedly lower than in previous years. Photos that circulated on Twitter over the weekend appeared to show many empty seats in the auditorium.

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It's also unclear if the turnout at CPAC was in any way affected by the conservative group Club for Growth's private retreat in Florida. This event, which clashed with CPAC, was headlined by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, CNN reported.

"The donors and the members and the voters are all looking for the same thing  a strong candidate who can run for president and win back the White House," David McIntosh, the Club for Growth's president, told Fox News in a story published on Friday.

When asked about Trump, McIntosh said Trump was not invited to the Florida retreat because the Club for Growth's donors already "know Trump."

"They like his record as president, but they're not sure he can win. So they're going to take a look and this will be an opportunity for the candidates to present themselves," McIntosh told Fox News.

Meanwhile, Trump vowed during a speech at CPAC on Saturday to not drop out of the 2024 presidential race even if he is indicted.

In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump said CPAC was "an amazing experience" and that the "place was packed with great American Patriots." In another post on Sunday, he critiqued the Club for Growth, calling it the "Club for No Growth" and slamming it for supporting "Ron DeSanctus."

Representatives for CPAC and a spokesman for Trump did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Viewers have pointed out an error in Chris Rocks latest stand-up special.

The comedian made history this weekend as he performed Netflixs first ever live-streamed set on Saturday (4 March).

Selective Orange contained a number of notable moments, including Rock addressing the time he was slapped by Will Smith at the 2022 Oscars.

Rock, 58, said, The thing people wanna know did it hurt? Hell yeah, it hurt. He played Muhammad Ali! in reference to Smiths role as the famous boxer in 2001s Ali.

I played Pookie [in 1991s New Jack City]. Even in animated movies, Im a zebra, hes a f***ing shark. I got hit so hard, I heard Summertime ringing in my ears, said Rock.

The comedian was referring to his voiceover role as Marty the zebra in the Madagascar franchise, and Smiths part in the 2004 film Shark Tale.

Fans, however, were quick to point out that Smiths character Oscar is not a shark, but a bluestreak cleaner wrasse fish.

He CLEARLY needs to rewatch Shark Tale, one person wrote on Twitter.

(REUTERS)

Another added: Chris Rock thinks Will Smith played the shark in Shark Tale.

Chris Rock has been polishing material about Will Smith, and yet he says that Will Smith played the shark in shark tale, said a third person.

Someone else said: My takeaway from the Chris Rock special is he thinks Will Smith played a shark in Shark Tale.

My only comment on Chris Rocks new special is that he compares his and Will Smiths Dreamworks movies. Im a zebra, hes a shark.



In the Madagascar series Rock does indeed play a zebra named Marty. But in Shark Tale, Will Smith plays a bluestreak cleaner wrasse not a shark pic.twitter.com/kwGvfs0dEs  Henry Gilbert (@hEnereyG) March 5, 2023

My takeaway from the Chris Rock special is he thinks Will Smith played a Shark in Shark Tale  Jeffrey Anderson (@JeffreyHasJokes) March 5, 2023

Smith walked on stage to slap Rock at last years Oscars ceremony after the comedian  who was presenting an award  made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

The King Richard actor was banned from Academy events, including the Oscars gala, for 10 years.

Elsewhere in the stand-up special, Rock made a bold claim about Pinkett Smith and also questioned Meghan Markles racism claims against the royal family.
Chris Rock has a response for those who asked why he didnt hit Will Smith back at the Oscars ceremony last year.

The comedian addressed the infamous slap head-on, in-depth in his live Netflix special Chris Rock: Selective Outrage, which arrived on the streamer on Sunday (5 February).

Smith stormed the stage at the 94th Academy Awards after Rock made a joke about Smiths wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, who has alopecia.

A lot people go, Chris how come you didnt do nothing back? How come you didnt do nothing back that night? Rock told the Baltimore Hippodrome Theatre audience. Because I got parents, thats why. Because I was raised.

He added: And you know what my parents taught me? Dont fight in front of white people.

Elsewhere in the special, Rock blamed Pinkett Smith for allegedly starting their feud.

According to Rock, the Girls Trip actor attempted to force him to quit hosting the Oscars in 2016 because her husband didnt get a Best Actor nomination for Peter Landesmans sports drama, Concussion.

Chris Rock at the Hippodrome Theater in Baltimore (Kirill Bichutsky/Netflix)

Years ago, his wife said I should quit the Oscars. I shouldnt host cause her man didnt get nominated for Concussion. And then he gives me a f***ing concussion, Rock quipped.

The comedian also said in the special: I have rooted for Will Smith my whole life. And now I watch Emancipation just to see him get whipped.

Smith plays an escapee Louisiana slave in the 2021 drama directed by Antonie Fuqua.

Following the 2022 Oscars, in which Smith won Best Actor for his titular role in King Richard, the actor was banned as a member of the Academy for 10 years, and will not be permitted to attend the 2023 ceremony.

In his first late-night talk show appearance since the Oscars fiasco, Smith told The Daily Show with Trevor Noah that he was going through something that night, attributing his actions to bottled rage.

This years Oscars ceremony takes place on 12 March.
Chris Rock saved some of his edgiest material for a famous California couple in his live Netflix standup special on Saturday  and were not talking about Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith.

The comic pummeled Meghan Markle and Prince Harry over their accusations of racism in the royal family. (Watch the video below.)

Everybody tryin to be a victim, Rock said, per Insider. Meghan Markle ... seem like a nice lady, just complaining. I was like, Didnt she hit the light-skin lottery ... and still going on complaining?

The comedian worked the segment to fit into the Selective Outrage title of his show. He questioned Markles surprise at the bigotry of the monarchy.

Its the royal family! he said, per the New York Post. You didnt Google these motherfuckers? What the fuck is she talking about, she didnt know?

Theyre the original racists. They invented colonialism, Rock riffed, per Insider. Theyre the OGs of racism. Theyre the Sugar Hill Gang of racism.

Thats like marrying into the Budweiser family and going, They drink a lot.

Rock explained that some of the shit she went through was not racism, it was just some in-law shit.

Markle notably said in a 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey that members of the royal family aired concerns about how dark the couples son Archie would be.

Im like, What the f- is she talking about? Theyre so racist, they wanted to know how brown the baby was going to be ... Rock said while pretending to cry, per People. Im like, Thats not racist cause even Black people want to know how brown the baby gon be. S-. We check behind them ears.

Chris Rock unloads on Meghan Markle and the Royal Family at his live Netflix show:



 Meghan Markle playing the victim

 Royal family are the original racists

 The colour of her and Harrys baby#ChrisRockLivepic.twitter.com/7rBqzpIZY7  Jamie Johnson (@JamieoJohnson) March 5, 2023

As expected, Rock devoted much of his shtick for verbally punching back at Smith for slapping him at last years Oscars after Rock joked about Jada Pinkett Smiths hair loss.

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But Rock packed a wallop for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as well.

The duke and duchess didnt immediately answer HuffPosts request for comment through their Archewell organization.

Related...
Chris Rock. Kamau/GC Images

The comedian Chris Rock's new special, "Selective Outrage," recently arrived on Netflix.

He told a story about getting his daughter kicked out of school so she would "learn her lesson."

Rock's daughter was in trouble with the school for sneaking out during a trip to Portugal, he said.

Chris Rock has made plenty of headlines over the past year after the infamous slap onstage at the 2021 Oscars, and he took plenty of jabs at Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith in his latest Netflix special, "Selective Outrage." But he also told a surprising story about getting his own daughter kicked out of school.

The comic said his daughter Lola went to a very expensive private school, adding that he found it strange that "my kids ski, ride horses, they fence" because he "identifies as poor."

Rock recalled that Lola went on a school trip to Portugal in her senior year, adding that she and her friends snuck out to go drinking. He said: "Of course, they got busted. Rich, white schools, they don't play that."

The "Grown Ups" and "Spiral" star added that the parents of the kids all hired lawyers to help deal with the incident, saying: "Even the ones that were lawyers got lawyers  good lawyers."

But Rock said his daughter wasn't taking the situation seriously, adding that he came home to find her "just laughing with, like, three of her little white girlfriends."

He added: "Lola is like, 'Daddy, stop it. You're so serious! I'll be back in school in no time.'"

Unfortunately for Lola, this comment was enough for Rock to decide that she needed to learn a lesson about her behavior and went to the school and spoke with Lola's dean.

Rock recalled telling the dean: "I need you to kick my daughter out of this school. I need you to kick her Black ass out of this school. I need my Black child to learn her lesson right now before she is up on OnlyFans and some shit.

"Please kick my child out."

He followed up by saying: "They kicked her out. They kicked them all out, but they kicked my child out first."

Rock was also quick to point out that things worked out OK since Lola ended up in college. And "except for some weird things," he said, his life is "pretty good."

Read the original article on Insider
When the history of live television is written, there will be a chapter dedicated to the 2022 Oscars. Hosted by comedian Chris Rock, the show rumbled along, handing out awards to all sorts of rubbish films (who remembersCODA?) but then, suddenly, it sparked to life. Will Smith, moments away from winning Best Actor, walked onto the stage and slapped Rock. Keep my wifes name out your f***ing mouth! Smith roared after returning to his seat, launching a thousand memes and now, a year on, Rocks revenge tour.

His new special, Selective Outrage, was broadcast live on Netflix, and marked the first time the comic has spoken about the 94th Academy Awards at length. But well come to that. Rock is a swaggering, charismatic, era-defining comedian. He saunters around the stage like he owns it. At 58, he has never been more confident or relaxed, even if he does appear to be powered by Botox. He knows who he is, and the audience does too. I didnt get rich and stay in shape to talk about Anita Baker, he informs them, in a riff about age-gap dating. Im trying to f*** Doja Cat. Other cultural targets range from Lululemon and Subaru to SoulCycle and Burger King. He gets rounds of applause for his daughter and mother, anxious murmurs when he talks about Meghan Markle, and excited whispers when rappers, from Snoop Dogg to Jay-Z, are referenced.

Rock has been so instrumental to the rhythm of stand-up over the past 30 years, that, at times, his set feels like parody. His constructions are so familiar theyre almost cosy, whatever the content. He tells the audience hes paid for more abortions than any woman in this room and paid off more college loans than Joe Biden. Performing in front of a Baltimore audience, the extended gags about the curse of Robert Kardashian land better than a protracted segment about his daughter getting kicked out of private school. Comedians on stadium tours talking about the vexations of being mega rich has become the new whats the deal with airplane food?.

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Why was this broadcast live? To some extent, Netflix probably see it as a test, both for their technology and their subscribers appetites. For all that he touches upon subjects like the pro-life debate, opioid crisis and colonialism, Rock is not a particularly edgy comedian. Im rich but I identify as poor, he says. My pronoun is broke. The relative mildness of Rocks comedy is more manageable than some of the more tendentious performers who have graced Netflix in recent years, and always the spectre of the unexpected  that night at the Oscars  looms over this special. When will he talk about Will Smith?

The wait continues for the best part of an hour. Before then, there is, of course, the now customary three-minute riff on trans people. I accept anyone, he tells the crowd, adding: In some situations, I prefer trans women to original recipe. Its a pointless detour  as much of a creative dead-end as it was for Dave Chapelle or Ricky Gervais  but one that is apparently mandatory in a show dealing with modernity. More effective are Rocks long ruminations on his own personal life, his singleness and avoidance of attachment.

Of course, Rock (and Netflix) know the reason why were here. The reason why this special is being aired live. It is to address the events of a year ago, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, where Hollywood royalty Smith smacked Rock. Yall know what happened to me, he says as the special arrives at its eagerly awaited climax. I got smacked at the f***ing Oscars by this motherf****er. Finally, in its last few minutes, Selective Outrage justifies its broadcast. The mood in the room switches from congratulatory to anticipatory; an edge creeps in and, thrillingly, Rock fluffs his lines, confusing the movies Concussion and Emancipation (easily done), a goof that requires him to reset a joke. But its still electric, because it feels real in a way that stand-up (especially a televised special) rarely does.

Other than that moment though, there was little need for this to be broadcast live  not least because Netflixs subtitling couldnt keep pace with Rocks delivery. The special itself is uninspired and regurgitative. Youll never see me on Oprah, crying, Rock claims. I took that hit like Pacquiao. And yet, given that this project exists to feed the tabloid frenzy around a slap so impactful that it has its own Wikipedia page, perhaps the intimacy of an interview wouldve been more interesting. For all that he willingly takes aim at the Pinkett-Smiths, Selective Outrage has little emotional insight. And, save for a few moments of nervous tension, the live broadcast is as pre-heated as, well, airplane food.
The Wichita City Council is being asked to approve a $200,000 settlement with a man shot by police on July 14, 2019.

On the agenda for the councils Tuesdays meeting is a recommendation from the law department to settle because of the uncertainty and risk of an adverse judgment at trial, according to the councils agenda. The agreed-upon settlement covers the city and officer Drake Kreifels, who shot Christian Joel Washington after a domestic disturbance.

Kreifels shot three times, hitting then-26-year-old Washington once in the abdomen.

Washington was taken to the hospital and underwent two surgeries, ultimately resulting in both a colon and intestine resection, Washingtons attorney, Timothy Hodge, wrote in the lawsuit.

He was confined to a wheelchair for months following his release from the hospital, he wrote.

Kreifels was hired by the department in August 2018 and graduated from the police academy in January 2019. He had been on patrol less than six months when the shooting happened.

Hodge said there is room for interpretation about whether Washington had a satchel in his hand that Kreifels had believed was a gun when the shooting happened, court records say. Hodge also called into question the shifting story from a court filing compared to Kreifels story about when the officer saw the dark object (satchel) later perceived to be a weapon, court records show.

All charges against Washington were dropped.

Hodge did not respond to questions from The Eagle.

Wichita police spokesperson Chad Ditch said Kreifels would not be available to comment.

Washingtons mother called 911 after her son showed up at his grandparents home in the 3100 block of West Keywest Court, close to 53rd Street North and Meridian, court records say. Washington had a no-contact order with his grandfather.

She believed her son had been using methamphetamine and jumped in the lake behind the house, The Eagle previously reported. She told an emergency dispatcher that he has a history of being violent, he could be combative with police, according to that Eagle story.

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Police arrived just before 8:30 p.m.

A court filing from U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Crabtree details what happened from there:

Officers Mark Oliverson and Glen Whisby found Washington walking along the road, next to a field. The officers tried to call over Washington before he took off running, Crabtree wrote that body cam footage showed.

The officers chased after Washington.

Oliverson said over the radio that Washington was reaching into his waistband as he ran. Oliverson told Washington to get his hands out of his pocket.

Washington replied with an expletive.

Oliverson told Whisby to stay back. The two officers started walking, staying behind Washington from a distance.

Washington was well ahead of them when a patrol car, driven by Kreifels with lights and sirens going, drove into the field after Washington.

Before the car stopped, Officer Kreifels opened the door, Crabtree wrote, referring to what Kreifels body cam showed. He then got out of the car and drew his gun immediately.

Kreifels gave multiple commands for Washington to get his hands up. Washington had stopped running and was now facing Kreifels while walking backward.

Kreifels later told investigators that Washington said something like, I want to die or I dont want to live, Crabtree wrote, though the judge did not mention hearing that in the footage.

He had his hands either at his side, or in front of him, Crabtree wrote, again referring back to the footage. He then shouted, (expletive) you and immediately extended both arms out to his sides at shoulder height.

As he raised his hands, Officer Kreifels told plaintiff to get [his] hands up, he continued. Then, just as Officer Kreifels told plaintiff to get his hands up again, plaintiff began to move his arms in front of him. Officer Kreifels fired his gun three times  Plaintiffs movements and Officer Kreifelss shots occurred almost simultaneously within the span of just one second. After Officer Kreifels shot him, plaintiff fell to the ground on his back.

With his gun still drawn, Kreifels told Washington to let go of whatever is in your right hand.

It was the satchel with a compass inside.

It took 26 seconds from the time Kreifels stepped out of his car until he shot Washington, Crabtree wrote.
Lao Airlines to resume direct flights to Da Nang

Lao Airlines, the national flag carrier of Laos, is scheduled to resume regular commercial flights from Vientiane capital to Da Nang (central Vietnam) from March 30 following a two-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.











The Lao airline will operate two flights per week between Vientiane and Da Nang every Thursday and Saturday.





Noudeng Chanthaphasouk, commercial director of Lao Airlines, said that the Vientiane - Da Nang route had been hugely popular among tourists before the COVID-19 pandemic and the resumption of this route will serve to meet the increasing demand of travelers in the region after post-pandemic travel restrictions were lifted.





Lao Airlines will use A320 aircraft for the route with a flight time of one hour and 15 minutes. A round-trip ticket costs around LAK4.8 million, equivalent to US$290.





According to the Lao media, Da Nang, which is home to famous beach resorts, is a favourite place among tourists from Japan, China, and the Republic of Korea to relax. Travelers will be able to easily extend their journey by taking advantage of a short trip from Da Nang to Laos where they can discover the natural beauty and world heritage sites on offer there.





Chanthaphasouk noted that Vientiane-Da Nang is an important route for Lao tourism as it not only helps to revive tourism in Laos but also serves to strengthen Laos' connection with the rest of the region and rejuvenates their economy.





Earlier Lao Airlines had resumed flights to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City after the Lao government reopened the door to international tourism on May 9, 2022.
AUSTIN, Texas  Real estate developer Douglas Gilliland believes the future of housing lies underground.

Amid the unseasonal heat of late February  as neighborhoods across the state hummed with the sound of condenser units struggling to cool homes  the Whisper Valley community Gilliland is developing was all but silent.

Thats because the houses he is building in the new master-planned community, which rises from the Texas prairie half an hour northeast of Austin, dont feature air conditioners.

Instead, they connect to what he calls a geo-grid  a network of purpose-built geothermal energy that he installed on-site long before builders showed up to put in houses.

Inside each house, water pumps mostly powered by solar energy shunt heat from the house into the cool earth more than 300 feet below  a form of clean energy known as geothermal heat exchange.

As well as reducing carbon emissions, this technology also slashes energy costs for the developments 400-some residents, giving realtors and homebuilders an attractive additional pitch to buyers in an era of rising energy prices.

Now backed by the Democrats new climate stimulus tax package  which knocks nearly a third off the cost of all renewable energy  Gilliland is taking the Whisper Valley model national, with projects in Florida, New England and across Texas.

Real estate has been slow to embrace sustainable building methods  in part due to a fundamental conservatism around adopting new technologies; during the long era of cheap fossil fuel energy, customers werent demanding them.

Now that has begun to change, driven by a diverse mix of factors. There is the rising public enthusiasm around renewables and concern for climate change; the growing need of real estate investors to prove their sustainable bona fides; the rising unpredictability in energy markets.

Then there are the past years repeated news-making disasters  in Texas and elsewhere  in which overstressed urban grids have failed amid an onslaught of extreme weather.

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But most important of all, there is a new flood of federal support: a flat 30 percent tax credit for potentially unlimited quantities of new renewable energy: geothermal, wind, solar, tidal.

Before those tax incentives passed last September with only Democratic support, all renewable energy businesses lived in a continual fog of uncertainty: never sure whether Congress would restore tax credits the next year.

When pitching to developers or investors, you dread getting to that part, because its not very confidence-building to say, Well, the [geothermal] incentive is 10 percent right now. They say, Well what do you mean, right now?' said Greg Wolfson, chief technology officer of EcoSmart Solutions, told The Hill.

EcoSmart is a company that Taurus Investment Holdings  a Massachusetts-based consortium for whom Gilliland is the managing director  incubated alongside Whisper Valley.

Now Wolfson is in charge of bringing the technology produced for Whisper Valley to developments nationwide; since September, EcoSmart has been able to approach potential business partners with the ironclad certainty of a decadelong, easy subsidy.

The change has been subtle. Deals long shelved have been brought back down for consideration. Numbers that didnt quite pencil now do. There hasnt been a tidal wave, but a slow but definite rise in new interest; a new thaw in old deals. Wolfson had been planning to reduce his workforce; now hes increasing it.

Gilliland plans to be on the forefront of this broader movement toward incorporating renewable energy into real estate.

Many of the products and practices now being implemented across the industry  from geothermal heat pumps and photovoltaic panels to solar-powered water heaters and modular homes  have existed for decades. But architects had long struggled to get anyone interested, John Rosshirt, former director of the National Association of Realtors, told The Hill.

One committee he served on at the National Association of Realtors  ostensibly about Private Property Rights and the Environment  would have been better billed as the anti-Environment committee, he said.

Now the association has a director of sustainability, and  after the COVID-era, when houses were so scarce that energy concerns were secondary to just having a roof over your head  interest among buyers is shifting from bottom-line price to the day-to-day costs of owning that house.

That opens the door to a sales pitch that combines cost savings, energy efficiency and a sense of doing good for the planet. But despite the growing mainstreaming of broadly sustainable concepts, realtors still often pointedly avoid language around climate, renewability or being green. Those concepts have certain connotations that are not well accepted in certain communities, Rosshirt said.

Instead, describing a home as high performance  which conveys its resilience to the ever-harsher environment  now attracts people from across the political and income spectrum, Rosshirt said.

Some of that new interest in energy savings has been funneled into solar energy  which, like geothermal, now benefits from a flat 30 percent federal tax incentive.

But going has been slow, Charles Tassell, chief operating officer of the National Real Estate Investors Association, told The Hill.

Everybody has been trying to figure out how to make solar work, but for investors purposes, its just not quite there yet, he said. For many homeowners, the high cost of solar panels  and the experienced workers who can install them  doesnt make sense, particularly when compared to other energy-saving measures.

But Gilliland argued  and other real estate experts concurred  that all those numbers look different when you can do an entire neighborhood from scratch.

True, he concedes, turning Americas existing 20th century housing stock energy efficient can be expensive, even if it pays for itself in the long run. Making old houses energy efficient requires retrofits of insulation and appliances, not to mention costly new interventions like installing solar panels or drilling new boreholes for private geothermal.

By contrast, Gilliland argues, planned communities like Whisper Valley offer developers a clean slate on which they can build energy-efficient neighborhoods from the underground up.

If you did one house at a time, youd be spending double what were spending on each house, he said.

Instead, by starting on a vacant site  occupied only by the rolling hills and live oak savannah of central Texas  his team was able to go in on the front end and drill a network of hundreds of geothermal wells that allowed them to move heat through the development.

In ecological terms, this approach has definite downsides. While Whisper Valley preserves 600 acres of woodlands and creekways  both as amenities and for flood control  the development is still being cut from forest that had been growing back over the abandoned cattle pastures from which its houses now rise.

For roughly this reason, the prevailing wisdom in climate and sustainability circles has been to encourage more growth in cities, packing more people closer to more services to allow the landscape to recover and, as it does, pull down carbon.

But land in the city is expensive, and the prospect of scraping hundreds of built up acres in central Austin  even to allow for a purpose-built energy-efficient neighborhood to rise in their places  currently belongs to the realm of science fiction. (EcoSmart also works with purpose-built apartment buildings  a better match for a denser city.)

For the energy costs, the only place you could do something like [Whisper Valley] is out on raw land, Rosshirt said. But theres pros and every subdivision. You lost a lot of habitat for foxes and whatever was there.

That loss, however, comes standard with a new subdivision; the energy savings dont. Each home in Whisper Valley boasts about 4 kilowatts of solar panels  substantially less than the 10 kilowatts recommended by the solar industry, Wolfson said.

This amount, if managed wisely and paired with a home battery like a Tesla Powerwall, can power a house nearly around the clock.

This kind of practical benefit  coupled with the certainty of a fixed and reduced energy cost amid an era of rising prices for gas heating  has helped change the pitch, Wolfson said.

It used to be we would make our appeal to the leading edge kind of sustainable oriented or someone who wanted to differentiate their development, he said. But theres a new, strong audience for us to reach out to  and thats real estate investors.

To those investors, he said, EcoSmart  by adapting the technology used at Whisper Valley to local subterranean conditions, from underground aquifers in Florida to nearby lakes in East Texas  can offer energy-efficient properties that can appeal to a mass audience.

This not a luxury development. This is a mainstream kind of production, Wolfson said of the homes, which range in price from the high 300 thousands to the low 600 thousands.

To Gilliland, that lower price point is key to mass acceptance. Concern for the environment isnt a luxury concern, he argues  its a something that people want, at least on the margins, at every price point.

What I found was that if people can be friendly to the earth, and afford it, they love it. They love the social consciousness they get from saying, Im on board with this movement, he said.

Updated 1:49 p.m. March 6

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Kasie Hunt, pictured in 2017, welcomed her second child over the weekend. (Colin Young-Wolff / Invision / Associated Press)

Kasie Hunt says her baby girl welcomed "herself to the world" earlier than expected.

The CNN anchor and chief national affairs analyst announced on Saturday the birth of her second child with NBC "Meet the Press" editorial director Matt Rivera. In an Instagram post on Saturday, Hunt shared her story.

"My husband @mattmrivera & I are thrilled to introduce our daughter, Grey Hunt Rivera  though really, she introduced herself," she wrote. "Grey was delivered by dad on the bathroom floor after 13 minutes of labor, before we even had time to dial 911, and 24 hours before she was scheduled to arrive via C section."

Hunt told People, which broke the news Saturday, that she welcomed her daughter "at home, early Wednesday morning."

The journalist, who previously worked for NBC News and MSNBC, wrote on Instagram that D.C. first responders walked her and Rivera through the birth before newborn daughter Grey "took her first breaths." Hunt and her child were safely transported to Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington.

In her collection of photos, Hunt, 37, can be seen sitting on the bathroom floor cradling her newborn with a D.C. Fire & EMS official standing nearby. In other photos, Hunt and Rivera pose with baby Grey in the hospital, and the couple's 3-year-old son, Mars, checks in on his new sibling.

"We couldn't be more excited for life as a family of four," she wrote.

In the comments, fellow journalists, including NewsNations's Allison Harris and CNN senior producer Ashley Killough, shared their support for the proud parents.

"She really wanted to give you a good story So happy for you!!!," wrote Killough.

"Grey is clearly a fighter and a star just like her Mama," commented Wall Street Journal reporter Sabrina Siddiqui.

Hunt and Rivera married in 2017 and welcomed son Mars in 2019.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Russian troops have lost at least five service people for every Ukrainian soldier killed defending Donetsk Oblast's Bakhmut, CNN reported on March 6, citing an unnamed NATO military official.

The official told CNN that the 5:1 ratio was an estimation based on the alliance's intelligence, adding that Ukraine has also suffered significant losses on the Bakhmut front line.

The battle for Bakhmut, a city in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, has been raging for the past seven months. The Russian military is attempting to increase its grip over the entirety of Donetsk Oblast, around half of which it currently occupies.

The commander of the Ground Forces of Ukraine, Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, said on March 6 that the tensions surrounding Bakhmut had peaked as Russia threw even more Wagner mercenary forces onto the battlefield.

Syrskyi added, however, that the Ukrainian military in Bakhmut "inflicted significant losses on the enemy, destroyed a large number of vehicles, forced Wagner's best assault units to fight, and reduced the enemy's offensive potential."

According to the U.K. Defense Ministry, the Russian army and Wagner Group mercenaries have recently advanced into the northern suburb of Bakhmut, "which is now a Ukrainian-held salient, vulnerable to Russian attacks on three sides.

The Ukrainian military said on March 2 that the option to withdraw from Bakhmut is on the table, but such a decision will only be made if it is "absolutely necessary."

Ukrainian infantrymen recently told the Kyiv Independent of unprepared, poorly-trained battalions being sent to the front line to survive as best they could with little support from armored vehicles, mortars, artillery, drones, and tactical information.


Colorado Democrats have introduced a bill that would ban the sale and transfer of assault weapons in the state.

The Friday introduction of the bill came as Denver high school students marched on the Colorado Capitol building to protest gun violence after the death of a fellow student, The Colorado Sun reported.

The bill would prohibit the manufacturing, importing, purchasing, selling, offering to sell, or transferring ownership of an assault weapon and ban possession of a rapid-fire trigger activator, according to the summary text.

A top Democrat sponsor of the bill, state Rep. Andrew Boesenecker, took his name off the bill amid tensions in the state House over its provisions and frustration over its progress, The Denver Post reported.

Colorado Public Radio reported that this will be the first time the Colorado state legislature formally weighs an assault weapons ban.

Colorado has been the site of multiple high-profile mass shootings in recent years, including an attack on an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs in November, in which five people were killed and 25 others injured by a gunman wielding an assault-style rifle.

Efforts are underway in several states and at the national level to push assault weapons bans forward amid high levels of gun violence nationwide.

According to the nonprofit Gun Violence Archive, there have been 102 mass shooting incidents in the first two months of 2023 in which four or more people, other than the attacker, were shot.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Colorados first-ever After School Satan Club is set to meet Monday at the Paonia K-8 school in Delta County.

The club was requested by a parent, who contacted June Everett, campaign director of After School Satan Club and an ordained minister of The Satanic Temple  a church whose mission, according to its website, encourages benevolence and empathy, rejects tyrannical authority, advocates practical common sense, opposes injustice, and undertakes noble pursuits.

Everett, a Colorado resident, told Newsline she became involved with ASSC in 2017, after her first-grader came home from school crying and very upset after friends told him he and his family would burn in hell and that hed be taken away from his parents because they are agnostic and did not attend church.

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His friends attended an after-school program called the Good News Club, Everett said. The Good News Club is a ministry of Missouri-based Child Evangelism Fellowship, with after-school clubs throughout the United States. According to its website, it is a Bible-centered organization composed of born-again believers whose purpose is to evangelize boys and girls with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and to establish (disciple) them in the Word of God and in a local church for Christian living.

Everett said the Delta County parent who contacted her wanted an alternative to the Good News Club at the Western Slope elementary school. Three volunteers from western Colorado, all of whom have undergone criminal background checks, will lead the ASSC meetings, Everett said.

Related: New Oklahoma Legal Opinion Leaves Vote on Catholic Charter School in Limbo

The Satanic Temple establishes ASSCs in schools only where there are Good News Clubs or other similar religious clubs operating. Families must fill out permission slips for their children to attend any after-school club. As of Thursday, seven children were signed up for the Satan Club in Paonia. Everett expects more may come the day of the meeting.

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The club has no set curriculum, she said. Instead, volunteers are allowed to create activities that align with the groups seven tenets designed to inspire nobility in action and thought, including such things as acting with compassion and empathy toward all creatures, according to its website. The group does not worship the devil, or proselytize, Everett said.

Satan is a symbol

After Milford Central School in upstate New York initially prohibited a Good News Club from operating at its school due to its policies not allowing groups to rent space for religious purposes, Child Evangelism Fellowship fought back, resulting in a 2001 Supreme Court ruling in favor of the Good News Club. The ruling is what allows After School Satan Clubs to also meet on school property, Everett said.

We are a religious organization, we are a church, Everett said. We have deeply held religious beliefs. However, were non-theistic. We dont believe Satan is real. We dont believe in the supernatural. Satan is a symbol of standing up to the tyrannical.

Everett said she is part of a Colorado congregation with members that meet in four different regions of the state.

We never picket against them. We dont oppose them. Jeani Kell, of Child Evangelism Fellowship, on After School Satan Club

Three ASSC meetings are scheduled at the school for the 2023 spring semester. Depending on the interest, Everett said the club could meet more often next year.

Jeani Kell of Grand Junction is the area director for Child Evangelism Fellowship. She said the Good News Club has operated at the Paonia school for several years. There are reportedly 3,500 Good News Club chapters across the nation.

We dont debate with (the Satan Club), Kell said. We never picket against them. We dont oppose them.

Threats of violence have erupted in some areas of the country where After School Satan Clubs have formed, or are in the process of being launched. In February, a bomb threat caused one school where an ASSC had been established to close for two days. And in Pennsylvania a school canceled its plan to allow an ASSC to meet at the school after administrators received an email threatening violence, Everett said.

Related: Supreme Court Throws Out Maines Ban on Religious Schools Receiving Public Funds

Delta County schools Superintendent Caryn Gibson said the district has received some phone calls from parents concerned about the name of the Satan Club.

We dont have anything to do with the club, Gibson said. Were just renting space.

All after-school clubs fill out a fair-use agreement and pay a fee to rent the school property.

We want people to know we do not discriminate, Gibson said. Thats where it is.

Colorado Newsline is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Colorado Newsline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Quentin Young for questions: info@coloradonewsline.com. Follow Colorado Newsline on Facebook and Twitter.
Columbus police have identified the man and woman who were found fatally shot in a vehicle in the early hours of Sunday morning following reports of gunfire on West Mound Street on the city's West Side.

Both 27-year-old David J. Thomas and 28-year-old Ziyadah Brown were taken to OhioHealth Grant Medical Center, where they died shortly after the shooting was reported to Columbus police around 3:30 a.m..

A third man, who is 27, also was found shot and wounded in the car, but he was treated at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center for injuries that proved to be non-fatal, police said.

Police were called Sunday to the intersection of South Souder Avenue and West Mound Street, where they found the three victims inside of a vehicle. No arrests have been made and no suspects identified as homicide detectives continue to investigate the shooting.

Anyone with information can call the Columbus Police Homicide Unit at 614-645-4730 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-8477.

Eric Lagatta is a reporter at The Columbus Dispatch covering public safety, with a focus on in-depth coverage of social justice issues and crime trends.

elagatta@dispatch.com

@EricLagatta

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus police identify two victims killed in West Side shooting
Gov. Gavin Newsom addresses the media at Arminta Elementary School in North Hollywood about his children's book on dyslexia and his struggles with it. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Jackie Goldberg, the president of the Los Angeles Unified School Board, said publicly last month that she was so turned off by high school that she nearly quit after 11th grade to take her GED, rather than stick around for a diploma.

Rich Leib, the chair of the UC Board of Regents, recently told a reporter that when he was in high school, he scored in the bottom 2% on his SAT subject tests in math and English. That, along with his less-than-50th-percentile score on the general SAT, helped lead to his rejection by UC Berkeley, he said.

In January, Gov. Gavin Newsom described himself as an unhappy elementary school student: I couldnt read, and I was looking for any way to ditch classes. Id fake stomachaches and dizziness.

Even President Biden has acknowledged that he did not do very well in college, mustering only a 1.9 grade point average at the University of Delaware.

Whats with all these admissions by public officials about how awful school was and how badly they did? What happened to flaunting whatever educational credentials you have, and putting your best academic foot forward? Is Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) the only public figure left who bothers to lie about his educational record?

This willingness to embrace underachievement is relatively recent. Just two decades ago, when George W. Bush was running for president, it was still considered embarrassing that he had graduated from Yale with a C average. A common question during the 2000 campaign: Is George Bush smart enough to be president?

And back in 1987, long before acknowledging that he did not do very well in school, Joe Biden tried to claim exactly the opposite. He told reporters, among other exaggerations, that hed graduated in the top half of his law school class  only to backpedal madly when it turned out hed graduated 76th out of 85 in his class. My recollection on this was inaccurate, he confessed.

Today hed have 76th out of 85 at the top of his resume.

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Something is going on in the way we look at merit and achievement, the way we measure success. Being a top student is no longer necessarily a better story to tell than having struggled through school.

In some cases it may just be pandering by politicians seeking to pass themselves off as relatable, ordinary Joes. I suspect theres some of that with Newsom, whos long been tagged as an affluent guy born with countless advantages. He's been seeking recently to recast that narrative by showing that not everything came easily to him, including school.

In other cases, it is probably less cynically calculating. I believe Jackie Goldberg and Rich Leib are honestly trying to find ways to connect with the students they serve, using their own backgrounds to make the point that kids facing obstacles in school can overcome them. Thats a valuable message.

But Id argue that theres something more at work here, a growing sense that the old markers of achievement may not be as significant as we thought they were. Suddenly, academic prowess  such as graduating at the top of your class, doing well on standardized tests and going to an Ivy League college  are being viewed less as signs of accomplishment and more as indications of privilege.

The United States is supposed to be a meritocracy. The story goes that if you work hard and play by the rules, especially with regard to education, you can compete, rise and succeed here. That upward mobility is both possible and admirable.

But Americans are realizing that's not always the case. The playing field just isn't level.

In 2020's The Merit Myth: How Our Colleges Favor the Rich and Divide America, three education experts argued that Americas top colleges and universities primarily perpetuate the countrys elite, benefiting students from the top 1% at the expense of the rest.

In The Tyranny of Merit," Harvard political philosophy professor Michael Sandel argued that the myth of American meritocracy and what he terms credentialism have been proved false, and that they're unfair to boot.

Today, many Americans understandably believe that the system is rigged. That standardized tests are biased. That elite schools are  elitist. That public schools have too often been allowed to deteriorate and public colleges to be underfunded. That people with money can buy the credentials they need, "Varsity Blues"-style.

It's absolutely right to see structural racism in the fact that affirmative action remains fiercely controversial while wealthy students are admitted as legacies or because their parents shelled out donations.

All in all, its good that the country is rethinking what constitutes success, how it's measured, who are its gatekeepers and whether it is truly available to all of us. We should reconsider the dominance of Ivy League schools, the role of testing, the value of a college education and the obstacles some students face.

It's healthy if our leaders are honest about all their experiences of school, and don't merely recite their achievements. Expect to hear more in the years ahead about the difficulties and indignities they faced.

But not from one notable abstainer, former President Trump, that self-described "very stable genius." In 2015, according to his former lawyer Michael Cohen, Trump threatened legal action against his high school, college and the College Board if any of them released his grades or SAT scores.

Even in an era when academic struggle has become discussable, he must feel hes still got something to hide.

@Nick_Goldberg

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky greets Vice President Kamala Harris as he addresses a joint meeting of Congress in December. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Politicians with White House ambitions who dont have strong support in their home state probably should not run for president.

And their national party should be leery of nominating someone who cant even excite the home state voters.

Especially if the state is the nations most populated, one that provides nearly one-fourth of the convention delegates needed to nominate a presidential candidate.

Im referring here to Vice President Kamala Harris, the Californian who has been constantly mentioned in the news media as a top-tier potential replacement for 80-year-old President Biden if he doesnt run for reelection next year.

Of course, Biden has signaled he does intend to seek a second term in 2024 and will announce this soon. But that hasnt stopped speculation about what if?

Biden will run and Harris will be on the Democratic ticket again. And regardless of whether the president wins or loses, the 58-year-old Veep will automatically be seen as an early front-runner for the partys nomination in 2028.

Harris, the daughter of immigrant parents  a father from Jamaica and a mother from India  has the distinction of being several firsts. Shes the first woman, the first African American and the first Asian American vice president. Ditto California attorney general. She was the first Black U.S. senator from California. And she was the first person of color to be elected San Francisco district attorney.

She looks good on a resume  elective offices at the local, state and national levels. Harris had a quick, uninterrupted climb up the political ladder.

Theres a sense that she may have come too far too fast, says Darry Sragow, a veteran Democratic consultant who publishes the California Target Book, which chronicles state elections.

Maybe too fast to acquire a lot of political acumen along the way.

The headline on a recent Washington Post analysis read: Some Democrats are worried about Harris political prospects. Many party activists are not sure the vice president has shown she is up to winning the top job.

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That concern was justified by a California poll last week. It was bad news for Harris. It showed that she leaves a lot of home state voters cold  and not just Republicans, but many independents who represent 23% of the electorate.

Independents  officially labeled no party preference  vote in Democratic presidential primaries in California.

The survey of California registered voters was conducted by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies and cosponsored by The Times.

Voters were asked how they would feel about Harris running for president next year if Biden didnt. Their answer: 59% would not be enthusiastic about it; 37% would be.

Among Democrats, 56% would be enthusiastic, but 63% of independents would not. Black voters were the only major demographic group that expressed enthusiasm.

Californians never have been that enthusiastic about her presidential ambitions or prospects, notes Mark DiCamillo, the veteran IGS poll director.

Then-Sen. Harris ran for president four years ago but dropped out before the first primary votes were cast. An IGS poll back then showed that 61% of voters thought she should give it up. In polling leading up to California's primary, she was running fifth with only single-digit support.

In the poll released last week, voters were asked their impression of Harris. It was so-so: 46% favorable and 46% unfavorable. Among Democrats it was 72% favorable. But independents views were 51% unfavorable.

Most significant, impressions of Harris have dropped sharply across the board since she became vice president  by 10 percentage points among all voters, 11 points among Democrats and 16 among independents. Black voters view Harris favorably, but their image of her has fallen by nine points.

Bidens 2020 voters now look on her less favorably by 15 points.

Meanwhile, Bidens job rating in California has risen to 57% approval, up 10 points in the last year. So, Harris isnt being dragged down by her boss.

Once she became vice president, the image of her went way up, DiCamillo says. She was vice president. People in the state were somewhat proud of her. But they really dont want her as president.

The pollster says he regards independent voters as guideposts.

I look at them to see which way the wind is blowing, DiCamillo says. And the wind is not blowing at her back. Its in her face.

Among those voters, theres relatively little enthusiasm for her. Theyre more negative than positive. Thats an indicator. Its an ominous sign for her.

I called Fred Smoller, a political science professor at Chapman University.

She faces some kind of charisma deficit I dont understand, he says.

Sragow puts it this way: A fair number of people think she doesnt sound authentic.

Smoller: Vice presidents are not supposed to be seen and certainly not heard. They cant prove themselves to the public.

Id argue that Biden has given Harris opportunities to shine.

Harris didnt shine as a senator, either, because soon after she got to Washington in 2017, she started running for president. Before that, she was a risk-averse attorney general who didnt stand out.

In our society, the fact shes a female tends to be a strike against her, Smoller says. And shes a woman of color.

But Los Angeles and San Francisco have Black female mayors. Californians had two female senators for years. And Harris was elected to the Senate. California, however, still has not elected a woman or a Black governor.

Californians have never embraced Kamala Harris as a national candidate, says Rose Kapolczynski, who was former Sen. Barbara Boxers political strategist.

Shes worse in the polls than Biden because when theres good news, the president wants to be the one delivering it. Shes not very visible.

Harris future seems to be as Bidens vice president. And Id suggest someday she run for president  of some university.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
From left, Joe Koncilja, Teddy Koncilja, George Koncilja and Bobby Koncilja stand outside the Orman Mansion. The brothers purchased the mansion in 2022.

The Orman-Adams Mansion has been a home to two Colorado governors and a U.S. senator, as well as a school district administration office and a doctors office.

One of Pueblos most well-known buildings will soon open as an event venue  and for now, the public can book a night to stay at the historic home with eight bedrooms and nine bathrooms.

Four Koncilja brothers  Joe, George, Bobby and Teddy  bought the property in August and have listed it as a short-term rental as they continue to work on the estate between guests. But their long-term plan is to make the building open to hosting events, such as weddings, private parties and corporate retreats.

They said they saw how the mansion has been closed off to the community for years and wanted to do something to open it back up to the public.

Minimal original furniture has remained in the mansion, but some was left behind by previous owners. Theyve furnished the place with their own antique rugs and a mix of old and new furnishings in the Victorian style, which Joe Koncilja described as highly detailed with colors and textures.

They repainted some of the walls with vibrant colors, also in the Victorian style, Joe Koncilja said.

The home features most of its original windows, including curved glass in the turrets and some colored stained glass windows.

Most of the intricate interior woodwork also remains intact  pocket doors built over 130 years ago from different kinds of wood are still functional. The brothers credited the buildings previous owners for maintaining the condition of the ornate fixtures.

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Winged lions adorn the staircase at the Orman Mansion located at 102 W. Orman Ave..

The brothers have a long to-do list on things theyd like to spruce up, such as replacing the roof. One of their biggest accomplishments so far in renovating the property has been adding new sod to much of the grounds. They plan to continue to work on the grounds when winter subsides and the ground begins to thaw.

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The mansions storied history

One of the brothers, Bobby Koncilja, went to the History Colorado archives in Denver to research the historic layout of the home.

When the home was built in the 1880s, there was only one indoor bathroom, Bobby Koncilja said, because outhouses were still prevalent. But the home was renovated in the 20th century to add bathrooms  such as in one of the second-floor bedrooms, which was remodeled into two bathrooms.

Joe Koncilja added that the home had a running sewer when it was built, which was on the cutting edge of that time period.

A prominent Denver architect, William A. Lang, designed the building  its the only building hes designed outside of Denver, records from History Colorado show.

Orman had the house built well before he served as Colorado governor from 1901 to 1903. He sold it to fellow former Colorado governor Alva Adams and his family in 1918. Two adjacent streets were named after the two men. Adams is also the namesake for the Colorado county.

The living area is pictured on the first floor of the Orman Mansion, located at 102 W. Orman Ave.

Alva Adams passed away in Michigan in 1922, but the building stayed in family hands for the next few decades. His son, Alva B. Adams, served as a U.S. senator but in 1941 passed away of a heart attack during a term in Washington, D.C. His widow sold the building to Pueblo School District 60 after his death.

Both Alva and Alva B. Adams are buried at the Roselawn Cemetery on the other side of Pueblo.

The Orman-Adams Mansion was placed on the national register of historic places in 1976. The building was under private ownership after the school district sold it in 1979 and at one point was a bed and breakfast.

Pueblo business news:B&C now come after Dee as downtown Pueblo taco shop gets new owners

Why the brothers bought the property

The Chieftain reported in 2019 that the Orman Mansion was up for auction with an opening bid of $650,000, but no monetary transactions were recorded by the Pueblo County assessor until the Konciljas' purchase.

Joe Koncilja said they purchased the building on the private market. Public records show that they paid $875,000 for the property, which includes the 9,000-square-foot mansion, on approximately 1 acre of land. A carriage house with a deluxe studio apartment on the second floor is also on the gated property.

George Koncilja said some advisers told the siblings that buying the home wasnt a great investment strategy, but they wanted to do it anyway.

We own historic real estate, but we really appreciate (our lenders) taking the stuff on with us because without them funding these projects, these historic buildings would just go into a state of total disarray, Joe Koncilja said.

Their relatives in the Koncilja family also own multiple historic properties in Pueblo, including the historic Union Depot.

Vehicles travel by the Pueblo Union Depot during a holiday light display synced with music on Dec. 21, 2022.

The same red Manitou sandstone that the Orman Mansion is built from is also the foundation of the Union Depot. That sandstone also was used to build many iconic buildings in Colorado but is no longer available. To make repairs to the facade of the Orman Mansion, they have to source stone from a quarry in Wyoming.

The brothers have been working together for the past decade on buying and renovating historic Pueblo properties.

We've been invested in real estate for a long time here. We're born and raised here. Were proud Puebloans, so we almost feel like it's our responsibility to try and preserve iconic pieces of historic real estate like this, Joe Koncilja said.

They dont see converting the building into a museum as part of their future plans: They want people to be able to experience how Puebloans may have lived in the past.

You can really get in here and feel the building and kind of get a sense of how people once upon a time (lived), whereas if it were just a museum, you feel like you're in a museum, George Koncilja said. That's not exactly the type of vibes we're trying to get at.

You come here and you go back in time, Joe Koncilja added.

Anna Lynn Winfrey is a reporter at the Pueblo Chieftain. She can be reached at awinfrey@gannett.com or on Twitter, @annalynnfrey.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo's historic Orman Mansion gets new owners, new life
Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, visited the units defending the city of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast on 5 March and stated that the fighting for the city had reached its peak.

Source: Military Media Center

Quote: The enemy has thrown Wagner Group's additional forces into battle. Our soldiers are bravely defending their positions in the north of Bakhmut, trying to prevent the encirclement of the city...

Our resistance at this bridgehead has been going on for several months. The enemy's attempts to capture the city were defeated all this time by our soldiers' steadfastness.

Our defenders inflicted significant losses on the enemy, destroyed a large amount of military equipment, forced Wagner Group's best assault units to be used in the battle and reduced the enemy's offensive potential."

Details: According to Syrskyi, the battles for Bakhmut have reached the highest level of tension.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Prostock-Studio / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Home shopping may be ramping up as more Americans are looking to move out of their expensive city homes to more affordable ones in the suburbs. Despite the ups and downs of the stock market, the real estate market has remained pretty hot. With competition for homes remaining high, there's no time for rookie mistakes.

Do You Have a Money Question? Ask an Expert

Read More: 3 Things You Must Do When Your Savings Reach $50,000

With that in mind, here are some of the most common real estate myths debunked.

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Myth: Looking at Homes Is the Best First Step

It might be tempting to visit open houses, drive through neighborhoods where you'd like to live and talk to neighbors and friends. But your transaction will go much smoother if you get your ducks in a row first.

The truth: "Assuming that you will be financing your purchase, the first step is to get a preapproval letter -- or a prequalification letter at a minimum -- from a lender of your choice," said Keith Hickman, realtor at Compass in Beverly Hills, California. "This will not only prepare you to make an offer when the time is right but will help you to focus your search within the price range that you qualify for and are comfortable with."

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sturti / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Myth: You Don't Need an Agent To Buy a Home

Did you know that you can sell your home without an agent? In fact, you can even buy a home without an agent.

"It's true that sites such as StreetEasy, Zillow and Trulia have made it easy for consumers by providing them with information at their fingertips," said Judy Williams, licensed real estate salesperson with Halstead Properties in Manhattan. However, "many underestimate the value an experienced agent can bring to them."

The truth: Buyer agents have a duty to put your best interests in the transaction at the forefront. They can provide you with knowledge about the current market conditions and use their expertise to negotiate the best deal for you.

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"For buyers, an organized agent will ensure that you have all your ducks in a row regarding paperwork and walk you through the process," said Williams.

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Myth: Buying a New Home Means Few Repairs in Years To Come

"Modern home builders have a strong incentive to build quickly and with the least expense in order to maximize profits and move on to the next project," said Hickman.

But, there are some hidden expenses of building a new home. And quick builds designed to maximize profits can result in homes with lower-quality craftsmanship and some important construction details overlooked.

The truth: Employ a home inspector specializing in new home construction to discover potential problems, such as walls with little soundproofing or marble countertops that haven't been properly sealed.

"The time to have these things identified and fixed is before you close on your new home," said Hickman.

MMPhotography / Getty Images

Myth: You'll Need a 20% Down Payment Plus Closing Costs

"Having the spare capital to put 20% down on a home purchase is great, but it's certainly not the norm," said real estate investment educator and property management specialist Denise Supplee of SparkRental.

The truth: "There are many programs such as FHA mortgages where you only need as little as 3.5% down and some of the closing costs can be covered as well," said Supplee.

Anchiy / Getty Images

Myth: A Down Payment Is the Only Upfront Cost

Don't get sticker shock when you head to the escrow company to sign your final papers. Your down payment doesn't cover things such as a home inspection, termite inspection or closing costs, which can range from 3% to 6% of the purchase price.

The truth: Many closing costs are negotiable, so you can ask the seller to pay them. If you need to finance closing costs, ask your lender about an FHA loan where some closing costs can be added to the loan.

Vladimir Vladimirov / Getty Images

Myth: Getting Preapproved Will Hurt Your Credit

Seth Lejeune of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, said one of the top real estate myths he encounters is from those who haven't spoken to a lender.

"They believe that even speaking to a lender will 'ding' their credit," he said. "Moreover, they think getting preapproved will 'ruin' their credit. This prevents them from even entertaining the notion, which is a big mistake."

The truth: Getting prequalified is only a soft hit on your credit, causing absolutely no impact. Once you apply for preapproval of a mortgage, however, it shows a hard pull on your credit, which does slightly impact your credit score.

However, credit scoring models take into account that you might be shopping around. In other words, if you initiate several mortgage applications within a short amount of time, they likely will be considered as a single hard credit inquiry. If possible, limit mortgage credit pulls by lenders -- also known as preapprovals -- to a two-week window.

Hard credit inquiries will drop your score from one to five points, so by initiating all of those preapprovals within a two-week window, you can reduce the likelihood that more than one hard inquiry will be counted on your credit report and limit the impact on your score.

Goodboy Picture Company / Getty Images

Myth: There's Plenty of Time for Preapproval When You Find the Right House

Waiting to get a loan approval letter until you find a home that you want to make an offer on puts you at a disadvantage in a competitive market, according to Hickman.

The truth: "Most offers will not be accepted without a lender approval letter," he said. "Potential buyers that have their approval letter in hand will be in a better position to move quickly with a successful offer."

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Myth: You Should Never Offer Full Price

"These days, low-ball offers on move-in-ready homes don't fly in my local market," said Justin Davis of Keller Williams Realty in Albuquerque, New Mexico. "When housing inventory is low and demand is sky-high, you need to come in with a respectable, competitive offer."

The truth: "Low offers can be insulting to sellers and are generally not a good way to open up a transaction," said Davis. "If you really want the home and it is priced reasonably, offer close-to or at list price. In some markets, you may even want to offer over list price to secure the home of your dreams. This is where a great agent will help you come up with a winning offer strategy."

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Myth: Buying a Condo Is Just Like Buying a Home

Perhaps you're looking to escape the restrictions of your rental apartment so you can decorate or remodel as you please, and you set your mind to buying a condo. Before you start making remodeling plans for your soon-to-be condo, hold on.

The truth: "You might think you can do whatever you want in a condo; that there are no rules," said Jesse Kent, director of communications of Triplemint in Manhattan. "If you are renovating a condo, you still need to get approvals from the condo board and, when necessary, the architect for the condo."

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Myth: Avoid Buying a First-Floor Condo

Safety, privacy and noise levels are a few reasons buyers tend to shy away from first-floor condos. But don't pass up a great deal just because it's on the ground level.

The truth: Window shades that open from the top down can keep out inquisitive stares from passers-by, and decorative iron grills can exclude intruders. Add acoustical paneling inside and a solid door that fits well to eliminate sounds from the outside world.

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Myth: Schools Don't Matter If You Don't Have Kids

Let's face it: Homes in the best school districts cost significantly more -- about $50 per square foot, according to Redfin -- than those in districts where test scores are average or worse. If you don't have kids, it can be tempting to get more house for your money in an area with average education standards.

The truth: When it comes time to resell your home, those in the better school districts will hold their value better and give more return on your investment. So if it's within your budget, consider buying a home in a good school district.

monkeybusinessimages / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Myth: Buying Is Always a Better Financial Deal Than Renting

Buying a home can be a good investment -- if you stay in it long enough to see a profit. To find out if renting will be cheaper than buying a home over the long haul, figure out the total of what a purchased home will cost you during the time you plan to own it.

The truth: Your upfront costs such as points, closing costs, insurance, interest and maintenance must be figured into a long-term cost comparison to renting a similar unit. Remember to add in the costs of selling your home into your calculations, such as realtor commissions, appraisal fees and closing costs.

Compare the result to the amount of the monthly rent you'd pay for a similar home plus rental insurance during the same time period. If you plan to stay in a home for just a few years, it could cost more to buy than rent.

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Myth: Single-Family Homes Are More Affordable Than Multi-Family Dwellings

The list price of a multi-family dwelling might come with a higher price tag than a single-family home, but it can be more affordable overall.

"Although a single-family home sells cheaper, buyers will have to carry the entire payment on their own," said Anna Russo, CEO at Home Mega Management in Fresh Meadows, New York.

The truth: A multi-family home can be more affordable if you rent out the extra space you don't use.

"When purchasing a multi-family unit, they will have the extra apartment for renters, which will increase their earnings and will cover at least 50% of their monthly mortgage payment," said Russo.

$2,000 Quarter? Check Your Pockets Before You Use This 2004 Coin

Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock.com

Myth: You Must Sell Your Current Home Before Buying a New One

"Rental real estate is a great way to create wealth, equity and extra income," said Ryan Stewman, real estate sales and marketing expert with the Break Free Academy and author of "Elevator to the Top." "Most people believe you can only have one mortgage or own one home at a time, and that's just not the case these days."

The truth: Talk to your lender about extra requirements to keep your present home as a rental property to generate tenant income while buying a new one. These might include a special type of appraisal on the home you intend to rent to tenants and bank, or investment reserves of 2% to 6% unless your present home is paid off.

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Myth: Your Preapproval Amount Will Be the Loan Amount You're Approved For

Loan pre-approval is a pretty thorough process, requiring you to provide documentation that backs up your income and credit worthiness. But that doesn't mean your loan will necessarily be in that amount.

The truth: "It all depends on the appraisal," said Ron Lennox of Lennox Home Buyers in Houston. "Just because you contract the house for a certain price, that doesn't mean the mortgage company will approve the amount of the sale price."

This means you could be left with the choice of renegotiating the contract, coming up with extra funds out of pocket or walking away from your dream home if it appraises too low.

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Myth: You Don't Need a Home Inspection

It might be tempting to save a few hundred dollars by skipping a professional home inspection and having a friend or family member look over the home. Don't do it, said Hickman.

The truth: Home inspectors look for more than 1,600 specific items in the home, helping you avoid tricks that hide a home's flaws.

"Unless your family member is a professional home inspector, you could be in for some very unpleasant surprises after the purchase," said Hickman. Hire an inspector with high customer ratings, and accompany them through the home to ask them to explain what they are seeing.

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Myth: You Should List Your Home With a 'Super Agent'

"Many top Realtors are actually teams or groups made up of Realtors with various skill and experience levels," said Ryan Hardy, luxury real estate broker at Gold Coast Realty.

The truth: Although top-producing listing agents might advertise an eye-popping number of sold properties, the high number is the result of a team of 15 or 20 agents.

"All of the team sales are closed under one Realtor's name and, although the namesake Realtor may show up to the listing appointment, that is probably the last time you'll see or hear from them," said Hardy.

More likely, you'll be assigned to an assistant or junior Realtor, who will handle the showings, contract and escrow transaction from start to finish.

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Myth: Remove All Holiday Decorations Before Listing Your Home

Personal effects such as family photos and travel souvenirs distract potential buyers from seeing themselves living in the home because they see you living there instead.

The truth: One exception is simple and tasteful holiday decorations, which can add warmth and a homey ambiance. The National Association of Realtors suggests a small, simple tree and fresh boughs for Christmas, a dish of candy corn for Halloween and jelly beans at Easter.

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Myth: Always Redecorate in Neutral Tones

Although repainting children's rooms swathed in color to a neutral tone is usually a good idea to appeal to a wide range of buyers, the advice doesn't necessarily hold true for all rooms of your house.

The truth: Walls in bold colors can play up architectural features or divide room areas from one another visually. The National Association of Realtors recommends an alternative of softening strong colors with fresh greenery or neutral rugs or furnishings.

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Myth: Set the List Price Above Comparables To Build in Bargaining Room

Listing a home at a much higher price than what comparable reports show or real estate experts provide seems like a good idea to make sure your home sells for all its worth.

"Sellers commonly will say, 'If we don't ask more, we will never get more,'" said Bruce Ailion, Realtor and attorney at RE/MAX Town and Country in Atlanta.

The truth: "This is factually wrong," said Ailion. "On average, homes will bring real market price. Asking that plus 10% is more likely to cause the home to stay on the market longer, generate less activity and interest, and ultimately sell for less than the market."

Of course, it depends on whether the real estate market is a buyer's or seller's market and how much competition there happens to be for homes.

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Myth: Setting a Low Price Means You'll Make Less Money

Not necessarily so, according to the National Association of Realtors. In fact, this strategy could help you sell your home for more money.

The truth: A lower-priced home will attract more attention from a greater number of buyers. In a competitive housing market, this could lead to interested buyers striving to outbid one another for the home. The end result could be getting offers for more than you asked for in the list price.

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Myth: Negotiate the Realtor's Commission To Net More Profit

A common seller myth is that offering a lower commission will net more money.

The truth: "Nothing is further from the truth," said Ailion. "What this will do is cause agents with the most qualified buyers to go to the higher listed commission properties first and show the lower commission properties with less enthusiasm. The result is that fewer interested buyers will see your property and fewer cooperating brokers will show it, and it's more likely that your listing agent will seek to earn the full commission rather than splitting the commission with another agent."

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Myth: Professionally Staging a Home Is Necessary for a Quick Sale

Staging your home to make it the most appealing to the greatest number of buyers can help it sell 88% faster for an average of 20% more than non-staged homes, according to the National Association of Realtors. But professional staging comes with a price tag that can cost hundreds of dollars each month.

The truth: "Staging a home is not a bad task," said Supplee. "But the best thing you can do to sell a home quicker is to price it competitively, market it aggressively and make it available easily for showings."

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Myth: If Your Home Isn't in Great Condition, No One Will Buy It

It's true that some remodeling projects can increase your home's value. But if your home is dated or needs major repairs, it doesn't necessarily mean no one will want to buy it.

The truth: "There are people that only buy homes that are in poor condition and require updating or major repairs," said Matthew Miller, founder of Fair Trade Real Estate. "These are typically local real estate investors and professional home buyers who update and renovate properties as a business. If your current home needs some work, consider selling the property to a professional home buyer."

monkeybusinessimages / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Myth: List Your Home With a Neighborhood Expert

Before the days of abundant information freely available on the internet, a real estate agent who was a neighborhood expert was a valuable tool for prospective buyers to find out information about listings, such as which schools had waiting lists or other crucial area information.

The truth: "The neighborhood expert markets their properties the exact same way that that the non-experts do," said Gary Lucido, president of Lucid Realty in Chicago. "The real difference in agents and one that matters tremendously and may often be confused with being a neighborhood expert is in their professionalism, intelligence and responsiveness."

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Myth: Open Houses Are a Waste of Time

You might have heard that open houses just attract lookie-loos, and agents only hold them to find prospective buyers. Although only 7% of homebuyers find the home they ultimately purchase via an open house sign, according to data from the National Association of Realtors, there are definite advantages to holding them.

The truth: "Today's buyers are tech-savvy and spend a considerable amount of time browsing the web," said Abraham Walker, lead agent at Ask a Walker in Alexandria, Virginia. "Many of these buyers are preapproved and ready to make an offer. When they see the opportunity to view a house at their convenience, they take it."

An open house shortly after listing generates attention and gives your agent a valuable opportunity to gather any feedback that might hinder a quick sale.

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Myth: You'll Recoup Remodeling and Home Improvement Costs When You Sell

Don't expect to see a 100% return on your remodeling investment in your home.

The truth: According to Realtor.com, the return rate averages just 64% of your initial outlay. That said, some upgrades can add significant value to the price of your home.

The most recent analysis by the National Association of Realtors cited refinishing hardwood floors, installing hardwood floors, and upgrading insulation as items returning 100% or more of their cost. However, adding a new primary bedroom suite only offers a return of 56% of the cost.

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Myth: The Highest Price Is Always the Best Offer

Many buyers and sellers believe that an offer with the highest price is always the best offer.

The truth: The highest offer is not the best offer if you have to spend more than the difference to comply with the buyer's requests as a condition of the sale. For example, if a buyer wants you to move out much sooner than you had planned, that could cause you to have to rent storage, pay for a hotel room and incur other expenses that might not make the higher offer worth it.

stevecoleimages / Getty Images/Vetta

Myth: Wait Until the Property Is Under Contract for a Home Inspection

Buyers have the option to bring in an inspector to find any hidden problems with the home. Smart sellers buy their own home inspection prior to putting the home on the market.

The truth: For the price of a few hundred dollars or so, a home inspector will go through the home thoroughly, giving you the opportunity to make minor repairs or take care of deferred maintenance before entering a contract.

You can also disclose any issues before a buyer enters a contract. This prevents your sale from falling through or taking a price reduction based on the buyer's home inspection contingency clause in the contract.

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Myth: Winter Is a Bad Time To Sell

Late spring is the best time to list your home, according to Zillow. But the winter experiences a significant peak as well, especially in the Southern states.

The truth: "Sometimes, sellers focus solely on the fact that there are likely fewer buyers in the off-season and ignore the fact that there is also a corresponding reduction in listings," said Kevin Mack, real estate broker for @Properties in Evanston, Illinois. "There is less competition for well-positioned properties. Statistics clearly show that the supply of inventory typically reaches its lowest point in the winter months. Smart, realistic, savvy sellers should be all too happy to put their place on the market in the winter."

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Myth: Save Money by Marketing Your Home as a 'For Sale by Owner'

It's a common belief that you can save money by eliminating all real estate agents and selling your house on your own.

The truth: "Nothing can be further from the truth," said Marla Forbes, real estate broker for @Properties in Highland Park. "Time and again, I see unrepresented buyers overpaying and sellers underselling because they really do not know the intricacies of their particular market or property."

A full-time professional broker has way more market knowledge and insight than the average consumer who is buying or selling one property every few years. Although a client pays a broker a commission, the money saved on a purchase -- or the extra dollars made on a sale -- will compound over time making the broker commission a small price to pay for the extra financial gain."

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 31 Common Real Estate Myths Debunked
People with insomnia are about 70 per cent more likely to have a heart attack compared to those without the sleep disorder over an average nine-year follow-up period, according to a new study.

The research, which is set to be published in the journal Clinical Cardiology, also found that heart attacks occurred more often in women with sleep disorders that include trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or getting good-quality sleep.

Individuals who sleep for five or fewer hours per night have the highest risk of heart attack, according to the study, presented at the American College of Cardiologys Annual Scientific Session.

Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder, but in many ways, its no longer just an illness, its more of a life choice. We just dont prioritize sleep as much as we should, study author Yomna E. Dean from the Alexandria University in Egypt said.

Our study showed that people with insomnia are more likely to have a heart attack regardless of age, and heart attacks occurred more often in women with insomnia, she added.

Researchers warn that the sleep disorder is growing in prevalence, affecting about 10 to 30 per cent of American adults, adding that people with both diabetes and insomnia face a twofold likelihood of having a heart attack.

In the study, scientists conducted a systematic review of published research, yielding 1,226 studies that included data from 1,184,256 adults  43 per cent of whom were women.

Heart attacks were observed in about 2,400 individuals who had insomnia, and 12,398 of those in the non-insomnia group, researchers say.

Scientists found that there was a statistically significant association between insomnia and having a heart attack after controlling for other factors like age, gender, comorbidities, and smoking.

They say the link between insomnia and heart attack remained significant across all subgroups of patients, including younger and older age, and across follow-up duration.

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People with insomnia were also found to have high blood pressure, cholesterol, or diabetes, as well as an even higher risk of having a heart attack than those who didnt, the study noted.

Trouble falling or staying asleep were also linked to a 13 per cent increased likelihood of heart attack compared with those without these symptoms.

The findings highlight the importance of prioritising sleep so that people get seven to eight hours of quality sleep a night.

While the study has some limitations, including that most participants self-reported their sleep behaviors in questionnaires, the heart attacks they reported were however validated by medical reports.

Practice good sleep hygiene; the room should be dark, quiet, and on the cooler side, and put away devices. Do something that is calming to wind down, and if you have tried all these things and still cant sleep or are sleeping less than five hours, talk with your doctor, Ms Dean added.
A conscript opened fire on his comrades in Russias Kursk Oblast at night, killing one person.

Source: ASTRA



Details: A conscript has reportedly opened fire in the 37th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade of the 69647 Russian military unit, temporarily stationed in the territory of Suzhansky district, Kursk Oblast.

Preliminary reports indicate that a 22-year-old sentry, Magomed M., heard intruders in the area of the guard post. He shouted, "Stop, who's there?", but there was no response, and the conscript opened fire.

The shooting killed a 19-year-old conscript from Tatarstan, Tamir G., and another 22-year-old conscript from Novosibirsk, Vladislav K., was hospitalised.

There is no official confirmation of this information yet.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
(Getty Images)

The oil used to anoint the King and Queen Consort Camilla in the coronation on 6 May will be cruelty-free.

This part of the ceremony is said to be one of the most sacred of the days rituals but will reflect modern anti-animal cruelty sentiments, according to a statement published by Buckingham Palace.

Previous versions of the holy oil have included civet oil, from the glands of small mammals, and ambergris from the intestines of whales.

This oil was used at the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 and is based on a formula that has been used for hundreds of years.

The altered formula for the holy oil for King Charles and Queen Consort Camillas coronation reflects concerns about animal cruelty and the need to protect wildlife.

The new formula is made with olive oil, pressed just outside Bethlehem. It has been perfumed with essential oils including sesame, rose, jasmine, cinnamon, neroli, benzoin and amber, as well as orange blossom.

The chrism oil was created using olives harvested from two groves on the Mount of Olives, a mountain ridge to the east of Jerusalems Old City, a place that holds religious importance to Christians.

The anointing of the King is reminiscent of a christening or the ordination into religious orders, with the monarch being symbolically touched with holy oil on the head, chest and hands.

Oils from the Mount of Olives being mixed with essential oils and blessed in Jerusalem by the Patriarch of Jerusalem (Patriarchate of Jerusalem/Buckingham Palace/PA) (PA Media)

The announcement comes after uncertainty looms over whether Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle will attend the coronation.

King Charles III has reportedly officially invited the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to his and the Queen Consorts coronation this spring.

A spokesperson for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle told The Times that they have received email correspondence about the coronation, but no decision has been disclosed about whether they will accept the invitation or not.

It comes after reports that the King may offer the couple a suite of rooms in Buckingham Palace that previously belonged to the Duke of York, after asking them to vacate their UK residence, Frogmore Cottage.

It is understood that the King has instead offered the keys to Frogmore Cottage to his disgraced brother, Prince Andrew, who is said to be resisting any attempt to move him out of his current home, the Royal Lodge.

Read more about whether the Sussexes will attend the ceremony here.
Semen Kryvonos, the newly elected head of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, thanked for the appointment and stated that he would be open to the public. The Center for Combating Corruption reported that Kryvonos has connections with Tymur Tkachenko, the former business partner of Oleksii Kuleba, the current deputy head of the Office of the President of Ukraine.

Source: Kryvonos on Facebook; Vitalii Shabunin, Head of the Center for Combating Corruption, on Facebook

Quote from Kryvonos: "I am grateful to the competition commission for a transparent open competition, to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine for such great trust and for appointing me to the position of the Head of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine

I will consider the primary indicator of effectiveness when every corrupt person, before even considering committing a corruption crime, will fear God, the people of Ukraine and National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine."

Details: Kryvonos assured that he would remain open to society, journalists, and international partners.

He added that he would try to preserve NABU's independence and development.

The Head of the Center for Combating Corruption reported that Kryvonos has connections with Timur Tkachenko, the former business partner of Oleksiy Kuleba, the current deputy head of the Office of the President of Ukraine at Asper Estate LLC (40884190).

In particular, in his tax declaration filed in 2018, Tkachenko indicated that he used the apartment of Kryvonos' wife in Kyiv.

Kryvonos' declarations indicate that since 1 January 2018, he has been using a 2012 Audi Q5, owned by Timur Tkachenko's wife, Hanna Tkachenko.

In the 2019 declaration, Kryvonos no longer indicated the owners of the car.

Until recently, Tkachenko and Kuleba managed the public works department of the Kyiv City Council. When in 2021 Kuleba was promoted from head of the department to the deputy head of the Kyiv City Council, the unit was headed by Tkachenko, his first deputy and ex-business partner.

According to Bihus.info, Kuleba's department was "the only one that bypassed the police and SBI searches during the confrontation between [Kyiv Mayor] Vitalii Klitschko and the President's Office for control over the capital."

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Eaglin enlisted in the military at 27 and served throughout World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

Black war veteran Cosmas Eaglin turned 108 in January, a significant age for a man who has made important contributions and seen great change throughout his long life.

NBC News reported that Eaglin attended segregated schools and traveled in segregated trains while growing up in the country town of Opelousas, Louisiana, during the Jim Crow era.

Wait and see what tomorrow is going to bring, advised Eaglin in response to living a long life, theres no use in wasting time.

Cosmas Eaglin, who turned 108 in January, helped shatter the Marine Corps color barrier following an executive order issued in 1941 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. (Photo Credit: Screenshot/YouTube.com/Stay Tuned)

The veteran enlisted at 27 and served throughout World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

During World War II, I stayed in one place all the time, he told NBC, Solomon Islands.

Following the issuance of an executive order by then-President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941 requiring all branches of the military to admit people of color officially, Eaglin was one of the first 300 Black recruits to shatter the Marine Corps color barrier.

Black Americans were already serving in every other department of the military, but the Marines were the last to formally admit African Americans to their ranks.

Shortly after Roosevelt signed the directive, Eaglin left for Montford Point, a North Carolina segregated base, to finish training.

Despite the advancement in the armed services, Black Marines were still not trusted to be on the front lines or in actual combat. Instead, many assisted with logistics, cooking and material transportation. But obedience was key, Eaglin said.

Whatever they told you to do, he recalled, according to NBC, thats what we did.

Eaglin completed two deployments in Vietnam during the 1960s, noting how they were always concerned about what would come next.

He said that the Black community had made varying degrees of progress throughout his existence, noting that it was up and down but was beneficial if you did well for yourself.

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We got a lady thats vice president of the United States, thats a lady  one of our ladies, Eaglin noted, according to NBC. Thats a big deal.

The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that only 167,000 of the 16 million Americans who participated in WWII were still alive in 2022.

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The post Cosmas Eaglin, 108-year-old Black vet, helped break Marines color barrier appeared first on TheGrio.
Could Lake Lanier be renamed over its ties to a Confederate soldier? Its possible.

A new report from the Department of Defenses Naming Commission examined several U.S. Army Corps of Engineers civil works projects from over the years and listed Lake Lanier and Buford Dam in their report for projects they feel could use renaming.

The report said Lake Lanier and Buford Dam are within its remit for consideration, but not within its purview to provide a naming recommendation.

Buford Dam was named after politician Algernon Sidney Buford who served in the Virginia militia.

RELATED NEWS:

Lake Lanier is named after poet Sidney Lanier who served in the Confederate army.

The lake drew 12.3 million visitors in 2022, said Steve J. Stanley, Army Corps of Engineers Mobile District spokesman, The Forsyth County News reported Monday.

The commission has been looking to rename different assets created by the military that have Confederate ties. That includes Army bases. Two Georgia bases are among those recommended to receive a new name.

The defense secretary is required to implement a plan to rename, modify or remove Confederacy-related names, symbols, displays, monuments, and paraphernalia by Jan. 1, 2024. The work was estimated to cost $62.5 million, military news agency The Stars and Stripes reported.

RELATED NEWS:
MATT BOTHA VIA PEXELS

UN member states have forged a landmark deal to guard ocean life, charting a path to create new protected areas in international waters.

This action is a victory for multilateralism and for global efforts to counter the destructive trends facing ocean health, now and for generations to come, UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres said in a statement.

Following years of stalled negotiations, more than 190 countries have approved the UN High Seas Treaty, which aims to protect marine life from shipping, overfishing, pollution, and deep-sea mining. The treaty establishes a framework for creating new protected areas and includes provisions on transferring technology, sharing scientific findings, and coordinating the study of environmental threats.

We only really have two major global commons  the atmosphere and the oceans, Georgetown University marine biologist Rebecca Helm told the Associated Press. While the oceans tend to garner less attention, protecting this half of earths surface is absolutely critical to the health of our planet.

International waters (light green) and national waters (white). SUMAILA ET AL.

The pact will support a goal, laid out at the UN biodiversity conference in December, to protect 30 percent of land and sea. Roughly two-thirds of ocean waters fall outside national borders, and just 1.2 percent of these areas are protected.

The High Seas Treaty opens the path for humankind to finally provide protection to marine life across vast swathes of the ocean, biologist Bruno Oberle, director general of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, said in a statement.

The treaty will enter into force after it is formally adopted at a future UN session and ratified by at least 60 countries, a process that could take years. Oberle said the treatys adoption will close a significant gap in international law.

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Finding Bright Spots in the Global Coral Reef Catastrophe
Benjamin Perkin (not pictured here) told The Washington Post his parents got a call from someone claiming to be a lawyer who told them their son needed money for legal fees, and used an AI-generated voice to ask his parents for money. milan2099/Getty Images

A couple in Canada reportedly lost $21,000 from a scammer claiming to be a lawyer and their son.

Benjamin Perkin told The Washington Post his parents thought the AI-generated voice was him.

The rise of AI is making it easier for scammers to make people think they're talking to loved ones.

A couple in Canada were reportedly scammed out of $21,000 after they received a call from someone claiming to be a lawyer who said their son was in jail for killing a diplomat in a car accident.

Benjamin Perkin told The Washington Post the caller put an AI-generated voice that sounded like him on the phone with his parents to ask for money. The alleged lawyer called his parents again after the initial call, and told them Perkin needed $21,000 for legal fees before going to court.

Perkin told the Post the voice was "close enough for my parents to truly believe they did speak with me."

His parents collected the cash and sent the scammer money through Bitcoin, Perkin said, but they later admitted they thought the phone call sounded strange. They realized they had been scammed after Perkin called to check in later that evening.

Perkin did not immediately respond to a reachout from Insider to discuss what happened.

He told the Post his family filed a police report with Canadian authorities, but that, "The money's gone. There's no insurance. There's no getting it back."

The Post reported that while Perkin doesn't know how the scammers found his voice, he has posted videos about snowmobiling on YouTube.

The rise of more powerful AI tools is coinciding with a rise in scams involving people impersonating other people. The most commonly reported scam last year was imposter scams, the Federal Trade Commission found. The FTC saw fraud reports from 2.4 million people in 2022, which was lower than in 2021. However, the amount of money lost was higher, with $8.8 billion reported lost.

Scams involving AI technology predate the emergence of ChatGPT and other AI bots going viral right now. In 2019, the managing director at a British energy company reportedly wired over $240,000 to an account in Hungary after he thought his boss asked him to do so in a phone call.

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In January, ElevenLabs, a research lab exploring voice cloning and tools for synthetic speech, shared a Twitter thread addressing people who "use our tech for malicious purposes."

The startup tweeted that it was releasing a tool to let people verify if an audio sample was made using the company's technology, and that its VoiceLab would only be accessible with payment.

A day before writing the thread, ElevenLabs tweeted that it was aware of "an increasing number of voice cloning misuse cases," after releasing its Beta platform.

Motherboard found that members on the anonymous site, 4chan, were using ElevenLabs' technology to generate voices that sound like celebrities to say racist and inappropriate things.

The FTC has created a new Office of Technology to investigate the potential uses of AI that companies are promising, and to see if companies are mitigating the risks their products can cause.

"We're also concerned with the risk that deepfakes and other AI-based synthetic media, which are becoming easier to create and disseminate, will be used for fraud," FTC spokesperson Juliana Gruenwald previously told Insider.

Gruenwald also told Insider that the FTC "has already seen a staggering rise in fraud on social media."

"AI tools that generate authentic-seeming videos, photos, audio, and text could supercharge this trend, allowing fraudsters greater reach and speed," she said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The couple were experienced snorkellers (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A California couple has filed a $5m (4m) lawsuit against a tour operator in Hawaii they allege abandoned them in the ocean during a snorkelling trip, forcing them to swim half a mile back to shore.

Elizabeth Webster and Alexander Burckle were on their honeymoon in September 2021 when they booked a snorkelling excursion with the company Sail Maui.

According to court documents seen by NBC, the newlyweds formed part of a 44-passenger group that set sail from Lahaina Harbour at 10am and was scheduled to return at around 3pm.

Once onboard, the captain informed participants that the boat would remain anchored in one location for about an hour, before moving on to a second dive spot.

The couple, who were experienced snorkellers and had visited Maui several times, said that the captain did not give a specific time everyone should be back on the boat.

They also claim that they were not given instructions on how to get back on the boat, or what to do in case of an emergency.

All 44 passengers entered the water at around 10.50am, with Ms Webster and Mr Burckle swimming north as instructed by the captain.

Throughout the excursion, passengers returned to the boat at different times, the lawsuit said.

Around 11.50am, the pair began to make their way back to the boat but, after swimming for about 15 minutes, realised they still had not made progress towards the boat.

The water was choppy and plaintiffs started swimming more aggressively towards the vessel, the suit stated. At approximately 12.20pm, after another 15 minutes (approx.) of aggressive swimming, the vessel was clearly farther from plaintiffs than it was at the last time they had checked.

Despite signalling to the boat and calling for help, the vessel then moved on to its second location, leaving the couple stranded in the ocean.

Ms Webster and Mr Burckle attempted to swim in the direction of the boat but began to panic as the water became deeper and they struggled to swim in the ocean conditions, court papers state.

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About half a mile from the shore, the pair feared they would drown.

Plaintiffs realised the vessel had left them and was not coming back for them, and they decided that their only option for survival at that point was to return to shore, the suit stated.

Plaintiffs were extremely fearful and nervous about the decision because they were told in the safety briefing explicitly not to swim to Lanai and that shallow reefs were in the area.

The couple reached the shore around 1pm where they were discovered, dehydrated and fatigued, by a local resident.

The suit also alleges that the crew miscounted everyone who reboarded the boat, with people on the tour claiming that three attempts to do a headcount came up with 42 and 44 passengers respectively.

Passengers were also walking around and not instructed to remain seated while the count was taking place.

The suit also claims that a fellow passenger attempted to tell a crew member that Ms Webster and Mr Burckle had swam further out during the trip, but was told by crew that they had made it back.

The couple are seeking compensation for negligence and emotional distress.

The Independent has contacted Sail Maui for comment.
Twelve people have been found dead in Southern California's San Bernardino County a week after back-to-back winter storms dropped over 100 inches of snow in some locations.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said Thursday that at least one death was weather-related, but the other 11 were not considered storm-related and that all found bodies are awaiting autopsies.

"So far, we can only confirm [one], a traffic accident, as weather-related," Gloria Huerta, spokesperson with the Sheriff's Department, told AccuWeather. "The preliminary information in the other deaths does not indicate they are weather-related, but those investigations are ongoing."

Frustration with county authorities has continued to grow in San Bernardino County, citing a lack of preparedness and slow aid.

Running Springs resident Kandice Watson knew there would be a storm in early March, and as someone who grew up in Montana and knew how to prepare to be snowed in, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

However, the storm that struck on March 1 was different. By the end of the storm, the highest measurement of snow on the ground around Running Springs measured up to 150 inches -- or 12.5 feet -- of snow.

"There was no preparedness," Watson told AccuWeather's Senior Content Producer Monica Danielle about planning by the county. "I've lived here off and on since '94, so I've seen some big storms up here, and I've seen the way that they're handled in years past and, historically speaking, this is very different."

San Bernardino was one of the 13 counties where California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency due to the impacts of the back-to-back storms. However, residents have expressed grievances over both slow aid and a lack of communication from the county as food in pantries slowly dwindles.

"We haven't been told anything," Watson said. "We just keep getting told that we're being sent help and that it's on its way, but we don't ever see anything. We see 20 dozers on the side of the highway, but they sit there for days and we sit in our houses."

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AccuWeather reached out to the county public information officer Wednesday and is still awaiting a response.

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The frustration was compounded by the fact that Running Springs is an unincorporated town, meaning it doesn't have elected officials at the town level and has different resources than nearby cities such as Big Bear, located 15 miles to the northeast.

"We as a community rely on the county to help us in extreme situations," Watson wrote in an Instagram post on Thursday, a day following the second snowstorm. "When that fails, it falls to higher government. When that fails ... we are stuck in our homes for the last six days."

In the post, she had added at the time that she hadn't heard a snowplow drive by since Monday, Feb. 27.

The community itself of Running Springs, Watson told Danielle, wasn't able to take on such a storm without help clearing the roads. While food distribution sites were opened in Running Springs, Wrightwood, Crestline and Blue Jay, the issue of getting to supply sites remained a barrier for many.

"We have a community up here that started with mostly elderly [people]," Watson said. "A lot of people come up here to retire, and they're not as ambulatory as other people. And then we also have the group that came up during COVID that's small families, small children and babies trying to get out of the cities."

Then there are the families who came to stay at an Airbnb home for a weekend getaway.

"They've been here for two weeks with their small children and pets with no food," Watson said. "They came to vacation rentals without supplies. They don't have firewood at these Airbnbs and the Airbnbs were not prepared for them to have any kind of snow like this."

Five miles northwest of Running Springs, Jennette Davis runs short-term rental homes for families looking for a mountain retreat at Lake Arrowhead, where she also lives. Davis herself, however, has been displaced from her home for nearly two weeks due to the snow.

On Thursday, Feb. 23, Davis had driven down the mountain for an event, believing she would be able to return by Sunday, but then the storms arrived.

"We knew that it was going to be snowing, but we thought we'd be back by Sunday and didn't have any idea that it would be as crazy as it was," Davis told AccuWeather National Reporter Emmy Victor.

The National Weather Service recorded 100 inches of snow on the ground 1 mile north-northeast of Lake Arrowhead, an unincorporated community in San Bernardino County over 60 miles northeast of Los Angeles, by March 3.

Her daughters had remained in the town and gotten snowed in, however, and had been communicating with Davis.

"They were used to them plowing and keeping the roads throughout the night. You always hear the plows," Davis said. "There was not one plow that went by. Day three, and still nobody had heard any plows and nobody could get out."

Lisa Griggs, one of the many people who has been stranded in the San Bernardino mountains, told AccuWeather late last week that supplies were being flown to Lake Arrowhead by helicopter due to roads in the area being impassable due to snow. Griggs also said that food supplies were low in part due to the roof of a grocery store that collapsed under the weight of the snow.

Five miles from Lake Arrowhead, the community of Crestline received 16 inches of snowfall on both Feb. 25 and Feb. 26 as the first storm rolled through the area, followed by an additional foot of snow on March 1.

"It's frustrating for us," one Crestline resident told CNN. "For the people who can't get their medicine, I'm sure it's scary for them. People that can't get food, yeah, they can't get out."

Members of the California National Guard and CAL FIRE crews remove snow around homes, from roofs and driveways in Crestline, California, in the San Bernardino Mountains last weekend, after many residents were stranded due to the heavy snow. (CAL FIRE)

By the past weekend, CAL Fire crews were digging out Crestline residents from walls of snow that had barricaded the doors of homes as well as removing snow from roofs, gas meters and driveways. The NWS measured 100 inches of snow, just over 8 feet, on the ground 1 mile east of Crestline. Photos from the department showed a crew digging out a house where the snow had blocked most of the door. Walls of snow flanked the freshly cleaned road, and crews were photographed clearing a pathway to a house in waist-high snow.

"Together, a total of 165 residents in Crestline have been contacted to ensure that gas meters, driveways and vehicles are accessible & free of snow, medical issues are addressed and meals distributed," the CAL FIRE San Bernardino Unit Public Information Office wrote over Twitter. "Firefighters were able to safely evacuate eight residents yesterday, taking them to Goodwin's Market where the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Deputies shuttled them to the Red Cross Shelter."

The department added that about 30 cases of meals were distributed to residents in need, and one resident was transported by a ground ambulance to a local area hospital.

"I believe that they're probably doing all that they can," the Crestline resident told CNN. "This is a mess. I think they're doing what they can, honestly. We've never had to deal with this before, so it's a first time."

San Bernardino County firefighters were assigned to emergency responses, snow removal and infrastructure improvement assignments over the weekend. (Twitter/@SBCOUNTYFIRE)

Additional reporting by AccuWeather Senior Content Producer Monica Danielle and National Weather Reporter Emmy Victor.

Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
The Daily Beast

NBCMaking random strangers cry is all in a days work for Donald Trump, if the former president is to be believed, and Colin Jost just doesnt get it.Why is everyone in Trumps stories always crying?Thats the question Jost asked near the top of Saturday Night Lives Weekend Update, and a query that has been on millions of peoples minds ever since the former president told a seemingly enthralled Tucker Carlson earlier this week in his first post-arraignment interview. As Jost explained, Do
In many ways, congressional Republicans regulatory rollback strategy is working: It's dividing Democrats, squashing a progressive D.C. criminal justice plan and forcing President Joe Biden to whip out his veto pen for the first time.

Its also helping Democrats carve out politically helpful distance from the president and their party's left flank.

The Republicans think theyre doing gotchas, when in fact plenty of those votes give our members the opportunity to demonstrate their independence, said Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii).

Schatz is undecided on a vote to disapprove of a recent progressive revision to D.C.s criminal code that's set to take place Wednesday after sparking a surge of discord within his party. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) declined on Monday night to say how he'll vote and indicated at a leadership meeting he won't whip votes on the proposal.

But most Democrats now expect a big vote in favor of unraveling the crime plan, particularly after the D.C. Council ham-handedly tried to withdraw the effort on Monday ahead of its certain demise. And Wednesday's vote won't be the first time senators have to contend with a House Republican strategy to force what they see as tough votes in the upper chamber  on deck are votes disapproving of Biden administration regulations on water, trucking emissions and the Pentagon's environmental impacts.

Republicans might unintentionally be solving as many problems for Democrats as they're making. Despite the clear Senate floor schisms that the disapproval votes create, they also give Democrats some party-bucking bona fides that are otherwise rare in the Senate.

Im supporting public safety, Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) said of the criminal justice vote. Rosen, who is up for reelection next year, said she made up her mind before Bidens announcement last week that he will sign the rollback.

Biden's comments left Senate Democrats free to break from the D.C. Councils progressive policies without risking a White House confrontation. But even when Biden did promise to uncap his veto pen  on a GOP effort to block an ethical investing regulation  Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) joined the GOP to support the rollback.

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The disapproval votes expected in the coming weeks are privileged under Senate rules, meaning that they cannot be filibustered or bottled up. Schumer almost certainly wouldnt allow votes on them if he were able to unilaterally stop them. And House Republicans can keep sending them across the Capitol with simple majority votes.

Party leaders seek to block their incumbents from tough votes, but these days they are borderline encouraging them.

Everything is a 30-second ad. Thats what its all about, said Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). If I were running in Montana and West Virginia, Id be looking for the same things.

In the House, 173 Democrats opposed the D.C. criminal code disapproval resolution after the White House issued a statement opposing it. Those Democrats essentially were left hung out to dry by the administration, voting based on the expectation Biden might veto the measure that just a month ago his administration called an affront to the democratic values on which our nation was founded.

But now with Biden saying if the Senate votes to overturn what D.C. Council did  Ill sign it, Senate Democrats are making a glass of lemonade with the lemons Republicans are forcing to the Senate floor.

Certainly if they vote for it and they know that the presidents going to veto it, that could be considered a free pass for someone in the states that it most highly affects. But it's still the right thing to do, said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), who is leading the efforts to roll back the EPA's water rule.

Case in point: Manchin, her West Virginia colleague. He was the first Democrat to announce support for blocking the D.C. criminal code revisions, bucked Biden on his administrations progressive corporate governance rules and will support Capitos effort to stop what he calls the ridiculous" water rule.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) broke with former President Donald Trumps regulatory regime on issues ranging from technology to health care to pollution in the run-up to her 2020 reelection win in blue territory. And hers is a template Democrats can use running in red states this cycle.

Manchin said he supports House Republicans' rollbacks when it "makes sense."

Tester, who plans to vote to disapprove of the D.C. crime bill and is weighing what to do on the water rule, said hell make the call for what they are when it comes to the GOP disapproval resolutions.

If they think theyre putting me in a bind, theyre not, he added. And I dont know if theyre helping me, I dont know if theyre hurting me.

That said, there are fissures within the Democratic caucus over the D.C. vote  particularly given the long-running debate over the capital city's statehood bid and its budget autonomy. As he tried unsuccessfully to withdraw the crime bill on Monday and void the Senates vote this week, D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson said that he would not be consulting with GOP leaders and calling them every week and asking for permission to move forward on legislation.

D.C. is trying to withdraw the bill and work on it some more. And any effort to go forward on this vote is just a way to try to stomp on D.C., said Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who vowed to vote against congressional intervention into the capital's affairs.

And the DMV region is neatly split over the matter. Both of Maryland's Democratic senators, Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin, said they would vote against efforts to rein in the D.C. Councils autonomy.

But both Virginia Democratic senators, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, said they would vote to disapprove.

Kaine, who is up for reelection next year, had previously said he didnt want Congress to make D.C. play Mother-May-I on everything and that hes pretty strongly a home rule guy.

But after Biden made his position clear last week and Mendelson launched his failed attempt to scuttle his own bill, Kaine had a different view on Monday.

Now that the council is saying they want to withdraw, its clear the bill is not ready for primetime, Kaine said. So Ill vote for the resolution and encourage the mayor and the council to get on the same page, and itll give them the opportunity to get on the same page.

Anthony Adragna contributed.
Police in Dallas are investigating the death of a man shot multiple times early Monday morning, according to a news release.

Officers responded to the 9800 block of Summerwood Circle around 3:50 a.m. Monday to find the man dead in an apartment and a teenager also shot, according to the release. The teen was taken to the hospital and is in critical condition.

Police did not release the name of the homicide victim and said the investigation is ongoing. Anybody with information is asked to contact Detective Joshua Romero at 214-671-4226 or joshua.romero@dallaspolice.gov.
MILAN (AP)  When conductor Daniel Harding lands in Rome to take over the role of music director at one of the world's oldest music institutions, there is a chance he could be piloting the plane.

The 47-year-old British conductor has a second career as an Air France pilot, earning his private and commercial pilot licenses after age 40 to satisfy a lifelong curiosity and passion.

I found that flying and the different discipline, the different way of working, helped me as a musician, a conductor and as a person, Harding told The Associated Press ahead of the announcement Monday of his new post at the The Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia orchestra, starting in the fall of 2024.

He takes over from Antonio Pappano, who is leaving to become chief conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra.

Harding had an unusually young start as a conductor, and will arrive at the Santa Cecilia orchestra  listed by BBC Music Magazine as one of the top 20 in the world  after 18 years as the principal conductor of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. The gigs will overlap for one year.

By his own reckoning, he is still learning the role of conductor.

Conducting is the ultimate long game. What you do in your early 20s, your 30s, none of it matters. It is all about trying to find your way to being a real conductor in your 60s. There is a long way still to go, Harding said.

It takes a very, very long time,' he said, to learn how to balance a musician's need for freedom while also imposing discipline to make something coherent and tight, Harding said. "I think we all try to do interesting, and hopefully beautiful things, along the path.''

His schedule breaking up conducting with flying for Air France eight or nine days a month helps by changing his focus. I think all conductors should spend some months a year as a normal employee, part of a team, serving others,'' he said. "It's great!''

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Harding's parents were both amateur musicians "very keen that the children should enjoy music, he said. He was just 16 when he conducted alongside Simon Rattle, who took him under his wing after receiving a tape of the teenager conducting a school orchestra. He introduced me to the public and he said, When I met Daniel I watched him conduct and I decided I have two choices. I can help him, or I can kill him, Harding said.

He soon became an assistant to Claudio Abbado, conducting the Berlin Philharmonic at just 21. Daniel Barenboim  who subbed for him at La Scala last month after Hardings father fell ill  has shared precious advice.

Barenboim told me that when you start conducting full time, when youre conducting every week, it will take you 15 years, then you will start to understand what youre doing. Start. It is such an elusive thing how you harness all this incredible ability and possibility there is around you in an orchestra,'' Harding said.

Harding will open his tenure with the Santa Cecilia with a concert performance of Tosca, which he called the most Roman of operas.'' It is one he hasn't conducted before, and will therefore be learning from the orchestra's language and the orchestra's experience. And that's very exciting.

He also is planning a Mahler cycle, the composer he said he has most conducted, and with many orchestras, so therefore is the composer where I feel I have the most perspective on the music.

As he makes his mark on Santa Cecilia, Harding plans to take advantage of the layers of Rome's history as backdrops. That includes getting out into the city's basilicas with the Santa Cecilia chorus with the sacred repertoire, like the Mozart Requiem.

He also wants to work across artistic disciplines to come up with new ways of representing classical music to the Roman audience, "to confront different eras and epochs and see what the contrast teaches us.

"We will have to find the repertoire that is nourishing and interesting for us, the musicians, and for our public,'' Harding said.
The Washington, D.C., City Council is attempting to withdraw a bill that would amend the citys criminal code after President Biden said he would sign a Republican-led resolution to block the measure, a surprising move that has given the bill little hope on Capitol Hill.

D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson told the Senate on Monday that he wanted to withdraw the measure before a Republican vote to block it. But the leading Republican backing the push to nix the criminal code changes said Mendelsons attempt to avoid a Senate vote was futile.

This desperate, made-up maneuver not only has no basis in the D.C. Home Rule Act, but underscores the completely unserious way the D.C. Council has legislated, Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) said. No matter how hard they try, the Council cannot avoid accountability for passing this disastrous, dangerous D.C. soft-on-crime bill that will make residents and visitors less safe.

A Senate leadership aide told The Hill that the Home Rule Act, which governs D.C., does not allow for the withdrawal of legislation, and that they still expected the Senate vote to occur.

At this point the Senate Republican privileged motion will be acting on the House disapproval resolution, rather than the D.C. Councils transmission to the Senate, the aide said. We still expect the vote to occur.

The crime bill, which would have eliminated most mandatory sentences and lowered penalties for violent offenses such as carjackings and robberies, among other provisions, drew the ire of Republicans and some moderate Democrats.

House lawmakers passed a resolution last month to block the new D.C. criminal code, which is also expected to pass the Senate with some Democratic support.

House Democrats slammed Biden over his unexpected announcement that he would sign the Republican-led resolution to block the D.C. bill, after indications from the White House that he would veto it.

Some Democrats accused the president of trampling on the independence of the city, after he has voiced support for D.C. statehood in the past.

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Republicans framed the bill as a soft-on-crime policy, noting that D.C.s own Democratic mayor, Muriel Bowser, was opposed to the legislation.

Mendelson said at a press conference on Monday that he was unsure if his attempt to withdraw the measure would succeed.

I will say, I dont know that that will stop the Senate Republicans, but our position is that the bill is not before Congress any longer, he said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Andrii Dodonov / Getty Images/iStockphoto



The goal of declaring bankruptcy varies, but usually involves the dissolution of burdensome unsecured debt (as in Chapter 7 bankruptcy) or debt restructuring or repayment (as in Chapter 11 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy filings).

See: What Is the Highest Income Level for Food Stamps in 2023?

Find: With a Recession Looming, Make These 3 Retirement Moves To Stay On Track

However, some debts cant be removed regardless of the type of bankruptcy you file.

According to federal courts, from a general standpoint, there are a few non dischargeable debts you cant clear from your record  such as:

Certain types of tax claims.

Debts not set forth by the debtor on the lists and schedules the debtor must file with the court.

Debts for spousal or child support or alimony.

Debts for willful and malicious injuries to person or property.

Debts to governmental units for fines and penalties (as well as debts for most government funded or guaranteed educational loans, or benefit overpayments).

Most government-funded educational loans or benefit overpayments.

Debts owed to certain tax-advantaged retirement plans.

Debts for certain condominium or cooperative housing fees.

Student loan debt can be discharged in rare instances. Michelle Bass, a consumer bankruptcy attorney, told CNBC: Its really difficult to obtain full discharge of student loans. You have to prove that your circumstances will never improve and that being forced to repay them would be an undue hardship on you.

Debts for items purchased within 90 days of filing  or debt resulting from embezzlement, larceny, or breach of fiduciary duty  are also unlikely to be discharged. If a filer fails to follow the rules and procedures, or if theyve received a discharge in another case within a certain time frame, they may be denied a discharge for these reasons.

Regarding bankruptcy and its effect on credit scores, Bass stated: Whether they [the party going bankrupt] file Chapter 7 or 13, their credit is going to take a hit But most clients say it starts improving right away after a Chapter 7 discharge, and in Chapter 13, their credit starts to improve six to 12 months after filing.

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Take Our Poll: Do You Think Bankruptcy Is an Acceptable Way To Escape Student Loan Debt?

More: 3 Signs Youre Approaching Bankruptcy and What To Do Next

A Chapter 7 bankruptcy can stay on your credit file for 10 years, and a Chapter 13 bankruptcy for 7 years, per Capital One. With this in mind, it may be wise to speak to a financial advisor or attorney specializing in such matters before making the commitment to file.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Debts That Are Typically Exempt from Personal Bankruptcy Filings
Elizabeth Doughman playing mini golf. Courtesy of Elizabeth Doughman

Elizabeth Doughman constantly travels with her wheelchair.

She's experienced disrespect from airport agents, and her wheelchair has been damaged.

This is Doughman's story, as told to Allison Kenien.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Elizabeth Doughman. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I use a wheelchair, and I've traveled across the world. I've brought my wheelchair to destinations like the Galapagos, Costa Rica, England, and Ireland. I also travel throughout the US for work.

I love exploring new places, and I believe everyone should have the opportunity to see the world. I'm an experienced traveler, but one part is always frustrating and difficult for me: flying.

On a recent trip to Atlanta, my wheelchair was damaged by the airline, despite my asking for it to be stored safely in a closet. Delta mailed me a $100 voucher, which was nice. But I wish they'd invest more in educating their employees and building accessible spaces.

Airports and planes are not made for wheelchairs

Navigating an airport with disabilities is physically and mentally tough. When I travel, there are attendants whose job is to assist people with wheelchairs through the airport. While the intention is to support people with disabilities, the reality is that wheelchair assistants don't always treat me like a person.

I've been on trips where I've been left in hallways so attendants can catch up with friends. On some trips I've waited 30 minutes or more for someone to be available to help me. Passengers with disabilities constantly deal with abandonment and lack of assistance during airplane delays and cancellations, but sometimes abandonment happens for no reason at all.

On another trip, two employees were trying to help me into an aisle chair. With the cabin door open and all the passengers waiting on the boarding bridge, they started yelling that they were having trouble. "We can't help her," they yelled. It was so embarrassing.

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Despite these negative experiences, sometimes an attendant will treat me and my wheelchair with respect. They ask questions like "What's the best way to lift your wheelchair?" and "What's the best way for us to help you?" They make me feel like my needs matter.

Every trip is a gamble, and luckily the air-travel problems usually end when I leave the airport. But a few months ago, my luck ran out during a work trip to Atlanta for a trade show.

My wheelchair was broken

I followed my usual approach to minimize issues when I arrived at the airport.

I talked with the Delta desk representative and asked if my wheelchair could be stored in a closet in the plane's main cabin. The representative planned to try that, but unfortunately my chair ended up with the rest of the cargo.

When I arrived in Atlanta, my wheelchair came out at the baggage claim, and it was damaged. The notches for my wheelchair's footplates were broken, meaning the metal pieces where my feet should rest were hanging uselessly.

Doughman's broken wheelchair. Courtesy of Elizabeth Doughman

Editor's note: In response to Insider's request for comment, a Delta Air Lines representative, Emily Pitchford, said: "We consider a wheelchair an extension of a person, and while the vast majority of wheelchairs and scooters enplaned by Delta are fully handled with our high standard of care, we understand the frustration that comes when we fall short. We sincerely apologize for this customer's experience and have reached out to make things right. We continue to proactively work with our Advisory Board on Disability and our cross-divisional operations teams to improve the travel experience for our customers with disabilities."

I immediately went to file a claim, but I knew the repairs would take a long time, and I had a big trade show to attend. I needed to figure out a solution.

I tried duct-taping the footplates to keep them from dragging. This worked for several hours, until the tape snapped. Then my legs were left swinging, and my feet were constantly caught up in the front wheels.

Imagine being on your feet working all day while wearing two left shoes  that's how I felt during the trade show.

Reports from the US Department of Transportation suggest that for every 100 wheelchairs flown in a month, US airlines damage about 1.5. It's a sad statistic  but on top of that, those of us with disabilities experience constant damage to our dignity when flying.

I'm still waiting for my wheelchair to be fixed, and, most importantly, I'm still waiting for the airline industry to fix accessibility issues. I'm afraid both repairs will take a long time.

Read the original article on Insider
Democrats on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee are demanding urgent answers from Norfolk Southern about the role the companys lobbying against safety standards played in the derailment of a train carrying hazardous materials outside East Palestine, Ohio.

These questions  packaged in a scathing critique of the companys business practices and crash history  came on the heels of another derailment of a Norfolk Southern train on Saturday evening outside Springfield, Ohio.

Norfolk Southerns promises to do better after the East Palestine spill cannot be squared with the companys history of aggressively lobbying against sensible railroad safety measures, the Democrats wrote.

The Hill has reached out to Norfolk Southern for comment.

The Democrats letter, led by Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), focused on the companys history of cutting staff and operating costs while sending $18 billion to shareholders since 2018.

As its dividend payouts and stock buybacks increased, Norfolk Southern began simultaneously scaling back its workforce and running longer, heavier trains in an apparent effort to reduce costs, the letter charged.

Norfolk Southerns attempted rollbacks have also increased, the Democrats noted. In December, Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw met with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to lobby against a new rule requiring freight trains to have at least two crew members at all times.

Shaw will testify before the Senate on Thursday.

Democrats demanded details on the role all these developments had played in the East Palestine crash  as well as a full record of aid given to the community, in addition to conditions the company had placed on those who received it.

By accepting compensation from the company, residents risked unintentionally waiv[ing] their rights to more comprehensive compensation later, law firm Plevin and Gallucci warned potential East Palestine clients last week.

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The Democrats letter comes in response to attacks from the committees Republicans on Buttigieg  a primary focus of Republican ire and politicking since the East Palestine derailment. Since mid-February, conservative pundits and politicians have attacked the secretary for taking nearly three weeks to visit the crash site.

In his criticisms of Norfolk Southern, Buttigieg has attempted to blame others for infrastructure that is within [the Transportation Departments] ambit of responsibilities, chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) wrote Buttigieg in late February.

Comer cited the billions that the department had received under the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure bill to revamp American railways.

Yet America now faces one of transportations largest failures, even while DOT seems to not lack available funding. In America, over 1,000 trains derail every year, Comer wrote.

He demanded that the department explain its leaderships apathy in the face of this emergency.

Democrats have criticized Republicans for not pointing to Norfolk Southern, which they noted was missing in the Comer letter.

It is time to put partisan politics aside and ensure a full accounting of all the factsno matter how inconvenient, the Democrats wrote Comer last Wednesday.

Despite your pledge last December to use the powers of this Committee to conduct credible oversight, identify problems, and propose reforms, your February 23, 2023, letter to Secretary Buttigieg failed to ask a single legitimate question aimed at obtaining answers as to what caused the derailment.

That quote refers to promises Comer made before assuming leadership of the committee in January, which he laid out in a Wall Street Journal editorial.

That priority list includes a laundry list of Republican culture war issues, such as the border and fentanyl crises, pandemic relief fraud, botched Afghanistan withdrawal, energy crisis, Covid origins, and the Biden familys suspicious business schemes, as Comer wrote at the time.

Oversight Republicans never responded to their letter, frustrated Democratic staffers told The Hill.

Saturdays derailment outside Springfield, Ohio, saw 28 cars derailed, four of which carried the plastic precursor polyacrylamide.

Polyacrylamide is far less toxic than the 115,000 gallons of vinyl chloride spilled or burned off from the East Palestine spill  unlike the vinyl chloride, it isnt listed as a hazardous material and is often used to make toys, sowed into farm soil to increase drainage and air circulation, and used in fracking fluid.

But that is more a matter of luck than planning. According to the Energy Information Agency, the Midwest is the primary source for rail shipments of flammable materials like biodiesels and fuel ethanol. And the fracking fields of the Ohio Valley have fueled a growing spiderweb of plastics refining along the regions close-packed rivers, environmental news site Grist reported.

In the Senate, the continued risks of rail disasters in the region have prompted more collaborative responses from local members. Last week, a bipartisan group led by Ohio Sens. Sherrod Brown (D) and J.D. Vance (R) introduced a joint railway safety bill.

That union-backed bill  which also included Bob Casey (D-Penn.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), John Fetterman (D-Penn.), and Josh Hawley (R-Miss.) as sponsors  would require trains carrying hazardous materials like vinyl chloride to meet higher safety standards and to operate with two-person crews.

They would also establish more stringent requirements for wayside defect detectors  the railside sensors that scan for whether a bearing is overheating, a potential indicator of a coming derailment.

It would also substantially increase the fines that the Department of Transportation can charge for safety violations  currently set at just $225,455.

Through this legislation, Congress has a real opportunity to ensure that what happened in East Palestine will never happen again, Vance said last week.

Following the Springfield derailment, Brown also doubled down.

Sandusky, Steubenville, East Palestine, and now Springfield  four Norfolk Southern derailments in less than five months because this corporation has been more concerned with its profit margin than with Ohioans safety, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Pa.) said in a statement.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A protest turned into a fiery construction site Saturday evening in DeKalb County after hundreds gathered to demonstrate against the City of Atlantas plan to build a police and fire training facility in a wooded area.

Peaceful demonstrators told Channel 2 Action News their night started with a music festival in the wooded area off Constitution Rd. SE. Around 5:00 p.m., attendees told Channel 2s Courtney Francisco on WSB Tonight 11 p.m. that a group branched off and began protesting on the other side of the wooded area.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

A law enforcement source confirmed to Channel 2 Action News more than 100 people caused havoc, shooting fireworks at officers and setting fire to construction equipment.

At that time, police moved in on concertgoers.

I looked at my friend and Im like I think its about time we take our leave, said Gregory Spies.

Groups against building the training facility held the concert Saturday. It was one of a string of events they had planned this week.

Stop Cop City and Defend Atlanta Forest promoted it on social media as a week of action and mass mobilization, asking people from around the country to attend in solidarity with their cause.

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A large number of people camped in the woods back there. There were, you know, 10 person tents back there renaissance fair style, said Spies. There were children back there.

When officers moved in to the music festival area, cell phone video captured officers tasing at least one person. Officers were also seen putting a couple in zip ties and putting them in the back of a cruiser.

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Officers allowed a smaller group of people to remain in the woods where the concert continued until 9:30 p.m.

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IN OTHER NEWS:
Deputies in the Augusta area are searching for a man they said stole an ambulance.

The Richmond County Sheriffs Office released a surveillance photo of the man in the front seat of the ambulance.

Investigators said the man stole the vehicle from a business along Wheeless Road around 1 a.m. on Feb. 25 and was later recovered about 90 minutes later a little more than five miles away.

It remains unclear why or how the man stole the ambulance.

Anyone with information about the mans identity is asked to call the Richmond County Sheriffs Office at 706-821-1020 or 706-821-1003.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis touted his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the state's approach to education on Sunday at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, where he also claimed the "woke mind virus" is leading to the demise of liberal states.

"We have had a great experiment, a great test in governance philosophies," DeSantis said. "If you look over the last four years, we've witnessed a great American exodus from states governed by leftists politicians imposing leftist ideology and delivering poor results."

DeSantis' visit to California, home to Gov. Gavin Newsom and Vice President Kamala Harris, came amid mounting speculation about his 2024 plans. Newsom, who's also been floated as a potential 2024 candidate but has denied plans to challenge President Joe Biden, has been publicly tussling with DeSantis for months.

Last year Newsom took out ads over the Fourth of July holiday in Florida saying "freedom is under attack in your state."

Without mentioning Newsom by name, DeSantis said on Sunday "I know you guys have a lot of problems out here, but your governor is very concerned about what we're doing in Florida, so I figured I'd have to come by."

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks about his new book

Newsom, who returned to the state after the event, responded by saying "welcome to the real freedom state."

"Just look at the data  California residents are safer, healthier and more prosperous than those unfortunate enough to have you as their Governor," Newsom continued. "Oh by the way, you're going to get smoked by Trump."

More than 1,300 attended the event, according to Reagan Presidential Library staff, including former California Gov. Pete Wilson and actor Gary Sinise.

Overnight, the front entrance sign of the library was vandalized, according to Simi Valley Police. Graffiti on the sign read "Ron DeFascist." Library staff discovered and removed the graffiti ahead of the event.

Prior to DeSantis' arrival, there were roughly 25-30 protesters outside the front entrance with signs that read "Biden 2020," "Fascist," and "Dictator DeSantis."

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Another sign read "Say gay everyday," a reference to legislation DeSantis recently signed in Florida known as "don't say gay," which prohibits discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade.

"They should not be teaching a second grader that they can choose their gender," DeSantis said to loud applause. "They may have gotten everything they wanted in Florida for the last 60 years but there is a new sheriff in town now."

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis waves to the crowd after speaking about his new book

DeSantis pushed ahead talking about his controversial higher education initiatives, saying Florida will pass legislation to make universities color blind, eliminate all DEI initiatives, and said all tenured professors must undergo a review every five years.

DeSantis said the 2020 pandemic gave voters a chance to re-evaluate their government and political leaders and as a result more people are moving to Florida. He said "poor governance in left wing states is why people are moving."

DeSantis also talked about crime, claiming that "woke ideology" is the reason liberal prosecutors in states like California continue to "coddle criminals."

"It is ideology run amuck. That is why the quality of life has declined in places in San Francisco, in New York City, and in Philadelphia and Chicago. It is all rooted in that and that woke ideology rejects the core foundational principles that made this country great," DeSantis said. "We will never surrender to the woke mob."

DeSantis also touted his large margin of victory in the 2022 gubernatorial race. He said his margin of victory grew from 32,000 votes in 2018 to over 1.5 million in 2022 because he executed his vision unapologetically.

DeSantis said he rejected the advice given to him after his close win in 2018: "Be careful" about rocking the boat. "My view was that I may have earned 50% of the vote but I earned 100% of the executive power and I intended to use it to advance the message," he said.

DeSantis said he's never looked at a single poll during his time as governor. "A leader is not captive to polls, a leader will help shape the public's opinion," DeSantis said.

DeSantis went on to headline a fundraiser in Orange County, which was attended by California GOP chairwoman Jessica Milan Patterson and conservative, San Francisco-based lawyer Harmeet Dhillon. The trip to California came after he visited Texas, where he said Florida and Texas were partners against "woke ideology."

DeSantis' travel this weekend coincided with CPAC, the annual gathering of conservatives, which was held in Maryland and featured former President Donald Trump, who used his keynote speech to trash DeSantis.

Three years into the global COVID-19 pandemic, here's how the battle continues.

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Mike Pence criticizes Trump over Jan. 6 attack on U.S. Capitol
Ukrainian military

Kivinen said the will of the Ukrainian people to defend their country, societys tolerance of crises, as well as the military, financial and political support of the West had become key factors in the defensive battle.

He added that Russian had been surprised by the amount of support Ukraine had received from the rest of the world.

Read also: Russias war against Ukraine could end in six months, or it could last another three years  Pentagon

It is clear that in the current situation, support to Ukraine should be continued, Kivinen said.

However, he said the protracted war and mounting casualties on both sides are factors of uncertainty that also affect how long it would last.

Read also: No end to hostilities in Ukraine in sight, German defense minister says

In January, the adviser to the head of the Presidents Office, Mykhailo Podolyak, claimed that the war would end in 2023.

Ukraines Defense Minister, Oleksiy Reznikov, stated that the Russian Federations war against Ukraine could end in 2023.

On Feb. 23, the head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR) of the Ministry of Defense, Kyrylo Budanov, said that we are approaching the end of the war, and Russia will be forced to withdraw its troops from the territory of Ukraine.

The Chief of the General Staff of Poland, General Rajmund Andrzejczak, said in an interview with NV that Russia has money and other resources for two more years of war.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
WASHINGTON (AP)  Over the past 11 months, someone created thousands of fake, automated Twitter accounts  perhaps hundreds of thousands of them  to offer a stream of praise for Donald Trump.

Besides posting adoring words about the former president, the fake accounts ridiculed Trump's critics from both parties and attacked Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and U.N. ambassador who is challenging her onetime boss for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

When it came to Ron DeSantis, the bots aggressively suggested that the Florida governor couldn't beat Trump, but would be a great running mate.

As Republican voters size up their candidates for 2024, whoever created the bot network is seeking to put a thumb on the scale, using online manipulation techniques pioneered by the Kremlin to sway the digital platform conversation about candidates while exploiting Twitter's algorithms to maximize their reach.

The sprawling bot network was uncovered by researchers at Cyabra, an Israeli tech firm that shared its findings with The Associated Press. While the identity of those behind the network of fake accounts is unknown, Cyabra's analysts determined that it was likely created within the U.S.

To identify a bot, researchers will look for patterns in an account's profile, its follower list and the content it posts. Human users typically post about a variety of subjects, with a mix of original and reposted material, but bots often post repetitive content about the same topics.

That was true of many of the bots identified by Cyabra.

One account will say, Biden is trying to take our guns; Trump was the best, and another will say, Jan. 6 was a lie and Trump was innocent,'" said Jules Gross, the Cyabra engineer who first discovered the network. "Those voices are not people. For the sake of democracy I want people to know this is happening.

Bots, as they are commonly called, are fake, automated accounts that became notoriously well-known after Russia employed them in an effort to meddle in the 2016 election. While big tech companies have improved their detection of fake accounts, the network identified by Cyabra shows they remain a potent force in shaping online political discussion.

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The new pro-Trump network is actually three different networks of Twitter accounts, all created in huge batches in April, October and November 2022. In all, researchers believe hundreds of thousands of accounts could be involved.

The accounts all feature personal photos of the alleged account holder as well as a name. Some of the accounts posted their own content, often in reply to real users, while others reposted content from real users, helping to amplify it further.

McConnell... Traitor! wrote one of the accounts, in response to an article in a conservative publication about GOP Senate leader Mitch McConnell, one of several Republican critics of Trump targeted by the network.

One way of gauging the impact of bots is to measure the percentage of posts about any given topic generated by accounts that appear to be fake. The percentage for typical online debates is often in the low single digits. Twitter itself has said that less than 5% of its active daily users are fake or spam accounts.

When Cyabra researchers examined negative posts about specific Trump critics, however, they found far higher levels of inauthenticity. Nearly three-fourths of the negative posts about Haley, for example, were traced back to fake accounts.

The network also helped popularize a call for DeSantis to join Trump as his vice presidential running mate  an outcome that would serve Trump well and allow him to avoid a potentially bitter matchup if DeSantis enters the race.

The same network of accounts shared overwhelmingly positive content about Trump and contributed to an overall false picture of his support online, researchers found.

Our understanding of what is mainstream Republican sentiment for 2024 is being manipulated by the prevalence of bots online," the Cyabra researchers concluded.

The triple network was discovered after Gross analyzed Tweets about different national political figures and noticed that many of the accounts posting the content were created on the same day. Most of the accounts remain active, though they have relatively modest numbers of followers.

A message left with a spokesman for Trump's campaign was not immediately returned.

Most bots aren't designed to persuade people, but to amplify certain content so more people see it, according to Samuel Woolley, a professor and misinformation researcher at the University of Texas whose most recent book focuses on automated propaganda.

When a human user sees a hashtag or piece of content from a bot and reposts it, they're doing the network's job for it, and also sending a signal to Twitter's algorithms to boost the spread of the content further.

Bots can also succeed in convincing people that a candidate or idea is more or less popular than the reality, he said. More pro-Trump bots can lead to people overstating his popularity overall, for example.

Bots absolutely do impact the flow of information, Woolley said. They're built to manufacture the illusion of popularity. Repetition is the core weapon of propaganda and bots are really good at repetition. They're really good at getting information in front of people's eyeballs."

Until recently, most bots were easily identified thanks to their clumsy writing or account names that included nonsensical words or long strings of random numbers. As social media platforms got better at detecting these accounts, the bots became more sophisticated.

So-called cyborg accounts are one example: a bot that is periodically taken over by a human user who can post original content and respond to users in human-like ways, making them much harder to sniff out.

Bots could soon get much sneakier thanks to advances in artificial intelligence. New AI programs can create lifelike profile photos and posts that sound much more authentic. Bots that sound like a real person and deploy deepfake video technology may challenge platforms and users alike in new ways, according to Katie Harbath, a fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center and a former Facebook public policy director.

The platforms have gotten so much better at combating bots since 2016, Harbath said. "But the types that we're starting to see now, with AI, they can create fake people. Fake videos."

These technological advances likely ensure that bots have a long future in American politics  as digital foot soldiers in online campaigns, and as potential problems for both voters and candidates trying to defend themselves against anonymous online attacks.

Theres never been more noise online, said Tyler Brown, a political consultant and former digital director for the Republican National Committee. How much of it is malicious or even unintentionally unfactual? It's easy to imagine people being able to manipulate that.
The ZNPP has been under the occupation of the Russia since March 4, 2022

The situation has reached a stalemate, Halushchenko said.

Read also: IAEA head optimistic for safety zone around ZNPP

Our position that we voice at all international platforms is that any negotiations on ZNPP should be based on the following: first, demilitarization of the plant, second, withdrawal of Rosatom employees from ZNPP, the minister said.

Third, Ukrainian personnel should be able to operate the nuclear facility calmly, without pressure. But in response to this, we received (Russian dictator Vladimir) Putins worthless decree that ZNPP is federal property, with the registration of the relevant company in Moscow called Zaporizhzhya station.

Read also: Russian invaders block passes of Zaporizhzhya NPP workers who refuse to sign contracts

Halushchenko added that Ukraine had received alarming signals from the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) mission working at ZNPP that the Russians were behaving highly unprofessionally at the plant.

The IAEA mission confirms that the Russians are operating the plant in such a way that the state of the equipment and facilities at ZNPP is deteriorating significantly, the minister said.

Read also: Russia blocking rotation of IAEA experts at Zaporizhzhya NPP, says Foreign Ministry

It seems that one of the invaders goals is to leave it (plant) to us non-operational after de-occupation.

ZNPP is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe and has been occupied by Russian forces since March 4. Several ZNPP facilities have been damaged by Russian shelling, and the stations employees are captives of the invading troops.

Russian troops have set up firing positions at the territory of the ZNPP and are shelling Ukrainian cities from there. Ukraines nuclear operator Energoatom reported that the Russian military placed at least 14 units of heavy military vehicles, loaded with ammunition, weapons and explosives in one of the turbine halls at ZNPP.

The IAEA confirmed the presence of heavy military vehicles at the plant when it visited the site at the end of August last year.

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Read also: Russia pulling in more troops, equipment to Zaporizhzhya NPP, says Energoatom

It has since established a permanent monitoring presence at the facility and called for a demilitarized safety zone to be established around the plant.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
DMV vacay play stay and more

The DMV is filled with great food, amazing stays and beautiful experiences. Travel Noire has put together a guide to help you figure out where to vacay, play, stay and much more when you visit the areas in and around Washington D.C. While it may be easy to visit the DMV area year-round, the truth is that there are some months that are much better than others for visitation purposes.

DMV Area, Quick Travel Facts

Best time to travel: March through May and September through November

Time zone: Eastern Standard Time (EST)

Noteworthy: National Cherry Blossom Festival (March through May), Baltimore Jazz Fest (June)

Best for: Couples Trip, Friends Trip, Family Getaways

More than just an opportunity to see some pretty trees, the National Cherry Blossom Festival is a cooperative celebration between American and Japanese cultures. It serves as a way to remember the first cherry blossom tree that was gifted to the United States by Tokyo Mayor Yukio Ozaki back in 1912.

For those that prefer a more beachy experience, Delaware and Virginia both offer incomparable summer adventures. Stop by the fun and funky Bethany Beach if youre in Delaware during the summer or enjoy a more serene experience at Sandbridge in Virginia Beach.

Play: Things to Do and See in the DMV

If you do decide to visit the DMV area, you will not be bored.

The National Museum of African American History & Culture (NMAAHC), which is located in D.C., is the crest of a centuries-long effort to recognize the importance of the Black community and its influence on American life. The museums exhibition of slavery is housed at the bottom level of the building. The upper levels are considered the culture galleries and display fine art, and the stories and artifacts of Black entertainers, artists, musicians, writers and athletes.

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Over in Maryland, its essential to take a trip to the National Aquarium, which is fun for children (and adults) of all ages. There are so many activities offered at this aquarium, such as dolphin training sessions, shark behind-the-scenes tours, and animal care and rescue tours, that you will never want to leave.

In Virginia, taking a trip to see the Natural Bridge  a limestone structure that is nothing short of a natural wonder  or the Luray Caverns, which is considered Geologys Hall of Fame is a must-do.

Gourmet: Best Restaurants in D.C. & Virginia

Theres no shortage of delicious eateries in the DMV area. However, it can be hard to figure out which places to try.

If you are looking for Caribbean-fusion cuisine, they you may want to try Bammys Navy Yard, located in the heart of Arlington, VA. Executive chef Peter Prime is a local favorite, frequently appearing on local morning shows to tempt viewers with grilled oxtail, Trinidadian-style potato curry and brown stew chicken.

Other local favorites include The Duck and the Peach (which serves all-American fare) and the French bistro Cafe Colline. Bar Spero is the perfect spot to get your paella fix, and Fiola Mar has the best Italian food in the DMV.

Stay: Best Places to Stay in the DMV

Few things spell luxury in the DMV quite like the Fairmont Hotel. This DC landmark is located in the heart of the tony Georgetown district and is reminiscent of the incomparable luxury of NYCs Plaza Hotel. Unlike The Plaza, the Fairmont is sleek and up-to-date with all the modern amenities that all 21st-century travelers could want.

For those looking to patronize a Black-owned hotel, the Salamander Resort & Spa provides a unique treat. Located in the heart of Virginias wine country, the Salamander  situated on more than 300 acres  offers a unique spa-like experience less than 30 minutes away from Dulles International Airport.

If you want a more unique experience, head on over to AirBnB and book Ingram Alley Inn. It is a highly-recommended tiny house that is close to the hidden gem of the 16th Street Heights.

Get Away: How to Get to the DMV

There are a lot of ways to get to the DMV. Some of the most common forms of transportation is by car, plane or train.

Train tickets to Washington D.C. are affordable, especially when traveling from the New York City area. Fares start as low as $31, and Amtrak can get you there in about five hours without the hassle of DC traffic stressing you out.

Direct flights to Washington D.C. also are available from all over the world with the vast majority of the routes being serviced by American Airlines.

If you are willing to run the risk of battling the D.C. traffic to get to the DMV, a road trip isnt the worst idea in the world.
(Mollie Mulheron / SWNS)

A woman who collapsed in a supermarket after being told by doctors that her symptoms were caused by stress has been diagnosed with stage four cancer.

Mollie Mulheron, 24, had recently returned from travelling in the Galapagos Islands where she began experiencing symptoms, but was assured by doctors she was simply too stressed.

Despite experiencing such difficulty with breathing that she almost drowned while snorkelling, doctors insisted her the issues were in her head.

However, after returning to the UK she collapsed in public and was rushed to hospital  where doctors diagnosed her with a 15cm tumour spanning her heart and lungs.

Now, Mollie has been given a diagnosis of stage four non-Hodgkins lymphoma. She says she still cant comprehend whats happened.

Mollie said: That was the worst news of my life, I cant even explain how it felt now.

I just cried and screamed and screamed  it was out of nowhere, I knew something was wrong but I didnt think it was that wrong.

Im waiting to hear how much its spread. It doesnt mean Im going to die tomorrow but it means treatment needs to start now.

Theyve given me an injection to try and preserve my fertility so kids arent out the question. Its put me in early menopause, its the worst part for me as I always wanted to be a mum.

Mollie, from Skipton, Leeds, had travelled to the Galapagos Islands to pursue her dream of travelling.

(Mollie Mulheron / SWNS)

While there, she worked as an English teacher and enjoyed exploring the tropical islands.

However, she began to experience symptoms such as difficulty breathing and swallowing. Typical signs of non-Hodgkins lymphoma may include swollen lymph nodes in your neck, armpits or groin, abdominal pain or swelling, chest pain, coughing or trouble breathing, persistent fatigue, fever, night sweats and unexplained weight loss.

She was told there werent enough students for her to teach, so she booked a flight home for 4 February  but within 48 hours of touching down in the UK, she collapsed and began throwing up in a supermarket.

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An ambulance was called and Mollie was rushed to hospital where she underwent blood tests, and X-ray and CT scans.

(Mollie Mulheron / SWNS)

She was given the devastating diagnosis and told the tumour had been affecting her heart.

Doctors prescribed steroids to stop the tumour from growing. Due to the advanced stage, Mollie swiftly began chemotherapy.

Ive been fit and healthy my whole life, Ive always been completely fine  I dont know what has caused this, Im healthy and young, three weeks ago I was in Galapagos living my best life, said Mollie.

(Mollie Mulheron / SWNS)

I still cant comprehend it now - [when I was told] I was screaming to my mum about my future plans, how I wanted to be a mum and get married, all I could do was stare at the wall and cry and scream.

The doctors immediately put me on steroids to stop the growth of the tumour while they tried to figure out what was going on.

They couldnt start treatment until they knew exactly what it was so I was waiting for the biopsy to come back.

When I finally got the results, it wasnt what we hoped for  its non-Hodgkins lymphoma which is rare and aggressive.

(Mollie Mulheron / SWNS)

The doctors seem hopeful they can treat it and say the success rate for the type of cancer I have is good and it looks hopeful.

The only sad thing is that its stage four which means its on both sides of my chest and has spread to other parts of my body.

I started chemo and had a bad reaction to the first treatment, but the doctors said it was because they started it too fast, and after that it was okay, I just had a few side effects like headaches.

The doctors say there are a lot of treatments they can try because Im young, fit and healthy.
For years, the Department of Homeland Security has run a virtually unknown program gathering domestic intelligence, one of many revelations in a wide-ranging tranche of internal documents reviewed by POLITICO.

Those documents also reveal that a significant number of employees in DHSs intelligence office have raised concerns that the work they are doing could be illegal.

Under the domestic-intelligence program, officials are allowed to seek interviews with just about anyone in the United States. That includes people held in immigrant detention centers, local jails, and federal prison. DHSs intelligence professionals have to say theyre conducting intelligence interviews, and they have to tell the people they seek to interview that their participation is voluntary. But the fact that theyre allowed to go directly to incarcerated people  circumventing their lawyers  raises important civil liberties concerns, according to legal experts.

That specific element of the program, which has been in place for years, was paused last year because of internal concerns. DHSs Office of Intelligence and Analysis, which runs the program, uses it to gather information about threats to the U.S., including transnational drug trafficking and organized crime. But the fact that this low-profile office is collecting intelligence by questioning people in the U.S. is virtually unknown.

The inner workings of the program  called the "Overt Human Intelligence Collection Program  are described in the large tranche of internal documents POLITICO reviewed from the Office of Intelligence and Analysis. Those documents and additional interviews revealed widespread internal concerns about legally questionable tactics and political pressure. The documents also show that people working there fear punishment if they speak out about mismanagement and abuses.

One unnamed employee  quoted in an April 2021 document  said leadership of I&As Office of Regional Intelligence is shady and runs like a corrupt government. Another document said some employees worried so much about the legality of their activities that they wanted their employer to cover legal liability insurance.

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Carrie Bachner, formerly the career senior legislative adviser to the DHS under secretary for intelligence, said the fact that the agency is directly questioning Americans as part of a domestic-intelligence program is deeply concerning, given the history of scandals related to past domestic-intelligence programs by the FBI.

Bachner, who served as a DHS liaison with Capitol Hill from 2006 to 2010, said she told members of Congress adamantly  over and over and over again  that I&A didnt collect intelligence in the U.S.

I dont know any counsel in their right mind that would sign off on that, and any member of Congress that would say, Thats OK, said Bachner, who currently runs a consulting firm. If these people are out there interviewing folks that still have constitutional privileges, without their lawyer present, thats immoral.

DHS Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis Kenneth Wainstein, a former federal prosecutor who took the helm of I&A last June, said in a statement that his office is addressing its employees concerns. An I&A spokesperson provided POLITICO with a list of steps the office has taken since September 2020 to address internal complaints, including conducting a number of new trainings and hiring two full-time ombudsmen.

In its statement, I&A did not address the domestic-intelligence program. But POLITICO reviewed an email, sent last August, saying that the portion of the program involving interviews with prisoners who had received their Miranda rights was temporarily halted because of internal concerns.

The true measure of a government organization is its ability to persevere through challenging times, openly acknowledge and learn from those challenges, and move forward in service of the American people, Wainstein said in his statement. The Office of Intelligence and Analysis has done just that over the past few years ... Together, we will ensure that our work is completely free from politicization, that our workforce feels free to raise all views and concerns, and that we continue to deliver the quality, objective intelligence that is so vital to our homeland security partners.

A loophole that we exploit

A key theme that emerges from internal documents is that in recent years, many people working at I&A have said they fear they are breaking the law.

POLITICO reviewed a slide deck titled I&A Management Analysis & Assistance Program Survey Findings for FOD. FOD refers to I&As Field Operations Division  now called the Office of Regional Intelligence  which is the largest part of the office, with personnel working around the country. Those officials work with state, local and private sector partners; collect intelligence; and analyze intelligence. When the U.S. faces a domestic crisis related to national security or public safety, people in this section are expected to be the first in I&A to know about it and then to relay what they learn to the offices leadership. Their focuses include domestic terror attacks, cyber attacks, border security issues, and natural disasters, along with a host of other threats and challenges.

The survey described in the slide deck was conducted in April 2021. A person familiar with the survey said it asked respondents about events of 2020. Its findings were based on 126 responses. Half of the respondents said theyd alerted managers of their concerns that their work involved activity that was inappropriate or illegal. The slide deck seems to try to put a positive spin on this.

There is an opportunity to work with employees to address concerns they have about the appropriateness or lawfulness of a work activity, it reads.

Half of the respondents have voiced to management a concern about this, many of whom feel their concern was not appropriately addressed.

Other documents laid out concerns related to a specific internal dispute about how the law applies to I&As interactions with American citizens.

Three legal texts govern I&As activities: Title 50 of the U.S. Code, which lays out laws about national security; Executive Order 12333, which details how the Intelligence Community works; and the Homeland Security Act of 2002, which set up the Department of Homeland Security. The U.S. intelligence agencies governed by Title 50 face strict rules related to intelligence activity in the U.S. or targeting U.S. citizens. Internally, many I&A personnel have raised concerns that they get asked to take steps that are inappropriate for a Title 50 agency.

On Nov. 12, 2020, barely a week after Election Day, Robin Taylor, then the director of I&As Field Operations Division, emailed to multiple officials a summary of 12 listening sessions that an internal employee watchdog had held with division employees.

Taylors email included a few lines referencing employees concerns about the scope and appropriateness of their work.

Many taskings seem to be law enforcement matters and not for an intelligence organization, read one portion, referring to assignments. How is any of this related to our Title 50 authorities? Even if we are technically allowed to do this, should we? What was the intent of Congress when they created us? Departmental Support seems like a loophole that we exploit to conduct questionable activities.

Later in that document came a line that was even more bleak: Showing where we provide value is very challenging.

Taylor, who is no longer at I&A, could not be reached for comment.

Another document, with notes from listening sessions that the Ombudsman  an internal sounding board for employee concerns  held with Field Operations Division employees in late October of 2021, shows that concerns about Title 50 persisted into the Biden administration.

I&A and FOD leadership dont seem to understand how Title 50 applies to FOD, which causes conflicts, the document says.

The document also suggests that some in the division feel that when it comes to determining their legal boundaries, theyre on their own.

The liability for negative consequences of field employees activities in the field falls on them, even if they received supervisor and G4 approval for their activities, the document states. Employees recommended I&A provide field employees with professional liability insurance.

In response, an I&A spokesperson pointed to I&As Intelligence Oversight Guidelines.

Whether supporting a National or Departmental mission under Title 50 or Title 6, I&As activities are conducted according to its Intelligence Oversight Guidelines which appropriately restrict the collection, maintenance, and dissemination of U.S. persons information and place additional emphasis on preserving the privacy and civil rights and civil liberties of U.S. persons, the spokesperson said in a statement.

The spokesperson also said I&A has implemented new training on intelligence legal authorities. And Steve Bunnell, DHSs former general counsel, returned to the department to advise Wainstein and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on the strategic direction of the organization and identify any areas of significant risk.



Fears of Retaliation

The Management Analysis and Assistance Program survey slide deck from April 2021 details another prevalent concern: retaliation against people who speak out. Many employees didnt even want to fill out a survey on working conditions because they feared being punished for sharing negative views, according to the document.

Numerous narrative comments, as well as inquiries prior to taking the survey, indicate the members of the workforce did not want to provide feedback due to fear of retaliation, it reads.

Taylors Nov. 12, 2020, email about listening sessions also painted a grim picture.

Are these sessions pointless? opened a section listing participants main concerns. Some believed that the feedback would be used against them in their performance evaluations, that section added.

And it reflected a low view of the divisions leaders.

One individual said that FOD [Field Operations Division] leadership is shady and runs like a corrupt government, the document said, later suggesting that people who raise concerns could be punished with contentious assignments. If you speak out, youll find yourself on the SW border or in Portland, recalled by FOD HQ, or moved, it said. If HQ finds out that youve spoken to others outside the Division (e.g. OCG, Ombuds), youll get in trouble.

OCG appears to be a typo of the acronym for DHSs Office of General Counsel. Ombuds refers to I&As ombudsman.

And employees didnt see evidence that managers faced any punishment for engaging in retaliation. The document summarizing the Ombudsmans October 2021 listening sessions reflects this.

FOD and I&A leadership are not held professionally accountable  including for retaliation against employees, inexperience leading to poor decision-making, and a lack of transparency  and are not addressing issues revealed in crisis events they presided over.

An I&A spokesperson said in a statement that the office has set up mandatory whistleblower protection training for all supervisors and managers, and also requires annual refresher training on the issue. This was one of many changes at I&A since September 2020, according to the statement. The office has also added additional employee feedback mechanisms so people working there can share concerns candidly and anonymously, according to the statement. And the office has refreshed Intelligence Oversight training for new hires, and has added monthly trainings on the topic that all employees can join. Live training is also available on request, according to the statement.

I&A leadership clearly and repeatedly underscores the expectation that all I&A employees are empowered to express concern and professionally challenge their leadership, the Office of General Counsel, I&As Ombudsmen, and the Intelligence Oversight Officer without fear of retaliation, the statement added.

Politicization

Another major concern: political pressure. An Intelligence Community Climate Survey Analysis for FY 2020, during the Trump administration, found that a significant number of respondents cited concerns with politicization of analytic products and/or the perceptions of undue influence that may compromise the integrity of the work performed by employees. This concern touches on analytic topics, the review process, and the appropriate safeguards in place to protect against undue influence.

The same document said that a number of respondents expressed concerns/challenges with the quality and effectiveness of I&A senior leadership including inability to resist political pressure.

The mistrust is pervasive, the document says.

The workforce has a general mistrust of leadership resulting from orders to conduct activities they perceive to be inappropriate, bureaucratic, or political, it reads. They dont believe they received convincing justification for these actions and the assuring words of leadership that we are operating within our authorized mission ring hollow when we are abruptly told to stop what were doing, leadership is removed, and outside investigators are brought in to audit our actions.

Chad Wolf, who headed the Department of Homeland Security during the last year of the Trump administration, told POLITICO via email that I&As challenges have largely stemmed from lack of proper leadership and a clearly defined mission.

I&A is part of the Intelligence Community but operates in a domestic environment and within a Department with specific operational, law enforcement based responsibilities, he continued. That is a unique role for a relatively young Department. The concept of I&A is sound but how it is put into practice and operationalized has proven difficult.



From Trump to Biden

Some of the offices problems appear to have continued under the Biden administration.

In an email on March 14, 2022, Deputy Under Secretary for Intelligence Enterprise Operations Stephanie Dobitsch passed along results from a survey of U.S. Intelligence Community employees focused on analytic objectivity and process. The survey was taken from Spring 2020 through May 2021, spanning much of the last year of the Trump administration and the first four months of Bidens term. It shows that in numerous areas, people working at I&A were more concerned about their workplace than people working at other U.S. intelligence agencies. Those areas included Experiences with Distortion/Suppression of Analysis.

Dobitsch added in her email to multiple officials about the survey that [p]rotecting bureaucratic interests surfaced as an important factor in the most significant distortion or suppression experience. She added that I&A has come a long way in improving its analytic processes since the survey was conducted.

Dobitsch was connected to one of I&As biggest recent controversies: the decision in the summer of 2020, during the last year of the Trump administration, to direct I&As intelligence collectors to treat the protection of all public monuments, memorials, and statues as part of their mission.

On July 1, 2020, Dobitsch emailed out a job aid  meaning, an instruction document  from the offices Intelligence Law Division about I&As activities in furtherance of protecting American monuments, memorials, and statues and combating recent criminal violence. At the time, Dobitsch was acting deputy under secretary for intelligence enterprise operations. Her email came at a tumultuous moment when people around the country had been tearing down statues of some American historical figures. In her email, Dobitsch told recipients to reach out to herself or the attorneys with any questions or concerns.

A few weeks later, on July 23, Dobitsch sent another email lamenting leaks about I&As activities related to Portland, Oregon, where large groups of people protesting the George Floyd murder surrounded the federal courthouse and clashed with police. She also praised the work I&A was doing there, and strongly defended it as fully within the offices authority.

But problems were brewing. The following week, on July 30, The Washington Post reported that I&A had published intelligence reports on journalists covering the events in Portland. The next day, the Post reported that I&A had viewed protesters messages on the Telegram app, including communications about protest routes and avoiding police. DHS then used that information in intelligence reports that it shared with partners, according to the Post.

And on August 1, news broke that the then-head of I&A, Brian Murphy, was being ousted from that role. A top lawyer from the office, Joseph Maher  who would later go on to work on the Jan. 6 select committee  replaced him. And two weeks later, on August 14, Maher sent a message to the I&A workforce rescinding the job aid that Dobitsch had sent out.

We have determined that in applying I&As collection and reporting authorities to threats to damage or destroy any public monument, memorial, or statue [emphasis added] rather than to the narrower category of threats to damage, destroy, or impede Federal Government Facilities, including National Monuments and Icons, the subject Job Aid created confusion where it was supposed to provide clarity, read the message. Although there is more than one view regarding I&As authorities in this area, we consider the narrower interpretation to better align with the threats of concern to I&A.

It read as a major walk-back of the job aid that had been sent just a few weeks earlier  and an example of the kind of reversals that fuel employees fears about the quality of legal guidance theyre receiving. Dobitsch has since been hired permanently into the role that she held in an acting capacity during the Portland scandal.

Spencer Reynolds, counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law School and a former DHS intelligence and counterterrorism attorney, told POLITICO that I&As mission makes it uniquely susceptible to political pressure.

In recent years, the offices political leadershipDemocrat and Republicanhas pushed I&A to take a more and more expansive view of its mandate, putting officers in the position of surveilling Americans views and associations protected by the U.S. Constitution, he emailed. Theres a tendency to use the offices power to paint political opponentsbe they left-wing demonstrators or QAnon truthersas extremists and dangerous. This has had a disastrous impact on moralemost people dont join the Intelligence Community to monitor their fellow Americans political, religious, and social beliefs. At the same time, leadership has sidelined I&As oversight offices, leaving employees with little recourse.

The I&A statement said the office has brought on a research director tasked with ensuring I&As products are free from political interference.

The office has also hosted sessions with an ombudsman for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence focused on identifying, resisting, and reporting political pressure, according to the statement. The office has also embedded Intelligence Oversight Personnel with I&As Open Source Intelligence team and widely communicated 24/7 points of contact for the Intelligence Law Division and Intelligence Oversight Officer.



Domestic intelligence collection

The documents also cast light on the virtually unknown program run by the office that, in the views of some experts, raises civil liberties concerns: the Overt Human Intelligence Collection Program, abbreviated internally as OHIC.

POLITICO reviewed a document from 2016 detailing how the program should work, as well as emails from last year about pausing part of the program. These emails show that even though the program has been running for years, officials overseeing it still feel more guardrails may be needed to protect Americans rights.

Under the rules outlined in the document, the programs intelligence-gathering cant be done secretly. I&A employees are supposed to receive special training on collecting human intelligence, or HUMINT  meaning, intelligence that comes directly from people rather than from satellite images, intercepted emails, or other sources. Those collectors, after notifying their supervisors, arrange interviews with people theyd like to talk to. They can reach out to anyone, including government employees, people in the private sector, and  importantly  [p]ersonnel in DHS administrative detention, FSLTT [Federal, State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial] law enforcement confidential informants, and personnel serving any type of criminal sentence who are incarcerated or on parole.

DHS administrative detention includes immigrant detention centers around the country, as well as Customs and Border Protection facilities on the border.

I&A intelligence collectors can interview willing sources who voluntarily share information, the document says. Before asking questions, collectors must explicitly state that they work for DHS, that participation is voluntary, that the interviewer or interviewee can end the interview at any time, and that the interviewee has no special rights to review or control how I&A uses the information shared. Interviewers must also tell interviewees that they will not exercise any preferential or prejudicial treatment in exchange for the sources cooperation, the document says.

Theres also a lot the interviewers cant say, according to the document. They cant make any promises in exchange for information, including promises of help with criminal justice or immigration proceedings. They also cant imply that they hold any sway over the deliberations of a judge, either criminal or immigration, or any government official with responsibilities related to the subject of the interview. And they cant [c]oerce, threaten, or otherwise intimidate the source or any person or object of value to the source. They also cant [t]ask the source to conduct any activities.

The document doesnt refer specifically to how interviewers should handle conversations with people who are jailed and awaiting trial. It doesnt prohibit interviews with them. And the document doesnt require that interviewers contact their lawyers before reaching out to prospective interviewees who are jailed and awaiting trial. A person familiar with how the program operates said I&A does not require its intelligence collectors to reach out to the lawyers of interview subjects who are incarcerated and awaiting trial.

Potential interview subjects in these situations face unique legal risks and opportunities when dealing with government officials. And theres a standard practice for law enforcement officials when they want to talk to someone awaiting trial about topics related to their legal situations: These officials first ask for permission from their lawyers. In fact, legal ethics rules require that lawyers seeking to communicate with people who have lawyers talk to those peoples counsel, rather than the people themselves.

Adding another wrinkle to the I&A interviews with jailed people: The instruction document indicates that a law enforcement officer must be present when these interviews take place. Its unclear what, if anything, keeps those officers from sharing what they overhear with prosecutors or investigators, or using it themselves  especially if interviewees lawyers arent aware that the conversations are happening and, therefore, cant warn their clients of potential risks.

Bachner, the former DHS official, said incarcerated people likely feel alarmed when approached by U.S. intelligence officials who want to question them and may feel compelled to cooperate even if told otherwise.

If youre a prisoner and somebody says that, youre scared, she said.

She added that the practice raises a host of other questions.

What do they do with that information they collect, and is it legal? she said. Where do they store that information?

In I&A, there are also concerns about the program. In August 2022, an I&A official emailed personnel there telling them to temporarily stop interviewing jailed people who were awaiting trial and had been read their Miranda rights.

[Office of Regional Intelligence] leadership is asking collectors to temporarily halt all engagements/debriefings/interviews of mirandized individuals who are in pre-trial/pre-conviction detention [bold and italics in original text], wrote Peter Kreitner, the acting deputy chief of a team in I&As Office of Regional Intelligence.

Kreitner noted that the pause came in the wake of a meeting with DHSs Intelligence Law Division and I&As Intelligence Oversight Office, an internal watchdog.

This decision is out of an abundance of caution with the intent to clearly identify and define the procedures for collection activities of this nature, Kreitners email continued, adding that a final decision and follow-on guidance will be issued.

Professor Laurie Levenson of Loyola Law School, who specializes in criminal procedure, said that having government officials interview jailed, pre-trial people without their lawyers present is precarious.

When they go in to talk to somebody, the ordinary course is to get the permission of that persons lawyer once theyve been formally charged, period, she said.

Theres also the appearance of not adhering to our ordinary practices of protecting peoples constitutional rights, Levenson continued. And thats a broader concern. Thats why I applaud those who say, Lets put a pause on this and see what were doing, see what the normal rules are, and see what the limitations would be on doing these interviews without going through counsel.

Patrick Toomey, deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Unions National Security Project, said DHSs human-intelligence program raises serious concerns.

DHS should not be questioning people in immigration or criminal detention for human intelligence purposes without far stronger safeguards for their rights, Toomey said. While this questioning is purportedly voluntary, DHSs policy ignores the coercive environment these individuals are held in. It fails to ensure that individuals have a lawyer present, and it does nothing to prevent the government from using a person's words against them in court.

Another element: People facing criminal charges often share information with the government in hopes of receiving leniency at sentencing. By participating in intelligence interviews without their lawyers guidance, those opportunities could evaporate. And the policy specifically says I&A collectors cant provide any help to the people they interview in exchange for information.

Much remains unknown about the program and its impact  both on the people its collectors question and on any benefits it provides for U.S. national security.

Collecting and HUMINT are two words that should never be associated with I&A, never, said Bachner. It should be analytics and state and local support. Thats what should be associated with I&A.

I&A did not provide comment specifically on the overt HUMINT collection program. It is not known how many people conduct interviews under the program, how many people they interview per year, and how many of those interviewees are incarcerated.

The partial halt of the human-intelligence collection program as described in Kreitners email, coming amid the further concerns about the legality of I&As activities expressed in internal surveys, underscores the challenges facing Wainstein and other I&A leaders. And, according to Reynolds, the former I&A lawyer now at the Brennan Center, the office needs to take meaningful steps to reassure the public and congressional watchdogs.

I&A needs to refocus its approach, stop basing its intelligence activities on the constitutionally protected views of Americans, and stop treating vandalism and fistfights as terrorism, he said. It needs meaningful engagement with its oversight offices and to listen to its personnel when they voice their concerns.
The Justice Department is expected to file suit as soon as Tuesday to block JetBlues pending $3.8 billion takeover of Spirit Airlines, arguing the deal would eliminate a critical low-cost carrier and raise prices in an already heavily-consolidated industry, according to two people with direct knowledge of the matter.

The lawsuit is the latest anti-monopoly move by the Biden administration, which has also shown increasing interest in policing air travel. The lawsuit's likely Tuesday timing was first reported by Bloomberg.

Spokespeople for DOJ, Spirit could not immediately be reached for comment. A JetBlue spokesperson said they believe there is a "high likelihood" of a suit "this week."

The lawsuit, which has been looming over the pending merger for months, could delay the deal by well over a year. The companies have until early next year to close the deal, which is aimed at creating the nations fifth-largest airline in an industry dominated by Delta, American, Southwest and United.

In an interview with POLITICO in late February, JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes and Spirit CEO Ted Christie both argued that the deal would mean lower prices for people who want to fly. But the Justice Department, which has been investigating the proposed merger since summer, was unconvinced that removing ultra-low-cost carrier Spirit from the market would not cause fares to rise.

When asked for details about how the merger could drive down prices, Hayes said fares are a function of capacity and that Spirit flights would adopt JetBlues seat configuration. Though that means fewer seats, he argued that customers would still save because planes in the new, combined airline would spend more time in the air and less time on the ground.



The suit comes at a time of immense upheaval for the airline industry, including the December debacle in which Southwest Airlines canceled more than 16,000 flights during the Christmas holidays. That episode helped stoke anger from consumers and regulators, amid complaints that decades of mergers have left passengers at the mercy of a monolithic airline industry.

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Federal antitrust regulators have taken a harder line against a range of powerful businesses under President Joe Biden, including a recent DOJ lawsuit aimed at breaking up Googles advertising business and the Federal Trade Commissions unsuccessful attempt to stop Facebooks parent from buying a fitness app.

JetBlues and Spirits argument before DOJ is essentially that they must merge in order to compete with the big four legacy airlines.

To address DOJs concerns, JetBlue has offered to sell off the entirety of Spirits operations at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, New Yorks LaGuardia Airport and Boston Logan International Airport in Massachusetts, as well as five slots at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida.

Not on the table was an offer to abandon JetBlues Northeast Alliance with American Airlines, which the DOJ challenged in court last year and is awaiting a ruling from a federal judge in Boston.

Now JetBlue has a second DOJ antitrust case to contend with.
Photo Illustration by Thomas Levinson/The Daily Beast/Reuters

When the Department of Justice took the position this week that former President Donald Trump acted improperly by urging his followers to attack Congress in 2021, prosecutors did more than open the door to a potential flood of civil lawsuits from police officers who were injured on Jan. 6.

What they actually did, according to legal scholars, is lay the groundwork for a potential criminal indictment against Trump for inciting the insurrection.

If they took the position that the president was absolutely immune, then they wouldnt be able to bring a criminal prosecution, said one person familiar with the DOJs ongoing investigation who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Legal scholars have come to the same conclusion.

Had DOJ concluded that incitement unprotected by the First Amendment could nevertheless be within the presidents official functions, that could conceivably have impacted criminal charging decisions related to the same speech, said Mary B. McCord, a former federal prosecutor now teaching at Georgetown University Law Center.

At the behest of the District of Columbias federal appellate court, the DOJ last week submitted a legal memo weighing in on a civil dispute by injured police officers. The department clarified that Trumps speech, full of vitriol and fury, was not protected by presidential immunity, nor was it protected by his own free speech rights under the First Amendment.

Such incitement of imminent private violence would not be within the outer perimeter of the Office of the President of the United States, the DOJ wrote.

The department went out of its way to say it doesnt necessarily support officer lawsuits against Trump, noting that it expresses no view on that conclusion, or on the truth of the allegations in plaintiffs complaints. But by making clear that Trumps speech was outside the norms of his office, it stripped the former president of virtually any defense he could make.

If theyre saying its outside the scope of immunity of civil suits, and outside the scope of protected speech, there really isnt anything else out there protecting Trump, said one attorney, who asked to remain anonymous to avoid rattling DOJ leadership.

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The two indictments Trump could face are for his incitement of the Jan. 6 riota federal crimeand his attempts to overturn the election results in Georgia, a state case there.

So far, the Justice Department has not indicated its legal analysis of the looming federal case against Trump, which concerns the effort his campaign led to undermine the electoral vote by Congress. However, its new legal memo draws a clear red line on his actions during the lead up to the actual attack on Congress.

Trumps defense lawyer, Jesse Binnall, did not reply to a request for comment.

In the current lawsuit, leaving Trump without a viable defense could cost him millions. But the ongoing grand jury investigation in Washington could lead to the first criminal indictment of a former American head of state.

Georgia Grand Jury Recommends Indictments for Witnesses In Trump Election Case

Trumps legal team is already gearing up for a fight over allegations that he broke the law by inciting a riot. However, sources briefed on DOJ special counsel Jack Smith's criminal investigation say theyre more concerned about potential charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States. That separate matter deals with the Trump campaigns scheme to use fake state electors to usurp the official congressional tally of real votes.

Still, these sources noted that Trump still faces potential criminal liability over the way he encouraged his MAGA devotees to march on the Capitol building on that early 2021 winter afternoon. The violent attack didnt stop Congress from certifying the electoral college votes, and the U.S. Attorneys Office in Washington has undertaken a historic effort to prosecute more than 985 insurrectionists for savagely beating police officers, stealing from congressional offices, and forcing their way into the Capitol.

Stephen Saltzburg, a law professor at George Washington University, pointed out that the ongoing federal crackdown on insurrectionists could be interpreted as a buildup to a powerful case against the man who encouraged them to do it.

That said, Saltzburg noted, a criminal charge for inciting the violence that took place on Jan. 6 would be a footnote compared to the difficulty of assembling a mob-like takedown. That takedown would center around a conspiracy case built upon Trump lying to the American public about nonexistent election fraud and trying to circumvent the democratic system itself.

The District of Columbia appellate court still has to decide whether the police officers lawsuit can go forward, Saltzburg noted. And if the court is unconvinced by the DOJs position, the civil lawsuit would failbut so would any criminal indictment for incitement.

A criminal case would have no chance because of the higher burden of proof, Saltzburg said.

By decisively planting a flag for the first time since Trumps full-scale attack on efforts to stay in power, the Justice Department has also surprisingly handed some effective ammunition to Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. Her special purpose grand jury recently advised her office to seek indictments over Trumps concerted effort to overturn Georgias election results and his intimidating phone call to the top elections official there.

Is Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg Finally Ready to Indict Trump?

It has profound implications for the Georgia case, and they are ominous for Trump, said Norm Eisen, an attorney who previously advised the House Judiciary Committee and helped build the case for Trumps first impeachment.

By clarifying that some actions by a sitting president fall far outside legal behavior, the Justice Department has narrowly carved out just enough protection to leave Trump in the open. If encouraging an attack on Congress isnt legal, neither is a ploy to band together fake electors and pressure an elections official into finding 11,780 Trump votes that didnt exist, Eisen said.

Indeed, the Georgia conduct may be even more outrageous and unrelated to his official duties or his First Amendment rights than giving a speech on the Ellipse, Eisen told The Daily Beast. This brief is going to be utilized by the Fulton County prosecutor because it is so powerfully indicative of the only possible logical conclusion here: that an attempted coup cannot be part of the job description of a president under the United States Constitution.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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The Biden administration will attempt to block the $3.8 billion JetBlue acquisition of Spirit Airlines, which has faced criticism over possible antitrust violations, according to reports.

Both the Justice Department and the Transportation Department are expected to begin proceedings to block the takeover, according to Bloomberg and Politico, citing people familiar with the case.

Justice officials are expected to file an antitrust suit arguing that the JetBlue takeover of Spirit would eliminate flight choices for consumers and increase ticket prices, according to Bloomberg. The Transportation Department is expected to launch a simultaneous motion to also block the deal.

The purchase of Spirit by JetBlue was approved by shareholders last October. The federal government action is expected to delay and potentially derail the acquisition, which must be closed by early 2024.

The Biden administration has made improving consumer experience with airlines a priority, with widespread flight delays and a string of close-calls between aircraft making national headlines in recent months. The federal government, particularly Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, has faced immense scrutiny over its handling of the incidents.

JetBlue released a statement on Monday defending the purchase, arguing the merger would push competitor fares down and that the two airlines primarily compete against other airlines and not each other.

The Justice Department and Transportation Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Donald Glover has joked about his Community co-star Chevy Chase using the N-word.

The actor and musician starred opposite Chase across five seasons of the hit show, which also starred Danny Pudi, Alison Brie, and Gillian Jacobs.

Glover, 39, appeared at the 2023 Writers Guild Awards in New York on Sunday night (5 March) to present Atlanta executive producer Paul Simms with an honorary award.

During his speech, he recalled how the award that Simms would be receiving was named after former Saturday Night Live writer Herb Sargeant, who had starred on Weekend Update, hosted by Chevy Chase.

Chevy Chase once called Herb one of the funniest writers working in television, Glover said onstage. Chevy Chase once called me You know what? This is about Paul.

Later during his speech, Glover recalled meeting Simms on the set of Girls.

I asked Lena [Dunham], Hey, what made you decide to work with Paul [Simms]? And she goes Honestly, this n**** lets me do whatever I want, said Glover.

And I remember thinking two things. One, Lena is using the N-word extremely liberally. Who does she think she is, Chevy Chase? And two, thats the kind of producer I want.

(YouTube / NBC)

The Independent has contacted representatives of Dunham and Chase for comment.

As noted by The Hollywood Reporter, the comment is in line with earlier reports of Chases on-set behaviour during his time on the show with Glover.

In a 2018 interview with The New Yorker, Community creator Dan Harmon said Chase would try to disrupt Glovers scenes and make racial cracks between takes because he was jealous of his co-stars talent.

here is Donald Glover presenting an honorary award to Paul Simms and talking about Lena Dunham saying the n-word pic.twitter.com/QNaJki8cei  Kathryn VanArendonk (@kvanaren) March 6, 2023

I remember apologising to Donald after a particularly rough night of Chevys non-PC verbiage, and Donald said, I dont even worry about it, said Harmon at the time.

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Glover added that he saw Chase as fighting time. Chase told the publication that he was saddened to hear that Donald perceived me in that light.

In 2012, a source told The Hollywood Reporter that Chase had apologised immediately after he used the N-word on set. The slur was not aimed at Glover or his Black co-star Yvette Nicole Brown, but used when Chase questioned dialogue in a scene with their characters, said the source.

Airing from 2009 to 2015, the NBC sitcom followed a group of adult students at a Colorado community college.

It was announced in September last year that the long-promised Community the Movie is going ahead.

Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi, Alison Brie, Jim Rash and Ken Jeong will all be returning for the film.

Glover, Chase and Brown are not yet attached to the project.
When Donald Glover stopped by the WGA Awards in New York to present NewsRadio creator and Atlanta executive producer Paul Simms with the Herb Sargent Award for Comedy Excellence on Sunday night, he found time to get a few jabs in at his famously unpleasant Community co-star Chevy Chase. For years, Glover has been open about Chases racist behavior towards him on the set of the NBC show, which he alluded to during his speech honoring Simms.

This award was named after Herb Sargent, a writer who worked on Saturday Night Live and came up with the Weekend Update with Chevy Chase,' Glover said at the beginning of his remarks. Chevy Chase once called Herb one of the funniest writers working in television. And Chevy Chase once called me you know, this is about Paul.

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His long comedic pause led many to believe he was referring to Chase calling him the N-word. If anyone had doubts about that, they were erased when Glover brought Chase up again in an anecdote about shooting Girls (which Simms also produced) while jokingly ascribing the use of racial epithets to Lena Dunham.

I was on the set of Girls after filming a sex scene for like eight hours, Glover said. Which they cut down to two minutes, Ive never seen the rest of that footage. Afterwards I asked Lena, Yo, what made you decide to work with Paul? And she goes honestly, this n lets me do whatever I want. And I remember thinking two things. One, Lena is using the N-word extremely liberally. Who does she think she is, Chevy Chase? And two, thats the kind of producer I want.

Glovers comments about Lena Dunham using anti-Black racial slurs to describe Simms (who is white) were absolutely a joke  but his sentiments about Chase probably werent. In a 2018 interview, Glover and Community creator Dan Harmon both talked about Chases racist behavior.

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Chevy was the first to realize how immensely gifted Donald was, and the way he expressed his jealousy was to try to throw Donald off, Harmon said. I remember apologizing to Donald after a particularly rough night of Chevys non-P.C. verbiage, and Donald said, I dont even worry about it.

I just saw Chevy as fighting time, Glover added. A true artist has to be OK with his reign being over. I cant help him if hes thrashing in the water. But I know theres a human in there somewhere  hes almost too human.

Reporting by Samantha Bergeson.

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Last month, the National Committee on Education Statistics reported that just 10% of students in this country are receiving high-dosage tutoring, despite the efforts of districts, nonprofit partners and tutoring providers. After nearly a year of working on this issue while leading Accelerate, a national nonprofit, I strongly believe the actual number  measured against a high bar for quality and regular attendance  is significantly lower.

In the last two weeks, I talked with administrators tasked with expanding tutoring in major school districts and states serving hundreds of thousands of students in aggregate. In each case, they estimated that their districts regularly reach closer to 5% of students with high-impact tutoring. These districts, covering multiple states, are on the leading edge of tracking implementation with well-constructed data systems, and they have done the hard work of building internal units to support schools as they implement tutoring using research-driven best practices. If even they are not reaching 10% of students, it is difficult to imagine that the rest of the country is managing to do the same.

I worry that policymakers will pretend high-dosage tutoring is happening at scale and then, when student outcomes do not measurably improve, declare that it hasnt worked. This has happened before, whether the issue was reforms aimed at teacher evaluation, expansion of school choice or implementation of higher academic standards. As a country, our short attention spans often lead us to declare that initiatives have failed before they have been adequately attempted.

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This cannot happen with tutoring, both because it works and because it has enormous potential to scale in the years ahead. Our first year of doing this work at Accelerate has given me three reasons for optimism.

First, research continues to show that tutoring is a powerful tool to catch students up and boost them forward. We are supporting research through a number of university partners, and evidence will continue to come out in the months ahead that shows high levels of impact for well-constructed tutoring programs.

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Related: Survey: Nearly Half of Students Started Last Fall Below Grade Level  Usually in Math and Reading  but Tutoring Remains Elusive

Second, early evidence suggests there are multiple ways to effectively deliver tutoring  not just the frequent, in-person, one-to-one or small group models that have been tested in the past. We have grantees using in-person instruction, remote delivery of person-to-person tutoring, artificial intelligence-enabled programs with human facilitation and additional hybrid models. Final research must bear this out, but initial data from grantees and preliminary studies of other programs suggest that some technology-enhanced and hybrid programs will advance academic outcomes at rates similar to those of in-person models.

Third, our grantees are proving that a wide range of adults can be effective tutors. Deans for Impacts tutoring model employs aspiring classroom teachers working toward their graduate degrees and pairs them with students in local schools. Teach for America trains college students to become tutors. Once utilizes paraprofessionals. And the Oakland REACH recruits parents to become tutors for students in their very own school district. While not every person can be a good tutor  and all tutors require some structured training and professional development  the country has a lot of untapped human potential that could be cultivated to make tutoring available to every student in every classroom.

These strides give me confidence that tutoring can scale to significantly improve student outcomes. So how do we get there?

At a high level, it needs to be easier and more affordable for schools and districts to implement. And doing that, means there must be significant progress building effective policy and a base of highly effective providers.

Related: Tennessee Goes All in on Tutoring with $200M Statewide Program for 150,000 Kids Who Are Just Below Grade Level in English, Math

Even before the pandemic, administrators were stretched thin, and predictably, many districts are struggling to integrate high-dosage tutoring programs at scale. This year, Accelerates Call to Effective Action grants will prioritize classroom-ready solutions that take place during the school day and contain built-in mechanisms for tracking results.

Additionally, states can remove barriers and issue specific guidance on grant and funding opportunities. They can offer models and waivers for implementing tutoring during the school day. And they can set expectations for accountability and reporting student progress. Next month, Accelerate will announce our States Leading Recovery grantees  state education agencies and statewide nonprofits working on policy frameworks and technical assistance to scale tutoring models during the school day.

This week, at SXSW EDU, I am moderating a discussion with Shalinee Sharma, CEO of Zearn; A.J. Gutierrez, co-founder of Saga Education; and Lisa Coons, who oversees tutoring initiatives in the Tennessee Department of Education. Each of them is spearheading efforts to not only expand tutoring, but to reduce the cost while still maintaining a high bar for quality.

Related: South by Southwest Education Cheat Sheet: 23 Panels, Workshops and Screenings to See at SXSW 2023

Over time, collectively, we can help build up the number of evidence-backed models that are easier for schools to implement. We can also help states (and the federal government) to create policy frameworks, funding and support to help local schools. None of this will be easy. All of it is possible. But only if were clear-eyed about how far we have to go, what obstacles stand in our way and what it will take to remove them.
Suspended Los Angeles Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas congratulates Los Angeles Mayor-elect Karen Bass at a "homecoming" event for Bass hosted by KBLA-AM 1580 Talk Radio at Leimert Park on Dec. 10. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

When a federal grand jury indicted Mark Ridley-Thomas on corruption charges, the veteran Los Angeles politician protested his innocence and vowed to fight.

There was one problem: How would he pay for his lawyers?

Ridley-Thomas had few assets beyond his home and a rental property in Leimert Park. The lifelong civil servant lost his income after the City Council suspended him, and the city controller halted his salary and benefits. And under city rules, he could not find another job without resigning from office.

Then a network of supporters opened their wallets.

During the 16 months since criminal charges were unveiled, these donors have helped him amass nearly $1.5 million in two defense funds and allowed him to retain an elite legal team that has won courtroom victories for Google, Activision Blizzard and Kaiser Permanente.

Among the donors are former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt ($25,000); fellow L.A. City Councilmember Curren Price ($1,000); Charles E. Blake, presiding bishop emeritus of the Church of God in Christ ($10,000); Bruce Karatz, former chief executive of KB Home ($10,000); and a slew of developers, ministers, bureaucrats and lobbyists or those affiliated with lobbying firms.

The contributions range from $150 from a Thai restaurant in Windsor Hills to $75,000 from his most generous backers, producer and investor Peter Chernin and his wife, philanthropist Megan Chernin.

Carol Biondi, a longtime supporter of juvenile justice reform and the widow of former Viacom and Universal Studios chief Frank Biondi, said she eagerly contributed" $30,000 to Ridley-Thomas' defense fund because of his ferocious advocacy.

Having been his friend for more than 15 years, I believe in him, his innocence, and am confident he will be exonerated, Biondi said.

The breadth of support underscores the deep ties Ridley-Thomas has cultivated across the city and the high stakes for the once-mighty lawmaker. At a trial scheduled to begin Tuesday and last through early April, he faces up to decades in prison if convicted, along with the demise of his career and an enduring stain on a legacy of advocating for the Black and brown communities in L.A.

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I cant do this without your help, Ridley-Thomas said in an email soliciting donations to one of his defense funds last spring. You know me. You know my heart. You know I wouldnt be asking if I didnt need you now.

Ridley-Thomas was charged with 19 counts, including conspiracy, bribery and fraud as part of an alleged scheme to steer Los Angeles County contracts to USC's social work school in exchange for a host of benefits to his son, Sebastian. USC's former social work dean, Marilyn Flynn, was also charged in the scheme.

With his insistence on taking his case to a jury of his peers, Ridley-Thomas stands apart. Two other City Council colleagues accused of corruption, Mitch Englander and Jose Huizar, pleaded guilty. His codefendant, Flynn, also pleaded guilty in September and awaits sentencing.

Of the more than 63,000 federal criminal cases that were resolved in 2021, more than 90% ended in a guilty plea, according to the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics. The data show that the vast majority of cases that go to trial result in convictions. For many, trial is a gamble not worth risking, given the potential of a lengthy prison sentence and the high price of private attorneys.

And Ridley-Thomas' defense team is pricey.

For most of his time before trial, he has relied on a team of lawyers at a boutique Silicon Valley law firm, Durie Tangri, that has represented Genentech and other deep-pocketed biotech companies and defeated Novartis at trial for infringing on a skin cancer treatment drug. Two months ago, Durie Tangri merged with San Francisco-based Morrison Foerster, one of the nations top firms, and even more lawyers from that firm joined the Ridley-Thomas team.

Despite the sizable sum raised by Ridley-Thomas in his defense fund, experts said it would still cover only a fraction of his expected legal bills, which would run well into the seven figures whether he wins or loses.

Ridley-Thomas has at least six lawyers for his trial, including three firm partners, who probably command about $1,000 per hour  and often more. Adding to the cost: Most of his lawyers are based in the San Francisco Bay Area and would need hotels, meals and transit for a four- to six-week trial in L.A.

It would cost a couple of million dollars  minimum, said Peter Zeughauser, a Newport Beach attorney who advises international law firms on strategy. Several L.A. attorneys put the price tag at $3 million to $5 million, not including the 16 months of legal work the council member's defense team has already put into the case.

Records of his legal defense fund show Ridley-Thomas already paid $765,000 to his criminal defense attorneys at Durie Tangri through the end of 2022. Between his two defense funds, more than $1 million comes from loans Ridley-Thomas made himself. The source of that money is unclear, but property records show he refinanced his home and rental property in 2022.

Experts cautioned that defendants such as Ridley-Thomas could also be relying on other sources of money, including from family members, to pay attorneys. Filings for bills paid this year won't be available until the summer.

Many donors reached by The Times singled out Ridley-Thomas work on public health and child welfare issues. And several supporters acknowledged knowing little about the underlying criminal case.

I don't know the facts. I don't want to know facts, said Fred Rosen, former CEO of Ticketmaster, who pitched in a total of $4,100 and said his relationship with Ridley-Thomas extends over 30 years. He's a friend, and you stand by your friends when they have issues.

Thomas Safran, an affordable-housing developer in Brentwood who gave $6,600 to the defense funds, also said, I dont know the details of whats gone on. But he was effusive over Ridley-Thomas, adding, I think the world of him.

Safran said he met Ridley-Thomas at President Obamas inauguration in 2009, and the two sat next to each other and chatted for more than an hour in the frigid weather.

I find he really cares. And I believe everyone is innocent until proven guilty," Safran said.

Some donors are lobbyists or affiliated with lobbyists, including Howard Sunkin. His lobbying firm, which donated $2,500 in 2021, represents several developers and other companies with business before the city, including the owners of Television City. The wife of Arnie Berghoff  whose firm lobbies the city council for ambulance operators, waste-management companies such as Athens, and businesses seeking contracts at Los Angeles International Airport  also gave $2,000.

Asked why she donated that much to Ridley-Thomas or whether someone asked her to, Linda Berghoff said, I cant remember. The donation, she said, came about because I wanted to help him as a friend.

Prominent L.A. lawyer Patricia Glaser gave $5,000 to the defense fund. Glaser is not a lobbyist, but her Century City law firm, Glaser Weil, is registered to lobby for a slew of developers as well as the owner of the Beverly Center.

"I have found Mr. Ridley-Thomas to be a dedicated public servant, and my contribution to his legal defense fund reflects my regard for him and the work he has done for the city," Glaser said in an email.

California voters allowed politicians to raise money in defense funds in 2000 when they approved Proposition 34. The funds let officials crowdsource the legal costs for defending against criminal, civil and administrative actions.

"Public officials had said, 'I'm being sued  I should be allowed to raise money for the defense of it,' " said Bob Stern, former general counsel of the Fair Political Practices Commission and coauthor of the Political Reform Act. "It's not a legal defense fund for murder or robbery. It's for actions they took as a public official."

Ridley-Thomas has said he was in particular need of donations after then-L.A. City Controller Ron Galperin revoked his pay and benefits. "Because I wont give up my seat and turn my back on my constituents, I am prohibited from earning outside income," he told supporters last year. "At the very moment I really need resources for my legal defense."

Because of campaign finance rules, Ridley-Thomas has two defense funds. One has been focused on fighting his suspension from the City Council and the loss of pay and benefits and is subject to a $1,600 per person contribution limit imposed by the city.

But his other fund  set up to defend against criminal charges arising from his time as an L.A. County supervisor, is not subject to the city's donor limits.

The state's rules allow Ridley-Thomas to collect unlimited donations from those with business before the city. That means if Ridley-Thomas is acquitted at trial, he could return to City Hall and vote on issues directly related to those same big-money donors. His final term ends in December 2024.

A spokesman for Ridley-Thomas did not respond to questions for this article.

In public, Ridley-Thomas has struck a defiant and proud posture. Last week, he appeared at a luncheon at the London Hotel in West Hollywood honoring prominent Black journalists in the region and at one point embraced Mayor Karen Bass. Many in the crowd prayed for him, according to attendees.

But Ridley-Thomas has described the pending case and suspension from City Council as "humbling and humiliating" in an email to supporters last year. Among his donors are some with firsthand dealings with a high-profile federal prosecution.

Karatz, the former CEO of KB Home, was convicted in 2010 of lying about stock-option backdating and later sentenced to house arrest at his Bel-Air mansion.

Karatz did not say what role his own experience of the criminal justice system played in his decision to give $10,000 to Ridley-Thomas' defense in July. In an email to The Times, he called the sum "a small gesture of my personal appreciation for what Mark has contributed to our city.

It pains me to see him go through this current legal process, Karatz wrote.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) staff attorney Thomas Jurgens was among the dozen of rioters arrested following a violent attack on police at the proposed site of the Atlanta Police Foundations training facility, located a few miles south of the city.

The organization confirmed Jurgens was arrested on Monday casting blame on local law enforcement for the situation.

This is part of a months-long escalation of policing tactics against protesters and observers who oppose the destruction of the Weelaunee Forest to build a police training facility, a statement obtained by a local news outlet reported.

The SPLC has and will continue to urge de-escalation of violence and police use of force against Black, Brown and Indigenous communitiesworking in partnership with these communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements and advance the human rights of all people.

Jurgens previously served as a legal intern in Dekalb Countys public defender office and as an assistant public defender for the 9th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, according to his LinkedIn profile. A family member of Jurgens confirmed with a local journalist that the lawyer had been charged with domestic terrorism following the violence.

A list of the arrested suspects published by the Atlanta Police Department (APD) on Monday revealed only two were from Georgia. The vast majority hailed from other states. Two of the rioters came from other countries.

The demonstrators changed into black clothing and entered the construction area and began to throw large rocks, bricks, Molotov cocktails and fireworks at police officers, the Atlanta Police Department noted in a statement.

Atlanta Public Safety Training Center Demonstrations. https://t.co/boTaYkaWvn pic.twitter.com/r6u6Ki3mLt  Atlanta Police Department (@Atlanta_Police) March 6, 2023

The site, dubbed by protesters as Cop City, is an 85-acre project set on land in DeKalb Countys South River Forest.

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A concert held by protesters in a nearby section of the forest turned destructive as festival-goers began uprooting sections of the construction site on Sunday.

Music is not a crime, protest is not a crime. The first amendment doesnt go away when a single person sets a fire, the Atlanta Solidarity Fund tweeted following the events of the day.

Another group, Defend the Atlanta Forest, denounced law enforcement who labeled protesters violent agitators, insisting that the 35 individuals arrested were but peaceful concert goers who were nowhere near the demonstration.

Echoing statements made by the department in late January, Atlanta police chief Darin Schierbaum told reporters on Sunday: We continue to see a number of individuals not from Atlanta, Georgia, that are present tonight undertaking criminal activities to destabilize the construction of a fire and police training center.

Environmental activists have protested the construction of the police facility for months, citing the need to preserve the broader forest alongside concerns that Atlantas law enforcement has been militarized. However, according to the city, the training center will support high-quality, community-oriented training for police, fire and E-911 personnel.

In January, one of the climate activists, Manuel Esteban Paez Teran (Tortuguita), was killed during a violent confrontation with local police seeking to remove protesters. Teran reportedly shot at an officer, prompting law enforcement to return fire and kill him.

Terans mother, Belkis, dismissed the police version of as fiction, insisting that her son was not violent. I will go to the US to defend Manuels memory, Belkis, who lives in Panama told The Guardian at the time. Im convinced that he was assassinated in cold blood.

Following Terans death, environmental activists, including members of Antifa, descended on Atlanta, shattering windows, destroying a police car, and vandalizing property. Of the six individuals charged with domestic violence in the aftermath, five of them came from out of state.

Downtown Atlanta is getting smashed to bits by ANTIFA terrorists right now pic.twitter.com/mhQB8RFsGN  Swig  (@OldRowSwig) January 22, 2023

Georgias Republican governor Brian Kemp condemned the demonstrations at the time.

Violence and unlawful destruction of property are not acts of protest. They are crimes that will not be tolerated in Georgia and will be prosecuted fully, Kemp tweeted.

However, activists maintained that there was a difference between their tactics and how they were portrayed in the media.

Destruction of material is fundamentally different from violence. All reported acts appear to be explicitly targeted against the financial backers & goons of the Atlanta Police Foundation, a shady nonprofit that funnels weapons and military gear into our city to wage war on black and brown folks, a spokesperson for the anti-police campaign told one local news station.

ATLANTA RIOT: More images from downtown Atlanta tonight after a Cop City protest became a riot. A number of businesses were vandalized and a City of Atlanta Police Department Vehicle was set ablaze. Continued coverage on @FOX5Atlanta #breaking #news #atl #atlantaprotest pic.twitter.com/GJHNtQYf3T  Billy Heath III (@BillyHeathFOX5) January 22, 2023

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Atlanta police on Monday charged 23 people with state domestic terrorism charges, a day after officers detained dozens of people following a violent clash at the proposed construction site of what has been dubbed Cop City  a $90m police and firefighter training center in a forest near Atlanta.

As a week of action against Cop City unfolds, the charges amplify alarm from activists and experts that Georgia authorities would rely on charging demonstrators with domestic terrorism as a way to suppress opposition.

To them, the pursuit of such charges  paired with correspondingly strident rhetoric from police and politicians  represents an attempt to redefine largely peaceful environmental activism as dangerous opposition worthy of criminal charges. Six activists were arrested in January and charged under Georgias domestic terrorism statute, marking the first time state law had been used this way in the history of environmental movements in the US.

An Atlanta attorney representing some of the activists, Eli Bennett, told the Guardian in January that the states statute was overly vague, adding that pursuing charges amounted to trying to turn a political movement into a criminal organization.

Related: Atlanta residents take fight over $90m Cop City police training site to city hall

The clash came less than two months after police shot and killed environmental activist Manuel Paez Teran, known by his chosen name Tortuguita, who had been one of dozens of demonstrators camped at the site in protest against the project. The multimillion-dollar project on at least 85 acres of land, largely financed by the Atlanta Police Foundation, is nestled in the South River forest  known by activists as the Weelaunee forest  and would sit in an area bordering a Black working-class neighborhood. The site had once been a state prison farm.

Dozens of officers from the Atlanta and DeKalb county police departments, the Georgia bureau of investigation (GBI), the Georgia state patrol and possibly the FBI swept through the forest with the goal of clearing activists when Paez was killed, the Guardian has reported. Officials claimed that Paez had shot at a state trooper first without warning, although they have yet to release evidence to back that claim, the Guardian has reported.

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The unprecedented killing of an environmental activist by US police escalated tensions between activists and authorities, thrusting the movement that had started in 2021 into the national and international spotlight. Police have arrested 18 activists on Georgias domestic terrorism charges, raising concern among activists over whether demonstrations this week would result in further arrests.

On Sunday, police say a group of protesters dressed in black left the South River music festival and entered the construction site at about 5.30pm.

Video footage released by the Atlanta police department showed that the protesters tossed molotov cocktails as well as large bricks and set off fireworks at police officers while they attempted to ignite construction equipment.

CONSTRUCTION SITE BURNS: Huge plumes of smoke and massive police response after @defendATLforest / #StopCopCity protesters face off with police at the site of Atlantas future Public Safety Training Facility. Im told Molotov cocktails were thrown. Construction equipment is on https://t.co/6dIyrPff6T pic.twitter.com/0F9qj8dgFn  Billy Heath III (@BillyHeathFOX5) March 5, 2023

Atlantas police chief, Darin Schierbaum, described the clash as a coordinated, criminal attack against officers, adding: Actions such as this will not be tolerated. When you attack law enforcement officers, when you damage equipment  you are breaking the law.

In a statement, police said that they detained 35 people, noting that officers exercised restraint and used non-lethal enforcement to conduct arrests. Of the 23 people charged on Monday, all but two were described as being from outside the state of Georgia, the Atlanta news station WSB-TV reported.

On Saturday, demonstrators  including environmental activists, clergy and families  gathered for peaceful protests, marching and chanting stop Cop City, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Local organizers led tours of the forest to highlight the need for land preservation.

Beyond the police training facility, which would be the largest in the US, a movie studio is also proposed to be built on 40 acres of forest land. A lawsuit from environmental activists has blocked that project at the moment.

Local pastor Chad Hale told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution he was disappointed that Atlantas city council approved the project. For us to get more and more militarized is not a good direction  its the most uncreative way to approach crime, he said.

Demonstrations by the Defend the Atlanta Forest campaign, as well as by other racial justice groups such as Black Voters Matter and the Movement for Black Lives, are expected to continue in Atlanta throughout the week. In a statement to WSB-TV, the group Defend the Atlanta Forest described Cop City as an illegitimate project that was widely opposed by Atlantans.

It continues to be widely opposed by Atlantans, the groups statement added. The civil rights violations committed by police today reaffirms that this cop training facility should never be built.

We stand steadfast in our conviction to build a new world in which all people are safe from police terror.
UMHLANGA, South Africa (Reuters) - Nearly 50 vehicles lay strewn across a motorway near the South African town of Umhlanga in KwaZulu-Natal province on Monday, after a truck caused a massive pile-up during morning traffic.

There were no immediate reports of deaths from the scene of the accident, but pictures and video of trashed cars made the road look like a junk yard.

"Multiple people were left with injuries ranging from minor to moderate, with one pregnant female motorist being left with serious injuries," private ambulance service Emer-G-Med said in a statement.

Eyewitness Hendrik Dyasi told Reuters he saw a big truck motoring along and knock over cars stuck in the traffic. He said he helped free a woman whose car was damaged and stuck under a pile of other vehicles.

"There (was) no way to run away from that truck ... no way to come out," he said.

(Reporting by Rogan Ward; Writing by Bhargav Acharya; Editing by Alexander Winning and Shounak Dasgupta)
Dr. David Agus was accused of plagiarizing portions of "The Book of Animal Secrets," prompting him to ask publisher Simon & Schuster to recall the book a day before its scheduled release. A subsequent report found similar problems in Agus' three previously published books, and his co-author said she took responsibility.

Agus, a prominent oncologist and biomedical researcher based in Los Angeles, is also a longtime CBS News medical contributor.

The Los Angeles Times reported on March 6 it found "at least" 95 passages in "The Book of Animal Secrets" that were not credited but resembled text that first appeared elsewhere. It said that, at times, the passages were word for word.

"The passages in question range in length from a sentence or two to several continuous paragraphs," the Times reported. "The sources borrowed from without attribution include publications such as the New York Times and National Geographic, scientific journals, Wikipedia and the websites of academic institutions."

"The book also leans heavily on uncredited material from smaller and lesser-known outlets," it said.

The Los Angeles Times then reviewed Agus' previous three books  "The End of Illness," "A Short Guide to a Long Life" and "The Lucky Years"  and reported on March 17 that it had found "more than 120 passages that are virtually identical to the language and structure of previously published material. Sources include newspaper and magazine stories, scientific journal articles, popular science books, Wikipedia and blogs."

"Some of the passages go on for multiple pages. Scores of paragraphs are near-exact copies of other people's work," the paper reported.

Writer Kristin Loberg, who co-authored all four books, took responsibility In a statement to the L.A. Times and said Agus was not to blame. "I accept complete responsibility for any errors my work may have contained," she said. "I apologize from the bottom of my heart to the authors, publishers, creators of works that were not appropriately credited, and those interested in the important public health issues addressed by these books."

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"I am grateful that my collaborator has confirmed that I did not contribute to, nor was I aware of, any of the plagiarized or non-attributed passages in my books, and that she has accepted full responsibility for her actions involving me and the other authors she has worked with," Agus said in a statement provided to CBS News.

"This has been a painful but valuable learning experience for me and I want to reiterate my deepest regrets for my own lack of rigor in supervising my collaborator in our process of finalizing the manuscripts. After learning of the problems with my previous books, I immediately posted corrections on my website, and those books will be reissued. I have asked my publisher not to publish The Book of Animal Secrets, my new book, until complete corrections are made, which are in progress. In the meantime, thank you to all who have supported me throughout these difficult days."

He accused Loberg, who has co-written numerous books with other authors, of misleading him about the manuscript. "I followed standard protocols and my attorney and I received several verbal and written assurances from this highly respected individual that she had run the book through multiple software checks to ensure proper attributions," Agus said.

Publisher Simon & Schuster (a subsidiary of CBS News' parent company, Paramount Global) said in a statement that Agus conducted a review of his earlier books after the issues with "The Book of Animal Secrets" came to light. It said Agus "discovered multiple passages that were either unsourced or that used other authors' language." He "immediately alerted Simon & Schuster to these issues, posted new sourcing notes for these books to his website, and will work with the publisher to revise the relevant passages so that new editions may be issued," the company said.

It adds, "Dr. Agus' collaborator has accepted full responsibility for these errors: we regret their inclusion in the books."

After the L.A. Times' initial report came out on March 6, Agus said he asked Simon & Schuster to halt publication and distribution of the latest book. He said he planned to rewrite the passages in question, provide "proper and full attribution" and release a revised edition in the future. A release date for the updated book has not yet been announced.

"I want to sincerely apologize to the scientists and writers whose work or words were used or not fully attributed," Agus said. "Writers should always be credited for their work, and I deeply regret these mistakes and the lack of rigor in finalizing the book."

Simon & Schuster said Agus decided  with its full support  to recall that book at his own expense "until a fully revised and corrected edition can be released." The company has ceased distribution and advised its retail and distribution partners to return copies.

"We take these matters seriously, as does the author, and regret that these errors were included in the initial editions of the book," the company said.

Agus became a CBS News contributor in 2013 and has reported on a broad range of medical topics for CBS News' broadcasts.

"We are reviewing the situation with Dr. Agus' book," a CBS News spokesperson said in a statement on March 6. "As a news organization, we take accusations of plagiarism seriously. Dr. Agus is not currently scheduled to make any upcoming appearances on our air."

The state of the U.S. Navy | Sunday on 60 Minutes

Chowchilla survivor Jodi Heffington tells her story

Actor Steve Howey on making the role of Harry Tasker his own on "True Lies"
Drew Barrymore is a New Yorker  for now. "If you don't think I'm on Zillow every night researching..." (Ash Bean / For The Times)

Drew Barrymore, who grew up in L.A., is a very reluctant New Yorker.

After moving to New York so her daughters, Olive and Frankie, could be closer to dad Will Kopelman's family, the couple's dynamic quickly shifted and they separated, then divorced in 2016. Even so, the actor-producer-host sold her Hollywood Hills home in 2018.

Now Barrymore has a place in Manhattan and another in the Hamptons, but it still doesn't feel quite like home, she told The Times' Amy Kaufman.

If you dont think Im on Zillow every night researching..., Barrymore told her L.A.-based interviewer with a coy smile. Im sure Ill be back there. This is just a chapter.

She's had other chapters in New York, but they didn't seem as real as this one.

"I had been coming to New York since 1982. But I've always felt like it's like plugging into a light socket," Barrymore, 48, told Kaufman. "When I was a kid, I totally loved Times Square because it looked just like Hollywood Boulevard, and I grew up right off that. So I was like, all right, OK, I see the similarities.

"You know, many of them were taboo with the X-rated movie theaters, and, you know, the sort of more tawdry side of life. But that felt safe and familiar to me, because that was what was in my backyard of West Hollywood."

But New York was just a "playground that I would stay at for periods of time," she said, and she would "run back" to L.A. She never felt like New York was home.

Then it became her only home.

"I think it took selling my house in Los Angeles to realize like, this is all you have now. This is what you have," Barrymore said. "And this is where you are. So you need to embrace it in a way you've never really been able to."

Moving from the 8,000-square-foot home she had owned since 2002 wasn't easy. Most of her friends were in L.A. The only "unit" she had in New York was her ex's family. (She's still good friends with Kopelman's sister, Jill Kargman, even after the divorce.)

"I hysterically sobbed. I did not want to move here. I think also, like, the 90046 area code is my one constant. It's where I grew up as a little baby. And it's where I lived until I moved here and had to sell my house. It was so hard."

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Barrymore felt "really lost," she said, and didn't know what to do with her life.

For the details of what came next  which included a good amount of drinking, getting dumped by her therapist, quitting drinking (again) and the near flop of her syndicated talk show  read Kaufman's full Drew Barrymore profile.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
MANILA, Philippines (AP)  Philippine transport groups launched a nationwide strike Monday to protest a government program drivers fear would phase out traditional jeepneys, which have become a cultural icon, and other aging public transport vehicles.

Officials, however, braced with contingencies and deployed government vehicles to take stranded passengers in some areas. Other groups refused to join the weeklong strike that could keep more than 40,000 passenger jeepneys and vans off the streets in the Manila metropolis alone.

Protesting drivers and supporters held a noisy rally in suburban Quezon city in the capital region, then proceeded in a convoy to a government transport regulatory office to press their protest.

We're calling on the public to support the transport strike in any way possible, said Renato Reyes of the left-wing political alliance Bayan, which was backing the strike. The inconvenience of the transport stoppage is temporary, but the loss of livelihood of drivers and operators would be long-term.

At almost noon, Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista said no major transport disruption had been monitored. Other officials said government vehicles were deployed to carry commuters in some areas but did not immediately provide more details.

Morning rush-hour traffic was heavy as usual in major roads in Manila and nearby cities.

There is no disruption except in a handful of routes in the national capital region, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s office said by noon, citing reports from law enforcers.

Bautista warned that protesting drivers who would resort to violence and coercion to stop passenger vehicles not joining the strike would face criminal charges.

Vice President Sara Duterte, who also serves as education secretary, drew criticisms after saying the strike is a communist rebel-inspired action that may inconvenience students.

The government transport modernization program, first launched in 2017, aims to replace dangerously dilapidated and old passenger jeepneys and vans with modern vehicles, which have safety features and conform with carbon emissions standards. Vehicle owners have to join transport cooperatives and corporations by year's end for better transport management.

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Opponents say most poor drivers could not afford to purchase new passenger jeepneys even with promised government financial aid.

It's OK to have modernization for those who have money, jeepney driver Benito Garcia told The Associated Press. But for us jeepney drivers and operators, we cannot afford.

Others said the program would mean the demise of the gaudily decorated and brightly colored jeepneys, which have been regarded as Manila's King of the Road and a showcase of Philippine culture on wheels.

The diesel-powered jeepneys evolved from U.S. military jeeps that American forces left behind after World War II. The vehicles were modified and then reproduced, many with second-hand truck chassis, and for decades were the most popular form of land transport among the working class, even though they cough out dark fumes that have been blamed for Manila's notoriously polluted air.
QUITO (Reuters) - An Ecuadorian judge approved on Sunday prosecutors' request to charge former President Lenin Moreno with bribery over a contract for a Chinese-built hydroelectric plant in the South American nation.

The indictment, which includes 37 people in all, links Moreno to work on the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric project and states that the defendants received bribes of up to $76 million as part of a corruption scheme that operated between 2009 and 2018.

Moreno, who served during part of that period as vice president under the government of Rafael Correa, denied wrongdoing last month, saying that he had no responsibility in the contracting of the works of the complex.

After the hearing on Sunday, Moreno tweeted that some of the arguments put forward by the Attorney General's Office were "arbitrary and inhumane".

Judge Adrian Rojas decided, as a precautionary measure, that Moreno must appear every 15 days before the National Court of Justice.

After the hearing, the Attorney General's Office said on its Twitter account that Moreno and the rest of the accused will face justice "for their alleged participation in the crime of bribery".

The alleged bribes represented "the highest amount prosecuted for acts of corruption in Ecuador," the prosecutor's office added.

Moreno, who was Ecuadorian president between 2017 and 2021, currently resides in Paraguay and serves as Commissioner of the Organization of American States (OAS) for Disability Affairs.

The hydroelectric plant linked to the case was built by the Chinese company Sinohydro at a cost of $2.245 billion.

Ecuador's Attorney General Diana Salazar said last month China has not responded to a request for assistance in the case.

Sinohydro did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

(Reporting by Alexandra Valencia in Quito and Marion Giraldo in Mexico City; Editing by Drazen Jorgic and Muralikumar Anantharaman)
Abortion opponents have sued the FDA over approval of mifepristone, one of two drugs used in medication abortions. (Charlie Neibergall / Associated Press)

For the record:

4:48 p.m. March 7, 2023: And earlier version of this editorial incorrectly said misoprostol, when used alone, has a success rate of up to 97%. The drug is effective up to 95% of the time.



In the post-Roe world, one of the prime targets of antiabortion activists is medication abortion, a two-drug regimen in which a pregnant person takes mifepristone followed by misoprostol.

A lawsuit filed late last year by abortion opponents in an Amarillo, Texas, federal district court asks Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, a conservative known for his antiabortion views, to revoke the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations approval of mifepristone. They argue the agency didnt properly study the drug and has removed even the most basic precautionary requirements" associated with its use. Kacsmaryk is expected to issue a ruling any day now.

The claim is weak given that medication abortion has been available in the U.S. since 2000, is currently used for more than half the abortions in this country and is exceptionally effective and safe (with serious adverse effects occurring in less than a third of 1% of the abortions). If anything, healthcare providers and researchers believe it has been overly regulated. For years, obtaining a prescription for abortion medication required at least one in-person visit and was available only in certain healthcare settings and under certain conditions. Recently the FDA expanded the rules to allow telehealth visits to get a prescription and allowed the drugs to be dispensed through pharmacies that meet certain qualifications. (However, on Friday, Walgreens, one of the nation's largest retail pharmacies, bowed to pressure and announced it would stop providing mifepristone in 20 states where attorneys general are challenging the legality of its use.

Lawyers for the Department of Justice and the FDA contend that the department comprehensively evaluated mifepristone before approving it for medication abortion. In court documents, they say the agency "reviewed three separate clinical trials involving more than 2,500 pregnant patients, and those trials provided substantial evidence of effectiveness and showed a low rate of serious adverse events." The FDA also defended the drug as offering "a meaningful therapeutic benefit to some patients over surgical abortion because it avoids an invasive (although very safe) surgical procedure for abortion.

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If the judge revokes the FDAs authorization of mifepristone, lawyers believe that would be unprecedented. "We are not aware of any case in which a court has removed a drug from the market over FDAs objection," a group of food and drug law scholars wrote in an amicus brief for the FDA.

It would also be another medically baseless attempt by abortion opponents to deny healthcare access to pregnant people. Nearly half the states in the country have abortion bans or such tight restrictions that they severely limit access. Now antiabortion activists are trying to slap restrictions on abortion access in states where it is allowed and protected.

Thankfully, pulling mifepristone, which is used mainly for abortions and miscarriage care, off the market won't stop medication abortions, though it could sow confusion and disruption across the nation. The second drug, misoprostol, can be used alone for abortions, though it is slightly less effective. It is not subject to the same restrictions because it has other clinical uses, such as treating gastric ulcers.

The two-drug regimen works up to 99% of the time while the misoprostol-only regimen works up to 95% of the time, according to Lauren Kokum, director of affiliate communications for Planned Parenthood Federation of America. The organization allows its 49 affiliates that run 600 healthcare centers in the U.S. to use misoprostol alone.

Meanwhile, state legislatures continue to pile more restrictions on abortions. Iowa lawmakers introduced a bill recently that not only would ban abortion but also would add the ludicrous requirement that internet providers block peoples access to websites related to abortion care while they are in the state.

The extreme lengths to which antiabortion activists will go should trouble everyone who cares about the exercise of civil rights, particularly the right to control your own body. These assaults on abortion access will continue either until every state has a constitutional amendment guaranteeing a right to abortion or until Congress passes a national law allowing abortion in every state. Think about that the next time you vote for a member of Congress.

Updates:

4:48 p.m. March 7, 2023:



This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Lake Quinsigamond at Lake Park, Worcester.

Lake Quinsigamond is among four Worcester County bodies of water that are under new fish consumption advisories from the state Department of Public Health due to elevated levels of PFAS  toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

Elevated levels of PFAS were also detected in fish from Dunn Pond in Gardner, Dennison Lake in Winchendon and Wallum Lake in Douglas.

More:How good is water quality of Worcester's lakes, ponds? Report gives answers

In total, 13 water bodies within Massachusetts state parks received new fish consumption advisories due to elevated PFAS levels.

The others include:

Ashland Reservoir in Ashland

Chicopee Reservoir in Chicopee

Lake Cochituate in Natick

Fearing Pond in Plymouth

Houghtons Pond in Milton

Pearce Lake in Saugus

Pequot Pond in Westfield

Walden Pond in Concord

Watsons Pond in Taunton

Surface water was sampled at all locations and PFAS was not found at levels that would be unsafe for swimming or other recreational activities, according to the DPH.

Exposure to certain PFAS, a group of man-made chemicals used in a variety of products and industries, has been associated with changes in liver and kidney function, changes in thyroid hormone and cholesterol levels, and immune system effects.

PFAS exposure has been shown to impact the development of fetuses during pregnancy and some studies suggest an increased risk of developing cancer after long-term exposures to elevated levels of some PFAS.

DPH advisories

The consumption advisories vary based in the levels of PFAS found in the sampled fish, other contaminants in the body of water and who may eat the fish.

For Lake Quinsigamond, the DPH advises the general public to only eat freshwater fish caught at the lake no more than once every two months, or once every six months for children under 12, pregnant women, nursing mothers and women of child-bearing age.

For Dunn Pond, the DPH advises the general public to eat freshwater fish caught at the pond no more than once a month. Children under 12, pregnant women, nursing mothers and women of child-bearing age are advised not to eat fish from the pond.

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For Dennison Lake, the DPH advises the general public to only eat freshwater fish caught at the lake no more than twice per month. Children under 12, pregnant women, nursing mothers and women of child-bearing age are advised not to not eat largemouth bass from the lake, and not to eat other fish more than once a month.

For Wallum Lake, the DPH advises the general public to eat freshwater fish caught at the lake no more than twice per month; and no more than once a month for children under 12, pregnant women, nursing mothers and women of child-bearing age.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Elevated PFAS found in fish from Lake Quinsigamond, Dunn Pond, Wallum
Twitter staff, both current and some who have left the company, have spoken out about a disorganised workplace, adding that owner Elon Musk has bodyguards who even come with him to the restroom, staff claim.

An engineer told the BBC that things may appear fine on the outside, but for someone on the inside, its like a building where all the pieces are on fire.

When you look at it from the outside the facade looks fine, but I can see that nothing is working. All the plumbing is broken, all the faucets, everything, he added.

The engineer, who chose to remain anonymous, told the outlet that nobodys taking care of the work that previously was done to limit harassment on the social media platform.

Hate has spiked, trolls are freer and more active, and harassment is on the rise as misogynistic and abusive profiles see a rise in their numbers of followers by 69 per cent, the report says.

Rape survivors are reportedly now being targeted following Mr Musk taking the helm.

The head of content design, which created safety measures, told the BBC that she resigned after her entire team was let go.

The BBC also reports that there are concerns that child sexual exploitation is increasing on Twitter, in addition to targeted campaigns harassing certain individuals, as well as foreign influence attempts now go undetected a recent staffer told the outlet.

A totally new person, without the expertise, is doing what used to be done by more than 20 people, the engineer told the BBC. That leaves room for much more risk, many more possibilities of things that can go wrong.

Elon Musk, centre, leaves the Phillip Burton Federal Building in San Francisco, California last month (Getty Images)

There are so many things broken and theres nobody taking care of it, that you see this inconsistent behaviour, he added, telling the outlet that he believes Twitter has grown chaotic because Mr Musk doesnt trust Twitter staff.

Wherever he goes in the office, there are at least two bodyguards  very bulky, tall, Hollywood movie bodyguards, he said, adding that the guards even follow him to the restroom.

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He said all the cleaning and catering workers have been fired and that Mr Musk attempted to sell office plants to staff.

Rape survivor Ellie Wilson faced hateful messages after she tweeted about her assailant following his sentencing in January.

She said that what she finds most difficult is the people that say that I wasnt raped or that this didnt happen and that Im lying. Its sort of like a secondary trauma.

Ray Serrato worked on a Twitter team fighting disinformation by actors sponsored by states. He said his team was decimated.

Twitter might have been the refuge where journalists would go out and have their voice be heard and be critical of the government. But Im not sure thats going to be the case anymore, he said.

There are a number of key experts that are no longer in that team that would have covered special regions, or threat actors, from Russia to China, he told the BBC.

Mr Musk tweeted about the report, writing: Sorry for turning Twitter from nurturing paradise into place that has  trolls.

Sorry for turning Twitter from nurturing paradise into place that has  trolls  pic.twitter.com/HaWl1jPfOm  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 6, 2023

The Independent has reached out to Twitter for comment.
A pair of billionaires were sparring again on Twitter on Saturday, with Mark Cuban challenging Elon Musk over his views on affirmative action.

It began when Mr Musk responded to a quote-tweet from venture capitalist Marc Andreessen bemoaning that the US higher education is ditching merit in favor of an affirmative action regime as evidenced by Columbia Universitys decision to stop requiring SAT or ACT scores for its undergraduate applicants.

Very few Americans seem to realize the severity of the situation, Mr Musk responded.

Very few Americans seem to realize the severity of the situation  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 4, 2023

The Twitter CEOs statement prompted pushback from a number of people  including entrepreneur and television personality Mark Cuban.

When was the last time you asked a job applicant or founder their SAT score? Kids learn differently today, Mr Cuban wrote. AI will play a far greater role, analyzing skills/academics contributing to future success. If the SAT is state of the art, why not test potential employees the same way?

When was the last time you asked a job applicant or founder their SAT score? Kids learn differently today. AI will play a far greater role, analyzing skills/academics contributing to future success. If the SAT is state of the art, why not test potential employees the same way?  Mark Cuban (@mcuban) March 4, 2023

Mr Musk did not respond, but Mr Cuban further elaborated his position in a number of other responses to people engaging with his tweet.

Diversity isnt about hiring less qualified candidates to check a box, Mr Cuban wrote in response to another tweet. Its about extending your search to include ALL qualified candidates. Particularly those that may not traditionally have access to your hiring or training pipeline.

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Diversity isn't about hiring less qualified candidates to check a box. It's about extending your search to include ALL qualified candidates. Particularly those that may not traditionally have access to your hiring or training pipeline  Mark Cuban (@mcuban) March 4, 2023

The debate about the role of test scores in college admissions and the meaning of diversity comes as the future of affirmative action is as uncertain as it has been in decades.

The US Supreme Court, currently dominated by conservatives, can ban the use of race in college admissions with its decisions in Students for Fair Admissions v Harvard and Students for Fair Admissions v University of North Carolina. The Court is expected to issue its rulings in June.

Affirmative action in the US grew out of the Reconstruction Era and gained a stronger foothold during the Civil Rights Movement as a way to try to ensure that non-white and non-male Americans recieve the same opportunities as their historically privileged fellow citizens.

But affirmative action is broadly unpopular with the American public, even as it acknowledges that racial discrimination remains a major problem, and with Supreme Court justices like Clarence Thomas who will have an opportunity to rule on the constitutionality of race-based college admissions this coming spring.

Colleges and universities have largely fought for the right to use race as one of a number of factors in their admissions processes, pointing the benefits of building a diverse student population. They are increasingly sceptical, meanwhile, of the benefits of standarized test scores  which critics argue are biased towards affluent students and are not as predictive of how well a student does in college as their high school grades.
Twitter's HQ in San Francisco, California Anadolu Agency / Getty Images

Elon Musk tried to sell Twitter's office plants to staff, an unnamed engineer at the company told the BBC.

Since taking over the site, Musk has tried desperately to cut costs and boost the company's income.

Musk previously auctioned off office furniture.

As part of his bid to boost income for Twitter, Elon Musk tried to get Twitter's staff to buy its office plants, according to an anonymous engineer who spoke to the BBC.

The engineer, who the BBC didn't name because he is still employed at Twitter, said Musk's focus at the company was on money. He said that Musk had fired the company's cleaning and catering staff.

"There are so many things broken and there's nobody taking care of it, that you see this inconsistent behaviour," the engineer said, according to the BBC.

Insider previously reported that cockroaches had been spotted at Twitter's New York office, which workers said began to smell after Musk decided not to renegotiate the contracts of facilities maintenance workers responsible for cleaning the space.

The tech mogul bought Twitter for $44 billion in late October, and since then has been taking drastic measures in what he says is an attempt to cut back on costs and save the company from bankruptcy. Musk said in early November that Twitter was losing more than $4 million a day.

Measures Musk has taken include laying off thousands of staff  he chopped Twitter's workforce roughly in half shortly after taking control of the company  and cutting back on free food.

Twitter was sued for failing to pay some bills, including millions of dollars in rent for its San Francisco headquarters, according to a lawsuit. Another company sued Twitter claiming that the company owed it more than $390,000 for branded merchandise, including T-shirts, socks, stickers, and a "swag gift box" for Musk himself.

Alongside reducing costs, Musk has tried to boost the company's income. He said that after taking over the site, Twitter had a "massive drop in revenue" as some advertisers cut ties. In 2021, advertising accounted for nearly 90% of the company's total revenue, financial filings show. The Wall Street Journal reported that Twitter's revenues fell about 40% in December compared to the same month in 2021.

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To generate more money outside of advertising, Musk has overhauled Twitter Blue, the company's now $8-per-month subscription service. But he's also turned to more unorthodox methods to raise money: He auctioned off hundreds of items of Twitter's office furniture, including industrial kitchen equipment, statues, coffee machines, and office chairs.

Twitter did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, made outside of its regular working hours, on whether it sold its plants to staff.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Tyler Le/Insider

I get more emails than I can handle. Every day, I watch as the unread messages in my inbox pile up despite my best efforts. It's not because I spend too much time responding to the emails that matter  I spend too much time reading the ones that don't.

There are newsletters, brand-outreach spam, press releases, recruiters, social-media updates  emails that are almost never urgent but still make me feel obliged to check to make sure I'm not missing anything important. Even carefully deployed filters go only so far to keep the ever-growing volume of unwanted emails at bay. One study found that more than half of our emails were not important, and another study found that one-quarter of an average American's workday was spent answering and reading emails. This cascade of digital messages is making us miserable.

The disaster that is the modern inbox is a prime area for disruption  and companies are racing to cash in using the hottest new tech: artificial intelligence. A company called Shortwave, founded by a team of ex-Googlers, has created a tool that uses AI to sum up your emails for you. It spits out a simple summary of all your important communications in an attempt to save you time. I decided to try it out to see whether AI could really solve my email problem, and to an extent, it did.

The tool goes to show that while there's a long way to go, AI can help improve our online lives. By eliminating the need to manually take care of menial tasks like reading every email, AI can help us be more productive so that we can focus on more important and creative aspects of our lives and work.

The AI revolution comes for email

Similar to Google's now defunct Inbox product, Shortwave organizes your inbox by prioritizing conversations with people and tucking away the rest into their own bundles, such as "newsletters," "travel," and "purchases." Its AI addition, which launched last week, runs on GPT-3, the language model behind the viral chatbot ChatGPT. Since the Microsoft-backed research firm OpenAI made ChatGPT public in November, over 100 million people have used it to generate movie plots, write their college essays, and code computer programs from scratch. Now companies like Shortwave are building products on top of the tech.

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When I log into Shortwave, which costs $9 a month for the full product and offers a free limited version, there is a "summarize" button at the top of each email. When I select it, it "reads" the email's content and condenses what it's about into a few sentences to give me a TL;DR version. For example, someone sent me a report on the 10 most successful crypto countries. Instead of going through the email, which included numerous figures and tables that would have taken awhile for me to read, I asked Shortwave to summarize it. In about half a minute, the app strung together a 70-word digest of the report, pulling from its highlights. In this case, the summary gave me enough information that I decided to move on without reading the entire email. The app told me that I had saved two minutes.

That may seem insignificant, but in the few weeks that I have used the tool, those minutes have added up to nearly three hours of saved time over a week  even though I sometimes used the "summarize" button just a few times a day.

Shortwave's tool has especially come in handy for lengthy email chains  instead of reading each new email, I can check the AI's summary, which sums up the entire thread, to see whether any of the new emails concern me. If I want to loop in another person, there's an option for me to share the summary with them. It also works great for newsletters I want to stay on top of but don't have the time to read. Once I have an overview of what a newsletter is about, it's easier for me to decide whether I'm interested enough to go deeper.

Shortwave also plans to eliminate the time we spend on emails that require only a few words, like ones confirming a meeting's schedule or acknowledging a receipt. The company let me test a feature that will be rolled out in the coming months: AI-generated responses. When someone sent me a message and asked me to let them know I got the message, I would type "confirm receipt" in the email body and click the "smart edit" button. Shortwave would then expand my message into a proper email with a greeting and a signature, with options to instantly make it sound more cheerful or formal as needed. In my experience, it's far more useful than Gmail's auto-generated responses, which are limited to a couple of words and don't offer customization.

Yoon Kim, a computer-science professor at MIT, told me that for quick emails, automated tools like this would boost worker productivity. This is the main vision behind Shortwave. Jacob Wenger, Shortwave's cofounder and head of product, summed up his thinking: "You should not have to fully read and interact with every email in your inbox to get to inbox zero."

'AI will free us from the mundane and repetitive tasks'

Shortwave isn't alone in its mission to automate emails. Over the past year, several firms have capitalized on ChatGPT-like language models to write people's emails for them, automatically generate meeting notes, and negotiate their internet bills on their behalf. Microsoft is set to add a summary tool to Outlook, and Google has for years offered tools for Gmail that help you compose emails. Since 2021, the productivity startup Flowrite has used GPT-3 to compose entire emails for you.

HyperWrite, an email-writing tool by the startup OthersideAI, has taken AI-generated text even further. It not only generates email text but also learns how a user writes and which kinds of topics they generally talk about so that they can spend less time editing the AI. Matt Shumer, OthersideAI's CEO and cofounder, expects personalized AI models to generate more accurate and relevant information than a generic system.

Beyond email, AI's ability to consume loads of information and break it down will address some of the web's fundamental issues. Anton Borg, a computer-science researcher at the Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden, told me that AI would automate routine tasks and lower the skill level required to use tools like photo-editing software. Ultimately, Shumer told me, "AI will free us from the mundane and repetitive tasks that take up a lot of our time and energy."

No longer will you have to navigate a list of links on a search engine to pinpoint what you're looking for; a chatbot will fetch a final answer for you. Don't want to read a lengthy document? Let AI do it for you. Need to design a social-media post? Punch in a couple of keywords, and Canva's tools can produce art and text out of thin air. Tools like Heyday will sort your online research for you and help you better remember what you read. Similarly, GitHub's Copilot enables programmers to write code quicker and eliminate the need for manually developing basic and mundane functions.

That list will continue to grow this year. On March 1, OpenAI released a new interface that will allow businesses to add ChatGPT to their services, making it easier for more companies to utilize AI. Snap is one of its early adopters and rolled out a chatbot for Snapchat+ subscribers called "My AI," which answers questions and offers recommendations like birthday gift ideas for a friend.

Limitations of AI

Many people are rightly skeptical about an AI revolution, citing issues like the tendency of ChatGPT and Bing's chatbot to "hallucinate" or incorporate the biases of the text they're trained on in answers. Text generation is tricky. As soon as an AI begins to communicate under the guise of a human's name, it enters an ethical gray area, Vincent Conitzer, a computer-science professor at Carnegie Mellon University, told me.

A well-written email signals many things, Conitzer said. It signals the person took the time to compose it and that they care about the topic. We might lose these important signals if AI takes over. To address this, Conitzer told me it'd be "helpful to have proof that the message was written by a human being."

Like any tech, AI tools can run into bugs. On many occasions, Shortwave's summary tool refused to produce more than a sentence or two, leaving it no more useful than the subject line. A couple of times, it didn't produce a summary at all because of an "unexpected error."

A more-pressing concern for me, however, is what the presence of AI in email would mean for privacy. This has been an issue with ChatGPT, since the company can use what people say to the chatbot to train AI models or put information in its future conversations, as it did when it gave away a journalist's phone number. I was, therefore, worried that the AI model would leak my emails and that they would show up in someone else's ChatGPT conversation. Companies across the world, including OpenAI's largest investor, Microsoft, have asked their employees to not share any sensitive data with ChatGPT. Shortwave, though, has been trying to get in front of those issues: According to Wenger, the email text you summarize goes to OpenAI, but it's never stored. More importantly, Shortwave's "summarize" tool is optional and doesn't activate by default. Only the emails I choose to summarize are processed, which is why, even though the risk of compromising my identity is little, I never deployed it for emails that contained sensitive information.

Because tech like ChatGPT collects and processes far more data than previous AI tools, Conitzer expects it to be regulated for not only privacy but also systemic biases. When someone asked ChatGPT to write code that would filter people from genders and races who would make good scientists, it set "male" and "white" as the two prerequisites. Experts have raised alarm over such biases and factual inaccuracies augmenting the spread of conspiracy theories and disinformation online. For AI to have more widespread use, it's important that the companies building these models are cognizant of these problems and that regulators make sure there's an independent check on these platforms.

Despite these difficulties, Kim, the MIT professor, agreed that "these technologies could profoundly change our internet activities." For now, I'm looking forward to not spending hours sifting through a mountain of unwanted emails. The increasing use of AI models, such as GPT-3, is allowing the tech to make a real impact on our online world. And if Shortwave's AI tool is any indication, I'm convinced it's our future.

Shubham Agarwal is a freelance technology journalist from Ahmedabad, India whose work has appeared in Wired, The Verge, Fast Company, and more.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Key Insights

The projected fair value for Edel SE KGaA is 4.52 based on Dividend Discount Model

Current share price of 4.98 suggests Edel SE KGaA is potentially trading close to its fair value

How far off is Edel SE & Co. KGaA (ETR:EDL) 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. We will use the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model on this occasion. Models like these may appear beyond the comprehension of a lay person, but they're fairly easy to follow.

Remember though, that there are many ways to estimate a company's value, and a DCF is just one method. Anyone interested in learning a bit more about intrinsic value should have a read of the Simply Wall St analysis model.

See our latest analysis for Edel SE KGaA

What's The Estimated Valuation?

We have to calculate the value of Edel SE KGaA slightly differently to other stocks because it is a entertainment company. In this approach dividends per share (DPS) are used, as free cash flow is difficult to estimate and often not reported by analysts. Unless a company pays out the majority of its FCF as a dividend, this method will typically underestimate the value of the stock. We use the Gordon Growth Model, which assumes dividend will grow into perpetuity at a rate that can be sustained. The dividend is expected to grow at an annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 0.2%. We then discount this figure to today's value at a cost of equity of 6.8%. Relative to the current share price of 5.0, the company appears around fair value at the time of writing. Remember though, that this is just an approximate valuation, and like any complex formula - garbage in, garbage out.

Value Per Share = Expected Dividend Per Share / (Discount Rate - Perpetual Growth Rate)

= 0.3 / (6.8%  0.2%)

= 4.5

dcf

Important 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 Edel SE KGaA 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 6.8%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.118. 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.

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SWOT Analysis for Edel SE KGaA

Strength

Earnings growth over the past year exceeded the industry.

Debt is well covered by earnings and cashflows.

Dividend is in the top 25% of dividend payers in the market.

Weakness

Current share price is above our estimate of fair value.

Opportunity

EDL's financial characteristics indicate limited near-term opportunities for shareholders.

Lack of analyst coverage makes it difficult to determine EDL's earnings prospects.

Threat

Paying a dividend but company has no free cash flows.

Moving On:

Whilst important, the DCF calculation shouldn't be the only metric you look at when researching a company. It's not possible to obtain a foolproof valuation with a DCF model. Preferably you'd apply different cases and assumptions and see how they would impact the company's valuation. 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 Edel SE KGaA, there are three relevant items you should consider:

Risks: Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 2 warning signs with Edel SE KGaA , and understanding them should be part of your investment process. 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! Other Top Analyst Picks: Interested to see what the analysts are thinking? Take a look at our interactive list of analysts' top stock picks to find out what they feel might have an attractive future outlook!

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.

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Key Insights

Using the 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity, Compass Group fair value estimate is UK19.30

With UK19.16 share price, Compass Group appears to be trading close to its estimated fair value

The UK21.24 analyst price target for CPG is 10% more than our estimate of fair value

Does the March share price for Compass Group PLC (LON:CPG) reflect what it's really worth? Today, we will estimate the stock's intrinsic value by taking the forecast future cash flows of the company and discounting them back to today's value. We will take advantage of the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model for this purpose. Believe it or not, it's not too difficult to follow, as you'll see from our example!

Companies can be valued in a lot of ways, so we would point out that a DCF is not perfect for every situation. 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 Compass Group

The Calculation

We are going to use a two-stage DCF model, which, as the name states, takes into account two stages of growth. The first stage is generally a higher growth period which levels off heading towards the terminal value, captured in the second 'steady growth' period. 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.

Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, and so the sum of these future cash flows is then discounted to today's value:

10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate

2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 Levered FCF (, Millions) UK1.36b UK1.58b UK1.72b UK2.02b UK2.42b UK2.68b UK2.89b UK3.05b UK3.19b UK3.30b Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x12 Analyst x11 Analyst x10 Analyst x3 Analyst x2 Est @ 10.62% Est @ 7.78% Est @ 5.79% Est @ 4.40% Est @ 3.42% Present Value (, Millions) Discounted @ 8.7% UK1.3k UK1.3k UK1.3k UK1.4k UK1.6k UK1.6k UK1.6k UK1.6k UK1.5k UK1.4k

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = UK15b

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After calculating the present value of future cash flows in the initial 10-year period, we need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all future cash flows beyond the first stage. 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 1.2%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 8.7%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2032  (1 + g)  (r  g) = UK3.3b (1 + 1.2%)  (8.7% 1.2%) = UK44b

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= UK44b ( 1 + 8.7%)10= UK19b

The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is UK34b. In the final step we divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of UK19.2, the company appears about fair value at a 0.7% 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

The Assumptions

Now 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 Compass 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 8.7%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.087. 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 Compass Group

Strength

Earnings growth over the past year exceeded the industry.

Debt is not viewed as a risk.

Dividends are covered by earnings and cash flows.

Weakness

Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Hospitality market.

Opportunity

Annual earnings are forecast to grow faster than the British market.

Good value based on P/E ratio and estimated fair value.

Threat

Revenue is forecast to grow slower than 20% per year.

Looking Ahead:

Whilst important, the DCF calculation is only one of many factors that you need to assess for a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Preferably you'd apply different cases and assumptions and see how they would impact the company's valuation. For example, changes in the company's cost of equity or the risk free rate can significantly impact the valuation. For Compass Group, we've compiled three fundamental factors you should further examine:

Financial Health: Does CPG have a healthy balance sheet? Take a look at our free balance sheet analysis with six simple checks on key factors like leverage and risk. Future Earnings: How does CPG'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 British 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.

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(Bloomberg) -- The European Union should halve the $60 price cap on Russian oil this month and further squeeze Moscows ability to fund the war in Ukraine, Estonias foreign minister said.

Most Read from Bloomberg

More than a year after the Kremlin launched its full-scale invasion of its neighbor, Estonias top diplomat said EU leaders should intensify sanctions on Russian banks and its nuclear power industry.

The bloc must also crack down on sanction-skirting methods that let President Vladimir Putins government access technology to fuel its war machine, Urmas Reinsalu said Saturday in an interview in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv.

We have to put the Russian crude oil price cap so that it will not allow the Russia state to receive extra benefit, said Reinsalu, whose country has emerged as one of the most ardent advocates for arming Ukraine to defend against Russias assault. Cutting the cap by half would be the proper direction, he said.

EU states have committed in principle to aim to keep the cap at 5% below average market prices. However, any changes to the threshold are set by the Group of Seven nations, who are due to meet later this month to discuss the matter.

The US and others have so far been reluctant to cut the cap over concerns it could lead to a spike in oil prices, so a cut of the magnitude suggested by Reinsalu is unlikely. And a decision to change the price cap needs the backing first of the G-7 and then unanimity among all EU member states.

Reinsalu said Russias banking and insurance systems were still able to operate in the international SWIFT transaction network, while the price cap on crude should be extended to natural gas.

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Of course, it is a consensus issue but we wont give up in our appeal, said Reinsalu.

His boss is Prime Minister Kaja Kallas. Her Reform Party, of which Reinsalu is not a member, scored a dominating election win on Sunday. One of Ukraines most strident supporters, she has pushed her allies to give Ukraine more weapons, arguing that the only way for the war to end is for Russia to lose on the battlefield.

The crackdown on sanctions avoidance  which trade data suggests is allowing Russia to receive EU-made chips and integrated circuits used in advanced weapons such as missiles and tanks via Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Kazakhstan  needs both pressure on countries and a boost to the European Commissions capacity to stop violations, Reinsalu said.

We should continue friendly pressure on neighboring countries not to be involved, Reinsalu said.

Estonia is also trying to create an EU precedent by confiscating the frozen assets of sanctioned Russians so they can be transfered to Ukraine for reconstruction, he added. Estonia has frozen around 20 million ($21 million) from private Russian companies, Reinsalu said.

We would like to see an international solution, an EU solution for the issue, Reinsalu said. We would like to encourage countries to show by their own examples that it is possible, and this is the right thing to do.

--With assistance from Ott Tammik.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2023 Bloomberg L.P.
By Andrew Gray

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union is edging closer to a landmark move into joint procurement of ammunition to help Ukraine and replenish members' stockpiles but major questions regarding funding and scale remain to be resolved.

EU defence ministers will this week discuss plans to speed up the supply of 155 millimetre ammunition to Ukraine, which is pleading for more such artillery shells to fight Russia's invasion, and to order more munitions together.

Hanno Pevkur, the defence minister of Estonia - which has led a push for the EU to order millions of shells - said he believed ministers would reach a "political consensus" to pursue joint procurement when they meet in Stockholm on Wednesday.

But he noted key issues were still up for debate, such as how to pay for joint purchases. Pevkur insisted EU members could not rely on funds already committed for military aid to Ukraine.

"We need a clear consensus that there has to be new money for this initiative," he told Reuters in a telephone interview.

Both sides in Ukraine are firing thousands of artillery shells daily but Russia can fire thousands more due to larger supplies, Kyiv and its allies say. They have also said Ukraine is using shells faster than its allies can produce them.

Sending shells to Ukraine has also badly depleted the stockpiles of Kyiv's allies, according to officials, although the exact levels are secret.

Pevkur warned joint procurement must not get bogged down by infighting between EU bodies. Various parts of the EU bureaucracy have been jostling over the concept in recent days.

If the project comes to fruition, it will be a significant step in EU integration as defence procurement has largely been the preserve of the bloc's individual member governments.

"You can see the next potential quantum leap in European integration in the area of defence," said an EU official in Brussels familiar with the discussions.

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The official said things could move quickly, with a number of EU countries signing a so-called project arrangement - outlining the terms of a procurement plan - as soon as the end of this week and first contracts agreed around the end of April.

"That's ambitious but I think it's also realistic," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

EU officials are focusing their joint procurement ideas on artillery shells, rather than weaponry, for now as Ukraine has identified them as a particularly urgent need and they are more straightforward to produce than complex weapons systems.

THREE-TRACK PLAN

Joint procurement is part of a three-track plan by EU institutions to be discussed by the ministers in Stockholm.

The first step would encourage EU countries to donate more ammunition to Kyiv from their own stockpiles immediately by offering a higher reimbursement rate from an EU-run fund that bankrolls military aid, the European Peace Facility.

The EU would set aside one billion euros ($1.06 billion) from the fund for this step, which is not without controversy.

Pevkur noted it would put EU members in different funding categories, with those who had been more generous with their ammunition earlier receiving less than those who donate now.

Joint procurement is the second part of the EU plan, which suggests a fast-track procedure to sign contracts with manufacturers of 155 mm shells in EU countries and Norway.

The proposal document, sent to EU member countries last week, says joint procurement would allow the bloc to "place a massive order to send industry a clear demand signal, enabling it to ramp up its production capacity".

But the document does not set out how many shells the EU should order, at what cost, or when they might be available.

Estonia kick-started the current debate with a proposal last month for the EU to buy one million 155 mm rounds for Ukraine this year, at an estimated cost of four billion euros.

The third part of the plan foresees using EU money to help European arms companies boost capacity and efficiency.

After the talks in Stockholm, EU officials hope the plan can be firmed up for a foreign and defence ministers' meeting on March 20 and finalised at an EU summit later that week.

($1 = 0.9406 euros)

(Reporting by Andrew Gray; Editing by Christina Fincher)
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European ombudsman sought clarification on Monday from the European Commission as to why a senior official took several business trips paid for by Qatar, which came to light after the cash-for-influence scandal at the European Parliament.

Henrik Hololei, the director general of the Commission's transport unit (DG MOVE), flew business class for free on Qatar Airways several time between 2015 and 2021, Politico revealed last week. The EU executive subsequently confirmed the flights.

Emily O'Reilly, who is the European Ombudsman, asked in a letter to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen published on Monday about such business trips, saying there was renewed scrutiny in light of the parliament scandal.

"I have already noted, in correspondence with the European Parliament, that a scandal such as this is a gift to those who would wish to damage or disparage the entire EU," she said.

O'Reilly said Hololei's trips came at a time when DG MOVE was closely involved with negotiating an EU-Qatar air transport agreement.

The Commission said the trips were authorised as Hololei was not part of the negotiating team and so no conflict of interest was identified.

"The public may not draw this distinction, given that the Director-General ultimately takes the responsibility for these negotiations," O'Reilly wrote.

The Commission has said it is reviewing its guidelines.

O'Reilly said she wanted answers to certain questions by June 3, such as on transparency, on the process under which such trips are authorised and on any trips taken by other EU officials paid for by third parties.

Belgian authorities have detained two EU lawmakers, with a third held in Italy, on charges that they and others linked to the European Parliament received cash and gifts from Qatar in return for influence over decision-making. Qatar has denied any wrongdoing.

(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
LAS VEGAS (AP)  A Nevada judge will again be asked to decide which justice of the peace should handle a preliminary hearing in the case against former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III, who is accused of killing a woman in drunken car crash in 2021.

Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Harmony Letizia told Ruggs and his attorneys on Monday that she lacks the authority to decide whether she or another judge should preside over the hearing to decide if there is enough evidence to warrant that Ruggs stand trial on charges of reckless driving and driving under the influence causing death.

Ruggs attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, said they will again take the issue to Clark County District Court, where a judge in January said the case should be assigned to the Las Vegas DUI specialty court docket.

But the judge handling those cases recused himself because he said he talked about Ruggs case during his 2022 reelection campaign.

Prosecutors plan to present evidence that Ruggs had a blood-alcohol level twice the legal limit and that his Chevrolet Corvette was speeding at 156 mph (251 kph) before the fiery crash that killed a 23-year-old woman and her dog.

The Raiders quickly released the former first-round draft pick, who was in his second season with the team.

Ruggs, 24, is on house arrest. He could face up to 50 years in prison if he's convicted.

It was not immediately clear Monday whether a case assignment will be made before a preliminary hearing currently scheduled for May 4.
A former teacher in South Carolina has been charged with assault after she allegedly slapped a student at a middle school in York, police said.

Mary Katherine Long, 32, was arrested Monday by York Police Department on a misdemeanor charge of third-degree assault and battery after a March 2 incident at York Middle School, according to an arrest warrant and incident report obtained by The Herald.

The warrant accuses Long of hitting a 13-year-old male student with an open hand across the cheek in Longs classroom in the York school district.

The juvenile has not been identified.

Long was charged after York police spoke to the alleged victim and others at the school, according to the warrant, a police incident report, and a statement from the police department.

York police coordinated with school district officials in the investigation, officials said.

In the police statement, York police Lt. Kevin Hoffman said the investigation showed the child had been struck.

Our investigation in coordination with the juveniles parents and the York school district, revealed that an assault upon the juvenile was committed, Hoffman said.

Long turned herself in Monday, police said.

York schools issue statement

The York school district is one of four school districts in York County, S.C.

In a separate statement issued Monday, the school district did not name Long. The district did confirm there was an investigation into an alleged incident of inappropriate contact between a teacher and student from March 2 at York Middle School.

School officials investigated and law enforcement was called by school officials, the statement said.

The statement said the the teacher had been placed on administrative, and by March 3 was no longer employed by the school district.

Here is the entire school district statement:

York County School District 1 and its Board of Trustees value transparency and keeping our stakeholders updated on pressing matters, especially those involving our students. On March 2, 2023, it was reported to District administration that a teacher at York Middle School was alleged to have had inappropriate physical contact with a student in the classroom that runs counter to the Districts Board Policies and the expectations we have for our staff. As a result and pending the Districts further investigation, the teacher was placed on administrative leave. As of March 3, 2023, the teacher is no longer employed with the District.

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Local law enforcement officials were notified, and the District is cooperating with York Police Department in all aspects. The District takes seriously that matter and desires to move forward in a positive direction; it will not provide further comment on any specific students to ensure their privacy rights are protected.

Situations involving our students and staff are important. It is our expectation that our staff and students follow our Board Policies and administrative procedures at all times, and we appreciate everyones cooperation as we educate each of our students and provide the most successful learning environment for them.

What happens now?

The charge is a misdemeanor that carries a maximum of 30 days in jail or a fine for a conviction, South Carolina law states. Long had a court hearing Monday after her arrest and was released on a personal recognizance bond, officials at the police department said. It is unclear if Long has a lawyer.

Sgt. David Dover, spokesman for the police department, said no other information would be released.

Longs case in York municipal court is scheduled for later this month, officials said.
By Nandita Bose

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House is jumping into state-level battles for women's reproductive rights, lending legal and messaging advice to allies in states pushing restrictions as the Biden administration seeks to make abortion access a rallying cry in next year's presidential election.

By leaning on key local lawmakers and backing legislation to expand abortion rights, the White House is hoping to expand on the relative success that Democrats earned in the midterm elections by making abortion a large part of their campaign.

The White House's Gender Policy Council is spearheading the effort, along with an inter-governmental affairs team and Vice President Kamala Harris's office, sources said. The groups regularly hold strategy meetings with local elected officials, activists and reproductive rights groups.

The White House has divided fights for abortion rights in states as politically divergent as Texas, New York and North Carolina into three broad categories and has established an approach for each, according to two White House officials and two advisers working on the issue.

"The goal of our strategy is fairly simple: it's to support actions by state and local leaders to protect and expand access, but it's also to fight restrictions," said one of the officials.

The previously unreported, behind-the-scenes effort has caught the attention of state lawmakers for the level of support offered by the administration.

In some cases, the White House is leaning on key lawmakers in states with important abortion-related legislative fights this session. North Carolina is a special focus where the White House thinks it has the opportunity to fend off restrictions, one of the White House officials said.

Republican lawmakers in North Carolina are working on more restrictive abortion laws than the state's current 20-week ban and they hold a veto-proof majority in the state Senate. In the state House, the margins are very narrow.

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"We've been in touch with specific legislators who are going to be really important in this fight," the official said.

Some of the state's Democrats have had different voting records on abortion but have all now committed to codifying abortion rights, the official added.

In Florida, state House Democratic leader Fentrice Driskell said in her meetings with White House officials topics discussed include voter turnout and how that is driven by states putting abortion on the ballot.

Other discussions focused on how Florida Democrats could use partners such as reproductive rights groups to make abortion a key issue in 2024, she said.

"For the White House to reach out the way that it did, to say we're here to be as much of a backstop as we can be, to provide whatever resources we can, to try to assemble and convene state and local leaders from all across the country, it has meant a lot," Driskell said .

She said the White House's work on issuing talking points and messaging has also been a "big help."

To combat restrictions, the White House coordinates with national organizations working to defeat potential bans, is getting the vice president to travel to such states to bring stakeholders together and uses its press contacts to spotlight legislative fights at critical moments.

Harris, who won praise from grassroots Democrats for her frequent defense of abortion rights during the midterm campaign, is a key part of the current White House effort.

Harris traveled to Indiana during a special legislative session last summer to ban abortion. The ban passed but was placed on hold due to a court order. U.S. officials and abortion-rights advocates credited Harris' visit with sparking state-wide debate on how to draw the lines on abortion access.

'BATTLEGROUND, EXTREMIST, PROACTIVE'

Since last summer's Supreme Court repeal of the Roe v. Wade ruling that ended the nationwide right to abortion, many Republican-controlled states are pushing to further restrict abortion access, while states run by Democrats are enshrining protections in new laws.

Republicans have largely shrugged off White House efforts at beating back efforts to limit abortion rights. The Republican National Committee (RNC) has urged affiliated lawmakers and campaigns to go on the offense on abortion.

When asked to comment about the White House's latest initiative, the RNC pointed Reuters toward a resolution it passed at a meeting in January.

The resolution directed national and state lawmakers "to pass the strongest pro-life legislation possible" ahead of the 2024 election cycle, citing six-week abortion bans as an example.

The White House sees three different approaches to defend abortions rights and has broken down states into what they call either "battleground," "extremist" or "proactive" states, White House officials and advisors say.

The White House views "extremist states" as those that have already banned abortion and where there are plans for further restrictions such as Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Idaho, the officials said.

Most abortions are now banned in 13 states as new laws take effect following the Roe decision.

In what it calls "access battleground states," the White House is tracking fights this legislative session that could reduce reproductive care access. These states include North Carolina, Nebraska, Florida, said the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal strategy.

In "proactive states" such as Michigan, Minnesota, New York, California, Connecticut, the White House is working with pro-abortion rights state lawmakers who are backing legislation with funding for women and protections for abortion patients and providers.

One reason for the White House's plans to push on abortion is that efforts in Congress to pass nationwide abortion protections have failed. And a lawsuit over abortion pills is being closely watched for its impact on reproductive care.

Focus on the issue helped energize Democratic voters and staved off some defeats for the party in the midterm elections.

Edison Research exit polls found that for one-quarter of voters, abortion was the primary concern and 61% opposed the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade.

Harris has spoken to 200 Democratic state legislators on reproductive rights and convened leaders from 38 states in dozens of meetings since the decision, the officials said.

(Reporting by Nandita Bose in Washington; Editing by Trevor Hunnicutt and Alistair Bell)
Surveillance video captured inside an Osceola County school shows the moment when a teacher was attacked by a 19-year-old student.

The attack happened at Toho High School in January.

On Monday, Channel 9 spoke exclusively to the teacher who blamed staffing issues for what happened that day.

The teacher, Daniel Morris, told Channel 9 that he cant bring himself to watch the video but wanted to speak out because he said violence against teachers is only getting worse.

>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<

The video shows the hallway outside of Morriss special needs classroom. In the video, you can see Morris lying on the ground as the student repeatedly punches and kicks him.

You cant fight back. You cant protect yourself, Morris said. Were not trained to handle violence and aggression, and it really shouldnt be part of what were expected to do.

Morris said he wants to see changes that will better protect both students and teachers.

According to a police report, the student attacked Morris after he asked him to stop socializing. The report goes on to say the 19-year-old is in the Florida Transition Program, which means he is allowed to stay in school until age 22 due to an autism spectrum disorder.

Read: Floridas 2023 legislative session: Lawmakers plan to tackle these 9 key issues

That student also attacked a different teacher and a paraprofessional before he was separated from Morris.

School staff told investigators that this students behavior had gotten increasingly violent.

I think we had documentation for two years over and over asking for more help, Morris said.

Morris said this students federally mandated learning plan required an aide for supervision, but countywide staffing shortages meant he didnt have an aide that day and hadnt had one all year.

Read: Man dies, woman seriously injured in shooting at Sanford apartment complex

The district website shows there are currently 50 vacancies for paraprofessionals like the one this student needed.

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Morris said its not just about staffing and that he wants the district to consider whether there should be alternative classroom settings for students who behave violently.

Channel 9 reached out to Osceola County schools multiple times over the last week for comment on this incident and has not heard back since our first request.

The district does plan to host a workshop about how to better handle special needs students, but Channel 9 has not heard about when that will take place.

Read: Man, 19, killed & 2 others injured in shooting during house party at Polk County vacation home

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.
(This March 6 story has been corrected to delete size of U.S. stockpile and reference to Textron previously making MK-20 cluster bomb in paragraph 15)

By Jonathan Landay

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Ukraine has broadened a request for controversial cluster bombs from the United States to include a weapon that it wants to cannibalize to drop the anti-armor bomblets it contains on Russian forces from drones, according to two U.S. lawmakers.

Kyiv has urged members of Congress to press the White House to approve sending the weapons but it is by no means certain that the Biden administration will sign off on that. Cluster munitions, banned by more than 120 countries, normally release large numbers of smaller bomblets that can kill indiscriminately over a wide area, threatening civilians.

Ukraine is seeking the MK-20, an air-delivered cluster bomb, to release its individual explosives from drones, said U.S. Representatives Jason Crow and Adam Smith, who both serve on the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee. That is in addition to 155 mm artillery cluster shells that Ukraine already has requested, they said.

They said Ukrainian officials urged U.S. lawmakers at last month's Munich Security Conference to press for White House approval.

Ukraine hopes cluster munitions will give it an edge in the grinding fight against Russian forces in eastern Ukraine.

The Ukrainian government has said publicly that it wants U.S. cluster munitions. The petition for MK-20s - also known as CBU-100s - has not been reported previously.

The Ukrainian Embassy referred Reuters to the defense ministry in Kyiv, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A National Security Council spokesperson said that while Ukraine and the White House "closely coordinate" on military aid, she had no "new capabilities to announce."

FIGHTING THE "HUMAN WAVE"

Ukraine wants the artillery rounds - the Dual-Purpose Conventional Improved Munitions (DPICM) - to halt the kinds of "human wave" attacks that Russia has mounted in its months-long drive to overrun the ruined eastern city of Bakhmut, the lawmakers said.

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Each shell disperses 88 submunitions.

The MK-20 is delivered by aircraft. It opens in mid-flight, releasing more than 240 dart-like submunitions, or bomblets.

The Ukrainian military believes these submunitions "have better armor-piercing capability" than the weapons it has been dropping from drones, said Smith, the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee.

Ukraine, battling an enemy with more manpower and weaponry, has used drones extensively for surveillance and for dropping explosives on Russian forces.

Crow, a Democrat and U.S. Army veteran, said he might support giving the MK-20 with assurances that Ukrainians would remove the bomblets and "use them in a non-cluster employment."

Production of the MK-20s ended years ago, but the U.S. military retains a stockpile of the Cold War-era weapon.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who also participated in last month's conference, confirmed that Ukrainian officials in Munich urged U.S. lawmakers to press the White House to provide Kyiv with cluster munitions. He said he would do so this week.

The congressional aide, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Ukrainian officials also privately have been lobbying lawmakers in Washington to press for White House approval.

"That's not going to happen," Smith said, referring to Biden administration signoff.

CONTROVERSIAL WEAPONS

Since the start of the conflict Ukraine has asked for - and largely received - weapons that the U.S. initially refused, including HIMARS missile launchers, Patriot air defense batteries and Abrams tanks. But cluster munitions could be a step too far for the administration and some in Congress.

Opponents argue that when bomblets scatter they can maim and kill civilians and have high failure rates, with duds posing a danger for years after a conflict ends.

A 2008 pact prohibiting the production, use and stockpiling of cluster munitions has been adopted by 123 countries, including most of NATO's 28 members. The United States, Russia and Ukraine have declined to join.

Giving the Ukrainians "a banned weapon would undermine their moral authority in a way that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin would exploit," said Tom Malinowski, a former congressman who served as the top State Department human rights official.

But there is some support in Congress. The congressional aide said most Republicans "are fairly amenable" to Ukraine's requests.

"This is a war where (the Ukrainians) are outmanned," Graham told Reuters. "And cluster munitions really are pretty lethal to mass formations as well as armor. In the areas where they are going to use this stuff there are no civilians."

A 2009 law bans exports of U.S. cluster munitions with bomblet failure rates higher than 1 percent, which covers virtually all of the U.S. military stockpile. U.S. President Joe Biden can waive the prohibition.

Ukrainian and Russian forces both have used such weapons since Russia first seized Ukrainian territory in 2014, according to news reports and human rights groups.

The U.S. Army is spending more than $6 million a year to decommission 155 mm cluster artillery shells and other older munitions, according to budget documents

Providing DCIPMs would ease shortages of other kinds of 155 mm shells that Washington has been shipping to Kyiv in massive quantities, the congressional aide said.

Crow said he opposed providing the DCIPMs to Ukraine because of the high failure rate of the bomblets, which would worsen Ukraines already massive unexploded ordnance problem.

The State Department says that some 174,000 square-kilometers of territory  nearly one-third of Ukraine  are contaminated by landmines or other "explosive remnants of war."

(Additional reporting by Mike Stone; Editing by Don Durfee and Alistair Bell)
The claim: East Palestine residents received digital IDs tracking health months before derailment

A Feb. 24 Instagram video shows a news broadcast about a digital ID program in East Palestine.

"OHIO UPDATE," reads the on-screen text. "If it doesn't get WEIRDER than this! 3 months ago East Palestine, OH was at the center of a pilot program to respond to EMERGENCY situations. They gave digital ID's FOR FREE to residents to track long term health problems like 'difficulty breathing.'"

The Instagram post, which originated as a tweet, garnered more than 2,000 likes in four days. The original tweet garnered more than 6,000 likes in two weeks.

Follow us on Facebook! Like our page to get updates throughout the day on our latest debunks

Our rating: Partly False

East Palestine is one of many communities to join a digital ID program, but this post mischaracterizes the program. The IDs do not track vitals, and they have not yet been distributed to East Palestine residents.

Digital ID not yet distributed in East Palestine

More than two weeks after a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, residents continue to complain about headaches and skin rashes.

These symptoms aren't being tracked by a digital ID, however.

In an October 2022 broadcast, Ohio station WKBN-27 discussed the new "MyID" program being brought to East Palestine.

The ID comes in several forms, such as a bracelet or sleeve, and it allows First Responders to access your medical profile, according to the product's website. It gives medical information critical to patient care such as medication allergies to help ensure proper care can be given in an emergency.

The IDs have not yet been distributed in East Palestine, according to local officials.

Multiple cars of a Norfolk Southern train lie toppled after derailing at a train crossing with Ohio 41 in Clark County, Ohio, Saturday, March 4, 2023. (Bill Lackey/Springfield-News Sun via AP) ORG XMIT: OHSPR602

"As of today, there have not been any devices given out to the community," Keith Drabick, East Palestine Fire Chief, told USA TODAY in an email. "The fire department has not even received the devices yet  there were only open house events to inform the residents of the device."

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Drabick explained that the device doesn't track your location or vitals and was made for patients who are either unconscious or unable to communicate.

"The only thing it displays is whatever information the patient decides to put in it," Drabick said. Examples include one's "name, date of birth, emergency contacts and important medical information that may be pertinent to patient care, especially allergies to medications that could be given in the ambulance."

Ohio train derailment fact check: What's true and what's false?

Aaron Treanor, CEO of the MyID company, told the Associated Press his company has worked with first responders in numerous other states, including Florida and California.

After the train derailment, WKBN-27 aired a follow-up broadcast addressing online conspiracy theories about the MyID.

USA TODAY reached out to the Twitter and Facebook users who shared the posts for comment.

Our fact-check sources:

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Digital IDs not yet distributed in East Palestine
ANKARA (Reuters) -Turkey's main opposition alliance has named Kemal Kilicdaroglu as its candidate to run against incumbent Tayyip Erdogan in presidential elections expected on May 14.

Following are descriptions of opposition figures in Turkish politics:

CHP LEADER KEMAL KILICDAROGLU

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) head Kemal Kilicdaroglu, 74, has led the centre-left, secularist party since 2010. Under his leadership the CHP has failed to close the gap with Erdogan's AK Party (AKP) in parliamentary elections.

With support holding between 22-26% in general elections, critics have questioned his ability to make the CHP the leading party at the national level. Kilicdaroglu was a civil servant who ran the social security institution before entering politics and he is a favourite target of Erdogan's criticism in speeches. His profile rose in 2017 when he led an opposition march from Ankara to Istanbul to protest the jailing of one of his lawmakers.

He spearheaded the formation of an alliance with the nationalist-centrist IYI Party, which helped them win municipal elections in Istanbul and Ankara in 2019. They expanded the so-called Nation Alliance in 2022 and have worked together to field a joint presidential candidate. Despite some opposition from the public and particularly from the IYI Party, Kilicdaroglu has played himself up as the candidate, after agreeing that the mayors of Istanbul and Ankara to run as vice-presidents.

IYI PARTY LEADER MERAL AKSENER

Former interior minister Meral Aksener, 66 (July 18, 1956) has risen to greater prominence in recent years as a potential challenger to Erdogan. She was expelled from the nationalist MHP party in 2016 after mounting an unsuccessful bid to oust its long-standing leader Devlet Bahceli. In 2017 she formed the moderately nationalist Iyi Party, which formed an alliance with the CHP in 2018 elections and has 36 lawmakers in the 600-seat parliament. She appeals to right-wing and nationalist voters, partly those who are disenchanted with the MHP over its alliance with the AK Party. She has pressed for a return to the parliamentary system which was replaced in 2018 with a presidential one under Erdogan.

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After initial opposition to Kilicdaroglu's candidacy, she returned to the opposition alliance after convincing Kilicdaroglu that the Istanbul and Ankara mayors would serve as vice presidents if the opposition wins the May presidential election.

ISTANBUL MAYOR EKREM IMAMOGLU

After five years as CHP mayor of an Istanbul district, former businessman Ekrem Imamoglu, 52 (June 4, 1970), rose to prominence in March 2019 when he defeated the AK Party's candidate in the Istanbul municipal election. His status as a major new player in Turkish politics was reinforced after authorities annulled that vote and he won a re-run election more convincingly, dealing a blow to Erdogan's dominance of Turkish politics. Backed by an opposition alliance, Imamoglu has succeeded in appealing to more conservative voters beyond the CHP's secularist grassroots. He has clashed at times with Erdogan over issues such as the handling of the coronavirus pandemic and plans for a canal cutting through the west of Istanbul. He is seen as a potential challenger to Erdogan at the national level but is for now focused on running Turkey's largest city in a term scheduled to run until 2024. He was sentenced to more than two years in prison in 2022 for insulting public officials and faces a political ban if the ruling is upheld, a verdict critics said was unjust and aimed to hinder him politically.

ANKARA MAYOR MANSUR YAVAS

Nationalist politician and lawyer Mansur Yavas, 67 (May 23, 1955) defeated the AK Party's candidate in the Istanbul election in March 2019 as the CHP candidate backed by an opposition alliance. Previously he served for 10 years as the nationalist MHP mayor of an Ankara district until 2009. He left the MHP in 2013 and joined the CHP the same year before narrowly losing the Ankara municipal election in 2014. Opinion polls have indicated strong support for Yavas as a potential challenger to Erdogan at the national level after he won praise for his performance as Ankara mayor during the coronavirus pandemic. However, polls suggest he would have a difficult time rallying support among Kurdish voters.

FORMER HDP LEADER SELAHATTIN DEMIRTAS

Former leader of pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democracy Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtas, 49 (April 10, 1973) remains a key political figure in Turkish politics despite being in jail since 2016. Demirtas was previously sentenced to three years in prison for insulting the president and is now faces a potential life sentence in an ongoing trial with more than 100 other HDP politicians accused of instigating 2014 protests in which dozens died. He ran for president twice, once in 2014 and again from behind bars in 2018, when he came in third with 8.40% of votes.

Ahead of this year's elections, Demirtas' Twitter account has issued daily political messages to its more than 2 million followers. Last month, Demirtas openly called for Kilicdaroglu to lead the opposition in Turkey ahead of elections.

"Go Labour and Freedom Alliance! Go Socialist Collaboration! Go Nation Alliance! Go Mr. Kemal! Walk side by side!" Demirtas wrote, even though his party previously suggested they could field a candidate of their own.

Polls suggest that, without support from the HDP, the Nation Alliance would be unlikely to win the presidential elections in the first round or attain a majority in parliament.

DEVA PARTY LEADER ALI BABACAN

Babacan, 55, is an ex-deputy prime minister and former close ally of Erdogan who quit the AKP in 2019 over differences about its direction. He formed the Deva (Remedy) Party and called for reforms to strengthen the rule of law and democracy. A former economy and foreign minister, he was well regarded by foreign investors while in charge of the economy.

FUTURE PARTY LEADER AHMET DAVUTOGLU

Davutoglu, 64, a former prime minister and foreign minister, broke with the AKP in 2019 and established the Gelecek (Future) Party. In the first decade of AKP rule he championed a less confrontational foreign policy with the mantra "zero problems with neighbours", and has since criticised what he describes as a lurch towards authoritarianism under the executive presidency.

(Reporting by Daren Butler, Ali Kucukgocmen and Huseyin Hayatsever; Editing by Jonathan Spicer and Angus MacSwan)
SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea on Monday proposed establishing a public foundation to compensate victims of wartime forced labour by Japan, to help resolve strained ties between the two countries.

Efforts to overcome historical disputes between South Korea and Japan were renewed under South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who took office in May, with both countries vowing to improve ties.

- Relations between the two North Asian U.S. allies have been strained over disputes dating to Japan's 1910-1945 occupation of Korea. Koreans accuse Japan of forcing women to work in wartime brothels for the Japanese military and using forced labour, among other abuses.

- Various measures over the years have attempted to resolve the issues. Japan says the matter of any compensation for forced labour was settled under a 1965 treaty normalizing diplomatic ties and providing South Korea with economic assistance.

- In 2015, South Korea and Japan reached a settlement under which Tokyo issued an official apology to "comfort women" who say they were enslaved in wartime brothels, and provided 1 billion yen ($9.23 million) to a fund to help the victims. But then-South Korean President Moon Jae-in decided to dissolve the fund in 2018, effectively scrapping the agreement as he said it did not to do enough to consider victims' concerns.

- In 2018 South Korea's Supreme Court ordered Japan's Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp (5401.T) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (7011.T) to compensate some wartime forced labourers. Tokyo has warned of serious repercussions if the orders are enforced.

- Relations deteriorated in 2019 when Japan restricted exports of high-tech material to South Korea. At the time Seoul threatened to pull out of an intelligence-sharing deal with Tokyo, but backed down at the last minute under pressure from the United States, which has pushed for its two allies to mend ties.

- Over the years some South Koreans have boycotted Japanese products and cancelled planned vacations to the country. Seoul regularly lodges complaints over the way history is recounted in some Japanese textbooks, and there have been flare-ups over the "Rising Sun" flag seen as a symbol of imperial Japan. Tokyo has accused South Korean leaders of exacerbating tensions to score political points.

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- The two countries also have a territorial dispute over a cluster of windswept volcanic islets, known as Dokdo in Korea and Takeshima in Japan. The islets are controlled by Seoul with a small contingent of coast guards, and are also claimed by Tokyo.

- The United States has pressed both countries to resolve the disputes to better counter rising threats from China and North Korea, among other regional challenges. Under Yoon, South Korea has resumed trilateral military drills and agreed to more intelligence sharing on things like tracking ballistic missile launches from North Korea.

(Reporting by Josh Smith)
NEW BEDFORD  A man who is facing charges after allegedly bringing a gun into a New Bedford trampoline park is on probation in connection to a 2010 Fall River shooting.

At approximately 7 p.m. on Saturday, dispatch received a call regarding a male in the Funz trampoline park who was in possession of a firearm. Officers made their way to this location and were able to locate a male suspect matching the description provided. According to a New Bedford Police Department press release, upon seeing police, the suspect attempted to hand a bag to another individual who refused to accept it. He then tossed this bag into a nearby garbage bin as he was stopped by officers Marc Felix, Henry Turgeon, and off-duty officer James Marinelli.

The suspect resisted their efforts to place him into cuffs but was eventually secured and taken into custody, the press release states.

A 9mm handgun loaded with 13 rounds of ammunition was found within the bag he allegedly discarded. While in booking, the suspect refused to identify himself, police stated. He was eventually identified as Chantra Say, 32, of Fall River.

Say is currently on probation out of Bristol Superior court for assault with intent to commit murder and possession of a firearm. These convictions stem from his involvement in a Fall River shooting that took place during thesummer of 2010.

As a result of the incident Saturday, Say is now being charged with carrying a high-capacity firearm, possession of ammunition, and resisting arrest.

Police shortage:New Bedford offering $5,000 bonuses to new police officers to beef up depleted ranks

Another suspect with a gun on Saturday

Later in the evening at approximately 11 p.m., south-end units were dispatched to the area of Cove Street and Rodney French Boulevard regarding shots having been fired. Patrol officer Michael Doyle responded to the scene and located a male nearby who matched a description provided by a witness. As Officer Doyle approached the suspect; he fled on foot into a nearby S. Second Street residence, where he then made his way to a second-floor porch, according to police.

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The suspect was successfully stopped, and it was discovered that he had concealed a loaded Glock 22 handgun in a bag of potting soil.

Continuing the investigation, officers then located the exact area where shots had been fired and discovered two spent shell casings on the street. The suspect was identified as Wilber Alvarado, 22, of 60 S. Second St. Alvarado was taken into custody and found to be in possession of two baggies of crack cocaine. He was charged with disorderly conduct, possession of a high-capacity firearm and ammunition without a license, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling, and possession of a class B substance.

New Bedford Police: Residents need to know staffing levels down

These are excellent examples of how effective the partnership between the police and the community can be. We give credit to the individuals who stepped up to provide the critical information necessary. It allowed us to take two firearms out of the hands of two individuals who have no business carrying them. These are also outstanding examples of our officers arriving on scene promptly, approaching dangerous subjects without hesitation, and placing themselves at great risk in the interest of public safety. Im very proud of all the men and women of the NBPD, said Chief Paul Oliveira in the press release.

If you have any information on criminal activity in your neighborhood, the New Bedford Police Department wants to hear from you. Leave an anonymous tip at 508-991-6300, Ext. 1, or on their website, www.newbedfordpd.com.

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Suspect with gun arrested at New Bedford trampoline park Funz
A Franklin County deputys poor choices led to the death of a former U.S. Marine on a icy rural road, according to a federal lawsuit.

Attorneys for Dante Jones father, Donald, painted a picture of a deputy with a history of endangering the public, combined with a lack of training and policies leading to the deadly November 2019 shooting.

Attorneys Brian G. Davis and Robert G. Schultz also claim the evidence does not fit with Deputy Cody Quantrells version of events, particularly whether he was inside or outside Jones car when he started shooting.

Dante Jones was sent overseas twice during his time in the Marine Corps. He was killed in a confrontation with a Franklin County sheriffs deputy in 2019.

But Franklin Countys attorneys have denied those claims, down to if the weather that night made the roads hazardous.

The shooting death of Dante Jones happened before a 2021 state law pushed the Franklin County Sheriffs Office to get body and dash cameras for deputies.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court, comes more than a year after Prosecutor Shawn Sant called the shooting especially tragic but justified. The suit names the deputy, the sheriff and the county.

Mr. Jones used his car as a deadly weapon when he attempted to drive off with Deputy Quantrell halfway inside the car. Deputy Quantrell was at risk of serious injury or death at the time he discharged his duty weapon, Sant said in a news release at that time of his decision.

He told the Herald that the physical evidence matched Quantrells version of events. That included the deputys injuries.

Sants findings were based on a report by the Regional Special Investigations Unit. The team is called in to conduct independent investigations of officer-involved shootings but its up to the prosecutor whether an officer broke the law.

Sheriff Jim Raymond declined to comment on the lawsuit but confirmed that Quantrell is still employed by the sheriffs office.

The lawsuit is the latest turn in a shooting that became one of the focal points for Tri-Cities Black Lives Matter protesters in 2020.

Former Marine

Jones grew up in Othello and spent time in the Tri-Cities after his mother left when he was 15, according to reports.

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His deployments to Jordan and Syria as a U.S. Marine left him with post-traumatic stress disorder, said his family. He lived in Arizona with his father after coming home, but returned to the Tri-Cities eight months before he was killed.

Relatives and friends told SIU investigators that Jones was deeply affected by what he saw overseas, including the death of fellow soldiers and the bodies of children.

Veterans Affairs doctors were treating Jones, but the trauma left him with problems functioning in society, including trouble holding down a job at a hardware store or a restaurant, according to the SIU report.

A former roommate said Jones was pro-cop and supportive of police. He was surprised to learn Jones had been killed in a confrontation with officers.

His only other trouble with police was a trespassing incident 10 years earlier involving a damaged fence in Pasco.

Friends told investigators that Jones had a drinking problem, and a former girlfriend said she believed he had used drugs before switching to alcohol.

Deputys history

Before the Quantrell joined Franklin County in 2018, he worked for the Toppenish Police Department in the Yakima Valley, where he was counseled for pulling out his sidearm when he stopped a motorcyclist, according to the lawsuit.

The motorcyclist was detained, searched and released after officers determined police didnt have any reason to hold him, said the suit.

The attorneys quoted a portion of then Police Chief Curt Ruggles report, which said the tactic of advancing on a suspect with a gun drawn is something that should only be used in rare circumstances, such as helping another officer who is in immediate danger.

What you did is considered Tombstone Courage and that behavior has resulted in injuries and even death in police officers nationwide, the chief said in his report.

The suit says Quantrell also was counseled for not stopping a police chase that ended up causing significant damage to his patrol vehicle and to a citizens fence.

The attorneys claim that Quantrells behavior didnt improve when he joined the Franklin County Sheriffs Office.

Deputy Quantrell has been subject to numerous citizen complaints concerning his actions with the public, said the suit. As an example, during a routine traffic stop, Deputy Quantrell was found to use questionable verbal behavior and non-verbal actions which called into question his decision-making skills and professionalism.

Between joining the sheriffs office and the shooting, less than 1 percent of his training was dedicated to de-escalation techniques, the attorneys said.

Dante R. Jones led Franklin County sheriffs deputies on a high-speed chase on Sagehill Road from Highway 170 north to Hendricks Road.

Dante Jones death

The deadly confrontation began with a call about a suspicious vehicle on Fir Road. Quantrell, along with Sgt. Gordon Thomasson and Deputy Andrew Gardner, drove there to investigate.

While they were searching the area shortly after 3 a.m., a Honda Civic sped past Thomassons patrol SUV going 82 mph in a 55-mph zone on Taylor Flats Road.

The sergeant lost sight of the car before he could turn around, but he believed it could be the same car they were looking for, and he noted the driver honked as he was passing.

Thomasson spotted it again at a Taylor Flats Road intersection. As he got closer, the car sped off again.

He began following the car as it drove on Route 170, but hadnt turned on his emergency lights yet.

Quantrell and Gardner took over following the car at 3:18 a.m. and they activated their emergency lights. Thomasson let them take over because their cars were better equipped to handle the slick roads. according to the suit.

While the countys attorneys denied the weather was bad, the SIU investigation confirmed it was foggy.

As they followed, Jones would hit the brakes suddenly in an attempt to cause Quantrell to crash into him.

They continued to follow Jones, and while he slowed to highway speeds, the Civic didnt stop.

Then at 3:22 a.m., Thomasson called off the chase because of the fog.

Jones attorneys pointed out that despite the order to end the pursuit Quantrell kept going.

Arrest attempt

At one point in the pursuit, Jones stopped the car, and then backed up until he stopped next to Quantrells drivers side door.

Quantrell pulled his gun and stepped out, opening the Civics passenger door and ordering Jones, who was alone, to show his hands and told him he was under arrest.

Jones was looking at him, but said nothing, Quantrell told investigators. The deputy crawled into the car with the intention of grabbing the keys to shut off the engine.

He was halfway inside when Jones put the car into gear and started to drive, according to the SIU report.

When the car pulled forward Quantrell said he became pinned and feared he would be dragged under the car.

Before the deputy fell out of the car, he fired four of the 15 rounds in his pistol, said the report.

The badly wounded Jones drove a half mile before his car veered into an orchard off Sagehill Road. The deputies followed, and after putting him in handcuffs, tried to stop the bleeding by applying pressure and tourniquets, said the report.

Jones died on his way to the hospital.

Investigation questions

While the prosecutor said that Quantrells description of events matched the physical evidence from the scene as documented by the SIU team, Donald Jones attorneys argued there are inconsistencies.

They claim that the Washington State Patrol Crime Laboratory didnt find that Quantrell fired the shots while he was inside the car.

The evidence suggests that Deputy Quantrell shot Dante from a position outside of Dantes vehicle in an attempt to stop Dante, according to the complaint. This was excessive under the circumstances and resulted in Dantes death.
The family of a passenger who was killed during a police chase has filed a federal lawsuit against the Kansas Highway Patrol.

Anita Benz, 45, was killed after a March 6, 2021, police chase in Topeka.

According to the lawsuit, Trooper Justin Dobler was patrolling when he allegedly saw a car with a cracked windshield. It looked similar to a white Ford Crown Victoria that was on a list of stolen vehicles. He attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the driver did not stop and a chase began.

About 45 seconds into the pursuit, the lawsuit said Dobler identified the car as a Mercury Grand Marquis.

Dobler provided dispatch information including the license plate number and was told a couple minutes later that the vehicle was not stolen. The vehicle allegedly was speeding up to 55 mph in a 35 mph zone. He twice attempted a tactical vehicle intervention to disable the car. The third attempt was successful and the car spun out and struck a utility pole.

Benz died after being transported to a hospital.

The lawsuit claims Dobler should not have chased the car over a cracked windshield, and should have called the chase off when he realized the car was not a Crown Victoria.

According to the lawsuit, the highway patrol found Dobler had violated the agencys chase policy.

He had already been reprimanded in two previous chases. One resulted in a crash which could have been avoided, the lawsuit said, and in the second incident, Dobler shut off his lights and sirens, but continued to pursue a vehicle at a high speed.

Just a few months before the fatal incident, members of the Topeka area troop had been told not to pursue vehicles in the city unless someone was in immediate danger. Dobler was privately ordered not to engage in chases within the city limits.

The lawsuit, which names Dobler and the Mercurys driver in addition to KHP, alleges five counts, including excessive force and negligence.

Lt. Candice Breshears, a spokeswoman for the highway patrol, said the agency does not comment on pending litigation.
Dr. Fauci commissioned a scientific study that purported to debunk the hypothesis that Covid escaped from a laboratory in Wuhan, China, according to emails released by House Republicans.

On Sunday, the GOP-led House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic revealed that the nations leading epidemiologist in February 2020 directed and approved a paper titled, The Proximal Origin of SARS-CoV-2, which he later cited to cast the lab-leak theory as a myth.

New evidence released by the Select Subcommittee today suggests that Dr. Fauci prompted the drafting of a publication that would disprove the lab leak theory, the authors of this paper skewed available evidence to achieve that goal, and Dr. Jeremy Farrar went uncredited despite significant involvement, a memo from the committee read.

On February 1, 2020, Fauci, then director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and Dr. Francis Collins, then director of the National Institutes of Health, held a call with several scientists to discuss the origins of the virus. A group of evolutionary virologists on the call informed Fauci and Collins that Covid may have stemmed from a lab accident and may have been genetically engineered, according to the memo.

Three days later, four of the experts who attended that meeting drafted a research document, which was forwarded to Fauci upon completion for editing and approval. The paper, later published in Nature Medicine, argued that Covid had mutations that supported the explanation that it had been transmitted to humans from animals.

One of the four authors, Dr. Kristin Andersen, admits in a cover email sent to Nature that Fauci prompted the papers drafting in order to disprove the lab-leak theory.

There has been a lot of speculation, fear-mongering, and conspiracies put forward in this space. [This paper was] Prompted by Jeremy Farrah [sic], Tony Fauci, and Francis Collins, Andersen wrote in the email, released Sunday by the House committee.

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In April, 2020, Fauci addressed reporters at a White House press conference alongside former president Trump, pointing to the paper as justification for his belief that the lab-leak theory was a far-fetched conspiracy. Fauci did not acknowledge his own role in commissioning the paper and feigned ignorance as to the identities of its authors.

There was a study recently where a group of highly qualified evolutionary virologists looked at the sequences  in bats as they evolve and the mutations that it took to get to the point where it is now is totally consistent with a jump of a species from an animal to a human, Fauci said at the time.

So, the paper will be available. I dont have the authors right now, but we can make it available to you, he said.

Fauci told National Geographic a month later that Covid could not have been artificially or deliberately manipulated.

Flash forward to November 2022, when Fauci, who had announced his retirement from government, said on CBSs Face the Nation that he remained convinced that the virus emerged naturally, claiming the evidence backing that theory was quite strong. During that media appearance, Fauci lectured that officials must ensure that future probes into Covids source are not politically motivated. They should keep the politics out of those investigations, he said. Fauci vowed to cooperate with the oversight efforts of House Republicans over his role in the U.S. pandemic response and insisted he had nothing to hide.

If there are oversight hearings, I absolutely will cooperate fully and testify before the Congress, Fauci said. You may not know, but Ive testified before the Congress a few hundred times, okay, over the last 40 years or so, so I have no trouble testifying. We can defend, and explain, and stand by everything that weve said, so I have nothing to hide.

This month, the Department of Energy assessed that Covid most likely originated from a laboratory leak, according to a classified intelligence report included in an update to a 2021 document by Director of National Intelligence Avril Hainess office. The FBI arrived at the same conclusion with moderate confidence in 2021, according to declassified intelligence report. Bureau director Christopher Wray went on the record with Fox News Tuesday with that opinion.

The FBI has for quite some time now assessed that the origins of the pandemic are most likely a potential lab incident in Wuhan, Wray said. Here you are talking about a potential leak from a Chinese government-controlled lab.

More from National Review
FBI investigating suspicious death of woman on Carnival Sunshine (Carnival)

The FBI is investigating the suspicious death of a female passenger onboard the Carnival Sunshine cruise ship, the agency announced.

The passenger was found unresponsive during the ships 27 February cruise to Nassau, Bahamas, according to the FBI field office in Columbia, South Carolina.

Despite medical staff and crew members performing life-saving measures, the woman was pronounced dead on board the ship.

Both the deceased passenger and her husband were taken off the ship in the Bahamas, where an autopsy will take place.

Both the deceased and her husband were debarked in Nassau and Bahamian authorities have already investigated the circumstances and are conducting an autopsy, Carnival Cruise Line spokesperson Matt Lupoli told CNN.

We are fully cooperating. This is a matter for authorities in the Bahamas and Charleston and we have no further comments.

Members of the FBI Evidence Response Team conducted a search of the passengers room when the ship returned to its home port of Charleston, South Carolina, on 4 March.

The FBI investigates suspicious deaths of US nationals as well as certain crimes on the high seas. The death remains under investigation.
The FBI is investigating the "suspicious" death of a woman aboard a Carnival cruise ship traveling from Charleston, South Carolina, to Nassau, Bahamas, last month.

On Feb. 27, Carnival's Sunshine crew members and medical staff responded to an unresponsive female passenger, the FBI Columbia field office said in a news release. Despite their best efforts, the woman was pronounced dead on the ship, the release said.

The incident was isolated and posed no threats to other passengers, according to the FBI.

When the ship returned to Charleston on March 4, FBI officials searched the dead passenger's room for evidence, according to the news release.

The FBI said it investigates suspicious deaths of U.S. citizens as well as "certain crimes on the high seas." Officials have not disclosed the identity of the passenger or the cause of death and said the incident remains under investigation.

Carnival said they are "fully cooperating" with the investigation and that the incident is being handled by authorities in the Bahamas and in Charleston.

"Both the deceased and her husband were debarked in Nassau and Bahamian authorities have already investigated the circumstances and are conducting an autopsy," the cruise line said in a statement to CBS News.

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Four U.S. citizens kidnapped in Mexico at gunpoint
The FBI has launched a search for four US citizens who were kidnapped at gunpoint in Mexico.

The group of four Americans drove across the USs border with Mexico on Friday, crossing into Matamoros, Tamaulipas, in their white minivan, according to the US Embassy & Consulates in Mexico.

Not long after crossing the border, they were ambushed by a group of gunmen who fired on the passengers in the vehicle.

The four Americans were then placed in a vehicle and driven from the scene by the armed men, the embassy said.

Officials have not released the identities of the US citizens but said that their white minivan had North Carolina licence plates.

The purpose of their visit to Mexico is also unclear.

The US State Department is advising Americans not to travel to Tamaulipas due to the risk of crime and kidnapping. The region is on the Level 4: Do Not Travel list.

The border city of Matamoros is largely controlled by the Gulf drug cartel, with violence and migrant smuggling rife.

Oliver Rich, Special Agent in Charge of the San Antonio Division of the FBI, said in the press release that the FBI is seeking the publics help in identifying the assailants responsible for the assault and kidnapping.

A reward of $50,000 is being offered for information leading to the return of the victims and the arrest of the kidnappers.

An investigation  involving the FBI, federal partners and Mexican law enforcement agencies  is currently under way.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI San Antonio Division at 210-225-6741 or to submit tips anonymously online at https://tips.fbi.gov
The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for the return of four Americans believed to have been kidnapped at gunpoint in Mexico on Friday, with the agency asking the public for information leading to arrests.

The four Americans crossed into Matamoros, Tamaulipas, in a white minivan with North Carolina plates Friday, the FBI said in a statement. Matamoros is just south of Brownsville, Texas.

Shortly after crossing into Mexico they were met with gunfire by unidentified shooters, the release said.

The gunmen herded the four U.S. citizens into another vehicle and fled the scene with them, the FBI said.

The case is under investigation by the FBI and Mexican law enforcement.

Officials did not provide any further details on the abduction and did not identify the victims.

The reward money is for the safe return of the kidnapped victims as well as the arrest of those involved in the assault and kidnapping attack.

Anyone with information is urged to call the FBIs San Antonio division at (210) 225-6741.

The U.S. State Department has a Do Not Travel warning for Tamaulipas state due to crime and kidnapping.

The department said organized crime activity including gun battles, armed robbery and kidnappings that are common along the northern border and in Ciudad Victoria.

"Criminal groups target public and private passenger buses, as well as private automobiles traveling through Tamaulipas, often taking passengers and demanding ransom payments," the warning said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Leaders of the Proud Boys activated a network of foot soldiers to breach the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, prosecutors argued to a federal judge on Monday, describing how more than a dozen of the groups associates played pivotal roles in overrunning police lines, dismantling barricades and facilitating the mobs entry into the building itself.

The Justice Department laid out its clearest evidence yet that it sees the Proud Boys  and the far-right groups chairman, Enrique Tarrio  as uniquely responsible for the chaos that unfolded on Jan. 6. Though only five members of the group face seditious conspiracy charges over allegations of masterminding the plot, prosecutors say they deployed a much wider collection of associates to carry it out.

There was Daniel Milkshake Scott, who helped bash through a line of police officers just before rioters  led by Proud Boy Dominic Pezzola  breached a Senate-wing window. (Scott pleaded guilty to assault last month). There was Christopher Worrell, who is pictured spraying a chemical irritant toward a line of U.S. Capitol Police officers early in the mobs advance. And theres William Pepe, who ripped away metal barricades protecting outnumbered officers early in the afternoon.

In case after case, prosecutors said, the alleged offenders had links to the Proud Boys  some explicit, some tenuous  and either joined them on their march from the Washington Monument to the Capitol or participated in encrypted text message channels with the groups leaders ahead of their actions on Jan. 6. But its the most specific effort by the Justice Department to capture the breadth of what it sees as the most significant case to arise from the Jan. 6 attack.

None of the 23 associates identified by prosecutors are charged as co-conspirators alongside Tarrio and the other leaders: Ethan Nordean, Joe Biggs, Zachary Rehl and Pezzola. Rather, the Justice Department contends that those in the broader group were handpicked by the leaders and acted as tools of the alleged seditious conspiracy.

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The people who marched with them, all the way from before Trump started speaking and who marched onto Capitol grounds, trampled police barricades before he finished speaking, were acting jointly with these defendants, Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Kenerson said on Monday.

Whether the jury ever sees this evidence is a question in the hands of U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Kelly, who must decide whether prosecutors have made a clear enough case that these individuals acted  knowingly or not  to further the goals of the alleged seditious conspiracy.

The prosecutions assertion that the some defendants acted as tools of those charged in a separate case and that their acts should be imputed to those on trial on conspiracy charges drew outrage from defense attorneys.

Lawyers for the Proud Boys leaders contended that prosecutors were seeking to prove guilt by association, tagging Tarrio and others with the violent actions of a loosely connected group of rioters.

Weve cut the baloney now so thin that I can see through it and read the other side of the paper, said Norm Pattis, an attorney for Biggs.

Pattis suggested that the governments theory that individuals were activated by the Proud Boys to help advance their conspiracy could equally apply to other Jan. 6 influencers, including former President Donald Trump himself. Pattis has indicated that he hopes to subpoena Trump to testify in the trial, though its unclear whether he has served the subpoena as of this week. He described the governments theory as tenuous.

Prosecutors described varying degrees of relationships between the so-called tools and the Proud Boys leaders. Some, like Paul Rae, crashed at an Airbnb with Nordean and others the night before Jan. 6, or like Gabriel Garcia, who was invited into pre-Jan. 6 encrypted chat groups by Tarrio. Others, like Barton Shively and Trevor McDonald, joined the Proud Boys somewhere along their march to the Capitol, which came even before Trump finished addressing a rally crowd assembled near the White House. Prosecutors said one defendant appeared to fist-bump with a man who later joined a violent push against police.

Kelly said he intends to consider the evidence prosecutors described on Monday and determine whether to permit the government to show it to jurors.

Nevertheless, prosecutors described about a dozen discrete examples of actions by associates of the Proud Boys that they say underscored the groups influence during the riot.

The most compelling example was the case of Ronald Loehrke and James Haffner, two associates of Nordean. Prosecutors displayed text messages in which Nordean tells Loehrke, I want you with me, on Jan. 6. Ill have you on the front lines with me, he says. Haffner came to Washington with Loehrke and is seen on video spraying police officers during a melee outside Capitol doors.

Other examples include Robert Gieswein, who was one of the first rioters to enter the Capitol and joined the confrontation with Capitol Police outside the Senate chamber; Paul Rae and Gilbert Fonticoba, who entered the Capitol with Biggs; and Nicholas Ochs, who scrawled Murder the Media on a Capitol door.

Prosecutors said they dont intend to introduce the Gieswein evidence in front of the jury, which prompted Carmen Hernandez, the defense attorney for Rehl, to assert that Gieswein was invited to join the Proud Boys march by a confidential human source working with the government.

Prosecutors also said a group of five associates  A.J. Fischer, Dion Rajewski, Zach Johnson, Brian Boele and James Brett  who they consider tools of the Proud Boys conspiracy were part of the mob that besieged the Capitols Lower West Terrace tunnel, the scene of the days worst violence.
Washington  Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman "will be back soon," his chief of staff said Monday, sharing photos of the senator who has been undergoing treatment for clinical depression.

"Productive morning with Senator Fetterman at Walter Reed discussing the rail safety legislation, Farm Bill and other Senate business," Adam Jentleson tweeted.

Fetterman checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland in mid-February for inpatient care at the recommendation of the attending physician of the U.S. Congress.

Sharing photos of Fetterman in a purple Carhartt hoodie and shorts, Jentleson said the senator is "well on his way to recovery" and wanted the share how "grateful he is for all the well wishes."

Productive morning with Senator Fetterman at Walter Reed discussing the rail safety legislation, Farm Bill and other Senate business. John is well on his way to recovery and wanted me to say how grateful he is for all the well wishes. Hes laser focused on PA & will be back soon. pic.twitter.com/143uAhoQRx  Adam Jentleson (@AJentleson) March 6, 2023

The senator's spokesman, Joe Calvello, said Fetterman has been getting briefed daily by his staff.



Fetterman's wife, Gisele Barreto Fetterman, reshared Jentleson's post and wrote "Society's expectations and traditional gender roles play a part in why men are less likely to discuss or seek help for their mental health. As always, John continues to challenge the conversation. So human, so kind, so cute."

Last week, Fetterman was among a bipartisan group of six seniors who introduced rail safety legislation after a toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. He also sits on the Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, which is tasked with drafting the Senate's farm bill.

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Fetterman was sidelined for two months during the 2022 campaign after suffering a stroke and had surgery to implant a pacemaker. Before he was admitted to Walter Reed, he was hospitalized after feeling light-headed while at a Senate Democratic retreat in Washington. He was discharged two days later after tests ruled out a new stroke and he showed no evidence of seizures, according to his office.

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A top aide to Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) said that he is well on his way to recovery as he remains hospitalized to receive treatment for clinical depression and will return to work in the Senate soon.

Adam Jentleson, Fettermans chief of staff, tweeted three pictures of the first-term senator during a meeting on Monday with him at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where they discussed a number of items Fetterman is expected to work on in the coming months.

Productive morning with Senator Fetterman at Walter Reed discussing the rail safety legislation, Farm Bill and other Senate business, Jentleson wrote in a tweet. John is well on his way to recovery and wanted me to say how grateful he is for all the well wishes. Hes laser focused on PA & will be back soon.

Fettermans office revealed that he was hospitalized on Feb. 15 for treatment. Jentleson said at the time that the Pennsylvania Democrat has experienced depression off and on throughout his life, but that it had become severe in the weeks before checking into the hospital.

The senator last week was one of the co-sponsors of rail safety legislation that was unveiled by Sens. JD Vance (R-Ohio) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) in the wake of the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.

Our team is moving full speed ahead and working tirelessly for the people of Pennsylvania. Just last week we opened a new office in Erie and will be opening several more offices in the coming weeks, Joe Calvello, a Fetterman spokesman, said in a statement early last week.

Calvello added that the ongoing situation is a weeks-long process.

Fetterman checked himself into Walter Reed only a week after he was hospitalized for feeling lightheaded during the Senate Democratic retreat.

The Pennsylvania senator underwent surgery shortly after his stroke in May to implant a pacemaker. He also continues to struggle with auditory processing issues stemming from the stroke that has forced him to rely on closed captioning in order to communicate with his fellow lawmakers

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
PHOENIX (AP)  An Arizona judge has sanctioned former Republican secretary of state candidate Mark Finchem and his attorney over a lawsuit challenging his loss in last year's election, saying the suit "was groundless and not brought in good faith."

Finchem's suit raised unsupported claims that his loss was marred by misconduct and demanded the results be set aside and the election redone. He's refused to concede to Democrat Adrian Fontes, who took office in January.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Melissa Julian tossed out Finchems lawsuit in December. Fontes and then-Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, who is now governor, asked her to sanction Finchem for requiring them to incur the hassle and expense of defending against a baseless lawsuit.

Julian said in a ruling dated March 1 that Finchem must pay the reasonable lawyer fees incurred by the Fontes campaign and by the secretary of state's office, which Fontes now leads. Those costs have not been determined.

Mr. Finchem and bad actors like him cannot be permitted to avoid accountability, Fontes said in a statement. He continues to grift off of his broken political agenda using fraudulent schemes that take advantage of Arizonans.

Finchem did not respond to a request for comment. His lawyer, Daniel McCauley, declined to comment.

Even if everything Finchem alleged in his lawsuit was true, Julian wrote, it would not have changed the results of the election, which Finchem lost by 120,000 votes.

Julian, who was appointed by former Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, also pointed to McCauley's comments during a hearing that more experienced election lawyers had refused to take the case but he had little to lose because he was preparing to retire. That, she wrote, is an indication he knew the lawsuit had no merit.

Finchem was a prolific proponent of the lie that former President Donald Trump lost his 2020 reelection because of widespread fraud, which has been repeatedly debunked by courts, election experts and Trump's own attorney general.

While most of the election deniers who lose their races last year have conceded, three prominent Republicans in Arizona have not. Finchem, candidate for governor Kari Lake and attorney general candidate Abraham Hamadeh have all filed unsuccessful lawsuits challenging their losses and have refused to concede, continuing to point to mishaps that courts have repeatedly said do not throw the results in doubt.

Lake last week appealed to the Arizona Supreme Court after a state appeals court said her lawsuit challenging the election was based on sheer speculation.
The President of Finland will visit the state capitol in Olympia on Monday as he begins a five-day tour of the United States.

President Sauli Niinisto will be received by Governor Jay Inslee and address a joint session of the Washington State Legislature.

His visit comes days after Finlands parliament approved the countrys bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

In a joint statement with the leaders of Sweden and Norway, Niinisto cited the Russian invasion of Ukraine as a factor that prompted the three countries to decide to apply for NATO membership.

A delegation of 45 representatives from Washington state employers, government agencies and schools, including Inslee, visited Finland during a trade mission to the Nordic countries last September.

Finlands bright thinking, sustainable innovation, and present equanimity inspire the world, Inslee said in a news release. President Niinisto said recently that the cold face of war is visible on his continent. Finland has not wavered. It was my honor to be received by the president in Finland last September, and it is again my honor to welcome him to Olympia to discuss our partnership.

The two leaders are expected to discuss their partnership on tech research, trade, clean energy and sustainable forestry.
TAIPEI (Reuters) - The head of a small Taiwanese political party will next month become the first contender for 2024's presidential election to visit the United States, to brief officials on his policies should he win office, though that may be a long shot.

Taiwanese presidential candidates traditionally go to the United States before elections given Washington's oversized role in backing Taiwan internationally and ensuring its security in the face of China's military threats to the island Beijing views as "sacred" Chinese territory.

The Taiwan People's Party (TPP), only founded in 2019, said on Monday its Chairman Ko Wen-je would make a 21-day trip to the United States beginning on April 8 in his capacity as the party's presidential nominee, though he has yet to formally be declared its candidate.

Ko, who served two terms as Taipei mayor until stepping down last year because of term limits, will meet State Department officials - the party declined to say who - and speak at universities included Harvard.

"We want to use this opportunity to exchange views with the U.S. side, about Chairman Ko's views on diplomacy or relations with China going forward," party Secretary General Tom Chou told reporters in Taipei.

The party has positioned itself as seeking a middle way between the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) which strongly supports Taiwan's sovereignty, and the main opposition party the Kuomintang, or KMT, which traditionally favours close ties with China.

Ko sought engagement with China while he was mayor, though last year he criticised China's military pressure during a virtual meeting with Shanghai officials.

Ko is a long shot contender for the presidency given the party's recent founding and minimal representation in parliament, with only five out of 113 lawmakers.

Neither the DPP nor KMT have announced their presidential candidates yet, though the DPP is widely expected to select Vice President William Lai, who is also party chairman.

The presidential and parliamentary elections take place next January.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
The latest Conservative Political Action Conference outside of Washington DC proved that former President Donald Trump remains firmly in control of the Republican Party going into the 2024 election.

The latest CPAC gathering was the first in the nations capital since the Covid-19 pandemic began. The gathering has long been a cattle call for potential Republican presidential nominees and other rising stars in the party. And it sets the tone for what conservatives will likely focus on in the next election.

Nowadays, like much of the rest of the conservative movement, former president Donald Trump has co-opted the event and made himself the centre of it. Many of the other speakers at the event came from the former presidents orbit while other speakers spoke to often half-empty rooms.

The conference's decision to continue to make Mr Trump the marquee speaker and organise the agenda around his priorities shows that the organisers and party elite very much recognise his firm grip on the base going into 2024.

Many of the panels focused on enforcing immigration, the former presidents main focus while he was in the White House. CPAC also focused intensely on targeting transgender rights.

Here are five takeways from CPAC.

Its the Trump show

Mr Trump closed out the conference with a scorched-earth address, airing his grievances before a crowd that moved to its feet multiple times. The former president frequently criticised the ongoing investigations he faces from the Department of Justice, the Manhattan District Attorney, the Fulton County District Attorney and New Yorks Attorney Generals office.

Donald Trump addresses CPAC. (AFP via Getty Images)

I am your warrior, I am your justice, and for those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution, he said in a scathing exegesis. But many other Trump-world figures spoke at CPAC, including his son Donald Trump Jr and his fiancee Kimberly Guilfoyle, as well as Lara Trump, the wife of his other son Eric Trump. Former Trump campaign chairman and presidential adviser Steve Bannon also hosted episodes of his War Room show just outside the ballroom to rapt supporters. Similarly, in a compilation video before he took the stage, clips of Mr Trump were featured heavily.

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On Saturday evening ahead of his address, Mr Trump overwhelmingly won the CPAC straw poll with 62 per cent of the vote, a clear sign that he dominates the party even as challengers  both announced and potential  wait in the wings.

Other candidates remain an afterthought

Florida Goveror Ron DeSantis has notably tried to avoid coming into direct contact with the former president. And for much of the conference, he remained out of mind for attendees. The Independent caught only one person cradling his new book The Courage to be Free, which the Florida governor has been promoting. Rather, the conservative golden boy chose to speak to donors for the fiscally conservative Club for Growth and on Sunday he spoke at the Ronald Reagan Library.

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley speaks during the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) (Getty Images)

Former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, so far the only major declared candidate other than Mr Trump, received only polite applause, even as she tried touching on the same themes that other conservatives focused on  such as the military utilising gender pronouns and saying that wokeness is a virus more dangerous than any pandemic. Indeed, little-known businessman and presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy seemed to get more applause at times than Ms Haley.

Similarly, when Ms Haley tried to work the room with supporters, she faced people calling Mr Trumps name. Any potential contender for the GOP nomination will have to grapple with the fact the diehard faithful activists see themselves as his army, even if major donors move away from him.

Election denialism and January 6 become an article of faith

Throughout the conference, many attendees wore white shirts with the likenesses of Ashli Babbitt, the January 6 rioter whom Capitol Police shot as she attempted to push further into the US Capitol. Similarly, people signed a large document to honour those incarcereated for their actions during the 2021 riot at the Capitol as Congress ceritified the 2020 presidential election results.

In addition, the conference hosted a panel entitled They Stole it From Us Legally featuring Abraham Hamadeh, the former Arizona attorney general candidate who claims that his election was stolen. Similarly, the only other politician who received as much fanfare as Mr Trump was Kari Lake, the failed Arizona gubernatorial candidate who parrotted Mr Trumps lies that the election was stolen and has herself refused to concede her race last year to Governor Katie Hobbs. Ms Lake won the CPAC straw poll for vice president. She also delivered Friday evenings speech at the conferences Ronald Reagan dinner, a sign that the conference sees her as a rising star.

Transphobia reigns supreme

Throughout the conference, panelists and speakers railed against transgender rights. During Senator Ted Cruzs panel recording his podcast with talk show host Ben Ferguson and Senator JD Vance, he joked that if transgender tech workers saw a train derailment like in East Palestine, President Joe Biden would have been there immediately.

But the conference laid out how conservatives plan to frame their attack on transgender rights: as protecting people dealing with gender dysphoria from being preyed upon. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia laid this out when she said, They tell us the most incredible lie that children can actually change their gender before they've even grown up, before they even finish puberty, before they've developed into an adult, before they're old enough to vote.

Shortly after her address, there was a panel that featured Riley Gaines, a former college swimmer who has criticised the fact she lost to transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, and Chloe Cole, who has detransitioned and said she was pressured into transition. In addition, Mr Trump received one of his biggest applause lines when he talked about ending chemical castration for children.

Scandals loom over conference

This years CPAC was held as American Conservative Union Chairman Matt Schlapp faces allegations of sexual impropriety after a former staffer for failed Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker accused Mr Schlapp grabbing his crotch. Mr Schlapp vehemently denies the allgations, but he now faces a lawsuit from the unnamed accuser. Still, many attendees, including Mr Trump, made it a point to name check Mr Schlapp and his wife Mercedes, who worked in the Trump White House, in their speeches.

Similarly, Dominions lawsuit against Fox News for its promotion of election lies loomed large. Mr Bannon directly targeted Fox News in his address on Friday.

They don't respect you, he said to attendees. Read the depositions. They have a fear, loathing, and contempt for you.
Watch: Florence Pugh Stuns Again In Sheer Look

Quickly becoming Hollywoods queen of scene-stealing style, Florence Pugh made another cheeky statement at Paris Fashion Week on Sunday.

The star of Black Widow and Dont Worry Darling nabbed the spotlight at Valentinos runway show in a crewneck sweatshirt paired with a floor-length, see-through skirt.

The actors white thong underwear was clearly visible through the skirts sheer fabric, which was covered in iridescent sequins.

She accessorized the look with diamond jewelry and a silver handbag.

Its easy to see why Pugh was once a front-runner to play Madonna in a now-defunct biopic, as her love of edgy, skin-baring designs rivals that of the pop superstar.

In July, the actor stepped out in a pink tulle Valentino gown with a see-through bodice. Just months later, she made waves in a sheer two-piece ensemble also by Valentino, with nothing but a pair of briefs underneath.

Her flair for such looks also appears to have rubbed off on Dont Worry Darling director Olivia Wilde, who wore a black Christian Dior gown featuring a see-through lace top to the 2022 Peoples Choice Awards in December.

Responding to the reaction that her July look prompted at the time, Pugh told her critics to grow up.

It isnt the first time and certainly wont be the last time a woman will hear whats wrong with her body by a crowd of strangers, she wrote on Instagram. Whats worrying is just how vulgar some of you men can be.

She went on to note: It has always been my mission in this industry to say fuck it and fuck that whenever anyone expects my body to morph into an opinion of whats hot or sexually attractive.

Related...
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  Tennessee is outsourcing the testing of at least 550 rape kits to a private Florida lab through a $1.5 million federal grant, the state's lead investigative agency announced Monday in a move aimed at reducing processing times that have drawn scrutiny.

In a news release, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said the state awarded a contract to DNA Labs International in Deerfield Beach, Florida, after a competitive bid process that began in December. The agency said it plans to submit up to 1,000 rape kits if more grant funding becomes available by the end of the year, at a cost of $2,155 per kit.

With the help of the Governors administration and the Tennessee General Assembly, were continuing to take steps to improve our Forensic Services Division, TBI Director David Rausch said in the release. This outsourcing project helps us take an immediate step, as we continue to discuss longer-term fixes."

The states turnaround times for sexual assault kits entered the spotlight after the high-profile killing of teacher Eliza Fletcher in September. The man charged with killing Fletcher was charged in a 2021 rape of a different woman shortly afterward, when the rape kit from that case was finally processed.

As of October, the agency said the average turnaround time for a rape kit was 43 weeks at the Knoxville lab, 42.4 weeks at the Jackson lab and 32.7 weeks at the Nashville lab.

The agency has attributed the delays to staffing woes and low pay that complicates recruiting and keeping scientists, in addition to other professionals. Funding for new staff positions announced in September and for pay raises is included in Republican Gov. Bill Lee's budget proposal, which is working its way through the Legislature. Lawmakers have proposed other changes, as well.

Rausch in September highlighted other plans for the agency to reduce turnaround times, saying he his aim was to reduce them to eight to 12 weeks for all evidence within a year. Some efforts include: offering overtime for lab workers; operating the labs on weekends; and contracting with retired TBI workers to help provide training so current scientists can shift time spent training employees to more case work.

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Lee announced in September that he and lawmakers were fast-tracking funding to hire an 25 additional forensic lab positions. The agency had requested 40 more special agent/forensic scientist positions and 10 more technicians in the budget that is now in effect, but Lee and lawmakers initially funded half that amount. Some of the new agency lab positions are aimed at DNA, while others are focused on other tasks, from toxicology to forensic chemistry.

Under the new contract, DNA Labs International will provide analysis and any related courtroom testimony. TBI scientists must review the results of analysis for each kit under FBI guidelines and, if warranted, will enter resulting DNA profiles into the Combined DNA Index System, or CODIS.

TBI said it was flying 550 kits to the Florida lab on Monday, including 250 from the Jackson Crime Laboratory, 250 from Knoxville and 50 from Nashville. The Jackson lab processes rape kits from Memphis, where Fletcher was killed.

Days after Cleotha Henderson was charged with abducting and killing Fletcher, he was indicted in the 2021 rape of another woman. Memphis police say they took a sexual assault report on Sept. 21, 2021, but it wasnt analyzed in a state lab until nearly a year later. When the 2021 DNA was entered into the national database, it returned a match for Henderson on Sept. 5.

Fletcher, a mother of two and kindergarten teacher, disappeared on Sept. 2.

TBI said police in Memphis had made no request for expedited analysis of the kit, which can cut the wait to only days, and no suspect information was included in the submission.
Interview: Chinese path to modernization to benefit developing countries, says South African scholar

Xinhua) 17:41, March 05, 2023

JOHANNESBURG, March 4 (Xinhua) -- As China has embarked on a new journey of building a modern socialist country through a Chinese path to modernization, developing countries in Africa and beyond ought to take advantage presented by China's localized type of modernization, a South African scholar has said.

"The rise of China into a global economic powerhouse came to offset a long held notion that Western modernization was the epitome of global pursuits," David Monyae, director of the Center for Africa-China Studies at the University of Johannesburg, told Xinhua.

China's modernization has the means to galvanize and effect modernization elsewhere in the world, especially among the developing nations, he said.

Each nation has its own historical and local conditions to be considered in regard to practices geared towards modernization. Such an approach determines how modernization is carried out and how its gains are distributed and shared within and beyond local societies, according to Monyae, a renowned researcher on China-Africa relations.

"It is paramount that China adheres to a type of modernization that is suitable and true to its national conditions," he said.

Chinese modernization not only has the common characteristics of modernization of all countries, but also Chinese characteristics based on its own national conditions. It will not be amiss to regard Chinese characteristics as a definition of local rules of practice and frames of reference of local population that include both historical and social conditions, he said.

Chinese characteristics may be defined as the act of letting local value systems and traditions determine implementation and development of modernization, Monyae said. "It is a case where tradition subdues modernity into serving the people, instead of the other way around. It is a case where development and modernity rely on a people-centered approach, not modernization for modernization's sake."

Monyae said he has been impressed by China's achievements on poverty eradication and economic development in recent years.

Deeming China's eradication of poverty as a feat instead of an isolated event, Monyae highlighted the fact that China achieved the 1st Sustainable Development Goal of the United Nations Agenda 2030 a decade in advance.

He also pointed out that developing nations ought to gain courage and engage in a type of modernization suited to local, historical, social and economic conditions.

"Tendencies towards 'one size fits all' and straight-jacket type of modernization ought to be opposed at all cost" if the future of building a community with shared future for mankind is to be secured, he said.

(Web editor: Du Mingming, Liu Ning)
An illustration of the data centers Lonestar wants to place on the Moon.

Unprecedented access to space is leading to all sorts of cool new ideas, including the prospect of storing data on the lunar surface. Cloud computing startup Lonestar Data Holdings announced the results of its latest funding round, taking it one step closer to this very goal.

The Florida-based company raised $5 million in seed funding to establish lunar data centers, Lonestar announced in a press release on Monday. Lonestar wants to build a series of data centers on the Moon and establish a viable platform for data storage and edge processing (i.e. the practice of processing data near the source, as a means to reduce latency and improve bandwidth) on the lunar surface.



Read more

Data is the greatest currency created by the human race, Chris Stott, founder of Lonestar, said in an April 2022 statement. We are dependent upon it for nearly everything we do and it is too important to us as a species to store in Earths ever more fragile biosphere. Earths largest satellite, our Moon, represents the ideal place to safely store our future.

Data centers are made up of connected servers that store and transfer digital data. The growing number of data centers on Earth pose a threat to the environment, contributing to energy consumption and digital pollution. Building data centers on the Moon could alleviate this problem, in addition to providing a more secure way to store the data.

In December 2021, Lonestar successfully ran a test of its data center on board the International Space Station. The company is now ready to launch a small data center box to the lunar surface later this year as part of Intuitive Machiness second lunar mission, IM-2 (the companys first mission, IM-1, is expected to launch in June). Intuitive Machines is receiving funding from NASAs Commercial Lunar Payload Services program for delivering research projects to the Moon as part of the space agencys Artemis program.

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The lunar data centers will initially be geared towards remote data storage and disaster recovery, allowing companies to back up their data and store it on the Moon. In addition, the data centers could assist with both commercial and private ventures to the lunar environment.

The miniature data center weighs about 2 pounds (1 kilogram) and has a capacity of 16 terabytes, Stott told SpaceNews. He said the first data center will draw power and communications from the lander, but the ones that will follow (pending its success) will be standalone data centers that the company hopes to deploy on the lunar surface by 2026. The test is only supposed to last for the duration of the IM-2 mission, which is expected to be around 11-14 days, an Intuitive Machines spokesperson told SpaceNews.



We believe that expanding the worlds economy to encompass the Moon, which happens to be the Earths most stable satellite, is the next whitespace in the New Space Economy, Brad Harrison, founder and managing partner of Scout Ventures, which led the recent funding round, explained in Mondays statement. Data security and storage will be a necessary part of leading the new generation of lunar exploration.

More: Lunar Lander Travels Deeper Into Space Than Any Other Commercial Spacecraft

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The Bucyrus Salvation Army has announced plans to move to the former Maplecrest Assisted Living facility, 717 Rogers St.

Funding from the OneOhio opioid settlement will help transform a former nursing home into a service center offering a food pantry, programs for children with academic deficiencies as well as mental health and addiction services.

The building at 717 Rogers St. that once housed Maplecrest Assisted Living will become the new home of the Bucyrus Salvation Army as soon as the lease is approved by the nonprofit's New York office, said Major Tom Grace, Bucyrus commander.

The move is the result of a collaboration between the Salvation Army, Crawford County commissioners and Crawford-Marion Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services, or ADAMH.

Could be a 'game changer' for the county

"I think that working with the ADAMH board and having the additional services that we offer  pantry services, feeding services  could be a little bit of a game changer for not just our community, but the county," Grace said.

The total investment in purchasing the building and renovations will exceed $1.37 million, according to a news release from the Crawford Partnership.

Majors Debbra and Tom Grace, commanders at the Bucyrus Salvation Army in Bucyrus, in front of their current location. The Salvation Army is planning to move into the former Maplewood Assisted Living facility.

Using opioid settlement money, commissioners purchased the 12,500-square-foot building, which the county will lease and ultimately sell to the Salvation Army at the end of an 18-year period, according to the news release.

Once its current lease expires, the Crawford-Marion ADAMH board also will move its office into the building.

"They will have space without our facility to help address addiction issues and mental health issues," Grace said. "Most importantly, what we're developing in this partnership is the ability to provide an expanded service to our client base."

The Crawford Partnership team provided support and consultation in the process of purchasing the building, Crawford County Commissioner Doug Weisenauer said in the news release.

Crawford County will receive more than $366,000 from the OneOhio settlement funds and purchasing the facility meets the requirements set forth in opioid settlements," he said.

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In addition to the mental health and addiction treatment services offered through the ADAMH, the new site will offer drug prevention and awareness programs  one of the requirements for the use of the OneOhio settlement money, Grace said.

The Salvation Army's prevention work will focus particularly on youth, said his wife and co-commander, Capt. Debbra Grace.

"Absolutely, as we put our new after-school education program in there, which will will target second- and third-graders, as a part of that, our staff will be teaching some prevention ideas," Tom Grace said. The ADAMH staff will be part of that as well.

Salvation Army hopes to move this spring

Once the lease is approved, hopefully within the next month or so, the Salvation Army will begin the process of moving from 224 E. Rensselaer St. to the Rogers Street building, Tom Grace said.

"Then we'll put this facility on the market to help defray some of the capital costs that will be required to do the renovations," he said. A capital campaign will help raise an additional $500,000 to $750,000 for renovations.

"There will be required renovations; most of them will be really knocking some walls down and shaping program rooms and some offices," Grace said. "The kitchen is going to have to be totally redone with new appliances, commercial appliances, and some other things so that we can carry on our feeding programs."

The building has two wings, so the Salvation Army will work out of one wing while the other is renovated, then flip to the other side when the first wing is done, Grace said.

"It will certainly expand our ability to serve the community and make it more effective when it's all done," he said.

The new building isn't significantly larger than the Salvation Army's current site, "but it's all on one level and it's much more usable space," Grace said.

"Handicap accessibility has been a huge issue for us here  for feeding, for bathrooms, for congregation," Debbra Grace said.

ggoble@gannett.com

419-559-7263

The Bucyrus Salvation Army has announced plans to move to the former Maplecrest Assisted Living facility, 717 Rogers St.

This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Bucyrus Salvation Army will move to former Maplecrest building
Dr. Bruce Hensel speaks at the Entertainment Industry Foundation Luncheon in Los Angeles in 2006. (Getty Images)

A man who once served as NBC's chief on-air medical correspondent in Los Angeles pleaded no contest Monday to charges he solicited nude pictures from a child, after apologizing to the victim's family and hugging her father inside a downtown courtroom.

Dr. Bruce Hensel, 74, pleaded no contest to one count of contacting a minor with the intent to commit a crime and was immediately ordered to register as a sex offender and sentenced to two years of probation. Hensel was first arrested by Los Angeles police in 2019 on accusations that he contacted the 9-year-old daughter of an acquaintance and asked her for nude photos.

There was little doubt about Hensel's guilt. A transcript of the text messages was included in a filing submitted to the state Medical Board last year, and showed Hensel repeatedly asking the girl for photos that were "sexy and private." But prosecutors and Hensel's defense attorney, Leonard Levine, had been haggling over the terms of a plea deal for months.

Turning to face the victim's father in court, Hensel spoke of his faith in God, and seeking forgiveness. He said he had never done anything like this before and never would again.

"I'm terribly sorry for what happened. I've done everything I can to understand this isolated thing," Hensel said.

The victim's father, whose identity was withheld to protect the underage victim in the case, hugged Hensel and said he forgave him. Earlier in the hearing, the man told Hensel he had betrayed his calling as a healer.

"Dr. Bruce, you crossed the line and violated the vow of your profession, which is to cause no harm," the man said.

Hensel  who had long served as NBCs chief on-air medical correspondent in New York and Los Angeles  repeatedly texted the child from March to August 2019, according to records submitted to the medical board. Hensel knew the victim through her mother, and the two had been discussing financing a movie in which the girl, then 9, would star.

I have always been good special friends and you feel safe with me so I will protect you and get you something," Hensel wrote in 2019, records show. "They could maybe make you a star if you are willing to take some risks.

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The case gained renewed attention last year, after a Times investigation found Hensel had retained former Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley as a consultant on the case. Cooley said he was only retained as an expert on a policy he wrote while in office that could affect whether or not Hensel was ordered to register as a sex offender.

The former district attorney was a leading figure in the effort to recall progressive Dist. Atty. George Gascon at the time, a push largely predicated on arguing that Gascons policies were soft on crime. Cooleys decision to aid Hensel drew cries of hypocrisy and criticism even within the recall movement, sources told The Times last year.

Last year, an NBC spokeswoman referred to Hensel as a former employee. She declined to say if Hensel was fired or resigned, or when the doctors employment at NBC ended.

Hensel worked for the network for over 30 years and won several awards while serving as the co-host of the series Health Fax." He has also served as co-director of two emergency rooms in Southern California, Century City Hospital and San Dimas Community Hospital, according to his online biography.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Paul Manafort, the embattled former Trump campaign chairman, agreed to pay $3.15 million to settle a civil lawsuit brought by the Justice Department last year citing his failure to report financial interests in foreign bank accounts.

Notice of the settlement was filed last month in a federal court in Florida where Manafort now lives.

Manafort was among a string of allies and former aides pardoned by former President Donald Trump in the final days of his term.

Once a prominent Republican political adviser, Manafort had been convicted of defrauding banks and taxpayers out of millions of dollars he had amassed through illicit lobbying activities. He had been sentenced to four years in prison in Virginia and three years in Washington.

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Former President Donald Trump's one-time campaign manager Paul Manafort arrives at Manhattan Supreme Court in 2019 for his arraignment on mortgage fraud charges.

Manafort was among several former Trump aides who were charged as a result of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible cooperation with the Trump campaign.

The cases against Manafort detailed how the former consultant tapped an illicit fortune to pay for expensive homes, clothing and luxury cars.

In the civil action, the Justice Department said Manafort had failed to report interests in more than 20 foreign accounts on his tax returns in 2013 and 2014.

At least 18 of the accounts were based in Cyprus, one in the United Kingdom and three in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Paul Manafort, ex Trump campaign chair, agrees to settlement with DOJ
A portion of the 117-mile-long Delta-Mendota Canal outside Firebaugh in the Central Valley. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

It's an arcane system of water law that dates back to the birth of California  an era when 49ers used sluice boxes and water cannons to scour gold from Sierra Nevada foothills and when the state government promoted the extermination of Native people to make way for white settlers.

Today, this antiquated system of water rights still governs the use of the state's supplies, but it is now drawing scrutiny like never before.

In the face of global warming and worsening cycles of drought, a growing number of water experts, lawmakers, environmental groups and tribes say the time has finally come for change. Some are pushing for a variety of reforms, while others are calling for the outright dismantling of California's contentious water rights system.

Calls for reform were heightened recently when the environmental group Restore the Delta released an analysis that concluded that the people who make decisions about California's water are overwhelmingly white and male.

The whole water rights system sits on a foundation of racism and violence," said Max Gomberg, a former State Water Resources Control Board staffer who has sharply criticized the Newsom administration and now works with the environmental group. "It needs to be abolished."

The report was released as state lawmakers held a hearing on several reform proposals that would address longstanding problems within the water rights system.

This is not an easy conversation, but I think it's long overdue, said Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda), who chairs the Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee.

Bauer-Kahan said there are many signs the existing system is "not functioning well and equitably," including the "inability to halt illegal diversions."

During the hearing, experts such as Richard Frank, a UC Davis law professor, argued for a "more nimble system," while Ellen Hanak, director of water policy for the Public Policy Institute of California, said the changing climate is stressing the water rights system.

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"We're confronting 21st century climate change, drought and water supply problems with a 20th century system of California water infrastructure and a 19th century system of water rights, and that's a problem, said Frank, director of the California Environmental Law and Policy Center.

Hanak and other researchers urged the Legislature to clarify that the State Water Board has the authority to enforce and curtail all water rights, including the oldest senior water rights, called riparian rights and pre-1914 rights. They also called for enabling the board to respond more quickly to dry conditions by relaxing requirements that limit when the agency can curtail diversions from rivers and streams.

The researchers recommended renegotiating senior water users contracts for supplies from the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project, Californias two main systems that transport water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. They said the current contracts promise larger water deliveries than the delta can support in dry years.

Felicia Marcus, a researcher at Stanford University and former chair of the State Water Board, warned that the crises ahead will make our crises today look like a picnic. So we need to invest in a system that will work for everyone.

For example, she noted, senior water rights holders do not have to obtain a permit and do not pay any fees to administer the system, while others with more junior rights are required to do both. She said enforcement is complex and unwieldy, and the state needs a system that is more transparent and implementable.

Bauer-Kahan has introduced a bill that she says would help the State Water Board effectively enforce water rights and curb illegal water diversions. The legislation, AB 460, would authorize the board to issue larger fines of up to $10,000 per day for violations, plus additional amounts for water illegally diverted.

Other recently introduced bills would expand the State Water Boards enforcement authority or its authority to investigate whether water is being legally diverted under a valid right.

Environmental advocates and tribal leaders have supported the proposals but are also calling for deeper changes, citing entrenched inequities.

Recently, two Department of Water Resources employees used software that analyzes people's surnames in an attempt to determine their race and applied it to state water records in an analysis titled "Who makes decisions about California's water?"

They analyzed the names of about 1,500 directors of local water agencies, and estimated  for those whose names could be classified  that approximately 86% were white and 78% were male. They found lack of diversity was especially pronounced for agricultural water districts, estimating that 92% of the directors are white and 92% are male.

They also analyzed state water rights data. Although the rights to much of the state's water are controlled by institutions, such as agricultural irrigation districts and urban water districts, an estimated 1% to 2% of water diversions are listed under the names of individuals. Of nearly 14,000 water rights holders, an estimated 91% are probably white, they said.

They posted the analysis and data online on a state server, and the information was circulated on LinkedIn. The Department of Water Resources later removed the data.

Margaret Mohr, a DWR spokesperson, said the department removed the demographic data on water rights and local water agencies because it was analyzed using predictive racial and gender modeling that can misidentify people and the data included a collection of personal information that should not have been posted publicly in that manner.

DWR is working to develop and determine a more appropriate method of collecting and reporting equity data as part of the 2023 update to the California Water Plan, Mohr said in an email.

Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, executive director of Restore the Delta, said the agencys decision to suppress the analysis was alarming.

California water rights were created by taking away land and water from tribes. And as the water rights system developed, you had a parallel set of laws, customs and practices in California that redlined people of color out of land ownership near water, Barrigan-Parrilla said. It is just a continuation of the discriminatory practices that began in the creation of a system that was racist, and now it's institutionalized discrimination that continues.

During the 1800s, as white settlers staked their water claims, they sometimes simply nailed a notice to a tree. California still recognizes water rights based on those old claims, as well as riparian rights based on land ownership next to rivers and streams. Rights to surface water under the state's prior-appropriation system follow a "first-in-time, first-in-right" order. And rights since 1914 fall under a state permit process.

Groundwater remained unregulated until 2014, when the state passed the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, which is intended to combat widespread problems of overpumping.

Restore the Delta is part of a coalition of tribes and environmental groups that in December filed a federal civil rights complaint against the State Water Board, alleging discriminatory water management practices. They have called for overhauling the rights system, pointing to a legacy of racism that long prevented tribes and people of color from securing water rights.

Malissa Tayaba, vice chair of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, said the findings of the data analysis reflect Californias history of removing tribes from their homelands through colonization and state-supported genocide.

Tayaba said that although the current water rights system excluded us and continues to do so to this day, we know that tribes have inherent and sovereign water rights that we will continue to fight for.

During last week's legislative hearing, some argued that reexamining the system must address the effects of systemic racism.

The system is deeply flawed in addressing equity. We need to examine the degree to which water rights are linked with wealth, power and privilege, said Elizabeth Salomone, manager of the Russian River Flood Control and Water Conservation Improvement District.

Others discussed the difficulty of enforcing rules under such an antiquated system.

Last summer, one agricultural irrigation district defied drought regulations and drained water from the Shasta River, violating flow requirements intended to protect salmon. The State Water Board fined the Shasta River Water Assn. the maximum amount for the violation: $4,000.

The maximum total penalty that the state board could impose for these violations, these intentional violations of their curtailment regulations, was clearly not a deterrent, said Yvonne West, director of the boards office of enforcement. It demonstrated a lot of the enforcement challenges that we face.

The illegal taking of water from the Shasta River was devastating for struggling fish species in the Klamath River and its tributaries, where ash-filled runoff from the McKinney fire had just recently killed tens of thousands of fish, said Arron "Troy" Hockaday, a Karuk Tribe council member.

I cried. I'm so emotional right now, Hockaday said. Seeing what they did is devastating. It's our future. It's our future for our children, our culture, our way of life.

He said the Karuk Tribe supports the measures to strengthen enforcement in Bauer-Kahans bill.

We're not against the farmers, Hockaday said. But at the same time, the fish are the senior right holders of the water. Remember that. Not humans. The fish are the senior right holders.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Four Americans were kidnapped by gunmen on Friday evening shortly after passing the Mexico border.

The FBI office in Sant Antonio issued a statement on Sunday asking for public assistance in locating the perpetuators responsible for the kidnapping and also announced a $50,000 award for the return of those kidnapped and the arrest of those responsible.

According to the statement, the four American passengers were in a white minivan with North Carolina license plates, and were shot at by gunmen just after crossing into Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, on Friday.

All four Americans were placed in a vehicle and taken from the scene by armed men, the FBI said.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a briefing that the kidnapping was unacceptable and that U.S. law enforcement agencies were working with Mexico to address the incident. She added that they want to be careful about giving out more information due to privacy concerns.

These sorts of attacks are unacceptable. Our thoughts are with the families of these individuals and we stand ready to provide all appropriate consular assistance. U.S. law enforcement is in touch with Mexican law enforcement, she said at a White House press briefing on Monday.

The Department of State and Homeland Security are also coordinating with Mexico and we will continue to coordinate with Mexico and push them to bring those responsible to justice, she added.

U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said in a statement that a Mexican citizen was killed during the incident. He also added that multiple law enforcement agencies are working to bring home the Americans kidnapped.

We have no greater priority than the safety of our citizens  this is the US governments most fundamental role. US law enforcement officials from numerous agencies are working with Mexican authorities at all levels of government to secure the safe return of our compatriots, he said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
NEW YORK (AP)  Fox News is on an unlikely collision course with two leading contenders for the Republican presidential nomination over the rights of journalists.

In defending itself against a massive defamation lawsuit over how it covered false claims surrounding the 2020 presidential election, the network is relying on a nearly 60-year-old Supreme Court ruling that makes it difficult to successfully sue media organizations for libel.

Former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, two favorites of many Fox News viewers, have advocated for the court to revisit the standard, which is considered the foundational case in American defamation law.

It is ironic that Fox is relying on a landmark case that was designed to help the news media play the watchdog role in a democracy and is under attack by Gov. DeSantis, Donald Trump and other figures who have been untethered in their attacks on journalists as enemies of the people, said Jane Hall, a communication professor at American University.

Eye-catching evidence has emerged from court filings in recent weeks revealing a split screen between what Fox was portraying to its viewers about the false claims of election fraud and what hosts and executives were saying about them behind the scenes. Sydney Powell is lying, Fox News host Tucker Carlson said in a text to a producer, referencing one of the attorneys pushing the claims for Trump.

In an email a few weeks after the 2020 election, Fox Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch described a news conference featuring Powell and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, another attorney who pushed the election lies: Really crazy stuff. And damaging.

Aside from the revelations about Fox's inner workings, the outcome could have broad implications for media organizations because of how they and the courts have come to rely on the libel law Fox is using as a shield.

In its $1.6 billion lawsuit, voting machine maker Dominion Voting Systems argues that Fox repeatedly aired allegations that the company helped rig the general election against Trump despite many at the news organization privately believing the claims were false.

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Fox says the law allows it to air such claims if they are newsworthy.

In a 1964 decision in a case involving The New York Times, the U.S. Supreme Court greatly limited the ability of public officials to sue for defamation. It ruled that news outlets are protected against a libel judgment unless it can be proven that they published with actual malice  knowing that something was false or acting with a reckless disregard to whether it was true or not.

In one example of how the law was applied, editors at the Times acknowledged last year that an editorial mistakenly linked former Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's rhetoric to an Arizona mass shooting. Palin lost her libel suit because she couldn't prove the newspaper erred without concern for the truth.

Some advocates for free speech worry that the Dominion-Fox lawsuit ultimately could give a conservative Supreme Court a chance to revisit the standard set in the case, known as New York Times Co. v. Sullivan. While the case has been among the court's most durable precedents, the newly empowered conservative majority has indicated a willingness to challenge what had been considered settled law  as it did last year in overturning abortion rights.

Two Supreme Court justices, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, have publicly expressed interest in giving the precedent another look.

In dissenting from a 2021 decision not to take up a libel case, Gorsuch wrote that what began in 1964 as a decision to tolerate occasional errors to allow robust reporting has evolved into an ironclad subsidy for the publication of falsehoods by any means and on a scale previously unimaginable. He said the modern media landscape is much different today, and suggested it was less careful.

My wish is that the parties would settle and this case would go away, said Jane Kirtley, director of the Silha Center for the Study of Media Ethics and the Law at the University of Minnesota. I don't see any good coming out of it.

A perceived strength in Dominion's case also worries some supporters of the press.

Dominion says Fox was, in effect, torn between the truth that Joe Biden legitimately won the race and pleasing viewers who wanted to believe Trump's lies. In depositions released last week, Murdoch argued that Fox as a network did not endorse the claims, but that some of its commentators  Maria Bartiromo, Lou Dobbs, Jeanine Pirro and Sean Hannity  at times did.

Murdoch was among several at Fox to say privately they didn't believe the claims made by Trump and his allies that widespread fraud cost him reelection. In his deposition, Murdoch said he could have prevented guests who were spouting conspiracies from going on the air, but didn't.

One of the defenses is that even false speech about public figures is protected so long as it is believed by the speaker, First Amendment attorney Floyd Abrams said. But no one at Fox appears ready to say that he or she did believe the assertions ... and there now appears to be substantial evidence that no one there at Fox did so. It's a major blow.

Fox's entire prime-time lineup privately disparaged Trump lawyer Sidney Powell, according to court papers. Laura Ingraham, in a text to Carlson, called her a nut. In a deposition, Hannity said he did not believe her theories for one second. Nevertheless, Powell was interviewed on Fox 11 times between Nov. 8 and Dec. 10, 2020, according to court papers.

Dominions lawyers say Fox is arguing that it has no legal responsibility for broadcasting even the most horrible allegations, knowing they are false, as long as they are deemed newsworthy.

Fox said Dominion is presenting an extreme view of defamation, one in which the network had a duty not to report the allegations but to suppress them or denounce them as false.

Under Dominion's approach, if the president falsely accused the vice president of plotting to assassinate him, the press would be liable for reporting the newsworthy allegations so long as someone in the newsroom thought it was ludicrous, Fox lawyers said in court papers.

Such a rule would stop the media in its tracks, Fox said.

There's a high bar for proving libel  and that's deliberate, First Amendment attorney Lee Levine said. Dominion has to show that a reasonable audience could conclude that someone at Fox was making these allegations, not just the interview subjects, he said.

Still, Levine said, Dominion has the strongest defamation case he's seen in 40 years of being involved in the topic.

George Freeman, executive director of the Media Law Resource Center, said Fox should cite a lesser-known neutral reportage standard that dates back to a court case from the 1970s. It holds that news organizations should not be discouraged from reporting something newsworthy even if there are serious doubts about the truth, as long as that information comes from responsible and prominent sources.

But the U.S. Supreme Court has not weighed in on that argument, and a number of lower courts have rejected it. It's also not clear that the defense would be legally applicable in the Dominion case against Fox.

There is sentiment in Republican circles that the Sullivan standard goes too far in protecting news organizations.

DeSantis last month urged the Supreme Court to revisit libel laws, saying they are used to smear politicians and discourage people from running for office. A bill being considered in the Florida Legislature would significantly weaken standards in the state. Trump said last year that the court should consider his own defamation lawsuit against CNN a perfect vehicle for revisiting precedents.

Some media law advocates that the University of Minnesotas Kirtley has talked to privately, people who are usually eager to support the press in libel cases, are queasy about publicly backing Fox in the voting machine lawsuit.

Many see the case as a surrogate to hold Fox and Trump supporters accountable for what happened after the 2020 election, she said.

I dont think a libel suit is the vehicle to deal with this, and you have to think about what damage could be done to libel law if Dominion wins, she said.
Donald Trump and Fox News. Illustrated | Gettyimages

Former President Donald Trump recently unleashed a particularly vicious broadside against Fox News, after court documents came to light showing network owner Rupert Murdoch and other Fox officials privately admitting that their broadcasts, which claimed the 2020 election had been stolen, were fundamentally untrue.

"If Rupert Murdoch honestly believes that the Presidential Election of 2020, despite MASSIVE amounts of proof to the contrary, was not Rigged & Stolen," Trump raged on his Truth Social network, "then he & his group of MAGA Hating Globalist RINOS should get out of the News Business as soon as possible."

Trump punctuated his rant by claiming that, absent a few select Fox personalities who seem to have genuinely bought into his "stolen election" conspiracy theorizing, the company was "aiding & abetting the DESTRUCTION OF AMERICA with FAKE NEWS."

The former president's invective against Murdoch and his media empire comes at a particularly fraught time for the conservative network: Not only is it fending off a serious $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit from Dominion Voting Systems for promulgating Trump's election claims, but it does so in the context of a broader conservative movement fractured along generational, ideological, and  perhaps most significantly  personality-based lines, as the GOP grapples with what, if any, role Trump should have in a party he has so successfully remolded in his own image.

As the undisputed heavyweight champion of conservative media (and, arguably, of cable news at large) Fox's perch in both broadcasting and politics is unlike that of any other network in the country  and so are its challenges. So where does Fox go from here?

'Rupert Murdoch should apologize'

Fox's biggest immediate concern is likely the Dominion lawsuit, and the significant financial peril it represents. The revelation that the company seemingly knowingly broadcast election lies opens it up to any number of subsequent actions, including shareholder lawsuits, government investigations, and beyond.

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The revelations have reportedly frightened "sources inside Fox in the C-Suite level" who think it is likely that Fox will lose this case, according to Axios' Sara Fischer. "They might say there was newsworthiness in covering what Donald Trump was saying," Fischer told CNN after the documents were released, "but there is a clear difference in newsworthiness versus peddling and having people peddling those lies on your show."

The network faces not just financial damage, but reputational damage. Fox finds itself contending with two groups of viewers: one burned by the undeniable proof that they've been repeatedly and deliberately lied to; another being encouraged to deign much of the media conglomerate's output as insufficiently deferential to the man it so recently championed as the sine qua non of American conservatism.

"Rupert Murdoch should apologize to his viewers and readers for his ridiculous defense of the 2020 Presidential Election," Trump wrote in one of his recent screeds against Fox. "How many forms of cheating and rigging does he have to see? He should also apologize to those anchors who got it right, and fire the ones who got it wrong, or were afraid to speak up (of which there were many!). It's time to get rid of Fake News, and call it like it is!"

But the Dominion lawsuit, and accompanying fallout from Fox's decision to back Trump's false election claims, have only exacerbated a pre-existing rift between the two. Murdoch was "pretty sick of Trump after Nov. 3, 2020" and wanted the network to detach itself from him, longtime New York Times Trump reporter Maggie Haberman shared during a podcast taping in November of last year. Sean Hannity, perhaps the networks' most enthusiastic Trump-booster, had been "privately disgusted by Trump for weeks, but was scared to lose viewers," in the wake of the Jan. 6 insurrection, according to texts between Murdoch and Fox Corporation board member Paul Ryan.

Therein lies the trap for Fox: By provoking Trump's ire, the network risks being deserted by one of its core audiences: the former president's most dedicated followers. "As it became evident that some of Fox's audience was turning against it after it projected President Biden's victory, and viewers started switching to hard-right alternatives like Newsmax, people inside the network scrambled to stanch the bleeding," The New York Times reported. "Even as executives raised concerns about Mr. Trump to one another, they came down hard on those seen as too tough on him."

Fox's next move

If the Fox board "does not act appropriately" and remove officials for proven misconduct, Yale School of Management Associate Dean Jeffrey Sonnenfeld told CNN, "it shows a failure of management oversight and jeopardizes their own directors and officers insurance protection with such gross conscious failure of diligent management oversight."

Broadly though, Fox's larger challenges will require even more seismic shifts for the massive media juggernaut, which is currently paralyzed internally. Its biggest stars (and, as a result, moneymakers) are unable or unwilling to fully abandon Trump, despite the urgings of their corporate bosses.

There are some indications the network may be at least experimenting with a more substantive break from the former president. "Everyone knows that there's this 'soft ban' or 'silent ban,'" one of four Trump associates who spoke recently with Semafor explained. "It's certainly  however you want to say, quiet ban, soft ban, whatever it is  indicative of how the Murdochs feel about Trump in this particular moment." Semafor also noted that other 2024 candidates, or presumptive candidates, such as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, have been given extensive Fox airtime meanwhile.

In this, however, Fox risks exacerbating further it's semi-separation from Trump, who has taken the networks' fawning over his rival as yet another opportunity to bash his onetime media home. "I call FoxNews the RINO Network, and their DOWN BIG Ratings accurately reflect the name," Trump wrote after the network covered DeSantis' recent visit to New York.

The former president has been allowed to feature prominently on the network's website, where Semafor points out he's been the subject of a number of exclusive articles. It's a half-step which, in part, represents the awkward timing of all this: Murdoch can't fully commit to moving Fox away from Trump (or, conversely, to wholly embracing DeSantis, or someone else) while the extremely plausible possibility that Trump will become the GOP nominee still looming.

Despite his angry social media missives, Trump "has yet to go full bore against" Murdoch and Fox, Politico's Jack Shafer wrote. "Who among us would preclude a reunion in 2024, with Trump pulling Murdoch's strings once more if Trump wins the presidential nomination?" he asked.

Of course, 2024 is a long way off. And Fox is no mere bystander, simply observing the world as it passes in and out of camera-frame  it could always commit more fully to the process it's already halfheartedly begun; it could settle the Dominion suit, and endorse another candidate, and simply brace itself for the blowback. It will likely come down to an ethos Murdoch himself voiced in the now-public Dominion lawsuit documents. Asked why he continued to allow election deniers prime slots on his network, Murdoch agreed with a Dominion lawyer's assesment: "It is not red or blue, it is green."

Editor's note: This article originally quoted Murdoch as saying his motivations were not "red or blue," but "green." Instead, this was suggested by a Dominion lawyer, and Murdoch agreed with the lawyer. We regret the error.

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PARIS (Reuters) -France's 100 departmental prefects should not hesitate to enact quick decrees restricting local water use given alarmingly low groundwater levels, French Environment Minister Christophe Bechu said on Monday.

"We are sounding the alarm given the situation we now find ourselves in, as we near the end of what is usually the recharge period for (underground) water tables," Bechu said.

The announcement came after Bechu met virtually with prefects to get a view of the country's overall water situation as the country experiences its driest winter since 1959.

As rain is expected to fall between now and March 15, the ministry will check in with prefects after that date to see how the situation develops.

"We are pinning real hopes on the coming days, when rain is forecast over most of France, but not everywhere, and we have serious concerns for the Mediterranean basin and the Rhone corridor," Bechu said.

The Pyrenees Orientales, Bouches-du-Rhone, Var and Ain departments in the south and east of the country currently have yellow or orange drought alerts activated, just below the red crisis level, according to government website Propluvia.

Two more departments - the Yvelines west of Paris, and Savoie in the east - have activated low-level pre-alert "vigilance."

Bechu said the number of departments with some sort of drought alert would reach 12 before the end of this week.

Low water levels last summer impacted hydroelectric production and forced reduced power output at France's nuclear plants, which use river water to cool reactors.

In several parts of France there was also an interruption of drinking water, which Bechu said he was keen to avoid this year.

To that end, the minister urged prefects "not to overreact, but to react more quickly" given that even "a delay of a few days" between the official announcement of a drought alert and restrictive measures could make the difference.

A national water resource management plan, initially expected in January, is now slated to be published before the end of March, the ministry said.

(Reporting by America Hernandez; Editing by GV De Clercq and Mark Porter)
Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D-Fla.) said in an interview Sunday that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantiss (R) drumbeat of policies targeting Black, transgender and LGBTQ people are fascism.

During an appearance on CNN Newsroom, host Jim Acosta asked Frost, the first Generation Z lawmaker to serve in Congress, about how Democrats should take on DeSantis.

We take that on by number one being bold in our messaging and calling it out for what it is, Frost told Acosta, saying that DeSantis was not attempting to improve education with his policies, but was acting on scapegoating vulnerable communities due to his failures.

This is what were up against in Florida right now and its hard to keep track of because it seems like theres a new victim, theres a new bill every day, he added.

But we have to call it for what it is: He is abusing his power and using the state to target political opponents and political enemies. And theres a word for that, and its fascism, and we have to be honest about it.

According to The Washington Post, Republican lawmakers in Florida have proposed a new batch of legislation that includes proposals to require teachers to use pronouns matching childrens sex as assigned at birth, and establish a universal school voucher program.

DeSantis also signed the Parental Rights in Education bill, also referred to as the Dont Say Gay bill, into law last year, which prohibits state educators from talking about sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade and limits such instruction in other age groups.

And the governor sparked criticism earlier this year after he barred the teaching of an Advanced Placement African American studies course in the state school curriculum.

Frosts remarks come as DeSantis is widely seen as a leading contender for the GOPs 2024 presidential nomination, though he had indicated an official announcement will not come until after the states legislative session.

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Its just a problem for Florida now, sure. But in a few years, it can be a problem for the nation, Frost said of DeSantiss political tactics.

We need everybody to pay attention and talk about how hes targeting trans folks, targeting not just Black history, but Black people in general, which is American history, and targeting marginalized communities across this entire state, Frost added.

And heres the sad, sad part, Jim. Hes doing it because its polling high for him in the Republican Party. And I think that says a lot about the state of that party right now.

The Hill has reached out to DeSantiss office for comment.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A Columbus woman is recovering at Grady Memorial Hospital after police said she was attacked by a pit bull and had to have part of her leg amputated following the attack.

Kim Golden told WTVM-TV that she works with NeighborWorks Columbus, which is a nonprofit organization that finds housing for people in need.

She was with another co-worker checking out a property on Curtis Street on Wednesday. They said the house was locked up, so they started walking around the outside to inspect the property when the dog attacked.

Im walking around to the front while I check the side of the house, and then next thing I remember is the dog was kind of coming up. I actually thought he was being friendly. Next thing, I know he is on my leg, Golden told the TV station.

Sgt. Earl Osbin with the Muscogee County Sheriffs Office was on patrol in the area, when someone in a pickup truck waved him down.

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I noticed a crowd of people and an elderly lady came up to me and told me that a lady had been bit, Osbin said. Thats the worst bite Ive ever seen. Ive been in service for 35 years with the Sheriffs Office  and Ive never seen a bite like that.

Golden told WTVM that she is suffering from phantom limb now that part of her left leg is gone.

Thats been one of the craziest parts. My foot really hurts, but I dont have a foot anymore, Golden said.

The TV station has since spoken to the man who owns the home where the attack happened.

Edward Murray told WTVM that he feels bad for what happened but said Golden shouldnt have been on his property.

I feel sorry for that lady, believe me. I am so sorry that that happened maam, but you came onto my property, Murray said.

Murray his dog Cowboy was protecting his home.

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After all these robberies and break-ins and stuff -- my wife is elderly and myself -- after all this time we need protection, Murray said.

WTVM said at this time, Golden did not have any comments on Murrays claims.

Im sorry that that happened to you, but next time pay attention to your surroundings, Murray said.

Cowboy is currently in quarantine at the Muscogee County Animal Control Center.

Information from WTVM-TV used for this article.

IN OTHER NEWS:
The power of redemption and being given a second chance turned a Gainesville woman's life around for the better.

Maria Green, 36, is that woman. She was the featured speaker Saturday at an event sponsored by the Gainesville Housing Authority at the Forest Pines Community Center at 1027 NE 25th St.

Originally from Hazlehurst, Mississippi, Green, author of "Silent Chaos of J31179, moved to Gainesville as a teenager with her mother. She said her mother, Lorraine Jones, is an example she draws from daily for strength.

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"She taught me resilience and strength and to keep pushing and praying," Green said.

Green talked about being a former drug addict and being sentenced to four years in prison due to a forged check in 2016. She said the silver lining during her time in prison was having clear communication with God.

"The purpose of this event was to give encouragement and hope to our people," Green said. "I hope this event inspires people to keep going. We have lost so much in the streets and to the streets. To be of help to someone else, I must keep going."

Green, the mother of three, published her book in October after drafting it while in prison, she said.

Green started working for GHA as an intake specialist in August 2021.

The purpose of the event was to promote the power of family and community fellowship, especially during the social climate Gainesville is experiencing with gun violence and deaths, said Freddie Jones, resident services specialist at GHA.

"We wanted to bring the community together," Jones said. "This is all about unity and showing what the power of redemption can do."

GHA hosted the the event to help carry out Green's vision, Jones said.

"We want to give an opportunity for residents and community members to come together and have a good time," Jones said.

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Green thanked Jones and Pamela Davis, chief executive officer of GHA, for giving her a second chance.

"Gainesville Housing Authority really believes in giving second chances," Green said. "We believe people can change because I am a living witness. The streets will lead you to death or prison. The Department of Corrections corrected me. Sometimes we want to give up, and we get tired of hearing no, but you got to keep going to get that yes."

Tabitha Williams, founder of the Women on a Mission support group, also spoke during the event.

"If you put your heart and mind to it, anything you want to do in life God is able to sustain that," Williams said. "It doesn't matter about your beginning. What matters is what your ending is going to be."

Residents must remove the stigma of living in public housing and take advantage of the resources that are in their communities, Williams said.

"We got to come together to make things better," Williams said. "We got to come out of these four walls. We all have gifts we can use to uplift one another. It takes a village."

Her speech was followed by a dance performance by Jeannette Climpson, founder of Ministry of Movement Outreach Ministries.

Climpson, a dancer for over 20 years, danced to "Better" by Jessica Reedy.

After the performance, Green explained how the lyrics within the song touched her life.

"Be bitter today to be better tomorrow," Green said. "When I was arrested I thought it was everybody's fault but my own. There's some things in life that make you bitter, but I promise you it will make you better and bolder. If there's an opportunity to help you grow, take it."

Courtney Barr was Green's neighbor when she lived in Sarasota. When Green's dog walked over to Barr's yard, it sparked a conversation between Barr and Green.

During the conversation, Green found out Barr was writing a book and that inspired Green to publish her work.

Barr then introduced Green to Karen Salem who is a book editor.

"It is a phenomenal book," Salem said.

Maria Green, author of "Silent Chaos of J31179," was the guest speaker at a community event sponsored by Gainesville Housing Authority on Saturday. (Photo: Photo by Voleer Thomas/For The Guardian)

"Her story needs to be told over and over again," Barr said.

Green said she works alongside Prison Fellowship, a nonprofit organization that works to bring hope and restoration to prisoners, families and communities impacted by crime and incarceration.

Gianna Garcia, Prison Fellowship field director for the Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia regions, said the event and residents hearing Green's story will leave a lasting impact on the community.

People gathered at the Forest Pines Community Center on Saturday at 1027 NE 25th St. for the Gainesville Housing Authority's "Community Kickback" event. (Photo: Photo by Voleer Thomas/For The Guardian)

"Everybody can work together to reach people who may be facing similar situations due to their parents being incarcerated or residents being on the path towards incarceration," Garcia said. "Events like this make an impact in the community."

Green's book, "Silent Chaos of J31179: A Redemption Story," can be purchased online via Amazon, eBay, Target, Walmart and Barnes and Noble for $30

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Gainesville woman speaks at GHA event about being given a 2nd chance
The congressional leaders known as the "Gang of Eight" were "given a flavor of what's in the classified documents found on the properties of President Joe Biden, former President Donald Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee said Sunday.

The bipartisan group, made up of high-ranking lawmakers from the House and the Senate, got a long-awaited first briefing on the issue Tuesday. In a joint interview with Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner, R-Ohio, on NBC News Meet the Press," the top Democrat on the panel, Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut indicated that both were unsatisfied with the level of information they received.

Asked whether there was a distinction among the classification levels of the Biden, Trump and Pence documents, Himes said the group has not been shown anything that would allow us to draw that conclusion, adding that they only got a "flavor" during the briefing.

Weve got to be a little careful here, Himes said. Neither one of us are satisfied that we got enough information to execute our primary responsibility of making sure the sources and methods have been protected. Weve got more to learn before we can be satisfied on that.

"Having been given a flavor, this is a very serious issue, Himes said. This wasnt stuff that we can say clearly does not matter. It matters.

Turner stressed that when it comes to the classified documents, the group is looking at the issue holistically.

What do we have to do to fix this? How do we address this? What were the risks involved? Turner said. We have to understand also that without Congress having asked, there wasnt even a risk assessment being done. We were the ones who initiated this. Thats part of the concern.

Turner also criticized the FBI for not being forthcoming when he was asked whether lawmakers know what's in the Trump, Biden and Pence documents.

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Theyre not giving us the information. Theyre claiming that its going to affect the outcome of their investigation, which of course it cant, because the people who are the targets of their investigation know what are in those documents, Turner said.

One thing that is known, he added, is that "administration after administration is apparently sloppy and messy in their use of classified documents, and thats one thing on a bipartisan basis we have to address well beyond just this."

After the Feb. 28 preliminary classified briefing to the Gang of Eight, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., and Vice Chair Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said it left much to be desired.

In accordance with our responsibility to oversee the Intelligence Community and protect our national security, today we met with leaders from the IC and the Justice Department to discuss the exposure of classified documents, they said in a statement. While todays meeting helped shed some light on these issues, it left much to be desired and we will continue to press for full answers to our questions in accordance with our constitutional oversight obligations.

White House spokesperson Ian Sams said the White House supported the "independent" decisions by the Justice Department and the National Intelligence Directors Office regarding the briefing.

We support the Justice Department and ODNIs decision to be transparent and to offer information to Congress," Sams said in a statement. "The decision to brief and the determination of what content would be briefed were made by DOJ and ODNI independently, consistent with what we have said for months: that the White House has confidence in DOJ and ODNI to exercise independent judgment about whether or when it may be appropriate for national security reasons to offer briefings on any relevant information in these investigations.

The FBI recovered a trove of top secret and other highly classified documents when it searched Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida in August. Classified material from the Obama administration was found among Bidens vice presidential papers in a Washington office in November, the White House acknowledged after CBS News first reported the discovery in January. The Justice Department found additional documents with classified markings at Bidens Delaware home during a voluntary search. Also in January, Pences lawyer Greg Jacob alerted the National Archives to classified documents discovered at the former vice presidents Indiana home. Jacobs said Pence had directed that a search be undertaken after the Biden revelations.

Attorney General Merrick Garland has appointed separate special counsels to investigate the Trump and Biden documents. He has not appointed a special counsel to review the Pence documents.

Trump has denied wrongdoing, having claimed last year that he can declassify documents by thinking about it. The White House has said Biden is fully cooperating with the Justice Department's investigation, and Biden has suggested that the staff members who packed the boxes at the end of the Obama administration were in part responsible.

Meanwhile, Pences lawyer said documents were inadvertently boxed and transported to Pences home at the end of the Trump administration.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
(Bloomberg) -- California Governor Gavin Newsom said the state will stop doing business with Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. after the drugstore chain moved to halt sales of abortion pills in 20 Republican-led states.

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The Democratic governor directed the California Department of Health and Human Services to review all relationships Walgreens has with the state, including MediCal and Covered California, the states two largest public insurance plans, according to Newsoms spokesperson. The amount of business Californias state-funded insurance plans does with Walgreens isnt available, he said.

Last week, Walgreens said it wont sell the abortion pill mifepristone in 20 states following warnings by Republican attorneys general of legal action against the company as well as CVS Health Corp. The two retailers could face legal consequences if they mail and distribute abortion medication in those states.

While Walgreens said it will stop selling abortion pills in those states, CVS so far hasnt commented publicly.

Newsom said in a tweet Monday that the state would not work with any company that cowers to the extremists and puts womens lives at risk.

Shares of Walgreens dropped 1.8% to $35.45 on Monday in New York.

A spokesperson with Walgreens declined to comment on Newsoms tweet but said that the company intends to dispense mifepristone wherever it is legally possible to do so.

Newsom is attempting to put pressure on companies to ignore threats from Republicans in the battle over abortion access in the wake of the Supreme Courts decision to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling.

Hes increasingly wading into controversial issues as part of a campaign thats seen him burnishing his national profile ahead of the 2024 presidential campaign.

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Although Newsom has repeatedly denied presidential aspirations, many Democrats view the governor as a potential contender for the Democratic nomination, should President Joe Biden decide not to seek reelection.

--With assistance from Fiona Rutherford.

(Adds comment from Walgreens in seventh paragraph. A previous version was corrected to say that the announcement from Walgreens came last week.)

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Ledger Columnist Bruce Anderson in Lakeland Fl Thursday December 22,2022.Ernst Peters/The Ledger

I spent some of my early years in east Africa.

My father, a philosophy professor at a fine little Methodist university, had pitched in to help found the University of Malawi. He did this along with a crew of faculty drawn from across the U.S. and Europe, following the dissolution of the former Federation of Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland into the independent nations of Malawi and Zambia. Wed spent time as a family in Greece, and would spend time in Turkey, but Malawi remains, for me, the place from which I came home to the U.S.A.

To my school friends, I was decidedly a weirdo. Africa was a place theyd barely heard of and was, if known at all, painted over with the ridiculous patina of Tarzan movies, H. Rider Haggard stories, and tall tales of Stanley and Livingstone hacking through jungles.

Malawi was terra incognita, and my own referents were equally odd. The only president Id really known was His Excellency Hastings Kamuzu Banda, the hero of independence, who had carefully steered the trickiest of paths between the various cold warriors and the apartheid regime in the also-newly-formed Republic of South Africa. Lyndon B. Johnson was a name to me but not much more. In Malawi, wed had radio only and could raise barely two clear news stations on the shortwave: the BBC Overseas News Service, and the radio service of the Peoples Republic of China, which consisted largely of editorials read from the Peoples Daily.

Coming home, I wasnt quite sure what it meant to be an American. But I learned fast, fell in love quickly and forever.

The USA was not  and is not - perfect, but it has always aspired to be. It still does, and what started as infatuation has become a happy, lifelong obsession, with those fine ambitions at its core.

I will always see the U.S. through an international lens - not so much comparing, as integrating - connecting things. When I returned, the U.S. was still a relatively sealed society. Despite the international origins of most of the citizens, comparatively few of them had been anywhere else. The military was the gateway to postings abroad, but educational, much less casual international travel, was for the fabulously wealthy.

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No more. Quietly, causing barely a ripple, we are raising an international generation.

Ive been working with educational travel for decades, and a major feature of the job is to introduce students to the big world outside. Many had never been out of their home state and most had never been out of the country.

No longer.

Trade, business and the peace that make them possible have drawn the continents closer. Nearly half of the students going with me overseas this semester have been abroad - all have at least played with the idea of spending part of their future working life outside the country. It has changed them. They have the distinct advantage of a view of the U.S. from outside the U.S.

The value of an international experience cannot be overstated. For many students, its the involvement that will lead them to a wider, kinder, more tolerant view of our own polity, as well as an understanding of how the rest of the world behaves.

It seems to me that with all of the emphasis on civic engagement in higher education, a direct connection with the wider world should be part of the deal. Too much of how we view this country is based on what we see immediately around us, rather than the eagles eye view from foreign shores.

State colleges and universities, now undergoing radical changes, should look to a subsidized study abroad programs as a reasonable path as nothing increases your appreciation of the USA more and inspires an active interest in making it a better place, than to see it from afar.

Bruce Anderson is the Dr. Sarah D. and L. Kirk McKay Jr. Endowed Chair in American History, Government, and Civics and Miller Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Florida Southern College. He is also a columnist for The Ledger.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Gen Z: The international generation
The Russian occupiers set up a military medical commission in the "Donbas" institutions in the occupied Kadiivka - they recognised the wounded as "able-bodied" and returned them to the front.

Source: General Staff

Quote: "A military medical commission works in the Donbas hotel in Kadiivka in the temporarily occupied Luhansk Oblast. The military medical commission aims to recognize wounded service members of the 2nd army corps of the Russian occupation forces as able-bodied for their subsequent return to service. Thus, the Russian military leadership is trying to restore their divisions quickly".

Details: In addition, according to the information from the General Staff, the military commissariats in temporarily occupied Donetsk were recently instructed to clarify the personal credentials of reserve officers under the age of 65, as well as reserve soldiers, sergeants, and ensigns under the age of 50.

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BERLIN (AP)  German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says there would be consequences if China sent weapons to Russia for Moscows war in Ukraine, but hes fairly optimistic that Beijing will refrain from doing so.

Scholzs comments came in an interview with CNN that aired Sunday, two days after he met U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington.

U.S. officials have warned recently that China could step off the sidelines and begin providing arms and ammunition to Moscow. Ahead of his trip, Scholz had urged Beijing to refrain from sending weapons and instead use its influence to press Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine.

Asked by CNN if he could imagine sanctioning China if it did aid Russia, Scholz replied: I think it would have consequences, but we are now in a stage where we are making clear that this should not happen, and Im relatively optimistic that we will be successful with our request in this case, but we will have to look at (it) and we have to be very, very cautious.

He didnt elaborate on the nature of the consequences. Germany has Europes biggest economy, and China has been its single biggest trading partner in recent years.

Back in Germany on Sunday, Scholz was asked after his Cabinet met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen whether he had received concrete evidence from the U.S. that China was considering weapons deliveries and whether he would back sanctions against Beijing if it helped arm Russia.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, right, welcomes European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, left, for a meeting as part of a two-day closed meeting of the German government at Meseberg palace in Gransee near Berlin on March 5.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, right, welcomes European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, left, for a meeting as part of a two-day closed meeting of the German government at Meseberg palace in Gransee near Berlin on March 5.

We all agree that there must be no weapons deliveries, and the Chinese government has stated that it wouldnt deliver any, the chancellor replied. That is what we are demanding and we are watching it.

He didnt address the sanctions question.

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Von der Leyen said that we have no evidence for this so far, but we must observe it every day.

She said that whether the European Union would sanction China for giving Russia military aid is a hypothetical question that can only be answered if it were to become reality and fact.

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BERLIN (Reuters) -Germany's government is planning on forbidding telecoms operators from using certain components from Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE in their 5G networks, German paper Zeit Online wrote on Monday.

The ban could include components already built into the networks, requiring operators to remove and replace them, Zeit Online wrote, citing government sources.

The government, which is currently in the midst of a broader re-evaluation of its relationship with top trade partner China, did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Critics of Huawei and ZTE say that their close links to Chinas security services mean that embedding it in the ubiquitous mobile networks of the future could give Chinese spies and even saboteurs access to swathes of essential infrastructure.

Huawei, ZTE and the Chinese government reject these claims, saying that they are motivated by a protectionist desire to support non-Chinese rivals. They did not immediately reply to a request for comment on a possible ban.

Germany passed an IT security law in 2021 setting high hurdles for makers of telecommunications equipment for next-generation networks, but stopping short of banning Huawei and ZTE as some other countries have done.

A new report shows that Germany has actually become even more dependent on Huawei for its 5G radio access network equipment (RAN) than in its 4G network, even though operators have avoided using the firm's technology for the core networks.

Zeit Online said the government's cybersecurity agency and interior ministry had for months been checking if there were components in the growing 5G networks that could put German security at risk.

The survey had not officially been ended, but the result was already clear, the paper said, citing government sources. The government would ban operators from using certain controlling elements from Huawei and ZTE in 5G networks.

(Reporting by Sarah Marsh and Christian Ruettger;Editing by Nick Zieminski)
BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's push to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality and shape up its industrialised economy is such a big job it could make unemployment a thing of the past, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Monday.

Scholz has vowed to lead the biggest transformation of the German economy in a century, aiming to make the country carbon-neutral by 2045 and fit for the future by fostering investment in digitalisation.

Speaking after a two-day cabinet meeting at Schloss Meseberg, the chancellor's country residence outside Berlin, Scholz said the planned economic overhaul was a "great task" but could be achieved.

"What we have taken from our discussions is that we will succeed," he told reporters, adding that the effort required "will create the possibility for us to say that in the next few years Germany will leave the problem of unemployment behind".

"There is a lot to do," added Scholz, a Social Democrat, flanked by Economy Minister Robert Habeck of the ecologist Greens and Finance Minister Christian Lindner, a liberal Free Democrat.

Their three-way coalition is the first of its kind at the federal level in Germany.

In the immediate term, Habeck said it should be possible to avoid surges in gas prices this year like those seen last year, when Germany and other European countries scrambled to fill their reserves due to loss of supply from Russia.

"It should also be possible to fill the storage facilities over the summer without seeing price peaks like we saw last year," said Habeck.

Scholz, who met U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington on Friday, also reiterated Germany's support for Ukraine.

"We will support Ukraine as long as necessary," he said.

(Reporting by Miranda Murray, Friederike Heine and Paul Carrel; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta)
Gigi Hadid has admitted that shes a nepotism baby despite working hard for her career success in modelling.

The 27-year-old supermodel, who is the daughter of model Yolanda Hadid and property developer Mohamed Hadid, recently told The Sunday Times how she acknowledges her privilege in the fashion industry.

Technically Im a nepotism baby, Hadid said in an interview with The Times on 5 March. A nepotism baby  or now colloquially known as nepo baby  is a child of famous or successful parents whose connections have possibly given them an advantage in their careers over those without familial connections.

Although the Next In Fashion co-host described herself as a nepotism baby, Hadid still acknowledged that her parents came from very little before launching their own successful careers.

Her mother, Yolanda Hadid, is a Dutch model who joined the cast of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills from 2012 to 2016, while her father is Palestinian-born real estate developer. The former couple were married from 1994 to 2000, and are also parents to models Bella Hadid and Anwar Hadid.

Ive always acknowledged that I come from privilege, Hadid continued. My parents told me, Just because you have parents who were successful, it doesnt mean that you shouldnt walk into the job being as nice and as hard-working as you can be.

The mother-of-one also spoke about how she felt pressure to conform to societal expectations of beauty in the early stages of her modelling career, admitting that she was very routined to keep herself looking a certain way.

When I started out I was a heavily trained volleyball player and I had a certain body type from that, Hadid explained. At that time fashion hadnt started to get into a more inclusive body-image conversation.

She continued: I was probably harder on my body than I should have been. I wasnt starving myself but I was very routined. Since then Ive got into this idea of body neutrality.

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The model, who hass starred on 35 international covers of Vogue, went on to say that although she loves her body for what it has done, she is still not obsessed with how she looks.

I dont think Im the prettiest person in the world, she said. Some Botox could probably help but Im not so obsessed with caring that I want to do anything about it.

Gigi Hadid, who welcomed daughter Khai with ex-boyfriend Zayn Malik in 2020, landed her first modelling gig at the age of two with Guess. In 2013, Hadid signed to IMG Models and made her runway debut at New York Fashion Week the following year. Since then, she has walked for designers Versace, Chanel, Marc Jacobs, Miu Miu, and Balmain, and starred in ad campaigns for Valentino, Moschino, Versace, and Fendi.
Toblerone, one of the world's best-known chocolate brands, is dropping its iconic image of the Matterhorn prominently displayed on its packaging.

The Swiss milk chocolate company's long-time logo can no longer be used, the company confirmed Sunday.

Toblerone was created in the Swiss city of Berne in 1908, with its distinctive shape reportedly inspired by his mountainous homeland and the Matterhorn.

Mondelez International, the U.S. company that owns Toblerone, Oreo, Ritz Crackers, and other food brands, is shifting part of its production to Slovakia starting in July.

The move, announced in June 2022, is aimed at cutting costs, according to the company.

Why is Toblerone dropping its logo?

Moving some production to Slovakia apparently violates Switzerland's "Swissness Act," which since 2017 has required products to meet certain criteria in order to use Swiss symbols (like the Swiss cross) or call themselves Swiss-made.

The Toblerone bars will continue to be partially produced in Switzerland, the company released in a statement to USA TODAY.

What will the new Toblerone packaging look like?

The redesign of the packaging introduces a modernized and streamlined mountain logo that is consistent with the geometric and triangular aesthetic," the company wrote.

"Other changes to the packaging also reflect Toblerone's heritage: the font and brand logo are inspired by the Toblerone archives and include the signature of our founder Tobler," the company's statement read.

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Toblerone

The chocolate bar will keep its famous hidden bear.

"Berne plays a central role in Toblerone's history and will continue to do so in the future. That is why we have invested significantly in Berne over the last five years to modernize the factory, increase productivity and competitiveness, and meet changing consumer needs smarter and faster."

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The investments, the company said, will enable it to increase production of 100g Toblerone bars in Berne in the medium to long term, ultimately producing 90 million additional 100g bars per year.

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: Toblerone chocolate bar to change iconic Matterhorn mountain packaging
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md.  Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.) apparently thought nothing of the mans gray, Nazi-style trench coat and Hitler Youth haircut.

A smiling Rosendale posed for a photograph outside the U.S. Capitol last week alongside two well-known white supremacists: Ryan Sanchez, a former member of the violent neo-Nazi street gang Rise Above Movement who was dressed similarly to a WWII German officer, and Greyson Arnold, a pro-Nazi blogger.

Just ran into Congressman @mattformontana , a real America First representative with backbone, Arnold wrote in an Instagram post.

Independent journalist Vishal Singh first drew attention to the photo by posting it on his own Instagram.

These are not mere far-right activists, Singh wrote in the caption. These men support active calls for genocide against LGBTQ+, Black, and Jewish people in the United States. Why are Republicans meeting with mask-off neo-Nazis?

Instagram: @american_greyson

Rosendales office told HuffPost that the men had approached the congressman while he was returning to the House from a joint veterans affairs hearing, and that neither he nor his staff knew who they were.

I absolutely condemn and have zero tolerance for hate groups, hate speech, and violence, Rosendale said in an email statement. I did not take a meeting with these individuals  I was asked for a photo while walking between hearings, accommodating as I do for all photo requests, and was not aware of the individuals identity or affiliation with these hate groups that stand in stark contrast to my personal beliefs.

This isnt the first time Rosendale, a loyal ally of former President Donald Trump who is rumored to be eyeing another run against Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) in 2024, has come under fire for mingling with far-right extremists.

In 2014, he spoke at a pro-gun Oath Keepers rally in Kalispell, Montana. Pictures from that event show Rosendale, then a state senator, standing at a microphone behind a large black and yellow Oath Keepers banner. The anti-government militia group has a long history of violence, including storming the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in an attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Several members of the group, including founder Elmer Stewart Rhodes, have been convicted of seditious conspiracy for their roles in the attack.

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I have zero connection to Oath Keepers, and an event that I spoke at in 2014 was in Kalispell, and it was for the Second Amendment  to support the Second Amendment, Rosendale told NBC Montana shortly after President Joe Bidens inauguration. I dont have any affiliation with them, I have no communication with them, but I do support the Second Amendment.

Notably, Rosendale was among the 147 Republicans who voted against certifying Biden as the winner of the 2020 election. He later voted against both creating a select committee to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection and awarding Congressional Gold Medals to fallen Capitol Police officers, including two who died as a result of the attack.

Sanchez has ties to multiple white supremacist groups. He was a member of RAM, a group notorious for the violence its members inflicted on counter-demonstrators at the deadly 2017 neo-Nazi rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Sanchez has claimed his membership in RAM led to him getting kicked out of the U.S. Marine Corps, according to Left Coast Right Watch, an investigative news outlet.

He also was allegedly a member of Identity Evropa, a since-disbanded white supremacist group that had a large presence at the Charlottesville rally. The group practiced entryism, which the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights describes as the strategy of gaining a place in more mainstream organizations by moderating ones appearance and expressed values in order to further movement goals.

Sanchez is a practitioner of entryism and has attempted to make inroads with the MAGA movement, speaking at election-denying Stop the Steal rallies in California in 2020 and later joining up with the Peoples Convoy, a caravan of truckers protesting policies related to COVID.

And this past November, Sanchez was a guest on the pro-Trump One America News Network, where he spoke in defense of a white supremacist sentenced to three years in prison for his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Arnold similarly has made inroads into conservative spaces. He had a top Oregon Republican official on his podcast and briefly worked for the Washington State GOP.

On his Instagram account, Arnold has posted pictures of himself with numerous GOP figures in recent months, including former Vice President Mike Pence, Rep. Matt Gaetz (Fla.), Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.) and far-right Arizona state Sen. Wendy Rogers.

As CNN reported, Arnold has called for killing refugees and undocumented immigrants. He is also a Nazi sympathizer, once stating that Adolf Hitler was a complicated historical figure which many people misunderstand.

HuffPost spotted both Sanchez and Arnold on Saturday in the lobby of the Gaylord Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, where this years Conservative Political Action Conference was underway.

A video posted to Twitter by photojournalist Zach Roberts shows Sanchez and Arnold both made it into CPAC, the annual gathering that attracts prominent GOP lawmakers and presidential candidates, which was rife with election deniers and anti-trans bigotry this year.

Dressed to impress, man, Sanchez said when Roberts asked about his outfit, including the Nazi-style overcoat.

I ran into some nazis again at CPAC in DC. One of them was Greyson Arnold. He was more interested in @noturtlesoup17 for some reason. pic.twitter.com/vnP26dPpZo  Zach D Roberts - Photojournalist (@zdroberts) March 6, 2023

Twitter: Zach D. Roberts

On Saturday evening, Sanchez and Arnold attended a rally that Nick Fuentes  the viciously racist and antisemitic leader of the America First movement who had been kicked out of CPAC the day before  hosted inside a Marriott Hotel across the street from the conference center. His supporters, who call themselves groypers, called a HuffPost reporter a f****t and stopped him from covering the rally, threatening to call hotel security.

A video of Fuentes speech shows he expressed support for CPAC speaker Michael Knowles, who that same day had called for transgenderism to be eradicated from public life entirely.

But Fuentes said he wanted to eradicate other -isms too.

This is the one that hates Jesus and the world. ... The other thing thats gotta go from public life at the highest levels is this Talmudic Judaism, he said.

Fuentes was previously aligned with prominent figures within the GOP, and he hosted a conference last year where Greene was the featured speaker. Republican officials eventually denounced him, however, after he was hired by the rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, to run his often antisemitic presidential campaign.

Along with appearing alongside leaders of the neo-Nazi movement last week, Rosendale received a True Blue award from the political arm of the right-wing Family Research Council  a prize given to members of Congress whose voting records perfectly defended the values of faith, family, and freedom.

The Southern Poverty Law Center has designated Family Research Council as an anti-LGBTQ hate group.

In a post to Twitter, Rosendale said he was honored to receive the award and said hed always fight for Montana values in Washington.
Donald Trump shouldnt celebrate the results of the straw poll he won at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), according to a longtime Republican political strategist.

Trump topped the straw poll on Saturday of declared and likely Republican 2024 presidential candidates, earning 62% of the vote.

In an appearance on MSNBC Sunday, Susan Del Percio, a political analyst for the network, said this was a poor result, considering the increasingly Trump-oriented nature of the annual gathering in recent years. Notably, key potential players in the 2024 Republican presidential race, including former Vice President Mike Pence and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, did not appear at this years CPAC, traditionally a must-attend event for GOP candidates.

Sixty-two percent of CPAC in a straw poll is a horrible result for Donald Trump, Del Percio said on MSNBC. I mean, this has been dubbed TPAC. This is Donald Trumps show, and he can only get 62% of his own people.

Thats not to say Trumps power in the GOP isnt there, she added, noting that all he needs to do is get 35% of the vote, beat everyone else, and its winner take all.

See Del Percios analysis on MSNBC, posted by Raw Story, below:

Related...
Gov. Josh Shapiro says he has secured an initial commitment from Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw to pay millions to Pennsylvania for damages from the Feb. 3 train derailment that impacted residents in Beaver and Lawrence counties.

Fire was the initial call for concern for those on the ground in East Palestine.

There was nearly a quarter mile of solid fire that was burning intense, buildings being threatened had to be protected, said Fire Chief Mark Stowe in Beaver Falls.

Some of the firefighters on that front line were from right in Beaver Falls.

During the night when we were fighting the fire, the strong odor of chemicals became apparent. Thats when we were advised anybody that had worked the scene, the gear was more than likely contaminated and should be taken out of service and replaced, Stowe said.

Im very hopeful we will be reimbursed for our losses, Stowe said.

That money is starting to come in from Norfolk Southern, with the governors office announcing $5 million will go to local fire departments in Western Pennsylvania to replace gear.

Plus, another $1 million will be part of a community relief fund to be run by Beaver and Lawrence County leaders to support the residents.

One of my biggest concerns going forward is in addition to getting all the testing done and (being) able to make sure the people understand the water ground and air is safe. Making sure we have ongoing monitoring, said Beaver County Commissioner Jack Manning.

Its unclear if that funding will be used to help with ongoing testing, but that is something residents told Channel 11 they would like to see.

There is nothing to be concerned about, but hey, come live with me for a couple years and we will talk then, said Amy Laderer, who lives in Darlington Township, where Senator Bob Casey visited Monday.

As for the fire departments, all that contaminated equipment is not being used, rather backup gear is in place.

RELATED COVERAGE: Federal, state, local officials give update on East Palestine cleanup

Story continues

According to the governor, the funding commitment is a starting point, and he will continue pushing Norfolk Southern for further accountability and to cover additional costs that may accumulate.

Last week, the state Department of Health announced the opening of a Health Resource Center in Darlington Township, for residents of Beaver and Lawrence counties who have health concerns.

RELATED COVERAGE: Health resource center to open in Beaver County following train derailment

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Towering live oak trees provide shade and habitat for more than 50 avian species residing in Volusia County, just a short walk from a sandy beach with a prime vantage point of the St. Johns River.

This pristine parcel is what DeBary Mayor Karen Chasez called the citys grand vision, a project already three years in the making that now stands to be protected in perpetuity. After staff put thousands of hours of work into purchasing 170-acre Alexander Island, the city closed on the riverfront property Feb. 1.

That this is public land and that the public will be able to stand here and enjoy the river in the River City is just really special, Chasez said. The whole experience has been extremely special and the result of a lot of hard work, but we did prevail. We realized the grand vision.

Although the park may not be open to the public for a year or more, the space will ultimately provide a place for all types of passive recreation: hiking, biking, fishing and launching nonmotorized vessels into the St. Johns.

Alexander Island, which sits just across the river from Seminole Countys Black Bear Wilderness Area, will also serve as home to a research and education center run by the Aquatic Preserve Alliance of Central Florida.

The path to securing this serene site was not straight or easy. At one point, DeBary pursued Florida Forever funding earmarked for recreation lands before encountering a problem with the appraisal process. Then the city sought Volusia Forever funds, but Chasez said there was a term in their proposed conservation easement that was just unworkable.

The mayor and her team, including city manager Carmen Rosamonda and Shari Simmans, director of economic development, communications and government affairs, decided to pursue the $3.5 million parcel on their own, in part using pandemic relief funds from the American Rescue Plan Act.

Alexander Island was privately held by the Recicar Trust and used for family camping and outdoor recreation for decades. Trustees held off on selling until DeBary secured funding, but there was always a risk the property could fall into developers hands.

Story continues

The realtor told us when I signed the papers that there was recently a developer who was interested if the deal fell apart, Chasez said. I looked at him and I said, Lose his phone number. Im signing the papers. Its ours.

Moving forward, the city will develop a master plan for the park, seeking public input this spring before the council and staff vote on the final plan. At that point, the build-out can begin. Chasez said DeBary hopes to leverage funding from Volusia ECHO (Environmental, Cultural, Historic and Outdoor Recreation) to build a boardwalk and finish the site planning.

The public is invited for an open house and tour of Alexander Island on April 1; timeslots can be reserved on the citys website.

Georgia Turner, executive director of Visit West Volusia, said shes excited by what this park can add to the regions array of natural resources.

Its going to be a showplace for us. Its definitely going to be another Blue Spring, De Leon Springs, Gemini Springs, she said. Its going to be another great place for people to enjoy the nature that we have here.

Find me @PConnPie on Twitter and Instagram or send me an email: pconnolly@orlandosentinel.com. For more fun things, follow @fun.things.orlando on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
A 60-year-old Boise man could spend the rest of his life in prison for the 2019 first-degree murder of his ex-girlfriend.

Fourth District Judge Steven Hippler sentenced David Randall to life in prison, with the possibility of parole after 25 years, according to a news release from the Ada County Prosecutors Office.

In December 2019, Randall attacked, tortured, stabbed and beat Darla Fletcher after shed driven back to their old home in Boise to collect some of her belongings, the release said. The pair had recently broken up.

Randall stabbed Fletcher over 50 times with a screwdriver and drumstick, according to court documents obtained by the Idaho Statesman.

The defendant presents grave danger to the community, Hippler said during Fridays sentencing, according to the release.

Randall pleaded guilty as part of a plea deal in December 2021. As part of that deal, the Ada County Prosecutors Office agreed to ask for a 25-year fixed sentence, which grants a parole possibility, instead of life in prison.

Quickly after pleading guilty, Randall asked to walk back his plea on the grounds that his attorneys pressured him and he has a history of depression.

I pleaded guilty to my charges, and I regret it so much.  You dont know how hard it was to plead guilty to something that I dont remember doing and was not intentional, Randall wrote in a letter to his son the night after his plea hearing. I had long discussions about doing this with my attorneys.  I take responsibility for (Fletchers) death, but I didnt mean to kill her.

Hippler denied the request in 24-page order and said Randall entered the plea agreement knowingly, intelligently and voluntarily.

I extend my deepest condolences to Ms. Fletchers family and friends, Ada County Prosecutor Jan Bennetts said in the release. This brutal domestic homicide has weighed on the victims family and friends, our office, and the community for over three years now. Im proud of the hard work performed by my trial team and the Boise Police Departments homicide detectives, which ensured justice was ultimately served in this case.
The sculpture that was once the centerpiece of the invention station artworks at RiverScape MetroPark has a new home.

A replica sculpture of 1905 Wright Fyler III has been moved to the corner of Edwin C. Moses and West Third Street after spending two years in storage at Montgomery Countys Solid Waste District in Moraine.

>> Springfield train derailment: Clark Co. officials No hazardous materials leaked; NTSB on scene

The sculpture was purchased in 2001 for $165,000 by the Montgomery County Commissioners.

Our County Commissioners at the time had a great vision for this piece, creating something that visitors would always remember and identify as an icon in the birthplace of aviation. When the land was sold and it had to move, we immediately began working on a plan for a new home, Montgomery County Commission President Debbie Lieberman said.

The relocation was made possible by Wright Dunbar Incorporated and the City of Dayton, where each donated a piece of land for the project.

>> Theyre stacked up high; 911 callers describe aftermath of Springfield train derailment

We are thankful the City of Dayton and Wright Dunbar Incorporated donated a parcel of land. But even more so, we really appreciate getting their buy-in so we could move forward with this project, Montgomery County Administrator Michael Colbert said

The sculpture was created by Alabama artist Larry Godwin, who had previously made two other Wright Fyler sculptures in Florida and Alabama.

The neighbors of Wright-Dunbar Village are very pleased that the county chose the corner of Edwin C. Moses Blvd. and Third St., our neighborhood, for the relocation of the Wright sculpture. The anticipation was high, and it was fun to see the installation day by day. There were so many positive comments and photos from various social media sources about the installation. We are excited to see it completed and proud to have it as an impressive and appropriate gateway to the neighborhood! President of Wright-Dunbar Village, Jeff Jackson, said.

Story continues

>> Safety plan released following NTSB initial investigation following East Palestine derailment

The full-scale Wright Flyer III replica features bronze figures with Orville Wright on the ground, cheering on their accomplishment. This sculpture was a highlight of RiverScape for 20 years.

Our new Third Street Bridge was constructed with great attention to Dayton history, complete with images of Paul Lawrence Dunbar and the Wright brothers. Locating this sculpture near the bridge is an extension for that Montgomery County story, and it really calls greater attention to the historic neighborhood Dunbar and the Wright brothers actually called home, County Commissioner Judy Dodge said.

A curved concrete wall surrounds the statue with 1905 Wright Flight Flyer III on it. Later this month, pavers, sidewalks, and landscaping are to be installed.

In December, Montgomery County was designated as Ohios only American World War II Heritage City by the National Park Service. The bravery and sacrifice of our men and women were critical to the countrys war effort. That, combined with the innovation of the Wright Brothers and other Montgomery County citizens really pushed our county forward as a global leader. This sculpture is a great way of celebrating that heritage, and we are so proud to be part of preserving it, Commissioner Carolyn Rice said
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said on Sunday that she will be introducing a resolution to declare Antifa as a terrorist organization on Tuesday, after blaming the group for protests at a police training facility in Atlanta.

Antifa are domestic terrorists and Im introducing my resolution to officially declare them a terrorist organization on Tuesday, she tweeted on Sunday.

A progressive group called Stop Cop City has been protesting against the new training facility being built in the wooded parts of Atlanta since plans for it were announced, arguing it will promote the militarization of the police and may result in environmental concerns.

Fox 5 reported Sunday that the facility was on lockdown after at least one construction vehicle was set on fire amid the latest protests on Sunday.

Greene blamed the far-left organization Antifa for the incident on Twitter, though she did not offer any evidence that Antifa was behind the protests on Sunday.

This is domestic terrorism. It was planned for weeks and announced on social media. Antifa are self proclaimed communists and consistently organize to attack our government over and over again. They should be taken seriously and not tolerated anymore, she tweeted.

In January, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) issued a state of emergency after peaceful protests broke out in response to a police shooting of an activist during an operation to clear out the construction site for the facility.

Greenes resolution would not be the first of its kind. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) introduced a resolution in 2021 to designate Antifa as a terrorist organization, but the resolution did not get any traction in the Democrat-controlled House.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Sunday said he has no indication police have gone through the Jan. 6, 2021, footage that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) shared with Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson.

McCarthy has defended his decision to hand Carlson exclusive access to 41,000 hours of surveillance footage from the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 attack, saying he has taken action to ensure lawmakers safety wont be risked by the release of the material.

But Jeffries said there are no signs the video has been screened by authorities.

Its not clear to me yet that any material footage that any news personality at another network may have has been vetted, but it must be vetted before anything is released into the public domain, Jeffries told CNNs State of the Union.

McCarthy has said Carlson pledged to not show any exits used by lawmakers and staff at the Capitol, but didnt specify anything hes done to ensure the safety of lawmakers and staff wont be jeopardized by the release of the material.

There are serious security concerns with releasing footage into the public domain in an era where political violence is on the rise, and there are people, including the former president, who fan the flames of extremism, the Democratic leader said.

Carlson, an ally of former President Donald Trump who has spread conspiracy theories about Jan. 6 and has condemned the work of the House committee tasked with investigating the insurrection, said hell begin airing the material this week.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) strongly condemned McCarthys action in a letter to Senate colleagues last month, saying it made Capitol police officers jobs harder.

It also risks exposing the carefully laid out and highly guarded plans for the continuity of government, intended to preserve our democracy in the event of an attack, Schumer wrote. All things anyone who would want to harm our country would love to learn.

Story continues

Giving someone as disingenuous as Tucker Carlson exclusive access to this type of sensitive information is a grave mistake by Speaker McCarthy that will only embolden supporters of the Big Lie and weaken faith in our democracy. pic.twitter.com/jeZhMTQzch  Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) February 22, 2023

Meanwhile, Fox News personalities private statements are being spotlighted in Dominion Voting Systems $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against the conservative cable network.

A text by Carlson, released in a court filing, shows he thought Trump campaign lawyer Sidney Powell was lying about the election, but continued to push her false claims. In another text to colleagues Laura Ingraham and Sean Hannity, Carlson called for a Fox News reporter to be fired over a tweet fact-checking a post by Trump.

Fox News founder Rupert Murdoch testified in a lawsuit deposition that some hosts endorsed 2020 election lies and I would have liked us to be stronger in denouncing it in hindsight.

Related...
King Charles III has reportedly officially invited the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to his and the Queen Consorts coronation this spring.

A spokesperson for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle told The Times that they have received email correspondence about the coronation, but no decision has been disclosed about whether they will accept the invitation or not.

It comes after reports that the King may offer the couple a suite of rooms in Buckingham Palace that previously belonged to the Duke of York, after asking them to vacate their UK residence, Frogmore Cottage.

It is understood that the King has instead offered the keys to Frogmore Cottage to his disgraced brother, who is said to be resisting any attempt to move him out of his current home, the Royal Lodge.

On Saturday evening (4 March), Harry took part in a new interview with author Gabor Mate, during which he revealed that the lack of physical affection he received as a child impacts the way he parents his two children, Archie and Lilibet, today.

He also spoke candidly about his drug use and said that marijuana really helped him mentally, while cocaine did nothing for him.

Key Points

Harry and Meghan have reportedly received official invitation to the Kings coronation

Chris Rock questions Meghan Markles racism claims against royal family in Netflix stand-up show

Prince Harry left Royal Family because he felt different

Therapy helped me overcome my mothers death, says Duke of Sussex

Duke and Duchess of Sussex stunned by request to vacate Frogmore Cottage

Harry and Meghan have reportedly received official invitation to the Kings coronation

03:22 , Peony Hirwani

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have reportedly been officially invited to the King and Queen Consorts coronation via email correspondence.

A spokesperson for the couple said that they recently received email correspondence from His Majestys office regarding the coronation.

However, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have not yet disclosed whether or not they will accept the invitation and fly to the UK for the ceremony on 6 May.

Story continues

Oil for Charles III's coronation consecrated in Jerusalem

05:55 , Peony Hirwani

Two senior clergymen in Jerusalem have consecrated the holy oil that will be used to anoint King Charles III during his coronation.

The oil was consecrated on Friday (3 March) morning at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the traditional site of Christs crucifixion and burial, Buckingham Palace said in a statement.

The ceremony was conducted by His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, head of the Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem, and the Most Rev Hosam Naoum, the Anglican archbishop in Jerusalem.

Read more:

Oil for Charles III's coronation consecrated in Jerusalem

Voices: Not even The Kardashians can keep up with Harry and Meghan

05:25 , Peony Hirwani

The royal family is not really meant to be what it has become: a rolling soap opera. A boring, banal, but bizarrely addictive guilty pleasure, writes Tom Peck.

Read his op-ed below:

Not even The Kardashians can keep up with Harry and Meghan | Tom Peck

Piers Morgan on news of Meghan and Harry receiving official invitation to the Kings coronation

04:55 , Peony Hirwani

Piers Morgan has responded to news of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex receiving an official invitation to the Kings coronation via email.

The arrogance of this statement is comical, he wrote on Twitter. These Monarchy-trashing clowns shouldnt be anywhere the Coronation, let anyone taking their time to make a decision.

The arrogance of this statement is comical. These Monarchy-trashing clowns shouldnt be anywhere the Coronation, let anyone taking their time to make a decision. https://t.co/DXuY83tVUa  Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 5, 2023

Piers Morgan says he has never uttered racist word or sentiment against Meghan Markle

04:25 , Peony Hirwani

On Sunday (5 March), the founder of Women in Leadership Publication, Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu retweeted a clip of Piers Morgan challenging journalist Ernest Owens for posting a series of tweets accusing him of being racist towards Meghan Markle.

Piers Morgan demanding evidence of his racist tirades against Meghan Markle is Caucacity on steroids, she wrote. Mr Arbiter of What is Racism who uses his White privilege and global platform to aggravate racist/sexist/misogynist attacks against her accuses @MrErnestOwens of no evidence.

Morgan responded to Mos-Shogbamimu, writing: Oh look, Britains most repulsive race-baiter strikes again!

Ive never uttered one racist word or sentiment about Meghan Markle. I couldnt give a damn about her skin colour, only her vile campaign  with her dim doormat husband  to destroy the Royal Family with lies and smears.

Oh look, Britain's most repulsive race-baiter strikes again! I've never uttered one racist word or sentiment about Meghan Markle.

I couldn't give a damn about her skin colour, only her vile campaign - with her dim doormat husband - to destroy the Royal Family with lies & smears. https://t.co/n3lHg50N5q  Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 5, 2023

King Charles to offer Harry and Meghan apartment in Buckingham Palace after Frogmore Cottage eviction

03:55 , Peony Hirwani

King Charles III could offer the Duke and Duchess of Sussex an apartment in Buckingham Palace as their UK residence when they visit the country, it has been reported.

The suite of rooms that the King may offer to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle previously belonged to Prince Andrew.

The Mail on Sunday quoted a source as saying: His Majesty is furious [with Harry], as is [Prince] William. But the King is not a bad man. He has no wish to see his brother Andrew homeless or penniless. Nor does he wish to deprive the Sussexes of a base in the UK.

London is a better fit. The Sussexes have always wanted rooms at Buckingham Palace. They could have Andrews old rooms there, which are currently being vacated.

Kate Ng reports.

King Charles to offer Harry and Meghan apartment in Buckingham Palace

Sunday 5 March 2023 23:29 , Katy Clifton

Thanks for following our live updates, we are pausing our coverage for the evening.

William and Kate considering Prince George role at coronation

Sunday 5 March 2023 18:45 , Kate Ng

Prince George might be given an official role at his grandfathers coronation, it has been reported.

The Prince and Princess of Wales are said to be considering whether their eldest child, nine-year-old George, and second in line to the throne, should be included in the congregation at Westminster Abbey.

My colleague Ellie Muir has the full story:

William and Kate considering Prince George role at coronation

VOICES: Not even The Kardashians can keep up with Harry and Meghan

Sunday 5 March 2023 17:45 , Kate Ng

The royal family is not really meant to be what it has become: a rolling soap opera. A boring, banal, but bizarrely addictive guilty pleasure, writes Tom Peck.

Read his op-ed below:

Not even The Kardashians can keep up with Harry and Meghan | Tom Peck

Everything we know about King Charles IIIs coronation

Sunday 5 March 2023 16:45 , Kate Ng

The King and Queen Consorts coronation ceremony is just weeks away.

Heres everything you need to know about the coronation weekend in May:

When is the coronation of King Charles III?

WATCH: Where will Harry and Meghan stay in UK after eviction from Frogmore?

Sunday 5 March 2023 15:45 , Kate Ng

Camilla to be called Queen instead of Queen Consort after coronation

Sunday 5 March 2023 14:50 , Kate Ng

As speculation continues over whether or not the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will attend the coronation this spring, it has been reported that the Queen Consort will be known as the Queen instead following the ceremony.

Before her death last September, the late Queen Elizabeth II announced that it was her sincere wish that Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service.

But a report quoting insiders at Buckingham Palace has suggested that the royal may shed the cumbersome title of Queen Consort for the simpler title of Queen.

Read the full report here:

Camillas title to change after coronation in May, report says

Sarah Ferguson says she has no judgement of Harry and Meghan

Sunday 5 March 2023 13:45 , Kate Ng

Sarah Ferguson has revealed she has no judgement towards Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and the path they have chosen, while reflecting on the judgement she has faced all [her] life.

The Duchess of York, 63, spoke candidly about the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs decision to step back from their royal roles and relocate to California, as well as her own experiences being judged, during a new interview.

Chelsea Ritschel reports:

Sarah Ferguson says she has no judgement towards Harry and Meghan

Chris Rock questions Meghan Markles racism claims against royal family in Netflix stand-up show

Sunday 5 March 2023 12:50 , Kate Ng

Chris Rock has called out Meghan Markle for accusing the royal family of being racist.

The comedian was hosting a stand-up special, titled Selective Outrage, which was historically broadcast on Netflix live.

During the set, he addressed Markles interview with Oprah Winfrey that occurred in April 2021. In the interview, Markle and Prince Harry said that, while at Buckingham Palace, there were concerns raised about how dark their babys skin might be before Archie was born.

My colleague Jacob Stolworthy has the full story:

Chris Rock lambasts Meghan Markles racism claims against royal family

Harry and Meghan not fighting eviction from Frogmore Cottage

Sunday 5 March 2023 11:45 , Kate Ng

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have accepted the Kings decision to ask them to vacate Frogmore Cottage, it has been reported.

A source close to the couple has said they are OK with the Kings decision and are not fighting it.

Read the full story here:

Harry and Meghan not fighting eviction from Frogmore Cottage

Harry and Meghan have reportedly received official invitation to the Kings coronation

Sunday 5 March 2023 11:04 , Kate Ng

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have reportedly been officially invited to the King and Queen Consorts coronation in May via email correspondence.

A spokesperson for the couple was quoted by The Times as saying that they recently received email correspondence from His Majestys office regarding the coronation.

However, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have not yet disclosed whether or not they will accept the invitation and fly to the UK for the ceremony.

Prince Harry says he always felt different from rest of royal family

Sunday 5 March 2023 10:50 , Kate Ng

The Duke of Sussex has opened up about how he always felt slightly different from other members of the royal family and said his mother felt the same way.

He also said he does not consider himself a victim and thought that sharing his experiences through his book would help some people out there.

Get the full story here:

Prince Harry says he always felt different from rest of royal family

Prince Harry reveals how he handles his childrens outbursts

Sunday 5 March 2023 09:55 , Kate Ng

Prince Harry has shared some of his parenting strategies when raising his children and how he responds during their outbursts.

During the Q&A portion of the event, one event guest asked for advice on how to raise children to be kind, emphatic, and humble humans. In response, Harry said how important it is for children to feel love and be given the opportunity to be themselves.

My colleague Amber Raiken reports:

Prince Harry reveals how he handles his childrens outbursts

King Charles reportedly set to offer Harry and Meghan apartment in Buckingham Palace

Sunday 5 March 2023 07:36 , Kate Ng

The King will reportedly offer the Duke and Duchess of Sussex an old suite of rooms that previously belonged to the Duke of York in Buckingham Palace as their UK residence, after asking them to vacate Frogmore Cottage.

Following their eviction from their UK home, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are expected to face difficulties if they ever want to visit the UK if they are not offered alternative accommodation by the monarch.

The Mail on Sunday has now quoted a source as saying: His Majesty is furious [with Harry], as is William. But the King is not a bad man. He has no wish to see his brother [Prince] Andrew homeless or penniless. Nor does he wish to deprive the Sussexes of a base in the UK.

London is a better fit. The Sussexes have always wanted rooms at Buckingham Palace. They could have Andrews old rooms there, which are currently being vacated.

It is understood that Andrew has been offered the keys to Frogmore Cottage, but is resisting moving out of his current residence, the Royal Lodge. He has lived there for nearly 20 years.

Prince Harry reveals drugs were a comfort to help deal with trauma

Sunday 5 March 2023 06:12 , Adam Withnall

Prince Harry has revealed that using marijuana and psychedelics helped him deal with trauma in his life, as he is diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD) during a livestream interview.

The Duke of Sussex spoke to Dr Gabor Mate, a trauma expert, and they covered a wide range of topics, including his mothers death, drug use, his time in the army, and his relationship with other members of the royal family.

Read the full story here:

Prince Harry reveals drugs were a comfort to help deal with trauma

Harry and Meghans absence would cast a shadow over King Charles coronation, royal expert says

Sunday 5 March 2023 03:59 , Joe Middleton

If the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were to decide not to attend King Charles III and the Queen Consorts coronation this spring, it would cast a shadow over the celebrations, a royal commentator has predicted.

Speculation over whether or not Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will fly to the UK to attend the ceremony has increased after it emerged that they were asked to vacate their UK residence, Frogmore Cottage.

It is not known if the Sussexes will receive an invitation to the coronation, although this is expected. However, the Kings decision to request that they move out of Frogmore Cottage and offer the keys to the Duke York instead has reportedly stunned the couple.

Harry and Meghans absence would cast a shadow over King Charles coronation

King Charles evicting flamethrowers Harry and Meghan is a move to save monarchy, Piers Morgan says

Sunday 5 March 2023 03:30 , Joe Middleton

Piers Morgan has said that King Charles III is moving to save the monarchy from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as he requests that the pair vacate their UK residence, Frogmore Cottage in Windsor.

It comes as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex confirmed they have been asked to vacate the residence handed to them by the late Queen after their marriage in 2018.

They are now said to be making arrangements to have their remaining belongings shipped from the 10-bedroom royal residence to their home in California. Reportedly, Prince Andrew has been offered the keys to the cottage.

King Charles is evicting Harry and Meghan to save monarchy, Piers Morgan says

Inside Frogmore Cottage, the residence at the centre of a new royal row

Sunday 5 March 2023 02:30 , Joe Middleton

The Grade II-listed Frogmore Cottage has been part of the royal familys property portfolio since the 19th century.

Over the years, various members of the royal family have lived in the 10-bedroom house, which was first built as a retreat for Queen Charlotte, the wife of King George III, in 1801.

It is currently known for being the first marital home and UK residence of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Inside Frogmore Cottage, the residence at the centre of a new royal row

Rebel Wilson claims Meghan Markle is not as cool as Prince Harry

Sunday 5 March 2023 01:30 , Joe Middleton

Rebel Wilson has described the Duchess of Sussex as not as cool or naturally warm as her husband, the Duke of Sussex.

The Pitch Perfect star recalled her first encounter with the royal couple, which she said happened through a mutual friend who is a polo player.

Appearing on Andy Cohens Watch What Happens Live, Wilson, 43, said she introduced her mother to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Rebel Wilson claims Meghan Markle is not as cool as Prince Harry

Prince Harry reveals how lack of physical affection throughout childhood impacts how he raises his children

Sunday 5 March 2023 00:30 , Joe Middleton

Prince Harry is speaking out about the lack of physical affection he received throughout his childhood and how it affects him as a father today.

On Saturday, the Duke of Sussex discussed his four-year-old son, Archie, and one-year-old daughter, Lilibet, whom he shares with wife Meghan Markle, during a live streamed conversation with Dr Gabor Mate. The conversation centred on mental health awareness and personal healing.

During the conversation, Mate pointed out that in Harrys tell-all memoir, Spare, he wrote about the lack of hugs he received from members of the royal family. When asked how this family dynamic has impacted his parenting skills, the duke said it encouraged him be more affectionate with his children.

Harry describes lack of physical affection as child and how he shows love to his kids

Prince Harry says wife Meghan Markle saved him when he felt stuck

Saturday 4 March 2023 23:30 , Joe Middleton

Prince Harry reflected on his marriage with Meghan Markle and explained how she helped him at a time when he felt stuck.

The Duke of Sussex spoke about his spouse, who hes been married to since 2018, during a livestream conversation with author Dr Gabor Mate on Saturday. The conversation focused on managing grief, the importance of healing and Harrys tell-all memoir, Spare.

Harry told Mate how his wife had a major impact on his personal growth.

Prince Harry says wife Meghan Markle saved him when he felt stuck

Prince Harry reveals drugs were a comfort to help deal with trauma

Saturday 4 March 2023 22:33 , Joe Middleton

Prince Harry has revealed that using marijuana and psychedelics helped him deal with trauma in his life, as he is diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD) during a livestream interview.

The Duke of Sussex spoke to Dr Gabor Mate, a trauma expert, and they covered a wide-range of topics, including his mothers death, drug use, his time in the army, and his relationship with other members of the Royal Family.

On using drugs, Prince Harry said: (Cocaine) didnt do anything for me, it was more a social thing and gave me a sense of belonging for sure, I think it probably also made me feel different to the way I was feeling, which was kind of the point.

Prince Harry reveals drugs were a comfort to help deal with trauma

Prince Harry reveals how he handles his childrens outbursts

Saturday 4 March 2023 22:30 , Joe Middleton

Prince Harry has shared some of his parenting strategies when raising his children and how he responds during their outbursts.

During a live streamed conversation on Saturday about personal healing with author Dr Gabor Mate, the Duke of Sussex spoke about his four-year-old son, Archie, and one-year-old daughter, Lilibet, whom he shares with wife Meghan Markle.

During the Q&A portion of the event, one event guest asked for advice on how to raise children to be kind, emphatic, and humble humans. In response, Harry said how important it is for children to feel love and be given the opportunity to be themselves.

Prince Harry reveals how he handles his childrens outbursts

Prince Harry reveals drugs were a comfort to help deal with trauma

Saturday 4 March 2023 21:30 , Joe Middleton

Prince Harry has revealed that using marijuana and psychedelics helped him deal with trauma in his life, as he is diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD) during a livestream interview.

The Duke of Sussex spoke to Dr Gabor Mate, a trauma expert, and they covered a wide-range of topics, including his mothers death, drug use, his time in the army, and his relationship with other members of the Royal Family.

On using drugs, Prince Harry said: (Cocaine) didnt do anything for me, it was more a social thing and gave me a sense of belonging for sure, I think it probably also made me feel different to the way I was feeling, which was kind of the point.

Prince Harry reveals drugs were a comfort to help deal with trauma

Prince Harry reveals how lack of physical affection throughout childhood impacts how he raises his children

Saturday 4 March 2023 20:38 , Joe Middleton

Prince Harry is speaking out about the lack of physical affection he received throughout his childhood and how it affects him as a father today.

On Saturday, the Duke of Sussex discussed his four-year-old son, Archie, and one-year-old daughter, Lilibet, whom he shares with wife Meghan Markle, during a live streamed conversation with Dr Gabor Mate. The conversation centred on mental health awareness and personal healing.

During the conversation, Mate pointed out that in Harrys tell-all memoir, Spare, he wrote about the lack of hugs he received from members of the royal family. When asked how this family dynamic has impacted his parenting skills, the duke said it encouraged him be more affectionate with his children.

Harry describes lack of physical affection as child and how he shows love to his kids

Inside Royal Lodge: The 30-room mansion Prince Andrew may have to vacate for Frogmore Cottage

Saturday 4 March 2023 20:00 , Kate Ng

The Duke of York has resided in the Royal Lodge in Windsor Park for nearly 20 years, but reports suggest his time there may be coming to an end.

It is understood that the King has offered Andrew the keys to Frogmore Cottage after requesting the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to vacate it.

Read everything you need to know about the Royal Lodge here:

Inside Royal Lodge, the 30-room mansion Prince Andrew may have to vacate

Prince Harry diagnosed with ADD

Saturday 4 March 2023 19:17 , Joe Middleton

Dr Gabor Mate diagnosed the Duke of Sussex with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) during their livestream conversation on Saturday night.

Dr Mate told Prince Harry that he had the condition after reading his book Spare.

The Duke of Sussex responded: thanks for the free session.
King Charles III has reportedly officially invited the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to his and the Queen Consorts coronation this spring.

A spokesperson for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle told The Times that they have received email correspondence about the coronation, but no decision has been disclosed about whether they will accept the invitation or not.

It has been reported that the couple will not appear in any royal processions or on the balcony of Buckingham Palace alongside other working members of the royal family if they do end up attending the coronation. This would echo the arrangements during the late Queen Elizabeth IIs platinum jubilee celebrations last summer.

The King may reportedly offer the couple a suite of rooms in Buckingham Palace that previously belonged to the Duke of York, after asking them to vacate their UK residence, Frogmore Cottage.

It is understood that the King has instead offered the keys to Frogmore Cottage to his disgraced brother, who is said to be resisting any attempt to move him out of his current home, the Royal Lodge.

On Saturday evening (4 March), Harry took part in a new interview with author Gabor Mate, during which he revealed that the lack of physical affection he received as a child impacts the way he parents his two children, Archie and Lilibet, today.

Key Points

Harry and Meghan have reportedly received official invitation to the Kings coronation

Chris Rock questions Meghan Markles racism claims against royal family in Netflix stand-up show

Prince Harry left Royal Family because he felt different

Therapy helped me overcome my mothers death, says Duke of Sussex

Duke and Duchess of Sussex stunned by request to vacate Frogmore Cottage

Harry and Meghan have reportedly received official invitation to the Kings coronation

03:22 , Peony Hirwani

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have reportedly been officially invited to the King and Queen Consorts coronation via email correspondence.

Story continues

A spokesperson for the couple said that they recently received email correspondence from His Majestys office regarding the coronation.

However, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have not yet disclosed whether or not they will accept the invitation and fly to the UK for the ceremony on 6 May.

Prince Harry seeking apology before committing to Kings coronation

13:30 , Kate Ng

While the world awaits to heart whether the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will travel to the UK to attend the Kings coronation, we take a look back at what Prince Harry has said previously.

He refused to commit to attending the ceremony in May, but is said to be seeking an apology from the King and the Prince of Wales before he makes any decisions.

Read the full report:

Prince Harry seeking apology before committing to King Charles coronation

Harry and Meghan will not appear on Buckingham Palace balcony if they do attend coronation

13:26 , Kate Ng

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are not likely to appear on the famous balcony of Buckingham Palace if they do attend the coronation this May, it has been reported.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markles spokesperson has indicated that they have received their invitation to the King and Queen Consorts coronation via email correspondence, but have no disclosed any decision about their attendance.

The Sun now reports that, if they are going to the ceremony, they will not appear in any formal procession or on the balcony along with other working members of the royal family.

This would echo their absence from the balcony during the late Queen Elizabeth IIs platinum jubilee celebrations last summer. Harry and Meghan travelled to the UK to celebrate the Queens 70th anniversary on the throne, but only appeared in public alongside the rest of the family a few times.

Impossible that Harry and Meghans Frogmore Cottage eviction not linked to Spare, royal expert says

12:30 , Kate Ng

King Charles IIIs decision to request the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to vacate their UK residence cannot be seen as anything other than a reaction to the release of Prince Harrys memoir, a royal expert has said.

In freelance writer and royal commentator RS Lockes opinion: Evicting the Sussex family from Frogmore Cottage is transparently punitive and King Charles wanted the couple and the public to know it.

Find out more below:

Impossible that Harry and Meghans Frogmore Cottage eviction not linked to Spare

Kate Middletons piano teacher writes song for entire nation to sing at King Charles coronation

11:33 , Peony Hirwani

A music teacher who taught the Princess of Wales and her family to play piano has composed a song to celebrate the Kings coronation.

Daniel Nicholls, 58, who lives near the Middleton family home in Bucklebury, Berkshire, says he wants the whole nation to learn and sing Defender Of Us All by the time of the ceremony on 6 May.

Nicholls co-wrote the song with his wife Sandra, 65, because they were inspired by Charless desire for inclusivity and diversity.

He told the PA news agency: We sent it out to schools in England and Scotland and weve had very positive responses to it.

Our aim is to get all schools to sing it on the Friday before the coronation and then have the entire nation singing it on 6 May.

Read more:

Kate Middletons piano teacher pens coronation song for the nation

Piers Morgan on news of Meghan and Harry receiving official invitation to the Kings coronation

11:13 , Peony Hirwani

Piers Morgan has responded to news of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex receiving an official invitation to the Kings coronation via email.

The arrogance of this statement is comical, he wrote on Twitter. These Monarchy-trashing clowns shouldnt be anywhere the Coronation, let anyone taking their time to make a decision.

The arrogance of this statement is comical. These Monarchy-trashing clowns shouldnt be anywhere the Coronation, let anyone taking their time to make a decision. https://t.co/DXuY83tVUa  Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 5, 2023

King Charles III picks France and Germany for first state visits

10:25 , Peony Hirwani

King Charles III will travel to France and Germany for his first state visits since becoming monarch, underscoring Britains efforts to build bridges with its European neighbors following years of strained relations caused by Brexit.

Charles and Camilla, the queen consort, will visit both countries between 26-31 March, hosted by Presidents Emanuel Macron of France and Frank-Walter Steinmeier of Germany, Buckingham Palace said on Friday (3 March).

During the trip, the royals plan to celebrate the nations shared history and values, commitment to environmental preservation, and cooperation on the war in Ukraine, the palace said.

Holy oil used during King Charles coronation will no longer include ambergris from whale intestines

09:55 , Peony Hirwani

The oil used to anoint the King and Queen Consort Camilla in the coronation on 6 May will be cruelty-free.

This part of the ceremony is said to be one of the most sacred of the days rituals but will reflect modern anti-animal cruelty sentiments, according to a statement published by Buckingham Palace.

Ellie Muir reports.

Coronation oil made with whale intestine ambergris to be cruelty free

Prince Harry says he always felt different from rest of royal family

09:25 , Peony Hirwani

The Duke of Sussex has opened up about how he always felt slightly different from other members of the royal family and said his mother felt the same way.

In a new interview for readers of his memoir Spare, Prince Harry spoke about grieving his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales, and what it is like to live with loss.

Speaking to author Gabor Mate, an expert in trauma and healing, Harry said that the release of his book made him feel incredibly free, despite sources saying his father and brother are furious about it.

He described feeling slightly different to the rest of my family while growing up and that he lived in a bubble that was eventually burst by going to therapy.

Kate Ng reports.

Prince Harry says he always felt different from rest of royal family

Harry and Meghan not fighting eviction from Frogmore Cottage

08:55 , Peony Hirwani

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have accepted the Kings decision to ask them to vacate Frogmore Cottage, it has been reported.

A source close to the couple has said they are OK with the Kings decision and are not fighting it.

Read the full story here:

Harry and Meghan not fighting eviction from Frogmore Cottage

Everything we know about King Charles IIIs coronation

08:25 , Peony Hirwani

The King and Queen Consorts coronation ceremony is just weeks away.

Heres everything you need to know about the coronation weekend in May:

When is the coronation of King Charles III?

Camilla to be called Queen instead of Queen Consort after coronation

07:55 , Peony Hirwani

As speculation continues over whether or not the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will attend the coronation this spring, it has been reported that the Queen Consort will be known as the Queen instead following the ceremony.

Before her death last September, the late Queen Elizabeth II announced that it was her sincere wish that Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service.

But a report quoting insiders at Buckingham Palace has suggested that the royal may shed the cumbersome title of Queen Consort for the simpler title of Queen.

Read the full report here:

Camillas title to change after coronation in May, report says

Chris Rock questions Meghan Markles racism claims against royal family in Netflix stand-up show

07:25 , Peony Hirwani

Chris Rock has joked about Meghan Markles accusations of racism against the royal family.

During his stand-up special, titled Selective Outrage, the comedian addressed Markles interview with Oprah Winfrey that occurred in April 2021. In the interview, Markle and Prince Harry said that, while at Buckingham Palace, there were concerns raised about how dark their babys skin might be before Archie was born.

Rock questioned the belief that Markle was the victim of racism, and brushed off her experience by saying she was merely dealing with in-law s***.

Like, who is this girl Meghan Markle? he started, adding: Seems like a nice lady  just complaining. Like didnt she hit the light-skinned lottery?

Read more:

Chris Rock sends up Meghan Markles racism claims against royal family

Anthem for King Charles IIIs coronation has been written by Lloyd Webber

06:55 , Peony Hirwani

Andrew Lloyd Webber, the English composer who created the scores for blockbuster musicals such as Cats, The Phantom of the Opera and Evita, has written the anthem for King Charles IIIs coronation.

The work by Webber is one of a dozen new pieces Charles commissioned for the grand occasion taking place May 6 at Westminster Abbey. It includes words adapted from Psalm 98 and is scored specifically for the abbeys choir and organ.

I hope my anthem reflects this joyful occasion, Webber said in a statement distributed by Buckingham Palace.

Read more:

Anthem for Charles IIIs coronation written by Lloyd Webber

Emma Bridgewater releases commemorative mugs for the Kings coronation

06:25 , Peony Hirwani

A pottery company with strong royal connections has launched hand-painted commemorative mugs marking the forthcoming coronation of the King.

Staff at Emma Bridgewater, who have begun painstaking work on the pieces, which include small plates, a teapot and a half-pint mug, are expecting big demand from collectors, royalists, and members of the public keen to own an item marking the historic moment.

Read more:

Emma Bridgewater releases commemorative mugs for the Kings coronation

Oil for Charles III's coronation consecrated in Jerusalem

05:55 , Peony Hirwani

Two senior clergymen in Jerusalem have consecrated the holy oil that will be used to anoint King Charles III during his coronation.

The oil was consecrated on Friday (3 March) morning at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the traditional site of Christs crucifixion and burial, Buckingham Palace said in a statement.

The ceremony was conducted by His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, head of the Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem, and the Most Rev Hosam Naoum, the Anglican archbishop in Jerusalem.

Read more:

Oil for Charles III's coronation consecrated in Jerusalem

Voices: Not even The Kardashians can keep up with Harry and Meghan

05:25 , Peony Hirwani

The royal family is not really meant to be what it has become: a rolling soap opera. A boring, banal, but bizarrely addictive guilty pleasure, writes Tom Peck.

Read his op-ed below:

Not even The Kardashians can keep up with Harry and Meghan | Tom Peck

Piers Morgan on news of Meghan and Harry receiving official invitation to the Kings coronation

04:55 , Peony Hirwani

Piers Morgan has responded to news of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex receiving an official invitation to the Kings coronation via email.

The arrogance of this statement is comical, he wrote on Twitter. These Monarchy-trashing clowns shouldnt be anywhere the Coronation, let anyone taking their time to make a decision.

The arrogance of this statement is comical. These Monarchy-trashing clowns shouldnt be anywhere the Coronation, let anyone taking their time to make a decision. https://t.co/DXuY83tVUa  Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 5, 2023

Piers Morgan says he has never uttered racist word or sentiment against Meghan Markle

04:25 , Peony Hirwani

On Sunday (5 March), the founder of Women in Leadership Publication, Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu retweeted a clip of Piers Morgan challenging journalist Ernest Owens for posting a series of tweets accusing him of being racist towards Meghan Markle.

Piers Morgan demanding evidence of his racist tirades against Meghan Markle is Caucacity on steroids, she wrote. Mr Arbiter of What is Racism who uses his White privilege and global platform to aggravate racist/sexist/misogynist attacks against her accuses @MrErnestOwens of no evidence.

Morgan responded to Mos-Shogbamimu, writing: Oh look, Britains most repulsive race-baiter strikes again!

Ive never uttered one racist word or sentiment about Meghan Markle. I couldnt give a damn about her skin colour, only her vile campaign  with her dim doormat husband  to destroy the Royal Family with lies and smears.

Oh look, Britain's most repulsive race-baiter strikes again! I've never uttered one racist word or sentiment about Meghan Markle.

I couldn't give a damn about her skin colour, only her vile campaign - with her dim doormat husband - to destroy the Royal Family with lies & smears. https://t.co/n3lHg50N5q  Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 5, 2023

King Charles to offer Harry and Meghan apartment in Buckingham Palace after Frogmore Cottage eviction

03:55 , Peony Hirwani

King Charles III could offer the Duke and Duchess of Sussex an apartment in Buckingham Palace as their UK residence when they visit the country, it has been reported.

The suite of rooms that the King may offer to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle previously belonged to Prince Andrew.

The Mail on Sunday quoted a source as saying: His Majesty is furious [with Harry], as is [Prince] William. But the King is not a bad man. He has no wish to see his brother Andrew homeless or penniless. Nor does he wish to deprive the Sussexes of a base in the UK.

London is a better fit. The Sussexes have always wanted rooms at Buckingham Palace. They could have Andrews old rooms there, which are currently being vacated.

Kate Ng reports.

King Charles to offer Harry and Meghan apartment in Buckingham Palace

Sunday 5 March 2023 23:29 , Katy Clifton

Thanks for following our live updates, we are pausing our coverage for the evening.

William and Kate considering Prince George role at coronation

Sunday 5 March 2023 18:45 , Kate Ng

Prince George might be given an official role at his grandfathers coronation, it has been reported.

The Prince and Princess of Wales are said to be considering whether their eldest child, nine-year-old George, and second in line to the throne, should be included in the congregation at Westminster Abbey.

My colleague Ellie Muir has the full story:

William and Kate considering Prince George role at coronation

VOICES: Not even The Kardashians can keep up with Harry and Meghan

Sunday 5 March 2023 17:45 , Kate Ng

The royal family is not really meant to be what it has become: a rolling soap opera. A boring, banal, but bizarrely addictive guilty pleasure, writes Tom Peck.

Read his op-ed below:

Not even The Kardashians can keep up with Harry and Meghan | Tom Peck

Everything we know about King Charles IIIs coronation

Sunday 5 March 2023 16:45 , Kate Ng

The King and Queen Consorts coronation ceremony is just weeks away.

Heres everything you need to know about the coronation weekend in May:

When is the coronation of King Charles III?

WATCH: Where will Harry and Meghan stay in UK after eviction from Frogmore?

Sunday 5 March 2023 15:45 , Kate Ng

Camilla to be called Queen instead of Queen Consort after coronation

Sunday 5 March 2023 14:50 , Kate Ng

As speculation continues over whether or not the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will attend the coronation this spring, it has been reported that the Queen Consort will be known as the Queen instead following the ceremony.

Before her death last September, the late Queen Elizabeth II announced that it was her sincere wish that Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service.

But a report quoting insiders at Buckingham Palace has suggested that the royal may shed the cumbersome title of Queen Consort for the simpler title of Queen.

Read the full report here:

Camillas title to change after coronation in May, report says

Sarah Ferguson says she has no judgement of Harry and Meghan

Sunday 5 March 2023 13:45 , Kate Ng

Sarah Ferguson has revealed she has no judgement towards Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and the path they have chosen, while reflecting on the judgement she has faced all [her] life.

The Duchess of York, 63, spoke candidly about the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs decision to step back from their royal roles and relocate to California, as well as her own experiences being judged, during a new interview.

Chelsea Ritschel reports:

Sarah Ferguson says she has no judgement towards Harry and Meghan

Chris Rock questions Meghan Markles racism claims against royal family in Netflix stand-up show

Sunday 5 March 2023 12:50 , Kate Ng

Chris Rock has called out Meghan Markle for accusing the royal family of being racist.

The comedian was hosting a stand-up special, titled Selective Outrage, which was historically broadcast on Netflix live.

During the set, he addressed Markles interview with Oprah Winfrey that occurred in April 2021. In the interview, Markle and Prince Harry said that, while at Buckingham Palace, there were concerns raised about how dark their babys skin might be before Archie was born.

My colleague Jacob Stolworthy has the full story:

Chris Rock lambasts Meghan Markles racism claims against royal family

Harry and Meghan not fighting eviction from Frogmore Cottage

Sunday 5 March 2023 11:45 , Kate Ng

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have accepted the Kings decision to ask them to vacate Frogmore Cottage, it has been reported.

A source close to the couple has said they are OK with the Kings decision and are not fighting it.

Read the full story here:

Harry and Meghan not fighting eviction from Frogmore Cottage

Harry and Meghan have reportedly received official invitation to the Kings coronation

Sunday 5 March 2023 11:04 , Kate Ng

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have reportedly been officially invited to the King and Queen Consorts coronation in May via email correspondence.

A spokesperson for the couple was quoted by The Times as saying that they recently received email correspondence from His Majestys office regarding the coronation.

However, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have not yet disclosed whether or not they will accept the invitation and fly to the UK for the ceremony.

Prince Harry says he always felt different from rest of royal family

Sunday 5 March 2023 10:50 , Kate Ng

The Duke of Sussex has opened up about how he always felt slightly different from other members of the royal family and said his mother felt the same way.

He also said he does not consider himself a victim and thought that sharing his experiences through his book would help some people out there.

Get the full story here:

Prince Harry says he always felt different from rest of royal family

Prince Harry reveals how he handles his childrens outbursts

Sunday 5 March 2023 09:55 , Kate Ng

Prince Harry has shared some of his parenting strategies when raising his children and how he responds during their outbursts.

During the Q&A portion of the event, one event guest asked for advice on how to raise children to be kind, emphatic, and humble humans. In response, Harry said how important it is for children to feel love and be given the opportunity to be themselves.

My colleague Amber Raiken reports:

Prince Harry reveals how he handles his childrens outbursts

King Charles reportedly set to offer Harry and Meghan apartment in Buckingham Palace

Sunday 5 March 2023 07:36 , Kate Ng

The King will reportedly offer the Duke and Duchess of Sussex an old suite of rooms that previously belonged to the Duke of York in Buckingham Palace as their UK residence, after asking them to vacate Frogmore Cottage.

Following their eviction from their UK home, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are expected to face difficulties if they ever want to visit the UK if they are not offered alternative accommodation by the monarch.

The Mail on Sunday has now quoted a source as saying: His Majesty is furious [with Harry], as is William. But the King is not a bad man. He has no wish to see his brother [Prince] Andrew homeless or penniless. Nor does he wish to deprive the Sussexes of a base in the UK.

London is a better fit. The Sussexes have always wanted rooms at Buckingham Palace. They could have Andrews old rooms there, which are currently being vacated.

It is understood that Andrew has been offered the keys to Frogmore Cottage, but is resisting moving out of his current residence, the Royal Lodge. He has lived there for nearly 20 years.

Prince Harry reveals drugs were a comfort to help deal with trauma

Sunday 5 March 2023 06:12 , Adam Withnall

Prince Harry has revealed that using marijuana and psychedelics helped him deal with trauma in his life, as he is diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD) during a livestream interview.

The Duke of Sussex spoke to Dr Gabor Mate, a trauma expert, and they covered a wide range of topics, including his mothers death, drug use, his time in the army, and his relationship with other members of the royal family.

Read the full story here:

Prince Harry reveals drugs were a comfort to help deal with trauma

Harry and Meghans absence would cast a shadow over King Charles coronation, royal expert says

Sunday 5 March 2023 03:59 , Joe Middleton

If the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were to decide not to attend King Charles III and the Queen Consorts coronation this spring, it would cast a shadow over the celebrations, a royal commentator has predicted.

Speculation over whether or not Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will fly to the UK to attend the ceremony has increased after it emerged that they were asked to vacate their UK residence, Frogmore Cottage.

It is not known if the Sussexes will receive an invitation to the coronation, although this is expected. However, the Kings decision to request that they move out of Frogmore Cottage and offer the keys to the Duke York instead has reportedly stunned the couple.

Harry and Meghans absence would cast a shadow over King Charles coronation

King Charles evicting flamethrowers Harry and Meghan is a move to save monarchy, Piers Morgan says

Sunday 5 March 2023 03:30 , Joe Middleton

Piers Morgan has said that King Charles III is moving to save the monarchy from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as he requests that the pair vacate their UK residence, Frogmore Cottage in Windsor.

It comes as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex confirmed they have been asked to vacate the residence handed to them by the late Queen after their marriage in 2018.

They are now said to be making arrangements to have their remaining belongings shipped from the 10-bedroom royal residence to their home in California. Reportedly, Prince Andrew has been offered the keys to the cottage.

King Charles is evicting Harry and Meghan to save monarchy, Piers Morgan says

Inside Frogmore Cottage, the residence at the centre of a new royal row

Sunday 5 March 2023 02:30 , Joe Middleton

The Grade II-listed Frogmore Cottage has been part of the royal familys property portfolio since the 19th century.

Over the years, various members of the royal family have lived in the 10-bedroom house, which was first built as a retreat for Queen Charlotte, the wife of King George III, in 1801.

It is currently known for being the first marital home and UK residence of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Inside Frogmore Cottage, the residence at the centre of a new royal row

Rebel Wilson claims Meghan Markle is not as cool as Prince Harry

Sunday 5 March 2023 01:30 , Joe Middleton

Rebel Wilson has described the Duchess of Sussex as not as cool or naturally warm as her husband, the Duke of Sussex.

The Pitch Perfect star recalled her first encounter with the royal couple, which she said happened through a mutual friend who is a polo player.

Appearing on Andy Cohens Watch What Happens Live, Wilson, 43, said she introduced her mother to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Rebel Wilson claims Meghan Markle is not as cool as Prince Harry

Prince Harry reveals how lack of physical affection throughout childhood impacts how he raises his children

Sunday 5 March 2023 00:30 , Joe Middleton

Prince Harry is speaking out about the lack of physical affection he received throughout his childhood and how it affects him as a father today.

On Saturday, the Duke of Sussex discussed his four-year-old son, Archie, and one-year-old daughter, Lilibet, whom he shares with wife Meghan Markle, during a live streamed conversation with Dr Gabor Mate. The conversation centred on mental health awareness and personal healing.

During the conversation, Mate pointed out that in Harrys tell-all memoir, Spare, he wrote about the lack of hugs he received from members of the royal family. When asked how this family dynamic has impacted his parenting skills, the duke said it encouraged him be more affectionate with his children.

Harry describes lack of physical affection as child and how he shows love to his kids

Prince Harry says wife Meghan Markle saved him when he felt stuck

Saturday 4 March 2023 23:30 , Joe Middleton

Prince Harry reflected on his marriage with Meghan Markle and explained how she helped him at a time when he felt stuck.

The Duke of Sussex spoke about his spouse, who hes been married to since 2018, during a livestream conversation with author Dr Gabor Mate on Saturday. The conversation focused on managing grief, the importance of healing and Harrys tell-all memoir, Spare.

Harry told Mate how his wife had a major impact on his personal growth.

Prince Harry says wife Meghan Markle saved him when he felt stuck

Prince Harry reveals drugs were a comfort to help deal with trauma

Saturday 4 March 2023 22:33 , Joe Middleton

Prince Harry has revealed that using marijuana and psychedelics helped him deal with trauma in his life, as he is diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD) during a livestream interview.

The Duke of Sussex spoke to Dr Gabor Mate, a trauma expert, and they covered a wide-range of topics, including his mothers death, drug use, his time in the army, and his relationship with other members of the Royal Family.

On using drugs, Prince Harry said: (Cocaine) didnt do anything for me, it was more a social thing and gave me a sense of belonging for sure, I think it probably also made me feel different to the way I was feeling, which was kind of the point.

Prince Harry reveals drugs were a comfort to help deal with trauma

Prince Harry reveals how he handles his childrens outbursts

Saturday 4 March 2023 22:30 , Joe Middleton

Prince Harry has shared some of his parenting strategies when raising his children and how he responds during their outbursts.

During a live streamed conversation on Saturday about personal healing with author Dr Gabor Mate, the Duke of Sussex spoke about his four-year-old son, Archie, and one-year-old daughter, Lilibet, whom he shares with wife Meghan Markle.

During the Q&A portion of the event, one event guest asked for advice on how to raise children to be kind, emphatic, and humble humans. In response, Harry said how important it is for children to feel love and be given the opportunity to be themselves.

Prince Harry reveals how he handles his childrens outbursts

Prince Harry reveals drugs were a comfort to help deal with trauma

Saturday 4 March 2023 21:30 , Joe Middleton

Prince Harry has revealed that using marijuana and psychedelics helped him deal with trauma in his life, as he is diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD) during a livestream interview.

The Duke of Sussex spoke to Dr Gabor Mate, a trauma expert, and they covered a wide-range of topics, including his mothers death, drug use, his time in the army, and his relationship with other members of the Royal Family.

On using drugs, Prince Harry said: (Cocaine) didnt do anything for me, it was more a social thing and gave me a sense of belonging for sure, I think it probably also made me feel different to the way I was feeling, which was kind of the point.

Prince Harry reveals drugs were a comfort to help deal with trauma

Prince Harry reveals how lack of physical affection throughout childhood impacts how he raises his children

Saturday 4 March 2023 20:38 , Joe Middleton

Prince Harry is speaking out about the lack of physical affection he received throughout his childhood and how it affects him as a father today.

On Saturday, the Duke of Sussex discussed his four-year-old son, Archie, and one-year-old daughter, Lilibet, whom he shares with wife Meghan Markle, during a live streamed conversation with Dr Gabor Mate. The conversation centred on mental health awareness and personal healing.

During the conversation, Mate pointed out that in Harrys tell-all memoir, Spare, he wrote about the lack of hugs he received from members of the royal family. When asked how this family dynamic has impacted his parenting skills, the duke said it encouraged him be more affectionate with his children.

Harry describes lack of physical affection as child and how he shows love to his kids

Inside Royal Lodge: The 30-room mansion Prince Andrew may have to vacate for Frogmore Cottage

Saturday 4 March 2023 20:00 , Kate Ng

The Duke of York has resided in the Royal Lodge in Windsor Park for nearly 20 years, but reports suggest his time there may be coming to an end.

It is understood that the King has offered Andrew the keys to Frogmore Cottage after requesting the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to vacate it.

Read everything you need to know about the Royal Lodge here:

Inside Royal Lodge, the 30-room mansion Prince Andrew may have to vacate

Prince Harry diagnosed with ADD

Saturday 4 March 2023 19:17 , Joe Middleton

Dr Gabor Mate diagnosed the Duke of Sussex with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) during their livestream conversation on Saturday night.

Dr Mate told Prince Harry that he had the condition after reading his book Spare.

The Duke of Sussex responded: thanks for the free session.
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle aret saying whether they will attend King Charles coronation after reportedly receiving an invitation.

A spokesperson for the couple told Reuters on Sunday that Prince Harry received email correspondence from King Charles about his coronation.

An immediate decision on whether the Duke and Duchess will attend will not be disclosed by us at this time, their office said in a statement to Reuters and other outlets.

King Charles coronation will be held on May 6 in Westminster Abbey in London  eight months after he ascended to the throne after the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth, who had her coronation in 1952. His wife, Camilla, will also be crowned as Queen consort at the coronation.

News of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex being invited to the coronation comes months after the couple launched a media blitz to tell the story of why they stepped back their roles as senior members of the British royal family in 2020.

The couple released a Netflix documentary in December that outlined their grievances with the royal family including how they did not believe that the royal family was doing enough to protect Meghan from the media.

Prince Harry also released a memoir titled Spare earlier this year that described his tense relationship with his family, including his sibling rivalry with Prince William and how he asked his father not to marry Queen consort Camilla after his mothers death.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Hayden Panettiere has said returning to the Scream franchise felt like coming home.

The actor reprises her role as film buff Kirby Reed in the sequel Scream VI, and exclusively told The Independent that returning to something familiar was what she needed after time out of the spotlight.

I took four years off and didnt know what the right next move was, she said. Then Scream came along and I was like, Its perfect. It was like going home. Like going home to a family.

The 33-year-old praised her fellow cast members, including Jenna Ortega and Yellowjackets star Jasmin Savoy Brown, as well as Scream VIs directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. They just created a family, just like it was on Scream 4.

Panettiere first played Kirby in 2011s Scream 4, where the character appeared to be murdered. Last years franchise reboot Scream, however, revealed that Kirby actually survived her encounter with that films Ghostface. In Scream VI, Kirby is re-introduced as an FBI agent, and someone determined to stop a new spate of Ghostface killings in New York City.

Panettiere spoke to The Independent just two weeks after the death of her brother Jansen, an actor and artist who died at the age of 28 on 19 February.

In a statement, Panettiere and her family revealed Jansens cause of death while asking for privacy to mourn their loss, writing: Jansens heart could be seen in his eyes, and his charm in his brilliant, engaging smile; his soul in his masterful and revealing paintings, and the joy of life in his dry wit.

Last year, Panettiere revealed that  following the end of her TV series Nashville  her decision to pause her acting career was partly motivated by a series of personal struggles, including alcoholism and an addiction to opioids.

She also discussed for the first time why she relinquished custody of her daughter to her former partner, boxer Wladimir Klitschko.

Scream VI, which stars Courteney Cox, Melissa Barrera and Dermot Mulroney, is in cinemas from 8 March.
Bella Ramsey, Pedro Pascal in HBO's The Last of Us (Liane Hentscher/HBO)

We've finally made it to an episode of HBO's The Last of Us (on Crave in Canada) that doesn't leave us in complete despair, but there's still room for a lot of tears in Episode 8 of the show.

The cliffhanger at the end of Episode 7 left us with questions about whether Joel (Pedro Pascal) is going to recover from being stabbed, or if Ellie (Bella Ramsey) will have to continue on this journey alone, if that's even possible.

Picking up where we left off, the newest episode of the series introduces a new threat to Ellie, making Joel's survival even more critical.

Interestingly, this also marks the introduction of Troy Baker's character to the story, who voiced Joel in The Last of Us video games.

Here's everything you need to know from Episode 8 of HBO's The Last of Us (spoilers ahead):

The episode begins by introducing us to a cult-like leader and preacher to a community of survivors named David (Scott Shepherd), who addresses his group of followers from an old steakhouse.

A man from the group, the father of a young girl, has just died but as David preaches, the message is that God will "wipe away all tears from their eyes" and "when we are in need he shall provide."

In the cold winter, this group has limited access to resources, with a rapidly dwindling food supply, which concerns David and a hunter from the group, James (Troy Baker).

Scott Shepherd in HBO's The Last of Us (Liane Hentscher/HBO)

Getting back to Ellie and Joel, he's still alive but is barely moving. Ellie places drops of water on his lips and leaves a small bit of food on his chest, while trying to keep his body warm under a blanket.

Ellie goes out, telling Joel she'll be right back. Walking the woods nearby the abandoned home she as been staying with Joel, Ellie manages to shoot a deer, but it's still able to run away with its injury.

David and James, who are also trying to hunt for food, find the deer Ellie shot after it eventually dies in the snow-covered woods.

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"Dont. Drop your rifles. Now." Ellie says as she catches up to them.

David wants to negotiate for part of the deer and Ellie agrees to split it in half if James leaves and comes back with some penicillin and a syringe. James goes to get the medicine while David and Ellie make a fire to wait for his return.

As Ellie learns that David is the leader of this group she says, "is this some weird cult thing?" David says he's a preacher but it's "pretty standard bible stuff."

The whole world ended and you still believe that shit? Ellie says in response.

David explains that he used to be a math teacher before the apocalypse happened, but the massive event sparked his belief in God. He recalls that after the Pittsburgh QZ fell, he left with a few others, which was the beginning of his "flock." As raiders would eventually invade each stop, the flock kept moving and picking up people as they travelled.

But there's something sinister about David that's first evident when he says he's a staunch believer that "everything happens for a reason."

David recalls sending four members of his group out to scavenge for food and resources, but only three came back. One man, a father to a young girl, had been murdered by a "crazy man" who was travelling with a "little girl." This man was killed by Joel when they were at the university. That's when we realize that James is standing behind Ellie, pointing a gun at her.

But David lets Ellie go, after telling her she can join his flock. When David and James return to their group, David says his plan is to have hunters trace her tracks, and capture Ellie.

Troy Baker in HBO's The Last of Us (Liane Hentscher/HBO)

Ellie is a 'dangerous person'

Ellie makes it back to Joel and injects the penicillin into his wound but eventually, David and the hunters from this flock find her. Shots are fired as Ellie tries to attack them on horseback, and her body flings to the snowy ground. The men are about to shoot her when David catches up to them, insistent that she come back to their community alive. In the meantime, the men are instructed to knock on ever door to find, and kill, Joel.

"Youre so hungry for vengeance, deliver it, David tells his men.

Ellie ends up caged in David's community. He says he put her there because she's a "dangerous person." David tells Ellie that she can't survive on her own and she has to "face reality" that with Joel's wound, that part of her life is ending, and she could have a new beginning.

Back with Joel, he hears someone enter the home and he's able to get up and stab the man as he comes down the stairs. Joel, eventually leaving the home, and captures a second man, torturing them into saying where Ellie was taken. They say she not in a real town, but an area that they call a "resort." Joel eventually kills them both before heading out to find Ellie.

Bella Ramsey in HBO's The Last of Us (Liane Hentscher/HBO)

Cannibalism exposed

This is where the story gets particularly dark. Time has passed and David brings Ellie a bowl of stew to eat. As he slides it over, Ellie sees a human ear nearby.

"You're gong to chop me up into little pieces," Ellie says. "Youre eating people you sick f-ck.

"Yes. There's only a few of us that know. But I would have told you," David says in response. "It was a last resort. You think it doesn't shame me? But what was I supposed to do, let them starve?"

David goes on to say that he wants to keep Ellie alive because she reminds him of himself.

"Youre a natural leader, you're smart, loyal, violent," he says. "You have a violent heart and I should know, Ive always had a violent heart and I struggled with it for a long time."

David goes on to say that when the world ended, he was shown the truth by Cordyceps, which multiplies and secures its future with violence, if necessary.

"They need God, they need heaven, they need a father. You don't," he says, speaking about the people in his community. "You're beyond that. All I want is an equal. A friend."

Ellie doesn't buy anything he says and she breaks his finger, which means David returns with James to cut up Ellie. To stop them, she says she's infected, and now he is, exposing the bite mark on David's hand. David and James look at the bite mark on her forearm, but David is skeptical because she should have turned into a Clicker by this point in time.

It's enough of a distraction for Ellie to get away, and she ends up setting fire to the building in David's community. Ellie is cunning enough to hide from David until she has an opportunity to jump out and attempts to attack him.

David then tries to rape Ellie saying, "the fighting is the part I like the most." But Ellie is able to kill David, stabbing him repeatedly.

As Ellie runs out of the burning building, Joel comes up and they hug.

Its OK baby girl, I got you," Joel says as the episode comes to an end.
(Getty)

Last autumn, Nora Ephrons go-to vinaigrette recipe became a major player in a celebrity scandal. In an interview with the Daily Mail (which was subsequently taken down), the former nanny of ex-couple Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis conjured an indelible scene. Wilde, the nanny claimed, had been mixing up her special salad dressing in their kitchen  but when Sudeikis learnt that the dressing was intended for Harry Styles (who was to become, for a while, Wildes boyfriend), he was outraged. In a desperate bid to stop the dressing from reaching Styles, Sudeikis purportedly lay under her car to stop her driving away from him and their kids. Took her salad and dressing and left them, was what the nanny then claimed Sudeikis texted her. Both he and Wilde vehemently denied all this.

What made this dressing so special? Two tablespoons of Grey Poupon mustard, the same amount of good red wine vinegar, then six tablespoons of olive oil  and a soupcon of delicious literary context. Because, as became apparent when Wilde shared the ingredients on Instagram, the recipe in question was taken from the closing pages of Heartburn, Ephrons 1983 novel. The screenwriter and director behind films like Youve Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle might, you imagine, have sympathised with Sudeikiss (alleged) reaction. After all, as protagonist Rachel Samstat says at the start of the book, you dont just bump into vinaigrettes that good.

Heartburn, which will turn 40 on 9 March, remains one of the definitive literary renderings of a messy break-up. Just shy of 200 pages, and alternately breezy, barbed and bittersweet in tone, it chronicles the fallout as Rachel discovers that her husband Mark, a Washington political commentator, is having an affair with a fairly tall person with a neck as long as an arm and a nose as long as a thumb  while Rachel is pregnant with the couples second child. The drama spilled onto the page from real life. Heartburn has been described as thinly disguised autobiography, and its a phrase that the author herself had no real quarrel with (beyond noting that those words are applied mostly to books written by women).

Rachel, a wisecracking food journalist, is undisputedly an Ephron surrogate (albeit considerably more composed than I was at the time). Mark, meanwhile, is based on Carl Bernstein, the star reporter who broke the Watergate scandal, and Ephrons second husband. I knew the moment my marriage ended that someday it might make a book  if I could just stop crying, she later reflected  proof that her famous everything is copy mantra was always ticking away at the back of her mind. She would later turn the novel into a screenplay, resulting in the 1986 film adaptation directed by Mike Nichols, with Meryl Streep playing Rachel and Jack Nicholson as Mark (Bernstein was allowed to read the script and watch the first cut, thanks to a clause in their divorce). I highly recommend having Meryl Streep play you, Ephron was to declare in a 2009 tribute to Heartburns star.

The significance of this IRL acrimony is unlikely to have been lost on Wilde. That the Heartburn vinaigrette, one of a handful of recipes peppered into the narrative, went viral on every social media platform almost four decades after the novels publication speaks to the legacy that Nora has, says journalist Ilana Kaplan, who is working on a book about Ephron. The direct, almost conspiratorial way that the author writes about divorce and heartbreak is still so applicable, Kaplan explains, while the familiarity of her voice is like that of your funniest, blunt best friend. During the salad dressing incident, Kaplan could just imagine Nora tweeting  reading about it and making some quippy wisecrack.

As editorial director for Virago Modern Classics, Donna Coonan has published four editions of Heartburn so far. It is a book that endures because it is brave and funny, because it offers hope in unlikely circumstances, and that has something to say at every age you read it, she says. She and Kaplan are not alone in their love of Ephrons work. In the decades since its release, Heartburn has been pressed into the hands of countless new readers by their commiserating pals, as a funny, vindicating emergency manual for heartbreak. Ive given Heartburn to more friends than any other book, Coonan adds. For break-ups, for comfort, and just because Nora has a voice I have to share.

Many of us are introduced to Heartburn during times of heightened emotion, when were feeling fragile, seeking escapism, in need of a reminder that life always goes on, as it does for Rachel (after she has thrown a key lime pie at her husbands face, in a real mic drop moment, as Kaplan puts it). Perhaps thats why Ephrons book seems to have such a lasting impact. Coonan says she first encountered it [after] Id just been cheated on by my serious boyfriend  fittingly enough, a chef. Now I think the heartbreak was a fair trade for being able to make perfect spaghetti aglio olio e pepperoncino. A sentiment worthy of Rachel (and her creator), surely.

Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson in Heartburn (Moviestore/Shutterstock)

Ephron and her book werent always so beloved. Heartburn may have shot up the bestseller charts, buoyed by the glimpse it offered into the break-up of the Brad and Jen of the early Eighties, as writer Ariel Levy would brand them in a New Yorker profile, but reviews were mixed. One Vanity Fair columnist, writing pseudonymously, described it as an act of indecent exploitation tantamount to child abuse. It was cruel, the anonymous author reasoned, to create such a permanent and public record of marital discord, which her children might one day read. Many of her films, meanwhile, were commercially successful but critically middling, often derided as fluffy, guilty pleasures; some were outright flops.

But in the decade or so since her death in 2012 at the age of 71, her work has been reappraised, reinforced by a raft of big-name recommendations. Nigella Lawson describes it as the perfect bittersweet, sobbingly funny, all-too-true confessional novel. Amy Poehler says she kept a copy of it beside her when working on her own memoir, as a reminder of how to be funny and truthful  but all I ended up doing was ignoring my writing and reading Heartburn. Her fellow comics Tina Fey and Mindy Kaling have also hailed Ephrons influence, while Stanley Tucci has written the introduction for Heartburns new 40th anniversary edition, published by Virago on Thursday (the audiobook is read by Ephrons pal Streep).

A younger generation of millennial and Gen-Z fans, raised on the nostalgic near-past of When Harry Met Sally and Youve Got Mail, welcomed her with open arms, claiming her as their own. They care less about the biographical resonances, more about Ephrons truth-telling, valuing her emotional honesty, rather than the real-life parallels, as Coonan puts it. Heartburns truth-telling is couched in a voice that is both intimate and piercingly sharp, welcoming you in as it observes others at an ironic distance. It is boldly decisive, almost aphoristic at points, qualities that flavoured all her writing, from screenplays to personal essays. What Nora lacked in resume, she more than compensated for in decisiveness, her friend Richard Cohen wrote. It could be as good as wisdom. Reading Ephron sometimes feels like being drawn into a fantasy of confidence, in all senses  of closeness, yes, but also of having the stridency to say whatever you want. Hers is a conviction thats almost certainly rooted in a privileged life as the daughter of two successful Hollywood screenwriters.

Lines such as the much-cited never marry a man you wouldnt want to be divorced from (which appears in essay collection I Feel Bad About My Neck) have a clever symmetry to them, one that feels deceptively simple. It is easy to fall for her style, but much harder to pull it off yourself. The label of the new Nora Ephron is a useful one for publishers, but few of them balance the content (relatable heartbreak, self-deprecation, a fondness for potatoes of all forms) with the form. Kaplan reckons there are elements of her humour, her candour and the frank way she talks about female friendships and marriage in other writers, but she just cant pinpoint someone who has crafted a similar voice. Coonan, meanwhile, says she see[s] glimmers of [Ephron] in writing that acknowledges the bittersweetness of life, that doesnt shy away from the tragedy, but makes you laugh anyway I nodded in acknowledgement to Nora when I watched Fleabag by Phoebe Waller-Bridge and read Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason.

Ephron in 2009 (Getty)

Ephrons writing does have some uncomfortably sharp edges. There are certain passages in Heartburn that will land with a thud in 2023  like the dated, casually racist references to black and Latinx characters. And there are sometimes touches of cruelty in her descriptions, which, according to a New York magazine piece published around Heartburns release, at least, could crop up in her real-life conversations too. When her name comes up in literary circles, journalist Jesse Kornbluth wrote, you are much more likely to hear it from someone who has been the target of one of her barbs.

The author herself was spiky, imperfect, like many of her creations  and yet sometimes we risk sanctifying her in a way that robs her of these edges. Since her death, a writer of tart, acidic observation has been turned into an influencer, revered for her aesthetic, and her for arsenal of lifestyle tips, Rachel Syme observed in The New Yorker last year. And as writer Ella Risbridger noted in an episode of the podcast Sentimental Garbage, she has become almost aspirational, a signifier of who people want to be Liking Nora Ephron is a kind of cultural marker for a certain kind of woman.

That woman, to generalise wildly, might be smart, city-dwelling, ready with a one-liner, fond of autumn and nice knitwear (you can even order written by Nora Ephron tote bags and t-shirts to really buy into the brand). When Olivia Wilde shared her vinaigrette recipe, then, she wasnt just providing a tabloid clapback, but positioning herself as an Ephron woman. In a way, though, this commodification makes perfect sense. Writing in The Paris Review, Matt Weinstock describes Ephrons impulse to refashion her peculiar impulses into a glossy commercial product as the defining tic of [her] career.

Ephron metabolised emotional messiness and transformed it into something shiny, quippy and sellable  so is it any surprise that were desperate to transform this spirit again, into something we can actually buy? Isnt Heartburn the epitome of transfiguring emotions into appealing (and lucrative) products? I turned it into a rollicking story. I wrote a novel. I bought a house with the money from the novel, Ephron would later say.

The idea that we can turn a painful experience into something vindicating and cathartic is certainly an appealing one. Heartburns final, and most intoxicating, fantasy is not necessarily revenge, but control. Its about being able to tell a story on your own terms and becoming master of the situation. Because if I tell the story, I control the version, Ephron writes at the end of her novel. Because if I tell the story, I can make you laugh, and I would rather have you laugh at me than feel sorry for me. Because if I tell the story, it doesnt hurt as much. Because if I tell the story, I can get on with it. We might not all be able to write (or sell) like Ephron but, she seems to say, we can still take control of our own stories  and have the last word. Wont that always be a reassuring mantra?

A 40th anniversary edition of Heartburn, with a new introduction by Stanley Tucci, is published on 9 March by Virago
The night began with a music festival at the spot where Atlanta plans to build a police and fire training facility, but it turned into a night of havoc.

Atlanta police said a group of violent agitators used the cover of a peaceful protest of the proposed Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, located near Bouldercrest Road and Key Road, to conduct a coordinated attack on construction equipment and police officers.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

The festival was part of what protestors against the facility called a week of mobilization Defend Atlanta forest and Stop Cop City promoted the week-long list of events to show opposition.

They asked people from around the country to stand in solidarity with their cause, and hundreds attended.

Sunday night, attendees told Channel 2s Courtney Francisco a group branched off of the concert for a protest nearby around 5 p.m.

APD said 100-plus protestors changed into black clothing and entered the construction area and began to throw large rocks, bricks, Molotov cocktails, and fireworks at police officers.

RELATED STORIES:

Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the fire near the controversial proposed police training center.

APD said 35 agitators have been detained so far.

Cameras captured the moment officers detained multiple people at the site.

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Heavy smoke could be seen miles away from the facility.

DeKalb police blocked off the roads leading to the facility. Officials have not confirmed any injuries.

In late February, Channel 2 Action News learned Mayor Andre Dickens is creating a community task force to get input on what to do with that space.

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The decision to form the task force came after a lawsuit filed by a neighbor and an environmental group, failed. The lawsuit was filed to stop the construction of the facility

Police now have extra patrols in that area as construction continues after several incidents of violent protests in the past year.

Atlanta police said with protests planned for the coming days, APD and other law enforcement partners have a multi-layered strategy that includes reaction and arrest.

The police asks for this weeks protests to remain peaceful.

IN OTHER NEWS:
The pandemic has taken an enormous academic toll on the nations students, especially those in high-poverty schools. In response, states and districts are pursuing a range of interventions, from intensive tutoring to summer learning opportunities. But ensuring that students daily classroom instruction is built on high-quality, standards-based instructional materials and teaching techniques should be a core component of the work.

Shifting the focus of state accountability systems from test results to the quality of instructional systems could help. Think of this commitment to instructional coherence as the next phase of the standards movement in public education. As we describe in our essay Unfinished Agenda: The Future of Standards-Based School Reform, instructional coherence supports teaching practice and student learning by ensuring that the professional development that educators receive, the materials they use in class and the assessments they give all line up with the expectations for what students should know and be able to do, rather than tugging in different directions.

The interaction among students, teachers and curriculum is key to determining what and how well students learn. Ensuring that teachers have clear signals about what students need to master by the end of the year, high-quality instructional materials and assessments to promote that learning, and training in the materials effective use lead to more-coherent instructional systems  and more learning.

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A study by the Council of Great City Schools of six urban districts that showed significant improvement in math and reading scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress between 2009 and 2019 found that they all sought to increase alignment when it comes to instruction. Louisiana has raised achievement statewide using the same strategy, by helping schools and districts implement more coherent instruction, anchored in high-quality materials and teacher training.

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Encouraging state lawmakers to rethink accountability systems could support the spread of such efforts. We propose that states primarily hold districts accountable for the coherence of their instructional program and its continuous improvement, while continuing to publicly report achievement and attainment results by race and income (in order to shine light on the performance of underserved students) and attach modest consequences to them, consistent with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. To that end:

States should require every district to demonstrate that its curriculum, instructional materials, professional learning and local assessments are aligned with each other and with state standards. States should help districts build a coherent instructional program and then start holding districts accountable for the coherence and quality of their instructional program.



School districts should be responsible for conducting or commissioning a coherence analysis, with guidance provided by the state. There is no off-the-shelf guide for this work, but a recent paper from Carnegie Corporation of New York provides a solid framework for aligning professional learning with high-quality curriculum materials and describes the leadership and resources necessary to promote and sustain coherence.



States and districts should work collaboratively, with outside expertise, to develop the guidance and metrics that can determine the coherence of local instructional programs. Foundations should help launch this process by funding research and development and the piloting of tools. But ultimately, the federal government should support  but certainly not conduct  coherence monitoring, analysis and improvement efforts to sustain this work. In the short term, federal COVID recovery monies could be used to lay the foundation.



States should support the ability of educators to do this work by bringing together district teams to develop and implement comprehensive, coherent instructional-improvement plans. The teams should include curriculum and professional development leaders, teachers, school leaders and representatives of parents and the local community, among others. States should invite districts to participate, with the expectation that there will be multiple groups of teams over a period of years, with the aim of having every district ultimately participate.



The outcome of this process should be a comprehensive, districtwide strategy that leads to common instructional tools, guidance and support; ongoing teacher and school leader training; and support for struggling students and schools. It would put in place sustained leadership to drive the work. And it would prioritize community investment and engagement in school improvement, while reinforcing a culture that stresses collaboration and accountability. If well executed, this strategy would advance both student learning and educator satisfaction. In this time of exhaustion following COVID closures, this is exactly the kind of renewed energy we need in our schools.



States should establish consequences that make sense. That means targeted supports to help districts achieve greater coherence, rather than punishment, unless the problem is a lack of will. A regular review cycle with publicly shared results could be the core of this accountability system. Where local will is an obstacle, states should have the authority to tie financial resources to the use of evidence-based solutions that have been adopted by districts.

Many school districts lack the time, resources and expertise to build new instructional systems by themselves. But Louisiana and the urban districts in the Council of Great City Schools study demonstrate that such systems can be constructed. If the nation hopes to recover from a devastating pandemic and turn its public education system into a true engine of economic opportunity and social mobility, the task ahead is to scale that work dramatically  and reignite a passion for learning in children and adults alike.

Disclosure: Walton Family Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation provide financial support to CenterPoint Education Solutions and The 74.
The Jem Trail winds its way through hills east of Hurricane in the Hurricane Cliffs Trail System in this Spectrum file photo. The Washington County Sheriff's Office is investigating the human remains discovered at the nearby Sheep Bridge Road over the weekend.

A hiker walking through a remote part of Washington County came across what appeared to be human remains on Saturday, prompting an investigation by the Washington County Sheriff's Office.

The hiker, who was in the area of Sheep Bridge Road, an unincorporated area south of the Virgin River outside of Hurricane, reported the find just before 2 p.m., according to an email from the WCSO.

Authorities arrived and confirmed that the remains were human. Detectives were assigned to the incident and were working to identify the body, which was sent to the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner.

The initial investigation "shows no signs of suspicious circumstances surrounding the death," according to the email.

There were no recent reports of missing persons in or around the Sheep Bridge Road area, nor at the nearby JEM Trail. A number of trails and smaller dirt roads crisscross the rocky terrain around Sheep Bridge Road, wedged between State Route 9 and State Route 59 as they diverge to the east of Hurricane.

The Sheriff's Office pointed out that the incident didn't suggest any larger danger in the area.

"There are no signs of danger to the public," according to the email.

This article originally appeared on St. George Spectrum & Daily News: Human remains found by hiker in Washington County
William Patrick Hitler, 34, left, as he receives his discharge from the US Navy. Bettmann/Contributor

Hitler's nephew fought in the US Navy in WWII but needed the president's and FBI's permission.

In a letter to FDR, William Hitler asked for the chance to fight "against tyranny and oppression."

After the war, he changed his last name to Stuart-Houston and lived a quiet life in New York.

Eighty years ago, Adolf Hitler's half nephew enlisted in the US Navy with the intention of combating the Nazi regime. But it took a few attempts, which included a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, for William Patrick Hitler to get special permission to join the fight.

William joined the Navy in March 1944 and served as a pharmacist's mate. According to the Lyon Air Museum, he spent the last year of World War II close to the fighting, patching up wounded troops before taking shrapnel to his leg. He is said to have received a Purple Heart for his injuries.

U.S. Naval Institute (@NavalInstitute) March 6, 2023

His intentions for joining the war against his uncle were quite clear. Born in the UK, William had a volatile relationship with Hitler in his early life. The two met several times, but William wrote a variety of articles criticizing Hitler and the Nazi Party in the late 1920s and early '30s that sparked tension. Hitler's attitude toward William shifted over the years, especially when William moved to Germany briefly, but he still referred to him as "my loathsome nephew," The New York Times reported.

There was little love lost from William. When he fled back to the UK, he wrote an article for Look magazine titled "Why I Hate My Uncle," which received widespread attention and increased curiosity over what William would do next.

The next few years are a blur. William attempted to join the UK armed forces but was rejected because of his familial ties. A similar result came when he tried in the US years later. He briefly joined the Canadian air force, but by 1944, he was interested in the US Navy.

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Hitler goes off to join the Canadian air force and fight Germany. His mother, Bridget, stands by him. Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images

William's passion to fight against his uncle's regime led him to write a letter directly to Roosevelt.

In the letter, William identified himself as "the nephew and only descendant of the ill-faced Chancellor and Leader of Germany," according to Warfare History Network. He praised the US and Allied force's "masterful leadership" involving men from all backgrounds "waging desperate war."

With all his reasons for fighting against his uncle, William made a plea: "Mr. President, I am respectfully submitting this petition to you to enquire as to whether I may be allowed to join them in their struggle against tyranny and oppression."

Roosevelt passed the letter onto FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, who, as Lyon Air Museum says, finally allowed William to join the US Navy.

After the war, William remained in the service until 1947. In his later years, he changed his last name to Stuart-Houston, married, and ran a blood-analysis lab in New York until his death in 1987.

Warfare History Network reported that with the war behind him, William achieved the anonymity he had wanted, while leaving behind a legacy of heroism.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Hoda Kotb appears in a 2022 episode of NBC's "Today" show. (Charles Sykes / Invision / Associated Press)

"Today" co-anchor Hoda Kotb returned to the NBC morning program Monday after a prolonged absence and revealed that her 3-year-old daughter was recently hospitalized.

Kotb explained on air that her youngest child, Hope, was in the intensive care unit "for a few days and in the hospital for a little more than a week" after falling ill. Last week, "Today" co-anchor Craig Melvin told viewers Kotb was dealing with "a family health matter" amid mounting concern for the absent newscaster.

"I'm so grateful she's home," Kotb said Monday while updating viewers on her daughter's condition. "She is back home. I was waiting for that day to come, and we are watching her closely. I'm just so happy."

Prior to this week, Kotb hadn't appeared live on "Today" since Feb. 17. For a while, the veteran broadcast journalist, mother and breast cancer survivor's mysterious hiatus went unexplained, prompting fans to flood her social media pages with messages of love and support.

Kotb's co-anchor, Savannah Guthrie, was also back in the studio Monday after exiting the show mid-broadcast last week and testing positive for COVID-19.

"What I realized too Savannah is, when your child is ill, the amount of gratitude you can have for people who helped you out," Kotb said Monday. "I'm grateful for the doctors at Weill Cornell [Medicine] who were amazing  and the nurses. And I'm grateful to my family, and I'm grateful to friends like you who were there every single day. So I want to say thank you for that. ... I love you."

"I love you too," Guthrie said as Kotb fought back tears. "You have a lot of friends out there lifting you up, and Hope too."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Hoda Kotb has returned to the Today show after two weeks, with the journalist revealing that she was absent from her anchoring duties because her three-year-old daughter Hope was in the hospital.

Viewers began to question Kotbs whereabouts after she was noticeably absent from the show since 17 February. Amid concern for the news anchor, Kotbs colleagues Craig Melvin and Sheinelle Jones said during a 1 March broadcast that she was dealing with a family health matter.

We know some of you are wondering how shes doing, Melvin said during the broadcast. We can tell you, Hodas okay. Shes got a family health matter shes been dealing with.

On Monday 6 March, Kotb revealed during her return to the show that her youngest daughter Hope had been in the ICU, but that the three year old was now home.

My youngest, Hope, was in the ICU for a few days and in the hospital for a little more than a week, the Emmy-winning journalist told co-host Savannah Guthrie at the beginning of Mondays broadcast. Im so grateful shes home. She is back home. I was waiting for that day to come. And we are watching her closely. Im just so happy.

An emotional Kotb then expressed her gratitude for all those who helped her daughter and provided support for her family during the scary experience.

You know what I realised too, Savannah? Its like, when your child is ill, the amount of gratitude you can have for people who helped you out, she said. So Im grateful for the doctors at Weill Cornell, who were amazing and the nurses. And Im grateful for my family and Im grateful to friends like you who were there every single day. So I want to say thank you for that. I love you.

In response, Guthrie told her co-host: I love you too. You have a lot of friends out there. We are right there with you, lifting you up and holding you. So lets do this.

NEW: Hoda Kotb returns to TODAY after handling her daughters health matter.



Im so grateful shes home, Hoda said. pic.twitter.com/z5f8herdyB  TODAY (@TODAYshow) March 6, 2023

Kotb, who adopted Hope in April 2019, is also mother to six-year-old daughter Haley Joy, who she adopted in February 2017.

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Although Kotb has not shared any additional details about her daughters health concerns, she shared a message of hope on Instagram, where she posted a quote by Christopher Reeve that read: Once you choose hope, anything is possible.

Kotbs return to the Today show has been met with an outpouring of happiness from viewers, with many also taking the opportunity to share their well-wishes for the news anchors daughter.

So happy to see your face. Praying for Hopes continued recovery, one person commented under Kotbs Instagram post, while another wrote: So good to see you back on the show today! My baby boy and I are sending our thoughts and prayers to you and your little girl. As a new mom, I cant imagine seeing your little one unwell. So glad she is back home with her ,ama and sister. Sending love and light!

So happy to hear your daughter is home. So happy you are back, someone else wrote.
A Texas homeowner sent an accused burglar running after they exchanged gunfire at an El Paso home, police say.

Bruce Wayne Murphy, a 29-year-old accused of breaking into the mans home, was found near an intersection, wounded and yelling for help, at about 9 a.m. March 1, El Paso police said in a release.

A short time later, a 911 call came in about a home invasion from a house on the citys north side.

The homeowner, a 37-year-old man, told investigators that a man matching Murphys description forced his way inside and shot his dog, the release said.

At that point, he pulled out a handgun and opened fire on Murphy, according to police.

Murphy was taken to a hospital for treatment and will be booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility on a charge of burglary of habitation, police said.

An investigation is underway.

Police did not comment on the condition of the dog.

Man shot to death after refusing to leave couples motel room, Texas police say

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Jaxon Seeger displays photos of transgender women and lgbt individuals who have died by homicide, during the vigil for Cashay Henderson.

One day after the death of Cashay Henderson, two witnesses said the man now charged in the homicide was acting strange, making paranoid statements, pointing a gun at people and threatening to harm others.

He also showed the witnesses a cellphone video from inside Hendersons apartment that showed her body, before the building was set on fire.

Thats according to the criminal complaint filed against Cordell M. Howze, 33, of Neenah on Sunday. He was charged with first-degree reckless homicide and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The Feb. 26 death of Henderson marked the third homicide of an identified Black transgender woman in Milwaukee in less than nine months. Henderson was a Chicago native who for years was active in a support group for Black transgender women.

Cashay B. Henderson

It has further rattled the citys LGBTQ+ community amid a rise in anti-trans rhetoric and public policy nationwide. At a vigil last week, members of the trans community spoke about fearing for their own safety and thoughts of detransitioning as a result.

Another vigil and a community call to action event has been scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday at Zao MKE Church, 2319 E. Kenwood Blvd.

For almost a month prior to Hendersons death, Howze was in custody at the Winnebago County Jail for violating terms of his extended supervision from a prior felony conviction. He was jailed Jan. 28, one day after allegedly fleeing police, according to the jail and online court records.

He was released Feb. 24, two days before Hendersons death and three days before Winnebago County prosecutors filed charges against him in connection with the January fleeing incident.

Howze was arrested Feb. 28 after leading police on a car chase that ended in Menasha. He made his fist court appearance in Milwaukee on Sunday, where his attorney indicated he may not be competent to proceed.

He is due back in court March 20 to review the results of a competency examination, online court records said.

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Hendersons death comes after the homicides of Brazil Johnson, 28, and Regina Mya Allen, 35, in June and September 2022, respectively.

A 31-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with Allens death, but not in Johnson's case. A reward of $28,000 is being offered for information leading to those responsible.

According to the criminal complaint:

On Feb. 25, a person who knows Howze told police he agreed to drive him from Neenah to Milwaukee. After being dropped off, Howze then visited his mother, who saw him with a handgun, before getting picked up by someone else.

Police and fire crews were called to Hendersons apartment, on the 5300 block of North 29th Street at 9:21 a.m. the next morning. Investigators located a gasoline can in the living room and determined the cause of the fire was arson. An autopsy showed that Henderson died of gunshot wounds.

Neighbors on the same floor of the apartment building told police they thought they heard something loud, like a gunshot, around 5:30 a.m. that morning. They smelled gas two hours later, noticed smoke trickling into their home about a half-hour later and called police at 9 a.m. after knocking on Hendersons door with no answer.

Police eventually located a pole camera about two blocks from Hendersons home that captured footage of two people driving in her car towards the home at 3:44 a.m. that morning. Another surveillance camera from the rear of Hendersons apartment building showed someone walking away from the building at 8:45 a.m.

That person was wearing clothes consistent with the passenger in Hendersons car.

Police eventually spoke to the person who drove Howze from Neenah to Milwaukee. He told them he was wearing clothing similar to what was seen in video surveillance footage.

He also said that the day after the shooting, Howze showed up at the mans home with a handgun with a green laser attached to it. The man and his wife said Howze was acting strange, had a blank stare on his face and was making paranoid statements.

The man said Howze showed him a video from inside Hendersons apartment, showing her body. He said Howze told him he caught a body of a transgender person  meaning he killed her.

How to contact police

Anyone with information on the deaths of Henderson and Brazil Johnson are asked to contact Milwaukee police at 414-935-7360, or to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 414-224-Tips or by using the P3 Tips app.

How to find help

Diverse + Resilient offers trauma-informed support for the LGBTQ community statewide. To talk to an advocate, call or text the statewide warmline at 414-856-LGBT (5428).

If you or someone you know is dealing with suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or text "Hopeline" to the National Crisis Text Line at 741-741.

Contact Elliot Hughes at elliot.hughes@jrn.com or 414-704-8958. Follow him on Twitter @elliothughes12.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Neenah man charged in Milwaukee homicide of Cashay Henderson
Capt. Mike Lamb with APD's community engagement division (second from left) talks crime downtown at a Council of Independent Business Owners meeting. Other speakers, from left to right, were: Executive Director of Western Carolina Rescue Ministries Michael Woods, Assistant City Manager Ben Woody real estate broker John Carroll.

ASHEVILLE - Local leaders and community members again discussed the state of downtown, crime and Asheville's homeless population at a March 3 Council of Independent Business Owners meeting.

This is a solvable problem in Asheville, said Micheal Woods, executive director of the nonprofit Western Carolina Rescue Ministries.

Local business owners and employees are claiming that the problem is an increasingly dangerous downtown with a visible and growing population of homeless people. The problem is being exacerbated by rising rents, a short-staffed police department, a City Council that is not taking action to protect property owners and a local court system that is not holding criminals to account, community members have said.

More:'Uncomfortable, unsafe': Asheville business owners, employees demand action from council

Data from the Asheville Police Department says property crime is down 8% since March 2022, with a 32% decrease for the year to date, the Citizen Times reported March 1.

But concerns around downtown have extended beyond the last year, often tapping into a larger discussion of how the city has changed overall.

And police say that some crime is going unreported.

Asheville Police Chief David Zack discusses the nearly $2.5 million used for police overtime over two years July 13, 2022. "Between our own issues and the issues the county's having, we're paying a significant amount," said Zack.

If you point at one particular data set, from one short period of time, it doesnt tell you whats been happening overall in the city for the last five years, with violent crime and property crime," Police Chief David Zack told the Citizen Times on March 1. "There will be ebbs and flows, but again, we know there is a lot of things going unreported.

At the CIBO meeting, APD Capt. Mike Lamb, who oversees the community engagement division, encouraged business owners to be willing to prosecute and to post signage warning against trespassing, a process completed through a city form.

Asheville has a permissive environment, he said. And we need to change that culture.

Two cops downtown

Right now, downtown, we have two officers and maybe two working extra, Lamb told the crowd at CIBO. We used to have 12 officers, eight that were within our Charlie (downtown) District, and then two or three extra that would work in the evening. So, thats how much lower our numbers are.

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Recent special operations targeting shoplifting, panhandling, graffiti, break-ins and shootings have netted a lot of arrests, he said. But, with APDs understaffing, they come at a cost.

Whenever we do these operations, we have to pull officers from other parts of the city to do this, Lamb said. So, if were doing an operation downtown, that means Haw Creek doesnt have as much coverage, North Asheville doesnt have as much coverage, South Asheville, West Asheville, all these areas.

Past reporting:'Uncomfortable, unsafe': Asheville business owners, employees demand action from council

More:Asheville police offer tips to deter local business break-ins; What are they?

More:Blue Dream Curry House owner downsizes, calls for change in downtown Asheville

The department still has to prioritize emergency calls, he said.

A large share of officers who would have been working downtown left during the 2020 exodus of police officers, Lamb told the Citizen Times after the meeting.

APD spokesperson Samantha Booth said Feb. 28, the department is down 40% of sworn officers, with only 144 out of 238 sworn officers available on a daily basis.

Zack has said that police understaffing is a multifaceted issue that could take years to solve. In an interview with the Citizen Times last summer, he said that pay and benefits were major factors in an environment where the 18,000-plus agencies across the nation are all fighting for the same recruits."

At a City Council retreat hours after the March 3 CIBO meeting, Zack told council members what he believed could make a difference: making the Asheville Police Department the highest paid police force in the state.

Housing concerns

Woods, with Western Carolina Rescue Ministries, said a lack of truly affordable housing was contributing to the problem.

Micheal Woods, executive director of Western Carolina Rescue Ministries, speaks at the Buncombe hospital expansion hearing August 12, 2022.

The problem that we have isnt that we have a lack of shelter beds, and Im going to make sure that I say that out loud, he said. Because, all of a sudden, theres now a movement to produce more shelter beds. I dont have a problem with another shelter, but thats not the solution to our problem. What we have is we have people who are ready for safe, affordable housing. And let me say this: when were talking about affordable housing, Im not talking about the definition that both the city and the county uses as affordable, because that does not address the people that we serve.

A recent report from the National Alliance to End Homelessness noted that homelessness is exacerbated by the city's staggering affordable housing crisis, compounded by the impacts of the pandemic. Asheville is more expensive than 98% of other North Carolina cities and is home to the highest rents in the state.

More:For renters, Asheville area market the worst in NC, 5th worst in the US, study says

More:Asheville, Buncombe living wage shoots up to $20.10; minimum to afford 1 bedroom apt.

More:Fact checking the Asheville busing myth: Are homeless people being bused into the city?

The large majority of affordable housing in Asheville is unsafe, Woods said.

In a Sept. 27, 2022, presentation to the citys Public Safety Committee, Zack noted that  alongside downtown  Ashevilles affordable housing complexes share the bulk of violent crime.

Police are set to provide an update on crime data at the next Environment and Safety Committee meeting.

Prosecutors, police meeting more frequently

In December 2021, Zack sent Buncombe County District Attorney Todd Williams a memo outlining concerns that Williams office dismissed nearly every charged case involving criminal behavior routinely complained of by downtown businesses and residents.

The memo, which was leaked, led to discussion of Williams priorities as the countys top prosecutor.

Williams, who has been DA since 2015, ousted 24-year District Attorney Ron Moore, and has overhauled the DAs office in major ways. In February 2022, he announced an unhoused diversion program that sought to remove "barriers to safe and stable housing by reducing the number of pending nonviolent misdemeanor charges for unhoused individuals," according to a Feb. 24, 2022, news release from Williams' office.

Asked about concerns  some raised in recent meetings  that his office was not prosecuting nuisance crimes, Williams said such concerns fall on judges and magistrates.

Buncombe County District Attorney Todd Williams

Foremost, what I am hearing from victims of crime is their recognition of the inability of our public mental health, justice, and social services systems to effectively address the many causes of crime, the DA said in a March 3 email to the Citizen Times. The media appears to consistently modify that sentiment and present it as a perceived lack of prosecution, but the public in general is aware of the nuances.

What I am hearing from victims of crime is a frustration with magistrates and judges who are releasing suspects, Williams said. Magistrates and judges are the only ones in the system with the power to release suspects pre-trial and provide their rationales. The media and law-enforcement would do our community a great service if they would transparently and consistently communicate that when referencing judicial decisions to release.

The DAs office  along with judges  has been consulting more often with APD, Lamb said.

We meet on a more regular basis now, he said after the meeting. We have a gun violence group that meets on a monthly basis. And then we have both prosecutors and judges that ask us what we want to do with the charges.

In North Carolina, district attorneys set court calendars and can elect to dismiss charges. But judges and magistrates have considerable influence as well, the former able to grant pre-trial release, the latter setting initial bonds.

Data limited

Asked if there was any data showing how much property crime and violent crime is being attributed to unhoused people, Lamb said it was a work in progress.

We dont, and I think were working to get that, he said. Its hard to pull offender data, measuring homelessness, because weve got a couple different addresses that folks use.

On arrest warrants returned to the county magistrates office, unhoused people who have been charged will often be listed as living at the county jail, a shelter they were staying at or their address before they became homeless.

So, the best way for us to try to do it is to pull those offender addresses that list those common areas, Lamb said. But were still missing a percentage even when we do that.

According to 2022 point in time data, numbers of homeless people were up 21% overall  637 were experiencing homelessness in Asheville, up from 527 in 2021. The unsheltered count doubled, from 116 people in 2021 to 232 people identified as unsheltered in 2022.

More:2023 homeless point in time count: Where did you sleep last night? Why Asheville?

Other data provided by APD gives a general picture of the citys ebbs and flows over the last 10 years, though. Logging incidents that police reported, it shows that 2022 had the third least number of reported violent incidents in the decade, with 58 reports last year, a drop of 29% from the previous year.

Property crime incidents were also down in 2022, with 336 reported, down from 351 in 2021. Since 2013 there were four other years that had more of those incidents reported than last year: 2013, 2018, 2019 and 2021.

Discussions around downtown could have major policy and funding implications with city leaders already hearing residents budget asks.

Budget adoption typically happens in June. April through June represents the "decision making" phase of the process, according to a Feb. 28 presentation from Taylor Floyd, the city's budget manager.

Ryan Oehrli covers public safety, breaking news, courts and other beats for the Citizen Times. Comments? Questions? Tips? Send them to coehrli@citizentimes.com or 252-944-6816. Follow Oehrli on Twitter at @oehrli. Please support daily and enterprise journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Downtown Asheville crime concerns discussed by business owners
The meat industry is responsible for a huge percentage of carbon emissions. (Getty Images)

Three years after hearing a 50-minute talk on the environmental impact of meat, students are eating up to 11% less meat, a study has found.

According to United Nations (UN) statistics, 14.5% of greenhouse gas emissions come from animal agriculture.

Researchers in the US  from Occidental College, Claremont Graduate University and the University of California  recruited 213 students to participate in a study that began in autumn 2017.

All of the subjects attended a 50-minute talk outlining the negative environmental impacts of meat consumption, including forest clearing to create more grazing land, the massive amounts of water needed to raise livestock and the huge amounts of methane generated by meat animals.

The talk also pointed out negative health consequences of eating meat, such as an increased risk of heart disease.

Read more: Melting snow in Himalayas drives growth of green sea slime visible from space

A separate 'control' group listened to a talk unrelated to food choices.

The researchers followed up the talk by tracking meal selections made by the volunteer students in the school cafeteria over the ensuing three years.

They found that the test group ate 11% less beef, 9% less poultry and 9% less fish-based meals. They also ate 20% more vegetable-based dishes.

The World Resources Institute recently released its State of Climate Action in 2022 report, noting that if meat consumption worldwide could be slashed by an amount equal to two hamburgers per person, it would go a long way to reducing global warming.

Research last year found that 20 large livestock companies emit more greenhouse gases than Germany, Britain or France.

These large meat-processing firms still secure large investments from investment companies, pension funds and banks, the Meat Atlas Report found. The Meat Atlas was compiled by Friends of the Earth and Heinrich Boll Stiftung, a political foundation in Europe.

Read more: Why economists worry that reversing climate change is hopeless

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Between 2015 and 2020, meat and dairy companies received $478 billion from 2,500 investors, The Guardian reported.

The five biggest meat and milk producers emit the same volume of greenhouse gas as oil giant Exxon, the report warned.

Meat production has grown rapidly for decades. In the 1970s, it was just a third of current levels.

The report suggested that meat production would continue increasing, rising by 40 million tonnes by 2029 to a level of 366 million tonnes of meat a year.

The researchers wrote: "The fact that the meat industry keeps profiting through all crises while being subject to little regulation poses the question as to whom governments really listen to.

"While livestock corporations fuel the climate crisis, deforestation, pesticide use and biodiversity loss, and while they drive people off their land, they are still supported and financed by the world's most powerful banks and investors, many of them from Europe.

"Policies on the other hand  be they on animal welfare, trade or climate  include very few restrictions on this damaging industry."

Watch: Easy meat-free meals
Photo from documentary "Freedom on Fire: Ukraines Fight for Freedom" (Donbas Frontline/Andriy Dubchak)

Canadians can watch five compelling, moving and harrowing documentaries with free in-person and virtual screenings for the Human Rights Watch Canada Film Festival (March 8-12 in-person at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, and March 13-19 on Hot Docs digital platform).

The 20th anniversary of the festival, under the guidance of famed Canadian filmmakers Jennifer Baichwal and Nicholas de Pencier as festival programmers (Into The Weeds, Anthropocene: The Human Epoch), is organized in conjunction to Human Rights Watch's work to protect the human rights of people around the world. Human Rights Watch publishes more than 100 reports and briefings on human rights conditions in 90 countries.

In terms of deciding which films will be part of the festival, each documentary is vetted by Human Rights Watch to ensure that it is journalistically sound. Additionally, the topic must align with research that Human Rights Watch is conducting globally.

Human Rights Watch is deeply respected around the world for the investigative work they do," Baichwal told Yahoo Canada. "They're kind of considered the gold standard, and journalists use their research and governments and activists, so what they do as an organization is absolutely crucial."

"The films are a different point of entry into the world of Human Rights Watch, to start these conversations about the support.

Meet Co-Directors Habibate Ouarme and Jim Donovan as they are about to premiere their film, KOROMOUSSO, BIG SISTER - a beautiful film about survivors of FGM that celebrates womens sexuality and bodies. Watch it at #HRWFFLDN on 23/3 https://t.co/5XCIiYECLc pic.twitter.com/b14pxepY1W  Human Rights Watch Film Festival (@hrwfilmfestival) March 6, 2023

'It comes down to a trusted source for curation'

It's that level of curation that the festival's programmers identify as an important component of the experience, being able to showcase films from trusted, vetted sources.

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The internet paradigm has really revolutionized film distribution and not always in the favour of filmmakers, or frankly viewers, de Pencier said. The marketplace is so noisy. The importance of a festival like this,  it comes down to a trusted source for curation, so people hopefully know that they're getting the benefit of a lot of winnowing down of possible films, and that these are all going to be really strong.

There's some kind of psychological pathology that seems to think, 'Oh, if it's free, maybe it's not worth watching.' ... We're lucky enough to have the philanthropic sponsorship to offer these for free and eliminate that barrier to entry.  A lot of them are very buzzy films. They're out there in the world and they're not always easy to find and see.

The accessibility aspect of the Human Rights Watch Canada Film Festival, making the festival free, is particularly unique for this experience, which also includes a panel discussion after each screening.

The fact that people all over the country can see these films and then in every case there's either a recorded or live contextualizing discussion with filmmakers, and activists and the the Human Rights Watch analysts that work on these files, you get more depth in terms of understanding the issues, Baichwal said.

You can share the experience of people that you don't know, who are living in a completely different place than you, and you can understand it through film in a way that I think is more difficult than just reading a newspaper or watching a news clip. The depth and the extended investigation that film allows really gives us a grounding in these issues that I don't really think comes from anywhere else.

The five films part of the Human Rights Watch Canada Film Festival

Freedom on Fire: Ukraines Fight for Freedom: Toronto screening March 8 at 7:30 p.m.

Freedom on Fire: Ukraines Fight for Freedom is an unprecedented look at Ukraine following the Russian invasion, far beyond the headlines we read in Canada. The documentary from Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Evgeny Afineevsky (Winter on Fire) is filmed in over 20 Ukrainian cities, capturing first-hand stories of journalists, doctors, children, parents and volunteers fighting for survival in Ukraine. In Toronto there will be a post-screening discussion, moderated by Lisa LaFlamme, with Afineevsky, education director at the Holodomor Research and Education Consortium, Valentina Kuryliw, and Human Rights Watch crisis and conflict director Ida Sawyer.

The Ukraine conflict is just such a white hot topic and because it's in the news every day, there shouldn't be a kind of a stylization or any heavy handedness on the part of the filmmaker, de Pencier said about the film. "The storytelling is very direct in a film like that.

Freedom on Fire is a very well produced film, Baichwal added. People shared footage and the filmmaker Evgeny Afineevsky has re-edited the ending because the war is still going on.

Koromousso, Big Sister: Toronto screening March 9 at 7:00 p.m.

Canada-based co-directors Habibata Ouarme and Jim Donovan introduce us to a group of African-Canadian women who are challenging taboos of women's sexuality, addressing the lifelong effects of female genital mutilation (FGM). Koromousso, Big Sister also educates on the need for wider access to restorative surgery. A post-screening discussion will occur, moderated by deputy womens rights director at Human Rights Watch, Regina Tames, featuring panelists include filmmakers Ouarme and Donovan, and OBGYN and advocate for those affected by FGM, Dr. Angela Deane.

Imagine how difficult it is to make a film about female genital mutilation and to do it in a way that is warm, funny, uplifting, Baichwal said. That's what that film is.

I think that is really incredible in terms of challenging a cultural stereotype surrounding female sexuality and taboos. ... Seeing these women taking their bodies back is incredible.

(Courtesy of TIFF)

The Grab: Toronto screening March 10 at 7:00 p.m.

Famed filmmaker Gabriela Cowperthwaite (Blackfish), along with investigative journalist Nathan Halverson, reveal governments, private investors and mercenaries who are quietly are working to seize food and water resources across the world. The Toronto screening of The Grab will include a conversation with Cowperthwaite, Nicholas de Pencier and Jennifer Baichwal.

The Grab really draws attention to an issue of resource grabs and people, countries buying up land in other countries for resources, sometimes under the radar, and that's a very investigative film, Baichwal said.

Uyra: The Rising Forest: Toronto screening March 11 at 7:00 p.m.

A trans Indigenous artist travels through the Amazon and through performance art, teaches Indigenous youth that they are "the guardians of ancestral messages of the Amazon Forest." In a country that kills trans, Indigenous and environmentalist youth, Uyra's performances are a metaphor where the ecological cycle mirrors social struggles. A post-screening discussion will be moderated by Rasha Younes, senior LGBT researcher at Human Rights Watch.

Uyra: The Rising Forest, it's almost like a performance piece, Baichwal said. It's like being at a dance performance, but it's very, very beautiful.

No U-Turn from filmmaker Ike Nnaebue

No U-Turn: Toronto screening March 12 at 1:00 p.m.

Filmmaker Ike Nnaebue left Nigeria and through Benin, Mali, and Mauritania, arrived in Morocco where he was forced to turn back. In Nnaebue's first documentary he retraces that journey he made over 20 years ago. There will be a Zoom panel discussion with Nnaebue, and former child soldier and public speaker Michel Chikwanine, moderated by host of the CBC podcast Nothing is Foreign, Tamara Khandaker.

No U-Turn is a personal meditation on refugees from someone who was a refugee themselves, and went back, Baichwal said. There's this heartbreaking line where he talks about, why do we all feel, who are on the continent of Africa, that we have to leave it in order to have fulfilling lives, when this continent is so rich in resources and culture.

You hear the dreams of these people, all they want to do is reach Europe as though ... all their troubles are going to go away. It's just this kind of heartbreaking, but also beautiful character study of people who are looking for something better.
Photo: Getty (Getty Images)

Update March 7, 2023: Lewis-Clark State College also censored art from the exhibits curator Katrina Majkuta cross stitch of abortion pills with a label that explained the efficacy and use statistics for the pills. A banned letter from Michelle Hartney makes for a total of six works excluded. I did try to have some alternative stand-in, such as a curtain placed over the work or a sign that said Artwork has been removed in accordance with law, but that was all rejected too. Majkut told The Guardian. Censorship of art is never OK. I see this as censorship of art, as well as suppression of academic learning.

Original story from March 6, 2023, follows:

Read more

A college in Idaho reportedly pulled artwork from an on-campus exhibit because it was about abortion, disingenuously citing a 2021 state law that bans public funding from being used to promote abortion in any way.

Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston opened an exhibition titled Unconditional Care at its Center for Arts & History on Friday. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, an exhibit curator invited New York-based artist Lydia Nobles to display work from her abortion-related series titled As I Sit Waiting. Nobles writes on her site that she collected narratives of peoples experiences with abortion access or lack thereof to create a sculpture in honor of them, and she was set to display three videos and one audio recording of her interviews.

The ACLU said the curator viewed and vetted the works and was discussing installation with Nobles. But then a few days before the opening, the school informed Nobles that her work would no longer be in the exhibit because of the schools interpretation of the state No Public Funds for Abortion Act (NPFAA), passed in 2021.

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When reached for comment, a spokesperson for Lewis-Clark State College told Jezebel that After obtaining legal advice, per Idaho Code Section 18-8705, some of the proposed exhibits could not be included in the exhibition. Thats the NPFAA.

The ACLU, the ACLU of Idaho, and the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) sent a letter to the school on Friday condemning the move and urging the school to show the works. Scarlet Kim, a staff attorney with the ACLU Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project said in a statement, This decision silences their voices and deprives the public of a critical opportunity to engage in a broader conversation about these important topics. It jeopardizes a bedrock First Amendment principle that the state refrain from interfering with expressive activity because it disagrees with a particular point of view.

Nobles told Jezebel in a statement that As I Sit Waiting shares diverse experiences around reproductive rights and pregnancy. I seek to bring real life accounts to the forefront to foster empathy and listening. My work critiques the systems and structures that make talking about these everyday healthcare topics stigmatizing or unsafe. These kinds of critical conversations are especially important in learning institutions where students are formulating their worldviews based on their identities and experiences.

This isnt the first time Idaho schools have made news for their overly cautious interpretation of the NPFAA. In September, lawyers for both Boise State University and the University of Idaho cited the law when they instructed staff not to refer students for abortion or emergency contraception, while IU went further to ban referrals for birth controlincluding condoms.

The art exhibit news comes amid a broader crackdown on abortion-related speech. Last week, lawmakers in Texas and Iowa introduced bills that would ban internet service providers from hosting web sites that provide information about abortion pills.



We await an impassioned defense from the free speech brigade. *Taps earpiece* Whats thatoh, they only care about freedom to espouse conservative views? Noted.

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(Photo: HHS)

WASHINGTON  The Indian Health Service has appointed Stacey Ecoffey, a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, as its new deputy director for intergovernmental affairs. The new director steps in for Dr. Rose Weahkee, who took over as acting deputy director for intergovernmental affairs in May 2022, and now returns to directing the Office of Urban Indian Health Programs.

Ecoffey joins IHS after a 15-year career at the Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs under the Department of Health and Human Services, where she oversaw tribal consultations, the development of the Health Secretarys Tribal Advisory Committee, and communication with tribal leaders and governments.

Ecoffeys work with HHS earned her several awards, including a National Impact Award from the National Indian Health Board in 2014, and the HHS Secretarys Award for Distinguished Service in 2015 - the departments highest such honor. Prior to her work with HHS, Ecoffey earned a Bachelor of Arts from Colorado State University and a masters degree in social work from Boston College.

IHS Director Roselyn Tso praised Ecoffeys consistent advocacy for Indian Country.

One of my top priorities is to strengthen our relationships with tribes and tribal and urban Indian organizations, Tso said in a statement. Stacey brings a wealth of experience, and we are excited to welcome her to the IHS team.

In her new position at the Indian Health Service, Ecoffey will provide leadership on tribal and urban Indian Health activities by overseeing the Office of Tribal Self-Governance, Office of Direct Service and Contracting Tribes, and the Office of Urban Indian Health Programs, according to an IHS statement.

Ecoffey will also assist with Congressional interaction, per an IHS statement. Ecoffey said her prior work in connecting and communicating with tribes will help her in her new position.

"I am excited for this opportunity to continue working with tribal nations to improve the lives of American Indian and Alaska Native people," Ecoffey said in a statement. "The experience that I received while working at HHS and with tribal leaders has positioned me to contribute to the critical mission of the Indian Health Service to improve the health status of our people. I am happy and excited to be part of the IHS team.

About the Author: "Chesley Oxendine (Lumbee-Cheraw) is an Oklahoma-based reporter for Native News Online and its sister publication, Tribal Business News. His journalism has been featured in the Fort Gibson Times, Muskogee Phoenix, Native Oklahoma Magazine, and elsewhere. \r

"

Contact: ChezOxendine@idonthaveit.com
Luis Alvarez/Getty Images

I'm terrified of going to the dentist, and to even handle simple procedures, I need to be sedated.

I'd rather put up with toothache than visit the dentist.

The American Dental Association says people should discuss levels of sedation with their dentist.

Squirming, I stretch out my palm to the dental assistant who's standing next to the dentist's chair.

My eyes are shut tightly, but I can sense his presence. It's reassuring. "She wants you to hold her hand," the dentist tells him. I think to myself, "If I die, at least I'll die holding the hand of another human."

I have dentophobia. I even get palpitations before a teeth cleaning. Numbing gel and lidocaine shots do nothing for my state of mind. I'm a hostage with no control.

But the edge is taken off because I'm sedated  every time. It takes about an hour to get to my dentist's office, but I'd drive 200 miles to see a dentist who has nitrous oxide, sometimes known as laughing gas, in stock.

A former dentist prescribed Valium to help me relax before she gave me the nitrous. She called one morning on the day of my appointment and said the office was out of nitrous; she didn't know when the next shipment of tanks was due. I canceled and never went back.

A dental expert says the benefits of sedation outweigh the risks

In the past, I've put up with toothaches for weeks to avoid going to the dentist. I've tried DIY dentistry, dabbing the area with clove oil. But the pain will get so bad that I'll need treatment.

I yearn to have nitrous before X-rays. Bitewings  virtually impossible to bite down on in the right position  make me gag.

Dr. Anthony Caputo, a representative for the American Dental Association, said the benefits of nitrous oxide  and IV medications that serve the same purpose  far outweigh the risks.

He said that as long as a qualified surgeon adheres to administrative guidelines, it's "next to impossible that you'll ever have a significant adverse event occur."

Caputo said dentists, who need a license and a permit to use anesthesia, carefully titrate the dose, which he said should "alter the patient's sense of consciousness from a perspective of being comfortable."

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"We talk about minimal sedation, which is just where you would be comfortable and relaxed but you and I could have a conversation, you can respond, you can do things that I ask you to do such as open your mouth, turn your head, that sort of thing," he said.

He said that phobics like me might require moderate sedation, which "takes you a little bit more beyond that comfort and relaxed state, but you're still responsive."

He said that typically a patient who's dreaming, hallucinating, or giggling can indicate oversedation. But he added that that "doesn't mean you're in danger, as it is a pretty weak drug."

Dental insurance doesn't always cover sedatives such as nitrous oxide

Fortunately, my dental insurance covers a percentage of the cost of my nitrous. My usual copay is $125.

But Caputo said some insurance companies won't cover it. "There's no necessary rhyme or reason other than whatever their rules are in terms of services that are covered," he said.

Meanwhile, he advised patients  whether they're sedated or not  to bring whatever "comfort device" they prefer to the dental office. "They might want to listen to music, watch a movie, or have something in their hands that they can hold on to or squeeze," Caputo said.

He said he once treated a patient who wanted to look at her picture of Elvis during her procedure. "I found an appropriate place for it, she was satisfied, and we went forward," he said.

I'm taking a page out of the woman's book: I'm dating myself here, but for my next teeth cleaning I'll be clutching a framed photo of George Clooney as Dr. Ross in "ER."

Read the original article on Insider
We are in another offseason weekend. That means it is time to take a look around the NFC West to check in on the Arizona Cardinals division rivals.

What has happened with the Seattle Seahawks?

Below are a few stories from the last week for Arizona Cardinals fans to know.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wires Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

Seahawks add pass rushing specialist to staff

The Seahawks are adding a member to Pete Carrolls staff. They are bringing on Michigan State assistant Brandon Jordan to be a pass rush specialist.

Seahawks' 2022 draft class honored

Seattles draft class in 2022 was very impactful with many contributing and succeeding as rookies.

As a result, the Seahawks were honored with the 2022 Best Draft award.

TE Will Dissly expected back in time for training camp

Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Dissly has been injured a lot in his career and his latest injury is a rare one to his knee. However, the Seahawks expect him to be ready for training camp in the summer.

Seahawks want Bobby Wagner to return

Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

The Seahawks released Wagner last offseason. He signed a five-year deal with the Rams. However, Wagner will be on the open market again. Seattle is keenly interested in bringing Wagner back.

LB Jordyn Brooks' ACL recovery will be a while

Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Brooks suffered a torn ACL last season Pete Carroll gave updates. He said that Brooks return would be a while.

Story originally appeared on Cards Wire
Residents of some California mountain towns are bracing to be stranded for at least another week after record snowfall.

Repeat blizzards caused by a late-winter arctic blast have left high-elevation communities in the San Bernardino Mountains east of Los Angeles, buried under as much as 10 feet of snow.

The area is under a state of emergency with highways leading into the mountains closed for more than a week so far, only opening intermittently to allow in food and essential supply trucks.

In the small town of Crestline, resident pleaded for help in social media posts accompanied by photos of snow piled up to the rooflines of homes, collapsed buildings and downed power lines.

Some residents trekked out to carve HELP US!! in block letters in the snow, which was captured by a passing ABC7 news helicopter.

The roof of Crestlines only grocery store, Goodwin & Sons Market, had collapsed under the weight of snow. The tire shop and local yacht club buildings have also collapsed, according to locals.

A woman who answered the phone at The Crestline Cafe told The Independent on Monday that she was unable to speak as the building was being evacuated due to a reported gas leak.

One Crestline resident, David Allen Burns, wrote on Facebook that the overall damage on my street is staggering.

He wrote: All of us did not have power or heat or internet for 5 days this past week. Several residents are over 70 years old and without family living up here -- it is hard to explain. I feel so strongly about helping these people particularly.

It is a harsh truth. They cant shovel the massive amount of snow or navigate monumental ice berms. Their cars are buried in solid blocks of ice from Southern California Edison burying driveways to create access to repair damaged power poles and power lines. Old growth pine and cedar and oak trees have fallen on some homes.

DESPERATE FOR HELP: AIR7 HD flew over the Lake Gregory area of Crestline and captured a large message written out in the snow that read "HELP US!!" as many are still struggling with the impact of this weeks massive snowstorm. https://t.co/NgIDa6iK3T pic.twitter.com/7sUCIjqoeP  ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) March 4, 2023

These people were mostly overlooked by the search and rescue teams. Most of these houses do not have phone or internet at this time - lines are knocked down for many properties and will not be replaced until further notice.

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Sharing pictures of badly damaged homes, he added: These series of extreme storms, became a crisis for all of us, but it is so much harder for elders and/or people with mobility issues in the community who do not have the ability to fix the problems themselves.

Another resident, Cierra Lavarias, wrote that she was thankful for the men and women running plows, distributing food and conducting search and rescue missions for our community.

But she added: But Im not sure people are really understanding the dire situation that is happening here.

Day 12 of being stranded in Crestline. We are okay, we have enough food for a few more days and we finally got power back to our house late last night, thank God. Our only grocery store has collapsed, along with our post office and hardware store. Not to mention countless residential homes and small businesses. We decided to take a walk today around our neighborhood and saw just that. I know weve heard that more resources are here now due to the state of emergency being declared (army, national guard. etc.) but honestly the majority of people are not seeing the help especially with their neighborhood roads. They cant walk to any food distribution point even if they wanted to.

Theres a county hotline but when you call its continuously busy or no one answers. Ive heard mothers have been forced to give birth in their homes because they cannot get out or get medical attention, there have been casualties, the majority of mobile homes here have been compromised and collapsed- animals are starving and dehydrated from being left in their homes for 12+ days because owners are stuck down the mountain and cannot get up because they cant seem to get the roads plowed. (I understand more vehicles are a hazard to plows).

A man walks past a damaged tire shop in Crestline, Calif., Friday, March 3, 2023, following a huge snowfall that buried homes and businesses. (Watchara Phomicinda/The Orange County Register via AP) ( The Riverside Press-Enterprise)

She added: We knew this was going to be a significant weather event days in advance- where is the planning? Continuity? This is an epic failure of our local government. Good thing is, us mountain folk are strong and will continue to take care of each other. I will make sure my neighbors and their animals are fed and warm no matter what I have to do.

I am not one to get political but I am outrageously mad and unbelievably disappointed at how this has been handled. This is not a joke.

About 80,000 people live in the San Bernardino mountains, either part or full-time. However its not clear exactly how many people are in the area currently because many residences are vacation homes or rentals, The Associated Press noted.

Some elderly and vulnerable people had been evacuated using snowcats and two shelters were set up in San Bernardino County.

Emergency crews continue to remove snow and debris from major roads, public officials reported, amid reports of avalanches. But in local streets, snowplows were struggling to deal with the volume and residents were being advised to somehow mark the locations of cars to stop machinery crashing into them underneath snow heaps.

Emergency services were also battling through heavy drifts to respond to gas leaks and storm-related fires. Two house explosions were reported in the San Bernardino mountain towns of Rimforest and Lake Arrowhead, and believed to have been caused by the extreme conditions.

Fire departments asked residents to dig out hydrants where possible to save them hunting around in the snow in the midst of an emergency.

San Bernardino County Sheriffs Office reported on Monday that hundreds of firefighters, contractors, sheriff deputies and transportation workers were heading into the mountains to help communities.

But respite for stranded residents might still be around a week away, San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said on Friday.

Weve said we could push it out as far as two weeks but because of the states efforts and the equipment thats coming in behind us were hoping to drop that down to a week, he told a press conference.

San Bernardino Mountain residents line up for a chance to get food at a tent in front of the Goodwin & Son's Market in Crestline on Friday ( The Riverside Press-Enterprise)

The severe California snowstorms led Governor Gavin Newsom to declare an emergency in 13 counties.

In Mono City, a small community on the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada, power was finally restored on Sunday, according to a Facebook post from the Mono County Sheriffs Office.

But the post added: Now for the not so good news: its snowing sideways. Again. Whiteout conditions. 395 is closed north of 203. Heres a good choice you could make: stay off the roads.

On Monday, the worst power outages were in parts of northern California to the east of Sacramento. More than 6,000 customers were without power in Sierra and Nevada counties on Monday, according to utility tracker poweroutage.us.

And yet more treacherous conditions were being forecast. A much warmer storm system will impact central California from Thursday night through Saturday, resulting in rain across the Sierra Nevada foothills and below 8,000 feet.

The majority of this precipitation will fall on Friday and Friday night, the National Weather Service warned, and flooding is possible.

But the snowstorms and potential for more precipitation had one advantage for California  it made a dent in the states ongoing drought. Around half of the state is no longer in a state of drought, the US government monitor reported this week, but lack of groundwater will remain a problem.
Kirill Bichutsky/Netflix

For months after last years Oscars, it seemed all anyone could talk about was the Slapwhen Will Smith stormed onto the stage and slapped host Chris Rock for a tasteless joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. For the first 60 minutes of his new stand-up special, Selective Outrage, Rock manages to avoid mentioning the couple, the incident, or the discussions that emerged afterward. Even so, viewers know whats coming.

Yall know what happened to me, getting smacked by Suge Smith, Rock says near the end of the special. Everybody fucking knows.

Chris Rock Finally Hits Back at Bitch-Ass Will Smith in First-Ever Live Netflix Special

Rock seems to resent at least the narrative that emerged post-slap. At the time, some social media users and culture writers argued that Rocks joke was a textbook example of misogynoir, a specific kind of contempt reserved for Black women. On a national stage, the comedian, who once produced a documentary about Black womens relationship with their hair, compared Pinkett Smith to the character G.I. Jane because of her hairin spite of her well-documented struggle with alopecia, a condition that affects hair growth. (Rock has said he was not aware of Pinkett Smiths alopecia at the time.)

His choice of words to sum up what happened at last years Oscars is telling: Nobodys picking on this bitch, Rock says in the special. She started this shit.

Rock is referring to the Oscars ceremony in 2016, when Pinkett Smith urged him to boycott the event after multiple Black-led films, including the Smith vehicle Concussion, did not receive a nomination. (This was the same year that #OscarsSoWhite went viral.) She said, me, a grown-ass man, should quit his job [as 2016 Oscars host] because her husband didn't get nominated for Concussion, Rock says, incredulous. Then he gave me a concussion!

Those whove been keeping track of this beef for a while know that Rock made sure to ridicule Pinkett Smith during the 2016 ceremony as well. Jadas gonna boycott the Oscars? he said on stage then. Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihannas panties. I wasnt invited!

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Masculinity feels like a dominant theme of the final section of Rocks special. The comedian emotionally relives the year-old slap on stage, while insisting that in spite of his palpable upset, Im not a victim, baby.  You will never see me on Oprah or Gayle crying.  I took that hit like [boxer Manny] Pacquiao. Before long, we arrive at his thesis, which doubles as the specials title: Will Smith practices selective outrage, Rock argues, ... because everybody knows what the fuck happened. Everybody that really knows, knows I had nothing to do with that shit. I didnt have any entanglements.

As anyone who went online in the summer of 2020 likely knows, Rock is referring to the Smiths discussion of Pinkett Smiths extra-marital activities with musician August Alsina. The revelation, fueled by mounting social media gossip, was ultimately discussed by the couple during a candid, extremely viral episode of Pinkett Smiths Facebook Watch series, Red Table Talk. While Pinkett Smith called her time with Alsina an entanglement, Rock chooses crasser terms, saying that Pinkett Smith was fucking her sons friend. Never mind that the couple has openly explained that their relationship is non-monogamous, or that Rock also openly boasts about his preference for dating younger women during the same special. As he puts it, I didnt get rich and stay in shape to talk to Anita Baker. Im trying to fuck Doja Cat.

Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith Address Those August Alsina Rumors on Red Table Talk

In a 2021 GQ profile, Smith said that at one point during his and Pinkett Smiths marriage, they chose to become non-monogamous. We have given each other trust and freedom, with the belief that everybody has to find their own way, Smith said. And marriage for us cant be a prison. And I dont suggest our road for anybody.  But the experiences that the freedoms that weve given one another and the unconditional support, to me, is the highest definition of love.

Rock seems to reject the idea that Smith entered into this arrangement willingly, implying instead that Pinkett Smith humiliated her husband with her infidelity. His summation? She hurt him way more than he hurt me.

Rocks special might succeed in reminding Hollywood that its mad at Smith for disrupting its sense of propriety, but its also garnered some negative attention. April Reign, who created the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite in 2015the year Concussion was among the Black-led films excluded from the awardsnoted on Twitter that, although Rock does not mention Pinkett Smith by name, he did call her a b*tch, and that seems just as bad, if not worse. TO ME. Other critics chimed in to voice their disapproval of the Rocks act.

its wild how unfunny and boring this is since we know will and jada are in an open relationship and who cares https://t.co/sUpGx9qWmL  ashley ray (@theashleyray) March 6, 2023

So glad ppl tuned in to Chris Rock address the slap after an entire year, only to have landed back at.... "It was all Jada's fault"   Olivia Truffaut-Wong (@iWatchiAm) March 5, 2023

I kept waiting for the funny stuff but after the Will and Jada Smith explanation it got a bit tiring listening to him whine about being too little to be picked on and bashing women to fill his allotted time. Oh well same s**t different day.  Stella Parton (@StellaParton) March 6, 2023

Misogynoir in comedy is Chris Rock joking that Black people don't fight in front of white people while proceeding to call a Black woman a bitch in front of white people after being slapped for disrespecting a Black woman's hair in front of white people at another event.



Sure.  Ernest Owens (@MrErnestOwens) March 5, 2023

It is curious that even after being slapped on live television, Rock cannot pass up an opportunity to needle Pinkett Smithwho did not lift a finger that night. Smith made his intentions clear as he sat down post-slap that night, yelling at Rock to keep my wifes name out of your fucking mouth. In Rocks estimation, it appears that Pinkett Smith deserves not only the jokes at her expense but also the blame for her husbands actions. Shes cuckolded Smith, Rock implies, and rather than assert his dominance, Smith relentedand chose to rough him up instead.

Everybody in the world called him a bitch, Rock says of Smith, toward the specials end. I tried to call the motherfucker and give him my condolences. He didnt pick up for me. Everybody called that man a bitch  and who does he hit? Me.  That is some bitch-ass shit.

One could make that argument. Then again, one could also say the same thing about hashing out extremely stale gossip in a stand-up special.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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[Source]

Chinese authorities have launched an investigation into a videoed attack on a man suspected of abusing his adopted cats to death and sharing the act on social media.

The incident occurred on Feb. 25 when a group of six individuals surrounded the alleged animal abuser, only identified by his surname Lee, at a commercial plaza after being tipped off by an overseas individual.

After hurling insults at the man, the group reportedly took him to a different location, where they kicked him, made him slap himself in the face and then forced him to confess to the act. They also allegedly smeared feces on his face and forced him to ingest it.

While the group did not specify the origin of the feces, a Weibo user claimed that it was human waste.

More from NextShark: KFC China forced to sell chicken feet due to inflation

A video of the violent act was shared and widely circulated on Chinese social media. Lee reportedly admits to killing five cats in the video.

Warning: The video below contains graphic content. Viewer discretion is advised.



Lee, who works at an office in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, was reportedly identified by an unnamed individual who had seen his videos, in which he allegedly abuses the adopted cats, resulting in some of the animals deaths.

More from NextShark: Police arrest 2 suspects, search for others in murder of Uber driver Kon Fung in Oakland's Little Saigon

After learning that the man was purportedly planning to adopt another kitten, the unidentified overseas individual immediately notified cat lovers across China, which led to them hunting Lee.

In a statement on Tuesday, a joint investigation team from the Wuzhong District police said they launched an investigation into the case.

Besides Lee, the authorities said those who were involved in the incident would be dealt with accordingly.

More from NextShark: Assault on 51-year-old woman in New York sparks PH consulate call for Filipinos to report hate crimes

Although it was unclear who the assailants were, some Chinese social media users have speculated that they are part of the Suzhou Small Animal Protection Volunteers Association (SSAPA).

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The organization, however, quickly dispelled the rumors online. Speaking to Hong Xing Xin Wen, an SSAPA spokesperson denied their groups involvement in the incident. The SSAPA also posted on Weibo, saying that they would never do something that extreme.

More from NextShark: Tracy Morgan Helps Chinese Restaurant in NYC by Ordering Food for 20 People
Investigators took pictures of the crime scene and dusted it for fingerprints. They were looking for clues in the murder of a man that happened in the middle of the day.

Boston 25 News spoke with two sisters who live nearby and were too scared to show their faces.

We just looked out and it was just crazy, said one woman.

Around 3:30 Saturday afternoon, police received a call that a person was shot. The victim was at an apartment on Weaver Way, about a quarter of a mile from Roxburys Jackson square. When officers arrived, the man was already dead.

We havent had anything like this its pretty major, said one woman.

The sisters say they didnt hear any arguing or gunshots. They are also not familiar with who lives at the apartment. They both said they are concerned about safety.

I am. I dont know how someone gets killed in their own home. Its scary.

This is the 8th homicide in Boston this year, seven were from gunshots and one was a stabbing.

Mayor Michelle Wu released a statement saying in part: nothing else matters in our city if people dont feel safe and welcome in their homes and their communities. We will not stop until violence is eradicated in our city.

The sisters said felt safe until now.

Sometimes we leave our doors open and unlocked, but we dont feel safe.

Boston police have yet to release the identification of the victim or news of an arrest.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
An investigation is underway after two United Airlines planes made contact with one another on the tarmac at Bostons Logan International Airport on Monday morning, just days after a pair of other planes came close to colliding, officials said.

A United flight departing for Newark clipped another United flight that was set to depart for Denver as it was pushed back from the gate, according to the Massachusetts Port Authority and the Federal Aviation Administration.

In a statement, the FAA said, As a tow tug was pushing it back from the gate at Boston Logan International Airport, the right wing of United Airlines Flight 515 struck the tail of United Airlines Flight 267 around 8:30 a.m. local time this morning. Both aircraft were Boeing 737s that were scheduled for departure. The FAA will investigate.

A United spokesperson said passengers were removed from both planes and that arrangements were made to get them to their destinations on a different aircraft.

There were no reported injuries.

The incident comes after a JetBlue pilot last week was forced to take evasive action to avoid a collision with a private jet on Logans airfield.

Investigators said a Learjet 60 took off without clearance just as the JetBlue flight was trying to land on an intersecting runway.

Passengers on that JetBlue flight from Nashville to Boston were pretty shaken up after such a close call.

FAA: JetBlue pilot took evasive action to avoid potential collision with Learjet at Logan Airport

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
Investigators have identified three members of the Russian military who were allegedly involved in the shooting of Ukrainian civilians trying to escape Irpin in March 2022, according to Ivan Dulkai, senior investigator from the Main Investigative Department of the National Police.

They include the commander of the reconnaissance platoon of the 173rd separate reconnaissance battalion, and two soldiers from the 137th Guards Parachute Regiment of the 106th Guards Airborne Division.

Police have established that between March 5-6, 2022, the Russian military shot at 10 vehicles on Oleha Koshevoho and Nezalezhnosti streets. As a result of the attacks, nine people trying to evacuate were killed and 12 more were injured.

According to Dulkai, Russian soldiers threw a grenade into the first car of the evacuation convoy, which included a family with a 1.5-year-old child. The driver died on the spot and the front-seat passenger later succumbed to his injuries. The woman with her child survived.

Russian soldiers continued to shoot at other vehicles in the convoy despite them not posing any threat. They then took the survivors and held them for several hours in a captured house, but "they did not allow anyone to take away the severely wounded who were lying on the ground and slowly dying, nor did they allow the bodies of the dead to be taken away," according to Dulkai.

The police conducted their investigation by collecting survivor testimonies to gain a better understanding of what happened at the start of the full-scale Russian invasion.

"The main task of law enforcement officers is to identify war criminals and bring them to justice both in Ukrainian and international courts," said Dulkai.
Lithium mining in Chile.



Lithium is extracted from the Chilean salt flats. Chile is home to one of the largest lithium reserves in the world.

The Iranian government claimed last week to have discovered a massive deposit of lithium, positioning itself as a major player in the global race for the metal used in cell phones, laptops, and electric vehicles.

Mohammad Hadi Ahmadi, an official at Irans ministry of industry, mines, and trade, confirmed the discovery on Iranian state television, according to CNBC.



For the first time in Iran, a lithium reserve has been discovered in Hamedan, a province in the countrys west, Ahmadi said, adding that his ministry believes the deposit holds approximately 8.5 million tons of lithium.

Read more

If that number is accurate, it would mean Iran now holds the largest lithium reserves outside of South America. Last years US Geological Survey estimated the total lithium reserves in the world at roughly 89 million tons, meaning this discovery could amount to nearly a tenth of the worlds lithium.

The price of lithium has surged in recent years, largely spurred by ambitious emissions goals by countries in Europe and North America creating an increased demand for electric vehicles, which use lithium batteries. A McKinsey study from last year reported a 550% annual increase in the price of the metal.



Thomas Chandler, the principal lithium analyst at SFA Oxford, described the scope of Irans discovery. The key questions are exactly how high grade it is and how economical it might be to mine, Chandler said. So, there are lots of caveats to these large numbers that are put out there, but, by itself, a resource of that size is a significant amount.

What countries have the worlds largest lithium reserves?

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What Irans discovery means for western sanctions

Shortly after Iran announced its discovery, the Russian state-owned media outlet Sputnik ran a story saying the lithium reserves had rendered western sanctions worthless, spinning the news as a victory for the Islamic country that has been economically isolated by sanctions.



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As the global community increasingly isolates Moscow, the Russian government has played up its relationship with Iran, which has supplied the Russian army with drones and other military technology. While American and European leaders have condemned Irans support of Russias invasion of Ukraine, there is little more they can add to the extreme sanctions already placed on Iran.



With demand for lithium set to increase with the proliferation of electric vehicles, especially in European countries with net-zero emissions goals, the discovery of these reserves could certainly give Iran an economic boost, as well as a possible bargaining chip.

Why lithium in Iran is good news for China

Another one of Irans few remaining economic allies, China has been aggressive in finding new sources of lithium for its rapidly growing battery industry. Home to the worlds largest electric vehicle market, China has invested heavily in ramping up lithium production in new markets, including a recent billion-dollar investment in a state-run lithium refinery in Bolivia.

And, China has close economic ties to Iran, becoming the primary purchaser of the countrys oil after former US President Donald Trump reintroduced aggressive sanctions against Iran in 2020. As the only remaining trade partner capable of large-scale lithium refinement that still does business with Iran, China would likely benefit from any newfound reserves in Iran.

Additionally, Iran would likely need to rely on Chinese investment to extract and refine any lithium, if the countrys first-ever discovery of lithium proves viable. According to Chandler, Iran does not have adequate resources to handle a deposit of this size.



It certainly would be a lot more suited to Chinese investment and exploration, Chandler said. [Iran] would ideally want Chinese companies to come in and do quite a lot of the work.



Related stories

 Chinas lithium crackdown could roil global markets for the critical metal

 The world needs lithium more than ever, and Latin America knows it

 India has found a major deposit of lithium, suddenly making it a major player in batteries and EVs

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BRUSSELS/DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran said on Monday that it was open to a prisoner swap with Belgium after the latter's Constitutional Court upheld an exchange treaty in a case that could see a convicted Iranian diplomat switched for a jailed Belgian aid worker.

Aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele was arrested on a visit to Iran in February 2022 and sentenced in January to 40 years in prison and 74 lashes on charges including spying.

Brussels called that retribution for a 20-year jail term given to Iranian diplomat Assadollah Assadi in 2021 over a foiled bomb plot in the first trial of an Iranian official for suspected terrorism in Europe since Iran's 1979 revolution.

An Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson said the way was now open to execute the prisoner exchange pact. "With the recent development, we hope to see an opening in connection with the case of this diplomat," the spokesperson said.

Belgian lawmakers cleared the treaty in July but it was held up by legal challenges from an exiled Iranian opposition group.

(Reporting by Benoit Vanoverstraeten, Charlotte Van Campenhout, additional reporting by Elwely Elwelly in Dubai; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
poisoning Iran - JAGADEESH NV/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Any culprit found responsible for poisonings at girls schools will face the death penalty, Irans supreme leader said amid growing public concern over the unexplained sickening of hundreds of students.

If the poisoning of students is proven, those behind this crime should be sentenced to capital punishment and there will be no amnesty for them," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.

It was the first time the 83-year-old leader had spoken publicly about the spate of reported incidents that started last November affecting thousands of schoolgirls. At dozens of schools, girls have reported breathlessness, nausea, tingling extremities and even partial paralysis, sometimes after smelling a strange odour. Nearly all of those affected have quickly recovered.

The countrys officials must earnestly investigate the matter of the poisoning of students. This is a huge crime which is unforgiveable. If the poisoning of students is proven, the perpetrators of this crime must be given the maximum punishment without pardon.  Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) March 6, 2023

The unexplained incidents have occurred amid a security crackdown in which young girls have been targeted for their role in leading nationwide anti-government protests, leading some regime critics to conclude that security forces of the Islamic republic could be covertly attacking girls schools.

But some observers have suggested that a mass psychogenic illness  sometimes known as mass hysteria  caused by an atmosphere of stress and fear could explain the suspected poisonings.

The students appeared to have been deliberately targeted though, according to Ayatollah Khamenei.

Some people are undoubtedly involved in this crime, he said.

The countrys officials must earnestly investigate the matter of the poisoning of students. This is a huge crime, which is unforgivable, he added.

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Iran's Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi said over the weekend that suspicious samples had been gathered by investigators, without elaborating. He called on the public to remain calm and accused unnamed enemies of inciting fear to undermine the Islamic Republic.

A string of similar incidents in neighbouring Afghanistan  where unlike in Iran there is a history of opposition to womens education  was never proven to have been caused by poisoning, with the World Health Organization suggesting in 2012 that it appeared to be a mass psychogenic illness.
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP)  Israeli lawmakers advanced a bill on Monday that could allow Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to keep a $270,000 donation he received from a relative to pay for his legal fees as he battles corruption charges.

Netanyahu is on trial for charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in a series of scandals involving wealthy associates and powerful media moguls. He denies wrongdoing and says the accusations are part of a witch hunt orchestrated by a biased media, law enforcement and justice system.

The bill is part of a proposed overhaul of Israels legal system by Netanyahus new government. For over two months, the plan has drawn fierce protests in Israel, the largest seen in years.

Last year, Israels high court ordered Netanyahu to pay back the $270,000 given by a late cousin to cover the legal expenses for him and his wife. Aside from the protracted corruption trial, the Netanyahus have had to contend with fees surrounding a number of defamation suits both brought by them and against them.

Netanyahu and his wife Sara have earned a reputation for enjoying lavish lifestyles, both at the taxpayers' expense and thanks to other people's largesse. In one of the affairs Netanyahu is charged in, he is suspected of receiving boxes of cigars and champagne, as well as expensive jewelry for his wife, from the Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan.

Netanyahu has long been saddled with an image of a being a cigar-smoking, cognac-swilling socialite. Together with his wife, he is seen by many Israelis as being out of touch with their day-to-day struggles. A recent parliamentary committee decision to approve new funding for the family' s private residences in an exclusive seaside town and in Jerusalem, as well as an increase in spending on clothing expenses, only helped cement that feeling.

Monday's bill, which passed 53-49, came a day after a ministerial committee also approved it. The bill still must overcome several votes before becoming law. But with Netanyahu's government a majority in parliament, it is likely to be approved.

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The bill would allow public officials accept donations for legal or medical bills, despite vocal objection by the countrys attorney general that this would promote corruption.

Netanyahu and his allies are pushing forward a series of proposals that would weaken the power of the country's Supreme Court and judiciary. His allies say that the powers of unelected judges must be curbed. Critics say the changes will give too much power to the prime minister, eroding a system of checks and balances. They also say that Netanyahu has a conflict of interest by pushing forward the overhaul at a time when he is on trial.

Sara Netanyahu became caught up in the anti-overhaul protests last week, when demonstrators gathered outside a ritzy Tel Aviv salon where she was having her hair done. Scores of police officers were called in to escort her out of the salon and away from the jeering crowd.
Ukrainian gunners in the Bakhmut area, March 5, 2023

Thats according to the latest report by the U.S.-based think tank the Institute for the Study of War, issued for March 5.

Read also: Putins latest address failed to articulate specific goals for war in Ukraine, says ISW

Thanks to effectiveness of the Ukrainian army, even if the city is occupied, the battle will be a factor that contributes to Ukrainian counter-offensive just as in the summer 2022 when Russia first lost the initiative in the war, ISW analysts said.

The ISWs latest Russian offensive campaign assessment is completely devoted to the current Ukrainian efforts to defend Bakhmut and the possible course of events if Russia captures this town.

The experts suggest that Ukrainian troops may conduct a limited tactical withdrawal in the eastern part of Bakhmut, while still causing great losses to the Russian army. If the Russian army manages to secure the town, it might renew its offensive attempt in the direction of either Kostyantynivka or Slovyansk (or both).

But in this scenario Russian forces will struggle with personnel and equipment shortages. So, several factors will likely contribute simultaneously to a future Ukrainian counter-offensive, namely:

Read also: Wagners Prigozhin using success in Soledar to bolster his groups reputation, says ISW

The probable culmination of fighting for Bakhmut, whether or Russia actually captures the city;

The already culminated Russian assault on Vuhledar;

Sthe talling by Ukrainian defenders of the Russian offensive in Luhansk Oblast.

The ISW experts based their point of view on the following observations.

The Ukrainian defense of Bakhmut remains strategically sound as long as it continues to eliminate enemy forces without great suffering from the Ukrainian side (relative to the Russian one). Fighting among urban areas is exhausting Russian offensive as it is always easier to protect a city.

The city planning and especially the Bakhmutivka River play in favor of Ukrainian defenders, if they are able to remain in control of Bakhmut-Kostyantynivka highway to the south of the city. The scenario could be similar to those with the fighting retreat of Ukrainian troops from Severodonetsk and Lysychansk that ended Russian offensive actions in Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts in summer 2022.

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The Russian fight for Bakhmut will likely culminate (in exhaustion of offensive capabilities  ed.), whether the Russian army captures the city or not. It is likely that any other offensive activities will be very problematic for Russia for the next several months, as it has already lost a lot of mobilised soldiers near Vuhledar in Donetsk Oblast.

Read also: ISW says Russians claim to have captured Soledar false, Bakhmut not under encirclement threat

The fight for Bakhmut has been ongoing for nine months with no success, despite reverses being thrown into battle there. It has also had no success in other areas  Kharkiv and Luhansk oblasts  so far, as it seems Russia has not enough reserves to maintain offensive attempts in several directions.

The Russian assault on Bakhmut doesn't contribute to reaching either its operational or strategic military goals, the Ukrainian army in contrast has the opportunity to regain the initiative on the battlefield.

Even Russian supporters of the war lowered their expectations of Russian forces offensive ability amid its fight for Bakhmut that has dragged on forever and acknowledged the necessity for an operational pause following the possible occupation of this city.

The ISW has given other conclusions on possible further Russian armys actions after the culmination of fighting for Bakhmut:

The chronic personnel and equipment shortage will likely prevent invading Russian forces from launching another ambitious assault similar to the fight for Bakhmut. The ISW doesn't believe Russia is able to continue attacking with "people waves", as it did before. Also, Putin has postponed the next wave of mobilisation in Russia since January 2023, hoping for covert measures to avoid possible unrest.

Russia also lacks ammunition and its military industry isn't able to address this issue in near future.

Russia will likely use more extensively irregular military, but their combat capability isn't clear, especially in the light of the fight for Bakhmut. Wagner Group private military company has opened centers in 30 Russian cities as of March 5, but several months are needed to send fresh people to the front line, which will hinder the Russian offensive on the east of Ukraine.

It is not clear, but it is unlikely that Russian forces intended to relaunch their offensive on Vuhledar.

Under the assumption that Russian forces capture Bakhmut, they would have the choice of two diverging lines of advance, but most likely they will make no significant gains from it. They could advance to the west along the T0504 highway in the direction of Kostyantynivka or to the northwest along the E40 in the direction of Slovyansk. However, these both directions are not mutually supporting. Anyway, in any direction they are likely to encounter fierce Ukrainian resistance. If they opt for an operational pause and recovery, it will set conditions for a Ukrainian counter-offensive.

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Map of combat operations: the battle for Bakhmut, battles in the Donbass and Zaporizhzhya region, the situation in the south and northeast of Ukraine

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
A Jacksonville pastor is trying to raise money after he says his church was broken into and vandalized last weekend.

Bishop Hill, the pastor of the Greater El-Beth-El Divine Holiness Church, says a neighbor called him at around 9:00 a.m. or 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 25th, saying a man broke into one of the Churchs buildings.

Upon arriving, Hill says he had discovered that someone broke in through a window, before climbing into the building and vandalizing the property. Hill also says the person responsible seemingly took off and left behind a pair of pants.

Yet and still, this is the thanks we get, Hill told Action News Jax.

Hill says his church has a long-standing history of philanthropy, with frequent food drives, as well as a bread ministry every Saturday, where the congregation hands out bread and pastries to those in need. Now, the church is asking for a helping hand itself.

Ive always told God, I just dont want to be a preacher, I want to be a teacher. I wanna reach out and help somebody besides myself, said Hall. Now, we are in a position now that we need to help ourselves. And I just beckon for the community to do that for us.

Now, Hall and some members of the congregation will be at the corner of W 20th street and Moncrief road, selling barbeque food every Wednesday through Saturday between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m., until they raise the money they need to rebuild what was damaged.

Hall also says donations can be sent to gospell75@aol.com on Paypal, or to $Bishop1955 on Cashapp, for those interested in helping the cause.

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Chris Rock didnt hold back in his first stand-up special since last years infamous Oscars slap. Not only did the comedian directly address Will Smith slapping him at the Oscars in March 2022, but he also mocked the actors relationship with Jada Pinkett Smith  which has made headlines ever since she admitted to having a relationship with August Alsina during her marriage.

During his live-streamed Netflix special, titled Chris Rock: Selective Outrage, the comedian quipped that he didnt have any entanglements, referencing the term Pinkett Smith used to describe her relationship with Alsina back in 2020.

His wife was f***ing her sons friend, Rock said on Saturday 4 March.

Now, I normally would not talk about this s***. But for some reason [they] put that s*** on the internet...We all been cheated on. Everybody in heres been cheated on. None of us have ever been interviewed by the person that cheated on us on television.

He added: She hurt him way more than he hurt me, OK?

In July 2020, Jada Pinkett Smith confirmed during an episode of her Facebook Watch series, Red Table Talk, that she had a relationship with Alsina. Will Smith appeared alongside Pinkett Smith in the episode, in which she explained that she and her husband were separated amicably when the romance occurred, which had not been disclosed to the press at the time.

We decided that we were going to separate for a period of time and you go figure out how to make yourself happy and Ill figure out how to make myself happy, Pinkett Smith said.

The GI Jane star went on to use the term entanglement when describing her involvement with Alsina. From there, as time went on, I got into a different kind of entanglement with August, she said, before being prompted by Smith to confirm it was a relationship, absolutely.

The Red Table Talk episode came two weeks after Alsina spoke out about their relationship, claiming that Smith gave him his blessing to have a relationship with the actors wife. In an interview with The Breakfast Club, Alsina claimed Smith approved of the relationship after his marriage transformed into what he described as a non-romantic life partnership.

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I actually sat down with Will and had a conversation due to the transformation from their marriage to life partnership that theyve spoken on several times and it not involving romanticism, Alsina said.

He added that he totally gave myself to that relationship for years of my life and I truly and really, really deeply loved and have a ton of love for her.

Pinkett Smiths representative has since said that Alsinas claims are absolutely not true.

The Girls Trip star also denied the details of Alsinas account about her husband giving permission during Red Table Talk episode. The only person who could give permission in that particular circumstance was myself, she said.

What August was probably trying to communicate  because I could see how he would perceive it as permission, because we were separated amicably  I think he wanted to make it clear that hes not a homewrecker. Which hes not, she added.

Alsina reportedly met Pinkett Smith in 2015 after being introduced by her son, actor and rapper Jaden Smith.

Smith and Pinkett Smith, who tied the knot in 1997, have spoken candidly about their marriage over the years. While the two have fielded rumours about an open relationship in the past, both Smith and Pinkett Smith share the belief that they have a non-conventional marriage.

In 2013, Pinkett Smith took to Facebook to address rumours she and her husband were in an open relationship, writing: Here is how I will change my statement...Will and I BOTH can do WHATEVER we want, because we TRUST each other to do so. This does NOT mean we have an open relationship...this means we have a GROWN one.

Two years later, the King Richard actor addressed rumours that the two were separating, and clarified they were not getting a divorce. Under normal circumstances, I dont usually respond to foolishness, he wrote in a Facebook post at the time. But, so many people have extended [to] me their deepest condolences that I figured  What the hell I can be foolish, too! So, in the interest of redundant, repetitious, over and over-again-ness Jada and I are NOT GETTING A DIVORCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In 2018, Smith admitted in an episode of TIDALs Rap Radar podcast that he and his wife refer to ourselves as life partners. He then elaborated on their complex dynamic in his 2021 self-titled memoir, Will, writing that they were suffering the brutal death of our romantic fantasies, the burning away of the idealistic illusion of the perfect marriage and the perfect family. Neither of us wanted a divorce; we knew we loved each other, and some aspects of our union were magical. But the structure of the life that we had established was strangling both of us.

That same year, the I Am Legend star confessed in a sit-down interview with Oprah Winfrey that he and his wife believe its fantasy that they can make each other happy.

We realised that it was a fantasy illusion that we could make each other happy. We agreed that she had to make herself happy and I had to make myself happy, he said. Then we were going to present ourselves back to the relationship already happy  versus demanding that the other person fill our empty cup.

Nearly two weeks before the 2022 Oscars, and the infamous Oscars slap, Smith discussed some of the rumours surrounding his relationship with Pinkett Smith in an interview with Gayle King for CBS Mornings.

Theres never been infidelity in our marriage, he said. Jada and I talk about everything, and we have never surprised one another with anything, ever.

The couple also joked there would be no more entanglements in their marriage during a conversation with Laverne Cox at the 2022 SAG Awards on Sunday 27 February, where Pinkett Smith said: No more of those, yeah, no more in response to a question about the relationships.

On 27 March 2022, comedian Rock was presenting an award for Best Documentary Feature when he made a joke about Pinkett Smiths shaved head. Smith then stormed onstage and hit Rock across the face with an open palm before returning to his seat.

Later that night, Smith was awarded his first Oscar for Best Actor for his role in King Richard, a biopic about the father of Serena and Venus Williams. After the Oscars slap, Smith was banned from attending the Academy Awards for 10 years and resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Key Insights

Using the 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity, Jardine Matheson Holdings fair value estimate is US$38.08

Current share price of US$50.78 suggests Jardine Matheson Holdings is potentially 33% overvalued

Analyst price target for J36 is US$64.38, which is 69% above our fair value estimate

How far off is Jardine Matheson Holdings Limited (SGX:J36) from its intrinsic value? Using the most recent financial data, we'll take a look at whether the stock is fairly priced by estimating the company's future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. This will be done using the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. Models like these may appear beyond the comprehension of a lay person, but they're fairly easy to follow.

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. If you want to learn more about discounted cash flow, the rationale behind this calculation can be read in detail in the Simply Wall St analysis model.

View our latest analysis for Jardine Matheson Holdings

The Model

We are going to use a two-stage DCF model, which, as the name states, takes into account two stages of growth. The first stage is generally a higher growth period which levels off heading towards the terminal value, captured in the second 'steady growth' period. 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.

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:

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10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate

2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 Levered FCF ($, Millions) US$2.94b US$1.23b US$1.63b US$1.24b US$1.05b US$935.4m US$871.7m US$835.3m US$815.7m US$807.0m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x1 Analyst x2 Analyst x1 Est @ -23.53% Est @ -15.89% Est @ -10.55% Est @ -6.80% Est @ -4.18% Est @ -2.35% Est @ -1.07% Present Value ($, Millions) Discounted @ 11% US$2.6k US$994 US$1.2k US$808 US$610 US$490 US$410 US$353 US$309 US$275

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = US$8.1b

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 1.9%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 11%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2032  (1 + g)  (r  g) = US$807m (1 + 1.9%)  (11% 1.9%) = US$8.7b

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= US$8.7b ( 1 + 11%)10= US$3.0b

The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is US$11b. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of US$50.8, the company appears reasonably expensive at the time of writing. 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

The Assumptions

The calculation above is very dependent on two assumptions. The first is the discount rate and the other is the 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 Jardine Matheson 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 11%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.590. 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 Jardine Matheson Holdings

Strength

Debt is not viewed as a risk.

Weakness

Earnings declined over the past year.

Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Industrials market.

Expensive based on P/E ratio and estimated fair value.

Opportunity

Annual earnings are forecast to grow faster than the Singaporean market.

Threat

Dividends are not covered by earnings.

Annual revenue is forecast to grow slower than the Singaporean market.

Looking Ahead:

Although the valuation of a company is important, it shouldn't be the only metric you look at when researching a company. It's not possible to obtain a foolproof valuation with a DCF model. Preferably you'd apply different cases and assumptions and see how they would impact the company's valuation. 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. Why is the intrinsic value lower than the current share price? For Jardine Matheson Holdings, there are three additional aspects you should explore:

Risks: Every company has them, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for Jardine Matheson Holdings you should know about. Future Earnings: How does J36'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 Singaporean 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.

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Jeff Bezos has a new toy in the works, and it looks like hes making sure itll be ready for summertime travels.

The Amazon founders $500 million megayacht, Y721 Koru, was seen having its first day of sea trials, and its just as luxurious as you would expect for the third-richest person in the world. The footage of his new vessel was posted by Dutch Yachting, which showed the megayacht sailing out of Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, and heading toward the North Sea. The 417-foot-long ride is the largest sailing yacht in the world, the company notes, and the video shows off the vessels three sails and three decksone of which features a swimming pool.

More from Robb Report

Bezos ran into some trouble earlier this year when it came out that the Koningshaven Bridge in the Netherlands might have to be dismantled to let Y721 Koru pass through, as the megayachts 229-foot masts exceeded the bridges 131-foot clearance. City officials briefly agreed to disassemble the bridge but then decided against it in the face of public backlash, according to The New York Times. That negative reaction included a threat from residents to show up and pelt rotten eggs at the $500 million behemoth.

Oceanco, the company that built Y721 Koru, ultimately decided against applying for the permit that would be required for dismantling Koningshaven Bridge, and the boat was instead quietly towed to another shipyard without its mast.

The historic De Hef, also known as Koningshaven Bridge, in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam

Bezoss completed yacht will be accompanied by a 246-foot-long shadow yacht called YS7512, Damen Yachts largest-ever support vessel. It will fit 45 people onboard, feature a helicopter hangar and storage for Jet Skis and other water toys and is reportedly called Abeona, according to Boat International.

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As for the main event, Bezoss Y721 Koru is believed to be based on the Black Pearl from Pirates of the Caribbean, with its unique three-mast design and eco-friendly sailing capabilities. Other amenities beyond the on-deck swimming pool include a cinema, meeting spaces and lounges, according to Luxuo. Oceanco has declined to comment further on included features in order to protect its clients privacy, but if this vessel is up and running as soon as we think, it wont be long until more details come out.

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Click here to read the full article.
Photo: Gregg DeGuire (Getty Images)

In the days since Hunger Games star Jena Malone alleged that a co-worker on the set of the blockbuster action franchise sexually assaulted her years ago, shes faced a swarm of comments on her post demanding that she identify her alleged rapist and essentially calling her selfish for not doing so.



In Malones Instagram post, in which she writes that she was sexually assaulted by someone I had worked with while filming The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2, Malone describes struggling to navigate the mixed emotions she feels about her time on set. I wish it wasnt tied to such a traumatic event for me but that is the real wildness of life I guess. How to hold the chaos with the beauty, she wrote. Ive worked very hard to heal and learn thru restorative justice, how to make peace with the person who violated me and make peace with myself.

Read more

Per Malones own words, shes made peace with her assailant and sought this through restorative justice, rather than through the criminal legal system, which we know often fails survivors. But many on the internet feel entitled to more information about the alleged assault: This is sad all around but not naming the person who assaulted you is putting other people at risk, one commenter wrote. Do you not think that people who sexually assault another should be canceled?  Maybe the person who assaulted you also assaulted someone else before you. You are enabling the perpetrator. Please do better and name the person!!

Its great that you have managed to heal  Not going to lie though, wish whoever assaulted you was held responsible for their terrible actions against you, another commenter wrote.

this made me sick to my stomach. people are harassing and blaming Jena Malone for not naming the person who assaulted her, telling her she is putting people at risk to be assaulted pic.twitter.com/KduphLNSWp  lilian (@liliandaisies) March 4, 2023

Im befuddled by the notion that a survivor could simply name their abuser and bring them to justicea belief that flies in the face of essentially everything weve seen survivors face upon coming forward. Its especially galling in the wake of Johnny Depp and Amber Heards defamation trial last year, when Heard did try to bring Depp to account and was widely demonized, called a liar, and basically driven out of public life. Frenzied media coverage of the trial made it into a public spectacle for voyeuristic consumption, and Heard was required to detail every aspect of perhaps the most traumatic period of her life. Then, even in the face of extensive evidence of years of abuse, she faced an aggressive public harassment campaign and was ordered to pay thousands to a man who appears to have apologized via text for allegedly beating her on a private plane.

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you want her to drop a name as long as it isn't one of your favsthe moment she names someone you like you'll start calling her a liar. and with how defamation lawsuits are on the rise + the way you've treated the women who came forward, you're in no position to demand anything. https://t.co/ODAIPXK9xN  nyx  lycoreco era (@soultheories) March 4, 2023

The public disclosure of nearly every aspect of the abuse Heard faced didnt save her. Nor were other victims much helped by a trial that popularized all kinds of victim-blaming and harassment tactics, like the misleading narrative of mutual abuse or defamation suits to silence victims. Nonetheless, fans or at least followers of Malone are insisting that her decision to process and heal from her assault in a private, non-punitive manner was somehow selfish.

Thankfully, many have already expressed support for Malone in the face of cruel reactions. The moment she names someone you like youll start calling her a liar. and with how defamation lawsuits are on the rise + the way youve treated the women who came forward, youre in no position to demand anything, one user wrote in a Friday tweet. To be clear, Heard was sued for defamationand lostdespite not even naming Depp in the op ed in question. Asking that Malone name her alleged abuser is asking her to risk pretty serious legal troubles.

Commenting on a survivors post that they need to name amd therefore cancel the perpetrator really sums up how people are under the illusion that predators can be stopped via internet discourse and are using that false belief to harm survivors directly https://t.co/OfXrR3jYmx  Kat Tenbarge (@kattenbarge) March 4, 2023

Commenting on a survivors post that they need to name and therefore cancel the perpetrator really sums up how people are under the illusion that predators can be stopped via internet discourse and are using that false belief to harm survivors directly, NBC reporter Kat Tenbarge wrote in another tweet.

The early support Malone is receiving following the gross demands being made of her is hearteningI just wish public-facing survivors werent subjected to invasive questions and harassment campaigns in the first place.

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Jeremy Vine has been criticised for a caller's comments on his Channel 5 show. (Getty Images)

Jeremy Vine has been criticised for not challenging a caller who "spewed bile" about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

A caller named Kath from West Yorkshire phoned in to Vine's Channel 5 show to weigh in on the ongoing debate around whether the Duke and Duchess should attend King Charles' coronation later this year.

Kath referenced Harry's claim that he killed 25 members of the Taliban when he served in Afghanistan with Vine then asking her if the unrecognised Afghan government would target Harry at the coronation.

Read more: Jeremy Vine reveals narrow escape from suspected thief brandishing 'brick'

Kath replied: "I think it's a damn good place for them to try. I don't give a damn about Harry and Meghan but there will be a lot of the British public there. They will also be at risk."

A caller to Jeremy Vine's show said they didn't 'give a damn' if Harry and Meghan were 'got' at the coronation. (Getty Images)

Vine was criticised online for failing to challenge Kath as he instead moved on to another caller.

One viewer wrote on Twitter: "#JeremyVine letting a caller say she doesnt care if Harry and Meghan get killed in an attack at the coronation. Gone downhill @theJeremyVine, why didnt you challenge her? Absolutely ridiculous. Turning off - for good."

WOW @JeremyVineOn5 whoever let Kath from West Yorkshire spew her evil bile on national tv this morning needs the sack.

Wishing Harry harm from the Taliban? Are you for real? And this got aired on tv unchallenged?

Completely irresponsible #jeremyvine pic.twitter.com/njiWPnKRz6  Honey (@honeysugahoney) March 6, 2023

Another said: "WOW @JeremyVineOn5 whoever let Kath from West Yorkshire spew her evil bile on national tv this morning needs the sack. Wishing Harry harm from the Taliban? Are you for real? And this got aired on tv unchallenged? Completely irresponsible."

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Jeremy Vine was criticised for allowing 'bile' on his Channel 5 show. (Getty Images)

Another user added: "This is awful. But I'm not at all surprised because Jeremy Vine is the same broadcaster who let former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond call Harry and Meghan's son Archie a "coloured Prince" without a correction. Editorial standards in this country are in a sewer."

Neither Vine himself or the show have yet commented on Kath's remarks during the broadcast.

Watch below: Jeremy Vine criticises social media giants over stalker videos
First lady Jill Biden blasted Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haleys suggestion that politicians over the age of 75 take mental competency tests.

During an interview set to air on Monday, CNN White House correspondent Arlette Saenz asked Biden her thoughts on Haleys proposal.

Ridiculous, Biden replied.

When Saenz asked if President Biden would take a mental competency test, the first lady replied: I mean, we havent even discussed  we would never even discuss something like that.

Haley, a former South Carolina governor and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, announced her 2024 presidential campaign last month. She made headlines with a call for mandatory mental competency tests for elderly politicians during her speech launching her campaign.

In the America I see, the permanent politician will finally retire, Haley said at the time. Well have term limits for Congress and mandatory mental competency tests for politicians over 75 years old.

The comments were seen as a shot at both President Biden, 80, and former President Trump, 76, who are seen as the leading presidential candidates in their respective parties, though Biden has yet to officially announce his reelection bid.

Jill Biden joins a number of prominent figures who have pushed back against Haleys proposal, with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who is 81, calling the idea absurd.

We are fighting racism, were fighting sexism, were fighting homophobia, I think we should also be fighting ageism, Sanders said in an interview on CBSs Face The Nation last month.

In another CBS interview, Former Vice President Mike Pence, 63, a potential GOP presidential candidate in 2024, said voters can decide on their own whether age is a deciding factor in elections.

Look, I think the American people can sort that out, I really do, Pence said during the interview. I mean, the long and unbroken history of this country proves again and again, the wisdom and common sense and judgment of the American people.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
First lady Jill Biden has dismissed a Republican presidential candidates proposal to have older politicians take a mental competency test, calling the idea ridiculous.

GOP 2024 candidate Nikki Haley, former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. and South Carolina governor, said politicians over the age of 75 should take mandatory mental competency tests. The idea is a dig at her former boss, Donald Trump, 76, who also is seeking the 2024 nomination, and President Joe Biden, 80, who hasnt yet announced his reelection campaign.

Jill Biden said her family wouldnt take part in Haleys idea.

We would never even discuss something like that, the first lady told CNN in an interview set to air in full Monday.

The first lady said she was all for her husband running for reelection, but the decision is ultimately up to him.

We support whatever he wants to do, she told CNNs Arlette Saenz. If hes in, were there. If he wants to do something else, were there too.

The first lady pushed back against those who say her husband is too old for a second term by pointing to his recent surprise trip to Kyiv to mark the one-year anniversary of Russias war against Ukraine.

How many 30-year-olds could travel to Poland, get on the train, go nine more hours, go to Ukraine, meet with President [Volodymyr] Zelensky? she asked. So, look at the man. Look what hes doing. Look what he continues to do each and every day.

Self-care author Marianne Williamson on Saturday announced she will be running in 2024, becoming the first Democrat officially in the race. She also ran in the 2020 election.

Related...
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said House Republicans are laying the foundation to restrict funding to the FBI as the House subcommittee launches its investigation into the weaponization of the federal government.

Jordan, who chairs both the House Judiciary Committee and the subcommittee on weaponization, told Maria Bartiromo on Foxs Sunday Morning Futures that Republicans will use the power of the purse against the FBI amid their investigation into the agency.

He said one of the panels probes would look into whether there is a difference in how the FBI investigates those who are anti-abortion compared to those who protested the Supreme Courts decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Were going to look to propose legislation and in the end, the real power of Congress, the real power of the legislative branch is the power of the purse, he said. And were going to have to use that both on this issue where we think the governments been targeting the very people its supposed to serve. But also, frankly, on the border.

Republicans figures have focused their ire on the FBI since its search of former President Trumps Mar-a-Lago residence over the summer, with figures like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) calling to defund the agency.

The GOPs government weaponization subcommittee held its first hearing last month to investigate the alleged targeting of conservatives orchestrated by federal government. Many Democrats have decried the creation of such a committee, saying it only serves to push GOP-backed conspiracy theories ahead of the 2024 election.

Jordan cited a Fox News report that a former FBI agent, Garret OBoyle, told the subcommittee that the FBI created a threat tag after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year, but that the tag later shifted to focus more on pro-life adherence. He said the committee has sent multiple subpoenas and letters to the FBI over the matter.

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Other witnesses that have appeared before the committee included George Hill, a retired FBI supervisory intelligence analyst, and Stephen Friend, a former special agent with the FBI in Daytona Beach.

House Democrats on the Judiciary Committee issued a report earlier this week arguing the three witnesses  OBoyle, Hill and Friend  did not offer any evidence that the FBI has committed any wrongdoing, but instead gave their opinions.

The individuals who have appeared before the Committee so far are witnesses, not whistleblowers,  Democrats said in the report.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
John Candys two children commemorated their father on the 29th anniversary of his death with sweet notes on social media as plans take shape for a film about his life and legacy.

Sending love to my father today, Chris Candy, an actor and comedian, wrote Saturday on Instagram alongside a vintage photo of the elder Candy on set. 29 years ago you started a new journey. I miss you and think of you often. I still think of you daily. Loss is never easy but I can optimistically say it is one of the great teachers in life.

Echoing those sentiments was actor and artist Jennifer Candy-Sullivan, who shared a photo of herself as a child at home with her dad.

You will always be around, she wrote. You will always be missed. You will always be loved.

Candy died of a heart attack on March 4, 1994, at age 43. At the time of his death, he was on location in Mexico working on the movie Wagons East with Richard Lewis.

A Canadian native, Candy rose to prominence in the mid-1970s as one of the stars of the Toronto-based comedy-variety series Second City Television. The show was picked up for broadcast in the U.S. by NBC and won two Emmy Awards.

Steve Martin (left) and John Candy in the 1987 comedy

Steve Martin (left) and John Candy in the 1987 comedy "Planes, Trains & Automobiles."

In 1981, he appeared opposite Bill Murray in the war comedy Stripes, and three years later, secured his Hollywood breakout as the womanizing Freddie Bauer in the fantasy romance Splash, starring Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah.

Candys most acclaimed performances, however, came out of his collaborations with director John Hughes. He first worked with Hughes on the 1987 comedy Planes, Trains and Automobiles, co-starring Steve Martin. Over the next three years, Candy and Hughes teamed up for Shes Having a Baby, The Great Outdoors and Uncle Buck.

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Candy will be the subject of a forthcoming Amazon Prime Video documentary, to be co-produced by actors and Ryan Reynolds, who announced the plans in October.

The as-yet-untitled project will comprise home videos, archives and interviews to delve into Candys off-screen life, and is being made with the full support of the late actor and comedians family, according to Variety.

Related...
Senator John Fettermans team shared a photo of the Democratic freshman from Pennsylvania as he undergoes treatment for depression at Walter Reed Medical Center.

Mr Fettermans chief of staff Adam Jentleson posted a photo of Mr Fetterman and himself at the hospital.

Productive morning with Senator Fetterman at Walter Reed discussing the rail safety legislation, Farm Bill and other Senate business, Mr Jentleson tweeted. John is well on his way to recovery and wanted me to say how grateful he is for all the well wishes. Hes laser focused on PA & will be back soon.

Mr Fetterman checked into Walter Reed Medical Center last month to undergo treatment for severe depression. This came after he had a brief stay at George Washington University Hospital after he experienced lightheadeness during a Democratic retreat.

Prior to the Democratic primary for Pennsylvanias Senate race last year, Mr Fetterman suffered a massive stroke. In the aftermath, he continues to have difficulty with auditory processing and often needs speech-to-text technology. The Senate has allowed him to use a speech-to-text tablet on the Senate floor.

Last week, he joined Senators Josh Hawley of Missouri, Marco Rubio of Florida as well as his fellow Pennsylvania Democratic Senator Bob Casey and Ohios Republican Senator JD Vance and Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown to introduce new legislation to promote new rail safety regulations after a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio near the Pennsylvania-Ohio border. The newly elected senator also serves on the Senate Agriculture Committee, which deals with the Farm Bill, the legislation that also manages the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

During this past weekends Conservative Political Action Conference, Mr Fetterman became a frequent target of Republican ridicule as one vendor sold shirts saying Biden-Fetterman 2024: Its a no-brainer. Similarly, Donald Trump Jr, the former presidents son repeated his insult of calling him a vegetable.
Welcome back to Forgotten Fact Checks, a weekly column produced by National Reviews News Desk. This week, we offer a recap of MSNBCs most egregious lies, refute an Associated Press explainer on detransitions, and hit more media misses.

The MSNBC Propaganda Machine

English comedian Russell Brand tore into MSNBC national affairs analyst John Heilemann on a recent episode of Real Time with Bill Maher after Heilemann dismissed Brands suggestion that it is disingenuous to claim that the biases exhibited on MSNBC are any different than the biases exhibited on Fox News.

Ive been on that MSNBC, mate  it was propagandist nut-crackery on there, Brand said.

Heilemann replied: You dont actually know anything about any of these organizations youre talking about. You went on MSNBC once. Big f***ing deal.

Heilemann pushed Brand to provide a specific example of an MSNBC correspondent or anchor being on television saying something they knew was false, as Fox News did when it promoted false claims about the 2020 election. Brand pointed to the networks treatment of podcaster Joe Rogans endorsement of ivermectin as a Covid-19 treatment, noting the network deliberately [referred] to it as a horse medicine when they know this is an effective medicine. He also cited MSNBC host Rachel Maddows misleading claims in March 2021 that the Covid vaccine completely protects against symptoms and transmission.

Bickering about which propagandist network is the worst is not going to save a single American life, not improve the life of a single American child and not going to improve Americas standing in the world, and the world needs a strong America, Ill tell you that, Brand concluded.

Heres John Heilemann (@jheil) asking Russell Brand (@rustyrockets) for an example of an MSNBC host knowingly lying on air. I ACCEPT THIS CHALLENGE!! pic.twitter.com/ugGqeZG6XM  Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) March 6, 2023

While discovery in the Dominion lawsuit provides a unique behind-the-scenes look at blatant cable news dishonesty, much of the propaganda spewed on MSNBC can be discerned without access to the staffs text messages. Heilemann would likely argue that many of the examples of MSNBC dishonesty that follow were the product of well-intentioned mistakes, but given their common partisan utility  they reliably advance narratives preferred by progressives  that excuse doesnt hold up.

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Grabien founder Tom Elliott accepted Heilemanns challenge, sharing examples of MSNBC knowingly lying on air. He shared a thread of twelve videos that focused only on mistruths from Heilemann himself. Among those:

Here's Heilemann implausibly claiming Trump accounted for "73 percent" of online "misinformation" https://t.co/2IrQSfzaw6  Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) March 6, 2023

Here's Heilemann in 2018 insisting Kavanaugh repeatedly perjured himself during his confirmation hearings even though he isn't aware of any actual examples https://t.co/ulX4k6k5NI  Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) March 6, 2023

Other moments that made the list include Heilemann calling Trump voters who booed the Ohio lieutenant governor for telling them to wear a mask literally a death cult, as well as Heilemanns claim that then-president Trump wouldnt get vaccinated against Covid-19 because hard-core Trump voters are anti-vaxxers, despite Trumps publicly advocating for the vaccine and ultimately receiving the jab.

Heilemann also previously called the theory that Covid-19 originated in a lab a made-up theory that Trump was pushing to help his reelection odds and falsely claimed that Kyle Rittenhouse was a domestic terrorist who drove to Kenosha, Wis., with the intent to shoot people.

And Elliotts list, though lengthy, is far from comprehensive.

In January 2019, Maddow theorized during a polar vortex that China could shut off the natural gas pipelines and Russia can just shut off the electricity, in the U.S. at any time, claiming the two countries have that ability now.

It is like negative 50 degrees in the Dakotas right now. What would happen if Russia killed the power in Fargo today? Maddow asked. What would happen if all the natural gas lines that service Sioux Falls just poofed on the coldest day in recent memory and it wasnt in our power whether or not to turn them back on.

Some of MSNBCs most egregious lying has been around Democrat Stacey Abramss loss in the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election. Georgia governor Brian Kemp defeated Abrams by more than 54,000 votes to become governor. Abrams has never formally conceded to Kemp and has claimed the 2018 election was stolen from Georgians.

Georgia secretary of state Brad Raffensperger suggested in October 2021 that Abramss false claims about the 2018 election were a blueprint for Trumps false election claims in 2020.

MSNBC carried water for Abrams and her false election claims and argued Raffensperger was only sucking up to Trump with his attacks on Abrams. The outlet falsely claimed that Kemp purged thousands of Black people from the voter rolls before the 2018 election. As Raffensperger wrote for NR in 2021:

But the source that the story links to does not even support the authors claim. The source story references 53,000 voter registrations that were put on hold, not removed from the voter rolls. Moving past the incorrect headline, the story says, incorrectly, that those voters can still cast a provisional ballot, meaning they obviously were not removed from the voter rolls as MSNBC claims. However, even this isnt true. The voters put on hold actually could vote with a regular (not provisional) ballot at the polls by simply showing their ID, just like any other Georgian.

MSNBC also omitted several of Abramss claims that had been proven false, including allegations from Abramss Fair Fight Action that voting machines erased 100,000 votes in 2018.

Raffensperger ultimately concluded: In their effort to defend Abramss stolen-election claims, MSNBC went out of their way to dig up a false version of events and push that instead of the truth.

More recently, some MSNBC personalities have shown theyre not quite ready to admit fault for dismissing the theory that Covid-19 originated in a lab. Host Mehdi Hasan said: The simple reason why so many people werent keen to discuss the lab leak *theory* is because it was originally conflated by the right with Chinese bioweapon conspiracies and continues to be conflated by the right with anti-Fauci conspiracies. Blame the conspiracy theorists.

MSNBC has also come down with one of the most acute cases of DeSantis Derangement Syndrome in recent years, so much so that DeSantiss office said last month it would no longer consider media requests from NBC or MSNBC until MSNBC host Andrea Mitchell apologizes for her claim that DeSantis says that slavery and the aftermath of slavery should not be taught to Florida schoolchildren. DeSantis press secretary Bryan Griffin has refuted Mitchells claim, which she made during an interview with vice president Kamala Harris last month. @GovRonDeSantis never said this, and FL has extensive black history requirements, he said in a tweet.

While Mitchell has not apologized for her remarks, she did concede in a follow-up segment that she was imprecise when describing DeSantiss position.

In yet another example of the outlets searching for ways to attack DeSantis, MSNBC anchor Joy Reid reacted to DeSantiss budget proposal in 2021 that included the creation of a civilian military force to help handle crises such as hurricanes. While at least 22 other states already have such a force, Reid said at the time, This is fascisty bananas, right?

Thats not to mention various MSNBC lies about critical race theory, including when Nicolle Wallace insisted CRT isnt real.

Headline Fail of the Week

The Associated Press published an explainer this week that asks, How common is transgender treatment regret, detransitioning?

Detransitioning, the outlet explains, means stopping or reversing gender transition, which can include medical treatment or changes in appearance, or both. It does not always include regret. The updated transgender treatment guidelines note that some teens who detransition do not regret initiating treatment because they felt it helped them better understand their gender-related care needs, the outlet reports.

The report relies on transgender clinics and doctors who suggest that detransitioning is rare. However, the AP goes on to acknowledge that the few studies that exist have too many limitations or weaknesses to draw firm conclusions.

The director of transgender medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston even told the outlet it is difficult to quantify because patients who detransition often see new doctors, not the physicians who prescribed the hormones or performed the surgeries. Some patients may simply stop taking hormones.

As Reuters reported in December, studies suggest a wide range of possibilities for rates of detransitioning, from less than 1% to 25%. The research provides even less certainty about the incidence of regret among patients who received medical treatment as minors. And the studies have serious drawbacks. Long-term results on outcomes for transgender youth who have received gender-transition care is years away, the Reuters report says.

Media Misses

 Instead of holding Pete Buttigieg accountable for his poor performance as transportation secretary, the Hill instead chose to highlight what a political nightmare the post had become for him. When Pete Buttigieg became Transportation secretary at the start of the Biden administration, some Democrats said it would be a perfect platform for his political prospects if not in 2024, then 2028, the outlet reported. Instead, the job of Transportation secretary has been a set of compounding problems for Buttigieg, 41, who has been seen as one of the Democratic Partys brightest stars.

 At the New York Times, all the news thats fit to print apparently included a front-page piece on the difficulties black equestrians face in finding helmets. For Black equestrians with natural hair, finding a helmet that fits can be virtually impossible  another barrier to inclusion in a sport that remains overwhelmingly white. Helmet companies say there isnt a simple fix, the outlet writes in its hard-hitting report.

 Reuters wrote of Joseph Stalins polarizing legacy in a piece for the 70th anniversary of the genocidal leaders death. The story goes on to add how attitudes to the Soviet Unions wartime leader remain mixed in the nations he once ruled with an iron fist.

More from National Review
John Oliver attends the 2022 Albie Awards in New York City. (Evan Agostini / Invision / AP)

John Oliver delivered a blistering takedown of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in a segment of "Last Week Tonight" that has been making the rounds on social media.

During Sunday's episode of "Last Week Tonight," the TV host ripped apart DeSantis' conservative political views and actions  such as denying minors gender-affirming care, signing a "15-week abortion ban into law," banning books in schools and criminalizing "those deemed rioters at demonstrations"  while denouncing him as "a petty autocrat and a bully ... with no interest in hearing dissent."

"When you take all of this together  the books being removed, the inane proclamations to shame trans athletes, the sloppy attempts to criminalize protests  and you combine it with everything else  from the support for restrictive abortion bans to the efforts to stop gender-affirming care  it really begins to feel like the freest state in America is only free to the extent that anyone wants to behave exactly the way that Ron DeSantis thinks they should," Oliver said.

In a statement provided Monday to The Times, DeSantis' press secretary, Bryan Griffin, said, "John Oliver is irrelevant."

Throughout the scathing segment, Oliver repeatedly referred to DeSantis as "Meatball Ron"  a demeaning nickname given to the politician by his right-wing rival, former President Donald Trump.

"I hate to say it, but Trump's still got it," Oliver said. "It's perfectly stupid, childish and hurtful in a way that's genuinely difficult to articulate."

Despite Trump's high-profile efforts to discredit DeSantis, the Emmy-winning late-night host cautioned Americans against viewing DeSantis only in comparison to Trump as both men vie for the Republican presidential nomination.

"While many commentators insist on framing him solely in opposition to Trump  saying things like, 'He's Donald Trump with a brain'  that doesn't seem particularly meaningful," Oliver continued.

"It's like saying that new restaurant is better than this chicken potpie that fell on the sidewalk. It is, but you're not really giving me much useful information there."

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While visiting Simi Valley over the weekend, DeSantis railed against COVID-19 protocols and vaccine mandates. He also bragged about opposing critical race theory and restricting classroom conversations about gender identity.

His appearance drew about 1,000 supporters and approximately 100 protesters waving rainbow flags and signs with messages such as, "Say gay everyday"  a critique of legislation signed by DeSantis and known to critics as the Dont say gay law because it prohibits the discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in schools from kindergarten through third grade.

"You almost have to admire his dedication to being such a f idiot," Oliver said on "Last Week Tonight."

"In the months to come, you're going to hear a lot of DeSantis-versus-Trump comparisons," Oliver said. "And the truth is, he'll probably come out well in a lot of them more or less by default. But that cannot be the bar here. It is important to consider DeSantis in his own right. If Donald Trump never existed ... and you're forced to learn about Ron DeSantis from scratch with no basis for comparison, what you would see would justifiably horrify you."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A 72-year-old woman has died after she was struck by a car while leaving a store at Oakdale Commons in Johnson City on Sunday. The driver of the car, a 20-year-old Binghamton man, has been charged with multiple felonies including second-degree murder, and he allegedly struck and killed the pedestrian while fleeing arrest.

Johnson City Police Department said officers responded to the shopping center around 4:20 p.m. to check on the welfare of man who witnesses said was intoxicated and had entered as many as two vehicles in the parking lot.

The Oakdale Mall, once one of the Binghamton region's largest retail centers, pictured in January of 2019.

Investigators said the man, later identified as Rajee Almashni, had fled the mall on foot after being approached by security personnel and stole property from inside an unoccupied vehicle in the parking lot before entering his own vehicle.

The initial responding officer attempted to contact Almashni, approaching him while he was seated in the drivers seat of a vehicle, but police said he fled the scene, driving south at a high rate of speed. Seconds later, police said, Almashni's vehicle struck Elizabeth Atkinson, 72, of Johnson City, as she was leaving a store at the mall.

Police attempted to stop Almashni as he drove out of the parking lot and onto Reynolds Road, but he failed to comply and continued onto state Route 201.

Officers pursued Almashni onto Floral Avenue and subsequently to Baldwin Street where they said Almashnis car became disabled and he fled on foot before being taken into custody.

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Atkinson was taken to UHS Wilson Hospital where she later died.

Almashni has been charged with:

Second-degree murder

Second-degree vehicular manslaughter

Leaving the scene of a fatal motor vehicle accident

First-degree unlawful fleeing

First-degree reckless endangerment

Driving while intoxicated

Fourth-degree grand larceny

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He is currently being held in Broome County Central Arraignment awaiting his arraignment Monday night.

Additional officers responded with the Johnson City Fire Department and Union Ambulance to the Oakdale Commons to provide first aid and secure the scene. Johnson City Police detectives, the Broome County District Attorneys Office and the New York State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit also responded to the incident.

Follow Neal Simon on Twitter @HornellTribNeal. To get unlimited access to the latest news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Johnson City pedestrian struck, killed while leaving Oakdale Commons
As Jon Jones pressed a finger to his lips and strode across the cage, Ciryl Gane slumped his back against the fence and sat staring in disbelief  at his quick conqueror, at the shrinking sight of Jones hulking frame.

Three years in the making, Jones UFC return brought with it so many questions. Some would have required the full 25 minutes to answer; others were only answered because the fight lasted just two minutes.

So, when Jones slipped Ganes straight punch, dragged the Frenchman to the canvas, trapped him against the fence and nearly decapitated him with a guillotine choke, these were the questions that were answered: Would the greatest light-heavyweight in MMA history know how to use his new, heavyweight body? Yes, all 247lbs of it. Would that same body show speckled red hints of ring rust? None whatsover. Would Jones, 35, display his old spitefulness and hunger for a finish, or the apathetic point-fighting approach of his last few outings? Well, the American devoured Gane like a lion feasting on an injured gazelle.

With that, Bones not only fulfilled a decade-long promise to move up to heavyweight, but the American also took the title that Francis Ngannou relinquished upon his UFC exit in January. Yet Ngannou still wears the crown of lineal heavyweight champion.

Good job Jonny Boy, the Cameroonian tweeted after Jones reduced Gane to a spectator in the main event of UFC 285 on Saturday. Sincerely, the heavyweight king. Jones, for what it is worth, was quick to respond in his post-fight press conference. It was a reply as brief and as mean as his in-ring performance minutes earlier: Francis is a big old p***y.

Yet Ngannous virtual arrival at UFC 285 raised some of the questions that Jones did not have time to answer on Saturday; and Stipe Miocics actual arrival at the T-Mobile Arena raised the rest.

Firstly, there is the enduring allure that maintained intrigue around Jones move to heavyweight for a decade: The question of whether a single heavyweight punch could erase all of Jones seemingly insurmountable assets  his reach, height, speed, creativity and versatility. Gane was as heavy and as tall as Jones in Las Vegas, and few would suggest that the 32-year-old is any slower than Bones; but a single missed strike was all it took for Gane to lose the opportunity to showcase any of his skills or test any of his opponents.

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Jones took down Gane and submitted him with a rear naked choke in Round 1 (Getty Images)

Perhaps the same would have happened if Ngannou had been standing across from Jones, yet there is certainly an argument that the Cameroonian might have had the strength to neutralise the American where Gane failed to. And then what? While Jones has beaten numerous champions over the years, Ngannou has done the same but with even less effort, thanks to the unparalleled punching power that the Predator possesses. There still exists an imagined scenario in which Ngannou touches Jones chin and the American simply ceases to exist as a competitor, like almost all who have stood before Ngannou.

Some still hold out hope for a super-fight between Jones and Ngannou, despite the latters UFC exit and pay dispute with Dana White. However, the UFC president said last week: We negotiated with him for years. Its over. Hell never be in the UFC again. I never say never, but Ill give you a never on that one. We tried. Interestingly, Jones had his own dispute with White over money, one that was resolved  but perhaps only after Jones conceded ground that Ngannou would not.

In any case, while Jones vs Ngannou might mark one of the most captivating contests never to come together, Jones vs Miocic is a very real possibility  one that could become a reality in July.

Miocic (left) outpointed Ngannou in 2018 but was knocked out by his rival in 2021 (pictured) (Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Yall want to see me beat up Stipe? Jones said after beating Gane. Stipe Miocic, I hope youre training, my guy. Youre the greatest heavyweight of all time, and thats what I want. I want you, real bad [...] There has never been a fight that means more to me than beating Stipe Miocic. I dont think Ive ever fought a GOAT. Miocic, who is better known for his in-ring abilities than his oration, later told ESPN: Its a fight, he won. Good for him, hats off, but unfortunately hes got to fight me in July.

It may be then, on International Fight Week, that Jones is finally asked the question of how his chin will hold up against a heavyweight. American Miocic, 40, does not possess Ngannous power  no mixed martial artist does  but he hits harder than Gane, is one of the great heavyweight grapplers, and his experience eclipses that of Gane and Ngannou combined.

Miocic might also be able to pose the unanswered question around Jones endurance in his new division. Miocic, a former two-time UFC heavyweight champion, has rarely needed to go the distance over the years, but the part-time firefighter put on a wrestling clinic for 25 minutes to outpoint Ngannou in 2018, and he out-struck Jones old rival Daniel Cormier over five rounds in 2020.

Miocic has his own questions to answer, however. Heavyweights tend to have a later expiration date than most fighters, but Miocic would enter a fight with Jones at 40 years old, after two years out of the ring, and on the back of a devastating knockout loss in his rematch with Ngannou. In some ways, the questions around Miocic are similar to those surrounding Jones at UFC 285  where Bones returned aged 35, after three years away, at a new weight, and following of a run of underwhelming showings.

As impressive as Jones win over Gane was, it left a lot to be unearthed. Gane failed to test Jones, and Ngannou may never get the chance to. Now, all eyes are on Miocic.
It has been described as a Catch-22, but the ongoing legal battle being waged by media organizations attempting to obtain the search warrant that led to the seizure of U.S. Scott Perrys phone is more like something out of Kafka.

To review, last year, the media organizations  the York Daily Record, The York Dispatch and PennLive  asked the U.S. Department of Justice to release the search warrant, saying that it was a matter of public record and interest.

U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, R-York County, had his phone seized by the FBI last year. Several media organizations are seeking to unseal the warrant.

The government objected and then asked that its court filing be sealed, claiming its response to the request could contain information damaging to its investigation.

In essence, the government was saying it objected to the request for the search warrant and that the reasons for its objections should also be shielded from public scrutiny, something the lawyer representing the media organizations described as a fundamentally unfair way to litigate a case.

That was last fall.

Previously:YDR, others sued to unseal warrant for Perry's phone. Feds want their response to be secret

What started it:U.S. Rep. Scott Perry says FBI agents seized his cellphone

Last month, federal Magistrate Susan Schwab of the U.S. District Court in Harrisburg ordered the government to submit a redacted version of the court filing, protecting any information that may be vital to the investigation while making public its general reasons to justify withholding the text of the search warrant.

The United States wants to keep secret the fact that this court issued a search warrant for Representative Perrys phone," Schwab wrote in her order. But the fact that this court issued a search warrant is already public knowledge.

The government submitted the redacted document that outlined its reasoning for keeping the search warrant secret. But the document is redacted to the point of being nearly incomprehensible.

For instance, in one part of the governments brief, under the heading The Governments Investigation, there is a sentence that begins As part of this investigation, the government is looking into the involvement of Scott Perry, the congressional representative for the 10th District. What follows is blacked out, for the rest of the page and part of the next.

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So, the bottom line is that the government argued that the public is not entitled to see the search warrant. Then, the government said the public is not entitled to know the reasons why it objects to making the search warrant public. Then, the government, after being ordered by the court to release a redacted version of the document, submitted a document with large parts of it blacked out.

Thats where were at in this litigation, said Grayson Clary, a staff attorney for the nonprofit Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, which is representing the media organizations in the case. When we reach for an analogy, we use the ouroboros, the snake eating its own tail.

It all started last August when the FBI executed the search warrant and seized the York County Republican representative's phone while he was on vacation with his family in New Jersey. The FBI and the Department of Justice sought access to his phone as part of its investigation into former President Donald Trumps attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, an effort that Perry had assisted.

The media organizations sought the search warrant  normally a public document  last September, but the request was refused.

As that litigation has meandered through the federal courts, Perry has sought to block the Justice Department from examining his text messages, claiming that the more than 2.000 texts purportedly related to efforts to overturn the results of the presidential election were privileged and protected by his status as a member of Congress.

Last week, a federal judge rejected Perrys claim and gave the Department of Justice access to his texts.

An email to Perrys office seeking comment went unanswered.

Columnist/reporter Mike Argento has been a York Daily Record staffer since 1982. Reach him at mike@ydr.com.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Judge unseals feds' response to suit seeking Rep. Perry search warrant
A federal judge on Monday rejected efforts by a Northern California defendant in the Jan. 6 insurrection to have his charges dropped, to have his trial moved from Washington, D.C., to Sacramento and to be released pending trial because his mental state is suffering in jail.

In a 25-page opinion filed in court in Washington, U.S. District Judge John D. Bates effectively shot down all but one of the five motions filed in recent months on behalf of Sean McHugh, an Auburn construction worker scheduled to go to trial in April in connection with the Capitol riot.

The judges findings follow previous, unsuccessful efforts by McHugh to have his trial moved out of Washington or have his charges dropped because of arguments that he could not receive a fair trial in a city that voted overwhelmingly for President Joe Biden over Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election.

McHugh was indicted on 10 counts, including two counts of assaulting or resisting officers using a dangerous weapon and disorderly conduct with a dangerous weapon.

McHugh attorney Joseph Allen has argued the charges lack specifics and should be thrown out, and also has argued that pepper spray should not be considered a dangerous weapon.

McHugh is accused of using bear spray to spray officers and pushing a metal sign against police trying to hold back rioters during the certification of the Electoral College count that confirmed Bidens victory.

The judge noted that in other Jan. 6 cases courts have consistently agreed that pepper spray or a metal contraption could be a dangerous weapon.

A federal complaint filed against Sean Michael McHugh, 34, of Auburn a seen holding a megaphone in this photo provided by prosecutors a alleges that McHugh sprayed U.S. Capitol Police officers with a chemical substance and assaulted them with a metal sign during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

The judge also rejected McHughs efforts to have various counts tossed over arguments that they were duplicative or vague, and rejected for the second time a bid to have the trial moved west.

McHugh filed a motion last March seeking to have his trial moved to Michigan because media coverage of Jan. 6 supposedly tainted the jury pool and because D.C. residents may have strong feelings about what happened during the attack in their city.

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The judge rejected that motion, and Bates on Monday refused McHughs effort to instead have the trial moved to federal court in Sacramento based on the argument that the offenses he is charged with began and ended in Auburn, where he was arrested.

The charges all relate to conduct that took place at the Capitol, which is in Washington, D.C., Bates wrote. And each count of the indictment explicitly charges McHugh with an offense that took place in Washington, D.C.

Bates also refused to grant McHughs temporary release from a District jail pending trial, rejecting his argument that McHugh cannot adequately prepare for trial in custody and that his mental state is suffering in the jail.

The judge also rejected McHughs argument that his family is suffering because he has been in custody for a year and a half, noting that part of the delay in McHugh going to trial stems from the fact that he has agreed to postponements.

The judge wrote that he has recently noted every defendants family suffers in some way or another due to that defendants incarceration, but that the court certainly cannot grant every such defendant pretrial release from custody.

And, the judge wrote, McHughs previous attempt at winning release was rejected and McHugh presents no reason why the factors weighing in favor of detention have changed since then.

As the government describes in depth, McHugh is charged with multiple violent felonies, including assaults on law enforcement; the weight of the evidence is strong (there is video evidence of his violent and disruptive behavior); and he has a remarkably long and disturbing criminal history including offenses that occurred while he was on probation and being supervised, Bates wrote. Those factors continue to weigh heavily in favor of pretrial detention.

The only relief Bates offered McHugh came in an order to have prosecutors file a redacted version of McHughs past criminal history, with the judge concluding that the government incorrectly accused McHugh of being arrested in 2015 in a rape-related incident.

Specifically, the government asserted that his criminal history includes ... three prior rape offenses, and referenced a 2010 arrest that culminated in a misdemeanor plea as well as a 2015 arrest, Bates wrote. These characterizations were based on a pretrial services report stating that McHugh had been arrested for three rape offenses.

In his reply to the governments detention response back in 2021, McHugh clarified that he had been arrested only twice for rape-related charges  once in 2003 and once in 2010  and that the 2015 arrest was related to his 2010 offense and thus was not an arrest for a separate incident.

McHugh is one of four Sacramento-area defendants charged in the Jan. 6 riot, and the only one to reject a plea deal and insist on going to trial.

Two people  Valerie Elaine Ehrke of Arbuckle and Tommy Frederick Allan of Rocklin  have accepted plea deals and been sentenced.

A third, GOP activist Jorge Riley or Sacramento, has a plea agreement hearing scheduled for Tuesday.
Judy Heumann, celebrated disability rights activist whose lifelong advocacy eventually led to passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, has died. She was 75.

Heumann worked under the Clinton and Obama administrations, and was featured in the Obama-produced, Oscar-nominated documentary Crip Camp, detailing the campers turned activists of Camp Jened in the 1970s.

SLUG: ME_HEUMANN4 DATE: 05/18/2007 PHOTOGRAPHER: Sarah L. Voisin Washington, DC NEG #: 190924 Judy Heumann, new acting director of DC's new Department of Disability Services in her office. (Photo by Sarah L. Voisin/The The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Sarah L. Voisin/The The Washington Post via Getty Judy Heumann, disability rights activist and star of Oscar-nominated 'Crip Camp', dies at 75

Born in Brooklyn in 1947, Neumann developed polio at 18 months, causing her to use a wheelchair for the rest of her life. Heumann's fight for inclusion began early, as she was denied enrollment in public schools, her wheelchair cited as a fire hazard.

From the ages of nine to 18, Heumann attended Camp Jened, a summer camp for disabled teens in the Catskills of New York run by self-professed hippies. "We had the same joy together, the same anger over the way we were treated, and the same frustrations at opportunities we didn't have," Heumann said of the experience.

Heumann's work as an activist started in earnest in 1970 when she was denied a teaching license by New York City's Board of Education, her wheelchair, again, being scapegoated as a fire hazard. Heumann sued the Board of Education, and without going to trial, she became the first wheelchair user to teach in the city.

In 1977, Heumann led the 504 sit-in at San Francisco's Health, Education, and Welfare building, as part of sit-ins across the country protesting the federal government's failure to enforce the legislation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The Rehabilitation Act, a forerunner of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, was the first U.S. federal civil rights protection for people with disabilities.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 20: Judy Heumann attends the 2022 Women's Entrepreneurship Day Organization Summit at United Nations on May 20, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Chance Yeh/Getty Images)

Chance Yeh/Getty Judy Heumann at 2022 Women's Entrepreneurship Day Organization Summit

Along with 80 activists, and with a little help from the Black Panthers, Heumann staged a sit-in for 25 days, the longest sit-in at a federal building to date. As a result, regulations were passed enforcing the Rehabilitation Act. She would later serve as an advisor on disability rights to the Clinton administration, the World Bank, and the Obama administration.

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Heuamnn's tireless advocacy led to her being widely considered "the mother of the disability rights movement," the American Association of People with Disabilities wrote in a press release.

In 2020, Heumann was featured in the documentary Crip Camp, produced by Barack and Michelle Obama's Higher Ground Productions, following how campers at Jened were inspired and invigorated by their time there and went on the become activists in their own right. The film was nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 2021 Academy Awards, winning the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival the previous year.

"At Sundance, the response from people in the audience was very significant. They didn't understand why they didn't know...that there was a civil rights movement in the disability community, or anything about its evolution," Heumann told EW in 2020. "I think the film is really important in relation to advancing these discussions."

The Obamas remembered Heumann on social media, writing, "Judy Heumann dedicated her life to the fight for civil rights  starting as a young organizer at Camp Jened and later helping lead the disability rights movement. Michelle and I were fortunate to work with Judy over the years, and are thinking of her family and friends."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Heumann was attached to executive produce an adaptation of her 2020 memoir, Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist, for Apple Original Films, directed by CODA's Sian Heder.

"Some people say that what I did changed the world," Heumann once wrote, "but really, I simply refused to accept what I was told about who I could be. And I was willing to make a fuss about it."

Related content:
Judy Heumann, center, in Berkeley in 1993. (Susan Ragan/AP)

Judy Heumann, a renowned and deeply respected activist who helped secure legislation protecting the rights of disabled people, has died at 75.

News of her death Saturday in Washington, D.C., was posted on her website and social media accounts and confirmed by her youngest brother, Rick Heumann.

He said his sister had been in the hospital a week and had heart issues that may have been the result of post-polio syndrome, related to a childhood infection that was so severe that she spent several months in an iron lung and lost her ability to walk at age 2.

She spent the rest of her life fighting, first to get access for herself and then for others, her brother recalled.

"It wasnt about glory for my sister or anything like that at all. It was always about how could she make things better for other people," he said, adding that the family drew solace from the tributes that poured in on Twitter from dignitaries and past presidents such as Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.

"Judy Heumann was a trailblazer  a rolling warrior  for disability rights in America," President Biden said in a statement. "After her school principal said she couldnt enter kindergarten because she was using a wheelchair, Judy dedicated the rest of her life to fighting for the inherent dignity of people with disabilities."

Heumann was widely regarded as the mother of the disability rights movement for her longtime advocacy on behalf of disabled people through protests and legal action.

She lobbied for legislation that eventually led to the federal Americans With Disabilities Act, Individuals With Disabilities Education Act and the Rehabilitation Act. She served as the assistant secretary of the U.S. Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services, beginning in 1993 in the Clinton administration, until 2001.

Heumann also was involved in passage of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities, which was ratified in May 2008.

She helped found the Berkeley Center for Independent Living, the Independent Living Movement and the World Institute on Disability and served on the boards of several related organizations, including the American Assn. of People With Disabilities, the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Humanity and Inclusion and the United States International Council on Disability, according to her website.

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Heumann, who was born in Philadelphia in 1947 and raised in New York City, was the co-author of her memoir, Being Heumann, and a version for young adults titled, Rolling Warrior.

Her book recounts the struggle her parents, German Jewish immigrants who fled Europe ahead of the Holocaust, experienced while trying to secure a place for their daughter in school.

Kids with disabilities were considered a hardship, economically and socially," she wrote.

Rick Heumann said his mother, whom he described as a bulldog, initially had to homeschool his sister. The experience of fleeing Nazi Germany left the parents and their children with a passion.

We truly believe, he said, "that discrimination is wrong in any way, shape or form."

Judy Heumann went on to graduate from high school and earn a bachelor's degree from Long Island University and a master's degree in public health from UC Berkeley. It was groundbreaking at the time, which shows just how much has changed, said Maria Town, the president and CEO of the American Assn. of People With Disabilities.

Today the expectation for children with disabilities is that we will be included in mainstream education, that we will have a chance to go to high school, to go to college and to get those degrees, Town said while acknowledging that inequities persist. But I think the fact that the primary assumption has changed is a really big deal, and I also think Judy played a significant role.

She also was featured in the 2020 documentary film, Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution, which highlighted Camp Jened, a summer camp Heumann attended that helped spark the disability rights movement. The film was nominated for an Academy Award.

During the 1970s she won a lawsuit against the New York Board of Education and became the first teacher in the state who was able to work while using a wheelchair, which the board had tried to claim was a fire hazard.

She also was a leader in a historic, nonviolent 28-day occupation of a San Francisco federal building in 1977 that set the stage for passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act, which became law in 1990. The protest is regarded as longest nonviolent occupation of a federal building in American history.

Town, who has cerebral palsy, said Heumann was the one who suggested she use a mobility scooter to make it easier to get around. She wasn't ready to hear it at first after a lifetime of being told she needed to appear less disabled. Eventually, though, she decided to give it a try.

And its literally changed my life, Town said. And that was part of what Judy did. She really helped people accept who they were as disabled people and take pride in that identity. And she helped so many people understand their own power as disabled people.

A Times staff writer contributed to this story.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
"Shakespeare in Love" producer Edward Zwick let readers in on a few big secrets about the making of the Oscar-winning 1998 film.

The period romance starred Gwyneth Paltrow and Joseph Fiennes and won seven Academy Awards, including best picture. But in the project's nascent days, it didn't involve Paltrow at all but instead "Pretty Woman" star Julia Roberts, whom Zwick suggests sent the early production off the rails.

In the first chapter of his upcoming memoir, published Saturday in Air Mail, Zwick marked the 25th anniversary of the film with juicy details about its development. His contributions, he said, had long been overlooked and rarely publicly acknowledged  even on the night he won an Academy Award and was edged out of his acceptance speech by studio mogul Harvey Weinstein.

"The Last Samurai" and "I Am Sam" producer revealed that, at first, he couldn't get revered screenwriter Tom Stoppard to do a rewrite on Marc Norman's first draft. That version imagined the Elizabethan theater "as the Hollywood of its day, with young Will as just another struggling writer-director having to cater to the publics appetite for innocuous, pleasing fare, deal with treacherous producers, mollify temperamental actors, struggle with writers block, and survive the plague."

Life imitated art for all of them, he explained. In the early 1990s, Stoppard, a "childhood idol" of Zwick's, apparently wanted a million dollars to make the movie but Universal Studios wouldn't finance it until Roberts, then 24, showed interest in the project.

"I know now shed never read Marcs draft, but the mere possibility of having the 'Pretty Woman' wearing a corseted gown got the studio excited enough to cough up the dough. Ten weeks later I was back in London, where a xeroxed copy of Stoppards first draft was waiting in my fancy hotel room," Zwick wrote. (Stoppard went on to share the Academy Award for original screenplay with Norman.)

Zwick recalled the whirlwind days of Roberts' involvement, detailing their overnight flight from L.A. to London to begin screen tests and how Roberts  who had recently left her "Flatliners" co-star Kiefer Sutherland at the altar  allegedly admitted that she "can't help falling in love" with her leading men. For "Shakespeare in Love," Zwick said, "The new It Girl naturally felt her co-star should be the worlds greatest actor": Daniel Day-Lewis.

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Edward Zwick, photographed in 2019, details his involvement with "Shakespeare in Love" in his upcoming book. (Slaven Vlasic / Getty Images)

Zwick had already lined up casting meetings and auditions with "every actor in England" and knew that Day-Lewis, a newly minted Oscar winner, was unavailable. Other hopefuls included Fiennes' elder brother, Ralph Fiennes; Russell Crowe; Hugh Grant; Rupert Graves; Colin Firth, Sean Bean; and Jeremy Northam  all of whom Roberts found fault with.

Roberts' fixation on Day-Lewis even included her sending him two dozen roses with a card that read "Be My Romeo," Zwick said. But the "My Left Foot" star was already committed to "In the Name of the Father" with pal Jim Sheridan and again declined Zwick's (and Roberts') overtures. But the rejection apparently unmoored Roberts.

Representatives for Roberts did not respond to Air Mail or The Times' requests for comment.

After screen-testing with the almost-perfect Ralph Fiennes, Zwick said, "Julia was hardly there at all.  Even as Ralph did his best to elicit the famous smile, Julia barely acknowledged him.

"Im not suggesting she was deliberately sabotaging, but it was a disaster nonetheless," he wrote, adding that she was also unable to "master the accent" required of her character, Viola De Lesseps.

Things further devolved, and Zwick said he made "the tragic mistake of underestimating her insecurity." Shortly thereafter, and after costumes had been made, sets built and $6 million spent, Roberts left the project.

The producer said he never spoke to Roberts again but "observed from afar as her work grew in depth and stature."

"I bear her no ill will. She was a frightened 24-year-old. I wasnt much older, trying to act the grown-up as I watched the Globe Theatre torn down," he added. "And with it my dreams of grandeur."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
If Jurgen Klopp naturally admitted he couldnt quite see that coming, he did insist there were signings that things were coming together behind the scenes. This, the Liverpool manager stated, was one of the biggest differences from a month ago. His side have gone from Brighton seemingly being able to score at will against them to being able to score whenever they wanted against Manchester United due to other numbers. That was the extent of the players they had in full training, where Klopp described the level as outstanding.

It is the first time they have had that all campaign. The German pointed to how even the availability of Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino had an energising effect, all of these elements adding up to something much greater - and the biggest win the club have ever enjoyed over their greatest rivals.

We know we can play good football and better than we show at times this season but there are reasons why we did not, Klopp explained. The main difference is we have now pretty much all the players available, which is helpful. You saw the other night having Diogo is super helpful and now Bobby, you saw the reception he got. In the last line, we have options again.

We have for the first time this season four or five players not in the squad who are training outstanding. Before that, we had nine to ten players injured and that is not helpful, when you are not on a good run. We started this season and never could get out of it. Really special night tonight but we have to keep going.

This was something Klopp kept stressing. It is also worth bearing in mind over the scale of the performance, and how significant it is as regards what next. It was as if the full commitment of the group in training at last translated into a display of striking completeness, with that further compounded by other factors.

Klopp did say it was a freak result as well as a top performance, and this was down to a number of unique elements.

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It was first of all a meeting between a side who had overexerted themselves in recent weeks and one who had underperformed for a long time, with both coming together for a bit of a balancing out. The scales were further tilted since United last week had the emotional satiation of a first trophy in six years, bookended by two demanding second-half displays against Barcelona and West Ham United.

They were running out of steam, while Liverpool were just picking up pace. Unlike United on the back of so many wins, Klopps side had a point to prove. Once they started to make that point in pretty vigorous terms, too, it was like Erik ten Hags side were afflicted by recent memories of results against Liverpool. It all caved in, as Liverpool piled on.

It was a release Klopps side havent enjoyed for some time well, at least since that start of the season, when they broke a bad spell by unleashing nine goals on Bournemouth. Klopp made another point of asking the assembled press what happened next there.

It was actually a late 2-1 win over Newcastle United, but the meaning was more how it didnt exactly fix the season.

Liverpool still have issues.

But the real significance of this was the psychology, and also the signs. This is much more than a 9-0 over Bournemouth, after all. It is a historic humiliation of your greatest rivals, and one when they have very much been on the up.

(Getty Images)

It wasnt like last season, when they were facing a United in crisis.

That will have the players flying, as Klopp put it, but part of that flow was because things are starting to fit together more smoothly. It was most noticeable with that attack, which for the first time suggested a new era beyond the old trident.

Cody Gakpo was exceptional, the elegance of his movement and finishing so gloriously dovetailing with Mo Salahs running. The third goal, and Gakpos second, was the most luscious illustration of this. It was Liverpool at their best. It had suggestions of the frightening Salah-Sadio Mane pace but in a different way. In the middle, far from being a force of chaos, Darwin Nunezs strength complemented all of this. It was like you could see the logic of it all for the first time.

That isnt to say all solutions have been found. The midfield is still a work in progress but was more important here was the progress up the pitch - as well as the evolution in the team.

They still had seven players from the 2017-22 era but it was as if there was more change - and electric charge - around them. Trent Alexander-Arnold and, above all, Andy Robertson looked revitalised.

(Getty Images)

Fabinho was again better but no longer felt irreplaceable, or as if there was a massive hole without the Brazilian midfielder on form. Jordan Henderson was replaced by Stefan Bajcetic, who clearly represents the future.

Liverpools immediate future is suddenly that bit more interesting, and maybe yet season-defining. They have that return against Real Madrid in ten days, needing at least three goals but suddenly looking like they can score any number. It was put to Klopp that he said that tie was over after the first leg and whether he has now changed his mind.

In-keeping with his earlier comments, the German wasnt going that far.

We have to bring the boys in the right shape for Bournemouth.

Its now just about the next step, despite what felt a historic leap.
Two people were arrested after a traffic stop and pursuit led to Kansas authorities seizing thousands of possible Fentanyl pills.

Joel Hayes, 37, of Colorado Springs and Brenna Fitzgerald, 29, of Peyton, Colorado, were arrested, according to a news release from the Dickinson County Sheriffs Office.

The incident started around 12:15 p.m. Thursday along I-70 in Dickinson County. A deputy from the sheriffs office tried to stop a 2021 Toyota sedan Hayes and Fitzgerald were in for a traffic infraction, according to the release.

Hayes accelerated and a pursuit ensued. The chase left I-70 and continued south on Jeep Road, where the car crashed into a ditch after attempting turn onto a gravel driveway, the release said.

Hayes kept driving into a field until the car eventually stopped. He ran but was apprehended by authorities. Fitzgerald was taken to the Abilene hospital for injuries from the crash, the release added.

A search of the car found over 9,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills believed to be fentanyl, one and half pounds of methamphetamine, 84 grams of heroin, 34 grams of marijuana, two firearms and various tools stolen in Colorado Springs, according to the release.

Hayes was booked into the Dickinson County Jail on suspicion of fleeing and attempting to elude law enforcement, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of stolen property and drug-related charges, the release said.

Hayes was also arrested on a warrant through the El Paso County Sheriffs Office in Colorado for failure to appear on drug and weapon related charges.

Fitzgerald was booked on suspicion of drug-related charges, criminal possession of a weapon and possession of stolen property, the release said.
[Source]

Oscar nominee Ke Huy Quan revealed that he lost his health insurance while waiting for the delayed release of "Everything Everywhere All at Once" ("EEAAO").

During his recent interview on The Late Late Show with James Corden on Thursday, Quan, 51, shared that he stayed safe at home during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, while waiting for "EEAAO" to premiere, he grew anxious since he auditioned for several roles via self-tapes but did not receive any acting offers.

"I could not get a single job. This is 2021, and I was so nervous, I was about to lose my health insurance," he told Corden.

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"So, I called my agent and I said, 'Can you please get me anything? It doesnt matter, I just need one job to make the minimum requirement so I can qualify for health insurance the following year,'" Quan continued. "And I could not get one single job, and sure enough, 2021 came and went [and I] lost my health insurance."

Quan later called an EEAAO producer to ask if he was any good in his role as Waymond Wang because he couldnt land any other roles. In response, the producer told him to "be patient" for the films release.

Since March 2022, both the A24 film and Quan have garnered critical acclaim. The Oscar nominee, who became a child actor at the age of 12 after appearing in "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom," has won a Golden Globe, a SAG Award, a Critics Choice Award and a Saturn Award, among many others.

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As for future roles, Quan will reunite with his fellow EEAO castmates Michelle Yeoh and Stephanie Hsu in the upcoming Disney+ TV series American Born Chinese. He will also star in the second season of Loki.

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Kellyanne Conway, who served as a top adviser to former President Donald Trump, and George Conway, a lawyer and frequent Trump critic, announced Saturday that they are divorcing after more than two decades of marriage.

The Conways, who married in 2001, said they were in the final stages of an amicable divorce, in a statement shared to Twitter by George Conway.

Kellyanne Conway and her husband George in Washington on Jan. 19, 2017. (Matt Rourke / AP file)

We married more than two decades ago, cherish the many happy years (and four corgis) weve shared, and above all else, our four incredible children, who remain the heartbeat of our family and our top priority, they wrote.

The Conways were a Republican power couple, but their politics began publicly diverging with the rise of Trump. Although George Conway initially supported Trump for president, he soon soured on him and became one of his most fiery critics.

George Conway launched many of his broadsides on Twitter, where he has amassed more than 2 million followers with his anti-Trump commentary. The fact that he was a longtime Republican and married to a top Trump adviser meant that his criticisms attracted extra attention.

In 2019, George Conway, along with a small group of Trump critics, co-founded the anti-Trump Lincoln Project that worked against the presidents re-election.

Kellyanne Conway served as Trumps campaign manager before she joined him in the White House as a senior counselor. While her husband was firing off his anti-Trump attacks on social media, Kellyanne Conway was one of the presidents most vocal defenders in the media.

Kellyanne Conway left the Trump administration in 2020, before the presidential election.

Our four children are teens and tweens starting a new academic year, in middle school and high school, remotely from home for at least a few months, she said at the time. As millions of parents nationwide know, kids doing school from home requires a level of attention and vigilance that is as unusual as these times.

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Around the same time, George Conway also said that he was leaving the Lincoln Project to devote more time to family and taking a hiatus from Twitter.

When she decided to leave the White House, Kellyanne Conway said that although she and her husband disagreed on many fronts, they were united on what matters most: the kids.

In their statement on their divorce Saturday, the Conways asked people to, Kindly respect our privacy.

This article originally appeared on NBCNews.com.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy will meet Taiwans president Tsai Ing-wen in California rather than Taipei to avoid triggering an aggressive response from China.

In January, the Pentagon was in the early stages of planning McCarthys visit to Taiwan, an official told Punchbowl News. McCarthy had publicly expressed his desire to follow Nancy Pelosi in visiting the island which the Peoples Republic of China claims as its own, although it has never ruled Taiwan.

Pelosi led a congressional delegation there last August, becoming the first House speaker to do so since Newt Gingrich in 1997. In response, the Peoples Liberation Army held huge exercises, including firing missiles over Taiwan for the first time.

To avoid a similar flare-up, Tsai will meet with McCarthy in southern California and speak at the Ronald Reagan Library, the Financial Times reported Monday. She will also visit New York and Central America in the early April trip.

Tsai, whose term ends in January, previously visited the Reagan Library in 2018 and made remarks, but not a formal speech.

We shared some intelligence about what the Chinese Communist party is recently up to and the kinds of threats they pose, a senior Taiwanese official told the Financial Times about information Taipei had provided to McCarthys team. The official added China was not in a good situation right now.

The scrapping of McCarthys trip also follows a direct warning from China.

We urge certain individuals in the U.S. to earnestly abide by the one-China principle, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said in a statement obtained by The Hill last month, indirectly referring to McCarthys plans. He added that China is opposed to any official interactions with Taiwan.

While U.S. adherence to the one China policy means it does not recognize the sovereignty of Taiwan, the U.S. has consistently supported Taiwan both economically and militarily as a democratic bulwark against China.

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In the face of the Chinese Communist Partys accelerating aggression, our congressional delegations visit should be seen as an unequivocal statement that America stands with Taiwan, our democratic partner, as it defends itself and its freedom, wrote Pelosi in a Washington Post op-ed.

Additionally, on Monday, Taiwan made it clear it is increasingly concerned about China making a direct move against the island.

According to Al Jazeera, the Taiwanese defense minister explained the island must be on alert this year for a sudden entry by the Chinese military into areas close to its territory.

Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng also said that Taiwan will exercise its right to self-defense and counterattack if armed forces enter the island.

More from National Review
NPC deputies encouraged by Xi's responses to ideas

By Cui Jia (China Daily) 08:14, March 06, 2023

President Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, takes part in a deliberation with deputies from the delegation of Jiangsu province at the first session of the 14th National People's Congress in Beijing on Sunday. [Photo/Xinhua]

Jiangsu delegation members outline suggestions on how to accelerate country's growth

National People's Congress deputies from the Jiangsu province delegation said on Sunday they have been greatly encouraged by President Xi Jinping's responses to their suggestions on China's development.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, participated in a deliberation on Sunday afternoon with his fellow deputies from the delegation at the first session of the 14th NPC, China's national legislature.

At the deliberation, Wei Qiao, an NPC deputy who quit her job at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing in 2017 and returned to Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, to start a cooperative for agricultural machinery and a rice farm, explained why she made the decision and the reasons why China's agricultural industry is booming.

"When I told him that I have 1,333 hectares of rice fields, President Xi asked me how much I can make a year, which shows that he really cares about the people," Wei said.

She then made suggestions about how to better provide assistance to people who want to go to rural areas and become involved in the agricultural sector.

"When Xi talks about China's grain production, he said it's quite a good thing to grow rice like me. It's so encouraging," she said.

Zhang Dadong, an NPC deputy and headmaster of Xin'an Primary School in Jiangsu's Huai'an city, said that Xi has sent his regards to the children at his school.

On May 30, 2021, Xi replied to a letter sent by a group of students who expressed their pride in the school's revolutionary history and what they had learned from the history of the Party.

"Xi expressed the need to be confident in different fields, including technological innovation and education. I'm confident that we can educate our children well," said Zhang, adding that he cannot wait to tell the children that Xi has sent his regards to them.

Liu Qing, a deputy and president of Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute, said he briefed Xi about the changes that have taken place since the president visited the institute on Dec 13, 2014.

The institute has been focusing on putting scientific research achievements into use to gain industrial advantages, as instructed by Xi.

"At the deliberation, Xi asked Jiangsu province to take the lead in technological innovation and use technologies to further support the development of the real economy," Liu said.

"I am confident that by mobilizing different resources to tackle the key technologies in strategic industrial chains that still rely on imports from overseas, we can eliminate the risks in our industrial chains."

Deputies to the National People's Congress attend the first session of the 14th NPC on Sunday. The session runs from Sunday to Mar 13. [Photo/Xinhua]

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
By Parisa Hafezi

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran's supreme leader said on Monday that the poisoning schoolgirls is an "unforgivable" crime that should be punished by death if deliberate, state TV reported, amid public anger over a wave of suspected attacks in schools.

Over 1,000 girls have fallen ill after being poisoned since November, according to state media and officials, with some politicians blaming religious groups opposed to girls' education.

The poisonings have come at a critical time for Iran's clerical rulers after months of protests since the death of a young woman held by police for flouting hijab rules.

"Authorities should seriously pursue the issue of students' poisoning," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was quoted as saying by state TV. "If it is proven deliberate, those perpetrators of this unforgivable crime should be sentenced to capital punishment."

The poisonings began in November in the holy Shi'ite Muslim city of Qom and spread to 25 of Iran's 31 provinces, prompting some parents to take children out of school and protest.

Authorities have accused the Islamic Republic's "enemies" of using the attacks to undermine the clerical establishment. But suspicions have fallen on hardline groups operating as self-declared guardians of their interpretation of Islam.

In Washington, President Joe Biden's press secretary called the poisonings shameful on Monday.

"The possibility that girls in Iran are being possibly poisoned simply for trying to get an education is shameful, it's unacceptable," Karine Jean-Pierre said at a news briefing.

The White House called for an independent investigation to determine if the poisonings were related to protests, which would make it well within the mandate of the United Nations fact-finding mission on Iran.

'GIRLS PAYING THE PRICE'

In 2014, people took to the streets of the city of Isfahan after a wave of acid attacks, which appeared to be aimed at terrorizing women who violated the strict Islamic dress code.

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For the first time since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, schoolgirls have been joining the protests that spiralled after Mahsa Amini's death in morality police custody.

Some activists have accused the establishment of orchestrating the poisonings in revenge.

"Now the girls of Iran are paying the price for fighting against the compulsory hijab (veil) and have been poisoned by the clerical establishment," tweeted New York-based leading Iranian activist Masih Alinejad.

Fearing fresh impetus for protests, authorities have downplayed the poisonings. A judicial probe is under way, though no details of findings have yet been released.

At least one boys' school has also been targeted in the city of Boroujerd, state media reported.

(Additional reporting by Elwely Elwelly in Dunai and Jeff Mason in Washington; Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Toby Chopra, Andrew Cawthorne and Sandra Maler)
Mohave County

The parents of a 16-year-old boy who was found dead in Kingman have been arrested on suspicion of concealing a dead body and lying to the police about the boy's whereabouts.

Amber-Leah Valentine, 41, and Jon Imes, 41, called Mohave County Sheriff's Department on Feb. 25 to report that their 16-year-old son had run away from home. Valentine and Imes told deputies after they responded to the family's home in Kingman that they had last seen their son around 10 a.m. the day prior, according to a news release.

Three days later, on Feb. 28, Mohave County deputies were sent to the area of Anson Smith Road and Indian Canyon Road in Kingman, where the body of a dead white male had been found behind a stone wall wrapped in a blanket. An autopsy was scheduled to determine the cause of death.

The body remained unidentified until March 2 when Valentine called Mohave County sheriff's deputies to tell them she had just freed her 14-year-old daughter who had been held captive by Valentine's roommates. The mother asked for medical attention for her and her 14-year-old daughter and the pair were taken to Kingman Regional Medical Center for treatment, police said.

During that time, Valentine told deputies she and Imes had disposed of their 16-year-old son's body, according to the Sheriff's Office.

"She admitted that she lied to deputies when they reported him as a runaway and acknowledged that he was already deceased at the time of the report," Mohave County Sheriff Doug Shuster said.

During questioning, Imes admitted to disposing of his sons body and lying to deputies about him running away, Shuster said.

Valentine's 14-year-old daughter  who had been held captive reportedly by her mother's roommates, Richard Pounds, 34, and Shioban Gujda, 39  told detectives during questioning at the hospital that she was abused at the home, according to the news release.

The girl recounted being shot in the eye with a BB gun by Pounds among other incidents of abuse, detectives said.

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The Arizona Department of Child Safety was contacted in response to the abuse allegations, and the 14-year-old was moved to an undisclosed location to continue medical treatment, police said. Both Valentine and Imes were booked into the Mohave County Adult Detention Facility on March 2 following their arrests.

A search warrant was issued for the family's Kingman home, at which time both Pounds and Gujda were taken into custody with help from the Bullhead City SWAT team. Pounds was arrested on charges of felony child abuse and aggravated assault and booked into Mohave County Adult Detention Center, according to a Sheriff's Office news release. Gujda was released pending further investigation.

The Mohave County Medical Examiners Office conducted an autopsy on the 16-year-old male on March 4 to determine his cause of death, Shuster said. The autopsy results were pending as of March 6.

The parents were charged on suspicion of felony abandonment and concealment of a dead body.

Shuster said the case remained under active investigation and additional charges were pending.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kingman parents arrested after son's body found
Rachel Grafe, the Knaus Berry Farm owner who police say was attacked by her son two weeks ago, has died.

The business confirmed in an Instagram post that Grafe succumbed to the injuries she sustained at her home Sunday at around 1:45 p.m.

Once again, we want to thank the entire community, the post said. You are family! You have been a great support and inspiration. Thank you for your prayers and concern!

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava reacted to the news on Twitter, sharing that she was deeply saddened to hear about Grafes death.

Rob and I are deeply saddened by the death of Rachel Knaus Grafe, owner of Knaus Berry Farm. She was a woman of strength and grace who embodied the values of hard work, family, and community. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the Knaus family and all who knew and loved her.  Daniella Levine Cava (@MayorDaniella) March 5, 2023

She was a woman of strength and grace who embodied the values of hard work, family, and community, Levine Cava said.

READ MORE: What makes Knaus Berry Farm such a landmark? Theres a recipe in triumph and tragedy

Grafe was airlifted by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue to Jackson South Medical Center on Feb. 17, after Miami-Dade police were called to a violent domestic dispute at a home in the 15700 block of Southwest 248th Street in Redland.

Officers found an injured husband and wife  Rachel and Herbert Grafe  who said they were beaten with a blunt object in the home by their son, police said. He fled after the assault but was arrested near the home and later charged.

READ MORE: Knaus Berry Farm owners son thought he killed Mom, threatened to kill Dad, cops say

A longtime friend of the family told investigators he was on the phone with Herbert and overheard son Travis Grafe say that he killed his mother and wanted money or he will kill him, too, according to an arrest report. Police say Travis then went to a neighbors home and told the man that he killed his mother.

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Knaus Berry Farm is a Miami-Dade landmark. Thousands make a traditional trek to the Homestead business starting at the end of every year to buy fresh-baked cinnamon rolls, pies, herb breads and house-made jams. These products are only available from about November to April.

The business will be open on Monday and for most of the remainder of the week as the family prepares Rachels celebration of life.

This report will be updated.
Smoke rises after protesters breached Cop City in Dekalb County, outside Atlanta, on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2023. (Sean Keenan/The New York Times)

Smoke rises after protesters breached Cop City in Dekalb County, outside Atlanta, on March 5, 2023. Credit - Sean KeenanThe New York Times/Redux

Hundreds of protesters on Sunday breached the site of a proposed public safety training facility in southeast Atlanta, burning construction vehicles and setting off fireworks at police officers. The Atlanta Police Department said 23 people had been arrested and charged with domestic terrorism after throwing bricks, rocks and Molotov cocktails at officers stationed nearby.

The violent clashes occurred on the second day of what activists are calling a weeklong mass mobilization to protest the building of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, a planned 85-acre campus that has been branded Cop City by opponents who say the complex would propagate police militarization and harm the environment.

Read More: Atlantas First Black Female District Attorney Is at the Center of Americas Converging Crises

We are appalled because no one asked for this facility to be built, activist Kamau Franklin, the founder of Community Movement Builders, a grassroots organizing group that helped organize the Stop Cop City movement, tells TIME. This is a militarized police facility thats going to have over a dozen firing ranges and a Blackhawk helicopter. I cant think of any reason whatsoever why the police in Atlanta need a Blackhawk helicopter, except to over-police Black communities.

Surveillance footage from Atlanta Police captured construction equipment burning out of control at the site as protesters in black clothing went into the fenced construction area before squad cars and armed officers arrived. The protesters were seen throwing large rocks, bricks, molotov cocktails, and fireworks at police officers. No officers were hurt.

A group of violent agitators used the cover of a peaceful protest of the proposed Atlanta Public Safety Training Center to conduct a coordinated attack on construction equipment and police officers, the police department said.

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Police said they exercised restraint and used nonlethal enforcement to detain 35 people. Of those detained, 23 were arrested and have been charged with domestic terrorism by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, according to a Monday afternoon update. Only two of the individuals arrested are from Georgia; one is from Canada and another is from France.

Law enforcement are seen at the planned site of a police training facility that activists have nicknamed "Cop City", during the first raid since the death of activist Manuel Teran near Atlanta, Ga. on Feb. 6, 2023. Cheney OrrAFP/Getty Images

Why Do Protesters Oppose the Facility?

Tensions over the proposed police training facility have escalated between law enforcement and protesters in recent months. Those opposed to the center began organizing against the complex shortly after the Atlanta City Council authorized it in 2021. Franklin says the announcement came as a surprise to local residents and that the development process has been largely secretive, with limited input from those most directly impacted.

Environmental advocates want to preserve the wooded area, which spans more than 1,000 acres. The planned center, located in DeKalb County, is estimated to cost $90 million, funded mostly by the Atlanta Police Foundation, a nonprofit organization, as a way to offer better police training and to boost morale amid hiring and retention struggles. Taxpayers will fund about $30 million of the facilitys cost. The city has said that it would replace trees cleared during construction, and protect more than 200 acres of land around the facility.

Other activists are concerned that the development of the training site will enable increased militarization of police forces in DeKalb County, which is 55% Black. Attention towards policing practices heightened in the wake of monthslong demonstrations against police brutality and racial injustice after the 2020 police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Rayshard Brooks.

Atlantas Democratic Mayor Andre Dickens, who is Black, said at a press conference in late January that the proposed training facility would help address much of the concerns about harmful policing practices. Our training includes vital areas like de-escalation training techniques, mental health, community-oriented policing, crisis intervention training, as well as civil rights history education, he said. This training needs space, and thats exactly what this training center is going to offer.

More than 85% of the people arrested by the Atlanta Police Department are Black, compared to the citys 48% Black population, according to data from the Police Scorecard, an online database of police violence and racial bias for over 16,000 law enforcement agencies.

Franklin, who helped organize the movement, says the problems with policing in Atlanta arent just an issue with inadequate trainingbut rather an issue of militarizing the police to look at certain communities as criminals, particularly Black, poor, working-class communities. He added that police have been bringing tanks and armored vehicles to protect the forest, along with officers carrying long rifles to patrol the site. I dont buy whatsoever that this is about training the police, Franklin says. The only training thats going to happen is on how to further criminalize communities of color, and how to continue to stop movements from taking place.

Construction equipment set on fire on March 4, 2023 by a group protesting the planned public safety training center, according to police. Atlanta Police Department/AP

Why Protests Turned Violent

Violent protests related to the proposed police training facility last erupted in Atlanta on Jan. 21, when a police vehicle was set on fire and windows were shattered in downtown buildings after the fatal police shooting of Manuel Esteban Paez Teran, a 26-year-old social justice activist who was protesting the proposed site. Police said he opened fire first, injuring a state trooper; activists have called for an independent investigation into the shooting.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, declared a state of emergency on Jan. 26 and called for the mobilization of 1,000 National Guard troops amid simmering tensions over the training facility. Some arrested at the site were previously charged with domestic terrorism.

The planned demonstrations this weekend began peacefully on Saturday with a rally, a march through the South River Forest, and a music and arts festival.

Franklin says he didnt expect Sundays protest to turn violent, though he added that officers had pepper sprayed people and tossed protesters to the ground during the clash. Some folks even had their lives threatened by police officers, he says. That is what I consider violence. The destruction of property may be something that people dont like to see, but they are not violent attacks. Atlanta Police did not immediately return a request for comment.

I think it was an overreaction by the police to go and bust up the music festival and arrest 35 people and charge 23 of them with acts of domestic terrorismfolks who were at the Music Festival that were randomly picked out and not necessarily part of the action, he added.

Those who oppose the police facility say the city of Atlanta should instead reallocate the roughly $30 million in taxpayer funding towards other issues, like affordable housing, accessible healthcare or work programs, Franklin says.
(Bloomberg) -- Chinas National Peoples Congress kicked off its annual gathering in Beijing on Sunday, with a speech from outgoing Premier Li Keqiang outlining key economic targets for the year.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The legislative meetings, which draw thousands of delegates and will run until March 13, will culminate in the biggest reshuffle of Chinas economic policy team in a decade.

Heres a summary of what we learned on the first day of the NPC:

Chinas Modest GDP Growth Target Reduces Need for More Stimulus

China set a modest economic growth target of about 5% for the year, with the nations top leaders avoiding any large stimulus to boost a recovery still being weighed down by weak business confidence and an uncertain property market.

Chinas Central Government to Borrow More: 2023 Budget Details

The central government is planning to increase borrowing by almost a fifth this year to help finance a slightly bigger budget deficit, helping to reduce pressure on debt-laden local governments.

China Defense Spending to Rise 7.2%, Fastest Pace in Four Years

China said its defense spending would grow by 7.2% this year  the fastest pace since 2019 amid increasing tensions with the US on a range of issues, including Taiwan.

Chinas 5% GDP Target Says Xis Crackdowns Are Not Over: Shuli Ren

Beijings annual growth goals do not necessarily reflect the true state of the economy, but they do reveal top policy makers sentiments, writes Bloomberg Opinion columnist Shuli Ren. This years modest target and a regulatory overhang may deter some investors from returning any time soon.

CHINA REACT: Growth Goal Looks Achievable After Big Miss in 2022

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Premier Li Keqiang has delivered a conservative growth goal for 2023, combined with a supportive spending plan. The pairing probably reflects the governments determination to hit its target after missing by a wide margin in 2022.

China to Target Unregulated Expansion in Property Market

China said it will target disorderly expansion in the property sector, as policy makers seek to strike a balance between boosting economic growth and defusing financial risks.

Economists See Chinas Conservative GDP Goal as a Cautious Sign

The 2023 growth target is a conservative goal that suggests the government is wary of challenges that may weigh on the economy and wants to account for risks to a recovery that is steadily building momentum, economists said.

China Emphasizes Whole Nation Stance on Tech as US Curbs Bite

The government pledged to pool together all of the nations resources to achieve self-reliance in technology. That underscores its determination to secure key breakthroughs in areas such as semiconductors as tensions with the US escalate.

China Seeks Peaceful Reunification With Taiwan in Key Report

In an annual report to the nations legislature, China largely kept its language regarding Taiwan unchanged, suggesting that President Xi Jinping is maintaining the governments existing policy toward the self-ruled island.

China Gives New Backing to Coal Even as Clean Energy Accelerates

The government signaled coal will retain its role as the countrys mainstay fuel even as it continues to support the expansion of its world-leading clean energy industry.

China Aims to Boost Grain Capacity Under New Food Security Push

China will push to increase grain production capacity by 50 million tons under the nations drive to bolster food security and meet rising demand.

Data Fraud Is Focus To Bolster Chinas Lackluster Carbon Market

Authorities in China will crack down on carbon data fraud as they try to strengthen the nations ailing emissions trading system ahead of a planned expansion.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder is accused of orchestrating a pay-to-play scheme at the Ohio Statehouse. Jurors will decide his fate this week.

In mid-2020, the FBI arrested one of Ohio's most powerful politicians, revealing an extensive investigation into a sweeping pay-to-play scandal.

On Thursday, a jury found ex-Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and ex-Ohio Republican Party chairman Matt Borges guilty of racketeering conspiracy. The verdict came after seven weeks of the trial and about nine hours of deliberation.

Federal prosecutors made the case that Householder traded legislation  a $1.3 billion bailout for two nuclear plants on Ohioans' electric bills  for nearly $61 million in campaign cash. Householder says he did nothing wrong and took the stand in his own defense.

Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder is accused of racketeering in connection with a $1 billion bailout for nuclear plants. He has pleaded not guilty.

What happened?:Selling out in the Statehouse

Borges was accused of bribing a GOP operative for information about a ballot initiative to block the nuclear bailout and pleaded not guilty.

Who is Larry Householder?

Householder, 63, is the former leader of the Ohio House of Representatives. He represented Coshocton and Perry counties and a portion of Licking County, east of Columbus.

Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, center, walks into Potter Stewart U.S. Courthouse with his attorneys Jan. 20,

Householder led the House from 2001 to 2004. He left Columbus under the cloud of an investigation into irregular campaign practices but was never charged with any crime.

He returned to the Ohio House in 2017 with the goal of once again leading it. Federal investigators say Householder used money funneled through dark money groups to bankroll his return to power, helping to elect candidates who would be loyal to him.

In-depth preview:Corrupt scheme or politics as usual? Trial of ex-Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder begins

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He narrowly won control of the House, cobbling together votes from 26 Republicans and 26 Democrats. Once in charge, Householder championed a sweeping energy bill that would have charged Ohioans a fee on their electric bills for two nuclear plants in northern Ohio, then-owned by FirstEnergy Solutions.

Householder defended the law even as a ballot initiative tried to block it.

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Federal investigators also accused Householder of using campaign money to repair his Florida home, pay off credit card debt and cover legal fees from a defamation lawsuit settlement.

Who is Matt Borges?

Matt Borges, 50, is a Republican political operative and former chairman of the Ohio Republican Party.

Former Ohio Republican Party chair Matt Borges, right, walks toward Potter Stewart U.S. Courthouse with his attorneys Jan. 20.

Borges worked on campaigns for former Ohio Treasurer Joe Deters, presidential candidate John McCain, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Gov. John Kasich's presidential bid. Shortly before his arrest, Borges launched an effort to get Republicans to vote for Democrat Joe Biden instead of then-President Donald Trump in the 2020 election.

Borges was accused of giving $15,000 to GOP strategist Tyler Fehrman in exchange for insider information about the ballot initiative to block the nuclear bailout. Borges says he gave the money to help a mentee in need and wasn't a part of any larger scheme.

More:One year later, ex-Ohio GOP leader accused in House Bill 6 scandal fights case against him

Who else has been arrested in connection with House Bill 6?

Three other people were arrested with Householder and Borges. They are:

What is racketeering?

Householder and Borges were charged with conspiracy to participate, directly or indirectly, in the conduct of an enterprise's affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity. The offense is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $25,000 fine and forfeiting any ill-gotten gains.

Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, left, walks toward Potter Stewart U.S. Courthouse with his defense team before jury selection in his federal trial, Friday, Jan. 20, 2023,

The charge has been used for FIFA corruption, crime families and the Latin Kings, a street and prison gang. The law was intended to punish mob bosses who didn't commit the lower-level crimes themselves but rather orchestrated the enterprise.

Prosecutors must prove there was a pattern of two or more crimes, such as bribery, extortion and fraud, within 10 years.

What is FirstEnergy?

Akron-based FirstEnergy is an electric utility that serves 6 million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey and New York. The company's generation subsidiary, FirstEnergy Solutions, entered into bankruptcy in 2018 and emerged as Energy Harbor.

In 2018, FirstEnergy announced plans to close its two nuclear power plants  Davis-Besse in Ottawa County and Perry in Lake County. Meanwhile, company officials were working on solutions at the state and federal level to keep the plants open.

As part of that push, FirstEnergy and its allies used nonprofits known as dark money groups to funnel contributions to Householder to conceal the scope of their donations.

FirstEnergy would later admit it bribed Householder and Gov. Mike DeWine appointee Sam Randazzo, who led the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. The company agreed to a $230 million fine and to cooperate with a larger federal investigation. Randazzo has not been charged with any crime and Householder has pleaded not guilty.

What is House Bill 6?

House Bill 6 is the law that Householder championed to charge Ohio ratepayers for nuclear plants in northern Ohio. It also included fees for Ohio Valley Electric Corp., which owns coal plants in Ohio and Indiana, and certain solar projects.

Podcast:Winks, nods, texts and more can prove bribery in Ohio corruption case

The bill gutted renewable energy standards and energy efficiency benchmarks. DeWine signed House Bill 6 in July 2019.

An effort to put House Bill 6 before the voters ultimately failed to collect the needed signatures, in part because of unprecedented opposition funded by FirstEnergy and its allies. Following the arrest of Householder and others, lawmakers repealed the nuclear subsidies.

What is dark money?

Dark money is a sweeping term for nonprofit and for-profit organizations that can accept unlimited political contributions without disclosing their donors. The most common type is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit.

Podcast:How do the feds investigate public corruption? It's complicated

This case involves a complex web of dark money groups that concealed the scope of the political donations flowing at the Ohio Statehouse.

What was the case against Householder?

Householder led a criminal enterprise to sell legislation for political power and nearly $61 million, a federal prosecutor said in closing arguments. Householder and his co-conspirators used a web of dark money groups to conceal their actions, which prosecutors said shows "corrupt intent."

Closing arguments: Prosecutor says Householder led pay-to-play scheme, defense calls it 'nothing burger'

Mr. Householder did not act alone but he was at the top, Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Singer said. He benefited the most because the enterprise was set up to benefit his political machine.

What was Householder's defense?

Householder defense attorney Steven Bradley said Householder backed the nuclear bailout because "he believed it was good policy and was consistent with his long-held political views regarding the importance of energy generation in Ohio." In short, he wasn't bribed.

"It's not bribe money. It's political contributions," Bradley said.

Borges' attorney Karl Schneider said Borges wasn't a member of Team Householder or Householder's alleged criminal enterprise.

U.S. Attorney David DeVillers explains the charges in the $60 million bribery case involving Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, July 21, 2020.

When will Larry Householder, Matt Borges be sentenced?

U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Black will sentence Householder and Borges in the coming months. Black allowed both men to remain out on bond. Householder promised to appeal his conviction.

"This is just step one. ... Stay tuned," Householder told reporters after the verdict.

USA TODAY Network Ohio bureau reporters Jessie Balmert and Laura Bischoff have been following the House Bill 6 scandal since the story broke. They will continue to follow developments and the trial. Follow them on Twitter at @lbischoff and @jbalmert for updates.

Get more political analysis by listening to the Ohio Politics Explained podcast

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Larry Householder convicted in Ohio corruption trial: What to know
The Kremlin held discussion about the 2024 presidential elections  it expects better results for Vladimir Putin than in 2018.

Source: Russian Kremlin-aligned media RBK with reference to its sources

Details: Members of the external political bloc of the Kremlin were gathered by Sergey Kirienko, First Deputy Head of the Administration of the President of Russia.

The Russian authorities will try to preserve "the high level of support and consolidation of citizens". The results must be "better than during the last campaign", both in terms of support and voter turnout.

The basic scenario during the preparation for the elections is Putin participating in them, though he has not announced his plans to participate in the campaign yet.

The Kremlin also thinks that after the "integration" of the Russia-occupied territories of Ukraine to Russia, the number of voters allegedly rose, and the level of support of Putin in these regions is allegedly high.

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Kurt Kitayama held his nerve to claim his first PGA Tour title at the Arnold Palmer Invitational (John Raoux/AP). (AP)

Kurt Kitayama endured an eventful final round as he edged out Rory McIlroy to claim his first PGA Tour title at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

The 30-year-old American carded a triple-bogey seven at the ninth at Bay Hill, Orlando as he attempted to defend a single-shot overnight lead, but he gathered himself to come home in 35 for a second successive 72, which got him across the line at nine under par.

Asked how he was feeling, Kitayama told Sky Sports: Ecstatic. Ive been dreaming of this for a while. Ive been close and to finally get it done feels amazing.

Asked about his emotions throughout the day, he added: I didnt feel too off. For the most part, I was feeling in control. One loose swing there and maybe a bad kick left, it just happened.

My heart was pumping, but being in those situations in the past definitely helped. I found myself walking super-fast and then I was like, Slow down, just take a minute, and that really helped.

McIlroy found himself in a four-way tie for the lead on eight under as Kitayama stood on the 17th tee, but the Americans birdie two put him a shot clear with just the final hole to play.

He dragged his tee shot at 18 into the rough but managed to find the green with his second and left a monster first putt on the lip to clinch victory.

Northern Irishman McIlroy started the day three shots behind the leader and put himself in contention with a round of 70, which included seven birdies alongside five dropped shots, but he ultimately had to settle for a share of second with American Harris English.

Asked what his primary emotion was, McIlroy said: Disappointment. I feel like I have myself a great chance after the birdie on 13, and then playing the final five holes in one over par, with this jam-packed field, isnt really going to get it done.

It was a battle all day. I felt like I hung in there really well, I just came up one short in the end. But Kurt played well and did really well to hang on in that back nine.

Patrick Cantlay shot a 68 to tie for fourth with fellow American Jordan Spieth, defending champion Scottie Scheffler and Englands Tyrrell Hatton.
The Kyiv Independent is launching a new department specializing in journalistic investigations of war crimes and other topics related to Russian aggression in Ukraine and beyond.

The new department begins its work on March 6. It is staffed by a team of leading Ukrainian investigative journalists that will be producing investigative documentaries in English and Ukrainian.

The first documentary is set to be released this summer.

"If during the first year of the (full-scale) war, journalists mostly just recorded war crimes against Ukrainians, now it's time to show their systematicity and scale," said Yevheniia Motorevska, the head of the Kyiv Independent's new war crimes investigation department. "Torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians, crimes against children, Russian influence on political processes abroad  these are the topics we plan to work with in the near future."

Motorevska is an award-winning Ukrainian journalist, editor, and video producer who previously worked at the Slidstvo.Info investigative journalism agency and served as the chief editor of the independent Ukrainian media outlet Hromadske in 2021-2022.

The new department is staffed by journalists Danylo Mokryk and Olesia Bida. Mokryk is a high-profile Ukrainian investigative journalist best known for his work with Bihus.Info and as the author of his own YouTube project MokRec. Bida is a Ukrainian journalist best known for her reports on human rights issues and Russian war crimes. She has previously worked for Hromadske.

The Kyiv Independent will soon announce additional vacancies in the newly-created department.

"Since the first days of the full-scale war, the Kyiv Independent has become a voice that speaks to the world about Russian aggression in Ukraine, so creating a war investigations department was a natural step for us. We have a unique platform to tell the world about Russia's war crimes  and now we'll have a powerful team to do it," said the Kyiv Independent editor-in-chief Olga Rudenko.

Along with the new department, the Kyiv Independent's main investigative desk, headed by Anna Myroniuk, continues its work. On March 2, its team was honored with the #AllForJan Award for their investigation into alleged leadership misconduct in the Ukrainian army's International Legion.

The Kyiv Independent publishes a weekly newsletter highlighting the best investigative journalism in Ukraine and about Ukraine. Subscribe to it here.
POLITICS - Kirsty O'Connor/PA

Labours shadow chancellor will on Monday accuse the Conservatives of changing Corporation Tax rates like a yo-yo as she announces a review into business levies.

Rachel Reeves will use a speech in London to accuse the Tory Government of attempting sticking plaster solutions for the problem of comparatively low investment levels in the UK.

The intervention comes amid a Tory civil war emerging over Rishi Sunaks plans to raise the rate of Corporation Tax from 19 per cent to 25 per cent this April.

A group of vocal Tory backbenchers, including Boris Johnson, the former prime minister, is lobbying for the rise to be abandoned in this months Budget, but the Treasury is insisting the policy will remain.

Labour analysis shows that the Conservatives have made 22 changes to Corporation Tax policy since the December 2019 general election.

Ms Reeves will say: In recent years, Corporation Tax has gone up and down like a yo-yo while the Government has papered over the cracks with short-term fixes like the super-deduction.

So its no wonder businesses are unable to plan and our investment rates are cratering.

The answer is not unfunded tax giveaways  weve seen where that takes us.

But Labour knows that there is a role for the tax system in supporting investment.

The new stance does not amount to Labour opposing the Corporation Tax rise set for the spring, with the party echoing Treasury arguments that it keeps the UK rate competitive.

Instead it forms part of a wider attack on frequent changes in business taxation after a period of intense political turmoil that has seen four different Conservative prime ministers in as many years.

George Osborne, the chancellor from 2010 to 2016, championed reductions in Corporation Tax, arguing that it would help attract more business investment into the UK.

But the opposite arguments were deployed by Mr Sunak when he announced a Corporation Tax rise in 2021, during his time as chancellor, insisting past cuts failed to trigger a step-change in investment.

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Ms Reeves will say in her speech: As chancellor, I will put an end to that uncertainty by providing stability in business taxation and so today I can announce that Labour will do a review of the business tax regime.

The review will look at how we can build more stability for businesses in the tax system, and drive that crucial investment forward.

She will add: If the Government brings forward a genuine boost to investment and if it is affordable, we will back it to help get our economy growing again.

But stop-go tax policy is only a sticking plaster. What businesses need are certainty, consistency and incentives for investment. Labour will provide that.

Greg Hands, the Conservative Party chairman, said in response: We dont need Labour to do a tax review to know that theyd put taxes up on business. Corporation Tax remains lower than it was at any point of the last Labour government.
Former Twitter employees are pursuing legal recourse over layoff severance packages. Muhammed Selim Korkutata/Getty Images

A laid-off Twitter engineer told CNN that they'd faced a "wave of rejections" for job applications.

This person is among those seeking recourse since being laid off after Elon Musk's takeover.

Twitter is facing complaints over the size of severance packages for people let go recently.

Former Twitter employees have been struggling to land work in a "hot garbage" job market since Elon Musk pushed them out, Justine De Caires, a former Twitter engineer, said.

"The market is hot garbage right now," De Caires told CNN. They're one of the hundreds of former Twitter employees who have sought legal recourse over severance packages offered to laid-off staff members.

De Caires told CNN that the grim market for tech jobs was making them contemplate dramatically different career options.

"I was sitting down earlier this week after a wave of rejections, and I was kind of like, 'Maybe I should go be a firefighter or something'  because the tech jobs are just not happening," they said.

De Caires was among a group of named plaintiffs who sued Twitter last year. The group told a California federal court that the severance packages offered under Musk's leadership weren't as good as what the company had previously offered.

De Caires and the other employees suing Twitter said they'd counted on assurances by Twitter's prior leadership that the company's severance policy would stay the same after Musk took over, according to an amended complaint they filed in December.

Twitter's severance packages before Musk took over included two months of pay or more, along with other benefits, while under Musk, laid-off employees have been offered one month of severance pay, their complaint said.

"Twitter employees had been promised that, should layoffs occur after the sale of the company, they would be entitled to the same benefits and severance that employees had previously received," they said in the complaint. "However, following Musk's purchase of the company, Twitter reneged on this agreement."

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Twitter's press address and Musk's Tesla and SpaceX addresses did not respond to requests for comment Monday morning.

De Caires and other employees also said any pay they received in the period between when they were informed of the layoff and their official last day at the company did not count as severance pay. De Caires, who'd worked for Twitter in San Francisco, was notified of their layoff on November 4 but separated from the company on January 4, according to a court filing.

De Caires' case has since been moved to arbitration, as they are among Twitter's former employees who signed arbitration agreements when working for Twitter, according to the California federal court's order in January.

Their attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan told Insider that she's representing more than 1,500 laid-off Twitter employees in multiple arbitration cases.

"It would be far less expensive for Twitter to just pay employees what they are owed than to defend against all of these cases," Liss-Riordan said. "We hope Elon realizes this soon, but if not, we look forward to taking him on in the courtroom, as well as in arbitration."

Nearly 124,000 tech employees have been laid off this year from more than 450 firms, according to Layoffs.FYI, a website that records layoffs in the industry. Big Tech companies like Microsoft, Meta, Google, and Amazon have all signaled large-scale layoffs.

Some companies, like Uber, are also implementing tougher performance reviews, though the ride-hailing company previously told Insider that it planned to backfill the roles of employees it cut in the process.

Read the original article on Business Insider
(Bloomberg) -- An agreement reached Saturday night on the wording of a historic United Nations treaty to protect marine biodiversity could mark the end of the unregulated exploitation of the ocean, an increasingly urgent concern as climate impacts multiply.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The ocean supplies half the planets oxygen, absorbs more than a third of carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels and feeds billions of people. If ratified, the UN high seas biodiversity treaty could build in new hurdles for corporations operating on the high seas  defined as the 60% of the ocean beyond any nations jurisdiction  including for those companies proposing to remove carbon dioxide from the ocean.

I think that the end of the Wild West may be in sight, with real commitment to implement this treaty, said Susanna Fuller, a member of the steering committee of the High Seas Alliance, a coalition of more than 40 environmental groups. We need to get it up and running soon to deal with those things, Fuller said, referring specifically to CO2 removal schemes.

Delegates will reconvene at a later date to formally adopt the text of the treaty, which will then go to the UN General Assembly for approval.

The treaty does not regulate overfishing, a prime threat to ocean biodiversity, as fishing in international waters is managed by other organizations. But it does allow for the establishment of marine protected areas on the high seas, where fishing could be banned. That would enable the UN to move toward a target of conserving 30% of the ocean by 2030.

The treaty also requires environmental impact assessments for potentially harmful activities, such as proposals to conduct geoengineering experiments in the ocean to combat climate change. Another main provision requires sharing with all nations any bounty from harvesting marine genetic resources, which includes marine molecules, bacteria and algae that could be used in pharmaceuticals and other products. The treaty also provides for the transfer of marine technology to developing countries.

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Disputes over those issues, particularly the sharing of marine genetic resources, had stymied treaty talks since 2018, when negotiations were authorized to draft a legally binding high seas biodiversity treaty under the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). That 1982 agreement regulates activities in international waters, including seabed mining. But the word biodiversity does not appear in UNCLOS, nor does the agreement provide any mechanisms to assess the environmental impact of industrial activities on ocean life or provide for its conservation through marine protected areas. The drafting of a high seas biodiversity treaty has been a decades-long effort to resolve those deficiencies.

As with international negotiations over climate change, treaty talks fractured along a North-South fault line. Small island states dependent on the ocean for their survival, along with other developing countries, pressed for the sharing of benefits of marine resources and for help in dealing with the loss of ocean biodiversity caused by developed nations.

Activities on the high seas have a very strong impact on us, our territorial waters, said negotiator Ismail Zahir, a representative for Samoa and a principal advisor to the Alliance of Small Island States. The way that we see it, there's no point in having this treaty unless we acknowledge the fact that the benefits should apply and be shared equitably amongst everyone.

What was to be the final round of negotiations in March 2022 failed to produce an agreement and further talks were held later that year. Those negotiations also faltered, and over the past two weeks delegates have been meeting at the UN in New York City for a make-or-break session to finalize the treaty.

At the end of the last day of scheduled negotiations on Friday evening, Rena Lee of Singapore, who served as president of the conference, convened delegates and told them, We have a window of opportunity to seal the deal and we mustnt let this opportunity slip through our hands. That kicked off 36 hours of nonstop negotiations behind closed doors. The ship has reached the shore," Lee announced to bleary-eyed delegates on Saturday night.

The agreed-upon text of the treaty had not been released as of Sunday afternoon, and it was unclear to delegates what compromises had been reached to achieve consensus. There's a few little things that we know are probably not as strong as we would have liked from a conservation outcome, but I think its a pretty good treaty, says Fuller of the High Seas Alliance, who has attended every UN session related to a high seas biodiversity treaty since 2004. It's as good as we make it and as good as the political will to implement it.

Zahir noted that various provisions of the treaty will be put into place by majority vote rather than consensus, which is the case with other UN treaties. We wanted to avoid a situation where one country would just say no, for whatever reason, to the creation of a marine protected area, he says.

After the UN General Assembly approves the treaty, 60 nations must ratify the agreement for it to go into effect. The US has never ratified UNCLOS due to opposition from the Republican Party, but the Biden administration has supported the high seas biodiversity treaty.

Today the world came together to protect the ocean for the benefit of our children and grandchildren, the US State Department tweeted Saturday evening.

As soon as the agreement was announced, dissenting voices also emerged among the delegates. In comments echoed by Turkey, Sergey Leonidchenko, a representative for the Russian Federation, stated: We have just received large parts of these texts that are very much new to our delegation, and represent parts of deals in which our delegation did not have a chance to participate.

Zahir said he doubted that extending negotiations would have resulted in a better outcome. Overall, as small island states, we are very happy with the treaty.

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A Gwinnett County man will be sentenced at a later date following his conviction Friday in Athens on molesting a child in 2021.

A Clarke County Superior Court jury convicted David Lee Griffin, 29, of Lawrenceville on an indictment charging him with aggravated child molestation, aggravated sexual battery and child molestation.

The crimes occurred between Aug. 22-26, 2021, at a location in Athens and involved a girl, whom he knew, that was under the age of 16, according to the warrants.

Dixie Mafia:Dogged pursuit: Interview leads veteran cop to link unsolved triple murder to Dixie Mafia

The weeklong trial ended with Griffins conviction on all counts. He has been incarcerated in the Athens-Clarke County Jail since his arrest on March 24, 2022. He was denied bond on the basis that he potentially poses a threat of committing another felony if released.

In previous court documents, prosecutors filed their notice to show similar sexual offenses that occurred in Gwinnett County.

Superior Court Judge Lawton Stephens will hear arguments at the sentencing from the defense and prosecuting attorneys in regards to punishment.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Athens jury convicts Lawrenceville man of molesting child
A Belarusian "court" has sentenced opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya to 15 years in prison in the case of the Coordination Council of Belarus [non-governmental body created by Tsikhanouskaya to facilitate a democratic transfer of power in Belarus  ed.].

Source: Belarus-aligned news outlet BelTa

Details: BelTa noted that all the defendants were found guilty of "conspiracy to seize state power by unconstitutional means; creation of an extremist formation and leadership of such a formation; public calls for the seizure of state power and other actions aimed at harming the national security of Belarus, in particular, the application of restrictive measures against Belarus".

They were also found guilty of intentional actions aimed at inciting alleged "social hatred".

Another member of the coordinating council was sentenced to 18 years.

Background: During the 2020 protests in Belarus, the opposition formed a coordination council and demanded re-elections.

Lukashenko then declared that he would not give up power because "that is not the thing the people elected him for" and held a secret inauguration.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Vitaliy Klitschko met with the leaders of the Social Democratic Party of Germany in Kyiv

It is their first visit to Kyiv since the Russian full-scale invasion began.

"Together with Rolf Mutzenich we are here (in Kyiv) to speak with many people in Ukraine and to see how we can further support (the country)," Klingbeil said.

The German politicians are to hold talks with officials from the Ukrainian government and parliament, but the schedule hasn't been made public due for safety reasons.

Read also: German MP says Merkel shares responsibility for war in Ukraine as ex-chancellor blocked Ukraine from NATO

Read also: Kremlin incapable of winning the war, German president says

So far, Klingbeil and Mutzenich have already met with Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko and his brother Volodymyr.

One of the three coalition parties in the German Bundestag, the SPD, of which Chancellor Olaf Scholz is a member, has for years been a supporter of an "eastern policy" that implied close ties with Russia. After the outbreak of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, the party's leaders and many members admitted that they were mistaken.

The party intends to officially review its foreign policy and its attitude toward Russia at its party congress in December.

At the same time, SPD leaders Klingbeil and Mutzenich insist on diplomacy as a major factor in the effort to end the war.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
BEIRUT (Reuters) - A Lebanese investigative judge has scheduled a March 15 hearing for Lebanese central bank governor Riad Salameh as part of a cross-border corruption probe into Salameh and close associates, a judicial source said.

Judge Charbel Abu Samra took over the case late last month after another judge charged Salameh with embezzlement, illicit enrichment and money laundering. Charges were also filed against his brother, Raja, and an assistant, Marianne Howayek.

They all deny the charges against them.

Abu Samra on Monday met representatives of three European countries also probing Salameh, with which Lebanon has pledged to cooperate - Germany, France and Luxembourg.

He informed them that he had not yet fully studied the contents of the file, comprising four boxes, and that it would take time to do so, the judicial source said.

Abu Samra appointed three financial experts to study the file with him, the source added.

The charges against Salameh are the product of an 18-month probe into whether Salameh and his brother, Raja, embezzled more than $300 million from the Central Bank between 2002 and 2015.

Judicial authorities in at least five European countries are investigating the Salameh brothers over the same allegations.

Salameh, central bank governor since 1993, still enjoys backing from powerful Lebanese leaders. Many judges largely owe their appointments to politicians.

He was charged last year over illicit enrichment in a case related to the purchase and rental of Paris apartments, including some to Lebanon's central bank.

(Reporting by Laila Bassam; Writing by Timour Azhari; Editing by Toby Chopra and Nick Macfie)
Bakhmut

It became significantly more complicated after Blahodatne and Krasna Hora were captured, and a few days ago after the enemy took control of Berkhivka and Yahidne, it became, I would not say critical, but very threatening. That is, Bakhmut is being captured from different sides - from the north and from the south, and actually, blowing up the dam in the north is an attempt, and a quite effective one, to stop the Russian offensive in order to regroup and give our troops the opportunity to prepare new lines of defense, to break slightly the offensive rush of the Russians.

Read also: Two Bakhmut bridges destroyed amid severe pressure on Ukrainian defense  UK intel

If you look at the battle map  I don't think it's a secret now, that from a military point of view, defending Bakhmut at all costs is not logical in my opinion. As far as I understand, battles there are and will be fought to achieve several goals. These may not be identical, but they are related.

Read also: How the battle for Bakhmut is progressing  the situation in the city

On the one hand, this is to grind down the maximum number of enemies and make them use a large quantity of ammo, because they, like us, are somewhat projectile hungry (not to the same extent as us, but they also have a problem with munitions).

Secondly, to prevent the collapse of the defensive line  because there is an organized retreat, and there is a rout. It is clear that a rout cannot be allowed in any case, because this not only will lead to the abandonment of the settlement, it causes problems in the defense as a whole.

The third point is to ensure the preparation of new fortified borders. Because if you are retreating from a settlement, especially one like Bakhmut (it was one of the strongholds of the second line of defense  Siversk-Soledar-Bakhmut), a large city, it is impossible to organize such a retreat in one day or one week. It is always done so that part of the troops retreats to previously prepared lines, and the other part covers the retreat.

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Read also: Special Operations Forces commander visits Bakhmut, comments on town's defense

There is no logic to protect Bakhmut at any cost

As I understand it, this is exactly what is happening now. The troops are restraining the enemy, especially on the flanks, and prepare new fronts, grind down the Russian invaders and organize what is necessary to ensure the organized retreat of the Ukrainian armed forces. Again, this is my subjective point of view, maybe I'm wrong, but I think that sooner or later, most likely, Bahmut will be abandoned.

If you look at the map, when it is captured from two sides, it does not make any sense to defend it at any cost, especially if it will lead to the encirclement and death or capture of a large number of Ukrainian servicemembers. That is, there is no logic to protect Bakhmut at any cost.

The biggest problem is cutting off all available supply routes, primarily ammunition. When the lines of communication are cut, a military formation, even if it is sufficiently numerous and has good fortified positions, sooner or later will be surrounded and defeated. Perhaps not a very correct example from the point of view of our readers, but this was the situation with the huge Russian group around Kherson. At that time, the Russians took an absolutely logical step in this situation. They conducted an organized retreat.

Read also: Zelenskyys state of the union, Budanov goes to Bakhmut, 15 suspicious deaths

Now the situation is somewhat similar to Bakhmut, but for us. Bakhmut lasted long enough. Especially since after the Russians managed to take Soledar, everyone predicted that Bakhmut would hold out for a few days at most. It lasted long enough. I think it will hold on, but from the perspective of the slow but relentless movement to capture this city from various sides, the logic in holding Bakhmut at any cost has fallen away.

I think everyone paid attention to the brawl, to the duel between Prigozhin and Gerasimov due to the shortage of ammunition. In fact, PMC Wagner (actually, an organized criminal group, but OK, lets pretend its a PMC) today is almost the most effective unit of the Russian army, which, although at a high price, and rather leisurely, achieves its goals. A few days ago, another warehouse of ammunition was blown up, which, according to my information, belongs to Wagner (this is about Kadiivka). This slowed down their progress.

Read also: Prigozhin pretends to be in Bakhmut, is actually in village seven kilometers away

And again, when our military decided whether or not it was worth keeping the enemy at these or other frontiers, they took into account such circumstances as weather. An increase in precipitation, atypical for this time of year, always slows down the advance, because the sticky soil makes it difficult to move quickly and makes it practically impossible to use heavy armored vehicles.

Our logic was determined by this circumstance  to try to hold the lines as long as possible, to try to hold off the enemy's current offensive, which is trying to attack from different directions, in order to cause maximum damage on the enemy with minimum losses, and to save our resources for a potential offensive, which we all hope will happen in the coming months.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Feb. 15. (Wilfredo Lee / Associated Press)

To the editor: I am surprised that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is willing to leave Florida, where governing arbitrarily and capriciously with great authority makes him appear "smart, tough and competent" to wealthy Republicans in California. ("Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis makes California pilgrimage to woo influential Republicans," March 3)

I have a question for these rich California Republicans who might help fund a presidential bid by DeSantis: Why give money to a politician from Florida? There are so many deserving causes that need your help in California.

We have been devastated by a drought that has led to wildfire disasters up and down the state. We recently had historic rain and snow events, which have caused destructive flooding and dangerous conditions in mountain communities. We are recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, which has disrupted education, the economy and even our belief in democracy.

We have a homelessness crisis in seemingly every city. We have too many children with "food anxiety," for whom the only assured meal is provided by public schools. Plenty of Californians need financial help.

Instead, deep-pocketed California Republicans want to give money to the authoritarian bully in charge of Florida, which is considering a law to require bloggers who write about the governor to register with the state. Another Florida Republican is proposing a bill that would effectively ban the Democratic Party.

This is outrageously galling.

Nelson Sagisi, Santa Maria

..

To the editor: The infamous "big lie," the belief that the 2020 presidential election was rigged, is in jeopardy of being eclipsed by another gross falsehood  that DeSantis has what it takes to be the Republican Party's nominee for president in 2024.

The media, in its near universal reporting on the demise of former President Trump, seems to be suffering from premature jubilation.

If DeSantis, a conservative firebrand known for his hypersensitivity to criticism and insults, is unable to steel himself for Trump's inevitable full-throated assaults on his character, there is little doubt that Trump will dispose of him in rather short order, as politics is no place for the thin-skinned.

Jim Paladino, Tampa, Fla.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
New York, NY --News Direct-- Livento Group

McapMediaWire --- NuGene International, Inc./Livento Group, Inc. (OTC: NUGN), a dynamic group that specializes in acquiring and developing companies with disruptive business models in film, content, and technology for fund managers, announced it has finalized the acquisition of Novel-Ti, a company specializing in Artificial Intelligence and Robotic Industry Solutions.

About Novel-Ti

Novel-Ti was created in 2013 by two partners, an engineer in computer science and a PhD engineer who is qualified in electrical engineering and fuzzy logic, which is an approach to variable processing that allows for multiple possible truth values to be processed through the same variable.

Novel-Ti has eight engineers and PhD engineers. It has developed many bespoke innovative applications, utilizing artificial intelligence and computer vision in different sectors including the finance, automotive and healthcare sector. We will be releasing more information about the nature of some of the very sophisticated programs developed by the company in the coming days. The companys clients have included major corporations and business who are seeking unique solutions to solve complex problems.

David Stybr - Livento Group CEO - The artificial intelligence market equated to $50 billion USD in 2020 and is expected to reach $185 billion USD in 2026. The Novel-Ti acquisition is just the start of what investors and customers will see from the Livento AI & Robotics Solutions division. After completion of the acquisition and integration of the Novel-Ti acquisition, we will focus on business growth and harnessing the power of the team to add value across the Livento Business. Livento will remain opportunistic regarding further acquisitions within the industry. We forecast revenue of $1M USD in 2023 from their existing clients and additional revenue from solutions developed by the team that are sold as solutions across the industry. An example of this is project OWL. OWL is a very exciting project and the Novel-Ti Solution is transformational.

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About OWL

At Livento Group we couldnt pass up this opportunity to acquire a company that specializes in treating neurological disorders and diseases that effects millions of people around the world. The uncontrolled annual growth of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative pathologies requires an urgent solution. Its estimated that Autism effects 75 million people, Alzheimers effects 78 million people, and will cost society an estimated $2.8 Trillion USD by 2030.

To fight against this disease, Novel-Ti uses its expertise in Artificial Intelligence and image processing. Novel-Ti has developed an interactive solution in collaboration with professionals in neurological pathologies. The application identifies areas of brain, which require an active reconnection.

The visual analysis of the participants behaviour in real time allows the system to monitor and adapt each exercise individually, as well as analysing the progress made at each session.

A unique hardware and software solution

The second project in the pipeline for Novel-Ti is in the Robotics sector. The Livento team is in discussions with a production facility in the Czech Republic. The facility specializes in producing robotics solutions, The Novel-Ti team is tasked to deliver programming works for two new automated robotic prototypes which will be used in various business cases. Livento is in discussion to have larger involvement in the projects. Livento will seek to achieve higher revenue potential in the Articifial Intelligence sector.

Mr Zied Loukil, founder of Novel-Ti, stated: Livento plans to position the new division as a major player in the Artificial Intelligence industry, combining the strengths of the Marketing and Commercial power of Livento and the expertise of the Novel-Ti team, which will enable Novel-Ti to grow our client base and product lines increasing revenues and market share.

The new division of Livento will be managed from our European offices and will be led by Mr. Willem van der Meer, Mr. Olivier Somville and Mr. Zied Loukil. The acquisition will be fully paid in Livento restricted shares.

Safe Harbor Statement:

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these statements as predictions, projections, or references future events and expectations, possibilities or similar. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated. Although the Company believes the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, the Company is unable to give any assurance that its expectations will be attained due to several variable factors. Factors or events that could cause actual results to differ may emerge, and it is impossible for the Company to predict all of them. Some of these risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, general economic and business conditions, effects of continued geopolitical unrest and regional conflicts, in customer order patterns, changes in consumer trends, and various other factors beyond the Company's control. Although the Company intends to provide public updates, it undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

Contact:

David Stybr, CEO

Livento Group, Inc.

ir@liventogroup.com

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Livento Group, Inc.

ir@liventogroup.com

View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/livento-group-nugn-artificial-intelligence-acquisition-complete-599381287
A pitch invader is tackled by stewards after colliding with Liverpool player Andy Robertson (Getty Images)

Liverpool have confirmed the pitch invader who almost injured Andy Robertson when celebrating their seventh goal against Manchester United on Sunday has been arrested and will be banned from Anfield for life.

Liverpools seventh goal in their trashing of rivals United was followed by bizarre scenes after the supporter ran onto the pitch and slipped, colliding with the players. There was concern as Robertson went down holding his ankle, although the left back was able to continue the match.

However, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was furious following the incident and directed his anger towards the pitch invader as he was led away by stewards.

Merseyside Police said that a 16-year-old had been arrested on suspicion of encroaching the pitch.

A statement from the club said: "There is no excuse for this unacceptable and dangerous behaviour. The safety and security of players, colleagues and supporters is paramount.

The club will now follow its formal sanctions process and has suspended the alleged offenders account until the process is complete.

"If found guilty of the offence of entering the pitch without permission, the offender could face a criminal record and a lifetime ban from Anfield and all Premier League stadiums. These acts are dangerous, illegal and have severe consequences."

Merseyside Police said officers are working with Liverpool in relation to the incident.
Shoppers could soon find it easier to tell if those grocery store steaks or pork chops were really Made in the USA.

Federal agriculture officials on Monday released new requirements that would allow labels on meat, poultry or eggs to use that phrase -- or Product of USA -- only if they come from animals born, raised, slaughtered and processed in the United States. Thats a sharp change from current policy, which allows voluntary use of such labels on products from animals that have been imported from a foreign country and slaughtered in the U.S., but also on meat that's been imported and repackaged or further processed.

Imports of beef from countries including Australia, Canada and Brazil, for instance, account for about 12% of the total consumed in the U.S. Overall, imports of red meat and poultry account for less than 6%, while imports of eggs account for less than half of 1%.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the proposed rule would better align the labels with consumers views. A survey commissioned by the USDA found that nearly two-thirds of shoppers believed that a Product of USA label meant that most or all meat production steps occurred in the U.S.

Theres obviously a disconnect between what the consumers understandings and expectations are and what the label currently is, Vilsack said in an interview.

About 12% of all meat, poultry and egg products sold in the country carry the U.S.-origin labels, USDA officials said.

The label change was first proposed by President Joe Biden in 2021 and was included last year in a series of steps to bolster the U.S. meat and poultry supply chain.

The USDA survey, conducted last summer, included a nationally representative sample of more than 4,800 American adults who do the grocery shopping for their families and who bought beef or pork in the previous six months. More than 40% of the shoppers said they look for the USA label when buying meat.

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The rule was praised by consumer advocates and representatives for U.S. ranchers and farmers, including the U.S. Cattlemen's Association, which petitioned the USDA for the label change in 2019.

The proposed rule finally closes this loophole by accurately defining what these voluntary origin claims mean, said Justin Tupper, the group's president. "If it says Made in the USA, then it should be from cattle that have only known USA soil. Consumers have the right to know where their food comes from, full stop.

Thomas Gremillion, director of food policy for the Consumer Federation of America, said the change is a small but important step that should have been made long ago.

Under the current rule, Gremillion noted, a cow can be raised in Mexico under that country's regulations for feed and medications, then shipped across the border and slaughtered that same day to make ground beef and steaks that qualify as Product of USA.

Carrie Balkcom, executive director of the trade group American Grassfed Association, said the existing rule also penalizes small domestic producers.

Its expensive to raise grass-raised animals from scratch, Balkcom said. And these large producers were importing these animals raised elsewhere and just repackaging them and then kind of coasting on the Made in the USA label."

An official with the North American Meat Institute, which represents large firms that process most of the meat and poultry products sold in the U.S., said she hadnt seen details of the new rule. But Sarah Little added, the group opposes overly prescriptive labeling requirements that will raise prices for consumers.

Another industry group, the National Cattlemens Beef Association, has called for eliminating the voluntary USA labels entirely and allowing for strict labeling standards verified by the USDA.

The voluntary labeling rules are different from country-of-origin labels, known as COOL, which required companies to disclose where animals supplying beef and pork are born, raised and slaughtered. That requirement was rolled back in 2015, after international trade disputes and a ruling from the World Trade Organization.

Country-of-origin labels are still required for other foods, including fish, shellfish, fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables and more.

Companies wont have to prove that their products are American-made before using the labels, but they will have to file documentation. The proposal applies only to meat, poultry and eggs, products overseen by the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service, which can pull the label if companies are found to violate the rule.

The label proposal is open for public comment before it becomes final.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
A Milledgeville man who prosecutors say was the leader of a Middle Georgia drug ring that distributed more than five kilograms of meth pleaded guilty in federal court, along with 16 co-defendants.

The drug ring was based in Milledgeville and revolved around Jarvis Havior, 31, who was also known as J Bo while he dealt the drugs, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorneys Office. Havior pleaded guilty Feb. 16. while 16 others admitted their part in the drug ring later, authorities said.

...Law enforcement agents coordinated a successful take-down of a drug trafficking network pushing high volumes of methamphetamine into the Milledgeville area, U.S. Attorney Peter Leary said. Local, state and federal law enforcement are helping us hold those distributing large quantities of the most deadly and addictive illegal drugs accountable at the federal level.

According to court documents, an investigation into the drug ring started in June of 2020 when the DEA, GBI and the Ocmulgee Drug Task Force got a tip about Haviors operation. Agents located the trap houses Havior stored bulk drugs in, the statement said, and planned a seizure.

In 2021, agents tracked Havior as he drove to Stone Mountain to re-up his drug supply. They saw him buy drugs in a Publix parking lot, the meth packed into a bright green Publix bag, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Havior met with Anrico Taylor, 34, in Covington to give him the meth bag before the two traveled back to Milledgeville in separate cars.

When Havior and Taylor were pulled over in Baldwin County, Taylor tried to run from the cops with the drugs, spilling several small bags of meth on the ground before he was caught, the release said.

The meth in the not-so-unassuming Publix bag weighed in at about five kilos, including the drugs Taylor spilled on the ground.

Havior pleaded guilty to possession of meth with the intent to distribute and faces a minimum of 10 years in prison. He will be sentenced in May. Taylor and 15 other co-defendants pleaded guilty as well and will be sentenced later.

Three dealers in the ring, two from Milledgeville and another from Lilburn, are still wanted. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Kalim is prosecuting the case.
[Source]

Lam Shun, who was previously arrested for organizing the escape from Hong Kong by the ex-husband of murdered model Abby Choi, has been granted bail.

On Monday, the Kowloon City Magistrates Court granted Lam a cash bail of 50,000 Hong Kong dollars (approximately $6,400). The 41-year-old yacht company employee was arrested on Thursday for orchestrating Alex Kwongs escape by sea.

Lam was said to have arranged Kwongs attempted escape on Feb. 24 for a 300,000 Hong Kong dollars (approximately $38,000) reward. The two had planned for Kwong to escape to Macau.

Kwong  along with his brother and father, Anthony Kwong and Kwong Kau  was charged with the murder of Abby Choi, whose dismembered body parts were first discovered in soup pots, last week.

More from NextShark: Indonesia accepts dozens of Rohingya refugees stranded at sea after initially rejecting them

His mother was also charged with perverting the course of justice for destroying evidence.

Kwong and his family were denied bail earlier this week.

While the case has been adjourned to May 8, Lam was ordered to hand in travel documents, is required to report to the Tsing Yi police station two times a week and is prohibited from leaving Hong Kong.

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Although Lam was temporarily released, senior court prosecutor Brian Lai Tak-ki said that the prosecutions position may change if Lams charge becomes more serious as new evidence is presented.

Kwongs fathers mistress, Ng, was also released on bail after she was arrested on suspicion of hiding Kwong.

All offenders involved in the case will return to Kowloon City Court on May 8.

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Thai elephant handler fired, made to kneel before animal he beat in the head with metal hook
Peter Karasev (San Jose Police Department)

A Bay Area man was charged Friday with detonating two bombs at Pacific Gas & Electric transformers in San Jose, including one outside a Macy's store at the Westfield Oakridge Mall, according to a criminal complaint.

San Jose resident Peter Karasev, 36, was charged with nine counts, including two counts of igniting a destructive device, arson, two counts of interfering with electrical lines and possessing bomb-making materials, according to a complaint filed Friday by the Santa Clara County district attorney's office. He was also charged with three counts of child endangerment for allegedly conducting his illegal activities with three children at home.

On Jan. 5 at 3:16 a.m., San Jose police responded to a report of an explosion in South San Jose that damaged a building and broke the windows of a nearby dental office, according to the complaint.

Authorities alerted PG&E because they believed the explosion was caused by a transformer malfunction. Hours later, police were called back to the scene when evidence of an explosive device was found.

Surveillance video showed a person wearing dark clothing and a backpack arriving by bicycle at the scene at 2:48 a.m., according to the complaint. The person placed the backpack at the bottom of a PG&E transformer box and appeared to use an ignition source on the backpack. He then fled the scene.

Minutes later, the backpack and transformer exploded and burned for several minutes before there was a large blast. The incident caused more than $20,000 in damage to the PG&E transformer alone.

PG&E employees who inspected the transformer told officers that the damage had resulted from an external explosive device.

PG&E employees also told detectives there had been a similar transformer explosion on Dec. 8 in front of the Macy's at the Westfield Oakridge Mall that caused more than $40,000 in damage. Employees initially believed that it was simply a transformer malfunction and the incident was not reported to police.

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Detectives determined that since the two bombings occurred around the same time of day within about three miles of each other and involved similar methods, they were likely carried out by the same suspect. The San Jose bomb squad also determined that the incidents had "similar visual residue."

Additional video surveillance footage also showed the suspect riding the same bike at the mall bombing.

Using geofence tracking technology, police determined that a mobile device belonging to Karasev was present at both locations.

Detectives also discovered that Karasev had purchased several chemicals associated with manufacturing narcotics from an online distributor in early 2022.

Karasev was arrested March 1 in the parking lot of his Foster City workplace by San Jose police officers.

A search of Karasevs property found hazardous chemicals and crystal methamphetamine, which authorities say Karasev admitted to police that he took instead of Adderall because of a shortage of the prescription amphetamine.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Phoenix police car

A man was killed by Phoenix Police Sunday evening after pulling out a gun while officers tried to arrest him, according to the Phoenix Police Department.

The man was identified by authorities as James Saucedo, 42.

Police said officers responded to a report of a shooting at a residential neighborhood near 43rd Avenue and Encanto Boulevard. Firefighters also responded to a medical call at the same location, police said.

The Phoenix Fire Department told police a woman was shot. She was taken to a hospital with an injury that was non-life-threatening, police said.

Officers approached Saucedo who was still at the scene to arrest him. Police said he pulled out a handgun from his waistband. Officers and Saucedo struggled over the gun, which is when an officer shot him, according to police.

Saucedo was struck and dropped the gun, police said. He then died from the injury at the scene.

No officers or other members of the community were injured, police said.

At least 10 shootings involving law enforcement have happened in Maricopa County so far this year, according to information from the Maricopa County Attorneys Office. Five shootings happened in the past two weeks.

On March 4, a man who tried to shoplift at Walmart was shot at by an off-duty Phoenix officer but was not injured.

On Feb. 25, a man accused of drinking and driving was fatally shot by Phoenix officers after a struggle for the gun.

On Feb. 22, two people were fatally shot by Phoenix police. Jason Resendez, 47, was shot by officers after they ordered him to drop a gun. Derin Holmes, 41, was shot after he fired a handgun at officers.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Suspect killed by Phoenix police near 43rd Ave, Encanto Blvd
Former Trump campaign chairman and advisor Paul Manafort has agreed to pay $3.15 million to settle a civil case with the Justice Department over foreign bank accounts he hadnt disclosed on his tax forms, court records show.

The settlement was approved on Feb. 22 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, where the Justice Department had sued Manafort last April. The settlement was first reported by the Florida Bulldog, a news non-profit.

In its April complaint the Justice Department alleged that Manafort failed to report bank accounts maintained by his consulting firm, DMP International, in Cyprus, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and the United Kingdom.

The settlement requires Manafort to pay $3.15 million in fines and interest for failing to file Reports of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) with IRS for the 2013 and 2014 tax years. Any U.S. person must file an FBAR with the IRS if they have a bank account in a foreign country with more than $10,000 in assets.

Manafort was found guilty of eight charges of bank and tax fraud in 2018 and sentenced to nearly four years in prison, but he was pardoned by then-President Trump in December 2020.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Teresa Watkins

A 41-year-old Mansfield woman has been reported missing by her mother who last had contact with her daughter on Dec. 17.

On March 2, Johnnie Watkins, 70, of Clarksdale, Mississippi, filed a missing person report with Mansfield Police Department.

Teresa Y. Watkins of the 100 block of Sturges Avenue had already reported missing out of the Tunica County Sheriff's Office in Mississippi, Mansfield police learned after searching for her name and vehicle in the national database.

Her mother told Mansfield police that her daughter and a 45-year-old man were residing together and that she knew the parties were having domestic issues. Her mother said that her daughter had been in the state of Mississippi but returned to Ohio with the man. She said the man recently told his mother that Teresa Watkins had left Ohio and returned to Mississippi, according to the Mansfield police report.

The missing woman's mother said she has not heard from her since Dec. 17 and is very concerned for her well being.

Mansfield police checked the last known address for Watkins in Mansfield to no avail, the report said.

lwhitmir@gannett.com

419-521-7223

Twitter: @LWhitmir

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Teresa Y. Watkins, 41, of Mansfield, reported missing by her mother.
The Missouri Valley Conference champion gets ignored sometimes in the buzz leading up to the NCAA men's tournament selection show. The MWC crowns its champion about a week and a half before the NCAA tournament starts. Attention moves to a couple dozen other teams that get automatic bids.

But don't forget about Drake when you're filling out your brackets and making your bets at BetMGM.

Four bids were awarded over the weekend. Drake is the one team you need to keep in the back of your mind.

[Free bracket contests for men's & women's tourneys for shot at $25K]

The Bulldogs looked fantastic in dismantling Bradley, a 25-9 team that was the No. 1 seed in the MVC tournament. They were up double digits shortly after the tip and won, 77-51. They get the auto bid from the conference.

At the moment, Bracket Matrix (a collection of mock brackets around the internet) has Drake as a No. 12 seed. So does Yahoo Sports' Michael Lazarus on his Big Board. That adds to the intrigue.

Drake looks great winning MVC

We all know the history of No. 12 seeds winning in the NCAA tournament. It has happened at least once in 31 of the last 36 years. Last year we had Richmond over Iowa and New Mexico State over UConn. A No. 12 over a No. 5 has happened 52 times since the tournament expanded in 1985.

Even if Drake moves down to a No. 13 seed, don't discount their chances of a straight-up win in the first round.

Sunday's win showed a bit of everything Drake does well. The Bulldogs shoot it well, including behind the 3-point line. They are a very good free throw shooting team. They don't turn it over. They won't get many offensive rebounds, but they are solid in most other ways on offense. The Bulldogs brought just about everyone back from last season; it's an old team and one that played well in conference play. Drake's only loss since Jan. 18 was in the regular-season finale at Bradley, and it avenged that and then some in the conference championship game.

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It's a good profile for a first-round darling.

Drake Bulldogs guard Garrett Sturtz (3) reacts after making a shot against the Bradley Braves during the Missouri Valley Conference championship game. (Photo: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

5 teams in the field

The other three teams that already won their conference tournament and have the auto bid: Southeast Missouri State, UNC Asheville and Kennesaw State. Fairleigh Dickinson is already in because Merrimack, the No. 1 seed FDU will meet in the NEC final, is ineligible since they're still within four years of transitioning from Division II to Division I (yes, the reclassification rule is pretty dumb when you think about it).

SEMO, UNC Asheville and FDU are projected to be No. 16 seeds right now. While they could still be good bets against the spread (UNC Asheville in particular looked like a team that could hang for a while with a No. 1 seed), they're unlikely to pull off a Maryland-Baltimore County and win straight up. Kennesaw State is projected as a No. 14 seed, which would make it tough for the Owls to win, but they are a very good 3-point shooting team. That gives them a chance.

Drake could win a game, and maybe more. Drake doesn't have a great NCAA tournament history. The Bulldogs' lost by 16 to USC in the first round during their last trip in 2021. They haven't won a tournament game since 1971. They lost an absolute classic to Western Kentucky at the buzzer in 2008; that was the Bulldogs' first NCAA bid since 1971. But this season's team has the ingredients to win and that matters a lot more than history from many years ago.

There will be many more teams punching a ticket to the NCAA tournament this week, and a few that will be identified as good teams to bet on in their first-round matchup. Just make sure to keep Drake on your list too.
Marjorie Taylor Greenes Happy Purim message was greeted on Twitter with reminders of her scandals over antisemitism.

The Jewish holiday commemorates Jews from Persia being saved from annihilation following a decree put in place by Haman, an Achaemenid Empire official. The story was outlined in the Book of Esther, the third book of the Jewish Tanakh  the Hebrew Bible.

Happy Purim! May it bring light, happiness, joy, and honor! the Georgia Republican congresswoman tweeted on Monday.

Twitter users were quick to remind Ms Greene of her past instances pushing antisemitic conspiracy theories.

On behalf of Jewish people everywhere. F*** you and your Anti-Semitic a**, photographer Jerry Avenaim tweeted.

In early 2021, it was revealed that Ms Greene wrote up a baseless conspiracy theory in 2018 that wildfires in California had been caused by a space laser owned by a cabal which included the prominent Jewish banking family the Rothschilds, according to Media Matters.

She went on to claim that she didnt know the family was Jewish or that they had been targeted with antisemitic tropes.

This is your post under your name, a reporter asked Ms Greene, according to video footage posted last year. Youre talking about the Rothschild family, which has been at the centre of antisemitic conspiracies since the 19th century.

I did not know that, she said. I have no idea. Im telling you.

John Ogulnik responded to Ms Greenes Happy Purim message, writing: Thats the holiday when we all use our space lasers. Fun, fun, fun.

Are the Space Lasers bringing the light? another account holder said.

Did the space lasers force you to send that Tweet? a third said.

The former attorney general of Maryland, Democrat Brian Frosh, who is Jewish, tweeted in response: Do space lasers count as light?

Ms Greene appeared in February last year at white nationalist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentess America First Political Action Conference.

She claimed that she didnt know who he was, his views, or those of his group.

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I do not know Nick Fuentes. I have never heard him speak, I have never seen a video. I do not know what his views are so I am not aligned with anything that is controversial, she told CBS News.

News: @CBSNews pressed @RepMTG on her appearance last night at a white nationalist conference



Full video: pic.twitter.com/omoKffnnvF  Robert Costa (@costareports) February 26, 2022

I went to his event last night to address his very large following because its a very young following and its a generation Im extremely concerned about, she added.

One Twitter user responded to Ms Greenes tweet on Monday referencing her appearance with Mr Fuentes, writing: Thats strange coming from you considering you showing up here  we wont forget Marge.

Last year, she wrote on social media that Joe Biden is Hitler and then added an edited video showing the president with a small moustache at a podium with swastikas in the background. The audio had been dubbed with that of the Nazi leader.

Robin Bender responded to Ms Greens holiday tweet, writing, Hey! Look who googled Jewish holidays to try to look like youve evolved from being an Anti-Semitic garbage person.
Photo: The Canadian Press Riot police operate against demonstrators during clashes in Athens, Greece, Sunday.

A stationmaster accused of causing Greece's deadliest train disaster was charged with negligent homicide and jailed pending trial Sunday, while Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis apologized for any responsibility Greece's government may bear for the tragedy.

An examining magistrate and a prosecutor agreed that multiple counts of homicide as well as charges of causing bodily harm and endangering transportation safety should be brought against the railway employee.

At least 57 people, many of them in their teens and 20s, were killed when a northbound passenger train and a southbound freight train collided late Tuesday north of the city of Larissa, in central Greece.

The 59-year-old stationmaster allegedly directed the two trains traveling in opposite directions onto the same track. He spent 7 1/2 hours Sunday testifying about the events leading up to the crash before he was charged and ordered held.

My client testified truthfully, without fearing if doing so would incriminate him, Stephanos Pantzartzidis, the stationmaster's lawyer, told reporters. The decision (to jail him) was expected, given the importance of the case."

Pantzartzidis implied that others besides his client share blame, saying that judges should investigate whether more than one stationmaster should have been working in Larissa at the time of the collision.

"For 20 minutes, he was in charge of (train) safety in all central Greece, the lawyer said of his client.

Greek media have reported that the automated signaling system in the area of the crash was not functioning, making the stationmasters mistake possible. Stationmasters along that part of Greeces main trunk line communicate with each other and with train drivers via two-way radios, and the switches are operated manually.

The prime minister promised a swift investigation of the collision and said the new Greek transportation minister would release a safety improvement plan. Once a new parliament is in place, a commission also will be named to investigate decades of mismanagement of the countrys railway system, Mitsotakis said.

In an initial statement Wednesday, Mitsotakis had said the crash resulted from a tragic human error. Opposition parties pounced on the remark, accusing the prime minister of trying to cover up the state's role and making the inexperienced stationmaster a scapegoat.

I owe everyone, and especially the victims relatives, a big apology, both personal and on behalf of all who governed the country for many years," Mitsotakis wrote Sunday on Facebook. "In 2023, it is inconceivable that two trains move in different directions on the same track and no one notices. We cannot, we do not want to, and we must not hide behind the human error.

Greece's railways long suffered from chronic mismanagement, including lavish spending on projects that were eventually abandoned or significantly delayed, Greek media have reported in several exposes. With state railway company Hellenic Railways billions of euros in debt, maintenance work was put off, according to news reports.

A retired railway union leader, Panayotis Paraskevopoulos, told Greek newspaper Kathimerini that the signaling system in the area monitored by the Larissa stationmaster malfunctioned six years ago and was never repaired.

Police and prosecutors have not identified the stationmaster, in line with Greek law. However, Hellenic Railways, also known as OSE, revealed the stationmaster's name Saturday, in an announcement suspending the company inspector who appointed him. The stationmaster also has been suspended.

Greek media have reported that the stationmaster, a former porter with the railway company, was transferred to a Ministry of Education desk job in 2011, when Greece's creditors demanded reductions in the number of public employees. The 59-year-old was transferred back to the railway company in mid-2022 and started a 5-month course to train as a stationmaster.

Upon completing the course, he was assigned to Larissa on Jan. 23, according to his own Facebook post. However, he spent the next month month rotating among other stations before returning to Larissa in late February, days before the Feb. 28 collision, Greek media reported.

On Sunday, railway unions organized a protest rally in central Athens attended by about 12,000 people according to authorities.

Five people were arrested and seven police officers were injured when a group of more than 200 masked, black-clad individuals started throwing pieces of marble, rocks, bottles and firebombs at officers, who gave chase along a central avenue in the city while using tear gas and stun grenades.

In Thessaloniki, about 3,000 people attended two protest rallies. Several of the crash victims were students at the citys Aristotle University, Greeces largest, with over 50,000 students..

The larger protest, organized by left-wing activists, marched to a government building. No incidents were reported at that event.

In the other, staged by Communist Party members at the White Tower, the city's signature monument, there was a brief scuffle with police when the protesters tried to place a banner on the monument.

The Communist Party organized a symbolic protest today in front of the White Tower to denounce the crime in Tempe, because it is a premeditated crime, a crime committed by the company and the bourgeois state that supports these companies, Giannis Delis, a communist lawmaker, told The Associated Press.
Marta Kostyuk won her maiden title in Austin (Kamran Jebreili/AP) (AP)

Ukraines Marta Kostyuk dedicated her first WTA Tour title to all the people who are fighting and dying after beating Russias Varvara Gracheva at the ATX Open.

Competing in her maiden final, 20-year-old Kostyuk, ranked 40, clinched a 6-3 7-5 victory in Austin, Texas.

During the presentation ceremony, Kostyuk said: Being in the position that Im in right now, its extremely special to win this title. I want to dedicate this title to Ukraine and to all the people who are fighting and dying right now.

"I want to dedicate this title to Ukraine. It's a very special moment "@marta_kostyuk | #ATXOpen pic.twitter.com/RKtWoGPKdP  wta (@WTA) March 5, 2023

She has been the most outspoken player about the decision to allow Russian and Belarusian players to continue playing on tour following the invasion of Ukraine.

There was no handshake between Kostyuk and Gracheva afterwards, with the Ukrainian frequently criticising players from the two aggressor countries for not condemning the war.

At the WTA tournament in Monterrey, Mexico, Donna Vekic captured her fourth title with a 6-4 3-6 7-5 victory over top seed Caroline Garcia.

Croatian Vekic was ranked outside the top 100 a year ago following knee surgery but has enjoyed an excellent last six months, including reaching the quarter-finals of the Australian Open, and is back up to 23 in the standings.
Jacob Rees-Mogg labelled the effect of lockdown on the economy as 'calamitous' as he discussed Matt Hancock's WhatsApp messages being leaked. (Getty)

Jacob Rees-Mogg has said that the impact of lockdown on the economy was "calamitous" and that "we must never do this again".

The GB News presenter appeared on air with fellow presenter Andrew Pierce, sharing his thoughts on lockdown policy in the wake of thousands of Matt Hancock's WhatsApp messages from the time being leaked to the press.

"The impact [of lockdown] was, apart from all the issues around mental health and civil liberties, a calamitous impact on the economy," said Pierce. To which Rees-Mogg replied: "It was. I agree. We must never do this again."

The former Cabinet minister, who was Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons from July 2019 to February 2022, told Pierce that "the enthusiasm for locking people up was not shared by the Cabinet".

Thousands of Matt Hancock's WhatsApps were leaked to the press by the ghostwriter of his pandemic memoirs (Reuters)

He went on to say that the "quad" of Boris Johnson, Matt Hancock, Rishi Sunak and Dominic Raab were responsible for bringing in COVID laws that were not supported by him and other Cabinet members.

The emergence of Hancock's WhatsApp messages have dominated headlines over the past week, raising questions over ministers' claims that they "followed the science" throughout the pandemic.

At the weekend, messages were published in which Hancock told aides he wanted to frighten the pants off everyone to ensure compliance with COVID-19 restrictions

The messages revealed that Rees-Mogg had a COVID test couriered for one of his children while there was a shortage in September 2020.

And aide messaged Hancock to say the lab had "lost" the original test for one of the then Commons leader's children, "so we've got a courier going to their family home tonight".

Watch: Top civil servant warned Boris Johnson was 'distrusted figure' during COVID pandemic, leaked Hancock WhatsApp messages show

He added: "Jacob's spad [special adviser] is aware and has helped line it all up, but you might want to text Jacob."

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Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said in reaction to the claim: "This is yet more evidence that it's one rule for Conservative ministers and another for everyone else.

"The COVID inquiry must look into reports Conservative ministers were able to get priority access to tests at a time of national shortage."

However, last week on GB News Rees-Mogg confirmed his child's test had been lost, meaning he had to quarantine and said he was "unable to do my job as a government minister for several days, until it was admitted that this had been lost".

However, he insisted he did not ask for another test, adding: "At that point it was raised with the Department of Health, and they decided to send a test to a member of my family so the test could be carried out.

"Not something I asked for, so if I received any special treatment, it wasn't because I had requested it, but actually it allowed a government minister to get back to work with a child that didn't have COVID in the first place, who wouldn't have needed a special test had the system actually been working, but I accept it wasn't working for other people too."
Press conference after the negotiations

According to the agency, the initiative came mainly from the Russians, with the first diplomatic contact taking place on Feb. 25.

The source said that the Russians, apparently at the request of Beijing, had requested the evacuation of Chinese students who were studying in Ukraine.

Read also: Russia isn't actually ready for peace talks  Canadian intelligence

Initially, Russia considered Minsk as a venue for negotiations, as a platform that had already been used for talks regarding Ukraines Donbas, but Kyiv refused for obvious reasons  the Russians had attacked through Belarus and Ukraine considered Minsk to be a party in the war.

Another option suggested holding negotiations near the Ukrainian-Belarusian border on the Ukrainian side, where the distance directly from Kyiv was up to a hundred kilometers.

Read also: No evidence Putin is ready for negotiations, Secretary Blinken says

However, it was from there that Russia launched its offensive, large-scale battles were underway, and no one could give any guarantees that the Ukrainian delegation would reach its destination.

As a result, the sides agreed that the negotiations would take place near the border, but on the Belarusian side in Gomel Region. There were no options to get there directly, so the Ukrainian delegation made a big circle through Poland.

Read also: Talks on F-16 jets for Ukraine can bring success with more pressure, says Polish minister

Initially, the talks were scheduled for Feb. 27, but the Ukrainian delegation was deliberately playing it long, making the Russians nervous.

We entered the hall and said oh, hello! the source said.

It was important to show that we arent and wont be broken, despite the situation.

At the same time, the Ukrainian delegates refused to hand over their mobile phones, citing the fact that the war was ongoing in Ukraine, and it was important for them to stay in touch, and it helped many times during the negotiations.

In turn, the Russian side did not expect such dexterity from the Ukrainians as they (Russians) apparently went to the negotiations to accept the capitulation.

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The Ukrainian side set the tone, for example, with regard to the regulations: first by inviting the opponents to read out their demands, and then proceed to their sequential discussion, the report says.

Also, the Ukrainian side insisted that the negotiations take place in an off-the-record mode, as well as bringing consistent information to the media, without any leaks.

On Oct. 4, 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy approved a National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) decision that outlaws negotiations with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, suggesting peace talks with Moscow could commence only after a new Russian leader emerges.

Zelenskyy later said that Ukraine would be able to find a format for dialogue with Putin if Russian forces withdrew from occupied Ukrainian territories.

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At the meeting of the Stavka, the situation in Bakhmut was discussed

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting of the Ukrainian High Command, at which further actions of Ukrainian army in the Bakhmut area were discussed.

The meeting was attended by the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Valery Zaluzhnyi and the Commander of Ukrainian Ground Forces Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi.

Both Zaluzhnyi and Syrskyi spoke in favor of continuing the defensive operation in Bakhmut and further strengthening Ukrainian positions there.

Read also: Budanov says invaders sending waves of infantry to attack Bakhmut, few armored vehicles used

Also, at the meeting, the commanders of the operational-strategic groups of troops reported on the situation in the major areas of the front.

The logistics issue, which was among the key ones, was considered.

Read also: Decision to defend Bakhmut strategically sound, says ISW

The meeting was attended by representatives of all law enforcement agencies and Ukrainian special services, as well as ministers of key relevant ministries.

Earlier, the German publication Bild, citing its sources, reported that Zelenskyy and Zaluzhnyi had disagreed over the further defense of Bakhmut. The publication said that a few weeks ago, the general recommended the president to think about withdrawing the Defense Forces of Ukraine from Bakhmut for tactical reasons.

Read also: Ukrainian army to hold Bakhmut as long as it is reasonable, President Zelenskyy says

Battles for Bakhmut have been going on since July 2022. Ukrainian militarys General Staff reported that the Russian army is continuing to try to surround and capture the town of Bakhmut, but to no avail. The Russian invaders threw trained units of the Wagner PMC Regiment and other regular units of the Russian army to capture the city.

Ukrainian Defense Minister, Oleksiy Reznikov, estimated the daily losses of the Russian Federation in the battles for Bakhmut at 500 people killed and wounded.

On Feb. 28, Deputy Minister of Defense, Hanna Malyar, announced that reinforcements had been sent to Bakhmut. Holding the city, she assured, is a military, rather than a political decision.

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The analysts from the U.S. think tank the Institute for the Study of War recently wrote that the Russian invasion forces will not be able to capture Bakhmut in the near future and force the Ukrainian troops to retreat, although they have secured a positional advantage in certain areas of the city.

The spokesman of the Ukrainian militarys Eastern Group of Forces, Serhiy Cherevaty, said that there was no mass withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the city of Bakhmut, but a planned rotation was in process.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
By Khushi Mandowara

(Reuters) -Merck & Co Inc said on Monday its experimental therapy helped increase exercise capacity in patients with a deadly disease that causes high pressure in blood vessels of the heart and lungs in a late-stage study, lifting its shares about 4%.

Sotatercept, combined with a background therapy, helped patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension to walk about 40.8 meters more in six minutes.

The drug, which Merck gained through its $11.5 billion buyout of Acceleron Pharma in 2021, also showed significant improvement in eight of the nine secondary goals, including reducing the risk of death or clinical worsening of condition by 84% compared to placebo.

J.P. Morgan analyst Chris Schott said the data exceeded the brokerage's expectations and "should confirm the drug as go-to add-on therapy" for pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Schott forecast peak sales of $3 billion to $4 billion for the drug.

In October, Merck said sotatercept had met the main goal of a late-stage study, but did not release the full data.

Merck has been beefing up its portfolio of cardiovascular drugs as part of its strategy to counter a possible hit to sales to its best-selling drug Keytruda from biosimilar drugs in the next few years.

Another experimental heart drug, MK-0616, helped reduce levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol by between 41.2% at a low 6 mg dose and 60.9% at a higher 30 mg dose in a mid-stage study, Merck said on Monday.

Analysts have said MK-0616 would need to show a more than 50% reduction in LDL level, similar to drugs from rivals Regeneron and Sanofi SA and Amgen.

The data were presented at the American College of Cardiology's annual meeting in New Orleans.

(Reporting by Khushi Mandowara and Pratik Jain in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur and Shinjini Ganguli)
Democratic New Mexico state Sen. Antonio Maestas of Albuquerque speaks in support of a gun control initiative on the floor of the state Senate in Santa Fe, N.M., on Friday, March 3, 2023. The Senate endorsed the bill, on a 24-16 vote, that would make it a crime to store firearms in places where children could get access. House approval of recent amendments would send the bill to supportive Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

SANTA FE - A New Mexico bill that would make it a crime to store firearms in places that children could access cleared a major hurdle with the endorsement of the state Senate on Friday.

New Mexico is among the top 10 states for firearms deaths per capita. Earlier this year, a 6-year-old student in Virginia shot his teacher, which renewed debates across the country about gun control and school safety.

The New Mexico bill from Democratic sponsors including Senate President Pro Tempore Mimi Stewart of Albuquerque advanced on a 24-16, party-line vote, with Republicans in opposition. House concurrence with recent amendments is needed to send the bill to supportive Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

The bill would make it a crime to store a firearm in a way that negligently disregards the ability of a child or teenager under age 18 to access it. Criminal charges could be brought only if the minor later brandishes or displays the firearm in a threatening way, or uses it to kill or injure someone. The proposal would establish both misdemeanor and felony crimes, with penalties of up to 18 months in prison.

Stewart said she believes the initiative will reduce gun-related deaths and injuries among youths.

"These child-prevention laws do work," she said. "Twenty-three states do have them, including our neighbors in Texas. There is evidence that they reduce the number of children killed or injured unintentionally."

Republican state Sen. Cliff Pirtle of Roswell speaks in opposition to a gun control bill on the floor of the state Senate in Santa Fe, N.M., on Friday, March 3, 2023. The Senate endorsed the bill, on a 24-16 vote, that would make it a crime to store firearms in places where children could get access. House approval of recent amendments would send the bill to supportive Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

Exemptions from prosecution include instances when a firearm is kept in a location that a reasonable person would believe to be secure, as well as when a juvenile obtains a firearm in the course of self-defense or defense of another person.

Republican Sen. Cliff Pirtle of Roswell expressed doubt that the bill would be effective and emphasized that gun owners should be able to access firearms readily to defend their homes and families.

"It's important to me to have the firearm accessible," he said. "I'm going to defend my family and I'm going to raise my children to understand that firearms are not toys."

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The Democratic-led Legislature is advancing legislation that would establish a 14-day waiting period for firearm purchases and raise the minimum age to buy certain guns to 21. Lawmakers have until noon on March 18 to send bills to the governor.

Morgan Lee is a reporter for the Associated Press.

Others are reading:

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: New Mexico bill advances to keep guns away from children
Mexican authorities said Monday that 343 migrants, including 103 unaccompanied minors, were found in a trailer abandoned on a highway in Veracruz.

Among those found in the trailer Sunday night along the Cosamaloapan-La Tinaja highway were migrants from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Ecuador, Mexicos National Institute of Migration (INM) announced. Most of the minors reportedly hailed from Guatemala.

The hundreds of migrants were found alive, according to authorities, and the trailer transporting them notably had fans and vents for air circulation in the container, which had a double-layer metal structure. INM also said the migrants wore colored bracelets as identifiers.

The unaccompanied children will be under the care of the Veracruz family services system, while the adults will be processed through Mexicos immigration system.

Fifty migrants were found dead last summer in a tractor-trailer near San Antonio, Texas, in a tragedy that added to ongoing concerns about human smuggling and immigration in the Americas.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Photo: GoFundMe Kiara Agnew

A Canadian man is being detained in Mexico for the suspected homicide of his 23-year-old girlfriend at a resort south of Cancun.

The woman has been identified by family members as Kiara Agnew from Dawson Creek, B.C.

Her family says on a GoFundMe page that Agnew went on what was supposed to be a "dream birthday vacation" to Mexico with her boyfriend on March 2, but that "turned into a nightmare" when relatives were notified of her death on Friday.

As of Sunday afternoon, the fundraiser has raised more than $17,000 for costs associated with bringing Agnew's body home.

Agnew's mother, Michele Levesque, later posted to Facebook that her daughter's body will be returned to Dawson Creek.

SSP Solidaridad said in a statement in Spanish that police from the Secretariat of Public Security took a man into custody after "a lifeless woman was found with possible marks of violence in a hotel located in the Xcalacoco neighbourhood."

Mexican prosecutors have confirmed the woman was found dead Friday, adding a man is in custody and possible charges are being considered.
The FBI has launched a search for four US citizens who were kidnapped at gunpoint in Mexico.

The group of four Americans drove across the US border with Mexico on Friday, crossing into Matamoros, Tamaulipas, in their white minivan, according to the US Embassy & Consulates in Mexico.

Not long after crossing the border, they were ambushed by a group of gunmen who fired on the passengers in the vehicle.

The four Americans were then placed in a vehicle and driven from the scene by the armed men, the embassy said.

The map below shows where the kidnapping took place:

(The Independent/Datawrapper)

Officials have not released the identities of the US citizens but said that their white minivan had North Carolina licence plates.

The purpose of their visit to Mexico is also unclear.

The US State Department is advising Americans not to travel to Tamaulipas due to the risk of crime and kidnapping. The region is on the Level 4: Do Not Travel list.

The border city of Matamoros is largely controlled by the Gulf drug cartel, with violence and migrant smuggling rife.

Oliver Rich, Special Agent in Charge of the San Antonio Division of the FBI, said in the press release that the FBI is seeking the publics help in identifying the assailants responsible for the assault and kidnapping.

A reward of $50,000 is being offered for information leading to the return of the victims and the arrest of the kidnappers.

An investigation  involving the FBI, federal partners and Mexican law enforcement agencies  is currently under way.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI San Antonio Division at 210-225-6741 or to submit tips anonymously online at https://tips.fbi.gov
Michelle Obama has reflected on former US President Donald Trumps Inauguration Day and revealed why she was sobbing after it.

The former first lady discussed her and her husbands, former President Barack Obama, time in the White House during the first and upcoming episode of Michelle Obama: The Light Podcast.

In a clip of the podcast episode shared by People, Obama explained why Trumps Inauguration Day in 2017 was so emotional, as she, her spouse, and their daughters, Malia, now 24, and Sasha, now 21, were officially moving out of their house.

We were leaving the home we had been in for eight years, the only home our kids really knew, she explained. They remembered Chicago but they had spent more time in the White House than anywhere, so we were saying goodbye to the staff and all the people who helped to raise them.

After pointing out the tears that she had about leaving the White House, she went on to discuss Trumps inauguration and the lack of diversity she noticed during it.

To sit on that stage and watch the opposite of what we represented on display, Obama continued. There was no diversity, there was no colour on that stage. There was no reflection of the broader sense of America.

She said that her peers noticed her feelings at the event, adding: Many people took pictures of me and theyre like, You werent in a good mood? No, I was not! But you had to hold it together like you do for eight years.

Obama proceeded to recall the process of leaving the White House with her family. She also spoke about the crowd in Washington DC that day and poked fun at Trumps previous claims that he had the largest presidential inauguration audience in history. In 2018, it was revealed that the photos from the event were edited to make the crowds look larger after an intervention from the former president.

You walk through the Capitol, you wave goodbye, you get on Marine One, and you take your last flight flying over the Capitol, she said. Where there werent that many people there, we saw it by the way.

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She then revealed that once she got on her Air Force One flight, that was when she began sobbing.

When those doors shut, I cried for 30 minutes straight, uncontrollable sobbing, because thats how much we were holding it together for eight years, Obama explained.

Obamas husband has previously opened up about Trumps Inauguration and how he felt about it. During an interview with Prince Harry in 2017, the 44th US president expressed how grateful he was for his wife on that day.

Michelle Obama with her husband and the incoming president and first lady on Inauguration Day in January 2017 (Getty Images)

The first thing that went through my mind was, sitting across from Michelle, how thankful I was that she had been my partner through that whole process, he said about the 2017 event, viaThe Atlantic. She is not someone who was naturally inclined to politics, so despite the fact that she was as good of a First Lady as there has ever been, she did this largely in support of my decision to run.

While he also acknowledged that he had mixed feelings about leaving office, with all of the work that was still undone and the concerns about how the country moves forward, he still felt there was a serenity there more than [he] would have expected.

Over the years, the former first lady has recalled some of the fond memories shed had in the White House, such as birthday celebrations with her family, which included her mother Marian Robinson.

My mom used to bake homemade cakes for us for our birthdays and that was part of our birthday, she said, during an appearance onThe Drew Barrymore Show in October. And my mom even did this when she lived with us in the White House.
Now that Microsoft has outlined how AI will reshape Bing search, it's ready to detail how the technology will influence your workplace. The company is holding a "Future of Work with AI" event on March 16th at 11AM Eastern. While Microsoft isn't saying much about what the news will entail, CEO Satya Nadella and Microsoft 365 lead Jared Spataro are hosting the presentation. As it stands, rumors may give an idea of what to expect.

A February leak from The Verge suggested Microsoft may introduce AI-equipped versions of Microsoft 365 apps like Outlook and Word. While the exact functionality isn't known, The Information claims Outlook could use AI to improve search results and suggest email replies. Word, meanwhile, may make writing suggestions.

The company is launching some enterprise-oriented AI features today. Dynamics 365 and Viva Sales now have an AI "Copilot" that helps reply to customer chats and emails, summarize Teams meetings and explore marketing data. These rely on an existing Azure OpenAI service where the rumored Microsoft 365 features may draw on the Prometheus AI model used in Bing.

The expansion won't come as a surprise. Microsoft has been integrating AI into services like Teams for a while, and has been investing in OpenAI for years. It recently committed to a years-long funding deal for that's reportedly worth $10 billion, and will see Microsoft host OpenAI cloud services. The company is in a race to establish itself as an AI leader, and the event will likely support that strategy.

There's plenty of competitive pressure. Other companies are building OpenAI's ChatGPT directly into their products. Google, meanwhile, has unveiled Bard as its ChatGPT equivalent amid reported concerns AI could pose a threat to its core search business. An expanded use of AI could theoretically help Microsoft fend off rivals and take an early lead in use of the fledgling technology.
Mike Pompeo, who served as secretary of state under former President Donald Trump, said Sunday on Fox News that his ex-boss isnt a true conservative. (Watch the video below.)

Pompeo, who is weighing a bid for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination against Trump, was asked by Shannon Bream on Fox News Sunday: Would a President Pompeo do a better job managing the deficit and debt than a President Trump did?

Replied Pompeo: I think a President Pompeo or any conservative president will do better than not only we did during the four years in the Trump administration, Barack Obama, George Bush. The list is long, Shannon, of folks who come to Washington on one theory and arent prepared to stand up and explain to the American people how were actually going to get that right. ... Its going to take a true conservative leader, Shannon.

An intrigued Bream pressed: Are you saying that former President Trump wasnt a true conservative leader?

Pompeo, who took veiled swipes at Trumps reliance on celebrity and identity politics without naming him at last weeks Conservative Political Action Committee conference, didnt flinch in response.

$6 trillion more in debt, Pompeo answered. Thats never the right direction for the country, Shannon.

The federal debt rose by almost $8 trillion in the Trump administration, according to ProPublica and The Washington Post. (The national debt climbed to the legal borrowing limit of $31.4 trillion in January, putting Democrats and Republicans at odds over raising the ceiling.)

FOX NEWS SUNDAY: Would a President Pompeo do a better job managing the deficit & debt than a President Trump did?



POMPEO: I think a President Pompeo or any conservative POTUS would do better.



FOX: Are you saying President Trump wasn't a true conservative?



P: $6t more in debt. pic.twitter.com/QR4QnnNslA  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 5, 2023

While Trump and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley are among the prominent names who have officially declared their candidacies for the Republican nomination, Pompeo and others, such as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former Vice President Mike Pence, continue de-facto campaigning.

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CORRECTION: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the national debt reached $31.4 billion instead of $31.4 trillion.

Related...
Nearly a week after a mother went missing, her boyfriend changed the PIN to her debit card and started stealing thousands in benefits meant for her disabled son, federal prosecutors said.

The woman, who lived with her boyfriend in Newark, New Jersey, has been missing since Dec. 24, 2017 , according to officials. She was identified only as V.W. in court documents.

Now the 37-year-old man is charged with two counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft in connection to stealing his girlfriends sons monthly benefits for years, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of New Jersey announced in a March 3 news release.

He was arrested on March 3, court records show.

McClatchy News contacted the mans attorney for comment on March 6 and didnt receive a response.

The money the man is accused of stealing came from the Social Security Administrations Supplemental Security Income program, which provides monthly payments to adults and children who are blind or have another disability.

The scheme to steal benefits

The case dates back to when the Social Security Administration determined the womans young son was eligible for SSI benefits, according to an indictment. Anyone who receives these benefits is given a prepaid debit card that the SSI program funds and refills with payments each month, the indictment notes.

Because the womans son was under 18, the Social Security Administration gave her a debit card in her name to receive and access her sons SSI payments in May 2017, the indictment says.

She would later vanish in late December of that year, according to officials.

Six days after her disappearance, her boyfriend took over that debit card, changed her PIN and started withdrawing her sons SSI payments, according to the indictment.

In March 2018, the man requested a replacement debit card by calling customer service and posed as his girlfriend over the phone, the indictment says. He did so by identifying himself as her and gave her phone number, address, date of birth and Social Security number, according to officials.

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About a month later, he impersonated his girlfriend again and requested another replacement debit card, the indictment says.

He and others acting at (his) direction withdrew SSI payments that were supposed to support his girlfriends son, according to the indictment.

In total, $19,797 in SSI payments issued to the missing womans debit card were stolen, the indictment says.

Now hes facing up to 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud and up to two years in prison for each count of aggravated identity theft, prosecutors said.

A spokesman for the attorneys office was unable to confirm the missing womans identity.

Bank worker gave up customer identities in plot to steal thousands from banks, feds say

Woman hid mother-in-laws death to steal $450,000 in retirement benefits, feds say

Amazon workers stole nearly $10M from company to buy real estate, luxury cars, feds say

Man poses as his twin who died days after birth to steal $145,000 in benefits, feds say
By Can Sezer and Jonathan Spicer

NURDAGI, Turkey (Reuters) - Tremors still rattle Turkey's south one month after devastating twin earthquakes, however Havva Arslan, mother of three, finally feels safe in her small but sturdy container home.

Arslan, her husband and their three children survived for five days trapped under the rubble of their five-storey apartment building. The fact the whole family emerged alive makes theirs a rare survival story in the town of Nurdagi, where most buildings either collapsed or are marked for demolition.

It has been barely two weeks since the family was discharged from hospital and the five of them are trying to pick up the strands of what they call their previous life. They tentatively re-establish routines in their makeshift new home behind a petrol station.

"We were a well-off family. We had two homes and a car. We were thankful to God for all that. And we are thankful now, that all my kids are safe. I have no fears now that my family is beside me," Havva said as she sat beside a wooden picnic table after a family breakfast.

Havva and her husband, Hasan, lost 36 of their relatives in the quake and the grief is raw. One of their surviving relatives, grandmother Arslan, lives in a container next door with a broken foot.

Acquaintances drop by to offer condolences.

Hasan, an accountant, says he will soon be ready to get back to work.

"Clients have started calling again. The governor sent town accountants a container, the guild will send a computer and printer. I'll then begin where I left off," Hasan says.

He points at a dusty metal safe containing documents salvaged from his collapsed office.

Both parents are happy that two of their children, one in the 4th grade and one in the 8th, are able to get back to classes.

"Kids need school," Havva says, adding that authorities are setting up a school in a nearby tent city with children at first getting back for two days a week.

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'ALL OF US ARE ALIVE'

Eldest daughter, Fatmagul, 19, has begun preparing for university entrance exams, which she is due to take in a few months.

"I wanted her to study but only when she felt she could, so I waited," Havva said.

"One day I woke up, opened my eyes and saw her sitting by the table studying. 'We have to start somewhere, mum', she said."

On the night the quake hit, the parents and the three children rushed to hold each other when the violent shaking struck.

As walls collapsed around them, the floor beneath gave way and the Arslan family fell one floor down, with the four floors above crashing down around them seconds later.

They were trapped in a pitch-back space, with no food or water and no idea of how much time was passing as the hours turned into days.

After a while the family, starting with the parents, began hallucinating.

"I was hungry. I was seeing apples and oranges but couldn't hold them. My mother was speaking on a phone that she didn't have," Fatmagul said.

In the end, a rescue team pushing through a crevice zeroed in on their cries for help.

"'My name is Fatmagul Arslan', I shouted. 'We're five people here. All of us are alive', I said."

And then the moment of rescue: "Light came in through, I heard a sound and then saw the eyes of a man," Fatmagul said.

The death toll in Turkey from the earthquakes has risen to nearly 46,000 with about 6,000 people killed in neighbouring Syria.

(Editing by Robert Birsel)
ANKARA, Turkey (AP)  One month after a powerful quake devastated parts of Turkey and Syria, hundreds of thousands of people still need adequate shelter and sanitation, and an appeal for $1 billion to assist survivors is only 10% funded, hampering efforts to tackle the humanitarian crisis, a United Nations official said Monday.

The Feb. 6 earthquake and strong aftershocks have killed more than 46,000 people in Turkey, destroyed or damaged around 230,000 buildings and left hundreds of thousands of people homeless  making it the worst disaster in Turkeys modern history. The U.N. estimates that the earthquake killed around 6,000 people in Syria, mainly in the rebel-held northwest.

About 2 million survivors have been housed in temporary accommodation or evacuated from the earthquake-devastated region, according to Turkish government figures. Around 1.5 million people have been settled in tents while another 46,000 have been moved to container houses. Others are living in dormitories and guesthouses, the government said.

Given the number of people that have been relocated, given the number of people that have been injured and given the level of the devastation, we do have extensive humanitarian needs now, Alvaro Rodriguez, the U.N. Resident Coordinator in Turkey, told The Associated Press.

We have some provinces where up to 25% of the population  were talking sometimes half a million people  have relocated. So the challenge we have is how do we provide food, shelter, water for these communities? he said.

The U.N. representative said tents are still needed even though they are not the optimal solution for sheltering people. He reported some cases of scabies outbreaks because of poor sanitary conditions.

Last month, the U.N. made a flash appeal for $397.6 million to help Syrian quake victims  just over half of which has come in  and a $1 billion appeal for victims in Turkey to cover emergency needs, such as food, protection, education water and shelter, for three months. Rodriguez said the appeal for Turkey is only about 10% funded.

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The reality is that if we do not move beyond the roughly 10% that we have, the U.N. and its partners will not be able to meet the humanitarian needs, he said.

Rodriguez added: Turkey has been a country that has supported 4 million Syrian refugees over the last few years, and this is an opportunity for the international community to provide the support that Turkey deserves.

The World Bank has estimated that the earthquake has caused an estimated $34.2 billion in direct physical damages  the equivalent of 4% of Turkey's 2021 GDP. The World Bank said recovery and reconstruction costs will be much higher and that GDP losses associated to economic disruptions will also add to the cost of the earthquakes.

In Syria, the situation remained dire one month after the deadly earthquake, with aid groups citing fears of a looming public health crisis with families still packed into overcrowded temporary shelters and crucial infrastructure damaged by the quake.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said in a statement that Aleppos water infrastructure  already aging and damaged by the war  had been further damaged by the quake, which reduced the systems efficiency and raised the risk that contaminated water could pollute the supply.

Water contamination is of particular concern in Syria as the country had already been battling cholera outbreaks before the earthquake.

While the quake generated an initial outpouring of aid, relief organizations cited fears that the worlds attention will move on quickly, while basic humanitarian needs remain unmet. Meanwhile, political and logistical issues have in some cases blocked aid from reaching those in need.

Amnesty International said Monday that between Feb. 9 and 22, the Syrian government had blocked at least 100 trucks carrying essential aid such as food, medical supplies and tents from entering Kurdish-majority neighborhoods in Aleppo city while Turkish-backed rebel groups in northwest Syria blocked at least 30 aid trucks sent by rival Kurdish groups from entering Turkish-controlled Afrin in the same period.

Even in this moment of desperation, the Syrian government and armed opposition groups have pandered to political considerations and taken advantage of peoples misery to advance their own agendas, Aya Majzoub, the rights groups deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa, said in a statement.

___

Associated Press writer Abby Sewell contributed from Beirut.

___

This story has been corrected to show that the earthquake killed more than 46,000 people in Turkey, not close to 47,000.
Josh Owens of the TV show Moonshiners has been injured in a motorcycle accident at the Daytona International Speedway.

The accident took place over the weekend on Saturday (4 March) in Daytona Beach, Florida.

While theres little information available about the accident, its been reported that it occurred during a bike race.

The extent of Mr Owens injuries has not been confirmed.

Support has poured out for Mr Owens, who has appeared on the Discovery programme Moonshiners since 2012, on social media as news of the accident spread.

Jessica Read wrote on Facebook on Sunday night, please keep our brother Josh Owens in prayer. Ive gotten so many calls & messages that I havent answered & Im sorry. Josh is stable right now from the accident thank God. I cant sleep & Im praying & Im thinking about all the good times. We love you so much brother.

Fellow moonshiner Tim Smith tweeted: Grateful for all the love, prayers and support for Moonshiner Josh Owens - all I could say right now is that both of his arms are working fine, so hell still be able to make some shine but keep praying please, we are a ways out.

Josh Owens in Moonshiners on Discovery (Screenshot / YouTube / Discovery UK)

Rich Landry, also a moonshiner, said in a video that Mr Owens was okay, but that he had broken his leg.

We know thats like a hangnail for Josh, he said, according to Distractify.

Mr Landry added in the Facebook video on Sunday that Mr Owens isnt out of the woods yet.

The programme description for Moonshiners on Discoverys website states: As they bury one of their last old-time legends, a dozen surviving moonshiners must join forces to fight for their way of life, before its gone forever.

Distractify noted that Mr Owens set his house on fire during season 11 of the show while trying to make moonshine out of maple sap and that he once ended up in trouble after choosing a less-than-ideal location for his distilling work.
Another cross-country winter storm will develop this week on the heels of a system that caused havoc across much of the nation in recent days, leading to 13 deaths in the South and Northeast.

Snow will continue in California and other parts of the West as well as the Great Lakes areaon Monday, and some areas will see temperatures dip below freezing once again.

Fears of flooding in California also were on the rise Monday as forecasters warned that a warm rainstorm could hit portions of the state later in the week.

More than 200,000 homes and businesses remained in the dark nationwide as of Monday from storms over the past several days, according to tracking website Poweroutage.us. Kentucky had 118,000 outages, Michigan 26,000, Tennessee 19,000 and California 18,000. And the outages have dragged on  Kentucky's storm hit Friday. Michigan has been battling outages since an ice storm struck two weeks ago.

Developments:

Minneapolis could see several inches of accumulating snow Thursday and Friday. Residents woke up to slick roads Monday from a storm Sunday night.

Snow was expected to persist across northern Michigan for most of the day Monday before rolling into the interior Northeast later Monday into Tuesday morning.

HIKERS RESCUED: Death toll rises to 13; teenager hikers rescued in Southern California

A man walks past a damaged tire shop in Crestline, Calif., Friday, March 3, 2023, following a huge snowfall that buried homes and businesses.

5 dead in storms across Kentucky, but 'miracle' in one town

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said 125,000 homes and businesses remained without power Monday, three days after a wall of tornadoes, thunderstorms and heavy winds swept across the state, killing five people. About 300 were without water, he said.

Beshear said he was encouraged by his visit to Fremont a day earlier.

"What happened in Fremont was a miracle," he said. "An EF2 tornado landed, went basically down their main street a mile and half, (and) no one got hurt in this town."

He said cleanup was in full force. Local officials and utility workers worked side-by-side with residents and volunteers.

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"What I got to see was the best of humanity," he said. "Like everything else we faced, we will face this together."

All quiet for Boston, NYC, Philly this winter

California's mountains and parts of the Midwest have been fending off a stormy winter, but much of the eastern United States has had little snow. Boston, known for nasty noreasters and a blizzard last year that dumped nearly 2 feet of snow on the city, had seen just over 11 inches as of last week compared with an average of 38.6, according to data from the National Weather Service.

Philadelphia has gotten only 0.3 inches compared with an average of 19.2. New York, which typically gets over 2 feet of snow by now, has seen only 2.2 inches. Similar shortfalls have been seen in Providence, R.I., Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., and parts of West Virginia.

For the most part, its been a winterless winter" in the region, says David Robinson, a Rutgers University geography professor and the state climatologist.

Overall, it was the warmest winter (December-January) on record in the Northeast, according to data from the Northeast Regional Climate Center released Monday.

New storm could cause travel problems

AccuWeather said it was tracking a storm that is expected to spread snow along an 1,800-mile-long stretch that begins in the northern Plains and could wind up in the Northeast in the coming days.

"Forecasters say the upcoming storm is not expected to pack as much of a punch as its predecessor," AccuWeather said. "But can still create enough wintry weather to cause travel problems."

A winter weather advisory was in place for parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey until Tuesday morning. Scranton, Pennsylvania, could see 5 inches of snow.

Parts of the Dakotas will be under a winter storm warning through Monday afternoon. The National Weather Service said the mid-Atlantic region will see rain and snow by Monday evening, and some parts could experience freezing rain.

YOSEMITE SHUT DOWN: Winter weather forces Yosemite to close; severe storms forecast in Oklahoma, Kansas

Parts of California under a winter storm warning as flood fears rise

A winter storm warning remained in place for parts of California through Tuesday. The Sierra Nevada Mountain range could get an additional 3 feet of snow by midweek, the weather service said, as the region continues to see snowfall totals above historical averages. Travel in the region will be difficult to impossible, forecasters said. Wind gusts up to 70 mph could drop wind chills as low as 25 degrees below zero.

The UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab in Soda Springs said Sunday that it got 30 inches of snow over the weekend and has had over 46 feet of snow this season.

Forecasters, meanwhile, said the next Pacific storm arriving late in the week will be associated with a moderately strong stream of moisture known as an atmospheric river.

WHAT IS AN 'ATMOSPHERIC RIVER?': These rivers of water vapor can extend thousands of miles.

An abundance of subtropical moisture will move inland over Central California along the southern periphery of this storm system Thursday night through Friday night, the National Weather Service said.

Heavy rainfall and a mild air mass will cause rapid snowmelt in areas that have received several feet of snow recently, the service said.

UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain tweeted that the "odds of a warm storm of some magnitude around Friday/Saturday are increasing, especially Northern California, but magnitude and duration are highly uncertain. A modest event is most likely, but more severe storm can't be ruled out."

HIGHS, LOWS AND HEARTBREAK: How a pair of California eagles developed a worldwide fanbase

Winter storm tracker

National weather radar

Contributing: Lucas Aulbach, Louisville Courier Journal

Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jordan_mendoza5.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Winter weather updates: Storm to stretch from Plains to Northeast
(Getty Images)

A mother who was living with an undiagnosed terminal cancer is urging women to seek further investigation if they have health concerns.

Kelly Pendry, 42, from Ewloe, North Wales, was diagnosed with uterine leiomyosarcoma in 2021.

Her initial symptoms of heavy, prolonged periods and a lot of pain began in 2016, reports BBC.

Leiomyosarcoma is a rare cancer affecting 600 people in the UK each year.

According to the bone and soft tissue cancer charity, Sarcoma UK, leiomyosarcoma develops in the smooth muscle cells, which are sometimes called involuntary muscles because they cause the organs to contract without our control.

Involuntary muscles are most commonly found in the limbs, the abdomen, the uterus, and the retroperitoneum (which is found deep in the abdomen and pelvis, behind the abdominal lining).

Common symptoms include a lump or swelling in the soft tissue under the skin. For uterine leiomyosarcoma, symptoms may include vaginal bleeding post-menopause, vaginal bleeding between periods, unusual vaginal bleeding and pain around the pelvis or stomach.

Leiomyosarcoma affects around 600 people in the UK per year.

The mother of two said that she was told by a doctor that her body was experiencing side effects post-pregnancy. Elsewhere, she was advised to consider different contraception and was prescribed antidepressants.

I felt like I was a drama queen, she told the news outlet. I felt like I was overthinking it, I felt like is this in my head a bit, is this stupid?

(Getty Images)

Pendry was diagnosed with benign fibroids in November 2020, but the pandemic delayed her surgery.

By June 2021, Kelly said she was bleeding every day and looked nine months pregnant. It was around this time that a doctor mentioned the possibility of a sarcoma.

After a lung biopsy, Pendry was diagnosed with stage four and terminal cancer.

I was told by a nurse not to make plans for Christmas, she told the news outlet.

She underwent six rounds of chemotherapy to maximise the time she has to live. One year on from the treatment, Pendry experiences side effects including tiredness, hot flushes, aches and pains.

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At present, her husband is raising money for Pendry to get access to treatment in the US, which they believe could extend the time she has to live.

On 16 March, Michael Pendry will run from where they live in Ewloe, North Wales to where the couple met in Hanham, Bristol. The run is approximately 180 miles and he will be running it across four days. At the time of writing, he has raised nearly 60,000 ($72,000) out of a goal of 75,000 (90,000).

In a statement, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board told the news outlet: Were very sorry to hear about Ms Pendrys experience and would encourage her to contact her GP practice, which is an independent contractor of the health board, so her concerns can be investigated.
Photo: The Canadian Press An Ottawa police vehicle is shown in Ottawa on Friday, Jan. 27, 2023. Ontario's police watchdog says it is investigating after a man was seriously injured in a police-involved shooting in the Ottawa region. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Ontario's police watchdog says it is investigating after a man was seriously injured in a police-involved shooting in the Ottawa region.

The Special Investigations Unit says a person contacted Ottawa police at about 9:40 p.m. Saturday to report concern for another individual who allegedly had firearms.

It says the officers arrived at a townhouse in Nepean, Ont., and tried unsuccessfully to make contact with a 28-year-old man inside by phone and by knocking on the door.

The SIU alleges there was an exchange of gunfire sometime later between the man and police, saying the man was hit after three officers fired their weapons.

They say the man retreated into the home, but eventually surrendered and was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Anyone with information about this incident, including photo or videos, is being asked to contact the SIU.
The Santa Clara County Fire Department responded to Rancho San Antonio park in Cupertino on Sunday after a tree fell on a woman who was hiking. The woman later died. (Mind Open Space)

The mother of a Boy Scout who was out hiking with a troop in Santa Clara was killed Sunday when a tree fell on top of her, according to authorities.

The woman, whom the medical examiner identified as Vidyut Nautiyal, 44, was on a planned hike at Rancho San Antonio park when she was struck by the tree, according to Eric Tarbox, Scout executive of the Boy Scouts' Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council.

"Rangers and EMS were summoned to the scene. We will continue to cooperate with investigating authorities. All Scouts are safe and there were no additional injuries. Our emergency response protocols and notifications are currently being followed, and we appreciate privacy for the family and Scout unit as they are still being moved from the area and rejoined with their families, Tarbox said in a statement.

At 10:01am #SCCFD responded to Rancho San Antonio in #Cupertino on reports a tree had fallen on an adult female while hiking. After being extricated, medical aid was rendered but sadly the patient was declared deceased. @SCCoSheriff & @MidpenOpenSpace also on scene pic.twitter.com/FCcTnLhDw9  Santa Clara Co Fire (@sccfiredept) March 5, 2023

The incident occurred around 10 a.m., with firefighters struggling to quickly access the remote area on the trail, according to Matt Mokhtarian, a fire captain with the Santa Clara County Fire Department.

"They were escorted by the Midpeninsula Open Space Rangers up the trail several miles," Mokhtarian said.

Though bystanders with the Boy Scout troop had attempted to extricate the woman from under the tree before the firefighters' arrival, they were unsuccessful.

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Firefighters got the woman out from under the tree and attempted life-saving measures, but the woman was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Mokhtarian.

It was not immediately clear whether it was an entire tree, a branch or part of the tree that fell and struck the woman.

None of the children in the Boy Scout troop were injured, nor were any other adults, Tarbox said.

Times staff writer Dakota Smith contributed to this report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Three of the jurors who served on Alex Murdaugh's double murder trial said a video filmed at the scene of the slayings was the key piece of evidence in the trial that "sealed the deal" for convicting Murdaugh in the murders of his wife and youngest son.

Prosecutors introduced a Snapchat video Murdaugh's youngest son Paul Murdaugh filmed at the dog kennels on the Murdaugh family property, which contained audio of Alex Murdaugh yelling at one of the dogs minutes before the time of the murders.

Juror Amie Williams told TODAY on Monday the video was one of the critical pieces of evidence in the case.

"The witness testimony was very believable, and the kennel video definitely played a major part," Williams said, adding Murdaugh's testimony in his own defense was also crucial piece of evidence she took into consideration of the verdict.

Image: (Joshua Boucher / The State via AP, Pool)

The jury spent about three hours deliberating on March 2 after a six-week trial before convicting Alex Murdaugh in the murders of his wife Maggie Murdaugh and youngest son Paul Murdaugh.

Alex Murdaugh testified in his own defense on Feb. 23. Juror Gwen Generette said she couldn't believe that Murdaugh took the stand.

"When he got on the stand, I was like, 'OK, so it was him,'" Generette said. "I don't know him so I never knew his voice, but I realized it was him in the kennel video, and that just kind of sealed the deal."

Juror James McDowell, along with Williams and Generette, said they did not think Murdaugh should have testified in his own defense.

"If I was him, I don't think I would have, but I think that he believes that he's so convincing that he felt like that was his last resort," McDowell said.

Murdaugh testified he did not shoot Maggie or Paul Murdaugh, and became emotional multiple times throughout his testimony.

But the jurors said on TODAY they were not convinced by the show of emotion.

"No, I didn't think he was crying," Generette said. "He turned it on and off. It wasn't genuine."

"We already know that he's a lawyer," McDowell added. "He's able to be emotional with cases, he's able to be emotional with himself ... I think we were able to read right through that."

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When asked if they knew what Murdaugh's motive was for the murders, all three jurors said they thought there were multiple factors, including Murdaugh's alleged financial crimes.

"He wanted to have control of everything  his wife owned the majority of the things that they owned  so I'm thinking it was more like greed and being in control," Generette said.

Paul, Maggie and Paul Murdaugh. (Facebook)

McDowell referred to the prosecution's argument that a "storm" of events that led to the murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh.

"It may not have been that one singular thing, but there's so many things there that contribute to that overall storm that I think (control) played a part," McDowell said.

Williams added she also thought it could have been a "combination of things."

"I don't know if we'll ever know," she said. "I think it may have been a combination of things, not just the financial, but everything was weighing heavy on him."

Murdaugh is still facing 99 other financial crimes charges stemming from allegedly stealing funds from his clients at his former law firm for over a decade.

Murdaugh was sentenced to life in prison on March 3 for the murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh, and his attorneys said they plan to appeal the sentence.

He was taken to Kirkland Correctional Institution in Columbia, South Carolina, where he will remain for about a month for evaluation before he's transferred to a maximum-security prison to serve out his sentence.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
A Columbus man has been arrested on drug and weapons charges following a car pursuit, according to the Muscogee County Sheriffs Office.

Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman said in a Facebook post that Darion McBride, 25, was arrested and found in possession of an assault rifle, a glock pistol, eight pounds of marijuana, 13 grams of mushrooms and more than $6,000 in cash.

McBride is facing multiple charges including assault on an officer, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, among others.

He was arrested and transported to the Muscogee County Jail.
The National Park Service is warning people against confronting bears in the wild, with a little bit of humor.

On Twitter, they wrote, If you come across a bear, never push a slower friend down, even if you feel the friendship has run its course. Its their way of telling people to keep their distance.

The Parks Service notes that bears will become more active in the spring as snow thaws.

The National Parks Service also provides some tips for hiking in bear country like traveling in a group, making noise while hiking, never approaching cubs, and never surprising a bear, among other things.

They also explain how to properly use bear spray and do not recommend using firearms to stop an attack.

Washington state has grizzly bears and black bears, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The Washington Trails Association explains that grizzlies pose little danger to hikers and that if someone spots a bear, its most likely a black bear.

They also give recommendations for hiking near bears and how to handle bear encounters.

If you come across a bear, never push a slower friend downeven if you feel the friendship has run its course.  National Park Service (@NatlParkService) February 28, 2023




LINCOLN  State Sen. Suzanne Geist of Lincoln said she realized last year she could not use an educational savings plan to support her grandchildrens private K-12 tuition costs.

Congress approved an expansion in 2018 for NEST 529 plans under the College Savings Plan Program, but Nebraska is one of 10 states that lag in allowing the plans to also apply to K-12 private education.

Legislative Bill 165, proposed by Geist, would adopt the federal standard and allow Nebraskans to receive tax deductions for their investments, which is allowed for higher education in the state.

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This is such a common sense request to ask our state to conform with the federal guidelines so grandparents like me can help their kids who cannot afford the choice that they want to make for their school to be able to make that choice, Geist said.

Opponents said the bill would incentivize private education and families who send their kids to private schools, without support for private schools.

There is a limit of $10,000 per beneficiary per taxable year.

Geist added that because families would invest their private dollars, the bill would not impact public school funding.

Nebraskans can create 529 plans in states where the change is allowed if they want the investment for K-12 schools.

However, Nebraskans could not capitalize on other states tax deductions.

Preventing a slip through the cracks

Heather Schmidt, whose daughter has dyslexia, said she enrolled her child in a private school so she would receive additional support.

But Schmidt and her husband had to pay the out-of-pocket costs without additional support or tax benefits.

Any extra savings for our future or our childrens future education is put on hold, Schmidt told the Revenue Committee on Thursday. Because nothing is more important than making sure our children are educated every step of the way. We wont let any of them slip through the cracks.

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Elizabeth Davids, an educator, said K-12 education is essential because its the point where children form their primary worldviews and where they establish a foundation.

Davids said a child should go where they can be successful, and if they do not end up going to college, a 529 plan could be worthless.

Pass-through entity

Connie Knoche, education policy director for the OpenSky Policy Institute, said the bill would create a new tax benefit and subsidize private K-12 plans.

LB 165 will turn NEST into a pass-through entity so that families with children in private school can and will use these accounts to receive an immediate tax deduction, Knoche said.

Dunixi Guereca, executive director for Stand For Schools, which advocates for public schools and public school funding, said the bill could exclusively benefit already wealthy families.

Geist told the committee there are better ways to make a buck than investing in 529 plans for the tax deduction.

De Tonack with the Nebraska State Educational Association voices concern with legislation that would expand Nebraskas NEST 529 educational savings plans to help with private school tuition on Thursday, March 2, 2023, in Lincoln, Neb. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

De Tonack, a retired educator representing the Nebraska State Education Association, testified against Geists bill, saying it would do nothing to incentivize parents of K-12 students to save for qualified expenses.

Tonack said there could be costs for families attending public schools, too, such as for industrial or performing arts.

She added that 529 accounts do extend to college apprenticeships or student loan debt repayments. She encouraged the committee to also extend expansion to families of K-12 students.

It should make the pot grow just a little bit, Tonack said.

Geist said she is working on an amendment that would conform to federal language related to allowing the 529 expansion to apply to public schools.

When asked, Tonack said that would make the NSEA neutral on Geists bill; Guereca said Stand For Schools would still be opposed.

Very skeptical of revenue decrease

A fiscal note from the Nebraska Department of Revenue through the next four fiscal years estimates the bill could lead to revenue decreases:

FY 2023-24: $2,539,000FY 2024-25: $5,669,000FY 2025-26: $7,921,000FY 2026-27: $7,829,000

State Treasurer John Murante testifies in support of legislation that would expand Nebraskas NEST 529 educational savings plans on Thursday, March 2, 2023, in Lincoln, Neb. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

State Treasurer John Murante said, however, hes very skeptical about the estimates.

They assume that 50% of all eligible Nebraska families would have a 529 account next year and that the program would grow in future years.

Murante said such revenue decreases have not occurred in the states that adopted the federal standard and contended the departments estimates were overstated.

Jay Steinacher, who oversees the 529 savings plans offered through Union Bank and Trust, said Nebraska has more than 300,000 accounts, which total more than $6 billion.

That places Nebraska 18th in the country for total assets, Steinacher said, even though Nebraska is 37th in population.

He said this can be attributed to a strong investment lineup, low costs and a competitive plan structure, but he said momentum slows when there is a limitation on how accounts may be used in the state.

If theyve been saving for their kids education, and they want to use their own money to pay for K-12 tuition, from our point of view, thats their business, Murante said.

Nebraska Examiner is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Nebraska Examiner maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Cate Folsom for questions: info@nebraskaexaminer.com. Follow Nebraska Examiner on Facebook and Twitter.
Channel 5

Neighbours is bringing back script producer Shane Isheev to work on the show's new season.

Shane announced the news on Twitter on Monday (March 6), confirming that he'd be moving back to Australia for the job.

When Neighbours ended last year, Shane moved to the UK to join Channel 4's Hollyoaks as story editor.

Shane's first credited episodes of Hollyoaks aired at the end of last month, but he'll now be leaving the soap to return to Neighbours.

Related: Neighbours legend Alan Fletcher promises "even better" show after revival

Posting on Twitter, Shane shared a picture of a suitcase and a Ramsay Street sign, alongside the caption: "When the mothership calls you home #Neighbours."

Speaking exclusively to Digital Spy today, Shane confirmed: "When the resurrection of Neighbours was announced, I was instantly hit with FOMO.

"I'm beyond grateful to be invited back and I can't wait to see what Jason Herbison, Andrew Thompson and Sarah Mayberry already have in store for the return.

"Sadly, this means my time in Chester is coming to an end. I've absolutely loved having the opportunity to create stories that only Hollyoaks could tell and believe me, there are some incredible things in the works.

Channel 5

Related: Neighbours star Madeleine West discusses possible return for Dee Bliss in show revival

"I can't thank Si Wall and Aimee Chester enough for allowing me to play in their playground. The Hollyoaks fans are lucky to have them."

Shane joined Neighbours in 2015 and rose through the ranks to become script producer on the show. He'll be reclaiming this position upon his return to Melbourne.

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His work on Neighbours first time around included the nostalgic 35th anniversary episodes in 2020, Freya Wozniak and David Tanaka's deadly drama at River Bend, and the historic final week which brought the Ramsay Street serial to a close in 2022.

Neighbours is being revived by free streaming service Amazon Freevee for its new season, which will launch later this year.

Neighbours returns in the second half of 2023 with new episodes streaming free on Amazon Freevee in the UK and US. Network 10 will retain first-run rights in Australia for the new series.

Read more Neighbours coverage on our dedicated homepage

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[Source]

Netflix and South Korean public broadcaster MBC have defeated a legal challenge against their religious cult documentary expose In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal.

The eight-part Netflix original program delves into the real stories of four self-proclaimed Korean prophets, including Jeong Myeong-seok, leader of the Christian Gospel Mission. Jeong is currently facing trial in Korea over allegations he sexually assaulted multiple female followers.

Jesus Morning Star (JMS), as the group is also known, sought an injunction to halt the docuseries from airing, claiming that it was a work of fiction that infringed upon the presumption of innocence and religious freedom.

The Seoul Western District Court dismissed JMS's application, as it found that the program was created from an ample amount of objective and subjective sources.

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The debut episode, which premiered last Friday, presents explicit accounts of sexual encounters and accusations of mistreatment by an ex-JMS member identified as Maple.

In the documentary, Maple provides details of her purported intimate encounters with Jeong, including her cries to God as she was being assaulted. The program also features footage of Jeong telling a sexually explicit version of the Adam and Eve story and five unclothed women summoning Jeong as their "Lord" to join them in a bathtub.

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Jeong has a history of sexual assault charges, having previously been imprisoned for 10 years for raping three female followers during overseas trips from 2003 to 2006.

After being deported from China, Jeong was jailed in Korea in 2008 and was only released in 2018 with the requirement of wearing an electronic ankle bracelet. Currently, he is facing charges for the "quasi-rape" of a woman from Hong Kong and another from Australia. In Korean law, "quasi-rape" is defined as sexual intercourse that occurs when a person is unconscious or unable to resist.

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According to anti-JMS campaigner Kim Do-hyeong, other women are preparing to file sexual assault lawsuits against Jeong.

More from NextShark: Meet Eric Bauza, the Filipino Canadian voice actor behind Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and probably your other faves too

JMS has refuted the accusations and warned of the possibility of taking legal action for defamation against media outlets that disseminate unverified information.

Enjoy this content? Read more from NextShark!

'Alice in Borderland' Season 2 trailer hints at final death game
Ukrainian forces were helping civilians flee the battle-scarred eastern city of Bakhmut on Sunday as Russian forces gained a stronghold in suburbs around the city that has been the focus of intense battles for weeks.

The Washington-based think tank Institute for the Study of War, in its latest assessment, said Russian forces appear to have secured a sufficient positional advantage in Bakhmut to conduct a "turning movement" to force Ukrainian troops to abandon prepared defensive positions. The Russians have not forced the Ukrainian military to withdraw  but may not need to, the assessment says.

The Russian mercenary team Wagner Group has committed its most advanced and prepared elements to assault operations in the area, and Ukraine authorities are not sure the city is worth the cost of defense, the institute says.

"Ukrainian forces are far more likely to withdraw than to become encircled," the assessment said. "Ukrainians might still be able to hold their positions in Bakhmut if they choose to try."

Developments:

Ukraine's Cabinet ministers approved the State Anti-Corruption Program providing "systemic steps" aimed at providing Ukrainians more government transparency and more opportunities to interact with the state.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu met with Eastern Military District Commander Col. Gen. Rustam Muradov in western Donetsk Oblast amid extensive Russian losses around Vuhledar.

As fighting continues in the contested eastern city of Bakhmut, Donetsk province Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said two civilians were killed over the past day.

'PART OF OUR SURVIVAL': In war-torn Ukraine, a first-of-its-kind mental health center aims to heal

Ukrainian servicemen light a fire to warm themselves up in the region of Donbas, on March 5, 2023.

Russian shelling destroys homes, casualties increase from missile strikes

Regions across Ukraine were under attack from Russian shelling that left several civilians dead.

In northern Ukraine's Kharkiv province, the region has come under frequent attacks despite the withdrawal of Russian ground forces almost six months ago.

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Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said Sunday that Russian shelling had destroyed homes and killed one person near the Russian border in the town of Kupiansk. A man and his wife were also killed after a Russian artillery shell hit a car in Burdarky, another Kharkiv province village.

In southern Ukraine, the Ukrainian president's office reported that a woman and two children were killed in the Kherson region.

Ukraines emergency services said Sunday that casualties had increased from a Russian missile strike on Thursday. The death toll rose to 13.

Turn in war could indicate Russia running low on munitions

Evidence suggests an increase in close combat in Ukraine, the British Defense Ministry says. The ministry blames the Russian command, saying it continues to insist on offensive action largely consisting of dismounted infantry, and less support from artillery fire because Russia is short of munitions.

Last month the ministry said it was likely that Russia's efforts to capture areas of the Donetsk region held by Ukraine were being hamstrung because of a lack of "munitions and units required for successful offensives."

NATO officials have said Ukraine also faces a shortage in ammunition, and the member nations are developing long-term plans to keep Kyiv's weaponry loaded.

Mental health center aims to heal as 'part of our survival'

A first-of-its-kind mental health center has opened in the eastern city Lviv. As the war crawls into its second year, Dr. Oleh Berezyuk says the center shows how Ukraine is making mental health a big-picture priority in the midst of a deadly conflict the world is watching. About a third of the center's patients have participated in the Ukrainian military, Berezyuk said.

Ukrainians' well-being has become a focal point for Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska who is working with the World Heath Organization to create a mental health and psychosocial roadmap with the input of more than 1,000 experts worldwide to help strengthen her country's mental health system.

"We are doing our jobs. Nothing more, nothing less," Berezyuk said. "We have adapted to war and the challenges that come with it. Read more here.

 Terry Collins

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ukraine Russia war live updates: Ukraine aids those fleeing Bakhmut
Photo: The Canadian Press An Ontario Provincial Police logo in Barrie, Ont., on Wednesday, April 3, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Ontario Provincial Police say there are no suspects after two people were found dead in a residence in the Greater Toronto Area.

Police say officers responded to a reported disturbance in a residential area in Caledon, Ont., on Saturday just after 8 a.m.

Upon arrival, they say officers found two people inside who were pronounced dead.

The deceased have not been identified and their cause of death has not been released, but police say their deaths are being treated as suspicious.

Investigators say they consider this to be an isolated incident and believe there is no risk to public safety, confirming Sunday there are no suspects in this case.

The police investigation is ongoing.
Russian mercenary group Wagners chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has said he is knocking on all doors for replenishing arms and ammunition for his forces leading the battle in the besieged country amid signs of deepening feud with Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

Im knocking on all doors and sounding the alarm about ammunition and reinforcements, as well as the need to cover our flanks, he said in a statement yesterday released by his press service.

If everyone is coordinated, without ambition, screw-ups and tantrums, and carries out this work, then we will block the armed forces of Ukraine. If not, then everyone will be s*****d, the Wagner chief warned.

Ukraines defence in battered Bakhmut has continued to hold out against Vladimir Putins forces, one of Kyivs commanders in the frontline city has said, albeit in conditions of utter hell.

Volodymyr Zelenskys office said his chief of the general staff and commander of ground forces had both spoken to him in favour of continuing the defensive operation in the frontline city.

Key points

Wagner chief says knocking on all doors for ammunition

Ukraines defence holding out in utter hell of Bakhmut, says commander

Russia deploying 60-year-old battle tanks' to compensate battlefield losses

Russian army says it hit Azov Regiment command centre in Ukraine

New Delhi audience laughs as Sergey Lavrov says Ukraine launched war against Russia

Death toll from Russian missile strike in Zaporizhzhia rises to 11

EU membership talks for Ukraine could begin this year

Wagner chief says knocking on all doors for ammunition

03:28 , Arpan Rai

Russias Wagner mercenary force chief Yevgeny Prigozhin reiterated his desperate plea to regular army, seeking to supply his forces with more ammunition and reinforcements along with covering support if his private army has to win the war against Ukraine.

Im knocking on all doors and sounding the alarm about ammunition and reinforcements, as well as the need to cover our flanks, he said in a statement yesterday released by his press service.

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If everyone is coordinated, without ambition, screw-ups and tantrums, and carries out this work, then we will block the armed forces of Ukraine. If not, then everyone will be s*****d, the Wagner chief warned.

Wagner group, comprising strongly of prison convicts released from Russias prisons to fight the grinding war in Ukraine, is leading the Bakhmut assault but has faced hiccups this week.

The appeal from him comes amid signs of a deepening rift between him and the Russian defence ministry whom he has bitterly criticised for months and accused of deliberately starving his men of ammunition, an allegation it has rejected.

Control of Bakhmut is of symbolic rather than strategic value, says US defence chief

03:52 , Andy Gregory

Control of Bakhmut is more of symbolic than strategic value, the US defence secretary has said.

Speaking to reporters in the Middle East on Monday, Lloyd Austin said he would not predict when or if Ukrainian troops might leave Bakhmut, but that should it fall that wont necessarily mean that the Russians have changed the tide of this fight.

I think it is more of a symbolic value than it is strategic and operational value, Mr Austin said.

Bakhmut defence yielding great results, says Zelensky

02:41 , Andy Gregory

Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Bakhmut is yielding one of the greatest results of Russias war.

Speaking in his nightly address, the president said: Bakhmut has yielded and is yielding one of the greatest results during this war, during the entire battle for Donbas And I thank every soldier who is fighting in this most difficult area. Who is fighting for all parts of our country, in all directions.

We are defending and will continue to defend every part of Ukraine. When the time comes, we will liberate every city and village of our country. And we will hold the occupier accountable for every shot against Ukraine, for every meanness against Ukrainians.

If we can do it legally, then we will do it legally. If we can do it with weapons, then we will do it with weapons.

Due to our unity, due to our determination, due to the fact that we value the whole of Ukraine and every Ukrainian, we know exactly the outcome of this war. We have known it since the first days of the war.

Watch: 'Scared' kitten rescued from shelled building by Ukrainian crew

01:34 , Andy Gregory

Zelensky pledges to find the murderers of prisoner of war in viral clip

00:38 , Andy Gregory

Ukraines Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned an unverified video on social medai he claims showed Russian occupiers brutally killing an unarmed Ukrainian soldier.

In his nightly address, the president referred to viral footage which appeared to show the individual hailing Ukraine before being shot by a Russian-speaker, saying: I want us all in unity to respond to his words, Glory to the hero. Glory to the heroes. Glory to Ukraine. And we will find the murderers.

The head of Ukraines presidential office, Andriy Yermak, said the man was a Ukrainian prisoner of war and that the incident was part of a deliberate policy of terror by Russia.

The murder of a captive is the latest Russian war crime, Mr Yermak tweeted. For every such war crime there will be retribution.

Top Ukrainian prosecutor announces probe into brazen shooting of an unarmed person'

Monday 6 March 2023 23:33 , Andy Gregory

Ukraines top prosecutor has announced the launch of a criminal investigation into what he called the brutal and brazen shooting of an unarmed person.

An unverified clip widely shared on social media shows an apparently unarmed man in uniform with a Ukrainian flag insignia on his arm standing smoking in a wooded area. The man says, Glory to Ukraine. Multiple shots are heard coming from an unseen shooter or shooters, and the man slumps to the ground as bullets appear to hit his body. A voice is heard saying, Die, b****, in Russian.

Russias Defence Ministry did not immediately respond to a query about the video, while Ukrainian authorities did not say where or when the shooting occurred.

Andriy Kostin, Ukraines prosecutor general, said on his Telegram channel that Ukraines security service had registered the shooting as a criminal case under a part of the countrys criminal code that covers violations of the laws and customs of war.

Even the war has its own laws, he said, adding that prosecutors from his office would lead the case. There are rules of international law systematically ignored by the Russian criminal regime. But sooner or later, there will be punishment.

Ukraines forces say they are holding out in utter hell of fight for Bakhmut

Monday 6 March 2023 22:47 , Chris Stevenson

Ukrainian has said its forces are holding out in the brutal fight for the eastern city of Bakhmut  as the head of the mercenary Wagner group complained that Russia's frontlines around the area could collapse without more ammunition from Moscow.

Russia is trying to encircle Bakhmut to secure what would be its first major gain in its invasion for more six months, at the culmination of some of the bloodiest fighting of the war during the winter months. Moscow sees the capture of the city in Donetsk as a stepping stone towards control of the wider Donbas  Ukraine's industrial heartland which encompasses the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.

The months of intense fighting, for Bakhmut particularly but also in other areas, has depleted both sides' artillery reserves, with thousands of shells fired daily. Volodymyr Nazarenko, a Ukrainian commander in Bakhmut, said there had been no order to retreat from the city and "the defence is holding", albeit in grim conditions.

You can read our full report here:

Ukraine says it is holding out in utter hell of fight for eastern city of Bakhmut

Zelensky says his advisers have unanimously agreed not to retreat in Bakhmut

Monday 6 March 2023 21:56 , Andy Gregory

Volodymr Zelensky said his advisers have unanimously agreed to press on with the fight in Bakhmut, not to retreat and to bolster Ukrainian defences.

The Ukrainian presidents top adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, said no decision has been made to retreat because of a consensus among the military about the need to continue defending the city and grinding down enemy forces while building new lines of defence.

By pressing the defence, Ukraine has exhausted Russias main combat-ready groups and trained tens of thousands of Ukrainian military personnel for a possible counteroffensive, Mr Podolyak said.

Ukrainian servicemen fire a 2S5 Giatsint-S self-propelled howitzer outside Bakhmut on Sunday (REUTERS/Anna Kudriavtseva)

Kyiv officials broaden cluster bomb plea to US, Democrats say

Monday 6 March 2023 20:52 , Andy Gregory

Ukraine has broadened a plea for controversial cluster bombs from the United States to include a weapon it wants to cannibalise to drop the munitions using drones, two US politicians have told Reuters.

Officials from Kyiv asked US politicians to press the White House to approve sending the MK-20, an air-delivered cluster bomb, at last months Munich Security Conference, said Jason Crow and Adam Smith, Democrats who both sit on the House of Representatives armed services committee.

Cluster munitions are banned by more than 120 countries and their indiscriminate nature is viewed as a threat to civilians, and it is by no means certain that the Biden administration will approve such a request, Reuters reported.

A spokesperson for Washingtons National Security Council told the outlet that, while Ukraine and the White House closely coordinate on military aid, she had no new capabilities to announce.

Britains defence secretary pretty confident about receiving Budget boost

Monday 6 March 2023 20:22 , Andy Gregory

UK defence secretary Ben Wallace has said he is pretty confident his department will be given the investment boost it requires in next weeks Budget to carry out army upgrades, reports Patrick Daly.

The Cabinet minister has lobbied chancellor Jeremy Hunt in public for extra cash for the Ministry of Defence to help deal with inflationary pressures and the costs of backing Ukraine in its battle against Russias invading forces.

Mr Wallace reportedly wanted up to 11bn extra over the next two years but, according to The Times, Mr Hunt has agreed a rise of closer to 4-5bn as part of his Budget package.

Defence Secretary pretty confident about receiving Budget boost

Russian journalist handed corrective labour sentence over criticism of Russian army

Monday 6 March 2023 19:58 , Andy Gregory

A Russian journalist has been handed an eight-month corrective labour sentence after criticising Moscows army, his former employer said.

Siberia.Realities, a local project of US broadcaster Radio Free Europe, which Russian authorities have designated a foreign agent, said a court in the Siberian region of Kemerovo had convicted him for allegedly knowingly distributing false information about the Russian army.

The report said Andrei Novashov  who denies wrongdoing  had also been barred from posting any material online for a year on top of the corrective labour punishment. His lawyer will appeal the verdict, according to the report.

Novashov was reported to have been found guilty of discrediting the army for four posts on social media, plus a repost of an article which accused Russian forces of shelling civilian infrastructure in their campaign to capture the Ukrainian city of Mariupol last year.

His lawyer is reported to have said that the prosecution did not provide evidence that the information was deliberately false.

Discrediting Russias army can currently be punished by up to five years in prison, while spreading deliberately false information about it can attract a 15-year jail sentence.

Russia calls for African leaders to press for abolition of sanctions as it pledges fertiliser

Monday 6 March 2023 19:13 , Andy Gregory

Russia has donated 20,000 tonnes of fertiliser to Malawi, as part of its efforts to garner diplomatic support from various African nations.

Russia will give 260,000 tonnes of fertiliser to countries in the continent, the Russian ambassador to Malawi, Nikolai Krasilnikov said at a handover ceremony in the capital city of Lilongwe on Monday.

Mr Krasilnikov said he hopes African leaders will press for the abolition of international sanctions against Russia when they attend the second Russia-Africa summit to be held in St Petersburg at the end of July.

Malawi voted to censure Russia at the United Nations last year for its invasion of Ukraine. More than 15 other African countries abstained from the vote.

Malawis minister of agriculture Sam Kawale said the fertiliser will reach 400,000 farming households and boost their agricultural production. A representative of the United Nations' World Food Programme also attended the event in Lilongwe.

People collect bags of Russian fertiliser in Lilongwe on Monday (AP Photo/Gregory Gondwe)

Drone footage shows Ukrainian city completely destroyed by Russian army

Monday 6 March 2023 18:04 , Andy Gregory

Shocking images show the extent of damage to a Ukrainian city invaded by Russias army, my colleague Kate Plummer reports.

Aerial footage taken by drones for the Associated Press reveal how the city of Marinka, in Donetsk, which once housed 10,000 people, has been left in ruin, with remains of buildings now surrounded by debris after sustained attacks.

Marinka, which sits by a significant road and rail link southwest of Donetsk leading into western Ukraine, was first hit when Russian troops and Donbas separatists first seized the city. Then, four months later, it was retaken by Ukrainian forces.

But since the war started anew in February 2022, all the buildings and trees in the city have been destroyed leaving it uninhabitable.

Drone footage shows how Ukrainian city has been completely destroyed by Russia

Ukraines Marta Kostyuk refuses to shake Russian opponent's hand as she wins first WTA title

Monday 6 March 2023 17:36 , Andy Gregory

Ukraines Marta Kostyuk refused to shake the hand of her Russian opponent, Varvara Gracheva, after securing her first WTA title in Texas, reports Harry Latham-Coyle.

Kostyuk secured her first senior tournament win at the ATX Open with a 6-3 7-5 victory over Gracheva.

The 20-year-old has been a vocal critic of Russian and Belarusian players being allowed to continue to play on the WTA Tour, and spoken previously of her disapproval of players who refuse to condemn the invasion of her country by Moscow.

After securing victory in Austin, Kostyuk shook the hand of the umpire but not her beaten opponent, twice walking past a beaten Gracheva for a handshake as the Russian headed directly to her chair.

The eighth seed dedicated her victory to all the people who are fighting and dying in the conflict.

Ukraine tennis player refuses to shake Russian opponents hand after win

Ukrainian defence in Bakhmut is holding  in conditions described as utter hell

Monday 6 March 2023 17:06 , Andy Gregory

Ukraine has said its troops are still holding out in a hellish fight for Bakhmut, as president Volodymyr Zelenskys office said his chief of the general staff and commander of ground forces had both spoken to him in favour of continuing the defensive operation in the frontline city.

Volodymyr Nazarenko, a Ukrainian commander in Bakhmut, said there had been no order to retreat and the defence is holding, albeit in conditions of utter hell.

Russia expresses serious concern over fatal tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh

Monday 6 March 2023 16:45 , Reuters

Russia has expressed serious concern over rising tensions in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, where it said five people had been killed in a shoot-out between ethnic Armenians and Azerbaijani troops on Sunday.

Russias defence ministry said the Azerbaijani troops had opened fire on a car carrying local law enforcement officials in the region, killing three and injuring another. In return fire, the pro-Armenian officials killed two Azerbaijani troops, Moscow said.

The deadly clash comes three months into the latest standoff between Baku and Yerevan over the region, which is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but populated mostly by ethnic Armenians. The two countries have fought two bloody wars and staged dozens of border clashes for control of the region over the last 35 years.

Russia forced to use 60-year-old tanks because of heavy losses, says UK

Monday 6 March 2023 15:30 , Emily Atkinson

Russia has been forced to turn to 60-year-old tanks because it is suffering heavy losses in its war against Ukraine, the UK has said.

An official intelligence update from the Ministry of Defence said the countrys military had taken 800 T-62 main battle tanks (MBTs), first introduced in 1961, out of storage to make up for previous losses in the ongoing conflict.

Russia has also deployed an unspecified number of Russian BTR-50 armoured personnel carriers, first used in war in 1954, in Ukraine for the first time and the update said it may bring more of both these types of vehicles into service as the war continues.

Kate Plummer reports:

Russia forced to use 60-year-old tanks because of heavy losses, says UK

Russia brands Transparency International 'undesirable organisation'

Monday 6 March 2023 15:00 , Emily Atkinson

Russias Prosecutor General said on Monday that it was labelling German-based anti-corruption group Transparency International an undesirable organisation.

It was found that the activities of this organisation clearly go beyond the declared goals and objectives, it said.

The label undesirable has been applied to dozens of foreign groups in Russia since it started using the classification in 2015, and often serves as a precursor to the Justice Ministry banning an organisation outright.

British army equipment desperately in need of replacement'

Monday 6 March 2023 14:30 , Emily Atkinson

Ben Wallace said the British Armys equipment was desperately in need of replacement and that Russias attack on Ukraine meant some upgrades needed to happen faster than initially planned.

The Defence Secretary told Conservative Homes defence and security conference: What happened before Ukraine is we unlocked a huge investment from the then-chancellor and the prime minister, the 24 billion or 16 billion of extra that, in some case, dealt with the historical black holes, but also managed to start that modernisation.

We were prepared to take some risks in the timeframes of bringing in new capability.

(PA Wire)

Then, of course, (Russian president Vladimir) Putin invades Ukraine and that changes some of those middle-of-the-decade timetables that we were prepared to take a risk in.

That is partly ... the negotiations Im involved in are about how I can bring some equipment forward in order to mitigate those risks.

Mr Wallace also called for the UK to move to a 10-year budget framework for defence to provide long-term stability when it comes to military investment.

Watch: Wagner chief says Bakhmut is practically surrounded'

Monday 6 March 2023 14:00 , Emily Atkinson

Ukrainian girl, 14, dies after being found unconscious on Devon beach

Monday 6 March 2023 13:30 , Emily Atkinson

A teenage girl from Ukraine has died after being found unconscious on a beach in south Devon.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the girl, was found on Saturday at Dawlish Beach, following a search involving the police helicopter and coastguard.

Detective Inspector Becky Davies said: We were called on the evening of Saturday 4 March with reports of a 14-year-old girl missing from the Dawlish area.

Kate Plummer reports:

Ukrainian girl, 14, dies after being found unconscious on Devon beach

Images of a destroyed school after a Russian missile strike in Kramatorsk, Donbas

Monday 6 March 2023 13:02 , Emily Atkinson

(AFP via Getty Images)

(AFP via Getty Images)

(AFP via Getty Images)

Ukrainian generals 'support continuing Bakhmut defence

Monday 6 March 2023 12:31 , Emily Atkinson

Volodymyr Zelensky discussed the situation in besieged Bakhmut with senior commanders, and two top generals supported continuing to defend the eastern city against Russian forces, his office said.

Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of Ukraines ground forces, spoke in favour of continuing the defensive operation and further strengthening (Ukrainian) positions in Bakhmut, it said in a statement on its website.

Russian mercenary chief says army HQ has barred his representative

Monday 6 March 2023 12:00 , Emily Atkinson

The founder of Russias Wagner mercenary force Yevgeny Prigozhin claims his representative had been denied access to the headquarters of Russias invasion of Ukraine after Prigozhin complained about a lack of ammunition.

Prigozhin had previously said that his troops fighting to seize the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut were being deprived of ammunition and that, if they were forced to retreat, the entire front would collapse.

Prigozhin said via his press service that he had written to the armys top brass, saying his men urgently needed ammunition.

(AP)

On March 6, at 8 oclock in the morning, my representative at the headquarters had his pass cancelled and was denied access to the groups headquarters, Prigozhin said.

We are continuing to smash the Ukrainian army in Bakhmut, he said.

Russia claims it thwarted Ukraine-backed murder plot against nationalist tycoon

Monday 6 March 2023 11:30 , Emily Atkinson

Russias FSB security service said on Monday it had thwarted a Ukraine-backed car bomb attack against a prominent nationalist businessman who has been a cheerleader for Moscows war in Ukraine.

The FSB, Russias main domestic intelligence agency, said it had intervened to stop the plot, which it said involved attaching a remote-controlled homemade bomb to the underside of a car used by Russian tycoon Konstantin Malofeyev.

In a statement, the FSB accused the Ukrainian security services of being behind the assassination attempt which it said had been organised on their behalf by Ukraine-based Russian far-right activist Denis Kapustin.

It said a criminal case had been launched against Kapustin for alleged terrorist offences and illicit trafficking in explosives.

The FSB said it had also thwarted an attempt by Kapustin to commit a sabotage attack on an oil and gas facility in Russias Volgograd region last year.

Malofeyev, the target of the alleged murder plot, is a supporter of President Vladimir Putin who owns a conservative TV channel that promotes nationalist views and strongly supports Russias war in Ukraine.

Malofeyev said on his Telegram channel that he was fine and that nobody had been hurt in the attempt on his life, which he said would not alter what he called his patriotic position.

I have no personal hatred even for those people who want me dead, he said.

But as many of our saints have said, one must forgive ones personal enemies and crush the enemies of the Fatherland. So we will fight against you until our victory. And nothing will stop us.

Ukraine appoints new top anti-corruption investigator

Monday 6 March 2023 11:02 , Emily Atkinson

The Ukrainian government named a new head of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) during a live-streamed cabinet meeting on Monday, part of efforts to show its determination to crack down on graft.

The new NABU chief was named as Semen Kryvonos, who had been serving as head of the State Inspection of Architecture and Urban Planning. The European Union has made fighting corruption a top priority for Ukraine as it seeks membership.

Watch: 'Scared' kitten rescued from shelled building by Ukrainian crew

Monday 6 March 2023 10:40 , Emily Atkinson

Fall of Bakhmut would not mean Russia has changed tide of war - Pentagon chief

Monday 6 March 2023 10:15 , Emily Atkinson

US defence secretary Lloyd Austin has said that the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut was of more than symbolic importance than an operational one and it would not necessarily mean that Moscow had regained the momentum in its year-long war effort.

I think it is more of a symbolic value than it is strategic and operational value, Austin told reporters while visiting Jordan, adding that he would not predict if or when Bakhmut would be taken by Russian forces.

The fall of Bakhmut wont necessarily mean that the Russians have changed the tide of this fight, Austin added.

Russian mercenary group chief says Putins position in Bakhmut at risk over ammunition hunger

Monday 6 March 2023 09:50 , Emily Atkinson

The Wagner mercenary group is facing an ammunition hunger in Bakhmut city, something that can lead to the collapse of the entire front Russia has captured from Ukraine, its chief said.

This is the first sign from the Wagner group of forces on Russias side running low on ammunition after heavy fighting in Bakhmut, which Moscow seeks to capture, and indicates that the soldiers are facing difficulties.

If Wagner retreats from Bakhmut now, the whole front will collapse, Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said in a video seemingly taken in a bunker on Sunday.

Arpan Rai has the details:

Russias Wagner chief says whole Ukraine front will collapse amid weapons shortage

Russias Tinkoff cancels dollar Eurobond interest payment after EU sanctions

Monday 6 March 2023 09:29 , Emily Atkinson

Russian online bank Tinkoff has cancelled interest payments due later this month on a dollar-denominated Eurobond, days after being targeted with Western sanctions, the lenders Eurobond issuer said.

Tinkoff, owned by TCS Group Holding, was included in the EUs tenth package of sanctions against Russia outlined last week following Moscows military campaign in Ukraine. It has already been forced to suspend some trading in euros and had its app removed from the App Store.

The Eurobond issuer, TCS Finance D.A.S, which is also part of the TCS group, said it was notified on March 3 that Tinkoff had cancelled the payment of interest, due on March 15, accrued on a $300 million perpetual bond.

The issuer said interest on March 15 would be automatically cancelled as a result.

It added that noteholders would be deemed to irrevocably waive their right to receive, and no longer have any rights against the issuer or any other party with respect to payment of the March 2023 interest.

Watch: Kamikaze drone destroys Russian surveillance tower

Monday 6 March 2023 09:04 , Emily Atkinson

Kyiv may be conducting limited fighting withdrawal in Bakhmut

Monday 6 March 2023 08:43 , Emily Atkinson

Ukraines forces are likely conducting a limited tactical withdrawal in Bakhmut, although it is still too early to assess Kyivs intentions concerning a complete withdrawal from the city, according to a think tank.

In its latest update, the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said Ukrainian troops may be withdrawing from their positions on the eastern bank of the Bakhmutka River, citing recent geolocated footage of the destruction of the railway bridge over the river on Friday.

Russian war correspondents and milbloggers claimed that Russian forces captured eastern, northern, and southern parts of Bakhmut on 5 March and claimed to be reporting from positions in eastern Bakhmut, but ISW cannot independently verify these claims at this time, the ISW update states.

It adds: Geolocated footage showed that Wagner Group forces continued to make advances in northeastern Bakhmut and advanced near the Stupky railway station on 5 March.

A Ukrainian serviceman told a Ukrainian outlet that Russian forces have yet to cross the Bakhmutka River into central Bakhmut as of 4 March, and Russian milbloggers claimed that the Wagner Group pushed Ukrainian positions back to central Bakhmut.

It is unclear if Ukrainian forces are planning to hold positions on the western bank of the Bakhmutka River.

Russia works to ease visa regime for India and other countries

Monday 6 March 2023 08:22 , Emily Atkinson

Russia is working on easing visa procedures for six countries, including India, Syria and Indonesia, the state TASS news agency cited Deputy Foreign Minister Evgeny Ivanov as saying on Sunday.

In addition to India (procedures simplification) ... is being worked out with Angola, Vietnam, Indonesia, Syria and Philippines, Ivanov said.

Earlier, Ivanov said that Russia is also preparing intergovernmental agreements on visa-free trips with 11 countries, including Saudi Arabia, Barbados, Haiti, Zambia, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico and Trinidad, TASS reported.

In pictures: Collapsed buildings in Lyman after Russian withdrawal

Monday 6 March 2023 08:03 , Emily Atkinson

(Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

(Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

(Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Russian defence minister visits Mariupol

Monday 6 March 2023 07:42 , Emily Atkinson

Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu has visited Mariupol, the defence ministry said on Monday, the city in Ukraines eastern Donetsk region captured by Russian forces last year after a months-long siege.

Mr Shoigu is on a rare visit to his forces in Ukraine, having awarded medals and meeting commanders on the weekend.

(REUTERS)

Russia's air defence downs three missiles in Belgorod region

Monday 6 March 2023 07:20 , Emily Atkinson

At least one person was wounded in the southern Russian region of Belgorod on Monday after Russian forces shot down three missiles, the governor of the region bordering Ukraine said.

The falling debris had also brought down some power lines near the town of Novy Oskol but the full scope of the damage was not immediately known, the governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said on the Telegram messaging app.

Its known about one wounded, a man with shrapnel wounds to his hand, Gladkov said.

He did not say who he thought had fired the missiles but in the past he has accused Ukrainian forces on the other side of the nearby border of similar attacks.

Belgorod borders Ukraines Kharkiv region and has repeatedly come under fire since the beginning of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine a year ago.

Ukraine almost never publicly claims responsibility for attacks inside Russia and on Russian-controlled territory in Ukraine.

Ukraine could pull out from Bakhmut

Monday 6 March 2023 07:00 , Lucy Skoulding

The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, assessed last week that Kyivs actions may point to a looming pullout from parts of the city of Bakhmut.

It said Ukrainian troops may conduct a limited and controlled withdrawal from particularly difficult sections of eastern Bakhmut, while seeking to inhibit Russian movement there and limit exit routes to the west.

Capturing Bakhmut would not only give Russian fighters a rare battlefield gain after months of setbacks but might rupture Ukraines supply lines and allow the Kremlins forces to press on toward other Ukrainian strongholds in Donetsk province.

Fighting is raging on in Bakhmut (AP)

Russia deploying 60-year-old battle tanks to compensate battlefield losses  MoD

Monday 6 March 2023 06:56 , Arpan Rai

The Russian military has continued to respond to heavy armoured vehicle losses by deploying 60-year-old T-62 main battle tanks (MBT), according to the intelligence by the British defence ministry.

There is a realistic possibility that even units of the 1st Guards Tank Army (1 GTA), supposedly Russias premier tank force, will be re-equipped with T-62s to make up for previous losses, the ministry said in its latest intelligence update.

It added that 1 GTA had previously been due to receive the next-generation T-14 Armata MBT from 2021.

In recent days, Russian BTR-50 armoured personnel carriers, first fielded in 1954, have also been identified [as] deployed in Ukraine for the first time, the MoD said.

Since summer 2022, approximately 800 T-62s have been taken from storage and some have received upgraded sighting systems which will highly likely improve their effectiveness at night, the ministry said.

However, it added that, both these vintage vehicle types will present many vulnerabilities on the modern battlefield, including the absence of modern explosive reactive armour.

Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 6 March 2023



Find out more about Defence Intelligence: https://t.co/HPcqkaCGaq pic.twitter.com/1J60pMXGag  Ministry of Defence  (@DefenceHQ) March 6, 2023

Russian brigade in Donetsk refuse to obey orders, says Ukraine

Monday 6 March 2023 06:35 , Arpan Rai

Senior officers of Russias 155th Brigade, which Kyiv says suffered heavy recent losses, were refusing to obey orders to attack near Vuhledar, southwest of the Russian-occupied city of Donetsk, according to the Ukrainian military officials.

The leaders of the brigade and senior officers are refusing to proceed with a new senseless attack as demanded by their unskilled commanders - to storm well-defended Ukrainian positions with little protection or preparation, Ukraines military said in a statement.

Military analyst Oleh Zhdanov said two Cossack Russian units known as Steppe and Tiger had expressed frustration with their commanders and refused to take part in any new offensive on the hilltop town.

British pilots to conduct joint air policing missions in Estonia

Monday 6 March 2023 06:00 , Lucy Skoulding

British pilots are set to conduct joint air policing missions in Estonia alongside the German air force for the first time.

It comes as the UK prepares take over from Germany to lead the Nato mission in Estonia, which borders Russia.

Royal Air Force and German Air Force Typhoon jets will take part in the first of their kind integrated missions, as the Defence Secretary praised the demonstration of Nato unity.

The Ministry of Defence said that around 300 RAF personnel will soon arrive in Estonia, with the UK set to lead the Nato air policing mission for four months from April.

Read the full story by reporter Dominic McGrath.

Ukraine holding defence in Bakhmut in tough battle, says military

Monday 6 March 2023 05:50 , Arpan Rai

Volodymyr Nazarenko, a commander of Ukrainian troops in Bakhmut, said that there had been no order to retreat and the defence is holding in grim conditions.

The situation in Bakhmut and around it is very much hell-like, as it is on the entire eastern front, the top commander said in a video posted on Telegram.

Ukrainian forces have repelled 95 Russian attacks in the Bakhmut area in the past 24 hours, the war-torn nations military said earlier today.

The situation in Bakhmut can be described as critical, Ukrainian military analyst Oleh Zhdanov said in a video commentary.

In a grinding battle for territorial gain, a Russian victory in Bakhmut, with a pre-war population of about 70,000, would give it the first major prize in a costly winter offensive.

Russia says it would be a stepping stone to completing the capture of the Donbas industrial region, one of its most important objectives, even when the town has little strategic value.

Russian murderers in Ukraine war will be punished, says Zelensky

Monday 6 March 2023 05:08 , Arpan Rai

Volodymyr Zelensky has said that his administration is working on punishing all Russian officials and forces for sustaining the war against Ukraine after he held a conference with lawyers from Kyiv, Europe and other nations.

All Russian murderers, every organiser of this aggression, everyone who in any way sustains the war against our country and terror against our people must be punished. And this is not just a dream of justice. This is work that is already underway, he said in his nightly address.

The war-time president added that his administration is already reaching these agreements.

These are agreements that we are already reaching. These are institutions that are already working and will work even harder to restore justice, to punish those responsible for aggression, he said.

Russian military source says Bakhmut fighting is close to the end'

Monday 6 March 2023 05:00 , Lucy Skoulding

Ukraine has vowed to defend its fortress Bakhmut as intense fighting against Russian soldiers continued in the streets this weekend.

But Russian military source has claimed the battle is close to its end.

Ukrainian military officials said attempts were continuing by Vladimir Putins troops to encircle the city.

Two civilians were killed over the past day in Bakhmut, governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said.

Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine was enduring a painful and difficult battle in the eastern Donbas region, which includes Bakhmut.

Read the full story.

Death toll up to 13 after Thursdays rocket

Monday 6 March 2023 04:00 , Lucy Skoulding

The death toll of an attack on a high rise building on Thursday has now risen to 13 as another person has died.

A rocket hit a five-floor residential block in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine on Thursday.

Anatoliy Kurtiev, secretary of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Council, said on Sunday: Unfortunately, the number of people who died as a result of the rocket attack on March 2 has already increased to 13. Among them is a very small child.

Ukrainian authorities said a pregnant woman was among those rescued from the building on Thursday.

A man holding a cat rescued from the building in Zaporizhzhia which was hit by a rocket (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Olaf Scholz threatens consequences if China sends arms to Russia

Monday 6 March 2023 03:50 , Arpan Rai

German chancellor Olaf Scholz has said there would be consequences if China decides to aid Russia with weapons for Moscows war in Ukraine, but added that he is fairly optimistic that Beijing will refrain from doing so.

I think it would have consequences, but we are now in a stage where we are making clear that this should not happen, and Im relatively optimistic that we will be successful with our request in this case, but we will have to look at (it) and we have to be very, very cautious, the German chancellor said on being asked by CNN if he could imagine sanctioning China if it did aid Russia.

In the last few weeks, US officials have warned recently that China could step off the sidelines and begin providing arms and ammunition to Moscow.

Mr Scholz has already urged Beijing to refrain from sending weapons and instead use its influence to press Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine.

Read the full story here:

Scholz: 'consequences' if China sends arms to Russia

Ukraine vows to defend Bakhmut as Russia claims battle is close to end

Monday 6 March 2023 03:40 , Arpan Rai

Ukraine has vowed to defend its fortress Bakhmut as intense fighting against Russian soldiers continued in the streets this weekend.

Fighting intensified in the fiercely contested city yesterday with a Russian military source claiming the battle was close to its end.

Ukrainian military officials said attempts were continuing by Vladimir Putins troops to encircle the city.

Read the full story here:

Ukraine vows to defend fortress Bakhmut as Russia claims battle is close to end

Wagner boss says war front line gains, including Bakhmut, at risking of collapsing

Monday 6 March 2023 03:25 , Arpan Rai

Russian mercenary group Wagners chief has warned that his forces capturing the entire mining town of Bakhmut were being deprived of arms and ammunition, adding that if they were forced to retreat, the entire front gained in the war so far would collapse.

"If Wagner retreats from Bakhmut now, the whole front will collapse," Yevgeny Prigozhin said over the weekend, speaking from a bunker-like space.

"The situation will not be sweet for all military formations protecting Russian interests," he warned.

He added that his soldiers are worried that Moscow wanted to set them up as possible scapegoats if Russia lost the war.

"If we retreat, then we will go down in history forever as people who have taken the main step towards losing the war," the mercenary groups boss said in a nearly four-minute video.

"This is exactly the problem with ammunition hunger."

Russia unhappy with Black Sea grain deal

Monday 6 March 2023 03:00 , Lucy Skoulding

Russia has said its not happy with some aspects of the Black Sea grain deal as Turkey announced its working hard to extend the initiative.

If this agreement is equal, then we have always fulfilled our part and are going to fulfill it in all the agreements, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.

Ms Zakharova added that Russia would be opposing goading and mechanisms.

Formed between Turkey and the UN last year, the Black Sea Grain Initiative allowed there to be exports of grain from three ports in Ukraine.

Putins troops left to fight with shovels

Monday 6 March 2023 02:30 , Katy Clifton

Russian troops are likely using shovels for "hand-to-hand" combat in Ukraine because of an ammunition shortage, UK intelligence has said.

In its update on the war on Sunday, the UKs Ministry of Defence said Vladimir Putins troops were ordered to attack a Ukrainian position armed just with firearms and shovels late last month.

It said the shovel was an MPL-50 - a tool that was designed in 1869 and has not changed much since. The MoD said it highlights the brutal and low-tech fighting that has characterised much of the war.

Read more below:

Putins troops left to fight with shovels as Russia suffers ammunition shortage

ICYMI

Monday 6 March 2023 01:30 , Katy Clifton

A woman and two children were killed in Russian mortar shelling of a village in the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson, the head of Ukraines presidential office said on Sunday.

Mortar shelling of Poniativka village in Kherson region. A private house was hit, Andriy Yermak wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

Russian terrorists continue to kill civilians, he said, providing no additional details of the attack.

Kherson was occupied by Russian troops from the early days of Moscows invasion of Ukraine until its recapture by Kyivs forces in November.

Since its liberation, the city has regularly been shelled from Russian positions across the Dnipro river.

UK and Germany to fly joint Nato missions in Estonia for first time

Monday 6 March 2023 00:30 , Katy Clifton

British pilots are set to conduct joint air policing missions in Estonia alongside the German air force for the first time.

It comes as the UK prepares take over from Germany to lead the Nato mission in Estonia, which borders Russia.

Royal Air Force and German Air Force Typhoon jets will take part in the first of their kind integrated missions, as the Defence Secretary praised the demonstration of Nato unity.

The Ministry of Defence said that around 300 RAF personnel will soon arrive in Estonia, with the UK set to lead the Nato air policing mission for four months from April.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has reignited concerns in border states, including Estonia, about Vladmir Putins ambitions and his next steps.

Germany warns of consequences if China arms Russia

Sunday 5 March 2023 23:30 , Katy Clifton

German chancellor Olaf Scholz has said there would be consequences if China sent weapons to Russia for Moscows war in Ukraine, but said he is fairly optimistic that Beijing will refrain from doing so.Mr Scholzs comments came in an interview with CNN that aired Sunday, two days after he met US president Joe Biden in Washington.US officials have warned recently that China could step off the sidelines and begin providing arms and ammunition to Moscow.

Ahead of his trip, Mr Scholz had urged Beijing to refrain from sending weapons and instead use its influence to press Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine. Asked by CNN if he could imagine sanctioning China if it did aid Russia, Mr Scholz replied: I think it would have consequences, but we are now in a stage where we are making clear that this should not happen, and Im relatively optimistic that we will be successful with our request in this case, but we will have to look at (it) and we have to be very, very cautious.

Watch: The Body in the Woods trailer

Sunday 5 March 2023 22:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The Independents first feature-length documentary The Body in the Woods, about Ukraines unprecedented search for its missing and dead, premiered at Kyiv railway station on Saturday.

Audience members who included some of the families featured in the film, described it as a harrowing account of Russian atrocities in the war-ravaged country and the first in depth investigation into the scale of the difficulties Ukrainians face trying to find and identify their dead.

His brother was kidnapped and murdered by the Russians, his mother left to die. Now he wants answers

Sunday 5 March 2023 21:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

My brother Andryi was kidnapped, tortured and murdered here, did you play a part in this? Do you know what they did with the body, where they buried him? Major Aleksandr Osadchy is questioning two neighbours in the shattered community of Kamianka, eastern Ukraine.

Quietly, trying hard to stay calm, he tells of how his 85-year-old mother, Maria, died of starvation: ill, frightened and alone after his brother  who had been looking after her  was taken away by Russian troops. Her emaciated body, curled up in an effort to stay warm, was found six months later.

Kim Sengupta witnesses a Ukrainian commander confront the neighbours he suspects betrayed his family in their village.

His brother was kidnapped and murdered by the Russians. Now he wants answers

Woman and two children killed in Russian shelling in southern Ukraine

Sunday 5 March 2023 20:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A woman and two children were killed in Russian mortar shelling of a village in the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson, the head of Ukraines presidential office said on Sunday.

Mortar shelling of Poniativka village in Kherson region. A private house was hit, Andriy Yermak wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

Russian terrorists continue to kill civilians, he said, providing no additional details of the attack.

Kherson was occupied by Russian troops from the early days of Moscows invasion of Ukraine until its recapture by Kyivs forces in November.

Since its liberation, the city has regularly been shelled from Russian positions across the Dnipro river.

Ukrainians struggling to bring family to UK because of government rules

Sunday 5 March 2023 19:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

In case you missed it...

Ukrainians who have fled the war are struggling to bring loved ones to live with them in the UK because government schemes gave them fewer rights than other refugees.

A university lecturers mother and sister had to settle in Germany after he had to give up trying to bring them to Britain, while a working couples elderly parents ended up in Ireland after they were told they could not act as sponsors.

These are among numerous Ukrainian families separated by stringent rules stemming from a decision by ministers to give those fleeing the conflict temporary three-year visas rather than full refugee status.

Emmeline Skinner Cassidy, who runs the Families Together coalition, told The Independent that at first glance Ukrainians appeared to have an advantage over people fleeing other countries, with bespoke routes set up under intense public pressure at the start of the war.

Ukrainians struggling to bring family to UK because of government rules

Ukraine: Mourners commemorate 8 men killed in Bucha

Sunday 5 March 2023 18:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Clutching flowers and wiping away tears, relatives, neighbors and friends of eight men executed by Russian forces during the occupation of the Ukrainian town of Bucha gathered Saturday to mark the first anniversary of the deaths.

The eight had set up a roadblock in an attempt to prevent Russian troops from advancing as they swept toward Kyiv, Ukranes capital, at the start of their invasion. But the men were captured, Ukrainian authorities say, and executed.

Their bodies lay outside a building on Yablunska Street for a month, with relatives only able to collect them in April after Russian troops pulled out of Bucha.

Ukraine: Mourners commemorate 8 men killed in Bucha

Russian soldiers using shovels in combat

Sunday 5 March 2023 17:51 , Lucy Skoulding

Russian troops are likely using shovels in combat because of a shortage in ammunition.

Speaking in its latest intelligence update, the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) said that in late February troops were ordered to attack a Ukrainian position armed just with firearms and shovels.

It said the shovel was an MPL-50 a tool that was designed in 1869, and hasnt changed very much since, adding that it highlights the brutal and low-tech fighting that has characterised a lot of the war.

It comes as Russian troops have been facining a severe ammunition shortage.

Russian mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin has blamed Russian deaths in Ukraine on the recent shortage.

Civilians flee Bakhmut as Russian and Ukrainian troops battle in streets of besieged city

Sunday 5 March 2023 17:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

In case you missed it...

Civilians continued to flee Bakhmut on Saturday as Russian and Ukrainian troops battled in the streets of the besieged city.

A woman was killed and two men badly wounded after trying to cross a makeshift bridge out of the city, according to Ukranian soldiers trying to help them leave.

Oleksandr Marchenko, the citys deputy mayor, said 4,000 civilians are still living in shelters and have no access to electricity, water or gas.

He told the BBC the area is almost destroyed but that Russian forces do not have control of the conurbation.

Civilians flee Bakhmut as Russian and Ukrainian troops battle in streets of city

The latest from the frontline

Sunday 5 March 2023 16:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Here is the latest update from the Ukraine-Russia fronline:

* Ukrainian forces defending Bakhmut face increasingly strong pressure from Russian forces, British military intelligence said on Saturday, with intense fighting taking place in and around the eastern city.

* A woman and two children were killed in Russian mortar shelling of a village in the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson, the head of Ukraines presidential office said on Sunday.

* The Russian army hit a command centre of the Ukrainian forces Azov Regiment in southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Sunday. The ministry did not elaborate on the attack. Reuters could not independently verify the account.

* The death toll from a Russian missile strike that hit an apartment block in the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia rose to 11 on Saturday after a womans body was found in the debris, the state emergency service said.

* Top commanders of what Russia calls its special military operation in Ukraine have briefed Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on the current situation and action plans, his ministry said on Sunday.

Ukraine and economy top agenda as polls open in Estonian general election

Sunday 5 March 2023 15:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Polling stations have opened in Estonia for a general election that the centre-right Reform Party of Prime Minister Kaja Kallas is favourite to win.

Ms Kallas, one of Europes most outspoken supporters of Ukraine, faces a challenge from the populist opposition EKRE party that is seeking to limit the Baltic nations exposure to the Ukraine crisis and is blaming the government for peoples economic misery.

More than 900,000 people are eligible to cast ballots to pick representatives to Estonias 101-seat parliament from a range of nine political parties.

Nearly half of the eligible voters have already voted in advance. Many Estonians prefer to vote electronically, casting votes from their computers.

National security in the wake of neighbouring Russias invasion of Ukraine and social-economic issues, particularly the rising cost of living, have been the main themes of the election.

Ms Kallas, 45, has emerged in the past year of war as one of Europes most outspoken supporters of Ukraine.

Holding the countrys top post since 2021, she is seeking a second term, with her standing enhanced by her international appeals to impose sanctions on Moscow.

Five parties are currently represented at the parliament.

Ms Kallas Reform Party heads the current three-party coalition government with the small conservative Fatherland party and the Social Democrats.

A Baltic nation of 1.3 million people that borders Russia to the east, Estonia broke away from the Soviet Union in 1991 and has taken a clear western course, joining Nato and the European Union.

Polls indicate Ms Kallas centre-right liberal Reform Party is likely to win more votes than any other party.

What is the latest on weapons and sanctions?

Sunday 5 March 2023 14:32 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Here is the latest update on weapons and sanctions in the Ukraine-Russia conflict:

* Two Ukrainian pilots are in Arizona to fly flight simulators and be evaluated by the U.S. military, two U.S. officials said on Saturday, as Washington remains mute on whether it will send fighter jets or sophisticated remotely piloted drones to Kyiv.

* German defence contractor Rheinmetall is in negotiations about building a tank factory in Ukraine, the newspaper Rheinische Post reported on Saturday, citing an interview with CEO Armin Papperger.

* In addition to Leopard 2 tanks, Rheinmetall wants to buy 96 Leopard 1 tanks from Swiss defence firm Ruag to send to Ukraine, the Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger reported on Saturday.

* Germany is making slow progress in enforcing sanctions against Russian oligarchs and institutions, according to government numbers seen by Reuters

Cuba's president meets CEO of Russia's Rosneft amid fuel shortage

Sunday 5 March 2023 14:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russian oil firm Rosnefts CEO Igor Sechin met with Cubas President Miguel Diaz-Canel late on Saturday, the islands leader said, amid an acute fuel shortage that has service stations temporarily shuttered and hours-long gasoline queues.

Sechin told Diaz-Canel that, when it comes to issues related to Cuba, Putin supervises them directly and personally, Diaz-Canels office said in a statement released via Twitter.

Several tweets on Cubas Presidency account emphasised the good relations between the two countries, but did not specify the reason for the visit by the state-run oil firms boss.

Sechin is set to travel to Venezuela for the tenth anniversary of the death of the South American countrys former president Hugo Chavez, a close ally of both Cuba and Russia.

Cubas former leader Raul Castro has also flown to Caracas for the occasion, Cuban state-run media said.

Communist-run Cuba is battling through its worst economic crisis in decades, its output decimated by the coronavirus pandemic, U.S. sanctions and an inefficient centrally planned economy that has struggled to respond to the challenges.

Hours-long lines for food, fuel and medicine have ravaged the island and contributed to a mass exodus of Cubans in the past year, many headed north to the United States.

Russia in February gave Cuba an emergency donation of 25,000 tons of wheat to combat shortages on the island, the second such gift in a year and a sign of deepening ties between the two long-time allies.

Russia, hit by Western sanctions over the conflict in Ukraine, is looking to strengthen political and economic ties with other countries opposed to what it calls U.S. hegemony.

Cuba has been under a U.S. economic embargo since 1962 after a Communist revolution led by former leader Fidel Castro.

Russias Sergey Lavrov provokes laughter from audience as he claims Ukraine started war

Sunday 5 March 2023 13:40 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russias foreign minister Sergey Lavrov provoked laughter from an audience at a conference in India when he claimed his country is the victim of the war in Ukraine.

He was speaking at the Raisina Dialogue, an event in New Delhi that debates the major challenges facing the world.

It is one of the few global events that still invites Russian politicians.

The war, which we are trying to stop, which was launched against us using Ukrainian people, of course, influenced the policy of Russia, Mr Lavrov said, sparking laughter and groans from the audience.

Russias Sergey Lavrov sparks laughter from audience as he claims Ukraine started war

The harrowing discovery in Ukraine at the centre of The Independents new documentary

Sunday 5 March 2023 13:04 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

International correspondent Bel Trew recalls the moment which led to the making of her new documentary, The Body in the Woods, released on 1 March.

There were bodies scattered everywhere. I remember a charred human spine and skull lying on the ground of an upturned burned-out car. Another decapitated body splayed on the ground next to an eviscerated street.

The curve of an arm, and a foot, in a kind of yin and yang shape, appearing through the soil of a mass grave. And everywhere around this was a frozen tableau of horror.

The harrowing discovery in Ukraine at the centre of The Independents new documentary

Russian army says it hit Azov Regiment command centre in Ukraine

Sunday 5 March 2023 12:43 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The Russian army hit a command centre of the Ukrainian forces Azov Regiment in southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Sunday.

The ministry did not elaborate on the attack, in its daily update on what Moscow terms the special military operation in Ukraine.

Reuters could not independently verify the account.

The Azov Regiment, which had far-right and ultra-nationalist origins and is now a unit of Ukraines national guard, garnered international attention for its resistance to the Russian siege of Mariupols vast steelworks last year.

The Russian ministry did not mention in Sundays bulletin the battle around the eastern city of Bakhmut, which Russian forces are trying to capture.

Woman and two children killed in Russian shelling in southern Ukraine

Sunday 5 March 2023 12:22 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A woman and two children were killed in Russian mortar shelling of a village in the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson, the head of Ukraines presidential office said on Sunday.

Mortar shelling of Poniativka village in Kherson region. A private house was hit, Andriy Yermak wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

Russian terrorists continue to kill civilians, he said, providing no additional details of the attack.

Kherson was occupied by Russian troops from the early days of Moscows invasion of Ukraine until its recapture by Kyivs forces in November.

Since its liberation, the city has regularly been shelled from Russian positions across the Dnipro river.

(AP)

Audience in Delhi openly laughs as Lavrov says Ukraine war launched against Russia

Sunday 5 March 2023 11:41 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russias long-standing foreign minister Sergei Lavrov provoked open laughter from the audience at an international conference in India after he falsely claimed that his home country was a victim of Ukrainian aggression.

Mr Lavrov was responding to a question from the audience at the Raisina Dialogue 2023 series in New Delhi when the 72-year-old made the statement.

How has the war affected Russias strategy on energy, and will it mark a privilege toward Asia? And if it does, how is India going to feature in it? asked a member of the audience.

You know, the war, which we are trying to stop, which was launched against us, using the... Mr Lavrov began, before loud laughter cut through his claim.

Audience openly laughs as Lavrov says Ukraine war launched against Russia

Russia's top military brass brief defence minister on current situation

Sunday 5 March 2023 10:45 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Top commanders of what Russia calls its special military operation in Ukraine have briefed Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on the current situation and action plans, his ministry said on Sunday.

Shoigu paid a rare visit to Russias forces deployed in Ukraine, awarding medals to military personnel and meeting senior commanders during the trip, according to a statement and videos issued by the Defence Ministry on Saturday.

The minister held a meeting with commanders of the operation, the ministry said in a statement in its Telegram social media app on Sunday. It did not specify if the meeting took place during the trip.

Sergei Shoigu paid special attention to the set-up of all the necessary conditions for the safe deployment of personnel in the field, the organization of comprehensive support for the troops, especially the work of medical and rear units.

Russias top military chiefs have visited the front lines in Ukraine only occasionally since Moscow sent tens of thousands of Russian troops into the neighbouring country just over a year ago.

The latest from the frontline

Sunday 5 March 2023 09:59 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Here are the latest updates from the frontline:

* Ukrainian forces defending Bakhmut face increasingly strong pressure from Russian forces, British military intelligence said on Saturday, with intense fighting taking place in and around the eastern city.

* The death toll from a Russian missile strike that hit an apartment block in the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia rose to 11 on Saturday after a womans body was found in the debris, the state emergency service said.

* Top commanders of what Russia calls its special military operation in Ukraine have briefed Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on the current situation and action plans, his ministry said on Sunday.

* Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of Russias Wagner mercenary force, published a video on Saturday showing what he said were coffins containing bodies of Ukrainian soldiers being repatriated to territory held by Kyiv.

His brother was kidnapped and murdered by the Russians, his mother left to die. Now he wants answers

Sunday 5 March 2023 09:18 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Kim Sengupta witnesses a Ukrainian commander confront the neighbours he suspects betrayed his family in their village.

My brother Andryi was kidnapped, tortured and murdered here, did you play a part in this? Do you know what they did with the body, where they buried him? Major Aleksandr Osadchy is questioning two neighbours in the shattered community of Kamianka, eastern Ukraine.

Quietly, trying hard to stay calm, he tells of how his 85-year-old mother, Maria, died of starvation: ill, frightened and alone after his brother  who had been looking after her  was taken away by Russian troops. Her emaciated body, curled up in an effort to stay warm, was found six months later.

His brother was kidnapped and murdered by the Russians. Now he wants answers

Turkey says working to renew Black Sea grain deal

Sunday 5 March 2023 08:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Sunday that Ankara is working hard to extend a U.N.-backed initiative that has enabled Ukraine to export grain from ports blockaded by Russia following its invasion.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative brokered by the United Nations and Turkey last July allowed grain to be exported from three Ukrainian ports. The agreement was extended in November and will expire on March 18 unless an extension is agreed.

We are working hard for the smooth implementation and further extension of the Black Sea grain deal, Cavusoglu said in a speech at the United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries being held in Doha, Qatar.

Cavusoglu also said he discussed the extension efforts with U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

On Wednesday, Russia said it would only agree to extend the Black Sea grain deal if the interests of its own agricultural producers are taken into account.

Russias top military brass brief defence minister on current situation

Sunday 5 March 2023 08:02 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Top commanders of what Russia calls its special military operation in Ukraine have briefed Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on the current situation and action plans, his ministry said on Sunday.

Shoigu paid a rare visit to Russias forces deployed in Ukraine, awarding medals to military personnel and meeting senior commanders during the trip, according to a statement and videos issued by the Defence Ministry on Saturday.

The minister held a meeting with commanders of the operation, the ministry said in a statement in its Telegram social media app on Sunday. It did not specify if the meeting took place during the trip.

Sergei Shoigu paid special attention to the set-up of all the necessary conditions for the safe deployment of personnel in the field, the organization of comprehensive support for the troops, especially the work of medical and rear units.

Russias top military chiefs have visited the front lines in Ukraine only occasionally since Moscow sent tens of thousands of Russian troops into the neighbouring country just over a year ago.

Estonia goes to polls in a test for pro-Kyiv government

Sunday 5 March 2023 07:21 , Namita Singh

Estonians go to the polls today as one of Europes most staunchly pro-Kyiv governments faces a challenge from a far-right party seeking to capitalise on anger at rising living costs and which would shut out further Ukrainian refugees.

If, as opinion polls predict, prime minister Kaja Kallas liberal Reform party wins the election and successfully crafts a coalition it would cement the Baltic nations pro-European direction. Estonia would also stay on course to adopt more green energy and continue to accept refugees from Ukraine.

The polls close at 8pm local time, with most electoral districts expected to report their tallies by midnight.

Reform won an election in 2019 but was then kept from power as three smaller parties formed a government. That coalition collapsed in 2021, allowing Kallas to create a coalition and take charge.

The far-right Ekre party may end up in second place, according to opinion polls, as their promises to slash energy bills by opposing the transition to green energy are proving popular in some parts of the country, as is the pledge to not admit further Ukrainian refugees.

I hope to stay prime minister, but its up to the voters to decide, Ms Kallas said, adding voters must choose between what she called two totally different ways for Estonia.

We are supporting the open, friendly, European-minded, smart country, I would say, and Ekre is looking more into itself, that we should stick to our own interest, not to help Ukraine, she said.

ICYMI: Delhi audience openly laughs as Lavrov says Ukraine war launched against Russia

Sunday 5 March 2023 06:01 , Namita Singh

Russias long-standing foreign minister Sergei Lavrov provoked open laughter from the audience at an international conference in India after he falsely claimed that his home country was a victim of Ukrainian aggression.

Mr Lavrov was responding to a question from the audience at the Raisina Dialogue 2023 series in New Delhi when the 72-year-old made the statement.

Read the full details here:

Audience openly laughs as Lavrov says Ukraine war launched against Russia

Mourners commemorate 8 men killed in Bucha

Sunday 5 March 2023 05:10 , Namita Singh

Clutching flowers and wiping away tears, relatives, neighbours and friends of eight men executed by Russian forces during the occupation of the Ukrainian town of Bucha gathered on Saturday to mark the first anniversary of the deaths.

The eight had set up a roadblock in an attempt to prevent Russian troops from advancing as they swept toward Kyiv, Ukranes capital, at the start of their invasion. But the men were captured, Ukrainian authorities say, and executed.

Their bodies lay outside a building on Yablunska Street for a month, with relatives only able to collect them in April after Russian troops pulled out of Bucha.

More in this report:

Ukraine: Mourners commemorate 8 men killed in Bucha

Death toll in strike on Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia rises to 11

Sunday 5 March 2023 04:50 , Namita Singh

The death toll from a Russian missile strike that hit an apartment block in the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia rose to 11 on Saturday after a womans body was found in the debris, the state emergency service said.

One child was among those killed in Thursdays early-morning strike on the five-storey residential building, the service said in a post on the Telegram messaging app.

Officials from the regional administration said in another post that a Russian S-300 missile had hit the building.

In a post on Telegram shortly after the strike, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky promised to hold Russia accountable.

The terrorist state wants to turn every day for our people into a day of terror. But evil will not reign in our land. We will drive all the occupiers out and they will definitely be held accountable for everything.

Volodymyr Zelensky

Biden expected to tighten rules on US investment in China

Sunday 5 March 2023 04:30 , Namita Singh

The Biden administration is close to tightening rules on some overseas investments by US companies in an effort to limit Chinas ability to acquire technologies that could improve its military prowess, according to a US official familiar with the deliberations.

The soon-to-be-issued executive order from president Joe Biden will limit American investment in advanced technologies that have national security applications  such as next-generation military capabilities that could help China improve the speed and accuracy of military decision making, according to the official, who was not authorized to comment and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Report:

Biden expected to tighten rules on US investment in China

ICYMI: Lavrov says Russia will turn to Asia for energy trade and no longer rely on West

Sunday 5 March 2023 04:10 , Namita Singh

Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov says his country will no longer rely on the West for energy trade.

He made the remark during the foreign ministers G20 meeting in New Delhi on Friday, 3 March.

Mr Lavrov was asked how the war in Ukraine has impacted the countrys energy strategy at the Raisina Dialogue, a multilateral conference,

We would not anymore rely on any partners in the west. We would not allow them to blow the pipelines again, he said.

Lavrov says Russia will turn to Asia for energy trade and no longer rely on West

Britain says Ukraine forces defending Bakhmut under increasingly severe pressure

Sunday 5 March 2023 03:50 , Namita Singh

Ukrainian forces defending Bakhmut are facing increasingly strong pressure from Russian forces, British military intelligence said on Saturday, with intense fighting taking place in and around the eastern city.

Ukraine is reinforcing the area with elite units, while regular Russian army and forces of the private military Wagner group have made further advances into Bakhmuts northern suburbs, the British Defence Ministry said in its daily intelligence bulletin.

The Ukraine armed forces general staff said in a Facebook post late on Saturday that Russian troops were trying but failing to surround Bakhmut, adding defenders had repelled numerous attacks in and around the city.

Ukrainian servicemen carry the coffin of Volodymyr Hurieiev, a fellow soldier killed in the Bakhmut area, during the funeral in Boryspil, Ukraine, Saturday, 4 March 2023 (AP)

The battle has raged for seven months. A Russian victory in the city, which had a pre-war population of about 70,000 and has been blasted to ruins in the onslaught, would give Moscow the first major prize in a costly winter offensive.

Oleh Zhdanov, a prominent Ukrainian analyst of military affairs, said late on Saturday that he could not detect any immediate signs Kyiv was going to order a retreat from the city.

At the moment the situation is more or less stabilized. In terms of the advancement of Russian troops, we practically stopped (it), he said in a YouTube interview.

The British defence ministry said two key bridges in Bakhmut have been destroyed within the last 36 hours, adding that Ukrainian-held resupply routes out of the city are increasingly limited.

Civilians flee embattled town as Ukrainian pullout looms

Sunday 5 March 2023 03:30 , Namita Singh

Pressure from Russian forces mounted Saturday on Ukrainians hunkered down in Bakhmut, as residents attempted to flee with help from troops who Western analysts say may be preparing to withdraw from the key eastern stronghold.

A woman was killed and two men were badly wounded by shelling while trying to cross a makeshift bridge out of the city in Donetsk province, according to Ukrainian troops who were assisting them.

A Ukrainian army representative who asked not to be named for operational reasons told The Associated Press that it was now too dangerous for civilians to leave Bakhmut by vehicle and that people had to flee on foot instead.

More in this report:

Civilians flee embattled town as Ukrainian pullout looms

Ukrainian pilot pair in Arizona to fly military simulators: US official

Sunday 5 March 2023 03:16 , Namita Singh

In a first, two Ukrainian pilots are in Arizona to fly flight simulators and be evaluated by the US military, an American defence official said on Saturday, as Washington remains mute on whether it will send fighter jets or sophisticated remotely piloted drones to Kyiv.

The US and allies have been flooding Ukraine with weapons from Javelin missiles to Himars rocket launchers, but sophisticated jets and the largest armed drones have not been pledged to Ukraine by Western allies.

This event allows us to better help Ukrainian pilots become more effective pilots and better advise them on how to develop their own capabilities, the defence official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The Arizona familiarization event will facilitate dialogue between Ukrainian and US personnel and provide an opportunity to observe how the US Air Force operates, the defense official said.

While it is the first event of its kind, there is an ongoing robust military-to-military dialogue with Ukraine. Other allies have also conducted similar events in the past, the official said.

Ukraine ally Kallas fights for reelection in Estonia vote

Sunday 5 March 2023 01:30 , Joe Middleton

Estonia, which is providing Ukraine with more weapons than any other country relative to its economic might, is holding a general election Sunday that will determine whether it can sustain that high level of support.

Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, 45, has emerged in the past year of war as one of Europes most outspoken supporters of Ukraine. Shes seeking a second term, with her standing enhanced by her international appeals to impose sanctions on Moscow.

A Baltic nation of 1.3 million people that borders Russia to the east, Estonia broke away from the Soviet Union in 1991 and has taken a clear Western course, joining NATO and the European Union.

Ukraine ally Kallas fights for reelection in Estonia vote
NewsNation is launching a new program dubbed The Hill next month.

The new hourlong weekday political panel-style program will debut April 24, airing at 5 p.m., and will be moderated by NewsNation anchor and correspondent Leland Vittert, formerly a weekend host at Fox News.

Both NewsNation and The Hill are owned and operated by Nexstar Media Group.

NewsNations plan is for the show to feature a rotating high-profile guest who will sit alongside four rotating panelists to tackle the subjects that matter most to Americans, the network said.

Panelists for the debut will include NewsNations political editor Chris Stirewalt, also formerly of Fox News, senior political contributor and longtime Washington Post columnist George Will, former Obama aide Johanna Maska, and associate editor of TheHill.com Niall Stanage.

As the nation awaits another presidential election, we are incredibly proud to debut a new program that will spotlight the top news headlines coming out of Washington, Cherie Grzech, NewsNations vice president of news and managing editor said in a release announcing the move. Engaging in powerful discussions with top politicians, thought leaders, and policy makers, will enable us to inform and educate our viewers about the key issues that impact communities across America.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) blasted Walgreens on Monday for its decision to stop dispersing abortion pills in 20 states and said California will not be conducting business with the company.

California wont be doing business with @walgreens  or any company that cowers to the extremists and puts womens lives at risk. Were done, Newsom tweeted on Monday.

Walgreens announced last week that it will no longer sell abortion pills by mail in 20 states after attorneys general in those states warned that the company and CVS could face legal consequences for selling the pill. The states include Iowa, Alaska, Arkansas, Alabama, South Dakota, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas; several of the states have strong restrictions on abortion.

California is reviewing all relationships between Walgreens and the state. We will not pursue business with companies that cave to right wing bullies pushing their extremist agenda or companies that put politics above the health of women and girls, a spokesperson for Newsom said in an emailed statement to The Hill.

Walgreenss move, which was first reported by Politico, also drew criticism from the White House on Friday, with White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre saying it was dangerous and unacceptable for Republicans to target pharmacies for offering the pills.

The Food and Drug Administration expanded availability of the abortion pill in January by allowing U.S. retail pharmacies to offer them directly to patients with a prescription instead of requiring the pill to be dispensed in person by doctors or clinics.

Spokespeople for both Walgreens and CVS said in January that the companies were planning to seek the certification needed to dispense abortion pills in the states where it is legal.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich offered his two cents on a FloridaRepublicans insane piece of proposed legislation that would require paid bloggers who cover state politicians to register with the state.

The bill, introduced by Florida Sen. Jason Brodeur (R), targets bloggers who write about Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), state Cabinet members and state legislators, NBC News reported.

Brodeur has referred to paid bloggers as lobbyists who write instead of talk and his efforts to pass the bill didnt please Gingrich.

The idea that bloggers criticizing a politician should register with the government is insane, Gingrich wrote in a tweet. It is an embarrassment that it is a Republican state legislator in Florida who introduced a bill to that effect. He should withdraw it immediately.

The idea that bloggers criticizing a politician should register with the government is insane. it is an embarrassment that it is a Republican state legislator in Florida who introduced a bill to that effect. He should withdraw it immediately.  Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) March 5, 2023

Clay Calvert, a University of Florida professor emeritus of law, also criticized the bill, dubbing it highly problematic.

It is tantamount to requiring bloggers to register, and thats a form of licensing. One of the reasons we have the First Amendment is to give the press freedom, and to be free from government control, Calvert told Newsweek.

Related...
Matt Ryan will reportedly be released by the Colts as part of NFL cuts. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

As the 2023 free agency period draws nearer (it begins Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET), teams are beginning to release expensive or underperforming players to open salary cap space before the start of the new league year. Some do it to create flexibility for trades and signings, while others do it out of necessity if they're over the cap.

Here are some of the biggest releases ahead of free agency and how they'll affect each team. All figures courtesy of Over the Cap:

Bucs cut Leonard Fournette, Cameron Brate

Tampa Bay has cut two key pieces of its offense the past few years. Leonard Fournette totaled 2,643 yards from scrimmage and 22 touchdowns in three seasons with the Buccaneers, while Cameron Brate has recorded 273 catches for 2,857 yards and 33 touchdowns in nine seasons since signing with the Bucs as an undrafted free agent.

Browns release Jadeveon Clowney and John Johnson III

Adding defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and safety John Johnson III in free agency were the Cleveland Browns' two biggest moves two offseasons ago, and now they have both been released with a post-June 1 designation. Cutting Clowney, whose departure was expected after a turbulent season, will save nothing against the cap, while Johnson will save $9.75 million.

Cowboys cut RB Ezekiel Elliott

After seven seasons together, the Dallas Cowboys cut running back Ezekiel Elliott, a move that will save $10.9 million in cap space.

Indianapolis Colts cut QB Matt Ryan

The Colts are moving on after one year of Ryan, which will cost them a $12 million guarantee for the 2023 season. Ryan won only four of his 12 starts and threw for 3,057 yards with 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions this past year. Indianapolis owns the No. 4 overall pick in next month's NFL Draft.

Baltimore Ravens cut DE Calais Campbell

The Ravens released veteran defensive end Calais Campbell, the team announced Monday. Campbell, 36, played three years in Baltimore where he tallied 11 sacks and 36 quarterback hits. He previously played with the Arizona Cardinals and Jacksonville Jaguars. The move will save the Ravens $7 million in salary cap.

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Seattle Seahawks plan to cut DL Shelby Harris

The Seahawks are releasing one of the players they acquired in the Russell Wilson trade. Seattle reportedly plans to cut defensive lineman Shelby Harris after being unable to find a trade partner, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. Harris, who tallied two sacks and 24 combined tackles in 2022, will save the Seahawks about $8.9 million and cost $3.27 million in dead cap.

Leonard Floyd cut by Rams

The Los Angeles Rams reportedly plan to release pass rusher Leonard Floyd, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Floyd, 30, tallied at least nine sacks in each of the past three years in Los Angeles and signed a four-year, $64 million extension in 2021.

Vikings cut WR Adam Thielen

Homestate hero Adam Thielen is on the open market. The Minnesota Vikings cut the two-time Pro Bowl wideout on Friday after nine seasons with the team. Thielen, 32, is from Minnesota and caught 534 receptions for 6,682 yards and 55 touchdowns in 135 games.

If designated as a post-June 1 cut, the move will save the Vikings $13.55 million for 2023 but will cost $6.4 million in dead cap. Thielen had a $19.96 million cap hit this upcoming season after he signed a three-year, $44.67 million deal in 2022.

Titans cut another veteran: Center Ben Jones

Tennessee added to its list of released veterans when the Titans cut center Ben Jones, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Jones, 33, played the past seven years with the Titans where he started 108 games. The move will save the Titans $3.7 million in salary cap. It marks the sixth veteran released this offseason.

Za'Darius Smith informs Vikings he wants to be released

Minnesota Pro Bowl edge rusher Za'Darius Smith posted what appears to be a farewell message to Twitter on Thursday. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, he has informed the team that he wants to be released, but the team has no plans to do that. Smith is technically signed through the 2023 season, as he agreed to a three-year deal worth $42 million last March.

Jets will cut WR/PR Braxton Berrios

The New York Jets are moving on from receiver and return specialist Braxton Berrios at the start of the league year, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The two sides reportedly discussed a contract restructuring but couldn't agree  which led to Berrios' release. It saves New York $5 million but will cost them $3.2 million in dead cap.

Cardinals move on from WR Robbie Anderson

The Arizona Cardinals announced Wednesday that Robbie Anderson had been released.

Anderson, acquired in a midseason trade with the Carolina Panthers, had just seven catches for 76 yards in 10 games with the Cardinals. Cutting the 29-year-old Anderson saves the Cardinals $12 million and was a very obvious move as the Cardinals rebuild their roster under a new front office and coaching staff. He was entering the final season of a two-year contract, and the Cardinals will incur no dead money on their salary cap by cutting Anderson.

Jaguars release CB Shaquill Griffin

The Jaguars announced they're releasing Griffin, a 2019 Pro Bowler who was placed on injured reserve this past season after suffering a back injury. The move will save the Jaguars $13 million in cap space.

Miami Dolphins tell CB Byron Jones he'll be cut

Ten days after Jones tweeted about the "regrettable cost" of playing in the NFL, the Dolphins told the veteran cornerback he'll be released, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The move will save Miami $13.6 million as a post-June 1 cut and will cost the team $4.75 million in dead cap. Jones played the past two seasons with the Dolphins after he signed a five-year, $82 million contract in 2020 that made him the highest-paid cornerback at the time.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers cut starting LT Donovan Smith

Smith played all eight years of his NFL career with the Buccaneers before being cut, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. He started all 124 games he played during his time in Tampa. Cutting Smith saves the Buccaneers $9.95 million but comes with a $7.95 million dead cap hit.

Frank Clark expected to be cut by Kansas City Chiefs

Clark and the Chiefs weren't able to reach common ground on a reworked deal, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, and the expectation is Kansas City will release him.

Tennessee Titans cut pass rusher Bud Dupree

Dupree signed a five-year, $82.5 million contract in 2021. But two seasons later he'll be looking for another team. Releasing Dupree saves the Titans $9.35 million but comes with a dead cap hit of $10.85 million, per Over the Cap. He was owed $17 million in base salary this season, so the decision makes sense for the cut-heavy Titans.

Titans cut OL Taylor Lewan

Lewan was the first of many surprise veteran cuts by the Titans this offseason. The oft-injured former Pro Bowl offensive lineman cleared $14.84 million off Tennessee's books.

Titans cut WR Robert Woods

Woods lasted just one season with the Titans and is back on the market after being released. He saved the team $12.01 million in salary cap with a dead cap hit of $2.59 million.

Titans cut LB Zach Cunningham

Cunningham earned a four-year, $58 million deal in 2020 but saved the Titans $8.92 million with his release. He will cost the team $4.5 million in dead cap in 2023, though.

Titans move on from K Randy Bullock

Bullock wasn't a big cut, but will save Tennessee $2.13 million in 2023.

Minnesota Vikings cut LB Eric Kendricks

Kendricks had played his entire career in Minnesota before the Vikings released him. That move saved the team $9.5 million, but will come with a $1.93 million dead cap hit.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers move on from RB Leonard Fournette

The decision to release Fournette, which he reportedly asked for, saved the Buccaneers around $3.47 million, but the team will incur a dead cap hit of $5 million. He played the past three seasons in Tampa Bay.

Other players who have been cut:

Houston Texans C Justin Britt

Atlanta Falcons QB Marcus Mariota

Washington Commanders QB Carson Wentz

Detroit Lions DT Michael Brockers

Chicago Bears DE Al-Quadin Muhammad, DE
Retool. Its a word some franchises use to avoid signalling to their fans that years of missed playoffs and losses are on the way as part of a formal rebuild. In the Vancouver Canucks scenario, they stand firm to the idea that the organization is retooling not rebuilding, although their opportunities to retool will be drastically inhibited by a lack of cap and contract flexibility.

We dont want to be here for a rebuild and have to wait and all that stuff. Those were the words of star defender Quinn Hughes following his teams recent acquisition of Filip Hronek from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for draft picks.

Leading up to the deadline, the Canucks jettisoned captain Bo Horvat, defenders Luke Schenn and Riley Stillman, and forward Curtis Lazar in exchange for young players and picks. They then acquired Hronek from the Red Wings using a first- and second-round pick.

On paper, the moves look fine until you examine the structural issues within the Canucks organization and how theyll be limited in any retool effort moving forward.

It's time for the Canucks to look in the mirror and realize a proper rebuild is needed. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)

Trade talk will continue for Miller and Boeser

After trading their leading goal scorer in Horvat, primarily because the organization did not have financial space to re-sign its star, the ongoing trade chatter surrounding J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser should signal that this will become a rebuild, not a retool. Millers massive contract extension doesnt even kick in until next season, so the discussion of trading a player the franchise only recently tied itself to for seven years before that term even kicks in should show how dire this situation is.

At the moment, the Canucks will not be cap-compliant next season, so the trade of Miller, Boeser, Tyler Myers or a buyout for Oliver Ekman-Larsson will be necessary  with the buyout being a last course of action due to the long-term cap implications. The Canucks are currently among the league leaders in dead cap space, and adding more to that would not be ideal.

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There is no one to blame for this situation other than the Canucks themselves, who continue saddling bad contracts to their books.

Call it what you want, but this is a rebuild

The Philadelphia Flyers long used the term retool until it became evident this year theyd slowed their own progress by delaying the inevitable. With that in mind, the Flyers announced to their entire fan base that they should not have called it a retool, and that its now time to rebuild. The Canucks would be wise to follow suit.

Only Hughes and Elias Pettersson are players at the peak of their careers with time to go. Beyond this duo, youth and prospects are at a premium in Vancouver. Vasily Podkolzin is trending toward being a bust, and theres not a lot ready to step in, aside from the recently acquired Aatu Raty. Perhaps newly acquired Vitali Kravtsov can reach his potential in a Canucks jersey? Top prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki, selected 15th overall last year, has had a dismal season in Sweden, struggling to produce and now dealing with injuries.

With only a single pick in the first two rounds of this years draft, immediate help is not coming either.

What comes next in Vancouver?

Perhaps general manager Patrik Allvin bets on himself and his players and banks on Boeser and Miller having rebound seasons. Thats unlikely, however, given his post-trade deadline comments about the status of his roster.

Where we are sitting right now I believe there is more to do here. We're not happy where we are, Allvin told the media. We still have some work to do in order to get this team to where we believe they deserve to be, to be a competitive team moving forward and hopefully taking a big step next.

All signs point to another major trade, but finding a partner for the big contracts hes looking to offload will not be easy, and getting full value for those players will be a challenge.

In reality, Vancouver has never rebuilt. When Henrik and Daniel Sedin retired, the team should have jumped fully into the process. Instead, it retooled. With Horvat, Hughes, Boeser, and Pettersson on board, the team tried to make moves to position itself as a contender, but those moves flopped and have left the Canucks where they stand today.

The most pressing issue is how the Canucks will get under the cap. They added more than $10 million in commitments for next season, and in the process failed to acquire picks and future assets. To even field a roster, the Canucks need to sign RFAs Ethan Bear, Travis Dermott, and Kravtsov. Bear and Dermott are particularly crucial with only Myers, Hronek and Hughes under contract as NHL-calibre defenders for next season.

Call it what you may, but the longer the Canucks use the term retool and avoid an inevitable fire sale leading to a full rebuild, they will risk floating in mediocrity and further ostracizing a fan base desperate for a winning team.
Norfolk Southern announced plans on Monday to improve the use of detectors placed along railroad tracks to spot overheating bearings and other problems in response to a fiery derailment on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border a month ago.

The announcement came the same day Pennsylvania's governor announced that the company had agreed to pay several million dollars to cover the cost of the response and recovery in that state.

The company said it would evaluate the distance between hot bearing" detectors  currently 13.9 miles (22 kilometers) on average on its core network  and promised to look at every location where the distance is more than 15 miles (24 kilometers), deploying more detectors if practical.

Norfolk Southern "anticipates adding approximately 200 hot bearing detectors to its network, with the first installed on the western approach to East Palestine, said the company announcement, which comes amid proposals from President Joe Biden's administration and Congress aimed at improving safety following last month's derailment.

The National Transportation Safety Board has said the crew operating the train that derailed Feb. 3 outside East Palestine, Ohio, near the Pennsylvania border got a warning from such a detector but couldnt stop the train before more than three dozen cars came off the tracks and caught fire.

Half of the town of about 5,000 people had to evacuate for days when responders intentionally burned toxic chemicals in some of the derailed cars to prevent an uncontrolled explosion, leaving residents with lingering health concerns. Government officials say tests havent found dangerous levels of chemicals in the air or water in the area.

A week ago, a safety advisory from the Federal Railroad Administration urged railroads to reexamine the use of such detectors, making sure that they get inspected often enough by trained employees and that there are safe standards for determining when to stop a train or park a railcar when a warning is triggered. The railroad administration said overheating bearings likely caused at least four other derailments since 2021 and called for ways to analyze temperature trends from the sensors to help identify potential problems sooner.

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Norfolk Southern also said it would work with manufacturers to speed up tests and deployment of new multi-scan detectors able to scan a greater cross-section of a railcars bearings and wheels. It also vowed to work with other railroads to review standards and practices, reevaluating the temperature triggering an alarm and the response to such alarms as well as analyzing data for patterns that could warn of safety issues.

Also announced in Norfolk Southern's six-point safety plan Monday was installation of more acoustic bearing detectors, which analyze the acoustic signature of vibration inside the axle to identify potential problems. Norfolk Southern said it has five such detectors in service and will add 13 more on high-traffic routes.

The company also said it is working with Georgia Tech Research Institute to develop more advanced safety inspection technology and will join the railroad administration's confidential close call reporting system," also citing its own program that "encourages railroaders to speak up if they see something that is unsafe.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has proposed a number of safety improvements, including reviving a rule requiring upgraded, electronically controlled brakes on certain trains filled with flammable liquids that are designated high-hazardous flammable trains, and possibly expanding which trains are covered by that designation. The industry has been pushing to delay any major changes until after the transportation safety board completes its investigation a year or more from now.

Ohios two U.S. senators last week introduced legislation that would require railroads to create disaster plans and tell emergency response commissions what hazardous materials are going through their states. Other provisions would maintain a two-person crew size and require regulators to set limits on train size and weight.

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, who joined the legislation, said Monday that preventing future derailments would require measures far beyond the steps Norfolk Southern outlined today and called on the company and other rail firms to get on board" the Senate proposal.

Professor Allan Zarembski, who leads the University of Delawares rail engineering and safety program, earlier said that overheating bearings cause only a handful of the more than 1,000 derailments each year, and he doubted the value of any knee-jerk reaction amid great political pressure. On Monday, he called Norfolk Southern's plan on hot bearings a good incremental step forward" to get rid of a problem he reiterated was "very infrequent.

On Saturday afternoon, 28 cars of a Norfolk Southern cargo train derailed in Ohio between Dayton and Columbus and prompted a temporary shelter-in-place order, but officials said the derailment did not involve any hazardous materials, although the 212-car train also had cars containing liquid propane and ethanol that didn't derail.

In Pennsylvania, Gov. Josh Shapiro said Monday that Norfolk Southern has pledged several million dollars to cover the cost of the response and recovery in Pennsylvania after last months derailment. The company previously announced more than $1 million for Ohio to replace fire equipment used in the response to the fiery wreck, plus $1 million for East Palestine and more than $1.2 million for evacuation costs for nearly 900 families and businesses.

The company has said it is committed to coordinating the cleanup project and paying for its associated costs, and wants to ensure that East Palestines residents and natural environment recover.

___

Associated Press writer Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, contributed to this report.
Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw near the site where one of his company's freight trains derailed Feb. 3 in East Palestine, Ohio. A tanker truck filled with wastewater passes by. (Matt Freed/AP)

Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw is set to testify before a Senate panel on Thursday, hoping to tamp down bipartisan scrutiny of freight rail operators in the wake of his companys toxic derailment last month in East Palestine, Ohio.

Shaw will be appearing at a hearing of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, along with state and local officials who responded to the Feb. 3 accident. Members of both parties have called for increased regulations of the rail industry.

In advance of the hearing, Norfolk Southern announced on Monday a six-point safety plan meant to address overheated bearings, which the National Transportation Safety Board said was the likely cause of the derailment.

The Senate hearing comes shortly after another Norfolk Southern train derailed in Springfield, Ohio, on Saturday, although that train was not carrying hazardous materials. It was at least the fifth Norfolk Southern derailment in the state since October.

Rail workers have been calling for changes to safety protocols, including shorter train lengths, more time for inspections and maintenance, a mandated minimum of at least two people on every crew and upgraded braking systems. Ohio Sens. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, and J.D. Vance, a Republican, will be testifying prior to Shaw. They introduced a bipartisan rail safety bill last week that includes some of those requests.

Cleanup of toxic chemical continues at the site. (Matt Freed/AP)

Norfolk Southern is likely to testify in opposition to the legislation. It said it had opposed additional speed limitations and requiring ECP brakes in a 2015 lobbying disclosure. The company has seen an increase in both profits and accidents in recent years, as it runs longer and heavier trains while cutting the workforce.

We want to hear his commitment to make this community whole, to make this so that people can get back to their lives the way they were  that means reimbursement for all the expenses, Brown told reporters last week.

Officials in Sandusky, Ohio, said that following the focus on East Palestine, Norfolk Southern was more receptive to cleaning up the aftermath of an Oct. 8 wreck that blocked an underpass. Officials had waited for months for the company to perform repairs to sewer infrastructure, pavement and retaining walls, according to WOIO, a Cleveland news outlet.

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The American people should hear from Norfolk Southerns CEO precisely why they thought it was a good idea to spend years  years  lobbying to loosen regulations designed to prevent accidents like this, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a floor speech last week. And I especially want to hear why Norfolk Southern, after seeing a record $3.3 billion in profits last year, prioritized billions  billions  in stock buybacks instead of putting that money toward safety and towards their workers.

Shaw visited East Palestine on Feb. 18, following scrutiny about his companys handling of the cleanup. He said he was there to support the community.

Shaw speaking to reporters on Feb. 21 in East Palestine, Ohio. (Matt Freed/AP)

Our company will be working tirelessly every day to get East Palestine back on its feet as soon as possible, Shaw said in a statement released a day before his visit. "We know we will be judged by our actions, and we are taking this accountability and responsibility very seriously.

Norfolk Southern says it has provided $13 million to East Palestine in the weeks since the crash. (The company had initially pledged $25,000 to support the efforts of the American Red Cross and their temporary community shelters and offered affected residents $1,000 inconvenience fees.) In 2021 and 2022, the company spent billions on stock buybacks. It announced that Shaw was personally setting up a scholarship fund of $445,000 for high school seniors in the town, a similar amount to the proceeds he received from a recent stock sale.

Shaw did not attend a town hall at East Palestine High School on Thursday; the company instead sent a representative, a government relations employee. Norfolk Southern had pulled out of an earlier community event at the last minute, citing concerns over unspecified threats.

The CEO did speak at a Feb. 23 CNN town hall, where residents grilled him about the cleanup efforts. Residents and officials like Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro have accused the company of prioritizing a speedy reopening of the railroad over safety. Last month, the EPA sent a letter to Norfolk Southern saying the company had failed to properly dispose of contaminated soil at the crash site.

East Palestine residents at a town hall meeting on Feb. 24. (Matt Freed/AP)

At the CNN town hall, Shaw said Norfolk Southern believed it had an environmentally sound plan based on engineering principles and that the company was going to remove the tracks in response to pushback from the community. That process began Friday. Last week, a railway union official accused the company of endangering workers at the cleanup site by not providing proper equipment.

In East Palestine, Norfolk Southern was on-scene immediately after the derailment and coordinated our response with hazardous material professionals who were on site continuously to ensure the work area was safe to enter and the required PPE was utilized, all in addition to air monitoring that was established within an hour, Norfolk Southern told Yahoo News last week in a statement responding to the letter.

Shaw became CEO on May 1, 2022, after being named president in December 2021. Previously serving as the chief marketing officer, he has worked at Norfolk Southern in various roles since 1994, with a focus on marketing, operations, and finance, per a company press release.

Scrutiny over the company came after one of its trains derailed minutes from the Ohio-Pennsylvania border on the evening of Feb. 3, with the governors of both states issuing a joint evacuation order for a roughly 1-mile radius, since 11 of the cars contained hazardous materials. On Feb. 6, Norfolk Southern burned off five tankers full of vinyl chloride in what it said was an effort to avoid a catastrophic explosion, but it resulted in images of a giant toxic smoke plume that quickly circulated on social media. Two days later, residents were urged to return home, despite a lingering smell in the air and reports of such symptoms as dizziness, headaches and rashes.

A sign of anger toward Norfolk Southern posted by residents of East Palestine. (mpi34/MediaPunch /IPX via AP)

Prior to the recent scrutiny, Shaw and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg met in Washington, D.C., late last year, which Shaw celebrated on LinkedIn.

We appreciated the opportunity to discuss our shared goals for economic growth and job creation, a more sustainable supply chain and continued investments in Americas essential transportation infrastructure, read the caption of a photo of Shaw, Buttigieg and Norfolk Southerns chief legal officer.

Every time we shift freight from highway to rail, we reduce carbon emissions, ease congestion, and reduce wear on the nations publicly funded highway infrastructure, the post continued. Thats a source of great pride for our railroaders, and a growing competitive advantage as we help our customers achieve their own goals for carbon reduction. I was proud to represent our company with Secretary Buttigieg and look forward to partnering on ways to deliver for the American people.
LONDON (Reuters) -Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) on Monday set up a group to conduct a month-long consultation on last week's UK/EU deal to simplify post-Brexit trade rules that the region's pro-British politicians have yet to decide whether to back.

The ultimate success of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's new deal is likely to hinge on whether it convinces the DUP to end a year-long boycott of Northern Ireland's power-sharing government over the original post-Brexit trade rules.

Britain is due to begin clarifying aspects of the reformed trading arrangements for Northern Irish lawmakers this week and the establishment of the consultation group will give the DUP until at least April to make up their minds.

"The group will work independently and will provide me with a report by the end of March," DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson said in a statement.

"They will want to engage with a broad section of the unionist and loyalist community, the business sector, civic society and others who want to see Northern Ireland prosper within the Union.

The consultation group of party members and "independent thinkers" includes lawmakers from both the regional and British parliaments, former party leaders Peter Robinson and Arlene Foster, businessman Ross Reed and lawyer John McBurney, who also serves on an independent body monitoring paramilitary activity.

Donaldson reiterated that while "significant progress" had been made with the new agreement, key issues of concern remain and that there was "no disguising the fact that in some sectors of our economy EU law remains applicable in Northern Ireland."

He also said that lawmakers were awaiting further legal text to be published to give effect to some of the changes.

While opinion polls have consistently shown a majority of Northern Irish voters - who opposed Brexit - favoured the aim of the original trading arrangements, checks on trade angered many unionists who see it as undermining the union with Britain.

"History teaches us that it is always better to get the right outcome for Northern Ireland rather than a rushed one," Donaldson said.

(Reporting by Kylie MacLellan in London, Padraic Halpin in Dublin and Amanda Ferguson in Belfast; editing by William James)
Photo: Contributed

A suicide bomber riding on a motorcycle rammed into a police truck in Pakistan's restive southwest, killing at least nine policemen and wounding seven, officials said.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing, which took place on a bridge in the district of Sibi in Baluchistan province, but Baluch separatists and local militants have been blamed for previous such attacks.

Mahmood Notenzai, a local police chief, said the officers were on a routine patrol when the attack happened. The casualties have been taken to a nearby hospital, he added. Sibi is located about 150 kilometers (90 miles) east of Quetta, the provincial capital.

Baluchistan has long struggled with a low-level insurgency by the Baluchistan Liberation Army and other small separatist groups demanding independence from the central government in Islamabad.

Authorities claim to have quelled the insurgency but violence has persisted. The province has also seen attacks by militants from both the Pakistani Taliban and the Islamic State group.
On winter weekends, guests from around the country convene at the Wings of Valor lodge in Parker, South Dakota. Each morning of their stay, the group dons hats of blaze orange and steps into the crisp winter air.

One by one, with a shotgun in their arms, they ready their aim and a clay disc launches across theirfield of vision.

Bang.

For many, this is the first time theyve held a firearm since active combat.

The clay shoot is more than a bonding opportunity. It's an intentional chance for each visiting veteran to gauge their own response to firearms. The feel of the trigger, the distinct, sudden sound or the smell of gunpowder can be enough to trigger strong memories. These sessions are typically full of smiles and good-natured banter, but that deeper layer of understanding doesn't go unnoticed. At the end of it all, these hunting retreats have little to do with bagging birds.

More:How a Sioux Falls WWII vet survived to be 100 years old

'Surrounded by comfort' with other veterans

Wings of Valor is a non-profit lodge that hosts weekend hunting retreats to empower, heal and foster community among U.S. military veterans. The operation is run by veterans themselves, and the innate shared life experiences between retreat staff and their guests are what makes the lodge so special.

Im not saying we do anything more than other organizations or what their family can do for them, but its different when youre able to come into a setting with like-minded individuals that have been through the same walk of life you have, said Sean Adams, Wings of Valor president. Thats where the healing process sometimes has to start.

Veterans participate in a tower pheasant hunt on a Wings of Valor retreat on Friday, February 17, 2023, in Parker, SD.

Twice a month from September to April, Wings of Valor flies seven or eight veterans to their property in Parker. With no televisions and limited internet access, theres nothing to distract from the home cooked meals, new friendships and, of course, pheasant hunts.

The first outing usually takes the form of a European-style tower hunt, where pheasants are released from a central tower in a clearing to the hunters waiting at stations below. This allows veterans with limited mobility to have a fair chance at the hunt.

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On the second day, participants join a more traditional walk-and-block hunt along nearby tree lines.

By the end of a given afternoon, the group of near strangers are swapping stories and cracking jokes like theyve been friends for years. Its no wonder some veterans described the U.S. military as the biggest fraternity in the world.

More:Harrisburg students will help build tiny homes for veterans in Sioux Falls

When the group returns from their hunt, dozens of pheasants processed and bagged, retreat staff plans for plenty of down time. Theres no need for scheduled sessions to talk out big feelings, because that work happens organically, and starts in the hours before dinner.

They start talking about random stuff, telling stories, and eventually, they start talking about hard stuff and what they experienced, said Adams. Its that connection and being surrounded by comfort again, and they probably havent felt that in years.

Anson Seebeck, back left, shares stories with fellow veterans on a Wings of Valor retreat on Friday, February 17, 2023, in Parker, SD.

Wings of Valor retreat 'gives me purpose'

Philip Krabbe knew he wanted to become a volunteer for Wings of Valor by the time he left his first retreat.

The glory of this place is that there are veterans from all walks of life, those who struggle with alcohol, drugs, PTSD, depression and those who dont, he said. When you get those two together, it gives hope. This place gives hope.

Krabbe served in the Marines from 2002 to 2010. While on a vehicle patrol in Iraq in 2006, he lost three friends to a roadside bomb that exploded the vehicle in front of his own. Unable to fully process the loss, when he finally returned home, he fell into a pattern of constant heavy drinking.

Unfortunately, even that wasnt enough to numb the pain, and drug abuse followed. Krabbe started taking amphetamines to avoid horrible nightmares, staying awake for three or four consecutive days.

The body can only take so much of that, he said. It is brutal, and Im so blessed I survived it.

Krabbes first visit to Wings of Valor allowed him to be among people who really understood the darkness he had lived in for so long. It isnt the only veterans organization that helped him through his struggles, but the staffs compassion and warmth calmed his anxieties so immediately that he knew he wanted to provide the same for others. He has since volunteered on nearly a dozen retreats.

Thats what this place has done for me, its really turned my life around, he said. It gives me purpose.

A veteran carries pheasants back to the lodge after hunting on a Wings of Valor retreat on Friday, February 17, 2023, in Parker, SD.

'I feel alive again'

Christopher Duerksen didnt talk about his time in the Marine Corps for over 20 years. He said was sent as part of what he calls a kill squad to Kuwait for seven months in secret, and told in no uncertain terms he was expendable. If he died over there, he would be considered Missing in Action and no one would ever know what happened.

I didnt like myself and I didnt like what the Marine Corps did to me, he said.

More:Tiny home village breaks ground, 'could end veteran homelessness'

Duerksen would relive what happened practically every day, and could feel himself retreating from society.

I cant open up at home because thats my sanctuary, and I dont want my family to know the things I did, he said.

When Duerksen was invited to the Wings of Valor, it was the first time in decades he finally cracked the shell he had created to keep out the world.

This place has helped me to express myself and open up and tell stories, he said. For once, I feel alive again.

Veterans take aim at pheasants as they fly overhead on a Wings of Valor retreat on Friday, February 17, 2023, in Parker, SD.

'We're delivering on a promise to veterans'

Wings of Valor started in 2019 after a conversation between Adams and the organization's now-CEO Bruce Weller. Weller owned a private hunting lodge called Birds, Bucks and Berries, and told Adams his favorite day of the year was the annual veterans hunt he hosted.

I said, we can make every day the best day of the year if you want, said Adams, recalling the moment they decided to make their nonprofit.

The organization runs entirely on volunteers, donations and sponsorships to ensure no costs for veterans. Running 12 to 14 events every season is no small feat, but Adams says the hard work is worth it, because he can see the change it makes.

The Wings of Valor lodge in Parker will have served more than 400 individual veterans by the end of this hunting season, from 35 different states in three years. And Adams doesnt plan to stop there.

Randy Otwell, retired Chief Warrant Officer 4, chats with a volunteer between birds at a Wings of Valor hunting retreat on Friday, February 17, 2023, in Parker, SD.

The long-term vision Adams sees for these hunting retreats is to expand to multiple locations around the country. Six, to be exact. He said the lodge in Parker was meant to be, and is now on the lookout for five more meant-to-be's."

Were delivering on a promise to veterans, said Adams. All veterans are dealing with everyday life and they need support.

He describes the healing process for veterans as a meadow taken over by a wildfire, where everything seems burned away, but a new beginning can sprout from a planted seed.

Wings of Valor is that seed, he said. We offer it to be planted on the first, second, fourth trip, whatever it needs to be, so you can come here and revive.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Wings of Valor veteran hunting retreats provide healing, community
PARIS (AP)  The reconstruction of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is going fast enough to allow its reopening to visitors and faithful at the end of 2024, less than six years after a fire ravaged its roof, French officials said Monday.

The cathedral's iconic spire, which collapsed in the blaze, will gradually start reappearing above the monument this year in a powerful signal of its revival, the army general in charge of the colossal project, Gen. Jean-Louis Georgelin, said.

The return of the spire in Paris sky will in my opinion be the symbol that we are winning the battle of Notre Dame," he told the Associated Press.

The reconstruction itself started last year, after more than two years of work to make the monument stable and secure enough for artisans to start rebuilding it.

Authorities have made the choice to rebuild the 12th century monument, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture, the way it was before. That includes recreating the 93-meter-high (315 ft) spire added in the 19th century by architect Eugene Viollet-le-Duc.

Meanwhile, an exhibition called Notre-Dame de Paris: at the heart of the construction site is to open to visitors on Tuesday in an underground facility in front of the cathedral. Accessible for free, it highlights ongoing operations on the site and the expertise and skills of workers. It also features some remains from the fire and works of art from the cathedral.

Gen. Georgelin said the cathedral will reopen in December 2024, in line with the goal set by President Emmanuel Macron just after the fire  yet it will be too late for the Paris Olympic Games scheduled in summer next year.

My job is to be ready to open this cathedral in 2024. And we will do it," Gen. Georgelin said. "We are fighting every day for that and we are on a good path.

This means that the archbishop of the capital will be in a capacity again to celebrate the Catholic liturgy in his cathedral" and the monument will also "be open for tourists to visit, he said.

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Culture Minister Rima Abdul-Malak told the AP that this doesnt mean all the renovation will be finished then. "There will still be some renovation work going on in 2025, she stressed.

Meanwhile, the new exhibition near the cathedral will allow visitors, including those coming for the Olympics, to live what could be this experience of visiting Notre-Dame in a brand new way, she said. In addition to the free visit, a virtual reality show will allow paying visitors to dive into the history of the cathedral. "That will help also tourism in Paris, she added.

Everyday in the capital and across the country, about 1,000 people work to rebuild Notre Dame, Gen. Georgelin said.

The biggest challenge is to comply precisely every day to the planning we have done," he stressed. We have a lot of different works to achieve: the framework, the painting, the stones, the vault, the organ, the stained glass and so on.

Philippe Jost, managing director of the government agency overseeing the reconstruction, noted that the result will be faithful to the original architecture" both because we are sticking to the vanished shapes of the cathedral and because we are also sticking to the materials and construction methods of medieval times.

We dont do concrete vaults that look like stone, we do stone vaults that we rebuild as they were built in the Middle Ages, Jost said, adding that the roof framework will also be made from oak like it initially was.

____

AP journalist Alexander Turnbull contributed to the story.
The Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is set to reopen to the public in December 2024, five years after a major fire damaged the landmark in 2019, according to the Paris Tourist Office official website. The cathedral's iconic spire collapsed in the blaze, and has been a major focus of the reconstruction effort.

Flames envelop the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. / Credit: Jean-Claude Battarel / EyeEm via Getty Images

"The supervision of the restoration is entrusted to the architect Philippe Villeneuve," said the Paris Tourist Office, adding that "the general principle is to rebuild the cathedral identically, including the spire."

"The return of the spire in Paris' sky will in my opinion be the symbol that we are winning the battle of Notre Dame," Gen. Jean-Louis Georgelin, the army general in charge of the restoration project, told The Associated Press.

The reconstruction started last year. A Te Deum hymn ceremony will take place on April 15, 2024, exactly five years after the fire.

Detailed image of the remains of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris after the fire destroyed the whole roof on April 2019. / Credit: Razvan / iStockPhotos via Getty Images

Notre Dame's parvis  the public square outside the cathedral  has been open to visitors since May 2020, as well as the cathedral's crypt. The footbridge was reopened to pedestrians and cyclists in September 2022.

A free exhibition called "Notre-Dame de Paris: At the heart of the construction site" is opening to visitors on Tuesday, and aims to highlight the reconstruction.

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New York City mayor Eric Adams is calling on shopkeepers to demand that prospective customers remove their face masks before entering their stores in a bid to undercut shoplifting.

Do not allow people to enter the store without taking off their face mask and then once theyre inside they can continue to wear if they so desire to do so, Adams told 1010-WINS.

When you see these mask-wearing people, oftentimes its not about being fearful of the pandemic. Its fearful of the police catching [them] for their deeds, the mayor added.

The announcement comes on the heels of similar statements made by the New York Police Department (NYPD) chief of department Jeffrey Maddrey. People are coming up to our businesses, sometimes with masks, sometimes masks, hoods and latex gloves, and theyre being allowed, theyre being buzzed in and allowed to enter the store and we have a robbery, the department chief told a local news outlet last Tuesday.

We are asking the businesses to make this a condition of entry, that people when they come in, they show their face, they should identify themselves, Maddrey noted.

Adams argued that the new policy will allow retailers to use facial-recognition technology to identify habitual offenders.

However, not all business owners are happy with the announcement. Francisco Marte, a store owner in the Bronx, told a local radio station that he fears little will come of the new anti-shoplifting push.

That would be great if everyone come with their face up so the camera can see, we all can see. But we cannot force them to take off their mask, Marte said noting that he plans to introduce facial recognition cameras.

Adamss comments come after the NYPD released crime statistics last Friday showing a ten percent decrease in reports of retail theft in February compared to the same month last year, when the city experienced record-breaking levels of shoplifting. The spike in shoplifting has prompted coalitions of New York business owners to beef up deterrence measures, including by deploying dogs and private security guards in heavily trafficked commercial areas.

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Although violent crimes such as shootings and murder have decreased compared with 2021, property-related charges such as robberies, grand larceny, and burglaries have increased considerably over the same period.

More from National Review
Thirty-five people were detained by officers at a police training center under development outside Atlanta after they clashed with law enforcement Sunday, local police said.

It wasn't clear if the 35 were under arrest and, if so, what charges were being recommended.

The clashes erupted in the late afternoon and were punctuated by a few fires and the sound of firecrackers at the forested site of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center in DeKalb County, south of Atlanta.

Police alleged in a Sunday night statement that a group of "outside agitators" showed up, changed into black clothing, and mounted a "coordinated attack on construction equipment and police officers."

"They began to throw large rocks, bricks, Molotov cocktails, and fireworks at police officers," the Atlanta Police Department said.

Part of the attack focused on the area under construction, the department said.

Organizers and supporters said the clashes took place amid a weekend concert, the South River Music Festival, and that most attendees were allowed to leave via shuttle or their own vehicles.

Organizers did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Atlanta Solidarity Fund, which helps bail out people arrested at demonstrations, tweeted, "Police seem to be lashing out at anyone present at the music festival."

Police said demonstrators could have caused "bodily harm."

"Officers exercised restraint and used non-lethal enforcement to conduct arrests," police said.

On Jan. 18, police fatally shot a demonstrator later identified as Manuel Esteban Paez Teran but known as Tortuguita. Authorities said he opened fire on a state trooper who was injured but was expected to recover.

Even as the shooting remained under investigation it brought renewed attention to omnipresent demonstrations against the facility that have been organized under the slogan "Stop Cop City."

Protesters say they're both concerned about the center's environmental impact and its symbolism as one of the nation's largest law enforcement training centers at a time when police killings remain a heated topic.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
COLUMBUS  An Ohio man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court last week to orchestrating an investment fraud scheme in Pike County and to failing to remit more than $50,000 that had been withheld from employee paychecks to employee retirement funds.

Robert W. Walton, Jr., 54, of Loveland, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of theft from an employee benefit plan.

According to court documents, Walton engaged in a scheme to defraud investors of Hadsell Chemical Processing, LLC (HCP) and related entities. Walton was the president of HCP and fraudulently sought investments in the form of promissory notes from dozens of victim investors.

Walton claimed the notes were personally guaranteed by a prominent local business owner when in fact they were not. Walton repeatedly forged the business owners signature from 2012 through 2015 without the business owners authority on several loan documents and promissory notes, according to a news release.

Walton admitted to falsely representing his companys future revenues from another business to be in the millions by creating fake invoices. The actual total legitimate business revenue HCP had with that other business was approximately $50,000. He provided the fake invoices to investors. Walton also provided investors with a falsified profit and loss statement, changing HCPs net income during January to May 2014 from approximately $800,000 to nearly $395,000.

During part of his employment at HCP, Walton was responsible for approving the remittance of employee retirement funds to an employee benefit plan sponsored by HCP. Walton failed to remit approximately $53,000 withheld from employees pay, failing to transfer the funds into employee retirement funds, according to the release.

The United States is seeking more than $8.6 million in restitution for the victims of the fraud scheme.

Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and embezzling from an employee benefit plan carries a potential maximum sentence of up to five years in prison. Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: Ohio man pleads guilty to defrauding Pike County investors
Citing a Norfolk Southern train derailment in 2011 in downtown Elmira, along with an early February rail mishap in eastern Ohio that posed an environmental threat to residents and wildlife, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., used a stop in Elmira on Monday to promote efforts to increase railroad transparency and accountability.

Schumer, the Senate majority leader, joined Elmira Mayor Dan Mandell and other local officials in front of the Elmira Fire Department headquarters to discuss a letter he sent to Norfolk Southern and other major rail carriers, along with bipartisan federal legislation introduced in Congress.

The recent Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine, Ohio released vinyl chloride and other chemicals into the environment, killing thousands of fish and raising concerns about the safety of air and drinking water in the vicinity.

With the Norfolk Southern railroad viaduct as a backdrop, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., is joined by local officials in front of the Elmira Fire Department headquarters Monday, March 6, 2023 to discuss new federal legislation to address rail safety.

The horrifying train derailment in Ohio has people in the Southern Tier and across upstate New York rightfully concerned about the safety of trains coming through their communities every day," said Schumer, who noted about 12 Norfolk Southern trains pass through downtown Elmira on a daily basis.

What happened in Elmira in 2011

On Nov. 19, 2011, a Norfolk Southern rail car derailed while the train was passing through Elmira and landed upside down, partly in a Hilliard Corp. parking lot.

The Elmira Fire Department responded to verify that hazardous material was not involved. Nevertheless, city officials were incensed Norfolk Southern failed to notify the city or local emergency personnel about the incident.

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Schumer was also highly critical of Norfolk Southern's response at the time, noting the company's policy was to notify local officials only if an accident involves five or more cars or hazardous materials.

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What Schumer is telling railroad companies

Schumer revealed Monday he wrote a letter to major rail companies demanding answers on the actions they are taking to prevent an accident like what happened in Ohio from occurring in Upstate New York.

He blamed a long pattern of lack of transparency and said rail companies need to work with local leaders and emergency responders so they are better prepared for the possibility of a derailment.

Local officials often are unaware of the types of materials that are hauled through their cities by train on a daily basis, Schumer said, making it difficult to prepare for disasters as different types of chemicals require different responses.

What proposed federal legislation would do

The bipartisan Railway Safety Act of 2023 will increase transparency and regulations for trains carrying hazardous materials, get advanced notifications for emergency response, and hold railroads accountable for wrongdoings, Schumer said.

Among the specifics, the legislation would increase fines for safety violations, require highly trained crews with a two-person minimum to work aboard each train, and establish a $1 million annual fee on railroads to pay for training local emergency responders who are the first on the scene to any accident.

"This will require Norfolk Southern and other rail companies to finally be transparent," Schumer said.

What local officials are saying

Schumer was joined Monday by Elmira Mayor Dan Mandell and other city officials, along with representatives from Chemung and Steuben County governments.

Mandell supports the new legislation and said he's concerned about the condition of some of the rail infrastructure around the city.

"Especially on the Southside, there's a lot of infrastructure with concrete falling off. We're passing those concerns onto Norfolk Southern," he said. "(The new legislation) will let first responders know what's going through our city. It will make (railroads) improve their infrastructure."

Steuben County Director of Public Safety Timothy Marshall said any kind of rail disaster in his county could have a serious impact on the water supply.

"Most of the rail lines run parallel to most of our rivers," Marshall said. "An incident could affect water for hundreds of communities downstream. We need to be cautious of anything that happens along the rail lines."

Follow Jeff Murray on Twitter @SGJeffMurray. To get unlimited access to the latest news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: Ohio train derailment prompts concern: Inside NY push for transparency
Oklahoma state Sen. Nathan Dahm (R) on Sunday responded to his viral interview with talk show host Jon Stewart, in which Stewart interrogated Dahms support for the Second Amendment amid increasing gun violence and gun deaths nationwide.

What youre telling me is you dont mind infringing free speech to protect children from this amorphous thing that you think of, but when it comes to children that have died, you dont give a flying f to stop that, because that shall not be infringed. That is hypocrisy, Stewart concluded in his interview with the Oklahoma lawmaker on The Problem With Jon Stewart on Apple TV+, which racked up millions of views on social media.

Dahm, whose Twitter bio asserts hes Oklahomas most conservative State Senator, told Tulsas ABC NewsChannel 8 that he took the interview because hes not afraid of anyone or anything.

I expected to be shown in a less-than-positive light. But I tried to take the opportunity to provide people with the truth. How they choose to use that is up to them. People on the left will say that Jon Stewart eviscerated me  thats what theyre saying. People on the right will say, he interrupted you every time you tried to answer a question, or he was a bully, Dahm said.

Stewart had pressed Dahm on his unwillingness to support background checks and registration as part of the process for acquiring firearms, despite guns being the leading cause of death for children in the U.S.  and given his opposition to drag shows in order to, he said, protect children.

Dahm told NewsChannel 8 that the interview was more of a conversation between the two men and lauded Stewarts conduct.

There was that moment when he got heated  which he actually apologized for afterwards. Before and afterwards, Jon was very polite. We had a good conversation and everything, Dahm said.

The state lawmaker had said on Friday that he enjoyed the interview so much that he suggested it continue in a live & unedited format, suggesting that conservative podcast commentator Joe Rogan host.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Photo: CTV News

German police said Monday that they have disrupted an international cybercrime gang which has been blackmailing large companies and institutions for years, raking in millions of euros.

Working with law enforcement partners including Europol, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and authorities in Ukraine, police in Duesseldorf said they were able to identify 11 individuals linked to a group that has operated in various guises since at least 2010.

Among its most prominent victims was Duesseldorf University Hospital, whose computers were infected with a type of ransomware known as DoppelPaymer in 2020. A woman who needed urgent treatment died after she had to be taken to another city for treatment.

Dirk Kunze, who heads the cybercrime department with North Rhine-Westphalia state police, said at least 601 victims have been identified worldwide, including 37 in Germany. Europol said victims in the United States paid out at least 40 million euros ($42.5 million) to the gang between May 2019 and March 2021.

The group specialized in big game hunting," said Kunze, and ran a professional recruitment operation, luring new members with the promise of paid vacation and asking applicants to submit references for past cybercrimes.

He said police conducted simultaneous raids in Germany and Ukraine on Feb. 28, seizing evidence and detaining several suspects. Three further suspects  two of them Russian citizens  could not be apprehended as they were beyond the reach of European law enforcement, Kunze said.
One person has died following a collision in Caldwell County, according to North Carolina State Highway Patrol.

Troopers said at approximately 11:30 p.m., they responded to Union Grove Road near Parkwood Road.

At the scene, they learned that a 2003 Chevrolet S-10 was traveling west on Union Grove Road, lost control, crossed the center line, and collided head-on with an eastbound 2008 Chevrolet Colorado.

ALSO READ: One dead following collision with charter bus in Dallas, GEMS says

Troopers said the driver of the Chevrolet Colorado, later identified as 67-year-old Johnny Cleveland Davis, died at the scene.

The driver of the Chevrolet S-10 received non-life-threatening injuries, according to highway patrol.

Troopers said an initial investigation does not indicate impairment as a contributing faction, however, the investigation is ongoing.

(WATCH BELOW: One dead following collision with charter bus in Dallas, GEMS says)








A mother and daughter during meal time on a flight from Paris to New York. Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images

The DOT released a new dashboard Monday tracking which airlines offer family-friendly seating.

Alaska, American, and Frontier guarantee children under 13 can sit next to an accompanying adult for free.

It's the agency's latest attempt to name and shame airlines over their customer service policies.

The US Department of Transportation on Monday published an online dashboard that specifies which airlines guarantee that children under the age of 13 can sit next to an accompanying adult for free.

The new resource is the agency's latest effort to push airlines to improve their commitments to passengers in light of the widespread travel chaos that has plagued the industry since the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Parents traveling with young kids should be able to sit together without an airline forcing them to pay junk fees," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement.

Alaska, American, and Frontier are the only US airlines that currently guarantee parents can sit next to their children without paying extra fees, according to the tracker.

To receive a "green check" on the dashboard, the airline must guarantee that parents can sit next to their kids for free if adjacent seats are available during booking and they must include that guarantee in their customer service plan.

Alaska, American, and Frontier guarantee children under 13 can sit next to an accompanying adult for free. US Department of Transportation

Delta, which was marked as not meeting the DOT's family seating standards, told Insider it does not charge family seating fees and works with customers on a case-by-case basis to ensure parents can sit next to their children.

United recently improved its family seating policies to make it easier for families to sit next to children under the age of 12. If adjacent seats are not available, customers can switch to a flight to the same destination with adjacent seat availability in the same cabin without being charged additional fees or for the difference in fare price.

Sonya Padgett, an Allegiant spokesperson, told Insider that the DOT dashboard is "misleading," noting that the airline only received six family-seating complaints out of 17 million passengers in 2022.

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"When customers with children check in for their flights, they are almost always assigned seats together. If they're not, they can mention it at the ticket counter and an agent will adjust their seats," Padgett said. "If a family happens to board and they're not seated next to a parent, our flight attendants will move passengers to ensure they are."

A spokesperson for Hawaiian Airlines to Insider that the carrier has "always had robust processes in place to ensure that families are seated together" and noted that families who book Main Cabin Basic fares will not have access to seat selection at the time of booking, but can request adjacent seats or alternative flights on the day of travel.

Southwest maintains an "open seating policy" that allows passengers to choose any available seat once they are onboard the aircraft. The airline does not charge seat assignment fees and boards passengers based on their time of check-in.

"To assist families with sitting together, Southwest offers Family Boarding, which occurs after the "A" group has boarded and before the "B" group begins boarding," a Southwest spokesperson told Insider. "Up to two adults traveling with a child, or children, six years old or younger may board during Family Boarding to select their preferred seats. For families with children ages 7 and older, parents can seek assistance from a Flight Attendant for help with finding a seat adjacent to their child."

Spirit and JetBlue did not respond to requests for comment.

The dashboard strategy

"The dashboard will serve as a bridge to help families while the Department advances a rulemaking to ensure airlines seat young children adjacent to a parent or other accompanying adult," the DOT says. AP Photo/John Minchillo

With a lack of federal legislation protecting the rights of passengers, the DOT has turned to naming and shaming airlines over their customer service policies, including offering hotel vouchers during delays and reimbursing passengers for canceled flights.

The tactic appears to be working so far. As of a month ago, no major US airline guaranteed fee-free family seating, the DOT says. Before the dashboard's launch, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and Frontier Airlines each adjusted their policies to ensure parents can sit with their children free of charge, according to the agency.

After the DOT released its first dashboard in August highlighting airlines' varying flight reimbursement policies, multiple carriers changed their existing policies, as Insider previously reported.

"Prior to [Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg's] urging, none of the 10 largest U.S. airlines guaranteed meals or hotels when a delay or cancellation was within the airlines' control, and only one offered free rebooking," the agency said in a statement. "Now, all 10 airlines guarantee meals and rebooking, and nine guarantee hotels when an airline issue causes a cancellation or delay."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Crowds spanned multiple city blocks for an open casting call on Saturday, March 4 for

TULSA, Okla.An open casting call for the upcoming season of Reservation Dogs brought thousands of Indigenous people to audition at the Park Elementary School in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday.

The production hasnt had an open casting call since the first season, where it found several Indigenous talents who had no previous acting experience prior to Reservation Dogs.

Distance didnt deter many as people traveled from all over Indian Country to audition for a role. Vehicle license plates were from many Tribes in Oklahoma, but also out of state such as Minnesota, North Dakota, Texas, and New Mexico. Entire families reported to Native News Online that they made an event out of the opportunity to audition.

This is my first time casting, said Claudia Little-Axe, Seneca Cayuga from Miami, Oklah., to Native News Online. I feel really good about this and I brought my children and my niece along for the experience.

Lines to audition spanned more than four city blocks around Park Elementary School, located in a residential neighborhood in Tulsa. Food vendors were selling meat pies  a dish unique to the state  and Girl Scout cookies. As well, a food truck was set up for operation near the entrance of the school.

The production for the show was unable to share details about the upcoming season but did share how surprised they were at the amount of people who showed up for the casting call. Previous casting calls were held in Montana, Oklahoma, and Canada, where three of the main actors on the show are from. Cheese, who is one of the main characters, is played by Lane Factor, who didnt have previous acting experience said one of the producers.

Nanette Harjo  mother of the hit shows director and writer  Sterlin Harjo, said she was thrilled at the turnout.

I think seeing the crowd is really exciting and I didnt expect to see this many people, said Nanette Harjo to Native News Online. Im really proud of my son, and this amazing show gets another season for our Indigenous writers and directors.

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Its been one heck of a ride and everyone is supporting the show in Tulsa. We feel like we have the whole community behind us.

Reservation Dogs is the first television show to be filmed entirely in Oklahoma and the first to feature all Indigenous writers and directors. All of the shows main characters are Indigenous. In its first two seasons, the show has been recognized by critics and award programs for outstanding achievements including a Peabody Award, two Independent Spirit Awards, and nominations for the Critics Choice Television Awards and the Golden Globes.

The production said that they needed multiple positions filled from children at least 8 years old to adults.

About the Author: "Darren Thompson (Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe) is a staff reporter for Native News Online who is based in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. Thompson has reported on political unrest, tribal sovereignty, and Indigenous issues for the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, Indian Country Today, Native News Online, Powwows.com and Unicorn Riot. He has contributed to the New York Times, the Washington Post, and Voice of America on various Indigenous issues in international conversation. He has a bachelor\u2019s degree in Criminology & Law Studies from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. "

Contact: dthompson@nativenewsonline.net
A man connected to the investigation of three teenagers killed during a drug deal gone wrong is set to be sentenced to federal prison.

Jesus Angulo, 36, of Woodlake, pleaded guilty to attempting to sell drugs to benefit Tulare County Surenos, according to federal prosecutors.

Angulo's plea stems from a multi-agency investigation dubbed "Operation Trailblazer," which resulted in more than two dozen arrests, including three Visalia homicide suspects, and the seizure of weapons and drugs.

During the investigation, local, state and federal law enforcement officers discovered that Angulo and Jonathan Gallegos, of Ivanhhoe, were traveling to Southern California and into Mexico to bring back illegal drugs, including kilograms of cocaine.

In October 2021, officers stopped Angulo and Gallegos in Kern County. Inside the truck detectives found more than 9 kilograms of cocaine and a stolen, loaded gun.

Gallegos and another man were then shipping the drugs from the Ivanhoe post office to homes in Texas. The drugs were sold in Texas and the profits were used to buy firearms. The weapons and drugs were being shipped through the U.S. Postal Service, according to investigators.

Angulo is set for sentencing on June 12, where he faces 10 years to life in prison.

The primary focus of Operation Trailblazer was to bring to justice the suspects responsible for deadly shootings of Jose Hernandez-Pena, 19, Isaiah Rule, 18, and Blake Medeiros, 19, in May 2020.

"An investigation that began with the tragic murder of three young people in Visalia led to law enforcement uncovering a drug and firearm conspiracy that reached from California to Texas and Mexico," California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in 2022.

Mark Aceves, 20; Cesar Lopez, 19; and Abraham Molina, 20, were arrested and charged in the triple homicide.

This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Operation Trailblazer suspect faces federal prison
The owner of the pitbull that attacked a Columbus woman on March 1 apologized for the incident but also noted she was on his property, according to a report by WTVM television station.

The attack that left the victim with a partially amputated leg.

WTVM reported that the dogs owner, Edward Murray, said,  Im sorry that that happened to you, but next time pay attention to your surroundings.

Murray told WTVM he is sorry for what happened to Golden but claims that she came onto his property and that his dog was doing its job by protecting his family.

The Ledger-Enquirer reported that the bite was serious enough to leave the inner tissue of the victims, Kim Golden, ankle exposed, according to the Muscogee County Sheriffs Office. Golden is the companys Chief Operating Officer.

Cathy Williams, President and CEO of Neighborworks, told the Ledger-Enquirer that a witness described the attack as gruesome.

Columbus Animal control has refused to comment on the incident and has referred the Ledger-Enquirer to the City Attorneys office.

The Ledger-Enquirer is currently awaiting a response from the City Attorneys office.
Paramount is reportedly exploring selling its majority stake in BET and early discussions are taking place with Tyler Perry.

The Hollywood Reporter writes that according to its sources, Paramount is looking into selling its majority stake in BET, VH1 and BET+. Perry is thought to be in talks regarding the potential sale. If Perry does get the sale, it would mean he would have entire majority ownership of the BET brand. Perry already has a partnership with Paramount and BET via his role in launching BET+, which also airs many of his streaming shows.

The post Paramount Is Exploring Selling Its Majority Stake In BET, Tyler Perry Could Potentially Purchase: Report appeared first on Shadow And Act.

The news, which also been reported by Deadline, was first broken by The Wall Street Journal, which reported that the potential sale is part of Paramounts attempts to raise more money for Paramount+ and Pluto TV.

Theres nothing in stone either way about if Paramount will sell or if Perry will buy, but if Paramount does go through with the sale, it will then own a minority stake in the BET business and still maintain a commercial relationship.

If Perry does get the lions share of BET+, this would mean that he could turn it into a new business. Advertisers looking to cater more towards Black audiences would also love BET if it was out of Paramount and fully under Perrys ownership, allowing them to more directly advertise to Black consumers.

Perrys Tyler Perry Studios and BET Networks launched BET+ in 2019, with the promise of new original content each month during its first year. Through BET+, Perry has released shows including Sistas, Bruh, The Oval and others.
In this July 2016 image, then-Republican nominee Donald Trump is seen with Paul Manafort, who chaired Trump's campaign at the time. Brooks Kraft/Getty Images

Paul Manafort has quietly, and expensively, settled a 2022 DOJ lawsuit alleging he hid assets from the IRS.

Manafort, who once chaired Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, must pay the feds $3.1 million.

The settlement was revealed in a court filing in Florida, Manafort's current state of residence.

Paul Manafort, briefly a 2016 campaign manager for Donald Trump, has agreed to pay the federal government $3.15 million to settle a two-year-old civil lawsuit that accused him of hiding his foreign bank accounts when he filed his 2013 and 2014 tax returns.

The settlement, filed in US District Court in Florida, followed months of settlement discussions. Dated February 22, it was first reported Saturday by the non-profit Florida Bulldog.

The payout is Manafort's consequences for not disclosing his ownership of some three dozen offshore companies and bank accounts to the IRS nearly a decade ago.

Manafort did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The original lawsuit against him had alleged he failed to report income from consulting work in Ukraine that he had deposited in accounts in Cyprus, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and the UK.

The settlement is the latest chapter in a notorious, unapologetic life that included a controversial Trump pardon and an admission  to Insider in 2022  that he had passed Trump campaign data to a suspected Russian asset, Konstantin Kilimnik.

He has claimed that the information he passed along was "old" and essentially worthless.

The US Treasury Department characterized differently, calling it "sensitive information on polling and campaign strategy." It included internal campaign-polling data showing Trump's city-by-city strength in 18 swing states at a time when Russia was bent on targeted hacking of the election.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Former Vice President Mike Pence has filed a motion seeking to block a subpoena for his testimony about the events surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

CNN first reported on Monday that Pence filed a motion on Friday night asking a judge to block the subpoena for him to testify before a federal grand jury. A spokesperson for Pence declined to comment.

The filing comes a few weeks after Pence publicly stated he planned to fight a subpoena to testify before a grand jury investigating former President Trumps efforts to overturn the 2020 election, saying he was prepared to go to the Supreme Court if necessary.

Special counsel Jack Smith, who is overseeing separate investigations into Trumps conduct around Jan. 6 and his handling of classified documents, issued the subpoena.

Pence and his team plan to argue that serving as the former president of the Senate essentially makes him a member of the legislative branch, and he would therefore be shielded from the subpoena under the speech and debate clause of the Constitution.

Pence has said Trump was wrong to try to overturn the election, and he has been adamant that the vice president does not have the power to unilaterally reject electoral results.

But that said, under the Constitution, in this moment, I believe my duty is also clear, he said in Iowa last month. And that is, the Constitution prohibits an executive branch from summoning anyone into court for their legislative actions or duties, and on the day of Jan. 6, I was acting as president of the Senate, presiding over a joint session described in the Constitution itself.

Pences efforts to resist the subpoena are separate from legal filings by Trumps team seeking to block the former vice presidents testimony on grounds of executive privilege.

The former vice president is mulling a 2024 presidential bid, visiting early primary states including Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. He is expected to make a final decision in the coming months.

Running for the GOP nomination would pit Pence against Trump, who has continued to falsely claim the 2020 election was stolen and fraudulent as he campaigns to return to the White House.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Photo: The Canadian Press Ukrainian soldiers in a trench near Russian positions close to Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Sunday, March 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Libkos)

Ukrainian military leaders expressed determination Monday to hold onto Bakhmut as Russian forces encroached on the devastated eastern city they have sought to capture for six months at the cost of thousands of lives.

Less than a week ago, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the defenders might retreat from Bakhmut and fall back to nearby positions.

But Zelenskyys office said Monday that he chaired a meeting in which the country's top military brass spoke in favor of continuing the defense operation and further strengthening our positions in Bakhmut."

Intense Russian shelling targeted the city in the Donetsk region and nearby villages as Moscow deployed more resources to try to finish off Bakhmuts resistance, according to local officials.

"Civilians are fleeing the region to escape Russian shelling continuing round the clock, Donetsk Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said.

Russian forces that invaded Ukraine just over a year ago have been unable to deliver a knockout blow that would allow them to seize Bakhmut. Analysts say it does not have major strategic value and that its capture would be unlikely to serve as a turning point in the conflict.

The Russian push for Bakhmut reflects the Kremlin's broader struggle to achieve battlefield momentum. Moscow's full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, soon stalled, and Ukraine launched a largely successful counteroffensive. Over the bitterly cold winter months, the fighting has largely been deadlocked.

The city's importance has become symbolic. For Russian President Vladimir Putin, prevailing there would finally deliver some good news from the front. For Kyiv the display of grit and defiance reinforces a message that Ukraine is holding on after a year of brutal attacks, justifying continued support from its Western allies.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin endorsed that view Monday, saying during a visit to Jordan that Bakhmut has more of a symbolic value than  strategic and operational value.

Moscow, he added, is continuing to pour in a lot of ill-trained and ill-equipped troops into Bakhmut, while Ukraine is patiently building combat power elsewhere with Western military support ahead of a possible spring offensive.

Even so, some analysts question the wisdom of pressing the Ukrainian defenders to hold out much longer. Others suggest that a tactical withdrawal may already be underway.

Michael Kofman, the director of Russia studies at the CAN think tank in Arlington, Virginia, said Ukraines defense of Bakhmut has been effective because it has drained the Russian war effort, but that Kyiv should now look ahead.

The tenacious defense of Bakhmut achieved a great deal, expending Russian manpower and ammunition, Kofman tweeted late Sunday. But strategies can reach points of diminishing returns, and given Ukraine is trying to husband resources for an offensive, it could impede the success of a more important operation.

The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, noted that urban warfare favors the defender but that Kyiv's smartest option now may be to withdraw to positions that are easier to defend.

In recent days, Ukrainian units destroyed two key bridges just outside Bakhmut, including one linking it to the nearby hilltop town of Chasiv Yar along the last remaining Ukrainian resupply route, according to U.K. military intelligence officials and other Western analysts. Demolishing the bridges could slow the Russian offensive.

"Ukrainian forces are unlikely to withdraw from Bakhmut all at once and may pursue a gradual fighting withdrawal to exhaust Russian forces through continued urban warfare, the ISW said in an assessment published late Sunday.

The Bakhmut battle has also served to expose Russian military shortcomings and bitter divisions.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the millionaire owner of the Wagner Group military company that has spearheaded the Bakhmut offensive, has been at loggerheads with the Russian Defense Ministry and repeatedly accused it of failing to provide his forces with ammunition.

On Sunday, he again criticized top military brass for moving slowly to deliver the promised ammunition and questioned whether the delay was caused by red tape or treason."

The commander of the Ukrainian land forces, Col.-Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, noted after visiting Bakhmut that the fight has escalated with the deployment of additional Wagner forces. Ukrainian troops, which are now focused on defending the city's north to prevent its encirclement, have inflicted significant losses to the enemy, destroyed a large amount of equipment, forced the best Wagner assault units to be thrown into battle and reduced the enemys offensive potential."

Putins stated ambition is to seize full control of the four provinces, including Donetsk, that Moscow illegally annexed last fall. Russian forces control about half of Donetsk province, and to take its remaining half, they must go through Bakhmut. The city is the only approach to bigger Ukrainian-held cities since Ukrainian troops took back Izium in Kharkiv province during a counteroffensive last September.

Bakhmut has taken on almost mythic importance to its defenders. It has become like Mariupol  the port city in the same province that Russia captured last year after an 82-day siege that eventually came down to a mammoth steel mill where determined Ukrainian fighters held out along with civilians.

Moscow looked to cement its rule in the areas it has occupied and annexed. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu traveled to Mariupol and toured some of the citys rebuilt infrastructure, the Defense Ministry reported Monday. Shoigu was shown a newly built hospital, a rescue center of the Emergency Ministry and residential buildings, the ministry said.

In other developments Monday:

 Russian forces attacked central and eastern regions of Ukraine with Iranian-made Shahed drones, a spokesman for Ukraines Air Forces, Yurii Ihnat, told Ukrainian media. Of 15 drones Russia launched, 13 were shot down, Ihnat said. It wasnt immediately clear if the attack caused damage.

 Russian defenders shot down three missiles over Russias Belgorod region on the border with Ukraine, its governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said on Telegram. Debris injured one person and damaged power lines and facades of residential buildings, according to the official. Gladkov did not specify whether the missiles were fired from Ukraine.

 Russias Federal Security Service, or FSB, reported thwarting an attempt to assassinate nationalist businessman Konstantin Malofeyev that was allegedly plotted by Ukrainian security services and the Russian Volunteer Corps that claims to be part of Ukraines armed forces. According to the FSB, the Russian Volunteer Corps leader Denis Kapustin was the mastermind behind the plan, which was to put a bomb under Malofeyevs car.

Malofeyev is a media baron and owner of the ultra-conservative Tsargrad TV who has supported Russia-backed separatists in Ukraine and has trumpeted Moscows invasion as a holy war. He has been sanctioned by the U.S. and last year was charged with trying to evade sanctions.

The Russian Volunteer Corps last week claimed responsibility for an attack on Russian villages on the border with Ukraine.

The FSB said Monday that the raid on the villages that killed two civilians and wounded two others, including a child, was organized and spearheaded by Kapustin. The FSBs allegations could not be independently verified. Ukrainian officials have not commented on the claim.
Pete Davidson has been involved in a car accident in which the car he was inside crashed into the side of a home.

According to reports by TMZ, the former Saturday Night Live star was driving in Beverly Hills on Saturday (4 March), when his vehicle went over the curb, hitting a fire hydrant and crashing into the side of a house.

Davidsons Bodies Bodies Bodies co-star and girlfriend Chase Sui Wonders was also in the car.

A police spokesperson confirmed to The New York Post that the car crash occurred and that Davidson was in the vehicle.

They also added that city property, in the form of the fire hydrant, had been damaged. However, they refused to give further details due to the ongoing nature of the investigation.

The Independent has contacted Davidsons representatives for comment.

Pictures obtained by TMZ show exterior damage caused to the home, although sources told the publication that nobody was hurt in the accident.

Davidson, 29, and Wonders, 26, met on the set of slasher comedy Bodies Bodies Bodies in May 2021.

Davidsons girlfriend Wonders (pictured) was also reportedly in the vehicle (Getty Images)

However, reports that they were dating only emerged in December 2022, following Davidsons recent high-profile relationships with Kim Kardashian and Emily Ratajkowski.

The couple had returned from a getaway in Hawaii just hours before the accident.

In January, fans noticed in photos of Wonders and Davidson that the comedian appeared to have removed tattoos dedicated to Kardashian that he got during their relationship.

In the photos, it appears that Davidson had removed the my girl is a lawyer tattoo from his collarbone, which Kardashian discussed on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Another tattoo seemingly absent was the Jasmine and Aladdin design he had on his clavicle.

The ink was a reference to how he first met Kardashian in October 2022 on Saturday Night Live, where the pair played Jasmine and Aladdin in a sketch.
MANILA, Philippines (AP)  Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Monday that he ordered police to crack down on illegal firearms and private armies and described as terrifying the weekend shootings that killed a provincial governor and eight others in a crowd.

The attack on Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo at his home on Saturday by at least six men armed with assault rifles and wearing military camouflage and bullet-resistant vests was the deadliest on politicians in recent weeks.

It was also the most alarming gun attack under Marcos, who said he was shocked when he saw footage of the gunmen walking into Degamo's residential compound then opening fire on just anybody in front of them, even those who were not involved in their conflict.

This one is particularly terrifying and it's really ... I don't know. This does not belong in the society, Marcos said in a news conference when asked about the worst killings since he took office in June last year. Degamo's killing is entirely unacceptable and it will not stand. This cannot go unpunished.

Government forces were still pursuing other suspects in the region, which has been cordoned off by law enforcers, Marcos said, adding without elaborating that the attack was purely political."

Police said four suspects, including two former army soldiers, have been arrested and charged, and one other was killed in a brief gunbattle with police. The army and police should keep a high-profile presence in the province to prevent further violence, Marcos said.

He said he had ordered the Interior Department and the national police to assess political hot spots in the country then dismantle private armies and confiscate illegal firearms, which in the past had fostered such crimes of impunity.

Degamo, who backed Marcos' presidential candidacy last year, was meeting a group of poor villagers seeking medical and other help when the gunmen walked calmly into his residential compound in Pamplona town and opened fire. They fled in three SUVs, which were later abandoned in a nearby town. Police said about 10 men were seen fleeing.

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At least 17 others, including a doctor and two army soldiers, were wounded in the attack, police said.

Degamo, a longtime politician, initially lost the race for Negros Orientals governorship in last years elections but was later installed governor after filing a court petition. He said a few years ago without elaborating that he had received death threats in the province, which has a history of bloody political conflicts and violence linked to a communist insurgency.

Degamos killing underscores that even local and influential politicians are not immune from high-profile gun violence that has persisted despite the governments pledge to combat it.

Aside from Degamo, at least four other politicians have come under attack in recent weeks.

Gov. Mamintal Alonto Adiong Jr. of southern Lanao del Sur province was wounded and four of his bodyguards killed in an attack on their convoy last month. Police said they killed one of the suspects in a clash and have identified others who would be charged soon.

In another attack, men reportedly wearing police uniforms fired at the van of northern Aparri town Vice Mayor Rommel Alameda, killing him and five companions in northern Nueva Vizcaya province. The suspects remain at large.

Crimes and decades-long Muslim and communist rebellions, which have been engendered by a surfeit of unlicensed firearms and spotty law enforcement, are some of the major problems inherited by Marcos, a former provincial governor.

In 2009, nearly 200 armed followers led by members of a political clan blocked a convoy of a rival ahead of local elections then led the 58 victims, including 32 media workers, to a nearby hilltop in Ampatuan town in southern Maguindanao province where all were gunned down. A court convicted detained key members of the Ampatuan family over the killings a decade later but many suspects remain at large.
MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines inched closer to rewriting its constitution, a step that supporters said is aimed at easing investment restrictions, amid fears the move could pave the way for removal of public office term limits, including for the president.

House Speaker Martin Romualdez said on Monday the lower house, voting 301-6, approved a resolution calling for a constitutional convention, whose members will be elected by the public, that will draft the changes to the 1987 charter.

Romualdez, a cousin of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, said in a statement that changes to the constitution would be limited to "restrictive" provisions that make it difficult for foreign businesses to invest in the Philippines.

He did not specify which provisions but foreign chambers of commerce have been pushing for changes to lift current limits to foreign investment, including the so-called 60-40 rule, which caps foreign ownership of local firms at 40 percent.

"We need additional investments that would create more jobs and income opportunities for people," Romualdez said.

But opposition lawmakers have questioned the need for the amendments and raised suspicions over the motivations behind them.

Edcel Lagman, one of the six who voted against the move, feared the entire charter, including provisions on term limits, would be opened up to revisions "which could be the furtive agenda" for calling for charter change.

The 1987 constitution limits Marcos to a single six-year term. The restriction was born of the country's experience of martial law under his namesake father, the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos, who ruled the country for more than two decades.

Marcos said last month changing the constitution was not on his list of priorities. He said the country could entice investments without revising the charter.

(Reporting by Karen Lema; Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor)
Phoenix police.

Phoenix police detectives are investigating an incident involving an officer firing at a suspect accused of pulling out a firearm at a superstore.

Just before 11 a.m. Saturday, a loss prevention employee at a Walmart Supercenter at 35th and Southern avenues noticed a man believed to be shoplifting. An off-duty Phoenix police officer who was in the area near the store was alerted of the shoplifting attempt, police said.

The police officer, who was still in full uniform, went to assist the loss prevention employee when the man, later identified as 35-year-old David Apana, pulled out a gun and pointed it at both the officer and the loss prevention employee, police said. The officer then fired his gun in an attempt to shoot the man and missed him.

After the shooting, Apana ran towards the center of the store and eventually made it outside, police said. Apana was seen by responding officers running into a nearby neighborhood. A perimeter was set around Apanas last known location. Apana was located and arrested. A firearm was also located next to the area where Apana was found. It was confirmed he was not struck by the officers shot.

There were no injuries to any other community members or officers, according to police.

Apana was booked on multiple felonies, including aggravated assault on a police officer.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix man who shot in a superstore booked in jail
The man accused of fatally shooting Pinnon Meats employee Peggy Anderson has been brought back to Rockford and is now in the Winnebago County Jail.

William Jones, 40, appeared briefly Monday before Illinois 17th Circuit Court Associate Judge John Gibbons who assigned the case to Associate Judge Randy Wilt.

According to the Winnebago County State's Attorney's office, Jones arrived in Rockford on Friday after being held in a Madison County, Alabama jail.

Jones had his first court appearance in Rockford on Saturday where bond was set at $5 million.

More:Why Pinnon Meats homicide suspect is still in an Alabama jail cell and not in Rockford

Jones, 40, was arrested by the North Alabama Violent Crime Task Force on Feb. 3 and booked early the next day into the Madison County Jail in Huntsville.

Jones was identified early on in the Jan. 11 shooting death of Anderson, 63, of Rockford, who worked in the store's bakery department and lived in an apartment above the business, 2324 N. Court St.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Pinnon Meats homicide suspect William Jones now in Rockford jail
Palestinians look out from a damaged building next to scorched cars in the town of Hawara, near the West Bank city of Nablus, on Feb. 27, 2023. AP Photo/Nasser Nasser

Following the murder of two Israeli brothers in the West Bank on Feb. 26, 2023, a mob of around 400 Israelis attacked the Palestinian town of Huwara. They torched dozens of homes and cars, leaving one dead and hundreds wounded before being stopped by Israeli security forces.

Though some government leaders  including the head of the parliaments National Security Committee  praised the mob or called for the state itself to erase the towns existence, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned them for taking the law into their own hands. Others  including the top Israeli general in the West Bank  used even stronger language, calling the attack a pogrom, as did a statement against the attack by the Israeli Historical Society, signed by some of Israels most renowned historians.

According to historian of Russian Jewry John Klier, a pogrom is an outbreak of mass violence directed against a minority religious, ethnic or social group [that] usually implies central instigation and control, or at minimum the passivity of local authorities.

In other words, it is an explosion of mob violence by members of a majority group against a minority, with at least passive support of the state. Pogroms remind the minority of their lower place in the social order.

As a scholar of modern Jewish history, I am very aware that the use of this term is highly contentious. Because of their pivotal role in modern Jewish history in general  and the birth of Zionism and Israel in particular  pogroms have an oversize place in Jewish collective memory.

Russian origins

The Russian word was first made infamous around the world after a series of such attacks broke out against Jews across Russian-controlled Ukraine in 1881 and 1882 in response to the assassination of Czar Alexander II, which was blamed on the Jews. The 250 pogroms killed dozens of people and caused extensive property damage.

Despite the relatively low death toll compared with 20th-century pogroms, these first pogroms played a pivotal role in Jewish history. Millions of Jews abandoned hope in Russia and moved to the United States, while a small cadre considered Jewish national options in Palestine instead. In other words, the pogroms partially gave birth to modern Zionism.

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One lone pogrom in 1903 in Kishiniv, Moldova, which killed 49 Jews, had a particularly powerful effect on Jewish politics at the time. It received worldwide condemnation, including by the renowned Russian authors Leo Tolstoy and Maksim Gorky, and was the subject of a powerful Hebrew poem, The City of Slaughter, that galvanized support for militant Zionism.

A list of all 187 victims of a 1919 pogrom in the Ukrainian town of Dubova. AP Photo/David Karp

Often the government was in fact not behind the violence and sometimes even opposed it. This was particularly the case in 1881, for example, when Russian forces even occasionally fired on the rampaging mob.

Critically, however, the dominant ethnic groups, which included Ukrainians and Russians, assumed that the Russian government was on their side. After all, there was extensive, legal discrimination against the Jewish minority and constant incendiary rhetoric by government officials.

In subsequent decades, the level of violence in Eastern Europe dramatically increased, often with the open support of the Russian authorities. Thousands were killed during two years of unrest following the first Russian Revolution in 1905, while over 100,000 Jews were killed in Ukrainian pogroms from 1918 to 1921. Pogroms continued throughout the interwar period, leading up to the Holocaust, and beyond it.

From Russia to Israel

Although the word pogrom today has grown beyond its initial Russian Jewish setting  it can describe white violence against African Americans like the 1919 Tulsa race massacre  it is still widely associated with those East European events. Using it to describe this weeks attack on Huwara  or other similar attacks in Israel or Palestine  effectively puts Israel in the place of the Jews historic persecutors. This is a highly uncomfortable position for many Jewish people, particularly in Israel.

It is not surprising, then, that critics on social media have argued that this cannot be a pogrom because it was not directed by the state, or because it is the result of a two-sided ethnic conflict, not an act of one-sided oppression.

However, these comments are neither historically accurate nor fair to the current situation. In todays Israel, minority rights have been suppressed as well, particularly in the West Bank. Palestinians in the West Bank, unlike the Jewish settlers next to them, face violence and discrimination in nearly every aspect of their lives. In other words, Israeli Jews and Palestinians are today not equal partners in an ethnic rivalry.

Moreover, as in czarist Russia, the state has also suggested its sympathy for violence through incendiary rhetoric and failure to prosecute violent Jews. In fact, historical records show far more rioters were arrested and punished by Russia in 1881 than in Huwara this week, where only eight of the 400 Jewish offenders were arrested, only to be quickly released.

This failure to punish any of the perpetrators sends a message of state support for the violence even clearer than the open support in statements by leaders of the government security apparatus. Some Israeli government officials even argue that by definition there can be no such thing as Jewish pogrom.

As to why the Israeli general, the Israeli Historical Society, or the former head of the Anti-Defamation League, Abe Foxman, among others, would use the term if it is so charged? Perhaps precisely because Jewish people using the word to describe the attack on Huwara know that its deeply uncomfortable, and that it might shock Israelis to address the violence more appropriately.

This article is republished from The Conversation, an independent nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. Like this article? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

It was written by: Joshua Shanes, College of Charleston.

Read more:



Joshua Shanes 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.
A sign with the inscription Druzhba oil pipeline near Samara

The Russians have stopped pumping oil to Poland, said Obajtek.

He declined to specify how much Orlen will seek to get from Tatneft in the lawsuit, saying he could not discuss the details of the contracts.

Read also: Drone attacks oil pipeline substation near Russias Belgorod

Now we will sue and demand damages, the CEO concluded.

Earlier, Obajtek reported that on Feb. 25, Russia has stopped the delivery of crude oil to Orlen refineries through the Druzhba pipeline.

Read also: Baltic Pipe gas pipeline from Norway to Poland via Denmark reaches full pumping capacity

PKN Orlen imported about 200,000 tons of oil monthly under a contract with Russian Tatneft, which was due to expire in December 2024. Russian deliveries make up 10% of the Polish market.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Dozens of demonstrators breached the site of a proposed law enforcement training centre in a forested area in Atlantas outskirts, where construction equipment was set ablaze and bricks, rocks, fireworks and Molotov cocktails were tossed and fired at officers, according to police.

Atlanta Police Department officials said 35 people were detained after what the agency has described as a coordinated attack on Sunday (5 March), with a group of violent agitators using the cover of a peaceful protest to hijack demonstrations and destroy property and attack officers.

Surveillance footage released by police shows large pieces of heavy equipment in flames during the second day of a weeklong series of Stop Cop City actions to protest construction of the proposed Atlanta Public Safety Training Center.

Actions such as this will not be tolerated, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said during a briefing on Sunday. When you attack law enforcement officers, when you damage equipment, you are breaking the law.

The $90m project would bulldoze roughly 85 acres of the South River Forest with support from the Atlanta Police Foundation, a nonprofit organisation with a board filled with representatives from Atlanta power brokers like Chick-Fil-A and Delta Airlines. The plans have faced widespread opposition from a coalition of Atlanta-area community groups, environmental activists and national justice advocates.

Growing tensions between police and opponents surrounding the project have resulted in dozens of arrests and more than a dozen charges of domestic terrorism, though analysts have found that none of those arrested and slapped with terrorism charges are accused of seriously injuring anyone and most of the charges are based on the equivalent of misdemeanor trespassing.

Environmental advocates demand that the woods be preserved, while others have warned that the development of the site  which would include mock urban training sets  would lead to further militarisation of police in a region under scrutiny for high-profile acts of police violence, with five prisons, six landfills, and declining public housing and healthcare facilities.

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On 18 January, officers fatally shot Manuel Tortuguita Paez Tera during one of at least two clearing operations at the site; police claim Teran fired at officers unprovoked, while family members and activists say that newly released footage from the aftermath has raised even more questions about the official accounts.

As Ive said before, domestic terrorism will NOT be tolerated in this state, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said in a statement on Monday.

As we continue to respect peaceful protest, we will also continue to ensure safety in our communities, he said. We will not rest until those who use violence and intimidation for an extremist end are brought to full justice.

On 9 March, activists in Atlanta and across the US will join national demonstrations against police violence following the recent killings of Tera, Tyre Nichols in Memphis, and all others lost and impacted by police violence and terror.

Atlanta police have a multi-layered strategy that includes reaction and arrest as law enforcement agencies prepare for demonstrations.

When you throw commercial-grade fireworks, when you throw Molotov cocktails, large rocks, a number of items at officers, your only intent is to harm, and the charges are going to show that, Chief Schierbaum said on Sunday.
A convicted criminal was arrested over the weekend after police say he brought a loaded gun to a Massachusetts trampoline park.

Chantra Say, 32, of Fall River, is facing charges including carrying a high-capacity firearm, possession of ammunition, and resisting arrest, according to the New Bedford Police Department.

Officers responding to a report of an armed man at Funz Trampoline Park in New Bedford around 7 p.m. Saturday witnessed Say attempt to pass a bag to another person before ditching it in a garbage can, police said.

Say allegedly resisted arrest before officers were able to handcuff him. A subsequent search of the discarded bag yielded a 9mm handgun and 13 rounds of ammunition.

During the booking process, Say refused to identify himself, according to police. Officers later learned that he was on probation out of Bristol Superior court for assault with intent to commit murder and possession of a firearm.

Says convictions stem from his involvement in a Fall River shooting that took place during the summer of 2010.

The incident remains under investigation.

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China targets faster, quality growth amid push for recovery, modernization

Xinhua) 08:16, March 06, 2023

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- China aims to achieve a faster economic growth of around 5 percent with better quality of development in 2023, as the world's second-largest economy gathers pace to build up recovery momentum and push ahead with its modernization drive.

The projected target, higher than the 3-percent growth recorded in the country's gross domestic product (GDP) last year, is one of the key objectives for development laid out in the government work report delivered by Premier Li Keqiang to the national legislature, which began its annual session Sunday.

The world is closely watching for new policy moves on China's development, as national lawmakers and political advisors convene for the first annual gathering since the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in October last year. Meanwhile, the country's quick recovery from COVID-19 has raised hopes for wider growth globally, adding to the significance of the event.

Delivering steady and quality growth is key to realizing the CPC's grand blueprint for building a great modern socialist country by the middle of this century.

"It is imperative to maintain reasonable long-term economic growth while ensuring better quality and efficiency and to sustain our miraculous achievements of fast economic growth and long-term social stability," as the 20th CPC National Congress envisaged increasing the country's per capita GDP to be on par with that of a mid-level developed country by 2035, according to a separate report submitted Sunday by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the top economic planner.

The growth target of around 5 percent "is necessary to ensure stable growth, employment and prices," according to the NDRC report on the implementation of the 2022 plan for national economic and social development and on the 2023 draft plan for national economic and social development.

"It will be a positive signal to the market and will bolster confidence, guide expectations, expand employment, improve living standards, and prevent and defuse risks while pursuing development," the NDRC report said.

This year's GDP target is also consistent with the growth potential of the Chinese economy at present and with the capability of resources and production factors to support the economy, according to the report.

"For China, 2023 is a year of economic comeback," said Liu Shouying, dean of the School of Economics at Renmin University of China.

While the annual GDP target is an appropriate growth pace required to stabilize expectations and economic expansion, it has indicated that the Chinese economy will continue to focus on high-quality development, Liu said.

People visit Jianchang ancient city during the Spring Festival holiday in Xichang, southwest China's Sichuan Province, on Jan. 27, 2023. (Photo by Li Jieyi/Xinhua)

REVIVING GROWTH

China's economy is staging a steady recovery, with marked improvement in consumer demand, market distribution, industrial production and business expectations, the premier said, noting that the economy is demonstrating vast potential and momentum for further growth.

The recovery can be seen and felt in the scenes of busy roads, crowded cinemas and restaurants, and shopping sprees both online and in stores. The latest official data showed that manufacturing activity has returned to the highest level in more than a decade, foreign investment growth rebounded, and monthly new bank lending surged more than expected.

While acknowledging past achievements, Li cautioned of difficulties and challenges confronting the economy, including rising uncertainties in the external environment, insufficient domestic demand, and risks and hidden dangers in the real estate market.

It is important to "give priority to ensuring stable growth, employment and prices" this year, Li told lawmakers.

This year, China aims to create around 12 million new urban jobs, with a surveyed urban unemployment rate of around 5.5 percent, according to the government work report. Other annual objectives include keeping the consumer price index increase at around 3 percent and grain output above 650 million tonnes.

The government work report unveiled a raft of measures to shore up growth this year. They include a projected deficit-to-GDP ratio of 3 percent, 0.2 percentage points higher than the level last year, and 3.8 trillion yuan (about 549.8 billion U.S. dollars) of special-purpose bonds to be allocated to local governments.

The report also called for making the prudent monetary policy targeted and forceful, noting that the M2 money supply and aggregate financing should increase generally in step with nominal economic growth to support the real economy.

To expand domestic demand, China will prioritize the recovery and expansion of consumption, the report said, noting that the incomes of urban and rural residents will be boosted through multiple channels.

"China's economy will turn for the better on the whole and its growth rate is more likely than not to reach a normal level," said economist Yu Miaojie, president of Liaoning University and a national legislator.

International institutions and investment banks have raised their predictions for China's growth this year. The International Monetary Fund lifted in late January its forecast for China's growth in 2023 to 5.2 percent, up from a previous prediction of 4.4 percent.

This aerial photo taken on June 19, 2022 shows wind turbines in a forest park in Raohe County, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. (Xinhua/Xie Jianfei)

QUALITY MATTERS

While giving weight to economic growth, the Chinese government will not seek growth at all costs. Instead, it wants a greener and more efficient economy.

While delivering the government work report, Li once again underscored efforts to pursue high-quality development, outlining policy priorities such as accelerating the modernization of the industrial system and promoting the transition to a green development pattern.

China aims to reduce energy consumption per unit of GDP by around 2 percent this year and "will strive for better results in actual work," according to the NDRC report.

It unveiled the objectives of continued reductions in the discharge of major pollutants, stronger control over the consumption of fossil fuels, and steady improvements in the natural environment.

On boosting the country's technology strength, Li urged pooling quality resources and making concerted efforts to achieve breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields. He also called for efforts to make traditional industries and small and medium-sized enterprises more advanced, smarter, and more eco-friendly.

In the face of severe challenges brought by rising protectionism and the COVID-19 flareups in the past few years, China has avoided overreliance on investment as a means of boosting economic growth but stayed focused on helping market entities overcome difficulties and grow.

"We have taken decisive measures to step up macro policy support while refraining from adopting a deluge of strong stimulus policies that would eat into our potential for future growth," Li said.

High-quality development is deemed "the first and foremost" task in China's modernization endeavor. President Xi Jinping has stressed that instead of taking GDP growth as the sole criterion for success, China is now focusing more on improving the quality and efficiency of growth.

As part of the better quality of development, China has seen increased spending on research and development in the past five years, with reduced energy intensity and carbon emissions, according to the government work report.

"A modern China should be one with high-quality development," said Han Baojiang, director of the economics department of the National Academy of Governance and a national political advisor.

"Only by placing equal emphasis on growth and quality and creating a strong synergy for high-quality development can we build a solid economic foundation for Chinese modernization," Han said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Photo: The Canadian Press The Calgary Courts Centre.

A convicted killer in Calgary, who has been charged in another woman's death, made a brief court appearance Monday.

Christopher Ward Dunlop, 48, is charged with second-degree murder and causing an indignity to a body in the death of 58-year-old Judy Maerz, whose burned remains were found in a Calgary park on Feb. 16.

He had previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the 2009 death of Laura Furlan and had recently finished serving a 12-year sentence.

Dunlop appeared in court by video and had the matter adjourned until April 6.

The Crown expects to have a first round of disclosure available within the next two weeks.

Dunlop admitted to choking Furlan in August 2009 and dumping her naked body in a park where it was discovered two weeks later.
The night began with a music festival at the spot where Atlanta plans to build a police and fire training facility, but it turned into a night of havoc.

STORY: FHP: At least 1 person dead in I-95 crash in St. Johns County

Atlanta police said a group of violent agitators used the cover of a peaceful protest of the proposed Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, located near Bouldercrest Road and Key Road, to conduct a coordinated attack on construction equipment and police officers.

The festival was part of what protestors against the facility called a week of mobilization Defend Atlanta forest and Stop Cop City promoted the week-long list of events to show opposition.

They asked people from around the country to stand in solidarity with their cause, and hundreds attended.

STORY: Officials: 3 dead, 1 injured in possible home invasion in Illinois

Sunday night, attendees told Channel 2s Courtney Francisco a group branched off of the concert for a protest nearby around 5 p.m.

APD said 100-plus protestors changed into black clothing and entered the construction area and began to throw large rocks, bricks, Molotov cocktails, and fireworks at police officers.

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Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the fire near the controversial proposed police training center.

APD said 35 agitators have been detained so far.

Cameras captured the moment officers detained multiple people at the site.

STORY: Jacksonville pastor says someone broke into and vandalized church before leaving pants behind

Heavy smoke could be seen miles away from the facility.

DeKalb police blocked off the roads leading to the facility. Officials have not confirmed any injuries.

In late February, Channel 2 Action News learned Mayor Andre Dickens is creating a community task force to get input on what to do with that space.

STORY: Human remains in car found by fisherman in Arkansas lake in connection to 2008 missing person case

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The decision to form the task force came after a lawsuit filed by a neighbor and an environmental group, failed. The lawsuit was filed to stop the construction of the facility

Police now have extra patrols in that area as construction continues after several incidents of violent protests in the past year.

Atlanta police said with protests planned for the coming days, APD and other law enforcement partners have a multi-layered strategy that includes reaction and arrest.

The police asks for this weeks protests to remain peaceful.

CLICK HERE to read the original WSBTV article.

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Police said the teenager from Milton was found safe Monday after asking the publics help in the search.

14-year-old Damani Tubberville left home Saturday wearing a gray Guess jacket, according to Milton Police. Authorities say he may be using public transportation.

He is 510 tall, weighs 160 lbs. and is known to frequent the Boston and Braintree areas.

Anyone with information about Tubbervilles whereabouts is asked to contact police.

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.

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Defence forces currently have the ability to deliver ammunition, food and medicine to Bakhmut, as well as pick up the wounded.

Source: Serhii Cherevatyi, spokesperson for the Eastern grouping of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, on air during the national 24/7 newscast

Quote from Cherevatyi: "The defence forces are holding the lines in Bakhmut; there is an opportunity to deliver ammunition, provisions, medicines, and take the wounded from there."

Details: When asked whether it is true that important military bridges for the Ukrainian army were blown up in the Bakhmut area, Cherevatyi said: "Yes, during military operations, the enemy hits our infrastructure, bridges and other areas. However, our units provide in different ways the ability to deliver everything you need."

He also emphasised that "no army in the world ever announces its tactical actions."

Background: On March 4, Serhii Cherevatyi said that Russia had not taken control of the city of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast; there had been no mass withdrawal of Ukraine's troops.

Analysts of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), having analysed the situation, came to the conclusion that Russian troops will not be able to encircle Bakhmut in the near future.

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The right to vote [and] to have your vote counted is the threshold of democracy and liberty, said President Joe Biden in Selma, Alabama. With it, anythings possible. Without that right, nothing is possible.

President Joe Biden assailed voter suppression and called for economic justice for Black Americans during his remarks on Sunday, the day commemorating the 58th anniversary of Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama.

Standing on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, where voting rights demonstrators were brutally beaten in 1965 by state troopers while protesting for equal access to the ballot, President Biden doubled down on his calls for Congress to pass two key federal voting rights bills that remain dormant on Capitol Hill  the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act.

US President Joe Biden delivers remarks to mark the 58th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, on March 5, 2023.  More than 600 civil rights demonstrators were beaten by white police officers as they tried to cross the bridge during a 54 mile march from Selma to Montgomery, on March 7, 1965. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

The right to vote [and] to have your vote counted is the threshold of democracy and liberty, said President Biden. With it, anythings possible. Without that right, nothing is possible.

He added, This fundamental right remains under assault.

Five months after activists, led by leaders like the late civil rights icon U.S. Rep. John Lewis, marched from Selma to Montgomery, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which prohibited racial discrimination in voting. However, 58 years later, the landmark law remains weakened after rulings from the Supreme Court in recent years.

President Biden called out the conservative court that gutted the Voting Rights Act and lamented the wave of states and dozens of anti-voting laws fueled by the big lie and the election deniers after the 2020 election.

Acknowledging the political reality of a divided Congress where Republicans have repeatedly blocked passage of voting rights reform, Biden declared, We must get the votes in Congress.

He added, I will not let a filibuster obstruct the sacred right to vote.

Biden also connected the issue of voting rights to other issues impacting Black communities across the country, like access to affordable housing and the economy. He argued that his agenda was creating a thriving and inclusive economy prioritizing Black participation.

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US President Joe Biden, joined by US Representative Terri Sewell (D-AL), Reverend Al Sharpton, Reverend Jesse Jackson, Martin Luther King III, and fellow activists cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, on March 5, 2023, to mark the 58th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

The president also broadly condemned Republican-led bans of Black history in public classrooms, telling the crowd, The truth matters, notwithstanding that the other team is trying to hide the truth.

He continued, No matter how hard some people try, we cant just choose to learn what we want to know and not what we should know. We should learn everything  the good, the bad, the truth of who we are as a nation  and everyone should know the truth of Selma.

Melanie Campbell, president and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, commended President Biden for using his speech to connect the dots between Bloody Sunday and todays modern battle for voting rights protections, among other racial justice issues she and other civil rights leaders continue to advocate for.

Campbell said Biden opening his remarks to reference the recent censoring of Black history in schools was especially impactful given the historical backdrop of Bloody Sunday. These are the things they dont want the kids to know about, she told theGrio. If your history is removed from the consciousness, then your relevancy as a community doesnt matter.

The activist said the president appeared to be laying out the key parts of his agenda for 2024. She explained, He talked about the progress of his administration, but also the unfinished business of his administration.

Though Biden has not officially announced his reelection campaign, he and those close to him have repeatedly said he intends to run. Campbell said that the presidents agenda, whether passing voting rights or police reform through the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, is impacted by the numbers he has on his side in Congress.

He does have an agenda that has been impacted by who sits in Congress right now, said Campbell.

In his remarks on the unfinished business of his administration, the president called for a full restoration of the Child Tax Credit  which studies show would greatly benefit Black and Latino households  continuing to lower the Black unemployment rate, lowering insulin costs for non-senior citizens, and expanding paid family medical leave.

Svante Myrick, president and CEO of People For the American Way  who called Biden a tremendous friend and ally of the Black community  told theGrio as the president and country reflect on the sacrifice of the Bloody Sunday foot soldiers, its important to remember that if we didnt pick up the torch and continue to fight, then we will have failed them.

In this March 7, 1965, file photo, state troopers swinging billy clubs to break up a civil rights voting march in Selma, Ala. Fast forward to 2022 and The College Board has launched a first-of-its-kind interdisciplinary African American Studies Course. (Photo Credit: AP)

What those brave Americans were fighting for, were bleeding for [and] were marching for was the right to have every vote counted. And unfortunately, many of the victories they won have since been rolled back, said Myrick. We have to recognize that they would be so disappointed in us if all we did was celebrate and memorialize.

U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, who gave brief remarks before Bidens speech, told theGrio before Sundays event that she hopes what people take away from this years commemoration is that the fight for voting rights is still very much alive, and we have to fight and fight again to protect the progress of the past and advance it.

She also noted that Selma, which endured devastation from a tornado in January, needs support to rebuild. Selma is more than just a historical fight to be visited once a year, she said, but rather a living, breathing city that desperately needs resources to continue to protect and preserve this amazing history.

Remembering the sacrifice of the marchers of Bloody Sunday, President Biden ended his remarks with a message of hope  and a call to action.

Sunday is the sabbath, day of rest, but on that Sunday morning on March 7, 1965  they chose different pews, said Biden.

We know where we have been and we know more importantly where we have to go  forward. Lets keep marching. Lets keep the faith. But most of all, lets remember who we are.

TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku and Android TV. Also, please download theGrio mobile apps today!

The post President Biden says voting rights under assault in remarks honoring Bloody Sunday anniversary appeared first on TheGrio.
Daria Herasymchuk

Herasymchuk noted that the Russian invaders actions are systematic, and cannot be classified as chaotic and unplanned.

Read also: Russians abducted over 13,000 Ukrainian children from occupied territories, reveals Reznikov

The Russian invaders target children whose parents have been killed or put in prison, as well as children living in orphanages. There are also cases where children were taken from families under the pretext that they will be sent to a childrens recreational camp.

The invaders then make efforts to prevent the children from reuniting with their families.

They collect phones from children right away and dont allow them to share the location. Its very difficult to find a child. The Russians are dispersing Ukrainian children across their territory and constantly moving them around, she said.

Read also: 34 children kidnapped from village near Kherson and taken to Russia by invaders

As soon as we learn something about the location of children, they are moved to another part of Russia. That is why we have returned only 307 children out of 16,000 so far.

She stressed the urgency to quickly address the issue of child abduction as part of the genocide against Ukrainians.

Our goal is to stop child kidnapping immediately, Herasymchuk said. We need international help for that.

Read also: Children from occupied Donbas may be taken to Russias Karelia  National Resistance Center

About 6,000 Ukrainian children have been detained in one of Russias 43 re-education camps, said Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, on March 2.

Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron!

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
[Source]

More arrests have been made in connection with a months-long investigation into a string of massage parlors accused of offering sexual services in Louisiana.

Huang Weng, 39, was arrested for his alleged role in the prostitution ring on Feb. 27. He has been charged with promoting prostitution and pandering.

On Thursday, deputies from the East Baton Rouge Sheriffs Office arrested An-Kuo Ho, 62. The next day, they took 49-year-old Chengying Hu into custody, according to WAFB.

Ho and Hu have been charged with promoting prostitution, pandering and money laundering. A fourth person, Yong Li, 40, is facing similar accusations, but it was not immediately clear if they were arrested.

More from NextShark: Chinese Actress Faces Backlash After Allegedly Hiring 2 Women to Have Her Babies Then Abandoning Them

Weng, the first person apprehended, admitted to being paid cash for transporting Asian female masseuses, according to an affidavit. He was arrested in January 2022 for the same charges, including money laundering and criminal conspiracy.

Wengs previous charges were dropped after he agreed to turn over the $8,761 that was seized during his arrest. Records show the deal was finalized on Oct. 28, 2022, according to WBRZ.

But as it reportedly turned out, Weng relaunched his criminal operations before the judge could sign his deal. A new investigation kicked off on Sept. 1, 2022, with a focus on Wellness Spa. His business, All Natural Spa, was eventually linked to the case, according to reports.

More from NextShark: Kansas Man Asks Court to Challenge Ex-Wife With 'Trial by Combat' Using Japanese Swords

Meanwhile, Ho was connected to Wellness Spa, which later changed its name to H & Z Spa. Ho was also connected to Maple Leaf Massage and Orange Spa, which were linked in the probe, according to reports.

Undercover detectives said they were offered an erotic massage and sexual acts at H & Z Spa. Meanwhile, Orange Spa allegedly advertised Asian young girls working daily and having different sexy Asian beauties to bring you other feelings, as per BR Proud.

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Hu, on the other hand, was identified as an account holder of the Regions bank account for Rainbow Spa, another massage parlor linked to the case. Raids into both Hus residence and the spa reportedly helped establish that they were a co-conspirator.

More from NextShark: Village Leader in the Philippines Accidentally Streams Affair With Treasurer on Zoom Call

The State Board of Massage Therapy said the massage parlors licenses were revoked after last years investigation. It appears the businesses illegally resumed operations under different names.

It's been a pretty common thing in the state, Jennifer Mire, vice president of The Dragonfly Harbor, a nonprofit that helps victims of human trafficking, told WBRZ. I think people forget these are real people who have trauma, and they are victims in these situations.

More from NextShark: Over 260 Civil Rights Groups Demand Congress Fight Coronavirus Racism
Prigozhin suddenly made predictions about the war that were disappointing for the Russians

He claimed PMC Wagner is taking on the entire Ukrainian army and destroying it, which doesn't give it the opportunity to concentrate on other areas of the front.

Read also: Russian Defense Minister is in conflict with Wagner PMC

If PMC Wagner retreats now, then () the front (clearly) will collapse, Prigozhin said in the video.

The front will fall back to the Russian borders, maybe it will fall back even further.

Should this happen, he said, the Kremlin authorities will blame the Wagnerites for the defeat, as their retreat from Bakhmut would cause a springboard effect, enabling Ukrainian forces to move forward.

Read also: Prigozhin pretends to be in Bakhmut, is actually in village seven kilometers away

They will say: a group of mercenaries convinced Putin they were needed (but in fact we were called), Prigozhin said.

Later (they will say) a group of mercenaries did not agree with the country's leaders and abruptly retreated. And then the springboard effect comes in: the tense Ukrainian army on the left and right flanks and from the center breaks into the territory of the LPR, he said.

(The Ukrainian army) will sweep into Luhansk, sweep into Krasnodon, and break into Russian territory. The Russian army will be forced to stabilize the front before the flanks finally crumble. Then Crimea will fall and there will be many other calamities.

He added that it is PMC Wagner that is the cement that prevents the enemy from breaking through.

If we leave, we will go down in history forever as people who took the main step to lose the war, the Wagner leader said.

Read also: Spy chief Budanov says conflict between Shoigu and Prigozhin plays into Ukraine's hands

Prigozhin again complained that his mercenaries were not provided with sufficient ammunition and weapons. He demanded that Russia solve the problem of shell hunger and threatened the departure of PMC Wagner from Bakhmut should that not happen.

Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron!

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Harry's recent livestream conversation with Dr. Gabor Mate has attracted both criticism and praise. (Getty Images)

What's happening? Prince Harry's live-streamed conversation with trauma expert and physician Dr Gabor Mate continues to attract praise and criticism.

The candid conversation on Saturday included discussion of Dr Mate's impressions of Harry's memoir, which he said he initially "resisted" reading but was ultimately struck by "the universal humanity" of it.

The pair covered a range of topics including Harry's use of psychedelic drugs, the war in Afghanistan and the apparent multigenerational emotional issues within the Royal Family.

Yahoo UK runs through some of the different reactions to the conversation, and why it's attracted so much attention.

Harry's drug use: 'Soaked in blood'

The Duke of Sussex and Dr. Mate talked candidly about the benefits  as they framed it  of using psychedelic drugs as well as the substances Harry used to cope with trauma in his younger years, like marijuana, alcohol and cocaine.

Harry said that cocaine "didn't do anything for [him], it was more a social thing", but that marijuana on the other hand was "different, that actually really did help me."

Dr Gabor Mate is a trauma expert and physician who took part in a live-streamed conversation with Harry about his memoir Spare. (Getty Images)

He also described taking the psychedelic drug Ayahuasca as "clearing of the windscreen", which removed the "filters" he saw life through.

The comments have attracted criticism.

Watch: Susanna Reid calls out Prince Harry over 'live therapy session'

Fiona Spargo-Mabbs, who founded the Daniel Spargo-Mabbs Foundation drugs education charity after her son died of an accidental MDMA overdose aged 16, described the comments as "concerning".

"Unfortunately young people are getting the message from somewhere that drugs are going to help with their problems and anything that reinforces that is a concern for us. Using drugs as a coping strategy is more likely to lead to dependence than other motivations because that becomes how you are coping with something."

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Prince Harry's memoir Spare and the interviews he has done promoting it were very candid about his journey with trauma and grief. (ITV)

Journalist and doctor Max Pemberton called Harry's comments "hugely irresponsible".

"He speaks about using drugs that are illegal in this country, proclaiming the benefits he has enjoyed from cannabis and hallucinogenics such as ayahuasca. Its hugely irresponsible," he said

"Harry plainly has no understanding of the serious damage these substances can wreak on users - damage that I see on mental health hospital wards with upsetting frequency."

The outspoken television presenter Kirstie Allsopp was equally scathing, saying Harry's actions were "soaked in blood". She tweeted: "Someone needs to tell Prince Harry that County Lines doesnt mean doing coke in the Home Counties. It means that stuff you took to ease your trauma, was soaked in the blood of those whose own trauma & lives are as far from your privileged bubble as it is possible to get."

Harry has long campaigned on mental health awareness, and launched Heads Together in 2016 alongside William and Kate. (Getty Images)

'We should be empathising'

The reaction to Harry's chat with Mate wasn't all critical, with some praising the Duke of Sussex for his openness.

Barrister and academic Dr. Charlotte Proudman said people should be "empathising" rather than criticising Harry, saying: "We should be empathising with a man who bravely shares his battle with mental health not labelling him 'deluded'  this is dangerous and will discourage people from speaking out about trauma."

Omid Scobie  Yahoo UK's executive royal editor  called the talk with Dr Mate "powerful" on Twitter.

"Fascinating and powerful convo between Harry and Dr Gabor Mate and, gotta say, brave to do it live and so publicly. Mate didnt tip-toe around the big topics or mince words and, as a result, provided one of the most revealing insights into Harrywho clearly knows his stufftoday."

Journalist Ellie Hall echoed Scobie's sentiments and added: "Harry has obviously done a lot of work on his mental health and feels comfortable enough in that work and in himself to be open and honest about his experience."

ADD Diagnosis: 'Neither ethical nor appropriate'

At one point during the conversation, Dr. Mate 'diagnosed' Harry with a series of mental health issues that the physician had identified in the duke whilst reading his memoir, this included Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).

He said: "Reading the book I diagnose you with ADD, I see it as a normal response to normal stress, not a disease."

This comment that drew anger from the ADHD Foundation.

"Gabor Mate-it is neither ethical nor appropriate to tell someone for the first time,- in a public interview, that they have ADHD. It is for the individual to decide whether to disclose their Neurodiversity."

Joking about the diagnosis, Harry told Dr Mate: "Thanks for the free session."
Photo: The Canadian Press Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre participates in a news conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Monday, March 6, 2023. Poilievre says three members of his party who met with a German politician from a far-right party will remain in caucus. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says three members of his party who met with a German politician from a far-right party will stay in caucus.

Speaking to reporters today in Ottawa, Poilievre otherwise ducked questions about the recent meeting between Ontario MPs Leslyn Lewis, Dean Allison and Colin Carrie and Christine Anderson.

Anderson visited Canada as part of a tour organized by supporters of last year's "Freedom Convoy" protests around Parliament Hill, which she publicly supported.

Anderson is a member of European Parliament representing the Alternative for Germany party, which has been under surveillance as a suspected extremist group in Germany and accused of downplaying Nazi crimes, opposing immigration and pushing anti-Muslim ideology.

After photographs of the meeting emerged, Poilievre's office released a statement condemning Anderson's views as "vile," and insisting his three MPs were unaware of her politics.

Poilievre told reporters today he has no plans to remove Lewis, Allison or Carrie from caucus.
The Duke of Sussex has marked the 40th anniversary of the UKs leading HIV and sexual health charity, Terrence Higgins Trust.

In a letter, released on Monday (6 March), Prince Harry said his work with the charity is a big piece of his mothers legacy, referencing Princess Dianas philanthropic work with people living with HIV and AIDS.

Ive been involved with Terrence Higgins Trust for a number of years, and the fight to end this epidemic is a big piece of my mums legacy, he said.

While my mother did not live to see the success of todays treatments, I feel immense pride in being able to continue her advocacy with you.

My mother grew up in a world where HIV was likely a death sentence. Yet, in the midst of all that uncertainty, she led with empathy, finding the humanity in all around her and demonstrating the power of connection in the face of fear.

The message appears in the charitys catalogue for its flagship fundraising event The Auction, an annual fundraising event to support people affected by HIV and poor sexual health, which will take place on 6 March.

As Terrence Higgins Trust has evolved over the years, their goal has remained the same: end new transmissions, he continued.

Terrence Higgins Trust has pledged to make England the first country to end new HIV cases by 2030, but they need all of us to do our part by encouraging testing so we all know our status, eradicating stigma that thrives on silence, and donating the resources Terrence Higgins Trust needs to keep up their efforts at pace.

At the auction this year, pieces include work by artists Tracey Emin, Antony Gormley and British photographer John Rankin Waddell, otherwise known as Rankin.

Prince Harry says that his advocacy work with the Terrance Higgins Trust is to continue his mothers legacy (Getty)

Terrence Terry Higgins was one of the very first people to die of an AIDS-related illness in the UK in July 1982.

After his death, Higgins partner and their friend started a charity in his name to build awareness, share information and save lives.

Prince Harrys statement comes as he and his wife Meghan are deciding whether to attend King Charles and Queen Consort Camillas coronation on 6 May.

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King Charles III has reportedly officially invited the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to his and the Queen Consorts coronation this spring.

A spokesperson for Harry and Meghan told The Times that they have received email correspondence about the coronation.

Last week, it was reported that King Charles has evicted the couple from their UK residence at Frogmore cottage and has instead offered the keys to his disgraced brother, Prince Andrew, who is said to be resisting any attempt to move out of his current home at Royal Lodge.
The gate to Memorial Park Cemetery in Tampa, Florida, which encompasses roughly 11,000 grave sites. Aileen Henderson

Memorial Park Cemetery in Tampa, Florida, is a historic, segregation-era Black gravesite.

After the cemetery's owner died in 2019, the city took over the maintenance of the property.

Tampa lost control of the cemetery in January when a property flipper outbid officials at auction.

The city of Tampa, Florida has lost control of a historic Black cemetery it had been maintaining after a property flipper outbid officials in a blind auction.

Memorial Park Cemetery was established in 1919 and is the final resting place of an estimated 11,000 marked and unmarked grave sites, including 6,000 headstones, preservationist Aileen Henderson of the Cemetery Society told Insider.

What makes Memorial Park unique is its designation as a historic Black cemetery, created more than 100 years ago during the segregation era.

"The other unique thing about this particular cemetery is the only cemetery that has a designated Black veterans monument and area where they have just Black veterans that are buried," Henderson told Insider. "There's no other cemetery that has a designated section for Black veterans."

'No one was interested in taking responsibility for it'

The cemetery had been maintained by its previous owner until his death in 2019, at which point, the city took over the property and Henderson volunteered to help keep up with the landscaping and headstone maintenance, as she does with other cemeteries in the area. She said she discussed with city officials plans for Tampa to eventually transfer the responsibility of the property to a nonprofit  or her organization, which is a not-for-profit  though those plans never materialized.

"The city reached out to a number of community groups and civic leaders to find or organize an organization to take care of Memorial in perpetuity, to give it the care and attention it deserves as a historical landmark," Tampa spokesman Adam Smith said in a statement emailed to Insider. "No one was interested in taking responsibility for it."

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Henderson told Insider she would have been willing to raise funds and manage the upkeep of the property. Smith did not immediately respond to questions about whether or not Henderson was contacted by the city about taking over the cemetery's upkeep.

Smith said the city of Tampa placed a lien on the property to cover early maintenance costs and eventually foreclosed in an attempt to take control of its long-term maintenance. As part of the foreclosure proceedings, the cemetery was sent to public auction.

"The city did not expect other bidders, since the property is protected from development and requires ongoing maintenance," Smith told Insider, adding that the city bid $9,800 on the property, never expecting to be outbid.

Instead, real estate investor Alex Arteaga took control of the land with an $18,000 offer and told the Tampa Bay Times his property-flipping company, 2715 West Sligh LLC, is "looking for a company that can handle" the upkeep of the cemetery, and intends to sell it  likely for a profit.

The market value of the land on the property appraiser's records was $416,000 in 2020, the Tampa Bay Times reported after the cemetery's owner died.

"The city of Tampa has reached out to the owner about potentially buying the property from him," Smith told Insider. "No matter what, Memorial Park Cemetery will forever be given the respect, protection, and maintenance it deserves as a historic landmark."

Arteaga did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment. The land currently remains open for public visits and, while the property cannot be developed for new buildings, it remains unclear if a new owner could make changes  like selling additional plots or relocating existing ones  in the future.

Officials 'may as well have spit on those graves'

Henderson only learned the cemetery property had changed ownership after she reached out to city officials to schedule her monthly cleanup of the graves and was told she'd have to make arrangements with the new owner.

"I don't know how people are not outraged," Henderson told Insider, adding that Tampa's mayor, Jane Castor, "may as well have spit on those graves."

Norene Copeland Miller, a 70-year-old Tampa resident with 12 family members buried at Memorial Park Cemetery, told Insider she read about the sale of the cemetery in the newspaper, calling it "disgraceful"  especially since she and other community members would have stepped up to manage the property.

"Nobody deserves for their families, when they're put to rest in peace, to have this kind of turmoil in their life," Miller added, saying she believes the soul of her mother, who she buried 35 years ago, is no longer at rest following the sale of the property. "So this is just very disturbing."

The selling of the property to the highest bidder, Henderson noted, is particularly disrespectful to the families of the people buried there, and feels like the country's history of selling Black bodies, living or dead, is "repeating itself over and over again."

"This isn't just any property, it's a cemetery." Henderson told Insider. "And this isn't any cemetery, this is a historical cemetery. And this isn't just any historical cemetery, this is a designated Black historical cemetery. And wait a minute! It's not just a designated Black historical cemetery, it's the only designated Black historical cemetery with a monument dedicated to Black veterans."

Miller said Henderson, as well as other residents, have been consistently attending City Council meetings with the hope of pressuring Tampa officials into repurchasing the property, no matter the cost.

"This community deserves better," Miller said. "It should have never gotten to this point and we are going to make it right, and do it now."

Historical cemeteries at risk

Historic Black cemeteries in Florida have been the subject of much debate among historians, researchers, and city officials in recent years as the remains of 328 graves in the city of Clearwater were identified after a supposedly "relocated" cemetery was paved over to make way for an office building parking lot.

NPR reported four forgotten Black cemeteries have been found in Florida in recent years, including the site in Clearwater. In each case, Black residents were told the graves had been relocated.

"Especially with these sites related to African American history, a lot of times there was a lot of institutional neglect, systemic racism that leads to there not being records about these places, too," Rebecca O'Sullivan, a Stantec archaeologist who worked on the Clearwater cemetery project, told Insider. "So they either never existed or the places weren't given the same sort of institutional support that white cemeteries or white neighborhoods were given at the same time."

On June 4, 2021, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law a bill that created the Abandoned African-American Cemeteries Task Force to study unmarked or abandoned cemeteries and burial grounds throughout the state and develop strategies for identifying and preserving the historical graves within. The task force expired on March 11, 2022.

A proposed national law, the African-American Burial Grounds Preservation Act, sponsored by Rep. Alma Adams of North Carolina last year, is currently making its way through Congress.

Though the Florida task force is no longer studying forgotten cemeteries in the state, researchers and archaeologists remain hard at work attempting to identify hidden Black gravesites and use historical records to determine who was laid to rest at locations like Memorial Park, where approximately half of the graves do not have intact headstones.

Paul Jones, technical director of archaeology at Stantec, told Insider people often see archaeology as irrelevant to their daily lives, "but what a lot of these projects show is how relevant it can be when archaeology is directed at answering the questions that people today are interested in, like answering questions that descendants have about where their ancestors are buried or their loved ones are laid to rest."

Read the original article on Insider
The Rapides Parish School Board released a substitute motion that will be considered at its regular Tuesday meeting. The motion expands on an item called the Better Facilities strategic plan added to its agenda last week. It calls for closing four schools, moving two programs to Bolton High Schools and rezoning students into other schools.

Community feedback over a proposed plan to close four Alexandria schools is forcing some changes to Tuesday's Rapides Parish School Board monthly meeting.

The meeting begins at 5 p.m., and the board will consider everything else on its agenda except that item and then will take a recess. The motion on the plan will not be considered until after 6:15 p.m.

The plan, called the Better Facilities strategic plan, would shut down Phoenix Magnet, Horseshoe Drove and Alma Redwine elementary schools, as well as the Rapides Academy. The Phoenix and Rapides programs would be moved to Bolton High School, which would become the Bolton Academic and Performing Arts Academy.

The plan would rezone students at these schools to new schools over the next few years, including Cherokee and Martin Park elementary schools and Alexandria Senior and Peabody Magnet high schools.

The motion was added to Tuesday's regular meeting agenda without going through any committees and without seeking public comment ahead of the meeting where the vote would happen. Word about the plan spread rapidly after employees at least one school, Phoenix, were briefed on it March 1.

Superintendent Jeff Powell is meeting Monday afternoon with Phoenix and Rapides parents at Phoenix, according to a purported Facebook post from the school's parent-teacher organization. He will talk about communication, why the plan is being considered and possible alternatives and concerns that have been brought to his attention, according to the post.

Better Facilities plan:Rapides School Board VP says he'll offer motion to push back decision on 4 school closures

Will it go forward?Rapides School Board awarded almost $10M for up to 25 electric buses.

Do you still want school uniforms?One Rapides School Board member wants to know.

Board Vice President Buddy McCall said last week board members were bombarded with calls about the proposal. McCall said he would offer a substitute motion to table a vote on the plan until the public could comment.

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But a lengthy substitute motion released through an email on Monday morning calls for the changes to be adopted with input from a Better Facilities Strategic Plan Advisory Council appointed by the board and comprised of administrators, employees, parents and stakeholders.

In addition to the Better Facilities plan, items on the agenda include a call to gather community feedback on school uniforms, how to proceed with an almost $10 million grant for electric buses and a motion to buy and install metal detectors at all schools at a cost of $1.1 million.

The money for the metal detectors would come from the board's special reserve fund and various maintenance/technology accounts, according to the agenda.

This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: Plan to close schools causes change to Tuesday's Rapides Board meeting
Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida at a news conference in Miami, Fla., on January 26, 2023. AP Photo/Marta Lavandier

If passed, S.B. 1316 would require all bloggers writing about DeSantis to register with the state.

Two organizations told Insider the proposed legislation is a clear violation of the First Amendment.

"This bill is un-American to its core," a representative for ACLU's Florida chapter said.

A Florida lawmaker has introduced a bill that would require all bloggers who write about Gov. Ron DeSantis to register with the state or be fined. Organizations like the ACLU tell Insider that the proposed law violates the right to free speech.

A representative for the American Civil Liberties Union's Florida chapter told Insider the bill, S.B. 1316, is "un-American to its core."

"This is a clear violation of the First Amendment because it strongly discourages bloggers from speaking on politics  one of the most critical types of speech for maintaining a democracy," the ACLU representative told Insider.

The ACLU's representative added that the First Amendment "protects our right to learn and read free from viewpoint-based censorship."

"The US Constitution demands that we transcend such callous political agendas and instead promote the value of freedom of expression," the spokesperson added.

A spokesperson for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, a nonprofit civil liberties group, also told Insider the bill is "an affront" to the First Amendment.

"It is difficult to imagine a legislative proposal more fundamentally at odds with our nation's founding spirit than requiring citizens and journalists to register their publications with the government under pain of fines," the spokesperson said.

S.B. 1316 was introduced in the Florida Senate on February 28 by GOP lawmaker Jason Brodeur. The proposed law would require any blogger who writes about DeSantis or other elected officials  and is paid for their work  to register with the state.

If passed, the law would also mandate that these bloggers submit monthly reports about their work, outlining how much payment they received, and who paid them.

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When asked about the bill, Brodeur told the website Florida Politics he thinks "paid bloggers are lobbyists who write instead of talk."

It's unclear if DeSantis personally supports Brodeur's proposed law. In a message to Insider on Friday, a spokesman for DeSantis said the governor's communications office is "reviewing the bill."

"As usual, the governor will consider the merits of a bill in final form if and when it passes the legislature," the spokesman told Insider.

Brodeur and representatives for DeSantis did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment on the two organizations' rebukes of S.B. 1316.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Pueblo County Sheriff David Lucero addresses the crowd during a swearing-in ceremony at the Pueblo County Courthouse on Jan. 10.

Pueblo County Sheriff David Lucero is one of 15 people appointed by Governor Jared Polis to a board that will oversee the implementation of regulating natural medicine after voters narrowly approved decriminalizing psilocybin in November.

But Lucero isnt allowed to talk about his appointment to the board, which still needs to be confirmed by the state Senate.

An interview request with the public information officer with the Pueblo County Sheriffs Office, Gayle Perez, was referred to Polis office.

Polis spokesperson Conor Cahill declined the Chieftains interview request with Lucero.

These individuals have not yet been confirmed by the state senate and to ensure the integrity of any boards and commissions we do not normally conduct interviews with appointed board members, Cahill told the Chieftain in an email.

Colorado voters approved Proposition 122 in November, which decriminalizes psilocybin and will eventually allow state-regulated centers to administer psychedelics under professional supervision.

The ballot question created the natural medicine advisory board, with 15 people appointed by the governor. The board is tasked with making recommendations to the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) on how to implement decriminalizing psilocybin, including regulating therapeutic usage.

Lucero was one of 225 people who applied to the board. He appears to be the only person appointed to the board actively working in law enforcement.

Lucero was appointed because of his experience with previous criminal justice reform, according to a Jan. 27 release from the governors office. His term will expire on Jan. 31, 2027.

The Chieftain obtained Luceros application to the board through an open records request. He wrote two sentences in the portion of the application for why he should be chosen.

I have been a law enforcement officer for the past 23 years. I want to ensure that the implementation of natural medicines in Colorado is safe for the public, Lucero wrote.

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Magic mushrooms are seen in a grow room at the Procare farm in Hazerswoude, central Netherlands in this Aug. 3, 2007, file photo.

Members serving on DORA boards are instructed to refer media requests to the program director, according to the board member code of ethics, also obtained by the Chieftain through an open records request.

Psilocybin is the psychoactive component of magic mushrooms. The federal government still classifies the drug as a Schedule I controlled substance with no pharmaceutical benefit, but research has shown that guided therapy can help people experiencing depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Oregon first decriminalized psilocybin in 2020. Denvers 5280 Magazine reported that Oregons oversight board appointees have conducted numerous interviews with journalists.

Buying, selling and possessing psilocybin is still illegal under Colorado law, but law enforcement officers now are instructed to treat such cases as the lowest priority.

Many criminal charges for people with prior convictions for possession of psilocybin and other psychedelic drugs were also dropped.

Although the measure eked out a statewide majority, over half of Pueblo County voters voted against Proposition 122.

The city of Denver decriminalized magic mushrooms in 2019. A review panel, which included the Denver District Attorney, agreed in 2021 that the policy change has not since presented any significant public health or safety risk in the city, the Denver Post reported.

Proposition 122 states that local governments will not have the authority to ban natural medicine centers, but can regulate the time, place, and manner of the facilities.

The Colorado Municipal League, an organization representing most Colorado cities and towns, is advocating for potential legislation to give local governments more oversight, CML Executive Director Kevin Bommer told Pueblo City Council at a work session on Feb. 23.

Lucero has been active on several other local and state boards, according to his campaign website. Polis also recently appointed him to the Peace Officers Standards and Training Board, he announced in a Feb. 28 news release, to replace the Alamosa County sheriff who resigned from the position.

Anna Lynn Winfrey covers politics for the Pueblo Chieftain. She can be reached at awinfrey@gannett.com or on Twitter, @annalynnfrey.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo sheriff Lucero appointed to natural medicine oversight committee
ROME (Reuters) - The Italian health minister's proposals to extend a smoking ban include the outdoor areas of bars and parks, according to details reported by local media, drawing the ire of right-wing cabinet colleagues who labelled him a "communist."

Minister Orazio Schillaci, a technocrat with no party affiliation, said in January he would crackdown on smoking, including of e-cigarettes, which are being widely used by teenagers.

The new rules will include the outside areas of bars and at public transport stops, La Stampa newspaper reported on Monday. The prohibition will also be extended to parks if pregnant women and children are present, it said.

Junior Culture Minister Vittorio Sgarbi, known for expressing his opinions in a flamboyant style, called Schillaci's view "intimidating" and said such bans would instead encourage people to smoke.

"This is something typical of an authoritarian and dictatorial communist regime," Sgarbi told AdnKronos news agency.

Italy's top health institute (ISS) said some 24% of adult Italians were smokers last year - roughly 12.4 million people and the highest percentage recorded since 2009.

The government passed a ban on smoking indoors in 2003, which came into force two years later.

Health association Fondazione Umberto Veronesi estimates at least 43,000 people die in Italy every year for smoke-related reasons.

But the proposed clampdown also faces scepticism from Deputy Prime Minister and League party leader Matteo Salvini, who quit cigarettes four years ago but said the open-air ban on e-cigarettes was "exaggerated."

"Electronic cigarettes are helping a lot of people to abandon regular cigarettes," he added on Twitter.

The Health Ministry did not reply to a request for comment.

The proposals would need to be approved by the cabinet before being passed to parliament.

(Reporting By Gavin Jones and Angelo Amante; Editing by Sharon Singleton)
The Russian gymnast said to be Vladimir Putins lover said she had found her ideal man in a rediscovered interview.

Alina Kabaeva was first reported to be involved with the Russian president in 2008 when a Moscow-based newspaper first reported the romance.

Neither has ever confirmed the allegations, but back then, the athlete spoke publicly about a relationship she was in, without naming the Russian leader.

In the 2008 video, unearthed by the Mail Online, Ms Kabaeva, then aged 24, took questions from an audience of Russian schoolchildren and was quizzed about her love life.

Have you met your ideal man? a young boy asked her.

Ms Kabaeva paused for a few seconds then said: I have met him. She giggled before saying that she was so happy.

Another girl then asked who her boyfriend was.

A man, a very good man, a great man, Ms Kabaeva said, adding: I love him very much.

Ms Kabaeva won a gold medal at the Athens Olympics in 2004 and became one of the most famous people in Russia. In 2006, she retired from gymnastics and became an MP for Putins United Russia party before becoming a director at a pro-Kremlin private media company, The National Media Group.

In 2008, Putin was married to his first wife, Lyudmila Ocheretnaya. The couple divorced in 2014.

In the video, Ms Kabaeva was also asked if she would ever steal a married man away from his wife and family.

If a man is already looking at another woman and is already talking to her then the problem in the family has already happened, she said. In that case, there can be no good in that family.

Asked about the last thing she gave her mystery man, Ms Kabaeva said she had gifted him: An Alaska coat, a coat with fur, very beautiful.

This week, The Project, a Russian opposition media outlet, reported that Ms Kabaeva, now aged 39, and Putin, 70, lived together in a secret palace which has a swimming pool and a sauna on the shores of Lake Valdai, 250 miles north-west of Moscow.

In May, Britain placed sanctions on Ms Kabaeva because of what the Foreign Office called her close personal relationship with Putin.
Qualtrics was once a hot startup before SAP bought the company in 2018 for $8 billion. It was a fine exit, making the founders rich, but it never was really a good fit. SAP spun out the company just two years later, before taking it public in 2021.

On Sunday, the company filed an 8-K form with the SEC indicating it has an offer to go private again in a $12.4 billion deal with Silver Lake and the Canadian Pension fund that values the company stock at $18.15 per share.

Our exclusivity agreement with Silver Lake is a next step in the process announced by SAP on January 26th. As the process continues to play out, were committed to achieving the best outcome for our company and our shareholders, as we maintain our focus on delivering for our customers around the world, the company said in a statement.

Translated, that means the principle stockholder SAP began looking for buyers in January, and this is the best offer it received. It will probably continue to look for a better one, but if it doesn't come along, it will surely take this one.

It's certainly been a long, strange trip for the company. This time, SAP, which owns 71% of the company, would recoup its initial investment, but not much more (although it did probably gain some additional money when the company went public).

Anand Thaker, a martech consultant who keeps close watch on the companies, says it's a reasonable deal for both parties. "SAP needs cash and this seems like an excellent opportunity for them to return those funds to the coffers. Silver Lake is likely to come out healthy of funds from the pending VMware deal [with Broadcom]," he said. That deal is still subject to regulatory approval.

Qualtrics raised $400 million as a startup, per Crunchbase, and was poised to IPO when SAP swooped in in 2018 with an offer the company basically couldnt refuse. It was a big number, and the founders took it. Bill McDermott, who was CEO at the time, saw it as a way to get more direct access to customer data, the holy grail of data for any company.

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It also had the added benefit of being cloud native, and maybe having engineers who had built a SaaS product from the ground up could help SAP, which was in the process of transitioning to the cloud at the time. McDermott subsequently stepped down, eventually landing as CEO of ServiceNow, and his replacement, Christian Klein, probably wasn't as attached to something that wasn't acquired under his watch.

As Holger Mueller, an analyst with Constellation Research, told us at the time of the spin out, the company could still keep the benefits of the acquisition with the spinout, while recouping some of its investment, and that's probably how Klein saw it.

SAP doesnt lose anything in regards to their [] data and experience vision, as they still retain [controlling interest in Qualtrics]. It also opens the opportunity for Qualtrics to partner with other ERP vendors [and broaden its overall market], he said at the time.

Qualtrics is a customer experience company. It operates on the side of the equation where companies can ask you about your experience in the form of a survey, like the one I got from my dentist last week after my cleaning. It also can be used to query sentiment inside an organization, as well.

The stock is up 1.43% on the news in mid-day trading.
Re. Response to recent letters on B.C.'s new free prescription contraception announcement

I read through the recent letters and noticed a number relating to the provincial governments recent announcement it will be make all prescription contraception in B.C. free. A few of these letters require a response.

First, for those raising concern about the tax dollars and costs, free prescription contraception is a revenue positive policy. A 2010 study by Options for Sexual Health estimated this policy would save the provincial government around $95 million a year.

Why? Unplanned pregnancies are at a higher risk to complications to mothers and infants and these amount to costs to our public healthcare system (not to mention personal health impacts). Abortions are also publicly funded. Additionally, those who may struggle to afford the contraception thats right for them, may also struggle to afford to raise a child, with costs again falling to the state.

When a program in Colorado offered free IUDs to young people (43,713 at a cost of $28 million), that program reduced teen pregnancies by 54% and teen abortion rates by 64% over the course of eight years, and saved the government an estimated $70 million.

Even if the policy did cost a bunch of money, it would still absolutely be worth implementing free prescription contraception (as it) improves health outcomes, makes life more affordable, and increases equality.

Finally, in my opinion, the Kelowna Right to Life Societys suggestion contraception is not medically necessary, betrays a profound lack of understanding.

Contraception is life-saving medicine and is not only used to prevent unplanned pregnancies but also to treat chronic gynacological conditions like endometriosis and used in gender affirming care.

To make such an outlandish claim (at the start of Endometriosis Awareness Week no less) and to repeat other medically inaccurate or unsubstantiated claims, speaks to the lack of credibility of that organization.

This (free prescription contraception) is a fantastic policy and I am very pleased to see B.C. become the first jurisdiction in Canada to make prescription contraception free.

We can only hope that other provinces follow suit so no one in Canada will face unnecessary barriers when trying to access the contraception that is right for them.

Teale Phelps Bondaroff

chair and co-founder

AccessBC campaign for free prescription contraception
The railroad responsible for last month's toxic train derailment in Ohio will roll out pledges Monday to make its trains safer, just days before its CEO is set to testify to Congress for the first time about its role in the disaster.

But the steps are modest compared with the demands the Biden administration already has laid out.

A majority of the steps Norfolk Southern is promising relate to addressing overheating wheels  the one potential cause of the derailment that federal investigators have so far implicated in the Feb. 3 accident in East Palestine. But they don't appear likely to satisfy calls by the administration and lawmakers for broader steps to improve rail safety and working conditions, such as crew size and braking mandates and sick leave time.



The plan gives Norfolk Southern President and CEO Alan Shaw something to present to senators when he appears before the Senate EPW Committee Thursday  but it's not likely to satisfy Democrats on the panel.

Most of the six-point plan to be announced Monday involves improving the equipment Norfolk Southern uses along tracks to help sense when a train's wheels are overheating, including boosting the number of detectors and reviewing how far apart they're spaced. The railroad also says it wants to seek industry consensus on standards for this equipment, which now are determined by individual companies. And it says it wants to accelerate research on a new automated inspection technology.

In a statement accompanying the plan, Shaw said the preliminary findings of the National Transportation Safety Board, an independent agency probing the disaster, made it clear that a comprehensive industry effort was needed to improve safety and that Norfolk Southern is not waiting to take action.



But that list of actions falls far short of the changes the Biden administration is seeking  such as upgrading to a faster braking system, providing more notification to communities about hazardous materials traveling through their areas and paying workers sick leave.

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The Department of Transportation has said it also doesnt just want railroads to upgrade their automated track inspection equipment. It also wants them to stop seeking to cut back on human inspections.

The Biden administration has asked Congress to make a series of additional changes as well, including increasing the current $225,000 cap on fines for safety violations.

Raising the cap is one of the provisions included in a bill introduced last week by a bipartisan group of senators, including the delegations from Ohio and Pennsylvania where the impacts of the derailment were felt. That bill would also subject more trains that carry hazardous materials to safety regulations designed to protect communities, and would require at least two crew members on board each train  changes the railroads have fought hard to prevent.

The bill also would mandate that railroads have detectors for overheating wheels every 10 miles of track  not every 15, as included in Norfolk Southern's action plan.

Norfolk Southern hasn't specifically discussed the bill or DOT's requests beyond saying that the "rail industry needs to learn as much as we can from East Palestine," as the company said in a statement to POLITICO.

"Norfolk Southern has committed to working with industry to develop practices and technologies that could help prevent an incident like this in the future," the statement read. "This incident requires a broad industry response, and we will also work with the owners of the rail cars on the integrity and safety of the equipment we use."
Frank Clarks time with the Kansas City Chiefs is coming to an end.

The Chiefs are expected to release the defensive end in the coming days according to ESPNs Adam Schefter.

Chiefs and Frank Clarks agent Erik Burkhardt were unable to find common ground on a reworked deal during several conversations at the combine and the expectation now is that Kansas City will release the 29-year-old DE who is the NFLs third all-time leading postseason sack https://t.co/IqjwATIWSt  Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 6, 2023

Clark and the Chiefs have been trying to work out a new deal for the 29-year-old, however the two sides apparently couldnt come to an agreement after their latest discussions last week at the NFL combine in Indianapolis.

Clark was set to enter the final year of a two-year, $30 million deal. The move is expected to clear about $21 million in salary cap space.

Clark had 39 total tackles and five sacks last season while helping the Chiefs win a second Super Bowl in four years. He has 13.5 sacks in the postseason, which is the third-most in league history. Hes the highest active player on that list, too. Clark had one solo tackle in the Chiefs 38-35 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII last month.

Its unclear where Clark will land once the Chiefs officially release him, though hes sure to garner plenty of interest across the league. The former Michigan standout spent his first four seasons in the league with the Seattle Seahawks, who selected him in the second round of the 2015 draft. He was then traded to Kansas City ahead of the 2019 draft.

The news about Clarks release came after the Chiefs opted not to place a franchise tag on offensive tackle Orlando Brown. The two sides now have a week to agree on a new deal, or Brown will become a free agent.
BANGKOK (AP)  Soldiers in Myanmar rampaged through several villages, raping, beheading and killing at least 17 people, residents said, in the latest of what critics of the ruling military say are a series of war crimes since the army seized power two years ago.

The bodies of 17 people were recovered last week in the villages of Nyaung Yin and Tar Taing  also called Tatai  in Sagaing region in central Myanmar, according to members of the anti-government resistance and a resident who lost his wife. They said the victims had been detained by the military and in some cases appeared to have been tortured before being killed.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the militarys February 2021 seizure of power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi prompted nationwide peaceful protests that security forces suppressed with deadly force. The violence triggered widespread armed resistance, which has since turned into what some U.N. experts have characterized as a civil war.

The army has been conducting major offensives in the countryside, including burning villages and driving hundreds of thousands of people from their homes. It has faced some of its toughest resistance in Sagaing, in Myanmars historic heartland.

The soldiers involved in last weeks attacks were in a group of more than 90 who were brought to the area by five helicopters on Feb. 23, said local leaders of the pro-democracy Peoples Defense Forces and independent Myanmar media.

They said the bodies of 14 people, including three women, were found Thursday on a small island in a river in Nyaung Yin. Three more male victims were found in Tar Taing, including two members of the local resistance. One of the two was dismembered, with his head cut off, they said.

The neighboring villages are about 45 kilometers (28 miles) west of the major city of Mandalay.

Tar Taing resident Moe Kyaw, 42, survived the attack but said his 39-year-old wife, Pan Thwal, and 18-year-old nephew were among those killed. Contacted by phone, he said Friday they were among 70 villagers detained in the middle of the night last Wednesday by soldiers who shot into the air as they herded their captives from their homes to the local Buddhist monastery.

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Moe Kyaw said the soldiers stole beer and other items from his aunts small shop, and as they beat her, he fled for his life, escaping two soldiers who shot at him.

He said his wife and other villagers were tortured at the monastery and then taken away from the village, apparently as hostages against any attack. He said his wife and two other women were beaten, raped and shot dead on Thursday by the soldiers, who also took his spouses earrings, His two sons, 9 and 11 years old, were released when the soldiers departed, he said.

Moe Kyaw did not explain how he knew the details about his wife's treatment.

Myanmars underground National Unity Government  the main organization opposed to military rule that describes itself as the countrys legitimate government  said in an online news conference on Monday that the soldiers were from the 99th Light Infantry Division based in Mandalay Region.

A leader of a Sagaing resistance group called the Demon King Defense Force said his group attacked the better-armed government troops on Wednesday in a failed effort to rescue the detained villagers.

When they went Thursday morning to the small island where the soldiers had taken about 20 villagers they found 14 bodies in three spots, said the resistance leader, who asked not to be identified because of fear of reprisals by the military.

Acknowledging that he had not seen the killings, he said he also believed the women had been raped.

In an earlier incident apparently involving the same army unit, two boys aged 12 and 13 assisting the Peoples Defense Force were captured by government troops on Feb. 26 and beheaded after being forced to show the locations of their camps, according to independent Myanmar media. Photos said to be of their bodies, found at Kan Daw village, about 12 kilometers (7 miles) northwest of Tar Taing, were circulated on social media.

A separate group, the Sadaung Lighting Peoples Defense Force, has said that two of its older teenage members were also killed and beheaded in fighting at Kan Daw on the same day.

The military government has not responded to the allegations. In the past, it has denied documented abuses and said that casualties occurred in the course of fighting against armed anti-government guerrillas. Online media supportive of the military government have made the same claim about the recent incidents in Sagaing or suggested that they were the result of factional fighting within the resistance.

Myanmars military has long been accused of serious human rights violations, most notably in the western state of Rakhine. International courts are considering whether it committed genocide there in a brutal 2017 counterinsurgency campaign that caused more than 700,000 members of the Muslim Rohingya minority to flee to neighboring Bangladesh for safety.

Last week, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk accused the ruling generals of carrying out a scorched earth policy in an attempt to stamp out opposition.

His agency said credible sources have verified the deaths of at least 2,940 civilians and 17,572 arrests by the military and its allies since the 2021 takeover.
Ronnie Dowell, 18, was mortally wounded after being shot during a home invasion in February 2010. Thirteen years later, his homicide remains unsolved.

Central Ohio Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward for information leading to the arrest and indictment of a suspect in a 2010 homicide.

According to Columbus police, around 1:25 p.m. on Feb. 10, 2010, 18-year-old Ronnie Dowell was shot during a home invasion.

Dowell and two women were inside a home on the 1100 block of McCarley Drive East when someone was heard trying to get in the back door of the home. Dowell, police said, got a handgun that he kept inside the home and fired a shot at the back door.

Shortly thereafter, witnesses heard a second gunshot, which is believed to have come from the unidentified suspect. That second shot hit Dowell.

According to witnesses, the male suspect came into the home and demanded "dope." When there were no drugs to be found, the man took jewelry and fled.

Dowell was taken to Mount Carmel West hospital, where he died several days later. He was an organ donor and was survived by his parents, sister, fiance and daughter, as well as extended family.

The suspect has been described by witnesses as being between 5'10 inches and 5'11 inches tall, wearing all black clothing with a bandana or ski mask type of covering on his face. The man also had a blue or black colored duffel bag around his neck that hung down in front of his chest.

Anyone with information is asked to call Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS, use the free P3 Tips mobile application or provide information online at www.stopcrime.org. All tips to Crime Stoppers are anonymous and a special coding system is used to provide the reward.

bbruner@dispatch.com

@bethany_bruner

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Reward being offered for information in fatal 2010 home invasion
Story at a glance

According to YouMails Robocall Index, the volume of calls nationwide jumped 5.7 percent in January over the previous months numbers.

The largest metropolises such as Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago, Houston and New York received the most calls in January.

However, when adjusted for per capita numbers a different picture emerges, with Baton Rouge earning the top spot.

DENVER (KDVR/NEXSTAR)  Have you ever had one of those annoying calls show up on your cellphone with an unknown number or no caller ID? You are not alone.

According to YouMails Robocall Index, the volume of calls nationwide jumped 5.7 percent in January over the previous months numbers. YouMail, a free voicemail and spam blocking app, extrapolates its data from robocall traffic attempting to get through to YouMails millions of active users.

The largest metropolises such as Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago, Houston and New York received the most calls in January, according to YouMail estimates, which would make sense considering the sheer number of mobile phones owned by residents. Adjusted for per capita numbers, however, a new set of cities appear:

Baton Rouge, LA (45.0 per capita)

Memphis, TN (39.5)

Washington D.C. (32.8)

Little Rock, AR (32.4)

Macon, GA (31.6)

Birmingham, AL (31)

Albany, GA (30.7)

Lafayette, LA (30.4)

San Antonio, TX (30)

Charleston, SC (28.5)

From fake debt collectors to phony vacation gifts, Baton Rouge residents have been targeted by scammers at an extraordinary rate for some time now.

I have 54 blocked numbers in my phone  and its programmed to silence calls that arent in my contacts or that I have not called, former marketing consultant and Baton Rouge resident Melinda Walsh told CNN in 2021, yet the calls kept coming.

A YouMail spokesperson told Nexstar that the Louisiana city has been at or near the top of the list when it comes to estimated robocalls per capita since they started compiling data roughly five years ago.

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The spokesperson pointed to two possible explanations for the flood of calls to Baton Rouge residents: call center data shows people in the South tend to answer their phones more, leading to more robocalls, and crooks like to prey on vulnerable residents in areas with higher levels of economic hardship, like Baton Rouge, where the poverty rate is nearly 25 percent.

Scammers are measuring success metrics just like any good business, Kush Parikh, president of Hiya, a Seattle-based company that helps users identify incoming calls, told CNN. Higher answer rates typically result in higher success for scammers.

What states are seeing the most robocalls?

As for the total amount of estimated calls by state, these are the top 10 so far in 2023:

Texas (533,885,600)

California (396,258,400)

Florida (359,991,400)

Georgia (282,090,800)

New York (234,991,400)

Illinois (182,366,000)

North Carolina (176,395,700)

Pennsylvania (169,838,000)

Ohio (163,593,600)

Tenessee (145,072,600)

In January alone, all states in the top 10 saw an increase over Decembers numbers, but some states were especially inundated. Tennessee saw an eight percent increase while Pennsylvanias total jumped by 10 percent, according to YouMail estimates.

FCC orders phone companies to block auto warranty robocalls

What is the most common scam?

You may be familiar with the car warranty scam call, but another robocall  a fake Camp Lejeune compensation campaign  was the most common in January, marking its fourth straight month in the top spot, according to YouMail.

In August 2022, President Biden signed a law allowing people exposed to toxic water at the base to file lawsuits.

Why the $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot winner only received $997.6 million as his payout

According to YouMail, the calls can vary in their approach with the voice on the other end of the line claiming to be from various organizations such as the Plaintiff Advocate or Class Action Claims, but all purport to offer an avenue to medical compensation.

How to stop robocalls

The Federal Communications Commission said that unwanted calls  including illegal and spoofed robocalls  are the top consumer complaint.

Here are some tips to help with unwanted robocalls from the FCC:

Register your number on the Do Not Call List. Legitimate telemarketers consult the list to avoid calling both landline and wireless phone numbers on the list.

Dont answer calls from unknown numbers. If you answer such a call, hang up immediately.

You may not be able to tell right away if an incoming call is spoofed. Be aware: Caller ID showing a local number does not necessarily mean it is a local caller.

If you answer the phone and the caller  or a recording  asks you to hit a button to stop getting the calls, you should just hang up. Scammers often use this trick to identify potential targets.

Do not respond to any questions, especially those that can be answered with Yes.

Never give out personal information such as account numbers, Social Security numbers, mothers maiden names, passwords or other identifying information in response to unexpected calls or if you are at all suspicious.

If you get an inquiry from someone who says they represent a company or a government agency, hang up and call the phone number on your account statement, in the phone book, or on the companys or government agencys website to verify the authenticity of the request. You will usually get a written statement in the mail before you get a phone call from a legitimate source, particularly if the caller is asking for a payment.

Use caution if you are being pressured for information immediately.

See full list of tips from the FCC on robocalls here

It is also important to remember that scammers can use a robotext as well. The FCC said that rules ban text messages sent to a mobile phone using an autodialer unless you previously gave consent to receive the message, or the message is sent for emergency purposes.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Photo of SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launching from Kennedy Space Center in Florida



This long exposure photo shows the March 2, 2023 SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch carrying the companys Dragon spacecraft. Among all private space companies, SpaceX has been dominating launchescontributing more than any other to the ongoing increase in the volume of stuff being shot into space.

The rapidly rising number of space launches could pose a new threat to Earths critical ozone layer, according to a growing body of scientific research.



Our ozone layer is often touted as a global environmental success story. Since the 1987 signing of the Montreal Protocolan international treaty to protect the ozonecountries around the world have rallied to stop producing and emitting the chemical compounds that contributed to the dramatic thinning of the ozone layer above Antarctica. Despite a brief backslide in the 2010s, the most recent United Nations report, released in January, indicates that were on track for a full ozone recovery by 2066.

Read more

Image of ozone hole over Antarctica



In 2000, NASA scientists detected the largest ever thin spot (AKA hole) in the ozone over Antarctica. The hole was approximately three times the size of the U.S.. In the decades since though, humanity has made great strides to minimize ozone damage and allow for the upper atmospheres recovery. Though were currently on track for a full rebound in the next 50 years, rocket launches could stall that progress.

Yet the U.N. assessment also carried a warning: Just because were headed for ozone recovery doesnt mean its a guarantee. Numerous hazards, old and new, could emerge to derail decades of global progress. Among these potential dangers to the ozone are geoengineering proposals that aim to mitigate climate change. Theres also the threat of climate change itself; more aerosol and greenhouse gas emissions could harm ozone recovery. And as the U.N. points out, space launches are yet another thing for us to consider.

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Rocket launches presently have a small effect on total stratospheric ozone, the scientists write in their report. But thats liable to shift moving forward with new propellants, satellite constellations, and the ongoing increase in the number of space launches, the report notes. More than 180 rockets were launched into space in 2022the most ever in a yearwhile the number of satellites launched has been increasing exponentially, according to a review study published last month in the Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand.

Weve known since the early 90s, that rocket launch emissions could lead to destruction of the ozone layer. But its never really been a big problem before, because weve had so few launches that the effects are negligible, said Laura Revell, an atmospheric chemist at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand and senior author of that study, in a video call with Gizmodo.

But thats starting to change, which means research, monitoring, and space exploration need to change, too, Revell noted. Rocket launches impact on the upper atmosphere goes widely unmonitored and unregulated, she said. But we think this is the right time to address itbefore the number of launches worldwide really scales up.

Revells recent review, conducted along with two other researchers, assessed the rising threat of space launches. Across the dozens of past studies the scientists looked at, they found evidence that multiple emissions products from launches can negatively impact the ozone through various chemical reactions or the temperature shifts that they cause. These worrying emissions include water vapor, nitrogen oxides, black carbon, alumina particles, hydrogen gas, and hydrogen chloride. Further, the mechanism of launches means these ozone-harming gases and particles are being delivered directly to where they can do the most damage: the stratosphere, where 90% of atmospheric ozone resides.

Though some researchers have begun to look at the real-world impacts of individual launches, it remains an understudied field wherein the science is based more on models than true observations. There are a lot of things we still dont know, emphasized Revell. Measurements of exhaust plumes are limited, and most current data rely heavily on plume modeling or best estimates from combustion calculations. Even the most ubiquitous fuel, liquid kerosene, is still relatively poorly modeled in exhaust concentrations, the study authors wrote.

Related article: Rocket Launches Could Be Polluting Our Atmosphere in New and Unexpected Ways

When researchers do evaluate the specifics of individual launches, they often find disturbing results. A 2022 study that modeled the 2016 Falcon 9 launch of the Thaicom-6 satellite found that this single launch likely produced a metric ton of ozone-depleting nitrogen oxidesequivalent to about 1,400 cars-worth of annual emissions. Moreover, the amount of overall ozone loss due to rocket launches could be more than 10-fold what has been previously assumed because of a lack of comprehensive research, according to the 2022 modeling study.

For context: Most living things on Earth depend on an intact ozone layer to survive and thrive. The protective blanket of atmospheric ozone absorbs the Suns most harmful rays, known as UVB light wavelengths, that cause skin cancer, cataracts, and crop damage, among other things. A healthy ozone also protects us from an even worse version of climate change. Without it, the world would be 4.5 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than present.

However, just because rocket launches are increasing doesnt mean the ozone layer has to decrease. Beyond identifying the problem of increasing space launches and potential ozone harms, Revell and her co-authors also suggested a path forward for atmospheric researchers and private space companies to tackle the problem. In their view, a sustainable future for space flight is within reach, and the earlier we make changes, the better.

Some of their suggested changes include more research and monitoring to keep tabs on launch emissions and greater access to open data on launch emissions. Another recommendation is for launch providers to consider the stratospheric effects of their rockets at the design and testing stage.

This isnt a doom-and-gloom type prediction, said Tyler Brown, an astrophysics researcher at the University of Canterbury and first author on the review study, in an email to Gizmodo.Many things can and will change in the future. Our main goal is to get people discussing a sustainable rocket industry in the present with a serious lens for actionnot just awareness.

More: Fuel Cleanup Underway After Rocket Crash in Alaska

More from Gizmodo

Sign up for Gizmodo's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.
Democratic Representative Maxwell Frost criticised his home state Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida, saying the potential Republican presidential candidate is engaging in fascism.

The freshman Democratic congressman, who is currently the youngest member of the House of Representatives, spoke on CNN with Jim Acosta about Mr DeSantiss plan to ban the use of preferred pronouns and gender studies in the state of Florida.

He isnt acting on education, we have to be clear, Mr Frost said. Hes acting on scapegoating vulnerable communities due to his failures.

Mr Frost said that Mr DeSantis was not talking about how to actually improve education with measures like improving teacher pay or more money spent on students.

Hes talking about targeting queer students, he said. Targeting LGBTQ+ kids. Its not just the broader community. Hes going for the kids.

Mr Frost said that a new piece of legislation would allow the state to seize transgender children if they feel like they are at risk of gender-affirming care. The governor is largely seen as a potential challenger to former president Donald Trump in the 2024 Republican primary, largely by his targeting of LGBTQ+ rights and limiting how gender and sexualty are discussed in education.

The Democrat said that it was hard to keep track of all of Mr DeSantiss targeting of marginalised communities.

But we have to call it for what it is: he is abusing his power and using the state to target political opponents and political enemies, he said. And theres a word for that, and its fascism. And we have to be honest about it.

Mr Frost said that while it is a problem for Florida now, it could become a problem for everyone else if Mr DeSantis becomes president.

We need everybody to pay attention and talk about it, he said. How hes targeting trans folks, targeting not just Black history but Black people in general, which is American history, and targeting marginalized communities across this entire state.
At the turn of the 21st century, a popular governor of a populous Republican stronghold sought promotion to the presidency on the grounds that he was, in his words, a uniter, not a divider.

George W Bushs hope to be a leader who brought America together took a significant hit after the 2000 presidential election ended in a monthlong stalemate that took a 5-4 Supreme Court decision to resolve by handing him Floridas electoral votes and the presidency, leaving the country he wanted to unite divided into what the press began calling red states and blue states, after the colours used by television networks election night maps.

But nearly a quarter-century after Mr Bush promised to be a leader who would bring the US together, the governor of the state that made him the 43rd President of the United States hopes perpetuating that red-versus-vlue divide will let him hold the office Mr Bush did.

In a 40-minute address to prominent Republicans at the Ronald Reagan Library in California, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis laid out a vision of remaking the country as a whole into a far-right paradise in the mould of the Sunshine State under his leadership.

The Florida governor devoted the majority of his remarks to assailing the will of voters in many of the countrys population centres and economic engines, castigating governors and legislators in New York and California for implementing the policies that got them elected in the first place.

Mr DeSantis made a point of taking aim at Gavin Newsom, the popular governor of California who last year survived a recall effort which sought to replace him with right-wing talk show host Larry Elder.

Mr DeSantis castigated Mr Newsom for following the advice of public health experts at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, accusing him of subcontract[ing] ... leadership to health bureaucrats and assailed the state governments in New York and California for their tax policies.

Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis sits with his family before addressing supporters at The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif., Sunday, March 5, 2023. DeSantis has quietly begun to expand his political coalition on his terms just as he releases a book,

When the world went mad, when common sense suddenly became an uncommon virtue, Florida stood as a refuge of sanity, a citadel of freedom for people throughout the United States and indeed, throughout the world. We refused to let our state descend into some type of Faucian dystopia, where people's rights were curtailed, and their livelihoods were destroyed. We made sure people had a right to work and we got people back to work and businesses back open, he said.

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Mr DeSantis portrayed himself as a visionary leader whod bucked the conventional wisdom and reaped uncommon benefits. But the reality of what happened is a bit more complicated.

In fact, he imposed many of the same stay-at-home orders other governors did at the same time most other states did, in early 2020.

It wasnt until far-right extremists began protesting outside state capitals in states with Democratic governors  around the time then-president Donald Trump began tweeting about the need to liberate those specific states  that Mr DeSantis remade himself into the champion of anti-vaccine, anti-mask, anti-public health populists.

Since then, with the aid of a compliant GOP-led legislature, Mr DeSantis has sought to make the Sunshine State a leader in implementing a new, muscular form of Republicanism that uses the power of the state to achieve broader cultural goals.

In his remarks, Mr DeSantis made a point of contrasting his states education policies with so-called blue states, which he claims have allowed public schools and universities to become centers of indoctrination.

I think we've gotten it right on all the key issues. And I think these liberal states have gotten it wrong, and why are they getting it wrong? I think it all goes back to ideology. I think it goes back to this woke mind virus that's infected, the left and all these other institutions. I mean, think about the way they have governed the states, he said.

They put things like woke ideology over the tried and true principles that President Reagan stand. And then below that they do coddle the criminals and put the rights of the criminals over the safety of the public and the rights of victims ... and they subordinate in terms of education, the best interests of parents and students to partisan interest groups like school unions ... and so its ideology run amok. That's why the quality of life has declined in places like San Francisco and New York City and Philadelphia and Chicago. It's all rooted in that. And that woke ideology rejects the core foundational principles that have made this country great, he said.
Theres another check coming this month for nearly 1.3 million Illinois Facebook users who successfully filed claims in a landmark $650 million biometric privacy settlement.

A second payment of $30.61 was issued beginning Feb. 28 to everyone who cashed their initial $397 settlement check last year in the class action lawsuit. The supplemental distribution represents more than $43 million left over in the settlement fund after nearly 110,000 Illinois class members filed a claim but did not cash the first check.

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All the money goes to the claiming class members, but sometimes people dont cash the checks, said Chicago attorney Jay Edelson, who brought the lawsuit against Facebook eight years ago. So there are distributions later on.

In May 2022, the settlement fund distributed nearly $550 million  the total after legal expenses  to 1.38 million Illinois Facebook users who filed valid claims in the class action lawsuit. The payments were made by check and electronic transfer. The checks had an original void date of Aug. 8, according to court documents.

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The claims administrator reissued nearly 82,000 checks in July to those who had requested but did not successfully process electronic payments. By November, the total number of uncashed checks was 109,434. The last initial checks were voided as of Jan. 14, opening the door for the supplemental payments.

The nearly 1.3 million Facebook users in line for the supplemental check will have received a total of about $428 each from the two payments.

Weve always thought that this settlement was, in many ways, a model settlement for class actions, Edelson said. This distribution check is larger than a lot of people get in class actions.

In April 2015, Edelson filed the lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court on behalf of plaintiff Carlo Licata, alleging the social media giants use of facial tagging features without consent was not allowed under Illinois privacy law. The case was moved to federal court in Chicago and then California federal court, where it attained class-action status.

The settlement class included about 7 million Facebook users in Illinois for whom the social network created and stored a face template after June 7, 2011. More than 1 in 5 eligible Illinois Facebook users filed a claim by the November 2020 deadline.

In February 2021, a California federal judge issued final approval of the $650 million settlement, but the payout was delayed by more than a year during an unsuccessful appeal filed on behalf of two Illinois class members, who objected to the $97.5 million in attorneys fees, as well as $5,000 incentive awards to the named plaintiffs.

In November 2021, Meta/Facebook announced it would shut down its facial recognition system amid growing concerns over widespread use of the technology. As a result, the company said it planned to delete more than a billion facial recognition templates it had stored, putting an end to the feature that automatically recognized if peoples faces appear in memories, photos or videos.

The Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, which was passed in 2008, is considered the strictest in the U.S. and requires companies to get permission before using technologies such as facial recognition and fingerprint scans to identify customers or employees.

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Last month, the Illinois Supreme Court opened the door to significantly higher damages in a case involving a Chicago White Castle manager when it ruled that biometric privacy claims accrue every time information is gathered without consent. Under the law, plaintiffs can be awarded $1,000 for negligent violations and $5,000 for intentional violations.

Edelson said the ruling undermines the Illinois law by turning what was a $5,000 claim into one that could run into the millions, based on how many times a thumbprint might be scanned for a single employee.

That means every suit could potentially bankrupt defendants and thats not the point of the law. Edelson said. So were actually working with some legislators on trying to bring the law back to its original intent.

rchannick@chicagotribune.com
Michael Reagan expressed a lack of faith in former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake and said his father would be embarrassed by her speaking engagement at a dinner named after the late president.

Reagan, chairman and president of The Reagan Legacy Foundation, took aim at Lake for speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conferences Ronald Reagan dinner this weekend.

The dinner, which featured Glenn Beck as its speaker last year, offered Lake an opportunity to tackle one of her greatest hits: election falsehoods.

My father would be embarrassed for the Republican Party knowing the Kari Lake is speaking at the Ronald Reagan Dinner tonite @CPAC #embarrassing, Reagan tweeted.

He expressed his concern about Lake, who won a CPAC straw poll of vice presidential picks, as a potential figure in the future of the Republican Party.

Put Lake on the Ticket in 24 would be guarantee win for Biden, Reagan added in his tweet.

My father would be embarrassed for the Republican Party knowing the Kari Lake is speaking at the Ronald Reagan Dinner tonite @CPAC#embarrassing Put Lake on the Ticket in 24 would be guarantee win for Biden..  Michael Reagan (@ReaganWorld) March 4, 2023

Reagan has gone after Lake and her hefty election lies before.

He questioned whether the Republican Party learned anything in the wake of Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs victory over Lake in the gubernatorial election last year.

We need to be the Party of Reagan again not Trump, the late presidents son wrote.

In another tweet last month, Reagan also weighed in on an Arizona appeals court rejecting Lakes challenge of her election loss.

Speculation is not evidence..She Lost, he tweeted.

Related...
King Charles III has reportedly officially invited the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to his and the Queen Consorts coronation this spring.

A spokesperson for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle told The Times that they have received email correspondence about the coronation, but no decision has been disclosed about whether they will accept the invitation or not.

It comes after reports that the King may offer the couple a suite of rooms in Buckingham Palace that previously belonged to the Duke of York, after asking them to vacate their UK residence, Frogmore Cottage.

It is understood that the King has instead offered the keys to Frogmore Cottage to his disgraced brother, who is said to be resisting any attempt to move him out of his current home, the Royal Lodge.

On Saturday evening (4 March), Harry took part in a new interview with author Gabor Mate, during which he revealed that the lack of physical affection he received as a child impacts the way he parents his two children, Archie and Lilibet, today.

He also spoke candidly about his drug use and said that marijuana really helped him mentally, while cocaine did nothing for him.

Key Points

Harry and Meghan have reportedly received official invitation to the Kings coronation

Chris Rock questions Meghan Markles racism claims against royal family in Netflix stand-up show

Prince Harry left Royal Family because he felt different

Therapy helped me overcome my mothers death, says Duke of Sussex

Duke and Duchess of Sussex stunned by request to vacate Frogmore Cottage

Harry and Meghan have reportedly received official invitation to the Kings coronation

03:22 , Peony Hirwani

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have reportedly been officially invited to the King and Queen Consorts coronation via email correspondence.

A spokesperson for the couple said that they recently received email correspondence from His Majestys office regarding the coronation.

However, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have not yet disclosed whether or not they will accept the invitation and fly to the UK for the ceremony on 6 May.

Story continues

Holy oil used during King Charles coronation will no longer include ambergris from whale intestines

09:55 , Peony Hirwani

The oil used to anoint the King and Queen Consort Camilla in the coronation on 6 May will be cruelty-free.

This part of the ceremony is said to be one of the most sacred of the days rituals but will reflect modern anti-animal cruelty sentiments, according to a statement published by Buckingham Palace.

Ellie Muir reports.

Coronation oil made with whale intestine ambergris to be cruelty free

Prince Harry says he always felt different from rest of royal family

09:25 , Peony Hirwani

The Duke of Sussex has opened up about how he always felt slightly different from other members of the royal family and said his mother felt the same way.

In a new interview for readers of his memoir Spare, Prince Harry spoke about grieving his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales, and what it is like to live with loss.

Speaking to author Gabor Mate, an expert in trauma and healing, Harry said that the release of his book made him feel incredibly free, despite sources saying his father and brother are furious about it.

He described feeling slightly different to the rest of my family while growing up and that he lived in a bubble that was eventually burst by going to therapy.

Kate Ng reports.

Prince Harry says he always felt different from rest of royal family

Harry and Meghan not fighting eviction from Frogmore Cottage

08:55 , Peony Hirwani

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have accepted the Kings decision to ask them to vacate Frogmore Cottage, it has been reported.

A source close to the couple has said they are OK with the Kings decision and are not fighting it.

Read the full story here:

Harry and Meghan not fighting eviction from Frogmore Cottage

Everything we know about King Charles IIIs coronation

08:25 , Peony Hirwani

The King and Queen Consorts coronation ceremony is just weeks away.

Heres everything you need to know about the coronation weekend in May:

When is the coronation of King Charles III?

Camilla to be called Queen instead of Queen Consort after coronation

07:55 , Peony Hirwani

As speculation continues over whether or not the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will attend the coronation this spring, it has been reported that the Queen Consort will be known as the Queen instead following the ceremony.

Before her death last September, the late Queen Elizabeth II announced that it was her sincere wish that Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service.

But a report quoting insiders at Buckingham Palace has suggested that the royal may shed the cumbersome title of Queen Consort for the simpler title of Queen.

Read the full report here:

Camillas title to change after coronation in May, report says

Chris Rock questions Meghan Markles racism claims against royal family in Netflix stand-up show

07:25 , Peony Hirwani

Chris Rock has joked about Meghan Markles accusations of racism against the royal family.

During his stand-up special, titled Selective Outrage, the comedian addressed Markles interview with Oprah Winfrey that occurred in April 2021. In the interview, Markle and Prince Harry said that, while at Buckingham Palace, there were concerns raised about how dark their babys skin might be before Archie was born.

Rock questioned the belief that Markle was the victim of racism, and brushed off her experience by saying she was merely dealing with in-law s***.

Like, who is this girl Meghan Markle? he started, adding: Seems like a nice lady  just complaining. Like didnt she hit the light-skinned lottery?

Read more:

Chris Rock sends up Meghan Markles racism claims against royal family

Anthem for King Charles IIIs coronation has been written by Lloyd Webber

06:55 , Peony Hirwani

Andrew Lloyd Webber, the English composer who created the scores for blockbuster musicals such as Cats, The Phantom of the Opera and Evita, has written the anthem for King Charles IIIs coronation.

The work by Webber is one of a dozen new pieces Charles commissioned for the grand occasion taking place May 6 at Westminster Abbey. It includes words adapted from Psalm 98 and is scored specifically for the abbeys choir and organ.

I hope my anthem reflects this joyful occasion, Webber said in a statement distributed by Buckingham Palace.

Read more:

Anthem for Charles IIIs coronation written by Lloyd Webber

Emma Bridgewater releases commemorative mugs for the Kings coronation

06:25 , Peony Hirwani

A pottery company with strong royal connections has launched hand-painted commemorative mugs marking the forthcoming coronation of the King.

Staff at Emma Bridgewater, who have begun painstaking work on the pieces, which include small plates, a teapot and a half-pint mug, are expecting big demand from collectors, royalists, and members of the public keen to own an item marking the historic moment.

Read more:

Emma Bridgewater releases commemorative mugs for the Kings coronation

Oil for Charles III's coronation consecrated in Jerusalem

05:55 , Peony Hirwani

Two senior clergymen in Jerusalem have consecrated the holy oil that will be used to anoint King Charles III during his coronation.

The oil was consecrated on Friday (3 March) morning at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the traditional site of Christs crucifixion and burial, Buckingham Palace said in a statement.

The ceremony was conducted by His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, head of the Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem, and the Most Rev Hosam Naoum, the Anglican archbishop in Jerusalem.

Read more:

Oil for Charles III's coronation consecrated in Jerusalem

Voices: Not even The Kardashians can keep up with Harry and Meghan

05:25 , Peony Hirwani

The royal family is not really meant to be what it has become: a rolling soap opera. A boring, banal, but bizarrely addictive guilty pleasure, writes Tom Peck.

Read his op-ed below:

Not even The Kardashians can keep up with Harry and Meghan | Tom Peck

Piers Morgan on news of Meghan and Harry receiving official invitation to the Kings coronation

04:55 , Peony Hirwani

Piers Morgan has responded to news of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex receiving an official invitation to the Kings coronation via email.

The arrogance of this statement is comical, he wrote on Twitter. These Monarchy-trashing clowns shouldnt be anywhere the Coronation, let anyone taking their time to make a decision.

The arrogance of this statement is comical. These Monarchy-trashing clowns shouldnt be anywhere the Coronation, let anyone taking their time to make a decision. https://t.co/DXuY83tVUa  Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 5, 2023

Piers Morgan says he has never uttered racist word or sentiment against Meghan Markle

04:25 , Peony Hirwani

On Sunday (5 March), the founder of Women in Leadership Publication, Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu retweeted a clip of Piers Morgan challenging journalist Ernest Owens for posting a series of tweets accusing him of being racist towards Meghan Markle.

Piers Morgan demanding evidence of his racist tirades against Meghan Markle is Caucacity on steroids, she wrote. Mr Arbiter of What is Racism who uses his White privilege and global platform to aggravate racist/sexist/misogynist attacks against her accuses @MrErnestOwens of no evidence.

Morgan responded to Mos-Shogbamimu, writing: Oh look, Britains most repulsive race-baiter strikes again!

Ive never uttered one racist word or sentiment about Meghan Markle. I couldnt give a damn about her skin colour, only her vile campaign  with her dim doormat husband  to destroy the Royal Family with lies and smears.

Oh look, Britain's most repulsive race-baiter strikes again! I've never uttered one racist word or sentiment about Meghan Markle.

I couldn't give a damn about her skin colour, only her vile campaign - with her dim doormat husband - to destroy the Royal Family with lies & smears. https://t.co/n3lHg50N5q  Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 5, 2023

King Charles to offer Harry and Meghan apartment in Buckingham Palace after Frogmore Cottage eviction

03:55 , Peony Hirwani

King Charles III could offer the Duke and Duchess of Sussex an apartment in Buckingham Palace as their UK residence when they visit the country, it has been reported.

The suite of rooms that the King may offer to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle previously belonged to Prince Andrew.

The Mail on Sunday quoted a source as saying: His Majesty is furious [with Harry], as is [Prince] William. But the King is not a bad man. He has no wish to see his brother Andrew homeless or penniless. Nor does he wish to deprive the Sussexes of a base in the UK.

London is a better fit. The Sussexes have always wanted rooms at Buckingham Palace. They could have Andrews old rooms there, which are currently being vacated.

Kate Ng reports.

King Charles to offer Harry and Meghan apartment in Buckingham Palace

Sunday 5 March 2023 23:29 , Katy Clifton

Thanks for following our live updates, we are pausing our coverage for the evening.

William and Kate considering Prince George role at coronation

Sunday 5 March 2023 18:45 , Kate Ng

Prince George might be given an official role at his grandfathers coronation, it has been reported.

The Prince and Princess of Wales are said to be considering whether their eldest child, nine-year-old George, and second in line to the throne, should be included in the congregation at Westminster Abbey.

My colleague Ellie Muir has the full story:

William and Kate considering Prince George role at coronation

VOICES: Not even The Kardashians can keep up with Harry and Meghan

Sunday 5 March 2023 17:45 , Kate Ng

The royal family is not really meant to be what it has become: a rolling soap opera. A boring, banal, but bizarrely addictive guilty pleasure, writes Tom Peck.

Read his op-ed below:

Not even The Kardashians can keep up with Harry and Meghan | Tom Peck

Everything we know about King Charles IIIs coronation

Sunday 5 March 2023 16:45 , Kate Ng

The King and Queen Consorts coronation ceremony is just weeks away.

Heres everything you need to know about the coronation weekend in May:

When is the coronation of King Charles III?

WATCH: Where will Harry and Meghan stay in UK after eviction from Frogmore?

Sunday 5 March 2023 15:45 , Kate Ng

Camilla to be called Queen instead of Queen Consort after coronation

Sunday 5 March 2023 14:50 , Kate Ng

As speculation continues over whether or not the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will attend the coronation this spring, it has been reported that the Queen Consort will be known as the Queen instead following the ceremony.

Before her death last September, the late Queen Elizabeth II announced that it was her sincere wish that Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service.

But a report quoting insiders at Buckingham Palace has suggested that the royal may shed the cumbersome title of Queen Consort for the simpler title of Queen.

Read the full report here:

Camillas title to change after coronation in May, report says

Sarah Ferguson says she has no judgement of Harry and Meghan

Sunday 5 March 2023 13:45 , Kate Ng

Sarah Ferguson has revealed she has no judgement towards Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and the path they have chosen, while reflecting on the judgement she has faced all [her] life.

The Duchess of York, 63, spoke candidly about the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs decision to step back from their royal roles and relocate to California, as well as her own experiences being judged, during a new interview.

Chelsea Ritschel reports:

Sarah Ferguson says she has no judgement towards Harry and Meghan

Chris Rock questions Meghan Markles racism claims against royal family in Netflix stand-up show

Sunday 5 March 2023 12:50 , Kate Ng

Chris Rock has called out Meghan Markle for accusing the royal family of being racist.

The comedian was hosting a stand-up special, titled Selective Outrage, which was historically broadcast on Netflix live.

During the set, he addressed Markles interview with Oprah Winfrey that occurred in April 2021. In the interview, Markle and Prince Harry said that, while at Buckingham Palace, there were concerns raised about how dark their babys skin might be before Archie was born.

My colleague Jacob Stolworthy has the full story:

Chris Rock lambasts Meghan Markles racism claims against royal family

Harry and Meghan not fighting eviction from Frogmore Cottage

Sunday 5 March 2023 11:45 , Kate Ng

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have accepted the Kings decision to ask them to vacate Frogmore Cottage, it has been reported.

A source close to the couple has said they are OK with the Kings decision and are not fighting it.

Read the full story here:

Harry and Meghan not fighting eviction from Frogmore Cottage

Harry and Meghan have reportedly received official invitation to the Kings coronation

Sunday 5 March 2023 11:04 , Kate Ng

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have reportedly been officially invited to the King and Queen Consorts coronation in May via email correspondence.

A spokesperson for the couple was quoted by The Times as saying that they recently received email correspondence from His Majestys office regarding the coronation.

However, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have not yet disclosed whether or not they will accept the invitation and fly to the UK for the ceremony.

Prince Harry says he always felt different from rest of royal family

Sunday 5 March 2023 10:50 , Kate Ng

The Duke of Sussex has opened up about how he always felt slightly different from other members of the royal family and said his mother felt the same way.

He also said he does not consider himself a victim and thought that sharing his experiences through his book would help some people out there.

Get the full story here:

Prince Harry says he always felt different from rest of royal family

Prince Harry reveals how he handles his childrens outbursts

Sunday 5 March 2023 09:55 , Kate Ng

Prince Harry has shared some of his parenting strategies when raising his children and how he responds during their outbursts.

During the Q&A portion of the event, one event guest asked for advice on how to raise children to be kind, emphatic, and humble humans. In response, Harry said how important it is for children to feel love and be given the opportunity to be themselves.

My colleague Amber Raiken reports:

Prince Harry reveals how he handles his childrens outbursts

King Charles reportedly set to offer Harry and Meghan apartment in Buckingham Palace

Sunday 5 March 2023 07:36 , Kate Ng

The King will reportedly offer the Duke and Duchess of Sussex an old suite of rooms that previously belonged to the Duke of York in Buckingham Palace as their UK residence, after asking them to vacate Frogmore Cottage.

Following their eviction from their UK home, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are expected to face difficulties if they ever want to visit the UK if they are not offered alternative accommodation by the monarch.

The Mail on Sunday has now quoted a source as saying: His Majesty is furious [with Harry], as is William. But the King is not a bad man. He has no wish to see his brother [Prince] Andrew homeless or penniless. Nor does he wish to deprive the Sussexes of a base in the UK.

London is a better fit. The Sussexes have always wanted rooms at Buckingham Palace. They could have Andrews old rooms there, which are currently being vacated.

It is understood that Andrew has been offered the keys to Frogmore Cottage, but is resisting moving out of his current residence, the Royal Lodge. He has lived there for nearly 20 years.

Prince Harry reveals drugs were a comfort to help deal with trauma

Sunday 5 March 2023 06:12 , Adam Withnall

Prince Harry has revealed that using marijuana and psychedelics helped him deal with trauma in his life, as he is diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD) during a livestream interview.

The Duke of Sussex spoke to Dr Gabor Mate, a trauma expert, and they covered a wide range of topics, including his mothers death, drug use, his time in the army, and his relationship with other members of the royal family.

Read the full story here:

Prince Harry reveals drugs were a comfort to help deal with trauma

Harry and Meghans absence would cast a shadow over King Charles coronation, royal expert says

Sunday 5 March 2023 03:59 , Joe Middleton

If the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were to decide not to attend King Charles III and the Queen Consorts coronation this spring, it would cast a shadow over the celebrations, a royal commentator has predicted.

Speculation over whether or not Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will fly to the UK to attend the ceremony has increased after it emerged that they were asked to vacate their UK residence, Frogmore Cottage.

It is not known if the Sussexes will receive an invitation to the coronation, although this is expected. However, the Kings decision to request that they move out of Frogmore Cottage and offer the keys to the Duke York instead has reportedly stunned the couple.

Harry and Meghans absence would cast a shadow over King Charles coronation

King Charles evicting flamethrowers Harry and Meghan is a move to save monarchy, Piers Morgan says

Sunday 5 March 2023 03:30 , Joe Middleton

Piers Morgan has said that King Charles III is moving to save the monarchy from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as he requests that the pair vacate their UK residence, Frogmore Cottage in Windsor.

It comes as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex confirmed they have been asked to vacate the residence handed to them by the late Queen after their marriage in 2018.

They are now said to be making arrangements to have their remaining belongings shipped from the 10-bedroom royal residence to their home in California. Reportedly, Prince Andrew has been offered the keys to the cottage.

King Charles is evicting Harry and Meghan to save monarchy, Piers Morgan says

Inside Frogmore Cottage, the residence at the centre of a new royal row

Sunday 5 March 2023 02:30 , Joe Middleton

The Grade II-listed Frogmore Cottage has been part of the royal familys property portfolio since the 19th century.

Over the years, various members of the royal family have lived in the 10-bedroom house, which was first built as a retreat for Queen Charlotte, the wife of King George III, in 1801.

It is currently known for being the first marital home and UK residence of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Inside Frogmore Cottage, the residence at the centre of a new royal row

Rebel Wilson claims Meghan Markle is not as cool as Prince Harry

Sunday 5 March 2023 01:30 , Joe Middleton

Rebel Wilson has described the Duchess of Sussex as not as cool or naturally warm as her husband, the Duke of Sussex.

The Pitch Perfect star recalled her first encounter with the royal couple, which she said happened through a mutual friend who is a polo player.

Appearing on Andy Cohens Watch What Happens Live, Wilson, 43, said she introduced her mother to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Rebel Wilson claims Meghan Markle is not as cool as Prince Harry

Prince Harry reveals how lack of physical affection throughout childhood impacts how he raises his children

Sunday 5 March 2023 00:30 , Joe Middleton

Prince Harry is speaking out about the lack of physical affection he received throughout his childhood and how it affects him as a father today.

On Saturday, the Duke of Sussex discussed his four-year-old son, Archie, and one-year-old daughter, Lilibet, whom he shares with wife Meghan Markle, during a live streamed conversation with Dr Gabor Mate. The conversation centred on mental health awareness and personal healing.

During the conversation, Mate pointed out that in Harrys tell-all memoir, Spare, he wrote about the lack of hugs he received from members of the royal family. When asked how this family dynamic has impacted his parenting skills, the duke said it encouraged him be more affectionate with his children.

Harry describes lack of physical affection as child and how he shows love to his kids

Prince Harry says wife Meghan Markle saved him when he felt stuck

Saturday 4 March 2023 23:30 , Joe Middleton

Prince Harry reflected on his marriage with Meghan Markle and explained how she helped him at a time when he felt stuck.

The Duke of Sussex spoke about his spouse, who hes been married to since 2018, during a livestream conversation with author Dr Gabor Mate on Saturday. The conversation focused on managing grief, the importance of healing and Harrys tell-all memoir, Spare.

Harry told Mate how his wife had a major impact on his personal growth.

Prince Harry says wife Meghan Markle saved him when he felt stuck

Prince Harry reveals drugs were a comfort to help deal with trauma

Saturday 4 March 2023 22:33 , Joe Middleton

Prince Harry has revealed that using marijuana and psychedelics helped him deal with trauma in his life, as he is diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD) during a livestream interview.

The Duke of Sussex spoke to Dr Gabor Mate, a trauma expert, and they covered a wide-range of topics, including his mothers death, drug use, his time in the army, and his relationship with other members of the Royal Family.

On using drugs, Prince Harry said: (Cocaine) didnt do anything for me, it was more a social thing and gave me a sense of belonging for sure, I think it probably also made me feel different to the way I was feeling, which was kind of the point.

Prince Harry reveals drugs were a comfort to help deal with trauma

Prince Harry reveals how he handles his childrens outbursts

Saturday 4 March 2023 22:30 , Joe Middleton

Prince Harry has shared some of his parenting strategies when raising his children and how he responds during their outbursts.

During a live streamed conversation on Saturday about personal healing with author Dr Gabor Mate, the Duke of Sussex spoke about his four-year-old son, Archie, and one-year-old daughter, Lilibet, whom he shares with wife Meghan Markle.

During the Q&A portion of the event, one event guest asked for advice on how to raise children to be kind, emphatic, and humble humans. In response, Harry said how important it is for children to feel love and be given the opportunity to be themselves.

Prince Harry reveals how he handles his childrens outbursts

Prince Harry reveals drugs were a comfort to help deal with trauma

Saturday 4 March 2023 21:30 , Joe Middleton

Prince Harry has revealed that using marijuana and psychedelics helped him deal with trauma in his life, as he is diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD) during a livestream interview.

The Duke of Sussex spoke to Dr Gabor Mate, a trauma expert, and they covered a wide-range of topics, including his mothers death, drug use, his time in the army, and his relationship with other members of the Royal Family.

On using drugs, Prince Harry said: (Cocaine) didnt do anything for me, it was more a social thing and gave me a sense of belonging for sure, I think it probably also made me feel different to the way I was feeling, which was kind of the point.

Prince Harry reveals drugs were a comfort to help deal with trauma

Prince Harry reveals how lack of physical affection throughout childhood impacts how he raises his children

Saturday 4 March 2023 20:38 , Joe Middleton

Prince Harry is speaking out about the lack of physical affection he received throughout his childhood and how it affects him as a father today.

On Saturday, the Duke of Sussex discussed his four-year-old son, Archie, and one-year-old daughter, Lilibet, whom he shares with wife Meghan Markle, during a live streamed conversation with Dr Gabor Mate. The conversation centred on mental health awareness and personal healing.

During the conversation, Mate pointed out that in Harrys tell-all memoir, Spare, he wrote about the lack of hugs he received from members of the royal family. When asked how this family dynamic has impacted his parenting skills, the duke said it encouraged him be more affectionate with his children.

Harry describes lack of physical affection as child and how he shows love to his kids

Inside Royal Lodge: The 30-room mansion Prince Andrew may have to vacate for Frogmore Cottage

Saturday 4 March 2023 20:00 , Kate Ng

The Duke of York has resided in the Royal Lodge in Windsor Park for nearly 20 years, but reports suggest his time there may be coming to an end.

It is understood that the King has offered Andrew the keys to Frogmore Cottage after requesting the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to vacate it.

Read everything you need to know about the Royal Lodge here:

Inside Royal Lodge, the 30-room mansion Prince Andrew may have to vacate

Prince Harry diagnosed with ADD

Saturday 4 March 2023 19:17 , Joe Middleton

Dr Gabor Mate diagnosed the Duke of Sussex with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) during their livestream conversation on Saturday night.

Dr Mate told Prince Harry that he had the condition after reading his book Spare.

The Duke of Sussex responded: thanks for the free session.
A protester outside of Fox News's headquarters in Manhattan. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Rupert Murdoch admitted Fox News hosts endorsed falsehoods about the 2020 election.

Murdoch chairs Fox Corporation, which argues it isn't responsible for claims made on subsidiary Fox News.

Dominion Voting Systems is suing both Fox News and Fox Corporation for defamation.

Rupert Murdoch said in a deposition excerpt made public last week that hosts on Fox News endorsed the "false notion of a stolen election."

He seemed almost happy to admit it.

A number of media outlets treated Murdoch's deposition as a "gotcha" moment. Here was the chair of Fox Corporation, a 91-year-old mogul atop a conservative media empire, admitting to lies that damaged democracy.

His comments came out as part of a lawsuit between Dominion Voting Systems and Fox. Dominion is suing Fox Corporation and Fox News Network, arguing they defamed the election technology company by allowing then-President Donald Trump's lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell to spread conspiracy theories on air.

When asked by Dominion's lawyers in a January deposition whether he thought Fox hosts were truthful about the election, Murdoch was candid.

Asked if Lou Dobbs  whose show was canceled on Fox Business Network after Trump left office  lied, Murdoch answered: "Oh, a lot."

Asked about host Maria Bartiromo, Murdoch said: "Yes. C'mon."

But in Murdoch's view, none of that matters. He doesn't think Fox Corporation should have anything to do with the defamation lawsuit.

Fox Corporation says it had nothing to do with what hosts said on Fox News

Fox News Network is the corporate entity that broadcasts Fox News and Fox Business News, where Dominion alleges hosts spread lies about its election technology.

Murdoch is the chair of Fox Corporation, the parent corporate entity of Fox News. Fox Corporation also manages subsidiaries like Fox Sports, a large number of local TV stations, TMZ, Tubi, and a blockchain company. Rupert's son Lachlan Murdoch is the CEO of the Fox Corporation.

Story continues

In Fox Corporation's view, it doesn't matter what Rupert Murdoch does or doesn't think about what goes on at Fox News, because he doesn't exercise granular editorial control at Fox News. Fox Corporation shouldn't be involved in Dominion's lawsuit at all, the company argues.

Under ordinary corporate law and Supreme Court precedent stemming from New York Times v. Sullivan  the granddaddy of libel law in the US  a parent company isn't automatically liable for the companies underneath it.

"The assumption has always been that it has to be the creator of the story who must know that it is false in order to support a judgment under the Sullivan standard," Frederick Schauer, a First Amendment scholar and a professor at the University of Virginia School of Law, told Insider.

Images of Fox News personalities Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, Maria Bartiromo, Stuart Varney, Neil Cavuto and Charles Payne appear outside News Corporation headquarters. AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey

To win its case against Fox Corporation, Dominion must prove the Murdochs were directly involved in the allegedly defamatory statements. Murdoch's "personal beliefs about those statements are irrelevant" if he didn't exercise editorial control at Fox News in the first place, according to Clay Calvert, a professor emeritus at the University of Florida and First Amendment scholar.

"Neither Rupert nor Lachlan Murdoch nor anyone else at Fox Corporation played any role whatsoever in creating or publishing any of the statements Dominion challenges," lawyers for Fox Corporation wrote in a filing made public last week.

Suing Fox Corporation, and not just Fox News Network, allows Dominion to "go after another pot of money" in its case, according to Calvert.

Individual Fox News hosts who were themselves deposed  Dobbs, Bartiromo, Jeanine Pirro, Tucker Carlson, and Sean Hannity  all said they didn't talk with the Murdochs about 2020 election conspiracy theories.

"I can say unequivocally that no one at Fox tried to force me to take a specific line on Sidney Powell or any other feature of the 2020 election," Carlson said in his deposition, quoted in Fox Corporation's filing. "I made these judgments independently and I think the record will reflect that because it's true."

"I don't think I've ever met Mr. Dobbs," Murdoch said in a different part of his deposition quoted in the Fox Corporation filing.

That still leaves the question of liability for Fox Corporation's subsidiary, Fox News Network. For its part, Fox News Network says it was simply reporting the news in a way protected by the First Amendment, and that Dominion is taking an "extreme, unsupported view of defamation law," the company said in a statement.

Dominion argues the Murdochs did control editorial decisions at Fox News

In filings, Dominion has argued that Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch are intimately involved in editorial decisions in Fox News and should be liable for what happens on the network.

The Murdochs often used Scott as a proxy to carry out their orders, Dominion alleged in court filings last month. As Fox News ratings slipped when the network announced Biden won Arizona's electoral college votes, Rupert Murdoch talked about how to adjust messaging on the channel, according to records obtained by Dominion.

He also told Scott to "watch Sean especially" and make sure Hannity didn't support Trump's lie that he was the true winner of the presidential election.

Around the time of the January 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol, Murdoch and Scott discussed whether the network's major hosts should "say some version of 'The election is over and Joe Biden won,'" but decided against it, messages obtained by Dominion show.

The elder Murdoch even appeared to decide to allow Carlson to interview Mike Lindell, another election conspiracy theorist who's being sued by Dominion. Asked why Lindell was on the network, Murdoch said in his deposition: "The man is on every night. Pays us a lot of money."

Rupert Murdoch. Al Bello/Getty Images

As for Lachlan Murdoch, Dominion says he was intimately involved in decisions about which guests should or should not be on Fox News, provided suggestions of specific questions to ask guests, and even the tone and length of chyrons and whether they were too "anti-Trump."

Lachlan said in his deposition that he had directed Scott on "specific direction on both the tone and narrative of Fox's news coverage" and that he anticipated she would listen to him.

"At his deposition, Lachlan could not recall a single instance when FNN did not follow one of his suggestions," Dominion's attorneys wrote in a filing.

Dominion also argues Fox Corporation board members had a role in shaping coverage on Fox News, including former Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan, former Trump administration communications director Raj Shah, and Patriot Act architect Viet Dinh.

On November 20, Shah communicated with a producer for Carlson's show about whether to address an affidavit Sidney Powell was offering as proof of fraud, according to communications Dominion obtained.

"Might wanna address this, but this stuff is so fucking insane," Shah said in a text message to one of Tucker Carlson's producers. "Vote rigging to the tune of millions? C'mon."

"It's totally insane.," he said in another message a day later, as cited in Dominion's filing. "This is an op to discredit her, since It's just MIND BLOWINGLY NUTS."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Sputnik/Pavel Bednyakov/Pool via third party

A representative for Wagner Group boss Yevgeniy Prigozhin was reportedly denied access to Russias military command in Ukraine Monday, in the latest sign that Moscow is sidelining Prigozhins mercenary fighting group in the war in Ukraine.

The apparent snub comes as Prigozhin pleads with Moscow to provide the Wagner Group with the ammunition it desperately needs in the war. The ammunition, though, has not been deliveredan act Prigozhin said could either be ordinary bureaucracy or betrayal.

On March 5, I wrote a letter to the commander of the SMO grouping about the urgent need to allocate ammunition. On March 6, at 8 a.m., my representative at the headquarters had his pass canceled and was denied access, Prigozhin said in a Telegram post, according to a Reuters translation.

Wagner Group fighters asked Russia for more ammunition in February, noting that Wagner Group mercenaries were dying unnecessarily in Ukraine as they try to fight off a Ukrainian advance in Bakhmut.

The delays and the latest denial to the Wagner representative have raised questions for Prigozhin about whether Russiaover a year into a war that has no end in sightis willing to use Wagner as a scapegoat in case it loses the war.

What if they [the Russian authorities] want to set us up, saying that we are scoundrelsand that's why they are not giving us ammunition, not giving us weapons, and not letting us replenish our personnel, including [recruiting] prisoners, Prigozhin said in a video, referencing recent measures Russia has established to prevent Wagner Group from rounding up prisoners to use on missions in Ukraine with little to no training.

Wagner Boss Appears to Issue Veiled Threat to Kremlin in Ominous Video

Prigozhin warned that if the supplies are not provided to Wagner, Russia may lose Bakhmutand moreto Ukraine.

If Wagner retreats from Bakhmut now, the whole front will collapse, he said.

Russia has been trying and failing to seize Bakhmut for months, with significant losses, according to the National Security Council.

Story continues

Although Prigozhin is questioning whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to blame losses on Wagner, Putin has been leaning on Wagner Group fighting as a way to make up for failings of Russias more conventional armed forces, according to a previous White House National Security Council assessment.

Wagner Group fighting has been a bit more effective than Russias forces, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters Monday.

In recent days, the focus of Wagners fighting has pushed toward Bakhmut from the east and north, as Ukrainian fighters have retreated west of the Bakhmutia river, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Even so, if Russia does prove victorious in Bakhmut, it likely wont change the direction of the war, Austin said Monday.

If the Ukrainians decide to reposition in some of the terrain thats west of Bakhmut, I would not view that as an operational or a strategic setback, Austin said, according to Fox News, which was traveling with the secretary of defense. The fall of Bakhmut wont necessarily mean that the Russians have changed the tide of this fight.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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The Russian military has continued to respond to heavy armoured vehicle losses by deploying vintage equipment that presents many vulnerabilities on the modern battlefield.

Source: European Pravda; UK Defence Intelligence on Twitter

Details: The Russian military has continued, in particular, to deploy 60-year-old T-62 main battle tanks (MBT). There is a realistic possibility that even units of the 1st Guards Tank Army (1 GTA), supposedly Russias premier tank force, will be re-equipped with T-62s to make up for previous losses, the report reads.



UK Intelligence states that 1 GTA had previously been due to receive the next-generation T-14 Armata MBT from 2021.

In recent days, Russian BTR-50 armoured personnel carriers, first fielded in 1954, have also been identified as having been deployed in Ukraine for the first time, the report remarks.

Since summer 2022, approximately 800 T-62s have been taken from storage and some have received upgraded sighting systems, which will highly likely improve their effectiveness at night.

However, both these vintage vehicle types will present many vulnerabilities on the modern battlefield, including the absence of modern explosive reactive armour.

Earlier, UK Defence Intelligence reported that the Russians are going into battle with shovels, which shows the low-tech nature of their actions.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
LILONGWE, Malawi (AP)  The Russian government has donated 20,000 tons of fertilizer to Malawi as part of its efforts to garner diplomatic support from various African nations.

Russia will give 260,000 tons of fertilizer to countries in the continent, Russian Ambassador to Malawi Nikolai Krasilnikov said at a handover ceremony Monday at the capital, Lilongwe.

He said he hopes African leaders will press for the abolition of international sanctions against Russia when they attend the second Russia-Africa summit to be held in St. Petersburg at the end of July.

Malawis minister of Agriculture Kawale said the fertilizer will reach 400,000 farming households and boost their agricultural production.

Also attending the event was a representative of the United Nations World Food Program.

Malawi voted to censure Russia at the United Nations last year for its invasion of Ukraine. More than 15 other African countries abstained from the vote.
Russia attacked Ukraine at night with 15 Shahed drones

There is no information about the fate of the other two drones. There were reports of explosions in several Ukrainian oblasts overnight, some of which were said to be from the operation of air defense missiles.

Read also: Air defense downs all four Shahed drones approaching from north during Russian night attack on Ukraine

The air force said attack was carried out from the north, namely Russia's Bryansk Oblast. It was recently reported by Ukraines military that Russia had established a new launch site in the Russian Oblast, which borders Ukraines Chernihiv Oblast.

The air force said the new site was likely established to make it easier for Russia to attack the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. The closest part of Russian territory to the city of Kyiv is the southwest of Bryansk Oblast  a little more than 200 kilometers away.

Read also: Ukrainian air defense intercepts 11 out of 14 launched drones in overnight Russian attack

Shahed-131 and Shahed-136 flying bombs have cruising speeds of 150 km/h and 200 km/h, meaning they could make the journey from their launch site to targets in Kyiv in an hour to an hour and 20 minutes.

According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia hopes the shorter flying time because of the closer launch site will make it more likely that more of the drones will evade air defenses and reach their targets.

The Iranian drones, dubbed flying lawnmowers in Ukraine due to their distinctive rotor engine sound, are relatively small and can fly low, making it more difficult to spot them on radar. During the day, they are even vulnerable to machine-gun fire from the ground, so Russia now launches them at Ukraine only at night.

Read also: Air defense downs all four Shahed drones approaching from north during Russian night attack on Ukraine

The day before, four drones  likely Shaheds again  were shot down over Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
The Ukrainian Air Force has shot down 13 out of 15 Shahed kamikaze drones that were launched by Russia on the night of 5-6 March.

Source: Yurii Ihnat, spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, on air during the national joint 24/7 newscast



Quote from Ihnat: "Drones were launched from the north. These were Shahed-136 Iranian-made kamikaze drones. 15 were launched, with 13 being shot down by air defence systems and other firearms."

Details: Ihnat called this result of the Air Forces work "quite good."

He urged residents of Ukraine to not ignore air-raid warnings.

Background:

An air-raid warning was issued in almost half of Ukraine's oblasts and in Kyiv during the evening of 5 March. It was in force until almost 04:00 on 6 March.

Serhii Lysak, Head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration, reported that four drones had been shot down over the oblast.

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Scott Adams, creator of the comic strip Dilbert, talks about his work at his studio in Dublin, Calif., on Oct. 26, 2006. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)

NEW YORK  Cartoonists are pushing back against racist remarks made by Dilbert creator Scott Adams, with one artist even using his own strip this week to lampoon the disgraced cartoon now dropped by newspapers nationwide.

Darrin Bell is transforming his strip Candorville  which usually features young Black and Latino characters  into a way to address Adams racism by mimicking the look and style of Dilbert, complete with wayward necktie.

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The only reason anyone knows who Scott Adams is because of the comics page. So I thought somebody on the comics page should respond to him on the comics page, Bell, the 2019 winner of the Pulitzer Prize for illustrated reporting and commentary, told The Associated Press.

In the strips running Monday to Saturday, Bell paired Dilbert with one of his own characters, Lemont Brown. In one, Dilbert hopes Lemont will side with him in his quest to get a laundry room installed at work.

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You could wash your hoodie, says Dilbert. Responds Lemont: And you could wash your hood?

Adams, who is white, was an outspoken  and controversial  presence on social media long before describing Black people as a hate group on YouTube last month. Adams repeatedly referred to people who are Black as members of a hate group and said he would no longer help Black Americans. He later said he was being hyperbolic, yet continued to defend his stance.

When somebody goes too far like Scott Adams did, everyone who knows better should stand up and use their First Amendment to draw a line  to say that this is unacceptable, said Bell, whose new graphic novel The Talk explores growing up as a biracial man in white culture.

Other cartoonists have stepped forward to denounce Adams, like Bill Holbrook, the creator of On the Fastrack, a strip that features an interracial family and  like Dilbert  focuses on a modern workplace.

One of the things I wanted to spotlight with my characters is that people do rise above their differences. It can work, Holbrook said. Thats the spotlight I wanted to focus on and still do. Its all a matter of where you want to put your focus.

Holbrook said the Adams case is not one of so-called cancel culture but of consequences.

I am in full support with him saying anything he wants to, but then he has to own the consequences of saying them, he said. Hes not being canceled. Hes experiencing the consequences of expressing his views.

Individual newspapers have dropped Dilbert and Adams distributor, Andrews McMeel Universal, said it was severing ties with the cartoonist. While some outlets replaced Dilbert with another strip, The Sun Chronicle in Attleboro, Massachusetts, decided to keep the space blank through March as a reminder of the racism that pervades our society.

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The Dilbert controversy has rocked a community of daily cartoonists who often create work in their homes several months ahead of publication. While reliably pro-free speech, they say theyre also orientated toward a better future  or at least a chuckle.

We believe comics are a powerful medium and that cartoonists should perpetuate laughter, not racism and hate, said Tea Fougner, editor in chief of King Features Syndicate  which distributes such strips as Candorville, Zits, Mutts and Dennis the Menace  in a statement to the AP.

We are proud of our cartoonists who are using their platforms to denounce the hatred spread by Scott Adams and encourage others to join us as we stand together as a community to keep the world of cartooning a safe and welcoming space for everyone, the statement said.

Bell credited King Features Syndicate and his editors for allowing him to rip up the strips intended for this week and pivot to the Dilbert send-ups, an unusual request.

They apparently thought it was important enough to take a risk and to make sure that it goes out on time, Bell said.

Many comic creators said theyd stopped reading Dilbert over the past several years, finding the strips tone darker and its creators descent into misogyny, anti-immigration and racism alarming. But Adams still had hundreds of newspaper perches before last week.

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We cant move forward and progress as a culture and as a society if there are still people in these gatekeeping roles that are holding onto these archaic ideas, said artist Bianca Xunise, who co-authors the strip Six Chix and is the second Black woman in comics history to be nationally syndicated.

Xunise noted the fallout was much quicker when she drew a strip that commented on both the Black Lives Matter movement and the coronavirus pandemic. More than 120 publications immediately dropped the strip.

She said being Black in the cartooning world seems to always trigger pushback from hateful readers and those fearful of woke messages, but is heartened that Heart of the City  now authored by the Black cartoonist Steenz  replaced Dilbert in The Washington Post.

We dont want to push so far that it becomes a different form of fascism over censoring everybodys ideas just out of fear of being offensive, Xunise said. But some things do not need to be said, and especially if they are a directly punching down towards those who are marginalized.

Macanudo creator Ricardo Liniers Siri, known professionally as Liniers, said Adams was moving into unfunny territory and thats a cartoonists third rail.

Grievance generally is not fun. The funniest guy at a party is not the one just complaining about everything. Thats the annoying guy, he said.

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I dont do grievance. Im just trying to focus on whatever is good that we have around, he added. Because in the context of a newspaper with so much bad news, I try to have an optimistic space.
The Ministry of Defence of Russia has shown footage of Sergei Shoigu, the Russian Defence Minister, supposedly visiting temporarily occupied Mariupol. This is the third message in the last three days designed to show Shoigus presence in the combat action zone in Ukraine.

Source: The Ministry of Defence of Russia on Telegram; Mariupol.Sprotyv (Mariupol.Resistance) Telegram channel

Quote from the Ministry: "General Sergei Shoigu, Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation, has inspected the work of a Russian Defence Ministry military construction facility for the restoration of infrastructure in Donbas during a visit to a special military operation zone." ["Special military operation" is what the occupiers call the war in Ukraine  ed.]

Shoigu in a helicopter

SCREENSHOT FROM THE VIDEO on 6 MARCH

Details: It is reported that Shoigu has supposedly inspected the readiness of already completed facilities and the progress of work at new construction sites in temporarily occupied Mariupol.

The Russian Minister has allegedly visited the newly built "multifunctional medical centre, a Ministry of Emergency Situations national rescue centre and a new neighbourhood of 12 five-storey residential buildings".

In addition, the Russian Ministry has also reported that the occupiers are building "a new facility of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia, a new neighbourhood of six nine-storey residential buildings, schools and kindergartens" in Mariupol.

On 5 March, the Russian Defence Ministry stated that Shoigu "had a meeting with commanders of groupings of the special military operation" and that it was held "at the headquarters of the Russian troop groupings".

Nevertheless, on 4 March, the Russian Defence Ministry claimed that Shoigu had supposedly inspected "a command post of the Vostok (East) grouping directly on the contact line on the southern-Donetsk front" and listened to a report from Rustam Muradov, the commander of this grouping.

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The footage on the 4 March video is very similar to the helicopter footage on 6 March

SCREENSHOT FROM THE VIDEO ON 4 MARCH

It was also reported that Shoigu decorated occupiers with state awards for fighting in Ukraine.

The Russian Defence Ministry has not specified which settlements Shoigu visited exactly. In the videos posted, the ministry showed helicopters in the skies, then Shoigu inside a helicopter, and several shots of Shoigu in front of destroyed houses.

SCREENSHOT FROM THE VIDEO ON 4 MARCH

All other shots were filmed inside buildings, in a hospital and the headquarters, which means it is impossible to figure out where exactly he was.

SCREENSHOT FROM THE VIDEO ON 4 MARCH

The video posted on 6 March shows a helicopter with Mariupol Airport in the background. However, there was no footage of Shoigu coming out of it.

SCREENSHOT FROM THE VIDEO ON 6 MARCH

Then, there were a few minutes of video showing Shoigu with a station of the Ministry of Emergency Situations in the background.

According to the Mariupol.Sprotyv [Resistance] Telegram channel, Shoigu's helicopter was spotted in the sky over Mariupol on 3 March. The visit was very brief.

Shoigu's route was reportedly "Mariupol Airport to Nevsky and quickly back".

Mariupol.Sprotyv notes that "de facto, the Russian minister's courage was only enough to reach the city sign".

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Cyber attack

Russian hackers from the notorious Double Spider group were behind a massive cyber attack that crippled the NHS in 2017, Germany revealed on Monday.

After a three-year investigation, authorities in Germany and Ukraine swooped on properties linked to the group, which is believed to be responsible for hundreds of 'ransomware' attacks.

Eight suspects were identified at their homes, while police have issued international arrest warrants for three alleged ringleaders, one of whom is already on an FBI watchlist.

The organisation is believed to have close links to Russia, with German police naming Russian twins as the last known addresses of the central figures.

Suspected ringleader Igor Turashev has already been indicted by the US over the theft of $100 million.

Police said that the attack on the NHS in May 2017 was the group's first known crime.

The attack led to chaos across the health system, with operations and appointments cancelled and ambulances diverted as up to 40 hospital trusts were infected by a ransomware.

In the following years the group carried out hundreds of attacks on companies and organisations across the globe, sometimes demanding millions in ransom payments.

In Germany, the group also attacked the health system as well as holding up one of the countrys largest media houses.

Ransomeware called BitPaymer deployed by the group took over the computer systems of their targets until they agreed to pay a large sum in ransom.

German authorities said that they had identified the organisation as acting under several names, including Indrik Spider and Double Spider.

A total of eleven suspects were identified, eight of whom were located at their properties but not arrested. Most of the suspects are said to be of Russian nationality or Russian speaking.

The investigation was supported by the FBI in the US, as well as Dutch and Ukrainian investigators.

"The trial shows that cybercrime is an international crime - on the part of the perpetrators as well as the victims. Perpetrators attack infrastructures worldwide to extort ransoms for data." said detective Markus Hartmann, who led the investigation.

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"However, the current investigative success also shows that we as law enforcement officers are capable of acting internationally," he stated.

The group potentially overlaps with Evil Corp, arguably one of Russias most notorious hackers groups.

The US Department of Justice in 2019 indicted nine of its members including Mr Turashev and the groups alleged leader, Maksim Yakubets, with stealing or extorting more than $100 million in 40 different countries.

A policeman talks to Maksim Yakubets in a pictured dated 2019 - NCA

When Ilya Sachkov, the chief executive of Russia-based cybersecurity company Group-IB, was jailed and charged with treason in 2021, there were suggestions that his criminal persecution was an act of revenge of some of Russias hackers that he exposed.

In 2020, Mr Sachkov at a public meeting between Russias prime minister and Russias IT giants raised alarm about the fact that Mr Yakubets, wanted in the US for cyber crimes, is enjoying his life in Moscow, driving around in a Lamborghini with a number plate saying Thief.

Not a single government body in Russia has responded to this, Mr Sachkov said at the time.

He still drives his expensive car and, trust me, this affects the reputation of Russian companies that sell IT security solutions abroad.

International investigations long suggested that Mr Yakubets and other hackers had links to the FSB and other Russian intelligence agencies.

Mr Yakubets in 2017 threw a lavish wedding to celebrate his marriage to the daughter of a senior FSB officer.
Cheaters are an annoying part of almost every online video game. And banning them has become an important routine for game developers and publishers to keep their users happy.

The publisher of Escape from Tarkov, a game developed by the Russian company Battlestate Games, has added an unusual twist to the routine: naming and shaming the cheaters. In the last week, Battlestate Games said it banned 6,700 cheaters, and it published all their nicknames on publicly available spreadsheets.

We want honest players to see the nicknames of cheaters to know that justice has been served and the cheater who killed them in a raid has been punished and banned, Battlestate Games spokesperson Dmitri Ogorodnikov told TechCrunch.

We have decided to resume the practice of sharing the information about large ban waves done with the support of BattleEye anticheat. Throughout the weekend over 4,000 cheaters were banned in Escape from Tarkov. https://t.co/c3hp3QGGPd  Escape from Tarkov (@tarkov) February 27, 2023

Other companies, such as Call of Duty publisher Activision, or Valorants developer Riot Games, usually just announce the number of players they banned  not their nicknames and handles.

People in the industry believe the approach taken by Battlestate Games may be more effective and act as a better deterrent.

Good. I wish we did it too, an employee at a video game company, who works in the anti-cheat department and asked to remain anonymous as they were not authorized to speak to the press, told TechCrunch. Many cheaters fabricate a false image to their friends and significant others, and when their deceitful behavior is exposed publicly, it brings shame to their name and discourages them from repeating the act.

However, in some cases, despite being banned, these individuals simply purchase a new account with a similar profile to their old one and continue cheating without consequence, deceiving whoever they built a relationship with to play games with. Also cheaters who try to be professional and win tournaments would be exposed to the public so other players never give them the chance again to play, they said. You have broken the trust, you do not deserve the chance to come back.

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Cheats are essentially programs that exploit vulnerabilities in video games to give players unfair advantage when playing online against. Usually, cheats offer features such as wallhack, which allows players to see their opponents through walls, or aimbot, a system that automatically points at enemies, making it easier to kill them.

Making cheats has become a big business. In 2021, Chinese police with the collaboration of tech giant Tencent dismantled a video game cheating organization that had made more than $70 million selling cheats for PUBG Mobile.

Do you hack or reverse engineer video games? Do you work in anti-cheat? Wed love to hear from you. From a non-work device, you can contact Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai securely on Signal at +1 917 257 1382, or via Wickr, Telegram and Wire @lorenzofb, or email lorenzo@techcrunch.com. You can also contact TechCrunch via SecureDrop.
Russian Kremlin-aligned media have reported that the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has allegedly prevented an assassination attempt on pro-Kremlin oligarch Konstantin Malofeev, who had financed Russian militants operating in Ukrainian Donbas.

Source: Russian state-owned news outlet RIA Novosti, citing the FSB

Quote from the FSB: "We have prevented an assassination attempt on Konstantin Malofeev, a public figure and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Tsargrad group of companies, organised by the Ukrainian secret services."

Details: It is reported that the attempted murder of the oligarch was allegedly carried out by "Russian citizen Denis Kapustin, who lives in Ukraine and operates under the control of Ukraines Security Service (SSU) and is also one of the organisers of the Russian Volunteer Corps."

The state-owned Russian news outlets recall that this person also took part "in an attack on villages in Bryansk Oblast", during which two local residents were allegedly killed.

According to the FSB, Malofeev's car was planned to be blown up with an explosive device attached under the vehicle as was the case with the murder of Russian journalist Darya Dugina.

Allegedly, at the moment of planting the explosive

SCREENSHOT FROM THE VIDEO

The Russian news outlets posted a video allegedly showing the installation of an explosive device under the car, as well as its alleged defusing with the help of a robot.

The alleged process of mine clearance

SCREENSHOT FROM THE VIDEO

The Russian Secret Service also stated that in August 2022, it allegedly prevented an act of sabotage organised by Kapustin: an explosion at an oil and gas facility in Volgograd Oblast. The alleged perpetrators, Russians Kainer and Ushkov, were then allegedly killed.

A criminal case was opened against Kapustin in Russia under the articles "terrorist act", "participation in the activities of a terrorist organisation" and "illegal trafficking in explosives".

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Background:

In 2017, pro-Kremlin Russian oligarch Konstantin Malofeev, who is suspected of financing the militants of the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts in Ukraine temporarily occupied by Russia, was put on the international wanted list, and the pre-trial investigation against him was suspended.

In July 2020, the Google-owned video hosting service YouTube blocked the account of the Russian conservative TV channel Tsargrad without any possibility of restoration.

In early February, a Manhattan federal court district judge allowed prosecutors to confiscate US$5.4 million belonging to Malofeev.

US Attorney General Merrick Garland announced that assets confiscated from the sanctioned Russian oligarch would be used to help Ukraine.

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The apparent execution of a Ukrainian prisoner of war by Russian forces is unconfirmed, but it has nevertheless sparked outrage and prompted Ukraines chief prosecutor to launch a criminal investigation.

A video circulating on social media showed a uniformed, unarmed Ukrainian soldier standing and smoking. The soldier recites Ukraines battle cry, Glory to Ukraine! then a volley of gunshots hits him and he falls into a shallow hole dug into the ground. That's followed by voices in Russian making mocking and derogatory comments.

The video's authenticity has not been verified, but that didn't prevent a wave of indignation that reached the Ukrainian military -- which called the brief clip "another confirmation of war crimes'' -- and even the country's leader.

In his nightly address, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the video and the slain soldier, adding: "I want us all together, in unity, to respond to his words: 'Glory to the hero! Glory to heroes! Glory to Ukraine!' And we will find the killers.

UKRAINE MILITARY AIDS CIVILIANS FLEEING BAKHMUT: Is Russia running out of ammo? March 5 recap

Developments:

Russian forces attacked central and eastern regions of Ukraine with Iranian-made Shahed drones, Ukraine Air Force spokesman Yurii Ihnat told Ukrainian media. Of 15 drones Russia launched, 13 were shot down.

Ukraine's prosecutor generals office says 464 Ukrainian children have died and 931 have been injured in Russian attacks on civilians since the war began.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu traveled to Mariupol and toured some of the citys rebuilt infrastructure in an apparent attempt to cement the Russian hold in the areas it has occupied and annexed.

Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk beat Russian Varvara Gracheva 6-3, 7-5 at the ATX Open final Sunday in Texas. During the trophy ceremony, Kostyuk dedicated her award to the Ukrainian people.

Ukraine vows to defend Bakhmut as Russian attacks intensify

Ukraine's military leaders remain committed to defending Bakhmut despite the immense firepower Russian forces have rained down on the Donetsk region city for months, the office of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday.

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Ukraines army chief, Valery Zaluzhny, and regional commander Oleksandr Syrskyi "spoke in favor of continuing the defense operation and further strengthening our positions in Bakhmut," Zelenskyy's office said in a statement.

Military strategists have questioned why Russia has been so determined to seize the city, given the heavy casualties and apparently modest military value. Ukraine authorities previously had considered a tactical retreat. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Monday that losing Bakhmut would not be a major blow because its value is more symbolic than strategic.

The huge amount of losses Russia is taking in Bakhmut is the main reason the Ukrainians continue to defend it, Bild reported. The German newspaper cited an Ukrainian military analyst who said Russia is sustaining seven casualties for every Ukrainian one in the Bakhmut campaign.

Russian shells again targeted the city and nearby villages Monday as Moscow made an apparent bid to crush Bakhmuts monthslong resistance, Donetsk Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said.

Civilians are fleeing the region to escape Russian shelling continuing round the clock as additional Russian troops and weapons are being deployed there," he said.

Russia resorting to 60-year-old battle tanks

The Russian military is responding to heavy armored vehicle losses by deploying 60-year-old battle tanks, the British Defense Ministry said Monday.

Even units of Russia's premier tank force, the 1st Guards Tank Army, may be reequipped with the "vintage" T-62s to replace more modern tanks that have been destroyed in the war, the ministry said in its latest assessment of the conflict. Since last summer, about 800 T-62s have been taken from storage, some getting upgraded sighting systems to improve their effectiveness at night, the assessment says.

Russian BTR-50 armored personnel carriers, first fielded in 1954, also are now being deployed in Ukraine, the assessment says.

"Both these vintage vehicle types will present many vulnerabilities on the modern battlefield, including the absence of modern explosive reactive armor," the assessment says.

'Red tape or treason': Split between mercenaries, Kremlin grows

The clash between the Russian military and the private mercenary group that has been the point of the Kremlin spear in Ukraine's Donbas region intensified Monday as the Wagner group owner again accused Russian leaders of withholding ammunition.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, who has close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, criticized top military leaders for moving slowly to deliver the promised ammunition, questioning whether the delay was caused by red tape or treason. And Prigozhin complained in a VK social media post that his team was punished after writing a letter to a Russian commander seeking more ammunition.

"On March 6, at 8 o'clock in the morning, my representative at the headquarters had his pass canceled and was denied access to the group's headquarters," Prigozhin wrote.

Prigozhin's complaint comes two weeks after he accused the Russian military of direct resistance in an attempt to destroy Wagner  and accused Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov of treason.

A Ukrainian soldier sits in a trench near Russian positions near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, on March 5.

Russia bans global anti-corruption group

The Russian government tightened its crackdown against criticism Monday by branding the global anti-corruption group Transparency International as undesirable, effectively banning it from operating in the country. The Berlin-based group is best known for an annual index ranking countries, including Russia, on their degree of corruption.

The 2022 rankings, the most recent, place the U.S. as the 24th least corrupt of 180 countries. Ukraine was tied at number 116; Russia ranked 137th. Denmark was found to be the least corrupt and Somalia was the most corrupt.

Nuclear chief warns of 'urgent need' to protect plant from fighting

Intensified fighting and stressful working conditions at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant threaten to compromise safety and security at the plant, International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi warned Monday. The agency team at the site of Europe's largest nuclear plant has reported increasing military action nearby, he said, adding that there has been "open discussion" about offensives and counteroffensives in the area.

The situation underscores the "urgent need" to establish a nuclear safety and security protection zone at the site, he said. Grossi told the agency's board of governors he is conducting talks with both sides aimed at obtaining such protection.

"My simple question is: Are we waiting for a nuclear emergency before we react?" he said.

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ukraine updates: Russia resorting to 60-year-old battle tanks
Russian invaders have shot an unarmed Ukrainian prisoner of war after he said "Glory to Ukraine".

Source: the video of the execution, which is being shared online; Andrii Yermak, Head of the Presidents Office of Ukraine, on Telegram

Details: Several internet bloggers and social media channels posted videos of the execution.

The footage shows a Ukrainian soldier, who had been taken into Russian captivity, saying: "Glory to Ukraine". After that, the Russian invaders executed the prisoner of war, shouting: "You're a b**ch. Die, b**ch".

The President's Office of Ukraine has responded to the brutal murder of the unarmed Ukrainian defender.

Yermak stated that war crimes are cultivated in Russia and whitewashed by their propaganda and myths about "Nazis."

Quote: "Killing a person taken to captivity is another example of this. It is also an example of their national insignificance and weakness.

There will be a payback for every such war crime. No one will be able to hide from it."

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Russian troops have conducted 130 strikes on the positions of Ukrainian fighters on the Bakhmut front over the past 24 hours.

Source: Serhii Cherevatyi, spokesperson for the eastern grouping of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, during the national 24/7 newscast

Details: The programmes host asked Cherevatyi to comment on the words of Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who has recently said that the battles for Bakhmut had "reached the highest intensity".

The spokesman of the eastern grouping explained that Russia has now thrown its best units at Bakhmut and is concentrating artillery fire there as much as possible.

Quote: "In particular, during the past 24 hours, [Russian forces conducted  ed.] about 130 strikes using various artillery systems, such as tubed artillery and multiple-launch rocket systems on our positions on the Bakhmut front."

More details: Cherevatyi clarified that the shelling was conducted in the areas of the settlements of Zaliznianske, Dubovo-Vasylivka and Orihovo-Vasylivka.

Background: Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, visited the units defending the city of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast on 5 March, and stated that the fighting for the city had reached its peak.

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The Russian occupiers have set up a base for the repair of equipment in Volnovakha, Donetsk Oblast, where students from a local school are forced to work.

Source: Report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook

Quote: "In the town of Volnovakha, Donetsk Oblast, the invaders have set up a base for repairing damaged equipment on the premises of the local vocational-technical school. Students are forcibly involved in repair work."

Background: Teenagers born in 2006 are being urgently registered for military service in occupied Luhansk Oblast.

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(Reuters) - At least one person was wounded in the southern Russian region of Belgorod on Monday after Russian forces shot down three missiles, the governor of the region bordering Ukraine said.

The falling debris had also brought down some power lines near the town of Novy Oskol but the full scope of the damage was not immediately known, the governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said on the Telegram messaging app.

"It's known about one wounded, a man with shrapnel wounds to his hand," Gladkov said.

He did not say who he thought had fired the missiles but in the past he has accused Ukrainian forces on the other side of the nearby border of similar attacks.

Belgorod borders Ukraine's Kharkiv region and has repeatedly come under fire since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine a year ago.

Ukraine almost never publicly claims responsibility for attacks inside Russia and on Russian-controlled territory in Ukraine.

(Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Robert Birsel)
(Bloomberg) -- Russias seaborne crude exports fell back sharply from the previous weeks highs, with Moscow unable to maintain record flows from the countrys Pacific ports.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Overall seaborne shipments shrank to 3.11 million barrels a day in the seven days through Friday, a 14% week-on-week decline. The less-volatile four-week average also retreated.

Though of a similar size, the decline is unlikely to be related to a 500,000-barrel-a-day production cut for this month that the Kremlin announced in response to Western embargoes and price caps. Any imposed reduction in flows is most likely to be seen at the countrys western ports, where cargoes are being sold at a 25% discount to those shipped from the Pacific. But flows from Baltic and Black Sea ports were unchanged from the previous week.

Strong winds at Kozmino around the end of February may have hampered berthing operations at the Pacific port, reducing the number of vessels that could be loaded in the week.

The volume of crude on vessels heading to China and India  plus smaller flows to Turkiye and the quantities on ships that havent yet shown a final destination  slipped in the four-week period, to an average 3.17 million barrels a day.

As the ultimate destinations of cargoes loading in late January become apparent, flows to China rose to new post-invasion highs. Historical patterns suggest that most of the cargoes currently identified as Unknown Asia and heading for the Suez Canal will end up in India.

Ship-to-ship transfers of cargoes in the Mediterranean continue apace. This has been most visible off the Spanish north African city of Ceuta and off the Greek coast near Kalamata. At least 37 cargoes have been transferred between ships in those two locations since the start of the year. The volume transferred off the coast of Greece, mostly in the Bay of Lakonikos, soared in February, rising to more than 10 million barrels, equivalent to 360,000 barrels a day. That compares with 4.4 million barrels, equivalent to 156,000 barrels a day transferred off Ceuta.

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Russian crude cargoes are also going into overseas storage tanks. One cargo was discharged into tanks at the Dortyol oil storage terminal in southeast Turkey, while another vessel holding Russian crude is anchored at Tema in Ghana, where it is waiting to discharge its cargo.

Crude Flows by Destination

Crude flows in the week to March 3 fell by 526,000 barrels a day from the previous week. On a four-week average basis, overall seaborne exports dropped by 80,000 barrels a day to 3.3 million barrels a day.

All figures exclude cargoes identified as Kazakhstans KEBCO grade. Those are shipments made by KazTransoil JSC that transit Russia for export through the Baltic ports of Ust-Luga and Novorossiysk.

The Kazakh barrels are blended with crude of Russian origin to create a uniform export grade. Since Russias invasion of Ukraine, Kazakhstan has rebranded its cargoes to distinguish them from those shipped by Russian companies. Transit crude is specifically exempted from European Union sanctions.

Four-week average shipments to Russias Asian customers, plus those on vessels showing no final destination edged higher in the period to March 3, rising to 3.1 million barrels a day from a revised 3.09 million barrels a day in the period to Feb. 24. Thats their highest since Bloomberg began tracking the flows at the start of 2022.

While the volume heading to India appears to have slumped, history shows that most of the cargoes on ships without an initial destination eventually end up there.

The equivalent of 727,000 barrels a day was on vessels showing destinations as either Port Said or Suez in Egypt, or which have already been or are expected to be transferred from one ship to another off the South Korean port of Yeosu. Those voyages typically end at ports in India and show up in the chart below as Unknown Asia until a final destination becomes apparent.

The Other Unknown volumes, running at 626,000 barrels a day in the four weeks to March 3, are those on tankers showing a destination of Gibraltar, Malta or no destination at all. Most of those cargoes go on to transit the Suez Canal, but some could end up in Turkiye. An increasing number are being transferred from one vessel to another in the Mediterranean for onward journeys to Asia.

A rare cargo of Russian crude is heading to Sri Lanka. This is only the fifth since the invasion of Ukraine more than a year ago and the first since September.

Russias seaborne crude exports to European countries fell back to 83,000 barrels a day in the 28 days to March 3, with Bulgaria the sole European destination. These figures do not include shipments to Turkiye.

A market that consumed more than 1.5 million barrels a day of short-haul crude, coming from export terminals in the Baltic, Black Sea and Arctic has been lost almost completely, to be replaced by long-haul destinations in Asia that are much more costly and time-consuming to serve.

No Russian crude was shipped to northern European countries in the four weeks to March 3.

Exports to Mediterranean countries fell to a seven-week low of 115,000 barrels a day in the four weeks to March 3.

Turkiye was the only destination for Russian seaborne crude into the Mediterranean, but flows there are just a fraction of the highs they reached in September and October. Despite not being a part of European sanctions on Russian crude exports, Turkiye has not remained a significant lifeline for Moscow since the EU import ban came into effect on Dec. 5. The Star refinery near Aliaga, owned by Azerbaijans Socar, is cutting down purchases of Russian crude, with flows to the plants averaging about 50,000 barrels a day in January and February, compared with an average of about 180,000 barrels a day, from August to October..

Flows to Bulgaria, now Russias only Black Sea market for crude, fell to their lowest since April, retreating to 83,000 barrels a day. Despite Bulgaria securing a partial exemption from the EUs import ban, which allows it to continue importing Russian crude by sea, none headed to the port of Burgas in the week to March 3. Lukoil PJSC could begin using non-Russian crude in its refinery there as soon as March, according to a statement from the cabinet in Sofia.

Flows by Export Location

Aggregate flows of Russian crude fell to a three-week low of 3.11 million barrels a day in the week to March 3. A slump in exports from Pacific terminals was only partly offset by an increase in flows from the Arctic. Shipments from Russias Baltic and Black Sea terminals were unchanged from the previous week.

Figures exclude volumes from Ust-Luga and Novorossiysk identified as Kazakhstans KEBCO grade.

Export Revenue

Inflows to the Kremlin's war chest from its crude-export duty fell by $6 million to $38 million in the seven days to March 3, while four-week average income fell by $3 million to $40 million.

Putin signed into law amendments to the way Russias oil price is assessed for tax purposes. From April, rates of mineral extraction tax and profit-based tax on oil companies will be calculated using a decreasing discount to prevailing Brent prices, rather than assessments of Urals crude. Export duty, which will be phased out at the end of 2023, will not be affected by the change.

Februarys duty rate is set at $1.75 a barrel. Thats down by 23% from January and the lowest per-barrel rate since June 2020. The duty rate for March has been set at $1.94 a barrel, the first increase since December, and is based on a Urals price of $50.51 a barrel during the assessment period that ran from Jan. 15 to Feb. 14.

Origin-to-Location Flows

The following charts show the number of ships leaving each export terminal and the destinations of crude cargoes from the four export regions.

A total of 29 tankers loaded 21.7 million barrels of Russian crude in the week to March 3, vessel-tracking data and port agent reports show. Thats down by 3.7 million barrels, or 14%, from the previous week and the lowest volume in three weeks. Destinations are based on where vessels signal they are heading at the time of writing, and some will almost certainly change as voyages progress. All figures exclude cargoes identified as Kazakhstans KEBCO grade.

The total volume on ships loading Russian crude from Baltic terminals was unchanged for a second week at 1.67 million barrels a day.

Shipments from Novorossiysk in the Black Sea were also unchanged, with only two vessels taking on Russian cargoes for a second week.

Arctic shipments regained most of the previous weeks loss, with two Suezmax and one Aframax tanker loading in the week to March 3.

Flows from the Pacific slumped to their lowest in 11 weeks after the previous weeks high. Eight tankers loaded at the regions three export terminals in the week to March 3, down from a record 14 the previous week.

The volumes heading to unknown destinations are mostly Sokol cargoes that have recently been transferred to other vessels at Yeosu, or are currently being shuttled to an area off the South Korean port from the loading terminal at De Kastri.

Note: This story forms part of a regular weekly series tracking shipments of crude from Russian export terminals and the export duty revenues earned from them by the Russian government.

Note: All figures exclude cargoes owned by Kazakhstans KazTransOil JSC, which transit Russia and are shipped from Novorossiysk and Ust-Luga as KEBCO grade crude.

Note: Data on crude flows can also be found at {DSET CRUDEJ }. The numbers, which are generated by a bot, may differ from those in this story.

--With assistance from Sherry Su.

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Northbrook Court, seen here on July 13, 2022, was evacuated Sunday afternoon after authorities received a bomb threat, village officials said. (Karie Angell Luc/for the Pioneer Press)

A bomb threat hoax led to the evacuation of Northbrook Court mall in Northbrook Sunday afternoon, according to village officials.

Northbrook police officials characterized the incident that shuttered the upscale North Shore mall at 1515 Lake Cook Road as swatting, a term used for calling in fake emergencies that will send law enforcement rushing to the scene, usually a private home or business.

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[ Fake threats at several suburban schools spark police response ]

Around 4:20 p.m. on Sunday, police received a tip that assailants were headed to the mall with explosives. Officers in the area worked with mall security to evacuate the mall as other law enforcement agencies responded to the scene, according to a police department spokesperson.

It was unclear how many people were inside the mall at the time, but police found no threat at the property, which includes retailers such as Neiman Marcus, Louis Vuitton and Tiffany & Co.

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No arrests have been made, authorities said.

A spokesperson for Brookfield Properties, which owns Northbrook Court, did not respond to an email for comment.

Last month, two suburban schools, Sandburg High School in Orland Park and Wheaton North High School underwent lockdowns after swatting calls threatening violence, according to media reports. In October, Wired magazine reported on a swatting spree affecting schools across the country.
A Russian T-62 tank in southern Ukraine on October 7. DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images

An elite Russian tank unit was meant to be equipped with advanced T-14 Armata tanks.

Instead, it's relying on 60-year-old T-62 tanks, according to a UK Defense Ministry update.

Russia has retrieved about 800 T-62 tanks from storage since summer, the update said.

Russia's military is fighting with 60-year-old T-62 tanks, having been forced to bring the retired vehicles out of storage to the front lines in Ukraine in response to heavy armored-vehicle losses, the UK's Defense Ministry said Monday.

The ministry said in an intelligence update that even the 1st Guards Tank Army, which has long been considered an elite Russian unit, was being reequipped with dated Soviet-era T-62s.

The 1st Guards Tank Army was due to receive next-generation T-14 Armata main battle tanks  Russia's newest and most powerful  starting in 2021, the intelligence update said. The T-14 is a high-tech vehicle said to have defense systems capable of shooting down anti-tank rockets, as well as sophisticated sensors, onboard drones, and a high level of automation.

Instead, it's receiving T-62 tanks, which were first adopted by the Soviet Union in 1961 and ceased production in the '70s, according to the UK's Defense Ministry.

T-62s, 19FortyFive reported, would be at a "grave disadvantage" in a head-to-head fight against Ukrainian tanks because of their inferior sensors, fire control, armor, and armor penetration. The UK's Defense Ministry also noted the absence of modern explosive-reactive armor as a vulnerability.

Some of Russia's T-62s have been retrofitted with sighting-system upgrades, the intelligence update said.

Russia's tank force, which consists of several powerful divisions, has suffered heavy losses in the war in Ukraine. It's lost at least 1,780 tanks since the outset of the conflict in February 2022, according to an analysis by the open-source intelligence platform Oryx.

The invading country's tank force, once seen as formidable, is being torn apart by the Ukrainian military. US officials have said on more than one occasion that Russia has likely lost as many as half its main battle tanks while fighting in Ukraine, if not more.

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Russian tanks have fallen prey to Ukrainian soldiers' use of anti-tank Javelin missiles, with military experts telling Insider that Russia is experiencing heavy losses because it doesn't know how to use its tanks properly.

Since summer, about 800 T-62 tanks have been retrieved from Russian storage, the intelligence update said. Speculation that Moscow has tapped into its reserve of T-62s has been around since spring, with videos apparently showing the armored vehicles in Ukraine.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A still from a video showing Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin, which circulated over the weekend of March 4, 2023. Anton Geraschenko/Twitter

Yevgeny Prigozhin said the Russian front line will collapse if Wagner Group men don't hold Bakhmut.

In a video circulated over the weekend, he called for more support from the regular Russian army.

He earlier claimed that his men had the city almost completely surrounded.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the pro-Kremlin Wagner Group mercenary army, said that Russia's entire front line will collapse if his fighters don't take the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut.

"If Wagner retreats from Bakhmut now, the whole front will collapse," he said, per Reuters' translation of a video that appeared online over the weekend.

Prigozhin predicted that the battleline would crumble "up to the Russian borders, and maybe even further," should his forces move back, according to a translation shared by Ukrainian interior ministry advisor Anton Geraschenko.

Prigozhin went on to complain about "shell hunger" and a lack of support from the Russian army. In an apparent follow-up post, his company said that promised reinforcements of men and ammunition had not arrived, hinting at either inefficiencies or deliberate sabotage.

The Wagner Group's attempts to take Bakhmut, a city in eastern Ukraine, has seen one of the longest and bloodiest battles in the war. On Friday, a Ukrainian commander described the situation as "critical," while Prigozhin said his forces had almost entirely surrounded the city.

An assessment of the situation in Bakhmut by US think tank the Institute for the Study of War said that as of Sunday Ukrainian forces were likely conducting a limited tactical withdrawal, but that it is not clear whether a full withdrawal is being contemplated.

It remains unclear how accurate Prigozhin's bleak assessment of the Russian front line is. He has stoked a long-running feud with Russia's regular army leaders over support for his fighters and credit for their role in the war.

In the video, which didn't appear on the Concord Group social media channels, which he usually uses for public communications  but was instead published on a channel that regularly shares Prigozhin news  Prigozhin also suggested that Wagner was being set up as a scapegoat for Russia's failures in the war.

"If we retreat, then we will go down in history forever as people who have taken the main step towards losing the war," he said, per Reuters' translation.

Read the original article on Business Insider
By Andrew Osborn

LONDON (Reuters) -The head of Russia's Wagner mercenary force said on Monday he needed the regular army to supply him with more ammunition, reinforcements and covering support if he was to win the months-long battle of attrition for Ukraine's Bakhmut.

The appeal from Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin came amid signs of a deepening rift between him and the defence ministry whom he has bitterly criticised for months and accused of deliberately starving his men of ammunition, an allegation it has rejected.

Prigozhin's fighters - some of them convicts - have spearheaded the assault in eastern Ukraine for months, focusing their efforts on the small city of Bakhmut, which Russia calls Artyomovsk and sees as a useful stepping stone to seize bigger cities like Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.

Prigozhin, an ex-convict himself and a Putin ally, said on Friday that his units had "practically surrounded Bakhmut", where fighting has intensified in the past week after months of attritional warfare, with Russian forces attacking from three sides.

But on Monday he said that Ukraine had built up its own forces in surrounding towns and areas to try to push Wagner out of Bakhmut and that he needed help to take the city for Moscow.

"I'm knocking on all doors and sounding the alarm about ammunition and reinforcements, as well as the need to cover our flanks," he said in a statement released by his press service.

"If everyone is coordinated, without ambition, screw-ups and tantrums, and carries out this work, then we will block the armed forces of Ukraine. If not, then everyone will be screwed."

Prigozhin said earlier on Monday that his representative had been denied access to the headquarters of Russia's military command for Ukraine and was still not getting enough munitions despite repeated public complaints.

There was no immediate response from the Russian Ministry of Defence. Since the start of this year, the Ukraine campaign has been commanded personally by Russia's top general, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov.

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Prigozhin said his representative had been spurned by the army's top brass a day after he urgently requested ammunition supplies.

"On March 5, I wrote a letter to the commander of the SMO (special military operation) grouping about the urgent need to allocate ammunition. On March 6, at 8 a.m., my representative at the headquarters had his pass cancelled and was denied access," Prigozhin said via his press service on Telegram.

He noted that Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, the commander-in chief of Ukraine's armed forces, had said he favoured the continued defence and reinforcement of Bakhmut and said it was obvious that Kyiv would fight for Bakhmut "to the end".

That, he said, meant his men needed to completely surround Ukrainian forces inside Bakhmut.

"We must do our job to the end too," said Prigozhin. "But when the whole world gathers around you, you need someone to work with you," he added, in an obvious reference to the defence ministry.

(Reporting by Reuters; Additional reporting by Mark Trevelyan and Lidia Kelly; Writing by Andrew Osborn; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Jonathan Oatis)
Mohamed Salah celebrates his club-record 129th Premier League goal for Liverpool (Peter Byrne/PA) (PA Wire)

Mohamed Salahs two goals in Liverpools rout of Manchester United made him the clubs record Premier League goalscorer.

With 129 goals in the competition, Salah passed Robbie Fowlers mark for the Reds and here the PA news agency looks at how the duo compare.

Overall record

An extraordinary day for all Liverpool fans. Im honoured to keep making history with this great club! pic.twitter.com/aRR2n5Ss8l  Mohamed Salah (@MoSalah) March 5, 2023

Salah has scored his goals in fewer seasons and appearances than Fowler, also contributing more assists along the way.

Since arriving at the club from Roma in 2018 the Egyptian has played 205 times in the league, giving him a scoring rate of 0.63 goals per game. He has added 53 assists at a rate better than one every four games.

Fowler was at the club from the outset of the Premier League era in 1992, breaking into the line-up the following season. He stayed until 2002 before moving on to Leeds and then Manchester City, returning in 2006 for two more seasons.

He played 266 Premier League games for his boyhood club, scoring almost a goal every two games (0.48 per match), and set up 30 goals for others.

Seasons and achievements

Salahs debut season at Anfield is still his best in the Premier League  and one of the greatest ever, with 32 goals scored.

That is a record since the league went down to 20 teams and therefore 38 games  Salah played 36 for Liverpool that year  with the only higher tally being 34 by both Alan Shearer and Andy Cole in the early 42-game seasons.

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The tally brought him the first of three Golden Boots, with the subsequent two being shared with other players  team-mate Sadio Mane and Arsenals Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in 2018-19 and Tottenham forward Son Heung-min last year, when he also led the league in assists with 13.

He has scored 20 goals in every completed season apart from 2019-20, when he came up one short in 19 in his lowest tally of appearances, 34. Sundays efforts took him to 11 in 25 games this term and, with seven assists, he is on track to reach double figures in that category for the fourth time in six seasons.

Fowlers best seasons saw him score 25 goals in 1994-95, in 42 games, and then top that with 28 in a 38-game season next time out. He also hit double figures on three other occasions, with only his nine in an injury-hit 1997-98 campaign denying him six in a row.

He was the third player to score 100 Premier League goals, following Shearer and Ian Wright, with his 21 for City and 14 for Leeds leaving him eighth in the all-time Premier League rankings with 163 goals in total  where he is likely to remain until Salah can catch him, with Leicester veteran Jamie Vardy the only other active threat. Vardy has 134 with Salahs two for Chelsea giving him 131.
You may very well get a call in the near future from a relative in dire need of help, asking you to send them money quickly. And you might be convinced its them because, well, you know their voice.

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Artificial intelligence changes that. New generative A.I. tools can create all manner of output from simple text prompts, including essays written in a particular authors style, images worthy of art prizes, andwith just a snippet of someones voice to work withspeech that sounds convincingly like a particular person.

In January, Microsoft researchers demonstrated a text-to-speech A.I. tool that, when given just a three-second audio sample, can closely simulate a persons voice. They did not share the code for others to play around with; instead, they warned that the tool, called VALL-E, may carry potential risks in misusesuch as spoofing voice identification or impersonating a specific speaker.

But similar technology is already out in the wildand scammers are taking advantage of it. If they can find 30 seconds of your voice somewhere online, theres a good chance they can clone itand make it say anything.

Two years ago, even a year ago, you needed a lot of audio to clone a persons voice. Nowif you have a Facebook pageor if youve recorded a TikTok and your voice is in there for 30 seconds, people can clone your voice, Hany Farid, a digital forensics professor at the University of California at Berkeley, told the Washington Post.

'The moneys gone'

The Post reported this weekend on the peril, describing how one Canadian family fell victim to scammers using A.I. voice cloningand lost thousand of dollars. Elderly parents were told by a lawyer that their son had killed an American diplomat in a car accident, was in jail, and needed money for legal fees.

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The supposed attorney then purportedly handed the phone over to the son, who told the parents he loved and appreciated them and needed the money. The cloned voice sounded close enough for my parents to truly believe they did speak with me, the son, Benjamin Perkin, told the Post.

The parents sent more than $15,000 through a Bitcoin terminal towell, to scammers, not to their son, as they thought.

The moneys gone, Perkin told the paper. Theres no insurance. Theres no getting it back. Its gone.

One company that offers a generative A.I. voice tool, ElevenLabs, tweeted on Jan. 30 that it was seeing an increasing number of voice cloning misuse cases. The next day, it announced the voice cloning capability would no longer be available to users of the free version of its tool VoiceLab.

Fortune reached out to the company for comment but did not receive an immediate reply.

Almost all of the malicious content was generated by free, anonymous accounts, it wrote. Additional identity verification is necessary. For this reason, VoiceLab will only be available on paid tiers. (Subscriptions start at $5 per month.)

Card verification wont stop every bad actor, it acknowledged, but it will make users less anonymous and force them to think twice.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

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Dr. Joseph Dituri hopes to break the previous record set in 2014.

Marine Resources Development Foundation

Dr. Joseph Dituri is currently six days into his attempt to set a new record for underwater human habitation.

At 9:30 am on Wednesday, March 1, the retired U.S. Navy commander from Tampa descended roughly 30 feet underwater to Jules Undersea Lodge in Key West, where he will live until 9:30 am on June 9th exactly 100 days.

Located beneath the surface of a Key Largo lagoon, the facility was built as a marine research laboratory before it was converted into an underwater hotel in 1986. The previous record, 73 days, was set there in 2014.

Its not so much about the record, Dituri told the Associated Press. Its more about incentivizing the next generation of kids to come down here to learn how to preserve, protect, and to rejuvenate the marine environment.

In his temporary 100-square-foot home beneath the sea, Dituri will spend his days conducting cutting edge diving medicine research in partnership with Marine Resources Development (MRDF)/MarineLab. Multiple scientists will join him over the course of the 100-day mission to conduct experiments and transmit broadcasts as part of Project Neptune 100. Dituri also plans to host online high school and college classes in hyperbaric medicine and welcome some 40 young divers, who will spend 24 hours undersea with him to become certified aquanauts.

Throughout it all, 55-year-old Dituri will be tested and analyzed to evaluate the effects of living in a confined, extreme environment. He's documenting much of what he's doing on social media.

The human body has never been underwater that long, so I will be monitored closely, Dituri said in a University of South Florida news release. This study will examine every way this journey impacts my body, but my null hypothesis is that there will be improvements to my health due to the increased pressure.

Dituri hopes to test the conclusions of a study that found that cells exposed to increased pressure doubled within five days. This suggests the increased pressure has the potential to allow humans to increase their longevity and prevent diseases associated with aging.

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So, we suspect I am going to come out superhuman! Dituri joked.



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Volkswagens (VOW.DE) Scout Motors brand is capitalizing on its U.S. roots, with an EV twist.

Scout Motors, named after the spunky off-roader built by now defunct International Harvester, will build its all-electric adventure vehicles from a new $2 billion plant located in South Carolina. The plant will eventually employ 4,000 workers and have an annual capacity to produce 200,000 EVs a year by the time it is up and running. Scout Motors says production will start in 2026 and teased images of two of its upcoming vehicles.

Scout Motors CEO Scott Keogh, who used to run Volkswagen USA, said South Carolina was a top choice because of its natural resources including abundant water and energy and a highly-skilled workforce. It doesnt hurt that President Bidens EV buildout funding stemming from the IRA (Inflation Reduction Act) makes U.S. manufacturing that much more attractive.

I think the IRA plays to overall investment in America, Keogh said in an interview with Yahoo Finance. We think this is honestly a chance of a lifetime, but certainly the IRA is doing a lot to fuel investment across America.

Scout Motors EV design teaser image

Among incentives for manufacturers to build EVs and batteries in the U.S., the IRA offers consumers tax credits if those vehicles and batteries are assembled in North America, in addition to upcoming requirements that critical minerals from those batteries come from domestic sources.

While Scout Motors upcoming EVs are aimed at the adventure and recreational consumer, Keogh believes the market is bigger than just those buyers. [Pickups and SUVs] are the two largest profit pools in America  so these profit pools are massive, they make up over 50%  so it's going to be a big opportunity, he said.

Scout Motors EV design teaser image

And the brand will look to learn from another iconic American brand Tesla.

[Teslas] done a lot of things well. There's a lot we can learn. We want to take advantage of those learnings, no debate, Keogh says when asked about the key EV player in the market. However, Scout Motors is able to not only learn from Teslas advantages like clean sheet design and no legacy costs but also from Volkswagens access to capital and deep talent resources.

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I think specifically for Scout, what this gives a us chance to do is take an iconic American brand, take the power and the backing of the Volkswagen Group and act like a start-up, move faster, less legacy cost, less bureaucracy, and move fast and take advantage of capital markets and partnerships, Keogh says, noting it might play in a space with the best of both worlds.

Keogh says the two upcoming Scout models will have product unveils next year, with production starting in 2026. Scout has had limited screenings of the vehicles with focus groups in California and Texas, and the feedback was some of the best results that weve ever had in clinics, period, he said.

Not surprisingly Keogh is bullish on Scout Motors' progress, but he said the numbers dont lie when you look at the market opportunity. And he believes there is space to create something original in this space.

Our goal is not to create a niche brand. Our goal is to create the next iconic American brand, like Levi's, Apple, other companies [like that], he says.



Pras Subramanian is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. You can follow him on Twitter and on Instagram.

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(Bloomberg) -- Where you sit can often tell your status in the office hierarchy. Its no different at the National Peoples Congress, where Xi Jinpings allies are all crammed around the Chinese leader.

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When the countrys rubber-stamp legislature kicked off its annual session on Sunday, the cavernous Great Hall of the People at Tiananmen Square was packed with the countrys political elites. Only the rostrum is slightly more crowded this year, as the ongoing congress will ring out the old guard and bring in a new slate of senior leaders packed with loyalists to Xi.

Nearly 3,000 delegates to the NPC are gathering this week to endorse the people wholl make up the countrys leadership for the next five years  including the premier and cabinet-level ministers, as well as the head of the central bank.

The second row of seats is usually saved for members of the ruling Communist Partys Politburo, the partys decision-making body. This year, though, the outgoing leaders have squeezed in alongside the newcomers expected to take their place, similar to the last reshuffle five years ago, stretching out the table like extra guests for Thanksgiving dinner.

Xi, who sits in the center, was flanked by new allies  including Li Qiang, who is expected to take over from outgoing Li Keqiang as premier, and other subordinates. Wang Qishan, who will be retiring as vice president, also got a seat even though he no longer has a major party role.

Read More: Xi Allies Fill Chinas Top Jobs in Move Toward One-Man Rule

Outgoing Politburo member Sun Chunlan, who spearheaded the countrys campaign to stamp out Covid-19 over the past three years, was the only woman seated in the second row. Her departure will leave the powerful body an all-mens club for the first time in more than two decades.

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Read More: China Politburo Excludes Women for First Time in 25 Years

The rest of the seats on the rostrum were mostly taken by the NPCs over 190 presidium members. That included executive chairpersons led by Zhao Leji, the partys No. 3 who is expected to take over as the countrys top legislator. The chairpersons bear operational duties such as convening meetings during NPC sessions.

The presidium is expected to nominate candidates for Chinas top leadership  including president, vice president and military chief, as well as top judge and prosecutor, among others. The list of nominees would then be put to a vote by NPC delegates.

There is little doubt that Xi will get a norm-busting third term as the president on March 10. The only suspense is whether he will get unanimous support again as he did five years ago.

--With assistance from Jin Wu (News).

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Another day, another SEC crypto crackdown case. Today, the U.S. regulator announced emergency action against investment adviser BKCoin Management in connection with an alleged fraud scheme.

The SEC alleged on Monday that Miami-based BKCoin Management raised $100 million from at least 55 investors to plug into cryptocurrencybut instead used it to splash on luxury items and make Ponzi-like payments.

One of BKCoin Managements principals, Kevin Kang, misappropriated at least $371,000 of investor money to pay for holidays and an apartment, and falsified documents, the SEC alleged.

Director of the SECs Miami Regional Office Eric I. Bustillo said the defendants misappropriated their money, created false documents, and even engaged in Ponzi-like conduct.

As the complaint alleges, the defendants disregarded the structure of the funds, commingled investor assets, and used more than $3.6 million to make Ponzi-like payments to fund investors, added the SEC announcement.

The SEC today said that it has already frozen assets and obtained other emergency relief against the company. The Commission now seeks permanent injunctions against BKCoin and Kang, disgorgement, prejudgment interest, and a civil penalty from both of the defendants. It also seeks an officer and director bar and conduct-based injunction against Kang.

Robinhood Faces SEC Investigation Over Crypto Business

The SEC has for years taken a tough stance against the crypto industry. Since 2018, the Commission has targeted token sales and ICOs, a form of capital fundraising in crypto, as unregistered securities sales. The SEC, now under Chair Gary Gensler, has intensified the crackdown, and Gensler has made it known that he believes that essentially every coin and tokenother than Bitcoinis an unregistered security.

Many high-profile companies are now being targeted. In January, the Commission hit Genesis and Gemini with charges for offering unregistered securities. Earlier this month, it also fined American crypto exchange Kraken $30 million for violating securities laws.
The Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), Oleksii Danilov, assures that there is currently no question of the siege of the city of Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, by Russian forces.

Source: Danilov on air during the national joint 24/7 newscast, Ukrinform reports

Quote: "Today, the siege of Bakhmut is not [even] being discussed. But we understand that the situation is not easy. That is why a collective decision is made, what to do on this or that front, in what way to strengthen this front, and these issues are discussed precisely at a Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief meeting."

Details: According to the head of the National Security Council, this issue was discussed at the Staff meeting for at least 1.5 hours on Monday.

Quote: "If Bakhmut had not held on, then keep in mind that the defence of our country would have been taking place in completely different cities. And Bakhmut, which has really become a fortress for the last four months, is an important thing for the defence of our entire state. We are aware of what is happening there. I emphasise once again, it is very, very important for us."

More details: Danilov noted that the society will be informed about any decisions of the authorities regarding Bakhmut. "We are not going to hide anything. The situation in this area is difficult, but, as our military says, difficult but controlled," the NSDC secretary assured.

Background: Bild, a German tabloid newspaper, citing sources in Kyivs political leadership, reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appears to have had a dispute with Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, over the battle for the city of Bakhmut, which has been under repeated Russian attacks since summer 2022.

Allegedly, several weeks ago, Zaluzhnyi recommended considering a withdrawal from Bakhmut due to tactical considerations

Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, visited the units defending the city of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast on 5 March and stated that the fighting for the city had reached its peak.

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As a member of Chicagos Evans Mob gang faction, Pierre Robinson was devoted to an almost inconceivable cycle of gun violence, where murder begets murder, and shootings are followed by social media taunts, vows of revenge and more shooting, a federal judge said Monday

It is a tragedy that there are folks in our communities who grow up thinking this is normal life, who accept this kind of life and buy into it, U.S. District Judge John Tharp said.

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Pierre Robinson holds handguns in a photo from federal court documents. Robinson was sentence to life in prison for shooting 23-year-old Glenn Houston in December 2014. (U.S. District Court )

That cycle officially ended for Robinson moments later, when Tharp sentenced him to mandatory life in prison for the December 2014 slaying of 23-year-old Glenn Houston at a South Side convenience store  allegedly in retribution for the murder of Robinsons fellow gang member two years earlier, a shooting Houston had nothing to do with.

Houston was entering the store at 79th Street and Eberhart Avenue when he held the door open for Robinson as he walked out, prosecutors said. Robinson returned a few seconds later and shot Houston as he stood between displays of Fritos and candy near the register, as a mother and her young daughter ducked for cover.

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This was coldblooded, premeditated, calculated  but nevertheless senseless  murder, in the wake of which Mr. Robinson showed no remorse, Tharp said in sentencing Robinson, who was convicted by a jury last year of murder in the aid of racketeering. To the contrary, the record at trial revealed repeated taunts to rival gangs after the murder, the antithesis of remorse.  It wasnt enough for Mr. Robinson to kill Mr. Houston, he kept pouring salt into the wound.

Glenn Houston Jr. was fatally shot in a store on East 79th Street in Chicago on Dec. 23, 2014. Months before the fatal attack he was shot and wounded across the street from the store. (Thompson family photo)

In addition to Houstons slaying, Tharp found Robinson liable for another revenge shooting a few months later that badly wounded gang rival Deshawn Danzler and killed an innocent bystander, Hammood Dawoudi, 23, in the hallway of the apartment building they shared.

Robinson was never charged in that shooting because Danzler refused to identify him for a grand jury investigating the Evans Mob gang, the Tribune has reported.

But Tharp said there was plenty of other evidence that Robinson was responsible, including undercover recordings of Danzler telling his brother that Robinson was the gunman, as well as an eyewitness who said she saw Robinson running from the scene.

Tharp said that while Robinson was not charged in Dawoudis murder and it had no official bearing on his sentence, the facts deserve to see the light of day.

Before the sentence was handed down, two of Houstons sisters spoke in court about the loss of their brother, the only boy in the family, who left behind five nieces and nephews.

It gives me really bad panic to even think about it, to think about what to say or even how to feel about it, one of the sisters, Amelia Houston, said through sobs. We shouldnt be here.

The other sister, Ikiah Houston, said it made her sad to think that her kids will never get to know their uncle, to listen to him talk and smile, just being the little brother that he always was.

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I just want to see him rest peacefully now, she said.

Dressed in an orange jail jumpsuit, Robinson sat slouched at the defense table as the sisters spoke. When the judge later asked him if he wanted to make a statement, he declined.

At the time he was killed, Houston was recovering from being shot and critically wounded at the same intersection months earlier, according to a Tribune story detailing the devastating cycle of gang violence on Chicagos South Side.

After one of Houstons friends was killed in 2013, someone wrote a chilling warning in red marker on the wall of a perfume store at 79th and Eberhart. You next Glenn, the message said.

After he was shot in the summer of 2014, Houston spent months in the hospital. His grandmother told the Tribune that the day Houston was discharged, he went right back to the streets.

Robinson, meanwhile, was still serving out a 33-month sentence on a federal weapons conviction when he was indicted in Houstons killing in November 2018 as part of a larger investigation into the Evans Mob gang, a faction of the Gangster Disciples that prosecutors alleged uses murder, assault and other acts of violence to protect territory and boost its status on social media.

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According to court records, the day Houston was killed was the birthday of one of Robinsons fellow gang members who had been killed in 2012, and Robinson posted on social media he was going out looking for opps, or rivals, to shoot.

Shortly after 3 p.m., Robinson walked into Eberhart Food Store, where a mother was ordering a sandwich for her 8-year-old daughter, and did a lap around the store before walking toward the door, where Houston was coming in, prosecutors said.

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Houston, who went by the nickname G-Mac, held the door open for Robinson, who briefly stepped outside before pulling his shirt up over the lower half of his face and going back into the store, where he shot Houston three times with a revolver, according to prosecutors.

As the shots went off, the mother and her child asked an employee making her sandwich if they could go someplace and hide, Assistant U.S. Attorney Albert Berry wrote in a recent court filing. They wound up hiding in the bathroom. The employee who told the woman and her child to go into the bathroom stayed low until the shooting was over.

According to an FBI search warrant affidavit in Robinsons case, on Christmas Day in 2014  two days after Houstons slaying  Robinson posted a photo of a Ruger semi-automatic handgun and a message that read, LOOK MAN I GOT A RUGGER ON ME NOW I GOT LIKE FOUR BABY CHOPPERS KNOW WHAT I MEAN??? I FEEL LIKE OSAMA MOTHERF------ BIN LADEN.

In another video posted to social media on Oct. 7, 2015, captioned, #BackDownMemoryLane No Opps, Robinson reminisced about the murder as he stood in front of the Eberhart store while stating, Gang, gang, gang, Gutta gang and yelling Mac sauce, hot and spicy, according to court records.

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Robinson also posted messages about smoking on G-Mac and about G-Mac being in his blunt, which is slang that disrespects the dead person, Berry wrote.

Life being the only possible sentence is well deserved here, Berry said Monday.

jmeisner@chicagotribune.com
Security forces are conducting searches in Belarus amid reports of an attack on an A-50 military aircraft at the Machulishchy airbase.

Source: Viasna Human Rights Centre on Telegram

Details: Human rights activists reported that all those who were "tried or punished under political administrative articles from 2020 to 2023" are being searched. The searches are being carried out by Belarusian State Security Committee (KGB) employees.

According to preliminary reports by human rights defenders, at least 10 people are known to have been detained, and after searches, they were sent to a KGB detention centre.

Background:

Explosions occurred at the Machulishchy airbase in Belarus during the morning of 26 February. Later, information emerged that a Russian A-50 military aircraft had been damaged.

Alexander Azarov, Head of the BYPOL initiative, reported that Belarusian partisans were involved in sabotage at the Machulishchy airbase in Belarus. According to Azarov, the participants of the alleged sabotage in Machulishchy had left Belarus and are now safe.

Later, media published satellite photos of the plane before and after the incident.

The propaganda team surrounding the self-proclaimed president of Belarus continues to claim that everything is fine with the A-50 military aircraft and it even escorted Alexander Lukashenkos aircraft, although the military monitoring media outlet Belaruski Hajun reported that the Russian aircraft flew to Taganrog in Russia for repairs.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
The TikTok logo on a phone in front of the American and Chinese flags

For years, American politicians have worked to ban TikTok over privacy and national security concerns. But the leaky ad businesses of other tech companies, including American ones, could expose data to the Chinese Communist Party in the exact same ways, and the U.S. governments technical evidence to demonstrate why TikTok is thin. Sen. Mark Warner is about to introduce yet another bill that would ban TikTok, and on Sunday he acknowledge a motivating factor thats a bit clearer: business competition.

China is investing in economic areas, they have $500 billion in intellectual property theft, and we are in a competition not just on a national security basis, [but] on a technology basis, Warner said in an interview with Fox News. Weve got to make the kind of investments to stay ahead, and I think were starting that in a bipartisan way.

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Warner said he will introduce a bill co-sponsored by Republican Sen. John Thune this week that would ban or prohibit foreign technology when its necessary. TikTok is one of the potentials, Warner said. The bill is slated to hit the Senate floor Thursday.

The Virginia Democrat has been a leader on privacy issues, pushing regulation while many of his colleagues do little more than talk. The Senator argued that economics and national security are inextricably intertwined. What worries me more with TikTok is that this could be a propaganda tool, Warner said. The kind of videos you see would promote ideological issues.

Warner said the app feeds Chinese kids more videos about science and engineering than American children, suggesting the apps content recommendation system is tuned for Chinas geopolitical ambitions.

But the Senators comments about economic competition are a rare admission that the governments effort to ban TikTok is motivated by business as much as direct threats to national security. Warner mentioned two successes along this route, including the CHIPS+ bill, which worked to bring computer chip manufacturing back to the US, and the ban on Huawei, another Chinese company which, notably, was discussed as a security threat over data concerns.

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Warners concern has been in no small part about the potential for a company ultimately beholden to the Chinese Community Party to be deployed in a variety of nefarious means, should the CCP direct it to do so, said Rachel Cohen, Warners communications director. TikToks social media dominance could be a problem if the app is directed to do the Chinese governments bidding, Cohen said.

TikTok has censored content thats critical of the Chinese government, but as far as we know, thats happening in China. If you search Chinese protests on TikTok, you get countless results, many featuring videos of recent protests and violence by state actors, as well as a link to the Wikipedia entry on the 2011 Chinese pro-democracy protests. So far, there is no evidence that TikTok is interfering with content for its American audience to further the Chinese governments aimsthough the possibility is there.

We hope that Congress will explore solutions to their national security concerns that wont have the effect of censoring the voices of millions of Americans, said a TikTok spokesperson. We hope that politicians with national security concerns will encourage the Administration to conclude its national security review of TikTok.

Sen. Thune did not immediately respond to a request for comment.



TikToks privacy concerns are real, and they deserve attention. Like all social media apps, TikTok harvests data for its advertising business. By Chinese law, TikTok could theoretically be forced to hand that data over to the communist party. The company has also demonstrated a willingness to use its data for unscrupulous purposes. CEO Shou Chew reportedly admitted the company used TikTok app data to spy on journalists and its own employees.

However, these privacy risks are not unique to TikTok. As Warner put it, weve got to have a systemic approach.

Banning the app wont keep data out of the hands of the Chinese government because the entire internet is built to share data with anyone and everyone who wants it. Theres only one way to clamp down on data: laws that apply to every company.

Im not at all saying TikTok is innocent, but focusing specifically on one app from one country is not going to solve whatever problem you think youre solving. It truly misses the point, said David Kahn Gillmor, a senior staff technologist at the American Civil Liberties Union, in an interview with Gizmodo last week. Do we really think that Facebook or Google are not capable of being influenced by the Chinese government? They know a market when they see one. I think the pressure thats building is basically a race to be seen as tough on China.

Last week, a Gizmodo report demonstrated that over 28,000 apps send data to TikTok, and theres even more widespread data collection across the web. Worse, another Gizmodo investigation in 2020 showed many popular American apps send data to China because they partner with Chinese advertising companies, including Gmail, Instagram, Facebook, SnapChat, YouTube, and even Yahoo. These Chinese ad tech vendors could be forced to hand over data, just like TikTokin theory.

Even if you put a stop to all of that, the Chinese government could just buy American user data from one of the hundreds of American data brokers who have it for sale. Why? Because there are fundamentally zero nationwide laws about privacy in the US.

A number of major foreign powers arent convinced that TikTok is a threat. The UK and New Zealand governments declined to ban the app from official devices, leaving it up to individual agencies instead. TikTok is banned on government devices in a number of places, however, including the EU, Canada, and the US.

The upcoming bill from Sens. Warner and Thune is just one of a growing list of attempts to block TikTok from the American marketplace. Most recently, the Biden administration gave federal agencies 30 days to ban TikTok from government devices and prohibit internet traffic from reaching the company. Shortly thereafter, a fast-tracked Republican bill that would give Biden the authority to ban TikTok nationwide sailed through committee. So far, details about the latest bill from Senator Warner arent available, so it isnt clear how it would differ from existing legislation.

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The Senate this week is slated to vote on a Republican-led resolution to block Washington, D.C.s revised criminal code from taking effect, which President Biden has said he will sign once it reaches his desk.

The resolution is expected to pass the Senate with bipartisan support before heading to Biden. The presidents announcement last week that he will sign the measure infuriated House Democrats, who have accused him of undermining D.C.s self rule.

Also this week, a Senate committee is slated to hold the first congressional hearing on the East Palestine train derailment, which has sparked environmental and health concerns for the Ohio community. A second Norfolk Southern train derailed in the Buckeye State over the weekend.

On the House side, lawmakers will vote on a bill to declassify information relating to the origin of COVID-19, after The Wall Street Journal reported that the Energy Department has concluded, with low confidence, that COVID-19 most likely emerged from a laboratory in China.

In the House, panels will hold hearings on topics ranging from COVID-19 origins and the Twitter files to the U.S.s withdrawal from Afghanistan. The House and Senate Intelligence committees this week are also scheduled to hold their worldwide threats hearings.

Senate to vote on D.C. crime bill resolution

The Senate this week will vote on a GOP-led disapproval resolution to block D.C. from implementing its revised criminal code, a senior Senate aide confirmed to The Hill, putting the White House on a collision course with House Democrats, who have fumed at Bidens pledge to sign the measure.

The disapproval resolution is expected to clear the chamber with bipartisan backing after a number of Democratic senators came out in support of the measure  including Sens. Patty Murray (Wash.), Joe Manchin (W.Va.), Bob Casey (Pa.), Tammy Baldwin (Wis.) and Mark Kelly (Ariz.).

After that it will head to Biden, who has said he will sign the measure  an announcement that sent shockwaves throughout Congress last week.

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The House voted 250-173 last month to pass the measure, which would block D.C.s revised criminal code from taking effect.

The D.C. City Council unanimously passed the new regulations in January that would, among other provisions, eliminate most mandatory sentences and decrease penalties for a number of violent offenses, including carjackings and robberies. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) vetoed the bill, which the council overrode.

Days before the House vote, the Office of Management and Budget released a statement of administration policy that said the administration opposes the measure and called on Congress to respect the District of Columbias autonomy to govern its own local affairs.

A total of 173 House Democrats went ahead and voted against the resolution, siding with what they thought was the stance of the White House. But last week, Biden said that he would sign the measure if it landed on his desk  opting against using his first presidential veto  an announcement that enraged House Democrats.

The president in a tweet announcing his stance pointed to the revised codes decreased penalties for carjackings. Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) both said they were disappointed by Bidens decision, and one House Democrat texted The Hill last week The White House f***** this up royally.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), however, downplayed the frustrations on Sunday, telling CNNs State of the Union that he has not heard from his colleagues that they feel like they had the rug pulled out from under them.

That actually has not been the sense that I have gotten, he told the network.

East Palestine train derailment hearing

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on Thursday focused on the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, giving lawmakers their first public opportunity to grill top officials for the accident that took place more than a month ago.

The hearing, scheduled for 10 a.m., will feature two panels of witnesses. The first panel includes lawmakers from Ohio, and the second is comprised of top officials from Norfolk Southern Corporation and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Alan Shaw, the president and CEO of Norfolk Southern; Debra Shore, regional administration at the EPA; Anne Vogel, director of the Ohio EPA; Richard Harrison, the executive director and chief engineer of the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission; and Eric Brewer, the director and chief of hazardous materials response at the Beaver County Department of Emergency Services.

In a statement last month, the top lawmakers on the Senate committee said the hearing would focus on the environmental and public health impacts of this incident.

Our focus will be to examine the local, state and federal response in the immediate aftermath of the train derailment and the ongoing efforts to clean up toxic chemicals in the surrounding environment, Sens. Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), the chair and ranking member of the committee, added.

The meeting  titled Protecting Public Health and the Environment in the Wake of the Norfolk Southern Train Derailment and Chemical Release in East Palestine, Ohio  comes more than a month after a Norfolk Southern train derailed in East Palestine, and just days after roughly 20 cars of another Norfolk Southern cargo train derailed close to Springfield, Ohio. Unlike the first derailment, hazardous materials were not on board the second train that derailed.

Some lawmakers have been critical of Norfolk Southern in the wake of the accidents. On Sunday, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), who is slated to testify at Thursdays hearing, told ABCs This Week that he was not entirely satisfied with the response to the second incident.

I want to know  there are some sort of remnants of something that might have been in those cars. Those cars were mostly empty. But I want to know if there are any contaminants sort of left in those mostly empty cars that might have affected Clark County near the fairgrounds, all the way into Springfield, he said.

In this  train was over 200 cars, which is 50 more cars that the East Palestine train. So, the railroads got a lot of questions theyve got to answer and they really havent done it very well yet, as you know, he added.

House to vote on declassifying COVID-19 origins intel

The House on Friday will vote on a bill that seeks to declassify information regarding the origins of COVID-19, days after The Wall Street Journal reported that the Energy Department decided with low confidence that the coronavirus most likely came from a laboratory in China.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), cleared the Senate by unanimous consent last week. It would require that the director of national intelligence declassify as much information as possible about the origin of COVID-19, then make it available to the public.

That includes information related to potential links between the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the origin of COVID-19, such as activities performed by the institute with or on behalf of the Peoples Liberation Army, coronavirus research or other activities performed at the institute, according to the measure.

The Senate passed the same measure by unanimous consent in May 2021, but it was never brought up in the House.

Transparency on the origins of COVID-19 is long overdue, the office of House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) wrote in a floor lookout Sunday night. Americans deserve to know the truth about what the government knew and when, and House Republicans are going to make sure they get it.

House, Senate to hold variety of hearings

In addition to the Senate hearing on the East Palestine train derailment, a number of House and Senate committees are scheduled to hold hearings this week on a variety of topics.

House Oversight and Accountability Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic: Investigating the Origins of COVID-19 When: Wednesday at 9 a.m. Witnesses: Robert Redfield, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Jamie Metzl, senior fellow at The Atlantic Council; Nicholas Wade, former science and health editor at The New York Times, former editor at Science, former editor at Nature



House Foreign Affairs Committee: During and After the Fall of Kabul: Examining the Administrations Emergency Evacuation from Afghanistan When: Wednesday at 10 a.m. Witnesses: Francis Q. Hoang, executive chairman of Allied Airlift 21; Lt. Col. (Ret.) David Scott Mann, founder of Task Force Pineapple; Aidan Gunderson, specialist at the U.S. Army; Peter Lucier, Team America Relief



Senate Intelligence Committee: Worldwide Threats When: Wednesday at 10 a.m. Witnesses: Avril Haines, director of national intelligence; William Burns, director of the CIA; Lt. Gen. Scott D. Berrier, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency; Gen. Paul Nakasone, director of the National Security Agency; Christopher Wray, director of the FBI.



House Intelligence Committee: Worldwide Threats When: Thursday at 10 a.m. Witnesses: Avril Haines, director of national intelligence; William Burns, director of the CIA; Lt. Gen. Scott D. Berrier, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency; Gen. Paul Nakasone, director of the National Security Agency; Christopher Wray, director of the FBI.



House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government: Focused on the Twitter Files When: Thursday at 10 a.m. Witnesses: Substack reporters Matt Taibbi and Michael Shellenberger



House Oversight and Accountability Committee: The Biden Family Investigation: The Department of the Treasury When: Friday at 9 a.m. Witnesses: Jonathan C. Davidson, assistant secretary for legislative affairs at the Treasury Department



Alex Bolton contributed reporting

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
ST. LOUIS (AP)  Three Republican-led states on Monday pulled out of a bipartisan effort among states to ensure accurate voter lists, undermining a system with a demonstrated record of combating voter fraud.

The moves, encouraged by former President Donald Trump, are the latest indication of how conspiracy theories related to the 2020 presidential outcome continue to ripple throughout the Republican Party and upend long-established traditions in how the country administers elections.

Chief election officials in Florida, Missouri and West Virginia notified the Electronic Registration Information Center, more commonly known as ERIC, that they would depart the voluntary program, which has long been comprised of both Republican-led and Democratic-led states. They join Louisiana, which left last year, and Alabama, which previously announced plans to withdraw this year.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, in a letter to member states Monday, also threatened to withdraw. That came just weeks after the Republican defended the system, telling reporters it was one of the best fraud-fighting tools that we have.

Florida and its 14.4 million registered voters pose a considerable loss for the data-sharing group, which relies heavily on member states to produce reports on voters who may have died or those who have moved to another state. Its reports also help states identify and ultimately prosecute people who vote in multiple states.

The system has been credited in Maryland with identifying some 66,000 potentially deceased voters and 778,000 people who may have moved out of state since 2013. In Georgia, officials said nearly 100,000 voters no longer eligible to vote in the state had been removed based on data provided by ERIC.

Yet the effort to improve election integrity and thwart voter fraud  which Republican lawmakers and local officials commonly cite as priorities  has become a target of suspicion after a series of online posts early last year questioning its funding and purpose. One conspiracy involves billionaire philanthropist George Soros, who has long been a target of conspiracy theories, and claims that he funded the voter data-sharing system.

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While the system received initial funding from the nonpartisan Pew Charitable Trusts, that money was separate from funding provided to Pew by a Soros-affiliated organization that went to an unrelated effort, said ERICs executive director, Shane Hamlin. The effort has since been funded through annual dues by member states.

On Monday, Hamlin said in a statement that ERIC will continue our work on behalf of our remaining member states in improving the accuracy of Americas voter rolls and increasing access to voter registration for all eligible citizens.

Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft said in an interview that he decided to leave after concluding that changes he had been advocating for would not be made and that it was unlikely more states surrounding his would join the effort. Among the changes he sought was dropping a requirement for member states to send mailings to eligible but unregistered voters and removing what he described as partisan influences from the program.

Im not against working with other states, but it has to be done in a way that is well done and that the people in the state can trust in it, Ashcroft said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I cant imagine ERIC will get to that point.

Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd, who was appointed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, said state officials had lost confidence in ERIC." West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner expressed similar frustrations, adding he did not expect the departure from the program to affect his states ability to maintain accurate voter rolls.

Trump also weighed in Monday on his social media platform, calling on all Republican-led states to immediately pull out of ERIC, the terrible Voter Registration System that pumps the rolls for Democrats and does nothing to clean them up.

With no national voter registration clearinghouse, ERIC is the only data-sharing program among states. It was started in 2012 by seven states and was bipartisan from the beginning, with four of the founding states led by Republicans. After the states officially depart, participation will drop to 28 states and the District of Columbia.

The departures have frustrated state election officials involved in the effort and have demonstrated how deeply election conspiracies have spread throughout the Republican Party.

Election officials who pull out of ERIC are primarily harming their own states ability to keep their voter list accurate, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said in a statement Monday to the AP. Its odd and disturbing to me that any official would choose validating misinformation over being part of a collaborative that has the sole and well-established purpose of improving the integrity of our elections.

Brad Ashwell, Florida director of the advocacy group All Voting is Local, said the governor was caving to the interests of conspiracy theorists with the decision to leave ERIC.

This is supposed to be the party of election integrity, and this is the best tool that they have to do that, Ashwell said.

Not all Republican-led states had been reevaluating their participation in the program. In a recent survey by the AP, election offices in 23 states and the District of Columbia said they had no intention of leaving, including eight led or controlled by Republicans. At the time, that included Ohio.

In response to the survey, Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate, a Republican, called ERIC an effective tool for ensuring the integrity of his state's voter rolls. Gabriel Sterling, a top official in the Georgia secretary of states office, said he recently appealed to representatives from three other Republican-led states to join the system.

Meanwhile, lawmakers in Texas have introduced legislation that, if passed and signed into law, would require the state to leave the system. In Oklahoma, proposed legislation would prohibit the state from joining.

In California, Kansas and New Hampshire, lawmakers have introduced bills that would enable their states to join it, according to the Voting Rights Lab, which tracks voting legislation in the states. New York is another high-population state that is not currently a member.

___

Cassidy reported from Atlanta. Associated Press writers Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus, Ohio, and Anthony Izaguirre in Tallahassee, Florida, contributed to this report.
One of the students at a Boston K-8 school who ingested edibles Monday is receiving further medical care at a local hospital, according to the schools principal.

Boston police said they received a call about the incident at the Maurice J. Tobin School in Roxbury shortly after 12:00 p.m.

In a letter to parents, Principal Natasha Halfkenny said multiple middle school students ingested what appeared to be a cannabis-infused food item, more commonly known as an edible.

Halfkenny said school staff immediately notified Boston police and Boston Public Schools Safety Services of the incident.

The school nurse saw the impacted students, whose families were immediately notified. Boston Emergency Medical Services was also notified of the incident and one student was transported to a hospital as a precaution, according to Halfkenny.

We are deeply concerned about the recent reports of students ingesting edibles. We are encouraging parents, guardians, and caregivers to take an active role in helping us ensure our students are aware of the risks associated with consuming these products and that they understand the potential consequences, including the potential for serious health issues, said a Boston Public Schools spokesperson. We are grateful to our school staff and first responders for their quick work in getting our students seen by medical professionals as quickly as possible.

School staff will conduct searches as outlined in the districts student search policy if necessary, said Halfkenny. An investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Any Tobin School parents or guardians who have questions or concerns about the incident are encouraged to call Halfkenny at 617-635-8393.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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Biological sex and gender identity expression, though largely interconnected, can sometimes hold different meanings for different people. (Illustration: Nathalie Cruz; photos: Getty)

Though the terms sex and gender are often used interchangeably, there are distinct differences between the two. Recognizing them, say experts, may help us better explain human identity and individual selfhood.

Gender is important to everyone, Charlotte Clymer, a transgender activist and former press secretary of the Human Rights Campaign, tells Yahoo Life. As a concept, its the way we see ourselves, and our relationship to the world and to others.

Still, biological sex is not as easily defined as you might think, adds neuroscientist Lise Eliot, executive chair of foundational sciences and humanities at the Chicago Medical School of Rosalind Franklin University and author of Pink Brain, Blue Brain, who says there are many dimensions to sex and gender that have existed across human cultures.

Having consistent definitions for these terms is vital for having clear communication about sex and gender in many aspects of life.

Gender identity is a widely used term, says Carole Hooven, an associate in the psychology department at Harvard University who recently served as co-director of undergraduate studies and lecturer on human evolutionary biology, and is the author of T: The Story of Testosterone, the Hormone That Dominates and Divides Us. The way we define the term and understand the concept affects scientific research, health care policies, law, education, individual rights and so many other aspects of public and private life.

Sex and gender: What are they?

Simply put, sex is the biological sex  female, male or intersex (displaying both male and female sex characteristics, accounting for roughly 1.7 percent of the global population)  that you are born into, or, as is becoming a widely used phrase, endorsed by groups from the American Psychiatric Association to the Human Rights Campaign, it is ones sex assigned at birth, a phrase that acknowledges the belief that ones sex is decided by someone else, such as a doctor.

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Its classification is based on an array of factors in most people, explains Eliot: sex chromosomes (XX for female and XY for male), dominant hormones (estrogen for female, testosterone for males), reproductive organs (fallopian tubes and ovaries for females, testes for men) and related physical anatomy (a vulva and clitoris for females, a penis for males). However, various scientists have pointed out recently that these attributes arent always reliable determinants of ones sex, which some argue is never set in stone. For example, there are people with testosterone or estrogen levels outside the typical male or female range, and people with XY or XX chromosomes born with ambiguous genitalia, due to the way certain genes were formed in the womb.

Adds Eliot, Somewhere between 1 in 100 and 1 in 1,000 people have a range of phenotypes we call intersex, where these chromosomal/gonadal/genital/hormonal traits dont all line up in the typical way. So, thats sex: mostly binary and all genetic in origin, she says, although the process of genital development is critically influenced by hormones, which themselves are ultimately shaped by genetic wiring.

And once that M or F goes onto a birth certificate, it gets transferred to other forms of identification and has a direct influence on the roles and expectations people face in society.

Gender, on the other hand, is the social and psychological sense one carries of being male, female or any of the multitude of gender identities said to exist outside of the conventional definitions  including genderfluid (when ones gender identity is not a fixed constant) or nonbinary (where one identifies as genderless), which is when some folks may use they/them pronouns. As described by the World Health Organization, gender refers to the characteristics of women, men, girls and boys that are socially constructed.

In Western society, gender has traditionally been viewed as a binary system consisting of two categories: masculine (boy or man) and feminine (girl or woman). These categories are shaped largely by the norms, behaviors and standards associated with being a man or a woman. Other societies, however, are known to have recognized multiple genders  such as the Hijras in India, what are known as Two Spirit people in Native American culture, the muxes in Mexico and the bakla in the Philippines.

Gender is a human social invention. We have developed roles, pronouns and cultural norms for what a person with XX/ovaries/girl parts is expected to feel and behave like, which we teach from birth, Eliot tells Yahoo Life. Its a lot like language, which is also learned from birth, and is fluent by the time a child is 3 years of age.

Still, Hooven points out that we have a long way to go before sex and gender are seen as completely different.

Overall I think gender identity is a confusing term, she says. In some cases, it is just a substitute for the word sex, as in, male or female, like when we talk about the gender pay gap. Sometimes its used to mean masculinity and femininity. Sometimes gender means social rules or norms about how women and girls, or boys or men, should behave. And sometimes gender is simply an abbreviation for gender identity.

Id prefer we use more specific and descriptive terms [such as sex roles instead of gender roles] that describe sex-based cultural norms and our comfort with them, masculine and feminine behavior and feelings, and biological sex, she adds.

Sex and gender arent mutually exclusive

While biological sex is generally seen as fixed (though not always, as noted above), gender identity and gender expression (how a person expresses their gender through appearance, dress and behavior) is very often fluid. That means an individuals perceived gender, and the expression of that gender, can change over the course of their lifetime.

For example, someone who was biologically born male may very well identify as a woman later in life, just as someone biologically born female may later identify as a man. This is called transgender, and is the experience of 5% of young American adults today, according to a 2022 Pew Research poll.

According to some research, feelings of gender dysphoria can begin as early as 3 years old. And for many trans people, coming to the conclusion that their gender identity doesnt match their biological sex is a drawn-out, painful experience.

It often results in the diagnosis of gender dysphoria, which, according to the American Psychiatric Association, is given to transgender people experiencing psychological distress that results from an incongruence between ones sex assigned at birth, based on external genitalia, and ones gender identity, or the psychological sense of ones gender.

Scientists like Hooven, however, argue that while gender dysphoria has lots to do with biology, at its core, the psychological distress gender dysphoria brings to a person has more to do with the discomfort they feel about social expectations that are associated with their biological sex (for example, playing with girl or boy toys, or wearing girl or boy clothes).

Clymer, a transgender woman, says that ones transition journey is personal and unique to every individual, and that every experience should be believed and taken as the truth, every time.

Because of the psychological distress of gender dysphoria, many transgender people undergo gender-affirming care  credited by many trans adults as being a vital step toward living a full and happy life  which has been supported by leading health care organizations such as the American Psychiatric Association, the American Nurses Association and the World Medical Association.

Still, gender-affirming care remains controversial, especially for trans youth  not only in the U.S., where in 2023 alone, conservative state lawmakers have introduced over a dozen bills blocking minors from receiving gender-affirming care, but also throughout Europe, where several countries have taken steps to restrict access to gender-affirming care for minors.

Meanwhile, Shannon Minter, legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights and a transgender man, believes that gender identity is a part of sex. He tells Yahoo Life, Its just as biological as any other attribute of sex, and, from a legal point of view, its devastating to make that distinction because we are trying to get courts to say that sex discrimination laws protect transgender people.

You get into these very complicated terminologies about: What is sex? What is gender identity? What is gender expression? ... Its about people. Were not in science class, he says, adding that its mostly important to focus on humanity as opposed to terminology, and to be patient and believe people when they say how they identify, and to not use such discussions to make political points.

Language is important, he adds, but whats most important is just understanding and acceptance and inclusion and support.

Wellness, parenting, body image and more: Get to know the who behind the hoo with Yahoo Lifes newsletter. Sign up here.
Ian Pisarchuk sat behind a screen and terrorized his victims.

He'd befriend them mostly online, and then the demands would start. He wanted photos of them, or said he already had them. He made threats to get what he wanted from girls and young women, using details from their social media accounts to exert power over them and get what he wanted for his own pleasure.

"Words cannot describe the anxiety Ian has caused me," said one of his victims in a Bucks County court last month.

In 2019, Pisarchuk set his sights on the young girl, getting her to send him explicit images of herself and then threatening to expose the photos online.

Even though the victim blocked Pisarchuk on Snapchat, the online app where they communicated via short videos and photos, she was constantly worried he would make good on his threats.

The fear turned her world "cloudy" she told a judge, and she would feel no peace until Pisarchuk was arrested in June 2021.

She was one of 15 victims targeted by Pisarchuk, 27, in what prosecutors say was the first major sexual extortion, or sextortion, case in Bucks County. Pisarchuk, of Bensalem, was sentenced to 20 to 51 years last month.

For subscribers:'He should be locked up forever': Bensalem man gets 20 years in prison for 'sextortion'

Another victim, Lindsey Piccone, would take her life after Pisarchuk set his online sights on her.

The state sexual extortion law has been on the books since 2020, but the criminal charge has not been widely used. Lindsey's Law, inspired by Piccone's death passed in 2022, upping the penalties for those convicted of sexual extortion that result in death and serious injury, but advocates still worry.

Experts say the crime is underreported, and parents and kids need to be vigilant.

Its a human violation to a person," Petty Ettinger, executive director of Network of Victim Assistance Bucks County said. "Even though theyre not physically touching them."

While sexual extortion can involve physical sexual acts, the most common form, experts say, is where the victim is contacted through forms of social media or other online communications. In the Pisarchuk case, he used Snapchat.

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And cases are on the rise in recent years with the FBI earlier this year sending out a public safety alert. More than 3,000 victims were targeted in the United States last year.

Theres so much unknown and I think that instills a lot of fear in people," said Brianna Dion, senior victim advocate for NOVA of Bucks County.

Family pushes for legislation:'No parent should have to bury their kid': Family advocates for legislation after Bucks woman's suicide in 'sextortion' case

Pisarchuk charged:DA: Bensalem man 'sextorted' nine more victims on SnapChat

What is online sextortion?

Predators looking to sexually extort someone online can typically find a victim on social media networks. They often use Snapchat, Facebook, Google Chat, WhatsApp and Instagram.

In the Pisarchuk case, he used a "friends of friend" feature to identify targets, and he knew some of the people he spoke to.

In many cases, the victims are between the 10 and 17.

Dion said the person contacting the victim usually knows them in some capacity, even if just online.

After connecting with the victim, they can develop a relationship and seem harmless at first.

Eventually they try to extort explicit images by threatening to harm the victim or their families, or to release images that they may already have. They can use things that the victim posted on social media, like family information, to bolster their threats.

Experts say those threats are very rarely carried out, but the victim's fear is very real. And has proven deadly.

Lindsey Piccone: Sextortion leads to death

Lindsey Piccone, 21, of Bensalem, committed suicide after she was extorted for explicit photos in 2016, according to Bensalem police. Her family is pushing for legislation for harsher penalties for those who sexually extort someone, who then end up hurting themselves as a result.

In 2016, Pisarchuk, a Kutztown University student, found Lindsey Piccone on Snapchat. Soon, authorities said, he would begin threatening her and demanding she send sexually explicit photos.

Piccone, a nursery school caregiver, would eventually yield to his demands. The next day, the Bensalem woman took her own life.

Before someone else ruins my life, I am ruining mine, a note read in part.

The FBI said more than a dozen sextortion victims died by suicide last year.

Advocates say the fear and anxiety that the victim, or someone they love, may get hurt, and the threat of images being exposed, keeps victims quiet. The FBI reported that victims may also be extorted for money in cases where they may have already sent an explicit image.

These kids are still in this mentally developing age and they can't process and handle all that," said Stephanie Shantz-Stiver, victim advocate coordinator for NOVA.

Pisarchuk's victims were overwhelmed and feared his next moves, authorities said.

They lived in pretty much constant fear not knowing what the defendant is going to do," said Bucks County Deputy District Attorney Brittney Kern.

Paul Piccone shows his shirt which has a picture of his daughter, Lindsey Piccone. Lindsey Piccone, 21, of Bensalem, committed suicide after she was extorted for explicit photos in 2016, according to Bensalem police. Her family is pushing for legislation for harsher penalties for those who sexually extort someone, who then end up hurting themselves as a result.

How to #StopSextortion?

Stop Sextortion

Ettinger encouraged people to make sure their social media profiles are private. Without the right privacy settings, they are potentially vulnerable to being targeted.

Your door is open the world," she said. "And the world is open to you.

She encouraged parents to be aware of what social media platforms their children use, and to be aware of what they are posting. Ettinger also urged understanding if their children come to them as victims of sextortion.

The stigma, embarrassment or concern of getting in trouble could be barriers to reporting a problem.

The victim kind of feels like they are backed into a corner and they dont really know what to do," Dion said.

Teen victims should report threats to a parent or trusted adult, or to police. They should also not delete any communication they have received, so that authorities can investigate the interactions properly.

If theyre deleting certain evidence its going to be harder for the police to figure out who is committing these crimes," Dion said.

Kern said she's hoping with the resolution of the Pisarchuk case that more people would be comfortable reporting potential sextortion.

Its never too late to report it," she said.

Resources for parents and their children

Children who find an explicit image of themselves online may have it taken down by going here, https://takeitdown.ncmec.org.

Resources for parents me be found on the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce website, https://www.icactaskforce.org/internetsafety.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Sextortion crimes on rise as online threat can be deadly
(Bloomberg) -- It took Shein a decade to catch up to Inditex SAs Zara as the worlds top fast-fashion retailer. Now, a new online upstart wants to surpass Shein  at least on one important measure  within a year.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Temu, a shopping platform owned by Chinese e-commerce heavyweight PDD Holdings Inc., set a lofty sales target for its North American business last month: report at least a single day of gross merchandise value that tops Sheins between now and Sept. 1, to mark the anniversary of its entry into the US market, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified because theyre not authorized to speak publicly.

Its the first step in Temus broader plans to dominate the online shopping landscape. PDD, which made successful inroads into the less-covered lower-tier segments of a Chinese market dominated by Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and JD.com Inc., is now hoping the fledgling app will drive a longer-term overseas business.

Temu views Shein as its biggest rival in the near-term, and wants to surpass its dominance within the next few years, said the people. But the firm, which sells anything from clothes to kitchen supplies, is ultimately aiming to take on global behemoths Amazon.com Inc. and eBay Inc., they said.

Read more: Sheins US Expansion Adds Pressure for Fast-Fashion Rivals

Temus growth is already surging and its been the most downloaded app on Apples US app store for much of the past few months. The firm achieved about $500 million GMV in the US during its first five months of operation, according to data analytics firm YipitData. In January alone, sales were almost $200 million, the data show. Temu launched in Canada, its second market, in February.

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The apps formula of ultra-low prices and flash sales has proven attractive at a time consumers are tightening their belts, said Abe Yousef, a senior analyst at app-tracker Sensor Tower. Temus been downloaded 24 million times since inception and its gathered about 11 million monthly active users as of January, up 47% from the December shopping season, Yousef estimates.

Given the current challenging macroeconomic environment and the backing of parent PDD Holdings, Temu is well-positioned to continue its aggressive growth strategy among US consumers, he said.

Comparative data on closely held Sheins finances are difficult to obtain, but the scant details that have emerged indicate Temus target requires its rapid pace of expansion to accelerate.

Shein already dominates the US fast-fashion market, far surpassing rivals Zara and H&M, according to YipitData. The Financial Times reported last month that Shein predicts global GMV will grow to $80.6 billion in 2025 up 174% from last year. Revenue could increase to $58.5 billion in 2025, up from $22.7 billion last year, according to the report, which cited a management presentation shown to investors.

Temu staff havent been given a daily sales target  its a figure held tightly among senior managers. Theyve instead been told to shift from growing the base of users for their app and website to devising ways to boost how much customers spend, the people said.

The company did not respond to requests for comment.

Sheins rapid success has paved the way for a raft of newcomers wanting to get into the booming e-commerce market, but Temu is widely viewed as the most serious competitor. The latter is already headhunting Shein employees and targeting suppliers, while also leveraging the deep pockets, extensive supply chains and expertise  particularly in consumer data that allows rapid changes in offerings  of parent PDD, which already controls roughly 13% of Chinese online retail through its Pinduoduo platform.

Read more: Fast-Fashion Upstarts Are Using Sheins Strategies Against It

While both firms are synonymous with cheap, easy-to-get products, Temu operates more like a marketplace than a self-run brand such as Shein. It doesnt handle design and production, instead recruiting suppliers to offer a list of products, which Temu selects from and then allows a store to open on its platform. After sellers send products to Temus warehouses in China, the company takes care of delivery, marketing and promotion, and after-sales services.

Temu is betting that a huge marketing campaign will drive sales growth. The company made its Super Bowl advertising debut in mid-February, running two 30-second spots  which typically cost millions of dollars to produce and air  that featured a trendy shopper twirling and dancing in an array of outfits. Its also rolling out social marketing practices that are similar to Pinduoduos strategies in China, including offering discounts, cash rewards and free gifts to customers who refer their friends.

The strategy is bearing fruit, with visits to its website surpassing Shein in January. If Temu is able to sustain its momentum it will also join just a handful of Chinese-owned internet services to have succeeded in the US, including Alibabas Aliexpress and ByteDance Ltd.s TikTok.

--With assistance from Jane Zhang.

(Updates with details and commentary on Temu from the third paragraph)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2023 Bloomberg L.P.
Investors who take an interest in Southern Packaging Group Limited (SGX:BQP) should definitely note that insider Shek Chuen Jen recently paid S$0.25 per share to buy S$239k worth of the stock. While that's a very decent purchase to our minds, it was proportionally a bit modest, boosting their holding by just 8.1%.

See our latest analysis for Southern Packaging Group

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Southern Packaging Group

Notably, that recent purchase by Shek Chuen Jen is the biggest insider purchase of Southern Packaging Group shares that we've seen in the last year. That means that even when the share price was higher than S$0.25 (the recent price), an insider wanted to purchase shares. While their view may have changed since the purchase was made, this does at least suggest they have had confidence in the company's future. In our view, the price an insider pays for shares is very important. As a general rule, we feel more positive about a stock when an insider has bought shares at above current prices, because that suggests they viewed the stock as good value, even at a higher price. Shek Chuen Jen was the only individual insider to buy during the last year.

Shek Chuen Jen purchased 1.74m shares over the year. The average price per share was S$0.32. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

There are always plenty of stocks that insiders are buying. So if that suits your style you could check each stock one by one or you could take a look at this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

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. Southern Packaging Group insiders own 84% of the company, currently worth about S$15m based on the recent share price. I like to see this level of insider ownership, because it increases the chances that management are thinking about the best interests of shareholders.

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So What Do The Southern Packaging Group Insider Transactions Indicate?

It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchase. And an analysis of the transactions over the last year also gives us confidence. But on the other hand, the company made a loss during the last year, which makes us a little cautious. Once you factor in the high insider ownership, it certainly seems like insiders are positive about Southern Packaging Group. Looks promising! 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. For instance, we've identified 4 warning signs for Southern Packaging Group (3 are concerning) you should be aware of.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies.

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.

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Giulyana Gamero, 18, attends her gifted English 12 class at Auburn High School on March 2, 2023, in Rockford. Gamero, the Rockford Youth Poet, created a poetry series sharing her experiences navigating the health care systems as part of a Spanish-speaking household. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

Health care is not exactly a common topic for poetry. But poetry is the medium used by Rockford resident Giulyana Gamero, 18, to share her experiences of advocating for her Spanish-speaking, immigrant parents in various health care settings.

Hearts and chests and lungs and breathe. I tell him to breathe, begins one of the poems about her father, Gustavo, which she recites in a poetry video series. There is a waver in his voice when he asks for rough translations. But Im counting the days down until school resumes to capture me again, swooping his little girl from his home.

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Gameros father, who was born in Mexico, has been living in the United States for over 20 years and has picked up English here and there. For many non-English speakers, navigating a jargon-loaded, fussy health care system presents persistent obstacles that deter vulnerable populations and minorities from receiving the care they need.

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 9 out of 10 adults in the United States have difficulty understanding and using personal and public health information when its filled with unfamiliar or scientific lingo.

Theres a lot of challenges to overcome when it comes to language barriers, Gamero told the Tribune. And a lot of this is almost saddening to see just because there arent as many accommodations ... as there should be.

Expanding accessibility would require increasing health literacy  understanding ones own health and the health care system  by having professionals use more plain language and employing interpreters or translators. Otherwise, patients can experience more negative health outcomes or higher medical costs.

A senior at Auburn High School, Gamero was chosen as the City of Rockfords 2022 Youth Poet after being nominated by her English teacher and going through an elaborate  but, in her words, exciting  written application process.

She was in a different space, at a different creative level than her peers, said Mary McNamara Bernsten, executive director of the Rockford Area Arts Council, which helped establish the Youth Poet program. And its been so fun to see, from the beginning of 2022 to the end, how much Giulyana has come into her artistic voice. Its not an easy thing to do, especially as a younger person.

Gamero has loved poetry for a long time. She said she developed an interest in creative writing as early as first grade.

My love for poetry started during a poetry unit in my English class in seventh grade, where I was introduced to slam poetry and the spoken word, Gamero said. And that, honestly, really sparked this passion in me for poetry just because of how authentic and raw and real it felt.

As Rockfords Youth Poet, Gamero was approached by CURA Strategies, a health care communications agency, to develop a health literacy poetry series inspired by her own experiences.

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The series would be part of the citys Health and Human Services Rockford Ready health literacy initiative, which aims to empower residents to take control of their health, in partnership with the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicines Office of Health Literacy. The project was created with support from the Rockford Area Arts Council and Frank and Harvey Film Production.

In creating the Rockford Ready health literacy poetry video series, Gamero said she had to find a delicate balance between a concrete subject matter  her lived experiences in the health care system  with an abstract voice.

Giulyana Gamero walks through a hallway after English class at Auburn High School on March 2, 2023, in Rockford. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

For instance, one of her poems uses the colors of ambulance sirens, Blue, Red, Blue, to convey the importance of seeking preventive care and routine screenings to address health concerns before they become serious, life-threatening issues.

Cool blue, honest red, blaring on city streets from lingering infection. I wonder if it could be me? the poem goes. Honest red, cool blue. If its between holding onto my breath and being at the brink of death, or swallowing my pride and ask until theres nothing left, my mouth would be a cannon. And I would be firing off. Id ask all the right questions if I knew there was something wrong.

The use of preventive care varies across racial and ethnic groups, according to a report by the Defense Health Agency, part of the Military Health System. Language barriers such as limited English proficiency, for example, impact the use of preventive services in minority populations, according to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

According to the Milken Institute, Hispanic adults have demonstrated the lowest health literacy of all ethnic and racial groups, and adults who spoke only Spanish at home before schooling have the lowest average health literacy of any population.

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Rockford Readys health literacy poetry series was based on the idea that art, such as Gameros poetry, can address these inequities in health care.

Afternoon Briefing Daily Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox each afternoon. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our Subscriber Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy >

Often art reflects the challenges in the society that its in, McNamara Bernsten said. And artists are ... sort of the journal-keepers and scrapbookers of the age, whatever age that is. ... Providing insight and perspective and advocacy to an area of need is something that artists can do really effectively.

Writing poems for the series not only strengthened Gameros health advocacy, it helped her advocate for her own voice in her work, said Anqunette Parham, executive director of Rockfords Health and Human Services Department.

For instance, as Gamero developed the series, her poems were subjected to critique and feedback from academics and clinicians from UICs Office of Health Literacy.

It was actually even an opportunity for us to have that conversation with those folks about the fact that this is the interpretation of a young woman of our health care system, Parham said. And it doesnt have to feel good, and you may not like it, but this is her truth. This is how people are experiencing the system.

But the beauty of the young poets words  and the frustration of her lived experiences  shined through the academic scrutiny.

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Im just so incredibly proud of the work that she created for us, and the fact that these pieces will continue to live on just really gives credence to the importance of health literacy for communities of color here in Rockford, Parham said.

adperez@chicagotribune.com
By Sabrina Valle and Marianna Parraga

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Guyana's coming auction of offshore oil exploration blocks has lured at least 10 companies including Shell, Petrobras and Chevron, to consider the decade's hottest oil region, people close to the matter said.

The South American country is offering 14 offshore blocks in an attempt to speed economic development and reduce an Exxon Mobil-led consortium's dominance of its oil sector. Winning bidders are expected to be picked next month.

Guyana Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on Monday spoke at the CERAWeek energy conference in Houston to drum up support for the country's first competitive bidding round.

"We see this as big, transformative for our people. We are in a mad rush to get this done before net-zero comes," he told Reuters, referring to the target to slash fossil fuel use by 2050.

He plans to meet with U.S. government officials, international and state-run oil firms while in Houston.

Companies interested in the April round have paid for seismic data to evaluate the blocks and decide whether to submit offers, according to the government. They include six big international producers, Energy Minister Vickram Bharrat has said, without identifying the companies.

None of the companies have decided on bids as they wait for the government to release contract terms, the people familiar with the matter said.

Guyana is considering a state investment firm that would hold stakes with partners in offshore blocks offered through government-to-government talks, Jagdeo said. The investment firm would not be an operator, he added.

Guyana estimates it has up to 25 billion barrels of oil and gas in place off its coast. A consortium that includes Exxon Mobil, Hess and CNOOC operates the country's most important area, the 6.6-million-acre (26,800 sq km) Stabroek block, with more than 30 discoveries to date.

Exxon, QatarEnergy, Shell PLC, Chevron Corp and Petrobras are among the oil giants that have paid $20,000 for the geologic information available on the 11 shallow water and three deep-water blocks, the people familiar with the matter said.

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Chevron's main interest is to gain access to Guyana's geological data, three of the people said, noting the company has blocks in neighboring Suriname and Venezuela.

Exxon and QatarEnergy have said they are waiting for the full contract terms to consider a bid. Shell said it is evaluating the offshore lease sale to determine a possible participation. Chevron and Petrobras did not respond to requests for comment.

Guyana also has begun direct negotiations on the 14 blocks and other areas with governments that have state-controlled oil companies. Guyana also may reclaim up to 20% of Exxon's biggest block and reoffer it in the future.

The Guyanese government expects firms like QatarEnergy to both bid on the April auction and engage in direct negotiations, Jagdeo told Reuters last month.

Graphic: Blocks on offer for Guyana's 2023 licensing round https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/ce/mopakqbqdpa/8Vbx7-blocks-on-offer-for-guyana-s-2023-licensing-round.png

SCHEDULE DELAYS

Guyana plans to issue a new Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) model for leasing offshore blocks by the end of this month, several weeks late. A draft proposal that would go through a two-week public consultation earlier missed its Feb. 13 release.

The auction will receive bids through April 14. According to the bidding round plan, the winners would be disclosed between late May and early June after an evaluation, Jagdeo said.

The proposed rules will nearly double the government's take from oil production to 27.5% of royalties and profit oil, plus a new 10% corporate tax, compared to Exxon's main contract.

The new agreement also will require producers provide more information to Guyana, the vice president said.

"We believe it is asymmetric now, and a bit in favor of the companies," Jagdeo said. "We want more information to come from the oil and gas companies."

The new agreement will request details of the production costs that companies deduct before splitting oil revenue with the country, he said. The Exxon group can now use 75% of the oil production to offset a variety of costs, including construction of its new Guyana headquarters.

The oil model also will set stricter terms for tendering and procurement, covering everything from production vessels to drilling suppliers. However, the terms will not affect Exxon's Stabroek block.

"We are not renegotiating Stabroek," Jagdeo said. "We don't want to lose momentum."

Graphic: Exxon ramps up oil production in Guyana https://www.reuters.com/graphics/GUYANA-OIL/zdpxobxmevx/chart.png

(Reporting by Sabrina Valle and Marianna Parraga; additional reporting by Marta Nogueira in Rio de Janeiro; Editing by David Gregorio and Tomasz Janowski)
Key Insights

Shine Justice's estimated fair value is AU$1.11 based on Dividend Discount Model

Current share price of AU$0.70 suggests Shine Justice is potentially 37% undervalued

Does the March share price for Shine Justice Ltd (ASX:SHJ) reflect what it's really worth? Today, we will estimate the stock's intrinsic value by taking the expected future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. One way to achieve this is by employing 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 would caution that there are many ways of valuing a company and, like the DCF, each technique has advantages and disadvantages in certain scenarios. Anyone interested in learning a bit more about intrinsic value should have a read of the Simply Wall St analysis model.

Check out our latest analysis for Shine Justice

The Calculation

As Shine Justice operates in the consumer services sector, we need to calculate the intrinsic value slightly differently. In this approach dividends per share (DPS) are used, as free cash flow is difficult to estimate and often not reported by analysts. This often underestimates the value of a stock, but it can still be good as a comparison to competitors. We use the Gordon Growth Model, which assumes dividend will grow into perpetuity at a rate that can be sustained. The dividend is expected to grow at an annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 1.9%. We then discount this figure to today's value at a cost of equity of 7.7%. Relative to the current share price of AU$0.7, the company appears quite good value at a 37% 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.

Value Per Share = Expected Dividend Per Share / (Discount Rate - Perpetual Growth Rate)

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= AU$0.06 / (7.7%  1.9%)

= AU$1.1

dcf

The Assumptions

The calculation above is very dependent on two assumptions. The first is the discount rate and the other is the 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 Shine Justice 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 7.7%, which is based on a levered beta of 0.975. 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 Shine Justice

Strength

Debt is well covered by earnings.

Dividend is in the top 25% of dividend payers in the market.

Weakness

Earnings growth over the past year underperformed the Consumer Services industry.

Opportunity

Annual earnings are forecast to grow faster than the Australian market.

Good value based on P/E ratio and estimated fair value.

Threat

Debt is not well covered by operating cash flow.

Paying a dividend but company has no free cash flows.

Next Steps:

Whilst important, the DCF calculation shouldn't be the only metric you look at when researching a company. DCF models are not the be-all and end-all of investment valuation. Preferably you'd apply different cases and assumptions and see how they would impact the company's valuation. 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 Shine Justice, we've compiled three further elements you should explore:

Risks: Take risks, for example - Shine Justice has 2 warning signs we think you should be aware of. Future Earnings: How does SHJ'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 ASX 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.

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[Source]

The Singaporean teen who faced ridicule online after referring to a bag from an affordable fashion company as "luxury" has been named a brand ambassador by the company.

Early this year, Zoe Gabriel, 17, uploaded a TikTok video of herself receiving a Charles & Keith handbag as a gift from her father. Captioning the video with, my first luxury bag, Gabriels video went viral on social media and received harsh criticism, forcing her to explain her perspective in a follow-up video.

Gabriels story caught the attention of Charles & Keith, who initially invited her and her father to have lunch with the brands founders and tour the companys headquarters in Singapore.

More from NextShark: Beloved The Walking Dead character Glenn makes appearance in emotional finale

In honor of International Womens Day, Gabriel joined the brands campaign as both a model and brand community ambassador.

Gabriel shared the news through a post on her Instagram on Friday:

Women are like flowers: our time and needs to grow may not always align, but that is okay. We are like fields of poppy and lakes of lotus - diverse and bold in our differences, beautiful in our own ways. This international womens day, let us celebrate with compassion. Let us celebrate with equality through equity, the way flowers do. More from NextShark: Indian soldier goes viral for his keen' introduction to a Chinese soldier

Gabriel was photographed with Charles & Keiths special bag for the event: a purple Alia Chain-Strap Crossbody Bag, which retails for $73.

According to the brand, the campaign supports womens rights through the UN Womens Storytelling for Gender Equality program.

More from NextShark: 'You will have a better life if you wear impressive clothes': Ambush founder talks fashion with Bella Poarch

The women involved, including Gabriel, detailed what equity means to them and joined the network of UN Women advocates, Charles & Keith shared.

Twenty percent of all proceeds from the Alia Chain-Strap Crossbody Bag will go towards the UN program.

Charles & Keith, also known as C&K, is a Singaporean fashion label with a global presence. With over 600 stores in 37 countries, the brand specializes in handbags, fashion accessories and footwear.
A skeleton found by a fisherman has been linked to a Florida woman who vanished in 2018 after getting into a suspicious white pickup truck in Vero Beach, according to the Indian River County Sheriffs Office.

The remains are believed to be Assunta Susy Tomassi, the sheriffs office said in a news release. The discovery was made March 3 in Vero Beach, about 145 miles north of Miami.

Deputies responded to an area near the Oslo Road boat ramp after a fisherman reported finding human remains, the sheriffs office reports.

Detectives located the skeletal remains deep in the mangrove tree coastline approximately 150 yards north of Oslo Road. Through personal items located near the remains detectives believe they have located Assunta Susy Tomassi.

Tomassi, 73 at the time of her disappearance, was last seen around 6 p.m. on March 16, 2018, leaving the Quilted Giraffe restaurant in Vero Beach, the FBI reports. She did not have her cell phone with her, officials said.

A video from behind a nearby Publix grocery store shows a large white full-size pickup truck pull up to Oslo Road and stop as Tomassi passes behind its tailgate walking west, the FBI says.

Moments later, Tomassi walks back, approaching the drivers side of the truck, speaks with the driver, then enters the vehicle on the passengers side. The truck then exits the shopping center, heading east. ... The driver of the truck has not been identified.

Tomassi was known to have symptoms of dementia, officials said.

Crime scene detectives are working with Medical Examiners Office investigators to process the site of the discovery, officials said.

While we await positive identification from the Medical Examiners Office, the Tomassi family has requested privacy, Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers said in the news release.

I personally met with the Tomassi family ... and we hope to bring closure to them and our community members, many of which searched alongside our agency for Susy over the past 5 years.

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Human bones at historic site may not be old, Florida cops say. Investigation underway

Teens ages 15 and 16 hid body of friend after accidental shooting, Florida cops say

We dont have the answers. Mystery grows over human remains found in Florida woods
By Nate Raymond

BOSTON (Reuters) - A social media influencer and self-proclaimed con artist pleaded guilty on Monday to fraudulently obtaining more than $1 million in COVID-19 pandemic-related loans from the U.S. government that she used to bankroll a lavish lifestyle that she flaunted on Instagram.

Danielle Miller, whose scams in this and other cases were chronicled in a New York Magazine profile last year, appeared before a federal judge in Boston by video from a jail cell to plead guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identify theft charges.

As a part of a plea deal with prosecutors, the 33-year-old agreed to forfeit $1.3 million and serve six years in prison, 16 months of which may overlap with a five-year sentence she received in October in a separate Florida bank fraud case. Her sentencing was set for June 27.

Prosecutors said Miller used the identities of more than 10 people to fraudulently set up bank accounts and obtain more than $1 million in pandemic-related loans intended for small businesses. She used the money for travel and luxury purchases such as a Rolex, a Louis Vuitton bag and Dior shoes, and posted photos on Instagram of herself at luxury hotels in California where she used a bank account in the name of one of her victims.

Originally from New York, Miller is the daughter of a former New York State Bar Association president and a graduate of the prestigious Horace Mann School. She was already facing charges in the separate Florida state court fraud case when she was arrested in May 2021 at a luxury apartment in Miami, where she had moved during the pandemic.

"Honestly, I more so consider myself a con artist than anything," Miller was quoted as saying in the New York Magazine article.

The case is an example of fraud that became rampant as the federal government rushed to distribute more than $5 trillion in relief funds to help people, businesses and local governments affected by the pandemic.

More than 1,000 people have been convicted of defrauding COVID-19 relief programs, the U.S. Government Accountability Office said last month. The White House last week said President Joe Biden plans to ask Congress to provide $1.6 billion in new funding to crack down on fraud tied to the programs.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston, Editing by Will Dunham and Alexia Garamfalvi)
The coming battles over the nations safety-net programs are beginning, with an early clash over a thorny question of semantics: What constitutes a cut?

In the eyes of many Democrats, any change to Medicare, Medicaid or Social Security that erodes benefits provided under current law would be considered a cut  and therefore stands as a non-starter with liberals as Congress seeks ways to rein in deficit spending.

Across the aisle, Republicans have long promoted a series of safety-net changes  including proposals to hike eligibility ages, reduce benefits for wealthier seniors and tweak cost-of-living adjustments to produce long-term government savings  which they see as necessary reforms in the effort to shore up entitlement finances for the sake of future generations.

The feuding portrayals  cuts versus reforms  are already playing a pivotal role in the political messaging war that will accompany Capitol Hills looming budget battles, as Republicans seek to slash federal spending and Congress scrambles to prevent a government default over the summer and a shutdown later in the year.

GOP leaders are vowing that Medicare and Social Security are off the table in the fight over raising the debt ceiling, which is expected to culminate over the summer. But with Medicare projected to experience funding shortfalls in 2028, and Social Security to follow in 2032, Republicans are already sounding alarms for Congress to take action sooner rather than later.

At some point in the future this countrys going to have to talk about those things, said Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.). I dont know when that point will be, but certainly what Republicans want to do  and this is extremely important  we want to secure and stabilize and save these programs. Thats what we are proposing.

Democrats say they arent buying those assurances given long-standing GOP efforts to alter the nations safety-net framework  which more recently have included former President George W. Bushs push to privatize Social Security and ex-Speaker Paul Ryans (Wis.) plans to voucherize Medicare and slash Medicaid funding.

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The American people realize that if it walks and quacks, its a duck. And this is about cuts, said Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), former head of the Progressive Caucus. We have to keep repeating that and making sure that they dont get away with couching it, or hiding it under the question of reform. Its not reform; theyre major, major cuts.

Emblematic of the broader debate is the partisan disagreement over proposals to hike the eligibility age for Social Security. That idea has been long endorsed by House GOP leaders, and a proposal to increase the retirement age to 70 was most recently included in the 2023 budget blueprint championed by the Republican Study Committee (RSC), which is composed of roughly three-quarters of the GOP conference.

Supporters of the proposal say its a reasonable change that merely reflects increases in life expectancy, much as Congress moved to hike the Social Security age from 65 to 67 decades ago.

I dont count that as a cut, myself, said Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.). Were trying to save it. Its going to go insolvent  so we need to have a plan to fix it.

Democrats have a decidedly different view. And Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) cited the RSC blueprint directly, characterizing that plan as a cut in Social Security  not a reform.

If the Republicans want to raise the age, theyre absolutely stealing from the pockets of people who paid every month, or every two weeks, or whatever, for their Social Security, she said.

Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.), who is among the loudest defenders of Social Security in Congress, delivered a similar message, arguing that just because Americans are living longer is hardly a justification for restricting access to benefits.

Let me ask the simple question: If youre living longer, are you going to need to be living on less [money]? he asked.

Larson acknowledged that wealthier retirees are in a position to handle a cut to their Social Security check.

But for the bulk of Americans, they cannot, he said.

Another proposal for reducing Social Security spending over the longer term would link future cost-of-living increases to the so-called chained consumer price index (CPI), which would reduce benefits over time. Former President Obama had proposed that change a decade ago in an effort to bring Republicans behind a broader deficit-reduction package. Instead, he succeeded only in infuriating liberals in his own party, who are now steeling themselves for similar proposals from the GOP.

Theyre going to redefine cuts  from chained CPI, to the age thresholds and other things, said Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.). Im sure that well see some Rick Scott-like Social Security attacks before this is over.

A similar partisan clash is taking place in the debate over Medicaid, the low-income health care program funded jointly by states and the federal government.

Historically, the cost burden has been split evenly between Washington and the states, but under ObamaCare, Medicaid was expanded to cover a much broader population, including more low-income adults, while the federal government committed to picking up a large bulk of the new tab.

This year, with Republicans in charge of the House, key lawmakers are eyeing changes that could include a scaling back of the coverage expansion; efforts to bring the federal-state funding ratio closer to parity; and the installation of new work requirements for able-bodied adults.

Medicaid is a very important safety net, and we need to protect that safety net. But a lot of Republicans believe that more flexibility within Medicaid would lead to opportunities for better outcomes at a lower cost, said Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), chairwoman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over Medicaid.

[Were] looking at work requirements, the able-bodied adults, she added, and also looking at  the cost-share by the federal government.

Such proposals are already raising alarms among Democrats on the panel, who are vowing to fight them tooth and nail.

Of course theyre cuts, said Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (N.J.), senior Democrat on Energy and Commerce. Were going to resist them completely.

The divisive debate highlights the difficulties facing lawmakers in both parties as they seek a bipartisan compromise that would fully fund the major safety-net programs ahead of their expected shortfalls.

The programs are wildly popular across demographics, putting pressure on Republicans to agree to some form of tax hike to maintain core benefits. But they also face a financial squeeze with the retirement of the Baby Boomers and the rising cost of health care, challenging the Democrats resistance to certain benefit cuts, especially for younger, healthier and wealthier populations.

The last time such an agreement was reached on Social Security was 1983, when two legendary senators  Bob Dole (R-Kan.) and Daniel Moynihan (D-N.Y.)  orchestrated a secret, eleventh-hour deal in which Republicans reluctantly ceded tax hikes and Democrats grudgingly backed a gradual increase in the retirement age, which took effect just last year.

Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas), a senior member of both the Budget and Energy and Commerce committees, said the financial health of the entitlements will require Congress to follow a similar model.

There will be a lot of pushback, Burgess said. But at the end of the day, we all know, particularly the programs that have the trust funds  Social Security and Medicare  when those trust funds are exhausted, there are some bad things that happen to beneficiaries.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A man in military fatigues has been detained in the city of Domodedovo, south of Moscow. He was reportedly armed with a grenade.

Source: Meduza, a Latvian-based Russian news media, with reference to Mash and Baza, Russian online news media

Details: The media reported that the soldier fled the military base he was assigned to and threatened to blow up the military enlistment office.

Police officers have cordoned off Naberezhnaya Street in Domodedovo. Explosives experts and FSB officers have been sent to the scene.

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The Cleveland-Cliffs steel plant in Riverdale on Feb. 17, 2023. Newly released data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency show air pollution from Chicago and 120 of its suburbs contributes more to smog violations in other states than any other county. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)

When it comes to lung-damaging smog, Chicago and the rest of Cook County are the nations worst neighbors.

Newly released data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency show air pollution from the city and 120 of its suburbs contributes more to smog violations in other states than any other county.

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Wisconsin suffers the brunt of Cook Countys dirty air during hot summer days, when smog is formed by a reaction between sunlight and pollution from car and truck exhaust, power plants and factories, fumes from volatile solvents and gasoline vapors.

Based on an analysis of air quality monitoring during the past several years, the EPA projects Chicago and the Cook County suburbs will account for more than a fourth of this summers smog problems in Kenosha and about a fifth of the noxious air Wisconsinites breathe in Racine and Sheboygan.

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Only New York comes close to being that bad of a neighbor. The EPA determined the state is responsible for 16% of the dirty air in nearby Fairfield County, Connecticut, which also gets hit by pollution drifting east from Chicago.

But smog, technically known as ground-level ozone, doesnt travel in just one direction.

Pollution from Wisconsin is responsible for more than 3% of the smog in Cook County, the EPA concluded, enough to violate the federal Clean Air Act.

The Ozinga concrete plant at 2255 S. Lumber Street on Feb. 16, 2023, in Chicago. The U.S. EPA's Good Neighbor Plan, which is expected to take effect in May, will impose more stringent limits on emissions from coal- and gas-fired power plants in Illinois and other states. A handful of other industries, including concrete and chemical companies, will be required to reduce their smog contributions for the first time. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

Indiana polluters also send worrisome concentrations of dirty air to Illinois largest county and to Wisconsin, the EPA data shows. So do states as far away as Texas.

With scientists concluding smog is more dangerous than previously thought, the Biden EPA is moving to clamp down on large polluters.

The agencys Good Neighbor Plan, expected to take effect by May, will impose more stringent limits on nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide emissions from coal- and gas-fired power plants in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and 22 other states. A handful of other industries will be required to reduce their smog contributions for the first time.

Air pollution doesnt stop at the state line, EPA Administrator Michael Regan said last year after releasing a draft of the regulations. This step will help our state partners meet air quality health standards, saving lives and improving public health in smog-affected communities across the United States.

Breathing even low levels of smog can inflame the lining of the lungs and aggravate asthma and other respiratory diseases; long-term exposure can permanently scar lung tissue.

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States covered under the power plant and other industries portions of the Good Neighbor Plan for ozone standards. (U.S. EPA)

In 2026, when the Good Neighbor Plan is fully implemented, the EPA estimates it will prevent roughly 1,000 premature deaths and avoid more than 2,000 hospital and emergency room visits, 1.3 million asthma attacks and 470,000 missed school days.

The good news is the air is getting cleaner, said Tracey Holloway, an air quality researcher at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. But the bad news is researchers are finding there are health effects at lower levels of exposure.

Power plants, in particular coal burners, have been subject to interstate smog standards since the late 1990s. The EPA is adding other industries in part because scores of the dirtiest coal-fired power plants have closed during the past decade and others are equipped with modern pollution-control equipment, yet in large swaths of the U.S. the air still isnt clean enough to protect public health.

[ Chicago air is dirtier in July than smog-choked Los Angeles. More bad air is forecast. ]

This illustrates the need for a strong Good Neighbor rule, said Kathleen Riley, an attorney with Earthjustice, a nonprofit legal organization.

To say the newly affected industries arent happy about joining the bad neighbor list is an understatement.

Some have sued the EPA in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, where in September two of the three judges reviewing the case expressed skepticism about complaints the agency cut corners while drafting the new rules.

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The federal regulatory docket is packed with opposition from cement makers, steel companies, chemical manufacturers, oil refiners, glass makers, gas pipeline operators and paper mills, all of whom question the methodology, legality and practicality of the EPAs regulations.

Opponents also are invoking many of the same arguments from past battles about clean air regulations, which have generally been held up in court.

What the EPA is proposing to do threatens to hamstring the economy and national security with extended downtime or closures and resultant shortages of domestic iron and steel supply, U.S. Steel wrote in its response to the Good Neighbor Plan.

Multiple boilers at Dow sites in several different covered states would be subject to costly emissions control measures on an unrealistic time frame, the Michigan-based chemical giant said.

State-level business groups denied their industries are responsible for smog problems elsewhere and pleaded for exemptions.

Koppers INC. at 3900 S. Laramie Ave. in Cicero on Feb. 16, 2023. The Biden EPA is expected to finalize an update of regulations intended to ensure states are being good neighbors by reducing smog forming pollution. The Good Neighbor Plan will impose more stringent limits on emissions from coal- and gas-fired power plants in Illinois and other states. A handful of other industries, including concrete and chemical companies, will be required to reduce their smog contributions for the first time. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

EPA has proposed extremely burdensome regulations that will unnecessarily hurt Wisconsin manufacturers, the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce group wrote, urging the agency to crack down more aggressively on industries in Illinois and other upwind states.

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Mark Denzler, president and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers Association, noted the nations industries have dramatically reduced air pollution during the past three decades. Moving the goal posts, Denzler said, could jeopardize new investment.

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There is no question the targeted industries contribute to smog problems. The EPA estimates the Good Neighbor Plan will cost industry $1.1 billion but result in health benefits worth at least $9.3 billion and as much as $18 billion.

It remains to be seen if the EPA will allow states to enforce the new regulations as it has done with earlier versions. On Feb. 13, the agency rejected compliance plans submitted by Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin and 17 other states. But lawyers familiar with the process said most, if not all of the states likely will respond with amended plans.

This is a tried and trued game where the states exploit the maximum time available to them under the statute and then, as belatedly as possible, develop their own plans after the EPA has effectively told them what they need to do, said John Walke, an attorney at the nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council who works on air quality issues.

States have been fighting about air pollution for decades.

The Northeast still blames coal plants in the Ohio River Valley for chronically dirty air in cities and acid rain that despoils remote forests and lakes  problems that led Congress to approve a bipartisan overhaul of the Clean Air Act in 1990. Wisconsin contends some of its counties cant meet federal standards because pollution from Cook County drifts over Lake Michigan during summer afternoons and is baked into smog by the sun before drifting back inland.

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Its not a good look for us, said Mayor Ryan Sorenson of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, population 49,931, where average smog levels last year were higher than the average in Cook County. These problems demonstrate the importance of the federal government providing some assistance and direction because there are multiple states, not just Illinois, that impact our air quality.

mhawthorne@chicagotribune.com
Migrants are escorted ashore by a RNLI Lifeboat, after having crossed the channel, in Dungeness, Britain

For the second time in just over a week, Rishi Sunak has set out to solve a seemingly intractable problem. Last Monday it was the Northern Ireland Protocol and the unfinished business of Brexit. His success or otherwise in securing DUP support for the Windsor Framework has yet to be determined.

This week it is the vexed issue of illegal migration across the Channel in small boats. Dealing with this was one of the Prime Ministers five pledges with which he opened the year and on which he wishes to be judged. Voters tell Government pollsters that this is a big concern, so it makes sense for Mr Sunak to be seen doing something about it. But voters also dislike politicians promising what they know they cannot deliver and a long line of prime ministerial promises in this area have foundered.

Suella Braverman, the Home Secretary, will soon publish legislation that we are assured will put an end to the traffic. The remedy is surely obvious: make coming to the UK illegally so onerous a task that it puts people off paying criminals large sums to bring them across the Channel. Sending them to Rwanda for cases to be processed was one idea, yet not a single person has been removed. Even if the scheme does get up and running, it will affect just a few hundred out of tens of thousands.

Mr Sunak says the Governments plan will allow the UK to detain and deport asylum seekers almost immediately without breaching international treaty obligations. Yet under the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, asylum seekers cannot be treated as criminals and their applications must be considered. Has the proposed new legislation found a way to square that circle?
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sotheby's and Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev have agreed to mediation to try to resolve the oligarch's art fraud lawsuit against the auction house.

Rybolovlev accused Sotheby's of helping his former art dealer, Switzerland's Yves Bouvier, acquire 15 pieces of world-class art for which Rybolovlev paid more than $1 billion.

Bouvier charged hidden markups that caused Rybolovlev to overpay by hundreds of millions of dollars, the lawsuit alleged.

A letter that Rybolovlev's lawyer filed on Monday in Manhattan federal court said "the parties jointly report that we have conferred about the prospect of settlement and have agreed to proceed by mediation with a magistrate judge."

The letter was filed five days after U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman said Rybolovlev could pursue fraud-related claims over four works including "Salvator Mundi," a depiction of Christ attributed to Leonardo da Vinci.

Furman dismissed claims over 11 of those works and encouraged both sides to settle and avoid an "expensive, risky, and potentially embarrassing" trial.

Sotheby's has said it had no knowledge of fraud. Rybolovlev sued through his companies Accent Delight International and Xitrans Finance.

In Monday's letter, both sides said Furman had recommended a magistrate judge whose niece works at Sotheby's law firm.

They asked that another judge be assigned "out of an abundance of caution."

According to court papers, Bouvier bought "Salvator Mundi" for $83 million in 2013 and quickly sold it to Rybolovlev for $127.5 million.

Rybolovlev went on to sell "Salvator Mundi" at Christie's in 2017 for $450.3 million, a record price for a painting.

The case is Accent Delight International Ltd et al v Sotheby's et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 18-09011.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Josie Kao)
(Bloomberg) -- South Africas tax authority said its unable to find any record of funds brought into the country by a Sudanese businessman that were used to purchase buffalo from President Cyril Ramaphosa.

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The statement by the South African Revenue Service renews scrutiny of the theft of the money from a game farm owned by Ramaphosa that threatened to end his presidency. Ramaphosa last year considered resigning after an advisory panel found he may have breached the constitution over his handling of the burglary, though the panels report was later quashed by parliament.

The main opposition Democratic Alliance in December asked the SARS to confirm that the businessman, Hazim Mustafa, complied with a legal requirement to declare the foreign currency upon his arrival in the country. Mustafa previously said in an interview with Sky News that he declared the funds.

SARS is not in possession of said record, the agency said in a statement on Monday. Opposition members of parliament have called for further investigations into the matter.

Read more: The Scandal Embroiling South Africas President: QuickTake

The Democratic Alliance said Monday it will submit the information supplied by the SARS to parliaments speaker as yet another reason why she must accede to the DAs request for the urgent establishment of an ad hoc committee to fully expose the truth about the funds.

The obligation to declare the money to SARS was for the buyer to fulfill on arrival in South Africa, and not for the management of the farm during receipt of payment, Ramaphosas spokesman, Vincent Magwenya, said by text message on Monday.

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The SARS statement comes a week after the nations Constitutional Court rejected an application by Ramaphosa for direct access to the court to set aside the advisory panels findings. The judgment opened the way for the president to approach a lower court to consider the matter.

--With assistance from Paul Vecchiatto.

(Updates with comment by Ramaphosas spokesman in sixth paragraph.)

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The Bogh family of South Berwick, among the winners of a past Geography Quiz, will be back to compete again in this years event at 6 p.m. Friday, March 24, 2023, at the Great Works Elementary School in South Berwick. Pictured here are Len, Sophia, Mackie and Maya Bogh.

SOUTH BERWICK, Maine  Dozens of teachers, parents, youth and business people will take part in the annual Geography Quiz at 6 p.m., on Friday, March 24, at the Marshwood Great Works School in South Berwick.

The event, now in its 12th year, is sponsored by the South Berwick-Eliot Rotary as a way to raise money for an international effort. This year it will raise money for the Eben Ezer School in Milot, Haiti, which the Rotary has supported since 2008.

Each year the quiz draws hundreds of people to watch game-show style fun. Audience members are invited to compete for an audience participation prize. Twelve teams made up of two adults and two students of any age are ready to face off at the annual quiz in the Great Works School gymnasium.

As always, the audience will have a chance to participate as Mike Moloney, an executive of Kennebunk savings Bank who creates the quiz, offers up questions with themes ranging from flags and capitals to rivers and national parks.

Prizes are raffled off and pizzas and other snacks are available. Proceeds this year will be help support the Eben Ezer School in northern Haiti, a school that has grown from 35 to 500 children thanks to support from Seacoast families and Rotary clubs.

"Our school in Haiti continues to educate 100s of children a year, thanks to so many generous people in southern Maine and New Hampshire," said Lucia Anglade of Long Island, N.Y., the Haitian-American woman who started the school. "Even with the political and health problems Haiti has faced recently our school has stayed strong.

In the past the quiz has raised funds for Rotary projects in Nicaragua , Colombia, and Colombia, as well as Haiti. Many local businesses support the event by sponsoring a team.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: South Berwick-Eliot Rotary Geo Quiz returns March 24
SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's foreign minister, Park Jin, said on Monday the government plans to compensate victims of Japan's wartime forced labour through its own public foundation, instead of using funds from Japanese companies, in a move aimed at improving soured relations between the two countries.

The dispute over colonial-era forced labour has been a source of dispute between the U.S. allies, overshadowing the neighbours' political and trade relations for years.

(Reporting by Soo-hyang Choi; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
By Josh Smith, Soo-hyang Choi and Sakura Murakami

SEOUL/TOKYO (Reuters) -South Korea said on Monday that its companies would compensate people forced to work under Japan's 1910-1945 occupation, seeking to end a dispute that has undercut U.S.-led efforts to present a unified front against China and North Korea.

The proposal was welcomed in Tokyo but faced an immediate backlash from some victims and from South Korea's main opposition party, who accused the government of capitulating to Japan.

U.S. President Joe Biden, whose administration has pressed its two allies to reconcile, hailed the announcement as "groundbreaking".

A Japanese government source close to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters the United States had been pressing for reconciliation but that a main factor that triggered a push by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol for reconciliation was the geopolitical threat from North Korea.

The disagreements over labour and women forced into Japanese military brothels have bedevilled ties between the neighbours for decades.

Under the plan, South Korea would compensate former forced labourers through an existing public foundation funded by private-sector companies, South Korea's Foreign Minister Park Jin told a briefing.

"The soured South Korea-Japan relations should no longer be neglected, and we need to end the vicious cycle for the national interest, for the people," Park said. He said he hoped Japan would respond sincerely, including by "implementing its previous public statements expressing remorse and apology".

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he welcomed the proposal and would work closely with Yoon.

Japanese companies will not be expected to make any payments under the plan but would not be blocked from donating if they wanted to, said Japan's foreign minister, Yoshimasa Hayashi.

"We welcome this as a step that returns Japan-South Korea relations to a healthy one," he said.

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A Japanese government source told Reuters that Japan and South Korea were preparing for a visit by Yoon to Tokyo by the end of March. The two governments were considering arranging the visit on March 16-17, the Kyodo news agency reported.

A spokesperson for Yoon's office declined to comment.

Poor relations between the two have been a worry for the United States as it seeks to present a unified front against the rising power of China and threats from North Korea's expanding missile and nuclear arsenal.

Biden, in a statement, hailed "a groundbreaking new chapter of cooperation and partnership between two of the United States closest allies ... (a) critical step to forge a future for the Korean and Japanese people that is safer, more secure, and more prosperous".

SOUTH KOREAN FUNDS

Relations plunged to their lowest point in decades after South Korea's Supreme Court in 2018 ordered Japanese firms to pay reparations to former forced labourers. Fifteen South Koreans have won such cases, but none has been compensated.

Only three of those plaintiffs are still alive. Overall there are fewer than 1,300 living victims of forced labour in South Korea, according to media estimates.

Japan has said compensation was settled under a 1965 treaty, and Hayashi said his government's stance had not changed.

When Seoul first raised its proposal in January, it sparked a backlash from victims and their families because it did not include contributions from Japanese companies, including those ordered by South Korean courts to make reparations.

About a dozen protesters demonstrated outside as Park made the announcement.

"Today's humiliating resolution is a result of (the South Korean government's) consistently low posture towards the Japanese government," representatives of some of the victims said at a separate event.

Some of the 15 plaintiffs say they will reject the government plan, setting the stage for more legal battles.

"It's not a proper apology," Yang Geum-deok, one of the victims, told reporters.

The main opposition Democratic Party denounced the plan as "submissive diplomacy".

"It's a day of shame," a spokesperson for the party said.

The South Korean companies include KT&G, Korea Electric Power Corp (KEPCO) and other companies that benefited from a 1965 treaty between South Korea and Japan.

KT&G said it was monitoring the discussion on compensation and planned to faithfully cooperate in implementing the agreements. KEPCO said it would review the issue.

POSCO holdings said it would consider how to support the intent of the government's announcement.

Asked whether Japanese companies would pitch in to compensate, Park said both Japanese and South Korean businesses were considering a plan to contribute.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency, citing government sources, had said that as part of the deal Seoul and Tokyo had tentatively agreed to create a separate "future youth fund" to sponsor scholarships with funds from companies from both sides.

Two of the companies ordered by South Korean courts to make restitution, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd and Nippon Steel Corp, declined to comment on the agreement, referring to their long-held stance that the issue had been resolved under the 1965 treaty.

The row spilled over into trade in 2019, with Tokyo tightening curbs on exports to South Korea of high-tech materials used in smartphone displays and chips and Seoul filing a World Trade Organization (WTO) complaint in response.

Hayashi said the export curbs are separate from the forced labour dispute, but on Monday both countries' trade ministries said South Korea would put its WTO complaint on hold while the two sides negotiate to return trade to its pre-2019 status.

(Reporting by Josh Smith, Soo-hyang Choi, Ju-min Park, Joyce Lee and Hyunsu Yim in Seoul, and Yoshifumi Takemoto, Chang-ran Kim, Eimi Yamamitsu, Kantaro Komiya and Sakura Murakami in Tokyo. Editing by Gerry Doyle and Bernadette Baum)
(Bloomberg) -- Japan and South Korea signaled a breakthrough to end a feud that had disrupted ties on everything from trade to security, drawing praise from President Joe Biden as he seeks to convince the two US allies to help counter growing Chinese influence in Asia.

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South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said Monday he hoped to enter a new phase with Japan by proposing a plan to resolve a dispute over people forced to work for Japanese companies during the countrys colonization of the Korean Peninsula. Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi welcomed the effort to return ties to a healthy state and both sides announced talks on rolling back trade curbs imposed almost four years ago.

The government hopes to build a future-oriented relationship between Korea and Japan, based on reconciliation and cooperation, South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin told a news conference Monday in Seoul. He also called Japan his countrys closest neighbor sharing universal values such as freedom and democracy, market economy, rule of law, and human rights.

Under Yoons plan, South Korean companies, rather than Japanese ones, would finance a foundation to pay forced-labor victims. Those tapped to pay would include firms that benefited from funds transferred under a 1965 treaty intended to resolve forced labor issues and wartime disputes between Japan and South Korea, such as Posco Holdings Inc.

Seoul also pledged to withdraw a World Trade Organization complaint over Japanese export controls on chemicals used to make smart-phone displays, TV screens and semiconductors. The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry issued a statement Monday saying that Prime Minister Fumio Kishidas government wanted to restore trade ties to their state before July 2019, when the export controls were imposed.

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Todays announcements between the Republic of Korea and Japan mark a groundbreaking new chapter of cooperation and partnership between two of the United States closest allies, Biden said in a statement. When fully realized, their steps will help us to uphold and advance our shared vision for a free and open Indo Pacific.

Shares of Japanese and South Korean tech-related stocks gained. In Seoul, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. rose as much as 1.7% and LG Electronics Inc. gained 3.3%. In Japan, Stella Chemifa Corp. closed 3.9% higher.

A spokesman for Nippon Steel Corp., one of the companies targeted by forced-labor lawsuits, said it was the firms understanding that all such claims had been settled in 1965 and that the two governments were continuing to negotiate. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. said it respected the Japanese governments view on wartime labor, Kyodo News reported.

The move to restore ties with Japan represents a political gamble for Yoon, a conservative former prosecutor who was elected last year on a pledge to expand South Koreas role in the USs global alliance network. Forced labor has long provided an emotional rallying point in Korea, where many believe Tokyo hasnt sufficiently atoned for its 1910-45 colonial occupation of the peninsula.

The issue resurfaced after former South Korean President Moon Jae-in took power in 2017 and the countrys top court ruled Japanese companies were liable for compensation. Japan, which believed the dispute settled by the 1965 treaty, subsequently removed South Korea from its white list of trusted export destinations. Moon threatened to withdraw from a military-intelligence-sharing pact, although he later abandoned the idea.

Resolving the feud has become more urgent for the US and its allies as they attempt to present a more united front against China and North Korea in the wake of Russias invasion of Ukraine. Yoon and Kishida have sought to show their support for greater cooperation on security issues, with both men attending North Atlantic Treaty Organization meetings last year and publicizing joint military drills.

Yoon may visit Japan for talks with Kishida later this month, the Seoul-based Yonhap News Agency reported, citing people it didnt identify. Previous reports have said Yoon could be invited as a guest to the Group of Seven summit in Japan in May if the disputes were smoothed over.

Trilateral Alliance

It could be said that South Korea has opened the window for the trilateral alliance, said Cheon Seong-whun, a former security strategy secretary at South Koreas presidential Blue House. The real game begins now. The Yoon administration must now fight against domestic backlash and facilitate the plan, so as to strengthen the trilateral alliance in the region. Washington and Tokyos political support to Yoon is therefore essential.

The deal faced immediate criticism in South Korea, where Yoons approval rating has rarely been above 40% since his narrow victory over Moons would-be Democratic Party successor a year ago. The opposition party, which still holds a supermajority in parliament, labeled it a day of shame and accused Yoon of subservience to Japan.

A group representing forced-labor plaintiffs said Yoons government was trampling on their human rights and dignity by imposing unjust choices on victims to receive donations instead of compensation in pursuit of their diplomatic achievements of improving Korea-Japan relations.

Notably, Yoons government said it wasnt seeking a new apology from Japan, something forced-labor victims had demanded. Kishida said before the announcement that his government would uphold the historical stance of previous cabinets and that nothing was decided on which nations would be invited as guests to G-7.

What weve seen is that the victims have many ways of undermining these agreements and if we also see a more progressive president take the helm next time, theres every reason to believe they may dissolve this, said Lauren Richardson, a lecturer in international relations at Australian National University. Thats a real sore point for Japan, which has the same sort of conservative party in power constantly, so its very hard for them to understand why South Korea has these massive swings.

--With assistance from Shinhye Kang, Tsuyoshi Inajima, Lily Nonomiya and Takahiko Hyuga.

(Updates with Yoon comment in second paragraph.)

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Southwest Airlines flight 3923 from Havana, Cuba to Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Sunday was forced to make an emergency landing. Getty Images

A Florida-bound Southwest flight was forced to make an emergency landing in Cuba on Sunday.

The plane's cabin filled with smoke after the Boeing 737 was hit by birds.

A passenger told NBC's "Early Today" show they felt their lungs "burning" in the smoke.

A Southwest Airlines passenger said they felt their lungs "burning" after the cabin filled with smoke on a flight from Cuba to Florida.

On Sunday, Southwest flight 3923 from Havana to Fort Lauderdale was forced to make an emergency landing after suffering bird strike damage, the airline and the Cuban aviation regulator said.

A video shared on social media that appears to have been taken during the flight shows the cabin filling up with smoke while passengers start to panic.

Marco Antonio, a passenger on the flight, told NBC's "Early Today" show that people on board the Boeing 737 jet were "screaming," adding: "Nobody could breathe. It was burning so much in the lungs."

A spokesperson for Southwest told Insider the plane's engine and nose were struck by birds, which prompted an emergency landing. They said: "The pilots safely returned to Havana where the 147 customers and six crew evacuated the aircraft via slides due to smoke in the cabin."

Cacsa, Cuba's civil aviation authority, said Sunday that the Southwest jet landed at Jose Marti International Airport in Havana and passengers were evacuated. The regulator said in a Facebook post that the incident was being investigated.

Southwest said all passengers were accommodated on alternative flights to Fort Lauderdale, adding: "We apologize to our customers for the negative experience, extending compensation for the inconvenience and offering additional support."

Representatives for Cacsa didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, made outside normal business hours.

In October, a United Airlines flight was forced to return to Chicago O'Hare International Airport after experiencing a bird strike. Witnesses on board the flight reported seeing flames shooting out of the plane's engine.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Southwest Airlines planes. Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images

A Southwest flight had to abort landing in North Carolina on Friday night due to bad weather.

Passengers told local media that severe turbulence prompted people to throw up and pass out.

The pilots had to abort the landing at 1,350 feet before rerouting to South Carolina, reports said.

Multiple passengers vomited and one passed out after a Southwest plane had to abort a landing at 1,350 feet due to bad weather, according to multiple reports.

The passengers were then left at an empty terminal for around four hours, reports claim.

Southwest flight 3094, a Boeing 737, was landing at Raleigh-Durham International Airport in North Carolina on Friday night when it was engulfed by bad weather, airlines officials confirmed to Insider.

The plane shook "like crazy" during the landing, causing chaos, two passengers on the flight, Nicholas Reed and his girlfriend Krys Spence, told CBS 17.

"Coming into Raleigh they started landing like normal. We had the window open in our seat so we could actually see the ground," Reed told CBS 17. "The wings were flapping. They were shaking."

The couple said they saw at least two passengers around them vomiting and another passenger passing out from a panic attack. "But everyone was pretty silent. I guess they were just in suspense like 'this could be it,'" Reed added.

The pilots had to eventually abort the landing at 1,350 feet and reroute the flight to Myrtle Beach International Airport, in South Carolina, flight data shows, according to WNCN.

But even though the flight landed safely in Myrtle Beach, airport officials kept passengers on the plane for two more hours before they were allowed to exit the plane, Reed said. The group was then kept in a closed terminal at the airport for another four hours with little information, or provisions, he added.

"We couldn't go anywhere because they wouldn't give us our luggage," Reed told CBS 17. "One group of guys found a bar and went behind it and just started pouring themselves drinks  because there was no security."

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"They didn't offer us meal vouchers or anything. I was like, we fly Southwest all the time," he added.

At around 1 a.m. local time, another plane arrived and flew the passengers to their original destination in Raleigh.

Southwest Airlines told Insider in a statement: "We made the decision to safely divert Southwest flight 3094 (BWI - RDU) to Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR) due to adverse weather conditions at Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)."

"We brought another crewed aircraft into MYR to transport the customers to their scheduled destination," they added. "We apologize to the customers for the flight disruption incurred as our crew worked to safely navigate the weather and will communicate directly with those onboard."

Read the original article on Business Insider
A photograph of a Ukrainian serviceman is placed on his grave in the Alley of Glory area of a cemetery in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Feb. 24, 2023. (Vadim Ghirda / AP)

The Ukraine wars one-year mark came and went with heavy hearts, deep reflections and intense symbolism. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spent Feb. 24 remembering the fallen, girding the Ukrainian public for the year of heavy fighting ahead and reiterating his call for an unambiguous defeat of Russian forces. The message underlying President Joe Bidens trip to Ukraine four days earlier, where he walked with Zelenskyy on the streets of Kyiv, was unmistakable: The United States is firmly committed to helping Ukraine win the conflict.

Yet underneath the public unity between Biden and Zelenskyy lie some stark differences in approach and policy. As surprising as it may sound, the U.S. and Ukraine dont share the same exact interests, goals and priorities. As the Ukrainians patiently wait for Western battle tanks to arrive and plan to wage another counteroffensive in the spring, those differences are likely to rise closer to the surface.

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First, Zelenskyy and his advisers are seeking to internationalize the war in order to ensure a steady and reliable stream of weapons and financial assistance. Zelenskyy has spent the last year delivering countless speeches to Western legislatures and traveling to numerous Western capitals with the same theme in his pocket: Russia is not only fighting Ukraine but also the entire European security order. He frequently invokes the kind of World War II imagery that will capture the hearts and minds of European policymakers.

Last month, Zelenskyy jetted to London, Paris and Brussels, where he tried to convince European heads of state to accelerate shipments of heavy armor and ammunition to Ukrainian forces, like those in the eastern city of Bakhmut, who are stuck defending against waves of Russian prison convicts surging toward their positions.

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While Biden no doubt agrees with Zelenskyy on this point, he is nonetheless taking great care to prevent the war in Ukraine from broadening into a direct confrontation between NATO and Russia. The Biden administration has been emphatic since the earliest days of the conflict that, even as U.S. officials assist Kyiv in resisting Russian aggression, Washington and allied capitals are not aiming to engage Moscow militarily. From where Ukraine sits, this is akin to granting Russia a veto over Western policy; to the U.S. and NATO, however, its a common-sense measure to avoid fighting a nuclear power.

Second, Ukraine and the U.S. diverge on how the war should end and what a so-called just peace actually looks like. Zelenskyy, for instance, has been strongly opposed to the notion that he should sit down with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss peace terms. Zelenskyys position on a settlement is as maximalist as can be: withdrawal of Russian troops from every square inch of Ukrainian land, including Crimea and parts of the Donbas, which Russian proxies have occupied since 2014; prosecutions against Russian soldiers, mercenaries and officials who have committed crimes during the war; reparations for the damage Russia has caused; and an ironclad security guarantee for Kyiv.

As Zelenskyy told the BBC on Feb. 16, dialogue with Putin simply cant occur.

[ John Holden: Russias totalitarian march in Ukraine has crushed many Russian lives ]

As far as we can tell, the Biden administration holds more realistic objectives. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley is openly skeptical Ukraine can kick out all Russian troops and frequently reminds everybody of just how consolidated Russias defensive positions have become since their withdrawal from Kherson in November. Even as he insists the U.S. isnt dictating to Kyiv, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told lawmakers last month that Ukrainian attempts to recapture Crimea would likely be a red line for Putin, who has around 6,000 nuclear weapons at his disposal.

The White House consistently stresses that Kyiv will determine for itself when negotiations occur, but its clear from administration statements that U.S. officials believe an end-of-war settlement is more doable than a full-fledged Ukrainian military victory.

Finally, the stakes for the U.S. and Ukraine arent even close. For Ukraine, the war is an existential battle in every sense of the word. Putin believes Ukraine is an artificial construct, not a legitimate state with its own interests, rights and prerogatives. Moscows decision to annex four Ukrainian regions  Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson  last September only reconfirmed this dire state of affairs in the minds of Ukrainians.

For the U.S., the stakes are not nearly as high. In fact, one could make a legitimate argument that U.S. power will be unscathed regardless of who wins the conflict. There is no question that a Russian victory would be an emotionally fraught moment and a dark chapter in contemporary European history. Nobody wants to see an aggressor prevail, particularly if that aggressor is attempting to dismember an entire country. But the standard metrics of U.S. power  military capacity, gross domestic product and population  will remain the same regardless of how the conflict ultimately turns out. U.S. alliances in Europe and Asia are likely to survive as well, just as they have in the past.

Contrast that with Russia, which has backed itself into a terrible corner. Even a hypothetical Russian win in Ukraine would be a pyrrhic one for the Kremlin, which will need to deploy the bulk of its army and drain its state coffers to the tune of billions of dollars a month just to maintain the territorial gains it acquired at such high cost.

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Ukraine has outfought everybodys expectations, including the Russians. Whether Kyiv will be as successful in the second year as it was in the first remains to be seen. What will become apparent, however, is that the longer the war goes on, the harder it will be for Biden and Zelenskyy to bury the very real differences the two have in terms of goals, priorities and outcomes.

Daniel DePetris is a fellow at Defense Priorities and a foreign affairs columnist for the Chicago Tribune.

Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.
Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson announced that a New Jersey teen is headed to Santa Rosa County Jail after being charged in multiple local swatting calls.

Brad Parga, 17, is being charged as an adult with one felony count of making a false report of using firearms in a violent manner and one misdemeanor count of interfering with school administration functions for making multiple, fake active shooter calls to Milton High School between February and April 2022.

"(State Attorney's Office) filed the charges in adult court and authorized nation-wide extradition, so Parga is currently en route to our jail," Johnson said at a press conference Monday morning. "We also have all his electronic devices and possibly have more charges coming."

Johnson said Parga allegedly began the calls in February 2022 when Milton High School received a call about a mass shooting that would occur on campus, but after the SRSO, FBI and Florida Department of Law Enforcement responded to the school, it was discovered the call was a hoax.

Lockdown:Milton High School is resuming normal operations after threat. All students safe.

Swatting calls:Pensacola swatting call one of several in Florida this week. Here's what you need to know.

Three days after that call, Johnson says the Milton Police Department received a call about pipe bombs and pressure cooker bombs on Milton High School's campus.

"Feb. 23, we received a call at the (Sheriff's Office) saying that a shooting has occurred at a residence," Johnson said. "We get there, find out it's a hoax and the caller calls back saying law enforcement 'was swatted.'"

During that call with the SRSO, Parga allegedly admitted to making the swatting calls to Milton High School.

After developing a suspect in March 2022, Johnson said law enforcement received a final call on April 11 from Milton High School. This time, a girl said her boyfriend was coming to the school to "shoot her in the head."

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After speaking with the student, law enforcement discovered the person who threatened her was the same person as the SRSO's suspect in the previous swatting calls, leading to Parga's eventual arrest.

Johnson declined to discuss the specifics of how investigators identified Parga as a suspect, saying he did not want to expose the Sheriff's Office investigative techniques.

Santa Rosa County District Schools Superintendent Karen Barber attended the press conference, saying the alleged calls Parga made were "selfish and irresponsible" and disrupted the learning opportunities for the students.

"Attendance and student learning were significantly impacted on three separate days," Barber said. "Students were at no time in any danger, but the possibility of the threats really led to the decisions by some students and their families to keep their students home. Those students can't get those days back."

Johnson also said the SRSO takes these calls seriously and will use all resources available to find and bring anyone making swatting calls to justice.

"When it comes to swatting and calling in fake calls like this, we're going to go to the ends of the earth get you," he said. "If you make a false call and make us run lights and sirens to a school and scare all the kids, we're going to find you, and I don't care if you're in New Jersey (or) California. We will bring you back to face charges."

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Santa Rosa deputies extradite New Jersey teen in Milton swatting calls
UPDATE: A second individual, a 35-year-old Rochester resident, has died as a result of the March 5 concert stampede, officials said. A third concertgoer is still hospitalized in critical condition.

The original story continues below:

A stampede at a concert in upstate New York left one person dead and nine injured, police said.

Following a performance by American rapper GloRilla on March 5 in Rochester, concertgoers began heading for the exits, according to a Rochester Police Department news release.

Then, for unknown reasons, the crowd panicked and charged toward the exits, police said.

There were reports of gunshots, but police have not been able to confirm those accounts.

After the venue cleared out, police entered and discovered three females with significant injuries.

Life-saving measures were performed and they were transported to a hospital, police said.

Sadly, one of the victims passed away and the other two are currently in critical condition, fighting for their lives, police said.

Later in the evening, seven others who had been at the concert checked in to hospitals with non-life threatening injuries, police said. They had likely been trampled, preliminary reports suggest.

Some of the potential causes of the trampling are crowd size, pepper spray and shots fired, police said.

Investigators from Patrol Section Investigations are currently assigned to investigate this incident to not only determine what happened, but to bring accountability to those who are culpable for last nights tragedy, police said.

Im just now hearing about what happened wtf praying everybody is ok /p> GloRilla (@GloTheofficial) March 6, 2023

Im just now hearing about what happened ... praying everybody is ok, GloRilla, a 23-year-old rapper from Tennessee, tweeted on March 6.

There have been multiple deaths caused by surging crowds at concerts in recent years.

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Ten people died during a stampede at a Travis Scott concert in November 2021 in Houston, according to Reuters.

One woman died and two others were in critical condition after an Asake concert in December 2022 in London, according to The New York Times.

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John Doug Wright demonstrates support for President Donald Trump during early voting in October 2020 at the Stark County Board of Elections in Canton.

WASHINGTON  A Stark County man learned Monday he must spend 49 months in federal prison for his role in breaching the U.S. Capitol.

John Douglas Wright, 56, was sentenced in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia., more than two years after the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.

Wright, a Plain Township resident, must report June 16 to begin serving his prison term. Wright was also ordered to pay a restitution of $2,000 to the architect of the Capitol.

Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot:See who's been charged across the country

At the sentencing, federal prosecutors recommended Wright serve 60 months, arguing that the term must be sufficient enough to be a deterrent for future actions.

Wright addressed Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, expressing remorse and taking responsibility.

I want to apologize for my actions, not just to you, but to the government, to fellow Americans, Wright said. I was there and am responsible for it."

Kollar-Kotelly said during the sentencing that Wright is only the second of all of the Jan. 6 defendants to appear in her courtroom to apologize for their actions.

Our democracy is fragile, and certainly the insurrection has made that clear, she said.

During the sentencing, the U.S. attorney showed video footage and photographs of Wright at the Capitol. The footage showed Wright pushing against barricades by the Capitol Police, as well as another video showing him pushing a piece of the metal barricade fencing down on a Capitol Police officer.

We respect the judges sentence, although we are disappointed with the severity, his attorney Noah Munyer said after the sentencing.

According to court documents, Wright organized two charter buses that he owned to travel to Washington, D.C., charging 100 people $50 each to go to D.C. for the Stop the Steal rally.

Wright has until June 16 before he must voluntarily surrender at FCI Elkton, a low-security federal prison near Elkton, Ohio. The date was chosen so he could get his business affairs in order. Kollar-Kotelly also told Wright that he will be taken off of GPS monitoring for the remainder of the time until he serves his sentence.

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Doug Wright's path to the Capitol in 2021

Wright was arrested in May 2021. He was among more than 700 people charged with breaching the U.S. Capitol. Thousands descended that day to protest the congressional certification of the Electoral College votes confirming Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as president and vice president.

According to federal court records, Wright was later arrested at his Stark County home and indicted on multiple charges, including civil disorder, obstruction of an official proceeding, and entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds.

In August, he pleaded guilty to a single federal charge of obstruction of an official. Federal prosecutors dismissed the remaining eight counts.

Wright faced a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

Jan. 6 Capitol riot:Stark County man accused in U.S. Capitol riot continues negotiations with the government

Wright details what happened on Jan. 6, 2021

At his plea hearing in August, Wright said he and the group walked to the east side of the Capitol to the barricade line guarded by Capitol Police.

Wright said after pushing at the barricades, he pulled back, and opened a foldable chair so he could sit down. Wright said he needed to catch his breath because the group didn't immediately succeed.

Wright implied the barricades were breached while he was seated and catching his breath.

After the barricades went down, Wright admitted to joining the crowd and making his way inside. He said he smoked a cigarette in the rotunda and used social media before, during and after the confrontation.

A tip submitted to the FBI contained an attachment of a Facebook Live video, captioned "Doug Wright was Live." The video was from inside the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, with an individual shouting, "Yeah, this is what the inside looks like. We are in our house."

According to federal prosecutors, his statements on social media included: "Set on nice bench in rotunda and had a smoke," "Yesterday was a practice run," and "I think we need to make more home visits."

This article originally appeared on The Repository: John Douglas Wright sentenced to 49 months in prison for Jan. 6 riot
By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A group of 45 state attorneys general in the United States on Monday demanded Chinese-owned social media app TikTok produce subpoenaed materials sought in an ongoing nationwide consumer protection investigation.

The states are seeking to review internal TikTok communications to determine whether the company engaged in deceptive conduct that harmed mental health of TikTok users, particularly children and teens, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said.

On Monday the states urged a Tennessee state court to compel TikTok answer requests for information.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta said the petition alleges TikTok has failed to preserve some potentially relevant evidence, in the form of internal employee chat messages "and is hampering the investigation of Tennessee and other states across the country, including California."

TikTok did not immediately comment.

In March 2022, eight states including California and Massachusetts, said they had launched a bipartisan, nationwide probe of TikTok, focusing on whether the popular video-sharing app causes physical or mental health harm to young people.

Last week, TikTok said it was developing a tool that will allow parents to prevent their teens from viewing content containing certain words or hashtags on the short-form video app, as the embattled company looks to shore up its public image.

TikTok, owned by Chinese tech company ByteDance, is facing renewed scrutiny worldwide over its proximity to the Chinese government and protection of user data.

The app, wildly popular among younger users, has been banned from government-owned phones in the U.S., Canada and other countries due to security concerns. Last week, a U.S. House of Representatives committee voted to give President Joe Biden new powers to ban TikTok.

Like other social media apps, TikTok has also faced criticism for not doing enough to shield teens from inappropriate content.

Parents will now also be able to set custom time limits for their teens' TikTok usage depending on the day of the week, the company said.

(Reporting by David Shepardson,Editing by Franklin Paul and Marguerita Choy)
The man accused of killing a Nassau County Sheriffs Deputy is pleaded guilty Friday morning.

Often, when a person pleads guilty it comes along with a deal for lower charges, but the State Attorney is making it clear she wont sign on to any such deal in this case.

Patrick McDowell is accused of killing Nassau County Sheriffs Deputy Joshua Moyers in 2021 during a traffic stop.

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McDowell also pleaded guilty to charges related to injuring a police K-9 and assaulting a law enforcement officer.

Action News Jax Law and Safety Expert Dale Carson opined McDowell could be hoping to escape the death penalty with the move.

Theres a hope by the defense that they wont pull out all the stops during the sentencing, said Carson.

But State Attorney Melissa Nelson has indicated her office will seek the death penalty regardless of whether McDowell pleads guilty or not.

The determination as to whether the defendant will be sentenced to death would occur during separate penalty phase proceedings, said Nelsons Communication Director David Chapman said in a statement.

[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]

Carson isnt surprised by the State Attorneys reluctance to accept a plea deal.

You have individuals who are the spearpoint of controlling violence in the community and they have been injured in this particular case, said Carson.

But Carson said even with the State Attorney pledging to pursue the death penalty, there still could be an advantage for McDowell to plead guilty off the bat.

Hes admitted the offense, hes sorry and he can in that way potentially cause the jurors to determine that his life is worth saving, said Carson.

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PARIS (AP)  Paris' Musee dOrsay was, for the duration of Louis Vuittons 15-minute show, a museum transformed: A buzzing circus of sparkle and camera flashes where the rich, powerful and famous mingled on the penultimate day of Paris Fashion Week. Designer Nicolas Ghesquiere put on a resplendent and passionate vintage-tinged ode to French style, prompting cheers from the audience that echoed around the lofty chambers.

Meanwhile, earthy scents pricked guests noses as they entered the venue for Stella McCartney: A manege. Shivers from the cold were quickly succeeded by gasps, when seven horses suddenly galloped in from a side door followed by an exuberant handler. The show that incorporated equestrian themes was a visual and sensory statement from McCartney, a prominent animal rights campaigner.

Here are some highlights of fall-winter 2023-24 ready-to-wear shows Monday:

THE MUSEE VUITTON

The excitement was palpable, even among the VIPs.

Sophie Turner not only dressed on brand, decked out in a silken Vuitton pajama look, she also sung on brand  chanting we love Louis Vuitton with front row neighbor Chloe Grace Moretz. Vuitton ambassadors Alicia Vikander and Lea Seydoux chatted animatedly. Anna Wintour pouted.

Pharrell breezed in to flurries of camera flashes, wearing a monogrammed coat and cap, still basking in becoming Louis Vuitton mens designer. Quizzed by The Associated Press if he felt at home at the maison since last months announcement, Pharrell replied: It feels like love.

The show itself told a story. Sounds of daily life played in the soundtrack  the sound of whizzing cars, bird song, trains, footsteps and the weather. The clothes too felt like daily life  albeit a sublimely elevated one.

It was as if Ghesquiere had gone to a glamorous thrift store with vintage-style, often sparkling, garments vibrantly mixed and matched.

An oversize brown jacket led down to even more oversized circular pants, next to a snipped away waistcoat worn with a giant student-style knit scarf.

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Hidden behind the haphazardness though was some incredible fashion design. Surreal plays in form abounded. Skirts came with pleats as sharp as knives. Yellow sleeves were so long they looked like they had been put in the wrong wash cycle. And an oversized marble knit sheath dress had leg of mutton sleeves with the top part completely lopped off.

MCCARTNEY'S SOFTNESS AND HARDNESS

Vibrant designs showcased on the brown manege sand drew inspiration not only from horses -- with equine motifs, horse blanket patination inspiring wool looks and marbled patterns resembling horses coats  but also the world of show jumping.

McCartney used the sports pomp and regalia to inspire a collection that harked to her tailoring background.

A double-breasted jacket had sharp shoulders nipped above the waist with a diagonal dynamic, mixing masculine and feminine. Takes on regalia and the military included a mens white lilac tailored show jumping jacket worn against naked flesh.

The sense of softness and a hardness, of male versus female, a touchstone of the LVMH-owned fashion house, was captured also by the horses themselves, McCartney said.

Bags used vegan leather alternatives, such as MIRUM, a plant-based technology, AppleSkin, an apple-based material that creates a crocodile effect.

This was an optimistic collection  with flashes of eye-popping citrine and vermillion  that never lectured but celebrated living in harmony.

STELLAS WILD, WILD HORSES

Have you even seen a wild horse at a fashion show, or a whisperer? McCartney asked the stunned fashion press on a crowded balcony above the manege that still smelled of horse. She said organizers called her crazy for attempting to get wild horses to a show.

Yet McCartney said fall-winter in particular seemed a good time to highlight cruelty-free designs with the unique spectacle of wild animals living, breathing and playing together.

I really wanted to make a connection with our fellow creatures because there is so much leather and fur and feathers on the runway, especially in winter, McCartney told AP. I wanted to show that you can do (fashion) in a different way you dont need to kill anything and it can be (just) as luxurious.

McCartney said the horses had many personal meanings to her, from the photography of her mother Linda and sister Mary to being British, speaking to the love for horses that runs deep in the U.K.

She said the message of the horses is that theyre alive and the clothes havent killed anything so theres a kind of celebration of everything living in harmony with one another.

The horse handler was a star of the show. McCartney said she first saw him at a London horse show and was impressed with his work. They are his wild horses. He doesnt use any bridles, any saddles and hes a horse whisperer ... Theyre his little babies, she said. I cant even get my dog to do that.

AQUAZURRA BAG LAUNCH

Jessica Alba led VIPs into the flower-laded salons of the Hotel dEvreux on the famous Place Vendome for the cocktail launch of Florence-based Aquazurras first bag collection.

I feel like this is jewelry and a bag together. Its super chic. It definitely had a girl in mind, Alba said, clutching one of the new bags with triangular gold clasp and soft nappa tassel that are "see now, buy now."

Aquazurra, a brand founded in 2012, has made a name for itself in shoe wear. But founder and creative director Edgardo Osorio said he felt it was time to expand.

We were born as a shoe brand in Florence. ... In 2023, we are launching womens bags, which felt like a natural extension. The idea is to sell the modern Dolce Vita, Osorio said. A new Italian lifestyle. Next is probably mens shoes. And fragrance.

Items include the Twist maxi clutch as well as the Galactic Crystal and Love Link bags.

AZ FACTORY

Theres still a bitter-sweet tinge at AZ Factory shows. The brand was created by designer Alber Elbaz just before his 2021 death from COVID.

Elbaz, still reeling from his ouster as longtime Lanvin designer, had wanted to make a brand touting a new way of doing luxury  easier on designers, body positive, and more affordable. AZ Factory was just that. Since his death, guest designers have moonlighted for the brand, remaining faithful to its ethos, and Elbaz is still felt in the house spirit

On Monday, ruffles, toggles, belts and ties brought a utilitarian dimension to the soft ready-to-wear designs. There was a sense of relaxation running throughout as the models walked nonchalantly in low-key platform sandals.

A furry coat with swirling pink motif and in-built scarf became a total look, covering the model completely with ankle warmers in the same material. It was fun and tactile.
Black women make up only a small minority of students across STEM disciplines. A 2021 report by Pew Research Center shows that The gender dynamics in STEM degree attainment mirror many of those seen across STEM job clusters. The disparities of those who identify as Black and woman in comparison to others working in STEM are vast and have a connection to attaining long-term career goals.

According to the Pew Research data, Black and Hispanic adults are the most underrepresented when it comes to STEM careers. Add to that being a woman and the number of awarded STEM degrees are even smaller.

STEM can be the basis of a strong education

STEM can be a gamechanger when it comes to education. The broad scope of a STEM background can be a gateway to success particularly for those who experience oppressions due to race, gender identity, and other marginalized communities because careers available to those with degrees in STEM fields can be lucrative.

Higher education professional Brooke Abercrombie, MBA, and private practice physician Dr. Opal Williams, chose to study one of the many STEM fields and have yielded successful careers, despite just 9% of the population being Black workers, a number that has been unchanged since 2016.

Motivation for Studying STEM

A genuine passion for your field of study is essential to your success, in any field, but particularly under the STEM umbrella. Both Abercrombie and Dr. Williams showed an interest in STEM at a young age, excelling in STEM classes as early as elementary school and were put into special programs as a result.

Abercrombie explains with a palpable sense of passion what should be a motivator for girls who want to study the sciences. "Go into STEM because it helps you to better understand the world. Go into STEM because it helps you to think logically. Have a decent STEM education and actually do the work because it is personally enriching. And it gives you the opportunity to have a certain set of tools that you wouldn't have if you don't."

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Value of a STEM Education Across Careers

Coming from a place of true interest and minimizing outside pressures, you are able to see the broad scope of value that an education in STEM can bring, even when a career in the fields may not be your end goal. Dr. Williams is quick to explain that, You can take so much of what youve learned, and you can apply it in so many different ways when describing her views on an education in STEM.

With the logic and problem-solving skills that are taught diligently throughout a STEM education, you can walk into the real world prepared for challenges. These soft skills are applicable throughout so many aspects of life that they are arguably more valuable than some of the material being taught.

The world is full of math, right? So trying to avoid it is just silly" says Abercrombie, who is passionate about the idea that the logic and reasoning behind math concepts are so important as young Black women launch into their careers, and thus the value of a STEM education is even furthered.

How STEM is Particularly Beneficial to Black Women

Pursuing a passion in STEM can be a way to prove to yourself that you are worthy and capable. In a world where the cards can be stacked against you, STEM is a place where many Black women find the space to excel.

Defying stereotypes and redefining what it looks like to be successful as a Black woman in STEM is hard. But, with dedication and strong moral values, you too can prove the viability of your passion to yourself.

STEM, Is It Right For Me Afterall?

There is a lot behind an education and career in STEM; combining this with the identities of being Black and a woman can be overwhelming. As with everything in life, it is important that you honor your intuitions and passions. Finding ways to show up academically and professionally that feel authentic to you is vital.

So if you can truly see yourself getting excited to go to work in a STEM field every day despite potential hardships, then do it. Even if you are unsure about your future in STEM, using these disciplines as a starting point for your education can be beneficial in a multitude of ways. As discussed above, logic and reasoning skills really are at the basis of everything and a STEM education is an excellent way to perfect these.

For more inspiration and stories, explore the links below!

https://www.blackgirlsmovement.org/

https://www.yahoo.com/now/built-by-girls-how-i-started-in-stem-184358432.html

Katelyn Lewicky is a first-year undergraduate student at American University studying Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing and a minor in Graphic Design. She is passionate about uplifting small businesses and people in her community through social media marketing and blog writing
Former White House chief strategist for the Trump Administration Steve Bannon speaks during the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Steve Bannon criticized Fox News in a CPAC speech that got a standing ovation.

The speech marked a widening rift between Fox News and the MAGA movement.

Fox News bosses criticized Trump while promoting his election fraud claims, court papers show.

Steve Bannon, an ally of Donald Trump, has dramatically escalated the conflict between the former president's MAGA movement and the conservative Fox News network.

In a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Friday, Bannon mocked the network's owner, Rupert Murdoch, and accused the media mogul of trying to stymie Trump's bid to be elected president again in 2024.

The former advisor to Trump and far-right podcaster described Murdoch as an "oligarch" and an "old man," and criticised the family as "a bunch of foreigners" who've given America "nothing."

"Murdoch, you've deemed Trump's not going to be president. Well, we've deemed that you're not going to have a network," he said as the audience stood and cheered. "Because we're going to fight you every step of the way!"

The speech marks an astonishing deterioration of the once symbiotic relationship between Trump and Fox News, which remains the top-rated cable news network.

For years, the network's hosts, Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham, and Sean Hannity, have been among Trump's most adamant media allies, in some cases even serving as informal advisors and sounding boards to Trump during his term in office.

They played a key role in promoting Trump's populist polices, and in denigrating the then-president's opponents and critics.

But Fox News was not even listed among the sponsors of this years CPAC, the influential conservative conference, and its hosts and analysts, who usually feature prominently, were absent, Politico reported.

A series of recent developments appear to have soured the relationship.

In court document released as part of election machine company Dominion's lawsuit against Fox News, network executives, hosts, and the Murdochs were described as having privately mocked Trump and his baseless claims that the 2020 election was fixed, even as as they promoted them on air.

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Fox News faces paying a potential $1.6 billion in damages for promoting Trump's election fraud conspiracy theories in 2020. It claims its coverage was protected under the First Amendment.

As the 2024 Republican primary race begins to heat up, Fox News has given extensive air-time to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, rumored to be preparing a rival campaign to Trump's, while reportedly imposing a "soft ban" on Trump.

Trump in a message on his Truth Social page last week took aim at the network for not backing his baseless election fraud claims, saying its audience "will again be leaving in droves - they already are."

Trump has criticised the network for disloyalty before, even when its coverage of him was at its most adulatory, but this time the animosity seems to run deeper.

Read the original article on Business Insider
How int'l community views Chinese democracy through lens of "two sessions"

Xinhua) 08:25, March 06, 2023

This photo taken on March 5, 2023 shows the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- In 2017, Jilie Ziri, the first college student from the mountainous Abuluoha Village in southwest China's Sichuan Province, decided to give up his job and return to his hometown.

Serving as the secretary of the Communist Party of China's (CPC's) village branch, Jilie Ziri has led local residents in combatting poverty and pursuing a prosperous life. After years of efforts by Jilie Ziri and his fellow villagers, the once isolated town has been linked to the outside world with a paved road, and the people's living standard has been greatly improved.

Now, the young man, born in 1995 and from the Yi ethnic group, is in Beijing for the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), where he and other deputies to the 14th NPC will discuss and decide how to bring a better life to the Chinese people.

As global observers are closely watching the NPC and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), known as the "two sessions," Jilie Ziri's experience provides a personal perspective for them to better understand China's whole-process people's democracy.

Deputies attend the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

POWER IN HANDS OF PEOPLE

"I was following the two sessions last year. There was a driver who was one of the deputies appointed to sit in that body. There were delivery riders, farmers, teachers, cooks, doctors, journalists, who ordinarily will not make it to an institution where laws are made," said Eric Biegon, a journalist at Kenya Broadcasting Corporation. He was deeply impressed by the wide representation of the deputies.

"What captures my attention when it comes to China and (its) politics is that (the Chinese) have chosen a path that tends to bring people at the center of decision-making," he said.

When talking about China's "two sessions," many overseas observers like Biegon spontaneously mention broad representation, which features prominently in China's whole-process people's democracy. In their eyes, broad representation is a necessary requirement for ensuring that the people are the masters of the country.

The 2,977 deputies to the 14th NPC make up a broad cross-section of people, with every region, ethnic group and sector of society having an appropriate number of representatives.

In the new lineup, 497 deputies are workers and farmers, 634 technical personnel, accounting for 16.69 percent and 21.3 percent, respectively.

The 2,172 members of the 14th CPPCC National Committee are from all of China's 56 ethnic groups, and 60.8 percent of them are not CPC members.

Zia Banday, senior research fellow at the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, said deputies and members of the "two sessions" in China represent the interests of the people.

They prepare for a long time each year, put forward opinions and suggestions, conduct deliberations and discussions, and provide ideas for national and people's livelihoods. This unique model ensures that the "two sessions" can fully reflect the voice of the Chinese people, he said.

The decision-making in the "two sessions" is open to all Chinese and friends who are interested in the overall development of the country, said Ronnie Lins, director of the China-Brazil Center for Research and Business and a senior expert on China's decision-making mechanism.

"I think the outcomes that China has achieved in recent years show that the process is broad in opinion and effective in results. The country's economic and social achievements speak for themselves."

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

FROM THE PEOPLE &FOR THE PEOPLE

Every year, topics discussed at China's "two sessions" are always the focus of international attention.

Development and people's livelihood have always been important issues in China's "two sessions," fully reflecting the importance of "the people" in China's socialist democracy, Patricio Giusto, director of the Sino-Argentine Observatory, told Xinhua.

Last year, 92 changes were made to The Report on the Work of the Government based on the suggestions put forward by the NPC deputies and CPPCC members. Offices and departments under the State Council handled 8,721 suggestions from NPC deputies and 5,865 proposals submitted by CPPCC National Committee members, accounting for 94.8 percent and 95 percent of the total number of suggestions and proposals, respectively.

Sommad Pholsena, vice president of the Lao National Assembly, pointed out that Chinese leaders not only communicate with the NPC deputies and CPPCC members during the "two sessions," but also often conduct research at the grassroots level, which reflects that the thoughts and concerns of the Chinese people are at the heart of the CPC at all times.

The CPC and the government have always given thoughtful and scientific policy responses to the people's needs and appeals through collective thinking, he noted, saying that China's whole-process people's democracy integrates process-oriented democracy with results-oriented democracy, procedural democracy with substantive democracy, direct democracy with indirect democracy, and people's democracy with the will of the state.

Jean Christophe Iseux von Pfetten, president of the Institute for East-West Strategic Studies in Britain, was invited by the then mayor of Changchun to be a specially invited member of the CPPCC.

As a long-time observer of China, Pfetten told Xinhua that through his personal experience, he found that China's democratic practice is devoted to solving practical problems, as he witnessed how the local two sessions focused on addressing issues related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers. The China hand also participated in the discussion with his experience of working for the World Trade Organization.

The NPC deputies and CPPCC members will review the government work report delivered at the beginning of the annual session of the NPC, and make amendments and put forward new proposals and new suggestions and make it a very useful document, said Muhammad Asghar, special correspondent of Associated Press of Pakistan in China.

So, the "two sessions" are very important as they make policies and plans for the next year, said Asghar, noting that they implement all of the plans which are always very beneficial for the people.

Pooling wisdom and seeking benefits for all, China's rapid economic and social development and effective governance cannot be separated from the whole-process people's democracy.

The truth is that with this political system, China has done very well in terms of economic development and social welfare in general, and became the second-largest economy in the world, said Giusto, the Argentina expert.

Aerial photo taken on April 28, 2020 shows a view of a poverty-relief relocation site in Nandan County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming)

A NEW PATH OF DEMOCRACY

"I have been to China many times. I understand that China's progress is not accidental. This is due to the unity of the Chinese people, together with the vision of the leadership of the Communist Party of China," said Chea Munyrith, president of the Cambodian Chinese Evolution Researcher Association.

Recalling his visit to Xishuangbanna in the southwestern Chinese province of Yunnan, Munyrith said that "I saw the spirit of development under the image of a united people force, which is a form of democracy with the Chinese characteristic. The development of villages is the decision of the people in the village and with the consultation and guidance of local CPC members."

"I have always admired and shared this picture with the villagers in Cambodia, and I have always talked with my government officials and friends in Cambodia about this good form of democracy," he added.

The Chinese style democratic model adopts an approach featuring consultative democracy under the CPC leadership. Such a system, seeking to bring its people together for a common goal, proves to be a story of success and serves as an inspiring paradigm for other developing countries.

The Chinese democracy has pulled 800 million people out of poverty and contributed to establishing infrastructure and health systems that benefit the Chinese people, said Asghar, the Pakistani journalist.

"I think that the Chinese democratic system is becoming a model for so many countries," Asghar added.

For Munyrith, who was once the head of the translation team for the Cambodian version of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China," what impressed him most about China's democratic system is that the CPC has always put the people first.

"As the ruling party, the Communist Party of China represents the interests of the people, and all policies put the interests of the people first," he added.

Pointing out that there are various types of democratic system models, Pfetten emphasized that the Chinese socialist consultative democracy provides an elegant way of solving the antithesis between equality and liberty.

The British scholar is writing a book on Chinese democracy, elaborating on the achievements of the Chinese democracy to readers based on his individual experience in China.

Sommad Pholsena, vice president of the Lao National Assembly, said that the innovative proposal of whole-process people's democracy demonstrates the self-confidence of the CPC, and offers fresh insights into the democratic building in other countries.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
The White Castle in Alsip, one of the locations where it is alleged the restaurant company violated the rights of some 9,500 current and former employees by using biometric controls without their explicit permission. (Shanna Madison / Chicago Tribune)

The Illinois Supreme Court recently issued a ruling that exposes the White Castle burger chain to as much as $17 billion in liability because it didnt get explicit permission from employees to use biometric controls on its time clocks and computers. But dont blame the courts for the burger joints legal costs. The Illinois legislatures early and aggressive move to regulate technology in the name of privacy ignored time-honored requirements like proportionality. Its a lesson for other states and for Congress, which should not follow Illinois lead.

Statutes of limitations keep stale controversies out of the courts. In defending against the charge that it violated the rights of some 9,500 current and former employees by using biometric controls without their explicit permission, White Castle has argued that the lead plaintiff in the case took more than a decade to complain. If the offense is getting access to her fingerprint data contrary to the rules in the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, it happened too long ago for her to sue. But Latrina Cothron, a Chicago-based White Castle manager, argues that White Castle committed a new offense with each collection of her fingerprint in the absence of the specific agreement the Illinois statute requires.

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The court decided that she is right. It reads the statute as creating a new offense every time an employees biometric is collected. Every single workday, sometimes multiple times per day.

If thats true about when Cothrons complaints accrue, its true as to how many offenses White Castle has committed. White Castle may have collected millions of fingerprint scans across its stores in Illinois. The state legislature set out liquidated damages of $1,000 to $5,000 for each violation. That means many billions of dollars in potential liability for White Castle.

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Were Cothron and her White Castle colleagues harmed by the gathering of their fingerprints? Not in any real sense. Theres no suggestion in the case that they have suffered emotionally or financially or that their biometric data has been compromised or used wrongly. The only thing White Castle has done is fail to get Cothrons explicit permission, a paperwork violation. To protect privacy in that very small sense, or perhaps to thwart unknown risks of using biometrics, the Illinois legislature created a massive liability regime.

It doesnt have to be this way.

The American law alternative, which doesnt require legislation at all, is requiring compensation for wrongs that cause harm. If White Castle permitted a breach of biometric data and that resulted in economic losses, for example, White Castle should rightly fork over for it. General liability rules like that allow society to carefully tune the balance between new technologies that may secure a businesss data and systems, as in this case, and the privacy and security risks they entail.

But in their urgency to get technology under control, many advocates and legislatures are arguing for heavy penalties even where no harm or damage can be shown. That rings of the precautionary principle, preferred in Europe, which says that new processes and products cant be used unless they are first proved safe.

Banning new technology or hemming in its use with heavy paperwork penalties cuts off avenues of innovation and economic growth. We would all like more security and privacy, but these things are traded off for other goods we like, including inexpensive burgers.

The Illinois Supreme Court pointed out in its opinion that there are several ways the actual damage award against White Castle may be curtailed. Ones immediate instincts are that liability controls should kick in so that any award is just. But doing that would tell legislators in Illinois, and those in other states looking on, that their excesses dont have any political costs.

Maybe Illinoisans should pay double for their burgers or lose access to them altogether. Maybe they should ask their legislators just what they were thinking when they set White Castle up for a multibillion-dollar paperwork penalty.

Passage of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act made the Land of Lincoln a leader in regulating biometrics. But its an example other states have not followed, for good reason.

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The difficult work of balancing multidimensional values like privacy against new uses of technology is not done with sledgehammers.

Jim Harper is a nonresident senior fellow at the think tank American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on privacy issues and select legal and constitutional law issues.

Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.
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Americans are continuing to save for college with 529 plans as the fate of President Joe Bidens student debt loan relief program is awaiting a Supreme Court decision in June.

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These plans, which are advantaged savings plans designed to encourage saving for educational costs, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), have been gaining momentum in 2022.

Indeed, as of Dec. 31, 2022, there were more than 16 million 529 accounts open in state plans across the country  an increase of 340,000 more accounts than the previous year, according to the College Savings Plans Network (CSPN).

While the invested funds have fluctuated with the market, it is encouraging to see the value of 529s ringing true, the CSPN said in a statement.

In another sign of increased interest in these plans, CSPN said it continued to see steady growth in accounts as 38% of them are auto-funded either by payroll deduction or direct deposit, which it says, is critical to the longevity of 529 accounts and the amount of money that is saved for the beneficiary.

In addition, the average account balance as of December 2022 was $25,630.

According to the Education Data Initiatives statistics released in October 2022, the average cost for an American to attend a four-year public university is $102,828. Being a quarter of the way to paying a four-year university bill is a major step for Americans paying for higher education!, the CSPN said in the statement.

The Biden administration announced on Nov. 22 that the student loan pause  which was set to end Dec. 31, 2022  will be extended to the end of June 2023, while the administration awaits the Supreme Courts review of its student debt relief program.

However, many borrowers say they are financially unprepared. A study conducted by Qualtrics on behalf of Credit Karma found that 53% of consumers with outstanding federal student loans say their financial stability depends on their student loans being forgiven.

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Take Our Poll: Do You Think Bankruptcy Is an Acceptable Way To Escape Student Loan Debt?

The study also noted that 56% of respondents say their financial stability is dependent on not having to make payments as the forbearance period remains intact.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Student Loan Forgiveness Debate Leads to Record Number of 529 College Savings Plans
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Students who believe their math teachers who treat them with fairness perform better with the subject, a new study suggests.

In the study, researchers from Portland State University, Loyola University Chicago and the University of North Texas sought to determine whether teachers are able to foster a positive "math identity" among students through equitable teaching.

The researchers posited that since people from different backgrounds have varying perceptions of how one can succeed in math, racially diverse students in the U.S. may be susceptible to racial and gender stereotypes regarding who can be "good at math."

Portland State Sociology Associate Professor Dara Shifrer led the study, which involved analyzing data from a 2009 poll of almost 30,000 ninth graders across the United States. Shifrer, a former middle school math teacher, noted that stereotypes about math in the U.S. "really sets kids up for failure."

More from NextShark: Asian women in US financial sector say bamboo ceiling prevented their career advancement, study reveals

U.S. STEM spaces are not a meritocracy. The cultural biases that we have around people's identities, status characteristics like race and gender, and our cultural stereotypes about math and science and who belongs there play a key role in who enters these fields and does well in them. The more that educators and students are aware of that and take action to counteract it, the more it could really shift access and representation.

In their analysis, the research team was able to test their hypothesis that students who see their math teacher as more equitable would see themselves as a "math person," or someone who can do well in math.

The survey, sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics, included items that highlighted how the students viewed the fairness of their math teachers.

More from NextShark: Chinese father makes 11-year-old daughter pick lotus roots in the heat to teach her value of education

The participants were grouped by their race, gender and schools racial diversity and then tasked to rate their agreement to statements such as, "my math teacher treats every student fairly" and "my math teacher thinks all students can be successful."

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Based on their findings, students with strong math identities were those who saw their math teachers as more equitable, while those who perceived their math teachers as less fair had weaker math identities. Such an effect is shown to be most prominent in schools with more racial diversity, likely because students noticed the differences in their schoolmates' races. The exception was Black students, who were found to have strong math identities regardless of their teacher's actions.

According to Shifrer, other studies that have looked into the educational attitudes of Black students matched their findings.

More from NextShark: UCLA granted $3 million for study on sexual and reproductive health of Asian immigrant women

There's some kind of resiliency where these students persist and strive against racist stereotypes. They discount these dominant narratives and think, "I belong here; I'm good at this." [Black students] are often more positive towards school and towards what education can do for them. But there's not been a lot of work fleshing out the details.

Last year, a study highlighted how racial and ethnic disparities affect advanced math and science skills at an early age, with the abilities exhibited as early as kindergarten.

The research, which came from an analysis of a national sample of around 11,000 U.S. elementary school students, found that 16% of Asian students displayed advanced math skills during kindergarten.

More from NextShark: BLACKSWAN, the only active K-pop group with all non-Korean members, teases new music
A top oil company CEO who will lead international climate talks later this year told energy industry power players on Monday that the world must cut emissions 7% each year and eliminate all releases of the greenhouse gas methane  strong comments from an oil executive.

Let me call on you to decarbonize quicker, Sultan al-Jaber, CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., said at the Ceraweek conference, held in Houston.

But al-Jabar did not directly address emissions from transportation, where most crude oil ends up. Emissions from transport are the largest contributor to climate change in many countries, including the United States.

Al-Jaber singled out electricity, cement, steel and aluminum as targets for cleanup, but not trucks, cars, trains and aircraft. He called for far greater investment to speed the transition to cleaner industries.

According to the IEA, in 2022, the world invested $1.4 trillion in the energy transition, he said. We need over three times that amount.

And that investment. he said, must flow to the developing world.

Only 15% of clean tech investment reaches developing economies in the global south, and that is where 80% of the population live, he stressed.

Al-Jaber did not call for the phasing out of oil and gas production and use, something that scientists and advocates have been demanding unsuccessfully over repeated COPs, short for Conference of the Parties, where nations meet to make climate commitments.

According to the International Energy Agency, to avoid the worst climate changes, there must be no new oil and gas infrastructure built out.

The United Arab Emirates leader said his country was first in its region to commit to the Paris climate agreement, and to set a pathway to net zero emissions. But its emissions in 2021 were up 3%, not down, from the year before, according to the Global Carbon Project. They were however 6% below the countrys peak in 2015. According to Climate Action Tracker, UAE has an overall rating of highly insufficient, meaning its projected emissions are not in line with limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

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The Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. pumps approximately 4 million barrels of crude a day and plans on expanding to 5 million barrels daily.

Each year, nations gather at the COP to discuss how Paris Agreement goals to limit global warming to just 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) by 2050, can be achieved through international collaboration.

The 28th such conference, COP28, will be held in Dubai, Nov 30 to Dec. 12. The choice of country has drawn criticism given the nations high, and growing level of crude production. The choice of al Jaber, CEO of the national oil company, has also drawn scorn. However, U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry has said he backs the UAE leader.

As president of this year's meeting, al-Jaber will have influence over how much pressure is brought to bear on those most reponsible for climate change, countries and companies that produce and burn coal, oil and gas.

Al-Jaber is the UAE minister of industry and advanced technology, and also serves as the chairman of Masdar, a renewable energy company.

Ceraweek attracts high level oil and gas officials each year and is hosted by S&P Global.

___

Ellen Knickmeyer contributed from Washington D.C. and Mary Katherine Wildeman from Hartford, Connecticut.

___

Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about APs climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
A fan of Putin faces up to five years in prison

The woman, whom the newspaper named as, Marzena T., was reported to have glorified Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin and to have wished the Russian Federation victory in the war against Ukraine.

Read also: Poland to transfer more Leopard tanks to Ukraine within few weeks, says Polish official

Agencja Wyborcza.pl

President Putin stood at the head of all nations oppressed by Zionism, he stood at the head of all Slavs... I believe in the victory of Russia and (Russias) help for us Slavs  thank you in advance and pray for Russia, she wrote on her social media.

Read also: Poland to transfer 60 PT-91 Twardy tanks to Ukraine, says Polish PM

The Polish prosecutors office opened a case against the woman for these posts, on charges of calling for a war of aggression.

In court, the woman tried to justify herself, claiming that she actually opposes the war, and in general, loves people, and that Ukrainians are among her friends.

According to the defendent, these posts were written not with the mind, but with the heart after meditation, which she learned during a trip to India  where she claimed to have met the Tibetan Buddhist leader, the Dalai Lama.

In this regard, the judge ordered her to undergo a psychiatric examination, based on the results of which a decision will be made regarding the further consideration of the case.

If found guilty, the woman may face up to five years in prison.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court declined Monday to hear arguments in a dispute between officials in a central Florida city who encouraged residents to attend a prayer vigil and two atheists who claimed the city's involvement violated the First Amendment.

The decision to decline the case, which was made without comment from the high court, leaves in place a federal appeals court ruling that found at least one of the plaintiffs was within their rights to sue over the vigil. The lawsuit may now continue in a lower court.

Two of the court's conservatives justices wrote brief opinions about the decision to decline the case. Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch signaled support for the city's view but said that it was too early for the Supreme Court to weigh in. Associate Justice Clarence Thomas dissented from the court's decision.

Religion, government and the Supreme Court: What the Ocala case is about

Officials in Ocala, located between Orlando and Gainesville, encouraged residents to attend the 2014 vigil after a series of drive-by shootings left several children injured. Then-Ocala Police Chief Greg Graham signed a letter, posted on the department's website, encouraging people to attend. The vigil featured police chaplains onstage praying and singing in their uniforms, court records show.

The plaintiffs allege the citys involvement in the vigil violated the First Amendments establishment clause, which has long been viewed as barring the government from creating an official religion or favoring one religion over others.

At issue for the Supreme Court was a more procedural question: Whether the plaintiffs, who attended the rally and alleged they were aggrieved by what they saw, were injured enough to meet the threshold for suing. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit ruled last year that at least one of the plaintiffs had standing to sue.

Big picture: Supreme Court rethinking separation of church and state

The case arrived at the high court at a time when the justices have repeatedly sided with religious interests.

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In one example, a 6-3 majority last year shot down a state prohibition on using public money to attend schools that offer religious instruction. The decision means that parents in Maine could use a state subsidy to send their children to religious schools.

The Supreme Court last year also sided with a high school football coach who lost his job after offering prayers at the 50-yard line after games despite objections from the school district that students felt compelled to take part. A 6-3 majority ruled that assistant coach Joseph Kennedy's prayers were a private matter and did not amount to the school district's endorsement of Christianity.

For decades, the high court's guiding doctrine for deciding cases dealing with the intersection of government and religion was the "Lemon test," named after a 1971 decision in which the court ruled government policies must have a secular purpose, cannot advance or inhibit religion and cannot excessively entangle church and state.

In a 1984 concurring opinion that some lower courts have read as part of the Lemon test, Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor raised the idea that the justices should consider whether a policy amounts to an endorsement or disapproval of religion. But in recent years the court has bypassed Lemon and last year it openly dismissed it.

FILE - The setting sun illuminates the Supreme Court building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 10, 2023. The Supreme Court on Friday, Jan. 13, agreed to consider what employers must do to accommodate religious employees, among eight new cases it added. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File) ORG XMIT: WX105

What it means for Ocala, other religious cases

The Ocala litigation may be among the first to probe the implications of the Supreme Court's decision in the Kennedy case. The city, represented by former President Donald Trumps personal attorney, Jay Sekulow, argued that a "claim of personal offense or dismay, without more," doesn't give people the right to sue for a violation of the First Amendment.

Appeal: Ocala asks Supreme Court to decide 2014 prayer vigil lawsuit

Coach: Supreme Court backs praying coach who knelt on the field after games

Gorsuch wrote Monday that he saw "no need for the courts intervention at this juncture" but he questioned whether Americans sue for the reasons the plaintiffs raised.

"Most every governmental action probably offends somebody," Gorsuch wrote. "But recourse for disagreement and offense does not lie in federal litigation."

Thomas wrote that he had "serious doubts" about the ability of plaintiffs to file the suit. Courts are empowered to judge the legal rights of litigants in actual controversies, he wrote in his dissent, "not hurt feelings."

But Rachel Laser, president of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said Monday in response that Ocala "blatantly violated" the principle of government not promoting religion. The state, she said, must not use its power to impose religion.

"Justices Gorsuch and Thomas' statements suggest a willingness to silence voices who speak out against these clear constitutional violations  violations that trample the religious freedom of us all," Laser said.

Contributing: Ocala Star-Banner

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Religion: Supreme Court declines challenge to city prayer vigil
The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a Florida citys appeal to immediately repel a lawsuit from atheists who contend the city unconstitutionally promoted a prayer vigil following a local shooting spree.

Lower courts found that Lucinda Hale and Art Rojas had standing, meaning the legal capacity to sue, as an offended observer of the prayer vigil, so they could move ahead with pursuing their claims against Ocala, Fla.

Hale and Rojas, members of the American Humanist Association, accused Ocala of violating the First Amendments ban on state-established religion during the September 2014 event, which court documents indicate included police chaplains praying and singing on stage while in uniform.

Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, two of the courts conservatives, in separate statements expressed doubts about the theory. Rejecting it would make it more difficult for plaintiffs to bring suits against governmental bodies for allegations of endorsing religion.

Gorsuch criticized judges who have indulged the fiction of offended observer standing, but he indicated the case should proceed in the lower courts before the justices intervene.

I would allow that process to unfold, Gorsuch wrote. Moving forward, I expect lower courts will recognize that offended observer standing has no more foundation in the law than the Lemon test that inspired it. If I am wrong, the city is free to seek relief here after final judgment.

Thomas similarly said he had serious doubts about the standing theory, but he said he would have granted the citys appeal without waiting for the additional proceedings.

We should reconsider this seeming aberration before it further erodes bedrock Article III restrictions on the judicial power, he wrote.

American Center for Law & Justice, a conservative legal group representing the city that is run by lawyer Jay Sekulow, vowed to move ahead in the lower courts.

The case continues in trial court and we will continue to litigate, the group said in a statement.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Syrian government and Turkey-backed rebel forces have blocked more than 100 trucks carrying humanitarian aid from entering two zones in Aleppo province hit by last month's deadly earthquake, Amnesty International said on Monday.

The aid, which included food, medical supplies, tents and fuel, was sent by Kurdish authorities, the rights group said.

It said the Syrian government had prevented 100 trucks carrying food, medical supplies and tents from entering Kurdish-majority areas of Aleppo city.

To the north, rebels blocked 30 trucks of fuel and other help from entering Afrin, an enclave that Turkish forces and allied rebels have held since they pushed out Kurdish fighters in 2018.

Some 5,700 people were killed by the Feb. 6 quake and aftershocks in Syria, which 12 years of conflict have carved up into competing regions and where aid deliveries had long been fraught with complications. Aleppo province is divided into government-, Kurdish- and rebel-controlled zones.

Those regional hostilities have largely stayed in place since the disaster, prompting accusations that life-saving aid was being politicised.

"These politically motivated obstructions of critical aid have had tragic ramifications, especially for search and recovery teams who need fuel to operate machinery," said Aya Majzoub, Amnesty International's deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa.

Majzoub said all sides of the conflict should ensure that civilians "have unfettered access to aid."

The United Nations and other humanitarian organisations have also criticised hardline Islamist forces in the north for blocking aid coming from government-held zones.

So far, most aid to opposition-held areas of Syria has come through three border crossings with neighbouring Turkey - two of which were opened exceptionally with the approval of President Bashar al-Assad.

Aid into government-controlled zones has come in by plane, truck and sea.

(Reporting by Maya Gebeily; editing by John Stonestreet)
GENEVA (Reuters) - The Taliban's treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan could amount to a crime against humanity, according to a U.N. report presented on Monday at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

The Taliban seized power in August 2021, drastically curtailing women's freedoms and rights, including their ability to attend high school and university.

In a report covering July to December 2022, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, found that the Taliban's treatment of women and girls "may amount to gender persecution, a crime against humanity".

"The Taliban's intentional and calculated policy is to repudiate the human rights of women and girls and to erase them from public life," Bennett told the United Nations Human Rights Council. "It may amount to the international crime of gender persecution for which the authorities can be held accountable."

A spokesperson for the Taliban-run information ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment. The Taliban have in the past said they respect women's rights in line with their interpretation of Islam and Afghan culture and that they plan to open schools in future once they establish certain conditions for girls.

Bennett said the Human Rights Council should send a strong message to the Taliban that the "abysmal treatment of women and girls is intolerable and unjustifiable on any ground, including religion".

"The cumulative effect of the restrictions on women and girls has a devastating, long-term impact on the whole population, and it is tantamount to gender apartheid," he said.

In December, the Taliban banned most female aid workers, prompting many aid agencies to partially suspend operations in the midst of a humanitarian crisis unfolding during the cold winter months.

(Reporting by Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber in Geneva; Additional reporting by Kabul newsroom; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta)
Harold Washington greets supporters while campaigning in the Loop only days after winning the Democratic nomination for mayor. (Charles Cherney, Chicago Tribune)

Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas will face each other in Chicagos mayoral runoff on April 4. One will become the citys 57th mayor.

When the time comes for the next mayor to draft an inauguration speech, he can find humble inspiration in the inaugural remarks of three previous mayors  Joseph Medill, Anton Cermak and Harold Washington. All were elected in times of crisis or crucial junctures facing Chicago.

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Medill became mayor soon after the Great Fire of 1871. Cermak became mayor in 1931 amid the Great Depression and following a decade of gangland violence marked by the Al Capone era. Washington, elected in 1983 as Chicagos first Black mayor, had to confront more than a half-billion dollars in budget shortfalls and a newly formed hostile majority in the City Council.

Death or fatigue resulted in all three mayors not serving full terms. Medill and Cermak were mayors for less than two years: Cermak died days after being struck by an assassins bullet intended for President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Medill resigned, reportedly due to exhaustion and frustration. He returned to editing the Chicago Tribune. Washington died in office of a heart attack; he served a full first term and only about seven months of his second term.

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In their inauguration speeches, those three mayors moved from campaign promises to defining actions they planned to take immediately to improve public safety and the citys fiscal situation. Thats very relevant to Chicagoans in 2023.

Medills inauguration remarks in 1871 came in the wake of epic devastation  more than 300 dead and one-third of city residents homeless. Large parts of the city were in charred ruins. Pledging to rebuild, Medill detailed the citys colossal losses and said: Heavy as the blow has been that has struck us, I am not discouraged. Our municipal losses, like those of the citizens, will soon be repaired, and by judicious management of our city affairs, the people will soon recover from their losses.

Joseph Medill in 1855. (Col. Robert R. McCormick Research Center)

Medill concluded with a tribute to the courage of Chicagoans: All are inspired with an ambition to prove to the world that they are worthy of its sympathy, confidence and assistance, and to show how bravely they can encounter disaster, how quickly repair losses and restore Chicago to her high rank among the great cities of the earth.

Sixty years later, Cermak became mayor. He replaced William Big Bill Thompson, who during his three terms as mayor turned a blind eye to gangsters, graft and duty to work hard for the taxpayers. Cermak was a former state representative, alderman and Cook County Board president. He campaigned on a reform platform.

Cermaks inaugural address in 1931 lacked inspirational rhetoric but zeroed in on thorny issues ranging from rising taxes, crime and criminal justice, and waste and inefficiency in city government. He gave special emphasis to Chicagos necessary preparations for the 1933 Century of Progress Exposition.

Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak is sworn into office on April 9, 1931. (Chicago American)

While the police and crime problem is a most difficult one, Cermak said, the city needed to unify in common purpose to present to the world a city, well governed and well ordered, and with a record for the suppression and prompt punishment of lawlessness equal to that of any other large city in the United States.

Washington was poetic but also painfully candid in his first inauguration at Navy Pier, which I covered as a news reporter. He said every mayor begins anew without a blueprint of what actions to take. Then he dropped a bombshell. I have no good news. The immediate fiscal problem facing Chicago is both enormous and complicated.

Washington described large deficits looming for city government, Chicago Public Schools and the CTA, totaling $550 million. He said he would have to slash executive pay, freeze municipal hiring, end unnecessary programs and cut the fat from city departments.

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He even referenced Medill, saying the only greater challenge in our history in Chicago was 110 years ago when Mayor Joseph Medill looked over a city burned to the ground and called for an enormous outpouring of civic spirit and resources to make the city new. That civic spirit did not resonate with the aldermen who organized an opposition that largely thwarted Washingtons early plans and policies.

The city survived all of those crises, as it has the recent COVID-19 pandemic that has taken the lives of thousands of Chicago residents.

By inauguration day, we should expect the new mayor to deliver specifics about what Chicago must do to address its leading issues. As Washington said at his inauguration: Most of our problems can be solved. Some of them will take brains, some of them will take patience and all of them will have to be wrested with like an alligator in the swamp.

Jack Modzelewski is the author of a book on leadership and a business communications consultant in Chicago.

Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.
Tanner Horner, the FedEx driver indicted on capital murder and kidnapping charges in the killing of 7-year-old Athena Strand, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment hearing Monday in Wise County.

Horner did not speak at the hearing. He waived reading of the charges and his attorneys entered the plea on his behalf.

The hearing was attended by many local law enforcement officers and Athenas mother, Maitlyn Gandy. It was the first time Gandy had been in the same room as Horner, Gandys attorney Benson Varghese told reporters outside the courtroom, according to KXAS-TV.

It was probably one of the most difficult moments of her life, to see the person who killed her daughter, Varghese said. Its a moment shes thought about for a long time. I suppose its surreal in some senses but it was of just grave importance for her to be there.

Horner, 31, remains in the Wise County Jail with bond set at $1,560,000.

No further court hearings have yet been scheduled in the criminal case. The judge asked prosecutors and defense attorneys to provide information within the next couple of weeks so that a scheduling order can be created, according to Varghese.

Horner was delivering a Christmas gift of Barbies for Athena to her fathers North Texas home on Nov. 30 when he kidnapped the child and put her in the back of his FedEx truck, according to the Wise County Sheriffs Office. Horner told investigators that he had backed into Athena with the truck and even though she wasnt seriously injured, he took her and killed her because he was afraid she would tell her father about the accident, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

Horner told investigators that he tried unsuccessfully to break the girls neck and then strangled her with his hands. He dumped her body on a Trinity River bank and later told investigators where to find her, authorities said.

Officials and members of the community searched for Athena for two days before a tip led law enforcement to investigate Horner and find security video recorded inside his van that showed him with the girl.

Last month, Gandy joined a lawsuit filed by Athenas father, Jacob Strand. The suit accuses FedEx and Big Topspin  a Dallas-based company which contracted with FedEx for deliveries and hired Horner  of failing to properly investigate Horners criminal background, mental history and prior employment and failing to properly train and supervise him. It also says the two companies failed to implement and enforce safety policies and procedures. The suit accuses FedEx of negligence in contracting with Big Topspin by failing to supervise the company and to investigate its hiring practices.

Horner lived in Fort Worth before his arrest. He does not appear to have a previous criminal record in Tarrant or Wise counties, but in addition to charges of capital murder and aggravated kidnapping in Athenas case, he now faces three unrelated counts of sexual assault of a child in Tarrant County. Few details of those allegations have been released, but the charges stem from incidents that occurred in 2013 and were investigated by Fort Worth police.
A teenager was caught trying to sell drugs at Stadium High School in Tacoma, the Tacoma Police Department tweeted on Friday.

Police thanked the community member who alerted School Patrol about a teenager trespassing on school property and trying to sell drugs.

The 16-year-old tried to sell cannabis vape cartridges, MDMA, and Xanax.

The teenager was booked into Remann Hall.

Police reminded people if you see something say something and that a threat against a school is a crime.

They said people should call 911 to make a report.

Thank you to the community member who alerted School Patrol at Stadium today about a juvenile trespassing on school property & trying to sell cannabis vape cartridges, MDMA & Xanax. The 16-yr-old was booked into Remann Hall for UPCS w/ Intent. #SeeSomethingSaySomething pic.twitter.com/PAkuBIZB8i  Tacoma Police Department (@TacomaPD) March 4, 2023




MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Tesla Inc could begin producing its first cars in Mexico next year, with the electric vehicle maker close to receiving its final permits allowing factory construction to begin in Nuevo Leon near the U.S.-Mexico border, the state's governor said on Monday.

"They are waiting for the final permits ... once that's done, they can start, hopefully this very month, in March," Nuevo Leon Governor Samuel Garcia said in an interview.

"I think by next year, in 2024, there will be the first autos."

The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk announced the investment last week, saying the Austin, Texas-based company had selected Mexico for its next "gigafactory" with plans to produce a "next gen vehicle."

Mexican officials have said the factory will be the world's biggest to produce electric vehicles, with investment worth $5 billion.

Subsequent phases of the plant could involve making components such as chips and batteries, Garcia said.

"That's why they bought a very large plot of land," he added.

The site in Santa Catarina, next to the state capital of Monterrey, spans several thousand acres, the local mayor said last week.

Garcia said the investment would act as an "anchor" attracting Tesla suppliers, and that the green light given to Tesla by Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador - after the latter had expressed concerns over scarcity of water - sent a positive signal to other potential investors.

"It's like a kind of guide, that when they want to come set up here, it's very important they follow the law," he said, noting he had sent Lopez Obrador technical memos about the state's industrial water supply.

"The president, by authorizing and backing Tesla, sent a message to the world that they should come to Mexico."

(Reporting by Daina Beth Solomon in Mexico City; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
Thousands of Teslas Model Y vehicles are being recalled in the US by the company, according to a recent report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Loose bolts in the second row seats of thousands of Tesla cars was the reason cited for the recall.

The bolts that were securing second-row seat back frames in a number of Teslas 2022-23 Model Y vehicles may not have been securely tightened, the NHTSA said in its report.

The safety issue in the nearly 3,500 car units may reduce the seat belt systems performance and increase the risk of injury during a potential crash, according to the report.

Tesla said it became aware of the loose bolt defect in December last year and began performing risk assessments this year.

The companys service centers will reportedly inspect and tighten the bolts free of charge in 3,470 vehicles upon recall.

The electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer said it expected about 4 per cent of the vehicles to have the defect and added that it is not aware so far of any injuries or deaths related to the issue.

The NHTSA said affected owners are expected to be notified of the recall by mail starting on 25 April 2023.

On Model Y vehicles, the second-row driver-side seat back frame (second-row driver-side and center seating positions) and the second-row passenger-side seat back frame (second-row passenger-side seating position) are secured to the lower seat frame with 4 bolts per seat back, Tesla noted in a report to the NHTSA.

During the suppliers production of both seat back frames for certain Model Y vehicles, one or more of the bolts that secure the seat back frames to the lower seat frame may not have been torqued to specifications, the EV company said.

Tesla cautioned that if the bolts securing the frame to the seat backs are not in place according to specifications, the seat belt system may not perform as designed in a collision.

Such a situation, it said, may increase the risk of an injury for occupants seated in affected second-row seating positions.

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A second-row seat back frame that has this condition may not fold properly or may be loose and rattle during normal vehicle operation, the company said.

This is the second time in less than a month that the EV company is recalling some of its Model Y vehicles.

In February, some of the companys Model Y vehicles were part of 362,758 automobiles facing a recall as cars with the full self-driving beta software were found to likely be unsafe around intersections.

The company said it would resolve the issue with a free over-the-air software update.
A mother in Texas is facing a trio of capital murder charges after she allegedly stabbed five of her children, killing three of them.

The attack took place on Friday in Italy, Texas, approximately 40 miles south of Dallas.

Shamaiya Hall, 25, has been charged with three counts of capital murder and is being held on a $6m bond, according to WFAA-TV.

Child Protective Services had previously put Ms Hall's children under the guardianship of another relative. Agency officials began to suspect that Ms Hall was having unsupervised visits with her children, and so CSP workers were dispatched to her home unannounced.

The CSP officials' hunch was confirmed  Ms Hall's children were inside the house with her  but their arrival also triggered Ms Hall's alleged attacks.

She allegedly stabbed all five of her children  whose ages range from 13 months to six-years-old  killing her five-year-old twins and her oldest child, according to authorities.

Police found the bodies of the children while searching Ms Hall's home. The four-year-old and the 13-month-old were life-flighted to nearby hospitals to have their wounds treated.

"We are shocked by this incomprehensible tragedy, and already working with law enforcement to investigate how this happened, and why," CPS told WFAA.

Ms Hall has had previous violent episodes in the past; according to court documents, she was arrested in 2017 for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after she was accused of stabbing her sister's boyfriend.

Her half-sister, Troyshaye Mone Hall, was also arrested in 2021 for allegedly stabbing her seven-year-old daughter to death.

The school district in Italy, Texas, issued a statement confirming that counselors would be available on Monday.
FTX founder and former CEO Sam Bankman-Fried may be stuck using a feature phone. In a letter seen by Bloomberg, prosecutors said Bankman-Frieds lawyers had agreed to modify the terms of his bail agreement. Provided the judge overseeing the case agrees to the changes, SBF will be restricted to using a non-smartphone without internet connectivity. Unless a lawyer is present, he will also be forbidden from contacting current or former FTX and Alameda Research employees. The proposed restrictions came after Bankman-Fried allegedly attempted to contact the general counsel of FTXs US subsidiary over Signal at the start of the year. District Judge Lewis Kaplan threatened to revoke Bankman-Frieds bail and send him to jail before the start of his trial after learning the disgraced entrepreneur may have influenced potential witnesses.

Under the modified bail agreement, SBF would be allowed to use a laptop to surf the web, but his access would be filtered through a VPN that would limit him to two categories of websites. One category would include resources his defense team says are critical to his case. The other has 23 websites SBF could use to order food, read the news and watch streaming content.

 Mat Smith

The Morning After isnt just a newsletter  its also a daily podcast. Get our daily audio briefings, Monday through Friday, by subscribing right here.

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Its paused construction on its second headquarters, too.

Amazon is closing down two cashierless Go stores in New York City, two in Seattle and four in San Francisco on April 1st, according to multiple reports. Bloomberg noted these are part of Amazon's latest cost-cutting moves amid slowing sales growth. In January, the company expanded its planned job cuts from 10,000 to 18,000 positions. Company spokesperson Jessica Martin said: "We remain committed to the Amazon Go format, operate more than 20 Amazon Go stores across the US and will continue to learn which locations and features resonate most with customers."

Story continues

Continue reading.

It's the second big price cut on those models this year.

Tesla has cut the prices of its high-end Model S and Model X electric cars by $5,000 and $10,000, respectively, according to changes on its website seen by TechCrunch. It's the second time this year the company has chopped prices, so the Model X has dropped $21,000 from $120,990 at the beginning of the year to just $99,990 currently. The Model S, meanwhile, has fallen from $104,990 to $89,990 since January 1st  a steep $15,000 reduction. However, neither car qualifies for Federal Tax rebates set to expire later this month, as those only apply to SUVs priced below $80,000.

Continue reading.

Amazon offers Mar10 Day sale discounts on popular Nintendo Switch games early

If you dont already own 'Mario Kart 8 Deluxe,' its 35 percent off.

Super Mario celebration/sales opportunity, March 10th (Mar10) might not be for another few days, but thats not stopping retailers like Amazon from offering Mario Day deals early. Ahead of Friday, the company has discounted a handful of Nintendo Switch titles that feature the mustachioed plumber. For instance, Super Mario Odyssey is 33 percent off, making it $40 at the moment. Meanwhile, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is $39 currently, down from $60.

Continue reading.

A new breed of gaming handheld.

TMA

With the rise of cloud gaming, there's a newer breed of mobile machines, like the Razer Edge, trying to make things even more travel friendly. Instead of relying solely on local performance, the Edge runs Android for lightweight apps, while services like GeForce Now and Xbox Cloud gaming provide the computing power for more demanding titles. But is the Razer Edge something you really need?

Continue reading.
Thousands of automated bot accounts on Twitter have worked over the last eleven months to boost former president Donald Trump and attack his critics and 2024 competition, according to a new report.

Cyabra, an Israeli tech firm, told the Associated Press it discovered a network of fake accounts that appear to have been created within the U.S. by an unknown entity.

The bots have targeted former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley, who is running against Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, as well as Florida governor Ron DeSantis, who is widely seen as Trumps most formidable 2024 opponent despite having not yet joined the race.

Researchers say hundreds of thousands of bots across three different networks of Twitter accounts could be involved. The accounts were created in April, October and November 2022, according to the report. Researchers used patterns in an accounts profile along with its follower list and posts to identify bots, which usually post repetitive content about the same topics, according to the report.

One account will say, Biden is trying to take our guns; Trump was the best, and another will say, Jan. 6 was a lie and Trump was innocent, Cyabra engineer Jules Gross told the AP. Those voices are not people. For the sake of democracy I want people to know this is happening.

Researchers said one measure of bot impact is the number of posts about a topic by fake accounts. For an average topic, that number is in the low single digits, but nearly three-fourths of the negative posts about Haley were made by fake accounts, according to the report.

The bots have also focused on seeding the idea that DeSantis would be more fit to serve as Trumps 2024 running mate than as president.

Our understanding of what is mainstream Republican sentiment for 2024 is being manipulated by the prevalence of bots online, the Cyabra researchers concluded.

The news comes one month after a study from the New York University Center for Social Media and Politics found Russian efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election on Twitter reached relatively few users and had no measurable impact in changing minds or influencing voter behavior. Many Trump-critics and members of the mainstream media had suggested Trumps 2016 win was the result of Russian meddling and that there was a sophisticated system of bots working to turn the tide in the Republicans favor.

More from National Review
The names of the three Columbus police officers who reportedly exchanged gunfire with a 39-year-old man in the early hours of Saturday morning on the city's Northeast Side  critically wounding him in the process  have been released by the division.

Additionally, the Columbus Division of Police identified Pataskala resident Mark A. Sharpe as the man they say first opened fire at officers when they arrived outside a Westerville bar and restaurant in the 4000 block of East Dublin Granville Road.

Sharpe, who is expected to survive his injuries, has since been charged with three counts of felonious assault.

A probable cause affidavit filed in Franklin County Municipal Court identifies the address of the shooting as that of Joe's Pub & Grill, 4949 East Dublin Granville Road.

Previous coverage:Northeast Side police shooting sends man to hospital in critical condition

According Columbus police, Officers Evan Romine, Tamer Khadre and Kenneth Sauer responded just after 12:30 a.m. Saturday to the pub west of Hamilton Road after several callers reported an armed man in the parking lot was firing shots into the business.

Romine has been a police officer with the Columbus division for eight years, while Khadre and Sauer have been with the division for four years. All three are assigned to the sixth precinct, which covers Westerville.

When the three officers found the man with a gun, police said he began shooting toward them. The officers fired back at Sharpe, striking him. Nobody else was injured, and police reported recovering a gun at the scene.

Officers gave Sharpe medical aid until medics arrived and transported him to Mount Carmel East hospital in critical condition, police have said. In a news release Monday, police now say Sharpe's status has been upgraded as his injuries no longer appear to be life-threatening.

No one from Joe's Pub & Grill was available for comment immediately.

The Dispatch has filed a formal public records request for the 911 calls and the police body camera footage stemming from the shooting.

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The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is handling the investigation into the shooting and the circumstances that led to it, which is standard procedure anytime a Columbus Division of Police officer discharges a weapon.

Eric Lagatta is a reporter at The Columbus Dispatch covering public safety, with a focus on in-depth coverage of social justice issues and crime trends.

elagatta@dispatch.com

@EricLagatta

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus police ID officers who shot man outside Northeast Side bar
Three critically endangered right whales led to the closure of the Cape Cod Canal on Sunday.

Boat traffic was halted on the waterway by the Army Corps of Engineers and the US Coast Guard following the sightings.

The seven-mile Cape Cod Canal is a manmade part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway connecting Cape Cod to the Massachusetts mainland. It cuts more than 100 miles off the journey around the Cape for thousands of vessels which use it each year.

It is unclear why the North Atlantic right whales ended up in the canal but scientists told local news station WHDH that the mammals can be drawn to feed in the waters.

Dr Michael Moore, of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution on Cape Cod, told the station that, the opportunity to see these animals from the shore is a lifetime experience.

The Coast Guard said the Cape Cod Canal would remain closed overnight into Monday.

Woods Hole states that there are an estimated 340 North Atlantic right whales left, including only 80 breeding females, making it one of the worlds most endangered species.

They are typically found off the east coast of the US and Canada which makes them particularly vulnerable to entanglements with fishing boats, large vessel traffic and the climate crisis.

A north Atlantic right whale swims with dolphins (Allison Henry / NOAA)

The species is protected under the US Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and Canadas Species at Risk Act.

The right whales are critical to marine biodiversity as their feces spreads nutrients across the ocean floor and once they die, their carcasses feed other species.
Across Illinois and the nation, high school seniors are holding their breath awaiting news of their applications to Americas colleges and universities. Its a high-tension situation.

Thanks to the rise of the common application and the pandemic-fueled increase of a test-optional application choice at many schools, the numbers of students applying to prestigious institutions has exploded. If knockout test scores are no longer necessary, most students with the means to pay the admissions fee understandably figure they might as well go for lots of Hail Marys, whatever their grades.

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The University of Chicago, as one example, has an acceptance rate of only around 6%. The University of Chicago wont break down that rate in terms of regular decision applications versus fall early-decision applications (when students commit in advance if accepted, and cannot apply to competing schools).

However, a high school college counselor told us that the University of Chicago is so popular among early-decision applicants, the chances of a kid being accepted last year through a regular decision application appeared to be only around 1% to 2%. Thats a 1 in 50 or a 1 in 100 shot. Not good odds. And, of course, peer schools are comparable.

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[ Editorial: UChicago can disdain US News rankings, but costly med schools shouldnt be judging themselves ]

Compare that with the situation at Northeastern Illinois University, where Crains Chicago Business reported that just 331 full-time students enrolled in fall 2021 and, among recent full-time graduates, a stunningly low 4.5% finished within four years. The president of that school, Gloria Gibson, has been ousted by the board of trustees, which has decided not to renew her contract beyond June 30, 2023.

WBEZ framed that issue Monday mostly as one of racial discrimination and a president holding off a boards clout. In an email obtained by WBEZ, the station reported, NEIU President Gloria Gibson told a top state official that the universitys board discriminated against her based on my race and gender. Gibson also accused the two board members of trying to force her out in retaliation for her refusal to give scholarships to three ineligible students  including the wife of a board member.

Crains, by stark contrast, quoted faculty members lamenting NEIUs leadership and saying that the board of trustees failed to provide adequate oversight of Gibsons weak leadership. Crains also reported that relations began to sour when the faculty and some trustees felt she wasnt listening to their turnaround ideas, which included better connections with Chicago business and its job-training needs. The faculty grew frustrated with what it perceived as a lack of urgency to address the enrollment crisis and related budget shortfalls.

A student walks on campus at Northeastern Illinois University on March 16, 2017. (Michael Tercha / Chicago Tribune)

Whatever your point of view, the enrollment crisis and budget shortfalls are real. Both are bad news for a school that historically has served a large Latino population, as well as a sizable subset of older students needing to work and study close to home. The crisis has rightly motivated Gov. J.B. Pritzker to overhaul the NEIU board. And it sure sounds to us like time for a new president.

How can both of these situations  the one in Hyde Park and the one in North Park  be occurring at the same time?

Thats a complex question, but it begins with the out-of-control fetishization of prestigious, name-brand universities, which is far from illogical on the part of high school seniors, given salary data and how employers recruit.

Universities dont compete that much on price, so NEIU remains fairly expensive at close to $17,000 a year, even if much cheaper than the University of Chicago. Part of NEIUs problems also result from the states years of chronic disinvestment in its public universities, especially under Gov. Bruce Rauner, a situation that culminated in many Illinois students preferring to apply to out-of-state flagship schools such as the University of Michigan or the University of Virginia, both public schools that can compete with the Ivy Leagues.

We see higher education as broken at both ends of the scale. The widespread removal of the SAT or the ACT as a requirement, an absurd development in the name of equity, actually has increased the number of schools to which privileged kids apply, while overwhelming admissions offices. That makes it harder for a hugely talented poor kid to ace the SAT and escape the tyranny of low expectations.

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Add to this chaos an upcoming Supreme Court ruling on the use of race in admissions decisions. The ruling is expected this summer and could preemptively affect admissions decisions, were told. Whichever way that one goes, dissent will abound, and so will more unrest and uncertainty in the already brutal admissions process.

Meanwhile, schools doing decent jobs of training teachers, businesspeople and social workers like NEIU have been beset by the kind of senior management chaos you rarely see at top private schools. They deserve better.

NEIU, along with other state schools such as Northern Illinois, Southern Illinois, Western Illinois, Eastern Illinois and Chicago State universities, should not be wasting money on bloated administrations, especially in light of demographic changes that make enrollment more challenging. Nor should they encourage students to go into debt they are unlikely to be able to repay.

That said, U.S. high school graduates deserve a less stratified system of higher education (in what sector are the haves and have-nots more starkly revealed?), and Illinois public universities deserve the fiscal, moral and practical support of the people of Illinois.

They are where most Illinoisans get their higher education. We should demand and expect both accountability and public investment in excellence.

Join the discussion on Twitter @chitribopinions and on Facebook.

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Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.
A teen suspect has been arrested after three people were shot dead and a fourth person wounded in an apparent home invasion gone wrong in a Chicago suburb.

The deadly incident unfolded at around 8.15pm on Sunday when law enforcement were called to the 100 block of Lee Lane in Bolingbrook to a report of a possible home invasion, according to Bolingbrook Police.

Officers arrived on the scene to find four victims  two women, one man and a juvenile female  suffering from gunshot wounds.

Three of the victims  Cartez Daniels, 40; Samiya A. Shelton-Tillman, 17; and Sanai Daniels  were all pronounced dead from their injuries.

The second woman , 34-year-old Tania Stewart, was taken to a local hospital in stable condition.

Around two hours after the shooting, 17-year-old suspect Byrion Montgomery was taken into custody near his residence.

According to a signed complaint and warrant obtained by WGN from the Will County States Attorneys Office,

Mr Montgomery is now facing 13 felony charges, accordng to a warrant from the Will County States Attorneys Office, and will be tried as an adult. The charges include nine counts of first degree murder and one count each of attempted first degree murder, home invasion, aggravated battery with a firearm and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.

Mr Montgomerys bond was set at $20m and he will make his next appearance in court on Tuesday (7 March).

Investigators believe Mr Montgomery was in a relationship with Tillman, the teenage victim killed.

Byrion Montgomery, 17, is facing charges for a suspected home invasion that left three dead in Bolingbrook, Illinois (Bolingbrook Police)

A three-year-old boy and 14-year-old boy were at the home where the shooting took place but were not harmed, authorities said.

Law enforcement officials on the scene of the shooting (NBC Chicago)

The shooting comes just days after Lori Lightfoot became the first mayor in 40 years to lose a reelection bid in Chicago, at a time when the city is witnessing a surge in crime.

Ms Lightfoot, the citys first Black female mayor and first openly gay mayor, failed to get enought votes to secure a spot in the runoff election.

On Sunday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said that Ms Lightfoots loss was a warning sign for the country that Americans want their cities to be safe.

I showed up at crime scenes. I knew what New Yorkers were saying. And I saw it all over the country. I think, if anything, it is really stating that this is what I have been talking about. America, we have to be safe, Mr Adams told CNN.
(Bloomberg) -- The US is moving closer to restricting access to the popular video-sharing app TikTok, with Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner set to unveil a bill Tuesday that the Biden administration is poised to support, according to people familiar with the issue.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The measure, one of many being proposed in Congress to restrict Bytedance Ltd.s TikTok but isnt expected to pinpoint the company by name, would give the US the power to ban or prohibit foreign technologies or companies when necessary, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations.

The White House is likely to support the bill, as it would update and codify authorities granted to the Commerce Department through an existing executive order, issued under former president Donald Trump, to manage threats to information and communications technology, according to people familiar with the matter.

That approach differs from other proposals winding their way through Congress, which would allow President Joe Biden to outright ban TikTok. The Warner bill, however, could be applied to more companies and technologies, and would grant the Commerce Department the authority to scrutinize any threats and decide on remedies.

Read more: Raimondo Says Biden, Congress Seek to Blunt Risk From China Apps

Lawmakers say the measures are intended to counter security threats from apps like TikTok, which they say can be used to gather user data or as tools for propaganda. Last week, legislation authorizing the US to ban TikTok in the US advanced through the House Foreign Affairs Committee, led by Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican.

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Separately, the companys operations in the US are under investigation by the multi-agency Committee on Foreign Investment in the US, known as Cfius, which is led by the Treasury Department. The company and the Biden administration have so far been unable to reach a mitigation agreement that resolves the governments national security concerns.

Speaking on Fox News Sunday, Warner, a Virginia Democrat, had called it a broad bipartisan bill that would be co-sponsored by Republican John Thune of South Dakota.

The text of the Warner bill has yet to be released. CNBC reported earlier that it would be made public Tuesday and that Warner and Thune would hold a briefing at 3 p.m. Washington time.

ByteDance has sought to distance the service from its Chinese roots, including by hosting user data in Singapore, though threats of a ban in the US have lingered for years. President Donald Trump was nearly able to force the sale of TikToks US operations to Microsoft Corp. and Oracle Corp. before his term expired.

TikTok Hawks in Congress Weigh Options to Restrict App From US

TikTok Inc. Chief Operating Officer Vanessa Pappas said during a Senate hearing in September that the company has strict controls over access to data and where its stored, and that the company wouldnt give that data to the Chinese government.

--With assistance from Anna Edgerton.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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Sandoval and Madix at the MTV Movie & TV Awards in June. Emma McIntyre

Reports of an affair between two "Vanderpump Rules" stars are rippling across the internet  specifically TikTok.

Gossip creators are combing through reality TV archives and old social media posts for any signs of infidelity.

The drama is playing out in real-time, as fans are gleefully finding and posting new developments.

A cheating scandal between two cast members of Bravo's 10-year-old series, "Vanderpump Rules," riveted avid fans and non-viewers alike over the weekend, as TikTok sleuths have begun parsing through old footage and social media posts to keep the rumor mill flowing.

Because long-kept cheating revelations have become a touchstone of the series, which follows the lives of an intermingling group of former Los Angeles restaurant employees, some fans gleefully remarked that the aging show had "found its north star again."

The person at the center of the scandal is Tom Sandoval, a restaurant owner and aspiring musician, who is accused of cheating on his girlfriend of nine years, Ariana Madix, with another "Vanderpump" cast member, Raquel Leviss. (While Sandoval has not explicitly confirmed the rumors, he told fans that he deserved their "anger and disappointment" in an Instagram post on Saturday. Madix has since deactivated her Instagram account.)

Leviss at last year's Bravocon gathering. Santiago Felipe

When news of the alleged affair broke, people reacted loudly on social media. "Vanderpump," "Scandoval," the nickname given to the drama, and "#TeamAriana" continue to be national trending topics on Monday.

As fans eagerly await updates and scheduled press appearances from the show's stars this week, TikTok, as always, is trying to sleuth for answers on its own. Gossip and commentary channels have sprung into action, looking for past signs of infidelity and speculating about the fallout in real-time.

Here are all the signs of apparent infidelity that TikTokers believe they've unearthed

On Sunday, user @fernannduhh sought to prove a Reddit rumor that Sandoval and Leviss wore matching lightning bolt necklaces throughout their affair as a secret signal to each other. The TikToker combed through both stars' respective Instagram histories to find photos where they both were, in fact, wearing lightning bolt necklaces.

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"So gross," @fernannduhh said in a video that's gained 167,000 views.

Surprisingly, that's not the only article of clothing that the two allegedly shared. Former journalist and TikToker @coccacocca noted that same day that Leviss wore a sweatshirt of one of Sandoval's restaurants, TomTom, to the BravoCon convention last year. Sandoval was then seen wearing the same sweatshirt later that month when he dressed up as Leviss for Halloween.

People also dug up video evidence from Sandoval's Instagram account when he attended a Miss California pageant to cheer on Leviss, who was competing. "So cringe looking back at these two," wrote the TikToker Kathryn Raymond.

Commenters underneath the video claim they can also hear Sandovol saying "thanks" to someone who could be heard calling Leviss "gorgeous."

Finally, Sami Sage, the founder of the media company Betches, took a deep dive into the "Vanderpump Rules" archives to try to show Sandoval's questionable behavior in past seasons. Sage called the TikTok series "infidelity tells."

In one clip where Sandoval was confronted by his then-girlfriend Kristen Doute about cheating on her with Madix, he's seen avoiding and deflecting her questioning. In another clip, friends of Doute claim Sandoval had told Madix he was single when he was still in a relationship with Doute.

Leviss has also been the subject of the internet's ire. In one TikTok with 1 million views, for instance, the user @PrincestonGirl818 claimed that their husband had gone to high school with Leviss, and that their high school yearbook showed Leviss' real first name was actually Rachel.

Many commenters took the change to be duplicitous. "It's giving Hilaria," the top comment reads.

There are also several blind items about incidents that transpired during and after Madix learned about the affair, which have quickly snowballed across TikTok.

One unverified report that originated on the gossip account Deux Moi claimed that another cast member, Scheana Shay, punched Leviss in the face when she heard the news while the two were on a press trip in New York City, giving Leviss a black eye.

"I DO NOT condone violence," said the TikToker @StephWithDaDeets, who quickly took to the app to discuss. "I'm just relaying the news."

Deux Moi also shared a submission from someone claiming to have insight into Leviss' crisis PR strategy in the wake of the scandal. According to the blind item, which has been plastered all over TikTok, Leviss has plans to break up with Sandoval and attack him for screenshotting a sexual encounter they shared on FaceTime. Leviss then planned to go on an "apology tour."

But user @StarringHeather  who has been watching and recounting all of these events as they unfold  isn't convinced that's a sound strategy.

"Her apology doesn't mean anything to anyone," the TikToker told 11,000 viewers on Sunday. "Even if she does apologize, that's not gonna help her image. What's done is done."

Read the original article on Insider
The Matterhorn's jagged outline on Toblerone packaging will be replaced with a more modern and streamlined design. Ben Gabbe/Getty Images

Toblerone is set to drop the iconic image of Switzerland's Matterhorn mountain from its packaging.

That's because Mondelez, its US parent company, is moving some Toblerone production to Slovakia.

Switzerland has laws regulating the use of national symbols and products claiming to be Swiss made.

Six years after a heavily criticized modification to the shape of its chocolate bars, Toblerone is set to make yet another change  this time, it's looking to drop the iconic image of the Matterhorn mountain from its chocolate packaging.

Mondelez International Inc., the US parent company that owns the chocolate brand is moving some of Toblerone's production to Slovakia  which means the chocolate may not meet Switzerland's legal definition of "Swissness," according to Aargauer Zeitung, a Swiss media outlet that first reported the news on Friday.

Legislation to protect "Swissness" came into force in 2017. Now, Swiss law dictates that any food item marketing itself as being "made in Switzerland" must source at least 80% of its raw ingredients from the country

Milk and dairy products labeled "made in Switzerland" need to source 100% of their raw materials from the country  although there are exceptions for raw materials that cannot be produced in Switzerland  such as cocoa, most of which comes from Africa.

The law also covers the use of Swiss symbols, including those that indicate geographical territory.

Toblerone's new design will feature a "modernized and streamlined" logo instead of the Matterhorn's jagged outline, Mondelez International told Insider in a statement on Monday. The Matterhorn debuted on Toblerone's packaging in 1970, according to its brand page.

The redesign will also include the signature of its founder, Theodor Tober, on its packaging and will still feature its "hidden bear," the company added.

But it's dropping "made in Switzerland" from the packaging. "We'll relaunch the Toblerone packaging from this summer, saying the brand was 'established in Switzerland,'" Livia Kolmitz, a spokesperson for Mondelez, told Reuters.

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"For legal reasons, we have to adapt our packaging to the Swissness legislation and, among other things, remove the Swissness notice on the front of the Toblerone pack," said Mondelez in its statement. But the company will still produce some chocolate bars in the Swiss capital of Bern, the snack-food giant added.

The imminent change to Toblerone's packaging comes after its controversial move in 2016 to reduce the weight of the bars in the UK by making the gaps between each triangular chocolate "peak" more prominent to cut costs. It reversed the move less than two years later.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Vanderpump Rules star Tom Sandoval has broken his silence on social media after his split with Ariana Madix.

TODAY.com can confirm the couple have parted ways after nine years together, a split that comes amid allegations he cheated on Madix with a co-star.

Vanderpump Rules - Season 10 (Bravo / Todd Williamson/Bravo via Getty )

On March 4, Sandoval shared a statement on Instagram, which addressed the rumors and asked for fans to leave out his restaurants, TomTom and Schwartz & Sandy's, for the benefit of his business partners and staff.

Hey, I fully understand and deserve ur anger & disappointment towards me, but please leave Schwartz my friends and family out of this situation, he wrote, referring to his friend and business partner, Tom Schwartz. Schwartz specifically only found out about this very recently, and most definitely did not condone my actions. This was a very personal thing.

Sandoval added, Schwartz & Sandys might have my name on it, but also there are 3 other partners and 20 employees, who especially rely on the restaurant for income for them and their families. Just like TomTom, Im a small part of a much bigger thing.

I will be taking a step back & taking a hiatus out of respect for my employees & partners, he concluded. I need some time to address everything else. Sorry for everything.

A representative for Madix declined to comment to TODAY.com.

The cocktail lounge Schwartz & Sandys also released a statement on Saturday on Instagram, thanking fans for their support but also acknowledging the outpouring of outrage directed toward the business.

Those of us who are not famous have dedicated our time, hearts and money to make this restaurant a reality, the statement read in part. We too are disappointed by the current situation, as Ariana has always been a good friend and a great supporter of the restaurant. We appreciate you may feel a certain way, but please understand that the livelihoods of others also depend on this business.

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The 'Vanderpump Rules' cast reacts

Since news broke of Sandovals alleged cheating, current and past cast members of Vanderpump Rules spoke out on social media in support of Madix.

Lala Kent shared several Instagram stories that addressed her past feuds with Sandoval. She also shared a video talking to the camera about the situation and encouraged fans who went to Sandovals recent show to chant Ariana from the crowd.

This is so fun. I usually dont get involved in the Instagram s--t, but now Im activated, Kent said, adding that she got permission from Madix to speak out. Blowtorch. Gasoline. Grenade launcher. Its all ready."

Kent also shared Sandovals statement in another Instagram story, writing in part, Wheres Arianas apology in this? its called narcissism."

Kristen Doute, who previously dated Sandoval from 2007 to 2013, shared several Instagram stories on the topic and weighed in on the split, writing that she was #TeamAriana 25/8.

I dont know why I feel like I need to make this clear, but there are so many people right now wondering if this is making me happy and you guysAriana and I have been really good friends for many, many years now, Doute said in another story. So, I am Team Ariana all day, everyday. Thats whats up.

She also shared a sweet video with Madix, which she then posted as an Instagram Reel. In the clip, she said, I stan ArianaI love you so much.

I  Ariana. PERIOD, she wrote in the caption.

James Kennedy, who was previously engaged to Raquel Leviss, according to People, also weighed in on social media. On Instagram, he shared a screenshot of an article from TMZ first reporting the split.

Kennedy wrote in the caption, "Hope you all feel as sick as I do. This explains everything."

Katie Maloney also re-shared Sandovals statement in an Instagram story, adding commentary similar to Kent. Maloney is the ex-wife of Sandoval's business partner, Tom Schwartz, according to People.

Wheres the mention of hurting Ariana?! Maloney said. No apologies to her?

Erika van Olphen, the mother of "Vanderpump Rules" star Scheana Shay, shared multiple posts in support of Madix, including a frame that included a photo of her with text that read, Shes beauty and grace! I love you so much Ariana!

She also shared a photo of Madix, Shay, Maloney, and Kent and added several stickers to the frame including one that read Stronger Together along with the hashtag #TeamAriana.

Erika van Olphen's Instagram story (@erikavanolphen / Instagram )

These ladies have been through a lot over the years and when need be they put differences aside to come together and support each other no matter what, van Olphen added.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
Jurors acquitted a man Monday on one count linked to the 2021 killing of 16-year-old Emmanuel "Manny" Torres, shown here.

Jurors acquitted a man charged with a 2021 Topeka homicide of one criminal count Monday.

A mistrial was declared on two other charges he faced, as jurors remained deadlocked on those.

Clint William Eugene Smith Jr., 24, was found not guilty of intentional and premeditated first-degree murder linked to the fatal April 2021 shooting near S.E. 6th and Chandler of Emmanuel "Manny" Torres, 16.

A mistrial was declared Monday because jurors remained deadlocked on the two other charges Smith faced, of first-degree murder in the commission of a felony and the criminal discharge of a firearm at an occupied vehicle.

Smith's trial began last Monday and went to the jury early Friday afternoon.

After learning about 5:30 p.m. Friday that jurors were divided, 7-5  with some jurors on both sides appearing adamant that they wouldn't change their mind  Shawnee County District Court Judge Brett Watson had ordered jurors to return to court Monday and keep trying to reach verdicts.

The one "not guilty" verdict was rendered and the mistrial announced on the other two counts early Monday afternoon.

DA: Homicide resulted from drug transaction

Torres died as the result of a drug transaction, Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay said in 2021.

He was fatally shot in retaliation while riding in a vehicle that was leaving the area where a robbery had just been committed, court records said.

"In this case, the state's evidence showed that the defendant had pawned a specific handgun numerous times shortly before and after the homicide occurred," said a court document signed by Deputy District Attorney Will Manly.

That gun was found to have been used to fatally shot Torres, that document said.

Smith gave that gun to his then-attorney, Joe Huerter, who turned it over to police in order to comply with Kansas Rules of Professional Conduct, which ban lawyers from unlawfully obstructing someone else's access to evidence, court records said.

Smith, a 2017 graduate of Topeka West High School, insisted that he wasn't at the homicide scene, his mother, Carrie Smith, told The Capital-Journal on Monday.

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Kagays office has the option of refiling the two charges that resulted in the mistrial. A criminal assignment docket hearing in the case was scheduled for March 23.

Contact Tim Hrenchir at tim.hrenchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934,

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Jury acquits Topeka murder case defendant on 1 count, is hung on 2 others
Crosley Green and his attorneys have until the end of the month to convince a federal court judge in Orlando that he should remain free.

Just a few days after the U.S. Supreme Court announced on February 27 that it would not consider Green's case, U.S. District Court Judge Roy B. Dalton ordered both Green and the State of Florida to file briefs by March 31 addressing whether Greens release should be modified or rescinded.

Green served 32 years in prison and has been on conditional release since April 2021. His conviction was overturned by the very same Judge Dalton in 2018. The court found that Brevard County prosecutors withheld witness interview notes that said the first two responding law enforcement officers told the prosecutor that they concluded the victims ex-girlfriendnot Greencommitted the crime.

Crosley Green has treasured his time with his family. His great niece Blayke Jonathas walked up to him during and after the press event. A press conference was held at the Holiday Inn in Titusville on February 27 after the U.S. Supreme Court will not hear the case of Crosley Green, who has spent 32 years behind bars. He has fought for his innocence since being convicted of a murder in 1989.

But the state appealed and won when the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals agreed that the notes should have been turned over but said they were immaterial to the case. This prompted Green's attorneys to appeal (unsuccessfully) to the U.S. Supreme Court.

But, showing why Green should remain free should be easy.

There is literally nothing the state can say here to argue for Green's reincarceration other than to continue punishment for punishment's sake. Even if the deluded believe this innocent man is guilty of killing Charles "Chip" Flynn in 1989, then he has already served more than 30 years, has been eligible for parole and was initially offered a plea deal of seven years.

More:Torres: Time for Florida's law and order governor to live up to his billing

More:Torres: Nearly out of options, an extraordinary man continues to believe in justice | Opinion

What can Crosley Green's lawyers argue?

Well how about in more than 30 years in prison Green has zero infractions. None, nada, zilch. How about the fact that the prison warden himself wrote up and signed an affidavit on Green's behalf stating in essence that he wished all of this inmates were like Green. How about the two correctional officers who testified on Green's behalf years ago in a Brevard County courtroom. How about the two responding officers who continue to give witness to the fact they believed Green had nothing to do with the crime.

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How about the fact that Green could be just another in the line of wrongful convictions perpetrated by the prosecutor's office in Brevard County in the 1980s, highlighted by Juan Ramos, William Dillon and Wilton Dedge.

Since being released on house arrest, Crosley has been a model citizen. He attends church, has gotten a driver's license, works full-time and even made such an impression at his steel manufacturing job that his boss sent these comments to be read at a recent press conference about him:

Among the supporters for Crosley Green, in center, are Wilton Dedge and William Dillon, who both served decades in prison for crimes they were later found innnocent of , and released. A press conference was held at the Holiday Inn in Titusville on February 27 after the U.S. Supreme Court will not hear the case of Crosley Green, who has spent 32 years behind bars. He has fought for his innocence since being convicted of a murder in 1989.

"Crosley is dependable, very dedicated and always on time. He is well-liked by his fellow employees because he's considerate, friendly and has a great sense of humor. Given the skills that Mr. Green has developed, it would be a hardship for my company to try and replace him."

We are not revealing the name of Green's employer for security reasons.

There is more.

Mr. Green has been thriving since his conditional release in 2021," said Keith J. Harrison, Crowell & Moring partner and counsel to Green. "He has a family who loves him, has become very integrated in his church, and is very successful in his full-time employment. Every day that Mr. Green is free is a day that he can spend with his family, and it is another day we can continue the fight to keep his freedom. Ultimately, we are hoping that the State of Florida will agree that no one is served by returning Mr. Green to prison."

Green's lawyers, who have worked the case pro bono for 13 years, were pleased to learn of Judge Dalton's request as they continue urgent efforts to fight for Greens freedom in the wake of the Supreme Court decision. One of the options they have discussed is to seek clemency from Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Kenneth Nunn, proferssor of law at University of Florida Levin College of Law. A press conference was held at the Holiday Inn in Titusville on February 27 after the U.S. Supreme Court will not hear the case of Crosley Green, who has spent 32 years behind bars. He has fought for his innocence since being convicted of a murder in 1989.

University of Florida law professor emeritus Kenneth Nunn called Green "the walking incarnation of what Christian faith is supposed to be."

"He is an example for his community, he is an example for the youth, he is an example for all of us," Nunn said. "Look at the good he will do in the community, in a town like Titusville where there are people who are feeling the hardship of life, where he can provide teaching and guidance and help steer them away from a life of crime. Wouldn't that be a better use of the years that this man has left?"

Again the only argument the state can make is that they want to continue punishing Green. But even if they do, don't expect to hear an angry word from Green's mouth.

"If it had been me and I endured all the things Crosley Green has endured in this case, sitting in prison for a crime I did not do, I would be bitter," Nunn said. "But he is not bitter because you cannot survive for 30 years on bitterness."

Contact Torres at 321-242-3684 or at jtorres@floridatoday.com. You can follow him on Twitter @johnalbertorres or on Facebook at facebook.com/FTjohntorres.

Support local journalism and become a subscriber. Visit floridatoday.com/subscribe

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Torres: Arguing for Crosley Green to remain free is easy | Opinion
Photo Illustration by Thomas Levinson/The Daily Beast/SDHEC/EPA/WCNC

For more than two years, their dogs have grown sick, their headaches have persisted, and the same acrid smell has sullied the air. Residents near Catawba, South Carolina, say a paper mill part-owned by billionaire Robert Kraft continues to make them miserable, despite a series of lawsuits, media scrutiny, and government intervention.

Im just disgusted with everything, said Kerri Bishop, who has organized social media pushback against the plant. I know at least probably 20 people that have moved, the vast majority of whom were at least partially motivated by the emissions. Bishop tried to move herself, but the sale process fell through.

The Daily Beast first wrote about the Catawba plant in July 2021, at which point locals had submitted more than 20,000 complaints to South Carolinas Department of Health and Environmental Control.

We feel like were being poisoned and gassed in our homes, one former resident, Karen Reilly, said at the time. Reilly has since uprooted her family to escape the stench; the vertigo, vomiting, and headaches have disappeared, but her kids miss their old friends.

Karen Reilly and her daughters. Courtesy Karen Reilly

Some who remain in the area still worry about their exposure.

Quite a few people have had pets take a sudden decline in health, to the point that they have had to be put down, said one resident, speaking on condition of anonymity over concerns about angering New Indys business-friendly advocates. A couple of months ago our dog had a seizure at about the exact same time a neighbor's dog did, on a really stinky [New Indy] day.

Krafts namesake firm co-owns New Indy with Schwarz Partners, a packaging firm based in Indiana. New Indy acquired the Catawba mill for roughly $300 million on Dec. 31, 2018. Soon, it shifted from making bleached paper products to containerboard used to create boxes for e-commerce companies and other buyers.

Residents say the conversion dramatically worsened their quality of life. Last months train derailment in Ohio has them further on edge, despite the distance and very different circumstances. In Ohio, theyre saying the best indicator of exposure is the odor, Bishop said. So if were smelling something for two years, thats a problem.

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A spokesperson for the Kraft Group declined to comment.

Federal and state officials have sought to address the concerns. In November, a federal court approved a consent decree filed by the Environmental Protection Agency, saying it resolved allegations that the plant was causing an imminent and substantial endangerment to public health or welfare or the environment. The decree included $1.1 million in penalties and forced the company to comply with additional stipulations.

EPA Regional Director Daniel Blackman celebrated the decision in a statement, writing, Thanks to EPAs swift action, the facility has not had an exceedance of the health-based standard for [hydrogen sulfide] since September 2021.

Roughly a week later, the Department of Health and Environmental Control announced its own consent order, which also declared that hydrogen sulfide concentrations had significantly declined due to improvements being made by New Indy. Officials warned that residents might never be happy, writing that [f]acilities like paper mills can emit odors even when operating in full compliance with all applicable standards, laws, and regulations.

The governmental cheerleading has only further incensed locals who insist the issues have not been resolved. They are also upset that New Indy has until June 2025 to install a new steam stripper to filter out contaminants.

The consent decree lets them keep doing what theyre doing, and lets the EPA say, Yep, we handled it, claimed one aggrieved resident, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Another angry constituent said the authorities have been as useless as tits on a boar hog.

The EPA is, in fact, monitoring the situation. In December, it released a report alleging that New Indy may have committed 19 violations dating back several years. The report asserted that the company may not be in compliance with the Clean Air Act and state regulations. Additionally, it said, the plants activity may have significantly increased emissions of compounds like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.

Kerri Bishop. Courtesy Kerri Bishop

Dissatisfied with the governments response, multiple residents have filed lawsuits hoping the courts will enforce harsher reforms. The most recent, filed just last month, claims that the mill discharges millions of gallons of inadequately treated wastewater per day to the Catawba River, affecting potentially over one million citizens, residents, and workers in South Carolina and North Carolina.

The complaint alleges that New Indy has violated federal law and that the plaintiffs have suffered anxiety about possible adverse health effects and have been forced to stop using the Catawba watershed for recreational activities. (Sampling conducted by the state in 2021 found that water quality had not been affected, though some residents remain skeptical. New Indy has also pushed back on some of the allegations. In October, the company denied the baseless accusations that dioxin is seeping into the Catawba River from the mill property.)

In an effort to improve its reputation, New Indy created an entire tab on its website dedicated to misconceptions and misinformation. It blames the hydrogen sulfide emissions on the plants previous owners, who it asserts minimally maintained the wastewater treatment system. The company also stresses that it has taken corrective actions, costing millions of dollars, to reduce emissions and to improve communication with the local community.

Some arent sold. I personally dont think they took the issue seriously, said Jim Stover, who recently moved away from the area, in part because of the plant. They did their best to deflect the issue, saying they did everything they could. In reality very little was done to truly address the concerns of those affected by their negligence.

Scott Stevens, who previously got nosebleeds he attributed to the mill, said the smell has become less frequent. Other towns, he noted, seem to have it worse.

Bishop, who has lived in the area for more than six years, is appealing directly to Robert Kraft for a solution. Spend some of your billions and lets get this going, she said.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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The stationmaster charged in Greece's deadliest train crash allegedly directed the two trains traveling in opposite directions onto the same track. Also in the news: Highlights from Donald Trump and Nikki Haley's speeches at CPAC and disability rights activist Judy Heumann has died at 75.

 I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Watching the "Last of Us" and starting to think I need a survival kit.

Here we go with Monday's headlines.

Stationmaster in Greece train crash charged

A stationmaster accused of causing Greeces deadliest train disaster was charged with negligent homicide and jailed pending trial Sunday, while Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis apologized for any responsibility Greeces government may bear for the tragedy. Mitsotakis said last week the crash resulted from tragic human error," launching opposition parties to accuse the prime minister of trying to cover up the states role and making the inexperienced stationmaster a scapegoat. At least 57 people, many of them in their teens and 20s, were killed when a northbound passenger train and a southbound freight train collided late Tuesday north of the city of Larissa, in central Greece. Read more

U.S. train safety: Second Norfolk Southern train derailment in Ohio shines congressional spotlight on rail industry.

Protesters shout towards gas-throwing riot police during a massive demonstration in Athens on March 5, 2023, following the deadly train accident late on February 28. - The toll from Greece's worst rail accident rose to 57 victims after a head-on collision blamed on "human error", that has sparked angry protests.

Trump at CPAC says indictment wouldn't push him out of 2024 race

During his visit to this year's Conservative Political Action Conference, former President Donald Trump made clear he would stay in the 2024 race even if prosecutors in Atlanta and/or Washington, D.C., bring charges against him over efforts to reverse his 2020 election loss. "I wont even think about leaving, Trump told reporters before a CPAC speech in which he attacked the "establishment" of Democrats and Republicans, and accused prosecutors of seeking to derail his presidential bid. Probably, itll enhance my numbers," Trump added. Read more

Story continues

More from CPAC: Donald Trump and Nikki Haley were there, but Ron DeSantis and Mike Pence weren't.

Haley used her CPAC stage to attack President Joe Biden and "socialist" Democrats.

More news to know now

 What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

Senate revisits Equal Rights Amendment after 40 years

Decades after Congress set in motion the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, the movement to solidify equality under the law is gaining new life on Capitol Hill.

What is the ERA? The Equal Rights Amendment states: "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex."

This isn't already law? Nope. Congress first approved a resolution formally proposing the amendment in 1972, triggering the requirement that 38 states ratify it before enshrinement to the U.S. Constitution. Lawmakers set a seven-year deadline for the ratification process, then extended it by another three years.

Only 35 states adopted the amendment by the extended 10-year deadline. But in 2020, Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the amendment, meeting the threshold required but doing so nearly four decades after the deadline lapsed.

The House in 2020 and 2021 voted to remove the expired deadline to ratify the amendment after the 38-state threshold had been met, but the Justice Department under former President Donald Trump's administration claimed it would not be possible because the deadline expired.

 Now, lawmakers are considering a joint resolution that would repeal a deadline to ratify the ERA so that it can be enshrined in the Constitution.

A woman holds up a sign as members of Congress and representatives of women's groups hold a rally to mark the 40th anniversary of congressional passage of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) outside the U.S. Capitol March 22, 2012 in Washington, DC.

Winter weather update: Teen hikers rescued in Southern California amid massive snow

Two teenage hikers were rescued after days stuck in the Southern California mountains, according to a family member. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department dispatched a helicopter to track down the two teenagers. According to Cesar Ramirez, his 17-year-old son and friend had planned a 10-day trek but were stranded in the mountains east of Los Angeles after the storm brought a foot-load of snow. Theyve told us, We were already convinced we were going to die, said Ramirez, of Cypress, California, The Associated Press reported Saturday. Click here to read more winter weather updates from across the nation.

Snow in Hawaii? ''It has been a long time'' since this much snow was seen on a Hawaii volcano.

A crew of inmate firefighters walk back to their vehicle after shoveling and clearing snow after a series of winter storms in the San Bernardino Mountains in Southern California on March 3, 2023 in Crestline, California.

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These articles are for USA TODAY subscribers. You can sign up here.

Renowned disability rights activist Judy Heumann dies at 75

Judy Heumann, a renowned activist who helped secure legislation protecting the rights of disabled people, has died at age 75. Heumann, who lost her ability to walk at age 2 after contracting polio, has been called the mother of the disability rights movement for her longtime advocacy on behalf of disabled people through protests and legal action, her website says. She lobbied for legislation that eventually led to the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Rehabilitation Act. Read more about Heumann's life and legacy.

Airlines need to stop treating mobility equipment as luggage, disabled traveler says.

Women's History Month: Jeannette Rankin was elected to Congress before women had the right to vote.

Judy Heumann, right, and Ed Roberts, left, director of the California State Department of Rehabilitation, take part in a news conference on Oct. 21, 1982 in Washington.

 Photo of the day: 2023 Independent Spirit Awards 

"Everything Everywhere All at Once" dominated the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards Saturday, sweeping the major categories with seven awards. Oscar-nominated Michelle Yeoh was emotional accepting the best lead performance award in the gender-neutral awards. The cast and crew of "Everything Everywhere" also won for best feature. Click here for more photos from the ceremony.

Jamie Lee Curtis and Michelle Yeoh, winners of the Best Feature award for Everything Everywhere All at Once pose in the press room during the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards.

One more thing

Washington State center Bella Murekatete celebrates after the Cougars beat UCLA in the final of the Pac-12 women's basketball tournament.

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com or follow along with her musings on Twitter. Support journalism like this  subscribe to USA TODAY here.

Associated Press contributed reporting.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Greece train crash, CPAC, abortion, winter weather: Daily Briefing
Cats inside a carrier wait to travel in an airport. X-rayed cat not pictured. Prapass Pulsub/Getty Images

A traveler at a Virginia airport accidentally sent their cat through an X-ray machine.

The bright orange X-ray scan shows the cat crouching in its carrier, with its bones and organs visible.

A TSA spokesperson reminded travelers to take their pets out of their carriers during checks.

A passenger at Virginia's Norfolk International Airport accidentally put their pet cat through an X-ray scan  committing what the TSA called a "cat-astrophic mistake."

The passenger left the cat in its travel carrying case at the airport on Friday morning, TSA spokesperson Lisa Farbstein tweeted.

The cat was then X-rayed, and the machine produced a vivid, orange image showing it crouching in its carrier, its bones and internal organs visible in the scan.

"Just when you thought it was safe to bring your pet cat on a trip," Farbstein tweeted.

Farbstein added a warning in her tweet for people traveling with pets.

"Attention pet owners: Please do not send your pet through the X-ray unit. Cat-astrophic mistake!" she tweeted.

Lisa Farbstein, TSA Spokesperson (@TSA_Northeast) March 3, 2023

The TSA said in an Instagram post on Friday that there are other ways to bring a pet through security checkpoints. The recommended method is to pick the pet up and walk through a regular scanner with it.

"You need to let the cat out of the bag during security screening," the TSA wrote on Instagram.

"Are you worried you have an escape artist on your hands?" the TSA added. "Speak with our officers about alternative screening options, which could include private screening."

Farbstein told The Washington Post in February that "no living creature, human or animal, needs to be exposed to X-rays they don't need."

The TSA's Instagram account documents various occasions where pets have shown up in X-ray scans. In January, the TSA posted a video of a four-foot-long boa constrictor curled up in a passenger's carry-on bag.

Farbstein and representatives at the Norfolk International Airport did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.

Read the original article on Insider
Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson greets his supporters during his election victory celebration at the Marriott Marquis Chicago hotel on April 4, 2023. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

Chicago mayoral candidates Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas rolled out more endorsements Monday as they continue jostling over Black political support.

In the morning, Johnson stood with fellow West Sider U.S. Rep. Danny Davis to announce the progressive Cook County commissioners first endorsement from a politician who initially backed Mayor Lori Lightfoot before she was knocked out of the race on Feb. 28.

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Later Monday afternoon, Vallas unveiled an endorsement from 6th Ward Ald. Roderick Sawyer, a former candidate in the mayors race who also didnt make the runoff last week.

The dueling announcements from an established Black congressman and the son of Eugene Sawyer, the second Black mayor of Chicago, portend an intense rush between Johnson and Vallas to secure endorsements from elected officials and other leaders in Chicagos Black community. They also reflect the ways the Black political establishments support may splinter in the coming election.

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Mayoral candidate Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson, center, greets people in the Loop after being endorsed by U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, left, on March 6, 2023. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

Ald. Roderick Sawyer announces his endorsement of mayoral candidate Paul Vallas at the Vallas campaign headquarters on March 6, 2023. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)

I am proud to be here this morning standing by my neighbor, my friend, my comrade, in efforts to make Chicago a better city, Davis said at a morning news conference under the Harold Washington Library CTA station L tracks. He called Johnson fair-minded, meaning that he will represent every part of the city of Chicago. He is well prepared being a Chicago Public Schools teacher, which means that he is educated, but hes also a father.

Meanwhile, Sawyer said Chicago doesnt need another mayor who has to learn on the job. He said that through the many candidates forum stages they shared, he found that Vallas most reflected his vision for the city.

Chicago is at an inflection point, Sawyer said. We have a chance to do some really big things. But first, we need to put the right leadership in place. I say Paul Vallas is the right leader for this moment.

Davis did not bite on questions about the tension within the Black political establishment as surrogates for both candidates are making calls for endorsements. He merely said: Well, you know, Chicago, being the city that it is, having developed and emerged the way its constituted, the mayor has to reach out to all segments of the city.

Johnson, meanwhile, bristled at the mention that he lost all 16 majority-Black wards to Lightfoot and said, Im in the runoff.

This is not about securing the Black vote alone, Johnson said. This is about making sure that the city of Chicago can grow together. Thats been the problem with politics in Chicago for too long, quite frankly, that we have isolated people. Black people on this side, white people on this side, Asian people on this side. This is one Chicago.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  Tribal leaders, scientists and conservation advocates buried Southern California's most famous mountain lion Saturday in the mountains where the big cat once roamed.

After making his home in the urban Griffith Park  home of the Hollywood Sign  for the past decade, P-22 became a symbol for California's endangered mountain lions and their decreasing genetic diversity. The mountain lion's name comes from being the 22nd puma in a National Park Service study.

The death of the cougar late last year set off a debate between the tribes in the Los Angeles area and wildlife officials over whether scientists could keep samples of the mountain lion's remains for future testing and research.

Some representatives of the Chumash, Tataviam and Gabrielino (Tongva) peoples argued that samples taken during the necropsy should be buried with the rest of his body in the ancestral lands where he spent his life. Some tribal elders said keeping the specimens for scientific testing would be disrespectful to their traditions. Mountain lions are regarded as relatives and considered teachers in LA's tribal communities.

Tribal representatives, wildlife officials and others discussed a potential compromise in recent weeks, but a consensus was not reached before P-22 was buried in an unspecified location in the Santa Monica Mountains on Saturday.

While we have done everything we could to keep the carcass intact, the Tribes and agencies involved are still working toward a conclusion about some of the samples, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a statement Monday. What is important to understand is that the Tribes and agencies involved all agreed on moving forward with the burial and it was a moving ceremony. We have come to a better place of understanding and we look forward to continued growth from this place.

It was not clear whether the unspecified samples might also be buried with the animal in the future or if the tribes have agreed to let scientists keep some specimens for additional testing.

Story continues

Saturday's traditional tribal burial included songs, prayers and sage smoke cleansings, according to Alan Salazar, a tribal member of the Fernandeno Tataviam Band of Mission Indians and a descendent of the Chumash tribe.

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, where the cougar's remains had been kept in a freezer before the burial, called the burial a historically significant ceremony.

The death of P-22 has affected all of us and he will forever be a revered icon and ambassador for wildlife conservation, the museum said in a statement Monday.

Salazar, who attended the ceremony, said he believes P-22's legacy will help wildlife officials and scientists realize the importance of being respectful to animals going forward.

Beth Pratt, the California executive director for the National Wildlife Federation who also attended the ceremony, wrote on Facebook that the burial  helped me achieve some measure of peace as she grieves the animal's death.

I can also imagine P-22 at peace now, with such a powerful and caring send-off to the next place, she wrote. As we laid him to rest, a red-tailed hawk flew overhead and called loudly, perhaps there to help him on his journey.

Los Angeles and Mumbai are the worlds only major cities where large cats have been a regular presence for years  mountain lions in one, leopards in the other  though pumas began roaming the streets of Santiago, Chile, during pandemic lockdowns.

Wildlife officials believe P-22 was born about 12 years ago in the western Santa Monica Mountains but left because of his father's aggression and his own struggle to find a mate amid a dwindling population. That drove the cougar to cross two heavily traveled freeways and migrate east to Griffith Park, where a wildlife biologist captured him on a trail camera in 2012.

His journey over the freeways inspired a wildlife crossing over a Los Angeles-area highway that will allow big cats and other animals safe passage between the mountains and wildlands to the north. The bridge broke ground in April.

P-22 was captured last December in a residential backyard following dog attacks. Examinations revealed a skull fracture  the result of being hit by a car  and chronic illnesses including a skin infection and diseases of the kidneys and liver. The citys cherished big cat was euthanized five days later.

Los Angeles celebrated his life last month at the Greek Theater in Griffith Park in a star-studded memorial that featured musical performances, tribal blessings, speeches about the importance of P-22s life and wildlife conservation, and a video message from Gov. Gavin Newsom.

To honor the place where the animal made his home among the city's urban sprawl, a boulder from Griffith Park was brought to the gravesite in the Santa Monica Mountains and placed near P-22's grave, Salazar said.
A person died Sunday while trying to walk across a stretch of Interstate 95 in Volusia County, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

Around 8:30 p.m., troopers responded to I-95 south of Granada Boulevard near Ormond Beach.

At the scene, investigators determined that a pedestrian had been struck by a Toyota Camry on the southbound side of the interstate at mile marker 268.

READ: Pedestrian killed after being struck by at least two vehicles in Volusia County, troopers say

Additional details released by FHP indicated that the person was walking east across I-95 when they were hit by the Toyota as it traveled in the center lane.

Troopers said the pedestrian entered into the direct path of the car and the impact caused fatal injuries.

READ: Alligator euthanized after biting Volusia County mans leg in his front yard

The driver of the Camry, 25, of Michigan, was not hurt and remained at the crash scene, FHP said.

His passenger, 24, was transported to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach where she was treated for minor injuries, troopers said.

READ: Person walking on I-4 struck and killed by car near DeLand, troopers say

Stay with WFTV.com and watch Eyewitness News for updates on this story.

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.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center on March 4, 2023 in National Harbor, Maryland. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Some GOP lawmakers are reportedly eyeing raising the retirement age for Social Security to 70.

Trump bashed the idea at CPAC, saying the program should be kept as is.

Trump has previously called out Republicans for considering cuts to the program in debt ceiling talks.

Former President Donald Trump is once again blasting his own party for discussing changes to Social Security.

During the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC)  an annual three-day conference that brings conservative figures to Washington, DC  Trump took to the stage to criticize Republican lawmakers who are eyeing changes to Social Security that would make benefits more difficult to access.

Independent Sen. Angus King and Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy are reportedly eyeing raising the retirement age to 70 as part of their plan to reform Social Security. While both lawmakers signaled the plan is not final yet and would not result in any cuts to Americans relying on the program's benefits, Trump bashed the idea of raising the retirement age during his CPAC remarks.

"We're not going back to people that want to destroy our great Social Security system, even some in our own party, I wonder who that might be, that want to raise the minimum age of Social Security to 70, 75, or even 80 in some cases, and that are out to cut Medicare to a level that it will no longer be recognizable," Trump said. "And when that was their original though, that's what they always come back to."

This isn't the first time the former president cautioned the GOP against touching those two programs. In January, Trump said in a video message that "under no circumstances should Republicans vote to cut a single penny from Medicare or Social Security."

"Cut waste, fraud and abuse everywhere that we can find it and there is plenty, there's plenty of it," he continued. "But do not cut the benefits our seniors worked for and paid for their entire lives. Save Social Security, don't destroy it."

Story continues

As Trump referenced, some Republican lawmakers had previously expressed the intent to cut Medicare and Social Security as a way to cut spending overall. These issues regained prominence as the House GOP began floating ways to raise the debt ceiling and keep the US on top of paying its bills, in the form of spending cuts. While Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy and his colleagues affirmed that Medicare and Social Security are off the table in those negotiations, Democrats aren't so sure.

"You say Social Security and Medicare is off the table, but until the American people see a plan, they cannot take the Speaker at his word," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said last week.

As Insider reported, the US could be as soon as four months away from a default if Congress doesn't raise the debt ceiling by then, and negotiations are stalled. President Joe Biden has said that raising the ceiling should be bipartisan, and without negotiations, and while McCarthy said that defaulting "is not an option," he has yet to disclose what exactly he wants in a potential debt limit deal.

"I'm more than willing to sit down and talk to him and work with him on how we change this together," McCarthy said last month on negotiating with Biden.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Donald Trump went on the defensive bright and early on Monday morning as he chafed over coverage of his speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington DC over the weekend.

The former president contended that you couldnt get into the building as he insisted that seating for his speech was filled and that his supporters had flocked to CPAC to see him.

The former president is facing mockery over the half full crowd which showed up to hear him speak at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at the weekend.

You saw the scenes at CPAC, that room was half-full, ex-Gov Chris Christie said on ABCs This Week. The reason I dont think the rallies are going on I dont think the rallies would be nearly as big as they were before.

The former president also used CPAC to cement his 2024 White House run vowing to stay in the presidential race even if he is indicted in any of the multiple criminal investigations bearing down on him.

A straw poll taken during the event found that Mr Trump was the overwhelming GOP favourite, beating Ron DeSantis who did not attend.

Key points

Trump mocked over half full CPAC crowd

Fact check: Trumps lies at CPAC

Trump says criminal charges wont derail his 2024 bid

Rupert Murdoch and Fox News sued for sharing Bidens ads with Trump campaign

Larry Hogan rules himself out of 2024 race

Donald Trump mocked for half full CPAC event: Its TPAC, Trump PAC

18:00 , John Bowden

Donald Trump has been mocked by Chris Christie over the poor turn out at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) over the weekend.

Mr Christie, the one-time presidents former ally, reacted to the event in an interview on ABCs This Week on Sunday.

You saw the scenes at CPAC, that room was half full, said the former New Jersey governor.

What got him upset on January 6th? The crowd size. What got him upset on January 20th 2017? The crowd size. He measures that as an example of his own power and own authority, and I dont think he has it anymore, Mr Christie added.

Story continues

Read more:

Donald Trump mocked for half full CPAC event: Its TPAC, Trump PAC

CPAC speaker sparks alarm with call for trans people to be eradicated

17:16 , John Bowden

Michael Knowles of the Daily Wire sparked widespread condemnations and disgust on Saturday with his anti-trans rhetoric made during his speech at CPAC.

If [transgenderism] is false, then for the good of society, transgenderism must be eradicated from public life entirely, he said.

John Knefel of Media Matters called it eliminationist, genocidal rhetoric. Adam Vary of Variety urged people to pay attention. This is genocidal. That is not hyperbole or alarmist; this rhetoric is calling for the eradication of a group of people for who they are.

Mr Knowles, through a spokesperson, has since denied that he was speaking about violence against individuals, though he did not explain how eradicating transgenderism could be done without eradicating transgender people.

Read more:

CPAC speaker sparks alarm with call for transgenderism to be eradicated

Brick suits, lawsuits, insults and pillows: The otherworldly atmosphere at CPAC

16:00 , John Bowden

Where else on earth but the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) can you see a pillow salesman treated like royalty, with his own security detatchment?

Take a trip to National Harbor, Md, and catch up on the rage that infects the right-wing media sphere following Donald Trumps unsuccessful attempt to overturn the 2020 election.

Read more:

The otherworldly atmosphere at CPAC as Trump waits in the wings

CPACs sea of empty seats: Trumpworld celebs address half-empty ballroom

15:00 , John Bowden

If the audience of CPAC 2023 was evidence of one thing, it was the increasingly rightward tilt of both the American Conservative Union which hosts the event, as well as the broader GOP activist base.

What could have been a massive big tent gathering of DC Republicans and their nationwide grassroots allies instead appeared to be more of a muted affair held to celebrate the glory of Donald Trump and his dominant but still incomplete segment of the Republican Party.

The split was evident in the crowd sizes at the event on Friday, when many big-name speakers including Nikki Haley, Mike Pompeo, Donald Trump Jr., and others were slated to speak. All of the above spoke to half-empty ballrooms which struggled to reach the same tenor and excitement of your average Trump rally.

John Bowden has more from the ground at CPAC:

Trumpworld celebs address half-empty CPAC as mainstream Republicans shy away

SNL cold open slays Fox News over Dominion defamation lawsuit

14:00 , Rachel Sharp

Saturday Night Lives cold open went after Fox News over its conspicuous silence about damning revelations in a $1.6bn defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems.

Internal communications and sworn depositions in the court battle have revealed that Foxs star anchors and executives knew that Donald Trumps false 2020 election fraud claims were bogus.

Since the allegations were made public in unsealed court filings last week, Fox News has barely acknowledged them.

Read the full story here:

SNL cold open slays Fox News over Dominion defamation lawsuit

Larry Hogan rules himself out of 2024 race

13:30 , Rachel Sharp

Former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has ruled himself out of the 2024 race, after saying that he will not go head-to-head with Donald Trump.

The Republican, who has become one of the partys fiercest critics of Mr Trump, wrote in an op-ed for The New York Times that he will not challenge the former president.

I would never run for president to sell books or position myself for a Cabinet role, he wrote.

I have long said that I care more about ensuring a future for the Republican Party than securing my own future in the Republican Party. And that is why I will not be seeking the Republican nomination for president.

While he said he appreciated all those around the nation who have for many years encouraged me to run for president, after eight years of pouring my heart and soul into serving the people of Maryland, I have no desire to put my family through another grueling campaign just for the experience.

Rupert Murdoch and Fox News sued for sharing Bidens ads with Trump campaign before they aired

13:00 , Rachel Sharp

Rupert Murdoch and Fox News parent company are being sued over claims that they shared campaign strategy from Joe Bidens 2020 presidential run with Donald Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner.

The suit filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) by progressive activist group Media Matters on Friday alleges Fox made an illegal contribution to the Trump campaign when they shared his opponents ads before they had aired on the network.

(Foxs) actions are not only an egregious violation of the (Federal Election Campaign) Act and the Commissions regulations, but also a nefarious attempt by people in power to operate a press entity as a political organisation, in blatant disregard of the rules that govern our elections and democracy, Media Matters CEO and president Angelo Carusone writes in the filing, which was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

The Independents Bevan Hurley has the full story:

Rupert Murdoch and Fox News sued for sharing Bidens ads with Trump campaign

WATCH: The five most bizarre lines from CPAC

12:30 , Rachel Sharp

VOICES: Donald Trumps CPAC speech proves why he is a problem for the GOP

12:00 , Rachel Sharp

In his keynote CPAC speech, Donald Trump once again demonstrated why his leadership of the Republican Party has led to electoral loss after electoral loss. His rambling speech was unlikely to appeal to anyone not already firmly ensconced in the conservative bubble. When he did settle into a coherent statement, it was more often than not a vicious attack on his Republican rivals.

The combination is a looming nightmare for the GOP. Trump has no vision for the future himself and is determined to torch the party if it attempts to move on from him. The media loves Democrats in disarray stories, but Trump makes it clear that there is an almost limitless potential for Republican dysfunction in 2024.

Noah Berlatsky writes for The Independent:

Donald Trumps CPAC speech proves why he is a problem for the GOP

Fact check: Trumps lies in CPAC speech

11:50 , Rachel Sharp

During Donald Trumps speech at CPAC over the weekend, he continued to spew a series of lies.

A CNN fact check tallied up at least 23 falsehoods covering topics including crime, the war in Ukraine, the border wall  and of course the 2020 election.

I won the second election, OK, won it by a lot. You know, when they say, when they say Biden won, the smart people know that didnt [happen], he claimed.

Of course, Mr Trump did not win the 2020 election. He lost by more than 7 million votes.

Other lies included his claim that he completed the construction of the border wall between the US and Mexico  something which is irrefutably untrue.

Donald Trump vows retribution and will stay in 2024 race if he faces criminal charges

11:40 , Rachel Sharp

Donald Trump is vowing to stay in the 2024 presidential race even if he is indicted in any of the multiple criminal investigations bearing down on him.

Absolutely, I wouldnt even think about leaving, the former president told reporters ahead of his speech at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, speculating that being the target of a criminal indictment could even enhance his poll numbers.

During his remarks, Mr Trump vowed to take revenge against Democrats, the media, and even fellow Republicans who opposed him.

In 2016, I declared: I am your voice, he told the crowd. Today, I add: I am your warrior. I am your justice. And for those who have been wronged and betrayed: I am your retribution.

The Independents John Bowden has the story:

Donald Trump vows to stay in 2024 race if he faces criminal charges

Trump wins huge majority in CPAC 2024 straw poll

11:35 , Rachel Sharp

Donald Trump was the overwhelming winner of the CPAC 2024 straw poll on Saturday, taking 62 per cent of the vote at the gathering of his loyalists on the Potomac.

The result was a predictable certain; the three-day Trumpfest was little more than a gathering of Trump campaign and former administration personnel and many attendees were draped in Trump campain attire, official or otherwise.

The former presidents team immediately blasted out the results of the straw poll to their supporters, writing that Mr Trump had dominated the field.

Read the full story here:

Trump wins huge majority in CPAC 2024 straw poll as DeSantis trails in distant second

Trump is mocked over half full CPAC crowd

11:27 , Rachel Sharp

Donald Trump is facing mockery over the half full crowd which showed up to hear him speak at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Sunday.

Chris Christie, the former New Jersey governor and onetime close ally of Mr Trump, poked fun at the size of the crowd who attended the former presidents speech at the weekend.

You saw the scenes at CPAC, that room was half-full, Mr Christie said on ABCs This Week. The reason I dont think the rallies are going on I dont think the rallies would be nearly as big as they were before.

He added: There are lots of indicators here, that hes not what he used to be, in most respects, youre talking about and so were going to see how that plays out.

Mr Trump gave a headline speech at CPAC, where he spewed his election lies and vowed to stay in the 2024 race even if he is criminally charged.

Yet, the room was not even close to full capacity.

Mr Christie has become a vocal critic of Mr Trump.

The two men were once close allies with Mr Christie working on the former presidents 2016 and 2020 campaigns before their relationship soured.

11:22 , Rachel Sharp

Welcome toThe Independents liveblog where you can find all the latest developments in Trumpworld.
Donald Trump ,ade at least 23 false statements during his CPAC speech over the weekend, a fact check has found.

CNNs Daniel Dale noted that this was far from the total, adding that the speech was full of wildly inaccurate claims.

Mr Trump said that killings are taking place at a number like nobodys ever seen, right in Manhattan.

According to the New York Police Department, there were 43 reported murders in the Manhattan North region last year, compared to 379 in 1990 and 306 in 1993.

In the Manhattan South Region, there were 35 murders last year, compared to 124 in 1990 and 86 in 1993.

There were 438 reported murders in New York City in 2022, while there were 2,262 in 1990 and 1,927 in 1993, making Mr Trumps claim far from accurate.

Mr Trump spoke of the racial justice protests following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis by a police officer in 2020, adding that he was ready to send in the National Guard to Seattle, where demonstrations were also taking place.

We saved Minneapolis, he claimed. The thing is, were not supposed to do that. Because its up to the governor, the Democrat governor. They never want any help. They dont mind  its almost like they dont mind to have their cities and states destroyed. Theres something wrong with these people.

In fact, it was Minnesota Governor Tim Walz who sent in the Guard in 2020, over seven hours before Mr Trump threatened to do so, according to CNN. That year, the office of Mr Walz told the network that the guard was sent in following requests from the Democratic-led cities of Minneapolis and St Paul.

Mr Trump also claimed that he took action to stop the destruction of statues and memorials.

I passed and signed an executive order. Anybody that does that gets 10 years in jail, with no negotiation  its not 10 but it turns into three months.

But we passed it. It was a very old law, and we found it  one of my very good legal people along with Stephen Miller, they found it, Mr Trump said. They said, Sir, I dont know if you want to try and bring this back. I said. I do.

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In reality, the executive order didnt mandate any raises in sentences but instead directed the Attorney General to prioritize investigations of such cases and said it was federal policy to prosecute the cases to the fullest extent of the law, including a law allowing up to ten years in prison for willful destruction of federal property. But the order didnt force judges to hand down decade-long sentences.

Hows Portland doing? They dont even have storefronts anymore. Everythings two-by-fours because they get burned down every week, Mr Trump claims.

CNN called this a major exaggeration.

I was also the only president where Russia didnt take over a country during my term, the former president claimed.

Speaking of NATO funding, Mr Trump said he told delinquent foreign nations  they were delinquent, they werent paying their bills  that if they wanted our protection, they had to pay up, and they had to pay up now.

NATO countries have been paying their bills to run the organisation, but some havent reached the goal of spending two per cent of GDP on defence. But this is a guideline, not a requirement to be a part of NATO.

In 2014, NATO said members not at the threshold would aim to move towards the two per cent guideline within a decade.

The NATO website states that last year was the eighth consecutive year of rising defence spending across European Allies and Canada.

Actually, NATO wouldnt even exist if I didnt get them to pay up, Mr Trump said in a claim CNN simply called nonsense.

Mr Trump has previously made similarly wrong claims about the HQ. NATO told CNN in 2020 that it was built under the budget of 1.18bn ($1.3bn).

Mr Trump also made false claims about the 2018 Pulitzer Prize, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, the Obama White House and its relationship to Ukraine, President Joe Bidens relations to the country, his own job creation record, his tariffs on China, the 2020 election, ISIS, Afghanistan, the border wall, and deportations to Latin America, among a litany of other issues.

Twitter users were quick to blast Mr Trumps speech.

Legal Affairs Editor at Conde Nast, Luke Zaleski, wrote that Trump doesnt want to be president. He wants revenge. He wants to vanquish the nation that rejected him.

John Avlon said on CNN This Morning that looking at Mr Trumps long CPAC speech and his posts on Truth Social, it appears that hes not well.

He said there was a risk of sleepwalking past these absurdities, these inanities, these divisive firebombs while Don Lemon compared it to his 2017 inauguration speech American Carnage, adding that the speech was depressing and low-energy.

During his speech, Mr Trump said, the Republican Party was ruled by freaks, neocons, open border zealots and fools. Were never going back to the party of Paul Ryan, Karl Rove, and Jeb Bush.

Former Illinois GOP congressman Adam Kinzinger tweeted that Mr Trump was essentially telling Republicans to sell your soul to me or lose your job.

He called out members of House GOP leadership Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Elise Stefanik, saying that those who think Trump will organically go away are wrong. Speak out or own the damage you are doing to your country.

Many Twitter user shared their anger at Mr Trumps many falsehoods.

What else did we expect? Liars are gonna lie! one account holder said.

As Steve Bannon advised Trump early on, flood the end zone with bulls***, another added.

If Trumps mouth is moving, hes lying, a third said.

When are we going to realize its not wildly dishonest but wildly insane instead, a fourth said.
Ron DeSantis (left) and Donald Trump. Mario Tama/Getty Images; Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images

Donald Trump is privately workshopping some fresh nicknames for Ron DeSantis, Bloomberg reports.

Those include "Tiny D," "Ron DisHonest," and "RonDeEstablishment."

Trump denied a report from The New York Times that he wanted to call DeSantis "Meatball Ron."

Former President Donald Trump is trialing some more nicknames for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Bloomberg reports.

Among the insults Trump is considering for DeSantis are "Tiny D," "Ron DisHonest," and "Ron DeEstablishment," Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed Trump allies.

Trump's team has also been trying to dig up dirt on DeSantis and his family, per Bloomberg. This includes research into his wife, Casey DeSantis, a former TV journalist, and probes into DeSantis' time as a teacher at a Georgia boarding school.

Trump debuted his first nickname for DeSantis, "Ron DeSanctimonious," at a rally in Pennsylvania in November. He has tested out other nicknames in Truth Social posts, including "Ron DeSanctus," though it's unclear what this nickname means.

Trump has also branded DeSantis a "RINO globalist," an insult that has roots in a far-right conspiracy theory about a cabal of global elites.

However, Trump refuted a February 12 report from The New York Times that said he was considering the nickname "Meatball Ron" for DeSantis.

"I will never call Ron DeSanctimonious 'Meatball' Ron, as the Fake News is insisting I will," Trump wrote on Truth Social on February 18. Trump added that he thought "it would be totally inappropriate to use the word 'meatball' as a moniker for Ron!"

DeSantis has not yet confirmed that he is running for president in 2024. He was once a staunch Trump supporter, but a rift has formed in their relationship.

Trump has continually attacked DeSantis on the assumption that he will run against him for the presidency. In the last four months, Trump has branded DeSantis "average" and "very disloyal," claimed that DeSantis cried in front of him while asking for an endorsement in 2018, and taken credit for getting DeSantis elected governor.

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DeSantis has refrained from insulting Trump. In November, he told people to "chill out" about a possible GOP civil war between them.

Representatives for Trump and DeSantis did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.

Read the original article on Business Insider
(Bloomberg) -- Donald Trump hates losing so much that he has suggested he will mount a third-party campaign if he doesnt win the Republican presidential nomination.

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But he cant win that way either, thanks to sore loser laws in six states he would need to return to the White House.

Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas, as well as Arkansas and Alabama, have laws that bar a candidate defeated in a major-party primary from running as an independent or on a third-party ticket in the general election. That would put Trump at the general-election starting gate with a deficit of 91 electoral votes of the 270 required to capture the White House.

Trump has flirted since 2016 with running for president on a third-party ticket or as an independent if he loses the GOP nomination. Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel said she hopes to require candidates to sign a pledge to support the GOP nominee as a requirement to participate in primary debates, a similar tactic the RNC used to try to box in Trump in 2016.

But any pledge would not be binding. Sore-loser laws would keep Trumps name from even appearing on the ballot, although voters could still write him in.

A third major candidate on a presidential ballot poses problems for the Republican or Democratic parties, which dominate US politics, by splitting the votes of similarly minded candidates and handing victory to the opposite candidate, something that has happened a handful of times since the 19th century.

Presidential candidates who ran as independents or on a third-party ticket after losing a major-party primary include former President Theodore Roosevelt  also making an attempt to return to office four years after leaving the White House  in 1912, US Representative John Anderson in 1980 and former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson in 2012. They all lost.

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Asked about the risk of an independent run splitting the GOP vote, a Trump campaign spokesperson stated simply that he would win the Republican primary.

Trump declined to commit to an RNC pledge to back the presidential nominee, telling reporters during the Conservative Political Action Conference on Saturday hed have to think about it because there are people I wouldnt be very happy about endorsing.

Trump is generally ahead or roughly tied in early polls with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has not yet announced if he will run. Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, who launched her campaign in mid-February, and other potential contenders remain in single digits.

In a recent survey by Republican pollster Whit Ayres for The Bulwark, an anti-Trump conservative news outlet, 28% of Republican primary voters said they would back Trump if he ran as an independent in a three-way race with DeSantis and President Joe Biden.

Thats the exact situation that sore-loser laws were designed to prevent. Some simply set early deadlines for filing, which makes it hard for candidates to launch such a campaign only after losing a party nomination, to strict bans on appearing on the ballot at all.

The laws arent always clear on whether they apply to presidential candidates.

These laws have not really been scrutinized or tested because there hasnt been a significant case like this since John Anderson in 1980, said Barry Burden, a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. My guess is if Trump tried this move, thered be a lot of litigation.

Mark Brown, a law professor at Capital University who has worked on cases involving the laws, said that if Trump mounts a credible third-party candidacy all bets are off.

Even in states without strict bans, he said getting on the ballot would be a massive undertaking, and Republican officials like secretaries of state and attorneys general wouldnt be inclined to give Trump the benefit of the doubt.

Its a draining process, he said. I know Trumps wealthy, but it costs a lot of money to navigate, even without the legal challenges which are sure to come.

Still, Trump wouldnt have to be a viable candidate to have an effect on the race. In 2000, third-party candidate Ralph Nader was only on the ballot in 43 states, but his share of the vote was larger than the margin of victory for George W. Bush in Florida and New Hampshire. A win in either state would have made Democratic nominee Al Gore president.

Theresa Amato, Naders campaign manager in 2000 and 2004, said tracking election laws in 50 states and the District of Columbia was a massive undertaking for the campaign, lining up everything from volunteer signature gatherers to election law attorneys and presidential electors. The campaign had to put together its own manual on getting on the ballot.

Its a huge logistical undertaking, and no candidate should underestimate it, she said.

--With assistance from Mark Niquette.

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2023 Bloomberg L.P.
ANKARA (Reuters) -Turkey on Monday summoned U.S. ambassador Jeff Flake to convey its discomfort about a top U.S. general visiting northeast Syria over the weekend, a foreign ministry source said.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said later on Monday that Flake went to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs for meetings and discussions.

Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made an unannounced visit on March 4 to review a nearly eight-year-old U.S. mission to an area controlled by the U.S.-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Price told reporters it was the State Department's understanding that Milley met only with U.S. troops while in Syria and referred to the Department of Defense for details.

The SDF, the primary ally of the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State, played a key role in defeating Islamic State jihadists across Syria, but U.S. support for the group has been a source of tension with Turkey for years.

Turkey sees the People's Protection Units (YPG), the spearhead of the SDF, as the Syrian wing of the outlawed separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and considers both as terrorist organisations.

The United States and the European Union have also designated the PKK as a terrorist group, but not the YPG.

(Reporting by Huseyin Hayatsever and Ali Kucukgocmen in Ankara and Simon Lewis in Washington; Editing by Kevin Liffey, Humeyra Pamuk and Hugh Lawson)
By Can Sezer and Jonathan Spicer

NURDAGI, Turkey (Reuters) - Almost every apartment tower in Nurdagi collapsed or was shattered beyond repair in last month's earthquake in Turkey - and people are now asking if a building boom in the town in recent decades may have to led to the deaths of thousands of residents.

The town's population swelled in recent years to some 25,000, residents say, driven in part by increasingly flexible regulations that allowed apartment blocks to reach as high as eight stories, from a limit of three previously.

"We shouldn't have had more than two to three floors here. This 20-year-long rapid construction came crashing down in just two minutes," said Hasan Bal, 52, a retired teacher who lost 10 immediate relatives in the magnitude 7.8 quake.

"We expected an earthquake but not such a thing as that...the ground rose 1-1.5 meters like a wave," said Bal, the local representative for the opposition DEVA party.

"Even if some of the standards required in the earthquake belt are met, buildings had no chance to withstand it."

The mayor, who hails from President Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AK Party, has been arrested over allegations that past construction work may have been substandard.

The initial quake on Feb. 6 tremor sliced directly through Nurdagi, leaving it among the worst hit communities in Turkey's deadliest modern disaster.

The quake and aftershocks also flattened much larger centers including Antakya city to the south.

Residents say cheap credit had helped the town expand, reflecting a nationwide building boom that has defined Erdogan's two decades in power.

But Nurdagi sits atop a known faultline, mostly on flat valley terrain offering little protection from seismic waves.

Since 2004, the municipality allowed apartments to reach first five stories then eight, three residents said. By this year, the town had 11,000 total buildings, the urbanisation ministry said.

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State-owned news agency Anadolu said Mayor Okkes Kavak was arrested and replaced two weeks ago over construction practices and a local developer was also arrested.

The municipality did not respond to a query about how buildings were allowed to grow over the years.

SURVIVAL AND LOSS

A month after the quakes, the many dozens of apartment towers that are not already heaps of twisted steel and concrete are being torn down. An estimated 4,000 people died in Nurdagi, and the survivors who remained live mostly in tents.

For five days after the tremor, Havva Aslan and her husband and three children survived under the concrete rubble of a five-storey building where they had lived on the first floor.

"We've lost everything else but not each other," she told Reuters of the morning that their apartment floor gave way, leaving them trapped together in the darkness.

Aslan said her family is thankful for a furnished container home where they live for now on the outskirts of town.

"We may perhaps build our two-storey home back at the village once all this is over," she said.

Urbanisation Minister Murat Kurum said some parts of Nurdagi will be relocated to higher, sturdier ground. Erdogan, facing an election in May, has promised to rebuild the entire disaster zone within a year.

But many local people want a more wholesale reconsideration of plans.

"The correct policy is that no building should exceed two storeys," said Fatih Cihan, 42, a farmer in Nurdagi and former assistant professor of finance and statistics at the University of Connecticut.

Having driven his family to Istanbul immediately after the quake, he returned and now lives in a tent. He said he lost machinery and the irrigation system for his 100-acre farm in the fallout.

"The first two weeks I just stared at my land," Cihan said. "I saw my life collapse before my eyes."

(Editing by Angus MacSwan)
Users were unable to click outside links and images on Twitter on Monday. Getty Images

Twitter wasn't working properly on Monday, the company confirmed.

Twitter showed an error code when users attempted to click external links and images.

Twitter said "Things should now be working as normal" at 1:05 p.m. ET.

Twitter wasn't working properly only a few months after Elon Musk laid off over half of the company's workforce.

On Monday, users began reporting that they received error messages when trying to click images and links on Twitter that connected to outside websites. Insider performed a test of the issue and also received an error code. Twitter's social media dashboard, TweetDeck, displayed the same error message.

"Your current API plan does not include access to this endpoint, please see https://developer.twitter.com/en/docs/twitter-api for more information," the message reads.

Twitter showed users an error code when they tried to access outside websites on Monday. Twitter

A Twitter spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment from Insider ahead of publication, but the company confirmed the issue on Twitter.

"Some parts of Twitter may not be working as expected right now," @TwitterSupport tweeted on Monday. "We made an internal change that had some unintended consequences. We're working on this now and will share an update when it's fixed."

Musk also commented on the issue on Twitter, saying the error "Will be fixed shortly." The billionaire later said the issue was caused by a "small API change" that had "massive ramifications."

"The code stack is extremely brittle for no good reason," he tweeted. "Will ultimately need a complete rewrite."

As of 12:50 p.m. ET, the external links appeared to be working for some Twitter users. A few minutes later, the company tweeted that "Things should now be working as normal."

Downdetector showed a spike in people reporting problems with the app and "Twitter API" was trending on Monday afternoon.

In February, the company said it would begin charging users $100 per month for access to its API. The company is restructuring its API, the interface that allows developers to provide third-party services on the site, including bots.

Insider's Kali Hays previously reported that Twitter could break or face technical glitches after Musk laid off thousands of employees after taking the social media company private in October. More recently, Musk laid off dozens of employees in late February.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Jameelah Smith, far right, an @properties real estate broker, shows Angel Long, left, and her family around a listed property on South St. Lawrence Avenue in the Bronzeville neighborhood on Feb. 4, 2023. (Shanna Madison / Chicago Tribune)

Since moving to Bronzeville in 2007, Vanessa Harris has seen the many vacant lots in her neighborhood get scooped up by developers and turned into $800,000 townhomes, some of them right outside her window.

A retired state employee, Harris, 66, bought her two-flat for $231,000 through the citys New Homes for Chicago program, an initiative to help low- and moderate-income households purchase newly constructed homes.

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Now, within the next year or two, she said she may be forced to leave the neighborhood  her property tax bills are becoming too difficult to afford.

With residential development in Bronzeville booming and home values rising, Harris has seen her property tax bills go from just under $2,000 to nearly $6,000 in the last 15 years, even with three exemptions. In 2021, her tax bill spiked nearly 22%, and the estimated value of her home is now $430,334, according to data from real estate company Remines Multiple Listing Service.

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Harris is glad to see development in the neighborhood, but she does not want to leave Bronzeville.

I would feel terrible because this is home for me, Harris said. I fear that I may have to relocate at some point and then where would I go? Rents are high if I want to stay in the same area and mortgage (payments) are high.

Bronzeville, which has cycled through periods of investment and neglect for decades, is seeing a flood of new development as private investors and elected officials alike look to reshape the community, once a thriving cultural and business hub for Chicagos Black community.

Now, in the latest sign of gentrification, the citys largest real estate brokerage by sales volume and one of the nations largest residential real estate firms, @properties | Christies International Real Estate, is opening its first South Side office there at the end of March, in a formerly vacant lot at 4149 S. Cottage Grove Ave.

If you look at whats happening down there and you look at how other neighborhoods have progressed, first you see some of the gentrification and improvements in neighborhoods, particularly the housing stock, and then you see commercial infrastructure come in behind it, said Mike Golden, co-CEO and co-founder of @properties.

We hope to see that kind of progression down there, he said.

Michelle Browne, left, and Jameelah Smith, right, who are @properties real estate brokers, chat with Charmor Brown on Feb. 4, 2023, in the kitchen of a listed property in Bronzeville. (Shanna Madison / Chicago Tribune)

Bronzeville residents have mixed emotions about the changes. Some are glad to see a historically disinvested neighborhood get attention, while others are wary, fearing residents such as Harris will be pushed out due to rising home prices. Some others feel torn.

I can see the tension sometimes, said Carlos Bester, who bought a five-bedroom home in the neighborhood with his wife in 2014. The property, which they purchased for $399,000, is now worth about $650,000.

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But at the same time, if you do it right  make yourself known, talk to people like they are people  then you build relationships and everybody is welcome.

Bester, 45, was among a handful of curious neighbors who attended a recent open house for a newly rehabbed home on South St. Lawrence Avenue, a couple of blocks away from where Harris lives.

Formerly a boarded-up two-flat, the property now boasts four bedrooms and a master bathroom complete with a walk-in shower and large bathtub. The home also has a two-car garage and fourth-floor roof access in case a future resident wants to build a rooftop deck.

The home is one of @properties newest listings in Bronzeville, having gone on the market Feb. 2.

The list price: $749,000.

Home values rise

In Grand Boulevard, one of the community areas that includes Bronzeville, median monthly sales last year for all housing types ranged from a low of $247,000 in April to a high of $400,000 in December, according to data provided by the Chicago Association of Realtors from Midwest Real Estate Data. Annual median prices for single-family homes jumped nearly $200,000 between 2018 and 2022, with median prices at $610,000 in 2022.

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As data from @properties shows, the companys real estate portfolio in Bronzeville and other nearby South Side neighborhoods has quickly grown in the last three years.

From the beginning of 2020 to the end of last year, the companys market share nearly doubled, and its sales volume and number of transactions grew by 67% and 35%, respectively, the company told the Tribune.

In 2020, the companys properties in the neighborhood were valued at $18.9 million, with an average sale price of $346,489. In 2021, the company took over as the largest market share holder, and last year, its total portfolio was valued at $31.5 million, with an average sale price of $431,973.

Rising property values are hitting other neighborhoods near Bronzeville as well, such as Woodlawn and South Shore. As in Bronzeville, @properties has reported significant growth in Woodlawn, a community where residents have long feared rising housing costs associated with its soon-to-be neighbor, the Obama Presidential Center. Woodlawn won a five-year battle with the city to gain affordable housing protections.

The outside of an @properties-listed condo on South St. Lawrence Avenue in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood. (Shanna Madison / Chicago Tribune)

Roderick Wilson, executive director of Lugenia Burns Hope Center, works to keep low-income and working families housed in Bronzeville and has seen the neighborhood through its various development stages over the years since he moved in 1997.

He said government and policymakers have to stabilize communities and not let the market keep driving out residents. His organization is in the process of trying to acquire land from the city to build affordable housing.

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People start buying, @properties and others, and then after that, they start to contribute to local politicians coffers and then policy starts to reflect what those developers want to do, Wilson said.

And then you see stuff start to happen for the sake of economic development, but economic development for whom? If it aint benefiting the people who are already there, why have it?

This isnt the first time Bronzeville has seen increased interest from the real estate community. The area experienced investment in the 1990s and early 2000s before the 2008 financial crisis, which sent the community spiraling backward.

Median monthly sale prices for all housing types in Grand Boulevard floated around $120,000 to $250,000 in 2008 before dropping below $100,000 from September 2009 until mid-2012, according to data provided by Chicago Association of Realtors from Midwest Real Estate Data.

Michelle Browne, an @properties agent who was at the recent open house, lived in Bronzeville from 1999 to 2013 and saw the changes firsthand.

We had a number of disreputable builders and investors come in and build housing that didnt quite take off the ground, Browne said. And then the recession cleaned all of that out.

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Now, she said almost all of the companys properties in Bronzeville are built or in the process of being built on vacant land, with some rehabbed buildings thrown into the mix and rarely any already inhabited homes.

The company has often been at the forefront of residential development, opening offices in Bucktown and Wicker Park, with its first office located in Fulton Market when there was nothing there but you were starting to see things happen, Golden said.

Now, Fulton Market boasts high-rises and a lively restaurant scene.

We feel like the growth opportunities now are really more in the south and maybe even more west down the road, Golden said. We want to be on the cutting edge of that trend.

Real estate broker Jameelah Smith, left, shows Shaneal Bello, right, and family around the kitchen of an @properties listing on Feb. 4, 2023, in Bronzeville. (Shanna Madison / Chicago Tribune)

The new office will initially have 50 real estate agents based there, with more coming and going, according to Rick Sobin, managing broker for the Bronzeville @properties office. Agents will also work in surrounding neighborhoods such as Woodlawn and Hyde Park.

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Sobin said he anticipates prospective homebuyers to spill over from more developed communities such as the South Loop and in and around the University of Chicago, as those neighborhoods are running short of space to house people.

If you look at doctors and students and people that the university supports in Hyde Park and Kenwood, there is very little area left there (to house people), Sobin said. Bronzeville is the next logical place to go.

Reviving a Black Metropolis

Bronzeville, known as the Black Metropolis, was a thriving African American community flooded with people during the Great Migration in the early 1900s. Like in many areas across the United States, those who moved then faced restrictive covenants  legal orders that prohibited people from renting or selling to Black people  leading to racial segregation in Chicago housing.

After World War II, Bronzeville began to fall into disrepair. Once prosperous businesses and cultural centers were hurt by the exodus of Black Americans who chose to move elsewhere after the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed restrictive covenants and the Chicago Housing Authoritys construction and destruction of public housing  all of which contributed to a rise in neglected properties.

Bronzeville  a neighborhood that remains overwhelmingly Black, according to the 2020 U.S. census  is now seeing a rush of investment again from governmental agencies and private developers.

Over the last four years, the average number of permits for new construction and renovation issued annually in Bronzevilles three community areas  Douglas, Grand Boulevard and Oakland  has risen 9.2% over the average of the previous seven years, numbers that are consistent with trends on the South and West sides, according to the Department of Buildings.

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Last year, a portion of the neighborhood was designated by Congress as a National Heritage Area, which pumps millions of dollars into preserving and maintaining buildings and traditions.

The city of Chicago is also a big investor in Bronzeville through Mayor Lori Lightfoots Invest South/West program and other initiatives.

The $3.8 billion Bronzeville Lakefront development  housed on the 48-acre former site of the Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center closed in 2008  is bringing up to 7 million square feet of mixed-use space, including mixed-income housing, to the area. The city sold the property to the joint venture development group GRIT in 2017 after a request for proposals process.

Another project in the works is 43 Green, a $100 million mixed-use development with affordable and market-rate apartments located by the 43rd Street Green Line station, making it an equitable transit-oriented development.

Commercial spaces include Bronzeville Winery, which opened last year after receiving a $250,000 grant from the citys Neighborhood Opportunity Fund. And in February, Demera Ethiopian Restaurant received a $3.1 million community development grant from the city to open a location on the ground floor of a building that will also include office and residential space.

Construction costs surge

John Keaney of Keaney Construction began building in Bronzeville with his brother Kevin around 25 years ago and has been working consistently with @properties since 2015.

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In the early aughts, townhomes he built in the area went for $250,000-$270,000 and were at the top of the market. Right before the pandemic, those numbers were around $550,000-$600,000; now theyre at $750,000-$800,000.

The rise in construction costs and land values, as well as the shortage in workers, led him to raise prices and continues to keep homes less affordable, Keaney said.

If we could get our way, $500,000 would be nice, said Keaney, who has been building townhomes in an attempt to keep prices more affordable to expand his pool of potential buyers. But when you look at prices  it is next to impossible.

Zadrian Brooks tours a condo unit in Bronzeville on Feb. 4, 2023. (Shanna Madison / Chicago Tribune)

Between 2020 and 2021, Keaney said his construction costs went up $100,000 per home. Nationally, prices for building materials have shot up 35.6% from the start of the pandemic through April 2022, as a surge in demand and delays led to shortages in supplies, according to the National Association of Home Builders.

And with land values that have more than doubled since before the pandemic, it is hard to find space to purchase, Keaney said.

On South Vernon Avenue down the street from 43 Green, Keaney is building five townhomes on a site that for decades housed a vacant building. Once they are completed in a few months, theyll likely sell in the mid- to upper $700,000 range, according to Browne, the @properties agent.

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The National Association of Home Builders released data Feb. 9 showing housing affordability  measured by the percentage of families earning the U.S. median income of $90,000 who could afford to buy a home  reached its lowest point since the organization started tracking the data consistently in 2012.

Rents have also gone up. In 60653, one of the primary Bronzeville ZIP codes, rents have steadily increased for years, with typical rents hovering in the $1,400s in 2020 for all housing types and now at nearly $1,700, according to a Zillow index analyzing census data on housing stock in the region and current rental listings.

Neighbors look to the future

Bronzeville homeowners and residents worry about the future of affordability and sense of community in the neighborhood.

Dhyia Thompson-Phillips is a consultant and daughter of famous Bronzeville jazz musician Malachi Thompson. She lived in and rented out her condo in Bronzeville for around 10 years starting in 2007 and has owned a single-family home since summer 2020.

Her condo was built during the days of shoddy construction, she said. This time, Thompson-Phillips is thrilled with her newly constructed, five-bedroom home from a builder who she said typically builds in Lincoln Park.

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After a tough trek through the pandemic housing market boom, Thompson-Phillips, 44, said she and her husband bought their house for around $689,000 before seeing their neighbors pay $825,000 for a similar house next door around a year and a half later.

Thompson-Phillips came to Bronzeville not only because she grew up spending time in the neighborhood with her father, but also because of the location, with its close proximity to the lake, expressways, downtown and Hyde Park.

I think a lot of people who bought here are really committed to that vision of what it could be in the future, Thompson-Phillips said.

The bedroom inside a unit of an @properties-listed condo looks out toward Bronzeville. (Shanna Madison / Chicago Tribune)

She hopes new construction will bring more commercial development and basic amenities such as grocery stores in the near future so that the neighborhood is more like what she saw in 2007, and so that there is less crime.

There is not enough to bring the community together, Thompson-Phillips said. You have working folks and middle class and upper class, and we are all neighbors, but I just wish there were more things that brought us together to anchor us as a community.

Thompson-Phillips is neighbors with Harris, the resident whose rising property taxes may force her to move. Harris, who retired in 2018 from the states Department of Children and Family Services after more than 32 years, said she loves Bronzeville for its convenient access to the lake and 24-hour bus lines.

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But financial worries loom. Harris said that while she could look for work again, she suffered an aneurysm and has to take care of her health. She also said she had negative experiences with renters during the pandemic and wont rent out her second unit to strangers to supplement her fixed income.

Harris lost her last three property tax appeals and is in the process of scheduling an in-person hearing. If all else fails and shes forced to move, having an @properties office in Bronzeville offers a silver lining, she said.

The good thing about it is if I am forced to sell, they will make it affordable for me to go somewhere else, Harris said.
Elon Musk. Patrick Pleul/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

A Twitter engineer told the BBC that the company is "like a building where all the pieces are on fire."

Twitter's workforce has shrunk by around three-quarters since its purchase by Musk.

"There are so many things broken and there's nobody taking care of it," the engineer told the BBC.

A Twitter engineer says that chaos at the company has gotten so bad that it's "like a building where all the pieces are on fire."

The unnamed engineer, who said he wished to remain anonymous because he is still working at the company, told the BBC's Marianna Spring that Elon Musk's leadership of the company  in particular recent mass layoffs  had caused huge problems, including "so many" parts of the site being broken. The BBC did not confirm the worker's location.

"When you look at it from the outside, the facade looks fine, but I can see that nothing is working," the engineer said. "All the plumbing is broken, all the faucets, everything."

Since Musk bought the social-media platform for $44 billion in October, Twitter's workforce has been depleted through a series of layoffs, firings, and resignations. Musk has previously defended his decision to reduce the workforce in order to save costs.

CEOs and experts have been divided in their reaction to Musk's approach, with Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff telling Insider recently that Silicon Valley leaders should consider whether to emulate Musk's style when it comes to tough decisions around layoffs.

Twitter's layoffs have resulted in an extensive reorganization of remaining workers, the engineer told the BBC. He said that one "totally new" staff member without expertise was now doing a job that used to be done by more than 20 people. The New York Times previously reported that some junior employees have been left in charge of areas they haven't worked on before.

"There are so many things broken and there's nobody taking care of it," the engineer told the BBC. Musk had also brought some Tesla engineers in to review code created by Twitter employees, he added.

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The BBC reported that Musk had cut so many staff that the site couldn't protect users from trolling and disinformation. Lisa Jennings Young, Twitter's former head of content design who quit in November, said her whole team, which worked on some projects to reduce hate on the platform, was laid off. Speaking about the features her team had introduced, she said: "There's no-one there to work on that at this time."

Reports have suggested that there has been more hate speech on the platform, including data from the Anti-Defamation League indicating a huge surge in antisemitism on Twitter in the immediate weeks after Musk took over.

Musk responded to The BBC's report this week by tweeting: "Sorry for turning Twitter from nurturing paradise into place that has  trolls." Musk said in December that fewer people are viewing content containing hate speech since he bought Twitter and that the number of hate speech impressions on the platform was down by a third.

Twitter did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, made outside of its regular working hours.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Elon Musk, right, is accompanied around Twitter HQ by at least two bodyguards, an employee told the BBC. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Elon Musk is accompanied around Twitter HQ by at least two bodyguards, an engineer told the BBC.

The engineer said the bodyguards are "tall" and "bulky" and like they're from a "Hollywood movie."

The bodyguards even accompany Musk to the restroom, the engineer added.

Elon Musk is accompanied around Twitter's headquarters by at least two bodyguards who even follow him to the restroom, an engineer at the social-media company has told the BBC.

The engineer, who spoke to the BBC on condition of anonymity to protect their employment, said the bodyguards were "bulky" and "tall" and like they're from a "Hollywood movie."

It's not uncommon for high-flying executives and CEOs to be accompanied by bodyguards, or for companies to spend considerable amounts of money providing them with security details.

The engineer said he thought that Musk's use of bodyguards inside Twitter's HQ in San Francisco, suggested a lack of trust in the company's employees, per the BBC report published Sunday.

Twitter didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, made outside US business hours.

Musk's father, Errol, said in January that he feared for his son's safety even though he was protected by "100 security guards." Musk had upgraded Errol's security system for his South Africa home with 24-hour armed guards, cameras, and electric fencing, Errol said.

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, was handed an annual personal security allowance of $14 million for 2023, according to a recent disclosure with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. This covers staff, equipment, and residential improvements to help keep Zuckerberg and his family safe, according to the filing.

Shortly after acquiring Twitter in October, Musk laid off thousands of the company's employees as part of a broad cost-cutting drive.

He tweeted in May that owning Twitter "probably won't increase my life expectancy." He was responding to a Twitter user who said that Musk should "add more security guards to your team."

Musk's security detail came into the spotlight in December after Musk said a "crazy stalker" jumped on a car carrying his son in Los Angeles. The South Pasadena Police Department later said it believed the suspect in the case "to be a member of Elon Musk's security team."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Two powerful explosions have been heard in the occupied city of Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia region; two Russian military facilities were likely destroyed.

Source: Ivan Fedorov, Mayor of Melitopol, on air during the national 24/7 newscast

Quote from Fedorov: "Two powerful explosions in the north[ern part] of the city An information already [appeared] that two facilities were destroyed where the Russian soldiers had been located.

Detailed information will be confirmed by our General Staff. But it is already known for sure that the Ruscists "smoked" in the wrong place, and its very lovely that they "smoked" there (a pun about smoking where you shouldn't be, i.e. near explosive materials  ed.)."

Details: Fedorov noted on Telegram that, according to preliminary information, "two evening explosions in the area of temporarily occupied Melitopol destroyed two military bases of the occupiers at once."

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
A man taking his early morning walk Friday along a roadway in the Carolina Forest area was robbed at gunpoint, police said.

It was one of two armed robberies that occurred that morning resulting in three people being arrested, according to a police report.

Michael Allen Benedict, 45, of Bimingham, New York; Olivia Powell, 23, of Endicott, New York; and Anthony Joseph Heim, 29, of Lexington, South Carolina, were all charged with armed robbery and robbery while armed with a deadly weapon. They are still incarcerated Monday at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center.

Police say in reports that the suspects used BB guns that were believed to be a deadly weapon.

Police responded to the intersection of Gardner Lacy Road and Clear Pond Boulevard Friday where a man stated that he was out for his daily walk about 5:15 a.m. when a dark gray SUV pulled up and robbed him at gunpoint, the police report said.

A short time later another armed robbery occurred in the area, the report said.

About 5:27 a.m., police responded to Saddlewood Circle in Myrtle Beach area where another man told police he was riding his bicycle northbound on Clear Pond Boulevard when a light blue SUV pulled onto the curb in front of him, the police report said.

The man said the driver of the vehicle exited the vehicle, ran around the vehicle, pulled out a gun and placed it to his face, demanding his phone and money, the report said. The suspect then discharged the firearm into the ground and then fled in the vehicle.

Police later found the vehicle in Conway. Three suspects were found in the vehicle, the report said. Police found multiple cellphones, including one that belonged to the first victim, as well as multiple BB guns.

An officer used a cellphone to call the first victims number and at that point one of the cellphones recovered in the suspects vehicle began to ring, the report said.

Another report of a person being shot with what appears to be a BB or pellet gun was reported at 2:15 a.m. Friday, a police report said. However, it is not clear if this incident is related to the other two robberies.

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Officers responded to West Perry Road where a victim told police that he was walking and a vehicle pulled up beside him, the report said.

The victim said a male wearing a face covering opened the rear drivers side passenger door and said, Freeze, dont move, the report said. The suspect than presented a firearm and began to shoot at him. The victim then ran and the vehicle fled, the report said.

The victim did not require immediate medical attention, but he did receive an injury in his abdominal region.
A Massachusetts man is facing charges after allegedly attempting to open an emergency exit door while aboard a Sunday evening flight to Boston and then attempting to stab a flight attendant in the neck, according to the United States District Attorneys office.

Francisco Severo Torres, 33, of Leominster was a passenger aboard a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Boston, prosecutors said.

According to the charging documents, right before the plane landed, the flight crew received an alarm in the cockpit that a side door of the aircraft was disarmed.

A flight attendant reported that he had observed Torres near the door and believed he had tampered with it. When Torres was confronted, to which he allegedly responded by asking if there were cameras showing that he had done so, the crew immediately reported to the captain that they believed Torres posed a threat to the aircraft and they needed to land as soon as possible.

Shortly thereafter, it is alleged that Torres got out of his seat and approached the side door where two flight attendants were standing in the aisle. Torres then allegedly thrust towards one of the flight attendants in a stabbing motion with a broken metal spoon, hitting the flight attendant on the neck area three times, according to charging documents.

Passengers then tackled Torres and he was restrained with the assistance of the flight crew. Torres was immediately taken into custody upon the flights arrival to Boston.

Passengers who were aboard the flight reported that Torres asked a fellow passenger where on the safety card it showed where the door handle was located during the flight attendants safety briefing prior to takeoff and that Torres was seen pacing in a galley before attacking the flight attendant, according to the US Attorneys office.

Torres was arrested Sunday night at Boston Logan International Airport and appeared in federal court Monday and was held ahead of a hearing Thursday.

He was charged with one count of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon.

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Thanks to the quick action of our crew and customers, one customer was restrained after becoming a security concern on United flight 2609 from Los Angeles to Boston. The flight landed safely and was met by law enforcement. No serious injuries were reported, a spokesperson for United Airlines said in a statement. We have zero tolerance for any type of violence on our flights, and this customer will be banned from flying on United pending an investigation. We are cooperating with law enforcement in their investigation.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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By Idrees Ali

AMMAN (Reuters) -U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, in Jordan to begin a three-country Mideast visit, is aiming to reassure key allies of American commitment to the region despite Washington's recent focus on Russia and China, officials said, but plans frank messages for leaders of Israel and Egypt.

The Pentagon chief, who arrived in Amman on Sunday, is expected to press Israeli leaders to reduce tensions in the West Bank and work to strengthen ties in talks with Egyptian leaders while touching on human rights concerns.

"We've demonstrated over and over again that we can rapidly surge capability to any part of the globe that we need to, but especially here in the Middle East, because we've operated here for 20-plus years," Austin told reporters while visiting a joint training center near Amman.

The United States has about 30,000 troops in the region and is seen as pivotal in helping counter Iranian influence.

Retired U.S. Marine Corp General Frank McKenzie, who headed American forces in the Middle East until last year, said the region is significant to the United States in part because of China's growing role.

"I think this trip is an excellent example of an opportunity to continue to tell people in the theater (region) that they remain important to us," added McKenzie, now leading the University of South Florida's Global and National Security Institute.

Ties between China and Middle Eastern countries have expanded under the region's economic diversification push, raising U.S. concerns about growing Chinese involvement in sensitive infrastructure in the Gulf, including in the United Arab Emirates.

The United States last week demanded that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repudiate a call by his hardline Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for a flashpoint Palestinian village to be "erased" - a comment that Netanyahu on Sunday called "inappropriate." The U.S. State Department has called Smotrich's comment "repugnant."

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"He (Austin) will also be quite frank with Israeli leaders about his concerns regarding the cycle of violence in the West Bank, and consult on what steps Israeli leaders can take to meaningfully restore calm before the upcoming holidays," a senior U.S. defense official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

The Pentagon said Austin had discussed his concern about the escalation in tensions in the West Bank and Jerusalem during a meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah on Sunday.

With the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish Passover holiday weeks away, foreign mediators have sought to reduce tensions that rose after Netanyahu regained power at the head of a hard-right coalition.

Austin is poised to send a clear message on the need for Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to respect human rights, underscoring Washington's concern on the issue.

"I fully expect him to bring up human rights, respect for fundamental freedoms," the U.S. defense official said.

Under Sisi, who as army chief led the 2013 ouster of Egypt's first democratically elected president, there has been a long crackdown on political dissent that has swept up liberal critics as well as Islamists.

The United States has withheld small amounts of military aid to Cairo, citing a failure to meet human rights conditions. Advocacy groups have pushed for more to be held back.

The United States, long an important player in the Middle East, has been preoccupied with other international matters during President Joe Biden's administration, including Russia's invasion of Ukraine and concern over Chinese military activity near the self-ruled island of Taiwan.

The United States has committed more than $32 billion in weapons to Ukraine, including sophisticated air defense systems and tanks.

Mistrust toward the United States among some in the Middle East has built up since the 2011 "Arab Spring" uprisings when Gulf rulers were shocked at how President Barack Obama's administration abandoned then-Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak after a decades-old alliance.

The United States pulled out the last of its troops from Afghanistan in a chaotic withdrawal in 2021, further raising questions in the broader region about Washington's commitment.

(Reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Will Dunham and Jonathan Oatis)
By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Monday it temporarily paused flights to and from parts of South Florida due to a radar issue for about an hour and many flights were still be impacted.

The issue affected the FAA's Miami and Jacksonville Air Route Traffic Control Centers. Flight tracking website FlightAware said more than 2,800 U.S. flights were delayed nationwide on Monday and 90 canceled.

The FAA said some flights crossing northern Florida "will be delayed" an average of 10 mins or routed around the area until around 7 p.m. ET

In January, a system known as the En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM) used to control air traffic prompted the FAA on Jan. 2 to issue a ground stop order in Florida, slowing traffic into airports and snarling hundreds of flights.

The problem with the ERAM system at a major regional air traffic control center in Miami caused dozens of flight delays at Miami and flights into other airports in the southern U.S. state.

ERAM in 2015 replaced the 40-year-old En Route Host computer and backup system used at 20 FAA Air Route Traffic Control Centers nationwide.

The FAA has faced other recent technical issues.

A pilot messaging database outage on Jan. 11 forced a nationwide halt to all U.S. passenger departing traffic for almost two hours, the first such ground stop since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

The computer system outage disrupted more than 11,000 U.S. flights. Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen told lawmakers in January the FAA found that the outage occurred when contract personnel "unintentionally deleted files."

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Aurora Ellis)
When the U.S. blacklisted six Chinese entities last month in response to a suspected spy balloons traversing the country, a little-known tech firm in Northern California had reason to pay particularly close attention.

AXT Inc. has extensive ties to China that go beyond its manufacturing facilities there. The company owns an 85% stake in a Chinese subsidiary that produces materials for semiconductors and has counted as one of its biggest customers a giant state-owned defense firm linked to Beijings surveillance balloon program, according to AXTs filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission in August.

A division of the defense firm, China Electronics Technology Group Corp., or CETC, was among the Chinese companies the Biden administration blacklisted for providing support to the Peoples Liberation Armys aerospace programs. That was only the latest U.S. government move against CETC  at least 20 of its subsidiaries and divisions have been added to the so-called entity list since 2018.

The entity list identifies foreign firms deemed to pose risks to U.S. national security and imposes severe restrictions on U.S. companies seeking licenses to export goods to them.

Its not clear whether AXTs subsidiary sold materials directly to any of the blacklisted parts of CETC.

AXTs SEC filing doesnt specify which divisions of CETC its subsidiary dealt with, and the company didnt respond to multiple requests for comment.

Theres no indication that AXT is violating any U.S. laws, but its previously unreported ties to the Chinese defense conglomerate highlight the broader challenge of preventing U.S. technology and know-how from ending up in the hands of Chinas military.

The two economies are very intertwined in a way that others are not right now, said Emily Benson, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank. And so the more intertwined you are necessarily means the more complex it is to promulgate controls and really to force the separation in a bilateral supply chain.

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Even the most robust and well-funded operation would struggle to track the flow of goods that enter China and move through a sprawling military contractor like CETC.

In the U.S., the laborious task of tracking the movement of electronics that could be used by the Chinese military falls to the Commerce Departments Bureau of Industry and Security, which often lacks the resources to sift through reams of export data and public ownership records, Benson said.

Its up to a very skeletal staff at the Bureau of Industry and Security to basically track down wrongdoing in the supply chain to look for violations, she said.

China Electronics Technology Group is one of Chinas core state-owned defense companies, with a vast global network, said Emily de La Bruyere, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington research organization.

Its a huge entity, she said. One of the ways it operates is through this enormous network of subsidiaries, whether those are large research institutes or joint ventures or investment players or wholly owned subsidiaries. And those have huge numbers of partnerships in the international system.

Last year, CETC was ranked 233rd in Fortune magazines top 500 global companies.

The technical director of AXTs Beijing Tongmei subsidiary, Ren Diansheng, worked for CETC for 15 years before he joined AXT in 2005, according to U.S. securities filings. Ren, who lives in China, couldnt be reached for comment.

The China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) booth at the International High-Tech Expo in Beijing in 2019. (Cai Qun / VCG via Getty Images file)

The Commerce Department didnt offer more details about the role of CETC in Chinas alleged balloon surveillance activities. A department spokesperson told NBC News that an analysis of recovered debris from the downed balloon is ongoing, and we do not have definitive analysis at this time.

The Chinese government has claimed it was a civilian weather balloon that veered off course.

AXT, formerly known as American Xtal Technology Inc., started in 1986. In its early years, it got $2 million in seed money from the Defense Department to develop technology and products. About 20 years ago, AXT moved its manufacturing to China, setting up facilities in multiple locations. As of 2021, the company employed 28 people at its headquarters in California and nearly 1,400 in China, according to securities filings.

AXT manufactures wafers, small discs with a high level of purity that are vital for semiconductors. The materials are used in electronics like satellite solar cells, lasers and sensors.

The Biden administration said the Chinese balloon that floated over the U.S. in early February was 200 feet tall, with a payload of electronics that weighed more than 2,000 pounds. U.S. officials say the balloon was able to pick up radio signals to conduct eavesdropping.

After the balloon episode, the Commerce Department last month blacklisted six Chinese organizations, including CETCs 48th Research Institute. According to its website, the institute manufactures and supplies microelectronic equipment, such as solar-powered wafers, cells and panels, to clients in China and abroad.

CETC didnt respond to requests for comment.

The firm is part of what China calls its military-civil fusion strategy, designed to eliminate barriers between commercial and defense research and production to bolster the countrys military power, said Grant Parks, a China analyst at C4ADS, a Washington-based nonprofit global security organization.

CETC oversees a firm that U.S. officials say is linked to an elaborate surveillance operation against the countrys mostly Muslim Uyghur minority. Human rights groups say Chinese authorities have carried out a campaign of repression against Uyghurs, and the U.S. government says Chinas actions constitute genocide.

The Global Times, a tabloid newspaper owned by the ruling Chinese Communist Party, published a story last year about a "powerful" space surveillance radar that was developed by one of CETC's research arms.

Executive orders from former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden ban U.S. citizens from investing in CETC. In 2010, a Massachusetts firm was convicted of illegally shipping military electronic components to CETC. At the time, the Justice Department said CETC was responsible for the procurement, development and manufacture of electronics for the Chinese military.

In 2020, the Commerce Department blacklisted four CETC entities for helping Chinas Peoples Liberation Army build and militarize artificial islands in the disputed waters of the South China Sea.

Some experts say Chinese conglomerates are often a step ahead of sanctions and blacklisting efforts in Washington, as they use a sprawling network of smaller units.

One of the biggest weaknesses of existing export controls and other regulatory regimes is that you leave all of these loopholes if you dont say that the entire corporate network of the company is covered, de La Bruyere said.

The potential threat posed by Chinas defense industrys exploiting U.S. technology is now top of the agenda in Washington. A new House select committee on China has vowed to focus on the issue at coming hearings.

Last month the Democratic chairman and the ranking Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee warned that the flow of U.S. technological know-how to the Peoples Republic of China created dangerous vulnerabilities.

U.S. technology, talent, and capital continue to contribute  through both lawful and unlawful means, including theft  to the PRCs development of critical military-use industries, technologies, and related supply chains, Sens. Mark Warner, D-Va., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla., wrote in a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.

China has rejected accusations it has stolen intellectual property or carried out industrial espionage.

China also is keen to reduce its dependence on foreign markets and Western-made technology, pursuing what it calls a dual circulation policy to bolster economic and technological self-reliance.

In October, the Biden administration introduced unprecedented export restrictions on shipments of certain semiconductor chips and chipmaking tools to China, seeking to block the Chinese militarys access to the crucial technology.

Chinas foreign ministry slammed the move as an abuse of trade policy that was designed to give the U.S. technological hegemony.

To reinforce the new U.S. export controls, Washington has sought to join forces with Japan and the Netherlands, which host major chip production companies, to restrict advanced chip-manufacturing equipment to China.

If the three governments can clinch an agreement on export restrictions and enforce them, it would be an important step and offer a new model for future efforts, said Benson of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
By Mike Scarcella

(Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department is fighting to keep its digital advertising lawsuit against Google in Virginia federal district court, warning of potential prolonged litigation if the Alphabet Inc unit wins its effort to transfer the government's new case to New York.

In a court filing on Friday, the Justice Department, along with Virginia and other state plaintiffs, said federal and state enforcers are owed "substantial deference" as to where they want to bring a lawsuit.

The case, alleging anticompetitive abuses of advertising technology, was filed in January in Alexandria, Virginia, federal court and threatens to break up a key part of Google's business. Google has denied violating U.S. antitrust law in its digital ad practices.

A lawyer for Google at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and a spokesperson for the company on Monday did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

The Justice Department declined to comment on Monday.

Google's lawyers want U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Alexandria to transfer the lawsuit to Manhattan, where related antitrust cases from other states, publishers and media companies are pending as part of multidistrict litigation. Google has argued consolidation will minimize the potential for inconsistent rulings.

But moving the case to the Southern District of New York won't eliminate the chance of divergent trial judgments or appellate decisions, the DOJ's lawyers said. The cases consolidated in New York can return to their originating district courts for trial, the government told Brinkema.

The DOJ said in its filing that transferring the case to Manhattan would mean a trial in 2025 "at the earliest."

"The need for swift action is particularly pronounced in this case given the pace of change in technology and the dynamic nature of Google's anticompetitive conduct across the ad tech industry," lawyers for the DOJ, Virginia and other states, including New York and California, said in their filing.

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In its bid seeking to get the DOJ case to New York, Google's lawyers said the government's "case lags far behind other pending ad tech antitrust cases" and "adds nothing of substance to those earlier-filed cases."

Brinkema will weigh the dispute on Friday at a hearing.

The case is United States et al v. Google LLC, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, 1:23-cv-00108-LMB-IDD.

For DOJ: Julia Tarver Wood and Aaron Teitelbaum of the DOJ

For Virginia: Andrew Ferguson of Virginia Attorney Generals Office

For Google: Eric Mahr and Tyler Garrett of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

Read more:

U.S. targets Google's online ad business monopoly in latest Big Tech lawsuit

(Reporting by Mike Scarcella; editing by Leigh Jones)
By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Three U.S. airlines agreed to commit in writing to eliminating family seating fees if adjacent seats are available during booking, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) said on Monday.

Under pressure from the Biden administration, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Frontier Airlines will include the guarantee in customer service plans.

"We have been pressing airlines to guarantee family seating without tacking on extra charges, and now were seeing some airlines start to make this common-sense change," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement on Monday.

USDOT is unveiling a new government dashboard highlighting airline commitments after its four-month review found no airlines previously guaranteed fee-free family seating.

To receive a dashboard green check, airlines must guarantee parents can sit next to children age 13 and younger without being charged additional fees if seats are available at booking and must include that guarantee as part of customer service plans "so that it is backstopped by USDOT enforcement if they fail to deliver," the department said.

Last week, President Joe Biden urged airlines to follow American Airlines in adopting the commitment as part of a broad effort to crack down on what the White House calls "junk fees."

"No one should have to pay extra to be seated with their kids," Biden said on Twitter.

Airlines for America, which represents large U.S. airlines, says its carriers do not charge for family seating but many do not include commitments in customer service plans. Carriers not honor written commitments can face USDOT enforcement actions.

Alaska Airlines said it has "always cared for families on our flights and family seating is something weve never charged for." Frontier said in recent months it took steps to "automatically" seat young children with an accompanying adult. American said its written plan "provides additional clarity."

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USDOT has begun drafting regulations to end family seating fees but that could take years to finalize. The administration plans to send Congress proposed legislation in the coming weeks to end the fees.

Biden first urged airlines in his State of the Union last month to take the action, saying, "Baggage fees are bad enough - airlines can't treat your child like a piece of baggage."

In August, U.S. airlines made "significant changes" to customer service plans with nearly all agreeing to offer passengers meals and overnight stays for delays within their control after USDOT first announced a dashboard comparing customer protections.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
The luck of the Irish was with the village of Tinley Park this weekend as the villages 23rd annual Irish Parade was met with 45-degree temperatures and sun instead of the 10 inches of snow the area narrowly avoided Friday night.

We were so lucky, said Tinley Park marketing director Donna Framke, who helped coordinate the parade. I was panicking on Friday trying to figure out how public works would get the streets and sidewalks clear for everyone in time, but we ended up with a beautiful day.

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Framke said the pleasant conditions likely lead to a bigger turnout with a crowd estimated to be near 15,000 spectators coming out bedecked in all their green and orange gear to celebrate the Chicago area Irish community.

The Color Guard for the Tinley Park parade included the Ukrainian flag. (Jessie Molloy / Daily Southtown)

Its always so great to see, said Mary Fahy, a Peotone resident and first generation Irish-American who joined her family for the parade. Its great that everyone comes out in all their Irish gear to support the parade and to support the Irish community.

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The parade, which ran from 179th Street to 172nd Street along Oak Park Avenue, included participants from about 75 organizations, Framke said. It was led by trucks from the Tinley Park Fire Department and the grand marshals were Dina Bair and Patrick Elwood from WGN News.

Chicago Stockyard Kitty Band marches in Sunday's Tinley Park Irish Parade. (Jessie Molloy / Daily Southtown)

Among those marching in the parade were representatives from Tinley Park and Orland Townships government agencies, student athletes, veterans organizations, the Girl Scouts of America, Tinley Park Peoples Animals Welfare Society and some of their four-legged friends, and several businesses, including Gaelic Park, the south suburbs iconic Irish event venue and cultural center.

Across from the reviewing stand there were short performances by several groups including the Tinley Park Bobcats cheerleaders, UGA Gymnastics, Black Bird Irish Dance School and two bagpipe marching bands, the Chicago Stockyard Kilty Band and the Band of Brothers Pipes and Drum Band, made up of current and former members of area fire departments.

The Irish band Vision in the Rhythm perform after the parade. (Jessie Molloy / Daily Southtown)

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After the parade, attendees were encouraged to continue the celebrations in the Oak Park Avenue restaurants and bars as well as in Zabrocki Plaza, where refreshments were served and live Irish music was provided by local band Vision in the Rhythm. Tinley Park village trustees announced they would move forward with the long-awaited development of Harmony Square Plaza at North Street and Oak Park Avenue, and unveiled concept art of the project.

The development, which Mayor Michael Glotz said has been in the works for 20 years, can move ahead because the village acquired the final parcel of land needed. The site, which the village is developing along with the Lakota Group, will be used as a year-round event venue and will feature a band stand, a large artificial turf lawn, a public bathroom, a childrens splash pad in the summer and a skating rink in the winter, which will come equipped with skate rentals, warming huts and fire pits.

Glotz said the village plans to break ground this summer and is in talks with ComEd and the utility companies about moving power lines underground to improve the site.

Tinley Park Village Board members unveil the Harmony Plaza plans as a special announcement following the parade. (Jessie Molloy / Daily Southtown)

Were going to be making a mess this year, but hopefully well have it ready by September of 2024, if not sooner, Glotz said.

Village attorney Paul OGrady said the exact finish date has not been set because much of the work will be weather dependent.

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Were very glad the waiting is over, Glotz said. Without the support of our village staff and the board, none of it would have ever happened, so Im very grateful to them.

Jessie Molloy is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
(Reuters) -U.S. regulators sent another list of questions to Freeport LNG on Monday as they evaluated its request to restart full commercial operations of its export facility in Texas.

Last month, the privately held LNG export facility, the second-biggest in the U.S., started to exit an eight-month outage that was caused by a fire in June 2022.

Freeport requested authorization from regulators late last month to progress to full commercial operations on the last of its three gas-liquefaction units, after the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) gave approval for partial restart of the other two of those units.

FERC and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) sought answers on operating conditions and steps taken to improve safety.

"In collaboration with the regulatory agencies, we are continuing to progress the safe restart of our liquefaction facility," a Freeport spokesperson said in an email. The company had no comment on FERC's data request.

The FERC request asked for "a status update on Freeport LNG's hiring efforts to address operator fatigue and training status of the new hires," according to its letter to Freeport.

The fiery blast that knocked the facility offline in June resulted from inadequate operating and testing procedures, operator fatigue and other shortcomings, a review found.

(Reporting by Deep Vakil and Kavya Guduru in Bengaluru; Editing by Richard Chang and Bradley Perrett)
By Nichola Groom and Richard Valdmanis

(Reuters) -U.S. imports of solar panels are finally picking up after months of gridlock stemming from implementation of a new law banning goods made with forced labor, according to two Chinese solar companies.

A White House official confirmed the thaw in shipments at an energy conference on Monday, attributing it to clearer rules around complying with the Uyghur Forced Labor Protection Act (UFLPA).

The gains are a relief to major Chinese suppliers including Trina Solar and Jinko Solar, who are finally getting products into the lucrative U.S. market after long delays.

The labor protection law prohibits imports of products made in China's Xinjiang region, where Chinese authorities are reported to have established labor camps for ethnic Uyghur and other Muslim groups. China denies any abuses.

The movement of panels that have been stuck at the border or awaiting shipment from overseas should help alleviate delays in U.S. solar project development stemming from implementation of the law, which went into effect in June of last year.

The freeze in project building posed a risk to the Biden administration's clean energy and climate change goals, the industry has said.

"There's clearer guidance out, and we're seeing more shipments coming through, John Podesta, a senior adviser to President Joe Biden on clean energy matters, told reporters on Monday on the sidelines of the CERAWeek energy conference in Houston. He did not give details on the quantity of panels that were making it through customs.

Trina Solar Co Ltd told Reuters that more than 900 megawatts of its solar panels have cleared U.S. customs in the last four months, with less than 1% of those products being detained for examination. That's about enough capacity to power more than 150,000 homes.

"Trina's data systems and supply chain management allow us to provide detailed traceability documentation, upon request by the U.S. Customs," a Trina U.S. spokesperson, Melissa Cavanagh, said in an email. "This has significantly reduced delays at the ports."

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The UFLPA essentially presumes that all goods from Xinjiang are made with forced labor and requires producers to show sourcing documentation of imported equipment back to the raw material to prove otherwise before imports can be cleared.

Trina rival Jinko Solar Holding Co Ltd has also had shipments released from detention, a source close to the company said.

As of October, U.S. Customs and Border Protection had seized more than 1,000 shipments of solar energy equipment under UFLPA, the agency said in response to a public records request. None had been released.

The products were primarily made by Trina, Jinko and Longi Green Energy Technology Co Ltd, according to industry sources. Those companies typically account for up to a third of U.S. panel supplies.

Longi did not respond to requests for comment.

In response to another public records request last month, U.S. Customs said it had released 374, or more than a quarter of 1,433 electronics shipments it had detained under UFLPA. It would not specify how many of those were solar products.

Polysilicon, the solar industry's raw material, is identified as a high-priority sector in the law.

(Reporting by Richard Valdmanis in Houston and Nichola Groom in Los AngelesEditing by David Gregorio, Matthew Lewis and Sonali Paul)
By Daniel Wiessner

(Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday again declined to settle a split among appeals courts over whether federal wage law allows workers to bring nationwide class action-style lawsuits, turning away a case involving FedEx Corp.

The justices denied a petition by FedEx security specialist Christa Fischer for review of a July ruling by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that said because her overtime pay lawsuit was filed in Pennsylvania, only workers from that state could join.

Companies and business groups have been pushing courts to limit nationwide wage-and-hour lawsuits, citing a 2017 Supreme Court ruling that said people who lived outside California could not join a product liability case filed in state court against Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.

The 3rd Circuit in the FedEx case joined the 6th and 8th Circuits, which in 2021 had both said courts lack jurisdiction over residents of other states.

But the 1st and 7th Circuits have gone the other way, saying the wage law was designed to enable large-scale collective actions against companies operating in multiple states. The Supreme Court last year declined to take up appeals of those cases.

Tennessee-based FedEx did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Nor did lawyers for Fischer.

Fischer in a 2019 lawsuit in Philadelphia federal court alleged FedEx misclassified security specialists across the country as independent contractors rather than its employees and deprived them of overtime pay required by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.

Under the FLSA, workers can file "collective actions" that are similar to class action lawsuits but have some key procedural differences, including that other workers must opt in to be included.

A federal judge in 2020 refused to allow FedEx employees from New York and Maryland to join the case, citing the Bristol-Myers ruling. The 3rd Circuit upheld that ruling last year, prompting Fischer's Supreme Court petition.

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The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the country's largest business lobby, had urged the 3rd Circuit to rule for FedEx. In a 2021 amicus brief, the group said allowing nationwide FLSA lawsuits would subject employers to uncertainty and encourage workers to "forum shop" by filing in plaintiff-friendly courts.

The case is Fischer v. Federal Express Corp, U.S. Supreme Court, No. 22-396.

For Fischer: Adam Hansen of Apollo Law

For FedEx: David Salmons of Morgan Lewis & Bockius

Read more:

Cases to Watch: Bid to limit nationwide FLSA class actions is reaching appeals courts

Court greenlights nationwide wage lawsuits amid bid to limit their scope

Chamber asks 3rd Circuit to limit nationwide FLSA collectives

Out-of-state workers barred from FLSA action against FedEx  appeals court

U.S. Supreme Court again limits where companies can be sued
How does the UK's childcare costs compare to the rest of the world? (Getty Images)

Words: Felicity Hannah

Parents will soon be getting some much-needed help with their childcare costs, after the Chancellor has announced an expansion of free childcare for one and two-year-olds in this afternoons Budget.

The 4bn plan will provide an extra 30 hours a week of childcare for parents in England with children in that age group and increased funding for the current childcare programme for three-year-olds.

Families with children aged one and two do not currently receive support after parental leave ends and before free nursery hours are offered for three and four-year-olds.

The move comes amid ongoing concerns about the cost of childcare because while no one said having kids was going to be cheap, parents-to-be probably weren't expecting to have to fork out quite so much of their hard-earned cash on childcare.

Turns out bringing up a child in the UK is an expensive business, particularly if you need or want to work, with a recent report revealing UK parents are spending more than two-thirds of their salaries on childcare, which for many means it is cheaper not to clock on at all.

From the cost of nursery or nannies for little ones, to the wrap-around care needed for older children via holiday and after-school clubs, paying for a child to be cared for can eat a big hole in earnings.

Throw two or more kids into the mix and its nearly impossible for some families to make the maths work.

And with the current cost of living crisis adding to the stress it's little wonder one in four parents have had to cut down on necessities such as food, heating or clothing to afford for their children to be looked after.

But, of course, not all childcare costs are created equal with many countries around the world getting a considerably better deal than British parents.

So, how exactly does the UK compare with the rest of the globe and what can be done about the rising costs?

Read more: Most parents worried about kids' mental health: How to spot if your child's struggling

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Childcare costs in the UK are putting a financial burden on parents. (Getty Images)

Average costs of childcare in the UK

While the amount parents are having to pay varies from setting to setting and the type of childcare required, an annual survey from the charity Coram Family and Childcare gives an idea of the cash mums and dads have been splashing to have their kids looked after.

Families needing full-time nursery care for a child under two spent a whopping 13,695 a year on average this year in Great Britain, or 285.31 a week.

Even parents only needing part-time nursery care for a child under two had to fork out an average of 7,134 (for 25 hours per week), which is 148.63 every single week.

The report says average costs have risen by 5.9% in the past year while the availability of places has also dropped.

Offering a teeny silver lining, the cost of childminders is slightly cheaper with 50 hours a week of childminder care for an under-two working out at 247.19 a week or 11,865 a year.

After-school clubs set British families back an average of 67.42 a week, or 2,629 a year during term time (39 weeks a year). Then, of course, theres holiday cover with parents who need that kind of childcare typically splashing 148 a week when schools out, including during the long summer break.

It's worth noting that prices in England are higher than in Scotland and Wales. And, of course, costs vary within each county too with some families in London having to spend 45 more a week on staff for their children than the British average.

Read more: 'Im the breadwinner in our family and Im happy to pay for everything,' says high-flying mum-of-four

Childminder costs are slightly less than nursery costs in the UK. (Getty Images)

How do UK childcare costs compare with the rest of the world?

British parents currently wincing with recognition won't be surprised to hear that Britain, alongside Cyprus and the Czech Republic, ranks as one of the most expensive countries in terms of childcare.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) looked at the cost of childcare among 40 different developed countries as a proportion of parental income and gave each country a ranking.

The findings compared the costs of two-parent households, both earning 67% of the average wage and with two children aged two and three, and found that in terms of affordability those three countries were the most expensive.

New Zealand was then found to be the fourth most expensive country for childcare, Ireland the fifth most pricey, the United States was sixth most expensive, followed by Switzerland and Australia. France was found to be in the middle cost range and Germany was by comparison, found to be the fifth cheapest.

At the other end of the scale, Estonia, Latvia and Italy all ranked as having the cheapest average costs.

A further report by Unicef, comparing the leave given to new parents, access to childcare, the quality of that childcare and its affordability ranks Luxembourg first, followed by Iceland, Sweden, Norway and Germany.

The UK comes 36th overall, and 35th if you measure it just on affordability. Canada came 21st for affordability, France came 25th, Ireland 33rd, Australia 34th and the US 38th.

The countries that scored top place for affordability were Malta, Italy and Chile, with Unicef reporting that these countries offer free childcare, explaining why they are at the top of the rankings on affordability.

But its important to note that they came 14th, 15th and 25th overall, when you take the quality of childcare and other factors into account, hinting that cost isnt everything when it comes to care provision.

Watch: Nursery fees 'to rise by 1,000 this year' as childcare providers struggle with costs - forcing parents to quit work

British parents are also getting a bit of a raw deal in terms of how much they are paying in childcare as a percentage of their total income.

The Cost of Childcare Report from the team at money.co.uk identifies what percentage of parents' monthly and annual income will be spent on childcare for children aged 0-2, who may not be entitled to any government or additional funding in their home nation, as is the case for the majority of parents in the UK.

It found that Britain ranked in fifth spot with single parents spending around half their income on childcare costs and two-parent households spending around a quarter.

By comparison, a two-parent household in France would spend around 13% of their joint income on childcare, in Australia they would spend just under 15%, in the US 13% and in Canada 11%  whereas in Germany a double-parent household would only spend 6% of their income on childcare.

Mums and dads in Chile are spending the largest amount of their monthly salary on childcare (58.5%)  with single parents in the South American nation spending well over half of the average monthly income on full-time care, and two-parent households spending just under a third of their earnings.

The Dutch follow closely behind in second place, with single parents in the Netherlands also spending over half the average income on full-time childcare.

On the positive side  with high-quality childcare and long, government-funded paid parental leave, it comes as no surprise that Sweden leads the way as the most affordable country for childcare.

Working parents in Sweden are supported with a low-cost daycare rate of 5.75 a day, equating to a weekly cost of just 28.75, and a monthly cost of 114.99. Over the year, Swedish parents pay just 1,379.88 for childcare for under-two.

Read it and weep British parents.

Read more: Louise Minchin reveals 'heartbreaking' experience of balancing work and motherhood

British parents have some of the most expensive childcare costs in the world. (Getty Images)

British parents are fighting back

We've already established that the UK is one of the world's most expensive countries for childcare, but, in further bad news, costs are expected to rise further.

Recent figures have suggested nurseries are expected to raise fees by up to 1,000 this year, heaping further financial pressure on already stretched parents.

But they don't plan to take the soaring costs lying down, with thousands of parents joining the March of the Mummies protest in October last year to demand reform to childcare, parental leave and flexible working.

The financial burden of childcare has seen 17% of parents leave their jobs while 62% have decided to work less hours, and it is mostly women who bear the brunt of childcare, according to research from Pregnant Then Screwed, the organisation behind the protest.

Mothers from all over the UK have come together because enough is enough," says the charity founder Joeli Brearley.

"Data from the ONS shows that women of childbearing age are dropping like flies from the workforce. The childcare sector is in a mess; thousands of nurseries have collapsed this year alone. We have had enough.

This is a view echoed in parenting forums across the UK. "This is why I gave up work," one Mumsnet user wrote in a post lamenting her childcare fees.

"It was not worth the cost and I was working for no extra money, just paying someone else to look after my children up to 10 hours a day. Financially, we were better off with me staying at home."

"The whole model is broken," agreed another user. "Childcare should be affordable on all wage levels."

Read more: Gender pay gap 'widest for women in their 50s'

In October 2022, thousands of parents took part in the March of the Mummies protest demanding reform on childcare. (Getty Images)

The future of childcare in the UK

So what does the government plan to do to help struggling parents?

There is some support available for eligible families, for instance, up to 30 hours per week of free childcare for three and four-year-olds in England during term-time, though many parents are only entitled to 15 hours per week, due to the salary threshold.

But in the Spring Budget the Chancellor announced the extension of the 30 hours free childcare to include one and two-year-olds in England.

Some two-year-olds, depending on their family circumstances, may also be eligible for 15 hours per week of free childcare. These schemes are for families living in England, and similar provision is available in Scotland and Wales.

There's also the Tax-Free Childcare scheme which can save parents up to 2,000 a year per child. Once youve signed up, you load money into an online wallet on the gov.uk website and pay your provider out of that.

For every 8 you put in, the state tops it up to 10, saving you 20% of your costs to a maximum of 2,000 a year, per child.

It's something, but there are still calls for further help.

One campaign group, which includes the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), the London Early Years Foundation (LEYF) and the Fatherhood Institute, have signed a letter to Rishi Sunak calling for radical change.

The proportion of wages spent by British parents compared to French parents [on childcare] is more than double," they wrote. "Its not uncommon for parents, especially in London and the south-east, to actually spend most of their income on childcare."

Jonathan Merry, CEO of MoneyTransfers, previously told Yahoo UK that the high cost of childcare is "a real burden for UK families.

It's no wonder that many parents are struggling to make ends meet," he said.
Melitopol

Two powerful explosions were heard in the northern districts of the city, Fedorov said.

Read also: Russian military base near Melitopol destroyed

There is already information that two objects where the Rushists (Russian fascists) were located have been destroyed.

According to preliminary information, hundreds of invading Russian troops may have been killed. However, the General Staff of the Armed Forces will provide exact figures and complete information, Fedorov said.

Read also: Explosions heard at Russian ammo dump in occupied Zaporizhzhya Oblast, says Melitopol mayor

Earlier, on March 1, Fedorov reported that there had been explosions at the airfield in Russia-occupied Melitopol. Then he added that the Russian invaders had a smoke break go wrong, using a common Ukrainian joke that attributes attacks likely carried out by the Ukrainian military to the careless disposal of cigarette ends by Russian troops.

Later, he noted that invading Russian forces were bringing military equipment and personnel to Melitopol. He said the enemy was preparing to defend the city against an expected Ukrainian attack.

Many military experts expect that a coming Ukrainian offensive in the spring will be aimed at thrusting into Zaporizhzhya Oblast, liberating the city of Melitopol. If Ukrainian forces reach the coast in the south of the oblast, they will cut off the land bridge that connects Crimea to Russia through Ukrainian territory, leaving only the Kerch Bridge as a means of reaching the peninsula from Russia, experts say.

Read also: Rosgvardia troops brought to Ukrainian south to oversee conscripts, says Melitopol mayor

Ukraines Crimea has been under Russian military occupation since the start of the war over nine years ago, in February 2014.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Ukrainian forces are likely conducting a limited tactical withdrawal in Bakhmut, although it is still too early to assess Ukrainian intentions concerning a complete withdrawal from the city.

Source: Report from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW)

Details: ISW experts believe that Ukrainian forces may be withdrawing from their positions on the eastern bank of the Bakhmutka River given recent geolocated footage of the destruction of the railway bridge over the river in northeastern Bakhmut.

ISW has pointed out that geolocated footage showed that Wagner Group forces continued to make advances in northeastern Bakhmut and advanced near the Stupky railway station on 5 March.

"A Ukrainian serviceman told a Ukrainian outlet that Russian forces have yet to cross the Bakhmutka River into central Bakhmut as of 4 March, and Russian milbloggers claimed that the Wagner Group pushed Ukrainian positions back to central Bakhmut. It is unclear if Ukrainian forces are planning to hold positions on the western bank of the Bakhmutka River," the report says.

The ISW is convinced that the Ukrainian defence of Bakhmut remains strategically sound as it continues to consume Russian manpower and equipment as long as Ukrainian forces do not suffer excessive casualties.

Quote: "Ukrainian forces are unlikely to withdraw from Bakhmut all at once and may pursue a gradual fighting withdrawal to exhaust Russian forces through continued urban warfare. Russian forces are unlikely to quickly secure significant territorial gains when conducting urban warfare, which usually favours the defender and can allow Ukrainian forces to inflict high casualties on advancing Russian unitseven as Ukrainian forces are actively withdrawing.

The Bakhmut city centre is located on the western bank of the Bakhmutka River, and Russian forces will need to fight through the area if they are unable to advance directly north or south of Bakhmut to the west of the city centre. Such urban conditions and river features may benefit Ukrainian forces if Ukrainian forces are able to hold the line from Khromove (a settlement on Bakhmuts northwestern outskirts) south to the T0504 Bakhmut-Kostyantynivka highway. Russian milbloggers noted that Ukrainian forces are retaining the ability to defend Khromove and are continuing to repel Russian attacks on Ivanivske and on the T0504 highway to the south. The Ukrainian defence of positions near Khromove and on the T0504 could force Russian forces to fight through the urban terrain of central Bakhmut, which could impose significant delays and losses on Russian forces and accelerate the culmination of Russias offensive.

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Urban warfare in Bakhmut may further degrade already exhausted Russian mixed forces in a fashion similar to that caused by Ukraines fighting withdrawal from the Sievierodonetsk-Lysychansk line, which effectively ended Russian offensive operations in Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts in the summer of 2022."

Background:

Serhii Cherevatyi, spokesperson for the Eastern grouping of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has said that the Defence Forces currently have the ability to deliver ammunition, food and medicine to Bakhmut, as well as pick up the wounded.

On 4 March, Cherevatyi stated that Russia had not taken control of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast, and that there had been no mass withdrawal of Ukraines troops.

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Ukraine's Reintegration Ministry has announced the creation of the National Corpus of the Crimean Tatar language, a database of texts in Crimean Tatar for the purpose of language research, the ministry announced on its website.

Crimean Tatars are indigenous to the Crimean Peninsula, located in Ukraine's south and occupied by Russia since it was annexed by Russian troops in 2014. Following annexation, the Kremlin began a targeted campaign against Tatars, who have been outspoken against the Russian occupation regime. Joseph Stalin also forcibly deported hundreds of thousands of Tatars in 1944, many of whom died during the process.

According to the ministry, the process of collecting print and digital sources in Crimean Tatar for the database has been ongoing for four months, and 675 works by more than 180 authors have already been included in the catalog.

Among the sources in the database are works by well-known authors and texts from newspapers, magazines, textbooks, scientific articles, and international legal documents.

The oldest work dates back to the 13th century, with the most modern from the 21st century. The catalog contains materials in Crimean Tatar written in Arabic, pre-war Latin, Cyrillic, and modern Latin, the ministry wrote.

Collecting the texts is part of the ministry's 2022-2023 Strategy for the Development of the Crimean Tatar language. The project is being implemented along with the Swiss-Ukrainian EGAP program by the East Europe Foundation and the National University of Kyiv.




Demining of Ukrainian territories

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development and Trade Yulia Svyrydenko, during a meeting with Canadian MP Heather McPherson, said mine clearance in Ukraine would take 70 years with the resources currently available.

Read also: Third of Ukraines territory needs demining, Ministry of Internal Affairs says

Therefore, Ukraine needs strong support of international partners, both financial, technological and organizational, to tackle this issue in the shortest possible time, Svyrydenko said.

Svyrydenko and McPherson also discussed the issue of war risk insurance for foreign companies that are ready to take part in the rapid recovery of Ukraine, and in particular that for Canadian businesses.

Read also: France to help demine Chernihiv Oblast, aid in identifying dead civilians by DNA

Svyrydenko said Ukraine was already working on this issue with the United States and the European Union. She also emphasized the importance of introducing investment insurance mechanisms in the context of the need to restore and revive the national economy, which shrank by 30.4% in 2022.

In December 2022, the United Kingdom handed over to Ukraine more than 1,000 VALLON metal detectors and 100 bomb de-arming kits to help clear minefields and make safe reclaimed territory, civilian homes, and infrastructure.

Estonia also sent counter explosive ordnance equipment to Ukraine worth EUR 337,000.

Read also: International team of 1,000 sappers helping to demine Ukrainian territory

Meanwhile, 98 Polish police officers took part in a secret mission to carry out mine clearance of the liberated areas in Ukraine. In total, the Poles removed 2,000 explosives.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Ukraine urges not to allow Russia to preside over the UN Security Council in April

"On the night of the Russian invasion, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called it the saddest day of his tenure," Kyslytsya said.

Read also: UN confirms death of 8,101 civilians in Ukraine due to war, including over 450 children

This will be the saddest day in the history of the UN until April 1, 2023, if justice doesnt prevail and the Russian Federation takes over the chairmanship of the Security Council.

The ambassador noted that the decision to remove Russia from the UN Security Council and at least prevent its chairmanship in the Council is not within the competence of the UN Secretary General.

Read also: ISW says fighting for Bakhmut exhausting Russians, preparing ground for Ukrainian counter-offensive

"This question is for the members of the (Security) Council, Kyslytsya wrote.

By now, the Russian Federation should already be experiencing the consequences of (its) aggression and crimes (committed in Ukraine)."

Read also: UN resolution calls on Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukraine

Mozambique presides over the UN Security Council in March, before Russia is scheduled to take over in April, as per UN regulation.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Yevhen Dykyi said that he personally knows the fighters who went on raids deep into the Bryansk region of the Russian Federation back in June 2022.

Read also: NV examines Russian Volunteer Corps group that entered Russias Bryansk Oblast

I wont reveal a secret by saying that our Special Operations Forces have been operating in the Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod regions for a very long time, said Dykyi.

Our Special Forces are walking the Russian rear, blowing up things that need to be blown up. I even knew the fighters who went on raids in Bryansk region, and those were deep  not 20 kilometers from the border, as in this case (the operation of Russian Volunteer Corps on March 2), But 70, 100 kilometers  back in June last year.

According to the former commander, the inclusion of Russian volunteer fighters in these raids doesnt change anything, militarily speaking.

But it does from a political point of view, he added.

The public appearance of Russian volunteers, who are already demonstrating that they have the audacity to walk around Russian territory, and call to rebel against Putin, is at least a very strong slap in the face to the Kremlin regime.

Read also: Ukrainian intelligence tells Radio NV that Russian Volunteer Corps will help change post-Putin Russia

Russian media claimed on March 2 that a group of Ukrainian saboteurs had crossed the border into Bryansk Oblast (which borders Ukraine and Belarus), engaged in firefights, took several people hostage, and inflicted civilian casualties.

Furthermore, Russian propagandists spread false reports about an attack on a school bus, as well as the injury and even killing of a girl, only to deny these reports later.

Read also: Russian propagandist found guilty of inciting genocide in Ukraine  SBU

Ukrainian officials quickly dismissed the reports as a Russian false flag. A group called Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) later announced on its official Telegram channel that a group of its fighters had indeed crossed the Russian border, though denied targeting any civilians or taking hostages.

The commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps, Denis Nikitin (Kapustin), claims that the raid on Bryansk was agreed upon with Ukrainian authorities.

Story continues

Read also: Belarusian partisans release video of their drone landing on Russian AWACS plane

Meanwhile, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said that the events in Bryansk region were either a false flag operation or actions of "Russian partisans."

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Choir members from high schools throughout the region performed together last week at the Investing in Our Future Scholarship Gala at the Tinley Park Convention Center. (Southland College Prep)

When Kylie Hughes graduated from Southland College Prep Charter High School in 2021, she knew funding the next step in her education journey might be a challenge.

Now a sophomore at Spelman College in Atlanta, Hughes received a boost toward making that step happen when the United Negro College Fund granted her $3,000, which covered her books, health insurance and access to the college wellness center.

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That scholarship money was crucial for Hughes, who is majoring in international studies with a minor in economics. Shes not alone in that.

The UNCF is very important when it comes to helping students simply due to the lack of scholarships, in general, catering toward the historically Black colleges and universities, she said. A lot of the scholarships you look up when youre applying to colleges are more geared toward the predominantly white institutions.

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Scholarships that can help get new students into college while potentially reducing the burden of student debt took center stage at a large gathering last week at the Tinley Park Convention Center.

The Superintendents Commission for the Study of Diversity and Demographics, a group that includes 37 school district leaders from the south suburbs and beyond, hosted the Investing in Our Future Scholarship Gala. The sold out event raised $205,000 which was double the original goal. That goal which has since been raised to $250,000 and contributions are being accepted through March.

A combined mass choir of over 100 students from Southland College Prep, Rich Township, Provisio West and Kankakee high schools perform "Lift Every Voice and Sing," the Black national anthem, to a full house during the Investing in Our Future Scholarship Gala last week in Tinley Park. (Southland College Prep)

The high school choirs from Rich Township, Southland College Prep and Kankakee School District 111 and Proviso West united at the event to perform as a mass choir of over 100 voices.

A major player in the event was the UNCF, which awards more than 10,000 scholarships to students at affiliated HBCUs and 1,100 other schools nationwide, according to materials provided by the organization.

Kylie Hughes is just one of those recipients. Her brother, Joshua Hughes, a 2020 Southland College Prep graduate now attends Howard University, a historically Black university in Washington, D.C.

Every little bit helps so even if they dont receive a large amount just knowing that amount is there for them, he said. Theyve funded a lot of minority students.

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The participating districts at the scholarship gala included Rich Township High School District 227, Bremen High School District 228, Matteson School District 162 and Homewood Flossmoor High School District 233.

Blondean Davis, of Southland College Prep High School, and Johnnie Thomas, of Rich Township District 227, announce the Investing in Our Future Scholarship Gala raised over $200,000 to help send students to college during the event last week at the Tinley Park Convention Center. (Southland College Prep)

Blondean Davis, CEO of Southland College Prep, said the superintendents have long strove to prepare their students well for college, and the partnership with UNCF brings them together once again to support a shared goal.

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What we have in common is the dedication to try to provide the best education and staff development but now this new project us raising money for scholarships, Davis said. After the pandemic, it was difficult for some families  the difficulty manifests itself when youre talking about the choice of a college.

If we can do something to take a little bit of the weight off that would be our goal.

Johnnie Thomas, superintendent of School District 227 and president of the Commission, said the benefits of the scholarships extend beyond school campuses.

One of the things that we as a commission have always believed in is really taking the time and investing into any of the educational practices that are going to enhance the lives of our children thus elevating our community, he said. So by relieving some of the burden that is put on our students because of cost of college or other educational programs, that is something that is going to allow for them to focus on their educational career and become the best future professionals in our society.

Janice Neumann is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
The SBU detained a former fighter of the

In 2015, the man joined the battalion and took part in fighting against Ukrainian forces in the Donbas. In particular, he shelled Ukrainian defensive positions, took part in fighting near Donetsk airport, was on duty at checkpoints, and underwent sniper training.

After being wounded, he left the battalion and secretly left for Ukrainian-controlled territory. Later, he returned to his permanent residence in Odesa.

Read also: Up to 50 Russian battalion tactical groups fight in Donbas  analysis

Read also: Russia stops deploying battalion tactical groups due to their ineffectiveness, says UK intelligence

The perpetrator was hiding from justice but continued to maintain contacts with his accomplices from the invading army.

The SBU agents found his whereabouts and detained him.

During searches at the terrorists place of residence, law enforcers found computer equipment, a mobile phone and SIM cards with evidence of his criminal activities.

He was served with charge papers under Part 1 of Art. 2583 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (participation in a terrorist group or terrorist organization) and taken into custody.

An investigation is underway.

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Key developments on March 5:

Russia has "wasted huge amounts of human resources, armaments, and materials" during the full-scale war against Ukraine, says Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov.

Russia will likely run out of offensive potential by late spring, Budanov said in an interview with USA Today published on March 5.

The intelligence chief did not elaborate further on Moscow's war aims in the coming weeks.

Budanov said "a decisive battle" is set to take place this spring and predicted that "this battle will be the final one before this war ends," USA Today reported.

Russia intensified its offensive operations in late January when it launched large-scale attacks against Ukrainian defense lines in Donbas, focusing on Bakhmut, Vuhledar, and Lyman in Donetsk Oblast.

Only around Bakhmut have Russian forces made meaningful advances, carried out mainly by the Wagner Group paramilitary troops, with high reported casualties.

However, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a D.C.-based think-tank analyzing the war in Ukraine, said in its March 4 report that Russian forces are unlikely to encircle Bakhmut soon.

"Russian forces appear to have secured a sufficient positional advantage to conduct a turning movement against certain parts of Bakhmut but have not yet forced Ukrainian forces to withdraw and will likely not be able to encircle the city soon," the ISW said in its daily report.

While Russian offensives into Bakhmut have reportedly been "slow and gradual," they were still able to "push close enough to critical ground lines of communication from the northeast to threaten Ukrainian withdrawal routes in a classical turning movement," the ISW said.

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Ukraine has thus far denied having any plans to withdraw from Bakhmut. The military leadership said earlier in the week that a retreat is on the table, but such a decision will be made only if necessary.

Kyiv's continued pleas for fighter jets

Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat confirmed on March 6 that Russia had used new 1,500-kilogram UPAB-1500B gliding bombs against Ukraine for the first time.

The bomb is designed to hit highly-protected targets at a range of up to 40 kilometers.

Speaking on live television, Ihnat emphasized that Ukraine needed to receive modern fighting jets, such as F-16s, to "counter this threat, to protect our cities and villages."

The bombs' use was first reported on March 4 by Ukrainian military-focused outlet Defense Express, which said that the bombs had been dropped on targets a few weeks prior in Ukraine's northern Chernihiv Oblast.

The guided bomb, first unveiled at a Russian arms expo in 2019, has since undergone full testing, been delivered to the Russian air force, and received its first orders for export, the article said.

Rising civilian casualties

Two people  a woman and a man  are still missing three days after a Russian missile strike hit a five-story residential building in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, the National Police reported.

At least thirteen people were confirmed dead after the midnight strike on March 2.

On March 5, Russian artillery hit a car in The northeastern Kharkiv Oblast. A woman and a man inside the car were killed immediately, the regional prosecutor's office reported in a Telegram post.

A day earlier, Russian forces shelled the liberated city of Kupiansk  just 30 kilometers southwest of the Russian border  and killed a 65-year-old man, Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported.

The attacks also intensified in southern Ukraine. Three people, including a woman and two children, were killed during a Russian shelling of the Poniativka village in Kherson Oblast.

Ukrainian settlements on the western bank of the Dnipro River have been continuously subjected to Russian shelling from the other side of the river since Ukrainian forces liberated them in November 2022.
Key developments on March 6:

The tensions surrounding the embattled city of Bakhmut have reached their all-time high as Russia throws even more Wagner mercenary forces onto the battlefield, Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi said in a statement published on March 6.

The commander of the Ground Forces of Ukraine, who visited Bakhmut on March 5, said that Ukrainian forces are courageously defending their positions north of the city. He claimed that Ukraine inflicted significant losses on the regular Russian army and the Wagner mercenaries.

Russia is inching closer to encircling Bakhmut, a city in Donetsk Oblast that nearly emptied of its 70,000 residents. Logistics into Bakhmut are becoming increasingly difficult as the Russian forces slowly capture settlements near the city.

As the tough situation continues in Bakhmut, the Ukrainian military leadership said that withdrawal from the city is on the table, but such a decision has not been made yet.

Ukraines next step in Bakhmut is reportedly being discussed at the top level. The German Bild magazine reported on March 6, citing unnamed sources in the Ukrainian government, that President Volodymyr Zelensky and Commander-in-Chief of Ukraines Armed Forces Valerii Zaluzhnyi disagree on how the military should handle the situation in Bakhmut.

According to the unnamed sources cited by Bild, Zaluzhnyi suggested a tactical withdrawal from Bakhmut weeks ago over concerns for the wellbeing of his troops. A military analyst, who spoke anonymously with Bild, said that the vast majority of soldiers in Bakhmut do not understand why the city is being held.

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U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on March 6 that Bakhmut had more symbolic value than a strategic one for the Ukrainian military, and he predicted that Ukraines potential withdrawal from the city would not cause any major setbacks in the war.

NATO intelligence estimates that Russia has lost five times more soldiers than Ukraine in the battle of Bakhmut, CNN reported, citing an unnamed military official with the alliance.

Capturing Bakhmut would be Russias biggest achievement in eight months. The last notable Russian victory was its capture of Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk in Luhansk Oblast in June and July.

If Russia were to seize Bakhmut, it would open up a route for the Russians to increase their pressure on Kramatorsk and Sloviansk. Donetsk Oblast Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko told the Kyiv Independent in January that Konstyantinivka could be targeted next if Bakhmut falls.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a D.C.-based think-tank analyzing the war in Ukraine, said in its March 5 report that Ukrainian forces are likely conducting a limited tactical withdrawal from Bakhmut, but it is too early to tell if a complete withdrawal is being considered.


The Russians attacked Dnipropetrovsk Oblast with four drones on the night of 5-6 March. Ukrainian air defence forces shot down all of the aerial targets.

Souce: Serhii Lysak, Head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram

Quote: "At night, the enemy attacked Dnipropetrovsk Oblast using four drones. However, our heroic soldiers from Southern Command Skhid (East) destroyed them. They were probably Shaheds."

Details: The Head of the Oblast Military Administration also reported that after 06:00, the Russians attacked the Nikopol district, directing heavy artillery at the Chervonohryhorivka hromada [a hromada is an administrative unit designating, in this case, the village of Chervonohryhorivka and its adjacent territories  ed.] and the city of Nikopol.

According to Lysak, the aftermath of the Russian attacks is being investigated, and there were no casualties.

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The Security Service of Ukraine has opened criminal proceedings regarding a video in which Russian invaders shot a Ukrainian soldier right after he said, "Slava Ukraini (Glory to Ukraine)!"

Source: Andriy Kostin, Prosecutor General of Ukraine, on Facebook

Quote: "The video of an unarmed man's brutal and brazen shooting shook society today. The Main Investigative Department of the Security Service of Ukraine registered a criminal proceeding under Article 438.2 of the Criminal Code  violating the laws and customs of war. Procedural management will be carried out by prosecutors of the Prosecutor General's Office."

Details: Kostin emphasised that the laws apply even to war, while the Russian regime systematically disregards the norms of international law.

Quote: "Sooner or later, the crime will be punished. All those involved will answer to the Law."

More details: At the same time, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba, appealed on Twitter to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, with a call to "launch an immediate ICC investigation into this heinous war crime".

Background: On 6 March, Ukrainian society was outraged by a video recording of Russian soldiers apparently shooting an unarmed Ukrainian prisoner of war after he said, "Glory to Ukraine".

This event caused quite a stir. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also reacted. He posted only three phrases on social networks: "Glory to heroes! Glory to heroes! Glory to Ukraine!"

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In Poland, hundreds of marchers carry the Ukrainian flag. Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Once divided, Ukrainians are thinking about how to rebuild their nation and are prioritizing national interests over regional ones.

Its undeniable that Russias ongoing war on Ukraine has wrought devastating death and destruction on the Ukrainian people and their country. Millions of Ukrainians have been forced to flee their homes, with many of them seeking refuge abroad.

Yet despite their incredible hardships, Ukrainians have been united in rallying around their country and their president from the beginning of the invasion, contradicting claims that theirs is a deeply divided society.

Over the years, pundits have asserted that Ukraine is separated into pro-European and pro-Russian parts, socially and politically. Putin went further than that, famously claiming that Ukraine is not a real country and Ukrainians are not a distinct people.

But as the war has unfolded, Ukrainians have proved Putin was wrong. He catastrophically miscalculated, as demonstrated by the fact that the country and its people are now more united than divided.

Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Britains Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visit a military facility in southern England. Andrew Matthews/AFP via Getty Images

We are scholars of contemporary Ukraine. Among other things, our work involves assessing the attitudes of Ukrainians toward their government and how those attitudes have changed over time and across the country. Our survey research, conducted with Khrystyna Pelchar, a graduate student in political science at West Virginia University, shows the depth of this growing national consensus.

A united Ukraine

From the immediate calls to defend the country in the first days of the Russian invasion to the near-unanimous belief in a Ukrainian victory a year later, Ukrainians have been determined to defend their independence and united in the ways they want to rebuild after the war.

Ukraine is a complex country with stubborn problems. Widespread government corruption, a lingering remnant from its time as part of the Soviet Union, is one of them. But the country has moved forward in steps. For instance, the Revolution of Dignity, Ukraines three-month civic uprising in late 2013 and early 2014, led to then-President Viktor Yanukovychs ouster for his refusal to sign an association agreement with the European Union. Yanukovychs administration also faced allegations of widespread corruption. The countrys acting chief prosecutor accused Yanukovych and his political allies of stealing up to US$100 billion from Ukrainian citizens.

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The government that came to power after early elections in 2019 ushered in new rules to bring Ukraine more in line with the European Unions standards of governance. These included reforms designed to reduce corruption, such as an e-declaration system that required public officials to declare their wealth. Even as Ukraine fends off Russian armed forces, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy continues the nations anti-corruption reforms.

Public opinion polls, including those conducted by the Ukrainian agency Info Sapiens, show major events like the Revolution of Dignity and Russias invasion have united Ukrainians. Their monthly polls ask how Ukrainians feel about the direction of the country. After these critical events, there have been substantial spikes in the proportion of Ukrainians who thought the country was moving in the right direction. These are indications of the well-known rally-round-the-flag effect.

In Borodyanka, Ukraine, only rubble exists in a war-torn neighborhood where multistory apartment buildings once stood. Joel Carillet/iStock via Getty Images Plus

A national vision for the future

Recent polling also shows a dramatic spike in citizens approval of their government and an enormous jump in Zelenskyys approval ratings. While these rallies in public opinion are not new, what is new is what lies underneath.

The protests of late 2013 and early 2014 were not viewed uniformly across the country. The east and south of Ukraine did not share the enthusiasm that the rest of the country expressed. But by the time of the 2022 invasion, Ukrainians attitudes about the countrys direction had begun to change and become more consistent nationally.

The effects of national rallying are apparent in personal behavior as well. The reported use of Ukrainian language has increased since February 2022, notably in parts of Ukraine that have been traditionally viewed as Russian-speaking. While the change is small, the implications are substantial: Ukrainians are behind their language and culture as well as their government.

This growing national consensus extends even further. We included a question on a recent poll conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, a well-respected survey firm, asking Ukrainians about their reconstruction priorities after the end of hostilities. Regional differences in attitudes about priorities were small. Across the country, people consistently supported rebuilding national defense, housing and energy at roughly the same level, and well above other needs like health care, education, communications and transportation.

Why is this important? Ukrainians in the western part of the country have personally experienced considerably less displacement due to the destruction of housing than their eastern counterparts. Yet, according to our data, instead of placing housing as a low priority, Western Ukrainians view it as one of the most important postwar investments, suggesting that narrow regional interests are not superseding the clear needs of citizens who live elsewhere in the country.

Superficial snapshots in time that made the case for Ukraines being a ticking time bomb because of its internal differences have been dramatically debunked as the country has united to fight an existential war of survival. While we are confident that we are witnessing a convergence in national perspectives on important issues, polling in wartime has a number of pitfalls. Respondents might feel influenced by the circumstances and not totally free to render an honest opinion. The question going forward is the extent to which this unity can be sustained as the war continues and through what will be a difficult postwar reconstruction.

We believe that it is vital in any discussion of this conflict and its aftermath to consider not only the hard facts on the ground, but also the attitudes of Ukrainians themselves.

A cemetery in Irpin, Ukraine, holds the graves of hundreds of civilians. David Ryder/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

This article is republished from The Conversation, an independent nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. Like this article? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

It was written by: Erik S. Herron, West Virginia University and Ralph S. Clem, Florida International University.

Read more:



Erik S. Herron receives funding from the US Department of Defense Minerva Research Initiative (N00014-19-1-2456). The research in this article also benefited from support by the Norwegian Research Council (301249).

Ralph S. Clem receives funding from the US Department of Defense Minerva Research Initiative (N00014-19-1-2456).
The Air Force explained the importance of the arrival of Ukrainian pilots to the United States

He said that Ukrainian pilots may potentially be involved in future training.

Read also: EU and NATO discuss providing Ukraine with Western fighter jets

Ihnat said that during the visit of Ukrainian pilots to the United States, it would be established how much time is needed for their training, their level of knowledge, etc.

And all these points are taken into account, and further steps will be taken to understand the algorithm of actions: how will we act next, where will we train (Ukrainian pilots), if a decision is made (to provide Ukraine with) one or another type plane," Ihnat said.

He said consultations are currently ongoing regarding the provision of fighter jets to Ukraine.

Read also: Ukraine to get two or three types of Western fighter jets, one as main one, Reznikov says

Consultations are still ongoing, the Ukrainian side is closely cooperating on various fronts: diplomatically, militarily, and so on  with our partners, Ihnat said.

(If) a decision is made about another type of aircraft, then we will already know the number of pilots and where to send them for this training. For now, the U.S. side is studying the capabilities of our pilots, (estimating) how much time they will need to retrain for modern fighters.

He added that, in addition to training pilots, training of the aviation engineering staff that will service the aircraft is an equally important factor.

Ihnat said that Ukraines Defense Ministry is now working on adapting airfields, reserve airfields, and operational airfields to receive modern foreign fighter jets.

Read also: F-16 fighter jets to be next step in supplying weapons to Ukraine, says Dutch PM Rutte

Earlier, the mass media reported that two Ukrainian pilots are in Arizona for training on flight simulators and to improve their skills.

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Russia is increasingly launching Shahed drones from the northern direction

He noted that initially the invaders used the south of Ukraine, in particular the Crimea and Kherson Oblast, to launch Iranian-made drones before the de-occupation of the right bank of Kherson. Later, the invaders moved to the eastern coast of the Sea of Azov.

Read also: Air defense downs all four Shahed drones approaching from north during Russian night attack on Ukraine

Unlike the goals they (may have) set for Kyiv Oblast, things are trivial here  the shorter the distance, the less the enemy will fly through the territory of Ukraine, where there are firearms and anti-aircraft missile systems, and mobile fire groups, and fighters that work on these Shaheds.

Therefore, on the way to Kyiv, they were destroyed by the Air Command South and East.  now only from the north  a rather short distance. Therefore, it is likely that this method was chosen because of this, said Ihnat.

Read also: Ukrainian defense forces destroy over 650 Russian cruise missiles, 610 drones since mid-September

On the night of Monday, March 6, Russia released 15 Iranian Shahed drones over the territory of Ukraine. Air defense forces shot down 13 of them.

According to UK intelligence, Russia is launching Iranian drones from the north to further threaten Kyiv. The southwestern part of Russias Bryansk Oblast is the closest part of Russian territory to the Ukrainian capital, at just over 200 kilometers away.

Read also: Historian Timothy Snyder raises nearly $1.3 million for Shahed Hunter drone-catching system

From there, Shahed drones, depending on the model, could reach their targets in about an hour to an hour-and-a-half.

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Kryvonos, Semen Yuriyovych, has been appointed to the position of NABU director, Shmyhal said during a government meeting.

Read also: Ukraine wants to join EU within next two years, PM Shmyhal says

We wish you success in your work.

According to the prime minister, with the appointment of NABU head, Ukraine has fulfilled all seven recommendations of the European Union following the acquisition of the candidate status.

This demonstrates our determination in the issue of European integration and our aspirations to start negotiations on accession (to the European Union) already this year, Shmyhal said.

The prime minister added that Ukraine had gained a fully formed working and independent anti-corruption infrastructure.

Read also: Three finalists shortlisted in the running for NABU Director

This demonstrates our teams commitment to the principle of zero tolerance for corruption and support for anti-corruption institutions, he said.

Shmyhal also emphasized that the appointment of Kryvonos had been preceded by a transparent selection competition.

Two other candidates for the post of NABU director, Serhiy Hupiak and Roman Osypchuk, are recommended for management positions in the agency.

NABU has been working without a permanent head since April 2022 after the Cabinet of Ministers voted to dismiss former NABU Director Artem Sytnyk. Gizo Uglava, Sytnyks deputy head, was appointed as the acting head of the agency.

Ukraine promised the International Monetary Fund and the European Union that it would appoint a new NABU head by April 2023.

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Russia has lost 153,770 soldiers, 3,423 tanks, 2,086 UAVs and 6,703 armoured combat vehicles in its war against Ukraine.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook

Details: Total combat losses of the Russian forces between 24 February 2022 and 6 March 2023 are estimated to be as follows [figures in parentheses represent the latest losses  ed.]:

approximately 153,770 (+650) military personnel,

3,423 (+9) tanks,

6,703 (+11) armoured combat vehicles,

2,433 (+7) artillery systems,

488 (+0) multiple-launch rocket systems,

250 (+2) air defence systems,

302 (+0) fixed-wing aircraft,

289 (+0) helicopters,

2,086 (+15) operational-tactical UAVs,

873 (+0) cruise missiles,

18 (+0) ships/boats,

5,307 (+8) vehicles and tankers,

234 (+2) special vehicles and other equipment.

The data is being confirmed.

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Ukrainian soldiers fire a self-propelled howitzer towards Russian positions near Bakhmut, on March 5, 2023.

Ukrainian soldiers fire a self-propelled howitzer towards Russian positions near Bakhmut, on March 5, 2023. Credit - LibkosAP

After several months of grinding, attritional conflict, the longest and bloodiest battle of the Russian war in Ukraine appears to be reaching an apex. In the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, Russian forces are advancing in their effort to completely surround the largely destroyed city, while Ukrainian forces appear to be conducting what the Institute for the Study of War think tank described on Sunday as a limited fighting withdrawal in the eastern part of the city.

As of Sunday night, Ukrainian officials said that they are continuing to hold off attacks from Russian troops and that there have been no decisions regarding withdrawal.

In the coming days and weeks, observers are bracing for two possible scenarios to occur. The first is that Russian forces continue to close in on central Bakhmut from the north, east, and southwest, forcing Ukrainian forces to conduct a controlled withdrawal out of the city in what would be its first major retreat since last summera pyrrhic victory for Moscow that comes with as many as tens of thousands of casualties and countless resources. The second is that Ukraines army stages a successful counterattack that repels further Russian advance, with possibly major implications for Russias frontline.

As of this writing, neither outcome can be ruled out, as Ukrainian and Russian forces appear to come under resource strains and internal divisions that may ultimately determine the fate of this embattled, albeit seemingly inconsequential, city. Heres what to know.

A destroyed bridge is seen in the Bakhmut region amid Russia-Ukraine war in Siversk, Ukraine on March 3, 2023. Narciso ContrerasAnadolu Agency/Getty Images

What is the current situation in Bakhmut?

The former salt mining town, which once had a population of 70,000, has been reduced to rubble over the past seven months. In recent weeks, Russian forces have made small, tactical advances into the citys northern, eastern, and southern sectors that could force a turning movement that is aimed at forcing their Ukrainian counterparts to flee. (Encirclement, on the other hand, aims to trap and destroy troops.)

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Karolina Hird, a Russia analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, says that a turning movement would not represent a massive change of fortune for Russia. While these kinds of street-by-street, block-by-block advances are inevitable, she says, they may be enough to prompt Ukraine to reconsider its approach to the city, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pledged last month to defend, though not at any price.

What weve been seeing and what we assess that Ukrainian forces are setting conditions for is that theyre slowly leaving their positions, especially in eastern Bakhmut, and moving to the west of Bakhmut, where we know that they have heavily-fortified positions, says Hird. If the Russian turning movement in eastern Bakhmut is successful, it will come up against the current existing fortification in western Bakhmut.

Read More: Why Russia Is So Determined To Capture Bakhmut

Yehor Cherniev, a Ukrainian lawmaker and head of the Ukrainian delegation to the NATO parliamentary assembly, tells TIME that a Ukrainian retreat from Bakhmut is not as imminent as some reports claim, noting that Ukrainian forces still retain control over supply roads in the city. Nevertheless, he adds, holding Bakhmut isnt necessarily Kyivs ultimate goal. If you look only at the map and the tactical situation, then it looks like [the situation] has worsened for us, says Cherniev. But as Kyiv sees it, the situation in Bakhmut continues to work in Ukraines long-term interests, both in terms of grinding down newly-mobilized Russian troops and ammunition as well as buying time to prepare Ukrainian reserves for a spring counteroffensive.

Moscows obsession with capturing the city will be exploited by Ukraine for as long as it can, adds Cherniev. We will keep Bakhmut as long as it is appropriate, he says, noting that the ultimate decision over when or how to withdraw would fall to the leaders of Ukraines armed forces.

In doing so, however, Ukraine runs the risk of incurring more losses than it can necessarily afford. Strategies can reach points of diminishing returns, Michael Kofman, the director of Russia Studies at the U.S.-based Center for Naval Analyses, observed in a recent tweet, noting that more Ukraine losses in Bakhmut could impede the success of a more important operation.

Ukrainian soldiers in a trench under Russian shelling on the frontline close to Bakhmut, on March 5, 2023. LibkosAP

What role is the Wagner Group playing in the fight for the city?

The Russian paramilitary group has supplied tens of thousands of menthe vast majority of whom have been sourced from Russian prisonsto Moscows war effort in Ukraine. In Bakhmut, where they have been deployed alongside conventional Russian forces, Wagner mercenaries have posed a unique threat, effectively serving as cannon fodder in what some Ukrainian forces have described as a nonstop Russian assault.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Ukrainian battalion commander Sr. Lt. Petro Horbatenko likened the Wagner Groups strategy in Bakhmut to zombie warfare, noting that they are not as sensitive to losses as the Ukrainian side.

Still, even the Wagner Groups founder Yevgeny Prigozhin concedes that there are limits to what his forces are capable of without adequate resources. In a video address posted over the weekend, Prigozhin complained about a lack of agreed-upon ammunition from Moscow, the absence of which he chalked up to ordinary bureaucracy or a betrayal. Without his penal battalions, he added, the frontline will collapse all the way to Russian borders. That rift appeared to deepen on Monday, when Prigozhin said that his representatives were denied access to the headquarters of Russias military command.

Further fissures between the Wagner Group and the Kremlin could pose a real challenge to the Russian war effort, says Hird, noting that the former has been the primary driver of Russian gains on the frontline. We know that the Kremlin is trying to siphon away Prigozhins influence and reliance on the Wagner Group, she says. If the Wagner Group were to just leave Bakhmut, we dont really know who would be left there, other than some very limited airborne elements.

A cross lays on a desk inside a building hit by shelling in the Bakhmut region amid Russia-Ukraine war in Siversk, Ukraine on March 3, 2023. Narciso ContrerasAnadolu Agency/Getty Images

What happens if Ukrainian forces retreat from Bakhmut?

If Bakhmut were to fall into Russian hands, it would represent a rare, if symbolic, victory in the Russian war effortthe first to occur since Moscows capture of the eastern Ukrainian town of Soledar earlier this year. For Ukraine, it would offer a similarly symbolic lossits first major territorial concession since the summer, as well as a hit to overall morale.

But experts such as Hird say that this is where Bakhmuts significance ends. The city would not afford Moscow any major strategic advantage, though Prigozhin has warned about the costs of losing the city. If anything, Hird says, the manpower and resources incurred in the process of its capture may likely prevent Russia from launching another prolonged offensive operation in the coming months.

Theres been a little bit of panic in Western media about what it means if Bakhmut falls, and I think it means the same thing that it meant back in summer of 2022 when Severodonetsk and Lysychansk fell, says Hird, referencing the territories Ukraine withdrew from over the summer. This isnt going to be a turning point in the war in any sort of concrete sense. In fact, it will probably allow Ukrainians the opportunity to regain the initiative once this offensive has culminated and pursue their own array of counteroffensive options.
Boats with enemy DRGs were destroyed near Kherson

Eighteen Russian soldiers from sabotage-reconnaissance groups were killed as well, the Ukrainian military said.

Over the past 24 hours, missile and artillery forces also destroyed three anti-aircraft missile systems, two units of engineering equipment that were used to reinforce enemy positions at the east bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson Oblast, two observation positions, and an ammunition depot.

Read also: Russian drone attack injures 9 civilians in Kherson Oblast, prosecutors say

Another group if motor boats that were supposed to carry enemy sabotage-reconnaissance groups were destroyed by the Ukrainian military on Feb. 28.

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By Emma Farge

GENEVA (Reuters) - A U.N. committee said on Monday it was concerned about China's treatment of its Muslim minority, including the use of forced labour against Uyghurs, in a sweeping report that adds pressure on Beijing to improve its human rights record.

The findings by the group of U.N.-appointed independent experts follow a series of Geneva hearings last month where rights groups raised a range of topics including Beijing's COVID-19 policies, treatment of human rights defenders and its Muslim minority.

Last year, a report by the U.N. human rights chief said China's treatment of Uyghurs, a mainly Muslim ethnic minority that numbers around 10 million in Xinjiang, in the country's far west, may constitute crimes against humanity.

China vigorously denies the allegations.

The 18-person U.N. committee that monitors countries' compliance under the international covenant on economic, social and cultural rights voiced concern over "numerous indications of coercive measures, including forced labour" against ethnic minorities, including Uyghurs.

It called on Beijing to immediately pass legislation prohibiting coercive measures; dismantle all systems of forced labour; and release all individuals subject to it.

China submitted an 11-page response to the report saying it would carefully study the recommendations and was open to implementing any "that are suited to China's national realities". However, it rejected the Xinjiang recommendations, among others, calling them "untruthful".

The committee also called for an end to "systematic" reprisals and prosecutions against human rights defenders and lawyers working in this area. It similarly voiced concern about growing mental health problems following the country's prolonged lockdowns under its strict zero-COVID policy that ended late last year, and called for more funding for this area.

(Reporting by Emma Farge; Editing by Alex Richardson)
BAGHDAD (AP)  The head of the United Nations cultural agency promised Monday to continue helping to repair the damage done to Iraqs historic sites by decades of war.

In a visit to Baghdad ahead of the 20-year anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, UNESCO chief Audrey Azoulay met with officials including Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. She also visited historic neighborhoods in Baghdad and the countrys national museum, which was looted following the U.S. invasion.

Tens of thousands of artifacts were stolen from sites around the country during the years of conflict that followed.

Speaking to reporters at the national museum, Azoulay said UNESCO is very committed to assisting Iraq in the recuperation of the cultural goods and artifacts that have been looted over the last decades.

The museum now holds the crown jewel of Iraqs repatriated artifacts: a small clay tablet dating back 3,500 years and bearing a portion of the Epic of Gilgamesh that was looted from an Iraqi museum 30 years ago and returned from the U.S. two years ago. The tablet is among 17,000 looted artifacts returned to Iraq from the U.S.

Iraq is home to six UNESCO-listed World Heritage Sites, among them the ancient city of Babylon, the site of several ancient empires under rulers like Hammurabi and Nebuchadnezzar.

As security has stabilized in Iraq in recent years, the country has seen a resurgence of archaeological excavations, and international dollars have flowed into restoring damaged heritage sites like the al-Nouri mosque in Mosul.

We all know what Iraq has been through over the last decades, Azoulay told reporters. And we also know what the civilizations of this world owe to Iraq.

Azoulay is set to visit Mosul, as well as the northern city of Erbil, whose citadel is a UNESCO heritage site, during her tour of the country.
PARIS (AP)  Roads blocked, oil refineries disrupted, planes grounded and trains halted  unions are threatening to shut down Frances economy this week in what they hope is their toughest riposte yet to President Emmanuel Macrons plan to raise the retirement age.

The first actions are expected Monday, as truckers are being urged to block major highway arteries and interchanges in go-slow actions dubbed escargot operations. Unions plan an open-ended strike on the national rail service starting Monday evening.

The government is bracing for the biggest disruptions Tuesday, when strikes are expected across multiple sectors and protests are planned in cities across France against the retirement bill. The reform, which would raise the official pension age from 62 to 64 and require 43 years of work to earn a full pension, is currently under debate in parliament.

There will be a very strong impact from the strikes, Transport Minister Clement Beaune said on regional broadcaster France-3 on Sunday. I know that for many people it will be a real headache.

Labor Minister Olivier Dussopt, speaking on the FranceInfo news broadcaster on Monday, said expressing disagreement is legitimate, yet it must not lead to blocking the country, which would be dangerous to our economy."

Authorities encouraged people to work from home on Tuesday if possible.

The complex pension bill is a centerpiece of Macrons presidency and his efforts to keep the French economy globally competitive. The centrist, business-friendly government says it's needed to keep the pension system solvent as the population ages and fertility rate drops.

Opponents, which opinion polls suggest include a majority of French voters, say the changes threaten hard-fought French rights. Left-wing lawmakers say companies and the wealthy should pitch in more to keep the system afloat instead.

The draft law has prompted the liveliest debate in years in the French parliament.

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It is currently under discussion in the conservative-led Senate. The bill is expected to be voted on by the end of the week at the upper house of parliament, where The Republicans said they would vote alongside Macron's centrist allies to raise the retirement age.

Frances civil aviation authority asked airlines to cancel 20% of flights at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport on Tuesday and 30% of flights at Orly Airport, in addition to cancellations in other cities. Trains to Germany and Spain are expected to come to a halt Tuesday, and those to and from Britain will be reduced by a third, according to the SNCF rail authority.

The hard-left CGT union is also calling for strikes Tuesday at factories making Renault, Peugeot and Citroen cars, Airbus planes and other sites. Dockers unions are threatening to block ports on Wednesday.

The head of the more moderate CFDT union, Laurent Berger, called for a very powerful action day on Tuesday involving many, many people in the streets. He said that more than 250 demonstrations will be organized across France. Unions will then hold a meeting to decide about the next steps of the mobilization, he added.

Unions have rallied some of Frances biggest protests in decades since the bill was introduced in January, but this week is shaping up as especially challenging.

Protest actions focused on women  and the retirement reforms impact on working mothers  are expected Wednesday, to coincide with International Womens Day.

And on Thursday, unions representing students who havent even entered the workforce yet are seeking to mobilize young people to take to the streets to share concerns about retirement rights.

While the measure has a good chance of winning eventual Senate approval, unions hope that strikes and protests this week will keep up pressure on the government to make concessions, as the bill is to continue its way through the complex legislative process.
BEIRUT (AP)  The U.S. State Department on Monday banned entry into the U.S. of a Syrian intelligence member who appeared in a video leaked last year showing him fatally shooting people during the countrys 12-year conflict.

The ban against Amjad Yousef, a member of Syrias notorious Military Intelligence Branch 227, includes his wife and immediate members of his family, the State Department said in a statement.

Yousef was one of several Syrian security agents who appeared in the video in which dozens of blindfolded, bound men were shot and thrown into a trench.

The decision came a week before Syrias conflict enters its 13th year. The war has killed nearly half a million people and left large parts of the country destroyed.

As a result of todays action, Yousef, as well as his wife, Anan Wasouf, and their immediate family members, are ineligible for entry into the United States, the State Department said.

The 6-minute-43-second video clip stamped with the date April 16, 2013, shows intelligence members with a line of around 40 prisoners in an abandoned building in Tadamon, a suburb of Damascus near the Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk. For much of the war, the district was a front line between government forces and opposition fighters.

The prisoners are blindfolded, with their arms tied behind their backs. One after another, the Branch 227 gunmen stand them at the edge of a trench outside the building filled with old tires, then push or kick the men in, shooting them as they fall.

In a cruel game, the agents tell some of the prisoners that they are going to pass through a snipers alley and that they should run. The men tumble onto the bodies of those who went before them. As bodies pile up in the trench, some still move, and the gunmen shoot into the pile.

Then the gunmen set the bodies on fire, presumably to erase evidence of the massacre.

The State Department said Yousef, a warrant officer in the Syrian security services, was involved in gross violations of human rights" for his involvement in the killing of 41 unarmed civilians.

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The statement said the U.S. calls on President Bashar Assads government to cease all violations and abuses of human rights, including but not limited to extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, and torture.

It said the footage of the killings in Tadamon and ongoing atrocities in Syria serves as a sobering reminder for why countries should not normalize relations with the Assad regime absent enduring progress towards a political resolution.

Following the Feb. 6, earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria killing more than 50,000 people, including about 6,000 in Syria, some Arab foreign ministers made rare visits to Damascus and met Assad for the first time since the conflict began in March 2011.

Calls have been rising in recent months for Syrias return to the Arab League. Syria was expelled from the 22-member organization and boycotted by its neighbors after its uprising-turned-conflict broke out.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on March 6 that the fall of Bakhmut would not be a significant setback for the Ukrainian military, Reuters reported.

"I think it is more of a symbolic value than it is strategic and operational value," Austin, as cited by Reuters, told journalists during his trip to Jordan.

According to Reuters, Austin did not specify if he thought when or if Bakhmut would fall.

The battle for Bakhmut, a city in Donetsk Oblast, has been raging for the past seven months. The Russian military is attempting to increase its grip over the entirety of the oblast, around half of which it currently occupies.

Serhiy Cherevatyi, a spokesman for the eastern grouping of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, told CNN on March 4 that fighting is ongoing and Ukrainian troops are rotating in and out of their positions in a planned manner.

According to the Institute for the Study of War's latest update on March 5, while Ukrainian forces are likely conducting a limited tactical withdrawal in Bakhmut, it is too early to tell if Ukraine is considering a complete withdrawal from the city.
The U.S. and South Korea conducted an air training exercise on Monday and deployed a B-52 long-range bomber plane in the skies of the Korean Peninsula, according to South Koreas Ministry of National Defense.

The Ministry of National Defense posted a video of the combined air drills on Twitter and YouTube.

The Boeing-built B-52H strategic bomber plane is capable of flying at high altitudes and subsonic speed and can drop nuclear bombs.

The plane is considered the backbone of the U.S. bomber plane force.

Mondays air drills come as the U.S. and South Korea are stepping up military exercises to deter North Korean aggression after Pyongyang test-fired an unprecedented number of ballistic missiles last year and ordered an increase of its nuclear arsenal.

Last week, both the U.S. and South Korea announced they will hold the largest joint military drills in the region in five years starting on March 13, for an 11-day period.

The drills will see both U.S. and South Korean forces conduct air, land, sea, space, cyber and special operations military exercises.

Those exercises are likely to infuriate North Korea, which sees them as a threat to its national security and has historically reacted with the test-firing of ballistic and cruise missiles.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
By Michael Martina

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy plans to meet Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen in the U.S. in coming weeks, two sources told Reuters on Monday, a move that could replace the Republican Speaker's anticipated but sensitive trip to the democratically governed island claimed by China.

The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Tsai had been invited to speak at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library during a transit through California on a planned visit to Central America, and that McCarthy was likely to meet her in the United States.

One of the sources said should the U.S. meeting go forward - likely in April - it did not necessarily rule out McCarthy visiting Taiwan in the future.

McCarthy's office did not respond immediately to Reuters' questions on the matter, including whether the planned meeting was an effort to avoid raising tensions with China, which was angered by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan in August.

The Financial Times first reported the plans to meet in California.

During a CNBC interview earlier on Monday, McCarthy declined to answer whether he would visit Taiwan, saying he would announce any travel plans when he had them.

Four other sources - including U.S. officials and people with knowledge of the U.S. and Taiwan administrations' thinking - said both sides were deeply uneasy that a future visit by McCarthy would severely increase tensions across the Taiwan Strait at a time when the island is preparing for its own presidential election early next year.

The Reagan Library and China's Embassy in Washington did not respond immediately to requests for comment.

Taiwan's de facto embassy in Washington said it had "no information to share" when asked about the meeting.

"In general terms, arrangements for President Tsai's visits to Taiwan's diplomatic allies and transits through the United States are carried out in line with the usual practice," it told Reuters.

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China views engagements between U.S. and Taiwanese officials as a breach of its sovereignty, a perceived slight sharpened by the fact that the Speaker of the House is second in line to the U.S. presidency.

But Taiwanese presidents, including Tsai, have a record of traveling through the U.S. en route to other countries, though the U.S. government has generally avoided meeting with senior Taiwanese officials in Washington.

Pelosi, a Democrat, visited Taiwan and met Tsai last year, defying warnings from China, which launched military drills around the island in response, raising fears that Beijing may carry out its threat to take Taiwan by force if necessary.

Since then, Taiwan has welcomed a wave of U.S. lawmakers, and speculation has swirled around whether McCarthy would travel there this year. McCarthy last year expressed interest in visiting Taiwan if he became speaker, a role he assumed in January after Republicans took control of the House in November's midterm elections.

Like most countries, the U.S. does not have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, but is bound by U.S. law to provide the island with the means to defend itself.

Washington has long stuck to a policy of "strategic ambiguity," meaning it does not make clear whether it would respond militarily to an attack on Taiwan. However, President Joe Biden said in September that U.S. forces would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion, his most explicit statement on the issue.

(Reporting by Michael Martina, David Brunnstrom and Susan Heavey; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Josie Kao)
From left to right: Niles Mayor George Alpogianis, Village Attorney Danielle Grcic, Trustee Craig Niedermaier, Trustee Danette Matyas and Trustee John Jekot during a village board meeting, Feb. 28, 2023. Not pictured: Trustee Dean Strzelecki. (Caroline Kubzansky / Pioneer Press)

Niles trustees voted unanimously last week to knock $1,800,440 off the villages 2022 tax levy, trumpeting the second abatement in two years on the heels of a hefty tax increase.

In 2021, the village passed a tax levy that was 88% higher than the previous year, citing the need to fund the villages police and fire pensions in accordance with a new state law.

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In June 2022, the board voted to reduce the levy to a 63% increase thanks to a late-arriving audit of the villages finances and a good year for sales tax revenue. That put the total levy at $12,144,344  down from $13,944,774.

Last December, the board voted to institute another tax levy of $13,944,774, saying they were keeping the amount flat relative to the preceding year.

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Village officials rehashed the recent history of the tax levy at the meeting before taking a vote.

So, just to be clear, we are rebating, or not collecting, $1.8 million from our citizens? Alpogianis asked Village Manager Joe La Margo.

That is correct, La Margo replied.

Even though the levy was 88%, its flat, it hasnt gone up whatsoever, Alpogianis said. I want to just clarify this. There was some confusion. Over two years, weve given our citizens a $3.6 million relief.

At Trustee Craig Niedermaiers request, La Margo walked through the developments that had led the board to raise the villages tax levy to begin with in 2021.

We were mandated by the state of Illinois that the police and fire pension needed to be fully funded by... 2040, La Margo said. Essentially, this is an unfunded mandate that all municipalities are facing right now.

He said the shortfalls that led to the bump in the levy werent the fault of current board members.

Many years ago, prior to anybody sitting up here, the village did not fully fund their portion of the pension, La Margo said.

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Niedermaier echoed the point that police and fire pensions have historically been underfunded, hence our need to build it up to be in a healthier fiscal position going forward.

Former village trustee and current board candidate Chris Hanusiak questioned the board during the public comment portion of the meeting about clarifying the size of the tax levy. This years levy still represented an 88% increase over the 2020 levy, and had been abated to be only a 63% increase, he said.

[Now] the board is voting this evening to abate that 88% again, and I think Trustee LoVerde resigned because he couldnt get clarification, he said. It wasnt clarified, and now were abating it again... it was very confusing.

Hanusiak was referring to an extended back-and-forth between former Trustee Joe LoVerde and village staff at the Nov. 15 board meeting in which LoVerde questioned why the tax levy was being discussed as flat on the heels of an abatement.
Russian cargo ship Sparta IV

As noted, the ship was loaded in Syria and sailed with a Russian Navy escort. It is expected to unload in the city of Novorossiysk, Russia, a base heavily involved in the invasion of Ukraine.

Read also: Russia blocks operation of grain corridor and transports military cargo on merchant ships, says Ukraine

The Bosporus Straits, which run through Istanbul and are Turkish sovereign waters, is closed to warships due to the war in Ukraine. Russia is instead using auxiliaries and merchant vessels to move war supplies through the straits.

According to Naval News, the Sparta IV is one of four ships owned by SC South LLC, a Russian shipping company which is involved in transporting military equipment. The company and the ship have been sanctioned by the U.S. government under Specially Designated Nationals list (SDN) following the invasion of Ukraine.

Russian media previously reported that the ship arrived in the city of Tartus in Syria carrying humanitarian aid. This followed the devastating earthquake on Feb. 6. The aid was carried in shipping containers on deck. After that, the vessel was loaded in the Russian naval base at Tartus.

Read also: Russia forming 'shadow fleet' to circumvent oil sanctions  FT

Prior to entering the Bosporus, the ship was observed on March 1, 2023, sailing in the Eastern Mediterranean, away from Tartus. It appeared to be escorted by a Russian Navy Project 20380 Steregushchiy class missile corvette.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
(Bloomberg) -- The US can stop Twitter Inc. from releasing details about the governments demands for user information in national security investigations, a court ruled, in the same week House Republicans are to grill national security officials over surveillance.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Twitter had protested the governments redactions to a 2014 transparency report that featured a numerical breakdown of national security-related data requests from the previous year. The US appeals court in San Francisco on Monday agreed with a lower-court judge that the Justice Department had shown a compelling interest in keeping that information secret.

Based on classified and unclassified declarations provided by government officials, the court was able to appreciate why Twitters proposed disclosure would risk making our foreign adversaries aware of what is being surveilled and what is not being surveilled  if anything at all, US Circuit Judge Daniel Bress wrote for the three-judge panel.

Read More: Twitters Surveillance Data Challenge Ignores Security, DOJ Says

A lawyer for Twitter referred a request for comment on the decision to the company; a company spokesperson didnt respond. A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment.

Bruising Fight

Although the case is almost a decade old, the ruling comes just as lawmakers and US national security agencies gear up for a bruising fight over making changes to a key surveillance program.

Read More: GOPs Jim Jordan Zeros In on Garland With Demand for DOJ Files

Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, described by intelligence officials as a key authority, expires on Dec. 31 unless Congress votes to renew it. US agencies use the authority to compel internet and technology companies to turn over information about suspected foreign terrorists and spies.

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Changes to Section 702 could include altering what companies like Twitter are required to do in response to government demands.

Former President Donald Trump, who is running for a second term in 2024, and conservative lawmakers have criticized the governments use of FISA and other spy authorities and vowed to curb government powers affecting companies like Twitter. Conservatives have also seized on the Twitter Files, information released by Twitters new owner, Elon Musk, about how the platform decided to handle certain politically freighted news.

Weaponization of Government

The House Intelligence Committee plans to question national security officials on US spy programs during a hearing Thursday on global threats. Also on Thursday, a House Judiciary subcommittee on the weaponization of the federal government is to hold a hearing on the Twitter Files.

Read More: Communications Firms Lose Latest FBI User Surveillance Skirmish

The case at issue in Mondays decision involved efforts by Twitter to share information about two types of federal law enforcement demands on the social media company: national security letters for subscriber information, which would cover metadata but not the substance of any electronic communications, and orders under FISA, which could include content.

The government may not fend off every First Amendment challenge by invoking national security, Bress wrote. But we must apply the First Amendment with due regard for the governments compelling interest in securing the safety of our country and its people.

Bress was joined in the opinion by fellow Trump nominee Judge Lawrence VanDyke and Judge Carlos Bea, appointed by former President George W. Bush.

The case is Twitter v. Garland, 20-16174, 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals (San Francisco).

(Adds Justice Departments declining to comment in fourth paragraph.)

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Vanderpump Rules is no stranger to drama, both on and off the show. Now, reality star Tom Sandoval has spoken out amidst a cheating scandal that has rocked the cast and fans of the Bravo series.

On Friday March 3, news broke that restaurateur and bar owner Tom Sandoval had engaged in a six-month long affair with his Vanderpump Rules co-star, Raquel Leviss. The TomTom Restaurant & Bar co-owner was in a relationship with fellow cast member Ariana Madix for nearly 10 years, but the two have since split in the wake of the scandal.

TMZ was the first to report on Friday that Sandoval, 39, and Madix, 37, had called it quits after she learned of his alleged affair with Leviss, 28. That same day, sources later confirmed to People that Madix had found a selfie video that was sexual in nature from Leviss on Sandovals phone Wednesday night.

Following the cheating scandal, fellow Vanderpump Rules cast members Katie Maloney, Lala Kent, and James Kennedy rallied around Madix as they shared their unfiltered reactions and choice words for both Sandoval and Leviss on social media.

Meanwhile, fans began boycotting Schwartz & Sandys Lounge  the restaurant and bar which Sandoval founded with his co-star and business partner, Tom Schwartz. As a result, Sandoval issued a statement about the cheating scandal to Instagram.

Hey, I fully understand and deserve ur anger and disappointment towards me, but please leave Schwartz my friends and family out of this situation, Sandoval wrote on Saturday 4 March. Schwartz specifically only found out about this very recently, and most definitely did not condone my actions. This was a very personal thing.

The reality star also urged fans to direct ur anger towards me and not the 3 other partners and 20 employees who work at Schwartz & Sandys. Sandoval went on to say that he will be taking a step back from the business out of respect for my employees and partners.

I need some time to address everything else, he added. Sorry for everything.

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Last week, multiple sources told Page Six that Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss had been communicating inappropriately for months and that the pair now want to be together. Another source claimed that Ariana Madix was blindsided by the cheating and noted that she feels betrayed by Leviss, whom she considered a friend.

On Wednesday, Madix reportedly discovered that Sandoval had been cheating on her with Leviss when she was in Los Angeles to see her then-boyfriend perform in his cover band, Tom Sandoval & the Most Extras. During the concert, a racy video sent from Leviss popped up on Sandovals phone, which prompted Madix to uncover their history of inappropriate texts, according to People.

Meanwhile in New York, Leviss and co-star Sheana Shay had just wrapped up an appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen that same day, when a source told People that Leviss admitted to Shay the truth about her and Sandoval after the taping.

As news broke, cameras quickly began filming to capture the fallout from the cheating scandal. Viewers can expect the drama to play out in season 10 of Vanderpump Rules, which is currently airing on Bravo.

Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix began dating in 2014. The two met working as bartenders at Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Lisa Vanderpumps restaurant, SUR Restaurant and Lounge. Their relationship played out for years on the Bravo reality show, which follows the lives of the employees at SUR in West Hollywood.

Vanderpump Rules, which premiered on Bravo in 2013, is currently airing its tenth season on Wednesdays at 9pm ET.

The Independent has contacted representatives for Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss for comment.
A new vending machine sits in the main hallway of Quail Hollow Middle School.

But instead of dispensing snacks or drinks, it drops books.

Leaders of the south Charlotte school hope the book vending machine delivered last week will help curb chronic student absences, which can lead to increased dropout rates.

The book vending machine is an exciting way to bring new attention to school attendance in a fun way, Quail Hollow Middle Principal Rachael Neill said. Plus this tool addresses multiple goals simultaneously  celebrating attendance by encouraging reading. The vending machine makes both earning the coins by attending school and selecting a book a special experience.

Quail Hollow rolled out an attendance initiative to its 1,140 students last week allowing them to earn coins or tokens based on daily and weekly attendance, school social worker Brie Gabriel told The Charlotte Observer.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, its partner Communities In Schools of Charlotte-Meckleburg and others in the corporate community also started the Attendance+ program in dozens of other schools across the district to get students and families reengaged in the classroom after the pandemic.

Cotrane Penn, CMS executive director of student wellness and academic support says the initiative comes at a critical time  more than one in four students, or 29%, were chronically absent in the 2021-22 school year, which is more than twice as high as before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10% or more of the academic year, Penn says. For the 2022-23 year, with 175 instructional days, that would mean a student misses 17.5 days.

Chronic absenteeism has real-life consequences for students, families and society  but the good news is, chronic absenteeism can be reduced when the community comes together to intervene and rally around our kids, Men Tchaas Ari, the president and CEO of Communities in Schools of Charlotte-Mecklenburg, told the Observer.

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How does the program work?

Attendance+ is a rewards-based program that incentivizes students, families and teachers to actively engage in learning, officials say. Community partners donate resources and incentives such as tickets to sporting events, museums and concerts, while Communities in Schools uses those incentives to motivate change and improve school attendance.

Bank of America and the Charlotte Hornets donated the vending machine to Quail Hollow as one incentive.

Addressing absenteeism has to be the responsibility of the entire community, Kieth Cockrell, president of Bank of America Charlotte said in a news release. We and our partners are committed to providing the necessary resources.

Promising Pages, a Charlotte-area book bank, will keep the Quail Hollow vending machine stocked with carefully selected books for middle schoolers for fun reading experiences, Gabriel said.

Students can use the tokens earned for good attendance to get books from the machine.

A strong education will be vital for these students as they get older and move on to the next stages of their lives, Fred Whitfield, Hornets president and vice chairman, said, and it is important that we do our part to help ensure that they are in school to receive that education.

Absenteeism linked to dropout rates

Ari says the attendance initiative grew out of a meeting several months ago between him, CMS leadership and school principals, who say student chronic absenteeism is one of the biggest concerns.

The increase in absenteeism during and post-pandemic has created an even greater sense of urgency to support the district and help find solutions, said Ari, whose nonprofit operates in 56 CMS schools, 45 of which are classified as low income.

High absenteeism correlates with increased dropout rates, school officials say. A total of 1,427 students dropped out of district schools in the 2021-22 year, including three at Quail Hollow Middle, according to state data released Wednesday. In North Carolina, the number of dropouts was 17% higher in the 2021-2022 year than before the pandemic in the 2018-19 school year.

The significant increase in absenteeism in our schools, if left unaddressed, will most likely lead to thousands more students dropping out of school, Ari said. Fewer high school graduates directly impacts employers and the future workforce pool, as students will not have the credentials needed to compete in the 21st century workforce and contribute to our local economy.

Students who are chronically absent do not gain the soft skills employers expect them to possess and often lack the foundation needed to develop positive work habits as adults, he says.
Victims were tricked into mailing a Michigan woman a combined $3.5 million as part of a nationwide mistaken refund scheme, according to federal authorities.

People became victims of the scam when they were deceived by an email message falsely claiming that a bank withdrawal had been made from their bank account to allegedly pay for the installation of computer security software, according to a March 3 news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Michigan. The message invited anyone disagreeing with the charge to call a customer service number.

The scheme targeted home computer users, authorities said.

When the users called the customer service number, officials said they reached a representative who agreed to immediately reverse a charge that had never actually occurred.

As the man said he was working on completing the refund, he claimed to have mistakenly deposited thousands of dollars into the victims account because of a keystroke error, according to the release.

He then asked the callers to rectify the error by mailing cash to an address in Battle Creek, Michigan, authorities said. The address belonged to Lavonne Kemp.

She received about $3.5 million from January 2021 to September 2022, according to court records.

Now the 67-year-old woman has been charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud, records show.

The defense attorney representing Kemp did not immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News on March 6.

Kemp faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine equal to twice the amount gained during the scheme, three years of supervised release and forfeiture of her property, according to the release.

These allegations are extremely concerning involving an alleged scheme to prey upon unsuspecting victims, U.S. Attorney Mark Totten said in the release. I implore the public to remain vigilant, wary, cautious, and to always verify suspicious claims or claims that seem too good to be true to help protect yourself from falling victim to potential scams or fraud.

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No one else has been charged in the scam as of March 6, authorities said.

Business owner sold same SUV multiple times in $300,000 Missouri scheme, feds say

Doctor pressured patients into getting unnecessary brain treatments in Texas, feds say

Banker stole millions from customers  and then lost it on the stock market, feds say
The Kardashian familys favorite celebratory cake is going viral on TikTok  and stirring rumors about its price tag.

For over 30 years, Hansens Cakes in Los Angeles has been making cakes for the Kardashian-Jenner family  specifically their flower-topped basket weave cake.

Recently, the cake gained viral fame when it was featured by TikToker @quinnhouses, whose birthday cake video quickly gained over 2.7 million views. However, it was her onscreen text that truly caused an online stir: pov: ur cutting ur $7000 kardashian birthday cake from hansens.

Its not the first time the Kardashian-Jenner clan has gone viral for their spending habits  as in the case of Kylie Jenners shockingly expensive luxury teddy bears  but in the case of this now famous cake, it seems the family might not be the big spenders that social media claims.

When @quinnhouses posted her now viral birthday cake footage, comments came pouring in  most of which expressed shock at the alleged cost.

Was it actually 7000??? omg, one user wrote.

The icing work is beautiful but thats SO much money, another user commented.

$7,000? did that cake come with a used car too?  joked another user.

The cake, beloved by TikTok for its coquette aesthetic, is a favorite of the Kardashian-Jenner family, according to the TikTok account for Hansens Cakes (@hansencakes).

Hansens Cakes has been making cakes and pastries for seven generations.

But when Keeping Up With the Kardashians filmed there in 2011, documenting Kris Humphries and Kim Kardashian shopping for their wedding cake, the bakery gained global fame.

In fact, the bakery  founded in Denmark, then later brought to the United States in the late 1900s, according to the bakerys website  has been featured on many episodes of KUWTK over the years.

While many of the Kardashian-Jenner familys cakes from Hansens likely cost a pretty penny  as in the case of North Wests giant Minnie Mouse cake, or Mason Disicks toy train cake  the famous bakery cleared up rumors about the cost of their smaller basket weave cakes in the comments of their video.

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Are they really 8,000? Someone on tik tok was saying that they spent 1,000s on their cakes, one user asked.

To this, Hansens Cakes replied, I promise you the pricing is much lower. People like to spread outrageous rumors.

Is it true its 7k, another user asked. The bakery replied simply, No .

I heard $7,000.00, commented another user. Those rumors are false, the bakery responded.

7000? another user inquired.

This time, Hansens Cakes specified the price: Absolutely not. $95.

So, where did the $7,000 price tag rumor come from? According to outlets reporting on Kim Kardashian and Kanye Wests wedding in 2014, it seems the couple spent $7,000 on a 7-foot-tall vanilla and berry wedding cake. How that amount became attached to the comparatively modestly priced basket weave cake is a mystery.

While theres no doubt the Kardashian-Jenner clan spends lavishly in other ways, at least now the internet can rest easy knowing that the famous cake doesnt cost as much as a used car.

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Photo Illustration by Thomas Levinson/The Daily Beast/@r00tsclub

Outside of my day job reporting on science and technology, I teach pole-dancing. While scrolling through social media in between classes, I was blessed by the algorithm, as my colleague would say, and came across a video of a pole-dancer performing in a nightclub. Her shoulder-length hair seemed to glow as she spun counter-clockwise, clad in a long sleeve black bodysuit. Her skin appeared grayish, and her long tail bounced behind her.

Did I mention she was pole-dancing in the metaverse?

This creator, a Copenhagen-based virtual-reality artist who uses the handle R00t, told The Daily Beast that she started working in VR in 2013. If it werent for the ability to put on a headset and stream as her avatar dancing, R00t said she wouldnt have taken up pole-dancing in the first place.

I was personally exposed to a lot of racism during my childhood, which didnt make me feel very comfortable about my skin, said R00t, who is half Iranian and grew up in Germany. She added that, for her, it wouldnt really be an option to go pole-dance in a class in the physical world, saying that she would feel self-conscious about her skin and body hair.

During the early days of lockdown, though, she bought a chrome pole for her home and joined VRPD, a virtual-reality pole-dancing community that practices together on VRChat, a virtual world platform. The groups Discord server is now nearly 550 members strongbut that doesnt mean that pole-dancing in VR is common or easy. R00t will be the first to tell you that its not.

For one, theres the sheer physical strength, flexibility, and fluidity required to make the activity look easy (and believe me, it is anything but). The technology setup arguably requires just as much skill and finesse. A standard VR system uses three-point tracking: a headset and two controllers. To capture all the moving parts of dance, though, R00t uses an 11-point tracking system, which she manages by strapping on trackers that cost around $130 each to her waist, ankles, and shoulders.

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The chrome pole she initially purchased would reflect the laser signals emitted by the trackers, causing her avatar to glitch. She tried taping over the base of the pole and covering it with a silicone wrap before relenting and purchasing a silicone one.

The headset and trackers, unsurprisingly, make certain pole moves nearly impossible. Inverting, or flipping upside-down, is an important way to transition into moves, and move up and down the pole. R00t tends to find workarounds for inversions, though. It feels like the biggest disorientation because youre already kind of balancing the virtual and the real world, she said. Not only that, the weight of the headset tips her head back when inverting and spinning quickly, putting her off balance and adding a type of motion sickness specific to users of VR technologycybersickness on top of dizziness.

Finally, theres an extremely silly issue with pole-dancing in VR environments: Theres no pole. Some special-built virtual clubs (like the ones where VRPD members practice) come with virtual poles that users can tether themselves to. More whimsically, though, R00ts friend will sometimes be the pole by adopting an avatar of one and standing very still where shes dancing.

Its cool that we can do a performance together like this in a way, R00t said. And shes really proud of it, like, Hey, thats me! Im the pole! All these complications mean that R00ts performances glitch regularly, even though shes been dancing in the metaverse for months.

Pole-dancing is admittedly a fringe case, but some of the technologies shortcomings speak to larger issues with virtual reality. The majority of headsets are uncomfortable on people with smaller heads and dont allow users with longer hair to wear buns and braided styles, and the motion trackers also come with their fair share of problems.

Honestly, the trackers that are out there slipthey're not really made for female shapes, R00t said. Shes considered selling her fix, which involves attaching the devices to exercise bands and other straps.

If the makers of virtual reality hardware and software could fix some of the issues that arise with pole dancing, they would inadvertently be solving concerns that a larger user base has with virtual reality: cybersickness, which limits the amount of time that headsets can be worn; unrealistic movement tracking and avatar rendering, which impedes self-expression; and latency, or lag, which can create barriers to interpersonal interactions.

Its been nearly 10 years that I keep saying, Im sure in a few years itll be so much easier, she said. It is much easier today, no question, but its still a bit of a setup.

A quick note on terminology: pole-dancing and stripping are often used interchangeably to describe the professions of people who work in clubs, but in reality there is a broad spectrum of each activity. The two may overlapmany common pole-dancing moves were invented by strippers and sex workers, for instancebut they exist on their own, too.

Because of the stigma around sex work and the tendency to reduce these communities to oversimplifications, reports of metaverse stripping have exclusively focused on creators whose avatars give virtual lap dances, rather than pole-dancers.

R00ts motivation for pole-dancing isnt about making money, though; rather, its a way for her to express herself, build strength, and find community. She started r00ts.club, a place for underrepresented groupsespecially female and nonbinary individualsto explore the metaverse together. Last year, it became one organization supported by a creators fund from Somnium Space, a blockchain-powered VR platform.

Im doing this because I would have wished this existed when I got into the industry, she said.

Here is an episode 3 of our #SomniumSpace #creators video series!



Today we're featuring one and only @R00Tvr, creator of @R00TSCLUB - a community driven social club!



Learn more about her story and join amazing regular events and great community of people! #Metaverse https://t.co/2NKYF6VxEo pic.twitter.com/r414Ajy4e2  Somnium Space (@SomniumSpace) February 12, 2023

Despite the many, many technical difficulties, R00t loves performing in the metaverse because of the control it offers her as a creator. Unlike in the physical world, she has a direct say in what she looks like, how she performs, and who she allows to watch her.

She played around with dancing in different bodiesat one point an old white dude, she saidbut ultimately settled on an avatar that shared many of her qualities, like her hair and propensity for hat-wearing. It looks a bit like a badass for sure, R00t said.

R00t prefers to make her character larger than life and perform high up in spaces even as she spins near the ground on her pole at home. And in the metaverse, she can mute with impunity and filter out avatars who come too close, making them disappear from her view.

During her performances, R00t is in a sandbox for her creative expression. She feels free from others gaze and assessmentssomething she never thought possible.

When you pole-dance, especially in VR, you barely see anything because youre spinning around so fast, and youre so focused in that moment, she said. It stops being about anyone else but you and your dance, and youre safe.

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By Nick Starkov

KYIV (Reuters) -Ukraine said on Monday its troops were still fighting against the attempted encirclement of Bakhmut, while Washington said that even if the eastern city should fall to Russia's offensive, it would not necessarily give Moscow momentum in the war.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's office said he discussed the Bakhmut operation with the chief of the general staff and commander of ground forces, who both spoke in favour of "further strengthening positions in Bakhmut" to continue the defensive operation.

Russia is trying to surround Bakhmut to secure what would be its first major gain in more than half a year, at the culmination of a winter offensive that has brought the bloodiest fighting of the war.

After Russian gains in recent weeks, Ukrainian troops have been reinforcing positions west of Bakhmut in apparent preparation for a possible retreat. However, the reports from commanders on Monday suggested they had not yet decided to pull out.

The intense battle has depleted both sides' artillery reserves, with thousands of shells fired daily along the eastern and southern fronts. Kyiv's European allies are working on a deal to procure more ammunition for the fight.

In the latest sign of a feud between Russia's military and the Wagner private army leading its Bakhmut assault, Wagner's boss demanded more ammunition and said his aide had been barred from the military's operational headquarters.

Speaking to reporters in the Middle East, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he would not predict when or if Ukrainian troops might leave the city, but that its fall "won't necessarily mean that the Russians have changed the tide of this fight".

"I think it is more of a symbolic value than it is strategic and operational value," Austin said.

Moscow says capturing the city would be a step towards its major objective of seizing the full territory of the surrounding Donbas region. Kyiv says Russia's losses in trying to seize a city reduced to rubble could determine the future course of the war by destroying combat power ahead of decisive battles later this year.

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Ukraine's ground forces commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, visited Bakhmut on Sunday, according to the military. He said that Wagner had thrown additional forces into the fight but that Ukraine's soldiers were fighting on.

Volodymyr Nazarenko, a Ukrainian commander in Bakhmut, said there had been no order to retreat and "the defence is holding", albeit in grim conditions.

"The situation in Bakhmut and around it is utter hell, as it is on the entire eastern front," Nazarenko said in a video posted on Telegram.

WAGNER ACCUSATIONS

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Wagner boss who sent tens of thousands of convicts recruited from Russian prisons into battle around Bakhmut, issued the latest in a barrage of statements that have deepened his rift with Russia's top brass.

Prigozhin said he had written a letter on Sunday to the commander of the Ukraine campaign "about the urgent need to allocate ammunition". On Monday morning he said his representative at operational headquarters had his pass cancelled and had been denied access.

There was no immediate response from the Russian Ministry of Defence. Since the start of this year, the Ukraine campaign has been commanded personally by Russia's top general, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov.

Prigozhin claimed last week that his men had practically surrounded Bakhmut. But on Saturday he appeared in a video with a gloomier assessment, warning that the front would collapse should Wagner be forced to retreat - although it was not clear when the video was recorded.

He has accused ministry officials of "treason" for failing to supply adequate ammunition to his forces, something the ministry has denied.

A spokesman for Ukraine's 10th assault brigade, Mykyta Shandyba, told Ukrainian television "it was clear" Russian forces faced a shortage of ammunition that had limited their advances in Bakhmut.

However, he said Russia's attacks had intensified in recent days, with groups of 30 people trying to break through Ukrainian defence lines.

"They failed so far," he said.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, who has kept a low profile for most of the war, has been on a rare visit to his forces in Ukraine in recent days, awarding medals and meeting commanders. On Monday, he visited the eastern city of Mariupol, largely destroyed by Russian forces last year after a months-long siege.

CULMINATION POINT

After losing ground throughout the second half of 2022, Russia launched a winter offensive of intense trench warfare, making use of hundreds of thousands of reservists called up late last year.

Apart from Bakhmut, Russia's offensive has produced no notable gains, failing to seize ground in Luhansk province further north and taking heavy losses in particular around Vuhledar to the south.

Kyiv, for its part, has focused mainly on defence for the last three months, trying to inflict high casualties while preparing for a counter-offensive when new weapons arrive and the muddy ground dries out.

The Institute for War Studies think-tank said it was still not clear whether Ukraine would pull out of Bakhmut or stay on to continue wearing down the Russian force. Either way, Moscow's offensive appeared to be reaching its high-water mark.

"The likely imminent culmination of the Russian offensive around Bakhmut before or after its fall, the already culminated Russian offensive around Vuhledar, and the stalling Russian offensive in Luhansk Oblast are likely setting robust conditions for a future Ukrainian counteroffensive," its researchers wrote.

(Reporting by Reuters bureaux; Writing by Peter Graff and Frank Jack Daniel; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
The leader of Russias Wagner private army complained of a lack of ammunition being provided by Moscow, and warned the Russian front line could collapse if they retreat from Bakhmut.

BBC News reported that the Wagner chief, Yevgeny Prigozhin, uploaded a video on Saturday saying that his troops were fearful they were being set up to be blamed if Russia lost its war with Ukraine. He said in the video that without his troops in Bakhmut, Russias front line would collapse.

If we step back, we will go down in history as the people who took the main step to lose the war, he said, per the BBC.

If Wagner PMC [private military company] were to now retreat from Bakhmut, then the entire front  which PMC Wagner today is cementing  would crumble, he added.

In a separate post published Sunday, he said the shortage of ammunition could be due to ordinary bureaucracy or a betrayal. He said most of the weapons committed last month have yet to be sent to his troops in Bakhmut and suggested the move could be deliberate.

Prigozhin has staked his reputation on the battle for Bakhmut, and has been highly critical of what he says is a lack of support from Russias defense ministry, while also publicly feuding with the generals in charge of the wider war effort.

Ukrainian officials signaled last week that their forces may retreat from Bakhmut, a city in the eastern Donetsk region; however, analysts have seen no signs of Ukrainian forces giving up the fight. The Institute for the Study of War wrote over the weekend that Ukraines soldiers in the city were not at immediate risk of being encircled by Russian forces.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in February that the conflict in Bakhmut was getting more difficult, and that Kyiv wouldnt pay any price to defend the city.

Reuters also reported that Prigozhins representative was denied access to Russias military headquarters on Monday, raising tensions between the private army and Moscow.

On March 5, I wrote a letter to the commander of the [special military operation] grouping about the urgent need to allocate ammunition. On March 6, at 8 a.m., my representative at the headquarters had his pass cancelled and was denied access, Prigozhin said in a post, according to Reuters.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Representatives partake in the first legislative session of the year Monday, Jan. 9, 2023, at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis. (Jenna Watson/The Indianapolis Star via AP) (Jenna Watson/AP)

Several bills impacting Northwest Indiana are still in the mix as the General Assembly begins its second half on Monday.

The successful bills are now trading sides with Senate bills heading to the House and vice versa. If they survive both chambers, theyll go to Gov. Eric J. Holcomb for his signature before enacted into law.

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Heres a look at bills that stand a chance of moving forward in the legislature:

Senate Bill 424: Sponsored by Sen. Rodney Pol Jr., D-Chesterton, the bill requires water rescue equipment to be available along Lake Michigan beaches and piers to reduce drownings.

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Public and private-owned piers and beaches must be outfitted with at least one ring life buoy and a rope line. Signage on how to use the equipment is also required.

Senate Bill 434: Gary Democratic Sen. Eddie Melton hoped to convince colleagues to allow state wagering tax money from the Hard Rock Casino to fund construction of a convention center in Gary, next to Hard Rock.

Meltons bill required the convention center to be located in a Gary, but an amendment from Sen. Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell, permits the convention center to be located anywhere in Lake County. It also created an approval mechanism to determine where it goes.

Melton, a Gary mayoral candidate in the May primary, went along with the change. It still includes language calling for Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority to support a new Gary Metro Center hub, blighted property demolition and enhanced public safety services.

Senate Bill 428: Initially offered by Melton, the measure picked up a new primary author in Sen. Mark Messmer, R-Jasper, who added the city of Jasper to the bill.

It allows the Merrillville Town Council to finance an expansion at the Dean and Barbara White Community Center with a food and beverage tax of up to 1% on food and drinks at Merrillville restaurants.

Senate Bill 327: The bill creates a governance framework for the Gary Community School Corp. as it exits state control. The district would be governed by a seven-member board with five directly appointed by the state secretary of education. Two would be appointed by the secretary from a list of candidates from the Gary mayor.

The bill calls for two members to reside in Gary and two other members to live in Gary or Lake County. The remaining three can live anywhere.

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House Bill 1046: State Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, inserted language into a local road and bridge matching grant bill that would allow the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority to establish a transit development district around Valparaisos bus station at 260 Brown St.

Valparaiso is a member of the RDA and provides regularly scheduled commuter bus service to Chicago and bus shuttle service to the South Shores Dune Park Station.

House Bill 1138: State Rep. Carolyn Jackson, D-Hammond, offered a bill that calls for preschools and childcare facilities to test drinking water for lead.

In 2020, she wrote a successful bill calling for schools to test water for lead.

House Bill 1383: Gary Democrat Rep. Vernon Smiths bill requiring schools to investigate complaints of bullying is moving forward. It requires schools to tell the victims parents within three days and the parents of the alleged perpetrator within five days.

House Bill 1449: State Rep. Earl J. Harris Jr., D-East Chicago, has widespread support for his bill that automatically enrolls eligible students for Indianas 21st Century Scholars program.

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Once enrolled, students agree to complete high school, refrain from crime and illegal drug use, maintain a 2.5 grade point and participate in an academic success program to receive the scholarship.

Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
Soviet light tanks in 1936. Sovfoto/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

The war in Ukraine has generated renewed interest in the role of tanks on the modern battlefield.

Even before the war, some militaries were developing "light tanks" to complement heavier main battle tanks.

Light tanks are seen as filling a capability gap between main battle tanks and other armored vehicles.

Russia's renewed attack on Ukraine is the first major war between modern militaries in decades, and many countries are analyzing every aspect of the conflict for insights with which to better train and equip their own forces.

One of the biggest lessons has been that despite high losses, tanks remain a vital part of modern warfare, with Russia planning to ramp up its production of them and Ukraine scrambling to secure Western-made tanks for its troops.

Western efforts to get tanks and other armored vehicles to Ukraine have cast new attention to the utility of light tanks, which largely fell out of favor after World War II.

Though not as powerful or as heavily armored as main battle tanks, light tanks are increasingly seen as filling a capability gap between full-fledged tanks and infantry fighting vehicles.

Even before Russian troops crossed into Ukraine last year, several countries were investing in light tanks to bolster their armored forces on future battlefields.

Light tanks

A US Army M24 Chaffee light tank on a street near Bologna, Italy in April 1945. Galerie Bilderwelt/Getty Images

The term "light tank" harkens to when tank doctrine was still being formulated by major military powers in the early 20th century.

At the time, the role of tanks was subject to debate, but their designs were largely based on three factors: mobility, armor, and firepower. Light tanks reflected an emphasis on mobility. They were smaller and had lighter armor and less firepower.

While heavy and medium tanks were mainly for use in direct combat against enemy armor and fortifications, light tanks were meant to take on infantry and other light armor. They were used for scouting for enemy forces, screening for friendly troops, and conducting armored reconnaissance, as well as for skirmishes and fire-support missions.

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By the middle of World War II, tanks were mostly classified as heavy, medium, or light. Other specific types, such as tank destroyers and assault guns, were phased out after the war.

US soldiers with a M551 Sheridan tank on a hill near Khe Sanh in South Vietnam in February 1971. Bettmann via Getty Images

Militaries continued developing light tanks during the Cold War  the US and USSR had light tanks that could be air-dropped or deployed amphibiously  but became less common by the end of the 20th century, especially as infantry fighting vehicles proved to be cheaper and about as versatile.

That shift produced a gap between main battle tanks, like the M1 Abrams, and infantry fighting vehicles like the M2 Bradley and wheeled fighting vehicles like the Stryker.

What many see as missing is a weapon that can effectively support infantry in difficult environments such as mountains, woodlands, and islands, while having enough firepower to deal with things like bunkers, machine-gun nests, and lightly armored vehicles.

Main battle tanks are not as reliable in those environments because of their size  a modern Abrams tank weighs 73 tons  and their need to watch for enemy tanks. But infantry fighting vehicles may not be adequately armed or armored, and wheeled vehicles may struggle with rough terrain.

Modern light tanks

A Type 15 tank on display at the Beijing Exhibition Center in October. NOEL CELIS/AFP via Getty Images

That capability gap stirred interest in light tanks, and over the past decade, three major militaries have adopted new designs.

The most well known and numerous is China's Type-15, also known as the ZTQ-15. It was officially adopted in 2018 and some 500 are believed to be in service. It weighs about 36 tons with its full armor package, has a crew of three, and is armed with a rifled 105 mm gun.

The Type-15 does especially well in high-altitude environments like the Himalayas, where thin air makes it difficult to operate heavier tanks. Many have been deployed there, opposite Indian T-90 and T-72 tanks.

Japan also introduced its Type-16 in 2018. The Type-16 has a tank-like turret but has wheels instead of tracks, reflecting an intention to operate only on Japanese territory, where road networks are generally well developed. It weighs 26 tons, has a crew of four, and is armed with a rifled 105 mm gun.

A Japanese Type 16 during a live-fire exercise in May 2020. CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Tokyo classifies the Type-16 as a "maneuver combat vehicle," and it was acquired as part of an effort to trim Japan's tank fleet while still being able counter China.

The Type-16 is meant to respond quickly to attacks and to provide reconnaissance and fire support for infantry. Its weight and size mean it can fit in Japan's Kawasaki C-2 transport planes, and its high mobility allows it to operate anywhere in Japan, including offshore islands.

Some 141 Type-16s are in service with plans to build as many as 230.

In June, the US Army awarded General Dynamics Land Systems a $1.14 billion contract for the Mobile Protected Firepower system, the service's first new vehicle design in over 40 years.

A US Army Mobile Protected Firepower ground-combat vehicle in 2022. US Army

Part of the Next Generation Combat Vehicle program, the MPF is the US Army's attempt to provide infantry brigade combat teams with an asset that can destroy enemy fortifications and lightly armored vehicles.

Weighing 38 tons, the MPF will have a crew of four and a 105 mm gun. It features an enhanced vision package with cameras on the front, sides, and rear and has an exterior "infantry phone" so troops can talk directly to the crew. Like the Type-15 and Type-16, the MPF can be mounted with additional armor if needed.

GDLS began assembling the first MPFs in December and plans to deliver the first batch later this year. The Army plans to acquire 504 of them and to assign 14 to each IBCT.

Other countries have shown similar interest. Russia hopes to begin mass production of its 2S25M Sprut, which carries the same 125 mm gun as Russia's main battle tanks, while India is pursuing its own light tank to better equip its forces deployed to counter China in the Himalayas.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Wayne Couzens Joel Borders Jonathon Cobban Metropolitan Police crimes racism sexual violence - Metropolitan Police/Kirsty OConnor/PA Wire

Wayne Couzens joked about rape and sexual assault and shared racist comments with police colleagues as part of a vile WhatsApp group, it has emerged.

The 50-year-old, who is serving a whole life sentence for the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard, was in the social media group in 2019 with six other Metropolitan Police officers who, like Couzens, had all previously worked for the Civil Nuclear Constabulary.

The existence of the group and the deeply disturbing contents were discovered only when Couzens was arrested in March 2021 in connection with Miss Everards disappearance and his devices were seized and examined.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) launched an investigation into the messages. Two members of the group, Pc Joel Borders and Pc Jonathon Cobban, later received jail sentences after being convicted of malicious communication offences.

Following the conclusion of legal proceedings relating to Couzens indecent exposure offences, the IOPC released its full report into the WhatsApp group, revealing the contents of some of the messages he sent and received.

He joked about rape in one exchange, while in another he asked a colleague if he had sexually assaulted a woman who was drunk.

On Feb 22 2019, just after midday when he was off duty, Couzens was involved in a conversation with Forster when he wrote: Messy one, lovely. Remember Forster, its got to be consensual!

A minute later, Forster replied: Theyve only got to say yes once.

In another exchange on March 21 2019, this time with Cobban, Couzens asked him if he had sexually assaulted a drunk woman he had encountered on the way home.

Cobban replied: I considered it. But she was a right old lump So I just raped a bystander instead.

Jokes about shooting black people

On June 29 2019, the group were involved in a racist exchange in which some members joked about shooting black people and also about starving children in Africa.

Cobban wrote: Walking through to hounslow [sic] central, it was like walking along a Dulux colour code Not even the shops were in English.

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Borders replied: Yeah, all shades of brown!?

Borders went on: Hounslow twinned with Baghdad You know when its getting near to the end of night shift in Hounslow because you can hear the call to prayer.

Couzens replied: You can add Peckham to that list. I was on VCTF [Violent Crime Task Force] the other shift in Peckham, another Somalia village!!!!

More than 6,000 messages sent

The IOPC said that the WhatsApp group had been used in part as a way for the officers to talk to each other during their MPS training.

Between Feb 13 and Nov 27 2019, 6,192 text messages and notifications were sent in the WhatsApp group, which was named Bottles and Stoppers/Atkins puppets.

Among the subjects they discussed and joked about were race and ethnicity, rape, violence, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, disability and drugs.

In December 2022, all six members of the group faced gross misconduct proceedings in relation to the messages and were all dismissed if they had not already resigned. All six have now been barred from policing.
Courtesy Republic Media and Sparks



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Cate Blanchett is one of the most celebrated actresses alive and could take home her third Academy Award this Sunday for her powerhouse performance in the Todd Field drama Tar. So why is she dancing like a maniac in a strange new music video?

Wearing a yellow suit and bright red headphones, Blanchett stands still and stares directly at the camera during much of the Sparks song The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte, before breaking into sporadic bursts of wild dance each time the chorus hits.



Its the first single and title track from Sparks upcoming studio album, The Girl is Crying in Her Latte, which will be released May 26 via Island Records. Ron and Russell Mael, the brothers behind the eccentric art rock band, appear alongside Blanchett in the minimalist music video, which consists of a single shot in a sparse all-white room. The video was released March 3.



We met Cate Blanchett in Paris at the Cesar Awards last year, little knowing that a year later, one of the great actors of our time (and a splendid person!) would graciously consent to lending her bootie-shaking skills to [our video], said Ron, 77, and Russell, 74, in a news release. Dreams really do come true. We will sleep well tonight knowing that forever we can say we co-starred in a film with Cate Blanchett.



Sparks have been performing together since 1966, amassing a large cult following and influencing many bands and artists along the way. But even they seem a little amazed at having Blanchett in their music video. The dance moves she performs were largely her own idea.

We didnt even know she was going to necessarily be dancing, Russell told Variety . It was more like come and stand in our video. You know, that wouldve been fine too. But that was what she felt like doing to that song. She came in with the red headphones shes wearing in the video.

Ron added: She adopted a character really in the video I mean, we would like to take credit for having directed her, but we had nothing to do with that. Its a little bit presumptuous to be directing Cate Blanchett. We were extras in our own video, in a certain way.

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In an interview for the Variety Awards Circuit podcast , Blanchett said she and the Mael brothers got along well during their first meeting and kept in touch. While preparing for their music video, they asked Blanchett if she would be willing to record a smartphone video of herself mugging around to the song.

It was one of those kind of crazy nights and, at 3 oclock in the morning, I did something, Blanchett said . But then I said, You know, Im gonna be in L.A., and they said, Come round.  It was really quick. It was so much fun.

Blanchett received her eighth Academy Award nomination for her performance in Tar. She portrays the brilliant but troubled orchestra conductor Lydia Tar in the film and is in the running for the Best Actress award. Blanchett previously won Oscars for her performances in The Aviator (2004) and Blue Jasmine (2013). The 95th Academy Awards Ceremony will air on March 12 on ABC and stream on FuboTV and Hulu.
It's taken rather longer than a month for Meta-owned WhatsApp to commit to address complaints swirling around how it imposes terms of service on users but the European Commission has just announced that the messaging platform has agreed to improve how it communicates to users and presents future ToS updates.

Early in 2021, WhatsApp triggered a major user backlash after it pushed out an aggressive and confusingly worded update to its ToS that required users to accept the update in order to continue using the platform without making it clear what exactly was changing. The episode caused widespread confusion and drove some users to ditch the platform altogether -- with rivals like Signal and Telegram reporting a surge in adoption.

In July 2021 the European consumer protection association umbrella group, the BEUC, along with eight of its member organizations, lodged a complaint about WhatsApps' confusing ToS with the EU's executive, the Commission, and with the European network of consumer authorities. This led on to warnings from the bloc to WhatsApp that it needed to fix a variety of issues -- including a letter last summer when the Commission gave the end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) messaging platform a month to straighten out its messaging to users.

At the same time, the Commission asked WhatsApp to confirm whether or not it derives any revenue from commercial policies related to user data.

While message content on WhatsApp is E2EE, user metadata is not protected so it has remained unclear how Meta might use this information, given an earlier decision the tech giant took -- in August 2016 -- abandoning a privacy pledge by the WhatsApp founders by saying it would link their accounts to others on public social services it operates, such as Facebook, potentially giving the adtech giant the ability to enhance its profiling of WhatsApp users by cross-linking their digital activity with other social services it owns.

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Today, the Commission said WhatsApp has confirmed that users' personal data is not shared with third-parties or other Meta companies -- including Facebook -- for advertising purposes. Although it is unclear whether the EU is simply taking Meta at its word on this -- and whether or not it intends to audit the claim; we've asked if it will be taking any follow on steps and will update this report with any response.

Update: The Commission has confirmed it will not be auditing WhatsApp's claims -- a spokeswoman told us it is for competent data protection authorities to assess whether the platform's processing of user data is in-line with EU law:

According to EU consumer law, consumers have to be well informed upfront on how a company might use their personal data, and in particular whether users data is shared with other companies for commercial purposes, such as targeted advertising. WhatsApp confirmed that it does not share users personal data with third-parties and other Meta companies, including Facebook. It would be for the competent data protection authorities to assess whether WhatsApps processing of personal data is in line with data protection legislation.

The question of whether WhatsApp uses user data for marketing was an issue that Ireland's Data Protection Commission declined to look into, after it announced its final decision this January on a separate, multi-year data protection-related investigation of the platform, despite the European Data Protection Board instructing it to do so. So this aspect of WhatsApp's operation remains under-scrutinized by regulators.

"In June 2022, the CPC Network sent a second letter to WhatsApp reiterating their request that consumers must be clearly informed about WhatsApp's business model and, in particular, whether WhatsApp derives revenues from commercial policies relating to users' personal data. Following discussions among the CPC Network, the Commission and WhatsApp, the company confirmed that it does not share users' personal data for advertising purposes," the Commission said in its press release today.

"Following a dialogue with EU consumer protection authorities and the European Commission (CPC network), WhatsApp committed to being more transparent on changes to its terms of service. Moreover, the company will make it easier for users to reject updates when they disagree with them, and will clearly explain when such rejection leads the user to no longer be able to use WhatsApp's services," the EU's executive added.

Commenting in a statement, the EU's justice commissioner, Didier Reynders, also said: I welcome WhatsApp's commitments to changing its practices to comply with EU rules, actively informing users of any changes to their contract, and respecting their choices instead of asking them each time they open the app. Consumers have a right to understand what they agree to and what that choice entails concretely, so that they can decide whether they want to continue using the platform.

In an overview of the commitments made by WhatsApp, the EU said that -- for any future policy updates -- the messaging platform will:

explain what changes it intends to make to the users' contracts and how they could affect their rights;

include the possibility to reject updated terms of service as prominently as the possibility to accept them;

ensure that the notifications informing about the updates can be dismissed or the review of the updates can be delayed, as well as respect users' choices and refrain from sending recurring notifications.

So the EU appears to have extracted a commitment from Meta not to resort to any more dark pattern designs to try to force WhatsApp users to swallow self-serving ToS updates -- such as the deceptive choices it pushed out, back in 2016, when it tried to force WhatsApp users to agree to share their mobile phone number and last seen status on the app with the parent company (what was then known as Facebook and is now called Meta) and with any other companies it owned.

Of course the devil will be in the detail of how Meta interprets these ToS commitments -- and how effectively the bloc's regulators (which could include the Commission itself) monitor its design choices and enforce against any breaches.

That said, Meta has more reason not to ignore rules in this area than previously.

First up, a 2019 modernization of EU consumer protection law, which began to apply last May, brought in more dissuasive penalties -- especially for widespread infringement issues which cut across borders and affect many EU consumers -- allowing national authorities to issue fines of at least up to 4% of global annual turnover for confirmed breaches.

Additionally, the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA) -- which is set to apply for a subset of larger platforms (most likely including Meta) later this year -- foresees what the Commission describes as "an obligation for services to have clear terms and conditions, explaining to the user in comprehensible language when their content or their account can be affected by certain restrictions, and an obligation to apply such restrictions in a diligent, objective and proportionate manner".

Penalties for infringements of the DSA can be as high as 6% of global annual turnover -- and, for larger platforms, aka VLOPs, the Commission itself will take on a centralized oversight and enforcement role. So the days of multi-year 'dialogues' that let tech giants kick the can down the road for ages before -- eventually -- offering up some incremental correction or tidbit of information should be on the way out in the EU.

We contacted WhatsApp about today's announcement but a spokesperson told us it is not commenting.

We understand BEUC will be publishing a response later today.

Update: BEUC has described the outcome of the long-running investigation into its complaints as "weak" and a disappointment for consumers.

In a statement its director General, Ursula Pachl, said:
Ken Bruce's departure has been called the end of an era for BBC Radio 2. (BBC)

Beloved radio presenter Ken Bruce will start his new show on Greatest Hits Radio this week.

The departure of Bruce from BBC Radio 2 left a big gap on the station's daytime schedule, and Vernon Kay is the man tasked with filling those shoes.

The veteran Scottish presenter signed off from his final Radio 2 show on Friday, 3 March, leaving the station after 31 years of hosting the mid-morning slot.

The DJ first joined the corporation in 1977 as a BBC Radio Scotland presenter and his first regular slot on Radio 2 was the Saturday Late Show in 1984.

Read more: How BBC Radio 2 has transformed in its bid to attract new listeners

The following year he fronted the Radio 2 Breakfast Show, taking over from Sir Terry Wogan. He later moved to mid-mornings in 1986 and after a brief stint on late nights and early mornings, he returned to mid-mornings in January 1992.

Here's everything we know about Ken Bruce's next move so far...

Where is Ken Bruce going after BBC Radio 2?

Ken Bruce is a host at Greatest Hits Radio. (Bauer Media)

Ken Bruce will be next heard on Greatest Hits Radio, presenting a brand new mid-morning show from 10am to 1pm.

On leaving BBC Radio 2, Bruce said: Nothing stays the same forever and I have decided the time is right for me to move on from Radio 2 when I reach the end of my current contract in March.

Its been a tremendously happy time for me: Ive made many friends and worked with many wonderful colleagues. However, I feel that after 45 years of full-time broadcasting on BBC Radio, its time for a change."

Where does Ken Bruce start on Greatest Hits Radio?

Ken Bruce leaving BBC Wogan House after his last day presenting his BBC Radio 2 show. (Kirsty O'Connor/PA Images via Getty Images)

Ken Bruce's new show on Greatest Hits Radio will begin at 10am today (Monday, 3 April).

What better way to celebrate my forty-five years in radio than with a new adventure and a brand-new show on Greatest Hits Radio," Bruce said.

"Im looking forward to getting started and to you joining me for my very first show. See you in April!

He joins fellow BBC alumni Simon Mayo and Jackie Brambles at the station.

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Vernon Kay will take over mid-mornings on BBC Radio 2 in May, with Gary Davies filling in until then.

Is Ken Bruce taking PopMaster to Greatest Hits Radio?

Ken Bruce confirmed he will be taking PopMaster, his long-running and hugely popular pop music trivia game, with him to Greatest Hits Radio.

Read more: New Radio 2 quiz slated by listeners

"There will still be PopMaster, me and my musings and all the great records you know and love from the 70s, 80s and 90s," Bruce said in a press release.

Broadcaster Gary Davies has launched BBC Radio 2s new weekday pop quiz Ten To The Top, replacing Ken Bruces long-running popular PopMaster format.

Watch: Ken Bruce bows out of Radio 2
Nils Jorgensen / Shutterstock.com

Warren Buffett has said he doesn't stress higher education in the hiring process, and yet he went to some of the most prestigious schools in the country.

More: Check Your $2 Bills -- They Could Be Worth Upwards of $4,500

Learn: 3 Things You Must Do When Your Savings Reach $50,000

One common thread among the world's most successful and inspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders is that many went to college -- even if only for a short while.

It would appear that for some of the world's top business leaders, college shaped their lives and paid off -- especially considering the company earnings reports that have recently flooded the news.

Here's where the biggest names in business went to college.

Drew Angerer / Getty Images

Jeff Bezos

College: Princeton University

Former Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is one of the richest people in the world and, according to Forbes, is the first billionaire to break the 12-figure mark. The son of a single mother, Bezos earned early admission to Princeton, originally intending to practice theoretical physics. After graduation, however, he realized the power of the internet and began selling books online, a small business venture that grew into the world's most powerful online retailer.

Take Our Poll: What Do You Plan To Use Your Tax Refund For?

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Warren Buffett

College: University of Pennsylvania, University of Nebraska and Columbia University

Warren Buffett followed his father's advice and went to the University of Pennsylvania's prestigious Wharton School of Business -- but only reluctantly. The man who has gone on to become the "Oracle of Omaha," arguably the most successful investor of all time, completed his undergraduate education at the University of Nebraska before attending graduate school at Columbia University.

Despite many years of schooling, Buffett doesn't think college is for everyone and doesn't base his hiring decisions on degrees, according to CNBC.

Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Elon Musk

College: University of Pennsylvania and Stanford University

Elon Musk is the co-founder of PayPal, the creator of SpaceX and the CEO of Tesla. In 1989, however, the South African immigrant entered Queen's University in his mother's native Canada and eventually transferred to the University of Pennsylvania, graduating with a degree in physics and economics in 1995. Musk enrolled at Stanford University but left after just two days to start his first company, Zip2.

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Musk was the highest-paid CEO in the world in 2018, according to The New York Times, with compensation totaling nearly $2.3 billion.

JStone / Shutterstock.com

Tim Cook

College: Auburn University and Duke University

Tim Cook earned a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from Auburn University and an MBA from Duke University, where he was a Fuqua Scholar. Today, he's the CEO of Apple.

Before reaching the executive level at Apple, Cook worked for Compaq and IBM.

JD Lasica / Flickr.com

Marc Benioff

College: University of Southern California

Marc Benioff was a pioneer of cloud computing and now serves as the chairman and co-CEO of Salesforce. He earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Southern California in 1986. He enjoyed college so much that he never severed ties -- he currently serves on the school's board of trustees.

Scott Olson / Getty Images

Bob Iger

College: Ithaca College

Before he saved Disney, Iger graduated from Ithaca College in 1973, where he cut his teeth in one of the toughest gigs in show business. Intent on landing a television career, Iger spent five hard winter months working as a local weatherman in notoriously frigid Ithaca, New York.

Michael Reynolds/Epa/REX/Shutterstock

Jamie Dimon

College: Tufts University and Harvard University

Harvard graduate Jamie Dimon runs America's largest bank as the CEO of JPMorgan Chase. He's famous -- or infamous -- for protecting that bank by dumping $12 billion in subprime mortgages in 2006, which helped the bank survive the Great Recession.

Dimon graduated from Tufts University in 1978 and later enrolled in Harvard Business School. He parlayed the MBA he earned there in 1982 into a billion-dollar career.

Steve Lagreca / Shutterstock.com

Mary Barra

College: Kettering University and Stanford University

Mary T. Barra -- listed by Forbes as one of the world's most powerful women -- became the first woman to lead a major automaker when she was named CEO of General Motors in 2014. In 2018, she earned $21.9 million in total compensation at GM.

She graduated from Kettering University in 1985 -- it was called General Motors Institute then -- and earned an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1990.

Nguyen Hung Vu / Flickr.com

Sundar Pichai

College: Stanford University and University of Pennsylvania

Sundar Pichai interviewed with Google on the day the company launched Gmail in 2004. Now he's the company's CEO and the CEO of its parent company, Alphabet, after Google's co-founder Larry Page stepped down in December 2019.

The metallurgical engineering student did so well at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur that he won a scholarship to Stanford. After earning his Master of Science, he earned an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School.

Dan Taylor / Heisenberg Media

Satya Nadella

College: University of Wisconsin and University of Chicago

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is credited with moving the software giant away from a failed mobile strategy and toward winning endeavors such as augmented reality, cloud computing and the purchase of LinkedIn. Nadella has two master's degrees. He earned a Master of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin and an MBA from the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business.

NVIDIA Corporation / Flickr.com

Jensen Huang

College: Oregon State University and Stanford University

Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang is the leader of a company that pioneered computer gaming in the 1990s and invented the GPU card. He earned a BSEE degree from Oregon State University and, like so many others on this list, a master's degree from Stanford.

Mary Altaffer/AP

John Donahoe

College: Dartmouth College and Stanford Graduate School of Business

John Donahoe took over as the CEO of Nike on Jan. 13, 2020, and although he didn't have experience in the apparel industry, he's a whiz in the tech world. He recently was the president and CEO of ServiceNow, an enterprise cloud computing company, and was the president and CEO of eBay from 2008 to 2015. Donahoe earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Stanford University.

AP/REX/Shutterstock

John Legere

College: University of Massachusetts-Amherst, MIT, Fairleigh Dickinson University and Harvard University

The former CEO of T-Mobile, John Legere, has more than 30 years of experience in the telecommunications industry -- and he built his career on an impressive academic resume. According to his UMass alumni page, he earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from UMass Amherst, a master's degree as an Alfred P. Sloan Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University. He then completed Harvard Business School's Management Development Program.

JD Lasica / Flickr.com

Jack Dorsey

College: New York University and Missouri University of Science and Technology

After a brief stint at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, Jack Dorsey transferred to NYU, where he dropped out. At the age of 29, he was out of work, living in a tiny apartment and unable to find a job -- even at a local shoe store.

He dabbled in fashion, and then the self-taught coder went on to found Twitter. That final act made him one of the richest CEOs in Silicon Valley.

JD Lasica / Flickr.com

Mark Zuckerberg

College: Harvard University

Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has weathered a scandalous -- yet financially successful -- past few years. But in 2004, he was a computer programmer and a recent Harvard dropout focused on spreading his emerging online platform from Harvard to campuses across the country and, eventually, the world. Dropping out of college hasn't prevented Zuckerberg from becoming one of the richest people in the world.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Where Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and 13 Other CEOs Went To College
The showdown between Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Starbucks chief Howard Schultz will come to a head next week.

Thats when the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee will vote on whether to subpoena Schultzs testimony and authorize an investigation into the companys labor law violations.

The Wednesday vote comes on the heels of a major legal decision by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) that Starbucks was affecting its workers organizing efforts through egregious and widespread misconduct that violated their legal rights.

While Howard Schultz is a multi-billionaire who runs a very profitable multi-national corporation, he must understand that he and his company are not above the law, Sanders, who chairs the HELP committee, said in a statement announcing the March 8 subpoena vote.

Unfortunately, Mr. Schultz has given us no choice, but to subpoena him. A multi-billion dollar corporation like Starbucks cannot continue to break federal labor law with impunity. The time has come to hold Starbucks and Mr. Schultz accountable, Sanders wrote.

The HELP committee has 11 Democrats and 10 Republicans. An aide for Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine  a Democrat on the committee  told The Hill they were not sure that the vote would fall along party lines.

A Starbucks spokesman said last week that, this is a disappointing development, but we will continue our dialogue with Chairman Sanderss staff and are optimistic that well come to an appropriate resolution. Our response to the Chairmans initial request still stands.

In lieu of Schultz, the company said it would offer AJ Jones II, executive vice president and chief communications officer for Starbucks, to testify before the committee.

Jones was the policy director for Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.), the former House Democratic whip.

FILE  Amazon JFK8 distribution center union organizer Jason Anthony speaks to media, April 1, 2022, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. The U.S. union membership rate reached an all-time low in 2022, despite high-profile unionization campaigns at Starbucks, Amazon and other companies. Union members fell to 10.1% of the overall workforce, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That was down slightly from 10.3% in 2021. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez, File)

Why Sanders wants Schultz to testify

More than 280 Starbucks stores have voted to unionize since the December 2021 Buffalo vote, according to Starbucks Workers United. In that time, Starbucks has fired nearly 200 union organizers.

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The NLRB has filed more than 75 complaints against Starbucks alleging unlawful intimidation and retaliation against union organizers.

But its not just the companys labor practices that are of interest to Sanders.

Its also the role in shaping them and enforcing them played by Schultz himself  a CEO who was once reported to be former Secretary of State Hillary Clintons pick to serve as Labor secretary if she had won the 2016 presidential election.

Sanders called attention to the personal nature of Schultzs role in Starbucks labor policy in a Thursday letter to the company, referring to the NLRB decision that Starbucks had committed hundreds of labor violations.

The senator cited a November 2021 meeting in Buffalo led by Schultz, who had not yet returned as the companys CEO following a 2018 retirement, with all area Starbucks workers.

These workers were forced to attend this meeting while every Buffalo-area store was closed to listen to Mr. Schultz one month prior to union elections that were held in the area. This meeting makes clear the enormous power and influence Mr. Schultz has over labor policy at Starbucks, Sanders wrote.

Starbucks is under fire for labor violations

In perhaps the most significant ruling to date, NLRB administrative law judge Michael Rosas on Wednesday found that Starbucks engaged in numerous labor law violations during its union-busting campaign in Buffalo, displaying egregious and widespread misconduct demonstrating a general disregard for the employees fundamental rights.

Rosas ordered Starbucks to rehire and give back pay to seven Buffalo-area workers who were fired amid organizing efforts. As part of the ruling, Starbucks would have to post a notice in its stores promising that the company wont surveil or threaten workers aiming to form a union.

Rosas ordered also Schultz to personally read the notice to the Buffalo Starbucks workers.

Starbucks union organizers described the companys counter-organizing efforts as a form of psychological warfare.

Starbuckss pressure on employees caused physical symptoms

It was incredibly intense, Jaz Brisack, an organizer who worked for Starbucks from 2020 to 2022 and now works for the Workers United union in New York, told The Hill in an interview.

The anti-union campaign is designed as psychological warfare. Its designed to make people feel like theyre unhinged or insane for trying to do this and trying to stand up, Brisack said.

Theres a lot of anxiety in captive-audience meetings and one-on-ones in going into that kind of power dynamic with the boss, she said.

Brisack mentioned a colleague who was literally getting notifications on her Apple Watch that her heart rate was dangerously high and that she needed to not be in that kind of stressful situation, which is exactly what the campaign is designed to do.

Tyler Hoffman, a former shift supervisor and organizer at Starbucks in Richmond, Va., told The Hill in an interview that managers had accused him of getting paid to organize.

It got so bad, the distrust of me that I was receiving an extra paycheck, it got to the point where I had to show them bank statements to prove that I wasnt being paid. I was like, I only have $30 in my account and I live in a 400-square-foot apartment with my partner. If I was getting two paychecks, this just wouldnt be the case, he said.

Michelle Eisen, a barista at the Buffalo, N.Y., Elmwood Starbucks location, helps out the local Starbucks Workers United, employees of a local Starbucks, as they gather at a local union hall to cast votes to unionize or not, Feb. 16, 2022, in Mesa, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Starbucks claims its a model employer

Starbucks argued in a February letter to Sanders that the company has been and continues to be a model employer, citing its offering of health care, mental health care, tuition reimbursement, company equity and retirement accounts, among other benefits.

According to jobs website Indeed.com, coffee-preparers at Starbucks make $16.59 per hour in New York, where a statewide minimum wage of $15 per hour was enacted as part of the states 2016 budget.

Indeed puts the average hourly wage at $11.68 in Arkansas and at $10.94 in Mississippi, though Starbucks announced last year a $15 minimum wage at company-owned stores.

The company also defended its record on labor issues, saying it has been extensively engaged in good faith bargaining at more than 200 locations where the results of a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election have been certified.

Starbucks has said unions are a threat to its business

The company has officially told the government that unions present a major threat to its business model.

If a significant portion of our employees were to become unionized, our labor costs could increase and our business could be negatively affected by other requirements and expectations that could increase our costs, change our employee culture, decrease our flexibility and disrupt our business, Starbucks wrote in its 2021 year-end filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Our business could be adversely impacted by increases in labor costs, including wages and benefits, which, in a retail business such as ours, are two of our most significant costs, the company said.

Starbucks added, our responses to any union organizing efforts could negatively impact how our brand is perceived and have adverse effects on our business, including on our financial results.

Democrats are boosting union power

President Bidens administration has prioritized beefing up the NLRB to boost organizing efforts.

On his first day in office, Biden fired anti-labor Trump appointee Peter Robb from the top NLRB post, drawing outrage from business groups and praise from unions.

The NLRB now has a pro-union majority board and is led by Jennifer Abruzzo, a former labor leader at the Communications Workers of America who is seeking to ban captive audience meetings and other union-busting tactics Starbucks has been accused of using.

If Schultz is made to appear, it could be another win for the U.S. labor movement, which has withered in recent decades but has seen a resurgence in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic as the cost of living has risen and the unemployment rate has fallen to a 54-year low.

The number of American workers on strike increased by 52 percent in 2022, with more than 120,000 workers going on strike and 26 major work stoppages in effect that year.

The Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations tracks more detailed data on strikes and puts the number higher.

Democrats secured $25 million in new funding for the NLRB in the most recent omnibus spending bill, the boards first funding bump in nearly a decade. The NLRB said that it needed more money to handle a 53 percent increase in union election petitions in 2022.

Updated on March 6 at 1:44 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A former Eastern Kentucky University professor charged with the murder of his wife in April 2020 has been sitting in the home they shared together since that time after he was released on a reduced $150,000 bond.

Nearly four years after her disappearance, Ella Jacksons loved ones are waiting for a trial to begin which could put her husband, Glenn Jackson, behind bars. But the trial has hit repeated snags: COVID-19 pandemic related restrictions in courts and jails, and an allegedly backlogged forensics lab.

Now the case has hit another delay after a newly-elected judge recused himself from the case last week due to an conflict of interest.

At a court hearing on Thursday, Judge David Ward immediately let both parties know he would not be able to oversee the case. Ward said that before his election to circuit judge in November 2022, he worked at a private law firm. While there, he was exposed to information about the case through a witness.

I know its not the first inclination, but its the smart thing to do, Ward said.

One of two remaining judges will be selected at random to preside over the case. However, one of the other presiding judges may also have a conflict with the case, having formerly worked for the Commonwealth Attorneys Office.

The delays in the criminal case have caused complications for everyone involved, including Ella Jacksons ex-husband, Jason Hans. Hans and his wife have custody of a child that Ella and Glenn Jackson had together.

It has been two and a half years since he got out and we are not even preparing for a trial, Hans said.

Hans has been vocal about the case ever since Ella Jackson went missing.

How victims husband wound up a murder suspect

Ella Jackson, 48, of Richmond, was reported missing by Hans in October 2019, leaving behind her phone, wallet, car and then 5-year-old son. In April 2020, Glenn Jackson, 42, was arrested for her murder, tampering with physical evidence and abuse of a corpse.

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Jackson was employed by EKU as a lecturer at the time of Ella Jacksons disappearance, but was terminated in the months following his wifes disappearance in February 2020, prior to his arrest for her murder according to EKU documents obtained by the Herald-Leader.

Richmond police discovered Ella Jackson met with a domestic violence advocate a few days before her disappearance and had spoken with a divorce attorney, according to police.

A significant amount of Ella Jacksons blood was located in the trunk of Glenn Jacksons vehicle and resulted in his arrest. A week later, Ella Jacksons body was found in Pulaski County  neighboring a county with property Glenn Jackson owns  along with womens clothing strewn around, according to Richmond police.

Jackson was placed in the Madison County Detention Center, but not for long. After six months of incarceration, Jacksons bond was reduced from $250,000 to $150,000, which he posted.

Jackson has several conditions he has to abide by to remain on release, according to court records: He cant violate any laws, he cant consume drugs or alcohol, hes subjected to random drug screenings, he cant have any contact with his 9-year-old son and he has to comply with all orders issued by family court.

Jackson is also on house arrest, though he is permitted to have in-person conferencing with his attorney and is allowed to attend doctors visits. Otherwise, only siblings are allowed to visit him at home.

Jacksons attorney, Thomas Lyons, of Lexington, previously argued that he was not able to confer with his client about evidence or discuss their defense because of extremely tight COVID-19 restrictions in the detention center.

Once released, Jackson was found to have violated some conditions when he was noticed to be allegedly wandering around town, taking pictures of peoples homes, and talking to members of the public, according to previous court testimony.

A former Madison County judge further restricted Jacksons bond conditions after the violations.

Since that time, he has been staying in the Westbrook Drive home that he and Ella Jackson shared together with their son, who is now in the custody of Hans and his wife.

Inordinate amount of time this is taking

One of the most significant reasons why Glenn Jacksons case has been prolonged is a significant backlog at the Kentucky forensic lab, where investigators have had to send evidence in batches of 20 items to have it tested. It has taken years for results to come back. Hans said this has been one of the most frustrating circumstances of the process.

Lyons and Jackson have also raised concerns about their limited access to evidence. According to court documents, theyve asked for records pertaining to evidence in March 2021 and claim the prosecution has yet to produce them.

Mr. Jackson was indicted over two years ago; the Commonwealth should have all of its evidence against Mr. Jackson at this point and should easily be capable of producing it to Defendants counsel, defense wrote in a memorandum to compel discovery.

I have never had this experience, Lyons told the Herald-Leader about the cases backlog. ...It is an inordinate amount of time this is taking.

Lyons said Jackson was a little frustrated, and anxious for the case to move forward.

He has been patient. I have been patient, Lyons said. It is not uncommon for the lab to take a while to get things done. We are used to delays for things for maybe three or six months  I am not used to three years.

Not all the evidence in the case has been received back from the lab, according to Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Jennifer Smith.

Lyons said the pandemic slowed down court proceedings and it was reasonable to expect those delays.

When you are indicted, the government is expected to provide evidence which is required by the rules. It is not my job to get the stuff tested, it is their job and they have the burden of proof, Lyons said. I dont see how this case is going to get tried anytime soon.

How criminal case has impacted family court case

Hans told the Herald-Leader he attempted to contact prosecutors with concerns including that Jackson has further broken his conditions of release on bond and should have that release revoked. He mentioned concerns which came from Jacksons biological son, who has anxiety and fear about being reunited with Jackson if he is released.

Hans said he also feels that Jackson no longer needs to be out on bond because pandemic restrictions that complicated the case are no longer in place.

Lyons said he had heard rumors about potential attempts to revoke his clients bond, but felt Jackson had been 100% compliant.

There really havent been any developments in the case so he has no reason to even come visit me, Lyons said. I dont want him to come visit me if he doesnt have to because people may say he is doing things that he is not. I dont want them to have the opportunity to say that he is. He has been in his house continuously since he was bonded out two and a half years ago.

Hans said the lack of any movement in the criminal case is holding up results of both a case he has opened in Madison County Family Court, and in a wrongful death lawsuit he has filed against Jackson.

Hans and his wife are attempting to adopt Ella and Glenn Jacksons now 9-year-old son who has lived with them since 2019.

(The Department for Community Based Services) petitioned the court to terminate parental rights, and the judge basically said she is not going to do anything with it until after the criminal case and it depends on that, Hans said.

Hans said he feels the family court case should be handled with the childs best interests in mind, regardless of the outcome of the criminal case. He said leaving the family court ruling to coincide with the criminal case will prolong insecurities and anxieties for Jacksons son.

The ongoing process for the criminal case is holding up any decision on a determination of the executor of Ella Jacksons estate which Hans feels would go to her adult son, Phillip.

The criminal case is also keeping Ella Jacksons physical remains from being turned over to the family to be put to rest.

Blood, inconsistent stories. Detective details why missing Richmond moms husband charged

Updated: Dental records confirm missing Richmond moms remains found in Pulaski County

I am very scared. Missing Richmond mom was killed; ex-EKU honors professor charged.
Hayden Panettiere is opening up about why she struggled with one plot line from her hit series, "Nashville."

They wrote my character as having postpartum depression, Panettiere, who starred in the series as country singer Juliette Barnes from 2012 to 2018, recently told Womens Health for the magazines April cover story.

They wrote that (Juliette) abandoned her child and went to a different country, she continued, referring to when Juliette goes to Bolivia in the show's final season.

And it was very difficult to go on set and to act out these feelings about these things that I was truly going through in my real life.

ABC's

Panettiere, 33, relinquished custody of her daughter, Kaya, in 2018, granting full custody to her ex, retired boxer Wladimir Klitschko.

Kaya, 8, now lives in Ukraine with her father.

In an appearance on Red Table Talk in September, Panettiere described giving up custody of her daughter as heartbreaking.

It was the hardest thing I could do, she said. But the best thing for my daughter was to make sure she was OK, take care of myself and make sure I could be a good mom to her. And sometimes that means letting go.

This custody decision came as Panettiere struggled with alcohol addiction, which she said ramped up in her early 20s, and opioid abuse, which she said began after she was prescribed opioids for severe neck pain.

Following her daughters birth in 2014, the actor also experienced postpartum depression, which Panettiere told Women's Health made her feel extreme hopelessness and like all the walls are closing in.

She said her drinking increased during this time.

I should have gone on antidepressants (to cope with the postpartum depression), but you have to find the right one that works for you, she said. They dont mix well with alcohol, and I wasnt ready to stop drinking.

She entered rehab in 2015, saying she put herself in a treatment center because she felt like she was drowning.

She continued to struggle with her alcohol use, however, until her health hit a critical low point.

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My body was like, Enough, she said. I hit 30. My face was swollen. I had jaundice. My eyes were yellow. I had to go to a liver specialist. I was holding on to weight that wasnt normally there. My hair was thin and coming out in clumps.

Eventually, in 2021, Panettiere returned to treatment, received intensive therapy, and is now living without alcohol or opiates.

A big part of my therapy has been living in forgiveness, she said. A step in the 12-step program is making amends. If somebody wants to be a good person and to be the best version of themselves, they can choose to do that.

Panettiere noted that her daughter does not yet know about her history, but said she is looking forward to the day where I get to have these conversations with her.

Im grateful that Im equipped with the information and with the experience that Ive had with postpartum depression, she said.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
Chinese movie star Yen expresses his pride over nation's amazing progress

By ZOU SHUO (China Daily) 08:26, March 06, 2023

Donnie Yen talks with fellow members in the cultural sector of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference during a panel discussion on Sunday in Beijing. [Photo by Jiang Dong /China Daily]

Renowned Chinese movie star Donnie Yen has spoken of just how proud he is to be Chinese and feels amazed at the progress his home country has made.

Yen, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said: "Most of the people outside of China don't see it until they are there. The progress  the freeways, the architecture, the convenience of lifestyle."

He made the remarks in a recent interview with British GQ magazine, adding the modernization of other countries he has been to is not even close to China.

However, Yen told the magazine that he is upset that the Western media focuses only on the negative stories about China.

"The BBC, CNN, they never talk about that. They never mention the true side of it," he said.

Yen went on to say the 2019 protest in Hong Kong was actually a riot.

"A lot of people might not be happy with what I'm saying, but I'm speaking from my own experience."

He recalled when he moved to Boston with his father and the difficulties of adapting to life in the United States as new immigrants when he was 10.

"Today we talk about injustice, back in the days, you can't imagine. It was horrendous," he said.

Throughout his career, Hollywood has never quite known what to do with him or with any Asian leading men, he said, adding that he found his opportunities limited.

While in China, he can play drug lords, animated monkeys, romantic leads and soldiers, but in Hollywood, he had to settle for the same handful of tired old stereotypes: the sage warrior, the stern general and the one-dimensional villain, he said.

Yen said he had to suggest making his character blind and giving him a sense of humor when he was approached by Disney to appear in the 2016 Star Wars prequel Rogue One to avoid making it another cliche.

In addition, while making John Wick: Chapter 4, his character was originally named Shang or Chang, a generic name for Asian actors and he was supposed to wear mandarin collars. It was due to his influence that the director agreed to change the name and wardrobe, he said.

Yen said he is more selective with the Hollywood movies that he takes on and he will ask if the role is generic or respectful of Chinese culture before taking a role.

While he was hungrier to prove himself at a younger age, he is no longer overexcited by offers from Hollywood and turns down roles if he is not allowed creative control, he said.

Yen said he was energized to see Michelle Yeoh win a Golden Globe for Everything Everywhere All at Once this year and believes there will always be more people like Yeoh.

He is also upbeat because he sees a "big difference" in the way he and other Asian actors are treated in Hollywood.

One of the great things about cinema is it is unifying, transcending barriers of language and culture. "Action movies are a genre that everybody in the world can appreciate," he added.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Jake Gyllenhaal is fully committed to his upcoming role as an MMA fighter.

Jake Gyllenhaal (David Becker / AP)

The Ambulance star, 42, made a surprise appearance at a UFC 285 event in Las Vegas on March 4.

Jake Gyllenhaal (David Becker / AP)

He showed off his martial arts skills and toned physique as he filmed a scene for the upcoming remake of the 1989 action classic, Road House.

Jake Gyllenhaal (David Becker / AP)

As part of the scene, Gyllenhaal faced off against co-star Jay Hieron, a former mixed martial artist and UFC champion.

The action may have been staged, but Gyllenhaal and Hieron definitely made their fight look like the real deal, throwing punches and knocking each other down in the cage, all in front of the real-life UFC crowd.

Jake Gyllenhaal (David Becker / AP)

At one point, a referee held Gyllenhaal back after he appeared to knock down Hieron.

Jake Gyllenhaal (David Becker / AP)

Gyllenhaal also attended a weigh-in before the event with Hieron and Conor McGregor, an Irish mixed martial artist whos also set to appear in the movie.

McGregor shared an Instagram video of Gyllenhaal and him receiving a shout-out in the stands during the event.

In the upcoming Road House remake, Gyllenhaal will play Elwood Dalton (originally portrayed by Patrick Swayze in the 1989 film), a former fighter who becomes a bouncer at a small-town bar in Missouri.

This isnt the first time Gyllenhaal has gotten into fighting shape for a role; he also played a professional boxer in his 2015 drama, Southpaw.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
PortMiami, Miami International Airport and other parts of Miami-Dade County will see an uptick in police officers starting Tuesday afternoon as numerous state and local law enforcement agencies carry out exercises to improve their terrorism response capabilities.

The Southeast Regional Domestic Security Task Force, a regional organization made up of area sheriffs, public health agencies, hospitals, police and fire departments, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, will be hosting Operation Heat Shield IV, the Miami Police Department announced Monday in a news release.

Operation Heat Shield IV offers regional first responders a series of unique and realistic drills designed around real-world scenarios that test unified command capabilities, police said. The partnership and participation in (the operation) ensures that we are better prepared to mitigate, respond to, and recover from a terrorist attack.

The full-scale exercise will begin at 4 p.m. Tuesday at PortMiami, followed by a series of drills from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. of the following day throughout the county, including at the airport, police said.

If you see activity by gates D3  D5, its only a drill, the airport said Monday afternoon in a tweet.

For More Information On Operation Heat Shield IV, Please Read Below. pic.twitter.com/5tTFRMWca7  Miami PD (@MiamiPD) March 6, 2023
A Wichita police detective who crashed into a city bus while reportedly driving under the influence of alcohol in downtown last year has entered into a diversion agreement with the Sedgwick County District Attorneys Office.

Wichita police said previously that Detective MaryAnna Hoyt was behind the wheel of a blue Mazda 3 that hit a Wichita Q Line bus around 11:50 p.m. Sept. 23, 2022, at Douglas and Waco. Hoyt, who was off duty when the accident occurred, showed signs of impairment, police said at the time. She was jailed on suspicion of driving under the influence and subsequently charged with the misdemeanor crime in Sedgwick County District Court.

The alcohol concentration in her breath was .146, according to a notice to appear and complaint  more than the legal limit of .08 to drive in Kansas. The city bus received minor damage, but no one was hurt, police have said.

Hoyt, 38, of Wichita, was approved for diversion and signed the associated agreement on March 2, the same day she was scheduled for a disposition hearing in the case, according to DA spokesman Dan Dillon and court records. She will be on diversion for one year, Dillon said.

If she follows the terms of her diversion agreement, the case will be dismissed. If she doesnt, the DAs office can continue prosecuting her.

Hoyt is also appealing a Jan. 13 Kansas Department of Revenue decision to suspend her drivers license for a year, arguing in a petition for review that her arrest lacked probable cause because there was no reasonable grounds to support breath testing. She has temporary driving privileges, pending the outcome of a May 1 bench trial on the matter, court records show.

Hoyt was placed on administrative leave after her arrest. She remains employed with the Wichita Police Department and is currently assigned to the agencys Crimes Against Persons division, WPD spokesman Officer Trevor Macy said in an email.

Hoyt has worked for the department since Sept. 4, 2007.
Atlanta Police Department

Protests descended into chaos Sunday at Atlantas future police training facility, dubbed Cop City, as protesters held a rally against the construction of the compound and committed what police describe as a very violent attack.

Social media images showed construction equipment from the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center site in flames. Later, Darin Schierbaum, chief of police for the Atlanta Police Department, confirmed that at approximately 5.30 p.m., a group of individuals armed with fireworks, rocks and molotov cocktails launched a coordinated criminal attack against officers that were at that location.

The City Council approved the training center in 2021 in response to morale and hiring problems after a year of racial justice protests spurred by the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.

Protesters from the group, which calls itself Defend the Atlanta Forest, claim that if built, Cop City would further militarize police in Georgia and across the country, and the destruction of the forest would lead to increased flooding and unmitigated heatwaves in a predominantly Black, working-class neighborhood in south Atlanta.

Atlanta Public Safety Training Center Demonstrations. https://t.co/boTaYkaWvn pic.twitter.com/r6u6Ki3mLt  Atlanta Police Department (@Atlanta_Police) March 6, 2023

However, a statement from the Atlanta Police Department described the group as violent agitators who used the cover of a peaceful protest of the proposed Atlanta Public Safety Training Center to conduct a coordinated attack on construction equipment and police officers.

Chief Schierbaum refused to call the actions of the group a protest, describing it as criminal activity instead.

When you throw commercial grade fireworks, when you throw molotov cocktails, large rocks your only intent is to harm, he said.

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Posting surveillance footage of the scene, police said the group changed into black clothing, entered the construction area, and began throwing large rocks, bricks, Molotov cocktails, and fireworks at police officers.

Cops said the group destroyed multiple pieces of construction equipment after multiple law enforcement agencies were deployed to the area. Officers detained at least 35 people so far.

The illegal actions of the agitators could have resulted in bodily harm, police said, without going into specifics.

Officers exercised restraint and used non-lethal enforcement to conduct arrests.

Chief Schierbaum said arrests were continuing and charges were expected to be laid. Actions such as this will not be tolerated, he said. When you attack law enforcement officers, when you damage equipment, you are breaking the law.

This wasnt about a public safety training center, this was about anarchy, and this was about an attempt to destabilize.

The group says it plans to protest until March 11. No officers were injured during the incident however some protesters received some minor discomforts that were being seen to by medical officials.

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Watch: Will Mellor says Sarah Everard case 'made him sick'

Will Mellor has told how retracing Sarah Everards footsteps opened his eyes when it comes to womens safety and left him feeling sick.

The former Strictly Come Dancing star is delving into a series of murders in his new show Cops Who Kill.

In one instalment he looks at the case of Ms Everard, who was kidnapped and murdered by former Met Police officer Wayne Couzens in 2021.

Read more: Will Mellor says he joined Strictly Come Dancing to deal with grief

Discussing the show on ITVs Lorraine, he said: In this series I go the scenes of the crime.

Will Mellor looked at Sarah Everard's murder in his TV show. (Getty)

"I went to where Sarah was taken and it left me feeling quite sick to feel, walking down a busy street like she was, she did everything right and she was on the phone to her boyfriend, shed just been for a bottle of wine with a friend, been to her friends house and to feel that she was taken on a busy road like that

"I know it was a police officer and she probably wouldnt have got in his car if it wasnt.

Mellor, 46, said that it made him more aware of the issue of safety for females.

To feel vulnerable as a woman, to walk in her footsteps, it did open my eyes to the safety of women and how vulnerable they must feel at times, he said.

There were moments that have stayed with me," added the actor.

Sarah Everard was killed by serving Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens. (PA/Alamy)

The actor told the show's host Lorraine Kelly that his programme was not about cop-bashing.

Read more: Will Mellor feeling 'horrendous' after Covid vaccine leaves him bedbound

Its about what we can learn, he explained.

Read more: Will Mellor and Keith Lemon take on Albania's treacherous roads
(.)

MADRID (Reuters) -A former Mexican beauty queen and her partner enjoyed a 14-course dinner at Atrio's Michelin-starred restaurant and hotel in western Spain followed by a guided tour of its wine cellar.

But when they left the hotel before dawn the next morning, they had spirited away 45 bottles of some of the finest wines available to humanity, worth a total of about $1.7 million.

The law eventually caught up with them, however.

A court in the city of Careres said on Monday the woman had been sentenced to four years in prison and her Romanian-Dutch accomplice to four-and-a-half years after it found them guilty of aggravated robbery.

They were also ordered to pay damages to insurers worth over 750,000 euros ($799,000), the court said in a statement. It gave their names only as Tatiana and Estanislao.

According to the court, the 29-year-old Mexican checked in to the hotel in October 2021 using a fake Swiss passport and carrying only a backpack. A hotel employee who lifted the bag noticed it weighed very little.

The woman, who according to El Pais newspaper had competed in a beauty pageant in her homeland, was later joined by her 47-year-old male accomplice.

They had a 14-course dinner at the hotel's restaurant and were then taken on tour of the wine cellar.

Shortly after 2 a.m., she ordered a salad to her room, distracting the sole night staff member and allowing her accomplice to swipe an electronic key from reception.

After he failed to gain access to the cellar as he had taken the wrong key, the woman tried another diversion by asking for a dessert.

The man managed to retrieve a master key and sneak into the cellar, where he stuffed 45 bottles - including a unique 19th-century vintage worth 350,000 euros - into the backpack and two bags with towels to prevent the glass from clinking.

The couple left the hotel before dawn and quickly fled Spain, but after a nine-month hunt across Europe, they were detained by border guards while crossing from Montenegro into Croatia.

($1 = 0.9386 euros)

(Reporting by David Latona; Editing by Andrei Khalip and Angus MacSwan)
REUTERS

Two women have died and nine others were injured after a stampede broke out at a concert Sunday in Rochester, New York.

The stampede happened after concertgoers thought they heard the sounds of gunshots just after 11 p.m. and rushed to get out of the Main Street Armory theater, where GloRilla and Finesse2Tymes were performing, according to reports.

Rochester police said theres no evidence a gun was ever fired or anyone was shot or stabbed.

Emergency responders rushed three people to Strong Memorial Hospital in an ambulance. Two women, 33 and 35, died as a result of their injuries, police said. One victim remains in critical condition fighting for their lives, police earlier said.

The 33-year-old woman was identified Monday as Buffalo resident Rhondesia Belton, according to WHEC.

One tribute on social media read: Last night I lost someone very close to my heart... @the concert in Rochester Im so lost I cant breathe she  meant that much to me life will never be the same for me Rest up Queen ILOVE YOU RHONDESIA.

GloRilla sent out a message just after midnight upon hearing about the stampede.

Im just now hearing about what happened wtf praying everybody is ok, she tweeted.

Im just now hearing about what happened wtf praying everybody is ok   GloRilla  (@GloTheofficial) March 6, 2023

Other concertgoers on social media suggested that the Armory could have been over its 5,000-person capacity.

Police said Monday that they are investigating what led to this tragedy, including whether the venue had gone over its maximum capacity.

Rochester Mayor Malik Evans, who visited the scene early Monday morning, said at a news conference that the situation both breaks my heart and is totally unacceptable.

This is a tragedy of epic proportions, Evans said, according to the Democrat & Chronicle. Its something that all of us who love concerts worry about... When you go to a concert, you do not expect to be trampled. Your loved ones expect you to be able to come home and talk about the experience you had at that great concert.

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Rochester Police Chief David Smith said officials would bring accountability to those who are culpable for last nights tragedy.

This was inside tonight. Looks way over capacity pic.twitter.com/P9uk4kfqzt  IUKUK MP (@MichelleP14580) March 6, 2023

WROC-TV reporter Alec Richardson said witnesses described the horror stampede to him.

Major emergency response at the Main St. Armory after a concert, he tweeted. Had witnesses telling me at least three women were trampled as concertgoers left the venue. I also saw a firefighter performing cpr presumably on a victim on scene.

A performance at the venue by rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie scheduled for Saturday has been canceled. Rochester city officials said in a statement that they will meet with Main St. armory owner Scott Donaldson later this week to discuss the path forward ... as an entertainment venue.

The Daily Beast has reached out to Rochester police for comment.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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The FBI says it is looking into a suspicious death of a woman on a Carnival cruise ship after it made port in South Carolina on March 4.

The medical staff of the Carnival Sunshine cruise was alerted to an unresponsive woman in her room during a Feb. 27 trip to Nassau, Bahamas, Kevin Wheeler, a public affairs specialist for the FBI Columbia field office, said in a statement.

Wheeler said the medical staff tried life-saving measures, but they were unsuccessful. The woman was pronounced dead on the ship.

When the ship returned to port in Charleston, the FBIs Evidence Response Team entered the womans room. Her death is now being investigated as suspicious, Wheeler said.

The FBI investigates certain crimes on the high seas, as well as suspicious deaths of U.S. persons, Wheeler said in the statement. This incident was isolated and there was no threat to any other passengers before or after the passenger was found deceased.

In a statement provided by Carnival to WCSC, the cruise line said the womans body and her husband debarked in Nassau and Bahamian authorities have already investigated the circumstances and are conducting an autopsy.

They told WCSC they were fully cooperating with law enforcement in the Bahamas and Charleston.

The investigation is ongoing.

Hiker stumbles across human remains in southern Utah, sheriffs officials say

Mom hiking with son, other Boy Scouts killed by falling tree, California officials say

Skeleton found 5 years after woman accepted ride in suspicious truck, Florida cops say

Ships rush to rescue fishermen from sinking vessel in Pacific Ocean, Coast Guard says
Grace Cary/Getty Images

Kelly Pendry, 42, saw a doctor for heavy bleeding after pregnancy in 2016.

Five years later, she was diagnosed with a rare form of uterine cancer, the BBC reported.

She can't get surgery in the UK, but is hoping to travel to the US for medical care.

When Kelly Pendry, 42, was diagnosed with advanced stage uterine cancer in November 2021, she said a nurse told her "not to make plans for Christmas," according to the BBC.

More than a year and six rounds of chemotherapy later, Pendry is still seeking treatment options. The mom of two told the BBC that she wonders if things would be different had she been diagnosed earlier.

Pendry started experiencing pain and heavy bleeding in 2016, after the birth of her second child. She told the news outlet that her doctors attributed her symptoms to her recent pregnancy and suggested she take a contraceptive pill or get an IUD to regulate her period.

She said another practitioner prescribed her antidepressants for her symptoms.

"I felt like I was a drama queen," Pendry said, according to the BBC. "I felt like I was overthinking it, I felt like, 'is this in my head a bit, is this stupid?'"

Despite bleeding more days than not, Pendry had to wait five years to get an accurate diagnosis. By that time, her cancer was terminal.

She was close to getting her uterus removed, but the pandemic delayed her care

In April 2020, Pendry saw a doctor who finally validated her symptoms.

"He said, 'How are you even coping,'" she told the BBC. "I said, 'I'm not.'"

Pendry told the outlet that she spent some days "doubled over in pain," and she also gained weight without explanation. She said the doctor felt lumps in her abdomen, signaling that something was amiss.

Later that year, she said she was diagnosed with benign fibroids, or non-cancerous growths in her uterus. Doctors recommended she have her uterus removed entirely in a hysterectomy, but the COVID-19 pandemic caused multiple appointment delays.

By 2021, it was too late for that surgery. She was diagnosed with a rare form of uterine cancer called uterine leiomyosarcoma that November, and was told surgery was not an option due to her terminal status.

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This cancer affects nearly 2,000 people in the US each year

Giuseppe_R/Shutterstock

Uterine leiomyosarcoma is relatively rare compared to other forms of uterine cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, leiomyosarcoma (LMS) may grow in the intestines, stomach, bladder, or uterus  any hollow organ with smooth muscle tissue.

Compared to other types of cancer that affect the uterus, LMS is often more aggressive and harder to treat, according to the National Cancer Institute. About 6 in every 1 million Americans are diagnosed with LMS of the uterus each year  that's close to 2,000 people annually.

Some patients do not experience symptoms when the cancer first develops, making it all the more difficult to treat in the later stages. According to the National Cancer Institute, symptoms of LMS may include pain, unintentional weight loss, nausea and vomiting, and lumps under the skin.

Pendry hopes to get surgery in the US

A year after completing chemotherapy, Pendry told the BBC she still experiences fatigue, aches, and hot flashes as a side effect of hormone inhibitors meant to stall the cancer's growth.

While she is unable to get a hysterectomy in the UK, she's hoping to buy more time to get her uterus removed in the US.

Pendry said she's been stable for a year, but she knows her cancer could progress at any time. Her husband, Michael, is planning an 180-mile charity run in hopes of raising money for her to get surgery in the US.

The US healthcare system allows patients to pay for an elective surgery out of pocket if they can afford it, contrary to the UK's National Health Service. Pendry's family is aiming to raise roughly $60,000 to pay for her hysterectomy abroad, according to the BBC.

Read the original article on Insider
By Andrea Shalal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Women have held just 12% of the top jobs at 33 of the biggest multilateral institutions since 1945, and more than a third of those bodies, including all four large development banks, have never been led by a woman, a new study released on Monday shows.

Five of the bodies have only had a woman president once in their history, and that includes the current head of the World Trade Organization Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, according to the report prepared by GWL Voices for Change and Inclusion, an advocacy group made up of 62 current and former senior women leaders.

The study, to be released during this week's meeting of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, called for proportional representation of women at every level of multilateral organizations, from field offices to headquarters, as well as in secretariats and governing bodies.

"The truth is that numbers matter," said Maria Fernanda Espinosa, a former Ecuadorian foreign minister who served as president of the U.N. General Assembly from 2018-2019.

"We are 50% of the world's population so it's a demographic justice thing, to start with," she told Reuters in an interview on Friday. "But I also believe that women bring this combination of leadership, wisdom and empathy, and sometimes, an even greater understanding of what is happening in the world."

Since 1945, the 33 institutions studied have had 382 leaders, but only 47 were women, the report showed. And despite recent progress, only one-third of the institutions are currently headed by women.

GWL Voices said it would release a more extensive version of the report in September that would also look at the senior management teams and governing bodies of the 33 institutions. It said it was pushing for governance reforms that could "accelerate the transition to gender-balanced leadership."

The report listed 13 institutions that have never been headed by a woman since the end of World War Two, when most of these bodies were created, including the World Bank, the United Nations, the International Atomic Energy Organization, and the Food and Agriculture Organization.

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Espinosa said it was disappointing that the United States, which is the largest shareholder in the World Bank and has historically picked its president, last month nominated a man, former Mastercard Chief Executive Ajay Banga, for the job, despite urgent calls from her group and other World Bank member states to chose a female leader.

Espinosa said she supported having someone like Banga, who was born and educated in India and spent much of his early career there, at the helm of the World Bank, but there were hundreds of women with similar background and qualifications.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
Iranian-British artist Shirazeh Houshiary interacts with the audience during the opening ceremony of her first major exhibition in China at Long Museum West Bank in Shanghai on Saturday. [Photo by Lin Shujuan/chinadaily.com.cn]

Long Museum West Bund in Shanghai is hosting Shirazeh Houshiary's first major exhibition in China, set to run through May 7.



The exhibition, titled Rhizome, features the Iranian-Bristish artist's new large-scale paintings, composite sculptures and an immersive sound and film installation, a reflection of the artists' exploration of philosophy, cosmology, geography, physics and faith.

Rhizome signifies an expanding, never-ending network of roots and possible paths, Houshiary said during a media briefing at the museum on Saturday.

"The rhizome is a map. It's a map of life. This mapping is actually what nature does in following various paths and evaluating their potential. So if you can reveal this process of networking and re-evaluation at the center of one's own psychology, then you can begin to unveil your own thoughts and all its folds."

As life starts with a breath, the exhibition starts with sound and film installation called Breath. It features a four-channel video depicting hand-drawn animations that represent the inhalations and exhalations of vocalists chanting multi-denominational prayers. First shown in this configuration during the 2013 Venice Biennale, Breath is within a black box draped in felt, its walls representing the four points of the compass and the meeting point of world cultures.
How did this once-edgy garment become so basic? Claire Danes in Fleishman Is in Trouble (Hulu/Disney Plus)

Rise and grind. Your workout is my warm-up. The word Girlboss, written over and over again. In the Disney Plus adaptation of Taffy Brodesser-Akners hit novel Fleishman Is in Trouble, slogan T-shirts are the uniform of a certain tribe of New Yorker.

Whether newly divorced dad Toby Fleishman (Jesse Eisenberg) is waving his kids off to summer camp, trawling the aisles of an organic supermarket, or swiping through a dating app, he is surrounded by women whose clothes shout vaguely empowering, yet slightly foreboding, messages. The most enigmatic motto is reserved for his ex-wife Rachel (Claire Danes), whose exercise top simply reads: You can go home now.

In Brodesser-Akners story, these designs are the yoga class attire for a coterie of wealthy Upper East Siders; their daughters wear T-shirts promising that the future is female. Fleishman is set in 2016, during the summer of the Trump campaign, but the sharp writing, combined with costume designer Leah Katznelsons clever styling, manages to skewer the state of the mainstream slogan T-shirt in 2023, too.

Enter a high-street clothing shop, or scroll through Asos, and you will find tees espousing #feminist mottos (I can buy my own damn flowers) in a faintly pass-agg tone (Unfriend mute unfollow block). Its a far cry from the era of designers Katharine Hamnett and Vivienne Westwood, who mobilised the slogan T-shirt to make it synonymous with boundary-pushing political activism. So how did this once-edgy garment become so... basic?

Humans have used the symbols on their clothes to proclaim their beliefs for centuries, explains Dr Ben Wild, senior lecturer in fashion cultures at Manchester Fashion Institute, part of Manchester Metropolitan University. Back in the 11th century, one of the leaders of the First Crusade, Godfrey of Bouillon, apparently ripped up one of his most precious robes into the sign of the cross, and then handed it out to people who said they were [joining the] Crusade, Wild says. And then that emblem [was] essentially sewn onto their garments. So this idea of branding the body to demonstrate allegiance to a cause is age-old. When we wear a slogan, he adds, we are trying to embody that message or value.

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The first protest T-shirts emerged in America in the late Sixties, as part of the movement against the Vietnam war  an easy and affordable way for grassroots activists to signpost the issues they cared about, as JNae Phillips, editor at trend forecasters Canvas8, puts it. On this side of the Atlantic, the designer Mr Freedom was selling Pop Art-inspired printed tees in his Kings Road boutique in Chelsea, London. The premises would later become Westwood and Malcolm McLarens SEX boutique  home to their infamous Destroy T-shirt; the pair described the contentious design, which also featured a swastika and a crucifix, as a statement against fascism.

An average T-shirt uses 2,700 litres in the growing and production process, which equates to an average persons water consumption for 2.5 years

In the Eighties, Hamnett made headlines with her legendary styles, designed so that their slogans could be read from 20 or 30 feet away, as she later told The Guardian. Her Choose Life tops, worn by Wham!, were inspired by the Buddhist lifestyle and were meant to represent the idea of living a good and meaningful life, and taking steps to change the world for the better, says Lynne Hugill, principal lecturer in international fashion at Teesside University and a former designer for high-street fashion retailers.

When Hamnett was invited to Downing Street to meet with Margaret Thatcher, she let her clothes do the talking. Her T-shirt read 58 per cent dont want Pershing, a reference to polls showing that the public opposed plans to station American nuclear weapons in the UK. When Thatcher cottoned on, Hamnett recalled, she made a noise like a chicken.

The same decade, Wild says, saw the mass commercialisation of fashion, when the market was flooded with branded goods. This shift, he explains, made us increasingly comfortable with the idea of using our bodies in a fashion space to proclaim our allegiance, be it to a brand ... [or] our social-political values.

This stepped up a gear in the logo-obsessed Nineties; then, as we entered a new millennium, slogans became increasingly tongue-in-cheek. Think of Britney Spearss Dump Him tee (seen as a message to her ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlakes rumoured new girlfriend, Alyssa Milano), or Madonna being papped in a Cult Member top at the peak of frenzied reporting about her interest in Kabbalah. Celebrity activism was not yet fashionable  instead, these designs allowed stars to hit back at tabloid gossip. Henry Hollands rhyming T-shirts (like Ill Show You Whos Boss, Kate Moss and Cause Me Pain, Hedi Slimane) brought this winking humour to the catwalk. More recently, slogans have started to address positivity, community spirit, and health and wellness, like the Sporty & Rich wellness T-shirts, adds Hugill.

The slogan tee has managed to pique the interest of both high-end and lower-price labels  Luxury as well as high-street brands [have] jumped on the bandwagon, Phillips says. It lets designers demonstrate their charitable credentials while still flogging a zeitgeisty product  a nifty merging between commerce and conscience, according to Wild.

In 2015, Diors Maria Grazia Chiuri sent models down the runway wearing We Should All Be Feminists T-shirts, a nod to writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichies rallying call. That [was] obviously tapping into an urgent social cause, but there [was] also a sense that it had been commodified, because it had been marketed and sold at quite a high premium, Wild notes. It was a move that  ironically  risked cheapening and reducing that message. Did shoppers really need to spend around 500 to prove their feminist credentials? (Dior later agreed to donate a proportion of profits to its then brand-ambassador Rihannas charity, the Clara Lionel Foundation).

When theres a dissonance between the message on the shirt and the conditions in which the garment was made, the slogan tee risks becoming a contradiction in terms. Our growing awareness of the ramifications of fast fashion has meant that people have started asking a lot more questions when it comes to where T-shirts are being sourced from, says Jo Salter, founder and CEO of social enterprise Where Does It Come From?, which creates ethical and sustainable clothing and textiles. In the past, because supply chains were much more opaque, she adds, no one ever found out about bad practices. But now with globalisation and [better] communications, we can find out much more about whats going on. Its a shift that is forcing brands to become increasingly transparent with their resourcing and manufacturing, Hugill agrees.

Demi Lovato sports a We Should All Be Feminists T-shirt in 2017 (Shutterstock)

Although cotton is a natural fibre, she explains, it often has a high carbon footprint  so unless the manufacturers have looked carefully at their supply chain, a tee with a green message might defeat the object. An average T-shirt uses 2,700 litres in the growing and production process, which equates to an average persons water consumption for 2.5 years, Hugill says.

When the Fawcett Society teamed up with Whistles to create a This Is What a Feminist Looks Like tee in 2014, the design was modelled by the likes of Emma Watson, Alexa Chung and, erm, Nick Clegg. The 45 design sparked controversy, though, when a report alleged that the Mauritian garment workers had been paid just 62p an hour (the Fawcett Society later said they had seen evidence that categorically refute[d] the allegations).

Five years later, Comic Relief released #IWannaBeASpiceGirl charity T-shirts in collaboration with the band  only for The Guardian to claim that they had been made in a factory where female workers were subject to poor conditions and low pay. Not very Girl Power. Online retailer Represent eventually took full responsibility for the debacle, after apparently having changed supplier without telling the band or the charity.

Scandals like this didnt finish off the feminist tee. Just as trends are diluted on the journey from catwalk to high street, so mottos often get similarly watered down when they are brought to the mass market, resulting in the pseudo-empowering word jumble we see in Fleishman. Still, these styles do serve a purpose of sorts. Slogans speak to the need we often feel, particularly now, to connect, to feel part of something larger than ourselves, Wild says. They can help us to reach beyond the noise ... stake a claim, [show] we want to be part of something. Even if that something is loving gin, or being good at cardio  its still a conversation-starter.

Lizzy Caplan in Fleishman Is in Trouble (Hulu/Disney Plus)

Organisations like Salters can help these garments to find a new lease of life. In 2021, she was asked to help electric vehicle company Trywyre to make carbon-neutral campaign T-shirts after Cop26. What we decided to do was to source T-shirts that were already on their way to landfill, Salter explains. So we found these T-shirts that had #freebrittany on them. Intended to cash in on the battle against Spearss conservatorship, these condemned tees had namechecked the region in northern France instead. Salters project eventually saved 540 garments from landfill; it provides a salutary lesson about where pop-culture-inspired designs might end up once the moment has faded (and the importance of proofreading).

The contemporary slogan tee isnt all about living, laughing and loving. Hamnetts work remains as political as ever; her recent designs are emblazoned with phrases like Cancel Brexit and Be an Anti-Racist. And Ashishs 2016 Immigrant T-shirt felt like an appropriate emblem for Londons diverse fashion scene. Whats most important to remember, though, is that wearing your beliefs on your chest is never enough to make change. As Hamnett herself put it: A successful T-shirt has to make you think, but then, crucially, you have to act.

Fleishman Is in Trouble is streaming on Disney Plus now
Freddy defies odds as the world's longest-lived, invincible cyclone

History is being made in the tropical cyclone world. No, this is not deja vu, and yes, you are reading this right: We are a week into March and still talking about Cyclone Freddy.

Dubbing this storm as extremely rare just won't cut it anymore. Freddy is now something never seen before, a truly one-of-a-kind tropical cyclone.

RELATED: Canada's size is no match for this record-breaking cyclone

Signs that this cyclone would be exceptional started on Feb. 3 when Freddy was born northwest of Australia. It rarely traversed the entire 10,000-kilometre-wide Indian Ocean, was 2023s first Category 5 storm and broke the record for the most amount of cyclone energy ever recorded.

FREDDY1

Freddy had made not one but two landfalls to western Madagascar and Africas Mozambique, killing several. And still, this storm and its record streak is far from over.

Cyclone Freddy will be the longest-lived cyclone the world has ever documented. In a bit of a showoff fashion, Freddy is forecast to crush the previous record set back in 1994: Hurricane Johns 31-day streak across the Pacific. Freddy will retain tropical characteristics for at least another week. Consequently, it has racked up an extremely puzzling storm track.

Freddys forecast movements are more akin to pinball than a tropical cyclone. Currently moving backwards, this cyclone will double dip on Madagascar and Mozambique impacts. Into the early work week, Tropical Storm Freddy aims to graze eastern Madagascar, then head back to Mozambique into the weekend, tallying its landfalls to at least three.

How is this possible?

freddy2

Upon Freddys second landfall, it doused Mozambique with tropical rains for six straight days, then stalled out and weakened. Weakening shrinks the cyclone vertically, allowing local winds to push the cyclone east. A backtrack like this is abnormal as weather systems typically move from east to west in the Southern Hemisphere, but Freddy has moved the complete opposite for six days.

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Upon its approach to eastern Madagascar, the storm will likely strengthen into a Category 1 cyclone, grow vertically and interact with the prevailing westerlies. Freddy will travel northwest through the work week, towards Mozambique, yet again. Freddys third landfall is forecast by Friday or Saturday.

FREDDY 3

So, it seems Freddy will continue to be talked about well into March, and with these records, surely beyond.
Film editor David Brenner, who died in the middle of work on the Oscar-nominated Avatar: The Way of Water, never shied away from a challenge. Ahead of the American Cinema Editors Eddie Awards, directors Zack Snyder and James Cameron remembered Brenner and his celebrated career.

Throughout a career spanning more than four decades, Brenner worked alongside some of the most technically demanding directors in Hollywood, from Oliver Stone to Cameron. But whether he was editing an alien invasion in Independence Day or a Vietnam veteran leading an antiwar protest in Born on the Fourth of July (for which he won an Academy Award), he always found the humanity of his subjects.

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He committed himself to bringing human behavior to the screen, said Brenners widow, Amber Dixon. Being an editor is like being a god, because putting things together takes you out of a black-and-white paradigm. He could abandon his prejudices and put that into his art.

Brenner began his career as an assistant to editor Claire Simpson on Oliver Stones Salvador. Stone remembers their first meeting well.

He had a briefcase and a very nervous expression on his face, he said. It was in his nature to worry, but he always did a great job.

Brenner ultimately worked on nine films with Stone.

Of all my editors, I was the friendliest with David, Stone said. He never had the ego other editors develop. He never needed to be the only one credited.

He was always one step ahead of everyone, said Zack Snyder, who worked with David on Man of Steel, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Zack Snyders Justice League. During the editing of that film, Snyder recalls, he added Rose Betts Song of the Siren as the background music for the scene when Flash enters the Speed Force. When he showed it to me, I said This is amazing! We should totally do that!

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Brenners colleagues frequently describe him as a life force whose innate compassion and empathy made him both a skilled co-worker and a dedicated husband.

David taught me how to center myself, says Dixon, When he would become stressed out on films, I could help re-center him. We had a give-and-take that was very beautiful.

This extended to his parenting. Dixon, who had two children with Brenner, says that he understood the psychological development of kids and what they needed to hear. As my kids have grown up, they have emulated his grace.

Its the same thing as in the editing room, she says. Its knowing the rhythm of life, learning when you can let go and having the capacity to forgive yourself and others, because its important to get back to grace as soon as possible.

Brenner began work on Avatar: The Way of Water in 2017, at the suggestion of James Camerons co-editor Steve Rivkin. Due to the technical complexity of the film, Cameron issued a warning to Brenner at the start. I said, Youll be useless to me for the first six months, he remembers, because thats how long it took me and my co-editors to figure out how to do it the first time. But David proved me wrong, giving me good scenes within three months.

Brenner ended up taking on some of the most challenging scenes in The Way of Water, including Jake and Neytiris raid during the films climax. But Brenner never allowed the spectacle to overtake the storytelling.

David fought for moments of performance that he thought were important to the character or the scene, Cameron says. He would remind me of little nuances of the actors performances so I would make sure to include them in close-ups.

I am saddened he didnt live to see his scenes fully rendered, Cameron continues. But I know he would have been proud to have created some of the most memorable scenes in a film that fills people with a sense of profound beauty and hope, making them cry, and in some cases even helping them process their own feelings of grief and loss.

Dixon agrees with Cameron: The film shows what it means to have a karmic understanding of ones place in the universe, and how to live a life in alignment with ones values and, above all else, love.

He was the best editor there ever was, she says. I dont care what anyone else says.

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President Volodymyr Zelensky fired deputy head of Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) Oleksandr Yakushev, managers of two departments, and SBU heads in two Ukrainian regions, according to presidential decrees published on March 6.

The dismissed officials are Oleksandr Provotorov, the head of the Economic Support Department, Ihor Nosko, the head of the Department of Protection of State Secrets and Licensing, Borys Bezrukyi, SBU head in Zaporizhzhia Oblast and Eduard Fedorov, SBU head in Sumy Oblast.

Zelensky has already appointed new people for two of these positions.

On Feb. 8, an online newspaper Ukrainska Pravda reported that SBU had classified the results of an inspection into its former chief Ivan Bakanov.

Bakanov was fired in July 2022 over endemic treason at the security service. After Bakanov's dismissal, the Ukrainian parliament appointed Vasyl Maliuk as the new SBU head.

Maliuk is close to Zelensky's notorious deputy chief of staff Oleh Tatarov, anti-corruption activists say. Tatarov was charged with bribery in 2020. Since then, his case has been destroyed by law enforcers, while Tatarov is believed to wield significant influence over most law enforcement bodies.

Maliuk's appointment came after an anti-corruption crackdown on Feb. 1, when law enforcers raided powerful oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky, scandalous former Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, and top tax and customs officials.

The large-scale operation came as the Ukrainian government sought to show that it is tackling corruption as the West provides unprecedented amounts of aid to Kyiv.


President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief on Monday, 6 March.

Source: Office of the President of Ukraine

Details: The Office of the President said in a press release that commanders of the operational and strategic groups of troops reported to the president on the situation on the main fronts.

Particular attention was paid to the situation in Bakhmut.

President Zelenskyy asked Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander of the Ground Forces and Commander of the Eastern Group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, about further actions that will be undertaken on the Bakhmut front.

The Office of the President reported that both commanders spoke in favour of continuing the defence operation and further strengthening of Ukrainian positions in Bakhmut.

Meeting participants also discussed the supply of weapons and equipment and their allocation to different operational groups.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has commented on the decision to continue defending the city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, saying that Ukraine is seeing some of the most significant results in the city since the beginning of the war.

Source: President Zelenskyys video address

Quote from Zelenskyy: "Bakhmut has delivered and is delivering one of the greatest results during this war, during the entire battle for Donbas. And I thank every soldier who is fighting in this most difficult area, who is fighting for all parts of our country, on all fronts."

Details: Zelenskyy also spoke in detail about todays meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, where attendees heard reports on the situation in Bakhmut. He said he had directly asked Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander of the Ground Forces and Commander of the Eastern Group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, whether the Ukrainian Armed Forces should withdraw from the city.

Both generals replied, "Do not withdraw" and instead recommended reinforcing the Ukrainian positions on the Bakhmut front. Zelenskyy said the Staff unanimously agreed with this decision. The president asked Zaluzhnyi to find reinforcements to support the defence of Bakhmut.

He added, "There is no part of Ukraine about which one can say that it can be abandoned. There is no Ukrainian trench in which the resilience and heroism of our warriors would be disregarded."

Previously: Bild, a German tabloid, speculated that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appeared to have had a dispute with Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, over the battle for the city of Bakhmut, which has been under repeated Russian attacks since summer 2022.

Background:

President Zelenskyy and Ukraines Defence Ministry have repeatedly emphasised that Russia appears not to care about the scale of its losses on the Bakhmut front.

On 6 March, CNN reported that the Russian occupation forces have lost five times more soldiers in the battles for Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast than the Ukrainian defence forces.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!








Carson City, NV --News Direct-- Zicix Corporation

McapMediaWire -- Zicix Corporations (OTC Pink: ZICX) Chairman, Mr. William A. Petty has received a progress report from its ZICIX President, Mr. Fernando M. Sopot that ZICIX+CTIP-FII has been issued a Notice To Proceed (NTP) to start the development of the $20 million Senior Citizens Residence Project located at 861-869 Clinton Avenue, (Block 3016/Lot 25), Newark, New Jersey 07108. ZICIX+CTIP-FII in its capacity as the Project Developer accepted the NTP from the Project Owner, the International Federation of Chaplains, Inc. (IFCI) to start its development works as mandated in their contract.

ZICIX+CTIP-FII in its capacity as the Project Developer is expected to mobilize all the participants in the Project which includes the architectural and engineering firm, the structural engineers, and other consulting firms involved in the specialty works.

ZICIX+CTIP-FII, role, obligations and responsibilities are defined in the contract between the Project Owner and ZICIX+CTIP-FII. By technical definition, Project Developer is a professional firm, that manages the operation of a project, by being the lead of an oversight team, conducting research and creating plans that best suit the needs of the Project. Its role begins from assisting IFCI to create a vision for the property until the Project is completed and turned over to IFCI.

In addition, the Project Developer creates and proposes to the Project Owner, the right financial structure for the Project. In its capacity as the Financial Engineer for the Project, ZICIX+CTIP-FII will work alongside the Architectural and Engineering Design Group, the Construction Management Group, and the General Contractor, to research, develop project activities, schedules, and regular progress reports, including negotiating with other strategic investors/partners and a lender the right financial structure for the project, making sure that the terms and conditions are reasonable and acceptable to the Project Owner.

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ZICIX+CTIP-FII will supervise the development team daily to execute assigned tasks within set deadlines and adherence to the budget. ZICIX+CTIP-FII will act as the primary contact for the Project Owners queries and concerns. The role and responsibilities are further defined as follows:

Expected Participants in the Project

The other participants in this Project with ZICIX+CTIP-FII as the lead team includes WSM & Partners, providing A & E services, Integra Consultants, a structural engineering consultant, Arco and Jayeff Engineering Co. providing construction management services, and another group that is expected to join as the General Contractor, the China Construction America, Inc., a wholly owned company by China State Construction and Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) rated as top 5 largest international construction company by the Engineering News Record (ENR)

What does Senior Housing mean?

Senior Housing is housing that is suitable for the needs of an aging population. It ranges from independent living to 24-hour care. In senior housing there is an emphasis on safety, accessibility, adaptability, and longevity that many conventional housing options may lack. (Source: nepahousing.org).

Senior Housing is designed for Independent Living also called Adult Retirement Communities as defined by the State of New Jerseys Division of Aging Services. The usual entrance age for this kind of facilities is 55 years old or older. These facilities are registered with the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs.

Project Description

The Senior Citizens Residence Project is a 5-storey building with one underground basement that will be constructed in a lot area of about 12,400 sq. ft. while the footprint of the building is about 6,235.40, thus the total gross floor area of the 5-storey building will be 31,177 sq. ft.

The basement floor will include utility rooms and commercial kitchen. The first floor will include one outpatient clinic, a cafeteria, and a common area for various activities. All the residential units will be located at the second, third, fourth and fifth floors.

Purpose: This project focuses on serving senior citizens by providing a comfortable lifestyle such as providing various spaces and functions throughout the building for different activities, healthcare, and outdoor areas in a safe and controlled environment.

Building Data: Each residential floor is composed of 4-one-bedroom units and 7 studio units. The units vary in size from 400 sq. ft. to 510 sq. ft. Notably, the first floor will host a clinic with a 900 sq. ft. space, a common area and a cafeteria (1,800 sq. ft.) and covered parking. The basement level will also be equipped with a complete commercial kitchen to serve the residence. The exterior architecture of the building complements the nearby buildings having partly brick facades, while keeping a contemporary and balanced form.

Construction period: 24 months.

The Budgetary Cost

The total budgetary cost (development cost) estimates (BCE) are expected to be about $20,000,000,.00 with the following breakdown: A) Soft Costs and other expenses- $1,975,000.00, and B) $18,025,000.00 for the construction costs. The total number of residential units will be 44 at 11 units per floor starting at the second floor to the fifth floor. There will be a nice well decorated lobby at the ground floor including administration office and commercial spaces.

ZICIX+CTIP-FII investments

The contract between IFCI and ZICIX+CTIP-FII includes the option of ZICIX+CTIP-FII to invest into Project by acquiring partial ownership interest into the Project.

ZICIX+CTIP-FII is currently having a portfolio of infrastructure projects under management of more than $825 million, involving construction of buildings, hospitals, public road projects, renewable energy, and the support to various Ministry of Health (MOH) in several countries for their Disaster Preparedness Plan, by supplying emergency vehicles to the Local Government Units (LGUs) through MOH.

Special Purpose Entity (SPE)

The Project will be owned by an SPE named and registered as SA Residence for Seniors, Inc. (SARSI). The IFCI, in its capacity as the landowner, shall assign the land to the SPE as part of its capital contribution for the Project.

$20 million Senior Citizens Residence Project (Multimedia Presentation)

About the Corporations:

ZICIX Corporation (OTC: ZICX)  Originally founded as a service provider to the Healthcare industry, the ZICIX Corporation has recently been restructured with the intention of acquiring and developing technology applications designed for service companies in consumer, retail, and other industries. www.ZicixGroup.com.

CTIP First Investment, Inc. (CTIP-FII), a subsidiary and operating company of ZICIX Corporation. It is a private investment and providing investment banking services focused on Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) mode, and project development services, involved in undertaking development projects for both the Government and the Private Sectors respectively. CTIP-FII designs and brings the right financial engineering to project owners and creditors to fund development undertakings and permanent mortgage.

Safe Harbor Act: This release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking Statements describe future expectations; plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as may, future, plan or planned, will or should, expected, anticipates, draft, eventually, or projected. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements because of various factors, and other risks identified in a companys annual report.

For additional information: Visit our website at www.Zicixcorp.com or call 830.331.0031. We are also on Twitter @ZICIXCorp.

Contact Details

ZICIX Corporation

+1 830-331-0031

Company Website

https://zicixcorp.com/

View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/zicix-ctip-fii-receives-notice-to-proceed-from-project-owner-to-start-the-20-million-senior-citizens-residence-project-in-newark-new-jersey-433108783
A grand jury has indicted a Lynchburg man on a charge of second-degree murder and related felonies in connection with a November 2022 shooting death at the Iron & Ale restaurant.

In addition to the murder charge, Derek Allen Lewis, 31, faces one count each of use of a firearm in commission of a felony, shooting in commission of a felony, maliciously discharging a firearm in an occupied building, discharging a firearm in a public place resulting in bodily injury, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and two firearm possession charges in the killing of Tyler Shane Johnson, 28.

At 9:11 p.m. Nov. 11, the Lynchburg Police Department responded to the restaurant at 106 Cornerstone St. for reports of a shot being fired. Citizens followed by first responders on the scene attempted life-saving measures on Johnson but were unsuccessful.

Two witnesses testified during a preliminary hearing last month in Lynchburg General District, with one saying he saw a man at the bar who caught his attention for being obnoxious. Tomas Williams, a patron at Iron & Ale that night, testified he saw Lewis at the second-floor bar; at one point, he saw Lewis erasing the writing on the restaurants specials board.

According to Williams, Johnson approached Lewis, asking him to leave that alone, adding it was a family restaurant. Williams testified in a follow-up altercation Lewis asked Johnson if he wanted to take this outside, to which Johnson agreed and said, Lets go outside.

Williams said at the preliminary hearing he saw Lewis pull up his shirt at the top of the stairs on the second floor of the restaurant. He said he saw the handle of a gun, heard a loud gunshot from point-blank range and Johnson dropped immediately in the second floor of the restaurant.

Lewis was arrested Nov. 12 at the Jacksonville International Airport in Florida, city police have said.

A jury trial is scheduled for 9 a.m. July 5 in Lynchburg Circuit Court, court records show.
Kyodo - Apr 07

The Japanese government will formulate guidelines regarding the use of ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence chatbots in schools possibly by next March, officials said Thursday, as concerns grow over their impact on students' writing and thinking skills.
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The Asian-led multiverse adventure "Everything Everywhere All at Once" dominated the 38th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday by taking home a record-breaking seven trophies.

The awards, honoring the finest achievements of American independent filmmakers, were held in the U.S. coastal city of Santa Monica in Los Angeles County.

"Everything Everywhere All at Once," a hilarious sci-fi action adventure, not only won the big prize of the night, the Best Feature award, but also swept other major film categories.

The film's Chinese-Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh won the Best Lead Performance award, while her co-star Ke Huy Quan walked away with the Best Supporting Performance award. The film also grabbed both Best Director and Best Screenplay for Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Best Breakthrough Performance for Stephanie Hsu, and Best Editing for Paul Rogers.

In addition, the Pakistani drama film "Joyland" nabbed Best International Film, while the Best Documentary award went to "All the Beauty and the Bloodshed."
Weather Alert

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN NEBRASKA AND WEST-CENTRAL IOWA... * Affected Area...In Iowa, Monona. In Nebraska, Knox, Cedar, Thurston, Antelope, Pierce, Wayne, Boone, Madison, Stanton, Cuming, Burt, Platte, Colfax, Dodge, Butler, Saunders, Seward, Lancaster, Saline, Jefferson and Gage. * Winds...Northwest 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 50 mph. * Relative Humidity...As low as 20 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. &&
The head of the Tunisian National Salvation Front (NSFT) has vowed weekly protests in Tunis capital until detained opposition figures are released, in an utter defiance of authorities who banned the Sunday demonstration.

Ahmed Nejib Chebbi, the current leader of the opposition made the announcement during the large-scale protest by the NSFT on Sunday.

Chebbi said that the group will hold weekly sit-ins every Wednesday at midday, in solidarity with the detained activists.

The protest was attended by hundreds of supporters in central Tunis, despite state ban. The demonstration denounced state prosecution of critics of President Kais Saied.

Several people including lawyers, journalists and politicians mostly members of Ennahda such as Said Ferjani, as well as a number of left-leaning political figures, including Jawhar Ben Mbarek took part in the demonstration.

We call for the release of all detainees, Chebbi said. They accuse your brothers of conspiring against state security, and they are not conspirators, but rather peaceful opponents.

Demonstrators also called for freedom of speech and expression. Some other protestors called for Saieds resignation, shouting Leave, leave and Down with the coup.

The protesters also condemned Saieds statements against sub-Saharan migrants, which were deemed racist and inflammatory. President Kais Saied sparked an outcry after he made extremely hateful and racist remarks against African migrants who arrive in his country on their way to Europe.
Right after announcing a new French foreign policy in Africa, Emmanuel Macron started an African tour that led him so far to Angola, Gabon and afterwards to DRC, where France was reminded that its patronizing attitude will lead it to lose more friends on the continent.

In Kinshasa, President Felix Tshisekedi told Macron in front of the press that France needed to show respect and to reconsider its ties with Africa and abandon its paternalist tone.

Macron was met in Kinshasa with popular protests accusing Macron of neo-colonialism inter alia.

To compete with other powers in Africa, France needed to listen to what African people wanted if it aspires to a genuine aspiration with African countries, said Tshisekedi.

Francafrique is a thing of the past, he said, in a reference to Frances decades-long meddling and direct interference to keep plundering African resources including through backing authoritarian regimes against their own peoples.

Macrons tour skipped West Africa, a francophone region where Paris has dramatically lost influence after its forces were asked to leave Mali and Burkina Faso amid a surge in anti-France sentiment.

Undeterred by past errors in its African engagement, Macron seeks in military-run Algeria a protector of French interests in the Sahel where France is rejected and increasingly replaced by global powers such as China, Russia and Turkey as well as regional players such as Morocco.
Iranian drones made their way to North Africa through Algeria, according to Western security experts, vindicating Moroccos warnings over the past months of Iranian destabilization acts that fuel terrorism and separatism.

Morocco, which has been warning of Iranian incursions in the Sahel via Algeria, rang the alarm bell that the Polisario are seeking Iranian drones after they failed in their Algeria-sponsored guerilla warfare. In October, senior Polisario official Omar Mansour promised supporters of a forthcoming offensive drone delivery from Iran. Few days later, Iranian Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi said 22 countries, including Algeria, ordered Iranian drones. The acquisition by the Polisario of Iranian drones via Algeria will vindicate what we have been saying for three years that Iran and Hizbollah are infiltrating Tindouf and North Africa and have moved from training to equipping the Polisario with drones and this is a serious development, Moroccos representative to the UN Omar Hilale had said in response.

Polisario use of drones will be a game changer at the military level and Morocco will react consequently, he had added.

Morocco is right to be worried, but so is the world. Drones are a lethal infection, spreading fast, wrote Llewellyn King executive producer and host of White House Chronicle, on PBS. In an op-ed on the Boston Herald and the New England Diary, he warns of the lethality of drones as a tactical tool that can inflict serious damage on critical infrastructure. Citing, Ilan Berman, senior vice president of the American Foreign Policy Council, he said Iran is now relying on drones to back its proxies on multiple asymmetric conflicts. Israels Iron Dome could help Morocco thwart Iranian drone attacks but that would take years of negotiation and sales are subject to a U.S. veto, he said.
The concern of the European Union and the United States is growing about the increasingly close relationship between Algeria, Russia and Iran, which strives to spread the most radical branch of its Islamism in the Sahel and Sahara states with the support of the Algerian military system, says an analysis posted on the website of a Spanish institute this March 6.

Several EU reports and journalistic information reported by media outlets such as CNN and Le Monde indicate that the Algerian regimes intention is to facilitate the installation of Russian military bases in the Sahel with the help of Iran, notes the Madrid-based Instituto Coordenadas.

The Algerian regime is said to be receiving a significant supply of drones from Iran, which would go directly to the armed militia of the Polisario Front, a group that enjoys the Algerian authorities support, in its struggle against Morocco, one of the few reliable partners of the EU and USA in the region.

Iran, which operates in a similar way by supplying the terrorist group Hezbollah, intends to establish the most radical branch of its Islamism in the Sahel and Sahara, using the Algerian military systems support.

Le Monde reported that the Algerian government had allowed the Russian Wagner group to penetrate the Sahel to reach Mali. This presence led to Frances departure from the African country and dealt a significant blow to the U.S.-led coalition to end terrorism in the region, the institute recalls.

The Algerian government has become a firm ally of Russia, and it is estimated that it buys some $10 billion worth of arms from Russia annually, which would finance Putins war against Ukraine. For the year 2023, Algeria plans to allocate $23 billion to arms purchases, more than half of which would be Russian-made, the institute states further.

In September 2022, the United States already expressed concern about Algerias financing of Russias war against Ukraine and called for sanctions against the North African country.

The Institute notes that the military alliance has been reflected in recent times in the joint exercises, mainly maritime ones, conducted between the two countries in the Mediterranean. Algiers has made its ports and ships available to Russia. It has also participated in other military exercises conducted by both countries in the past, both in the Caucasus and in Siberia, as well as in North Africa.

Jesus Sanchez Lambas, Vice President of the Instituto Coordenadas for Governance and Applied Economics, points out that the information available allows us to predict a double scenario of instability that would allow Russia to have a stranglehold on the European Union: Ukraine in the North and the Sahara in the South, aggravating the energy supply crisis.

While the humanitarian drama in the North focuses all US and EU political and media attention, the situation in the South is perceived as something distant and culturally alien to the West, Jesus Sanchez Lambas argues, calling on Western powers to anticipate the foreseeable catastrophe by strengthening their relations with the few reliable partners in the region, such as Morocco. It is getting late, he deems.

The Instituto Coordenadas for Governance and Applied Economics defines itself as an institute founded on the principles of independence, non-partisanship and plurality, develops thought and undertakes research into the interaction between governance and applied economics in order to make constructive and decisive progress in three fundamental issues: social wellbeing, economic progress and environmental sustainability.
Metal Plating Company Cited for Not Having Eyewash, Shower in Area for Employees Exposed to Chemicals

The company now faces citations for 13 violations and proposed penalties of around $292,000.

About $292,000 in penalties have been proposed for a metal plating company after OSHA found that employees who were exposed to corrosive chemicals did not have an eyewash station or shower in the area.

These employees of Arizona Traders Co. in El, Paso, Texas, faced exposure to three chemicals: hydrochloric acids, nitric acids and ferric chloride, per a news release and the citations. Hydrochloric acids can cause eye damage; Nitric acids can cause eye burns and permanent damage; and ferric chloride can lead to eye pain and blurred vision. Both safety data sheets for the acids list eye flushing as an immediate first aid measure.

During the inspection last September, OSHA also found the following:

blocked exits

electrical hazards

certain cylinders and respirators stored incorrectly

a lack of a written respiratory protection program and a written hazard communication program

some employees not using eye protection

Arizona Traders Co. received citations for one willful and 12 serious violations along with proposed penalties of $292,693.

The company was also cited more than 10 years ago in 2011 and 2012. Some of these citations were for failing to provide employees a suitable facility for quick drenching of the eyes and body, according to the news release.

"Arizona Traders Co. continues to ignore its responsibility to protect employees working with dangerous chemicals from potentially serious injuries, including permanent eye damage and possibly sight loss," said OSHA Area Director Diego Alvarado in El Paso, Texas in the news release. "This company must change the way it operates and make workplace safety a priority before a tragedy occurs. Arizona Traders failure to do so is troubling to say the least."
The rise of electric cars and battery farms has led to concerns about peak demand for fossil fuels, leading investors to prioritize short-term gains over long-term energy projects.

US drillers spent more on share buybacks and dividends than on capital projects for the first time in at least a decade, according to Bloomberg calculations.

U.S. oil companies have prioritized shareholder returns over future output, resulting in a $128 billion windfall for investors and marking the first time in a decade that drillers spent more on share buybacks and dividends than on capital projects.

According to Bloomberg calculations, shareholders in US oil companies reaped a $128 billion windfall in 2022 thanks to a combination of global supply disruptions such as Russias war in Ukraine and intensifying Wall Street pressure to prioritize returns (dividends and buybacks) over finding untapped crude reserves. After all, why bother if progressives hope to put an end to evil internal combustion engines once and for all. Indeed, oil execs who in years past were rewarded for investing in gigantic, long-term energy projects are now under the gun to funnel cash to investors who are increasingly convinced that the sunset of the fossil-fuel era is nigh.

As a result for the first time in at least a decade, US drillers last year spent more on share buybacks and dividends than on capital projects, according to Bloomberg calculations.

The $128 billion in combined payouts across 26 companies also is the most since at least 2012, and they happened in a year when US President Joe Biden unsuccessfully appealed to the industry to lift production and relieve surging fuel prices. Or, as Bloomberg puts it, "for Big Oil, rejecting Biden's direct requests may never have been more profitable."

At the heart of the divergence is growing concern among investors that demand for fossil fuels will peak as soon as 2030, obviating the need for mutlibillion-dollar megaprojects that take decades to yield full returns. In other words, oil refineries and natural-gas fired power plants  along with the wells that feed them  risk becoming so-called stranded assets if and when they are displaced by electric cars and battery farms.

The investment community is skeptical of what assets and energy prices will be, John Arnold, the billionaire philanthropist and former commodities trader, said during a Bloomberg News interview in Houston. They would rather have the money through buybacks and dividends to invest in other places. The companies have to respond to what the investment community is telling them to do otherwise they're not going to be in charge very long.

In other words, if BIden wants to rage at someone, he may as well target the anger at himself (who are kidding, we mean at those deep statists who set Biden's agenda for him): if he hadn't explicitly spelled out the end of the US energy industry, some may have been much more willing to invest in the future. The way it stands now, however...

The upsurge in oil buybacks is helping drive a broader US corporate spending spree that saw share-repurchase announcements more than triple during the first month of 2023 to $132 billion, the highest ever to begin a year. Chevron alone accounted for more than half that total with a $75 billion, open-ended pledge. The White House lashed out and said that money would be better spent on expanding energy supplies; Biden's toothless anger did not even prompt response. A 1% US tax on buybacks takes effect later this year.

Meanwhile, global investment in new oil and gas supplies already is expected to fall short of the minimum needed to keep up with demand by $140 billion this year, according to Evercore ISI, assuring much higher oil prices down the line. Meanwhile, crude supplies are seen growing at such an anemic pace that the margin between consumption and output will narrow to just 350,000 barrels a day next year from 630,000 in 2023, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

The companies have to respond to what the investment community is telling them to do otherwise they're not going to be in charge very long.  Billionaire John Arnold said. Management teams from the biggest US oil companies recommitted to the investor-returns mantra as they unveiled fourth-quarter results in recent week and the 36% slump in domestic oil prices since mid-summer has only reinforced those convictions. Executives across the board now insist that funding dividends and buybacks takes priority over pumping additional crude to quell consumer discontent over higher pump prices. This may pose a problem in a matter of months as Chinese demand accelerates and global fuel consumption hits an all-time high.

Five years ago, you would have seen very significant year-on-year oil-supply growth, but youre not seeing that today, Arnold said. Its one of the bull stories for oil  that the supply growth that had come out of the US has now stopped.

The US is crucial to global crude supply not just because its the worlds biggest oil producer. Its shale resources can be tapped much more quickly than traditional reservoirs, meaning that the sector is uniquely placed to respond to price spikes. But with buybacks and dividends swallowing up more and more cash flow, shale is no longer the global oil systems ace in the hole.

In the waning weeks of 2022, shale specialists reinvested just 35% of their cash flow in drilling and other endeavors aimed at boosting supplies, down from more than 100% in the 2011-2017 period, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. A similar trend is evident among the majors, with Exxon Mobil Corp. and Chevron aggressively ramping buybacks while restraining capital spending to less than pre-Covid levels.

Investors are driving this behavior, as evidenced by clear messages sent to domestic producers in the past two weeks. EOG Resources, ConocoPhillips and Devon Energy dropped after announcing higher-than-expected 2023 budgets while Diamondback Energy, Permian Resources and Civitas Resources all rose as they kept spending in check.

On top of shareholder demands for cash, oil explorers also are grappling with higher costs, lower well productivity and shrinking portfolios of top-notch drilling locations. Chevron and Pioneer Natural Resources are two high-profile producers reorganizing drilling plans after weaker-than-expected well results. Labor costs also are rising, according to Janette Marx, CEO of Airswift, one of the worlds biggest oil recruiters.

US oil production is expected to grow just 5% this year to 12.5 million barrels a day, according to the Energy Information Administration. Next year, the expansion is expected to slow to just 1.3%, the agency says. While the US is adding more supply than most of the rest of the world, its a marked contrast to the heady days of shale in the previous decade when the US was adding more than 1 million barrels of daily output each year, competing with OPEC and influencing global prices.

Demand, rather than supply-side actors like the American shale sector or OPEC, will be the primary driver of prices this year, Dan Yergin, vice chairman of S&P Global, told Bloomberg in an interview.

Oil prices will be determined by, metaphorically speaking, Jerome Powell and Xi Jinping, Yergin said, referring to the Federal Reserves rate-hike path and Chinas post-pandemic recovery. S&P Global expects global oil demand to reach an all-time high of 102 million barrels per day.

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Meanwhile, with the case for higher oil prices building, US President Joe Biden has fewer tools at his disposal with which to counteract the blow to consumers. The president already has tapped the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to the tune of 180 million barrels in a bid to ease gasoline prices as they were spiking in 2022.

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm is likely to get a frosty reception at the CERAWeek by S&P Global event in Houston staring March 6 if she follows Bidens lead and attacks the industry for giving too much back to investors. That business model is here to stay, said Dan Pickering, chief investment officer of Pickering Energy Partners.

Theres going to be a point at which the US needs to produce more because the market is going to demand it, Pickering said. Thats probably when investor sentiment shifts to growth. Until then, returning capital seems like the best idea.

By Zerohedge.com

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Politics, Geopolitics & Conflict

Bakhmut is the new Ukrainian symbol of resistance in the Donetsk region, and its being pounded by Russian forces. Wagner mercenaries are attempting to encircle the city. So far, Ukraine has held out in the months-long battle; however, military officials have indicated that they may not hold out forever, and Ukrainian troops could be withdrawn if necessary. Withdrawing from Bakhmut would not really signal a major victory for Russia, nor would it significantly change the war.

In the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, and amid ongoing aftershocks that continue to claim lives and take down buildings, Erdogan (as we have mentioned before) is facing a grave economic challenge on top of scrutiny for his role in bypassing proper building codes. Goldman Sachs is now warning that along with the depletion of Turkeys currency reserves, the lira is at risk of severe crisis in the run-up to May 14 general elections.

IAEA inspectors this week stated that they had discovered traces of uranium enriched to near weapons grade at an Iranian facility. The particles are just under the 90 percent needed to produce an atomic bomb.

The only good thing happening right now in Azerbaijans oil sector is increased incentive to explore for new oil and gas plays. But thats a very long-term plan, and in the meantime, Azerbaijan is a unique victim of Russias war on Ukraine. We saw the country very briefly benefit from the tragic earthquakes in Turkey when Azerbaijans Caspian Sea oil was allowed to resume flows to Georgias Black Sea coast through the Baku-Supsa pipeline. These flows have been offline for close to a year because they have to go through the Black Sea, which is unsafe (the same problem Ukrainian grain shipments are having due to mines). Essentially, Azerbaijan has only one of three pipeline routes leftthe BTC that runs through Turkey. Everything has been rerouted there, and even that pipeline was shut down for nearly a week in February due to earthquakes. Even when not shut down, this single pipeline cannot compensate for Azerbaijans lost export routes in terms of capacity. The brief flirtation with the Baku-Supsa pipeline which requires oil to traverse the Black Sea against security concerns, has done nothing to strengthen Azerbaijans exports.

Markets

China approved 106 GW of coal-fired power capacity in 2022, 4x higher than in 2021 and the highest level of capacity additions since 2015 as energy security took center stage. In China, 50 GW of coal power capacity began construction, up by 50% from 2021.

China isnt the only Asian nation beefing up its coal power. Coal India Ltd saw a big spike in coal production in the 11 months to Februaryreaching 619.70 million tonnes, compared to 542.38 million tonnes in the same period during the year prior.

Deals, Discovery & Development

BP is embarking on Phase 2 of a giant Greater Tortue Ahmeyim LNG project off the Mauritania and Senegal coast. The project will boost the capacity of the Greater Tortue. An FPSO vessel took off from China en route to the Mauritania coast for use in the project, carrying components capable of processing 500 million standard cubic feet of gas per day. The first phase is already in development. BP made the FID in 2018.

India has approved its largest hydropower project to date, near the border with China. The project, known as Dibang, is a $3.9B 2,880 MW project that will take 9 years to build. The project will encompass more than 12,000 acres of forest and is considered by India as a renewable energy project.

Eni reached closing for BPs Algeria business, the In Amenas and In Salah gas projects. The two businesses are jointly owned by Sonatrach and Equinor. Eni already has a presence in Algeria, where it plans on reaching 130,000 boepd this year with the addition of this project. BP has been in Algeria for 30 years. The two projects make up 15% of all Algerias gas exports. BP was not the project operator. The In Amenas JV is one of the largest wet gas projects in Algeria.

Oklahoma-based Riley Permian has agreed to acquire New Mexico assets from Cibolo Energy Partners affiliate Pecos Oil & Gas. Under the terms of the deal, Riley will pay $330 million in cash for the assets.

Baytex Energy has agreed to acquire an Eagle Ford pure-play company, Ranger Oil for $2.5 billion in a cash and stock deal, which includes assuming its $650 million in debt. Acquired inventory includes 741 net (oil-weighted) undrilled locations. Assets include 523 opportunities in the Lower EF, and 218 opportunities in the Upper EF and Austin Chalk. Baytex said it planned on growing production from 83,519 boe/d to 155,000-160,000 boe/d with the deal. The deal is set to close late in Q2.

TotalEnergies has agreed to buy Spanish Cepsas upstream assets in the UAE for an undisclosed amount. The deal will give TotalEnergies a 20% stake in Satah Al Razboot, Umm Lulu, Bin Nasher, and Al Bateel concessions.

Aramco is looking to invest in an LNG facility outside Saudi Arabia as the worlds thirst for LNG remains strong. Aramco is said to be looking at LNG projects in the United States and in Asiapreferably at a facility that offers easy shipments to one of its prized markets, Asia.

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Baker Hughes has been cleared by a UK competition regulator CMA to take over Altus Intervention. As part of the deal to appease the CMA, Baker Hughes has agreed to sell off its coil tubing and pumping services in the UK to Archer Ltd.

Range Resources Corp said they dont need to pursue any sort of  merger or acquisition when asked about the rumor that Pioneer Natural Resources was looking to acquire Appalachian pure-play Range. Range stopped short of flat-out denying the veracity of the rumor or that conversations were had between Pioneer and Range. Pioneer, for its part, said it was not contemplating a significant business combination or other acquisition transaction. Range reported 2022 Q4 net income of $814.2 million, or $3.38 per share.

Chinas CNOOC discovered a large oil and gas field in the Bohai Sea that the company said could contain more than 100 million tonnes of oil equivalent. Bozhong 26-6 has an average water depth of 22.1 meters. Proven reserves of the field have surpassed 130 million tonnes of oil equivalent.

Legislation and Regulation

A court dismissed a case against TotalEnergies that attempted to stop developing its East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline and its associated Tilenag oilfield. The case was brought to court by French and Uganda campaigners that sought to prove that Total failed to address the pipelines associated environmental and human rights issues. Ultimately, the court ruled this week that it did not have the authority to examine the situation and added that the case had changed too much since the campaigners first filed.
Earlier this week, a Republican bill aimed at preventing pension funds from making investment decisions on the grounds of climate change considerations passed in both houses of Congress. While many expect President Biden to veto the bill and have it all done with, the existence of this bill is a sign of a changing tidea pushback from conservative U.S. politicians against the ESG investment drive that has been gathering momentum for the past few years.

The pushback is not just in Congress, either. In fact, it is much stronger outside Congress. Several states have set their sights on ESG investments and the firms that promote them. Texas and Kentucky are two good examples with their warnings for asset managers to either give up ESGand the vilification of oil and gasor lose Texas and Kentucky money. That's how ESG investing turned from an opportunity to a risk.

The Financial Times reported this week that the growing backlash against ESG investing has become a material risk for the profits of asset managers and private equity firms active in that sort of investing.

The report cited annual reports by firms such as BlackRock, Blackstone, KKR, and T Rowe Price, saying that these included for the first time warnings that "divergent views" and "competing demands" on ESG could affect bottom lines.

The "divergent views" have already led to some conservative U.S. states to pull out some $4 billion from BlackRock alone, the FT notes, adding asset managers are also being subjected to probes and investigations into their ESG practices. Even their shareholders are not of a single mind when it comes to the principles of environmental, social, and governance investing. And with a good reason.

In this article, Diane Katz, a research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, analyzes ESG investing trends and notes that critics attack ESG for prioritizing stakeholder benefit over shareholder value, which goes against the principles of sound investment, and it also creates an opaque environment abundant with opportunities of greenwashing.

In another articlethis one for the Harvard Business Reviewfinance professor Sanjai Bhagat makes an even more disturbing revelation: ESG investment does not drive higher returns, as claimed by many ESG advocates.

Related: Coal May Be Dying, But America Still Needs Oil And Gas



Bhagat cites research that has found that ESG-focused funds had lower returns than traditional ones. It also found, startlingly enough, that companies with an ESG designation had an even worse record in environmental regulation and labor legislation compliance than their non-ESG-focused peers.

No wonder Morningstar, which provides ESG designation services, had to strip 1,200 funds of that designation after studying their ESG credentials closely. Those funds managed $1.4 trillion in assets.

Adding to evidence that the ESG funds' equal higher returns narrative may not be true after all, Bloomberg reported last December that ESG funds underperformed the S&P 500, with the ten largest among them booking double-digit losses for 2022.

Interestingly, researchers from the National Bureau of Economic Research recently suggested that returns are not the most important thing for some ESG investors, and the higher fees that ESG funds carry are not a big problem. Their top priority appears to be the sense of satisfaction they get out of investing in ESG funds.

Per the study's authors, "When we incorporate the possibility that investors are willing to accept lower financial returns in exchange for the psychic and societal benefits of ESG, we find that the implicit value that investors place on ESG stocks is higher still."

Yet while this may hold true and be fine for individual investors operating with their own money, things are different when it comes to pension funds operating with the retirement money of millions of people. And the conservative backlash against ESG has made pension funds a central factor in their campaign.

The Wall Street Journal reported last month that conservative activists are building a national campaign against ESG investing in a way similar to the way they campaigned against critical race theory, attacking it as the politicization of investing.

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How the fight will end remains to be seen, but it is a fact it is intensifying and making investment majors reconsider what they must have thought was a clear path forward on the ESG bandwagon. Looking at the banking industry might be helpful: despite loud and ambitious net-zero commitments, the world's banking giants are still more exposed to fossil fuels than their alternatives.

A recent BloombergNEF study revealed that the likes of JP Morgan, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and Citigroupall members of the Net-Zero Banking Allianceall invested more in oil and gas than they did in low-carbon energy companies, even though the difference wasn't too big. The ratio of low-carbon to high-carbon exposure was 0.97:1. However, Bloomberg notes, the NZBA has pledged a ratio of 4:1 in favor of low-carbon investment by 2030. That should be as interesting as the ESG war.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Actor Donnie Yen attends the opening of the first session of the 14th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) as a new member of this top political advisory body at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, March 4, 2023. [Photo/VCG]

Renowned Chinese action movie star Donnie Yen (Zhen Zidan) said he is proudly Chinese and feels amazed at the progress his home country has made.



"Most of the people outside of China don't see it until they are there. The progressthe freeways, the architecture, the convenience of lifestyle," he said in a recent interview with British GQ magazine. The modernization of other countries where he has been to is not even close to China.

However, he told the magazine that he is upset that the Western media focuses only on the negative stories about China.

"The BBC, CNN, they never talk about that. They never mention the true side of it," he said.

Yen said the 2019 protest in Hong Kong was actually a riot.

"A lot of people might not be happy with what I'm saying, but I'm speaking from my own experience."

He recalled when he moved to Boston with his father and the difficulties of adapting to life in the United States as new immigrants when he was 10.

"Today we talk about injustice, back in the days, you can't imagine. It was horrendous," he said.

Throughout his career, Hollywood has never quite known what to do with him or with any Asian leading men, he said, adding that he found his opportunities limited.

While in China, he can play drug lords, animated monkeys, romantic leads, soldiers, but in Hollywood, he had to settle for the same handful of tired old stereotypes: the sage warrior, the stern general, and the one-dimensional villain, he said.

Yen said he had to suggest making his character blind and give him a sense of humor when he was approached by Disney to appear in the 2016 Star War prequal Rogue One to avoid making it another cliche.

In addition, while making John Wick: Chapter 4, his character was originally named Shang or Chang, a generic name for Asian actors and he was supposed to wear mandarin collars. It was due to his influence that the director agreed to change the name and wardrobe, he said.

He is more selective with the Hollywood movies that he takes on and he will ask if the role is generic or respectful of Chinese culture before taking a role, Yen said.

While he was hungrier to prove himself at a younger age, he is no longer excited by offers from Hollywood and turns down roles if he is not allowed creative control, he said.

Yen said he was energized to see Michelle Yeoh to win a Golden Globe for Everything Everywhere All at Once and believe there will always be more people like Michelle.

He is also upbeat because he sees a "big difference" in the way he and other Asian actors are treated in Hollywood.

One of the great things about cinema is it is unifying, transcending barriers of language and culture. "Action movies are a genre that everybody in the world can appreciate," he added.
Shell and Chevron, as well as Brazils state major Petrobras, are among the 10 companies that are considering taking part in Guyanas next oil tender, Reuters has reported, citing unnamed sources in the know.

Guyana is offering 14 offshore blocks in the new tender as it seeks to speed up its transformation into a major oil producer and at the same time reduce Exxons dominance of its emerging oil industry.

The U.S. supermajor, in partnership with Hess Corp., has made more than 30 discoveries in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana, tapping more than 11 billion barrels in oil reserves.

At the moment, Guyana is producing some 360,000 barrels of crude daily, all from Exxon-operated wells. The country plans to boost this to 1.64 million barrels daily by 2030.

Exports of crude oil from Guyana averaged over 265,000 bpd last year, according to Reuters, a doubling on export rates from a year earlier. Almost half of that was sold to Europe.

To promote the next bidding round, Guyanas Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo will attend this weeks CERAWeek conference.

"We see this as big, transformative for our people. We are in a mad rush to get this done before net-zero comes," Jagdeo said, echoing plans by other oil-producing nations to make the most of their fossil fuels while demand is strong.

Yet oil is not Guyanas only bet. The South American nation also has plans to develop its untapped natural gas reserves. Per Vice President Jagdeo, the government had been approached by several companies with the request to be considered should Guyana decide to develop LNG export capacity.

"We believe gas must be monetized," Jagdeo told Reuters in an interview this weekend. "We've had a number of those companies come to us and say 'Should you do that, we want to be considered.'"

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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PKN Orlen, the biggest refiner in Poland, will seek compensation from Russia after Moscow cut off crude oil deliveries to Poland via the Druzhba pipeline at the end of last month, the refiners chief executive Daniel Obajtek said on Monday.

Crude oil deliveries from Russia to Poland were suspended on February 25, PKN Orlen said at the time.

Russia claims that incomplete paperwork prevented the supply of Russian oil to Poland, and Polish refineries were cut off, Russian media reported.

According to a spokesperson for Russian pipeline monopoly operator Transneft, crude oil should have been delivered to Polish refineries in the second half of February, but routing orders with confirmed resource and transit payment were not executed, as carried by Russian media.

In addition, operational changes were made to the schedule, excluding supplies for Polish consumers, Transneft noted.

PKN Orlen has said that it had prepared for a scenario in which Russia would halt crude oil deliveries and that consumers would not be impacted.

The EU embargo on imports of Russian crude oil by sea came into effect on December 5, but pipeline oil flows are exempt from the ban.

Russians stopped pumping oil to Poland...so we will now take legal action and demand claims, PKN Orlens CEO Daniel Obajtek told a Polish radio today, as carried by Reuters.

The executive did not disclose any value of potential compensation, noting that he could not discuss details of the contracts PKN Orlen has with crude suppliers.

For February and March, Poland will receive close to zero imports of crude oil from Russia, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said last week.

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Poland decided last year to stop using crude from Russia by the end of 2022 when PKN Orlens long-term contract with Russian oil giant Rosneft expired. The Polish refiner has only one remaining contract with a Russian oil producer, a deal with Tatneft set to expire at the end of 2024.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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India keeps on taking major volumes of Russian oil, as the latest data suggests. Moscow supplies at present around 35% of Indias total oil imports, in stark contrast to less than 1% before the Ukraine war. Based on data provided by consultancy Vortexa, India imported around 1,62 million bpd in February from Russia. These record levels are almost the same as Indias imports from Iraq (940,000 bpd) and Saudi Arabia (648,000 bpd) combined. The UAE (Abu Dhabi) is Indias 4th largest supplier, with around 404,000 bpd. All these figures stand in contrast to the meager 248,000 bpd of crude coming from the U.S. Russian figures confirm, based on the tanker tracking analysis of Vortexa, that Moscow has been the leading oil exporter to India for the 5th month in a row. The main reason behind the surge of Russian crude oil exports to India is the fact that Moscow provides very hefty discounts to its crude.

International oil consultancy Kepler also sees a major boost to India as a Russian oil buyer in the long term. Viktor Katona of Kpler stated that Moscow will keep its oil prices to India subdued, even when the Ukraine War comes to an end. For Moscow the main advantage is clear, India is seen as not only a major upcoming hydrocarbon market but also fulfills a major geopolitical interest. As long as low crude oil prices are keeping India in the fold of Moscow, the West is not able to increase their global sanctions regimes against Putins regime. Moscow also wants to invest in a long-term relationship with India, which it sees as a potential partner in energy, technology and arms exports. Russia also is looking at the growing threats of Arab Gulf producers, such as Saudi Arabia, UAE and even Qatar, which will be more than happy to make a move on Russian market share in Asian energy markets. Moscow wants to have a foot in the door with India.

While China is Russias top importer of crude, Moscow has a keen interest in expanding its relationship with India. Delhis downstream sector has also become very important for Russia after G-7 nations imposed price caps and other sanctions in an attempt to lower its revenues from energy sales. Oil market analysts expect that the discounts on Russian crude will continue for some time to come. Kpler estimates that India is receiving a US$10 to $12 discount to the regular Brent futures price. At the same time, India is also buying Russian energy products, such as diesel. Kepler also indicated that India is more interesting than China from a geographical perspective, as the distance between the Russian port of Novorossiysk and Indian oil ports is smaller than the distance to Chinese oil hubs.

By Cyril Widdershoven for Oilprice.com

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Saudi Aramco raised the official selling price for the crude oil it exports to Asia and Europe for yet another month, with the flagship Arab Light to sell in April for $0.50 more than in March.

The price hike for Arab Heavy was even more pronounced, at $2.50 per barrel, moving the crude blend from a discount to the Oman/Dubai average to a premium.

In a report, Reuters noted that the price hikes come as several new refineries in Saudi Arabia are set to soon begin operating, and this would shrink the amount of crude available for exports.

This is the second consecutive month with higher prices for Saudi crude. Last months hike came as a surprise as it was the first time in six months that Aramco had hiked prices for its crude. The March price hike also came amid falling crude oil prices on international markets, which was what made the move surprising, along with the fact that a month ago Aramco had reduced prices.

Yet now, despite continued concern for the state of the global economy, China is beginning to return to normal operation, eyeing economic growth of 5% this year, which has motivated a return of optimism among oil bulls.

Oil prices, meanwhile, started the week with a decline. One reason for this was the fact that analysts had expected China to set itself a higher growth target for the year. Another was the anticipation of a testimony Feds chairman Jerome Powell will be delivering to Congress later this week, in which he will signal if there will be further rate hikes this year.

"Crude remains in a tug-of-war between optimism over Chinese reopening and nervousness over a hawkish Fed hurting the U.S. economy," energy analyst Vandana Hari told Reuters.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Shell, QatarEnergy, and Namibias state oil firm NAMCOR have discovered light oil in a deepwater exploration well drilled offshore the West African country, the UK-based supermajor said on Monday.

Drilling operations at the Jonker-1X exploration well established the presence of a reservoir with light oil, Shell said, adding that further appraisal activities with dynamic data gathering are necessary to determine the size and recoverable potential of the oil discovery.

We are encouraged by a further deep-water discovery, our third in Namibia, and pleased to confirm the safe conclusion of the well. Jonker again demonstrated the Joint Ventures strong commitment to advancing oil & gas exploration in Namibia and to progressing follow-up opportunities after last years discoveries, said Dennis Zekveld, Shells Country Chair in Namibia.

Last year, Shell and its partners made two discoveries in the same basin, the Orange Basin, offshore Namibia. Shell is the operator of the PEL 0039 license in the Orange Basin with a 45% working interest, QatarEnergy has another 45%, and Namibias NAMCOR holds the remaining 10%.

French supermajor TotalEnergies also made a significant discovery of light oil with associated gas on the Venus prospect in the Orange Basin early last year. Venus in Namibia could be a giant oil and gas discovery, TotalEnergies said in an investor presentation last September. Appraisal and testing are slated for 2023.

The giant discoveries offshore Namibia could make the country the next producer of oil.

Namibia could consider joining OPEC if recent offshore oil discoveries prove to be large enough for commercial development, Namibian petroleum commissioner Maggy Shino told Bloomberg in October. Namibia is the southern neighbor of OPEC member Angola.

Namibia also hopes that the major oil finds could help it double its economy in the next two decades. The economy of Namibia is currently valued at around $11 billion.

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By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Abu Dhabi could see up to eight more listings this year after what became the largest initial public offering in the world since the start of the year when ADNOC listed its natural gas business unit.

ADNOC raised $2.5 billion from the listing last week, with the offering 50 times oversubscribed and investors placing orders for $124 billion in total. The issue was fully subscribed just hours after the offering was first announced.

The listing gave the company a market capitalization of some $50 billion, close to the upper end of the price range set by the parent company ahead of the listing.

The upcoming listings are from various industries, spanning technology, media, and asset management, Bloomberg reported, citing the director general of economic affairs at Abu Dhabis department of economic development.

These are sizable companies, Sameh Al Qubaisi told Bloomberg. Some are high-growth companies that have only been there for five or six years, the disruptors.

While Al Qubaisi declined to mention any names, he said some of these companies planned to list between 10% and 20% of their stock.

The gas unit of ADNOC was not even a separate business until the parent company decided to list it amid renewed interest in fossil fuel investment. The unit was only separated and set up as a subsidiary at the beginning of this year.

ADNOC Gas has a production capacity of some 10 billion cubic feet daily and operates a pipeline network of over 2,000 miles. The new company said it expects to pay its new shareholders a total of $3.25 billion this year.

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The gas listing continues a strong year for IPOs in the Middle East in 2022. Listings in the region last year raised a total of $24 billion, Bloomberg recalls, constituting more than half of all listing proceeds for the wider Middle East, Europe, and North Africa region.

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Cooler temperatures and chances for precipitation return to the Omaha area this week and extend into western Iowa.

Theres going to be a noticeable cooldown from what weve been having lately, David Eastlack, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Valley, said Sunday. Precipitation chances in the form of rain and snow begin Wednesday and continue into next weekend.

High temperatures this week are expected to be 10 to 15 degrees lower than recent days. The typical high for Omaha at this time of year is 46 degrees and the average low is 25.

Were still going to get a couple of days of mild temperatures on Monday and Tuesday, Eastlack said. Temperatures (will range in eastern Nebraska) from the mid-40s to mid-50s with Omaha in the upper 40s.

A high of 40 degrees in Omaha on Wednesday will usher in a storm system developing in the Colorado-New Mexico border region. Increased moisture moving up from the Gulf of Mexico is expected across the Plains, with increasing chances for rain and snow arriving Wednesday.

We can expect rain in the afternoon on Wednesday, he said. Then there should be a rain and snow mix Wednesday night into Thursday.

Eastlack said the forecast for Omaha indicates light snow that is likely to only stick to grassy surfaces. About an inch of snow is expected in northeast Nebraska, he said.

The high temperatures for Thursday and Friday in Omaha should hover around 40 degrees. The forecast calls for slightly lower temperatures on Saturday and Sunday with continued chances for precipitation.

The good news, Eastlack said, is that the recent days of pleasant weather have warmed the ground considerably. Measurements taken Saturday at the National Weather Service office found that the frost line  which marks how deep in the soil groundwater freezes  has disappeared.

Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of February 2023
A 23-year-old driver charged with leaving the scene of a collision resulting in the death of a South Omaha woman will stand trial and could also face additional charges.

Miguelangel Bringshimback was arrested Thursday in connection with the death of Milagros Lopez, 23, on Feb. 16. He appeared in court Friday and was ordered held on 10% of $175,000 bail. He must pay $17,500 to be released from the Douglas County Jail.

Bringshimback, who is represented by a Douglas County public defender, waived his right to a preliminary hearing and will stand trial. If convicted of the felony charge, he faces up to three years in prison.

Cynthia Toledo, a sister of Lopez, said Monday that the charge against Bringshimback should be more serious because her sisters death certificate says she died by homicide. Bringshimback is not known to her family, she said.

Were not happy with the charge against (Bringshimback), but we understand from police that investigation remains open, Toledo said. We also want to know if the other people involved will be charged, too.

Brenda Beadle, the chief deputy Douglas County attorney, said Monday that the investigation is continuing.

Its certainly possible that there could be other charges in this case, she said.

Toledo said a funeral was held for Lopez, a South High School graduate, on Saturday. The family set up GoFundMe page to help pay for the funeral expenses.

According to an affidavit filed in Douglas County Court, Omaha police found Lopez down in an alley behind her home at 2423 S. 23rd St. shortly after 3 a.m. She was taken by ambulance to the Nebraska Medical Center, where she died.

Surveillance video from a nearby residence captured a loud argument in the alley followed by a Chrysler 300 speeding south and striking Lopez. Two days later, two witnesses went to Omaha police Headquarters and reportedly identified Bringshimback as the driver of the vehicle during separate interviews.

The witnesses, one of whom was identified as the owner of the Chrysler 300, told police that an altercation ensued after they and three other people arrived in the alley behind Lopezs residence. During the disturbance, the witnesses told police, Bringshimback entered the drivers seat of the Chrysler 300, struck Lopez and continued south.

A third witness told police on Feb. 28 that they were a passenger in the vehicle at the time Lopez was struck. That witness also said Bringshimback was the driver.

Police ask anyone with information about Lopezs death to contact the homicide unit at 402-444-5656 or contact Omaha Crime Stoppers anonymously at 402-444-STOP, at omahacrimestoppers.org or using the P3 Tips mobile app.
A Catholic Charities employee has sued the Omaha nonprofit, alleging leaders intentionally caused her to fear for her life by staging an active shooter drill without telling her and others it was fake.

Employees panicked on May 19 when they heard gunshots and saw a masked man brandishing a semiautomatic handgun at the organizations office at 9223 Bedford Ave. At least one person lay on the ground smeared with fake blood as others ran for safety.

Executives were aware the scenario was only training but continued to play along, an Omaha police officer has said, while subordinates had no knowledge that the terrifying shooting was not real. Local authorities also were not told about the drill.

The lawsuit alleges that Denise Bartels, the executive director of Catholic Charities of Omaha, first said nothing to assuage employee Sandra Lopezs fears and then directly told her: It is a shooting.

Lopez, a bilingual loan officer who still works at the organization, has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and still gets treatment for a back injury from jumping off a retaining wall while fleeing the gunman.

She has and continues to suffer debilitating fear, depression, unwanted and intrusive memories of that day and other symptoms, according to the lawsuit.

Bartels declined to comment on the allegations in the lawsuit.

We continue to take all matters surrounding the training seriously, she said in a statement. Nothing is more important to us than our staff, volunteers, and members of the community we serve.

The World-Herald first reported that the pretend gunman, John Channels, was arrested on five charges of terroristic threats and one count of weapon use in connection with acting out the shooting and firing blanks.

Channels, then 27, was hired by Catholic Charities staff for $2,500 to plan the training. The nonprofit has said Channels insisted that leadership not tell employees it was a drill in order to make it as lifelike as possible. Channels, now 28, denied that through his attorney and said the organization wanted it to be realistic.

The allegations in Lopezs lawsuit closely follow her recollection of that day to Omaha Police Detective Derek Mois when she was interviewed by him a few weeks later.

According to the lawsuit:

Lopez arrived at the office May 19 about 8 a.m. and spoke with her supervisor half an hour later about work-related business. The supervisor did not mention there would be a drill that day.

About 9:30 a.m., Lopez heard three bangs on her door and saw Dave Vankat, the chief community engagement officer for Catholic Charities, knock on her window and yell Out! Out!

Lopez saw Bartels, appearing to be terrified, run toward an exit. Lopez asked what was happening, but neither Bartels nor Vankat responded.

Lopez, now feeling panicked, followed and reached a vestibule door with Bartels and another employee. Lopez again asked, What happened? and Bartels said, It is a shooting.

Lopez then heard three gunshots. Omaha police later recovered 9mm blank casings at the scene but didnt take Channels firearm when they arrived as they said there was not enough probable cause to arrest him that day.

Outside the building, Lopez saw a woman she recognized as a fellow employee on the ground with her eyes closed and what looked like blood on her hand. She appeared to be injured or dead.

Lopez stopped running as she was torn whether to aid the hurt employee, who she didnt know was an actor. But then she saw Bartels and the other employee continue running across the street, so she also fled.

Instead of directly following Bartels, Lopez took another path because she believed her bright pink shirt would attract attention, make her a prime target and would expose her for a longer period of time to gunshots and death, the lawsuit said.

Lopez jumped from a retaining wall and landed near a dumpster, pausing to hide, then ran toward a shopping plaza and found refuge at a nearby Scooters coffee shop.

Her son arrived in a vehicle to pick her up and called her supervisor to share that Lopez was safe but terrified. The supervisor told the son that the shooting was play acting and a safety drill.

Lopezs son, incredulous, asked why they didnt tell his mother that it was staged.

The supervisor replied, We wanted to see how people reacted, according to the lawsuit.

Denise Bartels, (the supervisor) and Dave Vankat all knew this in advance and acted out their parts to terrify Plaintiff Sandra Lopez and other employees not given a warning of the planned drill, the lawsuit alleges.

No other lawsuits against Catholic Charities have been filed in Douglas County. At least three other employees told Detective Mois that they were unaware of the realistic shooting drill.

Tom White, Lopezs attorney, argued that Lopezs situation is exempt from Nebraska Workers Compensation Court and instead filed the lawsuit in Douglas County District Court.

Catholic Charities attorney Heather Veik has filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, saying the matter belongs in workers compensation court. Veik declined to comment on the lawsuit but plans to file a written argument ahead of a March 14 hearing.

White said that while the training occurred at the workplace, he is alleging that Catholic Charities intentionally assaulted Lopez and intended her to be emotionally distressed  a narrow, unique scenario that White said could change implications of workers rights in Nebraska.

He pointed to a 2013 Nebraska Supreme Court decision that ruled the estate of an 18-year-old worker who fatally suffocated in a grain bin couldnt sue his western Nebraska grain elevator employer and had to settle the matter in workers compensation court.

In that case, the company was willfully negligent in ordering a worker to go into a grain bin without the protection of several safety measures, but the company did not intend for the worker to die. White believes the high courts ruling did not determine the civil liabilities of an employer whose actions intended to cause harm.

White argued that in holding an active shooter and not telling certain employees in order to see how theyd react, Catholic Charities intentionally wanted to cause workers harm.

Theres a difference between intentionally doing something wrong and intentionally intending the harm that results from it, White said. If an employer can intend to harm you and then theyre protected by the limits of workers comp ... think about it. You can go to work and your employer can intend to harm you and pretty much escape from civil liability because depending on the nature of the harm, its limited by workers comp.

White said the scenario that Catholic Charities subjected Lopez to is different from the grain bin incident. He wants a jury to look at the matter and said workers compensation court is a better avenue for physical injuries, not the mental and emotional pain that Lopez suffered.

Did they intend to create fear in her mind that she could be shot? The answer we would say is absolutely they did, White said. We do so allege that they specifically intended to terrorize Ms. Lopez.
With a number of factors combining to limit donations, the Nebraska Community Blood Bank on Monday declared a blood emergency and urged Nebraskans to visit its donation centers and roll up their sleeves.

Like all employers in the medical sector, the blood bank has difficulty hiring enough nurses and other health care professionals and is at capacity for conducting blood drives in the community, said Kari Lundeen, a spokeswoman for the blood bank.

Currently, the organization is running about 50% of the drives at schools, corporations and churches than it did before the pandemic, she said. While the blood bank still has many loyal donors, officials believe they may be missing some of the first-time donors who tend to visit those blood drives.

Last weeks ice storm, a challenging cold and flu season and an increase in the number of people who have not returned to making donations since the start of the pandemic also have taken a toll on donations.

The blood bank typically needs about 4,000 donors a month to meet its demand for blood in Nebraska, Lundeen said. In February, it was short about 1,000 donors. The blood bank supplies blood products to Nebraska Medicine, Methodist Health System and Bryan Health.

At this point, she said, the blood bank across its network has less than two days supply of Type O blood, the most common type, and about a two-day supply of platelets.

Each winter we struggle to maintain blood donations, and this year is no exception, Wendy Capetz, senior executive director of enterprise marketing for the blood bank, said in a statement. But now, the need is deeply critical and may begin to affect our local hospitals. We need more Nebraskans to give blood, host blood drives and spread the word about the need for donations.

Josh Murray, a spokesman for the American Red Cross Nebraska-Iowa Region, said winter weather often causes blood drives to be canceled or keeps people from getting out.

We are hopeful that as the weather warms up, that donations also rise, he said in an email. Donors are needed to help prevent a shortage.

Lundeen said Nebraska Community Blood Bank in particular is urging potential donors to visit its donation centers to give and is encouraging employers to give them time off to do so.

Recently, the Food and Drug Administration lifted a ban on donations by military servicemembers and others who lived in the United Kingdom or other parts of Europe during the 1980s and 1990s because of concerns about variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, or mad cow disease.

Blood donors can give every 56 days, and platelet donors can give twice per month. To view current eligibility guidelines, visit ncbb.org or call 1-877-486-9414.

Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of February 2023
Sixty years have passed since Chairman Mao Zedong called on the nation to learn the good virtues of Lei Feng, a young soldier. Today people still refer to someone with a selfless spirit as "living Lei Feng".

To mark the annual "Lei Feng Day", which fell on March 5, a statue of the hero soldier, who died in a car accident at 22, was recently installed at the bustling Wangfujing shopping street, in downtown Beijing. The statue, created in 2012 by noted sculptor Wu Weishan, depicts a smiling and walking Lei Feng enjoying the embrace of spring freeze.

The work is featured in the primary school textbook to go with a poem hailing the soldier's deeds. The unveiling of the statue was also the start of a collaboration on public art between Dongcheng district, which administers Wangfujing, and the National Art Museum of China, which Wu directs, to put more sculptures on the street for public benefits.




The Omaha City Council on Tuesday will consider paying a Minnesota-based firm up to $376,000 to spearhead the creation of the citys climate action plan.

If approved, it would represent a notable step in a process that some, including at least one member of the council, have criticized for moving too slowly.

The Mayors Office announced Friday that a committee tasked with reviewing proposals had recommended paleBLUEdot, working alongside local firm HDR, to take the lead on crafting the citys climate action and resilience plan. Eight firms submitted proposals, according to the Mayors Office.

The city would pay paleBLUEdot up to $376,357 for its services, according to a letter from the Mayors Office to the council.

Thats more than the estimate of $250,000 that the Mayors Office floated late last summer during city budget discussions.

Established in 2014 and based in Maplewood, Minnesota, paleBLUEdot is a consulting firm specializing in sustainability, climate action and renewable energy. It boasts having worked on more than 100 projects at various levels of government and, according to its website, having completed more than 42 climate action plans for clients such as the cities of Dubuque, Iowa, and Bloomington, Indiana.

Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert said the committee selected paleBLUEdot, which she described as an experienced consultant, after undertaking a thorough process.

This contract supports our commitment to plan for the future, and identify actions and funding sources, Stothert said in a statement.

However, some have criticized the process for a perceived lack of urgency and questioned whether it was a priority  critiques Stothert has refuted.

Her office launched the effort in early 2021 and in November that year the council formally put its support behind the creation of a climate action plan.

At the time, council members were told a request for proposals would go out within a couple months.

But that request wasnt issued until October. The delay was largely attributed to the group working on the effort  a mix of government, nonprofit and business representatives  wanting to see a city-specific plan, rather than the regional one that was initially envisioned.

Council President Pete Festersen has been among those who have expressed frustration over the pace of the effort.

Other critics have pointed out that Omaha trails peer cities, as well as some smaller ones like Lincoln, which already has a climate action plan.

Stothert has repeatedly stressed the importance of the plan and said the city wants to get it right.

Sometimes these processes do take a long time, Stothert said in September. It takes a lot of work and we want a lot of input and we want to do it right.

If the council approves the agreement with paleBLUEdot, the city can look forward to receiving plenty more input.

The firms proposal lays out various steps for engaging with the community, including traditionally overlooked groups such as young people. Omaha-based HDR and Omaha by Design will help with the public engagement and communication, according to the Mayors Office.

The overall climate and resilience plan will identify cost-effective strategies and detailed actions to address the citys climate action goals.

The firm also will develop a climate vulnerability assessment that will look at current and projected climate change impacts, risks and hazards, and identify vulnerable populations in the city.

The plan would be due to the city by June 2024, according to the Mayors Office.

The council will host a public hearing on the proposed agreement. The meeting starts at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the legislative chambers of the City County Building at 1819 Farnam St.

Meet the Omaha City Council Pete Festersen Vinny Palermo Aimee Melton Brinker Harding Danny Begley Juanita Johnson Don Rowe
A storm system is expected to arrive in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa on Tuesday night that will bring precipitation for the next several days.

Brett Albright, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Valley, said Monday that the storm making its way from the Rocky Mountains will drop the bulk of the rain and snow within the area on Thursday. But light precipitation will begin Tuesday night. Interstate 80 is expected to be the dividing line between freezing and nonfreezing precipitation.

Forecasts call for the Omaha area to receive about 1 to 2 inches of snow.

Northeast Nebraska could see anywhere from 3 to 10 inches, with the highest estimates possibly occurring near the South Dakota border. Albright said averages call for about 6 inches.

If they head out of town on Thursday and they head north, theyre going to run into snow, he said. The further north they go into South Dakota, its just going to get worse.

Temperatures are expected to decline as the week progresses. The forecast calls for the high temperature to be about 44 degrees Tuesday and then drop into the 30s starting Wednesday. Highs will rebound to 41 degrees Saturday before dropping to 38 on Sunday.

Low temperatures are expected to decline from the 30s on Tuesday and Wednesday nights to the 20s starting on Thursday.

Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of February 2023
LINCOLN  When her first grader was struggling with reading, Lou Ann Linehan said her family moved to a different public school district in order to attend an elementary school with a special education program that better fit his needs.

Linehan said her family had the financial means to do this, but the Omaha-area state senator said not all families are as fortunate.

For thousands of parents, this is not the reality, Linehan said.

Legislative Bill 753 is the latest in a string of bills Linehan has offered over the years to provide more school choice opportunities. This years version would create income tax credits for donations to organizations that provide scholarships to attend private schools, including faith-based schools.

Nebraska lawmakers spent more than three hours Monday debating the pros and cons of LB 753 without getting to a vote. Proponents argued that the bill is necessary to provide low-income families a choice to attend other schools. Opponents argued that it is an inappropriate use of state funds to benefit schools that are allowed to discriminate.

As introduced, the bill would make $25 million available for credits in 2024, with annual increases in the program of up to 25% possible in future years. A committee amendment would keep the program at $25 million for two years, then allow it to grow up to a maximum of $100 million a year.

The amendment also would cap credits at $100,000 annually for individuals and businesses and at $1 million for estates and trusts.

The Nebraska Legislature has considered similar measures in each of the last five years, but all have failed. Last years proposal fell five votes short on a filibuster-ending cloture motion. This year, Gov. Jim Pillens budget package included the proposal, which Linehan introduced with 30 co-sponsors.

Our kids are our future, and we need to give them every educational opportunity possible to help them succeed, Pillen said in an email statement Monday. LB 753 gives kids in need, including kids in poverty, kids in foster care, and kids of military veterans, more choices when identifying a school which best meets their needs. This bill is part of a package and failure to pass it will jeopardize funding for all Nebraska students.

Linehan and other supporters argued that standards at public schools are waning, and that expanding access to private schools will push public schools to do better.

Were bringing some competition to a system that needs some competition, Linehan said.

In her opening statement Monday, Linehan challenged the argument that LB 753 would decrease funding for public schools, citing other areas of Pillens education proposal that will increase state funding for public schools, particularly in support for special education.

But Sen. George Dungan of Lincoln said while the bill doesnt directly contribute state funding to private schools, hes concerned that the tax credits will whittle away at Nebraskas revenue streams and damage the states general fund. Ultimately, he said, that could hurt public schools.

Thats where I get scared, Dungan said.

A good chunk of Mondays debate focused on private schools ability to operate in ways that discriminate against certain students.

Omaha Sens. John and Machaela Cavanaugh referenced the Archdiocese of Omahas school policy on gender identity released last year calling for the dismissal of students and teachers that want to be identified by a gender other than their biological sex, among other orders along the same subject matter. The archdiocese later revised its policy to address only students.

Cavanaugh said the policy made it clear that LGBTQ+ students were not welcome. Because of this, he said he plans to pull his children out of their Catholic elementary school and enroll them in public school.

Both lawmakers argued that it was inappropriate to allocate state benefits in any form to private or religious schools, and indicated that doing so effectively give the states endorsement to any discrimination that takes place there.

Thats exactly what they want to do, and they have told us that in writing, Machaela Cavanaugh said.

Linehan said LB 753 does not force any student to attend a Catholic school, but instead just gives families the option to send them there if they wish. She and other bill supporters also contended that public schools discriminate against students of color and those with special needs. But Machaela Cavanaugh countered that the Legislature should focus on ways to end such discrimination, rather than assisting schools that discriminate in different ways.

Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Bennington also opposed the bill, arguing that it was unfair to benefit charities providing scholarship funds but leave out charities that provide different help, such as food banks.

If this is the way we encourage things to get done, shouldnt we encourage them all? DeBoer asked.

DeBoer also said that if lawmakers vote to advance LB 753, she hopes they support other bills that also aim to benefit low-income communities.

LB 753 is backed mainly by Republican senators, as well as a few Democrats: Omaha Sens. Mike McDonnell, Justin Wayne and Terrell McKinney. Wayne said Nebraska has not held the states public schools accountable for making improvements, with lawmakers saying they want to preserve local control.

Wayne said that leaves families in his North Omaha district feeling stuck  forced to send their children to a school that doesnt meet their needs, and with no means to change it.

My community just wants an option, Wayne said.

Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of March 2023
NORMAL  An outside investigation into allegations of abuse and coverup at Eastview Christian Church is expected to take three months, church leadership said Sunday.

The massive nondenominational Christian church, with campuses in Bloomington and Normal, has been rocked by statements from two former staff members that circulated widely on social media in recent weeks. The situation prompted the resignation of the church's longtime lead pastor and promises by church leaders to launch a thorough third-party review.

Jim Karch, a member of the church's elders  a team of seven church leaders  addressed the congregation Sunday to provide an update on the path forward.

"This is going to feel like a long process," he said during the service, a recording of which is available online. "... And we are praying that on the other side of this, we as a church will be deeper, more mature, more authentic in our walk with Jesus than ever before."

Here's the latest.

What is being alleged?

In public social media posts, two former Eastview staff members alleged that Caleb Baker, a former Eastview pastor who left the church in 2016, had exploited his position of spiritual trust by engaging in inappropriate sexual relationships and behavior with congregation members.

Caleb Baker is the son of Mike Baker, who was the church's lead pastor until Feb. 25. The former staff members allege that the church stifled attempts to bring Caleb Baker's behavior to light.

The allegations came to public attention last month after Caleb Baker was removed from the staff at the Arizona church where he worked as a pastor after leaving Eastview. The Rev. Cal Jernigan, lead pastor at the Central Christian Church in Phoenix, said Caleb Baker and another staff member had been involved in an affair. Jernigan also said he had not known the extent of previous allegations against Caleb Baker at the time Baker was hired.

Mike Baker resigned Feb. 25 over disagreements with the elders about how to address the situation. He has denied the allegations and said he entrusted investigation of his son's reported behavior to staff members, though he acknowledged asking his son to resign. Caleb Baker could not be reached for comment.

None of the allegations involve illegal activity, according to church elders and local law enforcement leaders.

READ OUR EARLIER STORY: Eastview Christian Church leaders promise review amid allegations of abuse, coverups

Who will lead the investigation?

Karch said the church elders hired Kellye Fabian Story, an associate attorney with Wagenmaker & Oberly, to lead a "trauma-informed third-party investigative team."

The Chicago firm's website lists Story's areas of law as employment, conflict resolution, policy review and development, governance, investigations, and litigation. Additionally, it said, she is a former pastor who served nearly nine years in various roles at Willow Creek Community Church.

Story also "helps develop restorative justice and reconciliation plans for churches and nonprofits that have experienced trauma or significant conflict, to aid in rebuilding trust, reconciling relationships, and caring for victims," the firm said. Karch also mentioned these services in his remarks to the congregation.

Karch said she expected the investigative process to take three months.

How can behavior be reported?

In a statement on the Eastview website and through Karch's remarks, elders stressed that they wanted victims to be able to communicate directly with the investigative team. To that end, anyone who wants to report an instance of abuse or related concerns can email info@wagenmakerlaw.com.

The elder team will remain directly available via eastviewelders@eastview.church.

"The elders intend to be transparent with the investigative team, so you should be aware that other emails may also be shared as part of the investigation," the elders' statement said. "Our heart as elders is to enter this investigation process transparently and to provide a safe path for victims to be heard."

What else is happening?

Karch said the church elders plan to "secure a victim advocate and solidify a pathway for outside counseling services for victims related to the investigation."

He said elders would provide updates to the congregation during services in the coming weeks.

"Its important as a congregation, as a family, that we ... sit in some of this and allow for ourselves to process through, but to know where were going and have hope in that," he said.

"We wanted you to know that while we have consistently tried to take this posture of humility. We want to ask, I want to ask, today for you to join us.

"God has something to teach each of us in this moment, to speak individually with each of us and in that posture of humility, maybe sit and listen and not rush past this time. God loves each one of us, and its not about anything other than him. To him be the glory, so lets not move past what he has to teach us in this season."

Eastview Christian Church leaders promise review amid allegations of abuse, coverups Law enforcement officials say no criminal investigations have begun related to Eastview Christian Church, where church leaders say they are investigating allegations of abuse and a culture of coverup.
NORMAL  Groups at Heartland Community College are giving the Bloomington-Normal community a chance to experience Brazilian Carnival without leaving town.

Heartlands Association of Latin American Students and Global Student Union are hosting a Brazilian-style Carnival from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday in the Astroth Community Education Center on the colleges campus in Normal.

The event is free and open to the public, and it will feature Brazilian food, samba dancing and dance instructions, crafts and a capoeira demonstration by Axe Capoeira Arts Academy. Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art.

Carnival is held in the leadup to Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent, a fasting period observed by some Christians.

The student organizers are excited to host an event to give campus and the wider community a chance to learn more about this cultural event, a news release from the college said.
How Time Flies is a daily feature looking back at Pantagraph archives to revisit what was happening in our community and region.

100 years ago

March 6, 1923: John F. Odell has received the appointment of postmaster in Fairbury and expects to take charge of the office in a couple of weeks, succeeding G.H. Franzen, who has held the position eight years. Mr. Odell is a graduate of Fairbury High School and served two years in the navy during the world war, being assigned to the destroyer Kitty. He has a wife and two children, a boy and a girl.

75 years ago

March 6, 1948: A meeting to explain to Normal residents how a unit school district would affect them and the schools of Normal will be scheduled within the next two weeks following a resolution passed by the Normal Elementary school board of education. "Before we can expected an intelligent indication of attitude from Normal residents, they must have an opportunity to learn the advantages  and disadvantages  of such a step," the superintendent told the board.

50 years ago

March 6, 1973: Use of Sugar Creek for the discharge of water used in the manufacturing of tires by Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. brought protests from the Normal City Council. The council voted to voice objections with the Bloomington-Normal Sanitary District and the state's Environmental Protection Agency. The town rejected a request last year to increase sanitary sewer capacity by 100,000 gallons a day.

25 years ago

March 6, 1998: Farmland remains a hot commodity in terms of prices, sales and return on investment, and appraisers who oversee the buying and selling of farmland believe the trend will continue through 1998. Sale prices for the best farmland increased 5% to 7% in Central Illinois, according to a recent survey.

101 years ago: See vintage Pantagraph ads from 1922 Gerthart's Union Gas and Electric Co. Hoover Dr. J.A. Moore Dentists Moberly & Klenner W.P. Garretson W.H. Roland Pease's Candy Thor 32 Electric Washing Machine The Kaiser's Story of the War Ike Livingston & Sons Gossard Corsets Cat'n Fiddle 'Stolen Moments' Case Model X The Johnson Transfer & Fuel Co. The Pantagraph want ads Franklin Motor Car Co. 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' Calumet Baking Powder Mayer Livingston & Co. Newsmarket 'The Emperor Jones' 'California Fig Syrup'
CHAMPAIGN  The Illinois Engineering Initiative is seeking applications for its annual scholarship program.

This year's scholarships are open to students enrolled in an Illinois engineering program accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). The initiative will provide up to $1,000, $2,000 and $22,000 per recipient to support education.

Three scholarship awards are available.

The Butkus-Sylvester Family Scholarship: Up to $22,000 for tuition and fees not covered by other aid. Applicant must be a minority, undergraduate female engineering student in the Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Preference may be given to a first-generation U.S. citizen.

Illinois Engineering Initiative Scholarship: $2,000. Students must attend an Illinois university, demonstrate financial need and be in their junior year or above.

Peppy Moldovan Scholarship: $1,000. Applicants must be female engineering students enrolled as sophomores at a qualifying college or university.

All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Saturday, April 15.

Visit ilengineeringinitiative.org for more information.

Watch now: Photos from the Miller Park Zoo Stampede Emily German And theyre off Zoological Society Director Paula Pratt, John Kastigar Registration volunteers Tom Carroll holding Dax Frahm Donnie Chang stretching Drew Henneberg before the run Drew Henneberg getting Brady Hulsing race-ready. Dan and Joann Berg Matthew, Joel and Amanda Leathers Kylie and Cheryl Schimmelpfenning Melissa, Jacy and Cooper Meints, Morgan Jurgelas Henrietta Berg Ken and Lori Heller Henry and Martha Whitacre Nicole Wilson, Brandon Moody Susan and Hailey Elizarraras, Lorelei, Daryl, Brady and Katherine Hulsing Ava, Sarah, Kevin and Ryan Erwin Carly, Sharon Jackson and TJ Harrington Everett, Henry and Joanna with Roger Finney, Stacy and Brian Williams Kanwal Ayaz, Maleeha and Rashid Gulzar Getting ready for the Fun Run Dan and Henrietta Berg Charlotte and Harrison Fisher The Strong Family Ryan and Kevin Erwin Jill Eichholz
Former President of Ghana, H.E John A. Kufuor has met with Ghanaian businessman, Ohene Kwame Frimpong in Accra on Thursday February 23, 2023.

The invitation was made by the former Head of State after he tried Bofrot Puff Puff, a beverage brand by Ohene Kwame Frimpong.



In a bid to honour the invitation, the CEO of Kub's Original Bofrot Puff Puff, Mr. Charles Ohene Kwame Frimpong, paid a visit to former President John Kufuor in his home.



During the visit, former President Kufuor, after tasting some of the snack, expressed his excitement about the product.

He commended Mr. Frimpong for his entrepreneurial spirit and encouraged him to continue promoting Ghanaian-made products to the world.

Former President Kufuor also endorsed Kub's Original Bofrot Puff Puff for the global market, stating that the snack is not only delicious but also meets international standards.



In response, the CEO of Kub's Original Bofrot Puff Puff expressed his appreciation for the warm reception and endorsement from the former President.



He thanked the office of the former President for accepting his team into his home and promised to continue working hard to promote Ghanaian-made products to the world.



Kub's Original Bofrot Puff Puff is a packaged, halal-compliant and easy-to-make street snack produced in Ghana by Wealthbridge Ltd.

The snack, which is certified and approved by food authorities in both the UK and Ghana, is made from wheat flour, sugar, yeast, nutmeg and salt.



With this endorsement from former President Kufuor, it is expected that the snack will gain more popularity both locally and internationally.

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.

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The US ambassador to Nigeria has said the 25 February elections "failed to meet Nigerians' expectations".



In a statement, Mary Leonard urged the electoral commission to address the hitches it experienced before the governorship polls on 11 March.



"It is clear that the electoral process as a whole on 25 February failed to meet Nigerians' expectations," the US ambassador said.



"We thus reiterate our call on Inec [Independent National Electoral Commission] to promptly address the challenges that can be resolved ahead of the 11 March gubernatorial elections," Ms Leonard said.



The envoy urged Inec to be more transparent as it makes reforms on the elections systems.



She commended the presidential poll losers, opposition Peoples Democratic Party's (PDP) Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi of Labour Party, for pledging to go to court to challenge the outcome of the vote.



Inec has said it will deploy its voter identification system for the 11 March elections and pledged to punish its officials found to have compromised the presidential election.

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.

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The Ghana Police Service has taken delivery of three helicopters to enhance their work.



It is made up of two gazelle light attack helicopters and one Airbus 350 helicopter.



Additionally, the police took delivery of three mini ship to help the marine police in crime prevention in terms of sea patrols.



This comes after President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo presented 100 pick-up vehicles, 600 motorbikes, and six Armoured Personnel Carrier (APCs) vehicles to the Police Service.



Furthermore, the President also commissioned the National Police Headquarters project which was recently given a facelift.



It would be recalled that two years ago, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced at the graduation ceremony of the Police College about the procurement of the helicopters.



He said the hangars for the helicopters, located at the National Police Training School, have been completed and six officers, who will fly these helicopters, have completed their training in South Africa.

Mr. Akufo-Addo gave out the information when he spoke at the graduation ceremony of the 50th cadet officers course in Accra on Friday, October 1, 2021.



President Akufo-Addo promised to buy the choppers for the police in his 2018 State of the Nation Address.



Since I came to office in January 2017, a total of 568 vehicles including 15 operational buses have been presented by the government to the Service, a feat unprecedented in its history, the president said.



Apart from the existing Formed Police Unit in Accra, the president said an additional 22 light armoured vehicles have been procured for use by the FPUs to be established in November in the Northern, Upper East, and Ashanti Regions.



In the next one-and-a-half years, FPUs will be established in the remaining regions that do not have FPUs, he promised.



Also, the President said the Police Service and other security agencies will deal decisively with criminals in the country.



Im aware the recent incidents of violent crimes in some parts of the country have generated safety and security concerns from several sections of the populace, Mr Akufo-Addo said.



The Police Service has benefited immensely following the assumption of office of President Akufo-Addo.



Recently, in his first term of office, the President president some saloon cars and picks to the police to aid in their crime fighting operations.



He further presented weapons and other vehicles to the Service.















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This photo taken on Jan. 31, 2023 shows a cargo ship docking at a container terminal of Ningbo Zhoushan Port in east China's Zhejiang Province. [Photo/Xinhua]



China will further its efforts to attract and utilize more foreign investment this year, as outlined in the Government Work Report submitted to the national legislature for deliberation on Sunday.

The report recommended several measures to achieve this goal, including expanding market access, opening up the modern services sector, ensuring national treatment and improving services for foreign-funded companies, and facilitating the launch of landmark foreign-funded projects.

The country will take active steps to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and other high-standard economic and trade agreements, and steadily expand institutional opening-up by proactively adopting relevant rules, regulations and standards, according to the report.

Experts and national political advisers said these efforts again prove China's commitment to further integrate into the global economy and attract more foreign investment.

"Apart from ensuring the legitimate rights and interests of foreign investors, China will create a better business environment for foreign companies this year," said Zhou Mi, a researcher at the Beijing-based Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, adding that such measure is the acceleration of the establishment of a unified national market.

Last year, the government introduced new policy measures to encourage global companies to establish research and development centers in China, said another report delivered by the National Development and Reform Commission, at the first session of the 14th National People's Congress on Sunday.

Wang Hao, president of Siemens Healthineers China, a German healthcare equipment provider, said China's unwavering determination to expand high-level opening-up has encouraged the company to deepen its integration into the country's economic growth.

With 3 billion yuan ($434.32 million) of investment, Siemens Healthineers will open a laboratory diagnostics plant in Shanghai later this year. This move will not only strengthen the local industry chain but also contribute to the high-quality development of China's healthcare industry, he said.

Raymund Chao, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and global consultancy PwC's chairman for the Asia-Pacific and China, said the digital economy, green development and technological innovation have become new engines to speed up global economic recovery.

Due to the high growth rate achieved by Chinese companies in these fields, China is expected to play a bigger role in attracting global talent and foreign investment in these areas in the next stage, he said.

Aside from attracting foreign investment, China's high-level opening-up will provide strategic guidance and policy support for Chinese multinational corporations to become global leading brands, said Ding Shizhong, a CPPCC National Committee member and board chairman of Anta Group, a sportswear manufacturer based in Jinjiang, Fujian province.
A 22-year-old soldier with the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) band in Sunyani in the Bono Region has been killed at Taifa, a suburb of Ashaiman in the Greater Accra, DGN Online can report.



He was stabbed severally by unknown attackers Saturday dawn.



The soldier, according to sources, was returning from his girlfriends house in Taifa and heading towards his residence at Zongo-Laka in Ashaiman when the unfortunate incident occurred.



Though he was carrying a laptop and other electronic gadgets but the attackers made away with only his iphone.



Police are currently investigating the circumstances under which the soldier was killed and appealing for information from the public.









Source: Daily Guide









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At least 22 individuals including four women have been confirmed dead in a road collision involving a passenger bus and a truck Sunday evening in Kintampo in the Bono East Region  about 430km (270 miles) from the capital Accra.



Several other passengers, according to eyewitnesses, are receiving treatment at the Kintampo Government Hospital.



Six other passengers, according to the Bono East regional minister, Kwasi Adu Gyan, are in critical condition.



Its a very sad incident, Gyan said after visiting the injured at the hospital on Monday (6 March). Six are in critical condition and really need serious attention.



The accident involved a Yendi-Kumasi bound bus, with registration number, AS 4635-22 with about 50 passengers on board along with the driver and his conductor.



According to eyewitnesses, the bus crashed into the truck loaded with tiles.



Emergency officials including the police and fire service were at the scene to save lives.



In 2020, around the same time, 35 people, including women and children, were killed when two buses collided in Kintampo, also left six people in critical condition.



Crashes are common on highways in Ghana because of poor maintenance, disregard for traffic regulations, and bad roads.



An average of six people reportedly die daily on Ghanas roads.









Source: asaaseradio.com









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Kenya's President Williams Ruto has reacted to the Supreme Court ruling approving the registration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) rights groups.



Kenya's Supreme Court last week Friday February 24, said that the decision to deny LGBTQ members their right to register Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), despite homosexuality being illegal in the nation, was discriminatory.



This came after a ruling made in 2013 by lower courts to deny members of the community in Kenya to register an NGO for the advancement of their rights.



Speaking at the Kenyatta International Convention Center (KICC), Nairobi, during the re-launch of the Women Enterprise Fund on Thursday, March 2 President Ruto said he respects the apex courts decision but insisted that Kenyas values and religion do not allow same-sex relationships.



You know me very well, I am a God-fearing man and whatever happened at the court, even if we respect the court, our culture, values, Christianity and Islam cannot allow women to marry each other, or men to marry fellow men, he said.



In the Kenyan constitution, same-sex sexual activity is prohibited under the Penal Code 1930. It criminalises acts of gross indecency and carnal knowledge against the order of nature.



Anyone found guilty faces a maximum penalty of fourteen years imprisonment.



This is not the first time Ruto is giving his stance on gay rights in the country. Shortly after he was declared president-elect in August last year, Ruto gave an interview to CNN, in which he was quizzed on the issue.



Ruto, who had earlier said that there will be no room for homosexuality in Kenya, reiterated his stance saying, We have Kenyan law, we have Kenyan constitution, we have our tradition, customs; we will continue to respect other peoples customs as they respect our customs and traditions.



He told CNN that Kenya respects everybody and what they believe in, and that We also have what we believe in and we expect to be respected for that too.













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NIGERIA; The 40-year-old mobile police sergeant, Olalere Michael, who killed his lover, Bamidele Cecilia Oluwatosin, and later shot himself dead in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, was married with two daughters.



The incident happened on Thursday, March 2, 2023, inside the premises of the Redemption Model Nursery and Primary School, Agba Dam, Ilorin, located inside the Chapel of Redemption UMCA.



According to Daily Trust, late Tosin, said to be a cleaner at the Banquet Hall opposite the Government House, was the mother of Desmond, a pupil of the school who will be celebrating his third birthday on May 12, 2023.



It was gathered that some parents refused to allow their children attend school on Friday because of the incident which caused panic around the area.



According to residents and shop owners around the school who spoke to the publication, the deceased mobile police officer trailed his lover to the school premises and waited for her to come pick up her child before opening fire on her at close range.



Some of them were astonished as to why A young and promising guy like this would kill himself because of a side chic, without considering what his beautiful family will face.



The officer was dressed in a camouflage police uniform. He entered the school premises at about a few minutes before 8am in his Toyota Corolla car earlier than his female friend who had brought her son to the school later.



Immediately she walked him, he brought out his AK-47 rifle and shot Oluwatosin on the chest three times at close range and she died on the spot.



He thereafter shot himself on the throat which blew off some part of his head and the two of them were there in a pool of blood before the police came to evacuate their bodies about one hour later. It was really a gory scene, a resident, Mr Olaleye Arodeyo, told Daily Trust.

The police after the shocking incident, denied it was a case of police brutality but rather that of love gone sour between the former lovebirds.



It was further gathered that the late officer with force number F/NO 497093 was attached to one of the aides of the Kwara State Governor but recently left the position. It was while serving at the Government House that he met Oluwatosin.



Residents who spoke on the issue said they have been dating for a while but trouble started when the late Oluwatosin said she was no longer interested in the relationship.



What we understand is that Oluwatosin had a fiance abroad whom she had a son for, and who was preparing to come to Nigeria having left for Dublin about a year ago.



Because of that, she wanted to end the affair which triggered their frosty relationship and their fatal end, one of the residents, Mrs Hannah, said.

Unconfirmed reports said Olalere had told some of his colleagues on the day of the incident that he was going to kill somebody and also kill himself.



But many of them didnt believe him because he was doing very well as a police officer. He had two houses, one in Iloffa and Omu-Aran, Oke-Ero and Irepodun local government areas of the state. Here in Ilorin, he was staying in the Barrack and had a very beautiful wife and two daughters, a police source told the publication.



It was further gathered that the late Olalere had tried severally to convince Oluwatosin to rescind her decision to end the relationship but to no avail.



Residents said he had visited the family house of the deceased female friend a few days before where he allegedly made away with some electronics and other items he was said to have bought for her.



This was at the height of his frustration over the situation. But Olalere was very much in love with her and I believe that was why he killed her and shot himself, Mr Bello, another resident of the area, said.

A female provision seller in the area who simple identified herself as Mrs Benedicta said;



Most times, when the man (Olalere) is around, they used to come to my shop to buy things. I never knew he was a police officer because he doesnt wear his uniform and seldom comes down from the car.



But from their disposition, you could see that he truly loves her. This is very sad. Oluwatosin should be in her 30s and a very beautiful woman. It was after the incident we learnt that she had a fiance abroad who was coming to Nigeria, she added.



According to the spokesman of the police command, Ajayi Okasanmi, their corpses have been deposited at the morgue of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH).



What we can establish now is that the two of them were lovers but at a point, they had a misunderstanding which led to the mobile police officer trailing her to the school, shot her and also killed himself in the process. It has nothing to do with police brutality.



But the Commissioner of Police, Paul Odama, has ordered investigation of this unfortunate incident. No arrest has been made yet. But I can assure you that the report of the investigation will be made public as soon as it is ready, Okasanmi added.





Source: LIB









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.

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NDC Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Rockson Dafeamakpor has taken a swipe at the Director of Elections for the ruling New Patriotic Party, Mr Evans Nimako for describing the NDC as an intolerant party.



According to him Mr. Nimako should have known better and appreciate the fact the NDC as a party is equally bigger than his party and are open to policies that will not only seek the welfare of the NDC but the country as a whole.



Speaking on Okay FM's 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, he intimated that he will not tolerate such nonsense argument from him again and that he should learn to argue rather than trying to cast a slur on his political party.



"The National Democratic Congress tolerates and upholds policies that will be beneficial to Ghanaians and if we are espousing our argument, you should not descend into the gutter and describe the NDC in unprintable words," he noted.



He says they will continue to oppose the Electoral Commission's decision to lay before parliament a C.I which when passed will disenfranchise eligible Ghanaians.



It can be recalled that the issue of the EC using only the Ghana Card for the next limited voters' registration exercise become very topical in August 2022 after some officials of the Commission announced the move.



The former Chairman of the EC, Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, questioned the ECs proposal to use only the Ghana Card for the upcoming registration exercise.



He said that the use of the Ghana Card as the only identification for voters' registration is against electoral inclusivity, fairness, and justice.



According to him, many Ghanaians are finding it difficult to get their Ghana cards; therefore, the use of the card alone can disenfranchise millions of qualified electorates.



Aside from the use of the Ghana card, the former EC boss raised other concerns about the proposed C.I, including the suggestion of having two voters registers.



Watch Video Below





Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline/[email protected]









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.

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Dennis Miracles Aboagye, Director of Local Government Services at the Office of the President, has fired at former President John Dramani Mahama over his bid for another term in office.



Former President John Mahama has launched his campaign and promised to effect major changes if elected President of Ghana during the 2024 elections.



During the launch of his campaign which took place in the Cedi Auditorium at the University of Health and Allied Sciences at Ho in the Volta Region on Thursday, March 2, Mr. Mahama promised to scrap the payment of ex-gratia under Article 71 to members of the Executive saying the payment of ex-gratia to members of the executive will be scrapped. The necessary Constitutional steps to take this will start in earnest in 2025. We will also persuade members of the other arms of government to accept its removal.



He also promised to restore trust in State institutions by addressing issues pertaining to the exercise of powers of the President, proper separation of powers, strengthening of Parliament, restoring the independence of the judiciary, independent and quasi-state institutions and depoliticizing them".



John Mahama argued that Ghanas current situation requires a leader with experience like him.



Ghana needs experience and not experiment. Ghana needs a leader who will hit the ground running on 7 January 2025", he said, adding "Ghana needs a leader who will not be given an orientation and excursion through the Flagstaff House  the seat of government. Ghana used to be the shining light on the continent of Africa and I am of the strongest conviction that we can attain those heights again. I believe it and well lead by example.



But Dennis Miracles is least enthused about the seeming second coming of John Mahama.



He reminded Ghanaians of Mr. Mahama's track record, alluding to when he refused to pay nurses and teacher-trainees' allowances, the era of dumsor and the return of cash and carry system in the health sector under the Mahama leadership among other things that plunged Ghanaians into abject sufferings and hardships.



"Our health insurance was destroyed. In this country, they threw the card somewhere when you go to the hospital. Everybody knew about it. Are we going to pretend? You left a health insurance bill in excess of about 2.5 billion in this country. Are we going to pretend that it wasn't so? In the midst of dumsor when we had no lights, you increased electricity bills. Are we going to pretend?", he exclaimed on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" show.



He continued; "This is even not what worries me a lot. What disturbs me is when, in our difficult times when we shared our concerns, you insulted us by telling us that you are a dead goat. In fact, there was a particular time you told us that even if you will go into opposition for doing the things you are doing, you will do it and go into opposition. You never cared about us. You never bothered about us. You were never worried about the people. People died. People lost their jobs."



He asked Ghanaians not to make a mistake to bring back John Mahama because, to him, he is "the person we are not sure about how you are going to treat us. So, you, John Dramani Mahama is the experiment".





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Prior to the commissioning of the Kumasi Central Mosque on Friday March 3, a leading member of the NDC, Alhaji Saed Sinare had waged a vehement media campaign, trying to take credit away from the Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for single-handedly funding the reconstruction of the Kumasi Central Mosque.



As the old Kumasi Central Mosque was closed to the public for the reconstruction to start about 3 years ago, it was an open secret that Dr. Bawumia was single-handedly funding the reconstruction, having pledged to that during a visit to the mosque a few years back.



But to the surprise of many Muslims, especially those in Kumasi, Alhaji Sinare launched a stunning spin in the media, claiming the reconstruction of the mosque was being funded by aid from a Saudi billionaire he knew.



He sought to justify his claim by asking why had Dr. Bawumia not personally gone public to tell the world that he was the one building the mosque if indeed he was the one.



However, events at the commissioning of the mosque exposed what has turned out to be mere propaganda and lies by Alhaji Sinare as Dr. Bawumia was officially acknowledged as the one who single-handedly funded the reconstruction.



In the official brochure of the commissioning, the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II revealed how Dr. Bawumia had informed him of his decision to undertake the reconstruction of the mosque and how the Vice President often sneaked into Kumasi quietly to inspect the project.



The Kumasi Central Mosque Committee, the custodians of the mosque, also publicly lauded Dr. Bawumia for personally undertaking the project.



Indeed, the Vice President himself categorically confirmed he undertook the reconstruction personally without any aid from external sources.

Dr. Bawumia might have been aware of the false claims of Alhaji Sinare and his first public announcement that he personally funded the mosque might have been intended to expose Alhaji Sinare.



In the Vice President address, he referred to the "lies, politics and negativity of some people who kept telling people that this type of mosque can only be funded by aid from Saudi Arabia".



The Vice President urged such people to desist from "impossible mindsets" because the people of Zongo and Ghanaians in general are capable of doing things for themselves with unity of purpose.



At the commission grounds, a number of people were heard discussing Alhaji Sinare's comments and slamming him for his needless attempt to discredit Dr. Bawumia for what he has done.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Koku Anyidoho has said he does not trust former President John Mahamas promise to scrap ex-gratia.



He asked Mr Mahama to answer why he did not implement the Constitution Review Commission (CRC) White Paper on Emoluments when he was President.



Koku Anyidoho says he is prepared to debate Mr Mahama on how he betrayed President Atta-Mills. I dont trust him and will never trust him.



You think we are all stupid so you can lie to us by saying you will scrap ex-gratia. They say prove that you are sincere, by refunding what you are enjoying; you respond with insults by telling us that we are silly. Yooo we hear you Mr. dead goat, he tweeted.



I dont trust John Mahama if he says he will scrap ex-gratia. Why did he not implement the Constitution Review Commission (CRC) White Paper on, Emoluments? I am prepared to debate John Dramani Mahama on how he betrayed President Atta-Mills. I dont trust him and will never trust him.



As the, Founder and CEO of the Atta-Mills Institute, I have consistently said that we must implement the White Paper of the Constitution Review Commission (CRC) that was set up by President Atta-Mills. Is it not a shame that, someone ignored the White Paper, & is now insulting? I dont hate anyone ooo: I speak to issues as boldly as my conscience allows me to.



What did he do with the White Paper on the Constitution Review Commission set up by President Atta-Mills, after he became President? He had more than 4 years to effect changes & he did not! Now he wants only 4 years to do what? He stressed.



Mr Mahama has however described the comment by private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu to return all the ex gratia paid to him in the past following his promise to cancel it, as silly.



Addressing supporters of the NDC in the Volta region on Saturday, March 4, Mr Mahama said I said categorically that when we come into office we will cancel ex gratia for the executives because the president is in charge of the executive, so he can cancel it for the executives but then you have to persuade the other arms of government to see that there is no fairness in continuing to pay ourselves ex gratia when the ordinary worker does not receive it because you are the leaders, you must show by example. If the economy is in crisis why should we continue to take ex gratia when the rest of the public and civil services dont take it? So, I said categorically that we will cancel exgratia.



And then somebody who should know better, a lawyer, he said, then I should refund all the ex gratia we took before to show Ghanaians that yes, we are serious about cancelling it, he does not even know the principle in our constitution that says that you cant pass retroactive legislative if you pass legislative today, it does not affect what happened in the past, what he says is a bit silly because it is like saying because we have introduced free SHS all of us should go and get a refund of our school fees that we paid in the past. That is how silly what he is saying is.



READ ALSO: [Video] EC Chair's refusal to testify a bad precedent - Mahama

Mr Martin Kpebu had said it makes sense to ask Mr Mahama to return the ex gratia that he received after indicating that he is going to cancel its payment should he win the next elections as President.



As a sign of commitment, Mr Kepbu said, Mr Mahama should return all the payments made to him.



Speaking on TV3 Saturday, March 4, Mr Kpebu said Mahama made money whiles as president so he should look within himself and say look I will return it. He should return it because, in these national elections, they are going to do, hundreds of millions of dollars, where does it come from? They made money so the exgratia is small. So he should just tell the people I have grown older, I think I have become wiser, I am returning the money, That exgratia he should return it



You know Dan Kwaku Yeboah of Peace FM, I think he is the lead campaigner for Mr Mahama to return his ex gratia. When I looked at it I said yes it made sense. Mr Mahama should do introspection and return it as a sign of good faith, that once I have returned the money I am committed. Number two, the amendment he should put into writings.



Mr Mahama promised that he will scrap ex gratia when he gets the nod to lead this country again.



The payment of ex gratia to members of the executive will be scrapped, Mr Dramani Mahama announced when he launched his bid to be the 2024 Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).



The necessary constitutional steps to take this will start in earnest in 2025. We will also persuade members of the other arms of government to accept its removal, he assured.

You think we are all stupid so you can lie to us by saying you will scrap ex-gratia. They say prove that you are sincere, by refunding what you are enjoying; you respond with insults by telling us that we are silly. Yooo we hear you Mr. dead goat   Samuel Koku Anyidoho (@KokuAnyidoho) March 6, 2023









Source: 3news.com









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Mona Faiz Montrage otherwise known as Hajia4real is not on trial or has been sentenced to a 10-year in prison in the US or the UK, her management says.



This follows last weeks viral social media reports that she had been on a 10-year jail.



It was also alleged that her daughter was taken away from her by the US government.



However, the management of the songstress and socialite said none of the rumours was true.



In a statement, it said the reports were false.



Our attention has been drawn to publications making rounds on social media and news portals of the conviction and 10-year jail sentence of Mona Faiz Montrage and the current detention of her daughter; a minor, by the US authorities.



We would like to state categorically that the said reports are false, the statement said. It further added that the songstress was currently in the United Kingdom.



The management says there has not been any trial or conviction in either the USA or the UK.



According to the management also, Hajia4real has not been extradited to the US and her daughter has neither been taken by the US authorities.



The management however urges fans and the general public to disregard any publications that were made concerning the songstress and their family.



However, it has been silent on when Hajia4real planned to return to Ghana.

















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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 remains of an older man who appears to have been a warrior with a healed parry fracture from his youth and an unhealed one when he died. Author provided

The Rosetta Stone is not known for its content, but as a lexicon of Egyptian hieroglyphics. The decree inscribed on the stone, however, discusses a violent revoltlargely lost to historythat shaped the trajectory of western civilization.

Had the young pharaoh Ptolemy V been overthrown, events like the Hasmonean revolt (which established a Jewish kingdom), the affairs of Cleopatra with Julius Caesar and Marc Anthony, and even the rise of Christianity may have looked very different.

Until recently, the story of the struggle between the Greeks and the Egyptians was known only through Greek sources and shreds of evidence like graffiti.

Professor Robert Littman, of the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, and I uncovered evidence of the civil war at Tell Timaithe ruins of the ancient city of Thmouis in Egypt's Nile delta. We published our research in the Journal of Field Archaeology. The archaeological evidence has revealed widespread destruction from the time of the rebellion, 204-186BC.

In 2009, evidence of burned buildings with ceramic vessels still in place first suggested that there had been a catastrophic event at Tell Timai. The destruction was widespread and followed by a leveling and rebuilding of the ruined city. Over the following years, evidence including weapons and unburied bodies that graphically pointed to an episode of extreme violence accumulated.

One of the bodies had old wounds (suggesting he had been a warrior) and unhealed wounds (suggesting he had died violently). A young man was found in a kiln, suggesting he had crawled in there to hide and perhaps died of his wounds.

Dating the destruction

Having identified the destruction at the city of Thmouis, we wanted to know why it fell victim to war.

The floor of a house where a dining setting for four and a small hoard of coins was found. Credit: Jay Silverstein

Establishing the precise timing of events in archaeological excavations is difficult. The range from radiocarbon dating, for instance, is often too broad to provide a concise date that aligns with historic records. At Thmouis, however, one room held evidence that allowed for more accurate dating.

A hoard of coins on the floor dated to the reign of Pharaoh Ptolemy IV, while all of the coins from the leveling layer dated to Ptolemy VI. A dinner setting for four also had some distinctive vessels following an Athenian style that placed them in the first quarter of the second century BC during the reign of Ptolemy V.

Ptolemy V Epiphanes, who was just a boy when his father was murdered in 204BC, assumed power in a tumultuous time. The economy was ravaged by foreign wars and there was a growing violent insurrection from the native Egyptian population, who no longer wished to live as second-class citizens while the Macedonian dynasty and Greek imperialists prospered at their expense.

Ptolemy V is known for the Memphis Decree of 196BC in which the priests of Ptah (supporters of the Ptolemaic dynasty) proclaimed the anointment of Ptolemy V as the divine pharaoh of Egypt. In this decree, they outlined Ptolemy's successful prosecution of the war against the Egyptian rebels and noted his success in besieging a city close to Thmouis.

The decree was inscribed on hard stone and copies were placed in all temples. It was written in hieroglyphs, Demotic and Greek so that all could read it. The most famous copy today was found in the Nile delta by a French officer in 1799.

It proved to be the key that philologist Jean-Francois Champollion used to decode Egyptian hieroglyphsthe Rosetta Stone.

What were the consequences of the Egyptian revolt?

Evidence from other sites in the delta suggested that there were economic and political consequences for those cities that joined the rebellion, such as closing harbors.

The remains of a young man who appears to have crawled into a kiln and died there. Credit: Jay Silverstein

Another stone decree gave an account of the Greek general Aristonicus who led some of the forces of Ptolemy V and his campaign to root out the last of rebels at Tell el Balamun, a city just north of Thmouis.

Historical accounts carved on the Rosetta Stone and the Aristonicus stone aligned with the evidence we found at Thmouis. The cities of the central Nile delta played a major part in the great rebellion and their citizens suffered greatly for their part.

The outcome of the Egyptian revolt against Hellenistic imperialism had far-reaching consequences. The Egyptians had appointed their own pharaohs and, with the help of the Nubians, took control of much of Egypt.

After 20 years of conflict, the Hellenistic military machine subdued the rebellion and the last rebel leaders were murdered when they came to negotiate peace at the Nile delta city of Sais.

Had the Egyptians prevailed, Egypt might have taken a different turn. Their traditional gods of Isis and her son Horus, for example, might not have so easily surrendered their identities to Mary and Jesus with the coming of Christianity.

After securing control of Egypt, the Ptolemaic dynasty played a key role in the geopolitics of the eastern Mediterranean. It supported the Jewish revolt against the Seleucid dynasty of Syria, establishing a Jewish kingdom. And, of course, the Ptolemaic Queen Cleopatra was a vital character in the story of how the Roman republic became an empire.

Thmouis was rebuilt as a city full of Greek colonists and soon became the regional seat of power as the Ptolemaic dynasty took power away from Egyptian temple priests who participated in the rebellion.

The transformation of Thmouis from a small tributary town to a regional capital reflects the hand of an oppressive government that wanted to make sure that no major revolt from the people they ruled would ever pose a threat to their control again.

More information: Jay E. Silverstein et al, Archaeological Correlates of the Rosetta Stone's Great Revolt in the Nile Delta: Destruction at Tell Timai, Journal of Field Archaeology (2022). DOI: 10.1080/00934690.2022.2158569

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Visitors experience a BYD Atto 3 during the press day of the 100th Brussels Motor Show in Brussels, Belgium, Jan. 13, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]



Chinese electric vehicle makers are increasing their foray into overseas markets as many countries shift towards electrification.

Hundreds of Neta U and Neta V models have arrived in Jordan as of last week, according to their maker Hozon. The Western Asian country is the latest overseas market for the Chinese startup.

"Fuel is expensive in Jordan so there is a big potential for new energy vehicles," a Hozon spokesperson said.

Statistics show that the country imported 2,036 EVs in January, up 72 percent year-on-year. Last year, total EV imports reached 16,990 units.

Hozon launched its overseas campaign in August 2022, making Thailand its first international market.

It now has three models available in the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Europe.

Israel is another major destination in the Middle East for Chinese electric cars.

According to statistics from the Israel Vehicle Importers Association, China became Israel's largest supplier of imported passenger cars in January, with 7,753 units sold in the month, up from only 685 last year.

With almost 3,000 units sold in Israel in January, BYD's electric model Atto 3, which only began deliveries in Israel in October, is now the best-selling EV in the country.

In 2022, the accolade went to Geometry C from Chinese carmaker Geely. The electric model's sales totaled 5,381 units, ahead of the United States' EV maker Tesla's Model 3, which sold 2,959 units.

In January, Voyah, a premium brand of State-owned Dongfeng, introduced its electric SUV in Israel.

The model has a range of up to 500 kilometers and can charge from 20 to 80 percent in just 45 minutes.

"In the future, we will bring more green and smart cars to the Israeli people," Voyah CEO Lu Fang said in a video address.

According to Israeli importers, advanced technologies, higher availability and better configurations are three main reasons for the success of Chinese EVs in the Israeli market.

BYD and Geely are also eyeing the potential for expanding into Panama. The two Chinese carmakers showcased their models at an e-mobility expo held in late February, Xinhua News Agency reported.

EVs are poised to see a boom this year in the Central American country, thanks to a new Electric Mobility Law enacted in April last year.

The law encourages government agencies and companies to make the move from fossil fuel-burning vehicles to electric ones, according to German Mendez, BYD's commercial manager in Panama.

"Fortunately, Panama has good energy. It has the electricity infrastructure to be able to support the demand, which of course has to keep growing," he said, noting Panama already has more than 200 charging stations for EVs.

BYD expects its market share to grow 40 to 50 percent in 2023, after expanding its business over the last two years, Mendez said.

Moises Soto, Geely's commercial manager in Panama, said the new law has given the EV sector a notable boost. "The Electric Mobility Law has helped us a lot to walk through doors that we thought were closed to us," Soto said.

Geely is set to present its first electric car in Panama in June, the manager said.

On Thursday, a batch of buses rolled off Yutong's assembly line in Zhengzhou, Henan province.

They are soon to be shipped to Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan, as part of the city's order for 800 new energy buses from the Chinese bus maker.

Yutong said the order, which is composed of 300 electric buses and 500 compressed natural gas ones, is the largest of its kind from Uzbekistan for Chinese buses.

The vehicles will be used to improve public transport in Tashkent and all of them will be delivered this year, said the bus maker.

Li Haifeng, a senior executive for Yutong's operations in the Commonwealth of Independent States, said Tashkent purchased 20 of Yutong's new energy buses in early 2022 after a two-year comparison of models from major bus makers around the world.

The fleet, which has been in operation in Tashkent for a year, has won the approval of passengers and the bus company thanks to its safe, green and cost-efficient operation.

Yutong said its global accumulative exports stand at around 86,000 buses, of which 68,000 were sold in countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.

Its new energy buses have been operating in more than 30 countries and regions. In countries of Uzbekistan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, Yutong is either the only or the largest new energy bus provider.

NEV exports from China are expected to reach 800,000 units this year, up from 679,000 units in 2022. The increase will contribute to the country's overall vehicle exports, said Zhang Yongwei, vice-president of China EV 100, an automotive think tank.

Earlier this year, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers estimated that total vehicle exports from China may grow at least 20 percent year-on-year to 3.73 million units.
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Harmonic radar transponder attached to the thorax of a honeybee. Credit: E Bullinger, U Greggers, R Menzel

Scientists have shown that honeybees retain a memory of the dominant linear landscape elements in their home area like channels, roads, and boundaries. When transported to an unfamiliar area, they seek out local elements of this kind, compare their layout to the memory, and fly along them to seek their way home. This navigation strategy is similar to the one followed by the first human pilots.

In the earliest days of human flight, before the invention of the first radio beacons and ground-based electronic systems, and modern GPS, pilots commonly navigated by following roads and railwaysstriking linear landscape elements at ground level that guide towards a destination of interest.

Enter the honeybee. A century of research has shown that honeybees are navigators par excellence. They can navigate by their sense of smell, the sun, the sky's pattern of polarized light, vertical landmarks that stand out from the panorama, and possibly the Earth's magnetic field. They are also clever learners, able to recognize associations between disparate memories in order to generalize rules.

Now, scientists have shown that honeybees tend to search for their way home by orienting themselves in relation to the dominant linear landscape elements, just like the first pilots. The results are shown in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience.

Dr. Randolf Menzel, an emeritus professor at the Department of Neurobiology of the Free University of Berlin, and the study's lead author, explained, "Here we show that honeybees use a 'navigation memory', a kind of mental map of the area that they know, to guide their search flights when they look for their hive starting in a new, unexplored area. Linear landscape elements, such as water channels, roads, and field edges, appear to be important components of this navigation memory."

Tiny transponder

In late summer of 2010 and 2011 near the village of Klein Luben in Brandenburg, Menzel and colleagues caught 50 experienced forager honeybees and glued a 10.5-mg transponder on their back. They then released them in a new test area, too distant to be familiar to the bees. In the the test area was a radar, which could detect the transponders at a distance of up to 900 meters. The most notable landmark in the test area was a pair of parallel irrigation channels, running southwest to northeast.

When honeybees find themselves in unfamiliar territory, they fly in exploratory loops in different directions and over different distances, centered on the release spot. With the radar, the researchers tracked the exact exploratory flight pattern of each bee for between 20 minutes and three hours. The bees flew at up to nine meters above the ground during the experiment.

The researchers had collected foragers from five hives: the home area around hives A and B resembled the test area in terms of the number, width, length, and angle of linear landscape elements, especially irrigation channels. The home range around hives D and E was highly dissimilar in this regard, while the home area around hive C was intermediate in similarity to the test area. Other landmarks by which honeybees are known to find their way, such as structured horizons or vertical elements that stand out, were absent in the test area.

Non-random search pattern

Menzel et al. first simulated two sets of random flight patterns, centered on the release spot, and generated with different algorithms. Since the observed flight patterns were highly different from these, the researchers concluded that the honeybees didn't simply conduct random search flights.

The researchers then used advanced statistics to analyze the orientation of flights and their frequency of flying over of each 100 x 100 meter block within the test area. They showed that the honeybees spent a disproportionate amount of time flying alongside the irrigation channels. Analyses showed that these continued to guide the exploratory flights even when the bees were more than 30 meters away, the maximum distance from which honeybees are able to see such landscape elements. This implies that the bees kept them in their memory for prolonged periods.

"Our data show that similarities and differences in the layout of the linear landscape elements between their home area and the new area are used by the bees to explore where their hive might be," said Menzel.

Navigational memory

Importantly, machine learning algorithms showed that the irrigation channels in the test area were most informative for predicting the exploratory flights of bees from hives A and B, less so for bees from hive C, and least for bees from hives D and E. This suggests that the bees retained a navigational memory of their home area, based on linear landscape elements, and tried to generalize what they saw in the test area to his memory to find their way home.

"Flying animals identify such extended ground structures in a map-like aerial view making them highly attractive as guiding structures. It is thus not surprising that both bats and birds use linear landmarks for navigation. Based on the data reported here we conclude that elongated ground structures are also salient components of the honeybees' navigation memory," concluded the authors.

Provided by University of Berlin
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Hurtling around the Earth at more than 20 times the speed of sound, some of the tiniest life forms aboard the International Space Station are on a mission to feed people on a warming planet.

Seeds of sorghum and cress launched into orbit by the International Atomic Energy Agency are tethered to the capsule via a thin metal box. That's exposing them to more-intense solar radiation in a trial to induce genetic mutations so they can survive hotter temperatures, drier soils, spreading pestilence and rising sea levels.

"Most astrobotany until now has been to test how plants can be grown to feed astronauts for eventual space colonies," Shoba Sivasankar, the IAEA's head of genetics and plant breeding, said at her lab outside Vienna. "This experiment is different because it is designed to help people on Earth adapt to climate change."

Farmers from Argentina to California, France and India are struggling to maintain yields amid global warming, with rising prices for the key crops used to bake bread weighing on political stability. Drought gripping North Africa is curbing local wheat harvests, potentially boosting demand in one of the world's top import regions.

Warming temperatures and weather disruptions reduced food productivity worldwide by almost 13% since 1961, according to recent United Nations estimates. NASA expects fundamental changes to the way food is grown over the next decade.

Enter China, with almost a fifth of the world's population but just 7% of its arable land. For decades, the second-biggest economy has been sending seeds into space aboard rockets and high-altitude balloons.

Scientists said the space seeds produce higher-yielding harvests of wheat, barley, corn, cucumber and tomato. The country is still testing samples from a 2006 mission carrying 130-plus species, and a joint mission with Pakistan last year returned medicinal-plant seeds to the University of Karachi.

"We hope they can grow better with stronger resistance, survival rate and efficacy," Wang Yan, a university researcher, told China Economic Net. "All can be achieved via genetic mutation in space."

This is the first time IAEA is using cosmic radiation to mutate seeds. However, it's been administering controlled radiation doses using a cobalt-60 source at its lab in Seibersdorf for more than a half-century.

The sorghum and arabidopsis (a cousin of cress used widely in genetic experiments) seeds shot 400 kilometers (249 miles) into orbit atop a Northrop Grumman Corp. rocket in November are expected to land back at the IAEA's labs in April, after which they'll be put through trials that may take years.

Unlike newer techniques that genetically engineer DNA with tools like CRISPR, inducing mutations with radiation is considered natural. Therefore, the seeds aren't subject to the same market restrictions as genetically modified organisms, or GMOs.

"The lab is truly changing the way we fight disease, the way we fight hunger," said Cindy McCain, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. food agencies in Rome, one of which supports the labs. "Food security is a national-security issue."

Rice is the crop most-frequently exposed to radiation, with 870 new varieties under cultivation. Increasingly parched conditions have diminished production of the staple food for half the world's people. Tweaked varieties in Vietnam and Indonesia increased yields by more than 40%.

Sivasankar researches in a humid greenhouse, filled with banana and coffee plants, about an hour's drive south of Vienna. Countries send her scores of seeds every year to be bombarded with gamma rays and then cultivated for arid conditions.

It can take about a decade to develop a new variety through controlled mutationand business is booming.

"Food production is going to be affected by climate change," she said. "Helping plants adapt to these changes through genetic diversity is the most sustainable solution."

The IAEA labs are one of the final frontiers of diplomacy, generating collaboration between China, Russia and the U.S. amid a resurgence in superpower jockeying. Countries have invested almost $100 million in recent years to upgrade the Cold War-era facility, which helps satisfy a non-proliferation treaty obligation by the five official nuclear powers.

"We're making sure that the beneficial uses of nuclear technologies and materials can be made available," said Laura Holgate, the U.S. ambassador to the IAEA.

Rich countries also benefit from research. A sterile-insect program helped North American farmers save tens of billions of dollars by eradicating fly strains that attack fruit and livestock. A program in Italy eliminated about 80% of disease-carrying mosquito populations in targeted regions.

The agency site includes eight nuclear-application labs ringed by razor wire and pastures. One windowless building houses a machine to detect uranium traces in environmental samples from countries such as Iran. Another was used to develop tests for COVID-19, the Ebola and Zika viruses, and African swine fever.

One more contains swarms of insects buzzing around in boxes covered with white-mesh cloth. Inside rooms heated to tropical climes, the air hangs heavy with the scent of bug food: animal blood, liver powder, tuna meal and yeast.

The specimens cause billions of dollars in damages annually in sub-Saharan Africa, where tsetse flies propagate sleeping sickness in people and render cattle herds weak. Irradiating the pests helps scientists raise infertile males to help curb hatching rates.

For many people, the IAEA is synonymous with being the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, guarding against the illicit trafficking of materials that could wind up in atomic weapons. But, increasingly, it's another threat to humanityclimate changethat's driving new investment, said Chantel de Beer, a South African entomologist.

"Our old labs were way too small for the kind of growth we're experiencing," she said. "It's our responsibility to manage environmental problems with respect."

2023 Bloomberg L.P.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Cyclone Freddy battered Madagascar for a second time after a "rare" loop trajectory having first hit on February 23.

Tropical storm Freddy returned to Madagascar in what meteorologists described on Monday as a "rare" loop trajectory, killing four people, including two children as it hit for the second time in as many weeks.

Authorities in the Indian Ocean island nation said on Monday a one-year-old died when a house collapsed as strong winds and heavy rains battered the south-west.

Another child, aged two, was killed in unspecified circumstances.

Two women in their 50s also died.

In total at least 11 people have died in Madagascar since Freddy struck the first time in late February.

Another seven were killed in Mozambique, where the tropical storm was also forecast to revisit later this week.

"This 'loop' trajectory is very rare," Rivo Randrianarison, head forecaster at Meteo Madagascar, told AFP.

The last weather system to follow a similar path was recorded in 1998, he said.

Madagascar is typically struck several times during the annual November-April storm season.

"The main risks for today are the rainfall and therefore the floods, river floods, and landslides that it can cause," Randrianarison said.

The numbers of affected people has increased to more than 15,000 with nearly 11,000 displaced by the storm's return, Madagascar's National Risk Management Office (BNGRC) said.

More than 600 homes have been destroyed.

On Monday afternoon Freddy was located about 130 kilometres (80 miles) south-west of the southwestern coastal city of Toliara, with wind gusts of up to 125 kph.

The cyclone was forecast to strengthen as it barrels towards Mozambique.

It was expected to reach the southern African country on Friday.

The storm began to form in the first week of February off northwestern Australia and southern Indonesia.

 2023 AFP
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Corn cob size decreased with increased drought stress, a sign of severe stress and lower yield. Credit: Dr. Raju Bheemanahalli

Corn is a classic American crop. First cultivated in North America thousands of years ago, it now blankets American farmland from coast to coast. The U.S. grows more corn than any other country. And the grain is used for everything from tortilla chips to cow feed, to biofuel.

But like most crops, corn is facing a new riskclimate change. Climate change isn't just making the world warmer. It's also changing when and how much rain falls. This leaves more corn farmers at risk of facing drought during part of the growing season.

Unfortunately, not all droughts are created equal. If it strikes at the wrong time, an entire field can be lost.

"A severe drought during the corn reproductive stage can cause a complete crop failure. Thus, understanding corn responses to drought and managing accordingly is critical for successful corn production," says Ranadheer Vennam, graduate student in the Plant and Soil Sciences department at Mississippi State University.

Vennam studies how corn responds to drought. In his latest research, Vennam and his lab group looked at how sensitive corn flowering is to drought and the impacts it has for farmers.

Vennam presented his work at the 2022 ASA-CSSA-SSSA annual meeting, held in Baltimore, Maryland.

Corn flowering is rather complex. Each individual ovule sends out a very long silk, which must capture pollen from the tassels above the plant in order to produce a kernel. This requires careful coordination. "Successful reproduction in corn is all about timing," says Dr. Raju Bheemanahalli (Vennam's supervisor). "It takes less than two weeks for corn to pollinate, which is extremely sensitive to stressors, including drought."

When exposed to severe drought, ears of corn produce much less silk biomass than healthy ears of corn. The silks must emerge from the corn ear at just the right time. Drought affects this critical timing, which can negatively impact the yield. Credit: Dr. Raju Bheemanahalli

As part of the study during the two-week flowering period, the researchers reduced the amount of water each plant received. In the most extreme test, the plants received just 20% of the amount of water they needed. Under severe drought stress (on the right), corn cob quality is poor. Both the number and weight of kernels is greatly reduced. Credit: Mr. Ranadheer Vennam

To determine the impact drought has on this process, Vennam's team exposed corn plants to various levels of drought during flowering. They ran their trial at the R. R. Foil Plant Science Research Center, Mississippi State University. During the two-week flowering period, the researchers reduced the amount of water each plant received. In the most extreme test, the plants received just 20% of the amount of water they needed.

To track how drought affects the plants, the researchers measured how much the silks grew every day. They also measured the final yield and key quality traits of the kernels, like the amount of starch and protein they had. Vennam's study also tracked key aspects of plant growth, like the leaf chlorophyll content.

When exposed to severe drought, the ears of corn produced much less silk biomass than healthy ears did. The number of silks was also about one-third lower. Without enough healthy silks, corn ears can't grow many kernels. Vennam saw that yield decreased by 90% in the severe drought treatment. This drop in yield came from a severe reduction in both the number of kernels and how much each kernel weighed.

As a comparison, the researchers also tested a month-long drought stress after flowering was over. Even though this drought lasted more than twice as long at this stage, yield wasn't affected that much. "This illustrates the sensitivity of a reproductive stage to drought stress and its timing of it and how stress affects corn production," says Bheemanahalli.

With the information gained from this study, the researchers are now trying to make corn more resilient to drought stress. The next step is finding genetics of corn that are naturally able to handle drought better during flowering. If they can succeed in finding these hardier plants, breeders can work to cross these traits into the varieties of corn that farmers want to grow. The result could be better varieties/ hybrids that can adapt to our changing climate.
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Lakes on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) play a critical role in the regional water cycle, weather, and climate. However, the characteristics of the lake-atmosphere interaction over the high-altitude lakes are still unclear.

Recently, a joint research team from the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Chengdu University of Information Technology released a dataset of comparative observations for land surface processes over the alpine grasslands and lakes in the source region of the Yellow River (SRYR).

The study was published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences on Feb. 23.

The dataset spans from 2012 to 2019 and has a high (half-hourly) temporal resolution. It comprises basic meteorological variables, surface radiation, sensible and latent heat flux, soil temperature, and moisture.

The researchers collected these data from three sites located on the lake surface, in adjacent grassland, and at the lakeside in the Ngoring Lake basin of SRYR, respectively.

The dataset can be used to improve models, promote scientific understanding of lake-atmosphere interactions, and provide support for studying the water cycle and climate change in the TP. It is available via the Science Data Bank.

More information: Xianhong Meng et al, Dataset of Comparative Observations for Land Surface Processes over the Semi-Arid Alpine Grassland against Alpine Lakes in the Source Region of the Yellow River, Advances in Atmospheric Sciences (2023). DOI: 10.1007/s00376-022-2118-y Journal information: Advances in Atmospheric Sciences
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Over the last decade, parents have become increasingly aware of the importance of a child's physical and mental development in their early years. As a result, there has been a significant rise in parents' demand for evidence-based knowledge of child-rearing.

However, few studies have focused on the needs and preferences of ethnic minority groups when it comes to family education programs.

In a recent study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, researchers from China and the Czech Republic interviewed 24 parents from minority regions of Inner Mongolia and examined their preferences and needs concerning guidance on child-rearing.

Dr. Jinjin Lu from Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University in China, and corresponding author of the study, says, "During the interviews, many parents mentioned that Inner Mongolia's unique location and rich natural resources had drawn their attention to how the environmental factors could influence children's growth.

"The parents were curious to know, for example, whether the geomagnetic field could influence a child's physical and mental well-being.

"It seemed that the parents were eager for more specific knowledge on family education in Inner Mongolia."

Evidence-based family education

Apart from the influence of geographical features, the parents from Inner Mongolia were also concerned with issues including children's health, their acquisition of soft skills, and how they could make a smooth transition from kindergarten to primary school.

After the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Promotion of Family Education was implemented in 2021, parents, community workers, and early childhood teachers have worked harder to create evidence-based early childhood programs, as much of the existing advice and information on child-rearing in China is based on Chinese cultural norms and family traditions.

To ensure evidence-based programs are as effective as possible, it has become necessary to understand parents' preferences and needs concerning parental knowledge and family education.

Dr. Lu says, "Despite their access to a wide range of information sources, the parents we spoke to from minority regions of Inner Mongolia wanted more guidance on evidence-based parenting programs.

"Theoretical parenting advice can often be boring and obscure, so parents say they would prefer easy-to-understand guidance supported by data."

Recognizing specific needs

When asked why parents from Inner Mongolia were chosen for the study, Dr. Lu explains, "China is a multi-ethnic country, but most existing studies focus solely on Han Chinese families. It is, therefore, a relatively new practice to study the parenting styles and family education programs of other ethnic groups."

According to Dr. Lu, most participants were eager to acquire knowledge and skills that could help them facilitate their children's growth with evidence-based information.

"The results of the study suggest that policymakers and teachers should be fully aware of the local situations when designing or intervening in family education programs.

"They should also have a thorough knowledge of the local culture and the parents' needs before offering specific advice on child-rearing."

Dr. Lu also called for more scholars to pay attention to family education in disadvantaged or underdeveloped areas in the future.

More information: Jinjin Lu et al, Parental Knowledge, Preference and Needs of Child-Rearing Family Programmes: A Case in Chinese Inner Mongolia Minority Region, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2022). DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20010434 Journal information: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
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Physicist Jairo Velasco Jr. (left) and graduate student Zhehao Ge in Velascos lab at UC Santa Cruz. Behind them is the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) they use to create and study graphene quantum dots. Credit: Tianhui Zhu

Trapped electrons traveling in circular loops at extreme speeds inside graphene quantum dots are highly sensitive to external magnetic fields and could be used as novel magnetic field sensors with unique capabilities, according to a new study.

Electrons in graphene (an atomically thin form of carbon) behave as if they were massless, like photons, which are massless particles of light. Although graphene electrons do not move at the speed of light, they exhibit the same energy-momentum relationship as photons and can be described as "ultra-relativistic." When these electrons are confined in a quantum dot, they travel at high velocity in circular loops around the edge of the dot.

"These current loops create magnetic moments that are very sensitive to external magnetic fields," explained Jairo Velasco Jr., associate professor of physics at UC Santa Cruz. "The sensitivity of these current loops stems from the fact that graphene electrons are ultra-relativistic and travel at high velocity."

Velasco is a corresponding author of a paper on the new findings, published March 6 in Nature Nanotechnology. His group at UC Santa Cruz used a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) to create the quantum dots in graphene and study their properties. His collaborators on the project include scientists at the University of Manchester, U.K., and the National Institute for Materials Science in Japan.

"This was highly collaborative work," Velasco said. "We did the measurements in my lab at UCSC, and then we worked very closely with theoretical physicists at the University of Manchester to understand and interpret our data."

The unique optical and electrical properties of quantum dotswhich are often made of semiconductor nanocrystalsare due to electrons being confined within a nanoscale structure such that their behavior is governed by quantum mechanics. Because the resulting electronic structure is like that of atoms, quantum dots are often called "artificial atoms." Velasco's approach creates quantum dots in different forms of graphene using an electrostatic "corral" to confine graphene's speeding electrons.

"Part of what makes this interesting is the fundamental physics of this system and the opportunity to study atomic physics in the ultra-relativistic regime," he said. "At the same time, there are interesting potential applications for this as a new type of quantum sensor that can detect magnetic fields at the nano scale with high spatial resolution."

Additional applications are also possible, according to co-first author Zhehao Ge, a UCSC graduate student in physics. "The findings in our work also indicate that graphene quantum dots can potentially host a giant persistent current (a perpetual electric current without the need of an external power source) in a small magnetic field," Ge said. "Such current can potentially be used for quantum simulation and quantum computation."

The study looked at quantum dots in both monolayer graphene and twisted bilayer graphene. The graphene rests on an insulating layer of hexagonal boron nitride, and a voltage applied with the STM tip creates charges in the boron nitride that serve to electrostatically confine electrons in the graphene.

Although Velasco's lab uses STM to create and study graphene quantum dots, a simpler system using metal electrodes in a cross-bar array could be used in a magnetic sensor device. Because graphene is highly flexible, the sensor could be integrated with flexible substrates to enable magnetic field sensing of curved objects.

"You could have many quantum dots in an array, and this could be used to measure magnetic fields in living organisms, or to understand how the magnetic field is distributed in a material or a device," Velasco said.

More information: Vladimir Fal'ko, Giant orbital magnetic moments and paramagnetic shift in artificial relativistic atoms and molecules, Nature Nanotechnology (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41565-023-01327-0. www.nature.com/articles/s41565-023-01327-0 Journal information: Nature Nanotechnology
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Warmer and drier climate conditions in western U.S. forests are making it less likely that trees can regenerate after wildfires, according to new research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Importantly, the research also finds that ecologically based forest management can partially offset climate-driven declines in tree regeneration by limiting fire-caused tree death, but only if action is taken quickly. This study provides timely information to optimize new state and federal initiatives to increase the pace of ecologically based forest management across millions of acres of Western forests.

The climate change challenge

Forests are adapted to different types of fire across the West, but hotter and drier conditions in recent decades have intensified the way fires burn, resulting in more trees being killed. All of this can result in fewer seeds available for forests to regenerate after wildfires. Even when seeds are available, a warming climate is increasingly limiting the chances that seedlings can establish and grow.

"Climate change increasingly limits tree establishment after wildfires because seedlings can be killed by hot temperatures and dry conditions," says the study's lead author, Kim Davis, who completed the study at the University of Montana, now a research ecologist for the Forest Service at the Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory.

The research examined how the severity of a firethe number of trees it killsin combination with the climate conditions after the fire affected the chances of tree seedlings regenerating to establish a new forest. It is the most extensive study to date, assessing regeneration of eight major tree conifer species after 334 wildfires across the West, using information from more than 10,000 field plots collected by more than 50 research teams.

Researchers found that warmer, drier conditions over the past four decades have led to a decline in tree regeneration after wildfires and this trend is expected to accelerate in the future. For example, from 1981 to 2000, 95% of the areas studied had climate conditions suitable for tree regeneration after wildfires, but this is projected to decrease to only three-quarters of the West by 2050 under future climate scenarios.

The most vulnerable forests were in drier regions in the Southwest and California, while forests in the wetter and cooler regions of the northern Rocky Mountains and Pacific Northwest are still expected to support conifer regeneration in the near-term future.

"The impacts of climate change and wildfires vary across the West, and the large scope of this study allowed us to highlight where these changes are most concentrated and happening first," says Philip Higuera, a co-author and professor of fire ecology at the University of Montana.

Ecological forest management can reduce risk

The study also found that ecological forest management in vulnerable dry forests could offset climate-driven changes by reducing the number of trees killed in wildfires. Specifically, in almost half of the study region, regeneration after wildfires is projected to be likely only if future fires burn at lower severities because fewer trees that produce seeds needed for forest recovery are killed in these fires.

"We know from prior research that forest thinning and controlled burns in overgrown dry forests effectively reduces fire severity and subsequent tree death" says study co-author Marcos Robles, lead scientist for The Nature Conservancy in Arizona. "Land managers can't do much about drought and climate change in the short term, but they can reduce the area in which forests are vulnerable to severe wildfires by accelerating ecological based forest management"

Prior research published by The Nature Conservancy demonstrates that ecological forest management in a large restoration initiative in Arizona would not only reduce wildfire-cased tree death, but also provide additional co-benefits, including significant reductions in drought-related tree death, while increasing carbon storage, stream flow and tree growth.

"But the clock is ticking; it's urgent that we implement these treatments in our forests now, lest we lose them altogether," says Robles.

Even in cooler high-elevation forests in the Rocky Mountains and Pacific Northwest that experienced large tree-killing wildfires in the past, the researchers also found that climate change is making it less likely for trees to regenerate after wildfire. In these forests, planting trees after wildfire may take on increased urgency, given a shortening window of opportunity for trees to establish in climate conditions that are warmer and drier than in the past.

The good news is that the federal government allocated around $3 billion to fund ecological forest management and reforestation efforts across 50 million acres in the next 10 years throughout the West. This research provides much needed information that can inform these efforts, particularly given the rapid pace of change our Western forests are experiencing.

More information: Davis, Kimberley T., Reduced fire severity offers near-term buffer to climate-driven declines in conifer resilience across the western United States, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2023). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2208120120 Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Provided by The Nature Conservancy, Arizona
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Louisianas Barataria Basin is delineated by the Mississippi River to the northeast and Bayou Lafourche to the southwest and marked on the map with a gold wash over an image taken by the European Space Agency and used here with permission under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO. Sediment diversions, such as the Mid-Barataria sediment diversion, can help offset the relatively growing impact flood-protection levees have on Louisiana land loss. Credit: LSU

Research from scientists at Louisiana State University and Indiana University reveals new information about the role humans have played in large-scale land loss in the Mississippi River Deltacrucial information in determining solutions to the crisis.

The study published today in Nature Sustainability compares the impacts of different human actions on land loss and explains historical trends. Until now, scientists have been unsure about which human-related factors are the most consequential, and why the most rapid land loss in the Mississippi River Delta occurred between the 1960s and 1990s and since has slowed down.

"What we found was really surprising," said Doug Edmonds, lead author on the study and an associate professor of Earth and atmospheric sciences at Indiana University Bloomington. "It is tempting to link the land loss crisis to dam building in the Mississippi River Basinafter all, dams have reduced the sediment in the Mississippi River substantially. But in the end, building levees and extracting subsurface resources have created more land loss."

The current Mississippi River Delta formed over the past 7,000 years through sediment deposition from the river near the Gulf Coast. But due to human efforts to harness the river and protect communities, sediment accumulation is no longer sufficient to sustain the delta. As a result, coastal Louisiana has lost about 1,900 square miles of land since the 1930s, according to the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority.

The study found that only about 20% of the land loss is due to dam building, while levee building and extracting subsurface resources, such as oil and gas, each account for about 40% of the Mississippi River Delta land loss. The study also suggests the most rapid land loss and the recent deceleration might be related to the reduction of subsurface resource extraction.

To conduct their study, researchers re-created the land loss for an area in the Mississippi River Delta called the Barataria Basin. They used a model that describes the sediment budget, which is the balance between sediment flowing in and out of a coastal system. Using that model, they quantified the impact that building dams and levees and extracting subsurface resources had on land loss.

LSU leaders on the study were Robert R. Twilley, professor of oceanography and coastal sciences and interim vice president of research and economic development; Samuel J. Bentley, professor and the Billy and Ann Harrison Chair in Sedimentary Geology; and Kehui Xu, director of the LSU Coastal Studies Institute and James P. Morgan Distinguished Professor of Oceanography & Coastal Sciences along with LSU Civil & Environmental Engineering alumnus Christopher G. Siverd, who is a coastal engineer at Moffatt & Nichol.

"This study emphasizes the importance of doing a broad systems analysis of complex problems, so we really can have confidence in the solutions we're proposing to reverse land loss and protect our land and people," Twilley said. "There's a possibility river diversions might have more impact in building wetlands than we anticipated."

The 2023 Coastal Master Plan for Louisiana prioritizes restoring the processes that naturally build land in the delta. The Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion, which is the largest coastal land restoration project in Louisiana at more than $2 billion, will release sediment and water from the Mississippi River into the adjacent Barataria Basin.

"Our work suggests the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion is the right tool for the job to counter land loss due to subsidence and sea level rise," Bentley said. "Overall, this study offers perhaps a rosier outlook than some other analyses on our ability to engineer with nature to reverse land loss."

As resource extraction has decreased in recent years, the relative impact of levees on Louisiana coastal land loss is trending higher. That impact, however, could potentially be offset by sediment diversions.

"Findings strongly suggest the Mid-Barataria sediment diversion and other sediment diversions along the Mississippi River will provide long-term land-building capability and reduce future land loss in southeast Louisiana," Siverd said.

More information: Douglas Edmonds, Land loss due to human-altered sediment budget in the Mississippi River Delta, Nature Sustainability (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41893-023-01081-0. www.nature.com/articles/s41893-023-01081-0 Journal information: Nature Sustainability
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Equitable child care requires that governments address the need for affordability and inclusion of all children, regardless of their abilities. Credit: Shutterstock

In 2022, we spent several months listening to parents of young children with support needs as part of our study about inclusive and equitable child care in British Columbia.

Parents whose children have disabilities, complex health conditions or behavioral differences have been advocating for years for their children to have the opportunity to learn and play alongside their peers in early learning and child-care programs.

In light of that, it was difficult for us to hear the complete absence of their voices in December 2022, as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and B.C. Premier David Eby celebrated new measures to make child care affordable in B.C.

Equitable access to child care requires that governments address the need for affordability and inclusion of all children, regardless of their abilities. Such initiatives need to bring about just conditions for all children, otherwise they are not just or fair.

Inequitable child care

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Canada ratified in 1991, states that children with disabilities should "enjoy a full and decent life, in conditions which ensure dignity, promote self-reliance and facilitate the child's active participation in the community."

In response to years of government inaction in B.C. on inclusive child care, Inclusion B.C. initiated a Kids Can't Wait campaign in 2016. This created a forum for parents' voices on the structural changes needed to advance inclusive child care in this province.

That was seven years ago. Since then, the B.C. government has launched a range of piecemeal measures primarily focused on advancing accessibility and affordability. These measures have had positive impacts for some children and families. However, their stated vision for inclusive child care for all families and children has yet to be realized.

What does advancing accessibility and affordability mean when there is a serious shortage of early childhood educators in B.C., when 'special needs' training for early childhood educators is optional, and when there is no clear provincial framework or imperative for inclusion?

It means that children with support needs are systematically left out. It also means there are an increasing number of parent advocates whose families' lives have been turned upside down as a result of their children being excluded from early learning and child-care programs.

Making child care more inclusive

The B.C. government has stated its intention to build inclusion into the existing child-care system. Adding on inclusion in this way risks that the ableist foundations of this system will stay in place.

As they grow, children denied child care because of their 'differences' may continue to face similar situations: in schools, employment settings and their everyday lives where decisions are made and inclusion is an optional add-on. That is, unless we commit to doing things differently.

The parents who participated in our study understand the discrimination their children experience, as well as what would make a positive difference. Their perspectives are extremely important to informing an inclusive system.

However, the burden of advocacy work should not be theirs to shoulder. They are already navigating a complex set of challenges while raising their families and making a living. To then have to do the emotional and time-intensive labor of trying to convince governments that your child matters is beyond what any parent can be expected to do.

Child-care centers should have better adult-child ratios. Activities need to be responsive to diverse needs and abilities. Early childhood education curricula must foster knowledge and skills for including all children in routine programming. Importantly, educators should be well compensated to maintain a stable workforce and quality programs. Funding models should include support for program-level inclusion and policies must support inclusive practices.

This is all possible. Several participants in our study shared what it felt like when they finally found child care that included their children. As one parent stated, having their son in a child-care program was "like an extension of our family." The parent added: "I can trust them. It just shows you how it can be when you have the right people doing the right thing with the right education and experience. It works really well."

Regardless of whether our children need support, or whether we are parents at allwe can all recognize that advocating for equitable child care is something that will make a real difference in our communities. What might we accomplish if we made child-care programs a starting point for overturning the ableist norms and assumptions that underpin so much in our society today?

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Senior Chinese leaders Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Han Zheng, and Li Xi on Sunday attended deliberations at the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), China's national legislature.



They stressed the significance of establishing Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, and of establishing the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

They also gave their support for the government work report delivered by Premier Li Keqiang at the opening meeting of the session.

When joining NPC deputies from Yunnan Province in a group deliberation, Li Qiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, urged staying true to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability and stepping up efforts to promote high-quality development.

He stressed giving priority to ensuring stable growth, employment and prices and promoting a full economic recovery this year.

In addition to calling for good work in COVID response in the new phase, he urged efforts to expand domestic demand, vigorously advance technological innovation, and better ensure and improve people's wellbeing.

Reforms should be deepened unswervingly, with further reform of state-owned capital and state-owned enterprises and support for the growth of the private sector, he said.

Efforts should also be made to promote high-standard opening up and foster a business environment that is market-oriented, law-based and internationalized, he noted.

When joining the deliberation with his fellow deputies from the delegation of Sichuan Province, Zhao Leji, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, called on the national lawmakers to thoroughly study and implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and contribute to building a modern socialist country in all respects.

They should uphold the overall leadership of the Party, particularly the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, and follow Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as their guides to action, Zhao said.

The NPC deputies, representing the interests and will of the people, should exercise the state power in accordance with the law and improve their ability to perform duties, said Zhao, asking them to keep the people uppermost in their minds.

Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, joined deputies from Guizhou Province in a deliberation.

Wang emphasized the need to align efforts to consolidate and expand the achievements in poverty alleviation with efforts to promote rural revitalization, and underscored promoting common prosperity and persevering with enhancing ecological conservation.

He urged efforts to resolve issues that are of common concern to the people, including employment, education, medical services, housing, elderly care, and childcare, accelerate development in ethnic minority areas and promote ethnic unity and progress.

Deliberating with Shandong Province deputies, Vice Premier Han Zheng called for efforts to fully implement the CPC Central Committee's decisions and plans, and continue to secure new victories for socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era.

Han also stressed effectively upgrading and appropriately expanding China's economic output so as to realize high-quality development. China should ensure and improve the people's wellbeing in the course of pursuing development, and achieve solid progress in promoting common prosperity, said Han.

Li Xi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, stressed ceaseless efforts in improving conduct, enforcing discipline and combating corruption, thus providing a strong guarantee for advancing Chinese modernization, in a group deliberation with NPC deputies from Fujian delegation.

The anti-graft chief urged discipline inspection and supervisory agencies to conduct strict political supervision to guarantee effective implementation of the decisions and plans set out at the 20th CPC National Congress and resolutely win the tough and protracted battle against corruption.

He also required efforts to ensure people can benefit from development, create a sound development environment, and help modernize the system and capacity for governance with an improved supervision system.
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Lithium-ion battery for an electric vehicle. Huge lithium deposits have been discovered in the Indian territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Credit: RudolfSimon (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lithium-Ion_Battery_for_BMW_i3_-_Battery_Pack.JPG). CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en)

The discovery of vast lithium deposits in the Indian territory of Jammu and Kashmir, hailed as a win for the country's clean energy transition, comes at a price for communities in the Himalayan region, say villagers and environmental scientists.

Often called "white gold," the metal is a key component in lithium-ion storage batteries, which are crucial for electric vehicles because they are weight-for-weight far more efficient than the commonly used lead-acid or nickel-metal hydride batteries.

The announcement in February of lithium deposits in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir, estimated at 5.9 million metric tons, was welcome in a country committed to transitioning away from fossil fuels. India previously had to rely on lithium imports from countries such as Australia and Argentina.

However, it comes amid reported subsidence of the Himalayan landscape triggered by the heavy machinery used to build dams and highways, raising concerns of further environmental damage.

"Use of heavy machinery for drilling and earth-cutting in the sensitive Himalayan region has been largely responsible for subsidence in Joshimath town," says SP Sati, who teaches environmental science at the College of Forestry, Ranichauri in the adjacent Himalayan state of Uttarakhand where the subsidence has been devastating in recent months.

The residents of Reasi recognize the economic opportunities the lithium reserves can bring, but also the risks, as sinking houses force many to evacuate their homes to safer areas.

"When we first came to know about the discovery of huge lithium reserves just adjacent to our village, we were happy that it will bring us prosperity. But we now hear that when the extraction takes place, it can prove hazardous for us and our water and land," says Balbir Singh of Salal village which sits on the lithium deposits.

"Even if we get some compensation for dislocation from our village, the thought of leaving the homes we have lived in for generations makes us very sad," Singh says.

Mohinder Singh Sarpanch, head of the village of Salal, says the village should be compensated for the impacts of mining in their community. "So far, we have not been officially asked to vacate our village. If residents from the entire area are required to vacate, then over 500 families will get affected," Sarpanch says.

"It is not only about dislocation; there will be pollution which we will have to bear if we are relocated to a nearby area. If we are asked to give these sacrifices for the country, the government has to think about us," Sarpanch adds.

It is not clear when the Indian government is planning to start lithium extraction, but experts say it could be years before commercial mining operations begin.

"So far, only the primary resource calculation has been done. There are two more steps before we are sure about the exploitable resources and whether we will go for mining or not it will take several years for the resources to be mined," says Pankaj Srivastava, a professor who specializes in mineral exploration at the department of geology, University of Jammu.

India would need to acquire specific technologies for mining and refining lithium, he added.

According to Siddharth Goel, a senior policy advisor at the International Institute for Sustainable Development with experience in the fields of environment, energy and sustainable transport, lithium mine development can take 10 years or more. "However, it's possible that India fast-tracks approvals and permits to reduce the time taken, given the critical importance of lithium in manufacturing electric vehicle batteries," he says.

S S Verma, a professor at the department of physics at Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology, in Longowal, Punjab state, says that India has a long history of working mines and lithium mining is not difficult, "but refining is (evidently) difficult."

Independent environmental impact assessments should be carried out before mining begins, given the sensitive ecology of the Himalayas, says Goel.

"Ensuring an environmentally friendly mining process is also essential to attract investment from large international companies given the growing global scrutiny of the battery value chain's environmental footprint," he adds.

Shakil Romshoo, senior professor in Kashmir University's department of earth sciences, says, "The discovery of lithium in the country is a big development as India aggressively pursues clean energy production. But considering the significant environmental impacts of lithium extraction, environment-friendly exploration technology will be needed whenever this resource is exploited."

Lithium mining has sparked protests around the world in recent years. According to a study published February in Nature, ecosystems in the vicinity of lithium deposits are "extremely fragile and linked in a food chain in which ecosystem services are crucial for livestock and rural populations."

Provided by SciDev.Net
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This photo provided by GHGSat shows GHGSat President Stephane Germain. The Canadian company has launched six satellites which are orbiting the Earth searching for methane plumes. Credit: Courtesy of GHGSat via AP

Finding and fixing methane leaks has been identified by scientists as one of the most effective ways to turn the tide of global warming. To help uncover those leaks, Canadian company GHGSat has launched six satellites to search for methane plumes.

Those satellites have made troubling discoveries, including record-high methane emissions from the oil and gas industry and growing emissions from coal mines around the world. To aid in the fight against climate change, GHGSat plans to launch six more methane-hunting satellites by year's end.

And soon it will launch a satellite targeting another threatcarbon dioxide. Stephane Germain, president of GHGSat, spoke with The Associated Press about why he believes that armed with information about where the leaks are coming from, companies and nations can take steps to slow global warming. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Q: What are the main challenges that that the world faces in reducing emissions?

A: I like to joke that the rocket science and the artificial intelligence is the easy part. The hard part is the human. It's about the culture change and the action that we need to bring to bear in every different jurisdiction, in every different environment. The way to bring about action in India might be very different than a way to bring about action in the United States. And that may be very different than how to do it in Latin America. So we need to, first and foremost, make the measurements available so that people are aware of what's really going on in their jurisdictions and in their own operations. But then we need to progressively accelerate our efforts at driving to action with that data. It's one project at a time, one initiative at a time. Our goal is to make the data available to everybody so that ultimately more and more of those actions can be taken and more and more mitigations happen.

Q: U.S. oil and gas emissions are at record high levels. What can be done?

Methane emissions absolutely are higher than they have been in the last couple of years. And that's not just in the U.S., that's worldwide. We see it pretty much in every sector. We see it in oil and gas, coal mining and landfills. In oil and gas in particular, I'm very pleased to see that there's increased efforts on all fronts for reducing emissions. We haven't seen the results we want to get, that's for sure.

There are operator initiatives, there's a U.N. initiative. The Biden administration has proposed new rules that will tighten emissions standards and also, we think, very importantly, make it easier for new technologies to be used to be able to monitor and mitigate those emissions. We need to keep at it. There's just a lot more work to be done, as is obvious from the trends.

Q: What percentage of methane leaks that your company found have been fixed?

A: Right now it's pretty small. It's currently in the single percentage range, and that's clearly something we need to improve on. Now just to put that in context, the single percentage is worldwide, so that includes everything from oil and gas operators in the U.S. through coal mining in China. We have a huge opportunity to raise awareness with all of these operators and all these sources so that they know what their real emissions are and where some of these sources are. In many cases the technologies exist to repair or mitigate emissions from those sources so they're really easy to address quickly.

Q: Can you give an example of your company finding a leak and the operator fixing it?

A: This was in the Middle East where they were interested in monitoring a wide region to find leaks that they weren't aware of and then look for opportunities to mitigate them. We did that for about a year and found several emissions. Some of them were fixed by the operators immediately.

With another we brought a consultant in to provide training and best practices to that operator so they realized how they could reduce their emissions. And that wound up being one of the greatest emissions reductions we've had to date.

Q: Why do you name the satellites after children?

A: We name the satellites after our kids because it reminds us of why we do what we do everyday. Ultimately, we're going to be leaving our planet to future generations, and that includes our very own kids as a team at GHGSat. And it's really heartwarming for us to know that what we do every day is going to be helpful, not just to the current world, but to the future world.

 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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It is not possible to see plankton preserved in sediments in a recognisable form. The image shows a light microscope image of marine organic matter collected with a plankton net from the Southwest Indian Ocean aboard the GLOW Cruise. Credit: Dr Tracy Aze, University of Leeds

Mineral particles played a key role in raising oxygen levels in the Earth's atmosphere billions of years ago, with major implications for the way intelligent life later evolved, according to new research.

Up to now, scientists have argued that oxygen levels rose as the result of photosynthesis by algae and plants in the sea, where oxygen was produced as a by-product and released into the atmosphere.

But a research team at the University of Leeds say the photosynthesis theory does not fully explain the increase in oxygen levels.

In a paper published on Monday, March 6 in the journal Nature Geoscience, the researchers argue that when the algae and plants died, they would have been consumed by microbes, a process that takes oxygen from the atmosphere.

As a result, the amount of atmospheric oxygen was a balance between what was produced through photosynthesis and what was lost as a result of decomposition of the dead plant and algae.

To enable the atmospheric oxygen levels to get higher, the scientists say the process of decay must have been slowed or halted. This happened through what is known as mineral-organic carbon preservation, where minerals in the oceans, particularly iron particles, bind onto the dead algae and plants and inhibit their decay and decomposition.

The overall result is that oxygen levels were able to increase unhindered.

Caroline Peacock, professor of biogeochemistry in the School of Earth and Environment at Leeds, who led the research, said, "Scientists have known for many years that mineral particles can bind with dead algae and plants, making them less susceptible to attack by microbes and shielding them from the decay process, but whether mineral particles helped fuel the rise of atmospheric oxygen had never been tested."

The researchers set about testing their theory against known geological events when levels of mineral particles were likely to have been higher, for example, when the continents formed, resulting in a greater landmass from which mineralsincluding particles of ironwould have blown or been washed into the oceans.

For example, the Great Oxidation Event 2.4 billion years ago saw a spike in oxygen levels in the atmosphere. This coincided with the gradual formation of the continents, which would have caused a greater quantity of mineral particles to flow into the oceans.

Dr. Mingyu Zhao, formerly at Leeds but now at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, performed the study. He said, "The increase in mineral particles in the oceans would have reduced the rate at which algae was being decomposed. This had a major impact on oxygen levels, allowing them to rise."

The increase in atmospheric oxygen had major ramifications for the development of life. It resulted in the evolution of increasingly complex organisms, which moved from inhabiting water to living on land.

For Professor Peacock, the study not only brings greater understanding to the way the Earth's atmosphere became oxygenated, it also gives a glimpse of the conditions that are necessary for complex life to develop on other planets.

She said, "Our investigation is providing a new understanding of how the Earth's atmosphere became oxygen rich, which eventually enabled complex life forms to evolve.

"That is giving us an important insight into the conditions that need to exist on other planets for intelligent life to develop.

"The existence of water on a planet is only part of the story. There needs to be dry land to provide a source of mineral particles that will eventually end up in the oceans."

More information: Mingyu Zhao, Oxygenation of the Earth aided by mineralorganic carbon preservation, Nature Geoscience (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41561-023-01133-2. www.nature.com/articles/s41561-023-01133-2 Journal information: Nature Geoscience
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(A) Redrawn from KD. Average fraction of population reporting positive affect (happiness, joy, frequent smiling) and average fraction not reporting negative affect (sadness, worry). The lines connecting the midpoints of the income categories are reproduced from KD. (B) Average experienced (emotional) well-being in experience sampling in MK. Credit: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2023). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2208661120

Are people who earn more money happier in daily life? Though it seems like a straightforward question, research had previously returned contradictory findings, leaving uncertainty about its answer.

Foundational work published in 2010 from Princeton University's Daniel Kahneman and Angus Deaton had found that day-to-day happiness rose as annual income increased, but above $75,000 it leveled off and happiness plateaued. In contrast, work published in 2021 from the University of Pennsylvania's Matthew Killingsworth found that happiness rose steadily with income well beyond $75,000, without evidence of a plateau.

To reconcile the differences, the two paired up in what's known as an adversarial collaboration, joining forces with Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor Barbara Mellers as arbiter. In a new Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences paper, the trio shows that, on average, larger incomes are associated with ever-increasing levels of happiness. Zoom in, however, and the relationship becomes more complex, revealing that within that overall trend, an unhappy cohort within each income group shows a sharp rise in happiness up to $100,000 annually and then plateaus.

"In the simplest terms, this suggests that for most people larger incomes are associated with greater happiness," says Killingsworth, a senior fellow at Penn's Wharton School and lead paper author. "The exception is people who are financially well-off but unhappy. For instance, if you're rich and miserable, more money won't help. For everyone else, more money was associated with higher happiness to somewhat varying degrees."

Mellers digs into this last notion, noting that emotional well-being and income aren't connected by a single relationship. "The function differs for people with different levels of emotional well-being," she says. Specifically, for the least happy group, happiness rises with income until $100,000, then shows no further increase as income grows. For those in the middle range of emotional well-being, happiness increases linearly with income, and for the happiest group the association actually accelerates above $100,000.

Joining forces

The researchers began this combined effort recognizing that their previous work had drawn different conclusions. Kahneman's 2010 study showed a flattening pattern where Killingsworth's 2021 study did not. As its name suggests, an adversarial collaboration of this typea notion originated by Kahnemanaims to solve scientific disputes or disagreements by bringing together the differing parties, along with a third-party mediator.

Killingsworth, Kahneman, and Mellers focused on a new hypothesis that both a happy majority and an unhappy minority exist. For the former, they surmised, happiness keeps rising as more money comes in; the latter's happiness improves as income rises but only up to a certain income threshold, after which it progresses no further.

To test this new hypothesis, they looked for the flattening pattern in data from Killingworth's study, which he had collected through an app he created called Track Your Happiness. Several times a day, the app pings participants at random moments, asking a variety of questions including how they feel on a scale from "very good" to "very bad." Taking an average of the person's happiness and income, Killingsworth draws conclusions about how the two variables are linked.

A breakthrough in the new partnership came early on when the researchers realized that the 2010 data, which had revealed the happiness plateau, had actually been measuring unhappiness in particular rather than happiness in general. "It's easiest to understand with an example," Killingsworth says. Imagine a cognitive test for dementia that most healthy people pass easily. While such a test could detect the presence and severity of cognitive dysfunction, it wouldn't reveal much about general intelligence since most healthy people would receive the same perfect score.

"In the same way, the 2010 data showing a plateau in happiness had mostly perfect scores, so it tells us about the trend in the unhappy end of the happiness distribution, rather than the trend of happiness in general. Once you recognize that, the two seemingly contradictory findings aren't necessarily incompatible," Killingsworth says. "And what we found bore out that possibility in an incredibly beautiful way. When we looked at the happiness trend for unhappy people in the 2021 data, we found exactly the same pattern as was found in 2010; happiness rises relatively steeply with income and then plateaus."

"The two findings that seemed utterly contradictory actually result from data that are amazingly consistent," he says.

Implications of this work

Drawing these conclusions would have been challenging had the two research teams not come together, says Mellers, who suggests there's no better way than adversarial collaborations to resolve scientific conflict.

"This kind of collaboration requires far greater self-discipline and precision in thought than the standard procedure," she says. "Collaborating with an adversaryor even a non-adversaryis not easy, but both parties are likelier to recognize the limits of their claims." Indeed, that's what happened, leading to a better understanding of the relationship between money and happiness.

And these findings have real-world implications, according to Killingsworth. For one, they could inform thinking about tax rates or how to compensate employees. And, of course, they matter to individuals as they navigate career choices or weigh a larger income against other priorities in life, Killingsworth says.

However, he adds that for emotional well-being money isn't the be all end all. "Money is just one of the many determinants of happiness," he says. "Money is not the secret to happiness, but it can probably help a bit."
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This old mountain ash forest of high habitat value for threatened species near Mt Baw Baw was excluded from Victorias new Immediate Protection Areas. Credit: Chris Taylor, Author provided

Australia has the world's worst mammal extinction record, with nearly 40 native mammal species lost since European colonization. By contrast, the United States has lost three.

Last year, the federal Labor government made a welcome commitment to stop further extinctions. One essential tool to do this is protecting habitat in dedicated conservation reserves.

Reserves can and do workespecially when well designed and then well managed. By some estimates, a quarter of the world's bird species have been saved from extinction because of conservation reserves. Here too, the government is to be commended for plans to conserve 30% of the continent by 2030.

In light of this, we analyzed Victoria's newest conservation reservescalled Immediate Protection Areasdesigned to conserve forest biodiversity in Victoria as the state prepares to phase out native forest logging by 2030.

We found Immediate Protection Areas didn't do what they were supposed to do. The protected areas were small, and well short of the area needed to adequately conserve threatened species. Many Immediate Protection Areas were established in forests already burned, logged, or both, meaning their value as habitat was limited. Some areas even appeared to have been chosen because they were no longer needed for logging, rather than for their conservation value.

As we accelerate plans to protect more Australian habitat, we must watch for problems like this. Land with high conservation value must be prioritized for protection.

What were these new conservation reserves meant to do?

Victoria's state government has pledged to conserve biodiversity. This includes measures such as protecting the critically endangered Leadbeater's Possum, ambitious investments to protect the Southern Greater Glider, and ending native forest logging by 2030.

As a prelude, the government established Immediate Protection Areas to better protect forest species from the impacts of logging.

Here you can see the Immediate Protection Areas (hatched areas) compared to the areas which we actually need to be protected (red), across the forests of eastern Victoria. Credit: Chris Taylor, Author provided

We compared the known and mapped ranges of threatened species against the new conservation reserve areas. We wanted to see where 53 threatened speciesincluding animals such as Leadbeater's Possum and Southern Greater Gliderwere most likely to occur. We also examined what had happened to these areas previously, to determine their habitat value. Had they been logged or burned?

The results were sobering. The Immediate Protection Areas, combined with Victoria's existing set of formal conservation reserves, fell well short of adequately protecting remaining areas of habitat for 23 of the 53 species analyzed, such as the Southern Greater Glider, Leadbeater's Possum, and Barred Galaxias.

This wouldn't matter so much if the forests outside Victoria's existing parks and reserves weren't under pressure from continued industrial-scale logging of native forests by the state-owned forestry business, VicForests.

But they are. And worse, areas of highest conservation value for threatened forest-dependent species, such as the Central Highlands north east of Melbourne, and East Gippsland in the far east of Victoria, will actually be targeted for logging under the Timber Release Plan.

These high conservation value areas are important because they provide critical habitat for rare and threatened species, including endemic species found nowhere else.

Even as native forest logging is supposedly winding down, a major conflict between logging and conservation remains.

VicForests is legally bound to supply 350,000 cubic meters of logs from native forests to industry until 2030. This is the same year the Victorian government intends to cease native forest logging in Victoria.

In 2020, VicForest's senior legal counsel testified in court that VicForests would have to shut down all its operations in the Central Highlands if it couldn't continue to log threatened species' habitat.

This is at at odds with both federal and state governments' commitment to stop extinctions. Logging the remaining high conservation value habitat is going to accelerate rather than prevent extinctions.

You can see the impact of large-scale logging in red inside the Immediate Protection Areas across the Central Highlands (hatched areas). Logging is done intensively, clearcutting whole areas. Credit: Chris Taylor, Author provided

Protect all remaining habitat for species on the edge

An outsider might wonder why there has to be conflict. Aren't there enough native forests to sustain seven more years of logging, especially now these Immediate Protection Areas have been established?

For many species, the answer is no. The number of sites occupied by species teetering on the edge of extinction, such as Leadbeater's Possum, has fallen by half in the last 25 years. Logging is a major driver of its decline.

Protecting all Mountain and Alpine Ash forests where Leadbeater's Possum occur should not be controversial. The federal government's Threatened Species Scientific Committee declared in 2015 that the most effective way to prevent further decline and rebuild the possum population was to cease logging in Mountain Ash and Alpine Ash forests of the Central Highlands.

But this isn't just a cautionary tale about logging in Victoria. Unless we're careful, we'll see the same story again and again.

Protecting 30% of Australian land by 2030, as the government intends, means rapidly protecting large areas of land. At present, around 20% of our land is protected in some way. Increasing this by half again in seven years is fast.

The danger is that governments will look for ways to rapidly boost the percentage of land area under protection without determining whether the land is effective for conservation.

As important as the size of the areas of land protected is what lives on it, and the ecosystem services it provides. To prevent extinctions in Australia, some ecosystems will need total protection of every fragment remaining, especially those under significant threat where key species are in marked decline.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Total ozone measured by the OMPS Nadir Mapper on February 17, 2023. Credit: NASA/NOAA/JPSS

On February 9, 2023, an ozone-measuring instrument on the recently launched NOAA-21 satellite opened its doors and, over the course of a week, gathered data for its first global image. The Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS) consists of three sensors that monitor Earth's ozone layer and track its recovery.

The map above, created using OMPS data, shows total ozone concentrations in the atmosphere around the globe. Higher ozone levels are concentrated in far northern latitudes, which is typical for this time of year.

OMPS was originally designed to measure ozone high in the atmosphere; this ozone layer protects humans and other life on Earth from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation. This is not to be confused with ground-level ozone, a harmful air pollutant and the main ingredient in smog.

"We want to be able to measure ozone changes to 1% or better over a 10-year timescale," said Glen Jaross, NASA's OMPS instrument scientist for the Joint Polar Satellite System.

In the decade since the first OMPS was launched on the Suomi-NPP satellite, the instrument's capabilities have expanded to include observations of aerosols, such as smoke from wildfires and sulfur dioxide and ash from volcanoes. For example, on February 17, 2023, OMPS detected volcanic aerosols still lingering from the massive Hunga Tonga volcanic eruption in the South Pacific, which spewed water vapor and sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere more than a year ago.

NASA began measuring ozone from space in 1979, not long before scientists discovered that harmful chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs, could cause dangerous depletion of atmospheric ozone. By the mid-1980s, scientists discovered a "hole" in the ozone layer of the stratosphere over Antarctica. An international effort to ban these gases began with the Montreal Protocol in 1987 and has resulted in stabilization of ozone levels over the past three decades. Recent measurements indicate ozone levels are beginning to recover.

OMPS detects what's known as "backscattered" light from the atmospheresunlight that reflects off particles and gases in the atmosphere or off of Earth's surface.

Think of it like a laser shining on a disco ball, Jaross said. "The Sun is like a laser, and all the sparkles are light reflected off the Earth. And OMPS is sitting out there, picking up all that light."

The area at the top of the map is gray because the North Pole is in a period of darkness known as "polar night," when the Sun doesn't rise at all. With no backscattered sunlight to detect, OMPS is unable to take measurements there during this time.

OMPS looks at that backscattered light in two ways. The Nadir Mapper and Nadir Profiler point directly down at Earth to map total ozone over the globe and to collect precise measurements at different altitudes. The Limb Profiler examines the atmosphere at an angle.

This latest version of OMPS on NOAA-21 has some improvements. The spatial resolution on the mapping instrument has been improved from about 30 by 30 miles on the Suomi-NPP satellite to about 6 by 6 miles on NOAA-21. The latest instrument can also measure nitrogen dioxide, a precursor to ground-level ozone.

"Quantifying these atmospheric gases is important for a variety of reasons, including monitoring the ozone layer and its interactions with climate change, tracking volcanic sulfur dioxide and ash for air traffic safety, and identifying pollution sources and levels for general air quality health assessments," said NOAA's JPSS Program Scientist Satya Kalluri.

Together, NOAA and NASA oversee the development, launch, testing, and operation of all the satellites in the Joint Polar Satellite System program. NOAA funds and manages the program, operations, and data products. NASA develops and builds the instruments, spacecraft, and ground system, and launches the satellites, which NOAA operates.
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Omar Abdul-Aziz, a WVU Statler College researcher, points to a map while discussing his newly released model for diagnosing the health of freshwater streams in the United States. Credit: WVU /Matt Sunday

A model for predicting the levels of oxygen in water, developed by West Virginia University researcher Omar Abdul-Aziz, gives citizen scientists nationwide a tool for taking action on stream pollution.

"I have been looking at water quality data for 20 years," said Abdul-Aziz, an associate professor at the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. "I can tell you that a big percentage of streams in the United States are polluted. Urban streams are getting dumpster runoff, stormwater carrying lawn fertilizers, and trash. Wastewater plants aren't necessarily treating for the dissolved organic carbon, nutrients and pharmaceuticals we're putting into our sewage.

Abdul-Aziz's model relies on only water temperature and pH, a measure of acidity, to give an accurate measure of the health of any freshwater stream in the contiguous United States as represented by the amount of oxygen dissolved in the water. Oxygen is fundamental to stream health, and his model is significant because it predicts how much oxygen is in the water of any given stream at any location or time, based on a small amount of easily obtainable data.

"Once we know the oxygen levels in these streams, we can take interventional measures such as stream restoration, and we can use green engineering solutions like increasing watershed and streamside vegetation," he said.

Abdul-Aziz presented the model in a paper co-authored with WVU doctoral student Aron Gebreslase and published in Water Resources Research.

Abdul-Aziz's model incorporates water quality information collected from 86 monitoring stations across 32 states between 1998 and 2015. That large data set encompasses temperate, continental, arid and Mediterranean climates, as well as land covers and uses as diverse as forests, grazing lands and parking lots.

The information the model provides can help determine how the Environmental Protection Agency classifies a stream and whether the EPA will permit a project that affects a particular stream.

"This tool is going to help the EPA implement the Clean Water Act, which for non-urban streams requires that 'dissolved oxygen'the amount of oxygen in waterbe at no less than five milligrams per liter," Abdul-Aziz said. "Dissolved oxygen is important because if the level of oxygen in those streams goes below that five-milligram cutoff, it starts to become hard for fish and other aquatic animals to breathe and the stream is typically considered impaired."

Designation of a stream as impaired can impede project permitting by the EPA, which has emphasized the critical roles streams play in providing clean drinking water, protecting against floods and erosion, resupplying groundwater, reducing pollution and facilitating economic activities such as agriculture, manufacturing and outdoor recreation.

"The tool is a simple mathematical model that uses only water temperature and pH to predict oxygen in the water," Abdul-Aziz said. "People can plug in their temperature, which is readily available data, and their pHor if they don't have pH, I also offer a model with just temperature. Then they can see how water quality will change under different scenarios for climate, that is, temperature and changing land use."

Many factors beyond water temperature and pH contribute to the health of a stream. Sunlight, atmospheric pressure, flowrate, width, depth, the roughness of the streambed and steepness of the banks, the area's flora and fauna, and whether the land is urbanized, agricultural, or industrial are factors, but their measurements aren't required for the tool to be accurate. Water temperature is the decisive data point for making predictions, ideally supplemented with pH levels.

"The higher the temperature, the less oxygen in the water," Abdul-Aziz explained. "It's the same thing that happens to us on a hot day. When there's less oxygen in the air it can be hard to breathe."

High water temperatures make it harder for oxygen to dissolve in water. Higher temperatures also promote the decomposition and oxidation of organic matter and increase microbial respiration, processes which use up oxygen.

When insufficient oxygen leads to the death of aquatic life, "the issues for humans range from food shortages to health hazards," he said. "Dissolved oxygen is a central indicator for the overall stream water quality and ecosystem health."

The tool is fully scalable, so it works for any freshwater stream in the U.S., except for some streams in the mountainous west that experience significant geothermal effects, like those in Yellowstone National Park. It can be used to understand conditions in the past, get a current understanding of a stream's health or predict the future using water temperature estimates to evaluate how different climate change scenarios would affect aquatic ecosystems.

"With agriculture, logging, mining and chemical processing plants, most of our country's populated areas now have contaminated streams, and this model allows people to do something about that," Abdul-Aziz said.

More information: Omar I. AbdulAziz et al, Emergent Scaling of Dissolved Oxygen (DO) in Freshwater Streams Across Contiguous USA, Water Resources Research (2023). DOI: 10.1029/2022WR032114 Journal information: Water Resources Research
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Nature lovers tend to be categorized as either "appreciative" or "extractive." The first group includes people like hikers and bird watchers, while the second includes hunters, fishermen and fisherwomen.

A recent study by Northeastern marine biologists says there's an overlap between the two groups that could be the start of a new conversation about protecting the environmentand combating climate change.

The paper, published in Sustainability, looks at the pro-environmental behaviors and attitudes of three groups of people: citizen scientists who count rather than catch fish, recreational fishermen and people who fell into neither group.

It's one of the first times scientists have studied the environmental attitudes of recreational rather than commercial fishermen, lead author Marissa Varade says.

She says citizen scientist fish counters exhibited higher levels of pro-environmental behaviors than either recreational fishermen or individuals who were neither fishermen nor citizen scientists.

But the paper also showed that fishermen who invested more heavily in their sportin terms of gear and timeexhibited greater pro-environmental behaviors than less specialized fishermen and non-fishers.

"There are lots of different factors that motivate people to have pro-environmental attitudes," says Brian Helmuth, Northeastern professor of marine and environmental science at the Marine Science Center and Center for Coastal Sustainability in Nahant.

"If we only look at this through the lens of an academic, we're going to miss a lot of the reasons why people care about nature," says Helmuth, who also contributed to the study.

"There are all sorts of potential allies out there in finding solutions to climate change. Recreational fishers are one of those that's still largely untapped."

Reframing climate change

The study surveyed self-reported behaviors and attitudes among 400 people in Massachusetts, says Varade, who did the research as a graduate student and currently works for Northeastern's Three Seas program.

The paper also examined the participants' attitudes toward climate change, which the researchers say "is likely to make certain offshore species more difficult, expensive and dangerous to catch" as fish populations move offshore and into deeper waters.

Citizen scientists showed the most concern about climate change, researchers say.

But respondents "overall" showed more concern for the category "environment" than "climate change," according to the study.

"Overall, the environment was a bigger concern for everyone than climate change," Varade says. "Climate change can be a really polarizing word and concept."

The researchers say that framing the conversation as a discussion about healthy ecosystems "may be more effective with some stakeholders than those focused solely on climate change."

"This really shows the importance of starting conversations with where people arenot starting from your own assumptions, or the academic view," Helmuth says, adding, "Can you develop solutions that incorporate what people care about?"

Meet people where they are

The study shows the importance of "meeting people where they are as opposed to forcing one dialogue on everyone," Varade says.

She says citizen scientists fish monitors count fish at places including herring runs.

But recreational fishermen also contribute to citizen science by reporting their catch on smartphones, which helps fisheries management assess population numbers and health.

The more "highly specialized" fishermen are more likely to participate in these behaviors than less serious fishers, Varade says.

Specialized fishermen "dedicate a lot of time, money and effort into participating on a regular basis," Varade says. They invest in gear, spend more time on the water and subscribe to fishing magazines.

People who spend time outdoors feel a special connection to the environment, Varade says.

She says the study "reemphasized research that has previously shown that increased participation in these types of nature based activities can be a really important way to build pro environmental behaviors and climate concerns among participants."

More information: Marissa L. Varade et al, Catching versus Counting: Comparing the Pro-Environmental Attitudes, Behaviors, and Climate Concerns of Recreational Fishers and Citizen Scientists, Sustainability (2022). DOI: 10.3390/su15010307
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One of the SEAHIVE units is lowered into the ocean off northern Miami Beach. Credit: Platform photos, Joshua Prezant/University of Miami

The first piece of a series of concrete structures was lowered into the water off the coast of Miami Beach on Wednesday morning, a massive crane on the deck of a floating barge hoisting the unit into the air and sinking it to the seabed.

During the next six hours, crewmembers aboard the barge would repeat that process until the structures, some stacked on top of each other, were settled on the seafloor, 14 feet below the surface.

To casual observers onshore, the daylong operation might have seemed routine. But this maritime activity was hardly run-of-the-mill.

In a project that could pave the way for greater efforts to protect coastlines from sea level rise and storm surge and serve as an innovative base structure to develop thriving coral reefs, a team of researchers and scientists from the University of Miami sunk 27 interlocking concrete structures that will form two hybrid reef units 1,000 feet offshore of North Beach Oceanside Park, at the northern edge of Miami Beach.

The units are the centerpiece of a project called Engineering Coastal Resilience Through Hybrid Reef Restoration, or ECoREEF, which combines cement- and nature-based strategies to foster coastal resilience. Supported by the University's Laboratory for Integrative Knowledge (U-LINK) and the City of Miami Beach, the project was developed at a time when coral reefs are struggling to survive. A recent study indicates that half of the world's living coral reefs have died since the 1950s. Meanwhile, other research has shown that healthy and complex coral reefs are able to buffer up to 97% of the energy from waves and can also reduce flooding frequency.

"Coral reefs are disappearing at alarming rates throughout the world as a result of disease and warming oceans, so our reefs have lost a lot of the structure they need to reduce wave energy," said ECoREEF lead investigator, Diego Lirman, an associate professor of marine biology and ecology at the University's Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science. "By placing these [hybrid] reefs near the shoreline and planting stress-tolerant corals on them, we hope to recover some of the lost services provided by healthy reefs, such as coastal protection, and to build a habitat for organisms like fish and lobsters."

One of the hollow structures submerged this week was shaped like a trapezoid, with rocks on its outer surface to mimic the texture of coral reefs and to attract marine life. The other unit is a series of hexagons, the iconic honeycomb-like shape that is being incorporated into more and more projects, including the powerful Webb Telescope. Perforated to allow seawater to flow through them, the hollow, hexagonal SEAHIVE structurestubes that look like honeycomb and each weighing 2,500 poundsare stacked in a pyramid-like shape and attached to a few solid concrete SEAHIVEs to enhance the stability of the structure.

To build the hybrid structures, researchers also used an eco-friendly concrete mixture, with composite reinforcements instead of steel, both for durability and to attract marine life.

Haus and Rhode-Barbarigos peer through a six-foot-tall perforated SEAHIVE unit, which they designed with other faculty members, on the barge that lowered dozens of the units into the ocean.

"Designing structures to dissipate wave energy while providing a hospitable environment for corals has been a challenge," said Landolf Rhode-Barbarigos, an assistant professor in the College of Engineering, and one of the project's lead investigators. "There are no design guidelines for nature, but hopefully this can be translated into something bigger and provide novel solutions for coastal protection."

It was Rhode-Barbarigos, along with Lirman, marine biologist Andrew Baker, ocean scientist Brian Haus, sustainable architect Sonia Chao, and communications expert Jyotika Ramaprasad, who joined forces in 2018 to address challenges of coastal resilience. They hope the ECoREEF project will lead to a better understanding of the types of structures that can help protect South Florida's vulnerable coastline from erosion and storm surge.

"We want to see how these two different alternatives for a hybrid, engineered structure and a natural reef compare," Haus said. "This is a research installation, so we'll be examining it in a variety of ways."

Corals grown at the Rosenstiel School's three nurseries will eventually be attached to the hybrid reefs, allowing them to thrive and replace some of the area's many coral reefs lost to disease and bleaching that is the result of warming ocean temperatures.

"We are hoping that we can get baby corals to attach and get a community that looks similar to a natural reef developing on these structures over time," Lirman said.

But for now, the reefs must get acclimated to their new underwater environment.

Divers and drones will help monitor the structures; and soon, researchers will install current meters and wave sensors from the U.S. Geological Survey to measure wave energy and flow on the surface of the reefs, according to Brian Haus, professor and chair of ocean sciences at the Rosenstiel School.

After two previous attempts to deploy the structures were called off because of inclement weather, ideal conditionscalm waters and little to no windmade it possible for crews to sink the structures.

Onboard the barge which carried the hybrid reefsafter a tugboat had brought them more than 100-nautical-miles from Fort Pierce to Miami BeachHaus and Rhode-Barbarigos helped orchestrate the deployment, directing the crane that lowered the structures into the water and making sure the reefs were positioned and stacked correctly on the seabed. A diver who patrolled the seafloor ensured the structures aligned properly.

"We got our hands a little bit dirty today, but it was worth it," said Haus, who oversees the Rosenstiel School's 75-foot-long, 38,000-gallon Alfred C. Glassell, Jr. SUSTAIN Laboratory wind-wave tank, which researchers used to test small-scale versions of the hybrid reefs.

Should a tropical cyclone threaten or even strike South Florida this coming hurricane season, the hybrid reefs could get their first big test, which is why the team went through a meticulous permitting process, Rhode-Barbarigos said.

"This EcoReefs project will give us a test bed for this technology, before we do a deployment of a much larger structure for the DARPA grant elsewhere in Florida," Lirman pointed out.

While the U-LINK project was evolving, Rhode-Barbarigos was also working with Haus and College of Engineering faculty members Antonio Nanni, Esber Andiroglu, and Prannoy Suraneni to develop the SEAHIVE structure through grants from the National Comparative Highway Research Program and the Florida Department of Transportation. Initially created as an alternative to traditional seawalls because of their ability to mitigate wave energy, the honeycomb-shaped SEAHIVE units are also set to be tested at two other South Florida locations.

Miami Beach officials are eager to see how both hybrid reefs perform in the waters off North Beach Oceanside Park.

"The launch of this experimental [hybrid] reef marks a pivotal moment in our efforts to protect Miami Beach from coastal erosion and restore our coral ecosystem," said Ricky Arriola, a Miami Beach commissioner. "Not only will this innovative solution help safeguard our shores, but it will also drive ecotourism and further establish Miami Beach as a leader in sustainable coastal management."

Amy Knowles, the city's chief resilience officer, agreed. "We can't wait to see how this hybrid reef grows," she said. "Coral reefs are an important part of marine life, and our coastal resilience to storm surge and sea level rise for Miami Beach and our broader region."

For the faculty members who worked on the project since its inception four years ago, this deployment marked an achievement.

"It's been a long adventure, so we're understandably excited," Rhode-Barbarigos said. "It's a milestone moment because we'll be able to learn from these units both from an engineering and ecological perspective. What we accomplished today is the end of one phase, but the beginning of another."
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Nigerians voted to elect a new president on 25 February and he will be sworn in on 29 May 2023. One of his responsibilities must be to lead the country in taking science more seriously. Science should be the fulcrum of Nigeria's development.

As a fellow and past president of the Nigerian Academy of Science, the umbrella body of Nigeria's leading scientists, I offer the following tips for Nigeria's new president:

Increase funding for scientific research

Nigeria has shown a deep neglect of science. Science and technology are seriously underfunded and minimally used in national development. For example oil refineries are shut down and Nigeria cannot produce vaccines locally, having stopped in 1991.

The first time Nigeria had a Ministry of Science and Technology was in 1980, 20 years after independence. The first national science and technology policy was produced in 1986, six years later.

During the first 20 years of the ministry, it had 10 ministers, each with a different agenda and policy.

Nigeria's first real attempt at funding public research was in 2006, when the government planned to create a US$5 billion endowment fund for science and technology. But the political will to do this wilted in the face of a lack of commitment of funds to execute the proposal. Since then, funding science and research in Nigeria has been as erratic and unpredictable as the political changes.

An attempt was made in 2012 to revive the fund with an independent board, headed by President Goodluck Jonathan himself. But when he left office in 2015 there was still no fund.

In 2016, the federal government announced a N3 billion (US$6.5 million) National Research Fund. A committee to manage it was only set up 17 months later.

Despite the promise of the Buhari government in 2021 to dedicate 0.5% of GDP to research and innovation, the budgetary allocation to the relevant ministry remained abysmally low at 0.14% of GDP in 2022. This was about the same level for the previous years0.13% and 0.14% for 2020 and 2021.

If Nigeria is to benefit from science and research, and harness technology and innovation to transform the economy and improve the social well-being of citizens, then the country must stop playing lip service to funding science and research activities.

The new government must rapidly harness science, technology and innovation as tools for national development. For example, the country could benefit from the development of solar energy to improve and stabilize the erratic electric supply, and from genomic studies to develop new therapeutics and vaccines for improved health and increased animal production.

Nigeria must increase the budgetary allocation to fund science and research annually from the current 0.14% of GDP to at least 1% in the next four years.

It must also expand the scope and funding capacity of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund to sustainably fund long term interdisciplinary research directed at solving Nigeria's health, environment and other developmental challenges.

The new president must also see to it that the proposal to establish the Nigeria National Research and Development Foundation is realized before the end of his first year in office. Not much has been heard about this proposal lately.

Retain the capacity that's built

The new president must recognize the need to prioritize capacity retention over capacity building. This should be through creating and sustaining a scientific and research environment that enables our highly trained workforce to conduct research activities productively and with relevance.

Too many of Nigeria's scientists leave the country because of lack of employment opportunities, socio-cultural issues, poor remuneration and non-attainment of professional fulfillment. For instance, nine out of 10 medical and dental consultants with less than five years of experience planned to leave Nigeria as at December 2022. Similarly, 57,000 nurses left Nigeria between 2017 and 2022 leaving a ratio of one nurse to 1,660 patients, based on the population. Software engineers are leaving too.

The research environment can be improved through easier access to foreign exchange and reduced importation charges for imported research equipment, supplies and reagents. Research also requires a stable electricity supply. Electricity production in Nigeria reached 7,637 GWh in June 2022, for a population of 219 million. For comparison, South Africa's electricity production reached 17,536 GWh in December 2022, for a population of 61 million.

Appoint a chief scientific adviser

As a matter of urgency, the president must appoint a chief scientific adviser charged with coordinating all science and research activities for the economic development of the country and social well-being of citizens.

Currently, science and research activities are scattered among different ministries and parastatals working in silos, carrying out uncoordinated work of little relevance to national development. The adviser to the president would assist in bringing all these together to ensure relevant focus and to reduce duplication and wastage of resources.

Start producing vaccines locally

The new president must consider local vaccine production as a national health security issue. He must ensure local vaccine production begins within the first two years in office. This will reduce costly dependence on foreigners for the country's vaccine needs and safeguard national health security. Currently Nigeria produces no vaccines but a production plant is scheduled to commence production in 2024.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Heads of the central committees of the non-Communist political parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce take questions at a press conference during the first session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Beijing, March 5, 2023. [Photo by Cui Can/China.org.cn]

Leaders of China's eight non-Communist parties and the chairperson of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce met the press and shared the highlights of their participation in China's system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation at a press conference in Beijing on Sunday.

Many foreigners may know that the Communist Party of China (CPC) holds power in China, but less well-known perhaps is that the country also has eight other political parties. The press conference provided the world with a glimpse into China's unique political system.

Stressing CPC leadership

"'Following the CPC is the only way to walk on the right path' is a political belief that the old generation of leaders of the China Association for Promoting Democracy (CAPD) has followed throughout their lives," said Cai Dafeng, chairman of the Central Committee of the CAPD, adding that it is necessary for the CAPD to pass on their political belief and work to better serve the big-picture interests.

In response to major strategic decisions of the CPC, the non-Communist parties have played a crucial role in leveraging their strength to meet the needs of the country.

Wu Weihua, chairman of the Central Committee of the Jiusan Society, said that the Jiusan Society has always been committed to building China's strength in science and technology.

Since 2018, the party has conducted extensive research into many enterprises, finding that some lacked sufficient R&D motivation and investment. One of the reasons behind this is that although the policy of granting additional tax deductions for R&D costs helped to boost enterprises' R&D investment, problems such as limited coverage and a low deduction rate still remained, Wu said.

The Jiusan Society then submitted proposals to the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference on strengthening guidance for the R&D expense deduction policy to encourage enterprises to conduct basic and applied research, offering useful references for improving relevant policies.

According to this year's government work report, over the past five years, China has raised the extra tax deduction on R&D expenses for manufacturing firms and small and medium-sized sci-tech enterprises from 50% and 75%, respectively, to 100%, and the policy has been extended to cover all qualified industries.

Serving interests of all

One of China's eight non-Communist parties, the Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party (CPWDP) mainly consists of intellectuals working in the fields of health care, education, science and technology.

The entire party has worked together in the battles against poverty and the epidemic over recent years, making great contributions and demonstrating the party's political character of serving the country and improving people's well-being, said He Wei, chairman of the CPWDP.

According to He, nearly 30,000 CPWDP members served as medical workers on the front line against the epidemic. By the end of last year, more than 60,000 party members had donated a total of 1.23 billion yuan ($178 million) in the form of money or materials.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC). Gao Yunlong, chairman of the ACFIC, said that since its founding, the federation has served as a bridge and a link between the CPC and the government, and private enterprises.

By carrying out such initiatives as "mobilizing over 10,000 private enterprises to engage in poverty alleviation in more than 10,000 villages," the ACFIC has encouraged private enterprises to make significant contributions to socio-economic development, creating jobs and improving people's livelihoods, Gao said.

New type of party system

"Since the People's Republic of China was founded over 70 years ago, China has maintained long-term stability and sustainable economic development, in which the new type of party system has played a significant role," said Zheng Jianbang, chairman of the Central Committee of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang (RCCK).

China's political party system is different from the pluralist party system common in the West, and the one-party system, as it allows the ruling party and participating parties to work jointly for the nation, Zheng said.

By actively participating in political consultation, the deliberation of state affairs and democratic oversight, members of non-Communist parties contribute their strength and wisdom to addressing the public's major concerns.

Ding Zhongli, chairman of the Central Committee of the China Democratic League (CDL), said at the press conference that since 2021, the CDL has conducted special democratic oversight over the ecological conservation of the Yangtze River in Yunnan province. Targeting problems they identified during their oversight and supervision work, the CDL has offered suggestions and organized experts in environmental protection to assist local governments.

"The Party committees and governments at all levels have attached great importance to the democratic oversight work of the non-Communist parties," Ding said, adding that democratic oversight has been implemented in earnest and achieved great progress.
FORT EDWARD  A Hampton man has been arrested for allegedly assaulting an inmate while locked up at the Washington County Jail.

Police said that on Feb. 27, at about 2:45 p.m., Damien Beayon, 37, assaulted another incarcerated individual and injured that person.

Beayon was charged with felony second-degree assault. He was arraigned in Washington County Centralized Arraignment Court and due back in Fort Edward Town Court at a later date.

Beayon on Feb. 24 had pleaded guilty in Washington County Court to a felony count of DWI-previous conviction, according to the Washington County District Attorneys Office.

He is expected to receive 1 1/3 to 4 years in state prison when sentenced on March 30.
The debate over Gov. Kathy Hochuls state budget proposal to ban menthol-flavored cigarettes is heating up.

As part of her proposed budget, Hochul suggested banning the sale of all flavored vaping and tobacco products, and increasing the cigarette tax from $4.35 to $5.35 per pack.

The move to ban menthol cigarettes was applauded by health advocates, including the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association and the American Medical Association. But plenty of people have come out against the proposal, including convenience store owners, faith leaders in the Black community and law enforcement officers.

Why ban it?

Proponents of the ban say menthol flavoring entices children to use tobacco and consequently become addicted, which is backed up by studies, including a recent one by the the University of California San Diego. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also has proposed prohibiting menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars to prevent youth from smoking and to reduce tobacco-related illnesses and death.

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.

We know that menthol makes tobacco products easier to start and harder to quit, Dr. James McDonald, Acting State Health Commissioner, said in a statement.

A 2018 survey from the anti-tobacco campaign Truth Initiative showed that a majority of Black people (60.5%) and Latino people (69.3%) supported the ban of menthol products, as did 1 in 4 smokers.

Prohibiting the sale of menthol cigarettes would reduce the ease of experimenting with cigarettes, particularly to younger users, and encourage people who smoke menthol cigarettes to quit, the American Lung Association said on its website.

Whos opposed?

Opponents of the ban  including law enforcement officers and convenience store owners and employees  say it will not prevent people from smoking.

It will only hurt small businesses and their employees, encourage the illegal sale of cigarettes and put additional stress on law enforcement to uphold.

Prohibitionist policies and regressive taxes such as these will only hurt small businesses, strengthen the illicit market, eliminate jobs and have no impact on public health, New York Association of Convenience Stores President Kent Sopris said.

New Yorkers who want to smoke these cigarettes will be able to buy them in neighboring states and on tribal lands. Or, they will buy them illegally on the streets.

My concern is with law enforcement, retired New York State police officer Elliott Boyce said. Now law enforcement officers that are already strained as far as resources and being able to deal with felony crimes, gang activity. Now theyre going to have another thing placed on their plate, which is a ban on menthol cigarettes.

Counties will also lose out on millions of dollars in tax revenue generated by the sale of cigarettes. Last year, Erie County raised nearly $3.7 million in sales tax from cigarettes, while Niagara County brought in $730,000, according to data from NYS Tax Department and the U.S. General Accountability Office.

Prohibitions do not work, said Wayne Harris, retired Rochester deputy police chief and current board chair of the Law Enforcement Action Partnership. It did not work with alcohol. It did not work with the war on drugs, and it most certainly will not work for menthol or flavored tobacco products.

Black faith leaders have also spoken out against the ban.

Black ministers would like to see menthol cigarette ban go up in smoke If menthol cigarettes are prohibited in New York State, there are two fears: that it will open up an illegal black market for cigarettes from other states, and it will make Blacks a target for police enforcement.

Whos affected most?

Of Black people who smoke, 85% smoke menthol cigarettes, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

Last month, Black faith leaders urged Hochul to create a commission on menthol cigarettes, instead of trying to ban them. It is not that they want to advocate smoking, they said, but they fear the ban would disproportionately affect Black people if it goes through. First, by creating a market for out-of-state cigarettes and, second, by making Black people a target for police.

A prohibition will drive people just a few miles down the road to reservations to purchase legal, menthol and flavored tobacco while police stop Buffalos residents and ask where they purchased the menthol cigarettes, said the Rev. Frank Bostic, pastor of Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church on Michigan Avenue.

Other places?

Canada was the first country to ban menthol cigarettes, in 2015.

A recent study from researchers at the University of Waterloo for the World Health Organization found that banning menthol cigarettes didnt lead to more people buying illicit cigarettes, as the ban opponents have said would happen. The study found no change in the number of people who bought illicit cigarettes on tribal lands.

Another study of Canadian smokers using data from the International Tobacco Control Project found more menthol smokers than regular cigarette smokers quit smoking after the ban went into effect. It also found there was a 7.3% increase in smoking cessation after the ban.

In June 2020, Massachusetts implemented a law prohibiting the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes. According to the Reason Foundation, a California-based think tank, cigarettes sales decreased by 22% in Massachusetts following the ban, but increased by 33 million in the five states bordering Massachusetts.
ALBANY  Newly proposed state legislation seeks to create a monthly retirement benefit for New York prison inmates who are at least 62 years of age and have completed at least five years of their sentences.

The measure, proposed by Sen. Luis Sepulveda, D-Bronx, points out that elderly incarcerated individuals, under the rules of the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, are typically required to participate in prison jobs and other programs even if they are well past retirement age.

The monthly stipend would be set at $30 and would kick in at the same time that people eligible for Social Security can begin collecting that government benefit, Sepulvedas bill states.

People in prison should have that same benefit, even if drastically reduced, Sepulveda stated in the bills justification section.

The measure, if enacted, would potentially cost state taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.

State data obtained by CNHI indicates New York prisons now have 1,144 inmates who are at least 65 years of age. A total of 1,457 inmates range in age from 60 to 64.

Other state data shows that most state prison inmates are incarcerated for violent felony offenses, such as homicides, rapes and robberies.

Sepulveda reasoned in the bill that stipends are warranted for older inmates because they tend to be more isolated than younger prisoners and have less family support, so they often do not have outside income sources or anyone to send them packages, making them totally reliant on the income they receive from their jobs in prisons in order to make commissary purchases.

While Sepulveda, as a Democrat, is a member of the party that controls both the Senate and the Assembly, it was not immediately clear whether the legislation will advance in the current session.

But the proposal received a frosty reception from two upstate lawmakers with several state prisons in their districts.

Sen. Dan Stec, R-Queensbury, said the inmates who would benefit from Sepulvedas plan are receiving free housing, meals and other services from the state.

Theyve been enough of a burden on society, Stec said. We dont need to be creating a pension system for them.

If lawmakers want to find worthy recipients for new state benefits, Stec said they should examine the plight of homeless U.S. military veterans.

Last year, Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, signed a measure that allows prison inmates to qualify for the states tuition system program if they enroll in college classes at correctional facilities.

Assemblyman Billy Jones, D-Plattsbjurgh, said he opposes the proposal to qualify older inmates for state financial stipends.

This sends the wrong message to our society, said Jones, a former state corrections officer. Its not cruel and unusual punishment if we dont give an inmate a retirement system.

Delaware County Sheriff Craig DuMond said he was disappointed to learn that lawmakers have taken up the proposal.

Its a complete, direct slap in the face to crime victims and to taxpayers, DuMond said. People should be outraged about this. Under this bill, we would be giving taxpayer money away to people who victimize people. Its just an appalling idea.

The Sepulveda proposal comes on the heels of another bill that would allow inmates 55 and older who have served 15 years behind bars to qualify for elder parole. Inmates who are deemed qualified could be released on parole based on merit and their behavior.

Representatives of Release Aging People in Prison, an advocacy group that supports elder parole, had no immediate comment on the bill that would create a stipend system for inmates 62 and older.
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP  Film action star and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger urged a standing room audience of Stockton University students Monday to fight against hatred and intolerance.

Schwarzenegger, 75, has had a film career stretching over five decades, beginning with his appearance in the 1977 documentary Pumping Iron, which highlighted his previous achievements as a professional bodybuilder.

More recently, Schwarzenegger has found a role speaking out against hatred and intolerance, including lessons he learned as the son of a Nazi officer.

It is easier to hate than it is to learn. Easier isnt better, he told a packed auditorium of 600 students and faculty in the Campus Center Event room. Ive seen enough people throw away their futures for hateful beliefs. I want to speak to you before you find regrets at the end of your path.

He also spoke of a visit to Auschwitz this past September, telling the crowd that you feel a tremendous weight that reminds us of the horrors.

How do we stop this from happening again? After a visit to Auschwitz, you will never question why never again is a valid cry of the people who fight to prevent another Holocaust, Schwarzenegger said.

Schwarzeneggers day on campus began with a tour of the Sara & Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center, where he met survivors, center employees and students.

There was an air of excitement as the group waited for his arrival. Stacey Clapp, the director of Strategic Communications for the college, kept personnel updated on Schwarzeneggers location as he got closer.

Holocaust survivor Elizabeth Roth waited inside. She and her three sons along with their wives were there to meet Schwarzenegger.

Roth and her sister were the only ones in her family who survived the Holocaust, she said.

She and her husband moved to America when their oldest son, Carl, was 2 years old. It wasnt easy, she said.

We had very little money and with the money we did have we bought a chicken farm, she said. Our American neighbors didnt understand how bad it was in Europe, some of them denied understanding this is real.

Carl Roth, who attended school in Millville, said he went there speaking only Czechloslovakian, but learned English at school.

He recalled some of his classmates also had parents who survived the concentration camps, and he was able to bond with them over this.

South Jersey has been home to hundreds of Holocaust survivors who have lived in Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland counties as well as some adjacent communities.

Gail Rosenthal, executive director of the Holocaust Center, led the 38th governor of California through the room, introducing him to excited students, and to Roth and her family.

Student Mohammed Baig, an intern at the center got to meet Schwarzenegger and take a photograph with him. Baig said hes been taking a Holocaust and Genocide Studies course, which has been an eye-opening experience.

I have had no prior education about the Holocaust and had no idea how many people died, Baig said. He added that he moved to the United States from Pakistan five years ago.

During his presentation, Schwarzenegger was asked what motivates him.

You have to have a clear vision, you cant stumble around every day. I used to hear people complain about the number of reps that they had to do to see results at the gym. I never minded how many I had to do; I knew they would get me one step closer to my goal, he said beaming with a smile.

Schwarzenegger credits his idols being President Ronald Reagan and Reg Park who was an English bodybuilder, businessman, and actor.

When he was done speaking, the audience gave him a standing ovation. President Dr. Harvey Kesselman presented him with a gift of maple syrup made from trees found on Stocktons campus here.

This visit to Stockton University was made possible by Conyers Davis who is the son of Stocktons Board of Trustees member Nancy Davis. Conyers Davis is the director of the Schwarzenegger Institute at University of Southern California.
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP  The Funny Farm Rescue & Sanctuary helped rescue more than 150 birds, including chickens and fighting roosters, at a site in Buena Vista Township this past weekend, according to a social media post Sunday by the non-profit animal rescue agency.

The farm, based in the Mizpah section of the township, said it was summoned by State Police after a report of dozens of roosters that were trained for fighting.

The rescue volunteers arrived at the Newtonville location Saturday and found hundreds of chickens, especially roosters, pigeons and ducks, Funny Farm owner Laurie Zaleski confirmed in a text Sunday.

It was the most horrific and overwhelming experience we have ever seen, the Facebook posting read. Animal Control and the State Police were there to help supervise the rescue of as many animals as we could save. Sadly, many perished before we arrived.

The property belongs to two men who were charged Jan. 30 on animal cruelty charges, according to the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office in a prior news release.

Sigfredo Perez, 81, of Newtonville, and Queli Merlo, 49, of Hammonton, were charged with owning/training live animals for the purpose of fighting, the Prosecutors Office said.

The animals had since been under a month-long quarantine by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Zaleski said.

Atlantic County men charged in rooster fighting operation Two men have been charged with training roosters to fight, the Atlantic County Prosecutors 

The men were arrested after the prosecutors Humane Law Enforcement Unit discovered more than 100 birds, some trained to fight, on Perezs roughly 2.5-acre property in the 600 block of Sixth Road in Newtonville. The animals were found in unsanitary conditions, the Prosecutors Office said.

Detectives and volunteers worked from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. to move the ducks, hens, roosters and turkeys to their new homes at local rescues, the Prosecutors Office said.

Zaleski showed a video of her capturing one of the chickens from a broken coop. She had to break her way through the broken cage in order to capture the bird, which was clearly frightened. Zaleski was then seen trying to comfort the struggling animal.

I broke down in the midst of catching birds and just cried, Zaleski said.

Several volunteers showed up at the Funny Farm to help build temporary houses and clean new areas for the animals.

Many of the animals currently at the farm had to be rearranged to make room for the new animals. The farm said new areas are still being built to accommodate all of the residents. All animals will need to see a vet, the farm added.

We are not the rescue who begs for money every other day. In fact, it is difficult for Laurie to say we need help at all, but this situation is the worst we have ever seen, the farm wrote.

Funny Farm is a 501(3) charity and operates entirely by donations.

Anyone who wants to help is asked to donate at funnyfarmrescue.org/general-donate/. Donations may also be mailed to or dropped off at the farm, located at 6908 Railroad Blvd., Mays Landing, NJ 08330.

GALLERY: Animals find their angel at Funny Farm
MIDDLE TOWNSHIP  Christopher Leusner, who put forging community connections at the forefront of Middle Township Police operations as police chief, announced his retirement Monday after 26 years with the department.

He served as chief for half of his career.

In a March 2 letter to officials, he said he will step down on May 31, and expressed pride in the members of his department.

I always say they dont work for me, I work for them, Leusner said.

Township officials credit Leusner with creating a model for community policing that has shaped policy at the local, county and state level.

Through an initiative with Volunteers of America, two social service navigators will be embedded in the police department to refer community members in need to the appropriate agencies.

The chief consistently emphasized the connection between mental health and public safety, and is one of six original members of the Cape Regional Wellness Alliance, a small coalition of community leaders founded in 2016 to help children affected by trauma, according to a township statement announcing Leusners retirement.

Leusner introduced the Handle With Care partnership with local schools to alert the district to students who might need extra support after witnessing or experiencing a traumatic incident.

That program is now statewide.

Leusner also initiated data driven policing, allocating resources and setting priorities based on analysis of incidents in the communities.

In the Rio Grande section of the township, which has seen numerous quality-of-life issues, Leusner established a police substation.

In recent years, Luesner has led a department through seismic changes, including the legalization of marijuana and a national reckoning on race relations after the death of George Floyd, for which four former Minneapolis police officers have been convicted, including one who has been convicted of murder.

Locally, Middle Township Police shut down one of the countys busiest intersections at routes 9 and 47 in the Rio Grande section in 2020 for a Black Lives Matter protest, which concluded with officers joining the protesters in prayer.

Later, Leusner initiated several police reforms, including some recommended by the protesters, according to township officials. In September of that year, the township formed the Middle Township Law Enforcement Community Engagement Committee, in a unanimous vote by township Committee, and Leusner had been at the forefront of local efforts to address issues related to homelessness in the community.

The department also participated in a number of community events, and held 12 Cops and Coffee events in 2022, with more planned this year.

As an elected official, I consider myself blessed to have served the past 12 years side by side with Chris Leusner, said Mayor Tim Donohue. Chief Leusner has been a truly transformative figure in law enforcement, pioneering programs and strategies that defined progressive, positive community policing.

Township officials plan to select the new chief from the current captains in the department, who include Operations Capt. James Loftus and Administrative Capt. Jennifer DeLanzo, who became the first woman to achieve that rank in Middle Township in 2022,

In his retirement statement, Leusner expressed confidence in the future of the force, and appreciation for the support of the community.

Because of the work our officers have done and continue to do, were able to accomplish more and adapt to a challenging environment, he said.

He also made youth outreach a priority, touting the success of the townships police youth camp and other initiatives. While Leusner was chief, the department also launched a series of trading cards that officers could give out to young people, one for each officer, although Leusner always gave others credit for the idea.

Leusner served as president of the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police from June 2019 to June 2020, and is a past state president of the FBI National Academy Associates New Jersey Chapter and past president of the Cape May County Chiefs of Police Association.

Chris will be missed, but he leaves behind a department embedded with a strong command structure and a well-established tradition of excellence, Donohue said. On behalf of Township Committee and the good people we represent, we thank Chris for his service and wish him a long, happy and healthy retirement.
By Anna Winston

There is an extraordinary house on the tiny island of Cavallo, off the southern tip of Corsica, but you have to look pretty hard to find it. Nestled in the rocky shore, it is almost invisible from the land: terraces are shaded by wooden awnings that appear to have washed up on the beach. Inside, white sculptural forms give the impression that you are in a cave, where generous openings frame the view out to sea, across a small private beach.

Even on an island known for luxury villas, this house, on the market for 9.9mn, is something special. The five-bedroom family home was designed by the French architect Savin Couelle and sits among vast hunks of granite on a one-hectare peninsula, within sight of Sardinia. Built in 1990, it is an important example of Couelles work, which combines organic forms with a neutral palette of raw, natural materials and splashes of colour from the surrounding landscape.

Designed by architect Savin Couelle in 1990, the propertys white sculptural forms give the impression of being in a cave

I was lucky enough to accompany my father to Cavallo at the very beginning of the [project], says Alexandre, Savins son, who is also an architect. He explained to me that this house would be like an outpost nestled between these great rocky masses. He imagined the winter storms assaulting the house; he was looking for that exchange between the elements; the wind, the waves and the spray. This house . . . has no equivalent in his work.

Couelle first arrived in Sardinia in the 1960s with his father, the architect Jacques Couelle, who was commissioned to create the Cala di Volpe hotel, one of the key developments in the Aga Khans transformation of the Sardinian coast. Renamed the Costa Smeralda, the coast became one of the most desirable  and expensive  destinations in Europe.

The Aga Khan gathered together architects who shared an interest in using local materials to design structures that were closely connected to their surroundings. The designers were invited to create key public buildings and spaces, as well as tourist destinations. Collectively, they ushered in a style that was simultaneously rooted in the local environment and sympathetic to the needs and sensibilities of a cultured, international audience.

A strong connection with the elements was central to Couelles vision for the house

Savin later settled in the area and became one of the most popular local architects, designing private villas along the coast of Sardinia and Corsica. He was instrumental in defining not just the aesthetic of Corsican and Sardinian architecture but an entire branch of Mediterranean Modernism, and his work was often copied and imitated  something he enjoyed, according to his son.

Savin was a completist who cultivated relationships with local craftspeople who became the hands of the architect, allowing him to refine the tiniest details of each design  from the handles on the doors to the shape of each stone in a paved floor.

Each project had to respect the history [of the area] by retaining the local traditions; each had to tell a story and have a unique personality, says Alexandre. It is difficult to classify his [Savins] architecture, but it certainly comes close to the work of a sculptor in its search for perfect composition. The apparent complexity of the forms, the different materials and the play of light are staged and orchestrated to make each of his creations unique.

Photography: Corsica Sotheby's International Realty
Union health ministry issues a caution on H3N2 variant

Considering the trend of rising coronavirus cases in Karnataka, Health minister Dr K Sudhakar has called for a high-level meeting on Monday here.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Minister Sudhakar stated, Since last one week the cases of corona infections are on the rise. The Union health ministry has issued a caution on the H3N2 variant. The meeting will be held on March 6 with experts and officers.

The meeting will discuss the steps to be taken to prevent the COVID virus from spreading. Karnataka has reported 95 fresh COVID cases and 79 new cases were detected in Bengaluru city in the last 24 hours. IANS

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Adenovirus alarm: 36 kids die in W Bengal

Adenovirus menace seems to be taking an alarming shape in West Bengal with the death of 36 children in the last nine days as per the records of the state health department. Children are being admitted with flu-like symptoms, especially children of two-years of age or below since they are most vulnerable to being affected by the virus. IANS
K Annamalai allegedly incited violence and promoted enmity between two groups

The Tamil Nadu police on Sunday booked state BJP president K Annamalai for allegedly inciting violence and promoting enmity between two groups after rumours emanated about the attack on migrant workers from North India in the state.

The BJP state president was booked under Sections 153, 153(1)(a), 505 (1)(b) and 505(1)(c) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). This was after he stated that the ruling DMK and its allies were responsible for the situation in the state.

Meanwhile, K.Annamalai in a tweet dared the Tamil Nadu Police to touch him within the next 24 hours. The BJP leader said, You think that you can suppress democracy by filing false cases. I give you 24 hours and dare you to touch me.

The Tamil Nadu Police registered an FIR against the editor of Dainik Bhaskar, Hindi newspaper; Twitter user Mohammed Tanveer whose profile shows him as a journalist; BJP spokesman from Bihar Prasant Umrao and two social media influencers, Shubham Shukhla and Yuvaraj Singh Rajput under various sections of IPC.

Cops awareness drive

The Tamil Nadu Police have commenced an awareness drive among the migrant workers of industrial units in Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, Salem, Madurai and other parts of the state to curtail the fear that they are being attacked by Tamil locals. IANS

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TN Governor urges North Indian workers in state not to panic

Governor RN Ravi urged the North Indian migrant workers in the state not to panic and feel insecure. He said that the people of Tamil Nadu are very nice and friendly.

Bihar govt sends team

While Bihars deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav is facing criticism over the alleged assault on Bihari labourers in Tamil Nadu, chief minister Nitish Kumar spoke to his Tamil Nadu counterpart M.K. Stalin and sent a team there to investigate the incident. IANS
MP Sibal to unveil his plan to bring all parties together against NDA soon

Rajya Sabha member and former Congress leader Kapil Sibal will unveil his vision document on March 11 to call for opposition unity.

Sibal has appealed to all the opposition parties to support his endeavour.

A head of the 2024 general elections, Sibal is trying to carve his space independently in the political setup as there is a churning going on and no political platform has evolved yet that can put up a challenge to the Modi-led NDA.

On the alliances, Rahul Gandhi during an interaction in London said, you will see a surprise.

In the opposition, many leaders are trying to forge a new formulation, be it BRSs K. Chandrasekhar Rao, Trinamool Congress Mamata Banerjee or Janata Dal (U)s Nitish Kumar. And, Sibal is the newest entrant to this club now.

A senior lawyer and former Union Minister in the Manmohan Singh-led UPA, Sibal has been a trouble-shooter for many political parties, and he is engaged in fighting their cases in various courts. Some of these parties include Uddhav Shiv Sena, Samajwadi party, RJD, JMM and many others.

This could be alarm bells for the Congress, which in Raipur passed a resolution on alliance about taking along the like-minded parties. But, it may take some time to reach out to the opposition parties formally. IANS

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Delhi CM Kejriwal lauds the initiative

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday lauded the new initiative of independent Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal and exhorted people to join him. IANS
The procedure is a non-invasive skin resurfacing treatment that uses laser technology to improve the appearance of the skin. It can help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, acne scars and hyperpigmentation, and can also improve overall skin tone and texture

The Hollywood laser facial has gained popularity because of the amazing visible results on your skin. It is named after the city where this was first developed. Also known as the spectra carbon peel, it helps in reducing pigmentation and assists in the rejuvenation of the skin. Dr Batul Patel, leading skin specialist, and medical director at The Bombay Skin Clinic, says, "Although called a facial, it is actually a laser treatment. It is a quick and easy procedure with instant results. The Q-switch laser is the safest laser for Indian skin if used well. It helps to reduce tan and pigmentation with minimal downtime and no chance of any side effects. It not only gives instant results but also helps in a skin transformation and assists in improving the skin texture and tone, long-term. As it reveals fresher and better skin, it is worth doing this procedure at frequent intervals to see the best results. Dr Patel decodes the popular skin treatment:

More than just a facial!

It is a treatment that follows 6 steps. After cleansing and hydra dermabrasion, the carbon peel is evenly applied to the face. As the carbon dries, it binds to dirt, oil and other contaminants on the skin's surface. Then a Q-switched laser is passed over your face which will heat the carbon and cause it to absorb the impurities in the skin. You will hear a snapping sound as the Laser is passed over the carbon. An aloe vera gel is then applied to soothe and hydrate the skin. Lastly, a natural brightening and hydrating mask is applied to the face.

What does it treat?

It can be used to treat a variety of conditions:

 Signs of premature aging

 Dull complexion, tone and texture

 Dark spots

 Mild acne scars

 Fine lines and wrinkles

 Oily skin

 Firmness of skin and rejuvenation

Preparation and recovery

Although there is no preparation required, you should consult with your doctor before the treatment. It is mainly painless, but some patients experience a mild stinging sensation during the procedure. The most common effect seen post-procedure is a slight redness that subsides in a few hours. You will probably notice brighter and clearer skin right after one treatment on account of exfoliation of the skin and unclogging of the pores.

Downtime

The procedure is quick and easy, requires no topical anesthesia and there is minimal downtime associated with it. You can resume your normal activities on the same day.

How often do you need the facial?

Your doctor will recommend that you should do 4-6 sessions about 4 weeks apart to see optimal results. Ultimately, proper consultation with your doctor will decide how many sessions you actually require.

Who should avoid it?

It is usually not recommended for people with sensitive skin. It is important to consult with a dermatologist before undergoing the treatment and should be performed only in a clinic. Even though it is very safe, has no downtime and is a popular laser facial, it should never be performed in a salon without a professional expert. AGENCIES
Melvin Hawkins and Angela Tot remember the early days of rap and hip-hop in the Quad-Cities.

Hawkins  known in the local music scene as  DJ Mixxin Mel  was part of the first Quad-Cities rap group, "Alkatraz."

We were just a group of kids, in 1984, he said. Everybody wanted to rap, but they didnt have beats to rap over. So me, collecting records and stuff, I told them to come over to my house.

The development of rap and hip-hop in the Quad-Cities mirrored much of its New York origins: Kids would write rhymes to spit over record tracks being simultaneously turned and mixed by DJs  cue Mixxin Mel.

They werent artists yet, they were just enthusiasts that wanted to do it, Hawkins said. A lot of the younger ones really gravitated towards it, because it was really like a message, or telling a story about themselves living in the Quad-Cities.

Thats the truth for Tot, who went by iterations of the name "Chyna" in her tenure as an artist. One of the first Quad-City female rappers, she was introduced to hip-hop in elementary school after hearing music from The Sugarhill Gang and The Sequence, in particular, a female hip-hop trio.

"They (Sequence) had a rapper named Angie B  a lot of people called me 'Angie' when I was younger, so when she said 'Angie B, hey that's me!' it made me want to start rapping," Tot said. "I always wrote poetry  I got a lot of accolades for poetry when I was in elementary school, and rap is poetry. That's how I began writing."

Hawkins said he and his group began performing at public parks or neighborhood parties  typically him as DJ  complete with break dancers.

I started doing a lot with nurturing some of the hip-hop artists and getting my skills up to cater to them, he said. A lot of rappers were straight from Davenport and Rock Island; back then, there was a bit of a rivalry between Iowa and Illinois  so we used to do a lot of stuff with those kids to try and bring them together.

Tot, growing up a tomboy, hanging around her brothers, initially attended a lot of these events as a spectator, sometimes break-dancing herself. She admits being afraid to rap in front of others at first, only being around 13 to 14 years old in what was an already male-dominated culture.

"There were no females doing it," she said. "One day, I was there (park event) and Melvin's like, 'You're rapping,' and he kept the microphone in my face until I would rap. I finally got the courage to grab it, and that's where it all started."

Tot said the men in the local rap game back then were very competitive and didn't want anyone  especially women  to outshine them.

"Once they found out I could flow (rapping/rhyming without error)  If I said, 'Hey, can I get a beat? I want to do a song,'  the only person that would give me a good instrumental was Melvin. Everyone else was like 'nah' or would give me a beat that wasn't very good, or that I couldn't do much to."

"The guys didn't want to rap with you (women); they didn't want to help you," she said. "They were kind of in competition with you, but they didn't want to compete with you because they didn't want to look bad if you outflow them.  But every time there was an opportunity, I performed, because I enjoyed it."

Moving out of the parks, Hitmans teen club in Rock Island is the first place Hawkins recalled hosting a hip-hop event, in terms of DJs and rappers going head to head.

It kept everyone creative, and the competition made everybody braggadocious, he said. But, it was a way of keeping a lot of the kids off the street  and kept them in school, because of the writing, you know? You had to learn how to put stuff (rhymes) together.

Hawkins was also there to see hip-hop reach Quad-City radio when he was a DJ for St. Ambrose Universitys KALA-FM radio station from 1993 to 2001.

The kids were bringing us our demos  they had to be clean  and wed play them, he said. And that was giving back straight hip-hop to the community, for the masses, because there was no other radio here doing that, until like seven years later.

Before artists could upload their work online for streaming, or get discovered via a viral social media post, Hawkins recounts running roughly 75 albums through his recording studio, Delta Lab Recording Studios, from 1985 to 1999.

But around the early 2000s, people just started doing it (producing/recording music) on their own, he said, adding that he later closed the studio to focus on teaching artists how to perfect their craft from home.

Linking rappers with technical musicians was the most game-changing moment in his entire career, Hawkins said.

At the time, musicians didnt mess with the hip-hoppers, just the DJs, he said. We pulled together a team  it just opened up Pandoras Box for us. Then, all the other musicians started saying, Huh, theyre doing this good music, but theyre adding this flavor to it,

Im glad because it had to evolve, even up to what it's (rap) doing now. Its just another extension of the years.

From 1996 to 2002, Tot regularly performed in a duo called "The Conscious Minds of JT and Chyna," typically bringing their talents to school campuses and other educational venues.

"We would try to present whatever it was they (venues or organizations) needed," she said. "If it was for Black History Month, we'd pull literature and speak to the crowd about Black history and what it meant, then we'd maybe do a skit or two and perform rap songs, based on the theme of whatever we were doing."

As an artist, Tot's style was that of conscious lyricism, promoting "positive" or uplifting, empowering messages. She feels the current state of mainstream rap has taken a negative turn and fears for how it may be influencing the younger generation.

"Now, the music has a kind of spirit over it that's disturbing to me, coming from the era where it (rap) was fun and break-dancing," Tot said. "Now we have this music that puts a negative image into our community, and I don't like that."

She notes how there are still plenty of rappers with positive or conscious messaging but feels the music industry tends to put more money and airplay behind more "negative" rap songs, using things like "pill-popping" and "women-bashing" as examples.

"Rap is way more than that," she said. "It could really be a nice genre for our younger generation, across all nationalities and cultures."

Another misconception about rap music, to Hawkins, is that it's only for young folks.

"People want to put an age limit on it," he said. "You can be in your 80s, as long as you still got that voice, you can put out records  who said there was an age limit on knowledge?"

Though rap music  and rap music-making  looks much different now, Hawkins is happy to see the genre becoming more lucrative for artists.

"That's money we weren't getting back then," he said. "We were selling cassettes and stuff out of trunks, we were putting them in co-ops, taking CDs up and putting them on consignment  they ain't got to do none of that now. Just put their stuff up on Soundcloud, put your Cash App on there and get paid  but, as long as they're getting paid for it and not getting ripped off."

Still, Hawkins said artists should pursue rap for the love of the art, not just the money.

For young women interested in pursing rap, Tot said to "just do it."

"If you have that talent, and you have a message you want to put it out there, put it out there," she said.

Photos: Smokefall concert at Raccoon Motel: Quad-City music venues navigate mixed response to COVID-19 vaccination proof requirement
Montana State University Billings alumnus Jon Laurent, Ph.D., was recently inducted into the Montana Bioscience Alliance Hall of Fame for his critical role in COVID-19 testing research during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2020, Laurent was working as a postdoctoral research fellow at New York University Langone Health when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. He and his colleagues were already aware that the country was facing a serious outbreak.

New York City became the epicenter early in the pandemic and was quickly overwhelmed, Laurent said. Our lab on the NYU Langone campus was right across the street from the main Manhattan morgue. We could see it and were right in the middle of it all.

As a result, Laurent co-founded the Pandemic Response Lab. At the time, Laurent had developed methods for high-throughput investigation of genetic disorders using technology platforms that were also applicable to large-scale COVID-19 testing. His research quickly switched to pivoting the platform to provide rapid and accurate testing to help combat the disease in New York City and around the country.

By December, PRL had processed over 11 million COVID-19 tests. Laurent credits his Montana upbringing for setting him on a course that led to his current work. He was born in Hamilton and attended Billings schools, received his B.S. degree from MSUB in 2009, followed by his doctorate in cell and molecular biology from the University of Texas Austin in 2016.

Laurent praises the education he received at MSUB and believes Montana students are given opportunities that are not always available in larger areas. For example, when he was an undergraduate, he was able to make significant contributions to research in the labs of professors Kurt Toenjes, Ph.D., now Dean of the College of Health Professions and Science at MSUB, and David Butler, Ph.D.

Toenjes said Laurent was an exceptional student and an integral part of the Fungal Colony Research Lab.

It was a pleasure to serve as one of Jons undergraduate research mentors, Toenjes said. His success is no surprise to us, and we are very happy for him.

Butler said that right from the beginning it was clear Laurent had a bright future in science.

He was smart, curious, and loved being in the lab, and its been gratifying to read about his many accomplishments, he said.

Both Toenjes and Butler got him involved in research, which taught him critical skills early on. Laurent says that they were both great mentors and gave him invaluable experiences, which influenced his decision to stay in science and pursue a Ph.D. in the field.

Dr. Toenjes was the one who suggested I apply to the University of Texas Austin, because he had almost chosen that institution for his post-doctoral studies and knew the high quality of the department, Laurent said.

Laurent said he encourages other science-focused undergraduate students who want research experience to consider MSUB, since there are many opportunities available to them. He said many times at larger institutions, these same research opportunities are generally reserved for graduate students, while undergraduates simply provide routine assistance.

Growing up in Montana and spending many hours outdoors learning about nature and visiting places like the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, resulted in a passion for science and strongly influenced his career path.

I was interested in how things worked, and my parents encouraged my curiosity," he said.

When his mother died from ALS while he was studying at MSUB, Laurent said his decision to pursue a path in biosciences was solidified because he wanted to solve problems like that. When he reflects on why he and others choose science for their lifes work, two reasons surface; one is the desire to know more about the world and how the things living in it work, and the other is how to use that knowledge to better humanity.

Currently, Laurent is working on launching a new biotech startup. He also works as a consultant.
Altria Group will spend some $2.75 billion on its long-term goal to move beyond smoking with the purchase of NJOY Holdings Inc., which makes e-vapor products.

The Henrico County-based tobacco giant, which makes the nations biggest selling cigarette brand, Marlboro, will pay cash for NJOY. It said terms of the purchase include an additional $500 million that are contingent on regulatory approvals of some NJOY products.

Altrias announcement comes just days after the company said it was swapping its minority stake in Juul Labs for a license to some of Juuls heated tobacco intellectual property.

We believe we can responsibly accelerate U.S. adult smoker and competitive adult vaper adoption of NJOY ACE in ways that NJOY could not as a standalone company, said Billy Gifford, Altrias CEO.

As a result of this transaction, Altrias enhanced smoke-free portfolio will include full global ownership of products and technologies across the three largest smoke-free categories and a joint venture with JT Group for the U.S. commercialization of heated tobacco stick products, Gifford said.

NJOY received marketing granted orders from the Food and Drug Administration, a critical approval for selling vaping items, for six of its products, accounting for a major share of the 23 such orders the FDA has issued.

Its NJOY ACE device is a pod-based e-vapor product that is available in approximately 33,000 U.S. retail stores. The other five products covered by the FDA orders are nicotine pods, with concentrations ranging from 2.4% to 6%.

E-vaping products now have the largest share of the smoke-free market, with more than 14 million adult tobacco users who spend some $7 billion on them.

Altria said its sales force, which reaches more than 200,000 U.S. retail stores, can raise NJOYs profile and boost sales. Altrias experience helping retailers avoid cigarette sales to youth, including providing point-of-sale age-validation technology in more than 137,000 U.S. retail stores as well as age and identity verification apps for about 33,000 stores, should help address concerns over youth vaping. NJOYs small sales force and the limited distribution of its ACE products means many adult users are unaware of the product, Altria said.

In addition to the $2.75 billion purchase price, NJOY will receive $250 million if the FDA issues a marketing granted order for its menthol flavor pods. It would receive another $250 million if the FDA issues such orders for two other pods.

Altria said it expects NJOY will boost cash flow within two years of closing the purchase, and said it has several sources of funding for the purchase, including a $1 billion payment from Philip Morris International for its IQOS tobacco heating system, with an additional $1.7 billion due in July.

Last year, Altria wrote down the value of a 35% holding in vaping device maker Juul, acquired in 2018 for $12.8 billion, which freed it to get into the vaping business on its own instead of through Juul. The FDA had ordered Juul to stop selling its products, but that order is temporarily on hold.

Gifford said Friday that the swap was the right decision for Altria.

Juul faces significant regulatory and legal challenges and uncertainties, many of which could exist for many years, Gifford said.

In December, Juul reached settlements covering thousands of lawsuits over its e-cigarettes.

Altria Group Inc.s PM USA unit and a subsidiary of Japan Tobacco International have formed a joint partnership to sell heated tobacco stick products in the U.S.

Smoke from burning tobacco in a cigarette includes cancer-causing gas and particles, while heating tobacco is a way of inhaling nicotine, the addictive ingredient in tobacco, without burning it or ingesting it as snuff or chew.
(Image: Utusan Malaysia)

The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) revealed that the median savings of its bumiputera and Indian members have dipped significantly. This is following the multiple special withdrawals that was allowed during the Covid-19 pandemic in the past two years, which came up to a total of RM145 billion.

Specifically, bumiputera EPF members saw a 70% plunge in their median savings, from RM15,500 as of April 2020 to RM4,900 as of December 2022. Meanwhile, the median savings of Indian EPF members fell by 40%, from RM25,700 to RM14,900 during the same period. EPF members in the Chinese community, on the other hand, were less impacted; their median savings dipped 1% from RM45,800 as of April 2020 to RM45,200 as of December 2022.

In terms of income groups, the median savings of EPF members in the B40 income group saw the worst impact; it fell 70% from RM2,434 as of April 2020 to RM577 as of December 2022. This was followed by the M40 group, whose median savings dropped from RM30,113 to RM19,926 during the same period (34%). The T20 group, on the other hand, grew their median savings by 9%, from RM140,440 to RM152,964.

It was also noted that B40 and M40 individuals made up 5.2 million EPF members, while T20 individuals only made up 2.3 million EPF members.

(Image: The Star)

In light of these statistics, chief executive officer of the EPF, Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan reiterated that another special withdrawal just is not feasible. For us, we cannot allow more withdrawals, because the base has now gotten too low for some groups, he stressed.

Aside from that, Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah also highlighted that the low wage structure in Malaysia is one of the several factors that contributed to the inadequacy of retirement savings among Malaysians. As such, more initiatives need to be undertaken to boost the existing salary level to the living wage of RM2,700.

Other factors that also contributed to low retirement savings among Malaysians include inconsistent EPF contributions from members and low financial literacy. From the survey we have been running for years, we have seen that financial literacy among Malaysians remains very low, said Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah, adding that EPF members financial literacy rate is recorded at 29%.

In comparison, the financial literacy rate of Malaysians in general stood at 36%, while Singapore citizens had a financial literacy rate of 78%.

(Source: The Edge Markets)

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City Council declares three days of mourning in death of Tulum Mayor

Tulum, Q.R.  Three days of mourning have been decreed in Tulum for the death of Marciano Dzul Caamal. A public funeral was held Monday morning in Tulum for its former Mayor, Marciano Dzul Caamal.

Dzul died Saturday morning after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. He was being treated in a Monterrey hospital. Several days earlier, he had participated in a City Council meeting via video conference.

During the Monday morning funeral, First Councilor David Tah Balam, who lead the funeral said He was with us until the last moment that his physical resistance allowed him.

On Monday, Tulum City Council declared three days of mourning on March 6, 7 and 8. The council was present for the public funeral in Dos Aguas Park, as was his family, hundreds of citizens, dignitaries and Governor Mara Lezama, who also remembered the legacy of Dzul Caamal.

Governor Mara Lezama stands with the casket during the Monday morning funeral. Photo: March 6, 2023.

Likewise, Dzul Caamals wife, Ileana Canul de Dzul, expressed a few words in memory of the mayor, whom she described as a simple man who deeply loved Tulum.

Honor guards were held, headed by the governor and the representatives of the three powers of the state, as well as family members, mayors of Quintana Roo, the armed forces and local deputies.

His public tribute ended with one minute of cheers and applause. During the ceremony, his wife, Ileana Canul de Dzul, remembered the life and work of her husband.

She said he was an exceptional husband and an exemplary father. A simple man without lyrics who was despised by many, but who was better than many with titles, she said.
DEA announces charges of large-scale narcotics distribution conspiracy against Mexican cartel lieutenant

Mexico City, Mexico  Ismael Quintero Arellanes was arraigned before a United States Magistrate in New York last week. The arraignment came after Quintero was extradited to the U.S. from Mexico.

The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reported the arraignment took place before Judge Sanket J. Bulsara at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn on an indictment charging him with participating in a large-scale narcotics distribution conspiracy and using one or more firearms in connection with narcotic offenses.

Quintero, who is a Mexican citizen, was arrested in Mexico on a provisional arrest warrant issued from the Eastern District of New York and subsequently extradited from Mexico to the United States on March 1, 2023. Quintero Arellanes was ordered detained pending trial.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division (DEA), announced the extradition and arraignment.

As alleged, the defendant was a top lieutenant and head of security for Rafael Caro Quintero, an infamous drug lord whose violent organization has for decades sent thousands of kilograms of drugs to the United States, stated United States Attorney Peace.

Dismantling the leadership of drug trafficking organizations that have wreaked havoc here and abroad is a top priority for our Office, the DEA said in their statement.

Mr. Peace extended his appreciation to the DEAs office in Mexico City, the United States Marshals Service, the Department of Justices Office of International Affairs, and the Government of Mexico.

Quintero Arellanes was the executor for RCQs narcotics empire responsible for distributing drugs, violence, and death throughout Mexico and the United States, said DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino.

This extradition marks another victory for American rule of law in bringing to justice drug traffickers who have caused the most harm in our communities. I commend the men and women who spent tireless hours on this investigation in the pursuit of Justice.

According to the indictment and court filings, the defendant was a high-ranking member of the Caro Quintero DTO, a violent Mexican drug trafficking organization that was led by Rafael Caro Quintero.

As the leader of the drug trafficking organization, Caro Quintero employed numerous individuals, each of whom played a role to ensure the success of the organization, including sicarios or hit men who carried out acts of violence in Mexico such as murder and kidnappings to silence potential witnesses and retaliate against anyone who provided information to law enforcement; security personnel for the leadership of the enterprise; plaza bosses who controlled the enterprises territories; transporters of narcotics; and money launderers.

Quintero Arellanes served as Caro Quinteros top lieutenant and head of security. In that role, Quintero Arellanes served as Caro Quinteros personal bodyguard, relayed messages and orders between Caro Quintero and other members of the organization to facilitate drug trafficking activities, and protected Caro Quintero to enable him to avoid capture.

For his conduct, Quintero Arellanes is charged with participating in an international heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine distribution conspiracy from February 2015 through June 2018 and an international marijuana distribution conspiracy from January 1980 through June 2018, as well as using firearms in relation to his drug trafficking organization.

Caro Quintero was arrested in Mexico on July 15, 2022, and is pending extradition to the United States.

The prosecution of Quintero Arellanes is the result of an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation led by the United States Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of New York and the DEA.

The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nations illegal drug supply. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendant faces up to life in prison.

The governments case is being handled by the Offices International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Saritha Komatireddy, Francisco J. Navarro, Erin M. Reid, and Andrew D. Wang are in charge of the prosecution.
Foreign Minister says Mexico and India to work together on water, lithium, vaccines

Mexico City, Mexico  Mexicos Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard says Mexico and India will collaborate on water, lithium and vaccines. He said both countries have signed an agreement to establish funds to finance the projects.

The Ministry of Foreign Relations (SRE) Marcelo Ebrard also said Mexico plans to bring electric motorcycle immediate battery recharges to the country.

In a statement, the SRE announced that Mexico and India will collaborate and jointly finance binational development and innovation projects in various fields including those related to water, lithium, aerospace, biotechnology and vaccines.

During his tour of New Delhi, Ebrard participated, together with Indias Minister of Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh, the signing of an agreement between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Scientific and Industrial Research Council of India.

The two countries signed an agreement to work together on the projects. Photo: SRE March 4, 2023.

Among the highlights of the agreement was the constitution of a $1-million-dollar fund made up of contributions of $500,000 from each country.

According to the agreement, both countries will identify priority projects for development such as hydraulic management, development of electromobility and production of low-cost vaccines.

Secretary Ebrard explained that once the fund is established, various research institutions will be called to implement the chosen projects.

Foreign Minister Ebrard also met with Rajat Malhan, Vice President of SUN MOBILITY, which operates a system of instant battery charging stations for electric motorcycles.

The system allows electric motorcycle drivers, within a few minutes in automated stations, to change their drained/used batteries for recharged batteries.

As a result of the meeting, Ebrard reported that Mexican partners will be sought to bring a similar system to Mexico, which will allow for cheaper and less polluting transportation options.

The foreign minister was accompanied by Undersecretary Carmen Moreno Toscano; the Mexican ambassador in India, Federico Salas; the General Director of Cooperation Policy, Javier Davila, and the General Director of Planning and Evaluation, Carlos Castillo.
Mexico will accelerate in production of electric cars with investments from Tesla and BMW

Mexico City, Mexico  Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard is celebrating the investments from Tesla and BMW. He says Mexico will accelerate in the production of electric cars.

Today, Mexico has many possibilities because we are experiencing a great change in the economic supply chain and the economic organization in the world, Ebrard said in a statement.

Ebrard is celebrating millions in Mexican investments from both Tesla and BMW, saying that the country is moving very quickly to accelerate the domestic production of electric cars.

Before an audience of businessmen, global executives and international diplomats, the Foreign Secretary said that the transition from combustion cars to electric vehicles is happening around the world faster than expected.

SRE head Marcelo Ebrard participates in Raisina Dialogue. Photo: SRE March 4, 2023.

For us it is a top priority to accelerate electromobility and the countrys energy transition because everything is changing faster than planned, he said during the Raisina Dialogue in India.

Recently, the BMW company announced a million-dollar investment in San Luis Potosi, while last week, Tesla announced the construction of a gigafactory electric car plant in Nuevo Leon.

Both investments were managed by the SRE and will generate thousands of jobs.

Secretary Ebrard also confirmed the opening of the Consulate General in Mumbai, Indias financial capital, which aims to accelerate opportunities in Mexico country with different sectors, specifically with the Indian pharmaceutical industry, which in turn translates into better prices and better quality medications.
Presidential decree claims 10 Riviera Maya properties for section 5

Riviera Maya, Q.R.  Through a decree, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has declared 137,622.4 square meters of land as public utility for Maya Train use. The land corresponds to 10 privately owned properties in the municipality of Solidaridad.

They are being earmarked for use for section 5 of the Maya Train.

The temporary occupation of 137,622.43 square meters is decreed, corresponding to 10 privately owned properties, the decree declares.

The Ministry of Agrarian, Territorial and Urban Development proceeds to the immediate occupation of the assets that are the subject of this decree. The interposition of any means of defense does not suspend the designated occupation, said the federal government.

According to the publication, Within ten business days following the notification of this decree, the interested parties may resort to judicial proceedings, with the sole purpose of disputing the amount of compensation but not the use of the land for the Maya Train.

The decree was published the day after a March 2 hearing between between Fonatur and Camino del Sol in Merida. The company won a suspension of work on section 5 after claiming that Maya Train workers illegally accessed the land and began felling trees without authorization.

The official outcome of that March 2 hearing has not been announced.
Draft to help improve legislative system

By Cao Yin (China Daily) 08:32, March 06, 2023

National legislators began on Sunday to amend a basic law that defines China's legislative system and regulates its legislative activities to promote whole-process people's democracy and strengthen the implementation of the Constitution.

The draft amendment to the Legislation Law was submitted at the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress, the country's top legislature, for deliberation on Sunday morning.

"This piece of legislation has played a big role in improving the legislative system and standardizing legislative activities," Wang Chen, vice-chairman of the 13th NPC Standing Committee, said while explaining the amendment to national lawmakers on Sunday.

"It also contributed to forming the socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics with the Constitution at its core and advancing law-based governance in an all-around way," he said.

Considering the new work methods and demand for legislation in recent years, it is necessary to amend the law to provide strong institutional support for improving the quality and efficiency of lawmaking, as well as for comprehensively building a modern socialist country based on rule of law, Wang said.

The 37-article draft amendment emphasizes that legislative activities should be conducted in line with the Constitution and its principles and spirit, and it calls for strengthening the review of related documents to ensure that they do not contradict the Constitution.

It requires the NPC's Constitution and Law Committee to provide reports with opinions after reviewing draft laws or revisions, adding that in these reports, the committee needs to explain whether the draft laws or revisions are consistent with the Constitution. It added a clause that the concept of whole-process people's democracy should be implemented in legislation to protect human rights as well as social fairness and justice.

"It will also institutionally ensure that legislation is for, depends on, benefits and protects the people," said Wang.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Wilton South Roanoke expects to complete its first seven homes in April, according to developer Alexander Boone of ABoone Real Estate Inc.

Boone called it the first community developed in south Roanoke in 60 years. He said the first phase has 24 lots and that Wilton is designed to have 77 lots at conclusion.

The setting, located in a previously wooded area between Peakwood Drive and the Mill Mountain Parkway, is a short drive from the Franklin Road Southwest business corridor and Carilion Clinic. Theres direct access to the Chestnut Ridge trail network.

Boone, in an email interview, made a point about the floor plans available.We are introducing to Roanoke a concept we build in Richmond  a finished attic! Many of our lots require a house built on a slab. Instead of a basement, we are finishing attics to create recreation rooms, playrooms and additional bedrooms on the third floor with views, he said.

Boone briefly sketched the projects long history, saying that after the development process began in 2005, plaintiffs sued the city to stop the project. Boones company joined with the city to defend the project and won a favorable state supreme court ruling in 2008.

Due to the state of the economy in 2008, we delayed the development of the community. I started the engineering process again in 2016 and began development in 2020, he said.

Office occupancy rate climbs

The occupancy rate for rental office space in the Roanoke Valley climbed from 85% a year ago to 88% in January, according to Poe & Cronk. Breaking that down further, the central business district, which covers downtown Roanoke, held steady at 87%. The southern business district rose from 90% to 94%, while the northern business district rose from 76% to 81%, according to the report, which is available at poecronk.com.

New look at the Roanoke Valley

Google Earth has updated its imagery of the region, which is good news for people who enjoy checking out aerial pictures.

The new version is dated Oct. 10, 2022, and captures such major-league changes as the redevelopment of the Valley Metro bus station and completion of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine.

The new imagery replaced, in downtown, imagery from July, 22, 2021. But the previously available imagery for the greater Roanoke Valley outside downtown was more than three years old.

A technical note is needed here. To access the new imagery I am using Google Earth Pro version 7.3.6.9345 installed on my work computer. The online version of Google Earth still displays older images.

I love Google Earth and look at it frequently. I wrote to its help desk a couple of months ago asking the company to update the Roanoke area imagery. I dont know if that request triggered this update, but it may have.

Taking a look? If you spot something interesting that belongs in this column, drop me a note.

Hemp shop goes out of business

Your CBD Store in Roanoke County closed Jan. 28 after three years in business.

Weve faced many challenges recently, and this decision did not come lightly, reads a sign on its door.

The Roanoke County office of economic development described the merchandise available as CBD products to people (and pets) of all ages, with tinctures, lotions, bath bombs, pet treats, and more.
Correction March 7, 2023, 5:01 p.m.: Virginia Tech's Innovation campus is being built in Alexandria. An earlier version of this story had an incorrect Northern Virginia location. The story has been updated.

Although Amazon paused construction on part of its second headquarters in Northern Virginia, Virginia Tech remains on schedule to open its nearby Innovation Campus in Alexandria next year, according to a university statement.

After layoffs at Amazon, the Seattle-based e-commerce company announced last week that it has delayed the second phase of construction on its HQ2.

Despite that delay, the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus is on schedule to welcome students into its first academic building in fall 2024, according to a statement provided Monday by a university spokesperson.

Amazons HQ2 was a catalyst for the commonwealths $1 billion Tech Talent Investment Program  and for announcing plans for our campus in 2018, the university statement said. But our mission has always been more ambitious than one company.

Virginia Techs Northern Virginia campus will open with an 11-story, 300,000-square-foot structure. Plans call for two additional buildings to host additional post-graduate masters and doctoral candidates, according to a university webpage.

We are excited to continue our work to define a new chapter of graduate education in the greater Washington, D.C., metro area and to help the state meet its goal of doubling the technology workforce, the university statement said.

The first phase of Amazons HQ2 is scheduled to open in June, with space to accommodate more than 14,000 employees, according to the company.
BLACKSBURG  Apartment buildings finished not too long ago can be seen in the distance beyond the hills and trees that make up the undeveloped farmland sitting directly behind a row of homes on Village Way South.

Guy Acciai, who lives in that area, said he and his neighbors arent against development. He even concedes the farmland will get developed, one way or another. The issue, he said, is bringing in a level of density that he fears will negatively impact his neighborhood.

Youre packing too much stuff into too little space, Acciai said.

Blacksburg town staff, along with the councils advisory board, are currently going over a proposal from developer Cary Hopper to build 176 single-family homes on the vacant farmland. The formal address for the project called Glade Spring Crossing is 1006 Glade Road.

One notable aspect of the project is the inclusion of 24 affordable housing units that will, through the town, receive $2 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds if a rezoning for the development is approved.

Those federal funds need to be spent by 2026, said Matt Hanratty, asssitant town manager.

Additionally, the lots for the affordable housing units included in Glade Spring will be part of the New River Home Trust, a partnership-based entity that was started to improve local housing affordability.

A trust places a cap on how much a home within the program can appreciate. Instead of relying on typical factors such as sales of similar properties and current market trends, the value would be based on income growth in the area.

For his development to go through as proposed, Hopper is asking the town to move nearly 45 acres of land from a rural residential to a planned residential district. It is not uncommon for developers to seek the planned residential zoning, which provides greater freedom with density.

Acciai and other neighbors, however, fear the proposed Glade Spring density is too much for the neighborhood and will lead to issues with traffic and safety. They said both children and adults are often on Village Way South and they anticipate that the neighborhood will be used as a quicker cut-through to the U.S. 460 bypass or the nearby Kroger grocery store on University City Boulevard.

People use this street as a walkway, neighborhood resident Traci Sterling said about Village Way South.

Sterling, who is closely following the towns review of the development, has provided a number of documents related to the project. Among them is a January correspondence packet from the Toms Creek Sustainability Coalition, which has raised fears about the development not being environmentally sustainable for the well-known creek and watershed from which the group takes its name.

The Toms Creek group listed several primary issues it has identified. Among them is a need to curb environmental stressors on a waterway they say is already considered at risk. They said the development would unnecessarily increase that environmental stress on the creek.

One of the more specific issues the group raises is how the most upstream 6.1 miles of the creek has been listed as impaired in a Virginia Department of Environmental Quality report from last year. The issue, they said, is due to violations of the bacteria and temperature water quality standards.

The upper reaches of Toms Creek are classified as 5A waters, meaning a stockable trout stream, the Toms Creek group wrote. Because trout are cold-water fish, the state water quality standards require instantaneous water temperature not to exceed 21 degrees Celsius. Levels of bacteriaE. coliin the creek also already exceed DEQ standards, likely resulting from livestock access and failing septic systems with the Toms Creek stream network.

The concerns over Glade Spring bear some similarities to a debate over another project from last year, Legacy on Main.

Legacy, the rezoning of which town council ended up approving, is an affordable housing development that calls for a 56-unit apartment building that will use low-income housing tax credits.

Despite the affordable housing benefits, the Legacy project turned into one of the towns most hotly debated land issues in some years due to many neighbors concerns over the developments density.

Similar to the Legacy discussions, neighbors following the Glade Spring talks clarified that they do not, at all, oppose affordable housingsomething they agree is desperately needed in a town thats received scrutiny for being one of the costliest real estate markets in Southwest Virginia.

Sterling said they support providing affordable housing in that area, but wished Glade Spring would fit that component within the parameters of the current rural residential zoning.

Rural Residential 1, the specific title of the district the farmland is currently in, allows a maximum density of one dwelling unit per acre. Neighborhood residents said that means the development would be limited to just over 40 total units if it was built under the current zoning. That by-right density, they said, is far less than what is being proposed.

As a group, we all have several concerns, but none of them are regarding the need for affordable units in Blacksburg. As a matter of fact, we welcome them with open arms, Sterling wrote in an email.

She said the concerns, depending on the resident, generally fall under three categories: the density, the impact on the Toms Creek basin and the addition of a road that would connect Village Way South to Glade Spring.

Mike Stein lives on Village Way South where he said he would be right next door to the connector road. He said hes concerned that the road would either come up on his property or not include sidewalks.

I dont think its right they say, hey, were going to come on your property and put it here, said Stein, who also voiced concerns due to his kids often playing outside. Theres a whole bunch of wrong with it. The town doesnt seem to care whether or not its safe. Their only reasoning for having the road is connectivity. I get the connectivity, but theyre putting connectivity at the cost of safety.

An idea Stein said hes suggested is scrapping the current connector road location and instead move it to the east end of the development where the plan calls for a cul-de-sac. He said that could be turned into a through road.

You still have the connectivity; it just costs more money. I think thats worth a kids life, Stein said.

Meredith Jones, vice president of engineering services firm Eden & Associates, P.C., submitted the rezoning application on behalf of Hopper. She said they are aware of the residents concerns over traffic.

Jones said the town requires connectivity for the project, specifically at the Village at Toms Creek location. She said years ago during the Villages development a right-of-way was set aside for connection to the property for Glade Spring.

It is a requirement, so our plan is showing the connection, Jones wrote in an email.

The plan, however, is to fit the road in the right-of-way the town owns and that they dont need an easement for the connector, Jones said.

Jones provided some traffic projections regarding the nearby Village at Toms Creek and how residents will choose to use the proposed neighborhood as quicker access to their destinations in town.

That is typically the point of interconnectivity: to reduce vehicle travel miles and get people closer to their destinations to avoid circuitous routes, she wrote. Of course, we understand that has an impact on a neighborhood that is not used to seeing that extra traffic. Everyone reacts differently to the issues of development and they have the right to give input through the public process.

Jones also addressed some environmental aspects.

Chronic flooding through this property and downstream has prompted us to provide regional stormwater management for quality and quantity, she wrote. We will go beyond our requirements for the development to reduce stream channel erosion and flooding that has plagued the tributaries through and below this property for years.

Then, Jones spoke on the affordable housing component, which she said addresses a need in Blacksburg where there has been a lack of available housing for those who earn low to middle incomes. She said Glade Spring will set a national example on how public and private alliances can begin solving the affordable and critical workforce housing crisis.

Of the 24 affordable units, 10 will be sold to households with incomes at no more than 80% of the area median income; another 10 will be sold to households with incomes at no more than 100% of the AMI; and four will be sold to households with incomes at no more than 120% of the AMI, according to project documents.

A town Planning Commission public hearing on the proposal is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the municipal building at 300 S. Main St.
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FLORENCE, S.C.  McLeod Regional Medical Center received a grant of $29,388 from Honda USA Foundation to create a culture of safety on South Carolina roads and help prevent injuries and death to children.

McLeod is using the Traffic Safety Award from the Honda USA Foundation to reduce injury and death to children from car crashes by facilitating training of certified car seat safety technicians and distributing car and booster seats to members of the community who would have difficulty affording them.

McLeod now offers 14 trained car seat safety technicians. In addition, the organization has purchased 8 infant carriers, 116 car seats and 30 booster seats to distribute to those in need.

We see such gratitude from parents for this project, said Lora Breda, McLeod Resource Center manager, who is administering the grant. Parents who receive car seats feel so empowered by this collaboration between McLeod and the Honda USA Foundation. They know they have the means to keep their children safe.

The Honda USA Foundation provides funding to programs that align with its pillars of environment, mobility and traffic safety.

A key focus of the Honda USA Foundation Traffic Safety Award is ensuring youth feel safe on and off the roads, said Bobbie Trittschuh, Executive Director, The Honda USA Foundation. We commend McLeod Regional Medical Center for its efforts to make car seat safety for young passengers a priority throughout our communities.
 US Sentencing Commission soon to begin second set of public hearings on proposed guideline amendments | Main | "Recommended but Rarely Followed: Downward Departures of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines Among Child Pornography Offenders" 

March 6, 2023

Five months after mass marijuana possession pardons, DOJ announces application form for certificates

Back in October 2022, as detailed here, Prez Biden granted a mass pardon to "all current United States citizens and lawful permanent residents who committed the offense of simple possession of marijuana in violation of the Controlled Substances Act, as currently codified at 21 U.S.C. 844 and as previously codified elsewhere in the United States Code, or in violation of D.C. Code 48904.01(d)(1), on or before the date of this proclamation." But, perhaps problematically for some, a mass pardon done not readily come with the certificate or other official documentation that individuals often received when receiving a more traditional, individualized grant of clemency.

To address this issue, I had heard that the Pardon Attorney office in the US Justice Department was working on a process to issue pardon documentation. And, this past Friday, this DOJ press release addressed this matter under the heading "Justice Department Announces Application Form for Marijuana Pardon Certificates." Here are the particulars (with links from the original):

[T]he Justice Department is launching an application for eligible individuals to receive certificate of proof that they were pardoned under the Oct. 6, 2022, proclamation by President Biden. On Oct. 6, 2022, the President announced a full, unconditional and categorical pardon for prior federal and D.C. offenses of simple possession of marijuana. The Presidents pardon lifts barriers to housing, employment and educational opportunities for thousands of people with those prior convictions. President Biden directed the Justice Department to develop a process for individuals to receive their certificate of pardon. The online application will be available on the Office of the Pardon Attorneys website: Application for Certificate of Pardon. The web form allows eligible persons to submit documentation to the Office of the Pardon Attorney and receive a certificate indicating the person was pardoned on Oct. 6, 2022, for simple possession of marijuana. The Presidents pardon, effective Oct. 6, 2022, may assist pardoned persons by removing civil or legal disabilities  such as restrictions on the right to vote, to hold office or to sit on a jury  that are imposed because of the pardoned conviction. The application released today may also be helpful as proof of pardon for those who seek to obtain licenses, bonding or employment. As President Biden said at the time of the proclamation, his action intends to help relieve the consequences arising from these convictions. Those who were pardoned on Oct. 6, 2022, are eligible for a certificate of pardon. Consistent with the proclamation, to be eligible for a certificate, an applicant must have been charged or convicted of simple possession of marijuana in either a federal court or D.C. Superior Court, and the applicant must have been lawfully within the United States at the time of the offense. Similarly, an individual must have been a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident on Oct. 6, 2022. Those who were convicted of state marijuana offenses do not qualify for the pardon. The department is committed to carefully and expeditiously reviewing the applications and issuing certificates to those pardoned under the proclamation. For more information regarding eligibility and answers to frequently asked questions, please visit Presidential Proclamation on Marijuana Possession.

Prior related posts from October 2022:

March 6, 2023 at 01:28 PM | Permalink

Comments

Didn't Jimmy Carter grant a mass pardon for Vietnam draft-dodgers? That obviously worked.

Posted by: federalist | Mar 6, 2023 2:12:58 PM

Federalist,

As I understand it with Carter, the majority of his mass clemency recipients had not actually been convicted. He was, in effect, saying "we won't go after you for this now-passed behavior". I don't believe the same applies here.



Posted by: Soronel Haetir | Mar 6, 2023 3:48:26 PM

On January 21, 1977,Jimmy Carter's first full day in office as President, he signed Executive Order 11967, which pardoned all who had violated the Selective Service Act during the Vietnam War years, by failing to register for the draft, or by evading the draft by fleeing to Canada, or another county. The mass pardon included both those who had been prosecuted and those who had not been formally prosecuted.

Posted by: Jim Gormley | Mar 6, 2023 4:42:00 PM

Post a comment
FILE PHOTO: Lee Hsien Yang, the son of the late Lee Kuan Yew and the younger brother of Singapore Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, joins the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) walkabout, led by party chief, Dr Tan Cheng Bock on June 24, 2020 in Singapore. Today, Lee Hsien Yang has formally joined the PSP, an opposition party to 'compete' against his brother in the forthcoming election after a long standing family feud between the two brothers about their late father's house. On June 23, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has called for the General Election to be held on July 10 to seek a fresh mandate amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. As of June 23, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country stands at 42,432. (Photo by Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images)

By Philip J. Heijmans

(Bloomberg)  The estranged younger brother of Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is considering a run for the largely ceremonial role of president this year, a sign that an ongoing family feud could start to overshadow the city-states politics.

Lee Hsien Yang, 65, spoke about his plans to Bloomberg News after the government revealed an ongoing police investigation against him and his wife over the handling of the last will of his father Lee Kuan Yew, who founded modern Singapore.

There is a view that depending on who they float, if I were to run they would be in serious trouble and could lose, Lee Hsien Yang said by phone, referring to the ruling Peoples Action Party headed by his brother. A lot of people have come to me. They really want me to run. Its something I would consider.

The Prime Ministers Office didnt immediately comment. The government has said the police investigation was an opportunity for Lee Hsien Yang and his wife Lee Suet Fern to vindicate themselves and their refusal to participate raises questions.

A former chief executive of Singtel, Lee Hsien Yang has lived in self-imposed exile in Europe for months along with his wife. He declined to say where they were residing. With the ongoing probe, Lee Hsien Yang said he was unsure what the chances are that I will return to Singapore in the foreseeable future.

While the prime minister runs the government in Singapore, the presidency holds some powers such as the right to veto spending bills or government requests to draw on past reserves, which was done to help shore up the budget during the pandemic. The president also must sign off on civil service appointments.

Although candidates for the presidential race are supposed to be non-partisan under Singapores constitution, the current president was a former senior official of the PAP, which has ruled Singapore since independence in 1965. The vote will give an indicator of the national mood ahead of a general election that must be called by November 2025, with the PAP seeking to win over younger voters facing rising living costs after suffering its worst-ever showing in the 2020 election.

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The next national vote will also likely mark the end of Lee Hsien Loongs roughly two decades in power. Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has been tapped to take the reins after another deputy, Heng Swee Keat, stepped aside as heir apparent in April 2021.

Discord among the Lee siblings has simmered for years since the patriarchs death in 2015. It largely centres on whether a colonial-era bungalow near the glitzy shopping district where Lee Kuan Yew lived for most of his 91 years should be demolished.

Lee Hsien Loong, 71, has in the past expressed disappointment that his younger brother and sister Lee Wei Ling have publicised private family matters.

Lee Hsien Yangs path to presidency will be difficult. He has to meet requirements set by the Presidential Elections Committee, which is stacked mostly with government officials, in order to qualify as a candidate. Critics have said in the past the committee has too much discretionary power to decide whether candidates are fit to run.

His wife Lee Suet Fern was suspended for 15 months from practicing law in 2020. She said at the time she disagreed with the punishment for professional misconduct in her handling of the will. Their son Li Sheng Wu was fined the same year for a private Facebook post that criticised the government over its handling of the matter.

This is not the first time Lee Hsien Yang has mulled running for public office. In 2020, he joined the opposition Progress Singapore Party and briefly flirted with the idea of competing against his brother in elections in what critics called a stunt to raise the profile of the opposition. Lee Hsien Yang said in a Facebook post then that he backed down as Singapore doesnt need another Lee.

He was still front and centre of his partys election campaign that yielded no outright electoral victories though a rule that mandates opposition representation in parliament awarded it two non-constituency seats. The PAP by contrast won 89% of the seats up for grabs but it was the worst showing for the ruling party as the opposition Workers Party made significant headway.

2023 Bloomberg L.P.
The average waiting time for people departing or arriving by car via land checkpoints was about three hours during the March school holidays in 2019. (PHOTO: Reuters/Edgar Su)

SINGAPORE  Travellers planning to visit Malaysia during the upcoming school holidays are advised to factor in extra travel time as heavy traffic is expected at both Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints from Friday (10 March) to 20 March.

As traffic flow during peak hours has returned to pre-pandemic levels, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) also advised motorists and buses to prepare for a longer immigration clearance wait.

According to the ICA, the average waiting time for people departing or arriving by car via land checkpoints was about three hours during the March school holidays in 2019. This was similar to the waiting time travellers were told to expect during this year's Chinese New Year period.

Maintain road discipline amid heavy traffic

About 362,000 travellers regularly crossed the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints during the year-end school holidays in 2022.

During that period, the ICA said that tailbacks from the Causeway had caused heavy traffic on the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) to reach the Woodlands checkpoint.

"Motorists are also reminded to avoid queue cutting as it can cause severe congestion and compromise the safety of other motorists. They are advised to observe traffic rules, maintain lane discipline, and cooperate with officers on-site," the ICA said, adding that it would work closely with the Traffic Police to 'ensure road discipline at the critical junctions leading to the land checkpoints'.

Drivers are also advised to check the traffic situation at the land checkpoints through the Land Transport Authority (LTA) 's One Motoring website or via the Expressway Monitoring & Advisory System installed along the BKE and AYE.

Compliance with requirements

The ICA also reminded the public that it is mandatory for short-term visitors, including those who have been granted a long-term pass in principle, to submit their health declaration by the Singapore Arrival Card platform within three days before their arrival.

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Due to the high traffic volume, Singapore citizens, permanent residents, and long-term pass holders returning via the land checkpoints are exempt from submitting a health declaration.

However, they must still submit a health declaration if they enter by sea or air.

Those departing in Singapore-registered cars should also observe the three-quarter tank rule and make sure they have the required amount of fuel when leaving the country, or risk being issued with a composition sum of up to $500 or prosecution in court.

"They will be turned back at the checkpoints, and not allowed to proceed with their journey into Malaysia," the ICA said.

Do you have a story tip? Email: sgnews.tips@yahooinc.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter. Also check out our Southeast Asia, Food, and Gaming channels on YouTube.
Try this game on your next drive across Lincoln. What will you see first? A dirty car or a car wash ready to clean it?

A search for nearby car washes on any mobile navigation app leads to over 20 hits in a 10-mile radius from downtown Lincoln.

Its reflective of an expanding industry that has its tire treads all over Lincoln. And according to professionals in the industry, the local car wash surge doesnt appear to be slowing down anytime soon.

Just in the past few years, Lincoln-based JetSplash has opened new locations at 16th Street and Pine Lake Road and at 40th and South streets.

JetSplash now operates seven locations in Lincoln, but there's plenty of competition in the clean-car game.

National chain Tommy's Express entered the market in 2020 with a location near 70th and O streets.

Rocket Car Wash, a Nebraska-based company with eight locations in both Lincoln and Omaha, has added upgrades to a few of its locations in Lincoln. Most notably, theyve added an exterior washing and express detailing station to its Williamsburg location near 40th Street and Old Cheney Road, according to director of marketing Christiane Agee.

But why is there seemingly more of a focus on car owners and keeping their cars clean?

Matt Toombs, owner and founder of JetSplash, says the increase in the number of car washes is not just limited to Nebraska. Nationwide growth in the industry has been aided by an influx of outside funding, he said.

Car washing has kind of been the hot industry for the last five years. A lot of that is due to a lot of private equity money coming into the space that wasnt here before, Toombs said.

Toombs compared the general pattern of car wash expansion from the perspective of outside investors to a hub-and-spoke model. He said there are proven efficiencies for a car wash business to expand its footprint by having a centralized city with multiple locations, then placing locations in nearby markets.

For example, if we have 20 locations in Kansas City, itd make sense for us to have a spoke in Lincoln or a spoke in Omaha, Toombs said. All of a sudden, companies can have some efficiencies from the surrounding region as opposed to having some washes in one concentrated spot.

However, according to Toombs, a primary reason for the rise of car washes around Lincoln is due to a market inefficiency. Even with the new locations in Lincoln, there are only about 10 conveyorized car washes, where cars move through a tunnel on a conveyor belt.

Based on the model we have now in the car wash industry, thats no longer enough, Toombs said.

The combination of an underserved market and high demand has made growth in Lincoln inevitable, Agee said.

She said more people are understanding the importance of maintaining a clean car exterior, particularly in a state with highly variable weather like Nebraska.

Nebraska is a state with bad weather, road salt, things like that, Agee said. So I think more people are seeing that they need to take care of the exterior of their car, to protect their value.

Both Rocket Car Wash and JetSplash are longtime players in the local car wash scene. JetSplash is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2023, while Rocket Car Wash locations have been in Lincoln since 2007.

The secret to that longevity boils down to one central theme: convenience. Things like vacuuming and detailing stations at each location, on-site service attendants and consumer-friendly membership packages have helped both businesses maintain a solid customer base.

The loyalty of Lincoln drivers and their receptiveness to quality service has been a key to JetSplash's success, according to Toombs.

"Im pretty picky about how my car is cleaned, and they do a really good job, said Greg Baker, a Lincoln native and JetSplash rewards member.

He said the main appeal of a car wash membership for him is how efficiently he can get his car cleaned, but there are other factors as well.

The environment is very important to me, Baker said. I used to wash my car with a hose at home and it was such a waste of water. I understand why more and more people are using car washes; its just a lot faster.

Both Agee and Toombs noted that customers are extremely loyal to their car wash of choice, and for good reason. Owning a vehicle is a significant investment, and they said customers are more likely to frequent one car wash over another based on quality and experience.

People like the convenience, but theyre willing to drive a little bit more if the experience is better, Agee said.

Rocket Car Wash has four new Nebraska locations planned, one of which is in Lincoln near 84th Street and Nebraska Parkway.
 Flash

People attend a workshop on Intensive Care Unit (ICU) training at Omdurman Friendship Hospital in Khartoum, Sudan, on Dec. 29, 2022. The Chinese medical team in Sudan organized the workshop on Intensive Care Unit (ICU) training at the hospital as a way to enhance the exchange of medical technology between the two countries. [Photo/Xinhua]

In celebration of the 60th anniversary of sending the first Chinese medical team overseas, the 37th batch of the Chinese medical team in Sudan has set up a free clinic in northern River Nile State.

The free clinic organized Saturday covers 14 specialties, including Traditional Chinese Medicine and general surgery, with 40 medical staff providing services, according to Xing Zhijing, head of the Chinese medical team in Sudan.

The clinic has witnessed a huge turnout from the citizens of Shendi town in the state.

Faisal Balla Al-Bashir, a patient who visited the free clinic, told Xinhua that "we thank the members of the Chinese medical team, who are highly specialized."

Salah Ali, minister of production and resources of the River Nile State, on behalf of the state governor, expressed his appreciation to the Chinese medical team for the free clinic and all their efforts to cure the Sudanese people over the past decades.

"The China-Sudan friendship remains lofty throughout generations, and the medical cooperation between the two sides dated back to as early as the 1970s," he said.

For his part, Guo Hu, commercial counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Sudan, vowed China's commitment to supporting Sudan in the future via medical teams, donation of equipment and vaccines, projects to develop hospitals, and co-hosting seminars and workshops.

"This year marks the 60th anniversary when China sent its first medical team abroad," he said, adding "over the past six decades, China has sent medical teams consisting of 30,000 members to 76 countries and regions across five continents to provide diagnosis and treatment for the local population."

The Chinese medical team in Sudan works in three hospitals: Abu Osher Hospital in central Sudan's Gezira State, Damazin Friendship Hospital in Blue Nile State, and China-Sudan Omdurman Friendship Hospital in Khartoum.

Abdulaziz Hassan Hamad, deputy secretary-general of the Sudanese-Chinese Friendship Society, which co-organized the event, said the free clinic represented the spirit of popular diplomacy and popular communication between the two friendly countries.
SIOUX CITY -- A South Sioux City man has been found guilty of holding two women against their will in separate incidents and raping them.

At the conclusion of a five-day trial in U.S. District Court in Sioux City, a jury on Friday found Arjune Ahmed, 26, guilty of two counts of kidnapping.

A sentencing date has not been set.

Ahmed met with a woman he had met on a dating site on Sept. 16, 2020. Instead of taking her to breakfast as the two had agreed, authorities said, Ahmed took the woman to Bacon Creek Park, where he forced the woman from his car, walked her to a secluded spot and raped her.

DNA evidence collected from the woman and a used condom left at the scene matched a sample collected from Ahmed, court documents said.

Ahmed also was charged with an August 2019 incident in which he picked up a woman at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Sioux City to give her a ride home, but instead drove to a remote location in South Sioux City, refused to let her out of the car and raped her.
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SIOUX CITY -- A Sioux City man has been placed on probation for his role in the robbery of two women at gunpoint.

District Judge Tod Deck on Monday suspended a 10-year prison sentence and placed Jocquan McCloud on two year's probation. McCloud, 27, pleaded guilty in December in Woodbury County District Court to first-degree theft. A charge of second-degree theft was dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

McCloud and Kemo Levi were charged with the July 6 robbery of the two women in an apartment in the 3100 block of Transit Avenue. Levi entered a bedroom, threatened the women with a handgun and stole a cell phone and a purse. McCloud aided and abetted the theft by blocking the bedroom door.

Police later located McCloud and Levi and found the women's property in a vehicle Levi had been driving. Police also found a 9mm handgun that had been reported stolen.

Levi, 27, of Sioux City, pleaded guilty to first-degree theft and received a suspended 10-year prison sentence and four years' probation.
STORM LAKE, Iowa -- A man who robbed a Storm Lake liquor store at gunpoint was sentenced Monday to 10 years in prison.

Eh Lwe, 24, of Storm Lake, previously pleaded guilty in Buena Vista County District Court to one count of second-degree robbery. He must serve six years before he's eligible for parole.

On Jan. 1, Lwe entered Al's Liquors, 215 W. Milwaukee Ave., grabbed a store worker by the hair and held a gun to her head while ordering her to open the cash register.

He took approximately $300 in cash and fled the store on foot. The employee was not injured.

Police arrested Lwe two days later.

Lwe also pleaded guilty to child endangerment in an unrelated case in which he choked and hit a 7-year-old child. Lwe received a two-year prison sentence, which will be served concurrently, or at the same time, with the robbery sentence.
HARTINGTON, Neb.  Authorities have released the identity of a man who was fatally shot last week at a work site near Hartington.

Israel Matos-Colon, 31, of Fowlerville, Michigan, died Wednesday after being shot at a tower work site near the intersection of Nebraska Highway 57 and 885 Road, approximately two miles north of Hartington.

David Phillips, 20, of Kenner, Louisiana, was arrested at the scene and faces charges of second-degree murder, possession of a stolen firearm and use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony.

The Cedar County Sheriff's Office was called to the shooting scene, where crew members were attempted life-saving measures on Matos-Colon. He was transported to Avera Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton, South Dakota, where he died.

Investigators believe the shooting occurred during an argument between the two men.

The State Patrol continues to investigate the incident.
On Feb. 21, a Union Pacific train derailed near Gothenburg, spilling 31 cars carrying thousands of tons of coal in a messy tangle that crews have been cleaning up ever since.

The recent derailment, although more severe than most, is not unusual for Nebraska. Since 2000, a train has derailed in the state roughly once every seven days, according to a Journal Star analysis of federal railroad safety data.

Over that span, Nebraska has had the fifth-most derailments in the country. Texas, with its vast land area, leads the nation; Illinois, California and Ohio round out the top five.

According to federal Office of Railroad Safety data, there were 42 derailments in Nebraska from January 2022 to November of last year, the most recent data available. Since 2000, there have been 1,473 derailments in the state. But only 8% of those  111  caused damage to train cars.

Public attention to train derailments has heightened since a fiery crash in East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 3 contaminated the towns air and water supply with toxic vinyl chloride. The adverse health consequences for residents are yet to be fully determined.

The incident has forced federal regulators to respond to ongoing concerns about railroad safety measures. This after Congress voted in December to quash a threatened rail union strike centered on calls for paid sick leave for rail workers.

Last week, two Ohio senators introduced a bill that aims to address several key regulatory questions that arose from the disaster, including why the state of Ohio was not made aware the hazardous load was coming through and why the crew didn't learn sooner of an impending equipment malfunction.

The Railway Safety Act of 2023, co-sponsored by U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown and J.D. Vance and four others representing both parties, would require railroads to create emergency response plans and provide information about trains carrying hazardous materials to the emergency response commissions of each state a train passes through.

After the Ohio derailment, federal Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg called for the freight rail industry to accept rail worker demands for paid sick leave, employ new rail safety inspection technologies while maintaining human inspections and accelerate the process of phasing in safer tank cars in compliance with a federal mandate that gives rail companies until 2029 to do so.

Profit and expediency must never outweigh the safety of the American people, Buttigieg said in a letter to Norfolk Southern, the company responsible for the East Palestine mishap and subsequent contamination. We at (the Department of Transportation) are doing everything in our power to improve rail safety, and we insist that the rail industry do the same.

The Ohio derailment has commanded headlines, but train derailments overall are down considerably since 1975, when the federal railroad safety office started tracking them. Nationwide, there were 6,935 derailments in 1975. In 2021, the most recent full year of data available, there were 1,227.

But that trend does not hold true for Nebraska, which has seen broad variation in derailments that cause damage to at least one car since 1975, albeit with a significantly smaller sample size.

Union Pacific, which has its headquarters in Omaha, declined to comment specifically on the Gothenburg incident and the overall downward trend in derailments, but said in a statement that new technology has played a pivotal role in helping the company reduce risks.

Concerning human safety measures, Union Pacific has worked at enhancing training programs and reemphasizing (its) safety culture while also conducting root-cause analysis of incidents and engaging with employees to help them identify areas of risk.

Concerns remain among some lawmakers regarding the widespread adoption by major railroads, including Union Pacific, of precision scheduled railroading (PSR)," a rail operations philosophy that emphasizes cost efficiency and profit maximization by shifting the focus of moving freight from a train-by-train to a car-by-car basis and reducing the number of rail workers needed for a trains operation.

A common criticism of PSR surrounds the latter practice, with workers being required to schedule sick leave up to 30 days in advance, and reduced staffing leading to more burnout and fewer hands on deck to address potential problems on the train.

Representatives of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, the nations foremost rail union, did not respond to the Journal Stars request for comment.

While federal regulations currently require a minimum of two workers while a freight train is in operation, some lawmakers worry that the statute might soon dissolve under increased pressure from rail industry lobbyists.

Sen. Mike Jacobson, who represents the 42nd District in the Nebraska Legislature, introduced LB31 in early January, which would enshrine the two-worker minimum into state law, with the intent to pressure the federal government to maintain the statute.

Jacobsons district encompasses six counties that have three major rail lines, including a Union Pacific line through the senators hometown of North Platte  the same one that the Gothenburg derailment occurred on. The juncture near North Platte has had a high volume of derailments that caused damage since 2000 relative to the rest of the state.

And in Southeast Nebraska, a BNSF coal line has seen at least two significant derailments in nearly the same location southeast of Bennet since 2021.

In June 2021, 10 cars derailed near 148th Street and Bennet Road  about 10 miles southeast of Lincoln  after days of heavy rain saturated the area. Then in July 2022, 18 rail cars fell from the track and a nearby bridge collapsed near 190th Street and Bennet Road.

The two-worker minimum measure has been a priority for Jacobson for well more than a year since he began campaigning for office in a district dominated by rail workers.

He said the growing power exerted by the freight rail industrys top players has provided ample justification for closer oversight by government entities.

Let me underscore: Im a conservative Republican; I dont like mandates, and I do not like government interference in private business, Jacobson said. But I also see the fact that weve got three major railroads that have a lions share of the business. They really operate more like public utilities.

Although his bill has been met with some opposition, Jacobson said hes also received a broad swath of support from across the political spectrum, including Democratic Sen. Jane Raybould of Lincoln, who added her name to the bill shortly after it was proposed.

Jacobson said hes seen a notable increase in support in the wake of the derailments in Gothenburg and East Palestine. The bill is slated for hearing by the Legislature's Transportation and Telecommunications Committee on Monday.

As people are starting to see whats happening here, theyre getting more concerned that there needs to be some intervention here to ensure that (this bill) happens, he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
One of the Legislature's newest members argued Friday that Nebraskans would be better served if state lawmakers could stay in office longer.

Sen. Rob Dover of Norfolk made the case while introducing a proposed constitutional amendment to allow senators a third consecutive four-year term.

The resolution (LR22CA) would amend the legislative term limits provision added to the Nebraska Constitution in 2000. The current provision limits lawmakers to two consecutive four-year terms, although they can serve again after sitting out at least four years.

"I introduced this to ensure the citizens of Nebraska are effectively represented in the Legislature," Dover said. "We're supposed to understand the complexities of the state government and defend the people and make wise decisions."

He told members of the Legislature's Executive Board that the harms caused by term limits were a common theme among people he met after being appointed to the Legislature last summer.

He said it takes time for new senators to learn about issues, build relationships and figure out how to get things done within the legislative process. Lawmakers get term-limited out of office just as they become most knowledgeable and effective.

The proposal drew support from both business and agriculture groups. Barry Kennedy, speaking for the Omaha, Lincoln and state chambers of commerce, said that after the 2024 election, 32 of the 49 state senators will have two years or less of experience.

"No well-run business, managing several billion dollars' worth of activity, arbitrarily dismisses members of the management team or the board of directors after two years," he said.

Kennedy said the proposed three-term limit would be a good way to retain knowledge in the Legislature and help maintain the balance of power between the legislative and executive branches of government. He said he doesn't believe voters would support a complete repeal of term limits.

Al Davis, a former senator, testified for the Nebraska Farmers Union and the Sierra Club. Jay Ferris spoke on behalf of the Nebraska Farm Bureau and groups representing corn growers, pork producers and soybean farmers.

No opponents testified at the hearing Friday.

But Paul Jacob, the former president of U.S. Term Limits, which led efforts to pass Nebraska's term limits, has already started fighting LR22CA through his latest group, Liberty Initiative Fund. The group sent out mailers recently opposing a change in current term limits and distributed a news release saying that 70% of Nebraska voters oppose the proposal.

The release noted that Nebraskans soundly defeated a constitutional amendment in 2012 that would have extended the limit to three terms. The proposal was on the ballot along with a measure to increase pay for state senators, who get $12,000 a year. The pay increase also was defeated.

Dover has 39 co-sponsors for his proposal. Sen. Tom Briese of Albion, the chairman of the Executive Board, is not among them. He said he believes the current two-term limit is consistent with the idea of having "citizen legislators" and does not believe voters would support a change.

"I think Nebraskans are reluctant to enhance the power of incumbency," he said.

The Legislature has been operating under term limits since 2006, when the first group of lawmakers were barred from seeking reelection. A handful of senators have returned to the Legislature after being term-limited out and waiting four or eight years.

They include former Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha, the state's longest-serving lawmaker and the only one so far to be term-limited out twice. Sens. Ray Aguilar of Grand Island and Danielle Conrad of Lincoln are in the Legislature serving for a second time.

Former Sen. Steve Lathrop returned for one term but opted against seeking reelection, Sen. Rich Pahls of Omaha died two years into his new term and Sen. Mike Flood was elected to Congress partway through his new term.

Meet the Nebraska state senators making laws in 2023
It seems more and more that Russian military officers arent correcting the mistakes they made in the early phases of the war against Ukraineand that they may be incapable of doing so.

The latest dramatic evidence of this comes in Andrew Kramers New York Times report of a tank battle outside the coal-mining town of Vuhledar in southeastern Ukraine. It was the largest tank battle in the war to date, a key vector in Russias renewed offensive to capture Donetsk province.

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And yet, according to the Times account, the Russians made the same mistake that cost Moscow hundreds of tanks earlier in the war. They rolled out their tanks in a long, dense columnallowing Ukrainians, hiding and maneuvering behind trees or from a distance, to ambush the assault with mines, artillery fire, and antitank missiles. As one burning tank came to a halt, several others behind it became easy pickings.

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In all, Russia was said to lose as many as 100 soldiers a day and more than 130 tanks and other armored vehicles. Even Russias military bloggers, who have emerged as a leading pro-war voice to the homefront, have condemned their armys self-destructive tactics and their reliance on inexperienced conscripts. Ukraine no doubt lost some soldiers and tanks as wellKyiv doesnt release figures on their own casualtiesbut they emerged from the battle with momentum gained.

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Assistance from Western weapons and U.S. intelligence had something to do with this, as it has throughout the war. The near-real-time intelligence is one way that Ukrainian officers often know where the Russians will be coming from.

But another key factor is that, as the war has evolved, the Ukrainians have adjusted their tactics and strategies to conditions and challenges on the groundwhereas Russians, by and large, have not.

The Russian forces do not appear to be a learning organization at all, retired Gen. David Petraeus, former head of U.S. Central Command and former director of the CIA, told me in an email. At this point, I wonder if they have any tactical-level leaders who even understand how to coordinate and synchronize the actions of all the elements required to achieve combined-arms effects.

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Lawrence Freedman, professor emeritus of war studies at Kings College, London, and the author of several renowned books on strategy, agreed. I dont think they can be [a learning organization] because they dont have the kit, the command structures, accurate PGMs [precision-guided munitions], or the real-time intelligence to implement radical changes, he wrote in an email.

Vuhledar is just one battle along the front line spanning most of southern and eastern Ukraine; the fighting has often been much more evenly matched in other areas. Freedman cautions against the notion, which some commentators have put forth, that Ukraine is winning or Russia is losing, whatever those words mean at the moment.

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Im nervous about playing down what Russia can do, because they are far from defeated, he said. But for all the effort of the past years, when Russia has built up its military and revised its warfighting doctrines, they have precious little to show for it. They still seem to subscribe to Josef Stalins line (which he may or may not actually have said) that Quantity has a quality all its ownthe idea that, if you throw enough firepower into a battle, you can win even if you dont fight very well. That works, Freedman notes, until you run out of quantity.

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The Ukrainian soldiers are running short on quantity as well; both sides are using up a million artillery shells a month, and both have seen their armored vehicles chewed up by some of those shells. But Ukrainians are expecting a lot more Western weapons in the coming weeks, which some hope might turn the tide. (This is why the Biden administration is concerned that China might start sending arms to Russia, which could once again even the playing field.)

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian army also has the advantage of quality. They are fighting more agilely, flexiblybetterthan the Russian army, in part, again, because theyre learning as they go. Meanwhile, the Russian soldiers are sticking to their rote exercises, which is the only thing they know how to do. For many decades, dating back to Soviet times and even earlier, junior officers have been given no training in taking the initiativemainly because the senior officers feared they might rebel.

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In a sense, then, the top-down structure of the Russian military reflects the top-down structure of Russian politicsa feature intensified by the climate sown by President Vladimir Putin, in which even the slightest criticism or questioning can get your rank demoted, your assets seized, or your body thrown out a window. Military officers absorb these lessonswhich encourage caution, not creativity.

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The idea of an army as a learning organization has taken hold in several countries that have been fighting wars over the past couple decades. The U.S. Army has a Lessons Learned Command, which studies recent battles and issues reports on how they might have been fought better. (Whether the Armys generals always act on those lessons is another matter.) Less formally, just about every fighting unit that succeeds on the battlefieldorganized armies, ragtag militias, and everything in betweendoes so, in part, because they adjust to conditions on the ground; they learn lessons about whats working and what isnt.

But not so much the Russians. As long as that remains so, as long as the weapons keep flowing from the west and not so much from the east, the Ukrainians have a chance.
When my dad died, he became part of the cloud.

Not the one up high in the sky, but rather an online cumulus that now stores and archives a record of his last 18 months on earth. On my laptop, and even more prominently on my phone, I carry with me digital traces of my dad that I cant yet bring myself to access. Four years after his death, I still sit with a kind of grief that remains more raw than residual, and his memory lingers in digital purgatoryundeleted yet untouched; saved but not sought. He lives in this liminal digital space; like a grave I cant yet bring myself to visit, but simply know is there.

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This notion of keeping my dad close is ironic, given that the experience of losing him was marked by deep distances. My dad and I lived 1,800 miles apart, he in California and I in Missouri. There was also linguistic distance between us, which was in many ways more difficult to bridge. As an American-born Korean, English had always been my first language, and I never really learned how to speak Korean. I did a short stint at Korean language school, where I learned the alphabet and mastered the preemptive explanation Id have ready anytime I encountered another Korean person: I understand better than I can speak.

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Despite having emigrated to the U.S. from Korea nearly 40 years ago, my dad similarly never mastered English. Even though my Korean fluency would surely have made his life easier, he never forced it when I was younger, which made him an outlier among many parents in our community who were raising bilingual first-generation children. As an adult, I asked my dadwith a mix of both surprise and gratitudewhy he never mandated I learn Korean with the same insistence as so many other parents.

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Why I do? Because you born here and die here, he answered.

Still, our bond was deep, enduring, and always made whole despite his broken English and my equally fractured Korean. We codeswitched and improvised; we asked and answered each other in both languages. My dad had his standbys and shorthand (Did you eat yet?) that expressed everything I ever needed to know about how much he loved me. Ours was a profound, implicit relationship that was strong enough to weather anything. Until it was put to the ultimate test.

When a loved one is dying, the learning curve is steep. There is a dense vocabulary of disease and little time to get up to speed. In need of a fast and familiar resource, I Googled my way through all the insidious ways cancer can destroy a liver and pages of impossible, vowel-laden medications.

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But my dad and I required a two-step process as I assumed my role as language liaison with his medical team. I had to graduate to Google Translate, enlisting it to do what I could not as I learned how to convey bad news in two languages. I had never used Google Translate before and was relieved by its simple interface. Choose your languages, copy and paste. As they flashed on the screen, the translations themselves carried a certainty and confidence that the information they conveyed often lacked. I constantly toggled between English to Korean and Korean to English. Along the way, I acquired some new words in Korean, like bangsaneung for radiation and gan for liver. But even my latent knowledge of Korean surprised me at times, as I remembered the word for sadness, and even complete sentences: Appa, did you eat yet?

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Clumsily, my dad and I did this dance for a while; me trying to facilitate care despite being geographically undesirable and culturally inept, never mind what I felt this long goodbye was personally inflicting on a molecular level. In the winter of 2017, when we were just six months past the initial diagnosis and learned that the cancer would most assuredly kill him by summer, my dad announced he was returning to his native Korea to die.

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Why I do? Because I born there and die there.

Once my dad moved, the language barrier became even more difficult to manage with my non-English-speaking relatives, who had to now serve as my intermediaries. We were pivoting to long-distance death, shifting settings and reversing roles. My first phone calls to Korea to get updates were disastrous, as the seemingly simple act of communication became an impossible juggling act: talk, Google Translate, listen, Google Translate, dont fall apart.

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Desperate for a better way to communicate, I downloaded KakaoTalk. The free and widely popular Korean messaging platform (which also includes voice and video calls) was convenientall of my family members were already on it, and as soon as I added my name and a profile picture of me and my dad, we quickly found each other.

Indispensable companion pieces, I used KakaoTalk in tandem with Google Translate. It was far from perfect, but we eventually established a clunky but workable communications cadence by relying primarily on the chat function. Those saved conversations through KakaoTalk also live in the cloud. But I have only revisited the translated transcripts with my aunts and uncles once, knowing that some of these halting, heart-wrenching exchanges will never truly leave me.

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Is he okay? Why doesnt he want me to come see him now? This is absolutely breaking me.

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Your father doesnt want you to remember him this way. He says you are his entire life.

For weeks, KakaoTalk and Google Translate were a lifeline to my dying dad. I carried an intense shame at having to use an online translation service to communicate both my personal and practical needs that final spring. But when I finally made it to Korea, I was embraced by my familys tacit, touching love that could only be conveyed in person. My dad waited to die until I flew back to the States after a weeklong vigil. The news was fittingly relayed to me via KakaoTalk, 15 hours into the next day on the other side of the world. I flew back to Korea one final time for his funeraljanglye, Google Translate informed me. But the actual experience of saying goodbye defied easy translation.

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I realize that it seems odd to hold on to this untouched electronic ecosystem of a period that was just terribly sad. I cant help but see my archive of searches, translations, and conversations within these apps as personally damning. They lay bare my shortcomings, my faults, my too many questions, my one-minute-let-me-translate-this entreaties. They provoke a maelstrom of ifs: If I had lived closer, if I had been more Korean, if I had somehow been better prepared for the unthinkable so I didnt have to rely on my phone to get me through this.

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But there is another set of ifs: What if I didnt have these technological supports? They did what they were supposed to on a pressing, practical leveleducate, coordinate, confirm, translate, expedite, communicate. And even though I cannot yet click through it, this electronic ephemera also reinforces that my loss, largely experienced in an out-of-body haze, was very much real. Its an untainted, technologically aided record that is available if and when I can revisit it.

I hold on to hope that the way I see this digital record could one day changeno longer as a personal indictment, but perhaps as evidence that I tried. Perhaps as a first step toward slowly forgiving myself. For now, it is a phantom presence hanging overhead, omnipresent and accessible at any time, a reminder that my dad is nowhere and everywhere all at once.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
 Flash

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi met with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani in Cairo on Sunday to discuss issues of mutual interest.

During the meeting, the two leaders agreed that sustained coordination is a must for facing challenges and restoring peace and stability in the region, according to the Egyptian Presidency.

Sisi highlighted Egypt's unwavering support for Iraq and its people at all levels, particularly in the fight against terrorism and for the country's security and stability.

Egypt is willing to diversify and put into work various frameworks of political, economic, and cultural cooperation with Iraq, Sisi said, stressing the need to intensify cooperation within the framework of the Trilateral Cooperation Mechanism among Egypt, Iraq and Jordan.

For his part, al-Sudani lauded the firm and historical bonds between the two countries and Egypt's efforts to support Iraq at all levels.

In this respect, he appreciated the "prominent role" that Egypt has played in forwarding the mechanisms of joint Arab action to maintain peace and development in spite of challenges in the region.
Walls and fences are part of most houses in Slovakia, but Trampedach says Danish people often don't build walls around houses because they trust their neighbours.

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Two million architecture fans follow the Instagram posts of Danish influencer Christian Trampedach. In September last year, he filmed houses and flats in and around Bratislava.

In an interview for INDEX magazine, he explains why he likes Petrzalka, the biggest Bratislava borough, buildings from the communist era, and how Slovak cities and towns could be developed to be modern as well as preserve their past legacy.

What interested you the most during your visit to Bratislava?

I was in Bratislava for the sixth time. This time, for example, we filmed an interesting family house in Bernolakovo, Bratislava Region. It's very modern and unique, built as a solitary one, but also connected to the surroundings. It caught my interest because modern houses are usually detached from their surroundings. In this case, the architects thought of placing it in the context of older houses nearby.

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How?

The two neighbouring houses appear to be part of the new building's structure. One has a gable roof, the other an asymmetrical roof. The new house is like a cube with a flat roof, but it looks as if it naturally belongs there. Despite the differences in the shape of the roof.

The majority of the residents of Bratislava live in communist era blocks of flats. Petrzalka itself sports the largest block of flats in Slovakia. What is your impression of the borough?
The Bratislava factory has advantageous location.

Toblerone chocolate will be produced also in Slovakia. (Source: Pixabay)

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The image of the iconic Alpine mountain, the Matterhorn, will soon disappear from the packaging of Toblerone chocolates. The manufacturer Mondelez will soon move part of its production to the Figaro chocolate factory in Bratislava, which today bears the name of its global owner.

In this case, Swiss laws do not allow the use of national symbols in marketing. The Matterhorn on the well-known logo of the chocolate bar with pieces of almonds and honey will be replaced by a more general representation of an Alpine mountain.

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Rules will not let go

"The new packaging design features a modernised and simplified mountain logo consistent with a geometric and triangular aesthetic," a Mondelez spokesperson says. The packaging will now read "based in Switzerland" instead of "from Switzerland".

According to Swiss law, the national symbols of Switzerland can only be displayed on dairy products produced exclusively in the country.

A food product can be labelled as Swiss if at least 80 percent, or 100 percent in the case of dairy products, of the commodities used come from Switzerland, and the main production takes place in the country.

Toblerone chocolate has been produced since 1908 in the Swiss capital of Bern, whose symbol is a bear hidden in the image of the Matterhorn on the bar's packaging.

The name of the iconic chocolate bar was created by combining the last name of the bar's inventor, Theodor Tobler, and the word torrone, which refers to a nougat confection with roasted almonds, mainly consumed at Christmas in southwestern Europe.

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Huge investments

Mondelez still counts on Switzerland in the future. Over the last five years, the Bern factory has made investments to increase production capacity. Mondelez intends to invest in the coming years, allegedly pouring tens of millions of euros into the factory.

The American company obviously sees a future in the Bratislava factory as well. In 2021, it announced an investment worth 4.5 million. The factory underwent modernisation and increased the production capacity of chocolate mass.

The Bratislava factory has an advantageous geographical location, workforce, and tradition.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/ankara-likely-to-drop-bid-for-us-f-16s-over-price-better-options-turkish-presidency-official-says-1108078054.html

Ankara Likely to Drop Bid for US F-16s Over Price, Better Options, Turkish Presidency Official Says

Ankara Likely to Drop Bid for US F-16s Over Price, Better Options, Turkish Presidency Official Says

MOSCOW (Sputnik), Ksenia Shakalova - Ankara is likely to reverse its decision to purchase F-16 fighter jets from the United States due to the price as well as... 06.03.2023, Sputnik International

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In late February, US State Secretary Antony Blinken said that the US cannot sell F-16 fighter jets to Turkiye without approval from Congress, which means that its concerns regarding Greece's stance and Sweden and Finland's NATO bids need to be addressed. "I believe that after the earthquakes Turkiye will give up asking for F-16 because it is $20 billion cost package," Erhan said. He believes the Turkish government made a mistake by asking for F-16s, which Congress is still refusing to give under "some pretext" and which are outdated and not competitive against other jets. "Turkiye should immediately make a decision to change its decision from F-16 to some other. For instance F-35 was on the table. Turkiye was expecting from the program [to get F-35]. Now we have other options like the Chinese jet, which was sold to Pakistan, Russian jets and also Eurofighter jet," Erhan stated. On January 18, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Ankara was hoping to overcome the difficulties on F-16s with Washington, noting that the purchase was in line with the joint strategic interests of both countries. In April 2021, the US excluded Turkiye from the F-35 program after Ankara had purchased Russia's S-400 air defense systems. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said later that year that Turkiye had received a US offer to buy F-16 jets instead, one generation behind the F-35s. The US Congress has been debating whether to include restrictions on the sale of jets in its annual defense spending bill for fiscal 2023, while the US State Department has been trying to convince lawmakers that the deal was aligned with Washington's interests.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/ankara-summons-us-ambassador-over-milleys-visit-to-syria-1108092357.html

Ankara Summons US Ambassador Over Milley's Visit to Syria

Ankara Summons US Ambassador Over Milley's Visit to Syria

US Ambassador to Ankara Jeff Flake was summoned to the Turkish Foreign Ministry in connection with the visit of US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley to Syria, a diplomatic source in Ankara told Sputnik.

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Earlier, British media reported that Gen. Milley had made an unannounced visit to a US military base in Syria on Saturday. According to the reports, as part of his trip, Milley planned to assess the almost eight years of US efforts to combat the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, banned in Russia), as well as measures to protect US military personnel in the Arab Republic.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/bolton-warns-us-to-build-up-arms-amid-emerging-tripolar-nuclear-order-1108094956.html

Bolton Warns US to Build Up Arms Amid Emerging Tripolar Nuclear Order

Bolton Warns US to Build Up Arms Amid Emerging Tripolar Nuclear Order

Former Trump national security advisor John Bolton warned Monday that the US must recognize an emerging tripolar nuclear order, arguing that it must build up its nuclear arms rather than seek arms control agreements with Russia or China.

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He argued that President Vladimir Putin suspending Russias participation in the New START pact was a wake-up call for the United States to understand that it could not rein in its nuclear rivals through arms agreements. He noted that the treaty only addressed strategic and not tactical nuclear weapons, excluding new technologies such as hypersonic missiles. He also warned that China, which has refused to sign similar agreements, was likely aiming to grow its nuclear assets beyond a point for them to be meaningfully reined in by negotiations. Bolton warned that even if the US was victorious in a nuclear confrontation with Russia, it could face a subsequent confrontation with China. Alternatively, it could face a nuclear confrontation against an allied China and Russia. He called for the US to "urgently recalibrate its warhead and delivery-system requirements" and boost its nuclear assets for deterrence and self-defense. He argued it was preferable to have sufficient arms on hand and limit them rather than to not have enough and allow Russia and China the upper hand. In a state-of-the-nation address last month, President Putin said Russia is suspending its participation in New START. Putin said any Russian return to talks would require clarity about how NATO's combined nuclear strike potential would be taken into account. The Russian president said that NATO members act as if there is no connection between the issues of New START and the Ukraine conflict as well as other hostile actions against Moscow.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/budapest-says-kiev-to-reward-minorities-for-sending-children-to-ukrainian-language-classes-1108096151.html

Budapest Says Kiev to Reward Minorities for Sending Children to Ukrainian-Language Classes

Budapest Says Kiev to Reward Minorities for Sending Children to Ukrainian-Language Classes

Budapest considers it unacceptable that many Ukrainian state institutions are ready to pay $850 a year to Hungarians in the Zakarpattia region if they send their children to Ukrainian-language classes, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Monday.

2023-03-06T16:46+0000

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"While the European Union allocates several billion euros to support the functioning of the Ukrainian state, some Ukrainian state institutions promise support of 300,000 forints ($850) per year during four years to those families who enroll children not in minority classes, but in the classes of the Ukrainian state language. Obviously, this kind of step against national communities and minorities is unacceptable," Szijjarto told the parliament. Szijjarto noted that while Ukrainian children were admitted to 1,247 kindergartens and schools in Hungary, Ukraine was going to start closing all 99 Hungarian minority schools in September. In addition, the Ukrainian government will limit the number of subjects taught in national languages to 20% after the fourth grade and ban the option of passing final and entrance exams in Hungarian, the minister added. Tensions between Hungary and Ukraine flared up due to the 2017 Ukrainian law on education that restricts opportunities to study in their native language for minorities in the country. Hungarian officials have criticized the law, saying it discriminates against the Hungarian minority living in Ukraine's western part. Later, the media reported that Hungarian flags were removed from public institutions in the Ukrainian city of Mukachevo and local villages, and several heads of Hungarian institutions close to the Hungarian Cultural Association of Zakarpattia were fired.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230107/how-literal-nazis-holding-kiev-hostage-ruined-relations-with-budapest-a-view-from-hungary-1106111360.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/china-calls-us-report-on-port-crane-spying-conspiracy-misleading-1108088751.html

China Calls US Report on Port Crane Spying Conspiracy Misleading

China Calls US Report on Port Crane Spying Conspiracy Misleading

The Chinese Foreign Ministry waved off on Monday a media report that said US officials were concerned about the spying potential of Chinese-made port cranes used widely across the country.

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"This statement is completely irrational and misleads the American people," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a daily news briefing. Chinese port equipment maker ZPMC has been supplying giant ship-to-shore cranes to multiple American ports, including those used by the US military, American media outlet reported Sunday. Its cranes are equipped with sensors that can track cargo origins and destinations, making them a potential Trojan horse, according to unnamed Pentagon and national security officials.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230305/not-by-balloons-alone-us-officials-worry-chinese-port-cranes-could-spy-on-american-cargo-1108074200.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/chinas-pla-reportedly-preparing-for-big-rd-push-as-beijing-hikes-defense-budget--1108097012.html

Chinas PLA Reportedly Preparing for Big R&D Push as Beijing Hikes Defense Budget

Chinas PLA Reportedly Preparing for Big R&D Push as Beijing Hikes Defense Budget

After spending several years rapidly expanding its forces with more modern weaponry, Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) is reportedly preparing to spend... 06.03.2023, Sputnik International

2023-03-06T18:00+0000

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In his remarks at the start of the National Peoples Congress (NPC) on Sunday, outgoing Chinese Premier Li Keqiang urged a whole nation strategy for taking the lead over the United States in basic scientific research as well as advanced technologies, including those needed for advanced intelligence and space flight. He also urged the NPC to consolidate and enhance integration of national strategies and strategic capabilities and step up capacity-building in science, technology and industries related to national defense.Tan Kefei, who led the PLA and armed police delegation at the NPC, similarly said on Monday that the PLA needs to accelerate the creation of a modern logistics support system  Its also necessary to further expand the military reforms [of the past decades] to improve military oversight and continue to modernize.The NPCs budget proposal includes a 7.2% increase in defense - the countrys largest since 2019 - with an increased focus on funding research into new technologies.The R&D focus is itself nothing new, as China has long looked to build a strong technological base as a key tool for bringing the country into the 21st century. Chinese President Xi Jinping has set a series of incremental goals for turning China into a moderately prosperous society by 2020 and a fully developed nation and a global leader in terms of comprehensive national power and international influence by 2049. Last month, he urged a massive new funding focus on technology education at earlier ages and for research funding to ensure China has a technologically literate population on which to base such a massive sci-tech revolution.While that effort includes military technology, it also includes those technologies with a variety of civilian and military applications, such as advanced computer chips. Late last year, Shenzhen-based tech giant Huawei had filed for a patent on EUV lithography, the technology used to make the ultra-advanced microchips that China had been blocked from getting from Taiwan and the Netherlands just months earlier - evidence that Beijings concerns about self-sufficiency in the face of increased Western hostility go back many years.Indeed, the NPC has made clear it expects to accelerate the process of reunification with Taiwan, a Chinese island governed by a republican rump state that survived the communist victory in the Chinese Civil War in 1949. Beijing sees Taiwan as a Chinese province in rebellion and regards US support for the Taipei government, even though informal, as meddling in internal Chinese affairs.A panel discussion on the sidelines of the NPC with Chinese defense officials called attention to the developments.Zhang Youxia, who is the CMCs present vice-chairman, also said that we should promote innovative combat tactics for information warfare, ensuring our armed forces can keep making progress in military modernization.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230303/us-army-logistics-chief-says-potential-war-with-china-likely-precision-munitions-fight-1107992204.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230302/next-2-years-dangerous-period-for-possible-us-china-conflict-ex-national-security-adviser-claims-1107922172.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/estonias-reform-party-wins-in-general-election-1108076709.html

Estonias Reform Party Wins in General Election

Estonias Reform Party Wins in General Election

The center-right Reform Party of Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has come ahead in the parliamentary election with over 31% of the votes, the National Electoral Committee informed.

2023-03-06T02:11+0000

2023-03-06T02:11+0000

2023-03-06T02:11+0000

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On Sunday, Estonian voters cast their ballots in the general election, with ten independent candidates and nine political parties (968 candidates in total) having participated in the vote. The Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) is second with 16%, which means that it gets 17 seats in Estonias 101-seat parliament, or Riigikogu. "In third place is the Centre Party that collected 14.8% of the votes, it will have 16 seats in parliament," the electoral committee said. "This is much better than we expected," Kallas said of the result. "We have ruled out a coalition with EKRE and I stand by my words." EKRE leader Martin Helme suggested on election night that Reform "stole" the election. "We didn't do anything wrong. We did everything right and with honesty, unlike those who stole our well-deserved victory," he said.Over 900,000 people were eligible to vote in Estonias Sunday general election. According to preliminary data from the electoral committee, the turnout was 63.7%. The Sunday election was the first time that the majority of Estonian voters (313,514) cast their ballots online, the committee specified. Just over 301,000 people cast their ballots in person.

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Iran plans to launch two homegrown satellites into space in cooperation with Russia in December 2023, Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA) reported Sunday.

Kowsar and Hodhod, built by an Iranian consortium of knowledge-based companies, are planned to be sent into an orbit 500 km above the Earth's surface by a foreign launch vehicle, said the report.

Kowsar is an observation satellite with an imaging resolution of 3.5 meters per pixel, which can be used for agricultural purposes, surveying and demarcation. The satellite has an orbital lifespan of two years.

The Hodhod satellite has uses in the area of the Internet of Things as well as agriculture, transportation and crisis management scenarios, according to the report.

Citing Hossein Shahrabi, head of the Kowsar Space Consortium, ISNA reported that the contract for the launch of the satellites has been signed.

ISNA reported in February 2022 that the Kowsar satellite had reached the testing and assembly stage after two years of development efforts by the consortium.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/fire-erupts-at-future-atlanta-police-training-facility-after-protest--1108077355.html

Fire Erupts at Future Atlanta Police Training Facility After Protest

Fire Erupts at Future Atlanta Police Training Facility After Protest

Protesters have clashed with law enforcement officers at the site of the future training center for police in Atlanta, the capital of the US state of Georgia, Fox News reports.

2023-03-06T03:30+0000

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Smoke and flames were being put out at the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center construction site on Sunday, and the facility was put on lockdown. Officials told Fox News that protesters set at least one construction vehicle on fire before the protest was contained. Protesters reportedly held a rally not far from the construction site at 5 p.m. local time (22:00 GMT on Sunday) and then marched toward the area currently under construction with makeshift shields. A riot began, and the protesters clashed with law enforcement, throwing rocks, sticks, and Molotov cocktails at police, a Georgia State Trooper told Fox News.Protestors and environmental advocates argue that state's woods, which span more than 1,000 acres, should be preserved as one of its most significant green spaces, while other protestors argue that the site will be use to enable and increase the militarization of local police forces. The protesting groups are known as 'Stop Cop City' and 'Defend Atlanta Forest'. Protests against the construction of the future police training facility in Atlanta have been ongoing since the center was proposed in the summer of 2021. At the end of January, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp declared a two-week state of emergency when riots in Atlanta became violent, with protesters throwing rocks, launching fireworks and burning a police car in front of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/flotus-snubs-idea-of-mental-competency-test-for-older-politicians-as-biden-makes-another-gaffe-1108079172.html

FLOTUS Snubs Idea of Mental Competency Test for Older Politicians as Biden Makes Another Gaffe

FLOTUS Snubs Idea of Mental Competency Test for Older Politicians as Biden Makes Another Gaffe

Biden's numerous gaffes continue to infuriate Republicans, who have repeatedly argued that the Democrat, who is the oldest president in the US history, is not mentally fit to run the country.

2023-03-06T05:50+0000

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2023-03-06T11:51+0000

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Jill Biden has dismissed Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley's recent proposal to introduce mental competency tests for politicians over age 75 as "ridiculous."When asked if her husband would consider taking a mental capacity test if re-elected next year during an interview with a US media outlet, the US First Lady said, "We would never even discuss something like that."Joe Bidens wife then recalled his surprise visit to Kiev last month to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, saying it was proof of the 46th US presidents stamina and fitness to be at the helm of his country.Haley floated the proposal to test older politicians on their mental proficiency when she announced that she was running for the 2024 Republican nomination in February. She was apparently referring to 80-year-old Biden, the oldest president in US history, and former POTUS Donald Trump, 76, who earlier threw his hat into the presidential ring again.Jill Bidens remarks come as netizens lashed out at the 46th president making another unproven claim that he was involved in the civil rights movement when he was young.The criticism followed the US president visiting Selma, Alabama to commemorate the 58th anniversary of "Bloody Sunday". On March 7, 1965, a 600-person civil rights demonstration in Selma ended in violence after marchers were attacked and beaten by white state troopers and sheriff's deputies.I was a student up north in the civil rights movement. I remember feeling how guilty I was, [that] I wasn't here. How could we all be up there, and you going through what you went through," Biden claimed during an address to the crowd. However, there is reportedly no historical evidence to prove the 46th president's claim.POTUS has repeatedly been trolled over his frequent gaffes and weird gestures that add to speculation about his cognitive decline, raising questions from conservatives about whether he is mentally able run the country.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20221030/states-of-confusion-and-delusion-biden-trolled-over-54-states-gaffe-1102838111.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/hungarian-foreign-minister-warns-europe-against-competing-with-us-in-arms-supplies-to-kiev-1108099372.html

Hungarian Foreign Minister Warns Europe Against Competing With US in Arms Supplies to Kiev

Hungarian Foreign Minister Warns Europe Against Competing With US in Arms Supplies to Kiev

Some European politicians see supplying weapons to Ukraine as a field in which to compete against the US, but they forget that it is Europe that is mainly affected by the conflict, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said.

2023-03-06T18:40+0000

2023-03-06T18:40+0000

2023-03-06T18:40+0000

world

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"Europe and the transatlantic space is simply in a military psychosis. It is a shock to listen to lawmakers in Brussels who perceive it as a competition as to who will give more weapons to Ukraine - the US or Europe. First of all, of course, it is absolutely illogical to enter a competition with the world's first superpower in anything in the field of arms supplies," he said while addressing the Hungarian parliament. He specified that "these bureaucrats forget" that the conflict is taking place in Europe, not in the US, and it is Europe that feels "directly all its negative consequences". The minister reiterated the official position of Hungary, which calls for a ceasefire and peace talks instead of introducing new anti-Russian sanctions and sending weapons to Kiev, and recalled that without direct negotiations between the Russian and US authorities, according to Budapest, it would be "quite difficult" to achieve peace. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban cautioned the European Union last month that it could sleepwalk into an armed conflict with Russia by sending increasingly deadly weapons to Ukraine. He argued that a negotiated solution was needed to avoid further casualties. Since the beginning of the conflict, Hungary has consistently opposed sanctions on Russian energy carriers and weapons supplies to Ukraine. In early March last year, the Hungarian parliament issued a decree prohibiting arms supplies to Ukraine from Hungarian territory. Szijjarto explained that Budapest seeks the security of the Zakarpattia region, where ethnic Hungarians live, since the supply of weapons through its territory would make it a legitimate military target for Russia.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230227/weapons-from-ukraine-on-offer-to-swedish-gangs-report-says-1107830951.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/indian-navy-says-successfully-test-fires-brahmos-supersonic-cruise-missile-in-arabian-sea-1108075484.html

Indian Navy Says Successfully Test-Fires BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile in Arabian Sea

Indian Navy Says Successfully Test-Fires BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile in Arabian Sea

India has successfully test-launched the BrahMos medium-range supersonic cruise missile in the Arabian Sea, equipped with indigenous seeker and booster, which was designed with the country's DRDO.

2023-03-06T02:01+0000

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"#IndianNavy's successful precision strike in the #ArabianSea by ship launched #BrahMos missile with @DRDO_India designed #Indigenous Seeker & Booster reinforces its commitment towards #AatmaNirbharta [self-reliance]," the spokesperson tweeted. BrahMos Aerospace is a Russian-Indian enterprise producing supersonic cruise missiles capable of being launched from submarines, ships, planes or land-based platforms. It was established in 1998 and named after the Brahmaputra and Moscow rivers. The Russian side of the venture is represented by the NPO Mashinostroyenia space and rocket company.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/kilicdaroglu-declared-turkish-oppositions-single-candidate-in-may-14-presidential-election-1108116632.html

Kilicdaroglu Declared Turkish Opposition's Single Candidate in May 14 Presidential Election

Kilicdaroglu Declared Turkish Opposition's Single Candidate in May 14 Presidential Election

The leader of the Republican People's Party, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, has been declared the single candidate of the opposition People's Alliance in the general elections in Turkiye.

2023-03-06T18:50+0000

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During the election, scheduled to take place on May 14, Kilicdaroglu will oppose the Republican Alliance's candidate, the country's incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a Sputnik correspondent reported.The nomination of the opposition candidate was announced by Temel Karamollaoglu, the leader of the Happiness Party, the headquarters of which hosted a meeting of the "table of six" (six-party opposition bloc). The announcement was preceded by a conflict within the alliance. Thus, the leader of the Good Party, Meral Aksener, said earlier that the alliance no longer reflected the real interests of the people. The conflict arose due to the fact that five parties proposed the candidacy of Kilicdaroglu, and the Good Party intended to discuss the candidacies of the mayors of Istanbul and Ankara. On Monday, Aksener nevertheless arrived at a meeting of the alliance of six opposition parties after long meetings with the mayors of Istanbul and Ankara, Ekrem Imamoglu and Mansur Yavas. After negotiations with the mayors, Aksener held face-to-face talks with Kilicdaroglu to settle the differences. The parties reached a consensus that Imamoglu and Yavas would have the powers of vice presidents if Kilicdaroglu is elected president.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230205/erdogan-accuses-western-countries-of-trying-to-influence-turkeys-presidential-election-1106994842.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/lithuanian-court-keeps-sputnik-lithuania-editor-kasem-in-prison-for-another-2-months-1108083660.html

Riga Court Keeps Sputnik Lithuania Editor Kasem in Prison for Another 2 Months

Riga Court Keeps Sputnik Lithuania Editor Kasem in Prison for Another 2 Months

A Lithuanian court upheld its previous decision on Monday to leave Sputnik Lithuania editor Marat Kasem in prison for another 2 months, denying the appeal to change the measure of restraint.

2023-03-06T10:23+0000

2023-03-06T10:23+0000

2023-03-06T10:52+0000

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Kasem will have to stay in Riga Central Prison for another 60 days, after which he will be allowed to appeal again. Kasem is a citizen of Latvia and has been living and working in Moscow for several years in the Rossiya Segodnya media group, which also includes Sputnik Lithuania. On December 30, the journalist arrived in Latvia for family reasons. He was detained, and on January 5, the Riga court took him into custody.

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Russian MoD Briefing on Progress of Special Military Operation in Ukraine

The Russian Army eliminated up to 45 Ukrainian soldiers, two armored combat vehicles and three pickups close to Kupyansk;

Russian troops destroyed up to 160 Ukrainian soldiers, one tank, three infantry fighting vehicles, five armored fighting vehicles, three other vehicles and a Grad MRLS close to Krasny Liman;

In Donetsk region, the Russian Armed Forces destroyed up to 225 Ukrainian troops, five infantry fighting vehicles, nine armored fighting vehicles, five pickups, four other vehicles, a Uragan MLRS rocket and a D-30 howitzer. In addition, an ordnance depot and US-manufactured AN/TPQ-37 counterbattery warfare radar was destroyed;

Russian artillery neutralized up to 65 Ukrainian personnel, two armored fighting vehicles, two pickups, as well as the fighting vehicles equipped with Uragan and Grad MLRS in South Donetsk direction and Zaporozhye direction;

In Kherson direction, Russian troops destroyed three armored fighting vehicles, eight motor vehicles, and an Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer;

A self-propelled launching ramp of Ukrainian Buk-M1 air defense missile system was destroyed in the Donetsk People's Republic. In addition, a guidance radar of the Ukrainian S-300 air defense missile system was destroyed near Andreyevka in DPR;

A US-manufactured AN/TPQ-37 counterbattery warfare radar was destroyed in Zaporozhye direction;

Russian Aerospace Forces has shot down a Su-27 airplane of Ukrainian Air Force in Zaporozhye region. In addition, one Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter has been shot down in the DPR;

Russian air defense facilities shot down a MiG-29 airplane of the Ukrainian Air Force in the DPR;
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/malawi-praises-first-fertilizer-shipment-from-russia-as-essential-for-tackling-food-crisis-1108083762.html

Malawi Praises First Fertilizer Shipment From Russia as Essential for Tackling Food Crisis

Malawi Praises First Fertilizer Shipment From Russia as Essential for Tackling Food Crisis

Russian fertilizers are important for Malawi to develop its agriculture amid the country's growing food prices, Malawian Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale has said.

2023-03-06T15:24+0000

2023-03-06T15:24+0000

2023-03-06T15:24+0000

africa

east africa

grain exports

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agriculture

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Russian fertilizer producer Uralchem has delivered Russian fertilizer to Malawi, with Malawian Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale calling the humanitarian aid important for the country to develop its agriculture amid growing food prices.Speaking at the handover ceremony, Kawale went on to say the shipment of fertilizer is timely in terms of the increased global prices, and underlined that 2022 was tough for the country's agriculture.Russian Ambassador to Zimbabwe and Malawi Nikolay Krasilnikov also invited the agricultural minister of Malawi to the Russia-Africa Summit which is to take place in Saint Petersburg in July. Agricultural development, along with Russian fertilizer shipments to Africa, will be part of the summit agenda.The 20,000-ton Russian fertilizer shipment to Malawi by Uralchem is the first of its kind, and constitutes only part of the total 260,000 tons of fertilizer estimated to be blocked in European ports due to the producer's inability to pay for freight as a result of western-imposed restrictive measures. Speaking at the event, Uralchem CEO Dmitry Konyaev said fertilizer is the first step to food security on the continent.Konyaev also emphasized the role of the UN and the World Food Programme, as well as the governments of the Netherlands, Mozambique, and Malawi, in implementing the shipment, saying it "would have been impossible" without their cooperation and help.The cargo was initially expected to reach the coast of Mozambique, as Malawi does not have access to the sea, but was blocked in the ports of Latvia, Estonia, Belgium, and the Netherlands.Earlier, Russian authorities stated that they were willing to provide fertilizers to those in need free of charge. However, since September 2022, only the shipments to Malawi have been transferred to Africa; all other shipments of Russian fertilizers have been detained in Europe.According to Moscow, there are nearly 300,000 tons of Russian fertilizers that cannot reach its destination due to the West's restrictions.Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the West of "shamelessly burying" the grain deal, hindering the exports of Russian agricultural products. In addition to the obstacles for the Russian exports, Russia also blamed the West for implementing the grain deal "far from the stated humanitarian goals."Moscow said that under the grain exports agreement, over 23 million tons of food products had been transported from Ukraine to high-income countries (47%), mainly in the European Union, and to countries with above-average income (34%) since August 1, 2022, while the countries-in-need's share of the supply only amounted to 2.6%.The United Nations-brokered grain export agreement signed July 22, 2022, was renewed for another 120 days on November 19. Moscow repeatedly emphasized the dishonest execution of the deal by Western countries.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/west-unlikely-to-lift-obstacles-for-russian-supply-under-grain-deal-ankara-says-1108079947.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/meet-the-nazi-sympathizers-who-organized-biden-admin-endorsed-war-rally-in-dc-last-week-1108076377.html

Meet the Nazi Sympathizers Who Organized Biden Admin-Endorsed War Rally in DC Last Week

Meet the Nazi Sympathizers Who Organized Biden Admin-Endorsed War Rally in DC Last Week

Prominent supporters of the Azov Battalion*, Aidar Battalion, Right Sector, and Nazi collaborator Stepan Bandera managed and spoke at an anti-Russia rally... 06.03.2023, Sputnik International

2023-03-06T01:59+0000

2023-03-06T01:59+0000

2023-03-06T03:54+0000

ukraine

ukraine crisis

us arms for ukraine

russia

russia gate

nazi

nazi

nazi

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A much-vaunted anti-Russia rally in late February which was headlined by Samantha Power, the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, was organized by avowed supporters of Nazi militants in Ukraine, a new report has revealed.Arguably most alarming conduct came from Nadiya Shaporynska, the founder of an aggressively Russophobic group known as US Ukrainian Activists, which was reportedly the main organizing force behind the demonstration.As the outlet explains, Shaporynskas Facebook posts over the years reveal her enthusiastic support and fundraising for avowedly fascist Ukrainian militias including Right Sector and its leader, Dymtro Yarosh, the Azov Battalion*, the Aidar Battalion, and former Donbas Battalion commander Semen Semenchenko.According to the Grayzone, Shaporynska organized a charity concert for Azov and the Aidar Battalion in January of 2015, under the auspices of another group she founded called United Help for Ukraine.United Help for Ukraine has described its co-founder, Tanya Aldave, as a 'true Banderite,'  in other words, an admirer of the Ukrainian Nazi collaborator Bandera, Rubinstein notes.Such Banderite activists constantly appear alongside Ukraines ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, in photos posted to social media, the outlet observes  a fact which the Grayzone says shows their close working relationship with Zelenskys government in Kiev.Months later, Shaporynska threw yet another 'charity concert,' this time featuring Georgian warlord Mamuka Mamulashvili as its guest of honor". Last year, the infamous Mamulashvili promised to execute every single Russian service member who was captured by his forces.But the principal organizer of the rally wasnt the only one with a not-so-hidden inclination towards self-declared Nazi militants. Also speaking were USAID Administrator Power, Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Marakova, Bidens Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Karen Donfried, District of Columbia Secretary of State Kimberly Bassett, US Chamber of Commerce Board Chairman Mark Ordan, EU Ambassador to the United States Stavros Lambrinidis, and Paul Grod, President of the Ukrainian World Congress.As Rubinstein points out, Grod has made a career out of defending the legacy of Nazi collaborators, and even once petitioned the Canadian government to officially recognize the genocidal Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, or OUN, as designated resistance fighters  a designation which he notes would have funneled Canadian tax dollars directly into the pension accounts of Nazi collaborators.Whats more, in 2010, Grod reportedly honored the legacy of the Waffen SS Galicia, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, and the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists as heroes who fought 'for the freedom of their ancestral Ukrainian homeland.'Reached for comment by Sputnik News, Rubinstein explained that having seen the pictures of our current commander-in-chief with neo-Nazi Oleh Tiahnybok, it should come as no surprise that we see members of the US government collaborating with fascists.Those who paid any attention during the Maidan coup of 2014 are well aware of how the US partnered with so-called 'civil society' to be the face of the protests as violent ultranationalists rampaged just off camera, the journalist notes."This partnership between US regime change agencies like USAID and so-called 'democracy' activists was a feature of the Obama Administration and, with Samantha Power at USAID, it's clear the Biden Administration is trying to bring it back".Rubinstein blasted corporate media coverage of the pro-war rally, which universally ignored the fascist sympathies of its organizers and speakers.The mainstream corporate media acted dutifully in omitting any mentions of ultranationalist elements, merely referring to the organizers and protesters as the Ukrainian community, Rubinstein says.Despite the abundance of fascist red and black flags at the rally, a reader would have come away from consuming media coverage with a righteous anger over their hardships  a phenomenon which occurs by design, he says.By contrast, the recent Rage Against the War Machine rally, which saw anti-war voices including former US Representatives Tulsi Gabbard, Ron Paul, and Dennis Kucinich gathered at the Lincoln Memorial just a few days prior, was attacked ruthlessly and relentlessly by corporate news outlets.The disparity in coverage shows that the White House and the mainstream media are clearly doing everything in their power to elevate pro-war voices and censor anyone who threatens their huge wartime profits, he adds.*Azov Battalion is a terrorist organization banned in Russia.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/morocco-us-discuss-expanding-defense-cooperation-reports-say-1108080686.html

Morocco, US Discuss Expanding Defense Cooperation, Reports Say

Morocco, US Discuss Expanding Defense Cooperation, Reports Say

Defense Minister of Morocco Abdellatif Loudiyi and US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley discussed opportunities to further strengthen bilateral military cooperation, local media has reported.

2023-03-06T08:20+0000

2023-03-06T08:20+0000

2023-03-06T08:20+0000

africa

north africa

morocco

us

us defense department

defense minister

mark milley

defense

military

military cooperation

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Defense Minister of Morocco Abdellatif Loudiyi and US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley reviewed the state of bilateral military cooperation and discussed opportunities to further strengthen it, local media has reported. The senior officials held a meeting in Rabat, capital city of Morocco, as part of the US general's working visit to the country. In particular, the strategic defense partnership between the two countries includes the 2020-2030 roadmap for defense cooperation signed in October 2020. The two parties highlighted the importance of this accord aimed at strengthening military collaboration. They also touched upon the topic of the combined annual exercise African Lion, which represents "a major lever for success serving the interoperability of the armed forces," according to the report. US Africa Command's largest joint exercise this year is expected to be held between May 15 and July 18. Morocco has been hosting the African military exercise for a total of 18 years. Apart from Morocco, other host countries include Djibouti, Ghana, Senegal, and Tunisia. It will feature different joint exercises such as land, airborne, maritime, and civil-military operations.The parties also reiterated their commitment to the tripartite declaration signed between Morocco, the US and Israel in December 2020 to promote peace and stability in North Africa and the Middle East. This was Milley's first visit to the African continent as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. After the meeting, the US General told media that Morocco is a partner and great ally of the US not only in the region, but also in the continent. He also highlighted the important role Morocco plays in promoting stability and peace in Africa and the Middle East. Morocco is not the only state in the region which has enhanced military cooperation with other countries by holding meetings between senior defense officials and conducting joint military drills. Neighboring Algeria, for example, is strengthening its defense cooperation with Russia.Last month, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev and Algerian security officials discussed issues of interaction between law enforcement agencies and special services.In November last year, the countries held Desert Shield 2022 anti-terrorism exercises, which brought together some 200 soldiers from Russian and Algerian counterterrorism forces in Bechar Province, 50 kilometers from the Moroccan border.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230227/russia-and-algeria-discuss-cooperation-between-security-services--1107847301.html

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Chen Liancai (2nd R, front), Chief Executive Officer of Hengyi Industries, signs a financing agreement with senior executives from three local financial institutions in Bandar Seri Begawan, capital of Brunei on Aug. 3, 2022. [Photo/Xinhua]

Bilateral relations between China and Brunei are standing at a new historical starting point and facing new development opportunities, as this year marks the 5th anniversary of China-Brunei Strategic Cooperative Partnership, Xiao Jianguo, new Chinese ambassador to Brunei, said Sunday.

In a speech after arriving at Brunei International Airport, Xiao said that China and Brunei have maintained friendly exchanges for thousands of years.

In recent years, the two countries have continuously deepened political mutual trust, expanded pragmatic cooperation, enhanced people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and maintained good communication and coordination in international and regional affairs, said Xiao.

"I am convinced that, under the strategic guidance of our heads of state and with joint efforts from both sides, our bilateral relations are sure to embrace ever broader prospects for development," the ambassador said.

As the 12th Chinese ambassador to Brunei, Xiao promised to spare no effort to further consolidate and strengthen China-Brunei Strategic Cooperative Partnership, pushing forward pragmatic cooperation in all fields.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/over-100-ugandan-sect-members-flee-to-ethiopia-to-escape-doomsday-reports-claim-1108094043.html

Over 100 Ugandan Sect Members Flee to Ethiopia to Escape Doomsday, Reports Claim

Over 100 Ugandan Sect Members Flee to Ethiopia to Escape Doomsday, Reports Claim

At least one hundred people belonging to a religious sect in the eastern part of Uganda have fled from their areas to Ethiopia, media has reported, citing police.

2023-03-06T15:59+0000

2023-03-06T15:59+0000

2023-03-06T15:59+0000

africa

east africa

uganda

religion

religious cult

religious group

religious beliefs

doomsday

doomsday cult

ethiopia

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At least one hundred people belonging to a religious sect in the eastern part of Uganda have fled to Ethiopia, media has reported, citing police. It was stated that the members of the sect called Christ Disciples Church fled to the neighboring country to escape the "end of the world," which they were told would start from their area. The sect's base is located in Obululum village of the Serere District, eastern Uganda. East Kyoga Police spokesperson Oscar Ageca told reporters that people started disappearing in February 2023. The police opened an investigation, working to find the leaders of the church and "ascertain the exact whereabouts of the missing members."The people were reportedly convinced that death was coming to their homeland and the only safe place was Ethiopia.The members of the sect are reported missing in three districts of Serere, Kumi and Ngora, all located in eastern Uganda. Police also stated that before disappearing, the members sold off their property such as cattle, land and other household items to raise money for the trip. They were reportedly asked to contribute Shs2 million (about $539) to the church for transport. It was noted that the police still have little information on the issue and a general inquiry has been opened, while the public has been asked to provide any details that could help in search operations.It is not the only case of religious cults misguiding its followers in Uganda. In 2000, a cult led by Joseph Kibwetere conducted a massacre of over 700 people. They were members of the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God, a doomsday cult that thought the world would end at the turn of the millennium. They were also convinced to sell their property. After giving the money to the cult leader, they were locked in a church and set on fire.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/russia-china-outrun-uk-in-global-supercomputing-race-media-reports-1108126921.html

Russia, China Outrun UK in Global Supercomputing Race, Media Reports

Russia, China Outrun UK in Global Supercomputing Race, Media Reports

Russia and China both have more powerful supercomputers than the UK, the British newspaper said Monday, citing a report by the British scientific community.

2023-03-06T20:01+0000

2023-03-06T20:01+0000

2023-03-06T20:01+0000

world

russia

china

uk

supercomputers

artificial intelligence

rishi sunak

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Scientists reportedly warned Prime Minister Rishi Sunak that the UK was down to number 10 on the list of global supercomputing powers, lagging behind Russia, China and France. It was ranked third in 2005.The government has been asked to invest an extra $600mln in building a new supercomputer capable of training advanced artificial intelligence programs, the British newspaper reported. A lack of investment "threatens [the UK's] standing as an international leader in science and technology," the scientists said, according to the newspaper.The revelation coincides with the government's announcement of a plan to inject $445mln in the development of innovative technologies such as quantum technologies, supercomputing and AI as it seeks to establish the UK as a global science and technology superpower by 2030.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20220613/europes-fastest-supercomputer-launched-in-finland-1096283321.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/russian-military-manufacturer-says-developing-camouflage-invisible-to-thermal-imagers-1108088633.html

Russian Military Manufacturer Says Developing Camouflage 'Invisible' to Thermal Imagers

Russian Military Manufacturer Says Developing Camouflage 'Invisible' to Thermal Imagers

Creating a camouflage for military personnel that would make them invisible to enemy thermal imagers is a critical task given the ongoing special operation, but new materials are essential for the successful development, General Director of the Sturm scientific and production special company Vladimir Drobyak told Sputnik on Monday.

2023-03-06T12:09+0000

2023-03-06T12:09+0000

2023-03-06T12:09+0000

military

russia

camouflage

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Drobyak explained that, today, it is possible to reduce the visibility of a human figure in the thermal range, but only for a short period of time, with a stable temperature of the environment, standard climatic conditions, without a sharp daily fluctuation of these parameters. He added that acquiring principally new camouflaging materials would have allowed making a breakthrough in this issue. The Sturm company was founded in 2001 near Moscow. One of the companys main areas is the development of military camouflage systems, one of which, 6Sh122, has been supplied to the Russian Army since 2014 as part of the soldiers equipment "Ratnik." In addition, four types of bulletproof vests developed by the company are used by Russian law enforcement agencies, including assault units.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20221114/russia-plans-to-create-iron-man-military-suit-for-its-soldiers--1104086918.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/russian-price-cap-has-created-difficulties-for-operations-in-energy-markets-chevron-ceo-admits-1108097992.html

Russian Price Cap Has Created Difficulties for Operations in Energy Markets, Chevron CEO Admits

Russian Price Cap Has Created Difficulties for Operations in Energy Markets, Chevron CEO Admits

The Russian price cap has created many obstacles in normal operations for global energy markets, Chevron CEO Mike Wirth said on Monday.

2023-03-06T18:09+0000

2023-03-06T18:09+0000

2023-03-06T18:09+0000

economy

2022 russian oil price cap

russia

oil

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"There's not a lot of swing capacity, there's not a lot of inventory capacity, so a little bit and the system normally optimizes within those parameters, but there's now a lot of constraints: you can't sell to this country, you can't buy from that country, can't insure," Wirth said during a panel discussion at CERAWeek. Wirth also said that he does not foresee Europe becoming a reliable consumer of Russian gas again. After Russia began its special military operation in Ukraine, the West actively searched for ways to limit Moscows energy-related income, notably from oil and gas. The effort culminated with a $60 price-cap imposed by G7 member states and Australia on December 5. In response to the price cap, Moscow banned the supply of Russian oil and petroleum products if contracts directly or indirectly provide for a price cap, in a decree signed by President Vladimir Putin in late December.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230208/price-cap-on-russian-diesel-to-raise-costs-for-europe-disrupt-logistics-energy-expert-1107077628.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/russias-novatek-ready-to-buy-shells-share-in-sakhalin-2-media-reports-1108082533.html

Russia's Novatek Ready to Buy Shell's Share in Sakhalin-2, Media Reports

Russia's Novatek Ready to Buy Shell's Share in Sakhalin-2, Media Reports

Russian energy company Novatek has informed the Russian government about its readiness to purchase UK energy company Shell's 27.5% share in the joint oil and gas project Sakhalin-2, Russian newspaper reported on Monday, citing sources.

2023-03-06T09:38+0000

2023-03-06T09:38+0000

2023-03-06T09:38+0000

economy

russia

sakhalin-2

novatek

shell

lng

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Novatek has declared its readiness to buy Shell's share in the Sakhalin-2 project and asked the government to speed up the assessment of the damage done to the project by Shell in order to participate in the selection of the potential buyer, the newspaper said. In August of last year, the Sakhalin-2 project changed its operator from Bermuda-registered Sakhalin Energy to Russian company Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltd., owning 50% in the Gazprom Sakhalin Holding. Japanese companies Mitsui and Mitsubishi accepted the change of jurisdiction and kept their shares in Sakhalin-2, which were 12.5% and 10% respectively. Conversely, Shell with its 27.5% share refused to remain in the project and wrote off the value of its share worth $1.6 billion. The Russian government estimated the the Shell share's value at 94.8 billion rubles ($1.3 billion). Russia is planning to check if Shell has done any ecological, technological or other damage, and potentially deduct the penalty from the money that Shell can get for its share, the newspaper said. At the same time, Shell still has an off-take contract granting it 1 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas from Sakhalin-2 per year till 2028, the Russian newspaper reported, adding that the contract was signed with Sakhalin Energy and was not renegotiated with Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltd. making it invalid since August. On February 2, Shell said that it still had two long-term contracts for LNG supply from Russia, one of them with Yamal LNG, but stopped getting supplies under one of the contracts in the third quarter of 2022. At the moment the operator of Sakhalin-2 sells the amounts of LNG, previously supplied to Shell under the long-term contract, on the spot market, media reported. It is still unclear what will happen to these gas amounts in the event Novatek joins in the project. The newspaper's sources said that it would be profitable for the company to take them, as the prices in the long-term contract are tied to oil and significantly lower than those on the spot market for LNG in Asia. However, other stakeholders, such as Gazprom, might be interested in the return of Shell's gas amounts to the project's joint pool and their staying on the spot market, thus distributing the profit between all the stakeholders of Sakhalin-2. Sakhalin-2 is an oil and gas project which includes the exploration of the two oil and gas fields in the North-East of Sakhalin Piltun-Astokhskoye (oil mostly) and Lunskoye (gas mostly). The project's infrastructure includes, among other assets, a gas liquefaction plant with the estimated capacity of 9.6 million tonnes per year.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20221205/japan-excludes-sakhalin-2-project-from-russian-oil-price-cap-list-foreign-ministry-1105055187.html

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russian oil and gas. sakhalin-2 project, notatek to buy shell`s share, novatek versus shell
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/spain-asks-us-to-remove-soil-contaminated-with-radiation-after-accident-in-1966-report-1108098876.html

Spain Asks US to Remove Soil Contaminated With Radiation After Accident in 1966: Report

Spain Asks US to Remove Soil Contaminated With Radiation After Accident in 1966: Report

The Spanish Foreign Ministry has submitted a formal request to the United States for the removal of soil that was contaminated with radiation 57 years ago in the province of Almeria, a Spanish newspaper reported on Monday, citing sources.

2023-03-06T18:29+0000

2023-03-06T18:29+0000

2023-03-06T18:29+0000

world

spain

us

radiation

b-52

kc-135

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In 1966, land near the town of Palomares was contaminated with plutonium-239 after a US B-52 bomber with thermonuclear bombs on board collided with a KC-135 tanker aircraft. As a result of the plane crash, seven people were killed and four thermonuclear bombs were lost. The Spanish government reminded the US of a political commitment that Madrid and Washington had signed in October 2015 on the removal of the contaminated soil to the Nevada desert, the report noted. So far, a total of 50,000 cubic meters of contaminated soil has been scattered across several plots of land covering about 40 hectares (98,8 acres), which were fenced off in 2007 due to high levels of radiation, the report added. During the Cold War, the US Air Force had been carrying out Operation Chrome Dome. It included the continuous presence in the air of strategic bombers with nuclear weapons, which were ready to strike predetermined targets on the territory of the USSR. However, the accident in Spain caused a serious diplomatic crisis and led to the cessation of US nuclear bombers' flights over Europe and the Mediterranean. However, such flights were finally stopped only in 1968 when another nuclear accident occurred over the Thule base in Greenland.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20221017/radiation-from-world-war-ii-weapons-found-in-st-louis-elementary-school-1101909111.html

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spain, us, radiation, soil contaminated with radiation, plutonium-239, 1966 accident
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/sputnik-expands-cooperation-with-ethiopia-1108089867.html

Sputnik Expands Cooperation With Ethiopia

Sputnik Expands Cooperation With Ethiopia

Sputnik News Agency signed a memorandum of understanding with FANA Broadcasting Corporate (FBC), Ethiopias largest broadcasting company.

2023-03-06T13:40+0000

2023-03-06T13:40+0000

2023-03-06T13:40+0000

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The parties intend to exchange news content and implement joint projects. Sputnik Director for International Cooperation Vasily Pushkov and FBC CEO Admasu Damtew signed the document in an online ceremony.Following the signing, Pushkov emphasized that cooperation with the Ethiopian media outlet is a major priority for Sputnik. Admasu Damtew, for his part, noted that the new agreement will enable the two media outlets to collaborate in areas of content swapping, capacity building and others.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230220/reinvigorating-pan-africanism-is-critical-ethiopian-pm-says-1107629464.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/there-can-be-only-one-the-three-hopefuls-vying-to-replace-sturgeon-as-snp-leader-1108096046.html

There Can Be Only One: The Three Hopefuls Vying to Replace Sturgeon as SNP Leader

There Can Be Only One: The Three Hopefuls Vying to Replace Sturgeon as SNP Leader

The race to succeed outgoing First Minister Nicola Sturgeon as leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) has attracted three candidates, each with their own eccentricities. But only one can don the mantle of leadership.

2023-03-06T19:49+0000

2023-03-06T19:49+0000

2023-03-08T16:39+0000

uk

scotland

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nicola sturgeon

world

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Three runners have emerged in the race to become next leader of the separatist SNP and first minister of the devolved Scottish government  but what do they stand for?Sturgeon unexpectedly announced she was quitting after eight years in office at a hastily-convened press conference on February 15. While she refused to admit any faults in her leadership, a series of unpopular policy moves and government fiascos had eroded support for her party and independenceThanks to intense coverage by much of the Scottish and UK-wide media, Humza Yousaf already looks like the anointed successor to Sturgeon.He has pledged to keep going with the moves that have cost the SNP, its outgoing leader and its separatist cause significant voter support in recent polls.The most controversial among them has been the policy officially recognising self-declared transsexuals as members of the opposite sex without a medical diagnosis. The SNP-Scottish Green coalition tried to enshrine that in the Gender Recognition Reform (GRR) bill, which became the first piece of Scottish legislation in 25 years of devolution to be blocked by the Westminster Parliament.Yousaf has held several high-profile roles in the devolved government under Sturgeon  and has been tainted by controversies in each one.As transport minister he was fined 300 and had six penalty added to his license for driving a friend's car without insurance.As justice secretary he steered the contentious Hate Crime and Public Order Act through the devolved Holyrood parliament  legislation so convoluted that police and prosecutors are still trying to work out how to enforce it almost two years after it became law. Groups ranging from the National Secular Society to the Roman Catholic Church warned the bill could muzzle free speech, while Yousaf argues that its should even criminalise those expressing views or language offensive to minorities in the privacy of their own homes.Since Sturgeon appointed Yousaf health secretary in May 2021, the Scottish wing of the National Health Service (NHS) has been wracked by crises. By September that year the average waiting time for an ambulance had hit six hours, and he asked the UK Ministry of Defence to deploy army paramendics. Audit Scotland found that 500 people died as a result of delays.After boasting last September that the Scottish NHS had avoided staffing problems plaguing the rest of the country, Yousaf found himself, along with Downing Street, embroiled in strikes by nurses.As first minister he has pledged yet more legislation at odds with Westminster, committing to a human rights bill just as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's government plans to replace the 1998 Human Rights Act with a significantly slimmed-down law.Ash Regan is widely seen as a new broom to sweep out the current dominant faction in the SNP.She resigned from Sturgeon's cabinet in October 2022 over the GRR bill, which was strenuously opposed by Scottish women's groups and other civil society organisations. Within a month the issue blew up in the SNP's face when a rapist who began identifying as a woman after he was charged was convicted in Glasgow and was initially sent to a women's prison.Her opponents have tried to portray her as a proxy candidate for former SNP leader and first minister Alex Salmond, who founded rival party Alba after Sturgeon's attempts to find him guilty of sexual harassment and rape at an internal disciplinary and criminal court case, both of which failed.Regan has made headlines with a number of radical assertions  some of which have exposed her to ridicule.They include her insistence that a Scottish national bank with its own currency could be set up within months of independence, her opposition to transporting the historical Stone of Scone to London  as is customary  for the coronation of King Charles III and her pledge to erect a giant "independence thermometer" in a public place to display the progress towards the SNP's core goal.Regan also favours the strategy of declaring every election to the devolved regional parliament next to Holyrood Palace to be a de-facto repeat of the 2014 independence plebiscite, which the SNP-led Yes campaign lost by a margin of 10 per cent. She has even vowed to appeal to the United Nations to force the UK to recognise a future Scottish claim to self-determination.Media coverage of Scottish Finance Secretary Kate Forbes's campaign has been dominated by claims that her religious beliefs  as a member of the Protestant Free Church of Scotland  would color her politics, despite her repeated statements to the contrary.Commentators have pointed out that the same scrutiny was not applied to Humza Yousaf, a Muslim, despite Alex Salmond's revelation that he skipped a vote on legalising same-sex marriage in 2014 due to pressure from his own religious community.Both Forbes and Yousaf have also sounded vague on the question of how they will secure independence, the SNP's core goal.While seemingly at odds with the 'woke' politically-correct attitudes of many of the SNP members who will decide the election, Forbes has the widest support among the party's voter base.A Big Partnership poll in late February found 28 per cent of SNP voters backed Forbes, with 20 per cent preferring Yousaf and only seven per cent for Regan  although 31 per cent where ambivalent to all three.A survey of SNP members by pollsters Savanta last week found 31 per cent wanted Yousaf as their next leader, with 25 per cent opting for Forbes and 11 per cent for Regan. Crucially, 32 per cent were still undecided, leaving the race wide open.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230218/sturgeons-departure-leaves-scottish-national-party-without-obvious-successor-experts-say-1107567181.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230216/snp-westminster-leader-urges-party-to-pause-indy-conference-as-sturgeon-quits-1107511304.html

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uk, scotland, snp, humza yousaf, ash regan, kate forbes, nicola sturgeon
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/tiger-in-a-cage-80-years-since-yugoslav-partisan-leader-tito-smashed-nazi-forces-on-neretva-river-1108129033.html

Tiger in a Cage: 80 Years Since Yugoslav Partisan Leader Tito Smashed Nazi Forces on Neretva River

Tiger in a Cage: 80 Years Since Yugoslav Partisan Leader Tito Smashed Nazi Forces on Neretva River

Nowhere was the irregular anti-Nazi resistance more dogged or successful than in mountainous Yugoslavia, where Josip Broz Tito led a partisan army in a yearslong cat-and-mouse chase against Germans, Italians, and their Cetnik and Ustase Yugoslav collaborators.

2023-03-06T21:36+0000

2023-03-06T21:36+0000

2023-03-06T21:36+0000

sputnik explains

yugoslavia

josip broz tito

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partisans

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While the Nazi war machine advanced quickly across much of Central and Eastern Europe, in many places their presence was constantly challenged by resistance groups and guerrilla fighters. Their constant harassment of the supply lines of the Germans and their allies was a significant drain on their front-line forces fighting in the Soviet Union and elsewhere, as it required hundreds of thousands of troops to be diverted to deal with the insurgents.The steady collapse of the German and Italian position in North Africa in 1942, following a British counterattack in Egypt and American amphibious landings in Algeria, raised Axis fears of an Allied landing in the Balkans - a maneuver favored by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill - in the underbelly of Nazi-occupied Europe. Yugoslavia was vulnerable for several reasons, including the persistence of partisan forces such as the communist National Liberation Army (NLA) and the monarchist Cetniks, the latter of whom were quietly playing both sides by fighting the NLA for the Nazis.As a result of this threat, German and Italian forces launched major campaigns to disrupt the NLA base in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. This was largely completed by late 1942, with the NLA Partisans being forced into the west, occupying a broad space of freed territory encompassing most of western Bosnia and southeastern Croatia. However, a massive new operation was being planned for early 1943 involving four German divisions, 90,000 men, including the crack 7th Waffen-SS Division, and a broad alliance of Italian, Cetnik, and Ustase forces.Against them, Tito had barely 20,000 troops, and would lose half of them before the battle was over.Axis AttackPacifying an area that had once supported partisans meant the executions of captured partisans, including the wounded, and the massacres of whole villages and towns that had supported them instead of the occupiers.By early March, the Partisans had lost half their territory in the west and were slowly being hemmed in, using their best forces to protect a massive field hospital in Scit, on Ramsko Lake near Prozor. Along their eastern flank were Italian and Cetnik forces in the steep valley formed by the Neretva River, which flows in an upside-down U-shape around the massive Prenj mountain.Three days later, the Axis forces launched a new phase of their operation, buttressed by new forces on all sides of the Partisans, including reinforced Italian and Cetnik troops on the right bank of the Neretva. The Germans mistakenly assumed Titos headquarters lay almost 40 miles to the west in Livno, which was well-defended but strategically unimportant by then. The Partisans steadily gave way as the Germans advanced, withdrawing as civilians were evacuated and preserving their strength as they retreated towards the Neretva. However, with the field hospital in Scit under threat and the noose tightening on all sides, Tito was forced to adopt a bolder strategy.Escaping CheckmateFirst, Tito had to protect the hospital by sending most of his forces northward, to Gornji Vakuf and Prozor to blunt an attack by the German Vogel battle group. To disguise this counteroffensive, Tito ordered all the bridges along the Neretva to be blown up. This would deceive the Axis forces into believing he intended to march northward, when instead all he was doing was buying time.However, to advance further north with so many German and Axis forces concentrated there would be suicide. Tito then turned his forces about-face, and most to the south again - a move absolutely nobody expected.In his reminiscences on the subject, former Yugoslav deputy prime minister Milovan Djilas compared the Partisans situation to that of their Chinese comrades during the Long March."The enemy is around us on all sides...we are caught in the valley of the Rama. In front of us is the Neretva gorge. Our only choice is to follow goat paths like the Chinese partisans who crossed the Tata river in their Long March  Tito on the Neretva was a tiger in a cage, clawing about for weak spots - among the Italians and the Cetniks, of course - gauging a hole wide enough for the partisan storm to gush through."The southward attack began on March 5 in dramatic fashion: driving captured Italian tanks, the Partisans re-entered Jablanica and the Cetniks, who assumed they were allied Italian forces, came out to meet them. The Partisans surprised them with gunfire and they scattered.The morning after, construction started on a new temporary bridge using the skeleton of the old one. In just 18 hours, they built a wooden bridge 56 meters long and 2.5 meters wide - just big enough to get their forces across.The complete surprise attack had folded the Cetnik lines around Jablanica, creating a safe hole in the Axis lines, and the temporary bridge became a lifeline by which to evacuate the wounded from the field hospital - which is why the Battle of the Neretva is sometimes called Battle of the Wounded. Tito thus kept his word that he would never abandon his wounded men. The mountainous terrain helped protect the bridge from German air attack, and after his forces were across, Tito had that bridge blown up, too.Although the battle is regarded as a tactical victory for the Axis powers, who killed large numbers of partisans and pacified a huge area of formerly-liberated territory, the Yugoslav Partisans survived and were able to continue their operations against the fascists, making it a major strategic victory. As the Axis suffered serious losses on the Soviet front and began an almost permanent retreat, their ability to attack the Partisans collapsed as well, and the NLA re-established control over large swaths of the country by the time the Soviet Red Army entered Belgrade in October 1944.

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yugoslavia, world war ii, josip broz tito, nazi, partisans
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/turkish-official-says-us-uk-tepid-for-erdogan-to-broker-putin-zelensky-meeting-1108078548.html

Turkish Official Says US, UK Tepid for Erdogan to Broker Putin-Zelensky Meeting

Turkish Official Says US, UK Tepid for Erdogan to Broker Putin-Zelensky Meeting

The US and the UK do not want Turkish President Erdogan to broker a meeting between Putin and Zelensky, as they are interested in the conflict in Ukraine lasting as long as possible, Cagri Erhan, a member of the Turkish Presidency's Security and Foreign Policies Council, told Sputnik.

2023-03-06T05:05+0000

2023-03-06T05:05+0000

2023-03-06T05:08+0000

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turkiye

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russia

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volodymyr zelensky

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"They [the US and the UK] don't want Zelensky and Putin to come together with Erdogan. They don't want that these three make a photo. And they want to make the war as long as possible. They dont think about the future of Ukrainian people. The dont think about peace," Erhan said. At the same time, the Turkish official believes Erdogan will continue trying to bring the two presidents together. Turkiye hosted brief talks between Russia and Ukraine in the initial phase of hostilities last March, but the peace process never progressed. In late September, Putin said that Moscow was still open to talks with Kiev and called on Ukraine to stop the hostilities. Zelensky, for his part, stated that Kiev was ready for a dialog with Moscow only if another president came to power in Russia, a demand he later dropped.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/turkiye-has-many-allies-in-nato-not-reliant-only-on-us-ankara-says-1108082998.html

Turkiye Has Many Allies in NATO, Not Reliant Only on US, Ankara Says

Turkiye Has Many Allies in NATO, Not Reliant Only on US, Ankara Says

MOSCOW (Sputnik) Ksenia Shakalova - Turkiye has multiple allies within NATO and does not rely solely on the United States, Cagri Erhan, a member of the Turkish Presidencys Security and Foreign Policies Council, told Sputnik in an interview.

2023-03-06T09:48+0000

2023-03-06T09:48+0000

2023-03-06T09:48+0000

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The official noted that Ankara was cooperating with all NATO members in some capacity, including with Washington. At the same time there have been recent major issues that complicated Turkiye's relations with the US. With regard to Sweden and Finland, whose accession to NATO is still delayed by Turkiye, the Turkish official said it was perfectly in line with NATO protocols where voting is not by majority and "one of the members can block all the process." All NATO allies but Turkiye and Hungary have approved and ratified the accession of Finland and Sweden, which applied shortly after the start of hostilities in Ukraine. Turkiye has been accusing Stockholm and Helsinki of supporting "terrorists," referring to supporters of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, which Ankara considers a terrorist organization. After a controversial Quran-burning incident in Sweden earlier this year, Turkiye asked NATO allies if Finland's application can be approved separately.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230122/protesters-swarm-in-istanbul-after-quran-burning-in-stockholm---video-1106579360.html

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turkiye nato, trurkiye blocks sweden, quran burning in sweden, nato credibility, protests against quran-burning
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/turkiye-needs-russian-funds-for-gas-hub-construction-after-earthquake-presidency-official-says-1108076850.html

Turkiye Needs Russian Funds for Gas Hub Construction After Earthquake, Presidency Official Says

Turkiye Needs Russian Funds for Gas Hub Construction After Earthquake, Presidency Official Says

Turkiye is lacking funds to build a gas hub between Ankara and Moscow without Russian investments as the recovery from the recent earthquakes takes priority, Cagri Erhan said in an interview with Sputnik.

2023-03-06T02:39+0000

2023-03-06T02:39+0000

2023-03-06T02:39+0000

world

vladimir putin

recep tayyip erdogan

turkiye

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Active negotiations on the gas hub, which were suspended due to the devastating earthquakes in southeastern Turkiye, are said to be resuming in the near future. "As you mentioned, it is suspended because these earthquakes changed a lot of things in Turkye. All priorities have changed... In principle, yes [Turkiye will benefit economically from gas hub construction], but we dont have money to construct it now. If Russia has money to construct it, please, start. It depends on investments," Erhan said In October 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Turkish leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, instructed their governments to map out the possibility of creating a gas hub in Turkiye where traffic could be diverted from the damaged Nord Stream pipelines.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/us-delayed-f-16-sale-until-after-turkish-elections-in-hope-that-erdogan-will-lose-scholar-says-1108091559.html

US Delayed F-16 Sale Until After Turkish Elections in Hope That Erdogan Will Lose, Scholar Says

US Delayed F-16 Sale Until After Turkish Elections in Hope That Erdogan Will Lose, Scholar Says

The US has put the brakes on the provision of F-16 fighters to Turkiye after removing the nation from the F-35 program because Washington is waiting for the... 06.03.2023, Sputnik International

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Ankara may reverse its decision to purchase F-16 fighters from the US in the wake of Secretary of State Antony Blinken's notion that the jets cannot be sold to Turkiye without approval from the Congress, Cagri Erhan, a member of the Turkish Presidencys Security and Foreign Policies Council, told Sputnik on March 6. Ankara is reportedly considering a set of options including Russian, Chinese and European jet fighters.On January 18, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu signaled that Ankara was hoping to find common ground with Washington over the purchase of F-16s while meeting with Blinken in Washington. Cavusoglu sought to secure a $20 billion deal that included 40 Lockheed Martin Block 70 F-16 fighter jets as well as upgrades to Turkiyes current F-16 fleet. However, on February 2, a bipartisan group of US senators said that the US Congress cannot support the deal until Ankara ratifies the NATO membership of Sweden and Finland. Earlier, in 2019, Turkiye was ousted from the joint F-35 stealth fighter jet deal over Ankara's decision to acquire and deploy the Russian-made S-400 air missile defense system.The 2023 Turkish general election was due to take place on June 18, but President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signaled that the election might be held early on May 14. Earlier, on January 16, former US National Security Advisor John Bolton called on the NATO military alliance to support Turkiye's opposition parties ahead of the general elections, adding that Ankara does not behave as a responsible NATO ally, in an apparent reference to Turkiye's unwillingness to give an unconditional green light to Sweden and Finland's membership in the bloc.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/ankara-likely-to-drop-bid-for-us-f-16s-over-price-better-options-turkish-presidency-official-says-1108078054.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/west-unlikely-to-lift-obstacles-for-russian-supply-under-grain-deal-ankara-says-1108079947.html

West Unlikely to Lift Obstacles for Russian Supply Under Grain Deal, Ankara Says

West Unlikely to Lift Obstacles for Russian Supply Under Grain Deal, Ankara Says

Western countries are unlikely to facilitate exports of Russian grain under the so-called Black Sea grain deal, Cagri Erhan, a member of the Turkish Presidential Security and Foreign Policy Committee, told Sputnik.

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istanbul grain deal

ukrainian crisis

russia

ukraine

turkiye

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Earlier in the day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the West of "shamelessly burying" the grain deal, saying that the exports of Russian agricultural products around the world is being blatantly hindered. The Russian Mission to the United Nations previously stated the country's fertilizers have not been shipped and cannot enter places like Syria even in the form of humanitarian aid. The counselor also noted that Ankara was doing its utmost to extend the deal, not only for Turkiye's sake but also for countries in Africa that are fully dependent on Russian and Ukrainian grain and fertilizers. The United Nations-brokered grain export agreement, originally set to expire on November 19, 2022, was renewed for another 120 days until March 18, unless it is extended once again. Russia has repeatedly criticized the agreement for failing to ensure unimpeded exports of Russian grain and fertilizer amid Western sanctions.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/western-sanctions-policy-against-russia-not-understood-by-many-countries-austrian-ministry-admits-1108127222.html

Western Sanctions Policy Against Russia 'Not Understood' by Many Countries, Austrian Ministry Admits

Western Sanctions Policy Against Russia 'Not Understood' by Many Countries, Austrian Ministry Admits

Europe's position regarding the sanctions campaign against Russia is "not understood" by a large number of countries, Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said on Monday.

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"The position of Europe is not understood and comprehended by a large number of countries," the minister said in an interview with Austrian newspaper Der Standard. Schallenberg noted that during the negotiations, his counterparts accused European countries of double standards, mentioning, in particular, the EU's inactivity during other conflicts. "Past misdeeds do not justify the current ones. Europe should be aware that the Russian narrative is successful in Africa," Schallenberg noted.Russia launched its special military operation in Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The West responded by imposing comprehensive sanctions against Moscow while also ramping up its military support for Kiev. Moscow has accused Western governments and media of launching a disinformation campaign regarding the hostilities in Ukraine to promote their own vision of the events, in addition to disseminating Russophobic sentiment in society. Many countries have also censored Russian state media outlets since the start of the Ukraine conflict. Moscow has also said that Western sanctions against its banking sector and insurance companies have led to massive disruptions in supplies, including of food, fertilizers and energy resources, prompting prices to spike worldwide and putting the food security of many countries at risk.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230224/russian-envoy-nothing-sacred-after-canada-sanctions-soviet-hockey-star-women-in-space-1107783590.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/world-food-programme-head-says-grain-deal-must-be-extended-at-any-cost-1108096335.html

World Food Programme Head Says Grain Deal Must Be Extended at Any Cost

World Food Programme Head Says Grain Deal Must Be Extended at Any Cost

The Black Sea grain deal, which allows for the export of Ukrainian crops from Black Sea ports, must be extended at any cost, Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) David Beasley said.

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istanbul grain deal

russia

ukraine

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grain

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"The worlds population is in grave danger, if we dont renew the Black Sea Grain Initiative. On top of conflict, Covid, climate shocks, the war in Ukraine, the breadbasket of the world, then you have an earthquake in Turkiye, Syria devastating people. And now, weve got the Black Sea Grain Initiative coming to an end. It must be renewed at all costs," he said in a Twitter video published on Sunday. Beasley also said that Ukraines grain exports can feed up to 400 million people, adding that the WFP has managed to provide food to 36 million people thanks to the grain deal. If the grain deal is not extended, the world will face "mass destabilization, mass migration, and famine," he said, concluding that "the world is at stake." In early April, Beasley will step down and Cindy McCain, the 68-year-old widow of former US Republican Senator John McCain, will become the new head of the WFP. Her candidacy was supported by the Executive Board, the WFP's supreme governing body, last week. In late February, the WFP announced it had transported more than 481,000 tonnes of wheat from Ukrainian ports since the conclusion of the Black Sea Grain Initiative. On July 22, 2022, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the United Nations struck a deal to provide a humanitarian maritime corridor for ships with food and fertilizer exports from Ukrainian Black Sea ports. The agreement, originally set to expire on November 19, 2022, was renewed for another 120 days ending March 18, unless it is extended once again. Russia has repeatedly criticized the agreement for failing to ensure the unimpeded exports of Russian grain and fertilizers, due to Western sanctions.

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OMAHA  A father and son in west-central Nebraska have been charged with animal abuse after authorities found more than 150 dead cattle on their farmstead near North Platte.

Larry E. Mikoloyck, 75, and Matthew J. Mikoloyck, 41, were each charged last week with 10 counts of intentional animal abuse, according to Lincoln County court documents. The men, who face up to three years in prison on each count, both paid 10% of their $100,000 bail and were released from jail.

According to an affidavit filed in court, deputies searched the mens property Wednesday and found more than 150 dead cattle.

Carcasses were found in the same pastures where live cattle were housed and fed, according to the affidavit. So many dead cattle were piled up in one area that they were too numerous to count.

Authorities seized more than 1,000 bulls, cows and calves from the farmstead. The animals were taken to the North Platte Sale Barn for inspection by a veterinarian. Residents in Lincoln and Logan counties assisted with the effort.

Numerous cattle had to be put down on scene, as they were very sick, injured and dying, according to a statement from the Lincoln County Sheriffs Office.

Deputies noted there was little food and not enough water to sustain most of the herd, according to the Sheriffs Office, which had been investigating the Mikoloycks for several weeks with the assistance of the Nebraska Brand Committee and the Nebraska State Patrol.
The Nebraska State Patrol arrested two men in the Panhandle after finding more than 100 pounds of suspected marijuana during a traffic stop for speeding Thursday.

A state trooper stopped a Chrysler 300 traveling east on Interstate 80 in Kimball County at 1:25 p.m. Thursday, according to a news release. The trooper detected the odor of marijuana during the traffic stop.

As the trooper prepared to search the car, the driver, a 42-year-old man from Atlantic City, New Jersey, attempted to flee on foot, according to the patrol. The trooper followed him. A bystander stopped at the scene and assisted in taking the driver into custody.

A search revealed numerous bags of suspected marijuana in duffel bags located in the back of the car. The patrol said the total weight was approximately 120 pounds.

In addition to the driver, a 48-year-old passenger from Sacramento, California, also was arrested.

Both were booked into jail on suspicion of possessing more than 1 pound of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute and no drug tax stamp. The patrol also alleges the driver resisted arrest and obstructed a peace officer.
It was a day of celebrating businesses and individuals as the United Way Spirit of North Carolina Awards were presented during a ceremony March 1 at the Charles Mack Citizen Center. Six from Iredell County were among the 31 recipients who were being honored.

Fernando Little, vice president and chief diversity officer with Atrium Health, and a member of the United Way of North Carolina Board of Directors, and Brittany Pruitt Pruitt Fletcher, president and CEO of United Way of North Carolina, began the ceremony extending welcomes to all who were there.

Its so good to see so many people here who support United Way and are passionate about making a difference in our communities. Were fortunate to have 50 different local United Way organizations in our state that serve 80 out of 100 counties, Little said, before introducing Pruitt Fletcher.

With a big smile, Pruitt Fletcher took to the podium and told the crowd that it was great to celebrate all of you. Today we are here to celebrate our Spirit of North Carolina Awards. We have 31 organizations and individuals who have been and continue to be exemplary United Way partners. Under the Spirit of North Carolina Awards, there are seven categories that were going to celebrate today, she noted as she explained each of the various categories.

Pruitt Fletcher introduced Melissa Neader, chair of the Iredell County Board of Commissioners and radio host at WAME Motivational Monday, who shared a few remarks and then introduced the first half of the award recipients for the morning.

This is a room full of individuals who are dedicated to help others, Neader said. We have missions, we feel driven, we want to impact. This is a remarkable room full of people. Im excited to be here. You are part of my story and now Im part of yours. We are interwoven. What we have done in our communities and what we will do.

Neader said when she was asked how she became involved in United Way, she talked about the program that got her excited  Love United Iredell, which focuses on nonprofits in the county and tells their particular stories.

The purpose of Love United Iredell is to engage and excite and inspire people to be a part of the good, plus knowing the stories, she shared. Stories capture people, she continued and we want to capture them because whether you are excited about children, veterans, animals, any way you want to get that passion from in here, to out there.

She told the crowd that she was thankful for each one of them and what they have done for their communities. Dont stop, we need you. Keep going forward. She then concluded with one sentence that she likes to share with people and that is be the person today that you want to be remembered as tomorrow.

The first set of awards was presented in the category of Building Momentum and Sustainability through Engaged Leadership or Employees. What this category means, Pruitt Fletcher said, is that were celebrating leaders who set the pace and propel their campaign by implementing successful strategies.

Iredell-Statesville Schools and the town of Mooresville were both recipients in this category.

During the presentation, it was noted that United Way and the Iredell-Statesville Schools have a rich tradition going back decades and over the last several years, under the leadership of Superintendent Jeff James and Boen Nutting, has transitioned to a multi-tiered engagement approach. The staff engaged in an additional giving campaign, learning about the impact the United Way funding has on children and families in the school system, it was shared.

In 2022, the schools included a mission related partnership to serve young women needing access to period products in a project called Red Cart Project, which helped to make certain that the basic needs of students were being met equally.

The town of Mooresville, it was shared, recruited a team of employees to lead their outreach in education activities. They told during the presentation that under the leadership of Town Manager Randy Hemann, the team, which included Tiffany Shelley, Megan Suber and Nancy Rath, found both in-person and electronic ways to engage employees and share the work of United Way in the Mooresville community. To further engage participation, they offered an opportunity for the town manager to spend a day as an employee in the department with the largest campaign efforts.

As a result of these efforts, the towns campaign increased by 230 percent as well as their attaining some new donors.

It was also noted that Mooresvilles mayor, Miles Atkins, worked alongside the local United Way on an initiative to prevent suicide in the community.

Additional winners in this category included Davidson County Schools, Mohawk Industries, Owens & Minor and Thomasville City Schools, all of Davidson County; John Deere of Kernersville, United Way of Forsyth County; and Gaston County Schools, United Way of Gaston County.

The second category was Investment in Long-Term Sustainable Impact, which Pruitt Fletcher described as honoring those who work together to create systemic and sustainable change in their community.

Iredell Health System was a recipient of this award. It was shared that they have made their United Way campaign a priority and the two have worked together to develop a periodic community health assessment in a state of the county health report and due to this collaboration, partnerships were formed to reduce youth suicide attempts, increase the number of individuals who engage in regular physical activity and provide for the social determinants of health for families in crisis.

They keep the campaign fun, it was noted during the presentation, and have built the largest employee based giving effort in Iredell County through these consistent efforts.

Other recipients in this category were Lowes, United Way of Greater Charlotte; Truist, United Way of Forsyth County; and The Book Club, United Way of Gaston County.

There was a single recipient in the Building a Legacy of Community Engagement through Volunteerism category, which focused on celebrating organizations that embrace volunteering as part of the work culture. This was ITW Texwipe, United Way of Forsyth County.

The next category, Leading through the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Lens, also had one recipient, Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools. This category highlights organizations that bring diversity, equity and inclusion values to the forefront.

Crisis Control and Community Resilience, which as Pruitt Fletcher noted, thanks organizations who have led recovery and rebuilding efforts after a disaster or crisis was next to group to be awarded.

Iredell County Government  Health Department was one of the two recipients in this category recognizing the consistent leadership of the elected officials and county staff helping to navigate the challenges of the last several years. It was noted that they have reached out and brought community partners together to solve problems collaboratively and ensure that efforts were coordinated.

The health department has been involved in working to support the mental health needs of Iredell County students thus being a reliable advocate for up-to-date information. They also participated in a United Way Over-the-Counter Medication giveaway event serving more than 700 individuals in the Mooresville area. It was noted that due to the success of this project, another giveaway event is planned in the Statesville area in the future.

The second recipient in this category was Healthy Rowan with Rowan County United Way.

At this point in the program, Marcel Solomon took to the podium to announce the second portion of award winners. Solomon, it was noted, has served on the United Way advisory council since 2020 and joined the board of directors in 2021. He is a community relations associate at Lowes Companies Inc.

Its an absolute honor to be here today with you all celebrating so many great organizations and the tremendous impact that you all are having for your local communities, said Solomon.

He shared how proud he was of the United Way of Greater Charlotte and how they have impacted the community and the success and expansion of their neighborhood programs.

Impactful and Engaging Campaign Event or Activity was the next category to be announced with Mooresvilles NGK Ceramics USA, Inc., United Way of Iredell County, being named a recipient.

As the award was presented, it was shared that nothing communicates the impact of United Way of Iredell County like seeing the work first hand. NGK Ceramics USA, Inc. kicks off their campaign with members of each of their employee shifts visiting with local nonprofit organizations to learn more about the work they do in the community.

Employees of NGK went to four different local agencies and, upon their return, shared what they learned with their co-workers.

This commitment of time is a big part of why NGK Ceramics is so engaged with United Way and other local nonprofits within their community, it was shared, which in turn led to an increase in their employee giving.

Seven others were recipients of this particular award. They were New York Air Brake, Rowan County United Way; city of Lexington, city of Thomasville, and Jerry Hunt Supercenter, all United Way of Davidson County; Grant Thornton and McGuire Woods, both United Way of Greater Charlotte; and city of Winston-Salem, United Way of Forsyth County.

The final group to receive awards during the program were the United Way Community Ambassadors. This was a new award in 2022, it was shared, given to individuals who have been outstanding volunteers, donors or advocates for United Way.

The first recipient was Marian Steele Clark, United Way of Iredell County.

Clark, it was told, has served in various capacities on the United Way of Iredell County board, including president and vice president of community investment and she chaired the countys COVID-19 response fund. She was United Way of Iredells very first United Way Life Donor and made a planned gift commitment of $250,000, thus inspiring others to join and help United Way of Iredell County meet its million-dollar endowment challenge.

Marian and her team at JC Steele and Sons have consistently been on the front line of needs in our community for generations, it was said during the presentation. And most recently she partnered with the local United Way to help purchase meat for the Iredell County Food Pantry during the beef shortage that took place last fall.

Her keen, strategic mind raises questions and keeps focus, but her kind heart is what drives her community involvement, it was told.

Additional ambassador recipients were Micah Ennis and Commissioner Judy Klusman and Desiree Dunston, all Rowan County United Way; Andy Brown, United Way of Forsyth County; Peggy Brookhouse and Scott Vaughn, both United Way of Greater Charlotte; and Barbara Yarbrough, United Way of Gaston County.

Pruitt Fletcher took this opportunity to congratulate each of the winners and thank everyone who made the event happen, including their event sponsors, RTI International, Atrium Health, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of North Carolina, EATON Corporation, Mt. Olive Pickle, SingleCare, Southern Distributing Co., Williams, Overman and Pierce, ECU Health, Foundation for Health Leadership and Innovation, and Unite Us, along with all of the staff at United Way North Carolina and additional United Way personnel who helped to announce the winners and share their stories.

As the ceremony drew to a close, Pruitt Fletcher related the United Way network to a recent superhero movie she and her husband had gone to see. She said that as she was watching the movie, she thought how theres not just one superhero who has all the power to solve all the problems.

They all have to come together to fight the enemy and to defeat the enemy, and thats really the way that I view this network, she said. We all have to come together to solve the problems and to really empower our communities to change North Carolina for the better. So thank you for being a part of that. Thank you for the superpower that you give to your local communities and making North Carolina a better place.
The Carroll County Health Department is issuing a notice about two skunks that have tested positive for rabies around the 300 block of Hunters Ridge Road in Dugspur.

On Feb. 22, a skunk in that area entered a pen with a dog and a resident, and displayed suspicious behavior. The skunk was collected and tested positive for rabies.

The following day, a second skunk was observed displaying unusual behavior in the same vicinity. This animal was tested Feb. 24 and received a positive result for rabies as well.

The Carroll County Health Department asks anyone who may have come into contact with a skunk in this area of Carroll County to contact the health department at (276) 730-3180 or contact the area Sheriffs Office.

Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system. Rabies can be prevented in cats, dogs, ferrets and some livestock with a rabies vaccination. Rabies kills almost any mammal or human that gets sick from it.

The rabies virus is mainly in the saliva and brain tissue of rabid animals. It can be transmitted through a bite or by getting saliva or brain tissue in a wound or in the eye or mouth.

Steps to Prevent the Spread of Rabies:To protect pets and their owners from rabies, Virginia law requires that all dogs and cats four months of age and older be vaccinated for rabies by a licensed veterinarian, and that vaccinations be kept current.

The Carroll County Health Department is reminding the public to avoid contact with bats, feral cats, stray dogs and wild animals, particularly in the area where the skunk was found. See additional precautions below.

Additional Steps to Protect Against Rabies Exposure:Do not feed stray animals. Avoid wild animals, especially raccoons, bats, foxes and skunks. Feed your pets indoors and do not let them wander.

Make sure your pets are vaccinated against rabies and their shots are up-to-date. By law, all dogs, cats and ferrets must be vaccinated against rabies.

Teach children to avoid contact with wild animals and pets they are not familiar with.

Do not handle sick, injured or dead animals.

Keep wild animals out of homes by capping chimneys with screens and blocking openings in attics, cellars and porches. Ensure trash cans have tight fitting lids.

If you are bitten by a wild or stray animal, do not panic. Wash the wound(s) thoroughly with warm soapy water and contact animal control, your doctor or the local health department for further recommendations.

For additional information, visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/environmental-epidemiology/animal-contact-human-health.
The F.B. Kegley Library at Wytheville Community College has published an 84-page softbound book about Smyth Countys 143rd Regiment of Virginia Militia, which covers the years 1832 to the early 1850s. The book is authored by William A. Bill Veselik, the archivist for the Kegley Library and a Marion resident.

The 143rd Regiment: Smyth Countys Citizen Militia traces the history of Smyth Countys militia regiment from its origins as an offshoot of Washington Countys 70th Regiment and Wythe Countys 35th Regiment, and includes the names of elected officers and those of enlisted men who were included in militia fines and delinquent/insolvent records preserved in the Library of Virginia. The book also offers a comprehensive index containing the names of all soldiers mentioned in the volume, broken down not only by surname, but by the given names of all soldiers.

Ive seen books relating to Washington County and other area militias, said Veselik, but I could find no such volume for Smyth County. This book closes that gap for area researchers. He added that while transcribing names from handwritten militia records was a challenge, piecing together the history of the 143rd Regiment was more problematic. I had to research not only the records of the Smyth County militia, but also those of the Washington and Wythe County militias in order to clearly present the story of the 143rd.

Veseliks ancestor, Thomas Allen, served in the Smyth County militia, eventually holding the rank of lieutenant colonel prior to his death in 1843. In fact, my research on Thomas Allen was the impetus for this new book. Having acquired documents from the Library of Virginia relating to the 143rd Regiment, I decided that any genealogists with Smyth County ancestry dating from 1832 to the early 1850s would potentially benefit from such a book.

The author explained that Virginia militia records generally did not make mention of rank-and-file militiamen. It was compulsory that men between the ages of 17 and 45 served in their county militia. However, most surviving militia records tended to consist only of certifications of the elections of officers. If your ancestor didnt hold an officers commission, noted Veselik, youd be unlikely to find him in militia records. On the other hand, the documents pertaining to militia fines and their collection contain the names of many, many soldiers who otherwise would have been lost to time. He added that, mostly commonly, soldiers were fined for infractions such as missing semi-annual militia musters that were called for training purposes.

Veselik acknowledged that literally anyone with an ancestor of the appropriate age could claim that his or her ancestor was a member of the Smyth County militia, but dedicated genealogists, as a rule, still want to see their forebears name in writing within original records. This new book makes that possible. He added that copies of the original militia documents from which the names in the book were gleaned are available for public review in the Kegley Librarys collection during the librarys regular hours of operation, normally Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The records are also on file at the Library of Virginia in Richmond.

All proceeds from the sale of the book will benefit the Kegley Library Fund at WCC, which supports the purchase of new materials and archival supplies for the Kegley Library. The purchase price of the book is $15. Checks can be made payable to the WCC Educational Foundation with a memo line note that the check is for the Kegley FundMilitia Book. Checks should be mailed to the F.B. Kegley Library, Smyth Hall, 1000 East Main Street, Wytheville VA 24354. Purchasers will receive their copy of the book by mail. Purchases can also be made in person at the WCC Learning Resource Center, Smyth Hall, on the WCC campus in Wytheville.

For additional information, to receive a book order form, or to request directions for purchasing the book online, email the Kegley at kegleylibrary@wcc.vccs.edu.
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:

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NATO-member Denmark's Defense Ministry on Monday banned its employees from having video-sharing app TikTok on their work phones as a cybersecurity measure.

It's the latest government-related ban over security and data privacy for the app, which is owned by Beijing-based ByteDance Ltd.

In a statement, the ministry said the Scandinavian country's Center for Cyber Security had assessed there was a risk of espionage, and said that TikTok "asks for certain rights and access on the device."

The military agency is part of Denmark's foreign intelligence service.

The ministry said it would "ban the use of the app on official units," saying "there were weighty security considerations within the defense ministry combined with a very limited work-related need to use the app."

It said employees "are required to uninstall TikTok on service phones and other official devices as soon as possible if they have previously installed it."

It wasn't immediately known how many members of the defense ministry have TikTok installed, nor whether the ban also applied to the armed forces.

Last month, Denmark's Parliament urged lawmakers and employees at the 179-member assembly against having TikTok on work phones as a cybersecurity measure, citing "a risk of espionage."

Last week, the U.S. said government agencies have 30 days to delete TikTok from federal devices and systems. More than half of U.S. states, Congress, and the European Union's executive branch have already prohibited it from devices used for official business amid worries that TikTok could be used to promote pro-Beijing views or sweep up users' information.

TikTok's press office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

A trio of economic management scientists, two with the Sloan School of Management at MIT and one with Virginia Tech, are warning of the consequences of industry dominance in AI research. In their Policy Forum piece published in the journal Science, Nur Ahmed, Muntasir Wahed and Neil Thompson outline the recent history of AI research efforts and why consumers should be concerned about the direction it is taking.

As Ahmed, Wahed and Thompson note, for many years, attempts to make computers think and act like humans was mainly in the domain of academia. But then a game-changer arriveddeep-learning neural networks. After meeting with limited success in developing truly useful AI applications, year after year, AI researchers suddenly found themselves with a truly useful AI tooland they are running with it.

Deep-learning neural networks now form the backbone of a wide variety of useful applications, from medical diagnostics to language processing. But along with the development of such tools, the researchers note, there is a shift in the sectors where such research is conducted. The private sector is conducting a growing amount of AI research, and the researchers note this has led to a shift in goals.

Because of the nature of the technology, larger AI models tend to produce more impressive results than smaller models. This leads to industry exerting much more influence on the field because corporate entities have more money to spend. As one example, the researchers state, in 2010, industry developed just 11% of the biggest AI models while academia accounted for the rest. But by 2021, industry was building approximately 96% of the biggest models.

The team also notes that AI researchers working in industry tend to have access to much larger and more powerful computers and larger datasets used for training. As a result, AI research by industry has grown by leaps and bounds while academia has remained steady. It has also led to a brain drainback in 2004, just 21% of computer scientist Ph.D.s working on AI applications were working in industry. By 2020, that number had risen to 70%.

Ahmed, Wahed and Thompson argue that the switch should be reason for concern, because while academic research is generally geared toward promoting scientific advancement, industry is always firmly focused on making a profit. Thus, new AI products might better serve the corporate bottom line than the average consumer.

More information: Nur Ahmed et al, The growing influence of industry in AI research, Science (2023). DOI: 10.1126/science.ade2420 Journal information: Science

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Dirk Kunze, right, Head of Department 42 at the North Rhine-Westphalia State Criminal Police Office, and Markus Hartmann, Head of the North Rhine-Westphalia Cybercrime Central and Contact Point, answer questions during a press conference in Duesseldorf, Germany, Monday, March 6, 2023. German police said Monday that they have worked with law enforcement partners, including Europol, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and authorities in Ukraine, to dismantle an international cybercrime gang that has been extorting large companies and institutions for years. Credit: Federico Gambarini/dpa via AP

German police said Monday they have disrupted a ransomware cybercrime gang tied to Russia that has been blackmailing large companies and institutions for years, raking in millions of euros.

Working with law enforcement partners including Europol, the FBI and authorities in Ukraine, police in Duesseldorf said they were able to identify 11 individuals linked to a group that has operated in various guises since at least 2010.

The gang allegedly behind the ransomware, known as DoppelPaymer, appears tied to Evil Corp, a Russia-based syndicate engaged in online bank theft well before ransomware became a global scourge.

Among its most prominent victims were Britain's National Health Service and Duesseldorf University Hospital, whose computers were infected with DoppelPaymer in 2020. A woman who needed urgent treatment died after she had to be taken to another city for treatment.

Ransomware is the world's most disruptive cybercrime. Gangs mostly based in Russia break into networks and steal sensitive information before activating malware that scrambles data. The criminals demand payment in exchange for decryption keys and a promise not to dump the stolen data online.

In a 2020 alert, the FBI said DoppelPaymer had been used since late 2019 to target critical industries worldwide including healthcare, emergency services and education, with six- and seven-figure ransoms routinely demanded.

An analyst with the cybersecurity firm Emsisoft, Brett Callow, said DoppelPaymer has published data stolen from about 200 companies, including in the U.S. defense sector, which resisted payment. And given DoppelPaymer's suspected connection through Evil Corp to the FSBthe successor to Russia's KGB spy agency"the bust could provide law enforcement with some exceptionally valuable intel," he said.

Dirk Kunze, who heads the cybercrime department with North Rhine-Westphalia state police, said at least 601 victims have been identified worldwide, including 37 in Germany. Europol said victims in the United States paid out at least 40 million euros ($42.5 million) to the gang between May 2019 and March 2021 to release important data that was electronically locked using the malware.

The group specialized in "big game hunting," said Kunze, and ran a professional recruitment operation, luring new members with the promise of paid vacation and asking applicants to submit references for past cybercrimes.

He said police conducted simultaneous raids in Germany and Ukraine on Feb. 28, seizing evidence and detaining several suspects.

Three further suspects couldn't be apprehended as they were beyond the reach of European law enforcement, Kunze said.

German police identified the fugitives as Russian citizens Igor Turashev, 41, and Irina Zemlyanikina, 36, and 31-year-old Igor Garshin, who was born in Russia but whose nationality wasn't immediately known.

Turashev is wanted by U.S. authorities since late 2019 in connection with cyberattacks carried out using a predecessor to DoppelPaymer, known as BitPaymer, that is linked to Evil Corp. The U.S. government offered a $5 million reward in 2019 for information leading to the capture of its alleged leader, Maxim Yakubets.

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Some critics have claimed that artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT has killed the essay, while DALL-E, an AI image generator, has been portrayed as a threat to artistic integrity. Credit: Shutterstock

ChatGPT has cast long shadows over the media as the latest form of disruptive technology. For some, ChatGPT is a harbinger of the end of academic and scientific integrity, and a threat to white collar jobs and our democratic institutions.

How concerned should we be about generative artificial intelligence (AI)? The developers of ChatGPT describe it as "a model which interacts in a conversational way" while also calling it a "horrible product" for its inconsistent results.

It can write emails, summarize documents, review code and provide comments, translate documents, create content, play games, and, of course, chat. This is hardly the stuff of a dystopian future.

We should not fear the introduction of technologies, but neither should we assume they serve our interests. Societies are in a constant process of cultural evolution defined by inertia from the past, temporary consensus and disruptive technologies that introduce new ideas and approaches.

We must understand and embrace the co-evolution of humans and technology by considering what a technology is designed to do, how it relates to us and how our lives will change from it.

Are ChatGPT and DALL-E really creators?

Along with intelligence, creativity is often considered a uniquely human ability. But creativity is not exclusive to humansit is a property that has emerged across species as a product of convergent evolution.

Species as diverse as crows, octopuses, dolphins and chimpanzees can improvise and use tools as well.

Despite the liberal use of the term, creativity is notoriously hard to capture. Its features include the quantity of output, identifying connections between seemingly unrelated things (remote associations) and providing atypical solutions to problems.

Creativity does not simply reside in the individual; our social networks and values are also important. As the presence of cultural variants increases, we have a larger pool of ideas, products and processes to draw from.

Our cultural experiences are resources for creativity. The more diverse ideas we are exposed to, the more novel connections we can make. Studies have suggested that multicultural experience is positively associated with creativity. The greater the distance between cultures, the more creative products we can observe.

Creativity can also lead to convergence. Different individuals can create similar ideas independent of one another, a process referred to as scientific co-discovery. The invention of calculus and the theory of natural selection are the most prominent examples of this.

Artificial intelligence is defined by its ability to learn, identify patterns and use decision-making rules.

If linguistic and artistic products are patterns, then AIespecially those like ChatGPT and DALL-Eshould be capable of creativity by assimilating and combining divergent patterns from different artists. Microsoft's Bing chatbot claims that as one of its core values.

AI needs people

There is a fundamental problem with such programs: art is now data. By scooping up these products through a process of analysis and synthesis, we can ignore the contributions and cultural traditions of human creators. Without citing and crediting these sources, they can be seen as high-tech plagiarism, appropriating artistic products that have taken generations to accumulate. Concerns of cultural appropriation must also be applicable to AI.

AI might someday evolve in unpredictable ways, but for the moment, they still rely on humans for their data, design and operations, and the social and ethical challenges they present.

Humans are still needed for quality control. These efforts often reside within the impenetrable black box of AI, with these operations often outsourced to markets where labor is cheaper.

The recent high-profile story of CNET's "AI journalist" presents another example of why skilled human interventions are needed.

CNET started discretely using an AI bot to write articles in November 2020. After significant errors were pointed out by other news sites, the website ended up publishing lengthy corrections for the AI-written content and did a full audit of the tool.

At present, there are no rules to determine whether AI products are creative, coherent or meaningful. These are decisions that must be made by people.

As industries adopt AI, old roles occupied by humans will be lost. Research tells us these losses will be felt the most by those in already vulnerable positions. This pattern follows a general trend of adopting technologies before we understandor care abouttheir social and ethical implications.

Industries rarely consider how a displaced workforce will be re-trained, leaving those individuals and their communities to address these disruptions.

Systemic issues go beyond AI

DALL-E has been portrayed as a threat to artistic integrity because of its ability to automatically generate images of people, exotic worlds and fantastical imagery. Others claim ChatGPT has killed the essay.

Rather than seeing AI as the cause of new problems, we might better understand AI ethics as bringing attention to old ones. Academic misconduct is a common problem caused by underlying issues including peer influence, perceived consensus and perception of penalties.

Programs like ChatGPT and DALL-E will merely facilitate such behavior. Institutions need to acknowledge these vulnerabilities and develop new policies, procedures and ethical norms to address these issues.

Questionable research practices are also not uncommon. Concerns over AI-authored research papers are simply an extension of inappropriate authorship practices, such as ghost and gift authorship in the biomedical sciences. They hinge on discipline conventions, outdated academic reward systems and a lack of personal integrity.

As publishers reckon with questions of AI authorship, they must confront deeper issues, like why the mass production of academic papers continues to be incentivized.

New solutions to new problems

Before we shift responsibility to institutions, we need to consider whether we are providing them with sufficient resources to meet these challenges. Teachers are already burned out and the peer review system is overtaxed.

One solution is to fight AI with AI using plagiarism detection tools. Other tools can be developed to attribute art work to its creators, or detect the use of AI in written papers.

The solutions to AI are hardly simple, but they can be stated simply: the fault is not in our AI, but in ourselves. To paraphrase Nietzsche, if you stare into the AI abyss, it will stare back at you.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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This image shows the autonomous robot, with multiple tiers of PhenoStereo cameras, that are part of the AngleNet system. Credit: Lirong Xiang, NC State University

Researchers from North Carolina State University and Iowa State University have demonstrated an automated technology capable of accurately measuring the angle of leaves on corn plants in the field. This technology makes data collection on leaf angles significantly more efficient than conventional techniques, providing plant breeders with useful data more quickly.

"The angle of a plant's leaves, relative to its stem, is important because the leaf angle affects how efficient the plant is at performing photosynthesis," says Lirong Xiang, first author of a paper on the work and an assistant professor of biological and agricultural engineering at NC State. "For example, in corn, you want leaves at the top that are relatively vertical, but leaves further down the stalk that are more horizontal. This allows the plant to harvest more sunlight. Researchers who focus on plant breeding monitor this sort of plant architecture, because it informs their work.

"However, conventional methods for measuring leaf angles involve measuring leaves by hand with a protractorwhich is both time-consuming and labor-intensive," Xiang says. "We wanted to find a way to automate this processand we did."

The new technologycalled AngleNethas two key components: the hardware and the software.

The hardware, in this case, is a robotic device that is mounted on wheels. The device is steered manually, and is narrow enough to navigate between crop rows that are spaced 30 inches apart the standard width used by farmers. The device itself consists of four tiers of cameras, each of which is set to a different height to capture a different level of leaves on the surrounding plants. Each tier includes two cameras, allowing it to capture a stereoscopic view of the leaves and enable 3D modeling of plants.

As the device is steered down a row of plants, it is programmed to capture multiple stereoscopic images, at multiple heights, of every plant that it passes.

All of this visual data is fed into a software program that then computes the leaf angle for the leaves of each plant at different heights.

"For plant breeders, it's important to know not only what the leaf angle is, but how far those leaves are above the ground," Xiang says. "This gives them the information they need to assess the leaf angle distribution for each row of plants. This, in turn, can help them identify genetic lines that have desirable traitsor undesirable traits."

To test the accuracy of AngleNet, the researchers compared leaf angle measurements done by the robot in a corn field to leaf angle measurements made by hand using conventional techniques.

"We found that the angles measured by AngleNet were within 5 degrees of the angles measured by hand, which is well within the accepted margin of error for purposes of plant breeding," Xiang says.

"We're already working with some crop scientists to make use of this technology, and we're optimistic that more researchers will be interested in adopting the technology to inform their work. Ultimately, our goal is to help expedite plant breeding research that will improve crop yield."

The paper, "Field-based robotic leaf angle detection and characterization of maize plants using stereo vision and deep convolutional neural networks," is published open access in the Journal of Field Robotics. Corresponding author of the paper is Lie Tang, a professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering at Iowa State.

More information: Lirong Xiang et al, Fieldbased robotic leaf angle detection and characterization of maize plants using stereo vision and deep convolutional neural networks, Journal of Field Robotics (2023). DOI: 10.1002/rob.22166
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Trust, Zero Trust, and Trust Establishment (TE). Credit: Zero Trust in Zero Trust? (2023).

In May 2021, the President of the United States issued an executive order, initiating a government-wide effort to sure up its cybersecurity practices. The mandate tasked agencies with implementing zero-trust architectures and a cloud-based infrastructure by 2024, aiming to increase security and mitigate potential risks.

But Carnegie Mellon University Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor Virgil Gligor says the plan leaves much to be desired and explains achieving zero trust isn't possible.

"Before I tell you what zero trust is, maybe I should start by defining trust," said Gligor. "Trust is the acceptance of the truth of a statement without evidence or investigation; it is blind faith or wishful thinking if you will."

"There are some areas where unjustified beliefs are ok, but in cybersecurity, believing that a security property holds without any evidence or investigation is a liability. So, cybersecurity professionals look to eliminate blind beliefs."

To achieve zero trust, the highest level of trust establishment, Gligor says several tenets would have to be realized. Most importantly, all security properties of an enterprise network would have to be proven unconditionally and with certainty (i.e., with probability one in finite time).

"If you're able to do this, there is no liability left; you've reached zero trust," explains Gligor. "Unfortunately, this is theoretically impossible for some properties and practically unachievable for others."

In his technical report, "Zero Trust in Zero Trust?", Gligor says that "black box" devices, which are used in all servers and endpoints of enterprise networks, make zero trust unachievable, as there is at least one security property that cannot be justified unconditionally with certainty.

So, what does the government mean when it says zero trust architectures? And what does it hope they will achieve?

Zero-trust architectures are not penetration resistant. Therefore, they do not eliminate breaches. Gligor says, by implementing these architectures, the government's primary goal is to limit adversaries' 'lateral' movement by segmenting networks in an effort to reduce the amount of damage an adversary can cause.

To secure these network segments or implicit trust zones, the government outlines a plan that would grant access to resources based on continuous verification of users' attributes (e.g., roles, permissions, access levels) and enforce the least privilege principle (a security concept that states a user or entity should only have access to the specific data resources and applications needed to complete a required task). However, Gligor says this concept is technically unsound.

Limiting 'lateral' adversary movement can only be achieved if the continuous verification checks and application of least privilege principal prevent cross zone-attacks. Continuous monitoring of devices' behaviors must also detect them. But Gligor explains that zero-trust architectures often fail to detect and prevent against these types of attacks, citing several examples in his technical report.

"The goal of limiting adversaries' movement to a minimized trust zone cannot be accomplished because the criteria that zero trust architectures use fail to minimize many critical trust zones," says Gligor.

"Several other minimization principles exist, which zero trust architectures ignore for practical reasons. Their implementation would require security redesign, which the government seeks to avoid as it could delay deployment."

While Gligor says zero trust architectures cannot serve as security models due to their inability to counter major security exposures, he stresses they are not useless.

"Although the architectures have a low defense value, they offer useful breach recovery value."

Using data from IBM, Gligor shows that segmenting networks into minimized trust zones can significantly reduce the amount of data lost in a breach, decreasing the overall cost of recovery efforts.

"When you recover data after a breach, you must determine how many information records were lost. With zero trust architectures, instead of losing 20 million records to an adversary, you might lose only 1,000 because you've limited the number of records the adversary has access to. Hence, there is a lot less to recover."
Two Houston men were arrested Monday after they allegedly stole 117 pieces of mail from 76 different return addresses from a dropbox at the College Station post office, police said.

Luis Lozano, 27, and a 17-year-old were booked Monday for a first-degree felony charge of mail theft. As of Monday afternoon, both were still in jail with bonds set for $11,000.

Police said an officer responded to the College Station post office at around 11:30 p.m. Sunday when the United States Postal Service conducted an investigation of repeated mail thefts from the post office in the 2100 block of Harvey Mitchell Parkway.

Police said the office met with USPS inspectors and reviewed security footage that showed at around 11:15 p.m. Sunday, Lozano and the minor were seen on camera and entered the post offices premises and then approached an outgoing-mail bin. A couple minutes later, police said Lozano and the minor were seen leaving the mailbox with a bag later determined to contain mail.

Lozano and the minor left the post office and were later attempted to be stopped by the USPS inspectors in a police vehicle, police said. The two men began to run, but were later stopped and surrendered.

Inspectors also found a counterfeit mailbox key used by the men to access the mailbox. Lozano and the minor were then apprehended and taken to jail.
Texas A&M student body president Case Harris conducted an experiment on his roommates, fellow students at A&M, a while back and asked them a question: If they had a mental health issue, where would they go on campus for help?

Harris roommates said they had no idea. A follow-up question was asked: Did they know what A&Ms Counseling & Psychological Services was? They told Harris theyd never heard of it.

Students are always going to struggle with mental health in todays day in age, Harris said. As of now, were going to see students struggle, so I just want students to be 100% clear that if Im struggling, where do I go and I want them to know they have everything they need provided by Texas A&M to address their mental health needs.

In 2022, 9.52% of A&M's total student population at the College Station campus sought university mental health and counseling services, according to an email response from A&M President M. Katherine Banks on Sunday morning. From 2017 to 2021, according to Banks, the number of students per mental health counselor on campus increased by 33% and students seeking services for mental health issues increased more than 60%. Since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Banks noted the number of students presenting with anxiety has increased by 59% and those presenting with depression has increased by 43% of those seeking care.

"The mental and physical well-being of our students is an area of significant importance on campus," Banks said. "As the need for mental health services continues to grow, we are expanding the services offered to our students, increasing accessibility, and creating greater awareness of the availability of such services. The goal is to make mental health services available when and where needed, and in formats that make students feel comfortable seeking help."

Some current A&M students, including Harris, say they believe the university provides adequate health resources in this post-COVID world, especially since the university has one of the nations largest enrollments. A&M announced a fall 2022 enrollment of 74,829, including 67,165 students at its main campus in College Station and 54,502 undergraduate students. However, students added they dont think the average A&M student knows the full extent of mental health resources provided to them.

They are making steps to provide resources to students even though there are just so many of us, sophomore Julian Harrison said.

Currently, university administrators are in the midst of implementing a plan to expand A&Ms mental health services while also making them more accessible and visible to students.

Over the next three years, Banks told The Eagle, A&M plans to double the funding for student mental health and bring the number of mental health professionals in line with national standards, which she noted is a ratio of one professional for every 1,000-1,500 students and was set prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Right now, Banks said A&M is at a 1:2,000 ratio and the university is hoping to bring that down to 1:1,200.

"Mental health and well-being are foundational to students overall success," Banks said. "Through greater awareness of the importance of mental health and enhanced services and resources, we can help our students meet their personal and academic goals."

Nancy Fahrenwald, A&Ms associate vice president for University Health Services, said the university began a goal last year to add 20 new positions dedicated to mental health services in different capacities.

The state of mental health of students, faculty and staff at Texas A&M really parallels what were seeing nationally across many communities and sectors within communities, but certainly within a university community, Fahrenwald said. We know that students are more distressed and have higher levels of distress than weve seen in the past.

As part of The Path Forward released in December 2021, Banks accepted a recommendation that integrated A&Ms Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) into Texas A&M Health as part of a goal of providing holistic student health services. In her state of the university address last September, Banks announced A&M planned to double the amount of student mental health services over the next three years and embed clinicians across campus in key academic locations.

Last month, A&M representatives went to the state Capitol in Austin to meet with legislators amid their legislative session. The five priorities university officials relayed to legislators included an investment in student mental health services. According to Texas A&M Today, the costs of student mental health services have increased by 76 percent at Texas A&M since 2020 and are projected to increase by an additional 150 percent by 2025.

Moves to expand and integrate A&Ms mental health services for students started soon after Banks announced The Path Forward.

In January 2022, A&M announced a new partnership with My Student Support Program (MySSP) to supply services offered by CAPS and provide students with 24/7 telehealth counseling via an app, phone or web as the university reported the demand for counseling services increased. A tab for MySSP has since been placed in A&Ms academic course platform for students called Canvas. Texas A&M Today reported this January about 3,200 A&M students downloaded and registered for MySSP during the first year of the universitys partnership with the app. The report said more than 70% of students said they had never reached out for mental health support before using My SSP. Fahrenwald told Texas A&M Today 20% of users reported they had never spoken with a friend, family member or advisor about emotional challenges.

According to Texas A&M Today, almost 200 people requested appointments at CAPS by the third day of the spring 2022 semester and A&M officials said they expected the total would be more than five times higher than the beginning of the spring 2018 when just 59 students registered for services in the first week of classes. Although A&M officials didnt provide more specific year-to-year data, university leaders and students alike agreed demand for mental health services has increased among students.

Harrison said he thinks the state of mental health among students at A&M is better than other similar-sized universities, but added its a difficult task to connect every student to mental health services. Harrison himself participated in a group therapy session through CAPS on exploring ones self-worth.

I know a lot of students in the past have complained about the long wait times, but hopefully thats subject to change and they have been making efforts, such as MySSP, Harrison said.

Counseling services at A&M are free for students, who arent limited to a number of sessions they can attend. Fahrenwald said most students are satisfied with their counseling after three sessions since most issues students face are situational. The average wait time for an appointment is around a week, Fahrenwald said. But she noted that figure varies depending upon the time of the semester during peak demand times. She said the average wait time to see a mental health professional in the Bryan-College Station community is a month.

We have to keep that perspective that you cannot just access a mental health professional any time you want to meet in person, but the beauty is we have MySSP and students are using it, Fahrenwald said. In the evenings, on the weekends, during holidays, and what a huge asset that is for them to have that resource available as part of this umbrella of services.

One way university leaders continue to have dialogue with students on how to improve mental health services is a task force started by Banks last fall. Fahrenwald and Harris have partnered to lead a six-person steering committee that then meets with a 30- to 40-person task force comprised of students and faculty members. Fahrenwald focuses on the rollout of the task forces plans while Harris handles how to communicate plans to students.

I think a lot of times with committees on college campuses and universities, they can be very focused on discussion and ideas, which is great, but this committee is all about action and [Banks has] been very clear that we have got to get results for our students, Harris said.

One development Harris is optimistic about is having embedded on-campus counselors.

The vision is for counselors to be at Mays Business School in Wehner, at Zachry for engineering, different colleges and places throughout campus, there will be a counselor in those buildings so students can access them easier, but also if students are afraid of going into the student services building now they can just walk into an office in their college and they dont have to trek all the way across campus, Harris said.

Before expanding services, Fahrenwald said A&M worked to retain its current workforce of mental health professionals and looked at a market analysis for their salaries. Now, the focus has shifted toward expansion.

Fahrenwald said a collaboration is being created with the Texas A&M University Police Department to hire mental health professionals to work with UPD as a medical responder. The first of four planned positions is about to be filled, Fahrenwald said. She also noted a position has been filled for A&Ms school of education and human development to work in their student success center. A&Ms Suicide Assessment and Prevention Office (SAPO) is currently funded by a grant, but when the grant ends Fahrenwald said A&M plans to sustain that work inside.

We are working with students and university leaders to address the mental health needs on campus, to inform our efforts, strengthen how were rolling out our initiatives, Fahrenwald said.

Sophomore Shondalyn Moore said she struggled with mental health problems in high school but didnt seek counseling services until she got to A&M. Moore said her high school had just one counselor and noted she couldnt meet with her as frequent as desired.

When Moore enrolled at A&M, she said she was a bit skeptical about going to CAPS. She began to meet with a counselor through CAPS during her freshman year and has now met with the same counselor on a bi-weekly basis since last August.

The biggest benefits is them helping me recognize some of my behaviors and how in some ways I wasnt in the wrong and in certain situations or ways I was in the wrong, Moore said. This is how for another situation I can approach it in a more healthy and a more effective way rather than acting off my trauma responses.

Moore has since become involved with Aggie Mental Health Ambassadors, a student organization that provides mental health awareness to students. Moore said shes noticed peers express feelings on social media that are concerning to her. She noted shes reached out to some and encouraged them to consider utilizing A&Ms mental health services and shared her experience going to CAPS with them.

I just feel like some students are a bit afraid, which is understandable, Moore said. I even had the same fear for a little bit. Or maybe they feel like they dont have enough time or maybe they wont understand it. But I feel like if they give it a chance, they will see the counselor in fact will validate how theyre feeling and have you see situations from different perspectives and notice that you arent in the wrong and if you are, here are some ways that you can try to fix that.

On Friday, Hudson Kraus was elected A&Ms next student body president. Kraus will take over for Harris in the next few weeks. Ahead of the election, Harris said he believed whoever the next student body president was going to be will continue this years efforts to expand and promote A&Ms mental health resources to students.

We have good mental health resources at A&M, but I think that over the past couple of years youve seen from students the demand for mental health resources and the mental health issues students have had have skyrocketed, Harris said. There definitely is more demand than there is supply for the resources and things we need, or at least students feel that way. We were very in touch with that throughout this year and the biggest thing is we have a need and were not totally meeting it.
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ASHLAND  An Environmental Protection Agency attorney who oversees enforcement in Nebraska said its unlikely AltEn, the former biorefinery near Mead that used pesticide-coated seed to make ethanol, will be designated a Superfund site.

David Cozad, the director of EPA Region 7s enforcement and compliance assurance division, told more than a dozen people at a community meeting in Ashland last week the agency believes the seed companies that sent AltEn their unused products are ultimately responsible for the cleanup.

We have a fundamental principle that we operate under when were working on this kind of site and thats the polluters should pay, not the taxpayers, Cozad told Saunders County residents and members of a research team studying the former ethanol plants impact on the environment and human health.

Under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) passed by Congress in 1980, the EPA has the authority to clean up contaminated sites or order the parties responsible for the contamination to do the cleanup or reimburse the government for costs incurred.

Cozad said in the case of AltEn, the law better known as Superfund would likely not apply because the pesticides found in high concentrations at the plant are not deemed hazardous, limiting the EPAs authority to deal with them.

As one of the toughest sites hes worked on during his 30 years at the agency, Cozad said both the EPA and the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy believe responsibility rests with the agri-chemical companies that sent discarded seed to AltEn at no cost.

Six of those companies  Corteva Agriscience, Syngenta, Bayer, Becks Superior Hybrids, AgReliant and Winfield Solutions  agreed in June 2021 to shoulder the cost and burden of cleaning up the site through a voluntary cleanup program that allows third parties to assume responsibility at no cost to taxpayers.

The Nebraska Voluntary Cleanup Program was created in 2006 through a memorandum of agreement between the Department of Environment and Energy and the EPA to "facilitate the expeditious cleanup of contaminated sites."

According to the state environmental department, it also "offers protection from federal Superfund enforcement for those eligible sites that successfully complete cleanup" through the voluntary program.

After enrolling in the program, the so-called AltEn Facility Response Group hired Newfields, an environmental engineering and construction firm, to oversee the remediation efforts, and according to attorneys representing the companies, has spent more than $28 million since assuming responsibility for the site two years ago.

Cozad said the EPA believes the voluntary program is the right approach for the unique situation at AltEn and said the agency is 100% in support of NDEE being in the lead on this project while it continues to offer technical and legal support.

There are, under federal law, several ways in which (the seed companies) are responsible for cleaning up this contamination, he said. Theyve chosen to carry out that responsibility through the voluntary cleanup plan, which we support.

And as long as they continue to work and make progress through that cleanup plan, I think were comfortable with that approach, he added.

Mounting frustrations

Several individuals who took part in last week's meeting with EPA Region 7 officials said they did not share Cozads confidence in the approach to the cleanup, however.

Joan Schrader, a retired veterinarian and research scientist, said many residents who live near AltEn felt the Department of Environment and Energy failed to act with urgency in bringing the ethanol plant to heel when it was obvious an environmental crisis was taking shape.

NDEE has not fostered much goodwill in the way they have handled this from the onset, Schrader said. I dont think theres a lot of trust there.

Both she and Stan Keiser, whose property 6 miles downstream from AltEn was the collection point for pesticide-contaminated wastewater running away from the facility in violation of state environmental regulations, also said the slow rate of progress has yet to stop pesticide pollution from moving offsite.

Researchers from the University of Nebraska and Creighton University found concentrations of pesticides in streams and ditches running away from the plant have subsided in the two years since AltEn shut down, but have also discovered neonicotinoids in blood and urine samples, in detectable levels of soil taken near the water table, and in dust and air samples gathered from area homes.

Schrader, in an email to the EPA that initiated the meeting, said until the contaminated material was properly disposed of, she felt like she was living on a nuclear waste dump waiting for the radioactivity to fade.

Last month, two years after state regulators ordered AltEn to stop pumping wastewater into its damaged lagoon system, the Department of Environment and Energy approved a plan to pump treated wastewater with reduced concentrations of pesticides to area farmland.

The seed companies are also expected to submit a plan for disposing of nearly 100,000 tons of pesticide-laden wet cake, sludge and other solids now entombed under cement and clay  the second of three expected phases of the remediation effort  later this spring.

Meanwhile, state and federal regulators are anticipating a third plan looking at addressing groundwater and soil affected by AltEns ethanol production in the surrounding area, but the timeline for when that plan could be submitted and approved is unclear.

Were (at) the third stage of the process and theyre not even through the first stage yet, said Keiser, whose private well that supplies his familys farm has shown the presence of neonicotinoids, but far below levels deemed concerning for human health, so I dont know when our stage is going to get cleaned up.

Cozad said the work done to control stormwater runoff, minimize dust and airborne emissions and other activities has stabilized the facility, and said the Facility Response Group has been successful in reducing the amount of pesticides present in wastewater.

But he also acknowledged there is often tension on environmental cleanup projects between doing it fast and getting it right, and said the methodical approach is often best.

You dont want to go down a route on a cleanup approach that isnt ready because you rushed it, he said, adding he has full faith in the state environmental department to continue managing the project, and believes the solid waste will be addressed at the same pace and have the same outcome as the wastewater.

Insiders and outsiders

In December, Cozad and others from the EPA met with Jim Macy, director of the Department of Environment and Energy, state Sen. Bruce Bostelman of Brainard, who represents Saunders County, and about 10 residents of Mead to address their concerns.

At that meeting, according to multiple people who attended, members from the community told the EPA they did not want AltEn to be named a Superfund site.

That was news to many who live outside of Mead's village limits, particularly those living downwind or downstream of the ethanol plant, or close to where wet cake or wastewater has been land-applied, who are not part of the monthly meetings.

In a statement, NDEE said it has hosted two public information sessions and three public hearings as it considered renewing permits or approving remedial action plans, and keeps the public updated via its website and public records portal.

The department said it has chosen to not invite more residents to its monthly meetings for a reason:

"The Mead community group is the most directly affected by the AltEn site. NDEE wants to be sure the community members are informed when they see activity taking place at the facility."

But residents and members of the Perivallon Group, a coalition of researchers, advocates and community members that has coordinated a response to the environmental crisis, said the problem created by AltEn extends well beyond Mead.

"It is questionable for any state or federal agency to claim that AltEn is primarily a 'Village of Mead problem' and to justify meeting with a select group as the only affected people," said John Schalles, a professor of biology at Creighton University who is part of the research team studying the plant's impacts.

"This unique environmental catastrophe is a Saunders County and Nebraska problem," he added.

Drainage channels that collected and moved wastewater from AltEn eventually join with the Platte River near Ashland and ultimately the Missouri River, Schalles explained, while high concentrations of neonicotinoid pesticides have been located in areas where wet cake was dumped.

Former state Sen. Al Davis, who is now a registered lobbyist for the Nebraska chapter of the Sierra Club, said the closed-door meetings are "a breathtaking breach of trust" by the state environmental department.

"There is no justification for NDEE to hold private and secret informational meetings with a small, selected group while excluding other victims of this disaster as well as the media," Davis said. "All citizens across Nebraska deserve timely and accurate information about this disaster to make the best decisions about how to protect themselves and their families from harm."

Jody Weible, whose efforts to draw attention to AltEn started in 2018, is part of the small group of Mead residents who meet monthly with officials from the Department of Environment and Energy and representatives from the seed companies.

Now that they have a direct line to the ear of the entities responsible for cleaning up the site, Weible said the town doesn't want to lose that access.

"I think that we have a working relationship with NDEE where they trust us, Newfields trusts us, and nobody wants to upset that apple cart," Weible said.

Bostelman, who has taken part in the meetings, said he believes the current process is working.

"The community leaders are supportive of it, cleanup is happening and has been happening, so we need to continue down that path," he said. "I think we've come a long way, there's more to be done, obviously, but we're going down that path."

Carrot vs. stick

The question of whether or not AltEn would qualify to be designated as a Superfund site has lingered since the environmental concerns at the plant first gained national attention two years ago.

The residents of Mead are no stranger to the federal governments environmental cleanup program: the EPA named the former Nebraska Ordnance Plant a national priority in the mid-1990s after several chemical solvents and explosive residues were discovered to have leached into the groundwater.

Since that time, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has managed an extensive network of monitoring pumps and filters to clean an estimated 100 billion gallons of groundwater at a cost of more than $140 million to date.

To Schrader, living near an existing Superfund cleanup for two decades has made her appreciate the expertise, implementation, and monitoring that the EPA can apply to point source pollution, and is something she said should be replicated for AltEn.

We are in desperate need of federal help in this situation, she said.

But Cozad said the type of pollution in AltEns case  agricultural chemicals  is not considered a hazardous substance under CERCLA, which limits the EPAs legal authority to use the program.

The EPA has another tool, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, or RCRA, governing the disposal of solid waste that Cozad said could be used if state or federal regulators feel AltEn or the seed companies are slow-walking progress or beginning to withdraw from the voluntary program early.

Under one provision of RCRA  section 7003  the EPA can order anyone who has contributed to the past or present handling, storage, treatment, transportation or disposal of any solid or hazardous waste that presents an imminent and substantial endangerment to health or the environment to clean up that waste.

We think the seed companies, by providing the seed at no charge to the ethanol producer, contributed through the disposal of solid waste to creating an endangerment that they are responsible for, Cozad said. If push came to shove, I think we would be prepared to use that authority  not Superfund.

In late November, the EPA used the RCRA statute to order ESE Alcohol, a small biofuel plant that began operating in western Kansas in 1998, as well as Pioneer Hi-Bred International, a subsidiary of Corteva, to clean up several thousand tons of pesticide-contaminated wet cake.

Pioneer supplied ESE Alcohol with 1.3 million bushels of unused treated seed between 2018 and 2021, according to the EPA, while the ethanol plant had land-applied nearly 20,000 tons of wet cake in 2020 and 2021 combined.

A spokesman for Corteva said the company and the ethanol plant are voluntarily working with the EPA to evaluate and determine if there is a need for remediation on the land on which wastewater and solids were applied by ESE Alcohol.

Cozad said while the situations are vastly different  the state of Kansas turned over enforcement to the EPA  he believes the same authority would apply at AltEn. He said the RCRA law incentivizes the seed companies to stay in the voluntary cleanup program.

I believe they are committed to this for the long haul, he said. I think that wasnt clear at the beginning, but its clear now.
YORK  Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) will be hosting public meetings in communities across the state, both in-person and online, to share a draft of the Districts latest Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). One of the in-person meetings will be in York.

NPPD puts together an IRP every five years to analyze what the districts generation mix may look like in the future.

The IRP is a great tool for our board members and leadership team, but it is not a concrete plan for NPPDs future generation mix, says NPPD Resource Planning and Risk Manager Jim Fehr. As we move through the next several decades its possible new technologies and advancements could impact our generation mix. This IRP is intended to identify directionally correct resource plans to meet NPPDs projected future electric load and ensure reliable, resilient, affordable, and sustainable service to our customers, under a range of conditions.

NPPD will present the draft of the IRP to attendees at the meetings, followed by an opportunity for attendees to provide feedback. The public meetings will be held from 6-8 p.m., at the Holiday Inn in Kearney on March 21, the Best Western Plus Hotel in North Platte on March 22, the Holthus Convention Center in York on March 23, and at the Divots Conference Center in Norfolk on March 28.

A fifth virtual meeting will be streamed live on nppd.com/IRP on March 29, from 6-8 p.m. If customers are unable to watch the virtual meeting from home, it will also be streamed live at the city clerks office in Ainsworth, the Sheridan Training Center in Auburn, the Custer Public Power District Office in Broken Bow, the Cedar-Knox Public Power District Office in Hartington, the Cobblestone Inn in McCook, and at the NPPD offices in Columbus, Chadron, Plattsmouth and Scottsbluff.

Customers who do not attend a meeting can review the draft IRP and provide feedback, at a time that works best for them, using the same website listed above. A recording of the virtual meeting will be available to view after March 29. All feedback will need to be submitted by April 12.

Getting customer feedback is an important part of developing an IRP, and I hope customers will take the time to either attend one of the meetings or take advantage of the online options to watch or review the presentation and provide feedback, adds Fehr.
MARION  The Williamson County Sheriffs Office has recently received analysis conducted by the Illinois State Crime Laboratory related to the firearm recovered from Brandon Tennyson of Marion during a warrant arrest on Jan. 5, 2023.

The firearm has been initially identified as being associated with four criminal cases across two states. Those four cases are pending with the following law enforcement agencies: Chicago Police Department (two cases), St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and Kansas City Police Department.

The firearm was originally reported stolen to the University of Louisville Police Department in Kentucky.

On Jan. 5, Williamson County Sheriffs Office served multiple warrants for the arrest of Brandon Tennyson of Marion. While conducting operations, deputies assisting a detective located Tennyson at his residence on Van Buren Street.

Tennyson answered the door of his residence and remained standing in the doorway while concealing his right hand behind it. A detective informed Tennyson he was under arrest, and he attempted to retreat into the residence, resulting in the detective extracting him from the residence with force.

When Tennyson was pulled from the doorway, a handgun fell from his right hand. Tennyson is a convicted felon and the handgun was taken into evidence.

Tennyson was arrested on multiple arrest warrants and additionally charged with the unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, a Class 3 felony, and resisting obstructing a peace officer, a Class A misdemeanor.

Tennyson was transported to the Williamson County Jail and the handgun was entered into the evidence pending lab analysis which allowed authorities to connect the firearm to those other crimes. Additional charges are pending further investigation.

Anyone with information concerning this or any other investigation is asked to contact the Williamson County Sheriffs Office at 618-997-6541 or the Williamson County Crime Stoppers at 800-414-TIPS (8477). All callers may remain anonymous.
Want to live longer? Then prioritize sleep in your life: Following five good sleep habits added nearly five years to a man's life expectancy and almost 2.5 years to a woman's life, a new study found.

"If people have all these ideal sleep behaviors, they are more likely to live longer," said study coauthor Dr. Frank Qian, a clinical fellow in medicine at Harvard Medical School and internal medicine resident physician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

"If we can improve sleep overall, and identifying sleep disorders is especially important, we may be able to prevent some of this premature mortality," Qian said in a statement.

What do you do? First, make sure you get a full seven to eight hours of sleep each night. That's tough for many people: 1 in 3 Americans have a sleep deficit, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But you have to do more than just lay in bed longer  you also need have to have an uninterrupted, restful sleep more often than not. That means you don't wake up during the night or have trouble falling asleep more than two times a week. You also have to feel well rested at least five days a week when you wake up. And finally, you can't be using sleep medications to achieve your slumber.

"We're talking about not just quality and quantity of sleep, but regularity, getting the same good sleep night after night," said sleep specialist Dr. Raj Dasgupta, an associate professor of clinical medicine at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine. He was not involved in the study.

"Recent studies have shown irregularity in sleep timing and duration have been linked to metabolic abnormalities and higher cardiovascular disease risk," he said. "Encouraging maintenance of regular sleep schedules with consistent sleep durations may be an important part of lifestyle recommendations for the prevention of heart disease."

A difference between men and women

The preliminary study, presented Thursday at an annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology, analyzed data from over 172,000 people who answered sleep questionnaires between 2013 and 2018 as part of the National Health Interview Survey. The annual survey is done by the CDC and the National Center for Health Statistics.

Each of the five healthy sleep habits  falling asleep easily, staying asleep, getting seven to eight hours of zzz's, waking up rested and foregoing sleep meds  was assigned a number. People were scored on how many of the five habits they had.

About four years later, researchers compared those scores with National Death Index records to see if their sleep behaviors contributed to an early death from certain diseases or any cause.

The team then factored out other potential causes for a higher risk of dying, such as alcohol consumption, lower socioeconomic status and existing medical conditions.

"Compared to individuals who had zero to one favorable sleep factors, those who had all five were 30% less likely to die for any reason, 21% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease, 19% less likely to die from cancer, and 40% less likely to die of causes other than heart disease or cancer," according to a statement on the study.

Men who followed all five of the healthy sleep habits had a life expectancy that was 4.7 years greater than people who had none or only one of the five elements of low-risk sleep, the study found.

The impact of healthy sleep habits was much lower for women: Those who followed all five sleep habits gained 2.4 years compared with those who did none or only one.

"That was an interesting part of the study for me, and I hope we can find that answer with more research," Dasgupta said. One potential reason for that gender difference, he added, could be the difficulty of evaluating women for obstructive sleep apnea, a potentially deadly condition in which breathing stops every few minutes. The more severe the apnea, the greater the risk of coronary artery disease, heart attacks, heart failure and strokes.

"Women with obstructive sleep apnea often get underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed because they may not present with the classic symptoms that we see when we're evaluating men," Dasgupta said. "Maybe we need to ask different questions or look at different parameters, or is there something we're missing here?"

Good sleep hygiene

Would your score be less than five? Don't fret  the good news is that you can easily train your brain to better sleep by following what is called good "sleep hygiene." It's important to go to bed at the same time on most nights and get up at the same time most mornings  even on weekends and holidays.

Make sure your sleeping environment is optimal  cooler and darker is better  and block noise or try a sound machine. Avoid booze before bed  it may seem like you're falling asleep more easily, but when your liver finishes metabolizing the alcohol at 3 a.m., your body will wake up, experts say.

Set up a sleep routine, with no blue lights or distractions at least an hour before bedtime. Try meditation, yoga, tai chi, warm baths  anything that relaxes you is great.

Parents and caregivers can learn these habits and teach them to their children, thus providing them with a better shot at a longer life, Qian said.

"Even from a young age, if people can develop these good sleep habits of getting enough sleep, making sure they are sleeping without too many distractions and have good sleep hygiene overall, it can greatly benefit their overall long-term health," he said.

"Just like we like to say, 'it's never too late to exercise or stop smoking,' it's also never too early. And we should be talking about and assessing sleep more often."

10 tips for managing insomnia How to manage insomnia Consult with your doctor to rule out underlying medical causes Keep a sleep journal to record your nighttime patterns Avoid stimulation from caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine Create a sleep-friendly bedroom Reduce screen time and blue light exposure before bed Relax before bed Try using mindfulness techniques like body scanning and deep breathing Try cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia Avoid overusing naps Ask your doctor about supplements or medications
(TBTCO) - Ngay 14/4/2023, Bao hiem Bao Viet chi tra 200 trieu ong boi thuong tu vong theo chuong trinh bao hiem suc khoe cho hai nan nhan do gap su co bat ngo khi du lich Vinh Ha Long (Quang Ninh) tren truc thang Bell 505 vua qua. ay la 2 trong 5 nan nhan, nhung la 2 khach hang a tham gia chuong trinh bao hiem suc khoe cua Bao hiem Bao Viet voi ten goi Bao Viet An gia tu ngay 28/10/2022 cua Bao Viet a Nang.
Rarely has a visit by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) general director been surrounded by so much concern. Rafael Grossis latest trip to Iran, where he arrived on Friday, took place in a context of acute tension.

The alert leaked to the press before being confirmed by the IAEAs quarterly report. Particles of 83.7 percent enriched uranium were discovered by the agencys inspectors at the Fordow enrichment plant  close to the estimated 90 percent threshold needed to build a nuclear weapon and above the 3.67 percent limit established by the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. The US withdrawal from the deal in 2018, under then-President Donald Trump, prompted Iran to leap forward with its program.

Citing unintended fluctuations during the enrichment process, Mohammad Eslami, the director of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), spoke last Wednesday of an almost invisible particle, even under a microscope. This was not enough to reduce concern.

Tehran can produce enough fissile material for a nuclear bomb in 12 days, US Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl said in a statement on Feb. 28. While the US and Israeli intelligence agencies estimated that Iran would need another two years to build a nuclear weapon, Israel has nonetheless raised its level of readiness for strikes against Iranian nuclear sites.

This prospect could be accelerated by rumors of Tehrans upcoming acquisition of S400 air defenses from Russia, in exchange for the Iranian-made drones used by Moscow in its war in Ukraine.

At a time when Iran seems to have never been so close to obtaining a nuclear weapon, which it firmly denies, we speak with William Alberque, an expert focusing on preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Does the discovery by IAEA inspectors of uranium particles enriched to nearly 84 percent at the Fordow site mean that Iran will soon be able to build a nuclear weapon?

The principle of enrichment consists of transforming natural uranium into its isotope 235. Centrifuges such as the Fordo plant make it possible to separate uranium-235 from the rest. Obtaining low-enriched uranium, from 0 to 3.67 percent [necessary for a nuclear reactor], requires a lot of time and effort.

But the most important part of the work consists of going from 3.67 percent to 20 percent, or highly enriched uranium. From there, it becomes much easier to enrich it to 60, or even 80 and 90 percent.

What do these numbers mean? Lets say that at 60 percent, one starts to be able to build a bomb, but its still very difficult. But at 80 percent, its something else. The first atomic bomb, Little Boy, which the US dropped on Hiroshima in 1945, was mostly made of 80 percent enriched uranium.

The IAEA report at the end of 2022 revealed that Iran had more than 60kg of uranium enriched to 60 percent. Whenever they want, the Iranians can enrich this uranium to 80 or even 90 percent and obtain enough fissile material to make two bombs.

As for the 84 percent, while it is possible that this is just a sample, I think the Iranians are experimenting to see how far they can enrich the uranium. Now their centrifuges are at least five times more powerful than they were when the Iranian nuclear deal came into effect. Added to this is the problem of the IAEAs lack of access to inspect some enrichment sites where the cameras have been cut off. All in all, this is a very disturbing signal.

With a sufficient stockpile of enriched uranium to produce a nuclear weapon, what would be the next steps in making the bomb, and does Iran possess the technical capacity to do so?

Once uranium is enriched, it must first be converted into a type of black powder before being transformed into metal, which is the optimal form for making a bomb.

It is known that Iran conducted experiments with the metallization process before 2003 [which is when Iran claimed to have ended its nuclear activities of a military nature, according to CIA Director William Burns in an interview with CBS News on February 26, 2023. Burns also stated that Iran has not resumed these activities].

In 2022, Iran reportedly experimented with the transformation of 60 percent enriched uranium into metal. Furthermore, prior to 2003, Iran had already designed a nuclear warhead. Tehran also possesses missiles capable of carrying these warheads.

The time it takes to make a nuclear bomb is highly complex and requires a significant amount of technical expertise and resources. While in 1945 it took the Americans four months to go from 80 percent enriched uranium to a bomb, todays technology is significantly more advanced. The computer at the time was less powerful than our smartphones today.

If Iran were to produce two nuclear warheads, it may take fewer than four months.

Tehran has consistently denied the military nature of its nuclear program, but what are the potential civilian uses for uranium enriched at 60 or 90 percent?

While its true that enriched uranium is more efficient for civilian activities, its not always necessary. Since former President Barack Obama came to power, the United States has been urging states to use the least amount of enriched uranium possible for their civilian needs.

Iran currently possesses more than 60 kilograms enriched to 60 percent, making it hard to argue that this amount is intended for purely civilian purposes. So why does Iran persist in claiming this?

The American withdrawal from the Vienna agreement has created a dangerous and harmful spiral where Iran feels the need to continue enriching uranium to gain international attention. This vicious cycle could justify military strikes from the US or Israel, and we must work to break it as soon as possible.

Despite the nuclear deal being considered frozen, US Undersecretary of Defense Colin Kahl recently stated that diplomacy remains the best option. Tehran also appears to be willing to return to the negotiating table.

With talks stalled since last summer, can the recent IAEA findings help revive the discussions aimed at reactivating the Vienna agreement?

The Vienna agreement is not just frozen, it is completely dead. However, no one is willing to declare it as such, as no one knows what to do with its remains. The debate surrounding the agreement has become so politically poisoned, with Irans involvement in the war in Ukraine and its suppression of the Iranian protest movement (which emerged following the death of Mahsa Amini on Sept. 16), that even the mere prospect of negotiations between the US and Iran seems to be driving everyone crazy.

Whats necessary is for the West to engage in secret negotiations with the Iranians and present them with an ultimatum: Choose a ceiling stockpile of 60 percent enriched uranium, stick to it, and dismantle your centrifuges.

This would shift the responsibility to Iran and turn the situation around.

Currently, Iran has an interest in escalating, and the West has responded with pressure, which could potentially lead to war. Therefore, it's crucial to incentivize Tehran to adopt a ceiling on enriched uranium, convince Israel and the Gulf states to accept it and provide Tehran with security guarantees in exchange.

If these secret negotiations fail to materialize, is it possible that the shadow war between Iran and Israel could escalate into open armed conflict, despite the US reluctance thus far?

The problem with hardline politicians is that they often raise the prospect of conflict to demonstrate their strength to their electorate. Benjamin Netanyahu, for example, could be caught in his own rhetorical trap and end up fighting a war that works against his interests. For instance, if Israel were to bomb the Fordow plant, Tehran likely has spare centrifuges and would continue its activities even more covertly.

Irans nuclear program is a complex issue that can only be resolved through political means. War is not a viable solution, and a mere agreement would only provide temporary relief before real negotiations can emerge.

However, envisioning and demonstrating political courage for such talks requires imagination and political courage. Unfortunately, it appears that current regional decision-makers are more inclined toward provoking conflict than pursuing peace.

This interview was originally published in French in L'Orient-Le Jour. Translation by Joelle El Khoury and Sahar Ghoussoub.
CHEYENNE  Three separate satellites detected a large methane plume stretching about 4.7 miles north of Douglas in December, according to analysis by the United Nations International Methane Emissions Observatory.

The errant methane  a valuable commodity and potent greenhouse gas  came from the Douglas Gas Plant, a natural gas processing plant owned and operated by Tallgrass Energy. The company purposely vented the gas over the course of two days  Dec. 6-7  because it discovered traces of oxygen in a gas pipeline, creating a potential hazard, according to documents Tallgrass submitted to the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality and obtained by WyoFile.

The company played by the book in conducting the gas releases for safety purposes, according to Wyoming DEQ officials.

It notified the agency soon after it began venting operations and consulted with DEQ to ensure that wind and other atmospheric conditions would sweep the gas up and away from the town of Douglas, posing no risk to the public, DEQ Public Information Supervisor Kimberly Mazza said.

The companys actions do not appear to violate its state permits, Mazza added.

Still, a local emergency management official said his office should have been notified instead of learning about the event long after the fact. And theres a potential discrepancy in reports of the volume of gas that was released.

In its reporting to DEQ, Tallgrass estimated it had released a total 152.80 mcf (thousand cubic feet) of methane  or a range of 2.1 to 2.6 metric tons  into the atmosphere, according to a conversion calculation by the Environmental Defense Fund. It reported an additional 1.34 metric tons of volatile organic compounds in the releases.

However, a Jan. 31 Bloomberg News article cites analysis by the United Nations IMEO that estimated the release of gas at a rate of 76 to 184 metric tons an hour in order to create the plume observed by satellites. Tallgrass reported it had conducted five separate releases totalling about 6.5 hours of venting at various pressures. If the IMEO calculation is correct, Tallgrass could have vented approximately 845 metric tons of methane. Thats equal to the greenhouse gas emissions from 4,552 gasoline-powered vehicles driven for a year, according to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency greenhouse gas calculator.

Due to the nature of the orbiting satellites, they could not capture the full event, the IMEO said. Still, the IMEO confirmed with WyoFile this week that it stands by its analysis.

DEQ is investigating whether there is a discrepancy, Mazza said. The agency has asked Tallgrass to double-check its calculations and will use its own air-quality-monitoring systems to determine the actual volume vented. Regarding the IMEOs calculations, Mazza said the agency cannot verify such third-hand information.

We dont have accuracy on that type of information, she added, so were looking into it.

Converse County Emergency Manager Russ Dalgarn didnt learn about the intentional methane venting, he said, until people began sharing the Bloomberg article with him. Neither Tallgrass or DEQ gave him a heads up, he said.

After making inquiries with Tallgrass and DEQ officials, Dalgarn was assured there was never a public safety risk, he told WyoFile. He also learned that, technically, neither Tallgrass or DEQ were obligated to notify local emergency managers.

DEQ is not required to contact [local officials] because it wasnt an emergency, Mazza confirmed with WyoFile.

Still, Tallgrass, as a good neighbor, should have given his office notice, Dalgarn said. After speaking with Tallgrass officials this week, the company has agreed to update its notification protocol to include the local emergency management office in such a case.

I think we have a good relationship with Tallgrass other than this event, Dalgarn said. Somehow we got missed in the communications.

Though there were no apparent regulatory violations or fire or human health risks, the situation underscores the need for DEQ to update how it regulates methane emissions, Powder River Basin Resource Council Community Organizer Katherine Stahl said.

First, we would like for Tallgrass to reconcile their report that they gave to the DEQ with the estimates of the scientists at the International Methane Emissions Observatory, Stahl said.

DEQ should also require Tallgrass, and other gas facility operators, to install vent meters to ensure accurate reporting on emission volumes, she said. Overall, there needs to be a robust monitoring and reporting system in place  particularly for facilities that are close to communities.

We would like to see better reporting and more consistent reporting and transparency on the part of these companies, Stahl said.

Industrial methane emissions are also a significant contributor to human-caused climate change. Over a 20-year period, methane is 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas, according to the United Nations Environment Programme.

Thats one reason the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is updating its rules and regulations regarding methane emissions in the oil and gas industry.

Oil and natural gas operations are the nations largest industrial source of methane, a highly potent climate pollutant that is responsible for approximately one-third of current warming resulting from human activities, according to an EPA fact sheet. These operations are also a leading source of other harmful air pollutants, including smog-forming volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and air toxics such as benzene.

The EPAs proposed updates, among other things, would establish a Super-Emitter Response Program. It would empower the public to use various detection and monitoring data to alert the EPA of potential emission hotspots. The program would also allow federal and state regulators to better utilize information such as the satellite data obtained and analyzed by the IMEO, according to Jon Goldstein, senior director of regulatory and legislative affairs at the Environmental Defense Fund.

The IMEO has used satellite imagery to detect several large industrial methane emission spots around the globe, and its an important tool that EPA and other regulatory bodies should use, he said.

I think what these [satellite] detections are showing is the important role that a program like that could play in verifying reports and taking enforcement actions if necessary to get problems like this fixed, Goldstein said.
A commercial truck crashed into a Wyoming Department of Transportation snowplow on Sunday on Interstate 80 -- the 22nd time this winter that a snowplow has been hit.

The snowplow driver sustained minor injuries and was transported to Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County, spokesperson Jeremy Beck said Monday.

A WYDOT snowplow was removing snow near milepost 125 when a commercial truck crashed into it, the statement said. It happened west of Rock Springs on Sunday morning.

The commercial truck driver was trying to pass another car in the left lane when it crashed into the back of the snowplow, causing both vehicles to enter the median.

A citation for speeding too fast for the conditions and careless driving was issued to the commercial truck driver.

"The WHP and WYDOT want to remind drivers to slow down, increase their following distance, and use extreme caution when driving on snow-covered roadways, especially when passing snowplows," the statement said.

So far this winter, there have been 22 WYDOT snowplows hit by other vehicles. There were 18 struck in the winter of 2022, 26 in 2021 and 23 in 2020.

A state-by-state breakdown of crashes involving large trucks Crashes involving large trucks #51. District of Columbia #50. Massachusetts #49. Hawaii #48. New York #47. New Jersey #46. Vermont #45. Rhode Island #44. Connecticut #43. Michigan #42. Washington #41. New Hampshire #40. Delaware #39. Maryland #38. California #37. Nevada #36. Minnesota #35. Wisconsin #34. Pennsylvania #33. Utah #32. Ohio #31. Colorado #30. Virginia #29. Illinois #28. Alaska #27. Maine #26. North Carolina #25. Oregon #24. Arizona #23. Florida #22. West Virginia #21. Missouri #20. Iowa #19. Louisiana #18. Texas #17. Georgia #16. Indiana #15. North Dakota #14. South Carolina #13. Kansas #12. Oklahoma #11. Tennessee #10. Montana #9. Kentucky #8. New Mexico #7. Idaho #6. Nebraska #5. South Dakota #4. Alabama #3. Arkansas #2. Mississippi #1. Wyoming
A 42-year-old Wyoming woman was killed Friday night and four others were injured in a crash during a winter storm, the Wyoming Highway Patrol reported.

Stephanie Locatelli crashed near milepost 81 on Wyoming Highway 59 just before 7 p.m., the patrol said. It was snowing, and the roadways were covered in ice and snow near Wright in Campbell County.

A Dodge Durango was headed south when the driver lost control due to the road conditions. The SUV crossed over into the northbound lanes in front of a Ford Explorer.

The Ford Explorer was also not able to stop because of the ice-covered roads and ultimately T-boned the driver's side of the Dodge Durango, the statement said.

There were four other unidentified people injured in the two-car crash.

Driver inattention is being considered as a possible cause.

Locatelli was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

She was the 31st death on Wyoming's roads in 2023. At the same time last year, there were 12 in 2022, 18 in 2021 and 11 in 2020.
Nominees to the University of Wyomings Board of Trustees urged a new path forward for the states only university during their recent Senate confirmation hearing, insisting that UW prioritize research and limit its reliance on state money.

The Senate Education Committee unanimously confirmed David Fall, Kermit Brown, Laura Schmid-Pizzato and Jim Mathis, who were appointed by Gov. Mark Gordon to serve on the UW Board of Trustees, the majority of them for a second time. They were later confirmed by the full Senate and will serve six-year terms ending in 2029.

While answering questions from committee members, the nominees outlined an ambitious vision for university, including a larger student body, more research and more independence from the state. They argued that the university needs to bear more financial responsibility and depend less on money from the Legislature.

I think we need to grow the university and not on the back of the Legislature, Brown said. We may have about all the university the Legislature can afford.

Fall also spoke of the need to ween the university off state dollars while offering a solution  research.

Fall, who chairs the boards research and economic development committee, said that he would like UW to raise its status as a research university, which would allow it to bring in more money from outside grants and other sources that could support its work and help to grow its student body.

It helps a lot with recruitment with staff, with students, with getting these bigger and better grants, Fall said.

When asked by Education Committee Chairman Sen. Charles Scott, R-Casper, how the appointees reconciled their plans for a burgeoning research university with UWs mission of undergraduate education, Fall said the two were not mutually exclusive.

You can bring the undergraduates along in the research but still increase your research capacity, he said.

However, in order to get there, the university needs to be more competitive with its faculty salaries.

Schmid-Pizzato told the committee that UW continues to lag behind its peers in educator pay.

It affects who we can attract for research. It affects the entire university, Schmid-Pizzato said.

Gordons board of trustee nominees did not escape the hearing without one difficult and politically charged question.

Sen. Cheri Steinmetz, R-Lingle, asked them to share their views on the difference between the liberal arts and liberalism, as well as how the difference between the two should affect the university.

Brown, Schmid-Pizzato and Fall all spoke of the need for diverse viewpoints on campus that expose students to a range of ideas and ensure a broad and complete education for UWs students.

We have courses in the university that political liberals like and political conservatives object to, but they serve a purpose and they dont define the mission of the university. Theyre simply part of it, Brown said.

Brown is a former Republican representative who served as the states Speaker of the House in 2015, while Fall is a Gillette pediatrician with a history of involvement in Wyoming education.

Schmid-Pizzato is a licensed clinical social worker from Rock Springs who has long been involved in mental health and substance abuse work in Wyoming. She is also a member of the Cowboy Joe Club.

All three currently sit on the universitys 12-member board having been appointed by former Gov. Matt Mead.

Jim Mathis, the lone newcomer, is the president of WyoTech, a technical school in Laramie that trains automotive and diesel industry technicians.

Even as they outlined an ambitious future for UW, Mathis also pointed to the consistency he wants to see from the university.

As we think about growth and changes and everything else, we have to make sure we support the core curriculums, he said.
In a step that could pave the way for broader changes to Wyomings property tax system, Gov. Mark Gordon on Friday gave his signature to a proposed constitutional amendment to make a fourth tax class exclusively for residential property.

Right now, residences fall under the same tax class as commercial and industrial property. In other words, theyre all taxed at the same assessment rate of 9.5%.

As climbing residential property taxes put the squeeze on Wyoming homeowners, especially those living on low and fixed incomes, theres widespread support among lawmakers for lowering the tax assessment rate. The state cant do that without affecting the revenue it makes from commercial and industrial land, however. And property taxes are critical to keep many local governments and public schools operational.

Senate Joint Resolution 3, sponsored by Rep. Dan Dockstader, R-Afton, aims to address that dilemma by creating a separate tax category specifically for residential property.

It would also allow for the creation of a subclass of residential property just for owner occupied primary residences like single-family homes, according to the resolution.

The proposal cleared the governors desk Friday afternoon, but it still has a long way to go before it can become law. Wyoming voters have the final say over changes to the state constitution, so its next stop is the 2024 election ballot.

If the amendment passes, additional legislation would be required to actually change the property tax assessment rate.

Until this week, Senate Joint Resolution 3 looked a lot different: it was originally a constitutional amendment creating a property tax exemption specifically for elderly and infirm Wyoming residents.

Representatives on Tuesday voted to do away with that language during its third reading in the House.

An amendment brought by Rep. Liz Storer, D-Jackson, cut the elderly and infirm exception altogether. The language that replaced it is nearly identical to a property tax bill that died much earlier in the session: House Joint Resolution 2, sponsored by House Speaker Albert Sommers.

Why resurrect a bill that had already been debated  and rejected  by lawmakers?

Speaking on the house floor Tuesday afternoon, boosters of Storers amendment called it the last chance of the legislative session to pass more ambitious property tax reforms.

Lawmakers originally filed roughly 20 bills aimed at property tax relief this session. As of Tuesday, just two had been signed into law.

One of those bills expanded income eligibility for the state and county-optional property tax relief programs. The other will require the state to commission a report on what it would take for Wyoming to switch over to the so-called acquisition model of assessing property taxes.

Speaking in favor of Storers amendment, Rep. Barry Crago, R-Buffalo, said while he counts both bills as a win, neither had the punch he was hoping for.

I think every one of us, when we came down here, had a goal in mind when it related to property taxes. Every single one of us thought we needed to do something, and we needed to do something meaningful, Crago said during the bills third reading on the House floor. We passed one bill that provides for short-term relief, and we passed another bill that provides for a study. And those are good steps  but those arent providing long-term reform to our tax system.

As of Tuesday, all other property tax bills had been defeated except Dockstaders resolution.

And while many were still warm to the idea of a tax exemption for elderly and infirm homeowners, several said creating a fourth tax class for residential property should take priority.

The resolution, in its current form, holds the potential for much more comprehensive relief than the proposed exemption for elderly and infirm residents, Storer said.

Storers amendment passed 52-10. The resolution itself passed its third reading 53-9.

So how come the previous incarnation of the proposal, House Joint Resolution 2, failed?

A bloc of representatives aligned with the Wyoming Freedom Caucus voted last month to oppose the resolution after a third reading amendment brought by Rep. Tony Locke, R-Casper, failed. The amendment would have added language to the resolution allowing the Legislature to limit annual increases on residential property assessment values. (Again, since it was a proposed constitutional amendment, it would have still had to pass on the 2024 election ballot.)

Without Lockes amendment, the group felt the proposal didnt do enough for tax reform, Rep. John Bear, a Gillette Republican and the caucus chairman, told the Star-Tribune in February.

While some of those same lawmakers testified against Storers amendment Tuesday, many in the group ultimately voted in favor of the proposed change.
T&T rap legend Make It Hapn (Rayon Bernando) is back in the lab creating new music.

Anybody and their mama that followed the local hip hop scene in the early 2000s knows Make It Hapn is rap royalty.

The Diego Martin-born MC had a ubiquitous flow that earned him snaps and standing ovations everywhere he went, from the quad at The University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine campus to spoken word exposes and open mic nights across the island.
China, Brunei face new opportunities for development: Chinese ambassador

Xinhua) 08:33, March 06, 2023

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Bilateral relations between China and Brunei are standing at a new historical starting point and facing new development opportunities, as this year marks the 5th anniversary of China-Brunei Strategic Cooperative Partnership, Xiao Jianguo, new Chinese ambassador to Brunei, said Sunday.

In a speech after arriving at Brunei International Airport, Xiao said that China and Brunei have maintained friendly exchanges for thousands of years.

In recent years, the two countries have continuously deepened political mutual trust, expanded pragmatic cooperation, enhanced people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and maintained good communication and coordination in international and regional affairs, said Xiao.

"I am convinced that, under the strategic guidance of our heads of state and with joint efforts from both sides, our bilateral relations are sure to embrace ever broader prospects for development," the ambassador said.

As the 12th Chinese ambassador to Brunei, Xiao promised to spare no effort to further consolidate and strengthen China-Brunei Strategic Cooperative Partnership, pushing forward pragmatic cooperation in all fields.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
The regional symposium on crime to be held tomorrow and Tuesday is an important step toward addressing the problem facing Caricom countries.

So said Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne yesterday.

Trinidad and Tobago will host the two-day symposium at the Hyatt Regency (Trinidad) hotel in Port of Spain.
During an Easter Sunday break from my column, I was forcibly struck by the disconnect between the official messages about Easter from those clothed with high constitutional authority and the grim reality on the ground.

Many persons would have been engaged in pleasurable activities over the Easter weekend. However, the country remains gripped by fear of violent crime, in respect of which the official messages have long ceased to be comforting or inspiring. How can it be otherwise when, in addition to rampant murder, we are frequently confronted with the results of brutal home invasions?
Three minutes can change the world for eight local nonprofits and Tucsonans can be part of that process in an upcoming event through Social Venture Partners.

The eighth annual Fast Pitch Tucson will offer leaders of organizations the opportunity to vie for more than $115,000 when they take the stage to present three minute fast pitch stories at 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 30, at the University of Arizona Health Science Innovation Building, 1670 E. Drachman St.

This is such a great way of bringing stakeholders, philanthropists, individuals and nonprofits together to learn about these organizations. People cant give if they dont know about a nonprofit, said Paloma Santiago, emcee for the event.

The public can join the high-stakes action for $75 per person live at the event and $25 per screen virtually. Tickets are available at svptucson.org and all proceeds will boost prizes rewarded to participating nonprofits. Individuals can also support their favorite nonprofits through the TEP Power to the People Audience Choice Award, which includes $10,000, a feature in BizTucson, and impact announcements on KXCI. Donors can double their impact through donations made at the event, which will be matched up to $40,000 through sponsorship by the Connie Hillman Family Foundation.

The nonprofits were selected based on a set of eligibility requirements including utilization of a 2Gen or multi-generational approach to elimination of poverty; service of historically-marginalized, under-served or under-resourced populations; and active work to promote social justice.

This a diverse group of nonprofits, yet collectively they are united in efforts to support and heal our community, said Brittany Battle, director of Fast Pitch Tucson.

The Fast Pitch program puts nonprofits on track for greater impact in their endeavors, according to Santiago, who speaks from firsthand experience. She was a participant in the 2016 Fast Pitch Class for Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona.

My Fast Pitch experience has given me so much confidence, personally and professionally. Public speaking is a top fear for lots of people and this helps participants to really dig deep and pull out why they are excited and proud of their organization as a volunteer or employee. It helps them express to the world why they love their organization and why others should, too, said Santiago, who is now district director for the Southern Arizona district of Junior Achievement.

Santiago is representative of the programs ability to launch nonprofits and those representing them to further successes, according to Battle.

It shows the full-circle impact of Fast Pitch on individuals, nonprofits and the community at large. The event also propels nonprofit leaders into confident public speakers and brings the community together to support the nonprofit sector while allowing individuals to directly support the causes they care about, said Battle.

Additionally, Battle emphasized that Fast Pitch helps nonprofits to build capacity and receive training in the creation of comprehensive marketing strategies while promoting donor connections and receiving mentorship from community leaders. All participants also receive valuable community exposure.

It is really an opportunity for the community to learn about new and emerging nonprofits and deepen their awareness about the impact of others that are more established. All of these organizations need support, resources, storytelling and opportunities for fundraising and donor connections, said Battle.

Ginette Gonzalez, who is pitching on behalf of Community Investment Corporation (CIC), is excited about the many benefits provided by the program.

Founded 25 years ago, CIC is a financial empowerment nonprofit that offers numerous programs, including small business lending. Through Fast Pitch, the organization is fundraising for the Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) Loan Fund, a grassroots effort that arose from the racial and social reckonings in the summer of 2020. The fund provides 0% interest loans to small BIPOC-owned businesses.

BIPOC entrepreneurs are denied credit at twice the rate of white entrepreneurs and an average of only 60% of BIPOC entrepreneurs who secure a loan receive the full amount that they apply for, said Gonzalez, digital marketing manager for CIC.

CIC works with partners in the community to reimagine lending and separate small business loans from credit checks and assets, according to Gonzalez. The BIPOC Fund relies on a committee comprised of community leaders of color who base loan approval on the story of each business and its impact in the community.

Lending is asset-based, which means that traditionally people who already have something are given more and those who dont are left out. We applied creative thinking to give loans that flip the script, as we say at CIC, said Gonzalez.

After approval, CIC staff works with the small businesses to provide guidance with paperwork and documentation to set the small businesses up for success.

Ultimately, Gonzalez said that she has high hopes for raising funds for the BIPOC Loan Fund at the upcoming event.
A judge set a September trial date for an Arizona rancher charged in the shooting death of an undocumented migrant on his property near Nogales.

Judge Thomas Fink set the jury trial to begin on Sept. 6 and run 11 days until Sept. 22, if needed, during an arraignment on Monday, March 6, in Santa Cruz County Superior Court.

George Alan Kelly, 74, is charged with second-degree murder in the Jan. 30 shooting death of Mexican national Gabriel Cuen Buitimea, 48, as well as two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the case.

He entered not guilty pleas to the charges.

Kelly was arrested after sheriffs deputies found Cuens body on the ranchers property, close to the U.S.-Mexico border. Kelly was released on a $1 million cash bond on Feb. 22.

Santa Cruz County Justice of the Peace Emilio G. Velasquez found that the state established probable cause, or adequate evidence, at a hearing on Feb. 24 in Nogales, to prosecute Kelly on the charges. Both the state and the defense called witnesses at the hearing.

On Monday, Fink denied a request from defense attorney Brenna Larkin not to set the case for trial but rather to allow a 60-day continuance to give the defense more time for an extensive investigation and to look at forensic evidence in the case.

The state executed an additional search warrant on Monday on Kellys property, Larkin said, and she asked that a trial not be set until the defense had time to review the results of that search warrant. Officials previously executed at least two search warrants in this case on Kellys property.

In addition, Larkin filed a motion on March 3 to review the magistrate judges decision to send the case to trial, which the judge has yet to hear.

Fink said he did not think his decision on the motion would be extensive and that for now he would leave the trial date set.

The prosecutions position in the case is that Kelly shot an unarmed man in the back in an unprovoked attack as he ran for his life with no warning. The man was with a group of about eight undocumented migrants crossing the border, prosecutors say.

The defense says Kelly was approached by armed drug smugglers on his property and he only fired a warning shot over their heads and that the more likely conclusion is that Cuen was shot by someone else.

The defense maintains Kelly was eating lunch with his wife when he heard a gunshot and saw numerous armed men carrying rifles and large backpacks. Kelly went to the porch with his rifle to deter the men from approaching his house, says the motion filed March 3 to review the magistrate judges probable cause determination.

One of the men pointed a rifle at Kelly and he responded by firing several warning shots over their heads, the motion says.

Prosecutors previously lowered Kellys charge from first-degree murder, which would have required a finding of premeditated intent to kill, to the second-degree charge.

Mexican official Vanessa Calva Ruiz, head of consular protection, said last week that Mexico officials told U.S. prosecutors they believe first-degree charges were more appropriate given the circumstances of Cuens death, according to The Arizona Republic.

The defendant, George Kelly, opened fire on the group that Mr. Cuen was a part of. Not one person was armed. There was not an element of imminent danger, Calva said at a press conference Friday.
Jersey Mikes: The Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson is joining forces with 13 Jersey Mikes Subs locations in the Tucson area for the 13th Annual March Month of Giving campaign to support local charities. During the month of March, customers can make a donation at participating Jersey Mikes restaurants.

The Month of Giving campaign will culminate with Jersey Mikes Day of Giving on March 29, when local Jersey Mikes restaurants will give 100% of the days sales  not just profit  to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson.

Throughout March, customers can make donations through the Jersey Mikes mobile app or onsite.

Since Month of Giving began in 2011, Jersey Mikes has raised more than $67 million for local charities.

Affirm Wealth Advisors: Affirm Wealth Advisors is hosting a community accessories drive in honor of Womens History Month beginning Wednesday, March 8, through March 31. The accessories drive will benefit the YWCA of Southern Arizona and Your Sisters Closet. Your Sisters Closet is a YWCA program that provides workplace-ready clothing, shoes and accessories to job seekers free of charge. Donations will be accepted at Ameriprise Financial, 2484 E. River Road.

Affirm Wealth Advisors will be accepting new or gently used jewelry, scarves, purses and shoes. It will also accept unopened makeup, toiletries, underwear and sanitary products.

For more information, call 520-338-2600 or email affirmwealthadvisors@ampf.com.

Barros Pizza: Barros Pizza awarded $10,000 to 19-year-old Carlos Borunda as the 2022 Arizona Barros Pizza Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway winner. The prize money was available to one Arizona resident to help pay for college tuition or any related educational expenses.

Borunda works as a marketing assistant at Simply Bookkeeping & Taxes. He took some time off school to pick up a second job and then learned about Barros Pizza offering the prize money to a local student and decided to enter the contest. As a result of winning the $10,000, he will be able to go back to school at Pima Community College where he is studying marketing and computer information systems.

The Barros Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway has awarded $95,000 to students in Arizona since 2012. Submissions were open to all Arizona residents 18 years or older, and a winner was chosen at random out of over 13,000 entries. The winner can use the money to pay for current expenses such as tuition and books or to pay off outstanding student loans.
Two people have been arrested in connection to the deadly road rage shooting of a 21-year-old woman on Christmas Eve, Tucson police say.

Jada Thompson showed up at Tucson Medical Center with life-threatening gunshot wounds that happened about 9:30 p.m. Dec. 24, near North Swan Road and East Speedway, police said at the time.

She died after being taken to Banner-University Medical Center because of the severity of her injuries.

Thompson was shot during a confrontation with another motorist, police said then.

On March 3, Jamie Moniq Moore, 20, and Cameron Patrick Griffith, 21, were apprehended by police. They each were booked into the Pima County jail on suspicion of first degree murder and aggravated assault/drive-by shooting, police said in a news release.

Bond was set at $1 million apiece, police said.
PHOENIX  Arizona lawmakers are moving to require a public vote in the states largest school districts, including TUSD, to determine whether they should be split up.

But what happens after that hasnt quite been worked out yet.

The measure, HB2546, is being advanced by Rep. Rachel Jones. The first-term Republican lawmaker who lives on the far east side of Tucson said many of her constituents are unhappy with the decisions made by the five-member governing board of Tucson Unified School District.

She said they would be happier with a smaller district, which would presumably give them a greater voice and a board elected more from their own area versus TUSDs nearly 229 square miles that stretch from the edge of the San Xavier Indian Reservation through downtown, north of the Rillito River and east to Houghton Road.

But Jones displeasure with TUSD and her desire to force a vote to split it would also have a spillover effect. The measure, written to apply to districts of more than 35,000 students, would also mandate a vote in Mesas district, which is even larger.

Thats just fine with Rep. Justin Heap, R-Mesa.

It is a massive beast of a school district, he said when the measure was being debated in the House Committee on Municipal Oversight and Elections. Heap said the districts racial and economic diversity make it too large to ensure parents get their voices heard.

HB2546 also would force an election in Chandlers district. And in the Peoria, Gilbert and Deer Valley districts, student growth could put them over the 35,000 figure and force such elections.

All House Republicans agreed with Jones plan, voting March 1 in favor of the mandated elections. All Democrats were opposed.

East-side parents cited

Arizona law already allows an election to split a school district to be called if 10% of the residents of an area proposing to form a new district submit petitions. A similar margin is required from the area that would remain.

Jones said that option isnt enough.

This came from concerned parents, concerned constituents, that that process is almost impossible to get the desired outcome, she said during House floor debate. The desired outcome, said Jones, is a smaller district for her constituents, and one where board members would answer to those constituents.

There are parents in schools ... over on the east side of Tucson that are not in agreement with some of the decisions being made by the five-person board, she said.

What this (proposal) does is, it gives power back to the parents to say, Yes, we would like to be able to potentially choose if we want to split up the district or not,  Jones continued. This does give the power to the parents to say, You know, this isnt working. 

Jones said that breaking up the district would empower not just parents but also teachers and principals at individual schools.

Administrative costs

Rep. Stephanie Stahl-Hamilton, D-Tucson, questioned the finances of this. She noted the move is coming as lawmakers debate the amount of money being spent on education, especially funding earmarked for administration.

Once we start dividing districts, were talking about school superintendent and all of the administrative staff that comes with establishing a new district, she said.

We would be funneling money away from the classroom, putting it into the establishment of new districts and new administration, Stahl-Hamilton said. I think in the long run it would cost the state a lot more money.

Jones said that isnt necessarily true.

We have a superintendent that makes a lot of money, she said of TUSD, pegging the figure at about $500,000 a year.

But the latest three-year contract approved by the TUSD governing board for Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo actually puts his salary at $230,000, a 14% increase from his prior base pay, with a tax-deferred annuity of $15,000 a year and eligibility for $5,000 in performance-based pay each year.

Jones also said Trujillo has a lot of assistant superintendents who make pretty good salaries.

I believe if the parents were to split the district into, say, two or three more districts, that it would be a wash, if not a money savings, she said.

Jones also said Tucson spends more money than I think everybody in the state.

Figures from the Auditor Generals Office show TUSD spent $6,509 per student last school year on instruction, compared with the statewide average of $5,846. But the districts administrative costs were $62 less per student than the statewide average.

Jones also questioned the districts academic performance.

The auditor generals report found that 20% of TUSD students passed state math assessments last school year, compared with 33% statewide. The district also lagged in assessments for science and English language arts.

Details missing

One thing missing from HB2546, as it was approved by the House, are details of how the breakup process would work.

Clear at this point is that a vote would be required in Tucson, Mesa and Chandler districts, with residents deciding whether two or three districts is better than one.

But there is nothing at this point to say residents would get maps to show exactly where the new lines would be drawn, something that would be required in an election sought by residents. Also missing is how assets like school buses would be divided and how to deal with existing bond debt.

Jones told Capitol Media Services much of that would be worked out in the Senate where the measure now heads. But she declined to provide specifics.

As recently as 2019 lawmakers debated a measure moving in the opposite direction. It would have forced consolidation of the more than 200 school districts in the state as a method of saving money by avoiding duplication. The measure failed.
The Tulsa Symphony, with capable assistance of opera stars Sarah Coburn and Stephen Powell and guest conductor Daniel Hege, guided its audience through a thumbnail history of opera in its Alluring: An Evening of Opera concert Saturday at the Tulsa PAC.

The program of arias, duets and instrumental selections followed a roughly chronological order  although that was the only aspect about the concert that could be described as rough.

Coburn, the Oklahoma native who is a regular performer with the orchestra, and Powell, who was making his Tulsa debut, embodied these scenes and solos with heartfelt emotion and close to flawless vocal technique, as they shifted with apparent ease from the light, sparkling bel canto coloratura of Rossinis The Barber of Seville through examples of the earthier verismo school, and ending with two examples of 20th century American lyric theater.

While the chronological arrangement is an obvious way to present these selections, it did create some minor quibbles. For one, the Rossini selections  Rosinas aria Un voce poco fa and the duet Dunque io son, between Rosina and Figaro  provided the only source of comedy in the evening, which might have been better appreciated later in the evening, as a respite from the generally dramatic and tragic numbers.

Also, Powells wonderfully forceful rendition of Si puo? Si puo?, the opening of Leoncavellos Pagliacci, would have made for a galvanic opening to the evening, as Powells character describes how what the audience is about to see is, for all its theatrical trappings, expressions of pure, primal human emotion.

Powells performance was still highly effective in opening the concerts second half and contrasted perfectly with the orchestras subsequent, and exquisite, performance of the Intermezzo from Mascangis Cavalleria Rusticana, which serves as a kind of moment out of time, a brief respite of melodic peace amid all those primal emotions being operatically presented.

Coburn and Powell did some of their best work of the evening in the selections from Verdis Rigoletto, a work they have performed together in the past. Powell handled Rigolettos aria, Cortigiani, vil razza dannata, with aplomb, as Rigolettos diatribe against his fellow courtiers evolves from raging anger to bitterness to pathos.

He and Coburn brought vivid life and energy to the duet, Tutti le fest al tempio, as Gildas confession of being drawn away by Rigolettos boss posing as a poor student drives Rigoletto to vow vengeance.

Coburn also shone in the aria Mi chiamano Mimi, from Puccinis La Boheme, her voice full of girlish innocence and wonder, and Aint it a Pretty Night, from Carlisle Floyds opera Susannah, as a young woman in a small village dreams of what life might be like elsewhere in the world.

Slightly out of chronology was the final piece, Lippen schweigen, from Lehars operetta The Merry Widow, the popular waltz number that also gave Coburn and Powell the chance for a bit of dancing.

The principal orchestra showcase for the evening was selections from Georges Bizets Carmen, which featured some excellent solo work by principal trumpet Timothy McFadden, principal oboe Lise Glaser and principal clarinet David Carter.

Saturdays concert was also a chance for the orchestra to honor local music educators, including Earl Pete Peterson, a longtime member of the orchestras cello section, who was named the 2023 recipient of the Ronald Wheeler Music Educator of the Year Award.

Peterson established the string program at Union Public Schools and taught there for 35 years. He also serves as a conductor for the Tulsa Youth Symphonys Concert Orchestra.

Peterson praised his colleagues in the orchestra and in education, along with the administrators, the students, the parents  all the people who have worked to keep music programs going in the schools.

He added, I wish I was playing this concert  its a whole lot of great music. That it was.
Proponents of State Question 820, which is on the ballot Tuesday and asks Oklahoma voters whether they want to legalize recreational marijuana, understand that the states medical cannabis patients might have concerns about potential negative effects on the program if recreational marijuana is also legalized.

Ryan Kiesel, the senior adviser to the campaign, said he is a patient himself and has seen the same stories out of California that scare medical marijuana card holders. But Kiesel, a former state representative from Seminole, said SQ 820 will not disturb the patient experience.

It only strengthens it by making sure that the good, law-abiding, compliant-minded businesses have more consumers that are able to demand their product, Kiesel said. And its going to keep a lot of these dispensaries in business, and its going to keep the innovation moving in Oklahoma.

Currently, about 2,800 dispensaries serve nearly 380,000 patients licensed through the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority. Kiesel noted that another 100,000 Oklahomans report that they are consuming cannabis outside the program.

Regardless of whether SQ 820 passes Tuesday, he said, those people are consumers, and if people are really concerned about the black market, legalizing adult-use marijuana is the first way to give the criminals a direct competitor.

A lot has been made of all of the illegal grows, he said. Nobody in the state wants to put the illegal grows out of business more than me.

Kiesel said hes heard the argument that big marijuana will take advantage of Oklahomas recreational marijuana law, but he pointed out that SQ 820 was built around OMMAs two-year moratorium, which began in August, on new grower, processor and dispensary licenses. The time period deters new out-of-state investors while allowing state authorities to continue weeding out bad actors, he said.

One argument Kiesel cant live with, he said, seems to have actually been fabricated by the opposition: the idea that State Question 820 will make it harder for courts to remove kids from dangerous environments.

Legal adult-use marijuana would not change existing laws about child custody and child neglect, Kiesel said. The phrasing being pointed out from SQ 820 is exactly the same language in current statute, he said.

All it says is that the police cant come kick down my door and take away my kids just because Im a legal and responsible marijuana consumer, Kiesel said, just like the police cant kick down your door and take away your kids just because you might have a pack of Coors Light in your fridge.

He pointed out that the courts are directed to consider only whether a childs welfare has been affected, and the language included in SQ 820 just reiterates that protections for users exist in situations that pose no danger to children.

If somebody is getting drunk while theyre taking care of their kids, well, thats dangerous, Kiesel said. If somebody is getting so high they cant take care of their kids, well, thats neglect, and courts can intervene  and they should intervene.

What really infuriates him is that the argument suggests that someone who admits to legal, responsible marijuana use deserves to have their children taken away.

The current law says no, and regardless of whether 820 passes or fails, that will still be the law, Kiesel said.

Tulsa World Opinion podcast: Getting into the weeds on marijuana
OKLAHOMA CITY  A bill moving through the Legislature would help prison inmates attain college degrees.

Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, is the author of Senate Bill 11, which passed the Senate and heads to the House for consideration.

The measure would remove a legal restriction that prohibits inmates from obtaining grants under the Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant program, called OTAG.

It has an opportunity to reduce recidivism, Rader said. We know a high percentage of incarcerated are going to come out of the prisons. If they can find a job, we know the chances of going back to prison are greatly reduced.

The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education support the measure, said Angela Caddell, associate vice chancellor for communications.

The maximum OTAG awards are up to $1,500 per year at eligible community colleges and career technology centers; up to $2,000 per year at eligible regional universities; and up to $3,000 per year at eligible research universities, Caddell said.

As grants, not loans, OTAG awards do not have be repaid.

In 1995, the Oklahoma Legislature passed an amendment prohibiting incarcerated people from receiving the grant, Caddell said. It followed federal legislation prohibiting prisoners from receiving Pell Grants, she said.

In the last several years, the federal government has authorized pilot programs called Second Chance Pell for prisoners, and three state institutions, Connors State College, Langston University and Tulsa Community College, have participated, Caddell said.

Recent federal legislation makes Second Chance Pell available nationwide starting July 1, she said.

In 2021-22, about 16,400 students received $14.5 million in OTAG grants, Caddell said.

Due to increased funding appropriated by the Legislature and allocated by the state regents, about $17 million was distributed to participating institutions for 2022-23, she said.

Participating institutions receive a set amount of funding to award to eligible students, but the current funding level is not sufficient to provide grants to all potentially eligible students, she said.

Institutions are encouraged to prioritize OTAG awards based on certain criteria, such as students with the most unmet financial need, students who have been continuously enrolled, students near the completion of a degree or certificate, and students enrolled in programs meeting the states most urgent workforce needs, Caddell said.

Rader said the idea for the bill was brought to him by Prison Fellowship.

The ministry serves prisoners, former prisoners and their families, said Sarah Decker, legislative strategist.

About 95% of prisoners return to society, she said.

Higher education reduces the likelihood they will chose to commit another crime by almost 50 percent, Decker said. It really helps the individuals chose a positive path forward and have opportunities upon release. It also makes the community safer.
The Bahamian-flagged cruise ship Silver Muse with 333 foreign travelers on board on Sunday arrived in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam. The cruise ship departed from Singapore for Ho Chi Minh City and later Nha Trang. After leaving Nha Trang, it will arrive in the central city of Da Nang City before heading to Hong Kong. The passengers on the cruise ship are from Germany, Canada, Australia, Colombia, Thailand, and China, according to the Khanh Hoa Department of Tourism. They have a choice of one of the four following tours: In the first tour, called Vietnam Biking Experience, the tourists visit Loc Tho Pagoda, Xuan Lac Communal House, the Old House of Mr. Hai, Po Nagar Tower and Tram Huong Tower, and then return to the cruise ship. For the second tourNha Trang and Cham Tower, they visit Long Son Pagoda, Christ the King Cathedral, Po Nagar Tower, and Dam Market before returning to the ship. For the third choice, Nha Trang River Cruise, the tourists visit to Po Nagar Tower, the Old House of Mr. Hai, the communal house of Phu Vinh Village, and Vinh Ngoc Market, and go shopping at the Nha Trang Center. In the fourth tour, named Nha Trang by Pedicab, the tourists experience pedicabs while visiting Nha Trang City, then visit Dam Market. Silver Muse is 213 meters long and 26 meters wide and has a tonnage of 40,700 metric tons. Photo: Thuc Nghi / Tuoi Tre More than 300 passengers of the cruise ship are mainly from Europe. Photo: Thuc Nghi / Tuoi Tre Many visitors took photos of Nha Trang City. Photo: Thuc Nghi / Tuoi Tre The Silver Muse is 213 meters long and 26 meters wide and has a tonnage of 40,700 metric tons. The total investment in the cruise ship is some US$380 million. According to local travel companies, each cruise ship often has 300-4,000 tourists and crew members. Cruise passengers are high-end tourists who are willing to pay for tourism products and services. If localities can take advantage of these travelers, they can earn large revenue. They do not stay overnight on the mainland but stay in a destination for eight to 12 hours each and then return to their cruise ships. They prefer tours to rural areas and traditional craft villages and studying local culture. However, the spending of foreign passengers of some luxury cruise ships to Khanh Hoa remains low, according to some local travel companies. They use all-in services on cruise tours, so local tourism cannot earn much from them. Local souvenirs and specialties will attract them but these products are not diversified, while many foreign tourists are still overcharged. A leader of the Khanh Hoa Department of Tourism said the return of international visitors via cruise ships is an opportunity to promote tourism of Nha Trang City and Khanh Hoa Province as a whole to international tourists, especially those from Europe. Khanh Hoa set a target to welcome some four million travelers this year, including 2.5 million domestic tourists and 1.5 million foreign guests, and earn roughly VND21 trillion (US$885.9 million) in tourism revenue. The high-end cruise ship Mein Schiff with 2,500 European passengers on board planned to dock in Nha Trang on Saturday but it canceled the plan due to bad weather conditions. Khanh Hoa welcomed the first cruise ship last Wednesday. The Marshall Islands-flagged Seven Seas Explorer carried 637 travelers from the U.S., New Zealand, Mexico, Spain, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, and Hong Kong to the Vietnamese coastal province. Foreign tourists are keen on the countryside in Nha Trangs suburban area. Photo: Thuc Nghi / Tuoi Tre A tour guide shows foreign tourists how to make sedge mats. Photo: Thuc Nghi / Tuoi Tre Foreign tourists visit the communal house of Phu Vinh Village in Nha Trang City. Photo: Thuc Nghi / Tuoi Tre Foreign tourists enjoy traditional cakes and coconut water. Photo: Thuc Nghi / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!

The Bahamian-flagged cruise ship Silver Muse with 333 foreign travelers on board on Sunday arrived in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam.

The cruise ship departed from Singapore for Ho Chi Minh City and later Nha Trang.

After leaving Nha Trang, it will arrive in the central city of Da Nang City before heading to Hong Kong.

The passengers on the cruise ship are from Germany, Canada, Australia, Colombia, Thailand, and China, according to the Khanh Hoa Department of Tourism.

They have a choice of one of the four following tours:

In the first tour, called Vietnam Biking Experience, the tourists visit Loc Tho Pagoda, Xuan Lac Communal House, the Old House of Mr. Hai, Po Nagar Tower and Tram Huong Tower, and then return to the cruise ship.

For the second tourNha Trang and Cham Tower, they visit Long Son Pagoda, Christ the King Cathedral, Po Nagar Tower, and Dam Market before returning to the ship.

For the third choice, Nha Trang River Cruise, the tourists visit to Po Nagar Tower, the Old House of Mr. Hai, the communal house of Phu Vinh Village, and Vinh Ngoc Market, and go shopping at the Nha Trang Center.

In the fourth tour, named Nha Trang by Pedicab, the tourists experience pedicabs while visiting Nha Trang City, then visit Dam Market.

Silver Muse is 213 meters long and 26 meters wide and has a tonnage of 40,700 metric tons. Photo: Thuc Nghi / Tuoi Tre

More than 300 passengers of the cruise ship are mainly from Europe. Photo: Thuc Nghi / Tuoi Tre

Many visitors took photos of Nha Trang City. Photo: Thuc Nghi / Tuoi Tre

The Silver Muse is 213 meters long and 26 meters wide and has a tonnage of 40,700 metric tons. The total investment in the cruise ship is some US$380 million.

According to local travel companies, each cruise ship often has 300-4,000 tourists and crew members.

Cruise passengers are high-end tourists who are willing to pay for tourism products and services. If localities can take advantage of these travelers, they can earn large revenue.

They do not stay overnight on the mainland but stay in a destination for eight to 12 hours each and then return to their cruise ships.

They prefer tours to rural areas and traditional craft villages and studying local culture.

However, the spending of foreign passengers of some luxury cruise ships to Khanh Hoa remains low, according to some local travel companies.

They use all-in services on cruise tours, so local tourism cannot earn much from them.

Local souvenirs and specialties will attract them but these products are not diversified, while many foreign tourists are still overcharged.

A leader of the Khanh Hoa Department of Tourism said the return of international visitors via cruise ships is an opportunity to promote tourism of Nha Trang City and Khanh Hoa Province as a whole to international tourists, especially those from Europe.

Khanh Hoa set a target to welcome some four million travelers this year, including 2.5 million domestic tourists and 1.5 million foreign guests, and earn roughly VND21 trillion (US$885.9 million) in tourism revenue.

The high-end cruise ship Mein Schiff with 2,500 European passengers on board planned to dock in Nha Trang on Saturday but it canceled the plan due to bad weather conditions.

Khanh Hoa welcomed the first cruise ship last Wednesday. The Marshall Islands-flagged Seven Seas Explorer carried 637 travelers from the U.S., New Zealand, Mexico, Spain, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, and Hong Kong to the Vietnamese coastal province.

Foreign tourists are keen on the countryside in Nha Trangs suburban area. Photo: Thuc Nghi / Tuoi Tre

A tour guide shows foreign tourists how to make sedge mats. Photo: Thuc Nghi / Tuoi Tre

Foreign tourists visit the communal house of Phu Vinh Village in Nha Trang City. Photo: Thuc Nghi / Tuoi Tre

Foreign tourists enjoy traditional cakes and coconut water. Photo: Thuc Nghi / Tuoi Tre

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Huber's Butchery in Singapore's lush Dempsey Hill is the lone restaurant in the world selling lab-grown meat, but the supply is so limited there are just six servings - cultivated chicken in a salad or on kebab sticks - only on Thursdays. Two years after Singapore greenlighted lab-grown meat for human consumption, mass production has yet to start. The slow progress is mainly due to high production costs and underscores challenges facing the nascent industry seeking to meet demand for alternative protein that does not hurt animals or harm the environment. However early signs show that gourmet products could turn a profit sooner than everyday meats like chicken. As of 2022, Singapore has lured around 30 companies working on alternative proteins, looking to improve its food security. The city-state imports 90% of its food and wants to cut that to 70% by 2030. So far, U.S. startup Eat Just's chicken on Huber's menu is the only lab meat product available. The technological, regulatory and scale barriers to entry for cultivated meat are very high compared to plant-based meat, said Didier Toubia, chief executive of Israel's Aleph Farms, which makes cultivated beef steak. Cultivated meat is derived from small samples of cells from livestock, which are then fed nutrients, grown in enormous steel vessels called bioreactors, and processed into something that looks and tastes like a real cut of meat. "I think we won't see many companies ... succeed and going into the market, which will also prevent the commoditisation of cultivated meat products," Toubia told Reuters. An undated handout photo of Eat Just, Inc's bioreactor at their cultivated meat facility in Alameda, California, U.S.. Photo: Reuters Go premium Advances in manufacturing have helped several companies cut production costs by as much as 90% from when they first started years back, industry executives said. Eat Just and Avant Meats, for example, have cracked the code on replacing fetal bovine serum, found in the blood of fetuses extracted from cows during the slaughter process, with nutrients to produce cultivated meats. Eat Just has made "significant progress" in cutting costs for each chicken nugget from $50 previously, but has not said by how much. "It's too high and it's embarrassing ... We lose money every time someone enjoys our cultivated chicken," Eat Just CEO Josh Tetrick said. Huber's sells the Eat Just cultivated chicken meals for about S$19 ($14). Costs remain so high that Eat Just has pushed out its forecast for turning a profit to the end of this decade, nine years later than previously projected. Hong Kong-based Avant Meats is more bullish than Eat Just, with ambitions to make a premium food, cultivated fish maw. Fish maw is the swim bladder of a fish, a delicacy prized in China that could fetch up to thousands of dollars per kilogram, depending on its grade. The company is awaiting regulatory approval from Singapore for its product and plans to build a pilot plant to start making it in early 2024. Avant Meats CEO Carrie Chan says the company can make cultivated fish maw for the same price as conventional fish maw and expects to be able to sell it for about the same price as the premium natural product. "We are likely to have some margin on the gross level ... We're not subsidising ourselves," Chan said. An undated handout photo from Eat Just, Inc shows GOOD Meat cultivated chicken skewers at a butchery in Singapore. Photo: Reuters Testing ground Eat Just plans to open Asia's largest plant for lab-grown meat in Singapore later this year to make "tens of thousands" of pounds of meat. Others are catching up in a market that McKinsey estimates will grow to $25 billion by 2030. Singapore-based startup Esco Aster, whose small 2,000 liter bioreactor is the only approved facility in the country and used to produce Eat Just's cultivated chicken meat, said it is preparing to raise $60 million to build a 50,000 liter facility. It is also partnering with other startups to produce cultivated pork and beef, Esco CEO Xiangliang Lin said. An undated handout photo from Eat Just, Inc shows a GOOD Meat takeout meal product in Singapore. Photo: Reuters After raising a record $5.1 billion in 2021, according to the Good Food Institute (GFI), a research group, the alternative protein sector faces a tough funding outlook, due to a sharp deterioration in demand for plant-based meat, weak economic conditions and low visibility for near-term profitability. Gautam Godhwani, managing partner at venture capital firm Good Startup, however, said the companies that do succeed would make a huge impact on the food system. "And I think we're going to create very, very big businesses," Godhwani said.

Huber's Butchery in Singapore's lush Dempsey Hill is the lone restaurant in the world selling lab-grown meat, but the supply is so limited there are just six servings - cultivated chicken in a salad or on kebab sticks - only on Thursdays.

Two years after Singapore greenlighted lab-grown meat for human consumption, mass production has yet to start.

The slow progress is mainly due to high production costs and underscores challenges facing the nascent industry seeking to meet demand for alternative protein that does not hurt animals or harm the environment.

However early signs show that gourmet products could turn a profit sooner than everyday meats like chicken.

As of 2022, Singapore has lured around 30 companies working on alternative proteins, looking to improve its food security. The city-state imports 90% of its food and wants to cut that to 70% by 2030.

So far, U.S. startup Eat Just's chicken on Huber's menu is the only lab meat product available.

The technological, regulatory and scale barriers to entry for cultivated meat are very high compared to plant-based meat, said Didier Toubia, chief executive of Israel's Aleph Farms, which makes cultivated beef steak.

Cultivated meat is derived from small samples of cells from livestock, which are then fed nutrients, grown in enormous steel vessels called bioreactors, and processed into something that looks and tastes like a real cut of meat.

"I think we won't see many companies ... succeed and going into the market, which will also prevent the commoditisation of cultivated meat products," Toubia told Reuters.

An undated handout photo of Eat Just, Inc's bioreactor at their cultivated meat facility in Alameda, California, U.S.. Photo: Reuters

Go premium

Advances in manufacturing have helped several companies cut production costs by as much as 90% from when they first started years back, industry executives said.

Eat Just and Avant Meats, for example, have cracked the code on replacing fetal bovine serum, found in the blood of fetuses extracted from cows during the slaughter process, with nutrients to produce cultivated meats.

Eat Just has made "significant progress" in cutting costs for each chicken nugget from $50 previously, but has not said by how much.

"It's too high and it's embarrassing ... We lose money every time someone enjoys our cultivated chicken," Eat Just CEO Josh Tetrick said.

Huber's sells the Eat Just cultivated chicken meals for about S$19 ($14).

Costs remain so high that Eat Just has pushed out its forecast for turning a profit to the end of this decade, nine years later than previously projected.

Hong Kong-based Avant Meats is more bullish than Eat Just, with ambitions to make a premium food, cultivated fish maw.

Fish maw is the swim bladder of a fish, a delicacy prized in China that could fetch up to thousands of dollars per kilogram, depending on its grade.

The company is awaiting regulatory approval from Singapore for its product and plans to build a pilot plant to start making it in early 2024.

Avant Meats CEO Carrie Chan says the company can make cultivated fish maw for the same price as conventional fish maw and expects to be able to sell it for about the same price as the premium natural product.

"We are likely to have some margin on the gross level ... We're not subsidising ourselves," Chan said.

An undated handout photo from Eat Just, Inc shows GOOD Meat cultivated chicken skewers at a butchery in Singapore. Photo: Reuters

Testing ground

Eat Just plans to open Asia's largest plant for lab-grown meat in Singapore later this year to make "tens of thousands" of pounds of meat.

Others are catching up in a market that McKinsey estimates will grow to $25 billion by 2030.

Singapore-based startup Esco Aster, whose small 2,000 liter bioreactor is the only approved facility in the country and used to produce Eat Just's cultivated chicken meat, said it is preparing to raise $60 million to build a 50,000 liter facility.

It is also partnering with other startups to produce cultivated pork and beef, Esco CEO Xiangliang Lin said.

An undated handout photo from Eat Just, Inc shows a GOOD Meat takeout meal product in Singapore. Photo: Reuters

After raising a record $5.1 billion in 2021, according to the Good Food Institute (GFI), a research group, the alternative protein sector faces a tough funding outlook, due to a sharp deterioration in demand for plant-based meat, weak economic conditions and low visibility for near-term profitability.

Gautam Godhwani, managing partner at venture capital firm Good Startup, however, said the companies that do succeed would make a huge impact on the food system.

"And I think we're going to create very, very big businesses," Godhwani said.
American veteran Peter Mathews handed over the diary of Vietnamese martyr Cao Van Tuat to his family during a ceremony in Ha Tinh Province, north-central Vietnam on Sunday. Before the ceremony took place, Mathews and his wife visited Tuats relatives and offered incense to the Vietnamese martyr. The American veteran said he was honored to attend the ceremony and to return Tuats diary. Mathews said he was in Vietnam 56 years ago, and this was his second time in the Southeast Asian country. The return of the diary to Tuats family is his mission and responsibility, he stated. American veteran Peter Mathews offers incense to Vietnamese martyr Cao Van Tuat in Ha Tinh Province, Vietnam, March 5, 2023. Photo: Le Minh / Tuoi Tre Mathews recalled being impressed by the drawings and poems in the diary, which showed Tuats optimism during the resistance war against the U.S.. It took a long time for Mathews to recover and open up to his memories of the war, he said, adding that the diary has a very profound influence and now represents friendship for him. Mathews fought in the war in Vietnam for nearly a year, from December 17, 1966 to December 13, 1967. In November 1967, after a fierce four-day battle at the foot of hill 724 in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum, Mathews found the diary in a Vietnamese soldier's backpack. Peter Mathews shows the diary of Cao Van Tuat during the ceremony in Ha Tinh Province, Vietnam, March 5, 2023. Photo: Le Minh / Tuoi Tre Ha Huy My, Tuats nephew, said that his uncle was born into a poor family with a revolutionary tradition in Cao Thang Village, Ky Xuan Commune, Ha Tinh Province. In 1963, Tuat enlisted in the army and fought on the southern front. In 1972, the family was informed that Tuat had died in battle and left behind no belongings. When we heard about the diary, we were really happy and emotional, as it is a sacred object left by my uncle, My said. We will carefully keep the diary to educate our children and grandchildren about his life's ideals and sacrifices. Peter Mathews hands over the diary of Cao Van Tuat to the latters family member during the ceremony in Ha Tinh Province, Vietnam, March 5, 2023. Photo: Le Minh / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!

American veteran Peter Mathews handed over the diary of Vietnamese martyr Cao Van Tuat to his family during a ceremony in Ha Tinh Province, north-central Vietnam on Sunday.

Before the ceremony took place, Mathews and his wife visited Tuats relatives and offered incense to the Vietnamese martyr.

The American veteran said he was honored to attend the ceremony and to return Tuats diary.

Mathews said he was in Vietnam 56 years ago, and this was his second time in the Southeast Asian country.

The return of the diary to Tuats family is his mission and responsibility, he stated.

American veteran Peter Mathews offers incense to Vietnamese martyr Cao Van Tuat in Ha Tinh Province, Vietnam, March 5, 2023. Photo: Le Minh / Tuoi Tre

Mathews recalled being impressed by the drawings and poems in the diary, which showed Tuats optimism during the resistance war against the U.S..

It took a long time for Mathews to recover and open up to his memories of the war, he said, adding that the diary has a very profound influence and now represents friendship for him.

Mathews fought in the war in Vietnam for nearly a year, from December 17, 1966 to December 13, 1967.

In November 1967, after a fierce four-day battle at the foot of hill 724 in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum, Mathews found the diary in a Vietnamese soldier's backpack.

Peter Mathews shows the diary of Cao Van Tuat during the ceremony in Ha Tinh Province, Vietnam, March 5, 2023. Photo: Le Minh / Tuoi Tre

Ha Huy My, Tuats nephew, said that his uncle was born into a poor family with a revolutionary tradition in Cao Thang Village, Ky Xuan Commune, Ha Tinh Province.

In 1963, Tuat enlisted in the army and fought on the southern front. In 1972, the family was informed that Tuat had died in battle and left behind no belongings.

When we heard about the diary, we were really happy and emotional, as it is a sacred object left by my uncle, My said.

We will carefully keep the diary to educate our children and grandchildren about his life's ideals and sacrifices.

Peter Mathews hands over the diary of Cao Van Tuat to the latters family member during the ceremony in Ha Tinh Province, Vietnam, March 5, 2023. Photo: Le Minh / Tuoi Tre

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Read what is in the news in Vietnam today: Society -- Police in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang have arrested three people for transporting 18.6 kilograms of narcotics from Cambodia to Vietnam. -- U.S. veteran Peter Mathews on Sunday handed over Vietnamese martyr Cao Xuan Tuat's diary to his family after keeping it for 56 years. -- A male teacher in Ha Tinh Province, north-central Vietnam has been apprehended for allegedly sexually harassing a fifth-grade student during a private class at his house. -- Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam is expanding its general hospital by building another campus with 1,000-1,500 beds, provincial chairman Nguyen Tan Tuan said on Sunday. The province has also worked with Can Tho S.I.S International General Hospital in the namesake southern city to develop a branch of the hospital specializing in stroke treatment in Khanh Hoa. -- Bahamas-flagged cruise ship Silver Muse with 333 foreign travelers on board on Sunday arrived in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province. The passengers on the cruise ship are from Germany, Canada, Australia, Colombia, Thailand, and China. Lifestyle -- Up to 3,000 people, including leaders of Ho Chi Minh City authorities, artists, and local residents, wearing ao dai (Vietnamese traditional costume) went on a parade themed 'I love Vietnamese Ao Dai in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, part of the ongoing ninth Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Festival. -- My Khe Beach in the central city of Da Nang ranks eighth among the 10 most beautiful beaches in Asia, as voted by readers of travel site TripAdvisor. It is the only beach in Vietnam to be named in the list. Sports -- Liverpool brought Manchester United's bandwagon to a shuddering halt as Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah all scored twice in a record 7-0 hammering of their arch-rivals to boost their Premier League top-four hopes at Anfield on Sunday, Reuters reported. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!

Read what is in the news in Vietnam today:

Society

-- Police in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang have arrested three people for transporting 18.6 kilograms of narcotics from Cambodia to Vietnam.

-- U.S. veteran Peter Mathews on Sunday handed over Vietnamese martyr Cao Xuan Tuat's diary to his family after keeping it for 56 years.

-- A male teacher in Ha Tinh Province, north-central Vietnam has been apprehended for allegedly sexually harassing a fifth-grade student during a private class at his house.

-- Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam is expanding its general hospital by building another campus with 1,000-1,500 beds, provincial chairman Nguyen Tan Tuan said on Sunday. The province has also worked with Can Tho S.I.S International General Hospital in the namesake southern city to develop a branch of the hospital specializing in stroke treatment in Khanh Hoa.

-- Bahamas-flagged cruise ship Silver Muse with 333 foreign travelers on board on Sunday arrived in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province. The passengers on the cruise ship are from Germany, Canada, Australia, Colombia, Thailand, and China.

Lifestyle

-- Up to 3,000 people, including leaders of Ho Chi Minh City authorities, artists, and local residents, wearing ao dai (Vietnamese traditional costume) went on a parade themed 'I love Vietnamese Ao Dai in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, part of the ongoing ninth Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Festival.

-- My Khe Beach in the central city of Da Nang ranks eighth among the 10 most beautiful beaches in Asia, as voted by readers of travel site TripAdvisor. It is the only beach in Vietnam to be named in the list.

Sports

-- Liverpool brought Manchester United's bandwagon to a shuddering halt as Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah all scored twice in a record 7-0 hammering of their arch-rivals to boost their Premier League top-four hopes at Anfield on Sunday, Reuters reported.

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A nine-year-old girl whose left eye socket and skull were punctured by a bicycle hand brake has been successfully treated by doctors at the Ho Chi Minh City Childrens Hospital and the Ho Chi Minh City Eye Hospital. The municipal Department of Health announced the successful treatment of nine-year-old L.T.V., a resident of Binh Tan District, on Sunday. V. was taken to the Ho Chi Minh City Childrens Hospital 30 minutes after a bicycle hand brake pierced directly through her left eye socket, causing bleeding. She had collided with a bike while playing near her house. Doctors at the childrens hospital first gave V. oxygenation support, intravenous fluids, pain relief, wound care, tetanus vaccination, and assessment and screening for associated injuries. A CT scan of the brain showed that the girl had acute bleeding in the brain parenchyma, external and subdural hemorrhage in the left frontal lobe. In addition, the orbital surface of the left frontal bone was also broken, and there was hematoma in the left maxillary sinus as the foreign body penetrated the left orbit and the base of the skull, reaching the brain parenchyma. An interdepartmental consultation was quickly carried out, with doctors considering that the case posed a high risk of brain damage, eyeball injury, and bleeding and consenting to prepare for emergency surgery on the child with support from the Ho Chi Minh City Eye Hospital. Immediately after the consultation, the patient was transferred to an operating room for a craniotomy to remove brain tissue contusion, hematoma, and broken bone fragments. Then, doctors of the eye hospital opened her eye socket to remove the foreign object, 25cm long, from the orbit. Surgeons then performed a check on the eyeball and the sclera before suturing the conjunctiva and restoring the shape of the canthus. V.s health has regained stable conditions and she is receiving intensive care at the surgical resuscitation department with mechanical ventilation, blood transfusion, antibiotics, sedation, pain relief, and active brain edema. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!

A nine-year-old girl whose left eye socket and skull were punctured by a bicycle hand brake has been successfully treated by doctors at the Ho Chi Minh City Childrens Hospital and the Ho Chi Minh City Eye Hospital.

The municipal Department of Health announced the successful treatment of nine-year-old L.T.V., a resident of Binh Tan District, on Sunday.

V. was taken to the Ho Chi Minh City Childrens Hospital 30 minutes after a bicycle hand brake pierced directly through her left eye socket, causing bleeding.

She had collided with a bike while playing near her house.

Doctors at the childrens hospital first gave V. oxygenation support, intravenous fluids, pain relief, wound care, tetanus vaccination, and assessment and screening for associated injuries.

A CT scan of the brain showed that the girl had acute bleeding in the brain parenchyma, external and subdural hemorrhage in the left frontal lobe.

In addition, the orbital surface of the left frontal bone was also broken, and there was hematoma in the left maxillary sinus as the foreign body penetrated the left orbit and the base of the skull, reaching the brain parenchyma.

An interdepartmental consultation was quickly carried out, with doctors considering that the case posed a high risk of brain damage, eyeball injury, and bleeding and consenting to prepare for emergency surgery on the child with support from the Ho Chi Minh City Eye Hospital.

Immediately after the consultation, the patient was transferred to an operating room for a craniotomy to remove brain tissue contusion, hematoma, and broken bone fragments.

Then, doctors of the eye hospital opened her eye socket to remove the foreign object, 25cm long, from the orbit.

Surgeons then performed a check on the eyeball and the sclera before suturing the conjunctiva and restoring the shape of the canthus.

V.s health has regained stable conditions and she is receiving intensive care at the surgical resuscitation department with mechanical ventilation, blood transfusion, antibiotics, sedation, pain relief, and active brain edema.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Police in An Giang, a province in southern Vietnam, said on Sunday that they arrested two men involved in trafficking more than 18 kilograms of drugs from Cambodia to Vietnam while they were on the run. Dinh Thanh Truc, 32, hailing from south-central Binh Thuan Province, and Thieu Van Lai, 27, a resident of Gia Lai Province in the Central Highlands, are being held for illegal transportation of narcotics. The arrest was the result of a report made by residents of An Giangs An Phu District, which borders Cambodia, about suspicious people traveling in a car on National Highway 91C at around 10:00 pm on Friday. Police officers examine drugs left behind by traffickers in An Giang Province, Vietnam. Photo: Tien Van / Tuoi Tre Around 30 minutes later, a task force sent by the Department of Public Security of An Giang discovered the car in question on National Highway 91C and began a chase. The suspects in the car immediately threw away two bags, which contained 17 yellow and blue packages, and ran away. At about 11:00 pm on the same day, police officers discovered that Truc and Lai were walking on the same highway and summoned them to the police station. Seventeen packages of narcotics are seized following the arrest of two drug traffickers in An Giang Province, Vietnam. Photo: Tien Van / Tuoi Tre The duo then admitted to transporting the two bags with 17 packages of narcotics from Cambodia to Vietnam with another person. They rented a car to carry the amount of drugs out of An Phu but the two were busted before they could leave the district. Early examination results confirmed that the 17 yellow and blue packages in the two bags are narcotics, weighing a total of 18.6 kilograms. Police officers are looking for the remaining suspect. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!

Police in An Giang, a province in southern Vietnam, said on Sunday that they arrested two men involved in trafficking more than 18 kilograms of drugs from Cambodia to Vietnam while they were on the run.

Dinh Thanh Truc, 32, hailing from south-central Binh Thuan Province, and Thieu Van Lai, 27, a resident of Gia Lai Province in the Central Highlands, are being held for illegal transportation of narcotics.

The arrest was the result of a report made by residents of An Giangs An Phu District, which borders Cambodia, about suspicious people traveling in a car on National Highway 91C at around 10:00 pm on Friday.

Police officers examine drugs left behind by traffickers in An Giang Province, Vietnam. Photo: Tien Van / Tuoi Tre

Around 30 minutes later, a task force sent by the Department of Public Security of An Giang discovered the car in question on National Highway 91C and began a chase.

The suspects in the car immediately threw away two bags, which contained 17 yellow and blue packages, and ran away.

At about 11:00 pm on the same day, police officers discovered that Truc and Lai were walking on the same highway and summoned them to the police station.

Seventeen packages of narcotics are seized following the arrest of two drug traffickers in An Giang Province, Vietnam. Photo: Tien Van / Tuoi Tre

The duo then admitted to transporting the two bags with 17 packages of narcotics from Cambodia to Vietnam with another person.

They rented a car to carry the amount of drugs out of An Phu but the two were busted before they could leave the district.

Early examination results confirmed that the 17 yellow and blue packages in the two bags are narcotics, weighing a total of 18.6 kilograms.

Police officers are looking for the remaining suspect.

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Around 3,000 people, including leaders of Ho Chi Minh City authorities, artists, and local residents, wearing 'ao dai' (Vietnamese traditional costume) participated in a parade themed 'I Love Vietnamese Ao Dai in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, part of the ongoing ninth Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Festival. The parade was jointly held by the municipal Department of Tourism and the Ho Chi Minh City Women's Union on the occasion of the 113th anniversary of International Womens Day (March 8) and the 1,983rd anniversary of the Hai Ba Trung (Trung Sisters) Uprising. The event was aimed at honoring the beauty of 'ao dai' in daily life. Artists go on the parade on Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: T.T.D. / Tuoi Tre Incumbent and former leaders of the Ho Chi Minh City authorities attend the parade on Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: T.T.D. / Tuoi Tre In particular, leaders of the municipal authorities, celebrities, and residents passed through Nguyen Hue, Le Loi, Dong Khoi, and Le Thanh Ton Streets where symbolic architecture works of the city, such as the President Ho Chi Minh Monument, the headquarters of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, and the Municipal Theater, are located. Miss Universe Vietnam 2017 H'Hen Nie, an ambassador of the ninth Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Festival, said she was happy to meet with so many women in 'ao dai' and march in the parade. She told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that she wore an 'ao dai' that she had used in many charity activities. She wanted to spread the love of the long gown. Two U.S. tourists record a video of the ao dai parade in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: T.T.D. / Tuoi Tre Miss Universe Vietnam 2017 H'Hen Nie (in green ao dai) and other ambassadors of the ninth Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Festival pass through the headquarters of the Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee. Photo: T.T.D. / Tuoi Tre Tuyet Mai, Dinh Linh, and Dinh Nhat Minh, who are local artists, played the role of an ambassador of the Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Festival this year for the first time. Minh said that 'ao dai' is a crucial costume of his family. He often wears it during festivals or performances at home or abroad. Nguyen Tran Phuong Tran, chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City Womens Union, said that womens unions at all levels in the city have raised more than VND37 billion (US$1.6 million) to help over 2,300 orphans. On this occasion, the Ho Chi Minh City Womens Union was awarded the third-class labor medal. Artist Nhat Minh and his mother, artist Tuyet Mai. Photo: T.T.D. / Tuoi Tre The Ho Chi Minh City Womens Union receives the third-class labor medal. Photo: T.T.D. / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!

Around 3,000 people, including leaders of Ho Chi Minh City authorities, artists, and local residents, wearing 'ao dai' (Vietnamese traditional costume) participated in a parade themed 'I Love Vietnamese Ao Dai in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, part of the ongoing ninth Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Festival.

The parade was jointly held by the municipal Department of Tourism and the Ho Chi Minh City Women's Union on the occasion of the 113th anniversary of International Womens Day (March 8) and the 1,983rd anniversary of the Hai Ba Trung (Trung Sisters) Uprising.

The event was aimed at honoring the beauty of 'ao dai' in daily life.

Artists go on the parade on Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: T.T.D. / Tuoi Tre

Incumbent and former leaders of the Ho Chi Minh City authorities attend the parade on Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: T.T.D. / Tuoi Tre

In particular, leaders of the municipal authorities, celebrities, and residents passed through Nguyen Hue, Le Loi, Dong Khoi, and Le Thanh Ton Streets where symbolic architecture works of the city, such as the President Ho Chi Minh Monument, the headquarters of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, and the Municipal Theater, are located.

Miss Universe Vietnam 2017 H'Hen Nie, an ambassador of the ninth Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Festival, said she was happy to meet with so many women in 'ao dai' and march in the parade.

She told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that she wore an 'ao dai' that she had used in many charity activities. She wanted to spread the love of the long gown.

Two U.S. tourists record a video of the ao dai parade in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: T.T.D. / Tuoi Tre

Miss Universe Vietnam 2017 H'Hen Nie (in green ao dai) and other ambassadors of the ninth Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Festival pass through the headquarters of the Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee. Photo: T.T.D. / Tuoi Tre

Tuyet Mai, Dinh Linh, and Dinh Nhat Minh, who are local artists, played the role of an ambassador of the Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Festival this year for the first time.

Minh said that 'ao dai' is a crucial costume of his family. He often wears it during festivals or performances at home or abroad.

Nguyen Tran Phuong Tran, chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City Womens Union, said that womens unions at all levels in the city have raised more than VND37 billion (US$1.6 million) to help over 2,300 orphans.

On this occasion, the Ho Chi Minh City Womens Union was awarded the third-class labor medal.

Artist Nhat Minh and his mother, artist Tuyet Mai. Photo: T.T.D. / Tuoi Tre

The Ho Chi Minh City Womens Union receives the third-class labor medal. Photo: T.T.D. / Tuoi Tre

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ABC journalists have voted to postpone todays stoppage following a new pay offer from management.

MEAA Media members around Australia voted not to go ahead with the planned 40 minute stoppage after the ABC yesterday provided an improved offer to union representatives.

The new offer provides pay rises totalling 11% over three years -up from a 9% offer- backdated to October 1 last year, plus a $1500 sign on bonus.

Management has also agreed to conduct a transparent audit of the gender and CALD pay gap, to fix the broken buyout system, and to put in place a new pathway for career progression for early and mid-career journalists.

MEAA members met yesterday afternoon and voted to postpone the stoppage to allow negotiations to continue but reserve the right to industrial actiod if the outcome of talks is not satisfactory.

MEAA Media Director Cassie Derrickn said, The new offer provided by management this morning contains several improvements on what has been on the table until now.

Members are encouraged that the new offer hears their concerns on gender and race pay gaps and buyouts and comes some way to addressing claims on progression and a fair pay rise.

It does not satisfy all of employees demands and there is still work to be done, but there is no doubt the pressure from union members has led to this better offer from ABC managing director David Anderson after his executives refused to negotiate for weeks.

This is a major achievement for ABC employees in this campaign who have been united in their resolve to push for a better deal.
A massive fire at a crammed camp for Rohingya Muslims in southern Bangladesh has left thousands of the refugees homeless, a fire official and the United Nations said.

No casualties were reported at Balukhali camp in Cox's Bazar district, said Emdadul Haque, a fire service official.

The UNHCR in Bangladesh said in a tweet that Rohingya refugee volunteers responded to the fire with the agency and its partners providing support. It provided no further details.

Some 2,000 shelters have been burnt, leaving about 12,000 forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals shelterless, Mijanur Rahman, Bangladeshs refugee commissioner, told AFP news agency.

The blaze was brought under control within three hours but at least 35 mosques and 21 learning centres for the refugees were also destroyed, he added.

The devastation left by the fire (REUTERS)

More than 1 million Rohingya refugees have fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar over several decades, including about 740,000 who crossed the border starting in August 2017, when the Myanmar military launched a brutal crackdown.

Conditions in Myanmar have worsened since a military takeover in 2021, and attempts to send back the refugees have failed.

Between January 2021 and December 2022, there were 222 fire incidents in the Rohingya camps including 60 cases of arson, according to a Bangladesh defence ministry report released last month.

Last year, the United States said the oppression of Rohingya in Myanmar amounts to genocide after U.S. authorities confirmed accounts of mass atrocities against civilians by the military in a systematic campaign against the ethnic minority. Muslim Rohingya face widespread discrimination in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where most are denied citizenship and many other rights.
ReportLinker

The major drivers of this market are the rising demand from the homeland security coupled with the increasing demand for meta-aramid fibers in electrical insulation applications drive the market. Increasing demand for homeland security and advancement in aramid materials manufacturing processes, are the significant growth opportunities for the market.

New York, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Meta-aramid Fiber Market by Type, Application And Region - Global Forecast to 2027" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06426881/?utm_source=GNW

However, its high cost of production and available alternatives restrict the markets growth.



Staple is estimated to be the largest type in the meta-aramid fiber market in 2021, in terms of value.



The staple segment dominated the meta-aramid fiber market in terms of both value and volume.Growth in the market size of staple fiber is attributed to the increased demand for protective clothing across the globe.



Government authorities in developed countries are increasingly concerned about the health and safety of the workers.



Honeycomb reinforcement was the second-fastest growing application for meta-aramid fiber market during the forecast period.

A honeycomb core comprises of a sandwich structure that is covered with facings or skins.The function of the core that is used as a filling is to add strength without adding weight to the final components.



Honeycomb core materials are made of thermoplastic, aramid, aluminum, fiberglass, paper, carbon, and stainless steel. Meta-aramid fiber for honeycomb reinforcement adds benefits such as low weight, rigidity, durability, and toughness.



APAC is projected to be the fastest growing meta-aramid fiber market during the forecast period, in terms of value.



Asia Pacific is projected to be the fastest-growing meta-aramid fiber market, in terms of both value and volume, during the forecast period.The region is a global manufacturing hub and has one of the worlds largest numbers of on-road vehicles.



Rising incomes, standards of living, population, and exports support the growth of the meta-aramid fiber market in the region. Emerging economies, such as China, India, Indonesia, and Thailand, are expected to witness robust expansion in terms of urbanization and infrastructure as well as investments in the manufacturing sector.

In the process of determining and verifying the market size for several segments and subsegments identified through secondary research, extensive primary interviews were conducted. A breakdown of the profiles of the primary interviewees are as follows:

 By Company Type: Tier 1 - 69%, Tier 2 - 23%, and Tier 3 - 8%

 By Designation: C-Level - 23%, Director Level - 37%, and Others - 40%

 By Region: North America - 32%, Europe - 21%, APAC - 28%, Middle East & Africa - 12%, and South America - 7%



The key market players profiled in the report include Asia Pacific is projected to be the fastest-growing meta-aramid fiber market, in terms of both value and volume, during the forecast period.The region is a global manufacturing hub and has one of the worlds largest numbers of on-road vehicles.



Rising incomes, standards of living, population, and exports support the growth of the meta-aramid fiber market in the region. Emerging economies, such as China, India, Indonesia, and Thailand, are expected to witness robust expansion in terms of urbanization and infrastructure as well as investments in the manufacturing sector.



Research Coverage

This report segments the market for meta-aramid fiber on the basis of type, application, and region, and provides estimations for the overall value of the market across various regions. A detailed analysis of key industry players has been conducted to provide insights into their business overviews, products & services, key strategies, expansions, and mergers & acquisitions associated with the market for meta-aramid fiber.



Reasons to buy this report

This research report is focused on various levels of analysis  industry analysis (industry trends), market ranking analysis of top players, and company profiles, which together provide an overall view on the competitive landscape; emerging and high-growth segments of the meta-aramid fiber market; high-growth regions; and market drivers, restraints, opportunities and challenges



The report provides insights on the following pointers:

 Market Penetration: Comprehensive information on meta-aramid fiber offered by top players in the global meta-aramid fiber market

 Product Development/Innovation: Detailed insights on upcoming technologies, research & development activities in the meta-aramid fiber market

 Market Development: Comprehensive information about lucrative emerging markets  the report analyzes the markets for meta-aramid fiber across regions

 Market Diversification: Exhaustive information about new products, untapped regions, and recent developments in the global meta-aramid fiber market

 Competitive Assessment: In-depth assessment of market shares, strategies, products, and manufacturing capabilities of leading players in the meta-aramid fiber market

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06426881/?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.



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Bowing Feb. 15 on Netflix, Eva Lasting hit its Top 10 in 14 countries across much of Latin America, scoring a global Top 10 berth, and now prompting the platform to order a second season just days after its release.

A high-end Caracol TV production that puts on full display the benefits of streamer backing, the sleek 13-episode show, directed by Mateo Stivelberg and Maria Gamboa, taps into the comforts that Latin American telenovelas have accustomed their audiences to while finding solid and sometimes new narrative ground in its runtime.

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Set at a 1976 Bogota against the background of Colombias rampant modernization, the story follows Camilo (Emmanuel Restrepo) and his group of friends in a public boys school whose lives are irreparably changed when Eva (Francisca Estevez) becomes its first female student. Keenly aware of the tropes invoked down the decades by this kind of premise, the showplaces with them while giving color and depth to its characters. Eva rapidly escapes the manic pixie dream girl archetype to become a full-fledged character whose actions are the catalyst for the evolution of the main characters.

Written by one of Colombias most prominent film-TV figures, writer-producer Dago Garcia (The Ride, Memories of My Father) the series embraces its melodrama beats but give them a fresh dynamism and modern-day gender vibe, repackaging the telenovela, allowing an entry point for younger audience whose maturity allows for a more acid revisionism.

Variety talked with Garcia and Carolina Leconte, Netflix Latin America content director.

Countries like Brazil and Turkey have made over their melodramas , creating series that work worldwide, made with an international standards technical prowess. How does Colombia rate in this rapidly changing landscape?

Carolina Leconte: I have the good fortune to say very well. Netflix allows us to try other types of narratives, widening the spectrum. That means looking for another type of content, addressing other types of issues and having access to all the tools at our disposal to venture into new grounds. Its a matter of technical capacity, with a higher production levels.

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Dago Garcia: Whats happened with Brazil and Turkey has always been at the grasp of Spanish content. Thanks to the streamers, Latin American content has become universal. There are many cases of Latin American or Colombian products made with these audiences in mind but which have acquired a global dimension, thanks to the streamers. Through this new form of television, the world is discovering melodrama as a narrative paradigm that has an impressive universality. Turkey, Korea and Brazil have already worked on this But now many other cultures, including North Americans, have leaned into a melodrama mode which has very Latin American roots. Of course it is not a Latin American genre, it is a universal one, but the world has known it in its telenovela form.

Mateo and Maria are both relatively young filmmakers who, along with most of the cast, are taking their first steps in the industry. What is your take on these emerging talents and what do they represent for giants like Netflix?

Leconte: For Netflix its essential to gather together the best talents, we thrive on the contributions of very young and talented people such as Mateo and Maria. To us a narrative gains weight through the different visions that build it. Its no mystery that one of the most coveted talents are writers because only a great idea, a great story will make the cut. But there is a gradual construction of a huge group of people, where everyone contributes. One of the assets of the show is having a lot of young talents who have big potential and that until now havent had that much screen presence. Its vital to give spaces to these new talents because they will represent the growing industry that is starting to shine in Latin America.

Eva Lasting

The shows strongest asset is finding a hybrid format between the series and the telenovela, relying on the strengths of both formats. Could you comment?

Leconte: Thats one of the most exciting things. We are suddenly able to access more types of melodramas, but the exercise of Eva Lasting, was to make content that is very much ours and yet tackles universal problems. It explores melodramatic conflicts but it speaks through a much closer narrative to who we are today. Framing it through the 70s, with the socio-political, cultural context allows us to access other subjects like philosophy or literature while tackling our modern topics. Stories can be told as long as one wants to stretch them. I think that this type of story takes advantage of melodramatic conflicts and gives a wonderful closure so that they are much more impactful.

Garcia: At some point, a cannibal relationship between broadcast and streaming was at least glimpsed, but it turned into an interesting synthesis because both have influenced each other. Neither of the two has emerged unscathed, at least in Latin Americas case. Nowadays theres no pure-play melodrama. Its become a repository of many other types of content and has been influenced by them. With 200 episodes, telenovelas are the art of saying little over a long stretch of time. Now we are learning to condense them whilst the platforms have seen how melodrama brings a loyal audience. As a result, at least in Latin America, content has been transformed, achieving a synthesis in which both parties have won.

One might say we are living on a hinge of cultural transformation that has changed the tropes, archetypes and and narratives as to how we depict both the female and male. Your show is very much aware of this and modernized elements such as the male gaze. Could you comment?

Garcia: Our objective was that despite the series taking place in a school context, it could not be exclusively about school. It centers on an important moment not only in the lives of the characters, but on that of a nation. Is both a coming of age and the transformation of a country. Thats why its told from the present. This is the story of a woman told by a man, of how she changed him, his group of his friends and changed that micro system that was the school. One single woman discovers the feminine and with it she broadens the panorama of all these characters, matures them. A story not only about the 70s, but about us, now. These comparisons are always very revealing, especially for todays times.

Laconte: I was so excited when I saw that this was a story of an absolutely atypical woman. And I say atypical for the time, but what happens with Eva has always happened to women. Whats interesting is that although it is told through the viewpoint of a man, the story only unfolds through the actions of women. I say it in plural because it is not only Eva. One of the most important characters is Susana, for example, Camilos mother. She gives a completely different face to the show, addressing so many of the realities that a woman has to face. So its a vision of femininity. I am not saying that it is completely atypical, on the contrary, its very much what a woman goes through. An incredibly smart woman heightened through the eyes of an adolescent man who sees her as powerful, unattainable and huge. Imagine how rich! To turn around the archetypes of our melodramas and find female characters who are much more real, much closer to todays audiences.

Eva Lasting

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Around 630,000 small and microbusinesses are at risk of going bust in the face of rocketing costs and pressures on consumers, according to new research.

Data analysis of 2.3 million British microbusinesses  which are typically firms with fewer than 10 employees  highlighted growing pressure among small businesses due to rocketing costs, such as increased energy bills.

The Venture Forward report, produced by GoDaddy, indicated that the potential collapse of these companies would be a roughly 12 billion blow to the economy.

It comes ahead of a key Spring Budget for the Prime Minister and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt.

However, the research found that fewer than one in five (19%) entrepreneurs said they believe that Rishi Sunk is acting in the best interests of small and microbusinesses.

More than three quarters (77%) of entrepreneurs said they believe the cost-of-living crisis is the greatest challenge they have faced, with many highlighting the impact of higher energy bills.

When asked how MPs can help microbusinesses, the most common response was to offer tax incentives, with around 42%.

Business owners also called for technical assistance for business development and help with digital strategy.

Chris and Sarah Fryer, from Newcastle, who run vegan pie business Magpye, said: As a bakery we use a lot of energy, so the rising cost of gas and electricity has dramatically increased our overheads.

We are concerned about the energy relief scheme coming to an end in April, and would like to see the Government launch targeted help for energy-intensive businesses like ours.

Andrew Gradon, head of GoDaddy UK & Ireland, said: Venture Forward demonstrates the enormous contributions made by Britains microbusinesses.

They have the power to add billions to the economy, while providing jobs and opportunity in their local communities.

But the research also reveals the potentially disastrous consequences that the cost-of-living crisis could have on them.

With more than 600,000 microbusinesses saying that they feel at risk of going under this year, it is crucial that they are given adequate support to help negate the rising cost of doing business.
A British man helping humanitarian aid efforts in Syria one month on from the deadly earthquake says families are too scared to move back into damaged homes amid ongoing aftershocks.

Unicef worker Joe English, from Oxford, told the Standard that overcrowded camps filled with hundreds of families left displaced by the 7.8 magnitude quake on February 6 are desperately trying to avoid a cholera outbreak and get children back to education.

If a cholera outbreak takes hold then that could be catastrophic, he said.

Something as simple as a glass of water could actually be a death sentence for children.

A total of 115 schools in Syria have been destroyed and Unicef estimates 3.7 million children are affected there.

The natural disaster killed some 51,000 people across Turkey and Syria. Millions have been left homeless and 108,000 injured, with thousands of children left unaccompanied.

Funnelling humanitarian aid into opposition-occupied northwest Syria has proven a challenge for aid organisations, with communities there feeling neglected and forgotten.

Unicef has managed to cross the border and deliver safe drinking water and sanitation supplies to more than 400,000 Syrians in the aftermath of the destruction.

Hygiene kits were distributed at three camps for families displaced by the earthquakes in Azaz, roughly 20 miles north-northwest of Aleppo, on March 1.

Mr English was there and spoke to displaced families living in tents.

He told the Standard: You could still see the scars of the earthquakes (in the earth) and we have aftershocks continuing.

All through town, youre seeing lots of the remains of buildings. Its wiring and concrete and so this stuff is being trucked out and the debris to be sorted through, because the reality is in northwest Syria, if there are valuable materials within that, then you cant just scrap them.

Families will be going through picking through gathering what they can, whether thats scrap metal to sell, whether thats the remnants of their lives that were destroyed in earthquakes.

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(UNICEF/UN0795117/English)

Mr English said 500 new families had moved to the camp he visited since the earthquake, where the spread of waterborne disease in cramped conditions could be catastrophic.

Children have been through 12 years of conflict, theyve been through four significant earthquakes, he explained.

But one of the biggest dangers to them right now could be something as simple as a glass of water.

We also know that there are outbreaks of scabies of lice, other waterborne diseases and contact transmitted diseases.

Families are also having to choose between the risk of returning home to unsafe, damaged homes, or continuing to live in tents.

There was still an overwhelming sense of fear about returning because of the continuing aftershocks, because of this feeling of, do we want to go back to a home where theres structural damage?

Mr English added: As a parent, I cant even begin to imagine what it must be like to have to make that decision of choosing between a tent or a building that, if theres another large aftershock, could collapse.

Humanitarian needs in Syria were at their highest last year than they have ever been, Mr English said.

Unicef foussed on distributing safe drinking water, shelter, blankets and warm winter clothes in the immediate aftermath of the quake, when tens of thousands of families were left homeless in winter temperatures.

It was dropping well below freezing and because the first earthquake was at 4am, families were fleeing their buildings in just pyjamas, Mr English said.

We were seeing families out in the street or sleeping in their cars if they had one, or huddled around fires in the street.

Unicef and other partners are also now helping to provide temporary learning areas for children, called School in a box, which provide enough education supplies for around 100 to 200 children while repair work is undertaken on school buildings.

(UNICEF/UN0795145/English)

Were getting these into temporary camps so that the kids there are able to start making sure that theyre getting at least a couple of hours of schooling each day, Mr English said.

In Syria 1,551 reportedly damaged schools have been assessed in Aleppo, Hama, Homs Lattakia, and 1,796 temporarily closed schools were reopened.

Israa is a kindergarten teacher at Kawkab Altfoula in Jindeiris, Aleppo - Syrias second largest city.

When the earthquake struck, the school collapsed and five children and two teachers were killed.

I started to check my students WhatsApp groups, and texted all parents, she said.

Please, tell us how you are. Your children have become part of our life.

I cannot feel anything!.....We might accept adults death. But those were innocent kids....How can a teacher feel when her students die in the same minute?

Unicef and partners have also reached more than 55,000 children with essential Child Protection services and supplies, including psychological first aid and recreational activities.

In Turkey more than 1,874 unaccompanied children have been identified and Unicef and partners have helped to reach 5,100 children with psychological support in Gaziantep, Kilis, Mardin, Diyarbakir and Sanliurfa provinces.

Nearly 277,000 people, including over 163,000 children, have been given supplies including hygiene kits, winter clothes, electrical heaters and blankets in Turkey.

Donations to Unicefs efforts in Syria and Turkey can be made here.
Gary Glitter is to be the subject of a new Netflix documentary series credit:Bang Showbiz

Gary Glitter is to be the subject of a new Netflix documentary series following his release from prison.

The 79-year-old pop star - whose real name is Paul Gadd - is believed to left have HMP The Verne, a low-security jail in Portland, Dorset, last month after serving half of his 16-year sentence for sexually abusing three schoolgirls and now it's been revealed his life and downfall is to be chronicled in a new show for the streaming giant.

'Hunting Gary Glitter' will be a three-part series featuring previously unseen photographs and archive footage as well as interviews with journalists who spent years trying to track him down and bring him to justice.

It's being made by Voltage - the production company behind ITV documentary 'Savile: Portrait of a Predator' as well as an upcoming film about Prince Andrew and his doomed interview on BBC show 'Newsnight' in which he was questioned about his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

The Times newspaper has also reported there are also Gary Glitter documentaries in production for both ITV and Amazon Prime Video.

News of Glitter's impending release was revealed in December and it made one of his victims - who was just 10 when she was abused in Vietnam in 2005 - weep with despair.

The woman, known as Ms D to protect her anonymity and now aged 27, said she hopes he is barred from ever traveling again, claimed he abused many more victims in Vietnam, and admitted she fears she will never be able to find love due to the ongoing trauma of his abuse. She sobbed as she said: He is free to enjoy his money and his life now, but I live with what that man did to me every day of my life. I will never find anyone to love me, and I will never be able to marry because of what happened. No man here will accept someone with my past. There were many other victims apart from me in Vietnam. He should never be allowed to leave England again because he is a very dangerous man, and he will do bad things again.

Glitter was jailed in February 2015 for offences carried out between 1975 and 1980, including crimes of sexual intercourse with a girl under 13, attempting to rape an eight-year-old and molesting a third girl. Ms D gave evidence against him alongside a 12-year-old victim, and Glitter was jailed for three years before being deported to Britain. Glitter was also jailed for four months in 1999 for possessing 4,000 indecent images of children and in 2006 was put behind bars in Vietnam for three years after sex attacks in the country before being released in 2008.
HA NOI  The Minister of Industry and Trade has recently asked the trio of power giants to keep the supply of coal stable at all costs in 2023 as the mineral is essential for power generation and fertiliser production.

In his meeting with State-owned heavyweights on March 3, Minister Tran Hong Dien requested Vietnam Electricity, Vietnam Oil and Gas Group, and Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (TKV) to keep a close watch on coal supply.

He said under no circumstances should the supply be disrupted as coal is an essential mineral that thermal power stations and fertiliser factories can not go without. If a coal shortfall occurs, it will deal a heavy blow to the economy.

To keep coal shortages at bay, the minister urged the trio to act in line with the governmental Directive No.29 and the ministerial instructions on the provision of coals.

He also ordered that coal suppliers and purchasers comply strictly with the contracts they both agreed to. Otherwise, they would be held responsible for any damage arising from their failure to fulfil the contracts.

He also called on the trio to find new coal exporters, especially those who have signed a free trade agreement with Viet Nam, to boost coal imports. Some potential candidates include Indonesia, South Africa, and Laos.

Specifically, he called for extensive research into Lao policies on coal exports and the construction of routes allowing Lao coal transport into Viet Nam at the lowest costs. He also suggested coal warehouses be built near the Lao border to reduce mileage.

Vietnamese coal importers are urged to move into top gear to be well-prepared for the import targets set for this year. The same goes for coal producers, who must toil away to keep pace with their targets.

KTV and ong Bac Corporation (DBC) are tasked with improving capacity to churn out sufficient coal for electricity generation. They are also asked to build intermediate warehouses in the central and southern provinces so coal in transit can be temporarily stored before being reshipped to thermal power plants.

The minister has asked the Inspectorate of the Ministry of Construction to carry out regular checks on the corporations to ensure their construction works take place as requested.

According to the Department of Oil, Gas, and Coal, Ministry of Industry and Trade, about 57.9 million tonnes of coal would be brought to the market in 2023, of which 44.7 million tonnes would be domestically produced and 13.2 million tonnes come from abroad.

Meanwhile, total coal consumption would run to approximately 57.0 million tonnes during the same period, with 46.2 million tonnes being used for electricity generation, 2.5 million tonnes for fertiliser production, and 8.3 million tonnes for others.

TVK has entered into contracts with 22 thermal power plants and two fertiliser factories to date. Under the contract, the first will sell 38.5 million tonnes of coal to the second and 1.6 million tonnes to the third. DBC followed suit with a contract involving the sale of 7.6 million tonnes to 10 thermal power plants.

In the first two months of 2023, coal available for sale hit 8.3 million tonnes, slightly lower than coal consumption of 8.7 million tonnes. About 7.3 million tonnes went to electricity generation whereas 0.4 million tonnes to fertiliser production.

At the end of the meeting, the minister called on the heavyweights to always put productivity and innovation high on their agenda. He said they should closely cooperate to deal with common obstacles more easily. VNS
NEW YORK  The fifth session of the Intergovernmental Conference on an international legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction concluded in New York on March 5, with participants reaching an agreement on the instrument.

The Vietnamese delegation, led by Ambassador ang Hoang Giang, permanent representative of Viet Nam to the UN, made several proposals on regulations related to the building of capacity and transfer of maritime technologies in the interests of developing countries, while advocating contents in line with the UNCLOS, protecting the rights and interest of Viet Nam.

The agreement is considered a historical milestone in maritime protection in the context that countries are implementing the Agenda 2030 on Sustainable Development Goals, including Goal No.14 on the sustainable restoration and exploitation of the sea and maritime resources.

It underlined the principle of considering marine genetic resources as the common heritage of mankind and will be shared in a fair and equitable manner.

Particularly, for the first time, the document mentioned a digital sequence of information on genetic resources as a digital asset that is closely attached to maritime genetic resources and relevant interests shared by mankind following a mechanism defined in the agreement.

The document has important implications for regulating biodiversity-related activities across a wide range of oceans. In the context of the gap in access and exploitation of marine genetic resources between developed and developing countries, the document marks a compromise between groups of countries with different interests in promoting activities of conservation and sustainable exploitation of marine genetic resources beyond national jurisdictions as well as capacity building and technology transfer, while ensuring equality in the sharing of benefits from the sustainable exploitation and use of the rich marine genetic resources.

As scheduled, another session will be convened to approve the document before submitting it to the UN General Assembly.  VNS
The proposal is subject to approval by the Ministry of Transport, but ACV believes it is necessary to postpone the completion date to implement Package 5.10, a new bid on offer that involves the construction and installation of equipment of the new passenger terminal building.

The proposal was put forward after a review from the HAAA consulting consortium, which includes firms from South Korea, the United Kingdom, Australia, and France. The consortium suggested that the passenger terminal would require 36 months of construction and six months of trial operation.

If approved, the proposal will see construction time extended by an additional six months. The delay is expected to allow for a more favourable environment to attract capable and experienced contractors to the bidding, set for March 28.

Package 5.10 has the total investment capital of over VND35.2 trillion (almost $1.5 billion), which is the largest package in the first phase of the Long Thanh International Airport project.

In December last year, ACV issued a notification about the cancellation of the previous bidding package for the same project. The previous investors said that it was a large and complicated project with a deadline that was too soon, so they felt unable to meet the requirements.

ACV cancels bidding package for Long Thanh International Airport Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) has issued a notification about cancellation of a package titled Construction and Equipment Installation for the Passenger Terminal Building, which was the largest bidding package for Long Thanh International Airport.

Construction kicks off at Tan Son Nhat International Airport T3 The construction of the third terminal at Tan Son Nhat International Airport is expected to be completed within 24 months and run pilot operations in late 2024.

Task force to push construction of Long Thanh International Airport Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has asked for the establishment of a government task force led by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha to supervise and speed up the construction of Long Thanh International Airport.
Held at the ballroom of the InterContinental Westlake in Hanoi, hundreds of guests were delighted to see the special designs. In addition to compliments to the shows main designer and founder of Tokyo-based non-profit Be-Japon, Kobayashi Eiko, many congratulations were also extended to Nguyen Thi Nga, chairwoman of BRG Group, for helping to organise the event.

As a lover of beauty and cherishing traditional values, Nga was more than happy to contribute in promoting Vietnamese culture and connecting the friendship between Vietnam and Japan.

The media event gave interested parties a taste of what was to come

This is a special year as Vietnam and Japan are celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations, while we are also marking 30 years since the establishment of BRG Group, said Nga. This fashion show was a way for BRG to bring the beauty of Vietnamese culture to the world, prompting us to continue looking for partners with the same goal to move towards sustainable development.

Some 20 kimonos and six innovative ao dai made from ancient kimonos more than 100 years old were worn by Vietnamese and Japanese artists in a space filled with Japanese art and music.

Guests were also treated to a unique exhibition featuring a variety of kimonos and ao dai before entering the main show, including the junihitoe, a kimono considered to be the ultimate representation of traditional Japanese fashion beauty, which can mostly only be seen in museums.

Designer Kobayashi Eiko explained the concept of the Kimono - Ao dai collection

Designer Eiko said that she was very excited about the initiative and devoted a lot of love to designing ao dai from ancient kimono fabric. In the journey of renewing the kimono to help this traditional outfit keep pace with the vibrant life and breath of the times, a kimono combined with ao dai is her latest creation, shown off for the first time at the event.

Nga of BRG added that understanding and empathy among people is the foundation for the development of Japan-Vietnam relations with practical examples shown in the close relationship between the leaders of the two countries, and the wide exchange of culture, cuisine, and lifestyle between the two nations.

Yamada Takio, Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam, said that the significant contributions of groups such as BRG help create a strong friendship relationship between the two countries cannot be ignored.

BRG is currently cooperating with large Japanese enterprises such as Sumitomo and Sanrio, in areas such as the retail supermarket chain FujiMart and North Hanoi Smart City project.

Preserving traditional values through fashion Renowned Japanese designer Kobayashi Eiko, founder of non-profit organisation Be-Japon, discussed with VIRs Thai An about culture as symbolised in unique costumes that combine the typical traditional features of the Japanese kimono and Vietnamese ao dai.

Tightening the Vietnam-Japan friendship through culture Japanese ambassador to Vietnam Yamada Takio told VIRs Tra My that culture will be an important factor in strengthening the relationship between the two countries. The Kimono - Ao dai Fashion Show will serve as the opening event for a chain of cultural exchange ahead of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between both countries this month.
On March 4, two Kimono-Aodai Fashion shows were successfully held at InterContinental Hanoi Westlake Hotel with the participation of hundreds of guests from Vietnam and Japan.

Two Kimono shows - Aodai Fashion Show took place on March 4, Photo by Chi Cuong

When the 25-stringed Koto, a traditional Japanese instrument, was performed by artist Miwa Naitou, a Japanese model in traditional Junihitoe costume appeared to open the show.

Junihitoe is considered to be the pinnacle of traditional Japanese fashion, and is over 1,000 years old. The costume weighs about 20 kg and is one of Japan's most expensive and sophisticated costumes, largely found in museums.

Junihitoe, Photo by Chi Cuong

In addition, innovative kimono and ao dai costumes were also introduced at the show, under different themes showing the change of costumes according to history.

Designer Kobayashi Eiko said that the similarity between the two costumes was that they both use many longitudinal cuts to enhance the graceful and elegant beauty of Asian women. At the same time, ao dai and kimono both use hand embroidery techniques to make the costumes more delicate and luxurious.

I always try to explore and create improvements in my kimono design so that I can combine it with many modern accessories such as large necklaces and high heels. In addition, I also try to create different cuts such as fishtails, and tight waists, among others, contributing to making the kimono more suitable for modern times," Eiko added.

Photo by Chi Cuong

The highlight of the show came from the impressive and creative ao dai designs sewn from ancient kimono fabric that is more than 100 years old. Ao dai is made by Eiko from long-standing Japanese materials such as Japanese silk fabric from the Meiji period, Taisho period or Tatero woven fabric, combined with traditional Vietnamese silk pants.

The ao dai collection performed on stage is made entirely of several antique kimonos. These are huge assets and valuable to my career, the designer said.

The highlight of the event was the transformation of the kimono and obi belt into a dress by designer Kobayashi Eiko on the catwalk, Photo by Chi Cuong

Innovative kimonos are also transformed into modern dresses, showing the diverse transformations of traditional costumes. Some designs were hand painted by Japanese artisans.

Chiharu Iseri, a Japanese woman at the show said, It was amazing. I never expected kimono to change outside like this. It was very beautiful. The most impressive part of this show is that they put on kimono in the opposite way. I wear kimono, but I've never thought of doing it that way.

Photo by Chi Cuong

The "Kimono - Aodai Fashion Show" was part of a programme of special cultural and art exchange events to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan (1973-2023), organised by non-profit organisation Be  Japon in collaboration with the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam and BRG Group.

Photo by Chi Cuong

The deputy ambassador of Japan to Vietnam said, Diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan have achieved impressive development over the past 50 years. In addition to the economy, investment, and trade, the factor that forms the foundation for the development of Japan-Vietnam relations is the understanding and sympathy between the two nations through extensive exchange activities, in which fashion is an important field.

Photo by Chi Cuong

Le Huu Bau, general director of BRG Group said, I believe that the programme will contribute to creating the foundation for Vietnam-Japan relations with an equal position, mutually benefiting each other, with Vietnam and Japan continuing to stand side-by--side, moving towards the future, and reaching out to the world.
PM Pham Minh Chinh visting NIC office

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visited the Vietnam National Innovation Centre (NIC) under the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) in Hanoi on March 4.

PM Chinh said the building of the centre was a necessary and timely move to achieve the goals set by the 13th National Party Congress, including turning Vietnam into a developing country with a modernity-oriented industry that surpasses the lower-middle income level by 2025.

"The NIC should become a rendezvous of intellectuals from around the world to create resources for spreading the benefits and values of innovation to the entire society," said PM Chinh. "To do this, mechanisms, policies, resources, efforts, and dedication are required."

The government leader told the MPI to coordinate with ministries, sectors, and agencies to create a favourable legal framework for the centre to operate effectively and develop an innovation ecosystem.

"The relevant parties should establish a fund for encouraging innovation, perfect an innovation centre model suitable for Vietnam, invest in infrastructure and equipment to guarantee research and innovation activities, digitalise the NICs operations, and connect the NIC with the national database system to build big databases and AI," he said.

PM Chinh and ministers at the NIC

Approved by the PM in 2019, the NIC is invested with VND4.04 trillion ($10.3 million) and is now undergoing final touches. The 35-hectare centre is set up with the aim of supporting and developing startup and innovation ecosystems in Vietnam. Once operational, it is expected to be a location for domestic and international innovation enterprises, laboratories, and offices of major businesses, as well as leading experts and scientists.

After three years of operation, the NIC has seen some major outcomes. First, the centre has formed an innovation ecosystem made up of the state, institutes/ schools, enterprises, and related entities like support centres, incubators, networks of experts, intellectuals, funds, and financial organisations.

It has also developed the Vietnam Innovation Network with nearly 1,600 Vietnamese experts and intellectuals working at technology corporations, and leading institutes/schools in the world, ready to participate and contribute to technology and innovation activities and projects in Vietnam.

Secondly, the centre has implemented many activities to support enterprises in innovation, including facilities, incubation, capacity building, capital access, and providing solutions.

Thirdly, NIC has carried out numerous programmes to support and improve innovation capacity at local institutes and universities, and to coordinate with major international universities to provide training courses on innovation.

Minister Nguyen Chi Dung

Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung said that Vietnam was the first country to build a national innovation centre. Other countries have innovation centres, but they serve the goals of the corporations and localities, not the general development of the country.

With eight major areas - smart factories, smart cities, digital communication, environmental technology, cybersecurity, semiconductors, healthcare, and green hydrogen - they have received support from ministries and agencies to build an ecosystem to meet the development of the country. However, at present, there are no specific mechanisms and policies for innovation and attracting intellectuals and scientists to build the country.

"We have a great wealth of Vietnamese people who are well-trained in advanced economies in the world, working in the world's leading corporations, companies, and institutes. So, the NIC has been developing an innovation network with eight component networks in the United States, Germany, Korea, Taiwan, and Japan, among others," Dung added.

tate Innovation attracts large venture capital This year will be pivotal for the next stage of development of innovative enterprises and Vietnam's digital economy to attract investment capital.

Digital transformation accompanying SMEs for viability and growth The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), and Meta just organised the Forum on Accompanying SMEs with Digital Transformation.
What motivated you to choose Vietnam as a destination to promote Japanese culture to the world?

Vietnamese and Japanese culture have many similarities, and the Vietnamese ao dai has given me a lot of inspiration, motivating me to design costumes from familiar kimono materials.

Fate brought me here, and it was an honour to hold a fashion show in Vietnam to help celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan, bringing an interesting experience of cultural exchange between the two countries through fashion.

The highlight of the show is the performance of the junihitoe, an imperial dress style only used in great Japanese imperial ceremonies 1,000 years ago, which is still being preserved by the Japanese royal family. We also introduced antique kimonos that were more than 100 years old.

I have started using kimono fabric to design new clothes as a way to preserve the ageing kimonos that are slowly disappearing. The Vietnamese ao dai tailored from Japanese kimono-producing fabrics shown in this fashion show are my latest works.

Which challenges have you faced when using antique kimono fabric to make an ao dai?

Antique kimonos were made by Japanese artisans about 100-150 years ago. I am just a collector, taking inspiration from ancient motifs and having ideas to sketch and design new attire to create a new look.

The width of the ancient kimono is very narrow, but fortunately it fits well to design an ao dai. It took me about a month to finish the work. The seam of the ao dai looks simple, but it takes a lot of time to decide the position of the motifs to create a harmonious work. It is also necessary to carefully choose the fabric to make the pants to ensure the quality and the right thinness.

How will the cultural similarities between Vietnam and Japan be shown in the fashion show?

In the process of making ao dai from kimono fabric, I have noticed many similarities in the traditional costumes.

Both the ao dai and kimono have a design that hangs down full length, showing the softness of the wearer. Meticulous hand-embroidered motifs are also frequently used in both outfits. Both costumes use silk fabrics. Vietnamese silk also has many points that are very close to Japanese silk.

I think both are outfits that show the grace of Asian women, and the fashion show will help audiences discover the similarities in traditional costumes as well as the aesthetic taste of the peoples of the two countries.

As a designer enriching traditional cultural values, which expectation have you wished from the cultural exchange in fashion?

I wish to be able to find a way to preserve all the ancient kimono fabrics bearing the technical essence of old Japanese artisans that cannot be reproduced through new designs today.

In addition, I also want more people to wear my designs, and I am considering selling such products in the future. In preserving cultural values, the first important thing is to find like-minded people. For example, gathering people with the same indigo dyeing technique in Vietnam and Japan to share experiences and combine the techniques of the two countries is a great way to preserve traditional cultural values.

The preservation of such values is not only the task of each individual or non-profit organisations like Be-Japon, but also needs the cooperation of investors and businesses.

Admire Japanese Junihitoe royal kimonos at Kimono-Ao Dai Fashion Show The Kimono-Ao Dai Fashion Show that is taking place on March 4 at InterContinental Hanoi Westlake Hotel is a rare opportunity for the public to enjoy the Junihitoe royal kimonos, which are considered to represent the pinnacle of traditional Japanese fashion beauty.

Nguyen Thi Nga: The woman of steel waving a magic wand for vietnamese cultural values BRG Group chairwoman Nguyen Thi Nga has a passion for promoting traditional and cultural values. She spoke to VIRs Viet Chung about strengthening the cultural exchange between Vietnam and Japan, as well as the groups other interests across sport, hospitality, and more.
WATERLOO -- The Bluedorn Science Imaginarium, 322 Washington St., will be hosting Toddler Time once a month from 11 a..m. to noon.

Themes are Weather, March 9; Pets, April 20 and Flowers, May 18. ,

Toddler Time is a chance for parents/guardians and their child to join Imaginarium staff for a themed story time and toddler friendly activity. It is free for toddlers; $6 for adults/guardians.

In addition, the Grout Museum District will host monthly tea parties for children at Snowden House, 306 Washington St.

Themes are Wonderland Tea, March 25, Wild Tea, April 29 and A Totally Vintage Tea, May 27. Hours are 10 a.m. to noon.

At each tea, guests will have the opportunity to take part in several themed crafts and activities. Tea, other beverages, treats and cupcakes from sponsor Scratch Cupcakery will be available at every party.

Tea Parties are $10.80 for members; $12 for non-members. Pre-registration is required

For more details, visit gmdistrict.org or call (319) 234-6357.
WATERLOO -- T

WATERLOO -- Two family members of a Navy airman missing during World War II will talk about their family's efforts to identify and return his remains during the Grout Museum Districts veterans coffee from 10 a.m. to noon March 15 at Snowden House, 306 Washington St.

Sherri Peterson and Pete Hittle, niece and nephew-in-law of Alden Pearl Anders, will talk about the status of the family's research into tracking down and returning Anders' remains.

Hittle, formerly of Sioux City and now living in Louisiana, will make a presentation via Zoom from Louisiana and take questions from attendees. Peterson, of Cedar Falls, also will be present at the coffee to greet veterans.

Alden Pearl Anders, a native of Moneta in northwest Iowa, and members of his Navy bomber crew were shot down during a mission of the coast of Indonesia in June 1945. One crew member survived the crash and was executed by the Japanese. The rest were listed as missing and presumed dead. Their remains, as yet unidentified, are believed to be at a national military cemetery in Hawaii. The family is pursuing identification of Anders' and his crewmates' remains with the Defense POW-MIA Agency and congressional representatives.

The Anders family is paying for the costs of the March 15 coffee in memory of Sherri Peterson's recently deceased father, Merwin Anders of Waterloo who was Alden Pearl Anders' brother. He was a regular visitor to the Grout Museum District.
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WASHINGTON  Two former Iraq and Afghanistan War-era defense secretaries are recommending that the government consider new ways to ensure military service is taken into account when courts prosecute former service members.

The Veterans Justice Commission, led by onetime Pentagon chiefs Chuck Hagel and Leon Panetta, offered that guidance after reports that a concerning number of veterans have been convicted of crimes since leaving military service.

The commission was tasked with examining the extent to which veterans are getting in trouble with the law, whether they are receiving appropriate transitional assistance when they no longer are in the armed services and how they are treated once they enter the criminal justice system.

Both Hagel and Panetta led the Defense Department during the Iraq War, which marks its 20th anniversary this month, and the Afghanistan War, which ended abruptly in 2021 when U.S. forces withdrew from Kabul.

Hagel, a Vietnam veteran, said many of the stressors his generation faced are similar to those for this new generation of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, except that the United States had never been in a 20-year long conflict and there were unprecedented demands that the multiple, prolonged deployments put on the relatively small pool of people who serve.

While most veterans transition into civilian life without incident, the commission found that as many as 1 in 3 of the nation's 19 million military veterans reported being arrested at least once in their lifetime, and that about 181,500 veterans are incarcerated and make up about 8 percent of the state prison population and 5 percent of the federal prison population.

For comparison, less than 1 percent of all U.S. adults volunteer to serve, according to the Pew Research Center.

Those risks for veterans are elevated by post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury and substance abuse issues, the report said.

"Once ensnared by the system, veterans often present a complex set of needs and risk factors that are distinctive from those characteristic of civilians without a military background. But multiple barriers prevent many veterans from receiving the targeted interventions they need," the report found.

Instead of prison sentences, the commission recommended that state and federal statutes should "create or expand judicial diversion," which would establish alternative treatments that could potentially allow for reduced charges, to avoid conviction or have a sentence lowered.

Some of alternatives could include requiring veterans to enter and complete Veteran's Treatment Centers programs that would allow them to address underlying issues that led to the criminal activity, and involving victims or family members to be involved in the supervision and treatment process of the veteran.

"These veterans who do get in trouble, we're not saying that they don't have a price to pay, and they're not going to serve their time, and that they're not going to pay for whatever offense they may have committed," Panetta said during a virtual media briefing of the commission's findings. "What we are saying is by virtue of the fact that they did serve in uniform, and that they are veteran, that there are interventions that can be made, that they're entitled to, by virtue of being a veteran."

The multiple deployments "do have some impact" on the likelihood of incarceration, said another commission member, retired Army Col. Jim Seward.

Beyond the prison alternatives, the commission recommended that Congress review how effective state and national databases are at identifying a person's veteran status, and that military service and specifically combat exposure should be considered at sentencing, including in cases that involve violence.

"Too many veterans are ending up in our criminal justice system, and while they must be held accountable for their behavior, our nation has a responsibility to honor their service and help them address the factors that often drive them to break the law," Hagel said.
BEIJING  After a decade in Chinese President Xi Jinpings shadow, Li Keqiang is taking his final bow as the country's premier, marking a shift away from the skilled technocrats who have helped steer the worlds second-biggest economy in favor of officials known mainly for their unquestioned loyalty to Chinas most powerful leader in recent history.

After exiting the ruling Communist Partys all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee in October  despite being below retirement age  Lis last major task was delivering the state of the nation address to the rubber-stamp parliament on Monday. The report sought to reassure citizens of the resiliency of the Chinese economy, but contained little that was new.

Once seen as a potential top leader, Li was increasingly sidelined as Xi accumulated ever-greater powers and elevated the military and security services in aid of the "great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation." Li's lack of visibility sometimes made it difficult to remember he was technically ranked No. 2 in party.

Li was a premier largely kept out of the limelight by order of the boss, said Steve Tsang, director of the China Institute at the London University School of Oriental and African Studies and a longtime observer of Chinese politics.

In an era where personal loyalty trumps all, the fact that Li wasn't seen purely as a Xi loyalist may end up being "the main reason why he will be remembered fondly," Tsang said.

For most of his career, Li was known as a cautious, capable and highly intelligent bureaucrat who rose through, and was bound by, a consensus-oriented Communist Party that reflexively stifles dissent.

As governor and then party secretary of the densely populated agricultural province of Henan in the 1990s, Li squelched reporting on an AIDS outbreak tied to illegal blood-buying rings that pooled plasma and reinjected it into donors after removing the blood products, allegedly with the collusion of local officials.

While Li was not in office when the scandal broke, his administration worked to quiet it up, prevented victims from seeking redress and harassed private citizens working on behalf of orphans and others affected.

But Li also cut a modestly different profile, an English speaker from a generation of politicians schooled during a time of greater openness to liberal Western ideas. Introduced to politics during the chaotic 1966-76 Cultural Revolution, he made it into prestigious Peking University, where he studied law and economics, on his own merits rather than through political connections.

After graduation, Li went to work at the Communist Youth League, an organization that grooms university students for party roles, then headed by future president and party leader Hu Jintao. Higher office soon followed.

Among the largely faceless ranks of Chinese bureaucrats, Li managed to show an unusually candid streak. In a U.S. State Department cable released by WikiLeaks, Li is quoted telling diplomats that Chinese economic growth statistics were man-made, and saying he looked instead to electricity demand, rail cargo traffic, and lending as more accurate indicators.

Though no populist, in his speeches and public appearances, Li was practically typhonic compared to the typically languorous Xi.

Yet, he largely failed to make effective use of the platforms he was given, unlike his immediate predecessors. At his sole annual news conference on the closing day of each congressional annual session, Li used up most of his time repeating talks points and reciting statistics. Throughout the upheavals of China's three-year battle against COVID-19, Li was practically invisible.

Li, who hailed from humble backgrounds, had been seen as Hus preferred successor as president. But the need to balance party factions prompted the leadership to choose Xi, the son of a former vice premier and party elder, as the consensus candidate.

The two never formed anything like the partnership that characterized Hu's relationship with his premier, Wen Jiabao  or Mao Zedong's with the redoubtable Zhou Enlai  although Li and Xi never openly disagreed over fundamentals.

Xi is not the first among equals, but rather is way above equal, said Cheng Li, an expert on the Chinese leadership at the Brookings Institute in Washington, D.C. Ultimately, Li was a team player who put party unity foremost, he said.

Meanwhile, Li's authority was being gradually shrunk, beginning with a reorganization of offices in 2018. While some may have wished Li had been more influential or decisive, the ground was crumbling under his feet as Xi shifted more of the powers of the State Council, China's Cabinet, to party institutions, Cheng Li said. That shift to expanded party control is expected to continue at the current congress meeting on an even greater scale.

At the same time, Xi appeared to favor trusted long-time brothers-in-arms such as economic adviser Liu He and head of the legislature Li Zhanshu, over Li, leaving him with little visibility or influence

His departure leaves major questions about the future of the private sector that Xi has been reining in, along with wider economic reforms championed by Li and his cohort. His expected replacement, Li Qiang, is a crony of Xi's from his days in provincial government, best known for his ruthless implementation of last spring's monthslong COVID-19 lockdown in Shanghai.
CAIRO  Egypt's antiquities authorities have unveiled a newly discovered, sealed-off chamber inside one of the Great Pyramids at Giza, just outside of Cairo, that dates back some 4,500 years.

The corridor  on the northern side of the Pyramid of Khufu  was discovered using modern scanning technology. It measures almost 30 feet long and is more than 6 feet wide, perched above the main entrance of the pyramid.

Archaeologists do not know what the function was of the chamber, which is not accessible from the outside. In 2017, scientists announced the discovery of another sealed-off corridor, a chamber of almost 100 feet, also inside the Pyramid of Khufu.

Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass and the country's Minister for Tourism Ahmed Eissa announced the discovery Thursday at an unveiling ceremony outside the pyramid. The Scan Pyramids project, an international program that uses scans to look at unexplored sections of the ancient structure, was credited for the find.

Scientists from the project  which began in 2015  attended the unveiling.

According to Christian Grosse, Professor of Non-destructive Testing at the Technical University of Munich and a leading member of the project, various scanning techniques were deployed to locate the chamber, including ultrasound measurements and ground penetrating radars. He hopes these techniques will lead to further findings within the pyramid.

"There are two large limestones at the end chamber, and now the question is what's behind these stones and below the chamber," Grosse said.

The Pyramid of Khufu  named after its builder, a Fourth Dynasty pharaoh who reigned from 2509 to 2483 B.C.  is one of three pyramids that make up the Great Pyramids at Giza complex. The Egyptian pyramids are the only one of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World that have survived to this day.

Experts are divided over how the pyramids were built, so even relatively minor discoveries generate great interest. Authorities often publicly tout discoveries to attract more tourists, a major source of foreign currency for this cash-strapped Middle Eastern country.

Egypt's tourism sector suffered a long downturn after the political turmoil and violence that followed the 2011 uprising that ousted the country's longtime autocratic President Hosni Mubarak, and further setbacks following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.
The war in Russia is still 2-3 Sundays away

It is interesting, when Christo Grozev was dreaming about the imminent collapse of Russia, did he then think that soon enough he would have to flee from Austria, where he was racing, to the cries of the intrigues of Russian intelligence.

Well I remember (3-4-2022 and now it is 3-4-2023)

WtR
A survivor of six heart attacks and a brain tumor, a grumpy bear of a man, whom has declared Russia as his new and wonderful home. His wife is a true Russian Sweet Pea of a girl and she puts up with this bear of a guy and keeps him in line. Thank God for my Sweet Pea and Russia.
Article by Russian Ambassador to Gabon I.F.Iskandarov The situation around Ukraine: the truth that the West is hiding from you in one of the leading Gabonese publications Union ( March 6, 2023 )

It would be a fundamental mistake to think that the events in Ukraine happened suddenly. The so-called Ukrainian issue is the result of a whole chain of events that have taken place in this space for three decades.

Our country has never spoken out against the independence and sovereignty of Ukraine , moreover, it actively supported its independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union. At the same time, in relations between Moscow and Kiev, the principle was agreed: Ukraine has the right to independently choose ways to ensure its security, but this right is associated with the obligation not to strengthen it to the detriment of Russias security.

Western countries, frightened by the political independence and economic power of our country, headed for its collapse and the transformation of Ukraine into anti-Russia. And what is happening now in this country is not a Russian-Ukrainian war, but a conflict between Russia and the collective West led by the United States , in which the Kiev regime is only an instrument.

#

It is indicative that after two recent African tours of Sergey Lavrov, representatives of a number of Western countries have reached out to the continent. Why has the attention of Africans become so dear to the world? 

This is not about attention to the problems of the African continent, but about the desperate attempts of the collective West to preserve its neo-colonial empire.

Today, especially after the roads of Russia and the West parted through no fault of ours, Western countries are faced with the urgent need to replenish the lost volumes of vital resources to maintain their industry and develop the economy, and preferably at minimal cost.

We are building equal relations , we respect the sovereignty of foreign states. This is the main difference between the fundamental approaches of Russia and the former Western metropolises.

Read full in Russian

WtR
Weather Alert

.Warming temperatures this weekend will bring renewed snowmelt and streamflow rises, especially for snow covered terrain below about 7000 feet. Creeks that brought impacts this past week are likely to be problematic again and potentially reach higher levels, especially by late Sunday. ...FLOOD WATCH FOR SNOWMELT REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY MORNING... * WHAT...Flooding caused by snowmelt continues to be possible. * WHERE...Portions of California and western Nevada, including the following areas, in California, Greater Lake Tahoe Area, Lassen-Eastern Plumas-Eastern Sierra Counties and Surprise Valley California. In western Nevada, Greater Lake Tahoe Area, Greater Reno-Carson City-Minden Area and Mineral and Southern Lyon Counties. * WHEN...Through Monday morning. * IMPACTS...Creeks and streams will be running high and fast. Low-water crossings may be flooded. Minor mainstem flooding along the Susan River, Forks of the Carson River, and the East Walker River below Bridgeport Reservoir cannot be ruled out. Anyone participating in outdoor recreation this weekend should use caution as water will be running high, fast, and potentially out of banks for some creeks and streams. The water will be extremely cold as well, quickly causing shock. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop. &&
March 12, 2023:

The Lyon County Sheriff's Office and the Fernley community are paying their respects as Sunday marks the one-year anniversary of Naomi Irion going missing.

The Sheriff's Office says they think of Naomi and her family every day and are asking the community to take a moment of silence in honor of Naomi.

Naomi's sister is also asking the community to wear rainbow colors to support Naomi.

March 6, 2023:

In his latest court appearance, accused killer Troy Driver pleaded not guilty to all counts he is facing in the death of then 18-year-old Naomi Irion.

Driver is charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, sexual assault, robbery with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm by a convicted person, burglary of a motor vehicle and destroying evidence.

Driver also waived his right to a speedy trial to give his legal counsel more time to prepare.

Prosecutors say they are seeking that Driver face the death penalty in the case.

While his next court appearance hasn't been set, the State of Nevada and Driver's attorney's will have 10 days to pick a date for his next appearance.

-------------------------------

February 27, 2023 Update:

A scheduled Monday preliminary hearing for accused killer Troy Driver is now happening March 6th.

Driver's February 27th hearing was continued due to snowy weather conditions.

Previously, Driver waived his right to a preliminary hearing.

Driver was found competent to stand trial in early December.

Driver is accused of murdering and kidnapping 18-year-old Naomi Irion of Fernley.

December 5, 2022 Update:

After being found competent to stand trial, accused killer Troy Driver is scheduled to attend a preliminary hearing this upcoming February.

On December 5th, the Fernley Justice Court announced that his preliminary hearing will be February 16 & 17 at 9 a.m.

Driver is accused of murdering and kidnapping 18-year-old Naomi Irion of Fernley.

November 14, 2022 Update:

A Yerington district court has found accused killer Troy Driver competent enough to stand trial.

Driver appeared in court Monday, November 14 on order of a competency hearing.

He's now been ordered back to the Fernley Justice Court for a preliminary hearing. There's no immediate word on when this may be.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

The man accused of kidnapping and killing Naomi Irion of Fernley appeared in court to determine if he is fit enough to stand trial.

The court decided that Driver needed to be evaluated while recommending Lake's Crossing Center in Sparks.

After he is evaluated, they will come back together and review his evaluation.

There was no specific date given on when he will be evaluated or will appear in court again.

September 2, 2022 Update:

A Nevada justice of the peace has canceled this months preliminary hearing for a man accused of kidnapping and killing a Fernley teenager until a state judge decides if hes competent to stand trial.

Troy Driver was scheduled to appear in a justice court in Fernley Sept. 13-15 for a preliminary hearing to determine whether theres enough evidence to bound him over to Lyon County District Court on murder, kidnapping and other charges in the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Naomi Irion.

Canal Township Justice Court Judge Lori Matheus vacated the hearing in an order on Thursday, along with a Sept. 13 hearing on Drivers public defenders motion to dismiss some of the charges.

The Fernley Justice Court says Driver's competency hearing is set for September 12.

On August 30, Lyon County deputies confirm that accused murderer Troy Driver is still alive despite social media rumors that he's killed himself in jail.

The Lyon County Sheriff's Office addressed the rumor on its official Facebook page on Tuesday.

You can read the statement below -

AUGUST 5, 2022:

A judge has ordered a mental competency hearing for accused murderer Troy Driver, whose lawyers requested an evaluation last month.

Driver's lawyers had requested one out of concern that he may not be able to help in his own defense.

As of now, his preliminary hearing is still scheduled for September 13th, which is the first time he'll appear in court in person.

Driver is accused of kidnapping, sexually assaulting and killing 18-year-old Naomi Irion back in March.

UPDATE: JULY 28, 2022

Defense lawyers for accused murderer Troy Driver have requested a mental competency evaluation. In a filed motion, "the undersigned counsel believes that good cause exists to refer Mr. Driver for an evaluation to determine whether he is competent." They claim that he may not be able to help in his own defense "with a reasonable degree of rational understanding" as requested by Nevada law.

They further request that any future proceedings be suspended until a decision can be made on whether he is allegedly competent to stand trial.

Also, Driver's lawyers have filed to amend the motion to dismiss his murder charge to include the newly filed sexual assault felony charge.

His lawyers also propose that the Court order a modified briefing schedule to include both of these charges concurrently.

UPDATE: JULY 27, 2022

The Fernley Justice Court reports that Troy Driver has waived his right to an arraignment after the district attorney added a charge of sexual assault against him last week.

2 News has also learned that Driver's attorney has until August 2nd to respond to the DA's opposition to a motion to dismiss the murder charge against him

His preliminary hearing is still set for September 13th, which is the first time he'll appear in court in person.

UPDATE: JUNE 21, 2022

The Lyon County District Attorney is asking the judge to oppose a motion from Troy Driver's attorneys to dismiss the murder charge against him.

Driver is accused of murdering and kidnapping 18-year-old Naomi Irion of Fernley.

Defense lawyers argue that Driver shouldn't be tried in Lyon County since investigators found Irion's body in Churchill County.

In the letter to the judge filed Wednesday, the DA argued that the motion does not provide any factual or legal basis for relief.

The district attorney also asked for a sexual assault charge to be added to the murder and kidnapping charges Driver is already facing.

A preliminary hearing is set for September 13th.

That is also the first time Driver will appear in the courtroom in person.

JULY 5, 2022:

The man suspected of killing Naomi Irion was back in court on Tuesday.

Troy Driver's defense team asked the judge to dismiss his first-degree murder charge.

Driver's attorney says the murder charge should be dropped because the homicide happened in Churchill County arguing that Lyon County doesn't have jurisdiction over that crime.

The prosecution is confident that the case meets the requirements to hold the trial in one venue, including the murder charge.

Driver's evidentiary and preliminary hearings will begin September 13, 2022.

The man accused of kidnapping and killing a woman from Fernley made a quick appearance on Zoom for a status hearing on his case.

The defense asked the pre-trial hearing for Troy Driver to be delayed as they seek more evidence.

The judge agreed to the request and has moved the pre-trial hearing to July 5, 2022.

Troy Driver, accused of killing Naomi Irion, was formally charged with murder and is being held without bail at the Lyon County Jail.

Driver, his defense attorney along with most of the Irion family will be appearing via Zoom.

His arraignment happened Friday, April 8th at a hearing at the Canal Township Justice Court in Fernley. Driver appeared via zoom from Yerington.

The Lyon County District Attorneys Office says Troy Driver fatally shot Naomi Irion before burying her body in the desert, according to an amended criminal complaint.

Lyon County District Attorney Stephen Rye filed the amended criminal complaint Tuesday adding first-degree murder and other crimes to the kidnapping charge already facing 41-year-old Troy Driver.

Driver is accused of kidnapping Irion from the Fernley Walmart parking lot on March 12, and killing her on or before March 25 - the same day Driver was arrested for kidnapping.

Four days later, authorities say investigators acted on a tip and found her body in a grave near the Churchill County line.

Hes now accused of first-degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon, first-degree kidnapping, robbery, burglary of a motor vehicle and destroying evidence, according to the new complaint Rye filed Tuesday in Canal Township Justice Court in Fernley.

Drivers public defender, Mario Walther, didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

The complaint said Driver shot Irion in Churchill County northeast of Fernley, where he took her for the purpose of committing sexual assault and/or purpose of killing her.

The document also alleged that Driver destroyed her cell phone and left pieces in Lyon, Churchill, Pershing, Humboldt and Eureka counties.

The Lyon County Sheriff's Office says Driver shot Irion in the head and chest.

The local community has been rallying around this family since this all started - there are a couple of events this weekend.

Kim Lovett, a Fernley resident says, "For this to happen is a scary thing, that even in our quiet little sleepy town that we have predators out there that would do something like this."

A devastated community that carried hopes of finding Naomi for weeks, and went on countless searches with her family. They said this outcome wasn't one anyone wanted. Some of the resident we spoke with extended their condolences to Naomi's family, and want them to know they are supported. Tisha Leija, another Fernley resident visibly upset told us, "I can't even imagine... the first thing I thought of was poor mom...poor mom...very sad. "

----------------------------------------------------------

The man accused of kidnapping Naomi Irion will stay in Lyon County Jail on $750,000 bondable bail.

41-year-old Troy E. Driver was arrested and booked into the jail last Friday. He's officially now charged with first degree kidnapping, a felony.

"Should the defendant post bail, he will not be released from custody until a GPS monitoring device is installed," Judge Lori Matheus, Canal Township Justice Court said.

The judge set Driver's preliminary hearing for April 12 for 1:30pm.

Irion's family attended the court hearing.

"It does look like they're going to be posting bail, from what I understand, so he's the only one who can help us bring Naomi home," Casey Valley, Irion's brother said. "He's the only one that we know about."

If he does get released from jail, Driver will be ordered to stay out of Fernley. He also must not contact Irion's family.

Driver has a criminal history. According to old articles in the Ukiah Daily Journal, he pleaded guilty to accessory to murder after the fact for his role in a 1997 homicide in Willits, California. He was 17 years old at the time of the murder. The article says Driver stuffed the body of an alleged drug dealer, Paul Steven Rodriguez in a trunk and then left it in a wooded area. The article says he pleaded guilty to three charges of robbery and one of burglary. A judge sentenced him to 15 years in prison but the article said he could have been released after serving 12.

"It is upsetting to me that there is people out here in the general public that have these capabilities with this kind of past and people should be more aware of that," Naomi's brother, Casey Valley, said. "We talk about sex offenders all the time but where is the list with this guy?"

Deputies also announced Friday, March 25th that Driver's Chevy truck was impounded and is being processed for possible evidence.

This photo below, shows the truck being taken into evidence. David Ausano took the picture from his porch in Fallon, the night of March 25, 2022.

A second public search was organized for Saturday, March 26th, 2022 by Naomi's brother, Casey Valley.

In a Facebook post, he asked community members to gather at Love's Travel Stop on Commerce Center Drive in Fernley, Saturday at 10am. Valley says, "this will be the first of a few areas of a concentrated search." He also requested no pets or children.

During the search on March 26th, more than 110 people showed up to help find Naomi. Diana Irion says she's been getting massages from all over the country from people who want to help her family.

Casey Valley tells us, "Today's search covered more ground, if not just as much, as last weekends search."

--------------------------------------------------------

On Thursday, March 24th, Lyon County Deputies said they identified a potential witness vehicle and occupant(s) that appears in the Walmart parking lot minutes before Naomi was abducted. They say they've contacted the occupant of the car.

The 4-door sedan enters the east Walmart parking lot at approximately 5:15 a.m. and then drives around the median on the east side before parking at the the southeast corner of the Walmart building.

Police were able to locate the vehicle with help from the public.

Irion was last seen March 12th at the parking lot at the Fernley Walmart. Her car was found a few days later and is undergoing processing for possible evidence.

The Lyon County Sheriff's Office held a press conference on Tuesday, along with Irion's family where again they asked for the public's help in finding her, adding they are getting "hundreds" of tips everyday.

They also mentioned that her car, which was found a few days after her disappearance, is still undergoing processing for any related evidence.

Her family also made another plea for help, with her mother saying, "please save my daughter. Bring her home." Because Irion's possible kidnapping happened near I-80, her mother also said that her daughter could be anywhere in the U.S. by now.

Irion's sister and brother also spoke, mentioning that tips to law enforcement can stay anonymous, if need be. He also said that another search will happen this Saturday.

During the weekend, the Lyon County Sheriff's Office released new surveillance video from the Walmart parking lot where Naomi was reportedly last seen.

The footage shows the suspect standing in front of the Walmart entrance, pacing the east side of the building, before walking toward the front of cars with their headlights on.

Authorities say this footage was recorded minutes before Naomi was abducted.

If you were in the east Walmart parking lot between 4:30 and 5:30 a.m. on March 12th, 2022 and have not been contacted by law enforcement, reach out to the Lyon County Sheriffs Office, Major Crimes Bureau.

The Lyon County Sheriffs Office can be reached at 775-463-6620, Secret Witness at (775) 322-4900 or by email at detective@lyon-county.org.

Authorities said a cell phone ping led officers to the Wadsworth area last week.

She was last seen wearing a blue Panasonic company shirt, gray cardigan sweater, gray pants, brown boots and was carrying a black purse. She had an iPhone, Airpods and a fidget spinner.

She is 511 tall, weighs about 230 pounds and has green eyes. Her hair is currently dyed black and she has a septum piercing and smiley face tattoo on her right ankle.

On Thursday, March 17th, Lyon County deputies announced that they were working with the Pyramid Lake Police Department and the FBI near Highway 427 in Wadsworth searching for evidence related to the disappearance of Naomi Irion.

They asked the public to stay away from the area as not to damage any evidence.

Her family made a public plea on Thursday for her safe return.

Authorities also thanked the Fernley community for their help. Her family members said that they are in contact with police about the case's progression.

On Friday, supporters gathered at the Round Table Pizza in Fernley to make signs to post around town in hopes of someone recognizing Irion's photo and calling police with information.

The newest released photos show Irion on the morning she was last seen and also include a person of interest.

The investigation now indicates that the suspect may be driving a dark 2020 or newer Chevrolet, 2500, High Country 4-Door Pickup Truck.

Authorities say the forensic evidence collected by investigators show that her disappearance is 'suspicious' in nature and that the driver of the truck "has a direct connection to her disappearance and her current whereabouts."

Previous video surveillance showed that person walking from a nearby 'homeless camp' looking in cars.

The unknown person then gets into the driver's seat of Irion's Mercury Sable and then leaves with her in the passenger seat.

During the course of the investigation, evidence was discovered leading investigators to believe Naomis disappearance was suspicious in nature.

Her 1992 blue Sable has a Nevada license plate of 595T37 was located in a industrial park in Fernley and has since been searched and forensically analyzed.

The first vehicle photo with the plate is Naomi's actual vehicle. The second vehicle photo is a stock photo and not her actual car.

If you have any information, contact Lyon County Sheriff's Office with case number 22ly01068 at 775-463-6620, or call or text your anonymous tip to Secret Witness at 775-322-4900.
This rendering shows a new fleet of Northwest-themed Amtrak Cascades trains that will transport passengers between Seattle, Vancouver, B.C., Portland, and other stations along the I-5 corridor when eight new train sets and two new locomotives arrive in the Pacific Northwest in 2026, according to Amtrak's Facebook page.


Prysmian has been granted a loan of 120 million by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) to use in Research and Development for network upgrading purposes. The loan is provided on the basis of Prysmian's research and development plan to use innovative technologies, support their initiative to strengthen digitalisation processes and cut emissions to facilitate the energy transition, focussing on Italy, France, The Netherlands, Spain and Germany for the 2021-2024 period.



In detail, the initiative financed is part of a larger project focusing on four areas relating to innovative materials research. From the use of nanotechnology, to new sustainable materials and solutions, management of low-voltage power grids and systems and hybrid cables for the energy and telecommunications sector.



The development of the R&D activity carried out by Prysmian is also in line with the Paris Agreement, and the European Green Deal and Horizon Europe directives for the promotion of clean, renewable energy, ensuring the interconnection of integrated systems of renewable resources through cable systems. The finance facility granted to the Group is part of a long-standing collaboration between CDP and Prysmian Group and confirms the commitment of CDP (according to CDP) to supporting Italian companies in their growth, expansion, and technological and digital development plans.



Andrea Nuzzi, Head of Corporate and Financial Institutions, CDP stated: "This transaction confirms the important role of CDP in supporting an Italian Group that is among the global leaders of its industry and invests considerably in research and development to continue its innovation journey".



Giovanni Zancan, Group Finance Senior Vice President of Prysmian Group also commented: "The new loan, with a 6-year maturity, further strengthens the whole Groups financial structure. We are extremely satisfied with CDP's ongoing support and trust".



For more information on interconnector and cable projects worldwide,


Technical Review at Pernatty C indicates potential deposit

Melbourne, Mar 6, 2023 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Cohiba Minerals Limited ( ASX:CHK ) ( CHKMF:OTCMKTS ) is pleased to announce that re-logging of core and a technical review of the zinc assays from PSDDH01 at the Pernatty C Project indicates that there is good potential for a significant zinc deposit in the area.



Significant zinc intersections in Pernatty C drill hole PSDDH01 relate to the newly described 'Giles Waterhole Fault', a collection of low-angle, normal-fault controlled calcite-sphalerite fault-veins and spur-veins which control the significant intersections, and a calcite-sphalerite stockwork pervading away from this fault set. A broad alteration halo of K-feldspar and epidote extends away from the Giles Waterhole Fault, indicating sustained fluid flow at the time of mineralisation. Zinc grades are within economically acceptable ranges, only requiring an increase in size. Zinc grades are well above anomalism expected from a grass-roots exploration hole. Zones of strong disseminated sphalerite within strong epidote-chlorite altered wall rock open the possibility for bulk mineralisation.



Indications are that PSDDH01 has intersected part of a larger mineralised system, with the possibility of being peripheral to a significant deposit. The magnetic anomaly, whose source was not intersected is likely to be related to the mineralisation. If the magnetic anomaly is due to an intrusion then a manto-style target could exist in the surrounding sediments. Alternatively, the magnetic anomaly relates to chlorite-magnetite alteration (as seen at Punt Hill) and could relate to stronger alteration, which as observed in PSDDH01 may be correlated with disseminated (and hence bulk) mineralisation. Modelling of the geophysical magnetic anomaly has generated targets to follow up on.



Pernatty C lies along strike of the Punt Hill area, which has been subject to intense mesothermal alteration, and includes Monax Mining Ltd's best drill intercept of 122m @ 0.47% Cu, 0.38% Zn, 6.6g/t Ag and 0.1g/t Au in hole GHDD4 at their Groundhog Prospect. It is conceivable that intense alteration at Punt Hill mobilizes zinc, which is then deposited at the margins of this alteration at Pernatty C.



The large difference in geology between PSDDH01 and PSDDH02, is inferred to be due to a branch of the regionally significant Elizabeth Creek Fault, which the geophysics also indicates as bisecting the magnetic target. Magnetic highs forming the target of drilling were not intersected indicating that this target zone remains untested.



Executive Director and CEO, Mr Andrew Graham said: "The detailed technical review has further reinforced our belief that the Pernatty C Project may be host to a significant zinc deposit. The fact that the geophysical targets were not intersected during the first phase of drilling has provided impetus to fully investigate this area and to understand what type of depositional environment we are dealing with. Whilst the initial results at PSDDH01 came as somewhat of a surprise it should be recognised that intersecting mineralisation of this nature on an early-stage exploration play is a major achievement."



*To view tables and figures, please visit:

https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/H79RVWE2





About Cohiba Minerals Limited





Cohiba Minerals Limited (ASX:CHK) is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange with the primary focus of investing in the resource sector through direct tenement acquisition, joint ventures, farm in arrangements and new project generation. The shares of the company trade under the ticker symbol CHK.

The Company recently acquired 100% of the shares in Charge Lithium Pty Ltd, which holds exploration licences in Western Australia.
BEETALOO OPERATIONS UPDATE - SOLID PROGRESS BEING MADE TOWARDS COMMERCIALISATION



Beetaloo Flow Testing and Operations Update and Conference Call

Sydney, Mar 6, 2023 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Empire Energy Group Ltd ( ASX:EEG ) ( EEGUF:OTCMKTS ) report that the Carpentaria-3H ("C-3H") has been flow tested for 27 days and is currently shut in for soaking (the practice of shutting in a well for a period following fracture stimulation to maximise long-term productivity). Gas production rate has ranged between 2.3 million standard cubic feet per day ("mmcf / day") and 5.7 mmcf / day with an average of 2.6 mmcf / day. Flow rates are yet to be optimized by the shut-in and soaking. Empire believes that higher flow rates will be achieved when the well is reopened.



Carpentaria-2H ("C-2H") has been brought back online to test the benefit of soaking with excellent results. A sustained average gas flow rate of 3.24 mmcf / day over eight days ("IP8") has been achieved over the 927-metre stimulated horizontal section, approximately 21% higher than the initial IP8 with a lower rate of decline.



This is a normalised flow rate of 3.5 mmcf / day per 1,000 metres at C-2H, demonstrating that soaking has had a material beneficial impact on flow rates, consistent with productivity improvements seen in other wells in the Beetaloo Sub-basin and in US shale gas basins.



Empire intends to continue flow testing C-2H to develop an early production type curve that will be incorporated into Empire's ongoing Front-End Engineering and Design ("FEED") process. Management is working towards pilot project Final Investment Decision ("FID") this year (subject to financing, gas sales agreement, regulatory approvals and Board approval).



Petrophysical interpretation of Carpentaria-4V ("C-4V") data has confirmed that net pay in the Middle Velkerri B is 20% greater and ~150 metres deeper than at the C-2H / C-3H location. C-4V formation evaluation results are being incorporated into the updated independent resource assessment that is expected to be complete in the coming weeks.



Current cash balance is $18.2 million with recent drilling and stimulation projects coming in well under budget. The $15 million credit facility is available but undrawn. Final Beetaloo Cooperative Drilling Program progress payment of ~$7.6m is expected to be received soon.



An investor webinar including Q&A will be conducted today at 11am AEDT during which Managing Director Alex Underwood will provide an overview of these results and investors can ask questions. Dial in details can be found below.



Comments from Managing Director Alex Underwood:



"The Empire team is highly encouraged by the stabilised flow rates we have achieved at C-2H. At this stage, the rates appear to exceed thresholds that others in the Beetaloo have proposed as being commercial. Empire has high earnings leverage due to the reduced capital costs we enjoy at shallower depths than other parts of the Beetaloo and high net revenue interest (working interest adjusted for royalties) in our Beetaloo properties.



This result has significantly de-risked EP187 and propels us towards a final investment decision on our pilot project later this year. We are rapidly optimising how to drill, stimulate and complete the Middle Velkerri B shale, and expect further improvements as we drill future pilot wells that, along with C-2H and C-3H, will generate production revenue (subject to FEED, sales and transportation agreements, financing, regulatory approvals and FID).



Netherland, Sewell & Associates are due to upgrade our EP187 Contingent Resources including our recent C-4V results. We anticipate a material increase.



C-3H has remaining fluid that the Empire team wants to remove to see the full C-3H well result. We expect soaking to reduce water saturation and to increase gas pressure that will help to remove the remaining fluid, in addition to providing the other matrix gas benefits seen in C-2H.



The global gas market remains in serious structural deficit. New sources of responsibly sourced, low CO2 gas are urgently required to avoid more seasonal price spikes. The IEA recently forecast that LNG demand from the world's largest importer, China, is expected to increase by up to 35% this year as its economy reopens, but new sources of supply are not coming onstream quickly enough. The NT gas market is undersupplied due to production issues at legacy fields, so our short-term opportunity is to support the NT Government to ameliorate forecast gas shortfalls by bringing our pilot project online quickly.



These flow testing results reinforce our commercialisation strategy."



CARPENTARIA-2H UPDATE



C-2H was reopened on Friday 24th February after ~5 months of shut in to soak. Soaking is the practice of shutting in a shale gas well for a period following fracture stimulation to seek to improve long-term productivity through redistribution and / or interaction of the residual water with the rock. Productivity improvements have been achieved at other Beetaloo wells and in analogous US shale basins following the execution of such a strategy.



After reopening C-2H, production quickly built to over 3 mmcf / day and is now flowing at 3.25 mmcf / day. This represents a 33% increase compared to the corresponding flow rate after the first 8 days of pre-shut-in initial flow, a material improvement.



The well has been reopened with a restricted choke, with a current wellhead pressure of over 336 psi, which is double the wellhead pressure after the previous corresponding IP8 period.



While lowering this flowing wellhead pressure would produce higher short term gas flow rates, Empire is maintaining a high back pressure and carefully managing the flowback to ensure full fracture connectivity is maintained. The gas is being produced up the 4 1/2" casing without any artificial lift. No well intervention or optimisation was undertaken prior to restart, as the gas rate is sufficient to lift wellbore fluids in 4 1/2" casing.



Third party flowback analysis carried out by Subsurface Dynamics Inc, an independent advanced reservoir engineering and geoscience firm based in North America, indicates that the material improvement in C-2H flow rate has resulted from reduced fractured area water saturation following water imbibition into the surrounding reservoir, removing water blockages to gas flow.



This confirms that Empire's soaking strategy has been effective and is improving gas flow rates which is likely to improve total gas recovery over the life of the well. It also confirms that the increased C-2H flow rate can be used to infer greater well productivity in development well planning.



C-2H well testing is continuing to confirm the longer-term benefits of soaking and to develop an upgraded IP30 type curve.



CARPENTARIA-3H UPDATE



C-3H has flowed at rates of up to 5.7 mmcf / day with an average production rate over the first 27 days of over 2.6 mmcf / day. The initial flow period showed an even shallower level of rate decline than seen on the initial C-2H flowback, indicating that the well is still cleaning up.



C-3H flowed up 4 1/2" casing without the need for production tubing or artificial lift.



C-3H is now shut-in to test whether soaking, now demonstrated as highly effective at C-2H on the same well pad, will improve productivity.



The soaking of C-3H is expected to provide the fractured area matrix improvements seen in C-2H and in addition remove water by imbibition which will reduce the flowing bottom hole pressure and likely improve gas flow rates.



Higher water production during the initial flowback (due to pumping twice as much water to place twice as many fracture stimulation stages) created an estimated 20% higher bottom hole flowing pressure at the heel of the well compared to C-2H due to the density of the fluid lifted, which has impacted gas flow rates. In addition, the long undulating horizontal section in C-3H resulted in fluid and pressure surges during production ("slugging"). This slugging is likely to have created additional back pressure along the wellbore which has also contributed to gas production limitations.



While Empire expects the shut-in period and soaking to remove remaining fluids, there are alternative intervention options that are available if required. Any such intervention would be funded from cash at bank.



Early chemical tracer data from the international testing laboratories shows that the whole wellbore is contributing to gas flow.



Flowback analysis has been performed by Subsurface Dynamics Inc on the initial flow data that demonstrates that the connected fracture area is twice the size of C-2H stimulated area and that the majority of the fracture stages appear to be contributing along the wellbore based on the total stimulated reservoir (rock) volume.



C-3H was drilled and stimulated through a range of rock qualities within the Middle Velkerri B Shale and tracer data confirms that the higher graded rocks have produced at higher rates providing further definition over the future target reservoir window to optimise production.

C-3H trialed several fluid systems and ongoing tracer analysis is expected to provide further evidence on fluid selection and optimization.



C-3H was drilled and completed for $5.9 million below the risked budget.



CARPENTARIA-4V UPDATE

Early petrophysical interpretation indicates the net pay at the recently drilled C-4V well within the Carpentaria East Area is materially greater than the earlier drilled C-1V, C-2H and C-3H wells.



The greater depth of formation at C-4V is expected to improve gas in place and reservoir pressure. Porosity, gas saturation, and gross thickness are interpreted to be highly uniform between the drilled locations.



Further work will be carried out to determine whether the increased pay within the Carpentaria East area is due to lateral depositional changes or through post-deposition processes. This will help resolve lateral reservoir improvements throughout the permit. Sidewall cores taken from the Middle Velkerri A, Intra A/B, B and C shales during drilling have arrived in the USA and will be used for further calibration analysis.



BEETALOO COOPERATIVE DRILLING PROGRAM



Empire's wholly owned subsidiary, Imperial Oil & Gas Pty Limited, has three replacement grant agreements with the Australian Government under the Beetaloo Cooperative Drilling Program (the "Program"). Total grant funding of up to $19.4 million is being provided which offsets 25% of the cost of seismic acquisition and the drilling, hydraulic stimulation and flow testing of three horizontal wells (C-2H, C-3H and C-4V) in EP187.



Empire has submitted its final progress reports under the Program and expects to receive final grant funding under the Program of ~$7.6 million (ex-GST) in the coming weeks.

CONFERENCE CALL AND WEBCAST AT 11AM (AEDT) TODAY



Managing Director Alex Underwood will present via conference call and webcast commencing at 11am AEDT today. Details are as follows:



For Participants

Pre-Registration Link:

https://registrations.events/direct/OCP60701



Conference Call:

The conference call can be accessed by the telephone numbers below and quotation of the specified Conference ID number.

Conference ID number: 60701

Australia: +61 (2) 9133 7104 (can be used if dialing from international location)



For Listen Only

https://webcast.openbriefing.com/eeg_mu_2023/



*To view tables and figures, please visit:

https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/82U8DBH9





About Empire Energy Group Ltd





Empire Energy (ASX:EEG) (OTCMKTS:EEGUF) holds over 14.5 million acres of highly prospective exploration tenements in the McArthur and Beetaloo Basins, Northern Territory. Work undertaken by the Company since 2010 demonstrates that the Eastern depositional Trough of the McArthur Basin, of which the Company holds 80% has very considerable conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon potential. The Beetaloo sub-Basin, in which Empire holds a substantial position, has independently assessed world class hydrocarbon volumes in place with a major ramp up in industry activity underway to appraise substantial discoveries already made by major Australian oil and gas operators.

Empire Energy is an experienced conventional oil and gas producer with operations in the Appalachia region (New York and Pennsylvania). Empire has been successfully developing and producing oil and gas since 2006.
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Malibu, CA, Mar 6, 2023 AEST (ABN Newswire) - In this segment of The Ellis Martin Report we speak with Keith Henderson, CEO of Latin Metals Inc. ( CVE:LMS ) ( LMSQF:OTCMKTS ) as the company agrees to sell its El Quemado Lithium Project in Argentina.



Latin Metals announces that it has entered into an agreement with South American Lithium Ltd., pursuant to which SAL will purchase from Latin Metals a 100% interest in the El Quemado lithium project, located in the Province of Salta, Argentina, for total consideration of $900,000. Latin Metals will retain a 2% net smelter returns royalty on the Project. Unless otherwise specified, all references to dollars are to amounts in Canadian dollars.



Agreement Details



Under the terms of the Agreement, within ten days of signing the Agreement, SAL will make a cash payment of $400,000 and issue 1,000,000 units to Latin Metals. Each unit will consist of 1,000,000 common shares in the capital of SAL (issued at a deemed price of $0.50) and 1,000,000 share purchase warrants (exercisable for an equal number of common shares at $1.00 per share for a period of 5 years).



Latin Metals will retain the 2% NSR Royalty from future production on the Project, half of which 2% NSR Royalty (1.0%) can be repurchased by SAL from Latin Metals at any time prior to production for US$3,000,000 cash.



"This transaction is consistent with Latin Metals' strategy to monetize non-core assets, like El Quemado, while retaining a royalty interest, in this case, the 2.0% NSR Royalty on future production from the Project," stated Keith Henderson, Latin Metals' President and CEO. "Consideration of $900,000 provides the Company with $400,000 of non-dilutive cash as well as $500,000 in securities which provides Latin Metals with exposure to the project's future success."



Mr. Henderson continues, "South American Lithium is a private Canadian company which is currently finalizing a going-public transaction. The royalty-focused structure of this transaction reflects our view that SAL has significant technical and management experience in Argentina, and we would like to wish SAL's management team every success in moving the Project forward."



To Listen to the Interview, please visit:

https://www.abnnewswire.net/lnk/DDDWXR7O





About Latin Metals Inc.





Latin Metals Inc. (CVE:LMS) (OTCMKTS:LMSQF) is a mineral exploration company acquiring a diversified portfolio of assets in South America. The Company operates with a Prospect Generator model focusing on the acquisition of prospective exploration properties at minimum cost, completing initial evaluation through cost-effective exploration to establish drill targets, and ultimately securing joint venture partners to fund drilling and advanced exploration. Shareholders gain exposure to the upside of a significant discovery without the dilution associated with funding the highest-risk drill-based exploration. Latin Metals has recently concluded deals to option out exploration properties to a wholly-owned subsidiary of AngloGold Ashanti, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Barrick Gold Corporation, and Libero Copper.

About The Ellis Martin Report

The Ellis Martin Report (TEMR) is an internet based radio program showcasing potentially undervalued companies to an audience of potential retail investors and fund managers that comprise our listening audience. TEMR is broadcasted on the VoiceAmerica Business Channel and The Opportunity Radio Network. CEO and company interviews are paid for by those represented on the program.
Tax code hurts struggling forest fire victims in NM

THE 2022 Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire became the largest wildfire in New Mexico history, burning 298,000 acres, or 534 square miles, destroying over 903 structures.

Talking with friends who lost much in the fire, and then with my wife who prepares taxes for a living, I discovered an enormous injustice that needs to be corrected. Federal tax rules allow for the standard deduction  which most people take, especially filers with low or moderate income  because it is fairly high, at $25,900 for married filing jointly, and also add to that the casualty loss from the fire.

These deductions lower the taxable income. Many states allow you to itemize deductions on your state return, even if you take the standard deduction on your federal return. N.M. tax rules state that, if one takes the standard deduction with the feds, then one must also take the standard deduction with the state, but then there is no provision for casualty loss with the state. A real Catch-22.

Anyone reducing their taxes with the feds by taking the standard deduction and the casualty loss will get zero benefit in terms of reducing their taxable income due to fire loss on their state return. This is unacceptable and only adds insult to injury for those significantly affected by the fires.

With many fire victims still having received little or no compensation for their losses, the least we can do is help them out with a tax break. Perhaps just putting on the state tax return a valid FEMA claim number would allow someone to add their casualty loss, and thus also get a tax break from N.M. Given climate change, it seems prudent to make this simple change to help future citizens get some state tax relief from such disasters.

Victor LaCerva ,Santa Fe

Many bills dont target the root causes of problems

MANY BILLS being proposed by our state legislators may do little to affect the behavior of individuals who are the targets of the proposals, but will burden the vast majority of citizens who are not.

Raising alcohol taxes will likely have little effect on people who are inclined to drink and drive, but will put an additional tax burden on the majority who arent so inclined.

How much will gun safe storage laws diminish protected self-defense rights, yet influence those who already dont know how or when to keep guns away from children?

Lowering the standards for graduating from N.M. high schools will not help unmotivated or mentorless kids, but will diminish the degrees of the achievers.

Semiautomatic weapons or high-capacity magazine bans will probably do little to stop shootings or suicides, but will diminish a constitutional right of those who will do neither.

Instead of trying to legislate responsibility, morality or common sense, why dont our legislators address the root causes that result in misguided youth, crime, homelessness, poverty, mental illness, and drug- and alcohol-dependence? These are bigger problems to address but, until we do, we are putting Band-Aids on massive wounds and burdening the innocent unnecessarily.

Dominick Burlone, Rio Rancho

What are vote-no senators doing about violent crime?

I READ with much disappointment in (the Feb. 16) Journal that a committee of the state Senate, including my senator, (Antionette) Sedillo Lopez, voted to oppose a proposed bill to strengthen pretrial detention for defendants accused of serious, violent crime.

I would ask these senators: 1) Do you believe that we have a serious crime problem in New Mexico and, particularly in Albuquerque? 2) If you oppose this bill, then what legislative solution do you support?

David Sears, Albuquerque

Why the hesitation on ramping up solar energy?

NEW MEXICO is judged to be one of the top two or three states in solar energy potential. Yet, we are not even among the top 10 states in percentage of our electrical energy supplied by solar energy sources. That is pathetic and needs to change. Where are you, Public Service Co. of New Mexico? You are doing quite well with installing wind energy. Please ramp up your solar energy installations.

Paul Stokes, Corrales
The Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire  which started as two separate U.S. Forest Service prescribed burns  destroyed more than 900 structures while burning across more than 340,000 acres in Northern New Mexico last year.

It took months for firefighters to fully contain. Then, when summer rains washed over the damaged earth, floods caused even more destruction.

It was the largest recorded fire in New Mexicos history. And many residents in the area are still picking up the pieces.

Heres a look back through photographs at the catastrophic wildfire and the continuing fallout.

New Mexico's largest wildfire: Devastation lingers one year since spark that lit Hermits Peak blaze Take a look at how life is forever changed in the communities of Mora Valley.

April 2022

May 2022

June 2022

July 2022

February 2023
WASHINGTON (AP)  Over the past 11 months, someone created thousands of fake, automated Twitter accounts  perhaps hundreds of thousands of them  to offer a stream of praise for Donald Trump.

Besides posting adoring words about the former president, the fake accounts ridiculed Trumps critics from both parties and attacked Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and U.N. ambassador who is challenging her onetime boss for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

When it came to Ron DeSantis, the bots aggressively suggested that the Florida governor couldnt beat Trump, but would be a great running mate.

As Republican voters size up their candidates for 2024, whoever created the bot network is seeking to put a thumb on the scale, using online manipulation techniques pioneered by the Kremlin to sway the digital platform conversation about candidates while exploiting Twitters algorithms to maximize their reach.

The sprawling bot network was uncovered by researchers at Cyabra, an Israeli tech firm that shared its findings with The Associated Press. While the identity of those behind the network of fake accounts is unknown, Cyabras analysts determined that it was likely created within the U.S.

To identify a bot, researchers will look for patterns in an accounts profile, its follower list and the content it posts. Human users typically post about a variety of subjects, with a mix of original and reposted material, but bots often post repetitive content about the same topics.

That was true of many of the bots identified by Cyabra.

One account will say, Biden is trying to take our guns; Trump was the best, and another will say, Jan. 6 was a lie and Trump was innocent,' said Jules Gross, the Cyabra engineer who first discovered the network. Those voices are not people. For the sake of democracy I want people to know this is happening.

Bots, as they are commonly called, are fake, automated accounts that became notoriously well-known after Russia employed them in an effort to meddle in the 2016 election. While big tech companies have improved their detection of fake accounts, the network identified by Cyabra shows they remain a potent force in shaping online political discussion.

The new pro-Trump network is actually three different networks of Twitter accounts, all created in huge batches in April, October and November 2022. In all, researchers believe hundreds of thousands of accounts could be involved.

The accounts all feature personal photos of the alleged account holder as well as a name. Some of the accounts posted their own content, often in reply to real users, while others reposted content from real users, helping to amplify it further.

McConnell Traitor! wrote one of the accounts, in response to an article in a conservative publication about GOP Senate leader Mitch McConnell, one of several Republican critics of Trump targeted by the network.

One way of gauging the impact of bots is to measure the percentage of posts about any given topic generated by accounts that appear to be fake. The percentage for typical online debates is often in the low single digits. Twitter itself has said that less than 5% of its active daily users are fake or spam accounts.

When Cyabra researchers examined negative posts about specific Trump critics, however, they found far higher levels of inauthenticity. Nearly three-fourths of the negative posts about Haley, for example, were traced back to fake accounts.

The network also helped popularize a call for DeSantis to join Trump as his vice presidential running mate  an outcome that would serve Trump well and allow him to avoid a potentially bitter matchup if DeSantis enters the race.

The same network of accounts shared overwhelmingly positive content about Trump and contributed to an overall false picture of his support online, researchers found.

Our understanding of what is mainstream Republican sentiment for 2024 is being manipulated by the prevalence of bots online, the Cyabra researchers concluded.

The triple network was discovered after Gross analyzed Tweets about different national political figures and noticed that many of the accounts posting the content were created on the same day. Most of the accounts remain active, though they have relatively modest numbers of followers.

A message left with a spokesman for Trumps campaign was not immediately returned.

Most bots arent designed to persuade people, but to amplify certain content so more people see it, according to Samuel Woolley, a professor and misinformation researcher at the University of Texas whose most recent book focuses on automated propaganda.

When a human user sees a hashtag or piece of content from a bot and reposts it, theyre doing the networks job for it, and also sending a signal to Twitters algorithms to boost the spread of the content further.

Bots can also succeed in convincing people that a candidate or idea is more or less popular than the reality, he said. More pro-Trump bots can lead to people overstating his popularity overall, for example.

Bots absolutely do impact the flow of information, Woolley said. Theyre built to manufacture the illusion of popularity. Repetition is the core weapon of propaganda and bots are really good at repetition. Theyre really good at getting information in front of peoples eyeballs.

Until recently, most bots were easily identified thanks to their clumsy writing or account names that included nonsensical words or long strings of random numbers. As social media platforms got better at detecting these accounts, the bots became more sophisticated.

So-called cyborg accounts are one example: a bot that is periodically taken over by a human user who can post original content and respond to users in human-like ways, making them much harder to sniff out.

Bots could soon get much sneakier thanks to advances in artificial intelligence. New AI programs can create lifelike profile photos and posts that sound much more authentic. Bots that sound like a real person and deploy deepfake video technology may challenge platforms and users alike in new ways, according to Katie Harbath, a fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center and a former Facebook public policy director.

The platforms have gotten so much better at combating bots since 2016, Harbath said. But the types that were starting to see now, with AI, they can create fake people. Fake videos.

These technological advances likely ensure that bots have a long future in American politics  as digital foot soldiers in online campaigns, and as potential problems for both voters and candidates trying to defend themselves against anonymous online attacks.

Theres never been more noise online, said Tyler Brown, a political consultant and former digital director for the Republican National Committee. How much of it is malicious or even unintentionally unfactual? Its easy to imagine people being able to manipulate that.
CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico (AP)  Four Americans who traveled to Mexico last week to seek health care got caught in a deadly shootout and were kidnapped by heavily armed men who threw them in the back of a pickup truck, officials from both countries said Monday.

The four were traveling Friday in a white minivan with North Carolina license plates. They came under fire shortly after entering the city of Matamoros from Brownsville, at the southernmost tip of Texas near the Gulf coast, the FBI said in a statement Sunday.

All four Americans were placed in a vehicle and taken from the scene by armed men, the FBI said. The bureau is offering a $50,000 reward for the victims return and the arrest of the kidnappers.

Zalandria Brown of Florence, South Carolina, said she has been in contact with the FBI and local officials after learning that her younger brother, Zindell Brown, is one of the four victims.

This is like a bad dream you wish you could wake up from, she said in a phone interview. To see a member of your family thrown in the back of a truck and dragged, it is just unbelievable.

Zalandria Brown said her brother, who lives in Myrtle Beach, and two friends had accompanied a third friend who was going to Mexico for a tummy tuck surgery. A doctor who advertises such surgeries in Matamoros did not answer calls seeking comment.

Brown said the group was extremely close and they all made the trip in part to help split up the driving duties. They were aware of the dangers in Mexico, she added, and her brother had expressed some misgivings.

Zindell kept saying, We shouldnt go down,' Brown said.

A video posted to social media Friday showed men with assault rifles and tan body armor loading the four people into the bed of a white pickup in broad daylight. One was alive and sitting up, but the others seemed either dead or wounded. At least one person appeared to lift his head from the pavement before being dragged to the truck.

The scene illustrates the terror that has prevailed for years in Matamoros, a city dominated by factions of the powerful Gulf drug cartel who often fight among themselves. Amid the violence, thousands of Mexicans have disappeared in Tamaulipas state alone.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Monday that there was a confrontation between groups, and they were detained, without offering details. He originally said the four Americans came to Mexico to buy medications.

Tamaulipas chief prosecutor, Irving Barrios, told reporters that a Mexican woman died in Fridays shootings. He did not specify whether she was killed in the same gunfight where the kidnapping took place.

A woman driving in Matamoros who asked not to be identified for fear of reprisal said she witnessed what appeared to be the shooting and abduction.

The white minivan was hit by another vehicle near an intersection, then gunfire rang out, the woman said. Another SUV rolled up, and several armed men hopped out.

All of a sudden they (the gunmen) were in front of us, she said. I entered a state of shock, nobody honked their horn, nobody moved. Everybody must have been thinking the same thing, If we move they will see us, or they might shoot us.'

She said the gunmen forced a woman, who was able to walk, into the back of a pickup. Another person was carried to the truck but could still move his head.

The other two they dragged across the pavement, we dont know if they were alive or dead, she said.

Mexican authorities arrived minutes later.

Zindell Browns family asked people to share any relevant information with local authorities. Odell William Brown, his father, said the family is still searching for answers.

I dont know which way to go right now, he said. We dont know whats what.

Shootouts in Matamoros were so bad on Friday that the U.S. Consulate issued an alert about the danger and local authorities warned people to shelter in place. It was not immediately clear how the abductions may have been connected to that violence.

U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said in a statement Monday the Americans were kidnapped at gunpoint and an innocent Mexican citizen died in the attack. He said various U.S. justice agencies were working with their Mexican counterparts to recover the missing persons.

Authorities have provided no other details about the victims.

President Joe Biden had been informed of the situation, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday. She declined to answer other questions, citing privacy concerns.

Victims of violence in Matamoros and other large border cities of Tamaulipas often go uncounted because the cartels have a history taking bodies of their own with them. Local media often avoid reporting on such episodes out of safety concerns, creating an information vacuum.

The State Department warns U.S. citizens not to travel to Tamaulipas. However U.S. citizens who live in Brownsville or elsewhere in Texas frequently cross to visit family, attend medical appointments or shop. Its also a crossing point for people traveling deeper into Mexico.

As the headquarters of the Gulf cartel, Matamoros was once relatively calm. For years, a night out in the city was part of the two-nation vacation for spring breakers flocking to Texas South Padre Island.

But increased cartel violence over the past 10 to 15 years frightened away much of that business. Sometimes U.S. citizens are swept up in the fighting.

Three U.S. siblings disappeared near Matamoros in October 2014 while visiting their father and were later found shot to death and burned. Their parents said they had been abducted by men dressed in police gear identifying themselves as Hercules, a tactical security unit in the city.

___

Barakat reported from Falls Church, Virginia. Associated Press writer James Pollard in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed to this report.
The Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire devastated northern New Mexico last year, burning across nearly 342,000 acres and destroying more than 900 structures.

The U.S. Forest Service has acknowledged that it initially started both fires as prescribed burns, which are supposed to lower the risk of out-of-control wildfires.

Government aid was quickly promised, and some of it has already made it out into the hands of people affected  but not all of it.

Heres a look at some of the aid and resources available for people who lost property in the fire.

During the fire

While the fires were still burning, the Federal Emergency Management Agency administered more than $7 million to about 1,300 victims of the fire under its usual regulations for natural disasters.

Other FEMA funds

The federal government passed legislation making nearly $4 billion in relief funds available through FEMA, but those funds havent been distributed yet.

FEMA spokeswoman Angela Byrd said the agency is aiming to open offices to handle claims from victims in late March in Santa Fe, San Miguel and Mora counties. She added that FEMA officials have interviewed more than 130 local candidates and has extended 25 tentative job offers from that pool. She also said FEMA will onboard 15 to 20 new local hires in mid-March and plans to make additional offers.

Help navigating FEMA

Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, D-N.M, has been a vocal advocate for victims of the fire, and her office works with those people to navigate the assistance available now and down the road. She said she requested that FEMA hire only locals for positions as navigators, who are responsible for guiding victims through the application.

Its been very frustrating for a local community because weve had to educate the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) and FEMA on things like acequias, she said.

State funds

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a bill into law in February to make $100 million available to communities dealing with the fallout of the fire for public works repairs.

Help from the Governors Office
SANTA FE  Bipartisan legislation to make bestiality a crime quickly won Senate approval Monday as lawmakers push to close a loophole they say has made New Mexico one of only two states without a specific law against the sexual abuse of animals.

The 40-0 vote sends the measure to the House with 12 days left in the session. It passed Monday afternoon without debate.

The proposal, Senate Bill 215, is sponsored by Sens. Mark Moores, R-Albuquerque, and Brenda McKenna, D-Corrales.

Moores said it was time to end New Mexicos status as one of only two states that dont outlaw this activity.

State investigators have found evidence suggesting bestiality conferences and gatherings have happened in New Mexico, according to the Attorney Generals Office. Theres also a correlation between bestiality and child pornography, the office said.

The legislation adopted Monday would make it a felony to commit bestiality or promote bestiality. Harsher penalties would kick in if the crime involved a minor.

We want to join the other 48 states and outlaw this crime against animals, McKenna said.

People convicted under the law would have their animals seized, and they would be prohibited from owning or living with animals for three to 15 years after they leave incarceration.

The nonprofit Animal Protection Voters of New Mexico is among the advocacy groups urging lawmakers to pass the bill. The organization said the lack of a bestiality law hampered at least one prosecution involving a person who posted an online ad seeking a horse to abuse.

The New Mexico Livestock Board, a law enforcement agency, reported to lawmakers that the level of cruelty to animals is on the rise just like all other crime in our country. Animals should not be exempt from protection on this type of crime.

An association of state prosecutors said bestiality cases could be prosecuted as extreme animal cruelty but that the bill would establish a more specific law.
SANTA FE  A massive $959 million tax package unveiled Monday would provide $300 rebates for New Mexico taxpayers, further reduce the states gross receipts tax rate, increase alcohol taxes and expand a child tax credit so that parents could get up to a $600 per child tax break, depending on their income level.

The highly-anticipated tax measure, which cobbles together more than a dozen different tax proposals, is aimed at using the states unprecedented oil-fueled revenue bonanza to make New Mexicos tax code more progressive, backers said.

We believe this affects positive change for the working families of New Mexico, said Rep. Derrick Lente, D-Sandia Pueblo, who predicted families making the states median household income of about $54,000 per year would see about $200 in yearly tax savings from the gross receipts tax cut alone.

But not everyone is thrilled about the tax package.

The proposal, House Bill 547, would also create two new tax brackets in the states personal income tax system, including a new top bracket of 6.9%  up from the current 5.9% top bracket  that would apply to income over $500,000 per year for married couples filing jointly.

Rep. Jason Harper, R-Rio Rancho, said during Mondays meeting of the House Taxation and Revenue Committee that could mean a tax increase for small businesses who pay taxes under the personal income tax code.

He also lamented that Democratic architects of the bill omitted a proposed tax exemption for accountants, architects and other professional services that had been proposed as a way to reduce tax pyramiding, or taxes being levied several times on the same goods or services.

Are we just talking the talk or are we serious about real reform? Harper said during Mondays hearing.

The tax pyramiding provision had drawn fierce opposition from Albuquerque and other New Mexico cities and counties, however, as city officials argued it would reduce their revenue streams and complicate efforts to hire more police officers.

Before Mondays hearing, most tax bills filed during this years 60-day legislative session had not been advanced at the Roundhouse, giving lawmakers the ability to decide which proposals to include in the tax package.

The final version of the package is expected to advance quickly to the House floor after passing the House Taxation and Revenue Committee on a 9-5 party-line vote, with Democrats voting in favor and Republicans in opposition.

It could then face additional scrutiny  and possible changes  in the Senate in the final days of this years session, which ends March 18.

Tax rebates in the mix, but smaller than previously proposed

About half of the initial cost of the tax package  or about $440 million  would go toward issuing rebates issued to all New Mexicans who filed tax returns in 2021, perhaps by as soon as this spring.

However, the $300 rebates  married couples filing jointly would get $600 rebate checks  are less than half the $750 rebate amount that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham proposed in the run-up to this years session.

The size of the rebates were scaled back in legislative negotiations, Lente said, because lawmakers have $1 billion in wiggle room to enact tax changes under a $9.4 billion budget bill approved by the House last month thats still awaiting final approval in the Senate.

(The governors initial plan) would have completely extinguished our ability to do anything tax-wise for the state, he said.

But Lujan Grisham spokeswoman Maddy Hayden indicated Monday the current proposal falls short of the Democratic governors expectations.

The governor has made it clear to leadership that hard-working New Mexico families deserve more than $300, Hayden told the Journal. She will continue to fight to get more dollars in the pockets of New Mexicans, and fully expects the Legislature to boost that number up to at least $500 for single filers.

As for those who might face a tax increase under the personal income tax code changes, Lente suggested that doctors, engineers and other high-wage earners could afford the increase.

But he also said the proposed gross receipts tax reduction that would take the states base tax rate on goods and services from 5% to 4.375%  starting in July 2024  would be a boon for businesses.

House Speaker Javier Martinez, D-Albuquerque, also insisted the proposed tax package would help businesses, while defending the process used to bring the bill forward.

Theres nothing in here thats not fully-vetted, fully-baked and fully-fried, Martinez said during Mondays committee hearing.

Tax package draws mixed reactions

The tax package generated different reactions among business and advocacy groups at the Roundhouse.

Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Terri Cole called the legislation disappointing, describing it as the latest in a string of measures backed by the Democratic-controlled Legislature that make it harder for businesses to stay open in New Mexico.

The last thing we need is capital flight out of New Mexico, Cole said during Mondays hearing.

However, Amber Wallin, the executive director of New Mexico Voices for Children, a nonprofit group thats advocated for the child tax credit and other policies, said more than 90% of state taxpayers would see a tax cut under the proposed personal income tax code changes.

All of these things improve fairness in the tax code and level the playing field, Wallin said Monday.

As for the alcohol tax provision, it would raise the tax on beer, wine and spirits by 15 cents per gallon, though local microbreweries, distilleries and wineries would be exempted from the tax hike.

The increased alcohol tax would generate an estimated $35.9 million by the 2025 budget year for a new state fund. That fund would be used to pay for expanded alcohol treatment and prevention programs, as well as support for victims of alcohol-related crimes including domestic violence.

New Mexico has the nations highest alcohol-related death rate, at 86.6 deaths per 100,000 people in 2020, and some lawmakers have pushed this session as an even larger alcohol tax hike aimed at reducing consumption.

But that was opposed by alcohol industry lobbyists, who argued such a policy would hurt local New Mexico businesses.
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have officially received 'email correspondence' from his estranged father's office regarding the upcoming coronation ceremony in May.

Mar 6, 2023

AceShowbiz - The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have received a formal invitation to King Charles' coronation. A spokesperson for the royal couple has confirmed that they've been invited to the ceremony where the 74-year-old monarch will be crowned in London on May 6.

"I can confirm The Duke has recently received email correspondence from His Majesty's office regarding the coronation. An immediate decision on whether The Duke and Duchess will attend will not be disclosed by us at this time," the Sussex's spokesperson told the Sunday Times newspaper.

Prince Harry discussed his relationship with his father in his memoir, "Spare". The 38-year-old prince - who now lives in California with his wife and their two children, Archie, three, and Lilibet, 20 months - also admitted that he wasn't sure if he would attend the coronation.

Asked during a TV interview how he'd respond if he was invited to Westminster Abbey, Harry replied, "There is a lot that can happen between now and then." The prince added, "The door is always open. The ball is in their court. There is a lot to be discussed and I really hope that they are willing to sit down and talk about it."

Meanwhile, Robert Lacey, a royal historian, recently claimed that Charles will be keen to put on a show of unity at the coronation. He said, "Quite apart from [Charles'] paternal hope to reunite with his son, one of the jobs of the royal family is showing how to cope with the problems we all have in a human and thoughtful way. What will be a success for the family in the future is not reconciliation necessarily, but mutual acceptance of different ideas and priorities."

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During his set, the comedian takes a jab at the Duchess of Sussex for her interview with Oprah Winfrey in which she talked about one British royal family member's alleged concern about her son's skin color.

Mar 6, 2023

AceShowbiz - Meghan Markle's best friend Janina Gavankar apparently enjoyed Chris Rock's comedy show. Janina was allegedly among the audience at the live taping for the comedian's Netflix show "Chris Rock: Selective Outrage" on Saturday night, March 4.

According to Page Six, "The Vampire Diaries" actress was at Baltimore's Hippodrome Theater to see Chris performing for the streaming service's first live global streaming event. She allegedly joined her good friend Dave Chappelle backstage to watch the show in the VIP Green Room.

"Janina looked to be enjoying the show very much, she was standing up by the TV screens and laughing," a source claimed to the outlet.

During his set, Chris dissed Meghan for her 2021 infamous interview with Oprah Winfrey in which the Duchess claimed that one British royal family member allegedly raised "concerns" about "how dark" their baby might be before their son, Archie, was born. Of the claim, he joked that she was just dealing with some "in-law s**t."

"Like, who is this girl Meghan Markle? Seems like a nice lady - just complaining. Like, didn't she hit the light-skinned lottery?" the comic said before calling the royal family the "OGs of racism."

In addition to taking digs at the wife of Prince Harry, the "Madagascar" star joked about Will Smith's Oscars slap. "You know what people say, they say, 'words hurt,' " he said early in the set. "Anybody that say words hurt has never been punched in the face."

The "Grown Ups" actor then shared that he'll try not to "trigger" anyone, though he unloaded on Will again for slapping him in the face at last year's Academy Awards. "I got smacked at the f**king Oscars by this mother**ker. And people are like, 'Did it hurt?' It still hurts!" Chris said.

The 58-year-old also pointed out his and Will's size difference, saying that Will played Muhammad Ali while he played Pookie in "New Jack City". "Yes it hurt. It still hurts. I got 'Summertime' ringing in my ears. My f**king drums bleed," he claimed.

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The Daniels' 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' wins for original screenplay in the movie field, while the Apple TV+ series nabs two prizes for Drama Series and New Series.

Mar 6, 2023

AceShowbiz - The Writers Guild of America has spoken out. The labor unions presenting writers across the country presented the awards for film, television and radio writing at the 75th Writers Guild of America Awards on Sunday night, March 5.

Among the big winners was "Everything Everywhere All at Once", which took home the prize for original screenplay in movie field. "Women Talking", meanwhile, won for adapted screenplay.

In the TV field, "Severance" led in terms of number with two prizes. The Apple TV+ sci-fi series nabbed the coveted award for drama series as well as for new series. "The Bear" won in Comedy Series category, with "The White Lotus" bagging an award for Limited Series.

"Better Call Saul" and "Hacks" also took home a trophy each, for Episodic Drama and Episodic Comedy respectively. "Last Week Tonight With John Oliver" came out as the winner in Comedy/Variety Talk Series category, while "Inside Amy Schumer" defeated other nominees for the Comedy/Variety Sketch Series prize.

The WGA Awards was not televised, but held at concurrent ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York City. "Abbott Elementary" star Janelle James hosted the West Coast edition, while comedian Michelle Buteau ("First Wives Club", "The Circle") led the New York festivities.

In her monologue, Buteau urged Steven Spielberg, who was in the audience, to make a movie about "happy black people." Spike Lee, who was also in attendance, said he'd co-direct. The actress also quipped that Dave Chappelle is the "GOAT" if that means "Going After Trans People."

James, meanwhile, skewered Hollywood for its lack of diversity. "White guys keep telling me, to my face, that we're taking all the writing jobs, that we're diversity hires," she said. "As you can see in this room tonight, they were right. There's upwards of 10 of us in here."

Full Winner List for the 2023 Writers Guild of America Awards

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The 'Thotiana' rapper, who was scheduled to perform on day two of the festival in California, claims that police barred him from hitting the stage at Hollywood Park over the weekend.

Mar 6, 2023

AceShowbiz - The Rolling Loud California music festival was marred with a series of performance cancellations and set cuts, with Blueface among those who were not able to make it to the show. His case, however, was a peculiar one as he was reportedly denied entry to the festival by police.

The Los Angeles native was billed as one of the performers on day 2 of the festival. He was scheduled to perform on Saturday night, March 4, but he claimed that police stopped him from hitting the stage at Hollywood Park in Inglewood.

"Sorry rolling loud they hit my bus police ain't let us in [toy gun and police officer emojis]," so the 26-year-old star tweeted on Saturday. He didn't provide further details as to why police prohibited him from performing at the festival.

Blueface offered an explanation after missing his scheduled performance at Rolling Loud California.

Apparently trying to make up for the canceled set, Blueface has dished on his upcoming collaboration with Cardi B for the "Thotiana" remix. "When I got that cardi feature, I never spoke with her prior to the studio session or recording of the music video," he shared. Everything was done from management to management to ensure professional business.

"No money was exchanged for anything because it made cents for everyone no leverage," the Cash Money West artist went on claiming. "That feature changed my life fasho thats the only way we doing business in 2023."

Meanwhile, Blueface wasn't the only artist who missed his scheduled performance at Rolling Loud. Fivio Foreign was forced to cancel his set on day one due to health issue. "Apologize to @RollingLoud & everybody who came out to see me I ain't make it..," he tweeted on Friday. "My first time missing a show and I feel so crazy about it but my body dealing w some real issues." He added, "Juss keep me in yah prayers & I'll hit Tariq up to make it up."

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Fellow judge Katy Perry is also impressed by ophthalmologist technician Elijah McCormack's performance as she believes that he will make it to 'Top 10 for sure.'

Mar 6, 2023

AceShowbiz - A contestant moved Lionel Richie to tears in a new episode of "American Idol". Airing on Sunday, March 5, the outing saw Elijah McCormack offering an impressive performance and sharing how he encountered death several times.

The 21-year-old ophthalmologist technician from Raeford, North Carolina told the judges, who also included Katy Perry and Luke Bryan, that he came to the audition after he flatlined nine times following a fiery crash, which occurred hours after his graduation ceremony. He added that his mom signed him up for "American Idol" prior to the incident.

"The last thing I remember is dropping my friend off at her house, and I was only a mile away from home," Elijah explained, adding he spent almost 80 days in the hospital and underwent about 10 procedures, including open heart surgery. His mom, meanwhile, shared, "His first question to me (after the accident) was, 'Momma, can I still sing?' "

Thankfully, he still can sing. He belted out "Bless the Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts and the performance was enough to get Lionel emotional. Lionel and Luke agreed that Elijah's voice immediately reminded them of "American Idol" legend, Willie Spence, who finished in second place in season 19 and died in a car crash in October 2022.

"The last person that I saw approach singing like you was Willie Spence," Luke commented. Lionel added, "That's what got me. You hit one of those notes, and I thought of Willie, and from then on I couldn't recover."

Lionel also told Elijah that "God brought you back nine times for you to do something amazing." He continued, "I'm so glad you're here with us, and that was just one of the moments in my life I will never forget."

Lionel called him a "golden child," with Elijah admitting that the doctors also called him "golden child" at the hospital. As for Katy, she believed that this was just "the beginning of [his] story." She also noted that Elijah had the Top 10 material.

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Paul McCartney, Adele, Florence and the Machine as well as Noel Gallagher are reportedly also eyed to make appearance at 'Live Aid-style' to mark one-year anniversary of Russian invasion.

Mar 6, 2023

AceShowbiz - A "Live Aid-style" benefit concert for Ukraine will see the likes of U2, The Rolling Stones, Pink and more play Wembley Stadium on June 24. Last month, February 22, marked the one-year anniversary of Russian President Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of its neighboring country, and as the war continues to rage on, the event is not only vital to raise relief funds but to keep "hammering home the severity of the situation."

According to The Sun newspaper's Bizarre column, huge names including Sir Paul McCartney, Adele, Florence and the Machine and Noel Gallagher could also be invited to perform to show their solidarity with Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky.

A source told the publication, "It will be huge. It's going to be huge, properly A-list and on a global scale. It's something people have wanted to do for a while but a date has now been nailed down and booked at Wembley Stadium. Invitations to perform are going out thick and fast to the biggest names in the business. Of course, there is an awareness that at relatively short notice many superstars will have prior commitments. But they're optimistic that a number of those they've spoken to are already on board. For bands like U2 and Bono, who are pretty outspoken about their views on war and conflict, it feels like a great opportunity to keep hammering home the severity of the situation out in Ukraine. An event of this size can put real political pressure on the Russians, too. The only slight downside is that the date clashes with Glastonbury so that rules out some big names but the final line-up is certain to be pretty special."

The telethon will reportedly mirror that of 1985's Live Aid, which raised funds and awareness of famine in Ethiopia and was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure. ITV and Livewire Pictures, who put on the televised benefit "Concert for Ukraine" last March, which saw performances from Ed Sheeran and Billie Eilish and raised a whopping 13 million, are part of the team behind the Wembley concert.

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Before she's seen getting high, the 'Super Freaky Girl' hitmaker experienced audio issues during her and Lil Wayne's headlining set, prompting her to shout, 'Kill the sound guy.'

Mar 7, 2023

AceShowbiz - Nicki Minaj seemingly tried to get rid of all of the problems that happened during her Rolling Loud performance. The "Super Freaky Girl" raptress appeared to get high after her gig was riddled with tech issues.

In videos surfacing online on Sunday night, March 5, the Trinidadian raptress appeared to slur her speech while talking to fans from her black car. The femcee, who sported a hot pink outfit with matching hair color, also looked extremely sleepy.

At one point, one fan could be heard saying, "She's high. She's definitely high." Though Nicki appeared high, she did pose for a photo for fans who asked for a selfie.

Upon learning of the footage, fans rushed to social media to share their opinions. "She clearly smoking a blunt. You can see the smoke," one person commented. Another chimed in, "she rolled a 3.5 of Percocet [laughing with tears emojis]." Someone else added, "she ain't just high, she in another dimension."

A separate fan, however, argued, "I don't think she high I think she getting sleepy cause some celebrities have to have a special shot from a doctor to stay awake from not getting enough sleep so her shot is probably wearing off. I saw that on some show that Alicia Keys was in years ago." Another echoed, "She 40 it's past her bedtime."

The sighting came after Nicki experienced audio issues during her and Lil Wayne's set at the festival. As Nicki began to get heated up after being introduced by Lil Wayne, the sound man responsible for the event audio struggled to deliver her outlined setlist in the order she had provided.

While Nicki attempted to remain calm on stage, she eventually grew frustrated. Lil Wayne tried to brush over the technical hiccups by dancing along to the song playing on stage, Nicki's "Chun-Li" and Lil Wayne's "Truffle Butter" featuring Nicki. However, after repeatedly cueing the parties responsible for the audio to which song should be played, she said, "Kill the DJ. Kill the sound guy."

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Although he never regrets turning down a role in his career, the 'John Wick' actor admits he has always wanted to play Logan from the 'X-Men' franchise.

Mar 6, 2023

AceShowbiz - Keanu Reeves has revealed his desire to play Wolverine. While the 58-year-old actor has never regretted turning down a part in his career, he said that he would love to portray the X-Men superhero on the big screen.

"No, but I did always want to play Wolverine," Keanu replied when asked if he rued rejecting any movies during a Reddit "Ask Me Anything" session.

Reeves has experience in comic book films after starring in the 2005 DC flick "Constantine", a role he is set to reprise in an upcoming sequel. "The Matrix" star confirmed that he had spoken with the new DC Films co-chair James Gunn about the film but did not offer any information other than saying he hopes that it gets made.

Meanwhile, Keanu found it impossible to choose when asked about the favourite film of his career. He responded, "Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!!! F***, aaaaaahhhhhhhhh... I've been very fortunate to work on a few films that have changed my life. I can't pick just one. But here are a few - 'River's Edge', 'Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure', 'Matrix' trilogy, 'The Devil's Advocate', 'A Scanner Darkly', 'My Own Private Idaho', 'Point Break', 'John Wick'."

The "John Wick" star also revealed that he has ambitions to star in a musical but is unsure if he has the singing skills to do so. Reeves said, "I would love to be in a musical... but I can't sing so I'm not sure anybody else would want me in a musical... but I sure would try. I mean I could sing, but not really well. I can always dream..."

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The 'Guardians of the Galaxy' actor reveals he has turned down an offer to join Vin Diesel and co in favor of a lead role in the upcoming video game adaptation.

Mar 7, 2023

AceShowbiz - Dave Bautista rejected a role in the "Fast and Furious" franchise for "Gears of War". The wrestler-turned-actor portrays Marcus Fenix in the Netflix adaptation of the video game saga, and he has confessed that he declined an offer to appear in a "Fast and Furious" film alongside Vin Diesel because he just wasn't "interested" in the franchise.

"I don't mean to offend anybody. I'm not putting down anything else, I'm just saying ['Gears'] is way more interesting to me. I don't want to pretend like I'm actually interested in something I'm not when there's something I'm actually really excited about that you guys have under control. Would you consider me for that?" he told Collider.

The 54-year-old star added, "I don't think there's any harm in that. I'm not trying to step on anybody else's toes, I'm just saying like this is what I love and I'm seriously passionate about this. I can do a good job for you guys on this."

Another role he would love to take on is Batman's arch-nemesis, Bane. He told the outlet, "I think I could bring an interesting twist to it, and I think I could do the character justice. Not only in performance but also in physicality."

On what his version of the DC character would be like, he added, "I'd love that role where I'd have to go back up to 320 pounds just to play this character, like that it would happen. I could play Bane in a way that's not only menacing and ominous but also freakishly intelligent."

However, it's not a role he will likely end up nabbing. Fans thought the opportunity could well arise after his "Guardians of the Galaxy" director James Gunn took charge of DC Studios - alongside Peter Safran - but the star recently insisted Bane should be portrayed by a "younger and fresher" actor.

He said, "I have had conversations with James about that but I think the direction he's leaning in, completely rebooting that whole universe, he's starting from scratch and starting younger and fresher and I think you need to do that."

Bautista insists he "understands" the need for a younger face to portray the character, and doesn't believe he would "bring justice" to the role at this point in his career. He added to Insider, "I think for the DC Universe to be revived, you need to start from scratch, and I think you need to start with younger actors."

"You need to start to plan for the next 15 years, and I just don't think you can do that with me. And I understand that. And, also, I have to say that I appreciate that because I don't want to play a character that I can't bring justice to it."

"I don't think at this point in my career that I can bring justice to Bane anymore. I just don't know if I could handle the physical part, and I don't think I would have the longevity to plan ahead for films. So, I just don't know if I'd be that guy."

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The new British monarch is reportedly dangling a new carrot in front of his estranged son after kicking him and wife Meghan Markle out of Frogmore Cottage to give it to his brother Andrew.

Mar 7, 2023

AceShowbiz - King Charles allegedly will offer Princess Diana's old apartment to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as temporary accommodation if they come to his coronation. The monarch, 74, has asked the couple to come to his crowning on May 6 at London's Westminster Abbey, with Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle weighing up whether to attend amid the fallout from their revelations about life in the royal family.

They are reportedly given "weeks" by Charles to move out of their grace-and-favour" home of Frogmore Cottage in Windsor - which may be given to Prince Andrew - but is now thought the king could offer the pair Diana's old accommodation, The Sun Online reported on Monday, March 6.

The outlet said, "The couple have not been offered a new permanent home following the event but it is understood that they will be given somewhere to stay temporarily as and when they visit the UK. This could include suites in Buckingham Palace or St James's Palace, as well as Princess Diana's former apartment at Kensington Palace."

It was reported at the weekend Charles' decision to offer the pair luxury accommodation was part of an "olive branch" to the pair.

Harry, 38, and Meghan, 41, now live in a nine-bedroom 12 million house in Montecito, California, after they quit life as senior royals in 2020 and are said to have been told to get their belongings out of Frogmore.

Charles' offer of an invite to his coronation comes despite sources close to the king and his wife Queen Consort Camilla, 75, saying the couple were "furious" and left "wearied" by the claims in Harry's autobiography, in which he said his brother Prince William pushed him to the floor.

An insider told the Mail, "His Majesty is furious, as is William. But the King is not a bad man. He has no wish to see his brother Andrew homeless or penniless. Nor does he wish to deprive the Sussexes of a base in the UK. London is a better fit. The Sussexes have always wanted rooms at Buckingham Palace. They could have Andrew's old rooms there, which are currently being vacated."

Harry and Meghan say they have been emailed about the coronation, but will not confirm whether they plan to attend. Buckingham Palace has declined to comment on invitations to the event.

A statement from a spokesperson for Harry and Meghan said, "I can confirm the Duke has recently received email correspondence from His Majesty's office regarding the coronation. An immediate decision on whether the Duke and Duchess will attend will not be disclosed by us at this time."

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The British disgraced glam rock star will be the subject of a new documentary series about his damning charges after he was recently released from jail.

Mar 7, 2023

AceShowbiz - Gary Glitter's fall from grace will be displayed on a new Netflix documentary series following his release from prison. The 79-year-old pop star - whose real name is Paul Gadd - reportedly has left HMP The Verne, a low-security jail in Portland, Dorset, last month after serving half of his 16-year sentence for sexually abusing three schoolgirls and now it's been revealed his life and downfall is to be chronicled in a new show for the streaming giant.

"Hunting Gary Glitter" is announced to be a three-part series featuring previously unseen photographs and archive footage as well as interviews with journalists who spent years trying to track him down and bring him to justice.

It's being made by Voltage - the production company behind ITV documentary "Savile: Portrait of a Predator" as well as an upcoming film about Prince Andrew and his doomed interview on BBC show "Newsnight" in which he was questioned about his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

The Times newspaper has also reported there are more Gary Glitter documentaries in production for both ITV and Amazon Prime Video.

News of Glitter's impending release was revealed in December and it made one of his victims - who was just 10 when she was abused in Vietnam in 2005 - weep with despair. The woman, known as Ms. D to protect her anonymity and now aged 27, said she hopes he is barred from ever traveling again, claimed he abused "many more victims" in Vietnam, and admitted she fears she will never be able to find love due to the ongoing trauma of his abuse.

She sobbed as she said, "He is free to enjoy his money and his life now, but I live with what that man did to me every day of my life. I will never find anyone to love me, and I will never be able to marry because of what happened."

"No man here will accept someone with my past. There were many other victims apart from me in Vietnam. He should never be allowed to leave England again because he is a very dangerous man, and he will do bad things again."

Glitter was jailed in February 2015 for offences carried out between 1975 and 1980, including crimes of sexual intercourse with a girl under 13, attempting to rape an eight-year-old and molesting a third girl. Ms. D gave evidence against him alongside a 12-year-old victim, and Glitter was jailed for three years before being deported to Britain.

Glitter was also jailed for four months in 1999 for possessing 4,000 indecent images of children and in 2006 was put behind bars in Vietnam for three years after sex attacks in the country before being released in 2008.

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Kasperskys anti-phishing system prevented more than 500 million attempts at accessing fraudulent websites globally in 2022. This is twice more compared to 2021 figures. In the Middle East, 7.2% of individuals and corporate users faced phishing attempts, according to Kasperskys Spam and Phishing in 2022 report.

Country Share of users Qatar 9.5% Bahrain 9% Jordan 8.5% Kuwait 7.8% UAE 7.5% KSA 7.3% Oman 6.9% Egypt 6.9%

Although spam and phishing attacks are not necessarily complex from a technological standpoint, they rely on sophisticated social engineering tactics, making them highly dangerous to those who are not aware of them. Fraudsters are skilled at creating phishing web pages identical to the original websites that collect private user data or encourage the transfer of money to fraudsters targeting both individuals and organizations. Kaspersky experts discovered that throughout 2022 cybercriminals increasingly turned to phishing. The companys anti-phishing system successfully blocked 507,851,735 attempts to access fraudulent content globally in 2022, twice the number of attacks thwarted in 2021.

The sphere most frequently targeted with phishing attacks was delivery services. Fraudsters send fake emails pretending to be from well-known delivery companies and claim there is an issue with a delivery. The email includes a link to a fake website, which asks for personal information or financial details. If the victim falls for the scam, they could lose their identity and banking information, which may be sold to websites on the dark web.

Kaspersky experts have also highlighted a global trend in the phishing landscape of 2022: an increase in the distribution of attacks through messengers, with the majority of blocked attempts coming from WhatsApp, followed by Telegram and Viber.

There is also growing demand among cybercriminals for social media credentials, with criminals exploiting people's curiosity and desire for privacy by offering fake updates and verified account status on social media platforms.

An example of phishing page mimicking a social media alert

Moreover, the experts found that cryptocurrency scams and the ongoing pandemic are still being used by phishing attackers to steal sensitive information from people who are afraid and worried. These scammers are taking advantage of people's fears and concerns to steal their sensitive information.

"Phishing is one of the most prevalent and pernicious threats in the cybersecurity landscape. Being the gateway to many of the worst cyber threats, phishing pages are the first step in a long chain of events that can result in identity theft, financial loss, and reputational damage for both individual consumers and businesses. It's crucial for everyone to understand the threat and take action to protect themselves," comments Olga Svistunova, security expert at Kaspersky.

In order to avoid becoming a victim of spam or phishing-based scams, Kaspersky experts advise the following:

Only open emails and click links if you are sure you can trust the sender

When a sender is legitimate but the content of the message seems strange it is worth checking with the sender via an alternative communication channel

Check the spelling of a websites URL if you suspect that you are faced with a phishing page. If you are, the URL may contain mistakes that are hard to spot at first glance, such as a 1 instead of I or 0 instead of O

Use a proven security solution when surfing the web. Thanks to access to international threat intelligence sources, these solutions are capable of spotting and blocking spam and phishing campaigns.

Read more about Spam and Phishing in 2022 in the report on Securelist.com.
GOMA, DR Congo, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The first contingent of Burundian soldiers arrived Sunday in Goma, the capital of North Kivu province in northeast Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), under the mandate of the regional forces of the East African Community (EAC).

General Emmanuel Kaputa Kasenga, deputy commander of the East African contingent who greeted the Burundian soldiers arriving at the Goma International Airport, said the Burundian troops are set to end the violence in eastern DRC.

Last year, the EAC member countries set up a regional force to end the activism of armed groups, particularly the advance of the rebels of the March 23 Movement (M23).

The Burundian troops will join forces with a Kenyan army contingent of about 1,000 men already deployed in and around Goma since last November. The Burundian troops will be deployed in Kitshanga and Kilorirwe, areas occupied by the M23 in North Kivu, as well as Sake, according to local media.

Additional troops, including those from South Sudan and Uganda, are also expected in the DRC.

Since the beginning of 2023, fighting has intensified between the M23 and the army in several areas north of Goma, driving thousands of civilians to flee their homes to seek shelter. 
Hong Kong: Education chief to visit Guangdong

Secretary for Education Choi Yuk-lin will depart on Wednesday for Dongguan, Guangzhou and Shenzhen to learn about the development of education there and the study life of Hong Kong students in the Mainland, the Education Bureau announced today.

She will meet representatives from the Department of Education of Guangdong Province and students studying in Mainland higher education institutions. She will also call on schools for Hong Kong children and the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology (Guangzhou).

On Thursday and Friday, she will lead a delegation to visit the citizenship and social development study tour destinations in Guangzhou and Shenzhen to prepare for the study tours to be launched next month.

Members of the delegation include Permanent Secretary for Education Michelle Li, Deputy Secretary for Education Teresa Chan and more than 20 representatives from the education sector.

Ms Choi will return to Hong Kong on Friday evening. During her absence, Under Secretary for Education Sze Chun-fai will be Acting Secretary for Education.

This story has been published on: 2023-03-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Nation ready to further promote green transition

By Hou Liqiang (China Daily) 08:34, March 06, 2023

A wind power plant in Dingxi, Gansu province. [Photo/Xinhua]

Upholding the idea that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, China has managed to strike a balance between development and conservation over the past five years and will make consistent efforts to further promote green transition, according to the Government Work Report.

Thanks to the efforts to control multiple pollutants in a coordinated way and across all regions, the country has made significant environmental improvements, the report said.

In cities at and above the prefectural level, air quality was good or excellent, considered to be below 100 on the 0-500 air quality index scale, on 86.5 percent of days over the past five years. This was a 4-percentage-point increase over the period, the report said.

"Black, malodorous water bodies in cities at and above the prefectural level were generally cleaned up," said the report.

The report also included key statistics to demonstrate the achievements China has made in conserving its ecosystems.

Forest coverage has risen to more than 24 percent over the five years, and more than 50 percent of all wetlands are now under protection, it said. The area of land affected by soil erosion, desertification and sandification was reduced by 106,000, 38,000, and 33,000 square kilometers, respectively.

There has also been significant progress in the country's efforts to reach peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and realize carbon neutrality before 2060, according to the report.

China's development has fully demonstrated that environmental protection and economic development can reinforce each other, Huang Runqiu, the minister of ecology and environment, told reporters on Sunday.

Over the past 10 years, China has seen its annual GDP grow by more than 6 percent on average while polluting emissions have been consistently and sharply reduced, he said, adding that the annual density of PM 2.5, particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less, for instance, has fallen for nine straight years.

He said the ministry will further tighten rules in examining and approving environmental impact assessment reports for major projects.

The development of industries with high energy consumption and emissions, projects in areas with fragile ecosystems and the transfer of projects with high emissions from eastern China to the west of the country will be highly restricted, he noted.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
NAIROBI, March 6 (Xinhua) -- The Kenyan Ministry of Health and partners will expand coverage of malaria vaccination targeting children in eight endemic counties adjacent to the Lake Victoria basin, senior officials said Monday.

An additional 25 sub-counties in the eight high-malaria burden counties in western Kenya will be roped in the new vaccination drive, which begins Tuesday, targeting children below two years amid their vulnerability to the mosquito-transmitted tropical disease, the officials disclosed.

Susan Nakhumicha Wafula, the cabinet secretary for Health, said an accelerated vaccination drive combined with the provision of insecticide-treated nets, indoor spraying, timely diagnosis, and treatment have been prioritized as the country embarks on the journey of attaining malaria-free status by 2030.

"We are thrilled to announce today that more children in Kenya will be able to benefit from the life-saving protection," Wafula told journalists in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi.

Kenya commenced the phased introduction of the malaria vaccine called RTS, S in September 2019, with the Ministry of Health statistics indicating that nearly 400,000 children in the eight endemic counties have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

Omar Ahmeddin, the head of the National Malaria Program at the Ministry of Health, said the national malaria prevalence in the country has dropped from 11 percent in 2010 to the current 6 percent, adding that vaccines are behind that feat.

Omar also said the government will enhance surveillance, diagnosis, treatment, and management at the endemic western and coastal regions to bring down malaria incidences and fatalities.

In addition, Kenya will prioritize collaborative research on therapeutics for treating malaria besides building the capacity of health workers in the high-burden counties, Omar added.

Kenya, Ghana, and Malawi were selected by an international consortium of donors, researchers, and industry for the phased introduction of the malaria vaccine in September 2019. So far, more than 1.2 million children in the three countries have received the jab.

Abdourahmane Diallo, the WHO representative in Kenya, said seamless vaccination against malaria will not only aid Kenya's quest to reduce infant mortalities but also lead to improved health and economic outcomes for communities in endemic regions. 
Why aren't the fascist far-left leaving the country they loathe?

People usually don't try to transform and then destroy that which they love, so why aren't they just leaving?

These days, the Babylon Bee has the range, and it's putting its rhetorical rounds right on target. Now it's just firing for effect, from a story about a man catching up on the latest news by reading two-year-old posts on a conspiracy blog to a satirical report from a few years ago about a group of leftists heading for the Socialist Paradise of Venezuela.

It brings up a point you might have been asking yourself for quite some time: why aren't they leaving? Why haven't the authoritarians of the fascist far left packed their bags and set off for greener collectivist fields, leaving the rest of us alone?

Why are the tyrannical ten percent sticking around when it's nothing like their authoritarian floor model, the big shiny communist nation of China, with its "socialism with Chinese characteristics" that they love?

How can they stomach dealing with a nation where people are just allowed to say or write whatever they want and defend themselves with  dare we say it  guns? How do they live in a nation where people are just allowed to have gas stoves, lawnmowers, and chainsaws? Where the government in its infinite wisdom cannot penalize the people for wrongthink? Where all of that liberty-induced stress puts a strain on their already fragile psyches?

Why are they still here when they could move to perfect examples of the Utopia (that means "no place") that they want to impose on us that already exist around the world? They pine for the "worker's paradise" perfection that was national socialist Germany, the USSR, Cuba, Venezuela, and communist China, yet they are still here, complaining that we're not properly suffering as they are in those nations.

Perhaps if they don't know their feelings for the country, we can help them with our second point. Maybe they're under the false impression that they are being "patriotic" and fostering "progress." They are entirely incorrect in this impression. Destroying a country has never been considered to be "patriotic." We'll lay out a partial case to illustrate the point.

It'll be a partial case because we don't have the space to detail all of what Team Wrecking Ball has done to the country. They started out destroying our energy independence, inflated the currency to screw the middle class, threw open the border to an illegal invasion, actively worked to weaken the nation, and divided it by race and other immutable characteristics.

Then we have foreign policy debacles, epitomized by the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal. They fascistically have the government collude with Big Tech to suppress free speech and freedom of the press, while they obsess day and night over new ways of confiscating guns and depriving the people of their commonsense civil rights.

This doesn't even begin talking about how they lie with language to make normal weather events seem more severe or crime the fault of inanimate objects. Or how they are actively working to weaken the country by depleting our Strategic Petroleum Reserve and sending unending piles of cash overseas, unaccountable to anyone. Who knows what else they have in store for us?

Every roll of the dice is against our best interest, against our people, and against our commonsense civil rights. Even blind luck would have something come out in our favor once in a while, but nothing ever does. It's not that we're questioning their patriotism, because they would need to show patriotism before it could be questioned.

All of this is just touching the surface. It raises the question: what would they be doing differently if they wanted a different outcome? How is all of this supposed to magically transform the country into something better?

Can anyone figure out how having the country overrun with an illegal invasion, overdosed on fentanyl, weakened by energy dependence on unreliable energy sources, divided so we are fighting with one another, having our basic civil liberties destroyed, and beset by a myriad of other self-inflicted wounds supposed to foster "Progress"? We don't see it, so where is their "patriotism"?

[W]henever the legislators endeavor to take away, and destroy the property of the people, or to reduce them to slavery under arbitrary power, they put themselves into a state of war with the people, who are thereupon absolved from any farther obedience.

John Locke, Second Treatise of Government, 1690

The main point is that we are talking about a small political minority that has to constantly use deception to gain any traction, hence we call them "the tyrannical ten percent." We're talking about a small but very vocal political minority in the country. Yes, they love to pretend they are the "majority," but seriously, how many people are fully on board with all of what we just detailed?

We're supposed to somehow fall for the fiction from the nation's socialist media that all of this is either a "conspiracy theory" or happenstance. We're also supposed to forget that everything else they told us was a "conspiracy theory" or happenstance.

The tyrannical ten percent, the ruling aristocrats (cultural guerrilla warfare means we don't refer to them as "elite"), have an outsized influence, and after two long years, it is clear: they are doing all they can to destroy the country they must hate with a passion. So why aren't they leaving?

Why are they trying to transform the nation into a socialist scum hole that no one else wants?

D Parker is an engineer, inventor, wordsmith, and student of history, the director of communications for a civil rights organization, and a longtime contributor to conservative websites. Find him on Substack.

Image via Pixabay.
"Speech, expression and assembly" represent the triumvirate for truth. Short of breaking existing laws around physical violence and incitement to physical violence, the more we have of all three, the closer we come to that more perfect union, offering the most freedom for the most people with the least government interference. But in an age of internet technology with deep fakes, bots, hacks, and myriad pathways to craft and deliver mis- and dis-information, radical left-wingers can abuse and use those liberties to tarnish conservatives, desensitize our communities to certain phenomena, and squelch our freedoms. It behooves individuals, our government, and even watchdog organizations to pause before reacting to information from somewhere on the internet.

As an example, did you know that, on February 25, Americas neo-Nazi and White Supremacist groups sponsored a national Day of Hate? You probably didnt hear anything about it unless you are Jewish and your inbox was inundated with emails from various Jewish organizations, synagogues, and even local condo boards, warning of an online campaign by domestic violence extremists, calling for an anti-Semitic Day of Hate.

As it turned out, despite the terror this announcement caused in Jewish households and houses of worship across the country and as far away as Israel, the Day of Hate passed without incident, as reported in The Forward, a progressive Jewish publication.

Its good that nothing happened. The last thing anyone wants, including this skeptic, is more violence. But anti-Semitism is on the march, and we must monitor and be aware of it no matter the sourcewhite supremacists, non-white supremacists, Antifa, or Islamic extremists. The problem for Jews and non-Jews alike, as evidenced by the Day of Hate that never happened, is that Americas politicians, journalists, and activists are only concerned with anti-Semitism coming from white people.

Image: Daily Fake News by rawpixel.com

I immediately noticed that many warnings included the buzzwords domestic violence extremists or far-right. While there were no direct or credible threats, we were asked to be vigilant and report anything of concern to law enforcementwhich ironically revealed that leftists perceive law enforcement as a force for good only when white people commit crimes.

I despise Nazis, Neo-Nazis, and white supremacists just as much as the next guy, and thats not just because Im Jewish or that part of my family perished in the Holocaust. As a human being, I find their brand of hatred inimical to all things human. And yet, somehow, Ive come to be lumped in with these human disgraces since Nancy Pelosi first accused Tea Partiers of being Nazis, and the White House, FBI, and DOJ have decreed that all who disagree with their policies or the outcome of the 2020 election (aka conservatives, Republicans, and Trump supporters) are domestic violence extremists.

I understand the knee-jerk reaction of wanting to shut up and lock away real Nazis and KKKers. But doing so in the absence of any physical violence or incitement to violence, for relatively peaceful demonstrations of their hate, just sends them further underground. Frankly, I like my Nazis and white supremacists where I can see and hear them.

Furthermore, while their influence and presence waxes and wanes over the decades, providing them with a forum to openly discuss what it means to belong to their loathsome brotherhood, and exposing their blight on our collective history, has kept them from becoming a serious political force. Potentially dangerous and worthy of monitoring? Yes, no matter how few in number. But a driving political force in the USA? Not even remotely.

Thank G-d for that.

The fact that nothing happened suggests it might not have been a real threat to begin withbut I dont know that for a fact. Usually, but not always, Nazi and KKK types proudly and unabashedly show up for their day in the public squareundeterred by the presence of law enforcement or the vigilance of the groups being threatened.

My worry is that if warnings like this continue to fall flat, the public will eventually stop listening and, one day, might ignore a real threat.

As family emails and texts volleyed back and forth in anticipation of the Day of Hate, I expressed my reservations about the legitimacy of the warnings, which appear to have come from the Anti-Defamation League and a group called the Counter Extremism Project. Did anyone verify that this social media chatter was indeed from real Nazi and white supremacist groups and not disinformation or bots? Or did we all take it at face value and pass on the news, as tenuous as it might have been, like a national game of Operator?

I am concerned this might have been a way to further incite hatred against conservatives and Trump supportersa vile and heinous way of taking advantage of our collective fear of persecution as Jews for rank political ends.

Until someone can verify this one way or the other, I remain skeptical. I just cant take groups like the ADL at their word. Much like the NAACP, the ADL once served a laudable and necessary purpose with its place in history fighting anti-Semitism and discrimination against Jews. Today, it is an influential cog in the Progressive-Marxist Cartel that seeks to silence and criminalize any opinion, belief, or viewpoint that differs from its own.

We were warned that Organizers [for the Day of Hate] are encouraging supporters to drop antisemitic banners, place stickers, and flyers, and spray graffiti as forms of activism. Other than that, there were no credible threats of violence.

Anti-Semitic banners, stickers, flyers and graffiti may be vile, but do not constitute violence in the traditional meaning of the wordalthough in todays Woke World, violence has been expanded to include words of hate and words that hurt because they are considered just as violent as real acts of physical violence. Posting pamphlets with hateful words about Jews and displaying the Nazi swastika are hateful actions that make Jews uncomfortable because we know such actions can lead to catastrophic violence, but they are not equivalent to physical acts of violence.

In this country, everyone has a right to peaceably speak, express, and assemble even if we find those activities abhorrent, wrong, bad, or immoral. That was the lesson of the Supreme Courts Skokie vs Illinois decision in 1977that a peaceful Nazi march was permissible even in a town that was heavily populated by Jewish Holocaust survivors. The fact they might have been disparaged, triggered, or angered by the march, the banners, or the words, does not vitiate the First Amendment freedoms of the Nazis.

Once we start policing speech and expression based on what a majority deems speech-worthy or a powerful minority deems tolerable or not, the path to totalitarianism comes precipitously fast.

Today, in our America, the Wokists are just that dangerous. Their self-righteous, smug arrogance about what are permissible viewpoints, beliefs, values, or morals, and their unquenchable need to target individuals whose views differ, by outlawing their views and opinions, and punishing them through ostracization, cancellation, and even jailare far more dangerous to the health of the republic and individual feelings of safety and freedom, than a bunch of brown shirts spraying anti-Semitic tropes on a wall and unfurling Nazi banners.

I am absolutely 100% concerned about neo-Nazi violence and the potential for them to rise to power and persecute my family. I am absolutely 100% committed to monitoring such groups.

But, what keeps me up at night is the threat from people already in power who have labeled conservatives like melike usdomestic violence extremists; who will one day kick down my door in the dead of night and haul me away without any Due Process because of something I said or wrote.

Or, one day, something I thought or dreamt about.

Ive been front and center in politics for close to 20 years and have been blogging at American Thinker since 2009, and I was never afraid to use my real name. Recent family events and re-entry into the workforce have caused me to reconsider if I should continue to write publicly under my name and risk losing income and family; remain silent; or find another way. Locuta is that other way.
In one of his monologues last week, Tucker Carlson called Merrick Garland the weakest attorney general in American history. Tucker added, Merrick Garland has presided over the most aggressive attack on civil liberties, in particular, an attack on the practice of traditional Christianity, than any living American has seen.

Tuckers comments came on the heels of Garlands recent testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee. During the testimony, GOP senators Mike Lee and Josh Hawley confronted the attorney general on the Biden Justice Departments heavy-handed and disproportionate attacks on American Christians, especially noting the attacks against Christians who protest abortion centers.

The senators highlighted the FBIs shocking raid of Mark Houcks home, where 20 to 30 agents with full SWAT gear, heavily armored vests, ballistic shields, helmets, [and] battering ram terrorized Mr. Houck, his wife, and their seven children simply because Mr. Houck shoved a pro-abortion extremist who was harassing his 12-year-old son.

Tucker also noted the incident involving Paul Vaughn, a pro-life father of eleven children:

In March of 2021, Paul Vaughn and 10 others were peacefully praying at an abortion clinic in Tennessee. They didnt damage any property. They hurt no one. More than a year after they dared to do that, to pray, Merrick Garland sent the FBI to terrorize Vaughn and his 11 children at their home



Paul Vaughn and his co-conspirators now face more than a decade in prison.

After highlighting these gross injustices against American Christians, Tucker makes what I believe is his most important point:

You have to wonder when you see a tape like that, where are so-called Christian leaders? Wheres Russell Moore and all the other breast-beating Christians as that happens, as the U.S. government cracks down on Christianity, on prayer? Silent.

The Peoples Republic of Canada has been even more hostile to Christians. Things have gotten so bad for Christians in Canada, that in February of last year Senator Hawley reiterated his call for Canada to be placed on a special watch list of religious liberty violators. Hawleys statements were mostly due to Canadas then ongoing treatment of Pastor Artur Pawlowski.

A day after Fox News reported on Senator Hawleys call, in a piece entitled Free speech and the Bible on global trial, the Washington Times reported,

Canadas recently unanimously passed law, C-4, prevents its citizens from spreading Biblical views on marriage and sexuality. Canadian parents, faith leaders, and citizens who hold traditional views of marriage and sexuality will now face up to 5 years of jail time for providing spiritual guidance to those seeking counseling. As a horrific assault on civil rights, Canadas egregious policy directly targets faith and has effectively placed targets on the backs of many of its own citizens.

Likewise, in the same monologue referenced above, Tucker Carlson declares Canada has now become an atheist, totalitarian state with amazing speed. Tucker adds,

And in Canada, its now a crime to object to sexualized drag shows for children. Youre not allowed to say a word. Late last month, a pastor in Calgary was violently thrown out of an all-ages -- in other words, for children -- drag queen story hour for daring to object to the sexualization of children.

And Tucker again asks the important question, Where are all the professional Christians? Tucker again names names:

You have to wonder that again. Wheres David French and Beth Moore and Tim Keller and all these people who are defending Christianity as actual Christians are being arrested for being Christians? Hmm. Not a word.

Im not sure whether Tucker calling out Russell Moore, David French, Beth Moore, and Tim Keller is completely fair or not. I dont know everything theyve had to say on the crucial issues that Tucker points out. But I do know this: As a follower of Jesus, and as an astute observer of our media and culture, I can rarely -- if ever -- recall those professional Christians Tucker named drawing attention to themselves for speaking the truth on what are some of the most important moral issues of our time.

Additionally, as high profile as are those professional Christians, and given the relatively large platform with which they are blessed, we can be almost certain that if they were speaking the truth on religious liberty, the evil LGBT agenda, and the like, the godless press in America would take note. Truth makes the Devil blush, wrote English historian Thomas Fuller. If you make the Devil blush, hes most likely going to come after you, and one of his favorite tools is the American media.

Tragically, Moore, French, Moore, and Keller are far from alone. As Ive noted multiple times in the past several years, whether professional Christians, Christian celebrities, pastors and priests, Tucker Carlson, or everyday Christians, for far too long, far too many Christians have sat on the sidelines when it comes to the grave moral issues that demand our attention. Thus, in a matter of just a few short years, we went from a near nationwide rejection of same-sex marriage to a widespread -- and now often legally enforced -- embrace of it.

Weve gone from debating what is marriage to debating what is a male a what is a female. And now we are having to debate whether or not those who want to sexually groom children should be allowed to do so, and whether or not this evil should occur in our taxpayer-funded libraries and schools!

As Ive noted before, some things have been settled for all time. This is especially the case on sex and marriage. Its past time that more Christians realized this, and started living their lives accordingly, and using their voices to say so.

Trevor Grant Thomas

At the Intersection of Politics, Science, Faith, and Reason.

www.trevorgrantthomas.com

Trevor is the author of the The Miracle and Magnificence of America

tthomas@trevorgrantthomas.com

Image: Gage Skidmore
Every year, dictionary companies publicly release a list of new words added to their pages. Somehow, they have omitted the inclusion of "Faucian," as in "Faucian bargain." This is not to be confused with a "Faustian bargain," which is basically a "deal with the devil" that would provide short-term benefits but long-term tragedy or destruction for the dealmaker. On the other hand, a "Faucian bargain" involves any decision or ploy made to benefit the little conman, Anthony Fauci.

The concept was first discussed in the book Faucian Bargain. The Most Powerful and Dangerous Bureaucrat in American History by Steve Deace and Todd Erzen, published in 2021 by Post Hill Press. The only review listed on the Amazon website, though a five-star, was obviously insufficient to propel the word into the world of Merriam-Webster or the popular lexicon. I will, therefore, in the interest of wordsmiths everywhere, submit the following:

Faucian: Relating to a decision or agreement made to benefit Dr. Anthony Fauci. Such decision or deal need not be based on fact or honesty. It requires only that it be to the benefit, be it reputational or preferably financial, of the diminutive doctor. 2. Relating to a deal or agreement to augment Dr. Fauci's obvious low stature by increasing his delusionally high self-regard.

I had thought that we had seen the last of the diminutive doctor, but an article on the Fox News website by Newt Gingrich suggests otherwise, while affirming the "Faucian" definition. Newt asserts that we are living in the midst of the largest scandal in U.S. history regarding Fauci's dealings with the Wuhan lab and the Chinese government. Everything involved in this scandal is "Faucian." The COVID-19 pandemic elevated Fauci to household word status and doubled his net worth to $12 million during the last three years. His financial success differs from the result of most of the rest of us as we have watched our IRAs decline in value. The now-famous flimflammer just won't go away.

An acronym with which we are all familiar is CYA. Fauci's A is so heavily Ced with multiple layers of CNN and MSNBC propaganda that it is questionable how he carries out his daily personal functions.

Let's hope there is a large portion of Faustian in the Faucian bargain. That all his lies and deceptions will come raining down on him is a delightful prospect.

Bill Hansmann is a dentist and dental educator with over fifty years in the profession. He continues to teach and write political blogs and semi-mediocre novels while living with his wife and cats in Florida.

Image: Pixabay.
What do we call people who don't pay the help?

Well, in the past, they were known as plantation owners, or slave-holders, a hot topic for wokester leftists.

Nowadays, just say "Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez."

She's got quite a track record of not paying the help based on her appearance at the Met Gala last year, according to revelations from the congressional ethics investigation on her.

She not only took "gifts" (really big gifts, which started with the $35,000 price of the ticket), but failed to pay in any timely manner the staff who fluffed her up in her famous "Tax the Rich" gown that got her so much fawning publicity.

According to TMZ:

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez delayed making payments in regards to her Met Gala appearance two years ago  this according to the findings of an ethics investigation. The NY congresswoman has been at the center of a Capitol Hill probe for about a year, and this week ... the results were released. According to the fact-finders, it looks like AOC and/or her staff were quite slow in paying people back ... to the tune of thousands of dollars. The House Ethics Committee came down hard in their report, saying they have "substantial reason" to believe Rep. Ocasio-Cortez might have violated ethics rules for members of Congress, and maybe even broken federal laws pertaining to gifts and perks she received at the time of the Gala, when she walked the red carpet in a loud "Tax the Rich" dress. According to them, it's unclear if AOC was ever going to pay people back for the dress, the makeup services, the hotel costs, the accessories, or anything else she received as part of her appearance ... and they go on to claim that the launch of this investigation seems to have spurred her and her staff to act. AOC has since paid off the tab ... about $7,700 all told.

This is an amazingly crummy way of treating tradespeople, who no doubt gave their all to make Ocasio-Cortez look like a million bucks for the other Beautiful People at that Vogue-sponsored gala. Ocasio-Cortez makes a six-figure congressional salary, so we know she had the means to pay. She just didn't want to, and had there not been a congressional ethics investigation, she might not have.

Most of these people who went unpaid for months weren't high-paid workers, as Nicole Gelinas wrote in her excellent description of the scandal for the New York Post.

It costs money to be a Kardashian-level celebrity: transportation, dress, hair, makeup, hotel room, manicure, shoes, handbag, jewels, boyfriend accessories. As AOC's lawyer assured Congressional ethics officials just after the gala, "the Congresswoman is paying personally for all other benefits including the rental value of her dress, handbag, and accessories, ... shoes ..., hair and makeup, transportation, and ... hotel room ... for staging." Oh, no! What to do? Just ... don't pay for these things, and hope no one notices. How? The fashion industry is famously exploitative. Struggling designers need exposure, and work for cheap to get it. So AOC got herself a haute couture dress  consultation, design, fittings, materials, and day-of styling, likely well above a ten-thousand-dollar value  from a Brooklyn designer for a billed cost of a $1,300 "rental." Good deal! But did she pay the $1,300? No. Her campaign staff called the designer to talk the price down to $300. That's how much AOC values weeks worth of labor.

Then she delayed, by months, the paying of the staffers who gussied her up  the gown "rental," the shoe "rental," (Gelinas points out that these were questionable classifications), as well as the hairdo, the makeup, the car service, the hotel service, the boyfriend's accessories. Only the manicurist got paid promptly because she demanded payment in cash up front. (It makes one wonder if she's been burned in the past by people like AOC.) The others got paid only after the congressional investigation got going. According to Gelinas, "the makeup artist sent the bill to a collection agency, which said it was 'EXTREMELY overdue.'" The hairdresser threatened to call the New York Department of Labor to make a complaint over the $477.73 bill.

Apparently, only the congressional ethics investigation actually motivated her to cough up.

Ocasio-Cortez preened around like a celeb because in her mind she was a celeb, and stiffing the little guys who do these things is what celebrities often do. The little guys in that industry are forced to take it because the celeb's custom is "exposure" for them, but it usually doesn't work out that way, and even if it did, they still need to be paid. It's one of Hollywood's crappiest games, and Ocasio-Cortez leaped in to embrace it with gusto.

That left a lot of people waiting for a paycheck after performing their services, something that wouldn't be tolerated in the restaurant industry or at hotels if the clients were ordinary people. One set of laws for them...

Ocasio-Cortez, however, is a pol, and politicians are subject to more ethics rules on gifts than ordinary people, which makes her omission twice as egregious. Pols know the rules and are very careful to follow them, but Ocasio-Cortez flouted them with alacrity.

She not only flouted the pay-the-help practice, but actually solicited the tickets to the event and then spent weeks with staffers attempting to make it on the up-and-up, not an illegal campaign gift, finally settling for AOC's tickets not being from Vogue (whose parent company has a Washington lobbyist, making it subject to ethics rules on gifts), but from Devil-Wears-Prada editor Anna Wintour, who must consider AOC a very good friend indeed to be handing her two free $35,000 tickets to her gala.

Of course, it has the look of cash for favors. But like the unpaid help, it's of little concern to AOC. Laws are for little people. Socialist celebrities are different. That's what AOC demonstrated here. Who knew that AOC would have so much in common with Leona Helmsley?

TMZ says that Congress gave AOC a pass on the tickets/gift violation, while AOC's induced payment of the help got her off the hook otherwise. Haven't congressional investigators sent less tony congressmen to jail for less? Think of Rep. Duncan Hunter, who spent campaign cash on trips to Italy. He's out of office for that. Why isn't she?

Image: Twitter screen shot.
Remember all that political hay the far left and its media allies made during the Vietnam War about the wickedness of America's South Vietnamese ally and the importance of abandoning that country to the communists?

Here's the Pulitzer Prizewinning AP photo that was supposed to prick our consciences and make us turn against that "immoral" war against a communist takeover:

There's no doubt about it, the photo is hard to look at. It's crude, rough, wartime justice, a picture of South Vietnamese Police Captain Nguyen Ngoc Loan coldly executing Viet Cong Captain Nguyen Van Lem. The film is even harder to look at.

It ran on the front page of the New York Times, cropped from the original to fill the space and make its impact even more immediate.

And it got the results the anti-war left wanted: public sentiment abruptly turned against the war as a result of this photo. The Vietnamese people were abandoned by the Americans, whose cut-and-run evacuation from the Saigon embassy rooftop was only recently bested by Joe Biden's Afghanistan pullout. After that, the re-education camps rolled in, the boat people launched into the high seas, and the killing fields of Cambodia began.

Jane Fonda must have been so proud of herself.

Just one problem, though: The context was missing, and that context mattered.

The guy who got shot, who went by the nom de guerre Bay Lop, was a death squad psychopath in the Viet Cong who had just gotten done massacring 34 innocent people.

According to GroovyHistory:

From January to September 1968, North Vietnamese forces launched a coordinated series of attacks on more than 100 cities and towns in South Vietnam, proof that American forces had failed to quash the guerilla combatants. Death squads made their way through the cities, killing anyone who wasn't joining their revolution. Captured in a building in the Cho Lon quarter of Saigon, Nguyen Van Lem was a member of the Viet Cong whose downfall began in the Tet Offensive. Allegedly Lem was arrested for cutting the throats of South Vietnamese Lt Col Nguyen Tuan, his wife, their six children and the officer's 80-year-old mother. On top of that, he was leading a Viet Cong team whose whole deal was taking out members of the National Police and their families. A the time of his death, Lem should have been considered a prisoner of war under the Geneva Convention, but because he was dressed in civilian clothing and he wasn't carrying a firearm, he was technically seen as an "illegal combatant." During the Tet Offensive, Lem was on a bloodthirsty tear through Saigon. He may look boyish, but he had the heart of a killer. The photo shows Lem handcuffed and in civilian clothing, but he was operating a death squad that had killed 34 that same day. He allegedly took out seven police officers, multiple members of their families, and even a few Americans. Each victim was bound by their wrists and shot in the back of the head, execution style. Because he wasn't wearing the outfit of a solider this put him in a bad scenario. As a person committing war crimes he was in a bad way, especially with General Loan coming after him. Not only had he carried out a gruesome act, but he was eligible for immediate execution.

Wikipedia notes that maybe this didn't happen the way these facts say it happened. A leftist professor quoted on Wikipedia said:

In 2018, author Max Hastings detailed the allegations against Lem, adding that American historian Ed Moise "is convinced that the entire story of Lem murdering the Tuan family is a post-war invention" and that "The truth will never be known."

Now that revisionist history is falling apart.

The Daily Mail found an admiral in the U.S. Navy, who was a tiny sole survivor of that massacre.

He was a little Vietnamese boy at the time who watched as this psychopath shot civilian after civilian including his entire family. He survived by playing dead and eventually made his way to America to becomee an American citizen, joining the U.S. Navy, and rising to the rank of admiral.

According to the Mail:

Bay Lop, the subject in the photo, had been executed in Saigon after carrying out the mass murder of Huan Nguyen's father  South Vietnamese Lt. Col. Nguyen Tuan, along with the officer's wife, mother, and six of his children, five boys and one girl. Huan Nguyen, managed to survive despite being shot three times through the arm, thigh, and skull. The youngster stayed with his mother's dead body for two hours following the cold-blooded murder according to Military.com. When night fell, Nguyen then escaped managing to avoid the communist guerrillas, and went to live with his uncle, a colonel in the South Vietnamese Air Force.

There's no disputing the facts of what happened to him, which pretty well puts paid to the nutty leftist professor's claims, and there's no excusing the behavior of the anti-war left, which used this child's family's murder to sell the first great bug-out of America on its allies for the purpose of spreading communism. The press, which acted pretty much in the same dishonest manner as it does today, was amazingly dishonest in its presentation of its "narrative," particularly at the editorial level.

Now we learn that a brave survivor exists from that terrible incident, and the badness of America suddenly wasn't so bad. The bad guy, in fact, was the communist Viet Cong "captain" who was a mass murderer not at all different from the Las Vegas spray shooter.

It's amazing what the press got away with on that one. And it serves as a reminder that pictures can be distorted and manipulated without context, without even Photoshop. While the photographer, Eddie Adams, was blameless, as he was just doing his job, the way the photo was presented, by broadcasters and newspaper editors, was not. This is one sorry incident that the left got away with. They showered their Pulitzers and watched the protests begin. One only wonders what the little kid who survived the massacre to become an admiral must have thought. Now that it's out that he survived this psychopath, his life is living testimony to that reality.

Image: Associated Press via Wikipedia, public domain.
One of the most admirable things about Donald Trump is that he has a fast learning curve. Hell try out something and, if it fails, hell adaptalthough, sadly, he wasnt fast enough to adapt to the Deep State, while his misplaced respect for Fauci ultimately did him inbut thats the past. The present is that, having learned that people didnt like his juvenile attacks on DeSantis, Trump pivoted and focused once again on the American people. Conservatives are eating it up, and leftists are panicking.

Trumps turnaround began when he went to East Palestine and focused on the Biden governments failures and the American people instead of sniping at potential primary challengers. Then, when Trump, who has not aged a single minute since 2016, spoke at CPAC, he focused on what Americans want after two years of Bidens destructive policies. Based on a summary his own team put out, Trump promised a lot of conservative wish-list items, including the following:

Image: Donald Trump at CPAC. YouTube screen grab.

Stopping the Deep State

Stopping the Ukraine war and ending the reign of warmongers

Stopping the globalist agenda

Ending the perpetual political class

Becoming independent from China

Securing the border, evicting illegal aliens, and destroying the cartels to stop the flow of illicit drugs

Driving Critical Race Theory and DEI from Americas institutions

Restoring the rule of law

Stamping out homelessness

Championing parents rights

Protecting womens sports

Making elections honest

Those promises hit all the right notes for genuine conservatives.

In the past week or so, Trumps popularity has started to soar. A CPAC straw poll saw Trump receive 62% of the votes versus Ron DeSantiss 22%--although, to give DeSantis his due, he chose not to attend CPAC, so he wasnt there to get the attendees excited.

Perhaps more significantly than that straw poll, a YouGov poll showed that, in a survey asking Hispanic voters to choose between Trump and DeSantis, Trump won by 67% to 20%. The difference is striking, considering how popular DeSantis is in his home state, and what a large Hispanic population Florida has.

Its early days yet, so none of what were seeing is usefully predictive for the primaries or the ultimate 2024 election. However, Trumps resurrection from the ashes was enough to trigger Democrats. My favorite trigger moment was the completely bat-fecal-matter crazy screed from Lindy Li, an Asian woman who is the Womens Co-Chair and Mid-Atlantic Regional Chair for the DNC.

Lis rant was directed against CPAC generally, but it ended with a manic, hysterical blow against Trump himself (emphasis mine; hyperlinks omitted):

Speaking to host Yasmin Vossoughian, Li began the segment fighting back against what she saw as conservatives such as Nikki Haley calling the Democrats woke. Lets be clear what anti-woke means. Its anti-black, Li, who served on the Asian American outreach team for President Joe Bidens 2020 campaign, said. And I think people are very reluctant to say it, but I dont mince any words, and thats the truth. Thats their way of, you know, sounding the dog whistle without being extremely explicit, she added. Li also called Haley, the former ambassador to the United Nations and Governor of South Carolina, cringeworthy and a total sell-out. She then went after what she felt were the faults of the Republicans speaking at the annual conservative conference. Li then gave her summary of the annual event put on by the ACU. Lets also not ignore the fact that CPAC has become a gathering of sexual predators. Lets be honest, Li said, referencing the investigation into Representative Matt Gaetz - which did not lead to charges - and accusations of inappropriate behavior by Representative Jim Jordan and organizer Matt Schlapp. She then went further into a tirade, referring to Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene as an adulteress and complaining that Representative Lauren Boebert brags about carrying a Glock. Finally, she said: Tonight, we have Trump, a serial rapist.

Li, incidentally, is proud of her tirade:

I dropped some truth bombs about the (alleged) sexual predators at CPAC and what "anti-woke" really means



It may not be pretty but this is the unvarnished truth



Please share widely



Huge thanks to @yasminv @YasminMSNBC for having me on! Warm shoutout to my friend @only1deja_ pic.twitter.com/AMdjt00t8r  Lindy Li (@lindyli) March 4, 2023

The opinions Li states are hers alone, and shes entitled to them, no matter how wacky they are. But facts are stubborn things, and there is no evidence that Trump is a rapist, let alone a serial rapist. None of the allegations against him have proven to have merit. An honest analysis of the Access Hollywood tape shows how the media lied about it. Likewise, the other women claiming sexual assault were Hillary fanatics and vanished when that fact was raised. And for now, E. Jean Carrolls allegations must be viewed with suspicion, given that she cant even remember when the alleged sexual assault happened.

Lis contention that Trump is a serial rapist is scandalous defamation. However, thanks to the Supreme Court, Li will get away with it because hes a public figure.

Whats most interesting, though, is the tone of hysteria behind Lis accusations. Shes worried, and thats how we like it when it comes to Democrats heading into the 2024 election.
Phil Washington, once the CEO of Denver International Airport, is President Joe Biden's choice to lead the Federal Aviation Administration.

According to Fox News, Washington had initially failed to advance last year after concerns about his limited experience in the aviation industry were put forth. We found out why some had misgivings during his recent Senate confirmation hearings.

Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.), a licensed pilot, had seven questions for Washington that one would expect an FAA administrator to know. Instead, Washington managed to go 0 for 7. (The clip of his ubiquitous ignorance has gone viral.)

The first of these queries concerned what airspace requires the use of an ADS-B transponder. These devices are typically combined with a GPS, in order to transmit highly accurate positional information to ground controllers and other aircraft. These "ADS-B Out" transmissions are more accurate than conventional radar surveillance, thereby affording air traffic controllers the potential to reduce the required separation distance between aircraft that are so equipped.

Washington was unfamiliar with this important device  and the use thereof.

Sen. Budd then asked: "What are the six types of special use airspace that protect ... national security that appear on FAA charts?"

Washington replied: "Sorry, Senator, I cannot answer that question."

Sen. Budd: "What are the operational limitations of a pilot flying under BasicMed?"

Washington: "Senator, I'm not a pilot, so..."

(BasicMed is a program that allows pilots to fly without a medical certificate, provided they fly only certain kinds of planes with limited weight, size, number of passengers, etc.)

Budd then noted that Washington would be overseeing the Federal Aviation Administration and re-queried him: "So any idea what those restrictions are under BasicMed?"

Washington responded, "Well, some of the restrictions, I think, would be high blood pressure, some of them would be "

...at which point Budd cut him off, saying, "It's more like how many passengers per airplane, how many pounds in different categories and what altitude you can fly under. It doesn't have anything to do with blood pressure."

Budd proceeded to ask Washington if he had any idea what causes a plane to spin or stall.

Washington did not.

He was then asked if he knew the three types of certifications the FAA requires as part of aircraft manufacturing.

Unsurprisingly at this point, he answered, "No."

(They are type certificate, production certificate, and airworthiness certificate, if you're playing along at home.)

Senator Budd  in a seemingly unwarranted fit of optimism  then stated, "Let's just keep going and see if we can get lucky here," before asking the final two questions.

They didn't get lucky, as Washington couldn't answer either of those queries, either. As you probably guessed.

We cannot be sure if Washington would have been able to successfully answer other, simpler aviation-related questions, such as "Where is the cockpit placed on a typical airplane?" or "What does an air traffic controller do?" Perhaps Washington would have fared better if the questions were, "Can you name two major American airlines?" or "What do we call the person who flies a plane?" Or perhaps not.

George Washington would have had better answers, and the airplane wasn't invented until 104 years after he passed away.

Kamala Harris as vice president, Pete Buttigieg as transportation secretary? And now Biden nominates Phil Washington to head the FAA? How will he top this if, God forbid, he wins re-election in 2024? Will he nominate Joy Behar to be secretary of state, Rob Reiner to head Housing and Urban Development, Lori Lightfoot to be ambassador to Ukraine, and the Pillsbury Doughboy to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services?

Due to the Brandon Biden administration's policies, air travel is sadly becoming ever more fraught with danger. Moreover, one could accurately characterize the entire administration's reign to this point as a virtual  and literal  train wreck.

Image: FAA
A hallmark of totalitarianism is that its never your money; its always the governments money, although the government can be kind enough to let you have it. Certainly, Canadian truckers were reminded of that last year when Trudeau had their bank accounts frozen without any due process. And here in America, leftists repeatedly confuse taxpayer money with government money. In China, the government makes no pretenses about its right to all money within its borders, as investor Mark Mobius discovered when he tried to withdraw his investments from Shanghai.

Mobius appeared on Fox Business last week to explain how the Chinese were putting essentially insuperable barriers in place to block him from withdrawing his funds:

Renowned investor Mark Mobius says he cant get his money out of Shanghai.



As a foreigner in China, we all know that you cant move money easily and you need to keep all the tax records if you want to wire money abroad.



I am actually surprised he has an account here. pic.twitter.com/uoSIGVpEFC  Marco Castelli (@macastel3) March 4, 2023

Im personally affected because I have an account with HSBC in Shanghai. I cant get my money out. The government is restricting the flow of money out of the country. So I would be very, very careful investing in China. [snip] Its just amazing. Theyre putting all kinds of barriers They don't say, No, you cant get your money out, but they say, Give us all the records from 20 years of how youve made this money, and so forth. Its crazy.

I dont doubt Mobiuss facts, but I do disagree with him as to one essential. He says, Its crazy, but its not crazy at all.

Under Xi Jinping, China is engaged in a massive, put all your money on one color gamble. Currently, the Chinese economy is still struggling both because of COVID and because Xi has vastly overextended it.

Image: Chinese ghost city. YouTube screen grab (cropped).

However, if Xi can use what money he has, including foreign investor money. to wipe out the American economy while building up his own military to a point at which no one has the courage to take him on, hes won. China will be cash poor, but it will have attained sufficient power that, at least in the short term (with short term measured in decades, not months or years), he will control the worlds economy.

As Xi knows, you dont necessarily have to raise yourself up as long as you can push everyone else down or destroy them completely. Xi may even be inspired by Americas success after WWII.

America ended WWII with massive debt. However, because the war never touched her soil, her industries were in place, and every other country was a shambles, she had room for almost thirty years of relatively uninterrupted economic growth. Given that Chinas past growth was based on a government-controlled economy and trade theft, it probably wont be the same, but all that matters is that its good enough.
HANOI, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Coffee exports from Vietnam, the world's largest robusta beans supplier, is forecast to fall in 2022/23 due to a drop in the planting area and shrinking stockpiles, local newspaper Vietnam News reported on Monday.

Vietnam is forecast to harvest 1.47 million tons of coffee beans from its 2022/23 crop, down between 10 and 15 percent from the previous crop year as coffee farmers were shifting to other profitable fruit trees, said Do Ha Nam, chairman of the Intimex Group and deputy head of the Vietnam Coffee and Cocoa Association.

Vietnam, which stands only behind Brazil in terms of global coffee production, has also seen its hoard of coffee beans shrinking, said the chairman of the Intimex, a state-owned company partly focusing on agricultural product processing and export, and predicted a decline in the country's annual export volume.

Vietnam has maintained a coffee stockpile to prevent prices from plummeting once a new crop reaches the market. Under the government's approval of domestic stockpiling, coffee exporters buy a certain amount of coffee beans and keep them out of market circulation for a period of time.

The country's coffee shipments in January and February stood at 323,000 tons, down 13.1 percent from a year earlier, according to the General Statistics Office.

Coffee export revenue for the same period reached 703 million U.S. dollars, down 14.6 percent year on year, data showed.

Experts said that to maintain consistent increases in productivity and value, Vietnam would have to re-map growing areas, apply advances in mechanization and irrigation technology, and improve selective crop breeding techniques.

Vietnam aims to achieve 6 billion U.S. dollars in coffee exports by 2030. Last year, it earned a record high of 3.9 billion U.S. dollars from exporting 1.7 million tons, data showed.

The Southeast Asian country's coffee farming covers lands of an estimated 600,000 hectares. Its largest coffee-growing area in the Central Highlands accounts for about 90 percent of the total output. 
It's been almost a year since Will Smith walked up the stage at the 94th Oscar Awards and slapped comedian Chris Rock in the face in response to an innocuous joke that Rock had made about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith.

After subjecting Rock to violence, Smith returned to his seat, where he began bellowing obscenities at an understandably shaken Rock.

It was a disgraceful display by Smith and a much worse display by the luminaries of Hollywood, who cannot stop telling others how to lead their lives.

The "stars" remained, looking befuddled and unsure how to react. Perhaps they feared being called racist if they immediately condemned Smith.

Perhaps they felt that confronting Smith, who is rich, powerful, and connected, would hurt their careers. Hollywood had also remained silent over Harvey Weinstein's predatory behavior when he was a powerful presence in Hollywood.

Perhaps they are so accustomed to following diktats about the latest groupthink or acting in their self-interest that they have forgotten how to react like humans.

Smith should have been forced to leave by the security team, but instead, many of Smith's colleagues in the auditorium surrounded him and appeared to console him. Yes, they were consoling the perpetrator.

Smith ended up winning the Oscar for Best Actor.

During his acceptance speech, Smith tried to portray himself as a victim.

Smith claimed that he had unknowingly emulated the title character of King Richard (2021) for which he won the award, by being a fierce defender of his family. He used everyone from his family to his young costars as crutches to peddle his narrative. He concluded by claiming that "love will make you do crazy things" and proceed to apologize to everyone but the actual victim, Chris Rock.

Smith should have been stripped of his Oscar and banned from the Academy and all future ceremonies. He should have faced consequences from the law for his violence. But nothing of the kind happened.

The Academy issued a perfunctory condemnation of violence without actually naming him.

The Academy does not condone violence of any form.



Tonight we are delighted to celebrate our 94th Academy Awards winners, who deserve this moment of recognition from their peers and movie lovers around the world.  The Academy (@TheAcademy) March 28, 2022

Since then, few in Hollywood have condemned Smith.

This was damaging for Rock, through no fault of his own.

He was a target of violence that was broadcast all over the world. Millions saw him being slapped, many more than those who saw him being funny on stage. Rock will probably be remembered by many as the "gent who was struck by Will Smith." The slap has become an instant meme, which once again ensures that nobody forgets about it.

Apart from physically hurting Rock, Smith had attempted to humiliate Rock.

Considering the current climate, where victimhood sells more than achievement, Rock could have used his situation to his advantage.

He could have appeared on every available forum and claimed to have been irrevocably traumatized. He could have shed tears and invoked his children. He could have written a book about the incident or aligned himself with groups that advocate against violence. He could have made it about race. He could have been sanctimonious, whiny, and preachy.

There were myriad ways for Rock to use the incident to gain pecuniarily.

But that didn't happen.

Rock was praised for maintaining his composure immediately after the incident. He remained dignified in his silence for almost a year and continued doing what he does best: being funny in his act.

It is said that when the right words are expressed at the right time and in the right place, things work like magic.

Chris Rock's moment of magic was during Netflix's first live stand-up special, called Selective Outrage, which was also his first major special since the incident occurred.

It is also said that repressed angst fuels great comedy. That is exactly what happened at Rock's comedy special that streamed a few days back.

Rock began by saying he was "going to try to do the show without offending anyone" but, in a nod to Will Smith, added, "because you never know who might get triggered."

In the next hour, Rock went on to tackle a number of different topics, such as Meghan and Harry Markle, addiction, abortion, racism, and wokery.

Rock also delivered what people were waiting for.

He hilariously  and occasionally furiously  reflected on the assault and roasted Smith. It was like Rock undergoing personal catharsis occurring on stage.

Rock reminded his audience how Will and Jada publicly shared that she had cheated on him with one of their son's friends. Rock enumerated all those who ridiculed Smith for airing his dirty laundry, from the hosts of The View to well known rappers.

Warning: The following clip contains strong language:

Chris Rock just slapped Will Smith the right way on stage. pic.twitter.com/eHAWXQlIso  Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) March 5, 2023

Rock acknowledged that Smith has "made some great movies" and added that he had "rooted for Will Smith" all his life. He then quipped that "he was rooting for the slavemaster who beats Smith's character in his latest movie 'Emancipation.'"

Expect some to be "outraged" over this comment.

Rock joked that those who claim that "words hurt" "have never been punched in the face."

In the concluding moments of the special, he said, "You all know what happened to me, getting smacked ... and people are like, 'Did it hurt?' It still hurts! I got 'Summertime' ringing in my ear!" ( "Summertime" is the1991 hit track that featured Smith.)

In a nod to the show's title, Rock opined that Smith practiced "selective outrage" and that the slap had more to do with Smith's and Jada's relationship struggles than his joke.

But the comedian made it amply clear that he isn't the victim, quipping, "You'll never see me on Oprah or Gayle crying."

Social media lit up with reactions to the event.

Chris Rock showed everyone how to deal with setbacks. You do not react with your gut when you are upset, and you don't wallow in self-pity or claim victimhood after that. You wait for the right moment, then strike back and do it with humor.

What about those who claim that Rock is profiting via his Netflix special, and hence he is not at all different from those who use victimhood for profitable gain?

If Rock suddenly became an activist to profit from his assault, that would merit ridicule.

But instead, he continued to do what he always does, finding humor in his life experiences. Only this time, his experience was viewed by millions globally.

Stand-up comedians are known to base their acts on their life experiences, particularly moments of personal embarrassment and humiliation.

Rock has frequently reflected on his life and his family. His latest special is not different.

Rock's reflections on his assault may be the focus of his show, but the assault is just one of the topics he deals with in his special.

If Rock happens to reap higher profits than usual from this venture because of the unwanted attention after the assault, well, he deserves it. It may serve as some small form of compensation.

Rock deserves to be celebrated for showing everyone how to deal with setbacks with grace.

Chris Rock commendably chose to be identified as a comedian rather than profit from victimhood.

Image: Twitter video screen shot with minor editing.
Good morning  and go on with the pursuit of happiness, because former Maryland governor Larry Hogan is not running for president. To paraphrase the late Del Shannon: "Hats off to Larry, he broke your heart / Just like you broke mine / When you said we must part..." Yes, it's tough when they say no, isn't it?

Governor Hogan is not running, and here is the story:

Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan will not seek the GOP presidential nomination in 2024, he said Sunday. "I did give it serious consideration, and I talked to people everywhere, and I talked to my family and it was a tough decision, but I've decided that I will not be a candidate for the Republican nomination for president," Hogan told CBS' Robert Costa during an interview on "Face the Nation."



YouTube screen grab.

The reality is that Mr. Hogan never had a chance for a place on the ticket or even turning into the Spiro Agnew of 2024. Back in 1968, GOP presidential candidate Richard Nixon shocked the world by picking Governor Agnew of Maryland as his running mate. It did not work well in 1968, when Maryland voted for V.P. Humphrey, and it did not matter in 1972, when President Nixon carried 49 states.

Now many are saying that Mr. Hogan took one for the country. In other words, he wants to stay out so that you don't see a repeat of 2016, when it seemed that everybody was running for president. In other words, let's keep it down to a couple of candidates so that former president Trump does not win the nomination with 30% of the primary vote.

My guess is that Mr. Hogan would have been a single-digit candidate at best and would have dropped out early. Hogan had no message or ideas on a stage dominated by the likes of Trump, DeSantis, or even a Youngkin. Hogan's hands were tied by a partisan Democrat Legislature, from bad public schools to crime in Baltimore.

So good luck to Mr. Hogan. It's a shame that he did not run for the U.S. Senate and give the GOP a chance to win that seat.

PS: Check out my blog for posts, podcasts, and videos.
I am just back from a bucket list trip to India (with a stopover in Istanbul on the way home), and while I am far from an expert on this vast, complex, and highly diverse country, I want to offer a few observations in this and in some other forthcoming blog posts.

India is to host the G20 summit of the leaders of the 20 largest-GDP countries in New Delhi next September and is very proud of this honor. This fact was immediately and pervasively evident to a foreign visitor after disembarking an airplane.

The five cities that I visited (New Delhi, Agra, Goa, Mumbai, and Kochi) were all full of posters touting the meeting that is still half a year away, all of them featuring the P.M., Narendra Modi. This was not just one or two among other posters that might be plastered somewhere, but ubiquitous, not just along the streets, but pretty much everywhere a poster might be found, including on airport video screens. And the posters mostly touted Modi as the dear leader who had brought India to this elevated status of leadership.

Video posters of Modi at Goa Airport



Modi G20 poster in Mumbai, which is not hosting the G20 summit but is hosting other officials.



Modi's face above ticket vending machines in Mumbai's biggest railroad station.



Modi poster on the seat back of a domestic airline flight.



Modi on a traffic circle.

These are but a small sample. Many streets were lined with posters with Modi and the G20 featured.

From what I can tell, Modi is very popular, and his BJP party is polling to win a landslide in an upcoming state election. He seems pretty conservative, and I recall that President Trump hosted him at a "Howdy, Modi" rodeo celebration in Houston, attended by tens of thousands of Indian-Americans. Everyone I spoke to in India, admittedly a non-representative sample of English-speaking people in roles exposing them to foreigners, liked him to one degree or another. Right now, he is buying Russian oil and playing off Russia against the U.S., now that Biden has squandered the goodwill Trump built. India is a critical counterweight to China, and it is a representative democracy, so whatever the current political winds, our two nations ought to be friends.

His economic reforms appear to have taken effect and pushed India's expected economic growth into the 7-percent range for this year. So there is a lot to like.

Maybe he is just doing what is necessary, but I found it disconcerting to see this level of propaganda so pervasive. On the other hand, look at the COVID propaganda that we've endured in the United States. But at least we don't have to see Joe Biden's mug everywhere.
"I will not plead guilty to crimes I didn't commit."

Dr. Mary Talley Bowden

Medical tyranny has reared its ugly head in the Lone Star State. The Texas Minute has reported that the Texas Medical Board is aiming to cancel the medical license of Dr. Mary Talley Bowden for using ivermectin off-label to cure over 5,000 patients of COVID, even though, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, "[t]his practice is legal and common. In fact, one in five prescriptions written today are for off-label use."

Bowden  who graduated from the Medical College of Georgia in 1998 and completed her medical residency at Stanford University in 2003  has practiced medicine without incident for two decades. Then COVID-19 changed everything. Doctors began to seek antivirals with a proven track record of safety to help their patients. Medical trailblazers, such as the late Dr. Vladimir Zelenko, started prescribing hydroxychloroquine (AKA HCQ) and ivermectin to their patients, with life-saving results.

After President Trump sang the praises of HCQ, the media began a smear campaign against the drug (and, later, against ivermectin as well, calling it "horse paste"). According to Dr. Simone Gold, "[o]n March 20, a day after Trump mentioned the drug, Dr. Anthony Fauci ... answered 'no' when asked if he thought HCQ had promise. ... Never mind that the treatment's safe and effective use has been voluminously documented." Dr. Zelenko's medical protocol of "hydroxychloroquine, the popular antibiotic azithromycin, and zinc sulfate  along with other combinations of drugs, such as ivermectin  has been adopted by more than 1,000 physicians around the world, including America's Frontline Doctors," a group with which Dr. Bowden is participating in a lawsuit against the Food and Drug Administration's "aggressive (and likely illegal) anti-ivermectin propaganda campaign."

When Dr. Bowden recommended treating the ventilator-dependent Sheriff's Deputy Jason Jones with ivermectin, his family concurred. The hospital, however, refused to give Jones the life-saving therapeutic, so Jones's wife gave him the ivermectin on her own initiative. Soli Rice reports, "The law enforcement officer, who had been in a medically induced coma and living on a ventilator for more than two months, has since recovered." Nevertheless, two Texas hospitals, Houston Methodist Hospital and Texas Health Huguley Hospital, have complained to the Texas Medical Board about Bowden's prescribing of ivermectin  even though not one patient has been harmed by her treatment, and at least one has been brought back from Death's door. In response to the hospitals' complaints, the Texas Medical Board is now threatening to revoke Dr. Bowden's medical license.

Michael Quinn Sullivan reports that "the Texas Medical Board offered [Dr. Bowden] a settlement: admit guilt, pay a $5,000 fine, take eight hours of Continuing Medical Education and a jurisprudence exam." Bowden, however, refuses to settle, defying the medical board with righteous indignation: "I will not plead guilty to crimes I didn't commit."

Says Bowden, "I've never lost a [COVID] patient that has had early treatment. I believe in what I'm doing." The safety of ivermectin in treating patients has become so well established that, in the State of Tennessee, ivermectin is already available over the counter. And there is now a website where the antiviral therapeutic can be purchased for delivery by mail. Becker's Hospital Review has reported the following:

More than half of all U.S. states have proposed or passed legislation designed to promote access to ivermectin, according to data from the Federation of State Medical Boards. Twenty-eight states have bills that would either restrict medical boards' authority to discipline clinicians who prescribe the unproven COVID-19 treatment, allow off-label use of the medication or both. Many of these states are concentrated in the Midwest and Southeast.

As a solid consensus about ivermectin's medical benefits begins to crystallize, perhaps it is time for the Texas Medical Board to get a clue.

Paul Dowling has authored a book about the Constitution and writes articles for American Thinker, Independent Sentinel, Godfather Politics, Eagle Rising, and Free Thought Matters.

Image credit: Facebook.
Eliza Bennet, said Miss Bingley, when the door was closed on her, is one of those young ladies who seek to recommend themselves to the other sex by undervaluing their own; and with many men, I daresay, it succeeds; but, in my opinion, it is a paltry device, a very mean art.Jane Austin, Pride and Prejudice .

Is it a paltry device for me to say women are destroying Americas colleges and universities? I dont think so. I think its an objective fact that theres a direct connection between the way American academia is falling off the leftist cliff (wokism, antisemitism, anti-white racism, anti-male sexism, and obsessions with transgenderism, White Privilege, critical race theory, etc.) and the rise of women in academia. While some may argue about that, theres no doubt that women now dominate academia as both faculty and students and that they are the most fanatic members of the far left.

Here are the pivotal facts about leftist women:

Image: College graduate by freepik.

First, college-educated women are the most devoted Democrat demographic.

Second. women far outnumber men both in college enrollment and college graduation.

Third, according to Heather Mac Donald, all American colleges have become feminized, not just among students, but among faculty members:

Seventy-five percent of Ivy League presidents are now female. Nearly half of the 20 universities ranked highest by Forbes will have a female president this fall, including MIT, Harvard, and Columbia. Of course, feminist bean-counters in the media and advocacy world are not impressed, noting that only 5 percent of the 130 top U.S. research universities are headed by a black female and only 22 percent of those federal grant-magnets have a non-intersectional (i.e., white) female head. These female leaders emerge from an ever more female campus bureaucracy, whose size is reaching parity with the faculty. Females made up 66 percent of college administrators in 2021; those administrators constitute an essential force in campus diversity ideology, whether they have diversity in their job titles or not. [snip] Mirroring the feminization of the bureaucracy is the feminization of the student body. Females earned 58 percent of all B.A.s in the 20192020 academic year; if present trends continue, they will soon constitute two-thirds of all B.A.s. At least 60 percent of all masters degrees, and 54 percent of all Ph.D.s, now go to females.

Fourth, on campuses, woke faculty fanaticism is most prevalent amongstyou guessed it, female faculty members. Social Science Research Services conducted a survey of faculty and student tolerance for non-woke ideas from guest speakers. The female faculty members were significantly less tolerant than the males (footnotes omitted):

Some notable gender differences emerged. First, in all cases, male faculty, compared to their female counterparts, were significantly more likely to say that the administration should defend the professors free speech rights after a controversy. This was also the case when the response option presented was instead take no action of any kind. Third, when asked about how the administration should handle several white male professors or several professors refusing diversity training, female faculty were more likely to say that the professors should be removed from the classroom until they comply. [snip] Female faculty members, compared to males, were more likely to oppose allowing all four speakers on campus. They were similarly more likely to say that students shouting down a speaker is acceptable, to at least some degree, than were male faculty members (49% never acceptable, compared to 61%). [snip] Significantly more female than male faculty favored protecting against hate speech even if this restricts speech not intended to be hateful (19% of females, 8% of males), as well as restricting speech only where words are intended to be hateful (38% of females, 29% of males). Meanwhile, significantly more male than female faculty supported restricting speech only where words are certain to incite violence (62% of males, 42% of females). [snip] Specifically, significant gender differences surfaced: 61% of female faculty indicated they view DEI statements as a justifiable requirement while 61% of male faculty said that such statements are ideological litmus tests. [snip] Additionally, male faculty, compared to their female counterparts, were significantly more likely to say the administration should take no action of any kind regardless of whether they were asked about several professors who refused DEI training (53% vs. 33%) or several White male professors who did the same thing (49% vs. 31%).

So, you have the evidence. Am I engaging in a paltry device by running down my own sex, or is there a serious problem in American academia now that women, who are proving to be much more totalitarian than their male counterparts, have taken over, both as faculty and students?
El Salvador doesn't have much of a death penalty.

According to Amnesty International:

The death penalty was abolished in El Salvador in 1983 for all but exceptional crimes. Under article 27 of the 1983 Constitution it can only be imposed during times of international war on those convicted of certain offences defined in the Military Code, such as treason, desertion, espionage and sedition.

They have a lot of laws like that, all Sorosy and Western European on the human rights front, with one right after another for criminals, who get let off either by the laws or through corruption. So now they have a lot of killers. El Salvador is home to the MS-13 and Calle 18 gangs who are closely allied with Mexico's cartels and America's prison gangs, and they're all criminals, including killers. With no fear of the death penalty, or any rule of law, for that matter, they've proliferated.

Just one problem, though: The public got tired of this, and the reaction in that country wasn't vigilantism, but rough justice. President Nayib Bukele, a loose cannon of a president, built a gargantuan mega-prison to shut the crime down.

It was crude and brutal, with huge sweeps of criminals off the streets, and according to reports, some innocent people were lumped in and swept up with the violent thugs and thrown with them into the can.

The Daily Mail ran a photo spread showing just how hideous and dehumanizing the prison is.

Last February, the Guardian even reported that whatever its other problems, it seemed to be working:

Even staunch government critics such as the trailblazing news outlet El Faro have conceded that Bukele's crackdown  which has seen more than 64,000 people jailed and dramatically slashed the murder rate  has produced "extraordinary change" for Salvadorans, albeit at a huge cost for democracy and human rights. Thousands of innocent people are believed to have been arrested since the offensive began  some simply for "resembling" criminals or after anonymous tipoffs  while more than 100 have died behind bars. "The dismantling of gangs has enormous life-changing potential for the country," El Faro reported recently after documenting the groups' apparent dissolution in a detailed 5,000-word investigation. "They have ruined the gangs as you knew them," one senior gang boss declared.

That is fitting, given the scope of the crimes these gangs have committed  killing random people to prove their bona fides to the gang in gang initiations. Killing people for not ratting out their friends. Killing people randomly or for ransom or shakedowns. The kinds of crimes committed by these gangs is beyond the ken of most Americans living in a country with rule of law.

Now the Mail is reporting that the gargantuan prison is a death trap:

El Salvador's new mega prison is already packed with bitter rivals from two of North and Central America's most feared gangs  MS-13 and Calle 18  with history showing their foot soldiers will take any opportunity to kill their enemies. Life in the vast CECOT 'Terrorism Confinement Centre' complex  which opened only in January  is dire, with rights groups already comparing it to a concentration camp. More than 100 inmates share a cell, each of which has just two toilets. All are given a little under one-metre squared to live and sleep. They have no mattresses, no outdoor spaces, and they are regularly beaten, abused and exploited.

It seems ready made for some kind of mass death event, given the constraints of the prisons, the volatile and morality-free nature of the convicts, and the crowded conditions. At a minimum, it's bound to make them meaner and angrier if and when they get let out.

But more likely, it's a disguised death penalty. Throwing vicious rival gang members together in close quarters in inhuman meat-packing conditions like a rat king with the tails tied together is almost certain to trigger a vicious gang battle where the gangs will kill each other. That certainly would leave the same result as the death penalty. Given the setup seen now, it seems so inevitable that one wonders if it may have been the idea in the first place. The state has no power to execute the worst of the killers, so it throws them all in together and lets them have at it, even with potentially innocent people swept into the mass, to ensure that most get eliminated. Survival of the fittest, or law of the jungle, becomes the actual law because they don't have any other tools for getting rid of the worst of them.

The Mail doesn't bring it up, but illegal aliens I know have told me that big prisons like that in Latin America tend to catch fire for "unknown" reasons, leaving huge numbers of casualties, too. "That's how they get rid of them," a Honduran maid once told me, noting this famous Honduran prison fire. I've also seen recent instances in Venezuela and even Chile, which may be this dynamic. That may be another scenario for a proxy death penalty plan by the state for the unexecutable convicts.

It's the bad reaction that follows from namby-pamby "humanitarian" laws that don't permit the state to get rid of its most monstrous people. The bad guys proliferate, the ordinary people get the death penalty in the random gangland street killings, and then whoever is in the prison at the wrong place and time gets the death penalty as well when the place catches fire or the gangs go at it.

We've seen this reaction dynamic to ineffective "human rights" and global standards interpretations of the law  in the Philippines and Thailand and other places where the state can play fast and loose with the remaining law to cut down on crime. It's a natural reaction, pretty equivalent to vigilantism, which has happened in other lawless places.

The bottom line here is that if there isn't a legitimate death penalty, there will be this kind of a death penalty  there will be a death penalty one way or another, and this prison setup for it is far more crude and unfair than the rule of law kind.

Image:
On January 22, 1981, a 38-year-old industrial radiographer named Douglas Crofut was admitted to a hospital in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, the United States, with serious burns on his chest. His sister, who brought him to the hospital, suspected that the burns might have been caused by radiationCrofut being a radiographer who routinely worked with high radiation sources.

Doctors confirmed her suspicion and determined that the patient had suffered a massive exposure from an unknown source of radiation. Because the hospital was not equipped to deal with severe radiation burns, Crofut was transferred to the St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa.

An industrial radiography device using iridium-192, the type that was suspected of causing burns to Douglas Crofut. Photo: www.applus.com

When Crofut was first brought in, the left side of his chest was completely burned away. There was no signs of his left nipple, and his left arm was raw and bleeding. His upper torso was also badly damaged. Shortly after his transfer to Tulsa, Crofuts conditions improved and for a while it appeared that the patient might pull off a miraculous recovery. His doctors even considered the possibilities of conducting skin grafts. But then, Crofuts wounds began to worsen and by May, radiation injuries had destroyed his bone marrow and ate deep into his body like a cancer.

Crofut died on June 1, 1981. Following his death, Crofut's attorney, Richard Gibbons, described the radiation burns as grotesque and painful.

The area that I looked at was the left side of his chest and it was the most of the left side from his belt line up above his breast. The meat was just completely eaten out and gone for a depth of at least 2 inches, Gibbons said.

Gibbons said the radiation burns kept growing, eating away until it got to a vital organ -- probably his heart. The man was in such obvious pain.

Douglas Crofut

While Crofut was undergoing treatment, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission was trying to crack the puzzling question: how did Crofut come into contact with such a powerful source of radiation?

Crofut was an industrial radiographer who worked with the oil industry to examine joints and welds in the pipeline for possible leaks. Crofut used a portable X-ray-type machine to shoot high energy gamma rays through the welds, just like medical radiologists shoot X-rays through the human body, to obtain a picture of the weld. The picture helped engineers determine whether there is any flaw in the metal.

Related: Demon Core: How The Third Nuclear Bomb Destined For Japan Killed a Bunch of American Scientists

The machine that radiographers like Crofut used contained a powerful source of radiation, either iridium-192 or cobalt-60. The radioactive module was slightly less than an inch long and about as wide as a pencil. NRC investigators determined that Crofuts condition was likely caused by such a source. Officials were concerned that if a rogue piece of radioactive iridium or cobalt was at loose, it might cause harm to others. Crofuts sister and his ex-wife were tested, but none showed any signs of radiation poisoning.

An industrial radiography device being deployed in the field. Photo: GAO

The NRC also determined that Crofut's injuries were consistent with radiation exposure occurring between December 15, 1980, and January 10, 1981. These dates were important, for it soon came to light that on December 30, an industrial radiographic device was reported stolen from a locked truck in Henryetta, Oklahoma, only a half-mile away from Crofut's home. But who would steal a radioactive device? It had no personal use. It cannot be sold without raising suspicion, and it has no scrap value.

Less than a week after the theft, the stolen iridium-192 source mysteriously turned up on the back porch of another radiographer living in Crofut's neighborhood. Two weeks later, Crofut was admitted to a hospital with severe radiation burns.

Suspicions fell on Crofut, but he denied having any knowledge of the theft. The NRC investigation was eventually closed without drawing any conclusions. Shortly after, Crofut died.

Following Crofuts death, a number of NRC investigators and other officials started making allegation that the radioactive device was stolen by none other than Crofut himself with the intention of self-harm. Crofut was described by his neighbors as an alcoholic who was deeply in debt and had difficulty keeping a job. He was reported to have a record of sixteen arrests between 1974 and 1980, with most being liquor law violations. He had even tried to kill himself once by dousing his body with gasoline and attempting to light a fire, but was unsuccessful with the match. In another incident, Crofut was reported to have been found intoxicated, kneeling over a radiation-emitting device and exposing himself to hazardous rays.

Investigators speculated that Crofut, who had a working knowledge of the devices, stole the machine from a company truck, broke it open, removed the iridium capsule from its heavy lead shielding and placed it into his shirt pocket for at least five minutes, receiving what ultimately proved to be a fatal dosage of radiation. Crofut then carefully placed the lump of iridium-192 back into its protective jacket and placed it in the porch of his neighbor. If the allegations are true, it would make Douglas Crofut the first person in history to have deliberately irradiated himself with radiation. Whether Crofut did it intentionally to end his life or accidentally in a state of intoxication is unknown.

Crofuts attorney Richard Gibbons believed that Crofut was innocent of the theft and dismissed the suicide theory, stating that his client got exposed in his last workplace New Mexico. The last time Gibbons spoke to the media, he mentioned he was contemplating pursuing legal action.

References:

# Radiation source in death mystery, Gadsden Times - Jul 30, 1981

# NRC links death of man to radiation poisoning, The Des Moines Register - 30 Jul 1981

# Worker's Probably 'lethal Dose' Of Radiocactivity Is Under Inquiry, The NY Times

# The Nuclear Regulatory Commission Thursday attributed the agonizing death..., UPI
While Google is preparing Android 14 for a public release in August this year, its also developing Android 15 for the years ahead. The codename for Android 15 is now revealed, and its a dessert-themed codename with vanilla flavors.

It has become a tradition for Google to name Android versions after desserts and cakes, and Android 15 is no exception. According to XDA developers, Android 15 will be called Vanilla Ice Cream. Likewise, the codename for Android 14 was Upside Down Cake, and Android 13 was called Tiramisu.

This naming arrangement has no special meaning for users and companies. The reasons for this naming method are unknown. However, a Google spokesperson once said the company names the Android version after deserts because Android is powering over one billion smartphones, and these devices make our lives sweet. Regardless of the validity of this claim, Google said a few years ago that it would stop using desert names for Android products.

Android 15 will arrive sometime in 2024

Android 14 stable version will be out in the coming months, but Google is cooking up the 15th version for 2024. Yet, weve no clue what Android 15 looks like and what features it gets. However, we can expect conventional enhancements and a bunch of new features.

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There are two things that can make Android 15 a highly anticipated Android version for 2024. First is the in-built satellite communication features. This form of communication is getting more attention from companies, and OEMs like Samsung and Motorola are bringing it to their products. Apple took the initiative with iPhone 14, are more companies are following the trend.

The next thing for Android 15 could be AI-driven tools and features. Given the sharp expansion of AI among different industries and smartphone manufacturers, Android 15 can push the envelope with more AI features. Google recently introduced Bard to compete with ChatGPT, and YouTube is preparing AI tools for creators.
Last year, the Biden Administration launched the CHIPS Act to boost the US semiconductor industry and outcompete China in semiconductor manufacturing, making the US the premier destination for leading chip manufacturers. And as part of the act, the government launched the first round of funding worth $39 billion aimed at constructing, expanding, and modernizing commercial facilities.

However, according to a report from the Financial Times, companies looking to benefit from this funding must adhere to specific conditions, including restrictions on expanding production capacity in foreign countries of concern, such as China, for ten years.

Our goal is to make sure that the United States is the only country in the world where every company capable of producing leading-edge chips will be doing that in the United States at scale, said commerce secretary Gina Raimondo.

In addition to the ban on expanding fabs in China, CHIPS act recipients cannot knowingly engage in any joint research or technology licensing effort with a foreign entity of concern that involves sensitive products or technologies. This aims to prevent domestic firms from partnering with Chinese companies like Fords recent partnership with CATL.

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Ensuring appropriate use of funds

To ensure the funds are used aptly, the government will require companies to outline their plans for providing affordable childcare for workers if they apply for more than $150 million. The companies also cannot use the funds for share buybacks or dividend payments. Moreover, Raimondo also announced that companies will need to return some of the money they receive from the CHIPS Act to the government if they generate excess profits.

This is about investing in our national security, not enabling these companies to use our money to increase their profits. We need more people in the labour force. We right now lack affordable childcare, which is the single most significant factor keeping people, especially women, out of the labour force, said Raimondo.
Artists of Kunming National Song & Dance Theater perform during the China-Bangladesh Culture & Art Night in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 4, 2023.

The China-Bangladesh Culture & Art Night, organized by the Chinese embassy in Bangladesh, was presented by Kunming National Song & Dance Theater, with the support of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy or BSA (the Bangladeshi national academy of fine and performing arts). (Xinhua)

DHAKA, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen has stressed the need for more cultural exchanges between Bangladesh and China to strengthen people-to-people relations between the two countries.

Speaking at the China-Bangladesh Culture & Art Night which was held in Dhaka on Saturday night, the ambassador said cultural exchanges would strengthen cultural and people-to-people relationship between the two countries as well as bilateral ties.

The program, organized by the Chinese embassy in Bangladesh, was presented by Kunming National Song & Dance Theater, with the support of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy or BSA (the Bangladeshi national academy of fine and performing arts).

More than 500 people from all walks of life in Bangladesh, foreign missions in Dhaka and the Chinese community enjoyed the performance.

In his remarks, Yao underscored the significance of the event as the first non-virtual art performance presented by a Chinese art troupe in Bangladesh since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Friendship, which derives from close contact between the people, holds the key to sound state-to-state relations," he said, adding that the future of China-Bangladesh relations lies in deepening understanding and recognition of each others' cultures, promoting convergence and integration of people-to-people and cultural cooperation, and consolidating friendship between the two peoples.

There will be flights between China and Bangladesh on a daily basis from March, which serves a great opportunity to usher in more exchange visits of cultural, education and youth groups, Yao said.

Addressing the event as a chief guest, Md Abul Monsur, secretary of Bangladesh's Ministry of Cultural Affairs, said the two countries signed the MoU on the 2023-2027 Culture and Tourism Exchange Program last year, which sets up framework for cooperation in the relevant fields.

The first visit of a Chinese art troupe in three years should be considered a signal of revival in cultural exchanges between China and Bangladesh, he said.

Liaquat Ali Lucky, director general of the BSA, expressed his gratitude to China for the great cooperation in the field of acrobatic training. 

Bangladeshi artists perform an acrobatic show during the China-Bangladesh Culture & Art Night in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 4, 2023.

The China-Bangladesh Culture & Art Night, organized by the Chinese embassy in Bangladesh, was presented by Kunming National Song & Dance Theater, with the support of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy or BSA (the Bangladeshi national academy of fine and performing arts). (Xinhua)

Bangladeshi artists perform during the China-Bangladesh Culture & Art Night in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 4, 2023.

The China-Bangladesh Culture & Art Night, organized by the Chinese embassy in Bangladesh, was presented by Kunming National Song & Dance Theater, with the support of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy or BSA (the Bangladeshi national academy of fine and performing arts). (Xinhua)

Artists of Kunming National Song & Dance Theater perform during the China-Bangladesh Culture & Art Night in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 4, 2023.

The China-Bangladesh Culture & Art Night, organized by the Chinese embassy in Bangladesh, was presented by Kunming National Song & Dance Theater, with the support of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy or BSA (the Bangladeshi national academy of fine and performing arts). (Xinhua)

Bangladeshi artists perform during the China-Bangladesh Culture & Art Night in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 4, 2023.

The China-Bangladesh Culture & Art Night, organized by the Chinese embassy in Bangladesh, was presented by Kunming National Song & Dance Theater, with the support of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy or BSA (the Bangladeshi national academy of fine and performing arts). (Xinhua)

Artists of Kunming National Song & Dance Theater perform during the China-Bangladesh Culture & Art Night in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 4, 2023.

The China-Bangladesh Culture & Art Night, organized by the Chinese embassy in Bangladesh, was presented by Kunming National Song & Dance Theater, with the support of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy or BSA (the Bangladeshi national academy of fine and performing arts). (Xinhua)
Not everyone can join a Google Meet meeting on a desktop. Some people have to quickly jump in using their phones. One benefit that desktop users enjoy is the background noise cancelation feature. Now, Google Meet can cancel background noise for mobile users.

Google Meet has been rolling out several updates as were still weathering this hybrid work life. Recently, the company expanded its 360-degree backgrounds feature to the public. If youre using your phone, you can turn around, and the background will move accordingly.

Google Meet now cancels background noise for phones

Desktop users on Google Meet had the noise cancelation feature while mobile users were left in the dust. This could make for an awkward meeting especially if it consists of both mobile and desktop users. Since its so much easier to port your phone to different locations, mobile users are more likely to be in noisy environments like sidewalks or coffee shops.

Thankfully, Google sought fit to trickle the noise cancelation feature to mobile users. The feature will filter out background noise like construction work, busy streets, room echo, typing, etc.

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It specifically targets noise thats not human which works for the majority of the time. One thing that Techradar notes is that, since it filters anything thats not human, it wont filter human speech from other sources. So, if theres a radio on in the background or another conversation, it wont be filtered out.

Since this is a feature for Google Workspace, it wont be available to all users. Its available for people using the Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, and Frontline.

Google also stated that this feature is currently unavailable to users in South Africa, UAE, and the immediate surrounding areas. Were not sure if the company plans on expanding the feature to those markets eventually.
UPDATE (from Samsung): Samsung reached out to clarify things regarding custom CPU cores. The company said that a recent media report that Samsung has established an internal team dedicated to CPU core development is not true. The company added that it already has multiple internal teams responsible for CPU development and optimization, and it has been that way for a long time. Samsung also added that it is constantly recruiting global talents from relevant fields.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE (edited version): Samsungs custom processors for Galaxy devices may feature custom CPU cores. The company has reportedly reinforced its internal teams dedicated to the in-house development and optimization of smartphone processors. It has hired a senior developer from AMD to lead the efforts, the Korean media reports. The first Samsung chipset with custom CPU cores may arrive in 2027.

Samsung is developing specialized processors for Galaxy devices

Samsungs latest Galaxy S23 series flagships are special in many ways, with the chipset being one of those. The phones use an overclocked version of Qualcomms Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 globally. The company ditched its in-house Exynos processors this year due to poor performance. Its mobile division is now developing specialized processors for Galaxy devices. The firm no longer has any faith in its semiconductor division to provide it with ideal chipsets.

Early reports suggest that the first Samsung smartphone powered by its custom chipset, which may be called the Galaxy Chip, will arrive in 2025. The idea is to optimize the chipset for its devices from the development stage. This will allow for deeper hardware-software integration, something that Apples iPhones greatly benefit from. Designing custom CPU cores may further allow Samsung to achieve the optimization level it desires.

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According to the Korean publication Pulse News, Samsungs first custom chipset with custom CPU cores may ship out in 2027. That means the initial solutions in 2025 and 2026 will use stock CPUs from ARM. Samsung Electronics will be able to boost the completion level of its Galaxy Chip if it successfully develops a CPU core, an unnamed industry official told the publication. It will be able to load its own CPU in 2027 if development is carried out as planned.

Samsung to develop custom CPU cores again

This isnt the first time Samsung is developing custom CPU cores. The companys Exynos processors featured custom Mongoose CPU cores between 2016 and 2020. But those chipsets consistently underperformed against competing solutions from Qualcomm that used stock ARM cores.

Samsung eventually decided to go the Qualcomm way a few years back. Its recent flagship Exynos processors use stock ARM solutions, though to not much avail.

There have been reports of the company switching back to custom solutions some time ago, but it hasnt materialized yet. Meanwhile, Samsung stopped using Exynos processors in its flagship devices this year. It is now developing specialized chipsets for Galaxy smartphones.

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Turns out those specialized processors will feature custom CPU cores too. If not from the beginning, surely a few years later. Qualcomm is also working on custom CPU solutions called Oryon. Time will tell which chip biggie comes out on top.
Samsung has started taking applications for its Mobile Advance (SMA) program for 2023. It is an equity-free grant funding scheme for tech startups working on new proof-of-concept projects. Established companies, research institutes, and other organizations building innovative technologies can also apply to the program. Companies headquartered in Europe, Canada, Israel, China, Japan, India, and the US are eligible for participation.

Launched last year, the SMA program grants funding and mentorship to innovative ideas across various tech niches over six months. Samsung says Cameras, Power, Audio, Health, On-device AI, Metaverse, ESG (environmental, social, and corporate governance), Advanced Materials, Sensors, AR (augmented reality), Wearable, and Foldable technologies are among the areas of interest this year. However, the program will also fund projects in other niches if the company finds them groundbreaking.

Selected tech startups will also get mentorship from Samsung R&D

According to the Korean behemoth, it is looking for cutting-edge technologies that improve devices for more powerful and longer-lasting performance. Ideas that enable a unique user experience based on new mobile form factors such as foldable and wearable are also on its radar.

Samsung is currently accepting applications for the program from startups and established companies in the aforementioned regions. Applications are open till the end of March. The company will evaluate all proposals in April and invite the selected applicants to pitch their ideas in person in May.

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Selected firms will elaborate their projects with all necessary details in front of a panel of Samsung experts. Once all companies have pitched their ideas, the company will pick the ones that fit best in its vision.

The winning ideas will receive equity-free funding of $50,000 from the Korean conglomerate to work on the project. Samsungs R&D (research and development) teams will also provide mentorship to the firms and help them in their development for six months starting in July this year. They will get deep access to Samsung mobile devices and software.

In February 2024, Samsung will invite these firms to present their demos. Depending on the final result, the tech behemoth may pick a few solutions and adopt them in its product and services.

It may also offer long-term partnership opportunities to these startups. SMA is a platform for innovative ideas to make it to the big stage in a short time. Startups that are already part of other funding programs such as an incubator or accelerator can also apply to Samsungs Mobile Advance program. More details can be found on the companys official website here.
Samsungs Galaxy Tab S9 series flagship Android tablets are starting to take shape. We recently learned that the devices will boast an official IP rating for dust and water resistance. If true, they will be the first waterproof flagship tablets from Samsung. While we wait for further confirmation on that report, we have more information about the upcoming products. Dutch publication GalaxyClub has unearthed model numbers confirming the existence of three Galaxy Tab S9 models.

According to the new report, Samsung is developing three new flagship tablets, namely the Galaxy Tab S9, Galaxy Tab S9+, and Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra. That isnt surprising since the company added an Ultra model to the lineup last year. We only got the Galaxy Tab S7 and Galaxy Tab S7+ before that. The Korean firm also recently launched its first-ever Ultra-branded laptop, the Galaxy Book 3 Ultra. It seemingly plans to make the brand synonymous with an ultra-powerful Galaxy device.

Unfortunately, the specs of the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, or any other upcoming Galaxy tablet for that matter, are not known. So its unclear what Samsung has in store this time around. But what we know is that the new tablets will be available in both Wi-Fi-only and cellular (5G) variants and come to the US. They will bear predictable model numbers too. The Dutch publication discovered that the base Galaxy Tab S9 model will be identified as SM-X710 (Wi-Fi), SM-X716B (5G Global), and SM-X718U (5G US).

Likewise, the Galaxy Tab S9+ will bear the model numbers SM-X810 (Wi-Fi), SM-X816B (5G Global), and SM-X818U (5G US). These identifiers for the Ultra model are SM-X910 (Wi-Fi), SM-X916B (5G Global), and SM-X918U (5G US). We expect to come across more leaks about the new Samsung tablets in the coming months. An IP67 rating is a much-needed addition that will further cement the Korean firms stature as the best maker of flagship Android tablets today. It remains to be seen what else the company has up its sleeves.

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The Galaxy Tab S9 series is still months away

Samsung launched the Galaxy Tab S8 series in February last year. Those devices are already a year old, but their successors arent arriving anytime soon. The company doesnt launch new tablets in a yearly cycle. The Galaxy Tab S9 series isnt expected to arrive until the second half of this year. The Korean firm will likely debut the new tablets alongside its fifth-gen foldables in August or September. The Galaxy Watch 6 series and Galaxy S23 FE may also debut around the same time. You can expect to hear more about these devices ahead of that.
SYDNEY, March 6 (Xinhua) -- The Western Australian (WA) Police Force said on Monday that 12 drug traffickers were arrested with a record haul of 2.4 tonnes of cocaine seized during an international covert operation.

According to the police, the estimated street value of the seized drugs reached 1 billion Australian dollars (about 0.68 billion U.S. dollars) and the cocaine was linked to a Mexican drug cartel.

The operation commenced in November last year after the 2.4 tonnes of cocaine, which was destined for Australia, was intercepted off the South American coastline.

As intelligence suggested that the drug traffickers were unaware of the seizure and held the belief that the cocaine remained in transit to Australia, the WA police substituted the cargo with an inert substance and dropped it in the ocean - about 70 km west of the Perth coastline.

On Dec. 30, 2022, officers arrested three members of the shore party onboard a Cool Runnings boat. On the following day, six more men were caught while the police executed search warrants across the metropolitan area.

Another three suspects were tracked down in January, including a 39-year-old man and a 37-year-old woman who hoarded over 2 million Australian dollars (about 1.4 million U.S. dollars) in their vehicle.

"The 12 accused, some of whom are from America, New South Wales and the Northern Territory, are progressing through WA's courts," said the state police. 
(ANSA) - ROME, MAR 6 - Three Italian energy firms, Ansaldo Energia, Ansaldo Nucleare and Edison Spa, said Monday that they and France's EDF have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to "collaborate on the development of new nuclear power in Europe and to promote its deployment, prospectively also in Italy".

Italy closed its nuclear plants in 1990 after the 1987 referendum on atomic energy.

But there have been calls for a rethink of the ban, given that nuclear energy has a low carbon footprint and there is a need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to combat the climate crisis, the nation is looking to boost its energy security following the war in Ukraine and there is the prospect of the potential development of cleaner nuclear technology.

"This agreement lays the foundations for a concrete and open reflection on the role of new nuclear power in supporting Italian energy transition," said Edison CEO Nicola Monti.

"This need has become more evident following the upheavals of the past year, confirming the importance of long-term strategic choices.

"New nuclear power complements the development of renewables and can be an adequate solution to support the 2050 carbon neutrality goals, contributing to the energy independence of the European system".

Ansaldo Nucleare CEO Riccardo Casale said that his company had "managed to successfully keep its nuclear expertise alive, after the closing of nuclear power plants in Italy.

"We strongly believe in this mission and actively participate in many projects in several European countries, in collaboration with Italian industries and research organisations, testifying the high added value that Italy can bring to the renewed interest in nuclear power in Europe," Casale added. (ANSA).


(ANSA) - ROME, MAR 6 - Italy's Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on Monday defended the work of the Coast Guard and Finance Police, saying they "have always done their duty".

"The Finance Police and Coast Guard have always done their duty, including with disregard for danger," said Tajani during the 14th plenary meeting of the Finance Police expert officers serving abroad, in Rome.

This is also true of "the latest incident with dozens of innocent victims exploited by unscrupulous criminals who led them to their deaths just a few dozen meters from the Italian coast," he added in reference to the 26 February shipwreck off the southern Calabria region in which at least 70 refugees and migrants are known to have died. "The traffickers must be cracked down on very firmly," said Tajani.

The Finance Police and Coast Guard have been at the centre of controversy in relation to the shipwreck off Steccato di Cutro near Crotone amid allegations that rescue operations were negligently delayed.

A probe has been opened. Some 80 refugees and migrants survived the tragedy after the fishing boat they were travelling in from Turkey ran aground in rough seas and broke up. Between 30 and 50 people are still missing. (ANSA).


(ANSA) - ROME, MAR 6 - Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said Monday that fears the Italian economy was headed for recession appear to have been unfounded.

"The government has focused on minimizing the risk of recession in its first months of work," Giorgetti told a conference of Italy's accountants' guild in Milan.

"The latest data suggest that this has been averted.

Fingers crossed". (ANSA).


Djokovic withdraws from Indian Wells Masters: organisers He is unvaccinated against Covid-19

(ANSA-AFP) - LOS ANGELES, MAR 6 - World number one Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from next week's ATP/WTA Indian Wells Masters event, organisers confirmed on Sunday with the Serb barred from entering the country. Djokovic is unable to enter the United States because he is unvaccinated against Covid-19, but he had petitioned US authorities for special permission to enter. The Indian Wells ATP 1000 event begins next week in the California desert and is followed by the prestigious tournament in Miami which Djokovic is now expected to miss unless US authorities have a change of heart. The United States still doesn't allow unvaccinated international travellers to enter the country, with the Transportation Security Administration recently indicating the policy would not change until at least mid-April. Djokovic's vaccination status saw him deported from Australia shortly before the 2022 Australian Open. (ANSA-AFP).





 Copyright ANSA - All rights reserved
ISTANBUL - Saudi Arabia has signed an agreement with Turkey to deposit five billion dollars in the country's central bank.



The announcement was made by the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) on Monday.



The agreement aims to support economic and social growth as well as sustainable development in Turkey, Turkish state broadcaster TRT quoted the Saudi government as saying.




UAE and Turkey ink accord on non-oil trade Trade in goods to climb to 40 billion dollars under new rules

(ANSAmed) - NAPLES, MARCH 6 - A new trade agreement between Turkey and the UAE is expected to contribute to increasing non-oil bilateral trade to $40 billion annually.



The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) was signed on Friday during a virtual summit between UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.



"The signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with my friend @RTErdogan strengthens the partnership between the UAE & Turkiye. #UAETurkiyeCEPA builds on our longstanding ties to deliver further growth, opportunity & stability for our countries & our people," commented President Sheikh Mohammad on Twitter.



The total non-oil trade between the UAE and Turkey reached $19 billion in 2022, an increase of 40 per cent compared to 2021 and 112 per cent compared to 2020. This makes Turkey the fastest-growing among the UAE's top 10 trading partners, as reported by Gulf News.



"Not only does this agreement aim to stimulate trade, investment and economic growth, but it also establishes a genuine development partnership, building common interests and consolidating ever-stronger strategic relations between our two countries," Sheikh Mohammad added.



"The UAE-Turkey CEPA aims to achieve mutual benefits for both countries and stimulate long-term, sustainable, and comprehensive economic growth by eliminating or reducing customs duties on 82 per cent of goods and products, representing more than 93 per cent of non-oil trade. Additionally, the agreement improves market access to Turkey for exporters from the UAE, including major sectors such as construction, metals and their products, polymers, and other manufactured products," Gulf News added.



"Our efforts which are empowered from our shared history, culture, and traditional values are not only contributing to our bilateral economic ties but also significantly contributing to the prosperity, welfare and stability of our region as well as the globe," said Erdogan. "There is no doubt that the CEPA signed today, with the strong tools it contains, such as liberalization of bilateral goods, services and trade, with a special emphasis on SMEs; easing the work of investors; and bringing top notch rules for intellectual property rights, among others, will be a trigger for boosting trade and investments." "It is expected that the agreement will contribute to increasing non-oil bilateral trade to $40 billion annually within five years, while also creating 25,000 new job opportunities by 2031. In addition, the agreement is expected to increase UAE exports to Turkey by 21.7 per cent. Non-oil exports to Turkey amounted to $5.6 billion in 2022, an increase of 109 per cent compared to 2021," Gulf News added. (ANSAmed).




ROME - Oxfam, a British-founded confederation of 21 independent charitable organizations focusing on alleviating poverty around the world, has warned of a desperate situation in Turkey and Syria.

Exactly a month after the Feb. 6 earthquake that devastated Turkey and Syria, it said in a statement, causing over 45,000 deaths, the situation for millions of displaced people remains desperate while international aid and support are plunging despite the fact that there are still enormous needs on the ground.

Oxfam, it noted, is trying to deal with the humanitarian emergency in the two countries, while in the areas hit the worst by the quake in Turkey, hundreds of thousands of families are still in makeshift shelters they are staying in to remain close to their destroyed homes, without access to clean water and basic washing facilities, in the cold and with very little food.

Oxfam noted that the situation is especially hard on women and children and that their teams on the ground had come across women giving birth in tents without medical assistance for multiple days.

In Turkey, the earthquake upended the lives of over 15 million people in 11 provinces, while almost two million were evacuated with government assistance or using their own means.

Some 400,000 buildings were destroyed or damaged, including 270,000 in the Hatay and Kahramanmaras provinces alone.

Many are too frightened to sleep indoors due to continued aftershocks that have not ceased to damage buildings and basic infrastructure.

In Syria, almost 9 million people have been affected by the earthquake in 43 districts of 10 governorates, including over 4.2 million in the Aleppo province and almost 3 million in Idlib. About 8,900 buildings were entirely destroyed or severaly damaged, including 660 schools.




Egypt sentences activists up to 15 years for 'terrorism' UN Special Rapporteur for human rights calls trial unfair

(ANSAmed) - CAIRO, MARCH 6 - A special Egyptian court has sentenced four human rights activists to up to 15 years in prison on terrorism charges.



United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defender Mary Lawlor tweeted on Saturday that, "I'll follow closely Egypt's emergency state security court's expected verdict tomorrow in the case of 4 HRDs & WHRDs arbitrarily detained in 2018, forcibly disappeared, tortured & charged in unfair trial with joining a terrorist group".



The lawyer Mohammed Abu Horayra, received a 15-year sentence.



His wife Aisha al-Shater, daughter of former Muslim Brotherhood leader Khairat al-Shater, was sentenced to 10 years in prison.



Khairat al-Shater was arrested as part of a crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood, which has now been outlawed and designated a terrorist organisation after the military under current president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ousted the Muslim Brotherhood-backed then-president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.



Two other lawyers were among the others sentenced: Ezzat Ghoneim, who was handed down a 15-year sentence as well, and Hoda Abdelmoneim, who got five years in prison without the possibility of appeal.



Abdelmoneim had been a member of the state-run national human rights council prior to her arrest in 2018.



She had also been the spokesperson for the Egyptian Women's Revolutionary Council, a group close to the Muslim Brotherhood.



All four had been part of the Egyptian Coordination for Rights and Freedoms, an NGO that suspended in activities in 2018 when Abdelmoneim, Shater and the other activists were arrested.(ANSAmed).




PARIS - Tomorrow may be a 'black Tuesday', a final show of force following five days of strikes since January in France.

The strike tomorrow will "bring the country to a standstill", according to some union leaders.

The government is meanwhile moving forward with the passing within the Senate of articles of hotly debated pension reform, which in the intentions of Emmanuel Macron will raise retirement age to 64 from a current 62.

According to a recent survey, some 56% of French nationals support the decision to move forward with a general strike tomorrow, which may be extended for an indefinite period.

Government spokesman Olivier Veran spoke on the radio Tuesday morning, telling BFM TV that a distinction should be made between "those who contest [the reform] and those who want to bring the country to a standstill".

He added that, "launching an appeal to block everything means questioning the legitimacy of our institutions after repeatedly losing during elections." All public sectors are expected to feel the effects and transportation will be severely reduced, while the government has urged those who want to work to work from home online.

Some 260 demonstrations across the country are planned, with over a million expected to take part.




Greek station master 'left alone to manage entire network' Another strike after train accident leaves dozens dead

(ANSAmed) - ATHENS, MARCH 6 - The 59-year-old Greek station master arrested amid an investigation into a railway incident that on Tuesday left 57 people dead in Greece has reportedly stated that he had been left alone for a long period in his station.



His lawyer, Stefanos Pantzardzidis, has said that: "For about 20 cursed minutes he was responsible for the safety of the whole of central Greece," reported Kathimerini.



The station master, jailed on Sunday pending trial, said that on the basis of regulations that on the night of the incident at around 11 PM there should have been other employees with him but that they had left their posts and that he had been alone.



Employees of Hellenic Train have declared another 24-hour strike today after the incident, which was the worst railway accident in the country's history.



Workers have been on strike since Wednesday. Today's interruption of service will include suburban transportation in Athens. (ANSAmed).




'The Chosen' Creator Dallas Jenkins to Join East-West 30th Anniversary Event

NEWS PROVIDED BY

East-West

March 6, 2023

PLANO, Texas, March 6, 2023 /Christian Newswire/ -- East-West, a Christian missions organization focused on taking the gospel to unreached people groups, is celebrating 30 years of ministry with an anniversary event on April 1 in Dallas. "The Chosen" creator and director Dallas Jenkins and worship duo Shane & Shane will join the celebration as the evening's special guests.

East-West's 30th anniversary celebration will take place at the Hyatt Regency Dallas, 300 Reunion Blvd., Dallas, TX, 75207. The reception will begin at 5:30 p.m., and the dinner and program will begin at 6:30 p.m. The attire is black tie optional. Tickets and information about the event can be found at www.eastwest.org/30years.

East-West's vision is to glorify God by multiplying followers of Jesus in the spiritually darkest areas of the world. East-West conducts ministry in more than 40 countries worldwide across 10 major world regions, working primarily among unengaged unreached people groups and unreached people groups.

John Maisel and Bud Toole founded East-West in 1993. The two men began working behind the Iron Curtain in the 1980s and recognized the profound need to train evangelists, church planters, and pastors in nations with severely restricted Christian activity. Over the past 30 years, East-West has seen the Lord work supernaturally to reach hundreds of millions among the unreached.

Here is a snapshot of East-West's impact over the past 30 years:

 The gospel has been shared with more than 275 million people.

 More than 21 million people have professed faith in Jesus.

 More than 330,000 churches have been planted.

"Our greatest joy over the past 30 years has been to partner with the Body of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit and see the Kingdom of God advance among the unreached," Kurt Nelson, East-West President and CEO, said. "Everything East-West has been able to accomplish has been because of the Lord's grace, power, and provision. It is now our great joy to partner with our dear friends Dallas Jenkins and Shane & Shane to celebrate the goodness and glory of God over the past 30 years of ministry."

For press credentials to cover the anniversary event on April 1, contact Caleb Read at 972-941-4500 or caleb.read@eastwest.org.

About East-West

Founded in 1993, East-West has been serving among unreached people groups for 30 years. The mission of East-West is to mobilize the Body of Christ to evangelize the lost and equip local believers to multiply disciples and churches among the unreached. East-West is accredited for excellence by ECFA, Candid (GuideStar), and Best Christian Workplaces.

Website: www.eastwest.org

Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok: @eastwestministries

YouTube: @EastWestMinistries

Twitter: @EastWest_org

SOURCE East-West

CONTACT: Caleb Read, 972-941-4500
ROME - Italy needs to open its doors to regular migrants, Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Monday.



"Our businesses need them," he told Tgcom24.



"We need to encourage regular migration. We can bring tens of thousands of regular immigrants to Italy, who have been trained in their countries," said Tajani.



"Then there is need for investment. Italy can do a lot, but it risks being a drop in the ocean because the migration phenomenon is too big. More European solidarity is required," he concluded.
JERUSALEM - Italy's Senate Speaker Ignazio La Russa on Monday expressed his "closeness to the Jewish people" after visiting Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial centre in Jerusalem.



"Every time I have symbolically knelt in this place of pain and remembrance, I have renewed the feeling of closeness to the Jewish people and my intention to help ensure that there will never again be such bestial hatred," La Russa wrote in the Book of Remembrance at the end of his visit.



Earlier Italy's second-highest ranking State official rekindled the Eternal Flame in the Hall of Remembrance in memory of the six million Jews killed during the Holocaust.



He also visited the Children's Memorial, a tribute specifically to the approximately 1.5 million Jewish children who lost their lives.



Later in the day La Russa visited the Knesset, Israel's parliament, that said the reception he received was compensation for the "many small difficulties" during his political career.



"The welcome I received in your Parliament, the joint applause not only from the majority but also from the opposition, makes up for the many small difficulties one may have in one's political life," La Russa told the Jewish community of Italian origin in Jerusalem.



"My outright condemnation of the Racial Laws goes back a long way, and ever since I have been in politics the defense of the existence, integrity and independence of Israel has been a cornerstone of the political line of the parties to which I have belonged," the Senate Speaker added.



The Racial Laws imposed by Italy's Fascist government in 1938 introduced racial discrimination and segregation, particularly for Jews.



La Russa began his political career in the Movimento Sociale Italiano (MSI), a party formed in 1946 by supporters of the late Fascist leader Benito Mussolini, and is now a top exponent of right-wing Fratelli d'Italia led by Premier Giorgia Meloni.
Tunisia rejects racism accusations, 'measures to help refugees' For students and sub-Saharan refugees

(ANSAmed) - TUNIS, MARCH 6 - Tunisia has announced measures to help students and migrants from sub-Saharan Africa after recent attacks and hostility following hardline comments by President Kais Saied on Feb. 21 denouncing clandestine migration.



In reiterating their denial of accusations of racism, Tunisia's presidency, government and foreign ministry have announced "measures to improve the situation of foreigners in the country and facilitate procedures" to regularise their situation.



The decision was made to "issue stay permits for a year for students from friendly African countries to facilitate their stay and enable them to periodically renewed their papers".



The authorities also decided to "extend the stay certificates from three to six months" for those from many sub-Saharan countries such as Ivory Coast that enjoy a three-month visa exemption on entering Tunisia.



Tunisia said that it also wanted to "facilitate voluntary repatriation operations as part of an organised framework and in coordination with their diplomatic missions".



Tunis also pledged to strengthen support and healthcare and social assistance to migrants through the Red Crescent, seeking to "counter all forms of human trafficking and the exploitation of undocumented migrants" through stepping up checks. (ANSAmed).




The Metropolitan Police have faced criticism for failing to prevent Sarah Everards murder, as Wayne Couzens was finally brought to justice for a series of earlier flashing incidents.

Ex-officer Couzens, 50, was supposed to be on duty and working from home when he exposed himself to a female cyclist in a country lane in Kent in November 2020.

He went on to expose himself to female attendants at a McDonalds drive-through in Swanley, Kent, twice in February 2021  the last incident just days before he snatched Ms Everard, 33, in south London.

Couzens pleaded guilty to three charges of indecent exposure, with three further counts to lie on court file.

On Monday, Ms Everards mother Susan attended court by video-link as Couzens, who is already serving a whole-life sentence, was handed 19 months for the sexual offences.

During the Old Bailey hearing, Couzens victims questioned whether Ms Everard could have been saved if police had arrested him for indecent exposure sooner.

The female cyclist said: Four months after you exposed yourself to me, you raped and murdered an innocent woman.

There were opportunities to identify you and they were not taken. I did not feel that, when I reported your crime, it was taken as seriously as I felt that it should have been.

The horror of what happened will remain with me for the rest of my life.

A member of staff at McDonalds said she became scared after learning what Couzens went on to do after he flashed at her.

Former Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens is already serving a whole life jail sentence for the murder of Sarah Everard (Family handout/PA)

She said: I felt like that could have been me. I still think about this now.

If he had been held accountable when we had reported the crime, we could have saved Sarah.

Another victim wept in court as she described feeling survivors guilt, saying: I could not help but feel relieved that it wasnt me, or that it could have been me.

I do not like to tar everyone with the same brush but it has been difficult not to do so after knowing what he did for a living and knowing I could have come across him in uniform and not known what he was capable of.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy, who leads the Mets Directorate of Professional Standards, apologised.

He said: I have read the victim impact statements and it is clear to me the hurt and trauma that he inflicted on them.

It is their courage that has been crucial in bringing him to justice and I am sorry for what they have gone through.

Like so many, I wish he had been arrested for these offences before he went on to kidnap, rape and murder Sarah Everard and I am sorry that he wasnt.

Couzens, who appeared at the Old Bailey via video-link from Frankland Prison, gave no reaction as the victims statements were read in court.

In a televised sentencing, Mrs Justice May said it served as public recognition of the offences and the impact on the victims.

She said: All have spoken of their sense of freedom and security taken from them, of feeling vulnerable and fearful for themselves and others going about their ordinary lives.

The fact that no police came to find him or his black car, to question him about these incidents, can only have served to confirm and strengthen, in the defendants mind, a dangerous belief in his invincibility, in his power sexually to dominate and abuse women without being stopped.

Prosecutor Tom Little KC described how Couzens had stood completely naked and was pleasuring himself while looking at a cyclist in Ringwould Road near Dover on November 13 2020.

At the time, Couzens was on duty and was supposed to be working from home in Deal, the court was told.

Wayne Couzens appeared in court via video-link from Frankland Prison (Elizabeth Cook/PA)

It is only a few miles from where the defendant took Ms Everard, having kidnapped her and after he had moved her from one vehicle to another in Dover.

After the cyclist rode on, she told two other women what had just happened and one of them, a police officer, said she would keep a look out.

The cyclist later reported the incident online to Kent Police, providing a description of the perpetrator who was middle-aged with a slight paunch.

At the time, Couzens had a black Seat car in poor condition like the one seen parked nearby, but without a number plate match the investigation stalled.

After Couzens arrest over the disappearance of Ms Everard, the cyclist recognised him from his picture and contacted police again.

Mr Little said: She felt instant shock at seeing the picture and said she was 90% sure it was him who masturbated in front of her.

Further inquiries have confirmed that the defendant was due to be working from home in Deal on 13 November 2020 between 8am and 4pm. It follows that he was on duty at the time of the offence but was not at home.

Traffic cameras and cell site data located Couzens in his Seat in that country area at that time.

Couzens went on to expose himself to female staff on late shifts at a McDonalds restaurant in Swanley, Kent on two occasions on February 14 and 27 2021.

On Valentines Day, Couzens had been on a rest day and had no known reason for taking the journey similar to the one he took on the night of Ms Everards kidnap.

On the second occasion, just four days before the abduction, Couzens, who worked in the Diplomatic Production Group Unit, was returning home from a day shift in London

Afterwards, staff took a registration number and identified the car from CCTV as a black Seat which was registered to Couzens.

A credit card in his name was used to pay, while ANPR and cell site data was used to track the defendants car in the area at the time of the incidents.

On March 3 2021, Couzens snatched marketing executive Ms Everard as she walked home in south London.

In February last year he pleaded guilty to the charges of indecent exposure after a failed bid to get the case thrown out due to publicity around Ms Everards murder.

An Independent Office for Police Conduct investigation concluded that a police constable should face a gross misconduct hearing. That officer has since resigned and left the Met Police in 2022.

An independent inquiry led by Dame Elish Angiolini will consider Couzens earlier sexual offending and whether opportunities were missed to stop him before he murdered Ms Everard.
A British aid worker providing relief for children affected by earthquakes in Turkey and Syria one month ago has said he feels privileged to be part of the exhausting work, but fears for the long-term mental health of young people in the region.

Unicef emergency communication specialist Joe English, who lives in New York but is originally from West London, has been working with children processing the shock of losing their homes after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck areas of Turkey and Syria on February 6.

The 35-year-old arrived in Gaziantep, Turkey after the first earthquake on February 16, and after the second major earthquake on February 21, he went to work in Northern Syria near the city of Azaz.

Over two-and-a-half million children need humanitarian assistance in Turkey alone according to Unicef, and Mr English said it has been incredibly difficult and exhausting work but he feels privileged to be helping people whose lives have changed forever.

Children in Kahramanmaras Temporary Accommodation Centre, where Mr English has been working (Unicef/PA)

Its always hard being away from friends and family, I know its hard for them sometimes when Im going into these difficult situations, he told the PA news agency.

But for me, I can leave, I can get on a plane at the end of this trip and I can go back to London, and many of these families (in Syria and Turkey) cannot; this is their life.

So as much as it can be exhausting, I feel privileged to see this work and I feel privileged to be a part of this work.

Unicef workers like Mr English have been providing children with safe drinking water and psychosocial support  encouraging them to play and be a child again.

He said the distress caused by the disaster, particularly followed by a second earthquake and subsequent aftershocks, could have long-term impacts on the mental health of children living in the area.

Mr English has been working to help the children with psychological help, through play and support (Unicef/PA)

These children were already distressed, in shock, many of them just trying to process the experience that theyve been through, and then they have to go through that same experience  again.

So were doing what we can to reach children with psychosocial support, to give them safe spaces to play, to colour in and be with their friends, just to be a child again.

So many families just started going back to their homes, to try and start salvaging what they could start rebuilding, repairing.

This secondary quake, it was just a painful reminder of that experience of that trauma.

We continue to have thousands and thousands of aftershocks, many of them are relatively minor, but people are waiting, they arent convinced that there may not be another big one  and for children seeing that perpetual state of unease and distress, it can have long-term implications for their mental health.

Mr English said some of his colleagues in Turkey had to sleep in their offices for two weeks after the first earthquake struck.

Its impossible for this not to affect you  many of my colleagues have family here, elderly parents, children, he said.

Unicef said over 2.5 million people need assistance in Turkey alone (Unicef/PA)

Mr English also spoke about the Syrian children who have been experiencing constant traumatic events over recent years as a result of the Syrian civil war which began in 2011.

The sad reality is that children in north-west Syria, many of their families are already displaced, tents are almost safer than buildings in these kinds of circumstances, these children have spent years living in these tents  its been almost 12 long years of conflict, he said.

I was speaking to an 11-year-old yesterday, his entire life has been set against this backdrop of conflict and displacement.

And so you just feel, again, theyre going through this heartbreak, again, theyre going through this trauma and how many more times are they going to have to experience this utter heartbreak before they can begin to rebuild their lives.

He added that local fundraising efforts in the UK are critical for Unicef to continue its work.

The funds that are raised by the diaspora, by the Syrian community in the UK, by the Turkish community  its incredible, he said.

I see where these donations go, and they are providing the basics like theyre providing drinking water to kids, theyre providing sanitation services, blankets to families whove got nowhere to go.

To find out more about Unicefs work in Turkey and Syria, go to: www.unicef.uk/earthquakenews
An independent inquiry into a Sheffield street trees controversy has concluded that the city councils behaviour amounted to a serious and sustained failure of strategic leadership.

Sir Mark Lowcocks investigation into the sometimes bizarre events surrounding the felling of thousands of trees between 2016 and 2018 was published on Monday with a 100,000-word analysis of how the operation resulted in daily confrontations in some of the citys leafiest suburbs.

Speaking as his report was published, Sir Mark said: Our conclusion is that the councils behaviour amounted to a serious and sustained failure of strategic leadership.

Responsibility for that ultimately rests with the political leadership, in particular the relevant cabinet member and the council leader  they were responsible for setting the direction and tone.

Sir Mark added: The council did not, between 2016 and early 2018, adequately consider whether its strategy of facing down the campaigners would work.

Nor did it adequately consider whether the increasingly drastic action it was taking, and was seeking from both Amey (the contractors) and the police, was wise.

It is the inquirys view that the council stretched the proportionate use of its authority beyond reasonable limits.

Sir Mark said the council lacked transparency and repeatedly said things that were economical with the truth, misleading and in some cases were ultimately exposed as dishonest.

He also said the council misled the courts, adding: The inquiry did not find perjury or criminality but misleading the courts is a serious matter.

Police were deployed in vans and a number of people were arrested during the long-running dispute.

The saga included two pensioners being arrested during an early morning raid in scenes described by former deputy prime minister Sir Nick Clegg as more like a well-planned anti-terror operation than a morning of tree maintenance.

There were also allegations from contractors that protesters had poisoned them with cups of tea and a middle-aged woman was arrested in the suburban setting of Rivelin Valley Road for blowing a toy trumpet.

Thousands of tree were felled in the leafiest streets of Sheffield between 2016 and 2018 (Danny Lawson/PA)

At one point, Sheffield City Council unsuccessfully attempted to have a group of demonstrators jailed for the actions they took.

The controversy was rooted in a 25-year 2.2 billion private finance initiative agreement Sheffield City Council signed with the contractor Amey in 2012.

The contract included a huge programme to resurface thousands of miles of Sheffields pothole-ridden road system and, as part of this, Amey was tasked with maintaining roadside trees.

The council announced a wide-ranging independent inquiry into the whole saga and appointed Sir Mark, a former United Nations under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, as its chair.

Protesters next to the Huntingdon Elm tree on Chelsea Road in Sheffield, which is said to have survived Dutch Elm Disease (Dave Higgens/PA)

According to Sir Marks terms of reference, the aims of his inquiry have been to support the ongoing recovery in Sheffield from the dispute and to help minimise the risk of the dispute re-emerging in future.

The terms of reference said the inquiry would be guided by the need for truth and reconciliation in the city.

Sir Mark has looked at issues including the background and implementation of the Amey contract, the emergence of the opposition and how the council, the contractors and other agencies responded to the protests.
The most senior hospital doctors in England are to be asked whether they are prepared to go on strike, the nations biggest doctors union has announced.

The British Medical Association (BMA) has announced that consultants will be balloted over potential industrial action around April 17.

It comes after the BMA conducted a poll to assess whether the most senior medics in the NHS would be prepared to take action over pay and ongoing pension issues.

The consultative ballot was sent to almost 35,000 consultants and the BMA received 21,000 responses  some 86% of those who responded said they would be prepared to take part in strike action.

The BMA said that while a consultative ballot does not provide a legal mandate for strike action, the poll represents the strength of anger among Englands senior doctors and it will move to a statutory ballot in April.

If consultants vote in favour then strike action could take place in the spring, the BMA said.

Strike action by consultants will mean consultants will run a bank holiday service on weekdays ensuring that emergency or urgent care remains in place, the union added.

Dr Vishal Sharma, chair of the BMA consultants committee, said: In my 25 years in the NHS, I have never seen consultants more demoralised, frustrated and in despair over this Governments refusal to support the NHS workforce and the patients they serve.

The Government is refusing to listen to consultants concerns, driving many out of the NHS entirely.

If the Government truly wants to get the NHS back on track and tackle the record waiting lists, it must support the consultant workforce.

Our position is clear  we will not allow the Government to continue to degrade consultants pay and pensions.

This is having a hugely detrimental impact on patient care as staffing numbers plummet and things will only worsen unless we take a stand.

More than 60% of our consultant members in England took part in our recent consultative ballot for strike action. A resounding 86% of you voted to fix pay, fix pension and fix the pay review process. Find out more and watch the video from @Vish_Sharm https://t.co/5Bod91gZNf pic.twitter.com/sSOZdS523J  BMA Consultants (@BMA_Consultants) March 6, 2023

Strike action is always a last resort and we have set out a clear timeline for the Government to put a serious proposal on the table.

Our door remains open; it is not too late to prevent consultants from acting. But if the Government refuses to propose a workable solution, our members have made it clear that they are prepared to strike.

Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: Confirmation that consultants have voted in favour of holding a future ballot for strike action will be concerning to health leaders.

If this is the strength of feeling from consultants now, the worry is that some could be less inclined to cover shifts during the upcoming junior doctors strikes next week, leaving patient care at increased risk.

While it is positive that the other trade unions have agreed to suspend their planned industrial action to enter negotiations with the Government, it is important for all parts of the NHSs workforce to have the same opportunity to have their concerns around pay understood.

The danger of not doing this is that the war of attrition between both sides will continue and escalate further, which no-one wants.

Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive of NHS Providers, said: This move by consultants is another worrying development for NHS trust leaders, on top of the looming three-day strike by junior doctors. Strikes by consultants would heap yet more pressure on overstretched services.

Patient safety and care is the top priority. Trust leaders urge the Government and the BMA to find a resolution quickly.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: We hugely value the work of NHS consultants and they received a pay rise of 4.5% this financial year, increasing average earnings to around 128,000.

The NHS Pension Scheme is one of the most generous available and we have taken steps to address the pension tax implications for senior clinicians. We have increased the annual allowance taper so that the amount of tax-free pension savings only reduces for individuals who earn over 200,000.

We have submitted evidence to the independent Pay Review Body for the next financial year and we want to continue discussing with the BMA how we can make the NHS a better place to work.

Junior doctors in England are set to stage a 72-hour walkout next week.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 5)  United States Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland will be in Manila this week for an official trip, the State Department announced on Sunday.

It said Nuland will visit the Philippines and Japan between March 6 and 9.

"In Manila, Undersecretary Nuland will meet with senior Philippine officials to discuss key aspects of the US-Philippines alliance, including our shared interest in deepening economic, security, and people-to-people ties," it added.

Nuland will also consult with national leaders on global issues and engage with civil society and young innovators.

In Tokyo, the US official will join her G7 Political Director counterparts for extensive consultations on major global challenges, the State Department said.
An Iranian director whose short film is nominated for an Oscar has heralded the opportunity to make a small change in the fight for gender equality in Iran by discussing the issue with stars such as Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg.

Cyrus Neshvad directed The Red Suitcase, an 18-minute short film up for best live action short at the 95th Academy Awards, which follows a 16-year-old Iranian girl, played by Nawelle Ewad, landing at Luxembourg Airport with a red suitcase and swiftly trying to escape an arranged marriage to a much older man waiting for her at the arrivals gate.

Co-written with French producer Guillaume Levil, Neshvad explained that he has used the nod  his first ever Academy Award nomination  and time in Los Angeles to be a part of what he called the revolution of women in Iran and said he has received an empathetic reaction from some of Hollywoods biggest names, including Tom Cruise, who told him: We should be strong.

Neshvad, who was born in Iran but has been based in Luxembourg since the age of five, told the PA news agency: This issue, I can now be a bigger part of it. I went to the (Oscars) luncheon, I met Tom Cruise. I didnt say, Mr Tom Cruise, I love you, blah blah blah I said, Tom Cruise, I have to talk about a serious issue, about the womans rights in Iran.'

The Red Suitcase follows a 16-year-old teenager trying to flee an arranged marriage (Cynefilms/PA)

He said, actually, that he knows whats going on  and that he cares a lot about this.

And actually, he took me in his arms and he took me like this and said, We should be strong.

(The fact that) he heard about this from me, it will have a small change, perhaps not big, perhaps one hour later hell forget about it, but it was there.

Neshvad explained that while he is not a politician, this is something he feels allows him to help and he was even able to speak with Steven Spielberg  nominated for best director for an eighth time this year  who is a hero of Neshvad and was very available to talk about whats happening in Iran.

Cyrus Neshvad said Tom Cruise told him at the Oscars luncheon We should be strong when discussing what is happening in Iran (Steve Parsons/PA)

The feminist Woman, Life, Freedom movement in Iran, sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini last September, is ongoing and has led to countless protests over issues affecting women and girls, such as domestic violence, abortion and strict Islamic dress code laws.

Neshvads film was made two years before Aminis death but he said what the world knows today is something people in Iran have known for a long time, and that the message he wants audiences to come away with on watching The Red Suitcase is one of equality.

A woman is allowed to have the free will, a woman should have (equal) rights with men, he said.

Because at the end of the day, they are each one wing of this bird.

If one wing is not working correctly, or is not the same than the other, the bird will not fly very far.

Cyrus Neshvad is an Iranian film director based in Luxembourg (PA)

He described the Iranian government as a virus which continues to get bigger and more and more cruel.

Neshvad said he is proud of the Iranian people embarking on this revolution and hopes his film can be a part of this.

On the moment he learned of his Academy Award nomination, Mr Neshvad said: I was with my family, my Iranian family  we were sitting there, and then we got the news.

Actually I felt happiness for what this movie will do, like I will have the opportunity to talk about this.

So that was the victory for me, not the victory so much to go to America and so on.

The Red Suitcase highlights the fight for equality for women around the world with the inclusion of adverts of women using their sexuality to sell an object (Cynefilms/PA)

His film, on the suggestion of co-writer Levil, also highlights womens issues not just in Iran but around the world by adding into the script many adverts of women using their sexuality to sell an object such as shampoo.

Neshvad also expressed optimism that the world has empathy for Iran.

In Europe, in America we have good people, with heart and (who) are focused on Iran because they dont like this injustice, he said.

And this makes me very, very happy that we are living in a very beautiful world with good people around us.

In our diversity  we are unified.

The red suitcase itself, which Ewads character Ariane clutches tight to her chest for much of the film, symbolises the teenagers heart, something she is desperate to keep from the older man waiting for her.

What is important is that we should know that in Iran, its the domination of the man, Neshvad added.

So there is the patriarch, man, father, over the daughter who can say nothing.

Shes disconnecting from this man to say, I want to be free now, I chose my free will.

And whats the price to pay for all this? Say bye to the family, to the red suitcase, to her money, to her identity and to her country. And when she did all this, then she has her freedom.
The UKs top civil servant described Boris Johnson as a nationally distrusted figure during the Covid pandemic, in the latest set of details to emerge from the leak of Matt Hancocks messages.

Last week saw a drip feed of stories from the trove of more than 100,000 WhatsApp messages provided to the Daily Telegraph by journalist Isabel Oakeshott, who co-authored Mr Hancocks memoir the Pandemic Diaries and which covered his time as health secretary.

The stories have reignited rows about the Governments handling of the pandemic, even as Mr Hancock and others have described them as only a partial account.

He has condemned them as a massive betrayal designed to support an anti-lockdown agenda.

The latest exchanges appeared to show Cabinet Secretary Simon Case describe the then-prime minister as a distrusted figure in a conversation with Mr Hancock around testing capability.

Mr Hancock wrote: I am going to get stuck in and drive this roll out. The PM is completely right on this. Delegate delegate delegate.

Sir Chris Whitty (Victoria Jones/PA)

Mr Case agreed: My concern is that we can figure out how to test, what we dont know how to do is get people to isolate.

We are losing this war because of behaviour  this is the thing we have to turn around (which probably also relies on people hearing about isolation from trusted local figures, not nationally distrusted figures like the PM, sadly).

The then health secretary responded: sure  but even with a massive rocket up them the lorries wont roll until late next week  so we can fix the new isolation rules between now and then.

Mr Case was appointed Cabinet Secretary in September 2020.

A spokesperson for former prime minister Mr Johnson said: It is not appropriate to comment on these leaks.

The public inquiry provides the right process for these issues to be examined.

The Cabinet Office declined to comment on leaks.

The latest messages also show Mr Hancock criticising vaccines tsar Dame Kate Bingham, with exchanges from October 2020 show him saying she has view and a wacky way of expressing them & is totally unreliable.

It came after she used an interview with the Financial Times to claim that vaccinating everyone in the UK was not going to happen and the country needed to just vaccinate everyone at risk.

She regards anything that isnt her idea as political interference, Mr Hancock said.

Elsewhere, Mr Hancock also complains in February 2021 about Dame Kate and Dr Clive Dix, who took over as chairman after her six-month term came to an end, amid concerns about UK access to vaccines from the Serum Institute of India.

Dr Dix strongly criticised Mr Hancock in the Telegraph, accusing him of behaving a bit like a headless chicken and a loose cannon.

A spokesman for Dame Kate told the paper: These WhatsApps suggest that Matt Hancock was not aware of the published and agreed government vaccine procurement policy, did not read the reports by and about the work of the Vaccine Taskforce, and did not understand the difference between complex biological manufacturing and PPE procurement.

Matt Hancock (Steve Parsons/PA)

A spokesperson for Mr Hancock said: As weve seen all week, these stories are wrong as theyre based on an entirely partial account.

In the case of vaccines, Matt drove the goal of getting everyone vaccinated, often against resistance in the system.

Ultimately he prevailed, thank goodness, and we got the first vaccine in the world, for everyone. Matt set all this out in his book.

The paper also published an exchange between Mr Hancock and chief medical officer Professor Sir Chris Whitty in November 2020, during which the health secretary asked the top health official if the a 14-day isolation period had been too long all this time.

Sir Chris told him: CMOs and sage in favour of a pilot with presumption in favour of testing for five days in lieu of isolation (alternative 10 days isolation).

But needs a pilot to test this out and check it works and MHRA have not yet signed off for self use.

So test every day for just five days? Mr Hancock responded.

That sounds like a massive loosening.

Questions asked by the NHS coronavirus contact tracing app to determine whether self-isolation is required (Yui Mok/PA)

The modelling suggests its pretty well as good. And we think adherence likely to be good.

The modellers were in favour of three days (given the lag time to get a result) but we were not in favour, Sir Chris said.

Mr Hancock said he was amazed, adding: This sounds very risky and we cant go backwards  wouldnt test every day for 10 days be a safer starting point.

We could push out to seven but the benefits really flatten off after five.

We would expect symptomatic people to get a PCR test as normal, the medical official replied.

So has the 14-day isolation been too long all this time?, Mr Hancock asked.

Told that the two-week period was only marginally safer than 10 days, he said: So, I think moving to seven-day daily testing for contacts would be huge for adherence, but going below that would serious worry people and imply wed been getting it wrong.

Presumably we can explain some of the shorter period because the test would pick up the disease before symptoms.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has met with Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe ahead of International Womens Day.

Sir Keir and Anneliese Dodds, the partys shadow women and equalities secretary, heard from Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe and her husband Richard as part of a roundtable gathering with 10 Iranian and Kurdish women human rights campaigners.

The roundtable event was convened jointly with Amnesty International UK

Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe was detained by Tehran in 2016 and only released last year.

The dual British-Iranian national was captured on April 3 by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) at Imam Khomeini Airport after a holiday visit with her daughter Gabriella to see her parents.

Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer meets with Iranian and Kurdish human rights activists, members of Amnesty International, and Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and her husband Richard Ratcliffe in his office in Westminster (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Following six years of imprisonment, she landed back in Britain in March 2022 after the UK finally agreed to settle a 400 million debt dating back to the 1970s, allowing Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe to be reunited with her family.

Mondays meeting, held in the Opposition leaders Westminster office, comes ahead of International Womens Day on Wednesday.

It was understood to be the second time Sir Keir and Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe have met in person since her return to the UK.

The Woman, Life, Freedom roundtable focused on the role of women in the protests across Iran that followed the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in custody last year.

She died in September after being detained by Iranian morality police for not wearing a hijab in accordance with government standards.

Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer listens to Iranian and Kurdish human rights campaigners (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe cut her hair as a gesture of solidarity with the women protesting in Iran following Ms Aminis passing.

Sir Keir and Ms Dodds heard directly from Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe and other human rights defenders about the harassment and abuse women and girls have faced from the Iranian authorities, Labour said.

Among them included Elika Ashoori, a British-Iranian actress and activist, and daughter of Anoosheh Ashoori  a British hostage who was held in Evin prison for five years.

Labour has called for Irans revolutionary guard, a special branch of Tehrans armed forces, to be formally branded a terror group.

Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy and shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said in January that the IRGC was behaving like a terrorist organisation and must now be proscribed as such.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, asked on Monday at a Conservative Home defence conference about whether the IRGC would be proscribed, said the UK Government did not publicly discuss such plans.
The King is to embrace a 17th century tradition to mark his reign with a special ceremony in which key British institutions reaffirm their loyalty to the monarch at Buckingham Palace.

Charles will receive the privileged bodies  a group of 27 organisations and corporations  which will present loyal addresses to the sovereign in person in the Ballroom of the historic royal residence on Thursday.

Buckingham Palace said the privileged bodies are culturally significant organisations and institutions that reflect the United Kingdoms diverse society.

The late Queen accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh receives a copy of the loyal address from Boris Johnson, during the event in 2012 (John Stillwell/PA)

Drawn from the education, science, arts and religious sectors, those invited include the General Synod of the Church of England, the universities of Oxford and Cambridge as well as of Edinburgh, London, St Andrews, Glasgow and Aberdeen, the Bank of England, City of London Corporation, the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Arts, the Military Knights of Windsor and the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales.

The loyal addresses  in the form of a speech  serve to emphasise and reaffirm their loyalty to the monarch, the Palace said.

Charles will deliver a response at the end.

According to the Royal Encyclopaedia, a certain number of bodies enjoy the prescriptive right of presenting addresses to the sovereign seated on the throne and of receiving a reply from the sovereigns lips.

In centuries past, this important function allowed the groups to publicly declare their loyalty to the crown and have the ear of the monarch, while also allowing the king or queen to hear grassroots opinions.

The Queen receives a copy of the loyal address from the Military Knights of Windsor in 2012 (John Stillwell/PA)

The long-held custom takes place to mark significant royal occasions and the event is in recognition of Charless accession to the throne.

The late Queen received the privileged bodies on five occasions during her reign, including for her accession in 1952.

The last time the ceremony took place was to celebrate Elizabeth IIs Diamond Jubilee in 2012, when Boris Johnson  then the London mayor  took the opportunity to present her with a commemorative Oyster travel card.
The boss of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), one of the UKs largest business groups, has stepped aside pending an investigation following complaints about his conduct in the workplace.

The organisation said it had looked into an allegation about Tony Dankers behaviour in January but found that the issue did not require escalation to a disciplinary process.

However, last Thursday it was made aware of new reports about the director-generals conduct and has now launched an inquiry.

It came after The Guardian newspaper approached the CBI over the complaints, which included claims from a female employee that Mr Danker made unwanted contact with her and considered this unwanted conduct to be sexual harassment.

The publication reported that Joanna Chatterton, the head of employment law at Fox Williams, will lead the investigation.

The latest complaints were made a day after the CBIs future work conference, which included speeches from the education secretary Gillian Keegan and deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner.

In a statement, the group said: On March 2, the CBI was made aware of new reports regarding Tony Dankers workplace conduct.

We have now taken steps to initiate an independent investigation into these new matters.

Tony Danker asked to step aside from his role as director-general of the CBI while the independent investigation into these matters takes place.

The CBI takes all matters of workplace conduct extremely seriously but it is important to stress that, until this investigation is complete, any new allegations remain unproven and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.

In his own statement, Mr Danker said: Its been mortifying to hear that I have caused offence or anxiety to any colleague. It was completely unintentional, and I apologise profusely

The CBI is the employers organisation, and I am very proud to be its leader.

We always strive for the highest standards. I therefore support the decision weve taken to review any new allegations independently.

The CBI boss took over at the helm of the organisation in November 2020, replacing Dame Carolyn Fairbairn.

Mr Danker had previously been the first chief executive of Be The Business, a body founded by the Chancellor and a group of FTSE 100 chairs to support UK business growth.

Matthew Fell, the chief UK policy director at the CBI, will now lead the group on an interim basis during the probe.
The UK will not commit to joining the EUs flagship research programme at any cost, the Science Secretary has said, prompting criticism from the scientific community.

Michelle Donelan, who was recently appointed Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, said joining the scheme is plan A, but that the Government is still developing plan B.

It would have to be on acceptable and favourable terms, she told BBC Radio 4s World at One.

It would have to be value for money for the taxpayer and we couldnt afford to wait another two years of negotiating this and leave our researchers in limbo.

There have been hopes that Rishi Sunaks new deal on the Northern Ireland Protocol could pave the way for Britain to access the 100 billion euro programme.

But Downing Street said the Prime Minister is taking stock of our future corporation on research programmes with the EU including Horizon.

Asked why that was necessary, Mr Sunaks spokesman said: Obviously, its something weve been pressing the EU for for the last two years. Weve made ambitious alternative domestic arrangements, ready to support the UKs R&D sector, where we have a commitment of 20 billion a year.

We have announced further extension to June 30 for financial guarantees to the UKs Horizon Europe applicants so that people continue to get the same level of support while we consider the best approach.

The official said he was unaware if there were formal talks taking place with the EU. I think its the Government considering the best approach currently rather than entering into formal talks with the EU, he said.

President of the Royal Society Sir Adrian Smith responds to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology's announcement of the new UK Science and Technology Framework. Read more: https://t.co/S3aSEpcLTg  The Royal Society (@royalsociety) March 6, 2023

Scientists who have been clamouring for clarity on Horizon access reacted with dismay.

Astronomer Royal Lord Martin Rees said: Its a bit disappointing that the Prime Minister doesnt seem to have made any unequivocal statements of this priority and I think the scientific community is, I think, pretty united, that this should be the top priority and done as early as possible.

A row erupted last month between leading scientists and the Government, with the Treasury criticised for taking back 1.6 billion it had allocated for research and which had been set aside for UK involvement in Horizon.

Mr Sunak on Monday announced plans for the UK to be a science and technology superpower by the end of the decade.

Funding of more than 360 million has been promised by the Government, as the Prime Minister hopes a science and technology framework will place the UK at the forefront of new technologies including artificial intelligence and supercomputing.

Mr Sunak warned that the UK can only stay ahead with focus, dynamism and leadership, as the new 10-point plan promised to use the post-Brexit freedoms to craft pro-innovation regulations and develop a pro-innovation culture in the public sector.

Science Secretary Michelle Donelan (PA)

Sir Adrian Smith, president of the Royal Society, said it was reassuring to see a plan aimed at cementing the UKs place as a science and technology superpower.

But, he said, one of the first steps to turning words into action must be securing full association to the EU funding programmes.

The extension of the funding underwrite announced today is a welcome intervention, but it is yet another sticking plaster, when the ultimate goal needs to be speedy association now that the barriers to this have been removed by the EU.

We need to see a firm commitment from the Prime Minister to delivering full association.

Included in the framework are plans to boost private and public investment in research and development, as well as using the Governments buying power to boost innovation through public sector procurement.

It also pledges to ensure that researchers have access to the best physical and digital infrastructure for research and development, as part of efforts to attract the best talent to Britain.

The new plan is backed by an initial set of projects, including a 250 million investment in AI, quantum technology and engineering biology, as well as the publication of a new review of UK research by Sir Paul Nurse, director of the Francis Crick Institute.

Sir Paul said: It is absolutely right, as the Prime Minister has said, that the future of the UK depends upon research, science and technology.

Only by being a leading science nation can the UK drive a sustainable economy, increased productivity and generate societal benefits such as improved healthcare and protecting the environment.
Natural to feel shock at shooting of Olivia Pratt-Korbel, says judge

Jurors about to hear the murder trial of a nine-year-old girl have been told it would be perfectly natural to feel shock and upset at her shooting.

Mrs Justice Yip spoke to potential jurors as they were brought into Courtroom 1 at Manchester Crown Court ahead of the trial of Thomas Cashman.

Cashman is alleged to have been the gunman responsible for the murder of Olivia Pratt-Korbel at her home in Dovecot, Liverpool, at just after 10pm on August 22 last year.

Her mother, Cheryl Korbel, 46, was injured in the shooting as the gunman chased convicted burglar Joseph Nee into their home.

Cashman, 34, denies the murder of Olivia, the attempted murder of Nee and the wounding with intent of Olivias mother.

Cashman, of Grenadier Drive, West Derby, Liverpool, also denies two counts of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Mrs Justice Yip spoke to a jury panel before 12 jurors are selected to hear the trial, expected to last around four weeks.

She said: The trial concerns the shooting in Liverpool in August last year which resulted in the death of a nine-year-old girl, Olivia Pratt-Korbel.

The defendant is Thomas Cashman, sat in the dock, hes charged with murdering Olivia, with wounding her mother Cheryl Korbel and the attempted murder of a man called Joseph Nee and also firearms offences.

In simple terms, he says it wasnt him.

I realise many of you will have heard about Olivias death, at the time there were lots of reports about it.

If you did see or hear the news reports you may have formed some views at the time.

Cheryl Korbel, centre, mother of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel, arrives with family members at Manchester Crown Court for the trial of Thomas Cashman, who is charged with murdering her daughter, who was shot in her home in Dovecot, Liverpool, on August 22 (Peter Byrne/PA)

It would be perfectly natural to have felt shock and upset about it, you may well have talked about it with family and friends at the time, as we all tend to do.

The jury who will try the case will be presented with all the evidence.

Of course, no-one has yet heard any of the evidence, so any views that you or anyone else had at the time of news reports are not informed views that a jury will have when they get to the end of the case.

The verdict the jury reach will be based on the evidence they hear in court and not on anything else.

Earlier Olivias mother and other family members arrived at court wearing pink ribbons.

They sat in the courtroom near the dock, where Cashman was surrounded by four dock officers, and in front of the public gallery where a number of members of the defendants family were.

The 12 members of the jury are expected to be picked on Monday afternoon before David McLachlan KC opens the case for the prosecution.
A review commissioned by the Government to examine the harms of laughing gas has stopped short of recommending a ban on the substance.

The independent Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) was asked by the Home Office in 2021 to provide advice on whether to make possession of nitrous oxide a crime.

Ministers were earlier this year considering a ban on both the sale and possession of laughing gas, as part of a bid to tackle antisocial behaviour.

Nitrous oxide gas canisters on a street in west London (Kirsty OConnor/PA)

Under the proposals, drug misuse laws could be updated to allow people found with nitrous oxide gas in public to be prosecuted, The Times reported.

But in an assessment published on Monday, the ACMD said the substance should not be subjected to control under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

It concluded that the sanctions for offences under the act would be disproportionate with the level of harm associated with nitrous oxide and that such control could create significant burdens for legitimate uses of the substance.

Examples of legitimate use cited in the report include as an anaesthetic in medical and dental contexts and as a gas for whipped cream in cooking.

Non-legitimate use of nitrous oxide is currently controlled under the

Psychoactive Substances Act 2016, which the council said remains the appropriate legislation.

This means the production, supply and importation of nitrous oxide for its psychoactive effects is illegal, but not possession.

The Home Office has said it will consider the conclusions of the report.

Other recommendations listed include for Government departments to consider providing additional powers for police to curb use, such as confiscating canisters or paraphernalia.

It suggest pursuing universal prevention activity focused on nitrous oxide  such as education resources for young people and schools, a national campaign reporting the health risks of heavy use and information made available in settings where use is more common, such as festivals.

Interventions should also include tackling non-legitimate supply of the drug, for example by restricting direct-to-consumer sales and closing down websites selling the substance for non-legitimate uses, it says.

No single recommendation on its own is likely to be sufficient to successfully reduce the harms associated with nitrous oxide use, the report concludes.

The Prime Minister addressed the issue of laughing gas use in his new year speech, criticising antisocial behaviour and highlighting the blight of discarded nitrous oxide canisters in childrens playgrounds.

The Government said it commissioned the report following what it described as a concerning rise in use among young people, with the substance the second most-used drug among UK 16 to 24-year-olds.

Officials had urged the panel to speed up the delivery of its report on the issue.

A Home Office spokesman said: This Government is working to crack down on drug misuse in our communities, that is why we asked the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to provide updated advice on nitrous oxide.

We thank them for their report, which we will now consider.
Scotlands electronic music industry is worth 550 million to the economy, according to a new report.

The report was commissioned by the Night Time Industries Association (NIAT) to examine the economic contribution and the cultural significance of the electronic music industry to the UK economy.

It found that the total measurable economic impact of electronic music in the UK  including concerts, festivals, and nightclubs  is estimated at 2.63 billion.

This included 550 million contributed by the industry in Scotland, with the estimate based on figures for last year.

Calvin Harris has played at venues around the world (Ian West/PA)

Mike Grieve, chairman of NTIA Scotland and director of the Sub Club venue in Glasgow, said: Electronic music has been an important contributor to the social and economic wellbeing of the Scottish economy for decades, with established entities in our towns and cities producing significant artists and music output from the Highlands and Islands to the Borders and all points in between.

Without the clubs, venues, promoters, artists, labels and studios across the nation, the vibrancy of Scotlands music scene would be very much diminished.

He said that Glasgow, Dundee, Perth, Stirling, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness have all contributed to Scotlands electronic music economy over the last three and a half decades.

Mr Grieve added: We can point to the biggest selling electronic music artist in the world, Calvin Harris, coming from the Scottish Borders, cutting his teeth producing music at home in Dumfries in the early noughties before playing out to Scottish club audiences and ultimately selling out stadiums worldwide as one of the UKs biggest ever musical exports.

This report makes clear how vital it is that this cornerstone of Scotlands modern musical heritage is respected and protected and that the true value of electronic music to our communities and economy is appreciated and nurtured.

The report was written by David Boyle of Audience Strategies, an agency that uses data to help artists and brands to understand their audiences and trends.

It found that the UK is the second largest music exporter globally, with 10% of all music streams worldwide attributed to British musicians.

Exports of recorded music from the UK hit a record high of 590.8 million in 2021, with 41.2 million being electronic music, the report found.

Lindsay McIntyre, director of KSG Acoustics, said: This crucial report shines a spotlight on our culturally vital electronic music scene and the value it has to Scotlands economy.

As a provider of technical services to the music industry in Scotland, we have watched it grow and flourish and the artists, venues and events we support underline the creativity and social cohesion unique to this part of the live events sector.
Two nephews of retired businessman Sir Frederick Barclay could give evidence in his High Court fight over money with ex-wife Lady Hiroko.

A judge ordered Sir Frederick, 88, to hand Lady Hiroko Barclay, 80, lump sums totalling 100 million in May 2021 following the breakdown of their 34-year marriage.

Sir Jonathan Cohen, who has heard that money has yet to be paid, said then that Sir Frederick had behaved in a reprehensible fashion during the couples dispute.

Lady Barclay, who had petitioned for divorce on the grounds of unreasonable behaviour, has complained that Sir Frederick had not paid her as ordered  and alleged that he was in contempt of court.

Lady Hiroko Barclay alleges that Sir Frederick has not paid what she was granted by a court (Kirsty OConnor/PA)

The judge, who is overseeing the litigation at hearings in the Family Division of the High Court, said on Monday he wanted to hear from Sir Fredericks nephews, Aidan and Howard Barclay, sons of his late brother Sir David Barclay.

He indicated that Aidan and Howard Barclay could give evidence about Sir Fredericks means and issued witness summons.

Sir Jonathan ruled in July last year that Sir Frederick was in contempt as a result of failing to pay about 245,000 that he owed Lady Barclay for legal fees and maintenance.

He was then told at the last hearing, in February, that Sir Frederick had made a proposal in relation to the millions of pounds he owed, but no detail was given and the proceedings were adjourned.

Sir Frederick and his twin brother, Sir David , were among the UKs most high-profile businessmen.

Sir Frederick Barclay, right, with his twin brother, Sir David Barclay, after they were knighted (Michael Stephens/PA)

Sir David died aged 86 in January 2021.

Their interests included the Telegraph Media Group and The Ritz hotel in London.

The family also has links to the Channel Islands and Monaco.

Sir Jonathan has been told that Aidan Barclay and Howard Barclay now have day-to-day responsibility for group business.

The judge said they could give evidence about the means of Sir Frederick and said such a move could be a constructive way forward.

He said it appeared that their enthusiasm to engage in correspondence with Sir Frederick and his advisers has been less than wholehearted.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 6)  The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved on final reading a resolution calling for a constitutional convention (con-con) that would propose amendments to the Constitution.

Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 6 obtained 301 votes, six were against, and one abstained.

Ahead of the session, the majority bloc held a caucus where 300 lawmakers expressed intent to co-author RBH 6, according to a press statement from the office of Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

The resolution notes that a constitutional convention would be the most transparent, exhaustive, democratic, and least divisive means of implementing constitutional reforms.

The House approval came less than two months since the Committee on Constitutional Amendments began public consultations on charter change at the Batasang Pambansa, and select venues in Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

While RBH 6 states that the convention would be called for the purpose of proposing amendments to the economic provisions, or revision of, the 1987 Constitution, Committee on Constitutional Amendments chairman Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said last week there is no stopping delegates from touching the political provisions.

The House proposed a hybrid assembly with elected and appointed members. The election and appointment of delegates would coincide with the Oct. 30, 2023 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls.

Details of the convention, such as the funding and qualifications of delegates, are in an accompanying measure, House Bill 7532, now in plenary debates.
A train operator will cancel more than 23,000 services this year if reliability remains at current levels, according to new analysis.

The figure for TransPennine Express (TPE) was released by West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin, who urged the Government to get a grip.

Ms Brabin and Transport Secretary Mark Harper are among the speakers at the annual conference of Transport for the North (TfN)  which advises the Government on the regions transport needs  in Newcastle on Monday.

Office of Rail and Road data shows TPE cancelled 1,781 services during the most recent four-week reporting period to February 4.

Analysis by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority found a total of 23,153 services will be cancelled by the FirstGroup-owned company this year if the rate continues.

TPE runs trains across northern England and into Scotland.

Its passengers have suffered from delays and cancellations over the past year, partly due to train drivers no longer volunteering to work paid overtime shifts.

An offer aimed at restoring rest day working was rejected by union Aslef.

Ms Brabin said: Without improvement there could be an appalling 23,000 cancellations inflicted on northern rail commuters this year by TransPennine Express.

This is shocking, and the Government must hear our calls, finally get a grip and bring this situation under control.

A fully functioning public transport network is crucial to our plans to boost the economy, achieve our climate ambitions and provide people with the opportunity to get on in life.

Without action people will lose jobs, our youngsters will miss vital opportunities, and the northern economy will go off the rails.

A TPE spokesman said the operator worked hard with the Department for Transport to improve the offer on overtime working for our drivers.

He went on: At almost 500 per shift, it is deeply disappointing this offer was rejected out of hand by Aslef.

This offer for overtime working stands comparison with rates across the industry.

We hope the union will reconsider and put the offer to its members, who we hope would support it.

We know the service levels over the past year have not been good enough and we are pulling out all the stops to make things better.

Restoring driver overtime is an important part of that process and we urge Aslef to act in the interests of the members, the customers and the communities across our network and accept the offer on the table in order to enable a rapid reduction in train cancellations.

Henri Murison, chief executive of business group the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said he would be late for the TfN conference as the 8.52am train from Leeds to Newcastle was cancelled due to drivers not working on rest days.

Im afraid having dropped kids at breakfast club that I wont be getting to @Transport4North in time. As happens to so many commuters & people travelling for work every day my service was cancelled last night. The question is why  & the answer is #RestDayWorking inc @ASLEFunion pic.twitter.com/W6nlFjp0Zt  Henri Murison (@henrimurison) March 6, 2023

He wrote on Twitter: The members of the unions in many cases want deals. As passengers we need them.

The Department for Transport is examining the details of a recovery plan produced by TPE after ministers deemed its performance was unacceptable.

The operators current contract expires in May.

Ms Brabin said: People in the North need action right now.

I spoke to the rail minister Huw Merriman last week and he understands the challenges and the need to bring people together to find a solution.

But, with current levels of service from TransPennine Express, it would be unthinkable for the Government to renew their contract for another eight years.

We need trains operated by a safe pair of hands to see us through the inevitable disruption that the vitally important Transpennine Route Upgrade (TPU) will bring in the next few years.

The TPU is a major project to enhance rail infrastructure between Manchester and York via Huddersfield and Leeds.

Asked about the TransPennine Express contract renewal, Mr Harper said: The rail minister and I are looking very closely at the level of performance and well have to make a decision about that in due course, but my guiding light will be about the services that get delivered for passengers.

Thats what my job is about. Its about focusing on the passenger and their experience, and thats a message weve delivered clearly to those that run TransPennine Express.

The rail minister meets them weekly, and Ive called in their managing director to have a frank conversation, so I hope that message has landed.
An independent inquiry into the Sheffield street trees controversy will report on Monday.

Sir Mark Lowcocks investigation into the sometimes bizarre events surrounding the felling of thousands of trees between 2016 and 2018 has been billed as a truth and reconciliation moment for the city.

The felling led to daily confrontations between protesters and contractors in some of the citys leafiest middle-class suburbs.

Sir Nick Clegg visited Rustlings Road in Sheffield after an early morning felling operation he described as more like a well-planned anti-terror raid than a morning of tree maintenance (Danny Lawson/PA)

Police were deployed in vans and a number of people were arrested during the long-running dispute.

The saga included two pensioners being arrested during an early morning raid in scenes described by former deputy prime minister Sir Nick Clegg as more like a well-planned anti-terror operation than a morning of tree maintenance.

There were also allegations from contractors that protesters had poisoned them with cups of tea and a middle-aged woman was arrested in the suburban setting of Rivelin Valley Road for blowing a toy trumpet.

Thousands of tree were felled in the leafiest streets of Sheffield between 2016 and 2018 (Danny Lawson/PA)

At one point, Sheffield City Council unsuccessfully attempted to have a group of demonstrators jailed for the actions they took.

The controversy was rooted in a 25-year 2.2 billion private finance initiative agreement Sheffield City Council signed with the contractor Amey in 2009.

The contract included a huge programme to resurface thousands of miles of Sheffields pothole-ridden road system and, as part of this, Amey was tasked with maintaining roadside trees.

The council announced a wide-ranging independent inquiry into the whole saga and appointed Sir Mark, a former United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, as its chair.

Protesters stand next to the Huntingdon Elm tree on Chelsea Road in Sheffield, which is said to have survived Dutch Elm Disease (Dave Higgens/PA)

According to Sir Marks terms of reference, the aims of his inquiry have been to support the ongoing recovery in Sheffield from the dispute and to help minimise the risk of the dispute re-emerging in future.

The terms of reference said the inquiry would be guided by the need for truth and reconciliation in the city.

Sir Mark has looked at issues including the background and implementation of the Amey contract, the emergence of the opposition and how the council, the contractors and other agencies responded to the protests.
British pilots are set to conduct joint air policing missions in Estonia alongside the German air force for the first time.

It comes as the UK prepares take over from Germany to lead the Nato mission in Estonia, which borders Russia.

Royal Air Force and German Air Force Typhoon jets will take part in the first of their kind integrated missions, as the Defence Secretary praised the demonstration of Nato unity.

The Ministry of Defence said that around 300 RAF personnel will soon arrive in Estonia, with the UK set to lead the Nato air policing mission for four months from April.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has reignited concerns in border states, including Estonia, about Vladmir Putins ambitions and his next steps.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: Our RAF personnel in Estonia are undertaking a vital role, ensuring the security of Europes skies and bolstering Natos presence in eastern Europe.

Joint operations of this kind, demonstrate the strength and unity of the Nato alliance and our shared resolve to maintain peace and security across the region.

Wing Commander Scott Maccoll, commanding officer of 140 Expeditionary Air Wing, said: Today marks a great first for our two Air Forces. We have been working together for some time and the level of cooperation has now reached a new level.

It continues to be an absolute pleasure to work with our German allies on all aspects of our mission  from maintenance and operation of the jets to planning and logistic activities.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace (Ben Birchall/PA)

What better way to demonstrate the strength and unity of the Nato Alliance, than through successful, shared operations such as this?

The MoD said that the mission formed part of the UKs commitment to Nato member Estonia.

Lieutenant Colonel Christoph Hachmeister, the German Detachment commander, said: Working together with our allies from the Royal Air Force in a live mission is what we have been looking forward to since we started this mission.

Now we can demonstrate interoperability in these difficult times to protect our Baltic partners and Natos eastern flank.

The many years of good practice in working together will be the baseline for a successful cooperation.

Shadow defence secretary John Healey said his partys commitment to Nato co-operation with allies like Germany is unshakeable, as he warned of the danger of cuts to defence projects.

He said: Our RAF pilots will conduct these welcome exercises with total professionalism. But the Conservatives mismanagement of defence projects such as Wedgetails and cuts to military transport planes are leaving the UKs Nato obligations in doubt.

Labour in government would apply a Nato test to major defence programmes to ensure our Nato commitments are fulfilled in full.
Wayne Couzens will be sentenced on Monday for three incidents of flashing before he abducted, raped and murdered Sarah Everard.

The former Metropolitan Police officer, 50, is already serving a whole life jail sentence for the murder of Ms Everard, 33.

In March 2021, Couzens, then a serving officer, snatched marketing executive Ms Everard as she walked home in south London.

Following his conviction, Couzens, formerly from Deal in Kent, was charged with multiple counts of indecent exposure.

A claim by his legal team that he could not face a fair trial due to publicity around Ms Everards murder was dismissed by a senior judge.

Former Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens is already serving a whole life jail sentence for the murder of marketing executive Sarah Everard (Family handout/PA)

In February, Couzens went on to plead guilty at the Old Bailey to three counts of indecent exposure.

On Monday, Couzens will be sentenced for those offences by Mrs Justice May.

The incidents took place in woodland and at a fast food restaurant in Kent between November 2020 and February 2021.

On November 13 2020, he stepped out of a woodland in Deal, Kent, naked and masturbated as a woman cycled past.

Mrs Justice May said: She was scared and shaken, and could do nothing but cycle past, up the hill, as fast as she was able.

She noticed a black car parked 50m further on and recalled a partial number plate.

She warned away some walkers before calling her husband to tell him what had happened at about 1.40pm.

Traffic cameras and cell site data located Couzens in his Seat in that country area at that time.

A few months later, on different occasions on February 14 and 27 2021, Couzens exposed his genitals to staff at a drive-thru fast food restaurant in Kent.

He sat in his car and looked straight at them as he showed his erect penis while handing his card to pay for food.

The senior judge said: The female staff were shaken, upset and angry.

On the last occasion, staff took a registration number and identified the car from CCTV as a black Seat which was registered to Couzens.

A credit card in his name was used to pay while ANPR and cell site data was used to track the defendants car in the area at the time of the incidents.

Couzens had denied three other indecent exposure charges relating to an alleged incident in June 2015, one between January 22 and February 1 2021, and one between January 30 and February 6 2021.

Those charges are expected to be left on court file.

An independent inquiry led by Dame Elish Angiolini will consider Couzens earlier sexual offending and whether opportunities were missed to stop him before he murdered Ms Everard.
Women can do anything if they wish, say female Second World War veterans

Two women who served in the British armed forces during the Second World War have been honoured at an event ahead of International Womens Day.

Marie Scott, 96, and Mildred Schutz, 99, were guests of honour at the Royal Air Force Club in Piccadilly, central London, for the event organised by the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans.

Mrs Scott transmitted messages to and from French beaches during the D-Day landings in 1944, and Mrs Schutz served with the Special Operations Executive (SOE) in Italy.

Asked about the position of women now, Mrs Scott told the PA news agency: The glass ceilings have been cracked  women can do anything if they wish, if theyre trained.

Were not competing with men, were partners with men.

Asked whether she felt like an inspiration for young women today, Mrs Schutz said: I dont think so, not with being this age  youre just a couple of old dears.

Marie Scott said the glass ceilings have been cracked (James Manning/PA)

The women also recalled some of the frightening situations they encountered during the war.

Recalling working on D-Day itself, Mrs Scott, who lives in New Malden, south-west London, said: In my ears, I was in a war. My contacts (at) the other end of the VHF set were the troops landing on the beaches.

The sounds were terrifying  loud cannons, machine-gun fire, bombs dropping, men screaming orders, men screaming from pain. It was chaos.

Marie Scott transmitted messages to and from the beaches on D-Day (Family handout/PA)

Mrs Schutz, who lives in Worcester Park, south-west London, was posted to a very scruffy fishing village in Italy and lived under the constant threat of death.

She said: The Germans had announced all our backgrounds, so we knew if we got caught that was the end of you.

Both women shared their experiences and thoughts on gender equality in a Q&A session and were each presented with a posy of flowers, before all guests were treated to afternoon tea.

Mildred Schutz served with the Special Operations Executive (Family handout/PA)

Joining them were serving personnel from HMS Diamond, The Kings Troop and The Household Cavalry and guests from the Netherlands.

The Taxi Charity, which relies entirely on donations, has been arranging free trips for veterans from all conflicts to the Netherlands and France or social events across the UK since its inception in 1948.

It has launched a campaign to raise 75,000 this year, to coincide with its 75th anniversary.

Mildred Schutz, 99, during the event (James Manning/PA)

Frances Luczyc Wyhowska, Taxi Charity vice president, said: Without the taxis, none of this would be possible. The black cabs are fantastic  they all volunteer (and) they love the veterans.

She added: Our cab drivers, male and female, are always proud to pick veterans up.

Ms Wyhowska said meeting both women was living history and that such events help veterans who may be struggling with isolation issues.

International Womens Day is on Wednesday March 8, with this years theme being Embrace Equity.
Humza Yousaf has pledged to make Scotland an international leader in human rights if he becomes Scotlands next first minister.

The SNP leadership candidate said that he will do everything in his power to protect and advance the rights of people in Scotland if he is elected.

He said that he will bring forward the Scottish Governments Human Rights Bill, incorporating UN human rights treaties on economic, social and cultural rights, discrimination against women, racial discrimination and the rights of people with disabilities into Scots Law as far as possible under devolution.

And he pledged that an independent Scotland would enshrine these rights in full.

Ash Regan, Humza Yousaf, and Kate Forbes are running to become first minister (Jane Barlow/Andrew Milligan)

Mr Yousaf also said that he will promote the rights of LGBT people in Scotland by ensuring conversion therapy is banned, and embed LGBT rights in an independent Scotlands constitution.

Scotlands Health Secretary is running against the countrys Finance Secretary Kate Forbes and former community safety minister Ash Regan in the contest to replace Nicola Sturgeon.

He said: Advancing human rights has been a key success story of the SNP in government  from a social security system with respect and dignity at its heart to advancing LGBT equality, we have a track record to be proud of.

But we cannot afford to rest on our laurels  I am the candidate in this contest that has pledged my unequivocal support in advancing peoples rights.

And as first minister, I will constantly strive to ensure Scotland is an international leader in human rights.

I will start by confirming that the government will bring forward the Human Rights Bill and will incorporate key UN treaties into Scots Law as far as the devolution settlement allows. And any areas found to be out with our power under the current settlement will be incorporated into Scots Law when we are independent.

Meanwhile, the Tories are clearly itching to rob people in Scotland of their rights at the first opportunity as they look to scrap the Human Rights Act which enshrines so many of the important rights we enjoy today.

He added: As first minister, I will do everything in my power to protect and advance the rights of people in Scotland  and make the case for the full powers of independence which will allow us to go even further, keeping our human rights out of the hands of Westminster for good.

A UK Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said: The Bill of Rights builds on the UKs proud tradition of liberty by strengthening freedom of speech, reinjecting a healthy dose of common sense to the system and ending abuse of our laws.

The UK Government was elected on a manifesto that committed to updating the Human Rights Act to ensure there is a proper balance between the rights of individuals, our vital national security and effective government  that is what we are doing.
House Democrats are vowing a fierce fight over Medicaid as Republicans eye plans to curb spending for the low-income health care program in the name of deficit reduction.

Joining President Biden, the Democrats are warning that Medicaid cuts would disproportionately impact the same vulnerable populations least able to absorb the hit, including low-income kids, seniors and the disabled, who together represent almost three-quarters of Medicaid spending.

Heading into the years coming budget battles, Democrats are pledging to defend the program from the GOPs cost-cutting designs, raising the stakes in the prickly debate over how to hike the debt ceiling and heightening the chances of a government shutdown later in the year.

Were going to resist them completely, said Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (N.J.), senior Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over the Medicaid program.

The federal entitlements have long been a target of a Republican Party whose traditional brand has featured ideological opposition to government-run health and retirement programs. This year, however, GOP leaders have repeatedly vowed to protect Social Security and Medicare  a reversal heavily influenced by the 2016 arrival of Donald Trump, whose support for both programs helped fuel his populist campaign and propel him into the White House that year.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has said both programs are off the table in the debt ceiling debate, and even deficit hawks in the far-right Freedom Caucus have endorsed that sentiment.

Yet Republican leaders are also pledging to craft a federal budget that balances revenues and expenditures within a decade  a promise McCarthy made to the conservative critics in his conference as a way of winning their support in his hard-fought bid for the Speakership in January.

With major budget items off the table  including tax hikes and cuts to the Pentagon, Social Security and Medicare  many Republicans view Medicaid, as well as ObamaCare, as a key target in their deficit-reducing designs.

A number of conservatives  including Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Chip Roy (R-Texas) and Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.)  are lining up behind proposals to overhaul Medicaid, including plans to cap spending and apply strict new work requirements governing eligibility. And some of those ideas are receiving a welcome reception from other well-placed Republicans, including Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.), who chairs the Energy and Commerce Committee.

McMorris Rodgers characterized Medicaid as a very important safety net  one Republicans want to protect  but pointed to several areas where Republicans see opportunities to cut costs. Shes questioning the wisdom of two Obama-era changes in particular: The expansion of Medicaid to cover almost everyone up to a certain income level, including able-bodied adults; and the enhanced matching rate, also adopted under ObamaCare, that bills most Medicaid costs for the expansion population to the federal government versus the states.

Historically, Medicaid has been a partnership between the federal government and the state government, and for traditional Medicaid, its still 50-50. But for the expansion populations, its like a 90-10. And we need to look at that, McMorris Rodgers said. We need to make sure that we keep the strong safety net. But [we have] a lot of questions about: Is the match where it should be?

McMorris Rodgers also expressed support for new work requirements as a condition of eligibility for certain beneficiaries.

A lot of Republicans believe that more flexibility within Medicaid would lead to opportunities for better outcomes at a lower cost, she said.

Some House Republicans are taking cues from Russ Vought, Trumps former budget director, who has distributed a lengthy set of cost-cutting proposals to guide the GOP through the looming budget debates. Among his recommendations are provisions to slash roughly $2 trillion from Medicaid, and more than $600 billion from ObamaCare, over the next decade.

Those positions put Republicans on a collision course with Democrats, who consider those changes to be benefit cuts that theyd never support.

As long as Ive been here, Republicans have always wanted to cut Medicaid, said Pallone. And we cant allow that, because the people on Medicaid are the lowest income. They have no alternative, so obviously were going to oppose any of those cuts.

If theyre talking about these kinds of cuts I think Medicaid is definitely at risk, and yet its one of the most important things that we do to keep Americans healthier, echoed Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.).

Rep. Raul Grijalva (Ariz.), another liberal Democrat, said the Republican strategy rests on the notion that Medicaid is not as popular or important as Medicare and Social Security, and therefore makes for an easier political target. That theory, he warned, is categorically untrue.

They dont mention Medicaid because they dont perceive that as a political third rail. But it is, because youre going to see cities, states and communities across this country  and the whole health industry  react very negatively to any proposed cuts, Grijalva said. Theyre going to get a very serious backlash.

Its not only blue states that have a stake in the fight. While the Supreme Court in 2012 shot down an ObamaCare provision requiring every state to adopt the Medicaid expansion, 39 states have done so voluntarily. And legislators in North Carolina announced a deal on Thursday that could make them the 40th.

In their quest to protect Medicaid, Democrats on Capitol Hill have a strong ally in Biden, who used a speech in Virginia Tuesday to warn Republicans that any proposals to cut Medicaid or ObamaCare would be dead on arrival if they reach his desk.

Make no mistake, if MAGA Republicans try to take away peoples health care by gutting Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, I will stop them, he said.

Biden went after Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) for proposing to sunset all federal programs after five years, only to add exceptions last month for Social Security and Medicare after weeks of criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike. The fact that Medicaid was not also exempted from Scotts plan was not overlooked by the president.

Now he says, Never mind, dont need to do that  although I notice he didnt say never mind about Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, Biden said.

Theyre still on the chopping block.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky greets Vice President Kamala Harris as he addresses a joint meeting of Congress in December. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Politicians with White House ambitions who dont have strong support in their home state probably should not run for president.

And their national party should be leery of nominating someone who cant even excite the home state voters.

Especially if the state is the nations most populated, one that provides nearly one-fourth of the convention delegates needed to nominate a presidential candidate.

Im referring here to Vice President Kamala Harris, the Californian who has been constantly mentioned in the news media as a top-tier potential replacement for 80-year-old President Biden if he doesnt run for reelection next year.

Of course, Biden has signaled he does intend to seek a second term in 2024 and will announce this soon. But that hasnt stopped speculation about what if?

Biden will run and Harris will be on the Democratic ticket again. And regardless of whether the president wins or loses, the 58-year-old Veep will automatically be seen as an early front-runner for the partys nomination in 2028.

Harris, the daughter of immigrant parents  a father from Jamaica and a mother from India  has the distinction of being several firsts. Shes the first woman, the first African American and the first Asian American vice president. Ditto California attorney general. She was the first Black U.S. senator from California. And she was the first person of color to be elected San Francisco district attorney.

She looks good on a resume  elective offices at the local, state and national levels. Harris had a quick, uninterrupted climb up the political ladder.

Theres a sense that she may have come too far too fast, says Darry Sragow, a veteran Democratic consultant who publishes the California Target Book, which chronicles state elections.

Maybe too fast to acquire a lot of political acumen along the way.

The headline on a recent Washington Post analysis read: Some Democrats are worried about Harris political prospects. Many party activists are not sure the vice president has shown she is up to winning the top job.

That concern was justified by a California poll last week. It was bad news for Harris. It showed that she leaves a lot of home state voters cold  and not just Republicans, but many independents who represent 23% of the electorate.

Independents  officially labeled no party preference  vote in Democratic presidential primaries in California.

The survey of California registered voters was conducted by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies and cosponsored by The Times.

Voters were asked how they would feel about Harris running for president next year if Biden didnt. Their answer: 59% would not be enthusiastic about it; 37% would be.

Among Democrats, 56% would be enthusiastic, but 63% of independents would not. Black voters were the only major demographic group that expressed enthusiasm.

Californians never have been that enthusiastic about her presidential ambitions or prospects, notes Mark DiCamillo, the veteran IGS poll director.

Then-Sen. Harris ran for president four years ago but dropped out before the first primary votes were cast. An IGS poll back then showed that 61% of voters thought she should give it up. In polling leading up to California's primary, she was running fifth with only single-digit support.

In the poll released last week, voters were asked their impression of Harris. It was so-so: 46% favorable and 46% unfavorable. Among Democrats it was 72% favorable. But independents views were 51% unfavorable.

Most significant, impressions of Harris have dropped sharply across the board since she became vice president  by 10 percentage points among all voters, 11 points among Democrats and 16 among independents. Black voters view Harris favorably, but their image of her has fallen by nine points.

Bidens 2020 voters now look on her less favorably by 15 points.

Meanwhile, Bidens job rating in California has risen to 57% approval, up 10 points in the last year. So, Harris isnt being dragged down by her boss.

Once she became vice president, the image of her went way up, DiCamillo says. She was vice president. People in the state were somewhat proud of her. But they really dont want her as president.

The pollster says he regards independent voters as guideposts.

I look at them to see which way the wind is blowing, DiCamillo says. And the wind is not blowing at her back. Its in her face.

Among those voters, theres relatively little enthusiasm for her. Theyre more negative than positive. Thats an indicator. Its an ominous sign for her.

I called Fred Smoller, a political science professor at Chapman University.

She faces some kind of charisma deficit I dont understand, he says.

Sragow puts it this way: A fair number of people think she doesnt sound authentic.

Smoller: Vice presidents are not supposed to be seen and certainly not heard. They cant prove themselves to the public.

Id argue that Biden has given Harris opportunities to shine.

Harris didnt shine as a senator, either, because soon after she got to Washington in 2017, she started running for president. Before that, she was a risk-averse attorney general who didnt stand out.

In our society, the fact shes a female tends to be a strike against her, Smoller says. And shes a woman of color.

But Los Angeles and San Francisco have Black female mayors. Californians had two female senators for years. And Harris was elected to the Senate. California, however, still has not elected a woman or a Black governor.

Californians have never embraced Kamala Harris as a national candidate, says Rose Kapolczynski, who was former Sen. Barbara Boxers political strategist.

Shes worse in the polls than Biden because when theres good news, the president wants to be the one delivering it. Shes not very visible.

Harris future seems to be as Bidens vice president. And Id suggest someday she run for president  of some university.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
FILE PHOTO: Pro-abortion demonstrators gather at the State Capitol to mark the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade in Madison

By Nandita Bose

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House is jumping into state-level battles for women's reproductive rights, lending legal and messaging advice to allies in states pushing restrictions as the Biden administration seeks to make abortion access a rallying cry in next year's presidential election.

By leaning on key local lawmakers and backing legislation to expand abortion rights, the White House is hoping to expand on the relative success that Democrats earned in the midterm elections by making abortion a large part of their campaign.

The White House's Gender Policy Council is spearheading the effort, along with an inter-governmental affairs team and Vice President Kamala Harris's office, sources said. The groups regularly hold strategy meetings with local elected officials, activists and reproductive rights groups.

The White House has divided fights for abortion rights in states as politically divergent as Texas, New York and North Carolina into three broad categories and has established an approach for each, according to two White House officials and two advisers working on the issue.

"The goal of our strategy is fairly simple: it's to support actions by state and local leaders to protect and expand access, but it's also to fight restrictions," said one of the officials.

The previously unreported, behind-the-scenes effort has caught the attention of state lawmakers for the level of support offered by the administration.

In some cases, the White House is leaning on key lawmakers in states with important abortion-related legislative fights this session. North Carolina is a special focus where the White House thinks it has the opportunity to fend off restrictions, one of the White House officials said.

Republican lawmakers in North Carolina are working on more restrictive abortion laws than the state's current 20-week ban and they hold a veto-proof majority in the state Senate. In the state House, the margins are very narrow.

"We've been in touch with specific legislators who are going to be really important in this fight," the official said.

Some of the state's Democrats have had different voting records on abortion but have all now committed to codifying abortion rights, the official added.

In Florida, state House Democratic leader Fentrice Driskell said in her meetings with White House officials topics discussed include voter turnout and how that is driven by states putting abortion on the ballot.

Other discussions focused on how Florida Democrats could use partners such as reproductive rights groups to make abortion a key issue in 2024, she said.

"For the White House to reach out the way that it did, to say we're here to be as much of a backstop as we can be, to provide whatever resources we can, to try to assemble and convene state and local leaders from all across the country, it has meant a lot," Driskell said .

She said the White House's work on issuing talking points and messaging has also been a "big help."

To combat restrictions, the White House coordinates with national organizations working to defeat potential bans, is getting the vice president to travel to such states to bring stakeholders together and uses its press contacts to spotlight legislative fights at critical moments.

Harris, who won praise from grassroots Democrats for her frequent defense of abortion rights during the midterm campaign, is a key part of the current White House effort.

Harris traveled to Indiana during a special legislative session last summer to ban abortion. The ban passed but was placed on hold due to a court order. U.S. officials and abortion-rights advocates credited Harris' visit with sparking state-wide debate on how to draw the lines on abortion access.

'BATTLEGROUND, EXTREMIST, PROACTIVE'

Since last summer's Supreme Court repeal of the Roe v. Wade ruling that ended the nationwide right to abortion, many Republican-controlled states are pushing to further restrict abortion access, while states run by Democrats are enshrining protections in new laws.

Republicans have largely shrugged off White House efforts at beating back efforts to limit abortion rights. The Republican National Committee (RNC) has urged affiliated lawmakers and campaigns to go on the offense on abortion.

When asked to comment about the White House's latest initiative, the RNC pointed Reuters toward a resolution it passed at a meeting in January.

The resolution directed national and state lawmakers "to pass the strongest pro-life legislation possible" ahead of the 2024 election cycle, citing six-week abortion bans as an example.

The White House sees three different approaches to defend abortions rights and has broken down states into what they call either "battleground," "extremist" or "proactive" states, White House officials and advisors say.

The White House views "extremist states" as those that have already banned abortion and where there are plans for further restrictions such as Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Idaho, the officials said.

Most abortions are now banned in 13 states as new laws take effect following the Roe decision.

In what it calls "access battleground states," the White House is tracking fights this legislative session that could reduce reproductive care access. These states include North Carolina, Nebraska, Florida, said the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal strategy.

In "proactive states" such as Michigan, Minnesota, New York, California, Connecticut, the White House is working with pro-abortion rights state lawmakers who are backing legislation with funding for women and protections for abortion patients and providers.

One reason for the White House's plans to push on abortion is that efforts in Congress to pass nationwide abortion protections have failed. And a lawsuit over abortion pills is being closely watched for its impact on reproductive care.

Focus on the issue helped energize Democratic voters and staved off some defeats for the party in the midterm elections.

Edison Research exit polls found that for one-quarter of voters, abortion was the primary concern and 61% opposed the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade.

Harris has spoken to 200 Democratic state legislators on reproductive rights and convened leaders from 38 states in dozens of meetings since the decision, the officials said.

(Reporting by Nandita Bose in Washington; Editing by Trevor Hunnicutt and Alistair Bell)
The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for the return of four Americans believed to have been kidnapped at gunpoint during an attack in Mexico on Friday that also led to the death of a Mexican citizen, authorities said.

A senior U.S. official told NBC News on Monday that the Americans did not cross the border for any criminal purpose.

The four Americans drove into Matamoros, Tamaulipas, in a white minivan with North Carolina plates on Friday, the FBI said in a statement. Matamoros is just south of Brownsville, Texas.

Shortly after crossing into Mexico, the Americans were met with gunfire by unidentified shooters, the release said.

The gunmen herded the four U.S. citizens into another vehicle and fled the scene with them, the FBI said.

U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said Monday in a statement that an innocent Mexican citizen was tragically killed during the kidnapping.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said the Americans were in the country to buy medicine.

"They are people from the United States who crossed the border to buy medicines and there was a confrontation between groups. The matter is looked into. I think it will be resolved," Lopez Obrador said Monday during a daily news conference.

It is not uncommon for Americans to cross the southern border for cheaper medication in Mexico.

The senior U.S. official did not endorse the comments of Mexicos president that the Americans entered his country to buy medicine.

A spokesperson with the National Security Council said in a statement Monday the kidnappings were unacceptable.

Our thoughts are with the families of these individuals and we stand ready to provide all appropriate consular assistance, the statement said.

U.S. law enforcement is in touch with Mexican law enforcement. The Departments of State and Homeland Security are also coordinating with Mexican authorities. Well continue to coordinate with Mexico to bring those responsible to justice.

The case is under investigation by the FBI and Mexican law enforcement, and the FBI is asking the public for information leading to arrests.

Officials did not provide any further details on the abduction and did not identify the victims.

The reward money is for the safe return of the victims as well as the arrest of those involved in the assault and kidnapping.

Anyone with information is urged to call the FBIs San Antonio division at 210-225-6741.

The U.S. State Department has a Do Not Travel warning for Tamaulipas state due to crime and kidnapping.

The department said organized crime activity including gun battles, armed robbery and kidnappings are common along the northern border and in Ciudad Victoria.

"Criminal groups target public and private passenger buses, as well as private automobiles traveling through Tamaulipas, often taking passengers and demanding ransom payments," the warning said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 6)  Ten days after he was reported missing on Feb.18, Adamson University student John Matthew Salilig was found dead, his body almost unrecognizable, in a vacant lot in Imus, Cavite. Authorities said he most likely died due to hazing conducted by the Tau Gamma Phi (Triskelion) fraternity.

Heres what we know so far regarding the case.

February 28

Adamson University confirmed the death of the 24-year-old chemical engineering student who was reported missing on Feb. 18. His body was found in a shallow grave in Brgy. Malagasang 1-G in Imus City, Cavite.

The Laguna Provincial Police Office said the victim attended the initiation rites of the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity in Binan on the day he went missing.

The university said it had launched its own investigation.

March 1

Police served a search warrant on the vehicle of one of the suspects in the alleged hazing of Salilig. It was presented to Gregorio Cruz, the owner of the vehicle that brought the lifeless body of the student to Cavite.

Authorities identified 18 persons of interest. Six of them were invited for investigation, while two were arrested for obstruction of justice, including the father of one of the suspects.

The police said a member of the fraternity revealed to them the location of Saliligs body.

Meanwhile, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assured the bereaved family that justice will be served.

March 2

The autopsy conducted by the Cavite Provincial Crime Laboratory revealed that Salilig died from "severe blunt force trauma to the lower extremities. Several hematomas  the pooling of blood outside of a blood vessel -- were noted on his body, particularly on his chest and thighs.

Binan City police chief PLtCol Virgilio Jopia said authorities have filed charges against the six fraternity members linked to the death of Salilig and injuries of complainant Roi Osmond dela Cruz for violating the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018.

March 3

Jopia said officials saw traces of possible hazing in a house in Barangay Casile where the incident took place. He also revealed that the property was owned by one of the six arrested members of the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity.

Asked if it can be established that Salilig was killed through hazing, Jopia answered in the affirmative. He added that the police were still searching for the paddle used on Salilig, which was allegedly burned.

The Binan police chief urged the two other victims to cooperate with the police to clear their names and avoid facing charges.

Jewellord Peralta, Grand Triskelion of Tau Gamma Phi Global, revealed that the Adamson chapter of Tau Gamma Phi previously refused to comply with the fraternity's no-contact policy.

Meanwhile, the Department of Justice (DOJ) junked the obstruction of justice complaint earlier filed against the father of one of the suspects.

Later that day, Jopia said one of the persons of interest was found dead in his house in Taguig City on Feb. 28. He said the case was listed as a suicide.

March 4

Salilig was laid to rest in his hometown in Zamboanga City.

On the same day, the so-called "master initiator," who was with Salilig the night before he died, underwent inquest proceedings at the DOJ.

This story will be updated.
NEW YORK (AP)  Fox News is on an unlikely collision course with two leading contenders for the Republican presidential nomination over the rights of journalists.

In defending itself against a massive defamation lawsuit over how it covered false claims surrounding the 2020 presidential election, the network is relying on a nearly 60-year-old Supreme Court ruling that makes it difficult to successfully sue media organizations for libel.

Former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, two favorites of many Fox News viewers, have advocated for the court to revisit the standard, which is considered the foundational case in American defamation law.

It is ironic that Fox is relying on a landmark case that was designed to help the news media play the watchdog role in a democracy and is under attack by Gov. DeSantis, Donald Trump and other figures who have been untethered in their attacks on journalists as enemies of the people, said Jane Hall, a communication professor at American University.

Eye-catching evidence has emerged from court filings in recent weeks revealing a split screen between what Fox was portraying to its viewers about the false claims of election fraud and what hosts and executives were saying about them behind the scenes. Sydney Powell is lying, Fox News host Tucker Carlson said in a text to a producer, referencing one of the attorneys pushing the claims for Trump.

In an email a few weeks after the 2020 election, Fox Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch described a news conference featuring Powell and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, another attorney who pushed the election lies: Really crazy stuff. And damaging.

Images of Fox News personalities, from left, Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, Maria Bartiromo, Stuart Varney, Neil Cavuto and Charles Payne appear outside News Corporation headquarters in New York on July 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)

Aside from the revelations about Fox's inner workings, the outcome could have broad implications for media organizations because of how they and the courts have come to rely on the libel law Fox is using as a shield.

In its $1.6 billion lawsuit, voting machine maker Dominion Voting Systems argues that Fox repeatedly aired allegations that the company helped rig the general election against Trump despite many at the news organization privately believing the claims were false.

Fox says the law allows it to air such claims if they are newsworthy.

In a 1964 decision in a case involving The New York Times, the U.S. Supreme Court greatly limited the ability of public officials to sue for defamation. It ruled that news outlets are protected against a libel judgment unless it can be proven that they published with actual malice  knowing that something was false or acting with a reckless disregard to whether it was true or not.

In one example of how the law was applied, editors at the Times acknowledged last year that an editorial mistakenly linked former Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's rhetoric to an Arizona mass shooting. Palin lost her libel suit because she couldn't prove the newspaper erred without concern for the truth.

Some advocates for free speech worry that the Dominion-Fox lawsuit ultimately could give a conservative Supreme Court a chance to revisit the standard set in the case, known as New York Times Co. v. Sullivan. While the case has been among the court's most durable precedents, the newly empowered conservative majority has indicated a willingness to challenge what had been considered settled law  as it did last year in overturning abortion rights.

Then-President Trump speaks during a FOX News Channel town hall at the Scranton Cultural Center, March 5, 2020, in Scranton, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Two Supreme Court justices, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, have publicly expressed interest in giving the precedent another look.

In dissenting from a 2021 decision not to take up a libel case, Gorsuch wrote that what began in 1964 as a decision to tolerate occasional errors to allow robust reporting has evolved into an ironclad subsidy for the publication of falsehoods by any means and on a scale previously unimaginable. He said the modern media landscape is much different today, and suggested it was less careful.

My wish is that the parties would settle and this case would go away, said Jane Kirtley, director of the Silha Center for the Study of Media Ethics and the Law at the University of Minnesota. I don't see any good coming out of it.

A perceived strength in Dominion's case also worries some supporters of the press.

Dominion says Fox was, in effect, torn between the truth that Joe Biden legitimately won the race and pleasing viewers who wanted to believe Trump's lies. In depositions released last week, Murdoch argued that Fox as a network did not endorse the claims, but that some of its commentators  Maria Bartiromo, Lou Dobbs, Jeanine Pirro and Sean Hannity  at times did.

Murdoch was among several at Fox to say privately they didn't believe the claims made by Trump and his allies that widespread fraud cost him reelection. In his deposition, Murdoch said he could have prevented guests who were spouting conspiracies from going on the air, but didn't.

One of the defenses is that even false speech about public figures is protected so long as it is believed by the speaker, First Amendment attorney Floyd Abrams said. But no one at Fox appears ready to say that he or she did believe the assertions ... and there now appears to be substantial evidence that no one there at Fox did so. It's a major blow.

Fox's entire prime-time lineup privately disparaged Trump lawyer Sidney Powell, according to court papers. Laura Ingraham, in a text to Carlson, called her a nut. In a deposition, Hannity said he did not believe her theories for one second. Nevertheless, Powell was interviewed on Fox 11 times between Nov. 8 and Dec. 10, 2020, according to court papers.

Dominion Voting ballot-counting machines are shown at a Torrance County warehouse during election equipment testing with local candidates and partisan officers in Estancia, N.M., Sept. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton)

Dominions lawyers say Fox is arguing that it has no legal responsibility for broadcasting even the most horrible allegations, knowing they are false, as long as they are deemed newsworthy.

Fox said Dominion is presenting an extreme view of defamation, one in which the network had a duty not to report the allegations but to suppress them or denounce them as false.

Under Dominion's approach, if the president falsely accused the vice president of plotting to assassinate him, the press would be liable for reporting the newsworthy allegations so long as someone in the newsroom thought it was ludicrous, Fox lawyers said in court papers.

Such a rule would stop the media in its tracks, Fox said.

There's a high bar for proving libel  and that's deliberate, First Amendment attorney Lee Levine said. Dominion has to show that a reasonable audience could conclude that someone at Fox was making these allegations, not just the interview subjects, he said.

Strongest defamation case he's seen in 40 years

Still, Levine said, Dominion has the strongest defamation case he's seen in 40 years of being involved in the topic.

George Freeman, executive director of the Media Law Resource Center, said Fox should cite a lesser-known neutral reportage standard that dates back to a court case from the 1970s. It holds that news organizations should not be discouraged from reporting something newsworthy even if there are serious doubts about the truth, as long as that information comes from responsible and prominent sources.

But the U.S. Supreme Court has not weighed in on that argument, and a number of lower courts have rejected it. It's also not clear that the defense would be legally applicable in the Dominion case against Fox.

There is sentiment in Republican circles that the Sullivan standard goes too far in protecting news organizations.

DeSantis last month urged the Supreme Court to revisit libel laws, saying they are used to smear politicians and discourage people from running for office. A bill being considered in the Florida Legislature would significantly weaken standards in the state. Trump said last year that the court should consider his own defamation lawsuit against CNN a perfect vehicle for revisiting precedents.

Some media law advocates that the University of Minnesotas Kirtley has talked to privately, people who are usually eager to support the press in libel cases, are queasy about publicly backing Fox in the voting machine lawsuit.

Many see the case as a surrogate to hold Fox and Trump supporters accountable for what happened after the 2020 election, she said.

I dont think a libel suit is the vehicle to deal with this, and you have to think about what damage could be done to libel law if Dominion wins, she said.
YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. The Nagorno Karabakh police officer who survived the Azeri ambush on March 5 is in intensive care at the Republican Medical Center in Stepanakert after undergoing surgery for a gunshot wound to the chest, the ministry of healthcare has said.

The officer is in stable serious condition with mild positive dynamics.

Three officers died in the Azerbaijani ambush on a police vehicle in Nagorno Karabakh on March 5.
YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. 50 applicants from Artsakh were unable to travel to Armenia to attend the winter round of the 2023 common entrance exams for admissions to universities because of the ongoing Azerbaijani blockade of Lachin Corridor, an education official has said.

We maintain direct contact with our Artsakh counterparts. Weve already received the data on the 9th graders who had applied for the exams. We dont have problems pertaining to the graduation exams, we send them the tests, and they print it out and organize the exam. But we do have problems with the common exams. We are now discussing this issue and we dont rule out that applicants of Artsakh could be given the chance to pass the exam twice [in summer], the Deputy Director of the Evaluation and Testing Center of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Karo Nasibyan said at a press conference on March 6.
YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. The patient zero' in the ongoing measles outbreak is someone whos arrived in Armenia from abroad, the healthcare minister revealed on Monday without elaborating.

20 people tested positive for measles as of Monday. Minister of Healthcare Anahit Avanesyan said that 15 of them are children and 5 are adults. All patients are either citizens of Armenia or residency card holders.

Avanesyan called on the public to seek medical attention immediately after displaying any of the measles symptoms.

Our research showed that the first case of measles [in this outbreak] infiltrated from abroad. The patient is a child, and others have been infected since then, Avanesyan said.

Early detection, identification of direct contacts, preventative vaccination within 72 hours and their isolation is highly important while dealing with measles, she added.

Healthcare authorities recommend children get two doses of the measles vaccine, starting with the first dose at 12 through 15 months of age, and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age. The Armenian healthcare ministry advised parents to get their children vaccinated if theyve missed the immunization schedule.

At the same time, unvaccinated direct contacts of confirmed cases should also get vaccinated, healthcare authorities said.

Measles is one of the worlds most contagious diseases. It is spread by coughing and sneezing, close personal contact or direct contact with infected nasal or throat secretions.

The virus remains active and contagious in the air or on infected surfaces for up to 2 hours. It can be transmitted by an infected person from 4 days prior to the onset of the rash to 4 days after the rash erupts, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Unvaccinated young children are at highest risk of measles and its complications. Unvaccinated pregnant women are also at risk. Any non-immune person (who has not been vaccinated or was vaccinated but did not develop immunity) can become infected.

The first sign of measles is usually a high fever, which begins about 10 to 12 days after exposure to the virus, and lasts 4 to 7 days. A runny nose, a cough, red and watery eyes, and small white spots inside the cheeks can develop in the initial stage. After several days, a rash erupts, usually on the face and upper neck. Over about 3 days, the rash spreads, eventually reaching the hands and feet.

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament Arsen Torosyan, a former healthcare minister, issued a statement on the outbreak and said that he has information indicating that the imported case was locally spread from within the hospital. Furthermore, he blamed an unvaccinated health worker. We had imported cases [before] that remained local and did not spread. But now we are factually having local spreads and I have information that it spread from within the hospital, from the sick child to others. There is also another information indicating that an unvaccinated health worker had a role in the circle of spread, which in itself is regrettable, Torosyan said.

He lambasted doctors who believe in conspiracy theories rejecting vaccines, and are furthermore calling on others to do so. He nevertheless acknowledged the high vaccination rate in the country (90-95%), but still called on all unvaccinated persons to get the shot.

You have a duty to save lives, not to endanger these lives, Torosyan said, addressing health workers.
YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. Peter Stano, Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union, referred to the attack of the Azerbaijani sabotage group on the policemen in Artsakh.

"The EU is sorry for the violence that broke out on the Karabakh contact line yesterday, which resulted in at least five victims. The circumstances of this fatal incident must be thoroughly investigated. We call on all interested parties to exercise restraint to prevent further actions that could further undermine regional stability and threaten the peace process," he said.

Three Nagorno Karabakh police officers were killed as a result of an ambush by a sabotage team of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces on March 5. The officers of the Passport and Visa Department of the Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Nagorno-Karabakh were attacked around 10:00 in the area called Khaypalu. They were in their service vehicle at the time of the ambush.
by Vladimir Rozanskij

Vote set for 19 March, along with local government elections. Independent candidates denounce harassment by the authorities. To register as a candidate, 2,500 euros are needed: the average salary in the country is around 700. A broad victory for President Tokaev's party is expected.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - The electoral campaign in Kazakhstan, ahead of the parliamentary and local elections on 19 March, is increasingly coming to a head, after the first public confrontations between the candidates on the various lists, revealing a social reality that is still in motion, despite attempts to control it from above.

After last year's dramatic and bloody political tensions, the various groups are cautiously trying to propose real political reforms. The independent and opposition candidates who have managed to run for office, however, complain that they have little chance of getting into the various Maskhilat, central and local parliaments.

Journalist and independent candidate Lukpan Akhmedjarov, in his election videos, describes in detail his journey through the thirty years of Kazakhstan's independence, in which he became aware of corruption even in the world of information. He took to the streets in anti-government demonstrations, even suffering an assassination attempt in which he was hit with nine stab wounds and two bullets from an air gun.

Akhmedjarov criticises his opponents in the ruling 'Amanat' party, stating that 'previously this formation was a collection of corrupt officials; today it supports a person who hid his son for over a month from the public security organs, after he accidentally killed a woman who was rowing in a boat... and this person promises us to ensure the superiority of the law!'

The reporter is very popular in the north-western Uralsk region, and will fight for the uninominal seat along with 700 other candidates. Uninominal seats have been contested again since 2004, but out of hundreds of pretenders, only 29 seats will be available.

This is one of the effects of the constitutional reform promoted by President Kasym-Zomart Tokaev, after the dramatic events that led to the deaths of 238 people in January 2022.

Despite appearances, according to Akhmedjarov, 'we independent and out-of-system candidates are constantly looking at each other, and wondering when we will be taken out and how'. Checks on candidates' tax returns have already led to the exclusion of several of them, especially at the municipal level.

In Uralsk, as the candidate recounts, 'already a few hours after the official start of the campaign, several expensive billboards appeared, and various advertisements on television, as if some people could freely use administrative resources'.

The candidate for the Almaty regional parliament, Zibek Amenova, witnessed how the police arrested another candidate, Aygerim Tleuzanova, directly at the election committee. She is now under investigation for the riots at the local airport a year ago, and was excluded from the lists for 'falsifying bank documentation'.

For Amenova, 'it was an absolutely illegitimate arrest, the law cannot block her status as a candidate, even according to the rulings of the Supreme Court'. Both are candidates of the alliance of independents.

Akhmedjarov also complains that he had to pay to register his candidacy a sum of more than one million tenge (around 2,500 euro) 'in a country where the average salary is around 700 euro', a figure that is already exorbitant outside Almaty and Astana.

He has tried to organise a fund-raising campaign to support candidates, but this is only possible at a single bank, Halyk, which only collects contributions paid physically at its branches, upon presentation of a proxy signed by the candidate, and confirmed by a notarial deed.

At every public meeting of Akhmedjarov and the other independents, people turn up and loudly ask "which foreign agency is financing you?", and accuse them of not being patriotic enough, because they send their children to study abroad. Akhmedjarov's 17-year-old daughter is just finishing high school, but has already submitted an official application for an institution outside Kazakhstan. He replied 'I hope you will make the same objections about Tokaev and Nazarbaev's children and their property abroad'.

The new parliament will in any case be dominated by Tokaev's 'Amanat' party, heir to Nazarbaev's 'Nur Otan', and the only question of the 'democratic revolution' will be about the few seats that will be allocated to the other admitted parties, and the few courageous truly independent candidates.
The Babylon Movement denounces its unconstitutionality because it ignores the rights of minorities. The law was approved in 2016, but only recently became official with publication in the Gazette. Fines of up to 16,000 euro. In Iraqi Kurdistan, a thousand-year-old Assyrian site was vandalised with the inscription 'Allah Akhbar'.

Baghdad (AsiaNews) - A new front of conflict is opening up in Iraq over the sale and consumption of alcohol, a thorny issue that has long been debated, and which in the past has been the cause of deadly attacks on Christian shops and shopkeepers by Islamic extremist groups.

Some politicians are trying to annul the law banning the import and sale of alcoholic products, after the order came on 4 March to comply with the rule and enforce the ban. The rule became law last month, despite a fierce battle and strenuous opposition from the parliamentary minority.

The five Christian MPs, elected on the basis of the quota of seats reserved for minorities, filed a lawsuit claiming that the rule against the sale of alcohol is 'contrary to democracy'. In Iraq, a Muslim-majority nation, consumption in public is disincentivised and an element of disapproval, although the drinks can be bought in shops or sold by bars with an appropriate licence.

The law was passed in parliament in 2016 and carries fines of up to 16,000 euros. It prohibits the sale, import or production of alcohol, but only officially came into force last month, seven years after the vote, with publication in the official gazette.

At the moment, it is not known how strictly it will be enforced and whether the Supreme Court will reject it or keep it in force, ruling that it is in accordance with the law.

In their appeal, members of the Babylon Movement denounce its unconstitutionality because it ignores minority rights and restricts personal freedoms. It is also in contradiction with a government decree, adopted days before it was published in the Official Gazette on 20 February, and which sets a 200% tax on all imported alcoholic beverages for the next four years.

Interviewed by Afp Sarmad Abbas, a trader in Baghdad, says that the ban will only end up fuelling the black market, but will not stop the sale of alcohol, which is certainly not restricted to the Christian minority.

He also acknowledges that Islam forbids its consumption, however he adds that 'here we are talking about personal freedoms that you cannot forbid citizens to practise'. In the past, the Chaldean Patriarchate had also intervened on the issue, calling the anti-alcohol law a "liberticidal norm" and that "at a critical time like this [2016, ed.] when the offensive in the north is underway" against the Islamic State "it hurts everyone and, in particular, national unity".

The reasons for concern for Iraqi Christians do not stop at alcohol. On 3 March, vandals attacked and desecrated an Assyrian archaeological site in Dohuk, Iraqi Kurdistan. The attackers left Islamic extremist writings and slogans, striking for the third time at the same place in the last seven years.

The Halamata Cave on Mount Zawa, south of the city, is almost 3,000 years old and depicts King Sennacherib who ruled the Assyrian empire between 704 and 681 BC. Among the inscriptions on the relief is the motto 'Allah Akhbar'.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 6)  Authorities have located MT Princess Empress, a tanker carrying 800,000 liters of industrial oil which caused a spill after it capsized in the waters off Oriental Mindoro, Governor Bonz Dolor said.

The tanker was located 7.5 nautical miles from Balingawan Point, facing Pola Municipality in Oriental Mindoro, Dolor said during a press briefing on Monday.

Environment Secretary Toni Yulo-Loyzaga revealed this to Dolor in a phone call during the press briefing.

The governor said Yulo-Loyzaga would meet with him on Tuesday to discuss the analyzed data on the exact location of the sunken tanker. It may still contain some oil which could spread to the shores of nearby municipalities, he added.

MT Princess Empress capsized last Feb. 28, spilling oil into the waters of Oriental Mindoro. This affected 34 locally managed marine protected areas in 10 municipalities and some 36,000 hectares of coral reefs, mangroves, and sea grass.

Related:

Oil slick spreads to most of marine protected areas in 10 Oriental Mindoro towns

Over 36,000 hectares of marine habitats potentially affected after oil spill  experts
Today's headlines: Philippine coast guard spotted over 40 Beijing ships in a disputed area of the South China Sea; Pakistani police serve arrest warrants on former premier Imran Khan; Qatari emir 'perplexed' over delays in aid to post-earthquake Syria; illegal pangolin sales increase in Laos.

ARMENIA - AZERBAIJAN

At least five people were killed in a shoot out between the Azerbaijani army and Armenian police officers yesterday. The shooting was triggered by the arrest of an Armenian police vehicle by the Baku army, along a road disputed by the two sides on the Lachin corridor, which had been blocked by the Azeris for more than 80 days. According to the Baku government there were weapons on board the vehicle, accusations described as "absurd" by Yerevan.

CHINA - PHILIPPINES

Over the weekend, the Philippine coast guard (Pcg) spotted more than 40 Chinese ships near Pag-asa, one of the islands occupied by Manila in the disputed area - with Beijing - in the South China Sea. Among the boats were also a military ship and a coast guard ship. According to the Philippine government, they were stationed within the 12-nautical-mile border.

PAKISTAN

Police served arrest warrants on former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan to ensure his appearance in court to answer charges of abuse of office. Yesterday, hundreds of supporters of the 70-year-old cricket champion turned politician blocked police from entering his home. On 28 February, he had deserted a hearing in his corruption trial.

SYRIA

The Emir of Qatar said he was "perplexed" by the delays in aid for earthquake victims in Syria, stressing that it is "wrong" to use humanitarian issues for "political purposes" as Christian leaders have already denounced. Words that sound like support for Damascus, after Doha has been financing rebel groups for years during the war. For the World Bank, the damage caused by the earthquake amounts to more than 5.1 billion euro.

LAOS

In Laos, the illegal online sale of pangolins and parts of the animal is on the increase, despite campaigns to protect a species considered endangered and threatened with extinction. Similar to an anteater, the animal is coveted in China, Vietnam and Hong Kong because its scales would provide medical benefits, although there is no proof. Vientiane is one of the crossroads of trade.

RUSSIA

In St. Petersburg, the Vagnerjonok youth club, 'the Wagnerino', was organised by the Wagner Company, with the support of politicians, journalists and bloggers, together with war veterans, where primary and secondary school pupils are brought in during school hours to 'educate themselves in patriotic love'. At the first meetings, the Spetsnaz illustrate war moves and strategies.

GEORGIA

At least 36 people are arrested during a demonstration in front of the parliament in Tbilisi, protesting against the new law on 'foreign agents', copied partly from the Americans, partly from the Russians. Among them were also journalists, such as 'Publika' agency director Zura Vardiasvili and 'Tabula' reporter Beka Dzikurasvili.
Chinas Parliament opened its annual session. Outgoing Prime Minister Li Keqiang performs his final act in office. China is hoping domestic consumption will boost economic recovery. Investors fear greater government control of the private sector. Military budget rises to US$ 5 billion. Xi Jinping faces major foreign policy hurdles.

Beijing (AsiaNews)  China set moderate growth and higher military spending as its main goals as its National Peoples Congress (NPC) began its annual session.

Together with the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which opened the day before, Chinas parliament is called upon to ratify decisions already taken by President Xi Jinping and the leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

This years growth target of 5 per cent is unexpectedly lower than expected, namely at least 6 per cent.

President Xi's zero-Covid policy, the Russian-Ukrainian war, and reduced world demand have limited China's GDP growth to 3 per cent last year, far below the 5.5 per cent target, and one of the lowest levels in the last 50 years.

Consumers could go a buying spree if they decide to spend the nearly US$ 1 trillion excess savings accumulated over the past three years; however, house prices continue to fall across the country, a negative trend considering that an estimated 70 per cent of household wealth is in real estate.

In addition, local governments face a huge debt crisis, with about US$ 9 trillion dollars owed to banks and bondholders, this against a GDP of US$ 18.3 trillion in 2022, according to the International Monetary Fund.

In his latest speech on government action, outgoing Premier Li Keqiang indicated the goal of creating 12 million new jobs; however, as a representative of the CPCs reformist wing, Lis departure is raising doubts among investors about Chinas future, with some fearing that Xi will move towards greater control of the private sector.

For several analysts, this might herald a return to Maoist left-wing nationalism, which is also fuelling Chinas militarism. In fact, in his address, Premier Li announced that military spending this year would grow by 7.2 per cent, to around US$ 225 billion, a slight increase compared to last year (+7.1 per cent).

Chinas military budget is almost one quarter that of the United States, but many experts believe that the real budget of the Peoples Liberation Army is higher than the official one.

Li justified the growth in military spending by the need to respond to external attempts to suppress and contain" China, a veiled slap at the United States, which is committed to opposing Beijing's geopolitical ambitions.

Li spoke of growing threats to Chinese security, with the issue of Taiwan's status at the top of the list.

However, it is Xi who will handle the country's many foreign policy issues, such as its border disputes with India in the Himalaya and those with several ASEAN countries in the South China Sea and with Japan in the East China Sea, not to mention the effects of Russias war against Ukraine on the global balance of power.
by Guido Alberto Casanova

A victims foundation will be set up to which South Korean companies that received compensation can make donations. The issue has fuelled political tensions and trade frictions between the two countries in recent years. South Koreas President Yoon wants to turn the page to boost cooperation with Japan against North Koreas threats.

Seoul (AsiaNews)  After years of political tensions and trade frictions, South Korea and Japan seem set on making peace, not only with each other, but above all with their shared colonial history.

After months of bilateral talks, the South Korean government this morning made public its proposal on how to resolve the issue of reparations for those South Koreans who were forced to work by Japans imperial authorities during World War II.

The perception of Japan in South Korea is still heavily influenced by its colonial rule over the Korean peninsula between 1910 and 1945.

What weighs on this perception is the suspicion that successive Japanese governments never truly disowned this period nor repent for the suffering inflicted.

Repeated visits by Japanese ministers and senior officials to the controversial Yasukuni Shinto shrine only enhanced such suspicion, fed by Tokyos apparent reluctance to make amends for its colonial crimes and grant justice to its Korean victims.

The Supreme Court of South Korea tried to fill this gap in 2018 with a ruling ordering Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Nippon Steel (two Japanese companies historically involved in the trafficking of Korean workers during the war) to compensate victims who had been employed as forced labourers.

The two companies refused to comply, backed by the Japanese government, which claims that issues related to reparations and Japans colonial rule in Korea were settled by the normalisation agreement signed by the two countries in 1965.

South Korean courts seized some of the assets owned by the two companies to pay compensation to the victims. This boiled over in 2019 with tensions between South Korea and Japan reaching a peak with the conflict spilling over into a trade dispute.

To overcome the impasse, which has marred bilateral relations for the past five years, South Koreas Foreign Ministry this morning announced the creation of a foundation that would compensate the victims whose right to reparations has been recognised by the Supreme Court.

Under the South Korean proposal, Japanese companies will be able to make a voluntary contribution to the foundation. The South Korean government also expect South Korean companies that benefitted from a 1965 bilateral treaty to make donations.

In order to overcome the sad past, The [South Korean] government hopes to build a future-oriented relationship between Korea and Japan, based on reconciliation and cooperation, said South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin.

Since conservative President Yoon Suk-yeol was elected last year, South Korea has softened its stance against Japan hoping to boost trade relations and strategic cooperation against North Koreas threats.
Over the weekend, the leader of the right-wing nationalist IYI party left the "Table of Six" over the candidacy of CHP leader Klcdaroglu. In his place, IYI leader Meral Aksener wants either the mayor of Istanbul or that of Ankara. The Table put off a meeting to pick their joint candidate.

Istanbul (AsiaNews)  The weekend saw the first rift in Turkeys joint opposition, the so-called Table of Six, which seeks to challenge President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the 14 May elections set to take place despite last months earthquake.

The IYI (Good) Party, a right-wing nationalist party, has rejected Kemal Klcdaroglu, leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP), as a joint candidate; the opposition is set to make an announcement to this effect shortly.

IYI wants to focus on the charismatic mayors of Turkeys two main cities, i.e. someone who can challenge and beat a "government" candidate, like Ekrem Imamoglu in Istanbul (currently on trial that some describe as political) or Mansur Yavas in Ankara.

Hitherto, the "Table of Six" included the main opposition party, the CHP (founded by modern Turkeys founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk), IYI (Good) Party, the Democracy and Progress (Deva) party; Gelecek (Future) Party, Saadet (Happiness), and the Democratic Party (DP)

Recent polls indicate that, despite criticism over their handling of the devastating earthquake of 6 February, Erdogan and the AKP  allied with the nationalist MHP  are still in the lead, favoured precisely by divisions within the opposition and its lack of a strong leader.

This morning, the mayors of Ankara, Turkeys political capital, and Istanbul, its business capital, visited the IYIs headquarters to meet its leader, Meral Aksener, and try to mend fences.

The opposition coalition, effectively now reduced to five, is waiting to see the outcome of the mayors mission; for this reason, they delayed by an hour a meeting scheduled for 2 pm today designed to announce their joint candidate.

The IYI leader immediately rejected the idea of backing the CHPs leader, focusing on one of the two mayors, who quickly responded by reiterating their support for Klcdaroglu in order to avoid any further show of divisions.

The latest polls suggest that both Imamoglu and Yavas have a very good chance of beating the incumbent president, in power for over twenty years.

If either mayor ran, they risk exposing themselves to criticism and end up losing both the presidential race and control of their city at a time when most Turks are still reeling from the earthquake.

Aksener's latest offer is to have the two mayors appointed as executive vice presidential candidates with ample room to act and exercise power.

Conversely, the departure of the right-wing nationalist party would open the door to a greater appeal to Kurdish voters, whose numbers could be decisive in the presidential poll.

Aydn Sezer, an Ankara-based political analyst, said the he was not surprised by Meral Aksener's departure from the coalition, given her previous "resistance" to working with Kurds.

In the past, she served as interior minister and was a long-time member of the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the AKP's current coalition partner.

Moreover, some believe that she is opposed to Klcdaroglu because he is an Alevi Kurd.

The opposition coalitions new interest in Kurdish votes, but not in the main Kurdish party, the HDP, is evinced by last Saturdays statement addressed to Turkeys Kurdish community.

We will continue on our way without excluding any member of our 85 million people, a CHP statement read.
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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 6)  A teachers group urged Vice President and Education Secretary Sarah Duterte to rethink the restoration of the mandatory Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC), instead of red-tagging teachers that support the nationwide transportation strike this week.

What's worse, Duterte dares to red-tag ACT (Alliance of Concerned Teachers), putting in danger teachers and educational workers who comprise their unions, the group said.

Duterte should take time to rethink the mandatory ROTC being railroaded by lawmakers in a false attempt to instill nationalism, it added.

Congress of Teachers/Educators for Nationalism and Democracy made the statement on Monday, following Dutertes remark that both teachers group ACT and transport group Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston) are militant organizations.

Earlier, Duterte said Piston is an organization poisoned by the ideologies of the bankrupt Communist Party of the Philippines, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines and the New People's Army.

Duterte also said ACT is a group that is diametrically nowhere near in the service of the interest of the learners and the education sector.

This is not red-tagging. This is a statement of fact, Duterte said.

On Saturday, ACT slammed the Department of Education for not suspending classes amid the nationwide transportation strike, stressing that DepEds decision proves its insensitivity and obliviousness.

However, Duterte said the weeklong protest is communist-inspired and a painful interference in the education system.

READ: Weeklong transport strike a learning disruption  DepEd
It was more than a UK affair

Photo: Silverstone Auctions

A Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth 4X4 sold for $115,636

Photo: Silverstone Auctions

More money than sense?

Photo: Silverstone Auctions

596,250 ????????????



1987 Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth sells for a world record breaking price at @RaceRetro_ show!



Incredible. #silverstoneauctions #raceretro pic.twitter.com/gZyNwCh7Pq  Silverstone Auctions (@silverstoneauc) February 25, 2023

Its not the first time a classic car has sold for a speculative price. In May last year, Mercedes-Benz sold the worlds most expensive car in a secret auction  the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR 'Uhlenhaut Coupe.'While the 1987 Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500 can never be compared to the most expensive car in the world, an auction has unraveled a can of worms among self-proclaimed enthusiasts.A survivor 1987 Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500 sold on 25 February for 596,250 ($631,825) at Silverstone Auctions. Here's the kicker. The final sale was nearly three times its guide price of 150,000 ($158,950) to 180,000 ($190,739), setting a new world record.Some diehard RS500 Sierra Cosworth enthusiasts feel opportunistic investors are manipulating the market. They think if this trend continues, this classic UK Ford racer will turn into a collectors item, ultimately ruining the fun for fans whod love to own the car for what its worth  driving pleasure.According to Silverstone Auctions, the bidding wars on the RS500 Cosworth came down to two bidders, one from the United Kingdom and the other from Dubai. This shows that the auction wasnt a UK affair but a global raffle, and as youd expect  the stakes were significantly higher.Thats not all. The 1987 Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth is by no chance an ordinary car. The original version of the racer, the Ford Sierra RS Cosworth unveiled at the 1985 Geneva Motor Show, was the first Ford car to wear the Cosworth badge.Five thousand five hundred forty-five units were produced, 500 of them were converted by Aston Martin Tickford into the Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500.' Simply put, if the RS Cosworth was a homologation Special, the RS500 is, in fact, an Evolution Special  the very best of its kind.Under the hood, the Sierra RS500 Cosworth packed a turbocharged 2-liter engine good for 224 hp (227 ps).The car in question was a uniquely upgraded Cosworth RS500 with 5,192 miles (8,355 kilometers) on the odometer.The previous owner bought it around 14 years ago. Silverstone Auctions said this unit had 'patently been cared for' and lightly used during the initial owner's tenure. The description indicates "attention to the detail of this car's maintenance cannot be understated."It was serviced and maintained during this period by Tremona Garage of Southampton, a knowledgeable local specialist with a record of preparing cars to a Concours standard.This low mileage survivor 1987 Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500 was not the only unit that broke auction banks this weekend. A Ford Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth 4X4 with 10,727 miles (17,263 kilometers) sold for 109,125 ($115,636), twice as much as its 50,000 ($52,983) guide price.Not too many people were happy about the half-a-million sale. On Forums like Autoshite, community members felt the auction sale blew out of proportion and blamed the huge sales spike on opportunistic 'investors' looking to make a buck.The argument is that niche cars like the 1987 Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500 will turn into art pieces destined for life under a showroom tarp. Ultimately, those genuinely passionate about these racers wont get a chance to test their limits like they were designed to in the first place.It's easy to say the bidders who drove up the auction have more money than sense, but let's take a second to think about what happened at the online auction on Saturday. The previous RS500 Ford Sierra Cosworth sales record was 132,750 ($140,671). The unit had done 9,000 miles (14,484 kilometers) on the clock .The new sale is a huge bump over the previous one (four times higher). From a market standpoint, the recent Silverstone auction sale says one thing about the bidders  they were the most enthusiastic bunch in the room.It is essential to note that some things have changed since the global pandemic hit. Global communication has been centralized, and eCommerce is thriving  thanks to shopping habits acquired during the lockdown period. A McKinsey Global Survey of executives published in October 2020 discovered that responses from COVID-19 sped the adoption of digital technologies by several years.The survey results confirm the rapid shift towards interacting with customers through digital channels. They also show that the adoption rates are years ahead of where they were when previous surveys were conducted, the McKinsey & Company survey noted.Similarly, The New York Times early last year reported the classic car auction market was experiencing a boom in auctions conducted online. In 2021, auction site Bring a Trailer made a whopping $828 million in gross sales, double their sales in 2020 ($398 million). It is currently one of the world's largest car enthusiast auction sites.Adam Smith, a classic performance car enthusiast from the UK, hosted Paul Linfoot of Paul Linfoot Racing, an authority figure on the Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth on his YouTube channel. Paul dives into details about why he believes the classic racer is worth the $600K tag.He believes the Cosworth RS500 will sell for a million soon. What do you think? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. Wed love to hear your opinion.
Coolwalk allows users to run apps side-by-side in dedicated cards. The focus is put on the apps that most people use, such as navigation solutions and audio players. The likes of Google Maps receive the largest card on Coolwalk, while Spotify and the rest of the music apps receive the remaining screen estate.Running these apps on the same screen seems to cause a lag bug that eventually causes Android Auto to freeze completely.The behavior is sometimes different, but in all cases, Android Auto stops responding because the lag is gradually increasing.It all starts with everything running properly on Android Auto. Listening to music and route guidance provided by Google Maps works correctly. As users drive, Android Auto starts exhibiting a small delay, and the app becomes slow and choppy.Google Maps suffers from the same problem. The navigation is getting slower, down to a point where it can no longer track users on the map. As such, the turn-by-turn navigation it provides is irrelevant, as your location is typically ahead of what you see on the map.Android Auto eventually freezes completely, and the only way to restore it is to reconnect the mobile device to the head unit. Once you do this, everything is back up and running. Some users claim that pausing the music also restores Android Auto.I tried force-closing Spotify and discovered that Android Auto is indeed dropping the lag. Google Maps also seems to work correctly when Spotify isnt running.While all signs seem to indicate a glitch in Spotifys Coolwalk implementation, this doesnt seem to be the case. Someone on Googles forums claims other audio apps are impacted as well, including Musicolet. As such, chances are the problem resides in Coolwalk and the way it handles music software.In my car, the lag only happens occasionally, and pausing the music playback does not fix the bug. On the other hand, if I use Google Maps and Waze in full screen ( dashboard support is still in beta for this app) without Spotify, the navigation never experiences the said lag.For the time being, the issue doesnt seem to be very widespread. This makes sense especially given Coolwalk is still rolling out, so not all users received it. Google uses a server-controlled release, and the new interface is not tied to a specific update. As a result, Android Auto users are provided with the new interface in stages, with the rollout projected to complete by the end of the year. The latest stable version of Android Auto is 9.0 and it also exhibits this bug
Photo: Bell

Much more capable at getting into tight spots than their airplane counterparts, helicopters and other kinds of VTOLs do have one major disadvantage: theyre not particularly fast. Consider this: the fastest military airplane is the Lockheed YF-12, which was capable of reaching speeds of 2,275 mph (3,661 kph). Thats close to Mach 3, and compared to the YF-12, but also other fighter jets of our era, which regularly fly well past Mach 1, helicopters are incredibly slow: the fastest one, the experimental Sikorsky X2, only reached 290 mph (460 kph). Thats almost 0.4 the speed of soundIt's clear now, especially thanks to the advent of new types of military helicopters, that faster such machines are not only possible, but also needed. And what better company to work on such things than the one that already is responsible for two of the fastest military VTOLs out there?Bell has been making helicopters for a long time, but of concern to us today are the V-280 Valor and 360 Invictus . The former is being developed for the U.S. Armys Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program, after being selected as the winner last December, while the latter is part of the Armys Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) program.They are both incredible machines in more ways than one, but one thing sets them apart from the rest of the bunch: theyre pretty fast for their kind. The Valor , for instance, will eventually be able to move at 345 mph (555 kph), while the Invictus will do the same at 230 mph (370 kph).Thats lightning fast, compared to pretty much everything else you can find out there, but not nearly enough for Bell. Seeking to push the boundaries to whats possible even further, the company announced over the weekend it struck a deal with Pratt & Whitney to create the needed tech for something called the High-Speed Vertical Takeoff and Landing (HSVTOL).That would be a program the U.S. Air Force (USAF) kicked off back in 2021, which seeks to find a helicopter capable of going as fast as 460 mph (740 kph), and to potentially use it as a replacement for the current CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor.Bell, which is just one of several companies (11 in all, to be precise) selected to take part in the program, will work with Pratt & Whitney on the engines thatll power its HSVTOL, because that's what this latter company does best. At the time of writing there are, of course, no exact details on what engines those will be.When ready for action, Bells HSVTOL will still be a tiltrotor, just like the Valor and Osprey, a choice that allows it to take off like a helicopter, but then cruise like a fighter aircraft. For all intents and purposes, it will be a multi-mission machine, with the military to use it for whatever missions, from from intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) to more aggressive missions, like say striking targets.We are not told when the Bell HSVTOL will be ready (nor proposals coming from its competitors), but expect more details on the project to be spilled as work on it progresses.
EV

United States automotive dealerships have long enjoyed the 'middleman' role in the territory's automotive industry. The first car dealership was established in the United States by William E. Metzger in 1898. More precisely, the business has enjoyed these privileges for one and a quarter centuries (125 years).While dealerships offer convenience and variety through their services, some unscrupulous businesses have taken this precious opportunity to screw over their clients. Last year, a Chevrolet Dealer was exposed for charging $90,000 over MRSP for a 2023 C8 Corvette Z06.Sadly, this was not an isolated incident. Earlier in the same month, another dealership was trying to sell a similar unit for $100K over MRSP, which, in simple terms, can be best described as highway robbery.Last year, Ford and GM warned dealerships against selling their units over MSRP (threatening to hold deliveries), but the industry-wide supply shortage made the markups pervasive.But it now seems car manufacturers are pushing back as the industry shifts to electric vehicles.The legal storm between auto manufacturers and dealerships is brewing across the country in California, Colorado, Mississippi, and Florida and parts of the East Coast.It is important to note that while car dealerships offer the convenience of location to clients, they only exist because of State Franchise Laws . Americans don't fancy buying cars from dealerships.These laws prevent auto manufacturers from directly selling car units to consumers in the market. The last thing these franchises and businesses want is their privileges revoked or spun.In April last year, a lawsuit was filed by Illinois auto dealers aiming to stop newentrants Rivian and Lucid from directly selling their units to clients in the state. Unfortunately, Rivian and Lucid won the legal battle.While consumers love to hate dealerships for playing middleman and consequently exploiting them over markups, they've become unlikely allies when pushing back against a more formidable enemy  subscription services.Still, it's important to note that dealerships only hate subscription services because they don't get to share a piece of the recurring monthly payments. When on a full scale, the new subscription-based services will rack up billions from consumers, a more worrisome eventuality for some dealers compared to direct EV sales.Most consumers will agree that dealerships offer some sort of convenience. Having to ship your car across states due to a simple fix is strenuous in itself. But they'd rather have that, than deal with high markups.As one commenter on Reddit put it, "The dealership model should die. They make the vast majority of their money on service and financing. The automakers should just do that themselves."According to the Associated Press, several American states also proposed laws to make selling electric vehicles more complex for industry newcomers, such as Austin-based Tesla, Rivian, and Lucid.
Photo: Mikael Restoux

Photo: German Federal Archives

Photo: German Federal Archives

Photo: Sudwest Presse

But it'd be wrong to say German Starfighters didn't have their share of highlights hidden among the considerable lowlights. In the most notable instance, the Luftwaffe F-104 played the main character in a story seemingly straight out of a movie. A riveting tale of the race to bring life-saving medicine to a young child in Italy from an air base in West Germany. That sounds like complete fiction on the face of it, but it was all real. This is the roller coaster-like story of Germany's F-104.Like a certain self-professed musical genius, it feels like controversy and scandal surrounded every nut and bolt of the Starfighter's construction from the moment the first prototype flew in 1954. The second example ever built was the victim of an accident that destroyed the airframe. It was an omen of things to come, but nobody knew it yet.But beyond explosive first impressions, there's the inescapable fact that Lockheed personnel used some fairly shady tactics to get foreign Air Forces to order their jets. In a scandal that supposedly led a trail back to the West German Minister of Defense Franz Joseph Strauss, millions of dollars in Lockheed bribes are purported to have been exchanged for the guarantee West Germany would procure Starfighters.It was to the point that Franz Joseph Strauss filed a lawsuit against a man called Ernest Hauser. The corporate lobbyist for Lockheed claimed Strauss and his entourage accepted upwards of $10 million in bribes from Lockheed back in 1961. That's the equivalent of over $100 million in 2023's money. But it wasn't just Germany. The Netherlands, Japan, Italy, and Saudi Arabia were also implicated in the scandal. It's just another reason the Starfighter gained a negative reputation wherever it flew.If that weren't bad enough, a fundamentally wrong-headed battle strategy on the part of the Luftwaffe to make the Starfighter a ground attack aircraft were about to have some truly hideous results. If you thought strapping bombs and rockets to the stubby wings of a high-altitude interceptor sounds like a recipe for disaster, you'd be 100 percent correct.By 1966, 61 F-104s had been lost to accidents, with at least 35 pilots killed. Many of these accidents were attributed to low-level ground attack exercises in which Starfighters on strafing runs were too laden with ordinance and too close to the ground for comfort. Thus, causing them to effectively lawn dart into the ground with very little time to react. By the time the Luftwaffe's Starfighters retired in 1991, 292 airframes were lost alongside 116 of its pilots.To the West German public, these accident and loss records were nothing short of unacceptable. This led to the unfortunate distinction of Luftwaffe F-104s being dubbed "Der Witwenmacher" by the West German public. In English, this translates to "the Widowmaker." Even before this reputation, the Luftwaffe's top-scoring fighter ace Erich Hartmann expressed his displeasure with his government procuring F-104s.Being at odds with the Luftwaffe's high command over safety concerns regarding the Starfighter ultimately forced Hartmann into retirement from military service. It was just another casualty in the story of an airplane with a hex seemingly placed on it. Based on this, one would think nothing valuable, positive, or beneficial to the world in any way was ever accomplished by Luftwaffe Starfighters. But that would be an incorrect assumption.Flash forward to a bitterly cold, miserably icy morning of January 22nd, 1982. On that day, a three-year-old child named Jessica was on the verge of death in the Italian region of Sardinia. Stricken with a devastating illness, the only known medication available to treat the girl resided in Germany. But there was a problem. If the medicine didn't get there in 24 hours, chances were good that Jessica wouldn't make it.The solution from the German government was one a teenage boy would seemingly devise in his head. It was decided a Luftwaffe F-104 Starfighter from the German Fighter Bomber Wing 34 in the Bavarian town of Memmingen would receive the special medicine. A government convoy trundled across icy roads in the middle of a snowstorm and at great expense to deliver the medicine to the awaiting air base.At the Starfighter's controls that morning was Luftwaffe Lieutenant Jurgen Gundling. A strapping, young, and remarkably talented jet pilot with upwards of 1000 hours of experience flying the Starfighter. Only a pilot with this supreme understanding of their aircraft had any business taxiing out to the runway that morning. Only a thin strip of this runway was subject to de-icing procedures. There wasn't even enough time to de-ice the taxiway.But even so, a single F-104 made its way to the beginning of the runway while Jurgen Gundling took a deep breath and fired the afterburner of his General Electric J79 turbojet engine to life. A wave of 15,600 lbf (69 kN) of thrust roared like a mighty lion as the F-104 coaxed itself into the air against the will of mother nature. Meanwhile, military personnel from Germany, Austria, and Italy scrambled like mad to grant permission for the impromptu overflight across national boundaries.It's not like the conditions at the other end of the trip in Sardinia were any better. Though not snowing or iced over like back in Bavaria, heavy rains at the airbase had caused sections of runway lighting to become inoperable. Not exactly flight-worthy weather by any means.In a stroke of genius, German and Italian ground personnel at the base began driving trucks up to the runway and blasting their high beams directly at the tarmac to give Jurgen Gundling a better chance at landing safely.After traveling across national borders at supersonic speeds, air traffic control at the base aided in directing the aircraft down to the landing strip safely. With life-saving medicine now firmly on Italian soil, the drug cocktail was promptly transported to Jessica's hospital bed, saving her life in the process. At that moment, a Luftwaffe jet which most pilots regarded as a flaming metal coffin, pulled off a feat many would deem impossible.It's the kind of story Hollywood writers would kill to write a screenplay about. More to the point, there's something profoundly poetic about a weapon of war meant to maim and kill, performing a genuine act of goodwill.Though it wouldn't save the German F-104 from a legacy of infamy, the affair did at least show the story of the Luftwaffe F-104 was far from black and white. One with crushing lows but at least one spectacular, awe-inspiring, and triumphant high point.
PHEV

Developed by Italian engineer Giotto Bizzarrini following his departure from the Prancing Horse of Maranello as part of the so-called Great Walkout of 1961, the Raging Bulls original V12 would be updated time and again, growing from 3.5 liters in the 350 GT to 6.5 liters in the Murcielago and sharper Reventon.The SantAgata Bolognese-based automaker developed a brand-new V12 for the recently discontinued Aventador, a 6.5 shared with the limited-run Veneno, Centenario, Countach LPI 800-4, Essenza SCV12 track-only weapon, and Sian FKP 37 . The latters front lighting signature carries over to the long-awaited successor of the Aventador, which is rocking a different V12 mill.Lamborghini says that its a clean-sheet design, most likely referring to many upgrades over the L539 engine of the Aventador and Co., including direct fuel injection or dual injection. The combustion engine is nothing to scoff at, but Lamborghinis next-gen flagship wouldnt be the most powerful production car to wear the Raging Bull logo without some form of electrified assistance.Rather than a single electric motor powered by supercapacitors, the whats-it-called supercar has been previously spied with a pair of electric motors. One drives the front wheels, whereas the other electric motor drives the rear wheel and assists the V12 powerplant.Gifted with a pair of so-called flying buttresses, the Aventadors replacement further sweetens the deal with a double bubble-like roof. Its not styled by Zagato, though, but by either Lamborghini or someone at the Volkswagen Group. Scheduled to be revealed in the flesh by months end as a 2024 model, thesupercar makes do without a driveshaft in the center tunnel, because the front wheels are now driven by an electric motor and because said tunnel is full of battery cells.Pictured on rather mundane-looking alloys, the most powerful Lamborghini entitled to wear a license plate features a flat underbody and hexagonal-styled dual exhaust outlets. The rear deck integrates an air brake a la McLaren 765LT, and the third brake light is pretty damn sweet in its own right. The final piece of the puzzle comes in the form of a dual-clutch transmission, likely supplied by Graziano, in place of the automated manual that makes the Aventador a bit fidgety at low speeds.Spied testing at the SantAgata Bolognese factory in series-production spec, the yet-to-be-named supercar needs to develop in the ballpark of 1,000 horsepower for Lamborghini to remain relevant in this ever-competitive segment. The rival to match or exceed is the Ferrari SF90 series, which is due to receive a hi-po variant in the near future, a variant referred to as the Versione Speciale
Scheduled to premiere by months end in SantAgata Bolognese, the plug-in hybrid V12 land missile is heading to the 2023 Milan Design Week to be presented to special guests who cant be bothered by the world premiere. Its going to be joined by a selection of cars beautified with special anniversary liveries, and chances are that the newcomer will get a special edition as well.2023 marks the 60th anniversary of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., the Volkswagen Group-controlled automaker born out of spite. Ferruccio Lamborghini dared criticize Enzo Ferraris sporty gran turismos, with Il Commendatore dismissing Ferruccio as nothing more than a wealthy industrialist with limited car knowledge.Following the Great Walkout of 1961, iconic automotive engineer Giotto Bizzarrini was hired by Ferruccio Lamborghini to design a V12 that would make Enzo blush in awe. Updated from the original displacement of 3.5 liters to a whopping 6.5 in the Murcielago and Murcielago-based special editions, Lamborghinis first production engine would be discontinued in favor of the L539 developed specifically for the incredible-sounding Aventador. Recently discontinued, the L539 will be succeeded by a clean-sheet design believed to feature either direct fuel injection or direct and port injection.Rather than a jerky automated manual thats extremely unpleasant to use in low-speed scenarios, the heir apparent will employ a dual-clutch transmission. Not only will it feel better on upshifts and downshifts, but also shift quicker than the ISR (independent shifting rod) single-clutch gearbox of the long-running Aventador.Expected to be supplied by Dana Graziano, which makes the DL800 seven-speed transaxle found in the Lamborghini Huracan and Audi R8, the new tranny and similarly new engine will be joined by a pair of electric motors. Lamborghini hasnt confirmed the dual-motor setup, but our spy photographers did. Ferrari may have bettered its rival with one more electric motor for the SF90 series, but still, the SF90 uses a twin-turbo V8 compared to Lamborghinis naturally-aspirated V12.The Italian automakers first plug-in hybrid production car is also expected to be Lamborghinis first car to crack the 1,000-horsepower mark. A free-breathing V12 and two electric motors powered by a center tunnel-mounted battery is the perfect recipe for 1,000 horsepower, be it metric or mechanical. For reference, the SF90 Stradale and SF90 Spider crank out 1,000 ps (986 horsepower) and 800 Nm (590 pound-feet) of torque at 6,000 rpm.Recently spied flaunting a rear air brake and flying buttresses, the whats-it-called supercar wont be Lamborghinis only plug-in hybrid. The Urus will receive a PHEV option in the near future, with said plug-in hybrid system based around a twin-turbo V8.
With around 800 ferry lines, its no wonder that Norway is looking at ferries as a priority for implementing green propulsion solutions.The longest ferry connection in the state is Vestfjord. This is a large basin situated between the Norwegian mainland and the Lofoten islands, covering around 100 miles (160 km) in length and 50 miles (80 km) in width. The government has decided that all ferries for the Vestfjord connections should be emission-free.And, because these are demanding routes that can take up to four hours to complete, the new vessels also require an extensive range. This is why green hydrogen was selected as the best solution.Torghatten Nord, a domestic transport group, will be operating the two new hydrogen-powered ferries. It might not seem so at first glance, but this is a massive project, valued at nearly 20 million ($21.3 million). In fact, it claims to be the largest hydrogen project for the maritime industry, in the world.Were also talking about very large vessels. A single one of these ferries will have the capacity to carry 599 passengers, 120 cars, and 12 trucks. Considering this, in addition to the long routes they will cover, the future Torghatten Nord ferries require a powerful propulsion system.Two companies are in charge of this. SEAM, a technology company specializing in zero-emission alternatives for the maritime industry, will provide the entire powertrain, plus the control and safety systems. But the fuel cells for the powertrain will be supplied by PowerCell, which has recently joined forces officially with SEAM.PowerCell has contributed to hydrogen-based aviation projects as well. The companys fuel cell solution for vessels is called the Marine System 200, and will ensure a total output of 13 MW for future ferries. However, it seems that the ferries wont rely 100% on hydrogen. According to SEAM, the government requirements are asking for a minimum of 85% hydrogen. At the same time, the rest can be covered by biofuel, which also helps cut emissions.Overall, these two vessels alone are expected to eliminate up to 30,000 tons of CO2 per year (the CO2 emission equivalent of 13,000 diesel cars).The only bad news is that such a large-scale project takes time. There are still two more years to go until the new ferries will start regular operations in the Vestfjord, running mostly on hydrogen.
Having purchased the derelict Jetstar for a whopping $234,000 at auction, aircraft enthusiast James Webb was actually planning on spending more to get it airborne. So he commissioned the folks over at AeroDesign Services for a quick inspection and an estimate on what needs to be done and how much it costs. Not surprisingly, this 1962 Lockheed is estimated to swallow millions of dollars before it can fly again.For instance, the initial overall inspection will cost a whopping $80,000, while an NDT check-up for corrosion and cracks will add another $20,000 to the bill. But these aren't as expensive as stripping, sealing, sanding, and repainting the airplane, which will set Jimmy back another $120,000. Fixing and/or replacing the flight controls is also estimated to cost up to $450,000 depending on damage while repairing the landing gear alone would fetch another $360,000.But wait, this tab will get much bigger while fixing the electrical/avionics system and rewiring everything. Because this operation alone will cost a mind-boggling $1.5 million. But the fact that the Jetstar is missing all of its Pratt & Whitney JT12 engines is the biggest issue here. Not only because these turbojet mills are difficult to source, but because finding parts, fixing them, and getting them to pass inspection would cost around $2.2 million.On top of that, Jimmy would also have to pay $100,000 for flight testing and about $450,000 to get the aircraft to comply with current Airworthiness Directive regulations. All told, fixing this plane and making it air-worthy would cost at least $5.7 million. Assuming Jimmy would be lucky enough to find four JT12 engines and that the airplane doesn't have serious corrosion under the skin.But that's not the worst news he got from this initial inspection. According to the guys over at AeroDesign Services, this Lockheed Jetstar will never be allowed to lift off the ground. Even if it gets restored and passes all tests. That's because it won't be able to comply with current noise reduction regulations. Simply put, the aircraft is too loud to even be allowed to fire up.But what about muffler kits? There are quite a few of them available for various types of aircraft. Well, apparently no company makes such a kit for the Lockheed 1329 Jetstar , which isn't surprising given that this specific model was built in limited numbers. Granted, Jimmy probably wasn't planning on throwing almost $6 million at this long-abandoned private jet, but it's still a shame that such a famous aircraft will never be allowed to fly again.Does this mean that the Jetstar is stuck in Roswell? Well, Jimmy hasn't shared his plans for the aircraft as of this writing, but unless he decided to sell it to recover some of the $200K+ he spent on it, it sure looks like this Lockheed could become a nice Elvis Presley-themed Airbnb.As a brief reminder, this Jetstar was one of Presley's many private jets from late 1976 until the spring of 1977. Elvis reportedly paid $840,000 for the Lockheed (about $4.3 million in 2023 dollars) and sold it to a Saudi Arabian company a few months before he passed away.
SUV

Think about it for a second. Rolls-Royce , for example, is the maker of unique dreams  if you have around $500k, which was the average transaction price for last year. But it is also under German ownership, after it twice changed hands to the Volkswagen Group between 1998 and 2002 and then also to the BMW Group in 1998, which established the current Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited located on the Goodwood Estate in Goodwood, West Sussex, England.Meanwhile, Jaguar Land Rover is another good example of how the Brits managed to botch internal things up to the point of first coming together in 1968, then disbanding as independents or as subsidiaries of BMW (Land Rover) and Ford (Jaguar). In 2000, though, they again reunited as part of Blue Ovals Premier Automotive Group before getting sold off to Indias Tata Motors in 2008. Luckily, since then, both historic nameplates (Rolls-Royce and JLR ) have thrived under the new ownership and do not mind they have dual citizenship.But why am I telling you all that? Well, simply because they are both in focus in a different corner of the world  aka the United States of America. There, most things revolve around the cool aftermarket realm if you want the posh British rides to stand out in any ritzy crowd. And there is no need to take our word for granted as we have a couple of positive examples, courtesy of the good folks over at Hollywood, California-based RDB LA , who have another YouTube vlog episode out, and we are certainly going to be talking about the rare Phantom Drophead Coupe.Alas, first things first, let us put the social media reel into the proper perspective with the JLR side of the equation  aka the latest and arguably greatest, fifth generation L460 Range Rover flagship. Costing at least $106,500 in America and going up to $226,500 in OEM form, the off-roader is certainly pushing the boundaries of luxury SUVs as close as possible to the ultra-luxury super-SUV stratosphere of the Bentley Bentayga, Aston DBX, Lambo Urus, and Rolls-Royce Cullinan, right?Well, as it turns out, there are still a few details that need to be ironed out  such as the black plastic bits and pieces of the lower portion of the body, the coolness of new rims, and the overall two-tone appearance. Thus, if you want all that and also love a quick yin-and-yang transformation, maybe this white-and-black two-tone Range Rover with matching lower body parts and Aerodisc-style RDB Wheels will become your new customization and personalization favorite of the week.If not, there is always the option of hitting the rarefied space of one of 35 Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe , just like in the crews latest YouTube feature. By the way, as always, that is not the only thing they are working on  and the range is wide and bonkers, from vintage Ferrari 360 Spiders to classic Chevy Impalas and modern Lambo Aventador SVJs!
Defense budget to see single-digit increase for 8th year

08:45, March 06, 2023 By Zhao Lei ( Chinadaily.com.cn

The 41st fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, comprising the missile destroyer Suzhou, the missile frigate Nantong and the supply ship Chaohu, returns to the port city of Zhoushan in East China's Zhejiang province on Nov 15, 2022. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's planned defense spending for this year will reach 1.55 trillion yuan ($224 billion), a year-on-year increase of 7.2 percent, according to a draft budget report submitted to the annual session of China's top legislature on Sunday morning.

The draft budget report, which was prepared by the Ministry of Finance, was deliberated on at the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress in Beijing.

If approved by lawmakers, the proposed defense budget will maintain single-digit growth for the eighth consecutive year. At the NPC session last year, a defense budget of 1.45 trillion yuan was proposed, up 7.1 percent year-on-year. The figure for 2021 was 1.35 trillion yuan, up 6.8 percent year-on-year.

The annual Government Work Report, delivered at Sunday's opening meeting of the 14th NPC session, said that China's national defense and military development have made remarkable achievements over the past year, and the military has effectively safeguarded national sovereignty, security and interests.

The work report noted that the military will continue to make all-out efforts to implement Xi Jinping Thought on Strengthening the Military and the Party's military strategies in the new era, focus on the goals that the People's Liberation Army needs to accomplish by its centenary in 2027 and fulfill tasks given by the Party and the people.

Speaking at a news conference in Beijing on Saturday, Wang Chao, the spokesman for the first session of the 14th NPC, said that China's defense budget increase is appropriate and reasonable.

"The increase in defense spending is needed for meeting the complex security challenges, and for China to fulfill its responsibilities as a major country.

China's defense spending, as a share of GDP, has stayed basically stable for many years and is lower than the world average," he said.

A country's defense spending is determined based on the overall consideration of the need for its defense building and economic development levels, which is a common practice across the world, Wang added.

"China's future is closely intertwined with that of the entire world. China's military modernization will not be a threat to any other country. On the contrary, it will only be positive for safeguarding regional stability and world peace," he said.

Song Zhongping, a military affairs commentator and retired officer of the PLA, said that China has maintained a moderate increase in its defense expenditure for many years and the nation does not seek to get involved in arms races with other countries.

"Despite the fact that the United States, some European countries and Japan have tremendously hiked their military budgets, China has refrained from sharply raising its own budget though it is fully capable of doing so," Song said. "Our country is not like the US and Japan that keep going after military superiority. That is not what we want. China wants a balance in economic development and defense capabilities."

The world's largest spender on military affairs is the US. Its defense budget for this year was $858 billion, a year-on-year increase of 11.7 percent. A large proportion in the military bill will go to Ukraine and China's Taiwan region to strengthen their armed forces, US media reported.

In Japan, a record defense budget of 6.8 trillion yen ($50 billion) for this year was recently approved by lawmakers, highlighting an astonishing 26 percent annual increase.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 6)  Another suspect in the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo on Saturday was arrested, while authorities are hunting down five more.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr. on Monday announced four suspects are detained, while one was killed in an armed encounter with uniformed personnel hours after the shooting of Degamo inside his residential compound.

Aside from Degamo, eight civilians were killed in the shooting. Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. also said 16 others were wounded, including some of Degamos security aides.

In a briefing, Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Ty said a case for illegal possession of firearms and explosives is now pending before the Office of the Prosecutor of Bayawan. He added that another case in relation to the deaths and injuries is pending before the Office of the Prosecutor of Negros Oriental.

Ty said the Justice Department is working with the PNP and the Department of the Interior and Local Government for the suspects transfer to Metro Manila.

Meanwhile, Azurin said the police obtained information to help identify the mastermind. Without disclosing details, he said those arrested expressed willingness to cooperate in the probe.

We believe, little by little, we'll get to the mastermind, he told reporters.

Authorities have yet to establish a motive for the assassination.

Meanwhile, PNP Special Investigation Task Group spokesperson Gerard Ace Pelare told CNN Philippines The Source authorities are looking into all angles, including political rivalry, personal grudges, personal relationships, and possible involvement of terrorists.

Degamo was in the middle of a meeting with some of his constituents on Saturday morning when 10 armed men entered his residential compound in Pamplona town and opened fire, the PNP earlier said.

The shooters were in military uniform and bulletproof vests, and carried long firearms.

Pelares said some of the suspects were dishonorably discharged from the military due to illegal drug charges and absence without official leave.
EV

AWD

Tesla reduced price on Model S in US with inventory consistently dropping.



Possibilities:

- Tesla is trying to clear inventory quickly for something new

- They have increased production to support lower pricing

- They are passing on savings from manufacturing/supply chain$TSLA https://t.co/O6RBsi3A4H pic.twitter.com/03IZhPLJR1  Farzad Mesbahi (@farzyness) March 6, 2023

The end of 2023 brought us a surprising change of strategy at Tesla. After years of consistently increasing prices, themaker has operated its first price reduction. The timing coincided with reports about Teslas burgeoning inventories, a trend that had investors worried that the EV carmaker might face a demand problem.Demand is not something you can measure in itself but also in relation to market conditions, pricing strategy, etc. As Elon Musk famously said during the 2023 Investor Day, the demand is infinite, but people just cant afford a Tesla. It may have sounded funny, but its true: drop the prices, and the demand jumps. Considering the fat profit margins Tesla has on its vehicle, it is certainly in a position to play with the prices to set the demand where it suits it.And thats exactly what it did in January when Tesla announced massive price cuts for its entire lineup. Back then, the Model and Model X saw the biggest discounts, up to $21,000 in the case of the Model S Plaid. The demand picked up speed, and the inventories started to deplete. The Model S stock in the U.S. dropped from over 500 cars in February to around 100 in March, roughly at November 2022 levels.Thats why cutting the prices even further is puzzling, considering the inventorys downward trend. In another swift move, Tesla cut the Model Sprice to $89,990 (from $94,990) and the Model X AWD to $99,990 (from $109,990). Model S Plaid and Model X Plaid retail at $109,990 now, down from $114,990 and $119,990, respectively. Tesla also reduced the Model X starting prices in Canada by 7,000 CAD for both variants.The fact that Tesla didnt operate similar changes for the Model 3 and Model Y might indicate that the price cuts are specifically targeted at the recently refreshed models in its lineup. The most likely reason is to clear up existing inventories for the updated models. Tesla is already producing Model S and Model X with the new Hardware 4 computer and sensor suite, and it probably wants old vehicles moved as fast as possible.Based on recent reports on social media channels, Tesla has already delivered cars with the new hardware. This conflicts with the idea of getting rid of old cars in inventory. If Tesla still had HW3 vehicles, delivering those first would have made more sense. So that brings us to the second reason: Tesla has increased Model S/X production and wants to drive up demand for its top-of-the-line models. This also gives Lucid a warning call , considering it already struggled to compete with Tesla at January prices.Finally, there could be a third reason for the Sunday price cuts. The improved production and savings from manufacturing and supply chain optimizations would allow Tesla to pass on savings to consumers. Still, Tesla never cared much about that, so take this with a grain of salt. What do you think is the reason Tesla slashed Model S and Model X prices?
EV

The companys CEO confirmed at the National Peoples Congress in China that mass production is scheduled to kick off in the first half of 2024. Lei Jun confirmed the winter testing is complete, and now Xiaomi is conducting last-minute testing before setting up production plans.Jun reiterated Xiaomis ambitions in the car industry , revealing that he is personally involved in the project. Half of his time is dedicated to the development of a car, Jun said, adding that theunit currently employs 2,300 people.Xiaomis CEO hasnt shared any specifics on the companys first EV, but the vehicle is expected to rely heavily on technology and smartphone connectivity. Xiaomi sees its car business booming by the end of the decade , eventually becoming a top car manufacturer worldwide.The Chinese behemoth wants to pioneer the expansion of tech giants in the automotive world, especially as rival Apple is also working on a car.Internally referred to as Project Titan, the Apple Car is expected to launch in 2025 , at the earliest. The project has already reached an advanced stage, as Apple executives are now discussing supply deals with various companies. Last year, Apple representatives traveled to South Korea specifically to discuss battery supply partnerships with local manufacturers.Unlike Xiaomi, Apple isnt in a rush to bring its vehicle to the market. Sources familiar with the matter said the Apple Car wouldnt see daylight earlier than 2025. The project could eventually be pushed back even further if the work doesnt meet the quality criteria Apple has established. CEO Tim Cook himself is believed to be deeply involved in the development of the vehicle.Apples first car was originally projected to provide fully autonomous driving capabilities. The latest rumors, however, claim the vehicle could originally launch with a more traditional approach. Instead of a living room on wheels, the Apple Car could come with a conventional cabin that includes a steering wheel and pedals. As such, self-driving capabilities would only be offered on highways and when certain conditions are met.Xiaomi has already set up a car manufacturing facility in Beijing, trying to stay close to its partners. One of its biggest potential suppliers, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp., is located in the same region.Xiaomi says its ready to spend $10 billion on EV development in the next 10 years, especially as it plans to launch the cars worldwide. The company will initially compete directly with Chinese carmakers, but global expansion is projected to happen by the end of the decade, mostly as it plans to remain ahead of Apple in the auto sector.
Major-General Eduard Asrian, the chief of the Armenian armys General Staff, met with General Anil Chauhan, the chief of the Indian Defense Staff, as he and other senior Armenian officials visited India to attend an annual conference on global security.

In a Twitter post, the Indian military headquarters said Asrian and Chauhan discussed identifying areas to augment defense cooperation, including opportunities to leverage indigenous defense manufacturing industry.

The Armenian Defense Ministry said, for its part, that they looked at the possibilities of expanding defense cooperation between India and Armenia.

The two nations have stepped up that cooperation since the 2020 Armenian-Azerbaijani war in Nagorno-Karabakh during which Indias arch-foe Pakistan strongly supported Azerbaijan. Last September, the Armenian military reportedly signed contracts for the purchase of $245 million worth of Indian multiple-launch rocket systems, anti-tank rockets and ammunition.

Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikian explored more such deals during a subsequent visit to India. Indian media reported during Papikians trip that Yerevan is interested in acquiring air-defense systems and combat drones manufactured by Indian companies.

The Armenian Defense Ministry said Asrian presented security challenges facing Armenia during a roundtable discussion on Indian-Armenian relations organized by Indias National Security Council.

New Delhi has effectively sided Armenia with in its ongoing border disputes with Azerbaijan. It has also expressed serious concern over the Azerbaijani blockade of the Lachin corridor.

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar also met on Saturday on the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue conference. Mirzoyan briefed Jaishankar on the humanitarian crisis in Karabakh caused by the blockade as well as recent Armenian-Azerbaijani peace talks.

According to the Armenian Foreign Ministry, the two ministers also reviewed growing Indian-Armenian trade and bilateral cooperation on education, culture and tourism.
(CNN) -- Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, have received an invite to the coronation of King Charles III -- but the couple have yet to confirm if they will attend, the Duke's spokesperson told CNN on Sunday.

"I can confirm The Duke has recently received email correspondence from His Majesty's office regarding the coronation," the spokesperson said. "An immediate decision on whether The Duke and Duchess will attend will not be disclosed by us at this time."

King Charles and his wife, Queen Consort Camilla, will be crowned on May 6 at Westminster Abbey.

The coronation will see three days of celebrations across the country in which the public will be invited to participate.

Buckingham Palace said the coronation itself will be "a solemn religious service, as well as an occasion for celebration and pageantry," that reflects "the Monarch's role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions."

That line has been interpreted by experts as a hint that Charles' coronation will be different and more subdued than the one his late mother experienced seven decades ago, with a shorter ceremony and amendments to some of the more feudal elements of the ritual.

At this point, the palace has not specified which members of the family will appear in a procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, and on the balcony of the palace at the end of the day alongside the King and Queen Consort.

It follows Prince Andrew's continued exile from public life as a result of historical sexual abuse allegations and the publication of Prince Harry's memoir, which railed against his family.

Harry has previously declined to be drawn on whether his family will return for his father's coronation.

"The door is always open," he said in a January interview with Britain's ITV to publicize his book. "The ball is in their court. There's a lot to be discussed and I really hope that they're willing to sit down and talk about it."

On Wednesday, the spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex told CNN the couple had been asked to vacate Frogmore Cottage, their official UK residence.

Buckingham Palace said Wednesday it would be offering no comment. A royal source told CNN that any such discussions would be a private family matter.

This story was first published on CNN. "King Charles invites Harry and Meghan to coronation, but its unclear if theyll go"
Some of the GenoME Diagnostics and investment team: from left, Prof Paul Mullan, Chris Mosedale, Dr Shannon Beattie, Stuart Gaffikin, Dr Laura Feeney, Dr Mark Street-Docherty and Anne Dornan

A diagnostics company in Belfast has secured a 1.4m funding round that will help develop its novel blood test for detection of ovarian cancer.

GenoME Diagnostics product OvaME has been designed to help with earlier and more accurate detection of ovarian cancer.

The company raised a pre-seed round of 0.3m in 2021, which it used to progress OvaME through technical, commercial and regulatory milestones.

Now its new 1.4m funding round will allow it to complete the testing phase, file for EU regulatory approval and expand its regulatory approach to the UK and North America.

It will also allow the GenoME team to extend their novel technology to additional cancer types.

The funding round was supported by QUBIS, the commercialisation arm of Queens University, Belfast (QUB) Co-Fund NI, which is managed by Clarendon Fund Managers, and Deepbridge Capital.

The round also includes an additional 0.5m InnovateUK Biomedical Catalyst grant for a project in collaboration with QUB, which will be used to continue the development of a novel blood test for earlier detection of additional cancer types.

GenoME Diagnostics said that as it progresses towards market entry, it will aim to recruit sales and marketing staff, as well as additional lab scientists.

Chief executive Dr Shannon Beattie said: At GenoME, we are aiming to improve patient survival and quality of life through affordable and highly accurate tests. This is a significant funding round for us and will help to further develop these life-changing products.

Currently, a large proportion of ovarian cancer cases are caught at the later stages of the disease, so patients unfortunately have a very poor survival rate. Cancers detected at an earlier stage provide much more opportunity for intervention and improve patient survival.

Milestones like these will be pivotal in opening conversations with public health bodies and allowing the team to progress our tests further to market. Our ultimate long-term ambition is to eventually enter public screening programmes, however our first market is disease monitoring and diagnosis.

Stuart Gaffikin, investment manager at Clarendon Fund Managers, said it was pleased to support the company with investment to help develop potentially life-changing technology.

We hope this investment will help the company reach the next phase of development as it seeks to improve the diagnosis process for cancer patients.

Anne Dornan, enterprise manager at QUBIS, added: This is an important milestone for GenoME, and QUBIS is excited to be supporting the company through its next stages of development, working alongside our investment partners and building on a great team.
Tony Danker has stepped aside as CBI director-general pending an investigation following complaints about his conduct in the workplace (Jonathan Brady/PA)   Jonathan Brady

The Belfast-born boss of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), one of the UKs largest business groups, has stepped aside pending an investigation following complaints about his conduct in the workplace.

The organisation said it had looked into an allegation about Tony Dankers behaviour in January but found that the issue did not require escalation to a disciplinary process.

However, last Thursday it was made aware of new reports about the director-generals conduct and has now launched an inquiry.

It came after The Guardian newspaper approached the CBI over the complaints, which included claims from a female employee that Mr Danker made unwanted contact with her and considered this unwanted conduct to be sexual harassment.

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The publication reported that Joanna Chatterton, the head of employment law at Fox Williams, will lead the investigation.

The latest complaints were made a day after the CBIs future work conference, which included speeches from the education secretary Gillian Keegan and deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner.

In a statement, the group said: On March 2, the CBI was made aware of new reports regarding Tony Dankers workplace conduct.

We have now taken steps to initiate an independent investigation into these new matters.

Tony Danker asked to step aside from his role as director-general of the CBI while the independent investigation into these matters takes place.

The CBI takes all matters of workplace conduct extremely seriously but it is important to stress that, until this investigation is complete, any new allegations remain unproven and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.

In his own statement, Mr Danker said: Its been mortifying to hear that I have caused offence or anxiety to any colleague. It was completely unintentional, and I apologise profusely

The CBI is the employers organisation, and I am very proud to be its leader.

We always strive for the highest standards. I therefore support the decision weve taken to review any new allegations independently.

The CBI boss took over at the helm of the organisation in November 2020, replacing Dame Carolyn Fairbairn.

Mr Danker had previously been the first chief executive of Be The Business, a body founded by the Chancellor and a group of FTSE 100 chairs to support UK business growth.

Matthew Fell, the chief UK policy director at the CBI, will now lead the group on an interim basis during the probe.
Actor Hugh Grant and has admitted to throwing a "couple of tantrums" and lashing out at a woman on set while filming Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, which was shot in Northern Ireland.

The details emerged during an an interview with Total Film magazine for its April 2023 issue.

The 62-year-old, who plays Forge in the film due to hit cinemas on March 31, expressed regret about the incident.

"I lost my temper with a woman in my eyeline on day one, he explained.

I assumed she was some executive from the studio who should have known better. Then it turns out that she's an extremely nice local woman who was the chaperone of the young girl.

"Terrible."

Grant went to to explain that he did "a lot of grovelling" after "I did a Christian Bale.

It was a reference to the fellow British star known for his fiery outbursts. The Dark Knight actor famously apologised for an explosive on-set tantrum filming Terminator: Salvation where he unleashed an expletive-filled rant at an unsuspecting cinematographer.

It's not the first time Grant has lost his temper on the job either.

The Bridget Jones Diary star has previously admitted he is prone to a 'tantrum' about once a year.

Former host of the Daily Show with Jon Stewart, dubbed him the worst guest he's ever had and vowed never to have him back on the show following an appearance.

"Hes giving everyone s*** the whole time, and hes a big pain in the a**', Stewart said at the time.

Taking responsibility, Grant later told Vanity Fair: I did have a tantrum backstage. About once a year, I have a really mega-tantrum, and sadly he witnessed one.

In 2020, the Notting Hill actor revealed he took a hiatus from acting.

'I developed a bad attitude from about 2005 onwards, shortly after Music and Lyrics, he told the Los Angeles Times.

I just had enough. Then I went back in 2009 and made another film.

'At that point, it wasn't me giving up Hollywood. Hollywood gave me up because I made such a massive turkey with that film with Sarah Jessica Parker [Did You Hear About The Morgans?].

'Whether I wanted to or not after that, the days of being a very well-paid leading man were suddenly gone overnight. It was slightly embarrassing but it left life free for other things.'

Grant spent time filming in Northern Ireland in 2021 for the highly-anticipated adaptation of the iconic game created by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson in 1974.

It features a star-studded cast including Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez and Rege-Jean Page.

The world premiere of the Paramount adventure movie will take place at the 30th annual SXSW festival in Austin, Texas on March 10.
Comedy show The Windsors will return for a Coronation special later this year.

Harry Enfield as the king invites the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to his special day as the show returns to Channel 4 after three years.

The Crown actor Richard Goulding as Harry and Bridgerton actress Kathryn Drysdale as Meghan will weigh up the invitation from their home in California.

The satire also covers the controversy surrounding the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs Netflix series, Harry & Meghan, which aired in December and Harrys book Spare which came out in February.

In real life, a spokesperson for the Sussexes confirmed that they had been invited to the Coronation.

The Windsors, which ran for three series from 2016 to 2020, has had several previous specials, including a Christmas show.

In the latest special, The Crown actress Haydn Gwynne will return as the Queen Consort who agrees with Charles to go spectacular during the Coronation as she wants to be draped in diamonds and fur.

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However, Channel 4 said this has attracted criticism from Fleabag actor Hugh Skinners character the Prince of Wales, known as Wills in the show, who is focused on the cost-of-living.

Joe Hullait, commissioning executive for comedy at Channel 4 said: Any channel worth its salt has a landmark show with the word coronation in the title.

For the BBC it was the worlds first televised Coronation in 1953. For ITV its the worlds longest running soap Coronation Street.

We at Channel 4 are delighted to announce that we now have our own record-breaking Coronation jewel at the heart of our broadcasting crown: the funniest show on telly during a momentously historic week for Britain.

Meanwhile, the Princess of Wales, played by Horrible Histories actress Louise Ford, makes a new best friend, Sophie, the Countess of Wessex who is played by Outnumbered actress Anna Morris.

They offend Kates sister Pippa Middleton, portrayed by impressionist Morgana Robinson, which is described as leading to disastrous consequences.

The Duke of Yorks daughters, Ellie White as Princess Beatrice and Celeste Dring as Princess Eugenie, also appear alongside Vicki Pepperdine as Anne, Princess Royal and Matthew Cottle as Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex.

Writer Bert Tyler-Moore added: Im delighted to be back with the royal family  the best collaborators a comedy writer could hope for.The Windsors Coronation Special will air in May as the real-life Coronation takes place the same month at Westminster Abbey.
Dame Helen Mirren looked powerful as she attended a photocall for her upcoming superhero film in which she stars as the villain.

The 77-year-old Oscar-winner  who plays Hespera, daughter of Atlas, in Shazam! Fury Of The Gods  donned a long bronze-toned coat paired with black leather gloves and her striking light blonde locks for the event in central London.

She was joined by co-star Zachary Levi, who starred in Shazam! in 2019 and returns as the titular superhero for the new DC Comics sequel.

Dame Helen Mirren will play the Hespera in Shazam! Fury Of The Gods (Ian West/PA)   Ian West

Levi opted for a grey button-up shirt over a white T-shirt and grey-toned trousers for the photoshoot.

The film sees Levis character fight against Dame Helens Hespera and fellow Greek goddess Kalypso, played by Charlies Angels actress Lucy Liu, and Anthea, portrayed by West Side Story star Rachel Zegler.

Lucy Liu, Dame Helen Mirren and Rachel Zegler (Ian West/PA)   Ian West

The actresses were also at the event, with Liu wearing a long floral print dress while Zegler dressed in a black cut-out dress with metallic details.

Their co-stars Asher Angel, Djimon Hounsou and Jack Dylan Grazer were also pictured at the event at the Savoy Place Rooftop ahead of the films release next week.

Dame Helen previously admitted on The Graham Norton Show that she is not a big superhero-type person but as the first movie was sweet and funny she happily signed up.

Asher Angel, Lucy Liu, Zachary Levi, Dame Helen Mirren, Rachel Zegler, Djimon Honsou and Jack Dylan Granger (Ian West/PA)   Ian West

She also revealed that she broke her finger while completing some of her own stunts.

I was incredibly brave and didnt say anything or complain because I wanted to be a real stunty person, she added.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods will be released in cinemas on March 17.
(CNN)  Nearly 200 countries have agreed to a legally-binding "high seas treaty" to protect marine life in international waters, which cover around half of the planet's surface, but have long been essentially lawless.

The agreement was signed on Saturday evening after two weeks of negotiations at the United Nations headquarters in New York ended in a mammoth final session of more than 36 hours  but it has been two decades in the making.

The treaty provides legal tools to establish and manage marine protected areas  sanctuaries to protect the ocean's biodiversity. It also covers environmental assessments to evaluate the potential damage of commercial activities, such as deep sea mining, before they start and a pledge by signatories to share ocean resources.

"This is a historic day for conservation and a sign that in a divided world, protecting nature and people can triumph over geopolitics," Laura Meller, Oceans Campaigner at Greenpeace Nordic, said in a statement.

The high seas are sometimes called the world's last true wilderness. This huge stretch of water  everything that lies 200 nautical miles beyond countries' territorial waters  makes up more than 60% of the world's oceans by surface area.

These waters provide the habitat for a wealth of unique species and ecosystems, support global fisheries on which billions of people rely and are a crucial buffer against the climate crisis  the ocean has absorbed more than 90% of the world's excess heat over the last decades.

Yet they are also highly vulnerable. Climate change is causing ocean temperatures to rise and increasingly acidic waters threaten marine life.

Human activity on the ocean is adding pressure, including industrial fishing, shipping, the nascent deep sea mining industry and the race to harness the ocean's "genetic resources"  material from marine plants and animals for use in industries such as pharmaceuticals.

"Currently, there are no comprehensive regulations for the protections of marine life in this area," Liz Karan, oceans project director at the Pew Charitable Trusts, told CNN.

Rules that do exist are piecemeal, fragmented and weakly enforced, meaning activities on the high seas are often unregulated and insufficiently monitored leaving them vulnerable to exploitation.

Only 1.2% of international waters are protected, and only 0.8% are identified as "highly protected."

"There are huge unmanaged gaps of habitat between the puzzle pieces. It is truly that bad out there," Douglas McCauley, professor of ocean science at the University of California Santa Barbara, told CNN.

The new oceans treaty aims to fill those gaps by providing the legal force to create and manage marine protected areas in international waters. Experts say this will be vital for meeting global biodiversity pledges nations made at COP15, the UN Biodiversity Conference in Montreal in December.

A successful treaty "will help us achieve the goal of conserving or protecting at least 30% of the global ocean by 2030," Monica Medina, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, told CNN by email.

The agreement of the oceans treaty marks a process that started around two decades ago(https://www.highseasalliance.org/high-seas-alliance-timeline/).

Back in 2004, the UN set up an ad hoc group to discuss ocean protection. It wasn't until 2015, that the organization adopted a resolution to develop a binding oceans treaty and, after years of preparatory talks, negotiations began in earnest in 2018.

"It has been a long arc from the first time the question was raised, to where we are now," Karan said.

Many had hoped that 2022 would be the breakthrough, but talks in August  the second round that year  ended in failure.

These latest negotiations were billed as a final chance for the world's oceans.

There were points during the negotiations where some worried that agreement would never happen, as conflicts threatened to derail talks. "It's been a bit of a roller coaster ride," said Karan.

Major sticking points included nailing down the processes for creating marine protected areas and ensuring costs and benefits were shared equitably -- especially as many developing countries may not have the technology or capacity to do their own scientific exploration of the high seas.

But after a grueling final session, the talks ended late Saturday night with an agreement.

"We praise countries for seeking compromises, putting aside differences and delivering a treaty that will let us protect the oceans, build our resilience to climate change and safeguard the lives and livelihoods of billions of people," Greenpeace's Meller said.

Countries now have to formally adopt and ratify the treaty. Then the work will start to implement the marine sanctuaries and to attempt to meet the target of protecting 30% of global oceans by 2030. "We have half a decade left, and we can't be complacent," Meller said.

"If we want the high seas to be healthy for the next century we have to modernize this system -- now. And this is our one, and potentially only, chance to do that. And time is urgent. Climate change is about to rain down hellfire on our ocean," McCauley said.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Countries agree historic oceans treaty to protect the high seas."
Co Londonderry sextortionist who preyed on the souls of her victims family avoids jail

Judge said Southerns motivation was funding a trip to see her daughter in New Zealand

Debbie Southern at her home in Dungiven

Liam Tunney Belfast Telegraph Mon 6 Mar 2023 at 17:35
A former UDR soldier acquitted of involvement in the murder of a Catholic man 40 years ago has lost a High Court challenge to being denied compensation.

Colin Worton claimed former Justice Minister Naomi Long unlawfully refused to reconsider his application for a payout.

But a judge ruled today that she took a rational approach in identifying no change in circumstances.

Mr Justice Rooney said: The only grounds on which the application could be reconsidered would be if significant new information came to light which completely exonerated the applicant or which proved there was serious default on the part of the police.

The Ministers decision is plainly reasonable and lawful. It was not a redetermination.

Mr Worton, 62, spent 30 months held on remand following his arrest in connection with the murder of Adrian Carroll in Armagh back in November 1983.

He was cleared before trial in 1986 after a judge ruled that a statement which formed the only evidence against him was inadmissible.

Despite his acquittal, Mr Worton has been repeatedly denied government compensation.

In 2010 a High Court judge dismissed his previous challenge to a Secretary of States decision not to award any sum under an ex-gratia scheme.

Six years later David Ford, the Stormont Justice Minister at the time, expressed sympathy with the former soldiers plight but declared that he had exhausted all legal remedies.

Mr Worton brought a fresh judicial review challenge over how his eligibility for the compensation scheme was handled in 2021 during Mrs Longs term in office.

Counsel for the ex-soldier argued that it was a stark error of law for the former Minister to conclude she had no power to reconsider his application.

The court heard that the issue has blighted his life for 40 years.

However, Mr Justice Rooney backed counter-submissions that Mrs Long correctly determined there had been no new developments in a case where Mr Worton remains eligible for a payment if the relevant criteria is met.

The Minister re-affirmed that, on the basis of documentation provided by the applicant, no new information came to light which justified a reconsideration of the application under the ex-gratia scheme, he said.

With the challenge also dismissed on the grounds of delay, the judge confirmed: The applicant cannot establish an arguable case on which there is a realistic prospect of success.

For all these reasons, leave to apply for judicial review is refused.
A 27-year-old man has been jailed for an early morning crime spree   Getty Images

A 27-year-old man whose early morning crime spree included robbing a Belfast resident at knifepoint and hijacking an HGV lorry was jailed today.

As she handed Aodhan Goodwin a sentence totalling six years and nine months, Judge Patricia Smyth noted Goodwin's actions in October 2021 resulted in multiple victims  one of whom feared he would be killed.

Goodwin, whose address was given as no fixed abode, appeared at Belfast Crown Court via a videolink with Maghaberry, where he was told his sentence will be divided equally between prison and licence.

He pleaded guilty to eight offences which were committed in the city in the early hours of October 26, 2021.

At 3.34am on that date, a resident at University Road was woken from his sleep which prompted him to exit his bedroom.

He walked into his kitchen and saw Goodwin  who was armed with a knife  and a female, and after the resident challenged the intruders, they made their way down a flight of stairs.

As he was leaving the property, Goodwin lifted a bicycle which he then dropped on the street.

Less than an hour later Goodwin broke into a second property at University Avenue, and on this occasion one of the occupants was woken by Goodwin climbing in through a window.

As he fled, the occupant ran past a housemate who was also woken by the incident.

Goodwin then grabbed this housemate round the throat with one hand whilst holding the knife in his other hand. Money was demanded, 10 was handed over and Goodwin fled the scene.

At 5.40am Goodwin stuck again when he approached the driver of an HGV van on the Ormeau Road, pointed a knife at him and demanded money.

The driver handed Goodwin cash and he then broke a window in the cab, stole his bank card and mobile phone and ordered him to drive.

The van driver then stopped the vehicle at Donegall Square South and was told to get money from an ATM machine, but he managed to flee and raise the alarm.

Goodwin targeted a second HGV driver at Calendar Street at around 6am who was unloading items from his van.

Goodwin approached the van whilst armed with the knife, opened the driver's door, took the keys and demanded the driver hand over money and his mobile phone.

When the driver told Goodwin he didn't have cash and the phone was a hands-free company phone, Goodwin said fair enough and walked away.

Police were able to track the phone stolen from the first driver to a house at Milford Street and Goodwin was arrested just after 7am.

Due to his condition, police took him to hospital where he was aggressive and tried to head-butt a police officer.

Whilst he gave a no comment response to police during interview, Goodwin later pleaded guilty to eight offences including aggravated burglary and theft, hijacking, attempted robbery and criminal damage.

As she outlined Goodwin's actions, Judge Smyth said: It is clear from the details of this spree of criminality that there are a number of victims.

The Belfast Recorder told Goodwin the van driver hijacked at knifepoint 2feared for his own safety throughout the ordeal... he was fearful that you were going to hurt him or kill him and leave his two children without a Dad.

At this point Goodwin began shaking his head, and when he was asked by Judge Smyth is there a reason for that?, he replied yeah I'm sorry for what I've done.

As she passed sentence, the judge said she had taken into consideration defence submissions which outlined Goodwin's long standing mental health and addiction issues.

The judge added that whilst the incidents were amateurish and committed when Goodwin was under the influence of drugs, the offences were so serious that they warranted a significant sentence.

In a statement issued after the sentencing, Investigating Officer, Detective Sergeant McVeagh said: "A number of Goodwins victims were threatened with a knife, which was a terrifying ordeal. We would like to thank them for their bravery in providing these statements to police to help bring him to justice.

The charges and subsequent sentence should reassure the communities we serve that we will continue to work tirelessly to detect and prevent crime.

"We hope that today's sentence sends a strong message that crime simply does not pay.
Parents at a north Down primary school say they have been left anxiously waiting for a decision by the Department of Educations top official on whether their school can transform to integrated status.
They told loyal customers it would be easy to blame the decision on the current economic climate but said they would rather be open and honest

A popular family run restaurant in Co Armagh is set to close at the end of this month.

The directors of JD Tipler in Portadown made the difficult announcement on social media following countless discussions about the future of the business.

The bar and off-licence will remain open.

"As of 26th March 2023 at 8pm we will cease to trade as a restaurant, the Facebook post stated.

"In some ways this decision from a family point of view has been easy to make but equally difficult when we think about how we will be letting our community of loyal customers down.

Over 25 years our restaurant has been a meeting place for friends, families, new relationships, business meetings and more.

"We have built friendships with our customers, as have our staff and we have made more memories than we could ever have imagined.

Vivienne, Jordyn and Dane Busby told loyal customers it would be easy to blame the decision on the current economic climate but said they would rather be open and honest.

"This is purely a personal family decision, they explained.

"We have put our hearts, souls, long hours, and tired feet into building our business into the success it is today.

"We have gained so much more than we ever could have hoped for year on year.

Director Vivienne has semi-retired after 25 years in the business.

Meanwhile Jordyn and Dane intend to explore other opportunities within their careers after dedicating 17 and 15 years respectively to the popular eatery. .

A lot of people probably think we could fulfil those opportunities whilst continuing with the restaurant but when you care so much about a business you cant do half a job, you need to give it your all to make it work, they explained.

We will however keep the Bar open Thursday  Saturday (timings to be confirmed) so you will still see us around and you will continue to see us in the Off Licence.

We would like to thank our staff from over the years for their hard work and effort.

Thank you for respecting our decision and THANK YOU for EVERYTHING over the last 25 years, no doubt we will see many familiar faces over the coming weeks.

The siblings also paid tribute to their late father Nevin Busby who completed the renovation works and provided them with the business opportunities they have enjoyed.

"Unfortunately, Nevin hasnt been around for the majority of it, but we often think about his creative and unique thoughts that brought the building to life, they said.

For us the building has great sentimental value as we are given the opportunity to work within his craftsmanship every day."

The building firm boss and entrepreneur, who owned a cinema and restaurants, opened JP Tipler's bar in 1997 but two years later he died after a wall collapsed on him on a building site in Dundalk.
Police remain at the scene following reports of a device in the Oeghill Hill Park area of Drumahoe.

Officers were alerted to the incident shortly after 10pm on Sunday and have conducted extensive searches in the area.

However, PSNI Superintendent Clive Beatty said nothing untoward has been located at this time.

"As we continue with our enquiries this morning, we're urging the public to be vigilant, he added.

"We're appealing to anyone who sees anything suspicious in this area not to touch it or pick it up, but to call us immediately on 999.

"We'd also ask anyone with information, or who may have been in Oeghill Hill Park last night and saw anything suspicious to call us on 101, quoting reference number 1741 of 05/03/23."

No roads have been closed as a result of the incident.
Sectarian graffiti on the front of the shop which has since been removed

Sectarian graffiti that was scrawled on a shop in the Waterside area of Londonderry has been removed amid cross-community condemnation.

Threatening graffiti appeared overnight at bookmakers in the unionist Tullyally area saying kill all Taigs and no Fenians welcome.

In a statement to the Belfast Telegraph, the PSNI said it is treating the incident as a hate crime.

UUP Councillor Ryan McCready, who grew up in the area, spoke out against the graffiti.

He said: This is not ok. This is wrong and should be condemned.

The shopping centre not only serves the people of Tullyally, but caters for surrounding areas of Ivy Mead, Currynierin, Church Road etc. All of whom are welcome here.

There are businesses which have been operating here for more than 30 years without incident.

Mr McCready suggested that is probably longer than the perpetrators have been alive.

Let me reassure both customers and businesses alike; you are welcome here and please dont let this put you off our way of life, he added.

The UUP councillor later confirmed the graffiti had been removed and the community was united in strong disapproval.

Tommy French bookmakers was also informed of diversity and inclusion issues pertaining to uniforms, Mr McCready wrote on Facebook.

It is understood that complaints were made about staff members wearing Celtic FC jerseys.

Foyle MP Colum Eastwood said: Derry is a vibrant, diverse and welcoming city and those who painted this disgusting sectarian graffiti do not reflect the opinions of the good people of Tullyally who just want to live in peace with their neighbours.

Those responsible need to wise up and move with the times.

SDLP Councillor for the Waterside area, Sean Mooney, said to describe this as reprehensible is putting it mildly.

He continued: I understand that this has been taken down but it should never have gone up in the first place.

"This area is a shared space and those who do these acts need to think first and try and consider the effect it will have.

"This has been rightly condemned but as the paint washes away the stench of these acts can linger on.

The PSNI said that although no report has been made to police in relation to this, officers are aware of sectarian graffiti daubed on a wall of premises in Tullyally.

"The graffiti has since been removed and we are making enquiries into this incident, which is being treated as a hate incident, an officer said.

This incident follows one last month where a taxi used by womens group from a nationalist area in Derry was attacked after leaving a cross-community event in Tullyally.

Tullyally Womens Group quickly condemned the incident.

They said: We had the pleasure of the Galliagh Womens Group tonight as part of our joint good relations programme and I am absolutely disgusted to say that their taxis were stoned whilst being collected from our womens hub at Tullyally community centre.

To say we as a group are embarrassed and disappointed by this behaviour is an understatement!

At the time, Waterside Neighbourhood Team Constable Laura Brown said: Stone throwing is not fun. It's dangerous, and it can result in someone being injured and damage to property.

It's a frightening experience for anyone caught up in it. Our appeal to anyone who thinks this is a fun way to behave is to stop and think about the consequences of their behaviour, for the community and themselves."

In relation to the graffiti, police have urged anyone who may have witnessed any suspicious activity in the area overnight, or who has any information which could assist, to call them on 101, quoting reference number 953 of 06/03/23.

A report can also be made using the online reporting form via www.psni.police.uk/makeareport or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org

Tommy French bookmakers was contacted for comment.
Humble Spirit award winner who battled Mournes inferno: I dont like attention. Its the same job every other firefighter does
But secretary of state says Stormont governance change may be considered if agreement not accepted

The Northern Ireland Office has denied it is considering any changes to the Good Friday Agreement and we will not consider Joint Authority after the Secretary of State suggested there could be changes to Stormonts governance if the DUP doesnt back the Windsor Framework.

The deal was unveiled last week and would replace the current Northern Ireland Protocol arrangements.

Asked on Sky News what would happen if the DUP does not back it, NI Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris said the question is theoretical and claimed he is working to clarify all the questions from unionism.

He added: I would like to think that, at that point, we will be able to get the Executive up and running. But I have already, in fact last week we were passing legislation through Parliament, the Executive Formation Act, which allows me to have the opportunity to call elections at any point during the next year should that be required.

There are other routes forward, and we need to do things on governance if that is the case. I am a glass half full man, I believe we can get this right. The Windsor Framework is an amazing leap forward. I do think it actually delivers on all the questions that have been asked.

We need to clarify some of those for some of the unionist community. I am absolutely up for doing that.

Sinn Fein vice-president Michelle ONeill said governance here would involve a joint arrangement between the UK and Irish governments if power-sharing is not restored at Stormont.

We obviously had a very historic election last May, for the very first time a nationalist was returned as first minister, and I am in the position of first minister-designate, she said.

The DUP has failed to honour that election to this point, but I still hope that they will get to that point, because power-sharing is how politics works in the north.

We have a special and unique circumstance because of the Good Friday Agreement and there isnt any other alternative.

In fact, probably the alternative to power-sharing would be some arrangement between the British and Irish government.

She added: They should be back around the Executive table, taking on the matters of the day.

And then, yes, let us work through all the details of this in the deal because I equally have some concerns, particularly around this issue of a Stormont Brake and what that might look like and how it can be used, because I dont want any deal to replace a problem with a problem.

Rishi Sunak and Chris Heaton Harris   Getty Images

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said there needs to be more clarity from the government on the framework and less of the over-sell and more of the reality.

I suspect the truth lies somewhere in the middle of all of that and I think thats where we need to get to, he told GB News.

We will seek to do that ourselves with our own assessment, but we need to hear from the government, particularly the prime minister, about the reality of what all this means.

We need to see legislation that will put in place the Stormont Brake. We need to see that it is a robust process that protects Northern Irelands place within the United Kingdom. We need to see legislation that also ensures that, where there is a threat to Northern Irelands place within the United Kingdom and its internal market in the future, the government is able to ensure it is resolved.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said: We need to get the Executive and Assembly up and running again so we can begin to address the crisis in our health service, proposed massive cuts to education and the cost-of-living emergency that is impacting so many families here. He added that the Windsor Framework provides Northern Ireland with a unique opportunity to grow the economy that we simply cannot afford to waste.

An NIO spokesperson said: We are not considering any changes to the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and we will not consider Joint Authority.

Our sole focus is on ensuring Northern Ireland has a locally elected, accountable and effective devolved government in line with the Agreement  to protect the gains it has delivered over the past 25 years. We have been clear that we will underpin arrangements in the Windsor Framework through amendments to the Northern Ireland Act 1998 to provide constitutional and democratic guarantees for the people of Northern Ireland. We will set out further detail in the coming weeks."
The leader of the DUP intends to create an eight member panel to gauge opinions on the Windsor Framework.

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said members  including former party leaders Dame Arlene Foster and Peter Robinson  will report back by the end of this month.

He said their findings will inform the partys decision making process and denied the move is intended as a delay tactic.

The group will also include Carla Lockhart MP, Ross Reed OBE, Brian Kingston MLA, John McBurney and Deborah Erskine MLA.

"The DUP is now engaged in a detailed study of what has been published as well as examining the detail of the legal texts published to date, Sir Jeffrey said in a statement.

Clearly further legal text remains to be published to give effect to some of the changes already secured.

We have already commenced discussions with the UK Government on a range of issues where we require further clarity and where we believe more work will be needed.

During our Assembly election campaign we indicated that the Protocol must be replaced with new arrangements that are able to command broad support in Northern Ireland and which respect Northern Irelands place within the United Kingdom.

Today I have established a group to commence and undertake a wide consultation process within Northern Ireland, listening and taking views on the Framework document. This work will be undertaken in parallel with our on-going engagement with the UK Government.

The group of party members and independent thinkers has been tasked with engaging with a broad section of the unionist and loyalist community, the business sector, civic society and others who want to see Northern Ireland prosper within the Union.

History teaches us that it is always better to get the right outcome for Northern Ireland rather than a rushed one, Sir Jeffrey added.

The DUP leader said in broad terms it is clear that significant progress has been secured across a number of areas whilst also recognising there remain key issues of concern.

He said there can be no disguising the fact that in some sectors of our economy EU law remains applicable in Northern Ireland.

The Lagan Valley MP also claimed that early cheerleaders of the Northern Ireland Protocol have come to recognise that it could not have been made to work, had upset the delicate political balance in NI and was not supported by the unionist community.

Our judgement and our principled position in opposing the Protocol in Parliament and at Stormont has been vindicated, Sir Jeffrey added.

Undoubtedly it is now recognised that the protocol does not work.

"When others said there would be no re-negotiation and no change our determination has proved what can be achieved.

It comes after a former DUP MLA and Stormont minister claimed Sir Jeffrey is keen to do a deal and accept the deal despite opposition from within the party.

Jim Wells, who quit the DUP after being deselected ahead of the 2022 Assembly election, told BBC Radio Ulsters The Nolan Show that his phone has gone red hot since details of the proposals were published with former colleagues eager to share their thoughts.

My view is that Jeffrey personally would be keen to do a deal, I think he would get the support of the Assembly party but I think he will have real problems with the Westminster group and of course the partys central executive, he said.

Theres nobody pressing Jeffrey Donaldson to accept the framework within the party.

"Theres no enthusiasm for it.

"Its between those who are objecting it and those who are afraid of the consequences of rejecting it. Thats where the party stands at the moment.

The former health minister said the DUP leader is wise to take time to consider the deal, but said he believes Sir Jeffrey will have difficulty selling it to the wider membership unless there are changes.

Meanwhile a Sinn Fein MP has warned that efforts to restore Stormont should not be bound up with Windsor Framework talks between the UK Government and political parties in Northern Ireland.

Separate talks with the main parties are taking place on Monday and the Secretary of State is expected to provide more detail this week on how the so-called Stormont Brake is going to work.

John Finucane told BBC Radio Ulster there will be no changes to what has been agreed and he expects discussions to focus on clarifying elements of the deal.

I dont believe with respect that Chris Heaton-Harris would have the ability to change anything in a deal that has been negotiated, he said.

All of the soundings from both Europe and the UK Government since last week have made it clear there is now a full stop.

Negotiations are over. The deal has been made.

British Government interests are moving on to the next issue  its the same for the EU.

Mr Finucane questioned what the DUP expects to achieve if the party continues to boycott devolved government here.

My concern, I think the majority of peoples concern, is that the brake or any aspect of the deal is used as a continued obstacle for the restoration of our Assembly and Executive, he said.

I think the negotiations took their course, the negotiations are now over and the deal itself and substance of that deal should always be analysed and run parallel to - not be bound up - within the conversation of whether we will have a functioning Assembly or Executive.

Mr Finucane acknowledged that it is right to scrutinise the agreement, but urged Sir Jeffrey Donaldson's party to think of people on hospital waiting lists as they do so.

People do not have the luxury of time to wait while people pore over an enormous amount of legal text, he said.

The north Belfast MP said conversations taking place this week should have no bearing on getting Stormont up and running again.

Whilst we never accepted that a boycott of the institutions was anything more than punitive on people who needed political leadership, if you use the logic that a boycott was there to influence negotiations then there is nothing there that exists that could possibly be influenced, Mr Finucane said.

The elected representative said the eyes of the world will be on Northern Ireland on St Patricks Day and in the run up to the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement as he urged politicians to showcase the economic opportunities available in NI.

Addressing concerns that Sinn Fein vice president Michelle ONeill used inflammatory language by claiming a UK/Irish arrangement could be the only alternative if the Stormont impasse continues, Mr Finucane insisted the partys preference is for the DUP to sit around the Executive table.

"Im not quite sure who that would be inflammatory to, he added.

An NIO spokesman has previously said joint authority will not be considered.
The SDLP held private talks with loyalist community workers ahead of publishing a new document setting out out the six core principles the party says are necessary to build an inclusive, hopeful, reconciled united Ireland.

The expert panel of the nationalist partys New Ireland Commission said it had also consulted ethnic minorities, trade unions, political parties and public service leaders to inform How to Build an Inclusive New Ireland.

It added that multiple meetings within unionist communities, ranging from leaders of denominations to loyalist community workers, have taken place and there had been a specific focus on private conversations with unionist communities.

The party said that part of the product of those meetings had led to the development of six core principals:

 Reconciliation as a guiding force,

 Embracing our diversity,

 No one left behind,

 Led by citizens,

 Future focused, outward looking; and

 Hope with honesty.

As the commission launched its principles document today, SDLP MLA Matthew OToole said that as the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement approaches, our politics and our fragile society continue to be buffeted by the headwinds of constitutional and economic change caused by a Brexit that the people of Northern Ireland did not support.

He said the pace of change over the last six years had given many cause to stop and consider what the future would look like.

Since the SDLP launched the New Ireland Commission in 2021, a significant volume of engagement through private conversations within communities across Northern Ireland has already taken place, he said.

This work has been detailed, rich and necessarily candid. Now we are launching a period of public engagement with all those interested in the future of our island and it will be underpinned by six core principles which demonstrate our motivation in building a new Ireland for all our people.

For the SDLP, building a new Ireland is the greatest opportunity to reconcile our people, maximise opportunity for every community and create something that is truly new, shared and better than what we currently live with.

The Stormont Opposition leader added that 25 years after the agreement, and with the democratic institutions which gave it life still in suspension, now is the time for a new civic conversation about how the interests of our people are best served.

The SDLP believes the solution is in a new Ireland but we are engaging openly, hopefully and honestly with every community to determine what that could look like and what it would mean for them.

The document said the partys approach will place reconciliation between the people of the island of Ireland at the centre of the conversation on the future and as an over-riding objective of our vision for a New Ireland.

The document states: Our view is not only that constitutional change need not be a barrier to reconciliation, but that the conversation itself can be a positive route to breaking down divisions on this island.

The report also states that no vision for change on this scale will be successful if it is top-down or removed from the real concerns and needs of the people who will live in the new society we want to build.
Gardai at the scene after the body of an elderly man was found at a burning house at Pheasant Hill in Castlebar, Co Mayo, shortly after 6.30pm on Sunday (Niall Carson/PA Wire).   PA

A retired farmer who was found shot dead in his home days after he was acquitted over a historical sex crime has been named locally.

John Brogan (83) had been acquitted in the case but was facing further, separate charges.

The retired bachelor farmer had lived all his life with his brother Henry, until his brothers death several years ago.

He has one surviving sister.

The dead man was found inside the house in the Pheasanthill area of Castlebar, Co Mayo, about 6.30pm yesterday.

Deputy State pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster arrived at the house in Castlebar this morning for a post-mortem examination on the body of the man which was discovered by the emergency services as they dealt with a house fire on Sunday evening.

Dr Bolster was seen leaving the property shortly after noon, and Mr Brogans body was removed from the fire-damaged house in a hearse at around 1.30pm.

Gardai and emergency services had raced to the scene following reports the house was on fire.

When they arrived, they found the body of the pensioner inside the house. It is understood he suffered a gunshot wound.

A man, aged in his 60s, was arrested on suspicion of murder last night and was brought to Castlebar garda station where he is being held under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.

According to locals, Mr Brogan was a familiar figure on his bicycle over the years cycling to and from Castlebar, several miles away, and his family had lived in the area for generations.

As light faded at teatime yesterday, neighbours watched in horror and disbelief from the nearby roadway as flames leapt from the front of the neat dwelling house. The blaze was quickly extinguished by firefighters.

One local representative described the situation as horrendous.

It is a desperate situation. I couldnt possibly say anything as its so sensitive but I am praying for all involved, they added.

Fine Gael Councillor Cyril Burke from the Mayo County Council said the incident was a massive shock to the Castlebar community.

Speaking to Independent.ie, he said: You dont expect to hear this type of thing in a rural community.

Particularly in that neighbourhood, which is in the outskirts of Castlebar, its a quiet area, there is never really any trouble there.

The community is in shock, people were very surprised by this news, really in total shock, because they wouldnt have been expecting anything like this.

Fianna Fail councillor Martin McLoughlin said the local community is shocked and saddened by the grim events which unfolded yesterday.

He described the death of Mr Brogan as an absolute tragedy.

Gardai in Castlebar have appealed to anyone who may have information in relation to this incident to contact them at Castlebar garda station on 094 903 8200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any garda station.

Gardai said their investigations were ongoing.
Contractors cut down the final tree in Rustlings Road, Sheffield, where three people protesting against a controversial tree felling programme were arrested after council contractors started cutting down trees with chainsaws before dawn (Dave Higgens/PA)   Dave Higgens

An independent inquiry into a Sheffield street trees controversy has concluded that the city councils behaviour amounted to a serious and sustained failure of strategic leadership.

Veterans of the campaign against the felling of thousands of street trees in the city said they felt relieved and vindicated on Monday after Sir Mark Lowcock published his 100,000-word analysis of how the operation resulted in daily confrontations in some of the citys leafiest suburbs.

Speaking as his report was published, Sir Mark said: Our conclusion is that the councils behaviour amounted to a serious and sustained failure of strategic leadership.

Responsibility for that ultimately rests with the political leadership, in particular the relevant cabinet member and the council leader  they were responsible for setting the direction and tone.

Sir Mark added: The council did not, between 2016 and early 2018, adequately consider whether its strategy of facing down the campaigners would work.

Nor did it adequately consider whether the increasingly drastic action it was taking, and was seeking from both Amey (the contractors) and the police, was wise.

It is the inquirys view that the council stretched the proportionate use of its authority beyond reasonable limits.

Sir Mark said the council lacked transparency and repeatedly said things that were economical with the truth, misleading and in some cases were ultimately exposed as dishonest.

He also said the council misled the courts, adding: The inquiry did not find perjury or criminality but misleading the courts is a serious matter.

Police were deployed in vans and a number of people were arrested during the long-running dispute.

Thousands of tree were felled in the leafiest streets of Sheffield between 2016 and 2018 (Danny Lawson/PA)   Danny Lawson

The saga included two pensioners being arrested during an early morning raid in scenes described by former deputy prime minister Sir Nick Clegg as more like a well-planned anti-terror operation than a morning of tree maintenance.

There were also allegations from contractors that protesters had poisoned them with cups of tea and a middle-aged woman was arrested in the suburban setting of Rivelin Valley Road for blowing a toy trumpet.

At one point, Sheffield City Council unsuccessfully attempted to have a group of demonstrators jailed for the actions they took.

The controversy was rooted in a 25-year 2.2 billion private finance initiative agreement Sheffield City Council signed with the contractor Amey in 2012.

The contract included a huge programme to resurface thousands of miles of Sheffields pothole-ridden road system and, as part of this, Amey was tasked with maintaining roadside trees.

Sir Mark said the strategic failings began as early as 2008 when a misinterpretation of a consultants report that 74% of the citys 35,000 street trees were mature or over-mature led to the 2012 Amey contract including an intention to replace 17,500 trees.

Protesters next to the Huntingdon Elm tree on Chelsea Road in Sheffield, which is said to have survived Dutch Elm Disease (Dave Higgens/PA)   Dave Higgens

He described how the council was surprised when the opposition began and embarked on a policy of facing down the protests, a stance which left South Yorkshire Police in an invidious position.

Sir Mark said: Some of the things the council did were, in the view of the inquiry, unacceptable. Some of the ideas it flirted with but did not pursue were worse.

He said that by early 2018 the council had united almost everyone against them  it was hard to find any influential outsider willing to defend what they were doing.

Sir Mark said the dispute was a dark episode which did did significant harm.

He said Thousands of healthy and much-loved trees were lost. Many more could have been.

Sheffields reputation was damaged.

Sir Mark said in his report that apologies issued to date do not do justice to the scale of what went wrong and he recommended the council issue a comprehensive and fulsome apology for the things it got wrong in the course of the dispute.

South Yorkshire Police told the inquiry they attended 40 street tree protests between June 2016 and March 2018 but the report said this was probably an underestimate.

The report said that 41 arrests were made on 21 occasions but it only had a record of one prosecution, which resulted in a fine and 12-month conditional discharge; one penalty notice for disorder and one caution.

Rich Ward, co-chair of the Sheffield Tree Action Group (STAG), said: Sir Mark has shown that pretty well everything we had believed about our city councils actions is true.

A lot of people will be feeling relieved and vindicated today.

We are committed to working with the council to rebuild trust, explore reparation and to ensure that something like this never happens again in our city.

Protester Judy Stewart said: This is a very emotional day for me.

We spent huge amounts of time on the street, often in freezing weather, facing the intimidation of large numbers of police and security guards. Its such a relief to discover that it was all worthwhile and we may have achieved a lasting change in Sheffield and maybe in other towns and cities.

The report said about 5,600 trees were removed and replaced between 2013 and 2018.

A statement on behalf of council chief executive Kate Josephs and council leader Terry Fox said the authority had received Sir Marks report only at the same time as the public, on Monday, and needed time to respond fully.

It said: The council has already acknowledged that it got many things wrong in the handling of the street trees dispute, and we wish to reiterate our previous apologies for our failings.

We have taken huge steps already to ensure past mistakes are not repeated and we hope the release of this report will further help us to learn lessons as we move forward from the dispute.
Cheryl Korbel (centre), mother of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel, arrives with family members at Manchester Crown Court for the trial of Thomas Cashman, who is charged with murdering her daughter Olivia Pratt-Korbel, nine (Peter Byrne/PA)   Peter Byrne

Jurors have been told not to be influenced by an emotional reaction as they were sworn in for the trial of a man accused of shooting of a nine-year-old girl.

Ten men and two women were selected on Monday to serve on the jury at Manchester Crown Court for the trial of Thomas Chapman, accused of the murder of Olivia Pratt-Korbel.

Cashman, 34, is alleged to have been the gunman responsible for the fatal shooting of Olivia at her home in Dovecot, Liverpool, at just after 10pm on August 22 last year.

Olivia Pratt-Korbel (Family handout/PA)   Family handout

Her mother, Cheryl Korbel, 46, was injured in the shooting as the gunman chased Joseph Nee into their home.

The twelve jurors, who were selected along with two men who will sit as spare jurors for the opening, were picked from a panel of 60.

Mrs Justice Yip told them of the importance of not allowing themselves to be influenced by any emotional reaction or sympathy.

She said: Naturally, the death of a child, any child, is a sensitive topic and one where it is normal to experience an emotional reaction.

It is very important for you to do your job as jurors you put those emotions aside so you can properly consider the case and the issues you need to consider.

Jurors were told there was likely to be a lot of security around the court building but they should not be affected by it.

Mrs Justice Yip said: I mention it now because if you are aware of a heavy police presence in and around the building you shouldnt be surprised by that, you shouldnt be worried by that.

It is perfectly normal when we have got high-profile cases going on in this building.

Court artist sketch of Thomas Cashman appearing via video link at Liverpool Crown Court for a pre-trial review (Elizabeth Cook/PA)   Elizabeth Cook

Before the jurors were selected, Mrs Justice Yip said: I realise many of you will have heard about Olivias death, at the time there were lots of reports about it.

If you did see or hear the news reports you may have formed some views at the time.

It would be perfectly natural to have felt shock and upset about it, you may well have talked about it with family and friends at the time, as we all tend to do.

The jury who will try the case will be presented with all the evidence.

Of course, no-one has yet heard any of the evidence, so any views that you or anyone else had at the time of news reports are not informed views that a jury will have when they get to the end of the case.

The verdict the jury reach will be based on the evidence they hear in court and not on anything else.

Olivias parents and siblings sat with other family members in the courtroom next to the dock, where Cashman was flanked by four officers.

Relatives of Cashman sat in the public gallery at the back of court for the first day of the trial, which will be opened on Tuesday by David McLachlan KC, prosecuting.

Cashman, of Grenadier Drive, West Derby, denies the murder of Olivia, the attempted murder of Nee and the wounding with intent of Olivias mother.

He also denies two counts of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has met with Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe ahead of International Womens Day.

Sir Keir and Anneliese Dodds, the partys shadow women and equalities secretary, heard from Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe and her husband Richard as part of a roundtable gathering with 10 Iranian and Kurdish women human rights campaigners.

The roundtable event was convened jointly with Amnesty International UK

Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe was detained by Tehran in 2016 and only released last year.

The dual British-Iranian national was captured on April 3 by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) at Imam Khomeini Airport after a holiday visit with her daughter Gabriella to see her parents.

Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer meets with Iranian and Kurdish human rights activists, members of Amnesty International, and Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and her husband Richard Ratcliffe in his office in Westminster (Stefan Rousseau/PA)   Stefan Rousseau

Following six years of imprisonment, she landed back in Britain in March 2022 after the UK finally agreed to settle a 400 million debt dating back to the 1970s, allowing Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe to be reunited with her family.

Mondays meeting, held in the Opposition leaders Westminster office, comes ahead of International Womens Day on Wednesday.

It was understood to be the second time Sir Keir and Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe have met in person since her return to the UK.

The Woman, Life, Freedom roundtable focused on the role of women in the protests across Iran that followed the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in custody last year.

She died in September after being detained by Iranian morality police for not wearing a hijab in accordance with government standards.

Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer listens to Iranian and Kurdish human rights campaigners (Stefan Rousseau/PA)   Stefan Rousseau

Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe cut her hair as a gesture of solidarity with the women protesting in Iran following Ms Aminis passing.

Sir Keir and Ms Dodds heard directly from Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe and other human rights defenders about the harassment and abuse women and girls have faced from the Iranian authorities, Labour said.

Among them included Elika Ashoori, a British-Iranian actress and activist, and daughter of Anoosheh Ashoori  a British hostage who was held in Evin prison for five years.

Labour has called for Irans revolutionary guard, a special branch of Tehrans armed forces, to be formally branded a terror group.

Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy and shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said in January that the IRGC was behaving like a terrorist organisation and must now be proscribed as such.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, asked on Monday at a Conservative Home defence conference about whether the IRGC would be proscribed, said the UK Government did not publicly discuss such plans.
Sir Frederick Barclay outside the Royal Courts of Justice (PA)   Kirsty OConnor

Retired businessman Sir Frederick Barclay is to face the next round of a High Court fight over money with his ex-wife.

A judge ordered Sir Frederick, 88, to hand Lady Hiroko Barclay, 80, lump sums totalling 100 million in May 2021 following the breakdown of their 34-year marriage.

Sir Jonathan Cohen said at the time Sir Frederick had behaved in a reprehensible fashion during the couples dispute.

Lady Barclay, who had petitioned for divorce on the grounds of unreasonable behaviour, subsequently complained that Sir Frederick had not paid her as ordered  and alleged that he was in contempt of court.

Lady Hiroko Barclay alleges that Sir Frederick has not paid what she was granted by a court (Kirsty OConnor/PA)   Kirsty OConnor

Sir Jonathan is due to oversee the latest stage of the litigation at a hearing in the Family Division of the High Court on Monday.

The judge ruled in July last year that Sir Frederick was in contempt as a result of failing to pay about 245,000 that he owed Lady Barclay for legal fees and maintenance.

He was then told at the last hearing, in February, that Sir Frederick had made a proposal, but no detail was given and the proceedings were adjourned until March 6.

The court heard Lady Barclay would not take any further enforcement action before todays hearing.

Sir Frederick Barclay, right, with his twin brother, Sir David Barclay, after they were knighted (Michael Stephens/PA)   Michael Stephens

Sir Frederick and his twin brother, Sir David Barclay, were among the UKs most high-profile businessmen.

Sir David died aged 86 in January 2021.

Their interests included the Telegraph Media Group and The Ritz hotel in London.

The family also has links to the Channel Islands and Monaco.
Two nephews of retired businessman Sir Frederick Barclay could give evidence in his High Court fight over money with ex-wife Lady Hiroko.

A judge ordered Sir Frederick, 88, to hand Lady Hiroko Barclay, 80, lump sums totalling 100 million in May 2021 following the breakdown of their 34-year marriage.

Sir Jonathan Cohen, who has heard that money has yet to be paid, said then that Sir Frederick had behaved in a reprehensible fashion during the couples dispute.

Lady Barclay, who had petitioned for divorce on the grounds of unreasonable behaviour, has complained that Sir Frederick had not paid her as ordered  and alleged that he was in contempt of court.

Lady Hiroko Barclay alleges that Sir Frederick has not paid what she was granted by a court (Kirsty OConnor/PA)   Kirsty OConnor

The judge, who is overseeing the litigation at hearings in the Family Division of the High Court, said on Monday he wanted to hear from Sir Fredericks nephews, Aidan and Howard Barclay, sons of his late brother Sir David Barclay.

He indicated that Aidan and Howard Barclay could give evidence about Sir Fredericks means and issued witness summons.

Sir Jonathan ruled in July last year that Sir Frederick was in contempt as a result of failing to pay about 245,000 that he owed Lady Barclay for legal fees and maintenance.

He was then told at the last hearing, in February, that Sir Frederick had made a proposal in relation to the millions of pounds he owed, but no detail was given and the proceedings were adjourned.

Sir Frederick and his twin brother, Sir David , were among the UKs most high-profile businessmen.

Sir Frederick Barclay, right, with his twin brother, Sir David Barclay, after they were knighted (Michael Stephens/PA)   Michael Stephens

Sir David died aged 86 in January 2021.

Their interests included the Telegraph Media Group and The Ritz hotel in London.

The family also has links to the Channel Islands and Monaco.

Sir Jonathan has been told that Aidan Barclay and Howard Barclay now have day-to-day responsibility for group business.

The judge said they could give evidence about the means of Sir Frederick and said such a move could be a constructive way forward.

He said it appeared that their enthusiasm to engage in correspondence with Sir Frederick and his advisers has been less than wholehearted.
Mondays newspapers are dominated by Government plans to unveil new legislation on asylum seeker claims

The Guardian, the Daily Express, the Daily Mail, The Times and The Independent all cover the long-promised legislation which could be published as soon as Tuesday that would make asylum claims inadmissible from those who travel to the UK on small boats.

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Elsewhere, the Daily Mail says desperate patients are extracting their own teeth as the wait list to see a NHS dentist grows to 11 million.

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In the Daily Telegraphs latest WhatsApp leaks, it claims Matt Hancock rejected advice from Englands chief medical officer to replace the 14-day Covid quarantine with five days of testing because it would imply weve been getting it wrong.

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Jeremy Hunt and Rishi Sunak are heading for a new tax clash with Tory backbenches over the budget, thei writes.

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China is planning an economic expansion of around 5%, according to the Financial Times.

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Metro carries the biggest conservation win ever as the world unites to agree on a deal to save the oceans.

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And the Daily Star says Britain will be as cold as the Arctic this week.
Sir Chris Whitty, Englands chief medical officer, suggested couples not living together were unlikely to stop seeing each other (Victoria Jones/PA)   Victoria Jones

Englands chief medical officer thought couples living in separate households were not likely to stay apart during the first weeks of the coronavirus lockdown, leaked WhatsApp messages have suggested.

Sir Chris Whitty said a bit of realism would be needed when telling non-cohabiting couples not to see each other in spring 2020 as ministers looked to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

The pandemic guidance for couples living in separate households was known in the press as a sex ban.

The reported debate around the guidance for non-cohabiting couples is the latest set of details to emerge from the leak of Matt Hancocks messages.

There has been a steady stream of stories from the trove of more than 100,000 WhatsApp messages provided to the Daily Telegraph by journalist Isabel Oakeshott, who co-authored Mr Hancocks memoir the Pandemic Diaries and which covered his time as health secretary.

The reporting has reignited rows about the UK Governments handling of the pandemic, even as Mr Hancock and others have described them as only a partial account.

During the latest report on the leaks, the newspaper said a group conversation  which involved Sir Chris and Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK Governments chief scientific adviser, Mr Hancock and others  centred around the guidance for those in relationships but not living together.

James Slack, formerly Boris Johnsons official spokesman when he was Prime Minister, asked Sir Chris and Sir Patrick whether couples could continue to see each other if they dont live in the same household.

The question appeared to arise on March 24, 2020, following a briefing with Westminsters political journalists.

Sir Patrick replied saying that, if contact between households was to be broken, the strict answer is that they shouldnt meet or should bunker down in the same house.

WhatsApp messages from Matt Hancock have been leaked to the Daily Telegraph (Steve Parsons/PA)   Steve Parsons

But Chris can give the official CMO love advice, the adviser reportedly added.

Sir Chris suggested the guidance could be more relaxed for those who did not live with a vulnerable or older person.

I think a bit of realism will be needed, he reportedly replied in the group conversation.

If its a regular partner I dont think people are likely to listen to advice not to see them for three weeks or maybe more.

We could say; if they can avoid seeing one another they should, and if either of them has an older or vulnerable person in the house they must.

Later that day, Sir Chriss deputy, Dr Jenny Harries, told a press conference that social distancing guidance should apply to non-cohabiting partners.

Dr Harries said: If you are two individuals, two halves of the couple, living in separate households then ideally they should stay in those households.

She said couples could test their relationship and move in together while the clampdown on movement was in place.

During later lockdowns, support bubbles were introduced, providing a way for some non-cohabiting couples to see each other without following social distancing restrictions, such as remaining two metres apart.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Jenny Harries said non-cohabiting couples should abide by social distancing restrictions (Hannah Mckay/PA)   Hannah Mckay

The bubbles allowed people living alone to combine with another household and stay overnight.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said it did not comment on leaks.

A Government spokesman said: We have always said there are lessons to be learnt from the pandemic.

We are committed to learning from the Covid inquirys findings, which will play a key role in informing the Governments planning and preparations for the future.

Mr Hancock repeated his response that there was absolutely no public interest case for this huge breach and said the national inquiry was the right, and only place for Government pandemic decision-making to be considered properly.

Meanwhile, Downing Street said the Prime Minister continued to have confidence in Cabinet Secretary Simon Case despite comments revealed in the leaked WhatsApp conversations.

Mr Case described Rishi Sunak, who was then chancellor, as going bonkers in a row over contact tracing disclosed in the messages obtained by the Telegraph.

These are potentially areas that the independent inquiry will look at, the Prime Ministers official spokesman said.

You heard the Prime Minister last week say that we wont be getting into piecemeal bits of information, we think the inquiry is the right place to have this all set out.

Asked about Mr Cases style in the messages  which included him describing people going into quarantine hotels as hilarious and suggesting that Mr Johnson was a nationally distrusted figure  the spokesman again said the full context was not being shown.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang bows after delivering his state of the nation address (Ng Han Guan/AP)   Ng Han Guan

After a decade in Chinese President Xi Jinpings shadow, Li Keqiang is taking his final bow as the countrys premier, marking a shift away from the skilled technocrats who have helped steer the worlds second-biggest economy in favour of officials known mainly for their unquestioned loyalty to Chinas most powerful leader in recent history.

After exiting the ruling Communist Partys all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee in October, despite being below retirement age, Mr Lis last major task was delivering the state of the nation address to the rubber-stamp parliament on Monday.

The report sought to reassure citizens of the resiliency of the Chinese economy, but contained little that was new.

Once seen as a potential top leader, Mr Li was increasingly sidelined as Xi accumulated ever-greater powers and elevated the military and security services in aid of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Mr Lis lack of visibility sometimes made it difficult to remember he was technically ranked second in the party.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, right, walks near Chinese President Xi Jinping (Ng Han Guan/AP)   Ng Han Guan

Mr Li was a premier largely kept out of the limelight by order of the boss, said Steve Tsang, director of the China Institute at the London University School of Oriental and African Studies and a long-time observer of Chinese politics.

In an era where personal loyalty trumps all, the fact that Mr Li wasnt seen purely as a Xi loyalist may end up being the main reason why he will be remembered fondly, Mr Tsang said.

For most of his career, Mr Li was known as a cautious, capable, and highly intelligent bureaucrat who rose through, and was bound by, a consensus-oriented Communist Party that reflexively stifles dissent.

As governor and then party secretary of the densely populated agricultural province of Henan in the 1990s, Mr Li squelched reporting on an Aids outbreak tied to illegal blood-buying rings that pooled plasma and reinjected it into donors after removing the blood products, allegedly with the collusion of local officials.

While Mr Li was not in office when the scandal broke, his administration worked to quiet it up, prevented victims from seeking redress and harassed private citizens working on behalf of orphans and others affected.

But Mr Li also cut a modestly different profile, an English speaker from a generation of politicians schooled during a time of greater openness to liberal Western ideas.

Military delegates wearing face masks march by Tiananmen Square as they arrive to attend the opening session of Chinas National Peoples Congress (NPC) (Cao Can/AP)   Cao Can

Introduced to politics during the chaotic 1966-76 Cultural Revolution, he made it into prestigious Peking University, where he studied law and economics, on his own merits rather than through political connections.

After graduation, Mr Li went to work at the Communist Youth League, an organization that grooms university students for party roles, then headed by future president and party leader Hu Jintao. Higher office soon followed.

Among the largely faceless ranks of Chinese bureaucrats, Mr Li managed to show an unusually candid streak.

In a US State Department cable released by WikiLeaks, Mr Li is quoted telling diplomats that Chinese economic growth statistics were man-made, and saying he looked instead to electricity demand, rail cargo traffic, and lending as more accurate indicators.
The landslide hit the village on Serasan Island (BNPB via AP)   BNPB

At least 11 people have died and dozens more are missing after a landslide caused by torrential rain on an island in Indonesias remote Natuna regency, disaster officials said.

Tonnes of mud fell from surrounding hills onto houses in Serasan village in Natuna.

Rescuers recovered at least 11 bodies and authorities fear that the death toll will rise, National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari said.

Rescuers search for victims at the site where a landslide hit a village on Serasan Island (BNPB via AP)   BNPB

Authorities have estimated that about 50 people are still missing.

Dozens of soldiers, police and volunteers joined the search in the village, on a remote island surrounded by choppy waters and high waves in the Natuna group at the edge of the South China Sea.

Downed communications lines and bad weather are also hampering the rescue efforts.

Seasonal downpours cause frequent landslides and floods in Indonesia, a chain of 17,000 islands where millions of people live in mountainous areas or in fertile flood plains.
Philippine transport groups have launched a nationwide strike to protest against a government programme drivers fear would phase out traditional jeepneys, which have become a cultural icon.

Officials have deployed government vehicles to take stranded passengers in some areas.

Other groups refused to join the week-long strike that could keep more than 40,000 passenger jeepneys, vans and other ageing vehicles off the streets in the Manila metropolis alone.

Protesting drivers and supporters held a noisy rally in suburban Quezon city in the capital region, then proceeded in a convoy to a government transport regulatory office to press their protest.

An activist holds a slogan as they join a rally during a transport strike in Quezon city (AP)   Aaron Favila

Renato Reyes of the left-wing political alliance Bayan, which was backing the strike, said: Were calling on the public to support the transport strike in any way possible.

The inconvenience of the transport stoppage is temporary, but the loss of livelihood of drivers and operators would be long-term.

Transport secretary Jaime Bautista said no major transport disruption had been monitored. Other officials said government vehicles were deployed to carry commuters in some areas.

Morning rush-hour traffic was heavy as usual in major roads in Manila and nearby cities.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.s office said by noon, there is no disruption except in a handful of routes in the national capital region.

Mr Bautista warned that protesting drivers who would resort to violence and coercion to stop passenger vehicles not joining the strike would face criminal charges.

A vintage passenger jeepney passes by a road just outside what used to be Americas largest overseas naval base at Olongapo city (AP)   Aaron Favila

Vice President Sara Duterte, who also serves as education secretary, drew criticisms after saying the strike is a communist rebel-inspired action that may inconvenience students.

The government transport modernisation programme, first launched in 2017, aims to replace dangerously dilapidated and old passenger jeepneys and vans with modern vehicles, which have safety features and conform with carbon emissions standards.

Vehicle owners have to join transport cooperatives and corporations by years end for better transport management.

Opponents say most poor drivers could not afford to purchase new passenger jeepneys even with promised government financial aid.

Rush hour traffic during a transport strike in Quezon city, Philippines (AP)   Aaron Favila

Its OK to have modernization for those who have money, jeepney driver Benito Garcia told The Associated Press. But for us jeepney drivers and operators, we cannot afford.

Others said the program would mean the demise of the gaudily decorated and brightly coloured jeepneys, which have been regarded as Manilas King of the Road and a showcase of Philippine culture on wheels.

The diesel-powered jeepneys evolved from US military jeeps that American forces left behind after the Second World War.

The vehicles were modified and then reproduced, many with second-hand truck chassis, and for decades were the most popular form of land transport among the working class, even though they cough out dark fumes that have been blamed for Manilas notoriously polluted air.
A paramilitary soldier and volunteers gather at the site of the blast (AP)   Saeed-ud-Din

At least 10 policemen have died and 12 others were injured after a suicide bomber riding on a motorcycle rammed into a police truck in Pakistans south-west.

No-one immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing, which took place on a bridge in the district of Sibi in Baluchistan province, but Baluch separatists and local militants have been blamed for previous attacks.

Mahmood Notenzai, a local police chief, said the officers were on a routine patrol when the attack happened.

A man injured in the blast arrives at hospital (AP)   Saeed-ud-Din

The casualties have been taken to a nearby hospital, he added. Sibi is located about 90 miles east of Quetta, the provincial capital.

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif condemned the attack.

In a statement, he expressed his condolences to the families of those killed and ordered health officials to provide the best medical care for the wounded policemen. He said the attack was part of nefarious enemy plans to destabilise Pakistan and vowed to defeat terrorism.

Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo, the top elected official in Baluchistan, also denounced the bombing.

A damaged truck is removed from the site (AP)   Saeed-ud-Din

The terrorists who are carrying out such attacks are the enemy of Pakistan, he said, adding that they will not shake the resolve of the countrys police.

Baluchistan has long struggled with a low-level insurgency by the Baluchistan Liberation Army and other small separatist groups demanding independence from the central government in Islamabad.

Authorities claim to have quelled the insurgency, but violence has persisted. The province has also seen attacks by militants from both the Pakistani Taliban and the Islamic State group.
Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and second place candidate greets his supporters during a protest (Gbemiga Olamikan/AP)   Gbemiga Olamikan

Thousands of Nigerian opposition supporters have protested against the countrys presidential election results as calls for a revote intensify.

Dressed in black and holding signs, the protesters led by second-place candidate, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, marched to the headquarters of Nigerias electoral body in the capital, Abuja.

They blocked the entrance and called on authorities to hold a new election under better conditions.

The provisions of the current electoral law have been completely contravened, Mr Abubakar said.

Supporters of Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and second place candidate attend a protest against the recent presidential election results in Abuja (Gbemiga Olamikan/AP)   Gbemiga Olamikan

This protest is going to continue for a very long time, either every day or every other day.

At least five political parties are challenging last months vote, alleging that delays in uploading results from the countrys 177,000 polling stations to the electoral bodys portal could have allowed vote tampering.

They also allege voter intimidation and cases where people were barred from voting.

Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress won the election with 37% of the votes, becoming Nigerias first presidential candidate to win with fewer than half of the total votes.

In Nigeria, an election can be invalidated only if it is proven that the national electoral body largely did not follow the law and acted in ways that could have changed the result.

People sit under a billboard with a congratulatory message for the President-Elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu (Sunday Alamba/AP)   Sunday Alamba

None of Nigerias presidential election results has been overturned by the countrys Supreme Court.

Some observers have also criticised the conduct of the presidential election.

The US ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, said the election process failed to meet Nigerians expectations after years of improvement in the quality of the elections.

We thus reiterate our call on (the electoral commission) to address promptly the challenges that can be resolved ahead of the March 11 gubernatorial elections, she said in a statement on Sunday.

A local court on Friday granted both Mr Atiku and third-place finisher Peter Obi permission to inspect the election materials used in the vote as part of their court challenge.

The two opposition parties will in the coming weeks gather evidence to build their cases in separate applications disputing the election results, a process that took nearly seven months in 2019 when the courts rejected a similar challenge to the results.
The middle ground, who hold key, will be put off by violence

At around 8pm on Wednesday, February 22, a police officer was shot and wounded in Omagh, Co Tyrone, at exactly the same time my daughter gave birth to a beautiful baby boy.
Matthew when he was six

On what should have been her only sons 16th birthday, Frances McCallan will watch a procession of tractors fill the streets near her Dungannon home in his memory.

Her beloved Matthew was found dead aged 15 in a ditch near Fintona in December after attending a country music festival with his friends.

His frantic family and scores of volunteers spent almost two days searching for him after he was reported missing in the early hours of December 4.

It was one of the coldest nights of the winter, and an initial post-mortem examination found he died of hypothermia.

An investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death is still ongoing.

As Matthews family prepares to mark his 16th birthday on March 12, his mum, Frances (46), will never get over his loss and is currently sleeping in his bedroom to feel close to him.

She said: He went for a night out with his friends and never came home. It still feels unreal. I didnt wash his school uniform that weekend, so I still have his white shirt that smells of him.

He couldnt wait to get to 16. He had so many dreams and plans. He was desperate to get his motorbike licence.

We were planning on buying him a watch to mark his special birthday.

Frances holding a picture of her only son

Frances and Matthews dad, Peter (48), had agreed to allow their son to attend the Jamboree country music festival with a group of friends, including cousins Thomas Hagan (17) and Zoe Allen (18) on December 3.

It was to be one of his first nights out, and the family believed they had made plans to make sure the teenagers got home safely.

Matthew and Thomas were here getting ready. I ironed their checked shirts and jeans and polished their boots for them, Frances said.

I said, Right, what do you want to eat?, and they both asked for chicken goujons and chips. Matthew had five goujons  he was 6ft tall already with size 11 feet.

I was having a Baileys and putting up the Christmas tree when they left. They were both laughing and joking in my kitchen, stinking of aftershave.

He sent me a selfie with his friends on the way. I told him hed better behave himself. He replied I will.

Matthew when he was six

Thomas telephoned Frances at around 1.30am the following morning to say Matthew was no longer with his friends and had lost his phone.

Frances and Peter jumped in their car and began searching for him. After they notified the police, they were joined by friends, family and search volunteers.

I was going out of my mind, Frances recalled. It was the first freezing night of the year and it was the middle of nowhere. We were looking in ditches and in fields  everywhere. We were running on pure adrenalin.

Read more Mother of tragic Co Tyrone teenager praises his young friends as charity tractor run organised for his birthday

As the search intensified the next day, a community centre in Fintona was opened to offer refreshments to volunteers. But it wasnt until late morning on December 5 that Matthews body was found.

Id nipped home that morning to let the dogs out. When I caught a whiff of his aftershave in his bedroom, I had this gut feeling hed gone, said Frances.

Back at the community centre, we were told a body had been found. Peter went to identify his son.

I was absolutely hysterical. It haunts me that Matthew had been lying there in that ditch all alone and I hadnt even been able to be there and hold his hand.

I know he would have been trying to get home.

Matthew as a three-year-old with his grandfather

Matthews family remembered him as a shy, outdoorsy lad who loved hanging out with his cousins and was the apple of his mothers eye.

He loved his food, said Frances. It was gourmet every evening in our house. He loved a good carbonara. We had an Ooni pizza oven, so on Sunday evenings in the summer we made homemade pizza.

He wasnt fussy  he loved cabbage, potato and bacon too  and he was always on at me to make him a toastie. Hed say, Oh go on, Mum, and give me a big hug.

A post-mortem examination suggested Matthew had died of hypothermia

Matthew loved anything with an engine but also liked horses and drove a trap with Thomas and his pony, Frank.

We loved doing stuff outdoors, like bikes and fishing, then we got into the horses, said Thomas.

Ive got a horse and trap and we did sulky racing. Frank is quick for his size. He can do 32mph.

Matthew was popular with the girls too. He liked the girls and they liked him.

Cousin Zoey added: Last summer we put up a tent in our field and camped out. There was about six of us. We took my laptop and watched Angry Birds on repeat.

Matthews aunt, Clodagh Currie (53), remembered: He loved Halloween  it was always his favourite time of year. He was talking about fireworks from August.

He was really accident-prone. He broke things like his fingers, thumb and elbow. He once broke both wrists after going over the handlebars of his bike.

Matthew loved motorbikes

Matthew was an only child who was extremely close to his family.

Frances said he was a very loving son who would always bring her a cup of tea when he got home from school.

He would slop it all over the carpet. We called him shakey Steven, she recalled.

We were very close. When he went upstairs to bed at night, I always told him I loved him, and he always said, I love you, back.

The Tractor Run in Matthews memory will begin at Carrickmore GFC at 12 noon on March 12, making its way to Dungannon Thomas Clarkes GAC. There will be a raffle and collections on the day.

Carol Jordan (39), Matthews aunt, said: Were raising money for Scarda, the Search and Rescue Dogs Association, and Child Loss Matters. There will be vintage tractors. If Matthew had been here, he would have loved it.

For more information, visit the Matthew McCallan Tractor Run page on Facebook
Pexels

Pope John Paul II first traveled to Jordan during his pilgrimage to the Holy Land in the Great Jubilee year 2000. His Holiness opened his visit atop Mount Nebo, the site where Moses stood and gazed into the Promised Land. Praying on behalf of "Jews, Muslims and Christians," he blessed the land of Jordan and asked God to "bestow upon all who live here the gift of a true peace, justice and fraternity."

Today, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is proud of its homegrown tradition of tolerance and interfaith harmony. Today, Catholic pilgrims are welcome to visit the sites of earliest Christianity, including the spot where Jesus began his ministry. Pope John Paul II designated the five sites in Jordan which as official destinations of catholic pilgrimage, with special spiritual blessings for those who make the visit to all five sites in Holy Jordan.





Baptism Site

Jesus Christ was baptized in "Bethany Beyond the Jordan" (John 1:28), in the place where John the Baptist lived and preached. Today, the Baptism Site (or Al-Maghtas in Arabic) feels like stepping into the pages of the New Testament, with wildflowers in spring and buzzing honeybees among the reeds and palms. Old stone churches and pathways reveal the pilgrims' path through the Jordan Valley. Plan for at least a half-day in order to visit the entire site (including John the Baptist's cave and the hill where Elijah ascended to heaven on a chariot of fire). Visitors wanting to be baptized (or baptize infants) should contact the site beforehand to arrange for a Catholic priest.

Mount Nebo

The Old Testament says that Moses was buried somewhere on Mount Nebo, although the exact location remains a mystery. Revered by Jews, Muslims, and Christians, the site is managed by the Franciscans, whose contemporary monastery tastefully preserves the marvelous 6th-century mosaics on the chapel floor. Pathways lead through a grove of fragrant olive trees and among the older ruins of the monastery, while the museum and gallery offer a deeper historical context of this two-thousand-year-old pilgrimage site. To catch a glimpse of the same view Moses had, walk out to the edge of the peak, some 2,631 feet (710 meters) above sea level.

Tel Mar Elias

Just outside the town of Ajloun, "Elijah's Mound" is the place where early Christians believed the prophet Elijah the Tishbite was born. Historically, this is the land of Gilead (as in, "Balm of Gilead"), and at least two separate Christian churches were built on the spot. Stone steps lead up to the larger church ruins that include mosaics dating back to the 6th century. The panoramic view atop the mound offers a great perspective towards Ajloun Castle (from the Crusader era) and the evergreen forests of northern Jordan. Venture down to the lower level to the rock wall and flowing spring to find a small shrine meant for quiet prayer and contemplation.

Mukawir

The sprawling stone ruins of Herod's desert castle rest atop this barren beige mountaintop near the Dead Sea. Once home to Herod the Great, and then his son Herod Antipas, the palace-fortress, is where John the Baptist was betrayed and beheaded (Matthew 14:8). Now considered a site of Christian martyrdom, pilgrims follow the long curving slope around the mountain up to the plateau at the top. The ancient palace ruins are extensive, including a stark dungeon where some archeologists believe John the Baptist was imprisoned before his execution.

Our Lady of the Mount in Anjara

Perhaps the least-known and least-visited of the five catholic sites, Our Lady of the Mount Church is located in the tiny village of Anjara, just outside the historic city of Ajloun. Early Christian writings maintain that the Virgin Mary accompanied Jesus as they passed through these mountains on their way from Jerusalem to Galilee. The traditional pilgrimage gathering for Jordanian Catholics is on June 18th.



The events and lessons of the Holy Scriptures flow through the landscape much like the river that bears the country's name. If you want to walk in the footsteps of the Prophets and truly immerse yourself in the stories of the Bible, Jordan is the destination.

To learn more about the biblical history and events in Jordan, please visit www.holyjordan.com


Rohingya examine the damage caused by a weekend fire that ripped through the Balukhali camp in Ukhia, Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh, March 6, 2023.

Bangladesh inspectors are investigating the cause of a massive fire at a Coxs Bazar camp that destroyed about 2,000 makeshift homes and left 12,000 homeless over the weekend, an official said Monday.

Lt. Col. Mohammad Tajul Chowdhury, who oversees fire service and civil defense in the region, said an investigative committee has been formed to look into the Balukhali camp fire, which also destroyed health, learning and relief centers, according to officials.

The Rohingya camp issue is a very sensitive issue. There could be many reasons for the fire including gas leakage or sabotage, but we are not sure about it, Chowdhury told BenarNews. I can only tell you the cause of the fire when the investigation is over in the next several days.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told BenarNews that the government is investigating to determine if the fire camp was caused by arson, pointing to potential cases of sabotage at the 32 Rohingya camps in and around Coxs Bazar.

The camps in Coxs Bazar, a southeastern district bordering Myanmar, house about 1 million of that countrys persecuted Rohingya minority, including about 740,000 who fled following a military crackdown in the Rakhine state since August 2017.

Sundays fire came nearly two years after a March 22, 2021, blaze at the Balukhali camp killed at least 13 Rohingya, including six children, destroyed 10,000 houses and left 45,000 homeless.

In February, a defense ministry document claimed at least 222 fires broke out in the Rohingya camps in 2021 and 2022. The document obtained by BenarNews alleged 60 fires were caused by sabotage, while the reasons for 63 others were unknown.

The defense ministry document blamed the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), the Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) and nine other groups for the incidents of sabotage.

The Feb. 15 document said ARSA had been active in Ukhia, Balukhali, Palongkhali and Hwaikong camps while RSO was concentrated in Ukhia and Palongkhali.

ARSA, RSO and a third group, Islamic Mahaz are faith-based groups while the others were identified as criminal gangs, according to the document. Islamic Mahaz was concentrated in Hwaikong.

Alam, a Rohingya leader in Ukhia who asked to be identified by one name for security reasons, blamed ARSA for Sundays fire.

They carried out the attack to take revenge on the RSO, he told BenarNews.

Retired Maj. Gen. Abdur Rashid, a security analyst, echoed Alams statement that the fire could have been the result of a rivalry between the groups seeking to control territories in the camps.

A family huddles under a makeshift shelter after a weekend fire gutted about 2,000 Rohingya homes in the Balukhali camp in Ukhia, Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh, March 6, 2023. [Sunil Barua/BenarNews]

Sometimes, RSO carries out arson attacks at the ARSA-dominated camps. In response, ARSA carries out counter attacks, he told BenarNews. The rivalry makes such attacks common and innocent Rohingya suffer.

What I think is the number of sabotages would be higher than the official figure. In most of the cases, the arsonists are not punished, Rashid said. We may see more such fire incidents at the camps in future.
Luhut Pandjaitan, Indonesias coordinating minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, speaks during a press conference in Jakarta announcing government subsidies for purchases of electric vehicles, March 6, 2023.

Indonesia will offer subsidies to consumers and manufacturers of electric vehicles this year as part of its efforts to reduce carbon emissions and boost its domestic battery industry, a senior minister said on Monday.

The subsidies will cover 200,000 electric motorcycles and 35,900 electric cars this year, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, the coordinating minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, told a press conference in Jakarta.

A 7 million rupiah (U.S. $450) cash subsidy will be given to each person who buys a new electric motorcycle made in Indonesia from March 20, Luhut said. The amount of subsidy for electric car purchases will vary depending on the type and model of the vehicle.

He said the subsidies were aimed at making electric vehicles more affordable and attractive for the public and investors.

Indonesia, Southeast Asias largest economy, aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 29 percent by 2030 and has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070.

The country is also rich in nickel and cobalt, key minerals for battery production, and wants to develop its own battery industry to supply electric vehicles and export markets.

Luhut said the development of battery-based electric vehicles would help Indonesia improve its energy security and air quality, as well as create jobs, new technologies and state revenue.

Currently other countries, our neighbors, are encouraging electric vehicle adoption with various incentives. We use the term government assistance. They use massive state funds to make it attractive to invest in the electric vehicle industry, he told reporters.

A worker cleans a Hyundai IONIQ 5 electric car during the Indonesia International Motor Show in Jakarta, Feb. 16, 2023. [Willy Kurniawan/Reuters]

Indonesia has been trying to attract global automakers to invest in EV production in the country, which has abundant reserves of nickel, a key ingredient for lithium-ion batteries.

South Koreas Hyundai Motor Co. and Chinas Wuling Motors last year launched electric cars manufactured at their plants near Jakarta. The Toyota Motor Corp. and Tesla Inc. have expressed interest in exploring EV opportunities in Indonesia.

The government had earlier introduced incentives including tax breaks for EV buyers.

Indonesia, home to about 270 million people, is also one of the worlds largest consumers of fuel oil.

The government expects that by 2030, EVs will account for at least 20% of total vehicle sales in Indonesia.

Indonesia is also trying to attract foreign investment and develop its own supply chain of nickel-based batteries.

The country has signed deals with Chinas CATL and Hyundai Motors to build battery plants in Indonesia.
Overturned aircraft are seen next to a runway in Port Vila, Vanuatus capital, in this picture taken and released on March 4, 2023 by the French ambassador to Vanuatu.

Vanuatus government has declared a six-month national emergency after back-to-back tropical cyclones battered homes, overturned light planes and uprooted trees, triggering an influx of international aid to the disaster-prone Pacific island nation.

Tropical Cyclone Kevin hit the capital Port Vila late on Friday, two days after Cyclone Judy lashed Vanuatus islands. There were no immediate reports of injuries or deaths.

Ralph Regenvanu, the minister of Climate Change, said Monday on Facebook that the government had expanded a state of emergency to the entire country as a result of the joint impacts of cyclones Judy and Kevin. It previously applied to only parts of the country.

In Port Vila, power was out on Monday and there were communications difficulties, said Fabienne Leo, a BenarNews reporter in the city. Cyclone Kevin had partially lifted the roof from her home and felt similar to the destructive Cyclone Pam in 2015, Leo said.

From a scale of one to 10, Id give it an eight, she said.

Cyclones regularly batter Vanuatu, located about 1,900 kilometers (1,180 miles) northeast of the Australian city of Brisbane. The island nation also is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions because it sits atop the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire. About 300,000 people live on its 13 main islands and many smaller ones.

The Pacific is in a rare third consecutive year of the weather phenomenon known as La Nina. It is characterized by below-average sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific. Meteorologists say La Nina can cause a higher number of tropical cyclones during the November-April cyclone season in the Pacific.

Roads in Port Vila were strewn with trees and other debris and small airplanes at an airport were flipped upside down, as seen in photos posted online by government officials, diplomats and residents in the wake of the two cyclones.

Power lines have fallen over. A lot of trees have been uprooted, said Dickinson Tevi, secretary general of the Red Cross in Vanuatu, in an interview Friday as Cyclone Kevin was intensifying.

In between the two cyclones, Port Vila residents rushed to buy flashlights, fuel, food and generators, he said.

He said he was concerned about the situation on other islands.

A lot of the houses outside of Port Vila are not as strong as the ones in the city, Tevi told BenarNews.

Aid supplies are readied for loading on a C-17A Globemaster bound for Vanuatu as part of Australias response to the Tropical Cyclones Judy and Kevin, from Amberley Base in Queensland, in this handout photo taken on March 4, 2023. [Taylor Anderson/Australian Department of Defence/AFP]

Countries such as France, Australia and New Zealand said they had dispatched aid to Vanuatu and were helping to assess the extent of damage.

A Twitter post from Frances ambassador to Vanuatu, Jean-Baptiste Jeangene Vilmer, showed that military and civilian personnel from the French territory of New Caledonia had arrived in Vanuatu on Sunday. He said they would focus on clearing roads and providing clean water and medical care.

Aid organizations also have relief supplies already stationed in locations across Vanuatu as part of their disaster preparations, according to Tevi.

Many people took refuge in evacuation centers, he said.

The Fiji Meteorological Service said winds from Cyclone Kevin had reached more than 200 kilometers per hour (125 miles per hour) by midday Saturday after it moved southeast of Vanuatu, making it a category 5 cyclone, the severest ranking.

It was the fourth category 5 cyclone in the southwest Pacific since 2020, according to the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research in New Zealand.

In October, the institute forecast six to 10 tropical cyclones for the southwest Pacific from November 2022 to April 2023. It said Vanuatu had the highest risk and could suffer three or four cyclones.

The back-to-back cyclones revived memories of Cyclone Pam in 2015. Pam, one of the most powerful tropical cyclones recorded, affected Vanuatu, Kiribati, Tuvalu and New Zealand.

According to World Vision, Cyclone Pam killed 11 people in Vanuatu. The aid group said that was a low death toll given the intensity of the cyclone. It credited Vanuatus early-warning system and a network of cyclone shelters stocked with relief supplies.
Transport groups launched a weeklong nationwide transportation strike in the Philippines on Monday to protest the governments modernization program to phase out old public utility vehicles, including the iconic jeepneys.

Members of different organizations, including Manibela (Steering Wheel) and Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide - PISTON (the Coalition of Drivers and Operators Nationwide) gathered early in different parts of Metro Manila to begin their peaceful action.

Some school classes were called off in cities in and around Manila, while the government deployed state vehicles to ferry those stranded by the protest action. BenarNews reporters saw a bus normally used to transport inmates joining the government fleet.

Thousands of jeepney drivers joined the first day of the strike. But the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said only 5% of jeepney drivers joined the nationwide strike, while 10% joined it in Metro Manila.

Jeepney drivers and supporters join a nationwide transport strike against the governments planned jeepney phase out, in Manila, March 6, 2023. [Jojo Rinoza/BenarNews]

They will take away our right to be on the streets, they are taking away our right to earn a living, said Julius Aniban Aban, 52, a jeepney driver for three decades. At my age, do you think any establishment would still hire [me] should jeepneys be phased out?

Aban said his jeepney had witnessed the growth of his two children, the eldest of whom had already finished university because of the money Aban earned plying the same route since he was in his 20s.

Drivers and operators have long opposed the modernization program, citing high costs and lack of government support. The government, under former President Rodrigo Duterte, launched the same program in 2017 to phase out all old public utility vehicles or PUVs by 2020, but to no avail.

These old vehicles, especially jeepneys, were deemed unsafe and harmful to the environment. Yet they are a part of Philippine culture, and they trace their origin to the old Willys jeeps used in World War II that were reconfigured to become mini-buses.

A jeepney is seen on a busy street during rush hour in suburban Mandaluyong city in Metro Manila, March 2, 2023. [Jojo Rinoza/BenarNews]

As part of its plan, the government has required industry consolidation, which mandates 15 individual franchise holders to form one cooperative or corporation, or risk losing their license to operate. The government said this move was to help operators acquire modern jeepneys and vehicles amounting to at least U.S. $50,000 through loans from state banks, a costly proposition considering a driver earns just about $20 a day.

The government had earlier imposed a June 30, 2023 deadline for consolidation, but later moved it to the last day of the calendar year, New Years Eve.

But many jeepney operators still oppose it, saying they would be at the losing end. They would have to give up their individual franchises and then take on loans worth millions of Philippine pesos that many are not sure they could afford.

In the end, we, our jeepneys, will still be phased out, Manibela national president Mar Valbuena said as the group called on the government to scrap the phaseout plan.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has acknowledged the problem of stiff opposition to the phaseout plan. He said his administration would push ahead with the plan. Newer vehicles powered by clean energy would benefit the environment, but the programs timetable and mode of implementation should be reviewed, he said.

We still need to fix our supply of renewable energy. Because even if its an electric vehicle, if you charge it using electricity from a coal-fired plant, then its just the same. You just moved the source of pollution. So thats an improvement but that doesnt help climate change, Marcos told reporters last week.

Instead of automatically phasing out old vehicles, the government should inspect them to check which ones are in good condition and are still usable, Marcos added.

Passengers disembark from a police vehicle offering free rides in Caloocan city, suburban Manila, as drivers of passenger jeepneys stage a strike, March 6, 2023. [Ted Aljibe/AFP]

LTFRB chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III said each traditional jeepney operator would receive a higher government subsidy of P260,000 or nearly $5,000, which would be sourced from the road users tax.

Despite this, transport groups were keen on continuing with their protest.

They said there will no longer be a phaseout. We can treat this as a success if we actually see a document declaring this. For now, we will continue our transport strike to junk the poor implementation of the modernization program, the Manibela group said in a statement.
Massive scope for Ayush sector in Assam & Northeast as Expo provided a flip-board to local entrepreneurs: Sarbananda Sonowal

The first 'SCO B2B Conference and Expo on Traditional Medicine' came to a successful end on 5 March as it created a platform for buyers and sellers from different countries to explore trade potential to serve the needs of the people. An incremental trade interest of over Rs 590 crore was generated during the two days of intense meetings among the buyers and sellers at the conference.

This first-of-its-kind conference & Expo under the SCO initiative was inaugurated by the Union Minister of Ayush and Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on 2nd March, 2023 at Guwahati, Assam.

More than 150 delegates from 17 countries attended the two-day conference and four-day Expo, including high-level delegates such as Health Ministers, official delegates, and foreign buyers from SCO & partner countries. Seventy-five foreign officials and business delegates from 13 countries participated in person. Official delegates from China, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan joined virtually through the internet.

The B2B conference witnessed detailed presentations and deliberations from SCO and partner Countries on 'Regulatory Framework for Traditional Medicine' Products and practices, including pharmacopoeia, quality assurance and research.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) currently comprises eight Members- China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Age group of consumers purchasing medical devices has shifted from primarily seniors to a much younger demographic

The medical devices industry is growing at a CAGR of 10 to 15 per cent with the rise in awareness about preventive home healthcare and rising income levels in the younger generation.

Yet, relatively untapped in the rural markets, the younger generation in urban areas is now investing in devices that help them track vital signs such as blood pressure, heart rate and blood oxygen levels. Moreover, the rise in the number of cases of cardiac arrests amongst the younger population has been an alarming factor for youngsters to consider monitoring their health periodically and keeping these devices handy.

The medical technology devices industry is worth approximately six billion dollars in India. It is a relatively nascent industry with low penetration which will increase over the years, according to experts.

There is a huge shift in the age group of consumers buying health monitoring devices, with 58 per cent of their buyers being younger audiences between the age group of 25 to 45 years. Interestingly, the age group of consumers purchasing medical devices has shifted from primarily seniors to a much younger demographic.

According to Rajnikant Shah, Chairman of Medtech Life, a leading manufacturer of homecare electromedical devices in India, The space has seen a steep rise in competition post pandemic. However, there has also been a rise in the awareness of these products thereby increasing the market size. There are many Indian importer brands and a couple of MNCs.

Talking about the challenges, he added, We manufacture the products in our factory while many competitors just import from China which increases dependency on them. More investment in manufacturing in India will help make our country a manufacturing hub of the world.

The analysis of buyers data over the last six months indicates that post COVID-19, consumers are opting for at-home monitoring solutions as a precautionary measure.The market for health monitoring devices is expected to grow substantially in the coming years, with innovations in technology making these devices more accessible and user-friendly for consumers of all ages, concluded Rajnikant Shah.

Bhagwati Prasad
This is the 16th TSI State Chapter in the country

The newly formed Haryana State Chapter Telemedicine Society of India (TSI) was inaugurated at Amrita Hospital, Faridabad recently. Delivering the inaugural speech, Swami Nijamritananda Puri, Administrative Director, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad said, Ours is a country where most people do not have access to proper medical care. Though there are several reasons, one of the main reasons is the geographical factor. Launching the Haryana Chapter will help transcend the obstacles and help people denied advanced medical assistance.

Telemedicine is often called telehealth, digital medicine, e-health, or m-health (mobile health). The Haryana Chapter aims to connect patients who need medical help with in-house technical teams using telemedicine and clinics on wheel units.

Prof Meenu Singh, President of National Telemedicine Society & Director of AIIMS, Rishikesh said, The government of Haryana started telemedicine Delhi-NCR and Chandigarh many years ago. It is 25 since telemedicine services began in Haryana when Prof. BD Gupta introduced it in 1997. In 2005, the Prime Minister of India started telemedicine along with ISRO and the Department of Education and Technology. It is gratifying to see Amrita collaborating with ISRO and other agencies.

Stressing the need to bridge the healthcare digital divide, Dr Puneet Dhar, President, Haryana Telemedicine Chapter said, About 1.3 billion people in the country fall in the spectrum of the healthcare digital divide. Healthcare infrastructure development is vital to the country's development, and telemedicine can help. The increasing penetration of smartphones, mobile connectivity, and the internet makes it a game changer."

The TSIs Haryana Chapter will collaborate with all medical colleges/institutions to provide an in-training for future doctors. It is the 16th state chapter of TSI in India. They will also team up with various stakeholders for quality improvement in all aspects of healthcare- preventive, primary, secondary, and tertiary levels.
The insurance industry in South Africa has faced significant challenges in recent years, including an ageing workforce, a lack of diversity and transformation, and a shortage of skilled workers. These challenges have resulted in difficulties meeting the increasing demand for personnel, particularly in leadership positions.

"We have wrestled with the skills shortage in the financial services industry for many years, and management and senior-level transformation is slow. The RBS Academy is ideally situated to provide the industry with a supply of bright, talented South African youth. Within the RBS Group and our stakeholders, we focus on transformation and development, so we are excited to see the positive impact the RBS Academy will deliver in tackling these challenges." Michael Petersen  founder and CEO of RBS.

To address these challenges, the industry must focus on training and development programs to help create a pipeline of talented individuals who can fill these leadership roles. Moreover, there is a need for greater diversity in the workplace to address the industry's transformation gap.

The RBS Academy has been launched this year to address the skills shortage and drive transformation in the insurance industry in South Africa. The Academy aims to identify, train and develop black graduates in the short-term insurance industry, focusing on more than just technical learning for success.

The RBS Academy's programs offer a comprehensive education and training experience, including academic and work-related qualifications and training in wellness, ethics, virtues, corporate citizenship, mindfulness, and social responsibility. Through its partnerships with Risk Benefits Solutions and Letsema, the Academy is committed to addressing the shortage of skilled workers and promoting diversity in the workplace.

"At Letsema, we strive to utilize our skills, resources, expertise and capabilities to bring to life our philosophy of business as a catalyst for social change. The RBS Academy is another step in this process and will play a key role in our broker consolidation, transformation and job creation strategy in this sector." Isaac Shongwe  founder and chairman of Letsema.

By investing in talent through programs like the RBS Academy, the insurance industry can create a pipeline of skilled workers to meet the increasing demand for personnel and bridge the transformation gap. The RBS Academy's comprehensive education and training experience will provide a new generation of skilled workers who can contribute to the industry's success.

The RBS Academy's launch represents an important step towards addressing the skills shortage and driving transformation in the insurance industry in South Africa. The Academy's comprehensive education and training programs, combined with its commitment to diversity and skill development, will create a more employable and diverse workforce, thus supporting the industry's growth and success in the years to come.

"The RBS Academy has been very well received within the industry and will provide a constant stream of qualified, experienced graduates. Our holistic, integrated programs will not only allow our graduates to accelerate their careers in the industry but also develop themselves to become responsible corporate citizens." Deseree van den Berg  executive head of human capital at RBS and spearheading the RBS Academy.
K and K Media Group has announced the appointment of seasoned journalist Edwin Naidu as editor of the company's flagship publication - Inside Education, with effect from February 2023.

Naidu is an experienced communicator in financial services and worked with some of South Africas best-known media publications. He replaces veteran journalist Phindile Xaba, who lost her battle with cancer in May last year.

A former editor of the Teacher Newspaper, previously owned by the Mail & Guardian, Naidu has written extensively on education since 1992, for different publications including the Sunday Independent, Mail & Guardian and University World News.

A former night news editor of the Star newspaper, Naidu has a media degree in journalism and media studies from Wits University and has been on scholarships to Oxford and World Press Institute in the US.

He has written extensively on transformation, gender, climate change, and energy happenings on the continent, including contributing to two books: Nelson Mandela Opus (the worlds largest book on Mandela) and 100 The Mandela Years.

In 2018, Naidu won the Mandy Roussow award for Great Idea in the Media Monitoring Africa lsu Elihle Awards. He also won 3rd prize for his three-part article highlighting the issue of malnutrition and its impact on children in South Africa and Africa.

Naidu is a finalist in the UN Women Gender Journalism Awards for a report in the Sunday Independent in 2021.

He is a past winner of the South African National Energy Award for best reporting, recipient of print story Gender education media awards, winner in the economics category: Gender Education Media Awards (2006), Second Runner in Higher Education Awards 2005, and a winner of the International Federation of Journalists Tolerance Prize for Peace, among other journalism accolades.

Edwin Naidu is a respected and credible writer and voice on education in South Africa. We are proud to have him on board and look forward to his steward as we strive to make Inside Education an authoritative voice within the education space, said Matuma Letsoalo, the executive chairman and founder of K and K Media, which owns Inside Education.

K and K Media also owns shares in the Teacher newspaper and two other digital publications - Inside Politics and Inside Metros.
Big Concerts has confirmed that chart-topping and multiple award-winning George Ezra will be coming to South African shores in July 2023. The tour kicks off in Cape Town on 12 July 2023 at Grand Arena, GrandWest, and on 15 July at SunBet Arena, Time Square in Pretoria. Brought to you by 947 and KFM.

George Ezra has toured the world, toured it some more, then met himself coming back the other way. Hes felt the green, green grass under his feet and the blue, blue sky on his back. Hes a man in pursuit of happiness, and of sharing that happiness.

After two blockbuster albums  Wanted On Voyage and Staying At Tamaras, both reached number 1 in the UK and going 4x platinum in the UK, with over eight million album equivalent sales globally and seven billion career streams - the 6x platinum UK number 1 single Shotgun; and the 2019 Brit Award for British Male Solo Artist, 2022 has seen him return to heart and hearth; releasing his third album, and third UK number 1 Gold Rush Kid, featuring the hit singles Anyone For You and Green Green Grass to praise from critics and fans alike.

He recently premiered his acclaimed documentary End to End, chronicling an unforgettable journey by George and two childhood friends across the UK, walking 1,200 miles across 95 days from Lands End to John OGroats. George is YouTube Musics Sustainability Partner for 2022, working with The National Trust to plant 20 million trees.

Tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday 10 March exclusively from www.ticketmaster.co.za.

The Discovery Bank pre-sale begins at 9am on Wednesday 8 March and will run until 8:59am on Friday, 10 March.

Important Note: Fans are strongly advised against purchasing tickets from Viagogo. These tickets are unlawfully resold by deceitful sellers for multiple times the face value and are not legitimate tickets. Should you purchase these tickets you will be denied entry into the venue, and you will not be entitled to a refund.

Cape Town

12 July 2023: Grand Arena, GrandWest, Cape Town

Pretoria

15 July 2023: SunBet Arena, Time Square, Pretoria

For complete tour and ticket information visit www.bigconcerts.co.za.
For the six months to December 2022, Sasfin's total income increased by 12.62% to R705,203m (2021: R626,179m) mainly due to strong loan book growth.

Source: Supplied. Harriet Heymans, group financial director, Sasfin Holdings Limited.

The strong income growth improved the cost-to-income ratio to 76.30% (2021: 80.40%) despite cost growth of 6.88% to R538,068m (2021: R503,430m).

Headline earnings reduced by 20.74% to R67,706m (2021: R85,424m) as a result of an increase in the credit loss ratio to 130bps (2021: 23bps).

Total assets increased 10.56% to R13,573bn (2021: R12,277bn) as a result of strong growth of 24.21% in net loans and advances to R8,963bn (2021: R7,216bn).

Core funding increased by 5.17% to R9,492bn (2021: R9,025bn) as deposits from customers increased to R5,941bn (2021: R5,560bn). Total ordinary shareholders' equity increased by 7.66% to R1,713bn (2021: R1,591bn).

The group has experienced strong growth in loans and advances, said Harriet Heymans, group financial director, Sasfin Holdings Limited. The loan growth was primarily in well-secured loan portfolios.

"While we have seen an increase in Stage 3 loans, over 40% of these are covered by independently valued security in the form of property and yellow metal equipment and/or insurance held from blue-chip counterparties.

Sasfin Wealth delivered excellent results driven by its distribution capability and solid investment performance.

Asset Finance generated healthy loan and income growth as it continues to diversify and expand its offering, while investing in strengthening its core capabilities to support ongoing growth. While business and commercial banking saw good income growth from commercial banking, higher impairments and rising costs negatively impacted this pillar.

During the period, Sasfin achieved a Level 1 B-BBEE contributor rating.

Supporting job creation

Sasfin asset managers announced a partnership with the National Treasurys jobs fund, enabling it to fund businesses that support job creation.

This follows the successful initiative between Sasfin Bank and the Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank which has seen more than R400m in funding provided to youth, women, and Covid-19-affected businesses over the last 24 months.

We have seen exceptional results out of Sasfin Wealth over this period, which continues to grow from strength to strength. While Sasfin Bank has seen strong growth in loans and income largely in asset finance and commercial banking, earnings have been impacted by higher impairments in these areas and the ongoing investment into business banking.

"We are taking proactive steps to enhance our cost-to-income ratio which should result in improved return on equity in the future, said Michael Sassoon, group chief executive officer of Sasfin Holdings Limited.
Juta and Company (Pty) (Ltd) is pleased to announce the purchase of the Siber Ink imprint which delivers trusted authored content to a variety of legal and business information users.

Founded in 2000 by seasoned legal publisher Simon Sephton, Siber Ink has earned a formidable reputation as a niche publisher of quality law and business titles for the South African market. Key publishing areas include Labour Law, Commercial Law, Tax and Accounting, Procedure, Constitutional and Administrative Law, Trusts, Maritime & Shipping and Health. Siber Inks stable of renowned authors and contributors combine a wealth of professional, academic and jurisprudential experience and expertise to produce authoritative yet accessible works to meet the demands of a range of legal information users.

The reputation and following enjoyed by key Siber Ink titles, some now running in multiple editions, is a testament to this resourceful team, and what can be achieved in the relatively short span of just two decades.

Juta CEO Brian Wafawarowa details the factors that culminated in this acquisition. "Having reached the age at which most people retire, Simon was faced with a daunting challenge: Either revitalising and reinvesting in his business to meet the rapidly escalating technological and business demands facing the publishing industry and the world at large, or finding a suitable partner with the resources and capacity to take over and do justice to his authors and customers into the future. A difficult and unenviable choice indeed for an entrepreneur who has proven his worth and beaten the odds to achieve considerable success."

Siber Ink CEO Simon Sephton goes on to explain: "Juta was the obvious fit. The synergies between our businesses were evident and I believed it would make strategic and financial sense to explore the possibility of an arrangement from which both parties would benefit. As the company which had shaped me and my ethos as a publisher, I felt a trust and complementarity with Juta that I would not easily have found elsewhere. I believe we share the same commitment to publishing trusted content tailored to the needs of our business and legal clients."

Brian continues We are delighted to announce that we have concluded an agreement with Siber Ink in which Juta acquires their full print and ebook publication suite, as well as the Sibergramme electronic newsletters and Journal services. We look forward to the opportunities this sale will unlock for all stakeholders and to engaging with new Siber Ink authors, and to also rekindling longstanding Juta ties with many of the authors we have in common. We are committed to enhancing these fine resources to the delight and benefit of future generations of users. Our thanks and appreciation go to Simon and the Siber Ink team for their efforts and achievements in building this exemplary legal resource repository to this point.

Says Simon in closing, "And so, after a career of over 40 years in publishing, I am accordingly delighted to be handing over the business that I have run for just a month short of 23 years to the trusted and respected brand of Juta, South Africa's oldest law publishing house."
Mark Pilgrim has passed away following a battle with stage four lung cancer. The 53 year old veteran radio and TV presenter revealed his diagnosis in March 2022. A few months later, the cancer had spread to his femur, the base of his spine and lymph nodes.

Source Twitter Twitter\ Renowned radio DJ, Mark Pilgrim has passed away following a battle with cancer

He worked for 5FM, 94.7 Highveld Stereo in Johannesburg. He retired in 2014, but then joined Hot 102.7FM in Johannesburg where he started with the Saturday show.

At the time of his diagnosis, Pilgrim was a presenter on Hot 102.7FM in the mornings from Monday to Saturday.

Hot 102.FM

"It was with great sadness that I share this news," Lloyd Madurai, managing director at Hot 102.7FM said in an online statement.

"Our hero and brother and much loved radio personality Mark Pilgrim lost his battle with cancer this morning at 10:45," Madurai said in a Facebook post published an hour later.

"He fought valiantly to the very end. Mark passed peacefully with his fiance Adrienne at home. They were together for his last breath.

"The family thank you for being part of his journey. For loving him and for celebrating him and supporting him always. Mark will be greatly missed by all. May his soul rest in peace."

HOT1027 DJ Mark Pilgrim lost his battle with cancer this morning.



He fought valiantly to the very end.



Mark passed peacefully with his fiance Adrienne at home.



His family thank you for being part of his journey, for loving him, celebrating him and supporting him always  Hot 1027 News (@Hot1027News) March 5, 2023

A long battle

News24 reports that in July last year Pilgrim revealed during his seventh round of chemotherapy treatment that his latest scans had shown "a further significant reduction in the tumours (in size and intensity)".

A month later, the TV personality revealed that after a 45-minute radiation therapy session, "the tumours in the leg and spine are hopefully gone".

Pilgrim suffered a collapsed lung in September, leading to multiple related issues.

In October and November, the journalist underwent multiple medical procedures to address the collapsed lung, which saw him spend weeks in the ICU recovering. He was discharged from hospital in time to ring in the new year with his fiancee, Adrienne Watkins.

Never-say-die attitude

Pilgram will also be remembered for his never-say-die attitude following his diagnosis and treatments. He shared his fight on social media, including the days he spent in hospital, keeping his fans motivated about his determination to fight.

A lot of sleeping the last few days. Body is depleted. After chemo and immuno last Thursday its just been pouring out both ends. Im like a shriveled pea. . pic.twitter.com/Lb6fsxXFpG  Mark Pilgrim (@MarkPilgrimZA) February 2, 2023

Pilgrim is survived by his two daughters, Tayla-Jean, 12 and Alyssa, 10.
"For the past 45 years The Loeries have played an important role in supporting the type of communications that resonates with consumers and we will continue to champion this cause," says Preetesh Sewraj, Loeries CEO.

Daily Maverick Source:  Daily Maverick Behind a Loerie, sits a number of processes designed to to promote creative excellence

Every brand and agency works exceptionally hard every year to create work that positively impacts the lives of consumers, he says.

Winning a Loerie has been the ultimate accolade of creative excellence, as creatives and agencies in the brand marketing, agency and production disciplines throughout Africa & the Middle East, highly value their Loerie wins - a testament to their ability to create impactful communication that creates a difference in the lives of consumers across the region.

In turn, The Loeries work throughout the year to promote creative excellence through various processes and initiatives that include judging, industry dialogue, and supporting the youth.

The judging process

The judging process starts before a single vote has been cast by ensuring the Loeries categories are in line with where the work is being created right now.

We spend time interrogating our categories and getting these correct. Once they are finalised then we work, as the entire Loeries board and committee, to select the highest calibre judges to be able to judge these panels, says Sewraj.

He explains that people cannot just randomly pitch up as judges on the panels.

The Loeries are not a training ground. Jury members must have had judging experience at different awards. We also look for people who have entered and won at The Loeries as they know what it means to be part of it, and for people who are doing amazing work.

The jury selection is a scientific process. There is a lot of work and thinking that goes into that entire process itself.

Facilitating dialogue

The Loeries facilitate dialogue with the industry so that topics of importance remain top of mind with the industry.

This is achieved through roadshows across Africa and the Middle East. We have meetings in South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya as well as the UAE, explains Sewraj.

He adds that last year The Loeries also travelled to Egypt and Turkey as well as France where they met the industry at various events and set up dedicated Loeries events. These meetings ensure that the Loeries has a network of some of the best creative minds across the region on standby to be involved with the various initiatives of the organisation.

Developing future industry Leaders

In parallel to this The Loeries develop the future of the industry by building a support ecosystem to bring young people into the industry as well as supporting young people already in the industry by developing their leadership capabilities to lead the industry in the future.

The organisation achieves this through several different programmes.

Our Loeries Creative Future Scholarship programme supports young people through mentorship and guidance as well as facilitating bursaries and stipends to help cover their study costs.

The next level of development is the Loeries Youth Committee which is made up of people from across Africa and the Middle East.

These are people who are already employed in the industry, but under the age of 27, so they are still new entrants but have a deeper understanding of what it is like to work in the industry, explains Sewraj, This ensures that we not only mentor them but that we learn what they need to succeed as they grow in the industry.

45 years of creative excellence

All of these initiatives and processes come together to ensure that we bring the industry together. It all comes back to our key objective; promoting and growing creative excellence so that it can continue in its ability to benefit economies and touch the lives of the nearly two billion people across Africa & the Middle East, says Sewraj.

So what does it mean to win a Loerie and why should one enter? Apart from the recognition and validation of your work that gives you the leverage to achieve greater benefit either personally or as an organisation, it comes back to building an ecosystem that continues to support those consumers through work that shows creative excellence, he says.

And that is why winning a Loerie has been so coveted for the past 45 years, concludes Sewraj.
The Green Entrepreneurship Awards 2023 is open for entry. This year's awards are a collaboration between Seed and the Circular Economy Catalyst, presenting two award categories. The Climate Adaptation Awards by Seed focus on Botswana, Malawi, and Zambia and are funded by the Government of Flanders. The Circular Economy Awards by Circular Economy Catalyst for India and Kenya are supported by the Ikea Foundation.

Image source: Pop Nukoonrat  123RF.com

The awards will support eco-inclusive and circular enterprises to scale their business growth as they increase the adaptive capacity of local communities to the changing climate. Examples of eligible businesses in Botswana, Malawi and Zambia include those focusing on areas such as biodiversity protection, responsible water management, building community resilience, sustainable land management, and climate-smart agricultural practices.

Examples of eligible businesses in India and Kenya include those bringing sustainable solutions to the market that address unsustainable food systems, e-waste, water pollution, plastic waste or fast fashion challenges. The awardees will receive support to refine their business models and scale their business to spur the transition to circular and inclusive economies.

We are delighted to announce the launch of the Climate Adaptation Awards and invite applications from innovative and promising locally led eco-inclusive enterprises, says Arab Hoballah, Seed executive director. The awards will further support and enable climate-positive entrepreneurs in developing successful business models and scaling their implementation.

The Circular Economy Awards recognise the achievements of circular economy enterprises that deliver environmental, social and economic impacts through their business models. The Awards aim to showcase the important contribution of small and medium enterprises to the transition to a circular and inclusive economy, explains Camilla Shearman, Circular Economy Catalyst project lead.

Awards and prizes

Applications are now open until 23 March 2023. Winners will be announced at the beginning of July at the occasion of the UN High Level Political Forum. For Climate Adaptation Awards, one winner in each country will receive a one-year Seed Accelerator support and a matching grant of up to 15,000 to make necessary investments to scale. Five runners-up in each country will receive six-month SEED Catalyser support and a matching grant of 1,500 to support necessary investments to grow.

For Circular Economy Awards, two winners in each country will receive a one-year Accelerator support and a matching grant of up to 15,000 to make necessary investments to scale. Ten runners-up in each country will receive six-month Catalyser business development support and a matching grant of up to 5,000 to make necessary investments to grow.

The Green Entrepreneurship Awards are just one of the initiatives launched by Adelphi's Green Entrepreneurship Team in 2023. Seed and the Circular Economy Catalyst, together with other projects, will continue their work of empowering entrepreneurs, startups, and SMEs to create climate-positive business models and to scale profitable circular economy business models that promote eco-inclusive jobs, green economic growth, and environmental sustainability.

For more information on the Awards, visit https://seed.uno/programmes/enterprise-support/awards.

To apply, register at https://platform.seed.uno/.
Africa Travel Week (ATW), which comprises World Travel Market Africa (WTMA) and International Luxury Travel Market Africa (ILTMA) is set to take place from 3-5 April at the Cape Town International Conference Centre. The trade show will allow travel industry leaders to reconnect and catch up on trends and developments in the African tourism space.

Source: Supplied

Content sessions hosted by experts and speakers are to be augmented by several bolt-on conferences, including Equal Africa, the African Tourism Investment Summit (ATIS), the Responsible Tourism Africa Conference, Travel Tech and IBTM Africa.

Megan De Jager, portfolio director  travel, tourism and marketing RX Africa, shares an overview of what to expect at WTM Africa 2023:

Content programme

This years content programme brings fresh ideas, new speakers and new formats and partners. Speakers include industry stalwarts like Mandisa Magwaxaza, Jean Scheltema and Colin Bell among others. Partners for EQUAL Africa now include the IGLTA Foundation and Afrigay.

Global buyers

Africa Travel Week is expecting to welcome over 500 top-end buyers from across the world, which will be hosted at the Southern Sun Cullinan Hotel, The Vineyard, the Westin, as well as other selected hotels in the city.

Buyers this year range from tried-and-trusted source markets such as the US and the UK, as well as some exciting new markets such as Malaysia, Bangladesh and Romania.

Inspiring young minds

World Travel Market (WTM) Africa 2023 has collaborated with Katie King  published Author and CEO of AI in Business, to launch an inclusive programme aimed at upskilling high-school students in Cape Town on the impact artificial intelligence (AI) will have on careers in the tourism industry. The most promising young minds will share their technology solutions with us at Africa Travel Week.

Making a difference

Visitors can expect a range of new features at the 2023 show. "Were particularly excited about our new Sustainability Village where attendees will be able to make a difference on the spot, says De Jager.

The Sustainability Village, a new and unique walk-through hub, will feature a variety of eco-focused pop-up exhibitors, each showcasing what they do through interactive displays and communicating how they can assist other businesses in prioritising the environment and the support of local communities. The pop-up exhibitions include Growing Paper, Painted Wolf Wines, How Many Elephants, EYako Green, and Uthando South Africa among others.

And the winners are

One of the highlights of the show will be the announcement of the winners of the Responsible Tourism Awards and the Africa Travel and Tourism Awards.

"Africa Travel Week is the show that everyone in the travel and tourism industry wants to be at. The industrys most influential names become the talk of the town as they create exciting new itineraries, do business, and build lifelong bonds during three days of high-quality appointments, educational sessions and networking parties," concludes De Jager.
The year 2023 sees an exciting new door opening for Boela Gerber, winemaker for Groot Constantia, who has announced that he will be leaving the estate to take up a position in Charlottesville, Virginia, in the United States. With more than 350 wineries, Virginia is currently the eighth biggest wine-growing state in the USA.

Boela Gerber

After 23 years at the helm of the award-winning winemaking team at Groot Constantia, Gerber certainly leaves big shoes to fill. However, the management team and Board are bidding him farewell with absolute blessings for his future journey into American winemaking.

We fully support Boelas decision to seek a fresh challenge and new horizons after so many years as a champion amongst South African winemakers, and we are happy for him as he takes on this new role and flies the South African flag proudly on the global stage, says Jean Naude, CEO of Groot Constantia.

Boela has made a considerable impact on Groot Constantia over the years  he has not only been a key role player behind our purpose of making consistently great wines, but he has lent his skilled business acumen to all aspects of the business  from packaging to marketing, sales, and just about everything in between. The team has all learned a great deal from Boela and moving forward we will continue to stay in touch and monitor his anticipated ongoing success.

Gerber says that his 23-year stint

at one of South Africas most iconic wineries

has been a dream job for any winemaker...

Naude recounts how, in 2003, Gerber and himself worked hand-in-hand on a vine renewal plan that has seen Groot Constantia producing world-class wines which consistently win top awards at international competitions. I am so grateful to Boela for his contribution to this success and to the time spent toiling behind the scenes in the vineyards and cellar to achieve our vision for the future, says Naude. Boela has been an integral part of the strong team at Groot Constantia and has played a profound role in ensuring the integrity and consistency of our wines are maintained, as well as showing foresight and innovation when it came to the advancement of the natural heritage of the estate.

Gerber says that his 23-year stint at one of South Africas most iconic wineries has been a dream job for any winemaker, and his tenure at Groot Constantia has been an honour from day one.

To be the winemaker at the forefront of the Groot Constantia brand, wine legacy, and rich viticultural heritage has been a privilege. It has been career-defining to be a part of the winemaking team that played a leading role in establishing Groot Constantia as a producer of fine wines among local and international consumers and in being an ambassador for South Africas oldest wine-producing farm with its rich heritage and history.

Leaving was not an easy decision to make, but I am very excited about this new adventure in the heart of the scenic Monticello AVA in central Virginia. Groot Constantia Wine Estate and the team will always have a special place in my heart, and I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved. I know that the team, under the guidance of Floricius Beukes, Groot Constantias viticulturist, Jean Naude, and the new winemaker, will continue to excel in the years ahead.

Boelas skill as a winemaker and his loyalty to the Groot Constantia brand will be sorely missed by myself and the rest of the team, and we wish him well in his new chapter. He truly is one of South Africas finest winemakers and Groot Constantia is honoured to have had him as a part of our history for almost a quarter of a century, concludes Naude. We look forward to welcoming our new winemaker  a position that we are currently advertising for  and to continuing Groot Constantias legacy of consistent winemaking excellence.




MTN is the overall most admired African brand and the most admired South African brand among all African consumers, while challenger brand Bathu is the most admired South African brand among South African consumers.

Image supplied. Some of the Brand Africa 100: Africa's Best Brands, | South Africas Best Brands winners

This is according to the Brand Africa and Brand SA rankings for 2022 Brand Africa | South Africas Best Brands.

These were released ahead of the release of the 2023 Brand Africa 100 | Africas Best Brands to be released on 25 May 2023 at a breakfast roundtable hosted by Brand South Africa acting CEO Sithembile Ntombela and Brand Africa founder and chairman, Thebe Ikalafeng.

Top 100

MTN, DStv, Tiger Brands, Shoprite, Bathu, Drip and Clover are the only South African brands in the Top 100 most admired brands in the pan-African list where African brands account for only 17% of the most admired brands in Africa.

South African brands account for 56% of the most admired African brands, Nigerian brands at 24% led by Dangote and Ethiopian brands occupy 20% led by Ethiopian Airways.

These nations are the pace-setters as leading brand nations in Africa.

Most admired South African brands

In the financial services sector, FNB is the most admired South African brand among all African consumers, but Capitec is the #1 South African brand among South African consumers.

Amongst media brands, DStv leads the way as the most admired South African brand by both all Africa and South African consumers.

Bathu and Drip, the challenger brands launched less than five years ago, made an audacious entry into the Top 100 brands in the continent, fuelled primarily by their rapid expansion, collaborations and extensive communication and media campaigns that extended the brands reach and appeal beyond their domestic borders.

Portia M was recognised as the most admired women-owned brand.

South African brands' achievements

Ntombela applauded the South African brands and their significance in building the country brand.

It is inspiring to see the emergence of new and youthful brands such as Drip, Bathu and Portia M, and the resilience of stalwart corporate brands such as MTN, DStv, Tiger Brands, Shoprite and Clover, which affirm South Africas credentials as an innovative nation that consistently births brands that contribute to the nations competitiveness and reputation globally.

These brands tell incredible stories of creativity, entrepreneurship and resilience that have established South Africa as a leading economy in Africa, she says,

Brand South Africa is an institutional partner of Brand Africa.

Since 2011, Brand Africa has driven a brand-led agenda to re-imagine the continents image, reputation and competitiveness. The Brand Africa survey and rankings are undoubtedly a barometer of Africas progress, says Ikalafeng.

Research conducted in-field

The 2023 Brand Africa 100 | Africas Best Brands research across 30 countries in the continent is now conducted in-field.

The research is once again conducted by Brand Africa partners, Geopoll for fieldwork, and Kantar and Brand Leadership for the analysis and rankings.

Every year on or around Africa Day, 25 May, Brand Africa releases the results of the survey globally.

Now in its 13th year, the results are also published in the June issue of African Business magazine.

For the South African results, Brand Africa has partnered with Sunday World to release the results in a Sunday World supplement on 23 July 2023.

The results on a survey across 30 countries that represent as much as 85% of the continents GDP and population.
One of the biggest marketing cons these days is "research". I use that term in inverted commas because the research professionals and statisticians I know throw up their hands in despair when they see advertising fluff dressed up as proper scientific inquiry...and, even worse, that it gets published.

Clever PR people particularly realised a while ago the truth in the saying that There are three kinds of journalists  those who can count and those who cant. and because of this, anything with numbers (percentages especially) will, in most cases, get put on a newspaper page or on a website word-for-word as it left the PR companys email.

Research builds brands

Exponents of this are all over the place  but the brand (if you can call it that) which it so well was the sleazy dating site called Ashley Madison. To get free ink in gormless and sex-obsessed South Africa, they would put out releases proclaiming that the randiest people in the country came from Kuruman (or some such a platteland dorpie) and then ran the alleged figures (always in percentages). Because the sleaze was too difficult to resist (its sex, bru, and sex sells), few ever questioned the Ashley Madison releases.

On the paper I was running at the time, I banned the releases from getting near our pages, for which I was looked upon as a strait-laced puritan.

Yet, done properly, and ethically, research can be used by brands not only to build their own images (and therefore, eventually, in theory, their customer bases) but also to help people learn more about the others around them and around the globe.

Thats why I have always been taken by Fords annual Trends reports.

Youd expect these, being from a car-making giant, to focus on its cutting-edge technology and how it sees the future of automotive engineering. Indeed, that is what some major car brands do. But Fords approach has always been different because it looks at the broader concerns of society. That, of course, is critically important to any company trying to forecast the future and, even for a car maker, its futurologists have to know what drives people emotionally and psychologically.

The introduction to the report says: Today, the top sources of stress include national and global instability, and personal finances. After three years of a global pandemic, how much longer can the world weather this protracted state of uncertainty? 68% of adults reveal they are overwhelmed by all the changes they see taking place in the world.

With most people believing the worst is yet to come, consumers are taking stock of their fears, shifting accountability, reconsidering their reliance on tech, practicing escapism, and cautiously leaning into optimism while searching for inspiration and joy.

The groups researchers questioned more than 16,000 people (not only customers, either) in the 14 markets around the world where Ford is a major player. South Africa is one of those markets. Much of the research looks at issues a million miles away from cars and includes real key issues such as personal fears and hopes, trust in governments and media and the things people are prepared to throw their energy behind. At the same time, there are explorations of how people escape and how they find personal and societal joy.

The findings are categorised according to gender and according to demographics, from Baby Boomers to Generation Z. It is fascinating to look at how we compare, here in South Africa, to other markets as well as looking at how attitudes vary across the age spectrumand not always in the ways you might have predicted.

As expected, though, South Africans are among some of the most pessimistic people in the world.

Naturally, one would expect people in other markets to be comparing their attitudes with those elsewhere and here is the subtle genius of the reports design shining through: These people are all, tacitly at least, acknowledging that Ford the brand has brought them together, helped them to understand the differences and similarities in global citizens. Effectively: Welcome to the Ford family.

Its nuanced, but it is highly effective because the brand remains in the background, facilitating the transfer of interesting, sometimes important, information. And none of its competitors is doing this in quite the same way, which positions Ford as a global marketing innovator.

And that will win an Orchid from me all day long.

Tighten up the brand chain

They used to say that when you have a good experience with a brand, you tell three people and when you have a bad experience, you tell 12. That was before social mediaand anger and fault-finding these days can spread virally in minutes.

Thats why if your brand is on social media and that is one of the channels on which you allow people to vent their feelings, then you better have professionals at all parts of the chain, especially if youre using a platform as a customer service platform.

Nedbank has been getting it so wrong all over Twitter for more than a week now, as it has tried to deal with an angry customer, Caroline Hurry, who happens to be a friend and colleague of mine.

Even if she wasnt though, I would be appalled that, after a week, the bank has still not managed to sort out the fact that her husband has been unable to use his business debit card on an overseas trip, despite him have done all the required activation before he left South Africa.

The man has been terribly embarrassed as pay points rejected his card as not authorised and he has had to survive on help from colleagues overseas. This is something that could, and should, have been sorted out within hours at the most. Had that been done, Hurry and her hubby would have been glowing in the praise for the bank.

But as the sordid mess dragged on, in typical social media fashion, people piled on, sharing their Nedbank horror stories. I would imagine most of those reading the posts would have serious doubts about giving Nedbank their business.

If you dont care about your customers in their hour of need, Nedbank, then what good are you? You get a festering Onion from me.
The Attorney Generals office of the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) has filed a First Amended Complaint against JPMorgan Chase that has less redactions than an earlier version. The complaint makes devastating and detailed charges. It charges that the bank sat on a pile of evidence that Jeffrey Epstein was running a child sex trafficking ring as it continued to keep him as a client; accept his lucrative referrals of wealthy clients; and provided him with large sums of cash and wire transfers to pay off victims  one of whom was a 14-year old sex slave.

Attorneys for the bank are now resisting allowing Chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon from being deposed under oath in the matter as to what he knew and when he knew it.

The case is USVI v JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. (22-cv-10904) in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. As is becoming a regular occurrence when there is a politically sensitive case involving JPMorgan Chase, Judge Jed Rakoff is the presiding judge. (See Judge Rakoff Signs a Dangerous Protective Order in Whistleblower Case Against 5-Count Felon JPMorgan Chase.)

The lawsuit includes the following charges against JPMorgan Chase, the largest bank in the United States with more than 5,000 local branches serving mom and pop accounts:

JP Morgan did business with Jeffrey Epstein from as early as 1998 to 2013. In that time, JP Morgan serviced approximately fifty-five Epstein-related accounts collectively worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

at least 20 individuals paid through JP Morgan accounts were victims of trafficking and sexual assault in Little St. James, New York, and/or other Epstein properties. These women were trafficked and abused during different intervals between at least 2003 and July 2019, when Epstein was arrested and jailed, and these women received payments, typically multiple payments, between 2003 and 2013 in excess of $1 million collectively. Epstein also withdrew more than $775,000 in cash over that time frame from JP Morgan accounts, especially significant as Epstein was known to pay for massages, or sexual encounters, in cash. Financial information also reflects payments drawn from JP Morgan accounts of nearly $1.5 million to known recruiters, including to the MC2 modeling agency, and another $150,000 to a private investigative firm.

In 2006, JP Morgans Global Corporate Security Division found [s]everal newspaper articles . . . that detail the indictment of Jeffrey Epstein in Florida on felony charges of soliciting underage prostitutes. At that time, JP Morgan decided to continue doing business with Epstein but concluded his account should be classified as high risk and require special approval.

In January 2011, JP Morgans AML [Anti Money Laundering] compliance director requested re-approval for the banks relationship with Epstein from JP Morgans then-General Counsel in light of the new allegations of human trafficking . . . Another JP Morgan employee responded: I thought we did that in approving a $50 million new line of credit last month? 

In JP Morgans January 2011 review of Epsteins accounts, the bank concluded there were no material updates but noted: A few news stories during 2010 connects Jeffrey Epstein to human trafficking. The coverage team . . . all met to discuss the situation and agreed to enhance monitoring and document a discussion with the client. Jes Staley discussed the topic with Jeffrey Epstein who replied there was no truth to the allegations, no evidence and was not expecting any problems

In March 2011, JP Morgans Global Corporate Security Division reported:

Numerous articles detail various law enforcement agencies investigating Jeffrey Epstein for allegedly participating, directly or indirectly, in child trafficking and molesting underage girls. Jeffrey Epstein has settled a dozen civil lawsuits out of court from his victims regarding solicitation for an undisclosed amount.

JP Morgans banking relationship with Epstein was known at the highest levels of the bank. For instance, an August 2008 internal email states, I would count Epsteins assets as a probable outflow for 08 ($120mm or so?) as I cant imagine it will stay (pending Dimon review). 

Lets pause right here for a moment. JPMorgan Chase has a history of employing some of the most sophisticated sleuths in the country, including people with prior employment at the CIA, FBI and Secret Service. To believe that JPMorgan Chase did not know what Epstein was all about by 2011 is to believe in the tooth fairy.

In July 2006, the Palm Beach, Florida Police Chief, Michael Reiter, had handed a deeply investigated case over to the FBI according to the courageous reporting of Julie K. Brown in the Miami Herald in November of 2018. According to Brown, by November 2006, The FBI begins interviewing potential witnesses and victims from Florida, New York and New Mexico. It took just eight months of FBI interviews for the U.S. Attorneys office to have a 53-page Federal indictment ready to file against Epstein involving sexual assaults against multiple underage girls. But the indictment was never filed. (You can read the sordid details of how the case was corrupted by the leading U.S. Attorney for the Justice Department, Alex Acosta, in the Miami Herald here.)

A deal was worked out by Acosta and Epsteins high-powered lawyers where federal charges were dropped against Epstein and he was allowed to plead guilty to only Florida state charges: one count of soliciting sex from a minor and one count of soliciting sex from an adult woman. Epstein was able to serve just 13 months in jail in Palm Beach County, where he was given a work release program to sit in a fancy office 12 hours a day and driven there daily by his private chauffeur in his limousine.

The deal was sealed in such a way that it denied his victims knowledge of what went down. In February of 2019, a federal judge ruled that the secrecy of the deal violated the federal Crime Victims Rights Act.

Had it not been for the public outrage unleashed as a result of the series of articles in the Miami Herald and its gripping personal video interviews with Epsteins victims, the Justice Department might never have brought the new case against Epstein in 2019. We say that based on the following: A full two years before the Miami Herald published its seminal series on Epstein, the bestselling author, James Patterson, together with John Connolly and Tim Malloy, released a detailed investigative book on Epstein titled Filthy Rich in October of 2016. It covered Epsteins sexual assaults on young girls and the corrupted process involving the Justice Department that got him off the hook for his serial crimes. Patterson included a July 24, 2006 letter that Palm Beach Police Chief Reiter had sent to the parents of a young girl who had accused Epstein of assaulting her when she was 14. Reiter wrote to the parents:

I do not feel that justice has been sufficiently served by the indictment that has been issued. Therefore, please know that this matter has been referred to the Federal Bureau of Investigation to determine if violations of federal law have occurred. In the event that the FBI should choose to pursue this matter, the Palm Beach Police Department will assist them in their investigation of potential violations of federal law.

The FBI, the investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Justice, decided to stand down and allow the co-opted deal cooked up by Acosta and Epsteins attorneys to go forward, which permitted Epstein to continue his sexual assaults on underage girls.

Julie Browns seminal book on the Epstein case, Perversion of Justice: The Jeffrey Epstein Story, was released in July of 2021. Epstein died in a Manhattan jail on August 10, 2019. His death was ruled a suicide.

The lawsuit filed by the U.S. Virgin Islands contains deeply disturbing new information about a top JPMorgan Chase bank executives close personal relationship with Epstein. According to the First Amended Complaint, Jes Staley, the head of JPMorgans Private Bank at the time, exchanged approximately 1,200 emails with Epstein from his JP Morgan email account. Several of the emails contained photos of young women in seductive poses and others further suggest that Staley may have been involved in Epsteins sex-trafficking operation. For example, the lawsuit reveals the following:

In July 2010, Staley emailed Epstein saying That was fun. Say hi to Snow White[,] to which Epstein responded [W]hat character would you like next? and Staley said Beauty and the Beast. 

Staley also visited Epstein while he was serving his jail time in Florida for sex with a minor and made numerous visits to Epsteins private island in the Virgin Islands.

There were other giant red flags which the bank chose to ignore as it maintained Epsteins accounts. The complaint reveals the following:

Between 2003 and 2013, Epstein and/or his associates used Epsteins accounts to make numerous payments to individual women and related companies. Among the recipients of these payments were numerous women with Eastern European surnames who were publicly and internally identified as Epstein recruiters and/or victims. For example, Epstein paid more than $600,0000 to Jane Doe 1, a woman whoaccording to news reports contained in JP Morgans due diligence reportsEpstein purchased [as a sex slave] at the age of 14. Like other women who received payments from Epstein, Jane Doe 1 listed Epsteins apartments on 66th Street in New York City as her address, which should have been a red flag to JP Morgan.

Epstein and/or his associates also made significant cash withdrawals and 95 foreign remittances with no known payee. For example, Hyperion Air, Inc.the Epstein-controlled company that owned Epsteins private jetissued over $547,000 in checks payable to cash purportedly for fuel expenses when traveling to foreign countries. Additionally, between January 2012 and June 2013, Hyperion converted more than $120,000 into foreign currency. Many of these cash withdrawals either exceeded the $10,000 reporting threshold or were seemingly structured to avoid triggering the reporting requirement. This is particularly significant since it is well known that Epstein paid his victims in cash.

According to the lawsuit, none of these giant red flag transactions were reported by the bank to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) as required by law, but were characterized internally as reasonable, normal, and expected for the type of business or industry in which the client engages.

There are now two books and an award-winning series in the Miami Herald that remove any doubt that the U.S. Department of Justice was corrupted in its initial handling of the Epstein case. The nagging question today is why is the U.S. Virgin Islands bringing these new charges against JPMorgan Chase instead of the U.S. Department of Justice?
The FBIs Washington Field Office (WFO) affirmed that there may have been undercover officers and confidential human sources inside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to whistleblower testimony obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

The FBIs Washington Field Office requested the Boston Field Office open investigations into 140 individuals who took buses from Massachusetts to D.C. on Jan. 6., but denied the offices request to see video proving those individuals were inside the Capitol, FBI whistleblower George Hill said during a Feb. 10 interview with the House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government. The office claimed they needed to protect the identity of possible undercover agents, according to Hill.

The Boston office initially opened cases on two individuals that definitive evidence showed were in restricted areas of the Capitol, Hill said. Because those individuals organized the buses to D.C., the WFO wanted cases opened on every individual on the bus.

Bostons Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) declined to open cases on everyone who went to D.C. because they were going to a political rally, which is First Amendment protected activity, according to Hill.

[People] think of the unlawful events that took place later on in the day on January 6th, but up until that time, it was a rally, Hill said. People were, you know, either driving to it, flying to it.

When another SSA asked to see where they were inside the Capitol, the WFO declined to show the footage unless they knew the exact time and place those individuals were inside the Capitol.

Why cant you [give us access] to the 11,000 hours of video thats available? the SSA asked.

The WFO responded that there may be undercover officers or confidential human sources on those videos whose identity we need to protect, according to Hill, who said he heard the conversation firsthand.

Many have speculated FBI agents were among the crowd on Jan. 6. In November, FBI Director Christopher Wray refusedto say whether or not the bureau had confidential human sources among Jan. 6 protestors when asked by Republican Louisiana Rep. Clay Higgins. Executive Assistant Director of the FBI National Security Branch, Jill Sanborn, similarly dodged the question when it was posed by Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz at a Jan. 11, 2023 Senate hearing.

Our whistleblowers are brave individuals who risk their reputations and livelihoods to expose wrongdoing, House Judiciary Chair and Republican Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan told the Daily Caller News Foundation. There are already immense obstacles in place deterring whistleblowers from coming forward and we hope Democrat leaks and partisan criticisms dont chill other whistleblowers from coming forward.

The FBI declined to comment.

All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporters byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
Photos/Mike Lovett and Heratch Ekmekjian

From left to right, professors Harleen Singh, Anita Hill and ChaeRan Freeze.
Meet the women advocating for change

A look at the work and research of graduate students at the Heller School.

Photo/Gaelen Morse Top images, left to right: Ilana Fitzpatrick MPP24, Ophelia Delali A. Akoto Heller PhD 26, Vilma Uribe, Heller PhD26. Bottom left to right: Jamie Morgan, Heller PhD23, Kaitie Chakoian, Heller PhD24, Hannah Wilcove MPP23

Brandeis has a long history of women advocating for change. From Eleanor Roosevelt, a founding trustee of the university; to Pauli Murray, unsung hero of the civil rights movement; to University Professor Anita Hill.

Today, students across campus are getting ready to lead the way in the next wave of change.

BrandeisNOW spoke with six graduate students at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management to learn more about their research, program highlights, and hopes for the future. Each of the students has a common goal - improving the future lives of women.

Jamie Morgan, PhD23

Her work: Prior to her doctoral studies, Jamie served as senior staff for now-Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg while he was mayor of South Bend, Indiana. During this time she managed policy, special projects, and legislative affairs. She also served as the director of Pro Choice South Bend, helping Whole Womans Health Alliance open the only abortion clinic in Northern Indiana.

She chose to attend the Heller School because it provided her with the flexibility to pursue her niche passion for abortion advocacy work. Working with mentors like Anita Hill, who have this social movement expertise, has been an amazing experience. Its given me the opportunity to build my own adventure and step into that legacy of social justice.

Why she does it: Im very motivated to study abortion research. Access to reproductive healthcare, especially for women, is one of the most central parts of our lives, said Morgan. Our reproductive aspects affect our future. Its essential for people to be able to decide if and when to have children.

Kaitie Chakoian, PhD24

Her work: Outside of her work at Brandeis, she is the campus policy manager for End Rape On Campus, a national organization working to end campus sexual violence. At Brandeis, she teaches a section in the masters of public policy program on policy approaches to gender-based violence. Her dissertation focuses on the experiences of college sexual assault survivors navigating the education, healthcare, and criminal-legal systems in the aftermath of violence.

Our biggest priority is to help survivors in the aftermath of violence as theyre navigating these systems, said Chakoian. We want to not only improve the resources we have for survivors, but also our prevention efforts.

Why she does it: "I realized theres this undercurrent of power and violence in our everyday life. This is the place that my passion and drive fits, Chakoian said. I have a big lofty goal of trying to shake things up and make life better for survivors.

Ilana Fitzpatrick, MPP24

Her focus: Fitzpatrick chose the masters of public policy program because she was able to develop her own concentration, focusing on women's health. With the help of her program mentor, shes carving out a plan that fits her passions.

Michael Doonan has been instrumental in helping me map out my plan for after graduation. Weve outlined which courses are important for helping me get to where I want to go, said Fitzpatrick.

Future plans: Her dream role and plans for after graduation? Creating a nonprofit that provides mobile gynecological services to those in need.

Theres this challenge in finding a gynecologist that doesnt make patients feel shame. Its even harder for those living in areas that dont have access to these services, said Fitzpatrick. My goal is to empower those who have historically been oppressed. I feel like it is my responsibility to give back.

Ophelia Delali A. Akoto, PhD 26

Her work: Prior to attending Brandeis, Akoto researched the COVID pandemics impact on womens work. She served as a fellow at Vital Voices Global Partnerships in Washington D.C., a network that empowers women to build businesses and apply for political positions. Given the impact that the pandemic had on working women in particular, the organization wanted to know how it could help empower the women affected.

Akoto conducted qualitative research, interviewing women within the Vital Voices network from around the world. She found that despite the tremendous impact of the pandemic on their work, the women she interviewed were resilient.

What was fascinating was that none of the obstacles stopped them, said Akoto. They were taking care of their children and sick family members while managing their businesses. They just kept going.

Why she does it: For Akoto, her focus has always been gender equity. Were pushing for a society where women have the same opportunity as men, she said.

Through her doctorate program at Heller, shes looking to better understand women's economic empowerment, education of girls and racial equity research.

My mentors within the Heller School have shown me how to be comfortable with being uncomfortable, said Akoto. Im not even a year into the program, but theyve already shaped the way I think.

Her work: After completing her masters in conflict resolution and coexistence, Uribe continued at Heller as a PhD student, studying economic and racial equity.

Most of her career has focused on working in anti-violence organizations, ranging from shelters to community health centers. She is currently the director of policy and systems Advocacy at REACH Beyond Domestic Violence, a program that addresses systemic and legislative barriers while expanding support for survivors of domestic violence.

In each role, her focus is supporting survivors in bettering their everyday lives. One of her most memorable moments was working with a woman in the shelter to find housing.

After speaking with this woman, I discovered her dream was not only to find a place to live but to own a home of her own, said Uribe. That was pivotal for me and has shaped how I see advocacy now. As a shelter advocate, I was socialized to think that homeownership was not within reach, but thats not true. As a society, we can expand and create opportunities for survivors to pursue their dreams. Since then, my work has focused on creating opportunities for survivors to thrive, not just survive.

Why she does it: My goal is to expand opportunities for survivors and people of color who have been historically marginalized in society, said Uribe. I always ask myself, how do we support people in pursuing their dreams?

Hannah Wilcove MPP23

Her work: Prior to attending Heller, Wilcove worked as a field organizer on local, state, and federal Democratic campaigns. Her work focused on abortion access, researching how states with pro-choice legislation can expand abortion access for areas in need. She chose Brandeis because she wanted to find a program that aligned with her passions for advocacy.

I wanted to pick a program that was focused on the lives of actual humans. I appreciate the focus on social justice at Brandeis.

Why she does it: As a woman, many of the policies in place affect me directly, like they affect half the population. But more than that, patriarchal systems ultimately hurt all of us, said Wilcove. Its important to elect good people who actually do what they promise and work to change these systems.

Wilcove plans to pursue a career in policy by working at an advocacy organization in the Washington D.C. area.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size When celebrated photographer Nan Goldin had tendonitis in her left wrist in 2014, she was prescribed OxyContin for the pain. She had no idea what she was in for. Initially, the 40 milligram dose was too strong for her. Eventually, in the grip of a three-year addiction, she needed 450 milligrams a day just to keep a lid on withdrawal symptoms and would stop at nothing to get the drug, moving to the black market to buy more and then transitioning to street drugs, eventually overdosing on a mixture of heroin and fentanyl. I survived the opioid crisis, she wrote in Artforum in 2018 after beating her addiction. I narrowly escaped. Goldin in 2021 protesting against the Sackler family, whose company Purdue Pharma produced the drug OxyContin. Credit:AP Photo Many havent been so lucky. There have been about 500,000 deaths from opioid overdoses since the crisis began in 1999. By some estimates, 145 people are dying each day. Rather than simply count her lucky stars, Goldin decided to do something about it. And, being Goldin, she was not backward in coming forward. That journey, from artist to activist, informs the Oscar-nominated documentary All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, directed by Laura Poitras, whose previous films include Citizenfour, about Edward Snowden, and Risk, about Julian Assange. Im drawn to stories that allow me to say something critical about US injustice, and to show the people who are doing something to confront it, says Poitras. Edward Snowden and Julian Assange fall into that category, and so does Nan.

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The film also delves deeply into Goldins personal life and art. She was the product of a loveless household in suburban Boston. Being given a camera while attending an alternative school in the 1960s was a revelation. I was pretty much mute back then, she says, speaking from her home in Brooklyns Fort Greene and dragging on a cigarette. I was very shy and spoke in a whisper. With a camera, I felt like I had a voice. Suddenly I could approach people. Having a camera is a good way to walk through fear. And as the film details, Goldin had a lot of fear, engendered by a repressive upbringing that drove her much-loved and unconventional older sister Barbara to suicide at age 19. The film is dedicated to her. I dont think I would have rebelled without her death, says Goldin. I was a good little girl, but after she died I became a bad girl, which is a far better way to be. It took me on a path that freed me. That path started in late 60s Boston, where she fell in with a group of drag queens and started documenting their lives with her camera. Then, when she moved to downtown Manhattan in the late 70s, she did the same with the denizens of the underground scene there. Her frank and intimate images of sex, drugs and alternative subcultures were controversial and groundbreaking, and she displayed them in slideshows, accompanied by music that veered from showtunes to the Velvet Underground. Goldin protesting in a die-in the Guggenheim. Credit:The New York Times

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She also trained the lens on herself, capturing on film her own drug use and her horrific physical abuse at the hands of a boyfriend. By the time she started taking OxyContin, her position as one of the worlds most celebrated photographers was assured. When she kicked her addiction (she is at pains to point out she used medical-assisted treatment, and thats what everyone should have) she read Patrick Radden Keefes New Yorker story about the Sackler family, who were responsible for manufacturing and aggressively marketing OxyContin to doctors, who in turn pushed this synthesised opioid onto their patients, reassuring them it wasnt addictive. Goldin recognised the Sackler name immediately. The family was heavily involved in art philanthropy and had galleries, halls and wings named after them in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Louvre and other august institutions. She organised a group called PAIN (Prescription Addiction Intervention Now) and proceeded to hit the Sacklers where they lived. Laura Poitras (left) and Nancy Goldin at this years Academy Awards Nominees Lunch. Credit:AP The film opens with the group undertaking a protest at the Met in 2018, where the Sacklers had a wing named in their honour. Goldin and the protesters chant slogans such as Sacklers lie! People die! then throw empty pill bottles into the indoor pond, bearing labels with quotes attributed to the family, including Were going to make a blizzard of prescriptions that will bury the competition. Then they all lie motionless on the floor, staging a die-in. Goldins aim was to get these prestigious galleries and museums to take down the Sackler name from their walls and refuse further donations.

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I never thought we would succeed, she says. I didnt go into this thinking it would work. I just knew I needed to do it. The groups actions began to take effect. The first domino to fall was the National Portrait Gallery in London, which turned down a one-million pound donation from the Sacklers after Goldin said she would pull her work from a planned exhibition. And then one by one, they started caving in. Towards the end of the film, the group rushes to the Met when they hear the Sackler name has been removed from the same exhibition hall where they started their protests. How did Goldin feel in that moment? It was incredible. The Met is the most important museum in New York to me. Thats why I started the actions there. So when they took the Sackler name down it was justification for all we had done. I was just so happy. You dont succeed that many times in life. It was a big moment. Nicholas Rivers of Maine protests outside the Department of Justice in Washington. Credit:AP Perhaps the most powerful and distressing part of the film is footage of victims families testifying at a hearing last year, where members of the Sackler family are on camera, listening to how lives have been destroyed by losing a loved one to OxyContin. At one point a recording of a 911 emergency call is played and as a distraught father explains that his 20-year-old son is dead on the floor of their home, the mother can be heard wailing inconsolably in the background. Another parent tells the Sacklers, I hope that every single victims face haunts your every waking moment, and your sleeping ones too. The Sacklers barely bat an eyelid, seemingly unaffected.

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Goldin also testified. But today she regrets listening to the advice of the victims lawyer and tamping down what she said. Loading I wish Id told them how monstrous they are, she says now. Theyve left all these bodies everywhere. How can they be that inhuman? I wanted to ask them if they ever had a moment of guilt and regret. I wanted to wake them up. I wanted to go for the jugular. But, in fact, Goldin did go for the jugular. She just went about it in her own way. And she achieved more than she thought she ever would. All the Beauty and the Bloodshed won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival (making it only the second documentary to win that honour) and has been nominated in the best documentary category at this years Academy Awards. Its rising visibility is already shining a light on both the opioid epidemic and the remarkable life of Nan Goldin. Although shes gratified, she says making the film and dredging up a lot of old memories was hard on her. And its still hard on me, she says. It was very intense and it messed me up a lot. I gave those interviews with the understanding that I would have control over editing them. I worked hard to make sure the film was something I could live with. Its amazing Laura allowed me to do it. Laura was true to her word and I respect that. At age 69, Goldin has wrestled with a hell of a lot and she still has a hell of a lot to do. On a card found in her sister Barbaras bag after her death was a typed quote from Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness: Droll thing, life is  that mysterious arrangement of merciless logic for futile purpose. The most you can hope from it is some knowledge of yourself  that comes too late  a crop of inextinguishable regrets.

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NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet says Kiama MP Gareth Ward should remain suspended from parliament as long as the former Liberal minister is before the courts on sexual assault charges.

Perrottet said his position that Ward should not step foot in parliament while fighting criminal offences had not changed, after the incumbent MP confirmed he would run as an independent to retain the South Coast seat at the March 25 election.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet. Credit: Anna Kucera

Wards confirmed tilt presents a challenge for the Perrottet government, which is yet to finalise a Liberal candidate for Kiama less than 48 hours before nominations officially close.

Despite the looming deadline, the premier on Monday again repeated his claim that the Liberals would secure the electorate, denying that a Coalition government would have to face negotiations with Ward if they won the election.
Aspirational migrant families have helped trigger a rise in enrolments in Victorias independent schools at the expense of their government and Catholic counterparts.

COVID-19 stalled a decade of rapid enrolment growth in Victorian schools, except in the independent sector, which accounted for an extraordinary 82 per cent of the growth between 2020 and 2022, according to census data.

Point Cook couple Paramdeep and Bhupinder Mata shifted their children Geet, 13, and Sehaj, 11, from the public system to a private school during the pandemic. Credit: Luis Ascui

Independent schools comprise Victorias smallest but fastest growing sector, with 15.64 per cent of students attending an independent school last year, compared with 63.5 per cent in the government system and 20.75 per cent in the Catholic system.

The growth in Melbournes outer suburbs is largely behind the enrolment rush. Data obtained exclusively by The Age shows a number of low-fee and faith-based schools are expanding rapidly in Melton, Casey, Whittlesea, Wyndham and Hume.
CBD was enthralled to learn that residents of Brighton were being invited last week to board free buses to take them to Monday nights recording of the Stan Grant-hosted Q+A at the ABCs Southbank studios.

Those denizens of the upmarket bayside neighbourhood lucky enough to be on the shows mailing list were invited to take a 12-kilometre ride into town to watch assistant minister Matt Thistlethwaite, Liberal senator Andrew Bragg, lawyer Teela Reid, author Pragya Agerwal and playwright David Hare talk about superannuation, free speech, the monarchy and the Indigenous Voice to parliament.

Credit: John Shakespeare

Now, Brightons population is considerably older than average, and its not unusual for the broadcaster to bus audiences into the show. Turns out, they do it all the time as part of getting the audience mix right, a spokesperson told us.

We had other questions, too, like why did people in Brighton  where the median weekly income is nearly 1000 bucks higher than the states average, and which has three train stations  need help getting into the city? And were buses sent to other parts of town, maybe to neighbourhoods where youd struggle to find someone with $3 million or more in their super fund?
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size A panel of national security experts explores Australias readiness for the threat of conflict with China, in a report entitled Red Alert. See all 3 stories . Australias government has not told the people about the seriousness of the threat the country faces. Thats the verdict of a group of five experts brought together by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age for a review of Australias national security, who blew away the fog of war to give Australians some critical points of honest insight. Their consensus? The overwhelming source of danger to Australia is from China. The nature of the threat extends to the prospect of a full-scale war  and Australia would have to be involved. While the official Canberra guidance on timing is that Australia will have less than 10 years warning of war, the five experts think that this timeline is misleading. We need to be ready to fight in just three years, they found. Their review is titled accordingly: Red Alert. The Albanese governments official defence review is due for release soon. It will have consulted many experts  including some of the same specialists brought together for Red Alert, whose expertise spans military strategy, defence policy, cyber, geopolitics and technology. But the official report is not independent of the government; it is being written by two men, former Labor defence minister Stephen Smith and former head of the Defence Force Angus Houston, in close consultation with the government. Its been conducted in secret. Even when its published, it will have been sanitised, with much withheld from public view. Red Alert, being published in this masthead over three days, doesnt pretend to be definitive. But it is independent of the government and fully on the record.

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Australias holiday from history is over Is Australia prepared for its near future? The emphatic answer from the experts is no. As they say in a joint statement: The need to dramatically strengthen our military and national security capabilities is urgent, but Australia is unprepared. Critically, the group emphasises that this is a responsibility for the whole nation, not for the military alone: Most important of all is a psychological shift. Urgency must replace complacency. The recent decades of tranquillity were not the norm in human affairs, but an aberration. Australias holiday from history is over. From left: Red Alert experts Lesley Seebeck, Mick Ryan, Alan Finkel, Lavina Lee and Peter Jennings. Credit:Wolter Peeters The title of the series, Red Alert, reflects their unanimous view that Australias biggest trading partner is also its dominant national security threat. I have to say, the critical threats stem from one source  China, says Lavina Lee, a foreign policy expert from Macquarie University, speaking during the one-and-a-half-day group discussion held in the Nine boardroom in Sydney. I think China presents the most comprehensive challenge to the regional order that we have faced for the last 70 years after World War II. Peter Jennings, who served as Australias chief strategist as deputy secretary of the Defence Department before heading the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, says: It really is all about China, China, China. Theres no question about that.

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Alan Finkel, Australias former chief scientist, says Australia should not overlook the dangers posed by other autocratic nations such as a nuclear-armed North Korea. But, he says, at the 99 per cent level, I agree, its all about China. This is the tipping point At the outset of our discussion, when the panellists were asked to outline the threats Australia faced over the next 10 to 20 years, there came a bracing riposte. Your timeframe is wrong, says Jennings. This is not about 10 to 20 years, its really three years. The bulk of that 10 to 20 years will be a post-war environment where a new international order will prevail. Finkel says that 20 years shouldnt even come into the discussion. You might think if the Chinese were going to attack this region, youd see the troop build-up, the missile build-up. But what if it was a bio-attack, a virus? Youd see nothing.

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We have to invest in our biosecurity, our cybersecurity, our military hardware as if it might happen tomorrow. Lesley Seebeck, chair of the National Institute of Strategic Resilience, says: Weve just seen [what happens] in Ukraine where authoritarian leaders want to establish their legacy. This is the tipping point that were looking at. And this is what really concerns me about the urgency over the next three to five years. Seebeck believes the nations leaders should trust the public enough to include them in what can be a confronting discussion. I despair at the level of timidity we see, and not just in Defence, she says. In the Hawke-Keating era, they would actually go out and say, oh, the Australian people might be smart enough to talk about economics. We should think theyre also smart enough to talk about defence and national security. The Morrison government felt no such inhibition. Peter Dutton, then defence minister, was widely criticised last year for saying Australia needed to prepare for war. At last Mays election, Liberal seats containing the largest proportions of Chinese-Australian voters recorded outsized swings against Morrisons regime. Many Chinese Australians felt exposed by the government rhetoric. The expert panel agrees that Chinese Australians must be protected and valued in Australia. But was Dutton right? Does the threat from China really mean the threat of old-fashioned war, kinetic combat, with missiles fired and many killed? Or will Beijing limit the fight to the grey zone warfare it has used so effectively  economic coercion, cyberattack, swaying governments with big infrastructure investments, territorial claims pressed by intimidating weaker states with fake fishing fleets?

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Growing capability and sense of entitlement The expert panel says we should take Chinas president seriously when he routinely pulls on combat fatigues and exhorts his troops to prepare to fight and win wars. Chinese soldiers mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Peoples Republic of China in Beijing in 2019. Credit:Getty Images Our assessment of the risk of war is based on President Xi Jinpings aggressive stance and rapid military build-up, they write in their joint communique. China has growing capability and sense of entitlement. The balance of military power is moving in Chinas favour. The war Xi is preparing for, they say, is one fought over Taiwan, a prosperous self-governing island of 24 million people that sits about 160 kilometres east of mainland China. Taiwan operates as a democracy and has never been controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, but Beijing considers it an indivisible part of its territory. Xi has repeatedly said he sees the complete reunification of the motherland as a central goal for his regime and that China will never renounce the option of using force to seize control of Taiwan. CIA director William Burns said last year he knew as a matter of intelligence that Xi had ordered the Peoples Liberation Army to be ready to capture Taiwan by 2027. Admiral Michael Gilday, chief of US naval operations, has said an attack could come as early as this year.

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View of cherry blossoms in SW China

Xinhua) 08:47, March 06, 2023

Tourists visit a scenic area which features over 400 mu (about 26.7 hectares) of cherry blossoms in Malong District of Qujing City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

This aerial photo taken on March 5, 2023 shows a scenic area which features over 400 mu (about 26.7 hectares) of cherry blossoms in Malong District of Qujing City, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

Tourists visit a scenic area which features over 400 mu (about 26.7 hectares) of cherry blossoms in Malong District of Qujing City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Australia faces the real prospect of a war with China within three years that could involve a direct attack on our mainland, but Australias defence force is woefully unprepared, the population complacent and the nations political leaders unwilling to address the dire threats we face.

That is the verdict of a panel of five experts assembled by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age for Red Alert, an in-depth examination of the most pressing national security challenges facing Australia. All agree that China, Australias biggest trading partner, is far and away its most dangerous security threat.

According to the Red Alert panellists  whose expertise spans military strategy, defence policy, cyber, geopolitics and technology  the most likely flashpoint is a Chinese invasion of Taiwan that draws China into war with the United States and its closest allies.

As we explore in part one of the series, published on Tuesday, the experts agree this could come as early as 2026. Chinese President Xi Jinping may try to seize opportunity to strike Taiwan while the US and its allies are unprepared and distracted by the war in Ukraine, which has vacuumed up the Western worlds stocks of ammunition and military equipment.
Independent MP Sophie Scamps is pushing for all major government-appointed jobs to be chosen through an independent panel process, stepping up pressure on Labor to do more to end the jobs-for-mates culture that has pervaded federal agencies and tribunals.

In her first private members bill, to be introduced on Monday, the Mackellar MP will propose establishing a public appointments commissioner whose job it would be to steer an arms-length recruitment process to block governments from handing lucrative appointments to political allies.

Mackellar MP Sophie Scamps says a proposal by Labor does not go far enough. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

The proposal goes further than the Albanese governments commitment to end the practice of political appointees after Finance Minister Katy Gallagher last month ordered a review into public sector board appointments that she said would put merit and integrity back at the centre of the process.

Scamps said Labors review, which will be led by former Australian public service commissioner Lynelle Briggs with findings due mid-year, would offer limited reform because it was focused on board appointments only.
He is a leading candidate to become Indonesias next president, but the popular intellectual and reformer Anies Baswedan is a haunted man.

The worlds most populous Muslim nation is due to replace incumbent Joko Widodo, approaching his 10-year term limit, in 11 months.

Indonesian presidential candidate Anies Baswedan is in Australia for high-profile meetings. Credit: Flavio Brancaleone

In Australia this week as a guest of the Albanese government, Baswedan has secured a meeting with Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Reserve Bank Governor Philip Lowe  not typically available to state governors visiting Australia.

Baswedan appears well-positioned for the contest. After a successful five years as governor of Jakarta, his approval rating is in the tightly clustered top tier of three potential candidates.
In his last year in office, Chinas Premier Li Keqiang attempted to cast himself as the rational counterbalance to Xi Jinpings ideological crusade. By Sunday, in his last major speech, it was clear he had failed.

The Chinese government is now in the midst of centralising control around the Communist Party and Xi Jinping, fusing the state around the party and the party around Xi.

Chinese President Xi Jinping at the National Peoples Congress on Sunday. Credit: Getty

Li mentioned Xi Jinping a record 17 times in the hour-long speech to the National Peoples Congress in Beijing on Sunday, compared to five mentions in his first speech in 2014.

When former premier Wen Jiabao gave his last speech in 2013, he did not mention the outgoing President Hu Jintao once. In 2012, after almost a decade in power, he was name-checked twice.
FBI offers reward after four Americans kidnapped in Mexico

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On occasion, DeRuvo pushes back. If Im feeling feisty, he said. The egg excursion was one of those times. DeRuvo argued with the manager for a few moments and then walked away and bought his eggs. Joseph DeRuvo has lived a mostly barefooted life for nearly two decades. The experience has given him a thick skin. Credit: NYTNS For two decades, DeRuvo, 59, has lived an almost entirely barefooted life, one he has constructed, with Eckers help, to limit or avoid such confrontations. After years spent as a photographer and a photography teacher, he is still self-employed, now as a Pilates instructor, a particularly barefoot-friendly profession. And the couple stays close to home. When they go out, they gravitate toward mom-and-pop stores and restaurants where they can forge personal connections with owners and managers, and he can be seen as more than the guy with the feet.

Still, said Ecker, 61, we get thrown out of a lot of places. Sympathy for dogs It was an unseasonably warm day in February when DeRuvo headed out for a short run. The weather was a welcome respite from the record-setting wind chill of the previous week. While hot days can be more challenging than cold ones, with the sun-baked pavement forcing him to run on the painted centreline or in the shadows cast by telephone poles, nothing is as painful underfoot as chemically treated, ice-melting salt. It gives me a lot of sympathy for dogs, he said. Joseph DeRuvo instructs a woman at a Pilates session. Credit: NYTNS DeRuvos lifestyle has given him reason to think a lot about bare feet, assessing their safety and hygiene and whether they threaten polite society. He can come up with no health risk. What germs can his feet carry that the bottom of someones shoes do not? (Connecticut has no regulations banning customers with bare feet at stores or restaurants, Christopher Boyle, a Department of Health spokesman, said, but retail establishments can set their own rules.)

DeRuvo assumes all risk of stubbed toes, or worse. He has performed a number of jobs all in his bare feet and all safely. He is a tinkerer and a maker, including of his own Pilates equipment that he fabricates in an elaborate workshop he built out of the garage behind his house, sometimes wearing safety goggles but rarely shoes. (He will wear moccasins while welding.) Loading In case he steps on something sharp, he carries a sunglasses case filled with tweezers to remove detritus, pulling his feet close to his face to spy metal splinters and shards of glass. He showers at night, scrubbing his feet clean before getting into bed with his wife. And he knows when to capitulate, he said, keeping a pair of loosefitting sandals in the car in case there is an event where others would be inconvenienced by him getting refused entry, like when they go to dinner with friends. But generally DeRuvo chooses the comfort of his feet over doing anything or going anywhere that forces him to force them into a pair of shoes.

People get skeeved Joseph DeRuvo, who has been barefoot for 20 years, at his home in Norwalk, Connecticut. Credit: NYTNS Bare feet outside of the beach, the yoga studio or the pedicure chair tend to attract attention. Shoeless Joe Jackson was infamous for conspiring to fix the 1919 World Series, but legend has it, it was playing a game barefoot because of blisters that gave him his enduring nickname. Britney Spears visit to a gas station in 2004 became a global news event when paparazzi captured her leaving the bathroom in soles al fresco. People have a thing about feet, DeRuvo conceded. People get skeeved. DeRuvos look like they would hurt inside a pair of shoes: His big toes, with a protruding large bump at their bases, jut aggressively toward the pinkie toes on a diagonal.

The bumps are bunions. About 20 years ago, they had become painful  throbbing during long runs in tight sneakers and interfering with his life. DeRuvo saw a doctor who recommended surgery. As he awaited the scheduled procedure, he went without shoes because the pain was so intense. In the intervening days he learned that the screws that were to be implanted in his feet contained a metal he was allergic to. He also realised that he felt better since he quit shoes. It did not take long before he came to see that going barefoot was enriching his life in ways he did not anticipate. There were physical benefits in addition to the relief for the bunions: He found comfort from the ground beneath him. The tactile feedback just kind of makes everything else going on feel a little bit smoother, he said. There are spiritual benefits too, said DeRuvo, a religious man. God says to Moses, Take off your sandals, you know, this ground is holy, he said. Well, I kind of like to take that as far as it can go. Shoelessness also provides him a mindful life, not rooted in the past, the future or the iPhone. I pay attention to every single step I take. For these reasons, he said, he considers his lifestyle a gift, and, despite all the store managers who question his choices, a privilege. A black person going around shoelessly, he said, I just dont think a black person would have that freedom. The cops would be called.

He explains all of this in a practiced manner. When you always have to justify what youre doing, he said, you find a context to put it in. People: Theyre animals DeRuvo was born in New York. His mother was a nurse at Bellevue Hospital. His father worked in the print shop at B. Altman, the department store, eventually overseeing the mail-order catalogs. As a child, he struggled with language development, and only his sister could understand him. My mother relied on me to translate for her what Joseph was saying until he was five, said Alesa Cunningham, who is six years older. The family moved to Greenwich, Connecticut, where he received special education services for dyslexia and a litany of other learning issues. From a young age, he liked to take apart and reassemble items, like doorknobs and rotary telephones. His mother gave him a camera when he was 16. It combined the artistry of an image and the mechanics of how a camera works, he said. Everything clicked.

In the mid-1980s, he enrolled at New England School of Photography in Boston. There, he met Ecker. They have been mostly inseparable since and married in 1987. He does not remember exactly when he took off his shoes for the last time. It was about five years before the iPhone, he said (which would make it roughly 2002). DeRuvo was nonetheless able to keep his former wedding-photographing career afloat for years, even after telling potential clients of his shoelessness. Kate Lindsay recalled her sisters 2009 wedding, which was photographed by DeRuvo and Ecker. At the backyard reception, she said, DeRuvo answered guests questions about his feet without becoming a sideshow. He was able, if youll forgive the pun, to walk that line, said Lindsay, who hired him to photograph her own wedding reception in 2016.

His children dont remember a big pronouncement that dad would be abstaining from shoes, just that their fathers footwear grew increasingly minimal. Somewhere along the way, something turned and he didnt trust shoes anymore, said Nate De Ruvo, 33, a barista in Boston. As a child, Nate had a general awareness that his father was greeted with suspicion by strangers. It was clear he violated a social contract, but it didnt make any sense why that one in particular was so embedded into people, he said. He once asked his father why people got so upset. People dont like to be reminded that theyre animals, he said his father told him. They dont like to admit were not that different from any of the other creatures walking around. Ecker was confused when asked how her husbands shoelessness has limited their life. You take the whole package when you marry someone, she said with a shrug as she ate lunch with him at the Norwalk Art Space cafe, her clogs nestled under the table next to his toes. As for DeRuvo, he says that living without his shoes has let him be the person God wishes him to be. Unless you see someone who is different but is still able to cobble together a life, he said, you dont know its possible.
Latest News New product could end 'defective' reverse mortgage market Pre-retirement property owners among the beneficiaries, says company

CBA lifts variable rates again, cuts select three-year fixed rates It's the second time in two weeks that the bank has hiked its variable rates for new customers

Bendigo and Adelaide Bank has moved to enhance its processes and policies in 2023 ahead of the launch and rollout of a new loan origination platform for the third-party broking channel.

In February, it increased its maximum loan size for locations like Sydney and Melbourne, changed its cash out policy, and revisited its approach to statements and declared living expense validations.

This followed the reintroduction of closed bridging loans for new customers before Christmas.

Bendigo and Adelaide Bank general manager third party banking Darren Kasehagen (pictured above) said the changes and enhancements had been well received so far by the broking channel.

We are proud of our enhanced ability to service more customers and to deliver a product offering that better matches current market dynamics, Kasehagen said.

The adjustments also come ahead of the new platform rollout for loan originations through brokers.

We are very much focused on our plans to roll out a new loan origination platform in Q4 2023 with a progressive rollout to all aggregators by the end of FY24, Kasehagen said.

Brokers will experience a faster time to decision, as the origination process will be more automated, with significantly lower touch times on files. Customers will experience all the bells and whistles of the Bendigo Bank platform, including multiple offset accounts and much improved internet banking and mobile banking app functionality, which includes Osko/PayID.

The bank can now offer loans up to $7.5 million in Sydney and Melbourne and $6 million in other category 1 locations, depending on LVR, which is an increase on a previous $5 million ceiling.

For cash outs, the bank now only requires submission commentary on purpose rather than a verification point like a quote, where the cash out is less than $500,000 and less than 80% LVR.

Declared living expense (DLE) validations will now apply principles of scalability, where in most cases the bank will apply a reasonable test to customer-provided DLE and adjust where necessary. In applications where there are some indicators of concern or of generally higher risk, the bank will continue to complete detailed analysis over expenditure, which may require the likes of statements.

Bendigo and Adelaide Bank has also reduced the number of times that it will need statements through the process.

In the conversations weve had so far, busy brokers appreciate the ease of use and broadening of our product and policy offering, Kasehagen said.

Adelaide Bank listens carefully to the direct feedback we receive from brokers. The changes that we implement allow us to be a more efficient and responsive lender when processing loans and ultimately, to serve more customers.

Bendigo and Adelaide Bank recently reported a 22.9% jump in cash earnings to $294.7 million for the half year ending December 31, and a 14.5% increase in total income to $958.2 million on the prior half. The banks statutory net profit was up 49.3% to $249 million, driven in part by a revaluation of the Homesafe portfolio, restructuring charges, and amortisation of acquired intangibles.

The Bendigo Bank brand was also recently recognised as Australias most trusted bank for the fourth consecutive quarter by research house Roy Morgan.
The number of people at risk of becoming mortgage prisoners in Australia has jumped by 42% since the Reserve Bank started lifting the cash rate, with NSW households struggling the most.

This was according to new data from personal finance marketplace and advice company Compare Club. The data was released ahead of the Reserve Banks March cash rate meeting, where the board is expected to hike for the 10th consecutive time.

Compare Clubs data, based on 6,725 home loan refinancing enquiries, showed that the percentage of Australians with an LVR of 91% or more has increased from 14% in April 2022 to 20% in Feb 2023, which according to ABS data meant, theres now around 700,000 mortgage prisoners.

Across states, NSW has the biggest number of mortgage prisoners between Nov. 1 and February, at 19%, with Victoria not far behind, with 18%. In contrast, only 11% of South Australian refinancing enquiries have an LVR of 91% or higher. See the table below.

State Percentage of refinance enquiries with 91% LVR (February - April 2022) Percentage of refinance enquiries with 91% LVR (Nov 2022 - February 2023) NSW 13% 19% VIC 14% 18% WA 19% 17% QLD 13% 15% SA 13% 11%

The risk with highly leveraged loans in a falling property market, is that an Australians propertys value can fall below their loan amount, placing them in negative equity, said Lance Goodman (pictured above), Compare Club CEO.

Our data shows that the impact of the RBAs consecutive cash rate hikes combined with a downturn in the property market has really started to kick in for households who, less than 12 months ago, could comfortably service their mortgage, Goodman said. Borrowers in a negative equity situation are prisoners of circumstance. Refinancing will be difficult unless a new bank values their home more highly than their current one or they have enough savings to pour back into their loan and reduce the capital amount. Its particularly galling for these homeowners as they can see better rates and cashback offers from other lenders getting further out of reach.

Weve also just seen the regulator opt to keep the serviceability buffer at 3%, but many people who are rolling off cheap mortgages this year will have been assessed at their ability to pay at around 5%, when the reality is a lot of homeowners will be facing a rate of 6% or higher, which is far in excess of what their lender originally thought they could pay, he said.

An estimated 800,000 homeowners are expected to roll off ultra-low fixed rates this year, with many of them likely to be at risk of getting locked into mortgage prison, Goodman said.

Use the comment section below to tell us how you felt about this story.


Previously, Gupta was the head of equity research for India at Credit Suisse. He left the Zurich-based bank in November 2022 after a 14-year stint. Axis Mutual Fund has appointed former Credit Suisse executive Ashish Gupta as its Chief Investment Officer (CIO), sources told Business Standard. At present, Axis MF does not have a CIO. The investment team is led by Jinesh Gopani (Head-Equity) and R Sivakumar (Head-Fixed Income).



Gupta is known for his House of Debt report that first uncovered the extent of non-performing assets (NPAs) in the Indian banking industry. The research helped push policy makers to review banks loan books and revise the nations official bad-loan ratio from about 3 per cent to 9.3 per cent, one of the highest in the world. A query sent to Axis MF remained unanswered till the time of going to press.



The star analysts switch from sell side to buy side will boost the image of the fund house mired by this controversy, said experts. Last week, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) had released its interim order against Axis MF's former chief dealer Viresh Joshi over front running allegations. The order barred Joshi and 19 others from accessing the capital markets. The regulator ordered the impounding of Rs 30.6 crore  total wrongful gains earned from front-running activities.


HCLTech Q-Labs, which incubates early-stage research programs, is now a part of the Azure Quantum Network, the ecosystem of quantum innovators and pioneers. The new initiative will "inspire and educate" HCL's clients to explore and scale customer-ready deployments of quantum applications, the company said. IT major HCLTech on Monday said it will explore quantum computing opportunities with enterprise organisations at "industrial-scale" globally, by leveraging the latest Microsoft Azure Quantum toolsets and support.



The partnership is centered on Proof of Concept (POC) development with HCL's customers that will help them identify applications for quantum technologies through the various experience zones that HCLTech Q-Labs will create. It will be engaging with close to 1,000 employees around the world to leverage Azure Quantum resources such as Microsoft Learn, katas and workshop content to innovate quantum technologies and inspire its customers.



The new collaboration will also further quantum journeys for industrial entities by advancing their use cases based on extensive market research, HCLTech said. We believe that quantum technology has the power to transform the way we live, do business and solve societys most significant challenges. We are excited to leverage the Microsoft Azure Quantum toolsets and support to innovate, inspire and industrialise quantum technologies for our customers, said Ajit Moodliar, Senior Vice President and Global Head, Microsoft Ecosystem Business Unit (MEBU) of HCLTech.

Also Read HCLTech revenue growth guidance raised to 13.5-14.5%; Q2 profit up 7% HCLTech to boost presence in Mexico; to hire 1300 employees over next 2 yrs HCLTech restructures the top management with a new COO and CHRO Mondelez Intl expands multi-year cybersecurity contract with HCLTech HCLTech becomes Mattel's primary digital transformation partner ZEE settles dispute with IPRS, insolvency petition withdraw by artist body Reliance said to tap McLaren's Hitesh Sethia as Jio Financial CEO Domino's targets 20-minute delivery across metro cities in next 12 months Paytm inks pact with Andhra govt for initiatives in financial inclusion Sun Pharma completes acquisition of US-based Concert Pharmaceuticals

"HCLTechs addition to the Microsoft Azure Quantum Network follows the impressive engagement we have achieved through HCLTech Q-Labs and our excitement around the potential of HCLTechs approach for introducing enterprises to quantum computing foundations and applications explorable right now through Proof of Concept pilots, said Linda Lauw, Senior Director, Microsoft Azure Quantum Planning and Partnerships.
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SoftBanks boss Masayoshi Son, who is on a whistle-stop visit to New Delhi on Tuesday for half a day, has invited founders and chief executive officers (CEOs) from the start-up community who boast investments from his conglomerate.These include Kalyan Krishnamurthy, CEO of e-tailer Flipkart; Vijay Shekhar Sharma, CEO of fintech firm Paytm; Peyush Bansal, CEO of eyewear e-portal Lenskart; Supam Maheshwari, CEO of FirstCry, an e-store for baby products; Asish Mohapatra and Ruchi Kalra, founders, B2B commerce and fintech start-up OfBusiness; and ride-hailing service Olas founder Bhavish Aggarwal, among others. As the decision to meet them was not planned earlier, they are awaiting confirmation, said sources.

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Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma along with BJP president J.P. Nadda met Union Home Minister Amit Shah here on Sunday to discuss the formation of new governments in Tripura and Nagaland.

The Assembly election in Tripura was held on February 16 while in Nagaland, the polling was held on February 27.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) managed to secure a majority with 32 seats in Tripura.

In Nagaland, it bagged 12 seats in Nagaland, while its ally, the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party, got 25 seats.

Sarma is also the convener of the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance.

According to a source, "cabinet structure and government formation were discussed in the meeting".

Also Read PM to attend swearing-in ceremony of BJP govt in Tripura on March 8 Votes set to be counted in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland today Exit of 5 MLAs jolt for Tripura BJP ahead of assembly polls: Manik Sarkar President Murmu flags off first Kolkata-Agartala express train from Tripura Nagaland Assembly elections: A look at key issues dominating state We will have to quit wrestling if president remain same: Sakshi Malik Violence against women a hidden issue in country: Rahul at London event Over 20 mn youth will get jobs in next 3-4 years, says UP CM Adityanath Sanjivani scam: Will make effort to get back victims' money, says Gehlot Delhi Police issues traffic advisory in view of Ashram Flyover reopening

"Although (caretaker Tripura chief minister) Manik Saha's name has been endorsed by the party high command, BJP rushed Sarma to Agartala as a section of MLAs has pushed the name of Union Minister Pratima Bhaumik as the new CM," another source, from the Tripura unit of the BJP, said.

Sarma met Bhaumik and Saha separately in Agartala before arriving in Delhi for a meeting with Shah to finalise the names of ministers in Tripura and Nagaland.

The result of the Assembly elections held in Nagaland and Tripura, and another northeastern state Meghalaya, was announced on March 2.

--IANS

dr/pgh
Karnataka Lokayukta is likely to issue a lookout notice against accused BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa, who is absconding after his government official son was caught red-handed while accepting Rs 40 lakh as bribe, sources said on Monday.

According to sources in Lokayukta, they have learnt that Virupakshappa is planning to escape to a foreign country to prevent his arrest. The lookout notice will be sent to all airports in the country.

Sources also said that at this juncture, when the elections are nearing in Karnataka, the arrest of a BJP MLA will be an embarrassment for the party. The accused MLA, who has gone absconding after the arrest of his son Prashanth Madal, is trying to obtain anticipatory bail from the court.

Once the lookout notice is issued, the accused can't leave the country without the approval from the police and the court. The Lokayukta has formed seven teams for the arrest of accused MLA under the DySP ranked officers.

The authorities have also issued a notice to the MLA's other son Mallikarjun Madal in connection with transfer of Rs 94 lakh to other accounts on the day of raid from bank accounts of his two companies. He has been asked to appear before the Lokayukta on Monday.

The authorities had seized Rs 8.12 crore in cash besides 1.6 kilograms of gold from the residences of accused BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa and his son Prashanth Madal.

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Meanwhile, Lokayukta authorities have also taken up investigation of the allegations of Rs 300 crore misappropriation at the Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL).

KSDL Employees Union President G.R. Shivashankar had made these allegations.
The still smouldering fire at the Brahmapuram waste plant in Kochi was set "deliberately" to avoid inspection of the site where several years worth of garbage was lying accumulated, Congress-led UDF opposition alleged in the Kerala assembly on Monday.

The government, on the other hand, said the fire appeared to have been caused due to the high temperatures in the state, but it was investigating the matter to find out the actual reasons for it.

Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state assembly V D Satheesan claimed in the House that the fire has not yet been extinguished or even brought under control and alleged that neither the local administration nor the state government was doing anything to address the serious situation.

The poisonous smoke generated from there, which has even entered homes of the areas neighbouring the waste plant, will cause both short and long term health problems for the people there, he contended in his submission in the House.

The LoP, also an MLA from North Paravur assembly constituency in Ernakulam district, said that the term of one of the contractors, engaged to remove waste from the plant, was coming to an end on March 3 and had sought an extension.

"Before an extension, a site inspection is to be carried out. As the inspection would have revealed the lack of waste clearance operations, the fire was deliberately set to conceal the actual situation on the ground," he claimed.

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The fire had broken out at the waste dump on March 2.

Refuting all the allegations of the LoP, state Minister for Local Self Government Institutions M B Rajesh contended that the situation at Brahmapuram was under control and there was no cause for concern or panic.

He also emphasised that there was no health related emergency or cases reported from in and around the waste plant due to the smoke and gave details of the arrangements made by the government to tackle any medical issue related to the toxic fumes generated due to the fire.

Rajesh also divulged details of the decisions taken in a high level meeting held at the Ernakulam District Collectorate on Sunday to address the situation.

"The air quality has improved from what it was on March 2," the minister added.

Rajesh said that there was around over 5 lakh cubic metres of legacy waste accumulated at the plant over the last more than 15 years and a third of it had been cleared.

However, the remaining garbage was accumulated at the site in several layers and that was one of the reasons for the delay in extinguishing the fire completely, he pointed out.

"There have been such fires at the site in the last four years and we will take all necessary steps to ensure it does not happen again in the future."



The minister also said that the actual reason, whether deliberate or natural, for the fire was being investigated.

"But the fact remains that there have been several fires in the state in the past many days and these were probably due to the prevailing extremely high temperatures," he claimed.

Rajesh urged everyone, including the opposition, to work together to address the issue instead of only blaming the state government which has been taking steps to clear the garbage from the site as expeditiously as possible.

Over 30 fire tenders, Indian Navy choppers and personnel as well as fire fighting personnel and equipment from oil-PSUs Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum, etc. are actively working together to control the blaze and extinguish it.
The G20 theme of one world, one family, one future" is derived from a "Bharatiya" concept, Goa Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai said here on Monday.

Addressing the 23rd Commonwealth law conference 2023 near Panaji, the governor said the commonwealth countries must work for the protection of the environment.

"The theme of G20 'One World, One Family, One Future' given at the Bali conference is based on the Bharatiya concept of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'. The original Bharatiyas proudly say that let noble thoughts come from everywhere and we are prepared to receive them, he said after inaugurating the five-day conference being attended by representatives from 52 countries.

The governor said a discussion was held in the constituent Assembly in 1949 on whether India should join Commonwealth countries or not. "It was decided unanimously to join the Commonwealth countries, he said.

The governor also said bitterness between India and Britain due to the freedom struggle has now been replaced with friendship.

He said protecting the environment is also a mandate of Commonwealth countries.
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Ropar, will host the second G20 Education Working Group meeting in Amritsar from March 15 to 17 with a focus on the identification of relevant policies and best practices for research and innovations, officials said on Monday.

The theme of the meeting is "Strengthening Research and Innovation through collaboration".

IIT-Ropar Director Rajeev Ahuja said the event would help in ensuring a roadmap for multi-partner collaborations to facilitate accessibility and provision of research materials, reducing the gap between industry and academia and thereby discovering and identifying relevant policies and practises for research and innovations.

"This would lead to establishing long-lasting collaborations for equitable quality research in G20 member nations while following the theme of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' - One Earth, One Family, One Future.

"Through this event, the government intend to create closer ties with the G20 member nations and collectively respond to the issues each country has in reaching sustainable development goals," he said.

According to Ahuja, the discussions will also concentrate on methods and tactics such as cooperative initiatives that could be undertaken or implemented to encourage collaboration in many fields.

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The participants in the meeting will also include representatives of international organisations such as UNESCO, UNICEF, the World Bank and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), among others.

"The event will emphasise research and innovation as well as the effect of collaboration on the performance of G20 member nations.

"The key sessions on research and innovations would help reduce inequalities inside and between countries, innovations for sustainable agriculture for getting high yield and reducing food waste, the role of academia in cheap and sustainable energy research and innovation and innovations for environmentally conscious and accountable industrialization," a senior official of the Ministry of Education said.

"Focusing on women and socially and economically disadvantaged groups, the deliberation would also help in strategizing methods to expand collaboration among G20 member nations to improve research, open access and innovation promotion and to reduce barriers towards research mentoring and cross-institutional collaboration etc," the official added.

The first meeting of the G20 Education Working Group was held in Chennai earlier this year. There would be three supplementary meetings of the education group before arriving at a broad consensus in June this year.
Asserting that Australia's respect for India's sovereignty is unwavering, Australian ambassador Barry O'Farrell on Monday made it clear that the Khalistan referendum in his country has no legal standing.

Interacting with reporters here, O'Farrell said Australians were horrified at the incidents of vandalism at places of religious worship, including in Brisbane.

"The police are very active in trying to track down those who are responsible," the Australian High Commissioner said.

"Australia's respect for India's sovereignty is unwavering", he said, adding that the Australian government has made it clear that the Khalistan poll has "no legal standing either in Australia or in India".

His strong comments came days ahead of the state visit of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to India during which he will hold comprehensive talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.

Amidst escalated activities by pro-Khalistan elements in Australia, actively aided and abetted by members of proscribed terrorist organisations such as the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), the Indian High Commission in Canberra in January asked the Australian authorities to ensure the safety and security of Indians there.

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There have been at least four incidents of vandalism of Hindu temples in Australia over the past two months, allegedly by pro-Khalistan supporters.

The envoy also told reporters that Australia was a successful multicultural, multifaith country and respected freedom of speech.

"But freedom of speech does not give you the right to engage in violent protests in hate speech or vandalism. And those matters are taken seriously in Australia," O'Farrell said.
A CBI team on Monday visited the residence of former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi in connection with "further probe" in the land for jobs scam case, officials said.

There is no search or raid taking place, they said.

The CBI had already filed its charge sheet in the case and the special court has summoned the accused, including former Railways Minister Lalu Prasad and his family members and others on March 15, they said.

The agency has kept the further probe open into the alleged scam case, they said.

The visit of the CBI team is in connection with further investigation in the case, they said.

It was alleged in the FIR that some persons, although residents of Patna in Bihar, were appointed as substitutes in Group-D posts during the period 2004-2009 in different zones of the railways located in Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur and Hajipur and in lieu thereof, the individuals themselves or their family members transferred their land in the name of family members of Prasad and a company, AK Infosystems Private Limited, which was subsequently taken over by family members of Prasad.

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It was further alleged that about 1,05,292 sq. ft. land situated in Patna was acquired by the family members of Prasad from those persons through five sale deeds and two gift deeds and in most of the sale deeds, payment to the sellers was mentioned to be paid in cash.

The value of the land as per existing circle rate was about Rs 4.39 crore.

The land which was directly purchased by the family members of Prasad from the sellers at a rate lower than the prevalent circle rate. The prevalent market value of the land was much higher than the circle rate.

It was alleged that due procedure and guidelines issued by the railway authority for the appointment of substitutes was not followed and later on, their services had also been regularised.
Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who is also known as "Big B", got injured on the sets of his upcoming film, Project K, in Hyderabad. He suffered an injury while shooting an action sequence and is now back in Mumbai to recover completely.

In a post on his personal blog, the 80-year-old actor said his "rib cartilage popped broke", and there is a "muscle tear to the right rib cage".

Big B, in his blog post, also added that before flying back to Mumbai, the doctor at a Hyderabad-based hospital, where he underwent a CT scan, advised him to rest. Bachchan also admitted that he is in pain but "mobile a bit for all the essential activities".

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"So all work that was to be done has been suspended and cancelled, dropped postponed for the moment until healing occurs .. I rest at Jalsa and am mobile a bit for all the essential activities .. but yes in rest and generally lying around .." he added.

Bachchan also urged all his fans not to gather outside his residence for a meet and greet, a practice which the actor follows every Sunday evening.

Directed by Nag Ashwin, "Project K" also stars Prabhas and Deepika Padukone. It is set to hit the screens on January 12, 2024.

But this isn't the first time that Amitabh Bachchan has suffered an injury while working on the sets of a film. In 1982, the actor suffered the brunt of a mistimed punch while shooting for the film 'Coolie'. The actor was severely injured after he was punched by his fellow colleague and newcomer actor Puneet Issar, which then ruptured his intestine and led to internal bleeding in his lower abdomen.



In 2018, while shooting for his film 'Thugs of Hindostan', Big B sent his fans in a frenzy after he wrote in his blog that his team of doctors was flying in to fiddle around with his body. The source of his illness was not revealed.



He has also battled tuberculosis, Hepatitis B, and myasthenia gravis.
No irregularities were detected in the engagement of guest teachers in Delhi government schools during the probe ordered by Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, city Education Minister Raaj Kumar Anand said Monday.

He said that according to the probe report, there was no "ghost teacher" and the documents of only 109 guest teachers were "incomplete".

No immediate reaction was available from the LG office on the same.

In September 2022, the LG had ordered an internal inquiry into alleged irregularities in the engagement of guest teachers in Delhi government schools and embezzlement of funds through payment of salaries to "ghost" teachers.

"The LG's probe report found nothing such as 'ghost' teacher in Delhi government schools. Every teacher has been coming to school on time and marking biometric attendance every day. Only the documents of 109 guest teachers were incomplete and they have been notified about the same," Anand said.

He further said the report did not mention any "embezzlement of funds" in the payment of salaries to "ghost teachers".

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"The LG terming teachers as "ghost teachers" is an insult to those working in this noble profession. This is also an insult to our honest administration. Around 16,609 guest teachers are there in Delhi government schools. All of their documents were checked and it was all fine," he said.
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's top explorer Oil and Natural Gas Corp has signed a memorandum of understanding with French major TotalEnergies for exploration of deep-water blocks, the company tweeted on Monday.

India, the world's third biggest oil importer and consumer, ships in over 85% of its oil from overseas. The country wants to quickly monetise its oil and gas resources to reduce its reliance on costly imports.

The MoU seeks to provide technical help for ONGC's push to explore and reduce green house emissions in development of deep-water blocks especially in Mahanadi and Andamans, off India's east coast.

"We will jointly evaluate Exploration and Development opportunities to create synergies with local economies," said Sushma Rawat, ONGCs' Director for Exploration.

ONGC last year signed heads of agreement with U.S. oil giant ExxonMobil Copr for deep-water exploration on the country's east and west coasts.

The tie-up with Exxon focuses on the Krishna Godavari and Cauvery basins in the eastern offshore region and the Kutch-Mumbai region in the western offshore area.

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Exxon is also keen to buy a stake in some of the local deepwater blocks of ONGC, former oil secretary Tarun Kapoor said.

(Reporting by Nidhi Verma, editing by Ed Osmond)


According to reports, PTI workers staged massive protests at his residence. In a series of tweets, as reported by Dawn, the Islamabad police superintendent had "gone into Imran's room but he was not present there". Lahore Police was also supporting the Islamabad Police in the operation. On Sunday, Islamabad Police arrived at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan's Zaman Park residence in Lahore with the summons to arrest him, but Khan was "unavailable". The police were supposed to arrest Khan for his persistent absence from the court hearings of the Toshakhana case. He has skipped the hearings thrice.



He added that he had called the public to Zaman Park to pay tribute to them for the way they participated in the "Jail Bharo Tehreek". "I did not call you for my support but to thank you," he added, as reported by Dawn. However, hours later, Khan addressed a televised party event right from his Zaman Park residence. He said he had never "bowed before any man or institution, and will never let you do so as well".

What is the Toshakhana case?

In August last year, Pakistan's coalition government, led by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), filed a case against Khan, claiming that he did not disclose the complete information on gifts presented to Toshakhana. He also hid the details about proceeds from the "illegal" sale of some gifts.

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In 2018, Khan received several gifts during his time as the prime minister of Pakistan. However, he did not disclose the details of many of such presents stating that it would impact relations with other countries. Toshakhana is a department under the cabinet division in Pakistan which stores gifts and other valuables received by officials. The officials must report all the gifts they receive to the department.



In a written reply submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on September 8, Khan admitted to selling at least four presents he had received during his tenure as the prime minister. Pakistan's information minister Marriyum Aurangzeb claimed that Khan paid 20 per cent retention money and made Rs 142 million Pakistani rupees by selling state gifts from the Toshakhana.



Later in October, EPC found Khan guilty and disqualified him from the assembly for five years. Khan added that he procured the gifts from the state treasury after paying 21 million Pakistani rupees. He sold them for 5.8 crore Pakistani rupees. The gifts were a graff wristwatch, a pair of cufflinks, an expensive pen and a ring, while the other three included four Rolex watches.



What happened at Imran Khan's house on Sunday? On February 28, Khan was to be indicted in the case, but his lawyers requested to exempt him from the hearing. However, the judge rejected the plea and issued a non-bailable warrant against Khan. The arrest was to be made on Sunday.



According to reports, Khan's house has been surrounded by tents put up by supporters in the past few months to defend their leader in the event of an arrest. PTI leaders have also taken to social media to gather support for Khan. When the police arrived to arrest Khan, they could not find him at his residence. However, there were a large number of PTI members protesting at his residence.



He also demanded a "public trial" in the Toshakhana case. After the police left, Khan addressed the party workers from his residence, saying, "I bow only in front of god and no other power or institution...This is our war for real freedom." He also blamed Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif and his government for sweeping corruption.



Khan's actions are "prejudicial to the maintenance of law and order and is likely to disturb public peace and tranquility", the authority said. Soon, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority barred television channels from airing Khan's speeches. It accused Khan of "baseless accusations and spreading hate speech" against state institutions and officers.

Letter to the Chief Justice of Pakistan

On Sunday, Khan also wrote a letter to the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP), Umar Ata Bandial requesting adequate security arrangements for his court appearances due to possible assassination attempts against him, the Pakistani daily, The Express Tribune reported.



Imran Khan has complained of not being provided adequate security despite being the country's former PM. He alleged that the current Prime Minister and Interior Minister were involved in the failed assassination attempt against him. He said that there were clear indications of another assassination attempt against him. "I wish to draw your attention to a very critical issue. Ever since the removal of my government through a regime change operation, I have been confronted with questionable FIRs, threats and finally an assassination attempt," the former prime minister stated in the letter on Sunday, according to The Express Tribune report.



He also requested a video link facility for court appearances due to severe threats to his life. "To date, there are 74 cases against me and I am being made to appear in court for hearings time and often. I am chairman of the largest political party in the country and wherever I go massive crowds naturally follow. This further aggravates the prevailing security threat. Right to life is a fundamental right under the Constitution and there is a grave threat to my life," he added.

In November, Khan was injured in a shooting at one of his rallies. PTI has called it an "assassination attempt".
Union Minister of Law and Justice Kiren Rijiju on Monday said that pendency of cases in the country are increasing by the day and hence his ministry aims to make the judiciary completely paperless.

He was speaking during the 23rd Commonwealth Law Conference here.

"We want a reduction in the pendency of cases. More than 49 million cases are pending in various courts of India. It is not easy to reduce the pendency of cases simply because fresh cases are double than those disposed of. Indian judges are working extraordinarily hard but it is becoming more challenging with each passing day," Rijiju said.

"In normal circumstances an average judge handles 50 to 60 cases a day. In the last few years, some of the judges have disposed of more than 200 cases a day. This is extraordinary but the pendency of cases are rising unabatedly. We are using technology for that we have started e-courts special project phase 3 with the aim to digitise the justice delivery mechanism. Our ultimate target is to make the Indian judiciary completely paperless. There is no alternative to face the challenges of rising pendency cases," he said.

"Justice to the people is the core of all provisions of fundamental rights and fundamental duties. To provide justice to 1.4 billion people is a huge challenge for us. We may talk about various other things but if the most deserving common person, common citizens don't get basic needs, justice remains only a word," the minister said.

He said that the government has tried from day one to ensure that all the schemes reach every person of the nation.

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Every person today is beneficiary of every step taken by the central government, he said.

Minister Rijiju said that the government has already repealed 1486 redundant laws and another 65 bills/provisions are proposed to be repealed in the current Budget session of Parliament.


The state is targetting to increase the millets acreage from about 1.1 million hectares to over 2.5 million hectares. UP is among the top millet producing states in India with its basket comprising jowar, bajra, kodo, ragi, kottu and sanwa. Close on the heels of Prime Minister Narendra Modi christening millets as Sri Anna (divine foodgrain), the Uttar Pradesh government is looking to more than double the cultivated area of indigenous foodgrains.



According to the agriculture department, the current cultivated area of jowar and bajra in UP stands at more than 170,000 hectares and 900,000 hectares, respectively. At the same time, the state will launch exclusive millet outlets and engage women rural entrepreneurs and self-help groups (SHG) in its value chain.



Millets offer a spectrum of low-risk crops, which are resilient to climate change. As such, the state has decided to promote the cultivation of such nutritious cereals in the rain-fed areas. Apart from increasing the acreage of millets, the state is also taking steps to augment the institutional procurement of Sri Anna to encourage farmers to adopt its cultivation, a senior official said.

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While the state is planning to introduce millets in the mid-day meal scheme, the tourism department will organise cooking competitions for hotels and restaurants focussing on the cereal. Foodchains, hotels and restaurants have been advised to prominently display millet-based menus. Meanwhile, the government has drafted a multi-pronged strategy to promote consumption of millets and popularise cuisine based on such cereals. UP Chief Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra issued a circular in this regard to the departments concerned, including tourism, food & civil supplies, rural development, etc.

Under the one district one product (ODOP) template, bajra cultivation will be promoted in Agra and Kanpur divisions, while Mirzapur and Sonbhadra divisions will be entrusted with boosting kodo and sanwa.




Farmers are using these techniques and saving water. They are also earning good returns by having more yield in less area. The Rajasthan governments scheme to provide subsidies under the micro irrigation mission to promote irrigation through drip, sprinklers and mini sprinklers has become popular among farmers.



He pointed out that 179,773 farmers are availing subsidies of Rs 157.18 crore and irrigating 248,514 hectares with micro-irrigation systems. Similarly, 102,518 farmers are irrigating 130,036 hectares with the drip system and these farmers have availed a subsidy of Rs 579 crore. Agriculture commissioner Kanaram said that in the last four years, over 282,290 farmers have received subsidies of Rs 736.18 crore.



The agriculture commissioner said that farmers should have a minimum of 0.2 hectares for setting up irrigation systems under the mission. Subsidy is payable up to a maximum of 5 hectares. Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, who also holds the finance portfolio, in his agriculture Budget for 2023-24, has proposed a subsidy of Rs 1,705 crore to 400,000 farmers for irrigation through drip and sprinkler systems.

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The farmers have to submit a revenue record of ownership along with other necessary documents online. Giving details, Kanaram said that the farmers can apply online on the Raj Kisan Sathi portal through Jan Aadhaar. This is to set up irrigation systems under the Rajasthan Micro Irrigation Mission.


The noting was made by Puri in the document attached in an additional affidavit filed by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in the Delhi High Court on March 3. Asserting that Delhi Metro is the lifeline of the national capital and adjoining regions, Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has directed officials to revisit a Metro Railways Act provision to ensure no properties or bank accounts of the metro can be attached ever.



This comes days after the Delhi High Court asked the Centre to decide on the issue of granting sanction for attaching moveable and immovable assets of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for paying the unpaid amount of arbitral award to Reliance Infrastructure-promoted Delhi Airport Metro Express Private Limited (DAMEPL). He refused to give permission to attach properties of Delhi Metro, saying it has become the lifeline of Delhi and the National Capital Region with the livelihood of lakhs of people depending on it.



"The Central government is being asked to give sanction to attach the properties of DMRC to pay a company which abandoned/deserted the services of the airport metro line in the first few years of a 30-year contract," the minister said. The minister said the Delhi Metro meets the commuting needs of almost 60 lakh people of Delhi-NCR on a daily basis.

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"I also direct the division to revisit section 89 of the Metro Act, 2002, and amend the same to make it absolute, so that no attachment of its properties or bank accounts or any assets or operations can ever be carried out," Puri said. He said that any adverse outcome leading to a situation where the public utility grinds to a standstill could lead to a serious law-and-order problem across the length of the metro network of nearly 400 kilometres.



Earlier, the court had noted the total amount of the award with interest till February 14, 2022, was Rs 8,009.38 crore. Out of this, a sum of Rs 1,678.42 crore has been paid so far by the DMRC and Rs 6,330.96 crore is still due. In his separate noting in the document attached to the affidavit, the secretary in the ministry Manoj Joshi said, "Given the background of the case and in view of public interest, we should not agree for sanction attachment of assets of DMRC." On February 27, the court asked the Centre to decide on whether it proposes to grant sanction for the attachment of movable and immovable assets of DMRC for paying the arbitral award.



The two governments were impleaded as parties in the execution proceedings. On February 17, the high court issued notices to the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the Delhi government -- the two essential stakeholders in the DMRC -- to apprise it of how the unpaid arbitral award will be paid.



DMRC had informed the high court that despite making requisite efforts, the two stakeholders have been unable to arrive at a consensus on the ways and means by which the amount payable under the award may be liquidated. It had asked the Centre and the AAP government to make an endeavour to speedily resolve the impasse over the unpaid arbitral award, saying there was a need to protect the Delhi Metro which constitutes the lifeline for the residents of the national capital.



It had said that though this step of interest-free subordinate debt lay more financial burden on the Delhi Metro, the less bothersome option of the issue of equity shares which was explored earlier failed to materialise. In January, the DMRC had told the court it has requested the Centre and the city government for paying over Rs 3,500 crore each as interest-free subordinate debt for repayment of the unpaid arbitral award.



The DMRC had informed the court that meetings were held with the Centre, the Delhi government and other stakeholders to discuss the modalities for payment of the balance arbitral award to DAMEPL. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for DAMEPL, had said that in light of the position as it prevailed, the court would be justified in lifting the corporate veil of the corporation and proceeding further against the stakeholders for the execution of the award which undisputedly has attained finality.


During the visit, India-US Commercial Dialogue and CEO Forum will be held on Friday to discuss cooperation in various sectors that could unlock new trade and investment opportunities between the two countries. It will be co-chaired by Raimondo and her Indian counterpart Piyush Goyal. US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo is visiting New Delhi between 7 and 10 March to strengthen bilateral trade and business ties.



It is proposed to re-launch the Commercial Dialogue with a strategic outlook with focus on supply chain resiliency and diversification and new emerging areas, after a gap of three years, an official statement said. The last India-USA Commercial Dialogue was held in February 2019. Since then, due to pandemic and other factors it could not be held.



In November, both sides had done a soft launch of the India-US CEO Forum was soft-launched virtually. Key priorities were identified, such as increasing supply chain resilience, enhancing energy security and reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions, advancing inclusive digital trade and facilitating post-pandemic economic recovery, especially for small businesses. The Commercial Dialogue includes regular government-to-government meetings held in conjunction with private sector meetings, to facilitate trade, and maximise investment opportunities across various economic sectors.

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Both nations aim to achieve bilateral trade of $500 billion by 2025. The US is Indias largest exporter and trade partner, while India is the ninth largest trading partner for the US. Bilateral merchandise trade during April-November stood at $87.33 billion

The US is also the third biggest source of FDI for India, and is one of the top five investment destinations for India.
On March 5, the Mumbai police filed a case against four persons after a class of 12 students from the Maharashtra Board received the math question paper just before the exams started.

According to reports, an exam moderator discovered a student at Dr Antonio D'Silva High School and Junior College in Dadar with the Math question paper on his mobile phone. The student sent the question paper to another person in order to receive the answers on his mobile device before the exam began.

The student has been turned over to the police, and a criminal case has been filed against four persons, including three students, under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

Maharashtra Board 12th Maths Exam Paper Leak: Printing error

Students who attempted the questions are expected to receive six marks because of a printing error that occurred during the Maharashtra Board HSC English exams. When three questions were missing from the paper, the issue with printing was discovered.

Sub-questions A3, A4, and A5 of Question 3 were difficult for students taking the test. The question paper contained printed instructions for paper checkers rather than the questions on the board. Every missing question carries two marks, so in this case, the total works out to six marks.

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Maharashtra Board 12th Maths Exam Paper Leak: About

According to officials, the question paper for the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examination was leaked in Buldhana's Sinkhed Raja town about 30 minutes before the Maharashtra Board 12th Math Paper was to begin on March 3.

The problem was unearthed after a television news channel showed images of two pages from a math question paper and reported that the images were on social media platforms at 10:30 a.m., half an hour before the exam.

Action was taken by the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education. It has sent a team to Buldhana to conduct a primary investigation and plans to file a police complaint to find out where the images came from.






The programme has been launched under the "#EmpowerHer initiative" to commemorate International Womens Day by Online Manipal that looks to help women across India realise their potential through UGC-entitled online degrees from Manipal University Jaipur. Online Manipal has announced a scholarship of 25 per cent for select female applicants of all UGC-entitled online degrees offered by Manipal University Jaipur (MUJ). The initiative aims to give women the much-needed support to reinvent themselves by continuing that degree they could not pursue or finish earlier.



G Mallikarjuna, Director, Directorate of Online Education at Manipal University Jaipur (MUJ) said, "International Womens Day is celebrated to recognise and appreciate the achievements of women across social, cultural, political, and economic forums. Today, online degree programmes are seen as one of the key modes of higher education considering the flexibility and convenience they provide. In 2022, Online Manipal launched the #EmpowerHer initiative in order to do its part in supporting women who wish to make their dreams a reality through higher education.



MUJs online degrees are accessible from everywhere and is a good choice for women looking to make their way back into the employable workforce by overcoming the barriers they have had to face. This initiative is seen as a chance for women to rebuild their career and recreate their future, while also not missing out on any of their personal and professional commitments. "Over the past couple of years, we have seen thousands of women learners enroll and excel in our online programmes as it gives them the freedom to juggle between learning and other work-related and personal commitments, with ease," she added.

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Online Manipal is a platform that provides UGC-entitled online undergraduate degrees, postgraduate degrees, and certificate programs offered by top universities and institutes like Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal University Jaipur (MUJ), and T.A. Pai Management Institute (TAPMI).


Our most recent analysis shows rapid growth in credit uptake by women across Indias rural and semi-urban geography. The share of women borrowers has increased from 25 per cent in 2017 to 28 per cent in 2022, TransUnion Cibil said in the report. The number of women seeking loans to build their own businesses tripled over the past five years, credit research firm TransUnion Cibil said in a report on Monday. The study added that the number of women borrowers grew at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15 per cent during this period. That of male borrowers was up 11 per cent.



This data emphasises the huge potential for lenders to provide credit access to women across India, empowering them while driving financial inclusion, the report stated. The report, however, put things in perspective, mentioning that out of about 454 million adult women, only 63 million were active borrowers. It said that credit access for women, which denotes the percentage of borrowers to the total adult population, has grown from seven per cent in 2017 to 14 per cent in 2022.



Insights on the type of credit products availed by women reveal that consumption-led credit products like personal loans and consumer durable loans are gaining popularity among women borrowers, it said. The report also stated that women have a better risk profile than men, with 57 per cent of women borrowers having a score of prime or above compared with 51 per cent of male borrowers.

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The substantial increase in number of women seeking business loans is a reflection of the growth of women-led startups in India, the report stated. During this period (2017 to 2022) the share of women in over-all business loan portfolio has increased to 32 percent from 20 percent, it added.


The theme of the awareness week is "Adopt digital payments and Teach others also". While digital payments have skyrocketed during the past few years, a significant portion of the population still does not use digital payments for day-to-day transactions. In order to bridge this gap, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Shaktikanta Das on Monday launched a mission -- "Har Payment Digital"  with the aim of making every citizen in the country a user of digital payments as part of Digital Payments Awareness Week (DPAW) 2023.



Forty-two per cent of 90,000 respondents in an RBI survey said that they had used digital payments; 35 per cent said they were non-users though aware of digital payments, while 23 per cent weren't aware of digital payments. "Over the past few years, usage of digital payments in India has seen exponential growth. Citizens of the country have embraced digital payments for the speed, convenience, and security that it offers. However, a significant portion of the population is still not aware of digital payments or is not using them despite being aware," the central bank said in a statement.



The central bank will launch "Har Payment Digital" (HPD) mission that would run till the period of Vision 2025, with an intention to convert the non-users into users of digital payments. Vision 2025 has its theme as "E-Payments for Everyone, Everywhere and Everytime". Considering the benefits that digital payments bring to the country, it is necessary to create more awareness and further increase the usage of digital payments, RBI said. Hence, the RBI has been observing a targeted campaign  DPAW -- every year as part of the continuous efforts towards increasing financial awareness.

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Through the campaign, the users of digital payments will be encouraged to teach non-users about the ease, safety and convenience of digital payments to fulfil the mission of every citizen a digital payments user, the central bank said. From this week onwards, RBI in collaboration with the banks and other stakeholders of the payment systems will carry out a multimodal campaign covering print, television, radio and social media during the week around the theme -- "Adopt digital payments and Teach others also".



Among various other things, RBI regional offices will conduct "Jan Bhagidari" or mass scale people involvement programmes to enhance awareness on a large scale about the mission and the theme of the campaign and to encourage adoption of digital payments in the process. Further, payment system operators will adopt 75 villages across the country to convert them into digital payment enabled villages. These villages would be distinct from those in the districts covered under the Digital Banking Units (DBUs); Expanding and Deepening of Digital Payments Ecosystem (EDDPE); and the Aspirational Districts Programme. RBI has planned various campaigns which will be undertaken to deepen the reach of digital payments in the country.

The central bank also intends to partner with appropriate agencies to reach out to villages across the country to propagate the campaign theme message "Digital Payment Apnao, Auron ko Bhi Sikhao" by sharing videos and teaching villagers about ease, safety, convenience and usage of digital payments.




The objective of the mission, as part of Digital Payments Awareness Week (DPAW) 2023, is to make every citizen in the country opt for digital payments. The Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Indias flagship digital payments platform, has the bandwidth to process one billion transactions a day, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das said on Monday while launching the mission Har Payment Digital.



Currently the number of transactions done through UPI is 26 crore (260 million) per day. The system has the capacity to handle 100 crore (one billion) transactions per day. So the system is geared to onboard new customers into the UPI platform, Das said. Das said he expected more countries to join India in linking their payments on a real-time basis, like the one with Singapores PayNow, which started last month.



NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India) is operating the UPI in three parallel systems  they not only act as disaster recovery facilities for each other but are running parallel. In the unlikely event of some problems in one system, the other systems are very much in operation, Das said, alluding to the capacity of the UPI in terms of handling transactions. On March 1, there were 300 million transactions through the UPI.

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NPCI, the umbrella organisation for digital payments in the country, operates the UPI. NPCIs management has said it is possible for the payments platform to process over a billion transactions a day in the next three-five years if the three zero approach is followed, i.e. zero touch (contactless), zero time (it has to be faster than cash), and zero cost to the customer.



 The UPI has emerged as the most popular and preferred payment mode in India, pioneering Person to Person (P2P) as well as Person to Merchant (P2M) transactions in India, accounting for 75 per cent of digital payments. The volume of UPI transactions has increased multifold from 0.45 crore (4.5 million) in January 2017 to 804 crore (8.04 billion) in January 2023. The value of UPI transactions has increased from just Rs 1,700 crore to Rs 12.98 trillion during the same period, he said. The UPI processed over 8 billion transactions in January 2023, the highest since its launch in 2016.



We are working to link our payment system, that is, UPI, with other countries payment systems. We began the journey with the linkage with Singapore. In the coming months and years, I am sure and I am looking forward to other countries too, the governor said. The RBI has taken steps to internationalise the UPI via cross-border linkages such as UPI-PayNow. This linkage is in addition to the QR code-based and UPI-enabled P2M payments already happening in Bhutan, Singapore, and the UAE. Recently, they have also enabled visitors from G20 countries to get on to the UPI without having a bank account in India.







While digital payments have skyrocketed in the past few years, there is still a significant portion of the population that still not use this mode of transaction. Digital payment growth in recent years has been exponential. According to the RBI data, 360 million transactions are processed per day now as compared to 240 million a day in February 2022  a growth rate of 50 per cent.

According to a survey by the RBI of 90,000 respondents, 42 per cent had used digital payments, 35 per cent didnt, though they were aware of the matter, while 23 per cent did not know such a thing was there.



From this week onwards, the RBI, in collaboration with banks and other stakeholders of the payment systems, will carry out a multimodal campaign covering print, television, radio, and social media during the week on the theme Adopt digital payments and Teach others also. Considering this, the RBI is creating awareness to increase the use of digital payments. Hence, it has been observing a targeted campaign -- DPAW -- every year.

The mission Har Payment Digital is aimed at reinforcing the ease and convenience of digital payments and facilitating the onboarding of new consumers into the digital fold, the governor said.


At least nine security personnel were killed and 13 others injured in a suicide attack on them in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province on Monday, police said.

The blast near the truck of Balochistan Constabulary personnel occurred on the Kambri bridge on the Quetta-Sibi highway, the Express Tribune newspaper reported.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Kachhi, Mehmood Notezai, said that the preliminary evidence suggests it was a suicide attack.

However, the exact nature of the blast could be ascertained after investigations.

He said that a bomb disposal team reached the site of the incident and the area is being searched after the explosion.

At least nine personnel of the Balochistan Constabulary were killed and 13 were injured in the bomb attack in Bolan, Notezai said.

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So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the attack.

As soon as the incident was reported, local administration and security forces reached the spot.

The Balochistan Constabulary (BC) personnel were returning from duty in Sibi Mela when they were targeted. The truck overturned due to the intensity of the explosion, the report said.

The bodies and injured personnel were shifted to Sibi district where they were provided medical aid. The condition of some of the injured is reportedly critical.

The BC is a department of the provincial police force that provides security at important events and in sensitive areas, including jails.

The blast comes on the heels of attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and areas bordering Afghanistan.


People aware of the developments have said that the programme will likely cover private equity and venture capital investments in advanced semiconductors, quantum computing, and some specific fields of artificial intelligence, the report said. The US administration plans to introduce new rules to prevent US investors from funding Chinese companies. The move is aimed at prohibiting the flow of money to certain Chinese sectors, according to a report by Mint. The decision is seen as an attempt to protect American technological prowess as the rivalry between the two countries escalates.



The reports provided to lawmakers on Capitol Hill on March 3 talk about the considerations the US Treasury and Commerce departments are making to frame a new regulatory system to address US investment in advanced technologies abroad that could pose a threat to national security. The programme aims to stop American investors from facilitating funding and expertise to Chinese companies that could help improve the speed and accuracy of Beijing's military decisions.



"Preventing US capital and expertise from being exploited in ways that threaten our national security while not placing an undue burden on US investors and businesses" would be the programme's primary focus, according to the US Treasury Department report. The reports did not list the specific technology sectors that the US government considered risky. However, it was clarified that sectors that could advance rivals' military capabilities would be the focus, the newspaper reported.

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The report did not list any country names, but experts believe that the Biden administration is working out this new programme largely to contain US investments in China.
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has written a letter to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial requesting adequate security arrangements for his court appearances due to possible assassination attempts against him, The Express Tribune reported.

"I wish to draw your attention to a very critical issue. Ever since the removal of my government through a regime change operation, I have been confronted with questionable FIRs, threats and finally an assassination attempt," the former prime minister stated in the letter on Sunday, according to The Express Tribune report.

Imran Khan has complained of not being provided adequate security despite being the country's former PM. He alleged that the current Prime Minister and Interior Minister were involved in the failed assassination attempt against him. He said that there are clear indications of another assassination attempt against him.

Khan said that till date, 74 cases have been registered against him, as per the news report. He said that he is the chairman of the largest political party in Pakistan. He stressed that the right to life is a fundamental right under the constitution and added that there is a "grave threat" to his life.

"There are clear indications of another assassination attempt being plotted on my life," he said.

"To date, there are 74 cases against me and I am being made to appear in court for hearings time and often. I am chairman of the largest political party in the country and wherever I go massive crowds naturally follow. This further aggravates the prevailing security threat. Right to life is a fundamental right under the Constitution and there is a grave threat to my life," he added.

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Imran Khan in his last appearance before Lahore High Court said that there was a "total failure" of official security, as per The Express Tribune report. He further stated that the same happened in Islamabad when he had to appear before different courts. He requested the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take action on the threat faced by him from those in power and to ensure adequate security if his appearance in court is necessary.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman requested a video link facility for court appearances due to severe threats to his life. Earlier in the day, Imran Khan demanded a "public trial" of the Toshakhana case before a crowd gathered inside Zaman Park, as per The Express Tribune report.

On Sunday, Imran Khan while addressing PTI supporters said he had never "bowed before any man or institution, and will never let you do so as well", Dawn reported. The PTI chief was addressing his party workers and supporters at his Zaman Park residence in Lahore despite being "unavailable" to the police present outside to arrest him.

Khan said he had called the public to Zaman Park to pay tribute to them for the way they participated in the 'Jail Bharo Tehreek' (court arrest movement), as per the Dawn report. "I did not call you for my support but to thank you," he added. He said "only a nation, and not a group" could confront the challenges being faced by the country.


If we go on like this, the country will disappear, Masako Mori said in an interview in Tokyo after Japan announced on February 28 the number of babies born last year slumped to a record low. Its the people who have to live through the process of disappearance who will face enormous harm. Its a terrible disease that will afflict those children, she added. Japan will cease to exist if it cant slow a fall in its birth rate that threatens to wreck the social safety net and economy, according to an adviser to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.



The population has fallen to 124.6 million from a peak of just over 128 million reached in 2008, and the pace of decline is increasing. Meanwhile the proportion of people 65 or over rose to more than 29 per cent last year. While South Korea has a lower fertility rate, Japans population is shrinking faster. Last year, about twice as many people died as were born in Japan, with fewer than 800,000 births and about 1.58 million deaths. An alarmed Kishida has vowed to double spending on children and families in a bid to control the slide, which is progressing even faster than forecast.

Japanese Births Hit Record Low as Years-Long Decline Accelerates

Its not falling gradually, its heading straight down, said Mori, an upper house lawmaker and former minister who advises Kishida on the birthrate problem and LGBTQ issues. A nosedive means children being born now will be thrown into a society that becomes distorted, shrinks and loses its ability to function.

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Korea Again Smashes Own Record for Worlds Lowest Fertility Rate If nothings done, the social security system would collapse, industrial and economic strength would decline and there wouldnt be enough recruits for the Self-Defense Forces to protect the country, she added.



Kishida has yet to announce the content of his new spending package, but has said it will be on a different dimension from previous policies. So far hes mentioned increasing child allowances, improving childcare provision and changing working styles. While reversing the slide now would be extremely difficult due to the fall in the number of women of child-bearing age, the government must do everything it can to slow the plunge and help mitigate the damage, Mori said.



Mori criticized what she said was a tendency to think about the issue separately from finance, trade, and particularly from female empowerment. But critics contend throwing money at families who have children is not enough to address the problem. A paper from a government panel on gender equality said comprehensive changes are needed that include reducing the burden on women of raising children and making it easier for them to participate in the workforce after giving birth.

Womens empowerment and birth rate policies are the same, she said. If you deal with these things separately, it wont be effective.


The fate of Bakhmut appeared to be hanging in the balance on Monday, as Russian forces continued to encroach on the devastated eastern Ukrainian city but its defenders still denied the Kremlin the prize it has sought for six months at the cost of thousands of lives.

Intense Russian shelling targeted the Donetsk region city and nearby villages as Moscow deployed more resources there in an apparent bid to finish off Bakhmut's resistance, according to local officials.

Civilians are fleeing the region to escape Russian shelling continuing round the clock as additional Russian troops and weapons are being deployed there, Donetsk Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said.

Russian forces that invaded Ukraine just over a year ago have been bearing down on Bakhmut for months, putting Kyiv's troops on the defensive but unable to deliver a knockout blow.

More broadly, Russia continues to experience difficulty generating battlefield momentum. Moscow's full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022 soon stalled and then was pushed back by a Ukraine counteroffensive. Over the bitterly cold winter months, the fighting has largely been deadlocked.

Bakhmut doesn't have any major strategic value, and analysts say its possible fall is unlikely to bring a turning point in the conflict.

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Its importance has become psychological for Russian President Vladimir Putin, a victory there will finally deliver some good news from the battlefield, while for Kyiv the display of grit and defiance reinforces a message that Ukraine was holding on after a year of brutal attacks to cement support among its Western allies.

Even so, some analysts questioned the wisdom of the Ukrainian defenders holding out much longer, with others suggesting a tactical withdrawal may already be underway.

Michael Kofman, the director of Russia studies at the CAN think tank in Arlington, Virginia, said that Ukraine's defense of Bakhmut has been effective because it has drained the Russian war effort, but that Kyiv should now look ahead.

I think the tenacious defence of Bakhmut achieved a great deal, expending Russian manpower and ammunition, Kofman tweeted late on Sunday.

But strategies can reach points of diminishing returns, and given Ukraine is trying to husband resources for an offensive, it could impede the success of a more important operation.

The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, noted that urban warfare favours the defender but considered that the smartest option now for Kyiv may be to withdraw to positions that are easier to defend.

In recent days, Ukrainian units destroyed two key bridges just outside Bakhmut, including one linking it to the nearby hilltop town of Chasiv Yar along the last remaining Ukrainian resupply route, according to UK military intelligence officials and other Western analysts.

Demolishing the bridges could be part of efforts to slow down the Russian offensive if Ukrainian forces start pulling back from the city.

"Ukrainian forces are unlikely to withdraw from Bakhmut all at once and may pursue a gradual fighting withdrawal to exhaust Russian forces through continued urban warfare, the ISW said in an assessment published late Sunday.

Putin's stated ambition is to seize full control of the four provinces, including Donetsk, that Moscow illegally annexed last fall. Russia controls about half of Donetsk province, and to take the remaining half of that province its forces must go through Bakhmut.

The city is the only approach to bigger Ukrainian-held cities since Ukrainian troops took back Izium in Kharkiv province during a counteroffensive last September.

But taking at least six months to conquer Bakhmut, which had a prewar population of 80,000 and was once a popular vacation destination, speaks poorly of the Russian military's offensive capabilities and may not bode well for the rest of its campaign.

Russian forces currently do not have the manpower and equipment necessary to sustain offensive operations at scale for a renewed offensive toward (the nearby towns of) Kramatorsk and Slovyansk, let alone for a years-long campaign to capture all of Donetsk Oblast, the ISW said.

Bakhmut has taken on almost mythic importance to its defenders. It has become like Mariupol the port city in the same province that Russia captured after an 82-day siege that eventually came down to a mammoth steel mill where determined Ukrainian fighters held out along with civilians.

Moscow looked to cement its rule in the areas it has occupied and annexed. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu traveled to Mariupol and toured some of the city's rebuilt infrastructure, the Defence Ministry reported on Monday.

Shoigu was shown a newly built hospital, a rescue centre of the Emergency Ministry and residential buildings, the ministry said. Meanwhile, Russian forces overnight attacked central and eastern regions of Ukraine with Iranian-made Shahed drones, the spokesman of Ukraine's Air Forces, Yurii Ihnat, told Ukrainian media on Monday.

Out of 15 drones launched by Russia, 13 were shot down, Ihnat said. It wasn't immediately clear if the attack caused any damage.

Also, Russia's Federal Security Service, or the FSB, claimed on Monday that it thwarted an attempt to assassinate nationalist businessman Konstantin Malofeyev. It claimed the effort was a plot by the Ukrainian security services and the Russian Volunteer Corps, a group that claims to be part of Ukraine's armed forces.

According to the FSB, the Russian Volunteer Corps' leader, Denis Kapustin, was the mastermind behind the alleged assassination attempt, and the plan was to install an explosive device under Malofeyev's car.

No details were given as to how exactly or at what stage the FSB intervened. Footage released by the service showed a man meddling with a car purported to be Malofeyev's, and then a robot removing an object from under a car at a parking lot.

Malofeyev is a media baron and the owner of the ultra-conservative Tsargrad TV who has supported Russia-backed separatists in Ukraine and has trumpeted Moscow's invasion as a holy war. He has been sanctioned by the US.
As lakhs of Big Tech employees make a beeline to secure a job as soon as possible, smaller tech firms are hiring the talented laid-off workers albeit with a caveat: "We can't pay you any more."

Eric, a former Amazon software engineer, was on a $200,000-plus salary-and-stock package, before he was laid off in the US, reports The Seattle Times.

When a smaller tech firm offered Eric less than he'd made at Amazon and he tried to negotiate, he was "flatly told" they can't pay him more and he "eventually accepted a job, and a pay cut".

A senior software engineer with seven to 15 years experience could expect anywhere from $300,000 to $450,000 in total compensation from a Big Tech firm.

"We were seeing people with two, three years of experience getting over $200,000 in total compensation. It was absolute insanity," Albert Squiers, who runs technology recruitment for Seattle-based Fuel Talent, was quoted as saying.

That started to ebb when layoffs hit the Big Tech firms like Meta, Google, Microsoft, Twitter, Salesforce and more.

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According to Jacob Vigdor, an economist with the University of Washington's Evans School of Public Policy, he would not be surprised to see more rounds of layoffs.

"Tech firms may find now that they've adapted to this somewhat smaller workforce, that they could make deeper cuts," he was quoted as saying.

After a dismal year for tech companies and startups in 2022 which saw lakhs of employees being shown the door, 2023 started on a similar note and in January-February, 417 companies laid off more than 1.2 lakh workers globally.

In January alone, close to 1 lakh tech employees lost jobs globally.

--IANS

na/ksk/
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On Monday, YES Bank opened at Rs 16.82 per share against the closing price of Rs 16.86 on Friday. In the opening trade, the YES Bank share price fell 3 per cent to Rs 16.35. The lock-in period will end on March 13. The shares of YES Bank opened lower on Monday as the three-year lock-in period of the State Bank of India (SBI) ends this week. The stock, however, recovered soon and, as of 02:15 PM, was trading 0.06 per cent in the green at Rs 16.87. The lock-in period was set in place by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) as a part of the bank's restructuring process.



Moreover, in January, the Bombay High Court quashed YES Bank's March 2020 decision to write off Rs 8,415 crore of additional tier 1 (AT1) bonds as part of the bailout plan. It said that the Administrator did not have the authority to take such a decision. YES Bank's stock is surrounded by a lot of speculations that the SBI may book at least partial profit, and it may lead to more pressure on the stock. Reuters had reported on March 2 that SBI is looking to trim its stake in the YES Bank.



SBI, which initially acquired 49 per cent of YES Bank, now holds 26.14 per cent, as reported by Reuters. SBI is still the largest single shareholder in the rescued lender. SBI, along with other lenders such as ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, IDFC FIRST Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, and Housing Development Finance Corp (HDFC) had stepped in to rescue YES Bank in March 2020, after the RBI superseded its board.

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At the time of the restructuring scheme put in place, the above-mentioned lenders were mandated to hold at least 75 per cent of the shares acquired for three years. A similar restriction was placed on other existing shareholders. However, as per the reconstruction plan, SBI cannot reduce its holding below 26 per cent before the completion of three years from the date of the infusion of the capital.
Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd is quoting at Rs 325.9, up 1.4% on the day as on 12:49 IST on the NSE. The stock is down 3.58% in last one year as compared to a 11.98% gain in NIFTY and a 6.02% gain in the Nifty Auto index.

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd is up for a third straight session in a row. The stock is quoting at Rs 325.9, up 1.4% on the day as on 12:49 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is up around 0.96% on the day, quoting at 17762.85. The Sensex is at 60387.98, up 0.97%. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd has slipped around 1.88% in last one month.

Meanwhile, Nifty Auto index of which Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd is a constituent, has slipped around 1.63% in last one month and is currently quoting at 22268.75, up 2.17% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 11.96 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 23.76 lakh shares in last one month.

The benchmark March futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 327.15, up 1.3% on the day. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd is down 3.58% in last one year as compared to a 11.98% gain in NIFTY and a 6.02% gain in the Nifty Auto index.

The PE of the stock is 0 based on TTM earnings ending December 22.

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Computer Age Management Services has entered into definitive agreements with the founders of Think Analytics India (TAIPL) and with TAIPL to make a strategic investment in TAIPL by way of a secondary acquisition amounting to 55.42% of the total paid-up share capital subject to the conditions set out in the definitive agreements referred above (Transaction).

The Transaction is proposed to be completed before 10 April 2023.

Post completion, TAIPL shall become a subsidiary of the Company. Think Analytics Consultancy Services and Think360 AI, Inc. subsidiaries of TAIPL will become step down subsidiaries of the Company. The Company will also be entitled to acquiring the remaining shares in phases in accordance with the terms stipulated in the definitive agreements.

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The state-owned aerospace company on Friday announced that it has received income tax refund order worth Rs 570.05 crore from the Office of Joint Commissioner of Income Tax (OSD) for the assessment year 2012-13.The company said that the order was passed allowing research and development (R&D) expenditure of Rs 725.98 crore as capital expenditure, resulting in refund of Rs 570.05 crore. The refund includes interest of Rs 163.68 crore, it added.

The company has received income tax refund order from the Office of Joint Commissioner of Income Tax (OSD) of the Income Tax Act 1961 for the assessment year 2012-13 in pursuant to the direction of ITAT, Bangalore to allow R&D expenditure as capital expenditure under Sec 35(1) (iv) of the income Tax Act 1961, which was disallowed during the assessment, HAL stated in the press release.

HAL is engaged in carrying out design, development, manufacture, repair and overhaul of aircraft, helicopter, engines and related systems like avionics, instruments and accessories primarily serving Indian defence programme. As of 31 December 2022, the Government of India held 75.15% stake in the company.

The company's consolidated net profit rose 23.8% to Rs 1,155.19 crore despite of 3.9% decline in net sales to Rs 5,665.54 crore in Q3 FY23 over Q3 FY22.

The scrip rose 0.65% to currently trade at Rs 2,710.40 on the BSE.

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Mahanagar Gas: The company will acquire 100% stake in Unison Enviro ('UEPL') for 531 crore. This acquisition will enable MGL to expand to newer geographical areas in Maharashtra (Ratnagiri, Latur & Osmanabad) and Karnataka (Chitradurga & Davanagere) thereby providing new avenues for long term growth.

Computer Age Management Services Limited (CAMS): The company announced the acquisition of a 55.42% stake in Think Analytics India (Think360 AI), a full-stack AI and data sciences firm, which provides innovative solutions using digital technologies like advanced analytics, AI/ML and mobile & cloud computing. The acquisition is aimed to strengthen its account aggregator framework and enhance AI & Analytics services.

Neogen Chemicals: The company entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 100% stake in BuLi Chemicals India from Livent for Rs 25 crore. BuLi Chem is engaged in carrying out Manufacture and sale of N Butyl Lithium and other organolithium products. It has presence in India.

Krsnaa Diagnostics: The company announced that it has operationalized diagnostics center at Fazilka, Punjab. This is part of the agreement with the Government of Punjab for procurement, operation and maintenance of 25 CT Scanners, 6 new MRI Machines, 30 Pathological Laboratories, 1 Referral Laboratory and 95 Collection Centers across the State of Punjab.

Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC): The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has given approval for the amalgamation of HDFC Property Ventures and HDFC Venture Capital with HDFC Capital Advisors, a subsidiary of HDFC.

Hindustan Aeronautics: The company has received Income Tax Refund Order from the Office of Joint Commissioner of Income Tax (OSD) for the Assessment Yeas 2012-13. The order has allowed R&D expenditure of Rs 725.98 crore as capital expenditure, resulting in refund of Rs 570.05 crore. The above refund of Rs 570.05 crore includes of interest Rs 163.68 crore.

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New Delhi Television Ltd is quoting at Rs 230.35, up 4.7% on the day as on 12:44 IST on the NSE. The stock is up 44.83% in last one year as compared to a 11.97% fall in NIFTY and a 11.62% fall in the Nifty IT.

New Delhi Television Ltd is up for a fifth straight session in a row. The stock is quoting at Rs 230.35, up 4.7% on the day as on 12:44 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is up around 0.95% on the day, quoting at 17762.15. The Sensex is at 60396.61, up 0.98%. New Delhi Television Ltd has added around 6.2% in last one month.

Meanwhile, Nifty IT index of which New Delhi Television Ltd is a constituent, has added around 5.2% in last one month and is currently quoting at 1750.4, up 0.37% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 6.85 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 5.73 lakh shares in last one month.

The PE of the stock is 32.95 based on TTM earnings ending December 22.

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Wipro announced the opening of its Americas Headquarters in East Brunswick, New Jersey.

The newly renovated East Brunswick office reaffirms Wipro's ongoing commitment to clients in the Americas region, which makes up nearly 60% of Wipro's global revenues. Wipro has about 20,500 employees located across US, Canada, and LATAM (Mexico and Brazil). Wipro's US leadership team are based out of that office, including both CEOs of the Americas, Srini Pallia, and Suzanne Dann, as well as Amit Choudhary- Wipro's COO.

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The growth target of 5 per cent is considered relatively modest by econ

The Communist Party of China (CPC) on Sunday began its annual meeting in Beijing. The meeting will last until March 13, and several more indications about the CPCs intentions will emerge over time. However, it has already revealed its growth target for the countrys economy: 5 per cent for the year, according to a speech by outgoing Premier Li Keqiang. This was one piece of economic news that emerged from the first two days; the other was the focus on self-reliance in frontier technologies. The work report released by Mr Li called for a whole nation strategy that essentially recruits the entire economy, from the military to the private sector to academia, into a party-run effort to control the advanced technologies of the future. Both these pieces of information, when taken together, however, reveal the urgency of investment-friendly reform in India.
Activists of the rival Shiv Sena factions clashed over taking control of a shakha' or local office of the party in Maharashtra's Thane city on late Monday night, prompting the police to intervene to bring order.

Members of the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and rival Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) engaged in a scuffle over establishing control of the 'shakha' in the Shivai Nagar area of the city located adjoining Mumbai. The Vartak Nagar police, under whose jurisdiction the area falls, rushed to the spot on being alerted about the clash and dispersed the warring groups. The high-pitched political drama, which went on for about an hour, started when activists of the Shiv Sena allegedly put up banners and sought to take over the 'shaka' from the rival party faction headed by former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. A video purportedly showing the clash between the rival groups and the police dispersing them went viral on social media platforms. The police have not yet registered any offence in connection with the incident in Thane city, the political turf of Chief Minister Shinde.

The clash was recent in a series of such incidents over the control of shakhas' (local offices) after a split in the Shiv Sena. Spread across Maharashtra, these 'shakhas' served as organizational backbone of the undivided saffron outfit.

The Election Commission last month recognised the Shinde faction as the real Shiv Sena and allotted it the 'bow and arrow' poll symbol. Since then, there has been speculation over the ownership of the undivided party's properties, including shakhas', where the cadre assemble for party meetings and addressing grievances of local residents.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday said no person involved in looting public money will be spared by the government.

The Chief Minister, while slamming Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa for shielding the corrupt by criticising the action of the Vigilance Bureau (VB) against tainted leaders in the assembly, said his government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against corruption and exemplary action will be ensured against the leaders involved in sins against the state.

He said no one could stop him from acting against these culprits who have mercilessly robbed and ruined the state.

Mann said it is a sorry state of affairs that the Congress leaders are trying to patronize those people who have looted the wealth of the state by misusing the power given to them by people.

The Chief Minister said the corrupt leaders, whether they are from the ruling side or the Opposition, won't be spared at any cost. He assailed the Congress for being neck deep in corruption, adding the Congress leaders misused their positions to rob public wealth.

Mann assured the House that nothing can deter him from taking stringent action against the corrupt leaders.

Also Read Students should be involved in surveys for welfare schemes: Khattar AAP demands sedition case against those involved in BJP's 'Operation Lotus' Not involved in denying PM Modi's rally, says Meghalaya CM Sangma Religious leaders can change mindset of those involved in violence: Bommai Crypto hackers set for record year after looting over $3 billion: Report Don't betray India, says Anurag Thakur to Rahul Gandhi, Congress leaders Will ensure MVA contests Maha assembly and LS polls together: Sharad Pawar LS privilege committee to hear oral evidence against Rahul Gandhi on Mar 10 Not involved in talks between Uddhav and Prakash Ambedkar: Sharad Pawar Rahul's attack on BJP, says it's a fight between courage and cowardice

Training his guns against the Congress leaders, the Chief Minister said most of the Congress leaders sitting on the Opposition benches are tainted. He told Bajwa that though these leaders are sitting amongst him on these seats, they too will also have to pay for their sins very soon as action against them was inevitable.

Mann said the names of several Congress leaders figure in every crime against the state, adding his government will make them accountable for their sinister moves.

The Chief Minister said though his government is duty bound to act tough against corrupt leaders, but the Congress has always protected such leaders.

He reminded Bajwa that a former Chief Minister of his party had submitted a list of corrupt ministers and MLAs during his tenure to the Congress high command.

However, Mann quipped that instead of acting against these corrupt leaders, his high command squatted over the list to avert embarrassment for the party, which had exposed the real face of the Congress.

--IANS

vg/pgh
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday launched a fresh attack on BJP, saying he is not afraid of the criticism against him as he asserted that it's a fight between courage and cowardice, and love and hatred.

Gandhi, who is in London as part of a week-long visit to the UK, made the remarks during his interaction with the Indian diaspora, organised by the Indian Overseas Congress here.

"The more they attack me, the better that is for me, because the more I understand... This is a fight between courage and cowardice. It's a fight between respect and disrespect. It's a fight between love and hatred Gandhi said.

He said his 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' was demonstrating to the whole country what the real India is about. "What Indian values are? What our religions tell us? What our different languages tell us? What our different cultures tell us (that) we are one country with many, many different ideas. And we have the capability of living together harmoniously without hatred without anger without disrespect. And it's when we do that, we are successful. And that was the message of the yatra, he said.

Attacking the BJP, the 52-year-old former Congress president said, "On the other side, we have an ideology of hatred and violence, a disrespectful ideology that attacks people because of their ideas. And you must have noticed one thing that this is in the nature of BJP and the RSS."



"If you notice the statement of the Foreign Minister, he said China is much more powerful than us. To think China is more powerful than us, how can I pick a fight with them? At the heart of the ideology is cowardice, he said, referring to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's reported remarks during an interview.

The BJP has accused Gandhi of maligning India on foreign soil while praising China.

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Gandhi's remarks at Cambridge University that Indian democracy is under attack and several politicians, including himself, are under surveillance, has triggered a political slugfest with the BJP accusing him of denigrating India and asking if Gandhi was working as an agent on the payroll of an agency to bring down the country.

Gandhi is also being hosted at an event in the House of Commons complex on behalf of the UK Opposition Labour Party and will address the Chatham House think-tank in London on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and wider geopolitical issues before concluding his visit to Britain.
In the 5th Gear Store, Amazon is offering 5G smartphones from brands such as OnePlus, Samsung, Redmi, iQOO, Apple, Tecno, Oppo, and Lava. Lava Blaze 5G, Indias cheapest 5G smartphone, is available at Rs 10,499  including bank offers. Amazon is offering an exchange bonus of up to Rs 14,000 to customers opting for trade-in. Besides, there is up to 12 months no-interest EMI and up to 12 months of Prime membership at no extra cost on select smartphones.

Amazon has announced 5th Gear Store in which the e-commerce platform is offering bank offers, no-interest equated monthly instalment scheme, complimentary Prime membership, and more on select 5G smartphones. The offers are available until March 9. Below are the details:
Some Google Pixel Watch users have reported that their alarms have been going off late because of a bug.

Taking to Reddit, several users complained about the bug, reports Gizmochina.

While one user said that their alarm for 7 p.m., set as a reminder to give their son milk, had been going off late for the last few days.

Another said that their alarm had gone off a few minutes before or after the set time.

It is expected a recent update might have caused the issue.

However, it is still unclear what is the reason causing the issue, but there might be a possibility that the watch is in a deep sleep mode before the alarm goes off, making it difficult to rouse it on time.

Also Read Highlights: Google unveils Pixel 7 series, Pixel Watch, Pixel Tablet & more Google Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro review: Good phones set back by limited storage Pixel 7 series to Pixel Watch, everything Google unveiled at hardware event Google shows design of Pixel 7 series, Pixel Watch ahead of Oct 6 launch Pixel 7 series, Pixel 6a to get 5G as part of December Feature drop: Google OPPO Find N2 Flip brings imaging performance to flip-style foldable form Apple likely to launch M3-equipped iMac by the second half of this year Bharti Airtel announces launch of 5G Plus services in 125 cities Twitter no longer able to protect users from trolls as layoffs continue Users may soon see how much memory each tab using on Google Chrome

Google will likely address the bug in the next few days and will roll out an update to the Pixel watches to solve the issue, the report said.

--IANS

aj/prw/ksk/
The newly renovated East Brunswick office reaffirms Wipros ongoing commitment to clients in the Americas region, which makes up nearly 60% of Wipros global revenues. Wipro has about 20,500 employees located across US, Canada, and LATAM (Mexico and Brazil). Wipros US leadership team are based out of that office, including both CEOs of the Americas, Srini Pallia, and Suzanne Dann, as well as Amit Choudhary- Wipros COO.

A celebration of the new space will take place on March 6th with the Wipro executive team, staff, customers, and government officials in attendance to congratulate Wipro on the new space and to interact with key clients based in the Garden State.

The opening of Wipros Americas Headquarters further underscores that the companies of tomorrow are planting their flags in New Jersey today,

said New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. By locating its new multi-million-dollar office in the heart of our state, this renowned tech giant will significantly boost economic activity in New Jersey. We look forward to the numerous ways in which Wipro will contribute to  and benefit from  our thriving innovation ecosystem.

Srini Pallia, CEO  Americas 1, Wipro Limited

said, In today's dynamic business landscape, companies are constantly facing new challenges and pressures that require them to adapt and transform their operations. Adoption of Cloud and using AI will be instrumental to meet these challenges head on. At Wipro, we use our vast technology experience and domain expertise to help drive business outcomes for our customers. The Wipro Americas Headquarters launch represents a new era, as we place great importance on settling our workforce in an environment that fosters innovation and collaboration to drive business forward in the region.

Suzanne Dann, CEO  Americas 2, Wipro Limited

said, The launch of our new workspace provides employees, clients, and partners a tremendous location to meet, collaborate, and innovate. The space has been thoughtfully designed to accommodate our clients growing needs for collaboration, while delivering outstanding employee and client experiences. We couldnt be prouder of our new workspace and its reflection of our longstanding and significant investments in the Americas.

The office will serve

clients across industries such as banking and financial technology, life sciences, healthcare, retail, telecommunications, media and entertainment, gaming and tech, travel and transportation, energy and utilities, and manufacturing. Wipro was recently

by Top Employers Institute.
Manufacturing industry indispensable to China at all times: Xi

Xinhua) 09:03, March 06, 2023

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, takes part in a deliberation with his fellow deputies from the delegation of Jiangsu Province, at the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

BEIJING, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday said the manufacturing industry is an indispensable sector to China at all times.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks while attending a deliberation with his fellow deputies from the delegation of Jiangsu Province at the first session of the 14th National People's Congress, China's national legislature.

Currently, China's manufacturing industry boasts a complete range of sectors and categories, said Xi.

China will strive to develop high-end manufacturing to realize all-around improvement, and provide full support for its development, he said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Sources maintained that the company expressed its willingness to set up operations in Hyderabad and the plant will be a reality soon.(Photo: PTI)

HYDERABAD: A statement from Taiwanese major Foxconn on Saturday, denying it had "binding, definitive" agreements to invest in India, left the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) scrambling to save face, three days after it had claimed that the firm would set up a Hyderabad unit and generate 1 lakh jobs over 10 years.

While there was no clarification from the state government or the industries department, official sources in the department said that a letter of intent was signed and negotiations were in the final stages to finalise the investment.

Sources maintained that the company expressed its willingness to set up operations in Hyderabad and the plant will be a reality soon.

"Foxconn officials, along with officials of industries and revenue departments, also visited land sites where this plant can be set up. We have shown two land parcels of over 200 acres each in Kongarakalan and Dundigal. They were in favour of Kongarakalan. Once land is finalised, the MoU will be signed. The project is very much on and there is no need for any doubt," an official, requesting anonymity, said.

Foxconn issued the statement in response to announcements by the Telangana and Karnataka governments, claiming that agreements had been signed during Foxconn CEO Young Lius visit to India over the past week.

During the visit, Liu met Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao at Pragathi Bhavan along with a delegation of company officials on Friday. The meeting was also attended by ministers K. T. Rama Rao, T. Harish Rao and P. Sabitha Indra Reddy, Chief Secretary A. Santhi Kumari, DGP Anjani Kumar, and special chief secretaries K. Ramakrishna Rao and Arvind Kumar.

Following the meeting, the Chief Ministers Office also issued a press release, which stated: "Chief Minister of Telangana K. Chandrashekar Rao along with Foxconn chairman Mr Young Liu announced setting up of electronic manufacturing facilities in Hyderabad.

The historic deal has potential to generate employment to over one lakh people over a period of 10 years. Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn) and Government of Telangana signed an agreement at Pragathi Bhavan, Hyderabad for the proposed facilities."
On March 6, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will inaugurate the Bachelor of Science (BS) in Electrical Systems programme at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras. The programme will be launched virtually by the minister. The BS degree programme will begin at 11 a.m. The launch of the latest BS programme will be broadcasted live on YouTube.

IIT Madras is offering a BS degree programme in Electronic Systems to fulfil India's substantial and increasing requirement for skilled people in the electronics and integrated technology industries. The institute stated that this is the institute's second BS programme, following the BS programme in data science and applications. It mentioned that 17,000 students will be enrolled in the first BS programme. The new four-year curriculum will assist the nation in addressing the growing need for competent students in the electronics and integrated primary industries.

Students who achieve the required minimum marks in the entrance test can continue with the programme because the number of places in the BS in Electronic Systems programme is not restricted. Throughout the course, students will receive recorded lectures, weekly examinations, study materials, seminars, and engaging question-and-answer discussions.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Everybody obtaining a Class 12 (or similar) diploma, regardless of age, role, or geographical region, is eligible to apply.

School students who have completed their Class 11 final examinations (with Physics and Mathematics as subjects of study) are eligible to apply.

Individuals who have completed Class 12 can apply to IIT Madras for the BS in Electronic Systems degree. The syllabus is designed for learners and employed folks of all ages to allow them to learn at IIT Madras without having to write the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), claims the institute.

A student who has qualified for JEE Advanced 2022 or 2023 is instantly qualified to be admitted and can enroll for classes in the foundation level of the BS programme

Admission Fees

IIT Madras stated that the fee structure would be reasonable. Students from the SC/ST/PWD categories, as well as those with a household income of less than Rs.5 lakh per year, would be qualified for additional scholarships from the institute. Details on the entire fee structure are yet forthcoming.
AfriSam awaits government infrastructure spending

06 March 2023

The outlook for South Africas struggling construction industry remains uncertain, hovering between the massive infrastructure expenditure figures being publicly mooted and the states seeming inability to implement its economic recovery plans.

Richard Tomes, sales and marketing executive at AfriSam, said: Although the operating environment remains challenging, one of the positive elements AfriSam has noted is the increase in the infrastructure spend budget allocation, and we remain hopeful that the implementation of the infrastructure projects will gain momentum and start delivering true value for the construction industry.

Considerable overcapacity was still evident in the non-residential building sector, especially commercial office and retail space. The value of non-residential building plans passed averaged just about ZAR1bn (US$55.1m) in value compared to ZAR3bn in 2016. The brief recovery in the residential building sector, as homeowners renovated for home offices, had tailed off. Cement demand suffered negative growth in 2022, and was expected to improve only marginally over the next few years, he said.

At this years AfriSam Budget Breakdown event, Econometrix economist, Dr Azar Jammine, pointed to raised expenditure targets for infrastructure. Dr Jammine said he was encouraged by the growth from ZAR812bn to ZAR903bn in the estimates for public sector infrastructure expenditure from the FY23-24 to FY25-26 financial years.

These numbers are so big that if we were to see their full implementation, it would be a game changer not only for the construction sector, but for the entire economy, he said. Where the real hope lies is in government getting its act together and starting to implement its capital projects.

Published under
BEUMER Corp appoints new CEO

06 March 2023

BEUMER Corp (BEUMER Group) has named Markus Schmidt as president and chief executive officer. Mr Schmidt joins the company effective immediately.

As the new CEO, Mr Schmidt will work closely with the talented team at BEUMER Corp to build on the company's strong legacy and drive continued growth and success. The company is committed to delivering innovative solutions and world-class service to customers, while prioritising safety, quality and sustainability.

We are pleased to have Markus join BEUMER to lead our North American operations, said Rudolf Hausladen, CEO of the BEUMER Group. Markus expertise in intralogistics automation coupled with strategic leadership within multinational organisations will enhance our sustainable success by creating valuable solutions for our customers in Canada, the United States and Mexico.

Mr Schmidt has more than 30 years of industry experience and 18 years of executive experience in intralogistics automation, market segment-oriented strategy.



Published under
The crucial Cabinet meeting on March 9 is expected to take a decision to constitute a new pay revision commission (PRC) to revise salaries and pensions. (Photo: Twitter)

Hyderabad: The crucial Cabinet meeting on March 9  the first since December 10, 2022  is expected to take a decision to constitute a new pay revision commission (PRC) to revise salaries and pensions for government employees and pensioners, as well as approve welfare schemes for various sections with an eye on the Assembly elections.

The Cabinet meeting, which is being held against the backdrop of BRS president and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao's plans to focus on the party expansion to other states after the Holi festival, is expected to approve the distribution of Rs 3 lakh aid to BPL families who own plots to build houses.

A decision on the modalities for selecting beneficiaries under the Dalit Bandhu plan is also expected, as the High Court ruled against MLAs selecting beneficiaries in November last year, putting the scheme's implementation on hold.

Decisions on the long-pending crop loan waiver scheme and the distribution of two-bedroom houses for the poor are also expected. Over 1.4 lakh 2BHK houses are ready for distribution across the state, but the process has been halted due to concerns surrounding beneficiary selection.

The Cabinet is also expected to take a decision on the procurement of paddy from farmers for MSP during the ongoing rabi season, despite the Centre's refusal to procure parboiled rice.

The state government requested the Centre to purchase parboiled rice in the rabi season at a meeting with the civil supplies officials of all the states convened by the Union food ministry on March 1 in New Delhi.

The Centre, however, turned down the request but agreed to procure 80 lakh tonnes of paddy from Telangana during the rabi season and asked the state government to supply only raw rice to the FCI after milling.

It is expected to procure 54 lakh tonnes of raw rice after milling 80 lakh tonnes of paddy. In Telangana, mostly boiled rice is produced in mills from paddy grown in the rabi season due to heat conditions prevailing in the summer. If raw rice is produced in rabi like in kharif, it will yield broken rice which FCI does not take. As a result, the state government has to bear the losses.

The government is forced to sell broken rice at a cheaper price in the open market due to low demand, thereby incurring losses. Rabi paddy is harvested in the summer between March through June.

If parboiled rice is produced, the quantity of broken rice after milling will be significantly lower.

The state government expects record paddy production of 1.50 crore tonnes in rabi as it was sown in record area of 54 lakh acres but the Centre has agreed to procure only 80 lakh tonnes and that too raw rice.

The Cabinet is expected to take a decision on how to procure the remaining quantity of paddy and how much amount would be required for the government, including the losses suffered by the government on account of raw rice.
On February 28, 2023, Sabrina Michelle Stuart Green was called home by Jesus after a five-year battle against Ocular Melanoma. She passed peacefully in her own home on her own terms.

Sabrina, though it was cut short, led a full life. She held onto friends from every walk of life and never met a stranger. Sabrina, not a loud person, lived out loud. She was full of life and love with a mischievous side and a natural, timeless beauty, both inside and out. Sabrina loved the beach and had a, probably not so healthy, obsession for Mexican food.



She was born to Jimmy and Rose Stuart (Sims) on July 29, 1972 in Soddy Daisy, and was the youngest of three sisters, Stacey Stuart Fuller (Patrick) and Sonya Hartman Stuart. She graduated from Soddy Daisy High School where she met and later married Gregory Farrell Green on July 31, 1993. Sabrina graduated Chattanooga State and held a career in financial management until her son, Greyson Farrell (13), was born. Her daughter Abigail Rose (11) was born 20 months later. After the birth of her children Sabrina dedicated her life to being a wife, mother, homemaker, and educator. Homeschooling became a passion. She developed and directed the North River-Hixson Classical Conversations Community Group up to the last nine months of her battle.



Sabrina attended Calvary Chapel Northside where she volunteered in the childrens ministry and sang with the worship team. She was bold in her faith and a light in the world. If you knew Sabrina then you knew her love for Jesus, others, and life.



In lieu of visitation and a funeral, Sabrina wanted a celebration of life. It will be held at Calvary Chapel Northside, 8615 Hixson Pike, Hixson, Tn. 37343 on March 18, at 2 p.m.. Please come and be prepared to share some of your favorite memories with her or share how you met or knew Sabrina. We all know just how much Sabrina liked a good party; lets not let her down.



Instead of flowers please consider making a contribution to:



Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic

https://www.angelflightmidatlantic.org/donate



A Cure In Sight

https://acureinsight.org/donate/?v=7516fd43adaa



Ocular Melanoma Foundation

https://www.ocularmelanoma.org/donate
For some unknown reason the same media promoters and geniuses that constantly opine on the virtues of the Choo Choo City have been too busy pushing one side of the multiple positive Best of ? polls to address the strong presence of the two above giant railroad train entities that maintain freight yards in East Chattanooga and Wauhatchie (Tiftonia) in light of the East Palestine, Ohio disaster.

A trip through the route of the overpass from the CARTA headquarters along Wilcox Boulevard westward to Amnicola Highway reveals several cylinder tank cars in the DeButts repair yard as well as the CSX facility that raise the obvious safety questions for our community.

The history of our county with the railroads since before the Civil War has been positive in many ways and has provided many benefits in both the passenger and freight areas in bygone and present days.

The 1941 Chattanooga Choo Choo song gave the town millions of dollars in free publicity that is more positive than the claim that we are on the way to becoming the next Atlanta, Nashville or Austin.

The derailments within 10 days in Michigan and Nebraska, plus one in Collegedale, add to the intrigue.

The public just needs some assurance that we wont become the next East Palestine!

The responsibility of addressing the past, present and future safety of citizens in areas adjacent to railroad tracks and yards lies with trains that travel in our community!

* * *

You can reach Jerry Summers at jsummers@summersfirm.com
Police and fire department personnel responded to a fire alarm at a Southern Adventist University dormitory. A small fire was located in a kitchen on the fourth floor. The building was evacuated and the fire extinguished.

A resident in the 4600 block of University Drive was spoken to about their misuse of the 911 system.

A two-car crash was reported in the parking lot of Main Street Storage.

A principal from a local middle school made a report with the Child Protective Services regarding a child possible living in unhealthy conditions in the citys East District.

A vehicle rear ended another in the 4800 block of University Drive after the vehicle had stopped to allow pedestrians to cross through the crosswalk.

An officer responded to the McKee Foods Corporation after an employee had been reported missing. The employee returned to several hours later.

A tree was reported down and across the road in the 11100 block of Blair Road. The public works department was able to clear the obstruction.

A tree was reported down and across the road in the 6000 block of Tallant Road, just outside the citys East District limits. Nearby residents were able to cut the tree and remove it from the roadway.

A tree was reported down and across power lines in the 10000 block of Sunny Lane. EPB was able to clear the fallen tree.

A traffic stop in the 5500 block of Little Debbie Parkway resulted in the driver being charged with driving while unlicensed.

A traffic stop in the 5500 block of Little Debbie Parkway led to an occupant being arrested for felony possession of methamphetamines.

Officers responded to a mental health crisis in the 4600 block of University Drive. One individual was transported to a local hospital for a mental health evaluation.

A scam report was taken from the campus of Southern Adventist University after an individual reported that they were being blackmailed for money after sending explicit photos of themselves to someone they did not know.

Collegedale police were requested to assist Chattanooga police with a vehicle crash in the 8600 block of Old Lee Highway.

While conducting routine business checks a night shift officer located an open door at the Collegedale Academy High School gym. The building was checked and a key holder responded to secure the door.

A traffic stop in the 8100 block of Apison Pike for a window tint violation resulted in the driver being arrested for possession of psychedelic mushrooms, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia, as well as falsification of a drug test.

An alarm was activated at Jacks Family Restaurant. The building was found to be secure and locked.

A concerned citizen called police about a possible intoxicated driver they had been following since traveling through Cohutta, Georgia. Collegedale officers made contact with the car in the 10200 block of Apison Pike and found that the driver was simply lost. An officer assisted the driver locate their desired destination.

Chattanooga police made contact with a Collegedale fugitive with warrants for felony theft, forgery, identity theft, and criminal simulation. The fugitive was transported to the county jail where they were booked on their charges.

A three car crash was reported in the 4300 block of Ooltewah Ringgold Road. All vehicle occupants refused medical treatment.

A Collegedale fugitive was booked on a petition to revoke bond warrant from an original theft charge.

A two car crash was reported in the 5600 block of Edgmon Road.

A residential alarm was activated in the 5600 block of Landrum Drive. No contact was made with the homeowner.

A traffic stop in the 9300 block of Lee Highway resulted in the driver being arrested for falsification of a drug test and a Catoosa County, Georgia warrant. The passenger was charged with being in possession of psychedelic mushrooms and felony possession of methamphetamines.

Officers responded to a disorder between siblings at the College Park apartments. One individual had already left the scene and the other advised that all was now well.

A traffic stop in the 9900 block of Lee Highway resulted in the drivers arrest for DUI and possession of marijuana. The passenger was also charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, as well as falsification of a drug test.

An officer provided traffic control for EPB while they cut a tree off of power lines in the 10000 block of Sunny Lane.

An alarm was activated at the Collegedale Academy High School. Everything checked out ok.

A minor fender bender was reported at the intersection of Little Debbie Parkway and Old Lee Highway.

A Collegedale fugitive was transported from the Bradley County Jail to the Hamilton County Jail on a failure to appear warrant, as well as bond revocation warrants from their original charges of theft, criminal trespass and burglary.

An officer was requested to check the wellbeing of an older individual walking down the 5700 block of Tallant Road. No one was located.

An officer responded to the 5400 block of Loblolly Lane after several residents reported that they were having issues with another resident who had an aggressive dog. The dog and its owner were not at home.

Police responded to a domestic disorder between partners at The Village at Apison Pike apartment complex. No indication of criminal activity was found. The couple agreed to separate for the night.

An individual reported a sexual assault that had occurred approximately two years prior in the citys South District.

An officer assisted a stranded motorist by helping to move their vehicle from the roadway in the 9800 block of Apison Pike. The vehicle was out of gas.

A traffic stop in the 10500 block of Lee Highway resulted in the drivers arrest for possession of narcotics and drug paraphernalia, and DUI. A passenger was also arrested for possession of methamphetamines and drug paraphernalia, as well as falsification of a drug test. Another passenger was also charged with being in possession of drug paraphernalia.

An alarm was activated at the Brookside Plaza, in the citys West District. Everything checked out ok.

An officer responded to an unknown 9-1-1 from the Grindstone Estates neighborhood. The area was checked but nothing was located.
Congress leader N. Uttam Kumar (C). (DC Image)

Hyderabad: Congress leader N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Monday promised to restore the old pension scheme (OPS) if the party was elected to power.

He promised to scrap the contributory pension scheme (CPS) for teachers and other government employees, and also scrap GO 317. Congress governments in other states have scrapped the CPS in a move to attract support from government employees.

He was speaking at a joint press conference with PCC working president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud at Gandhi Bhavan to woo support for party candidate Galreddy Harshavardhan Reddy in the Mahbubnagar-Ranga Reddy-Hyderabad teachers Legislative Council constituency

"We shall bring in the old pension scheme by scrapping CPS, which is already being implemented in Rajasthan," he said.

Uttam Kumar also promised to issue health cards to teachers of all residential schools and colleges, streamline transfers and promotions, and ensure payment of salaries on the first of every month.

He also pledged that the Congress, if elected to power, would fill all vacant teachers' posts and address issues like regular PRC and payment of DA.

Uttam Kumar accused the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) of failing to fulfil promises made to contract lecturers and said that the Congress will ensure their regularisation on priority.

He also recalled the "neglect" and "humiliation" of teachers and their associations by the current state government. He also alleged that MLCs from the teachers constituencies who aligned with the ruling party have abandoned the interests of teachers.
The American Red Cross, Southeast Tennessee Chapter will host the Heroes Luncheon at The Chattanoogan Hotel on Wednesday from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. This event is one of the largest celebrations of the Red Cross in the Chattanooga area and serves as a time to recognize local heroes who make a difference in the community every day.



The keynote speaker for this years event is Jim Coleman, Jr., president and chief executive officer for Erlanger Health System. Mr. Coleman is a national leader in the hospital industry, having served as chief executive in both for profit and non-profit systems for more than 25 years.

Prior to joining Erlanger, Mr. Coleman was president and CEO of Alliant Management Service, a multi-state hospital management company based in Louisville, Ky. During his career, Mr. Coleman has worked with hospitals in Louisiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Alabama. He has extensive experience in governance and leadership development, along with hospital operations, finance, quality and market strategy.

Originally from Cleveland, Mr. Coleman has a bachelor of science and master's in business administration with a focus in finance from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.



The chapter will honor several citizens who have been "true heroes" in Southeast Tennessee. The honorees include:

- Good Samaritan Award - Jacob Grammer;

- First Responder Award - Nick Wilson;

- Call to Service Award - Denise Kell; and

- Community Award - Wendy Ransom.



The chapter will also honor Linda Moss Mines with the Humanitarian Award. This achievement award is given to the person who gives back in the community in several philanthropic ways to make a positive change.

Information about the Heroes Luncheon can be found at RedCross.org/RealHeroes.
Foundation House Ministries is the only maternity home within 150 miles for mothers exiting crisis lifestyles. The nonprofit will hold a banquet on Tuesday, March 28 from 6-7:30 p.m. at Westwood Baptist Church, 4001 Georgetown Road NW in Cleveland. Executive Director Suzanne Burns will speak with guests at the event about the need for support these women are experiencing, especially post-COVID.

Ms. Burns said, Were seeing a much higher number of clients calling and they are reporting much more serious circumstances. These women require more resources, time and case management.

Ms. Burns said the challenge lies in serving these women effectively while also being available for new clients to enter the program.

Foundation House gives financial, physical and emotional support to women who are pregnant or mothers with infants who struggle with addiction, homelessness and need trauma-informed care.

The nonprofit also works alongside the courts to lessen jail time and seek custody for their clients.

Founded in 2012, Foundation House Ministries has served over 120 mothers through housing and

over 600 mothers through non-residential support services.

Ms. Burns says the primary goal of this years fundraising efforts is to expand their traditional housing opportunities and to provide long-term residential support to mothers with toddlers. "Roughly 70 percent of Foundation House clients arrive with no GED or high school diploma and most of them have little job experience. Eighty-nine percent are former drug addicts and 85 percent were raised in chronic poverty," Ms. Burns said. "Foundation House offers on the job training, life skills workshops and prepares their clients for stable and sustainable independent living to break the cycle of

generational poverty."



To support the nonprofit by purchasing a ticket, donating or volunteering, visit

www.foundationhouseministries.org. Tickets are $40 per person or $280 for a table sponsorship. Email suzanneb@foundationhouseministries.org with further questions, including sponsorship

opportunities.

Foundation House is located at 258 Broad St. NW in Cleveland.
Over the weekend, Chattanooga Police responded to two calls for deceased persons found. Both calls are unrelated to each other.

A citizen called police on Saturday at 3 p.m. about a man lying behind a building on the 3400 block of Brainerd Road. Chattanooga Police found a man in the early phases of decomposition. The victim is unknown and an investigation is underway.

Police also responded to a deceased person found in a bathroom of the Walmart Supercenter at 2020 Gunbarrel Road on Saturday at 7 p.m. Police said Fentanyl was found on-scene, as well as needles and insulin. It is believed to be an accidental overdose. The victim was a white male, age 35.
Austin Campbell Sandy Tommey, 36, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, passed away on February 25, 2023.

He was born on May 25, 1986, in Fort Oglethorpe, GA to Kenny and Kim Tommey. Sandy was a true outdoorsman with a deep longing for adventure. These adventures took him to multiple locations around the world, often focused around iconic rivers or bodies of water. Climbing, fishing, snowboarding, and whitewater rafting were just a few of Sandys passions in the outdoors. In addition to Tennessee and Georgia, Sandy lived in Florida, Pennsylvania, Washington, Utah, Oregon, Colorado, West Virginia, California and Hawaii, just to name a few. His travels around the globe afforded him the opportunity to make friends and memories that he cherished as his greatest possessions. He was a beloved raft guide for 15 years all over the country. One of Sandys raddest accomplishments was a 30-day rafting trip on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon in the winter of 2016, a trip of a lifetime. He took another epic, 3 month trip to the Patagonia region which encompasses the southern tip of South America. He also lived on a sailboat off the coast of Hawaii for 5 months.

Additionally, Sandy was a gifted musician and founding member of The Water Oak Ramblers. His banjo, one of his most prized possessions, was always at his side and he never hesitated to draw his sword and pick a tune in whatever circle he found himself. He was a skilled carpenter/craftsman and loved using his gifts to help others whenever the need arose. Sandy had a heart for children and was especially fond of his two nephews: Walden and Rowan. Sandy was dearly loved by many and will be greatly missed and forever remembered. There are no words to describe how precious he was to all of us.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Jane Crawford Collett and Jackie Robert Collett and paternal grandparents, Marjorie Campbell Tommey and Gene Paul Tommey.

He leaves behind to cherish his memory his mother and father, Kim and Kenny Tommey; brother, Dustin Tommey and his wife Raven, and his nephews, Walden and Rowan Tommey; aunts and uncles: Rick Collett, Janice Neal, Paul Tommey (Catherine), David Tommey, and Janell McKenzie (Bruce); great aunts: Kay Collett and Evelyn Stephenson. He also leaves behind a host of cousins and a multitude of friends all around the world.

A celebration of Sandys life will be held at a later date.

You are invited to share a personal memory or your condolences with his family at his online memorial at www.companionfunerals.com.

In lieu of flowers, Sandys family requests that donations in his memory be made to American Whitewater, Woodsong Forest School, or Tennessee Donor Services.

American Whitewater

Sandy had a passion for whitewaters all over the world. By donating to American Whitewater, you can honor Sandys life by taking an active role in protecting and restoring whitewater rivers.

https://connect. clickandpledge.com/w/Form/ c178a504-b0d6-486e-8d74- db507a71fad1

Woodsong Forest Education Foundation

Sandy was awesome with kids and deeply loved being in nature. He had a special affinity for Woodsong Forest School, the outdoor school that his friend founded and nephews attend in Cleveland, TN. By supporting Woodsong, you can honor Sandys life by investing in nature-based education for children.

https://www.venmo.com/u/ Woodsongforestschool

Tennessee Donor Services

Sandy cared about people and in many instances risked his life to protect the lives of others. Ultimately, he was able to give the gift of life to others through TDS.
Blood Assurance officially opens the doors to its new brick-and-mortar donation center in Fort Oglethorpe this week.



A ribbon cutting celebration is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Wednesday. The event is open to the public and will include guest speakers and refreshments.



Located in Boynton Ridge Plaza at 3811 Battlefield Pkwy., the facility is going to give individuals from Northwest Georgia the opportunity to donate lifesaving blood, plasma, platelets and double red blood cells. The 2,000-square-foot stand-alone building features three donor screening rooms, six donor beds and a refreshment area.



We are ecstatic to be opening a state-of-the-art center in Fort O, said Blood Assurance CEO J.B. Gaskins. Our job is to save lives, and with this new, strategic location, it allows us to build on that in the Peach State.



The building replaces Blood Assurances smaller donation center on Lafayette Road, and is located adjacent to a Publix supermarket. Blood Assurance has been operating in the Fort Oglethorpe community for nearly 50 years. It was the first location outside of Chattanooga where the company opened a donation center. Present day, Blood Assurance is the sole supplier of blood and blood products to the citys CHI Memorial Hospital, officials said.



When it comes time to help, this is a very giving community, said Fort Oglethorpe Mayor Earl Gray. You never know when you are going to need blood. We are very fortunate to have Blood Assurance and this brand new facility in our city.



Blood donors will be able to donate in Fort Oglethorpe during the following hours:

Monday: 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

Tuesday: 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

Wednesday: 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

Thursday: 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

Friday: 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

Saturday: 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Sunday: CLOSED



Donors can schedule an appointment online at www.bloodassurance.org/schedule, calling 800-962-0628, or texting BAGIVE to 999777. Walk-ins are also accepted.



To be eligible to donate blood, you must be at least 17 years old (16 years old with parental consent), weigh 110 pounds or more and be in good health. Donors are asked to drink plenty of fluids  avoiding caffeine  and eat a meal that is rich in iron prior to donating.
Police said a fight involving juvenile girls and two boys outside Hamilton Place Mall erupted into gunfire on Saturday night.

No one was injured.

Police received a call at 7:32 p.m. of shots fired near Hamilton Place Boulevard.

Police were advised that a group fought between the Cheesecake Factory and Aloft Hotel. During the fight, a juvenile male fired a single shot. No one was hit, but a window at the Aloft Hotel was damaged as a result.

All involved parties then ran from the scene.

Responding officers searched the area and located the 16-year-old male who was said to have fired the gun. After a search of the area, and interview of witnesses, a gun was found and the juvenile was arrested.
The Kelly administration is set to accelerate the creation and preservation of affordable housing through its One Chattanooga Affordable Housing Action Plan, which kicks off this week in an effort to expedite solutions that increase housing opportunities for all Chattanoogans.

With support from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the American Rescue Plan Act, Mayor Tim Kelly has already helped fund the development of more than 600 new affordable units since he took office, which will be coming online on a rolling basis over the next two years. The affordable housing action plan will build on that momentum by prioritizing policies and programs that both preserve existing affordable units and make it easier for developers to create new units in areas where they will have the greatest impact, said officials.

The lack of affordable housing in Chattanooga is one of the most important issues we are facing as a community, and while weve been able to fund a strong pipeline of new affordable units, theres more we can do to fuel additional investment and support residents who are struggling to stay in their homes right now, said Mayor Kelly. Thats why, for the first time in Chattanoogas history, were bringing together leaders from every sector of our community to put the right policies and programs in place that will solve our housing crisis for good.

To inform the development of the plan, the administration has convened a 30-person working group of city and county government officials, local service providers, housing providers, builders, lenders, and representatives from local community and philanthropic organizations.

The group, which will meet for the first time this Wednesday, will convene a total of four times over the next seven months to:

Establish the citys housing inventory and needs

Identify the biggest barriers to furthering affordable housing development and accessibility

Prioritize a list of programs and policies to drive investment in the creation and preservation of more affordable housing across the city

The Kelly administration is also welcoming new consultant groups, who will work under the leadership of Chief Housing Officer Nicole Heyman on the development and implementation of the housing action plan. Arriving in Chattanooga this week, the consultants will join the working groups kickoff meeting and participate in three additional roundtable discussions with local community leaders, focused on affordable housing development, preservation, and financing.

Housing accessibility is an issue that touches everyone, from your childs preschool teacher, to your first responders, to community leaders and business executives looking to attract new talent, said Ms. Heyman. Thats why its critical for us to work with the community to create a toolbox of innovative incentives that will support Chattanoogans at every level, and Im excited about the public-private partnerships we now have in place to make that happen.

The consultant groups will work with the community over the next seven months to gather information and make recommendations for the action plan.

Together, they will analyze Chattanoogas existing housing market, identify priority areas for investment, recommend approaches for deploying public and private funding, and prioritize programs and policies to accelerate affordable housing creation and preservation.

The city estimates the full plan will be completed this fall, after which an expanded set of financial incentives will be announced to drive more affordable housing options.

What is affordable housing?

When some people hear the term affordable housing, they think of big towers and concentrated poverty. But affordable housing simply means that every Chattanoogan has access to safe, quality, housing that is affordable to them, no matter their income, socioeconomic background, education, or zip code.

Whats affordable? The federal government defines housing as affordable when the occupant is spending no more than 30 percent of their income on their home, including rent or mortgage payments and utilities. People spending more than 50 percent of their income on housing are considered severely cost burdened.

For example, the average income for a grocery store worker in Chattanooga is around $29,000 per year. That means to live without being cost burdened, they would have to find an affordable rent of $735 per month, including utilities.
California native Nicole has moved to Egypt to be with her husband, Mahmoud, on 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way Season 4, and she is not having the easiest time adjusting to her new life. She has been breaking many societal and social norms in Egypt, which is making her husband uncomfortable.

Nicole and Mahmoud, 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way Season 4 | TLC

Nicole and Mahmouds 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way journey

When 38-year-old Nicole went on a spiritual tour of Egypt. It was the last day of her trip when the trajectory of her life was changed forever after she met 30-year-old Mahmoud. After returning home to Los Angeles, California, she returned to Cairo, Egypt, to marry Mahmoud.

Before marriage, Nicole converted to Islam and agreed to live according to its rules to fit into Egyptian society. However, after just two months, Nicole couldnt handle the lifestyle and went back home to the United States.

On 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way Season 4, Nicole sells her home in LA and moves to Mahmouds hometown in Egypt to be with him indefinitely. On Nicoles first day back in Egypt, she is already having trouble adjusting to the more restricted lifestyle than shes used to in the US.

Nicole goes into an all-male cafe

During the March 5 episode of 90 Day Fiance, Mahmoud tries to help Nicole overcome her homesickness by taking her to explore his city. They pass by a cafe that is traditionally only for men. Nicole asks if they can go inside; eager to make Nicole happy, Mahmoud nervously agrees.

There are some places in Egypt just for men. Especially when the area like where I am, all of the cafes are mostly for men. And if they seen a woman, like, why? [sic] Mahmoud said.

Mahmoud felt very uncomfortable bringing his American wife to a traditionally all-male cafe as they were met with stares. He explains to Nicole that men speak differently around other men, which is why women are usually not allowed.

Nicole asks to meet Mahmouds friends

When Mahmoud reveals that traditionally, men can be more free around their friends, Nicole asks to meet her husbands friends. This would be weird, very weird, Mahmoud told her.

Nicole is curious about who Mahmoud hangs out with and wants to meet his friends, but he doesnt think its a good idea. Part of my struggle in Egypt is I dont have any friends, and Ive never met any of his friends, she said.

Mahmoud explained that meeting his friends wives goes against cultural norms. He told her that marital life is kept separate from their friendships. But Nicole continues to push the issue, and Mahmoud begrudgingly agrees to let Nicole meet his friends once. Its not going to be comfortable for anyone, he explained to her.

After begging to meet his friends, he agrees, and they meet with four of his childhood friends. Mahmoud starts feeling relaxed during the visit, but then its Nicole who is feeling uncomfortable. She now realizes that when her husband says going outside societal norms can make for awkward situations, she will believe him.

Will Nicole be able to find her place in Egypt, or will she go home again? Audiences must continue watching 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way to find out how their marriage ends.

New episodes of 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way Season 4 air Sundays at 8 pm EST on TLC.
90 Day Fiance: The U.S. Embassys Guide to Marriage Fraud Is an Eye-Opening Reminder for TLCs Cast Members

The 90 Day Fiance franchise has become a TLC mega-hit. Many of the featured couples are really in it for love. And several successful marriages appear in the series, such as Loren and Alexei Brovarnik, Elizabeth Potthast and Andrei Castravet, and fan favorites David Toborowsky and Annie Suwan.

More couples, however, just couldnt make it work. (Were looking at you, Deavan Clegg and Jihoon Lee, Kalani Faagata and Asuelu Pulaa, and spinoff stars from The Family Chantel, Chantel Everett and Pedro Jimeno.)

Then there were couples doomed from the start, largely because the fraud was pretty obvious to everyone except for the cast member dating the suspicious person.

Danielle, who brought her love interest Mohamed over from Tunisia | 90 Day Fiance via Youtube

Some 90 Day Fiance couples were suspicious from the beginning

Green card scams have been around for decades. But social media has made it that much easier for scammers to find victims. 90 Day Fiance has televised several of these alleged situations.

Mismatched couple Mohamed Jbali and Danielle Mullins appeared in Season 2 of the series. The couples notoriety was likely one reason this TV franchise became so popular.

Mohamed was obviously using his girlfriend from the first moment when he wouldnt kiss her at the airport after meeting her for the first time. The couple married even though he seemed uninterested at best and repulsed at worst. Danielles husband was soon partying with other women. The two divorced, but Mohamed remains in the U.S.

'90 Day Fiance': Molly Explains Why She Let the Show Follow Her After Divorce  And Why She'd Do It Again https://t.co/00ZLainH3V pic.twitter.com/Xux94Wila7  TheWrap (@TheWrap) July 27, 2018

Molly Hopkins has a large 90 Day fan base, partly due to her appearances on Pillow Talk. She is now in a happy relationship. But she first appeared in the series with her younger Dominican boyfriend Luis Mendez. The couple married, but his true colors appeared quickly and they divorced. He married someone else five months later.

Then there was Jay Smith who many accused of being in it for the green card right from the start. After meeting in Jamaica, Jay came to America to be with Ashley Martson and help her raise her two children. Soon after they tied the knot, Ashley discovered her new husband was on Tinder looking for other women. The couple divorced.

'90 Day Fiance' stars Ashley Martson & Jay Smith split for good. https://t.co/bOBpSlWsEE pic.twitter.com/G633IrQ5dd  HollywoodLife (@HollywoodLife) September 19, 2020

The U.S. Embassys guide to marriage fraud

The U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Morocco lays out guidelines on internet romance and marriage fraud that are echoed throughout other U.S. embassies around the world. Many other countries have similar regulations. These include:

Declarations of love within days or weeks of the initial contact

Proposals or discussions of marriage soon after initial contact

Requests to the American to visit the foreign nationals home country soon after the declaration of love or proposal

Responses to messages from the American friend are along the lines I love you/Sorry I missed your call, or similarly one-sided conversations

Once engaged, married, or an immigrant visa petition is filed, suddenly starts missing scheduled appointments to chat or call

Many 90 Day Fiance relationships echo these guidelines.

Have any 90 Day Fiance cast members been deported?

"90 Day Fiance" star Natalie Mordovtseva faces backlash over dating saga https://t.co/afQhFkHDBg pic.twitter.com/3OHYUyvJqF  Newsweek Culture (@NewsweekCulture) December 6, 2022

It doesnt appear that any of the TLC shows cast members have been deported. But some have come close, and others are at risk.

When one of the 90 Day marriages ends, it may put the visitors immigration status in jeopardy. This happened with Natalie Mordovtseva and Larissa Santos Lima. They both still live and work in the United States.

Julia Trubkina recently revealed that she has an expired visa due to some missing paperwork. Julia, who is married to Brandon Gibbs, recently posted on Instagram, Questions about my status often come to me. Answer my visa expired in December 2022. We dont know anything. We sent all the documents that we had.

After watching what went down in Moldova, Colt and Debbie think that Elizabeths family love Libby and Andrei but ultimately are causing more problems by getting in the middle of everything. #90DayFiance pic.twitter.com/lnJGoyyhyc  90DayFiance (@90DayFiance) September 28, 2020

Andrei Castravet is also in potential danger. He believes that someone in his wife Elizabeth Potthasts family reported him to seek revenge but hopes he will not be deported to his native Moldova.
Parker Schnabel is seeking a shot at redemption. The prospector washed out in the last season of the discovery+ and Discovery Channel reality series Gold Rush. Now, hes hoping to turn his luck around. To do that, he heads to South America, where hes on the hunt for millions of dollars in lost gold in new episodes of Gold Rush: Parkers Trail.

A new season of Gold Rush: Parkers Trail premieres in April

Parker Schnabel in Gold Rush: Parkers Trail | Discovery

The new season of the Gold Rush: Parkers Trail premieres Friday, April 7 at 9 p.m. ET on Discovery Channel. The Gold Rush spinoff will also stream on discovery+.

In the most recent season of Gold Rush, Parkers new mine in Alaska was a total bust. With his land lease in the Yukon running out, hes on the hunt for new opportunities. He thinks he may have found them in South America, where he braves extreme conditions in an attempt to recover $100 million in gold hidden in the ground.

Best adventure ever will be airing next month, Parker teased in an Instagram post. It was pretty brutal but amazing country, people and of course gold.

Parker Schnabel and the rest of the Gold Rush cast head to Peru

With a washout in Alaska and an expiring land lease in the Yukon, Parker looks to South America to turn the tide and expand his golden empire.??

? #Gold Rush: Parkers Trail premieres on Friday, April 7 at 9p on @Discovery pic.twitter.com/hLqzPSwGjW  Gold Rush (@Gold_Rush) March 3, 2023

Parkers search for gold will take him to some of the most remote and unforgiving parts of South America. The Gold Rush cast members  who also include Tyler Mahoney, Danny Etheridge, and Dr. Diego Lazarzaburu  will follow in the footsteps of the Incas and they chase down leads in their hunt for fresh ground to mine Peru. In the process, theyll cross inhospitable terrain and raging rivers while also seeking advice from local miners, some of whom have been digging on their land for generations.

If you actually want to find world-class ground, you actually have to go where nobody else goes, Parker says in a sneak peek at the new season (via Twitter). South America has a lot of ounces in the ground, but its not for the faint of heart.

A medical emergency threatens to end Parkers search for gold in the new season of the Gold Rush spinoff

Gold Rush: Parkers Trail | Discovery

The new season of Gold Rush: Parkers Trail will also feature a prospect in Madre Di Dios, a rich gold district in the Amazon jungle; mining with the indigenous Harakmbut tribe; and a trek to Perus La Rinconada, a gold mine perched 17,000 feet above sea level.

Parker and his crew will blast out gold in unventilated tunnels with hand-lit explosives. Theyll also discover a modern-day gold rush in Bolivia and prospect in the footsteps of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in the high deserts. However, just as hes about to make a deal on a piece of ground to mine, a medical emergency threatens to bring a premature end to Parkers hunt for gold on a new continent.

Im genuinely scared, one of the crew worries as someone puts an IV in the Gold Rush star. He is not well at all.

For more on the entertainment world and exclusive interviews, subscribe to Showbiz Cheat Sheets YouTube channel.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during the Raisina Dialogue, in New Delhi, Thursday, March 2, 2023.

Some things happened last week that require reflection. They are different things but we shall try to join them. The "mother of democracy" hosted her children at the G-20 foreign ministers meeting. There were some step-children in attendance also, like our nameless neighbour on the east and the Gulf states, which are not democratic, and some others like Russia and Turkey which are democratic only in name.

A few questions come to mind when thinking about our position in the grand scheme of things. The first one is our demand that the global order be modified and we be given our rightful place in the United Nations Security Council. This demand was repeated again this week, and of course has found its place in the ruling partys manifestos. The question that occurs is why does the nation that is already a "Vishwa Guru" need to be on the Security Council? The answer is not known perhaps because the question has not been asked before, but we have to consider it seriously since the claim is serious, just as the claim that we have been elected head of the G-20 is serious. Also, if we are a "Vishwa Guru", why not just take the place on the Council rather than ask for it? If someone is stopping us, who dares do that to a Vishwa Guru? Again, the answer is not obvious.

The other thing related to this issue is what happened at the G-20 meeting in Delhi. It was a meeting of the foreign ministers and one national newspaper had this headline "G-20 foreign ministers meeting: Divisions between Western countries, Russia-China derail joint statement". The context was the war in Ukraine, which also derailed the joint statement last year in Bali (when Indonesia was the G-20 president though it was not a Vishwa Guru). The question that occurs is simple: can our presidency not produce anything different from Indonesias or anyone elses, and if it cannot, then what is the point of all the song and dance? This is a rhetorical question.

The next thing that happened is that India has, in addition to being the mother of democracy and Vishwa Guru, become the worlds most populous nation. This news came to Vishwa Guru from the outside. The World Population Review database says that on Friday, March 3, our population was 142 crores and 80 lakh people, while Chinas was 142 crores and 50 lakh people. When this becomes official, there will be a lot of song and dance about it, but remember that it is the second time that India is ahead of China. The first was of course all the years before 1947 when, if you assume a united India, it was always the most populous part of the world.

Why do I say that the news came to us from outside? That is because we have not conducted a census for the first time in over a century, and we do not know when it will be conducted. The second last thing on this subject is that along with becoming the worlds populous nation, our fertility rate has been falling. It stands at 2.0, which is right at the point of replacement, and it continues to fall. Meaning that in a few years our population will start to decline. There is something to be said here against those people who keep scare-mongering on the basis of faith, but this is not the place to discuss that. However, we should, and this is the last thing, consider that a few years ago we began our demographic bulge, when the number of working-age people in the population began to maximise.

However, this is also the same period when our labour force participation rate and our unemployment rose, according to the governments figures. A combination of a record population and record unemployment, what will that bring? We will see.

The last item in this column deals with the Union Budget. The Prime Minister had last week referred to it as the "Amrit Kaal" Budget when talking about such things as education. The first point of "Amrit Kaal", according to him, is that by or in 2047 India would become "developed".

Now, if we go by the growth rate we have achieved since 2014, which is an average of 5.7 per cent growth per year, where would we be in 2047? The answer is at $8,800 per capita. That is $4,000 less than China is today, and less than one-fourth of Japans current per capita and about one ninth of Americas current per capita GDP.

If we will call ourselves "developed", are we going to do so by changing the definition of development? Or do we expect others to come down? Or do we expect to grow faster than we have since 2014? If we expect to grow faster, how and what are we doing or going to do that is different from what we have done since 2014?

This is again a rhetorical question because there are no answers. Our solutions lie in acronyms, slogans, coining new words and phrases and pretending to be something we are not and are not about to be. Getting the great powers to agree to something against their will requires either hard power or at the very least great moral authority, neither of which, truth be told, we have. A government that cannot count its own people, cannot count its own record of growth and extrapolate it, that does not acknowledge its own data on employment and joblessness, will not be taken seriously. On the positive side, nobody can stop us from preening, from bombast and from pretending. And so, we can expect that to continue.
TL;DR:

King Charles IIIs coronation is May 6, 2023.

A historian expects many shots of Prince William and Prince George at the televised ceremony.

The reason, the historian explained, is the royal familys line of succession.

Prince William, Prince George, and Kate Middleton | John Sibley/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

The coronation of King Charles III is going to be a big day in the U.K. come May 6, 2023. Undoubtedly there will be shots of the king, sweeping views of Westminster Abbey, and crowds lining the streets. In addition to the newly-crowned king, a commentator predicts there will be many shots of his son and grandson, Prince William and Prince George, as a reminder of the line of succession.

A historian thinks cameras will show a lot of King Charles, Prince William, and Prince George during the coronation

King Charles coronation will focus on the monarch being crowned king. However, historian Dr. Tessa Dunlop predicts, in addition to the many camera shots of the 74-year-old, there will also be plenty of chances to see the Prince of Wales and George, 9.

[They] want to keep it focused on that line of succession, Dunlop told Palace Confidential. So were going to see a lot of camera shots of Charles, of William, of George.

Dunlop, who appeared alongside royal commentator Richard Eden, continued. The historian referenced Queen Elizabeth IIs coronation in June 1953 where the now-king, then just 5 years old, sat between the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret for maximum visibility.

Working royals will also have prominent roles at King Charles coronation

Princess Charlotte, Kate Middleton, Camilla Parker Bowles, Prince Louis, Prince George, King Charles, and Prince William | Samir Hussein/WireImage

The coronation will be all about King Charles, according to Richard Eden, the Daily Mails diary editor. Although, he pointed out on Palace Confidential, other British royals will be visible too.

We will see other working members of the royal family taking prominent roles, Eden said, noting the procession to Westminster Abbey in London, England. They wont be taking part in the ceremony, as such, but what you will see is a program of events around the country involving all the working royals.

So that all the different parts of the United Kingdom feel part of the coronation and, of course, [well] see them on the Buckingham Palace balcony, where itll be all the working royals together, he added.

Camilla Parker Bowles will kick off the coronation ceremony, followed by King Charles, a Buckingham Palace procession, and a concert

?Theres just 1 week left to enter the ticket ballot for your chance to attend the Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle!?



Find out more and enter   The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) February 21, 2023

Although hes the focus of the coronation, the May 6 ceremony wont begin with crowing the king. Instead, King Charles wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, will start the ceremony. Shell be crowned queen consort first before the kings officially named monarch and crowned with St. Edwards Crown.

Following the Westminster Abbey ceremony will be a procession leading the newly crowned king and queen consort through the streets of London to Buckingham Palace. There they will stand on the palace balcony and wave to crowds, not unlike the annual Trooping the Colour parade, alongside other working royals.

Rounding out coronation weekend will be a star-studded concert at Windsor Castle on May 7 and a U.K. bank holiday on Monday, May 8.
Christine Quinn left The Oppenheim Group ahead of Selling Sunset Season 6. Now, the Netflix reality star and luxury real estate agent reportedly lives and works in Paris, France. Heres what we know about Quinns exit from The O Group to pursue other project, her decision to leave the Netflix series, and her exit from the country.

Christine Quinn in Paris, France | Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images

Christine Quinn started a brokerage in April 2022

We work with buyers, sellers, and agents, Quinn tweeted on April 23, 2022. Dont get left behind

We work with buyers, sellers, and agents.



Dont get left behind ? https://t.co/yYn0MuhESc  Christine Quinn (@XtineQuinn) April 23, 2022

Quinn isnt in much of Selling Sunset Season 5. In addition to the drama between her and The O Groups employees, Quinn was working on a business of her own  RealOpen.

According to the RealOpen site, RealOpen is built by a team of people passionate about pushing the boundaries of real estate and finance. The sites about us page continues: We are the bridge between the bright future of digital assets and anachronistic industries in need of disruption.

According to Quinns Instagram post from the same day, It took over a year of hard work and tenacity to create this platform and patent-pending technology to revolutionize the housing market. Quinn started the company with her husband Christian Dumontet, the CEO of Foodler and an early adopter of cryptocurrency. They operate RealOpen with Jim Ricotta, Johnny Schiro, Julie K. ONeill, David Rich, and Alan Rosca. Later, the company launched RealScore, a crypto credit scoring system.

Selling Sunset star reportedly lives in Paris now

After her exit from The Oppenheim Group, Quinns exit from the Netflix series followed. Then, at the end of 2022, Quinn reportedly left LA for good. The city is as dead as the Hollywood Cemetery, Quinn told Perfect Magazine from her forthcoming home of Paris (via Instagram). RIP.

Christine Quinn on Working with Hollywood Stylist Maeve Reilly: It Was Love at First Sight https://t.co/We6DXLDS3V  The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) February 9, 2023

It might just be the perfect setting to capitalize on her fashion canonization, Perfects caption continues. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Quinn and her husband listed their $8 million Hollywood Hills home on RealOpen. Its unclear if they have purchased a home in Paris yet.

Paris was always the goal for Christine Quinn and her husband

In her November 2022 interview with Forbes, Quinn said her and her husbands dream has always been to live in France, and specifically Paris. She added: Were looking for a classic Parisian, Haussmann-style building, ideally with modern updates to the interior. We enjoy a well-lit living environment as weve become accustomed to in Los Angeles.

Selling Sunset fans find Christines move to Paris very Emily Cooper

While Quinns move to Paris isnt necessarily news, some Selling Sunset fans are just discovering her decision to leave the country. Many dont think Quinn will last long in Paris.

I think its just another American who has a Gossip Girl vision of Paris, said one Reddit user. Emily in Paris but then Christine in Paris. same overdressed clothes with too [many] prints, croissants with jus de fruit, sex, and maybe some culture. Others agree, believing Quinn has a fantasy view of life in Paris. But only time will tell how long she stays in the City of Light.
Food porn alert on Summer House! Andrea Denver returns for the weekend and gets a re-do on last summers Italian feast.

This time the Italian native made rigatoni alla carbonara and Denver generously shared his recipe with Showbiz Cheat Sheet.

The sumptuous dish only has a few ingredients, but the decadence shines through. Denver told Showbiz Cheat Sheet that quality ingredients are key to this dish.

Its one of my favorite pastas and Ive done it so many times, he said. So it was easy for me. When I decided to cook for everybody I knew what I was going to do. But I have to say, the one that I cooked that night was probably my best ever, so I was really happy.

Andrea Denver shares his Summer House recipe

This dish calls for spaghetti, but Denver prefers to use rigatoni because it holds the sauce. To make rigatoni alla carbonara for two, youll need rigatoni (320g), guanciale (150 g), 6 egg yolks (medium eggs) pecorino romano (50 g), and black pepper to taste.

Denver said if you cant find guanciale, you can substitute with pancetta. But dont use regular bacon! he laughed.

The first step is to fill a large saucepan with salted water. Place on the stove at a high setting so it eventually comes to a boil.

Andrea Denver |Eugene Gologursky/Bravo via Getty Images

In the meantime, remove the rind from the guanciale and cut it first into slices and then into strips about 1cm thick. The leftover rind can be reused to flavor the pasta a little bit at the end.

Pour the pieces of guanciale into a non-stick pan and brown for about 10 minutes over medium-high heat. Be careful not to burn it otherwise, the aroma will be overpowering. Next, plunge the rigatoni into boiling water and cook them al dente. Meanwhile, pour the egg yolks into a bowl.

Andrea explains how to make this Summer House recipe creamy

Add the pecorino and season with the black pepper. Mix everything with a hand whisk until you get a smooth cream.

By now, the guanciale will be ready to cook. Turn off the heat and use a ladle to remove it from the pan, leaving the cooking juices in the pan itself. Transfer the guanciale into a small bowl and set aside. Pour a ladle of water from the pasta into the pan, together with the guanciales fat.

Drain the pasta al dente directly into the pan with the cooking liquid. Saute it briefly to flavor it. Remove from the heat and pour the egg and pecorino mixture into the pan. Stir quickly to mix.

To make it creamy, you can add a little cooking water from the pasta. Add the guanciale, mix one last time, and serve the rigatoni alla carbonara immediately, adding more pecorino on the surface and a pinch of black pepper.

How does Andrea Denver stay fit but still eat pasta?

As a model, Denver has to be cognizant of what he eats. But he doesnt restrict himself from indulgences and explained how he can essentially have his pasta and eat it too.

Its funny because even [girlfriend] Lexi noticed that we eat double the pasta in Italy than what we eat in the United States but we both lose weight when we are in Italy, he said.

I just think its the product, he added. Because we dont really talk about organic and stuff, which is common in the United States. Its just the quality of the product but you dont overpay for the difference like you do in the United States.

But I think if you walk a little bit and work out a little bit, you can eat pasta every day when youre in Italy, he said. And even Lexis dad last year, it was his first time in Italy and we basically ate pizza and pasta every day he came back to the United States and lost weight as well.

The Summer House cast indulges in Denvers meal (and more drama) tonight at 9 pm on Bravo.
The Challenge three-time competitor Stephen Bear and War of the Worlds finalist Georgia Harrison dated after meeting on the MTV competitive franchise in 2018. She has since accused him of filming their sexual encounter without her consent and uploading it to sites for money. Following his sentencing after the guilty verdict, Stephen refused to apologize to Georgia.

Stephen Bear refused to apologize to Georgia Harrison after sentencing

Nearly three years after Love Island star Georgia Harrison accused ex-boyfriend and The Challenge alum Stephen Bear of posting videos of their sexual encounter without her consent, UK-based courts sentenced him to 21 months in prison for voyeurism and two counts of disclosing private sexual photographs and films.

Shortly after the March 2023 sentencing, Stephen addressed the media. He claimed he wanted to share his side of the story and ignored a reporter when she asked if he wanted to apologize to Georgia.

Nelson sent the Bear to go hibernate. #TheChallenge35 pic.twitter.com/cRpTnyHr2a  The Challenge (@TheChallenge) May 24, 2020

Instead, he instructed his girlfriend to keep recording, babe. The Challenge star then said he didnt understand why he should answer questions as he thought everyone had already formed an opinion about him.

When asked again about an apology, Stephen ignored her and said he hoped he would get justice. Another reporter asked if he felt any remorse, and the reality TV star began waving at the gathering crowd and took a picture with a fan as the media continued addressing him.

Georgia said shes relieved after the sentencing

The War of the Worlds finalist also addressed the media immediately following the sentencing. She said shes relieved the issue is behind her and considers the sentence a vindication of her experience.

Additionally, the UK native noted the verdict proved to her that the police and court system are taking revenge porn cases seriously.

GOT A TEXT! ?



Meet one of the newbies from the UK: Georgia! ??

And don't miss the season premiere of The Challenge: War of The Worlds, THIS WEDNESDAY at 9/8c! ?? #TheChallenge33 pic.twitter.com/W3H2Lfzo2y  The Challenge (@TheChallenge) February 4, 2019

Finally, she added she doesnt regret keeping her identity public and addressed other victims of similar crimes, stating she stands with them.

A reporter tried to ask her a question about her statement, but the London-based reality TV star didnt want to take anything.

Stephen found guilty in revenge porn case

In 2018, Georgia and Stephen met while filming The Challenge: War of the Worlds. He had a girlfriend at the time but promptly ended things to begin dating the UK native. They had an on-again, off-again relationship but were together in 2019.

A year later, in the summer of 2020, she accused him of secretly filming their sexual encounter by strategically placing cameras around his house.

Bear's world is about to implode when he gets a call from his "cousin" back home, and Georgia finds out about it ? Next time on #TheChallenge33 pic.twitter.com/KvW2gjsyKq  The Challenge (@TheChallenge) March 21, 2019

According to Georgia, he showed friends before uploading the video to websites, including the subscription-based app OnlyFans, without her consent. In December 2022, he arrived at his trial alongside his girlfriend, Jessica Smith, in a white Rolls Royce, holding a cobra-headed cane while smoking a cigar.

Georgia waived her right to remain anonymous because she wanted to bring attention to the matter and its effects, as the crime is difficult to prove. Therefore, she showed up at the trial, where he was found guilty. Following his conviction, Georgia noted she felt empowered. In March 2023, Stephen returned for sentencing, receiving 21 months in prison.
90 Day Fiance: The Other Way Season 4 fan-favorite, Debbie Agueros criminal past, has been revealed. The eccentric 67-year-old was arrested in 2006. Heres everything we know about the incident that occurred over a decade before making her reality TV debut. What happened?

Debbie, 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way Season 4 | TLC

Debbies semi-precious gemstone jewelry business

On 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way Season 4, Debbie gave a tour of her home in Sugar Hills, Georgia. This is my little art studio, gallery, workplace, where I make jewelry and sell jewelry, Debbie told the cameras. The Georgia peach makes and sells semi-precious gemstone jewelry that she makes herself.

She said that her passion for crystals and gems came from her childhood. As a kid, wed go to the quarries and pick up quartz, crystals, fossils, and wed be so excited just digging through rocks, she recalled.

On top of her jewlrey business, shes also an artist. Debbie revealed she has been painting since she was a child. Painting is my friend. It never lets me down, she said.

Debbie was arrested in 2006

According to online records, Debbie got in legal trouble because of her jewlrey business. Starcasm revealed that Debbie was arrested and booked in Gwinnett County, Georgia in 2006 for no business license. Debbie was 51 years old at the time. Her bond was set for a mere $221.

Debbie, 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way Season 4 | TLC

However since Debbies arrest happened decades ago, there is no additional information regarding the charges. The outlet speculates that Debbie selling jewelry, gems, and precious metals could be the cause of her arrest.

According to Georgia law, it shall be unlawful for any person to advertise or transact business as a dealer in precious metals or gems without first registering pursuant to Code Section 43-37-2Any person who violates this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

Its unclear if Debbie was found guilty of the charge or not. But honestly, Debbies arrest for being an artist only makes her even ore interesting to fans.

Debbie and Oussamas 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way Season 4 journey

Debbie believes she found something special when artist and poet Oussama slid into her DMs. He complimented her art, and the two hit it off. The only problem is the 43-year age gap between her and her 24-year-old Morrocan lover.

Despite the massive age gap, cultural differences, and distance, the Georgia peach has traveled a few times to Morocco to be with her boyfriend. After three years and two trips, Oussama asked Debbie to be his wife, and she obliged.

Debbie and Oussama, 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way | TLC

Now on 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way, Debbie is leaving her life and two adult children behind in the United States to be her much younger beau. Of course, her family doubts Debbie and Oussamas relationship; Debbies son is nervous that his mom is naive and that Oussama is using her for money. But she assured her son that he had never asked her for money, despite him being unemployed.

However, their relationship has many red flags, including a 43-year-age gap and significant cultural differences. But Debbie thinks Oussama is different than her first two husbands and hopes her third marriage is a charm.

90 Day Fiance: The Other Way Season 4 airs Sundays at 8 pm ET on TLC.
A total of 39 candidates have been certified to run for office in the Cherokee Nations June 3 General Election.
New logo for Local Bank, previously known as Bank of Cherokee County.
The wins also convey a message to the Christian world, that Narendra Modi is a credible, popular leader who is trusted by the people in Nagaland and Meghalaya. (Photo: PTI)

The results of the recently-concluded Assembly elections in the three Northeast states of Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya deliver an important message to the extraordinary diversity of voters and their complicated allegiances and cultures across India  that the Bharatiya Janata Party is as inclusive as it is tolerant of the many differences; that it is truly representative of the nation in all its fragments. The Northeast election results contain just the antidote the BJP needs to the relentless campaign of the Opposition, that it is a party of bigots who peddle Hindutva and identity politics to create social divisions and destroy the communal harmony of India.

At a time when multiple voices are being heard demanding that the strategically silent Prime Minister Narendra Modi speak out so that the attacks on the minorities and hate speeches cease, winning in the three Northeast states, particularly so in Nagaland and Meghalaya, which have large Christian populations, is just what Mr Modi and the BJP need. These victories show that people in 87 per cent Christian Nagaland and 74.59 per cent Meghalaya are comfortable voting in regional parties that have now been long-time allies of the BJP. The wins also convey a message to the Christian world, that Narendra Modi is a credible, popular leader who is trusted by the people in Nagaland and Meghalaya.

Exactly how is best illustrated by the BJPs results in Meghalaya; it won just two seats out of the 60 seats in the state Assembly. Worse, its state party boss Ernest Mawrie was defeated. Yet, in Meghalaya and across the country, Ernest Mawrie is not really a loser; he was the man who declared "I eat beef", and added that in Meghalaya, beef was a part of the tradition and culture of the people.

He is, despite his failure, just the ambassador the BJP needs to impact voter perceptions that the party is as inclusive of diversity as it is tolerant of differences.

Winning in the Northeast is therefore crucial to the BJP and Mr Modi, as they prepare to face the challenge of the 2024 general election. It will be Mr Modis bid for a third term. And, regardless of how dismissive Mr Modi and his party may be of the spectre of anti-incumbency, there is no getting away from the fact that sections of Indias voters, most significantly the youth and educated youth, farmers and migrant workers have their grievances. There is also the Adani financial mess in which the Congress and the rest of the Opposition, the worlds financial leaders and bankers and of course the international media, have turned the needle of suspicion and pointed it straight at the relationship between Prime Minister Modi and Gautam Adani.

The BJP is fully conscious of how some voters will be affected by the seeping stink emanating from the dubious doings of the Adani Group and its connections to the present ruling establishment in New Delhi. The party is equally aware that millions of young voters have been added to the lists during the two terms that Mr Modi has headed the Central government. The party will be correct to feel some anxiety that it may be less popular now than it was in 2014 and 2019, when Mr Modi received massive endorsements for being the man who would transform India.

Pundits who pore over the election results to see the changes in voter preference, sometimes very obvious and sometimes a complicated and fragmented judgment, can spend a great deal of time in looking at the details of the BJPs win in Tripura along with its ally, the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura. They would note that its vote share and seats in the Assembly have tapered. They can also consider the emergence of Tipra Motha, led by erstwhile Congress leader Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barma, as a new player in the crowded political space, and its impact on community equations in volatile Tripura.

There is the fact that the tireless Mr Modi is the face that wins elections for the BJP, be it in the three Northeast states that delivered a verdict in the recent elections or in Gujarat, a state he ruled till he became Prime Minister in 2014.

There is another fact; that the Congress is a loser in elections. Despite the organisational changes and the successful sentimental connections revived by Rahul Gandhis Bharat Jodo Yatra, it is also a fact that the Congress, currently, seems clueless on how to consolidate itself and win over sceptics and non-Congress voters, which is necessary if the party is committed to challenging Mr Modi for real in 2024.

While Narendra Modi may be the star and the image of a nation unified by a charismatic leader of a successful government, the other fact is that Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is the BJPs real point man in the Northeast. Managing the subtleties of Northeast identity politics with its fluidities and varied inflection points requires a skilled political functionary. The Congress loss of Mr Sarma was certainly the best thing that happened to the BJP in the Northeast.

As much as the BJP needs to capture new voters in new territories to offset potential losses among voters in what are its strongholds, it needs to build a social coalition that transcends the self-imposed limits of its virulent majoritarian agenda of nationalism. The Minority Front of the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh have also weighed in, because the BJP understands that it needs to add voters to the already committed ones.

The BJPs success, on its own in Tripura and as a junior alliance partner in Nagaland and Meghalaya, are invaluable to Mr Modi as he hobnobs with world leaders as the G-20 chair in 2023 or at Quad meetings.

Without wasting one word, the election results have demonstrated that he, his government and his party have the approval of a minority community, albeit Christians in states where they are in a majority. The results cement the BJPs assertion that the party is most representative of the diversity that is India. It has at the same time demonstrated that the Congress is not a winner and is not the only party that can represent this diversity.
This month, the esteemed venue, The Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City, will host a concert dedicated to the music of Japanese-American pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi.

Toshiko is a musician who has impressed audiences with her talent all over the world. This is her story.

Toshiko was born to a Japanese family in Manchuria in December 1929. When World War II ended, Toshiko and her family moved to Japan. As a young girl, Toshiko played the piano. However, her family had lost most of their things after the war, and she had no piano, so she began practicing and playing in music clubs.

She fell in love with jazz after hearing a record from Teddy Wilson, the American jazz pianist. Toshiko started playing jazz piano in the clubs where she worked, and in 1952, she was discovered by pianist Oscar Peterson while he was on tour in Japan.

Oscar set up a meeting for Toshiko to play and record a record for American jazz record producer Norman Granz.

After recording her debut album, Toshikos Piano, Toshiko set out to the United States in 1956 to attend the Berklee School of Music in Boston. She was the first Japanese student to study at Berklee.

Toshikos name started circulating the American jazz scene, especially when she moved to New York City in 1959 and played in some of the citys most famous jazz venues.

Although many of those who got to hear Toshiko play early in her career were adoring fans, she faced much discrimination for being a female Asian jazz musician.

There werent many women who looked like her playing jazz piano at the time, and she was changing the music scene.

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Do you ever get the creepy feeling that youre being watched? Or followed? Its not just you being paranoid.

Trust your instincts because if a person or situation is giving you the heebie-jeebies, then there is probably something to be suspicious of.

Stalking remains a problem for women; it happens more often than you think. Nearly one in three women are stalked at some point in their lifetimes, and its usually by someone they know.

Beauty and fashion content creator Sofia Divene (@sofiadivene_) is detailing the story of the first time she was ever followed home.

It happened during the height of the pandemic, and the creeper turned out to be a ghost from her past.

It all began when she was at the store picking up a few essentials. While in the parking lot, she got the sense that someone was trying to speak to her. But she hopped in the car and sped away as quickly as she could.

As soon as she reached home, a guy who was parked outside her house rolled his window down and asked for her number. To her surprise, the guy happened to be her middle school crush.

Of course, Sofia declined his request and told him she had a boyfriend. She did not want to give her contact information to someone displaying the behavior of a stalker.

In response, her former crush said her boyfriend didnt have to know about it and invited her to hang out.

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Want to help your pastor thrive for the long haul? Here are six ideas for your church to consider.

Its not exaggerating to say that pastors are not okay. Barna estimates that only one in three pastors could be considered healthy in terms of well-being. Recently, 84 percent of pastors participating in a Lifeway Research study said theyre on call 24 hours a day, and 54 percent found the role of pastor frequently overwhelming. The last three years have only added to pastors stress, as the global pandemic upended traditional church services and ushered in emotionally-charged debates about how best to proceed.

Weve experienced the stress of ministry life firsthand for almost half of our 27 years of marriage. We met as missionaries, attended seminary as a couple, and then Carey served in various positions in our current church while Dena began writing and speaking to Christian women.

Through the years, our family has had massive ups and downs. In late 2020, we lost both of our fathers within two weeks. During the days that followed, our church family showed up with meals, memorial gifts, and cards. They gave us space to grieve and surrounded us with care. In addition, through a mental health provision in Careys benefits package, we were able to take advantage of affordable counseling.

Were thankful for a compassionate congregation, and for people who were forward-thinking in giving staff families benefits that considered the mental, spiritual, and emotional strain full time ministry can cause.

If youd like to better support your own staff members mental health, here are six action steps for you and your church to consider:

Make sure pastors take (all) their vacation time.

Some leaders are afraid that if they take a break, the church will realize it doesnt need them. (Yes, ministers can be insecure.) Reassure him or her that the church needs the best version of them for the long haul, and that self-care is not optional but a necessity to keep from burning out.

Provide low-cost or free counseling.

Some denominations offer benefits for church leaders that include low-cost mental health benefits. Over the past eleven years, both of us and our two sons have attended counseling sessions multiple times. We cant overstate the blessing this has been.

If your denomination doesnt provide mental health coverage, you could ask one or more reputable, professional Christian counselors to volunteer (or at least offer a reduced price) to treat staff and their families.

Of course, your church may be small and have only one paid leader, or there may not be services available in your immediate area. Most counselors now offer telehealth sessions, which could be an option in that case. Another idea is to look for retreats or conference centers which offer respite care to pastors. One camp in Texas offers a small cabin for free for up to a week to ministry families. Other conferences provide scholarships, and sometimes counselors are made available at those events.

Give pastors regular paid sabbatical leave.

Many churches already offer sabbaticals for their leaders, but if yours doesnt, we encourage you to start the conversation with the personnel committee or human resources team. Our church offers a paid month of leave for every five years a staff member serves, and its hugely refreshing for Carey to be able to take off his ministry hat and relax fully. He has spent those weeks in a variety of ways: traveling, attending other worship services, doing home improvement projects, reading widely, and resting. Were very grateful for this generous gift of time.

If your church isnt in a financial position to pay for people to fill in while your pastor takes a break, you could host a fundraiser, take a special offering, or ask one or two key donors to support the initiative. Another option is to contact retired ministers in your area who might jump at the chance to be of service for a few weeks, without expecting pay.

Dont require your pastor (or their family members) to be at every church meeting or event.

Empower laypeople to take ownership of small groups, committees, and meetings. Pastoral staff members can provide oversight, but being at church every time the doors are open isnt necessary or healthy.

In addition, make sure the pastor isnt the only person responsible for hospital visits, funerals, and weddings. Those events can eat up a lot of time and emotional energy.

Pray for your pastor and their families.

Even better, ask them what specific requests you can pray forand follow up later.

It means the world to us when church members tell us theyre praying for us or ask us about our needs. When they recognize our lives are stressful and the job can be overwhelming, we feel seen and taken care of.

Send encouraging emails and cards.

Pastors and their families live in a fishbowl, and that comes with both negative and positive opinions from vocal churchgoers. Over time, the negatives can begin to weigh heavily on a leaders mind.

For several years, Carey has kept a smile file of kind notes from members. When hes having a rough day, he opens and reads it.

Finally, never assume your church staff members are okay. They may work in a church, but they live in the same real world you do, complete with overdue bills, troubling news headlines, and difficult relationships. They dont belong (nor do they want to be) on any kind of pedestal. Come alongside them and treat them as you would any fellow faith traveler.

With creativity and thoughtful decision-making, your church can become a haven not just for your congregation and community, but also for your pastor.

This spring, support the work of the Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College, which provides resources like the Spiritual First Aid course for pastors, church leaders, and laypeople.

Bios: Carey and Dena Dyer have two young adult sons and live in Texas. Carey is a full time worship pastor and Dena serves as Communications Specialist for HDI. They are the authors of Love at First Fight: 52 Story-Based Meditations for Married Couples.
Two years ago on this site, I defined Christian nationalism and warned of its dangers. Last year I published my book on the subject. Despite that, there still seems to be a persistent chorus of voices complaining that the term lacks clear definition and is mostly useless.

This becomes a real problem when were trying to assess the actual threat Christian nationalism poses in our country. For instance, Religion News Service ran a piece last month announcing the results of a recent Public Religion Research Institute poll, which found that nearly a third of Americansmost of them white evangelicalswere Christian nationalists.

However, former faith coordinator for the Obama administration Michael Wear pointed out on Twitter some flaws with the way this poll was conducted and the conclusions drawn from its results.

This is due, in part, to the fact that the poll questions were worded in a way that was ambiguous at best and misleading at worst. It turns out that some of the respondents included in that one-third statistic did not, in fact, understand what the term Christian nationalism even meant.

That poll, as well as the Twitter controversy surrounding it, further highlights the fact that an issue as serious as Christian nationalism demands a clear and unequivocal definition.

Whatever we think of the term Christian nationalism, the thing it refers to is real, and the thing needs a label. The thing Im trying to label is simple: Americans who believe that America is a Christian nation and that the government should keep it that way.

Of course, that does leave a lot to unpack, so it is worth spending some time trying to make it more specific. What exactly does Christian nationalism (or whatever you want to call it) look like in practice? How do we know the difference between (bad) Christian nationalism and (good) Christian political engagement?

Christian nationalism looks like the 45 percent of Americans who believe the United States should be a Christian nation and the 44 percent who believe that God has granted America a special role in human history. Christian nationalism looks like the 35 percent of Americans who believe that a citizen should be a Christian to be truly American.

Christian nationalism looks like citing Psalm 33:12 (Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord) or 2 Chronicles 7:14 (If my people, who are called by my name) in reference to the United States, implying that America is the nation whose God is the Lord, that we are Gods people called by his namea common practice in white evangelical circles.

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Christian nationalism looks like the American Patriots Bible, which shows how the history of the United States connects the people and events of the Bible to our lives in a modern world. The story of the United States is wonderfully woven into the teachings of the Bible. Christian nationalism looks like putting the American flag on central display in your local church.

Such images of Christian nationalism show a broadly popular, mainstream, peaceful movement that is wrongheaded, foolish, and both theologically and constitutionally suspect. But they also show that American evangelicals need a better understanding of political theology and American civics.

It is important to add, however, that Christian nationalism can also show up in more sinister guises. For example, Christian nationalism looks like a xenophobic candidate for the US Senate tweeting his opposition to welcoming Afghan refugees because, he argued, they endanger our Judeo-Christian way of life.

Christian nationalism looks like the ReAwaken America Tour, in which thousands of Christians packed churches for political rallies to cheer on conspiracy theories about the 2020 election or the COVID-19 pandemic.

And Christian nationalism looks like invoking Jesus name and offering a prayer to God on January 6, 2021, thanking him for the opportunity to storm the US Capitol to show that this is our nation, for filling this chamber with patriots  that love Christ so that the United States [could] be reborn.

Christian nationalism is an attitude, a stance toward America and the worlda way of situating ourselves and our nation in a moral and theological framework. In this framework, Christianity and America go hand in hand: Theyve gone together since the founding of our country, and they should continue to stay in sync for as long as faithful American Christians can manage it.

Christian nationalism is a presumption that Christians are Americas first citizens, architects, and guardians and that we have the right to define the nations culture and identity. It is a sense of ownership, a proprietary or possessive feeling: Christians invented America and therefore have the right to stay on top.

Christian nationalism can be oddly difficult to translate into specific policy positions. It focuses much more on demanding symbolic recognition for Christianity. Public life should be rooted in Christianity and its moral vision, according to the National Conservatism website, which should be honored by the state and other institutions both public and private.

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Policies driven by Christian nationalist goals focus on things like bringing back teacher-led prayer and Bible study in public schools, restricting immigration only to people who share our values, or mandating the teaching of American history as a Christian nation. It might eventually include an attempt to revise the US Constitution to acknowledge Christianity, as a group of ministers proposed in 1863.

Christian nationalism also advocates for much stronger and more robust morals legislationwhich, by itself, can be a good thing, but not if it appeals to a sectarian or discriminatory standard of morality. Christian nationalists tend to overestimate the popularity of their view of morality and the competence of the state to enforce it and to underestimate the dangers of blowback (as with Prohibition).

That said, none of the dangers of Christian nationalism preclude patriotism, Christian involvement in politics, or working for justice in the public square. Being pro-life or pro-religious liberty is not Christian nationalism. Being grateful for America, honoring the founding fathers, recognizing the blessings of the US Constitution (as amended) and Declaration of Independence, and recognizing the positive influence of Christian principles on American life are all good things.

In between, there is a gray area of Americas civil religion, the traditions and pageantry of our civic life that often borrow generically religious language and symbolism. Political leaders often invoke God in their addresses, ceremonial occasions begin with prayers, there are crosses on public grounds across America, and many churches celebrate American holidays, like the Fourth of July and Memorial Day.

I tend to think that such instances can, in principle, be harmless but have the potential to become harmful. A lot depends on the specifics and on the heart attitudes of those leading the way. Is public prayer truly intended to honor God or to troll secular progressives? Are crosses on public lands a true and inclusive reflection of American history that can also include other religious symbols, or are they intended as exclusionary symbols of Christian supremacy?

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The most important difference between bad Christian nationalism and good Christian political advocacy is in our heart posture. Are we seeking to advance Christian principles or Christian power? Are we seeking equal justice for all or privileges for our tribe? Are we seeking to love our neighbor with our political witness or show our neighbor whos boss?

Christians are called to seek the welfare of the city in which we are presently exiled (Jer. 29:7). In a nation in which we have the privilege of democratic citizenship, seeking our citys welfare means loving our neighbors by voting for justice and righteousness. It does not mean securing our tribes predominance or ensuring the nation makes our culture central to its identity.

Paul D. Miller is a professor of the practice of international affairs at Georgetown University, a research fellow with the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, and a veteran of the war in Afghanistan. His most recent book is The Religion of American Greatness: Whats Wrong with Christian Nationalism.

[ This article is also available in espanol. ]
As an editor at a Christian publisher, I review multiple book proposals each week. Authors pitching a new project will share a table of contents, a sample of their writing, their bio, statistics about their platform, andalwaysa list of confirmed or potential endorsers.

Its a strange detail, since most trade nonfiction books arent already written when the author goes under contract with a publisher. This means that endorsers have agreed to endorse something that doesnt exist.

Authors and agents are simply playing the rules that publishers set, and in Christian publishingas with all book publishingits about who you know.

Many authors hate seeking endorsements; it feels self-promotional and vulnerable. But endorsements are simply part of the deal, going back to at least 1856, when Walt Whitman had Ralph Waldo Emersons letter praising Leaves of Grass published in the New-York Tribune prior to the books second edition.

Today, publishing leaders hope authors will receive a blurb from someone with name recognition or clout. The reasoning goes that if readers like an endorser, theyre more inclined to buy or read a book theyve blurbed. An endorsement says, I can vouch for this person and their work. This takes on a spiritual layer in Christian publishing, where endorsers can lend theological cover for someones work.

It's a risky thing to doespecially when an endorser hasnt read the book.

Last week, The Gospel Coalition published, then unpublished, an excerpt from the forthcoming book Beautiful Union: How Gods Vision for Sex Points Us to the Good, Unlocks the True, and (Sort of) Explains Everything. Readers criticized the author, Joshua Ryan Butler, saying he misconstrued the marriage metaphor in Ephesians 5, making it pornographic, male-centric, and ripe for abuse.

As criticisms mounted, ministry leader Dennae Pierre and pastor Rich Villodas publicly retracted their book endorsements. Pierre said she had written hers based on training Josh had done for local pastors and had done a quick skim of the book. Villodas said a mutual friend had invited him to endorse the book: I agreed to the favor, but in poor judgment, read only 25-30% of it.

It was good for Pierre and Villodas to admit they hadnt fully read a book that will feature their names, at least on the first printing. Their retractions are a wake-up call for book buyers: Endorsements arent always about quality of writing or theological soundness. In practice, they arent even always an honest assessment of someone elses work.

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Rather, in an age fixated on platform, endorsements are about establishing the market appeal of an author based on their connections to famous people. As such, endorsements are usually driven by celebrity, mutual back-scratching, and power consolidated through loose social, professional, and ministry networks. Theres a reason that endorsements come through the marketing team (not editorial): Endorsements are marketing tools, not editorial reviews.

Of course, many endorsers offer blurbs for good reasons. They want to support friends and acquaintances. In a market where sales often boil down to platform, many famous people want to share the spotlight, or shine it on emerging voices. Plus, a Christian culture of nicenessand the blurring of lines between friendship and commercemake it hard to say no to endorsement requests. (Note that Villodas said he agreed to a favor.) After all, whoever blurbs sparingly will also be blurbed sparingly, for God loves a cheerful blurber.

But endorsements can also serve to boost the endorsers celebrity in a particular niche market. Endorsements signify that the endorser is Someone Important, after all; normies dont endorse books. (One counterexample: My book Celebrities for Jesus featured endorsements from both platformed and non-platformed people. I asked my mom if she would write one, and she said no.) The more copies a book sells, the more people could notice an endorsers name and work. Endorsers arent paiddirectly. But their market value might rise by attaching to a successful book.

Its easy to be cynical about the reasons someone would endorse a book without actually endorsing it. This week, I remembered the handful of books Ive blurbed over the years, wincing at a few that I read less carefully than others. There are too many books in the world, and too many that dont need to exist. These days, I decline most endorsement requests, because theres not time to read them and conflicts of interest prevent me from assessing honestly.

But authors and endorsers are simply playing a game set by the industry. And now is a good time for industry leaders to consider dropping endorsements altogether.

I consider it a red flag that some faith-based publishers will write an endorsement for a celebrity who doesnt have time to write it themselves. Let me repeat that: A publishing team member, coveting a celebritys name on a forthcoming title, will contact them or their team and say, We know youre very busy because youre very important and clearly called to do big things for God, so you probably wont have time to read this book. But we would be so honored to have your support. Might you say something like this? [fill in endorsement]. Then the celebrity or their assistant signs off on the wording or tweaks it before it appears on the book.

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Imagine if the blurb appeared as it was written:

Timely and compelling message! Famous Pastor Marketing Intern

It doesnt have the same ring, but at least its honest.

Likewise, its mostly up to blurbers to be honest about their blurbs. Personally, I would love to see more blurbs that include praise and critique; one neednt agree with every detail in a book to commend it as worth reading.

But Christian publishers have a big role to play in halting the celebrity endorser cycle. They should invest more in reviewing the contents of a book than in lining up endorsers. That means paying outside reviewers with expertise in a given subject to read the book before publishing it.

It might mean bumping a books release date based on concerns. It could mean seeking endorsements from people who dont have a platform or who have nothing to gain from saying something nice about the book. It could mean asking for genuine feedback from endorsers in addition to three to four lines by a particular deadlineand heeding it.

It would be unorthodox, from an industry view, for faith-based publishers to drop endorsements on principle of resisting celebrity. But it could also honor the central task to which Christian publishers are called: to edify Christian readers and deepen the faith of everyday believers, not to serve as an avenue for aspiring leaders to boost each others careers.

Christian publishers have been implicated in scandals around ghostwriting, plagiarism, and extending the platforms of unhealthy and abusive leaders. If they are also asking endorsers to essentially lie to book buyers, we have deep problems to attend to.

Katelyn Beaty is editorial director of Brazos Press, a division of Baker Publishing Group. She is the author of Celebrities for Jesus: How Personas, Platforms, and Profits Are Hurting the Church.

Speaking Out is Christianity Todays guest opinion column and (unlike an editorial) does not necessarily represent the opinion of the publication.
Evangelicalism is now the largest religious demographic in Central America, according to a poll of about 4,000 people in five countries. More than a third of people from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica told researchers from M&R Consultants that they are evangelical, while another 29 percent said they are creyente sin denominacion (nondenominational believers).

Only about a third of people in the region said they were Catholicdown from about 60 percent in the 1970s. Some scholars have attributed the shift to internal Catholic conflict and the long fallout from the churchs political affiliations on the extreme right and left, along with the disruptions of urbanization.

Evangelical theologian Samuel Escobar, noting the trend in an interview in 2006, said Catholics who moved to Central American cities found empowerment in their evangelical conversion. Their decision to accept Christ meant a change in patterns of behavior which helped people to reorient their lives, he said.

According to sociologist Ariel Goldstein, who is critical of evangelical involvement in the regions politics, evangelicals grow because they adapt to local customs, have clergy who live close to the people, innovate, use social media, meet practical needs, and create community.

[ This article is also available in espanol. ]

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Arizona Christian University pledges action after school district bans student-teachers due to faith

Days after the five-member governing board of the Washington Elementary School District in Arizona voted to ban student-teachers from Arizona Christian University from the district due to their commitment to traditional Christian values, the universitys president has slammed the decision as wrong and unlawful and pledged to fight back.

The school board's recent decision to ban ACU students from serving as student teachers was done for one reason only: our university's commitment to our Christian convictions. That's wrong, its unlawful, and it will only hurt the districts students, ACU President Len Munsil said in a statement to The Christian Post.

Religious liberty and freedom of conscience are bedrock American principles. We are exploring our options to defend the rights of our students, he added.

At a board meeting held on Feb. 23, school district officials recommended renewing a partnership with Arizona Christian University education students to engage classes as student-teachers and practicums that had existed for 11 years. The school board members, three of whom identify as members of the LGBT community, opted to nix the agreement, arguing that having student teachers with biblical values in the states largest and one of the best elementary school districts would pose too much of a threat to LGBT students.

Munsil, however, said that over the course of ACUs partnership with the district, they have had no problems. Student teachers from the university have done such a great job, he added, many of them were hired as full-time teachers and administrators asked the university to send them more students because of how well they have done in the classroom.

For years Arizona Christian University has partnered with the Washington Elementary School District. More than 100 ACU students have served the district, including 25 student teachers, many of whom were hired full time after graduation, Munsil said. Administrators have time and again asked us to send more ACU students because of the quality of our students' work and their love and servant's hearts for all.

It was also noted by school district officials in the Feb. 23 meeting that all student-teachers had to sign legal agreements that prevent them from discriminating against any student.

For the five-member governing board of the school district, though  Nikkie Gomez-Whaley, president; Jenni Abbott-Bayardi, vice president; Kyle Clayton, Tamillia Valenzuela and Lindsey Peterson  the exemplary performance of the student-teachers and the legal agreements were not enough protection.

Valenzuela, who first raised concern about the universitys values, insisted that while she supports religious freedom, and is aware of a current teacher shortage, she cannot support student-teachers with traditional Christian values in the classroom.

While I full-heartedly believe in religious freedom and people being able to practice whatever faith that they have, I had some  concerns regarding looking at this particular institution, said Valenzuela, who identifies as a bilingual, disabled, neurodivergent Queer Black Latina.

I'm going to start with our values. First, our vision in Washington Elementary School District is committed to achieving excellence for every child, every day, every opportunity, every child. When I go to Arizona Christian University's website, and I'm taking this directly from their website, 'above all else, be committed to Jesus Christ, accomplishing His will and advancing His kingdom on earth as in heaven, Valenzuela continued.

Part of the four values [of the school] is 'influence, engage and transform the culture with truth by promoting the biblically informed values that are foundational to Western civilization, including the centrality of family, traditional sexual morality and lifelong marriage between one man and one woman.'

I want to know how bringing people from an institution that is ingrained in their values that will very directly 1) impact three of your board members who are a part of the LGBTQ community. We have added our pronouns at the dais as solidarity, [to] let our LGBT community know that we stand in making sure that they feel protected. Are we only performing performative solidarity? Or are we going to dig deep, and actually look at the partnerships that we're doing? she asked.

Gomez-Whaley noted that the board received several emails from the community arguing against renewing the partnership with ACU and argued that she doesnt believe Christian student-teachers can separate their Christian values from their professional obligations making them unable to treat students equally.

For me, this is not a concern about Christianity, there are plenty of Christian denominations who are LGBTQ friendly. So, I want to make it clear that, for me, my pause is not that they're Christian so much as this particular institutions strong anti-LGBTQ stance, and their strong belief that you believe this to your core, and you take it out into the world, the board president said.

I simply don't know how a piece of paper can change somebody's underlying value system. Even though they may not  do anything illegal, where they are preaching or using Bible verses, how do you shut off an essential part of your being, and not be biased to the individuals in which you are in charge of nurturing and supporting unconditionally? she asked. I don't see how that disconnect is possible.

The decision by the school board has roiled many conservative Christians across the country including Tanner DiBella, president and chairman of the American Council, a faith-based advocacy group advancing life, liberty, morality, and family in public policy and public opinion.

DiBella vowed in a statement on Twitter that his organization will commit resources in 2024 to vote against the school board members. All the current school board members except the president are first-term officials.

The Washington Elementary School District in Arizona has unanimously voted to stop hiring student-teachers from Arizona Christian University. Why? Because of their biblical values. The five-member board said they cannot support student-teachers with traditional Christian values in the classroom. This is blatantly anti-religious bigotry, DiBella said.

The American Council is committed to pour financial resources into the Washington Elementary School District School Board Race in 2024 to elect competent, balanced, and family-centered leaders who focus on education and not politics.
Archaeological discovery of inscription referencing King Darius of the Bible is 'not authentic'

The Israel Antiquities Authority has clarified that what its archaeologists announced last week as a historic discovery  an inscription bearing the name of Persian King Darius the Great found at the Tel Lachish National Park in Israel  is "not authentic."

Eylon Levy, the international media adviser to Israeli President Isaac Herzog, stumbled upon what appeared to be a 2,500-year-old potsherd with the inscribed letters of the ancient king, and he reported it to the IAA, The Jerusalem Post reported last week.

The inscription reportedly read, "Year 24 of Darius," which dates back to 498 BCE, the newspaper said.

However, Prof. Gideon Avni, the IAA's chief scientist, said in a statement that the organization takes full responsibility for the mistake.

Avni said the IAA examined the sherd with the help of Dr. Haggai Misgav, a renowned expert in ancient Aramaic script, and Sa'ar Ganor, an archaeologist studying the Tell Lachish site and surrounding area. As a result, it was discovered that the sherd does not bear an ancient inscription.

"As an institution that strives for the scientific truth, we are committed to correcting the mistake that was made and making it known to the public," Avni said. "In terms of ethical and scientific practices, we see this as a very severe occurrence. Leaving the newly inscribed sherd on the site was careless, and led to the mistake done by the researchers and distorted the scientific truth."

Levy said he was extremely surprised when he saw the inscription on the ostracon and initially thought it was a prank. While three individuals at the IAA initially doubted the artifact's authenticity, they eventually became convinced that it was real, according to the Post.

"The event illustrates the dangers of adding modern scripts on ancient artifacts  a phenomena which troubles the entire scientific community for many years. On top of the paleographic examination of the sherd by an experienced epigraphist, the sherd was examined in various laboratories and found to be ancient," Avni said. "This once again proves that only finds discovered in controlled archaeological excavations should be considered 100% authentic. All other finds should raise questions regarding their authenticity."

Darius the Great was one of the most famous rulers of the Achaemenid Empire, also known as the first incarnation of the Persian Empire. Taking his reign during a time of chaos, he reorganized what was then the largest empire in the ancient world into provinces. He promoted the Aramaic language.

Darius is also mentioned in the Old Testament, including the books of Haggai, Zechariah and Ezra-Nehemiah. According to The Post, some scholars believe that Darius could have been the same person as or inspiration of Darius the Mede, a figure in the Book of Daniel.
Twitter users erupt in outrage after drag queens wearing thongs dance for kids

An organization that promotes drag events for moms and babies recently made its social media pages private following controversy over footage of scantily-clad drag performers dancing in front of children.

Videos circulating on social media show a group of moms sitting on the floor with their children as drag artists wearing lingerie dance and perform acrobatics. In one video, a drag artist wearing leather and thigh-high boots does gymnastics while hanging from ropes suspended from the ceiling. Another drag performer seen in the video wears a thong while doing a handstand in front of the cheering crowd.

The event was part of the VAULT Festival, an independent showcase of live performers in the United Kingdom.

In response to an inquiry from The Christian Post, VAULT Festival directed the outlet to a Twitter thread it created on Thursday to address the controversy. The group stated that it was aware of the comments people had made about the drag performance, writing that the event is designed for parents and children and is a fun and welcoming space for parents with young babies.

VAULT Festival exists to support live performance and artistic talent and is proud to platform events that are welcoming and accessible for all, with audience safety always as a top priority, the group wrote, condemning threats of violence against the performers and the LGBTQIA+ community.

Media personality Dominique Samuels shared footage of the event Monday on her Twitter page. She urged people to watch her expose of these disgusting events targeting kids, calling on the government to act.

Over the weekend, I was sent some shocking screenshots and videos of a Drag Event at the Honor Oak Pub, Samuels wrote. Little did I know, it would get worse.

This from a recent family-friendly drag event geared towards babies in England, Libs of TikTok tweeted Wednesday, also sharing video clips of the event.

The group behind the performance, the U.K.-based organization CabaBabaRave, advertised the event as a show-stopping cabaret interspersed with captivating baby sensory moments.. ending in a RAVE.

The hosts, Lizzie and Gemma, are described as Two performers turned mums who were constantly looking to be entertained whilst holding a baby in one hand and a pint in the other.. so CABABABARAVE was born.

We wanted to create the type of event we ourselves as Mums would want to go to, a description of the event reads. Theres only so many times you can listen to the f**king Wheels on the Bus. We wanted to give parents the experience of a big London night out.. cabaret, drinks and dancing... but one you can bring your baby to and still be home for bedtime.

Other Twitter users posted their reactions to the drag performance, questioning the parenting decisions of adults who brought their children to the event.

Another video shared on Twitter by Christian content creator Natly Denise showed the drag performers doing gymnastics in revealing clothing and singing for a crowd of cheering adults.

This is so disturbing, a Twitter user wrote in response to the footage.

Following the controversy in response to their event, CabaBabaRave made its social media pages private and disabled its website.

As The Christian Post has previously reported, the CabaBabaRave is not the first time that a drag show event marketed as family-friendly has been accused of exposing children to adult sexual content.

One event in particular, the Drag The Kids To Pride show hosted last June in Dallas, Texas, prompted Republican Texas Rep. Bryan Slaton to promise that hed introduce legislation banning drag shows. The state representative was reacting to reports of minors attending the event.

Photos and video footage of the event showed men in drag performing in front of children. One artist danced suggestively under a sign that read Its Not Gonna Lick Itself and accepted tips from kids in the audience.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin. (Twitter/@mkstalin)

Fake news travels faster than the truth. In this modern version of the metaphorical hare and tortoise race, it is fake news that is always running ahead and the tortoise, like truth, lags behind. Tamil Nadu is experiencing just that as fake news began piling up on top of a stray incident of a Tamil assailing a north Indian worker on a suburban train about his type of people taking away local jobs. It was established in two deaths of Bihar workers in Tiruppur that one was caused by a fellow migrant worker suspecting his wifes fidelity and another was a case of death by suicide.

An elaborate damage control exercise seemed to run like the tortoise as Tamil Nadu reached out to Bihar to set the record straight, but not before hundreds of guest workers took trains home, avowedly for the Holi festival, but maybe more as a cooling period. There isnt anything that the Tamil Nadu chief minister did not do towards reassuring the vast number of blue-collar workers who run the base of commerce in the state. He interacted with the Bihar CM Nitish Kumar to lay down the fact that false news had rapidly overtaken the truth of isolated incidents of hate coming out in the open against diversity.

The evil effect of social media was once again highlighted, though perhaps not on such a massive scale as on a previous occasion when migrant workers abandoned Bengaluru in droves. No one can argue against the fact that it is every Indians right to look for employment, trade, business, or entrepreneurship in any state or UT. History is punctuated with the success story of Mumbai as financial capital on the back of a large Tamil blue-collar labour force and of the National Capital Region whose economy was buttressed by cheap labour from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

What the latest exodus from Tamil Nadu proves is, the battle vis-a-vis social media can be lost in a trice whereas winning the war by rebuilding confidence takes very long. No matter how smart the tortoise is, it cant compete with the hare of fake news. Online vigilance is a price that must be paid for preserving social harmony and diversity that are so essential for peace and the health of the economy. It is an unenviable task.
Major pharmacy chain won't dispense abortion pill in some states amid pro-life backlash

Following threats of legal action and pressure from over 20 attorneys general, the major pharmacy retail chain Walgreens confirmed that it will not dispense the abortion pill in certain parts of the country, even in places where abortion remains legal.

In response to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration certifying pharmacies to dispense abortion pills, Walgreens announced in January that it had taken steps to begin offering a prescription for the drug, resulting in backlash from various pro-life groups and nearly two dozen state attorneys general.

"We have responded to the state attorneys general letter to Walgreens dated February 1 by indicating we will not dispense Mifepristone in their respective states," Fraser Engerman, senior director of external relations for Walgreens, told The Christian Post in a Friday statement.

"We are not distributing Mifepristone at this time. We intend to be a certified pharmacy and will dispense Mifepristone only in those jurisdictions where it is legal and operationally feasible."

Last month, Attorney General Andrew Bailey of Missouri led a coalition of 20 attorneys general in sending letters to Walgreens and CVS, promising to take legal action if the company began distributing the drugs.

The letters were signed by the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and West Virginia.

Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach also sent letters to the major pharmacy chains and received assurance that Walgreens would not dispense Mifepristone within the state and not to mail the medical abortion pill into the state. He called on CVS to do the same.

While the company stated that it had not begun to distribute abortion pills, it is working on obtaining certification to do so through the FDA. The company intends to remain consistent with all "applicable laws" and knows it cannot dispense abortion pills at all locations.

"Walgreens is not currently dispensing Mifepristone in any of its locations. As you know, to become certified by the FDA, participating pharmacies must satisfy a range of safety and risk mitigation requirements to dispense this drug," Walgreens Global Chief Legal Officer Danielle C. Gray wrote in a Feb. 17 letter to Kobach. "At this time, we are working through the certification process, which includes the evaluation of our pharmacy network to determine where we will dispense Mifepristone and training protocols and updates for our pharmacists."

The chemical abortion drug regimen features Mifepristone, also known as RU-486, a synthetic steroid endocrine disruptor that blocks progesterone receptors in the uterus and chemically destroys the environment in the uterus and starves the baby to death. The FDA mandates using another drug, misoprostol, to induce cramping and contractions to expel the baby from the mother's womb.

Missy Martinez-Stone, CEO of Reprotection, a pro-life organization that investigates and shuts down abortion facilities by ensuring states enforce existing laws, told CP in a statement that the "abortion industry needs to realize that it's not above the law, and states are going to fight back."

"Retail pharmacies should not be in the business of dispensing a drug designed to kill innocent human beings," she continued. "This dehumanization of preborn children also has devastating implications for their mothers."

The pro-life advocate contends that expanding access to chemical abortion and reducing regulations means some women could take the pill without realizing their pregnancy is ectopic, endangering their lives. Martinez-Stone also argues that a woman who lives alone that takes the drug could start hemorrhaging without anyone around to help her.

"By forcing women to become their own abortionists, the abortion industry is able to elude accountability for the women who are harmed by its lies and manipulation," she stated.

"We need states to continue stepping up to ensure that the law does what it's intended to do: Protect innocent lives and ensure bad actors do not get away with victimizing women and children."

Students for Life of America, a pro-life student organization present on college and high school campuses nationwide, held protests at dozens of Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid pharmacies on Saturday, urging them to "opt out" of selling chemical abortion pills.

"Addressing the harms of Chemical Abortion is a multi-level campaign and includes legislation, citizen petitions, education on campuses, and community activism," Kristi Hamrick, vice president of media and policy at Students for Life Action, told CP in a statement.

"That includes the activism this week and weekend, in protesting at Walgreens to make it clear that opposition to abortion vendors will include community pharmacies if they deal in death by Chemical Abortion pills."

The policy strategist shared that SFLA plans to work through Congress to call for an environmental assessment as a result of dumping medical waste into the water system.

The pro-life group has consistently raised concerns about the potential environmental devastation caused by a woman flushing blood and human remains down the toilet after undergoing the chemical abortion pill regimen.

A pair of women interviewed by CP described their chemical abortion pill experiences, recalling the pain and bleeding they endured before eventually disposing of their unborn child's remains via the toilet.

"There is nothing natural or safe about it," Krissy Spivey told CP about the abortion pills. "Essentially, you become your own abortionist, and nothing can prepare you for how traumatizing that is.

"Your safe place, whether it be your home or your workplace, becomes a graveyard. The emotional toll that it takes, the trauma that happens in those places that are supposed to feel safe. ... You're robbed of so much more than the life of your child. You're robbed of your safe place," she added.

According to a 2021 peer-reviewed longitudinal study conducted by the pro-life research organization Charlotte Lozier Institute, 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.

In response to pharmacy chains taking steps to dispense the abortion pill, various pro-life groups, including the Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising, Rehumanize International, the Society for Truth and Justice, the Pro-Life Action League, Pro-Life San Francisco and Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust conducted nationwide protests through the #StopAbortionRx campaign.

The campaign called on pro-lifers to "protest outside your local CVS or Walgreens pharmacy," "post to social media with the hashtag #StopAbortionRx to raise awareness," "call your local pharmacy and demand they cut ties with the Abortion Industry" and "boycott CVS and Walgreens until they stop taking steps to sell abortion drugs."
Marianne Williamson announces 2024 presidential run, primary challenge to Biden

Best-selling author, Democrat political activist and spiritual advisor Marianne Williamson has announced her intentions to run for president in 2024, presenting a primary challenge to President Joe Biden.

At a rally held at the East Hall of Union Station in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, the 70-year-old Williamson, the author of 14 books and four New York Times bestsellers, officially announced her candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination.

During her remarks, Williamson said she believes that the United States is "drowning in information and starving for understanding" and that "it is our turn now" to change the country for the better.

Williamson said that while Donald Trump losing the 2020 election prevented the U.S. from going "over the cliff," the country is nevertheless "still six inches away from it."

The candidate said that "the opponent is an economic mindset" that has existed over the past 50 years, which also goes by such terms as "crony capitalism," "neo-liberalism" and "free market capitalism."

"It is neither real capitalism nor is it free market," Williamson insisted. "It is a socio-pathic economic system that in policy after policy after policy makes sure that those who already have will probably get more and those who do not have will have a hard time even surviving."

"This economic mindset now has its grip on this country. It has its tentacles in every aspect of our lives. It has its grip on this government. This government is now more than not a system of legalized bribery. And this system will not change itself."

Williamson ran for president in the 2020 Democratic primary, only to suspend her campaign before the first state-level primary due to lack of support in a crowded field.

In October 2019, Williamson answered several questions from The Christian Post regarding her views on a host of issues, including immigration reform, racism, religious freedom and abortion.

"As a Jew, I was raised with the belief that God has given us this instruction: 'tikkun olam,' or 'repair the world,'" Williamson told CP at the time.

"An ancient rabbinical teaching that has always guided my actions is this: 'You are not obligated to complete the task, but neither are you permitted to abandon it.' God would not just have us feel love; He would have us demonstrate love, and by doing so bring justice to all beings."

According to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research released last month, only 37% of Democrats want Biden to run again in 2024.
Parents upset with Church of England school reading pro-trans book to 4-year-old students

A couple is calling on the Church of England to do more to safeguard the beliefs of Christian parents after they withdrew their son from school on World Book Day, concerned that the text students were reading promoted harmful messages about gender identity.

Stephen Evans and his wife, Joanne Evans, said that other parents at CofE St. Mary's Church of England Primary School in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, shared the same opinion about the book that the school had students engage with last Thursday when World Book Day was celebrated in the United Kingdom.

The book in question is My Shadow is Pink by Scott Stuart. The book centers around a little boy who likes princesses and other things typically seen as intended for girls. Instead of a blue shadow, the boy has a pink one, and he learns to accept himself with the support of his dad. The story is told through rhyme, and the book uses the concept of everyone having colored shadows to represent the idea of gender identity.

According to a Sunday statement from Christian Legal Centre, an advocacy group representing the parents, the Evanses asked permission from their 4-year-old son's head teacher, Aleishia Lewis, to withdraw their son from school for the day.

The parents said they saw the school's plan for the day on the class application and knew "something was not right."

Throughout the course of World Book Day, students "engage[ed] with the story and explore[d] the themes within it." Students were asked to dress up "to reflect how they see their shadow and how they see themselves."

Lewis granted the parents' request to withdraw their son for the day. But in a letter to the couple, she encouraged them to read Living in Love and Faith to learn more about how CofE is developing its understanding of "identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage."

"In the Bishops' response to the years of work that went into 'Living in Love and Faith,' they have said that the Church of England 'continues to seek to be a church that embodies 'the radical new Christian inclusion,'" Lewis wrote.

"Like the Church of England itself, myself and the staff at St. Mary's recognize that the Bible is central to our understanding and living out of the Christian faith and whilst we are united in this belief, we all interpret the Bible differently," she continued.

"Just as the Bishops are encouraging us all as we journey together, at St. Mary's we will continue to build a school community that is focused on learning and listening together: to God, one another and the world around us."

St. Mary's Church of England Primary School did not immediately respond to The Christian Post's request for comment.

The head teacher also cited Valuing All God's Children, a guide for schools that encourages them to affirm a child's perception of their gender identity, according to CLC. In addition, the advocacy group noted that Lewis is speaking alongside Andrew Moffat at the Annual Equity in Education & Society Conference.

In 2019, a program created by Moffat to teach students as young as 4 years old about LGBT lifestyles was met with pushback from Muslim parents at the Parkfield community school in Birmingham.

The program, titled "No Outsiders," taught kids ages 4-11 that some "families look different" and had kids read books about same-sex relationships. The school suspended the program after 600 children were kept home by their parents in response to the learning material.

The Evans family, with the support of CLC, have written to CofE's Chief Education Officer Nigel Genders claiming that both Christian and non-Christian parents raised concerns about the book, but the head teacher ignored them. The letter accuses the school of failing to properly consult parents before making the plan for the day.

"The CofE's own guidance being used against us to justify confusing and harmful teaching on gender identity is a slap on the face," the parents wrote. "Parents who believe we are born male and female and who do not want their children exposed to harmful ideology are losing their voice and their rights."

"We want the CofE hierarchy to step in and do more to protect the rights and beliefs of, not just Christian parents, but all parents who do not want their children exposed to transgender propaganda," the letter continued.

CLC Chief Executive Andrea Williams questioned the decision to teach the book to children, calling for the CofE to "wake up" and return to "biblical teaching."

"It is another example of the Church of England hierarchy's lack of confidence in the gospel they are there to promote and which has actually given their schools such outstanding reputation," Williams stated in the group's statement.

In December, Calvin and Nicola Watts of Kent pulled their children from St. Michael's Church of England primary school after their 8-year-old was shown a video titled "It Feels Good to be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity" without parental consent, according to the CLC.

Critics, including two Church of England General Synod members, have also pushed back on the Church of England's guidance for its 4,700 primary schools allowing students to self-identify as the opposite sex. The denomination defended the guidance last year, refuting claims that the guidance allows students as young as 5 to identify as the opposite sex.

As CP reported, members of the church's General Synod approved plans last month to allow same-sex couples in a civil marriage or civil partnership to "receive God's blessing" from priests.

The vote also called for the church to "lament and repent" for what officials said was "the failure of the Church" to welcome LGBT-identified people and for "harm" LGBT communities "have experienced  and continue to experience  in churches."
New Orleans has spirit of murder hovering over the city, says pastor whose son was killed in shooting

A Louisiana pastor whose 20-year-old son was killed by gun violence says a spirit of murder has taken hold of New Orleans and the nation, contributing to a surge in violent crime.

Theres a spirit of murder at work in this city and in our nation, the Rev. Orin D. Grant Sr., senior pastor of St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, told Fox News, adding that he's building a team in the community to promote peer mediation and conflict resolution.

Grant's 20-year-old son, Orin D. Grant Jr., was shot and killed in August 2022, just blocks away from the church where he played drums every Sunday.

New Orleans is in the grip of a dangerous and deceptive time, the pastor said, with carjackings and homicides more than doubling since 2019, attributing it to several factors, including drug use, mental illness and easy access to firearms, particularly among young people.

The pastor lamented that young people are often victims of society and are exposed to violence from an early age. Theres a mind-your-business clause among young people, he added, explaining that they are hesitant to speak to the police about what they know about a crime for fear of retaliation.

I got a security director because these are the times we live in. People even come into churches and do stuff, added Grant, who has been working for peace on the streets in the community since before his sons death. He now wants to address the issue of violent crime by building a team of community members and organizing rallies and seminars on peer mediation and conflict resolution.

Grant emphasized the importance of cooperation between community members, law enforcement and city officials to address gun violence. We have to take ownership of our neighborhoods again and run drug dealers out. Run criminals out.

Speaking about his sons killing, he said, Its a tough pill to swallow. I sleep with him on my mind. I wake up with him on my mind.

He added, We have to respect life. We have to respect one another.

As previously reported by The Christian Post, Grant explained that his son was at his girlfriends house and might have been lured out of the house when he was shot.

In the backyard of his girlfriends house. He was shot by two individuals multiple times, he said at the time.

The pastor also said he would like to tell the person who killed his son that violence is not the answer.

The negative use of weapons is not the answer. God renders forgiveness. Find peace with God, Grant said at the time.
Family, church celebrate after pastor wrongly declared brain-dead returns home

Ryan Marlow, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, was celebrated on Saturday as he returned home months after doctors wrongfully declared him brain-dead and almost harvested his organs.

Yesterday was such a beautiful day. Hundreds of people came by to show love and support and we are just humbled. Many dear friends and many we had never met in person but the Lord makes us brothers and sisters in Him, Marlows wife, Meghan, revealed Sunday morning on a Facebook page called Ryans Recovery that's dedicated to sharing updates on his recovery from a brain injury.

Ryan was just shocked at all the love that was shown. For the last six months, Ive been able to see all the messages and the comments and the support and the prayers. But he has seen just glimpses here and there which is what made yesterday that much more amazing. For three hours Ryan waved, smiled and interacted with hundreds of people. Im so proud of him, I know he was exhausted, she added.

Pastor Marlow, 37, was hospitalized last August due to a listeria infection that snowballed into a brain injury which led doctors to declare him brain dead later that month.

The doctor came out [of husbands hospital room] with about 20 other people as my witness and said your husband has clinically passed. He is clinically deceased. He has passed away. He has suffered neurological death, Meghan Marlow recalled in a Facebook Live video on Aug. 31.

They put the time of his death on his chart. That was it. I was called into a room and told that my husband was an organ donor and that we were gonna begin the process of finding matches for his organs. So that process began, he was on life support and they told me he would remain on life support until they found all of the donors, she said.

She said doctors scheduled the harvesting of her husbands organs for three days after they informed her that he was brain dead. For the next two days, Sunday and Monday, the pastors wife said she mourned the loss of her husband until she received a call from a doctor on Monday night telling her they had made a mistake and her husband wasnt brain dead. They told her, however, that he was in a coma and could not survive without life support.

She further explained that doctors who had already written his time of death on his medical chart told her that they would adjust his time of death to the day his organs were to be harvested.

On the day her husbands organs were set to be harvested, Meghan Marlow said when she arrived at the hospital her niece, who was in the room with her husband that Tuesday, saw Pastor Marlow moved his feet while she played videos of his three children singing.

Meghan Marlow was so confused at the news, she said she went to her husbands room and asked everyone to leave.

I told Ryan all the things that I wanted to tell him. That I loved him, people were taking care of me, that God was gonna make sure our babies were taken care of and it was gonna be alright. And at the very end I tell him, If youre inside of there and you can hear me, I need you to fight. I need you to fight like crazy. Because Im about to stop this process of organ donating and were gonna get some tests done because I dont know whats going on, she said. Long story short, hes not brain dead my friends. The doctor would not even do the brain death test because they said that there is brain activity.

In celebration of National Brain Injury Awareness month in March, Meghan Marlow called her husband her hero.

March is National Brain Injury Awareness month. I post this today in honor of my husband. He was living a beautiful and healthy life and then something as innocent as eating supper turned his world upside down with an Acquired Brain Injury from listeria, she said on the Ryans Recovery page. He is a fighter. He is the strongest man I know. He is my hero.
'I've hurt some people': Texas pastor apologizes after he 'objectified' woman in sermon anecdote

A Texas pastor is asking his congregation for forgiveness after giving a sermon in which he said he objectified a woman in a brief meeting nearly two decades ago.

Jonathan Pokluda apologized during services on Feb. 26 at Harris Creek Baptist Church near Waco after he went viral last month for comments he made while sharing a story about a dinner with a male college friend while his wife, Monica, was out of town 18 years ago.

Pokluda told The Christian Post that he is sad that my words have stirred up so much bitterness and controversy and said he would be praying for those that have been impacted by my words.

In a clip shared March 3 on social media, Pokluda gave more context for the anecdote, explaining that, 18 years ago, he was a recovering pornography addict and apologized for any hurt he caused: Lately, Ive hurt some people. In a message on adultery, I described an experience 18 years ago where I objectified a woman in my description of her beauty.

And it was not clear when I told that story that I was in the mind of myself 18 years ago, a recovering porn addict, sex addict.

Pokluda, who serves as lead pastor at Harris Creek, added that by not clarifying that point, he could even be giving permission to some of you to do the same.

I dont ever want to hurt anybody. I dont want to hurt you. Ive been really grieved to hear those expressions of your hurt, he said.

If thats you, if youre in the audience, I want to be the most accessible pastor on Earth. I sit up here after every service to talk to whoever wants to talk to me. Please never leave here hurt or embittered before the sunset. Lets talk so that I can own my fault fully.

And right now, I own my fault fully, and I want to ask your forgiveness. Will you please forgive me for the confusing, hurtful things that I said?

In the clip taken from a sermon titled "Fool Proof Love" on Jan. 22, Pokluda described enjoying chips and queso with his friend when he says a physically beautiful woman propositioned him.

She was perfect, physically beautiful, he told the congregation. Everything was in the right place.

After the woman offered to buy Pokluda a drink, he said he responded by holding up his ring finger to show his wedding band.

And she says, Well, is she here? Because I dont care, he recalled, citing the proposition to help illustrate a significant point in his sermon.

Pokluda said he immediately thought of Proverbs 5:6-7, which reads: She does not consider the path of life; she does not know that her ways are unstable. So now, my sons, listen to me, and do not turn aside from the words of my mouth.

The saving grace in that situation was, I looked at that woman and I thought, Oh, she hates me, she doesnt love me, he said. She wants my wife to hate me, and she wants my in-laws to hate me, and she wants my parents to hate me, and she wants my unborn children to hate me."

For just a few minutes of ecstasy, she wants to take my life and burn it to the ground. And that thought was Gods saving grace in a moment.

One version of the clip posted on Twitter has garnered almost 2.4 million views since Feb. 16.

In addition to his lead pastor role, Pokluda is the author of Welcome to Adulting and is the former leader of The Porch at Watermark Church in Dallas.

The sermon that stirred the ire of some wasnt the first time Pokluda has publicly shared his struggles with lust.

In an interview last November with accountability app Covenant Eyes, Pokluda said despite being raised in the church, he struggled with drugs and pornography.

I was raised in the church, was raised Catholic. Went to a Baptist youth group. I was over-churched. I always called myself a Christian, he was quoted as saying. [But] I was totally addicted to pornography.

Ive wrestled with drugs: cocaine, ecstasy, I smoked weed every day of my life for a season, alcoholism. All of that is part of my journey. Nothing enslaved me like porn.

Since then, he has shared tips for believers on how to overcome lust and porn addiction, including removing or limiting access to content on personal devices and pursuing marriage.
Revelation 9: Four unchained demons, a demonically driven army and the unrepentant

In The Bruised Reed, Richard Sibbes asks, Can we think that He that threw the angels out of Heaven will suffer dust and worms meat to run a contrary course, and to continue always so? Surely not. The Lord is full of grace, mercy, and long-suffering. Nevertheless, there is a limit to His patience.

Genesis 6:3 reads, Then the Lord said, My Spirit will not put up with humans for such a long time ' The primary application of this text is that God has limited humanitys lifespan, but a second application is that God will not tolerate humanitys sinful ways indefinitely. He has set a time frame for repentance and forgiveness, and none of us knows how long weve been given. Nothing is so fearful as going out to meet God in judgment because we were never reconciled with him.

In Revelation 9, after the Evil One has opened the bottomless pit, unchained demonic creatures of hideous description emerge to torture the earths unregenerate inhabitants for five months.

Then there follows the trumpet sound of a sixth angel:

Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice speaking from the four horns of the gold altar that stands in the presence of God. And the voice said to the sixth angel who held the trumpet, Release the four angels who are bound at the great Euphrates River. Then the four angels who had been prepared for this hour and day and month and year were turned loose to kill one-third of all the people on earth.

The altar is the sacred place of sacrifice for sin. A fugitive could grasp a horn of the altar and ask for mercy. This solitary voice from the horns of the altar seems to be a call for judgment because the time of Gods mercy has passed. People have had ample warning and time to come to the horns of the altar with faith in Christ and ask for Gods mercy, but they have not.

In Revelation 8:3-5, prayers were offered on the altar, releasing Gods judgment. Revelation 9:13-15 seems to be the same scenario. If this is the same kind of situation, then the judgment of the sixth trumpet is also brought about by the prayers of Gods people.

These are imprecatory prayers, and the apostle wishes us to know just how strategic they are to Gods program. In Days of Vengeance (a commentary on Revelation), David Chilton believes the Church of Jesus Christ is the new Israel, a view without sufficient biblical support. Still, what Chilton has to say on other matters is powerful.

For instance, Chilton provides a remarkable perspective on the critical import of imprecatory prayers, a view that would have some of todays Christians aghast. However, it is entirely accurate. He writes:

Gods readiness to hear and willingness to grant His peoples prayers are continually proclaimed throughout Scripture (Ps. 9:10; 10:17-18; 18:3; 34:15-17; 37:4-5; 50:14-15; 145:18-19). God has given us numerous examples of imprecatory prayers, repeatedly showing that one aspect of a godly mans attitude is hatred for Gods enemies and fervent prayer for their downfall and destruction (Ps. 5:10; 10:15; 35:1-8, 22-26; 59:12-13; 68:1-4; 69:22-28; 83; 94; 109; 137:8-9; 139:19-24; 140:6-11). Why, then, do we not see the overthrow of the wicked in our own time? An important part of the answer is the unwillingness of the modern Church to pray Biblically, and God has assured us: You do not have because you do not ask (James 4:2).

How true! Imprecatory prayers are not inconsistent with the New Testament teaching to earnestly pray for the salvation of people who dont know Christ. These are not prayers that facilitate or excuse the harboring of hatred and personal resentments. These prayers move the heart of God because they are about the exaltation of righteousness. They are prayers for divine justice, the overthrow of evil, the casting down of wicked people and influences, and the establishment of divine rule. These prayers are before God on the altar. He hears them, and He will answer.

In response to the prayers of the saints, the voice commands the sixth angel to release those angels bound at the Great Euphrates River.

Like that horde of locust-like, scorpion-tailed demons released from the abyss to torture, these four devils, restrained at the Euphrates River, are freed at the right time to serve Gods righteous fury.

The late W.A. Criswell, a mighty Baptist preacher, has a profound word to add here. He says:

It is an amazing thing how God chooses, in his selective purpose, to run this universe. Evil continues and God seemingly overlooks it. But, at a certain place, at a certain time, in a certain second, God has ordained a judgment upon it. For example, in the 15th chapter of the Book of Genesis, the Lord said to Abraham in a vision: Abraham, all the land is yours. But for 400 years, your descendants are going to be captives in a strange land. Because, God said, the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. The vile Canaanites worship, the vile social life of the Amorites, the indescribable wickedness, and the unnamable depravity of those heathen tribes had not yet run their course. The Canaanites, for years and years and for generations and for centuries, thought that a righteous God does not see, does not know, that he does not look upon this villainy. But God said to Abraham, Four hundred years, 400 years and the iniquity of those Amorites will be filled, and then the great avenging sword of the Lord God Almighty will be placed in your hand. This is the identical situation here. Iniquity runs its course, and the Lord lets it develop and continue, but there is an hour, there is a day, there is a month, and there is a year when God will judge it. These terrible angels of visitation were prepared for that awful day.

When these fallen angels of a more threatening order are unfettered from the Euphrates, they lead an infernal army of diabolical destruction 200 million strong and eradicate one-third of the earths remaining population.

The Euphrates River, the eastern boundary of Israel, is associated in Scripture with the earths first great atrocities. Its where sin started (Gen. 2:14-14; 3:6-7). Its where the first murder was committed (Gen. 4:8). Its where the first world rebellion against God started (Gen. 10, 11). Its where the Tower of Babel, the wellspring from which all idolatry and false religion started to flow. Its where all misery began, even the rise of Gods peoples greatest enemies and the scene of the most brutal civilizations in human history, the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Persians, and the Medes. How ironic this place  this site  God posits His plans to begin the end of everything that raises its fists against him.

This army is like none other the world has ever seen, not simply because of its size, but because of its power to raze and kill. The Scripture says:

I heard the size of their army, which was 200 million mounted troops. And in my vision, I saw the horses and the riders sitting on them. The riders wore armor that was fiery red and dark blue and yellow. The horses had heads like lions, and fire and smoke and burning sulfur billowed from their mouths. One-third of all the people on earth were killed by these three plagues  by the fire and smoke and burning sulfur that came from the mouths of the horses. Their power was in their mouths and in their tails. For their tails had heads like snakes, with the power to injure people. But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood  idols that can neither see nor hear nor walk! And they did not repent of their murders or their witchcraft or their sexual immorality or their thefts (Revelation 9:16-21).

This army is surely hellish in nature and seemingly both human and demonic. Perhaps it describes a military that is inspired and driven by demons  an infernal Calvary of armed forces who belch out fire, smoke, and burning sulfur with all the characteristics of modern warfare. They may also utilize chemical warfare in the plagues they inflict.

The world has already seen something similar. The Nazis dragged almost the entire world into conflict in World War II. Nazi leadership was steeped in the practices of the Occult, and their troops were fueled by methamphetamine, better known as crystal meth  a perfect sorcerous concoction for demonic control and empowerment.

Still, a more literal interpretation is hardly out of the question and makes perfect sense. Clarence Larkin, in his commentary on Revelation, says:

Supernatural armies are not unknown to the Scriptures. Horses and a chariot of fire separated Elijah and Elisha on the day when Elijah was taken up by a whirlwind into Heaven (2 Kings 2:11). When Dothan was besieged by the army of Syria, God opened the eyes of Elishas servant, and he saw the mountains around the city full of horses and chariots of fire (2 Kings 6:13-17). When the Lord Jesus Christ shall come to take The Kingdom, He will be attended by the Armies of Heaven, riding on white horses.'

The final passages of Revelation 9 are enough to make any serious believer astonished and dismayed. After having suffered indescribably the ravages of war and the holocaust, the Bible says people do not repent of their sins and turn to God. Instead, they double down in their defiance. They continue in their false religious practices, murdering and using sorcery (the Greek word is pharmakia  the same word for todays use of drugs and an altered state of consciousness), sexual immorality, individual, corporate, and institutionalized thefts.

How sad is this description of unregenerate human nature! Unless an individual becomes humble as a small child and places his or her unsophisticated faith in Christ for the salvation of their soul, their heart only hardens with time against the Lord.

Hell is the place of unregenerate, spiritually dead souls  where Jesus said there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Luke 13:28). The fires of hell are fed by the inordinate weeping of self-love and coarsened fury at God.

The Lord is exceedingly patient, full of grace and mercy, but there inevitably comes an hour, a day, a month when his judgment falls on the unrepentant.

How close are you to His judgment? How close is our nation? How close is the world?

No one knows except God. Yet, the clock is ticking. Gods forbearance is running out.
106-year-old woman credits her faith in God for long life

A 106-year-old North Carolina woman is crediting her faith in God for her longevity.

Ruth Hilliard was born on June 5, 1913, and told ABC news station WTVD that her long life is a testament to her Christian faith.

Hilliard is no longer able to read her Bible because of her vision, but the great-grandmother recites scripture by memory on a regular basis.

Her favorite scripture, she said, is Psalms 91:14-16.

"He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation," the scripture reads.

Hilliard believes the verses are God's promise to her and are a testament to why shes alive today.

The mother of one child, a son, Hilliard spent decades of her life teaching children and is recognized as a teacher and mentor to many. Hilliard taught kids at school and at church, WTVD reported. She also has three grandchildren, and a great-grandchild.

Hilliard's birth proceeded "stoplights, Band-Aids, bubble gum, ballpoint pens, microwave ovens and the discovery of penicillin," the news outlet added.

The great-grandmother celebrated her milestone birthday at an assisted living facility near Hampton County, where she lives. Her birthday was also recognized by the North Carolina House of Representatives which sent her a certificate of recognition.
Iran releases pastor imprisoned for 'evangelizing,' promoting 'Zionist Christianity' Yousef Nadarkhani released as part of regime's annual amnesty marking the anniversary of the 1979 revolution

Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani, once sentenced to death in Iran for apostasy, was the third Christian convert recently released from prison as part of the governments annual amnesty marking the anniversary of the 1979 revolution.

Originally sentenced to death in 2010 for leaving Islam, Nadarkhani was freed on Feb. 26, following the pardon and release earlier in the month of Hadi Rahimi and Zaman Fadaei, religious freedom advocates said. While welcoming the releases, they noted that those released had already served significant portions of their sentences in cases marred by legal irregularities even by Iranian standards.

Their pardon hardly addresses the injustice of the original sentencing and suffering that the men and their families endured, said a specialist on Iran with Middle East Concern (MEC) on condition of anonymity. But we are glad for their sakes that they are free and with their families again.

Nadarkhani had been acquitted of apostasy in September 2012 but was found guilty of a lesser charge of evangelizing and sentenced to three years in prison.

He was arrested again, along with his wife, in May 2016 when agents with the Ministry of Intelligence began raiding Christian homes and house churches in Rasht. In July 2016, the Revolutionary Court in Rasht charged Nadarkhani with crimes against national security and accused him of being a Zionist.

Nadarkhani, his wife and two other Christians were found guilty of acting against national security, propagating house churches and promoting Zionist Christianity in June 2017 and sentenced to 10 years each in prison. Nadarkhani was also sentenced to two years exile in Nik Shahr.

Nadarkhani remained free until officials arrested him at his home in July 2018 and took him to Evin Prison to begin serving his sentence. Security officers assaulted Nadarkhani and his son during the arrest, according to MEC and other advocacy groups. Upon judicial review of his case, Nadarkhanis sentence was later reduced to six years.

Two prisoner releases preceded Nadarkanis. Hadi Rahimi was released from Evin Prison on Feb. 15, following that of Zaman Fadaei from the same notorious prison on Feb. 8.

Rahimi was arrested in February 2020 with three other members of a house church in Rasht and released three months later on a bail bond of 200 million toman (about $12,000). In August 2020, Rahimi was sentenced to four years in prison for acting against national security and spreading Zionist Christianity for attending a house church.

The other Christians arrested in the raid received sentences of between two and five years. A month later, Rahimis sentence was upheld on appeal, and on Jan. 9, 2022, he turned himself in to begin his sentence.

Fadaei, another Christian convert from Islam, was released on Feb. 8 also in recognition of the revolutions anniversary. As with Rahimi, Fadaeis pardon was approved by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei as part of the amnesty freeing tens of thousands of prisoners, according to state news agency IRNA.

Fadaei was well known for raising the ire of the Iranian government for following Christ. In November 2020, he was flogged for drinking wine during a Communion service, an 80-lash sentence originally issued in 2017. In June of that year, he was also sentenced to 10 years in prison for acting against national security by propagating house churches and promoting Zionist Christianity, according to advocacy groups.

Fadaeis sentence was later reduced to six years in June 2020 after judicial appeal.

Enemy of the State

In light of recent civil unrest in Iran, there has been much speculation about who would be released as part of the amnesty tradition marking the Feb. 11, 1979, revolution. With Iranian state media reporting the release of 10,000 prisoners, religious freedom advocates in Iran were still tracking information on other releases.

The February pardons were part of a larger game of musical chairs the Iranian state plays with prisoners of conscience, including religious conscience. On Jan. 28, authorities released Anahita Khademi, a Christian convert, on a bail bond of 180 million toman (about $4,000) in connection with various charges, including distributing propaganda against the system and disturbing public opinion.

Khademi, wife of well-known Pastor Abdolreza Haghnejad, on Jan. 3 was ordered to appear at intelligence offices in Bandar Azali, where she was questioned, arrested and later transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht. Her husband remains in Lakan Prison in Rasht serving a six-year prison term sentence for acting against the security of the country by forming and propagating Christianity outside the church and in the house church and giving information to the enemies of Islam.

Charges against Pastor Haghnejad stemming from his arrest in 2014 had been overturned, but in January 2022 the judicial leadership of a court in Karaj nullified the appeal, declared him an enemy of the state and reinstated the six-year sentence.

Iran ranked eighth on Christian support organization Open Doors 2023 World Watch List (WWL) of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian. During the past few years, the government of Iran has severely cracked down on house churches, but the WWL report states, despite great oppression, the Islamic Republic of Iran has seen phenomenal growth in its underground church movement.

Christian gatherings in private homes have been denounced as illegal groups and acts against national security, while many churches continue to be closed, the report states. Converts from Islam to Christianity bear the brunt of religious freedom violations, carried out by the government in particular, which sees these Iranian Christians as an attempt by Western countries to undermine the Islamic regime. Leaders of Christian convert groups, as well as members of other denominational backgrounds who support them, have been arrested, prosecuted and received long prison sentences for crimes against national security.
James O'Keefe: Pfizer whistleblower investigation like a 'spiritual war'

James O'Keefe, a self-described guerilla journalist who some have likened to the late Mike Wallace of "60 Minutes" fame, described his work exposing wrongdoing among powerful companies as part of a battle between good and evil.

OKeefe, the founder of Project Veritas who was forced to resign from the nonprofit after a prolonged conflict with the organizations board of directors, addressed attendees at this year's Conservative Political Action Conference, an annual gathering of conservative activists and politicians held at the Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center outside Washington, D.C. In his speech Saturday, OKeefe homed in on his recent expose of the pharmaceutical company Pfizer.

For the last decade, O'Keefe said he's had the ability to carry out investigative operations, partly because he's never accepted advertising dollars to support his work.

Ive never taken advertising dollars and no ones ever told me what to do. No ones ever told me what not to do, he said, adding that this fact alone has given him the ability to expose anybody who needs to be exposed because thats what journalism is supposed to do: show you the facts, without fear or favor.

He highlighted how the corporate media relies on Pfizer for advertising dollars and suggested that the business relationship between the company and news organizations prevents mainstream media journalists from conducting investigations into the corporation. OKeefe played a montage network and cable news show clips from CNNs Anderson Cooper 360, ABC News Nightline, NBC Nightly News, CNN Tonight and ABCs This Week With George Stephanopoulos all brought to you by Pfizer.

The journalists investigation into Pfizer involved a conversation between an undercover Project Veritas journalist and a pharmaceutical executive at Pfizer who claimed his company was engaging in efforts to mutate the coronavirus to preemptively develop new vaccines for potential variants that would arise out of a mutation.

The Pfizer executive also spoke about a revolving door for all government officials where regulators who review our drugs decide that they want to work for the company down the line. According to the Pfizer official, Once they decide they want to go work for the company, theyre not going to be as harsh on the company.

Undercover video footage collected by Project Veritas also showed the man talking about how coronavirus vaccines served as a cash cow for Pfizer. When OKeefe confronted the Pfizer official, a tense confrontation ensued.

OKeefe described his confrontation with the Pfizer executive as part of a spiritual war and a fight of good and evil that were fighting that might also qualify as a standoff between light versus darkness. He elaborated on the work that went into compiling the Pfizer story: In order to obtain these things, we need brave people, we need brave whistleblowers, we need people on the inside. There were people on the inside of Pfizer who helped us obtain this.

After recalling how one of the whistleblowers at Pfizer who helped Project Veritas with the story was a little reluctant to go public and was scared for her life after she was taken into a room and interrogated [and] had a red van go to her home and harassed, OKeefe informed the audience that she was so inspired by the series of events that have occurred over the last three weeks, including his ouster from Project Veritas, that she decided to go public with me on this stage right now.

OKeefe then introduced the woman, introducing her as Debbie from Pfizer, who cited her faith as an influential factor in her decision to assist with an investigation into the corporation.

I realized that the spirit of fear is not from the Lord and as a believer, I knew that I couldnt just sit there, Debbie said, adding: I couldnt just sit there and watch people get lied to, people get gaslit. It made me angry.

I think we all need to learn to not be fearful. Fear is how the enemy controls us. The reason why our country is going the way its going is because of fear. People are willing to give up their freedom and their liberty to feel safe. We cant do that. Freedom is not free. Freedom comes with a price and sometimes people like me have to make a sacrifice.

Debbie told others who work for big tech, media, [or] a government agency that its your responsibility to stand up.

If you dont say something, theyre going to keep doing it, she warned. Thats why were where we are today. Thats why they keep doing it.

Debbie concluded her speech by asking the CPAC audience to stand up, be brave, [and] do something for this country or else were all doomed.

Following OKeefes departure from Project Veritas, the organization has lost a substantial number of followers on social media. Social Blade, which keeps track of accounts social media followers, has recorded a loss of more than 325,000 Twitter followers for Project Veritas following OKeefes Feb. 20 departure from the organization, nearly 25,000 fewer likes on Facebook and lost approximately 130,000 subscribers on YouTube over the past two weeks.
Ken Ham: Answers to moral, social questions can be found in Genesis

DALLAS, Texas  Ken Ham says he has the solution for anyone confused about what the Bible says about all sorts of topics: go back to the beginning.

That was the message Sunday from the Creation Museum founder and CEO when he spoke at the First Baptist Dallas church on why its critical for believers to believe and teach the foundations of the book of Genesis.

In his message, titled "Divided Nation: Cultures in Chaos & a Conflicted Church," Ham said any social questions can be answered with, You start with Genesis 1 through 11.

The 71-year-old Ham, a Young Earth Creationist, said its the Churchs failure to expound the teachings in Genesis that has fueled the sharp rise in the numbers of people leaving the faith, including Gen Z, which is said to be the first post-Christian generation.

Weve got major problems in our culture. Weve got major problems in the Church, he said. Theres an exodus in the Church right now.

Ham said that exodus is largely fueled by what he says is a misconception that all the various challenges facing the Church  from gay marriage to abortion to moral relativism in general  are different issues.

Theyre different symptoms of the same problem, he said. You know what the problem is? They dont have the right foundation.

Ham turned to the pages of Genesis 2, where God announces the institution of marriage in which a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh.

While marriage is defined in the pages of Scripture, Ham said the culture is redefining it  and Christians are tolerating it.

God created marriage, he said. Not the Supreme Court justices or the president of the United States. God created it.

Ham pointed to Jesus own quote from Genesis in Matthew 19 and Mark 10 as proving that Genesis is foundational to marriage.

And for Ham, that also goes for any assertion about same-sex marriage being compatible with the biblical version.

Marriage was created by God and theres only one marriage He created, he added.

Blaming in part what he called a climate change cult, Ham said the idea of abortion as an acceptable practice is also easily debunked by Genesis.

Because under evolution students are taught that man is an animal, Ham said, moral equivalency creeps in and infects our entire worldview  and soon, abortion can be defended as a morally acceptable practice.

Get rid of spare cats, get rid of spare kids, whats the difference? he said.

But, Ham added, Genesis tells a different story.

Humans are special, he said. We are made in the image of God. Were different from the animals.

Ham pointed to the human reproduction process and fertilization, in which we have all the information that builds us as a human.

Its a unique combination of information different from any human being who has ever existed or who ever will, said Ham.

And because no new genetic information is ever added after the birth of a human, Ham said abortion is killing a human being right from fertilization.

A 2017 Gallup survey found that Americans remain largely divided on the question of evolution and man's creation. An equal share, or 38% of respondents each, said that God created man in present form, and that man went through evolution but with God guiding the process.

Ham acknowledged the difficulties in pushing back against a culture that believes man to be just another animal, and said for Christians to be successful in sharing their worldview  and ultimately the Gospel  its important to learn the skill of arguing foundationally.

Unless they change their foundation and unless they believe Gods Word, they will not have the same foundation as you, theyre not going to have the same worldview, he said. Do you see the problem?

A proponent of Young Earth Creationism, the belief that the Bible teaches the Earth is approximately 6,000 years old, Ham last month urged parents to reconsider sending their children to public school, which he called a system [which] indoctrinates kids for six or so hours a day in the secular worldview of evolutionary naturalism and sexual humanism.

In 2016, Ham criticized religious leaders like Pope Francis who claimed evolution and the Big Bang are defensible origin theories for the universe.

"Do we make God a 'magician' as Pope Francis said if [we] deny the big bang? No! 'For nothing will be impossible with God' (Luke 1:37)," Ham wrote in a Facebook post.

"Pope Francis reportedly said 'theories of evolution and the Big Bang are real' and 'evolution in nature is not inconsistent with the notion of creation.' But it's inconsistent with God's Word! The pope is wrong based on Scripture. No matter what the pope reportedly said, God's Word contradicts the Big Bang and evolution  only God's Word is infallible," he added.
Texas churches pledge to sponsor exiled Mayflower Church members

Churches in Texas have pledged to sponsor the resettlement of 64 Christians from Chinas persecuted Mayflower Church who fled to South Korea in 2019 but were denied asylum.

Southern Baptist congregations and other churches in East Texas have said they will sponsor the exiled members of Shenzhen Holy Reformed house church, which came to be known as Mayflower Church after some 60 Chinese Christians, including 32 children, arrived in South Koreas Jeju Island in 2019. Sixteen families are now in Thailand awaiting responses to their refugee applications first submitted to the U.N.'s refugee agency UNCHR on Sept. 5, 2022.

The name Mayflower comes from the English ship that carried passengers  some of whom were Protestant separatists seeking religious freedom from the Church of England  who traveled to the colonies in the 17th century.

Deana Brown, the founder and CEO of Freedom Seekers International, and Bob Fu of ChinaAid have been collaborating to help resettle the Chinese Christians who fear repatriation to China after South Koreas Gwangju High Court rejected their final asylum appeal.

The Midland, Texas-based ChinaAid, which monitors human rights violations inside China, said 10 more families still need resettlement sponsors.

Members of the church have applied for refugee status with the U.N., but are still awaiting approval from the office in Thailand, added ChinaAid, which is assisting the 64 Chinese Christians living in Thailand, while Freedom Seekers International in Tyler is seeking sponsors for their resettlement to the U.S.

So far, only two of the 16 families have been granted a second refugee determination interview with the U.N., said Brown of FSI, a former Southern Baptist missionary, in an interview with Baptist Standard.

The sponsoring churches include First Baptist Church, Tylers South Spring Baptist Church, Flint Baptist Church, Sylvania Church in Tyler, Grace Community Church and Rose Heights Church.

Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee, recently sent a letter on behalf of the Mayflower Church to Rashad Hussain, U.S. ambassador-at-large for International Religious Freedom, and Julieta Valls Noyes, assistant secretary of the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Immigration, urging them to speak to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees about their status.

In the letter dated Feb. 24, McCaul also raised concerns about China's "ability to compel the repatriation of Chinese citizens who have sought refugee status."

The letter stated in part:

At every step of the journey for the Mayflower Church, there has been substantial opposition from the PRC. When the group first sought asylum in the Republic of Korea, the PRC Consulate refused to issue a passport to a members newborn child, rendering the baby stateless and unable to travel. In interrogations with family members who remained in China, Ministry of Public Security agents have accused the church members of treason, collusion with foreign forces, and subversion of state powers for their desire to practice religion independent of the State. Church members have also received dozens of phone calls from Chinese government officials accusing the church of committing national security offenses by leaving China. Furthermore, in October 2022, the Chinese Embassy in Thailand demanded the Thai police send over all 58 passports to be examined, implying that they may be illegal. ... "The United States must intervene to help ensure the safety of the group, protect them against refoulement and continued harassment by the PRC, and support their prompt assessment for protection as refugees, including consideration by the United States Refugee Admission Program."

Last March, Doug Bandow, a senior fellow at the Washington, D.C.-based Libertarian think-tank the Cato Institute, wrote in an op-ed published by Foreign Policy that refusal to give asylum to the Chinese Christians was a particularly bizarre stance for outgoing President Moon Jae-ins government.

It is not hard to envision the reception Mayflower refugees will face if forcibly repatriated to China, Bandow continued.

Bandow noted that in 2018, Pan Yongguang, pastor of the Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church, signed a statement along with 456 other house church pastors and his friend Wang Yi, who led a 500-member unregistered home church, to protest against the increasing persecution of Christians. Later that year, the authorities arrested Wang and about 100 members of his church during a Sunday evening service. Wang was tried and convicted in 2019, receiving a nine-year prison sentence for the charge of subversion of state power.

ChinaAid said that another reason for the Christians' decision to flee China was related to the ongoing interrogations they endured during the Hong Kong protests in 2019. Even though members of the church did not participate in the Hong Kong protests, they faced tremendous pressure and were interrogated by authorities in Shenzhen, which is near Hong Kong. Repeated threats and interrogation led members to vote en masse to flee China.

The Wall Street Journal reported in June 2021 that the Chinese Christian families wanted to resettle in the U.S. A couple of church members who had returned to China after fleeing to South Korea faced retribution. Their homes were raided by police who confiscated Christian books and electronic devices and monitored and restricted their movements.

Open Doors USA, which monitors the persecution of Christians in over 60 countries, estimates that China has more than 97 million Christians, many of whom worship in unregistered or illegal underground churches.

The five state-sanctioned religious groups in China are the Buddhist Association of China, the Chinese Taoist Association, the Islamic Association of China, the Protestant Three-Self Patriotic Movement and the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association.

Even the organizations affiliated with the five authorized religions can be subject to surveillance and monitoring.

In 2018, the communist regime released a document titled Chinas Policies and Practices on Protecting Freedom of Religious Belief. It declared that Chinese faith communities should adhere to the direction of localizing the religion, practice the core values of socialism, develop and expand the fine Chinese tradition and actively explore the religious thought which accords with China's national circumstances.
Spiritual revival fire vs. God's whisper: Warning for Asbury and beyond

With all of the talk of a potential revival sweeping the nation right now, I think its a good time to discuss the difference between the fire of spiritual revival and the whisper of daily obedience.

While we all want to see a spiritual awakening sweep the nation and the world, we must recognize that Gods normal work is in the steady obedience of his fully committed remnant.

Theres nobody who knew this better than Elijah. He learned the lesson toward the end of his prophetic ministry, and the process of it was painful.

The showdown

When we catch his story in 1 Kings 19, its after he scored a major ministry victory in what I love to call the showdown at Mt. Carmel corral. What happened at the top of this mountain? He issued a challenge to the prophets of Baal, a duel of sortstheir god versus his God.

For years now, Baal worship had been normalized in Israel. King Ahab and his evil wife, Jezebel, had made it the norm. Across the Promised Land, the Israelites had broken the promises theyd made to God and Baal worship had replaced the worship of the one true God.

Elijah was sick of it. It infuriated him. So the news was sent out that there would be a showdown between him and the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. It must have looked as though everyone in Israel showed up to Mt. Carmel that day. On one side was the camel-fur-wearing prophet, Elijah, and on the other side were the 450 prophets of Baal.

Surrounding them, thousands upon thousands of Israelites were waiting to watch who would win. Thats when the somewhat cranky prophet took center stage:

Elijah went before the people and said, How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal is God, follow him. 1 Kings 18:21

Then Elijah issued the details of the showdown: Build an altar, make a sacrifice, and whosever god answers with fire and burns up the sacrifice with fire from Heaven would be crowned as the one true God.

The prophets of Baal went first. They prayed confidently, knowing that Baal, the god who rode clouds and loved storms, would soon bolt to a victory by sending down lightning to consume their sacrifice in a flash. But as they prayed and prayed and prayed, morning turned to noon and noon turned to afternoon. And still, the sky was quiet.

Elijah taunted them, and soon their praying turned to shouting and then to feverish screaming. They even started cutting themselves, trying to get Baal to answer.

But he did not.

So, at the time of the evening sacrifice, Elijah pushed the sweaty, bloody, exhausted prophets of Baal aside as he made his way toward the old, broken-down altar of the LORD that was on top of Mt. Carmel. Then he slowly and methodically rebuilt it and dug a trench around the altar.

Next, he put wood on top of the altar, slaughtered the bull, cut it up into pieces, and arranged them all on top of the wood. Then he asked for four large jars filled with water and had them poured over the sacrifice and altar again and again and again until the altar was drenched, the wood was wet, and the trenches around the altar were full.

Then he prayed a 60-second prayer. To put this in context, the prophets of Baal had prayed for six hours straight. Do the multiplication of 450 prophets of Baal praying for six hoursthats 2,700 man-hours of prayer versus Elijahs one minute.

But Elijahs prayer was answered in a flash, literally. God sent the boom and the fire so powerfully that not only was the bull consumed, but so was the wood, the altar, the soil under the altar, and the water around the altar.

The aftermath

Shocked and frightened, the people collapsed to the ground and started chanting, The LORDHe is God! The LORDHe is God! But Elijah wasnt finished. He commanded the people to kill all the false prophets of Baal. and thats exactly what they did.

Elijah scored his victory in an instant. Not only did he win the showdown, but he also wiped out the competition. At that moment, he must have been convinced that the fire of revival would strike in Israel, just as that lightning bolt from Heaven had struck the sacrifice.

Instead, it led to a death threat from the evil queen Jezebel, whose prophets he had humbled and slaughtered on Mt. Carmel that day.

Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a days journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it, and prayed that he might die. I have had enough, LORD, he said. Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors. 1 Kings 19:3-4

Fueled by terror and adrenaline, he ran, and then walked, and then slogged, ending up in a cave 280 miles away from Mt. Carmel, in the middle of a desolate wilderness. It was in the pitch black of that cold cave that he finally fell asleep, after 40 straight days and nights of weeping, wondering, and wandering.

The lesson

After he awoke the next day, God gave him an earth, wind, and fire object lesson he would never forget.

The LORD said, Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by. Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.  The LORD said to him, Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israelall whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him. 1 Kings 19:11-13; 15-18

At the mouth of the cave that day, Elijah learned the difference between the fire of spiritual revival and the whisper of daily obedience.

The revelation

We must learn that same lesson, especially as it seems the prophets of Baal (the world, the flesh, and the devil) are being defeated at Asbury University and that young people across the nation are increasingly chanting: The LORDHe is God! The LORDHe is God!

We all love the fire of revival. We all love it when God seems to send a lightning bolt of awakening, and the people, especially young people, hold high the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. We all love it when there seems to be a move of God that sweeps.

But what happened at Mt. Carmel didnt translate to a true revival that transformed the culture and truly turned it back to God. It was a flash in a pan, and soon after, things went back to the norm.

What does the object lesson God gave to Elijah have to do with all of this?

We tend to look at Gods work primarily as the hurricane-force wind that brings in the Spirit of God and sets everyones tongue ablaze with the Gospel (Acts 2:1-4). Or the earth-shaking power of God that rattles the building when His people pray (Acts 4:31). Or the lightning bolt of fire from Heaven that consumes the sacrifice (1 Kings 18).

But, as amazing as those experiences are, they arent Gods primary modes of working. Of course, He uses those to accomplish His will and, sometimes, to launch spiritual movements. But His primary mode is in the whisper of daily obedience.

The encouragement

Elijah thought he was alone (I am the only one left 1 Kings 19:10). He thought hed failed at launching a revival (I am no better than my ancestors. 1 Kings 19:4) and that his ministry hadnt made a difference. Why? Because his dramatic victory on Mt. Carmel didnt lead to lasting revival.

But God showed him something different. He whispered encouragement into his soul.

He reminded Elijah:

Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israelall whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him. 1 Kings 19:18

What at first seems to be a rebuke turns into a flood of refreshment for Elijahs revival-thirsty soul. God had reserved 7,000 who had refused to compromise and worship Baal. God had reserved a radicalized remnant who, like Elijah, was fully surrendered to the true and living God.

And guess whose preaching had inspired them? Elijahs!

Guess whose example inspired them? Elijahs!

Guess who was not only their hero but also the hero of a hundred prophets hidden away in caves (1 Kings 18:4)? Elijah!

Guess who most likely inspired the thought of launching a school for prophets? Elijah!

God had used the whisper of daily obedience in Elijahs life to produce a radicalized remnant of the few rather than triggering a sweeping revival of the many. And God was reminding him of that.

He had made a difference.

And that difference had been made long before the showdown on Mt. Carmel.

The takeaway

What does all of this mean for the current revival happening at Asbury and in more and more spots across the nation and around the world? It means we need to keep being obedient, no matter what. We need to be daily fixated on Jesus in our everyday jobs or school classes. We need to make the grind a godly one. We need a relentless consecration of self and dealing with sin in our own lives, making sure were not kissing the baals of our culture. We need to have a steady flow of outward activation for the Gospel, sharing Gods message with everyone.

If this fire that struck Asbury University a few weeks ago is from God, it will continue to burn. But either way, we must continue to practice what Eugene Peterson calls long obedience in the same direction.

And God will use your relentless obedience, boldness, and faith to raise up a radicalized remnant to change the world.

Praise God for the spiritual hurricanes, earthquakes, and lightning bolts when they happen. But dont underestimate the transforming power of Gods whisper in the dust of everyday life.
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Childish beliefs drive lethal energy and agricultural agendas By Paul Driessen

web posted March 6, 2023 Many eco-activists (and too many legislators, regulators, judges and journalists) have trouble thinking beyond slogans. They apparently believe declaring ecological emergencies, repeating clever mantras, and issuing proclamations and mandates will create a fossil-fuel-free, organic farming utopia. In their dreams.



Since 1950, American farmers increased per-acre corn yields by an incredible 500%  and other crop yields by smaller but still amazing amounts, while using less land, water, fuel, fertilizers and pesticides. Their exports helped slash global hunger and malnutrition. Farmers in Brazil, India and other countries worldwide have likewise enjoyed record harvests in recent years. Their success has many roots.



Hybrid seeds combine valuable traits from different plants. Biotech seeds protect crops against insects and viruses and reduce water and pesticide demand. Nitrogen fertilizers (synthesized from natural gas) join phosphorus and potassium in supercharging soils. School and online programs offer libraries of agricultural success tools. Increased atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) further spurs plant growth.



Long-lasting herbicides control weeds that would otherwise steal moisture and nutrients from crops, while enabling farmers to utilize no-till farming that avoids breaking up soils, reduces erosion, further retains soil moisture and preserves vital soil organisms. Israeli-developed drip irrigation delivers water without the evaporation characteristic of other irrigation methods.



Modern high-tech tractors use GPS systems, sensors, cameras and other equipment to steer precise courses across fields, while constantly measuring soil composition, and injecting just the right kinds and amounts of fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides, along with seeds, to ensure optimal harvests.



Imagine the bounteous crops for humanity if all these technologies could spread across the globe.



Instead, this planet-saving, life-saving progress is under assault  by well-meaning or ideologically driven, ill-advised or ill-intended ... but all well-funded ... organizations that demand natural gas bans, more Earth friendly agriculture and a return to traditional farming lifestyles.



Their hatred of biotech crops is intense and well-documented, but they also despise hybrid seeds. They want modern herbicides and insecticides banned, in favor of natural alternatives that are often toxic to bees, animals and people; may actually be synthetic (eg, neurotoxic pyrethrins); and are rarely tested for residues on produce or long-term toxicity to humans. They demand natural fertilizers, which often provide a tiny fraction of nutrients that modern synthetic fertilizers do.



They want to teach only traditional (ie, subsistence) farming, especially in Africa. They prefer to call it food sovereignty  which they claim is the right to culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, in accord with AgroEcology policies. In other words, millions more people (ruling elites and their kids?) doing back-breaking stoop labor, dawn to dusk.



Tractors? Why not horses, oxen or human labor, they ask? At least get rid of gasoline and diesel tractors and trucks, in favor of electric models. Never mind that EV tractors and combines would require several tons of battery modules, and still wouldnt be able to do a full days work without hours-long recharges.



They want oil and gas locked in the ground. We dont need petrochemical products, especially synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. Or tractor tires, paint, windows, GPS/computer housings, and more.



Have these illiterati looked at their own clothing, food, homes, offices or world? Synthetic fabrics, cosmetics, cell phone and computer housings, pharmaceuticals, tapes and adhesives, protective gear, eyeglasses, car bodies, detergents, wind turbine nacelle covers and blades, medical devices, car bodies  practically everything around them and in their lives exists because of oil, gas and petrochemicals.



But we can just use biofuels to replace feed stocks for products we really need, they proclaim. Right.



Banishing oil, gas, petrochemicals and internal-combustion engines would certainly mean no more ethanol as a gasoline additive. That would eliminate the need to grow corn on 36,000,000 acres (equivalent to Iowa), and that land could be used for food crops or wildlife habitat. Except it wont be.



Organic farms have significantly lower crop yields per acre and require far more land than conventional agriculture. Worse, ending oil and gas production means tens of millions of acres would have to be planted with biofuel crops, to provide feed stocks for thousands of now-petrochemical products.



That means vastly more tractors or human labor  and more water, fertilizers and pesticides  to cultivate and harvest sugar and oilseed crops (and algae). And then all those simple biofuel molecules would have to be transformed into much more complex hydrocarbons to provide the necessary feed stocks. That would require even more energy, from even more wind turbines and solar panels  on top of doubling or tripling our existing electricity needs, to transform the U.S. and global economies to all-electric systems, and repeatedly recharge the grid-balancing and power backup batteries those systems would require.



Or perhaps Team Biden plans to simply import all those petrochemicals and/or products  as it seems to be planning with regard to wind turbines, solar panels, battery modules, transformers and other green energy equipment. America will not be able to produce any of it, because Team Biden and its allies oppose mining and drilling in the USA (even for raw materials essential for their utopian renewable energy transformation  and we wont even have affordable, reliable electricity to operate factories.



How can these best and brightest decision-makers and advisors be so ignorant, inept and clueless  so unable to connect even two or three dots? Theyre destroying our planet, habitats and wildlife, to Save the Earth from a computer-modeled climate crisis that President Biden absurdly insists is a greater threat than nuclear war.



They base critical policies that deeply affect lives and livelihoods everywhere on childish beliefs in Santa Claus and Harry Potter. They think we can banish todays energy and agricultural resources and technologies  and amazing replacements will just be there ... via some mystical, mythical process called Materials Acquisition for Government-mandated Infrastructure Change (MAGIC).



Some of them know this cannot possibly happen, but promote the policies anyway. They seem to believe they can mandate that common folks will just have to live austerely, under nineteenth or early twentieth century living standards, in 700-square-foot apartments, using electricity when its available (not when they need it), and subsisting on bug burgers and larvae milk.



They think Africa would be the perfect laboratory for testing new foods, like crackers, muffins, meat loaves and sausages made from lake flies. If all that fails, theyll just impose forced rationing.



Others would go even further. Obama science advisor John Holdren advocated de-development of the [United States and other over-developed countries] and semi-development of the under-developed countries, to approach a decent and ecologically sustainable standard of living for all in between.



Oceanographer Jacques Cousteau once said, in order to stabilize world populations, we must eliminate 350,000 people per day. Environmental Defense scientist Charles Wurster said People are the cause of all the problems.... We need to get rid of some of them, and [banning DDT] is as good a way as any.



Environmental and racial justice? Campaigns, policies government actions to eradicate fossil fuels and modern agricultural practices and technologies go well beyond callous and imperious. They go well beyond eco-imperialism, eco-colonialism and eco-Apartheid. They drive eco-manslaughter on a global scale via energy, farming and climate policy. They impose systemic, systematic racism.



These ideas, and these policy proponents, are what should be banished from government, media and academic institutions. Not the wondrous technologies that make modern life possible. Paul Driessen is senior policy advisor for the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (www.CFACT.org) and author of books and articles on energy, climate change, environmental policy and human rights. Home
DOD prohibits patriotic American flag displays

By Mark Alexander

web posted March 6, 2023

Some of our more cognitively gifted senior military leaders, when contemplating the most pressing national security threats and our military readiness to confront them, have openly speculated about war with the ChiComs in the future  perhaps the very near future. Never mind the little dustup in Ukraine in the proxy war between Vladimir Putin and the free world, or the deadly precedent set by our "commander-in-chief" when he ordered our surrender and retreat from Afghanistan.

Those threats notwithstanding, apparently Joe Biden's secretary of defense, Lloyd Austin, got the priorities memorandum and is making sure our military forces are fully complying with the administration's woke agenda, lowering recruiting standards and making sure Marines celebrate "Pride Month" to impress upon them Biden's "diversity, equity, and inclusion" mandates.

The result is that our nation's military recruiting goals are not being met on the front end  a shortfall not seen since 1973 at the end of the Vietnam War  and too many of our best and brightest young enlisted personnel and officers are exiting. Biden's civilian Pentagon cadres have issued a variety of "explanations" for the missed goals and the exodus of our warriors, but the fact is these critical readiness deficits are the direct result of the anti-American sentiments embraced by Biden and his administrative wokesters.

The latest evidence of how abjectly tone-deaf this administration is would be the official memorandum from Chris Meagher, assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs, barring uniformed personnel from participating in the most familiar patriotic flag displays at sporting events and other high-profile public affairs. This would include on-the-field "unfurling, holding, and/or carrying of giant horizontal U.S. flags" during the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner." It further decrees that "DoD jump teams may not incorporate [it] in their public demonstrations if the flag cannot be caught reliably and handled respectfully by ground personnel during landings."

For the record, the display of huge flags on sporting fields, and those carried by Navy SEAL Leap Frogs and Army Golden Knights parachute teams, always includes teams on the ground to respectfully intercept our flag in order that it not touch the ground  though that presents a challenge sometimes.

A Pentagon spokesperson, Cmdr. Nicole Schwegman, confirmed that even though "many, including service members, find these events moving and patriotic," they are now forbidden.

In fact, Title 4 of the United States Code, also known as the Flag Code, does specify that "the flag should never be carried flat or horizontally, but always aloft and free." That section also states that "the flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground."

However, does it strike you as odd that leftist Democrat Party appointees, many of whom view our flag as a symbol of division and oppression, are suddenly concerned that it be treated with the utmost respect?

Call me skeptical.

We fly American flags with both Patriotic spirit and humility.

At our Patriot Post publishing office, there's a 40-foot flagpole honoring generations of Americans past and present who have endeavored to "to support and defend" our legacy of American Liberty, often at great cost.

A few years ago, I wrote about the 25-foot flagpole at our house, which was a target of complaints from a wealthy, white-privileged suburban leftist of the ilk now tearing down all that has made our country a beacon of Liberty for the world.

I installed that home flagpole on the 50th anniversary of D-Day in 1994, in honor of my former next-door neighbor, 1st Lt. Marshall Goree. From Normandy, Marshall and his machine gun platoon fought their way through Europe with the 276th Armored Field Artillery Battalion until the war's end. For his courageous actions during the Battle of the Bulge and other combat fronts, Marshall earned the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and a Purple Heart. Marshall was a tall, strong man of equally strong presence and character. On rare occasions, he would disclose the most horrific of his enemy encounters  those that ended up in hand-to-hand combat.

Marshall was more than a Patriot and neighbor, however. He was the lifelong best friend of another WWII veteran, my father. In Southern culture, our parents' best friends were sometimes honorary "uncles" and "aunts," and so it was with "Uncle Marshall." Marshall died almost six years to the day after we raised our flag, and my father followed his friend home in 2015. Our flag reminds us of them every day.

From the time our first son could stand, we started many mornings before school at his upstairs window, gazing at that flag, hands over our hearts, reciting "The Pledge of Allegiance." He is now a Marine Infantry Officer. He and our youngest son are both Eagle Scouts, and as a Council leader, one of my greatest privileges was to teach flag etiquette to Scout troops.

Our Patriot Post website includes pages on flag etiquette and protocol, and we take in retired flags from our Patriot Shop customers for proper disposal. Our kids have all heard the amazing testimony regarding what our flag means to American Patriots such as the late Col. Leo K. Thorsness, an Air Force veteran, Vietnam prisoner of war (1967-73), and recipient of the Medal of Honor.

I mention this by way of saying that we treat the display of our flag with great reverence. And that is precisely why I have encouraged our readers to stop lowering their flags every time Joe Biden orders them to half-mast because he often does so as a means of virtue signaling.

As for the concern that Biden's hacks are expressing about flag etiquette and patriotism, recent reputable polling indicates that Patriotism is at an all-time low, with just 38% of adults now saying they are "extremely proud" to be an American. That's down from 55% after the 9/11 Islamist attack on our nation.

Meanwhile, the display of the Rainbow Mafia's so-called "gay pride flag" celebrating gender confusion is encouraged over federal installations to celebrate "Pride Month."

Mark Alexander is the executive editor of the Patriot Post.
For more, see 10 dos and donts for crafting a more effective SLA.

What is an indemnification clause?

An indemnification clause is an important provision in which the service provider agrees to indemnify the customer company for any breaches of its warranties. Indemnification means that the provider will have to pay the customer for any third-party litigation costs resulting from its breach of the warranties. If you use a standard SLA provided by the service provider, it is likely this provision will be absent; ask your in-house counsel to draft a simple provision to include it, although the service provider may want further negotiation of this point.

Is an SLA transferable?

Should the service provider be acquired by or merge with another company, the customer may expect that its SLA will continue to be in force, but this may not be the fact. The agreement may have to be renegotiated. Make no assumptions; however, bear in mind that the new owner will not want to alienate existing customers, so may decide to honor existing SLAs.

How can I verify service levels?

Most service providers make statistics available, often via an online portal. There, customers can check whether SLAs are being met, and whether theyre entitled to service credits or other penalties as laid out in the SLA.

Usually these processes and methodologies are left to the outsourcing company to identify, ensuring that such processes and methodologies can support the SLA agreement. However, its recommended that the client and the outsourcing company work together during the SLA contract negotiation to eliminate any misunderstanding about the process and method of support as well as management and reporting methods.

For critical services, however, customers should invest in third-party tools to automatically capture SLA performance data, which provide an objective measure of performance.

What kind of metrics should be monitored?

The types of SLA metrics required will depend on the services being provided. Many items can be monitored as part of an SLA, but the scheme should be kept as simple as possible to avoid confusion and excessive cost on either side. In choosing metrics, examine your operation and decide what is most important. The more complex the monitoring (and associated remedy) scheme, the less likely it is to be effective, since no one will have time to properly analyze the data. When in doubt, opt for ease of collection of metric data; automated systems are best, since it is unlikely that costly manual collection of metrics will be reliable.

Depending on the service, the types of metric to monitor may include:

Service availability: the amount of time the service is available for use. This may be measured by time slot, with, for example, 99.5 percent availability required between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., and more or less availability specified during other times. E-commerce operations typically have extremely aggressive SLAs at all times; 99.999 percent uptime is a not uncommon requirement for a site that generates millions of dollars an hour.

the amount of time the service is available for use. This may be measured by time slot, with, for example, 99.5 percent availability required between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., and more or less availability specified during other times. E-commerce operations typically have extremely aggressive SLAs at all times; 99.999 percent uptime is a not uncommon requirement for a site that generates millions of dollars an hour. Defect rates: Counts or percentages of errors in major deliverables. Production failures such as incomplete backups and restores, coding errors/rework, and missed deadlines may be included in this category.

Counts or percentages of errors in major deliverables. Production failures such as incomplete backups and restores, coding errors/rework, and missed deadlines may be included in this category. Technical quality: in outsourced application development, measurement of technical quality by commercial analysis tools that examine factors such as program size and coding defects.

in outsourced application development, measurement of technical quality by commercial analysis tools that examine factors such as program size and coding defects. Security: In these hyper-regulated times, application and network security breaches can be costly. Measuring controllable security measures such as anti-virus updates and patching is key in proving all reasonable preventive measures were taken, in the event of an incident.

In these hyper-regulated times, application and network security breaches can be costly. Measuring controllable security measures such as anti-virus updates and patching is key in proving all reasonable preventive measures were taken, in the event of an incident. Business results: Increasingly, IT customers would like to incorporate business process metrics into their SLAs. Using existing key performance indicators is typically the best approach as long as the vendors contribution to those KPIs can be calculated.

What should I consider when selecting metrics for my SLA?

The goal should be an equitable incorporation of best practices and requirements that will maintain service performance and avoid additional costs.

Choose measurements that motivate the right behavior. The first goal of any metric is to motivate the appropriate behavior on behalf of the client and the service provider. Each side of the relationship will attempt to optimize its actions to meet the performance objectives defined by the metrics. First, focus on the behavior that you want to motivate. Then, test your metrics by putting yourself in the place of the other side. How would you optimize your performance? Does that optimization support the originally desired results?

The first goal of any metric is to motivate the appropriate behavior on behalf of the client and the service provider. Each side of the relationship will attempt to optimize its actions to meet the performance objectives defined by the metrics. First, focus on the behavior that you want to motivate. Then, test your metrics by putting yourself in the place of the other side. How would you optimize your performance? Does that optimization support the originally desired results? Ensure that metrics reflect factors within the service providers control. To motivate the right behavior, SLA metrics should reflect factors within the outsourcers control. A typical mistake is to penalize the service provider for delays caused by the clients lack of performance. For example, if the client provides change specifications for application code several weeks late, it is unfair and demotivating to hold the service provider to a pre-specified delivery date. Making the SLA two-sided by measuring the clients performance on mutually dependent actions is a good way to focus on the intended results.

To motivate the right behavior, SLA metrics should reflect factors within the outsourcers control. A typical mistake is to penalize the service provider for delays caused by the clients lack of performance. For example, if the client provides change specifications for application code several weeks late, it is unfair and demotivating to hold the service provider to a pre-specified delivery date. Making the SLA two-sided by measuring the clients performance on mutually dependent actions is a good way to focus on the intended results. Choose measurements that are easily collected. Balance the power of a desired metric against its ease of collection. Ideally, the SLA metrics will be captured automatically, in the background, with minimal overhead, but this objective may not be possible for all desired metrics. When in doubt, compromise in favor of easy collection; no one is going to invest the effort to collect metrics manually.

Balance the power of a desired metric against its ease of collection. Ideally, the SLA metrics will be captured automatically, in the background, with minimal overhead, but this objective may not be possible for all desired metrics. When in doubt, compromise in favor of easy collection; no one is going to invest the effort to collect metrics manually. Less is more. Despite the temptation to control as many factors as possible, avoid choosing an excessive number of metrics or metrics that produce a voluminous amount of data that no one will have time to analyze and create excessive overhead. While less likely, too few metrics are also a problem as missing any one may mean the provide has breached the contract.

Despite the temptation to control as many factors as possible, avoid choosing an excessive number of metrics or metrics that produce a voluminous amount of data that no one will have time to analyze and create excessive overhead. While less likely, too few metrics are also a problem as missing any one may mean the provide has breached the contract. Set a proper baseline. Defining the right metrics is only half of the battle. To be useful, the metrics must be set to reasonable, attainable performance levels. Unless strong historical measurement data is available, be prepared to revisit and readjust the settings at a future date through a predefined process specified in the SLA.

Defining the right metrics is only half of the battle. To be useful, the metrics must be set to reasonable, attainable performance levels. Unless strong historical measurement data is available, be prepared to revisit and readjust the settings at a future date through a predefined process specified in the SLA. Define with care. A provider may tweak SLA definitions to ensure they are met. For example, the Incident Response Time metric is supposed to ensure that the provider addresses an incident within a minimum number of minutes. However, some providers may meet the SLA 100 percent of the time by delivering an automated reply to an incident report. Customers should define SLAs clearly so that they represent the intention of the service level.

In addition to defining the services to be provided, the contract should also document how the services are to be monitored, including how the data will be captured and reported, how often it will be reviewed, and who is involved in the review.

Is there room for negotiation on SLAs with cloud service providers?

Cloud vendors are more reticent about modifying their standard SLAs because their margins are predicated on providing commodity services to many buyers. However, in some cases, customers are able to negotiate terms with their cloud providers.

Whether or not there is wiggle room, it is critical to understand and scrutinize the SLAs in a cloud computing contract to determine whether they present any significant risk.

Can I create joint SLAs shared among multiple vendors or service providers?

Customers can create joint metrics for multiple service providers that factor in cross-supplier impacts and account for impacts that the vendor can have on processes that are not considered in-scope to their contract.

IT organizations managing multiple service providers may want put in place operating level agreements (OLAs), which outline how particular parties involved in the process of delivering IT services will interact with each other in order to maintain performance.

If I opt for outcome-based pricing with an IT outsourcer, do I still need SLAs?

IT outsourcing deals in which service providers compensation is linked to business outcomes achieved have grown in popularity as companies evolve from pure time and materials or full-time-employee based pricing models.

In these cases, the outcome is a business result rather than a specific activity, task, or resource. But even in an outcome-based deal, SLAs serve as important indicators of performance against those business outcomes. SLAs for these deals will not outline technical or operational requirements for given tasks; rather, they outline end-client goals. For this approach to work well, those outcomes must be unambiguous, there must be ways to measure achievement of the outcomes, roles and responsibilities must be clearly defined, and the supplier must have control over the end-to-end service required to deliver results.

Can we create SLAs for shadow IT?

IT can harness the power of shadow IT services and solutions and mitigate associated risks by taking the same types of SLA IT uses to manage the performance of IT service providers and apply them to shadow IT. The IT organizations can take several steps to build an SLA framework for technology services delivered outside the IT organization and measure and report on their performance.

What happens if a provider doesnt meet agreed-on service levels?

SLAs include agreed upon penalties, called service credits, which can be enforced when

vendors miss minimum performance standards. Provider and customer agree to put a certain percentage of monthly fees (typically equal to the vendors profit margin) at risk from which these credits are drawn when SLAs are missed. This approach is intended to incentivize provider performance without being overly punitive.

Best-in-class IT organizations avoid using SLA provisions as punishment for their IT partners and use SLA metrics as an opening for productive conversations around performance, priorities, and the future direction of the engagement or relationship.

What are earn backs?

Some vendors may ask for the right to earn back paid service credits. Such a provision allows providers to earn back the service credits theyve given up for SLA defaults by performing at or above the standards service level for a certain amount of time. While providers may argue that an earn back provision is only fair, it can undermine the service credit approach altogether.

How often should we revise our SLAs?

As businesses change, so do its service requirements. An SLA should not be viewed as a static document. In fact, SLAs should include a clearly defined framework for modification during the term of the contract. The SLA should be reviewed periodically, specifically if:

 The clients business needs have changed (for example, establishing an e-commerce site increases availability requirements).

 The technical environment has changed (for example, more reliable equipment makes a higher availability guarantee possible).

 Workloads have changed.

 Metrics, measurement tools and processes have improved.

The SLA is a critical part of any supplier agreement, and it will pay off in the long-term if the SLA is properly thought-out and codified at the beginning of a relationship. It protects both parties, and, should disputes arise, will specify remedies and avoid misunderstandings. That can save considerable time and money for both customer and supplier.
Veneeth Purushotaman, Group CIO at Aster DM Healthcare explains how the hospital digital strategy helped them to become the first private hospital in Dubai to secure HIMSS Stage 6 certification.
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Inter-not -- Has a Canadian right-wing blogosphere had an impact on politics, society, and culture in Canada?  updated to 2023 (Part One) By Mark Wegierski

web posted March 6, 2023 Partially based on research done with Mike Krupa, M.A., for a paper accepted for the August 28-August 31 2014 American Political Science Association (APSA) Annual Meeting and Exhibition (110th APSA Annual Meeting)(Politics after the Digital Revolution) (Washington, D.C.), from which we had to withdraw because of unforeseen personal circumstances. The emergence of the Internet, where social, political, and cultural commentary could supposedly be freer of so-called gatekeepers, is said to have introduced a greater and more genuine pluralism of outlooks to societies. Considering that it could be argued that much of Canada ideologically resembles the bluest of the Blue (Democratic) American states, the emergence of right-leaning counter-tendencies would arguably be a step towards greater pluralism. However, despite over two decades of Internet development, it could be argued  as far as the author of this article can ascertain -- that a Canadian right-wing blogosphere barely exists. Looking at some of the conservative Canadian websites and major bloggers, its easy to see there wasnt any point in recent Canadian political developments where they might have made an impact comparable to the blogger impact in the 2004 U.S. Presidential election. That was when right-wing bloggers turned back an attempt by the main stream media to undermine George W. Bushs Presidential campaign. The MSM was questioning Bushs National Guard service record, based on what were ultimately proved to be forged documents. (It is, of course, an entirely separate issue, that Dubyas two terms have ended up as an almost unmitigated disaster for any more seriously defined conservatism in America.) The author finds that, in Canadian society, which, unlike the U.S., does not have solid social bases, groups, or publications for a more substantive conservatism, the presence of a few websites and bloggers has had decidedly minimal impact. The impact of the so-called right-wing blogosphere is certainly far less in Canada than in the United States. The impact of various personal blogs (such as those of Kate McMillan, the late Kathy Shaidle, or Richard Klagsbrun) is difficult to accurately gauge. There are as well the party-based Blogging Tories. The website conservativeforum.org is only an archive site. Free Dominion could be called a self-posting forum where commentary is not formally structured. Unfortunately, Free Dominion has been recently subjected to vicious lawfare and its situation is highly tenuous. Enter Stage Right is one of the few independent, formally structured, consistently-edited, frequently updated, conservative Canadian e-zines, that the author of this article is aware of (apart from Judi McLeods Canada Free Press). In July 2013, there arose with great fanfare, the daily webzine, Freedom Press Canada Journal, but it was forced to greatly reduce the frequency of its postings as of November 30, 2013, and, in subsequent months, appears to have been completely removed from the Internet. From mid-2014 onward, short article postings began to very sporadically appear on the website (freedompress.ca), but now that website appears to no longer be extant. There has arisen Ezra Levants The Rebel (or The Rebel Media) website, with dozens of bloggers contributing to it. Another substantial media initiative is Candice Malcolms True North Canada. Also, there is The Post-Millennial website. Another substantial website is The Hub ( thehub.ca ). There is also c2cjournal.ca  a prestigious quarterly online publication. Canada also has one of the most prominent pro-life, pro-family news websites in the world (lifesite.net). There are, as well, some right-leaning individual blogs associated with major newspapers and magazines (such as, most prominently, The National Post, and Macleans). There are, as well, the blogs associated with some far smaller publications, notably Comment (by the social conservative think-tank, CARDUS); and The Interim: Canadas Life and Family Newspaper. CARDUS had published a print publication called Convivium. However, Convivium had become an online-only publication  its last print issue appeared in January 2017. On February 18, 2022, even the online version of Convivium was closed to new submissions  although the website archive is expected to remain. There is a social conservative journal in Quebec, called Egards (Considerations). Representing Western Canada, there is the new Western Standard website. Three websites of the culturalist opposition are actforcanada.ca, capforcanada.com, and eurocanadian.ca . To be continued. Mark Wegierski is a Canadian writer and historical researcher. Home
Last week, the political press turned to a familiar yearly ritual: covering the Conservative Political Action Conference, or cpac. This years edition took place under multiple cloudsMatt Schlapp, the events top organizer, is facing an allegation of groping (which he denies); more broadly, a media narrative has formed that the event has degenerated from a serious Republican talking shop into a Trumpified circus that, as New York put it, lacks both conservatives and actionbut it also took place just as the 2024 presidential race seems to be heating up, and so the event seemed to drive even more headlines than usual. Some of these reflected actual news: Trump pledged to still run for president if he gets criminally indicted, a declaration that was new, if not surprising; a speaker from the right-wing Daily Wire called for transgenderism to be eradicated from public life entirely, a declaration that was neither new nor surprising, but was shocking. Other headlines handicapped the 2024 horse race (Eyeing DeSantis, Trump Readies for a Long Primary Battle), revived Trump-showbiz cliches (cpac is still the Trump show), or both (Trump pitches a sequel, but shies away from attacking rivals). On Saturday, Trump took the stage and delivered an apocalyptic message in the conversational tone of an uncle who wont shut up at a family gathering. I am your warrior. I am your justice, he said. And for those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution.

cpac and Trump were among the topics of conversation on Meet the Press yesterday, with Chuck Todd, the host, musing that Trump appears to be trying to occupy an outsider lane in the Republican primary for 2024. Todd put that observation to a Republican politician who seems to be eyeing the insideror, as the Times put it recently, normallane for 2024: Chris Sununu, the Trump-skeptical governor of New Hampshire. This was not the first time that Sununu had been on one of the agenda-setting Sunday shows this year; hes appeared so often that we might have to start calling them Sununuday shows. Last week, Michael Schaffer, of Politico, noted Sununus heightened recent presence in DC media in a column declaring him the runaway winner (at least so far) of the Permanent-Washington Primary, which Schaffer described as the battle for the hearts and minds and television bookings and annual dinner invites of the Beltway-media-industrial complex. For all the self-reflection brought on by the fury of the Trump years, Schaffer wrote, Sununu helps show that the things that push the buttons of permanent Washington have remained pretty constant: bipartisanship, fiscal flintiness, cultural toleration, respect for institutions and above all the willingness to take sides against your own team. (Schaffer included the Beltway press in his analysis.)

Sununus media moment has perhaps been a disappointing development for another self-styled Republican moderate who may himself have harbored hopes of running in the insider lane: Larry Hogan, the former governor of Maryland. Hogan, too, has long been a Sunday-show fixture. Yesterday, he appeared on one again (Face the Nation, on CBS)but he did so in order to rule himself out of the 2024 running. Hogan also splashed his non-news in a Times op-ed and a similarly worded statement that he posted to Twitter. The stakes are too high for me to risk being part of another multicar pileup that could potentially help Mr. Trump recapture the nomination, Hogan wrote, selflessly. On Meet the Press, Todd wondered aloud whether the announcement was really about Sununu getting a jump start on him.

The 2024 election is not a new media story line, of courseits been unspooling since at least the 2020 election, and maybe even before. But its felt, over the past week or so, like were nearing the tipping point into full-blown election mania, if we havent reached it already. On the Democratic side, Jill Biden, the first lady, went to Africa to highlight food insecurity, among other important matters, but instead drove the US news cycle into a frenzy after effectively confirming that her husband intends to seek reelection; meanwhile, Marianne Williamson, a (very) long-shot contender for the Democratic nomination in 2020, announced that she will run again and herself scored a Sunday-show sit-down, on ABC (where she was asked, among other things, about media portrayals of her as an anti-science, anti-vaxcrystal lady). On the Republican side, weve had not only the aforementioned chatter about cpac and lanes, but a ramped-up media focus on Florida governor Ron DeSantis, who has been hawking a book. Over the weekend, Bloomberg reported that Trump has been workshopping the Perfect DeSantis Diss (among the options: Ron DisHonest, Ron DeEstablishment, Tiny D), playing into a longer-term media obsession over Trumps nicknames (which, as Ive written before, has often played into Trumps hands). At least two major outlets aggregated the Bloomberg story into stories of their own.

If all this feels familiar, it should. Every presidential election has its breakout stories, of course, including about the press (Hillarys emails, Hunters laptop, and so on). This one will surely be no different; indeed, the growing scandal around Fox Newss 2020 cravenness may already be shaping up to slot into the latter category. But the basic rhythms of election coverage rarely seem to change. The (still very) early coverage of the 2024 race has, so far, often been a testament to that truth. Horse-race, horse-rinse, horse-repeat.

Last yearwith the January 6 committee dominating the headlines and various election deniers running for prominent state or national posts in the midtermsmajor news organizations seemed to reorient their election coverage, at least to some extent, around the much bigger story of threats to the basic fabric of elections themselves (as I noted in January). In some quarters, that coverage has continued into this yearbut across the toplines of the news cycle, it seems to have quieted somewhat. Over the weekend, The Guardian, for one, bucked that trend by putting ongoing threats to democracy right at the top of its story about Trumps cpac speech, a framing that won praise from Jay Rosen, a media critic and journalism professor at NYU. Sharing the story, Rosen spelled out a shorthand principle for how he thinks all newsrooms should organize their coverage heading into 2024: Not the odds, but the stakes.

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This is good advice, and how we might apply it in practice demands some reflection. Much of the recent chatter about GOP lanes has been very odds-y (its hard to think of a more on-the-nose horse-race metaphor), though such talk isnt inherently divorced from the stakes of the election; the lanes, after all, are partially taking shape around policy questions, from abortion to Ukraine. Trump trying to take the outsider lane, as Todd put it, might seem ludicrous for a literal former president of the United States, but its worth journalists interrogating what such a concept might mean; some coverage of cpacand particularly its antidemocratic and anti-trans overtonesdid so sharply. Even stories like Hogan ruling himself out for 2024 arent entirely divorced from real-world effects: how the field takes shape determines who wins; who wins determines what policy ideas get taken to the country and, perhaps, into government.

There are high stakes on the Democratic side, toonot least the small matter of the rest of Bidens current presidency. His policies demand urgent and ongoing media engagement and scrutiny, and yet, if Jill Bidens derailed Africa trip is any guide, its not hard to foresee much of the remainder of his time in office getting sucked into the insatiable maw of campaign coverage if/when he officially declares as a candidate again. Already, important decisions are often getting filtered through a 2024 prism, as was the case last week, when Biden said that he would decline to veto a rare congressional move to overturn a local crime law in DC. Again, to the extent that political dynamics shape policy, they merit news coverage. But they arent the be-all and end-all. Yesterday, Todd said that it looked as if Biden had made the right call on the DC crime law because leading members of his party have so largely backed off from criticizing his decision publicly. This, to put it mildly, is a highly selective indicator of what makes something right.

In the fall of 2021, with 2024 chatter already starting to ramp up in the political press, I wrote that it was way too early to start covering that election. Its now eighteen months less early, and there are important election stories that we should be starting to coverin ways consistent with centering the stakes. If candidates are declaring already, their track records demand scrutiny. Weve seen no little coverage on such terms, not least when it comes to what DeSantis is doing as governor of Florida. (CJR wrote last week, for example, about proposed anti-press legislation in the state, and what it would mean for that to go national.) But this sort of coverage hasnt always been in evidence. In his four Sunday-show hits this year, Sununu has repeatedly been asked to play 2024 pundit (Can Trump win again? Will Biden run again?) in addition to facing questions about his own intentions, which he has played off with a winking ambiguity. He has also faced questions about his stances on hot-button political issues, from police reform to the Chinese spy balloon. As far as I can see, though, he has not faced a single question seriously probing his record as governor of New Hampshire, a job he has now held for six years.

And, even though the election race is now taking concrete shape, Election Day itself is still a long way away; Biden has barely completed half of his term, and we shouldnt drown the rest of it in a sea of horse-race handicapping. I wrote in 2021 that the biggest problem with horse-race election coverage, arguably, isnt that it exists at all, but that it overrides so much else of substance in major outlets attention spans. That remains true today.

The heightened election coverage of recent weeks hasnt only served to overshadow a conversation about food security abroad, but one at home, as well: last week, a covid-linked expansion of food-stamp benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or snap, expired, affecting tens of millions of families and leading at least one expert to warn of an impending huge hunger cliff. The end of the expanded benefit did attract prominent coverage, not least a deeply reported story on the front page of the Washington Post. But it didnt attract much coverage on cable news. Yesterdayacross the Sunday shows on NBC, CNN, ABC, and CBSsnap wasnt mentioned at all. A different acronym got twenty-three mentions: cpac.



Other notable stories:

ICYMI: Floridas Blueprint for Americas Media

Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, Foreign Policy, and The Nation, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop.
Residents in northern Lebanon fear homes collapse after massive earthquake

Xinhua) 09:09, March 06, 2023

People stay outside their residence due to the earthquakes felt in Tripoli, Lebanon, on Feb. 6, 2023. (Photo by Khaled Habashiti/Xinhua)

BEIRUT, March 4 (Xinhua) -- In the past weeks since the massive earthquake hit Turkiye and Syria on Feb. 6, Ebtisam Antar, a mother of two children in Lebanon neighboring Syria, goes to bed every night with intense fear that the roof of her 50-year-old house may fall over her head.

She told Xinhua that the quake on Feb. 6 caused cracks in the wall of her balcony before another one two days later led to more fissures in her daughter's bedroom.

"I was scared to death, so I moved from the house on Feb. 6 with my two kids. But I had to return 20 days later because I can't stay at my brother's crowded house forever," said Antar, who lives in a poor neighborhood in the northern Mediterranean city of Tripoli.

People stay outside their residence due to the earthquakes felt in Tripoli, Lebanon, on Feb. 6, 2023. (Photo by Khaled Habashiti/Xinhua)

The situation is even worse for Mustafa el-Wahesh, as the quake added new cracks in the iron columns of his 50-year-old building which has long been severely troubled by its poor sewage systems.

"My family and I are so scared that we sleep with our clothes on," el-Wahesh told Xinhua.

"But I could not even leave the house as I have nowhere to go," the father of two lamented.

Antar and el-Wahesh's plight reveals the fragility of aging buildings in Tripoli because of decades of neglect, especially after the deadly earthquake that killed over 47,000 in Syria and Turkiye.

Even before the 2019 financial collapse, residents in the Mediterranean impoverished Lebanese city lacked the financial resources to maintain their buildings.

Mohammad Dabab, a third resident in Tripoli, said his building was "dancing right and left" during the earthquake and he can still feel it moving even if there is no quake.

People stay outside their residence due to the earthquakes felt in Tripoli, Lebanon, on Feb. 6, 2023. (Photo by Khaled Habashiti/Xinhua)

"Walls and iron columns cracked. Architects who came to check our building said the situation is dangerous," he told Xinhua.

The Order of Engineers and Architects in Tripoli has visited and checked the buildings damaged by the earthquake in the northern Lebanese city, hoping to submit a report to authorities for support for the buildings at risk of collapse, explained Fadi Obeid, an engineer and member of the local organization.

Hundreds of complaints are now filed every day by residents in Tripoli who worry about the safety of their homes, according to Obeid and Ahmad Amareddine, the head of Tripoli's municipality.

Amareddine told Xinhua that about 700 to 800 buildings in Tripoli were cracked at different degrees even before the earthquake but are not at risk of collapse in the absence of new natural disasters.

He puts the number of constructions at risk of collapse from the recent earthquake at 20, while Obeid believes the real figure is much higher through the field visits by the teams of his organization.

Children stay in a square after an earthquake in southern Turkiye is felt in Tripoli, Lebanon, on Feb. 20, 2023. (Photo by Khaled Habashiti/Xinhua)

Mohamad Kheir, the secretary general of the Higher Relief Committee in Lebanon, told Xinhua that the government plans to provide housing allowances for owners whose houses risk collapsing from the earthquake.

Last month, the Order of Engineers and Architects of Tripoli, in cooperation with the Association of Arab Architects based in the capital Beirut, issued a series of recommendations during a conference held in the city, where conferees agreed on the urgency to launch a survey of cracked buildings in Tripoli that pose a threat to public safety, calling on the authorities to secure funding dedicated to restoring and strengthening those buildings.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
India affirms Saudi Arabia FM taking part in the G2 meeting is one of the most important summits of the year. Those attending last Friday focused on current global trends which top diplomats from the richest member countries.

India Hosts G20 Meetings

India, the presidency of the Group of 20 hosted this year with the US, KSA, Japan, Russia, China, and EU as major participants, reported Arab News.

New Delhi wants to find common ground, but the US and its allies need to make it easier to reach a joint statement, one of the stumbling blocks that has cast dissension caused by the Ukraine conflict.

An important meeting regarding global events with Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan is one of the highlights. But others members had a one-on-one with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar as part of the proceeding.

On Twitter, Jaishankar posted that he and FM Faisal bin Farhan of the KSA is satisfied. KSA's support will be one of the cornerstones of the summit.

A good conversation this morning with FM @FaisalbinFarhan of Saudi Arabia.



Appreciate Saudi Arabias support in the G20. Also discussed global developments. pic.twitter.com/ueYRUmRcMe  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) March 3, 2023

Saudi Press Agency mentioned the group wants to counter unipolarity, less development, and any threats to food and energy sources that must be avoided. Prince Faisal said cutting short conflict by diplomacy and less political tensions foisted by interested parties causing global problems with economic consequences is better noted Menafn.

Saudi Arabia FM Gives Insights Into India's Leadership

One observation of the interaction with New Delhi is the Saudi FM unified them on major global politics as a major shift in geopolitics. The prince lauded how the Indian government's lead of the Group of 20 is excellent.

Read Also: G20 India Leadership Supports PM Modi's Stand on the Ukraine War

Indian leadership is critical of unipolarity, which is being challenged by many nations that prefer multipolarity that favors the majority. Many of the current problems in global politics and economic stemmed from ignoring multipolarity. Experts see the Saudi foreign minister's engagements in India as bringing the two countries closer on global political issues.

Talmiz Ahmad, who was the former Indian ambassador to KSA that Saudi foreign policy is centered on strategic economic concerns. It unifies mutual concerns regarding a common approach. He stressed the group's meeting is all about the global south coming together as unified in common cooperation and explained that the west would never be a part of discussions on international politics that they should dominate.

At this point, New Delhi and Riyadh stressed the need for more bilateral ties, reiterated by Muddassir Quamar, an expert saying it is now that the two nations linked up is the best time. The two feel issues of the global south in many sectors, and the Group of 20 is a suitable venue and a few more. Such collaboration will bring a boon in politic and diplomacy that will benefit both parties.

Another expert Mohammed Soliman echoed that New Delhi and Riyadh are a good fit as partners and major nations. Clashed between Washington and Brussels, Moscow and Beijing will need the Group of 20 as a mediator, governing global systems.

Discussions between the Indian leader and Saudi FM will also develop crucial channels to deal with issues and the G20. India with the Saudi Arabia FM in the G20 meetings highlights the collaboration of the two that will impact global developments.

Related Article: G20 Assembly Ends with No Consensus on the Ukraine War

@ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Iran asked for an additional S-400 defense with Su-35 jets, which the Israeli military sees as an alarming development. These surface-to-air missile batteries could attack UAVs and several kinds of missiles reaching the terminal stage of their trajectory. Several nations like China, India, and Turkey have praised the Russian system.

S-400 Defense Bothers Israeli Military

On March 2, Tehran asking for an advanced S-400 would be disastrous. Russia was silent concerning the report, but it can be ready two years from now when it's delivered, Jerusalem Post reported.

It was disclosed that concerned individuals in Israel and US are considering attacking before these systems are active, preferring to risk a provocative assault than losing units later on, per Bloomberg.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu added a grave opinion during a security summit in Tel Aviv a week ago. He indicated waiting will make it difficult, and the Israelis have waited too long. He assured everyone that he would keep Tehran from using refined Uranium in nuclear weapons, reported Eurasian Times.

Improvements to the Bavar-373 were mentioned last November, which can intercept as far as 400 to 450 kilometers maximum. The consensus is that Tehran will lay out a deep air defense network to counter any Israeli attack on nuclear facilities. It worried the US and Israel that it would become powerless if any strikes were negated.

Read Also: Turkey Keeps Russian Missile System Deal

Another Russian-made anti-air defense is the older S-300 in the Iranian arsenal. Moscow's ambassador to Iran suggests that the newer system might be in Iran by 2020. But Tehran has its Bavar-373 air defense which is the local version of the Russian system.

Iran's Advantage with Su-35 Jets

A Middle East expert, Seth Frantzman, stated that if the system reaches Tehran, that will take time. This includes training needed to be proficient in these systems and delivery schedules. He said that the system wouldn't be sent any sooner. Citing that Moscow said it would give Syria the older S-300, which has not allegedly worked well in deterring the Israeli forces, makes sending advance SAM batteries to Iran not likely.

Frantzman further stated that the Moscow-Tehran partnership would bring a curveball to the Middle East that has impacted the Russo-Ukraine war. The kamikaze drones terrorized Kyiv as another example of mutual support. Since Russia needs it most on hand, sending arms when the Ukraine conflict rages will not see an exodus of weapons yet.

Iranian Air Force Could Operate With Collateral Damage

Indicators are unsuitable for Jerusalem if a strike is intended to knock out Tehran's nuclear agenda if the advanced batteries are erected sooner. Should the S-400 be sent in 2023, that would be in 2025, that will be ready and fully operational.

In December 2022, rumors said that Moscow might make a deal for the advanced air defense system as both nations have closer ties. Another is that Su-35 modernized Flankers are on the way to Tehran.

Getting an S-400 defense will frustrate the Israeli military with the Su-35 that might be Iran soon. Jerusalem and Washington see complications in attacking nuclear facilities as Russia arms Tehran.

Related Article: Russia Showcases Defense Systems at Zhuhai Air Show 2022 in China

@ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
China has set a historically lowest growth target as Beijing tries to support economic recovery efforts following a tumultuous year.

The decision comes as Chinese President Xi Jinping is again moving forward with his political agendas after a year of faltering growth, widespread protests, and a surge of COVID-19 deaths. The latter resulted from Beijing choosing to abandon its stringent zero-COVID policies abruptly.

China Sets Historically Lowest Growth Target

Xi is expected to secure even more political power during the annual gathering of the national legislature that opened on Sunday. During the start of the National People's Congress, the Chinese government laid out a post-COVID agenda that focused on economic recovery with a 5% growth target, raising military, education, and social needs spending while also augmenting the president's already formidable influence.

Nearly 3,000 carefully selected delegates to the legislature will meet in Beijing for nine days. They are set to appoint a new cohort of government leaders filled with Xi loyalists by the end of the Congress, as per the New York Times.

Furthermore, the delegates are expected to approve a bureaucratic reorganization that would only further concentrate policymaking under Xi and the party. In a statement, a senior fellow at the Jamestown Foundation, Willy Wo-Lap Lam, who studies Chinese politics, said Xi is back and wasting no time to gain more political power.

Lam argued that Xi and other Chinese leaders thought they could pull back their zero-COVID policies and endure the resulting deaths without suffering under a prolonged, severe political crisis.

He added that the Chinese leadership made such a big gamble regarding the issue following widespread protests over their stringent health protocols. Lam noted that on the surface, the risk worked so far politically, despite the massive number of deaths in just the first month of the reversal of the policies.

Read Also: Russia-Ukraine War Update

Xi Jinping's Power Plans

The situation comes as workers at the largest iPhone factory in the world fought against police wearing hazmat suits in Zhengzhou in November last year. Video footage of the incident quickly became viral across social media platforms despite the Chinese government's efforts to censor the incident, according to Fox Business.

The decision to set a historically low growth target contrasts China's growing military budget, which received a 7.2% increase this year. The country's military budget is currently at $230 billion, an increase of roughly $16 billion from last year's total.

The Asian country's budget increase caps a year of unprecedented tension between China, the United States, and Taiwan. In a statement last month, CIA Director William Burns said that Xi ordered his military to be ready to invade Taiwan by 2027.

While the National People's Congress is set to confirm Xi's third term as president, they will also name a new premier, which is second-in-command under the president and comes with the departure of incumbent Li Keqiang.

The meetings, which are known as Two Sessions, are particularly significant as delegates are set to reshape several key Communist Party and state institutions. Furthermore, BBC said Chinese lawmakers are expected to tighten control over bodies that oversee the finance sector and scientific and technical work.

Related Article: India's Take on Saudi Arabia's Presence at G20 Summit

@ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
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Before employing artificial intelligence (AI) to find job candidates, Southwest Airlines had no definitive way to track the success of the company's email and website hiring campaigns. The airline also couldnt queue up potential applicants whod logged into a job listings page and left before an applicable position had been posted.

Since it began using an AI-enabled hiring platform from tech firm Phenom, the airline now has a warm pipeline of candidates it can draw on whenever jobs opportunities arise, according to Kelby Tansey, manager for recruitment marketing at Southwest Airlines.

Tansey said the airline can now reach out to passive job candidates who came to Southwest but couldnt find an open position at the time.

Well drive them into certain pipelines within the Phenom platform so we can capture their resume, their skills, and note some of those candidates and then let them know when the job opens up, Tansey said.

Southwest is among a growing number of organizations turning to AI-based tools to identify potential job candidates, schedule interviews, and reduce the overall time recruiters and hiring managers spend on those tasks.

From 35% to 45% of companies are expected to use AI-based talent acquisition software and services to help select and interview job prospects this year, according to recent studies.

Southwest Airlines Southwest Airline's recruitment site powered by Phenom's AI software.

Nearly three in four organizations boosted their purchases of talent acquisition technology in 2022 and 70% plan to continue investing this year  even if a recession arrives  according to a survey by enterprise hiring platform Modern Hire.

Forrester Research Principal Analyst Betsy Summers said she's been getting more inquiries from clients about AI recruiting platforms.

It has touched a nerve in the HR and recruiting world, promising to fix problems and frustrations that have been plaguing those teams  hard to decipher competency models, job descriptions that are vague or biased, increasing talent competition, Summers said.

The questions Summers gets about recruitment platforms go beyond talent acquisition and include skills-as-a-service technology that has a huge potential impact on how organizations plan their workforce, develop them, how and where they allocate work, and how they grow and retain workers.

It could be a game changer, Summers said.

A growing number of AI-based options

Along with Phenom's SaaS-based Intelligent Talent Experience platform, other leading providers of AI-based talent acquisition software and services include Eightfold, Beamery, and Seekout  all of which perform skills inference and candidate-job matching. Other notable vendors include Clovers (with its recent acquisition of Talvista), HireVue, Pymetrics (recently acquired by Harver), and iCIMS, according to Forrester Research.

AI-based recruitment platforms can find "more diverse talent pools, and [offer] a more accurate approach to qualifying candidates by matching skills rather than on a job title match or other signal, said Forrester Principal Analyst Betsy Summers.

Some of the use cases for talent acquisition platforms are efficiency-oriented, since theyre used for interview scheduling, managing the candidate application process, assisting recruiters with follow-ups, and managing the applicant pipeline. Other platforms also focus on bias mitigation such as adjusting language in job descriptions and candidate communications to be more inclusive. Still others include remote video capabilities that automate early interviews.

Phenom

HireVues candidate interviewing software, for example, uses a natural language bot to conduct an interview and provide a transcript for hiring managers and recruiters. It also has a video component that records an interview, offering each would-be hire 30 seconds to prepare for each question, and up to three minutes to answer. The video is then sent to the hiring manager to view.

Talent acquisition software also often relies on fits scoring, which uses specific metrics to match a job candidates qualifications to a specific opening.

Saving time at SASR Worforce Solutions

Bradley Cooper, director of IT at staffing firm SASR Workforce Solutions, said each recruiter in his company is responsible for hiring at least 360 people annually for various clients. In October 2021, SASR went live with Phenoms platform, which immediately provided efficiencies  among them, automatically matching candidates to job openings before a recruiter even contacted an applicant.

When you work at our volume, you need tools to help get the candidates to you in a timely manner, Cooper said. As soon as a job opportunity is available, we can make it known to the candidate, and that goes out to the job board Phenom has. Before that, it just wasnt a good recruiter or candidate experience.

SASR An overview of when SASR sees the most traffic on its career site, which enables the staffing firm to use its dynamic and static list to create and deliver marketing campaigns during peak interaction times.

As soon as a job candidate begins the application process, Phenoms software begins building a profile of the person; if theyre a good fit for a SASR client, it feeds the candidate to a recruiter who can interview them, make an offer, and start the onboarding process. If the prospect is not yet ready to accept an offer, Phenoms platform places them in a future candidate talent community or queue, allowing SASR to continue to contact them as opportunities come up.

SASR uses Phenom Hosted Apply, which provides a consistent experience for candidates, where they go from learning about a job to applying for it without having to leave the career site. Hosted Apply leverages API integrations Phenom made with third-party applicant tracking systems (ATS), and avoids the need for a candidate to get redirected to a separate ATS application process.

Phenom's platform also builds out a dynamic and static list of potential candidates. The former has candidates who are added or removed as they find work; the latter is a constant list of workers who can be accessed for seasonal or part-time positions. The lists can also be used to develop recruiting campaigns, Cooper said.

Over time, as we add more candidates to the list, the AI will recognize the like candidates with the same skills and locations for opportunities, so that allows us to see the best fit upfront, Cooper said. The really cool part about having a dynamic list is it allows you to target them for a specific opportunity, or if we do a specific campaign, we can curate that messaging to them through email or SMS to hit the correct touchpoints.

SASR This is a KPI roll up providing visibility on SASR's Job Seeker interviews. It's important that interviews happen quickly, as job seekers tend to lose interest if an interview is not scheduled within a few days of application.

Automated recruiting can save money

The return on investment for an automated recruiting platform can be tremendous. One study funded by Phenom and performed by Forrester showed a 449% ROI over three years with a payback period of less than six months  equaling more than $24 million in savings and business benefits.

The study showed that, on average, the recruiting platforms saved hiring managers and recruiters 11 hours per week. The software also increased the number of hires and decreased costs of new-hire onboarding, training, and time to productivity.

Job recruiters at Southwest Airlines saw a 40% time savings when using Phenoms analytics tools to find candidates, automate scheduling and do video interviews.

After we went live with Phenoms career site refresh in September, we saw a 25% increase in website engagement. That means more candidates are visiting more [job] pages, Tansey said. From a hiring perspective, were able to capture all candidate data in one place, follow up on leads, keep them nurtured and warm, and drive them to apply.

"If we were driving only leads to jobs only open now, we wouldnt be able to get the full value out of what we could do from an evergreen strategy..., Tansey said. Were even able to engage at the campus level with kids who may be pursuing careers and keep them warm and bring them into our pipelines.

AI can help uncover soft skills

Another feature of talent acquisition services is the ability to uncover a candidates soft skills including their ability to learn, work as a team player, be creative, or have empathy.

For example, AI-firm Paradox has bot software named Olivia that's used, among other tools, to automate hiring for companies such as McDonalds, Speedway, Lowes and American Eagle. Paradox also acquired Traitify, whose software assesses a candidate based on five metrics: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. Candidates are given a test that takes about 10 minutes and includes images the user responds to by selecting either me or not me.

Chatbots are typically employed by recruitment platforms to engage job seekers and ask them about their interests and skills; the bots can then present candidates with open positions for which theyre most qualified to apply.

For example, Phenoms chatbot allows job seekers to peruse various markets, such as engineering, marketing, sales, and data science and machine learning. It then asks questions such as, "Ae you willing to relocate? and "How many years and specific experience do you have?" Once the queries are completed, the chatbot presents open positions the candidate can apply for.

Phenom Phenom's chatbot in action.

The downside of AI platforms

Allyn Bailey, who spent 11 years as an HR recruitment executive at Intel, cautioned against becoming too dependent on chatbots because they may contain unintentional biases, leading to discrimination in the hiring process. Basically, the chatbot is only as good as the developers who created it.

So, while ChatGPT can streamline the job application process, it's best used as a supplement to traditional methods of evaluating candidates. You still need that human interaction and relationship building, said Bailey, now the executive director of hiring success for talent acquisition platform SmartRecruiters. And don't forget to be mindful of the potential dangers and take steps to mitigate them.

ChatGPT, and other AI-based tools, can only provide pre-written responses to candidates, and they may not accurately reflect that person's unique skills, personality, and communication abilities. That human touch is so important in the hiring process, and you don't want to lose that, Bailey said.

Forrester Researchs Summers agreed, saying AI ideally should qualify more candidates into the pipeline than qualifying them out. AI should also help mitigate natural human bias in qualifying and selecting talent, not amplify it.

Still fresh in our memory are stories about AI perpetuating bias in their qualification algorithm, Summers said. "And in the case of interview analysis, AI not trained on women, people of color, and non-native English speakers can misread facial and vocal cues to make the wrong call about qualified candidates."

Overall, however, sentiment about AIs impact on organizations is positive, according to Forresters own survey data; 74% of respondents reported AI had a positive impact and 25% said the impact was neutral.

Summers also cautioned that the regulatory environment is heating up for vendors and organizations deploying AI for recruitment and HR use cases. Those regulations are looking to protect candidates and employees from potentially harmful or biased practices. For example, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development tracks over 800 policies concerning AI around the world.

In HR, there is also a skills and confidence gap about AI that needs to be addressed. In 2021, only 19% of HR leaders were confident in their teams AI capabilities, Summers said.

To protect candidates and companies, its imperative that organizations increase skills around AI management, establish ethical and responsible AI guidelines and resources for their employees and broader stakeholders, and vet their ecosystem for ethical and responsible AI practices, according to Summers.

The good news is that 80% of our survey respondents report that their organization observes and evaluates data and data products against AI responsibility, outcomes, compliance, and protection well or very well, Summers said.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other lawmakers are pushing a hard-right agenda that would significantly impact transgender rights in the state, including expanding the 'Don't Say Gay' bill.

In the Florida State Senate, a proposed bill also allows officials to take "emergency jurisdiction" over children who receive or are at risk of receiving gender-affirming care. This bill would also affect those whose parents or siblings receive such care. Furthermore, Florida law would allow authorities to act outside the state.

Florida's Slew of New Bills

Jacksonville State Sen. Clay Yarborough introduced Senate Bill 254 on Friday, granting the court power to take emergency custody of children that fall under its standards. These are those who receive or are at risk of receiving gender-affirming care, including hormone therapy, puberty blockers, and surgeries or procedures.

The bill allows the state to take custody of a child if it becomes necessary for an "emergency to protect the child." Furthermore, the court would be granted "jurisdiction to vacate, stay, or modify a child custody determination of a court of another state" to protect the child, as per Yahoo News.

The efforts come as gender-affirming health care for transgender individuals receives support from nearly all major accredited medical organizations. The recently proposed bill also faced criticism from advocacy groups and legal experts.

They argued that it violates the rights of transgender and non-conforming children and infringes on parents' rights to make healthcare decisions for their children. A former staff attorney at the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund, Alejandra Caraballo, the proposed bill would allow for the "legal kidnapping" of transgender children.

She argues that the bill would violate interstate comity by authorizing the courts to vacate child custody determinations of other courts, but only if the child is trans. Caraballo added that the legislation greenlights transphobic family members to be involved in state-sponsored kidnapping.

Read Also: Donald Trump Wins CPAC Straw Poll

Transgender Rights

On the other hand, other Florida legislators proposed new laws that would reshape K-12 and higher education within the state. The bills require teachers to use pronouns that match children's sex that was assigned at birth and to establish a universal school choice voucher program, according to the Washington Post.

A cast of GOP state representatives filed half a dozen bills shortly before the launch of the state's legislative session on Tuesday. Lawmakers made other proposals, including removing college majors in gender studies, canceling diversity efforts for tenured faculty at universities and job protections, and strengthening parents' ability to veto K-12 class materials.

In a statement, state Republican Senate President Kathleen Passidomo said that whether it was education or health, keeping parents in the dark was unacceptable. She argued that schools should teach young children to respect and obey their parents, not hide crucial information.

This year, there is added pressure on GOP lawmakers due to DeSantis preparing for a potential 2024 presidential run. Politico said his announcement is expected to come in late spring after state officials complete the legislative session.

Related Article: Joe Manchin on Joe Biden's Potential 2024 Run

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On February 10, the City of Oakland, California, announced it had been hit by a ransomware attack that knocked many of its systems offline. Four days later, Oakland declared a state of emergency as it grappled with the wide-ranging impact of the incident, which left city phone systems and multiple non-emergency services inoperable, including its 311 phone system. As of February 24, many city services were still down, including the 311 system, just as a severe winter storm bore down on the area.

Many city services stayed down for weeks, including the 311 system, just as a severe winter storm bore down on the area, although the city announced on February 28 that 311 and several other services were restored. The Play ransomware group, which security researchers have linked to the Russia-backed Hive gang, has taken credit for the attack and has begun releasing data stolen during the incident. Earlier this year, the Justice Department announced a major take-down of Hives operations.

The ransomware attack on Oakland followed a string of ransomware attacks on local governments in recent years, including incidents in Baltimore, New Orleans, Pensacola, Atlanta, and New Orleans. Many other incidents have involved smaller cities or counties.

The ongoing cybersecurity attacks against local governments highlight the challenges that municipal CISOs face in protecting a broad range of diverse services, from publicly owned hospitals to trash collection to subway systems. The challenges municipal CISOs are dealing with also involve differing and potentially overlapping regulations, politics  both local and geopolitical  and workforce shortages while dealing with budgetary constraints.

Diversity of systems to protect is unparalleled

One of the biggest challenges municipal CISOs face is the sheer range of services that local governments need to factor into their cybersecurity plans and policies. "The diversity of our business services and the corresponding diversity of systems is unparalleled in that no organization does what our municipal government does," Michael Makstman, CISO for the City and County of San Francisco and co-chair of the Coalition of City CISOs, tells CSO.

"We fly planes, we pave roads, we provide public safety services," Makstman says. "We operate one of the largest, if not the largest, trauma centers on the West Coast. We support many legal professionals for some of the largest legal firms in the country. At the same time, we make sure that vulnerable populations have access to food and care. We have an outstanding municipal transportation network. We have buses and subways and our world-famous cable car."

Michael Hamilton, founder and CISO at Critical Insight, former CISO for the City of Seattle, and founder and chair of the Public Infrastructure Security Cyber Education System (PISCES) underscores the challenges of managing such a diversity of services. "Government is a collection of agencies," he tells CSO. "The influence that you have to have as a city CISO is to be able to jump across agencies. The human services department will have health records; the treasury departments will be concerned with credit card payments."

"I think from a county CISO perspective, the challenges are going to be the different lines of business because they're very complex and unique in nature, Jeffrey Aguilar, Los Angeles County CISO, tells CSO. And what comes with that is unique business requirements, different legislative requirements, and different regulations. And with the different types of legislation and regulations, there is the potential for different types of attack surfaces."

Regulations vary widely

Regarding the regulatory environment, CISOs must navigate a welter of federal, state, and local regulations and laws. "Healthcare with HIPAA, it's different from law enforcement with CJIS [Criminal Justice Information Services]," Aguilar says. "There's potential for overlap because with legislation and for some of the requirements, there is some overlap. How do you apply that to these unique lines of business without creating risk and disrupting business?"

"You have to understand the various regulatory requirements that only apply to each piece of the organization, each agency in that federation," Hamilton says. "You almost have to create a specific policy for every agency depending on what the regulatory requirements may be, and then the global policy for everybody in the entire city organization, and doing that well, finessing that is really hard because of all those moving parts and the criticality of all that."

Many regulatory requirements flow down from the federal government, with local municipalities required to implement them. The EPA has sector-specific requirements for water companies, for example, and the TSA has national regulations for transportation systems. "When they come out, and they say you will do a risk assessment annually against the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, the CISO has got to make sure that gets done ultimately because that's a city agency," Hamilton says. "The CISO is accountable for that. So, you have to either delegate that or you have got to do it."

Cities ideal targets for geopolitical threat actors

Not all the challenges local governments face start at the local or even national levels. . As the Oakland attack illustrates, municipal governments have become prime targets for ransomware actors and geopolitical threat groups.

Last March, the FBI issued a private industry notification that threat actors are "conducting ransomware attacks on local government agencies that have resulted in disrupted operational services, risks to public safety, and financial losses." In December 2022, the city of Mount Vernon, Ohio, was hit by a ransomware attack attributed to the notorious Russia-backed LockBit gang.

"The challenges that we have is that we are targets of criminals as local governments in the United States as well as nation-states, many of whom don't differentiate local government services from the policies of the federal government," Makstman says. "So, we fall under this government broad brush, even though we do not come close to DC and their policies. Yet we're targeted because we're seeing that an attack against a local government is somehow an attack against the United States. And in fact, from what I understand from some of our intelligence folks is that we are all this unfortunate perfect target. We are small enough that we're a convenient target that might not lead to a giant response from the federal government."

Aguilar advises municipal CISOs to pay attention to geopolitical issues from a local jurisdiction perspective. "The implications exist, especially if the jurisdiction deals with things like elections," he says.

Municipal CISOs need to be aware of local politics

CISOs of municipal organizations of all sizes are required to deftly handle the politics of the governments they serve and the individual service providers themselves, Hamilton says. CISOs are not always welcomed into agencies that do not directly employ them. "It is the politics of 'I'm jumping into your agency and telling you what to do' even though I'm not an employee of Seattle Public Utilities or Seattle City Light, and that's just not very welcome."

Politics are fundamental when it comes to getting the funds CISOs need. "That's part of the politics of getting stuff done, knowing where the money is and knowing how to create a value proposition so that somebody will bust out the checkbook, so you can get done what you need to get done," Hamilton says.

"So, if you want to buy monitoring tools, what do you do? Well, you go to the utilities, where they are much better funded and have a different funding mechanism. [You say to them] it's a requirement for you to be doing this, and if you pay for this thing, we will set it up and run it for the benefit of the city because we're all connected here."

Munish Walther-Puri, senior director of critical infrastructure at Exiger and former director of cyber risk for New York City's Cyber Command, suggests it is helpful to position cybersecurity as a public safety issue when seeking funding. "If we start to think about cybersecurity as a public safety issue, some of the debates melt away about who's going to fund it," he tells CSO.

"We had Atlanta, Baltimore, and New Orleans where people understood these are public safety issues. Watching that debate emerge crystallized the clarity around that. No one said, 'Oh yeah, no municipality should fund this.'"

Tough for local government to attract cybersecurity talent

Resource-constrained municipalities find it hard to compete for cybersecurity talent with the private sector, which also faces a shortage of qualified professionals. "Compared to the industry, our teams are significantly smaller. In fact, security as an area of focus is new to local government," Makstman says.

"To get somebody with the acumen to navigate the politics and the regulatory environment, you're talking about somebody that's probably not going to work for what they're paying at a local government," says Hamilton. "The value proposition of going to work for a city or a county is in 20 years. You get a pension, and you sure have a whole lot of days off. But with practitioners being in such short supply, local governments are just not a destination that anybody thinks of."

Aguilar thinks one strategy to attract talent is to find mission-driven candidates. "I think the resource challenge regarding security, especially with public service, is the fact that there is just a national shortage of infosec professionals, and the public sector is competing against the private sector," he says. "How do you attract talent versus private sector organizations that can offer a very lucrative bonus structure and overall package? I think it's trying to identify who is mission-driven and make it interesting and challenging enough so they see the opportunity and they want to work for these types of organizations."
The transportation industry has doubled down in the area of fleet tracking in recent years, which has come with great benefits and not a few security headaches. On the consumer side, weve spoken of Apples AirTag and how it has been used to find personal items of import  and also its potential to be abused by the nefarious to track and trace individuals. Now we see that Google is jumping into the fray, with the soon-to-be-released tracking device in development apparently codenamed Grogu (after the Baby Yoda character in the Star Wars spinoff The Mandalorian). The astute cybersecurity leader is no doubt thinking: This is a CISO nightmare.

From a market perspective, an Android-based tracking system makes eminent sense. Given that the AirTag is designed for iOS devices and Apple Maps, the Android device is being designed to work with the three billion Android smartphones in use and take advantage of Googles already established Geo Tools.

With its arrival (believed to be in late 2023) the Android device will combined with the AirTag, effectively enable more than 99% of the mobile market (Android 71.7% and iOS 27.6%) to interact with tagging devices. Ideally, it will usher in a new age in which we never have to lose anything again, from dogs to suitcases to car keys.

How will tracking devices be used?

Yet the field is crowded. Invoxia has brought to market their vehicle tracker, operating off the cellular network and providing continuous GPS location between a device and the control application. Their pitch: A car is stolen every 38 seconds.

Within the fear-marketing message rests the nightmare for CISOs. How will these devices be used? Clearly, the logistics side of the equation means vehicles and things can be tagged and tracked with relative ease. Not only will it help with locating and counting inventory, but the technology can also be used to ensure an alert occurs when those things which are supposed to stay within a specific geographic footprint leave that footprint.

Then there is the negative side of the equation, on which employees might use the corporate tracking capability for nefarious purposes or bring their own tracking devices into the corporate environment. But dont stop with the employee. What of the vendor or the competition? How might they wish to use these tracking devices to garner a bit of competitive intelligence?

Tracking technology used for evil

Tracking the movements of gear or people might be prudent in a specific circumstance  visitors to a corporate building, for example. A badge outfitted with the technology can be monitored to ensure visitors stay within the areas to which they are granted access and, if escorts are required, an escort tag can be issued to provide confirmation that their corporate escort is within proximity. On the less scrupulous side of the equation, the tracking device can be dropped into the backpack, briefcase, computer bag, or purse of a targeted individual and that individuals movements tracked.

To illustrate how dangerous this technology can be, in Ankeny, Iowa a restaurant owner was charged with stalking a woman using the Invoxia-brand GPS device. The man allegedly placed it inside her car and then tracked her movements. The criminal complaint notes that the victim was confronted by the restaurant owner in December 2022 in a location that could have only been known from tracking information. Twelve days later, the woman was allegedly surveilled by a friend of the accused as she walked her dog in a park. The complaint continues that the victim discovered the tracking device when cleaning her car.

Tracking as corporate espionage

In the corporate world, the devices could be used as simple tools of espionage. For example, every companys sales team has closers, individuals who seal the deal, often brought in to wrap things up, especially in complex and intricate engagements. Imagine a competitor being able to track your closer from location to location simply by dropping a tag in his or her luggage. What type of competitive advantage might be drawn from that piece of data? Far more precise than tracking corporate jet tail numbers and their travel patterns.

When used properly, tracking tags can reduce pilferage, monitor independent cargo shipments, and track equipment and personnel. But they say the devil is in the details, and they are correct  one doesnt need to be a rocket scientist to understand the downside of having these devices readily available, and thus any corporate usage must have processes and procedures in place surrounding the technology.

CISOs will be well served to include their legal department and their privacy officer in all discussions on tracking personnel and/or equipment issued to personnel using these technologies. They must also have in place a playbook for those instances when insiders use the capability for their own purposes, as shown in the aforementioned example.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Chief Raphael Grossi over the latter's remarks calling for attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities would be considered illegal.

On Saturday, Grossi visited Tehran to address deadlocked negotiations over renewing its 2015 nuclear deal with global power. He said that any military attack on nuclear facilities is "outlawed."

Benjamin Netanyahu Slams IAEA Chief

The IAEA chief's answer was in response to a reporter's question regarding threats that Israel and the United States made where they would attack Iran's nuclear facilities. On the other hand, Tehran argued that its nuclear program is peaceful in contrast with other nations' claims.

In a statement on Sunday, Netanyahu told his cabinet that Grossi is a "worthy person who made an unworthy remark." He questioned why such attacks would be considered outside the law, specifically asking if Israel was forbidden from defending itself.

The IAEA said that Grossi received sweeping assurances from Iran that the Middle Eastern nation would assist the long-stalled investigation of uranium particles found at undeclared sites and would work on re-installing removed nuclear monitoring equipment, as per the Voice of America News.

During Netanyahu's remarks, he noted the Jewish festival of Purim, which is set to take place next week, when roughly 2,500 years ago, a certain persecutor arose in Persia that sought to exterminate the Jews.

The Israeli prime minister said that at the time, they failed to reach their goals, noting that the same would happen today. His comments referred to the efforts of Haman, the villain of the Bible's Book of Esther.

The talks between Grossi and Iranian officials came as Uranium particles enriched up to 83.7% were discovered at Tehran's underground Fordo plant, roughly 100 kilometers south of the country's capital. This comes as the needed enrichment for producing an atomic bomb is 90%.

Read Also: India's Take on Saudi Arabia's Presence in G20 Summit

Iran's Nuclear Capabilities

The previous agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), limited Tehran's uranium stockpile to 300 kilograms and only allowed enrichment up to 3.67%, enough to power a nuclear power plant, according to the Times of Israel.

In 2018, the United States made a unilateral withdrawal from the accord, resulting in a series of attacks and escalations by Tehran over its program. Iranian officials denied wanting to acquire more atomic weapons and argued that it had not attempted to enrich uranium beyond 60% purity.

In response to the discovered enriched uranium of more than 80%, Tehran said that "unintended fluctuations" occurred during the enrichment process. The IAEA"s discovery came after the country substantially modified an interconnection between two centrifuge clusters enriching uranium, something that it did not declare to the IAEA.

Iran's latest statement on working with the IAEA marks the possibility of improved relations and staves off a Western push for another resolution that would force Iran to cooperate. Authorities also said that Iran expressed readiness to provide additional information and access to address various safeguard issues, said Yahoo News.

Related Article: China's Growth Target Amid Economic Recovery Efforts

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On Sunday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams dismissed the notion that Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot's reelection defeat was only a warning sign for Democratic mayors, instead referring to it as a "warning sign for the country."

Adams was elected mayor in 2021 following a campaign centered on public safety and combatting growing crime.

NYC Mayor Eric Adams Unfazed by Lori Lightfoot's Defeat

Last week, Lightfoot, elected for the first time in 2019, failed to qualify for one of the two runoff positions. In recent years, Chicago has been the third major city to hold a mayoral race that has challenged Democratic voters' attitudes regarding crime and law enforcement.

In 2020 and 2021, the number of violent incidents in Chicago skyrocketed. According to the Chicago Police Department's 2022 year-end report, while gunshots and homicides fell over the last year, other crimes, such as theft, carjacking, robberies, and burglaries, have climbed.

Adams was questioned on Sunday about criticism from certain Democrats who claim his stance on crime is detrimental to the party and beneficial to the Republicans, CNN reported. Adams also addressed the controversy surrounding his words at last week's interfaith breakfast when he stated, "Don't tell me there is no separation of religion and state. State is the body, church is the heart. When the heart is removed from the body, the body dies."

Lightfoot, 60, became the first sitting mayor in forty years to lose reelection this Monday. Chicagoans instead chose former Chicago Public Schools Director Paul Vallas and Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson to face a battle in the runoff election on April 4.

Adams' statements came at a time when Lightfoot was viewed as an underdog in her city's mayoral election, with voters expressing discontent with the issue of crime in the city as they headed to the ballot, as per The Hill.

Read Also: VIDEO: Exact Moment Alex Murdaugh Exits Court After Guilty Verdict

Lori Lightfoot Chicago Mayoral Defeat

Lori Lightfoot said she was mistreated during her unsuccessful reelection campaign for mayor of Chicago because she is a woman of color and not because she failed to lower the city's increasing crime rate. Lightfoot, the first black woman and openly gay mayor of the Windy City, is now the first Chicago mayor in 40 years to lose reelection, trailing in third place with 17.1% of the vote as of Wednesday morning.

Throughout her reign, she has been condemned for her soft-on-crime stance, resulting in an enormous rise in violence in the city, up 52 percent from last year and more than 100 percent from 2021.

In her concession address, the former mayor of Chicago stated that she was 'grateful that we fought together to remove a record number of firearms from our streets, cut killings, and begin making meaningful progress in public safety' despite the city's record high crime rate.

Lightfoot had ascribed the vehement opposition against her to sexism and racism; the departing mayor now suggests the same holds for her loss. During her concession speech, a reporter questioned Lightfoot whether she had been mistreated due to her color and gender, to which she said, "Of sure. I'm a black woman in America."

Per Daily Mail, Lightfoot faced stiff competition from eight candidates, including Paul Vallas, the former CEO and budget director of Chicago Public Schools, who has gotten 33 percent of the votes thus far.

Brandon Johnson, a Cook County Board of Commissioners member, placed second and will join Paul Vallas in the April 4 runoff election. Vallas earned his position in the runoff election with more than 172,000 votes after 94 percent were counted, while Johnson received more than 103,000.

Johnson successfully defeated Lightfoot, who trailed by fewer than 87,000 votes. Lightfoot told her supporters on Tuesday evening, "Clearly, we did not win the election. But, I stand here with a proud head and a grateful heart."

Lightfoot also praised her administration's purported efforts to combat crime and reduce shootings, although Vallas, the top contender, stated that the city requires real reform.

Related Article: Joe Biden Health: POTUS Had Cancerous Lesion Removed

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The Japanese Yen could be in for a bumpy ride this week with Fed Chair Powell set to testify and a Bank of Japan meeting amongst other data could be pivotal for USD/JPY direction.

Japanese Yen, USD/JPY, US Dollar, BoJ, Powell, Fed, Treasury Yields - Talking Points

The Japanese Yen grabbed some ground on Friday and is steady to start the week

The BoJ looks likely to be on hold at their monetary policy meeting this Friday

Powells commentary could shift Treasury yields. Will that tilt USD /JPY as well?

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The Japanese Yen has found some strength from easing Treasury yields, and they might be the key for USD/JPY in the week ahead.

Crucially, Federal Reserve Bank Chair Jerome Powell will be testifying in front of the Senate Banking Committee when he delivers his semi-annual Monetary Policy Report on Tuesday and Wednesday, US time.

His comments will go under the microscope for clues on his thinking for the Fed funds target rate going forward.

Any hint that the bank is backing away from its hawkish stance might kick-start markets and may see a further easing of Treasury yields. Of course, if the tightening path is maintained and potentially further emphasised, it could see yields lift.

The futures and swaps markets are pricing in at least a 25 basis point tightening at the March, May and June Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meetings.

Recommended by Daniel McCarthy How to Trade USD/JPY Get My Guide

Also ahead this week, the Bank of Japans (BoJ) monetary policy decision will be made on Friday although the market is not expecting any changes there.

The BoJ has a policy rate of -0.10% and is maintaining yield curve control (YCC) by targeting a band of +/- 0.50% around zero for Japanese Government Bonds (JGBs) out to 10 years. The 10-year JGB is persistently trading near the upper bound of 0.50%.

The incoming Governor of the Bank of Japan (BoJ) Kazuo Ueda made it clear last week that he will be maintaining the same stance as outgoing Governor Haruhiko Kuroda.

At least for now, that is. There is growing speculation that the policy could be adjusted in the second or third quarter in a similar move as last December when the YCC band was widened from +/- 0.25% to +/- 0.50%

So, with the BoJs policy on hold, the Feds active stance might remain the driver for USD/JPY for now.

Besides Powells testimony and the BoJ meeting, US jobs data and Japanese GDP figures are due out this week and could trigger market volatility.

USD/JPY AGAINST 2- AND 10-YEAR TREASURY YIELDS

Chart created in TradingView

--- Written by Daniel McCarthy, Strategist for DailyFX.com

Please contact Daniel via @DanMcCathyFX on Twitter
After a brain aneurysm, Tom Sizemore, star of the late-1990s military epic "Saving Private Ryan," has passed away. He was 61.

The actor's manager, Charles Lago, revealed that Sizemore passed away quietly on Friday, with his brother and twin kids by his side.

Tom Sizemore's Death

"It is with great sadness and sorrow I have to announce that actor Thomas Edward Sizemore ('Tom Sizemore') aged 61, passed away," Lago stated.

Lago confirmed to USA TODAY that Tom Sizemore was admitted to the hospital after collapsing at his Los Angeles residence on February 19 due to a brain aneurysm caused by a stroke. In a February 27 update on the actor's condition, Lago said that Sizemore's health had not improved after the aneurysm, as he remained in a coma.

The actor is best remembered for his portrayal as Mike Horvath in the 1998 film 'Saving Private Ryan' directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Hanks. He also starred in 'Black Hawk Down' and 'Pearl Harbor' in 2001 and the 2017 reboot of 'Twin Peaks.'

Tom Sizemore also has a history of drug abuse and run-ins with the police, including a civil action in 2020 by a woman claiming he grabbed her on a film set when she was 11 years old. The actor denied liability, and the lawsuit was subsequently dropped. Sizemore released a memoir titled 'By Some Miracle I Made It Out of There' on his experience of addiction in 2013.

Read Also: Vanderpump Rules' Tom Sandoval, Ariana Madix Split

Tom Sizemore Discovered Unconscious at Home

Thomas Edward Sizemore Jr. was born in Detroit, Michigan, on November 29, 1961. In the 1980s, he rose to fame on 'China Beach.' In the 1990s, Sizemore had various tough-guy supporting parts in films including 'Strange Days' and 'Heat.' Sergeant Horvath in Steven Spielberg's 1998 World War II blockbuster 'Saving Private Ryan' is likely his best-known role.

In the early 2000s, Sizemore's legal issues dominated the news, as he struggled with drug dependence and even appeared on 'Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.' In 2017, the actor appeared in numerous new television series, as per NY Daily News. This year, he appeared on the Netflix original series 'Cobra Kai.' Jagger and Jayden Sizemore, his teenage children with his former partner Janelle McIntire, survive him.

Per The Sun, an unidentified individual discovered the actor unconscious in his home and phoned 911. Tom Sizemore was subsequently rushed to a nearby hospital, where the Intensive Care Unit considered his condition severe.

In the 1998 classic film Saving Private Ryan, the gifted actor portrayed Sergeant Horvath in a key role. Inspired by the events of World War II, the film received five Academy Awards. After appearing with Tom Hanks and Matt Damon, Tom became well-known for the 2001 film 'Black Hawk Down.'

In addition to 'Born on the Fourth of July,' 'Natural Born Killers,' and 'Heat,' the actor participated in other significant films. On IMDb, Tom Sizemore will now appear posthumously in the first episode of the sixth season of 'Cobra Kai' as the character J.T. Taggart.

Related Article: Madonna's Brother Antohy Ciccone Cause of Death, Revealed

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Are the Spartans, the Brexit hardliners in the Tory Party, regrouping to challenge Rishi Sunaks Windsor Framework?

Mark Francois, the doughty chief whip of the group, is updating his book Spartan Victory in which he tells the inside story of the battle for Brexit.

The Spartans may be reduced in number  there used to be 28 of them  because some of the originals, including the current Home Secretary Suella Braverman and Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker, have said they support the Windsor deal.

But with Francois furiously updating his book, theres every indication that others still dont believe the Brexit battle has been won and they are preparing for a new Thermopylae.

The Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC was, of course, when 300 Spartan warriors fought to the death against a vast Persian Army in one of historys most famous last stands.

'Are the Spartans, the Brexit hardliners in the Tory Party, regrouping to challenge Rishi Sunaks Windsor Framework?'

The 'Spartans' gather at the Carlton Club after their dinner

According to Francois book, our modern-day Spartans knew that, if they stuck to their guns over Theresa Mays unacceptable Brexit deal, May would resign. Whether a last stand against Rishi Sunak would have the same effect is open to question.

Overheard in the Commons, one Tory MP saying: Rishi Sunaks Windsor Framework is a Windsor Knot which has us tied by the throat ever closer to the EU.

Rishi Sunak and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen had lunch in Windsor of Coronation chicken and cucumber sandwiches. Where did they get the cucumbers?

Britains first woman Speaker, the late Betty Boothroyd, used to become exasperated by drawn-out meetings at the House of Commons Commission, which she chaired.

Sir Malcolm Jack, Clerk of the Commons between 2006-11, reveals: After such a session, once the room was cleared, she pointed at a hidden drinks cabinet. I knew my duty as secretary to the commission and, reaching for the gin bottle inside, I prepared a strong gin and tonic for her and one for me.

In the smart private members club 5 Hertford Street, ex-Chancellors Nadhim Zahawi and Kwasi Kwarteng were locked in deep conversation.

Over an expensive bottle of claret, they were overheard swapping notes on how they were sacked. Zahawi was booted out on the telephone by Rishi Sunak in January over his tax affairs, Kwarteng by Liz Truss after he cut short a trip to the IMF (International Monetary Fund) in Washington in a doomed effort to save her short-lived premiership.

Despite the claret, neither of them looked happy, I was told.

It was one of the stand-out moments during his visit to Parliament last month, when President Volodymyr Zelensky presented Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle (right) with a Ukrainian fighter pilots helmet.

Now it appears the helmet could be put to good use  Sir Lindsays thinking of grabbing it if things get testy. Weve put it on display in Speakers House so when Im walking into the Chamber, I could quickly put it on, he told LBCs Nick Ferrari.

If things get a bit out of hand . . . its always there!

Look out on eBay for a defunct ministerial Red Box and 15 fancy folders bearing the inscription Department for International Trade.

They were commissioned at a cost of 7,260, after Theresa May created the so-called Whitehall powerhouse in 2016. The department has been disbanded by Rishi Sunak so they have no practical value.

As for their historical importance, the drawback is that previous custodians include Dr Liam Fox and Liz Truss  which is unlikely to increase their worth.
If we have learned one thing about the Prime Minister in recent weeks, it is that his smiles and courteous manner belie an underlying steeliness.

Rishi Sunak was much friendlier than his immediate predecessor with the Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, respectful where Liz Truss had been scornful: but he became the first PM since Scotland gained its own parliament to invoke Section 35. He used that nuclear option to veto Holyroods decision to introduce so-called gender self-determination  which Sunak judged to be too great a threat to womens rights in the UK as a whole.

Despite the worries of many Conservative colleagues that it would inflame Scottish nationalism further, Sunak took this unprecedented step  and was rewarded when the whole issue blew up in Sturgeons face, precipitating her resignation.

Then, contrary to warnings that his one-on-one negotiations with the EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen over the Northern Irish protocol would founder on a combined revolt by the Democratic Unionist Party and the most hard-line Brexiteers in his own administration (notably Suella Braverman and Steve Baker), Sunaks deal has all but defused this political landmine.

It may well be that the Windsor Framework, as it has been called, will see the DUP, while far from entirely satisfied, agree to end their boycott of the Stormont Assembly. Should that happen, combined with the victory over the previously unconquerable Sturgeon, it would mean the Union known as the United Kingdom is more secure than for many years.

Rishi Sunak was much friendlier than his immediate predecessor with the Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, respectful where Liz Truss had been scornful

Sunak used the nuclear option to veto Holyroods decision to introduce so-called gender self-determination and was rewarded when the whole issue blew up in Sturgeons face

Radical

But what of the shoreline border on the south coast? While the (so far) intractable issue of migrants entering the country illegally in small boats does not call into question the integrity of the United Kingdom, it dangerously undermines the publics confidence in the Governments control over our borders: one of the most fundamental duties of any state.

This helps explain why, when Sunak announced his five pledges at the start of the year, one was: We will pass new laws to stop small boats, making sure that if you come to this country illegally, you are detained and swiftly removed.

Sunak will attempt to honour that commitment this week, putting before Parliament a measure, which, if passed into law, would make it impossible for anyone trying to enter the country by illegal means even to access the asylum process.

This radical approach would meld with the Rwanda scheme, which involves sending those who enter the UK illegally to have their asylum applications processed in that African country rather than in the UK: and they would then have legal status in Rwanda, not here.

The Rwanda scheme has faced many court challenges, as a result of which not a single person arriving here illegally in a small boat has yet been sent there.

However, last December, the High Court supported the Governments case, Lord Justice Lewis declaring: We have concluded that it is lawful for the Government to make arrangements to relocate asylum seekers to Rwanda and for their asylum claims to be determined there.

Perhaps the court was influenced by the fact that the UN refugee agency has itself recommended Rwanda as a safe haven for refugees fleeing conflict and persecution.

But the concern of the British public, I suspect, is based on the belief that the overwhelming majority of those coming here in the small boats  a record 45,000 last year  are not fleeing persecution. After all, the biggest single category of those migrants, recently, has been from Albania, a European country at peace and secure.

The Rwanda scheme has faced many court challenges, as a result of which not a single person arriving here illegally in a small boat has yet been sent there

In countries such as Germany and France almost all such Albanian migrants have had their asylum requests rejected.

But in the UK, at least until a deal done in December between the British and Albanian governments for the latter to take back emigrants, our own courts were accepting the majority of such claims.

As the former Conservative Immigration Minister Chris Philp revealed last year, this was because our allegedly world-leading modern slavery laws had been skilfully exploited by lawyers acting for the Albanian asylum seekers, and interpreted very generously by our courts.

As Philp wrote: The UK is applying the [modern slavery treaty] in an incredibly naive way that no other European country does  which is why the UK has around ten times the number of modern slavery claims compared with France or Germany.

Unregulated

It should never have got to this point, as France, for example  from where most of the small boats set off  is a safe country under any definition; and the way the system was supposed to operate is that those fleeing persecution should be processed in the first safe country they reach.

This, doubtless, is something that will be discussed by Sunak and President Macron at their bilateral summit in Paris this Friday.

There are many good people who will regard the Conservatives approach to the small boats as immoral, even wicked. Not least the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who in his last Easter sermon denounced the Rwanda scheme as ungodly, as it privileges the rich and the strong. This is actually the opposite of the truth. The small boats charge around 7,000 euros per passenger  its a fantastically lucrative business for the smuggling gangs  and the overwhelming majority of those coming in them are men between the ages of 18 and 40. So, literally, the richest and the strongest.

And it is not just in this sense that the small boats is a sort of unregulated immigration free market in operation (which the Left above all should abhor). It is also a grotesque form of queue jumping.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, denounced the Rwanda scheme as ungodly, as it privileges the rich and the strong in his last Easter sermon

The queue being jumped is that of the safe and legal immigration routes, which the British Government has made available to, for example, the immediate relatives of those already granted refuge in the UK. Almost 5,000 came through that process in the year to September 2022.

There are also nationality-specific bespoke immigration routes, available to some Afghans, Ukrainians and people from Hong Kong.

The UK rightly responded with this special scheme for Hong Kongs 350,000 British National Overseas Passport holders, following Beijings trashing of the guarantee in the 1984 Sino-British joint declaration that freedom of speech and assembly would remain protections afforded to residents of our former colony.

Fools

And this country has also given out about 190,000 visas to Ukrainian refugees over the past 12 months. As it happens, our own household has, since last July, been hosting two such Ukrainian refugees, a mother and child.

The boy arrived traumatised by what he had seen  his favourite playground had been blown up by the Russian bombardment  but is now thriving. I imagine they will return when peace does.

It is precisely because I want this country to be a welcoming place for people such as our Ukrainian guests that I believe it is necessary for Rishi Sunak to do what he can to show the British people that we are not being made fools of by those who have no respect for our borders.

This country has also given out about 190,000 visas to Ukrainian refugees over the past 12 months

Because the more that the laws governing those borders are flouted, the more that genuine refugees will struggle to gain acceptance here  and the more difficult it will be for future schemes akin to the Ukrainian one to gain political and public support.

And unlike the Ukraine scheme, where families have welcomed these refugees into their own homes, the illegal migrants are being housed, pending their asylum applications, in hotels and the like, at a cost of several billion pounds a year.

It is interesting that the Labour chair of the Commons Home Affairs committee, Diana Johnson, objected when it was proposed that former student halls in her Hull constituency be made available for asylum seekers: Were a city of sanctuary, but its not fair to put a large number of asylum seekers on the edge of Hull, because they will be looking to Hull for support.

But dont bet on Labour backing Sunaks measures. On the other hand, they now know not to underestimate his determination.
A TikTok filter which is offering users a flawless complexion without any technical glitches is leaving users of the app concerned.

Social media users are going into meltdown over the platform's new 'Bold Glamour' filter, which has been used over 10 million times after being launched just this week.

The effect lets the person look like a thick layer of makeup has been piled on the user's face, and irons out any skin spots.

Yet, these freakishly perfect looks are starting to unsettle people as they are flummoxed by how real it looks.

TikTok user Zoe George, from Australia, posted a video of her trying out the filter online, writing: 'So there's this new filter on TikTok and it's perfect, look at it.

A TikTok filter which is offering users a flawless complexion without any technical glitches is leaving users of the app concerned (left, one user without the filter, and right, with the filter)

'You used to do that with an old filter [covers eye] and you would see the lashes on your hand, like it would glitch.'

Posting under the user name @zoe_george_ she continued: 'But look how perfect, I am wearing no make up right now, this is all a filter and it's just scary.'

Elsewhere, users expressed their concern over the new addition to the popular video sharing platform.

Samantha Hoy, from London, tried the filter on TikTok and said she was extremely concerned with the results.

She explained: 'I do not look like this and normally when you put your hand over your face, it comes off.

'This is not me. How toxic is this filter? And what is it teaching young kids of today?'

Posting under the username @amor_style_life, she continued: 'This is why so many people get so upset and think they should look like other people when realistically that is not them.'

Explaining how the filter creates a natural look, even enhancing pores and giving a natural glow, she then went on to say why it is dangerous.

She said: 'This is just so unfair on the youngsters that we are bringing up today in this world.

'They will look at this and think "oh my God her make up is flawless, her skin is flawless, she just looks unreal."'

It doesn't look like a filter at all as however much you wiggle your eyebrows or cover your face, it doesn't glitch.

Samantha Hoy, from London, tried the filter on TikTok and said she was extremely concerned with the results (left, without the filter, and right, with it

To test the filter out, a Swedish Linus Ekenstam shared a video on Twitter as he pulled a range of facial expressions to see how easily it would glitch.

He wrote: Im giving it a hard time here and it glitches just once when Im covering my entire face.

On Friday, Australian star Abbie Chatfield slammed the trend, hailing it as 'toxic' and 'harmful'.

The Aussie reality TV star, 27, unleashed on the viral Bold Glamour beauty filter which has stirred up some controversy in recent days.

Meanwhile, the former Bachelor contestant warned the filter as being harmful, and her fans were on board with her viewpoint.

This new AI powered beauty filter from TikTok is just insane.



Im giving it a hard time here and it glitches just once when Im covering my entire face.



Bold Glamour by TikTok pic.twitter.com/ScScU3AMaZ  Linus () (@LinusEkenstam) February 27, 2023

To test the filter out, a Swedish Linus Ekenstam shared a video as he pulled a range of facial expressions to see how easily it would glitch

Abbie Chatfield has slammed one of TikTok's latest trends, hailing it as 'toxic' and 'harmful'. The Aussie reality TV star, 27, unleashed on the viral Body Glamour beauty filter which has stirred up some controversy in recent days

So she uploaded her version which went on to accumulate 192,000 views, altering her look and showing the contrast of when no edits were made.

'If I wasn't a full grown adult, this would rot my brain to be honest,' her text read on top of the video.

She added in the caption alongside the video: 'Like it's funny but also this is so toxic'.

A variety of fans commented they didn't recognise her with the filter on, and said they preferred when her look when it wasn't used.

This isn't the first filter that TikTok has come under fire for, with the launch of its Teenage Filter last month.

Doing what it says on the packet, the teenager filter makes your face looks younger.

The default setting will require a passcode to continue scrolling through the app once the time limit is hit, but teens can opt out of the feature if they want.

And profiles owned by users aged 13 to 15 will also be set to private automatically.

The China-based company is also set to give parents and guardians more control, allowing them to mute notifications in their children's app during specific times of the day.

TikTok did not confirm an exact date for the new features to be rolled out, but confirmed it would be 'in the coming weeks.'
A boarding school-educated Brit has opened up about how he robbed banks in an effort to pay for IVF in a podcast.

Reed Domingo, 58, who now lives in Maidenhead, Berkshire, was living in San Diego when he stole more than $64,000 (50,000) in cash between June 2000 and July 2001 during numerous bank robberies.

He was arrested a year later, during a dawn-style raid carried out by FBI agents on the home he shared with his wife Patrice, now 64, daughter Angelique, now 24, and his stepson.

After being tried - and pleading guilty to all counts of robbery - Reed was sentenced to nearly four years in prison, and deported to the UK, where he has had to remain as his criminal record means he is unable to re-enter the States.

Despite campaigning to re-enter the country for almost two decades, he has as yet, been unable to return. His wife and daughter still live in the States, and the trio are reportedly keen to live together as a family.

The couple (pictured on their wedding day) spent thousands of dollars on IVF, before their daughter Angelique was born in 1998

In his podcast Time with Mr Reed, Reed, who was born and raised in Abergavenny, Wales, to South African parents, talks about his idyllic family life, and how that was shattered one morning when he was arrested.

Describing the early morning hours that day during the first episode of Time with Mr Reed, Domingo says: 'I really had a lot to be thankful for. Snuggled up next to me was the love of my life: my gorgeous California blonde Patrice.

'We'd met 15 years earlier and been married for nine. I honestly would say I was absolutely married to my soulmate.'

The couple had met after Reed (whose given name is Ridwaan) moved to San Diego while working for his father's biotech firm.

In the episode, he continues: 'We had a beautiful Cape Cod style house that was painted yellow, and set in six and a half acres surrounded by 600 orange trees with 360 degree ocean and mountain views of Southern California.'

He went on to explain describe his and Patrice's 'crowning achievement' - their daughter Angelique, who had been conceived following five-years of nine gruelling IVF rounds.

According to Reed, the treatments had cost more than $250,000, and following Angelique's birth in 1998, the family's debts spiralled.

Speaking on the podcast, he says: 'All day I just felt everything closing in on me...I couldn't sleep...how can I get myself out of this?'

According to Reed Domingo, he knew that bank tellers were told to hand over cash without resistance during roberies

Reed (pictured with his wife Patrice and his daughter Angelique) has described his wife as the love of his life, and their daughter as their crowning achievement

Working as a programmer at a credit union at the time, he was aware that bank tellers were told to hand over cash without resistance when robbed.

So one day, when he found himself short of almost $10,000 to pay for bills, he told himself that the next day, he would commit a robbery.

And so the next day, during his lunch break, Reed picked up a motorcycle helmet (a decoy, so police looked for a motorcyclist and not a driver) and drove to a bank branch on a highway, so he could easily merge into traffic when driving away from the scene.

In a bid to hide his British accent, he printed out a note to hand to the teller, demanding the cash.

The note said: 'Stay calm. We are not joking. Follow these instructions and everything is OK. Put $10K into the bag. Use 100s, 50s, and 20s. No fake money, no dye packs.'

Despite telling himself he wouldn't do it again, Reed admits that he 'felt wonderful' after the robbery, and that he had bought himself time.

In the following months, he committed more robberies, once leaving Angelique sleeping in the car during the crime.

According to the website accompanying the podcast: 'Over the course of a year, from June 2000 to June 2001, Reed would rob another eleven banks, with mixed (and sometimes hilarious) results.

'From exploding dye packs to forgetting his gun and giving a friendly teller a two grand "tip", Reeds robberies veer from the slick to the slapstick.'

When the FBI raided Domingo and Patrice's home in June 2002, they not only found the clothing he's worn during robberies, but were able to have him identified on photographs taken during the robberies by Patrice.

Reed (pictured) is currently trying to return to the US, where the family reportedly want to live together

He plead guilty to all counts of robbery, and was sentenced to 46 months.

The name of his podcast, Time with Mr Reed, refers to the time he served at Terminal Island prison in Los Angeles, where he acted as a teacher for his fellow inmates, helping them achieve their high school diplomas.

After serving his term, he was deported to the UK in 2005, where he worked as a personal trainer.

Despite moving to the UK in 2010, Patrice and Angelique did not settle in the area, with his wife returning to the States in 2013, and his daughter following after completing her GCSEs and A-levels.

Reed Domingo is continuing his attempts to return to the US.
Line of Duty star Will Mellor has described feeling 'physically sick' when he thinks about the murder of Sarah Everard by Met Police killer Wayne Couzens - as he prepares to air a new show aimed at investigating some of the most coldblooded killers in uniform.

The actor has spoken out about the loss of trust in UK police and will investigate five of the most shocking murders committed by serving police officers in recent years in his upcoming series, Cops Who Kill.

'The thought of how terrified Sarah must have been makes me feel physically sick. The pure horror of what was to come must have dawned on her as they drove,' Mellor told The Mirror.

The 46-year-old is now on a mission to learn more about killer officers and try and prevent such cases from ever happening again.

As well as Couzens, he also looks into wife-killer Inspector Darren McKie and four other equally horrific cases - where those paid to keep the public safe became monsters.

Will Mellor's (left) series Cops Who Kill is set to first air at 10pm on Sunday - and will explore the cases of five infamous murderous officers

Mellor said the death of Sarah Everard in March 2021 makes him feel 'physically sick'

Monster killer Wayne Couzens was handed a whole life order for his crime, meaning he will never set foot outside of prison in his lifetime

Mellor said: 'I think there's been a lot brushed under the carpet and lives have been lost because of that.'

Sarah Everard was stopped while walking home in Clapham, London by Met Police officer Wayne Couzens in March 2021.

He used his real police handcuffs and warrant card to convince her she was being arrested and placed her in his car, abducting her directly off the street.

He then drove her to a secluded spot, changed vehicles, raped her, murdered her and then attempted to dispose of her remains.

Couzens then returned home to his wife and children as if nothing had happened.

The common thread connecting all five cases Mellor will examine is the normality with which the murderers then continued on with their lives.

Inspector Darren McKie of Greater Manchester Police was found guilty in 2018 of strangling his wife Leanne to death, before dumping her body in a nearby lake.

He then went and picked his children up from school and invited friends round for dinner.

PC Karl Bluestone, of Kent Police, was a domestic abuser who was arrested in June 1999 after injuring one of his four children when he threw a cup across the room.

Will Mellor (pictured) played a corrupt police officer in TV series Line of Duty

Inspector Darren McKie of Greater Manchester Police was found guilty in 2018 of strangling his wife Leanne (image) to death

Policeman Karl Bluestone (image) had a track record of domestic violence. He murdered his wife and two of his four children, as well as injuring the remaining two, before taking his own life

Two years later, in August 2001, Bluestone killed his wife Jill and two of their children Henry, three, and Chandler, 18 months, before taking his own life.

The two elder children both survived. The inquest heard Bluestone launched the attack after his wife told him she was leaving him with their children after years of domestic abuse.

In 1993, Sergeant Steven Jones murdered his wife with a single blow to the head, after he began an affair with a teenage barmaid.

He then staged a crime scene in an attempt to make it look like a traffic accident.

Finally retired police officer Keith Farquharson murdered his wife in 2019.

He always maintained her death was an accident after a struggle in bed - having previously lied and claimed he was in the shower when he heard a noise and found his wife on the floor.

Mellor said: 'The job attracts narcissists and control freaks. We've got to try to stop letting these people slip through the net.

'One policeman out there that's power-hungry and enjoys lording it over and using his power on innocent people, that's one too many.

Mellor added he could not fathom how killers could continue with their lives in such a normal way after killing someone in cold blood.

'I'd panic,' he told the paper.
A woman who is in a sexual relationship with an aeroplane has revealed that she travelled abroad 30 times in the last year just to spend quality time with her lover.

Sarah Rodo, from Dortmund, Germany, found love on her first flight with a Boeing 737 - after an unfulfilling attempt to date humans.

Since then, the 23-year-old has also 'met' 60 figurines and three larger models who she considers part of a 'collective being' that she is dating, and so she often refers to her lovers as one.

Keeping up a relationship with an object requires real commitment.

The avid jet-setter is so loved up that she has booked 30 mini-breaks in the last 12 months just to be close to her original beau, the Boeing 737.

Sarah Rodo, from Dortmund, Germany, who is in a sexual relationship with an aeroplane has revealed that she travelled abroad 30 times in the last year just to spend quality time with her lover

Despite their many trips together, Sarah, who identifies as objectum sexual [having a sexual or romantic attraction to an inanimate object], is heartbroken that she's never been fully alone with her partner.

Sarah said: 'I'm proud to be objectum sexual  it's a wonderful sexuality, the only sad thing is that I can't be alone with a real plane.

'I flew a lot in the last year to be with the Boeing as often as I possibly could, I took about 30 flights and always combined it with a city trip or vacation.

'I also love to travel and discover new things [in the cities].

'With my love, I've travelled to Stockholm, Malmo, Copenhagen, Budapest, Vienna, and Paris.

'I also often visited Katowice in Poland as a day tour.'

Sarah found love on her first flight with a Boeing 737 -after an unfulfilling attempt to date humans

Sarah also has five aeroplane tattoos. The newest tattoo is a detailed 737-800 on her right forearm

She is so devoted to her planes that she's forked out over 3,550 on 60 figurines and three large models of her significant other

The 23-year-old has also 'met' 60 figurines and three larger models who she considers part of a 'collective being' that she is dating, and so she often refers to her lovers as one

Although Sarah struggles to have alone time with her beloved aircraft, she has an impressive collection of models that she also shares a bed with

She has previously shared how she cannot legally marry her lover despite their strong bond but has now hinted that there may be wedding bells in the near future

Although Sarah struggles to have alone time with her beloved aircraft, she has an impressive collection of models that she also shares a bed with.

She is so devoted to her planes that she's forked out over 3,550 on 60 figurines and three large models of her significant other.

She refers to her partner(s) as one, calling it 'Dicki' and says its wings are the sexiest thing about it.

Sarah added: 'I currently own three large models. They are made of fibreglass and cost 4,000 (3,550).

'I also have many small models, over 60 in total, and they are custom-made.

She refers to her partner(s) as one, calling it 'Dicki' and says its wings are the sexiest thing about it

The avid jet-setter is so loved up that she has booked 30 mini-breaks in the last 12 months just to be close to her original beau, the Boeing 737

Sarah was pictured in Norway posing for a snap with the smaller aeroplane model who she travels with

Sarah revealed she has also recently met a new plane, Charlie, who she is enjoying getting to know

'Many are from airlines or from travel agencies, with the larger models measuring between 1.25m and 1.6m long.

'I also have five aeroplane tattoos. The newest is a 737-800 on the right forearm.'

Sarah has also recently met a new plane, Charlie, who she is enjoying getting to know.

The 23-year-old still hopes to wed the 737 series. She has previously shared how she cannot legally marry her lover despite their strong bond but has now hinted that there may be wedding bells in the near future.

She added: 'I also have a new bigger model that looks like Dicki, but he has more detailed wings... his name is Charlie.

'Currently there are small plans to get married to the 737 series. However, I will not move abroad.

'In the meantime, I have my models and will continue going on trips to hang out with planes.'
Dodgy waxworks of Prince William and Kate Middleton at a museum have been mocked with Wills compared to 'Hugh Grant after 20 Jagerbombs.'

Visitors to the Krakow Wax Museum in the Polish city poked fun at the one of Kate because she has a large forehead and looks 'disheveled.'

One even said they saw a child crying there because they are so creepy.

The tourist attraction  rated 2.5 stars on TripAdvisor  offers visitors the chance to glance at models of famous celebrities

But the museum has been slammed by holidaymakers for a lack of resemblance.

Visitors to the Krakow Wax Museum in the Polish city have poked fun at the figures of William and Kate, saying the future King looks like 'Hugh Grant after 20 Jagerbombs'

Is that you, Kate? The Princess of Wales has a large forehead and blonde hair instead of her signature brunette locks

Holidaymakers have pointed out models of Kate Middleton and Prince William look nothing like the royals.

Graeme Bandeira said of the William model: 'Hugh Grant after 20 Jagerbombs'.

The waxwork of Kate has blonde hair rather than her signature brown locks.

The figure also has a notably bigger forehead than the Princess of Wales.

One visitor said Kate looked 'disheveled.'

Nicky from Burton-on-Trent said: 'One of the worst places I've ever been, just a good job the wax works had signs on each figure otherwise we'd have never have known who each one was.

Luckily Prince William's figure had a military dress uniform on and was placed beside Kate, otherwise if would be quite hard to tell who it was meant to be

'It takes about five mins to walk around, we even saw a child crying, probably because she was so scared of the creepy figures.'

Sophie from Ennis, Ireland added: 'This was the worst wax museum I've ever visited.

'It was expensive considering what was in there.

'Most figures had fingers snapped off or no hands.'

Alex from Derby said: 'My sister and I visited to get out of the cold, however we ended up having such a laugh.

'Most of the waxworks are so bad, but some are actually quite good. We were creeped out the whole way around.'

Other waxworks include Tom Cruise, Mr Bean and Vladimir Putin.
People have been going wild on TikTok for a simple hack which they claim shows whether a love interest is your true soul mate.

Many people on the social media platform have been looking to an online calculator 'Your Moon Phase' which tells you what the moon looked like when you were born.

By entering in a partner's date of birth, a user is able to see their moon phase - and, according to the trend, if they line up to create a complete moon, this would 'indicate they are soulmates'.

However if the moon phases do not line up to create the full shape, leaving part of the moon in shadow, users claim that shows the couple are not meant to be.

However Michelle Roques-ONeil, Founder of Therapie Life, told FEMAIL the concept of finding your soulmate might not be as straight forward as the trend suggests.

TikTok users have been going wild online for a simple hack which they claim shows whether a love interest is your true soul mate

One Brit delighted their followers by sharing a video of her moon phase moving in line with her partner's to create a full moon online

She said: 'In some ways, where our moon lies in astrology is vital as it deals with the person we are and our nurturing as a child.

'The moon governs our inner world, what makes us feel safe and how we process our emotions.

'There are eight phases of the moon, and each can impact your life in different ways, and it may come as a surprise that its influences us not just on a full moon or new moon.

'The phases in between also have a significant impact, especially where our personal moon is positioned at our time of birth.'

She continued: 'I can see why people might think that finding two halves of the moon that match creates a whole( soulmate), but there are other influences at play, such as the astrological sign both your moons are in.

'Certain astrology signs, such as Scorpio, create emotional intensity.

'Although it's fantastic to believe that one can find your soulmate, as with all relationships, there is always light and shade that you will encounter, and you have to find a mutually harmonious way through. '

The viral trend has boomed on TikTok, with the hashtag #MoonPhases getting over 108.6M views on the platform.

One Brit delighted their followers by sharing a video of her moon phase moving in line with her partner's to create a full moon online.

However despite the enthusiasm from users on the platform for the trend, others said they were left unconvinced by the concept

One follower commented a series of heart emojis, while another wrote: 'That is so cute, oh my god.'

Another TikTok user from Scotland posted a snap of her and her boyfriend before the phases that align with their birthdays.

A third person, from Australia, shared a video of her moon phases, writing: 'Absolutely crushing the moon phase trend.'

However despite the enthusiasm from users on the platform for the trend, others said they were left unconvinced by the concept.

One TikTok user said: 'Mine was a perfect match with my ex. So fun, so fresh'.

'I'm going to pretend I never looked it up, so my feelings aren't hurt,' another commented.

A third wrote: 'A moon don't got nothing to do with that being your soulmate.'

Another added a broken heart emoji, writing: 'I'm just going to pretend I never looked it up.'

'Okay, no disrespect,' one user wrote, 'But how you going to determine your soulmate over two moons?'

However others confessed they felt more positive about the site, with one writing: 'Looked this up expecting to get my feelings hurt and start an argument with my fiance, but it fit! He safe today.'

Your Moon Phase was set up by mother and daughter Lynne and Brooke Ingalls, who claim the moon and stars have been a guiding presence throughout their lives.

According to an online description about the site, the two founded the website in 2020 after crossing paths with the Smithsonian Museum.

While some were skeptical of the trend, many others on the platform hinted they found it 'so cute'

The description continues: 'Lynne and Brooke had been laying the groundwork for a business built around the phases of the moon.

'The museum, on the other hand, was looking for a new interactive product line that would educate and entertain its visitors. Your Moon Phase was born.

'Working closely with a highly qualified Astrologist, a Mathematician and directly with the Smithsonian, the Ingalls ladies fleshed out the characteristics associated with each of the moons phases.

'They developed a proprietary algorithm for finding the lunar phase on any given day in history, which was meticulously calculated to meet the high standards of the worlds largest museum.'
Bill Gates' influencer daughter Phoebe has responded to the immense racist abuse that she faced over dating a black man - and slammed the 'misconceptions and conspiracy theories' that spread about her family on social media.

Phoebe, 20, first confirmed that she was in a relationship with a fellow Stanford student, named Robert Ross, back in July - when she shared a few photos of herself cozying up to him on Instagram.

Almost immediately, tons of nasty trolls started to leave negative comments on the pictures, with some slamming her for being in a relationship with a person of color and others accusing him of using her for her money.

Now, she has responded to the backlash during an interview with The Information, and she said she was 'done' with people making fun of her relationship.

Bill Gates' influencer daughter Phoebe has responded to the immense racist abuse that she faced over dating a black man

Phoebe, 20, also slammed the 'misconceptions and conspiracy theories' that spread about her family on social media. She is seen with her parents

Phoebe first confirmed that she was in a relationship with a fellow Stanford student, named Robert Ross, back in July

The 20-year-old, who has gained more than 64,000 followers on TikTok and 195,000 on Instagram, sat down with the outlet to discuss the highs and lows that come with getting so much attention online, and when she was asked about the worst part of being a social media sensation, the college student admitted: 'The misconceptions and conspiracy theories about my family and my relationship with my boyfriend.

Almost immediately, tons of nasty trolls started to leave negative comments, with some slamming her for being in a relationship with a person of color and others accusing him of using her for her money

'Its 2023. Im done being memed for being in an interracial relationship.'

Phoebe's TikTok feed contains things like 'day in the life' type videos, as well as clips of her working out, showing off her favorite outfits and beauty products, reviewing different items, and trying out various makeup trends.

It also features videos of her discussing political topics like women's rights and abortion, alongside her mother, Melinda Gates.

Her most viewed TikTok is a clip of her dad trying out something he had gotten for Christmas called the Box Ball - a small, red ball that's attached via a bungee chord to a headband.

In the hilarious, seven-second video, which has now been viewed more than eight million times, billionaire Microsoft founder Bill could be seen attempting to punch the ball but missing it most of the time.

Phoebe explained to The Information that she knows most people only start following her because they want an inside look into her family, but added that once they do come across her page, they 'stick around' thanks to her content.

'Im pretty realistic that people start following me because of my family name. And people probably find it funny to see my dad being a goof and playing [Box Ball],' she stated.

Now, Phoebe has responded to the backlash during an interview with The Information , and she said she was 'done' with people making fun of her relationship

The 20-year-old (seen with her boyfriend), who has gained 195,000 on Instagram, sat down with the outlet to discuss the highs and lows that come with getting so much attention online

When she was asked about the worst part of being an sensation, the college student admitted: 'The misconceptions and conspiracy theories about my family and my relationship'

'But once they follow me, they stick around, and I think some of that is because of the issues that I post about, like womens health.

'Its 2023. Im done being memed for being in an interracial relationship,' she added

'I like to bring audiences along to the events I go to, my life at college, whats front of mind for me, that kind of stuff.'

Phoebe often gives her followers an inside look into the many perks that come with being the daughter of one of the richest men in the world on her TikTok and Instagram, sharing snaps of herself posing in designer clothes, attending elite parties, soaking up the sun on the beach, dining in fancy restaurants, and jetting off to places like Peru, Mexico, London, Paris, Copenhagen and New York.

The social media star - who grew up in a $131 million mansion in Medina, Washington, with her parents and two siblings, Jennifer and Rory - said that she hopes being so open on social media will end any 'misconceptions' people may have about her and her family.

'People have a lot of preconceptions about me, so TikTok has been a chance for me to tell my own story and also use the attention my family name might bring to spotlight issues that are important to me, like womens health and sustainable fashion,' she continued.

Phoebe's TikTok feed contains things like 'day in the life' type videos, as well as clips of her , showing off her favorite outfits and beauty products and trying out various makeup trends

It also features videos of her discussing political topics like women's rights and abortion, alongside her mother, Melinda Gates

Her most viewed TikTok is a clip of her dad trying out something he had gotten for Christmas called the Box Ball - a small, red ball that's attached via a bungee chord to a headband

In the hilarious, seven-second video, which has now been viewed more than eight million times, billionaire Microsoft founder Bill could be seen attempting to punch the ball

As for what her parents think about her online presence, Phoebe said that Melinda is 'supportive and curious,' while her dad is less interested.

Phoebe explained to The Information that she knows most people only start following her because they want an inside look into her family, but added that once they do come across her page, they 'stick around' thanks to her content

'[My mom] gets that social is a space that young people need to own and shape. My dad publishes a lot on social, but he doesnt follow it much himself,' she revealed.

But Phoebe insisted that she has no plans to make content creation her full-time career and that it's simply for 'fun.' Instead, she is focused on becoming a designer.

She has made waves in the fashion world recently - she interned for British Vogue last summer, and attended a slew of shows at New York and Paris Fashion Week in the fall.

The 20-year-old also revealed to The Information that she is planning to launch her own startup this year, called Phia, alongside her roommate, Sophia Kianni, who has her own legion of 101,000 followers.

'Were building out an idea to help make fashion more sustainable. We have so much planned for this year and social media is going to be a big part of that,' Phoebe dished up the upcoming project.

The social media star said that she hopes being so open on social media will end any 'misconceptions' people may have about her and her family

As for what her parents think about her online presence, Phoebe said that Melinda is 'supportive and curious,' while her dad is less interested. She is seen as a kid with her parents

But Phoebe insisted that she has no plans to make content creation her full-time career and that it's simply for 'fun.' Instead, she is focused on becoming a designer

In a past interview with WWD, Phoebe opened up about wanting to 'be her own person' and 'branch away' from her parents' success.

She has made waves in the fashion world recently - she interned for British Vogue last summer, and attended a slew of shows at New York and Paris Fashion Week in the fall. She is pictured at NYFW with her mom

'OK, Im my parents daughter, that gives me immense privilege, but its not what Im defined by,' she said.

'I want to have my own identity, I want to be my own person, I want to branch away from that, but how do I do that in a way where I can yield some sort of change?'

Bill and Melinda have also insisted that they are working hard to ensure that their kids 'create their own path.'

In fact, Bill - who has a whopping net worth of $107 billion - has voiced his fears over his kids becoming 'distorted' over 'wealth' on numerous occasions, and he once vowed to use his immense fortune to 'help the poor' rather than his own children.

While raising their children, the former couple - who split in May 2021 after 27 years of marriage - did their best to give their three kids a normal childhood.

They made them do chores and split the household work as evenly as possible, while tech mogul Bill has even admitted that he was a stickler about screen time - and didn't allow his kids to have phones until they were age 14.
First lady Jill Biden stated on Sunday that it was "ridiculous" to contemplate Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley's request to impose mental competency tests for lawmakers over 75, implying that President Joe Biden would never submit to such a test.

Jill Biden stated that she and her husband, who at age 80 is the nation's oldest commander-in-chief and would be 82 during his inauguration if reelected, would never address such a topic.

Joe Biden Challenged to Take Competency Test

The first lady reacted, "Ridiculous," when questioned about Haley's proposal in an interview excerpt that aired Sunday on CNN's 'State of the Union.'

Jill Biden, whose complete interview will run on Monday at 9 p.m., cited the President's surprise travel to Ukraine last month to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky to commemorate the anniversary of Russia's invasion as evidence of the chief executive's resilience.

Haley, a former US ambassador to the United Nations, proposed competency tests to older politicians when she announced her candidacy for the 2024 Republican nomination last month, clearly referring to Biden and GOP former President Donald Trump, who is 76 years old and has already re-entered the race.

"We cannot win the struggle for the 21st century if we continue to rely on politicians from the 20th century," said the former governor of South Carolina. Trump declared in November that he would run for re-election, supported and expanded Haley's mental-test idea, as per NY Post.

In previously released interview excerpts, Jill Biden said she is "all for" her husband running for President in 2024 and cited his recent nine-hour train journey from Poland to Ukraine The 44-year-old governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, is also likely to enter the Grand Old Party race.

Read Also: VIDEO: Exact Moment Alex Murdaugh Exits Court After Guilty Verdict

Biden Intends to Run in 2024 Election

According to Strait Times, Joe Biden has declared his intention to run in 2024 but has yet to decide. His wife is said to be his closest confidante in the White House. Joe Biden has highlighted his family or an unexpected occurrence, such as a health catastrophe, as possible deterrents to a future candidacy.

In the run-up to 2024, Joe Biden has faced criticism and Republican accusations over his age. In a February interview, he stated, "It's legitimate for people to raise issues about my age."

The President's physician stated on February 16 that Joe Biden is "healthy" and "vigorous" following a routine physical. On Friday, the White House said that a malignant skin lesion had been removed from Joe Biden's chest at his yearly checkup, necessitating no more treatment.

Others have criticized Haley's idea, citing that she set the age at 75 when the leading Republican presidential contender, former President Donald Trump, is 76. Per Daily Mail, independent Vermont senator Bernie Sanders criticized it as "absurd" and the plan as "ageist."

Related Article: Joe Biden Health: POTUS Had Cancerous Lesion Removed

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Bill Gates' daughter Jennifer has welcomed her first child with her equestrian husband Nayel Nassar.

The 26-year-old shared an adorable snapshot of the couple cradling the newborn's bare feet to Instagram on Sunday.

The equestrian, who is the daughter of billionaire Bill and his ex wife Melinda, uploaded the heart-warming picture alongside a caption that read: 'Sending love from our healthy little family.'

It was previously revealed that the couple were expecting a girl - but they are yet to confirm a name.

Jennifer Gates shared an adorable snapshot of the couple cradling the newborn's bare feet to Instagram on Sunday

The equestrian uploaded the heart-warming picture alongside a caption that read: 'Sending love from our healthy little family'

Jennifer's post introducing the newborn to her followers was quickly flooded with comments from well-wishers including from her mother and sister.

Mother Melinda wrote: 'Welcome to the world. My heart overflows.'

And younger sister Phoebe simply added three red heart emojis.

Other famous faces to offer their congratulations included model Martha Hunt, make-up artist Mario Dedivanovic and entrepreneur Martha Stewart.

Jennifer, who is also a medical student, had announced the pregnancy in November by posting paternity pictures alongside her Olympic showjumper husband, Nayel, now 32.

She cradled her growing bump in an emerald green dress before uploading the snap with a caption that simply read: 'Thankful.'

Her mother, Melinda, shared her joy in the comments, saying: 'I couldn't be more excited to meet this little one and watch you two become parents.'

Jennifer later celebrated at a baby shower attended by her close family in friends in New York City the following month.

The mom-to-be shared photos from the lavish party, hosted by Melinda, on Instagram and inadvertently revealed that she was expecting a baby girl.

Jennifer, who is also a medical student, had announced the pregnancy in November by posting paternity pictures alongside her Olympic showjumper husband, Nayel, now 32

She cradled her growing bump in an emerald green dress before uploading the snap with a caption that simply read: 'Thankful'

Jennifer's post introducing the newborn to her followers was quickly flooded with comments from well-wishers including from her mother and sister

Jennifer and Nayel's baby is the first grandchild for Bill and Melinda - who went through a high-profile divorce in 2021 after 27 years of marriage.

But both put their differences aside to walk Jennifer down the aisle in October 2021 during the ceremony at her then home in North Salem, New York - a $15.82million 124-acre horse farm that was a college graduation gift from her billionaire parents.

It was Microsoft heiress' second set of nuptials that weekend having first tied the knot with Nayel in a private religious Muslim ceremony the night before.

The couple, who are both Stanford graduates, first started dating officially started dating in January 2017.

Nayel proposed to Jennifer on a ski trip three years after they started dating. When they announced the happy news on Instagram, they both shared photos of themselves kneeling in the snow after he popped the question.

Jennifer and Nayel, who are both Stanford graduates, first started dating officially started dating in January 2017

Nayel proposed to Jennifer on a ski trip in January 2020 after three years of dating

Jennifer married Nayel in October 2021 during the ceremony at her then home in North Salem, New York

Jennifer celebrated her impending arrival at a baby shower attended by her close family in friends in New York City

Jennifer's mother kicked off 2023 with a snapshot of baby sneakers, writing, 'Happy new year! What I'm most looking forward to in the new year is welcoming Jenn and Nayel's baby girl'

Last month, it was revealed that Jennifer and Nayel had prepared for their upcoming arrival by moving into a $51 million Manhattan penthouse.

The six-bedroom Tribeca home was purchased by a Seattle-based trust linked to her father, the New York Post reported.

The 8,900-square-foot apartment, which has 3,400 square feet of outdoor space, was previously owned by Lewis Hamilton and is the largest in a starry luxury apartment building at 443 Greenwich Street.

Hamilton sold it in 2021 after four years of ownership but never even moved in. It sold for slightly more than its $49.5 million list price.

The three-level apartment has six bedrooms, six baths, two powder rooms, 20-foot-high ceilings, multiple terraces, and two parking spaces.

Last month, it was revealed that Jennifer and Nayel had prepared for their upcoming arrival by moving into a $51 million Manhattan penthouse

The six-bedroom Tribeca home was purchased by a Seattle-based trust linked to her father, the New York Post reported

The three-floor apartment was previously owned by Lewis Hamilton and is the largest in the luxury apartment building at 443 Greenwich Street

It has its own elevator, and on the top level, dual terraces flank an additional penthouse living room with floor-to-ceiling windows, according to an old property listing.

The apartment's main terrace overlooks northwest Tribeca and the Hudson River and has its own outdoor swimming pool.

The building on 443 Greenwich Street includes a 70-foot indoor swimming pool and Turkish baths as well as a 5,000-square-foot communal roof terrace.

Other celebrities to have lived in the building include Jennifer Lawrence, Justin Timberlake, Ryan Reynolds, Harry Styles, Jake Gyllenhaal, and The Weeknd.

The penthouse boasts six bedrooms, six baths, two powder rooms, 20-foot-high ceilings, multiple terraces, and two parking spaces

The building features a 70-foot indoor swimming pool and Turkish baths as well as a 5,000-square-foot communal roof terrace

The 8,900-square-foot apartment has a 3,400 square foot terrace that includes an outdoor bar and a plunge pool

Jennifer is the oldest of Bill and Melinda's three children.

Her brother Rory, 23, is much more private than his siblings - but the Gates family celebrated together when he graduated from the University of Chicago in June 2022.

Sister Phoebe, 20, has avidly stated that she wants to 'be her own person' and 'branch away' from her parents - and she is already making her own waves.

The college student and aspiring designer has already been inundated with invites to coveted New York and Paris Fashion Week shows, elite parties, and star-studded events.

She has also racked up a whole host of celebrity friends along the way and landed an internship at British Vogue.
Luke Simon, 57, was arrested at the scene and charged with Damien's murder

Damien Conlon was shot dead on 9 February in Oberon, New South Wales

A mother-of-four has revealed her heartache after her own father was charged with the murder of her fiance.

Linda Simon's partner Damien Conlon, 38, was shot dead in Oberon in New South Wales, Australia, on 9 February while the family was on holiday.

Linda's father, army veteran Luke Simon, 57, was arrested at the scene and has been charged with murder.

The grieving fiancee, who was due to wed Damien in November this year, is now planning on flying his ashes back home to Co. Sligo in Ireland.

The couple shared two children together, two-year-old Mason and 11-month-old Elias, with Damien also a loving stepfather to Linda's sons from her previous relationship, Brodie and Joseph.

Damien Conlon (right), the fiance of Linda Simon (left), was shot dead on 9 February in Oberon, New South Wales, Australia. Linda's father Luke Simon has been charged with Damien's murder

Linda, who now refuses to speak her father's name, told the Irish Mirror: 'We have two little boys, the older one still walks around the house looking for him.'

She added she has had no contact with her father since the shooting.

'As far as I'm concerned that man does not exist to me,' she said, adding she wanted to see justice done.

Linda told the newspaper she held a funeral for her late fiance last week before she prepares to fly his ashes home to prepare for a future without him.

Linda (right) revealed her youngest child Elias walks around the house looking for his father after Damien's death

Damien (pictured) moved to Australia from Co. Sligo in Ireland in 2011 and is a carpenter by trade

Damien and Linda met in 2019 via a dating website and, according to the mother-of-four, sparks flew immediately

Damien (left) was a stepfather to Linda's two eldest sons and shared two younger sons with Linda

She claimed Damien's injuries from the shooting were so catastrophic, they were unable to have an open casket at the funeral and she could not fly his body back to Ireland in its condition to be buried.

While she processes the devastation of losing Damien, his sister Leanna is with her in Australia. She also revealed she is in regular contact with Damien's parents Ethel and Dermot, who are at home in Ireland.

In the meantime, she is having Damien's body cremated. When she returns home with the ashes, she will hand them back to his family so they can be interred.

Recalling how she met Damien, a carpenter who first moved to Australia in 2011, in 2019, Linda said the pair had an instant spark and she knew early on that he was 'the one'.

As the pair built a relationship together she revealed how Damien doted on all four of her children.

'He always enjoyed showing the children woodwork, he was avid lover of motorbikes, it was just... these are the things we just miss. It really is so tough. But his family have been fantastic support for us, absolutely fantastic,' she said.

Damien's nickname was 'Mad Dog', which Linda said suited him well - reflecting his big 'wild card' personality and positive attitude.

Linda is now hoping to raise enough money to bring Damien's ashes home to Co. Sligo in time for St Patrick's Day.

On 4 March, Linda posted a message on the page to thank people for their support.

She wrote: 'From the bottom of my heart I want to thank all that have donated so far.

'The next step on the journey to our new normal is to take myself, Damien and our boys back to Ireland to allow the family and friends in Ireland to put Damien to rest and gain closure. Any and all help to get us to Ireland is deeply appreciated.'

To donate to the family's GoFundMe page, click here
He pursued the flight attendant, then 24, and won her heart after hanging out

Vacation romances can be fleeting but one couple have revealed how they got married just nine months after meeting and their sun-kissed love affair is still going strong 54 years on.

In the summer of 1969, Anthony Sall, from Philadelphia, found himself in Greece towards the end of a five-year trip around the world at the age of 28.

While waiting to board a ferry from Athens to the Greek island of Hydra a young lady in the line caught his eye and he made it his aim to speak to her. He realized she was headed to Mykonos so he changed his ticket to jump on the same boat as her.

Thanks to his persistence, Anthony learned that the woman in question was 24-year-old Barbara Olle - a flight attendant based in Germany - and from their first encounter, a whirlwind relationship quickly took flight.

Anthony Sall spotted Barbara Olle in Greece in 1969 while waiting to catch a ferry

The 28-year-old traveler pursued the flight attendant and eventually won her heart after hanging out

Anthony realized Barbara was headed to Mykonos (pictured) so he changed his ticket to jump on the same boat as her. That's where they started getting to know each other

Anthony, now 81, told CNN Travel that winning Barbara's affection required a bit of effort at first.

To start with, when he got on the same boat as her to Mykonos, he realized they were in different classes, as Barbara and her girlfriend had been invited into the first class section by a male admirer.

Anthony, who was in third class, got talking to a young American couple, Alan and Lili, and he told them how he had his eyes set on Barbara.

The duo encouraged him to pursue his love interest and the three of them hopped over the barriers into first.

After introducing themselves to Barbara's table, the trio were invited to sit down and the six travelers 'talked for several hours.'

When the boat docked, Anthony invited Barbara to dinner that evening, but she politely declined his offer as she had just come out of a relationship and wasn't interested in striking something up so soon.

However, over the next few days the group from the ferry hung out in Mykonos together and gradually Barbara warmed to Anthony's affections as she learned more about him.

She explained: 'Once we started to hang out together more and more, I found Tony to be very interesting and enjoyed his company and stories. He has a great way about him.'

When the week ended, most of the group dispersed, but Barbara still had a few days left on her vacation and Anthony was also free.

The duo decided to go to Hydra together and that's when their bond further cemented.

Over the years Barbara has worked for National Airlines, Pan American World Airways and Delta where she still works to this day. Pictured during her days with Air France

Anthony and Barbara tied the knot in 1970 just nine months after meeting

Anthony said: 'We got to know one another very well, hiding nothing from our past, and finding out that we not only had a lot in common, but she was beginning to care about me as I had cared about her from the first sighting.

'We truly began to connect.'

On their third day in Hydra, Anthony told Barbara that they would get married one day, but Barbara 'laughed it off thinking Americans are completely crazy.'

However, when it came to the end of their stint in Hydra, Barbara realized it was more than a holiday fling and she accepted Anthony's invite to meet him in Vienna the following week where he was meeting his parents for a long-awaited reunion.

During his five-year stint abroad Anthony hadn't returned to the US once.

This was partly down to financial reasons, as he was funding his travels through part-time work and he was also worried if he went home, his father would convince him to stay and help out with the family business.

What we have is a very deep and abiding love for one another... Our greatest pleasure is always the time we spend together, even after 53 years of marriage

Barbara said when she went to meet Anthony in Austria she was struck by his wealth.

While they had shared everything in Greece and lived quite frugally, she discovered Anthony's family were used to the finer things in life with a suite in a fancy hotel and a limousine chauffeur service.

Anthony had some initial fears about how his Jewish parents would react to Barbara's German heritage but to his relief, they took an instant shine to her.

After their Vienna trip, Anthony went on the final leg of his travels while Barbara returned to her Air France base in Frankfurt. They got together when they could and Anthony also made time to meet Barbara's parents.

In November 1969, Anthony finally returned to the US and Barbara flew out to join him and his family for Thanksgiving.

It was then that they decided to take a gamble and get married. Barbara returned to Germany to quit her job, sell her car and get rid of her possessions.

She returned to the US on December 31, 1969, and two weeks later, after converting to Judaism, the couple got married.

As she moved around as a child, Barbara said she didn't find settling into Philadelphia a problem and the friendliness of Anthony's family helped.

A year after getting married, Anthony and Barbara embarked on their honeymoon aboard the newly-launched QEII cruise ship.

Anthony told DailyMail.com that their honeymoon on the high seas was 'fantastic.'

'As it was our first trip together, and everyone knew it was our honeymoon, we were treated like royalty,' he said.

The couple went on to have four children and they are now based in California

'I had dated a fair amount of woman in my life and travels, but seeing Barbara was it for me, as I immediately knew she was the one for me'

Barbara worked as a flight attendant when she met Anthony and after marrying him she returned to the same line of work

'We had the time of our lives together on the cruise. We went on for several more cruises every year, and started taking our four children on all of the following ones when they were young.

'Now they go on their own vacations with their own children, having a ball together as we had done.'

In terms of work, Anthony went on to work for cosmetics company Revlon, which saw them relocate to Chicago for a short time and in the late 1970s Barbara decided to go back to working as a flight attendant.

Over the years she has worked for National Airlines, Pan American World Airways and Delta where she still is to this day.

Anthony, who is now retired, says he still gets excited when Barbara returns home from her work trips.

'Oh my God, you would think I just met her. Here we are, 54 years together, 53 married. And I can't wait for the day that she's coming home from the trip  after just three lousy days,' he told CNN Travel.

The Salls are now located in California with their four children and grandchildren living close by.

Quizzed on how he thinks the world of travel has changed since his own adventure more than five decades ago, Anthony told DailyMail.com: 'Travel back then for me was fantastic, as I went wherever I desired and planned, seeing everything I desired to see and meeting endless people making endless friends.

'Today travel is very different and somewhat superficial, as you get on a plane, arrive somewhere, and get mixed up in the hustle and bustle without the interaction with the people or society.

'From my experiences, people are much more guarded then they were back than in the '60s.'

And on his secret to a long-lasting love, Anthony concludes: 'I had dated a fair amount of woman in my life and travels, but seeing Barbara was it for me, as I immediately knew she was the one for me.

'What we have is a very deep and abiding love for one another, one that with any fallouts all get solved through our love for one another.

'Our greatest pleasure is always the time we spend together, even after 53 years of marriage. We adore each other to this very minute!'
CNN anchor Kasie Hunt has revealed that she gave birth to a baby girl on her bathroom floor after enduring just 13 minutes in labor.

The 37-year-old became a mom of two after welcoming the 8 lbs. 4 oz. newborn on March 1.

She and husband Matthew Mario Rivera, who already share three-year-old son Mars, had been planning a C-section - and so were caught off guard by the sudden arrival.

The couple, who have since named their daughter Grey Hunt Rivera, said they 'couldn't be more excited for life as a family of four.'

CNN anchor Kasie Hunt has revealed that she gave birth to a baby girl on her bathroom floor after just 13 minutes in labor

The 37-year-old became a mom of two after welcoming the 8 lbs. 4 oz. newborn earlier this month

She posted a series of photos which included a snapshot of son Mars meeting his sister for the first time

Kasie took to Instagram to share the story of baby Grey's arrival.

She posted a photo which showed her sitting on the bathroom floor with the newborn in her arms as a member of the emergency service team swooped in.

Other snaps, taken at Sibley Hospital, Washington, D.C., included one of Kasie and Matthew, 40, cradling the new arrival as well as Grey being introduced to her older brother for the first time.

The TV anchor uploaded the snaps alongside a caption that read: 'WELCOMING HERSELF TO THE WORLD: My husband @mattmrivera & I are thrilled to introduce our daughter, Grey Hunt Rivera - though really, she introduced herself.

'Grey was delivered by dad on the bathroom floor after 13 minutes of labor, before we even had time to dial 911, and 24 hours before she was scheduled to arrive via C-section.

'We are so thankful for the [DC Fire and EMS] team who talked us through the incredibly intense moments before she took her first breaths, and who arrived within minutes to bring mom and baby safely to the hospital.

'Big brother Mars could not be more proud, and we couldn't be more excited for life as a family of four.'

Kasie told People that Grey's arrival was her already showing 'her independent streak.'

She and husband Matthew Rivera, who met while working with NBC News in Washington, already share a three-year-old son

Kasie will now likely be taking a break from her role as CNN anchor and chief national affairs analyst

She reiterated: 'We're so excited about life as a family of four  and reminded it's going to be that much more unpredictable!'

Kasie had first shared her pregnancy news with the outlet in December where she said that Mars could not 'wait to be a big brother.'

She said at the time: 'For Halloween, he insisted that the baby have her own pumpkin. When we were decorating for Christmas, he asked me to put up a stocking for "baby sister."'

Kasie and Matthew, who met while working with NBC News in Washington, tied the knot in 2017 at Shenandoah Woods in Stanley, Virginia.

Kasie (pictured previously) told People that Grey's arrival was her already showing 'her independent streak'

The TV anchor fell pregnant with her son in 2018 but was forced to hit out at online trolls at the time who criticized her weight gain at the time

Soon after the online clash, Kasie gave birth to Mars, whose gender had been a surprise at the time of his birth (pictured previously)

The TV anchor fell pregnant with her son the following year but continued to appear onscreen as she approached her due date.

But she was forced to hit out at online trolls at the time who criticized her weight gain.

One Twitter user, who has since deleted his account, questioned her appearance and shamelessly asked why Kasie was 'getting so fat.'

Kasie, who was supported by her legion of fans online, simply replied and said: 'I'm eight months pregnant?'

Soon after the online clash, Kasie gave birth to Mars, whose gender had been a surprise at the time of his birth.
Jenna Bush Hager and her twin sister, Barbara Bush, reunited with their high school friends while celebrating a close pal's wedding in Texas over the weekend.

The Today host, 41, took to Instagram to share snapshots of herself posing with Barbara at sunset during the outdoor reception. The Bush twins, who were each other's dates, dazzled in complementary yellow dresses for the occasion.

'Hey, soul sister! I love you like YELLOW,' she captioned the images, which show them standing on top of the stone steps overlooking the venue's grounds.

Jenna was dressed in a sunny yellow cap-sleeve dress with a single flower that ran down the front. Her highlighted blonde hair was styled in loose waves, and she was all smiles as she stood with her arm around her sister.

Jenna Bush Hager and her twin sister Barbara Bush, both 41, attended a close friend's wedding in their home state of Texas over the weekend

The Bush twins were dressed in complementary yellow outfits for the occasion. Jenna opted for a cap-sleeve dress with a single flower, while Bara wore an off-the-shoulder belted frock

Barbara opted for an off-the-shoulder frock that was cinched at the waist with a matching belt. Like her twin, she wore her dark brown hair down loose around her shoulders.

The sisters are facing the camera in the first photo, but they are adoringly looking at each other in the second.

Jenna also shared moments from the weekend on her Instagram Stories, including a short video of a pizza being spun on a turntable while music played in the background.

She never specified where she was, but the morning after the wedding, she posted a picture of a scenic lake, writing, 'I love Texas lakes.'

'And food,' she captioned a snapshot of herself chowing down on chips and queso, her favorite thing to eat in her home state.

Jenna opened up about the special weekend with her friends on Monday's show at the request of her Today with Hoda & Jenna co-host Hoda Kotb, who was back to work after two weeks off.

Earlier in the day, Hoda, 58, had explained her unexpected absence, tearfully revealing her three-year-old daughter, Hope, had been in the intensive care unit battling a health issue.

Jenna shared moments from the weekend on her Instagram Stories, including a short video of a pizza being spun on a turntable while music played in the background

The morning after the wedding, she posted snapshots of her scenic few and lunch, writing, 'I love Texas lakes... and food'

'My youngest, Hope, was in the ICU for and then in the hospital for a little over a week,' she told her co-anchor Savannah Guthrie. 'I'm so grateful she's home, she is back home. I was waiting for that day to come, and we are watching her closely.'

Hoda, who had not been on air since February 17, was ready to lift the mood by the time the show's fourth hour rolled around.

'Could we talk about you?' she asked Jenna. 'Just take me away. I want to hear about a weekend. I want to hear about a fun weekend.'

Jenna dished about how she and her sister, Barbara, went to a childhood best friend's wedding in Texas, which turned into a mini-high school reunion.

'I met her in sixth grade. She's the wild friend,' she said of the bride.

'Wait, pause. She's the wild friend?' Hoda asked, insinuating that the title surely belonged to her co-host.

'She sure is,' Jenna confirmed.

The former first daughter explained that she and Barbara have loved their pal since they were tweens and were so happy to watch her get married.

Jenna opened up about the wedding on the Today show Monday, telling her co-host Hoda Kotb that it was like a mini-high school reunion

Hoda, who hadn't been at work since February 17, revealed earlier in the show that her three-year-old daughter, Hope, had been in the ICU for over a week

Hoda, 58, had asked Jenna to talk about the wedding to lighten the mood, saying, 'I want to hear about a fun weekend'

'We got to go watch her get married this weekend to her match,' she said. 'You know, she was one of those friends  and I said this to her. She's brilliant. She's hilarious. You were worried that she was so brilliant, so funny that she would never meet her match. And she met him. And we love him.'

Jenna noted that she got to be her sister's date for the evening because her husband, Henry Hager, had strep throat.

'I really was thinking one of the greatest joys is watching people fall in love, and people that you've known forever,' she said. 'So I got to be my sister's date.'

It's unclear if Barbara's husband, Craig Coyne, was in attendance, but he may have stayed home to watch their one-year-old daughter, Cora Georgia.

'It was fun. We danced. We also got to see our high school friends,' Jenna explained. 'We never had a high school reunion because [our 20th] was [in] 2020.

The mother of three recalled how her friend called them 'teenage middle-agers,' which was the perfect description.

'Because you get back together with people you've known forever, and you're immediately teenagers... I still look at them like teenagers, and we are old,' she admitted.

Hoda laughed at the story and Jenna thanked her for asking about the wedding, saying, 'It was really, really fun.'
Shoulder pads are back. Models are once again striding down the catwalks sporting those iconic emblems of the 1980s, this time with a swagger and a confidence that far outstrips the decade when ambition for women was still something of a dirty word.

And I, for one, can't wait to get my skinny shoulders back into a bold, shape-shifting blazer.

Take the new designs at Saint Laurent, just unveiled at Paris Fashion Week. At 41, creative director Anthony Vaccarello was a babe-in-arms when women in shoulder pads stormed the citadels of male-run institutions across the globe first time around, but he produced an Autumn/Winter collection which not only rejoices in pinstriped power dressing, but is so out there it may require you to enter the room sideways.

Then there's Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen, where the gender-blurring tailoring is pinstriped, Savile Row perfection, ties included. At Balmain, mega-broad shoulders take centre-stage in blazers, jackets, blouses and boleros. One black velvet trouser suit with a nipped-in waist and giant silky white lapels is so breathtakingly beautiful that I'd take out a mortgage on it if only there was a lender out there to take me seriously.

It references both Princess Diana's style and Melanie Griffith's smash-hit 1980s movie Working Girl. And I wouldn't be at all surprised if Joan Collins  whose signature look was sealed with her role as the evil ex Alexis Colby in Dynasty  has already earmarked this dazzling suit for herself. Its silhouette is certainly a boon for middle-aged women with waists on the wane, instantly creating a flattering hourglass look.

Adored Princess Diana pictured wearing a glamorous shoulder-padded Bruce Oldfield dress

Glitz and glamour: Dynasty actress Joan Collins snapped in a dazzling outfit during the 1980s

Sweet dreams are made of this: Pop icon Annie Lennox in pinstripes during the 1980s

This is a trend that has been bubbling under for a while, but one which is now tipping over into the High Street, as well as being embraced on the red carpet by Cate Blanchett, Jemima Khan, Adele and Christina Ricci among others. Given that it is awards season, it is easy to see why nervous nominees would look to confidence-boosting shoulder pads.

Back in the 1980s, when I was editor of Cosmopolitan Magazine, my shoulder pads were nothing short of a career strategy. The larger they became, the more I felt my confidence growing alongside.

A suit with shoulder pads, possibly pinstripes, too, might have seemed mere male mimicry, and unlikely to convince anyone, but I swear it worked. We didn't want to look or feel delicate, we wanted to look  and feel  strong, invincible, even when we were quaking inside.

Whenever I donned one of those Armani or Donna Karan trouser suits, I acquired a mantle of self-assuredness that helped me deal with the big boys in boardrooms where I was often the only woman. Open my wardrobe and it might well have been mistaken for my husband's  although not many men back then wore a silky camisole peeking out under their double-breasted jacket. Or, as in Maggie Thatcher's case, a pussy-bow blouse.

When I think back to that era  and pictures of myself during that time  I have to acknowledge that, occasionally, those shoulders verged on the ridiculous. Even some of Princess Di's outfits look dreadful in retrospect, and none of it was helped by the questionable hairstyles of the era  from puffed-up perms to mullets, everything was big, bouffant and bold.

Then, too, there were the fashion mishaps associated with power dressing. While jackets generally had their shoulder pads safely sewn in, when it came to tops and dresses, they were often just slotted in under the fabric. One time, while I was giving a speech to a mostly male audience of potential advertisers, a pad slipped from the blouse I was wearing, and I developed what can only be described as a third breast.

Were the sniggers I heard from my audience the result of my dazzling wit, or a reaction to my suddenly lopsided look? I never did find out.

So why are shoulder pads back with a vengeance now? All fashion trends are usually a sign of the times. In the 1930s, following female suffrage, women felt empowered to embrace styles of dressing that would previously have been regarded as an offence to their sex.

A broader outlook: Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker at a Vanity Fair party in 1987

Dressed for success: Melanie Griffith starring in 1988 hit romance movie Working Girl

One of the first designers to incorporate the look into collections was the ever-inventive Elsa Schiaparelli, who teamed it with a wide lapel for her 1931 collection.

By the 1940s the trend was two-fold, embracing both Hollywood evening glamour, favoured by the likes of Lauren Bacall, Joan Crawford and Bette Davis, alongside more serviceable but still stylish suiting for the increasing numbers of women going to work in offices as secretaries and PAs.

As the 1950s approached, women slunk back into frilly-aproned domesticity, and it wasn't until the 1980s economic boom that career women like me recognised power dressing as a way to get ahead.

Designers showcased a variety of broad-shouldered clothing items in this year's Paris fashion week. Pictured left to right: Models at the Stella McCartney show, Alexander McQueen show and Louis Vuitton womenswear show

Today's shoulder pads are, I believe, a reminder to the world that women's equality  in the West at least  is now a given rather than a right to be fought for, a celebration of having a seat at the table rather than a tentative power grab. Perhaps it is also a reaction against the hyper-sexualisation of women in some quarters of the internet, or a nod to the androgyny that many chic young women now embrace. At Balenciaga, the female form was positively swamped in pinstripe.

Of course, it says much about the mood of the fashion moment as well. Feminine, midi-length florals teamed with trainers may be comfortable and easy to wear when working from home, not to mention super-friendly to lumps and bumps, but now most of us are back in the office and there's a more sombre financial backdrop, it's time for a more serious approach. And I for one am grateful.

The model pictured left showcases a classy Alexander McQueen blazer and matching trousers. At Balmain, mega-broad shoulders take centre-stage in blazers, jackets, blouses and boleros - pictured right

This spring, for the first time in years, I can't wait to go shopping. At least for a somewhat toned-down, High-Street version of those giant shoulders.

Sometimes we find a look that's our personal best and we hang on to it for dear life until we start to look like dinosaurs. Style-wise, the 1980s was my decade. And now, at last, I can stride out in a square-shouldered suit without feeling square, a relic from a bygone age. I'm newly empowered and raring to go.
Many said it was a waste of time, a waste of plastic and ruins the flavour of soy

A foodie was slammed after saying she decants soy sauce fish into a big bottle

A foodie has been slammed after sharing her incredibly frugal trick to help cut costs on groceries amidst the rising cost of living - but some think she has too much time on her hands.

The woman, called Arielle, posted on Facebook, where she explained she keeps all the tiny packets of soy sauce fish she gets with her Asian meals and then decants them into an empty large soy sauce bottle at home.

'Millionaire mindset,' Arielle wrote on Facebook alongside pictures of her work.

A woman called Arielle said she keeps all the tiny packets of soy sauce fish she gets and then decants them into a large bottle at home to save money (pictured)

While some were inspired by the idea and wrote things like 'my grandpa would be proud' and 'amazing', others said life is too short for decanting soy sauce into large bottles.

'Total time it takes to collect and refill the bottle: one hour. So the person charge him/herself a labour rate of $3 an hour. Less than minimum rate,' one person wrote.

Another added: 'How much is my time worth? Oh right, nothing'.

But people were quick to slam her, saying she has too much time on her hands, that it's a waste of plastic and the quality of soy sauce is bad (her bottle filled with soy sauce fish pictured)

Others claimed it is no good for the soy sauce, as once you open the little fish packet, all of the soy sauce starts to oxidise and it tastes bad:

'It's better to just leave it in the packet if you're going to do that though,' one commenter wrote.

Poll Would you do this with soy sauce fish? Yes No Would you do this with soy sauce fish? Yes 132 votes

No 1395 votes Now share your opinion





'Once you decant it, it starts to oxidise so it starts to get stale as well as take on outside properties including off taste.'

Another said the trick doesn't stack up due to the quality of the soy sauce they use at restaurants:

'The only thing is that a lot of the "soy" that restaurants give out is that acid-hydrolyzed soy protein junk,' they said.

Finally, there were a group of people who said it's just a waste of plastic:

'Destroy the planet at all costs mindset,' one person wrote.

'Yeah, let's just waste all this plastic unnecessarily,' another said.

Arielle responded to this, writing: 'These environmentalists complaining about the plastic waste - I didn't manufacture the packets, I already got them from sushi restaurants.'

She continued: 'So if you want to really make a change, perhaps think of a way to address the root cause instead of complaining? In this instance, finding an alternative eco-friendly packet that is not made from plastic, or simply asking customers if they want soy sauce in their takeaway sushi'.
American expats have been sharing their shock at learning about the 'excellent' quality of life in Australia.

Two American expats said that everything from working conditions to wages and work/life balance are 'so much better' Down Under - and they will never move home.

'In the US all I ever dreamed of was better wages, cheaper healthcare, a work/life balance, and a culture that's overall pretty united. Australia is everything the US isn't,' one man said.

Brooke Laven (pictured), who moved to Sydney this year, noted a marked difference in the working conditions' Australians experience in comparison to in the US

Brooke explained that in the US the average annual paid time off in the private industry is around 11 days, with many people getting less than five days. She also explained that the US is one of the only westernized countries that don't guarantee parental leave, whereas Australia offers employees around 12 weeks unpaid leave

Brooke Laven, who moved to Sydney this year, noted a marked difference in the working conditions' Australians experience in comparison to in the US.

She received her first contract after being offered a job and was shocked at the generous paid time off and parental leave allowances.

'I knew American working rights were bad, but I didn't realise how bad until I just got my Australian full time contract,' she said.

She explained that in the US the average annual paid time off in the private industry is around 11 days, with many people getting fewer than five days.

Only two per cent of the workforce get over 24 days off in their first year, which is what Brooke was offered in her new contract.

'I get four weeks of annual leave, plus 10 days, so I did the math and I could take 43 days off straight,' she said.

She also explained that the US is one of the only westernised countries that don't guarantee parental leave, whereas Australia offers several months of paid leave, as well as unpaid leave.

I'm just going to stay in Australia,' she joked.

Another American expat has also been praising Australia for the 'better wages, cheaper healthcare and work/life balance'.

Chris moved to Brisbane last year and admits he still cannot get over how different it is to the US.

'The healthcare system here is amazing, the wages here are amazing, the work life balance is incredible. Australia just comes up with holidays and reasons to take time off,' he said.

Things Americans prefer in Australia rather than America: * Paid leave * Parental leave * Wage * Work/life balance * Freedom Advertisement

'My absolute favourite talking point when I tell Americans that I moved to Australia is freedom. Because I grew up my whole life around what you would consider the average American and everybody says the same thing "I have guns, so I have more freedom".

He said you could put a list of countries with the most freedom in front of an American, and show them America is not even in the top 10, but 'they still get stuck on this gun thing'.

'Australia has guns, it's just very well regulated,' he explained.

He also believes Australia don't evaluate freedom based on gun ownership, but rather features like rule of law, freedom of movement and freedom of religion.

'Australians genuinely target the areas of life that actually matter. If they feel something is slipping backwards, they don't let that sh*t happen,' he added.

He was particularly impressed with Australians willingness to take holidays around four weeks long.

'Australians wouldn't bat an eye if they hear this because long holidays is like a thing here, it's just part of the norm, its how it should be,' he explained.

'I spent my first six months here just annoyed because this place is basically a utopia compared to where I come from.'

Aussies were very pleased with the compliments.

'It's really refreshing to hear an American say this. It's a bit tiring to constantly hear "USA! USA! the land of the free!" glad you're enjoying it!' one man said.

'I dont think Americans have any idea how bad they have it! Welcome to Oz,' another wrote.

Others showed pride in the power of unions, which they contribute to many of the freedoms.
A woman has shared a warning after learning why you shouldn't wear a claw clip when you're driving.

The habit can be fatal in the case of an accident, as there is a risk the pointed clip will embed in your skull.

'Here is your daily reminder to take your claw clips out girls before you start driving because apparently if you get in a car crash it will impale you,' the woman said.

Scroll down for video

'Girls have died from having their hair clips on because if you get in a car crash and you hit your head back this goes into your skull,' she said, pointing at claws on the clip.

In 2011, a five-year-old girl reportedly fell down and suffered brain damage after the claws of her hair clip became embedded in her skull.

Scientists began issuing warnings against the claw clip at this point as they risk fatally escalating what could otherwise be a treatable accident or crash.

The clips are used to hold hair off the face, or as an alternative to a hair tie, they usually sit at the back of the head.

If the driver suddenly came to a stop or got into an accident the clip could hit against the ca's headrest and impale the skull.

Student nurse Natalie Kate previously reiterated the warning for all 'claw clip girlies' after receiving a harrowing warning from a doctor she worked with.

The doctor advised her against ever wearing a clip whilst driving as he had seen girls with the clip impaled into their skin.

'I will never ever wear that again whilst driving,' Natalie said.

Young women are advising other claw clip users to try out a hair band, hair tie or just leave their hair down next time they go for a drive.

Amrita Pandya, a journalist for Women Planet, is also spreading the message about the danger of hair clips.

She explained that she was hit by a bike whilst walking on the pavement, and fell backwards, hitting her head against the clip she was wearing and the pavement.

The danger of a claw hair clip There is a risk that in the event of an accident, claw clips can shatter and the pointed clip will embed in your skull. Young women are advising other claw clip users to try out a hair band, hair tie or just leave their hair down next time they go for a drive. Advertisement

'The only reason for my severe injury was my hair accessory (Jaw Clip). I had wrapped my hair with a jaw clip. Since my jaw clip was brittle and made out of plastic, it broke into pieces and a small piece of the same jaw clip broke into my head,' she explained.

The plastic embedded in her head left her unconscious for five minutes and resulted in prolonged blurred vision and dizziness.

People were shocked after receiving the warning.

'Oh my! I wear them everyday,' one woman said.

'Gonna have to adjust my whole life because of this,' another agreed.

'This actually happened to my mom when she got into an accident. They had to pull it out of her head and shave her head cause it was so mangled,' one woman admitted.
One of New York City's leading plastic surgeons has revealed to DailyMail.com what surgeries clients are seeking out most in 2023.

Dr Barry Weintraub, who owns a practice in Manhattan, said one of the breakout stars of this year so far has been buccal fat removal surgery.

The procedure - which Chrissy Teigen has openly admitted to having - involves removing fat from the face to highlight bone structure, especially the cheekbones and the hollowed-out areas between the cheeks and jaw.

But Dr Weintraub said an anti-aging procedure involving radio waves has also started to take off in recent months, along with chin implants.

And one celeb-favorite surgery still remains highly popular.

Dr Barry Weintraub (pictured), told DailyMail.com what plastic surgeries he is seeing most at his Manhattan clinic

Buccal fat removal

Popularized by celebrities such as Chrissy Teigen - and rumored to be behind the jawlines of Lea Michelle and Sophie Turner - buccal fat surgery is all the rage this winter.

The surgery removes buccal fat pads from the inside of the mouth. Dr Weintraub says these pads serve as buffers between the teeth while chewing sometimes but are not entirely necessary.

A surgeon will scoop out what Dr Weintraub describes as a 'spoonful' of fat from a patient's cheek, taking some of the 'puff' out of their cheeks.

He compares the effect it has on a person's face to make it look like they are smoking a cigarette - but permanently. He said it is a 'desirable' angularity.

It is a purely cosmetic, permanent procedure.

Dr Weintraub, who performs two of the procedures each week at his Manhattan practice, performs an incision from the inside of a patient's mouth.

Around 75 percent of the procedures are performed on women. An operation will usually cost between $9,500 and $12,500.

Risks are low and complications are rare. In some rare cases, a patient will suffer infection at the site of incision or injury to some nerves in the face.

If the procedure is botched, a person could end up with an asymmetrical face. This could require another cosmetic procedure to fix.

Recovery is often quick. Dr Weintraub said a person who receives buccal fat removal surgery can return to work the next day.

It may take sometime for the angular jawline to show in recipients, as some recipients suffer swelling for weeks after the procedure.

Chrissy Teigen (pictured in May, 2021 on the right) admitted to receiving buccal fat removal in September 2021. Teigen's (pictured in late-2021 on the right) face has a more angular appearance after receiving the procedure

Radiofrequency micro-needling is a procedure where a doctor uses a needle and high frequency radio waves to rejuvenate a person's skin

Radiofrequency micro- needling

Microneedling is a relatively painless procedure where a small device is used to puncture their skin in an effort to freshen a rejuvenate it.

Dr Weintraub described it as a 'beautiful thing', where a person's face can look freshened and brand new.

Using a small device with a needle attached, a surgeon will point small holes into a person's skin tissue.

Then, a radio frequency wave will target tissue beneath the skin. This warms up the skin and stimulates the growth of new collagen fibers.

Collagen is a protein that helps build connective tissues in the body. It is especially valuable for skin, as it allows it to withstand stretching and pulling.

When the skin repairs itself, it is smoother and looks cleaner. This also makes a person look younger.

The procedure itself will usually take around 20 minutes to cover the entire face.

Because it causes little pain and is minimally invasive, people can just walk out of their surgeon's office and continue the rest of their day without downtime.

The procedure usually costs between $1,000 to $2,000 for a single session.

Cheekbone fillers

Often a procedure associated with buccal fat removal, cheekbone fillers are rising in popularity too.

The procedure works by adding volume to the person's cheekbone by stimulating collagen production in the cheeks.

The patient receives hyaluronic acid injections, a natural fluid produced in the eyes and joints.

It's main purpose is to lubricate parts of the body. People who suffer from arthritis may receive these injections to help relieve joint-pain.

Cheekbone fillers stimulate the growth of collagen in a person's cheeks. This can give them more defined cheek bones and help even out an asymmetrical face (file photo)

When put into the cheeks, the fluids give the skin surrounding the cheekbones a more distinct appearance.

The procedure smooths out wrinkles around the nose and mouth and makes the cheek more pronounceable.

Some can also use the injections to give their face a more symmetrical look, balancing out an irregularity on the cheekbones.

A patient can return to regular day-to-day activities immediately after receiving the filler, and take around two days to fully appear in a patient.

It can cost between $500 to $1,000 per shot received by a person, with one shot needed for each cheek.

Fox and Bedroom eye lifts

Fox eye procedures raise the side of a person's eyebrows to create a more sultry and alluring look (file photo)

Taylor Swift is rumored to have received 'Fox Eye' procedures. Pictured: Swift at age 18 in 2007 on the left, and Swift at 31 in 2020 on the right

Pictured: A 53 year old woman in Illinois before (left) and after (right) receiving an eye lift

Surgically creating more 'sultry' and 'sexy' eyebrows was another trend that emerged in late 2022 and carried into the new year.

Fox eyes, slanted eyebrows described by some as 'almond shaped', raises the outside of a person's eyebrows.

The operation makes a person's eyes appear longer and smooths out wrinkles around them, making them look younger.

While there are many different ways a surgeon could work to create this effect, the most common is a practice called PDO threading.

For this practice, a surgeon will numb a person's eyebrows and then place threads under a person's skin.

These threads will raise a person's eyebrows, giving a person the fox eyes look. They effect lasts for around three months.

Fox eyes procedures usually cost between $500 and $1,000.

Dr Weintraub also offers a similar procedure, called a 'Bedroom eye lift'. This procedure alters the eyebrows using filler and raises the center of the brows.

This creates a similar effect to Fox eyes, removing wrinkles and making a person appear younger.
Qatar's Emir states that aid for Syria must be free of politicizing by leaders, making the suffering of quake victims worse. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani last Sunday said those indulging in personal political agendas giving humanitarian assistance are reproachable.

Politicizing Aid for Syria Affects Rescue Efforts

Sheikh Al Thani spoke to representatives of the UN Least Developed Countries summit held in Doha, that blocking aid to Syrian and Turkey is wrong after the February 6 quake. Despite the urgency for immediate assistance, both nations are getting delayed help, as reported by Almayadeen.

Human tragedies like these need the utmost help, and the Syrians suffer the brunt. As highlighted on either side, political purposes are more important than alleviating misery and suffering.

Qatari FM Stressed the Need for Aid for Syrian Victims

Lolwah bint Rashid Al Kahter, the Qatari Assistant Foreign Minister, said in a statement that it had happened again in Syria when disaster and death struck. He brought this observation to the international organizations and global community that should act to correct it, noted Business Recorder.

She categorized how the international community did not act appropriately when needed most and called out that it impacted the survivor's ability to overcome the tragedy because of what leaders did for their benefit, choosing political compromises that would not benefit those affected by the calamity.

When the 7.8-magnitude earthquake shook up Ankara and Damascus so violently that it took 50,000 people's lives, the survivor was numerous and was left homeless by the terrible quake.

Read Also: Turkish FM Welcomes Greek Support After Twin Quakes Hit Turkey

Tamin explained how the assistance program for needy states would function with the total funding given to it. About $10 million will be for the expense of supporting the program. The remaining $50 million will be for getting results and developing how to sustain it in these poorly developed countries, cited Urdu Point.

Sheikh Tamim announced that Doha is bolstering the Doha Programme of Action for Developed Countries, personally funded with $60 million.

Delayed Aid for Syria

The last 12 years of the civil war in Syria had severely affected children who needed assistance most. Instead of studying and getting what is rightfully theirs instead, basic needs were withheld.

Qataris are not alone in this reflection, as UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell disclosed disturbing facts. An alarming 3.7 million Syrian children have their lives getting cut short as they lack support after the quake's aftermath.

Quake-hit regions saw the total obliteration of homes as countless schools and playgrounds were destroyed. It is unsafe for these vulnerable children and families trying to survive these conditions.

Russell indicated they, who are the weakest, have taken the horrific effects and heart-rending outcomes. She saw all of it in two days of visiting the disaster struck areas.

The UNICEF official stressed that long-term assistance is needed to help affected Syrians normalize, providing clean water, health care, therapy, and all essentials to rebuild from scratch. It will lead to better lives for children and families.

Qatar's Emir made it clear that aid for Syrian aid is separated from a politicizing agenda affecting the rescue efforts to save Syria's quake victims.

Related Article: Syria's Natural Disaster Highlights Lack of UN Aid for Survivors

@ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Matt Hancock rejected advice from Sir Chris Whitty that Covid self-isolation should be slashed over concerns it would 'imply we've been getting it wrong'.

Leaked WhatsApp exchanges from November 2020 show England's Chief Medical Officer thought it would be 'pretty well as good' for close contacts of positive cases to test for five days rather than staying at home for two weeks.

But the former health secretary warned the approach was a 'massive loosening' of the rules that would 'seriously worry people' and 'imply we'd been getting it wrong'.

The messages, the latest to be published by The Daily Telegraph, also reveal that the MP for West Suffolk was determined to spin the rollout of Covid jabs as a 'Hancock triumph'.

WhatsApp exchanges from November 2020 show that England's Chief Medical Officer (left) thought testing for five days to be 'as good' as two weeks of staying at home. But the former health secretary (right) warned the approach was a 'massive loosening' of the rules that would 'seriously worry people' and 'imply we'd been getting it wrong'

The tranche of more than 100,000 WhatsApps were passed to The Daily Telegraph by the journalist Isabel Oakeshott (right), who was given the material by Matt Hancock (left) when they were working together on his book Pandemic Diaries

On November 17 2020, Mr Hancock asked Sir Chris about the status of 'test to release plans'.

At this point, people with confirmed or suspected Covid only had to isolate for ten days but close contacts had faced a 14-day quarantine.

There was also a legal duty to quarantine and those who broke the rules could be fined 1,000  increasing to 10,000 for repeat offenders.

Sir Chris said that the UK's Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) and Sage, a group of scientists that advised No10, backed daily Covid tests for five days instead of isolating among close contacts.

He suggested that it would need to be piloted initially to 'check it works' and noted that the UK's medicines watchdog had not yet approved Covid tests for self use.

Matt Hancock 'fought to be front and centre of vaccine rollout, feared he'd be overshadowed by Alok Sharma as Pfizer jab was approved and rejected cutting 14-day 'pingdemic' isolation period as early as November 2020 to save face', leaked WhatsApps reveal Mr Hancock was determined to be seen as 'Mr vaccine' and placed himself at the forefront of media coverage, even appearing to break down on Good Morning Britain Advertisement

But Mr Hancock replied: 'So test every day for just five days? That sounds like a massive loosening'.

Sir Chris said: 'The modelling suggests it's pretty well as good [as isolating for two weeks]. And we think adherence likely to be good.'

The former health secretary said he was 'amazed'. 'This sounds very risky and we can't go backwards  wouldn't test every day for ten days be a safer starting point,' he said.

Sir Chris said: 'We could push out to seven but the benefits really flatten off after five. We would expect symptomatic people to get a PCR test as normal.'

Mr Hancock questioned whether the two-week isolation advice had been 'too long all this time'.

The policy drove down cases by around 4 per cent compared to ten-day isolation but 'almost certainly at the expense of reduced adherence', Sir Chris said.

Data from Sage at the time suggested just one in five people fully complied with the self-isolation rules.

Mr Hancock said: 'I think moving to seven-day daily testing for contacts would be HUGE for adherence, but going below that would serious worry people and imply we'd been getting it wrong.

'Presumably we can explain some of the shorter period because the test would pick up the disease before symptoms'.

Sir Chris said he would feed this back to the other CMOs who he thought would 'be sympathetic to this'.

The Government reduced self-isolation to ten days on December 14, four weeks after the exchanges between the two men.

A statement from the UK's CMOs confirming the rule change said: 'After reviewing the evidence, we are now confident that we can reduce the number of days that contacts self-isolate from 14 days to ten.'

By summer 2021, the policy developed into the use of the NHS Test and Trace app, which alerted people if they had been in close contact with a positive case and told them to self-isolate for up to ten days.

But the resultant 'pingdemic' saw up to around 600,000 people isolate per week, with the app being so sensitive that people were being needlessly 'pinged' through their walls if their neighbour was infected.

Sir Chris said that the UK's Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) and Sage, a group of scientists that advised No10, backed daily Covid tests for five days instead of isolating among close contacts. He suggested that it would need to be piloted initially to 'check it works' and noted that the UK's medicines watchdog had not yet approved Covid tests for self use. But Mr Hancock replied: 'So test every day for just five days? That sounds like a massive loosening'

Parts of the country ground to a halt and ministers were forced to release key workers from quarantine to keep the NHS, transport and food supply services functioning.

A pilot had been launched in May 2021, which saw those taking part allowed to take a daily test for seven days rather than isolating. However, this did not apply to people contacted via the NHS app.

By August 2021, children and double-jabbed Brits no longer had to isolate if they were a close contact. However, they were advised to take a PCR test and had to quarantine for ten days if they tested positive.

Self-isolation was finally ditched in February 2022, by which point more than 20million Brits had been told to stay at home, according to The Daily Telegraph.

MailOnline has not seen or independently verified the WhatsApp messages, leaked to The Daily Telegraph by Isabel Oakeshott, the journalist who helped Mr Hancock write his book Pandemic Diaries.

Other newly released messages show Mr Hancock was told by advisers that the public would 'forgive' him for being supportive of lockdowns if he could claim vaccines as his success, leading the MP to try to be the face of the campaign.

Mr Hancock's media special adviser Damon Poole sent Mr Hancock a link to a Daily Mail article in January 2021 which reported that the jab rollout was accelerating.

The MP replied: 'I CALLED FOR THIS TWO MONTHS AGO. This is a Hancock triumph!'

A spokesperson for Matt Hancock said: 'These messages in fact show Mr Hancock was in favour of protecting the public and saving lives.

'That shouldn't be a surprise to anyone.

'Throughout the pandemic Mr Hancock acted to save lives  as the independent inquiry will show.

'We should wait for that to ensure we get a proper understanding of what happened, not be misled by these biased accounts based on an anti-lockdown agenda and partial evidence.'
Roughly 11million people in England failed to get an NHS dentist appointment last year, shock data suggests.

Industry leaders warned today the figures  amounting to around one in four adults  show the decaying dental industry 'is running out of road'.

Desperate Brits have had to resort to using shoelaces and pliers to pull out their own rotting teeth.

Experts fear the crisis, which began before Covid kicked off, will only get worse.

Thousands of NHS dentists quit during Covid, and industry polls suggest even more are considering going fully private in the near future.

This chart shows the number of dentists who carried out NHS activity each year, the figure dropped sharply during the Covid pandemic but has slightly recovered to just over 24,000 according to the latest data

This has left people with no choice but to pay huge private fees, go without, or do dangerous DIY procedures. Some have even flown overseas for treatment.

The British Dental Association (BDA) today called on the Government and opposition 'commit' to action to reform the 'broken' service.

A 'discredited' contract system is fuelling the crisis, according to the organization.

It is now being investigated by the Health and Social Care Committee.

How much does NHS dentistry cost? There are 3 NHS charge bands: Band 1: 23.80 Covers an examination, diagnosis and advice. If necessary, it also includes X-rays, a scale and polish, and planning for further treatment. Band 2: 65.20 Covers all treatment included in Band 1, plus additional treatment, such as fillings, root canal treatment and removing teeth (extractions). Band 3: 282.80 Covers all treatment included in Bands 1 and 2, plus more complex procedures, such as crowns, dentures and bridges. For comparison, check-ups can cost between 20 and 120 at private dentists, according to Which?. Dentures and bridges can also cost up to 2,520, the consumer watchdog says. Advertisement

Dentists argue that under the current contract, it is no longer financially viable to offer NHS procedures because of a lack of Government investment.

BDA analysis of the 2022 NHS GP Survey suggests the number of Brits struggling to see an NHS dentist is up seven million, on the four million recorded in 2019.

This accounts for almost one in four adults in England.

Some 6million adults 'tried and failed' to get an NHS dentist appointment, while 3.6million did not try 'believing an appointment would not be available', they said.

Another 1million people were also put off by the cost of NHS dental charges, with 500,000 others reported to be stuck on waiting lists.

The BDA said: 'Both the government and the opposition need to step up and offer a plan.'

A spokesperson added: 'Patients are struggling to get NHS appointments and are also being put off by the fear of either not getting an appointment or the cost.

'All parties need to commit to reverse these trends.

'That must begin with commitments to reform of the discredited NHS dental contract, underpinned by adequate investment.'

The General Dental Practice Committee chair, Shawn Charlwood said: 'Every day a broken system remains in force we lose dentists, while millions struggle to access care.

'This crisis won't be fixed with soundbites or tweaks at the margins. To turn the corner, we need a plan based on real reform and fair funding.'

He added: 'NHS dentistry is running out of road.'

Figures obtained by MailOnline last month also show that some areas of England have only one dental practice offering NHS treatments for every 13,000 people.

Antony Watson (pictured above) from Bridlington, had to order a 3.99 next day delivery at home dental repair kit to fix his broken tooth

Alex Gray, from Lincolnshire (pictured above), was also forced to pull out six of his teeth on his own, after failing to find an NHS dentist

Nationally, there was only one NHS dental practice for every 4,975 people at the start of 2023.

The figures, by LG inform  a database ran by the Local Government Association (LGA), show England's worst-affected borough - Bolsover, Derbyshire - had around 57 times more people for every dental practices than in the area with best access, City of London.

According to the latest figures from NHS Digital on NHS dental activity, two-thirds of people in England also haven't seen a dentist in two years.

Just 16.4million people had a check-up between June 2020  in the early days of the pandemic  and June 2022, equivalent to 36.9 per cent of the population.

One of those forced to take matters into their own hands was Antony Watson, of Bridlington in Yorkshire.

Mr Watson originally broke his tooth 20 years ago with dentists giving him a crown at the time.

But he damaged it a second time after biting into a cookie.

He said he couldn't book an NHS appointment because he isn't registered with any clinic and 'definitely couldn't afford' to pay for private treatment 'on the spot', forcing him to look elsewhere for a solution.

Mr Watson searched online for home delivery dentistry kits and chose the 3.99 kit because of its next day delivery perk.

The kit contained a 20g bag of plastic beads, which then melted using boiling water and fashioned to fit the shape of your damaged teeth.

Meanwhile, Alex Gray, from Lincolnshire, was also forced to pull out six of his teeth on his own, after failing to find an NHS dentist.

The retired roofer has been unable to find an NHS dentist after moving to Lincolnshire six years ago.

When a tooth 'starts to fall out', he takes painkillers he said, and 'waits until it goes numb', before using just pliers to try and extract it.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said today: 'We are working to improve access to NHS dental care by investing more than 3 billion a year in dentistry for all NHS patients but we know there is more to do.

'We have enabled NHS dental practices to deliver an extra 10 per cent of NHS care on top of their contracts to improve patient access and recently completed work to remove barriers and support dental team members such as therapists and hygienists to work to their full skill set in the NHS.'

They added: 'The number of dentists practicing in the NHS increased by over 500 last year and we recently implemented reforms to provide fairer pay for practices to take on high needs patients also.'
Sir Chris Whitty advised ministers not to enforce the sex ban during the pandemic, leaked WhatsApp messages revealed today.

Under the original Covid lockdown imposed on March 23 2020, Boris Johnson told Brits to stay at home and avoid contact with people living in other households.

The rules, in reality, amounted to a sex ban for all couples living separately because they were not allowed to meet up indoors.

Sir Chris, England's chief medical officer, was asked to clarify the expert advice by the then-PM's spokesman the next day after being inundated by journalists wanting answers to the 'biggest Q of the day'.

Sir Chris Whitty (left) advised ministers not to enforce the sex ban during the pandemic, leaked WhatsApp messages revealed today. Yet a different message was presented at a press conference that same day, when Jenny Harries, Sir Chris' deputy, said couples should 'ideally' should stay in their own households if they don't live together  or 'test the strength of their relationship' and move in together. The then-Health Secretary Matt Hancock (right) added: 'There you go: make your choice and stick with it'

Sir Chris, England's chief medical officer, was asked to clarify the expert advice by the then-PM's spokesman the next day after being inundated by journalists wanting answers to the 'biggest Q of the day'. Texts unearthed today reveal Sir Chris said: 'I think a bit of realism will be needed.' He added: 'If it's a regular partner I don't think people are likely to listen to advice not to see them for three weeks or maybe more. 'We could say; if they can avoid seeing one another they should, and if either of them has an older or vulnerable person in the house they must'

The tranche of more than 100,000 WhatsApps were passed to The Daily Telegraph by the journalist Isabel Oakeshott (right), who was given the material by Matt Hancock (left) when they were working together on his book Pandemic Diaries

Texts unearthed today reveal Sir Chris said: 'I think a bit of realism will be needed.'

He added: 'If it's a regular partner I don't think people are likely to listen to advice not to see them for three weeks or maybe more.

'We could say; if they can avoid seeing one another they should, and if either of them has an older or vulnerable person in the house they must.'

Patrick Vallance, the Government's Chief Scientific Adviser, had said: '[The] aim is to break contacts between households so the strict answer is that they shouldnt meet or should bunker down in the same house.'

'But Chris can give the official CMO love advice,' he added.

Matt Hancock rejected chief medic Chris Whitty's calls to ease isolation rules because he feared it would show ministers had been 'getting it wrong' WhatsApp exchanges from November 2020 show that England's Chief Medical Officer (left) thought testing for five days to be 'as good' as two weeks of staying at home. But the former health secretary (right) warned the approach was a 'massive loosening' of the rules that would 'seriously worry people' and 'imply we'd been getting it wrong' Advertisement

Yet a different message was presented at a press conference that same day, when Jenny Harries, Sir Chris' deputy, said couples should 'ideally' should stay in their own households if they don't live together  or 'test the strength of their relationship' and move in together.

'What we do not want is people switching in and out of households. It defeats the purpose of reductions in social interactions and will allow the transmission of disease,' she said.

The then-Health Secretary Matt Hancock added: 'There you go: make your choice and stick with it.'

The so-called 'bonking ban' lasted until June 13, at which point two separate households could form 'bubbles'  meaning they do not need to remain socially distanced.

It only applied if one household was someone living alone, or a single parent living with children.

In one of the most high-profile rule breaches of the pandemic, Professor Neil Fergusson, a SAGE scientist, had invited his married mistress Antonia Staats to his home at least twice in May 2020 when the rules were in place.

In a resignation statement, the academic, who was married with a son but is believed to have been separated from his wife at the time, admitted he had 'made an error of judgement' but claimed he thought he was 'immune' to the illness.

Professor Fergusson admitted his rule breach was the 'wrong thing to do'.

MailOnline has not seen or independently verified the WhatsApp messages, leaked to The Daily Telegraph by Isabel Oakeshott, the journalist who helped Mr Hancock write his book Pandemic Diaries.

Professor Neil Ferguson (left) asked his mistress Antonia Staats (right) to travel across London to his home at least twice during the peak of the outbreak, it was revealed at the beginning of May

Other newly released messages show Mr Hancock was told by advisers that the public would 'forgive' him for being supportive of lockdowns if he could claim vaccines as his success, leading the MP to try to be the face of the campaign.

Mr Hancock's media special adviser Damon Poole sent Mr Hancock a link to a Daily Mail article in January 2021 which reported that the jab rollout was accelerating.

The MP replied: 'I CALLED FOR THIS TWO MONTHS AGO. This is a Hancock triumph!'

Exchanges on WhatsApp also reveal that Mr Hancock rejected advice from Sir Chris that Covid self-isolation should be slashed over concerns it would 'imply we've been getting it wrong'.

Messages from November 2020 show England's Chief Medical Officer thought it would be 'pretty well as good' for close contacts of positive cases to test for five days rather than staying at home for two weeks.

But the former health secretary warned the approach was a 'massive loosening' of the rules that would 'seriously worry people' and 'imply we'd been getting it wrong'.

A spokesperson for Matt Hancock said: 'These messages in fact show Mr Hancock was in favour of protecting the public and saving lives.

'That shouldn't be a surprise to anyone.

'Throughout the pandemic Mr Hancock acted to save lives  as the independent inquiry will show.

'We should wait for that to ensure we get a proper understanding of what happened, not be misled by these biased accounts based on an anti-lockdown agenda and partial evidence.'
The UK has one of the most highly developed pension and insurance systems on the planet, with around 5trillion of assets.

This ought to provide the economy with a huge advantage: a bedrock source of capital for companies and infrastructure projects.

As long-term investors, UK pension funds should be underpinning the stock market.

Last week, I argued here that unleashing pension savings and channelling them into productive investments could reboot the economy. For that to happen, the pensions establishment needs a major mind-shift.

To understand what is happening now, we need to embark on some brief time travel.

Another piece in the puzzle: As long-term investors, UK pension funds should be underpinning the stock market

After World War II, retirement funds held practically all their assets in bonds. Then in the mid-1950s, there was a huge shift in pension investment policies here and in the US, called 'the cult of equity'.

Enter George Ross Goobey, who managed the Imperial Tobacco pension fund, then one of the largest in Britain, who became the high priest of equities. He persuaded the trustees to invest exclusively in shares, then a revolutionary move.

Funds moved wholesale out of gilts  IOUs to the Government, considered to be low-risk  and into the stock market, where risks and returns were higher.

The shock of Robert Maxwell's pension fund theft led to a desire to reduce risk. When New Labour came to power in 1997, then chancellor Gordon Brown launched a tax raid that dealt a hammer blow to the value of schemes. Fast-forward to the financial crisis when the wave of QE money-printing increased the size of deficits in many pension schemes. Revamped accounting rules meant the gory detail had to be published in annual reports, for all to see.

In the past couple of decades, the cult of equity has been extinguished and the cult of gilts is back in a big way.

Figures from the Pension Protection Fund show that in 2008, final salary schemes had more than half of their assets in equities. By 2021, that had fallen to under a fifth.

Of the total equity investment, the proportion in the UK stock market dropped from just under half in 2008 to a smidge over a tenth in 2021, with a big increase in the amount invested on foreign stock markets.

All the statistics point to the same conclusion: billions of pounds of pension fund money has drained out of the UK stock market and been channelled into gilts.

The cult of the gilt has been re-establishing itself inexorably since the 1990s. Ironically, the obsession with risk avoidance meant pension funds locked into low returns from government debt. Doing so has had a high opportunity cost: they have deprived members of the higher rewards that might have come from backing businesses and infrastructure investment.

Productivity has been hurt as a result. Worthwhile businesses have been starved of a potential source of capital.

The ownership profile of many of the best-known companies listed on the UK stock market has changed, and not necessarily for the better, with more overseas investors and hedge funds on share registers.

UK pension funds could play a valuable role in responsible long-term ownership and good governance, if they had not sold out.

The ties binding the UK capital markets and financial services to British industry are being eroded. Companies such as Ferguson, Flutter, CRH and Arm have given the cold-shoulder to the City. Others, including supermarket group Morrisons and Cambridge software group Aveva have succumbed to overseas takeovers.

Gilt-tripping has had unintended consequences. It's time for a big re-think.
Hit hard: British rapper Little Simz has cancelled her US tour

Music industry bosses are calling on American regulators to scrap a planned increase in touring fees, which will hit British artists.

Visa costs for musicians will more than triple from 375 to 1,317 under plans being considered by US immigration.

But UK Music, which represents the industry, said the proposed changes would be 'deeply damaging', leaving America off limits to many UK acts.

British rapper Little Simz has cancelled her US tour, blaming the already considerable costs.

And yesterday UK Music boss Jamie Njoku-Goodwin said: 'We urge the US authorities to think again. We should be doing everything we can to make touring easier, not harder.'
The failure of the Virgin Orbit satellite has distracted investors from the 'real gold' in Britain's space industry, a major fund manager has warned.

Mark Boggett, who runs London-listed Seraphim Space, said bosses should focus on boosting home-grown space talent  rather than high-profile industry setbacks.

Lost in space: The first satellite mission from UK soil failed to reach orbit in January because its rocket fuel filter became dislodged

The first satellite mission from UK soil failed to reach orbit in January because its rocket fuel filter became dislodged.

Boggett said: 'People are so focused on Virgin Orbit, they have no idea where the real gold is for the UK  but it will become clear'. The 51-year-old said the UK was a world leader, attracting more investment in space projects than any country apart from China and the US.

Boggett's comments follow warnings from across the industry that 'difficult' regulations in the UK are threatening its competitive edge.

Joshua Western, who runs satellite maker Space Forge, said: 'The right questions are being asked but the speed of the process is where we're losing.' And Virgin Orbit boss Dan Hart said the regulatory landscape was 'difficult'.
Business rates reforms are a 'far cry' from what the High Street has been promised, the country's biggest retailers have warned.

Bosses from Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury's and Currys slammed tweaks to the tax, which leaves physical stores still facing a high tax burden.

Business rates are charged on shops, pubs and other business properties based on their rental value.

Critics say the system unfairly punishes those with a physical presence in town centres, while online players face lower bills.

The Government had promised a 'fundamental' review, but retailers said changes so far are insufficient and warned that the tax is still 'throttling local economies'.

Plea: Business rates need an urgent fix, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has been told

M&S chief Stuart Machin said shops make up just more than 5 per cent of the economy, but pay almost a quarter of business rates, stifling investment and forcing up prices.

Machin, 52, said the levy 'cannot continue' as it is, adding: 'We welcomed the Government freezing rates and ending downwards transition last year but it's time they take decisive action to protect the retail industry, create jobs, bring customers back and support communities.'

Alex Baldock, who runs Currys, said: 'The system is outdated and punitive, and change is necessary to keep pace with a modern retail environment. We'd like to see the Government follow through on the promise of fundamental reform.'

He added that while recent changes were welcome, 'there is a long way to go'. The changes included scrapping a transition period for businesses to benefit from lower bills and more frequent revaluations.

And Chancellor Jeremy Hunt was praised last year for handing firms 13.6billion in business rates support.

The British Retail Consortium said they were 'essential steps', but described them as 'a far cry' from the Conservatives' 2019 manifesto pledge.

Chief Helen Dickinson said: 'The broken business rates system is a drag on investment, jobs and town centres.'

Sainsbury's finance boss Blathnaid Bergin said any changes that lower business rates bills would help lower prices and increase pay.

The Government said it has provided 'generous' business rates support while its reforms had helped level the playing field between bricks and mortar stores and online retail.
Clarkson has posted another record annual performance and declared its 20th successive year of dividend growth, after global trade disruption kept freight rates elevated.

The world's largest shipping services provider revealed its pre-tax profits jumped by 40million to 100.1million last year, thanks mainly to a strong result from its broking division.

Since Covid-related restrictions started being loosened across the globe, freight rates have soared amid major port congestion caused by a surging demand for goods and a shortage of vessels.

Blockages: Shipping rates have soared across the world amid major port congestion caused by a surging demand for goods and a shortage of vessels

Clarkson shares were up 3.5 per cent to 34.20 on Monday afternoon.

The company's share price has grown by around a quarter in the last two years.

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the resulting boost in oil and gas prices, which were already rising on the back of post-Covid demand, have kept the cost of transporting products high.

Due to the conflict, many vessels have had to pick up certain dry bulk commodities like grain and coal, as well as petroleum or liquefied natural gas, from much farther places or take longer voyages for safety reasons.

This led to the ClarkSea Index - a daily weighted rate average of ship earnings and an important shipping metric - climbing by 30 per cent to a record $37,253 per day.

Though freight rates fell back towards the end of 2022 as port disruption eased and container trade came under greater pressure, Clarkson still managed to boost total revenue by more than a third to 603.8million.

Having paid an interim payout of 29p per share to investors in September, the group has recommended a final dividend of 64p per share, meaning it has now achieved two decades of successive dividend increases.

Against a backdrop of heightened economic uncertainty, Clarkson told investors on Monday that 'chronic underinvestment' and the need to decarbonise the shipping industry should further boost growth.

Chief executive Andi Case said: 'Whilst the global geopolitical outlook for 2023 and beyond remains uncertain, the green transition is driving significant activity in our industry.

'This, coupled with a supply and demand balance that will create meaningful supply-side constraints supporting the market, and our strong forward order book, gives us confidence in the outlook for Clarksons.'

Gerald Khoo, an analyst at broker Liberum, said the long-term decline in shipyard volumes has been exacerbated by a shortage of bank finance, contributing to the under-ordering of dry bulk and tanker vessels.

Capacity is being further reduced by environmental legislation causing some ships to be retired earlier as many financiers are unwilling to fund the retrofitting of older craft.
In its rise to the top ranks as one of Australia's most respected investment banks and a breeding ground for young and wealthy traders, Macquarie Bank has earned a reputation as a 'work hard, play hard' outfit with its fair share of scandals.

In the new book 'The Millionaires' Factory', the turbocharged atmosphere of Macquarie included people having sex in its showers or under the desk, and drinking from the well-stocked booze fridge as they worked 12 to 16 hour days.

In the in the lead-up to the global financial crisis of 2008, the partying culture at Macquarie was such that going to a 'gentleman's club' up the road was a tradition every Wednesday lunchtime - but only for the male bankers - and one day pornographic magazines were found in one of the toilets.

And as the book, 'the inside story of how Macquarie Bank became a global giant' written by The Australian newspaper's Joyce Moullakis and Chris Wright' reveals, there was an annual 'White Envelope Day'.

As one of Australia's most respected investment banks and a breeding ground for young and wealthy traders, Macquarie Bank has earned a reputation as a 'work hard, play hard' outfit with its fair share of scandals

This was the 'eagerly awaited' day when bonuses were awarded, and Macquarie's senior bankers would be called in to the head of department's office to receive a sum which could mean they could buy a new car or new house.

'You always knew who got a million dollar plus,' the authors quote one insider, and then the staff would retreat to the nearby bars to celebrate in 'the high octane debauch that would follow'.

The booze fridge opened at midday, and by the early 2000s - when Macquarie's after-tax profits went from $250 million in 2002 to $1.803 billion in 2008 - the partying culture was endemic.

Young tyros were doing deals, and among the culture was one of celebrating the banks success - which as the book's authors went to print was 19,000 staff and a current market cap of $70 billion.

The parties were held in five-star hotels, on yachts and included lavish gifts for Macquarie's loyal workers, including at one Christmas time a keyring from the luxury jewellery house Tiffany.

The Millionaires' Factory co-written by Joyce Moullakis (above) charts Macquarie's beginnings in 1969 as an Australian subsidiary of the English merchant bank Hill Samuel, its growth in the 1980s during financial deregulation and the floating of the Australian dollar

In the new book 'The Millionaires' Factory', co-authored by Chris Wright (left) the turbocharged atmosphere of Macquarie Bank is laid bare amid its after-tax massive profits, going from from $250 million in 2002 to $1.803 billion in 2008

The Millionaires' Factory charts Macquarie's beginnings in 1969 as an Australian subsidiary of the English merchant bank Hill Samuel, its growth in the 1980s during financial deregulation and the floating of the Australian dollar.

Macquarie weathered the 1987 global share market crash remarkably well, thanks to a policy of risk management that many credit for ensuring its unbroken history of profitability.

But Macquarie's reputation as one of the top rank financial trading houses in the world did not come without its scandals, and the book concedes that Macquarie 'has had its fair share'.

Simon Gautier Hannes

In the second half of the 1990s, Simon Hannes was considered a great banker with a sharp mind who had earned the right to become Macquarie's then youngest ever executive director at the age of 29.

A private schoolboy who was closely related to photographic industry pioneer and founder of Hanimex, Jack Hannes, he was regarded as something of a genius, although a loner.

One of the bank's youngest executive directors at 29, Hannes was later convicted of insider trading and served almost 20 months in a NSW prison

In 1996, he was overseeing the a $2 billion takeover of the transport company TNT by the Dutch telecommunications firm KPN, with Hannes advising its long-term client TNT.

The fee for Macquarie was somewhere between $5 million and $10 million.

As court hearings would later reveal, Hannes began withdrawing sums which would eventually amount to $90,000 in the name of Mark Booth.

He had opened a cash management trust account with a broker in that name and, the court would find, was essentially requesting a broker to invest the $90,00 in TNT.

Hannes was convicted of insider trading and served 15.5 months in prison before a retrial which added a further four-and-a-half months to his minimum jail sentence.

Ian Chalmers

In 2006, Ian Robert Chalmers - known at Macquarie Bank as 'Rocky' - was jailed for five-and-a-half years with a minimum of three-and-a-half years.

But in 2007, then aged 43, the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal increased his sentence to 12 years, with a non-parole period of eight years.

He had been found guilty of conspiring to import cocaine, not less than the commercial quantity, in a smuggling ring, which used Sydney Airport baggage handlers to help bring the drug into Australia.

In 2006, Ian Robert Chalmers - known at Macquarie Bank as 'Rocky' - was jailed for smuggling 30kg of cocaine from South America into Australia with the help of crooked baggage handlers

By that time, he had left Macquarie, where he had been hired to work in markets and stockbroking.

An expansive character known for his excessive behaviour even for the high-flying scene at Macquarie, his vocal performance in the trading pit caused his colleagues to say he sounded a lot like Sylvester Stallone in the Hollywood star's movie series about boxer Rocky Balboa.

Chalmers was accused of smuggling 30kg of cocaine into the country in a scheme that would pay couriers to travel to South America and then return to Sydney on a flight with drug-filled luggage. Baggage handlers were in on the scam.

He was a drug taker who helped organise the cocaine flights, and on appealing his sentence, three judges of the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal decided the criminality of Chalmers' offending had been greater than originally thought.

Chalmers, who has since been released from prison, told the book's authors that his sentence was about drug addiction, not about a play hard culture in the banking industry and it was 'a problem across the board'.

Chilean trip scandal

Described by The Millionaires' Factory as 'one of the weirdest scandals to rock Macquarie', were the allegations made on a trip to Chile.

The report alleged two Macquarie Bank colleagues drugged another with valium and laxatives during a business trip to the South American country more than a decade ago.

Not reported until 2017, the story included photos of the alleged victim with a smiley face and joke moustache drawn in black on the unconscious man's face.

Within hours of the prank, emails circulated among Macquarie stockbrokers in Melbourne and Sydney said in a mock threat 'don't fark with me, u end up down the rabbit hole'

ASIC and Ross Hopkins

Last year, the corporate regulator the Australian Securities and Investment Commission took action against Macquarie Bank for for failing to monitor the conduct of third parties, including a convicted financial adviser who embezzled $2.9 million dollars.

Ross Hopkins was not a Macquarie Bank executive, but rather a third-party financial adviser and sole director of QWL, which provided clients with advice on self-managed superannuation funds.

Hopkins stole superannuation funds from 13 clients, and ASIC use his example to attack Macquarie for 'insufficient monitoring' of transactions.

Ross Hopkins was sentenced to six years in prison for ripping off clients' superannuation fees and spending the money on holidays, rent, paying his own credit card debts and repaying personal loans

ASIC claimed a fraud monitoring system with manual checks to confirm transactions were legitimate would have prevented and detected unauthorised transactions.

'Macquarie failed to properly detect and prevent these unauthorised fee transactions, many of which were over $10,000 each,' ASIC said, 'Mr Hopkins' conduct is an example of what can go wrong when banks do not properly monitor their systems and implement appropriate processes.'

Macquarie remediated Hopkins' clients approximately $3.5m.

Between October, 2016 and October, 2019, Hopkins had exercised almost complete control of his clients' super which allowed him to transact on their accounts.

He used his clients' funds for holidays, rent, paying his own credit card debts and repaying personal loans.

Hopkins was banned from financial services last year and sentenced to six years in prison.

The Millionaires Factory by Joyce Moullakis and Chris Wright, published by Allen & Unwin, $36.99
Lindsey Edwards, 28, worked as a stripper and claimed she was forced into prostitution, hired by Alex Murdaugh for sex and abused by him

Jurors deciding the fate of Alex Murdaugh rendered a swift and sure verdict on Thursday - but they didn't hear more damning evidence against the shamed legal scion and his propensity for violence.

Murdaugh allegedly beat and raped a prostitute who claims he hired her from a sex trafficking ring that catered to 'mayors, judges, solicitors, district attorneys and police officers' - evidence that was never heard by jurors.

Lindsey Edwards, 28, made the explosive allegations in a video interview with a South Carolina news site in August.

The mother-of-four, who says she was sex trafficked while working as a pole dancer, recalled multiple incidents around late 2014 or early 2015 when she was allegedly forced to have sex with Murdaugh and was subjected to multiple savage attacks by the attorney who was sentenced to life in prison on Friday.

Prosecutors told DailyMail.com they will now forge ahead with over 100 other charges against Murdaugh, including over financial crimes, an assisted suicide life insurance plot, and obstruction of justice. He also faces an investigation into drug trafficking.

But the South Carolina Attorney General's Office declined to comment on the status of a reported probe into Edwards' claims of a four-time savage beating and rape by the disgraced legal scion, and his links to the sex trafficking ring with deep law enforcement connections that Edwards alleged.

Lindsey Edwards, 28, worked as a stripper and claimed she was forced into prostitution, hired by Alex Murdaugh for sex and abused by him

Edwards said her 'madam' brought her and several other girls to a private party at a beach house in late 2014 or early 2015, where she met Murdaugh. 'He ripped chunks of hair out of my head,' she said of Murdaugh

On August 2 Fits News published an interview with Edwards and uploaded it to YouTube, in which she tearfully recounted the horrific tale.

Her account was never shown to the jury in Murdaugh's case, after the judge ruled last month that it would be too confusing to bring in evidence of his infidelity.

Murdaugh's sister-in-law Marion Proctor told the judge she believed he cheated on her sister 15 years ago  and that her sister had brought up the issue around the time of the murders. 'She did not think anyone was still going on, it just bothered her,' Proctor said.

The judge allowed her to testify, but did not allow the jury to hear about the alleged infidelity.

After his conviction on Thursday, Murdaugh now faces at least five separate state investigations, including a financial crimes probe for defrauding clients and associates, charges over trafficking oxycodone and meth, obstruction of justice in the investigation of his son's Paul's boat crash that killed 19-year-old Mallory Beach.

'We do intend to pursue the other charges pending against Alex Murdaugh. However, there are no charges against him at this time related to sex trafficking or sexual assault. We cannot confirm, and certainly cannot comment on, anything that may or may not be under investigation,' South Carolina Attorney General's Office spokesman Robert Kittle told DailyMail.com.

'Other than the four charges he was just convicted of, there are 99 State Grand Jury financial charges pending against him, and three local charges related to the roadside shooting incident: conspiracy, false claim for payment, and filing a false police report.'

In an interview last August with Fits News founder Will Folk, Edwards said her 'madam' brought her and several other girls to a private party at a beach house on the Isle of Palms in late 2014 or early 2015, where she met Murdaugh.

'It was apparently a guys weekend or something like that. There was a bunch of guys there drinking, doing drugs. They had a fire going on the deck and eating food and just hanging out,' she said.

'I think for the first hour we were there we were taking shots, doing cocaine, smoking weed, hanging out by the fire and just talking and getting to know them.

'That's where I met Alex Murdaugh.

'There were at least enough girls for everybody that was there,' she told Folk. 'They had their pick of the crowd between the girls. He attached himself to me. He was very nice, very gentlemanlike at first,' she said.

He told her he was a personal injury lawyer out of Hampton, South Carolina.

'When it came time to actually have to service him, my expectations were still pretty high. I was like okay, shouldn't be that bad, I've already done this a good hundreds of dozens of times at this point. He seemed like a really nice person.

But Edwards said that was when the nightmare began.

'You could just see his whole personality change,' she said. 'You could see it in his eyes. Maybe it was the cocaine and everything. His pupils got so much bigger to the point his eyes were almost solid black.

'I was violently choked with both hands, being pinned down to the bed by my throat,' she said. 'It was at the point where I couldn't breathe.

'I was blacking out, I was seeing spots, seeing stars. I was beating and scratching on his wrist as much as possible to get him to stop, because I thought at that moment I was going to die.

'It was also while being violently penetrated. As soon as he was done, I got up and ran out as fast as possible, even completely naked.'

She was set up with another job with Murdaugh at a hotel in North Charleston a few weeks later, without Edwards' knowledge.

Edwards is a mother-of-four and said she was sex trafficked while working as a pole dancer. She said she finally decided to come forward after recognizing Murdaugh during his murder investigation

Edwards posted a video to her TikTok page showing her pole dancing. 'I was violently choked with both hands, being pinned down to the bed by my throat,' she said. 'It was at the point where I couldn't breathe'

Edwards claimed police officers would get free sessions with prostitutes in exchange for warning the ring about sex trafficking stings, and that her pimp threatened her with her powerful connections. Edwards is pictured in a snap from her TikTok

She said this time he ripped chunks of hair out of my head.

'I had bald spots in the back of my head. The hair there is still taking a while to grow out.'

Just a few days later, she claimed the madam set her up with Murdaugh again.

'I still had hand prints around my neck that I was covering up with makeup,' she said.

Edwards said that she feared for her life, and managed to escape by smuggling her phone with her and calling a cab.

But five hours later her captors found her at home, dragged her out and she was 'forced to go back and service Murdaugh' she said.

'He was even more pissed then,' she told Fits News. 'I got hair pulling and choking. If he wasn't choking me I had a wash rag shoved in my mouth and I was being slapped across my face violently for a good 20-30 minutes.'

Edwards said when she asked her pimp why she let Murdaugh beat her, the woman told her he was a 'personal friend'.

Maggie, Paul, Alex and Buster Murdaugh with their dog Bubba. Alex was found guilty of the murders of Maggie and Paul on Thursday

Murdaugh is pictured at the sentencing Friday. He was sentenced to life without parole for the murders of his wife and son

On August 2 Fits News published an interview with Edwards and uploaded it to YouTube, in which she tearfully recounted the horrific tale

Edwards said she finally decided to come forward after recognizing Murdaugh amid his murder investigation, and hoped that she could use the notoriety to help campaign for women's reproductive rights, an issue close to her heart.

She told Fits News she didn't want money for her story and that any payout from a possible civil lawsuit would go to a charity for human trafficking victims.

'I would like to open up a foundation for human trafficking victims so they can start their lives over and not have to fight tooth and nail like I had to, to get to where I'm at today,' she said.

Edwards' lawyer, former state lawmaker Mandy Powers Norrell, previously confirmed that the mother of four had spent hours with officers from South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) recounting her story.

SLED did not respond to requests for comment this week on the status of their investigation.
A massive winter storm dropped heavy snow across most of the northern tier and slammed the South with violent thunderstorms and tornadoes that left around 500,000 Americans from Kentucky to Michigan without power Sunday.

AccuWeather said at least 13 people had died due to the winter storm, which had initially dumped several feet of snow on the mountains of California before moving east, according to USA Today.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear announced five fatalities in Kentucky when winds of over 70 mph brought down trees, and power lines, and damaged homes and other buildings. After hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians lost power during Friday's high-speed wind storm, power crews in Louisville and around the state worked tirelessly on Sunday to restore service.

Tornadoes and strong thunderstorms were created by the weather system in the South. According to poweroutage.us, more than 173,500 buildings in Kentucky did not have electricity on Sunday evening.

In Michigan, about 71,400 people lacked access to electricity, while in Tennessee, around 30,000 people did not.

Teenage Hikers Rescued

A relative claims that two teenagers who got lost in the mountains of southern California were found safe and sound after being there for many days amid the winter storm.

A helicopter was sent out from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office to look for the two missing teenage hikers. The storm dumped a foot of snow on the mountains east of Los Angeles, Cesar Ramirez said, stranding his son, 17, and his buddy, also 17, who had planned a 10-day expedition.

Sgt. John Scalise said the youngsters were lucky to be alive after spending three nights huddled together for warmth amid the extreme weather. He claimed that while they were prepared for the hike itself, they weren't for the tremendous amounts of snow they encountered.

This past week, high winds in Kentucky reached speeds of up to 75 miles per hour, inflicting extensive damage across the state. Most of the destruction, according to Beshear, was to trees and electrical lines.

Read Also: Colorectal Cancer Rate Rising in Adults

Beshear warned Saturday that it may take days to restore electricity, and as of Sunday, over 216,000 residents were still without it. Similarly, as of Sunday, approximately 110,00 people in Michigan were still without electricity.

Winter Storm Warning In Effect; States of Emergency Raised

A winter storm warning is in effect until Monday morning, according to the Sacramento National Weather Service. This system follows a slew of previous winter storms, the most recent of which dumped up to 10 feet (3 meters) of snow on the state just last week, according to CBS News.

On Sunday morning, Heavenly Mountain Resort announced it would be closing because of the hazardous weather. It was possible to visit Palisades Tahoe and other local resorts that were functioning normally.

Some residents of Southern California may be stuck in their homes for several more days as the snowfall proved to be too much for most plows to handle, while search crews have rescued several persons stuck in mountain villages.

One resident posted a video on Twitter, seeking for assistance from authorities.

Lake Arrowhead resident Michelle Calkins



Michelle sent me this video to share with all of you. Residents are begging for help and they need our help to share their messages. After I got off the phone with her I felt the stress in her voice. @SBCOUNTYFIRE @sbcountysheriff https://t.co/mhitK8XebQ pic.twitter.com/xI93qdTNf6  FirePhotoGirl (@FirePhotoGirl) March 1, 2023

To the east of Los Angeles, in the San Bernardino Mountains, authorities kept busy clearing roads and distributing food, water, and blankets, while the Red Cross set up a shelter in a high school.

The San Diego branch of the meteorological service predicted a remote probability of rain or snow showers in Southern California on Sunday.

Thirteen counties have been declared under states of emergency by California Governor Gavin Newsom, NBC Bay Area reported.

Related Article: Jill Biden Reacts on Joe Biden's Mental Capacity Issue

@ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Tom Sizemore can be seen acting out a powerful scene in what would be his last performance on stage before suffering his fatal brain aneurysm.

For a little over a year, the 61-year-old star had been teaching acting classes at Harvelle's Nightclub in Santa Monica every Saturday afternoon as part of a joint project with his friend, screenwriter and actor Trevor Simms.

The actor had been due to return to the venue on February 18, when he suddenly suffered a ruptured aneurysm at about 2am at his apartment. He was in a coma until his family had him removed from life support on Friday.

Tom Sizemore is seen on stage performing a scene from 1961's The Hustler while teaching his final acting class at Harvelle's Nightclub in Santa Monica on February 11

Sizemore played character Bert Gordon, portrayed by George C. Scott in the film, opposite fellow actor and owner of Harvelle's, Cevin Clark (left) as Eddie Felson, made famous by Paul Newman

Sizemore is seen posing with new students, producer Scot Tomaszewski (left) and model and actor Lee Catcher after the workshop

Sizemore's death has come as a shock to friends and family. He had been seen just a week earlier putting on a riveting performance in front of his dedicated acting students, in video exclusively obtained by DailyMail.com.

The clip, captured by screenwriter Ryan Munevar, shows Sizemore performing a scene from 1961's The Hustler as character Bert Gordon  portrayed by George C. Scott in the film.

Sizemore and Simms opened an acting school in 2021 and had been teaching at Harvelle's Nightclub in Santa Monica every Saturday since

Fellow actor and owner of Harvelle's Cevin Clark is seen opposite him, playing the role made famous by Paul Newman.

'Tom was always a soft-spoken guy in class, but when he did his part, he burst out like a lion,' producer and entrepreneur Scot Tomaszewski, who befriended Sizemore after attending one of his classes earlier this year, told DailyMail.com.

'His voice, his whole demeanor filled that stage in the room. He still had it. He poured everything he had into it. I got the chills.'

'When I heard he had been taken to the hospital, I was really shocked because he seemed just fine to me,' Tomaszewski added.

Tomaszewski first met Sizemore by surprise in early February when mutual friend Trevor Simms invited him to one of his acting workshops, where the Natural Born Killers star even took interest in his own concept show.

Video obtained by DailyMail.com show the Natural Born Killers star with friend Trevor Simms, who is wearing sunglasses and a cowboy hat while asking Sizemore questions about acting as they make their way to acting class in a limo on February 4

Tomaszewski, who owns a 2006 Presidential Cadillac in which he films his 'My Limo Show', revealed he met Sizemore by chance after Simms invited him to the class and asked if they could pick up the acting instructor in the limo

Simms recalled noticing that Sizemore had been out of breath and could be seen exhibiting labored breathing as he got into the limo that day

'It was just by chance that we met. My friend invited me to one of his acting classes, so I offered to drive him in style with my limo, a 2006 Presidential Cadillac,' he said.

'He asked if we could also pick up the acting teacher and his bodyguard and I said sure.

'I had no idea it was going to be Tom Sizemore.'

A second video shared with DailyMail.com shows Sizemore getting into the limousine with some labored breathing after being picked up at his home by Tomaszewski and Simms at his home on February 4.

Simms can be seen wearing a cowboy hat and sunglasses while asking Sizemore questions about acting on the ride to class.

Recalling his experience at the workshop, Tomaszewski said he was taken by Sizemore's evident enthusiasm for the craft and his interest in his 'My Limo Show', which features varied conversations between the limo driver and his passengers.

He also posed for photos with the new students, including Tomaszewski's friend, up-and-coming actor and bodybuilder Ike Catcher of Gold's Gym.

'You could tell that Tom really cared about his students. He wanted them all to succeed and become working actors,' Tomaszewski said.

'He even let me and my friend Ike Catcher go up on stage and perform a scene based on a show I created called, 'My Limo Show.'

'Tom took the time to listen to what we had to say. He was passionate as ever and that passion inspired all of us.'

Recalling his experience at the class, Tomaszewski said he was taken by Sizemore's evident passion for his craft and desire for his students to succeed

Sizemore and screenwriter/actor Trevor Simms was the driving force behind the pair's acting workshop which launched in 2021 with only a handful of students and has now grown six-fold. The two are pictured outside Harvelle's Nightclub in Santa Monica in October 2021

Simms directed the actor in two independent films 2017's Adrenochrone and T-Bird which is still in production

Screenwriter and actor Trevor Simms was the driving force behind Sizemore's acting classes which launched over a year ago.

The two met in 2014 and became fast friends with Simms directing the star in two of his independent films including 2017's award winning Adrenochrome and T-Bird which is still in production.

'We became close friends and together we decided to open an acting school,' Simms said.

'It started off with about five to six students and then a couple of weeks later it ended up being like thirty people.'

'Tom was actually a big softie. He played a hard guy in all of the movies and had a hardness in him, but he was soft.

'Tom had the two things that make a great actor. Imagination. He always had a book with him. He was reading all the time and he had so much imagination. And he had a sensitivity to the human spirit. '

'He was consoling. I could always go to him, especially if it had something to do with the industry. He's my guy.'

Sizemore, best known for his work in films like Saving Private Ryan (pictured), Black Hawk Down, Born on the Fourth of July, Natural Born Killers and Heat, was in a coma in critical condition after his February 18 aneurysm. He died on Friday

Sizemore (left) ialso appeared n Pearl Harbor, which hit theaters in 2001

The last time Simms saw his friend when he and Tomaszewski picked him up from his house to take him to his Saturday acting class in Santa Monica.

'When we walked up the steps at his house to get into the limo, he sat down and I remember thinking I have to keep this guy alive. I remember thinking he's out of breath big time,' said the screenwriter.

'All I can say is Tom is a genius. He's one of my best friends. You could see his level of intelligence and genius in his acting and especially in his last performance in my film. His work is absolutely genius.'

Simms said the acting classes will continue in honor of his best friend and different guest actors will be invited to teach.
The head teacher of a leading grammar school has left after sending parents a list of striking teachers.

Charlotte Jordan, 45, who ran King Edward VI Five Ways School in Birmingham, left the school on Tuesday.

The school described the incident that prompted her firing as a 'data breach related to industrial action' in a statement.

It has referred the matter to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and has begun its own investigation.

Mrs Jordan's email to parents is thought to relate to strike action taken by members of the National Education Union last month.

Charlotte Jordan, head of King Edward VI Five Ways School in Birmingham, left on Tuesday following a 'data breach related to industrial action'

One parent, who contacted Mail Online, said: 'It is a huge surprise. She was just settling in as the head teacher and now there will be a further period of instability.

'She clearly made a mistake, but probably thought the parents had a right to know.'

Asked about her dismissal, Mrs Jordan said at her home in south Birmingham: 'I am sorry but there is nothing I can say about this at the moment.'

She is only the second woman to hold the job of head teacher at the school in its 140-year history.

Mrs Jordan was the second woman to hold the head teacher's job in the school's 140-year history

The school, which is set in 30 acres of grounds, describes itself as a 'highly selective, co-educational state grammar school'.

It is consistently ranked as one of the best schools in Birmingham.

In a statement, it school said: 'Mrs Charlotte Jordan will be leaving her role as Headmistress of King Edward VI Five Ways School on Tuesday 28 February.

'The school's Governing Body has communicated this news to staff, parents, and pupils at Five Ways. We thank Charlotte for her leadership and contribution to the school and the wider Foundation.

'We have appointed an experienced Interim Headteacher, who until recently was leading a Foundation school, to see the school through the next few months until permanent arrangements are made.

'The Academy Trust's investigation into the data breach at King Edward VI Five Ways School related to industrial action earlier this month is ongoing.

'The Information Commissioner's Office has been informed of the breach, and we are investigating the breach in line with the ICO's timescales.'

The grammar school has consistently been ranked as among the best in Birmingham

A spokeswoman for the ICO said: 'People have the right to expect that organisations will handle their personal information securely and responsibly. If an individual has concerns about how their data has been handled, they should raise it with the organisation first, then report them to us if they are not satisfied with the response.

'King Edward VI Foundation and Academy Trust has made us aware of an incident and we are assessing the information provided.'

In a letter to parents, chairman of governors Bob Grundy said: 'On behalf of the Governing Body, I thank Charlotte for her leadership and contribution to Five Ways, as Headmistress since 2021 and before that as Deputy Head from 2019.'
A family has been left devastated by the sudden death of their two-year-old daughter from streptococcus A - a virus which is rapidly spreading across Australia.

Paul and Olga Williams, from Queensland, took their daughter Nicole to the GP when she presented with a slight temperature on February 21.

Her symptoms gradually worsened, with her skin becoming red and blotchy and the toddler suffering from vomiting and diarrhoea.

Nicole was rushed to hospital where she was diagnosed with pneumonia before going into cardiac arrest, with CPR performed on the two-year-old for more than 40 minutes.

She died from septic shock and strep A just days after she first displayed any symptoms.

Distraught dad Mr Williams said his final words to his daughter were: 'You should be fine'.

A Brisbane family has been stunned by the sudden death of their two-year-old daughter Nicole (pictured) from Strep A, a virus that is sweeping the country

Tragically, the toddler's infection was originally missed as the she had tested positive for influenza.

The doctor had told them that she had a viral infection and 'antibiotics were unnecessary' yet her condition rapidly worsened and she was rushed to Queensland Children's Hospital.

'Her red skin changed to more blotchy  (she was) very pale, she started vomiting and experienced diarrhoea,' Mr Williams told the Courier Mail.

When Nicole was taken to hospital she was fitted with three different oxygen masks. None of them increased her low oxygen saturation levels.

She was then diagnosed with pneumonia before going into cardiac arrest, the Courier-Mail reported.

The young girl received CPR for 41 minutes before she was hooked up to an ECMO machine.

On February 25 the two-year-old girl died from septic shock and strep A, a day which her father says will haunt him for the rest of his life.

Paul and Olga Williams took their daughter Nicole to the GP when she had a slight temperature on February 21 but three days later she died from Strep A and sepsis days later (pictured L-R Paul, Nicole, Olga Williams)

'They asked me to stay in a family room as they intubated her... That moment is going to haunt me for the rest of my life, but she was conscious and I said to her just before I left her, she should be fine,' Mr Williams said.

'I said, I'll be right back in a minute and that was a lie  that was the last time I saw her conscious.'

Strep A can cause serious illness with symptoms ranging from a sore throat and fever to severe sepsis.

The infection is responsible for more than 163,000 deaths each year globally, with the pandemic suspected of being indirectly responsible for a recent spike in cases.

This is because of people becoming in more frequent contact with one another again. Children are particularly vulnerable to the disease.

According to the national notifiable diseases surveillance system, there was more than 1000 serious invasive streptococcal infections in Australia in 2022.

The distraught dad said his final words to his daughter were, 'you should be fine' but that was the last time he saw her. The toddler's case of strep A was originally missed as the toddler had tested positive for influenza

In 2022 two Victorian children died from complications following infection with strep A while in December a NSW boy had to have his legs amputated following a case.

Melbourne University senior lecturer in bacteriology Mark Davies said a new variant of strep A called M1UK has reached Australia and it is cause for concern.

'We do need to be vigilant .... in relation to the identification of any variants that we see entering into Australia,' Mr Davies told 7News.

Health authorities in the UK said the strain had led to the deaths of 30 children.
A popular food critic in hot water over crude comments he made about a waitress has wiped the Instagram page he used to taunt influencers - as an Italian restaurant joins the pile-on by promising to never let him inside.

Critic John Lethlean, who made his name as the national food critic for The Australian and for calling out social media influencers looking for a free feed, was slammed after suggesting he could see up the dress of the maitre d' at Perth restaurant Shui in a review he wrote for food magazine Delicious in February.

'And the maitre d'/meet and greeter wears an outfit that threatens to expose more than just her inexperience when she bends over to set a table.' A new review up @deliciousaus of Perth newcomer @shuisubiaco,' Lethlean wrote on Instagram.

The internet erupted over his comment with restaurants and influencers dragging the critic.

However Melbourne restaurant 1800 Lasagne took the pile-on further, going as far as printing out joke coasters promising to ban the food critic if he ever tries to eat there.

John Lethlean (pictured left) was blasted after talking about a waitress' outfit in a recent review for Perth restaurant Shui

Melbourne restaurant 1800 Lasagne responded by printing off a few hundred coasters with a blunt message

The restaurant posted photos of its newly-printed coasters which read: 'Management reserves the right to refuse entry to John Lethlean.'

1800 Lasagne owner Joey Kellock said he and his staff had decided to take a stand against the critic, however they did not want to be part of a pile-on against him.

'I would protect my staff to the death from someone who was commenting on what they were wearing,' he told the Sydney Morning Herald.

'He [Lethlean] wasn't reading the room, he wasn't in the room, he wasn't even in the house that the room is in, he's so far out of touch.'

Australia's hospitality industry were quick to criticise Lethlean's comments, with revered journalsit and food writer Dani Valent labelling his Perth review 'disrespectful'.

'Bad enough to think it, problematic to write it, shame on your editors for letting it through,' she wrote on Instagram.

1800 Lasagne owner Joey Kellock said he and his staff had decided to take a stand against the critic, however did not want to be part of a pile-on against him

Despite the pile-on, Lethlean doubled down on his comments.

'I'm sorry I caused offence but I'm just not interested in the prevailing chatbot-like restaurant industry sycophancy and regurgitated PR puff that passes as commentary these days,' he said.

'The review was seen, and subsequently published, by a Delicious editor  a woman  with no flags raised whatsoever, and yet  context is everything'.

Kerrie McCallum is the editor-in-chief at Delicious.

Lethlean said he merely 'conveyed what [he] observed' during his visit to the restaurant.

'I don't write for the industry, I write for consumers, and if a few of the so-called journalists in this space did the same, they might have long careers too,' he said.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Lethlean and Delicious magazine for comment.
One died and two were critically injured when a small place crashed in North Lindenhurst on Sunday, hitting trees and bursting into flames.

The Piper PA 28 light aircraft was trying to return to a suburban Long Island airport about 20 miles east of New York City after the pilot reported smoke was filling the cockpit.

Suffolk County Police said the single-engine plane had taken off from Republic Airport in Farmingdale at 2:18 pm and the pilot issued a mayday signal a short time later.

The plane crashed near an intersection in North Lindenhurst not far from the Long Island Rail Road track.

One person was pronounced dead at the scene and the two others were taken by medevac helicopter to an area hospital in critical condition, said the statement released by the police department's commissioner, Rodney K. Harrison.

It was not clear whether the deceased is a pilot or passenger.

Huge flames were seen after the plane disappeared into the trees and caught fire

PA 28 'N8149R' crashed on a sightseeing tour in North Lindenhurst on Sunday

Police said names were being withheld while relatives are being notified.

The privately owned plane was already nearing the end of a sightseeing tour when it crashed.

The plane was written off with damage beyond repair.

It crashed into an area of trees and brush near the tracks, said Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer.

He said the crash area is 'like a buffer that runs along the tracks.'

Tom Altieri told Newsday he was getting out of his vehicle around 3 p.m. to enter his home in North Lindenhurst when he noticed a small plane unusually 'low and slow.'

Seconds after seeing the plane pass over him, he heard 'a somewhat large explosion' followed by a plume of smoke.

A person posted pictures on social media showing black smoke rising over homes on a suburban street.

Police said they closed a local road because of the crash.

Nobody was harmed on the ground and no damage was reported to local homes.

The Federal Aviation Administration was notified and responded to the scene.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating to determine the cause of the crash.

The PA 28 is a light aircraft designed for flight training, air taxi and personal use.

In January, a witness to the crash of a PA 28 in Madagascar said they had seen the plane's wings come off in flight, which led to the plane crashing.

The pilot and sole occupant was killed in the crash.

Still shows the two other passengers injured but alive on the side of the road

Smoke billows from the woods behind a house after the aircraft crashed

Image shows the flightpath of the plane, which was reportedly on a sightseeing tour

Passengers on a Southwest Airlines flight to Florida were terrified on Sunday after a bird struck the plane, causing the cabin to fill with smoke.

On-board footage showed panicked passengers engulfed in smoke with oxygen masks lowered and parents attempting to help their children.

It was reported not all masks were properly released, and some had bloodied knuckles from banging on the roof in desperation.

The pilot made a heroic emergency landing with only one engine to save all on board, who were evacuated with inflatable slides.
Dick Smith has never been shy about sharing his ideas to improve Australia even when they would hit him in the hip pocket.

Mr Smith on Monday revealed in the Sydney Morning Herald that he has sent his 2021 book My Adventurous Life to the Prime Minister who he regards as 'a mate' from the time of Anthony Albanese's previous stint as infrastructure minister.

In the book Mr Smith argues the wealthy such as himself should pay 15 per cent more tax to help the 'less well-off', an idea he promoted publicly through the advocacy body the 'Dick Smith Fair Go Group' in 2018.

'I'd been brought up believing that Australia was the country of the fair go  not just for the wealthy, but for everyone,' he writes in My Adventurous Life.

'Though I'd started out with little, I was now one of the wealthiest 1 per cent: that didn't make me feel good.'

Mr Smith, who made his money with a chain of electronics stores before investing in real estate, admits 'not one politician dared show any support for my idea' of raising taxes.

Dick Smith (pictured) is one wealthy Australian who is happy to pay more tax arguing that the national wealth disparity is growing

Perhaps with Labor flagging a proposed tax increase on the highest superannuation accumulators the 78-year-old Mr Smith thinks the time is ripe for his prescriptions, which might be broadly labelled populist politics.

Mr Smith believes wealth disparity is a growing concern in Australia.

'I found myself getting more and more concerned about the wealth disparity in Australia. I wasn't alone,' he writes.

'Australia's wealthiest 1 per cent owned more than the 17 million Aussies (70 per cent) who were the least wealthy.

'Almost 5 million of the poorest were living from pay cheque to pay cheque, without any savings at all.'

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured at Sunday's WorldPride march over the Sydney Harbour Bridge) has been sent a copy of Mr Smith's book

Mr Smith, whose net worth has been estimated at around $60 to $70 million, has previously stated he is in favour of death duties, something the Coalition has accused Labor of wanting to bring in but which they have denied.

Although he once did register his own party, Mr Smith has never made a direct foray into politics but his views have earnt him controversy, particularly when he came out in support of One Nation's policy to cut immigration in 2016.

Mr Smith has stated the intake of 200,000 migrants a year, as it currently stands, will 'destroy Australia' and he wants that cut to about 70,000.

'We're going to end up with a 100 million people by the end of this century when our grandkids will be alive,' he told Channel Seven in 2016.

'That's possible I can tell you, but I think you'll have a lot of poor people like America where they can't even support a wage.'

In his book, Mr Smith argues Australia must admit the 'impossibility of endless economic growth'.

Mr Smith launched his own range of Australian-made goods to compete with the name brands owned by overseas companies in 1999

He warned if Australia grows to 100 million people that will halve living standards because there won't be enough 'cake' to go around.

Besides his original chain of electronics stores Mr Smith is perhaps best known for launching his own range of Australian-made foodstuffs and household items in 1999.

Mr Smith said he was startled to learn that the iconic Australian brand Vegemite was owned by the US giant Kraft, although since then the breakfast spread has gone back into Aussie ownership after being bought by Bega Cheese.

'I said that I wanted to set up a food company which used only Australian food that was processed in Australia, creating jobs for Australians and keeping profits in Australia, and paying full tax in Australia,' Mr Smith writes in My Adventurous Life.

Mr Smith's food company peddled such wares as Ozemite and he stated all the profits went to charity.

The killer blow for Dick Smith Foods came in the form of cut-price German-owned supermarket chain Aldi, which offered cheaper alternatives to big name brands.

'There is no doubt in my mind that they are the smartest and most ruthless retailers in the world,' Mr Smith wrote of Aldi.

'But with the advantage of the cheaper prices globalisation offers, you also get the disadvantage that our wonderful Aussie-owned and made products, and the jobs they create, will disappear.'

With Mr Albanese also stating his ambition that Australia should make more things and even planning a $15billion National Reconstruction Fund to invest in local manufacture, Mr Smith might again feel he now has a mate in The Lodge.
One of Australia's most outspoken anti-Islamic activists has become a Muslim, claiming the West has lost its way to alcohol, porn and drugs.

Shermon Burgess became a controversial national figure for his role in the far-right groups United Patriots Front (UPF), Reclaim Australia and the Australian Defence League over the last decade.

Burgess once likened Islam and Muslims to a cancer and organised dozens of protests alongside self-declared neo-Nazis Blair Cottrell and Neil Erikson.

He was involved in 2015 anti-Islamic protests against the construction of a mosque in Bendigo, Victoria.

Burgess regularly posted videos criticising Islam to his 30,000 followers on the Australian Patriot Facebook page

Burgess's meeting with Muslim Freedom Movement leader Youssra Rose (left) was instrumental in providing him a 'clearer outlook towards Islam'

He still describes himself as a 'national socialist' on LinkedIn.

But the former far-right figure has since converted to Islam, claiming it is the only religion capable of countering the so-called 'woke' agenda of the West.

'The west has lost its way, people are depressed and try fix all life's problems with alcohol, drugs, porn, sleeping around,' he wrote on Facebook yesterday.

'Islam rids you of all of this and allows you to have meaning again.'

Burgess confirmed to Crikey that he had taken his Shahada, an Arabic term for an Islamic oath, and had been welcomed by his local mosque.

'The Muslim community is so kind and amazing, if you need help they are there,' he told the website.

Burgess, a former council worker from the Blue Mountains in New South Wales, was a member of metal band, Eureka Brigade, which penned the violent antiMuslim song Border Patrol, according to ABC News.

The lyrics advocated burning mosques and called the Cronulla riots 'Australia's Muslim holocaust'. The band also had a song entitled 'S*** on a Mosque'.

Burgess ran a Facebook page called the 'Great Aussie Patriot' with almost 30,000 followers until he took it down in 2015 after followers mocked him.

He once published a video on the page in which he likened Muslims and Islam to cancer, according to the Online Hate Prevention Institute.

'This isn't an attack against our governments, this is an attack against us the people,' he said about Islam.

'They [Muslims] are already overly highly represented in crime statistics in this country, so we have to look at if this is what we are receiving now with 500,000 of them, imagine when we hit the one million mark we cannot afford to sit here until the problem becomes uncontrollable and we cannot get on top of it.'

'When you detect cancer you attack it straight away, you don't let it grow.'

Burgess has now converted to Islam, claiming it is the only religion that counter the 'degeneracy' of the West

In 2015, Burgess said the Muslim community had a duty to 'clean its mosques' and stop radicalisation.

He reportedly quit the UDF after members of his own movement mocked him.

Now he regularly extols the virtues of Islam, claiming 'Western values are degenerate and left wing'.

Burgess told Crikey that he switched his beliefs after the witnessing the strength of Australia's freedom movement  the anti-vaccine, anti-government, conspiracy-fuelled activism that emerged out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

His meeting with Muslim Freedom Movement leader Youssra Rose was instrumental in providing him a 'clearer outlook towards Islam'.

Ms Rose, also known as Yosra Alyateem, is a candidate for the anti-vaccination Informed Medical Opinions Party in Bankstown, NSW, in the forthcoming state election.

Burgess told the website that former UPF members attacked him online when they found out about his conversion.

'Many of them were heavy booze-drinking alcoholics and degenerates,' he said. 'I liked the health aspect of Islam, how they train hard and refrain from alcohol and drugs.'

Burgess captioned this recent photo: Allah has granted me wings . Hard training and discipline in Islam has paid off

Burgess is trenchant in his anti-LGBTQ views, describing homosexuality as 'evil'.

He regularly shares videos from controversial YouTuber and former kickboxer Andrew Tate, the self-styled 'king of toxic masculinity'.

Tate, a self-described misogynist and men's rights influencer, is currently being held in Romania on suspicion of rape and human trafficking.

Last night, Burgess posted a long rant on Facebook complaining that people from all across the entire political spectrum were criticising his conversion to Islam.

'The nazi men are losing their minds calling me a traitor and upset because I'm not drinking 24 beers on the weekend and screaming about making Australia for whites only,' he said.

Burgess was a member of the Eureka Brigade band which had a song entitled 'S*** on a Mosque'

He has been vocal about his belief that Islam is the only religion capable of coutnering what he believes are the sins of the West.

He posted on Facebook recently: 'It is not Muslims you fear, it is parting ways with western degeneracy that you feaR.

'Islam is here to return the west back to purity, bring back family values and healthy masculine brave male youth, feminine modest and beautiful female youth.'

Daily Mail Australia has approached Burgess for comment.
A furious neighbour has waded in to a war of words with a nearby resident after they were publicly labelled an 'inconsiderate beast' for their barking puppy.

Rachel Lee, from Sydney's eastern suburbs, spotted the aggressive note taped to the front of her home on Sunday.

The anonymous note called her 12-week-old puppy a 'severe pest' and said the dog should be 'silenced'.

'Your dog is a pest when you are home,' the note read.

'Your dog is a severe pest when you are out. Silence the dog you inconsiderate beast.'

A neighbour in Sydney's eastern suburbs left an aggressive note taped to the front of a dog owner's home labelling them an 'inconsiderate beast' because of their barking pet

The puppy owner responded to the note in a sarcastic letter thanking the neighbour for their 'kind words'

Ms Lee fired back by taping a sarcastic response underneath the sticker - complete with smiley faces and a love-heart.

'Dear neighbour, thank you for your kind note and informing me that my 12-week-old puppy is barking and disturbing your peace!', Ms Lee wrote.

'I have bought a zap collar in hopes that he STOPS the horrible behaviour. Sincerely, your BEASTLY neighbour.

'P.S I like your fancy sticker.'

Ms Lee later said she was joking about using a zap collar on her beloved pet after some locals expressed concerns she would use the cruel device.

'I'm absolutely not getting my puppy a zap collar,' Ms Lee wrote.

'I'm a stay at home mum, so I'm home most days and if not he [the puppy] comes with me - definitely no separation anxiety either.

'He just barks because he's a puppy and we're trying to teach him. The person that wrote that sticker is obviously a psychopath.'

Rachel Lee explained she was trying to teach her 12-week-old puppy not to bark (stock image of 12-week-old German Shepard puppy)

Another local resident shared a picture of the exchange to the Coogee and Randwick Local Loop Facebook group on Sunday, defending Ms Lee.

'To our nearby neighbour who put this up: we love you and your sweet dog,' the resident wrote.

'Can't believe someone put up that sticker, how awful!'

The post received a number of comments, with many locals slamming the anonymous neighbour for leaving the rude note.

'Oml [oh my lord], dogs bark, babies cry, seriously people need to calm down, we don't go around telling other people to stop showing signs of their existence, jeez,' one person wrote.

'They went out of their way to print a sticker and yet couldn't go next door to chat in person, I fear for all humanity, I really do,' another person commented.

'People have no hearts anymore, I am so done with society,' a third person chimed.

Others praised Ms Lee's humorous response, with one commenting: 'Answered that troll like a boss.'

Another person agreed: 'I was shocked when I saw that sticker, so glad you wrote such a funny response to it (had me cackling). Sending love to the puppy!'
CCTV caught the moment an infamous Aussie bikie queued up at a gift shop to buy $27,000 worth of gold - allegedly without any checks on where his cash came from.

Heavily-tattooed Dayne Brajkovich, 43, who has a swastika inked onto his chin and 'Bad News' scrawled across his forehead, bought the gold at Perth Mint in June.

The Mint is now at the centre of an official money laundering investigation amid concerns the state government-owned agency is being targeted by criminals.

Brajkovich, a former sergeant-at-arms in notorious bikie gang Hells Angels, was filmed lining up at the Mint's gift shop to buy around 300g of gold on June 13.

Despite his face and body being almost entirely covered in tattoos, the convicted criminal claims Mint staff only asked him for his driving licence during the sale.

CCTV caught the moment infamous Aussie bikie Dayne Brajkovich (pictured) queued up at a gift shop to buy $27,000 worth of gold - without a single check on where his money came from

Perth Mint (pictured) is now at the centre of an official money laundering investigation after concerns were the state government-owned agency is being targeted by criminals

'Dayne Brajkovich is absolutely a red flag,' finance crime expert and author Nathan Lynch tells ABC's Four Corners on a show investigating the Mint set to air on Monday evening.

'He's a well-known entity, and it would be pretty hard to argue that an organisation didn't know about that reputation.

'But that's beside the point. They have a legal obligation to look into customers that come in their door, to know who they are and to look into their background.'

Brajkovich, who wears a chunky gold chain he says is worth $200,000, has been convicted of assault after a fight in a Perth bar with Rebels bikie boss Nick Martin.

He was later kicked out of the Western Australian Hells Angels in January 2022 after a brawl with the gang's president.

The CCTV footage from the Mint, obtained by the ABC, appears to show Brajkovich had covered up many of his tattoos with black make-up on his face and hands to comply with WA bikie laws which outlaw gang tattoos in public.

There is no suggestion the cash he used for the transaction was from illegal activity but experts say alarm bells should have rung when he arrived at the Mint.

Dayne Brajkovich (pictured) wears a gold chain worth $200,000 and was jailed for possessing a commercial quantity of MDMA and has been convicted of assault and being armed in public

Perth Mint sells $20billion of gold (stock image pictured) each year but AUSTRAC is probing money laundering allegations and possible breaches of counterterrorism financing laws

High-risk customers are supposed to attract 'rigorous' checks by Mint staff to ensure criminal proceeds are not used to buy gold as part of a money-laundering scheme.

'You can melt it, you can move it. It's very difficult to trace to its point of origin,' financial crime expert Moyara Ruehsen told Four Corners.

'Gold is a money launderer's dream.'

Perth Mint sells $20billion of gold each year but Australian financial crime agency AUSTRAC is now probing money laundering allegations and possible breaches of counterterrorism financing laws.

It faces fines of hundreds of millions of dollars if it's found to have breached the laws, with WA taxpayers set to foot the bill if convicted as it is underwritten by the state government.

The Mint is also accused of failing to register 5000 international money transfers in just nine months, with a possible fine of $21million for each offence, as well as possible criminal charges.

Investigators are also studying its links with Puerto Rican-based Euro Pacific Bank which stashed $25million of allegedly untraceable client funds at the Mint.

The bank is said to have deposited the sum in one account using funds from several clients with no details available of their identities or source of their wealth, although the Mint and Euro Pacific founder Peter Schiff deny this.

A United Nations advisor on money laundering and former Australian Federal Police investigator John Chevis warns it leaves the Mint wide open to serious accusations.

In a worst case example, he says the Mint may have been holding gold for terrorist organisations, drug cartels and dictators hiding criminal riches.

Euro Pacific was shut down by authorities in July for not having enough capital to continue its operations but it denies all links to criminals or organised crime and insists it complied with all laws.

'Australia's Four Corners just published lies about my bank,' tweeted Mr Schiff on Monday.

'They allege that thousands of customers used the bank to illegally evade taxes and that the bank deliberately kept customer's identities secret from the Perth Mint.

'Both allegations are demonstrably false.'

The Perth Mint told the ABC its 'customer relationship with Euro Pacific Bank was ceased in November 2020'.

It said 'the matter was complex, it was obtaining specialist legal advice and would take appropriate action once that was finalised'.

WA Premier Mark McGowan (pictured) last year defended the Mint and insisted it was just a clerical error rather than criminally motivated

WA Premier Mark McGowan last year defended the Mint and insisted it was just a series of clerical errors rather than criminally motivated.

'It's not a fraud issue or an impropriety issue or anything of that nature, it's some administrative failing,' he told a press conference.

'But I'm sure they'll rectify it as soon as they can.'

This week, he told Four Corners: 'There's been a change of managementthere is an audit being undertaken.

'The mint is complying with the processes under the audit and the mint itself is investing heavily in anti-criminal behaviour and compliance measures.'

Perth Mint told Daily Mail Australia it was fulfilling its legal obligations.

'This includes assessing all customers in accordance with the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 and guidance from regulators such as AUSTRAC and the relevant law enforcement agencies,' said a spokesman.

'Under the AML/CTF Act, entities providing a designated service are required to carry out KYC identity checks on customers purchasing bullion valued at $5,000 or more.

'The Perth Mint goes beyond this requirement by obtaining identity information on any individual spending $2,000 or more on bullion.

'As part of adherence to the AML/CTF Act, The Perth Mint is required to and fulfils its obligation to lodge a Suspicious Matter Report with AUSTRAC if we suspect a person or transaction is linked to a crime.'
An Oklahoma City lawyer has been arrested at his home after allegedly attempting to engage in sexual activity with a fictitious five-year-old girl in the small town of Mustang.

Michael Lunday, 55, was caught after a sting operation was set up which led to him being apprehended at his home on Thursday.

It came after the Canadian County Sheriff's Office were told by a confidential informant that he had been communicating with the youngster and hoped to meet up with her for sex.

Investigators then carried out the sting communicating with Lunday using text messages and phone calls to 'finalize the deal and purchase of the child for sex' which ultimately led to his arrest.

Lunday was reported to have brought condoms and lubricant for the sexual encounter and had expressed an interest in watching child pornography before the meeting.

Lawyer Michael Lunday, 55, was arrested after being caught in a sting operation attempting to engage in sexual activity with a fictional five-year-old girl

Maj. Adam Flowers with the Canadian County Sheriff's Office praised the work of an informant that led to Michael Lunday's arrest

'Investigators used hidden cameras in the residence, and deputies were staged inside the house to effect Lunday's arrest,' police explained in a press release.

'During the conversation, Lunday told the CI he liked younger girls because sexual abuse does not affect them as much. Lunday also wanted to watch child pornography before the child arrived in order to warm himself up and settle his nerves.'

He also disclosed that he had taken Viagra to prepare himself for the encounter and revealed that he had always fantasized about performing oral sex on a child while an adult female watched.

Authorities were able to make an arrest after Lunday gave the informant $400 for the sex act, which he believed would be split between the informant and a fictitious foster parent providing the child.

Authorities found a receipt showing how Lunday had allegedly stopped at a Target to purchase condoms and lubrication to be used during sex with the fictitious youngster

Lunday is currently being held at the Canadian County Detention Facility on charges of Lewd Acts with a Child Under 12 and Soliciting Child Prostitution on a $200,000 bond

Investigators say Lunday practiced family law and say they are not ruling out the possibility there are more victims.

They later executed a search warrant of his home and seized a number of electronic devices, including an iPad, laptop computers and his personal cell phone.

'We've executed warrants on his personal devices, including his house, and we've recovered a bunch of electronic devices, and we're currently in the process of examining those,' said Maj. Adam Flowers with the Canadian County Sheriff's Office to KOCO5.

'We're not just looking for child pornography but other victims that he may had or other dealings that he tried to set up.'

Authorities also found a receipt showing how Lunday had allegedly stopped at a Target to purchase condoms and lubrication to be used during sex with the fictitious youngster.

He is currently being held at the Canadian County Detention Facility on charges of Lewd Acts with a Child Under 12 and Soliciting Child Prostitution on a $200,000 bond.

The confidential informant's ability to maintain composure while gathering information was also praised by police as being instrumental in the success of the sting operation which took place over a period of four hours.

'When we do predator stings, all the time, the conversations we have with the decoys and the suspects, they're pretty egregious and disgusting. What makes this one even more heinous is the fact that it was a five-year-old,' said Maj. Flowers.
Work report stresses self-reliance, strength in sci-tech innovation

(Global Times) 09:12, March 06, 2023

China's strength and self-reliance in science and technology and modernization of the industrial system are among the country's priorities in 2023, as showed in the Government Work Report published on Sunday. Policies will focus on core technology breakthroughs and the upgrading of industrial chains.

Scientific and technological policies should aim at building up China's strength and self-reliance in science and technology, read the recommendations for the work of the government in 2023 in the report.

"The new system for mobilizing resources nationwide should be improved, (and) we should better leverage the role of the government in pooling resources to make key technological breakthroughs, and enterprises should be the principal actors in innovation," said Premier Li Keqiang on Sunday, who delivered the government work report on behalf of the State Council at the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress.

China should promote the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries, cultivate and strengthen strategic emerging industries, and take forceful steps to shore up weak links in industrial chains, said Li.

The government should, with a focus on key industrial chains in the manufacturing sector, pool quality resources and make concerted efforts to achieve breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields, read the report.

"We should speed up the digitalization of traditional industries and small- and medium-sized enterprises to make them higher-end, smarter, and more eco-friendly. Research and development (R&D) and application of cutting-edge technologies should be accelerated. We should strive to develop the digital economy, step up regular oversight, and support the development of the platform economy," said Li.

According to Li, in the past five years, China promoted development of the real economy through innovation, continued to foster new drivers of growth, and effectively countered external attempts to suppress and contain China's development.

Sci-tech innovation is a primary productive force and key to China's future development, Zhang Xiaorong, director of the Beijing-based Cutting-Edge Technology Research Institute, told the Global Times on Sunday.

There are still challenges facing China to achieve self-reliance in sci-tech. For instance, China still faces some bottlenecks in major technologies, such as chips, lithography machines and materials, Wang Peng, a research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday.

As a result, how to better and more effectively integrate sci-tech innovation and industries is another major challenge, said Wang.

"More investment should be injected in basic technological R&D. The core of scientific and technological innovation lies in human resources. China should focus on training talent," said Wang.

Zhang also said that China should strengthen intellectual property protection and pool the resources of the whole society to make breakthroughs in key areas that address the national economy and people's livelihoods.

Wang Zhigang, minister of technology, said on Sunday in the ministers' passage at the two sessions that the dominant position of enterprises in sci-tech innovation should be strengthened.

"In the next step, we will strengthen the market's drive and conduct basic research that can be used in practical ways," said the minister.

Although efforts and time are needed to achieve self-reliance in sci-tech for China, analysts said that the country has made remarkable progress and achievements in recent years.

Achievements of sci-tech innovation have emerged, such as in artificial intelligence, biomedicine, algorithmic computing power and some key projects, such as large aircraft, said Wang Peng.

Premier Li also said that China has fully implemented the innovation-driven development strategy and improved and upgraded the industrial structure. The country has provided support for basic research and applied basic research, with spending on basic research doubling over the past five years.

For four years in a row, basic research accounted for more than 6 percent of China's R&D investment, growing at a faster rate than that of the overall R&D, official statistics showed.

"We sped up the development of emerging industries like high-end equipment, biomedicine, new-energy vehicles, photovoltaic power and wind power. Continued efforts were made to provide faster broadband speeds and lower internet rates, and Internet Plus initiatives were boosted," said Li.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Wagner Chief Yevgeny Prigozhin allegedly said his fighters had an issue with the ammunition supply to push their offensive forward in Bakhmut. Recent reports claim that the Kremlin and the militia chief are not on the same page.

Wagner Fears They Could Not Hold Bakhmut

Unverified sources, including the AFU and analysts, disseminate information that the 155th Brigade of Russia in combat close to Vuhledar south of Bakhmut is in disarray. These forces allegedly had severe losses that they refuse fighting, reported Reuters.

As counterinformation to the claims of Kyiv, the Russian Defense Ministry said, its forces demolished another command post of the AZOV Nazi Regiment located in the southeast of Zaporizhzhia region. The Ministry of Defence keeps information at a minimum, and the outlet did not verify any claims.

Prigozhin, as alleged by the outlet, says his forces cannot hold on to the area if the ammunition supply does not arrive. Wagner was supposed to receive the supply but now faces problems from up top.

Last Saturday, Prigozhin posted in a video on the Wagner Orchestra Telegram channel that the Kremlin wants to prime them to blame for the offensive's failure. The insinuation that the Russian military cannot beat a rag-tag Ukrainian army, noted SCMP.

He stated that Wagners should not retreat, or the gains would be lost.

Armed Forces of Ukraine Claims Extensive Russian Losses

Before the war, 70,000 lived in Bakhmut year-round, and that location will be a strategic point to hold on to. Still, a winter offensive winter with reserves was called up a year ago for the Russians to hammer the Ukrainians to defeat and control the Donbas industrial sector to cap a victory, citing CNBC.

Read Also: Winter Storm Update: 13 Dead as Massive Storms Hit US

The Ukrainian commander of the AFU troop, Volodymyr Nazarenko, stated they would not move out. Wagners are a threat to these AFU soldiers already on the deep end, and conditions are unfavorable.

He posted a video showing the conditions he and the troop see daily on Telegram. The Russian advance he calls like hell, continually pushing toward them on the east front. Sources from Kyiv's military last Monday said 95 attacks besieged their position since yesterday.

A Ukrainian military analyst Oleh Zhdanov stated in a video comment that the local is getting grim and worse. In February last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin began Russia's special military operation to free the LPR and DPR from Ukraine.

Casualties were numerous people who were killed or left cities that Russia allegedly bombed. At one point, the Ukrainian forces backed by western arms were supposed to stop a Russian juggernaut in the east and south of the country.

Russian forces surged forward to the north part of Bakhmut into Bilohorivka in the Luhansk region, followed by the heavy attack on Kupiansk and Lyman, where the AFU could not stop the Russian juggernaut.

Next, the Russia surge is readying to harass the AFU in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. The accusation was rife that civilian settlement was attacked by the Russians intentionally.

Moscow accused Kyiv of orchestrating attacks on the Belgorod border in Russia, but Zelensky denied it. The Wagner chief complains the ammunition supply for his men is withheld, and they cannot hold Bakhmut, as sources claim.

Related Article: Russian Wagner Boss Challenges Zelensky in Take-All Dogfight for Bakhmut

@ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A mum who tragically lost her daughter after she drowned in the family's backyard spa has revealed an eerie but heartwarming detail in a picture from her wedding day.

Tahlia Murphy and her husband Cecil, 28, had their lives turned upside down in September, 2022 when their 17-month-old daughter Taidyn 'Totty' Murphy lost her life at their home in Gracemere, in Queensland's Rockhampton region.

Tahlia - who is also the mother of Paityn, 12, Laikyn, 6, and Haivyn, 4 - married Cecil three months after she lost her baby girl to honour her life.

She told Daily Mail Australia the couple's entire wedding day was centered around their Totty but she particularly treasures one specific photo from the celebration.

In the picture of Tahlia and Cecil, which showed the couple kissing in the sunshine, a shadowy figure can be seen hiding behind a tree in the background.

Tahlia and Cecil Murphy appeared to have their daughter watching over them on their wedding day earlier this month (pictured is Tahlia with her husband Cecil and the shadowy figure is seen behind a tree)

In the picture, a shadowy figure could be seen who they say is their daughter Totty

Tahlia says they have a yellow butterfly on their daughter's urn and every day since she has passed the couple has seen yellow butterflies

'Our whole day was for her, we had a big beautiful A3 picture of her, she had her own seat allocated and a bouquet done for her, our eldest daughter walked down the aisle with her ashes and some of her ashes were also put in my and my husband's ring,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

Tahlia said she was so upset her daughter was not able to be there on their special day until her friend pointed out the small figure in one of their wedding photos.

'One of my friends found it and they sent it to me with the figure circled and they said your baby girl was at your wedding day after all,' she said.

'I was laying in bed at the time and my friend had screenshot the picture and I was like "oh my god she was literally there".

'I ran straight to my husband and we both had goosebumps and cried and said, "look it's our Totty, looking on from behind a tree in a white dress."'

The loving mother said the couple even got married on a specific day to best signify Totty.

'We got married on the 22nd of December because she was born in March, 2021 and she died in 2022,' Tahlia said.

'Also our anniversary is the 22nd of June and the number 22 is the combined age of my three other children, so the date was so perfect.'

Tahlia Murphy and her husband Cecil, 28, had their lives turned upside down in September 2022 when their 17-month-old daughter Taidyn 'Totty' Murphy lost her life at their family home in Gracemere, in Queensland's Rockhampton region

Tahlia said the entire day was devoted to Totty

The couple said they had also bought a puppy following Totty's death, who they named Tella, after their toddler's favourite food, Nutella.

Tahlia said while she had always been skeptical of anything supernatural, the picture confirmed that her little girl was there looking on.

'I found out my dad died when I was eight and over the years I have always tried to pick up on little things, like if he left me any signs or anything like that,' she said.

'I always believed but never to the extent I do now as ever since she passed there have been signs and this is just another.'

Tahlia said their daughter's urn is yellow and in the shape of a butterfly, and every day since her death the couple have seen yellow butterflies.

'Without fail every day we have seen at least one and sometimes 10, 20 or even 50,' Tahlia said.

'We see them around our home, in the backyard, out the front of our car, when we are out and about, everywhere.'

Tahlia said while she had always been skeptical of anything supernatural the picture just confirmed that her little girl was there looking on

Tahlia uploaded a video showing the shadowy figure to TikTok, which has been seen more than 1.4 million times, with users commenting that their baby girl was definitely there that day.

'Omg. That is the best footage definitely will be her,' one person wrote.

'This happened in my formal photos!! Now I believe my sister was there,' another commented.

'This gave me goosebumps so sorry for your loss. Your little girl was there that day,' a third said.
An influential Muslim preacher has demanded Uber drivers refuse to work during Sydney's World Pride festival, because of the company's support for the LGBTQI celebration.

Mohamed Shaar, who works as a natural healer and authorised marriage celebrant at the Sydney Ruqyah Centre in the city's west, has branded gays 'filthy', condemned them to hell and has praised Russia for passing anti-LGBTQI laws.

Last month, in response to an Uber message promoting their 'pride ride' during the gay pride festival, Mr Shaar posted: 'Dear Uber drivers specially the Muslims fear Allah and avoid working with Uber'.

Mohamed Shaar has branded gay's 'filthy' and claims 'Allah created Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve'

Mr Shaar urged Uber drivers not to work during the gay pride because of the company's support for the festival

He also shared a screenshot of an alleged drag queen event for children on the Canterbury and Bankstown libraries' Facebook page alongside a video criticising a poster of a 'furry' man in leather-bondage with a teddy bear head, lying on a couch with a pride flag and beer can in central Sydney.

Mr Shaar's accompanying caption reads: 'Shame on this human race shame on this government that shows this filthy people'.

The controversial 'kink and BDSM-inspired' WorldPride mural was later defaced with white and black paint by vandals.

The words 'leave the kids alone' were also scrawled on the side. Police are currently investigating.

There is no suggestion Mr Shaar was involved in vandalising the mural.

Mr Shaar regularly criticises LGBT issues

Mr Shaar, who also goes by Abu Hamza, yesterday shared a BBC news video reporting on a law passed by Vladimir Putin's brutal regime which bans any mention of LGBT culture or people.

'Good on Russia,' wrote Mr Shaar on his personal Facebook page.

He has also shared posts promoting an upcoming rally on Saturday 18th of March which claims to 'make a stand against the moral decay of our society.'

He has condemned LGBT people to hell.

He also shared a video which allegedly shows a pro-LGBTQ drag performer mocking the Islamic prayer.

'May Allah swt [sic] curse this people and hell will be waiting for them,' was the accompanying caption.

Mr Shaar is an authorised marriage celebrant at the Sydney Ruqyah Centre in the city's west

At the start of the gay bride festival on the 17th February, Mr Shaar posted: 'Today marks the first day of the curse of Allah yes and for the next 13 days and inshallah till end of times .

'The amount of sick people in this world still dont understand that Allah swt created Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve

'Keep and educated your kids about the haram and the cursed of this people.'

Revellers arrive at the Bondi Beach Party for Mardi Gras last Saturday where Nicole Scherzinger was headlining

A spokesman for Sydney Queer Muslims hit back at Mr Shaar's comments: 'We pray that our haters will find peace.

'For those of us, Queer Muslims, who have stayed with the faith, do so by developing and strengthening our personal relationship with God.

'That reconciliation has been through research on the stories of Prophet Lot and an interpretation that aligns with the values that the Quran brings, which is mercy, compassion and justice. We pray that our haters will find peace.

Mr Shaar hit the headlines last year when he claimed Covid-19 did not exist but was then left fighting for his life in hospital after contracting the Delta strain of the virus.

Despite preaching to his followers that vaccine jabs were ineffective, Mr Shaar was rushed to hospital in an ambulance after displaying worrying symptoms.

At the time, those close to Mr Shaar confirmed he was 'in a bad way'.

Daily Mail Australia has approached Mr Shaar for comment.

The organisers of the Sydney World Pride festival have been contacted for comment.
The prosecuting attorney in Alex Murdaugh's double murder trial has now started a Twitter account and has begun sharing his insights in the wake of the disgraced lawyer's explosive court case.

South Carolina state prosecutor Creighton Waters made his first post on the social media platform on March 4 to say he was happy the trial was over and that he was proud of the work his team did - and has now racked up more than 21,000 followers in 24 hours.

Waters' prosecution led to Murdaugh being found guilty of murdering his wife and son in June 2021. The former South Carolina attorney was sentenced to two life sentences on March 3.

The attorney said he was pleased to have helped brought justice to victims Maggie and Paul Murdaugh over the course of the five-week trial.

He also posted about how the trial wound up being nothing like he expected, writing he had 'an idea of the journey the trial would be - but actually I didn't.'

Creighton Waters delivers his closing statement during the Alex Murdaugh murder trial

Alex Murdaugh with a shaved head in his first mug shot taken since he was found guilty

In his first tweet posted a day after sentencing, Waters express his thanks for those involved in the trial.

'Yes this is me. So happy this trial is over,' he wrote. 'So proud of my team. And so grateful the jury spoke justice for Maggie and Paul. I want to thank everyone in the public for all the support - it has meant a lot.

'I'm currently packing up the hotel room I've lived in for 6 weeks and it's a little nostalgic,' he wrote in a follow-up tweet. 'We've made a lot of friends here including hotel staff that really took care of us. So much hard work, blood, sweat and even tears - but also fun - in these rooms the team stayed.'

On a lighter note, he posted a picture of himself with his electric guitar, saying he was excited to play it again after not touching it since the trial began.

'Hardly even touched it,' he wrote. 'Definitely the least I've played guitar over a period of time since I got my first one at fifteen.'

'Peace Walterboro. We will be back soon,' he added.

He also shared a photo of himself in his hotel room taken the day before the trial started.

'This was January 22 - the day before the first day - as I was writing my opening,' he said. 'I had an idea of the journey this trial would be - but actually I didn't.'

'Many of you took the journey of this trial with us. The most important destination was reached and that was the jury speaking for Maggie and Paul. There are still roads left,' he added.

Last week, Waters delivered a scathing closing statement, in which he called Murdaugh 'the master liar.'

Waters said Murdaugh was facing legal action that 'could not only potentially ruin him but expose the reality of what he had been doing for years.'

'Nobody knew who this man was,' he told the court, after laying out the lies Murdaugh had told while embezzling millions from his prestigious family law firm and the lies he told to cops after the killings.

'He avoided accountability his whole life, he had relied on his family name, he had a powerful family, he carried a badge and used that in authority, he lived a wealthy life - but now finally he was was facing complete ruin.'

'His father who he idolized - who I worked with on occasion - was dying, his son was facing charges for the boat case, he was facing a civil action that could not only potentially ruin him but expose the reality of what he had been doing for years, he had an opiate addiction, his life was about to be altered, he couldn't live for that - he's the kind of person for whom shame is an extraordinary provocation.

'His ego couldn't stand that and he became a family annihilator.'

Waters concluded by asking jurors: 'On behalf of the State of South Carolina I ask you to return a verdict of guilty against the defendant Richard Alexander Murdaugh for the murder of his wife Maggie and son Paul.'

'This defendant has fooled everyone, everyone. Everyone who thought they were close to him he's fooled them all and he fooled Maggie and Paul too and they paid for it with their lives. Don't let him fool you too.'

Creighton Waters gives his closing statement on March 3 in Walterboro, South Carolina

Creighton Waters cross examining Alex Murdaugh during his trial on February 24

Murdaugh will spend the next few weeks at the R&E facility where he faces rigorous testing before he will be assigned to a permanent state prison. As he is a double murderer, he will be housed with the state's most brutal and violent inmates.

The life he faces is a far cry from the privileged world of multi-million dollar homes from the coast to the hunting lands of the Lowcountry to which he has grown accustomed in his 54 years.

The disgraced legal scion appeared with a shaved head in a yellow jumpsuit after being booked into South Carolina's Kirkland Reception and Evaluation Center on Friday.

'As part of the intake process, like all inmates, (Murdaugh) will undergo medical tests, mental health and education assessments, and the South Carolina Department of Corrections will gather other additional background information,' the South Carolina Department of Corrections said in a statement.

After the evaluation, Murdaugh will be sent to one of the state's maximum-security prisons to serve out the rest of his life behind bars.

Kirkland is home to more than 1,700 of the most violent criminals in the state and churns through more than 8,000 prisoners each year for evaluation.

This undated file photo provided on July 11, 2019, by the South Carolina Department of Corrections shows the new death row at Broad River Correctional Institution in Columbia, SC

Alex Murdaugh (right) with wife Maggie and their sons Buster (left) and Paul (right)

As well as serving as the processing site for all of the state's convicts, it is also home to a specialized maximum-security jail for the most dangerous and violent offenders.

'Kirkland is also responsible for the maximum-security unit which houses some of the most violent and dangerous inmates in the state,' the site's website says. 'Furthermore, Kirkland Correctional Center houses inmates who are in the statewide protective custody program.'

Trial attorney Robert Rikard tweeted last night ahead of Murdaugh's sentencing: 'Tomorrow will be a much different day for Murdaugh. After sentencing instead of going to the county jail he will go to Reception and Evaluation on Broad River Rd.

'They'll shave his head and put him through a battery of tests that vet weeks.'

'Then he will be assigned to a SC Department of Corrections facility. Because he's convicted of a violent crime, he will go to a facility that only houses the violent criminals. The worst of the worst.

'It will be a much different scene than the county jail. These are brutal environments and it will be quite a shock after the privileged life he has lived.'
The NYPD is looking for three attackers who jumped out of a vehicle and began punching and kicking a couple after yelling anti-Asian slurs at them.

The incident occurred Thursday around 2.30pm in Flushing after a woman and two men got out of their vehicle near the intersection of Junction Boulevard and 38th Avenue.

Three unidentified people were caught on video jumping out of a white SUV and approaching the pair. Police said the group also yelled 'ugly Asian' at them.

The victims were taken to the hospital with head injuries and the matter is still under investigation.

The NYPD is looking for three attackers who jumped out of a vehicle and began punching and kicking a couple after yelling anti-Asian slurs at them

These are the three people who jumped out of their vehicle and attacked an Asian woman and her companion in Queens

Crime Stoppers posted video of the incident Sunday, asking the public to help identify the individuals in the post.

The 34-second video shows the woman get out of the passenger seat and start to throw her hands at someone off-camera.

The car in question is an Acura SUV, which fled west on Roosevelt Avenue after the attack.

Police said the man and woman attacked had just been walking down the street before the trio got out and began going off on them.

At some point, the woman in the video also threw water at one of the victims.

The two involved in the attack were an Asian woman and a 24-year-old companion.

The NYPD's Hate Crimes Task Force is now investigating.

Police are asking that anyone who may be able to identify any of the three people in the video reach out with information.

Tips can be sent to NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).

A reward of up to $3,500 may be offered for information leading to arrests.

The attack comes as New York City continues to see a crime wave.

In January, the NYPD released their annual roundup of crime statistics from the previous year.

The 34-second video shows the woman get out of the passenger seat and start to throw her hands at someone off-camera

Police said the man and woman attacked had just been walking down the street before the trio got out and began going off on them

Police are asking that anyone who may be able to identity any of the three people in the video reach out with information. Tips can be sent to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477)

Data released in January found that rapes, robberies, and assaults are all up from 2021 since hitting highs not seen in decades in both 2020 and 2021

The data found that rapes, robberies, and assaults are all up from 2021 since hitting highs not seen in decades in both 2020 and 2021.

Rape rose by 7 percent, while murders fell slightly from 488 in 2021 to 434 in 2022.

Robberies, however, rose a shocking 20 percent, while assaults and theft experienced a similarly pronounced rise.

Felony assaults were up 12 percent in 2022 - 26,039 incidents compared to 22,835 seen in 2021 - and burglaries up an alarming 25 percent.

All other crime categories - including grand larceny and motor vehicle theft - showed similar rises.
A Sky News commentator has ripped into Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, saying people are 'sick and tired' of hearing them complain.

Sophie Elsworth, who is also the media writer for The Australian, claimed the pair had no right to whinge as they were two of the most privileged people in the world.

Her fiery criticism comes after Prince Harry sat down with 'toxic trauma' expert Dr Gabor Mate for a 90-minute conversation on Saturday.

A Sky News commentator has ripped into Prince Harry and Meghan Markle saying people are 'sick and tired' of hearing them complain

The 38-year-old said he felt 'slightly different' to the rest of his family, opened up about his upbringing in a 'broken home' and said he had been 'saved' by Meghan.

Elsworth was left unimpressed by the interview, saying the couple didn't want to stop ripping into the Royal Family.

'These are two of the most privileged people in the world, constantly complaining,' she said on The Royal Report on Sky News on Sunday night.

'And I was thinking there was a little bit of peace and quiet there for a while, but sure enough, up he rears his head again and more complaining.'

Elsworth took aim at the couple's exhausting campaign to speak out about royal life in a series of interviews, a documentary and book.

The couple spoke with US host Oprah Winfrey in 2021 then continued to open up on life behind closed doors in the Netflix documentary 'Harry and Meghan' in 2022.

Prince Harry continued to stir controversy with the release of his book 'Spare' before moving onto his latest endeavour with Dr Mate.

Elsworth said the interview brought nothing new to the table and appeared to be repeating old claims.

'Clearly his financial model is failing because they've exhausted almost all avenues,' she said.

'I think people are just sick and tired of Harry, and they're starting to tune out.

'I couldn't believe some of the stuff I was hearing there though, that he honestly believes this stuff that comes out of his mouth, that he doesn't want to be the victim.

Sophie Elsworth, who is also the media writer for The Australian, claimed the pair had no right to whinge as they were two of the most privileged people in the world

'I mean, honestly, this guy is on another planet.'

In the interview with Dr Mate, Prince Harry discussed his drug use, his views on the war on Afghanistan, and how he doesn't see himself as a 'victim'. Yet he failed to mention his brother William once.

Describing his struggles to find his 'authentic true self' while growing up, he said: 'I felt slightly different to the rest of my family. I felt strange being in this container, and I know that my mum felt the same so it makes sense to me.'

The royal - who Dr Mate publicly diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD) - said he constantly hugged his children, Archie and Lilibet, to 'shower them with affection' - something he doesn't believe he received from his father, King Charles.

He also spoke of the importance of parents not arguing in front of children, saying: 'Do not have those disagreements, arguments, whatever it is luckily my wife and I don't have those.

'The idea of having those in front of the kids? I assume that my parents probably had a lot of those [rows] in front of me, maybe that's where it comes from that's not a good idea.'
It's a long-running gambit on quiz shows to help struggling contestants  and now lonely and vulnerable patients will have the chance to phone a friend.

Family doctors will refer them to volunteers who are ready to listen and chat, helping to boost their health and reduce social isolation.

More than 1,000 helpers have already signed up to the relaunched Check in and Chat service, which is part of the NHS volunteer programme.

Pharmacists and other healthcare staff will also encourage those who would benefit from a chat and a bit of encouragement to request the service.

Research cited by the Royal College of Nursing suggests loneliness can be as bad for health as obesity or smoking 15 cigarettes daily with a higher risk of cognitive decline.

Lonely and vulnerable patients will have the chance to phone a friend

The NHS volunteer responders programme was set up at the start of the pandemic in 2020 to support those who were isolating with tasks such as shopping, getting medication and lifts.

The Daily Mail encouraged thousands to join the initiative with its Helpforce campaign during lockdown. In total, 400,000 volunteers carried out 2.2million tasks to support patients and the NHS.

The decision to bring back the service follows concern that many patients had lost social connections during the pandemic.

A survey of health and care professionals whose patients used Check in and Chat during lockdown showed nearly nine in ten said it could help again now.

Ruth May, chief nursing officer for England, praised the volunteers who have signed up to make the invaluable calls.

READ MORE: Millions of young people who feel let down by the NHS turn to TikTok Advertisement

She added: We know what a difference a neighbourly phone call can make if youre feeling isolated or need some support.

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS England medical director, said: NHS health teams can refer patients to this fantastic service which offers a listening ear and, where appropriate, explore positive changes they could make to their lives.

Catherine Johnstone, chief executive of the Royal Voluntary Service which is working with the NHS, said: The timely relaunch of Check in and Chat will once again provide support to those that need it most over the challenging months ahead.

Meena Ram, 54, a civil servant from Birmingham, volunteered with Check in and Chat during lockdown and has signed up again.

Volunteering is what got me through the pandemic, she said. Discovering NHS Volunteer Responders kept me busy.

I couldnt wait to be a volunteer again. I find it very fulfilling. Its an incredible feeling to know that you are making a difference in someones life.

To know that you are the phone call that they are looking forward to is really rewarding.

Some of the people that use Check in and Chat might not hear from anyone else that day or that week and it can be very touching to hear how grateful they are and very moving to hear their stories.

I have found a new passion in volunteering. I hope to continue to make a positive difference to peoples lives.
A top civil servant has privately raised concerns that Sue Gray broke impartiality rules by holding secret meetings with Sir Keir Starmer, it was claimed yesterday.

Susan Acland-Hood, permanent secretary at the Department of Education, is said to have raised concerns in an online Zoom call with colleagues.

The Telegraph reported that as she reminded other officials about their duty to impartiality, she said that Sue Gray becoming Sir Keirs chief of staff is a real challenge to acting in a way that deserves and retains the confidence of ministers.

The role of permanent secretary is the most senior civil servant in a government department.

Ms Acland-Hood reportedly went through the Civil Services code on impartiality line by line, telling colleagues: People who are saying there is a difficulty with this appointment because if Sue has ever held Labour Party-like political beliefs in her career she cant have been a proper civil servant, dont get that what the Civil Service code requires is not that we dont have any political beliefs, but that we dont allow our political beliefs to influence the way we do our jobs.

A top civil servant has privately raised concerns that Sue Gray (pictuted) broke impartiality rules by holding secret meetings with Sir Keir Starmer, it was claimed yesterday

Susan Acland-Hood (pictured), permanent secretary at the Department of Education, is said to have raised concerns in an online Zoom call with colleagues

The next bit is the bit where I think some people are right to think there is a difficulty about this appointment.

So you have to act in a way that deserves and retains the confidence of ministers while at the same time ensuring that you will be able to establish the same relationship with those who you may be required to serve in some future government.

All I will say is I think that there is a real challenge to acting in a way that deserves and retains the confidence of ministers for someone so senior to go so quickly to a position in this way.

I dont really understand how this can possibly have happened without there being contact in advance which you shouldnt be having without reporting it.

Ms Acland-Hood concluded with a firm warning that if anybody receives contact from the Leader of the Opposition or a member of the Shadow Cabinet you should tell your permanent secretary right away.

Ms Gray is facing questions about whether she met this requirement under the civil services code of conduct.
Senior doctors are demanding up to 262 an hour to provide emergency cover for junior colleagues during their three-day walkout this month.

The British Medical Association (BMA) is suggesting consultants ask for 158 an hour, rising to 262 for night shifts. This is three times their basic pay.

Junior doctors are scheduled to strike from March 13 to 16 in a row over pay and conditions.

Senior doctors are demanding up to 262 an hour to provide emergency cover for junior colleagues during their three-day walkout this month

NHS Employers chief executive Danny Mortimer said health bosses sympathy for the plight of doctors was being eroded by the consultants demands. He added: If their dispute is with the Government with regards to both pay and pensions, it seems unreasonable to act without first seeking any kind of agreement with employers.

BMA consultants committee chairman Dr Vishal Sharma said: These rates reflect the market value of doctors work.

About 40 per cent of the medical workforce is classed as a junior doctor.
A lone woman is walking down the street, the tap-tapping of her high heels the only sound - until she suddenly becomes aware of someone else's footsteps. They're behind her, rapidly picking up pace. Alarmed, she begins to run If this cliched scene sounds familiar, it's because we've all seen it in film and TV dramas, usually as a prelude to a grisly murder. There's a good reason for its ubiquity. It taps into one of our deepest fears: violent assault by a stranger, just as we're frantically trying to reach the safety of home. Well, first let me reassure you: these types of murders are exceedingly rare. In fact, you're far more likely to be killed in the 'safety' of your own home. Particularly if you're a woman. 'Home, sweet home', in short, is the primary site for murder in the UK - and the figures are doggedly persistent, stretching right back in history. Between 2017 and 2019, three-quarters of female victims and four in every ten male victims in England and Wales were murdered at home - often by someone they knew. Figures for Scotland are higher: from 2010 to 2020, it was 83 per cent of all female murder victims and 55 per cent of male victims. The vast majority of the killers were male. Pictured right: Victims of grisly murders and where they were killed
A yellow weather warning has been issued for snow and ice in parts of Scotland and northern England as temperatures are set to plummet to as low as -8C.

Up to four inches of snow will blanket some parts of the country today and what will be a noticeable chillier than usual start to the spring season.

The weather warning, which started at 6pm on Sunday, extends to just before midnight on Tuesday and covers the northern part of Scotland, including Aberdeen and Inverness.

Temperatures are also set to plummet to -8C in some parts of Scotland, with below freezing temperatures predicted to continue until March 11 at least amid a Sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) event.

Snow and ice are also set to descend on northern England, the east coast of England and Northern Ireland caused by freezing Artic air after a spate of calmer conditions.

The recent benign conditions are down to an area of high pressure, which is now moving away to the west, allowing a northerly airflow to sweep across the UK.

The chance of snow in the south is at its highest after Tuesday.

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Snow will blanket parts of the country today including Scotland and northern England in what will be a noticeably cooler than usual start to the spring season

A yellow weather warning is issued when there is a small chance of travel delays, minor injuries due to ice, power cuts, and the cutting off of rural areas

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning from 6pm this evening for snow and ice for parts of Scotland (Sunday weather warnings)

The Met Office said the start of next week will be the coldest day of the year so far, with temperatures dropping to near freezing in northern parts of the UK. Pictured: Today's weather warnings (left) and Tuesday weather warnings (right)

Read more: When will the Beast from the East hit YOUR home? Advertisement

The UK Health Security Agency has also issued a cold weather alert between the early hours of this morning and midnight on Thursday.

A yellow weather warning is issued when there is a small chance of travel delays, minor injuries due to ice, power cuts, and the cutting off of rural areas.

The UK Health Security Agency reminded people to look after the vulnerable. Its cold weather alert will take force from early today and last until midnight on Thursday.

The north east of England, north west of England and Yorkshire are all under a level three alert, while the rest of the country remain at a level two.

A level three alert means there is a 90 per cent chance of severely cold weather, icy conditions or heavy snow, which could increase the health risk to vulnerable patients, the NHS said.

The agency said if a person is over the age of 65 or has a pre-existing medical condition, they should try to heat their home to at least 18C during the cold snap.

Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at UKHSA, said: 'During periods like this, it is important to check in on family, friends and relatives who may be more vulnerable to the cold weather, as it can have a serious impact on health.

A family enjoys the snow in Tomintoul today. Kate and Fraser Gormley were out in the cold weather with their four-year-old twins

A car in the snow near Tomintoul, a village in Scotland, on Sunday. A Met Office yellow warning for snow comes into force at 6pm

Parts of England could also be in for cold and snowy weather this week (Pictured Stoke-on-Trent during the January cold snap this year)

What is a Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW)? A sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) is a term used to describe a phenomenon in which the temperature in the stratosphere, a layer of the Earth's atmosphere, increases rapidly. The warming can cause the circulation of air at the poles to reduce speed, or even reverse its trajectory. This in turn can have a major impact on weather patterns, pushing cold air down from the poles and bringing a storm of freezing weather and blizzards. Advertisement

'If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over the age of 65, it is important to try and heat your home to at least 18C if you can.'

Temperatures are likely to remain well below the average for March over the next week, the Met Office said.

Deputy Chief Meteorologist, Chris Almond, said: 'Very cold air will spread across the UK from late on Sunday through early next week.

'This brings with it snow even to low levels in the north and east through Monday and Tuesday, and in excess of 10cm could accumulate, most likely on high ground in the north, but also settling for a time at lower levels.

'With freezing overnight temperatures and the risk of ice, there's a risk of some travel disruption and wintry hazards are likely to persist through much of next week, even further south for a time.'

James Coles of Scottish Mountain Rescue and Team Leader at Moffat Mountain Rescue added: 'The UK is entering a period of increasingly challenging weather conditions with snow, ice and gusty winds all featuring prominently in the forecast for the coming week.

'Upland areas, especially in the mountains, can see conditions change very rapidly and they may be markedly different from surrounding lowland areas.

'Met Office warnings come into force on Monday, but conditions ahead may deteriorate more quickly at higher elevations.'

The cold snap could also prolong Britain's food shortages, with crops set to suffer in the freezing temperatures.

Experts have warned cucumber and tomato crops will be delayed, as salad items across the country are being rationed in supermarkets amid ongoing shortages.

It comes as droughts and frosty weather over the Christmas period stunted the growth of carrots, cauliflower, leek and cabbage crops, with warnings that stocks of these vegetables are also set to dwindle.

The severe weather, which is the result of an Artic Maritime Airmass sweeping across the UK, comes after a drier February than usual.

The UK saw just 45 per cent of its average rainfall for the month, with 43.4mm of rain in February, making it the driest in 30 years.

Despite unusually cold conditions for this time of year, it is not the latest that the UK has seen a cold snap.

Last year, Londoners shivered under one of the coldest April nights on record as temperatures fell to -3C, and snow blanketed the capital.
On the surface, GoMoPa is seemingly like any other financial news portal. Located in Germany, the focus of the website is to create articles that detail fraud and warn investors from investing in dangerous companies.

Who Are GoMoPa?

GoMoPa is officially known as Goldman Morgenstern and Partners. It is a company founded back in 2000 in New York. The company operates as a German website which publishes online articles about risky investments and fraud indications.

At first glance, GoMoPa seems to be a prospering news platform. They claim to have over 50,000 members across 100 counties, with access to more than 200,000 forum posts and articles. GoMoPa says that their work protects investor funding equal to $3bn. However, while the company may be legitimate, the founders and key players in the organisation have a few controversial stories to tell.

Who are the GoMoPa Founders?

GoMoPa is led by Klaus Maurischat. Born in Lower Saxony in 1956, Maurischat has a background in real estate and management. He was one of the official founders of GoMoPa (alongside Mark Vornkahl) back in 2000. If one takes a look at his official LinkedIn, it shows that he was "CEO" of GoMoPa from 2001 to 2021 but is likely still working at the company as of 2023.

Another key player in the organisation is Siegfried Stewart. His official position is the current editor-in-chief of the company, and he comes from an editorial background, having written for newspapers across Germany for 20 years.

How GoMoPa Changed

2022 saw the platform go through a lot of major changes. The first action it took was to edit the domain from GoMoPa[.]net to GoMoPa[.]io. After that, the site got a visual overhaul and information regarding the team was removed.

The final change for the company came when they declared that the website, brand and all copyrights for the business were sold to a company called Secretum Media, allegedly based in Seychelles, six days before a restraining order was filed against the company in America following an investigation into Klaus Maurischat for money laundering.

It is very interesting, how did GoMoPa find out about the upcoming restraining order and was able to register the new company only six days before the restraining order was filed?

Restraining Order Details:

The restraining order issued by " Saarbrucken District Court, issued an in rem arrest warrant to restrain the named Bank of America Account"

The restraining order referes to "With respect to the above-listed property, Klaus Maurischat, Goldman Morgenstern & Partners, LLC ("GOMOPA"), Mark Vornkahl "

Concerningly, Secretrum Media is located in Wyoming, US, instead of where it claimed to be from, Seychelles.

Scoredex GmbH

Besides being the CEO of GoMoPa, in the current decade, Klaus Maurischat is also the CEO of Scoredex GmbH, located in Zurich, Switzerland. Moreover, it seems that another GoMoPa founder, Mark Vornkahl also presents himself as CEO at Scoredex. Scoredex and GoMoPa have more in common than mutual CEOs. Like GoMoPa, Scoredex is reviewing companies, and presents itself as a scoring agency. Interesting enough, it appears that Goldman Morgenstern and Partners Consulting LLC and GoMoPa Control Inc are the sole shareholders at Scoredex.

Alleged Stasi Connection

The reputation of GoMoPa has been called into question more than once due to the connections that the founder, Klaus Mauirschat, has been alleged to have with the Stasi, infamous secret police operating in East Germany, throughout the 1950s to 1990s. The resulting allegations mean that GoMoPa was frequently described as a "Stasi website".

Further adding to the intrigue is that Maurischat himself was attacked in 2009 by three unknown perpetrators in Kreuzberg. On September 22nd, Klaus was beaten heavily in his face and then kicked repeatedly by the attackers. He was admitted to the hospital with major facial and head injuries.

The reasoning for the attack wasn't known at the time, but many speculated it was due to the alleged connection with the Stasi that drove the perpetrators to attack Klaus with no prior provocation.

@ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A large and highly venomous eastern brown snake has been filmed flattening itself to squeeze under a door inside a home.

Melbourne reptile wrangler Mark Pelley, known The Snake Hunter shared the footage after he was called out to the Diamond Creek home in the city's north-east by its owners.

'I'm frequently asked how snakes enter the house, so I thought I'd show you,' Mr Pelley explained in the video.

Melbourne reptile catcher Mark Pelley has revealed how snakes sneak inside your home

'Eastern brown snakes  even a large one like this  have the ability to flatten themselves out and gradually squeeze under tiny gaps under doors .'

'I frequently find them them inside Australian houses in summer.'

'All snakes endemic to Melbourne are venomous and have the ability to flatten themselves out to squeeze into tight spaces,' Mr Pelley told Yahoo News Australia.

Mark Pelley showed how this Eastern brown snake flattened itself to squeeze under a door and into a suburban home

He added big thick pythons found in other parts of Australia wouldn't be able to flatten themselves like those in Melbourne

While there's no 100 per cent way of keeping snakes out of your home, Mr Pelley recommends buy draught stoppers for external doors and ensure all doors are a tight fit against the ground.

His latest TikTok video has attracted more than 770,000 views and hundreds of comments.

Mark Pelley (pictured) says all snakes in Melbourne have the ability to flatten themselves and squeeze into tight spaces such as under doors

Not everyone appreciated the footage.

'New fear unlocked thanks,' one mortified viewer wrote.

Another added: 'I could of gone the rest of my life with out knowing this.'

A third said: 'Now I won't sleep ever again.'

Others asked for advice on how to keep snakes away from our homes.

The clip also attracted unwanted attention among horrified viewers overseas.

'This is #500th reason why I will never go to Australia!' one wrote.

Mr Pelley was recently rushed to hospital after he was bitten while trying to capture an eastern brown snake in a Melbourne backyard.

He was discharged the next morning and was back on the job capturing snakes just hours later.

Mr Pelly added it was the first time he's being bitten in his many years of being a professional snake wrangler.
A desperate appeal from police to find two suspected pram thieves caught allegedly walking out of a store with a brand new stroller is over after their Facebook plea garnered plenty of attention.

Police said the two women walked into the Baby Bunting store on Albany Highway in the southern Perth suburb of Cannington just before 3pm on February 18.

CCTV footage from the store showed the women casually strolling into the store with an old pram and a baby sitting inside it.

The two women allegedly pulled a new pram off the shelf before ripping the tags off and moving the baby from the old pram to the new stroller.

The pair then allegedly abandoned the old stroller inside the store before confidently walking out of the store's main entrance with the new pram and the baby.

The two women were caught on CCTV allegedly walking out of the store with the new pram

Western Australia Police later issued an appeal to help officers identify the pair

After two weeks of investigating, police failed to identify the two women and turned to Facebook for help.

Western Australia Police posted screenshots from the Baby Bunting store and appealed to the public for assistance in tracking them down.

Despite the Facebook post being filled with comments about their appearance, a Western Australia Police spokeswoman confirmed they had identified the pair on Monday afternoon.

'Various people have provided information to Crime Stoppers which has been forwarded to investigators,' the police spokeswoman said.

'If there is sufficient evidence to proceed with charges, they would most likely be charged with stealing.'

Police had earlier used local radio to try and find the two women, appealing for help in an interview with 'Burgo' on 6iX on Saturday morning.
The UK is investing 360 million in artificial intelligence, nuclear fusion and genetics to become a science superpower by the end of the decade, Rishi Sunak will announce today.

As part of the commitment, the Government will also pledge to ensure researchers have access to the best physical and digital infrastructure for research and development, to attract the best talent to this country.

The PM will say the UK can only stay ahead with focus, dynamism and leadership, and his ten-point plan promises to use post-Brexit freedoms to develop a pro-innovation culture in the public sector.

As part of the programme, the Government will set up an exascale supercomputer facility.

An exascale computer can carry out one quintillion calculations a second. A quintillion is one with 18 zeroes.

Rishi Sunak will announce a new 360 million investment in artificial intelligence, nuclear fusion and genetics

Dr Roger Highfield, science director of the Science Museum, said: It is really exciting news that the UK plans to set up an exascale supercomputer facility, given that we led the way in computing thanks to the likes of Charles Babbage, Ada Lovelace and Alan Turing.

UK scientists and engineers will welcome this announcement of further funding for high-performance computing, which has fallen behind in the past dozen years.

Todays funding announcement comprises 243 million of new funds and a previously announced 117 million for PhD research into artificial intelligence.

Mr Sunak said: Trailblazing science and innovation have been in our DNA for decades. But in an increasingly competitive world, we can only stay ahead with focus, dynamism and leadership. The more we innovate, the more we can grow our economy, create the high-paid jobs of the future, protect our security, and improve lives.

Science Secretary Michelle Donelan said innovation and technology hold the keys to raising productivity, increasing wages and cutting energy prices.

She added: We are putting the full might of the Government and our private sector partners behind our push to become a scientific and technological superpower.

Sir Paul Nurse, of the Francis Crick Institute, said: Only by being a leading science nation can the UK drive a sustainable economy, increase productivity and generate societal benefits such as improved healthcare and protecting the environment.
The family of a young woman who took her own life after using the same psychedelic drug Prince Harry praised this weekend has joined campaigners condemning his comments.

The Duke of Sussex has been widely criticised for discussing his drug use in a 90-minute livestream with trauma expert Dr Gabor Mate, with some claiming he is sending a worrying message to young people.

Harry told how using cannabis  a Class B drug  'really helped' him to deal with mental health issues following the death of his mother.

He also talked about his 'positive' experience of psychedelic drug ayahuasca, saying it 'brought me a sense of relaxation, release, comfort, a lightness that I managed to hold on to for a period of time'.

But the family of Jennifer Spencer have described his comments as 'irresponsible' after she died by suicide aged 29 in 2019.

Frank talk: Harry speaks about using drugs in the interview with trauma expert Dr Gabor Mate

Jennifer Spencer, 29, died by suicide after suffering from severe psychosis as a result of taking ayahuasca  a Class A hallucinogenic drug

Ms Spencer travelled to enjoy a yoga retreat in Peru where she took ayahuasca - a hallucinogenic drug which is illegal and a Class A substance in the UK.

She suffered severe psychosis as a result, which led her to taking her own life.

Today her aunt, Fiona Chase, 73, said Prince Harry should not be praising psychedelic drugs as they can affect individuals in dangerously different ways.

She told The Sun: 'He should not be speaking positively about this drug. It's irresponsible because a lot of people look up to him.

'It worked for him, but it certainly didn't work for Jenny. Like every drug, different people react differently.'

After Ms Spencer's death, the coroner issued an urgent warning about the drug to the NHS, saying: 'There is a lack of awareness about shamanic hallucinogenic drugs and their propensity to cause or exacerbate psychosis.

'Action should be taken to prevent future deaths.'

The Duke, 38, was interviewed by therapist Dr Mate, an outspoken supporter of decriminalising drugs who has allegedly used Amazonian plant ayahuasca to treat patients suffering mental illness.

Harry told him: '[Cocaine] didn't do anything for me, it was more a social thing and gave me a sense of belonging for sure, I think it probably also made me feel different to the way I was feeling, which was kind of the point.

'Marijuana is different, that actually really did help me.'

Fiona Spargo-Mabbs, who launched a drugs education charity in her son Daniel's name (pictured) after he died of an accidental MDMA overdose aged 16, described the comments as 'concerning'

Ms Spencer's family are not the only ones concerned by the Prince's praise for dangerous drugs.

Fiona Spargo-Mabbs, who launched a drugs education charity in her son Daniel's name after he died of an accidental MDMA overdose aged 16, described the comments as 'concerning'.

'Our work is with under-18s and our concern is that this can send a message that is going to make young people think that drugs are going to help them with stuff that is really difficult,' she said.

'It is a time when a lot of them are struggling with their mental health.

'Numbers have really increased and access to support services is a real struggle as services are incredibly stretched.

'Unfortunately young people are getting the message from somewhere that drugs are going to help with their problems and anything that reinforces that is a concern for us.

'Using drugs as a coping strategy is more likely to lead to dependence than other motivations because that becomes how you are coping with something.'

She added of Harry: 'He has been very public about his drug use, which is one thing, but the statement that it helped him is a concern for young people.'

TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp also criticised the Duke, tweeting: 'If you have a vast platform you don't mouth off about using illegal drugs, the trade which kills people.' In his memoir Spare, Harry admitted using cocaine, cannabis and magic mushrooms and was accused of being 'irresponsible' and glorifying drugs.

Ms Spargo-Mabbs, pictured with her husband Tim, said: 'Our work is with under-18s and our concern is that this can send a message that is going to make young people think that drugs are going to help them with stuff that is really difficult'

Yesterday pro-cannabis campaigners used Harry's comments bolster their calls for it to be legalised in the UK.

WHAT IS AYAHUASCA? Ayahuasca is a brew thought to be one of most powerful psychedelics known to man. Tribal societies widely use ayahuasca in the Amazon basin, where it is considered a 'wisdom' plant that allows entry into the spiritual world. It was recognized as such by the government of Peru in 2008. Different tribes make different versions of the brew. In its most basic form, the concentrated liquid is made using a combination of ayahuasca vine and chacruna leaves that have been boiled for hours, if not days. Various other plants can be added for different traditional purposes, but the natural psychedelic, DMT, is in the chacruna leaf. Scientific details on what exactly ayahuasca does to the brain are scant, but research suggests there are increased 'utilization rates' of monoamines within the amygdala, which increases the intensity of memories. There is also increased blood flow to the insula, which could be responsible for users' increased self-understanding. The effects of ayahuasca can be categorized into three stages. First, users have a sense of increased relaxation. They will feel sleepy and start to yawn a lot. The second stage is purging, where users will repeatedly throw up. This is thought to have a cleansing effect on the body. The third stage is an altered state of consciousness, during which users may have hallucinations where they see vivid and lucid beings, commonly 'mechanical elves'. Some people see and have conversations with people from their past. Advertisement

The CannaClub said on Twitter: 'Definitely time to decriminalise.

'If it's good enough for our Prince Harry then it's good enough for millions of people. Listen to the science. Cannabis is good for so many aliments.'

Clear Cannabis Law Reform, which campaigns for legally regulated cannabis to be available on prescription and at licensed outlets for adults, also retweeted a link to an article about the Duke.

Yesterday a charity blasted Dr Mate for diagnosing Harry with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) live on air.

The ADHD Foundation said it was not 'ethical nor appropriate to tell someone for the first time, in a public interview, that they have ADHD. It is for the individual to decide whether to disclose their neurodiversity'.

For decades, ayahuasca and other potent hallucinogens like peyote and magic mushrooms were dismissed by doctors and stigmatized as hippie drugs. Yet they are now at the cutting edge of trauma research and are finally being explored as serious therapeutics.

Last year, actor Will Smith revealed during an interview with Oprah Winfrey that he drank the brew over 12 times during a retreat in Peru, while having marital problems with his wife Jada.

Mike Tyson said ayahuasca and other psychedelics saved his life, while Hunter Biden said profound trips helped him become sober.

Traditional medications such as antidepressants - while powerful - work by increasing levels of chemicals, such as serotonin, to improve mood.

The imbalance of hormones can leave users feeling emotionally numb, and the drugs need to be taken for lengthy periods to feel the benefits.

Psychedelic therapies, on the other hand, are thought to physically alter pathways in the brain, changing people's outlook on life.

There are concerns that hallucinogens' rise to the mainstream is causing vulnerable people to take them without proper preparation and psychological support.

The drugs have missed out on vital research due to being outlawed and prejudiced, so scientists are only now starting to understand their positive and negative effects.

A study last year found that most ayahuasca users were left with mental health problems of varying degrees that lasted months.

Dr Charles Perkel, a New York-based psychiatrist who specializes in addiction, previously told DailyMail.com there are concerns that society is in a 'psychedelic hype bubble'.

'A massive amount of idealized expectation has been projected onto these medicines,' he said. 'There's an unrealistic expectation that a psychedelic journey will take away all our problems.'

Plus, psychedelics such as ayahuasca are not to be used by everyone. Dr Perkel said: 'Psychedelics can speed up your heart rate and increase your blood pressure, which could be problematic for someone with heart or circulation issues.'

He added: 'People with psychotic disorders, with bipolar disorder, people who are actively suicidal, people who are extremely emotionally dysregulated... it is possible that a psychedelic experience could worsen all those things.'

People with these conditions are currently excluded from trials on psychedelics for this very reason, Dr Perkel said.

For help and support, contact the Samaritans for free, anonymously, on 116 123, or visit samaritans.org.
A top Brussels negotiator has claimed EU law will still apply in Northern Ireland despite Rishi Sunaks new deal.

Maros Sefcovic told the European Parliaments Brexit committee that the veto over the application of EU laws in Northern Ireland was ineffective and that the European Court of Justice (ECJ) would still have ultimate authority.

The European Commission vice president was a key player in the Windsor Framework agreement, holding calls with the Foreign Secretary and Northern Ireland Secretary in the preceding weeks.

His words, made at a private event, will anger members of the Unionist DUP and Eurosceptic ERG group of Tory MPs, who are expected to reveal whether they will support the deal before the Budget.

Mr Sefcovic said the Stormont Brake, which allows Stormont and Westminster to reject new EU laws is very much limited in the scope, and can only be used under very strict conditions, in a recording obtained by the Sunday Telegraph.

Maros Sefcovic told the European Parliaments Brexit committee that the veto over the application of EU laws in Northern Ireland was ineffective and that the European Court of Justice (ECJ) would still have ultimate authority

Mr Sefcovic said the Stormont Brake, which allows Stormont and Westminster to reject new EU laws is very much limited in the scope, and can only be used under very strict conditions

He added: Be under no impression that there will be a diminishing of the role of the European Court of Justice.

Weve been very clear from the beginning... the role of the ECJ as the sole and final arbiter of EU law stays in place.
Social housing tenants will be urged to complain about shoddy and dangerous housing in a major government advertising campaign.

Housing Secretary Michael Gove said the campaign, which will encourage tenants to voice complaints first to landlords and then to the Housing Ombudsman if necessary, will shine a light on rogue landlords.

The focus on substandard housing follows the case of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died in December 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by mould in his housing assocation home.

Social housing tenants will be urged to complain about shoddy and dangerous housing in a major government advertising campaign (stock image)

Housing Secretary Michael Gove said the campaign will shine a light on rogue landlords

The Government has since put forward Awaabs Law, which requires landlords to fix reported hazards in social housing, such as mould, in a timely fashion or rehouse tenants in safe accommodation.
Pete Davidson's Mercedes has been left a mangled wreck after the star spun the car off the road 'at high speed' and smashed into the side of a house while his girlfriend Chase Sui Wonders was in the vehicle.

Davidson, 29, was driving the vehicle through the Flats neighborhood of Beverley Hills at around 11pm on Saturday night at 'high speed' when he lost control of the car, reports TMZ.

The Mercedes jumped the curb and hit a fire hydrant before it crashed into the side of a nearby house, law enforcement said. Police say drugs and alcohol were not a factor in the crash.

Photographs show Davidson's damaged Mercedes following the crash, with its hood, windscreen and bumper smashed in due to the force of the collision.

The crash occurred hours after Davidson had presented the Kids' Choice Awards in LA on Saturday night. Earlier that day, the couple had lounged on a beach in Hawaii before flying back to the mainland for the ceremony.

Pete Davidson and his girlfriend, Chase Sui Wonders, were involved in a car accident in Los Angeles on Saturday night with saw their vehicle plow into the side of a home. Pictured: Davidson's smashed car

The airbags in Davidson's car are seen following the crash on Saturday night

Davidson, 29, was in a Mercedes which was driving through the Flats neighborhood of Beverly Hills at high speed when the car suddenly lost control, jumped a curb, hit a fire hydrant, and crashed into the side of a nearby house, law enforcement reported. Pictured: The car's smashed windscreen

The home appeared to have suffered some damage to its exterior together with the front lawn

The couple were seen in each other's arms as they enjoyed the morning in Hawaii before jetting back to LA

Photos of the crash site also show that although the car did not manage to enter the property, it caused significant damage to the side of the house, narrowly missing a tree as it careened off the road.

Tire tracks can be seen furrowed deep into the front lawn of the home, while wooden paneling appears to have come away, with guttering also looking to have come loose.

Incredibly, no one was injured either inside or outside of the home, but the police were called to the scene and an investigation is now ongoing.

So far, neither Davidson nor 26-year-old Sui Wonders have been cited or arrested.

The crash occurred after a tiring day for the pair. Earlier Davidson and Sui Wonders had been photographed enjoying the beach in Hawaii on Saturday, returning to Los Angeles shortly afterwards.

Following a five hour flight from Hawaii back to LA, Davidson later presented at the Kids' Choice Awards that night.

Former Saturday Night Live cast member, Davidson, has dated several women, including supermodel Emily Ratajkowski, since breaking up with Kim Kardashian, 42, in August after nine months together.

Davidson and Sui Wonders met when they worked as love interests on the horror/comedy film Bodies Bodies Bodies in 2021.

The well-received whodunit about a group of wealthy 20-somethings planning a hurricane party at a mansion that turns deadly, received an 85-percent score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. The audience score, 69-percent, was not quite as generous.

Incredibly, no one was injured either inside or outside of the home, but the police were called to the scene and an investigation is now ongoing. Pictured: Davidson's damaged car following the crash

Pictured: Davidson's damaged car following the crash on Saturday night

Pete Davidson and his girlfriend, Chase Sui Wonders, were involved in a car accident in Los Angeles on Saturday night with saw their vehicle plow into the side of a home. Pictured: Davidson's car following the crash

Deep tire tracks can be seen in the lawn of this Beverly Hills home following a car accident in which Pete Davidson and Chase Sui Wonders were both traveling

Deep tire tracks could be seen furrowed into the grass verge on the side walk, narrowly missing a tree

A huge chunk of the home's lawn had been churned to mud after the Mercedes went over it

Mud can be seen covering the front lawn of this Beverly Hills home following the car crash

Some of the home's exterior walls appeared to come loose while a gutter also appeared loose

Wide tire tracks could be seen marking the sidewalk as Davidson's vehicle left the road

The home's lawn appeared to have suffered as a result of Saturday night's car accident

The pair are pictured in Kauai, Hawaii earlier this month where they had been enjoying a winter break

The love birds may have exhibited chemistry on the big screen, but they did not start dating until December 2022. They are pictured in here in mid-February

The love birds may have exhibited chemistry on the big screen, but they did not start dating until December 2022.

Acting may have brought them together again as the two also worked together on Pete's series Bupkis.

The comedy is described on IMDB.com as a heightened, fictionalized version of Pete's real life.

The actor not only stars in the Peacock series set to debut later this year, but also serves as a writer and executive producer.

Chase, meanwhile, has been broadening her horizons professionally modeling for MiuMiu, and Chanel.

The Detroit native can be seen next in City on Fire.

She stars as a crime victim in the thriller about a series of fires in 2003 New York City. is scheduled to debut on Apple TV+ May 12.
Cancer patients could soon be spared gruelling trips to hospital with a device to monitor treatment from home.

A trial is being carried out on the Liberty machine, which tests blood samples to see if patients are well enough to continue chemotherapy.

Results are sent to hospital clinicians who check blood counts and decide if they can carry on with the medication, which can often be taken orally at home.

Doctors say the device, which is smaller than a laptop, could transform how tens of thousands of people are treated, cutting appointments and saving hospitals time and money.

Chemotherapy can cause myelosuppression, or low blood counts, which can leave sufferers exhausted and at risk of life-threatening infections.

The Liberty machine (pictured) tests blood samples to see if patients are well enough to continue chemotherapy

Its smaller than a laptop... but makes a big difference The new device has made life much easier for Phil Frost, who says the only hard part about using it is pricking his own finger. He was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2019 and has had chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy but now has secondary tumours on his collarbone. Positive: Phil Frost, 69 Liberty allows Mr Frost, 69, a married father-of-two from Urmston, Greater Manchester, to monitor how well his immunotherapy drugs are working without having to go to The Christie. He tests his blood every four weeks. It is very easy to use, said Mr Frost. The hardest thing was having to prick your own finger. The retired business manager added: If this means that patients in future wont have to come to The Christie to have their blood tested but can do it from the comfort of their own home, then that is a wonderful innovation. Advertisement

It means patients must often attend weekly, fortnightly or monthly appointments to measure blood levels before continuing their treatment.

Patients at The Christie specialist centre in Manchester are testing Liberty and use a finger prick test to get a blood sample.

They put it on a slide and feed it into the machine which then analyses red and white blood cells and platelet counts to check if a person is at risk of complications.

Dr Toby Basey-Fisher, chief executive of Libertys creators Entia, said it could help with chemotherapy outside a medical setting.

He added: More and more cancer treatments are becoming oral therapies so for these patients, theres a lot of value if the only reason youre coming is for pre-treatment assessments or check-ups.

Since Covid, a lot of remote consultation happens, but one of the challenges is how do you get the blood tests completed.

This is a way that patients can self-test at home so decisions can be made without them having to be in hospital.

Its such a challenging time, being dragged in and out of hospital is often the last thing people want to be doing.

Dr Sacha Howell, a medical oncology consultant at The Christie, said: This is an exciting development.

'Positive results could lead to us implementing this device into our routine services to improve patients experiences and treatment in the very near future.

Researchers hope the machine will be approved by regulators later this year.

It will help those simply needing blood tests but others would still need to visit hospital for other checks, such as for liver or kidney function.

Liberty could also be used in the NHSs drive to set up virtual wards for up to 50,000 elderly and vulnerable patients as it has the potential to monitor a range of conditions in future.
Russian troops have been forced to use shovels during hand-to-hand combat in Ukraine due to a shortage of ammunition as Vladimir Putin continues to lose his grip on the war.

In the latest update from Britain's Ministry of Defence on the situation in Ukraine, it revealed that Russian mobilised reservists have said they were ordered to assault a Ukrainian concrete strong point armed with only 'firearms and shovels'.

The MoD said the shovels like the MPL 50 were likely also the tools used for hand-to-hand combat.

A standard-issue MPL 50 shovel has the mythologised reputation in Russia of being particularly lethal.

The shovel design hasn't changed much since its first introduction back in 1869. It is small and just 50cm (20in) in length.

In the Ministry of Defence's latest update on the situation in Ukraine, it revealed that Russian mobilised reservists said they were ordered to assault a Ukrainian concrete strong point armed with only 'firearms and shovels'. The MoD said the shovels like the MPL 50 were likely also the tools used for hand-to-hand combat (file image)

A standard-issue MPL 50 shovel has the mythologised reputation in Russia of being particularly lethal. The shovel design hasn't changed much since its first introduction back in 1869. It is small and just 50cm (20in) in length (file image)

It was used by the military as a close combat weapon, for entrenching as well as an axe and hammer in the Russian Empire, then Soviet Union and then its successor states since its invention.

Soviet Spetsnaz units reportedly trained using the MPL 50 shovel for hand-to-hand combat fighting.

The MoD said the usage of the shovel as a weapon 'highlights the brutal and low-tech fighting which has come to characterise much of the war'.

It added that one of the Russian reservists described being 'neither physically nor psychologically' prepared for the action.

Additionally, it said there is an increase in hand-to-hand combat in Ukraine.

It said that is likely because Putin keeps pushing for attacks by his infantry, even though they are short on ammunition.

The MoD update came as the founder of Russia's Wagner mercenary force said his troops tightening their grip on the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut were being deprived of ammunition, and if they were forced to retreat the entire front would collapse.

'If Wagner retreats from Bakhmut now, the whole front will collapse,' Yevgeny Prigozhin said in a video published over the weekend. 'The situation will not be sweet for all military formations protecting Russian interests.'

Reuters could not independently verify when and where the video was recorded. The footage was published on a Telegram channel that has been disseminating Prigozhin news and has associated itself with the Wagner Group.

The video was not published on Prigozhin's usual press service channel.

Prigozhin on Friday said that his units had 'practically surrounded Bakhmut,' where fighting has intensified in the past week with Russian forces attacking from nearly all sides.

But on Sunday he complained that most of the ammunition that his forces were promised by Moscow in February had not yet been shipped.

'For now, we are trying to figure out the reason: is it just ordinary bureaucracy or a betrayal,' Prigozhin said on his usual press service Telegram channel.

The mercenary chief regularly criticises Russia's defence chiefs and top generals. Last month, he accused Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and others of 'treason' for withholding supplies of munitions to his militia.

In a nearly four-minute video published on the Wagner Orchestra Telegram channel on Saturday, Prigozhin said his troops were worried that Moscow wanted to set them up as possible scapegoats if Russia lost the war.

'If we retreat, then we will go down in history forever as people who have taken the main step towards losing the war,' Prigozhin said.

'This is exactly the problem with ammunition hunger.'

Speaking seemingly from a bunker, Prigozhin said in the video that his troops would wonder whether they were being 'set up' for defeat by the country's top brass or maybe even by someone 'higher'.

The Wagner group has for months been central to Russian military effectiveness on the frontlines of Ukraine, having launched a mass recruitment drive in Russian prisons last year.

The group used human wave tactics, piling in underequipped and undertrained men to soak up Ukrainian resources before deploying better armed and trained mercenaries to break down Ukraine's fatigued fighters.

But since the demotion of Sergei Surovikin - an army general close to Prigozhin who was previously in command of Russia's armed forces - in December, Wagner has found itself starved of ammunition and support.

This has prompted suspicions that Russia's military commander Valery Gerasimov and Shoigu are choking Wagner's resources in an attempt to delegitimise them in the eyes of Putin while masking their own army's woeful performance.

Ukrainian soldiers in a trench under Russian shelling on the frontline close to Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Sunday, March 5

Despite regularly boasting it has one of the most advanced militaries in the world before it invaded Ukraine, Russia's true capabilities have been exposed by the year-long war in which Moscow's armies have suffered tens of thousands of losses.

Russian failures have in part been put down to its ageing equipment coming up against more modern Western-supplied arms in the hands of Kyiv's troops.

Thousands of Russian soviet-era tanks and other armoured vehicles have been destroyed but hand-held weapons, such as the US-made Javelin missile system, the HIMARs missile system, or by explosives dropped by drones.

Meanwhile, even some of Russia's most advanced paratroopers who were sent into Ukraine in the early days of the war to seize key objectives have since reported being given rusty rifles, and a lack of other vital equipment.
Thirty five people have been arrested

The rioters are said to have thrown rocks, sticks and even Molotov cocktails at police on the scene of Atlanta's future Public Safety Training Facility

Protesters at a proposed police training center in Atlanta set construction vehicles aflame and burned down a surveillance tower

Dramatic footage released by the Atlanta Police Department Sunday night showed the moment Antifa protesters dressed in all black broke into the construction site for a proposed police training facility.

Nearly 150 rioters could be seen in the video posted to Facebook dressed in all black or camouflage and wearing ski masks entered the site of Atlanta's future Public Safety Training Facility  dubbed Cop City by those who protest its development  and immediately set off fireworks.

Just a few moments later, the fireworks start to explode near where cops are stationed. Some of the group could later be seen gathering riot shields, as they motioned for others to join them.

Once they were together, they started throwing Molotov cocktails at a construction vehicle and ran away as it was left on fire. Other videos posted online showed a police surveillance tower on fire, sending smoke billowing nearby.

In the end 35 people were arrested, the Atlanta Police Department reports.

Antifa rioters fled after setting construction vehicles on fire with Molotov cocktails Sunday night in Atlanta

Some of the demonstrators could be seen breaking through the gats of the proposed police training center

The rioters donned all black or camouflage cloths with ski masks as they carried riot shields

In a statement, Atlanta Police said: 'A group of violent agitators used the cover of a peaceful protest of the proposed Atlanta Public Safety Training Center to conduct a coordinated attack.

'They changed into black clothing and entered the construction area and began to throw large rocks, bricks, Molotov cocktails and fireworks at police officers.

'The agitators destroyed multiple pieces of construction equipment by fire and vandalism,' the police continued, noting: 'The illegal actions of the agitators could have resulted in bodily harm.'

Police insisted the 'officers exercised restraint and used non-lethal enforcement to conduct arrests.'

And, the Atlanta Police Department said: 'With protests planned for the coming days, the Atlanta Police Department in collaboration with law enforcement partners have a multi-layered strategy that includes reaction and arrest.

'The Atlanta Police Department asks for this week's protests to remain peaceful.'

In the aftermath, controversial Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Green announced she is sponsoring a bill to declare Antifa a terrorist organization.

'This is domestic terrorism,' she wrote of the riots in Atlanta Sunday night. 'It was planned for weeks and announced on social media.'

She added that 'Antifa are domestic terrorists, and I'm introducing my bill to officially declare them a terrorist organization on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, protesters posted online how police arrived as the sun descended Sunday night and surrounded those enjoying a music festival at the site. They allegedly threatened legal observers with arrest.

Photos and videos from the scene showed police forcing people to the ground and throwing people in the back of police vans.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene took to Twitter in the aftermath to claim the protesters were Antifa

Atlanta police are seen heavily armed in the aftermath of the riots on Sunday

Cops seen at the 'Cop City' site in Atlanta pinning a person down and arresting them on Sunday night

Atlanta police officers are pictured at the scene of a proposed training facility that was burned down Sunday night

The charred remains of what appears to be a police vehicle on the scene are pictured

Cops are pictured with their guns drawn scouring the site of the proposed facility

Heavily-armed police in riot gear descended on the scene after rioters set fire to a construction vehicle and a surveillance tower

Georgia State Troopers lined up at the site as people protested against them

Police are pictured arriving at the site of the music festival Sunday night

Police swept the festival ground and forest where protesters had gathered for a week of action against the deforestation and construction of cop city. Atleast 30 arrests were made pic.twitter.com/Tgf2UccoTt  Your Story Matters (@HumanizingStory) March 6, 2023

The dramatic confrontation between police and protesters comes as individuals and activist organizations descend on the proposed site for a 'week of action' to protest its development.

The altercation comes during a week of planned protests

'This is the first week of action since the state killed someone,' Marlon Kautz, an organizer with Atlanta Solidarity Fund told The Guardian, referring to the police-involved killing of Manuel Paez Teran in January.

A private autopsy showed he was shot 13 times.

Authorities have asserted Teran  who identified as nonbinary  opened fire at a Georgia State Patrol trooper during a 'clearing operation' of the so-called autonomous zone at the site of the $90million project.

'The entire character, mood and status of the struggle has transformed dramatically... [and] feels much more real  to us and to the state,' Kautz said.

The week of action was set to include a Jewish Shabbat service on Friday night, herbal workshops and a 'know your rights' workshop.

As the fiery riot broke out Sunday night, a Weelaunee Music Festival was scheduled for the protesters who have descended into the woods in recent months.

Violent protests erupted in Atlanta, Georgia, following the shooting of 26-year-old Manuel Esteban Paez Teran

During the multi-agency operation GBI said approximately 25 campsites were located and removed from the site. Seven others were arrested and charged with domestic terrorism and criminal trespass, with additional charges pending (pictured)

Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum addresses the media after Sunday's demonstrations

Protesters set fire to a police surveillance tower at the site of a proposed police training facility in Atlanta

Demonstrators, who have set up a group called 'Stop Cop City', say the 381 acres of Weelaunee Forest is 'stolen Muscogee land' and that the creation would mean the destruction of wildlife and forestry.

They have become increasingly violent since they first descended on the woods last spring, with 19 people arrested on domestic terrorism charges since December.

Seven of those arrests emanated from a violent riot in downtown Atlanta on January 21, sparked by Teran's death. Several had ties to Antifa and were charged with domestic terrorism and criminal trespass.

They include:

Geoffrey Parsons, age 20, of Maryland Timothy Murphy, age 25, of Maine Spencer Bernard Liberto, age 29, of Pennsylvania Matthew Ernest Macar, age 30, of Pennsylvania Sarah Wasilewski, age 35, of Pennsylvania Christopher Reynolds, age 31, of Ohio Teresa Shen, age 31, of New York

Three other people contacted in connection with explosives were asked to provide their names to authorities and then let go.

Rioters were seen at the time setting a police car on fire and vandalizing property.

Authorities say protesters, dressed all in black, threw rocks at a building that houses the Atlanta Police Foundation in a protest

The militant environmentalists say they are trying to protect the forest, as well as the South River, which is endangered.

Members of the South River Watershed Alliance have worked for years to preserve the area, and say the training center can be created without destroying the surroundings.

Jacqueline Echols, the board president of the South River Watershed Alliance, said in a statement: 'I remain steadfast in my belief that the desired training can be accomplished without destroying the acreage at the prison farm.

'Balanced and equitable consideration must be given to the protection of the local ecosystem, the cultural and historical significance of the property, and health and wellbeing of the residents of the surrounding neighborhoods.'

Stop Cop City activists also say that the City of Atlanta has 'leased' the land  something the Mayor's office has denied, saying that the City in unincorporated DeKalb County owns it.

It stretches 85 acres into DeKalb County woods and is known as the Old Atlanta Prison Farm, where prisoners would work in poor conditions in the 20th century.

Prisoners helped to make the facility self-sustaining in 1935, with the penitentiary being officially shuttered in 1995. It has been abandoned ever since.

Devastating fires also hit the property in 2009 and 2017  illegal trash had been dumped and caused a huge blaze, which meant the site was sealed off until the plans for the training site were approved.

A mock city will be included in the new site, which has been the cause of months of unrest and controversy

The large-scale construction will be used to train officials from the Atlanta Police Department and the Atlanta Fire and Rescue Department

Atlanta Police's huge construction project was announced in November 2021 and is expected to open at the end of 2023 after a difficult two-year process.

It will have extensive facilities and a mock city and fire station so emergency services can better train their staff.

It will also include:
Microsoft is slowly building its Windows OS by releasing new features and patches from time to time. The tech giant's recent addition, however, is the new volume mixer in Quick Settings, which will allow users to customize audio easily.

The New Volume Mixer

The feature will allow users not only to switch between audio devices like switching from headphones to speakers, but also enable spatial sound as well as adjust the volume for each individual app. It can be done through the shortcut Microsoft also added for the feature.

Users can quickly access it by pressing the Windows, Ctrl, and V keys at the same time. Microsoft stated that with the change, users can now tailor their audio experience to their liking with more control and fewer clicks to manage their favorite app, as mentioned in Engadget.

You can also enable the Windows Sonic experience through a quick-access list of installed spatial sound technology. The apps needed for the additional partial sound technology can be found in the Microsoft store. You may choose between Dolby Access or DTS Unbound Sound.

Re-Introducing the Touch Keyboard Feature

Microsoft release a touch keyboard setting with Build 25188 wherein Windows can display a touch keyboard when there's no keyboard attached, but it was disabled with Build 25217. It can now be accessed again through Settings, Time & Language, Typing, and then Touch Keyboard.

There are three options users can choose from in the dropdown menu. "Never: means that the touch keyboard will not appear even without a hardware keyboard. "When no keyboard attached" will appear when a device is used as a tablet, and "Always," which explains itself.

Auto Color Management Expansion

Back in October 2022, Microsoft released Auto Color Management wherein particular hardware can accelerate system-level color management, which can only be used for certain qualifying and "specially provisioned SDR displays," according to Microsoft.

It makes dire that the color production on devices are both accurate and consistent, even if they are not color-managed. The new release will let Insiders in the Dev Channel turn ACM on for their SDR displays, which allows them to have all colors across various Windows apps.

To turn the ACm on, head to Settings, and then under Display, click on Advanced Display, select the right display and turn on "Automatically manage color for apps," Although, enabling the ACM will need the following requirements:

WDDM driver version 3.0 or greater

Supported GPU such as:

-AMD RX 400 Series or later

-AMD Ryzen processors with Radeon Graphics

-Intel 12th Gen (Alder Lake) or later (Integrated)

-Intel DG1 or later (Discreet)

-NVIDIA GTX 10xx or later (Pascal+)

Read Also: Windows 11 Taskbar Not Working? Here Are Ways To Fix The Problem

Voice Access Commands

Microsoft has also improved its in-app command help page for the voice access feature to make it easier to understand. Users can now easily find commands and different categories in the search bar, align with a description and examples of their variation.

To access the command help page, go to Help, then View All Commands on the voice access bar. Voice access is now extended to other English dialects like English-UK, English-India, English-New Zealand, English-Canada, and English-Australia.

Related: Microsoft Releases Fix for Windows 11 Remote Desktop Freezes
Shocking pictures reveal how a Ukrainian city has been reduced to a dystopian wasteland by Vladimir Putin's Russian forces.

Aerial footage reveals the ruins left of Maryinka, in Donetsk, where the front line runs through the little that is left of the town.

Grey ruins surrounded by mountains of debris create the illusion of a dystopian landscape where all life has been wiped out.

Maryinka has been a battleground long before the war started last year; when Russia first invaded Ukraine in 2014, the town was already under fire by the Russians.

But the intense fighting since the February 24 invasion last year has left no building in the town, which once housed 10,000 people, intact.

Aerial footage reveals the ruins left of Maryinka, in Donetsk, where the front line runs through the little that is left of the town

Grey ruins surrounded by mountains of debris create the illusion of a dystopian landscape where all life has been wiped out

Maryinka has been a battleground long before the war started last year; when Russia first invaded Ukraine in 2014, the town was already under fire by the Russians

Many are barely recognisable as buildings at all. Shellfire has also made matchsticks of the town's trees  many of them ripped apart at the trunk.

Russian tank fire, filmed on February 19, further added to the destruction, pounding what appeared to be Ukrainian positions amid the ruins.

Maryinka's police chief, Artem Schus, describes his town as 'completely destroyed'.

READ MORE: Russian troops are forced to use SHOVELS during hand-to-hand combat in Ukraine due to a shortage of ammunition as Putin continues to lose his grip on the war Advertisement

Apart from soldiers, the town has been entirely evacuated 'because there is no way for the civilian population to live there,' he said.

Still, according to the police chief, dozens of townspeople have been killed and many wounded.

Schus believes that Russian forces are deliberately razing the ruins, blasting walls that still stand, to 'destroy all cover, regardless of whether it is a civilian shelter or a military facility'.

He added: 'They destroy everything because, with their tactics, they cannot defeat our troops, and resort to the destruction of all living things.'

The war has moved on and is currently raging in Bakhmut, 70 miles north.

Oleksandr Marchenko, the deputy mayor of Bakhmut, told the BBC that the remaining 4000 residents are holding out in shelters without gas, electricity or water, as Russians are trying to encircle the 'almost destroyed' city now laying in ruins like Maryinka and Mariupol.

The town, around 400 miles south east of Kyiv, has for months been a prime target of Moscow's grinding eastern offensive in the war, with Russian forces and private Wagner Group surrounding Ukrainian units.

The city is almost surrounded, with Russian forces now occupying the east, north and south of the city and only one road out, a situation top Ukrainian commander Volodymyr Nazarenko described as 'hell'.

It has now become too dangerous for the last remaining residents to make it out of the area by vehicle, with a woman killed and two men badly wounded by shelling as they tried to cross a makeshift bridge yesterday.

Putin's forces have been relentlessly attacking the small mining town as part of efforts that would give them a first major victory in more than half a year.

But both sides are said to have suffered huge losses during the fighting, with Kyiv officials claiming seven Russian soldiers have been killed for every Ukrainian troop who has died in the area, The Sunday Times reports.

But particularly the intense fighting since the February 24, 2022 invasion has left no building in the town, which used to be home to 10,000 people, intact

Many are barely recognizable as buildings at all. Shellfire has also made matchsticks of the town's trees  many of them ripped apart at the trunk

Russian tank-fire, filmed on February 19, further added to the destruction, pounding what appeared to be Ukrainian positions amid the ruins

Ukrainian servicemen fire a 105mm Howitzer towards Russian positions, near the city of Bakhmut

Soldiers from a Ukrainian assault brigade prepare to fire a British made L118 105mm Howitzer on Russian trenches

Undertakers lower the coffin of Volodymyr Hurieiev, a Ukrainian soldier killed in the Bakhmut area

Much of the town has now been reduced to rubble following repeated shelling, with around 4,000 residents said to still be living in the area.

Bakhmut's deputy mayor Oleksandr Marchenko has accused Russian troops of turning the town into a new Mariupol.

READ MORE: Woman killed and others injured as Ukrainian and Russian forces fight in Bakhmut Advertisement

He told the BBC: 'Not a single building remains untouched. They want to destroy Bakhmut like they did with Mariupol.'

Mariupol is now fully in the hands of Russian forces, having been cut off from the rest of Ukraine early in the war and subject to horrifying barrages and a siege.

Civilians were left without heat, food or water for weeks and described melting snow for something to drink before drinking from radiators when the snow ran out.

It was the scene of perhaps the deadliest single attack of the war when a Russian jet bombed a theatre with the word 'children' scrawled on the pavement outside, killing up to 600 people sheltering inside.

Thousands are known to have died in the siege, with their bodies often piled into mass graves hastily dug alongside roads.

Alexander Rodnyansky, an economic adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, noted that Russia was using the best troops of the Wagner Group to try to encircle the city, while Zelensky accused Moscow of throwing waves of men into Bakhmut with no regard for their lives.

Recent drone footage shows the scale of devastation in the city, while Zelensky has said it has been 'destroyed.'

Flames and smoke rise into the sky from blazing buildings while constant gunfire and explosions ring out from within the city's crumbling walls.

It comes amid fears of a looming withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Bakhmut, with units having destroyed two key bridges in the past two days - including one linking it to the nearby town of Chasiv Yar along the last remaining supply route.

Britain's Ministry of Defence said in a Twitter update that the destruction of the bridges came as Russian fighters made further inroads into Bakhmut's northern suburbs

Bakhmut has for months been a prime target of Moscow's grinding eastern offensive in the war, with Russian troops  including forces from the private Wagner Group  inching ever closer

The destruction of the bridges prevents Russian forces from taking them and gaining a pivotal supply route.

Britain's Ministry of Defence said in a Twitter update that the destruction of the bridges came as Russian fighters made further inroads into Bakhmut's northern suburbs.

The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think-tank, said Ukrainian troops may 'conduct a limited and controlled withdrawal from particularly difficult sections of eastern Bakhmut', while seeking to inhibit Russian movement there and limit exit routes to the west.

Capturing Bakhmut would not only give Russian fighters a rare battlefield gain after months of setbacks, but it might rupture Ukraine's supply lines and allow the Kremlin's forces to press toward other Ukrainian strongholds in the Donetsk region.

But Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the Ukrainian presidential office, said yesterday that its forces will not be leaving the area.

Some reports also told of plans for reinforcements, despite President Zelensky last week saying the situation in the town was becoming 'more and more difficult'.

Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin, a rogue millionaire with longtime links to Putin, also said on Wednesday that so far he had seen no signs of a Ukrainian withdrawal from the city. He claimed that Kyiv has in fact been reinforcing its positions there.

A soldier from a Ukrainian assault brigade walks along a muddy road used to transport and position British made L118 105mm Howitzers

Ukrainian servicemen prepare munitions to fire with a 105mm Howitzer towards Russian positions in Bakhmut

'The Ukrainian army is deploying additional troops and is doing what it can to retain control of the city,' Prigozhin said. 'Tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers are offering fierce resistance, and the fighting is getting increasingly bloody by day.'

Meanwhile, a defence source told The Sunday Times that, even if Bakhmut was to fall, it would 'not make much difference strategically as Russian forces had already occupied the hills around [Bakhmut] but would certainly be totemic'.

After losing extensive territory in the second half of 2022, Russian forces have been replenished by hundreds of thousands of reservists.

Kyiv, for its part, has stuck mainly to defence over the past three months, hoping Russia's assault will exhaust Moscow's forces before Ukraine launches a counter-attack with new weapons promised by the West.
The deep freeze set to hit parts of the UK from today could extend fruit and vegetable shortages due to the adverse weather conditions, growers' organisations warned last night.

Supermarkets across Britain have struggled to fill shelves with salad items such as lettuce, tomatoes and various vegetables due to cold weather in Europe playing havoc with the supply chain.

Poor conditions has meant fewer readily available fruit and vegetables from the continent, meaning supplies on supermarket shelves have dwindled in recent weeks.

Now British growers warn that the cold conditions expected this week will further hit supplies in the future as it could reduce the availability of British crops too.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for large parts of Scotland and northeast England until midnight on Tuesday evening.

Supermarkets across Britain have struggled to fill shelves with salad items such as lettuce, tomatoes and various vegetables due to cold weather

Growers are warning the shortages may continue amid the cold snap that is expected to hit the UK from today

Joe Shepherdson, of the Cucumber Growers' Association, told The Sun: 'Plants are going in more each week but harvest is still four weeks away and we have this incoming weather to deal with.'

'Cold dark days delay plants. It slows them down. Plus you need extra gas to speed them up, which growers are reluctant to do'.

Jack Ward, of the British Growers Association, said we will see 'stocks running low of carrots, leeks, cabbage and cauliflower'.

He added that some of the supply issues were down to high energy costs as some growers are waiting to plant their crops until the worst of the cold weather is over.

The hot 2022 summer, which caused widespread drought, has also not helped matters.

Last week poor weather conditions in areas of Spain caused poor yields which stripped supermarket shelves in Britain of fruit and vegetables, and especially salad items.

The shortages of fruit and vegetables in shops and at markets are being part-blamed on 'just in time' supply chains at supermarkets.

Asda, Morrisons, Tesco, Aldi and Lidl all rationed salads last week.

Now, with flooding, snow and cold weather in Morocco and Spain hitting supplies to Britain, there is no slack in the chain.

Spain supplies 80 per cent of fresh produce to Britain during the winter.

Spain supplies 80 per cent of fresh produce to Britain during the winter - and poor weather has produced lower yields

The UK is set to see heavy snow in large parts of Scotland and the northeast of England this week

Richard Diplock, managing director at the Green House Growers based in southern England, said his energy costs are some six times higher compared with previous winters.

'We made the decision that we could't afford to heat the greenhouses in December and January, and we've held back planting until February. Lots of tomato growers are in a similar position,' he said.

Meanwhile some experts are pointing to Brexit as a contributing factor.

'One hypothesis for fewer exports to the UK is that if supply is constrained, why would you go to extra paperwork (to export to Britain)?' said Michael Winter, a professor of agricultural change at the University of Exeter.

'If transaction costs are greater for exporting to one country compared to another, that's going to dictate where you go.'

But he added: 'I don't want to overplay that. It's more to do with climate change and lack of investment in our industry.'

It was reported earlier this week that Iceland bosses expected fruit and veg supply to be 'back to normal' within two weeks.

But with snow and ice warnings, and a cold snap expected to send temperatures into minus figures, it is unclear whether that prediction will stand.

Temperatures are set to plummet to -8C in some parts of Scotland this week, with below freezing temperatures predicted to continue until March 11 at least amid a sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) event.

Snow and ice are also set to descend on northern England, the east coast of England and Northern Ireland caused by freezing Artic air after a spate of calmer conditions.

The recent benign conditions are down to an area of high pressure, which is now moving away to the west, allowing a northerly airflow to sweep across the UK.

The chance of snow in the south is at its highest after Tuesday.
John Wick star Donnie Yen's invite to present at the 2023 Oscars has triggered backlash over his support for the Chinese Communist Party and their brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.

A Change.org petition calling for Yen, who was recently cast alongside Keanu Reeves in John Wick: Chapter 4, to be removed from the upcoming Academy Awards over his outspoken allegiance to the controversial Chinese President Xi Jinping. It has gained over 20,000 signatures.

The petition was created by 'a group of people from Hong Kong,' according to a letter addressed to the Oscars Committee, who said Yen's remarks in support of China's communist government 'violate the the spirit of freedom of speech but also deny the rights of the people of Hong Kong to fight for their freedom and democracy.

Yen, who is known for his roles in Star Wars: Rogue One and Mulan, landed in hot water in after speaking out against demonstrators protesting against the Chinese government Hong Kong in 2019. In a recent GQ article, he doubled down on his position and said 'It wasn't a protest, okay, it was a riot.'

The actor was raised in Hong Kong for part of his childhood, and in 2020 drew backlash from many after making a Facebook post fondly commemorating the anniversary of the region becoming a part of China, and recalling playing piano in front of President Xi at concert celebrating the event.

Donnie Yen alongside Keanu Reeves. The two are starring together in John Wick: Chapter 4

Donnie Yen stands alongside President Xi Jinping during a ceremony in 2017

Chinese President Xi Jinping. Yen has expressed support for him over the years

The petition creators described Yen as 'an actor who supports the Chinese Communist Party's violation of human rights,' and said the Oscars awards would be condoning his stance if they allowed him to speak.

'As a globally recognized film award, the Oscars should represent respect for human rights and moral values, rather than support for actions that violate them.'

'Donnie Yen is a supporter of the Chinese Communist regime and has made several remarks in support of the Chinese government's policies, including supporting the implementation of the National Security Law in Hong Kong and accusing Hong Kong protesters of being rioters,' the petition read.

'These remarks not only violate the spirit of freedom of speech but also deny the rights of the people of Hong Kong to fight for their freedom and democracy.'

The letter said that selecting Yen to speak at the awards showed 'contempt' for Hong Kong, and also undermined its people in the global perspective.

'If the Oscars Committee continues to invite such a person as a guest presenter, it will damage the image and reputation of the film industry and cause serious harm to human rights and moral values.'

'We demand that the Oscars Committee reconsider this decision and cancel the invitation of Donnie Yen as a presenter for the Oscars,' it concluded. 'Let us work together to uphold human rights and moral values, and make the Oscars a truly respectful award.'

Yen recalls meeting President Xi during a celebration of Hong Kong becoming a part of China

Demonstrators protesting oppressive laws imposed on Hong Kong by China in 2019

Donnie Yen is known for for appearing in Mulan (above) and Star Wars: Rogue One

In the GQ article published last month, Yen dismissed the 2019 demonstrators.

'I'm not going to be here talking about how to change how people feel about it,' he said. 'But my own experience, like, I was there, I have many friends who were there. I don't want to get political. A lot of people might not be happy for what I'm saying, but I'm speaking from my own experience.'

During the protests, demonstrators thronged to the streets to march against a number of oppressive laws enacted by the Hong Kong and Chinese government.

The protests were met with violent suppression by China, and led to the arrests of thousands.

In the midst of the protests, Yen drew Ire for making an effusive post about the anniversary of Hong Kong joining China, and recalled playing piano at a a commemorative concert where President Xi was in the audience.

'Today is the celebration day for Hong Kong returned to motherland China 23 years,' he wrote. 'Recalling such memorable night in 2017 where I had the privilege to performed with piano Mastro Lang Lang for Chairman Xi and wife along with several hundred guests who came to watch the show and celebrated the night!'

Yen included a picture of him meeting Xi on stage after the performance.
The strategy would provide funding and training to deal with pre-1919 buildings

The organisations called for the government to have a national retrofit strategy

The National Trust, Historic England and major property companies have called for a national plan to insulate Britain's historic buildings ahead of next week's Budget.

In a report published on Monday, the organisations said an extra 105,000 workers, including plumbers, electricians and carpenters, were needed to make historic buildings more energy efficient, more than double the number currently working on the issue.

To address the shortage, they called for the Government to implement a national retrofit strategy that would provide the necessary training and funding to deal with historic buildings, defined as those built before 1919.

According to the report, published by the National Trust, Historic England, the Crown Estate and property companies Peabody and Grosvenor, around a quarter of all homes and a third of commercial buildings are considered to be 'historic', amounting to just less than seven million properties.

These also tend to be the least energy efficient buildings, as they were built to prevent the build-up of moisture and mould.

The National Trust, Historic England and major property firms have called for a plan to insulate Britain's historic buildings ahead of next week's Budget (pictured: Osterley Park House)

Tor Burrows, Grosvenor's executive director of sustainability and innovation, said: 'The Environmental Audit Committee has called for a national mobilisation on energy efficiency.

We believe this captures the urgency of the task. 'The UK needs a long-term national retrofit strategy, led by the Government, positively bringing together training, funding and standards to sensitively decarbonise our historic buildings.

'Only then can we truly seize this opportunity to tackle a significant source of greenhouse emissions while protecting our much-loved built heritage.'

The five organisations claimed that retrofitting the UK's historic buildings would support 290,000 jobs and boost the economy by 35 billion, as well as slashing Britain's carbon emissions.

The call echoes one made by net zero tsar Chris Skidmore, who has also proposed a national retrofit strategy, and comes as Chancellor Jeremy Hunt considers his plans for the Budget on March 15.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams says he believes last week's mayoral election loss of Lori Lightfoot in Chicago could have implications for the entire country as a whole describing it as 'a warning sign'.

Adams campaigned heavily on issues of public safety and combating rising crime with his unique perspective garnered from time working in law enforcement.

'I think it is a warning sign to the country. Eric Adams has been talking about public safety not only on the campaign trail, but for the next year,' the mayor began.

'I showed up at crime scenes. I knew what New Yorkers were saying. And I saw it all over the country. I think, if anything, it is really stating that this is what I have been talking about. America, we have to be safe,' he told CNN on Sunday.

During his campaign, Adams emphasized how public safety was not just a political issue, but a fundamental necessity for the prosperity of American cities.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams says Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot's reelection loss is a warning sign for the entire country, not just Democratic mayors

Democrat Mayor Lori Lightfoot lost her re-election bid over criticisms of her soft-on-crime approach amid a steady spike in violence. Pictured: Lightfoot at her election night rally on February 28

'Mayors, we are closer. We're closest to the problem. We are focused on public safety because people want to be safe,' he said.

Adams called public safety a 'prerequisite to prosperity' in American cities. He said that mayors should be able to see the impact of crime first hand and work with law enforcement officials and community leaders to find solutions.

But Adams has faced criticism from some Democrats who argue that his rhetoric on crime hurts the party and plays into the hands of Republicans.

Adams responded to this criticism by pointing out that the concerns of everyday working-class people cannot be ignored.

Adams stressed how he claims to have witnessed firsthand the fear and anxiety that many New Yorkers feel about the rise in crime, and believes that their concerns must be taken seriously.

'The polls were clear. New Yorkers felt unsafe, and the numbers showed that they were unsafe. if we want to ignore what the everyday public is stating, then that's up to them. I'm on the subways. I walk the streets. I speak to everyday working-class people. And they were concerned about safety.

'We have a recidivism problem in New York and far too many people, there's about 2,000 people who are repeatedly catch, release, repeat in crimes. If we don't take them off our streets, they're going to continue to prey on innocent people.'

Last month NYPD revealed a 5.6 percent drop in major crimes for February compared to the same last year, including 10 fewer murders compared with 2022.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who was notoriously soft on crime scraped just 17 percent of the vote in the race for City Hall, forcing a run off between Paul Vallas, a former schools CEO and Brandon Johnson, a Cook County commissioner on April 4.

Lightfoot, the first black woman and first openly gay person to lead the city, won her first term in 2019 after promising to end decades of corruption and backroom dealing at City Hall.

But opponents blamed Lightfoot for an increase in crime that occurred in cities across the U.S. during the pandemic and criticized her as being a divisive, overly contentious leader.

As crime continued to soar through the last years of her term, Lightfoot was heavily criticized for promoting other matters than public safety, including a citywide karaoke contest and dancing in the street during a festival.

Speaking to supporters Tuesday night, Lightfoot called being Chicago's mayor 'the honor of a lifetime.'

'Regardless of tonight's outcome, we fought the right fights and we put this city on a better path,' Lightfoot said. She told her fellow mayors around the country not to fear being bold.

Lightfoot first faced intense backlash after she joined calls from Democratic mayors in 2021 to cut the budget of police departments, a movement that also resulted in officers quitting the force and violent crime to spike.

The embattled mayor then committed to a U-turn, opting instead to 'refund the police' and hire more officers, but the move has done little to curb crime.

According to the Chicago Police Department's latest report, rapes have shot up by 16 percent so far this year compared to the same time in 2022.

Robberies are also up 13 percent, with aggravated battery and burglaries both up 11 percent.

Theft in the windy city is up 31 percent, and vehicle thefts, specifically, have soared up 143 percent.

Homicides and shooting incidents were the only category to see decreases, falling by 18 percent and 8 percent, respectively.

While overall violent crime is up 52 percent from the same time last year, it's up 102 percent when compared to 2021.
A boy has been rushed to hospital with head injuries after being hit by a car on his way to school.

Emergency services were called to the confronting scenes on Sydenham Rd in Marrickville in Sydney's inner-west on Monday morning after the boy was struck by a oncoming vehicle in a school zone.

Bystanders performed first aid on the boy until paramedics arrived.

He suffered deep cuts to his forehead and was taken to Sydney Children's Hospital in a stable condition.

NSW Ambulance Inspector Mick Corlis described the scene as 'quite confronting' as he issued a timely reminder for all motorists when driving in school zones.

Paramedics faced confronting scenes after a boy was hit by a car on his way to school on Monday morning (stock image)

A 40km/h speed limit applies to NSW school zones during school drop-off between 8am and 9.30am and the pick-up period from 2.30pm to 4pm.

'This child had a deep cut to his head with bystanders administering initial first aid,' Inspector Corlis said.

'Paramedics then arrived and controlled the bleeding.

The incident was one of three accidents to occur in school zones across Sydney on Monday morning.

The boy was hit by a car on Sydenham Rd in Marrickville in Sydney's inner-west

'Luckily none of the children were seriously injured,' Inspector Corlis said.

'It is a reminder to drivers to be extremely careful in school zones.

There are lots of people around, especially children who can step onto the road unexpectedly or suddenly appear behind buses or large vehicles.'
An actress who accused Craig McLachlan of sexually assaulting her during theatre performances has raged against his return to television.

McLachlan was charged with assault and indecent assault over complaints from female co-stars in a 2014 stage production of the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

He was acquitted by a magistrate of all charges in December 2020 but has not held an acting gig since the accusations came to light in 2018.

The former Neighbours star was on Sunday revealed to be a contestant on the next season of SAS Australia, where celebrities are put through grueling tests by ex-special forces.

Christie Whelan Browne, one of the four women who accused him of indecent assault, was furious McLachlan was being welcomed back to the spotlight.

Craig McLachlan was charged with assault and indecent assault over complaints from female co-stars in a 2014 stage production of the Rocky Horror Picture Show

Christie Whelan, one of the four women who accused him of indecent assault, was furious McLachlan was being welcomed back to the spotlight

'How do we feel about someone who was charged on multiple sexual assault charges being put back on TV and being referred to simply as a "controversial figure"?' she wrote on Twitter on Monday.

'I also saw a post saying he was the "winner" of that case. But if you bother to read the judgement... the judge WHO HEARD THE EVIDENCE, believed it happened.

'I am so f**king sick of this s**t.'

McLachlan was referred to as a 'controversial former actor' in one article, and the trial barely mentioned in the first report of his SAS casting - and even then sympathetically.

The case was tried under old consent laws because the alleged crimes occurred before they were changed.

Victorian laws were updated in 2015 to make a defendant guilty of sexual or indecent assault if their incorrect belief they had consent was 'unreasonable'.

McLachlan by contrast merely had to prove he believed he had consent, regardless of whether his belief was unreasonable.

Magistrate Belinda Wallington said in her 105-page judgement that she found the incidents to have happened, but that McLachlan believed he had consent.

'I can not dismiss the reasonable possibility that in his egocentric state of mind, amongst some amount of adulation from sections of the cast and management, in combination with a lack of checks and balances on his lewd behaviour, that he was not aware of [the complainant's] lack of consent,' she said.

Of another charge she said: 'I am unable to exclude the possibility that an egotistical, self-entitled sense of humour led the accused to genuinely think that [the complainant] was consenting to his actions.'

McLachlan was acquitted by a magistrate of all charges in December 2020 but has not held an acting gig since the accusations came to light in 2018

Craig McLachlan with his longtime girlfriend Vanessa Scammell (left) and barrister Stuart Littlemore, QC (right) at his trial in 2020

Magistrate Wallington on several occasions said she found the complainants to be 'credible' and that she 'accepted [their] evidence in full'.

She also pointed out that her judgement would likely be different had the case been tried under the post-2015 laws.

Referring to a claim that McLachlan 'vampire kissed' a co-star on the neck on stage without consent, she said: 'An objective view of his conduct would give rise to a strong inference that he did not reasonably believe that [the complainant] was consenting.

'It seems counterintuitive to find an accused not criminally liable for such sexual harassment and, as I said, this is no longer the law.'

Magistrate Wallington criticised the old law for 'rewarding the sex offender for their self-absorption' and 'deluded honesty'.

Whelan accused McLachlan of indecent assault when she 'felt a finger trace about 2cm down her labia' during a scene when she was partially hidden by a sheet.

The sex scene involved McLachlan's character Dr Frank-N-Furter disappearing under a bedsheet to simulate sex acts on Janet, whose bottom half was also under the sheet.

'One night when he was down in the bed he traced the outline of my vagina with his finger and I slapped his hand away,' Whelan told the 7.30 report in 2018.

'The scene stopped when he went down and the rest was up to me to perform. That wasn't a character choice, that was him just being completely inappropriate.'

Magistrate Wallington said it couldn't be proven beyond reasonable doubt that McLachlan believed he had consent until his hand was slapped away.

McLachlan sued Whelan for defamation, along with several media outlets, after his acquittal, but dropped the $3 million lawsuit last year.

Whelan said she was so terrified by rape and death threats after she went public that she moved house and slept with a knife under her bed.

The actress has frequently criticised McLachlan, and last month lodged a complaint with the Australian Human Rights Commission.

She claimed the show's producer, the Gordon Frost Organisation, breached the Sex Discrimination Act.

Her complaint alleged it breach the act by 'engaging in sex discrimination, exposing me to unsafe conditions of work, breaching its duty of care towards me, failing to meet work, health and safety standards, and permitting another employee to engage in sex discrimination and sexual harassment'.

McLachlan is contractually forbidden to talk about his appearance on SAS Australia, but his longtime girlfriend Vanessa Scammell said he barely made it to filming.

After emergency abdominal surgery late last year, McLachlan had to get himself back in good enough shape to pass rigourous fitness tests to participate.

Ms Scammell repeated her boyfriend's insistence that he did nothing wrong, and said the lengthy legal proceedings would help his mental preparation.

'He believes that nothing could be as horrific as having survived the past five years of legal battles and court processes he has had to endure, and that the mental strength and fortitude will hold him in good stead,' she told the Daily Telegraph.

'There is no way to adequately describe how profoundly difficult it was to survive those days calmly without emotion, maintaining dignity and respectfully trusting the process.'

Ms Scammell said it was 'deeply disappointing and frankly very concerning' that the industry did not give him a second chance despite 'a full acquittal in a criminal court'.

McLachlan flew out of Sydney in the past week to film the show overseas.
More than 300,000 migrants are set to arrive this year

Pauline Hanson has called out Anthony Albanese over the estimated 300,000 migrants set to arrive in Australia this year as the country battles a severe housing crisis.

The One Nation senator took to social media to lambast the prime minster on immigration as she shared an image of a series of newspaper stories that illustrated Queensland's crippling rental crisis on Monday.

'Anthony Albanese's broken immigration election promise means Australia faces an influx of 300,000+ foreign arrivals this year alone!' she wrote.

'Meanwhile, many Aussie families are struggling to find a house to rent or buy and those that do are paying a huge price!'

She claimed it was 'more lies, more broken promises, and more pain for Aussies'.

Pauline Hanson (pictured) has slammed Anthony Albanese for breaking an election promise regarding the number of migrants set to arrive in Australia

Senator Hanson told Daily Mail Australia: 'The Albanese government stated it would increase immigration from 160,000 to 195,000 per year (not including refugees), primarily to address skills and labour shortages in Australia.'

'However, more than 300,000 are coming in. That is more than a 50% increase.

'Most Australians do not favour high immigration levels and One Nation wants a national plebiscite to be held on the question so the major parties can be unequivocally shown this and put in place immigration policies which reflect what the electorate wants, rather than what big retailers want.'

Mr Albanese had in fact agreed before last year's election to increase permanent migration from 160,000 to 195,000 places and to speed up visa processing for foreign workers.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers conceded back in January that Treasury had 'underestimated' immigration numbers.

He explained that the higher figure was likely due to severe labour shortages and the return of international students.

'We've got serious skills and labour shortages that are acting as a handbrake,' he said.

'It's a reasonable assumption the number may be higher than the 235,000 printed in the Budget.'

Senator Hanson suggested that the miscalculation was a significant oversight by Treasury.

'The Treasurer is right on board with the big retailers and other big companies, and is ignoring the electorate - most of us simply do not want a big Australia,' she said.

'The underestimate to which he refers shows that immigration is out of control under Labor and they cannot be trusted.'

More than 300,000 migrants are set to arrive in the country, adding further pressure on the housing crisis

Senator Hanson took aim at the prime minister (pictured) after Mr Albanese pledged to increase permanent migration from 160,000 to 195,000

To remedy the housing crisis, One Nation has called for a ban on foreign ownership of all residential property, both new and established, and give foreign owners 12 months to 'get out of the market'.

Both New Zealand and Canada have already implemented similar measures to ban or heavily restrict foreign ownership.

'This would significantly increase the supply of housing for Australians to buy,' Senator Hanson said.

'Many foreigners who buy Australian residential properties come from countries which do not allow Australians to buy property there.'

The party wants immigration to be reduced to 'sustainable levels' to lower the demand for housing in Australia.

A 2018 housing affordability study by the Grattan Institute estimated that up to 550 new dwellings were needed in Australia for every 1,000 new immigrants.

One Nation has also called for planning reform at both the state and territory level, reducing or eliminating stamp duty and red tape at the local government level to fix the housing crisis.

The party says the government needs to train up a skilled home-grown workforce to fill labour shortages rather than outsourcing work.

'There are more than 920,000 Australians currently receiving unemployment benefits, and while many may be unemployable for a variety of reasons that cannot possibly be the case for all of them and probably isnt the case for most of them,' she added.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers (pictured) conceded back in January that the government 'underestimated' migration numbers due to labour shortages and the return of international students

The migration figures come just over a year after Mr Albanese refused to back the Morrison government's push to take on 160,000 new migrants when he was opposition leader.

Mr Albanese called on the government to focus on filling labour shortages by training up underemployed or underemployed Australians instead of bringing in more migrants.

'Migration has always played an important role in the economy and will continue in the recovery, but it's important we take this opportunity to get the mix right,' he told News Corp at the time.

'After eight years of attacks on training, the Liberals and Nationals are silent on why we've got skill shortages at the same time as 2 million Australians who are unemployed or underemployed.

'I also know it shouldn't be a substitute for training Australian workers for Australian jobs. We should not be a country where Australian workers are cut off from job opportunities'.
Police say they found the baby after the mum was hospitalised

A mum who told doctors she did not have a baby despite having clear injuries from giving birth has faced court after she was accused of helping hide the dead newborn in a freezer.

Monique Ellen Burton, 32, is accused of putting the baby's dead body in a plastic bag before her partner Shaun Balaam allegedly placed the child in the backyard freezer of their home in Geraldton, Western Australia, some time between August 20 and 25, 2022.

Ms Burton, who is charged with interfering with a corpse with intent to prevent or prejudice an investigation into circumstances surrounding a death, faced Geraldton Magistrates Court on Friday where her bail was continued.

Police previously alleged Ms Burton's pregnancy was a secret and when the child was born dead, she and Mr Balaam hid the body in the freezer.

There is no indication the baby was killed and the couple are not accused of killing the child.

Police allege Monique Burton, 32, helped her partner Bradley Balaam hide the corpse of a dead newborn in a backyard freezer (stock image)

Police allege the pregnancy was a secret and the child was dead when it was born. There is no indication that the baby was killed

Detective Senior Sergeant Bruce McDonald previously told reporters police would allege Ms Burton gave birth at home around August 20 last year.

'We allege the female placed the deceased child in a plastic bag and left the bag containing the deceased child in a bedroom at the house,' he said.

'Around this time, the male partner found the plastic bag . . . observed what was in it and placed it into a freezer in the backyard.'

Shortly after giving birth, Ms Burton went to Geraldton Health Campus feeling unwell.

Western Australia Police said officers were contacted after Ms Burton arrived at the hospital where she presented signs of someone who had recently given birth, an allegation she denies.

Police then followed up the concerns from workers at the hospital by investigating her Spalding home, where they located the baby's body.

Western Australia Police say they were contacted after Burton arrived at the hospital where she presented signs of someone who had recently given birth, something Burton denies

Ms Burton is also facing 13 charges of gaining benefit by fraud and is accused of receiving and spending donations she gained by allegedly lying to people about having a terminal illness.

In February, 2021, a heavily pregnant Ms Burton took to Facebook to appeal for help after a painted rock was stolen from her car.

The rock had a portrait of her late 15-month-old son Kaiden Lee Balaam, who died in 2019 from an illness.

It also had a small poem painted on the back.

'Sometimes love is for a moment. Sometimes love is for a lifetime. Sometimes a moment is a lifetime,' it read.

She pleaded with the thieves on Facebook to return the item, saying it 'doesn't mean anything to anyone else'.

The couple both remain on bail and will next appear in court on April 13.
She is suing her boss in the Federal Court over her work conditions

Sally Rugg had the opportunity to turn down an additional $30,205 in her position as the chief of staff for Kooyong MP Monique Ryan if she could not commit to the overtime requirement, the court heard.

Ms Rugg was offered the role on the back of her inspiring cover letter, in which she guaranteed she could deliver all that Dr Ryan expected and more.

The salary Ms Rugg accepted was $136,607. There was an additional Parliamentary Staff Allowance of $30,205 to account for the reasonable expectation of overtime, particularly during sitting weeks.

She's now suing her employer over what she claims to be unreasonable work expectations and a 'hostile' workplace in the Federal Court.

According to the job description Dr Ryan advertised, the role would require 12-hour days during parliamentary sitting weeks and a level of flexibility and versatility.

But in an affidavit filed to the court, Dr Ryan revealed there was a clause of the agreement which stated 'a personal employee may choose not to receive a Parliamentary Staff Allowance where the employee is unable to, or does not expect to work significant additional hours of work'.

The clause clarifies employees that often opt out of additional hours of work due to personal or family commitments have the option to reject the sum.

Sally Rugg had the opportunity to turn down an additional $30,205 in her position as the chief of staff for Kooyong MP Monique Ryan if she could not commit to the overtime requirement

Dr Ryan said: 'Ms Rugg never said to me that would like to choose not to receive the Parliamentary Staff Allowance, and to the best of my knowledge she did in fact receive it'

Dr Ryan said: 'Ms Rugg never said to me that would like to choose not to receive the Parliamentary Staff Allowance, and to the best of my knowledge she did in fact receive it.'

The job description Dr Ryan advertised after her monumental win as part of the 'teal landslide' during the federal election said applicants would be responsible for the planning and execution of an annual budget, implementing a media strategy, running various social media channels and drafting speeches.

Additionally, the successful candidate would manage the paid and volunteer staff, and provide 'expert and timely advice on parliamentary, legislative, policy, political and constituency issues'.

It was posted on July 5, 2022 and Ms Rugg applied on July 6, with a cover letter that was a cut above the rest and a detailed breakdown of her qualifications which were specific to the job description.

Dr Ryan has since stated it was the cover letter which helped to secure Ms Rugg the role, because she 'believed Ms Rugg understood the importance of the role to my office, and also the significance of a close working relationship built on absolute trust between me and my Chief of Staff'.

In the cover letter, which was signed off with 'Yours in teal, Sally Rugg', Ms Rugg vowed to 'deliver the work youve asked for and anticipate that which you havent'.

'Since we first discussed the possibility of me joining your team Ive become preoccupied with dreams (and schemes) of everything you could achieve in Australias 47th parliament and how I might help facilitate it,' she said.

The salary Ms Rugg accepted was $136,607. There was an additional Parliamentary Staff Allowance of $30,205 to account for the reasonable expectation of overtime, particularly during sitting weeks

Ms Rugg (pictured) was offered the role on the back of her inspiring cover letter, in which she guaranteed she could deliver all that Dr Ryan expected and more

'I feel hungry for this role, for the responsibility it comes with and for the capacity to contribute to urgent and lasting reform.

'Trust that if we encountered conflict or contention that wed resolve it frankly, quickly and as an investment in our working relationship. Trust in my loyalty as a confidant, an ally and a deeply respectful and definitely-not-patronising personal cheerleader

'From what I know of you, I believe we align in much of our values, our approach to work and life, our belief that a better world is possible and a drive to commit our lives in service of others. I think this alignment, as well as the skills I would bring to the role, make me a special fit for this role on your team.'

And Dr Ryan acknowledged it was a significant workload. The budget for staffers had been slashed by the federal government, meaning she'd had to juggle priorities and tasks to suit the current budget.

Previously, MPs would be assigned four staffers, but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese allocated enough money in the budget for just one.

Dr Ryan insists this does not mean Ms Rugg was expected to do the work of four people.

Teal MP Monique Ryan (pictured last month) acknowledged it was a significant workload but does not agree Ms Rugg was expected to do the work of four people

Sally Rugg (pictured with her lawyers) launched an unfair dismissal claim against Dr Monique Ryan and the Commonwealth in January

She also had four electorate officers and approximately 2,000 volunteers who were willing to ease the workload in the office.

'It was up to Ms Rugg to delegate tasks as she considered appropriate and supervise the people to whom she had delegated those tasks,' Dr Ryan said in her affidavit.

'She could have eased the pressure on herself had she delegated appropriately and managed the team effectively. I felt that she did not work efficiently, and there were many tasks she tried to do herself that she should have delegated.'

Dr Ryan noted her team did not take advantage of the enormous volunteer base at its disposal, noting many who had helped on the campaign 'felt that they had been pushed away'.

'I felt that she wanted the job, but only on her terms.'

Earlier, the hearing was told how Ms Rugg was issued a formal warning after she flew home from Canberra while knowingly infected with Covid.

Dr Ryan claimed she offered Ms Rugg a six-week severance pay should she choose to resign, adding she could 'spin it' and 'say that her employment ''just wasn't a good fit''.'

But Ms Rugg recalls the conversation differently. She told the hearing Dr Ryan approached her while no other staff were present and said: 'Im going to terminate your employment. I have made up my mind to terminate you in January'.

Ms Rugg claimed in her affidavit that Dr Ryan said this was an 'off book' option which would be 'mutually beneficial, but it has to be done off the record'.

She said the alleged altercation left her 'distraught'.
Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of FTX, may spend the foreseeable future on a dumb phone as per a recent proposal in response to his bail.

According to Engadget, Bankman-Fried is being asked by the prosecution and attorneys for permission to use a flip phone or similar non-smartphone device amid concerns.

The Prosecutors In The Justice Department Want To Monitor The Ex-CEO's Activities

Bankman-Fried' attorneys have consented to altering the conditions of his bail arrangement, according to prosecutors involved in his criminal case on Friday.

SBF will be limited to using a "non-smartphone" without internet connectivity, assuming the judge supervising the case approves the modifications.

Moreover, the FTX founder will not be able to use Signal or other encrypted texting services under the new provision in his bail proposal.

The recommendation comes as the court in the case considers how to tighten the conditions of Bankman-Fried's release on bail.

This due to worries that the former millionaire may be using untraceable technological devices to communicate, The New York Post reports.

Last month, prosecutors asserted that Bankman-Fried made two separate internet connections using a VPN, or virtual private network, which prevents outsiders from viewing online activities.

Additionally, they claimed that he sent an encrypted communication to the general counsel of FTX US in January using the texting app Signal, which they claimed could be evidence of witness tampering.

"I would really love to reconnect and see if there's a way for us to have a constructive relationship, use each other as resources when possible, or at least vet things with each other," he said in one message, according to the Justice Department.

According to the plan, Bankman-Fried's phone would only be capable of voice calls and SMS text messages, and a new laptop with restricted functionality would also be provided.

This is going to be "configured so that he is only able to log on to the internet through the use of specified VPNs," which will only allow access to whitelisted websites.

In addition to personal news websites like The New York Times and Netflix, they also contain ones he can use to practice for his case, such Ftx.com.

Read More: Judge Says Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried's Bail Could be Revoked

The District Judge Is Taking Steps Further A SBF Allegedly Influenced Potential Witness

In the letter, the parties agreed that Bankman-Fried would be given access to a number of programs, including Zoom, Microsoft Word, and Adobe Acrobat, to help him prepare for his case.

The parties also suggested installing monitoring software on the device to keep tabs on any activity as per The New York Post.

Additionally, it was requested that Bankman-Fried's parents provide written statements stating that they will not allow any extra devices into the house or allow access to their own password-protected devices.

Aside from this, it can be remembered that former FTX director of engineering Nishad Singh entered a guilty plea to charges of federal fraud and conspiracy earlier this week.

Engadget notes that Singh is the third member of Bankman-Fried's close group to assist the prosecution in their case.

Caroline Ellison, the former CEO of Alameda Research, and Zixiao "Gary" Wang, the co-founder of FTX, pled guilty to fraud charges at the end of the previous year and agreed to assist authorities.

After finding that the disgraced businessman may have influenced possible witnesses, district judge Lewis Kaplan threatened to withdraw SBF's bail and place him in jail before the commencement of his trial.

Related Article: FTX Co-Founder Nishad Singh Pleads Guilty to Fraud Charges
An inmate attacked him in jail with a thong because of his snoring

A former ABC presenter has been assaulted in prison and subjected to homophobic slurs after he was charged with supplying a cornucopia of drugs, a court has heard.

Ashley Norman Hall, 52, allegedly used rooms at hotels on Wentworth St and Bond St in Sydney's CBD to supply large quantities of cocaine, meth, MDMA and GHB to buyers.

He was arrested on December 7 during a police raid which allegedly uncovered $600,000 worth of drugs in two hotel rooms.

Officers allegedly seized 500 MDMA tablets, 100g of cocaine, 3.2kg of 1,4-butanediol, 700g of methamphetamine, more than a 1kg of cannabis, and more than $70,000 cash.

He was hit with 23 charges related to supplying drugs and dealing with the proceeds of a crime.

Former radio presenter Ashley Hall has been charged with a litany of drug supply charges

Pictured: Mr Hall being arrested after police allegedly found $600,000 worth of drugs in two hotel rooms

The charges include eight allegations the former ABC radio host supplied a commercial quantity or greater of a particular drug.

On Monday, Mr Hall appeared in Sydney Downing Centre Local Court via audiovisual link to make a desperate bid for bail after spending three months behind bars on remand.

He wore his prison greens and concerned expression when he beamed into the courtroom from jail.

His lawyer Sharon Ramsden told the court that Mr Hall had a 'significant need for medical treatment' that was not being addressed in custody.

The court heard he had been suffering from a hernia since 2016 but has been unable to secure an operation until recently.

Ms Ramsden said the ex-ABC journalist had a procedure booked on March 11, but it was 'very unlikely' to proceed if he was not granted bail.

The court heard he also had a heart condition which required regular medication and sleep apnoea.

'He suffered a physical assault as a result of that condition,' Ms Ramsden said.

The Burwood resident was attacked with a thong by another inmate because of his snoring, the court was told.

Mr Hall (pictured) previously served as the executive producer of ABC radio's flagship program, AM

Mr Hall, 52, was charged with 23 charges related to supplying drugs and dealing with the proceeds of a crime

Magistrate Greg Grogin said Mr Hall's affidavit tendered to the court claimed he had been subjected to persistent homophobic 'vilification' because of his sexuality.

In addition, the court heard he had also borne witness to 'a horrific assault in jail'.

Mr Grogin noted the prominent radio host had already spent time behind bars for a previous conviction 'for the exact same offence'.

'He was well and truly aware of what any subsequent drug activity would entail,' the magistrate said.

Hall was in 2021 convicted of two counts of supplying a prohibited drug and four counts of drug possession, charges he had pleaded guilty to.

The crown prosecutor opposed bail, pointing to video and audio recordings of some of the alleged acts of supply and Mr Hall's alleged 'element of criminal sophistication'.

Mr Grogin agreed there was an unacceptable risk that the former ABC stalwart would endanger the community, interfere with witnesses or commit a further offence.

Mr Hall is pictured outside Sydney's Downing Centre Court. He used to be a radio host for the ABC

'The offences which he's been charged with are extremely serious because they carry a term of imprisonment of life,' he said.

'The community needs to be protected from people who are willing to sell drugs for profit.'

He denied bail but made a direction for Mr Hall to get the medical care he needs in custody.

Before his alleged foray into drugs, the 52-year-old was a prominent figure on ABC Radio.

He featured as the presenter of the broadcaster's current affairs, AM, PM, and The World Today programs over his tenure.

Mr Hall also previously served as the executive producer of ABC radio's flagship program, AM.

The journalist no longer works for the national broadcaster.
Lara Trump strutted down the catwalk in a blue corset dress for a Mar-a-Lago fundraiser as Kimberley Guilfoyle proudly filmed her, just hours after the pair spoke at CPAC.

Lara, the wife of former President Donald Trump's second son Eric, walked down in a flowing dress from Parisian designer Anne Fontaine.

The ex-Commander in Chief's daughter-in-law looked to be having the time of her life, flicking her hair, playing up to the cameras, twirling and showing off her legs in nude high heels.

'Somebody (@bigdogranchrescue) let me pretend to be a model again today,' she wrote on social media, thanking the charity for letting her participate.

Guilfoyle - girlfriend of the ex-president's eldest son Don Jr., did not go down the runway but posted video of Trump and pictures with her fiancee's sister-in-law.

Lara Trump was looking glamorous, with the former president's daughter-in-law walking the runway at a fashion show to help benefit a pet adoption charity at Mar-a-Lago this weekend

The two-day event - titled 'Wine, WoMEN and Shoes' - was held at the president's Florida Mar-a-Lago resort and run by Big Dog Ranch Rescue.

The former made a surprise cameo at the even in 2021.

He called Lara, who helps put together the event, 'incredible' before teasing at an eventual Senate run for his daughter-in-law that never materialized.

The benefit not only features the promise of booze and models, but a 'celebrity doggie fashion show' as well.

Big Dog Ranch Rescue promotes itself as 'the largest cage-free, no-kill dog rescue in the U.S. We are committed to rescuing, nurturing and adopting dogs into loving homes.'

Their President and Founder Laurie Simmons - like both Trump and Guilfoyle - has often appeared as a guest of Tucker Carlson on his Fox News show.

In a press release celebrating Eric's mother Ivana Trump after her 2022 death, the organization noted that 'Eric and Lara Trump frequently participate in BDRR fundraisers to save dogs and Lara has been instrumental in garnering legislation that prevents animal cruelty including the ban on Greyhound racing in Florida.'

A 2021 report by HuffPost claimed the organization has spent as much as $1.9million at Trump's properties in recent years.

Lara Trump worked the runway at a pet adoption fashion show for charity over the weekend

Kimberly Guilfoyle, Donald Trump Jr.'s fiance, was also in attendance at the charity event

Lara, the wife of former President Donald Trump's second son Eric, walked down in a flowing blue corset dress from Parisian designer Anne Fontaine

The ex-Commander in Chief's daughter-in-law looked to be having the time of her life, flicking her hair, playing up to the cameras, twirling and showing off her legs in nude high heels

'The quality of service, beauty of the venue and excellent rate provided us as a nonprofit as well as the generosity of supporters who sell-out our event there every year allows us to rescue and home thousands of dogs.'

'Our investment there and at the other venues mentioned in the article has netted more than $12 million over an eight-year period which allows us to continue our mission,' Simmons said in a statement defending her association with the Trump family.

The claim to have saved over 50,000 dogs since Big Dog Ranch Rescue was founded in 2008.

'Our mission is to save 5,000 dogs every year, to heal and place them with loving families and to educate people about the proper care for dogs and the importance of spaying and neutering,' their website claims.

Lara Trump served as an advisor to her father-in-law's 2020 presidential campaign and spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Maryland this weekend.

'Under Joe Biden, America is crumbling,' she said during her speech and touted Trump's efforts to lower unemployment vs. that of Biden's.

Lara Trump twirls on the catwalk just hours after speaking at CPAC Saturday

Lara Trump glides down the catwalk at the Big Dog Rescue Ranch's 'Wine, WoMEN and Shoes' event

The two-day event - titled 'Wine, WoMEN and Shoes' - was held at the president's Florida Mar-a-Lago resort and run by Big Dog Ranch Rescue

Former President Trump once again dominated the straw poll at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, with 62 percent of attendees surveyed saying they want him as the 2024 GOP nominee.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who skipped the annual confab that returned this year to suburban D.C., again came in second with 20 percent support.

Trump improved on his performance from last February's CPAC, where he received 55 percent support, while DeSantis' support remained stable. He got 21 percent last year when the conference was held in his home state of Florida.

Former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, who continues to falsely claim she won her election, was voted the top pick to be Trump's vice president.
Vile Twitter trolls have attacked ABC Breakfast News co-host Lisa Millar in a slew of tweets personally insulting her body and outfit she wore on the program on Monday

Vile Twitter trolls have continued to unleash on ABC host Lisa Millar despite her getting bullied off the platform more than a year ago with their most recent attack getting disgustingly personal.

The ABC News Breakfast host deactivated her Twitter account in September, 2021 despite being an avid tweeter and boasting almost 55,000 followers.

Co-host Michael Rowland confirmed Millar was pulling the plug on her social media account after receiving 'next level' and 'truly vile distressing personal attacks'.

Despite her leaving the platform more than a year ago, the trolls that continue to attack Millar hit a new low on Monday when they attacked the host for the skirt she was wearing.

Most of the insults are too vile to publish with the accounts being called out by a number of Australian personalities on Twitter.

'Goodness me Lisa Millar go back to "wardrobe" and change that skirt!! You're on national television,' one person wrote.

The ABC presenter (pictured) deactivated her Twitter account in September, 2021 after being the target of relentless online bullying

'#LisaMillar, good morning, darling, what on earth are you wearing you silly girl,' another person wrote.

Another troll, who ironically had #WomensRights in their Twitter bio, commented on Lisa's thighs and urged the co-host be taken off the air because of her outfit.

'Thank goodness #BreakfastNews is over. Lisa Millar ... should not be broadcast around Australia via ABC News,' the person wrote.

'This guffawing second-rate hack has been co-hosting long enough; she knows the dress code. Take her off air and bring on smart next gen.'

Journalist Leonardo Puglisi shared a collection of the 'disgusting' tweets, claiming it was yet another example of why the news host quit Twitter.

Others agreed with Puglisi, with many calling for the Twitter users to be thrown off the platform.

'Thats disgusting. Is it any wonder women journalists dont do Twitter. That sort of misogynistic hate is tame compared to some of the comments hurled at them. I hope this individual is reported and kicked off Twitter,' one person wrote.

'Delete your account you misogynist loser,' another person commented.

A third person chimed: 'I'm no fan of Lisa Millar, but these comments are reprehensible, misogynistic and just plain gutless. They'll also be reported.'

The user body-shamed Millar despite having the hashtag 'WomensRights' in their Twitter bio (pictured)

It comes after the ABC axed the Twitter accounts of several of its flagship television shows after being relentlessly trolled online by political extremists.

The Twitter accounts for ABC News Breakfast and Insiders were among those set for the chop this weekend after attracting relentless abuse from trolls accusing the hosts of political bias.

The ABC told Daily Mail Australia online trolls did not drive its decision to close the accounts but insisted the move was to centralise all updates through the broadcaster's main ABC News Twitter account.

'We're closing some of the ABC News program accounts and consolidating our activity in our main Twitter account, @abcnews, which has by far the most activity, followers and engagement with audiences,' an ABC spokesperson said.

'This is a better use of resources while still serving audiences on this platform.'

Daily Mail Australia contacted the ABC for comment regarding the tweets directed at Lisa Millar.
Dr Anthony Fauci commissioned and edited the report he cited to disprove the lab leak theory, House Republicans found

Dr. Anthony Fauci commissioned a February 2020 paper to disprove the possibility that COVID originated in a lab  before publicizing the study at a White House news conference weeks later.

Newly-released emails uncovered by House Republicans probing the COVID-19 pandemic show the former head of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases both commissioned and had final approval on a scientific paper which claimed it was 'improbable' that the virus leaked out of a lab in Wuhan, China.

Just a few weeks later, he stood next to then-President Donald Trump at a press conference and cited that very paper as evidence that the idea of a lab leak was implausible - without admitting he commissioned it.

Many media outlets then started to dismiss the idea, only to later suggest the lab leak theory is possible as new evidence arose supporting the claim.

And in January, the Energy Department and the FBI both concluded that the virus did likely spread from a lab leak in Wuhan. The CIA is yet to declare a definitive position.

Newly-released emails show that Dr. Anthony Fauci (pictured in 2022) commissioned the report he cited to disprove the lab leak theory





In an email to the publisher of Nature Medicine, Dr. Kristian Andersen writes that Fauci 'prompted' the paper

A letter from Scripps Research on Andersen's behalf later denied that he was influenced by Fauci, but in a previously released email he said: 'Our main work over the last couple of weeks has been focused on trying to disprove any type of lab theory'

The bombshell emails released by House Republicans on Sunday shows that Fauci commissioned and edited a paper entitled The Proximal Origin of SARS-CoV-2 before he cited it as evidence that COVID did not originate from a lab in Wuhan.

It was written just four days after Fauci, and his NIH boss Francis Collins, held a call with the authors to discuss reports that COVID may have been leaked from a genetic testing lab in Wuhan and 'may have been intentionally genetically manipulated.'

And in the emails, Dr. Kristian Andersen admits that Fauci 'prompted' him to write the paper with the goal of 'disproving' the lab leak theory.

He submitted the peer-reviewed paper to Nature Medicine on February 12, 2020 with a cover email reading, 'There has been a lot of speculation, fear-mongering and conspiracies put forward in this space.

'[This paper was] Prompted by Jeremy [Farrar], Tony Fauci and Francis Collins.'

A letter sent by Scripps Research on his behalf later insisted that Andersen objectively researched he origins of COVID and claimed that Fauci did not influence his work.

Dr. Kristian Andersen (pictured) admits that Fauci 'prompted' him to write the paper with the goal of 'disproving' the lab leak theory

But the report by House Republicans says, 'According to previously-released emails, this assertion is demonstrably false.'

It points to a February 8, 2020 mail in which the doctor stated: 'Our main work over the last couple of weeks has been focused on trying to disprove any type of lab theory.'

Others also apparently worked to ensure the paper strongly dismissed the idea of a lab leak.

Farrar  who was then the head of the British nonprofit the Wellcome Trust, which has historic ties to the pharmaceutical industry, and is now the Chief Scientist at the World Health Organization  tried to push through an edit replacing the word 'unlikely' to 'improbable' in a statement about the possibility of a lab leak origin.

Under the changes, a sentence in the report read: 'It is improbable that SARS CoV-2 emerged through laboratory manipulation of an existing SARS-related coronavirus.'

Fauci spoke from the White House podium as he cited the paper he commissioned as evidence that COVID did not originate in a lab

Still, even with the edits, Collins emailed Fauci 'expressing dismay that Proximal Origin  which they saw prior to publication and were given the opportunity to edit  did not squash the lab leak hypothesis and asks if the NIH could do more to "put down" the lab leak hypothesis,' the House Republicans write in a report.

'The next day ... Dr. Fauci cited Proximal Origin from the White House podium when asked if COVID-19 leaked from a lab.'

He said at the time: 'There was a study recently where a group of highly-qualified evolutionary virologists looked at the sequence... in bats as they evolve and the mutations that it took to get to the point where it is now is totally consistent with a jump of species from an animal to a human.' he said.

'So the paper will be available,' Fauci continued. 'I don't have the authors right now, but we can make it available to you.'

Ted Cruz recently told the Conservative Political Action Conference that Fauci ought to be prosecuted for allegedly lying about Covid's origins.

Speaking about the lab leak, he said: 'For two years that was derided as a conspiracy theory, tinfoil-hat-wearing nutty theory, that you werent allowed to say or youd get banned on social media.'

Virologist Shi Zheng-li - nicknamed the 'Bat Lady' - is pictured in the lab. She hunted down dozens of deadly Covid-like viruses in bat caves and studied them at the WIV

The question of whether the global outbreak began with a spillover from wildlife sold at the market or leaked out of the Wuhan lab just eight miles across the Yangtze River has given rise to fierce debate about how to prevent the next pandemic. New studies point to a natural spillover at the Huanan wildlife market. Positive swab samples of floors, cages and counters also track the virus back to stalls in the southwestern corner of the market where animals with the potential to harbor Covid were sold for meat or fur at the time

The report comes just months after a bombshell Senate report found that the COVID pandemic was most likely the result of a lab leak.

GOP members of the Senate Committee on Health Education, Labor and Pensions reviewed hundreds of studies into the origins of COVID and interviewed 'several dozen' experts over the past 15 months.

Writing in the report, they conclude: 'Based on the analysis of the publicly available information, it appears reasonable to conclude that the COVID-19 pandemic was, more likely than not, the result of a research-related incident.

'Nearly three years after the COVID-19 pandemic began, critical evidence that would prove that the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 and resulting COVID-19 pandemic was caused by a natural zoonotic spillover is missing.'

The interim report in October concluded that China 's unwillingness to cooperate or open up the lab in question meant it 'no longer deserves the benefit of the doubt'.

They said 'the lack of transparency and collaboration' from China 'prevents reaching a more definitive conclusion', the senate committee adds.

'The hypothesis of a natural zoonotic origin no longer deserves the benefit of the doubt, or the presumption of accuracy.'

More recently a report from the US Office of Inspector General found that the NIH did not properly review whether the tests in Wuhan involved dangerous pathogens with pandemic potential.

The federal audit looked at three taxpayer-funded research grants awarded to the now-notorious EcoHealth Alliance, run by British scientist Peter Daszak, between 2014 and 2021.

It found the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and EcoHealth failed to 'understand the nature of the research conducted, identify potential problem areas, and take corrective action'.

'With improved oversight, NIH may have been able to take more timely corrective actions to mitigate the inherent risks associated with this type of research,' the report added.

Pictured: The Wuhan Institute of Virology, where crucial data was wiped by Chinese scientists

Government auditors said three awards given by EcoHealth involved viruses with pandemic potential.

The May 27, 2014, award of $3.7million to the Wuhan virology lab has been at the center of the lab-leak theory.

Titled 'Understanding the Risk of Bat Coronavirus Emergence', some have speculated this research created the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID.

The report said oversight was crucial for grants given to foreign entities that may become uncooperative with investigators - like the WIV has in recent years.

'Although WIV cooperated with EcoHealths monitoring for several years, WIVs lack of cooperation following the COVID-19 outbreak limited EcoHealths ability to monitor its subrecipient,' the audit added.

Chinese officials were found to have wiped crucial databases from the lab and stifled independent investigations into the facility when questions started to be asked about its involvement.

Researchers who fell ill with a mysterious flu-like virus months before the official COVID timeline were silenced or disappeared.

One of its chief scientists was nicknamed the 'Bat Lady' for her extensive work on coronaviruses like COVID.

The research facility is less than 10 miles from an animal slaughter market where the first series of human cases were clustered. Some experts also claim COVID unique spike protein, which it uses to infect people, shows hallmarks of engineering.

But others have deemed those scenarios unlikely and say that there is some indirect evidence that COVID did jump from animals at the Huanan Seafood Market, where animals known to harbor COVID including raccoon dogs, hedgehogs, rats and squirrels, were kept in squalid conditions.

Direct evidence for a natural or man-made origin has yet to emerge.
A furious mother with a gay son has confronted a controversial Muslim preacher who branded LGBTQ people 'filthy', telling him: 'how dare you judge them'.

The impassioned woman rang Mohamed Shaar after Daily Mail Australia revealed several vile comments he had made about gay people.

They included lobbying for World Pride visitors to be banned by Uber drivers and praising Russia for passing anti-LGBTQI laws.

She told him: 'I've got a beautiful son and a granddaughter who are gay. How dare you judge them - you don't even know them.

Mohamed Shaar has branded gay's 'filthy' and claims 'Allah created Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve'

'The majority of Australians  67 per cent  voted Yes for same sex marriage.

'You can bet a lot more of them who didn't vote yes might not agree with marriage but they don't hate gay people like you do.

She then suggested he 'go back to your own country if you don't like what we have here' - prompting Mr Shaar to erupt on Facebook about how he had been raised in Australia.

In a furious rant, Mr Shaar shared a recording of the mother's voicemail message and branded her an 'animal'.

'I was raised here and my grand kids and I'm more Australian then this piece of s***,' he said.

'I serve the Australian people who are genuinely Australian good people and I believe this country is mine so if you want me out not a problem pay for me to leave and to buy else where and I will go but you can't shut my mouth.'

Mr Shaar, who works as a natural healer and authorised marriage celebrant at the Sydney Ruqyah Centre in the city's west, branded gays 'filthy'.

Last month, in response to an Uber message promoting their 'pride ride' during the gay pride festival, Mr Shaar posted: 'Dear Uber drivers specially the Muslims fear Allah and avoid working with Uber'.

Mr Shaar urged Uber drivers not to work during the gay pride because of the company's support for the festival

He also shared a screenshot of an alleged drag queen event for children on the Canterbury and Bankstown libraries' Facebook page alongside a video criticising a poster of a 'furry' man in leather-bondage with a teddy bear head, lying on a couch with a pride flag and beer can in central Sydney.

Mr Shaar's accompanying caption reads: 'Shame on this human race shame on this government that shows this filthy people'.

The controversial 'kink and BDSM-inspired' WorldPride mural was later defaced with white and black paint by vandals.

The words 'leave the kids alone' were also scrawled on the side. Police are currently investigating.

There is no suggestion Mr Shaar was involved in vandalising the mural.

Mr Shaar regularly criticises LGBT issues

Mr Shaar, who also goes by Abu Hamza, yesterday shared a BBC news video reporting on a law passed by Vladimir Putin's brutal regime which bans any mention of LGBT culture or people.

'Good on Russia,' wrote Mr Shaar on his personal Facebook page.

He has also shared posts promoting an upcoming rally on Saturday 18th of March which claims to 'make a stand against the moral decay of our society.'

He has condemned LGBT people to hell.

He also shared a video which allegedly shows a pro-LGBTQ drag performer mocking the Islamic prayer.

'May Allah swt [sic] curse this people and hell will be waiting for them,' was the accompanying caption.

Mr Shaar is an authorised marriage celebrant at the Sydney Ruqyah Centre in the city's west

At the start of the gay bride festival on the 17th February, Mr Shaar posted: 'Today marks the first day of the curse of Allah yes and for the next 13 days and inshallah till end of times .

'The amount of sick people in this world still don't understand that Allah swt created Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve

'Keep and educated your kids about the haram and the cursed of this people.'

Revellers arrive at the Bondi Beach Party for Mardi Gras last Saturday where Nicole Scherzinger was headlining

A spokesman for Sydney Queer Muslims hit back at Mr Shaar's comments: 'We pray that our haters will find peace.'

'For those of us, Queer Muslims, who have stayed with the faith, do so by developing and strengthening our personal relationship with God.

'That reconciliation has been through research on the stories of Prophet Lot and an interpretation that aligns with the values that the Quran brings, which is mercy, compassion and justice. We pray that our haters will find peace.'

Mr Shaar hit the headlines last year when he claimed Covid-19 did not exist but was then left fighting for his life in hospital after contracting the Delta strain of the virus.

Despite preaching to his followers that vaccine jabs were ineffective, Mr Shaar was rushed to hospital in an ambulance after displaying worrying symptoms.

At the time, those close to Mr Shaar confirmed he was 'in a bad way'.

Daily Mail Australia has approached Mr Shaar for comment.

The organisers of the Sydney World Pride festival have been contacted for comment.
Finance guru Scott Pape has shared the advice he gave to a 'terrified' mother-of-three recently diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer.

Kate, 31, who lives in a mining town in Western Australia, reached out for help after receiving a terrifying diagnosis as she prepared to give birth to her third child.

She and her husband had made the 1,400km journey to a town called Bunbury when doctors spotted a worrying lump on her breast.

The lump turned out to be an aggressive form of breast cancer, with doctors advising Kate to give birth the very next day so she could start treatment.

She quickly realised that her husband, a carpenter, would soon be caring for a wife with cancer, a newborn, and their other young children, aged two and four.

Overwhelmed, she emailed the Barefoot Investor author for advice.

Finance guru Scott Pape (pictured) has revealed the financial advice he gave to a 'terrified' mother-of-three recently diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer

Mr Pape (pictured with his wife Liz) reassured the young mum that she wasn't alone, and that the world is full of kind and generous people that he would try and connect her with

He quickly sprung into action and gave Kate a call.

Through tears, the young mum said she didn't have any family to help and that she was 'totally overwhelmed' by what lay ahead of her.

Mr Pape reassured her that she wasn't alone, and that the world is full of kind and generous people that he would try and connect her with.

His first call was to the global head of media at BHP, the mining company the couple is working remotely for, to see what they could do.

They offered counselling, carer's leave and flexible work arrangements.

Next, Mr Pape spoke to Kate's private health fund.

He asked for a forecast of the couple's out-of-pocket expenses for the next 12 months so they could better manage their outgoings.

Finally, the finance guru cashed in a few favours with several lawyers he knows.

He asked them to help Kate look into any total and permanent disability (TPD) payments she might be able to claim via her superannuation.

Even Mr Pape's kid's did what they could to help Kate after hearing about her harrowing ordeal.

Even Mr Pape's kid's did what they could to help Kate after hearing about Kate's harrowing ordeal

'The kids listened, got out their Give jars, and collectively donated $12.80 to their GoFundMe page,' he said.

'Every bit of kindness helps.'

Mr Pape also shared a message from Kate as she begins cancer treatment.

'I'm a fit 31-year-old mum of three beautiful children,' she said.

'There is no history of breast cancer in my family. I didn't expect this to happen to me, and I don't want it to happen to you. So, please, check your boobs.'
Police hunting for five missing young people in South Wales today revealed that three of them have been found dead - and two alive - after discovering a crashed car almost 48 hours after they were last seen.

Sophie Russon, Eve Smith, and Darcy Ross, all 20, were partying at the Muffler bar and club in Maesglas, Newport, on Friday evening, before they are thought to have headed to Trecco Bay in Porthcawl - but never made it.

According to reports, the three friends were with Shane Loughlin and Rafel Jeanne, thought to be from Cardiff. It is not yet known if they knew each other or met that night.

None of the five had been seen since 2am on Saturday morning, shortly after Darcy and Rafel shared a Snapchat post of themselves together on Friday night.

Gwent Police today revealed they had found three bodies in the early hours of this morning following a suspected car crash on the A48 in the St Mellons area of Cardiff. Two people have been rushed to hospital with serious injuries.

The force has not revealed who has been found dead or alive. Specialist officers are supporting the families of those involved and inquiries are ongoing. MailOnline has asked the Gwent force to comment.

Darcy Ross and Rafel Jeanne partying together on the night they were last seen. Police searching for the group of five people who disappeared after a night out in Cardiff say they have located three of them dead.

Family of the missing friends shared this CCTV of the car before it was found close to a busy A-road in South Wales this morning

Police vehicles close off the A48 between Cardiff and Newport after the car of five missing people was found last night. Three people have died while two have serious injuries

Road traffic experts from South Wales Police were seen marking an area by a kerb this morning

An area off a roundabout has been screened off

The three young women were last seen in Cardiff in the early hours of Saturday having travelled there from Porthcawl.

They were last seen at about 2am on Saturday morning in the Llanedeyrn area of the Welsh capital.

They had made the trip in a Volkswagen Tiguan with two men, Rafel Jeanne, 24, and Shane Loughlin, 32, both from Cardiff, who were also reported missing.

Police believe the car they were travelling in was involved in a road traffic collision and came off the A48.

This morning, a police spokesperson said the VW Tiguan had been recovered just after midnight this morning in the St Mellons area of Cardiff.

Police have not confirmed the identities of those who have died.

Specialist officers are supporting the families of those involved and inquiries are ongoing.

Anyone with any information is asked to call police on 101, or send a direct message on social media, quoting 2300071791.

The case has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct. The police insist this is in line with normal procedures.

Eve Smith (pictured) is among the group of missing friends. Police are supporting their families

Darcy Ross, 21, (left) and Sophie Russon, 20, (right) are missing alongside another woman and two men. Family say they are 'worried sick' and have appealed for help in finding them

Shane Loughlin (left), 32, and Rafel Jeanne, 24, (right) were been reported missing after the women were last seen at 2am on Saturday

Relatives said late last night that something 'must be wrong' after not having heard from the women. None of them had been active on social media.

Sophie's mother Anna Certowicz, 42, was driving around the Gwent and Cardiff areas last night in a desperate search for her daughter - after police officers told her to 'stop ringing' the station for updates.

She told the Daily Mail: 'They didn't seem to care. I had to drive to Cardiff to knock on doors myself because they were doing s*d all. They just didn't seem to think it was worth investigating. It was so frustrating.

'I think they assumed that Sophie was hungover somewhere, but she's a sensible girl who works in a bank and hasn't taken a day off for three years.

'She's not someone who's out clubbing in Cardiff all the time. On Friday nights she's more likely to be babysitting so other people can go out. She wouldn't just vanish like this unless something was wrong.

'The police asked me to stop ringing but at the end of the day I'm a mum I'm going to worry. Her little sister is worrying too, she's only 13 and she's wondering where Sophie is.'

Ms Certowicz said that Sophie had known Eve and Darcy since childhood.

'They're incredibly close, they message every day. We worked out earlier that this is the first time in 347 days that Sophie hasn't replied to her.

'Sophie, Eve, and Darcy have been friends since they were ten years old, I know the families and they haven't heard anything either.'

The last time Ms Certowicz says she spoke to Sophie was on Friday afternoon when she was told that her daughter was going out for a few drinks at the local pub.

'I'm going to stay out all night looking for her, I know I can't sleep and I just need to find her.'

Eve Smith, Darcy Ross and Sophie Russon (left to right) are among those missing. Relatives of the three women said none of them have been seen or heard from since 2am on Saturday

Shane Loughlin, 32, and Rafel Jeanne-Actie, 24, (left to right) were expected to travel 35 miles away to Porthcawl but never arrived

Sophie's mother Anna Certowicz, 42, (left) was driving around the Gwent and Cardiff areas late into Sunday night in a desperate search for her daughter (right)

Appeals for information were posted on social media before police revealed that three bodies had been found

Locals have been driving between Newport and Cardiff in a desperate search for the girls. Some have been searching lanes nearby and some have even begun to enquire in nearby hotels.

Family members said it is very unusual for the girls not to be in touch with their families for this length of time.

Ms Smith's car is still at the Muffler club, according to her sister Lauren Doyle.

In a post Ms Doyle said: 'It is known that they went to the Muffler in Maesglas and then went to Trecco Bay on Friday night but left there to an unknown location during the night.

'They were last seen at approximately 2am. None of them have made contact with friends or family, which is very unusual. We are all worried sick and thinking the worst.'

She later added that Ms Smith's belongings, including her car keys and bank card, were with their mother, meaning she has no access to transport or funds.

Emma Jane also took to Facebook to track the trio down.

'None of them have made contact with friends or family, which is very unusual', she wrote. We are all worried sick and thinking the worst.'

Tori Preece, Ms Russon's aunt, added: 'My niece and her friends have been missing since Friday night. There has been no contact and no social media presence since the early hours of Saturday morning.

'They were at the Muffler in Maesglas until around 11:15 then went to Trecco Bay until around 2am (it is believed). They are not girls who take unnecessary risks and are always in close contact with their families.

'All of the families involved are extremely concerned. The Police are involved and they have been recorded as missing persons.'
A Southwest Airlines flight to Florida became a terrifying hellscape after a bird struck one of the plane's engines - causing the cabin to fill with smoke.

Flight 3923 from Havana to Ford Lauderdale was forced to make an emergency landing soon after takeoff on Sunday when an engine caught fire.

On-board footage shows panicked passengers engulfed in smoke with oxygen masks lowered and parents attempting to help their children.

It was reported not all masks were properly released and some had bloodied knuckles from banging on the roof in desperation.

Passenger Steven Rodriguez told NBC 6 there was 'a big boom, like an explosion' before the cabin started to fill with smoke and emergency lighting came on.

A Southwest Airlines plane bound for Fort Lauderdale from Havana was forced to return to Cuba's Jose Marti Airport Sunday after an engine reportedly caught fire, causing chaos and terror for passengers inside, following a bird strike

Emergency lighting inside the plane was lit and footage showed customers evacuating the jet via emergency slides on the runway at Cuba's largest airport as firemen and trucks looked on

Rodriguez told WSVN: 'It was like a burn smell, and it was hurting my face. My eyes got real red. My chest started to burn.'

With only one engine functioning on the Boeing 737, a heroic female pilot made a safe emergency landing at Cuba's Jose Marti Airport.

Rodriguez claimed the safety precautions, like masks, available to passengers were of little use.

'People started taking matters into their own hands and by force were punching the roof to eject the masks,' Rodriguez told NBC6.

'And people had bloody knuckles and all because they were punching the roof. There were little kids on the plane and elderly women.'

None of the 147 passengers and crew of six was injured and passengers were able to safely get off the plane at Marti Airport.

The captain was given praise and applause from travelers upon being able to land the plane.

Passengers are seen using the emergency slides in this video that was captured from coverage of the landing

Smoke filled the cabin on Southwest flight #3923 departing Havana, Cuba, for Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Sunday morning after bird strikes caused an engine fire

#Southwest Boeing 737 MAX 8 (N8792Q) flight #WN3923 from #Havana to #FortLauderdale experienced a bird strike to an engine and the aircraft's nose shortly after takeoff, the aircraft safely returned back at Havana Jose Marti int'l Airport.#cuba #Boeing #737MAX #SouthwestAir pic.twitter.com/hdz2AfXjRO  FlightMode (@FlightModeblog) March 6, 2023

'The female captain was incredible,' Jorge Montesino said. 'With only one engine, the left engine, she was able to turn the plane around and land safely.'

However, passengers like Rodriguez were left to fear for their lives. 'To be honest, I thought it was my time to go,' he said. 'I was terrified.'

Radio Rebelde, the state-run media outlet in Cuba, said the country's aviation department blamed the strikes on 'detected failures in one of its engines during the takeoff process.'

'CACSA indicated that the causes that originated said event are being investigated and highlighted that, at this time, the airport facility maintains its regular operations,' Radio Rebelde said.

Southwest Airlines would not confirm an engine failure but told CNN that the company will 'review the aircraft to assess the damage but do not have additional details to share at this time.'

They said that customers and crew would be given alternate accommodations to get to Fort Lauderdale, with most having been booked for Monday morning.

Southwest Airlines told the MailOnline: 'Southwest flight #3923 departing Havana, Cuba, for Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Sunday morning experienced bird strikes to one of the engines and the aircrafts nose shortly after takeoff.

'The Pilots safely returned to Havana where the 147 Customers and six Crew evacuated the aircraft via slides due to smoke in the cabin.

'The Customers and Crew were bussed to the terminal and are being accommodated on alternative flights to Fort Lauderdale.

'We commend the swift, professional actions of our Pilots and Flight Attendants in responding to this event.

'We apologize to our Customers for the negative experience, extending compensation for the inconvenience and offering additional support.

Passengers reportedly starting banging on the roof when oxygen masks did not deploy

Images show flames coming from a plane forced to make an emergency landing last month

The terrifying affair comes amid a spate of terrifying incidences on American flights, including a Lufthansa one which dropped 4,000ft with Matthew McConaughey's wife Camila Alves on board.

Last month, A Delta Airlines flight from Edinburgh to JFK had to make an emergency landing shortly after taking off when flames were seen shooting out from underneath the wing.

Flight 209 was stopped less than half an hour after take-off, forcing the plane to ground.

Passenger footage showed a stream of flames coming out from the rear of the wing in what appeared to be an engine surge.

Anxious passengers could be heard speaking in the background, while some were in tears.

Some travelers feared for their lives as the crew made preparations for an emergency landing.

Also in February, a plane from Florida to Washington DC was forced to make an emergency landing in North Carolina after an American Airlines passenger was reported to have become irritated when she could not get a drink quickly enough.

Tiffany Miles faced a misdemeanor of airport obstruction which carries a jail sentence of 20 years, but had the charge dropped last week.
The Navy's first Vietnamese admiral almost lost his life as a young boy during the Vietnam War and was forced to play dead in order to survive and ultimately escape the country of his birth.

Huan Nguyen was just nine-years-old when in 1968 he became caught up in an incident which was captured by a photographer whose picture became famous the world over.

Photographer Eddie Adams took an image of Viet Cong guerrilla Bay Lop being executed by South Vietnamese General Nguyen Ngoc Loan.

The picture was published in newspapers around the world in 1968 with the photo serving to fuel the anti-war movement in the U.S. which saw the image as clear evidence the war was an unjust one.

But Adams, a former Marine Corps photographer has said there is more to the photo than meets the eye.

South Vietnamese Gen. Nguyen Ngoc Loan, chief of the National Police, fires his pistol into the head of suspected Viet Cong officer Nguyen Van Lem (also known as Bay Lop) on a Saigon street in February 1968, early in the Tet Offensive

Nguyen was promoted to rear admiral in October 2019 and at the age of 60 became the highest-ranking Vietnamese-born officer in the U.S. Navy at the time to hold an admiral's rank

Brigadier Gen. Nguyen Ngoc Loan, Director of the National Police - South Vietnam, who killed most of Huan Nguyen's family , lived until the age of 67 in 1998. Pictured in 1967

Bay Lop, the subject in the photo, had been executed in Saigon after carrying out the mass murder of Huan Nguyen's father - South Vietnamese Lt. Col. Nguyen Tuan, along with the officer's wife, mother, and six of his children, five boys and one girl.

Huan Nguyen, managed to survive despite being shot three times through the arm, thigh, and skull. The youngster stayed with his mother's dead body for two hours following the cold-blooded murder according to Military.com.

When night fell, Nguyen then escaped managing to avoid the communist guerrillas, and went to live with his uncle, a colonel in the South Vietnamese Air Force.

Following the fall of Saigon in 1975, the officer and Nguyen, his nephew now 16, escaped to the United States.

They were just two of around 125,000 Vietnamese refugees who fled to the U.S. after South Vietnam fell to the North Vietnamese forces.

In 2018 Commander Vice Adm. Tom Moore pins Capt. Huan Nguyen, deputy chief information officer, NAVSEA; with an Engineering Duty Officer (EDO) qualification insignia to his uniform

The following year, in 2019, Vice Adm. Thomas J. Moore, left, administered the oath of office to Rear Adm. Huan T. Nguyen during Nguyen's promotion ceremony at the U.S. Navy Memorial & Heritage Center, in October 2019.

Nguyen became the first Vietnamese-American promoted to the rank of rear admiral and served as the deputy commander for Cyber Engineering at Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) at the Washington Navy Yard

The family were taken care of by U.S. Navy and Marine Corps troops as they made their way through Guam, along with thousands of other refugees.

It was while fleeing Vietnam during the Vietnam War, Nguyen had his first encounter with Sailors and Marines who were assisting refugees. He has since said that it was a seminal moment fueled his desire to serve in the United States Navy.

U.S. Air Force Col. Ed Veiluva sponsored the family, which ultimately resettled in Oklahoma as political refugees.

Nguyen went on to earn a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Oklahoma State University in 1981, together with master's degrees in electrical engineering, engineering, and information technology.

In 1993, his engineering expertise led to him receiving a direct commission in the U.S. Navy through the Reserve Engineering Duty Officer Program.

Huan T. Nguyen, pictured in 2021, was Deputy Commander for Cyber Engineering at the Naval Sea Systems Command

Rear Adm. Huan Nguyen, also gave lectured and taught those comin up through the ranks

At age 15, Nguyen, seen here in October 2022, came to the United States as a refugee and became a citizen. He was the first Vietnamese American to attain flag rank in the U.S. Navy

Nguyen was promoted to rear admiral in October 2019 and at the age of 60 became the highest-ranking Vietnamese-born officer in the U.S. Navy at the time to hold an admiral's rank. Nguyen retired in October 2022.

'The images that I remember vividly when I arrived at Camp Asan, Guam, now Asan Beach Park, were of American sailors and Marines toiling in the hot sun, setting up tents and chow halls, distributing water and hot food, helping and caring for the people with dignity and respect,' Nguyen said.

'I thought to myself how lucky I am to be in a place like America. Those sailors inspired me to later serve in the United States Navy.

'America is the beacon of hope for all of us. There is no other place in the world where a person can go for such opportunity,' Nguyen said.
The Met Office has extended snow and ice warnings until Wednesday as Britain shivers through the coldest day of the year today.

Temperatures will plummet to -10C in parts of the UK tomorrow as a front of Arctic air works its way down the country.

A level three cold weather alert has been triggered as the Met Office warns that sub-zero temperatures could pose a severe risk to vulnerable individuals.

Up to 4 inches of snow will fall across northern England and Scotland today. The weather system will bring the threat of sleet and snow in the Midlands and southern England later in the week.

The Met Office has already warned of the risk of travel disruption in areas affected by snow with roads and railways expected to be icy.

NORTH YORKSHIRE: A light dusting of snow covered the Tan Hill Inn this morning. Britain will shiver through the coldest day of the year today with snow and ice set to freeze swathes of northern England and Scotland

SHETLAND: A view of the snowfall in Shetland this morning. Forecasters say high ground areas of northern Scotland can expect the most snowfall, possibly reaching depths of four inches

SHETLAND: Snow is seen in Shetland, Scotland - the northernmost region of the United Kingdom - this morning

TYNEMOUTH: Waves crash over the Tynemouth pier lighthouse as a boat approaches the mouth of the river Tyne from the North sea today

NORTH YORKSHIRE: A light dusting of snow covered a car in Tan Hill this morning. The UK is bracing for more bad weather in the coming days

LONDON: People walking around London Bridge in the rain and freezing temperatures this morning

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for snow and ice in parts of Scotland and northern England for today (left) and tomorrow (right) as temperatures plummet to -4C

The weather warning, which started at 6pm on Sunday, has been extended to Wednesday

Yellow weather warnings are in place from today to late tomorrow across northern Scotland and north-east England, as well as parts of Yorkshire and the Humber, and Lincolnshire.

High ground areas of northern Scotland can expect the most snowfall, possibly reaching depths of four inches.

The weather warning, which started at 6pm on Sunday, extends to Wednesday and covers the northern part of Scotland, including Aberdeen and Inverness.

Forecasters say temperatures are likely to stay far below average for early spring for much of the week.

Below freezing temperatures are predicted to continue until March 11 at least amid a sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) event.

TYNE AND WEAR: Daredevils thought nothing of the icy temperatures today as they played and dodged in 20 foot high waves on Whitley Bay's Lower South Promenade

TYNE AND WEAR: Huge waves crashed over the prom at Whitley Bay this morning as walkers and fishermen could be seen running from the crashing waves

TYNE AND WEAR: Thrill-seekers stood on a man made structure this morning as waves at the Whitley Bay crashed over and splashed their group

NORTH YORKSHIRE: The yellow weather warning, which started at 6pm yesterday, extends to Wednesday. Snow in Tan Hill is pictured this morning

NORTH YORKSHIRE: The risk of snow further south into England will grow from tomorrow. It might only start feeling milder in southern England from Friday but areas further north could stay chilly until into next week. Snow in Tan Hill is pictured this morning

SHETLAND: A German Shepherd runs through a snow-covered garden in Scotland today

Daredevils brave icy temperatures to play in huge waves on promenade Daredevils thought nothing of the icy temperatures today as they played and dodged in 20 foot high waves on Whitley Bay's Lower South Promenade. The thrill-seekers were clearly having the time of their lives, as the waves crashed over the man made structure and splashed their group. 'They were having a daft laugh, it was really funny to watch. Most of them got wet,' said photographer Gren Sowerby, from Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, who captured the action. 'It was bitterly cold but really good fun, I wouldn't want to have been on that promenade.' The Met Office has issued snow warnings for this week, as northerly airflow is set to bring disruptive weather. Advertisement

The risk of snow further south into England will grow from tomorrow. It might only start feeling milder in southern England from Friday but areas further north could stay chilly into next week.

Met Office forecaster Craig Snell said the air was 'coming pretty much straight from the Arctic, which is especially cold at this time of year'.

He added: 'I would imagine you will see some sleet or snow in the south of England, even if it doesn't cause any great disruption.

'But we are keeping a close eye on it.'

A level three cold weather alert is also in effect until midnight on Thursday.

The UK Health Security Agency has urged people to look out for those most at risk from cold weather such as those with medical conditions or aged over 65.

Britons are encouraged to ensure vulnerable residents have access to warm food and drinks and are managing to heat their homes adequately.

Dr Agostinho Sousa from the UKHSA advised: 'During periods like this, it is important to check in on family, friends and relatives who may be more vulnerable to the cold weather, as it can have a serious impact on health.

'If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over the age of 65, it is important to try and heat your home to at least 18C if you can.'

Experts also advise avoiding exposure to cold or icy outdoor conditions if you are at a higher risk of cold-related illness or falls.

SHETLAND: Snow-covered homes and yards in Shetland, Scotland this morning. Some residents reported school closures and cancellations to school bus routes

MORAY: Cars are seen driving along the snow-covered A939 this morning near the Lecht Ski Centre in Moray, Scotland

MORAY: Snow is seen along the A939 this morning. The Met Office has warned of more snow and ice over the next two days

LONDON: A commuter walks across Westminster Bridge in central London today as Arctic air moves over the country possibly leading to the coldest temperature of the year so far

LONDON: It will feel as cold as -4C in parts of the UK as a front of Arctic air works its way down the country. London Bridge is pictured this morning

LONDON: Commuters around London Bridge this morning as cold weather has hit the capital

LONDON: Parts of England could also be in for cold and snowy weather this week. Commuters are pictured in the rain and freezing temperatures this morning

SHETLAND: Snow fell on the beach in Shetland, Scotland this morning

TYNEMOUTH: Waves crash over the Tynemouth pier lighthouse as a boat approaches the mouth of the river Tyne from the North sea today

The plunging temperatures are the latest cold snap to hit the UK as it battles with soaring energy bills during the cost-of-living crisis.

The UKHSA said for those struggling with the rising costs, it provides free advice on energy efficiency and national grants to help warm homes.

It advised that wearing several layers of thinner clothing will keep people warmer than wearing one thick layer, and that consuming hot food and drinks is also effective.

It comes after Provisional Met Office figures also showed that England had its driest February in 30 years.

The United Kingdom as a whole had less than half the monthly average rainfall, at 45 per cent, with 43.4mm falling.
gettyimagesbank



By Lee Yeon-woo



To find a breakthrough in the market dominated by commercial banks, internet banks are increasingly focusing on "group accounts" which can be owned communally by several members. The products allow internet banks to not only secure a monthly cash inflow but also attract more customers, both young and old.



A group account is run jointly by designated group members, any of whom can manage and view details of the account's balance, deposit and withdrawal status. First released by KakaoBank in 2018, the account type has been popular among those who need to handle expenses transparently, for instance, in cases of traveling together or hobby groups.



Group accounts is almost the only market in which internet banks have succeeded to take the high ground over the five major commercial banks here  KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana, Woori and NH NongHyup.





An exemplary Image of a KakaoBank group account with the name "Let's go on a trip" / Courtesy of KakaoBank
A band of territorial locals have left a string of savage handwritten notes on a visitor's car after they dared to park in their suburban street.

The driver of a yellow hatchback received a series of insults after parking near the Sculpture by the Sea exhibition in Cottesloe Beach in Western Australia.

Four handwritten notes lashing the driver's choice of park and driving abilities had been carefully tucked under the windscreen wipers.

'Do you live here? No, thought so. Don't park here you nerd,' one local wrote.

'Can you read? Residence only. Move your vehicle,' a third ordered.

'You've parked pretty badly,' another said.

The driver of a yellow hatchback received a series of insults after parking near the Sculpture by the Sea exhibition in Cottesloe Beach in Western Australia (above)

Four handwritten notes lashing the driver's choice of park and driving abilities had been carefully tucked under the windscreen wipers (pictured)

A band of territorial locals have left a string of savage handwritten notes on a visitor's car after they dared to park in their suburban street (one of the notes is pictured)

The fourth note threatened the driver with violence.

'Don't park here again because my uncle is a state kick-boxer champion and will give you a wedgie,' a fourth angry local wrote.

Social media users were quick to share their thoughts on the notes.

Poll Whose side are you on? The locals The visitor Whose side are you on? The locals 326 votes

The visitor 709 votes Now share your opinion





'Would've expected something a little more skillful from a state kick-boxer than a common school yard wedgie,' one joked.

'Don't you know who my uncle is!' another said.

'My uncle is bigger than your uncle!!!' a third commented.

It comes just weeks after a similar dispute over parking erupted in a wealthy Sydney suburb, with an angry homeowner also leaving a handwritten note on a car.

The woman had been trying to get a patch of road resurfaced outside her house in Drummoyne, in Sydney's inner-west, for several weeks.

However, when road workers finally arrived to patch up the asphalt, someone had parked their car over the spot - despite being warned weeks earlier not to.

A Drummoyne resident left a passive aggressive note on the windscreen of a car (above) parked in front of her home after it blocked roadwork

The woman left a total of three notes for the driver, the first asked them to move before roadwork crews arrived while the last two (above) blasted them for failing relocate

A sign left on the car's front windscreen said: 'Wow you're such a legend.

'Greatly appreciate you leaving your car here. Yes, the front of my home looks like sh**. Park in front of your home.'

A second note left on the car's rear window read: 'Thank you for parking your car here when roadworks were scheduled.'

The angry resident signed both signs off as 'Karen' and told 2GB the patch of road is yet to be fixed despite several calls to her local council.
Police are frantically searching for a schoolgirl who vanished four days ago.

Ellie Clark, 13, was last seen on Tulloch Terrace in Perth, Scotland, around 8.15am on Thursday. She has ties to the East Kilbride area near Glasgow and police believe she may have travelled there.

Detectives are 'growing increasingly concerned' for Ellie and are carrying out searches and reviewing CCTV.

Police Scotland have launched an appeal for information about her whereabouts and encourage anyone who may have seen the teen to come forward.

Ellie Clark, 13, was last seen on Tulloch Terrace in Perth around 8.15am on Thursday morning. She has ties to the East Kilbride area and police believe she may have travelled there

Ellie, who is described as being 5ft 3in tall with long brown hair, was last seen wearing a black jacket, black leggings and black Converse trainers.

Inspector Kris McCall from Perth Police Station said yesterday: 'As time passes we are growing increasingly concerned for Ellie.

'Ellie has links to the East Kilbride area and I would urge people there, and in Perth, to get in touch with any information that could assist in tracing her.

'Likewise I would appeal directly to Ellie, if you see this message please contact the police on 101 or approach any police officer so we can ensure you are safe.'

Anyone with information about Ellie's disappearance should contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting incident number 2652 of Thursday, March 2 2023.
Investigative reporter has now claimed he knew of cases of paedophile priests

The late Polish pope John Paul II knew about child abuse in Poland's Catholic church years before becoming pontiff and helped cover it up, a new report has claimed.

Michal Gutowski, the investigator behind the report for private broadcaster TVN, said that Karol Wojtyla, as he then was, knew of cases of paedophile priests within the church while still a cardinal in Krakow.

He transferred the priests to other dioceses - one as far away as Austria - to ensure no scandal ensued, the investigator said.

Wojtyla, who was pope for 27 years from 1978 until his death in 2005, wrote a letter of recommendation for a priest accused of abuse to Vienna cardinal Franz Koenig, without mentioning the accusations, says Gutowski.

During his investigation, Gutowski says he spoke to victims of paedophile priests, their families and former church diocese employees.

The late Polish pope John Paul II (pictured in 1982) knew about child abuse in Poland's Catholic church years before becoming pontiff and helped cover it up, a new report has claimed

He cites documents from the former Communist-era SB secret police and rare church documents to which he managed to get access.

But Gutowski said the Krakow diocese had refused him access to its own documentary archives for his investigation.

The Polish church has in the past refused to provide documents to the judiciary or a public commission of enquiry investigating cases of church abuse of minors.

One of Gutowski's sources said on condition of anonymity that he had personally told Wojtyla about acts of paedophilia concerning one priest in 1973.

'Wojtyla first wanted to make sure it wasn't a bluff,' the source said.

'He asked it not be reported anywhere - he said he would deal with it.'

The then cardinal had explicitly requested the alleged affair be kept strictly under wraps, the source is said to have told Gutowski.

Thomas Doyle, an American former Catholic priest, canon law scholar, and the author of one of the first reports of Catholic clergy abuse in the United States, said Gutowski's investigation was groundbreaking.

It showed that John Paul II knew this problem existed even before he became pope, he argued.

The broadcast of the investigation in traditionally Catholic Poland comes soon after a Polish-based Dutch journalist, Ekke Overbeek, made similar accusations.

Overbeek's book, Maxima Culpa, is due to go on sale in Poland this week.

Over the past two years, and amid several reports of abuse of minors in the Polish church, the Vatican has sanctioned several high-ranking church officials for having covered up paedophilia by members of the clergy.

As the time of his election, John Paul II was the first non-Italian pope since the 16th century, and the longest-serving pope in modern history after Pius IX in the 1800s.

He has been credited with being instrumental in bringing down Communism in Central and Eastern Europe, and even survived three assassination attempts - one of which saw him shot and another saw him narrowly avoid being stabbed.

He made public apologies to many groups that had suffered at the hands of the Catholic Church over the centuries.

Pope John Paul II (pictured), or Karol Wojtyla as he was known before becoming pontiff, wrote a letter of recommendation for a priest accused of abuse to Vienna cardinal Franz Koenig, without mentioning the accusations, says investigative reporter Michal Gutowski

He apologised for wrongdoings including the church hierarchy's role in burnings at the stake, injustices committed against women, and for the inactivity and silence of many Catholics during the Nazi Holocaust in the Second World War.

Upon his death in 2005, he was succeeded by Benedict XVI, and later canonised as Pope Saint John Paul II. Several in the Vatican refer to him as 'John Paul the Great' - in theory only the fourth pontiff to be acclaimed 'The Great'.

However, has has previously been criticised for failing to respond quickly enough to sex abuse scandals within the Church, responding by saying 'there is no place in the priesthood and religious life for those who would harm the young.'

There have been several cases of sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests, nuns and other members within the Church, leading to many allegations, investigations, trials and convictions - as well as acknowledgements and apologies.
A lawyer who slammed a TV presenter for saying he was asked to act for Matt Hancock was last night forced into an embarrassing climdown live on air - after realising he had missed a crucial word off an email he had sent the show's producers beforehand.

Jonathan Coad had been invited on the GB News debate on Sunday to discuss the fallout of the ex-Health Secretary's leaked WhatsApp messages by political journalist Isabel Oakeshott.

Mr Coad claimed he had told producers of the show not to mention his ties with Mr Hancock. But when host Steve N Allen introduced him as a lawyer 'asked recently to represent Matt Hancock', it ignited a furious response.

'I made it absolutely clear to your programme, I asked them not to disclose that. That is very, very poor journalism,' raged the lawyer, who claims to have represented royalty, senior MPs and celebrities.

He added: 'When your own television station has engaged in correspondence with me where I explained that Im in a position to be able to comment on this and mentioned Id been approached by Matt Hancock  I asked you not to mention that and you mentioned it.

Lawyer Jonathan Coad was welcomed onto GB News on Sunday night as the legal expert 'representing' Matt Hancock following the leaking of private WhatsApp messages by journalist Isabel Oakeshott

The lawyer raged at GB News host Steve N Allen for his introduction - until Mr Allen read out Mr Coad's email to show producers in which he wrote: 'As a courtesy to the lady who approached me to act for MH [Matt Hancock] I would be grateful if it was mentioned that he asked me to act for him (via his assistant).

'If anybody is tempted to take you seriously or your programme seriously here is a good reason not to.'

But minutes after the rant, in which the lawyer also accused GB News of 'throwing poo left, right and centre' at Mr Hancock, host Mr Allen read out Mr Coad's email to the show - which revealed the legal eagle had missed out a key word - 'not'.

The email said: 'As a courtesy to the lady who approached me to act for MH [Matt Hancock] I would be grateful if it was mentioned that he asked me to act for him (via his assistant).

As the studio audience roared hysterically at the typo, a po-faced Mr Coad replied: 'Youre absolutely right, its my mistake I missed out the "not"  I take all of that back. Youre right and Im wrong. Fair dos Im absolutely wrong about that, my apologies.'

A spokesperson for Matt Hancock said: 'Mr Hancock has never spoken to or met Mr Coad, and he is certainly not represented by him in any way. To suggest otherwise is false.'

But Dominic Cummings, ex-chief adviser to Boris Johnson who has been a frequent critic of Mr Hancock, seized on the bizarre exchange on GB News to continue his attacks on the former Health Secretary.

He posted on Twitter: 'Hancock's crisis PR will help you understand why Tory MPs struggle to do much except spread chaos & why the party shd be closed down in 2024.'

Mr Coad's website says he is a 'crisis' specialist who has 'acted for numerous corporate clients, high-profile business leaders, senior politicians... and three members of the Royal Family both to protect their reputation and secure their privacy.'

But his blunder on GB News has been viewed more than 650,000 times and has led to him being ruthlessly mocked online, with one user to saying: 'Is this a joke??? I dont know whats real anymore!', and a second person tweeting: 'You couldnt write this kind of comedy.'

Another lampooned the lawyer for his error in a mocked-up courtroom skit, saying: "'How do you plead, Mr Hancock?" "Guilty" "No! Sorry, I missed out the NOT! Not guilty!"'

Former Toy MP and international development secretary, Rory Stewart - once a contender to become the next leader of the Conservative Party - even shared the video, tweeting: 'You have to watch until the end.'

The gaffe by the lawyer triggers roars of laughter from the live audience watching Sunday evening's debate (pictured) into the leaking of private messages sent by Mr Hancock during the pandemic

Mr Coad was quick to apologise and claimed he had missed the word 'not' in his email. But people soon took to social media to ruthlessly mock him for the blunder

The blunder led to Mr Coad been ruthlessly mocked on social media, for the lawyer's error being lampooned by users over Twitter

Dominic Cummings, ex-chief adviser to Boris Johnson who has been a frequent critic of Mr Hancock, seized on the bizarre exchange on GB News to continue his attacks on the former Health Secretary

In leaked WhatsApp messages Matt Hancock described the former Government's vaccines tsar as 'totally unreliable'

Others took aim at Mr Hancock and his former boss, Boris Johnson, with one person tweeting: 'Dismally stupid choice of ghostwriter, ditto for the lawyer. This is the man Boris Johnson thought could best make decisions on our populations welfare in the face of a major pandemic.'

But the lawyer was given credit by viewers for promptly owning up and apologising for the slip-up. "To be fair its refreshing for someone to hold their hands up and say oops, my bad, sorry"!,' tweeted one person.

The news comes just days after more than 100,000 WhatsApp messages were leaked to the Telegraph by Isabel Oakeshott - Mr Hancock's ghostwriter for the book Pandemic Diaries.

Ms Oakshott spent almost year helping to write the book and claimed to have viewed 'thousands and thousands of sensitive government communications relating to the pandemic'.

But the political journalist's leak could have breached a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). She has since claimed that Mr Hancock had sent her 'menacing' messages in the early hours following the release of the messages.

Isabel Oakeshott, who has described lockdowns as an 'unmitigated disaster', said she was releasing the messages because it would take 'many years' before the end of the official Covid inquiry, which she claimed could be a 'colossal whitewash'

In one message on April 14, Mr Hancock said Sir Chris had finished a review and recommended 'testing of all going into care homes, and segregation whilst awaiting result'. Mr Hancock described it as 'obviously a good positive step'. However, the investigation said he later responded to an aide: 'Tell me if I'm wrong but I would rather leave it out and just commit to test & isolate ALL going into care from hospital. I do not think the community commitment adds anything and it muddies the waters'

Sir Chris Whitty (left) told then health secretary Matt Hancock (right) there should be testing for 'all going into care homes'

Speaking last week to Good Morning Britain: 'I really think this whole menacing message thing has been a bit overinflated. Im not frightened or intimidated. It simply said at 1.20 in the morning: You have made a big mistake.

'You cant really interpret that as anything other than a threat.

'He has since followed through with more threats of legal action and so on, but Im not worried about that. Im not going to be intimidated or blown off course by that. This is much more important than those considerations.'

Mr Hancock - who last year appeared on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! - admitted telling the journalist she had made a 'big mistake' by passing on the private messages to a newspaper.

But he denied his message had been threatening and accused her of a 'massive betrayal and breach of trust'.

He argued: 'There is absolutely no public interest case for this huge breach,' stressing the 'material for his book' had already been sent to the official Covid inquiry.
Wagner has been instrumental in Russian military success in eastern Ukraine

The founder of Russia's Wagner group of mercenaries has warned the entire frontline will collapse if his troops in the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut do not receive more ammunition.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, whose organisation has played a significant part in Russian military successes in recent months, said his ammo-starved forces were the 'cement' holding the frontline together and the last line of defence to win the war.

'Today, Wagner is the cement that, as I've said previously, is holding the Ukrainian army in place  grinding it down, destroying it and preventing it from deploying to other regions and occupying other fronts.

'We're also moving forward and the [Russian] army is forced to follow behind us to save face and prop up their reputation... If the Wagner group pulls back, then the following situation will unfold.

'It is clear that the front will crumble, the front will crumble for the Russian borders, perhaps it crumbles even further.'

Yevgeny Prigozhin, whose mercenary group has played a significant part in Russian military successes in recent months, said his ammo-starved forces were the 'cement' holding the frontline together in a video published on Telegram channel at the weekend

Ukrainian soldiers fire a self-propelled howitzer towards Russian positions near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, yesterday

A Ukrainian soldier sits in a trench near Russian positions near Bakhmut yesterday

The fighting around Bakhmut has seen First world War-style trench warfare unfold as both sides batter one another with artillery while sheltering in ditches

Prigozhin made the remarks in a four-minute-long video published over the weekend by a Wagner-linked Telegram channel.

Earlier last week he claimed his units had 'practically surrounded Bakhmut'  a focal point of the conflict in Donetsk where fighting has intensified in the past week with Russian forces attacking from nearly all sides.

But yesterday he complained that most of the ammunition that his forces were promised by Moscow last month had not yet been shipped.

'For now, we are trying to figure out the reason: is it just ordinary bureaucracy or a betrayal?' Prigozhin asked on his usual press service Telegram channel.

The mercenary chief regularly criticises Russia's defence chiefs and top generals, and last month accused embattled defence minister Sergei Shoigu and others of 'treason' for withholding supplies of munitions to his militia.

In his weekend video, Prigozhin said his troops were worried Moscow wanted to set them up as possible scapegoats if Russia lost the war.

'If Wagner pulls back from Bakhmut, then this is how history will remember us. A group of mercenaries led by Prigozhin convinced President Putin of its necessity... then they fell back and the Ukrainian army broke into the territory of the Luhansk People's Republic, swept away Luhansk, swept away Krasnodon and entered the territory of Russia.

'If we move back, then we will go down in history for ever as the people who took the main step towards losing the war. This is exactly the problem that we have now  we are being starved of ammunition.

'[My fighters] come to me and they say, ''chief, can't somebody in the depths of the Ministry of Defence, or maybe even higher, explain to the entire Russian people why we had so much trouble?''

'What if they want to set us up and say we are scoundrels, and say that's why we are not given ammunition and weapons?'

A Ukrainian soldier in a trench under Russian shelling on the frontline close to Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, yesterday

Ukrainian soldiers ride an infantry fighting vehicle along a road not far from Bakhmut

Ukrainian soldiers fire a self-propelled howitzer towards Russian positions near Bakhmut

Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of Russia's Wagner mercenary force, speaks in Paraskoviivka, Ukraine, in this still image from an undated video released last week

Ukrainian servicemen light a fire with gunpowder near the city of Bakhmut

The Wagner group has for months been central to Russian military effectiveness on the frontlines of Ukraine, having launched a mass recruitment drive in Russian prisons last year.

The group used human wave tactics, piling in underequipped and undertrained men to soak up Ukrainian resources before deploying better-armed and trained mercenaries to break down Ukraine's fatigued fighters.

But since the demotion of Sergei Surovikin  an army general close to Prigozhin who was previously in command of Russia's armed forces  in December, Wagner has found itself starved of ammunition and support.

This has prompted suspicions that Russia's military commander Valery Gerasimov and Shoigu are isolating the mercenaries, condemning them to fail while masking their own army's woeful performance.

It comes as a British Ministry of Defence intelligence update claimed that Russia is now deploying 60-year-old armoured vehicles to the frontlines in the face of heavy losses.

'The Russian military has continued to respond to heavy armoured vehicle losses by deploying 60-year-old T-62 main battle tanks (MBT)... In recent days, Russian BTR-50 armoured personnel carriers, first fielded in 1954, have also been identified deployed in Ukraine for the first time,' the update read.

It added that in despite the upgrades, the vehicles will be sorely outmatched and outgunned.

'Since summer 2022, approximately 800 T-62s have been taken from storage and some have received upgraded sighting systems which will highly likely improve their effectiveness at night.

'However, both these vintage vehicle types will present many vulnerabilities on the modern battlefield, including the absence of modern explosive reactive armour.'

A resident walks past a damaged church and a destroyed Russian tank in the town of Svyatohirsk, Donetsk region, last week

A destroyed tank in the village of Tsupivka, Kharkiv region, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Elsewhere in Ukraine, the exiled mayor of Melitopol  a city in the southern Zaporizhzhia oblast  claimed that a Ukrainian attack on a pair of Russian military bases is likely to have killed scores of Putin's troops.

Ivan Fedorov told Ukrainian TV yesterday that two powerful explosions were heard in the northern part of the city, which was one of the first in Ukraine to be occupied when Russian forces launched their invasion in February last year.

'In occupied Melitopol, powerful explosions are heard, two enemy bases were destroyed,' Mr Fedorov said.

According to the mayor, Russian losses as a result of the strike 'amount to hundreds of people, but the general staff of the armed forces of Ukraine will provide more detailed information.'

'Today is a weekend of hell for them, just like the whole last week of hell,' Mr Fedorov added.
A former plumber whose pet Rottweiler savagely mauled a mother, her two young children and a passerby has been spared jail.

Richard Holmes, 65, was taking his 18-month-old Rottweiler Della for a walk through Luton Park in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, on August 30 last year, when it turned on mother Rebecca Lyth, her nine-year-old daughter and her seven-year-old son.

During the attack, Della 'circled' the family - who had been walking their small French bulldogs together - before lunging at them, inflicting puncture wounds to their legs and buttocks. Passerby Christopher Terry was also injured as he tried to intervene.

At Chester Magistrates' Court, Holmes pleaded guilty to four charges of being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury. He was sentenced to eight weeks in prison - suspended for 12 months - while he was ordered to pay 1,100 in damages.

The dog, meanwhile, was made the subject of a contingent destruction order which means she will be spared from being put down as long as she behaves in future. Holmes was ordered to fix a chain on his front door and a padlock on his back gate to ensure Della does not get out of the house unaccompanied.

Richard Holmes, pictured outside Chester Magistrates Court, has been spared jail after his Rottweiler mauled a mother, her two children and a passerby

18-month-old Rottweiler Della circled the family in Luton Park (pictured), Cheshire, and left them with puncture wounds in their legs and buttocks

The cause of the attack, which began at 2.45pm, remains unknown but Holmes claimed Della may have been 'nipped' by one of the French bulldogs before the attack. He also said she had been attacked herself by another dog two weeks prior to the incident.

Four police officers who arrived at the scene had to help the casualties over a set of railings to get them away from the dog's reach as Holmes battled to bring his Rottweiler under control.

The two children were said to be 'very distressed.' All four victims had their bite wounds cleaned and dressed and were given antibiotics.

Holmes was ordered to pay 400 in compensation to both children, 200 to their mother Ms Lyth, and 100 to passerby Mr Terry.

Although Della has been spared from being put down, she will have to wear a muzzle in public and must be on a non-extendable lead no longer than 1.5m. The dog has also been banned from being in the same room as a child without a muzzle and she and her owner must attend three sessions with a dog behaviourist.

Three officers - who found the victims cowering in terror as Della circled, lunged and bit them - deployed their batons whilst a fourth stood between the dog and the family as Holmes attempting to regain control.

Miss Lyth - who was seen holding one of her two small dogs - was eventually helped over railings into a secure children's play area with her children whilst Holmes finally got the animal back on a lead.

Alan Currums, prosecuting, said: 'Even after the police arrived, the defendant was unable to gain control of the dog. The Crown accepts that he is trying to gain control of the dog but getting nowhere. The dog appears to be lunging at the complainants throughout.

Former plumber Holmes was ordered to pay 1,100 in damages after pleading guilty to four charges of being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury

'Police do take some time to try and remove some of the witnesses from the incident itself. One of the children was extremely upset. The police officer removed that child to the place of safety but while he is doing that, the dog was looking for the victim.

'The dog was substantially out of control. The only way the defendant was able to bring the dog under control was when the witnesses were removed from the scene. Only then was he able to gain control.'

In mitigation for Holmes defence lawyer Stephen Langton said: 'His recollection is that one of the complainant's dogs went towards his dog and his dog then reacted. He thinks it was nipped but is not entirely certain. However he is absolutely clear that he accepts responsibility, that he lost control of the dog regardless of whether the dog was nipped or not.

READ MORE: Why are deadly dog attacks on the rise? Jack Lis was attacked by a XL bully dog while playing with a friend at a house after school in Pentwyn Advertisement

Mr Langton added that Holmes has walked his dog three times a day for 18 months without an incident. 'He is probably searching for reasons why the dog has reacted in the way it did,' he said. 'He is probably making an assumption that the dog has been nipped. She was attacked two weeks previously and had shown no aggression since that date.'

'He walked the dog again every day for two weeks, without incident, in the same park, the same route and on this occasion it has reacted. I would suggest he could not have envisaged this scenario. He accepts that it was a horrendous experience for this family.

'He has had dogs all his life. He has never had any issues. He has no real close family members, some nieces visit occasionally. Della means everything to him. He understands that if this dog comes to court again for any misbehaviour, the dog will be euthanised.'

A probation report said: 'Mr Holmes has shown much remorse and is able to identify specifically with the victims, the impact on the victims, how he may have prevented the incident from happening and how he may have prevented it from coming before the courts.'

Sentencing deputy district judge Mary Dowrick said: 'A dog owner walking their dog off the lead needs to be alert to situations - especially in a situation where there has been an incident with another dog a couple of weeks before that. It was a very serious aggravating factor that two of the victims were children and it was aggravated by the prolonged nature of the attack.

'The incident went on for quite a long time, lasting from anywhere between 10 to 20 minutes. It might not sound like a long time but when repeatedly lunged at and bitten, it is a tremendous amount of time to have gone through that horrific ordeal.

'There was not just one victim, there were four and two of them were children. But I have been helped by the canine expert report and numerous letters that have been written by your neighbours and people in the community.

'The letters talk about your experience with dogs and how your dog normally behaves in public. It is clear from the report that you have been a dog owner for a number of years and that this is the first time that kind of incident has occurred.'
A fit and energetic young parkour athlete who drowned at a Sydney beach on the weekend just metres from his friends was incredibly happy and looking forward to university.

Ivan Korolev, 18, went for a swim with two mates at Freshwater Beach around 8pm on Saturday night but didn't return to shore with his friends.

His mother Anna Zolotukhina has chosen to speak out to thank rescue crews who retrieved her son's body following an overnight search that lasted into Sunday morning.

'We had a deep and meaningful relationship and understanding so apart from being my son he was my close friend,' Ms Zolotukhina told 9News.

'I was told that he swam a short distance away from his friends. They were chatting and having fun and his last words were "I'm so relaxed right now that I'm ready to fall asleep".'

Ivan Korolev's mother Anna Zolotukhina (pictured together) said her son was also a close friend

She is heartbroken but says her son was 'ready' and that he had been very happy in recent weeks

The exact circumstances that caused the young man - who loved the outdoors including rock climbing, parkour, swimming and animals - to drown remains a mystery.

He trained in martial arts and was getting ready to study physiotherapy at Australian National University in a matter of weeks.

'The sheer happiness he went through the last few weeks is just unbelievable,' his heartbroken mother said.

'We all live on this planet to fulfill our purpose in life some people need a hundred years to do so, some people need 18.

'God works in unpredictable ways... he was ready.'

His two friends called police when they lost sight of him and he failed to return to shore around 8:15pm on Saturday.

Emergency services launched an extensive search and rescue operation, working continuously to try and find Ivan.

Local police, the Marine Area Command, Surf Life Saving NSW, Marine Rescue, Polair and the Toll Ambulance Rescue Helicopter scoured the area from North Curl Curl headland along the coastline to Bluefish Point and further out to sea to find Ivan.

Marine officers patrolled the water, while police scoured the beach on Saturday night.

The search operation continued in the morning when Ivan's body was found in the water around 9:15am.

The body of Sydney teen Ivan Korolev (pictured), 18, was found in the water on Sunday. Friends and family have shared tributes to social media

Search crews worked throughout the night to locate the boy after his friend reported him missing

The close family and have thanked the local community for rallying around them

The family are thankful to rescue teams who tirelessly worked throughout the night to locate him - just 500metres from shore.

They are also grateful to the local community they say has kept them going.

A memorial will be held at Freshwater beach on Saturday at 5pm.

'If anyone wants to bring flowers, the ones he got for his birthday were blue irises,' Ms Zolotukhina said.

A GoFundMe has also set up by a close friend to support the family.

Police say his death is not being treated as suspicious.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.
Misogynistic influencer Andrew Tate has denied that he has cancer after confirming last week that he has a 'dark spot on his lung'.

In the latest update to his millions of Twitter followers, Tate's account said the scar on his lung 'is from an old battle' after the medical details were released last week.

The former kickboxer is currently being held in Romania alongside his brother Tristan on suspicion of organised crime and human trafficking, which they deny.

'I do not have cancer. My lungs contain precisely 0 smoking damage. In fact, I have an 8L lung capacity and the vital signs of an Olympic athlete,' the update said.

'There is nothing but a scar on my lung from an old battle. True warriors are scarred both inside and out,' the post added in a style that has become typical of Tate's social media messages since his detention.

Misogynistic influencer Andrew Tate (pictured on 27 February), who is currently being held in Romania on suspicion of organised crime and human trafficking, has denied that he has cancer after last week confirmed that he has a 'dark spot on his lung'

Last week, Tate's team told MailOnline that he had attended a medical consultation with doctors in Dubai about his 'serious' health condition that must 'not be taken lightly' before he was arrested in December.

Since his arrest, Tate has been receiving medical treatment in Romania for the medical condition - and the influencer remains 'strong' and 'in good shape' - his representative said on Friday.

Tate's doctors, in both Romania and Dubai, reportedly wrote in medical documents that the influencer has a lesion of his upper right lung - a condition that has been described as a 'serious health condition'. His doctor said the lesion could be a sign of a carinoid tumour - a rare type of slow-growing cancer.

Tate initially confirmed the major health fears, with his spokesman telling MailOnline: 'Tate has a dark spot on his lung, most likely a tumour.'

As a result, his doctors have requested that Tate, who has been held at a Romanian prison since late December on sex trafficking charges, be released from prison so he can receive treatment in Dubai.

But on Monday morning, Tate's Twitter account moved to quell the questions around his health. His message to his five million followers came alongside a picture of a shirtless Tate striking a pose in a gym, which his left leg stretched out to his side.

Romanian officials have said Tate will receive any medical treatment in Romania.

Monday's somewhat bizarre post continued in typical Tate fashion.

'As one of the most influential men on the face of the planet It is important for the good of humanity that I live as long as possible,' it said.

'At my current strength levels, I estimate to survive for at least 5000 more years. With this in mind, I take my medical care extremely seriously.

'I had a regular checkup organized in Dubai pre-detention. The doctors were extremely interested in the scar on my lung.

On Monday morning, Tate's Twitter account moved to quell the questions around his health. His message to his five million followers came alongside a picture of a shirtless Tate striking a pose in a gym, which his left leg stretched out to his side (pictured)

'They do not understand how I survive without treatment. They do not know the secrets of Wudan. But this battle has long passed.'

The post also shared a link to a page on Tate's website titled 'Tales Of Wudan' in which he spins a fictional story about how he lived 5000 'human years' on top of a mountain. 'I remember every lived second,' the page says.

The story is accompanied by a series of pictures in the style of Japanese art, depicting a cartoon Tate undertaking 'trials' and doing martial arts.

Tate's lawyers have previously said he does not have access to social media while being held in Romania, suggesting someone else is posting to Twitter on his behalf.

Earlier this week, the Tate brothers lost their latest bid to be released from jail, with a Romanian court upholding a third extension for their detention.

The divisive influencer will now be detained for another 30 days - until at least March 29, according to Ramona Bolla, a spokesman for Romanian anti-organised crime agency DIICOT - as the investigation continues.

Bolla said prosecutors also won an appeal on Monday against a court's decision last week to place under house arrest two women also held in the case, instead of in full detention. None of the four under investigation have been formally charged.

The appeal was the third the brothers have lost against decisions to extend their detention while investigations continue.

A document explaining an earlier decision to keep them in jail said the judge took into account the 'particular dangerousness of the defendants' and their capacity to identify victims 'with an increased vulnerability, in search of better life opportunities'.

Tate, who has lived in Romania since 2017, was previously banned from various social media platforms for expressing misogynistic views and hate speech.

Andrew Tate (C-L) and his brother Tristan Tate (C-R) arrive at The Court of Appeal in Bucharest, Romania, on February 27, 2023, along with two other women seen in handcuffs

He has repeatedly claimed Romanian prosecutors have no evidence and alleged their case is a 'political' conspiracy designed to silence him.

DIICOT said in a statement after their arrests in December that it had identified six victims in the human trafficking case who were subjected to 'acts of physical violence and mental coercion' and were sexually exploited by members of the alleged crime group.

The agency said victims were lured with pretences of love and later intimidated, put under surveillance and subjected to other control tactics while being coerced into engaging in pornographic acts for the financial gain of the crime group.

Since their arrest, the brothers have allegedly demanded prison officers bring them a PlayStation and a hair stylist, reports Romanian news site Gandul But the pair have been snubbed by officials who have refused their demands.
He also denies charge of wounding with intent of Olivia's mother Cheryl Korbel

Olivia was shot dead at her home in Dovecot, Liverpool, on August 22 last year

The mother and father of Olivia Pratt-Korbel have arrived at court for the trial of the man accused of murdering the nine-year-old.

Olivia was shot dead at her home in Dovecot, Liverpool, just after 10pm on August 22 last year.

Her mother, Cheryl Korbel, 46, was injured in the shooting as the gunman chased convicted burglar Joseph Nee, into their home.

Both she and Olivia's father John Francis Pratt arrived at court this morning wearing pink ribbons in memory of the little girl.

John Francis Pratt, the father of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel, arrives with family members at Manchester Crown Court for the trial of Thomas Cashman

Cheryl Korbel, mother of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel, arrives at Manchester Crown Court for the trial of Thomas Cashman

Olivia was shot dead at her home in Dovecot, Liverpool, just after 10pm on August 22

Thomas Cashman, 34, denies the murder of Olivia, the attempted murder of Nee and the wounding with intent of her mother.

This morning armed officers were part of the police security detail guarding the courthouse.

One was seen holding a machine gun with his face covered by a black mask.

Cashman, of West Derby, Liverpool, also denies two counts of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.

A van arrives under police escort at Manchester Crown Court for the trial of Thomas Cashman, who is charged with murdering nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel

An armed police officer outside Manchester Crown Court for the trial of Thomas Cashman

Police - including at least two armed officers - created a secure perimeter outside court

Police officers outside Manchester Crown Court for the trial of Thomas Cashman today

Olivia's mother, Cheryl Korbel, 46, was injured in the shooting as the gunman was in the house

His trial, at Manchester Crown Court, is expected to start today and last four weeks.

Following her death, Olivia's family described her as a 'unique, chatty, nosey little girl who broke the mould when she was born'.

They said: 'Although her life was short, her personality certainly wasn't and she lived it to the most she could, and would blow people away with her wit and kindness.'

Olivia's funeral was held at St Margaret Mary's Church in Knotty Ash in October.
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Young mother had been pregnant at the time

A young mother has revealed the life-shattering moment her husband confessed to sending perverted messages to schoolgirls online.

Georgia, from Melbourne, had been pregnant with their son when her husband disappeared and couldn't be contacted for an entire day.

Late that night, he finally returned home and admitted that he had been arrested by police and was facing charges of child sexual abuse.

Georgia's husband, a navy recruit, would later plead guilty to using a carriage service to groom a person under 16 years.

He had believed he was speaking to two schoolgirls, aged 14 and 15, who were actually police operatives undercover on social media.

Georgia said she still feels sick to her stomach when she remembers that night.

'I took my wedding ring off and left it on the bathroom bench and I packed a bag and I left, I walked out and I went to my parent's place,' she told The Project on Monday.

Georgia, a mother-of-one from Melbourne, was left shell-shocked when her husband, a navy recruit, told her he was facing charges of child sexual abuse

Georgia was just 18-years-old when the charismatic recruit swept her off her feet, telling her that he loved her just two weeks after they met.

She moved from Melbourne to Sydney to be with him, where they were married, bought their first property and later fell pregnant.

'He was attractive, he was very charismatic, he had a lot of friends, it was like a dream come true, like oh wow, this guy's actually interested in me,' she recalled.

However, cracks in their marriage quickly began to show.

Georgia alleges her husband was verbally and physically abusive during their marriage, and that the beatings continued even while she was pregnant.

She claims her husband was adamant that their unborn child must be a boy, telling her that it was 'either a boy or an abortion'.

At her 10 week scan, Georgia was relieved to find out they were expecting a son.

Georgia (pictured with her son) was just 18-years-old when a charismatic navy recruit swept her off her feet, telling her that he loved her just two weeks after they met

But it wouldn't be long before her husband confessed to grooming underage girls.

'We will be each other's secret,' read one of his messages.

Another said: 'You know I want you as my girl.'

'I think we could have a lot of fun together,' a third read.

The navy recruit then encouraged who he had thought were teenage girls to meet up with him and send explicit photos of themselves.

'You are really sexy,' one of the messages read.

'One more pic please... of your face and body. Oh and one of your butt!!!'

Her husband was convicted on two charges and received a two-and-a-half year suspended sentence and 150 hours of community service.

Georgia said the judge had inferred that the breakdown of their marriage and the impact on his future relationship with their son was punishment enough.

'To me, that is horrifying,' she said.

Georgia (pictured) said her husband was verbally and physically abusive during their marriage, and that the beatings continued while she was pregnant

He will remain on the sex offender registry for 15 years but has avoided jail time, while Georgia received full custody of their son.

She understands he will have questions about his father as he gets older and is determined to let him form his own opinion.

'How do you tell someone all of that? What happens if he doesn't eventually want to meet him and how will I navigate that?' she said.

'I try not to be too critical about my ex-husband in the sense that I try not to sway high son's future opinion of him, if that makes sense.

'I want my son to deal with facts, to understand the facts, and then to be able to make the decision himself.'

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This file photo shows Lone Star's signboard in a building located in Gangnam, Seoul, Nov. 11, 2006. Yonhap



The former Seoul branch chief of Lone Star, who had led the U.S. equity fund's acquisition of a local bank, has been arrested in the United States, Korea's justice ministry said Sunday.



Steven Lee, a Korean American who headed the branch office between 1998 and 2005, was caught in New Jersey, 17 years after the Korean government had asked the U.S. authorities to extradite him in 2006, according to the Ministry of Justice.



Texas-based Lone Star took over the Korea Exchange Bank (KEB) at a below-market price in 2003 and sold it to Seoul-based Hana Financial Group in 2012, earning a hefty profit from the transaction.



Lee was suspected of playing a key role in dealing with the purchase of KEB through manipulating financial records and collaborating with Korean government officials and financial heavyweights.



Lee himself also faces charges of embezzlement and tax evasion.



Prosecutors launched a probe into Lee in 2006, but he had already fled to the U.S. a year prior. Then, the Korean government sought the extradition of Lee.



The Ministry of Justice said it will cooperate with the U.S. authorities in repatriating him. (Yonhap)




The former lover of a missing man whose dismembered torso was found in a wheelie bin has been charged with his murder.

SA Police last week announced they had arrested two people and charged them with the murder of Geoffrey McLean, who was reported missing in August 2022.

On Monday, 49-year-old Sheree Glastonbury faced the Adelaide Magistrates Court charged with Mr McLean's death.

She was reportedly Mr McLean's long-term lover, according to sources close to the family.

The court heard Glastonbury would not be applying for bail, and was instead adjourned for charge determination in June.

Sheree Glastonbury (pictured) faced court on Monday charged with her lover's alleged murder

SA Police last week announced they had arrested two people and charged them with the alleged murder of Geoffrey McLean (pictured)

Outside court, Glastonbury's sister, Tina, spoke to the media.

'It's upsetting. I'd love to discuss it further, but due to the court proceedings, I can't make any comments,' she said.

'It's been horrific, and I suppose it's just the start of the journey.'

Mark John Murphy, 51, faced the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Friday, also charged with Mr McLean's murder.

However, court documents have revealed Murphy had allegedly been involved in a series of crimes against Mr McLean, including assault, trespass, attempted murder and causing serious harm, since April last year.

In April 2022, Murphy allegedly assaulted Mr McLean with a log splitter - an act which landed Mr McLean in hospital.

Murphy was charged with attempted murder over the incident, but just four months after the brutal attack, police believe he helped murder Mr McLean.

Mark John Murphy (pictured) is accused of murdering Geoffrey McLean in 2022

Geoffrey McLean's dismembered torso was discovered in a wheelie bin (pictured)

In October, the dismembered torso of the missing South Australian man was found in a bin in a Salisbury South vacant block.

Last month, police released CCTV footage of two people acting suspiciously near the lot where Mr McLean's torso was dumped.

Police later confirmed the wheelie bin used to discard some of Mr McLean's body parts had been stolen from an address about 900m from the scene in Eastview St at Brahma Lodge.

It is alleged the wheelie bin was stolen some time after his murder.
A drunk US college student has been arrested in India after he allegedly urinated on another passenger during an American Airlines flight from New York to New Delhi.

Aryan Vohra, 21, was allegedly caught urinating on a fellow passenger while 'heavily intoxicated' on board the flight on Saturday night.

Vohra was arrested by police officers when the plane touched down in New Delhi and American Airlines have now imposed a ban on the college student from flying on any of its planes in the future, reports ANI news agency.

The Indian national, who was travelling to India for his sister's wedding, was 'heavily intoxicated' and ignored instructions from the crew, the airline said.

'He was repeatedly arguing with the operating crew, was not willing to be seated and continuously endangering the safety of the crew and aircraft, and after disturbing [the] safety of fellow passengers finally urinated on [a passenger] in 15G.'

The airline imposed ban on passenger from flying on any of its flights in the future.

Delhi police officer Devesh Kumar Mahla, DCP, IGI Airport, spoke on the reports of a drunken student urinating on a fellow passenger on the American Airlines flight

Police officer Devesh Kumar Mahla, DCP, IGI Airport, said: 'We received a complaint from American Airlines stating that there is one accused identified as Arya Vohra, a resident of Delhi.

'They stated that he did not behave properly and created a nuisance and also urinated on the co-passenger. On the basis of the complaint, we are contemplating action under IPC and Civil Aviation Act.

'The strongest possible action will be taken against him to deter other flyers to not behave in this manner or do any such activity in the future.'

He was released from custody on Sunday.

The airline confirmed that the plane was met by local law enforcement in Delhi after landing at 9:50pm.

The pilot contracted Delhi Air Traffic Control to bring security to help manage the situation.

The passenger 'misbehaved' as he was being escorted from the plane by security personnel, an airport official said.

The American Airlines pilot contracted air traffic control and security was brought to escort the drunken passenger from the plane upon landing in Delhi

In January, a vice president at banking giant Wells Fargo was fired after he was accused of urinating on a 72-year-old woman while traveling between New York City and Mumbai.

The incident involving Shankar Mishra occurred on November 26 in the business class cabin of an Air India flight. Mishra's lawyers claimed the senior citizen 'condoned' the act, according to multiple reports in India.

Reports in India said that Mishra, a resident of Mumbai, was allegedly drunk at the time of the incident.

Through his lawyers, Mishra alleged that the woman 'condoned' the action and that he had compensated her as well as paid for her clothes and bags to be cleaned.
More Channel migrants reached the UK today as Rishi Sunak prepares to unveil his plans to 'get a grip' on the crisis.

The RNLI brought in around 40 migrants to the harbour at Dover - the first in more than a week found making the perilous crossing.

The news came the day before the government's tough new measures are made public, with indefinite re-entry bans on all migrants coming to Britain by 'irregular routes'.

Arrivals will also face a lifetime ban on securing the right to settle permanently in the UK, or winning British citizenship.

Science Secretary Michelle Donelan said this morning that the proposals - thought to have a price tag of around 3billion - are 'common sense' and can deter small boats.

Some 45,000 crossed the Channel last year, and Mr Sunak has made 'stopping the boats' one of his key pledges before the next election.

However, the PM is facing a backlash with former mandarins and border unions already branding the ideas 'unworkable' and Labour confirming it will oppose them. Conservative MPs are also anxious, warning that 'political signalling' will not be enough and the public must see concrete results.

Rolled- up inflatable dinghies and outboard engines at a Port Authority yard in Dover today

Channel arrivals housed at the Napier Barracks in Folkestone, Kent today

The tough new measures will impose indefinite re-entry bans on all migrants who arrive in this country by 'irregular routes', such as by small boat. Ministers hope it will send a strong message and deter migrants from crossing the Channel illegally

The tough new measures will impose indefinite re-entry bans on all migrants who arrive in this country by 'irregular routes', such as by small boat

Science Secretary Michelle Donelan said the government's proposals - due to be unveiled officially tomorrow with a price tag of around 3billion - were 'common sense'

The Illegal Migration Bill, to be unveiled tomorrow, is also expected to set out further measures restricting the right to claim asylum and making it easier for the Home Office to remove irregular migrants.

Ms Donelan told BBC Breakfast: 'This week we will be bringing forward additional legislation, which is based on the principle that if people travel here via illegal routes they shouldn't be allowed to stay, which I think is common sense and right and the correct approach.'

She argued that many people crossing the Channel have previously 'travelled through a number of safe countries' or do not need to claim asylum.

'Those boats are not filled with people coming from countries that desperately need help. Many times they're filled with people that are actually economic migrants and also been exploited by criminal gangs who take their money on a very perilous journey.'

The minister said the Government 'will be opening up more safe routes' for asylum seekers, but failed to name any when pressed repeatedly.

The PM's official spokesman said: 'Once we have control of our borders, we will be able to open more routes, which is the fair and safe way to bring people across.'

On deporting migrants, the spokesman said: 'Our focus will be on deporting people to safe third countries, or indeed back to their country of origin. That is the stated aim and, obviously, we have the agreement with Rwanda, we have some returns agreement.'

There are worries on the government benches that ministers have yet to secure anywhere that migrants can be sent - which could be a major flaw in the approach.

Former Home Office mandarin David Normington said it is 'highly doubtful' that people will stop arriving in small boats because it is illegal.

'These are people many of whom are desperate, they have fled from persecution, and being told that there's been a change in legislation in the British Parliament, I don't think is going to make a big difference to them,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

'And then the Government has to do something with them. It says it's going to detain them for 28 days, and then deport them. But where is it going to detain them? Because it doesn't have the space.

'And where's it going to deport them to? Because it doesn't have agreements with enough countries that are safe.'

Lucy Moreton, of the Immigration Services Union, which represents Border Force staff, voiced concerns that the new law will actually increase the number of crossings.

Asked whether the plans would halt the crossings, she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'Not as things stand at the moment. In fact, it's actually going to be the converse when these things are published and announced in this way.

'What it actually does is fuel the service, if you like, that the criminals provide.'

The gangs will tell people 'quick, cross now before anything changes', she added.

Tory MP Danny Kruger said that Rishi Sunak's plan to tackle Channel crossings would be 'serious'.

'Political signalling isn't going to work,' he told BBC Radio 4's Westminster Hour.

'The problem is we've been talking about this for years now. The only thing that will convince the public that we're serious is actually gripping the problem and reducing the crossings.

'So this has to work and I pay tribute to the government because they've taken a while to get this right.'

He warned that the Government needs to avoid the same kinds of legal challenges that have blighted the Rwanda scheme.

New laws will also restrict Channel migrants from using human rights laws to avoid removal from Britain, it is understood. The Bill is likely to severely limit the way claims under Labour's Human Rights Act can be used by asylum seekers who arrive by irregular routes

Another Conservative MP told the Idependent they were worried that Mr Sunak has 'over-promised'.

Keir Starmer suggesting the timing of the announcement was timed for May's local elections.

'We had a plan last year which was put up in lights  'It's going to be an election winner'. These bits of legislation always seem to come when we've got a local election coming up,' he told LBC Radio.

'It was going to break the gangs  it didn't. Now we've got the next bit of legislation with almost the same billing. I don't think that putting forward unworkable proposals is going to get us very far.'

Sir Keir suggested putting money into the National Crime Agency to 'break the gangs who are running this because, until we break them, I think it's going to be very, very hard to actually deal with what is a very real problem, which is people crossing the Channel in the way that they are'.

Asked if the plan is legally feasible, he said: 'I don't know that it is and I think we've got to be very careful with international law here.'

A government source told the Daily Mail: 'This new Bill, if passed by Parliament, will mean that if you come here illegally, not only will you be swiftly removed from the UK, but you will never be able to come back.

'It is bad enough that illegal migrants currently abuse our asylum system to frustrate their removal.

'But it is far worse that they can currently settle here permanently and apply to become a citizen.

'The ability to settle in this country and become a British citizen is not a human right, it is a privilege  which is why we will ban illegal migrants from ever coming back to the UK after we have removed them.'

Mr Sunak, who has made 'stopping the boats' one of his five key pledges to voters, told The Mail on Sunday: 'Illegal migration is not fair on British taxpayers, it is not fair on those who come here legally and it is not right that criminal gangs should be allowed to continue their immoral trade.

'I am determined to deliver on my promise to stop the boats. So make no mistake, if you come here illegally, you will not be able to stay.'

The issue is likely to become a key battleground at the next election, expected at the end of next year. Labour has chosen not to make the small-boats issue one of its five 'missions' for the election.

Current rules state that illegal entrants can be handed a 're-entry ban' of two or five years, depending on the circumstances  and foreign offenders can be barred for ten years and upwards. But the measures being announced tomorrow will significantly extend the restriction, making it impossible to enter Britain again, even as a visitor.

The moves are expected to have a particular impact on Channel migrants from safe countries  such as Albania  who will think twice about making an illegal crossing if it means never being allowed back.

New laws will also restrict Channel migrants from using human rights laws to avoid removal from Britain, it is understood.

The Bill is likely to severely limit the way claims under Labour's Human Rights Act can be used by asylum seekers who arrive by irregular routes. In addition, it will widen the Home Office's ability to insist that any legal appeals must be lodged from abroad rather than from Britain, it is thought.

The Bill will be published ahead of a key summit between the Prime Minister and French president Emmanuel Macron on Friday.

It is understood Mr Sunak will seek a 'substantial' increase in beach patrols to stop migrants from leaving French shores.

Nearly 46,000 migrants crossed the Channel by small boat last year, a huge rise on the 28,500 seen in 2021.

Ministers have been warned that up to 80,000 migrants could make the dangerous journey this year.

Human rights campaigners claim the inadmissibility measures and other aspects of the new Bill are a breach of refugee conventions.

The legislation is also expected to tighten modern slavery laws which are being exploited by migrants to delay removal. The PM has vowed to raise the threshold for claims so that 'objective evidence' of exploitation is required, rather than mere 'suspicion'.

Figures published last week showed modern slavery claims reached a record high last year, boosted by an 80 per cent surge in the number of Albanians claiming under the scheme.

As part of his action plan, the PM has also vowed to clear 92,000 cases from the asylum backlog  currently standing at 166,000  by the end of this year.
Getting a better look, he realized a 9ft alligator had been waiting outside

A man from Florida found himself shocked and bleeding after a nine-foot alligator lunged for him on his doorstep on Saturday.

Scott Hollingsworth said he opened the front door to his home on Champions Drive in Daytona Beach around 9:40pm on Saturday night after hearing a noise outside.

As he did, he found 'something grabbed me on the leg and started shaking violently,' which he assumed was a dog.

After getting a better look, he realized he had been attacked by a huge gator, which he guessed was about 'six feet or seven feet'.

He stepped back inside and shut the door to find a huge gash down the side of his leg, serious enough to take him to hospital where he had surgery.

Wildlife officials said the alligator, later reported to be nine feet, was eventually euthanized.

Scott Hollingsworth is pictured speaking after the ordeal that saw him require surgery

A large alligator here caught by police in New York City in February 2023

Hollingsworth was lucky to get away with only non-life-threatening injuries.

He said: 'Fortunately, there's no damage to my knee, which I was concerned about. Everything's going well.'

Hollingsworth did have plans to enjoy Daytona Bike Week. He may have to wait until next year.

'Probably won't be biking anytime soon.'

Officers later found the alligator still near the front of Hollingsworth's house.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission called an agency trapper who euthanized the animal.

Scott Hollingsworth was attacked on his doorstep on the 1100 block of Champions Drive in Daytona Beach, pictured, on the east coast of Florida

Champions Drive is along the east coast of Florida, where further south a woman was attacked and killed by an alligator in St Lucie last month

Two weeks ago, an 85-year-old woman from Fort Pierce, Florida, was attacked and killed by an alligator which had stalked her from a pond at a retirement community in St Lucie.

Serge died after she was mauled to death by the 10ft alligator while trying to rescue her dog, Trooper, from its jaws.

The dog was lucky to survive the attack. The alligator was later caught and euthanized.

Serge was the third victims to be killed by an alligator in the state since July 2022.
Tory headquarters has received complaints over the treatment of new mother MP Theo Clarke amid claims she has been subject to a 'campaign of misogny'.

The Stafford MP was last month rejected by local Conservative members as their candidate for the next general election.

It came just days after the 37-year-old returned to the House of Commons from maternity leave after giving birth to her daughter last August.

During her maternity leave, Ms Clarke revealed she had received dozens of phone calls from angry constituents who berated her for taking time off from Parliament.

She has since linked local anger at her maternity leave to her effective deselection by party activists last month.

Theo Clarke was last month rejected by local Conservative members as their candidate at the next general election

The Stafford MP insisted her deselection has 'nothing to do with Boris' amid claims those who helped to oust Boris Johnson as prime minister last year are being targeted by local activists

Ms Clarke, the niece of ex-Cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg, has vowed to push her reselection bid to a vote of the full Tory membership within her constituency

A source told The Times that Ms Clarke had been subject to a 'campaign of misogyny'.

The newspaper also reported at least five complaints have been sent to Tory headquarters over her treatment.

Duncan Sandbrook, chairman of the Stafford Conservative Association, has dismissed claims the failure to reselect Ms Clarke was due to unhappiness with her maternity leave.

A statement said: 'Stafford Conservative Association would like to make it unequivocally clear that it fully supports a womans right to take maternity leave.

'The Association is not party to any information that proves there is a factual basis for this claim; should evidence be presented to the association supporting these allegations, these instances will be dealt with commensurately.'

The local party also insisted that 'at no stage' was Ms Clarke's maternity leave mentioned during last month's selection meeting, other than by the MP herself.

'The idea that the widespread and long-standing dissatisfaction with Ms Clarke as MP for Stafford, that has led to her failure to be re-adopted, is the result of her decision to take maternity leave, is both false and abhorrent,' the statement added.

Ms Clarke has insisted her deselection has 'nothing to do with Boris' amid claims Tory MPs who helped to oust Boris Johnson as prime minister last year are being targeted by local activists.

She quit as Mr Johnson's trade envoy to Kenya in July last year following the row over the then PM's handling of sexual harassment allegations relating to Chris Pincher.

Ms Clarke, the niece of ex-Cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg, has vowed to push her reselection bid to a vote of the full Tory membership within her constituency.

She is not the only current serving Tory MP to have recently been rejected by their local party.

Damian Green, who was Theresa May's deputy when she was PM, is also among those not to have been automatically readopted as a general election candidate.
This is the moment a pair of Ferrari drivers flew through the air and crashed after taking a bend at high speed while racing each other in Italy.

Shocking CCTV footage shows the moment the daring duo, a 56-year-old Dutchman and a 46-year-old Belgian, were pursuing one another along the country lanes of Osimo in Ancona when they both took a bend far too quickly.

The cars - worth a combined 500,000 - hit a bump and flew through the air before smashing into a nearby villa.

The first Ferrari - a red 296 GTB - rammed head-on into the villa wall and sustained considerable damage.

But the other - a blue F12 Berlinetta - sailed even further, bulldozing through the villa fence and almost immediately bursting into flames.

This is the moment the red Ferrari collided with the barrier just below the villa fence

The blue Ferrari can be seen sailing through the air a split second before it smashed through the fence and sprayed debris into the villa pool

One driver can be seen emerging from the red Ferrari apparently unhurt, but the second painstakingly dragged himself from the smoking blue Ferrari, staggered toward his friend and collapsed.

Moments later, orange flames could be seen snaking out from under the bonnet of the F12 and quickly whipped up into a fearsome blaze that consumed the vehicle.

Paramedics and firefighters rushed to the crash site on via Molino Basso close to Osimo's La Coccinella shopping centre.

An air ambulance was also scrambled, according to local media, given the extent of the crash.

The men were taken to a hospital in the regional capital Ancona, but miraculously suffered only minor injuries.

A female passenger travelling in one of the cars was also largely unhurt.

Firefighters battle to extinguish the flames coming from a blue Ferrari F12 Berlinetta in Osimo, Italy, on Saturday, March, 4, 2023

Two men and a woman are seen waiting by the roadside following the crash

Regional news outlet Ancona Today reported that a total of 118 emergency personnel were forced to attend the incident, with several firefighters battling to extinguish the flaming vehicle.

The F12 was reduced to a burnt-out husk by the time the blaze had been quelled, and debris was left strewn across the villa's grounds, including in the swimming pool.

The drivers, who were understood to be on holiday visiting friends in the region, reportedly face a large fine, which may be increased as investigations into the speed at which they were driving continue.
A British Army soldier who called a female colleague a 'dirty, dirty dog' as he threatened to leak sexually explicit photos of her must pay a 700 fine and 100 compensation to his victim, a military court heard.

Lance Corporal Cameron Wilson rang the woman, abusing her as a 'dirty little s**g' and said he would send her nude photos to her whole Instagram contact list - including close family and friends.

The 'mean and nasty' 27 year old, of 1 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps, admitted one charge of sending electronic communication with intent to cause distress or anxiety.

Prosecuting, Major James Eveleigh told Bulford Military Court, Wilts, the woman, a fellow soldier who cannot be named for legal reasons, received a call from an unknown number, and recorded the conversation that followed.

The 43 second recording was played to the court, in which LCpl Wilson could be heard saying: 'Someone sent me all your f***ing nudes, you dirty, dirty dog.'

Former Lance Corporal Cameron Wilson outside Bulford Military Court

He then threatened to send them to her 'whole Instagram list' as she couldn't 'do s**t' to him, going on to call her a 'dirty little s**g' and warning her to 'watch out'.

Maj Eveleigh revealed her Instagram contact list was made up of some 300 people, including her close family and friends.

It was heard the incident had had a 'deep impact' on her.

Trevor Wright, defending, said LCpl Wilson had nothing on his disciplinary record during 10 years of service in the British Army.

Of the phone call, he said: 'It is unedifying and unpleasant.

'Looking back at that telephone call, Mr Wilson is ashamed.'

Addressing LCpl Wilson, Judge Advocate General Darren Reed said: 'We have listened to the phone call - it was deeply unpleasant.

'It was a mean, stupid and nasty thing to do.

The 'mean and nasty' 27 year old, of 1 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps, admitted one charge of sending electronic communication with intent to cause distress or anxiety

Prosecuting, Major James Eveleigh told Bulford Military Court, Wilts, the woman, a fellow soldier who cannot be named for legal reasons, received a call from an unknown number, and recorded the conversation that followed (stock image)

'However, it was a 43 second phone call that took place some time ago.

'Given your plea of guilty we will reduce punishment from a community order to a fine.'

Wilson was ordered to pay a 700 fine, in monthly instalments of 100, as well as pay the victim 100 compensation by April 3 this year.

'This is to be paid in full for the distress you caused her,' he added.

LCpl Wilson left the armed forces in March 2022 after 10 years of service.
A jobless drug-addict boyfriend accused of torturing and murdering his partner's 15-month-old baby texted his ex-girlfriend the same night.

The 15-month-old's mother, Louise Lennon, 32, and Jake Drummond, 33, her partner, both face charges over the death of Jacob Lennon.

Baby Jacob suffered horrendous long-term abuse at his family home in Putney, southwest London, before he was taken to hospital with fatal head injuries so bad that he 'looked like a panda' in August 2019.

Drummond denies murdering Jacob and a further charge of wounding the baby with intent in relation to earlier injuries to the child's genitals and told the Old Bailey he is not a 'monster'.

Lennon denies causing or allowing the death of a child and cruelty to a child.

Jacob Lennon was just 15 months old when he died after suffering from serious head injuries in August 2019

Mother Louise Lennon, 32, and boyfriend Jake Drummond (pictured), 33, face charges over the death of Jacob Lennon in August 2019

Drummond claims he was asleep on the night Jacob died, despite phone evidence which suggests he downloaded a game and was messaging his ex-partner Julie Sanders.

Lennon's lawyer, Jane Bickerstaff, said the evidence suggests it was normal for Drummond, a heavy cocaine user, to be up all night.

He had sent many texts to his ex-girlfriend at night asking if she was seeing someone else and had that day accepted a caution from police for harassment.

At 5.16am a text was sent from his phone to Ms Sanders saying 'wonder who you were talking to at 3.30am'.

Ms Bickerstaff asked Drummond if he was blaming this on Jacob's four-year-old brother, who he has said was responsible for some of the baby's injuries.

Drummond replied: 'Louise had access to my phone. How do you know she didn't do that on my phone to make sure I got the blame for everything that she had just done?'

'So Louise got into your phone, decided to message your ex-partner, and for some reason had noticed that Julie had been contacting someone at 3.38 in the morning?' Ms Bickerstaff asked.

'She's a manipulative conniving girl, she has lied non-stop in all of her statements and made me out to be a monster that I am not.

'Everything that she has said about me she has lied.

'Think about the messages she was sending to me, would you send those messages to someone who had hurt you.'

Ms Bickerstaff suggested that a woman who had been in abusive relationships and had been housed in a refuge might be more likely to send similar messages.

'No, if I'd hurt her she'd have got her brother round or her friend, that girl had a backbone, she didn't take no crap from no one,' Drummond replied.

'So you would have it that Louise Lennon injured her own baby, placed him at some point on the floor, used your phone, got back into bed next to you and pretended to be asleep?'

Drummond said she must have.

He told police Lennon was asleep when he woke up but told the court she was wide awake.

Asked about the inconsistency he said: 'I'd just spent however long trying to give him CPR and only after found out he was already dead, you don't understand what that does to you unless have to do it.'

Following baby Jacob's death in August 2019, a post-mortem examination found injuries consistent with horrendous long-term abuse. Pictured: Louise Lennon

'You tried to save his life because you had caused his injuries and you didn't want to be blamed for his murder,' Ms Bickerstaff said.

Drummond said he had nightmares about the death of Jacob.

'I tried to save his life because he was a baby, I tried to save his life like any normal person would.

'I have nightmares because of what I saw, I think about it every morning. I care more than you know.

Ms Bickerstaff asked Drummond if he had taken cocaine and was in a 'dark place' the evening of Jacob's death.

Drummond replied: 'It doesn't matter how bad I felt, how dark a place, I would not have hurt a child, it is disgusting you even think I could do that.

'But you're telling us Louise Lennon could have done it?' Ms Bickerstaff said.

'Yes, with all the disgusting lies she has told about me, all the disgusting things I've read I know that she could have done that and then blamed me for it.

'That girl is an expert liar, she is conniving,' Drummond said.

A black bin bag was found in the building's bins containing the top layer from Lennon's sofa cushions and a baby's bottle which had traces of cocaine on it.

Drummond denied throwing the things away and said Lennon could have done it the day before.

Ms Bickerstaff said: 'So in preparation for killing her own child she took the top layer of her sofa cushions off, found a cocaine infused bottle and put them in the bin?'

'I don't know what goes through that girl's mind,' Drummond replied.

A black bin bag was found in the building's bins containing the top layer from Lennon's sofa cushions and a baby's bottle which had traces of cocaine on it, the Old Bailey (pictured) heard

Ms Bickerstaff said Drummond had panicked after murdering the baby and wanted to get rid of the evidence.

'I'm going to suggest that whatever you did to Jacob, you did in the living room, you feared there might be evidence on the seats, took the top layer of the cushions off, and you had tried to give him a bottle.

'Did you think perhaps you might be able to revive him with a bottle?

'After you threw and shook him you must at that stage have panicked. Because four nights earlier, and a further seven nights before that you'd got away with it, it had only resulted in bruises.'

Drummond said the lawyer's mind 'was sick' for imagining that he could do 'something like that'.

The court had previously heard that Drummond was spending in the region of 120 a day on cannabis and cocaine.

Drummond confirmed that in the weeks before Jacob's death he was spending 50 a day on cannabis and would smoke 10 or 15 spliffs.

He told the court: 'To somebody who smokes that isn't actually that much. It's normally 10 a gram.'

He would often splurge 70 from his savings on cocaine, which would last him a single night, taking a new hit every 90 minutes.

Drummond, of no fixed address, denies murder and causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Lennon, of Ingrave Street, Wandsworth, denies causing or allowing the death of a child and child cruelty.

The trial continues.
Up to $9billion worth of gold that the Perth Mint sold to China could be recalled after it was discovered some bars were diluted with other metals.

The WA government-owned mint, which is the largest refiner of newly mined gold in the world, started 'doping' its gold in 2018 - a process which involves mixing in silver or copper while still keeping the purity above 99.99 per cent.

While the product met widely accepted standards on the global gold market, up to 100 tonnes of bullion shipped to China potentially falls short of the more stringent standards of the Shanghai Gold Exchange (SGE).

Some of the gold the SGE tested from Perth Mint exceeded the allowable silver content.

Even more remarkably, when Perth Mint was caught out not meeting the SGE standards they allegedly tried to cover it up, concerned it could affect the mint's reputation, reports the ABC's Four Corners.

Up to 100 tonnes of gold the Perth Mint sold to China's Shanghai Gold Exchange potentially does not meet it's standards

The 124-year-old Perth Mint is the biggest refiner of newly mined gold in the world

It began 'doping' or diluting it's gold in 2018, which involves mixing in copper or silver but keeping the purity above 99.99 per cent

One Perth Mint insider told the program it is a 'scandal of the highest level'.

The 124-year-old Perth Mint is Australia's biggest gold refinery with a turnover of almost $22billion last financial year.

It sold almost 20 million coins, medallions and bars to customers in more than 130 countries.

WA Premier Mark McGowan was the minister responsible for the Perth Mint for four years until March 2021.

The 'doping' program was introduced in 2018 with an expected saving of about $620,000 a year - a tiny fraction of the mint's turnover.

Documents show some internal staff raised concerns the gold bars might not meet SGE standards but the program continued.

The SGE itself first alleged in September 2021 that two gold bars from Perth Mint it had tested using metallurgical assay allegedly contained too much silver.

The doping program was immediately stopped and an internal investigation launched - which found one of those two bars had been checked before it left Perth Mint and had allegedly failed to meet SGE's standards then.

Rather than inform the Chinese exchange, Perth Mint opted to not send through the failed assay test.

The internal investigation provides an insight into why.

'If SGE  Gold Corporation's pre-eminent exchange client  had made public that they had issues with Gold Corporation bars  the impact of negative public statements on the business could be very significant,' the internal report said.

The report also noted the scale of product that could be affected.

'Based on average understandings of volumes  it was possible for up to 100 tonnes of stock to be recalled from the Shanghai Gold Exchange for replacement,' the report said.

The Perth Mint appeared desperate to avoid losing their accreditation with SGE and the damage this would bring to their reputation on global gold markets.

The mint claims that since 2021 it's refining method has been improved and it's gold is now higher purity than the industry standard.

But that isn't its only troubles.

WA Premier Mark McGowan had responsibility for the mint for four years until 2021

Perth Mint is also under investigation for potentially breaching money laundering laws

It is also separately under investigation by financial crime regulator AUSTRAC, which last year ordered the appointment of an external auditor to the West Australian government-owned corporation after identifying compliance concerns.

The auditor is examining whether Gold Corporation, trading as Perth Mint, has complied with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing obligations after allegedly selling gold to persons known to have links to criminal syndicates.

It is also investigating the mint's compliance with requirements relating to the reporting of suspicious matters.

Any confirmed breach of money laundering laws could leave the mint facing heavy criminal fines which would ultimately be paid by WA taxpayers.

A Perth Mint spokeswoman said the corporation 'is required to and fulfils its obligation' to report to AUSTRAC if staff suspect a person or transaction is linked to a crime.

She said the mint had launched anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing remediation programs and processes to improve its engagement with customers.

'The Perth Mint acknowledges there have been instances of historical non-compliance that we are working through, including with regulators such as AUSTRAC, to rectify any shortcomings,' she said.
She was working at Fenwick 47 tapas in Greenock before her termination

A tapas restaurant manager has won more than 15,000 after she was sacked following her announcement she was pregnant and texted 'no hard feelings' by her boss.

Anna McKnight was 'ostracised' after telling her boss she was pregnant and claimed to have been deliberately given fewer shifts at the tapas place where she worked after experiencing sickness.

The 28-year-old mother-to-be was then left 'surprised and upset' after she found out from HR that her employment had been terminated.

Her boss, Jonny Carruthers later sent her a WhatsApp message saying 'no hard feelings'.

Now, Ms McKnight has successfully sued the restaurant in Greenock, Scotland, for pregnancy discrimination and unfair dismissal at an employment tribunal.

Anna McKnight, 28, won more than 15,000 after she was sacked following her announcement she was pregnant and texted 'no hard feelings' by her boss

Ms McKnight, whose son Goldie is now five months old, has won 15,365 after the 'underhand' sacking.

Following the case, Ms McKnight hit out at the 'stigma' around maternity leave and said it needs to be 'stamped out', adding 'companies can't and won't get away with treating women this way'.

The tribunal in Glasgow heard Ms McKnight began working at Fenwick 47 tapas restaurant as assistant manager in December 2021.

She found out she was pregnant with Goldie, her second child, in mid-January 2022 and the general manager at the restaurant, Mr Carruthers, congratulated her.

Mr Carruthers even joked with Ms McKnight that he was going to say he is pregnant to avoid drinking, texting her to say he 'will kiddon I am preggers tae'.

She was due to go on maternity leave in August 2022.

A tribunal report said: 'In February 2022 she experienced pain and sickness connected with her pregnancy.

'She was open with Mr Carruthers about this but was largely able to work her usual number of hours. The symptoms were not constant.

The tribunal in Glasgow heard Ms McKnight began working at Fenwick 47 tapas restaurant as assistant manager in December 2021

'From the end of March 2022, Mr Carruthers offered Ms McKnight noticeably fewer shifts than before.

'She was still experiencing occasional sickness at this point.

'On April 16, 2022, she offered availability for three shifts the following week but was not put on the rota at all. Mr Carruthers said it had been a quiet week.'

When she was only offered one further shift in May 2022, Ms McKnight sought answers from bosses at WBI Ltd, which runs the restaurant, but couldn't get hold of HR for four days.

When she did, she was told by HR's Lynsey Penman that 'she had been 'P45'd' in a way which suggested any conversation about maternity rights had been superseded'.

Mr Carruthers sent her a message saying 'no hard feelings' and didn't message her again until September 2022 to congratulate her on the birth of her son.

Employment Judge Brian Campbell concluded Ms McKnight was discriminated against.

Judge Campbell said: 'There were no other apparent factors in her relationship with Mr Carruthers, which was friendly and supportive until the end, or any issues with her performance or conduct which suggested another reason for her being dismissed in the way that she was.

'The unexpected decision to dismiss her caused her a degree of stress at a time when she was already experiencing illness and other symptoms connected to her pregnancy.

'She had financial commitments in relation to her flat and car as well as everyday expenses.

'She called upon her partner and father to help her pay her bills.'

The Judge added: 'She felt upset and vulnerable. She felt that the way in which her dismissal was implemented was particularly underhand.

'There was no evidence of any other reason for her dismissal. She was given no indication that she was being dismissed, much less a reason, until she began contacting her employer to discuss her maternity leave and pay arrangements.'

The claims were won against WBI Ltd, which did not attend the tribunal.

Ms McKnight, whose daughter Meadow is four, is now living in Glasgow and is currently off on maternity leave.

Following the case, she said: 'I'm just glad it's over. In all honesty, it was never about the money, it was the principle of it.

'To treat someone like that under normal circumstances, never mind during a pregnancy, is just disgusting.'

She added: 'Companies need to realise they can't and won't get away with treating women this way.

'They tried to take advantage of me whilst I was vulnerable but I wasn't letting anyone get away with treating me so badly.

'I hope it helps someone in the future; the whole stigma around women having to go off of work due to pregnancy needs to be stamped out and companies need to understand they must support and accommodate women in this position.'
KakaoBank CEO Yoon Ho-young speaks during an online press conference held at the internet-only bank's office located in Yeouido, Seoul, Feb. 15, 2022. Courtesy of KakaoBank



By Anna J. Park



KakaoBank's CEO Yoon Ho-young successfully secured his fourth two-year term that will begin later this month.



Kakao Bank announced Monday that the internet-only bank's executive appointment committee selected Yoon as the sole candidate for the bank's next chief. The decision on the digital bank's next top position will be officially confirmed at its shareholders' meeting slated for later this month.



A graduate of Hanyang University, the 51-year-old leader is often called the "father of KakaoBank" as he has been leading the digital-only bank since its beginnings. After spending his early career as Daum's vice president from 2009 to 2014, he led the Daum-Kakao task force team to launch a mobile bank from late 2014 to early 2016. Then, he became the CEO of Kakao Bank in April 2016, a position he has maintained ever since.



With his reappointment to the leading position of the digital lender, Yoon will serve another two years until March 2025, after his current two-year term finishes on March 29.



As the internet-only bank posted an operating profit of 1.6 trillion won ($1.23 billion) in 2022, which is a whopping 50.8 percent increase from the previous year, Yoon's reappointment at the helm of the bank has been largely expected within the finance industry.


A 70-year-old woman has died in southern India after being attacked by a pack of rampaging monkeys while on her way to the bathroom.

Chataraboina Narsavva was at home in her village in the state of Telangana's Kamareddy district when the the aggressive creatures pounced on her.

The pensioner, who lived with her daughter in Ramareddy village, was alone at the time of the attack.

Her daughter, who had been away for a wedding, later rushed her mother to hospital, where she died from her injuries.

Rather than being mauled by the animals, police said that Narsavva slipped and hit her head on the floor, the Times of India reports.

She sustained the injuries which she later died from as she tried to escape the mob of monkeys, according to a local police inspector.

A seventy-year-old woman has died in southern India after being attacked by a pack of rampaging monkeys while on her way to the bathroom (stock image)

Named as Anil, the inspector added that Narsavva had not been bitten by the monkeys during the attack.

'We have come to know through locals that when the monkeys attacked her, she tried to escape.

'In the process she slipped and fell down. She suffered head injury and died,' the circle inspector of Ramareddy police station said.

Narsavva's family cremated her soon after her death and police are continuing to investigate.

The fatal attack is just the latest in a long line of monkey-related tragedies in India, which is home to millions of primates.

Last year, a five-year-old girl died after being swarmed by ferocious monkeys in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

The young girl, named Narmada, had been playing on the banks of the Nakatiya river in Bareilly.

As the group of children cried for help, local villagers rushed to the scene and rescued the injured girl from the monkeys, The Times of India reported.

The fatal attack is just the latest in a long line of monkey-related tragedies in India, which is home to millions of primates (stock image)

The little girl, who was bleeding after she had been 'bitten almost everywhere', was rushed to hospital where she died from her injuries.

In 2021, the mother of eight-day-old twins claimed her babies had been snatched by ferocious monkeys, with one of the little girls killed and the other rescued.

In 2020, a mother and four of her children were crushed to death at their home in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, after a wall was brought down by a troop of monkeys.

The five victims were killed by falling masonry after the wall was 'violently shaken' by monkeys while the family slept in the courtyard.

In 2019, a 50-year-old man died in Sambhal after falling from a terrace at his home when he was attacked by monkeys.

Reports at the time said it was the sixth monkey-related death in Sambhal during 2019 alone.

Just months earlier, a one-and-a-half-month-old infant was killed by a monkey which apparently jumped into her cot to steal her milk bottle.

Also in the same year a monkey killed a 60-year-old man and injured nine others after going on the rampage through a town in central India.

In 2018, a 58-year-old woman suffered severe injuries and died after she was attacked by a monkey outside her home in Agra, Uttar Pradesh.
A young woman who killed a beloved grandfather repeatedly broke down in court as prosecutors described her offending in front of her family and that of the victim.

After previously denying the charge and blaming 'four African males' for it, Alisha Fagan, 22, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death in the County Court of Victoria's Koori Court on Monday.

On June 9, 2022 Fagan sped through an intersection and failed to give way in the Melbourne suburb of Sunshine, killing local grandfather Sedat Hassan, 69.

She was speeding, clocking 78kmph in a 50 zone, with alcohol in her system, on a suspended learner's permit and blew .029 when tested.

As the circumstances of what happened were described by prosecutor Kristie Churchill, which included Fagan's drinking with a friend at the Maribyrnong River before the incident, Fagan sobbed uncontrollably and briefly left the courtroom.

Alisha Fagan (pictured) who killed a beloved grandfather repeatedly broke down in court on Monday as prosecutors described her offending in front of her family and that of the victim

Mr Hassan's widow Balkiz fainted as the evidence of how her husband died was read out, and was taken to hospital by ambulance.

Ms Churchill told the court at 12.45am on June 9, driving a white Audi with 'excessive speed' and with alcohol in her system, Fagan failed to heed a give way sign and collided with Mr Hassan's car at the intersection of Links St and Glengala Road.

Such was the force of the impact, the court heard, Mr Hassan's Honda came to rest 25metres from the point of impact.

Ms Churchill said that after the crash, Fagan lied to police, telling them she had been a passenger in the car, from which four African males had fled.

She said Fagan, who was unemployed and living with her mother in Wyndham Vale at the time, initially told police her name was 'Ruby Cannon'.

Police searched her bag and found the keys to the Audi, four Xanax tablets and a kitchen knife, the court heard.

Fagan was on bail at the time and as part of her bail conditions was prohibited from driving.

On June 9, 2022 Fagan sped through an intersection and failed to give way in the Melbourne suburb of Sunshine, killing local grandfather Sedat Hassan, 69

Sedat Hassan (pictured) died at the scene as a result of his injuries when his car was crashed into by an Audi driven by Alisha Fagan

A victim impact statement, written by Mr Hassan's widow Balkiz but read out in court by Ms Churchill, recounted the trauma of police arriving at their home in Sunshine West and telling the family what happened, which her son had to translate to her.

'I was asking my son what the police were saying,' the victim impact statement said.

'I've lost the love of my life. My husband was my world and I can't bring him back.

'I don't speak English. I must rely on my sons for this and I feel like a burden.'

Their son Kadir said in his statement that he 'got emotional when I had to identify his body, I burst out. I've thought about taking my own life.

'All Dad wanted was to be a grandfather ... but he only got to hold his grandson three times.'

As per Koori Court proceedings, Fagan sat beside her mother along with two Aboriginal Elders.

Fagan said she felt 'safer' and 'able to talk' in the presence of Indigenous artwork in the room, and told the court she had started painting when she was on bail at a Bunjilwarra - an Aboriginal rehab centre in Hastings, Victoria.

'Rehab helped me so much more than jail did,' she said. 'You can't heal in that environment.'

In a letter of apology written to the family, Fagan said 'I know what I write will never be good enough'.

Fagan (pictured) wrote a letter of apology to the victim's family and said she was a 'severe alcoholic' at the time

Sedat Hassan (pictured) only got to hold his grandson three times before he was killed

'I write this letter to express how deeply sorry I am. I take full responsibility for what happened.

'I was a severe alcoholic. I made poor lifestyle choices.'

Fagan's mother, who was present along with her father, told the court that she was 'so angry with her' at the time of the tragedy, but 'could not be more proud of her today and I couldn't have said that 12 months ago'.

The case was adjourned part heard to May 9, with Fagan's bail extended to that date.
The public are now demanding answers over the Murdaugh family's alleged 'long-rumoured involvement' in the suspicious death of Buster's former classmate who was found dead on a road close to their South Carolina estate.

Stephen Smith, 19, was found dead in the middle of a country road 15 miles from the Murdaugh family's Islandton hunting lodge on July 8, 2015.

And now that patriarch Alex Murdaugh has been sentenced to life in prison for murdering his wife Maggie, 52, and their son Paul, 22, there is a 'big public outcry' to found out what happened to Smith.

Smith's death was ruled a hit-and-run, but his mother Sandy has always maintained that her son, who was gay and a classmate of Murdaugh's son Buster, was murdered and there was a cover-up.

Attorney Eric Bland told Fox News: 'There's a long rumored involvement of a Murdaugh - whether it's Buster or somebody else in the family - that has knowledge at least of the death of Stephen Smith.'

Attorney Eric Bland told Fox News : 'There's a long rumored involvement of a Murdaugh - whether it's Buster or somebody else in the family - that has knowledge at least of the death of Stephen Smith'

The public are now demanding answers over the Murdaugh family's alleged 'long-rumoured involvement' in the suspicious death of Buster's former classmate who was found dead on a road close to their South Carolina estate. Pictured: Buster at his father's trial

Stephen Smith, 19, (pictured with his mother Sandy) was found dead in the middle of a country road 15 miles from the Murdaugh family's Islandton hunting lodge on July 8, 2015

Bland, who represented the two sons of the Murdaugh's late housekeeper Gloria Satterfield who died inside the family's home in 2018, said investigators had initially said Smith had been hit by a car.

He said: 'Stephen was found in the middle of a country road in Hampton County and the Highway Department said he was hit by a car.

'But there was no broken glass, there was no car parts, his clothes were in tact, his shoes were on and he had a clear head trauma injury that looked like it was done by something other than a car.'

Bland said Stephen was gay and a good student, who wanted to go to college to study becoming a nurse.

He added that investigators reopened Stephen's case - as well as an investigation into the death of the family's housekeeper Gloria Satterfield - in 2021 following the murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh.

Investigators at the time said they had reopened the cases after discovering information in their investigation into Maggie and Paul's murders. Detectives have not revealed what information they have uncovered.

Bland said that now Buster's father Alex Murdaugh has been convicted for double-murder, there is a public outcry to find out the truth behind Stephen's death.

'There's a big cry in South Carolina to find out what actually happened to Stephen Smith,' Bland said.

Buster, Paul, Maggie and Alex Murdaugh at the Moselle estate in a picture uploaded on Maggie's Facebook to mark Father's Day 2020

Alex Murdaugh was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences on Friday for the 2021 murders of his wife Maggie, 52 and youngest son Paul, 22

Sandy has claimed that Murdaugh's brother Randolph, who is an attorney, attended the scene of Stephen's accident, Bland said.

'According to Sandy Smith, she received a telephone call from him where he offered to represent her and she was very confused by this about why she would need representation,' Bland said.

Meanwhile, Bland said Buster is in a 'very difficult' situation after his father was convicted of double murder.

Bland added: 'Buster is in a very difficult spot. He's a true victim here as far as the murders of his mother and brother are concerned. And he just lost his father essentially on Friday when he was sentenced to double life in prison.

'Buster himself is going to have to come to grips with: 'Is my father capable of murdering my mother and brother?' The jury said so and he's going to have to look at his future in this family.'

And following Murdaugh's conviction, the family's connection between suspicious deaths in the area and questions over Smith's death remain unclear.

'It's peeling the onion you keep peeling it, you find more,' Bland said.

On Friday, Murdaugh was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences for the murders of his wife Maggie, 52, and son Paul, 22, in Moselle on June 7, 2021.

He will spend the next few weeks at the R&E facility where he faces rigorous testing before he will be assigned to a permanent state prison. As he is a double murderer, he will be housed with the state's most brutal and violent inmates.

The life he faces is a far cry from the privileged world of multi-million dollar homes from the coast to the hunting lands of the Lowcountry to which he has grown accustomed in his 54 years.

Through more than 75 witnesses and nearly 800 pieces of evidence, jurors heard about betrayed friends and clients and Murdaughs failed attempt to stage his own death in an insurance fraud scheme.

Other scandals discussed in the trial include a 2019 boat crash involving his late son Paul which killed 19-year-old Mallory Beach.

Paul was facing criminal charges after being accused of driving the boat while drunk before he was shot dead. The girl's family were suing Murdaugh for a reported $30m at the time of Paul and Maggie's murders.

Alex Murdaugh was led out of the courthouse to a waiting prison van to begin his life sentence on Friday

The death of his housekeeper Gloria Satterfield - who the Murdaugh family claimed tripped over the dogs and fell down the stairs while working at their hunting lodge - was also raised during the case. Her son Tony called to give testimony on the stand about the $4 million wrongful death payout Murdaugh allegedly stole.

Meanwhile, prosecutors didnt have the weapons used to kill Paul and Maggie or other direct evidence like confessions or blood spatter.

But they had a mountain of circumstantial evidence, including the video putting Murdaugh at the scene of the killings five minutes before his wife and son stopped using their cellphones forever.

The now-disbarred attorney admitted stealing millions of dollars from the family firm and clients, saying he needed the money to fund his drug habit.

Before he was charged with murder, Murdaugh was in jail awaiting trial on about 100 other charges ranging from insurance fraud to tax evasion.

Defense attorneys said they will appeal, based largely on the judge allowing the evidence of crimes that Murdaugh has not been convicted of, which they say smeared his reputation.
A 34-year-old man has been charged with the murder of a missing mother-of-three whose body was discovered last week.

Matthew Waddell, 34, was arrested when the body of 38-year-old Sarah Albone was found in Winston Cresent, Biggleswade.

Detectives investigating the death of Sarah Albone, also known as Sarah Smith, said that they have now charged Waddell with murder.

He has appeared at Luton Magistrate's Court and was remanded in custody.

The family of Ms Albone had reported her missing on February 21 after becoming concerned, having not seen her since before Christmas, and her body was found on February 25.

Sarah Albone, also known by her maiden name of Sarah Smith, was found dead in a house in Winston Crescent on February 25. Matthew Waddell has now been charged with her murder

Her family shared a photo of her to try and encourage any witnesses to come forward before her body was found on February 25

A spokesman for Bedfordshire Police said on Monday: 'A man has been charged with murder following the death of a woman in Biggleswade.

'Matthew Waddell was charged with murder following the death of Sarah Albone, aged 38 years, who was found at a property in Winston Crescent, Biggleswade on Saturday February 25.

'Waddell, of Winston Crescent, was remanded in custody after appearing at Luton Magistrates' Court.

'The victim has now been formally identified as Sarah Albone and specialist officers are continuing to support her family.'

Sarah is described by several neighbours as a 'lovely girl' who was 'full of beans'

Neighbours named the woman who lived in the house as Sarah Smith, the maiden name of Sarah Albone.

Sarah is described by several neighbours as a 'lovely girl' who was 'full of beans'.

Her sister Nikita Clayson, 29, didn't want to speak about the death of her sister from the steps of her 195,000 semi-detached house in Haynes.

Sarah's ex-husband, Stephen Albone, also declined to speak.

She was reportedly living with a boyfriend in Biggleswade and her Doberman dog, who has since been taken in by her family.
Murdaugh was sentenced to two life sentences last week

They said Murdaugh harmed his defense when he took the stand to testify

The jurors from the Alex Murdaugh trial would not have sentenced him to death if given the option, one revealed today, saying that they would rather he was forced to live with his crimes for the rest of his life

Amie Williams, Gwen Generette and James McDowell waived their right to anonymity to appear on NBC's TODAY show on Monday to discuss the case that captivated the nation for six weeks.

Murdaugh is now in the custody of the South Carolina Department of Corrections. He was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences for the murders of his wife and son, despite his continued claims that he is innocent.

While prosecutors were able to convince the jury of Murdaugh's guilt, they were not able to nail down a specific motive for the double killings.

They never sough the death penalty, which the case qualified for, but even if they had, the jurors say they wouldn't have gone for it.

'It would have been hard for me. Death is a hard thing. The family has suffered a lot... this way he gets to think about or focus on what he did.

'That's more of a punishment to have to live with that.'

James McDowell, Gwen Generette and Amie Williams waived their right to anonymity to appear on NBC's TODAY show on Monday to discuss the case that captivated the nation for six weeks

Alex Murdaugh, shown in a recent South Carolina Dept. of Corrections booking photo, will spend the rest of his life in prison

Williams on Monday conceded that 'we may never know' why he chose to kill the pair.

'I don't know if we'll ever know. It may have been a combination of things, not just the financial.

'But everything was weighing heavy on him,' Williams said, referring to Murdaugh's financial crimes and opioid drug addiction.

Generette believes Murdaugh wanted to 'have control of everything' and was driven by 'greed'.

'His wife owned the majority of the things they had. I am thinking it was more like greed,' she said.

McDowell said a perfect 'storm' of factors led him to kill.

'It's a storm. It may not have been one thing but there are so many things there that contributed to that overall storm. It played a part,' he said.

The jurors were so quick to reach their decision, he added, because they'd been writing down questions throughout the trial whenever they retreated to the jury room for a break.

It enabled them to romp through their doubts after closing arguments, and persuade three jurors who were undecided that Murdaugh was guilty.

None of the jurors knew what a sensation the trial would become. So far, four out of 12 have come forward to explain their decision.

Amie Williams (L) said she is still unsure of Murdaugh's motive but believes 'everything was weighing heavy on him'. Gwen Generette (R) said she thinks he was driven by 'greed' and a desire to be 'in control of everything'

'If I was him, I wouldn't have taken the stand,' said juror James McDowell, who said the jury was aware of Murdaugh's past as an attorney and his skill in the courtroom

'We read right through it': None of the four jurors who have so far come forward believed Murdaugh's tears. All say he harmed his defense on the stand

Alex Murdaugh with wife Maggie and their sons Buster (left) and Paul (right)

Generette said it was only when she saw the sea of news cameras outside the court on the first day of the trial that she realized the scale of the case.

'That's when I realized, this is a big ordeal.'

All four of the jurors who have spoken out have said Murdaugh harmed his defense by taking the stand.

'I couldn't believe he was taking the stand,' said Generette.

None of them believed his tears when he sobbed about the deaths of his wife and son.

'I didn't think he was crying. He turned it on and off. It wasn't genuine,' Generette added.

McDowell said they were also all suspicious of Murdaugh's background as an attorney.

'We already know he's a lawyer. He's able to be emotional with cases, with himself.

'We were able to read right through that,' he said.

The evidence that 'sealed the deal' for them was a video recorded by Paul moments before the murder, in which his father's voice can be heard clearly in the background.

Juror Craig Moyer appeared on Good Morning America last week, before Murdaugh's sentencing, to to explain why he and his fellow jurors felt Murdaugh was guilty

Murdaugh will now be processed and evaluated before being assigned to a prison facility to begin his sentence.

It is not the end of his time inside a courtroom.

He is still facing trial for 99 financial crimes, many of which he admitted during his murder trial, and is also under investigation for the death of his housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield.

Prosecutors are also still investigating his role in a botched, suicide-by-hitman shooting involving his cousin, Curtis Eddie Smith.

His attorneys say they plan to file an appeal for his murder conviction, and will take it all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary.

They say he never stood a chance at a fair trial and that the jury 'could have watched it all on Netflix.'
Bruce Willis's wife posted an emotional plea asking families of dementia sufferers for advice on how to help their loved ones navigate the world safely.

Emma Heming's post on Saturday comes a year after it was announced the 67-year-old actor would be stepping away from his career after he was diagnosed with aphasia. Last month, his family said the illness had progressed to frontotemporal dementia.

Willis started the video talking about raising awareness about dementia and the stress of caregivers helping those with the illness navigating the world.

'To other caregivers or dementia care specialist navigating this world. Any tips or advice on how to get your loved ones out in the world safely?' she wrote in the caption of the post.

Bruce Willis' wife Emma Heming Willis posted a video asking families of dementia sufferers for advice on how to help loved ones navigate the world safely following actor's diagnosis

It was announced that Willis, 67, would be stepping away from his career because of his aphasia diagnoses. Last month, his family said the illness had progressed to dementia

Heming Willis posted the Instagram video on Saturday stating that it was in 'service for raising awareness about dementia.'

'If you are someone who is looking after someone who has dementia, you know how difficult and how stressful it can be, just to get them out into the world and navigate them safely - even just to get a cup of coffee.'

In her caption, the actor's wife asks for advice on how to do this with her husband following his own diagnosis.

'To other caregivers or dementia care specialist navigating this world. Any tips or advice on how to get your loved ones out in the world safely? Please share below.'

Willis' diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia can include symptoms like personality changes, speech difficulty and motor impairment.

The Hollywood icon, 67, was seen out and about last week, the first time since his family revealed he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) last month.

FTD affects the lobes of the brain behind the forehead, which deal with behavior, problem-solving, planning and emotions - with symptoms including personality changes, obsessive behavior and speaking difficulties.

Willis shares Rumer, 34, Scout, 31 and Tallulah, 29, with Moore, 60 to whom he was married from 1987 to 2000. He also has two daughters, Mabel, 10, and Evelyn, 8, with his wife Emma, 44, of 14 years.

Sources say Willis had been having trouble on the sets of his recent movies, and was even pictured wearing an earpiece to feed him lines on the set of American Siege in 2020

Willis (pictured in American Siege) had been having trouble on set for a while and reportedly had to wear an earpiece in American Siege to have his lines fed to him

Willis and his wife Heming Willis have two daughters, Mabel, 10, and Evelyn, eight

Willis' family said the star's condition had 'progressed'. FTD affects the lobes of the brain behind the forehead, which deal with behavior, problem-solving, planning and emotions (pictured with L-R wife Emma Heming, ex-wife Demi Moore and daughters Scout, Tallulah, Mabel, Evelyn and Rumer)

FTD occurs when nerve cells in the lobes behind the forehead die and the pathways that connect them change.

The left temporal lobe is involved in the meaning of words and the names of objects. The right recognizes faces and familiar objects.

Symptoms are different from just the memory loss that is associated with Alzheimer's disease.

These may include; personality changes, such as becoming tactless, uninterested in others and unsympathetic, repeated and compulsive movements, such as continued use of certain phrases, hoarding and obsession over timekeeping, craving unhealthy food and forgetting table manners, speaking difficulties, including slow speech, grammatical errors and asking the meaning of familiar words like 'bread'.

Bruce's blended family issued a joint statement at the end of March announcing that he was 'stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him.'

The statement revealed he 'has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities.'

The family revealed last year that the legendary actor was retiring from show business as his disorder effects his ability to speak and understand language

Together: Willis is pictured with his wife Emma Heming in a social media snap

The Hollywood icon withdrew from acting last year as he began his fight with aphasia which caused his language abilities to deteriorate - with a joint statement from his family on February 16 confirming his condition had progressed to dementia

Willis had reportedly been struggling with cognitive issues on the sets of his films for years - and even needed an earpiece to feed him lines.

A unnamed source told Page Six his declining cognitive ability had been an open secret in Hollywood as the actor repeatedly had trouble acting in his films.

The famed actor can even be seen in a scene in his new movie American Siege, which was filmed in 2020, wearing an earpiece. This was a full two years before the family's announcement that Willis has aphasia.

Willis had previously been seen using an earpiece to feed him lines in his Broadway debut in Misery in 2015, an unnamed insider also told OK! Magazine

He was also reportedly struggling during the filming of M. Night Shyamalan's 2019 film Glass.

According to crew members on the set of White Elephant (pictured), he said: 'I know why you're here, and I know why you're here, but why am I here?

Sources allege that Bruce Willis misfired a gun twice while on set for Hard Kill (pictured on set)

The retirement announcement marked an end to Willis' decades-long career, during which he has earned a Golden Globe award and two Emmys.

Willis' acting career began with small just roles in television shows like Miami Vice and The Twilight Zone in the early 1980s, according to IMDB.

He started gaining attention thanks to his starring role opposite Cybill Shepherd in the ABC series Moonlighting, which ran from 1985 to 1989, but his breakout role was really as John McClane in the hit film Die Hard, which premiered in 1988 and led to six sequels.

Willis went on to star in films like Pulp Fiction, 12 Monkeys, The Sixth Sense and the superhero film, Unbreakable, for which he reprised his role over a decade later in the 2016 film Split and the 2019 film Glass.

Over the course of his four-decade career, Variety reports, his movies have grossed over $5 billion worldwide.

He has also appeared in a number of television shows, including the beloved classic Friends, for which he won an Emmy, and as the main voice actor in Bruno the Kid.

Willis has also recently completed multiple projects that are in post-production, including Vendetta, Fortress: Sniper's Eye and White Elephant.

In November, Willis was reunited on-screen with his former co-star John Travolta in the action-packed film Paradise City.
Iran's leader has declared that those behind the poisoning of over 1,000 schoolgirls should be sentenced to death for committing an 'unforgivable crime' - if it is proven that attacks were deliberate.

It was the first time Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say on all matters of state, has spoken publicly about the suspected poisonings, which began last year.

Since late November, hundreds of cases of respiratory poisoning have been reported among schoolchildren, the majority of whom are girls, with some needing hospital treatment.

The poisonings began in Qom, south of Tehran, but have now been reported throughout the country including at schools in the capital.

Officials have only acknowledged the incidents in recent weeks and have provided no details on who may be behind the attacks, or what chemicals - if any - have been used.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (pictured) has declared that those behind the poisoning of over 1,000 schoolgirls should be sentenced to death if it is proven that attacks were deliberate

According to the state-run IRNA news agency, Khamenei said: 'If the poisoning of students is proven, those behind this crime should be sentenced to capital punishment and there will be no amnesty for them.'

Unlike neighbouring Afghanistan, Iran has no history of religious extremists targeting women's education.

But the suspected attacks have been seen by some commentators as part of an extremist response to the protests led by women and girls that have swept Iran in recent months.

Protests were sparked across the country and the world following the death of Mahsa Amini, who died under suspicious circumstances in police custody in September.

Over the weekend, fresh protests against the suspected poisonings were seen in Iran and around the world.

Worried parents protested in Irans capital Tehran and other cities on Saturday, with a number gathering outside an Education Ministry building in western Tehran according to Reuters.

Further protests were held in Tehran and other cities including Isfahan and Rasht, unverified videos suggest.

Elsewhere, Nikoo Azad, a psychology student from Iran, staged a silent protest in Bangalore, India, wearing a chemical fume respirator mask as she highlighted the poisonings.

A young woman lies in hospital after reports of poisoning at an unspecified location in Iran

Authorities have acknowledged suspected poisoning attacks at more than 50 schools across 21 of Iran's 30 provinces since November.

Iran's interior minister Ahmad Vahidi said over the weekend that 'suspicious samples' had been gathered by investigators.

He called on the public to remain calm and accused unnamed enemies of inciting fear to undermine the Islamic Republic.

Mr Vahidi said at least 52 schools had been affected by suspected poisonings, while Iranian media reports have put the number of schools at over 60.

Nikoo Azad, a psychology student from Iran, wears a chemical fume respirator mask and holds a banner during a silent protest against the poisonings in Bangalore

At least one boys' school has also been affected, according to reports.

Videos of distressed parents and schoolgirls in emergency rooms with IVs in their arms have flooded social media.

Iran has imposed stringent restrictions on independent media since the outbreak of nationwide protests in September, making it difficult to determine the nature and scope of the suspected poisonings.

On Monday, Iranian media reported that authorities arrested a Qom-based journalist, Ali Pourtabatabaei, who had been regularly reporting on the suspected poisonings.

A person is lifted to an ambulance outside a girls' school after reports of poisoning in Ardabil, Iran

The hardline Kayhan newspaper in an editorial had called for the arrests of newspaper publishers who printed articles on the crisis critical of Iran's theocracy.

The protests were sparked by the death of Amini, who had been detained by morality police for allegedly violating the country's strict dress code.

Religious hard-liners in Iran have been known to attack women they perceive as dressing immodestly in public.

But even at the height of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, women and girls continued to attend schools and universities.

Protests were sparked across the country and the world following the death of Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody in September. Pictured: Protesters hold a sign depicting Amini at a rally in Brussels, Belgium

People in Rome, Italy take part in the 'Freedom Rally for Iran demonstration against the Iranian regime last month

The children affected in the poisonings have reportedly complained of headaches, heart palpitations, feeling lethargic or otherwise unable to move.

Some described smelling tangerines, chlorine or cleaning agents.

Mr Vahidi, the interior minister, said in his statement that two girls remain in hospital because of underlying chronic conditions. There have been no reported fatalities.

As more attacks were reported on Sunday, videos were posted on social media showing children complaining about pain in the legs, abdomen and dizziness.

State media have mainly referred to these as 'hysteric reactions'.

The World Health Organisation documented a similar phenomenon in Afghanistan from 2009 to 2012, when hundreds of girls across the country complained of strange smells and poisoning.

No evidence was found to support the suspicions, and the WHO said it appeared to be 'mass psychogenic illnesses'.
A black nurse working at immigrant removal who was told by her boss to 'bleach her skin white so patients would be nice to her' has won over 25,000 after suing the NHS.

Adelaide Kweyama, originally from South Africa, was shocked by the comment after she reported that a patient had racially abused her in February 2019.

She later overheard the senior nurse telling a colleague she was 'tired of people coming to work and said they are not well,' and that Ms Kweyama should 'go and bleach her skin,' a tribunal heard.

Ms Kweyama, who was working as an agency nurse at an immigrant removal centre in Heathrow, was also racially abused by a group of male detainees in a previous incident.

An employment judge criticised NHS bosses' response to the incident, describing it as an 'absolute abdication of the positive responsibility on managers'.

Adelaide Kweyama was working as an agency nurse at an immigrant removal centre in Heathrow

Ms Kweyama successfully sued Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust for race related harassment and victimisation and has been awarded 25,713 in compensation.

According to a reserve judgment released following the tribunal, the respondent subjected the claimant to race related harassment by the following unwanted conduct:

On 9 February 2019 by a nurse saying to the claimant 'You need to get a pool of bleach and bleach your skin so that you come back tomorrow white and the patients will be nice to you';

On 10 February 2019 by the same nurse who was overheard saying 'I do not care let her go into bleach her skin, I am sick and tired of people coming to work and said they are not well';

On 22 February 2019 by the deputy lead nurse for offender care saying that she was concerned about the claimant's mental health because some of the words used in her statement to complain of the above race related harassment were worrying

The claim of unauthorised deduction from wages is dismissed upon withdrawal by the claimant, and the judgment found that the complaint of direct race discrimination was not well founded and was dismissed.

The employment tribunal held in Watford heard that Ms Kweyama worked as an agency nurse between November 2017 and February 2019, regularly carrying out shifts as an agency nurse at the immigration removal centre.

The centre houses around 600 male immigration detainees from a wide range of countries pending their removal from the UK. The detainees receive medical treatment from the Trust staff prior to being deported, the panel was told.

In January 2019, Ms Kweyama was racially abused by a group of detainees who were waiting for their medication to be administered.

The nurse told them to come one by one for their medication and to close the door and was then racially abused.

Ms Kweyama told the tribunal: '[The detainees] started calling me n****r, monkey, and started making monkey noises and dog noises, demanding to come in at the same time.'

The nurse subsequently raised an electronic incident report about the incident, the tribunal heard.

However, 'overworked' NHS managers failed to keep her updated on the progress of her complaint and did not tell her what steps had been taken to minimise the chance of such an event happening again, the panel heard.

The tribunal concluded that the nurse had indeed been the victim of race related harassment and victimisation (stock image)

An employment judge considered the Trust's response to the incident to be an 'absolute abdication of the positive responsibility on managers'.

In another incident the following month, Ms Kweyama was attending to a detainee who was racially abusive to her and pretended he could not speak or understand English.

When Ms Kweyama raised the issue with her senior nurse she claimed she was told: 'You need to get a pool of bleach to bleach your skin so that you come back tomorrow white and the patient will be nice to you.'

Later on that day, the same nurse was overheard talking to another colleague and saying: 'I do not care, let her go and bleach her skin, I am sick and tired of people coming to work and said they are not well.'

A few weeks after the incident, Ms Kweyama emailed her agency, Athona, and told them she was unable to work at the Heathrow centre any more because she had 'become very depressed... and needed time to recover psychologically and emotionally'.

Ms Kweyama also complained that she had 'suffered racial abuse,' the NHS Trust had 'done nothing to support her,' and that she had suffered a 'withdrawal of employment as a result,' the panel heard.

In the same month, she was told by the deputy lead nurse for offender care that her contract was being terminated because the boss was 'concerned about the claimant's mental health' because 'some words used in her statement were worrying.'

The tribunal concluded that the nurse had indeed been the victim of race related harassment and victimisation when she was told to 'bleach her skin.'

Ms Kweyama was also victimised for the same comments and when she was told her agency role was being terminated, the tribunal ruled.

Her complaint of direct race discrimination, however, was dismissed.

Ms Kweyama spoke about how the incident has impacted her. She said: 'The whole incident was handled atrociously.

'I was expecting support and reassurance from my nurse in charge whilst I was verbally abused by a patient, but I was appalled to get second abuse from her as my colleague telling me something that I cannot change.

'I was born Black I will live Black and I will die Black - what is wrong with being Black?

'I felt very insulted, discriminated, bullied, harassed, and abused.

'I was dehumanised in front of my colleagues, I am now going through a lot of stress and has impacted on my health, it is unbearable, it is emotional and psychological.'
A senior Scottish National Party MP today accused the 'party machine' of backing a close ally of Nicola Sturgeon in the race to become Scotland's new first minister.

Joanna Cherry said it was 'no secret' that senior officials within the SNP were supporting Humza Yousaf, who has spent five years in Ms Sturgeon's cabinet.

Mr Yousaf, 37, who is Scotland's health minister, is currently vying with Kate Forces and Ash Regan to take over the Holyrood administration.

Ms Cherry, a critic of Ms Sturgeon's transgender policies who is backing Ms Regan, told BBC's Good Morning Scotland radio programme: 'It's no secret that the party machine is behind Humza and not behind Kate and Ash.'

It comes after a poll showed that Mr Yousaf was ahead with SNP members, but almost a third of them are undecided over who should be the new First Minister.

Joanna Cherry said it was 'no secret' that senior officials within the SNP were supporting Humza Yousaf, who has spent five years in Ms Sturgeon's cabinet.

Mr Yousaf, 37, who is Scotland's health minister, is currently vying with Kate Forces and Ash Regan to take over the Holyrood administration.

It comes after a poll showed that Mr Yousaf was ahead with SNP members, but almost a third of them are undecided over who should be the new First Minister.

When it was put to her that the 'party machine' would deny this is the case, Ms Cherry said: 'The majority of parliamentarians who have declared are behind Humza.

'We've already had a couple of cases of people wrongfully using the party's internal mailing system to support Humza.'

On Monday, The Times reported that MSP Emma Harper had been sanctioned for using an internal email system to encourage members to vote for Mr Yousaf.

MP Kirsten Oswald, the SNP's business convener, told the newspaper: 'The HQ team takes great professional pride in their impartiality.

'All are working diligently and are ready to give the full weight of their support and expertise to the new party leader, whoever that might be.'

Ms Cherry said her candidate was 'making progress' and people should not 'write her off'.

The Edinburgh South West MP is so far the only parliamentarian to have declared their support for Ms Regan, doing so at her campaign launch in North Queensferry on February 24.

Ms Cherry said Ms Regan showed 'great courage and leadership' when she resigned in opposition to the Scottish Government's gender recognition reforms.

She said the sudden nature of Ms Sturgeon's departure meant all the leadership campaigns had to be launched quickly with little preparation and no time to develop a policy platform.

Meanwhile Mr Yousaf has pledged to make Scotland an 'international leader in human rights' if he becomes Scotland's next first minister.

The SNP leadership candidate said that he will do everything in his power to 'protect and advance the rights of people in Scotland' if he is elected.

He said that he will bring forward the Scottish Government's Human Rights Bill, incorporating UN human rights treaties on economic, social and cultural rights, discrimination against women, racial discrimination and the rights of people with disabilities into Scots Law as far as possible under devolution.

And he pledged that an independent Scotland would enshrine these rights in full.

Ms Forbes, meanwhile, has pledged to create a national housebuilding body if elected as first minister.

The Finance Secretary also announced she would give councils the powers to increase council tax on empty second homes.
A British woman has been robbed and sexually assaulted by two men in Magaluf.

The pair are said to have ripped the 25-year-old woman's dress and underwear and stolen her designer watch and jewellery before fleeing the scene as police arrived.

She was taken to hospital for a routine examination before making a statement to the Civil Guard who are now leading the investigation.

A local paper in Mallorca described the incident as a rape. A Civil Guard source said the woman had allegedly been sexually assaulted.

The incident happened in the early hours of Friday morning near to a bank in a street in Magaluf a short walk from the famous Punta Ballena party strip. One police officer was injured when the suspects resisted arrest.

Police have arrested two men accused of robbing and sexually assaulting a British tourist in Magaluf in an incident described locally as a rape. Pictured: People enjoy the beach in Magaluf, Spain (file photo)

The watch the British woman had on is said to have been worth nearly 2,000.

The men held by police are two Colombians aged 19 and 24 who police suspect belong to a criminal gang operating in Palma and other Mallorcan towns, including Andratx and Inca.

It was not immediately clear today if a judge remanded them in custody pending an ongoing investigation or released them on bail following their first court appearance.

On Sunday it emerged police in Mallorca had arrested a 26-year-old British man on suspicion of rape at a hotel in Santa Ponsa near Magaluf.

The hotel has not been named. But sources close to the investigation confirmed on Monday the girl allegedly sexually attacked was also British and under the age of 18.

One said: 'They were in the same hotel and the man held allegedly raped this girl after forcing her into his room.'

A friend of the youngster said to have suffered the sex attack alerted a receptionist who called police at around 7pm on Friday.

The friend told officers the man held had also tried to force her into the room.
gettyimagesbank





By Lee Min-hyung







Korea's small- to mid-sized biotechnology firms are moving to go public on the local stock market despite weak investor sentiment on initial public offerings (IPO) here.







Starting with Bioinfra, a local biotech company, which was listed on the secondary Kosdaq on March 2, a group of bio companies here is scheduled to go public, hoping to attract timely investments even as market sentiment has yet to recover.







This contrasts with other highly-anticipated big companies  most of which are delaying their IPO timelines on fears of attracting less-than-expected capital from investors amid months-long stock doldrums.







S.BIOMEDICS  a cell therapy products developer  also plans to carry out a two-day demand forecasting from institutional investors from March 8. The firm's post-IPO market capitalization is forecast to reach as high as 198 billion won ($152 million).







GI Innovation  whose expertise lies in developing protein new drugs  is also scheduled to conduct the demand forecasting between March 15 and 16.







The mid-tier bio venture firms are expected to lead the local IPO market for the time being, as most other attention-grabbing large-cap big companies  such as Kurly and K bank  are delaying their timeframe for listing here.







Bio firms were also not in a rush for the IPO until the latter half of 2022, but Bioinfra's successful listing paved the way for more bio firms to gain confidence in their listing plans. Earlier, the company succeeded in fixing its initial offering price at the upper limit of its desired value of 21,000 won per share after attracting attention from not just institutional, but retail investors.







Other bio firms such as Ensol Biosciences and Curiox BioSystems also submitted applications for preliminary examination for listing on the Korea Exchange last month.


A trusted friend who swindled a Love Actually actress of her 78,000 life savings before she died has been ordered to pay back just 550.

Dementia suffer Meg Wynn Owen, 82, was left penniless and forced to wear dead people's clothes at her care home after her savings were raided by pal Brian Malam, 60.

She had previously starred alongside Hugh Grant in the 2003 smash-hit romcom, working as the prime minister's private secretary. She died in July 2022.

Malam, who was a costume designer on Doctor Who video games, was entrusted by the actress - whose real name was Meg Wright - to transfer cash from her account to her care home.

Instead the heartless conman siphoned 78,064.13 from while her health was deteriorating. He was jailed for two years and eight months in November last year after pleading guilty to fraud while occupying a position of trust.

Meg Wynn Owen, 82, had her life saving stolen from her by Brian Malam, 60. She played Hugh Grant's secretary when he was Prime Minister in Love Actually

The actress, who suffered from dementia, had to have care home staff cut her hair when she was unable to afford a hairdresser. Here she appears in the Love Actually dancing scene

Heartless conman Brian Malam, 60, siphoned more than 78,000 of funding from his friend as her health deteriorated. He was jailed last year and has now been ordered to pay back just 550

But now a judge at a proceeds of crime hearing has said the crooked customer designer should pay back just 550 - less than one per cent of what was taken.

Cardiff Crown Court heard the pair had struck up a friendship while working on BBC shows before Malam was made her power of attorney.

But between 2015 and 2019, Malam managed to bleed her saving accounts dry, stealing thousands of pounds from the dementia sufferer.

Mrs Wright, who was known for her roles in shows including Pride & Prejudice and Upstairs, Downstairs, died just four months before he was jailed for the crime.

Prosecutor Abigail Jackson said the alarm was raised by her bank when they spotted suspicious activity on Mrs Wright's account.

She said: 'Mrs Wright became terribly upset about it. The matter was then reported to the police in September 2020.

'That's how the investigation with the police started and the matter came to light.'

The court heard Mrs Wright's Barclay's account was left with a 1,750.12 overdraft which was later written off by the bank.

Mrs Wright, who is known for her roles in Upstairs, Downstairs (pictured) and Pride & Prejudice, was left wearing the clothes of 'deceased' residents at her care home after having her life savings swindled

She had just 229.94 left in another account and just 72p and 21p in a third and fourth bank account.

As well as having to wear 'deceased' residents' clothes, Mrs Wright was also left having her hair cut by staff as she couldn't afford a hairdresser.

The court heard Malam claimed he had used the money for his own show business costume company while also spending it on alcohol.

Judge Paul Hobson said Malam had been made power of attorney which was 'an important position of trust carrying with it a great deal of responsibility'.

'Your victim had to be dressed in clothes that belonged to deceased residents of her care home due to insufficient funds,' he said.

'She was reduced by your actions towards her.'

The court was previously told Malam had stolen at least 65,000. But the latest proceeds of crime hearing heard that the total benefit from his crime, calculated by prosecutors, was 78,064.13.

Malam, of Grangetown, Cardiff, has now been ordered to pay back just 550 by Judge Parry at the latest court hearing.

He said: 'The available and therefore reasonable amount that can be paid is 550.'

Malam must pay the funds within three months or face a further two months in prison.
Progressive Florida Rep. Maxwell Frost, 26, is lashing out at Governor Ron DeSantis for his policies disproportionately targeting and affecting black and LGBTQ people.

Frost, whose district includes the western half of Orlando where Walt Disney World sits, told CNN on Sunday that DeSantis, a potential 2024 presidential candidate, is not trying to improve education, but is 'scapegoating vulnerable communities due to his failures.'

It comes as the Florida legislature, which has a Republican supermajority, comes back into session this week for two months. During that time, GOP lawmakers plan to pass a multitude of bills focusing on education - legislation that the freshman lawmaker claims is fascist.

Part of the extensive agenda of this legislative session is to expand the ban on teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity to 7th and 8th graders when a previous version of the law topped out at 6th grade. Critics call the 'Parental Rights in Education' law the 'Don't Say Gay' bill.

Another bill focused on education would ban gender studies classes and diversity programs in state-funded universities in Florida.

The legislature is also weighing a bill that would require teachers to use the pronouns of students for the gender in which they were born and bans the use of preferred pronouns from kindergarten through 12th grade. This proposed law is now being dubbed the 'Don't Say They' bill by opponents.

'This is what we're up against in Florida right now, and it's hard to keep track of because it seems like there's a new victim  there's a new bill every day,' Frost told CNN's Jim Acosta on Sunday.

'But we have to call it for what it is  he is abusing his power and using the state to target political opponents and political enemies,' the first Gen Z lawmaker alleged. 'And there's a word for that, and it's fascism, and we have to be honest about it.'

Elected in the 2022 midterms, Frost represents a rare Democratic blue oasis in a sea of red in Florida. Of the 28 districts in Florida, just eight are represented by Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Both Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott are also Republicans.

The Florida legislature is also controlled by a Republican supermajority in both the House and Senate side  meaning that they will likely be able to pass almost any legislation put forward on the right side of the aisle.

In the State House, there are 84 Republicans and 35 Democrats; in the Senate, there are 28 Republicans and 12 Democrats.

Frost's remarks on Sunday come as DeSantis is widely seen as the leading contender against former President Donald Trump in the 2024 Republican primaries. DeSantis has not yet announced a run but has started traveling the country in a pre-announcement book tour.

'It's just a problem for Florida now, sure,' Frost said in his CNN interview when speaking of DeSantis. 'But in a few years, it can be a problem for the nation.'

Progressive Rep. Maxwell Frost called Gov. Ron DeSantis a 'fascist' for imposing laws that he claims target black and LGBTQ people with the guise of improving education

The Florida legislature comes into session this week and will considering a slew of bills focused on education and other conservative agenda items. Pictured: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at the Ronald Reagan Library in southern California on Sunday, March 5

DeSantis vowed during his inauguration in January (pictured) that he would take on 'woke' education institutions and 'woke' corporations. He is widely seen as the frontrunner to be the GOP nominee in 2024 even though he has not yet announced his candidacy

DeSantis was in Texas over the weekend, then at the Ronald Reagan Library in southern California on Sunday. He will deliver his State of the State address to the Florida legislature on Wednesday.

He will then stop in Alabama on Thursday before an early-primary-state stop in Iowa on Friday for the first time since becoming a potential 2024 contender.

Over the weekend, he will then spend time in Nevada, a critical swing and early caucus state. He will go to the first primary election state of New Hampshire later in March.

DeSantis is also expected to sign bills during this two-month legislative session that includes: ending requirements for needing a permit to carry a firearm, making it easier to impose the death penalty on criminals and mandating companies to use E-Verify, a web-based system run by the Department of Homeland Security, to confirm a worker has legal status in the U.S. before hired.

Famously, the session could also see an increase in spending for a program transporting illegal migrants out of Florida to Democratic enclave states and sanctuary cities.

DeSantis also wants to cut taxes by $2 billion in the state.
A suspected rapist who is embroiled in a long-running extradition battle - during which he tried to con the Scottish courts into believing he was in fact an innocent Irish orphan - has had his hearing put off until the summer after a court heard he refused to get into a prison van.

American Nicholas Rossi, 35, tried to con the Scottish courts into believing he was Arthur Knight, who had never been to the United States.

But, after months of court hearings, in November Sheriff McFadyen ruled he was the man American authorities were seeking in connection with rape and sexual assault charges.

It has been alleged he faked his own death in 2020 and fled to Scotland to evade prosecution before he was arrested in December 2021.

Rossi was expected before Edinburgh Sheriff Court today but, it was told, he refused to get into the prison van and it was ruled the hearing could continue in his absence.

Nicholas Rossi's wife Miranda arrives at Edinburgh Sheriff And Justice of the Peace Court today

Nicholas Rossi leaving Edinburgh Sheriff And Justice Of The Peace Court in Edinburgh following an evidential hearing on February 15

Rossi was expected to face his full extradition hearing before Sheriff Norman McFadyen, but during the more than hour-long case on Monday it was delayed because not all the required reports had been completed.

His lawyer, Mungo Bovey, asked the sheriff to delay proceedings, and told him: 'I very much regret making this motion, both because of the disruption to the court diary and, frankly, for the prolonging of these proceedings which is not in anyone's interest, including the requested person who displays psychological distress which is exacerbated by the continuing proceedings and his continuing incarceration.'

Sheriff McFadyen said: 'It's to say the least unfortunate the court cannot effectively proceed with the full extradition hearing date despite the fact this date was set as long ago as November last year.'

A preliminary hearing will be held on April 20, and the he told the court the week-long extradition hearing would now be scheduled to begin on June 26.

Sheriff McFadyen said he would be 'entitled' to hold the man to the commitment he made to hold the hearing on Monday, but said his legal team had been taking steps to secure the required reports and that it could take some time to produce these.

Sheriff McFadyen had said it was a 'source of concern to the court the case has now been rumbling on for a very long time' and warned given the delays the 'firm expectation and intention' of the court was to hold the hearing in June.

Last month Rossi, who attends court in an electric wheelchair, had applied for bail but it was ruled he posed a 'substantial risk of absconding'.

Rossi was first arrested in October last year after checking himself into the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow with Covid-19.

While in Scotland, under the alias Knight and posing as a tutor, Rossi developed Covid pneumonitis and became 'the sickest patient on the ward', according to medical staff who were caring for him at the time.

It was at this point Police Scotland officers were issued with an Interpol red notice, with pictures of the wanted man, including images of his tattoos, and fingerprints.

He has been remanded in custody.
The head of the government's UFO office says alien 'motherships' could be flying through our solar system and sending probes to Earth in a new science paper.

The draft paper, published last week DailyMail.com has learned, has also sparked a row with the UFO chief's predecessor over the physics of strange craft seen in our skies.

The six-page article, titled 'Physical Constraints on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena', was co-written by Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick, the director of the Pentagon's UFO unit called the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), and former Harvard Astronomy Department Chair, Professor Avi Loeb.

Loeb is also the founder of the Galileo Project, which aims to use high-resolution telescopes and artificial intelligence algorithms to spot and photograph UFOs around Earth.

He gained national attention for his theory that an interstellar comet that passed through our solar system in 2017, dubbed 'Oumuamua, could in fact be an alien probe, and has written books on the possibility of extraterrestrial life.

The head of the government's UFO office says alien 'motherships' could be flying through our solar system and sending probes to Earth. Harvard Astronomy Department Chair Professor Avi Loeb believes that an interstellar comet that passed through our solar system in 2017, dubbed 'Oumuamua (pictured in an artist's rendering), could in fact be an alien probe

The six-page article, written by the director of the Pentagon's UFO unit Sean Kirkpatrick (left) and former Harvard Astronomy Department Chair Avi Loeb (right), was released last week

His new paper with Kirkpatrick was published on Loeb's website on March 1.

In the article, the scientist and the top intelligence official hypothesized that aliens may have long ago sent a 'mothership' craft across the galaxy, with the ability to launch its own smaller probes to visit interesting planets it passes  including Earth.

In an exclusive interview, Loeb told DailyMail.com that his team at Harvard is currently using a large campus telescope to scan the skies for such probes or other UFOs

'An artificial interstellar object could potentially be a parent craft that releases many small probes during its close passage to Earth, an operational construct not too dissimilar from NASA missions,' Loeb and Kirkpatrick wrote.

They wrote that current sky-scanning telescopes such as the James Webb Space Telescope would miss such small objects, whereas 'our deep space radars and space fence' could pick up meter-long incoming UFOs up to 36,000 km in the air  and we therefore should keep an eye out for them.

'Such objects could also become optically detectable as they get close to Earth, especially if they create a fireball as a result of their friction with air,' they wrote.

In an exclusive interview, Loeb told DailyMail.com that his team at Harvard, where he now serves as Director of the Institute for Theory and Computation, is currently using a large campus telescope to scan the skies for such probes or other UFOs, and are planning to set up a second telescope in the coming months as part of his Galileo Project.

'We are just hypothetically raising possibilities,' he said. 'NASA is now designing things that will land on Mars with a parachute shape. These are things that we are planning, and we should consider them as possibilities for other civilizations.

'Our planet is not unique. There are billions of planets like the Earth in the Milky Way galaxy. So why would we think that this is unusual?

'I have not seen data that supports any of these. It's just a possibility. But with the Galileo Project we are starting to collect data now and we will analyze it, but it's too early to say anything.'

Loeb and Kirkpatrick's draft paper also discusses 'physics-based constraints' for the kind of signs we should look for from UFOs  or as the government prefers to call them, Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP).

Kirkpatrick and Loeb's stance is at odds with the famous descriptions given by some Navy pilots of 'tic tac'-shaped objects videoed off the West Coast in 2004. The footage above captured what pilots recorded on their video sensors during training flights in 2004 and 2015

The two men argue that it is impossible for an object to travel faster than the speed of sound in Earth's atmosphere without creating a sonic boom, and that very fast moving objects always create a 'fireball' or a fiery tail in the air as friction with air molecules causes them to burn up.

They say that as a result, any footage that appears to show objects traveling at supersonic speeds without such characteristics, must be a misidentification  and is likely showing a smaller, slower object closer to the camera, or some other explanation.

'If you're claiming very fast moving objects, you'd better verify you can calculate the distance, so that you are sure about it,' Loeb told DailyMail.com.

'If indeed it's moving so fast, it should have left an imprint. You can't just say an object moves fast while at the same time you don't see any of these signatures.

'Someone who has crappy data, fuzzy images, or something without triangulation: you can't claim 'new physics' without actually proving beyond any reasonable doubt that you measured the distances correctly.

'If you're seeing them [UFOs], it means they interact with light, it means they interact with electric and magnetic fields, because that's what light is. And it means they must interact with the atoms and molecules of air, because air molecules interact with the electric and magnetic forces.'

In the article, the scientist and the top intelligence official hypothesized that aliens may have long ago sent a 'mothership' craft across the galaxy, with the ability to launch its own smaller probes to visit interesting planets it passes  including Earth

Kirkpatrick and Loeb's stance is at odds with the famous descriptions given by some Navy pilots of 'tic tac'-shaped objects videoed off the West Coast in 2004, described as flying over the ocean with no visible means of propulsion, then zipping 40 miles in less than a minute  at least three times the speed of sound  with no sonic boom or fiery trail.

The 'tic tac' and another object encountered by Navy pilots in 2015 were videoed on their F-18 jets' infrared camera, called 'FLIR', and the videos leaked to the New York Times in 2017, sending shockwaves around the world and reigniting popular interest in the UFO topic.

But the UFO office chief Kirkpatrick and Loeb appeared to pour cold water on cases of strange objects caught on FLIR, suggesting that alleged supersonic craft may in fact be slower moving objects closer to the camera.

'One of the most common sets of data within the military holdings comes from FLIR (forward looking infrared) pods,' the authors wrote.

'These sensors provide an accurate resolved image of relative thermal measurements across the scene. Typical UAP sightings are too far away to get a highly resolved image of the object and determination of the object's motion is limited by the lack of range data.

'The range is usually estimated using the flight dynamics of the platform and some fixed points in the scene - if either are available. The error in estimating the range gives rise to a significant variation in the calculated velocity and is subject to human bias and error.'

The comments in the paper drew a fiery reaction from Dr. Travis Taylor, a physicist who in 2019 served as the chief scientist for the government's UFO office.

The comments in the paper drew a fiery reaction from Dr. Travis Taylor (left), a physicist who in 2019 served as the chief scientist for the government's UFO office. 'That is so uncreative and typical of a Harvard physicist. That's so ridiculous,' Taylor told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview this weekend

Loeb revealed that he will be going on an expedition in May to salvage a roughly three-foot comet that crashed to Earth on March 9, 2017  hoping to recover pieces of the 'first interstellar material' on our planet

'That is so uncreative and typical of a Harvard physicist. That's so ridiculous,' Taylor told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview this weekend. 'Two equations does not a science paper make.

'Clearly he has not read Chris Van Den Broeck's [1999] paper or another paper called A View from the Bridge.

Taylor was referring to a theory that some UFOs seen flying in extraordinary ways are using a kind of 'warp drive' that bends space-time around the alleged craft, freeing it from the effects of gravity and allowing it to travel at extreme speeds without interacting with air or water molecules around it.

'There's some sort of physics there that we don't understand,' Taylor said.

'It's either magically frictionless  which would be an amazing technology  or it's in sort of a pocket universe, which fits with the Chris Van Der Broeck paper, being a warp bubble that doesn't interact with the things in this universe.'

Taylor made his comments in an interview with DailyMail.com at AlienCon, a UFO conference in Los Angeles, California this weekend where he was a guest speaker.

The combative comments show a widening divide between the ex heads of the UFO office, formerly called the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, and the current leadership under Kirkpatrick, on how to characterize weird objects seen in the sky, space and under water.

An image obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com of what appears to be a metallic-looking orb flying over Mosul, Iraq in April 2016, was included in a classified briefing video on UFOs shown to multiple US government agencies. The 'Mosul Orb' is an example of objects flying without visible means of propulsion

Loeb also revealed that he will be going on an expedition in May to salvage a roughly three-foot comet that crashed to Earth on March 9, 2017  hoping to recover pieces of the 'first interstellar material' on our planet.

He told DailyMail.com he wants to retrieve pieces of the comet from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean near Papua New Guinea, and look at its material for signs it was artificially made rather than natural.

'Six months before 'Oumuamua's closest approach to Earth, a meter-size interstellar meteor (IM2) collided with Earth,' Kirkpatrick and Loeb's paper said.

'The coincidences between some orbital parameters of 'Oumuamua and IM2 inspires us to consider the possibility that an artificial interstellar object could potentially be a parent craft that releases many small probes during its close passage to Earth.'

'I will be going in a couple of months to find the fragments of the first interstellar material,' Loeb told DailyMail.com in his interview this weekend. 'The task is to see what the composition was. Is it natural like a rock, or was it artificial in origin, like stainless steel or some alloy?

'It's not a cheap expedition, it will cost $1.5million. We have the boat and an exceptional team with the best people in the expedition game. We will do our best. And I will be on the boat.'
The two boys were seasoned hikers prepared for a 10-day trek, but not for the massive amount of snow they would experience

Two teenage boys in southern California were stranded when a massive snowstorm hit during their hiking trip - and they were forced to huddle together for three days to survive.

Riley Ramirez and Cole White, both 17, were dropped off near the Pacific Crest Trail fir a 10-day hiking trip late last month - but the ordeal soon descended into chaos.

The pair are seasoned hikers and had prepared for the lengthy trek with food, a tent, and snowshoes, when the unexpectedly severe storm hit.

'They knew there was weather. But I don't think they expected the amount,' said John Scalise, a San Bernardino county Sheriff's Department sergeant.

The parents of the two boys were last in contact with their sons on February 28, five days before they were rescued.

Residents in San Bernardino Mountain brave long lines for food at Goodwin & Son's Market in Crestline, Calif., Friday, March 3, 2023, amidst a shortage caused by heavy snowfall

Southern California residents wait for their phones to charge at a closed restaurant after losing power following massive snowfall

Cesar Ramirez, Riley's father, had been tracking the boys through an app. When the lost track of them on the app, he got in touch with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, which traced the hikers to their last known location.

The police found the boys, both of whom have military aspirations, on March 3. They had been on the Pacific Crest Trail, near San Gorgonio Mountain, the highest peak in southern California.

The rescue team found the boys slightly hypothermic and huddled together for warmth, according to the Associated Press. They battled temperatures in the low 30's and 40's for several nights.

They had spent three nights stranded on the mountain with a damaged tent. Ramirez had also lost his jacket to the wind.

They were flown by helicopter to the Morongo Basin sheriff's station, where they were given food, water, and medical treatment.

'During the five days they were hiking, they encountered four to five feet of snow drifts, limiting visibility and making it difficult to stay on the trail,' according to a release from the sheriff's department.

'Riley and Cole expressed how severe the weather conditions were and believed they would not have survived without assistance from the Sheriff's Department,' it continued.

Cesar Ramirez said his son was 'convinced' he was going to die in the snowstorm.

Some areas of SoCal got as much as 10 feet of snow and residents may have to wait up to a week to be dug out

A Crestline, California resident shovels snow after back-to-back storms dumped feet of snow in front of his house

Snowfall surrounds town streets and businesses in Crestline, California

A Caterpillar plow works to clear roads in Southern California

The roof of a tire ship caved in due to massive amounts of snowfall

A crew of inmate firefighters walk back to their vehicle after shoveling and clearing snow after a series of winter storms in the San Bernardino Mountains in Southern California on March 3, 2023

On March 1, California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for 13 counties in California following a huge snowstorm that hit southern California on February 25.

The massive snowfall blocked roads and trapped people inside their homes. California rescue workers struggled to dig out residents from as much as 10 feet of snow, following back-to-back storms.

Around 85,000 homes and business across Los Angeles lost power on Saturday.

Authorities have been working to clear roads and distribute food, water and blankets to snow-battered residents. Some residents, authorities say, could be shut in for another week because of how much time and effort the clear out process is taking.
Shocking video footage captured the horrifying moment four Americans were loaded into the flatbed of a pickup truck after they were shot at and kidnapped in Mexico.

The victims, whose names have not been released, were attacked by a group of gunmen moments after they had driven into the border city of Matamoros on Friday.

The FBI said the group entered Matamoros through Brownsville, Texas. They had travelled in a white minivan with North Carolina license plates, and were there to buy medicine ended up caught in the crossfire between two armed groups, according to Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

A U.S. official with knowledge of the incident told CNN that the four Americans were in Mexico for a medical procedure, according to documents that were found inside their vehicle. The official said that the cartel henchmen confused the group with Haitian smugglers.

U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said in a statement Monday that an 'innocent' Mexican citizen died in the attack.

He did not offer any additional details, but said various U.S. justice agencies were working with their Mexican counterparts to recover the missing U.S. citizens.

The video shows one of the gunmen escorting a woman to the pickup truck and forcing her to sit on the flatbed. Meanwhile, his cohort is dragging a man across the pavement before two other male victims are dumped in the vehicle.

A gunman acts as a lookout for his cohorts moments after they attacked a mini van with four American occupants and kidnapped them in the northeastern Mexican border city of Matamoros on Friday

An American woman (left) sits on the ground after the vehicle she and three other U.S. citizens were traveling on was shot at by kidnappers moments after they drove into the Mexican border city of Matamoros to purchase medicine on Friday. The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to their whereabouts

The vehicle came under fire shortly after entering Mexican territory, according to an investigation being done by the San Antonio FBI office.

'All four Americans were placed in a vehicle and taken from the scene by armed men,' said the office.

The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for the return of the victims and the apprehension of the culprits.

A map highlighting the six of 32 Mexican states that the US State Department currently has listed under its most severe 'do not travel' category, due to local cartels that may rob and/or kidnap American tourists

A white minivan from North Carolina with four U.S. citizens was shot by a group of gunmen Friday in Matamoros, Mexico. The occupants were kidnapped, according to the FBI

A woman is escorted to a pickup truck after she and three other Americans got caught in the middle of a gunfight between rival criminal organizations in the Mexican northern border town of Matamoros, where the group crossed over from Brownsville, Texas, to purchase medicine

A woman who witnessed the kidnapping told The Associated Press that the mini van was crashed by another vehicle at an intersection before shots were fired at it.

An SUV then arrived later and several men came out.

'All of a sudden they (the gunmen) were in front of us,' she said. 'I entered a state of shock, nobody honked their horn, nobody moved. Everybody must have been thinking the same thing, `if we move they will see us, or they might shoot us.''

Matamoros is known to be a territory occupied in part by battling factions of the Gulf Cartel.

Shootouts between gangs in Matamoros have become so treacherous that the U.S. Consulate issued a warning about the danger on Friday.

Tamaulipas state police said people had been killed and injured Friday, but did not say how many.

Matamoros is located in one of the six Mexican states the U.S. Department of State currently has listed under its most severe 'do not travel' category, due to local cartels that may rob and/or kidnap American tourists.

At least 1,271 people were abducted in Mexico in 2022, according to Alto al Secuestro, an organization that provides support for victims of kidnappings.
Walmart has said it is permanently closing its last two stores in Portland - months after its CEO warned of a historic rise in thefts.

The sites, located at the Delta Park and Eastport Plaza shopping centers in North and Southeast Portland, will shutter on March 24.

The retail giants said it is closing the stores - which serve as a haven for low-income shoppers across the city - because they were not meeting financial expectations.

That said, the closures serve as the latest instance of businesses relocating or closing shop altogether amid a pronounced rise in crime and homelessness.

The mass exodus has been carried out by owners fed-up with the Portland's sad state, and officials' subsequent failure to quell both crises.

Scroll down for video:

The locations, such as this store in Eastport Plaza shopping center in Southeast Portland, will shutter Friday, March 24, the retail colossus revealed in a statement earlier this week

The maneuver - which brass blamed on financial woes - came months after CEO Doug McMillon warned of a historic rise in theft at the retail giant's stores

Portland's business exodus: Top firms flee the 'crown jewel of the West' Walmart

Daimler Trucks North America

Nike

Airbnb

Bana Republic

Microsoft

Saucebox

Google

US Postal Service

Umpqua Bank

Salt & Straw Advertisement

Once hailed as the 'crown jewel of the West' for its trendy art and food scenes, the city has already seen a Portland Nike store shut down last year due to mass shoplifting, as well as a popular retail store in the city's downtown that was broken into 15 times over the course of just two months.

Portland's current predicament has persisted since the pandemic, and will now deprive residents of two of the last remaining convenient and cost-effective outlets at a time of surging food costs and economic uncertainty.

In a statement to local outlet KPTV, brass for the big box store cited such uncertainty for the reasoning behind closing down the two last remaining Portland Walmarts.

'The decision to close these stores was made after a careful review of their overall performance,' a rep told the station this week.

'We consider many factors,' the spokesperson would then add, pointing to 'current and projected financial performance, location, population, customer needs, and the proximity of other nearby stores' when making the 'difficult' decision.

Employees will have the option to transfer to locations outside the city, the rep added, though only a handful are within walking distance, with the nearest being three miles away in the suburb of Happy Valley.

Others in satellite cities such as Gresham and Milwaukie are also potentially walkable, located roughly five and six miles away from the closing Portland superstores, respectively.

A second location (seen here) set on the opposite side of the city will also be closing before the month is through, officials said - leaving many shoppers without affordable shopping options

Once hailed as the 'crown jewel of the West' for its trendy art and food scenes, the city has has been overrun with hundreds of homeless encampments rife with tents and open drug use

The closure came after a recent 'careful review' of both stores' - set on opposite side of the city - overall performance, reps said

Only a handful other are within ten miles of the city's city center, which has been overrun with hundreds of homeless encampments rife with tents and open drug use.

The city's woes have gotten so pronounced that local leaders, after failing to solve the livability issues for the better part of three years, are sharing strategies to appease fed-up businesses and and residents as the unrest threatens to spill over into bordering counties, where public opinion is generally more conservative.

'After we decide to move forward, our focus is on our associates and their transition, which is the case here,' the Walmart spokesperson assured KPTV in its statement of the roughly 600 staffers spread between the two stores - as well as its pharmacies - who will need to be displaced.

Residents who relied on the store's low cost goods to supply their families have already begun protesting the closures, with moms like Amanda Pahl speculating that recent instances of mass theft were behind the decision

Fox 12 Oregon spoke with #Portland Walmart shoppers devastated that its stores will shut down. They must now go to more expensive grocery stores or drive further. Shoppers speculate that mass theft was behind Walmart's decision to close in Portland. https://t.co/xHyRKkhaOy pic.twitter.com/7kx8uS0wPe  Andy Ngo  (@MrAndyNgo) March 4, 2023

In a letter to Mayor Ted Wheeler regarding the Eastport Plaza location, Walmart explained said 379 employees would be impacted, along with another 200 at its sister store

The company added that the stores would close to the public on March 24, staff would be allowed until June 2 to make a decision before being terminated.

'We expect the employment separations to be permanent,' Walmart said.

'We are grateful to the customers who have given us the privilege of serving them at our Hayden Meadows and Eastport Plaza locations,' the rep added - with residents already protesting the decision.

The next day, footage would surface on social media of thieves raiding the very same Walmart, brazenly walking out a big-screen TV in front of store staffers, before peeling away in a car

In their haste to make an escape, one of the looters leaves behind one of their shoes, after it fell off during the sloppy swipe and grab

Notice a pattern?



Walmart is closing all of its Portland stores because this kind of behavior. pic.twitter.com/nln8zpQsYd  Jeff Younger (@JeffYoungerTX) March 4, 2023

They argue the closures are going to have lasting, negative effects on low-income shoppers already forced to navigate across Portland between the two stores, which are set on opposite sides of the city.

'Safeway is the go-to-store if I have to but that's three times the price I would spend here,' Amanda Pahl told KPTV this weekend outside the closing Eastport Plaza location, where a giant 'store closing' sign was recently erected.

'What are we going to do? You got to go further, then you have to spend gas money. Might as well pay for it at Safeway at this point.'

She and others speculated that mass theft was behind Walmart's decision to close its only two Portland locations, which she says she had relied on to stock her family with groceries and other necessary supplies.

Portland's continued crime woes have caused public safety officials in different parts of Oregon to decry the city's state, with crime still up mostly across the board

The next day, footage would surface on social media of thieves raiding the very same Walmart, brazenly walking out a big-screen TV in front of store staffers, before peeling away in a car. In their haste to make an escape, one of the looters leaves behind one of their shoes, after it fell off during the sloppy swipe and grab.

Such instances have become increasingly commonplace not only in Portland Walmarts, but in locations across the country, as criminals continue to grow increasingly bold following several failed efforts to defund police forces and reform bail laws, that have offered little to no deterrent for repeat offenders.

Over the past year, the retail staple closed stores in Arkansas, Florida, Washington, D.C., Wisconsin, New Mexico, and Illinois, spurring CEO Doug McMillon to warn in December that shoppers could see more further closures as retail crimes remain on the rise throughout much of the country.

Appearing on CNBC's Squawk Box, the exec said that store theft is the highest it's been in the chain's 61-year history, despite security measures the store, like so many others in recent years, has implemented to help combat the issue.

The Democrat-run city now has one of the most deserted downtowns in the United States - with the removal of the Walmarts seeing two of last remaining bastions in an outflow of Portland businesses, such as the Downtown branch of Umpqua Bank (pictured), nixed as well

'We've got safety measures, security measures that we've put in place by store location. I think local law enforcement being staffed and being a good partner is part of that equation, and that's normally how we approach it,' McMillon said during the sitdown.

When asked about if local jurisdictions and their handling of shoplifting cases will impact the closures, McMillon said that cities that sport a lax approach from prosecutors in deterring crime could see store closures down the line.

'If that's not corrected over time, prices will be higher, and/or stores will close,' McMillon said of the progressive policies being implemented by officials across the country, including places like Portland by Multnomah County DA Mike Schmidt.

Local leaders are sharing strategies for solving the crime and livability issues, as they threaten to spill over into bordering counties, where public opinion is generally more conservative

'It's really city by city, location by location. It's store managers working with local law enforcement and we've got great relationships there for the most part,' he added.

Schmidt, an outspoken progressive and critic of the city's police force, came into office during the height of the riots in the summer of 2020 and promptly enacted a policy decriminalizing most riot-related offenses.

Now, nearly three years later, the city once touted for its coastal valleys and delicate pinot noir grape has become unrecognizable, now overrun by drug addicts and homeless individuals.

The Democrat-run city now has one of the most deserted downtowns in the United States - with the removal of the Walmarts seeing two of last remaining bastions in an outflow of Portland businesses nixed as well.

Privously hailed as the 'crown jewel of the West' for its trendy art and food scenes, the city's Downtown was in markedly better condition just a few years ago

Now, nearly three years later, the city once touted for its coastal valleys and delicate pinot noir grape has become unrecognizable, now overrun by drug addicts and homeless individuals

This past December, a Portland retail store for the popular clothing brand Rains was forced to shut after being broken into 15 times over the course of just two months.

To residents wondering why the Rains store is no more, a searing note on the front door reveals all with 'unrelenting criminal behavior' and 'escalating safety issues for our employees' to blame.

Nike, whose HQ is in nearby Beaverton, also had to close a long-standing community store for weeks because shoplifting was so out of control, and iconic ice cream shop Salt & Straw last week threatened to move its headquarters out of Oregon.

Hundreds of tent cities have surfaced on the city's streets, where addicts regularly sit and 'zombie' out in full view of families and children passing by

Portland currently has more than 700 homeless encampments across the city within less than 150 square miles, and the ordeal has also led to skyrocketing crime in the area

Amid the pronounced rise in crime and homelessness, business owners are fleeing the city

The store's owner Marcy Landolfo put up a notice on its window explaining her decision to close.

'Our city is in peril. Small businesses (and large) cannot sustain doing business in our city's current state. We have no protection, or recourse, against the criminal behavior that goes unpunished.

'Do not be fooled into thinking that insurance companies cover losses. We have sustained 15 break-ins  we have not received any financial reimbursement since the 3rd,' Landolfo wrote.

Portland currently has more than 700 homeless encampments across the city within less than 150 square miles, contributing to skyrocketing crime in the area.

This past December, a Portland retail store for the popular clothing brand Rains was forced to shut after being broken into 15 times over the course of just two months, joining stores like Nike to leave the city

And some of the most charming, trendy and expensive neighborhoods of the Pacific Northwest city are now overrun with tent cities crowding residential sidewalks and littered with trash - and the issue is scaring away both locals and tourists.

Portland City Council rushed to refund the police last November after defunding them by more than $15 million in 2020. Officials voted to add $5.4 million to the force's budget.

When the police was defunded in 2020, the Portland Police Bureau suffered through a rash of retirements and resignations, with law enforcement further vexed by policies being introduced by Schmidt.
Science minister George Freeman today suggested Britain's plan to rejoin the EU's Horizon scheme could be jeopardised by more post-Brexit wrangling over money.

Under the Brexit trade deal between London and Brussels, the UK was permitted access to a range of EU science and innovation programmes, including the 100 billion euro Horizon programme.

But Britain's bid to resume participation in Horizon was subsequently blocked by the EU following the bitter row over post-Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland.

Now that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has presented his Windsor Framework to resolve the Northern Ireland Protocol dispute, Mr Freeman said the 'door is now open' for the UK to rejoin Horizon.

But he warned Britain could yet be met by EU demands to pay up for financial contributions to the flagship scheme during the two years from which the UK's association was blocked.

Science minister George Freeman suggested Britain's plan to rejoin the EU's Horizon scheme could be jeopardised by more post-Brexit wrangling over money

Mr Freeman said Rishi Sunak's 'rapprochement' with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen over Northern Ireland would see 'a whole raft of talks going on' with EU leaders

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'If you've been out of the club, not by your own volition for two years, the monies that you would have paid in for full membership over the whole seven years clearly aren't due.

'And so we need to sit down and come up with a sensible package.'

Mr Freeman expressed confidence that Mr Sunak's 'rapprochement' with the EU over Northern Ireland would see 'a whole raft of talks going on' with European leaders over issues such as Horizon and the Channel migrant crisis.

'What's going on with Horizon is that we agreed and negotiated to join just over two years ago as part of the Brexit deal,' he added.

'And we've been held up, blocked out because of the Northern Ireland Protocol impasse.

'Now that that's cleared, we now have the ability as the PM did say last week to sit down and sought a whole raft of issues out with EU including this.'

Horizon Europe is the EU's key funding programme for research and innovation with a budget of 95.5 billion euros.

The Government today announced it was extending until the end of June the financial guarantee it has provided to ensure UK applicants to Horizon receive funding while negotiations continue on Britain rejoining the scheme.

Science and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan said: 'We are determined to ensure our world-class researchers are given the clarity and certainty they need to continue their sterling work.

'This is why I am taking the immediate step to extend the Horizon Europe guarantee, worth 882million to date, for an additional three months to the end of June.'
Furious passengers faced chaotic scenes and and confronted British Airways staff at Heathrow Airport after having to wait more than an hour and a half for their luggage.

Passengers arriving into Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5 were stuck waiting alongside empty baggage carousels shortly after disembarking their flights on Saturday afternoon.

One member of British Airways staff was reportedly 'almost assaulted' amid a mutiny at the airline's complaint desk.

Passengers attributed the delays to a shortage of baggage handlers, with many fearing such delays will become a regular fixture if the issues are not addressed prior to the half term and summer holidays.

One told MailOnline: 'Terminal Five clearly has not fixed the staffing issue with baggage handlers.

One member of British Airways staff was reportedly 'almost assaulted' amid a mutiny at the airline's complaint desk

Passengers attributed the delays to a shortage of baggage handlers, with many fearing such delays will become a regular fixture

'On Saturday afternoon passengers were waiting an hour and a half for their bags to arrive on the carousel. The excuse given was that there was not enough to staff to cover the afternoon/evening shift.

'There was a near mutiny at the complaints desk. One BA staff member was almost assaulted by an angry passenger who claimed this happened to him every week, and another was warned for berating staff.

'The desk staff ended up claiming they had called the police. If it is chaos now, it does not bode well for half-term holidays or even summer.'

Others took to Twitter to describe the 'massive delays'.

One said: 'Absolute chaos at Heathrow. Waited 2hours for our luggage. No staff to unload bags. Welcome back to the UK.'

A second added: 'Chaos at Heathrow T5. Massive delays in baggage arrivals. Very little information from the airport authorities.'

A spokesperson for Heathrow said the airport was operating as normal on Saturday and baggage handling is handled by individual airlines.

British Airways said it was not aware of any major incidents.
Jeff Zucker told CNN staff not to give credence to the Wuhan lab leak theory during the start and height of the pandemic because he thought it was a 'Trump talking point' and couldn't be true, network insiders have claimed.

Zucker - who was ousted from the network after his affair with Allison Gollust was revealed - is said to have told journalists not to pursue the theory that is now backed by the FBI.

'People are slowly waking up from the fog. It is kind of crazy that we didn't chase it harder,' a network source told Fox News.

CNN - now run by Chris Licht, who vowed to suck out the heavy bias that turned many viewers and readers off the network during the last five years - is yet to respond to the report.

Former CNN boss Jeff Zucker is said to have steered journalists away from the lab leak theory in 2020

It is still casting considerable doubt on the theory that the virus spread from the lab to the rest of the world, however.

Both FBI Director Christopher Wray and the Department of Energy accept the theory as being backed by evidence.

In the early days of the pandemic, the theory was hastily dismissed by CNN and other left-leaning media outlets, while Republicans - including former President Trump - wanted to investigate.

Trump is now demanding trillions of dollars in reparations from China for the harm the pandemic caused on the US and global economy.

CNN reporter Fareed Zakaria called it a 'far right conspiracy theory' while others like MSNBC, The New York Times and The Washington Post also ran articles 'debunking' the theory.

Insiders say Zucker reduced the theory to being a 'Trump talking point' and wouldn't give it credence

Instead of giving airtime to the theory, CNN journalists and producers routinely invited Democrats on their shows to discuss the pandemic, including former NY Governor Andrew Cuomo, who regularly appeared on his brother Chris's primetime show

The CIA and other US government bodies say they have 'low confidence' that the lab - the Wuhan Institute of Virology - is the source of the virus.

Zucker's anti-Trump steer on CNN was compounded by the network's love of Democratic leaders like Andrew Cuomo, the brother of former host Chris Cuomo.

Andrew, then the Governor of New York, was regularly invited onto his brother's show to talk about his response to the pandemic.

Zucker reportedly steering staff away from the story is the latest anecdote to come to light of Democrats and left-leaning institutions trying to discredit or downplay the theory before it was ever investigated.

The Wuhan Institute of Virology is now considered to be the source of the leak by both the FBI and the Dept. of Energy

Dr. Anthony Fauci commissioned a study that he then used to disprove the theory in 2020, bombshell new emails show.

Even Whoopi Goldberg and her View co-hosts agreed that the efforts to investigate the true origins of the virus were swayed by politics.

'The politics got in the way of a lot of looking for the truth,' Goldberg said on The View on Wednesday morning.

'They still are not saying definitively and that's a problem. They still don't know for sure,' she said on the show last week,.

President Biden is yet to respond to the revelations, or confirm how - or if - he'll take action against China, which has repeatedly and furiously denied the leak.
gettyimagesbank





By Jung Min-ho







A flight attendant starts telling passengers to put on their masks after serving meals on a plane late at night. A passenger sitting next to the window without wearing one continues to sleep as if he did not hear the voice, while some people reluctantly put their masks back on to cover only their mouth while their noses remain exposed.







This scene, observed on a Korean Air flight from Incheon to Sydney on Feb. 26, showed that Korea's air travel mask mandate no longer achieves the results it intended: Many don't wear their masks (unless they are told to by flight attendants) and the rule is not being strictly enforced.







Korea is one of only a handful of countries that still require people to wear masks on airplanes and other public transportation amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But the effectiveness of that policy has increasingly been questioned, especially given the fact that more than 98 percent of the population are estimated to have COVID-19 antibodies after being infected or vaccinated.







Korea was among the countries praised for effective strategies in their fight against the virus, including universal masking. Yet fresh data suggests that the authorities need to review the decisions they made in the early phase of the health crisis as the rest of the world moves past it.







Perhaps the most rigorous and extensive study on the effects of mask-wearing was published recently by Cochrane, a respected international health research group based in London. The findings, discovered by a team led by Tom Jefferson, an Oxford epidemiologist, demonstrate that masks may not be as effective as previously believed.







The researchers concluded that physical intervention  masking, for example  "makes little to no difference" in reducing the spread of respiratory illnesses  including COVID-19. That includes high-quality masks such as N95. The institution is widely regarded as the gold standard of evidence-based medicine.







The conclusions were based on 78 randomized controlled trials, with a total of over 610,000 participants around the world, including in Mexico, Bangladesh and Norway.







Especially in environments such as inside aircraft, which are designed with features to reduce the potential transmission of viruses on board, the risk of infection could be even lower. That's why the International Air Transport Association, a global trade association of airlines, says, "If a country has removed mandatory mask rules in indoor environments (like Korea has) mask-wearing should not be mandatory for air transport."







People might choose to wear masks for personal reasons. According to a recent poll, more than 20 percent of college students say they would wear masks both indoors and outdoors, giving reasons such as concerns about COVID-19 or flu infections or they feel more comfortable wearing them after it becomes a habit.







But the policy requiring everyone to wear one needs to be thoroughly reviewed as the study quite clearly shows there are no population-level benefits to masking.







So it is welcome news that the government has finally started discussing whether it should drop all its mask restrictions. The mandatory mask rule should be removed  if not enforced more strictly. Currently, it exists in name only, bringing no practical effects, only inconvenience.


CCTV footage of an attacker wearing a high-end limited edition designer coat helped police track down the honeytrap killers who seduced and drugged man in bid to steal his Rolex watches.

Saul Murray, 33, was stabbed to death during a robbery gone wrong after he met two women at his flat who gave him the sedative GHB after engaging in sexual activity with him.

He was targeted by the killers after posting pictures of two watches on Instagram.

Police were able to later identify his killer by a 1,350 puffer coat that one of the attackers was photographed wearing in a KFC just two days prior.

The Moncler jacket was one of just 69 sold in the UK, allowing the police to trace the item's delivery to the killer's partner.

CCTV footage of an attacker wearing a high-end limited edition designer coat helped police track down the honeytrap killers who seduced and drugged Saul Murray in bid to steal his Rolex watches. Killer Ikem Affia is seen holding a knife after he killed Mr Murray

Police were able to later identify his killer by a 1350 puffer coat that one of the attackers was photographed wearing in a KFC just two days prior (pictured)

The Moncler jacket was one of just 69 sold in the UK, allowing the police to trace the item's delivery to the killer's partner

Mr Murray's body was discovered with stab wounds at his flat on February 27 last year after he was targeted by Surpreet Dhillon, 36, and Temidayo Awe, 21.

A court heard that Dhillon seduced Mr Murray online, and then visited him at his flat in Luton with Awe, where the pair drugged the father-of-six.

However, the drug failed to knock Mr Murray out, and Ikem Affia, 31, Cleon Brown, 29 then arrived at the home to rob and ultimately kill their victim.

Police later identified Affia as the killer after he was spotted on CCTV wearing the distinctive jacket in KFC two days prior to the attack.

The gang were also seen on CCTV leaving the property, and Affia was carrying a large knife as he left the building.

Police also used vehicle telematics from the Mercedes hired by the gang - placing the car at the scene of the crime and at Affia's home address.

Brown was seen on CCTV using a vacuum cleaner at a petrol station to clean the car after the attack had taken place.

Saul Murray is pictured in a swimming pool while sporting a Rolex

Murray was found naked in a pool of blood in the communal entrance to the flats in New Town Street, after the two men working with the women - Ikram Affia, 31, and Cleon Brown, 29 - entered his home to snatch his valuable items (Pictured: The targeted Rolexes which were later identified as fakes)

CCTV of Affia and Brown in a KFC on February 22 has been released

A jury found Affia, of Hackney, London, guilty of murder following a trial at Luton Crown Court.

Dhillon, of Stratford, London, Brown, 29, of South Hackney, London, and Awe, of Gillingham, Kent, were convicted of manslaughter.

Affia was jailed for life to serve a minimum of 25 years and was also sentenced to 14 years for conspiracy to commit robbery to run concurrently.

Brown was sentenced to 11 years, Dhillon was caged for to 10 years and Temidayo Awe was imprisoned for seven years.

It was also revealed in court that the Rolex watches Mr Murray had photographed online were in fact fake and that there were no expensive items in his flat.

Mr Murray's body was discovered with stab wounds at his flat on February 27 last year after he was targeted by Surpreet Dhillon, 36, (left) and Temidayo Awe, 21 (right)

A jury found Ikem Affia, 31, (left) guilty of murder. He was sentenced on Friday to life in prison with a minimum term of 25 years. Cleon Brown, 29, (right) was convicted of manslaughter. He was jailed for 11 years

CCTV footage was played to the jury at Luton crown court. Surpreet Dhillon and Temidayo Awe are seen inside the building

Awe left to meet the two men at around 2.30am to lead them back to the flat

Pictured: A police cordon outside Murray's property in New Town Street, Luton

Detective Inspector Dale Mepstead, from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, said: 'This was clearly a planned attack; facilitated by Dhillon and Awe and carried out by Affia and Brown.

'It's obvious from the way the two women used a sedative substance on Mr Murray and the fact Affia was armed with a knife that they were prepared to get what they wanted at any cost - which sadly was Mr Murray's life.

'This was a very lengthy and complex investigation, which involved scrutinising hours of CCTV, phone data, vehicle telematics and other evidence to place each of them at Mr Murray's flat at the time of the offence.

'I hope that the knowledge that all four people involved in this horrific incident will be locked up for a very long time can bring some justice to Saul's loved ones.'
For years the fashion runway has been a feline-associated domain, with models and designers gracing the so-called catwalk to show off the latest collections.

But today Stella McCartney - a prominent animal rights campaigner - staked a late claim on behalf of horses for her latest designs.

A hint of the surprise equine arrivals in the form of farmyard smells may not have been picked up by guests as they entered the riding school venue, LEcole Militaire.

So when seven protected wild Camargue horses cantered in, many of the fashionistas may have been left wondering what else might have been in their glasses of champagne.

Afterwards McCartney - daughter of Beatle Paul - had told the stunned fashion press on a crowded balcony: 'Have you even seen a wild horse at a fashion show, or a whisperer?'

Mane attraction: The seven protected wild Camargue horses were a huge surprise at the event

Horsing around: McCartney asked: 'Have you even seen a wild horse at a fashion show, or a whisperer?'

Denied the neigh-sayers: Organisers had said McCartney was 'crazy' for the horse parade

She claimed organisers had called her 'crazy' for attempting to get wild horses to a show.

McCartney said winter was a good time to highlight cruelty-free designs with the unique spectacle of wild animals living, breathing and playing together.

'I really wanted to make a connection with our fellow creatures because there is so much leather and fur and feathers on the runway, especially in winter,' she added.

Here a model wears a creation as part of the Stella McCartney Fall/Winter 2023-2024 in Paris

Avril Lavigne arrives at the Stella McCartney Fall/Winter 2023-2024 ready-to-wear collection presented today

Bags used vegan leather alternatives, such as MIRUM, a plant-based technology, AppleSkin, an apple-based material that creates a crocodile effect

'I wanted to show that you can do (fashion) in a different way you dont need to kill anything and it can be (just) as luxurious.'

Bags used vegan leather alternatives, such as MIRUM, a plant-based technology, AppleSkin, an apple-based material that creates a crocodile effect.

McCartney said the horses had many personal meanings to her, from the photography of her mother Linda and sister Mary to 'being British,' speaking to the love for horses that runs deep in the UK

Making hay: Two of the horses in particular appeared to have decided to snooze in the show

Seven horses were were part of McCartney's show in the French capital Paris today

She said the message of the horses 'is that theyre alive and the clothes havent killed anything so theres a kind of celebration of everything living in harmony with one another.'

The horse handler was a star of the show. McCartney said she first saw him at a London horse show and was impressed with his work.

'They are his wild horses. He doesnt use any bridles, any saddles and hes a horse whisperer - theyre his little babies,' she said.

'I cant even get my dog to do that.'
Former Donald Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort has agreed to pay the U.S. government $3.15 million to settle a civil case after the Justice Department sued and accused him of using offshore accounts to stash money from his consulting work in Ukraine.

The feds sued Manafort last April, seeking fines, penalties, and interest for 'his willful failure to timely report his financial interest in foreign bank accounts' in the United Kingdom, Cyprus, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

That effort to claw back cash came after the government's plans to seize real estate assets worth millions following Trump's pardon of Manafort during his last days in office.

Former Donald Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort has agreed to pay the feds $3.15 million to settle a civil case after he was accused of failing to declare ownership of foreign bank accounts where DOJ said he put consulting earnings from his work for a pro-Russia political party in Ukraine

The government said Manafort 'knowingly, intentionally, and willfully filed and conspired to file false tax returns from 2006-2015 in that he said he did not have reportable foreign bank accounts when he knew that he did.'

Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was his client, along with Manafort's former deputy Rick Gates and associate Konstantin Kilimnik, identified in a Senate report as a 'Russian intelligence officer.'

The payments to the government  a federal judge in West Palm Beach filed the consent judgement on Feb. 22  adds a coda to Manafort's long legal saga, which saw him charged in 2017 by special counsel Robert Mueller's prosecutors.

He was jailed, served time in home confinement, and then pardoned by the president, who hired him to run his presidential campaign during critical months in 2016. He now lives in Florida.

Federal Judge Roldolfo Ruiz II issued the consent judgement late last month. Manafort will be required to pay $3.15 million in accordance with the settlement

Manafort chaired Trump's 2016 campaign during the July Republican convention. But Trump accepted his resignation in August of that year amid scrutiny of his Russia ties

Manafort retained ownership of an infamous and pricey ostrich jacket that featured in one government filing following a search of his home

His lawyer did not immediately return a call seeking comment, but told the Washington Post that Manafort is happy to have this chapter behind him.

Manafort faced criminal charges as part of special counsel Robert Muellers Russia investigation into Trump's associates.

A jury convicted him in 2018 of eight financial crimes, including several related to his political consulting work in Ukraine, but the judge hearing the case declared a mistrial on 10 other counts when jurors could not reach a verdict.

Manafort was sentenced to more than seven years in prison.

Trump pardoned his former campaign chairman on Christmas Eve, 2020, with just days left in office.

Manafort's ties to Ukraine led to his ouster from Trump's campaign in August 2016, less than a month after Trump accepted the Republican nomination.
Women violating the Islamic dress code will be punished, Iran's judiciary chief has declared today, reaffirming the law after months of unrest that brought a deadly security crackdown.

'Removing one's hijab is equivalent to showing enmity to the Islamic Republic and its values. People who engage in such an abnormal act will be punished,' Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei told the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).

'With the help of the judiciary and executive, authorities will use all available means to deal with the people who cooperate with the enemy and commit this sin that harms public order.'

The death of Iranian Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini while in police custody for flouting the dress code in September triggered nationwide protests that posed one of the toughest challenges to theocratic since its establishment in 1979.

But the Islamic Republic under Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has remained resolute, with the Supreme Leader ordering his security forces to brutally crack down on the unrest.

This image taken in October of an unveiled woman standing on top of a vehicle as thousands make their way towards Aichi cemetery in Mahsa Amini's home town was one of the most powerful photos of 2022

People clash with police during a protest following the death of Mahsa Amini, in Tehran, Iran, 21 September 2022

People take part in a protest in Zahedan, Iran in this screen grab taken from a social media video released February 17, 2023

Iran's judiciary chief said: 'Removing one's hijab is equivalent to showing enmity to the Islamic Republic and its values. People who engage in such an abnormal act will be punished'

Widespread civil unrest broke out in Iran following the suspicious death of Amini on September 16, 2022.

The Law Enforcement Command of the Islamic Republic of Iran claimed she had a heart attack at a police station, collapsed, and fell into a coma before being transferred to a hospital.

But eyewitnesses allege she was severely beaten and died as a result of police brutality.

The case shed renewed light on the country's treatment of women, with a growing number of female Iranians choosing to flout the Sharia-based law to wear the hijab.

Demonstrators have cut and burned their head coverings while shouting anti-Khameini slogans in what have been the longest-running anti-government protests in Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

But Khameini's regime has not wilted. Hundreds of protestors have been killed in clashes with security forces and thousands have been detained.

The latest crackdown on protestors in Iran comes days after the nation's foreign minister shared a combative interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour last week.

Hossein Amirabdollahian could not stop smirking as he was grilled about his country's record on women's rights before telling the host 'this is not the way to conduct an interview' and insisting women in Iran had 'all the necessary, required freedoms'.

The Islamic Republic under Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has remained resolute, with the Supreme Leader ordering his security forces to brutally crack down on the unrest

People in support of the Iranian community take part in the Freedom Rally for Iran demonstration against the Iranian regime on February 22, 2023 in Rome, Italy

During the tense interview, Amirabdollahian claimed Amini was turned into a 'symbol' by protesters and that the resulting frenzy was whipped up by Western media.

'This is not the way to conduct an interview. Women in Iran have all the necessary, required freedoms within the framework of the law,' he added.

'Do you ask other countries? Do you ask other countries who are in our region but are allies of the United States the same kinds of questions that you're asking me about the women's hijab?

'The issue in Iran at the moment is not that of hijab.'

Amirabdollahian also accused western media outlets of encouraging violent protests in his country.

'In Iran we had an incident. An Iranian girl passed away and we were all very sorry about that.

'But foreign interference and the Persian-language media that are based in the United States and Britain focused their activities on encouraging and instigating the riots and acts of terror.

'And that's why peaceful protests ended up becoming violent - because of the foreign intervention.

Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian smiled as he chastised CNN host Christiane Amanpour, telling her 'this is not the way to conduct an interview'

CNN host Amanpour laid into the Iranian foreign minister over his country's record on women's rights

Mahsa Amini, 22, died on September 16, three days after falling into a coma following her arrest

He added: 'I can tell you this in full confidence that our police and the security forces in Iran have not killed anyone with bullets or any other means in these riots.'

He claimed police did not have the power to use firearms in the riots.

Last Monday, Amirabdollahian was controversially tasked with giving a speech on Human Rights at a UN meeting.

Videos circulating on Twitter appeared to show dozens of UN diplomats walking out as he started to speak.

In one clip an unidentified Iranian woman can be heard saying: 'They are without shame and should be embarrassed. They are child killers.'

A letter by UN Watch - a Geneva-based organisation monitoring activities of the UN - urged all 193 members to leave the meeting.

It gathered more than 100 signatures from prominent lawmakers, human rights campaigners and celebrities.
He also earlier admitted pleasuring himself in front of female cyclist in Deal, Kent

A woman flashed by Wayne Couzens three days before he killed Sarah Everard sobbed today as she said we could have saved Sarah if police had done their jobs - as his twisted WhatsApps to colleagues are revealed.

Scotland Yard was condemned by a judge for doing nothing to stop the predatory officer.

Mrs Justice May said he could easily have been traced after committing a series of indecent exposure attacks in the days before he abducted, raped and killed the 33-year-old.

Today Sarahs mother Susan watched on as the former Met officer was sentenced to 19 months for the three monstrous attacks - in addition to the whole life sentence he is already serving for her murder.

The sentencing also allowed police watchdog the IOPC to release more details of a sickening WhatsApp group where he made rape and racist comments. In one 2019 post, he sneered to a colleague 'it's got to be consensual'.

Firearms officer Couzens was supposed to be on duty, working from home when he leapt out of the woods at a female cyclist, standing 'totally naked' while carrying out a sex act in a remote country lane in Deal, Kent, in November 2020.

The 50-year-old went on to expose himself to two terrified female attendants at a McDonalds drive-through restaurant in Kent on February 14 and 27. On both occasions, he drove to collect his orders before a member of staff saw he had hus 'trousers pulled down to his knees'

His last attack - shown in CCTV released by police this afternoon - just three days before Couzens snatched Miss Everard, 33, from a street in south London.

Police were given his description, car registration and bank card details yet officers failed to investigate any of the attacks, interview the victims or identify the sex offender as one of their own officers until he had been arrested for the murder.

READ MORE: Wayne Couzens was on duty for the Met Police when he flashed female cyclist while totally naked four months before he murdered Sarah Everard Advertisement

The Old Bailey heard today how the three women targeted had been left with survivors guilt after both Kent Police and the Metropolitan Police failed to take the crimes seriously enough and missed crucial opportunities to stop Couzens.

Mrs Justice May said: He could have easily been traced by his car and his card.

Nothing was done by police at the time. Sarah Everard was taken three days later on 3 March 2021.

The fact that no police came to find him or his black car, to question him about these incidents, can only have served to confirm and strengthen in the defendants mind a dangerous belief in his invincibility, in his power to dominate and sexually abuse women without being stopped.

Earlier today the woman who was flashed by Couzens three days before Miss Everards murder wept as she told how she recognised his face in newspaper articles following his arrest.

I could not believe that I had met someone who would go on to be a killer she said.

It made me realise that police officers are ordinary people, some of whom could be a threat instead of trying to protect me.

This indecent exposure incident was reported on the Sunday.

I had no one contact me or ask for a statement. It was only after Sarahs murder that I became involved.

If he had been held accountable when we had reported the crime, we could have saved Sarah.

The parliamentary and diplomatic protection officer also exposed himself to a female cyclist in Deal, Kent who then told a female police officer what had happened within minutes of the attack on November 13, 2020.

Couzens stepped out of the woods and stood on a bank above the female cyclist as she rode uphill towards him.

Tom Little KC, prosecuting, said Couzens was 'totally naked' and masturbating as he looked at the woman.

The attack happened only a few miles from where the defendant took Miss Everard after kidnapping her.

But police were unable to trace Couzens at the time after the victim could not recall his full number plate.

CCTV has now been released showing Couzens making two trips to the McDonald's Drive-thru in Swanley, Kent

Murderer Wayne Couzens has been sentenced at the Old Bailey after admitting three counts of indecent exposure

Couzens is seen placing an order at the McDonald's while driving back home following a 12-hour shift with the Met

Couzens' car (blue arrow) queues behind another vehicle while waiting to pick up the order

As Couzens' collected his food and drink, he exposed himself to members of staff at the restaurant

Court artist sketch of Wayne Couzens appearing at the Old Bailey today via video link from HMP Frankland

After Couzen's arrest over the disappearance of Ms Everard, the cyclist recognised him from his picture.

Mr Little said: 'As a result, she contacted the police again. She felt instant shock at seeing the picture and said she was 90 per cent sure it was him who masturbated in front of her.

READ MORE: Wayne Couzens was on duty for the Met Police when he flashed female cyclist while totally naked four months before he murdered Sarah Everard A court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of Couzens appearing via video link in February 2022 Advertisement

'Further inquiries have confirmed that the defendant was due to be working from home in Deal on 13 November 2020 between 8am and 4pm. It follows that he was on duty at the time of the offence but was not at home.'

In a victim impact statement read at his sentencing today, the victim told Couzens: You took my freedom and replaced it with fear. It was a selfish, aggressive act and it has had a serious impact upon the quality of my life, and upon the quality of life of those close to me.

I am aware that for some indecent exposure, is viewed as a minor offence but research shows that this is a progressive form of behaviour.

'I remember vividly being concerned that somebody who could expose themselves to a stranger in such an intimidating way could go on to commit much more serious acts.

This is what happened. Four months after you exposed yourself to me, you raped and murdered an innocent woman.

There were opportunities to identify you and they were not taken.

I did not feel that, when I reported your crime, it was taken as seriously as I felt that it should have been. The horror of what happened will remain with me for the rest of my life.'

In February the following year, a further two incidents of indecent exposure took place in a drive-in McDonald's at the Swanley service station in Kent in early 2021.

Couzens drove from his home in Deal to Lillie Road in Fulham, south west London - where his Diplomatic Protection unit was based - in mid-February.

He was not working, but entered into its offices before leaving a short time later. The reasoning for his visit 'remains entirely unexplained'.

Mr Little told the court: 'His journey is not dissimilar to that taken on the night he kidnapped Sarah Everard.'

On his way back to Kent, Couzens visited a McDonald's drive-thu and ordered a white coffee and double cheeseburger.

But as he approached to collect his order, he exposed himself to a member of staff.

Days before he kidnapped Ms Everard, Couzens again visited the McDonald's after working a 12-hour shift.

He ordered a large white coffee, a bottle of orange juice, two double cheeseburgers and a medium-sized portion of fries before he was handed the drinks by a member of staff, who saw he had 'no pants on'.

Mr Little said Couzens had his 'trousers pulled down to his knees' and was 'shaking as if nervous'.

Serving Metropolitan Police officer PC William Neville, 33, arrives at Westminster Magistrates' Court today. He, along with two other people, is accused of sending offensive, indecent or obscene messages in a WhatsApp group chat

Ex-PC Joel Borders, pictured arriving at Westminster Magistrates' Court today, has been charged with two counts of sending by public communication network an offensive matter

Serving Metropolitan Police officer Jonathon Cobban arrives at Westminster Magistrates' Court today where he is charged with sharing 'grossly offensive' WhatsApp messages

The McDonald's drive-thru in Swanley, Kent, where Couzens flashed staff in February 2021

Sarah Everard, 33, was abducted, raped and murdered by Couzens while he was a serving Metropolitan Police officer

It comes as two police officers are facing misconduct proceedings for their handling of the allegations.

Couzens, meanwhile, showed no emotion during the hearing as he appeared on videolink from Frankland Prison.

Following his murder conviction, Couzens was charged with six counts of indecent exposure.

In February, he pleaded guilty to three of the charges after failing in his bid to get the case thrown out citing adverse publicity around Miss Everards murder.

He denied three other indecent exposure allegations dating back to June 2015.

After today's sentencing the IOPC released a report it had previously had to hold back on a WhatsApp group with police officers including PC Jonathon Cobban and PC Joel Borders, who were jailed for three months for the messages in November.

Four other officers, PC Gary Bailey, PC Matthew Forster, William Neville and PC Daniel Comfort lost their jobs over the incident.

The messages were found on Couzens' phone after he was arrested for Sarah Everard's murder. The group chats were called 'Bottles & Stoppers' and 'Atkin's puppets'.

A court artist sketch showing Wayne Couzens appearing via video link from HMP Frankland today

Couzens showed no emotion during the hearing as he appeared on videolink from Frankland Prison

They contained offensive messages about race, women, rape, violence, sexual orientation, gender reassignment and disability.

On February 22, Couzens said: 'Messy one, lovely. Remember Forster, it's got to be consensual!'

PC Forster replied: 'They've only got to say yes once.'

On March 21, 2019, after Cobban told the group chat he had responded to an unconscious woman who had been drinking, Couzens said: 'Did you [sexually touch} her to see if she was ok?'

Cobban said: 'I considered it. But she was a right old lump. So I just raped a bystander instead.'

On June 21, 2019 Couzens said: 'Mate they aren't gonna ditch you with your skills sets, unless you [sexually touch] a DV [domestic violence] victim! Oh, Jon, in that case you're probably f*****.'

Cobban replied: 'That's alright, DV victims love it* that's why they are repeat victims more often than not.'

On June 29, 2019, Couzens made a racist comment about Peckham in southeast London: 'You can add Peckham to that list. I was on CVTF [Violent Crime Task Force] the other shift in Peckham, another Somalia village!!!!'

Court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of (left to right) serving Metropolitan police officers Pc William Neville, and Jonathon Cobban, along with former police officer Joel Borders appearing in the dock at Westminster Magistrates' Court in March

The Independent Office for Police Conduct, who released the messages, also investigated two officers for their handling of flashing allegations against Couzens, and will release their report once misconduct proceedings against the officers have completed.

An independent inquiry led by Dame Elish Angiolini is underway to consider Couzens earlier sexual offending and whether opportunities were missed to stop him before the murder.

Separately, Kent Police will begin misconduct hearings for a sergeant who allegedly failed to properly investigate reports that a man - later identified as Couzens - had been seen driving with no trousers on in 2015.

The Met PC will face claims he failed to properly investigate the evidence identifying Couzens as the driver who flashed staff at McDonald's before providing a dishonest account to IOPC inspectors.

Meanwhile, the Kent Police sergeant is accused of failing to follow all lines of inquiry before closing their investigation into the report of a man driving naked.

The IOPC said Couzens was never spoken to and it had 'found no evidence' that the investigators realised he was a police officer.
The elderly mother of a disabled pedestrian jailed for causing the death of a cyclist in a clash over riding on the pavement has spoken of her 'struggling' daughter who was 'hugely brain damaged at birth'.

Verna Grey says she is now estranged from her daughter Auriol, 49, who was sentenced to three years for telling Celia Ward, 77, to 'get off the f***ing pavement, shooing her onto the road and into oncoming traffic.

'I've spent all my money on Auriol trying to get her better,' Vera told MailOnline. 'She was hugely brain damaged at birth in the hospital.

'She has been finding it very difficult to cope, she has really been struggling but more recently she seemed to be coping alright.'

Verna, from Sudbury, Suffolk, declined to discuss her daughter's conviction and three-year jail sentence for manslaughter, saying: 'I don't know anything about the case.'

Auriol celebrated The Queens Platinum Jubilee in June last year - wearing a lilac cardigan in MailOnlines exclusive photo

Auriol Grey (pictured), who is partially blind and has a club foot and walks with a supportive splint on her right leg, suffered brain damage at birth, according to her mother

She has been jailed for causing the death of an elderly cyclist after gesturing and swearing at her

Auriol, from Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, was 'devastated' by her jail term and was expecting a suspended sentence.

Auriol, who is appealing her sentence, is partially blind and suffers with cerebral palsy affecting her mobility and co-ordination.

Verna, whose elder daughter Genny Luxmoore died two years ago from ovarian cancer, said she was sometimes in contact with her youngest daughter.

Mrs Luxmoore was a married mother-of-two who rarely had any contact with her sibling  seven years her junior  before her death.

Her late husband declined to discuss his sister-in-law when approached by MailOnline at their smart 2.5million family home in Chiswick, west London.

Mrs Luxmoore was a trustee of Small Steps, a charity supporting young children with physical difficulties.

Small Steps teaches parents of children with cerebral palsy and other forms of motor and sensory impairment to help their child maximise their independence.

Mrs Luxmoore's sister Auriol had gestured at grandmother Ward, 77, and told her to 'get off the f***ing pavement' moments before she fell off her cycle and into road where she was killed by an oncoming car.

Auriol, 49, gestured in a hostile and aggressive way to Celia Ward (right), 77, whom she told to get off the f***ing pavement as she cycled towards her in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, in October 2020

The tragic accident happened as the retired midwife was riding her bike on a path in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, on October 20, 2020.

Auriol pleaded not guilty to manslaughter but in a re-trial  after the first jury failed to reach a verdict  she was found guilty.

She was jailed at Peterborough Crown Court last week  to the fury of her friends, neighbours and some campaigners and disability welfare groups.

The sentence has divided public opinion across the country with some MailOnline readers branding it 'crazy' and saying: 'No sentence should have been handed out'.

Meanwhile others agreed it was justice, with one saying: 'She showed very aggressive behaviour resulting in a needless death.'

One of Auriol's neighbours today described her as 'an absolute darling,' saying: 'She doesn't deserve this.'

Carrie Tooke, 51, an executive assistant told MailOnline, said: 'I cannot believe that someone as delightful as she is can be treated like this.

'It is very, very cruel.'

Ms Tooke, who lives upstairs from Auriol in a block of flats, said: 'We've all lost sleep over what has happened to her.

'I've been her neighbour for five years, and she is ever so sweet and kind.

'She is properly disabled, and it was a really horrible, tragic accident but it was not Auriol's fault.

'The way the police and courts have treated her, charging her with manslaughter and finding her guilty, is an absolute disgrace.'

Her close friend, who spoke by phone to Auriol yesterday, said: 'She is in an infirmary ward in Peterborough Prison but is in a holding place until they allocate her a suitable jail to carry out her sentence.

'She said she is being well looked after and was happy she had had her hair done.

'She said inmates with her are mainly bed ridden, at least she is walking.

'But she has been told she is being moved, it is a temporary place, and she is worried about bullying when that happens.

'Women inmates can be very cruel to one another, and she has been bullied all her life because of her disability.'

Grey apparently lived at Hunstanton Hall as a child  a moated country house in Norfolk, former ancestral home of the eminent Le Strange family  in the West Wing with her wealthy parents and elder sister

Auriol Grey's home in a quiet close in Huntingdon town centre, Cambridgeshire, run by Papworth Trust, where she lived alone in a rented one-bed ground floor flat with a red-brick facade where she has been for 17 years

The friend, who had supported her during her trial, said she fears she will be taunted and abused by fellow inmates.

He told how Auriol, who has a club foot and walks with a supportive splint on her right leg, has grown up being the target of cruel jibes with even callous passers-by on the street laughing at her, cursing her and calling her a 'spastic.'

He said: 'She is a good person, a lovely person and is very remorseful for what happened but because of her disability people are not very nice to her. They are horrible.'

'Child-like' Grey lived a 'lonely' and 'solitary' life and had never married nor is known to have had a partner.
The FBI in Columbia, SC, boarded the ship on March 4 and said it is investigating

The FBI is investigating the suspicious death of a woman on a cruise ship which was traveling from Charleston to the Bahamas.

Carnival Sunshine departed from South Carolina on February 27, and later that day crew members and medical staff were alerted to an unresponsive woman on board the boat, according to the FBI.

After unsuccessful attempts to resuscitate the woman she was pronounced dead on the ship. The cruise arrived at Nassau in the Bahamas three days later on March 1, where her body was brought in for an autopsy.

Once the ship returned to Charleston on March 4 members of the FBI 'Evidence Response Team' boarded the boat and investigated the woman's room.

The FBI boarded a cruise ship on its return from the Bahamas on Saturday to investigate the death of a woman onboard. Carnival Sunshine has been homeported in South Carolina since 2019 and makes regular 4 and 5-day trips to the Bahamas

Carnival Sunshine departed from South Carolina on February 27, and later that day crew members and medical staff were alerted to an unresponsive woman on board the boat (FILE PHOTO: Carnival Sunshine sets sail from Orlando, Florida, in 2015)

It is currently unclear how the woman died but the FBI told DailyMail.com in statement that 'the FBI investigates certain crimes on the high seas, as well as suspicious deaths of U.S. persons.'

It added that the 'incident was isolated and there was no threat to any other passengers before or after the passenger was found deceased.'

A spokesperson for the department's Columbia field office declined to comment further on the incident.

Carnival, the company that operates the ship, said in a statement that it was cooperating with local authorities and that the woman who died was aboard the boat with her husband.

'The FBI joined Carnival Sunshine upon its return to Charleston yesterday morning to conduct an investigation into the death of a guest,' it read.

'Both the deceased and her husband were debarked in Nassau and Bahamian authorities have already investigated the circumstances and are conducting an autopsy,' it added.

The Carnival Sunshine departed Charleston on February 27, according to Cruise Mapper, the same day the woman was found unresponsive and pronounced dead

The boat debuted in 1996 as Carnival Destiny before being refitted and renamed in 2013

'We are fully cooperating. This is a matter for authorities in The Bahamas and Charleston and we have no further comments,' said a Carnival spokesperson.

Carnival Sunshine has been homeported in South Carolina since May 2019, but debuted in 1996 as Carnival Destiny before being refitted and renamed in 2013.

The ship caused controversy in Venice in 2013 when it passed within 20 meters of the city's historic banks while performing 'a salute' to a major company shareholder.

Carnival also owned the Costa Concordia, which famously sank after hitting rocks off the coast of Turkey after performing a similar salute to the island of Giglio in 2012.
She says animals - from chihuahuas to tigers - should be represented by lawyers

An American philosopher and scholar has called for pets to have the same moral and legal rights as humans - including them being represented in court.

Martha Nussbaum, 75, argues that it shouldn't just be our pets that are protected by law and a team of lawyers - but also animals across the globe from elephants to whales.

The University of Chicago professor insists that because the world is 'dominated' by humans - which can see pets neglected or abused and endangered species' habitats destroyed - animals should have the same legal rights as humans.

This would see animals - from a pet chihuahua to tigers - being represented by a lawyer who would argue on their behalf so they that the animals' and their habitats are legally protected, Nussbaum, a Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago, says.

In the case of our pets, Nussbaum, whose book Justice for Animals: Our Collective Responsibility was released in January, argues that there should be lawyer who represents animals who have been attacked.

Martha Nussbaum, 75, (pictured in 2013) argues that it shouldn't just be our pets that are protected by law and a team of lawyers - but also animals across the globe from elephants to whales

In the case of our pets, Nussbaum, whose book Justice for Animals: Our Collective Responsibility was released in January, argues that there should be lawyer who represents animals who have been attacked

'I'm talking about lawyers who would represent the animal's interest,' Nussbaum told The New York Times. 'When the animal is suffering - if you're beating your dog and the laws aren't being enforced, there isn't anyone who can intervene and say, 'I'm going to go to court as the ally of that animal and sue for enforcement of the laws'.'

In reality, this could mean that Lady Gaga's two French bulldogs, Koji and Gustav, which were kidnapped and held for $500,000 ransom in 2021 before being released, would have been represented in court and received compensation themselves.

It would also mean that all of the millions of animals - from rats to dogs - that are killed each year for animal testing in the US would suddenly acquire lawyers to represent their rights.

Nussbaum added that animals living in cities - not just pets - there should be a 'department of animal welfare' that would represent the creatures.

'Animals are not things that we may use as we like,' Nussbaum told The Daily Express.

'They are sentient beings who seek their own lives. We share this fragile globe with many other animals, who also feel pain, suffer loss, desire companionship, and to put it briefly, who want to live their own lives just as we want to live our lives.'

Nussbaum points to how the world is 'dominated' by humans and this domination 'inflicts wrongful injury on animals'.

This could be 'through the barbarous cruelties of the factory meat industry, through poaching and game hunting, through habitat destruction, through pollination of the air and the seas, or through neglect of the companion animals that people purport to love,' Nussbaum writes in TIME Magazine.

In reality, this could mean that Lady Gaga's two French bulldogs, Koji and Gustav, (pictured with Gaga) which were kidnapped and held for $500,000 ransom in 2021 before being released, would have been represented in court and received compensation themselves

A general view of atmosphere of PETA Im Me Not Meat Vegan billboard on August 14, 2021 in Los Angeles, California

The scholar argues that the rights of animals should be reevaluated.

'I don't think that there is any reason to think that humans are 'at the top' of anything,' she says.

'We have some abilities that other animals lack, but they also have abilities  sensing magnetic fields, echolocation  that we lack. Most animal groups take better care of their own members than humans do, and many negotiate conflict much better.'

Nussbaum said that the 'ultimate' goal would be to give animals an equal legal standing with humans.

'Ultimately we could do what India has done, which is to give animals recognition as persons under constitutional law,' she said. 'You can't deprive an animal of life or liberty without due process of law. That would be the goal.'

Nussbaum, who won the $1 million Berggruen Prize for philosophy and culture in 2018 and 2022, draws a parallel with how women had no legal rights - and now many have rights and freedoms that would have been unimaginable 200 years ago.

'The same thing can happen with the rights of humans,' Nussbaum writes in her book.

She argues that giving animals and humans equal rights would be a 'win-win' situation.

'In some cases the change is win-win: environmental pollution is very bad for humans too.'

Nussbaum argues that if animals are not given the same moral and legal rights as humans, 'our health will be worse, our lives will be impoverished, and the gloriously rich world in which we dwell will be impoverished beyond repair'.
This is the moment a snowmobiler on an Idaho trail narrowly survived an encounter with a charging moose.

Both the man and the moose, estimated to weigh over 1,000lbs, were able to walk away without injury, but the snowmobile was damaged as the animal fell over it.

Brothers Josiah and Jeremiah Bigelow were out on a trail near Palisades with family on Wednesday morning.

The female moose, which weigh on average between 850 and 1100lbs, stepped out on the path between the brothers and suddenly turned to charge.

Josiah said: 'I didn't have time to think. I just reacted.'

His brother added: 'Josiah got ahead of us and then the moose stepped into the path... she had her head down, ears back and looked very angry.'

Josiah said he hit the throttle on his snowmobile but when he saw the moose charging he thought 'I'm just going to get out of here.'

A moose steps on the track between the two brothers on a trail in Idaho

The moose turns around and starts walking as Josiah tries to get the animal's attention

The moment Josiah tries to pull away from the moose on his snowmobile

As the moose turns and starts walking towards Jeremiah on the camera, Josiah waves his arms to try to get the animal's attention.

The moose appears angered and starts to charge at Josiah.

Josiah sits on his snowmobile and tries to take off, but the moose - which can run up to 35mph - quickly catches up.

At the last moment, the snowmobiler jumps off to the right, allowing the animal to fall straight over the vehicle.

The moose gets up as Josiah hurries back to the snowmobile.

Both the moose and the family came out unharmed.

Animal experts told ABC News that moose respond negatively to people making themselves large. They advise slowly backing away.

Moose are not naturally aggressive animals but are territorial and can become angered when harassed or intimidated by people, dogs and traffic, or when hungry and tired.

They tend to be more prone to aggression during their mating season in late September and October, but also in adverse weather conditions when forced to walk through the cold and snow.

The Alaska Dept of Fish and Game advises being patient with moose, even if it takes half an hour. A loud noise may move the animal but those that are used to people are not easily chased away.

A photo shows the two brothers who were attacked by the moose on the trail

Josiah jumps off the vehicle at seemingly the last possible moment and the moose trips

With the moose lying on the ground, the man returns to safety near his snowmobile

In late February, a woman was kicked in the head by a moose in Alaska while walking her dog.

Tracey Hansen was left dazed and bloodied after the beast charged up from behind and kicked her in the head while she was out with her pet Gunner.

'I had put my hands up to my head, and I'm like, 'I'm bleeding,'' she told Alaska News Source.

It wasn't until she sat up and took stock of the situation and saw the animal in front of her that she realized a moose had mowed her down.
Participants in the "Perspectives on Women in the Media" conference commemorating International Women's Day on March 8 pose during the event at Korea Press Center in central Seoul, Monday. Korea Times photo by Kwon Mee-yoo





By Kwon Mee-yoo







Although there has been progress in media representation and portrayal of women, they are still significantly underrepresented, especially in decision-making positions.







The European Union delegation in Korea hosted a conference to discuss perspectives on women in the media and explore ways to empower women in the media industry, Monday, ahead of International Women's Day, which falls on March 8.







EU Ambassador to Korea Maria Castillo-Fernandez emphasized the importance of gender equality and media diversity in her opening remarks.







"This is a location first of all to celebrate International Women's Day, which is something that we continue pushing together with our male colleagues. This is about gender equality," Castillo-Fernandez said.







She also acknowledged the challenges faced by women in the media industry and highlighted the power of the media to shape public opinion.







"We know there are challenges in every sector. There are challenges in our sector  diplomacy  but media has the power to move public opinion and to report in an objective and fair way. Therefore, it's important to discuss the perspectives on women in media and what challenges we face."







In the first session, a varied group of panelists consisting of both male and female journalists from Korean and international media outlets as well as European ambassadors discussed the current state of the media landscape, including the impact of social media, with regard to gender equality.







Female journalists Chun Su-jin of JoongAng Ilbo and Victoria Kim of The New York Times, along with Andres Sanchez Braun, a correspondent of Spanish news agency EFE in Korea, shared their experiences in the media landscape. Swedish Ambassador Daniel Wolven and Greek Ambassador Ekaterina Loupas provided insights from a European perspective under moderation by the EU ambassador.







Castillo-Fernandez noted the issue of women being underrepresented in media, especially in decision-making positions.







"We see (women) as reporters most of the time, but that doesn't mean who is doing the decision-making," she said.







EU Ambassador to Korea Maria Castillo-Fernandez, third from left, speaks during the "Perspectives on Women in the Media" conference at Korea Press Center in central Seoul, Monday. Korea Times photo by Kwon Mee-yoo





Due to predominantly male control of news desks and story commissions, women are often underutilized as news subjects and are typically portrayed in media as either heroes or victims.







Wolven also pointed out the issue of social media, of which regulation and content moderation still have a long way to go.







"I think social media is sort of the latest, actually probably the most powerful, augmenter of something that's been happening overall in politics and in media, which is like polarization and entrenchment," Kim said.







The second session focused on challenges faced by female journalists, especially gender-based violence and measures taken to bring attention to these issues. Dutch Ambassador to Korea Joanne Doornewaard moderated the session featuring panelists Lee Hye-mi of the Korean Women Journalists Association, Kwon Han-wool of Maeil Business Newspaper, Min Joo Kim of The Washington Post, Lee Chong-ae of SBS and Portuguese Ambassador Susana Vaz Patto.







Female journalists discussed how they have experienced online attacks based on their gender, ranging from discriminatory comments to abusive emails.







Lee and Kwon noted that there is a tendency for comments on news articles written by female journalists to attack the writer herself, whereas comments on articles written by male reporters are more focused on the content of the article.







Kim of The Washington Post spoke on the intersectional abuse she received as a female Asian foreign correspondent in Korea.







"I don't fit the traditional image of a foreign correspondent... and that often exposes me to attacks on my credibility as a foreign correspondent. For instance, I write about defense issues a lot in my job, because defense issues on the Korean Peninsula is of interest to international audiences," Kim said.







"Because it is a nonstarter to attack a big newspaper organization like The Washington Post about unflattering but truthful reporting, sometimes individual reporters like me are easy targets for unhappy people seeking to undermine that kind of reporting."







Lee of SBS introduced how Korean media organizations are moving to promote the safety of journalists such as providing psychiatric support for trauma.







"We are trying to broaden the issue to involve lawyers and ethical officials to see how harm to reporters can affect society and democracy," Lee said.







Kim of The Washington Post said newsroom leadership is needed to protect women journalists from online attacks, but there is a reluctance to do so as it tries to maintain an image of neutrality and objectivity.







"So many newsrooms have been rather slow in intervening in these attacks, because unless it escalates to an extent that it threatens the organization, newsrooms would take a very passive approach to protect their own reputation," she said.







Doornewaard brought up the example of the Netherlands, saying that education starting from a young age could be an answer to gender issues.







The "Breaking Stereotypes" program aims to challenge gender stereotypes and promote diversity by asking children to draw pictures of different professions and then introducing them to real people who work in those professions, men and women.







"It makes the children more aware of what they can choose to do when they have to make a decision on what to study or do," Doornewaard said.


The rioters are said to have thrown rocks and sticks at police on the scene

The demonstrators, 35 of which were arrested, were wearing black, camouflage and ski masks and wielding Molotov cocktails

Marjorie Taylor Greene is introducing a bill Tuesday that would officially designate Antifa as a terrorist organization after the far-left group attacked the Georgia construction site of a law enforcement public safety training center with Molotov cocktails.

Dramatic footage made available by the Atlanta Police Department on Sunday night showed the moment that approximately 150 Antifa protesters - dressed in all black - broke into the construction site of the future police training facility.

Members of the far-left anti-fascist group known as Antifa have increased activity in the last half-decade amid calls from Republicans to denounce the group and treat it as a terrorist organization.

So far, the Atlanta Police Department has charged 23 people involved in the violent attack with one count of domestic terrorism each, according to local news station WSB-TV. All but two of the accused are from out of state.

Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) is expected to introduce a resolution that would designate far-left Antifa as a terrorist organization

It comes after the Atlanta Police Department released footage over the weekend of Antifa rioters trashing the construction site of a future cops safety training center. Antifa rioters fled after setting construction vehicles on fire with Molotov cocktails Sunday night

Although domestic terrorism was first defined in the federal code in 1992, it's never been successfully tested in the courts. Under the Patriot Act, the federal government has multiple resources to combat international terrorism. They have fewer tools to investigate charges of domestic terrorism as the First Amendment protects free speech, including the right to openly talk about any ideology, even hateful ones.

In the aftermath of the latest attack, conservative firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-Georgia), colloquially known by her initials MTG, tore into Antifa for the attack in her home state.

'Antifa attacked the Atlanta future Public Safety Training Facility. This is domestic terrorism,' she insisted on Twitter on Sunday evening.

'It was planned for weeks and announced on social media,' MTG added. 'Antifa are self-proclaimed communists and consistently organize to attack our government over and over again.'

'They should be taken seriously and not tolerated anymore.'

In the end, 35 people were arrested, the Atlanta Police Department confirmed.

Greene added in a separate tweet that 'Antifa are domestic terrorists.

'I'm introducing my bill to officially declare them a terrorist organization on Tuesday,' she announced via social media.

Wearing all black or camouflage and donning ski masks, they entered the site of Atlanta's future Public Safety Training Facility  dubbed 'Cop City' by those who protested its development  and immediately set off fireworks.

A few moments into the video, fireworks explode near where cops are stationed. Some of the group could be seen gathering riot shields, as they motioned for others to join them. Once they were together, they started throwing Molotov cocktails at a construction vehicle and ran away as it was left on fire.

Other videos posted online showed a police surveillance tower on fire, sending smoke billowing nearby.

'What's the difference between ISIS and Antifa and the Mexican Cartels? Nothing,' Greene tweeted on Monday morning. 'They are all terrorists and should be treated accordingly.'

The resolution from MTG is similar to one put forward in 2021 by fellow far-right star Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado. Her resolution failed to receive traction in the House because Democrats still controlled it at the time.

During the multi-agency operation, GBI said approximately 25 campsites were located and removed from the site. Seven others were arrested and charged with domestic terrorism and criminal trespass, with additional charges pending (pictured)

Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum addresses the media after Sunday's demonstrations

Rioters threw sticks and rocks at police and wielded Molotov cocktails, launching them at the construction site and setting equipment and vehicles ablaze

Some of the demonstrators, who came under the guise of a peaceful protest, could be seen breaking through the gates of the proposed police training center

The rioters donned all black or camouflage cloths with ski masks as they carried riot shields

Rep. Greene called the attack domestic terrorism

She announced her resolution coming on Tuesday to declare Antifa a terrorist organization

In a statement, Atlanta Police said: 'A group of violent agitators used the cover of a peaceful protest of the proposed Atlanta Public Safety Training Center to conduct a coordinated attack.'

'They changed into black clothing and entered the construction area and began to throw large rocks, bricks, Molotov cocktails and fireworks at police officers. The agitators destroyed multiple pieces of construction equipment by fire and vandalism,' the police continued, noting: 'The illegal actions of the agitators could have resulted in bodily harm.'

Police insisted the 'officers exercised restraint and used non-lethal enforcement to conduct arrests.'

And, the Atlanta Police Department said: 'With protests planned for the coming days, the Atlanta Police Department, in collaboration with law enforcement partners, have a multi-layered strategy that includes reaction and arrest.

'The Atlanta Police Department asks for this week's protests to remain peaceful.'

Meanwhile, protesters posted online how police arrived as the sun descended Sunday night and surrounded those enjoying a music festival at the site. They allegedly threatened legal observers with arrest.

Photos and videos from the scene showed police forcing people to the ground and throwing people in the back of police vans.

Atlanta police are seen heavily armed in the aftermath of the riots on Sunday

Cops seen at the 'Cop City' site in Atlanta pinning a person down and arresting them on Sunday night

Atlanta police officers are pictured at the scene of a proposed training facility that was burned down Sunday night

The charred remains of what appears to be a police vehicle on the scene are pictured

Cops are pictured with their guns were drawn scouring the site of the proposed facility

Heavily-armed police in riot gear descended on the scene after rioters set fire to a construction vehicle and a surveillance tower

Georgia State Troopers lined up at the site as people protested against them

Police are pictured arriving at the site of the music festival on Sunday night

Police swept the festival ground and forest where protesters had gathered for a week of action against the deforestation and construction of cop city. Atleast 30 arrests were made pic.twitter.com/Tgf2UccoTt  Your Story Matters (@HumanizingStory) March 6, 2023

The dramatic confrontation between police and protesters comes as individuals and activist organizations descend on the proposed site for a 'week of action' to protest its development.

The altercation comes during a week of planned protests

'This is the first week of action since the state killed someone,' Marlon Kautz, an organizer with Atlanta Solidarity Fund told The Guardian, referring to the police-involved killing of Manuel Paez Teran in January.

A private autopsy showed he was shot 13 times.

Authorities have asserted Teran  who identified as nonbinary  opened fire at a Georgia State Patrol trooper during a 'clearing operation' of the so-called autonomous zone at the site of the $ 90 million project.

'The entire character, mood and status of the struggle has transformed dramatically... [and] feels much more real  to us and to the state,' Kautz said.

The week of action was set to include a Jewish Shabbat service on Friday night, herbal workshops and a 'know your rights' workshop.

As the fiery riot broke out Sunday night, a Weelaunee Music Festival was scheduled for the protesters who have descended into the woods in recent months.

Violent protests erupted in Atlanta, Georgia, following the shooting of 26-year-old Manuel Esteban Paez Teran

Protesters set fire to a police surveillance tower at the site of a proposed police training facility in Atlanta

Demonstrators, who have set up a group called 'Stop Cop City,' say the 381 acres of Weelaunee Forest is 'stolen Muscogee land' and that the creation would mean the destruction of wildlife and forestry.

They have become increasingly violent since they first descended on the woods last spring, with 19 people arrested on domestic terrorism charges since December.

Seven of those arrests emanated from a violent riot in downtown Atlanta on January 21, sparked by Teran's death. Several had ties to Antifa and were charged with domestic terrorism and criminal trespass.

They include:

Geoffrey Parsons, age 20, of Maryland Timothy Murphy, age 25, of Maine Spencer Bernard Liberto, age 29, of Pennsylvania Matthew Ernest Macar, age 30, of Pennsylvania Sarah Wasilewski, age 35, of Pennsylvania Christopher Reynolds, age 31, of Ohio Teresa Shen, age 31, of New York

Three other people contacted in connection with explosives were asked to provide their names to authorities and then let go.

Rioters were seen at the time setting a police car on fire and vandalizing property.

Authorities say protesters, dressed all in black, threw rocks at a building that houses the Atlanta Police Foundation in a protest

The militant environmentalists say they are trying to protect the forest, as well as the South River, which is endangered.

Members of the South River Watershed Alliance have worked for years to preserve the area and say the training center can be created without destroying the surroundings.

Jacqueline Echols, the board president of the South River Watershed Alliance, said in a statement: 'I remain steadfast in my belief that the desired training can be accomplished without destroying the acreage at the prison farm.

'Balanced and equitable consideration must be given to the protection of the local ecosystem, the cultural and historical significance of the property, and health and wellbeing of the residents of the surrounding neighborhoods.'

Stop Cop City activists also say that the City of Atlanta has 'leased' the land  something the Mayor's office has denied, saying that the City in unincorporated DeKalb County owns it.

A mock city will be included in the new site, which has been the cause of months of unrest and controversy

The large-scale construction will be used to train officials from the Atlanta Police Department and the Atlanta Fire and Rescue Department

Atlanta Police's huge construction project was announced in November 2021 and is expected to open at the end of 2023 after a difficult two-year process.

It will have extensive facilities and a mock city and fire station so emergency services can better train their staff.

It will also include:
Budget chain Poundland is opening 12 new stores in a fresh boom for Britain's struggling high streets.

The retailer has confirmed the dates of four new openings - with the rest of the stores set to open at some point in April.

Among the new sites will be the chain's Scottish flagship store in Crown Street, Glasgow, which will become the country's largest branch at 18,380 square feet.

The openings come as part of a wider plan to by the discount retailer to open or relocate 50 new shops by the end of the year.

The branches will be opening across the high street, shopping centres and retail parks.

The budget retailer is set to open 12 shops across the UK over March and April - here is where they will all be

Poundland is opening seven new stores and extending an eighth on 'Super Saturday' (stock image)

Up to 800 new jobs will be created as part of the firm's huge expansion plan, which will see it opening half a million square feet of retail space.

Full list of new where new stores are opening Here is the full list of dates and times Poundland is planning to open its new sites this month and next: Crown Street, Glasgow - March 11 East Dulwich, London - March 18 Dumbarton Road, Partick - March 25 Parkgate, Rotherham - March 31 Weston-super-Mare (due to open in April) Burton-upon-Trent (due to open in April) Castle Bromwich (due to open in April) Widnes Retail Park (due to open in April) Belfast Castlecourt (due to open in April) Biggleswade (due to open in April) Stafford (due to open in April) Ipswich Copdock Retail Park (due to open in April) Advertisement

Poundland chief operating officer Austin Cooke previously told MailOnline: 'This investment in towns and cities up and down the country shows our commitment to bringing shoppers more choice and amazing value just when they need it the most.

'Whether it's daily essentials at a neighbourhood store or choosing from our PEP&CO seasonal clothing range to make Christmas extra special this year, we're there to help our customers find ways to cope with the pressures on their budgets.'

Here is the full list of dates and times Poundland is planning to open its new sites this month and next:

Crown Street, Glasgow - March 11

East Dulwich, London - March 18

Dumbarton Road, Partick - March 25

Parkgate, Rotherham - March 31

Weston-super-Mare (expected to open in April)

Burton-upon-Trent (expected to open in April)

Castle Bromwich (expected to open in April)

Widnes Retail Park (expected to open in April)

Belfast Castlecourt (expected to open in April)

Biggleswade (expected to open in April)

Stafford (expected to open in April)

Ipswich Copdock Retail Park (expected to open in April)

Poundland opened 18 stores during October to December, including eight on December 10 alone - which the company hailed as 'Super Saturday'.

Poundland managing director Barry Williams previously told The Mirror: 'We know how customers appreciate the effort weve made in the last few years to transform our offer, offering them more of what they want to buy, week-in, week-out.

'That transformation means we have to step up our search for the best locations to bring the best of Poundland to customers across the UK and thats precisely what well do in 2023.'
Russia's elite 155th Brigade is reportedly refusing to advance on the Ukrainian town of Vuhledar after suffering 'catastrophic losses' at the settlement's mine-laden crossing point.

The armoured division appears to have mutinied following orders to drive straight into a heavily fortified minefield which has been dubbed the 'corridor of death' following repeated futile advances.

Vuhledar has resisted Putin's suicidal wave tactics for months and nearly wiped out the brigade towards the end of January, now reinforced with powerful American antivehicle mines.

Putin's elite brigade - which served in Syria and has been in Ukraine since the start of the war - lost 130 tanks following sustained orders to attack the position, and is today made up mostly of inexperienced recruits.

A spokesperson for the Ukrainian military told the Kyiv Post: 'The leaders of the brigade and senior officers are refusing to proceed with a new senseless attack as demanded by their unskilled commanders - to storm well-defended Ukrainian positions with little protection or preparation.'

Deadly crossroads in eastern Ukraine are dubbed the 'corridor of death' for advancing tanks

Footage show the moment a tank follows orders to enter the heavily fortified minefield

Russia's elite 155th Brigade is reportedly refusing to advance on the Ukrainian town of Vuhledar following the losses it has suffered at the mine-laden crossing point

Still shows the moment a Russian BMP trips an antivehicle mine on the infamous crossroads

Russian armoured divisions are loathe to drive through the hellish crossroads which have been reinforced with American antivehicle mines

Russian tank explodes after being hit by bomb dropped from a drone in Ukraine in undated footage released in March 2023

Ukrainian forces around the town of Vuhledar have been locked in 'fierce' battles with Russia in the east for months.

The battered mining town is a hellscape of burned out buildings and artillery bombardment.

But Ukraine's use of mines has exacerbated the Russian difficulty through the winter making a sustained advance.

Video footage at the end of February showed the moment a Russian BMP infantry fighting vehicle of the 144 Brigade was destroyed after hitting two mines and being hit by an anti-tank weapon.

The vehicle gradually comes to a stop after a large explosion which causes smoke to start billowing out of the vehicle.

Almost the entire 155th Marine Brigade of 5,000 was wiped out near Vuhledar at the end of January when driving into minefields of American-supplied remote anti armour mines.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has nonetheless told commanders to take the town at all costs.

But the tank division, as well as two 'Cossack' units, appear to have mutinied after repeated futile efforts.

Justin Crump, a British military analyst, said of the Russian wave tactics: 'Repeating the same thing time after time and hoping for a different outcome is a sign of madness.'

While the Institute for the Study of War notes that Ukrainian forces are likely now conducting a 'limited tactical withdrawal' from the city of Bakhmut, Ukrainian forces around Vuhledar remain steadfast in their defence of the city.

A report also noted that the Donetsk People's Republic commander Alexander Khodakovsky had questioned whether Russia forces would be prepared for a possible Ukrainian counterattack having - in his words - gotten 'carried away by Bakhmut [and] Vuhledar'.

Ukraine's use of Soviet-era TM-62 antivehicle mines has been effective in the defence of Ukrainian towns and cities, but the provision of 7,200 US-supplied anti-armour mines have significantly reinforced the defensive lines.

Able to be scattered from a distance, the RAAMs allow the Ukrainian defenders to lay traps for advancing Russian armour from a distance, without laying them individually and by hand from within the minefields.

The American RAAM mines involve firing a shell over an open area that scatters a cluster of tiny mines over a given area.

The mine is a 155mm howitzer shell containing nine separate mines.

A Ukrainian serviceman stands near a mortar on a front line, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, near the front line city of Bakhmut, Ukraine March 6, 2023

Ukraine is bound to the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty, which prohibits use of antipersonnel mines.

This does not prohibit the use of antivehicle mines or remote-controlled mines.

Russia never signed the convention, known informally as the Ottawa Treaty, and is not obliged not to use such mines.

The invaders have used at least seven types of antipersonnel mines in Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kyiv and Sumy.

Human Rights Watch claimed at the end of January that Ukraine had used so-called petal mines in and around the Ukrainian city of Izium, contrary to previous reports the country had not.

They noted Russia had 'used these weapons in even greater numbers than Ukraine in a much more widespread fashion in different parts of the country.'
Have YOU fallen victim to the trend?

Have YOU fallen victim to the trend? Let us know by emailing tom.cotterill@mailonline.co.uk

This is the moment TikTok yobs were caught on camera booting a family's front door as part of a new trend spreading across Britain.

The two youngsters were recorded in London filming themselves banging on a door to the beat of Kesha's 2021 dance hit, Die Young. It is part of the so-called 'heartbeat' challenge, which shows TikTokers playing the chart hit, bashing on doors and sprinting away before it opens.

The trend first made an appearance in 2021 and was popular across colleges in the US, with some videos racking up millions of views.

Have YOU fallen victim to the trend? Let us know by emailing tom.cotterill@mailonline.co.uk

But in recent weeks it has been rearing its head once again in the UK, with a new generation of 'pranksters' now taking part.

Two youngsters were filmed taking part in the so-called 'Heartbeat' challenge TikTok trend in London

It has seen some youngsters destroying unsuspecting strangers' doors as they boot them.

Have you fallen victim to the TikTok trend? Email your story and experience to tom.cotterill@mailonline.co.uk Advertisement

Pensioners living in the tiny village of Little Paxton, Cambridgeshire, have been left terrified by pranksters, who are now plaguing the community.

In one street, villagers have resorted to installing video doorbells and CCTV cameras to catch out the yobs.

Among the latest victims were Pamela Russell and her partner Brian Johnson. They were watching TV on a Saturday evening when yobs bashed their door.

'We were sitting watching true crime stories in the living room when a huge bang shook the whole house,' Pamela, 50, told The Times.

'It felt like the walls had bounced. I thought they'd taken a run up at the door and gone in with two feet.'

The yobs were reportedly scared away by the couple's border collie, Amber, who was left shaken by the attack.

Another woman, 82, in the village thought she was being burgled when she heard loud thumps on her door.

'I was still shaking the next day, until my 14-year-old granddaughter said it was a silly TikTok trend,' she said.

'You would have thought if it was a prank there would be laughter, but this was really sinister.'

The craze, shows TikTokers filming themselves banging on a door to the beat of Kesha's 2021 dance hit, Die Young before then running away. Some videos have racked up millions of views online. Pictured are pranksters in London

It is part of a trend that has since swept the UK, with residents in one village - Little Paxton, Cambridgeshire - having been left terrified by pranksters, who are now plaguing the community. Pictured is the incident in London

Local radio DJ David Thomas said that although the trend may seem a joke to some, it can leave vulnerable residents shaken.

Residents have also reported similar TikTok hooligans in Barnsley and South Yorkshire.

The trend has previously prompted warnings from police, too.

It came after a pensioner's door in Hemel Hempstead was wreaked by yobs doing the challenge in October 2021.

The incident prompted a furious response from local officers, who blasted social media thugs taking part in the trend.

Speaking about the craze, PCSO Sarah Rex from Herefordshire Police told Liverpool Echo: 'It's not just a bit of fun - it is frightening, anti-social and, in some cases, illegal.

'We will be investigating each report and looking to identify those involved before taking appropriate action.'

Have you been targeted by TikTokers taking part in the so-called 'Heartbeat challenge'? Email tom.cotterill@mailonline.co.uk
In a gesture designed to taunt Ukrainian troops and civilians, Russia's Wagner group of mercenaries has shared footage of its founder sending a 'truckload' of champagne from the besieged city of Bakhmut as a 'gift' to the women of Ukraine.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the boss of the notorious fighting group who has strong links to the Kremlin, is filmed signing a case of the sparkling wine with a red marker.

It is then loaded into a lorry by masked troops along with dozens of other cases of wine, with its true destination unknown.

The post, shared on a Wagner affiliated Telegram channel, boasts that as Bakhmut is on the brink of being seized by Russian forces, Ukrainian hopes of retaking the area and wine factory are increasingly remote.

Ahead of International Women's Day on March 8, the sneering caption further ridicules Ukrainian forces, saying that the 'goodwill gesture' will mean women in the country are not 'without a gift for the holiday'.

The footage shows Prigozhin scrawling a mocking message of 'To Ukrainian women, from Private Military Company Wagner'.

The cases are then packed into a truck, which Russian soldiers in camos spray paint with another cruel message of 'Happy 8th March!' - referencing International Women's Day on Wednesday.

The post read: 'Yevgeny Prigozhin sent a truckload of champagne from a sparkling wine factory located near Bakhmut for Ukrainian women on March 8.

'Earlier, Ukrainian servicemen have repeatedly said that after they squeeze out the Wagner Group from Bakhmut, they will drink champagne from a local factory for a victory.

'But something went wrong, the Orchestra is moving forward, and the ArtWinery plant is getting farther and farther from the Ukrainian military, so Yevgeny Prigozhin made a goodwill gesture and did not leave Ukrainian women without a gift for the holiday.'

The Artwinery company, which the cases bear the branding of, produces wine using the Champenoise method, ageing it in caves near the embattled city and traces its origins back to the 1950s.

The company saw its production of 19million bottles of wine depleted by millions after fighting flared up in the east of the country in 2014, its manager told the Guardian in 2017.

As Russia's invasion of Ukraine rages on, the region has become a focal point for Putin's forces as they attempt to hold their line and take the city.

The footage shows Prigozhin scrawling a mocking message of 'To Ukrainian women from Private Military Company Wagner'

'Happy 8th March' (International Women's Day), read the spray painted message on the side of a truck

'But something went wrong, the Orchestra is moving forward, and the ArtWinery plant is getting farther and farther from the Ukrainian military,' the caption of the post read

Masked Wagner troops were seen in the back of a lorry which they filled with the wine cases

Fighting around Bakhmut has intensified in the past week, and last week Prigozhin claimed his units had 'practically surrounded Bakhmut'.

The Russian millionaire said the city is now almost completely surrounded, with only one road still open for Ukraines troops, Reuters reported.

The city has been reduced to ruins during Russia's seven month onslaught, but Ukrainian forces remain defiant as they repaired roads and dug new trenches for defensive positions over the weekend.

Russian troops, including the Wagner group, continue to face serious pressures as they hold the frontline.

Taking to Telegram, Prigozhin warned that the entire frontline will collapse if his troops in the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut do not receive more ammunition.

In the four minute video, he said his ammo-starved forces were the 'cement' holding the frontline together and the last line of defence to win the war.

'Today, Wagner is the cement that, as I've said previously, is holding the Ukrainian army in place  grinding it down, destroying it and preventing it from deploying to other regions and occupying other fronts.

The fighting around Bakhmut has seen First world War-style trench warfare unfold as both sides batter one another with artillery while sheltering in ditches

A Ukrainian soldier sits in a trench near Russian positions near Bakhmut yesterday

Ukrainian soldiers fire a self-propelled howitzer towards Russian positions near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, yesterday

'We're also moving forward and the [Russian] army is forced to follow behind us to save face and prop up their reputation... If the Wagner group pulls back, then the following situation will unfold.

'It is clear that the front will crumble, the front will crumble for the Russian borders, perhaps it crumbles even further.'

He complained that most of the ammunition that his forces were promised by Moscow last month had not yet been shipped.

'For now, we are trying to figure out the reason: is it just ordinary bureaucracy or a betrayal?' Prigozhin asked on his usual press service Telegram channel.

Britain's Ministry of Defence revealed in its latest update on the situation in Ukraine that Putin's troops have been forced to use shovels during hand-to-hand combat due to a shortage of ammunition.

Russian mobilised reservists have said they were ordered to assault a Ukrainian concrete strong point armed with only 'firearms and shovels'.
A Tennessee high school cheerleader has died from a traumatic brain injury after a tree fell on her during a severe storm as winds reached up to 79mph.

Aleya Brooks, 15, was helping her family clear debris on their Hendersonville driveway, about 18 miles north of Nashville, on Friday when she was struck amid a devastating storm that led to down power lines.

Brooks was rushed to the trauma unit at Skyline Hospital while unconsciously bleeding out in her mother's arms.

The Liberty Creek High School student was placed on life support in critical condition with deep bleeding in her brain - along with head and face fractures. She passed away the next day.

'This is not the ending any of us hoped or prayed for,' her father, Jason Brooks, wrote on Facebook. 'We just stood there, holding her hand, stroking her hair, and reminding her how much she is loved even though she could not respond.'

Aleya Brooks, 15, was helping her family clear debris on their Henderson driveway, about 18 miles north of Nashville, on Friday when she was struck by a falling tree

Brooks was rushed to the trauma unit at Skyline Hospital while unconsciously bleeding out in her mother's arms. Pictured: Aleya with her father Jason

Aleya was adopted by Jason and Darla from China when she was 9-months-old. She had aspirations to become a neuropsychologist to heal brain injuries.

'It's really hard that our daughter, who wanted to hear so many, actually, died of a traumatic brain injury,' Jason told WZTV.

The teenager was a competing cheerleader, who previously tore her ACL.

'She wrote this essay about her torn ACL, and she said, "Mom, I want another story - that one is two years old," and I said, "just pray about it, God will give you another story,"' Darla recalled.

She added: 'I don't like this story, but it is her story.'

Jason recalled the devastating moment he saw his daughter on life support while with his family.

'Our beautiful, perfect Princess was being sustained by respirator, and fed with multiple IVs in an attempt to reduce the swelling and pressure on her brain,' Jason wrote.

'The neurosurgeon could only say, Im so sorry. Im so sorry. This is a horrific injury."'

After doctors were unable to reduce Aleya's brain swelling and stabilize her vitals, her family decided to choose 'the only path possible.'

'After a hard fight, our daughter is in the arms of Jesus now,' Jason wrote in a grieving post.

While Aleya's young life was cut short, her family will honor her legacy by raising money for the 'advancement of care and research for neurological and brain disorders,' Jason announced on GoFundMe.

'Even in her passing, we want to help her continue her legacy of loving people and making a difference in lives around the worldall while loving Jesus with all her heart and being a light to the world,' Jason wrote.

As of Monday morning, the fundraiser raised more than $17,000. Her organs were also donated.

Aleya was adopted by Jason and Darla from China when she was 9-months-old. She had aspirations to become a neuropsychologist and heal brain injuries

The teenager was a competing cheerleader and attended Liberty Creek High School in Henderson, Tennessee. Pictured: Dona, Jason, Aleya, and Nathanael Brooks

She previously tore her ACL and enjoyed telling the story. But after a few years, she got bored of it and desired a new one

Aleya was mourned by her family, Liberty Varsity Cheers and Long Hallow Church.

'I wish God gave you more time with us, but I trust in His plan,' her brother Nathanael Brooks, wrote on Facebook. 'You were a shining light in our dark world.

'You taught us so much, and I loved every moment with you. Its hard to find the words right now, but Aleya I love you with all I am, and am so sorry I couldnt protect you.'

Liberty Creek High School families recalled Aleya as having the 'most beautiful spirit.'

'Aleya I will miss your beautiful smile the most and we may not understand why but one thing I do know is that you have left a mark on this earth that will be changed forever and you have made it home to be with the lord,' Mylah Sha Bell wrote.

School counselors were made available to help navigate students through the devastating loss.

'She wrote this essay about her torn ACL, and she said, "Mom, I want another story - that one is two years old," and I said, "just pray about it, God will give you another story,"' Darla recalled. Pictured: Darla and Aleya

Aleya was mourned by her family, Liberty Varsity Cheers and Long Hallow Church. She was remembered as many as a 'light'

School counselors were made available to help navigate students through the devastating loss. Pictured: Aleya with a cheermate

While Aleya's young life was cut short, her family will honor her legacy by raising money for the 'advancement of care and research for neurological and brain disorders'

Aleya is one of three people to die from the storm that hit Middle Tennessee on Friday amid damaging winds and tornado warnings.

Thunderstorms and tornados threatened the state and left thousands without power leading into the weekend.

Another unidentified person was killed when a tree slammed into their car in Humphreys County, about 72 miles west of Nashville.

The third victim was also hit by a tree. No further information on the additional victims was available.

Aleya is one of three people to die from the storm that hit Middle Tennessee on Friday amid damaging winds and tornado warnings

All three people died due to fallen trees. One person died after a tree hit their car. Pictured: a random fallen tree from Friday's storm in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee
A woman accused of helping launder millions of pounds of dirty cash in Dubai joined a WhatsApp chat group called 'Sunshine and Lollypops', a court heard.

Beatrice Auty, 26, allegedly hid wads of cash in her luggage before flying it out from Heathrow to the Middle East.

Prosecutor Julian Christopher, KC, told jurors Auty was recruited as a courier by married mother-of-two Michelle Clarke on July 17, 2020.

Tara Hanlon, who earlier admitted money laundering charges, was instructed by Clarke to 'reassure' Auty, Isleworth Crown Court heard.

Auty was then added by Leeds-based mum Clarke to the 'Sunshine and Lollipops' chat group, set up to organise the couriers arriving in Dubai with dirty cash.

Beatrice Auty allegedly hid wads of cash in her luggage before flying it out from Heathrow

Prosecutor Julian Christopher, KC, told jurors Auty was recruited as a courier by married mother-of-two Michelle Clarke (pictured)

Mr Christopher read a message from Clarke on August 10, 2020 that read: 'We need to get like mobile pay-as-you-go sims. Only use these phones for now on and delete everything from your personal phones'.

Auty took three tips to Dubai but is only charged with one count of attempting to remove criminal property after her third trip was intercepted by the National Crime Agency, a court has heard.

Auty, alongside ex-glamour model Jo-Emma Larvin, 44, Larvin's partner Jonathan Johnson, 55, Amy Harrison, 27 and Liam Rabone, 29, all deny removing criminal property from the UK.

Jurors heard Rabone was recruited by his 'best friend' Hanlon, 32, in July 2020. A video sent from Hanlon to Rabone shows Hanlon touring the luxurious hotel room she was put up in by the organisation.

Messages exchanged between Hanlon and Rabone from July 2020 read in court today detailed Rabone's concern at the amount of cash he was being asked to transport.

One message read: 'The only thing I question is cash. Moving cash in six-figure amounts is literally illegal.'

Hanlon replied: 'You can't talk about it on here, I don't know the ins and out... but yes, it's a lot lol.'

Jurors also heard how Rabone was briefed and recruited to the scene after attending a Zoom call with Hanlon and Clarke.

Ex-glamour model Jo-Emma Larvin, 44, denies removing criminal property from the UK

Jo-Emma Larvin and Larvin's partner Jonathan Johnson, 55, who also denies removing criminal property from the UK

After the call Rabone sent a message to Hanlon on July 16, 2020 that said: 'It sounds good, I don't see why it would be an issue, I've been doing my research around it so game on! Let's f***ing do this, let's make some money.'

Millions of pounds in English and Scottish banknotes were carried in suitcases checked in as luggage, the court heard.

The couriers were paid 3,000 and all their expenses for their trips to Dubai before flying back with 'their very considerably lighter' suitcases, jurors heard.

Anything over Euro 10,000 Euros leaving the EU has to be declared to HMRC, but the smugglers' suitcases usually contained up to 500,000, the prosecutor said.

The organiser, Abdulla Alfalasi, 47, arranged 83 successful trips over 18 months and these defendants were involved in 16 while two more were unsuccessful, the court has heard.

The total amount of cash taken out of the UK in those 83 trips was 'is in the region of 100m', the court has heard.

Larvin and Johnson, both of Ripon, North Yorks, along with Harrison, of of Worcester Park, Surrey, Auty, of Fulham, and Rabone, of West Kensington, all deny removing criminal property from the UK.

The trial continues.
A pet cat was sent through an airport X-ray machine in Virginia after its owner failed to remove the animal from its travel bag.

TSA spokesperson, Lisa Farbstein, shared X-ray images last week that showed the cat - and its skeleton - as it passed through Norfolk Airport security.

'Please do not send your pet through the X-ray unit,' she said in a caption accompanying the image.

In the US, travelers are allowed to carry cats or small dogs onto planes. However, they should not be sent through the machine but instead inspected separately.

'The traveler and cat had to go through screening the proper way once the TSA officers saw the X-ray image. The proper way being to remove the cat from the travel bag,' added Farbstein.

A pet cat was sent through an airport X-ray machine after its owner failed to remove the animal from its travel bag

The incident occurred at Norfolk International Airport (pictured in 2021)

X-rays carry the least amount of radiation compared to other imaging methods and the risk of health affects for animals is 'very, very low', according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Farbstien has flagged similar incidents of people sending their pets through the X-ray machines in the past.

Earlier this year TSA agents in Florida found a four-foot boa constrictor in a woman's carry-on bag.

The woman told agents at Tampa International Airport that the snake was 'an emotional support pet,' Farbstein said.

The TSA released images of the snake which showed it curled up in the corner of a tray next to ordinary items like sneakers, a belt, and a laptop.

It says it notified the airline which confirmed that it would not allow the snake in the plane's cabin. The TSA said snakes are never allowed to travel in carry-on luggage and only on some airlines can they be checked-in.

TSA spokesperson, Lisa Farbstein, warned flyers that they should not send their cats through airport X-ray machines

TSA agents in Florida found a four-foot long boa constrictor in a woman's carry-on bag after her suitcase was passed through an X-ray machine

The woman told TSA employees that she had brought the snake with her as an 'emotional support pet'

The woman and her snake, named Bartholomew, were traveling from Tampa late last year, Farbstein said at the time.

She tweeted: 'Woman claimed the snake was her emotional support pet. TSA notified the airline, which ruled that there was not going to be a snake on their plane!'

That was not the first time a snake in Florida has attempted to breach airport security.

Just a couple months prior, a flight from Tampa International actually took off with a garter snake in the cabin.

United Airlines flight 2038 had just arrived at Newark after a two-hour flight from Florida when the reptile was spotted on the plane as passengers were getting ready to get off.

After the incident United said in a statement that although it has 'no weight or breed limitations for pets' flying in its aircraft, only cats and dogs are permitted.

This Ball python was discovered inside an external hard drive during a TSA screening at Miami International Airport in 2018

On another occasion in 2018, TSA employees in Miami found a ball python tied in a nylon stocking and hidden inside a hard drive by a woman traveling to Barbados.

Screeners operating the X-ray machine detected an 'organic mass' inside the electronic device, which turned out to be the snake.

A TSA spokesperson said a bomb expert examined the bag and discovered the animal.

'While this mass inside the electronic device was obviously not an imminent terrorist threat to the traveling public, the kind we are always on high alert to, the interception did prevent a possible wildlife threat on an aircraft,' she said.

The passenger was fined, and the snake was taken into custody by US Fish and Wildlife Services. Neither woman nor snake made the flight.
The usually even-tempered Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg unleashed a profanity to hit back at a claim he only visited East Palestine, Ohio because former President Trump did.

'That's bulls***,' he said in an interview with CNN. 'We were already ready to go.'

The 41-year-old former mayor and presidential candidate has been made the public scapegoat of the derailment, facing the ire of Republicans who say he and the rest of the Biden administration was behind the ball on responding to the crisis.

Buttigieg visited the Ohio-Pennsylvania border town on February 23 - 20 days after the Norfolk Southern train derailed and spilled toxic chemicals into the community. Fifty cars - 10 carrying hazardous materials - went off-track and chemicals seeped into the air and local streams before officials conducted a controlled burn.

Trump had visited one day earlier, where he accused the Biden administration of 'indifference and betrayal' to the community.

Buttigieg admitted to CNN he should have visited sooner. But he claimed that his conservative critics were feigning outrage for the 4,700-person town where median household income is $46,000.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg talks with East Palestine, Ohio residents but didn't response to questions from reporters on Thursday, Feb. 23

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg finally visited East Palestine on Thursday, 20 days after the train derailment that has left the Ohio community reeling and begging for answers from the Biden administration

'It's really rich to see some of these folks  the former president, these Fox hosts  who are literally lifelong card-carrying members of the East Coast elite, whose top economic policy priority has always been tax cuts for the wealthy, and who wouldn't know their way around a T.J. Maxx if their life depended on it, to be presenting themselves as if they genuinely care about the forgotten middle of the country,' the Transportation Secretary said.

'You think Tucker Carlson knows the difference between a T.J. Maxx and a Kohl's?'

Still Buttigieg said it would have made little substantive difference for him to visit the site any sooner, since the immediate accident response falls to other agencies. But he acquiesced it might have assured the community their voices were being heard to see one of the better-known faces of the Biden administration on-site.

Buttigieg called Trump's visit 'somewhat maddening  to see someone who did a lot try to gut not just rail safety regulations, but the EPA, which is the number one thing standing between that community and a total loss of accountability for Norfolk Southern and then show up giving out bottled water and campaign swag?'

The Transportation secretary has blamed Republicans for undoing rail regulations.

'People who have sided with the rail industry again and again and again are suddenly acting like rail safety advocates,' Buttigieg said. 'But it also creates the chance to call them to the table and say, "OK, if we're serious now, let's do this."'

Federal investigators say the cause of the derailment was a mechanical issue with the rail car axle.

In 2015, DOT proposed a rule that would require a high-tech braking system - electronically controlled pneumatic (ECP) brakes - on trains carrying more than 20 high hazard flammable train (HHFT) cars.

But Congress mandated a cost-benefit analysis before the rule could be imposed and the Trump administration repealed it in 2017. Buttigieg's DOT has not made any moves to bring the rule back.

Nearly three weeks since the Feb. 3 derailment of a train carrying hazardous waste in East Palestine, Ohio, clean-up efforts continue.

A man takes photos as a black plume rises over East Palestine, Ohio, as a result of a controlled detonation of a portion of the derailed Norfolk Southern train, Feb. 6, 2023.

The secretary has since said he wants to bring back the ECP brake rule as well as speed up the phase-in of requiring sturdier tank cars to transport toxic chemicals. The new tank cars are currently not required until 2029.

Buttigieg said he also wants to raise the maximum amount DOT can fine railroads for safety violations.

Last week Ohio Sens. J.D. Vance, R, and Sherrod Brown, D, introduced a rail safety bill that would require at least two-person crews, include more stringent risk mitigation rules for trains carrying hazardous materials and require railroads notify local emergency response teams when they are passing through with hazardous materials.
This is certainly not the way you would want your wedding to be crashed.

A Florida events venue owner was taken into custody after he barged into the reception and threatened the guests with a gun.

The bizarre incident unfolded Thursday night at the Cielo Farms venue in Davie when a worker identified as Christian Rafart, 31, ordered Jonathan Campo, the wedding DJ, to shut down the music because he didn't want the police to fine them for noise pollution.

Campo, who was hired by his cousin to play music at her reception, told Rafart that he was playing the last song of the night and lowered the music although there were still 40 minutes remaining of partying.

He recalled that Rafart reached for the DJ equipment and that he pushed him away before a scuffle ensued.

Mario Rodriguez (yellow shirt), the owner of Cielo Farms, an events venue in Davie, Florida, was taken into custody Thursday after he threatened wedding guests with a gun

Mario Rodriguez faces an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge and has been released from police custody

Christian Rafart is facing battery, resisting arrest and violating probation charges. He remained in jail as of Monday.

Rafart left the venue and returned with the owner, Miguel Rodriguez, 58, who was armed with a handgun.

Campo attempted to defuse the situation, which quickly escalated as Rodriguez pointed the gun at him.

'Before I knew it, I was staring down the barrel of his gun and at that moment when I saw his eyes I was prepared to be killed,' Campo wrote on Instagram. 'And was coming to terms that my children were about to lose their dad for no reason.'

In the frightening video, Rodriguez could be seen waving his gun in the air and ordering the frightened attendees to exit the venue.

Mario Rodriguez hold his gun while ordering wedding guests at his events venue in Davie, Florida, to leave the premises

Wedding venue owner, Mario Rodriguez (second from left) holds a gun while guests at the reception attempt to calm him down

He then walked over to a group, including the bride, and aimed the gun at their faces.

The enraged owner shouted, 'Get out, get out. Don' make me,' while continuing to point the gun at the terrified bride and guests.

Rodriguez later approached a woman who was recording the incident and smacked the cellphone out of her hands with his gun.

Rafart allegedly punched a friend of the family in the face, according to Campo. The woman reportedly suffered a contusion and internal bleeding.

Jonathan Campo said the incident unfolded after one of the venue workers tried to shut down his DJ system after he had told him that he was playing the last song of the night

Rodriguez was arrested on an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge. He has since been released.

Rafart was taken into custody and is facing battery, resisting arrest and violating probation charges. He remained in jail as of Monday.

The chaotic ending to the wedding reception traumatized Campo.

'I'm not OK at all. I'm mentally a mess,' he said. 'I can't get his scene out of my head. I've been angry since this happened.'
Shooting with sniper rifle on plateau

China Military Online) 09:13, March 06, 2023

Soldiers assigned to a support regiment under the PLA's Xinjiang Military Command conduct shooting training in prone position on the chilly plateau recently. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Zhong Jintao)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Legal representatives of Korean victims of Japan's wartime forced labor and civic groups advocating them hold a press conference in Seoul after the government proposed a plan to compensate them through a Seoul-backed public foundation, instead of direct payment from the responsible Japanese firms, March 6. Yonhap





Korean victims of Japan's wartime forced labor and their families on Monday condemned the government's plan to compensate plaintiffs through a domestic foundation without contributions from the accused Japanese firms.







Seoul's foreign ministry on Monday proposed compensating 15 victims of forced labor who won legal battles against two Japanese firms through a Seoul-backed public foundation, instead of direct payment from the responsible companies  Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Nippon Steel.







Legal representatives of victims and a civic group advocating them blasted the government's plan as a scheme that effectively nullifies the Korean Supreme Court's 2018 order for the two Japanese firms to compensate them.







"(With the latest proposal), the Korean government effectively provides immunity to the accused Japanese firms from legal obligations," they said at a press conference in Seoul.






An army of thousands of Twitter bots have been praising Donald Trump and attacking rivals such as Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley for the last 11 months, a new report has revealed.

The fake accounts ridiculed Trump's critics from both parties and attacked Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and U.N. ambassador who is challenging her onetime boss for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

When it came to Ron DeSantis, the bots aggressively suggested that the Florida governor couldn't beat Trump, but would be a great running mate.

The sprawling bot network was uncovered by researchers at Cyabra, an Israeli tech firm that shared its findings with The Associated Press.

An army of thousands of Twitter bots have been praising Donald Trump and attacking rivals such as Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley for the last 11 months, a new report has revealed

While the identity of those behind the network of fake accounts is unknown, Cyabra's analysts determined that it was likely created within the U.S.

To identify a bot, researchers will look for patterns in an account's profile, its follower list and the content it posts.

Human users typically post about a variety of subjects, with a mix of original and reposted material, but bots often post repetitive content about the same topics.

Trump again wins CPAC Straw Poll - getting 62 percent to DeSantis' 20 with election denier Kari Lake voted attendees favorite VP pick Former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, who continues to falsely claim she won her election, was voted the top pick to be Trump's vice president Advertisement

That was true of many of the bots identified by Cyabra.

'One account will say, "Biden is trying to take our guns; Trump was the best" and another will say, 'Jan. 6 was a lie and Trump was innocent,'' said Jules Gross, the Cyabra engineer who first discovered the network. 'Those voices are not people. For the sake of democracy I want people to know this is happening.'

Bots, as they are commonly called, are fake, automated accounts that became notoriously well-known after Russia employed them in an effort to meddle in the 2016 election.

While big tech companies have improved their detection of fake accounts, the network identified by Cyabra shows they remain a potent force in shaping online political discussion.

The new pro-Trump network is actually three different networks of Twitter accounts, all created in huge batches in April, October and November 2022. In all, researchers believe hundreds of thousands of accounts could be involved.

The accounts all feature personal photos of the alleged account holder as well as a name. Some of the accounts posted their own content, often in reply to real users, while others reposted content from real users, helping to amplify it further.

'McConnell... Traitor!' wrote one of the accounts, in response to an article in a conservative publication about GOP Senate leader Mitch McConnell, one of several Republican critics of Trump targeted by the network.

One way of gauging the impact of bots is to measure the percentage of posts about any given topic generated by accounts that appear to be fake. The percentage for typical online debates is often in the low single digits. Twitter itself has said that less than 5% of its active daily users are fake or spam accounts.

When Cyabra researchers examined negative posts about specific Trump critics, however, they found far higher levels of inauthenticity. Nearly three-fourths of the negative posts about Haley, for example, were traced back to fake accounts.

The bots said Ron DeSantis (left) would lose to Trump in the 2024 presidential primary - but suggested he would be a good vice president. The network of fake accounts also attacked 2024 rival Nikki Haley (right)

The network also helped popularize a call for DeSantis to join Trump as his vice presidential running mate - an outcome that would serve Trump well and allow him to avoid a potentially bitter matchup if DeSantis enters the race.

The same network of accounts shared overwhelmingly positive content about Trump and contributed to an overall false picture of his support online, researchers found.

'Our understanding of what is mainstream Republican sentiment for 2024 is being manipulated by the prevalence of bots online,' the Cyabra researchers concluded.

The triple network was discovered after Gross analyzed Tweets about different national political figures and noticed that many of the accounts posting the content were created on the same day. Most of the accounts remain active, though they have relatively modest numbers of followers.

A message left with a spokesman for Trump's campaign was not immediately returned.

Most bots aren't designed to persuade people, but to amplify certain content so more people see it, according to Samuel Woolley, a professor and misinformation researcher at the University of Texas whose most recent book focuses on automated propaganda.

When a human user sees a hashtag or piece of content from a bot and reposts it, they're doing the network's job for it, and also sending a signal to Twitter's algorithms to boost the spread of the content further.

Bots can also succeed in convincing people that a candidate or idea is more or less popular than the reality, he said. More pro-Trump bots can lead to people overstating his popularity overall, for example.

'Bots absolutely do impact the flow of information,' Woolley said. 'They're built to manufacture the illusion of popularity. Repetition is the core weapon of propaganda and bots are really good at repetition. They're really good at getting information in front of people's eyeballs.'

Until recently, most bots were easily identified thanks to their clumsy writing or account names that included nonsensical words or long strings of random numbers. As social media platforms got better at detecting these accounts, the bots became more sophisticated.

So-called cyborg accounts are one example: a bot that is periodically taken over by a human user who can post original content and respond to users in human-like ways, making them much harder to sniff out.

Bots could soon get much sneakier thanks to advances in artificial intelligence. New AI programs can create lifelike profile photos and posts that sound much more authentic.

Bots that sound like a real person and deploy deepfake video technology may challenge platforms and users alike in new ways, according to Katie Harbath, a fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center and a former Facebook public policy director.

'The platforms have gotten so much better at combating bots since 2016,' Harbath said. 'But the types that we're starting to see now, with AI, they can create fake people. Fake videos.'

These technological advances likely ensure that bots have a long future in American politics - as digital foot soldiers in online campaigns, and as potential problems for both voters and candidates trying to defend themselves against anonymous online attacks.

'Theres never been more noise online,' said Tyler Brown, a political consultant and former digital director for the Republican National Committee. 'How much of it is malicious or even unintentionally unfactual? It's easy to imagine people being able to manipulate that.'
Many suspects are from outside of the state - including two from France and Canada.

He's one of 23 suspected Antifa 'terrorists' charged over riots at the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center site, dubbed 'Cop City' by activists

A suspected Antifa activist charged with domestic terrorism over riots in Atlanta is an attorney for the hard-left Southern Poverty Law Center.

Thomas Webb Jurgens, 28, is one of 23 people who were detained after violent clashes between police and protesters at the construction site for the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center. Others include serial protesters, a former school teacher and a young dancer who recently turned to activism.

Fireworks and Molotov cocktails were used to attack police and destroy construction equipment and machinery during the riots on Sunday. Activists have spent months staging demonstrations against the police facility which they dub 'Cop City'.

Jurgens joined the SPLC in September 2021 and worked on its Economic Justice Project, according to his LinkedIn page. He has also worked as an assistant public defender and a legal intern at a US attorney's office in Florida. The Florida Bar's website lists him as a current SPLC lawyer.

The LinkedIn page includes a professional photo of Jurgens with neatly-styled hair and a suit and tie. The picture is a marked contrast to the mugshot released by police on Monday that shows him sullen-faced in a green sweater with long, unkempt hair and stubble.

Thomas Webb Jurgens, 28, an attorney for the hard-left Southern Poverty Law Center, is one of 23 people who were detained after violent clashes between police and protesters at the construction site for the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center. Left: his professional LinkedIn picture, right: Jurgens' police muhshot

The 23 Antifa 'terrorists' who were arrested after violent clashes at the construction site for a police training facility in Atlanta dubbed 'Cop City'

Atlanta Police Foundation President and CEO Dave Wilkinson surveys the damage at the site of the proposed Atlanta Public Safety Training facility following vandalism by protestors in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., March 6, 2023

The aftermath of the 'Cop City' protests on March 6. 23 people have been charged with domestic terrorism

The 23 'Antifa terrorists' charged in Atlanta Jack Beaman, 22, of Georgia

Ayla King, 18, of Massachusetts

Kamryn Pipes, 27, of Louisiana

Maggie Gates, 25, of Indiana

Ehret Nottingham, 22, of Colorado

Alexis Paplai, 48, of Massachusetts

Timothy Bilodeau, 25, of Massachusetts

Victor Puertas, 46, of Utah

Dimitri LeNy, 25, of France

Amin Chaoui, 31, of Virginia

James Marsicano, 29, of North Carolina

Samuel Ward, 26, of Arizona

Max Biederman, 25, of Arizona

Mattia Luini, 30, of New York

Emma Bogush, 24, of Connecticut

Kayley Meissner, 19, of Wisconsin

Luke Harper, 27, of Florida

Grace Martin, 22, of Wisconsin

Colin Dorsey, 42, of Maine

Fredrique Robert-Paul, 34, of Canada

Zoe Larmey, 25, of Tennessee

Thomas Jurgens, 28, of Georgia

Priscilla Grim, 49, of New York Advertisement

Jurgens' social media profile also details an impressive academic career, which included a term at the prestigious University of Oxford, in England, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Georgia School of Law.

The Southern Poverty Law Center is a social justice organization which describes its goals as to 'dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements, and advance the human rights of all people'. Republican activists claim the SPLC is a 'radical' left-wing and 'anti-Christian' organization.

Jurgens and 22 other activists from as far away as France and Canada have now been charged with domestic terrorism after the riots at the police training facility.

Another, Timothy Bilodeau is a former teacher at Acera, the Massachusetts Schools Science, Creativity and Leadership. His LinkedIn profile lists him as a teacher of engineering, although a spokesman for the school told DailyMail.com he left his position before the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year.

In a gushing biography for himself, Bilodeau, 25, writes: 'I'm not just a musician or an engineer. I'm an aficionado of learning in all forms.'

'Leveraging the power of humor, joy, curiosity, and collaboration, I seek to build self-confidence so students can more effectively express themselves and solve problems in any area of their lives,' he writes.

Bilodeau also has a degree in mechanical engineering from Northeastern University.

Ehret Nottingham, 22, is a serial activist who has also taken a central role in pro-abortion and fair wage rallies.

In a interview in June 2020, while studying political science at Colorado State University, Nottingham said he 'became an activist' in 2018.

Timothy Bilodeau is a former teacher at Acera, the Massachusetts Schools Science, Creativity and Leadership. He describes himself as 'an aficionado of learning in all forms'. Bilodeau is charged with domestic terrorism

Ehret Nottingham, 22, is a serial activist who has also taken a central role in pro-abortion and fair wage rallies. He says he 'became an activist' in 2018

He described himself as a climate activist who was also involved in Black Lives Matter protests. He said he has a 'whole lot of privilege and a whole lot of ability to affect the world'.

'The role in my future that I hope to achieve is to be an advocate and the platform I have to make change,' said Nottingham. He said he met 'most of my activist friends' through Instagram.

James Mariscano, 29, whose surname also appears as Mariscana in police statements, is a known Antifa activist who has been arrested previously.

In June 2020, Mariscano was arrested in Charlotte, North Carolina, for assaulting a law enforcement officer. He was also charged with disorderly conduct and resisting a public offer after initially fleeing arrest.

Emma Bogush, who also uses the name Bo, was a keen dancer who performed regularly before she turned to activism.

The 24-year-olds Facebook page includes many photos with her dance teams, and lists vacations to London and Stonehenge in the UK.

Atlanta Police Department released details of the suspects on Monday. The individuals are mostly men and women from outside of Georgia , indicating a concerted effort to bring in outside help for the action.

A statement from Atlanta PD said: 'On March 5, 2023, a group of violent agitators used the cover of a peaceful protest of the proposed Atlanta Public Safety Training Center to conduct a coordinated attack on construction equipment and police officers.

James Mariscano, 29, is a known Antifa activist who has previously been arrested for assaulting a law enforcement officer

Emma Bogush, who also uses the name Bo, was a keen dancer who performed regularly before she turned to activism.

'They changed into black clothing and entered the construction area and began to throw large rocks, bricks, Molotov cocktails, and fireworks at police officers.

'The agitators destroyed multiple pieces of construction equipment by fire and vandalism. Multiple law enforcement agencies deployed to the area and detained several people committing illegal activity.'

Police said 35 'agitators' were detained. It wasn't immediately clear whether the remaining 12 also face charges.

Police added: 'The illegal actions of the agitators could have resulted in bodily harm. Officers exercised restraint and used non-lethal enforcement to conduct arrests.

'With protests planned for the coming days, the Atlanta Police Department, in collaboration with law enforcement partners, have a multi-layered strategy that includes reaction and arrest.

'The Atlanta Police Department asks for this week's protests to remain peaceful.'

Atlanta Police Foundation President and CEO Dave Wilkinson visited the scene on Monday to survey the damage.

Dramatic footage released by the Atlanta Police Department on Sunday night showed nearly 150 masked rioters break into the construction site and aim fireworks at police.

Some of the group could later be seen gathering riot shields. Once they were together, they started throwing Molotov cocktails at a construction vehicle and ran away as it was left on fire. Other videos posted online showed a police surveillance tower on fire, sending smoke billowing into the sky.

The dramatic confrontation between police and protesters comes as individuals and activist organizations descend on the proposed site for a 'week of action' to protest its development.

'This is the first week of action since the state killed someone,' Marlon Kautz, an organizer with Atlanta Solidarity Fund told The Guardian, referring to the police-involved killing of Manuel Paez Teran in January.

CONSTRUCTION SITE BURNS: Huge plumes of smoke and massive police response after @defendATLforest / #StopCopCity protesters face off with police at the site of Atlantas future Public Safety Training Facility. Im told Molotov cocktails were thrown. Construction equipment is on https://t.co/6dIyrPff6T pic.twitter.com/0F9qj8dgFn  Billy Heath III (@BillyHeathFOX5) March 5, 2023

The burned out shell of a construction vehicle after the violent riots at Atlanta's 'Cop City'

Protesters have been camped in forests around the construction site and launching regular efforts to halt the project

A picture of the aftermath after violent clashes between rioters and police on Sunday, March 6

Atlanta Police Foundation President and CEO Dave Wilkinson surveys the damage

A private autopsy showed he was shot 13 times.

Authorities have asserted Teran  who identified as nonbinary  opened fire at a Georgia State Patrol trooper during a 'clearing operation' of the so-called autonomous zone at the site of the $90million project.

Demonstrators, who have set up a group called 'Stop Cop City', say the 381 acres of Weelaunee Forest is 'stolen Muscogee land' and that the creation would mean the destruction of wildlife and forestry.

They have become increasingly violent since they first descended on the woods last spring, with 19 people arrested on domestic terrorism charges since December.Stop Cop City activists also say that the City of Atlanta has 'leased' the land  something the Mayor's office has denied, saying that the City in unincorporated DeKalb County owns it.
A radical Minnesota Democratic lawmaker in the state legislature is facing abundant criticism for stating online that she believes 'white Christians' who adopt Native American children are committing 'genocide.'

'I'm sick of white Christians adopting our babies and rejoicing,' wrote Minnesota State Rep. Heather Keeler on her now-private personal Facebook page.

'It's really a sad day when that happens. It means the genocide continues.

'If you care about our babies, advocate against the genocide,' she wrote. 'Help the actual issues impacting indigenous parents, stop stealing our babies and changing their names under the impression you are helping. White saviors are the worst!'

Representative Heather Keeler is herself a Native American and a registered member of the Yankton Sioux Tribe

Rep. Keeler's controversial Facebook post, in which she equates white adoption of Native American babies to genocide

Keeler is in her second term in the Minnesota House of Representatives and has focused her legislative career, so far, primarily on the needs of teachers and homeless youth in her state.

She is also Native American and an enrolled member of the Yankton Sioux Tribe, who has argued on several occasions that the white adoption of Native American children works to 'strip(s)' them on their 'identity,' which is a 'form of genocide.'

Keeler is the lead author of a bill that would incorporate provisions of the federal Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) into state law.

The United States Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling this term on a case that challenges the constitutionality of ICWA.

According to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, ICWA recognizes 'Tribal jurisdiction over decisions for their Indian children' in state custody proceedings.

It would also establish 'minimum federal standards for the removal of Indian children from their families.'

Keeler's proposed legislation would effectively codify ICWA into state law.

Representative Alicia Kozlowski, a Democrat from Duluth and co-sponsor of the bill said: 'Throughout history, the United States and Minnesota have carried out intentional and horrific methods of removal and disconnection of our Native children from their families, their culture.'

In Minnesota, 'American Indian children are 16.4% more likely than white children to be placed out of home,' she said.

The bill would put the following language into state law: 'The state of Minnesota recognizes all federally recognized Indian Tribes as having the inherent authority to determine their own jurisdiction for any and all Indian child custody or child placement proceedings regardless of whether the Tribes members are on or off the reservation and regardless of the procedural posture of the proceeding.'

'Raising our next generation and keeping them in our Indigenous families is essential to preserving our culture, language, traditions, and way of life.

'We need to protect our Indigenous families and the integrity of our relatives. Our next seven generations are sacred to our community, and taking them away and stripping them of their identity is a form of genocide.

'We cannot allow these atrocities to continue. We need to act now to ensure the next generation of our community stay within our tribal community. We must protect our family lineage and the existence of our tribal nations.'

Keeler's controversial position has stirred up the online masses, many of whom have taken a stance against her position.

Keeler's bill is expected to be taken up by the Supreme Court this term. It is being challenged on the basis of its constitutionality

Here, Keeler refers to the adoption of Native American children by white families and calls it 'a form of genocide'

Her professional Facebook page is congested with comments calling her position racist and demanding she step down.

'You can't fix a racist mind like Keelers [sic]. Her hatred permeated her being,' wrote JC Sparks.

'I feel sorry for you - having so much hate in your heart,' wrote Patty Lemen Mork.

'How do folks like you survive the day with all of this poison in your head ? It must be horrible to deal with on a daily basis. Therapy is always a good place to start,' wrote Tom Wilt.

'Is 'Heather Keeler' your Sioux name or did you or your parents steal an English name to hide your ethnicity?' wrote DL ven den Brink, appearing to mock the idea that Native Children adopted into white homes have their names stolen from them.
He also earlier admitted pleasuring himself in front of female cyclist in Deal, Kent

Killer cop Wayne Couzens joked about rape with colleagues two years before he murdered Sarah Everard, newly released messages have shown.

The messages could not be released earlier due to ongoing court proceedings after Couzens exposed himself to three women in 2020 and 2021.

Couzens was in a WhatsApp group chat with police officers including PC Jonathon Cobban and PC Joel Borders, who were jailed for three months for the messages in November.

Four other officers, PC Gary Bailey, PC Matthew Forster, William Neville and PC Daniel Comfort lost their jobs over the incident.

The messages were found on Couzens' phone after he was arrested for Sarah Everard's murder. The group chats were called 'Bottles & Stoppers' and 'Atkin's puppets'.

They contained offensive messages about race, women, rape, violence, sexual orientation, gender reassignment and disability.

Murderer Wayne Couzens has been sentenced at the Old Bailey after admitting three counts of indecent exposure

On 22 February 2019 Couzens said: 'Messy one, lovely. Remember Forster, it's got to be consensual!'

PC Forster replied: 'They've only got to say yes once.'

On 21 March 2019, after Cobban told the group chat he had responded to an unconscious woman who had been drinking, Couzens said: 'Did you finger her to see if she was ok?'

Cobban said: 'I considered it. But she was a right old lump. So I just raped a bystander instead.'

On 21 June 2019 Couzens said: 'Mate they aren't gonna ditch you with your skills sets, unless you finger a DV [domestic violence] victim! Oh, Jon, in that case you're probably f--d.'

Cobban replied: 'That's alright, DV victims love it* that's why they are repeat victims more often than not.'

On 29 June 2019, Couzens made a racist comment about Peckham in southeast London: 'You can add Peckham to that list. I was on CVTF [Violent Crime Task Force] the other shift in Peckham, another Somalia village!!!!'

CCTV has now been released showing Couzens making two trips to the McDonald's Drive-thru in Swanley, Kent

Couzens is seen placing an order at the McDonald's while driving back home following a 12-hour shift with the Met

Couzens' car (blue arrow) queues behind another vehicle while waiting to pick up the order

As Couzens' collected his food and drink, he exposed himself to members of staff at the restaurant

It came as a woman flashed by Wayne Couzens three days before he killed Sarah Everard sobbed today as she said we could have saved Sarah if police had done their jobs - as his twisted WhatsApps to colleagues are revealed.

Scotland Yard was condemned by a judge for doing nothing to stop the predatory officer.

Mrs Justice May said he could easily have been traced after committing a series of indecent exposure attacks in the days before he abducted, raped and killed the 33-year-old.

Today Sarahs mother Susan watched on as the former Met officer was sentenced to 19 months for the three monstrous attacks - in addition to the whole life sentence he is already serving for her murder.

The sentencing also allowed police watchdog the IOPC to release more details of a sickening WhatsApp group where he made rape and racist comments. In one 2019 post, he sneered to a colleague 'it's got to be consensual'.

Firearms officer Couzens was supposed to be on duty, working from home when he leapt out of the woods at a female cyclist, standing 'totally naked' while carrying out a sex act in a remote country lane in Deal, Kent, in November 2020.

The 50-year-old went on to expose himself to two terrified female attendants at a McDonalds drive-through restaurant in Kent on February 14 and 27. On both occasions, he drove to collect his orders before a member of staff saw he had hus 'trousers pulled down to his knees'

READ MORE: Wayne Couzens was on duty for the Met Police when he flashed female cyclist while totally naked four months before he murdered Sarah Everard Advertisement

His last attack - shown in CCTV released by police this afternoon - just three days before Couzens snatched Miss Everard, 33, from a street in south London.

Police were given his description, car registration and bank card details yet officers failed to investigate any of the attacks, interview the victims or identify the sex offender as one of their own officers until he had been arrested for the murder.

The Old Bailey heard today how the three women targeted had been left with survivors guilt after both Kent Police and the Metropolitan Police failed to take the crimes seriously enough and missed crucial opportunities to stop Couzens.

Mrs Justice May said: He could have easily been traced by his car and his card.

Nothing was done by police at the time. Sarah Everard was taken three days later on 3 March 2021.

The fact that no police came to find him or his black car, to question him about these incidents, can only have served to confirm and strengthen in the defendants mind a dangerous belief in his invincibility, in his power to dominate and sexually abuse women without being stopped.

Earlier today the woman who was flashed by Couzens three days before Miss Everards murder wept as she told how she recognised his face in newspaper articles following his arrest.

I could not believe that I had met someone who would go on to be a killer she said.

It made me realise that police officers are ordinary people, some of whom could be a threat instead of trying to protect me.

This indecent exposure incident was reported on the Sunday.

I had no one contact me or ask for a statement. It was only after Sarahs murder that I became involved.

If he had been held accountable when we had reported the crime, we could have saved Sarah.

The parliamentary and diplomatic protection officer also exposed himself to a female cyclist in Deal, Kent who then told a female police officer what had happened within minutes of the attack on November 13, 2020.

Couzens stepped out of the woods and stood on a bank above the female cyclist as she rode uphill towards him.

Tom Little KC, prosecuting, said Couzens was 'totally naked' and masturbating as he looked at the woman.

The attack happened only a few miles from where the defendant took Miss Everard after kidnapping her.

But police were unable to trace Couzens at the time after the victim could not recall his full number plate.

Court artist sketch of Wayne Couzens appearing at the Old Bailey today via video link from HMP Frankland

After Couzen's arrest over the disappearance of Ms Everard, the cyclist recognised him from his picture.

Mr Little said: 'As a result, she contacted the police again. She felt instant shock at seeing the picture and said she was 90 per cent sure it was him who masturbated in front of her.

READ MORE: Wayne Couzens was on duty for the Met Police when he flashed female cyclist while totally naked four months before he murdered Sarah Everard A court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of Couzens appearing via video link in February 2022 Advertisement

'Further inquiries have confirmed that the defendant was due to be working from home in Deal on 13 November 2020 between 8am and 4pm. It follows that he was on duty at the time of the offence but was not at home.'

In a victim impact statement read at his sentencing today, the victim told Couzens: You took my freedom and replaced it with fear. It was a selfish, aggressive act and it has had a serious impact upon the quality of my life, and upon the quality of life of those close to me.

I am aware that for some indecent exposure, is viewed as a minor offence but research shows that this is a progressive form of behaviour.

'I remember vividly being concerned that somebody who could expose themselves to a stranger in such an intimidating way could go on to commit much more serious acts.

This is what happened. Four months after you exposed yourself to me, you raped and murdered an innocent woman.

There were opportunities to identify you and they were not taken.

I did not feel that, when I reported your crime, it was taken as seriously as I felt that it should have been. The horror of what happened will remain with me for the rest of my life.'

In February the following year, a further two incidents of indecent exposure took place in a drive-in McDonald's at the Swanley service station in Kent in early 2021.

Couzens drove from his home in Deal to Lillie Road in Fulham, south west London - where his Diplomatic Protection unit was based - in mid-February.

He was not working, but entered into its offices before leaving a short time later. The reasoning for his visit 'remains entirely unexplained'.

Mr Little told the court: 'His journey is not dissimilar to that taken on the night he kidnapped Sarah Everard.'

On his way back to Kent, Couzens visited a McDonald's drive-thu and ordered a white coffee and double cheeseburger.

But as he approached to collect his order, he exposed himself to a member of staff.

Days before he kidnapped Ms Everard, Couzens again visited the McDonald's after working a 12-hour shift.

He ordered a large white coffee, a bottle of orange juice, two double cheeseburgers and a medium-sized portion of fries before he was handed the drinks by a member of staff, who saw he had 'no pants on'.

Mr Little said Couzens had his 'trousers pulled down to his knees' and was 'shaking as if nervous'.

Serving Metropolitan Police officer PC William Neville, 33, arrives at Westminster Magistrates' Court today. He, along with two other people, is accused of sending offensive, indecent or obscene messages in a WhatsApp group chat

Ex-PC Joel Borders, pictured arriving at Westminster Magistrates' Court today, has been charged with two counts of sending by public communication network an offensive matter

Serving Metropolitan Police officer Jonathon Cobban arrives at Westminster Magistrates' Court today where he is charged with sharing 'grossly offensive' WhatsApp messages

The McDonald's drive-thru in Swanley, Kent, where Couzens flashed staff in February 2021

Sarah Everard, 33, was abducted, raped and murdered by Couzens while he was a serving Metropolitan Police officer

It comes as two police officers are facing misconduct proceedings for their handling of the allegations.

Couzens, meanwhile, showed no emotion during the hearing as he appeared on videolink from Frankland Prison.

Following his murder conviction, Couzens was charged with six counts of indecent exposure.

In February, he pleaded guilty to three of the charges after failing in his bid to get the case thrown out citing adverse publicity around Miss Everards murder.

He denied three other indecent exposure allegations dating back to June 2015.

After today's sentencing the IOPC released a report it had previously had to hold back on a WhatsApp group with police officers including PC Jonathon Cobban and PC Joel Borders, who were jailed for three months for the messages in November.

A court artist sketch showing Wayne Couzens appearing via video link from HMP Frankland today

Couzens showed no emotion during the hearing as he appeared on videolink from Frankland Prison

Court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of (left to right) serving Metropolitan police officers Pc William Neville, and Jonathon Cobban, along with former police officer Joel Borders appearing in the dock at Westminster Magistrates' Court in March

The Independent Office for Police Conduct, who released the messages, also investigated two officers for their handling of flashing allegations against Couzens, and will release their report once misconduct proceedings against the officers have completed.

An independent inquiry led by Dame Elish Angiolini is underway to consider Couzens earlier sexual offending and whether opportunities were missed to stop him before the murder.

Separately, Kent Police will begin misconduct hearings for a sergeant who allegedly failed to properly investigate reports that a man - later identified as Couzens - had been seen driving with no trousers on in 2015.

The Met PC will face claims he failed to properly investigate the evidence identifying Couzens as the driver who flashed staff at McDonald's before providing a dishonest account to IOPC inspectors.

Meanwhile, the Kent Police sergeant is accused of failing to follow all lines of inquiry before closing their investigation into the report of a man driving naked.

The IOPC said Couzens was never spoken to and it had 'found no evidence' that the investigators realised he was a police officer.

DAC Stuart Cundy, who leads the Met's Directorate of Professional Standards, said: 'Today's sentencing reflects the impact these awful crimes committed by Couzens' has had on the women he targeted.

'I have read the victim impact statements and it is clear to me the hurt and trauma that he inflicted on them. It is their courage that has been crucial in bringing him to justice and I am sorry for what they have gone through.

'Like so many, I wish he had been arrested for these offences before he went on to kidnap, rape and murder Sarah Everard and I am sorry that he wasn't.

'The Met's response to these crimes has been independently investigated. One officer is due to face a misconduct hearing and the events surrounding the death of Sarah Everard will be examined by the Coroner.

'The fact he did this whilst serving as a police officer has brought shame on all us who swore to protect the communities we serve.

'My thoughts today are with all those targeted by Wayne Couzens and Sarah Everard's family.'
Jurors were told not to be influenced by emotions today, as they were sworn in for a murder trial following the death of a nine-year-old girl.

Ten men and two women were selected to serve on the jury at Manchester Crown Court earlier as the murder trial of Thomas Cashman commenced.

Cashman, 34, is alleged to have been responsible for the fatal shooting of schoolgirl Olivia Pratt-Korbel at her home in Dovecot, Liverpool last year.

Her mother, Cheryl Korbel, 46, was injured in the shooting as the gunman chased Joseph Nee into their home.

Today, Justice Yip stressed the importance of putting 'emotions aside' and asked the twelve jurors to not be influenced by 'sympathy' despite this being a natural reaction.

Olivia was shot dead at her home in Dovecot, Liverpool, just after 10pm on August 22

Mrs Justice Yip said: 'Naturally, the death of a child, any child, is a sensitive topic and one where it is normal to experience an emotional reaction.

'It is very important for you to do your job as jurors you put those emotions aside so you can properly consider the case and the issues you need to consider.'

The twelve jurors, who were selected along with two men who will sit as 'spare' jurors for the opening, were picked from a panel of 60.

They were told there was likely to be a 'lot of security' around the court building but they should not be affected by it.

Mrs Justice Yip said: 'I mention it now because if you are aware of a heavy police presence in and around the building you shouldn't be surprised by that, you shouldn't be worried by that.

'It is perfectly normal when we have got high-profile cases going on in this building.'

Before the jurors were selected, Mrs Justice Yip said: 'I realise many of you will have heard about Olivia's death, at the time there were lots of reports about it.

'If you did see or hear the news reports you may have formed some views at the time.

Olivia's mother, Cheryl Korbel, 46, was injured in the shooting as the gunman was in the house

John Francis Pratt, the father of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel, arriving with family members at Manchester Crown Court for the trial of Thomas Cashman

'It would be perfectly natural to have felt shock and upset about it, you may well have talked about it with family and friends at the time, as we all tend to do.

'The jury who will try the case will be presented with all the evidence.

'Of course, no-one has yet heard any of the evidence, so any views that you or anyone else had at the time of news reports are not informed views that a jury will have when they get to the end of the case.

'The verdict the jury reach will be based on the evidence they hear in court and not on anything else.'

Olivia's parents and siblings sat with other family members in the courtroom next to the dock, where Cashman was flanked by four officers.

Both she and Olivia's father John Francis Pratt arrived at court this morning wearing pink ribbons in memory of the little girl.

Relatives of Cashman sat in the public gallery at the back of court for the first day of the trial, which will be opened on Tuesday by David McLachlan KC, prosecuting.

Cashman, of Grenadier Drive, West Derby, denies the murder of Olivia, the attempted murder of Nee and the wounding with intent of Olivia's mother.

He also denies two counts of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.

The trial is expected to last four weeks.
A Boy Scout watched on in horror as his mother was crushed to death by a falling tree during a hike in the California mountains.

The unidentified mom was with her son, 17, at the Rancho San Antonia Park 'PG&E Trail' in Santa Clara on Sunday around 10am when she paused to make sure he was safe before being struck.

Witnesses recalled the accident - and said that within seconds they rushed to help the woman, who was with Sunnyvale Boy Scout troop.

'We were trying to see if we could lift the log that was on her body. And see if we could lift it up a little bit, to see if she could breathe,' Surya, a witness, told KTVU. 'We lifted it a little bit enough so that there was a clearance. And then we put a rock underneath so that it wasnt touching the body. That was the best we could do.'

The unidentified mom was with her son at the Rancho San Antonia Park 'PG&E Trail' in Santa Clara on Sunday around 10am was she was hit by the falling tree

Surya, a witness at the accident site, recalled unexpected accident as he jumped into help

The mom, who was with Sunnyvale Boy Scout troop, paused to make sure her 17-year-old son was safe before being struck

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene as her son refused to leave her side until paramedics on ATVs arrived.

Paramedics were seen carrying her body onto a vehicle wrapped in a red covering in the afternoon.

'Its just really hard to imagine what happened,' Surya added.

Chief Ranger Matt Anderson with the Mid-Peninsula Open Space District said that falling trees are common around this time of year.

'We have a lot of trees that are falling because of saturated soils,' Anderson told the news outlet. 'And earlier this last week there was snow on Skyline. So, falling trees happen.'

No additional injuries were reported among the troop, according to the Boy Scouts of America Silicon Valley-Monterey Bay Council.

'We are saddened to confirm one adult accidental fatality involving a tree. The deceased is the parent of a Scout and they were participating in a planned hike at the Rancho San Antonio ParkAll Scouts are safe,' the council wrote in a statement.

The popular hiking spot remained closed as of Monday.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene as her son refused to leave her side until paramedics on ATVs arrived

Paramedics were seen carrying her wrapped body onto a vehicle later in the afternoon
Plans to tackle the Channel migrants crisis today ran into opposition from the Whitehall establishment 'Blob'.

The Government is preparing a major immigration bill to deliver on Rishi Sunak's pledge to 'stop the boats'.

But it has been attacked by senior civil service figures even before details have even been unveiled.

A former mandarin said it was 'highly doubtful' the proposals would lead to a fall in crossings. Charities also criticised the plans.

The new legislation is expected to strengthen measures that allow asylum applications to be declared 'inadmissible'.

A group of migrants are brought in to Dover on a Border Force vessel today

Migrants housed at Napier Barracks in Folkestone, Kent on March 6

It is also expected to restrict the ability of individuals to use human rights laws to avoid being sent home.

The Mail revealed this morning that the Illegal Migration Bill will contain lifetime bans for those arriving by 'irregular routes', such as by small boat.

Mr Sunak is expected to speak to French president Emmanuel Macron later today and lay the ground for a summit on Friday when the Channel crisis is due to be top of the agenda. He has pledged to 'detain and swiftly remove' Channel migrants  nearly 46,000 of whom arrived last year.

However former Home Office permanent secretary Sir David Normington today predicted the Government's plan would face 'very great' problems.

'These are people many of whom are desperate, they have fled from persecution, and being told that there's been a change in legislation in the British Parliament, I don't think is going to make a big difference to them,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

'And then the Government has to do something with them. It says it's going to detain them for 28 days, and then deport them.

'But where is it going to detain them, because it doesn't have the space?

'And where's it going to deport them to, because it doesn't have agreements with enough countries that are safe?'

Lucy Moreton of the Immigration Services Union also cast doubt on the proposals.

'The plans as they've been announced really are quite confusing,' she told Today programme.

'We can't move anyone to Rwanda right now  it's subject to legal challenge. We can't remove anyone back into Europe because there are no returns agreements and we lost access to the database that allows us to prove that individuals have claimed asylum in Europe  Eurodac  when we left with Brexit.

'So, unless we have a safe third country that isn't Rwanda to send people to, this just doesn't seem to be possible.'

Ms Moreton, who represents immigration officers, said the Government's announcements could 'fuel' people-smuggling, with gangs telling would-be migrants 'quick, cross now before anything changes'.

Enver Solomon of the Refugee Council described the plans as 'flawed', adding: 'It's unworkable, costly and won't stop the boats.'

He suggested the proposals would 'shatter the UK's long-standing commitment under the UN Convention to give people a fair hearing regardless of the path they have taken to reach our shores'.

The Government is preparing a major immigration bill to deliver on Rishi Sunak's pledge to 'stop the boats'

Steve Valdez-Symonds of Amnesty International UK condemned the measures as 'disgraceful posturing and scaremongering'.

Downing Street insisted action was vital to prevent further lives being lost on the dangerous crossing from northern France.

The Prime Minister's spokesman said: 'We firstly need people to wait for the actual policy details to be published before giving their views.

'We've seen too many lives lost attempting this dangerous and unnecessary journey, and the number of people entering the country is simply unsustainable.

'As we've always said, we recognise there will likely be challenges in many forms to this sort of legislation.'

He said Mr Sunak believed there was no need to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights.

Cabinet minister Michelle Donelan said: 'This week we will be bringing forward additional legislation, which is based on the principle that if people travel here via illegal routes they shouldn't be allowed to stay, which I think is common sense and right.

'Those boats are not filled with people coming from countries that desperately need help.

'Many times they're filled with people that are actually economic migrants and have also been exploited by criminal gangs who take their money on a very perilous journey.'

Asked whether the plan was legally feasible, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer replied: 'I don't know that it is and I think we've got to be very careful with international law here.'
More than a hundred people attended the graves of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh on Sunday afternoon after Alex Murdaugh was found guilting of murdering them - his wife and son.

The two graves in Hampton Cemetery, South Carolina, were visited by people from near and far looking to pay respects to the mother and son, who some said had been overlooked in recent months.

Those that attended were described as respectful, according to Fox News Digital, and unlike the hordes that showed up to the murder scene last month after a Netflix series aired.

Murdaugh, 54, who maintains he is innocent of killing his wife, 52, and son, 22, on their estate just 13 miles northeast of the cemetery, was given a life sentence on Friday after a six-week trial.

More than a hundred people attended the graves of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh on Sunday afternoon. Picture here is Minnie Artis, 81, who drove two hours with her son to be at the cemetery

The graves of Margaret, 52, and Paul, 22, were beside that of Alex Murdaugh's father Randolph. Pictured is the grave of Paul

South Carolina Department of Corrections mugshot of former lawyer Alex Murdaugh

The graves of Margaret and Paul were located next to the tombstone of Alex Murdaugh's father, Randolph, who died just three days after them. Unlike his, theirs are without headstones.

Instead, their graves were marked by small plastic plaques featuring their names and surrounded by a combination of fresh and artificial flowers.

Mike Artis, 60, drove his mother Minnie Artis, 81, two hours from her home in Sumter to the cemetery so she could pay her respects, the outlet reported.

'It really affected me,' Minnie said. 'I don't think he did it. I don't think anybody could shoot their son in the head like that.'

Mike told Fox News Digital he disagreed with his mother and believed Murdaugh was in fact guilty.

Instead he said that he found it upsetting that Paul and Maggie did not have proper permanent grave markers.

Murdaugh, 54, who maintains he is innocent of killing his wife, 52, and son, 22, on their estate just 13 miles northeast of the cemetery, was given a life sentence on Friday after a six-week trial

Karen Morrison (center) with four friends at Hampton Cemetery, where Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were buried

One visitor to the cemetery was disappointed that both Maggie and Paul's graves did not have permanent headstones but instead their names were displayed on plastic plaques

'This really irks me. With all the money and wealth, the rest of the family, Randy and John Marvin and Liz, they can spring for headstones,' he said of Murdaugh's affluent siblings.

'[Paul and Maggie] are the forgotten victims in all this,' he told Fox News Digital. 'So much focus was on him and not enough focus was on them and that's why we came down here.'

Joan Martin, 73, drove with her husband about an hour from Saint Matthews to visit the graves of murdered Maggie and Paul.

'We felt great empathy toward Paul and Maggie. I spoke to her a few minutes ago, and I told her to rest in peace,' she told Fox News Digital.

'The kind of death that she died was just frightening and unfathomable,' she added.

Alex Murdaugh, 54, maintains he is innocent of killing his wife and son on their estate just 13 miles northeast of the cemetery. He was sentenced to life in prison on Friday

Some visited the cemetery from within South Carolina but some drove even further to pay their respects

Another woman Karen Morrison drove four hours from Rutherford, North Carolina, with several friends.

She told Fox News Digital she had been following their family since Paul crashed the family boat into a bridge in 2019 fatally killing Mallory Beach.

'The Murdaughs have what everybody in the South wants, lots of property, a beautiful home, a beautiful family, they just seemed to have it all,' Morrison told the outlet.
A black British Army soldier was cleared of 'slashing' at a group of Fijian colleagues with a machete following a drunken row over why they were socialising with white colleagues.

Bombardier Kevin Carasco was accused of becoming enraged when believing his comrades were conspiring to beat him up, challenging them to a fight and telling them, 'you guys are going to know who I am'.

It was alleged that he got into his car and drove towards them 'at high speeds' before jumping out armed with a weapon 'the length of his forearm' and trying 'to stab everyone'.

Bdr Carasco claimed that he was acting in self-defence and denied two charges of attempted wounding with intent and affray.

Now, following a five-day trial and four-hour board deliberations at Bulford Military Court, Bdr Carasco has been cleared of both charges.

Bombardier Kevin Carasco was accused of becoming enraged when believing his comrades were conspiring to beat him up

Following a five-day trial and four-hour board deliberations at Bulford Military Court, Bdr Carasco has been cleared of both charges

Bulford Military Court (pictured)

Prosecuting Jim Carmichael had previously told the court the alleged attack took place at Baker Barracks near Portsmouth, Hampshire, in July 2021.

Baker Barracks is the home of ground-based air defence specialists 12 and 16 Regiment Royal Artillery.

'A group of predominantly Fijian soldiers were drinking. Morale was high, but that all changed after the arrival of [Bdr Carasco],' he said.

The court heard that as well as the Fijians - who included his friend Gunner Bachan Ceba - there were 'English guys and a girl' including Gunner Ethan Simpson.

'(Bdr Carasco) was drinking and asked Gunner Ceba why they were drinking with 'those white c***s', but he ignored him and talked with the others in Fijan, talking about buying more drinks,' he continued.

'He then challenged him to a fight and asked if they wanted to 'bang him out'.

'[Bdr Carasco] threw a punch at Gunner Ceba, who then punched Carasco.'

The court heard that after Bdr Carasco left, the group at the smoking shelter saw him return in a blue Ford Focus driving at 'high speed' across the camp as it left the road, went over the kerb and pavement and across grass towards them.

He was then said to have got out of the car armed with a machete and started 'slashing' at people.

The court heard that the Fijian soldiers defended themselves with branches, striking Bdr Carasco in the ribs and smashing his car window.

Bdr Carasco claimed that he was acting in self-defence and denied two charges of attempted wounding with intent and affray.

After board deliberations at Bulford Military Court, Bdr Carasco was cleared of both charges.
Fears are rising for the remote tribe that worshipped Prince Philip after it has not made contact since two cyclones devastated their island.

Tanna Island, which is about 1,300 miles east of northern Australia, has not made contact since two cyclones in two days left a trail of destruction, according to The Times.

The nation Vanuatu was also hit by a 6.5-magnitude earthquake and military rescue teams from Australia, New Zealand and France are rushing to the nation for help.

It is feared that Tanna Island, 140 miles south of Vanuatu's capital Port Vila, has been hit the hardest and by Monday, authorities weren't able to make contact with the island.

The kastom tribes of Tanna worshipped Prince Philip as one of their own for decades and live on the 25-mile-long island.

The kastom tribes of Tanna worshipped Prince Philip as one of their own for decades and live on the 25-mile-long island

According to local myth, Prince Philip (left) was a man born on Tanna and a great spirit inhabited his body, but he left Tanna before the Second World War to seek his fortune in the UK, where he met and wed Elizabeth II

Tanna Island, which is about 1,300 miles east of northern Australia, has not made contact since two cyclones in two days left a trail of destruction

According to local myth, Prince Philip was a man born on Tanna and a great spirit inhabited his body, but he left Tanna before the Second World War to seek his fortune in the UK, where he met and wed Elizabeth II.

Channel 4's Meet the Natives documented the tribes attempt to reconnect with Prince Philip via a delegation of tribe men who travelled to the UK conduct 'reverse anthropology', as the show's creator put it.

They even had a private meeting with the duke as part of the series.

Vanuatus National Disaster Management Office has said that most of the country's 320,000 population including 125,500 children have been affected by the cyclone, leaving them without power, clean water or telecommunications.

New Zealanders in capital city Port Vila said today that they still haven't heard from friends and family on Tanna Island, while a chairman of the Vanuatu Business Resilience Council said the island residents may remain cut off because the communication lines are still down.
President Yoon Suk Yeol shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during their summit in New York, Sept. 21, 2022. Courtesy of presidential office





By Nam Hyun-woo







As the South Korean government announced its resolution on the wartime forced labor issue, Monday, chances are growing that President Yoon Suk Yeol will visit Japan within this month and consolidate his idea for trilateral security cooperation between Seoul, Washington and Tokyo to be the linchpin for countering North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.







There is growing expectation for a summit with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida after the Korean government proposed Monday to compensate South Korean victims of Japan's wartime forced labor via a Seoul-based public foundation, which Kishida welcomed saying the move will help mend relations between the two neighbors.







According to government sources, the South Korean presidential office and diplomatic authorities of Seoul and Tokyo are coordinating on Yoon's visit to Japan, which could happen as early as this month.







Given that Japan is about to pass its government budget for the 2023 fiscal year, and Prime Minister Kishida is planning a three-day visit to India from March 19, Yoon's visit to Tokyo, if it takes place, will likely be during the last week of the month.







An official of the presidential office said talks have not begun for a South Korea-Japan summit, but chances are high.







"After former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda visited South Korea in November 2011 and former President Lee Myung-bak visited Japan the following month, the reciprocal visits between the two countries' leaders have been suspended for 12 years," the official said. "With the two countries' governments acknowledging this, chances are open for negotiations on this matter."







"Consultations between diplomatic authorities of South Korea and Japan are now in their final stages," Korea's National Security Director Kim Sung-han told reporters Sunday. "There will be an official announcement at the appropriate time, if important measures for opening a new era in Korea-Japan relations are established."







Kim continued that if the forced labor issue is addressed, the two countries will be able to improve bilateral ties and trilateral cooperation involving the United States. "For this, the two countries' leaders should meet and cut the Gordian knot, and then take care of pending issues in a prompt manner," Kim said. Cutting the Gordian knot refers to solving intractable problems in a quick and decisive manner.







One of the Seoul-Tokyo frictions that can be resolved is Japan's export restrictions on key industrial materials to South Korea.







In protest to Seoul's Supreme Court ruling in 2018 ordering Japanese companies to compensate forced labor victims, Japan removed South Korea from its list of fast-track trade partners and restricted the exports of materials vital for the semiconductor industry. South Korea filed a complaint against the restrictions with the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2019.







Hours after the South Korean government announced the resolution, its Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that it will suspend the WTO dispute settlement processes it initiated and the two countries' governments will engage in discussions in order to "return the current trade status back to that of July 2019."







This is another conciliatory gesture given that Japan intends to lift the trade restrictions depending on Seoul's gesture. Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun reported that the Japanese government is considering lifting its export restrictions if South Korea drops its WTO complaint. The Nikkei also reported that the Japanese government may lift the restrictions if the forced labor issue is addressed.







Outlook is also positive on getting the two countries' General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) back on track.







The GSOMIA is a bilateral security agreement between South Korea and Japan to share sensitive military and intelligence information. The former Moon Jae-in administration nearly let the pact expire in 2019 in response to Tokyo's tightened controls on exports to Seoul.







However, South Korea conditionally suspended the decision to terminate the agreement, following a resolution passed in the U.S. Senate calling on Seoul to renew it, leaving the pact in a somewhat unstable state, as the South Korean government had said that it could scrap the GSOMIA at any time.







If the agreement returns to its previous status, it will come as a boost for Yoon's aim of taking advantage of the Seoul-Washington-Tokyo trilateral security cooperation as an important framework to counter Pyongyang's threats.







If those matters show signs of progress, observers said the two countries leaders may resume visiting each other regularly. In 2004, then President Roh Moo-hyun and then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi agreed to visit each other's country every year, but this has been halted and resumed depending on the status of bilateral relations at any given time.







Even if Yoon and Kishida do not meet later this month, chances are still open for them to have a meeting on the sidelines of the Group of Seven Summit scheduled for May. South Korea is not a member nation of the organization, but Yoon is anticipated to receive an invitation as the leader of an observer country.







The U.S. would likely see improved Seoul-Tokyo relations as desirable progress, as the superpower has been signaling that it wants to use the Seoul-Tokyo-Washington security cooperation as a tool to contain China's assertive territorial claims and advances. Yoon is anticipated to visit the U.S. in late April.







"Today's announcements between the Republic of Korea and Japan mark a groundbreaking new chapter of cooperation and partnership between two of the United States' closest allies," U.S. President Joe Biden said in a statement. "When fully realized, their steps will help us to uphold and advance our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific."







Civic group members stage a rally denouncing the Korean government's resolution on compensating South Korean victims of wartime forced labor by Japanese companies, in Daejeon, Monday. Yonhap





However, it remains uncertain how Yoon's efforts to improve ties with Japan will affect South Korea's domestic politics. The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is slamming the resolution, calling it "a surrender to Japan," while Tokyo is still showing a lukewarm response.







While appearing at Japan's House of Councilors Budget Committee, Monday, Kishida said that his administration has succeeded former Japanese administrations' perceptions on history.







This is interpreted as meaning that Japan will uphold the 1998 joint declaration issued by then President Kim Dae-jung and then Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi, which contains Tokyo's "deep remorse and heartfelt apology" over its colonial rule of South Korea, but will not make new apologies reflecting its imperial history.







Given the South Korean public's anti-Japan sentiment, Yoon's overture to Japan is not likely to help his approval ratings. An official at the presidential office said, "We are already expecting a public backlash or a drop in the approval rating, but the president believes it is time to make a decision for the sake of the country's future."







In 2019, the conservative Liberty Korea Party, a predecessor of the current ruling People Power Party, saw its approval rating plunging after calling for a negotiation-based dovish approach.


Public companies are revealing how much money their head executives truly collected last year after taking into account their stock options, using an SEC-approved approach dubbed 'compensation actually paid.'

The new money measurer was designed to provide more accurate insight into the pay disclosures for several companies' top executives, beyond the temporal numbers taken from a moment in time that investors have been provided for years.

The old approach, which is still in use by most firms, currently requires companies to only show pay for top executives as it was valued when received.

Now, however, at least 65 high-profile companies have adopted the practice, which attempts to bridge the gap between packages agreed upon at the start of the year and the number actually dished out, by tabulating gains in stock awards that comprise the execs' pay packages.

Included in that faction is Indiana-based Eli Lilly (pictured, CEO David Ricks), diaper giant Kimberly-Clark, and oil-kingpin Schlumberger Ltd, which all enjoyed pronounced gains in 2022

Subsequently, the firm's head executives were the ones to bear the fruits of this success, with eye-watering pay packages that have now been laid bare by the new rules, which the Journal reported was first adopted in August (file photo)

The results, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, come as markedly shocking, with several CEO for firms such Indiana-based Pharma giant Eli Lilly and Huggies maker Kimberly-Clark Corp. sporting take-homes that in many cases are two-to-even-three times more than what was previously known.

Of those to adopt the new measure as of Monday, 23 are in the S&P 500 - a respected a stock market index with 500 of some of the largest publicly traded corporations in the country.

Included in that faction is Indiana-based Eli Lilly, diaper giant Kimberly-Clark, and oil-kingpin Schlumberger Ltd, which all enjoyed pronounced gains in 2022.

Subsequently, the firm's head executives were the ones to bear the fruits of this success, with eye-watering pay packages that have now been laid bare by the new rules, which the Journal reported was first adopted in August.

While not mandatory, the approach was designed to help investors better understand how well executive pay correlates with company performance - while holdouts have argued the new method is unnecessarily costly and complicated.

Schlumberger adopted the practice, with the Journal revealing Sunday that the firm's French CEO, 60-year-old Olivier Le Peuch, took home an additional $24million in 2022 according to a proxy filed earlier this year

According to the Journal's report, the difference came down to stock growth the Houston-based oilfield service enjoyed this past year, which has seen its stock price swell more than 33 percent since this time in 2022, and more than 70 percent that year alone (file photo)

This, however, did not stop Schlumberger for adopting the practice, with the Journal revealing Sunday that the firm's French CEO, 60-year-old Olivier Le Peuch, took home an additional $24million in 2022 according to a proxy filed earlier this year.

The company responsible for Huggies disposable diapers, also based in Texas, were among those to achieve such success, with Kimberly-Clark Corp. reporting a true compensation of $23.4 million for its CEO Michael Hsu - nearly $10million more than the exec's previously known pay package of $14.6 million

According to the Journal's report, the difference came down to stock growth the Houston-based oilfield service enjoyed this past year, which has seen its stock price swell more than 33 percent since this time in 2022, and more than 70 percent that year alone.

The sharp rise in the company's share price saw the value of stock Le Peuch had received in previous years rise by $15.4 million during the year, adding to the exec's already known annual compensation of $15.7million.

That said, Le Peuch's equity awards, valued at $12million when penned in January 2022, rose in value by about $8.1million during the year, for a grand total of just under $24million dollars in total compensation.

Those equity awards include grants made in 2019 when Le Peuch became the oil company's chief executive, a spokesman confirmed to the Journal Sunday, as the paper published Le Peuch and several others' true pay packages.

The rise in equity can be credited to the company's stark surge in share price - an occurrence also enjoyed by several other CEOs who managed to circumvent current market woes and see a rise in their firms' market evaluation.

However, in Hsu's case, the difference stemmed in new stock and option awards the CEO received last year, which, like Le Peuch, also increased by year's end thanks to the company's earning performance (file photo)

The company responsible for Huggies disposable diapers, also based in Texas, were among those to achieve such success, with Kimberly-Clark Corp. reporting a true compensation of $23.4 million for its CEO Michael Hsu - nearly $10million more than the exec's previously known pay package of $14.6 million.

What some of the top CEOs in the country said they were getting paid... versus what they ACTUALLY got: Schlumberger Ltd CEO Olivier Le Peuch: Reported - $12M

Actual - $24M Kimberly-Clark Corp CEO Michael Hsu: Reported - $14.6M

Actual - $23M Eli Lilly & Co CEO David Ricks: Reported: $21M

Actual: $64M Advertisement

However, in Hsu's case, the difference stemmed in new stock and option awards the CEO received last year, which, like Le Peuch, also increased by year's end thanks to the company's earning performance.

In a statement to the Journal, the company confirmed Hsu's compensation as well as the company's reported net income reached in 2022, equaling $1.9 billion, which was up roughly 6.6 percent from the year prior.

Downplaying the gains by stating the new measure of pay 'fluctuates due to stock price and levels of projected and actual achievement of performance goals,' a Kimberly-Clark spokesman added that $100 invested in the company would have returned only about $109 this three years, as opposed to an estimated $131 for funds invested in similar companies.

The most pronounced disparity, however, came from Eli Lilly & Co., an American pharmaceutical company with offices in 18 countries that has enjoyed a 22 percent surge in share price this past year.

Moreover, the company's share price jumped an even more pronounced 32 percent over the course 2022, leaving CEO David Ricks with an additional $43million in pay to enjoy, added to the $21.4 million tabulated under the traditional calculation.

Under the new compensation-actually-paid measure, Ricks true take-home was $64.1 million, which serves as one of the highest CEO compensations in the country, behind the likes of Warner Bros. Discovery's David Zaslav, who is paid an annual $246million, and Amazon's Andy Jassy, who in 2022 was paid $212.7million.

Neither of those companies have adopted the new practice as of yet, with many contending its is too costly and convoluted to prove effective.

Moreover, share price and the new compensation measure don't always move in tandem.
Chris Rock was applauded Monday by the co-hosts of 'The View' for hitting back at Will Smith a year after the slap at the Academy Awards ceremony.

During Monday's shows, the anchors offered words of praise for Rock, who dropped his new Netflix special 'Chris Rock: Selective Outrage' Saturday, broadcast live from Baltimore, Maryland - Jada Pinkett Smith's hometown.

'I thought Chris Rock nailed it. I thought he came back swinging  no pun intended  but I did think it was smart that he waited a year,' said co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin.

The other 'View' ladies voiced similar opinions on Rock's response to the slap, however, some voiced their concerns over jokes pointed at Smith and Pinkett Smith.

'Selective Outrage' debuted to acclaim with many on social media calling it the 'best brutal takedown' in history and saying it was the 'perfect slap back.'

Chris Rock was applauded Monday by the co-hosts of 'The View' for hitting back at Will Smith a year after the slap at the Academy Awards ceremony

'Selective Outrage' debuted to acclaim with many on social media calling it the 'best brutal takedown' in history after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards

A clip posted to Twitter shared the seven minute conversation hosts Whoopi Goldberg, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin, Farah Griffin, and Ana Navarro had on the topic.

The video begins with Goldberg - the veteran of the group - introducing a snippet from Rock's standup special in which he jokes that he watched Will Smith's 'Emancipation' movie 'just to see him get whooped.'

Several of the co-hosts laugh as Haines and Navarro are seen awkwardly smiling.

Goldberg then asks the group what they thought of the special, resulting in a few seconds of silence before Hostin pipes up to give her opinion.

'It's taken him a year to respond - he responded on a $40 million Netflix special which I think is brilliant - and that was his truth, that's how he experienced it,' Hostin said.

She then went on to offer pseudo-criticisms on Rock's jokes, which took aim at Pinkett-Smith's 'entanglement' scandal in which she was caught with another man.

During his special, Rock suggested Smith took out his built-up frustration on him during the Academy Awards after his 'G.I. Jane' joke regarding Pinkett Smith's baldness, caused by alopecia.

'We all been cheated on. Everybody in this industry has been cheated on," Rock said, referencing Pinkett Smith's 'entanglement' and subsequent interview with Smith on 'Red Table Talk.'

'None of us have ever been interviewed by the person that cheated on us on television. None of us. ... Why the f**k would you do that s**t? She hurt him way more than he hurt me, okay?' Rock said.

Farah Griffin said Monday she thought it was 'smart that he [Rock] waited a year,' to deliver his brutal response and that he 'nailed it' after taking time to grapple with the situation.

'Comedians often times grapple with things different than other people do and I think him turning back to comedy was the way to do it, you know, take the narrative back,' the co-host continued.

Alyssa Farah Griffin said Monday she thought it was 'smart that he [Rock] waited a year,' to deliver his brutal response and that he 'nailed it' after taking time to grapple with the situation

Rock suggested Smith took out his built-up frustration on him during the Academy Awards after his 'G.I. Jane' joke regarding Pinkett Smith's baldness, caused by alopecia

'We all been cheated on. Everybody in this industry has been cheated on," Rock said, referencing Pinkett Smith's 'entanglement' and subsequent interview on 'Red Table Talk'

'None of us have ever been interviewed by the person that cheated on us on television. None of us. ... Why the f**k would you do that s**t? She hurt him way more than he hurt me, okay?' Rock said

CHRIS ROCK HAVING THE LAST LAUGH? #TheView co-hosts weigh in on the comedian's comedy special Saturday night where he fired back at Will and Jada Pinkett Smith almost a year after Will Smith slapped Rock at the Oscars. https://t.co/cVclFZQmjA pic.twitter.com/m8UfywpznB  The View (@TheView) March 6, 2023

'Because I was raised,' Rock said in response to those who asked why he didn't hit Smith back. 'You know what my parents taught me? Don't fight in front of white people'

After Farah Griffin had given her peace, Haines chimed in to discuss her favorite part of the special - the very end - when Rock responded to critics who asked why he didn't fight Smith back during the Oscars.

'Because I was raised,' Rock said. 'You know what my parents taught me? Don't fight in front of white people,' he said before dropping the mic.

While Haines did not mention the 'white people' part of the line, she did say that she thought him mentioning how he is a reflection of his parents and an example to his own children was 'powerful.'

'It's such a powerful line of I've got parents and you know how you always think of I've got parents and I've got kids. I'm a reflection of the ones that raised me and I'm an example for the ones I'm raising. That is a really powerful moment,' Haines said.

After Hostin mentions the 'fight in front of white people' portion of the line, Navarro adds in her two cents, saying: 'Okay, but I think there would be people that would argue that what he's doing now is fighting in front of white people.'

Even Navarro, one of the most liberal voices on the daytime talk show, admitted she wasn't upset over his delivery.

'But I'm not mad at him about it, I think he's entitled to say his truth,' she said.

She continued, describing the special overall as 'funny as hell' and giving credit to the bits that did not involve Smith, Pinkett Smith, or the slap at all.

'There are bits about sleeping with older women versus sleeping with younger women that had me on the floor laughing,' Navarro said.

'There are bits about sleeping with older women versus sleeping with younger women that had me on the floor laughing,' co-host Ana Navarro said of Rock's new standup special

Despite her praise, the co-host also mentioned parts of the special that made her cringe, including the line about Rock watching 'Emancipation' just to see Smith's character abused.

The film follows Smith's character, Peter, a slave who was nearly beaten to death before making a treacherous journey north to escape to freedom.

'That line about "Emancipation." For me, there are certain things that are sacred that you don't joke about. You don't joke about Emmett Till. You don't joke about Peter the slave,' she said.

Hostin also piped up to say she cringed at certain abortion jokes Rock made before Haines turns to Goldberg and asks if she got the chance to watch.

'I missed a lot of it,' Goldberg says before going on to praise Rock's works.

'There is very little that Chris Rock will do that I don't appreciate. He doesn't pull punches. He says what he thinks and he takes the consequences,' she said.
The father of the 35-year-old Manhattan woman found dead in her car of an apparent suicide is struggling for answers while describing his daughter as 'my whole world.'

Ariel Campbell, a psychotherapist, was found dead in the back seat of her Jeep on Sunday after ingesting hazardous chemicals.

DailyMail.com can reveal that Brandt lime sulfur  often used to kill pests on plants and fruits  was found in her passenger seat and had been with mixed with an unknown substance to form hydrogen sulfide gas, a deadly chemical if ingested.

Her father David Campbell, 75, said it's possible her mother Elizabeth's death last year was a factor.

'I know she had a great deal of difficulty dealing with the loss of her mother and I can only imagine that's what drove her to this,' said Campbell, the former CEO of Global Minerals and Metals Corp.

Ariel Campbell, 35, was found dead in her car in Manhattan Sunday of an apparent suicide after ingesting hazardous chemicals

Hazmat-clad first responders descended on Midtown Manhattan Sunday afternoon after a woman  psychologist Ariel Campbell  was found dead in her car surrounded by hazardous chemicals

Ariel was first spotted unresponsive in her black Jeep at around 11.23am Sunday by a dogwalker

Ariel, a licensed clinical psychotherapist who specialized in treating anxiety and mood disorders, didn't disclose to her family why she might take her own life.

'She left no note in her apartment or with her, so I don't know much about what happened and what's behind it,' Campbell said.

'All I can tell you is that Ariel was my only child,' he continued in describing the tragic loss.

'My wife and her mother passed away last year, and the two of them were my whole world. And now with her mother gone, Ariel was my entire world. And now she's gone. Both my wife and I could not possibly have loved her more.

'And to avoid breaking out in tears, that's all I can really tell you.'

The apparent suicide happened inside her parked Jeep at East 56th Street and Sutton Place, near the East River, about a block from the building where she previously lived with her family.

Ariel had a privileged upbringing. She had gone to the private Dalton School and then on to Cornell University where she earned a Bachelor's Degree in psychology according to her LinkedIn profile.

She then went on to earn a PhD in psychology at the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, a division of New York's Yeshiva University.

She said on LinkedIn she was a 'licensed clinical psychologist specializing in cognitive behavioral therapy with adults, adolescents and children.

'Areas of expertise include treatment of anxiety disorders, depression, OCD and trauma,' she wrote, adding she had 'significant experience working with patients of all ages, presenting disordered eating, emotion dysregulation, interpersonal difficulties, behavioral problems and general difficulties coping with typical life stressors.'

Two NYPD officers and an EMS worker sustained minor injuries at the scene, and one was transported to a local hospital in the aftermath

The apparent suicide happened inside her parked Jeep at East 56th Street and Sutton Place, near the East River, about a block from the building where she previously lived with her family

Emergency vehicles line up near the scene in Midtown Manhattan where Campbell was found dead inside a car surrounded by 'hazardous chemicals'

DailyMail.com can reveal that Brandt lime sulfur  often used to kill pests on plants and fruits  was found in her passenger seat and had been with mixed with an unknown substance to form hydrogen sulfide gas, a deadly chemical if ingested

Ariel was first spotted unresponsive in her vehicle at around 11.23am Sunday by a dogwalker.

When two officers arrived on the scene, they were said to have immediately been hit by a powerful, sulfuric odor and found the woman dead at the scene.

The odor was reported to smell like rotten eggs.

Hazmat-clad emergency service members descended on the scene, closing down the street as first responders could be seen using Geiger counters to measure radiation levels in the area.

The area remained cordoned off Sunday evening, after two NYPD officers and an EMS member suffered minor injuries. One of them was taken to a local hospital in the aftermath.

Authorities said an array of liquid chemicals, now confirmed to be lime sulfur, were found inside the car, the combination of which is believed to have killed Ariel.
The public has its first sighting of Sen. John Fetterman since he checked himself into the hospital for clinical depression in photos posted by his chief of staff on Monday.

The Pennsylvania Democrat entered Walter Reed Medical Center 18 days ago on February 16, leaving him absent on crucial Senate votes, but his staff says they have been in contact with him regularly on work matters.

'Productive morning with Senator Fetterman at Walter Reed discussing the rail safety legislation, Farm Bill and other Senate business,' chief of staff Adam Jentleson wrote in a tweet along with photos of him and Fetterman looking over documents.

'John is well on his way to recovery and wanted me to say how grateful he is for all the well wishes. Hes laser focused on PA & will be back soon.'

The public has its first sighting of Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania) since he checked himself into Walter Reed for depression. His chief of staff posted photos on Monday

The Pennsylvania Democrat entered Walter Reed Medical Center on February 16, leaving him absent on crucial Senate votes, but his staff says they have been in contact with him regularly on work matters

'Productive morning with Senator Fetterman at Walter Reed discussing the rail safety legislation, Farm Bill and other Senate business,' chief of staff Adam Jentleson wrote in a tweet along with photos of him and the senator

While in the hospital, Fetterman signed onto bipartisan rail safety legislation introduced after the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, in early February. A member of the Agriculture Committee, the senator also has a hand drafting the farm bill Congress votes on every five years.

Fetterman, 53, sought in-patient treatment for 'severe' depression after being hospitalized for dizziness after the State of the Union on February 7 and still recovering from a stroke on the campaign trail in May.

His wife, Gisele, posted on Twitter in response to the photos: 'Society's expectations and traditional gender roles play a part in why men are less likely to discuss or seek help for their mental health. As always, John continues to challenge the conversation. So human, so kind, so cute.'

Last week Donald Trump Jr. lobbed a cruel attack at the Democrat at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), calling him a 'vegetable' and saying he would be better employed as a 'bag guy' at a grocery store than a U.S. senator.

During his stroke recovery, Fetterman struggled with sensory processing issues, and relied on simultaneous translation computer software in media interviews and to do his Senate duties.

A senior aide told NBC that it has been challenging to differentiate between the senator's stroke recovery and the depression, with the staffer saying it's sometimes unclear if he's 'not hearing you, or is he sort of crippled by his depression and social anxiety.'

Fetterman is not the only Senator out on personal leave. Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, is being treated for shingles, Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, is home after the death of his mother, and Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, is recovering from COVID. They all missed upper chamber votes last week, leaving the Senate in a 48-48 balance - the Democrats currently control the Senate 51-49.

Vice President Kamala Harris had to cast several tie-breaking votes as the President of the Senate.
Donald Trump attended his daughter-in-law Lara's fashion show at Mar-a-Lago where the former president got up on stage to promote his 2024 run for the White House during a fundraiser for a dog rescue.

After praising his son Eric Trump's wife Lara for her efforts helping with the fundraiser fashion show, the former president got up on stage to make a few remarks before the friendly crowd.

'Remember this  we have a country that's in trouble,' Trump said as he got up on the catwalk and took the microphone for a few quick words.

'We will Make America Great Again,' he added to cheers from the crowd. 'We will make it better than ever before.'

Lara strutted down the catwalk in a blue corset dress for a Mar-a-Lago fundraiser as Donald Trump's Jr.'s long-term partner Kimberley Guilfoyle proudly filmed her, just hours after the pair spoke at CPAC.

Lara donned a flowing blue dress from Parisian designer Anne Fontaine.

Former President Donald Trump got on stage at a fundraiser fashion show put on by his daughter-in-law Lara Trump. He made it political, saying: 'Remember this  we have a country that's in trouble. We will Make America Great Again'

Lara Trump strutted her stuff in a blue flowing corset dress for an event at Mar-a-Lago raising money for a dog rescue

Following the fashion show, a woman in a zebra-print mini-dress welcomed former President Trump onto the stage and handed him the microphone. In the background, an orchestral instrumental version of the Village People's hit YMCA was playing over the speakers.

'I assume Lara's around someplace,' Trump said as he scanned the crowd for his daughter-in-law, who was standing behind him on the stage.

'She's so incredible, so great,' he continued. 'She wanted to make this very special this year. She worked with the group behind me and the group in front of me.'

Trump wore a navy blue suit and red tie.

The ex-Commander in Chief's daughter-in-law looked to be having the time of her life during the show. She flicked her hair, played up to the cameras and twirled while showing off her legs in nude high heels.

'Somebody (@bigdogranchrescue) let me pretend to be a model again today,' she wrote on social media, thanking the charity for letting her participate.

Guilfoyle - the fiance of the ex-president's eldest son Don Jr., did not walk down the runway but posted video of Trump and pictures with Lara.

The two-day event - titled 'Wine, WoMEN and Shoes' - was held at the president's Florida Mar-a-Lago resort and run by Big Dog Ranch Rescue.

The former made a surprise cameo at the even in 2021.

He called Lara, who helps put together the event, 'incredible' before teasing at an eventual Senate run for his daughter-in-law that never materialized.

Lara Trump worked the runway at a pet adoption fashion show for charity over the weekend. The wife of former President Donald Trump's second son Eric, walked down in a flowing blue corset dress from Parisian designer Anne Fontaine

Kimberly Guilfoyle, Donald Trump Jr.'s fiance, was also in attendance at the charity event

Trump came on stage to an orchestra instrumental version of the Village People's hit YMCA and praised his daughter-in-law as 'incredible'

At the fundraiser, a shirtless male model had several cross-body purses on both of his shoulders and was carrying a larger hand bag while wearing white jeans and white sneakers

The benefit not only features the promise of booze and models, but a 'celebrity doggie fashion show' as well.

Big Dog Ranch Rescue promotes itself as 'the largest cage-free, no-kill dog rescue in the U.S. We are committed to rescuing, nurturing and adopting dogs into loving homes.'

Their President and Founder Laurie Simmons - like both Trump and Guilfoyle - has often appeared as a guest of Tucker Carlson on his Fox News show.

In a press release celebrating Eric's mother Ivana Trump after her 2022 death, the organization noted that 'Eric and Lara Trump frequently participate in BDRR fundraisers to save dogs and Lara has been instrumental in garnering legislation that prevents animal cruelty including the ban on Greyhound racing in Florida.'

A 2021 report by HuffPost claimed the organization has spent as much as $1.9 million at Trump's properties in recent years.

'The quality of service, beauty of the venue and excellent rate provided us as a nonprofit as well as the generosity of supporters who sell-out our event there every year allows us to rescue and home thousands of dogs.'

'Our investment there and at the other venues mentioned in the article has netted more than $12 million over an eight-year period which allows us to continue our mission,' Simmons said in a statement defending her association with the Trump family.

The ex-Commander in Chief's daughter-in-law, Lar, looks to be having the time of her life, flicking her hair, playing up to the cameras, twirling and showing off her legs in nude high heels

Lara Trump twirls on the catwalk just hours after speaking at CPAC Saturday

The two-day event - titled 'Wine, WoMEN and Shoes' - was held at the president's Florida Mar-a-Lago resort and run by Big Dog Ranch Rescue

The claim to have saved over 50,000 dogs since Big Dog Ranch Rescue was founded in 2008.

'Our mission is to save 5,000 dogs every year, to heal and place them with loving families and to educate people about the proper care for dogs and the importance of spaying and neutering,' their website claims.

Lara Trump served as an advisor to her father-in-law's 2020 presidential campaign and spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Maryland this weekend.

'Under Joe Biden, America is crumbling,' she said during her speech and touted Trump's efforts to lower unemployment vs. that of Biden's.

Former President Trump once again dominated the straw poll at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, with 62 percent of attendees surveyed saying they want him as the 2024 GOP nominee.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who skipped the annual confab that returned this year to suburban D.C., again came in second with 20 percent support.

Trump improved on his performance from last February's CPAC, where he received 55 percent support, while DeSantis' support remained stable. He got 21 percent last year when the conference was held in his home state of Florida.

Former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, who continues to falsely claim she won her election, was voted the top pick to be Trump's vice president.
A community in Nebraska is in an uproar after two illegal Honduran migrants allegedly killed an American bald eagle with the intention of eating it.

Stanton County Sheriff Mike Unger said the incident has upset many community members and is calling on federal authorities to take action, but told 'Fox & Friends First' on Monday that he has yet to get an answer.

The sheriff's office cited Ramiro Hernandez-Tziquin, 20 and Domingo Zetino-Hernandez, 20, both of Norfolk, Nebraska, for unlawful possession of the eagle, a misdemeanor, which is the 'most we can do,' Unger said.

Killing is bald eagle is a violation of the 1940 Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, a federal law that carries a punishment of up to one year in prison, a $100,000 fine, or both, for a first offense, according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

But the federal authorities must bring those charges, Unger said, adding that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has not responded to him.

The men, who were cited and released, are scheduled to appear in court in April and more serious charges are possible. According to Nebraska law, the suspects can't be held in jail before their court appearance, The Free Beacon reported.

Ramiro Hernandez-Tziquin, 20 and Domingo Zetino-Hernandez, 20, were cited after allegedly killing a bald eagle but Stanton County Sheriff Mike Unger is calling on the feds to take action

Killing is bald eagle is a violation of the 1940 Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, a federal law that carries a punishment of up to one year in prison, a $100,000 fine, or both, for a first offense. But the federal authorities must bring those charges, Unger said

Deputies with the Stanton County Sheriff's Office responded to the report of a suspicious vehicle on private property in the Wood Duck Recreation Area - about 100 miles north of Omaha, on February 28.

They found two men in possession of a dead American Bald eagle, according to the release.

An investigation revealed that the men, who were both nationals from Honduras, had shot and killed the eagle and had said they planned on cooking and eating it.

Unger said the eagle was shot on private property, which upset the property owners, who had called the authorities to report the suspicious vehicle.

'We find this very alarming, I'm sure nationwide, but locally it's been very alarming to the citizens,' Unger said.

While the men were only cited for unlawful possession of the eagle, causing an uproar in the community, Unger said more serious charges are possible.

'People locally that I've talked to are quite upset, and they wish for something to be done. And the federal government is the one that really has the authority and the ability to prosecute these gentlemen to the highest degree,' he said. 'I have tried [to call] numerous times and I have yet to speak to a human.'

An investigation revealed that the men, who were both nationals from Honduras, had shot and killed the eagle with this airsoft rifle and had said they planned on cooking and eating it

Unger said the men spoke no English and that it was not clear if the men understood that bald eagles are protected under federal law

Unger said the men spoke no English and that it was not clear if the men understood that bald eagles are protected under federal law.

'I'm trying to be as politically correct as possible when I say this, but I don't know what kind of third-world life they're coming from, but it must have been pretty bad,' Unger told the outlet.

Their only form of identification were documents from the Honduran consulate, the Washington Free Beacon reported.

'Their actions would lead us to believe that they probably didn't realize (the birds are protected) -- at least not protected as much as it would be, as our national bird,' he said.

Nebraska Game and Parks was contacted and took custody of the eagle, along with the rifle that was used to kill the bird.

The eagle had been shot with an airsoft rifle that Unger said could have been bought with cash and that an ID was not needed to purchase the weapon.

'Again, people locally that I've talked to are quite upset, and they wish something could be done,' he said. 'And the federal government is the one that really has the authority and the ability to prosecute these gentlemen to the highest degree.'

The population of American bald eagles faced a decline due to hunting and habitat loss, but there have been conservation efforts and the banning of insecticide DDT in 1972, which has led to the bird being removed from the Endangered Species Act in 2007.
PETA founder loves designer for use of apples and mushrooms as materials

PETA 'tipped their vegan hats' to 'animal-friendly pioneer' Stella McCartney after she used seven protected wild Cargue horses as the centre-piece of her Paris Fashion Week show - but another campaigner slammed the designer for the 'ethically questionable' stunt.

PETA Founder Ingrid Newkirk said that Linda McCartney adored horses and had inspired in her children, who would never tolerate any sort of mistreatment towards them - or other animals.

She added: 'PETA tips our vegan hats to animal-friendly fashion pioneer Stella McCartney, who reaffirmed why we love her by stating ahead of the show that her fabulous designs are made of apples, mushrooms, microfibre, and other exciting materials, a lesson for any designer still using fur, leather, or exotic skins to heed.'

But not everyone shared Ms Newkirk's view and a spokesman for Animal Aid said that using horses, especially feral breeds, in an enclosed environment like this was 'ethically questionable'.

The spokesman continued: 'We are surprised that Stella McCartney is using any horses, let alone the sensitive Camargue breed in her show.

Mane attraction: The seven protected wild Camargue horses were a huge surprise at the event

Denied the neigh-sayers: Organisers had said McCartney was 'crazy' for the horse parade

Horsing around: McCartney asked: 'Have you even seen a wild horse at a fashion show, or a whisperer?'

'Feral Camargue horses have been subject to exploitation for centuries because of their small stature and calm temperament.

'They are intelligent and sensitive and that is why they've survived in the wild Camargue region of France for so long. Fashion shows are no place for horses.

'In line with her vegan morals, Stella McCartney should stop using them in any future fashion shows.'

For years the fashion runway has been a feline-associated domain, with models and designers gracing the so-called catwalk to show off the latest collections.

But today Stella McCartney - a prominent animal rights campaigner - staked a late claim on behalf of horses for her latest designs.

A hint of the surprise equine arrivals in the form of farmyard smells may not have been picked up by guests as they entered the riding school venue, L'Ecole Militaire.

So when seven protected wild Camargue horses cantered in, many of the fashionistas may have been left wondering what else might have been in their glasses of champagne.

Afterwards McCartney - daughter of Beatle Paul - had told the stunned fashion press on a crowded balcony: 'Have you even seen a wild horse at a fashion show, or a whisperer?'

She claimed organisers had called her 'crazy' for attempting to get wild horses to a show.

McCartney said winter was a good time to highlight cruelty-free designs with the unique spectacle of wild animals living, breathing and playing together.

'I really wanted to make a connection with our fellow creatures because there is so much leather and fur and feathers on the runway, especially in winter,' she added.

Here a model wears a creation as part of the Stella McCartney Fall/Winter 2023-2024 in Paris

Avril Lavigne arrives at the Stella McCartney Fall/Winter 2023-2024 ready-to-wear collection presented today

Bags used vegan leather alternatives, such as MIRUM, a plant-based technology, AppleSkin, an apple-based material that creates a crocodile effect

'I wanted to show that you can do (fashion) in a different way you dont need to kill anything and it can be (just) as luxurious.'

Bags used vegan leather alternatives, such as MIRUM, a plant-based technology, AppleSkin, an apple-based material that creates a crocodile effect.

McCartney said the horses had many personal meanings to her, from the photography of her mother Linda and sister Mary to 'being British,' speaking to the love for horses that runs deep in the UK

Making hay: Two of the horses in particular appeared to have decided to snooze in the show

Seven horses were were part of McCartney's show in the French capital Paris today

She said the message of the horses 'is that theyre alive and the clothes havent killed anything so theres a kind of celebration of everything living in harmony with one another.'

The horse handler was a star of the show. McCartney said she first saw him at a London horse show and was impressed with his work.

'They are his wild horses. He doesnt use any bridles, any saddles and hes a horse whisperer - theyre his little babies,' she said.

'I cant even get my dog to do that.'
Arizona rancher George Alan Kelly returned to court on Monday with his wife Wanda to be arraigned on a downgraded, second-degree murder charge for shooting dead a Mexican man on his land.

Kelly, 73, is accused of killing Gabriel Cuen-Butimea on January 30 at his home in Nogales, near the Mexican border.

He pleaded not guilty to second degree murder today.

The judge set a September 6 trial date, despite pleas from Kelly's attorneys for more time to fight the charges.

The elderly rancher called Border Patrol on January 30 requesting back-up, claiming he was being shot at by a gang of Mexican men running through his land. He said he fired warning shots back, but was careful not to hit any of them.

Agents came to the house, which is nestled in a known drugs route, and searched the property but found nothing.

Kelly and his wife Wanda enter court on Monday. He said he was protecting his wife and land when he fired warning shots - but that he never shot any men

Kelly is pictured hunched over as he listens during the hearing with his lawyer on Monday afternoon

Gabriel Cuen-Butimea, 48, was shot dead on January 30 while on George Kelly's land. He was wearing combat boots and was carrying a radio - which the border patrol chief says suggests he was part of the cartel

Kelly's ranch in Nogales is a stone's throw from the border. Nogales is a known hot zone for drug smuggling, where the cartel is 'particularly aggressive', according to border agents

Hours later, when Kelly was out retrieving his horse, he found Cuen-Butimea's body on his land and called police again.

He maintains that he did not shoot the man, but two Mexican men who claim to have been with Cuen-Butimea that day say that he 'hunted' them all down with an AK-47.

They did not clarify why they were on his property.

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Arizona prosecutors believe them.

They first charged Kelly with first degree murder, but downgraded it amid a swell of public criticism.

Kelly - who has no criminal history - told called Border Patrol on January 30 at 2.30pm to report a group of Mexican men running through his land.

He said he was being 'shot at' and fired his own warning shots but was careful not to shoot any of the men directly.

At a previous hearing, his attorney, Brenna Larkin, grilled the detective who questioned Kelly after his arrest.

She suggested it was entirely possible that a rival cartel could have shot Cuen-Butimea - not Kelly - but that cops tried to get him to admit to it anyway.

The detective had testified that he found an AK-47 shell casing on Kelly's porch.

'Isn't the AK47 is most common rifle carried by drug smugglers?' Larkin asked.

'Yes.'

George Alan Kelly and his wife Wanda arriving at court on Monday for his arraignment on second degree murder charges

Kelly was held for weeks on a $1million bond. He was released last week after a judge agreed to convert his bond from cash to surety

Kelly is lead from the dock during the hearing into the alleged murder on Monday afternoon

Kelly's ranch in Arizona where he says he fired warning shots from his porch

She argued the investigation was biased from the beginning.

Former Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott, who was previously a supervisor in the area, told NewsNation that the area has a 'propensity for violence'.

'Everything that I have seen, my professional experience would tell me that that guy was either a scout or an actual guide for a group.

'With the radio, [it's] much more likely he was actually scouting out in advance, or the front-man, but that type of activity and behavior doesn't take place out there unless it's part of the cartel,' he said.

KELLY'S VERSION OF THE STORY: GANG OF DRUG RUNNERS IN COMBAT BOOTS AND CARRYING RADIOS WERE HEARD FIRING THEIR GUNS AND RUNNING THROUGH HIS LAND

The following description is taken from a motion filed by George Alan Kelly's attorney in court.

On January 30, George Alan Kelly reported the discovery of a body on his property near Kino Springs, where he and his wife have lived for the past two decades.

Earlier in the day, he had completed chores on his ranch and had come to his house to eat lunch with his wife.

As they ate, Mr. Kelly heard a single gunshot. Next, he saw his horse - who is old - running away scared and at full speed. Finally, he saw a group of men moving through the trees around his home.

They were armed with AK-47 rifles, dressed in khakis and camouflaged clothing, and carrying large backpacks. None of them were known to him. He hadn't given any of them permission to come onto his land. Based on the foregoing, Mr. Kelly was understandably concerned and reasonably feared for his safety.

He called the United States Border Patrol Ranch Liaison to report what he had seen and to summon immediate help. He told his wife to stay inside, away from the windows, and to stay silent so as not to alert the men to her presence.

Mr. Kelly then went to the porch with his rifle. The leader of the armed group of men saw Mr. Kelly and pointed an AK-47 right at him.

Mr. Kelly, fearing for his life and safety, fired several shots from his rifle, hoping to scare them away from his wife, his animals and his home.

Mr. Kelly took care to aim well over the heads of the armed group of men.

In a written defense submitted to the court, Kelly's attorneys described how he was at home having lunch when he heard shots fired outside and then saw his horse running. He called border patrol, and later the sheriff's department. None of them found the victim's body initially

The group then began running into the desert surrounding his home. Once the group had fled, Mr. Kelly walked over to his barn to see if it was safe and secure.

Mr. Kelly had a conversation with Border Patrol again that ended at 2.36pm....while Mr. Kelly was checking his barn, a number of Border Patrol agents and Sheriff's deputies arrived on the property.

[They] walked all over Mr. Kelly's property in search of the group of people and did not find anybody.

Later that day, as the sun was going down, Mr. Kelly went to his pastures in order to check on his horse. He took his dogs with him. After locating the horse, Mr. Kelly noticed that his dogs were focused on something on the ground near a mesquite tree. Mr. Kelly approached his dogs and observed a body lying face down in the grass.

Mr. Kelly then called Border Patrol Ranch Liaison again.

The body was that of a male foreign national. The person did not have any firearms or a backpack on him. The cause of death appeared to be a single gunshot wound and it appeared the body was fresh.

The person had a radio with him and he was wearing tactical boots, indicating that he was possible involved in illegal activity.

Mr. Kelly does not believe that any of his warning shots could have possibly hit the person or caused the death.

All of the shooting that Mr. Kelly did on the date of that incident was in self-defense and justified.

PROSECUTORS & MIGRANTS' VERSION OF THE STORY: KELLY EMERGED 'UNPROVOKED' WITH AK-47 AND STARTED SHOOTING AT 'INNOCENT' MEN WHO 'POSED NO THREAT TO HIS FAMILY'

The following description is taken from a filing submitted by Santa Cruz County Attorney George E. Silva and Chief Deputy County Attorney Kimberly Hunley.

On January 30, 2023, at around 2.30pm, a group of approximately 7 to 8 undocumented immigrants were traveling north through the Kino Springs area from Mexico. Contrary to Kelly's account, no one in the group was carrying any weapons.

The group , which included R.F-G and D.R.-R, was within sight of the Kelly residence when out of nowhere, Kelly began to shoot at them with an AK-47. Kelly issued no warnings and made no requests.

He just started shooting at them. D.R-R was just one step behind Gabriel when he heard Gabriel call out in Spanish: 'I'm hit', grab his chest and fall to the ground. He saw Gabriel's eyes roll back in his head and when he could only see the whites of his eyes, he knew that Gabriel was dead.

He felt like they were being hunted. Kelly shot at least 8 rounds at them, Both R.F-G and D.R-R jumped the fence and made it back to Mexico. Are willing and available to testify.

Approximately 6 minutes later, Kelly called Agent Morsell again. This time Kelly said he lost visual of the subjects running toward Kino Springs. When asked if he was being shot at, Kelly claimed he heard a gunshot in his direction. He saw his horse running by and he was inspecting his horse but he didn't appear to be stuck,

Prosecutors have now filed additional charges against Kelly for aggravated assault

Prosecutors asked for Kelly to remain in jail on a $1million so that the victim's family in Mexico could travel over the border and attend proceedings

Kelly said it was 'too far to tell if they had any firearms'. Border Patrol Agents and Sheriff's Deputies responded to the scene and walked the property. They did not locate anything at that time,

Kelly called Agent Morsell again at 4.23pm. By this time, his story had significantly changed. He told Agent Morsell he was sitting in the house with his wife when 'we' heard a gunshot.

He said he saw 10 subjects all loaded down with AR Assault rifles. He said his wife saw it too.

Then at 5.23pm, he tried calling Agent Morsell again. He left a message saying 'you need to call me immediately. This is serious. Call me immediately. I can't say more over the phone.'

Agent Morsell returned his call. At this point, Kelly's tone had completely changed. He sounded nervous or scared. Kelly said: 'This is worse than you can imagine. This is bad.'

Kelly told him that he needed Morsell to send Border Patrol because this is a broader issue.

When Morsell requested the details, Kelly continued to be evasive and said: 'This is bad. I need someone to respond out here.' You know how shots were fired earlier, something was possibly shot. I can't say more over the phone.

One of the deputies turned on the recorder on his phone while they talked and walked with Kelly. Kelly told him that there was a shot fired and he didn't know what it was about. He went out to get his horse.

He said he 'walked all over it' and claimed 'maybe this happened after you left' referring to the earlier visit by deputies.

He said 'there's a body over there, as soon as I saw it I backed away from it.' Later, Kelly spoke with detectives. After initially denying that he shot at the group, he later admitted shooting.

He claimed he directed his shots over the heads of the group.
About 30 University of Massachusetts students attending a St. Patrick's Day party were rushed to the hospital after drinking 'blackout rage gallons' inspired by a TikTok trend.

Several students were seen in videos walking in groups to the party known as Blarney Blowout with their drinks, dubbed BORGs, while wearing green attire on Saturday afternoon.

The infamous TikTok drinks are crafted using a half-filled water jug gallon topped off with Vodka, electrolytes and flavoring that can drown out the taste of alcohol.

BORGs became popular among college students since they lessen the chances of being spiked and prevent the spread of infectious diseases, according to Poison Control.

Officials said 28 ambulances were called to the party, including from outside stations. There were no life-threatening cases, The Amherst Fire Department said.

About 30 University of Massachusetts students attending a St. Patrick's Day party were rushed to the hospital after drinking 'blackout rage gallons' inspired by a TikTok trend

Several students were seen in videos walking in groups to the party known as Blarney Blowout with their drinks, dubbed BORGs while wearing green attire on Saturday afternoon

While on their way to Blarney Blowout, some students were stopped by TikTokers asking what they named their drinks.

Most BORGs are known to have some sort of design created with sharpies.

'We gotta know, what's your BORG name?' a man can be heard asking UMass students walking in a group to the party.

'I hate being so BORG,' one female student responded while holding up her blue drink.

'BORGasm,' another chimed in.

About 20 more students with BORGs walked by with multi-colored drinks.

TikToker kettlebellkel filmed herself right before heading to the party while holding her green BORG. She was later seen at the outdoor party interviewing her peers about the name of their BORG.

'What's the name of your BORG,' she asked.

'This is the curious BORG,' one student in a green Boston Celtic jersey said.

Other witty responses included, Justin BORGber, Jake GreenBORG, BORGan Freema and Soulja BORG.

Several BORGs were nearly half full to empty with several students appearing to be drunk. The caption of the video read, 'Bad day to be a borg at UMass' and garnered 1.8 million views.

The infamous TikTok drinks are crafted using a half-filled water jug gallon topped off with Vodka, electrolytes and flavoring that can drown out the taste of alcohol

While on their way to Blarney Blowout, some students were stopped by TikTokers asking what they named their drinks

Other witty responses included, Justin BORGber, Jake GreenBORG, BORGan Freema and Soulja BORG

The caption of the video read, 'Bad day to be a borg at UMass and garnered 1.8 million views

Several students said they started drinking as early as 7am on Saturday

One person recalled the chaos as they watched ambulances arrive at the off-campus party.

'It was very hectic,' Ronan Lambert told Western Mass News. 'This whole street was booked up with students and faculty. Cops were everywhere.'

Other students at the party recalled seeing more police presence around UMass for Saturday's festivities in comparison to last.

'This is the first time were actually seeing them, its the first time they told us to leave,' Mia Dellestrio told the news outlet. 'So, its definitely different this year than last year.

'Some people are probably like "oh my God, the cops are here."'

Meanwhile, University officials said they plan to work on educating students about alcohol safety.
The children were placed in custody of the Veracruz state family system while the rest of the group is being processed to determine their legal status

Of the 343 migrants, 103 were identified as minors who were not traveling with their parents

Authorities in the southeastern Mexican state of Veracruz found 343 migrants inside an abandoned tractor trailer on the side of a highway

At least 343 migrants, including 103 unaccompanied minors, bound for the United States were rescued from an abandoned tractor trailer in southeastern Mexican state of Veracruz.

The group was being smuggled on a freight container that was found on the side of the Cosamaloapan-La Tinaja highway on Sunday night, the National Institute of Migration said in a statement.

Footage released by the agency showed the migrants being assisted from of the back of the cargo box.

Each migrant was wearing a colored bracelet as a form of identification system utilized by the smugglers.

Mexican authorities assist migrants out of an abandoned tractor trailer that was found on the side of a road in the southeastern state of Veracruz on Monday night. Of the 343 migrants who were found inside the cargo box, 103 were identified as unaccompanied minors

Migrants from Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala sit on the ground after they were rescued from a locked tractor trailer that was left stranded on a highway in Veracruz, Mexico, on Sunday night

The group consisted of 212 adults from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Ecuador. There were also 28 people who formed part of Guatemalan and El Salvador.

The National Institute of Migration said most of the unaccompanied migrant children are Guatemalan nationals.

The children were placed in the custody of the Veracruz state family services system while the rest of the migrants were expected to be processed per Mexicos immigration guidelines.

The narrow freight container was outfitted with a metal structure that served as a second floor where some of the migrants were crammed into while the rest remained in the floor level.

The interior of the freight container featured a makeshift second floor where the migrants were crammed into while the rest remained on the floor level

Migrants from Central and South America await to be assisted in Veracruz, Mexico, where authorities rescued 343 individuals who were heading to the United States border

The National Institute of Migration said most of the 103 unaccompanied migrant children who were found inside the trailer are Guatemalan nationals

It also had fans set up along the ceiling and featured a ventilated system in the roof.

The driver of the truck was not present when authorities arrived. No arrests had been reported as of Monday afternoon.

Smuggling networks regularly deploy tractor trailers to smuggle migrants from southern Mexico to the northern states that border with the United States, where the migrants risk their lives by crossing by land or via the Rio Grande river.

In January, Mexican authorities discovered 67 migrants, including 57 kids who were traveling without their parents, after the truck they were being smuggled in was stopped at a checkpoint in Ciudad Juarez.

The minors were all boys between the ages of 14 and 17
A U.S. Air Force B-52H "Stratofortress" from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., is refueled by a KC-135 "Stratotanker" in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Wednesday, in this Dec. 30, 2020 file photo. AP-Yonhap



South Korea and the United States staged combined air drills Monday, involving at least one U.S. nuclear-capable B-52H strategic bomber, Seoul's defense ministry said, in the latest show of America's military might against North Korea's evolving military threats.



The exercise took place over the Yellow Sea, mobilizing the bomber as well as the South's F-15K and KF-16 fighter jets. The allies held similar drills, involving a U.S. B-1B bomber, on Friday.



The deployment of high-profile U.S. military assets came amid concerns that Pyongyang could launch provocations in response to the allies' Freedom Shield (FS) exercise set to take place from March 13-23.



"The U.S.' deployment of the B-52H strategic bomber to the Korean Peninsula demonstrates the alliance's decisive and overwhelming capability and posture to deter, and respond against advancing nuclear and missile threats from North Korea," the ministry said in a release.



The U.S. previously deployed a B-52H bomber here in December last year.



Aside from their preparations for the FS and other field drills, the allies have sought to sharpen their vigilance against North Korean provocations.



Last month, Pyongyang warned Seoul and Washington would face "unprecedentedly" strong counteractions should they press ahead with this year's plans for combined drills, which it has decried as preparations for a war of aggression.



Meanwhile, the allies' Air Forces also kicked off this year's first Buddy Wing exercise at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, 65 kilometers south of Seoul, on Monday, according to Seoul officials.



The regular squadron-level drills, designed to enhance wartime operation capabilities and teamwork, involves some 10 aircraft, including the South's F-15K fighter jet and the U.S.' A-10 attack aircraft, and will run until Friday.



The allies plan to hold the Buddy Wing exercise nine times this year, it added. (Yonhap)


Four eco-zealots including a man who glued his face to the road as activists brought rush-hour chaos to the heart of the country's financial sector are facing jail.

Matthew Tulley, 44, Ben Taylor, 38, George Burrow, 68 and Anthony Hill, 72, blocked traffic between Bishopsgate and Wormwood Street in the City of London on 25 October 2021.

They were convicted of causing a public nuisance by a jury at Inner London Crown Court.

Judge Silas Reid bailed the Insulate Britain protesters ahead of sentence on 31 March.

The judge has sparked controversy by gagging activists from referring to climate change as their motivation for blocking traffic in a series of recent trials.

Pictured left to right: Insulate Britain activists Ben Taylor, Anthony Hill, George Burrow and Matthew Tulley have been convicted of causing a public nuisance

On Friday he jailed Dorset councillor Giovanna Lewis, 65, and horticultural worker Amy Pritchard, 37, for seven weeks each after they ignored the order.

David Matthew, prosecuting, earlier told jurors: 'You are trying the defendants for what they did as part of a group called Insulate Britain.

'At this point, Insulate Britain was blocking a number of roads.

'Blocks on roads had been going on for some weeks and so the police had officers waiting around.'

Mr Matthew told jurors the group decided to target the City of London.

'In the middle ages it had walls all around it. It has been the heart of the country's financial sector.

'It has its own police force, the City of London Police.

'The importance of the area attracted Insulate Britain's attention.

'Insulate Britain had a go at blocking this part of central London.

'Mr Tulley managed to glue his head to the road.

'There is nothing wrong with protest. There is nothing wrong with trying to get your point across. But even if it is done in a non-violent way, there are limits to what you can do.

'You can imagine the diversions and the effect that those diversions would have had on other parts of the road network.

'Bishopsgate is a big bus route.'

Mr Matthew told the jury that the number of bus passengers that would have been affected was between 5,600 and 8,500.

The eco-zealots were convicted of causing a public nuisance by a jury at Inner London Crown Court (pictured)

Giving evidence City of London Police Sergeant Robert Payne said: 'That junction is one of the main junctions in the City of London.

'That route is used by a majority of buses'

'There was a line of protesters with banners sitting across the north-south lanes.

'One protester had glued their face to the road. That was the main risk of harm to an individual at the time.

'A number of protesters had glued their hands or bodies to different carriageways.'

'I have never seen the junction like that. It was absolutely gridlocked. It was chaos. That junction is paramount to the City of London. It was like I've never seen it.'

Insulate Britain has demanded a national programme to insulate all homes by 2030.

Taylor, of Bury, Lancs, Tulley, of Holmfirth, West Yorks, Burrow, of Kendal, Cumbria and Hill, also of Kendal, all denied but were convicted of causing a public nuisance.
He said the effort is to reduce shoplifting and to capture the person's identity on camera in the case that a crime is committed

New York City Mayor Eric Adams is asking business owners to order patrons to remove their face masks when entering businesses to reduce shoplifting.

Adams appeared on the PIX11 Morning News on Monday and called on business owners to stop patrons wearing masks to enter the store. But once inside, they can put their mask back on.

He pointed out that having shoppers remove their masks upon entering stores will lead to their identity being captured on camera in case a crime does occur.

Adams pointed out that thieves are exploiting the safety of the COVID-19 pandemic by wearing masks and committing crimes.

'Let's be clear. Some of these characters going into stores that are wearing a mask, they're not doing it because they are afraid of the pandemic,' he said.

'They're doing it because they're afraid of the police, and we need to stop allowing them to exploit the safety of the pandemic by wearing masks, committing crimes.'

New York City Mayor Eric Adams is asking business owners to order patrons to remove their face masks when entering businesses in an effort to reduce shoplifting

It was advised by city officials and mandated by many businesses that New Yorkers wear masks in public, enclosed places when COVID hit three years ago. For many establishments now, masks indoors are optional.

But now Adams wants New Yorkers to show their entire face when entering a business.

'We are putting out a clear call to all of our shops, do not allow people to enter the store without taking off their face mask,' Adams said.

'Once they're inside, they can continue to wear it if they so desire to do so, but we need to use the technology we have available to identify those shoplifters and those who are committing serious crimes.'

It was not clear how this will be carried out or what will happen if a patron refuses to remove their mask and it leads to a confrontation.

Adams visits the scene of the crime at a jewelry store robbery in Flushing, Queens. He says he wants New Yorkers to show their entire face when entering a business

However, Adams pointed out that this might reduce shoplifting and robbery crimes and even murder

However, Adams pointed out that this might reduce shoplifting and robbery crimes and even murder.

'You saw what happened over the weekend when an innocent store owner was shot and killed,' he told PIX11. 'The person had a hazmat suit on and a mask. He wasn't trying to protect himself from the pandemic.'

The hazmat-suit-clad gunman shot and killed a bodega worker at the Daona Deli on East 81st Street and Third Avenue on the Upper East Side during a robbery late Friday night.

The gunman shot the 67-year-old victim in the head and then fled on a scooter south on Third Avenue. Police believe he turned up in the Bronx about a half hour later, where he held up a Yaya Deli clerk at gunpoint. Nobody was injured in that incident.

Police say the two incidents are connected and were both carried out by a gunman in a white, Tyvek hazmat suit and a black mask.

Surveillance photo of the suspect, right, wanted for killing the 19-year-old cashier while robbing the fast food eatery for just $100

Bayron-Nieves moved to New York from Puerto Rico two years ago. She had only recently obtained her GED

On PIX11 News Monday morning, Adams noted the recent decrease in crime after it spiked and then leveled off during the pandemic.

Last month NYPD revealed a 5.6 percent drop in major crimes for February compared to the same last year, including 11 fewer murders compared with 2022.

Rapes were down by 10.5 percent, robberies were down two percent, shootings were down 11.2 percent and murders 16.9 percent.

Felony assaults were up 11.2 percent in 2023 - 3,780 incidents compared to 3,398 seen in 2022.
Matt Hancock wanted to bring Covid-19 patients from France to the UK for treatment during the pandemic, it was reported last night.

The former health secretary drew up the plan despite lockdown restrictions being in place to protect the NHS.

In WhatsApp messages published by the Daily Telegraph, Mr Hancock hoped to offer spare intensive care unit (ICU) beds to French President Emmanuel Macron.

At the time, France was facing a major outbreak of the virus and Mr Hancock wanted to offer help.

The exchanges reveal that the Health department created a secret plan to take Covid patients from the busiest French hospitals to the UK, despite the risk of importing the virus.

Leaked WhatsApp messages showed Matt Hancock was considering lending spare intensive care unit (ICU) beds to France

At the time France was facing a major outbreak of the virus and Mr Hancock wanted to offer help

French doctors treat a patient suffering from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Robert Ballanger hospital in Aulnay-sous-Bois near Paris during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease in France, October 26, 2020

Britain was under a second national lockdown at the time, which was justified by ministers as being necessary to prevent a medical and moral disaster by overwhelming the NHS.

On 13 November 2020, Mr Hancock shared a letter with advisers that he planned to send to French health minister Olivier Veran.

According to the Telegraph, the letter said: I have seen the pressure on your hospitals, and that some patients are being transferred abroad.

We have our epidemic largely in the north of England, and some spare capacity in London and the south.

We could provide some ICU beds to which you could transfer some patients.

Would that be helpful to relieve pressure on your most affected regions? Our countries have always stood by each other in times of need.

It comes after the relevation that Mr Hancock had joked that Bill Gates 'owes me one' because of 'how many people I'm getting his chips injected into' during the pandemic.

The then Health Secretary referred to unfounded claims that Gates had developed Covid-19 in a lab and used the vaccine to implant microchip tracking devices into billions of people.

Hancock at the time was hoping to get the Microsoft billionaire to help in promoting the country's expertise in identifying coronavirus variants around the world.

On January 25 2021 Hancock's media adviser Damon Poole asked him via WhatsApp if he had spoken to the director general of the World Health Organisation Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus about the New Variant Assessment Platform (NVAP) - a service offering the UK's expertise in detecting new variants of the virus.

Mr Poole then said: 'No promises but Im trying to land a Bill gates endorsement of the platform.'

In a response, Hancock said: 'Tell him that considering how many people Im getting his chips injected into, he owes me one!'

Conspiracy theorists claimed that Bill Gates (left) had developed Covid-19 in a lab and used the vaccine to implant microchip tracking devices into people, which Hancock (right) joked about

The revelation is one of many published by The Telegraph after the paper was handed more than 100,000 WhatsApp messages from Mr Hancock's phone by the journalist to whom he entrusted them in order to ghostwrite his book, Pandemic Diaries.

Journalist Isabel Oakeshott claimed 'he didn't tell me he was going' to Australia for I'm a Celebrity and he 'vanished to the jungle at a critical moment in very difficult dealings with the Cabinet Office'.

She subsequently handed The Daily Telegraph 100,000 of Mr Hancock's WhatsApp texts, which she has described as a 'cache of very raw communications'.

The MP has since said her actions were a 'massive betrayal' used to produce 'a partial, biased account to suit an anti-lockdown agenda'.

Other messages have revealed that Hancock was given advice from England's chief medical officer Chris Whitty to test all residents going into care homes for Covid. Yet he did not follow the recommendation  which, he claims, was due to test shortages at the time.

Texts set out that Cabinet Secretary Simon Case joked with Mr Hancock about locking up travellers arriving in UK in quarantine hotels.

And Mr Hancock told ministers to 'get heavy with police' to enforce lockdown rules, according to the messages.

The most recent revelation revealed that Hancock took his lover Gina Coladangelo to private dinners with the US Secretary of State at a G7 summit before later removing the suggestion he invited her.

The Health Secretary, who was later forced to resign after his affair with Ms Coladangelo emerged, brought his lover, who he had been seeing for a month, to two private dinners with his US counterpart as his guest.

Representatives for Matt Hancock have been contacted by MailOnline for comment.
China's foreign ministry on Monday blasted the U.S. for being 'overly paranoid' after Pentagon officials expressed that Chinese-made shipping cranes could be used as a 'Trojan horse' for spying.

The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday that U.S. officials are growing concerned that the massive cranes used at U.S. ports, including by the military, are a security threat.

They are made by Chinese-based manufacturer ZPMC and contain sensors that track cargo, which Beijing could use to learn the destination of military shipments around the country and the world.

Additionally, the cranes can be remotely accessed, meaning a nefarious actor could tamper with them and interrupt the flow of goods, Bill Evanina, a former top U.S. counterintelligence official, told the Journal.

'Cranes can be the new Huawei,' said Evanina, referencing the Chinese telecom giant banned in the U.S. The cranes could represent the 'perfect combination of legitimate business that can also masquerade as clandestine intelleigence collection,' he said.

The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday that top U.S. security officials fear Chinese-made cranes at ports could act as 'Trojan horses' for Beijing

Cranes can be remotely accessed, meaning a nefarious actor could tamper with them and interrupt the flow of goods

The ZPMC cranes entered the U.S. market two decades ago and were chosen by businesses because of they cost less than Western-made competitors, the Journal said.

China's foreign ministry dismissed such fears Monday and said the suggestion that there would be Chinese spy cranes would only serve to 'mislead the U.S. public,' CBS News reported.

A Chinese embassy representative in Washington told the Journal that U.S. concerns were 'paranoia-driven.'

'Playing the "China card" and floating the "China threat" theory is irresponsible and will harm the interests of the U.S. itself,' the embassy official warned.

House Oversight Chairman James Comer indicated he believed the threat was legitimate during a Monday morning appearance on Fox News Channel.

'We're learning every day the extent of the Chinese spy ring here in the United States,' he said when asked about the Journal's cranes story.

Tensions were already high between Washington and Beijing after President Joe Biden had the Pentagon shoot down a Chinese spy balloon (pictured) over the coast of South Carolina last month

'Now there's bipartisan agreement within the Congress that the United States needs to identify every single facet of the Chinese spy ring in American from TikTok now to what we're reading in the Wall Street Journal about these cranes,' he continued.

He feared China could be 'monitoring any shipment of arms,' including those bound for Ukraine.

'What would be the possibility that China has these sensors on the cranes that know what we're doing and alert Russia?' he mused.

The GOP-led House has already set up a new committee - the House Select Committee on the strategic competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party - which held its first meeting last week and will study the China threat.

Last year, Republican Rep. Carlos Gimenez introduced legislation banning future purchases of Chinese-made cranes after learning the software could be used for nefarious purchases.

His bill would incentivize other manufacturers to make the cranes.

Gimenez is a former mayor of Miami Dade County, whose port uses the ZPMC-manufactured cranes.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said she didn't have any comment on the Journal story, though said the Department of Defense and the Department of Transportation are studying the issue.

'This is something that the President takes very seriously and will always take action to make sure we protect our national security,' she said more broadly, after being asked by Fox's Peter Doocy, 'How worried should Americans be about China spying on them here at home?'

Tensions were already high between Washington and Beijing after President Joe Biden had the Pentagon shoot down a Chinese spy balloon over the coast of South Carolina last month.

In addition to that, the U.S. has warned China not to give material support to Russia in its invasion of Ukraine.

Last month, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that he believed China was mulling giving 'lethal support' to Russian President Vladimir Putin's war, however a Pentagon official said several days later there's no sign yet that Beijing has agreed to do that.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy will meet with Taiwan's president in California next month - rather than a sit-down in Taipei - to avoid provoking China amid high tensions between Beijing and Washington.

President Tsai Ing-wen and McCarthy are expected to meet in Simi Valley, California in April, Reuters reported on Monday. The first female president of Taiwan has been invited to speak at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library during a stop on a planned visit to Central America.

McCarthy's office didn't respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment.

The meeting would come amid as relations between the U.S. and China have gotten worse in the wake of the spy balloon China sent over the U.S. and reports Xi Jinping is considering lethal aid to Russia for its war in Ukraine.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-California (left) will meet Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen (right) in California next month instead of traveling to Taiwan

Also, there were concerns Beijing could elevate its military response if McCarthy traveled to the island. In the past week, China has sent warplanes and warships toward Taiwan and the U.S. has responded by giving Tsai's government ammunition for its fighter jets.

The White House declined to comment, saying no visit to the U.S. has been announced by Tsai's government.

'I don't believe Taiwan has announced any travel for the president of Taiwan,' White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at Monday's press briefing.

'Taiwan's presidents have traveled to the United States in the past. So I would refer you to Taiwan for anything specific on that. And certainly I would refer you to the Speaker's office, any potential meeting that he may be having with the president,' she said.

McCarthy, a Republican from California, has said several times he wanted to travel to Taiwan as Nancy Pelosi did when she was speaker.

But he agreed to meet Tsai in the U.S. because of Taiwanese security concerns, Financial Times reported.

A senior Taiwanese official told the outlet that Tsai's administration had provided McCarthy's team with 'some intelligence about what the Chinese Communist party is recently up to and the kinds of threats they pose.'

The official added that China was 'not in a good situation.'

The Chinese Communist Party claims Taiwan, a democratically-ruled island of 24 million people, as part of its sovereign territory despite never having controlled it.

If the McCarthy and Tsai meeting in California does take place it doesn't necessarily mean the speaker won't travel to Taiwan - but it does lower the odds.

McCarthy, in an interview with CNBC on Monday, declined to answer whether he would visit Taiwan, saying he would announce any travel plans when he had them.

China recently sent 25 warplanes and three warships toward Taiwan and the U.S. responded by giving the island missiles for its F-16s

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has been invited to make a speech at the Ronald Reagan presidential library in Simi Valley, California (above) and McCarthy could meet her there

Tsai has visited the United States in the past. It's common for Taiwanese officials to make stopovers in the U.S. as part of other trips although Washington is usually careful about who it sends to meet with them to avoid angering China.

The U.S., like many other countries, does not have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, but is bound by U.S. law to provide it with the means to defend itself.

Washington has long used a policy of 'strategic ambiguity,' meaning it does not make clear whether it would respond militarily to an attack on Taiwan.

However, President Joe Biden has, on four occasions over the past four years, said the U.S. would intervene if China launched an unprovoked attack on the island.

Recently, Biden's administration approved an estimated $619 million potential arms sale to Taiwan, including hundreds of missiles for F-16 fighter jets, after China sent 25 warplanes and three warships toward the island.

But the Chinese vehicles did not cross the sensitive median line of the Taiwan Strait, which previously served as an unofficial barrier between the two sides.

No shots have been fired, and the Chinese aircraft have been flying in Taiwan's ADIZ, not in its territorial air space.

The ADIZ is a broader area Taiwan monitors and patrols that acts to give it more time to respond to any threats.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi in her car arriving at her hotel in Taipei, where she was cheered on by locals, during her August 2022 trip to Taiwan

Relations between Beijing and Washington remain at a low point over China's actions toward Taiwan, its aggressive trade policies, and its actions in the South China Sea.

Then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Taiwan in a quarter of a century, met Tsai in 2022 to great local fanfare.

Beijing was furious. Chinese officials called the visit a 'violation of the one-China principle.'

Biden's administration tried to tamp down the flared tempers by saying Pelosi made an independent decision to go to Taiwan.

But China staged war games surrounding the island simulating a blockade and fired missiles over it into the Pacific Ocean.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre took a dig at President Joe Biden's first and  for now  only Democratic challenger Monday by saying she didn't have a 'crystal ball' to consult about the matter.

It is a phrase Jean-Pierre has used before in other contexts, but it took some added heft when used regarding Williamson, a self-help author and spiritual counselor who has attracted notice for the emotive language she brings to the political scene.

Then she joked about being able to 'feel her aura'  suggesting her comments about the primary rival were no accident.

Williamson, who launched her campaign on Saturday in Washington with a call to 'disrupt the system' and battle hatred and injustice with love, has repeatedly denied ever speaking or writing about 'crystals' or crystal-worshipping, even though the idea has somehow become attached to her reputation.

Jean-Pierre, a former advisor to Biden's campaign, was asked if the president was annoyed or frustrated that she jumped in before he announced his own intentions. She brushed off the matter. 'Just not tracking that. I mean if I had a  what is it called, a little globe here, a crystal ball, that I can tell you. But I  a magic eight-ball, whatever,' she said.

'If I can feel her aura  I just don't have anything to share on that,' she said, drawing some audible cackles inside the White House briefing room.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre at first dodged a question about President Biden's reaction to primary challenger Marianne Williamson  then said she didn't have a 'magic eight ball' in a likely dig at the self-help author

The comment came a day after Williamson vowed to take on a political system she called out of touch with ordinary Americans and an economic system she called 'sociopathic.'

She took on the so-called 'adults in the room' in the national system whom she said wanted others to 'sit down and let them run things'  a reference to her own non-traditional resume for high political office.

Jean-Pierre frequently exhibits great caution on political questions, frequently invoking the Hatch Act  as she did Monday on a question about former President Donald Trump.

Not long after Jean-Pierre's comment, Williamson's campaign announced a six-day tour of New Hampshire that will take her from Portsmouth to Londonderry, Manchester, and beyond.

'I am not naive about the forces which have no intention to let anyone into this conversation who does not align with their predetermined agenda,' said Williamson Saturday as she announced her run for the White House

Jean-Pierre's comment drew laughs in the press room (reporters are pictured at the White House last week)

Williamson did not directly attack Biden in her remarks.

A new poll by Morning Consult showed Biden getting 77 per cent support among Democrats  but Williamson getting 4 per cent backing.

Another 9 per cent favored 'someone else,' in a poll taken after Williamson's announcement, which drew modest press coverage.

Biden has yet to announce his own campaign, but first lady Jill Biden gave the impression he was running in a recent interview, and he has said repeatedly he intends to do so.

On Friday environmental activist and vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told a crowd in New Hampshire he was considering a run.

'I am thinking about it yes. I have passed the biggest hurdle, that my wife has green-lighted it,' said the son of the slain Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, who as a presidential candidate.

Biden has done much to court his party's left to avoid a potential primary challenge. But the DNC's decision to put the South Carolina primary ahead of New Hampshire provides a potential venue for opponents to get political oxygen. That could happen if New Hampshire decides to hold its primary first anyway, as required by state law, and Biden were to decline to take part.
The passenger killed on a private jet that experienced severe turbulence while flying over New England last week has been identified as a prominent Washington lawyer who served on both the Clinton and Obama administrations.

Also an alumnus of The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States - better known as the 9/11 Commission - Dana J. Hyde's name was released by Connecticut cops investigating the incident on Monday.

Hyde, 55, was one of five onboard the DC-bound aircraft, which was forced to divert to Bradley International Airport in Connecticut late Friday afternoon after encountering the unforeseen instability.

Others onboard included Hyde's husband and son, as well as two crew members - all of whom survived. The family had reportedly been heading back to their home in Cabin John, Maryland when the turbulence unexpectedly hit.

The plane had been traveling from Keene, New Hampshire, before diverting to Bradley, where the high-profile attorney was rushed to a hospital and pronounced dead.

Dana Hyde, pictured with a Sri Lankan official, was killed after a private jet she was traveling on experienced severe turbulence

Also an alumnus of The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States - also known as the 9/11 Commission - Dana J. Hyde's name was released by Connecticut cops investigating the incident on Monday

Others onboard the plane (pictured here Friday following the emergency landing, included Hyde's husband and son, as well as two crew members - all of whom survived. The family had been heading back to their home in Cabin John, Maryland when the turbulence unexpectedly hit

In a statement Monday that offered insight into authorities' ongoing probe into the ex-White House staffer's death - which is also being investigated by the FBI - the Connecticut State Troopers confirmed the private aircraft belonged to a company headed by Hyde's spouse, Jonathan Chambers.

The company, Kansas-city based Conexon, provides high-speed internet service to rural communities. Prior to joining the company, Chambers was also once a prominent figure in Washington, working in the U.S. Senate as a Republican staff director and later as the Chief of the Office of Strategic Planning for the FCC.

Hyde, meanwhile, worked as a part-time consultant to the DC-based think tank Aspen Institute, a gathering of leaders throughout various industries who strive to solve some of the world's most prevailing issues.

In the role, Hyde served as co-chair of the Aspen Partnership for an Inclusive Economy (APIE), which, according to the agency's website, 'works to bridge the gaps between the people who deserve more inclusive systems and standards and the people who set them.'

Officials said Hyde was immediately transported to Saint Francis Medical Center in Hartford, Connecticut, after the plane landed Friday, where she was pronounced dead that evening.

No one else was injured in the incident, with officials confirming that both Chambers and one of the couple's two children were on board at the time of the emergency landing.

Hyde, once a prominent figure in Washington, is seen signing the $375million Benin Power Compact in September 2015 in the presence of Benin President Thomas Boni Yayi and then Vice President Joe Biden

'We can confirm that the aircraft was owned by Conexon and that Dana Hyde was the wife of Conexon partner Jonathan Chambers,' company spokesperson Abby Carere said in an email Monday. 'Jonathan and his son were on the flight also and not injured in the incident. '

According to Flight Aware data, the plane made the reverse journey from Leesburg to Dillant/Hopkins Thursday at approximately 3:49 PM.

At that point, Connecticut State Troopers responded to a medical assist call centered around the internet service provider's private jet, with Hyde subsequently transported to the area hospital via ambulance.

Bradley International is around 70 miles from Keene, New Hampshire, where the plane took initially took off.

'On 03/03/2023, at approximately 3:49 PM, Connecticut State Troopers responded to a medical assist call at Bradley International Airport. One patient was subsequently transported to an area hospital via ambulance,' a Connecticut State Police spokesperson told DailyMail.com.

The private aircraft belonged to an internet company headed by Hyde's husband Jonathan Chambers, who also previously worked as a White House stagger and was onboard the flight with one of the pair's sons. Both survived without any injuries, officials said

'Our agency is assisting as needed; however, the NTSB and the FBI are investigating the facts and circumstances surrounding this incident. For further information please contact those agencies directly.'

Flight data shows the plane, a Bombardier Challenger 300, reached a peak altitude of 26,000 feet before suddenly descending after traveling south along the Connecticut River before landing around 3:45 pm.

Despite the recent announcement, it is not yet clear how Hyde died. Her family has yet to make a statement, and a preliminary report from NTSB is not expected for another two to three weeks.

Officials said NTSB investigators had already removed the plane's cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder, which they are in the process of analyzing.

The plane was bound for Leesburg Executive Airport in the DC suburbs, where the family lived

They added that investigators are currently working to piece witness accounts from Chambers and others aboard the plane, including its two-man crew.

Turbulence, which is unstable air in the atmosphere, remains a cause for injury for airline passengers despite airline safety improvements over the years.

But deaths are extremely rare. A preliminary report will be published in two weeks.

'I can't remember the last fatality due to turbulence,' said Robert Sumwalt, a former NTSB chair and executive director of the Center for Aviation and Aerospace Safety at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Turbulence accounted for more than a third of accidents on larger commercial airlines between 2009 and 2018, according to the NTSB.
Key details of Rishi Sunaks major crackdown on illegal immigration have begun to emerge ahead of todays launch.

A comprehensive solution to the Channel small-boats crisis has eluded ministers for years.

At the end of 2018, then-home secretary Sajid Javid declared a major incident when the first boats crossed from northern France. His successor Priti Patel declared the illegal journeys would be virtually eliminated by early 2021, but despite attempts to solve the problem, there were a record 46,000 arrivals last year.

So of the key new proposals we know will be set out today, what are the Governments chances of success?

Key details of Rishi Sunaks major crackdown on illegal immigration have begun to emerge ahead of todays launch

There are just 2,500 beds in Britains immigration detention centres. The Government has already announced plans to create an additional 1,000 places by reopening disused centres Campsfield House, near Oxford, and Haslar, at Gosport, Hampshire

DETAINING CHANNEL MIGRANTS

Mr Sunak has pledged to detain and swiftly remove all Channel migrants. But it remains to be seen where they will be held.

There are just 2,500 beds in Britains immigration detention centres. The Government has already announced plans to create an additional 1,000 places by reopening disused centres Campsfield House, near Oxford, and Haslar, at Gosport, Hampshire.

Bids for the 450 million, six-year contracts closed in January and the centres are both due to be up and running by August.

But there are tens of thousands of Channel arrivals each year. More than 8,600 arrived last August alone, with the highest daily total standing at almost 1,300.

Prisons cannot be used because they are already full, with inmates being kept in police station cells under an emergency scheme.

There will need to be a major expansion of detention capacity if Mr Sunaks pledge is to be met.

DEPORTING ILLEGAL MIGRANTS

The Home Office faces huge barriers when it tries to remove migrants who arrive by irregular routes. Once a migrant has claimed asylum, their claim enters a massive backlog of 166,000 cases.

PICTURED: Suella Braverman. The Bill being published today will place on the Home Secretary a new duty to remove anyone who enters the country illegally

Even when the Home Office has reached a decision, there are multiple appeal stages in the immigration tribunals. And when that process is concluded, last-minute legal challenges are regularly deployed by immigration lawyers on behalf of their clients.

The Bill being published today will place on the Home Secretary a new duty to remove anyone who enters the country illegally.

It is expected to set out that all asylum applications by irregular migrants are instantly ruled inadmissible. All appeals against rejections, which often involve challenges under human rights laws, will have to be lodged from overseas rather than in Britain.

Claims under the Governments own modern slavery laws, which have allowed migrants to delay removal by alleging they have been exploited, will also be barred.

The Government stands a strong chance of success with this radically streamlined system  providing it can be brought into force. It is understood ministers will deploy rarely used measures in the Human Rights Act.

This means the entire Government from the top down  rather than just the Home Secretary  invites Parliament to pass the Bill, even though there is a risk it breaches the European Convention on Human Rights.

The Home Office faces huge barriers when it tries to remove migrants who arrive by irregular routes. Once a migrant has claimed asylum, their claim enters a massive backlog of 166,000 cases

Claims under the Governments own modern slavery laws, which have allowed migrants to delay removal by alleging they have been exploited, will also be barred

Pro-migrant groups are likely to challenge key elements and claim they breach international refugee conventions. Even if it is approved quickly by Parliament, ministers run the risk of the plan being bogged down in the courts for months

FACING OFF LEGAL CHALLENGES

Government lawyers are understood to have advised ministers that the new Bill is lawful, although it pushes legal boundaries.

Home Office insiders are confident the legislation can be fast-tracked and be on the statute book by the summer.

However, pro-migrant groups are likely to challenge key elements and claim they breach international refugee conventions.

Even if it is approved quickly by Parliament, ministers run the risk of the plan being bogged down in the courts for months.

The Prime Ministers official spokesman acknowledged yesterday that the new measures were likely to face challenges in many forms. Last years Rwanda asylum deal  which will see migrants handed a one-way ticket to the east African nation  remains in legal limbo.

The principle of the scheme was declared lawful by the High Court in December, but an appeal began in earnest yesterday and, even after it is concluded, further appeals are likely. It is impossible to say at this stage how long it will take to bring todays new measures fully into force.

SAFE ROUTES

The Labour Party and pro-migrant groups claim it is essential to create safe and legal routes for asylum seekers.

This would allow would-be refugees to apply to come to Britain from overseas  and then fly here if their claim is approved.

But Home Office experts have forecast that uncapped legal routes would result in millions of migrants coming to Britain, the Daily Mail reported on Saturday.

The officials estimated there would be massive demand from a pool of 100 million people who have been displaced by conflict and disasters across the globe, overwhelming the UKs housing supply and public services.

The Prime Ministers spokesman said the Government will eventually look at opening additional legal routes, but only once we have control over our border.

DETERRING CROSSINGS

Priti Patel declared the illegal journeys would be virtually eliminated by early 2021, but despite attempts to solve the problem, there were a record 46,000 arrivals last year

Ministers will be hoping that tough talk will discourage potential Channel migrants from making a crossing in the first place.

The threat of being locked up and deported could be enough to make many think twice.

Further measures in the Bill will indefinitely bar illegal migrants from entering Britain again  and this could be particularly effective at deterring migrants from safe countries such as Albania.

Small-boat arrivals from the Balkan state rocketed to 12,301 last year  up from just 800 in the previous 12 months.

Even their own ambassador in the UK admitted that many were just economic migrants.
Labour last night looked likely to oppose the Government's crackdown on Channel migrants after Sir Keir Starmer dismissed it as 'not workable'.

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said Labour would wait to see the details before reaching a final verdict although she questioned if the package would contain any new measures.

But Sir Keir, who opposed previous laws designed to make it harder for those crossing the Channel illegally to claim asylum, suggested he would also order his MPs to vote against the latest plans.

The Labour leader told LBC Radio: 'I don't think going on with this sort of legislation is the way forward.'

Unlike Rishi Sunak, Sir Keir did not include dealing with illegal immigration in his five 'missions' for fixing Britain's problems.

Sir Kier Starmer suggested he would order his MPs to vote against the latest plans

Yesterday he said more resources should go into tackling the criminal gangs behind people smuggling rather than tightening up the law. Sir Keir added ministers had to be 'very careful with international law here', warning: 'This isn't a workable plan.'

Ms Cooper said the main priority should be 'action to tackle the criminal gangs'.

She added: 'At the moment a lot of this looks like a rerun of the things they had in last year's law just nine months ago, which ended up making things worse and the crossings leapt to a record high.' Labour health spokesman Wes Streeting said his party had already seen enough to know it would oppose the crackdown.

He accused ministers of a 'cynical rebranding' of previous initiatives. Asked if Labour would oppose the new plan, Mr Streeting replied: 'Of course we're against it  it's unworkable.'
New law will be 'applied retrospectively' for all channel crossings

Migrants entering UK illegally from today will be banned from claiming asylum

Migrants entering the UK illegally from today will be banned from claiming asylum, modern slavery or human rights breaches in the biggest crackdown of its type for decades, it was claimed last night.

Rishi Sunak's new landmark borders bill will be 'applied retrospectively' for all Channel crossings despite the fact the law - which sails close to breaking human rights legislation - likely won't be passed for months, the Sun reports.

It is understood that a rarely-used measure under the Human Rights Act  known as a Section 19.1.B statement  will be deployed to get the legislation through Parliament.

Ministers are thought to have received advice that the proposals are lawful despite pushing the boundaries of the European Convention on Human Rights.

The new bill also gives Parliament the power to set a cap on the number of refugees accepted into the country - with local authorities being consulted on how many numbers they can take, reports the Times.

Tough measures to tackle small boat arrivals will be rushed through Parliament  and could be in place by summer

Sources close to Home Secretary Suella Braverman said Britons 'have had enough' and vowed that ministers would tackle the Channel crisis 'no ifs, no buts'

It comes as sources close to Home Secretary Suella Braverman said Britons 'have had enough' and vowed that ministers would tackle the Channel crisis 'no ifs, no buts'.

In the new bill, small boat migrants will be barred from lodging asylum claims and stripped of the ability to launch human rights appeals.

Nearly all those who arrive by illegal routes will be able to appeal only once they have been deported.

Only children and the gravely ill will be allowed to remain in Britain while they bring legal challenges, Mrs Braverman is expected to say.

Whilst waiting to be deported, it is understood that migrants will be kept in student accommodation, cruise ships or holiday parks - in a change from hotels.

It has been reported that the Home Office is planning to purchase two RAF bases in Lincolnshire and Essex to house migrants waiting for deportation.

A 'duty to remove' any migrants who arrive illegally will be placed on the Home Secretary.

It is understood that asylum and human rights claims will be 'radically curtailed' under the package.

New legislation will mean claims of human trafficking will need to rely on significant proof to be claimed.

The sources close to Mrs Braverman said: 'The British people have had enough. This Government is determined to stop the boats and ensure we have all the powers available to remove illegal migrants from the country.

'The Prime Minister and Home Secretary are resolved to this course of action, no ifs, no buts.'

Another insider said: 'This new duty to remove will ensure that the Home Secretary's power to remove migrants takes precedence in law and ensures asylum, human rights and modern slavery claims are blocked.'

In a separate development, ministers have not given up on sending the first plane-load of migrants to Rwanda this year. They have been encouraged by December's court ruling that the deal with the African country is lawful.

Although the policy is still facing legal challenges ministers believe it could even be possible for an asylum flight to take off by the summer.

The full package of immigration measures is due to be unveiled by Rishi Sunak and Mrs Braverman later today.

The Prime Minister has pledged to 'stop the boats' as one of his five key pledges to voters after Channel arrivals surged to almost 46,000 last year.

Immigration laws brought into force under Boris Johnson set out how the Home Secretary can declare a migrant's claim inadmissible if they passed through a safe third country such as France.

Today's strengthened package will see this applied almost across the board to all migrants.

The move will expand powers introduced by Labour in 2003  'non-suspensive appeals'  that allow asylum seekers to be removed after their initial claim is rejected.

The British people have had enough

However use of the powers has slumped. There were 1,285 asylum cases earmarked for the process in 2018, but in the first six months of last year only 171 were deemed eligible.

The Illegal Migration Bill will also see Channel migrants banned for life from coming back to Britain.

Ministers have insisted that they can ignore last-minute interventions by Strasbourg judges.

A new Bill of Rights, published last June but currently on hold, states unequivocally that 'no account is to be taken of any interim measure issued by the European Court of Human Rights'.

But it is not yet known whether today's legislation will include the measures.

It is understood that a rarely-used measure under the Human Rights Act  known as a Section 19.1.B statement  will be deployed to get the legislation through Parliament

Ministers are braced for opposition from the Whitehall establishment  dubbed the 'Blob'  over their plan to tackle the Channel crisis.

Critics include former Home Office mandarin Sir David Normington who said it was 'highly doubtful' the proposals would lead to a fall in crossings.

Refugee charities and a trade union that represents immigration officers were also among those who questioned early details of the scheme.

Sir David told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'At the heart of the policy is a gamble that if you say it's illegal to come in a small boat people will stop coming. I think that is highly doubtful.'

He predicted the Government's plan would face 'very great' problems.

Lucy Moreton of the Immigration Services Union also cast doubt on the plans, describing them as 'quite confusing'.

Enver Solomon of the Refugee Council described the legislation as flawed, adding: 'It's unworkable, costly and won't stop the boats.'

Steve Valdez-Symonds of Amnesty International UK condemned the proposed measures as 'disgraceful posturing and scaremongering'.

Asked whether the plan was legally feasible, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer replied: 'I don't know that it is and I think we've got to be very careful with international law here.'

But the Prime Minister's spokesman said: 'We've seen too many lives lost attempting this dangerous and unnecessary journey, and the number of people entering the country is simply unsustainable. As we've always said, we recognise there will likely be challenges in many forms to this sort of legislation.'

A No 10 spokesman said the Government would stop all small boats but declined to put a timescale on the plans.
A Jusarang Community Church official opens a baby box operated by the church in Seoul's Gwanak District in this Jan. 19 photo. Korea Times photo by Choi Joo-yeon





By Jun Ji-hye







The number of babies abandoned at "baby boxes" more than halved last year  from 2018  due mainly to a 2019 landmark ruling by the Constitutional Court decriminalizing abortion as well as the decrease in outdoor activities as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.







According to the Seoul Institute, Sunday, a total of 106 babies were dropped off at baby boxes last year, down from 217 in 2018.







Baby boxes allow parents to anonymously and safely abandon their unwanted babies so that others can care for them.







In Korea, the first baby box began operating at Jusarang Community Church in December 2009, and one more baby box has been in operation since 2014 in Gunpo, Gyeonggi Province.







The number of babies dropped off at these baby boxes was 35 in 2011, and increased sharply to 79 in 2012 and 252 in 2013.







The number stayed in the 200 range from 2014 to 2018, and began to decline to 170 in 2019, 137 in 2020, 113 in 2021 and 106 in 2022.







"We understand that cases of secretive abortions have been reduced following the 2019 Constitutional Court ruling," said Yang Seung-won, a senior official from Jusarang Community Church. "We also think decreasing outside activities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which began in 2020, have exerted some influence."







In April 2019, abortion was technically legalized in Korea as the Constitutional Court concluded that banning abortion in the early stages of pregnancy was a violation of the right to self-determination. The court viewed that abortion before the 22nd week of pregnancy should be decriminalized, saying that a woman's right to self-determination outweighs a fetus' right to life.







Jusarang Community Church added that 30 percent of 106 babies dropped off at the baby boxes last year returned to their parents, up from 16.8 percent a year earlier.







The church attributed this to its consistent efforts to persuade parents to raise their children on their own while offering various supports including financial aid.


Every prime minister since 2010 has promised to find a solution to the seemingly intractable issue of illegal migration.

So far it has eluded them. But is that about to change? Rishi Sunak has pledged to crack down on the small boats bringing migrants across the Channel  no ifs, no buts.

In truth, he has little choice  regaining control of Britain's borders is crucial to Tory prospects at the next election.

Most voters are horrified that thousands are landing unlawfully on our beaches and strolling with impunity into new lives here.

The best way to stop this appalling scandal is to convince migrants that coming to the UK without permission is futile.

DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Every prime minister since 2010 has promised to find a solution to the seemingly intractable issue of illegal migration

Mr Sunak's flagship Bill hinges on barring Channel migrants from claiming asylum here, then detaining and deporting them swiftly. That would be a powerful deterrent.

However, his plans face major obstacles. Even before it was published, the legislation had run into fierce opposition from the Left  Labour, the Whitehall 'blob', shroud-waving charities and human rights lawyers.

They will use every trick in the book to resist attempts to remove those who have no right to be here, thwarting a government trying to enact the British people's wishes.

To the liberal orthodoxy, every Channel-hopper is fleeing war and death. The reality is, the majority are economic migrants.

Predictably, Labour carps that the crackdown is 'unworkable'. But what are its answers? Tougher enforcement against traffickers (who operate outside the UK) and accelerating the asylum process (which human rights laws make devilishly tricky).

The truth is, Sir Keir Starmer has no interest in controlling migration because he is ideologically wedded to free movement. One thing that would solve the small boats racket at a stroke is if France took back every illegal migrant.

Now Mr Sunak's new Brexit deal has thawed relations with Europe, he should suggest the idea when he meets Emmanuel Macron on Friday. Destroying the incentive to sail would end the migrant flood.

Come clean, Sir Keir

Sir Keir likes nothing more than to lecture others about the importance of openness, honesty and integrity in public life.

But when it comes to transparency about his own political dealings, Labour's leader gives a masterclass in evasiveness.

Nine times he was asked during a radio interview when he first approached top civil servant Sue Gray to become his chief of staff. Nine times he refused to answer.

'There's nothing improper,' he spluttered. If that's the case, why won't shifty Sir Keir tell us when he offered her the job?

By advising ministers on sensitive matters of government while simultaneously in secret meetings with Labour, Ms Gray has broken up to four anti-sleaze rules.

She has proven that large parts of our supposedly independent civil service exist as another branch of the Left-wing, Tory-loathing blob. And to the public, it looks grubby that the woman whose Partygate probe helped oust Boris Johnson is now consorting with the opposition.

With Angela Rayner dismissing the episode as a Tory conspiracy theory, it's clear Labour is rattled. Sir Keir must now meet his own self-righteous standards and come clean.

DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Sir Keir likes nothing more than to lecture others about the importance of openness, honesty and integrity in public life (Pictured Sue Gray)

A foolish tax hike

Leaving the EU was meant to unlock Britain's swashbuckling entrepreneurial spirit, turbocharging prosperity.

Instead, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt risks choking off our post-pandemic recovery by heaping more taxes on the economy.

Pressing ahead with a six percentage point rise in corporation tax on April 1 would hammer businesses, deter inward investment, jeopardise jobs and undermine competitiveness. Abandon the hike, Chancellor  don't be an April Fool.
The imposing headquarters of The New York Times was built of glass, supposedly to highlight the fact that the august newspaper has nothing to hide.

But last month, something happened there that the management would have very much preferred to go unnoticed.

An electronic billboard lorry parked outside the building bearing the message: 'Dear New York Times: Stop questioning trans people's right to exist & access medical care.'

The stunt was part of a campaign against America's biggest newspaper to force it to stop criticising the transgender movement and specifically the controversial medical treatments offered to some children wanting to change gender.

What makes it so embarrassing for the 172-year-old newspaper  the bible of the city's liberal elite and nicknamed the Grey Lady for its dour, sober-minded reputation  is that huge numbers of its own staff and contributors actually support the campaign being waged against it.

The imposing headquarters of The New York Times was built of glass, supposedly to highlight the fact that the august newspaper has nothing to hide

But last month, something happened there that the management would have very much preferred to go unnoticed. An electronic billboard lorry parked outside the building bearing the message: 'Dear New York Times: Stop questioning trans people's right to exist & access medical care'

Indeed, it is no exaggeration to say that the trans debate appears to be tearing the paper apart as senior, more experienced staff insist on reporting the growing concerns among scientists, doctors and parents about the effects of transgender treatment, especially on children  while younger, woke employees are furious at what they see as an attack on the trans movement they wholeheartedly support.

Huge numbers of NYT staff back campaign against it

The trouble, simmering for some time, burst into the open a few days ago when more than 180 contributors to The New York Times signed a letter to the paper's 'managing editor for standards', accusing it of fomenting 'bigotry and pseudoscience'.

The newspaper was following the lead of 'far-Right hate groups', they added, in what they claimed was excessive and biased coverage of transgender issues.

Signatories to the letter  which controversially named and shamed specific journalists  included famous names such as Sex And The City actress Cynthia Nixon, writer and actress Lena Dunham, and the U.S. intelligence whistleblower Chelsea Manning, herself a trans woman, who was jailed after leaking hundreds of thousands of secret files about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

This virtuous army of self-described 'thinkers' accused the newspaper of publishing 'irresponsible misinformation about trans people'.

Articles they singled out for censure included one last June headlined The Battle Over Gender Therapy, which, they said, 'uncritically used the term 'Patient Zero' ' to refer to a child in the Netherlands who was one of the first to have transgender treatment.

This phrase 'vilifies transness as a disease to be feared', asserted the complainants.

They also attacked a feature headlined When Students Change Gender Identity And Parents Don't Know, which, they said, 'fails to make clear that court cases brought by parents who want schools to out their trans children are part of a legal strategy pursued by anti-trans hate groups'.

These groups, they went on, 'regard trans people as an 'existential threat to society' and seek to replace the American public education system with Christian homeschooling'  but, they claimed, New York Times readers were never told that.

The protest letter also mentioned three articles that last year were cited by Arkansas' attorney general in support of a new law in the Republican-controlled state 'which would make it a felony, punishable by up to ten years' imprisonment, for any medical provider to administer certain gender-affirming medical care to a minor (including puberty blockers) that diverges from their sex assigned at birth'.

The stunt was part of a campaign against America's biggest newspaper to force it to stop criticising the transgender movement and specifically the controversial medical treatments offered to some children wanting to change gender

The signatories of the letter compared the newspaper's transgender reporting with what they described as its 'demonising [of] queers' in the 1960s and 1970s, and its alleged hounding of homosexuals when the Aids crisis broke in the 1980s.

One of the letter's organisers, British writer Jo Livingstone, has even speculated that the paper's coverage is being masterminded by a 'transphobe' high up in the organisation, primarily to increase readership.

The diatribe was co-ordinated with a separate letter written by a trans advocacy group and backed by more than 100 organisations which accused The New York Times of 'spreading inaccurate and harmful misinformation about transgender people and issues'.

The great irony in all this is that The New York Times prides itself on being one of the most progressive newspapers in America. It yields to nobody in its liberal values and sanctimonious self-regard.

For good measure, critics have drawn attention to its appetite for making deranged attacks on Britain and its institutions, portraying them as irredeemably racist. It is forever spelling out the supposed evils of the Empire.

Little more than two hours after the death of the Queen last year, for instance, it ran a piece by Harvard professor Maya Jasanoff, urging readers not to 'romanticise her era' because the Queen allegedly 'helped obscure a bloody history of decolonisation whose proportions and legacies have yet to be adequately acknowledged'.

But what cannot be obscured any longer is the scale of the revolt at the Grey Lady. Feelings are so high that, a few days ago, the paper admitted one of its journalists was spat on near their home by someone who was incensed by the NYT's trans coverage.

The newspaper's executive editor, Joe Kahn, has tried to quell the anger on both sides inside the paper, emailing staff to demand that they stop publicly attacking each other.

He insisted the articles on the trans issue that had offended critics were 'deeply reported and sensitively written', yet 'the journalists who produced those stories nonetheless have endured months of attacks, harassments and threats' on social media.

The Old Guard has now hit back with another letter

And in an apparent show of defiance that has left the paper's critics even more livid, a day after the protest letters were sent, the NYT published an opinion piece defending J.K. Rowling against accusations that she is a 'transphobe'.

Columnist Pamela Paul wrote: 'This campaign against Rowling is as dangerous as it is absurd. The brutal stabbing of Salman Rushdie last summer is a forceful reminder of what can happen when writers are demonised.'

As the Harry Potter author knows only too well, it takes guts to take on the trans lobby.

To a certain degree, the trans furore at The New York Times mirrors what has happened at Britain's most famously liberal newspaper, The Guardian.

In 2020, more than 300 Guardian staff signed a letter of complaint over a 'pattern of publishing transphobic content' at the paper. Guardian columnist Suzanne Moore subsequently left the paper, saying she had been bullied out by colleagues because of her views on sex and gender.

Other female writers have followed suit, including fellow columnist Hadley Freeman, complaining about the erasure of women's rights and the paper's 'censoring' of any views that conflict with those of the transgender lobby.

But in contrast to The Guardian, which Freeman alleged is no longer prepared to countenance publishing articles that question trans ideology, The New York Times has recently insisted on doing so.

After initially welcoming the transgender movement and portraying its critics as bigots, the NYT became more sceptical as questions mounted.

In November last year, it published an investigation into the puberty-blocking drugs administered to children (as young as nine in the U.S.) who are transitioning.

What makes it so embarrassing for the 172-year-old newspaper  the bible of the city's liberal elite and nicknamed the Grey Lady for its dour, sober-minded reputation  is that huge numbers of its own staff and contributors actually support the campaign being waged against it (pictured: Susan DeCarava, the president of The NewsGuild of New York, speaks during a rally to support a union walk out at the New York Times building in Manhattan, New York on December 8, 2022)

The investigation showed that these drugs are anything but risk-free, citing studies that showed significant links to osteoporosis. 'It's increasingly clear that the drugs are associated with deficits in bone development.'

And it was this kind of coverage  addressing both sides of the argument  that precipitated the extraordinary civil war now taking place.

The divide at The New York Times is generally one of age, just as it was in 2020 when a furious outcry by younger staff scared management into pushing out a comment section editor who had run a piece by a Republican senator calling for the army to sort out the persistent rioting by some supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Two weeks ago, the Old Guard hit back in the form of dozens of New York Times journalists, including some of its most senior reporters, signing another letter, this time attacking their staff union, which has supported those criticising the paper's trans coverage.

'We ask that our union work to advance, not erode, our journalistic independence,' they wrote sternly.

'Our duty is to be independent. We pursue the facts wherever they may lead. We are journalists, not activists. That line should be clear.'

Of course, some may point out that this huffing and puffing over journalistic excellence and the tireless pursuit of the truth is somewhat laughable from a newspaper whose pejorative coverage of British life has, at times, been very far from accurate or fair.

But the outcome of this acrimonious battle over trans issues at the Grey Lady  between the experienced hands and the woke millennials succeeding them  could have profound ramifications for the culture war that is causing such divisions on both sides of the Atlantic
Kemi Badenoch is hoping to seal a trade deal with Israel this year as the UK tries to gain an advantage over global rivals in the lucrative services sector.

The Business and Trade Secretary is in Tel Aviv this week with British negotiators to update existing arrangements for the smartphone era.

She said: 'What we're looking for is something... world-class that we haven't seen before  a services-based, high-tech innovative trade agreement including digital, health  all of the innovations that our countries specialise in.'

However, officials stressed that she was seeking 'the best deal, not the fastest'.

A deal could help UK firms grab some of Israel's multi-billion-pound infrastructure investments and open up its financial services sector to British banks and financial technology start-ups.

The Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch is in Tel Aviv this week with British negotiators to update existing arrangements for the smartphone era

It would go beyond the current free-trade arrangement, which is focused on goods rather than services, that Britain inherited after leaving the EU.

Officials claim Brexit has allowed Britain to upgrade that deal with a focus on the sectors that are important to the UK, and access parts of Israeli's economy that have been closed to foreign powers.

Mrs Badenoch added: 'We are both services economies and our existing agreement is really about goods  it's a very old agreement in the 1990s before the internet.

'Now we have left the European Union we can be so much more ambitious with you and we can be a lot closer. There's a lot that we can't do in the EU that we can do as the UK and Israel.'

Yesterday, she met economy minister Nir Barkat to discuss 'a modern, innovative services free-trade agreement to mutually benefit both our economies'.

Negotiations began last summer, and the Government said at the time that it aimed to upgrade a relationship that supported more than 6,000 UK firms.

Mrs Badenoch also wants deals with India and to enter the Trans-Pacific partnership  a bloc that includes Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Singapore.
I have an assured shorthold tenant who insists they can clear rent arrears in two months' time when they will receive a legacy from a relative's estate. They say I must wait for then. Is that right? E.M

Arrears: Tenants who are at least two months behind with their rent can be ordered out by a county court - but this is not always a given

MailOnline Property expert Myra Butterworth replies: A tenant behind with rent on their home can be ordered out by a county court.

However, there are certain circumstances where this is not a given and a possession order is not made.

We speak to a legal expert about what tenants and landlords must know when it comes to settling arrears.

Stephen Gold, ex-judge and author, explains: You are not compelled to wait. A private tenant behind with rent on their home in England can be ordered out by the county court.

If at least two months in arrears, both when the landlord gives them notice seeking possession and when the judge hears the case, the court has no discretion about it.

A possession order must be made, provided the landlord has not slipped up with the paperwork.

The judge is not entitled to adjourn a hearing to allow the tenant to reduce the arrears to less than two months - even until the next day. However, it might be different if they have left the money on the bus on the way to court and will be back that afternoon after a visit to lost property.

If the tenant has reduced the arrears to less than two months' worth - by one penny would do - a possession order is no longer mandatory

If the tenant has reduced the arrears to less than two months' worth - by one penny would do - a possession order is no longer mandatory.

But where there has been persistent delay in paying rent, even if there were no arrears when the court case was started, the judge has a discretion to order the tenant out.

This is also the case if there were some arrears when notice was given and the case was started, whatever the position at the hearing, and despite the absence of persistent default.

An outright possession order on these discretionary grounds is unlikely to be made if the arrears were covid-related and there is a reasonable plan to clear any rent still outstanding, although the court might make a possession order that is suspended so long as current rent is paid along with an amount off any arrears.

If the landlord is going to give notice and start a court case, it makes sense for them to rely on all grounds for possession available: the mandatory and the discretionary grounds mentioned.

And the landlord who wants the tenant out whether or not they get the arrears paid off, could go even further provided any fixed term for the tenancy has come to an end.

By giving the tenant a two-months no-fault Section 21 notice as well - they should state that the second notice is 'without prejudice' to the first notice - they will avoid being stymied if unsuccessful in obtaining a possession order on either of the discretionary grounds.

Stephen Gold is a retired judge and author

A second claim could be launched once the two months had expired and would almost always be dealt with on paper under an accelerated scheme.

The Government is committed to abolishing no-fault eviction notices, although it would take a brave person to bet on when abolition is going to be effective.

Possibly, your priority is to get the arrears settled and obtain some comfort about future rent, and not necessarily see the tenant on their way.

You could ask the tenant to put you in touch with the solicitors acting on the winding up of their relative's estate.

This would enable you check out the tenant's story with them and seek their undertaking, with the tenant's consent, to pay you what you are owed when the legacy is available.

You could also make it a condition of not pressing on to get the tenant out that, if the legacy is sufficient, you are paid some advance rent from it, as well as interest on the arrears.

A well-drawn tenancy agreement should provide for interest. If it does not, the court will usually award interest on arrears when giving a judgment at the rate of 8 per cent.

Incidentally, there is no limit on the amount a landlord can generally collect for up-front rent. But there is now generally a limit on a rent deposit, which will be held by the landlord until the end of the tenancy and only be dipped into if the tenant fails to make a payment. Thanks to the Tenant Fees Act 2019, this limit is five weeks' rent.

It is not unusual for a tenant to defeat a landlord's claim for possession on the basis of rent arrears.

Paying down debt: If a tenant has reduced the arrears to less than two months' worth, a possession order is no longer mandatory, says Stephen Gold

As a judge, I regularly had to dismiss these claims. In most cases, that was because the landlord had gone it alone and not, at the least, taken legal advice on drawing up the notice seeking possession. Getting that wrong can be fatal to a claim.

On the other hand, the tenant had often wisely conferred with a law centre - or an organisation such as Shelter - or sought free help from a duty housing advisor who is more often than not available to help out at court on the days possession case are heard.

Other successful defences may be based on the landlord not having repaired as required by law or the tenancy agreement, with a crossclaim that might reduce or even wipe out the arrears.

A no-fault notice may not be worth the paper it was written on if the landlord has failed to protect the tenant's deposit

And a no-fault notice may not be worth the paper it was written on if the landlord has failed to protect the tenant's deposit with one of the approved Government schemes or to give the tenant prescribed information about protection.

This also applies if the tenant has not been given an energy performance or gas safety certificate, or an eight-page government checklist on renting.

A tenant who wants to put a plan together to pay off their arrears could seek a 60-day breathing space by obtaining a debt relief order through a debt adviser.

During this time, the landlord would be paralysed from both giving them notice and starting a court case relating to the arrears. A no-fault notice would not be affected.

Wales has beaten England to tenancy reform with the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 that eventually came into force, as amended, on December 1, 2022.

Eviction procedures are similar to England, but tenants' rights have been enhanced and the jargon has been changed. In relation to no-fault evictions, the minimum notice to be given by the landlord is six months.

This already applies to new agreements. It extends to pre-December 1, 2022 agreements from June 1, 2023. Wales has its own legislation banning certain tenant fees.

Stephen Gold is an ex-judge and author of 'The Return of Breaking Law' published by Bath Publishing. For more on service charges, go to breakinglaw.co.uk
Last year, Britain produced 3.4 per cent less greenhouse gas emissions - the equivalent of 14 million tonnes of carbon dioxide - than in 2021.

A new analysis has pinned this to a 15 per cent reduction in coal use, which offset any residual, post-pandemic booms in road and air travel.

Demand for the fossil fuel is now at a 266 year low, but this is mostly thanks to air temperatures reaching record high, reducing the need for heating, as well as growth in renewable energy.

The analysis of government data shows that the UK would have actually seen an increase in emissions had these factors not played a part.

Nevertheless, with the exception of 2021, we have seen falling emissions every year since 2013, but experts say this will need to continue if we are to reach net zero by 2050.

Last year, Britain produced 3.4 per cent less greenhouse gas emissions - the equivalent of 14 million tonnes of carbon dioxide - than in 2021. Pictured: Annual change in UK greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 to 2022

A new analysis has pinned this to a 15 per cent reduction in coal use, which offset any residual post-pandemic booms in road and air travel.Demand for the fossil fuel is now at a 266 year low, but this is mostly thanks to air temperatures reaching record high and growth in renewable energy. Pictured: Annual demand for coal in the UK from 1560 to 2022

KEY FINDINGS OF REPORT Britain's greenhouse gas emissions fell by 3.4 per cent in 2022. The country used 15 per cent less coal and nine per cent less gas than in 2021. While oil usage did increase, this was offset by a 25 per cent increase in wind power. Brits reduced their electricity and heating usage thanks to rising energy prices and warmer air temperatures. But, in order to achieve the government's net zero goals by 2050, UK emissions must fall by 15 million tonnes each year from 2023. Advertisement

Analysts at Carbon Brief used data from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) to calculate the UK's total emissions for last year.

They came to the equivalent of 412 million tonnes of carbon dioxide - an estimated six million tonnes less than the previous record low of 2020.

The COVID-19 lockdowns resulted in an unprecedented decline in energy use, which then rebounded dramatically in 2021, leading to a six per cent rise in emissions.

This was the only year in the last 10 which accompanied an emissions increase, despite prolonged economic growth in the country.

Despite the local decrease, global carbon dioxide emissions rose to their highest level on record in 2022.

This was largely due to many countries switching back to coal during the global energy crisis, although the global growth in emissions was lower than feared.

Coal use increased rapidly in the UK from the Industrial Revolution to the mid-1950s, when the introduction of the Clean Air Act led to it being gradually phased out.

There were concerns we may return to the fuel in 2022 thanks to soaring natural gas prices following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

But these fears were never realised, partially due to a 3.6 per cent drop in electricity usage as people left their homes more post-COVID.

Coal use increased rapidly in the UK from the Industrial Revolution to the mid-1950s,, when the introduction of the Clean Air Act led to it being gradually phased out (stock image)

Rising energy bills and the hottest year on record also meant Brits were less inclined to crank up the heating, also reducing our reliance on gas.

Without above-average temperatures, gas demand would have been higher and greenhouse gas emissions would have only dropped by half of what they have.

Any potential demand for coal and gas was equally offset by a 25 per cent increase in wind power, according to Carbon Brief.

On December 30, 20.91 gigawatts (GW) of power coming from offshore and onshore wind turbines was created, breaking a new record for wind generation.

This was the third time Britain's fleet of wind turbines set new generation records in 2022, after decade-low windspeeds were reported in 2021.

Last year also saw a new record for the share of electricity on the grid coming from zero carbon sources, with renewable and nuclear energy supplying 87.2 per cent of its total power.

If coal and gas had each covered half of the increase in output from renewable energy, UK emissions would have been about 11 million tonnes higher.

Rising energy bills and the hottest year on record also meant Brits were less inclined to crank up the heating last year, also reducing our reliance on gas. Pictured: People pack onto the beach at Southend-on-Sea during a heatwave in July 2022

Brits did use more oil in 2022 than in 2021, but usage may well have been higher had the energy crisis not pushed prices up to their highest level since 2014.

Road traffic has returned to pre-pandemic levels, with eight and seven per cent increases in demand for petrol and diesel respectively seen on last year.

However, air travel is still 20 per cent below what it was in 2019 - a trend that is matched globally.

According to data from OAG, weekly seat capacity on commercial passenger airlines is still 20 million fewer than in 2019.

Heathrow bosses pinned this to fears of a fourth wave of Covid and conflict in Ukraine affecting consumer confidence, on top of skyrocketing global oil price.

Without above-average temperatures, gas demand would have been higher and greenhouse gas emissions would have only dropped by half of what they have. Any potential demand for coal and gas was equally offset by a 25 per cent increase in wind power

Analysts think that the trend of decreasing emissions in the UK will continue, as the country faces a period of recession . Pictured: Annual UK greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 to 2022, and predicted emissions until 2050

Analysts think that the trend of decreasing emissions in the UK will continue, as the country faces a period of recession.

We may also end up importing more electricity from elsewhere, if the country continues exporting the excess it generates by renewable sources.

However, if this year is cooler than last, there may equally be increases in demand for heating.

In order to achieve the government's net zero goals by 2050, UK emissions must fall by 15 million tonnes each year from 2023.

The steps made so far have been achieved through the phasing out of coal and increases to renewable capacity, however continuing the trend may be difficult.

Last year, the UK's most productive nuclear power plant, Hinkley Point B, was switched off, raising fears that it would trigger another increase in energy bills.

The Carbon Brief experts say significant emissions reductions from the industrial, aviation and agricultural sectors are still required.

Simon Evans, senior policy editor at Carbon Brief, told The Times: 'To keep on going, the UK will need to tackle the gas boilers that heat our buildings and the petrol and diesel fuelling vehicles.

'This means demand for electricity will rise to supply electrified heat and transport.'
He is known for portraying kick-ass characters such as John Wick and Neo in the Matrix.

So it's no surprise that scientists in Germany felt they had to name a highly-effective fungi-killing bacteria after Keanu Reeves, saying 'he, too, is extremely deadly in his roles'.

The Hollywood actor has since responded to the news, calling it 'pretty cool... and surreal'.

Reeves was asked what he thought about having a deadly molecule named after him when he took to a Reddit Ask Me Anything thread to answer questions from his fans at the weekend.

One asked: 'Hey Keanu, researchers from Germany found a compound naturally produced by some type of bacteria that is so effective at killing fungi, they named it after you: Keanumycins.

Deadly: Scientists in Germany felt they had to name a highly-effective fungi-killing bacteria after Keanu Reeves, saying 'he, too, is extremely deadly in his roles'

Reeves was asked what he thought about having a deadly molecule named after him when he took to a Reddit Ask Me Anything thread to answer questions from his fans at the weekend. The Hollywood actor called it 'pretty cool... and surreal'

'What are your thoughts about that?'

Reeves replied: 'They should've called it John Wick... but that's pretty cool... and surreal for me.

WHAT ARE ANTIFUNGALS? Antimycotics, or antifungals, are used to treat fungal infections, which most commonly affect the skin, hair and nails of humans. Fungal infections commonly treated with them include ringworm, athlete's foot, fungal nail infection, vaginal thrush and some types of severe dandruff. Scientists at the Leibniz Institute Bio Pilot Plant in Germany say the newly-discovered type of lipopeptide Keanumycins could be a potential candidate for new antimycotics. These are urgently needed, they added, because there are very few drugs against fungal infections on the market. Advertisement

'But thanks, scientist people! Good luck, and thank you for helping us.'

Last month, scientists at the Leibniz Institute Bio Pilot Plant in Germany revealed they had named the newly-discovered type of lipopeptide 'Keanumycins'.

Lipopeptides are used as antibiotics and can have strong anti-fungal properties.

The researchers found that the substance was effective against both plant fungal diseases and human-pathogenic fungi.

Explaining the thought process behind the name, lead author Sebastian Gotze said: 'The lipopeptides kill so efficiently that we named them after Keanu Reeves because he, too, is extremely deadly in his roles.'

The newly-discovered keanumycins works effectively against the plant pest Botrytis cinerea, which triggers grey mould rot and causes immense harvest losses every year.

More than 200 different types of fruit and vegetables are affected, especially strawberries and unripe grapes.

Keanumycin was shown to be effective against grey mould rot on hydrangea leaves because it significantly inhibited the growth of the fungus.

It is also harmless to plants, so could be used as an environmentally friendly and natural alternative to chemical pesticides, the researchers added.

'Theoretically, the keanumycin-containing supernatant from Pseudomonas cultures could be used directly for plants,' Gotze said.

Reeves is known for portraying kick-ass characters such as John Wick and Neo in the Matrix (pictured)

Reeves also said: 'They should've called it John Wick (pictured) ... but that's pretty cool... and surreal for me'

The scientists also found that keanumycins was capable of inhibiting fungi that are dangerous to humans, such as Candida albicans.

'In addition, we tested the isolated substance against various fungi that infect humans.

'We found that it strongly inhibits the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans, among others,' Gotze said.

As well as not being toxic to plants, tests carried out so far suggests that keanumycins is also safe for humans, while being effective against fungi in very low concentrations.

This makes it a potential candidate for new antimycotics, or antifungals, which are urgently needed because there are very few drugs against fungal infections on the market.

The research has been published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
Experts hope they will find mutations that give immunity to radiation poisoning

They're descendants of pets left behind by residents when region was evacuated

Dogs that roam the Chernobyl nuclear power plant have become genetically distinct from other pups.

Scientists in the US have been analysing the blood of the 302 pooches that still live in the region, to probe the effects of the devastating explosion in 1986.

The dogs are thought to be the descendants of pets left behind by residents when they evacuated the region in Ukraine.

Researchers from the University of South Carolina and National Human Genome Research Institute found that the dogs could be split into three genetically similar groups.

These groups each live in either the nuclear power plant itself, Chernobyl City or Slavutych - a city about 28 miles (45 km) away that was purpose-built for evacuees.

Scientists in the US have been analysing the blood of the 302 dogs that still live in Chernobyl to probe the effects of the devastating explosion in 1986

The dogs are thought to be the descendants of pets left behind by residents when they evacuated the region in Ukraine

WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE 1986 CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR DISASTER? On April 26, 1986 a power station on the outskirts of Pripyat suffered a massive accident in which one of the reactors caught fire and exploded, spreading radioactive material into the surroundings. More than 160,000 residents of the town and surrounding areas had to be evacuated and have been unable to return, leaving the former Soviet site as a radioactive ghost town. The exclusion zone, which covers a substantial area in Ukraine and some of bordering Belarus, will remain in effect for generations to come, until radiation levels fall to safe enough levels. The region is called a 'dead zone' due to the extensive radiation which persists. However, the proliferation of wildlife in the area contradicts this and many argue that the region should be given over to the animals which have become established in the area - creating a radioactive protected wildlife reserve. Advertisement

As these groups exist at different distances from the site of the explosion, the scientists could determine a dog's level of radiation exposure from its DNA.

They say that the populations could increase 'understanding [of] the biological underpinnings of animals and, ultimately, human survival in regions of high and continuous environmental assault.'

On April 26 1986, one of the reactors at a power station on the outskirts of Pripyat caught fire and exploded, spreading radioactive material into the surroundings.

Thirty workers were killed in the immediate aftermath while the long-term death toll from radiation poisoning is estimated to eventually number in the thousands.

More than 160,000 residents of the town and surrounding areas had to be evacuated, leaving the former Soviet site as a radioactive ghost town.

They were only permitted to take what they could carry, meaning they had to leave their beloved pets behind.

Squads were sent in to kill them to prevent them spreading radioactive contamination, but some managed to evade death by hiding in the woods.

Between 2017 and 2019, scientists went back to visit the remaining canine residents, which have somehow been able to find food, breed and survive.

The majority either lived inside the plant itself, the nearby railway station or in the largely-abandoned Chernobyl City about nine miles (15 km) away.

A handful lived in Slavutych, and were less exposed to radiation.

The researchers also collected DNA from about 200 free-breeding dogs from other parts of Ukraine and global countries.

Through comparison, they are hoping to probe the effects of the radioactive material on the Chernobyl dogs' DNA, or lack thereof.

Geneticist and study author Dr Elaine Ostrander said: 'We've had this golden opportunity' to lay the groundwork for answering a crucial question: "How do you survive in a hostile environment like this for 15 generations?"'

Genome analysis, published in Science Advances , revealed that the three dog populations living in and around Chernobyl were genetically distinct

The scientists identified 15 different dog families that exist within the three populations. Pictured: Networks of parent-offspring relationships

It is still unclear if the three populations have evolved because of different levels of direct exposure. Pictured: A dog is seen near the New Safe Confinement shelter, built in 2016 to seal in some of the most dangerous waste material in the world for 100 years

Genome analysis, published in Science Advances, revealed that the three dog populations living in and around Chernobyl were genetically distinct.

This surprised the researchers, as they thought the dogs might have intermingled so much over time that they'd be much the same.

'That was a huge milestone for us,' said Dr Ostrander.

'And what's surprising is we can even identify families' - about 15 different ones.'

These families were unique compared to free-breeding dogs that live elsewhere in the world, but they also do breed with each other.

It is still unclear if the three populations have evolved because of different levels of direct exposure.

Individuals in each population may just have possessed genetic mutations that allowed for them to survive and breed.

Inbreeding may also have been promoted in the individual regions as they are so cut off from each other, leading to them developing genetic distinctiveness.

The fact that the populations have remained so isolated means that they 'provide an incredible tool to look at the impacts of this kind of a setting' on mammals overall, according to co-author Dr Tim Mousseau. Pictured: A dog inside an abandoned gym

Ultimately, the researchers hope their study will provide insights about how animals and humans can live in regions under 'continuous environmental assault', including outer space

The 15 families of the three Chernobyl populations were unique compared to free-breeding dogs that live elsewhere in the world, but they also do breed with each other. Pictured: Differences in breed ancestry between Chernobyl populations

The fact that the populations have remained so isolated means that they 'provide an incredible tool to look at the impacts of this kind of a setting' on mammals overall, according to co-author Dr Tim Mousseau.

To do this, they will look for differences in the DNA of the dogs living in separate areas of Chernobyl, as well as those that have not been exposed to radiation at all.

Dr Ostrander said: 'We can compare them and we can say: OK, what's different, what's changed, what's mutated, what's evolved, what helps you, what hurts you at the DNA level?'

Scientists said the research could tell us if exposure to radiation changes the genomes of large mammals at a rapid rate.

It could also help isolate 'genetic variants associated with population survival and propagation '.

Ultimately, the researchers hope their study will provide insights about how animals and humans can live in regions under 'continuous environmental assault', including outer space.

But for now, they will be spending more time with the Chernobyl dogs, some of which they have grown close to.

One of these they have named 'Prancer', because she excitedly prances around when she sees people.

'Even though they're wild, they still very much enjoy human interaction,' said Dr Mousseau. 'Especially when there's food involved.'
Everyone is looking for a way to slash their heating bills amid soaring energy prices and the deepening cost-of-living crisis.

Now, a British start-up has come up with a new way of doing so using a method that may seem a little bizarre to some  by fitting a computer server to a household's hot water tank.

Heata claims its shoebox-sized device could help Britons save around 150 a year on their energy bills, while small companies can also make use of the computer power available on the servers rather than them being in a large data centre.

As the computer gets hot, the tank takes waste heat away from it and uses this to warm water for showers, baths and washing up.

Each unit can deliver up to 4.8kWh of hot water per day, the company says  approximately 80 per cent of the hot water required in an average UK household.

Clever: A British start-up has come up with a new idea that it says could soon save Britons 150 a year on their energy bills  by using computer servers to heat their water

Heata claims its shoebox-sized device could help Britons save around 150 a year on their energy bills, while small companies can also make use of the computer power available on the servers rather than them being in a large data centre

As many people will know, laptops and computers can get very hot when running for long periods, with internal fans used to cool them down.

HOW DOES THE HEATA DEVICE WORK? Computer servers in large data centres across Britain require huge cooling systems to stop them overheating. The problem with this is that some 45 per cent of energy consumed in these centres goes towards the cooling. British start-up Heata has therefore come up with a new solution to avoid having to have these cooling systems, and instead make use of the waste heat computers produce. It offers to install processes in people's homes by attaching them to their water tanks. The tanks then take this waste heat and use it to heat water for showers and washing up. It doesn't cost a homeowner anything because Heata covers the cost of the electricity the servers require. The company makes its money by essentially letting out these computer servers to companies across the UK, such as architecture firms that need to do computer-intensive rendering. Heata insists that the data is protected. Currently, however, a homeowner's broadband has to be used to run the servers, but the firm is in talks with internet service providers to find a work around for this so it doesn't use up a person's monthly data allowance. Advertisement

Now imagine a data centre filled with them.

There are 480 such hubs up and down Britain where some 45 per cent of energy consumed actually comes from cooling systems used to stop the vast numbers of servers overheating.

To get around this waste, Heata has found a way to take the heat from such computers and find a sustainable use for it.

Its server harnesses the heat from the processing and transfers it to the water tank, which in turn provides a household with free hot water.

The reason it is free is because Heata pays for the electricity to run the device, not the homeowner.

The electricity used by the unit is metered and homeowners are credited with the amount used at 10 per cent above the market rate, the company said.

Heata says an electrician can install its device in under two hours using a 'British Gas approved no plumbing process'.

The unit's power supply has an integrated meter so the company knows exactly how much electricity it is using.

The machines also use the home's broadband connection to send what Heata claims is relatively small amounts of data via a secure VPN.

But it said it was in talks with internet service providers to create connections solely for the use of the devices so they don't eat into users' monthly data allowances.

They are also fitted with alarms to notify the company if anyone tries to gain access to the internal components, while all data transmission is protected by 256-bit encryption to prevent unauthorised users from accessing it, Heata said.

Heata's server harnesses the heat from the processing and transfers it to the water tank, which in turn provides a household with free hot water

The company has already run a trial with 20 homes and is now halfway through installing the servers in 80 households as part of a larger year-long trial funded by the UK government

The company's co-founder Chris Jordan said the firm already had customers lined up to use the computer power available on the 80 servers it is installing as part of its new trial.

These include architecture firms that need to do computer-intensive rendering of 3D animations, he added.

If Heata's vision is hugely successful, experts say there would be no reason to construct dedicated buildings to host hundreds of thousands of computers anymore.

The firm claims that by re-using heat and removing a cooling energy cost from data centres, it reduces the carbon footprint of the processing it undertakes by 40 per cent vs a typical data centre.

However, critics say that although the idea looks good on the surface, questions still remain as to whether the devices are worthwhile because it depends on how much heat they generate, the ease of installation and the impact on data security and home broadband connections.
The moment a powerful flare exploded on our sun's surface was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory.

A strong X-class, which can be 10 times the size of Earth, was released from the blazing star's surface at 12:52 pm ET on March 3 and caused temporary shortwave radio blackouts in North and South America.

The blast of energy, which lasted for seven minutes, shot out from a sunspot called AR 3234, located at the top right region of the sun's surface, according to SpaceWeather.com.

The sunspot was first identified in February but has since quadrupled in size, according to NASA.

The massive solar flare was spotted by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory on Friday

'Aviators and ham radio operators may have noticed a signal loss and other unusual propagation effects at frequencies below 30 MHz for as much as an hour after the flare,' SpaceWeather reported on Friday.

'Solar radio bursts now being reported by the US Air Force suggest that the explosion may have also produced a CME.'

CME, or coronal mass ejection, is a stream of energetic, highly magnetized, superheated gas released from the sun.

CMEs can eject billions of tons of corona material from the sun's surface. The material consists of plasma and magnetic fields.

Such eruptions have the potential to trigger space weather that can interfere with satellites and power grids on Earth and can be harmful to unprotected astronauts.

NASA reported that its craft registered the flare as an X2.1, part of a class that can trigger radio blackouts worldwide and long-lasting radiation storms in the upper atmosphere.

And they can be up to 10 times the size of Earth, making them the largest kind of flares.

'The biggest X-class flares are by far the largest explosions in the solar system and are awesome to watch,' according to NASA.

NASA reported that its craft registered the flare as an X2.1, part of a class that can trigger radio blackouts worldwide and long-lasting radiation storms in the upper atmosphere

The blast of energy , which lasted for seven minutes, shot out from a sunspot called AR 3234

READ MORE: Amazing ultraviolet image of the sun appears to show a friendly expression The sun hasn't got his hat on here. But we can still cry hip hip hip hooray  because he's wearing the broadest, warmest of smiles. Advertisement

'Loops tens of times the size of Earth leap up off the sun's surface when the sun's magnetic fields cross over each other and reconnect.

'In the biggest events, this reconnection process can produce as much energy as a billion hydrogen bombs.'

When the massive flare smashed into our planet, it interacted with the atmosphere and caused a blackout lasting up to 30 minutes.

However, no significant issues happened as a result.

NASA also reported a separate solar flare last month, which broke off the sun's northern pole.

A video shows a giant filament of plasma, or electrified gas, shooting out from the sun, separating and circulating in a 'massive polar vortex.'

While astronomers are baffled, they speculate the prominence has something to do with the reversal of the sun's magnetic field that happens once every solar cycle.

Scientists have yet to determine what caused the filament in the recent observation to swirl around the sun instead of jetting out into space.

The recent increase in activity from the Sun results from it coming towards the most active phase in its 11-year solar cycle - hitting peak activity in 2024.

Astronomers are observing intense solar radiation, more ejection of solar materials, increased sunspots and more violent solar flares.

When the massive flare smashed into our planet, it interacted with the atmosphere and caused a blackout lasting up to 30 minutes

A piece of the sun broke off and circled the northern pole like a tornado. This is the first time scientists have seen such an event

Studies have shown that the current solar activity level is about the same as 11 years ago, during the same point in the last cycle.

In August 2022, the European Space Agency's (ESA) Gaia spacecraft made a chilling prediction that our sun is almost halfway through its life span.

When it reaches the end, it will swell and obliterate our planet - but data from the craft suggests this will not happen for at least another five billion years.
Cristiano Ronaldo has sent a plane load of care items to victims of the devastating earthquake in Syria and Turkey.

The former Manchester United star has been deeply affected by the tragic scenes that has left a huge death toll and severely impacted peoples lives.

And Ronaldo has sent a plane packed full of aid to the areas devastated by the disaster as he looks to help those affected.

The Portugal legend has paid for tents, food packages, pillows and blankets, beds, baby food and milk and medical supplies to help aid the humanitarian effort.

The goods have been sent to both Turkey and Syria.

Cristiano Ronaldo has sent a care package to the victims of the earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria last month

Over 50,000 have died as a result of the disaster that has devastated towns and cities

There is hope Ronaldos gesture will encourage other sporting figures to follow suit in the coming days and weeks.

Footage emerged on Friday of Ronaldo greeting a young Syrian boy who said it was his dream to meet the ex-Real Madrid forward.

It is not the first time Ronaldo has made such generous donations.

Ronaldo once paid $83,000 (69,000) to pay for childs brain surgery and donated $165,000 (137,000) to help fund a cancer centre in his native Portugal.

The forward, who has held ambassadorial roles for Save the Children, Unicef and World Vision, also donated 1million to Portuguese hospitals during the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
A group of progressive activists marches toward the foreign ministry in Seoul to convey their letter of protest against the South Korean government's solution for addressing the issue of compensation for wartime forced labor, Jan. 18. Yonhap



The South Korean government formally proposed Monday compensating more than a dozen victims of Japan's wartime forced labor through a Seoul-backed public foundation, instead of direct payment from responsible Japanese firms.



The proposal announced by Foreign Minister Park Jin is intended to resolve the issue of compensating 15 Koreans who won legal battles against two Japanese firms accused of mobilizing them for hard labor during World War II.



In 2018, South Korea's Supreme Court ordered Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and Nippon Steel Corp. to pay them compensation. Refusing to follow the order, they have faced the risk of their assets in South Korea being liquidated."



Under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration's scheme, the Foundation for Victims of Forced Mobilization, affiliated with the interior ministry, will collect "voluntary" donations from the private sector. It also plans to use the foundation, created in 2014, to compensate other plaintiffs who win pending cases.



The government is expected to seek donations from South Korean companies that benefited from a 1965 bilateral treaty, such as steelmaker POSCO, under which Tokyo offered $300 million in grants to Seoul. Still, victims and supporting civic groups have strongly protested the plan floated earlier during a public hearing.





A group of progressive activists marches toward the foreign ministry in Seoul to convey their letter of protest against the South Korean government's solution for addressing the issue of compensation for wartime forced labor, Jan. 18. Yonhap
Turbulence remains a major cause of injuries to flight passengers and crew, even as airlines have made steady improvements in their overall accident rate in recent years.

A Lufthansa flight from Texas to Germany is one of the latest examples. The Airbus A330 reported severe turbulence over Tennessee last Wednesday and was diverted to Virginia's Washington Dulles International Airport. Seven people were taken to hospitals with injuries believed to be minor.

And on Friday a business jet was buffeted by severe turbulence over New England, causing a rare passenger death.

Climate change is expected to make turbulence worse in the coming decades, experts say, though improvements in weather forecasting will help.

Turbulence accounted for 37.6 per cent of all accidents on larger commercial airlines between 2009 and 2018, according to a 2021 report from the National Transportation Safety Board.

Turbulence remains a major cause of injuries to flight passengers and crew, even as airlines have made steady improvements in their overall accident rate in recent years

The Federal Aviation Administration released data last year showing 146 serious injuries resulted from turbulence from 2009 to 2021.

Last year, over the span of two days in December, a flight to Honolulu and a flight to Houston hurt a total of 41 people.

In July, severe turbulence led to at least eight minor injuries on a flight to Nashville, Tennessee, that had to be diverted to Alabama. Also, three separate flights to Detroit, Miami and Columbus, Ohio, resulted in serious injuries to three crew members, according to NTSB data.

The NTSB has said more can be done - both within the industry and among passengers - to limit injuries from turbulence. And everyone agrees that simply wearing a seat-belt during the entire flight will significantly reduce one's risk of getting hurt.

WHAT IS TURBULENCE?

Turbulence is essentially unstable air that moves in a non-predictable fashion. Most people associate it with heavy storms. But the most dangerous type is clear-air turbulence, which often occurs with no visible warning in the sky ahead.

Clear-air turbulence happens most often in or near the high-altitude rivers of air called jet streams. The culprit is wind shear, which is when two huge air masses close to each other move at different speeds. If the difference in speed is big enough, the atmosphere can't handle the strain, and it breaks into turbulent patterns like eddies in water.

Turbulence is essentially unstable air that moves in a non-predictable fashion. Most people associate it with heavy storms. But the most dangerous type is clear-air turbulence, which often occurs with no visible warning in the sky ahead

'When those eddies are on the same scale as the aircraft, it causes one side of the aircraft to go up and one side to go down or causes the airplane to lose and gain altitude very quickly,' said Thomas Guinn, a meteorology professor at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.

If pilots experience moderate turbulence, they can generally avoid it by flying to a higher altitude, Guinn said. But severe turbulence needs to be avoided all together.

'We can give kind of broad areas of where the turbulence is,' Guinn said. 'If the indicators are for severe, then we generally expect pilots to avoid those regions.'

WHAT ROLE DOES CLIMATE CHANGE PLAY?

Paul D. Williams, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Reading in England, says global warming is changing temperature patterns in the upper atmosphere. That is causing more instability in the jet streams.

'More specifically, at flight-cruising altitudes, the tropics are warming more rapidly than the poles... leading to stronger north-south temperature differences across the jet stream, and it is those temperature differences that drive the wind shear,' Williams wrote in an email.

Preventing injuries from turbulence is 'best addressed by sitting in your seat and seat-belting in', says one expert

But the implications for air travellers are still not fully known, he cautioned.

'One could argue that pilots should be getting better at avoiding turbulence over time, because the specialised forecasts that are used to seek out smooth routes are gradually improving,' Williams wrote. 'So more turbulence in the atmosphere will not necessarily translate into more injuries.'

HOW COMMON ARE TURBULENCE-RELATED INJURIES?

The NTSB's 2021 report showed that 111 turbulence-related accidents occurred between 2009 and 2018 that resulted in at least one serious injury. That figure applies to commercial carrier planes with more than nine passenger seats.

'Most passengers seriously injured... are either out of their seats or seated with their seat belts unfastened,' the report said.

At flight-cruising altitudes, the tropics are warming more rapidly than the poles... leading to stronger north-south temperature differences across the jet stream, and it is those temperature differences that drive the wind shear Paul D. Williams, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Reading

Flight attendants - who are often up and moving - were most commonly hurt, accounting for 78.9 per cent of those seriously injured.

Numbers released by the FAA in December showed a similar breakdown between 2009 and 2021: 116 of the 146 serious turbulence injuries - or 79 per cent - were among crew.

Accident reports filed with the NTSB provide examples. For instance, turbulence on a flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Miami in July 2021 resulted in a flight attendant 'striking the floor hard' in the aft galley and being diagnosed with 'a fractured compressed vertebra'.

On another flight from San Antonio to Chicago in August 2021, a flight attendant 'had fallen to her knees because of the turbulence' and 'was diagnosed with a fractured kneecap'. And on a flight from Baltimore to Atlanta in October 2021, a flight attendant fell and broke her ankle during drink service when the plane 'unexpectedly entered a cloud and experienced moderate to borderline severe turbulence'.

'When turbulence occurs, it can be severe and lead to significant, very serious injuries: everything from broken bones to spinal issues to neck issues,' NTSB Chair Jennifer L. Homendy said in a December interview.

WHAT CAN BE DONE?

The NTSB's 2021 report offered a long list of recommendations. They included more information-sharing among pilots, carriers and air traffic controllers regarding weather and turbulence incidents.

'We want to make sure that the best suite of technologies is used to provide the best information to pilots and flight attendants and passengers,' Homendy told The Associated Press.

The agency also urged revisions to safety recommendations regarding when flight attendants should be secured in their seats, including additional portions of descent, which would 'reduce the rate of flight attendant injuries'.

The report also cited parents who have been unable to hold infants securely on their laps during turbulence. The NTSB stated that it's safest for children under the age of two to be in their own seat and using an appropriate child restraint system.

Michael Canders, director of the Aviation Center at Farmingdale State College in New York, said many in the industry are already sharing information with each other regarding turbulence, while forecasting has improved over the years.

But he's unconvinced that it will ever be perfect.

'There's this argument or debate about, "Will technology save us or do we need to back off and take better care of the earth?'" said Canders, who is also an associate professor of aviation. 'I think we have to do both.'

Canders added that preventing injuries from turbulence is 'best addressed by sitting in your seat and seat-belting in'.
Game of Thrones star Natalie Dormer has tied the knot with fiance David Oakes, MailOnline can reveal.

The actress, 41, who shares a young daughter with the Vikings: Valhalla star, 39, celebrated their nuptials by having an intimate dinner at Roth Bar & Grill in Bruton, Somerset, last month.

It is believed the couple wed during an intimate service nearby on the same day and spent the evening drinking expresso martinis with their close circle.

A source said: 'Natalie and David kept the wedding very low key, they didn't want it to be a huge bash though it certainly was still a day to remember.

'They just wanted to share the moment with a select group of people as they're very private individuals. But it was a beautiful ceremony.'

Game of Thrones star Natalie Dormer has tied the knot with fiance David Oakes, MailOnline can reveal

The Brit actress, who shares a young daughter with the Vikings: Valhalla star, celebrated their nuptials by having an intimate dinner at the Roth Bar & Grill in Bruton, Somerset, last month

Natalie and David started dating in 2019 after starring together in the play Venus in Fur two years earlier (pictured in 2017)

The newlyweds were seen drinking Malbec wine while enjoying a three-course dinner at the restaurant with two other couples before continuing the night with cocktails.

On Monday, David confirmed the couple's union, writing on Instagram: 'Three weeks ago we entered into a civil partnership during an intimate and private ceremony in Bath and we couldn't be happier!'

Natalie and David started dating in 2019 after starring together in play Venus in Fur two years earlier.

She was previously engaged to director Antony Byrne, but the pair split in 2018 after dating for 11 years.

The timing of the break-up came shortly after Natalie admitted co-writing their thriller In Darkness had created 'massive arguments' at home.

Natalie, who played Margaery Tyrell in the HBO blockbuster fantasy series, gave birth to their daughter in January 2021, joking she got pregnant during the pandemic because there was little else to do.

She said: 'It's the perfect thing to do during a pandemic, is get pregnant and have a baby.

'I feel like I'm probably being a bit of a cliche. She'll probably be sitting in a bar in 30 years' time on a date going, 'Yeah, I'm a Covid baby!'

'I think there's going to be lots of Covid babies, because what else can you do?'

Speaking on the That's After Life! podcast, The Tudors actress added: 'She's an absolute joy  I'm never going to complain about shooting hours ever again because the sleep deprivation is something else.'

MailOnline has approached Natalie and David's representation for comment.

Natalie, who played Margaery Tyrell in the HBO blockbuster fantasy series, gave birth to their daughter in January 2021, joking she got pregnant during the pandemic because there was little else to do (pictured in 2020)

Natalie's husband shared an image of a church on Instagram in recent weeks, alluding to the couples' nuptials

Natalie admitted that her career as a TV and film actress would be challenging with a baby, as she discussed juggling motherhood with future roles during the 2021 interview.

She said: 'I'm going to find it very difficult, I think, you don't want to warp the childhood experience.

'People in the industry that I'm in do lean on nannies and they do that for a reason so that they can take children with them.

'But I mean for me, this is the perfect time to go back to the stage, because then I could be with her all day.'

Last week, Natalie confirmed that she will be starring in South African crime series White Lies, and is currently shooting in Cape Town.

She said: 'I'm thrilled to be in Cape Town and begin this beautiful, gripping show.

'South Africa has so much to offer an international audience in its storytelling. I'm truly excited to bring Darrel's eight-episode page-turner to life with such a group of talented directors, led by John, and a superb ensemble cast.'

As well as starring in several films, plays and TV series, including ITV drama Victoria, Natalie's husband David is also a passionate environmentalist and hosts a national history podcast called Trees A Crowd.

In recent weeks, he has shared an image of a church on his Instagram story, as well as an eerie pathway, thought to be located near where the pair married.
Is footy WAG Bec Judd headed for the South African jungle?

The first lady of the AFL is being tipped to star on the upcoming season of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!

Channel 10 teased her involvement in a trailer released on Monday.

The promo includes a series of hints that Bec, who is married to former Carlton captain Chris Judd, is one of the 'mystery' campers.

The teaser alludes to 'a radio host that loves to kiss and tell', which could be a reference to Bec, who previously co-hosted The 3pm Pick-Up on KIIS FM.

Is footy WAG Bec Judd (pictured) headed for the South African jungle? The first lady of the AFL is being tipped to star on the upcoming season of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!

Ten teased her involvement in a trailer released on Monday. The promo features a series of hints that Bec is one of the 'mystery' campers, including references to her radio career

The teaser alludes to 'a radio host that loves to kiss and tell', which could be a reference to Bec, who previously co-hosted The 3pm Pick-Up on KIIS FM

However, this clue could also apply to Bec's former colleagues Katie 'Monty' Dimond and Yumi Stynes.

The preview begins with a large lizard crawling around a radio studio.

A voice over announces: 'A radio host that loves to kiss and tell will have plenty to say in the outback and jungle.'

The preview then cuts to a giraffe in a jungle setting, its mouth covered in lipstick.

The animal announces it would love to get a 'kiss' from the mystery contestant.

Later in the teaser, I'm a Celerity host Julia Morris is dressed as a flight attendant, and looks flustered at the prospect of a sexy new camper.

'Excuse me while I reach for some oxygen,' she says.

This clue could also apply to Bec's former colleagues Katie 'Monty' Dimond (left) and Yumi Stynes (right)

Later in the teaser, I'm a Celerity host Julia Morris (right, with Dr Chris Brown) is dressed as a flight attendant, and looks flustered at the prospect of a sexy new camper

Bec quit her job at KIIS FM in 2020. The 3pm Pick-Up was cancelled two years later.

Since stepping away from the microphone, the mother of four has been focusing on her various business, influencer gigs, and career as an interior designer.

She co-hosted the 3pm Pick-Up radio show for three years with Monty and Yumi before being replaced by comedian Kate Langbroek in 2021.

The show was axed by KIIS FM last year and replaced by a new show called The Pick Up, fronted by Brittany Hockley, Laura Byrne and Mitch Churi.

I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! returns to Channel 10 and 10Play on April 2
Kourtney Kardashian took to Instagram on Sunday to flaunt her newly bleached edgy bob haircut.

The 43-year-old bombshell posed for an impromptu photo shoot in a Las Vegas  where she attended a UFC fight this weekend  casino as she sat at a row of slot machines.

The POOSH creator styled the jaw-grazing look in a deep side part, flipping one section over her face.

Adding a touch of glamour to the presentation, she wore glossy black oval-shaped sunglasses despite being indoors.

For her caption Kardashian used a lengthy Hunter S. Thompson quote most known for its inclusion in the classic film Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

New look: Kourtney Kardashian took to Instagram on Sunday to flaunt her newly bleached edgy bob haircut

Ham for the camera: The 43-year-old bombshell posed for an impromptu photo shoot in a Las Vegas  where she attended a UFC fight this weekend  casino as she sat at a row of slot machines

Writing to her 214 million followers, she quoted, 'Every now and then when your life gets complicated and the weasels start closing in, the only cure is to load up on heinous chemicals and then drive like a bastard from Hollywood to Las Vegas... with the music at top volume and at least a pint of ether.'

Kourtney's younger sister Khloe Kardashian was among the first to join in the comments as she said, 'I have no idea what this caption means, but I love your hair with a side flip!'

The mother-of-three, who shares Mason, Penelope, and Reign with ex Scott Disick, was dressed like a rockstar in a black mini skirt and knee-high black boots.

She bared her toned legs in the shiny skintight shrunken fashion piece, teaming it with a baggy vintage white Blink 182 shirt, supporting husband Travis Barker.

Kourtney struck multiple poses, showing her fans various angles in the bright-colored space.

She had a full face of makeup on underneath her sexy shades, highlighting her cheekbones with blush.

Her thick, dark eyebrows were also expertly shaped, providing a complementary frame for her visage.

The superstar, who's stepmom to Alabama and Landon Barker as well as Atiana De la Hoya, finished with a nude pink matte lipstick.

Detailed presentation: The POOSH creator styled the jaw-grazing look in a deep side part, flipping one section over her face

Rocker chic: Adding a touch of glamour to the presentation, she wore glossy black oval-shaped sunglasses despite being indoors

Kourtney, who's the oldest of the Kardashian-Jenner bunch, had two colorful wristbands on her wrist.

She skipped earrings and rocked her huge diamond wedding ring on her nude manicured ring finger.

In some snapshots she sat down on the casino's beige-colored leather seat.

In others she stood up and showed off the back of her ensemble and playfully messed up her hairdo.

The Lemme supplement founder also took to Instagram's Stories to post throwback photos from when her hair was styled similarly at another point in her life.

Mrs. Barker uploaded two snapshots from 1995 when she was 17-years-old and had stripped her hair.

She wrote, '17 year old Kourt,' and '1995 bored during finals, convinces someone to dye my hair blonde to procrastinate.'

Fashionista: The mother-of-three, who shares Mason, Penelope, and Reign with ex Scott Disick, was dressed like a rockstar in a black mini skirt and knee-high black boots

Outtakes: Kourtney struck multiple poses, showing her fans various angles in the bright-colored space

Lighthearted: In others she stood up and showed off the back of her ensemble and playfully messed up her hairdo
Married At First Sight's Tayla Winter was pictured jumping straight on a plane to her hometown of Tasmania just hours after she sensationally stormed off the show during filming last year.

The blonde bombshell, 27, shocked viewers on Sunday night's episode when she stormed off the set after facing off with groom Hugo Armstrong.

Tayla and her husband Hugo were at the centre of a 'butt dial' scandal last week, which saw him allegedly call her the C-word during a vicious spray.

She chose 'Leave' during Sunday's commitment ceremony while Hugo chose 'Stay', forcing her into the experiment for another week.

Tayla cut a downcast figure as she strolled through the airport with a frown on her face.

Married At First Sight's Tayla Winter was pictured jumping straight on a plane to her hometown of Tasmania just hours after she sensationally stormed off the show during filming last year

The blonde bombshell, 27, shocked viewers on Sunday night's episode when she stormed off the set after facing off with groom Hugo Armstrong

She sported a designer Tommy Jeans white jumper which cut off at her midriff as she strode through the airport terminal.

Tayla paired her top with black exercise pants, white sneakers and accessorised with gold hoop earrings.

Her long blonde hair hung freely around her shoulders and she opted for a neutral palette of makeup which accentuated her striking facial features.

The Hobart native powerwalked through the airport with her suitcases and quickly made her way to the Departures lounge.

On Sunday night, Tayla shocked her co-stars when she said she was going to leave, regardless of the rules.

Tayla cut a downcast figure as she strolled through the airport with a frown on her face

The Hobart native powerwalked through the airport with her suitcases and quickly made her way to the Departures lounge

'I'm not staying. I'm going back to Tassie,' Tayla said defiantly.

As series expert John Aiken gently reminded her of the rules, Tayla dismissed it and walked towards the exit from the couch.

Despite being at the centre of the drama, it was Tayla who was grilled by the experts on the couch for her cold approach to Hugo.

It remains unclear if Tayla will return to the show following the commitment ceremony after she left.

Married At First Sight continues Monday at 7.30pm on Channel Nine

Tayla chose 'Leave' Sunday's commitment ceremony while husband Hugo Armstrong (left) chose 'Stay', prompting her to sensationally walk off set
Fitness influencer Sophie Guidolin has all but confirmed her rumoured split from her dentist husband Dr Andrew Firgaira, just weeks after giving birth to a stillborn baby while he was on holiday in Europe.

Sophie, who tied the knot with Andrew just four months ago, has quietly unfollowed his Instagram account in recent days, as well as wiping all evidence of him on her own feed.

Photos of Sophie, 33, and Andrew at their wedding have been deleted, as well as their engagement announcement post and a photo announcing Sophie's pregnancy over Christmas last year.

Rumours about the couple's marriage have been swirling for months, after fans noticed the model had stopped posting photos of Andrew on social media.

Late last month, Sophie added more fuel to the fire by uploading a cryptic Instagram post hinting at heartbreak.

Fitness influencer Sophie Guidolin (right) has all but confirmed her split from husband Dr Andrew Firgaira (left), less than four months after tying the knot

The Gold Coast native, who tied the knot with Andrew just four months ago, has quietly unfollowed Andrew's Instagram account in recent days

In the lengthy post, Sophie said she was going through a 'rough patch' and stressed the importance of 'human connection' despite her desire to 'recharge her batteries alone'.

She then alluded to her need for 'closure' after a difficult time, writing: 'Forgiveness is key, but some things are unforgivable and closure is the choice.'

She also emphasised the importance of being 'consistent' when providing support for another person.

In recent months, Sophie has deleted almost every photo of Andrew from her social media accounts - including this image

It comes days after Sophie shared this cryptic Instagram post about love and relationships in which she hinted at going through a 'rough patch' and stressed the importance of 'human connection' despite her desire to 'recharge her batteries alone'

She alluded to her desire for 'closure' after a difficult time, writing: 'Forgiveness is key, but some things are unforgivable and closure is the choice'

While Sophie has remained silent on the whereabouts of her husband, his absence from her Instagram suggests they may be keeping something out of the public eye.

In recent months, Sophie has deleted all evidence of Andrew from her social media accounts.

Sophie announced her engagement to Andrew in June 2022, just over two years after splitting from Married At First Sight star Jake Edwards in May 2020.

Sophie announced her engagement to Andrew in June 2022, just over two years after splitting from Married At First Sight star Jake Edwards in May 2020. (Pictured: Sophie posing with her engagement ring from Andrew)

The couple tied the knot in November, before announcing a month later they were expecting their first child together.

Sophie, who has four children from a previous relationship, encountered serious health problems during her fifth pregnancy.

In January, she told fans she had been diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum, a severe form of morning sickness.

While recovering from the condition in hospital, Sophie shared a post complaining about how lonely she felt without Andrew by her side.

The couple tied the knot in November, before announcing a month later they were expecting their first child together (pictured)

When quizzed by fans where her husband was, Sophie claimed he was overseas on a European holiday.

While Andrew was in Europe at the time, he has not verified Sophie's claim the trip was a holiday, and it is possible he was there on a work trip.

He was joined on the trip by his two daughters from a previous relationship.

In January, she told fans she had been diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum, a severe form of morning sickness. (Pictured: Sophie recovering from the condition in hospital)

While recovering from the condition in hospital, Sophie shared a post complaining about how lonely she felt without Andrew by her side. She described her struggles during a conversation with MAFS bride Martha Kalifatidis, who was also pregnant at the time

When quizzed by fans where her husband was, Sophie claimed he was overseas in Europe

Sophie responded candidly after one fan asked how she was coping

Sophie announced in late January her fifth child, a girl named Pixie, was stillborn.

'I cannot begin to articulate my pain, grief and despair through my entire soul,' she wrote in an emotional Instagram post, revealing she underwent a C-section.

'I am trying to trust in God's timing and I have always believed that the universe has my back and no matter how confusing this all feels, I am trying to make sense of this grief with my faith.

'I feel so guilty for my thoughts prior and I would do anything to have that pain, over this harrowing experience. I don't even have the words on how to write or how to comprehend this. Maybe some souls were always meant to be angels.'
Lori Harvey looked stunning in a sheer black ensemble for Paris Fashion Week on Sunday.

The 26-year-old beauty took to Instagram to share several snaps of the eye-catching ensemble she was rocking while on her trip.

She has been on the go for the past few weeks, having just made an appearance at Milan Fashion Week in Italy at the end of February.

Lori, who is the adoptive daughter of comedian Steve Harvey, flaunted her fantastic figure in a partially sheer corset with small pieces of fabric barely covering her chest.

Over her shoulders, she threw on a sheer black button-up top that she left open to show off her thin frame.

Flaunting it: Lori Harvey stunned in an all-black sheer look at Paris Fashion Week

Shimmering: The beauty posted several photos to her Instagram on Sunday

For pants, the model opted for a pair of loose black trousers that she let hang low on her hips.

Her caption on the post was simple, having only written: 'Bonjour.' She also added an emoji of the French flag.

Lori shared photos from many different angles, showing off as much of her toned physique as she could.

She started off the slew of photos with a selfie so her 5M followers on Instagram could get a better look at her flawless visage and perfect makeup look.

One shot looked like she was leaning against the wall of an elevator as she revealed a look at the side of her ensemble, including her voluptuous chest, which was almost falling out of the sides of her top.

The bombshell glowed with a full face of makeup, including bronzed and highlighted cheekbones, brown eyeshadow, and dark lipgloss.

She also added a touch of glitter to her chest and around her eyes to give a shimmering effect in the light.

The SKN by LH founder styled her hair in a classic french look. It was cut very short and slicked back over her head, with only a small piece of left out in the front that she curled and left sitting on her forehead.

Showing it all off: The 26-year-old flaunted her fantastic figure in a partially sheer corset with small pieces of fabric barely covering her chest

Wow: Over her shoulders, she threw on a sheer black button-up top that she left open to show off her thin frame

Perfect physique: The model opted for a pair of loose black trousers that she let hang low on her hips

Quick close up: The bombshell glowed with a full face of makeup, including bronzed and highlighted cheekbones, brown eyeshadow, and dark lipgloss

For jewelry, she kept it simple with only a small pair of stud earrings and a singular gold ring on one of her fingers.

The previous week, Lori was a staple member of Milan Fashion Week, having made an appearance at the Bally show.

At the event, she was clad in a plunging denim shirt without a bra and a very leggy black skirt that featured a thigh-high slit nearly up to her hip.

Lori was in good company at the A-list show as she sat in between Dixie D'Amelio and J Balvin.

The busy star was also seen supporting her leading man boyfriend, Damson Idris, 31, at the premiere of the sixth and final season of his show Snowfall.

After initially playing it coy about their budding romance, the handsome couple, who only just went Instagram official at the beginning of 2023, wasn't shy in packing on the PDA at the premiere.

Like a Renaissance painting: The previous week, Lori attended the Bally show at Milan Fashion Week

Showing support: The beauty recently supported her beau Damson Idris at the premiere of his show Snowfall

Adorable: The pair have been officially an item since the beginning of 2023

Before sparking her relationship with Damson, Lori was in a highly publicized relationship with actor heartthrob Michael B. Jordan, 36.

The pair began dating in November 2020, and nearly a year later, Jordan declared in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that he "finally found what love was" with Harvey.

Then in June 2022, it was revealed that Jordan and Harvey had called it quits on their relationship.
Vanderpump Rules personality Ariana Madix on Saturday was seen for the first time since she caught her ex-partner Tom Sandoval cheating on her, which he subsequently apologized for on social media.

Madix, 37, was seen hastily departing the Los Angeles home she shares with Sandoval, 39, without shoes on, after he arrived back at the abode following a performance with his band Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras on Friday in Anaheim, California.

Sandoval showed up to the abode with makeup on his face and a collection of bags, with Madix fleeing the property minutes in her white sedan after his arrival.

Madix wore fuzzy socks as she toted a pair of Ugg slippers, while clad in a pullover and gray sweatpants as she left amid the tense circumstances.

Madix and Sandoval's nine-year relationship imploded last week when it emerged that Sandoval had been 'hooking up' with their 28-year-old co-star Raquel Leviss.

Anywhere but here: Ariana Madix, 37, rushed out of her home shoeless on Sunday when Tom Sandoval, 39, returned from performing with his band the previous night

Sandoval took to Instagram on Saturday, addressing his monthslong affair for the first time online and making a public apology.

The restauranteur also pleaded with fans not to attack his loved ones and colleagues over his actions.

'Hey, I fully understand and deserve ur anger & disappointment towards me, but please leave [Tom] Schwartz, my friends, and family out of this situation' he wrote.

Sandoval then clarified that Schwartz, his longtime best friend and business partner, had only learned of his infidelity 'very recently' and 'did not condone' his actions.

He said, 'This was a very personal thing. Also, Schwartz & Sandy's might have my name on it, but also there are 3 other partners and 20 employees, who especially rely on the restaurant for income for them and their families,' Sandoval said, nodding to his new bar and TomTom, which opened back in 2018.

The actor went on to say he was a 'small part of a much bigger thing' and pleaded with his 961,000 followers to direct their 'anger towards' him and not his associates.

'They did nothing wrong. I'm so sorry that my partners, Greg, Brett, and Schwartz and our employees have to suffer for my actions.

'I will be taking a step back & taking a hiatus out of respect for my employees and partners. I need some time to address everything else,' he concluded. 'Sorry for everything.'

Sock it to him: Carrying a pair of Ugg slippers, Ariana was bundled up in a pullover, gray sweatpants and fuzzy socks as she stormed out of the house and loaded into her white sedan

Fleeing their house: Madix appeared to be in such a hurry to escape their shared house in Los Angeles that she drove away wearing her fuzzy socks

Tom returns: Clad in black, the musician showed up with makeup on his face and a collection of bags, causing Madix to flee the property minutes after his arrival

End of an era: The nine-year relationship between the Vanderpump Rules stars imploded last week when it emerged that Sandoval had been 'hooking up' with their co-star Raquel Leviss

Messy: Tom recently apologized for cheating on Ariana with their castmate Raquel Leviss (R, 28) in a new Instagram post, in which he addressed his months-long affair (seen in 2022)

'Hey, I fully understand and deserve ur anger & disappointment towards me, but please leave [Tom] Schwartz, my friends, and family out of this situation' he wrote

A source on Saturday informed Page Six that Sandoval and Leviss had been meaning to inform Madix about the affair 'for weeks.'

Madix wound up discovering their secret herself Wednesday night when she saw Leviss' texts on Sandoval's phone.

Sandoval's apology post comes less than 24 hours after he addressed his cheating scandal for the first time while performing with his band Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras.

'Have you ever been one of the most hated people in America?' the TV personality asked the audience, according to Us Weekly, alluding to the backlash over his affair.

In a TikTok video taken at the concert, a woman in the crowd could be heard screaming: 'Ariana!' to which Sandoval said: 'We love her.'

Madix, is said to have found out about Sandoval's alleged cheating with Leviss in the last couple of days, ending their nine-year romance shortly afterwards.

A production source told DailyMail.com: There is more to this story that will be revealed in the coming weeks but all is not what it seems, however, it is true that Tom and Raquel have been hooking up.

We should change the name of the show to Raquel Rules as she has certainly become the star of the show this season, giving it her all.

Not proud of his actions: Sandoval then clarified that Schwartz, his longtime best friend and business partner, had only learned of his infidelity 'very recently' and 'did not condone' his actions

Cheater: The actor went on to say he was a 'small part of a much bigger thing' and pleaded with his 961,000 followers to direct their 'anger towards' him and not his associates (seen in 2021)

Heartbreaking: A source informed People the alleged affair 'has been going on for upwards of six months - all the while, Tom was sleeping next to Ariana in bed. She was completely blindsided by this; devastated doesn't even scratch the surface of how she feels' (seen earlier this year)

Not okay: A Page Six source has alleged that Leviss (seen in 2022) and Sandoval were 'communicating inappropriately for months' and 'want to be together' now that he is single

Imitation: Sandoval even dressed up as Leviss for Halloween

The cast should be thanking Raquel and Tom as Bravo are already talking about renewing the show for an 11th season. This is the mess that viewers live for.

Production has switched the cameras back on and they are catching all of the fall out as the cast react to this news. This will be the best season of Vanderpump Rules yet.

Madix has since deleted her Instagram account. DailyMail.com has contacted representatives for Sandoval, Madix, Leviss and Bravo for comment.

A source informed People the alleged affair 'has been going on for upwards of six months - all the while, Tom was sleeping next to Ariana in bed. She was completely blindsided by this; devastated doesn't even scratch the surface of how she feels.'
Fans who spotted filming of Joker 2: Folie a Deux in downtown on Saturday were seeing double with Joaquin Phoenix spotted with another Joker.

The 48-year-old actor was spotted filming scenes as Arthur Fleck, while another taller man was seen in full Joker makeup and the red suit Arthur wore in the original 2019 blockbuster Joker.

Phoenix was not spotted with Lady Gaga - just weeks after director Todd Phillips released the first look at Gaga as Harley Quinn.

While it's unclear who the taller actor is in the full makeup and red suit, it may very well be British actor Harry Lawtey, who at 6'2" stands a full six inches over the 5'8" Phoenix, though the other actor's identity was not confirmed.

Both Phoenix and this unknown co-star were seen running through the streets of downtown Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon.

Deux Jokers: Fans who spotted filming of Joker 2: Folie a Deux in downtown on Saturday were seeing double with Joaquin Phoenix spotted with another Joker.

Joaquin as Arthur: The 48-year-old actor was spotted filming scenes as Arthur Fleck, while another taller man was seen in full Joker makeup and the red suit Arthur wore in the original 2019 blockbuster Joker

Running: Both Phoenix and this unknown co-star were seen running through the streets of downtown Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon

Phoenix was spotted on set wearing a light grey suit with a light brown dress shirt under a grey goat with a grey striped necktie.

He was also seen with faded Joker makeup on his face, completing his look with matching brown pants and shoes.

The actor's suit was quite dusty, with fake blood seen on his left ear and part of his chin as he relaxed between takes.

While no details of the scene were given, it's possible there was an explosion of some kind, which could account for the dusty debris on his suit.

While most of his Joker makeup was gone, it was clear he was in full makeup at some point before these shots since you can still see parts of the red and white makeup.

His mysterious and taller companion was seen running with full green hair and white makeup on his face, donning the seemingly identical red suit with a yellow vest that Phoenix's Arthur wore in the first movie.

The actor completed his look with black boots as he ran through the streets, though it's unclear what he and Phoenix's Arthur Fleck were actually running from.

Production started on the sequel in early December 2022, though it's unclear how much filming is left.

Joaquin's look: Phoenix was spotted on set wearing a light grey suit with a light brown dress shirt under a grey goat with a grey striped necktie

Bloody: The actor's suit was quite dusty, with fake blood seen on his left ear and part of his chin as he relaxed between takes

Joker companion: His mysterious and taller companion was seen running with full green hair and white makeup on his face, donning the seemingly identical red suit with a yellow vest that Phoenix's Arthur wore in the first movie

The original 2019 Joker was a critical and commercial hit, earning $335.5 million domestic and $1.074 billion worldwide, the first R-rated movie ever to cross $1 billion.

Phoenix also took home his first Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal of Arthur Fleck, his first win after three previous nominations.

The original movie, directed by Todd Phillips, was originally intended to be a stand-alone movie, launching Warner Bros.' DC Black, a series of darker movies that are not a part of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU).

However, leading up to the release of Joker in October 2019, both Phillips and Phoenix had hinted about sequel possibilities.

The movie opened with $96 million en route to its $1 billion haul, from just a $55 million budget, with the sequel green lit shortly thereafter.

Very little is known about the sequel thus far, except it will introduce Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, with Zazie Beetz's Sophie Dumond also returning.

The sequel also stars Brendan Gleeson, Jacob Lofland and Catherine Keener in unspecified roles.

Warner Bros. has slated the sequel for release on October 4, 2024, exactly five years after the original movie's release.

Original: The original 2019 Joker was a critical and commercial hit, earning $335.5 million domestic and $1.074 billion worldwide, the first R-rated movie ever to cross $1 billion

Oscar winner: Phoenix also took home his first Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal of Arthur Fleck, his first win after three previous nominations

Original movie: The original movie, directed by Todd Phillips, was originally intended to be a stand-alone movie, launching Warner Bros.' DC Black, a series of darker movies that are not a part of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU)

Sequel: However, leading up to the release of Joker in October 2019, both Phillips and Phoenix had hinted about sequel possibilities

Debut: The movie opened with $96 million en route to its $1 billion haul, from just a $55 million budget, with the sequel green lit shortly thereafter

Cast: Very little is known about the sequel thus far, except it will introduce Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, with Zazie Beetz's Sophie Dumond also returning

New stars: The sequel also stars Brendan Gleeson, Jacob Lofland and Catherine Keener in unspecified roles
Quinta Brunson has been hauling home the hardware during this awards season, but admitted she's still looking for the proper display for her trophies.

The 33-year-old Abbott Elementary creator, star and writer told People on Saturday at the Independent Spirit Awards about her plans for her multiple awards.

'I'm going to put them in my office at Warner Bros. I just recently signed an overall deal there, so I have an office that I'm just going to fill with trophies,' Quinta said.

'That's what I see other executives do,' she added.

'I don't want them in my home because I think [that] looks a little obnoxious,' Quinta continued. 'Once you have multiple wins, I think it so wild to just have them sitting on a table.'

Multiple awards: Quinta Brunson, shown on Saturday in Santa Monica, California, has been hauling home the hardware during this awards season, but admitted she's still looking for the proper display for her trophies

Critical acclaim: The 33-year-old actress and writer, shown in September at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, discussed her plans for her hardware

Quinta also was asked how she stays grounded amid all her success and told People that 'family, friends [and] tragedy' have played a role.

'I've had a lot of death in my life as all this has been going on,' she said. 'And that's kept me grounded big time. Having to literally work. Having to worry about the next season of Abbott also keeps me grounded.'

Quinta at the Independent Spirit Awards won again for Best Lead Performance in a New Scripted Series.

Abbott Elementary also has been recognized recently with awards at the Critics' Choice Television Awards, the Golden Globe Awards, the NAACP Image Awards and the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Quinta also was in attendance on Sunday at the Writers Guild of America Awards where Abbott Elementary was nominated for Comedy Series and New Series.

Abbott Elementary premiered in December 2021 on ABC and was immediately met with critical acclaim.

The show was nominated for seven Primetime Emmy Awards for its first season and won three, including an Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series award for Quinta.

The series was renewed in March 2022 for a second season that premiered in September.

The series was renewed in January for a third season.

Quinta signed a multi-year overall deal last August with Warner Bros. Television, the co-production studio of Abbott Elementary.

Best actress: Quinta is shown in January at the Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California

Writers guild: The Abbott Elementary writer and creator also was nominated at the Writers Guild Awards on Sunday in Los Angeles

TV star: Quinta's show was renewed in January for a third season
Labor Minister Lee Jeong-sik announces a set of measures to reform the country's workweek system at Government Complex in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap



By Jun Ji-hye



The pro-business Yoon Suk Yeol administration seeks to extend a mandatory 52-hour cap on the workweek, introduced by the previous Moon Jae-in government, following long-standing complaints raised by employers over what they claim is a lack of flexibility of working hours and difficulties in meeting deadlines.



The core of the revised measures announced by the government, Monday, is to enable companies to increase the maximum weekly work hours to 69 and allow workers to take longer vacations.



While business circles welcomed the announcement, the government's move to overhaul the workweek system is expected to face resistance due to objections from opposition parties as well as labor groups.



The government announced the measures after a meeting presided over by Finance Minister Choo Kyung-ho.



The existing workweek system was introduced in 2018 by the liberal president at the time to reduce the maximum work hours from 68 hours to 52 per week  40 regular hours with 12 hours of possible overtime.



Businesses have complained that there were no sufficient guidelines customizable to each industry, although the characteristics of each differ. Under the existing system, employers face criminal punishment if even one employee works for one more hour than the mandatory 52 hours a week.



The government concluded that managing overtime solely on a weekly basis has been irrational and decided to allow companies to manage extra work hours also on a monthly, quarterly, semiannual or yearly basis.









This will extend the maximum weekly work hours to 69, according to the government, enabling employees to choose more hours during weeks with heavy workloads and fewer hours during weeks with less work.





A job seeker looks at bulletin boards displaying working hours and conditions of companies at an employment center operated by the government in Seoul's Mapo District, Monday. Yonhap
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Two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett and Emmy and Grammy winner Tiffany Haddish lead the glamorous stars attending the 75th Annual Writers Guild Awards, which took place at Fairmont Century Plaza in LA's Century City district on Sunday.

The Australian 53-year-old - rocking a gold ear cuff - went sleeveless in a whisper pink silk Sportmax gown featuring pockets and white heels selected by stylist Elizabeth Stewart.

Hairstylist Robert Vetica coiffed Cate's elegant updo and make-up artist Mary Greenwell brought out her blue eyes with mascara and applied a darker pink lipstick on her pout.

Blanchett was joined on the red carpet by her fedora and tuxedo-clad Tar director Todd Field, who was nominated for best original screenplay.

For her role as canceled composer Lydia Tar, the Sparks video vixen will next compete for the best actress trophy at the 95th Academy Awards, which air next Sunday on ABC.

Scroll down for full list of winners...

Lovely ladies: Two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett (L) and Emmy and Grammy winner Tiffany Haddish (R) lead the glamorous stars attending the 75th Annual Writers Guild Awards, which took place at Fairmont Century Plaza in LA's Century City district on Sunday

Also serving presenting duties was the 43-year-old comedian, who turned heads in her backless red gown and matching heels selected by styling duo Wayman + Micah.

Hairstylist Jasmine Ashley coiffed Tiffany's platinum-blonde pixie cut and make-up artist Ernesto Casillas defined her dark brows and applied a magenta shaded on her lips.

The LA native will next reprise her role as Detective Danner in the 10-episode second season of Christopher Miller's murder mystery comedy The Afterparty, which premieres April 28 on Apple TV+.

Also glamming up for the bicoastal ceremonies honoring the best writing in film, TV, and radio of 2022 was Abbott Elementary star Quinta Brunson, who was nominated for best comedy series and best new series.

The 33-year-old Emmy-winning writer flaunted substantial cleavage in a layered copper slip dress selected by stylist Bryon Javar.

The White Lotus creator Mike White made a rare appearance to accept the trophy for best limited series.

Meanwhile at New York's Edison Ballroom, three-time Oscar winner Steven Spielberg wore a black velvet blazer over a matching cardigan, gingham top, and burgundy necktie for the festivities.

The 76-year-old filmmaker showed some affection for Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner before they both competed for the best original screenplay trophy for The Fabelmans.

Nearly nude shade: The Australian 53-year-old - rocking a gold ear cuff - went sleeveless in a whisper pink silk gown featuring pockets and white heels selected by stylist Elizabeth Stewart

Ready for her close-up! Hairstylist Robert Vetica coiffed Cate's elegant updo and make-up artist Mary Greenwell brought out her blue eyes with mascara and applied a darker pink lipstick on her pout

At the helm: Blanchett was joined on the red carpet by her fedora and tuxedo-clad Tar director Todd Field, who was nominated for best original screenplay

Back it up! Also serving presenting duties was the 43-year-old comedian, who turned heads in her backless red gown and matching heels selected by styling duo Wayman + Micah

Lady in red! Hairstylist Jasmine Ashley coiffed Tiffany's platinum-blonde pixie cut and make-up artist Ernesto Casillas defined her dark brows and applied a magenta shaded on her lips

It Girl: Also glamming up for the bicoastal ceremonies honoring the best writing in film, TV, and radio of 2022 was Abbott Elementary star Quinta Brunson, who was nominated for best comedy series and best new series

Slinky: The 33-year-old Emmy-winning writer flaunted substantial cleavage in a layered copper slip dress selected by stylist Bryon Javar

Congrats! The White Lotus creator Mike White made a rare appearance to accept the trophy for best limited series

Inside, Steven sat at table 11 beside two-time Oscar winner Spike Lee, who won the Hunter Award.

The 65-year-old filmmaker showcased his eccentric style in a green bomber jacket emblazoned with his production company 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks over a yellow knit turtleneck, black puffer pants, and a jaunty flat cap.

Everything Everywhere All At Once directing duo Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan goofed around at the Los Angeles ceremony before winning best original screenplay.

Emmy winner Amy Schumer suited up and brought her husband of five years - chef Chris Fischer - to the Big Apple ceremony.

The 41-year-old native New Yorker - who just started filming season two of Life & Beth - embraced fellow stand-up comedian and The Circle host Michelle Buteau on the red carpet.

Amy took to the podium after her Paramount+ show Inside Amy Schumer won the trophy for best comedy/variety  sketch series over NBC's Saturday Night Live and HBO's PAUSE with Sam Jay.

Atlanta star Donald Glover presented the Herb Sargent Award for Comedy Excellence to his executive producer-writer Paul Simms onstage during the Manhattan festivities.

And Just Like That star Sarita Choudhury teased a hint of cleavage beneath her black ruched halter dress.

GOAT: Meanwhile at New York's Edison Ballroom, three-time Oscar winner Steven Spielberg wore a black velvet blazer over a matching cardigan, gingham top, and burgundy necktie for the festivities

Thick as thieves: The 76-year-old filmmaker showed some affection for Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner (L) before they both competed for the best original screenplay trophy for The Fabelmans

VIPs: Inside, Steven sat at table 11 beside two-time Oscar winner Spike Lee (L), who won the Ian McLellan Hunter Award for Career Achievement

Character: The 65-year-old filmmaker showcased his eccentric style in a green bomber jacket emblazoned with his production company 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks over a yellow knit turtleneck, black puffer pants, and a jaunty flat cap

Champs: Everything Everywhere All At Once directing duo Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan goofed around at the Los Angeles ceremony before winning best original screenplay

Date night! Emmy winner Amy Schumer suited up and brought her husband of five years - chef Chris Fischer - to the Big Apple ceremony

Hey girl hey! The 41-year-old native New Yorker - who just started filming season two of Life & Beth - embraced fellow stand-up comedian and The Circle host Michelle Buteau (R) on the red carpet

Triumphant! Amy took to the podium after her Paramount+ show Inside Amy Schumer won the trophy for best comedy/variety  sketch series over NBC's Saturday Night Live and HBO's PAUSE with Sam Jay

Congrats! Atlanta star Donald Glover (R) presented the Herb Sargent Award for Comedy Excellence to his executive producer-writer Paul Simms (L) onstage during the Manhattan festivities

Once safely at her seat, the British 56-year-old got close to Oscar winner F. Murray Abraham at the table inside the NYC venue.

Stranger Things star Brett Gelman revealed he shaved off his signature beard as he posed in an orange gingham top and sunglasses beside his coordinating companion, musician Ari Dayan.

Five-time Emmy nominee Amber Ruffin - who kicked up her heels while rocking a black leather skirt - was there as part of the writing staff of NBC's Late Night with Seth Meyers.

American Auto actress Ana Gasteyer wore a brown double-breasted blazer with a white lace skirt while The Goldbergs star Wendi McLendon-Covey opted for a sophisticated red-and-white skirt-dress.

Oscar-nominated producer Jerry Bruckheimer (Top Gun: Maverick) attended the LA ceremony with his second wife Linda Balahoutis.

It was a mini Living Single reunion for former castmates Kim Fields and Kim Coles, who both wore not-so-basic black attire in LA.

Emmy nominee Bonnie Hunt - best known for her roles in Jerry Maguire and Jumanji - wore a classic black pantsuit to the WGAs.

Also suited up for the bicoastal ceremony were Hell of a Week host Charlamagne tha God and The Afterparty actor Sam Richardson.

Black clad: And Just Like That star Sarita Choudhury teased a hint of cleavage beneath her black ruched halter dress

New couple alert? Once safely at her seat, the British 56-year-old got close to Oscar winner F. Murray Abraham (R) at the table inside the NYC venue

Halloween colors: Stranger Things star Brett Gelman revealed he shaved off his signature beard as he posed in an orange gingham top and sunglasses beside his coordinating companion, musician Ari Dayan

Soap star veteran: Daytime Emmy winner Susan Lucci - who was there to present - defied her 76 years in a black corseted top, metal mesh skirt, and matching pumps

Weee! Five-time Emmy nominee Amber Ruffin - who kicked up her heels while rocking a black leather skirt - was there as part of the writing staff of NBC's Late Night with Seth Meyers

Funnywomen: American Auto actress Ana Gasteyer (L) wore a brown double-breasted blazer with a white lace skirt while The Goldbergs star Wendi McLendon-Covey (R) opted for a sophisticated red-and-white skirt-dress.

30 years strong!

Throwback! It was a mini Living Single reunion for former castmates Kim Fields (L) and Kim Coles (R), who both wore not-so-basic black attire in LA

Speaking of the nineties! Emmy nominee Bonnie Hunt - best known for her roles in Jerry Maguire and Jumanji - wore a classic black pantsuit to the WGAs

NY vs. LA: Also suited up for the bicoastal ceremony were Hell of a Week host Charlamagne tha God (L) and The Afterparty actor Sam Richardson (R)
MAFS star Harrison Boon came perilously close to breaking the bro code on Monday when asked on live TV about his co-star Dan Hunjas' dating situation.

Harrison was speaking to Today Extra about the fallout from Sunday's commitment ceremony when he mentioned Dan was dating Brisbane nurse Samantha Symes, months after he and 'wife' Sandy Jawanda chose to leave the experiment.

This remark piqued the interest of host David Campbell, who asked if there was any 'crossover' between Dan's 'marriage' to Sandy and his romance with his long-time friend Samantha, who was one of the guests at the couple's televised wedding.

Given the fact Dan and Samantha chose to go public with their relationship weeks ago - when he and Sandy were still very much a couple on screen - David wondered if the pair had started dating in secret while Dan was filming MAFS last year.

Harrison seemed taken aback by the question and initially didn't quite know what to say, before insisting there was no overlap between the two relationships.

MAFS star Harrison Boon (pictured) came perilously close to breaking the bro code on Monday when asked on live TV about his co-star Dan Hunjas' dating situation

Harrison was speaking to Today Extra hosts David Campbell (left) and Belinda Russell (right) about the fallout from Sunday's commitment ceremony when he mentioned Dan was dating nurse Samantha Symes after he and 'wife' Sandy Jawanda chose to leave the experiment

He told David and co-host Belinda Russell that while Dan and Samantha had been friends for a long time, they didn't become romantically involved until after he and Sandy had ended things during filming around September.

The discussion began with David asking Harrison if the business owner had spoken to him during the experiment about his feelings - or lack thereof - for Sandy.

'Well, I mean, if you look at Dan's private life now, he has moved on, he has found someone else. So I feel like what he was saying [to the experts] about compatibility, he has found someone that is more compatible with him,' he said.

'Right. Was there any crossover there at all? Do you think?' interrupted David.

Harrison was momentarily nonplussed by this question, before smiling awkwardly and asking: 'Any crossover?'

Belinda noticed his hesitation, pointing and saying: 'Oh, look at his face!'

David Campbell asked if there was any 'crossover' between Dan's 'marriage' to Sandy and his romance with his his long-time friend Samantha (pictured kissing in January)

Samantha (seen in the orange dress) was one of Dan's guests at his televised wedding to Sandy

Harrison (pictured with 'wife' Bronte Schofield during filming last year) was stunned by the question, before insisting there was no overlap between the two relationships

He then went on to cover for his mate, saying: 'No, no, not during the experiment... I think they [Dan and Samantha] were friends and then something happened...

'I don't know. I can't speak [for Dan]. I'd give [the scoop] to you if I had it. Honestly, from what I heard from Dan, they were friends for a long time and they never really explored anything until he got out of the experiment.'

Earlier in the interview, Harrison revealed the MAFS grooms had all roasted Dan in a WhatsApp group chat after his exit at Sunday's commitment ceremony.

The semi-retired marketing boss had repeatedly said he was not compatible with Sandy because she doesn't love the ocean as much as he does.

Harrison revealed the MAFS grooms had all roasted Dan (left) in a WhatsApp group chat after his exit at Sunday's commitment ceremony. The marketing boss had repeatedly said he was not compatible with Sandy (right) because she doesn't love the ocean as much as he does

He made several references to his 'beach lifestyle' and going back to the ocean, which the experts found bizarre. 'The boys have not let Dan off lightly. The group chat was lit with memes about him returning to the ocean, Dan's head on a dolphin... very funny,' Harrison said

He made several references to his 'beach lifestyle', going back to the ocean, and the ocean being his 'spiritual home' - which the experts and other couples found bizarre.

'The boys have not let Dan off lightly. The group chat was lit with memes about him returning to the ocean, Dan's head on a dolphin... very funny,' Harrison said.

He went on to say he 'really felt' for Sandy when she admitted she still had feelings for Dan, while he did not feel the same way about her.

However, he defended Dan as well, pointing out how his friend had tried 'a hundred different ways' to communicate to Sandy they weren't compatible in the long term, but she didn't seem to understand.
Fox FM star Fifi Box has joined adult subscription site OnlyFans.

But instead of baring her physique, the 45-year-old radio host is selling photo of her feet.

The stunt is to raise money for charity and she is charging $10.19 per month for the hilarious photos of her tootsies.

The images feature Fifi's feet alongside a cake and on a white shag pile rug surrounded by candles.

Fifi announced she was inspired to do the shoot after learning that Real Housewife of Miami star Larsa Pippen raised $44,000 dollars for 'feet shots' on OnlyFans.

Fox FM star Fifi Box has joined adult subscription site OnlyFans, with the 45-year-old radio host is selling photo of her feet

Her breakfast show co-hosts Brendan Fevola and Nick Cody helped launch Fifi's OnlyFans account - hilariously called 'Feetfeetbox'

At last look, Fifi's account has attracted only four fans.

Her breakfast show co-hosts Brendan Fevola and Nick Cody helped launch Fifi's OnlyFans account - hilariously called 'Feetfeetbox'.

But unfortunately things went quickly awry during the photo shoot, when a smoke machine the trio were using as a 'special effect' set off a fire alarm.

A video posted to the Fifi, Fev & Nick official Instagram page revealed the behind the scenes chaos, as Fifi continued modelling her feet while management tried to hustle the star and her co-hosts out of the building.

Later Brendan set up a prank video in which Fifi faced a tongue-lashing from management over the fire alarm incident, which caused a 'severe disruption to the building' and the company's workflow.

A clearly uncomfortable Fifi protested: 'We knew that there was no fire.'

The images feature Fifi's feet alongside a cake and on a white shag pile rug surrounded by candles

But unfortunately things went quickly awry during the photo shoot, when a smoke machine the trio were using as a 'special effect' set off a fire alarm

Later Brendan set up a prank video in which Fifi faced a tongue-lashing from management over the fire alarm incident, which caused a 'severe disruption to the building' and the station's workflow

After explaining that they did not expect much from Brendan, the 'manager' then described Fifi as a 'role model' before slamming her for 'disregarding the process'.

Fifi came close to breaking down before Brendan revealed the prank.

'You were gonna cry,' a delighted Brendan screamed at his co-host.

'Very funny,' an not every amused Fifi said sarcastically as she stormed out of the meeting.
Married at First Sight is gearing up for yet another cheating scandal this season, this time involving intruder bride Tayla Winter and Cam Woods.

The couple, who have both split from their respective TV spouses, apparently began flirting via text messages after filming wrapped last year.

An insider told Daily Mail Australia that things eventually became sexually explicit when Cam exposed his penis during a video call with the Tasmania-based nurse

'Cam FaceTimed her while at a night club and showed her his d**k. She just laughed off the incident, but she was impressed,' the source claimed.

Cam's TV wife Lyndall Grace reportedly got wind of the X-rated exchange, and confronted Cam and Taya during the Married At First Sight reunion.

Married At First Sight's Tayla Winter (left) and Cam Woods (right) have reportedly been caught in a cheating scandal after the tradie exposed his penis to the Tasmanian nurse while Facetiming her at a nightclub

A source close to the situation said: 'Everyone on set is in shock. This is not the kind of scandal we were expecting from this season. What they did was completely inappropriate. It's going to be a wild ride when the reunion airs.'

'Tayla is worried that fans are going to turn on her because Lyndall accuses her of trying to break her and Cam apart, and ultimately is the reason her and Cam don't end up working out.'

It comes after Tayla accused Lyndall of being nothing like her glowing on-screen persona in a blistering Instagram post on February 9.

'Cam FaceTimed her while at a night club and showed her his d**k. She just laughed off the incident, but she was impressed,' a source claimed

At the time, she hadn't even entered the experiment yet as an intruder with her on-screen husband Hugo Armstrong.

Her post, which has since been deleted, was in response to Daily Mail Australia's exclusive story about Lyndall's post-show fling with shy groom Josh White.

At the time, Lyndall had received a very positive edit on MAFS, with the episodes focusing on her battle with cystic fibrosis and fairytale romance with good-natured Northern Territory carpenter Cam Woods, from whom she has since split.

Cam's TV wife Lyndall Grace (pictured) reportedly got wind of the X-rated exchange, and confronted Cam and Taya during the Married At First Sight reunion

Tayla accused Lyndall of being nothing like her glowing on-screen persona in a blistering Instagram post on February 9 (pictured). At the time, she hadn't even entered the experiment yet as an intruder with her on-screen husband Hugo Armstrong

But Tayla said the Lyndall she got to know during filming was nothing like her flattering TV portrayal, calling her 'the biggest bully' she had ever met.

'I feel it's important to get this out before my accounts get taken,' she began.

'Lyndall, you're the biggest bully I've ever met. This [Daily Mail] article is surface level and the amount of hurt you have caused many people is damaging and dangerous.

Tayla chose 'Leave' Sunday's commitment ceremony while husband Hugo Armstrong (left) chose 'Stay', prompting her to sensationally walk off set

'I'm hoping people get to tell their truth and the real story is heard sooner rather than later.'

Meanwhile, Tayla and Hugo were at the centre of a 'butt dial' scandal last week, which saw him allegedly call her the C-word during a vicious spray.

On Sunday night, Tayla shocked her co-stars when she said she was going to leave, regardless of the rules.

It remains unclear if Tayla will return to the show following the commitment ceremony after she left.

Married At First Sight continues Monday at 7.30pm on Channel Nine
Drew Barrymore filmed a segment for her talk show in New York City on Sunday night, joining forces with Courteney Cox and Melissa Barrera.

Barrymore, 48  who recently revealed her untidy bedroom  wore a tawny suit and white blouse for the occasion, holding her own against the stylish duo of Cox, 58, and Barrera, 32.

Courteney turned up in similar suit to Drew, rocking a slightly lighter shade of khaki and sporting black leather boots.

The Friends icon appeared on Barrymore's show to promote Scream VI with her co-star Barrera, who looked chic in a yellow plaid ensemble.

The trio piled into the back of a car for the segment, where they appeared to be having a blast.

Stylish segment: Drew Barrymore (left, 48) filmed a segment for her talk show in New York City on Sunday night, joining forces with Courteney Cox (middle, 58) and Melissa Barrera (right, 32)

Premiering in theaters on March 10, Scream VI will allegedly see the 'most ruthless Ghostface ever,' according to the cast.

In a featurette released on Youtube Wednesday star Jenna Ortega, 20, who plays Tara Carpenter in the flick, said: 'With each movie, Ghostface gets more and more intense.'

Various different characters have put on the Ghostface mask over the course of the movie series, and their identities are eventually revealed.

However Melissa Barrera, who plays Sam Carpenter said: 'This Ghostface is the most ruthless, and killing people for killing sake'.

They also said the 'rules have changed' as a clip was shown of the franchise's villain swapping his infamous knife for a shot gun in gory scenes.

Courteney, who is reprising her role as Gale Weathers, recently revealed that she 'missed' working with co-star Neve Campbell, who decided not to take part in the latest film due to a disagreement over pay.

'I missed working with her,' Cox told Variety last month. 'But Im going to support whatever she feels is right.'

Neve, 48, who starred as Scream mainstay Sidney Prescott, explained her reasoning over the summer, telling People: 'I did not feel that what I was being offered equated to the value that I bring to this franchise, and have brought to this franchise, for 25 years.'

Lots of laughs: Barrymore, Barrera and Cox piled into the back of a car for the segment, where they appeared to be having a blast

Killer trio: The Friends icon appeared on Barrymore's show to promote Scream VI with her co-star Barrera. The latest sequel of the iconic horror film premieres on March 10

Fashionable host: Barrymore wore a tawny suit and white blouse for the occasion, looking fashionable and sophisticated

Courteney coordinates: The Shining Vale star turned up in similar suit to Drew, rocking a slightly lighter shade of khaki and sporting black leather boots

Boho-chic: Cox showcased a bohemian necklace at the center of her plunging neckline and flaunted her radiant complexion

Fashion A game: Melissa Barrera looked chic in her yellow plaid ensemble and black boots

Gilded elegance: The In the Heights star rocked an elegant updo and a flashy gold chain necklace

Backseat chat: The three stars chatted up a storm in the backseat of the car as they filmed their segment

Barrymore is also an alum of the Scream franchise, starring in the original film and getting killed in the first twelve minutes.

During her appearance on Hot Ones in 2020, Barrymore explained the reasoning behind her early death in the first Scream and said that she fought hard for her character to die right from the get-go.

'In the horror film genre, my biggest pet peeve was that I always knew the main character was going to be slugging through at the end, but was going to creak by and make it.

'What I wanted to do is to take that comfort zone away,' said Barrymore. 'I asked if I could be Casey Becker so we would establish this rule does not apply in this film.'
Kate Hudson cut a casual figure as she left a friend's house in Brentwood, California, on Sunday.

The Glass Onion actress, 43, was spotted in a cozy blue sweater with seemingly no bra underneath, blue jeans, and black loafers.

She wore her blonde locks up in a messy bun and had no makeup on her already flawless face.

Underneath her sweater, the beauty donned a casual white t-shirt.

The Almost Famous actress stopped at the gate of her friend's lavish home for a chat before departing.

Casual beauty: Kate Hudson cut a casual figure while out and about on Sunday

Instead of being picked up, Kate opted for a walk as she made her way through the neighborhood.

This outing comes soon after the star made a trip to New York City for fashion week events in February.

While on her trip out east, the Fool's Gold star spent some time with her family in the Big Apple.

One of the days, she took her daughter Rani, four, to The Whitney Museum with her partner Danny Fujikawa, 36.

The trio also went shopping in SoHo with Kate's mother, Goldie Hawn, and stepfather Kurt Russell.

Their outing came after the Bride Wars actress opened up about her plans to walk down the aisle on an episode of iHeartRadio's Table for Two with Bruce Bozzi podcast.

'Right now, planning a wedding feels insane, but I'm excited to plan a wedding, and I go back and forth between a small wedding and a large wedding,' the Glass Onion actress said.

The Fabletics co-founder was previously married to the Black Crowes' Chris Robinson, 56, from 2000 to 2007.

Stopping by for a visit: The 43-year-old was seen leaving a friends house in Brentwood

Staying cozy: She donned a blue knit sweater, jeans, and loafers

Couple goals: Kate recently opened up about her plans to walk down the aisle with partner Danny Fujikawa; Kate and Danny in 2022

All loved up: 'There's, like, two sides to me: the big bash or the small, intimate wedding. I think somewhere in there, I'm going to come up with both'; Danny and Kate at the Poker Face premiere in January

'So there's a part of me that wants the big bash, you know?' she said. 'There's, like, two sides to me: the big bash or the small, intimate wedding. I think somewhere in there, I'm going to come up with both.

'It'll totally be a destination wedding,' the mom-of-three said. 'It'll be such an adventure that people will really want to have to come to show up. To me, those are always the most fun weddings. Like, if you really want to be there, you'll be there.'

She joked, 'If someone's like, "I can't really be there," then I don't want you there. That's all I got right now. That's all I got for the wedding.'

And then, sometimes she thinks a traditional Japanese ceremony is the way to go. That wedding would honor the heritage of Danny and their daughter.

'We do sometimes go back and forth with the traditional Japanese wedding ceremony, which would be really beautiful and quite emotional for Danny, seeing as his dad is gone,' she said.

But the Oscar nominee is sure if friends and family want to see her get married, they will have to travel - whether that wedding is big or small, Japanese or traditional.

All the kids: The Almost Famous actress shares her youngest child with Danny and her other two kids, Ryder, 19, and Bingham, 11, with her two previous partners
Ellie Williams (Bella Ramsey) brutally fought for her survival on Sunday night's episode of The Last of Us episode on HBO after being captured by a preacher who had already started feeding his flock human flesh.

When the episode titled When We Are In Need opened, the preacher David (Scott Shepherd) spoke to one his followers James (Troy Baker, who played Joel in the original video game) about how they were running out of food.

Meanwhile, Ellie was trying to nurse Joel (Pedro Pascal) back to help, realizing that the wound in his stomach she tried to stitch up at the end of last week's episode had become infected, causing her to head out into the cold to find food and medicine.

James told him about some deer that were spotted nearby. David told James that he could sense that he and the flock were doubting him.

'I need to know that you are with me,' David said in the latest episode of the HBO series, which passed 1 billion viewer hours last week.

Brutal Ellie: Ellie Williams (Bella Ramsey) brutally fought for her survival on Sunday night's episode of The Last of Us episode on HBO after being captured by a preacher who had already started feeding his flock human flesh

Ellie and Joel: Meanwhile, Ellie was trying to nurse Joel (Pedro Pascal) back to help, realizing that the wound in his stomach she tried to stitch up at the end of last week's episode had become infected, causing her to head out into the cold to find food and medicine

David: When the episode titled When We Are In Need opened, the preacher David (Scott Shepherd) spoke to one his followers James (Troy Baker, who played Joel in the original video game) about how they were running out of food

Doubt: James told him about some deer that were spotted nearby. David told James that he could sense that he and the flock were doubting him

James said he was and the two of them set off hunting.

A short distance away, Ellie tended to Joel Miller and hoped that he would wake up after she had stitched up his stab wound.

She realized they needed food and went hunting. She shot a deer but it ran. Ellie ran after it but when she got there David and James were trying to take it.

'Don't' Ellie said. 'Drop your rifles! Now!'

David and James did as she asked. David offered to trade her medicine if she would split the deer with them. Ellie agreed. David instructed James to go back to their settlement and get the medicine. Ellie ordered David to drag the deer to an open building and built a fire. David said there was a place for her in his group.

'You are inviting me to your hunger club? Thanks,' Ellie said.

'I'm a decent man just trying to take care of the people who rely on me,' David.

David said he found God after the apocalypse . He told her that he had sent four people out from his flock but that one man, who was a father, didn't come back because he was murdered by a crazy man traveling with a young girl.

Hoped: A short distance away, Ellie tended to Joel Miller and hoped that he would wake up after she had stitched up his stab wound

Deer: She realized they needed food and went hunting. She shot a deer but it ran. Ellie ran after it but when she got there David and James were trying to take it

Trade: David and James did as she asked. David offered to trade her medicine if she would split the deer with them. Ellie agreed. David instructed James to go back to their settlement and get the medicine. Ellie ordered David to drag the deer to an open building and built a fire. David said there was a place for her in his group

Hunger club: 'You are inviting me to your hunger club? Thanks,' Ellie said

Good man: 'I'm a decent man just trying to take care of the people who rely on me,' David

Murdered: David said he found God after the apocalypse . He told her that he had sent four people out from his flock but that one man, who was a father, didn't come back because he was murdered by a crazy man traveling with a young girl

'See, everything happens for a reason,' David said. 'James lower the gun.'

'She's the one who killed Alex isn't she?' said James, who had returned.

David said she didn't kill anyone and told James to give Ellie the medicine. David and James watched as Ellie ran away with the medicine. She ran back to Joel and filled the syringe with medicine and injected it straight into his wound.

Meanwhile, David and James dragged the deer back to his camp. His followers that were eating dinner just stared at him. He told them the rumor was true that they found the girl that was with the man who killed their friend Alex.

'When the sun rises, I will lead a group out to pick up his trail,' David said. 'We will follow it to wherever they are hiding and we will bring that man to justice.'

'You should kill him,' the dead man's daughter said. 'You should kill both of them.'

David walked over and smacked the girl in the face knocking her to the ground telling her to show him respect.

The next morning, Ellie injected Joel again with the medicine . She went outside to get the horse water but then saw David, James and the others searching for her. She ran inside and told Joel that there were men coming but she was going to lead them away from him. She gave Joel a knife.

Killed: 'She's the one who killed Alex isn't she?' said James, who had returned

Watched: David said she didn't kill anyone and told James to give Ellie the medicine. David and James watched as Ellie ran away with the medicine. She ran back to Joel and filled the syringe with medicine and injected it straight into his wound

Rumor: Meanwhile, David and James dragged the deer back to his camp. His followers that were eating dinner just stared at him. He told them the rumor was true that they found the girl that was with the man who killed their friend Alex

Kill: 'You should kill him,' the dead man's daughter said. 'You should kill both of them'

Respect: David walked over and smacked the girl in the face knocking her to the ground telling her to show him respect

Injected: The next morning, Ellie injected Joel again with the medicine . She went outside to get the horse water but then saw David, James and the others searching for her. She ran inside and told Joel that there were men coming but she was going to lead them away from him. She gave Joel a knife

'If anyone makes it down here you f***ing kill them,' Ellie said. 'Joel do not fall asleep.'

Ellie got on the horse and rode away from the house.

'Hey mother f***ers,' Ellie yelled, shooting at the men while on horseback.

James shot and killed her horse and Ellie flew and laid on the ground. David picked up Ellie and took her back to the compound. He told two of his men to drag the dead horse back and for others to search the houses to find Joel.

One of the men entered the house where Joel was recovering and went down in the basement. Joel heard him coming and managed to get behind him, stab him and choke him to death.

Ellie woke up in a cell in David's compound.

'I started worrying you wouldn't wake up,' David said.

'Why am I in a cage?' Ellie asked.

No sleep: 'If anyone makes it down here you f***ing kill them,' Ellie said. 'Joel do not fall asleep'

Shoot: 'Hey mother f***ers,' Ellie yelled, shooting at the men while on horseback

Shoot: James shot and killed her horse and Ellie flew and laid on the ground

David takes Ellie: David picked up Ellie and took her back to the compound

Choked: One of the men entered the house where Joel was recovering and went down in the basement. Joel heard him coming and managed to get behind him, stab him and choke him to death

Cell: Ellie woke up in a cell in David's compound

Worried: 'I started worrying you wouldn't wake up,' David said

'Because you are a dangerous person,' David said.

David said he stopped the others from killing her. He said he could help her, but she needed to trust him.

Out in the woods, the other men continued their hunt to find Joel. Joel captured them all and tortured them until they told him where they took Ellie. The man told him where the town was and then Joel killed him and his friend.

Ellie tried to figure out a way out of her cage. David came in and brought her a bowl of food. She then saw an ear on the floor in the next cell... realizing that David's people have been literally eating dead people.

'You are going to chop me up into little pieces,' Ellie said.

'If you are going to judge me,' David said.

'Judge you, you are eating people you sick f***,' Ellie said.

'Yes, there are only a few of us that know,' David said.

Dangerous: 'Because you are a dangerous person,' David said

Tortured: Out in the woods, the other men continued their hunt to find Joel. Joel captured them all and tortured them until they told him where they took Ellie. The man told him where the town was and then Joel killed him and his friend

Ear: Ellie tried to figure out a way out of her cage. David came in and brought her a bowl of food. She then saw an ear on the floor in the next cell... realizing that David's people have been literally eating dead people

Chop: 'You are going to chop me up into little pieces,' Ellie said

David told her that he would have told her sooner or later. David said it was a last resort to save people from starving who put their faith in them.

'You see a lot, so do I,' David said. 'You are a natural leader.'

David told Ellie she had a violent heart but so did he. David told her that he wanted an equal and a friend.

'What about my friend?' Ellie said.

David said he could tell the others to stop looking for him.

'They would follow us,' David said. 'Lord knows I could use the help. Think of what we could do together. We would make this place perfect.'

David put his hand inside the bars and then put his hand on top of Ellie's. She grabbed his hand, bit it, and broke it and tried to grab his keys.

'You little c***,' David said.

Last resort: David told her that he would have told her sooner or later. David said it was a last resort to save people from starving who put their faith in them

Her friend: 'What about my friend?' Ellie said

Bit: David put his hand inside the bars and then put his hand on top of Ellie's. She grabbed his hand, bit it, and broke it and tried to grab his keys

David: 'You little c***,' David said

Joel made his way in the snow to find the compound. He broke inside a building and found Ellie's backpack and the head horse. Then he saw the bodies of headless humans hanging from the ceiling.

James and David grabbed Ellie from her cell and pulled her on a table to cut her up for food.

'I'm infected and now so are you,' Ellie said.

David looked at the bite on his arm. She told them to roll up her sleeve and see her bite.

'What did you say?' Ellie said. 'Everything happens for a reason.'

'No, this isn't real,' David said. 'She would have turned by now.'

'That looks pretty f***ing real,' James said.

Ellie grabbed the butcher's knife and stabbed James in the neck and ran out of the room. David pulled the knife from James' neck and went after her. Ellie tossed a burning log which caught the cabin on fire.

Cut: James and David grabbed Ellie from her cell and pulled her on a table to cut her up for food

Arm: David looked at the bite on his arm. She told them to roll up her sleeve and see her bite

Knife: Ellie grabbed the butcher's knife and stabbed James in the neck and ran out of the room

'There's no way out Ellie,' David said. 'I know you are not infected. No one that's infected fights this hard to stay alive.'

Ellie found a knife as the cabin engulfed in flames. David said he was going to keep her and teach her. Ellie ran up behind him and stabbed him. He knocked her to the ground and got on top of him.

'I thought you already knew the fighting is the part I like the most,' David said. 'Don't be afraid There's no fear in love.'

David appeared to unbuckle his pants but Elie manages to grab a knife and repeatedly stab him to death.

Ellie walked outside covered in blood traumatized when Joel came up behind her and hugged her.

'It's okay baby girl,' Joel said, calling Ellie what he used to call his own daughter years ago, adding, 'I got you.'

The Last of Us will return next Sunday on HBO.

On top: Ellie found a knife as the cabin engulfed in flames. David said he was going to keep her and teach her. Ellie ran up behind him and stabbed him. He knocked her to the ground and got on top of him

Stab: David appeared to unbuckle his pants but Elie manages to grab a knife and repeatedly stab him to death

Reunited: Ellie walked outside covered in blood traumatized when Joel came up behind her and hugged her
Kelle Mortensen snuck away for a night with Pola Mochon's young son Jose on the seventh episode of TLC's Milf Manor that left two of the other moms heartbroken and upset.

The episode titled MILF's Broken Heart opened with Pola Mochon, 48, from Miami, texting her 28-year-old son at midnight asking where he was but Jose didn't respond. He and Kelle Mortensen, 51, a mother of six from Orange County and Joey's mother, had snuck out to spend time alone together.

'I'm ready to show her my wild side,' Jose said in a confessional.

The two checked into a room at a nearby hotel and drank champagne.

Meanwhile, the show's tradition of bizarre challenges - including a twisted sex ed challenge - continues, as the moms were tasked with identifying their sons' dirty laundry... and vice versa.

Sneak: Kelle Mortensen snuck away for a night with Pola Mochon's young son Jose on the seventh episode of TLC's Milf Manor that left two of the other moms heartbroken and upset

Sneaking out: The episode titled MILF's Broken Heart opened with Pola Mochon, 48, from Miami, texting her 28-year-old son at midnight asking where he was but Jose didn't respond. He and Kelle Mortensen, 51, a mother of six from Orange County and Joey's mother, had snuck out to spend time alone together

Underwear challenge: Meanwhile, the show's tradition of bizarre challenges - including a twisted sex ed challenge - continues, as the moms were tasked with identifying their sons' dirty laundry... and vice versa

'I'm not used to seeing him like this,' Kelle said in a confessional. 'He always seems so serious.'

Jose asked Kelle why she was attracted to him. She said he was so positive and that she felt he had an old soul.

'I really loved how we connected,' Jose said.

Jose kissed her and told her she was very beautiful.

'Everything about Jose is amazing,' Kelle said in a confessional. 'He's always been my number one.'

The two moved to the bed and continued kissing. The next morning, Jose and Kelle had breakfast together on the patio of their hotel room.

'We had an amazing night together,' Kelle said in a confessional.

Back at the villa, Pola told the other moms that Jose didn't sleep in her room. One of the other mothers said she saw him sneak out with Kelle.

Serious: 'I'm not used to seeing him like this,' Kelle said in a confessional. 'He always seems so serious'

Attracted: Jose asked Kelle why she was attracted to him. She said he was so positive and that she felt he had an old soul

Beautiful: Jose kissed her and told her she was very beautiful

Bed: The two moved to the bed and continued kissing. The next morning, Jose and Kelle had breakfast together on the patio of their hotel room

Villa: Back at the villa, Pola told the other moms that Jose didn't sleep in her room. One of the other mothers said she saw him sneak out with Kelle

Shannan Diggs, 50, Ryan's mother, an event planner from Atlanta, was upset.

'I'm devastated,' Shannan said to the camera.

Pola said she didn't see her son with Kelle as a couple.

'Jose goes very deep and I don't know if Kelle is like that,' Pola said.

Jose and Kelle returned to the villa. Jose walked in with four mothers at the table. Soyoung, 50, Jimmy's mother walked off upset.

'I couldn't stay there,' Soyoung said. 'I was heartbroken. I was crushed.'

Shannan told Jose that she saw him sneak out with Kelle, but Jose just laughed.

'Your stock went down with me,' Shannan said. 'Not cool at all.'

Devastated: 'I'm devastated,' Shannan said to the camera

Doesn't see: Pola said she didn't see her son with Kelle as a couple

Upset: Jose and Kelle returned to the villa. Jose walked in with four mothers at the table. Soyoung, 50, Jimmy's mother walked off upset

Stock: 'Your stock went down with me,' Shannan said. 'Not cool at all'

Shannan also then stormed off.

The group then got a text saying that there was dirty laundry and they each had to pick out who's clothes belong to which person. The men had to pick out which underwear and bras belonged to their mother while the women had to pick out their son's underwear from a basket.

'I don't wear underwear,' Stefany Johnson, 47, a mother of three and a realtor and paralegal from Los Angeles, said in a confessional.

'That's so nasty,' her son Billy, who is pursuing a career in real estate from Los Angeles, said.

Stefany easily picked out Billy's underwear from the basket because she said she bought it. Jose also picked out his mother Pola's underwear correctly.

'Underwear tells a lot about a person,' Jose said in a confessional.

Joey, Kelle's 20-year-old son, a bartender from Orange County, got mixed up and picked out April Jayne, 60, a mother of three and a personal trainer from Los Angeles, underwear and thought it belonged to his mother. April J. said in a confessional that she wasn't surprised.

'From the beginning, Joey and I were like soulmates so it does not surprise me that he picked my little panties with a bow,' April J. said.

Stormed: Shannan also then stormed off

Text: The group then got a text saying that there was dirty laundry and they each had to pick out who's clothes belong to which person. The men had to pick out which underwear and bras belonged to their mother while the women had to pick out their son's underwear from a basket

No underwear: 'I don't wear underwear,' Stefany Johnson, 47, a mother of three and a realtor and paralegal from Los Angeles, said in a confessional

Easily: Stefany easily picked out Billy's underwear from the basket because she said she bought it. Jose also picked out his mother Pola's underwear correctly

SoYoung, 51, a surgical nurse from New Orleans, and her son Jimmy, 26, got the most items correct and won the challenge.

'Weirdly I was thinking to myself whoever wins this challenge, is really sus,' Jimmy said in a confessional. ' I even told the guys if you know your mom's underwear, you're a weirdo. And somehow I knew all my mom's underwear.'

As the winners, they were allowed to pick a date. Jimmy said he was feeling for Pola but didn't know how she felt about him. Jimmy then used their win to take Pola on a date. Ryan, Shannan's son, wasn't happy to see them walking off.

'I'm concerned that Jimmy might pull Pola's eyes from me,' Ryan, 30, said.

Jimmy and Pola went paddle boarding.

'You're the only person in this house I see myself spending time with,' Jimmy said. 'And it was obvious from the start.'

The two sat on the beach after and drank champagne.

'I feel really good about Pola right now,' Jimmy said in a confessional. 'She makes me feel lost in the moment and I think that's really important in any relationship. I've never really had this.'

Most: SoYoung, 51, a surgical nurse from New Orleans, and her son Jimmy, 26, got the most items correct and won the challenge

Sus: 'Weirdly I was thinking to myself whoever wins this challenge, is really sus,' Jimmy said in a confessional. ' I even told the guys if you know your mom's underwear, you're a weirdo. And somehow I knew all my mom's underwear'

Jimmy and Pola: As the winners, they were allowed to pick a date. Jimmy said he was feeling for Pola but didn't know how she felt about him. Jimmy then used their win to take Pola on a date. Ryan, Shannan's son, wasn't happy to see them walking off

Paddle: Jimmy and Pola went paddle boarding

Beach: The two sat on the beach after and drank champagne

Pola told Jimmy to lie down on his back and then covered him with sand and rubbed feathers on him.

'It was very sensual and relaxing at the same time,' Jimmy said. 'I'm glad I didn't get a boner or anything.'

Pola said in a confessional that Ryan was more fun to be around but she felt a connection with Jimmy.

Later Pola received a text for the house that they had to choose a match and if they were mismatched they could be going home. Harrison, 23, was worried because he hadn't connected with any one in the villa.

'I don't really want to fake anything,' Harrison Charlene's son said in a confessional.

Charlene, 46, urged Harrison to make a connection and to put on his 'man pants.'

'I want you to step up to the plate,' Charlene said. 'Will you pray about what I'm saying?'

'No, I will not,' Harrison said.

Sand: Pola told Jimmy to lie down on his back and then covered him with sand and rubbed feathers on him

No boner: 'It was very sensual and relaxing at the same time,' Jimmy said. 'I'm glad I didn't get a boner or anything'

Worried: Later Pola received a text for the house that they had to choose a match and if they were mismatched they could be going home. Harrison, 23, was worried because he hadn't connected with any one in the villa

Charlene: Charlene, 46, urged Harrison to make a connection and to put on his 'man pants'

Harrison said in a confessional that he wasn't attracted to any of the moms.

'I'm having a hard time finding an attraction to the moms, they are a lot older than me,' Harrison said. 'Yeah they are pretty and stuff but I'm not really attracted to them.'

Harrison stormed off.

'Bruh all she does is just talk,' Harrison said.

Later Harrison told his mother that he wanted to leave the villa. Charlene said she was proud of him and being true to himself. Harrison said goodbye to the housemates and left.

Ryan S., 26, was determined to find love and knocked on Charlene's door. He asked her to take a walk with her. Later they sat down and fed each other ceviche. Charlene was hoping for a kiss.

Ryan took Pola on a date which she hoped would help her make up her mind. Ryan planned a candlelight dinner date. He brought a canvas for them to finger paint together.

'My connection with Pola is just special and unique to me because I probably never met a woman in my life, aside from my mom, who's so elegant and humble but confident at the same time,' Ryan said.

Pola said in a confessional that she was torn and didn't know how she would choose between Ryan and Jimmy.

Milf Manor will return next Sunday on TLC.

Confession: Harrison said in a confessional that he wasn't attracted to any of the moms

Leave: Later Harrison told his mother that he wanted to leave the villa. Charlene said she was proud of him and being true to himself. Harrison said goodbye to the housemates and left

Goodbye: Later Harrison told his mother that he wanted to leave the villa. Charlene said she was proud of him and being true to himself. Harrison said goodbye to the housemates and left

Charlene and Ryan: Ryan S., 26, was determined to find love and knocked on Charlene's door. He asked her to take a walk with her. Later they sat down and fed each other ceviche. Charlene was hoping for a kiss

Canvas: Ryan took Pola on a date which she hoped would help her make up her mind. Ryan planned a candlelight dinner date. He brought a canvas for them to finger paint together
Eddie Redmayne and his wife Hannah Bagshawe enjoyed a spot of sightseeing in Paris on Sunday afternoon.

The couple, who are in the French capital for Fashion Week, wrapped up warm as they strolled together.

Eddie, 41, sported a long grey coat with a red flower embellished on it.

The actor paired the outerwear with a cream and red jumper and added a pair of jeans, a grey scarf and white trainers to his stylish look.

Hannah, 40, who married Eddie in 2014, plumped for a cream, red and white checked coat and a pair of blue jeans.

Stepping out in style: Eddie Redmayne and his wife Hannah Bagshawe enjoyed a spot of sightseeing in Paris on Sunday afternoon

Cool couple: The couple, who are in the French capital for Fashion Week, wrapped up warm as they strolled together

The pair looked pensive as they made their way through the city together, enjoying Paris's sights.

It comes after Eddie revealed he has stopped wearing his wedding ring.

The Theory of Everything star no longer wears a band on his left hand after losing the original while shooting his 2015 film The Danish Girl and then misplacing the second ring he bought to replace it.

He joked to the Guardian: 'Spotted without his ring!', before adding: 'I am incredibly happily married so Im afraid theres no scoop there.'

Eddie previously opened up about the loss of his original wedding ring on set just months after walking down the aisle - insisting he tried to take care of it by pinning it to his costume every day but he still managed to lose it.

He told E! News: 'When you're filming you have to take off these things and I actually lost my wedding ring.

'So this is a new wedding ring that is being worn. I was pinning it to my costume every day and one day it disappeared.'

He went on to admit he had trouble telling his wife Hannah what had happened, saying: 'I sort of skirted around it [the issue of the lost ring]. But anyhow, I like the new one.'

The new one also disappeared so Eddie has now resolved to remain ring-free.

The couple married in a ceremony at a manor house near Bath in 2014 and went on to become parents to two children.

Deep in thought: Eddie, 41, sported a long grey coat with a red flower embellished on it

Eddie previously opened up about how Hannah manages to keep him grounded while he's working in the whirlwind of Hollywood.

He told People: 'I think saint might be the word. She is an absolute saint.

'And its a ride for both of us. Its wonderful doing it with someone you love because you also have a second eye on it all.

'This whole industry is the most joyous, absurd circus. Its great to have someone when you get too immersed in it or drinking the Kool-Aid to say, Wait a second?"'
Leonardo DiCaprio's rumoured girlfriend Rose Bertram joined Naomi Campbell at a PrettyLittleThing dinner party on Sunday during Paris Fashion Week.

Model Rose, 28, flashed her toned midriff in a green halterneck jumpsuit with a stylish cut-out detail.

Leo and Rose have sparked romance rumours after being seen out in the French capital a number of times in recent days after jetting in for Paris Fashion Week.

Umar Kamani and Nada Adelle made for the picture perfect couple as they attended the dinner Party.

The PrettyLittleThing co-founder, 34, attended the event at the Laperous alongside his fiancee, 28.

Gorgeous: Leonardo DiCaprio's rumoured girlfriend Rose Bertram attended a PrettyLittleThing dinner party on Sunday during Paris Fashion Week

Pals: As she arrived at the lavish venue she gave Naomi Campbell, who was also wearing an all-black ensemble, a sweet hug

The pair were joined by a host of famous faces at the event including Naomi Campbell, Taylor Chiche and Rose Bertram.

The businessman, who is worth more than 300 million, looked dapper in a black satin suit.

He added a pair of shiny dress shoes and carried a stylish clutch bag as he strolled down the street.

Meanwhile, Nada cut a glamorous figure in a black cut-out gown with a daring thigh-high split.

The all-black outfit showed off her incredible figure, while she boosted her height in a pair of strappy heels.

The model carried a long coat and bag, while accessorising with gold jewellery to match the detail on her dress.

Nada opted for a bronzed makeup palette which accentuated her natural features, while her brunette locks were in a blown out style.

As she arrived at the lavish venue she gave Naomi Campbell, who was also wearing an all-black ensemble, a sweet hug.

Last year saw Umar propose to his model girlfriend with a $2 million ring at the Monte Carlo Opera House .

Umar popped the question surrounded by 10,000 white roses and 25 musicians.

Umar and his fiancee Nada made their first public outing together in March 2020, a month after going Instagram official, with the couple attending the Yeezy Season 8 show during Paris Fashion Week from Kanye West's brand.

The fashion mogul built his fashion empire from a Manchester market stall into a multi-billion pound business by selling cheap dresses to Gen Z partygoers.

Couple: Umar Kamani and Nada Adelle made for the picture perfect couple on Sunday night as they attended a Parish Fashion Week dinner Party

Gorgeous: Rose and Sabrina Marie V flashed their toned abs in PrettyLittleThing outfits

Star-studded: They appeared in great spirits as they laughed with guests at the event

Looking good: Filippo Testa and Tamara Kalinic, who looked incredible in a plunging black dress, posed for a snap

Glam: Lovisa Barkman showed off her incredible figure in a beige leather co-ord, teamed with black strappy heels

Career: The fashion mogul built his fashion empire from a Manchester market stall into a multi-billion pound business by selling cheap dresses to Gen Z partygoers

Umar, from Manchester, is the son of billionaire Boohoo founder Mahmud Kamani.

In 2012, Umar and his brother Adam co-founded PrettyLittleThing after witnessing the phenomenal success of Boohoo - with their company now enjoying a host of celebrity endorsements including Khloe Kardahsian, Hayley Bieber, Little Mix, Nicole Scherzinger and Paris Hilton.

Before he founded his firm, Umar was an amateur boxer, who previously confessed to only caring about partying and chasing women.

The businessman lives a very glamorous lifestyle, filled with overseas trips, flashy cars and dazzling accessories, which he regularly photographs and fills his Instagram feed with.
Environment Minister Han Wha-jin holds a meeting at the government complex in Sejong, central Korea, March 2, in this photo provided by the ministry. Yonhap



The environment ministry has approved a proposal to construct a new international airport on Jeju Island, officials said Monday, after a yearslong conflict over the potential impact on the island's pristine natural environment.



In 2015, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced the selection of a 5.45 million-square-meter lot in Seongsan on the southern resort island's eastern side as the site for the second airport.



After rejecting four previous environmental assessment reports, the Ministry of Environment has granted a conditional approval to the transport ministry's plan, saying the site has met the relevant requirement.



The proposal, however, still needs further evaluation by the provincial government of Jeju.



The ministry said the transport ministry's proposal has presented ways to protect local birds and their natural habitats. However, the ministry ordered a further explanation on how to secure the safety of airplanes from bird strikes.



The environment ministry also urged the land ministry to reflect the opinion of Jeju residents for potential cases of noise pollution coming from the planes in flight.



The environment ministry also presented a plan to migrate the island's two indigenous animals  narrow-mouthed frogs and small cuckoos  that are listed as endangered species.



The land ministry is scheduled to make the proposal to the public, which will have 14 or more days to submit their opinions.



The plan for the second international airport has been delayed for years in the face of strong resistance from residents and environmental activists.



Calls for the new airport that could handle 25 million passengers annually have been made as the existing Jeju International Airport, the gateway to the nation's top holiday destination, has reached saturation.



Bad weather conditions, such as strong wind, are also cited as one of the reasons for frequent delays and cancellations.



The annual number of aircraft takeoffs and landings at Jeju International Airport came to 169,624 last year, compared with its capacity of 172,000. Its passenger terminal came to 29.7 million last year, outnumbering the 25.91 million annual passengers it was built for.



A total of 3,337 flights at Jeju International Airport were either delayed or canceled in January, far above 2,553 flights at Gimpo International Airport, just west of Seoul. (Yonhap)


Bradley Cooper sweetly held hands with his daughter Lea on Sunday as they enjoyed a stroll together in New York City.

The 48-year-old actor kept it casual for his walk with five-year-old Leah, whom he shares with his ex-girlfriend Irina Shayk, 37.

Bradley wore a pair of dark grey pants along with a plain light grey T-shirt and a dark green jacket for his outing.

He completed his look with a dark blue beanie and black boots.

Bradley accessorized with Persol sunglasses and sported a thin layer of facial stubble.

Doting dad: Bradley Cooper sweetly held hands with his daughter Lea on Sunday as they enjoyed a stroll together in New York City

Lea bundled up in a plaid scarf, green hooded coat and grey leggings while walking with her dad.

She held her father's hand as they strolled down a New York City sidewalk together.

Bradley and Irina dated from 2015 until their official split four years later in 2019.

They were spotted together last month with Lea as they have maintained a co-parenting relationship.

Bradley opened up last June about fatherhood when he made a guest appearance on the Smartless podcast.

At the time, he gushed, 'Fatherhood. I mean, everything changed. Everything is shaded by, or brought into glorious colors, by the fact that I get to be a father to a wonderful human being.'

He also explained that as an actor, he might experience 'breakthrough' moments on set, but when it comes to parenthood, he admitted, 'You have 40 of those moments every day with your kid. That are that level of joy.'

While enjoying parenthood, Bradley and Irina have also put focus on their own careers. The supermodel has been spotted during Paris Fashion Week, which comes to an end on March 7.

Casual style: The 48-year-old actor kept it casual in a T-shirt and Persol sunglasses for his walk with five-year-old Leah, whom he shares with his ex-girlfriend Irina Shayk, 37

Hollywood star: Bradley, shown last May in New York City, and Irina dated from 2015 until their official split four years later in 2019

Top model: Irina is shown on Saturday in France modeling during Paris Fashion Week

Bradley and his mother Gloria were featured last month in an ad for T-Mobile that aired during the Super Bowl.

The actor grew up in Philadelphia and has been a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles, who faced the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII.

The Chiefs won 38-35 after previously winning the Super Bowl in 2020 against the San Francisco 49ers.

Bradley can next be seen in the biopic movie Maestro portraying Leonard Bernstein.

Maestro is scheduled to be released later this year by Netflix.
Pregnant Laura Anderson has confirmed she knows the gender of her baby and has already chosen a name.

The Love Island star, 33, is expecting her first child with actor Gary Lucy, 41, after first meeting on Celebs Go Dating.

Laura admitted they aren't ready to reveal the news publicly quite yet, and will share in 'due course'.

Speaking to Goss.ie, Laura said: 'I know what I'm having and I have a name.

'I will share in due course I've already done a small [gender reveal party], but I've not shared it publicly yet. But I will soon.'

Mum's the word: Pregnant Laura Anderson has confirmed she knows the gender of her baby and has already chosen a name

Laura showed off her blossoming baby bump in a light blue gown as she arrived at the The Gossies 2023 in Dublin, Ireland on Sunday night.

The reality star accentuated her changing shape and cradled her bump as she posed up a storm on the red carpet.

She stood out from the crowd in the bright blue number which featured a pretty off-the-shoulder design, long statement sleeves and was teamed with sparkly shoes.

Laura accessorised perfectly with a matching headband, earring and wore her long blonde tresses in perfectly styled waves.

She opted for a typically glamorous makeup look and beamed for the cameras while working her best angles for the snaps.

After admitting that she knew the gender of the baby, fans took to Instagram to share their theory that Laura's dress was a subtle clue.

One fan wrote: 'I wonder if this is a clue to the gender of the baby? Stunning'.

Another added: 'You so suit this colour. I was thinking is that a hint to what the baby is?'

'You will for sure have a boy', a third said.

Laura's appearance comes after she took a swipe at society's gender norms on Friday as she let out her frustration via Instagram Stories.

The beauty questioned why women are treated differently than men are when they say they'd like children.

Claiming that females are branded 'desperate' and 'needy' when they want children, she compared this to the 'loving' and 'caring' label that men are given when they say the same thing.

Currently expecting her first child with actor Gary, the reality star has been documenting the pregnancy by sharing updates with her 1.5M followers.

She and the Hollyoaks star, who met while filming Celebs Go Dating last year, are no longer together and have been posting a string of cryptic remarks via their respective social media accounts.

Sharing her thoughts over a selfie while on the train to a hair appointment, Laura wrote: 'I've just been thinking.

'Why is it in society that when a man says he wants children he's seen as brave, courageous, loving. But when women say they want children they're seen as desperate, needy, users.'

Despite not revealing where the gender difference had come from, and whether it was to do with herself and ex Gary - Laura has recently hinted to fans that she and her ex are not on good terms.

Keeping quiet: The Love Island star, 33, is expecting her first child with actor Gary Lucy , 41, after first meeting on Celebs Go Dating

Blue for a boy? Laura showed off her blossoming baby bump in a light blue gown as she arrived at the The Gossies 2023 in Dublin, Ireland on Sunday night

Radiant: The reality star stood out from the crowd in the bright blue number which featured a pretty off-the-shoulder design, long statement sleeves and was teamed with sparkly shoes

Last week, she shared a video talking about the signs to look out for in a covert narcissist.

Seemingly throwing shade at Gary, she wrote: 'I'm really healing through educating myself on this personality disorder an reading all your dms of your experiences.

'If someone lies about you, tell the truth about them or better yet choose peace and run.'

The star, who met Gary on Celebs Go Dating, announced she was pregnant with his child earlier this month, and it was later revealed the pair had split.

It comes after Laura shut down any suggestion of her reconciling with Gary in an Instagram Q&A.

When a curious fan asked her: 'Is there any chance that you and Gary can get back together?'.

Laura simply replied: 'No' before saying she 'hopes once baby is here' that she and the Hollyoaks actor can co-parent successfully.

The pair appeared to take aim at each other in cryptic Instagram posts after Gary said that part of the reason the pair split was down to location.

Laura reportedly wanted him to move to Scotland, but he said he wanted to stay in Essex to be with his four children.

Laura told told her 1.5 million followers: 'I had no intention to comment on the breakdown of my relationship with Gary.

'However, due to what has now been publicly shared by other parties, I have been left with no other choice.

'Gary and I are no longer together due to multiple reasons which will remain private. Our plan was for me to move to Essex to start our family which I was more than happy to do.

'However, since the breakdown of our relationship I have remained at home in Scotland. My priority is bringing my baby up in a calm and stable environment.

The Scottish reality star added: 'I never asked or expected Gary to move to Scotland. I fully support him living in Essex to be close to his four amazing children.

'I am fully focused on having a healthy, happy pregnancy and remain excited to share this incredible journey with you all. Thank you so much for you support! Laura, Buddy & Bump.'

Gary shared a cryptic message one day after his pregnant ex-girlfriend Laura made a thinly-veiled dig at him after their shock split.

Laura took a swipe at her ex by saying she had chosen 'peace over people' and edited her pregnancy announcement to remove any mention of Gary's surname.

And on Monday, Gary appeared to retaliate as he took to his Instagram Stories to share a very cryptic post hitting out at people who 'look for faults in others'.

He shared a quote which read: 'People that spend time looking for faults in others, should spend time correcting their own.'

Captioning the post, he added: 'Amen to that.'

Mother-to-be: The former Love Island contestant is expecting her first child with actor ex Gary Lucy, 41, after first meeting on Celebs Go Dating last year

His cryptic message seemed to be in response to Laura's thinly-veiled swipe, which she shared to her Instagram just hours earlier.

Posting to her Instagram Stories, the former Love Island star shared a quote, which read: 'I've been choosing peace over people lately. So far no regrets.'

She also edited her pregnancy announcement post to remove any mention of Gary's name, while also turning off the comments, hinting that their unborn baby will now take her surname.

Their video reveal was originally captioned: 'Our hearts are full Baby Lucy due 'Summer 23,' but has been changed to: 'My heart is full. Baby Anderson due Summer '23.'
Ferne McCann has confirmed she's pregnant with her second child.

Back in January, it was reported the former TOWIE star, 32, was expecting a baby with her fiance Lorri Haines, 31, six months after announcing their engagement.

Now, she's revealed the rumours are true, while gushing about her hopes to have a girl, a water birth at home and an 'unusual' name for her impending arrival.

Ferne and Lorri told OK! Magazine they've chosen not to find out the baby's gender and that they 'don't believe' in due dates, but that she's set to give birth in the summer.

She gushed: 'I would love a girl, just because I've got my girl's name and I feel like a girl mum because I've got Sunday. I can only see myself with girls.'

Congratulations! Ferne McCann has confirmed she's pregnant with her second child

Elsewhere, she said: 'I would love to have a home birth and I've been told many times that I'm the perfect candidate. I had a smooth and lovely birth with Sunday and I did the majority of my labour at my mum's house. It was just the delivery that I did at the hospital. I would love to have the pool, but Lorri's worried about the mess.'

Ferne also told the publication: 'We can't have your average top 10 in the UK names. I love unusual, but not weird. I'm firing some names at Lorri and he's like, "No, no." Sunday comes up with some really good names actually.'

The TV personality and her businessman partner are filming their journey to second-time parenthood for her First Time Mum reality show on ITVBe.

Ferne has a daughter Sunday, five, from a previous relationship with jailed acid attacker Arthur Collins. Lorri also has a son the same age as Sunday with his ex partner.

They met during a trip to Dubai just over one year ago and he proposed during a romantic holiday to France in July.

Earlier this year, it emerged Ferne was pregnant again, with a pal telling The Sun: 'Ferne is over the moon. From the moment she met Lorri she knew she wanted to marry him and have his kids.

'They're both ready to commit and are looking forward to their future together.'

MailOnline contacted a spokesperson for Ferne at the time.

Loved-up: Back in January, it was reported the former TOWIE star, 32, was expecting a baby with her fiance Lorri Haines, 31, six months after announcing their engagement

Mother: Ferne, has a daughter called Sunday, five, from her previous relationship with jailbird acid attacker Arthur Collins

Ferne has made no secret of her desire to start a family with her partner of a year, saying she wanted a baby before the couple started planning their wedding.

Speaking in September after announcing her engagement, Ferne told Closer magazine: 'I haven't thought too much about wedding plans, we made the decision that we would like to have another baby first.

'I'd love for Sunday to have a sibling, and extend and grow our family. I really want a baby now, I'm so ready, but every baby is a miracle, and it will happen when it's meant to be.'

Looking to the future, Ferne said she definitely wants to have more children and joked about having as many as 10 kids, adding that she wants to move to the countryside by the time she is 40.

Last month, Ferne wrapped up warm in a black padded coat amid claims she's expecting, as she enjoyed a whirlwind trip to Paris for her pal Ellis Ranson's 30th birthday.

Posting to her Instagram, the star told her 2.9million followers that the whirlwind one-night trip was 'needed' and left her with a 'huge sense of contentment'.

Opening up, she penned: 'No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow. A few months ago I said to Lorri & my close ones I dont know if Im ever going to feel fun again.

'To laugh again and to feel back to my normal self. I just couldnt see past this cloud. Ive realised that it takes time. Time to heal & to let the storm pass, its not going to happen over night.

Cute: Ferne and Lorri met during a trip to Dubai just over one year ago and he proposed during a romantic holiday to France in July

Broody: Ferne has made no secret of her desire to start a family with her partner of a year, saying she wanted a baby before the couple started planning their wedding

'Spending quality time with my closest ones in Paris and then returning home to my baby girl & fiance this weekend has left me feeling a huge sense on contentment.

'It was only for one night but it was needed. Oh to laugh againit really is the best remedy.

'So believe me if youre going through the worst time where you cant see a time where you will ever smile again let alone laugh. I promise you this time will pass .'

Ferne looked stunning as she posed for shots in front of the Louvre and gave fans an insight into her time away.

A few days earlier, Ferne wore the same black padded coat and a bright pink beanie as she shared another post on her pal's birthday trip.

She looked like she was having a great time with the group as they caught the Eurostar and visited the Eiffel Tower.

Ferne dressed perfectly for the chilly weather in the stylish jacket which she teamed with a black and white scarf, leggings and comfy boots.

Ferne added another pop of colour to her look with a fuchsia bag that matched her hat as she flashed the peace sign.

The group also posed for shots in front of the famous landmark and looked like they were having a great time.

She penned in the caption: 'Paris is always a good idea. Celebrating my girls 30th @ellisransonx .

'I have been looking forward to this little trip for ages. Now I'm off to get the steps in, take 100 more pics of the Eiffel Tower & eat croissants with my besties.'

The new series of Ferne McCann: First Time Mum is available on ITVBe and ITVX on 15 March at 9pm.
Kaia Gerber cut a casual figure as she left a restaurant with her dog, Milo, in Los Feliz after after enjoying lunch with her friends on Sunday.

The supermodel, 21, seemed in high spirits as she flashed her toned midriff in a navy cropped T-shirt and black low-rise trousers.

She added a chic beige flannel shirt over the ensemble and wore a pair of black trainers and a dark scarf.

The cover star, who is the daughter of supermodel Cindy Crawford, pulled her brunette tresses back from a centre parting.

Kaia hid behind a pair of dark sunglasses as she carried a pink stuffed animal while walking her dog, Milo, who she rescued back in 2020.

High spirits: Kaia Gerber cut a casual figure as she left a restaurant with her dog, Milo, in Los Feliz after after enjoying lunch with her friends on Sunday

Looking good: The supermodel, 21, seemed in high spirits as she flashed her toned midriff in a navy cropped T-shirt and black low-rise trousers

Kaia has been in a relationship with actor Austin Butler, 31, since they were first seen together in November 2021.

The relationship came just one month after Kaia ended her prior 13-month relationship with Euphoria star Jacob Elordi.

It was the first relationship Austin had since ending his long-time romance with actress Vanessa Hudgens, after eight years.

Kaia's recent gigs include being on the cover of Vogue China and walking the Off-White FW/22 runway presentation in Paris alongside her famous mother.

Last month, the bombshell opened up about how she felt 'lonely' without her family nearby as a teen, at the start of her career, as modelling gigs took her around the world.

'I'm only 21, and I feel like I've lived a whole life already,' the American Horror Story star told the fashion magazine.

Still, even with the challenges that come with her demanding schedule, the actress said: 'Even when I was really tired, or wanted to go home, or felt lonely, I would remind myself how lucky I was.'

Kaia learned a lot while travelling to places like Paris and Milan for her job.

Out and about: She added a chic beige flannel shirt over the ensemble and wore a pair of black trainers and a dark scarf

'Having the opportunity to travel taught me so much from such a young age,' she said. 'I got this really amazing education.'

She added: 'I have this catalogue of images that has recorded my growing up. You're growing, and you're changing: your body, what you like, your taste.

'Being surrounded by so many creatives shaped my taste. I'm very much an observer, and I retain a lot.'

As for the wisdom her supermodel mom provided, Kaia recalls being told to 'be on time' and 'take the time to learn people's names.'

'Be nice to everyone. If you're not grateful and happy to be there, there's someone who would be,' the five-foot-ten beauty said of lessons her mother taught her.

But she found friends in the modelling industry to lean on, and she didn't see the cattiness or competitiveness she had been warned about.

'I fell into the trap of believing that,' said Kaia of the catfights on the runway that she feels don't really exist.

'Especially at that time, I was really shy,' noted the star.

'I kept to myself, and I was nervous. You're coming from high school girls who are so scary, and so I assumed that that would be the culture.

Hot couple: Kaia has been in a relationship with actor Austin Butler, 31, since they were first seen together in November 2021 (pictured together last month)

'I got lucky meeting incredible people from all over the world who took me under their wing. I felt so much comfort in having this family away from my own family,' noted the performer.

But she was able to reconnect with her family during lockdown from Covid.

'Honestly, it came at a time when I really needed it, and it was a really difficult time in the world, but I really had reached a point where I just felt like I was falling out of love with it [modelling], and I didn't know that you could ask for a break,' said the star.

She continued: 'I developed so much deeper relationships in my life, and also a connection to myself. When you're forced to sit with yourself, all of a sudden, you're aware of all the stuff you haven't dealt with.'
Gigi Hadid has admitted it was her privileged upbringing which led to her worldwide modelling success and claims she's 'not the prettiest person in the world'

Having starring on 35 covers of Vogue and walking the runway at the most high profile fashion shows, she has said she needed some help to get to the top.

Nepotism babies - or 'nepo babies' as they are often called - have taken 2023 by storm, referring to celebrity offspring who land easily in the world of showbiz, such as Brooklyn Beckham.

Gigi, (real name Jelena), 27, is the daughter of Dutch model Yolanda Hadid, a former model turned interior designer and star of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

Her father is Palestinian-born property developer Mohamed Hadid (her parents divorced when she was five), while famous siblings Bella and Anwar are also models.

Famous family: Gigi Hadid has admitted her privileged upbringing with former model mother Yolanda (left) and property tycoon Mohamed (right) helped her achieve fame, (pictured in 2018)

Model: Gigi has starred on 35 covers of Vogue and has 77 million Instagram followers

In an interview with the Sunday Times, Gigi was candidly open about her background, saying: 'Technically I'm a nepotism baby. My parents came from very little.

'I've always acknowledged that I come from privilege.

'My parents told me, "Just because you have parents who were successful, it doesn't mean that you shouldn't walk into the job being as nice and as hard-working as you can be."'

She added that she doesn't think she is the 'prettiest person in the world' and could 'probably do' with some Botox.

Gigi, who was most recently romantically linked to Leonardo DiCaprio, claimed her first modelling gig at the age of just two with Guess.

The supermodel was raised on a ranch in Santa Barbara before moving to Beverley Hills.

In 2014 she made her runway debut at New York Fashion Week and has since walked for Chanel, Versace and Fendi.

She now boasts over 77 million Instagram followers and reportedly earned almost $10million in 2018.

'Technically, I'm a nepotism baby': The term 'nepo baby' has been a topic of great interest in 2023 and Gigi openly credits her fame and success in the modelling world to her Ford Model-turned-Real Housewife of Beverly Hills mother (L) and real estate millionaire father, Mohamed (R)

Sister models: Gigi (left) and Bella (right) Hadid have both announced new collaborations - Gigi with Maybelline and Bella with Charlotte Tilbury

Nepo babies: Gigi Hadid, Anwar Hadid, Yolanda Foster and Bella Hadid are pictured in New York City in 2015

Motherhood; Next in Fashion co-host Gigi is so grateful to be a young mother to her two-year-old daughter Khai, (pictured in February with mother Yolanda Hadid)

Her other love: The IMG Model - turning 28 next month - has said she is 'so glad' to be a young mom (pictured in January)

Amicable exes: Gigi used to be in a relationship with Zayn Malik - they co-parent their two-year-old daughter Khai, (pictured in March 2021)

Keeping busy: As well as being a mother and a successful model, Gigi replaced Alexa Chung as co-host of the second season of Netflix's Next in Fashion alongside Queer Eye's Tan France

The Guest in Residence founder-creative director famously replaced Alexa Chung as co-host of the second season of Netflix's 10-episode $250K design competition Next in Fashion alongside Queer Eye's Tan France.

Gigi admitted she did not get the role easily, with Netflix putting her through a tough audition process to land the job.

'@netflix Top 5 in 24 hrs!' Gigi - who boasts 83.7M social media followers - gushed on Saturday.

The model, who has in the past dated Joe Jonas, also dated ex-One Direction member Zayn Malik on and off for six years.

The couple share a daughter, two-year-old Khai, who Gigi says they amicably co-parent. She recently shared that her daughter 'loves' eating British food.

The pair split in 2021 after Zayn's infamous altercation with her mother for which he received 360-day probation and was ordered to complete anger management and domestic violence programs.

Gigi most recently announced a partnership with make-up brand Maybelline, while her sister Bella has become the face of luxury cosmetics Charlotte Tilbury.

Their younger brother Anwar, 23, previously dated pop star Dua Lipa before calling it quits in December 2021.
American actress Andie MacDowell pulled some very animated expressions as she stepped out for a morning stroll with her pup in California on Sunday.

Teaming a hat with a yellow neck scarf with a vibrant feather design, the Four Weddings star looked bright and cheerful as she carried out her morning errands.

She put on a kooky display in her outfit, teaming her blue padded jacket with a pair of trainers and camo trousers.

Her dog, who was also kitted out in a blue and white striped jumper, gnawed at his lead as he walked alongside his famous owner by the Silverlake Reservoir.

The actress and former model recently starred in Hallmark's The Way Home, which premiered on January 15 and on March 2 was renewed for a second season.

Bright! Andie MacDowell, 64, pulled a very animated expression wearing a kooky hat, padded coat and camo trousers as she takes her dog for a walk by the Silverlake Reservoir on Sunday

Side by side: Her dog, who was also kitted out in a blue and white striped jumper, gnawed at his lead as he walked alongside his famous owner

The show, in which Andie plays Delilah 'Del' Landry, chronicles three generations of a family after one woman reunites with her mother following a years-long estrangement.

At the premiere last month Andie rocked a head full of fresh ringlets, a slouchy off-white turtleneck, and classic black high heels.

The actress has recently embraced feeling 'more comfortable' with ageing and going for a natural look, letting her grey locks down on many occasions.

She told The Times that she felt relieved after receiving a positive response to the change.

She said: 'I was relieved people werent cruel. They could have been mean to me. But everybody was very loving and kind and I was relieved because I really like it. I feel more comfortable.'

Andie also recently starred along her daughter Margaret Qualley in Netflix's Maid in 2021.

Looking good !The actress has recently embraced feeling 'more comfortable' with ageing and going for a natural look - pictured at the premiere of new series The Way Home on January 11
Rebecca Judd never puts a foot wrong in the style stakes.

And Ms Judd, 40, certainly didn't disappoint on Monday when she arrived at the Utopia Runway for Melbourne Fashion Festival.

The star, who worked as a house model for Chanel, looked absolutely spectacular in '70s-style pants and bralette.

The co-ord featured an orange and blue pattern with it showcasing Bec's endless pins and toned tummy.

The star finished the outfit with a Chanel handbag slung over her shoulder and a pair of heels.

Rebecca Judd, 40, flashed her toned tummy in a 70s-inspired co-ord as she led the arrivals at Melbourne Fashion Festival at the Royal Exhibition Building on Monday

Bec wore her brunette tresses slightly curled and allowed them to cascade past her shoulders. She opted for a matte style makeup look.

The show was held at the Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton with it showcasing a number of leading designers.

Joining Bec at the show was Maria Thattil who wore a lavender blouse and glittering miniskirt which showed off her trim pins.

Bec wore her brunette tresses slightly curled and allowed them to cascade past her shoulders. She opted for a matte style makeup look

Bec sat in the front row with her friend and business partner Michelle Greene (centre left)

She filmed the models walking down the runway

The star finished her outfit with lavender pointed heels and a glittering clutch.

Maria posed with her brother, Dom, who wore a glittering blazer and miniskirt by Cazinc The Label and accessories by Rhodin.

He finished his look with a black handbag, platform loafers and black socks.

Joining Bec at the show was Maria Thattil who wore a lavender blouse and glittering miniskirt which showed off her trim pins

Maria posed with her brother, Dom, who wore an eye-catching glittering blazer by Cazinc The Label and accessories by Rhodin

Married At First Sight alumni Ella Ding opted for a chic rocker look which included a cropped biker jacket and black miniskirt.

Ella wore a crisp, white collared shirt with the outfit along with a black handbag and black platform boots.

She wore her cropped black hair slicked down and opted for a glossy makeup palette for her look.

Married At First Sight star Ella Ding opted for a chic rocker look which included a cropped biker jacket and black miniskirt

Athlete Amy Pejkovic flashed her toned tummy in a long-sleeved bralette and tan pants.

She finished her look with a beige handbag and a cream belt with gold clasping.

Amy wore her blonde tresses down and opted for a matte makeup palette.

Athlete Amy Pejkovic flashed her toned tummy in a long-sleeved bralette and tan pants. She finished her look with a beige handbag and a cream belt with gold clasping

Stylist Lana Wilkinson showcased her flair in a fringed mini-dress.

She carried a love heart clutch to the event.

Lana finished her look with a pair of strappy heels.
Dhakota Williams was testing the Instagram censors on Monday night.

The 21-year-old shared a series of photos in which she was wearing an extremely tiny nurse-themed swimwear.

The outfit consisted of a truly barely-there bikini top which struggled to contain her ample bust.

She added a pair of miniscule bottoms and added a nurse cap to complete the illusion.

The buxom beauty was anything but matronly in the ensemble, donning a clean makeup look and wearing her hair down.

Dhakota Williams (pictured) was testing the Instagram censors on Monday night. The 21-year-old shared a series of photos in which she was wearing tiny nurse-themed swimwear

The outfit consisted of a truly barely-there bikini top which struggled to contain her ample bust. She added a pair of miniscule bottoms and added a nurse cap to complete the illusion

In her caption, Dhakota added just a hospital emoji, which fitted her nurse theme of the evening.

Her fans were delighted with the post, with one writing: 'I suddenly have cancer help me please'.

Another added: 'Hurry up my cat just ran me over', while another wrote, 'Your curves are beautiful'.

Dhakota is making a mint off OnlyFans.

She proved she likes to splash the cash last week as she posed in her bedroom in a Versace robe, which retails for $750.

The buxom beauty was anything but matronly in the ensemble, donning a clean makeup look and wearing her hair down

Her fans were delighted with the post, with one writing: 'I suddenly have cancer help me please'

Dhakota wore the designer sleepwear as she took a selfie in her bedroom with a female friend.

'Me, but twice,' she captioned the photos.

Dhakota recently treated herself to a $100,000 brand new BMW after turning 21.

Her proud mother Roberta, who also has an OnlyFans profile, took to Instagram on with a photo of Dhakota posing next to her first major purchase.

'I am so proud of you,' she wrote over the photo, adding: 'As a mum I couldn't be more prouder of the beautiful lady you have become.'

'You work hard to have the finer things in life my little princess the mould was definitely broken.'

Roberta also paid tribute to her late husband, slain underworld king and drug lord Carl Williams, by writing: 'Your dad will be shining down on you today as he does every day. So proud of your achievements.'

Dhakota is making a mint off OnlyFans. The 21-year-old proved she likes to splash the cash as she posed in her bedroom in a Versace robe, which retails for $750

Dhakota recently treated herself to a $100,000 brand new BMW after turning 21

Dhakota joined OnlyFans in August and her mother soon followed.

The pair recently discussed their foray into the sex industry with The Daily Telegraph, revealing they had 'no choice' due to their infamous history.

'I can't get a normal job like anyone else,' Roberta told the publication.

Meanwhile, Dhakota said she'd been thinking about joining for some time before finally pulling the trigger.

'Mum gave me the courage to do it. There is no shame in owning your femininity,' she declared.

Dhakota was nine years old when her father, drug kingpin Carl, was bludgeoned to death at Barwon Prison by fellow inmate Matthew Charles Johnson in 2010.
Paris Hilton has discussed her regrets over her sex tape which was leaked in the early 2000s, made with her ex, Rick Salomon, when she was just aged 19. .

Talking about it in her upcoming book Paris: The Memoir, (out March 14), she said her ex, who she doesn't name, but refers to by his nickname 'Scum,' made her feel 'pressured' into doing it.

In an excerpt which appears in The Times, Paris, 42, said: 'I dont remember that much about the night he wanted to make a videotape while we made love.

'He had often said it was something he did with other women, but I felt weird and uncomfortable about it. I always told him, "I cant. Its too embarrassing".'

She added: 'He told me if I wouldnt do it, he could easily find someone who would, and that was the worst thing I could think of  to be dumped by this grown man because I was a stupid kid who didnt know how to play grown-up games.'

'He said if I wouldnt do it, he could easily find someone who would': Paris Hilton has admitted she felt pressured into making sex tape with ex which made her feel 'weird and uncomfortable'

Throwback: She and her then-boyfriend Rick Salomon, who is 13 years her senior, starred in the tape which was leaked in 2003; they are pictured during their relationship

Paris also admitted that she drank alcohol and took Quaaludes prior to the making of the tape.

But she was horrorstruck when a 37-second clip of the video began circulating online years later.

Paris has said she begged 'Scum' not to release the full version of the tape but he said he had every right to sell something that belonged to him.

Saying she believed her 'life was over,' Paris said she felt as though her 'self-worth' was in ruins.

And while her family were devastated by the tape, Paris said that if she had chosen to sell the tape, she would have owned it but the decision was taken out of her hands.

Paris also told Harper's Bazaar magazine this month that she did not have strong sexual urges before she met her husband Carter Reum.

'I was known as a sex symbol, but anything sexual terrified me,' said the Simple Life veteran which led her to believe she may be asexual.

'I called myself the "kissing bandit" because I only liked to make out. A lot of my relationships didn't work out because of that.'

Now that she met Carter, she is satisfied, the star made very clear to Harper's Bazaar: 'I enjoy hooking up with my husband.'

Raves for this man: Paris is now happily married to Carter Reum with whom she has a child (pictured together in February)

Family matters: In last year's documentary Paris' mother Kathy Hilton (pictured) recalled being 'in bed a lot' in the aftermath of the leak of the sex tape
Jonathan Ross is joining Classic FM as the new host of its blockbuster film music programme, Saturday Night At The Movies.

The chat show host and film critic, 62, will present every Saturday from 7pm to 9pm on the UK's most popular classical music station.

He said of his latest job: 'I'm thrilled to be joining the Classic FM family.

'My love of films has been well documented, but my love of film scores is an even greater passion and I'm very much looking forward to sharing that with the listeners.

'If you love film scores and want to revisit the classics, as well as have me share a few of the more obscure delights from my vast collection, then I hope you'll make it a date to join me at the movies on Classic FM every Saturday evening.'

'I'm thrilled to be joining the family!' Jonathan Ross is joining Classic FM as the new host of its blockbuster film music programme, Saturday Night At The Movies

Launching this Saturday, Jonathan's first programme will be an Oscars special, as he features music from some of the contending films at the 95th Academy Awards  which take place on Sunday  as well as celebrating notable winners of the past.

Saturday Night at the Movies is Classic FM's flagship film music programme.

Every week, it is packed with iconic scores by composers including Ennio Morricone, John Williams, John Barry and Bernard Herrmann, alongside cult classics and the latest soundtracks from names such as Hans Zimmer, Wendy Carlos, Rachel Portman, Kris Bowers, Hildur Gunadottir and Alexandre Desplat.

Classic FM has a long history of embracing and championing film music. It has become integral to the station's daily music selection, alongside all-time greats by composers such as Mozart, Beethoven and Bach, as well as sporting anthems and video game soundtracks.

In addition, 2023 marks 20 years of Classic FM broadcasting a weekly programme dedicated to movie music.

Jonathan will present Saturday Night at the Movies on Classic FM alongside his work on ITV, including The Jonathan Ross Show.

He joins an all-star stellar line-up of presenters at Classic FM, including Alexander Armstrong, Myleene Klass, Moira Stuart, Alan Titchmarsh, Andrew Marr, Margherita Taylor, Charlotte Hawkins and Aled Jones.

Philip Noyce, Classic FM's Managing Editor, said: 'It is fantastic that Jonathan is joining Classic FM as the new host of Saturday Night at the Movies.

Coming soon: The chat show host and film critic, 62, will present every Saturday from 7pm to 9pm on the UK's most popular classical music station (pictured in 2021)

He is, of course, an acclaimed and popular broadcaster, but it's his passion and knowledge of a huge array of films, and the music that threads through them, that make him the perfect host every Saturday evening.

Jonathan is a true fan; and I know our current listeners, and anyone tuning in for the first time, will love joining him to enjoy iconic music alongside his insight into great films and their soundtracks.'

Last year, Jonathan claimed the BBC has become more risk-averse and dull in the wake of his Sachsgate scandal on Radio 2.

The Corporation faced a public backlash after the 2008 incident, when comedian Russell Brand and the TV presenter called the much-loved Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs during Brand's show and left lewd messages on his answerphone.

Russell also bragged about sex with Sachs's granddaughter Georgina Baillie, with whom he had had a brief relationship.

At the time, the BBC sacked Russell and suspended Jonathan for three months, and it was also fined 150,000 by the regulator Ofcom.

Jonathan, who hosted a show on Radio 2 for ten years, recently admitted he rarely tunes in. Talking to Dermot O'Leary on his Audible podcast, People, Just People, he said: 'I wish it was a little bit more interesting.

'A lot of the time it feels like they don't take risks any more, which they used to.

'Obviously I'm part of the reason they don't do that any more because of the huge cock-up of me and Russell on his show.

'It's one of the reasons they allowed themselves to be beaten back into a position of, 'Oh, don't take risks, don't take chances.'

'To an extent I sympathise with that, but at the same time that's why I don't listen to a lot.'

Despite the public outcry over what became known as Sachsgate  which was even discussed in Parliament  Ross did not consider walking away from the broadcaster, claiming the issue had been 'blown out of all proportion'.

Saturday Night At The Movies with Jonathan Ross is available every Saturday from 7pm to 9pm on Classic FM across the UK on Global Player, DAB Digital Radio and TV, 100-102 FM and at ClassicFM.com.
The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea leader Lee Jae-myung speaks at a party meeting at the National Assembly in western Seoul on March 6. Yonhap



Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung lambasted a deal between South Korea and Japan to compensate victims of wartime forced labor without the involvement of Japanese firms as the country's worst-ever humiliation in history.



The government of President Yoon Suk Yeol came up with the deal that calls for creating a foundation charged with collecting public donations and compensating victims of Japan's forced labor during its 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea in an effort to resolve the biggest thorn in relations between the two countries.



But the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), some victims and civic groups have expressed outrage that it makes no sense to compensate victims with public donations, rather than money from Japanese companies that exploited forced labor victims.



"The Yoon Suk Yeol administration appears to have ultimately chosen the path to betraying historical justice," DPK leader Lee Jae-myung said during a party meeting, calling the deal "the biggest humiliation and stain in diplomatic history."



"I ask the president, 'Whose government is this government?'" he said, comparing the agreement to "the Humiliation at Samjeondo," a 1637 incident in which the then king of Korea's Joseon Kingdom surrendered to China's Qing Dynasty by kneeling and bowing after a defeat in war.



The forced labor row began after South Korea's Supreme Court ordered Japanese companies, such as Nippon Steel and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, to pay compensation to Korean forced labor victims in 2018, and Japan imposed export curbs against Seoul in apparent retaliation the following year.



The Japanese government has long claimed that all reparation issues stemming from its colonial occupation were settled under a 1965 treaty under which Seoul normalized relations with Tokyo in exchange for $300 million in grants and $200 million in low-interest loans.



The Yoon administration put forward the idea of using a public foundation to compensate victims.



"The compensation will likely be made with a fund raised by our companies, not Japanese firms that committed war crimes, and Japan's apology is also expected to be at a level of repeating past statements," Lee said, noting his party will not tolerate any attempt to give "indulgence" to Japan's war crimes.



"It is secondary harm to victims calling for a sincere apology and compensation from assailants and violence that goes against the Supreme Court ruling," Lee added.



Seoul and Tokyo have held several rounds of talks on the forced labor issue over the past several months in line with the conservative Yoon administration's push for strengthening trilateral security partnership with the United States and Japan in a region marked by China's assertiveness and North Korea's provocations. (Yonhap)




Shaughna Phillips has given fans a glimpse inside her lavish baby shower held over the weekend.

The Love Island star, 28, is expecting her first child with boyfriend Billy Webb, 29, who was recently charged with drug offences, and now faces the prospect of giving birth alone within weeks.

But putting all of that to one side, Shaughna cradled her blossoming baby bump as she posed for pictures at her baby shower on Sunday, while looking radiant in an off-the-shoulder white dress.

The garment hugged her figure as it put her growing bump on full display.

The reality TV personality opted for a curly blow dry and accentuated her natural beauty with a flawless palette of make up.

Celebrations: Pregnant Shaughna Phillips has given fans a glimpse into her lavish baby shower held over the weekend

Shaughna posed alongside an abundance of balloons and decorations, giving fans an insight into the day.

Also poking out was a giant giraffe and sign which read: 'Our greatest adventure yet'

Taking to her Instagram Stories after the party, she wrote: 'Had the best day with the best people and I can't wait to share all of the pictures with you all! So many companies i need to say a massive thank you to'.

In another photo, she could be seen smiling in a group shot, of which she captioned: 'Best team ever ever EVER'.

It comes after she admitted that she finds the pre-birth decisions 'a lot to take in' and has left her 'questioning all my life decisions'.

Faced with the prospect of giving birth alone, she admitted the pressure of becoming a mother so soon is 'terrifying' as she prepares everything before her due date.

Writing in her column with OK! Magazine, the TV personality explained she went to see her midwife who recommended a dose of Vitamin K for the baby after it is born, either by injection or orally six hours after birth.

'It's a lot to take in,' Shaughna expressed. 'I was then asked if I had any questions, and I said, "Yes. I'm questioning all of my life decisions up until this point". S**t has got very real now.'

Focus: Putting all of the drama aside, Shaughna cradled her blossoming baby bump as she posed for pictures at her baby shower on Sunday

Shaughna went on to detail that she will have to be induced if she hasn't had the baby by April 1.

She said: 'To think that next month I'll actually be someone's mum and that there is going to be a little human in the world that depends on me for everything is quite scary. I still feel like I'm doing my GCSEs in school!

'I know I'm an adult and nearly 30, but I can't quite believe I'm going to be given this responsibility of looking after a baby. It's terrifying.'

Shaughna has had a difficult time during her pregnancy after her boyfriend Billy, 29, was charged with drug offences.

Billy could face up to 16 years in jail if found guilty after police arrested the real estate agent in a drug raid last month.

The Sun reported that police allegedly recovered cocaine and MDMA before a follow-up search at a nearby address revealed a larger haul of illicit substances.

Billy was then charged with one count of possession with intent to supply a Class A drug and one count of being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs.

Earlier this month, Shaughna broke her silence after Billy was charged with drug offences.

She told OK! Magazine: 'After a challenging few weeks, obviously, the baby's father isn't around.

Candid: Pregnant Shaughna admitted that she finds pre-birth decisions 'a lot to take in' and has left her 'questioning all my life decisions'

Mum-to-be: The former Love Island star is expecting her first child with boyfriend Billy Webb, who was recently charged with drug offences

'But my main focus has always been just to prepare for the birth and try to be as calm as possible. I'm good at just saying, "Right, the show must go on".'

She added: 'Billy's not around, but I don't want to say that I'm doing it on my own, because I'm absolutely not  my family's incredible.

'It's going to be different, but I don't want to say it's going to be bad.'

Shaughna - who has kept her boyfriend off social media to protect his privacy - stated last month that she had 'absolutely no knowledge of any activity involving the allegations against Billy.'
Samantha Armytage has been living with husband Richard Lavender in the country for the past few years.

But things got a little hot and steamy on Monday, with temperatures in NSW exceeding 40C in some inland areas of the state.

Braving the heat in rural Bowral, the 46-year-old took shelter in her car, and brought her dog along for the ride.

Sam cranked up the air conditioning to cool down and gave her beloved pooch Bango a much-needed blast of chill, too.

'Under the aircon vents,' she captioned an image of Bango in the car, which she shared to Instagram Stories.

Samantha Armytage has been living with husband Richard Lavender in the country for the past few years. But things got a little hot and steamy on Monday, with temperatures in NSW exceeding 40C in some inland areas of the state. Pictured with Richard and dog Bango

The former Sunrise star, 46, explained in a new interview that she and her husband prefer a quiet life in the country these days.

Samantha wed her doting partner Richard, 61, on New Years' Eve in 2020 at his home in Bowral in the Southern Highlands.

After signing off on Sunrise in March 2021, she was replaced by newsreader Natalie Barr, and has been enjoying the countryside.

In July 2020, Samantha sold her North Bondi home in Sydney for $2.8million, which suggested she was planning to move to Bowral full time.

Braving the heat in rural Bowral, the 46-year-old took shelter in her car, and brought her dog along for the ride. Sam cranked up the air conditioning to cool down and gave her beloved pooch Bango a much-needed blast of chill, too

'Under the aircon vents,' she captioned an image of Bango in the car, which she shared to Instagram Stories

Richard owns a 40-hectare property in Bowral, while Samantha sold her Southern Highlands cottage for $3.1million in September 2020.

Last month, Sam left fans confused as to why she isn't continuing with her popular podcast, Something to Talk About.

Sam announced she was ending the podcast in January, and would return with other 'side hustles' for fans.

Stellar's editor-in-chief Sarrah Le Marquand will be replacing Samantha as the new host of the weekly podcast.
Richard Madeley and Susanna Reid were in agreement that Chris Rock is a very rude man while talking on Good Morning Britain on Monday.

Chris, 58, has spoken about being slapped by Will Smith on stage at the Oscars last March in his new Netflix stand-up special, making headlines while roasting the actors marriage with Jada Pinkett Smith.

Richard, 66, said: Im not defending what happened to him, its wrong, completely wrong. But in 50 years in this game, he is rudest man Ive ever had to interview, Chris Rock.'

Susanna Reid, 52, recalled interviewing Chris alongside Ben Stiller when they were promoting Madagascar, the 2005 animated movie they both voiced characters for.

She concurred with Richard and said: I have to say, it stands out in my memory. He was just consistently unbelievably rude. A thoroughly unpleasant piece of work.

'He is the rudest man Ive ever had to interview - I didn't smack him though': Richard Madeley slammed Chris Rock's behaviour as Susanna Reid called him a 'thoroughly unpleasant piece of work' on Good Morning Britain on Monday

Referring to the famous slap between Will Smith and Chris Rock, Richard said: 'I didnt smack him though, I kept my hands to himself'

Referring to the famous slap, Richard said: 'I didnt smack him though, I kept my hands to himself.

Richard then outlined how the comedian reportedly acted in a rude way, rather than using uncouth language in their interview.

I think we need to hear the other side of the story, Susanna quipped.

And Richard responded: Id love to do that. Bring him over! Keep my hands behind my back.

Over the weekend, people have called out Chris over getting a fact about Will wrong for a joke he made during his Netflix special where he addressed 'slapgate'.

The comedian tore into Will and Jada Pinkett Smith's relationship and spoke about the slap he received at the Oscars during the Netflix show Selective Outrage.

Chris quipped that he felt the slap and brought up some of Will's movie roles to illustrate that one of them was an action star and the other a funny guy.

He said: 'I know you can't tell on camera - Will Smith is significantly bigger than me. We are not the same size, okay? Will Smith does movies with his shirt off. You've never seen me do a movie with my shirt off.

Chris Rock has also been called out over a Will Smith career inaccuracy from a joke he made about 'slapgate' during his new Netflix special (pictured at the Oscars in March)

'If I'm in a movie getting open heart surgery, I've got on a sweater. Will Smith played Muhammad Ali in a movie.'

The comedian went on to compare their roles in cartoons, saying: 'even in animated movies, I'm a zebra, hes a f**king shark'.

This is in reference to the 2004 movie Shark Tale.

But Chris' fans pointed out that Will did not play a shark but instead gave his voice to a fish, a bluestreak cleaner wrasse named Oscar to be precise.

They wrote: 'Wait Chris Rock thought Will Smith played the shark?'

'My takeaway from the Chris Rock special is he thinks Will Smith played a Shark in Shark Tale.'

'Conceptually the joke is about how much stronger Will Smith is physically than Chris Rock, but I think a full-sized zebra would actually do very well against a small fish in fight. And a disservice to Jack Black, Robert De Niro, and Michael Imperioli who did play the sharks in it'.

'Screaming "will smith doesn't even play the shark in shark tale, jack black does" as fbi agents rush to shove me into a black suv and disappear me.'

Despite this, Chris's long-awaited public response to being slapped by actor Will Smith at the 2022 Oscars has been met with high praise - with some calling it the 'best brutal takedown' in history.

'Lol! Will Smith wasn't a shark': Fans reacted to Chris's joke in the most humorous of ways, sharing fish memes on Twitter

During his new Netflix standup special which premiered live Saturday night, Rock verbally hit back at Smith a year after the incident that saw Smith banned from the Academy.

In a nearly two minute segment, Rock fired off at Smith's decision to slap him on stage at the awards ceremony, making Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith the butt of his joke about her infidelity.

'Everybody called him a b**ch, and who's he hitting? Me,' Rock joked to a crowd that included a friend of Meghan Markle's who was spotted laughing backstage, according to Page Six.

The comedian also took aim at the former 'Suits' actress during his special, saying she was 'acting all dumb' for not realizing the royal family are the 'OGs of racism.'

Rock's rant has since been applauded on social media as 'the perfect/best way' to get back at Smith for the moment that changed both of their careers.

The comedian made audience members and live viewers wait until the last ten minutes of 'Chris Rock: Selective Outrage' before he addressed the slap.

'You all know what happened to me, getting smacked by Suge Smith,' the comedian joked. Rock said: 'It still hurts. I got 'Summertime' ringing in my ears.'

The slap occurred last year after Rock made a joke about Pinkett-Smith's bald head, caused by alopecia.

Rock had joked that Pinkett-Smith was rocking a 'G.I. Jane' look which caused her husband to storm the stage and slap him, followed by him repeating: 'Keep my wife's name out your f***ing mouth!'

During his new standup special, Rock joked about his struggle in the year since.

'Anybody that say "words hurt" has never been punched in the face,' he said.

'But I'm not a victim, baby. You'll never see me on Oprah or Gayle crying,' Rock said. He joked that he 'took that s**t like [Manny] Pacquaio.'

The crowd in the audience laughed out loud while those at home took to social media to give their thoughts.

'Like most comedians I'm continuously grateful for the existence of Chris Rock. Thank you comedy gods,' wrote fellow comedian Jim Gaffigan.

'Listen me when I tell you. THIS IS THE MOST SAVAGE MIC DROP OF ALL TIME. NUF RESPEC,' wrote on Twitter user.

That user was referencing the mic drop at the end of his special when he responds to those who have asked why he didn't slap Smith back, saying: 'You know what my parents taught me? Don't fight in front of white people.'
Katie Price has hit back at trolls who criticised her for having surgery and said more people would go under the knife if they could afford it.

The former glamour model, 44, recently had her 16th breast augmentation in a bid to have the 'biggest in Britain' and has not shied away from flaunting the results.

The reality star told the haters that she has a thick skin but when they bring up her children that is what touches a nerve.

Speaking to new! magazine, Katie said: 'I say to the haters, I am a woman and I am capable of making my own choices.

'I'm one of not many who admits what surgery they've had. It only upsets me when they talk about my children.'

'I am capable of making my own choices': Katie Price has hit back at trolls who criticised her for having her 16th breast surgery and said more people would go under the knife if they could afford it

Bold: The former glamour model, 44, had her latest breast augmentation in a bid to have the 'biggest in Britain' and has not shied away from flaunting the results

Katie is mother to eldest son Harvey, 20, who she had with Dwight Yorke, as well as Junior, 17, and Princess, 15, who she shares with ex-husband Peter Andre.

She is mum to Jett, nine, and Bunny, eight, from her relationship with Kieran Hayler.

Despite not having anymore surgery planned anytime soon, Katie did not rule out having anything done as she added, 'never say never'.

Recently Katie continued to show off the results of her latest breast enhancement as she soaked up the sun during her Thailand holiday.

It comes after she shared a cryptic post on Instagram about being single amid split from Carl Woods - who joined them on holiday for a short period of time before jetting home alone.

Katie donned a skimpy pink and silver patterned bikini which barely contained her enlarged bust.

She showed off her tattooed frame in the two-piece, while posing up a storm beside the hotel's pool.

Katie was recently pictured being wheeled into surgery at the Be Clinic in Belgium.

Hitting back: The reality star, who is a mother to five children, told the haters that she has a thick skin but when they bring up her children that is what touches a nerve

Katie said: 'I say to the haters, I am a woman and I am capable of making my own choices. I'm one of not many who admits what surgery they've had. It only upsets me when they talk about my children'

Confident! Regardless, Katie (pictured right in 1998) has changed her shape over the years

She is said to have wanted even bigger breasts after last year's enlargement, opting for 2120 CC implants in a bid to boost her already large bust size.

During her sun-soaked holiday, Katie showed off the results and her huge new 'butterfly lips' after getting yet more more lip filler done in February.

She flashed a huge smile as she appeared in jovial spirits during her trip, which comes amid claims she's split from her on-off beau Carl Woods once again.
Winter was here and going absolutely nowhere as Game Of Thrones star Sophie Turner joined fellow actresses Ana de Armas and Alicia Vikander in chilly Paris as Louis Vuitton unveiled their new collection on Monday.

The mother-of-two made her latest Fashion Week appearance as the high-end brand presented its ready-to-wear womenswear range at the French capital's Musee d'Orsay.

Turner, 27, inevitably caught the eye in a distinctive co-ord featuring a bold sheet music print as she greeted onlookers before making her way inside the historic venue.

However there was no need for musical chairs on Monday, with the British star taking a prime seat on the front row ahead of the exclusive presentation.

She added to her look with a pair of platform heeled Chelsea boots, while a tasteful cream leather handbag served as her only notable accessory.

Here she comes: Winter was here and going absolutely nowhere as Game Of Thrones star Sophie Turner attended the Louis Vuitton fashion show in chilly Paris on Monday

In attendance: The British star was joined by fellow actresses Ana de Armas (L) and Alicia Vikander (R) at the French capital's Musee d'Orsay

Looking good: Turner caught the eye in a distinctive co-ord featuring a bold sheet music print as she greeted onlookers before making her way inside the historic venue

Joining the actress, Cuban star de Armas, 34, ensured she claimed her own share of the spotlight in a flimsy orange minidress with a plunging neckline.

A smart black blazer gave the look an elegant flourish, while knee-length leather boots and a matching black handbag provided the finishing touches.

Elsewhere Swedish star Vikander opted for a floral print blouse with distinct bohemian flourishes, teamed with a high-slung skirt from the latest Louis Vuitton range.

The 34-year old rounded off the look with tan leather boots, while a chic leather handbag rounded things off.

Don't mind me: But Turner was hard to miss as she exited her hotel and made her way to the venue on Monday

Stylish: She added to her look with a pair of platform heeled Chelsea boots, while a tasteful cream leather handbag served as her only notable accessory

Make way: The actress was making a rare appearance without husband Joe Jonas and their two children on Monday

Lovely: Swedish star Vikander opted for a floral print blouse with distinct bohemian flourishes, teamed with a high-slung skirt from the latest Louis Vuitton range

Prime position: Antoine Arnault, the son of Louis Vuitton CEO Bernard Arnault, occupied a front row seat alongside Vikander on Monday afternoon

Hard to miss: Turner greeted photographers as she found her front row seat on Monday

Others on the guest list included American actress Zendaya, and the visiting celebrity appeared to be in high spirits as she greeted fans with a wave before being ushered inside.

The Euphoria star, 26, turned heads in a distinctive animal print co-ord featuring a smart cropped blazer and thigh-skimming shorts, a look that gave her an opportunity to show off a pair of nicely toned legs.

She teamed the look with a pair of matching boots, while a neat Louis Vuitton handbag emblazoned with the brand's instantly recognisable monogrammed design rounded it off.

The actress was soon joined by Pharrell Williams, with the versatile singer, musician and producer catching the eye in a heavily branded cap and jacket from the French fashion house.

Glitterati: Ana looked glamorous as she posed on arrival at the event, wearing an orange and cream leather dress with a rounded hem

Good spirits: The star could be seen smiling as she made her way into the venue, wearing a black coat over her dress and carrying a Louis Vuitton handbag

Looking good: She wore lashings of make-up to highlight her pretty features and accessorised with some gold earrings

Strike a pose: Ana wore a pair of black knee-high boots and could be seen beaming as she posed for pictures

Greetings: Others on the guest list included American actress Zendaya, and the visiting star appeared to be in high spirits as she greeted fans with a wave before being ushered inside

Racy: The Euphoria star turned heads in a distinctive animal print co-ord featuring a smart cropped blazer and thigh-skimming shorts

Going wild: She teamed the look with a pair of matching boots, while a Louis Vuitton handbag emblazoned with the brand's instantly recognisable monogrammed design rounded it off

Here they come: Models strode the catwalk as they debuted the Louis Vuitton fall-winter collection at Musee d'Orsay on Monday

Main man: Pharrell Williams was seen rubbing shoulders with Zendaya as the event got underway

Loving it: The pair posed for a series of photos before taking their seats on the front row

One love: Tennis ace Venus Williams served a stylish look as she arrived at the event on Monday afternoon

Making an entrance: Williams added to her look with a pair of patterned tights and chunky black soled boots

Meanwhile Lea Seydoux opted for an understated black top and miniskirt beneath a buckled winter coat as she posed for photographers on Monday.

The former Bond girl, 37, completed the look with black leather boots - a recurring theme among many female guests outside Musee d'Orsay - and a matching leather handbag.

Joining Seydoux, Chloe Grace Moretz, 26, stood out in a two-tone leather blazer, matched with knee-length shorts and stylish black boots.

The actress rounded off her look with a black clutch, while her hair was effortlessly maintained with a conventional side-parting.

Getting involved: Meanwhile Lea Seydoux opted for an understated black top and miniskirt beneath a buckled winter coat as she posed for photographers on Monday

Shaken and stirred: The former Bond girl, 37, completed the look with black leather boots - a recurring theme among many female guests outside Musee d'Orsay

Fashion first: Chloe Grace Moretz was another high profile celebrity outside the French capital's Musee d'Orsay on Monday

Step by step: Muted colour schemes appeared to be the order of the day as Louis Vuitton presented its latest collection

Incoming: Italians designer Chiara Ferragni was also seen entering the Parisian venue

Hello there: Ferragni acknowledged onlookers with a wave outside the popular French venue

Tailored: Actress Emma Stone wore a smart pinstripe suit for her appearance on the front row

High glamour: The American star bucked the trend for elegant skirts by choosing a conventional tailored trouser-suit, complete with strappy heels

Plenty to talk about: Stone and de Armas were seen chatting as they took their places on the front row

The stars are out: Stone (L) and Zendaya (R) inevitably stood out during their latest appearance in Paris

Quite a pair: Zendaya and Pharrell Williams posed for a photo after making their way inside

Picture perfect: Zendaya (L) and Lea Seydoux (R) posed for photographers at the exclusive catwalk show on Monday afternoon

Front row ready: Irish actress Kerry Condon took a break from awards season in order to attend the latest presentation from Louis Vuitton

Taking her place in the front row, Emma Stone cut a chic figure at Musee d'Orsay during Paris Fashion Week on Monday.

The actress looked gorgeous in a royal blue and red pinstripe suit as she posed up a storm before taking her seat in the star-studded front row.

Stone oozed elegance in the double breasted jacket which had been tailored perfectly and fitted like a glove.

She teamed it with matching trousers as well as a chic grey blouse while slipping her feet into monochrome heels.

The actress opted for a natural make-up look for the event and swept her auburn tresses back into a bun.

A vision in black: British actress Gemma Chan put on another stylish display this time in an edgy leather minidress

Lights, camera, action: Ana de Armas shared some behind-the-scenes shots as she readied herself for a photoshoot at the Louis Vuitton show

I say: Jaden Smith's chessboard print jumpsuit and unusual house shaped bag caught the eye as he took his front row seat on Monday

Strike a pose: French actress Stacy Martin (L) and freelance skier Eileen Gu (R) were also in attendance at the star-studded event on Monday

In good company: Zendaya crossed paths with designer Nicolas Ghesquiere at the event

Guests: Model and influencer Kiwi Lee (L) and fashion blogger and model Caroline Daur (R) were also present at the event in Paris

She's pleased: Indian actress Deepika Padukone appeared to be in high spirits as she greeted photographers outside the venue on Monday

Unusual: South Korean actress and photographer Bae Doona's outfit raised plenty of eyebrows

The royal seal of approval: Princess Maria-Olympia of Greece and Denmark also attended the fashion show on Monday afternoon

Fashion parade: The reason for the mass gathering made its way down the catwalk as Louis Vuitton presented its latest womenswear collection

My turn: German fashion influencer, blogger, model, and social media entrepreneur Leonie Hanne posed for a photo at the event on Monday afternoon

Other guests on the day included actor Jaden Smith, tennis ace Venus Williams, British actress Gemma Chan and Irish star Kerry Condon, who appeared to be taking a break from awards season after winning plaudits for her role in The Banshees Of Inisherin.

The event even welcomed a royal visit of sorts, with Princess Maria-Olympia of Greece and Denmark seen making her way into the Parisian venue.

Monday's event was hosted by Louis Vuitton creative director Nicolas Ghesquiere, the man responsible for reinventing its womenswear range since taking over in 2012.

Paris Fashion Week is expected to end on Tuesday March 7.
Macklemore has been candid about his struggle with sobriety, even talking about his 'painful' 2020 relapse, and is now revealing that he is so open about his recovery that his young daughter comes to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings with him.

The 39-year-old rapper - born Ben Haggerty - recently appeared on Aucady's Check-In podcast where he said that his eldest of three children, seven-year-old daughter Sloane, has been to AA meetings with him.

He said: 'Sloane's been to meetings with me. She asks me questions like, "Daddy, how's your sober meetings going?" We talk about it.

'And I don't want to hide that because it's not something that I need to feel guilt or shame or secrecy around. The whole intention is to put it out into the open I'm not a finished product. This is what I'm working on. These are my struggles'.

Macklemore also shares four-year-old daughter Colette and 18-month-old son Hugo with wife Tricia Davis.

Open book: Macklemore has been candid about his struggle with sobriety and is now revealing that he is so open about his recovery that his young daughter comes to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings with him

'We talk about it': The 39-year-old rapper - born Ben Haggerty - recently appeared on Aucady's Check-In podcast where he said that his eldest of three children, seven-year-old daughter Sloane, has been to AA meetings with him

The Thrift Shop rapper married his longtime love in June 2015 after being engaged in January 2013. They had dated for seven years before he popped the question.

During the podcast interview he also revealed that he believes it is important for their children to know what's part of their family history.

Macklemore explained: 'These are things we might have in our family that we have to keep an eye on. Just be honest, it's a conversation.

'There's no rulebook here. We're at a new point in parenting... I think that having that conversation is important.'

The Grammy Award winning artist had first admitted himself into drug rehabilitation for drug addiction and alcoholism in August 2008.

He had celebrated three years of sobriety before a brief relapse in 2011 and has been open about a more recent relapse in 2020.

Macklemore got candid about it during an interview on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last week as he explained: 'I am a recovering addict and alcoholic and have been for the last 14 years.

'And then COVID happened, and a big part of my recovery community is going to physical 12-step meetings.'

'And I don't want to hide that because it's not something that I need to feel guilt or shame or secrecy around. The whole intention is to put it out into the open I'm not a finished product. This is what I'm working on. These are my struggles,' the rapper said (he is pictured with wife Tricia and their two eldest children)

'These are things we might have in our family that we have to keep an eye on. Just be honest, it's a conversation': During the podcast interview he also revealed that he believes it is important for their children to know what's part of their family history

'There's no rulebook here. We're at a new point in parenting... I think that having that conversation is important': Macklemore explained as he is pictured with four-year-old daughter Colette

Sweet: Macklemore is seen here with 18-month-old son Hugo

Partnership: The Thrift Shop rapper married his longtime love in June 2015 after being engaged in January 2013. They had dated for seven years before he popped the question

The These Days rapper continued: 'Once those stopped, I was alone, and the disease of addiction was like, 'Yo, this is crazy. The world has stopped; you can get high.'

Macklemore explained that he had 'stopped doing the things that prevented me from getting high, and I listened to that voice.'

He recalled that it was a 'couple weeks of a relapse and very painful' and that he's still 'working on trust issues with myself and within my close circle of friends.'

The father of three also shared that he took away a valuable lesson from the experience.

'It definitely was a reminder that whatever I put in front of my recovery will be the first thing that I lose.

'I think, for me, it's not a linear path. It's the one disease that tells you, "You don't have a disease."'

He also noted: 'There's some [mistakes] in the future too, somewhere along the line, in some capacity with my life, but I just want to be able to share that with the people that I love and that follow me.'

When asked if, after having that experience, he thought at all about going back and rerecording some of the songs on his new album, he said that he was able to get to a more vulnerable place when looking back at his work.

Macklemore got candid about it during an interview on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last week as he explained: 'I am a recovering addict and alcoholic and have been for the last 14 years'

What happened: Macklemore explained that he had 'stopped doing the things that prevented me from getting high, and I listened to that voice'

Hard times: He recalled that it was a 'couple weeks of a relapse and very painful' and that he's still 'working on trust issues with myself and within my close circle of friends'

'The relapse was an opportunity for me to get back to that place of, "Okay, what went on?"' he shared. 'Let me talk about it, and let's get vulnerable.'

He has not only been open about his recovery as he has been very active in promoting the lifestyle choice as he headlined Recovery Fest - which was formed to have a drug- and alcohol-free concert and support charities that worked in combating opioid addiction - in Pawtucket, Rhode Island back in September 2018.

Macklemore is on the verge of releasing his fifth album including two with former collaborator Ryan Lewis

His new album titled BEN is set to release on March 3.
Jordan Banjo revealed a very embarrassing moment which happened to him before undergone a vasectomy last month.

The Diversity dancer, 30, detailed his experience of having the procedure, which involved cutting the tubes that carry a man's sperm to prevent pregnancy, during an interview on Loose Women on Monday.

The Britain's Got Talent winner revealed he misunderstood the nurse's instructions to undress and 'took his trousers off', but the nurse had only meant for him to remove his jacket

Detailing the hilarious story, Jordan said: 'Let me set the scene. I walk into the doctor's surgery and the nurse says come with me into the nurses office which is next door to the surgery office.

'She said "OK if you want to get undressed". So in my head I'm like Jord just be confident and don't be nervous about it.

'It was awful': Jordan Banjo revealed on Loose Women on Monday the embarrassing moment he misunderstood a nurse and 'pulled his pants down to his ankles' after misunderstanding a nurse before undergone a vasectomy

Awkward! The Diversity dancer, 30, opened up about the procedure, to cut the tubes that carry a man's sperm to prevent pregnancy

'I've got a woolly hat on and a jacket and the first thing I thought to take off was my pants. So I just pulled them down.

'With my pants around my ankles the nurse was like "Um I meant your jacket". I had to awkwardly pull them back up and go into the next room. It was awful.'

To reveal the news he had the procedure Jordan posted a light-hearted video of himself hobbling back to his car after the vasectomy.

He continued: 'Initially when I put the video out on Instagram loads of people were like well done for bringing up the conversation.

'I actually just put it out because I thought it was funny, not that I was sending a message. I think it is a weird there is a stigma around it because between me and my friends and my wife there isn't one.

'Me and my wife had a conversation and for us as a permanent contraception it felt way less invasive, way easier and a much easier recovery time.

'It is reversible and it was my idea. I got it done and I was in and out in half an hour.'

Jordan posted the video of himself walking tenderly back to his car after the procedure as his wife Naomi Courts, who is currently pregnant with their third child, filmed him.

'I just pulled them down': Attempting to be 'confident' the Britain's Got Talent winner 'took his trousers off while in the wrong room' at the doctor's surgery

Setting the scene: Detailing the hilarious story, Jordan explained how he walked into the nurses office and she said: 'OK if you want to get undressed'

He said: 'So in my head I'm like Jord just be confident and don't be nervous about it. I've got a woolly hat on and a jacket and the first thing I thought to take off was my pants. So I just pulled them down'

He continued: 'With my pants around my ankles the nurse was like "Um I meant you jacket". I had to awkwardly pull them back up and go into the next room. It was awful.'

Naomi was heard laughing as Jordan flashed what seemed to be a slightly forced smile before she asked him if he was OK, to which he nervously replied 'yep'.

When Naomi then asked him if he was sure everything was OK, he said 'yes, positive' before insisting that the procedure wasn't 'bad'.

Laughing, he explained: 'The pain's not the problem. The problem is when you're so scared you have a nipple instead of a penis between your legs and then the nurse tries to tape it to your stomach, but there's not much to tape so she basically places a piece of tape over it.'

Looking slightly pained, Naomi then said: 'In you get hun,' as Jordan very carefully lowered himself into the car.

Jordan also shared a black-and-white selfie of himself to his Stories with his hoodie pulled up around his face as he wrote: 'It's a tender morning.'

Britain's Got Talent star Jordan's wife Naomi is currently pregnant with their third child and they revealed their happy news in October.

At the time, he shared an adorable shot with Naomi outside their home as their children Cassius, four, and Mimi, three, cradled her baby bump.

He captioned the shot: 'TRICK OR TREAT! Were expecting 2 (more) tiny little feet! baby number 3 due April 2023.'

The dancer also shared a sweet selfie of the pair holding their sonogram picture as he penned: 'The Banjo Family is growing even more Baby number 3 on the way.'

The couple, who tied the knot in August 2022, are also parents to son Cassius Ashley and daughter Mayowa 'Mimi' Angel.

Candid: To reveal the news he had the procedure Jordan posted a light-hearted video of himself hobbling back to his car after the vasectomy

Expecting: Britain's Got Talent star Jordan's wife Naomi is currently pregnant with their third child and they revealed their happy news in October

Jordan announced his engagement to Naomi in January 2020 when he proposed during a trip to the Maldives after almost five years together.

Speaking to The Sun he said: 'Nay loves the idea of Mimi being a little flower girl and Cas being a page boy.

'It will be really nice to have them at the wedding because not everyone has children at the wedding, they normally come after. I'm super excited.

'Everyone in Diversity had kids after they got married, we did that the other way round.'

Jordan and Naomi met at famous Essex nightclub Sugar Hut in 2013, but embarked on a relationship two years later.

In January 2018, the couple revealed they were expecting their first child together, with the Essex-based beauty admitting she took 'nine pregnancy tests' out of shock.

She told OK! at the time: 'I wanted to be sure so I went out and bought eight more tests. I sat with them laid out in front of me on the bathroom floor, staring at them in disbelief.

'We always said we wanted kids together, we just didn't think it would happen this soon. We're over the moon, though!'

Jordan rose to fame in 2009 when he won Britain's Got Talent with older brother Ashley as part of their dance troupe Diversity.
Nicola Peltz's feud with mother-in-law Victoria Beckham may have thawed, with the actress attending her fashion show in Paris on Friday.

But it seems that Nicola, 28, and Romeo Beckham's girlfriend Mia Regan, 20, kept their distance from one another at the event amid rumours of a feud.

While Mia has modelled for Victoria, 48, before, she was not a part of the family photo taken backstage and she sat alongside Camille Razat, 29. for the show and not with Nicola.

While neither ladies have ever publicly commented on any feud, it was said that Mia and Nicola have not been on the best terms since Nicola's wedding to Brooklyn.

The nuptials were covered by British Vogue, but while Romeo attended with Mia, she did not appear in any of the pictures shared online and Mia also failed to congratulate the newlyweds publicly.

Nicola Peltz, 28, and Mia Regan, 20, (left) were not pictured together at the Victoria Beckham show in Paris on Friday as feud rumours persist

Back in the fold: Nicola was pictured with the rest of the family after her famous feud with them thawed - pictured (L-R) Eva Longoria, Nicola, Brooklyn, Cruz, Edward Enninful, Harper, David and Anna Wintour

Mia was always said to be 'Team Posh' during her fallout with Nicola and Mia was said to not be 'particularly close' to Nicola.

A source told MailOnline that there isn't so much of a feud with Mia and Nicola, but she had commitments at many shows and with some of her brand partners.

'She was running a different schedule hence perhaps she isnt in many pics with Nicola.'

Meanwhile, the appearance from Brooklyn and Nicola at the fashion show appears to prove that all wounds may have been healed with Victoria.

An Instagram live video showed Victoria headed over to give a warm hug to her daughter-in-law at the end of her catwalk show, before embracing husband David.

As she greeted the audience, the designer flashed a small smile and waved, before greeting her family and heading backstage.

Making the ultimate show of support ahead of the show, Nicola appeared to be kitted out in a full Victoria Beckham ensemble for the show - sporting a chic mesh dress while clutching one of the designer's signature handbags.

Nicola's outfit choice is a massive statement from the actress, after her decision to wear a Valentino wedding dress over a Victoria Beckham one raised many eyebrows.

United front: The Beckham clan were out in full force on Friday as they posed for a sweet group snap after supporting Victoria for her Fall/Winter Paris Fashion Week catwalk show - but again, VB's fashion muse Mia was nowhere to be seen

Appreciation: Captioning the Instagram post, she penned: 'I couldnt do it without you, I love you all so much x'

Nothing to see here: On Monday, Victoria was back to plugging her skincare line and shared a make-up free selfie

She said: 'After a busy week, my skin needed a lot of attention' before sharing her secrets

The actress tied the knot with Brooklyn in a lavish Palm Beach ceremony back in April 2022, sporting a gorgeous custom Valentino dress.

But the dress has since been the source of much controversy, as Nicola claims she was planning on wearing a dress made by Victoria, before the designer said that her atelier could not make it in time.

Numerous reports claim that this is where a feud between the pair began, with Nicola denying this during an interview with The Times last year.

Nicola said: 'It's not a feud! I keep seeing everywhere that word, 'feud, feud, feud!?' I mean, maybe they picked up on something? And now they're labelling it feud?'

'I think it all started, and I've said this before, because I didn't end up wearing Victoria's wedding dress, but the real truth is, I really, really wanted to wear it and I thought it was so beautiful that Brooklyn's mom got to make that for me! And I was really excited to wear it! And I didn't end up wearing it.'

She went on to say: 'But I, truthfully, was really excited to wear her dress. It makes me sad when I read things that people say I was never planning on wearing it. That's just not true.'

Nicola previously dismissed the feud narrative and said that she believes it all started when she opted for Valentino couture instead of Victoria's design.

Victoria finally got Nicola in one of her dresses! The actress and Brooklyn had earlier joined the rest of the family to attend her PFW show - after THAT wedding fall-out!

Out in full force: Walking closely by his eldest son, David led the pack on the way to the VB show as he wore a matching suitwith youngest children Harper Seven, 11, and Cruz, 18

A walk to remember: The Spice Girl turned designer beamed as she did a lap of honour following the show

She told Variety: 'I was going to and I really wanted to, and then a few months down the line, she realized that her atelier couldn't do it, so then I had to pick another dress.

'She didn't say you can't wear it; I didn't say I didn't want to wear it. That's where it started.'

Brooklyn, in a rather muted defence, added: 'Everyone gets along, which is good.'

More recently Victoria addressed those family feud rumours in an interview in December.

The fashion mogul said she was trying to show 'support' to her eldest son Brooklyn and his marriage to Nicola, amid rumours she fell out with the couple following their wedding last year.

She was asked by the Armchair Expert podcast with Dax Shepard if she and David give advice to their kids, replying: 'We're so close to our children, I think it's all about communication.

'You're just trying to do the best that you can as a parent and support your kids. You want them to be happy, hard-working, good, kind human beings. But ultimately, you know, the kids have got to do what they're going to do. You've just got to be there to support them and love them.'
Gigi Hadid and Tan France appeared on Monday's episode of The Drew Barrymore Show.

The 27-year-old model and the 39-year-old television personality, who co-hosts Next in Fashion with Alexa Chung, used their time on the program to discuss various aspects of parenthood, as well as their personal history.

The fashion industry personality, who recently opened up about being a mother, and the Queer Eye cast member also discussed their opinions about wearing Crocs in public.

Barrymore began by asking the two about their lives as parents, and France revealed that he had asked Hadid for her opinion on various children-related topics.

He stated that 'we do have babies, about eight months apart. I've learned so much about being a parent from Gigi...Did I not text you a thousand times asking you, "What would you do in this situation?"'

Special guests: Gigi Hadid and Tan France appeared on Monday's episode of The Drew Barrymore Show

The fashion industry personality then spoke about a bit of advice that the sister of Bella Hadid had given him regarding sleep-inducing techniques.

'Gigi was like, "I'm going to give you a tip," and you said, "Put him in the stroller, he can still see you, and walk around your island in your house and get him to sleep"...That advice changed my life,' he said.

Hadid went on to speak about a past collaboration with Tommy Hilfiger, of which she held fond memories.

'We did a collaboration. And our first show was at the seaport in NYC and we put on a carnival, but I remember being so overwhelmed by the moment that I didn't really experience it...I always look back on that moment and want to take it in,' she said.

France then revealed that he had secretly gained access to the event just to spend time with his friend and co-host.

'We've been friends for years and I've got a story that you do not know. That first that you did, I was just regular Tan, and I snuck in to the Tommy Hilfiger show to meet you. I went backstage, we met and I asked for a photo,' he stated.

The fashion industry personality responded by expressing that he had 'manifested' their future collaborations.

Barrymore went on to surprise her guests with pairs of bright yellow Crocs, of which she and Hadid were fans.

All over the place: The 27-year-old model and the 39-year-old television personality, who co-host Next in Fashion with Alexa Chung, used their time on the program to discuss various aspects of parenthood, as well as their personal history

Trusting her opinion: Barrymore began by asking the two about their lives as parents, and France revealed that he had asked Hadid for her opinion on various children-related topics

Back in the day: Hadid went on to speak about a past collaboration with Tommy Hilfiger, of which she held fond memories

Doing the most: France then revealed that he had secretly gained access to the event just to spend time with his friend and co-host

Fun footwear: Barrymore went on to surprise her guests with pairs of bright yellow Crocs, of which she and Hadid were fans

However, France remarked that he was not a fan of the shoes and wanted nothing to do with them.

He stated: 'I don't want it, I actually don't want it. Can you refuse a gift? No thank you. Take it to the trash, I know exactly what it is. Get out of here. I don't like either of you. Can I put them on, to show how hideous they are?'

Barrymore and her guests then posed for a photo while showing off their new shoes.

Tune in to Monday's episode of the program to see the rest of the pair's interview with the actress.
Henry Winkler shared the cover for his new memoir on Monday morning.

The 77-year-old actor is seen smiling with a white shirt and gray jacket on.

He will take his fans behind the scenes of his long career in his new memoir, Being Henry: The Fonz... and Beyond.

The actor who was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor award at the Golden Globes, is offering his fans a look into his 50 year career in the tome.

Henry first came into the public eye when he had a secondary role on the hit 70s show Happy Days as local tough Arthur 'Fonzie' Fonzarelli.

The character turned out to be so popular, he was made a lead in the series which lasted for 10 years.

New memoir: Henry Winkler, 77, shared the cover for his book on Monday. He will take his fans behind the scenes of his long career in his new memoir, Being Henry: The Fonz... and Beyond which will be released October 31

Fonzie: The actor starred as Arthur 'The Fonz' Fonzarelli for 10 years on Happy Days from 1974 to 1984

In a statement about the new book, Henry wrote 'I am both excited and nervous to contemplate writing a memoir, because it's hard for me to remember what happened the day before yesterday, but here I go!'

The actor spoke to CNN's Chris Wallace on Who's Talking about winning the part as The Fonz in November saying, when he turned up for the audition, 'all I did was change my voice.'

'I introduced myself as Henry, and then as I started to do it, something overtook me  And I changed my voice like this and it unleashed me.'

Henry is no stranger to writing.

He is the co-author of the Here's Hank and Hank Zipzer series of children's books which were inspired by the Emmy winner's childhood and his struggle with undiagnosed dyslexia.

The actor promoted the first Here's Hank book back in 2021, reading it to his young fans in various voices on YouTube.

The Royal Pains actor will address how the learning disability affected his life in the new memoir, and also reveal how difficult it was for him to get a job after being typecast as a result of his iconic Happy Days role.

The native New Yorker was able to get small parts a few times a year in the decades that followed.

Popular: Fonzie started out as a secondary role in the hit 70s series. The character turned out to be so popular, he was made a lead in the series

Typecast: The Emmy winner will discuss how being typecast after 10 years of playing Fonzie made it difficult for him to find more work, and how how undiagnosed dyslexia as a child affected his life and career

He made appearances in the Adam Sandler comedies The Waterboy And Little Nicky. The versatile star also provided voice work for many animated shows, including Clifford's Puppy Days and Sit Down, Shut Up.

In the 2010s Henry got in front of the camera, charming audiences in comedies such as Parks and Recreation, Royal Pains, Arrested Development and Barry.

The author and actor was able to take part as music teacher Mr. Rock in the Hank Zipzer television series based on his popular books.

Being Henry: The Fonz... and Beyond is set to be a nice Halloween treat. The release date has been set for October 31.
Foreign Minister Park Jin speaks during a briefing on an agreement with Japan over compensating forced labor victims at the ministry building in Seoul, Monday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul



Tokyo says settlement will help 'restore healthy ties' with Seoul



By Lee Hyo-jin



The government on Monday announced an agreement with Japan to compensate victims of forced labor during World War II through a fund created by Korean companies, without the direct involvement of responsible Japanese firms.



But the resolution immediately provoked a fierce backlash from wartime victims and their families, who described the proposal as Seoul's "total defeat" to Tokyo following a diplomatic fracas between the two sides that dragged on for nearly five years. The Japanese government, on the other hand, welcomed the announcement, hoping that the deal will help restore healthy bilateral relations.



During a briefing, Foreign Minister Park Jin unveiled the resolution on compensating 15 Korean victims of forced labor who won three separate lawsuits against two Japanese firms  Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Nippon Steel  in 2018. The Supreme Court here ordered the firms to compensate the plaintiffs who were forced to labor for Imperial Japan during its 1910-45 colonial occupation of Korea.



But both firms refused to comply with the ruling, leading to a diplomatic feud between the two nations which further impeded trade and military cooperation.



Under the resolution, the Korean government will compensate the victims through a public foundation created in 2014 under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. Other plaintiffs, whose cases are pending in court, will also be eligible for the compensation once they win.



The necessary funds will be raised by local companies including POSCO that benefitted from a 1965 Korea-Japan treaty, under which Tokyo offered a package of $300 million (388 billion won) in economic aid and $500 million in loans in compensation for the colonial occupation.



The authorities explained that the settlement was based on in-depth discussions with 13 out of 15 victims, or their families, who were affected by the 2018 ruling.



In response to criticism that the ministry's plan  without the participation of responsible Japanese firms  is a half-baked resolution, Park said, "I do not agree with such views."



"Comparing it to a glass of water, I believe the glass is more than half full. And now we expect it to be filled further based on Japan's sincere response," he said, expressing hopes for Japanese companies to make voluntary contributions to the fund.



But the participation of Japanese firms remains elusive.



In January this year, the ministry initially proposed to launch a private foundation where Japanese firms can make voluntary donations to compensate the victims. But Japan refused to do so, as the move may be perceived as complying with the Korean court ruling.



Instead of making direct payments for wartime victims, the Japan Business Foundation, the country's business lobby group, plans to take part in a so-called "Future Youth Fund," co-funded by its Korean counterpart, the Federation of Korean Industries. Although details have yet to be announced, the money raised by the fund may be used for scholarships to Korean students.



Stressing that the resolution highlights Korea's willingness to advance bilateral relations in a future-oriented manner, Park called for a "sincere response" from Japan upholding the spirit of a 1998 joint declaration issued by then President Kim Dae-jung and then Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi.





Yoon's visit to Japan this month under strong consideration Korean companies cautious about compensating victims of Japan's forced labor Korea seeks truce in trade war with Japan by halting WTO dispute process President Yoon Suk Yeol, who has been pushing to mend ties with Japan since taking office in May 2022, said the resolution underscores his administration's determination to build a future-oriented relationship with the neighboring country.



"In order for Korea-Japan relations to enter a new era, both governments should make efforts for the future generation to play a pivotal role," he was quoted as saying by presidential spokesperson Lee Do-woon.



Yang Geum-deok, 94, a surviving victim of Japan's forced labor during World War II, attends a press conference, Monday, in the southern city of Gwangju, Monday, Yonhap

'Biggest humiliation in diplomatic history'



While the settlement is expected to generate huge momentum in mending frozen diplomatic relations between the two countries, it has failed to gain the support of the victims and their supporters.



"It's a total defeat for Korea," commented Attorney Lim Jae-seong, the legal representative of several victims.



"In terms of diplomacy, it's a total win for the Japanese side, since its government has managed to free their firms from legal liability or responsibility," he said during an interview with CBS radio. He also pointed out that the tentative creation of a youth-related fund is totally irrelevant to compensating wartime victims.



Yang Geum-deok, 94, a surviving forced labor victim, refused to receive compensation in the way proposed by the government.



"This cannot be seen as an apology. A sincere apology should be made before anything else," she told reporters in Gwangju after watching the ministry's briefing.



The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) also lashed out at the government's resolution and called it "the biggest humiliation in Korea's diplomatic history.



"The Yoon Suk Yeol administration seems to have ultimately chosen the path of betraying historical justice," said DPK Chairman Rep. Lee Jae-myung. "The humiliating resolution will never be accepted by the public."





Meanwhile, the Japanese government welcomed the settlement, expressing hopes to "restore healthy ties."



"The Japanese government values the measures announced by the Korean government and hopes that they will serve as a momentum to strengthen ties in the political, trade and cultural sectors," Japan's Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said during a press briefing.



He also told reporters that the incumbent Japanese government inherits the historical perceptions of previous administrations, including the 1998 joint declaration. In the declaration, Obuchi expressed his deep remorse and apology for the "tremendous damage and suffering" to the Korea people during the colonial occupation.



But Hayashi did not give a direct response to a query on whether his government will allow Japanese firms to take part in fund and make donations to the Korean victims.



U.S. President Joe Biden also welcomed the arrangement, calling it a "groundbreaking new chapter of cooperation and partnership between two of the United States' closest allies."




Binky Felstead showed off her blossoming baby bump on Monday as she relaxed on her luxurious babymoon in Oman.

The former Made In Chelsea star, 32, is currently expecting her third child - her second with husband Max Darnton.

The couple are currently enjoying some well-earned time away - after Binky revealed she was still processing being diagnosed with gestational diabetes.

Taking to Instagram, Binky shared an idyllic snap of her cradling her bump as she walked on the beach.

The beauty threw on a flowy blue off-the-shoulder dress and let her toes sink in the sand.

Luxury: Binky Felstead showed off her blossoming baby bump on Monday as she relaxed on her luxurious babymoon in Oman

Growing: Sharing a sneak peak of their time away with her followers, Binky posted a picture of her growing bump sunbathing on the beach

They are currently staying at the Six Sense Zighy Bay, a luxury five-star resort in the Arabian Peninsula.

And sharing a sneak peek of their time away with her followers, Binky posted a picture of her growing bump sunbathing on the beach.

She covered up in a black bandeau bikini top and left her tummy on display, penning alongside the snap: 'happy bump'.

She also shared a picture of Max walking through the resort in a shirt, swimming trunks and traditional head dress, writing 'pure perfection'.

Sharing the posts on her social media, she wrote: 'We made it to this hidden paradise.

'Day 1 of no responsibilities which is taking some getting used to! & a proper recharge before the madness starts & we are properly outnumbered.

'Max & I both started an actual book today for the first time in years & had about 5 naps on the beach.

'Not too far away from any hospitals ( Maxs one condition) Zika virus free & just the most beautiful place & incredibly friendly people  really looking forward to the next few days.'

Perfection: She also shared a picture of Max walking through the resort in a shirt, swimming trunks and traditional head dress, writing 'pure perfection'

It comes after she recently revealed that she is still processing being diagnosed with gestational diabetes.

Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar that can develop at any time during pregnancy but is more common in the second or third trimester, usually disappearing after the baby is born.

Appearing on GB News on Tuesday, Binky, who is in her third trimester, told Eamonn Holmes and Isabel Webster: 'I'm still learning about it. It was only diagnosed last week, I have no idea what really is going on but, I think there is quite a stigma around GED because people think you got it if you're really unhealthy or overweight.

'But I love working out, I eat healthy, go on walks most days, so it really isn't the case.

'When I posted about it, it gave people a bit of confidence to say, "okay well, this is actually quite common". I had no idea of how common it was until I got it myself.

'I'm just kind of working out what I can eat. And obviously, being in my third trimester, what I do want to eat is beige food.'

Binky added: 'Apparently, there's a certain order you can eat your foods. So your green leaves first and then I think it's protein and carbs.

'But there's ways in which you can do it. And you can have a cheat day occasionally.'

Binky is already mum to daughter India with her ex-boyfriend and former MIC co-star Josh Patterson, and shares son Wolfie, 19 months, 2021, with Max.

Expecting: The former Made In Chelsea star, 32, is expecting her third child - her second with husband Max Darnton and was recently told by doctors she had the condition

Asked about becoming a mother, she said: 'It's the most rewarding job I've ever had and I'm doing. I don't think I'm quite there yet.

'The toughest part is going to be for me when my kids are flying the nest and they're out at God knows what time and doing God knows what, and I haven't got control over them anymore.

'That's what I'm really dreading the most.'

Binky also said she Max sees India as his daughter when asked if they use the term blended family.

She said: 'I never really say it. I've only had to say it in the book because it's the only thing that you do that people know these days to say.

'We don't think of ourselves as a blended family. We are a family, yeah. I would never would never like India to call her brothers her half brothers.

'Max regards India as his daughter. There's no kind of step part. And I think that's really important. I don't want India to feel any less than her brothers because she is essentially Max's stepdaughter.'

Binky added: 'I fell pregnant with my eldest, India, who's nearly six when I was 26, so I was the first of my friends to get pregnant.

'And it was definitely a bit of a shock. Very, very exciting, obviously. But none of my friends were in that kind of headspace.

'I feel like becoming a mum has given me purpose. It's given me everything that I could possibly want.'

Happy news: Binky is already mum to daughter India with her ex-boyfriend and former MIC co-star Josh Patterson, and shares son Wolfie, 19 months, 2021, with Max
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Hayden Panettiere is the April 2023 cover star of Women's Health magazine and got candid in the new interview.

The 33-year-old lifelong actress  who's mourning the loss of brother Jansen  bared her toned tummy as she graced the glossy and revealed she had a breast reduction in November 2022.

Discussing the choice to go under the knife eight years after giving birth to daughter Kaya in 2014, she said, 'My body still didnt feel like it belonged to me.'

The Scream star added, 'I dont think theres anything wrong with somebody who wants to tweak something if it makes them feel more confident.'

The blonde bombshell continued, 'Thats all I have to say about it. My confidence is back.'

Opening up: Hayden Panettiere is the April 2023 cover star of Women's Health magazine and got candid in the new interview

The Heroes alum took to a rocky beach to shoot photos for the stunning spread, which showed her smiling and looking confident.

The entertainer, who began acting at age four, donned high-waisted black bikini briefs with a side cutout in some snaps.

And she flashed the flesh as she coupled it with a coordinating long-sleeved turtleneck top with thick black stripes.

In another outtake she was clad in a cropped hoodie with fuzzy terry cloth panels as she revealed her taut midriff.

The new magazine cover is tied to the upcoming release of Scream VI in which the actress will revive her role as Kirby.

But before she rejoined the franchise, the star spent time rehabilitating after an opioid and alcohol addiction.

It began at age 22 when she relocated from Los Angeles to Tennessee to shoot the show Nashville.

'I was being told how to be and how to live by so many people in my life,' Hayden said about how the substance abuse started.

'I wanted certain decisions to be my own, and nobody could stop me. What I put in my body was like an act of defiance.'

Flaunt it: The lifelong actress bared her toned tummy as she graced the glossy and revealed she had a breast reduction in November 2022

Reclaiming her body: Discussing the choice to go under the knife years after giving birth to daughter Kaya in 2014, she said, 'My body still didnt feel like it belonged to me'

The performer, who has a Ukrainian background, went on to say, 'Some people work out. I wish that was my coping mechanism.'

'Alcohol might make you feel better in that moment, but it makes you feel so much worse the next day, and then you do it all over again.'

Panettiere turned to the bottle to help deal with postpartum depression and she described the experience as being characterized with feelings of 'extreme hopelessness.'

The depression was compounded with reoccurring effects of a former neck injury that led her to also use opioids.

'I was in a lot of pain,' she recalled. 'My tolerance got so high so fast that it became a problem.'

Speaking openly about that time in her life, the mother-of-one admitted, 'I should have gone on antidepressants [to cope with the postpartum depression], but you have to find the right one that works for you.'

'They dont mix well with alcohol, and I wasnt ready to stop drinking.'

When she entered rehab in 2015 she said it was her idea: 'I was the one who put myself in the first treatment center. I was drowning.'

Comeback: The Heroes alum took to a rocky beach to shoot photos for the stunning spread, which showed her smiling and looking confident

Upon turning 30, the household name found herself in another 12-step program.

'My body was like, "enough,"' she explained. 'I hit 30. My face was swollen. I had jaundice. My eyes were yellow. I had to go to a liver specialist. I was holding on to weight that wasnt normally there. My hair was thin and coming out in clumps.'

Eight months of working on herself paid off and she was finally ready to return to work after a four-year hiatus.

'A big part of my therapy has been living in forgiveness,' she noted. 'A step in the 12-step program is making amends.

'If somebody wants to be a good person and to be the best version of themselves, they can choose to do that.'

Hayden, who shares Kaya with ex Wladimir Klitschko, is currently on a press tour to promote the sixth installment of the popular Scream franchise, which comes out Friday, March 10.

Back to work: The new magazine cover is tied to the upcoming release of Scream VI in which the actress will revive her role as Kirby

Closeup: Hayden embraced her new healthy lease on life in the natural-looking snapshots

On Monday Panettiere forced back tears when she was asked about her late brother during her first TV interview since his unexpected death.

Panettiere who appeared on Good Morning America on Monday to promote her new movie Scream VI, became emotional GMA's Michael Strahan offered his condolences to her at the end of their interview.

'Thank you,' she said tearfully, placing a hand on her heart. 'He's right here with me,' she added as her voice cracked.

The actress's brother Jansen Panettiere, 28, was found dead on February 19 at his apartment in Nyack, New York.

Jansen died 'from an enlarged heart' according to a statement issued by his relatives, who say it was confirmed by the Medical Examiner.

Heartbreaking: Panettiere fought back tears on Monday as she spoke about the death of her brother, Jansen

Panettiere's appearance on Good Morning America on Monday is her first since the sudden death of her brother.

She put on a brave face as she arrived at the GMA studios in New York City and looked chic in a cream shirt which was tucked into a pair of black flared trousers.

She boosted her height in a pair of chunky gold heels and hid her eyes behind a pair of dark sunglasses.

Panettiere bundled up in a beige fur trim coat as she flashed a smile and waved at onlookers as she arrived.

The actress smiled and laughed with Strahan during the interview about her new movie - the latest in the slasher Scream franchise.

At the end of the interview, Strahan said: 'Before we go, we want to just tell you we're sorry about the passing of your brother Jansen.'

When Panettiere became emotional and said that he was right there with her, Strahan responded: 'Always.'

Panettiere recently paid tribute to her beloved younger brother's 'warmth and compassion for others.'

In a statement, the family said: 'Jansen's heart could be seen in his eyes, and his charm in his brilliant, engaging smile; his soul in his masterful and revealing paintings, and the joy of life in his dry wit.

'His charisma, warmth, compassion for others, and his creative spirit will live forever in our hearts and in the hearts of all whom he encountered.

'Though it offers little solace, the Medical Examiner reported Jansen's sudden passing was due to cardiomegaly (enlarged heart), coupled with aortic valve complications.

Panettiere's appearance on GMA Monday is her first since the death of her brother

'We sincerely appreciate the outpouring of love and support towards our family as we navigate this unthinkable loss, and ask that we be gifted our privacy during this time of mourning.

'We love you so much Jansen and you will be in our hearts forever.'

According to a police report, Jansen's body was discovered in his home by three friends who found him 'unresponsive' in a chair and desperately tried to revive him with CPR.

Upon arrival, the friends  who have been identified as Benjamin Brown, Joe Fails, and Lars Arianti  found Jansen 'sitting upright in a chair unresponsive' and desperately began performing CPR in the hopes of reviving him.

Fails phoned 911, while one of the others got in touch with Jansen and Hayden's father, Alan 'Skip' Panettiere, who arrived on the scene as Brown was doing chest compressions.

Skip told EMTs that he had spoken to his son 'via telephone the night before' and that he had 'sounded okay'.

The police report was released to the public just hours after a source close to Hayden revealed that she had been left 'inconsolable' by the loss of her only brother and 'best friend'  who had been battling 'terrible anxiety and depression' before his death.

According to the insider, Jansen had been 'having a rough time lately with his career' and felt as though he was 'being dragged in so many directions'.

His final photo, posted to Instagram on February 6, showed him grinning broadly in the small town. 'Graffiti is illegal,' he captioned the picture.

Jansen reportedly died 'from an enlarged heart' according to a statement issued by his relatives, who say it was confirmed by the Medical Examiner

His girlfriend, ICU nurse Catherine Michie, commented: 'The law can't stop Jansen Panettiere.'

Panettiere, an actor and graffiti artist, was struggling with his mental health.

'Hayden is just inconsolable. He was her best friend and her only brother. He was such a nice guy but he lived on the edge.'

The siblings were last seen together less than a month before his death. Jansen shared a picture of Hayden cutting his hair on January 24.

'Not the first haircut she's tried to give me,' he joked in the caption.

He also posted a throwback of the duo from a rafting trip on November 4, 2022.

He shared his last post over the weekend, featuring a new snap of his graffiti artwork.

On January 12, Jansen had also shared a series of images of himself in a photobooth with Michie.

The image collection showed the pair beaming happily for the cameras with their heads together, while one snap captured them sharing a sweet kiss.

He captioned the post, simply: 'My babe.'

Hayden and Jansen were born to Lesley R. Vogel, a former soap opera actress, and Alan Lee Panettiere, a captain in the Fire Department of New York City.

Jansen (seen with his sister left in 2008 and right in 2013) passed away in Nyack, New York

Jansen, who was five years younger than his sister, followed Hayden's footsteps into acting. His IMDb lists the 2022 comedy Love and Love Not as his last role.

'His charisma, warmth, compassion for others, and his creative spirit will live forever in our hearts and in the hearts of all whom he encountered.

'Though it offers little solace, the Medical Examiner reported Jansen's sudden passing was due to cardiomegaly (enlarged heart), coupled with aortic valve complications.

'We sincerely appreciate the outpouring of love and support towards our family as we navigate this unthinkable loss, and ask that we be gifted our privacy during this time of mourning.

'We love you so much Jansen and you will be in our hearts forever.'

A source told Daily Mail last week that Panettiere 'is in the grieving process right now, but the reports that she is headed for a relapse are utter and complete BS.'
Colin Farrell looked unrecognizable with prosthetics on his face as he was seen for the first time reprising his role as The Penguin for The Batman spin-off.

The 46-year-old Oscar-nominated actor was seen in full make-up and outfit to play the supervillian on the New York set of the highly-anticipated HBO Max limited series called The Penguin on Monday morning.

Colin looked more than ready to play the baddie who is also known as Oswald 'Oz' Chesterfield Cobblepot just weeks after revealing filming was supposed to commence.

His face looked just as it did in the 2022 action film starring Robert Pattinson as the prosthetics made him look significantly heavier with facial scars and a receding hairline.

He was also dressed perfectly to encapsulate The Penguin as he sported a purple blazer over a crisp white dress shirt.

The baddie is back: Colin Farrell looked unrecognizable with prosthetics on his face as he was seen for the first time reprising his role as The Penguin for The Batman spin-off

Every detail: The 46-year-old Oscar-nominated actor was seen in full make-up and outfit to play the supervillian on the New York set of the highly-anticipated HBO Max limited series on Monday morning

What a transformation: He was also dressed perfectly to encapsulate The Penguin as he sported a purple blazer over crisp white dress shirt. He is pictured right at the BAFTA Film Awards in London in February

Colin's black trousers were held up by matching suspenders as he completed the look with black dress shoes.

Filming is expected to last at least through mid-2023.

The limited series will be executive produced by Matt Reeves who directed the aforementioned The Batman.

Not much is known about the plot of the limited series but it is expected to pick up where the film had left off which is with Gotham in a chaotic state in the aftermath of the death of crime boss Carmine Falcone.

Much of the cast has also remained under wraps but it is known that Cristin Milioti will play Sofia Falcone who is the wife of the late Carmine.

Days ago Deadline reported that Clancy Brown has also been cast as rival mob boss Salvatore Maroni.

Back in January Farrell confessed to Variety that he had no idea he would be asked to star in a stand-alone series about The Penguin while shooting The Batman.

'The only thing I had an idea was that I wasn't nearly getting to explore the character as much as I wanted to,' Farrell, 46, told reporter, Marc Malkinat, the gala event.

Ready for his close-up: Colin looked more than ready to play the baddie who is also known as Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot just weeks after revealing filming was supposed to commence

The takeover: His face looked just as it did in the 2022 action film starring Robert Pattinson as the prosthetics made him look significantly heavier with facial scars and a receding hairline

Nemesis: Colin's black trousers were held up by matching suspenders as he completed the look with black dress shoes

Timetable: Filming is expected to last at least through mid-2023

Interesting: Not much is known about the plot of the limited series but it is expected to pick up where the film had left off which is with Gotham in a chaotic state in the aftermath of the death of crime boss Carmine Falcone

Filming: Colin was seen climbing into a deep purple car as he filmed the scene

Costume: Colin wrapped up in a dark brown leather jacket during filming

Show: The limited series will be executive produced by Matt Reeves who directed the aforementioned The Batman

History: The Penguin has previously been played by other actors including Danny DeVito and Robin Taylor Lord

Action: The actor was surrounded by members of the production crew as he emerged from a building during one scene

Role: Back in January Farrell confessed to Variety that he had no idea he would be asked to star in a stand-alone series about The Penguin while shooting The Batman

'There was all this extraordinary work done by [makeup and prosthetics artists] Mike Marino and Mike Fontaine and his team, and I just thought it was the tip of the iceberg, pardon the pun, that we were getting to do the six or seven scenes that we did in the film. I was grateful for them, but I wanted more.'

The Castleknock, County Dublin, Ireland native added, 'Honest to God, any thoughts I had about an extended series was to do with Mike Marino's work.

'I Just know there was so much to do with this. Age it up, age it down. He's just a genius, Mike, so it was his work that was the inspiration really.'

It was Variety that first reported Farrell had signed on to star in The Penguin in December 2021, which was then followed up March 2022 by HBO Max officially ordering the show to series.

The Penguin will consist of eight episodes and it remains unclear when it will be coming out.

Cast: Much of the cast has also remained under wraps but it is known that Cristin Milioti (pictured in January 2021) will play Sofia Falcone who is the wife of the late Carmine

Style: The actress donned a cream coat and a white turtle neck top during filming

He said: 'The only thing I had an idea was that I wasn't nearly getting to explore the character as much as I wanted to'

Colin added: 'There was all this extraordinary work done by [makeup and prosthetics artists] Mike Marino and Mike Fontaine and his team'

He said: 'I just thought it was the tip of the iceberg, pardon the pun, that we were getting to do the six or seven scenes that we did in the film. I was grateful for them, but I wanted more'

Colin added: 'Honest to God, any thoughts I had about an extended series was to do with Mike Marino's work'

Rival: Days ago Deadline reported that Clancy Brown (pictured in September 2019) has also been cast as rival mob boss Salvatore Maroni

Bad man: Farrell is seen as The Penguin in 2022 flick The Batman

Set life: Also seen on set was actress Cristin Milioti, who plays the female lead Sofia Falcone, Carmine's daughter

Her look: The 37-year-old New Jersey native was in character, dressed in a structured ivory coat with a large, pronounced collar

Hard at work: Colin and Cristin filmed a scene together as the raven-haired actress wore her locks pulled back with wispy, piecey bangs left out at the front

Also seen on set was actress Cristin Milioti, who plays the female lead Sofia Falcone, Carmine's daughter.

The 37-year-old New Jersey native was in character, dressed in a structured ivory coat with a large, pronounced collar.

She wore it with a scarf tied around her neck in the same shade as her outer layer, which skimmed her thighs.

The raven-haired actress was seen with her locks pulled back and wispy, piecey bangs left out at the front.
Michelle Yeah put on a leggy display as she attended the Shiatzy Chen show during Paris Fashion Week on Monday.

The actress, 60, looked gorgeous in a black sequinned mini dress which she teamed with tights and glittery ankle boots.

The frock boasted a lace trim and glittered beneath the venue's lights and she completed the look with quirky yellow shades.

Michelle opted for a natural make-up look and swept her brunette tresses back from her gorgeous face.

She further embellished the ensemble with dangling pearl earrings along with quirky silver ring and large watch.

Stunner: Michelle Yeah, 60, put on a leggy display as she attended the Shiatzy Chen show during Paris Fashion Week on Monday

Gorgeous: The actress looked gorgeous in a black sequinned mini dress which she teamed with tights and glittery ankle boots

Shiatzy Chen is a Taiwanese luxury fashion house founded in 1978 by Wang Chen Tsai-Hsia and her husband Wang Yuan-Hong.

The outing comes less than a week before Hollywood's biggest awards ceremony The Oscars on March 12, where Michelle is nominated for Best Actress for Everything Everywhere All At Once.

And she hilariously called back to her SAG Awards slip when she accepted the Best Lead Performance honor at the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday.

The star joked at the start of her speech that, 'I promise, no swearing tonight!' after she let a few swear words such as 'f**k' slip out during her SAG acceptance speech earlier last month.

The beauty, who has become the first Malaysian actress to be nominated for an Oscar, was also left speechless while expressing her gratitude for receiving the Spirit Award for her role as Evelyn in the critically acclaimed science fiction film.

Yeoh donned a form-fitting, blue velvet dress that contained, large ruffled embellishments with sparkling details as she stepped onto the stage near the Santa Monica pier.

'Thank you. This is from my peers who are in it with me from day one, so, it is so special,' she movingly expressed. 'Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.'

For a few brief moments, Michelle placed a hand to her lips as she quietly looked out at the crowd and turned away from the microphone, at a loss of what to say.

Big night: The outing comes less than a week before Hollywood's biggest awards ceremony The Oscars, where Michelle is nominated for Best Actress for Everything Everywhere All At Once

Having fun: Michelle Yeoh hilariously called back to her SAG Awards slip when she accepted the Best Lead Performance honor at the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday in Santa Monica

'No swearing!' The actress joked at the start of her speech that, 'I promise, no swearing tonight!' after she let a few swear words such as 'f**k' slip out during her SAG acceptance speech earlier last month

The actress then continued to express her utmost gratitude to all who were involved in the successful project, which garnered a whopping total of seven wins at the Spirit Awards on Saturday.

'I think none of us indie filmmakers would be here without out heroes, and our hero for Everything Everywhere All At Once, A24, Ley Line, you believed in us. You believed in the masterpiece from the Daniels.'

She thanked both Kwan and Scheinert, calling them 'my boys,' and stated, 'thank you for writing such an incredible script that gave us the opportunity to be here, to be seen, and to be heard.'

The star-studded cast also includes Jamie Lee Curtis, Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, James Hong and also Jenny Slate.

During an interview with People that was published earlier on Wednesday, Michelle opened up the milestones that she has made in her life and especially her career.

'A lot of actresses find, as the numbers get bigger, the roles start to dwindle,' the Memoirs Of A Geisha star explained to the outlet.

'Over the last few years, I'm very proud that we have been breaking away from stereotypes  it's not just lip service. It is happening. And it's happening to me.'

The actress also emotionally added, 'You go from shock to bewilderment,' and also asks herself, 'Wow, is it me? How can it be me?'

'Because I've worked with so many amazing actresses who should have had this privilege, and so I am very grateful to be given the opportunity to sit at the table and to be seen,' Yeoh expressed.
Sarah Paulson turned heads as she and her partner Holland Taylor returned to their hotel after attending a busy day during Paris Fashion Week on Monday.

The actress, 48, put on a dazzling display in a glittery silver bomber jacket featuring a very oversized zip while sporting black lace tights.

She toted her essentials around in a large black leather handbag, along with a brown Louis Vuitton one, and elevated her height with black heels.

The American Horror Story star had gelled her brunette tresses into a side-swept look and had flawlessly applied a full face of make-up.

Meanwhile Holland, 80, looked smart in a white blazer and black trousers and coordinating shoes as the pair made their way into the swanky venue.

Looking good: Sarah Paulson, 48, put on a dazzling display in a silver bomber jacket as she stepped out with her partner Holland Taylor, 80, during Paris Fashion Week on Monday

Sarah and Holland looked ultra chic on Thursday as they stepped out for the Fendi Haute Couture show during Paris Fashion Week.

The couple joined a slew of stars who stepped out the event, including Rita Ora and Courtney Love.

Sarah and Holland are thought to have been together since at least 2015 and keep a fairly low profile.

But back in November, Sarah sweetly shared that she was 'thankful' for her girlfriend while sharing a sweet holiday selfie.

Posting the picture of them to the platform's Stories feature, she wrote the word 'Thankful' in capital white letters.

Another rare declaration of affection from Sarah came last Spring as Sarah dubbed Holland the 'love of my life' while wishing her a happy birthday.

'Love of my life. The one. The only one. January 14th is my favorite day of the year- a day to unabashedly celebrate you @hollandvtaylor,' wrote Sarah as she included a picture of Holland in a stylish ensemble.

She concluded: 'I am the luckiest of the lucky. I love you only. Happy Birthday magical poet darling,' adding a double-heart emoji for good measure.

Stylish: Holland looked smart in a white blazer and black trousers and coordinating shoes as the pair made their way into the swanky venue
Nicky Hilton, 39, looked as fresh as spring in a timeless floral dress from designer Alice and Olivia as she stepped out in Palm Beach, Florida.

Her red shoes featured a bejeweled embellishment and went perfectly with the red, white and green frock.

The social media snap features the socialite standing in front of pots of colorful flowers. Her long, platinum blonde hair was curled in loose waves and flowed down her shoulders.

She captioned the post, 'Anticipating spring.'

The mom of three, who stepped out in a more casual look while grocery shopping recently, also shared some images to her Instagram Stories featuring Alice and Olivia designer Stacey Bendet and Florida-based artist Donald Bertson.

Beautiful bouquet: Nicky Hilton, 39, looked ready for spring in a floral Alice and Olivia dress and embellished red shoes

Bendet wore a long pink on pink floral dress in her snap with Nicky. She accessorized with a chunky, pale pink headband and a hot pink handbag.

In the third snap, the women pose with artist Bertson and are wearing denim jackets with designs painted on the back.

Nicky was at the Alice + Olivia Palm Beach store hosting a trunk show for her Nicky Hilton X French Sole footwear line.

Nicky welcomed her third child last summer. She shares her baby son, whose name has not been revealed to the public as of yet, as well as her older daughters Lily and Teddy  seven and five, respectively  with her husband, James Rothschild.

The pair initially met at a wedding in 2011 and got engaged three years later.

The happy couple subsequently married in London in 2015.

The designer and her husband started a family with Lily's birth in 2016, and Teddy was added to their lives the following year.

Last January that, Nicky announced that was pregnant for the third time, and she announced that her son was born last July.

Floral frenzy: She stepped out with Alice and Olivia designer Stacey Bendet, who wowed in a long pink on pink floral gown

The social media personality spoke about her child during an interview with E! News, where she expressed that Rothschild was the one who wanted to keep her baby boy's name withheld from the public.

The designer remarked: 'My husband is very private. This world is very foreign to him.'

Hilton also stated that she was getting used to a new sleep schedule after welcoming her son into her life.

The designer said that 'I used to be able to sneak a nap in. But now that's impossible.'

In January, Nicky became an aunt when her older sister Paris Hilton, 42 and her husband, Carter Reum welcomed their son Phoenix Barron Hilton Reum.

Paris revealed her son's birth on Instagram, by sharing a close up of her hand holding her son's tiny hand. 'You are already loved beyond words,' she captioned the post.

The 365 Style author took to Instagram to share a flashback photo with Paris and their mother Nicky Hilton from the 1980s.

And she added a touching caption: 'Welcome to mommyhood @parishilton! So so incredibly happy for youuu! Its the most beautiful ride. There is no greater love. You are going to be the best mommy. What a lucky boy!'
Alessandra Ambrosio shared a new photo with her daughter.

The teen looked like a mini-me of the Vogue cover girl - who was seen in Rio last month - in the image shared to Instagram on Monday.

Anja, 14, leaned her head onto her mother's as they both had Monarch butterflies in their hair.

The ladies looked like carbon copies of each other as they had the same high cheekbones and almond eyes as well as light brown hair.

Anja - full name Anja Louise Ambrosio Mazur - is the daughter the Victoria's Secret regular had with her ex, photographer turned designer Jamie Mazur.

So similar: Alessandra Ambrosio shared a new photo with her daughter. The teen looked like a mini-me of the Vogue cover girl in the image shared to Instagram on Monday

Together they also had a 10-year-old son named Noah Phoenix.

The couple split in 2018.

Anja is very active on Instagram, often sharing selfies and photos from family vacations.

The family lives in Los Angeles and Anja is attending high school in the Santa Monica/Brentwood neighborhood.

This comes after Alessandra showed off her incredible assets once again as she plugged her popular swimwear line GAL Floripa - which she launched with her sister and best friend in 2019.

The international lingerie model made the most of a tiny mint green bikini that put her abs and trim waistline on display.

The siren was seen on the beach in her native Brazil before the country partied it up during Carnival as she added in her caption that she was 'ready to Samba!'

The Carnival of Brazil is an annual Brazilian festival held the Friday afternoon before Ash Wednesday at noon, which marks the beginning of Lent, the forty-day period before Easter. Gisele Bundchen has already said she plans on being there.

Fun together: Anja - full name Anja Louise Ambrosio Mazur - is the daughter the Victoria's Secret regular had with her ex, photographer turned designer Jamie Mazur

Sweet time: Alessandra often brings her children with her when she travels to Brazil

Ambrosio made the most of her new photo session: she was seen on a rock, on the shore and in the water as she relied on her tried-and-true supermodel poses she used to work for Victoria's Secret.

The 5ft10in wonder put her stunning curves on display once again as the bikini designer showed off one of her new designs.

The Brazilian wonder had on a beige two piece from her brand GAL Floripa as she stood on a rock by a pristine shore with a lone speedboat in the background.

The businesswoman - who is best known for her work with lingerie giant Victoria's Secret - showed off her natural beauty in natural lighting in a series of sexy snaps.

Taking a selfie in a mirror: Anja looked like a typical teen in this snapshot with beaded jewelry on

Still a kid: She showed off her teen spirit with high top sneakers paired with a dress

The supermodel held her arms up on her head as she looked at the camera.

The cover model added in her caption that the swimsuit was for her new collection for 2023 as she noted: 'Get in the mood for #CarnaGal and let's samba!'

The doting mom has been sharing pictures from her winter break in the Mexican Caribbean with her childre and boyfriend Richard Lee.

The Gal Floripa founder has also posted video with the kids as they enjoyed their vacation in the warm Caribbean water.

The area where Alessandra and her family stayed is famous for its nature preserves which house sea turtles and whale sharks.

No cars are allowed on the island to protect it's delicate beauty.

Last year she told Harper's Bazaar that 'I didn't think modelling would last.'

But fame has not changed her much: 'In my personal life, I keep things simple. Im a Brazilian girl, even though I now live in LA, so swimsuits and simple beachwear is my style. I love fashion but I dont have to go crazy with buying items. Im happy with what makes me comfortable.'

And she named her top style icons: 'Brigitte Bardot, Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, because they carried themselves with confidence and a sense of fun. They also embraced a timeless look.'

She rocked it: Alessandra put her stunning curves on display last month as the bikini designer showed off one of her new designs

She sure loves the sun: The flawless female looked up at the sun as she showed off her very tanned body in Brazil

Queen of the bikinis: The red carpet wonder had on a beige two piece from her brand GAL Floripa as she stood on a rock by a pristine shore with a lone speedboat in the background

And the leggy lady shared some style advice.

'I think the best advice would be to remain authentic,' said the star who loves to wear athleisure.

'You can be playful and follow your instincts. You cant abandon yourself entirely; you have to stay true to who you are, even when youre wearing something that you wouldnt normally choose.'

And she said she wants her kids to dress how they like.

'I want them to feel happy and comfortable in their own skin, so I would gently guide them if I felt they were trying to be someone theyre not. But Im happy for them to take their own journey. Its the only way.'
Anita Rani looked sensational as she posed in her robes before being installed as the new Chancellor of Bradford University on Monday.

The television presenter, 45, wore an elegant gold and black mini dress designed by Yashani Malhotra with a plunging neckline and a bow to the front.

She wore her long flowing robe over the top with the gold and black trim matching the design of her dress.

The black robe featured structured shoulders with ruffled detail to the front, with the train resting on the ground behind her.

Countryfile host Anita wore a pair of black platform heels to add a few inches to her stature and accessorised with a matching Alice band.

Formal glamour: Anita Rani, 45, looked sensational as she posed in her robes before being installed as the new Chancellor of Bradford University on Monday

Gold shimmer: The television presenter wore an elegant gold and black mini dress designed by Yashani Malhotra with a plunging neckline and a bow to the front

The former Strictly Come Dancing contestant wore lashings of make-up to highlight her pretty features.

She was seen being helped on with her formal robes before taking to the stage at the university to make a speech.

Bradford-born Anita, who was originally announced as the new Chancellor last November, will play a key role in the educational establishment's life and will be an ambassador for the institution, in the UK and internationally.

Her official duties include conferring degrees on graduating students and chairing the Universitys Court.

Anita said: 'I am thrilled that this is happening. Who would have thought that a girl from a Punjabi family who grew up in Bradford would one day hold this position?

'I am honoured to become the University of Bradfords Chancellor and to be able to give back to the city that gave me so much.

'As Chancellor I will be encouraging students to soak it all up, make the most of opportunities and then to be brave, ambitious, and resilient when they graduate  confident that they have what they need to succeed.

'I am passionate about education; the people and experiences I encountered at university made me the person I am today.

Strike a pose: She wore her long flowing robe over the top with the gold and black trim matching the design of her dress

Looking good: The black robe featured structured shoulders with ruffled detail to the front with train resting on the ground behind her (Anita pictured with designer Yashani Malhotra)

'The University of Bradford is committed to preparing the next generations of leaders, entrepreneurs, employees and maybe even broadcasters...

'What I love is that it is really making a difference while staying committed to being inclusive and enabling people from disadvantaged backgrounds to reach their potential.

'Im looking forward to supporting the whole University community to thrive.'

Anita will preside over the twice-yearly graduation ceremonies at the university, with her first taking place in summer this year.

Standing tall: ountryfile host Anita wore a pair of black platform heels to add a few inches to her stature and accessorised with a matching Alice band

Professor Shirley Congdon, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bradford, said: 'Anita is our perfect choice as Chancellor: bold, witty and fiercely independent, she represents our Universitys values and ambition  plus being a proud Bradfordian she is as passionate about this great city as we are.

'As someone who has managed to reach the heart of the establishment in ways that no Asian woman has done before, Anita will be an inspirational role model to our students and an excellent ambassador for the University of Bradford.'

Anita has succeeded retailer Kate Swann as Chancellor of the University of Bradford, after she was installed in February 2016.

On Anitas appointment Kate said: 'I wish Anita every success in what has to be one of the best roles I have had the pleasure to hold.'
January Jones is fed up with self-taping auditions for casting directors.

The Mad Men alum, 45, unleashed a rant in her Instagram Stories on Saturday, saying, 'Note to Hollywood: Its time for casting directors to come back into the office like everyone else. To audition actors in person.'

Since the pandemic, it has become customary for actors to self-tape their auditions and send them to casting directors rather than auditioning in person.

She continued, 'And if anyone asks for a FEE to audition please know that this is criminal and PATHETIC. I personally have had to self tape several times since the pandemic began and there is zero benefit to it for anyone involved.

The star added it is time consuming, expensive, and a 'drag to whomever you have to drag in to read with you (sorry Mom), and is often done with zero direction/notes,' the mom of one added.

WFH Rant: January Jones unleashed a rant in her Instagram Stories on Saturday, saying, 'Note to Hollywood: Its time for casting directors to come back into the office like everyone else'

She ranted: 'Its time consuming, expensive, and a drag to whomever you have to drag in to read with you (sorry Mom), and is often done with zero direction/notes,' the Mad Men alum continued

'I cant imagine how difficult it must be for an actor just starting out if an established actor has to beg for a Zoom [meeting] when an in-person audition is "unavailable,"' the Anger Management actress concluded. 'Please do better.'

The model is mom to Xander, 12. She has never publicly revealed who her son's father is.

Several years ago, the actress revealed that she relishes single parenting, and doesn't feel like she 'needs' a partner.

In 2017, she told Red: 'I just don't feel I need a partner. Do I want one? Maybe. But I don't feel unhappy or lonely. It would have to be someone so amazing that I would want to make room.'

'Someone who would contribute to my happiness and not take away from it. I realize I have very high expectations and will probably have to compromise - but my life is so full. It's not like, "Aww, I wish I had a man."'

'After I had Xander, I went on a couple of dates and I was like, "I'd rather be at home sleeping, or watching TV or hanging out with my kid,"' she continued.

January gave birth to Xander on September 13, 2011, and many fans at the time questioned who the father of her child was.

There had been rumors at the time linking January to Matthew Vaughn, who directed her in X-Men: First Class, though it was strongly denied.

Speaking out: She took to Instagram to express her frustration over the issue

Scam alert: 'And if anyone asks for a FEE to audition please know that this is criminal and PATHETIC,' she said

Single: Several years ago, the actress revealed that she relishes single parenting, and doesn't feel like she 'needs' a partner

Unfair advantage: 'I cant imagine how difficult it must be for an actor just starting out if an established actor has to beg for a Zoom [meeting] when an in-person audition is "unavailable,"' the Anger Management actress concluded

X-Men: She played Emma Frost in 2011's X-Men: First Class

She was also briefly linked to Jason Sudeikis, but there was no confirmation of a romance. January previously dated Ashton Kutcher in the 1990s, Jim Carrey and Josh Groban.

The Emmy nominee got her start in films including Anger Management, Love Actually and We Are Marshall before landing Mad Men in 2007.

She played Betty Draper from 2007 to 2015.

The Golden Globe nominee is net set to star in God Is A Bullet.

Development on the Nick Cassavetes-directed feature was first announced in 2022.

The feature is based on the 1999 novel of the same name, which was written by Boston Teran.

The story is centered on a detective who infiltrates a satanic cult with the help of one of its former members in an effort to save his daughter, who has been kidnapped by the group.

The film co-stars Jamie Foxx, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Andrew Dice Clay.

Mom to one: January is mom to Xander, 12, and has never revealed who his father is; seen getting a kiss from Rihanna

Mad Men: She starred as Betty Draper, wife of Don Draper in the AMC series Mad Men
Halle Bailey shared a career milestone on Monday as she showed herself immortalized as a new Little Mermaid doll.

The 22-year-old songstress  who will star in a live-action remake of the classic later this year  took to Instagram to reveal the figure.

Dressed in a hot pink blazer with feather cuffs, the beauty appeared in a short video and addressed her 4.1 million followers.

'This is the new Little Mermaid doll!' she gushed before adding, 'This means so much to me and to have one that looks like me, that's my favorite Disney character, is very surreal.'

The actress wrote in a caption along with the snippet, 'The little girl in me is pinching herself right now.'

Exciting: Halle Bailey shared a career milestone on Monday as she showed herself immortalized as a new Little Mermaid doll

She opened the clip by stating, 'Today I have something really exciting to reveal to you all.'

Before holding up the miniature fixture she said, 'I am gonna cry.'

Then, speaking with a shaky voice, the vocalist said, 'I am literally choking up because this means so much to me.'

Adorably, the entertainer who's one half of musical act Chloe x Halle, pointed out, 'And look - she even has my mole!'

The Atlanta-bred music artist presented the doll, which was outfitted in a blue bustier and matching mermaid tail.

The superstar marveled at its flowing orange-red tresses as she said, 'Look! And the hair, and the tail...'

She also noted about the tiny toy, 'And it can be in the water!' as someone recorded her sitting with it in a chair.

'I'm just stunned, so I don't quite know what to do with it but I'm going to steal this and take it home and hide it forever,' she joked.

Thrilled: The 22-year-old songstress  who will star in a live-action remake of the classic later this year  took to Instagram to reveal the figure

Stunned: The actress wrote in a caption along with the snippet, 'The little girl in me is pinching herself right now'

Halle's caption continued, 'I have my own Little Mermaid Ariel doll!!! I cant believe how much she captures my version of this iconic character.'

She added a teary-eyed emoji along with pink hearts and finished the message, 'brb gonna go cry now.'

The performer looked typically gorgeous with her long, locked hair pulled into a high, braided ponytail.

Her face glowed with a palette of flattering, soft, natural-looking makeup that accented her features.

Bailey clutched the doll with gold-manicured hands as she wore a statement-making gold ring. She also wore earrings from Bevza.

Her post quickly collected more than 130,000 likes from her loyal online following.

The upcoming feature also stars Jonah Hauer-King as Principe Eric and Melissa McCarthy as Ursula.

The plot's premise will stick closely to the original, following Ariel's deal with sea witch Ursula to have human legs in exchange for her voice.

Public appearance: Halle attended the 2023 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards on March 4

Deadline reported that last September's at D23 Expo Halle said, 'Im sure all of you in here can relate to Ariel and how special she is to all of us.

'Being a little girl swimming in the pool, imagining I was a mermaid, I never imagined that would come to life like this.'

Halle discussed filming the iconic scene where she sings Part Of Your World.

'The three days filming Part of Your World was the most beautiful experience of my life, feeling all the feelings she feels, her passion, discomfort, everything shes experiencing.'

Coming soon: Halle will embody the beloved Disney character Ariel in May's live-action movie


By Kim Won-soo



Ahead of its widely expected spring offensive in Ukraine, Russia announced its decision to suspend its participation in New START, a landmark nuclear arms control treaty between the United States and Russia, which has recently been extended to Feb. 4, 2026. This decision is the latest in a series of Russian attempts to pressure the West through nuclear blackmail.



The latest blackmail attempt can be understood as an extension of Russia's earlier threat to use nuclear weapons against any country trying to intervene in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. These threats remind us of how easily a nuclear war could be triggered that could annihilate humanity. Given the high volatility of the current international security environment, perhaps it is not a surprise that this year's doomsday clock is set at 90 seconds to midnight, the closest ever to a man-made apocalypse.



Seen from a realpolitik perspective, Russia's decision to suspend New START is not a sign of strength but one of weakness as it seems to reflect its growing desperation more than anything. As it stands now, Moscow's desire to end the war quickly is far removed from the reality on the ground. No feasible way out of the war is in sight.



Seen from an arms control perspective, the latest blackmail carries high risks like in Russian roulette: One unlucky shot could ruin too much for Russia as well as the whole world.



First, the suspension of New START would be extremely difficult to sustain in the face of the near-universal outcry by the international community. Indisputably, New START represents the only remaining nuclear arms control treaty between Washington and Moscow. New START plays a critical role in preventing vertical proliferation between the world's two largest nuclear weapon states.



Over the last five decades, multiple measures have been put in place to curb both the deployment and stockpiling of nuclear warheads and their delivery systems. The nuclear arms control architecture has endured tough tests with many ups and downs along the way. Overall, it has contributed tremendously to reducing the number of nuclear weapons from over 70,000 at the peak of the Cold War to around 12,000 at the moment. Throughout this process, START and New START have played the most instrumental roles. Now New START is the only instrument that can make sure this arms reduction process continues into at least 2026 and hopefully beyond. Therefore, Russia will soon begin to feel the rising pressure from the international community to reverse its decision to suspend New START.



Second, if Russia disregards this pressure and continues to shirk its commitment to New START, it can potentially lead to the termination of the treaty regardless of the outcome of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Then it may be the beginning of the end of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime held together by the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) for the last five decades. A nuclear arms race would be waged in full force by both the recognized and unrecognized nuclear states, just like during the Cold War. This would erode the already shaky commitment of non-nuclear states to renounce horizontal proliferation. Russia's blackmail would prove to be the death knell for all humanity.



Humanity stands at a crossroads right now in the struggle to stave off a nuclear winter. Collective pressure is the only way to make reason prevail within the Russian leadership. The international political climate is turning hostile as the rivalry among the major powers becomes intense. Competition and confrontation will likely rise in almost all areas, from political and military to economic and technological. It is true that the hostile political climate is not conducive to arms reduction and control. But it is not necessarily harmful, either.



The history of nuclear arms control shows that agreements were signed even when the global political climate was sour and the major powers were clashing during the Cold War. The Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT) and the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) are prime examples. They were concluded despite the height of Cold War tensions and served to build confidence between the two superpowers. Then the confidence built helped the two countries attempt to work together to dismantle the Cold War structures peacefully.



We should not lose hope but learn lessons from past trials and successes in nuclear arms control. This time the biggest onus is on the United States and China. The two most powerful states must talk to each other to ensure that their strategic competition does not spiral out of control. Plus, they need to publicly reaffirm their commitment to the core principles of the NPT. China has a special responsibility both as a fast-rising challenger to U.S. primacy and the only country with the power to moderate Russia. Going forward, the nuclear arms control architecture will not be complete without the participation of China. The United States and China must take the lead in getting all five recognized nuclear states fully involved in a revamped N5 (Nuke Five) or P5 (Perm Five) nuclear dialogue. The leadership of the United States and China is critical to correcting the course from collective suicide to peaceful coexistence.





Kim Won-soo (wsk4321@gmail.com) is the former under-secretary-general of the United Nations and high representative for disarmament. As a Korean diplomat, he served as secretary to the ROK president for foreign affairs as well as for international security. He is now the chair of the international advisory board of the Taejae Academy (Future Consensus Institute) and a chair professor at Kyung Hee University.


Emily Ratajkowski put on a fashionable display in a black leather trench coat and blue, ribbed beanie as she stepped out with son Sylvester in New York City on Monday.

The 31-year-old My Body author was a doting mom as the two enjoyed a lunch date, two days before Sylvester turns two,

The supermodel added a statement-making pair of thick-rimmed, burgundy bugeye glasses to her look.

Ratajkowski, who divorced ex-husband Sebastian Bear McClard last year, accentuated her slim waist with a belt.

She pushed her blonde-haired, blue-eyed tot in a black tricycle stroller with one hand and carried a plate of pizza in the other.

Stylish: Emily Ratajkowski put on a fashionable display in a black leather trench coat and blue, ribbed beanie as she stepped out with son Sylvester in New York City on Monday

Emily wore a crew neck black shirt under her outer layer and she added baggy black lounge pants.

The runway regular, who recently returned from Paris Fashion Week, walked in a pair of dark sneakers with color accents.

Her long, straight, brunette hair flowed out from underneath her hat, as did her Radial Ovate Drop Hoop Earrings by Missoma.

Sylvester, also known as Sly, was dressed in pants that had a heart pattern printed throughout.

And his doting mother kept him warm in a fuzzy bright orange coat as they got fresh air together.

It comes after the iNAMORATA swimwear designer took to social media last weekend to share an early birthday tribute to her only child.

She uploaded a video montage showing outtakes from the past two years, starting with photos of an ultrasound at the beginning of her pregnancy.

Cute! Her long, straight, brunette hair flowed out from underneath her hat, as did her Radial Ovate Drop Hoop Earrings by Missoma

Yum! Doting mom Emily offered her son a bite of a slice of pizza

The catwalk sensation wrote in a caption to her 29.8 million followers, 'My beautiful baby turns 2 this week and the time has gone by as quickly as this video.

'What a two years its been, Sly. So much joy, so much pain. So many lessons. Ill do anything to keep you safe and make sure your life is a wonderful one.'

She finished by writing, 'Being your mama is magical. I love you more than you could ever know.'

The stunner was recently spotted with her ex Sebastian as they swapped their son Sly.

Birthday boy: In an Instagram post Emily wrote in a caption to her 29.8 million followers, 'My beautiful baby turns 2 this week'

Emily tied the knot with her ex-spouse at a New York City courthouse in February 2018 - two months after she ended her three-year, live-in relationship with music producer Jeff Magid.

Ratajkowski has been enjoying single life and has been pictured on dates with DJ Orazio Rispo, comedian Eric Andre, SNL alum Pete Davidson, and artist Jack Greer in recent months.

The London-born SoCal native will appear in Mel Brooks' eight-episode, four-night event History of the World: Part II on Hulu this week.

The 96-year-old EGOT's star-studded comedy series is the long-awaited sequel to his 1981 movie, History of the World: Part I.
EastEnders fans were left 'sobbing' during Monday's episode as Whitney Dean and Zack Hudson said goodbye to their baby daughter Peach.

Whitney (Shona McGarty) and Zack (James Farrar) were recently devastated at the diagnosis of their unborn daughter's Edwards syndrome and underwent a termination to bring on early labour.

Edwards' syndrome, also known as trisomy 18, is a rare but serious condition that affects how long a baby may survive.

Many babies with Edwards' syndrome die before or shortly after they are born. A small number live past their first birthday.

After Peach's death, Whitney and Zack were left to pick up the pieces at the hospital and grieve.

Goodbye: EastEnders fans were left 'sobbing' during Monday's episode as Whitney Dean and Zack Hudson said goodbye to their baby daughter Peach

Tragic: Whitney ( Shona McGarty ) and Zack (James Farrar) were recently devastated at the diagnosis of their unborn daughter's Edwards syndrome and underwent a termination to bring on early labour

Devastating: She and Zack described Peach's life, from birthdays to her being a tomboy like her mum and said their goodbyes

Zack lashed out after the nurse explained their daughter wouldn't get a birth certificate because she was born before 24 weeks.

He angrily declared: 'Our baby's in there. She was real, she was ours and you're telling me she isn't worth a piece of paper.

'Everyone else might want to pretend like she never happened but I don't.'

The nurse gave the grieving parents a memory box to keep all the memories of their daughter.

Whitney burst into tears and explained to the nurse she had lost her first child as well, adding: 'I didn't think my heart could break any more.'

The nurse kindly comforted, sagely advising: 'You don't get over grief, you learn to live with it.'

She added: 'You're not on your own'.

Zack went to the chapel where he met a stranger who had just welcomed his fourth child who tried to make conversation.

However, after Zack explained his own baby had died, the man offered him some comfort and advice, telling him to go to Whitney.

Zack told Whitney: 'You're the strongest person I've ever known Whit.'

She held their daughter and said: ''We're the lucky ones, we got to meet you, even if it was just for a day.

'You'll always be with us forever. I'll never forget you, because you can't forget love can you?'

She and Zack described Peach's life, from birthdays to her being a tomboy like her mum and said their goodbyes.

The pair returned to Albert Square, where Zack said he could picture Peach's wedding and further children with Whitney.

He said: ''I can see it, close my eyes I still can. Can you?'

But Whitney sadly said: 'I can't see anything'.

Viewers at home were in tears at the tragic scenes, and took to Twitter to voice their sadness and praise the soap for its handling of the topic.

One said: 'The saddest episode ever. I can't stop crying'.

Another echoed: 'Quite possibly one of the most difficult episodes in a very long time.'

A third agreed, writing: 'What a sad start to the week. This is so heartbreaking'.

Praise: Viewers at home were in tears at the tragic scenes, and took to Twitter to voice their sadness and praise the soap for its handling of the topic

A fourth added: 'Omg I'm sobbing so glad @bbceastenders dedicated the whole episode to this storyline'.

A fifth praised: 'So much love to @ShonaBM @JamesFarrar_ and the team at #EastEnders for handling this storyline with so much sensitivity.'

While a sixth tweeted: 'Im in bits. Absolutely beautiful but heartbreaking.'

And a seventh said: 'When #Eastenders get it right, they get it really right.'

EastEnders continues on BBCOne and BBC iPlayer on Monday at 7.30pm.

For support contact Sands on 0808 164 3332 or helpline@sands.org.uk.
Battle lines have been drawn between Rebel Wilson and Meghan Markle after the Australian comedian described the duchess as 'not naturally warm'.

The Bridesmaids star, 43, recounted her 'awkward' meeting with the Sussexes on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen last week, saying Prince Harry 'could not have been nicer' but his wife seemed more frosty.

While Rebel said she was not entirely sure why Meghan, 41, was so icy towards her, eagle-eyed fans believe they may have found the answer.

Footage has resurfaced of the Bridesmaids star mocking Harry and Meghan's 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey while hosting the BAFTA Awards last year.

Rebel said in the video: 'Our next package is for Outstanding British Film. From drama to horror to fantasy, Harry and Meghan's interview with Oprah had it all.'

Footage has resurfaced of Rebel Wilson mocking Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the 2022 BAFTAs, days after the comedian said Meghan wasn't 'naturally warm' when they met in person

The camera then panned to the celebrity-packed audience, showing actress Emma Watson gasping in shock at the joke.

'Unfortunately, that's not nominated in this category, but some incredible films are. Let's take a look at some of the most outstanding British films this year,' she added.

During their bombshell Oprah interview, Harry and Meghan accused an unnamed Royal Family member of racism, suggesting they had asked 'how dark' their baby would be; claimed they had been driven out of Britain, in part, by racism; and accused palace staff of failing to support Meghan when she was 'suicidal'.

It is unclear whether Rebel met the Sussexes before or after her BAFTAs speech; however, this hasn't stopped Harry and Meghan's fans from speculating her joke was to blame for their awkward encounter.

Battle lines have been drawn between Rebel and Meghan after the Aussie actress described the duchess as 'not naturally warm' following her 'awkward' meeting with the Sussexes

'Rebel Wilson, you seem like a smart girl. And hosting the BAFTAs is a big deal, and likely memorable as host. Don't remember what you said?' one Twitter user wrote.

'I am so confused with this woman? If I recall correctly Rebel Wilson spoke ill of Meghan at the BAFTAs - then expected her to be warm and friendly?' another wrote.

Days before hosting the BAFTAs, Rebel had made another joke about Harry and Meghan during an interview with This Morning host Alison Hammond.

Rebel said in the video, 'Our next package is for Outstanding British Film. From drama to horror to fantasy, Harry and Meghan's interview with Oprah had it all.' (Pictured: Harry and Meghan's televised interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021)

During the chat, a clip from Steven Spielberg's West Side Story was played showing a performance of the song America, featuring the lyrics: 'I like to be in America / Okay by me America'.

'Meghan and Harry's new theme song,' Rebel joked afterwards, referring to how the couple had stepped down as working royals and moved to California.

During her interview with WWHL last week, Rebel revealed she and her mother Sue Bownds were introduced to the royal couple by a mutual friend.

It's unclear whether Rebel met the Sussexes before or after her BAFTAs speech - but this hasn't stopped Meghan's fans from speculating her joke was to blame for their awkward encounter

Rebel said that while Harry 'could not have been nicer', Meghan 'was not as cool'.

'Meghan wasn't as naturally warm,' she added.

However, Rebel admitted Meghan's frosty demeanour may have been due to her mother asking her some personal questions.

'My mum being Australian asked her all these slightly rude questions like, "Where are your kids?" and things like that,' she said.

During her interview with Watch What Happens Live last week, Rebel revealed she and her mother Sue Bownds were introduced to the royal couple by a mutual friend. (Pictured: Meghan Markle in the Netherlands on April 17, 2022)

'Maybe that's why she was like, "Who are these annoying convicts from Australia?" I'm like, "Mum, don't ask her that,"' she joked.

The clip of Rebel's WWHL interview has since gone viral on social media, prompting fans to jump to Meghan's defence.

'Rebel Wilson decided she wanted to create some drama by framing this comment that Meghan wasn't as naturally warm to my mum as Harry, when she should have started with my mum was rude AF to Meghan,' one wrote.

The clip of Rebel's WWHL interview has since gone viral on social media, prompting fans to jump to Meghan's defence and call out Rebel's mother (left) for asking rude questions

'So Rebel Wilson, who is no doubt well aware of the intense hatred and bullying Meghan has experienced (and continues to experience) online and in the press, decided to give a soundbite she knew would get headlines to make things worse and... further her own career? Girl, bye,' another added.

'Rebel is admitting her mother was openly trolling Meghan and she scoffed that Meghan should be warm and inviting after invasive and inappropriate questions from a stranger,' a third said.

Many pointed out Rebel had earlier been criticised for partying with her fiancee Ramona Agruma just weeks after welcoming her first child Royce Lillian via surrogate last November, so she shouldn't have laughed off her mother's intrusive question.

'"Where are your kids?" versus "How are your kids?" are two different things. Rebel Wilson's mother does not know Meghan personally to be asking her where the kids are,' one person tweeted.
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez are reportedly in escrow for another multi-million home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, after recently pulling out of purchasing a property in the same community.

Priced at $64 million, the new home is worth nearly double the home they were initially considering and comes with everyone an A-lister could want and more, TMZ reports.

This latest property includes eight bedrooms, 11 baths, and a 16,000 square feet residence sitting upon a 1.13 acre compound.

It also features an 800-square foot gym, professional media room, game room, massive background with a pool, spa, canyon-side views, and firepit area.

Visitors will also be able to spend the night in a separate guest house which contains a Japanese-style soaking tub.

Settling down: Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez are reportedly in escrow for another multi-million home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, after recently pulling out of purchasing a property in the same community

Their next home? The couple are currently in escrow for this Pacific Palisades home

The couple were pictured stopping by the property on February 28, and insiders told TMZ they have been making frequent visits to the home to scoop out any changes they may want to make once the sale is finalized.

This is something the lovebirds often do, and gave the previous home they were recently considering the same treatment, according to TMZ.

While the lovebirds are already incredibly wealthy, insiders added the A-listers are able to afford this latest property with the help of JLo's Bel-Air home.

That home is currently in escrow with a possible buyer for $39 million.

In addition, the Argo actor recently sold off his mansion in the Pacific Palisades area for around $30 million.

The Pacific Palisades home the couple recently dropped was worth $34.5 million.

The home offers seven bedrooms and 13 bathrooms, and is located in the prestigious Rustic Canyon.

It also has a six car garage, detached guest house, a pool and dining room with fireplace as well as a chic bar.

Future renovations? The couple were pictured stopping by the property on February 28, and insiders told TMZ they have been making frequent visits to the home to scoop out any changes they may want to make once the sale is finalized

Aww: The couple reunited in 2021 and tied the knot in 2022, decades after first calling off their engagement; pictured January 2023

On the patio is a jacuzzi and outdoor kitchen, according to its listing.

In addition to a wine cellar, home gym and health spa, the property's primary suite boasts a private balcony, dual bathrooms and closets.

The extended search to find a home for the newlyweds and their blended family has been going on for about a year.

The pair were often photographed visiting high-priced properties around Los Angeles.

Before getting back together with Ben in April 2021, Jennifer was hunkered down in Miami, Florida with her twins Max and Emme, 15. She shares her kids with ex-husband Marc Anthony, 54.

Ben, meanwhile, shares daughters Violet, 17, Seraphina, 14, and son Samuel, 11, with his ex-wife Jennifer Garner.

The A-listers nicknamed 'Bennifer' have been hunkering down by renting Australian billionaire James Packer's $60 million Beverly Hills mansion amid their house hunt.
Hugh Jackman recently announced he will reprise his iconic role of superhero Wolverine and on Monday revealed he has started 'bulking' up in preparation.

The X-Men star, 54, shared some snaps to Instagram of the specially prepared meals he will be eating to help him get into shape for the physically demanding role.

The photos capture a range of salads, pastas and other dishes including a chicken burger and vegetable rice.

Each meal has its calorie count written alongside it, ranging from 1100 calories up to a whopping 2100 calories per meal.

Generally, men require about 2500 calories a day to simply maintain their weight, suggesting Hugh will once again stack on the muscle to play the legendary comic book character.

Hugh Jackman (pictured) recently announced he will reprise his iconic role of superhero Wolverine and on Monday revealed he has started 'bulking' up in preparation

The X-Men star, 54, shared some snaps to Instagram of the specially prepared meals he will be eating to help him get into shape for the physically demanding role

'Bulking. A day in the life. Thank you Chef Mario for helping me stay healthy and properly fed whilst  Becoming. Wolverine. Again,' Jackman captioned the snaps.

Many of Hugh's 31 million followers went wild over the photos and commented to express how happy they were he was reprising his famous role.

'Appreciate what youre doing so you can play Wolverine one more time' one fan gushed and another joked 'you're about to be HUGE JACKEDman'.

Back in January, Hugh revealed it will take him six months of hardcore training to physically prepare for his return as Wolverine.

The Sydney native  who recently escalated his 'feud' with frenemy Ryan Reynolds  went on Who's Taking to Chris Wallace and opened up about the amount of time and dedication that it takes to become the iconic mutant.

The photos capture a range of dishes including a chicken burger and vegetable rice and each meal has its calorie count written alongside it, ranging up to 2100 calories

Jackman is set to reprise his most famous role for Reynold's Deadpool 3, donning the claws for the first time since 2017's Logan.

'I'm not doing any other work,' Hugh declared to Chris Wallace, according to Complex. 'I'm going to be with my family and train. That's going to be my job for six months.'

Hugh initially appeared as Wolverine in the first X-Men movie in 2000 and the character's enormous popularity saw Hugh star in several sequels and spin offs.

Deadpool 3 isn't slated for release until November 2024, but Ryan and Hugh have already teased the plot in a funny follow-up video, driving fans wild in the process.
Jackass star Steve-O was spotted in Perth on Monday where he began his Australian tour, but his stage buddy Bam Margera has not joined him Down Under.

The no-show comes after Steve-O, 48, recently said he was bracing himself for Margera's death from drug and alcohol issues.

Margera opened nine of the stuntman's shows in the US before he reportedly fell off the wagon and went on a bender.

Before taking to the stage at Perth's Astor Theatre on Monday, Steve-O nonetheless looked excited as he chatted away and took photos with some female fans.

He was dressed in his signature style - wearing a black t-shirt, an opened short-sleeved shirt and blue jeans.

Jackass star Steve-O was spotted in Perth on Monday where he began his Australian tour, but his stage buddy Bam Margera has not joined him Down Under

Before taking to the stage at Perth's Astor Theatre on Monday, Steve-O looked excited as he chatted away and took photos with some female fans

He was dressed in his signature style - wearing a black t-shirt, an opened short-sleeved shirt and blue jeans

He carried a skateboard in his hand as he took a tour around the city.

Steve-O's The Bucket List Tour kicked off Down Under in Perth on Monday night and he will perform a total of 28 gigs across the country.

The 'highly XXX-rated' tour will see the entertainer perform 'ridiculous' stunts and comedy bits.

After multiple stays in rehab and numerous health struggles, skateboard star Margera made his comeback on the first leg of Steve-O's tour.

However, after playing nine gigs in the US, Steve-O accused his best friend of slipping back into old habits after posting what he deemed a 'vile' thing on social media.

Under the post, Steve-O said Margera was 'dying' but deleted it two minutes later.

It read: 'Bam, last night you had your five year old son with you on stage at my show, and you were blessed with a chance to spend another day or two with him  then as soon as you left my show, you stayed up all night getting loaded enough to think it was a good idea to post more vile nonsense like this. I hope you understand how awful that is.

'You say you want to have a good relationship with your son, but your actions guarantee the exact opposite will happen.

Steve-O's The Bucket List Tour kicked off Down Under in Perth on Monday night and he will perform a total of 28 gigs across the country

The 'highly XXX-rated' tour will see the entertainer perform 'ridiculous' stunts and comedy bits

'I brought you on tour with the hopes that I could get you to see whats possible for you if you can choose recovery.

'Ive tried everything I can, but I cant force you to get honest and do the work of recovery.

'I wish you could know how much Ive hated feeling braced for news of your death, but youre making it clear that I have no other choice. Youre dying brother, and it sucks that I cant do anything to save you.'

Speaking on his Steve-O's Wild Ride podcast on February 25, he said he regretted posting that comment publicly.

'The Bam situation...I posted this comment on Bam's Instagram because I had him on tour with me for 10 days, we did nine shows with me and he was pretty great,' he said.

'The whole time he was telling me to reach out to Nicky, his wife, and see if I can spend the day with Phoenix [his son] because it's in Santa Rosa California which was close to his wife and his son.

'So the tour was a big journey to his son and on the last day he was reunited with his son and we all spent the day together, it was a great day and we did our last show that night.

'After the show it was determined that bam doing good and Niki said he could spend another day or two with his son.

'Come four, five, six, in the morning and he was posting hateful stuff.

After multiple stays in rehab and numerous health struggles, skateboard star Margera made his comeback on the first leg of Steve-O's tour. However, after playing nine gigs in the US, Steve-O accused his best friend of slipping back into old habits after posting what he deemed a 'vile' thing on social media

Under the post, Steve-O said Margera was 'dying' but deleted it two minutes later

'When he's posting hateful stuff it's a terrible sign and he admitted it was because he was drunk.

'Like dude c'mon man, I was so bummed, I was equally disappointed as I was surprised and that's the nature of the disease.

'Hs hateful post had been up for 22 hours so I wrote that comment saying you're dying, you're dying bro..

'It sucks because I want to save you but I can't, I can't make you get better, I can't do that work for you.'
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Following the initial shock over the news that Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss have been having a months-long affair, behind Ariana Madix's back, Vanderpump Rules fans spent the weekend unearthing clues and evidence of their secret relationship.

Despite the 39-year-old reality star's own partner reportedly feeling 'blindsided' by her boyfriend's infidelity with their castmate, 28, social media sleuths have discovered obvious signs that the duo were 'hooking up' and 'communicating inappropriately for months.'

Upon learning that Sandoval had been unfaithful by discovering a 'sexually explicit video' from Leviss on his phone after watching Sandoval's band's perform in West Hollywood on Wednesday night, according to Page Six, Madix, 37, ended their nine-year relationship.

She has since deleted her Instagram account and has yet to comment on the claims, meanwhile Sandoval took to Instagram on Sunday to apologize for his actions and ask fans to direct their 'anger' and 'disappointment' toward him not his business partners or loved ones.

From wearing matching lighting bolt necklaces to the TomTom co-owner dressing up as Leviss for Halloween, DailyMail.com has rounded up all the proof that the costars have been romantically entangled since last summer.

Messy: Following the initial shock over the news that Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss have been having a months-long affair, behind Ariana Madix's back, Vanderpump Rules fans spent the weekend unearthing clues and evidence of their secret relationship

The reality stars quietly wore matching lightning bolt necklaces during their affair

While Sandoval and Leviss' managed to keep their fling under wraps from the public and their closest friends, they seemed to keep each other close by rocking gold lightning bolt pendants.

While Sandoval wears the accessory almost daily, Leviss only began wearing a similar necklace last year, months after they are said to have begun seeing each other.

According to a a Reddit user claiming to be a friend of the former pageant queen, who was previously crowned Miss Sonoma County in 2016 before appearing on Vanderpump Rules, the jewelry was used by the couple to say 'I love you' to each other.

She was photographed in the necklace several times on social media and at BravoCon in October 2022.

While reacting to a TikTok video pointing out Leviss wearing the lightning bolt around her neck, one commenter wrote: 'How did no one notice?! My God!'

'This literally makes my skin CRAWWWWWL,' another commented while some viciously quipped that Madix should 'be aware of her surroundings more closely.'

Sign of affection? While Sandoval and Leviss' managed to keep their fling under wraps from the public and their closest friends, they seemed to keep each other close by rocking gold lightning bolt pendants

Tom cheekily dressed up as Raquel for Halloween after Katie Maloney called her a 'fan girl'

After Maloney accused Leviss of being a 'fan girl' for hooking up with Maloney's ex-husband, Tom Schwartz, Sandoval sent the internet into a frenzy with his bizarre Halloween costume, in which he recreated Raquel's look at BravoCon.

'Guys, look who I ran into,' Leviss mused in an Instagram Story video on October 31. 'It's Raquel from BravoCon day 3! Oh, my God. Wow, Raquel, I can't believe you would frickin' wear that sweatshirt.'

He went on to share an image of himself in a TomTom sweatshirt, blond wig and black shades with the caption: 'Raquel has got to stop showing up to TomTom its embarrassing.'

Flirty? After Maloney accused Leviss of being a 'fan girl' for hooking up with Maloney's ex-husband, Tom Schwartz, Sandoval sent the internet into a frenzy with his bizarre Halloween costume, in which he recreated Raquel's look at BravoCon

Raquel cheered Tom at one of his shows from the front row in December

Leviss did not hide her admiration for Sandoval as she stood in the front row of one of his band Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras' shows in December.

During his performance, the reality star recorded his every move on stage before he was captured reaching out and grabbing the phone from her as she grinned and danced with a drink in her hand.

After the Instagram account, Vanderpump Rules Party, shared the recording, the comment section was full of people calling her a 'groupie' and others proclaiming the affair was 'happening right under our noses!!!!!'

His biggest cheerleader: Leviss did not hide her admiration for Sandoval as she stood in the front row of one of his band Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras' shows in December

Raquel rode on top of Tom's shoulders at the Life is Beautiful music festival in September

The pair's seemingly most public display of affection occurred during the three-day musical festival in Downtown Las Vegas, back in September 2022.

In an Instagram video shared by Leviss, she can be seen on top of his shoulders at the concert while sporting a white minidress with a slit.

Crossing the line: The pair's seemingly most public display of affection occurred during the three-day musical festival in Downtown Las Vegas, back in September 2022

Raquel Leviss said Tom Sandoval was 'hotter' than his best friend Tom Schwartz

During an appearance on Watch What Happens Live on March 1, Leviss admitted that she thought Sandoval was the 'hotter' of the two Toms.

The next say she wrote in an Instagram comment that she she was a 'fan of' both Toms and their restaurant, which she said has 'best vibe, food, and drinks in WeHo.'

'I'm also a fan of Tom Schwartz and Tom Sandoval!! Here to support their business endeavors,' she added.

More than friends? During an appearance on Watch What Happens Live, Leviss admitted that she thought Sandoval was the 'hotter' of the two Toms; The duo pictured 2021

She admits her last text message from another castmate was from Tom

Just days before their affair was exposed, Raquel revealed in an interview, uploaded by Page Six, that she had a group text with Schwartz and Sandoval.

She then said her last text from another Vanderpump Rules star was in that thread, when Schwartz asked her to join him and Sandoval for a night out.

Shady: Just days before their affair was exposed, Raquel revealed in an interview, uploaded by Page Six, that she had a group text with Schwartz and Sandoval

Ariana deleted her social media presence right before news of Tom's affair became official

As rumors Ariana began to swirl about Tom's infidelity last week, Ariana opted to delete her Instagram and Twitter.

Fans immediately noticed, with one asking: ''Did Ariana delete her Twitter?? I went to see if there were any other interesting likes or replies after grabbing those two earlier today and now the account is gone.'

'She's mentioned she gets affected majorly by everyone's opinions. ... She probably needed a break,' another theorized.

Others noted it was 'sad' that the star to deleted her accounts, but understood wanting to mourn the end of her relationship offline.

Hurtful: Despite spending nearly a decade together, their relationship was filled with issues, dating back to 2019, when she slammed him for outing her sexuality to his friends; seen in June 2022

Ariana said he 'betrayed' her trust after outing her as bisexual to his friends

Despite spending nearly a decade together, their relationship was filled with issues, dating back to 2019, when she slammed him for outing her sexuality to his friends.

After Sandoval revealed Madix had a sexual experience with Lala Kent, she said on he show that her 'sexuality is not something that is meant to sound cool to a bunch of dudes.'

'I'm not embarrassed or ashamed of what happened between Lala and I, but I do feel like Tom betrayed my trust by telling this story to his guy friends,' she said on the show during a confessional.

She also confronted him directly, when saying: 'When you talk about anyones sexuality without their consent, its, like, really not okay.'

She thought they were monogamous: In January, Madix denied rumors that they were in an open marriage on Twitter. In the since-deleted tweet, she wrote: 'Bisexual = polyamorous' (seen this year)

Ariana and Tom both deny they are in an open marriage

In January, Madix denied rumors that they were in an open marriage on Twitter. In the since-deleted tweet, she wrote: 'Bisexual = polyamorous.'

Still, Sandoval was insisting just weeks ago that he and Madix are 'really good about respecting each other and having each other's backs in a reasonable way.'

While sources close to Madix have insisted she had no knowledge of his cheating, she has been open over the years about not wanting to tie the knot.

'I just don't want it to be like a big thing about having a giant wedding and a bachelorette party and all that bulls**t,' she said of marriage in 2021.

That same year, she revealed she had frozen her eggs to have 'agency over' her body and future. 'This does not mean that I'm jumping on the baby train,' she clarified.

'It's also kind of a nice fun f**k-you to anybody who questions my values or my choices.'
John Candy's beloved family paid tribute to the actor on Saturday on the 29th anniversary of his tragic death aged 43.

Iconic actor Candy - who was famed for starring in films such as Home Alone, Cool Runnings and Planes, Trains and Automobiles - died of a heart attack on March 4 1994, leaving behind his wife Rosemary and two young children Jennifer and Chris.

Jennifer, now 43, Chris, 38 and Rosemary, 73, shared poignant throwback snaps of the actor as they marked nearly three decades without him.

Jennifer posted a sweet snap showing her as a toddler with her father, writing: 'You will always be around. You will always be missed. You will always be loved.'

Chris shared a photo of his father standing by a river and penned: 'Sending love to my father today. 29 years ago you started a new journey. I miss you and think of you often. I still think of you daily.

RIP: John Candy's beloved family paid tribute to the actor on Saturday on the 29th anniversary of his tragic death aged 43 - Candy's daughter Jennifer, 43, posted a poignant throwback snap

'Loss is never easy but I can optimistically say it is one of the great teachers in life.'

Rose posted a photo of the actor waving on set and wrote: 'I was going through photos today and I thought this is a great one to post . Miss you today. As always with love.'

This comes after it was revealed a documentary giving a never-before-seen insight into the life, career and tragic death of Candy has been made by Colin Hanks and Ryan Reynolds.

Variety reported Amazon is in negotiations to acquire the untitled film directed by Hanks, 45, and produced by Reynolds, 46 and George Dewey via his production company, Maximum Effort.

The film - made with the full support of Candy's family - will reportedly give an insight in Candy's private family life off-screen.

It will also feature never-before-seen home videos, archives and family interviews.

Hanks' father Tom Hanks and stepmother Rita Wilson starred with Candy in 1985 film Volunteers, with Candy also appearing in 1984's Splash alongside Hanks and Daryl Hannah.

Hanks also produces the documentary with Sean Stuart and Zipper Bros Films Glen Zipper.

Tragic loss: Iconic actor Candy - who was famed for starring in films such as Home Alone , Cool Runnings and Planes, Trains and Automobiles - died of a heart attack on March 4 1994, leaving behind his wife Rosemary and two young children Jennifer and Chris (Candy pictured 1983)

Forever loved: Candy's son and widow Rose posted sweet snaps of the star and reflected on his legacy

Reynolds is known for his affinity with fellow Canadian actor Candy and his friendship with his family.

On the 25th anniversary of his death in March 2019, he shared a moving video montage of the star, with the support of Candy's children.

Reynolds wrote; 'Its the 25th anniversary of John Candys passing. We cooked up a small tribute to a comedic genius and Canadian hero. If you havent seen much of his work, take a look at his films. He was a treasure.

Chris Candy called the video 'lovely' while Jennifer Candy wrote: 'This made me cry. Its so amazing and sweet!. He has so many people that absolutely love him, he was one of the best.'

Candy first shot to fame via his work as a member of Toronto's branch of improv comedy group The Second City in 1972. He then joined the cast on Toronto-based comedy-variety show Second City Television which was picked up by NBC in 1981 and became a huge hit.

The show won Emmy Awards in 1981 and 1982 for its writing.

Behind the stardom: This comes after it was revealed a documentary giving a never-before-seen insight into the life, career and tragic death of Candy has been made by Colin Hanks and Ryan Reynolds (pictured 1993)

Looking back: Candy had a minor, yet important, role as Gus Polinski in 1990's Home Alone

His breakout role came when he played Tom Hanks' character's womanizing brother in Splash, which garnered universal acclaim

His breakout role came when he played Tom Hanks' character's womanizing brother in Splash, which garnered universal acclaim.

Candy appeared in a number of comedies throughout his career, including Spaceballs and Cool Runnings.

He had a minor, yet important, role as the 'Polka King of the Midwest' in Home Alone. His character Gus Polinski helps reunite Kevin with his mother, making for a happy ending.

He actually starred alongside Macaulay Culkin in the 1989 film Uncle Buck before they were reunited on the set of the holiday film.

He won legions of fans for his role as shower curtain salesman Del Griffith in 1987 classic, Planes, Trains and Automobiles.

The film follows the story line of anxious and stern businessman Neale Page (Steve Martin) who is trying to get home to see his family in Chicago.

Stuck in an airport lounge in Kansas after an emergency landing, Page has to befriend Griffith who will let him stay the night in a rundown motel.

Together the two of them, from wildly different social classes, have to overcome their intense dislike of each other and get Page home.

At the time the film received critical acclaim, with John Candy being nominated for Funniest Actor in a Motion Picture that year.
Claudia Winkleman, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders and Dame Mary Berry will all star in a special sketch for Red Nose Day based on the hit BBC One show The Traitors.

Comic Relief's founder Richard Curtis gave the news on Saturday during Claudia Winkleman's Radio 2 show.

Curtis, 66, revealed the first celebrity to join the star-studded sketch will be chef and food writer Dame Mary Berry.

Dawn French - who plays Claudia Winkleman in the sketch - will gather Faithful and Traitors celebrities for a debate full of twist and turns.

Viewers will have to tune on 17 of March on BBC One or BBC iPlayer to find out who is the ultimate 'Traitor'.

Sketch: Claudia Winkleman, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders and Dame Mary Berry will all star in a special sketch for Red Nose Day based on the hit BBC One show The Traitors

The real Claudia Winkleman told the BBC: 'I can't wait for people to see this sketch. I'm so grateful to Comic Relief for putting the whole thing together. I feel like I'm in an alternate universe, and I like it.'

Jennifer Saunders, 64, said: 'Worst day of my life, I don't know why I agree to these things. The only reason why I agreed to this one was to meet Mary Berry.'

Dawn French, 65, said: 'This was the second worst day of my life. The absolute worst one was meeting Jennifer Saunders.

'The only reason I agreed to this one was to show Claudia Winkleman the horror that awaits her in the mirror in 30 years' time'

Richard Curtis said: 'I'm unbelievably excited about this sketch. The Traitors is the most brilliant reality show of all time, and I hope that we can mercilessly tear it apart.

'There's a very impressive group of actors who gathered together to destroy the reputation of Claudia Winkleman and the BBC in aid of Comic Relief.'

Comic Relief recently received a huge celebrity support for this years Mr. Men campaign, including Julia Roberts, Amanda Holden, Vicky Hope and Fearne Cotton who proudly wore the t-shirts.

The collection supports Comic Reliefs vital work to help children and young people facing the toughest times of their lives whether they are in the UK or around the world.

For the very first time, AJ Odudu and Joel Dommett will host the Red Nose Day night of TV alongside Zoe Ball, Paddy McGuinness, and David Tennant.

Returning to screens live on BBC One on Friday 17 March, they will be joined by a host of stars and supporters to bring viewers an unmissable evening of comedy, live music, exclusive prizes, and plenty of surprises.

This Red Nose Day will also see some of the nation's favourite famous faces put their willpower and determination to the test in a bid to raise money for Comic Relief.

Proud: Comic Relief recently received a huge celebrity support for this years Mr. Men campaign, including Julia Roberts, Amanda Holden, Vicky Hope and Fearne Cotton who proudly wore the t-shirts

Helping out: The collection supports Comic Reliefs vital work to help children and young people facing the toughest times of their lives whether they are in the UK or around the world.
Shaughna Phillips revealed she's been rushed to hospital as she goes into early labour on Monday.

The Love Islander, 28, was seen lying in a hospital bed in the video montage she shared with her 1.4 million Instagram followers.

She looked glam in a green co-ord as she was heading into London for a full day of work before going into labour.

Alongside the post, she wrote: 'Soooo what started as a come to work with me reel, turned into a come to the hospital with me reel

'I had my last job before baby this morning, an international womens day panel, and just before my cab arrived, things took a turn and I was on the way to the hospital, and have been told Im in early labour. @annalingis went from make up artist to midwife REAL QUICK!

'Home now, baby still tucked up nicely, and waiting for nature to do its thang'

'Waiting for nature to do its thang': Shaughna Phillips revealed she's been rushed to hospital as she goes into early labour on Monday

The reality star previously confirmed that she would be raising her firstborn as a single parent, after her ex-boyfriend Billy Webb's drug arrest.

The baby's father Billy, 29, could face up to 16 years in jail if found guilty after police arrested the real estate agent in a drug raid in January.

Shaughna opened up about having to give birth alone, in an interview with OK! Magazine just weeks before welcoming her first child, in which the reality star said: 'After a challenging few weeks, obviously, the baby's father isn't around.

'But my main focus has always been just to prepare for the birth and try to be as calm as possible. I'm good at just saying, ''Right, the show must go on''.

She added: 'Billy's not around, but I don't want to say that I'm doing it on my own, because I'm absolutely not  my family's incredible. It's going to be different, but I don't want to say it's going to be bad.'

The Sun reported that police allegedly recovered cocaine and MDMA before a follow-up search at a nearby address revealed a larger haul of illicit substances.

Billy was then charged with one count of possession with intent to supply a Class A drug and one count of being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs.

Shaughna - who has kept her boyfriend off social media to protect his privacy - stated that she had 'absolutely no knowledge of any activity involving the allegations against Billy.'

Her representative said: 'Despite being in a long term relationship with the defendant, Shaughna has no links with the address in question, and will be openly assisting the police with their enquiries.

'We kindly ask the public to be mindful of the imminent birth of Shaughna's baby and allow her some privacy during this difficult and stressful time.'

Shocked: She looked glam in a green co-ord as she was heading into London for a full day of work before going into labour

Labour: The Love Islander, 28, was seen lying in a hospital bed in the video montage she shared with her 1.4 million Instagram followers

She later penned: 'Home now, baby still tucked up nicely, and waiting for nature to do its thang'

A Met Police statement told MailOnline: 'Billy Webb, 29, was charged with possession with intent to supply a Class A drug and being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs on 21 January.'

Shaughna previously revealed that she wants to name her unborn baby after her boyfriend if it's a boy .

The Love Islander said: 'My dad's name will be the baby's second name. There's a few reasons I'm not naming my baby after my dad.

'My dad's actual name is Edward but everyone called him Eddie and I just don't know how okay I would be with saying my dad's name every day.

'I still struggle with my dad not being here so I think it would be too much for me. Baby will be Billy Edward if he is a boy.'

She added: 'We're keeping the girl's name a secret but it's not a sentimental name, just a name we both love.'

Shaughna previously discussed Billy's desire for privacy, saying: 'I used to say [to my dates], 'I'd like to keep my relationship private, if that's ok with you?'

'And if they said, "oh no, why would you keep me private?" I'm like, red flag. But this guy was like, "I don't ever want to be in the public eye anyway," and I was like, I like that answer.

'Ever since then, we've been going from strength to strength, and I like that because anyone who opts in for everyone to know their every move, like myself, is weird.'

Single mum: The reality star previously confirmed that she would be raising her firstborn as a single parent, after her ex-boyfriend Billy Webb's drug arrest

Shaughna starred on the sixth season of Love Island - 2020's winter edition of the reality show - and first coupled up with Callum Jones in the villa.

However, their brief relationship ended after Callum brought Molly Smith back from a stay in Casa Amor.

Shaughna was later dumped from the villa when Luke Mabbott coupled-up with Demi Jones instead of her.

Since her Love Island stint, Shaughna has amassed 1.4million Instagram followers and earns her living as a social media influencer.
New proposals at two sessions seek to safeguard Chinas online literature

By Li Yuche and Zhao Yusha (Global Times) 09:22, March 06, 2023

Shielding creativity

One of the main forces of Chinese culture going global, online literature now faces some problems thanks to its rapidly growing market share. However, the situation may change. During the globally-watched two sessions, proposals to combat internet piracy and other issues are being put on the table.

The first session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) kicked off on Saturday. Yan Jingming, a member of the 14th CPPCC National Committee and vice-chairman of the China Writers Association, shared his proposal concerning "Copyright protection" for China's online literature with the Global Times.

New solutions

Yan is only one of many CPPCC National Committee members at the two sessions to call for enhanced protection measures for Chinese online literature.

Against the backdrop of Chinese government's regulations such as the 2020 special operation "Jian Wang 2020," which targeted internet piracy, Wu Yiqin, another member of the 14th CPPCC National Committee, told the Global Times that management of online literature piracy has entered a "new phase" that needs new solutions.

The implementation of "black and white" lists is part of Yan's proposal to monitor potential copyright violations.

He called for providing white list protection to legal content providers and blacklisting those platforms that host pirated content.

He further highlighted that the supervision list that includes different monitoring subjects should be updated regularly based on information gathered from China's major online literature platforms such as the qidian.com and the jjwxc.net.

The lists can benefit writers like Jian Wu Xiu. The writer's fantasy novel Hai Shi Di Qiu Ren Hen (lit: The Brilliant Earth Men) was a hot hit collected by 150,000 readers on qidian.com.

However, the work was hosted by Bi Qu Ge, a notorious pirate website that disguises itself as a legitimate site.

To catch the infringer, the writer told the Global Times he would get at midnight to publish a pseudo chapter to confuse the pirate, who normally kept an eye out to steal his works as soon as they were published.

"I won't bend down to piracy. I'll be here to defend my rights and endure," Jian said.

Online literature writers like Jian Wu Xiu are often the victims of piracy.

This has later inspired Wu to call for "avoiding increasing costs for copyright's owners," while "increasing punishments for pirated novel apps."

"The low costs of infringement and high cost to protect one's lawful rights are known problems," Wu told the Global Times.

Wu added that since online literature works are often pirated across the country, there should be provisions for assisting authors so they do not have to run around to different courts.

Geng Cong Xin, an online literature writer who has also suffered from copyright infringement, told the Global Times that apps, websites, search engines also have a critical role in shielding those creators' rights.

The writer once reported copyright infringement to baidu.com, China's biggest search engine. Yet the reporting mechanism was "extremely complicated."

The reason for this is that these platforms currently play a "passive" role in the matter.

Cui Guobin, director of the Intellectual Property Law Research Center at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times that network service providers often wait for copyright owners to send in requests before acting on piracy.

Yet this has to be changed. Both Yan and Wu have called for service platforms to enhance their "sense of involvement."

Hu Yanan, an experienced lawyer, told the Global Times that services platforms should play a more positive role in "filtering out pirated content."

Making progress

The new proposal is based on valuable experience summarized from years of efforts in regulating online creative industries.

In 2020, a special operation called "Jian Wang 2020" was launched to combat online piracy across multiple fields such as music, online literature, film and TV. More than 720 cases of piracy were handled during this operation.

Since then, online literature has improved in China, while also swiftly expanding to overseas markets.

A report in 2021 reveals that the overseas influence of Chinese online literature has expanded to regions such as Southeast Asia, North America, Europe and Africa.

Yan told the Global Times that in 2021 Chinese online literature made a profit of 2.90 billion yuan ($420 million) in overseas markets, an increase of 75.32 percent year on year. A total of 314,600 Chinese online literature works were exported in 2021.

This growing overseas influence inspired him to call for the formation of organizations to help online literature companies and individuals defend their rights abroad and speed up the adoption of a consensus on intellectual property protection in overseas markets.

Coping with limitless cultural differences, Wu called for the industry to ally with the AI and big data sectors. Jiang Shengnan, another member of the 14th CPPCC National Committee, said that artificial intelligence should also be used to assist problem-solving, but noted that the technology can never replace writers' "power of creation."

Online literature has brought fresh vitality to efforts to spread Chinese culture and has become an innovative carrier of "telling Chinese stories and spreading China's voice" amid the backdrop of intensified global cultural competition, Yan noted.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo listens during a virtual meeting with Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, CEOs and labor leaders called to discuss the importance of passing the Chips Act to bolster America's competitive edge, its manufacturing power and national security at the White House in Washington, D.C., July 25, 2022. UPI-Yonhap



How to define 'legacy chips' to become key issue for funding from CHIPS Act



By Kim Yoo-chul



U.S. President Joe Biden's official launch of the first funding opportunity for the CHIPS and Science Act (CHIPS Act) features a set of export controls that include detailed measures to cut China off from importing advanced semiconductors made in any country using U.S.-patented chip equipment.



The law clearly illustrates the administration's intention to set Chinese manufacturers back years because the regulations will directly curb their ambitious aim to miniaturize chips. Seemingly, the U.S. is feeling a sense of urgency about China threatening its decades-long dominance in the military and technology sectors.



What is noteworthy within the CHIPS Act is that it will direct funds to federal agencies supporting the development of sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing and even data science. All these areas require advanced semiconductors to maintain and smoothly run data-intensive processing.



According to a report last year by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute  to Washington's alarm  China was leading in 37 of 44 technologies in electric batteries, 5G, 6G and hypersonic aerospace, with Beijing potentially establishing a monopoly in some security-related areas. It advised the Biden administration and its allies to jointly fund the development of the most promising and critical technologies.



As such, government officials and company executives told The Korea Times that the CHIPS Act isn't intended to replace Asia's current dominant position in semiconductor production, but is aimed at reducing risks posed by future crises such as pandemics, and hedging against extensive supply chain disruptions. It is doing this by establishing a U.S. "pressure valve" to cope with future supply chain problems, leaving Samsung and SK the option to apply for CHIPS Act funding. The law oversees $50 billion to revitalize the U.S. chip industry, including $39 billion in semiconductor incentives.



Asia is the production hub for between 75 percent and 80 percent of global semiconductor manufacturing  mainly from firms based in South Korea, Taiwan, Japan and mainland China, according to data provided by the Semiconductor Industry Association.



"We have to view the CHIPS Act as a tool within the context of Washington's Indo-Pacific geopolitical strategy. The U.S. wants to contain Samsung and SK on its soil as it doesn't care about increasing its chip market share. By containing them, the U.S commerce department could be able to access the specifics of chip production roadmaps and to customize areas of applications according to its interests," an aide to former President Moon Jae-in who managed the country's trade policies told by telephone.





Semiconductor chips on a circuit board of a computer Reuters-Yonhap



"As the CHIPS Act has become a matter of politics given Seoul's full support of Washington's signature foreign policy agenda since President Yoon Suk Yeol took office, it's no surprise to see Samsung Electronics and SK applying for funding," he added.



Consequences and risks of taking federal incentives



But there is no free ride.



Samsung, for example, could be eligible to receive between $850 million and up to $6 billion in federal incentives if it requests federal loans, and/or federal guarantees for third-party loans, in addition to direct funding as it is building a foundry semiconductor plant in Taylor, Texas. The world's largest memory chipmaker plans to construct 11 new semiconductor plants in the State of Texas over the next two decades.



SK hynix, one of the world's top three memory chip suppliers, plans to invest up to $15 billion in the U.S. to construct chip packaging facilities. Sources at Samsung Electronics said it will apply for the funding, however, representatives at the company only said: "We will continue to closely monitor the situation."



SK officials said the company isn't urgently looking to receive tax incentives from the U.S. The Biden administration has warned that applications for funding from the CHIPS Act that are approved will come with a lot of requirements attached, including restrictions on investing in other countries, mainly China, and limits on chip output there and on stock buybacks.



Applications for funding will start March 31 for projects related to the construction of cutting-edge semiconductor factories, while the process for candidates wanting federal incentives in return for constructing of packaging facilities or chip plants using mature-node processing technology will start from June 26, according to the U.S. commerce department.



"All recipients of funding from the CHIPS Act will be asked to hand over their chip production- and profit-related data to the U.S. authorities. By providing cash incentives to non-American chip manufacturers but within its alliance network, the U.S. wants to boost research into advanced technologies that would give U.S. companies a competitive edge over their Chinese rivals," said Hong Ki-yong, a professor of economics at Incheon University. He expects South Korea to join the U.S. ban on exports of advanced chip-making tools to China that the Netherlands and Japan have recently agreed to do.





US President Joe Biden attends an event to support legislation that would encourage domestic manufacturing and strengthen supply chains for computer chips in the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus, Washington D.C., March 9, 2022. AP-Yonhap
The entrance to KT Gwanghwamun Building in Seoul / Yonhap



By Park Jae-hyuk



KT is rumored to have delayed its plan to appoint a new chief executive, due to the intensifying backlash from the presidential office and the ruling party against the telecommunication firm's recent shortlisting of candidates to replace outgoing CEO Ku Hyeon-mo, according to industry officials, Monday.



Given that KT did not carry out its year-end executive reshuffle late last year in the aftermath of the controversy over its previous attempt to reappoint Ku, concerns are growing that the company may face a leadership vacuum after the incumbent CEO steps down later this month.



When KT's board of directors announced on Feb. 28 that it had shortlisted four former and incumbent KT executives as CEO candidates, the company had hoped to announce the final candidate by March 7.



Rep. Park Sung-joong of the ruling People Power Party, however, leveled criticism on March 2 against the company's decision to exclude outsiders from the shortlist. The presidential office also sent warnings indirectly to KT the same day, saying that a company's corporate governance structure should be fair and transparent.



"Without fair and transparent governance, moral hazard will prevail in an organization," a key official from the presidential office told reporters at that time.



KT had allowed former and incumbent politicians and government officials to apply for its CEO post, after deciding earlier this year to overhaul its CEO selection process with an open primary system. The decision came in response to its plan to reappoint the incumbent CEO which was opposed by its largest shareholder, the National Pension Service (NPS), and the presidential office.



Although KT's incumbent CEO had initially tried to continue leading the company for the next three years, he eventually dropped out of the race late last month, as President Yoon Suk Yeol also indicated his administration's intention to replace the KT CEO.



At the time, Yoon said that "stewardship" is needed at companies with a complex ownership structure that had been privatized after being operated in the past as state-run enterprises. In the capital market, stewardship refers to interference by institutional investors in the management of companies they invest in.



Ku had also faced opposition from the NPS when the KT board recommended him as its only CEO candidate last year. The state pension fund claimed that the recommendation procedure was unfair and lacked transparency.



As a result, there were expectations that former Industry Minister Yoon Jin-sik, who served as an economic adviser for President Yoon's election camp, would be appointed as the new KT CEO. However, the former minister was eliminated from the competition.



If KT fails to appoint a new CEO during the general meeting of shareholders later this month, it could appoint one of its executives as interim CEO. However, the interim leader will face difficulties in making important decisions regarding investments, raising funds and personnel matters.



Even if KT's board of directors recommends a final candidate, there remains the possibility that the NPS will vote against the candidate. KT's other major shareholders, such as Hyundai Motor Group and Shinhan Financial Group, are not expected to stand against the pension fund.



Amid the growing concerns, both the NPS and KT have remained silent about this issue.



In addition, KT has yet to announce when it will hold the general meeting of shareholders, although most industry officials expect it to be on March 29.



"It will take time for KT to settle the dispute," NH Investment & Securities analyst Ahn Jae-min said.


A day after the government entered into an MoU with Foxconn on the plant, officials of the industries and revenue departments initiated the process to identify a suitable land parcel for the project. (Photo: PTI)

HYDERABAD: The government has shortlisted a 200-acre land parcel in Kongarakalan in Ranga Reddy district and another in Dundigal in Medchal-Malkajgiri district as the proposed site to house the Foxconn electronic manufacturing plant.

A day after the government entered into an MoU with Foxconn on the plant, officials of the industries and revenue departments initiated the process to identify a suitable land parcel for the project.

"The government is ready to allot any land parcel that the company seeks. The final selection of the site lies with the Foxconn management," sources said.

Officials submitted the details of land parcels to industries minister K.T. Rama Rao who referred it to Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao for approval.

The land parcels were also shown to the leadership team of Foxconn. It is learnt that they were in favour of setting up their plant at Kongarakalan.

The site is said to be very close to the Ranga Reddy integrated district collectorate complex in Kongarakalan.
The drama is organised under the banner Sri Veeranjaneya Swamy Kala Vrunda, Halenahalli. (Photo By Arrangement)

BENGALURU: Taking kurukshtera of Mahabharata, a Hindu epic as the topic, a team of Muslims belonging to Halenahalli in Nelamangala in Bengaluru rural have come together to stage a drama to spread a message that infighting among family members over property share is not good for the society.

In Hindu epic, the 'Kurukshetra' is a war between cousins Kauravas and Pandavas for dynastic succession. In the drama Kurukshetra to be staged on March 19, the major characters will be performed by Muslims and the drama would run for about 9-hours from 9 pm to 6 am the next day. The drama is organised under the banner Sri Veeranjaneya Swamy Kala Vrunda, Halenahalli.

A 52-year-old Nayaz Khan is in the role of Duryodhana and he told Deccan Chronicle "I have come across instances where Muslims have performed in dramas either as an individual, but Muslims staging a drama in a group is never heard of in a Hindu drama."

Nayaz said that he and his friends enjoyed watching drama at his village and that is when the idea to stage a drama by themselves struck and they soon began the preparations to implement their idea.

The character of Krishna would be performed by Javeed Pasha, Dharmaraya by Abdul Razaq Sab, Shakuni by Chanda Pasha, Drona by Zamer, Bheeshma by Nazeer Sab, and Abhimanyu by Subaan, among others.

Female characters include Arundhati in the dance performance of Uttare a character in Mahabharata, Ranganayaki will perform Rukmini dance and Muniraju is the music director for the drama, said a pamphlet on the drama.

Nayaz Khan is a mango grower and said that he never tried to act in any drama but had passion for drama. "It will be my maiden appearance on stage," he said and added "Even my friends, 18 of them are new to staging drama."

To start rehearsal, Nayaz Khan chose drama master Muniraju to help tune their skills and the rehearsal for the drama has been going on for about a month and half. A confident Nayaz Khan said, "Rehearsals for the drama have gone well and the team is geared up to stage the drama and win the hearts of villagers."

By staging a drama on Kurukshetra, Nayaz Khan said that a message has to spread in the society that infighting among brothers or in a family is not good, especially over sharing properties and to make an amicable living.

Khan said, he never found himself in any uncomfortable situation while taking up acting in the drama and he fine tuned his skills with the help of drama master and also could do well in rehearsal with the help of his friends especially in dialogue delivery.

The rehearsal by the team has drawn the audience, said Nayaz Khan and hoped that the turnout on drama day would be in large numbers.

"The audience at the rehearsal appreciated our efforts," he said.

At Halenahalli, Nayaz Khan stated that Hindus and Muslims have made a living in a peaceful atmosphere and both the communities celebrate Babayya fest at the village.

Nayaz said all arrangements have been made, and even costumes for each role have been readied. The Kurukshetra drama is likely to be attended by top political leaders at the inaugural time.

Drama master Muniraju was unavailable for comment on the drama to be staged.
File photo of Foxconn chairman Young Liu meeting Chief Minister Chandrashekar Rao and IT minister K.T. Rama Rao at Pragathi Bhavan. (Photo: Twitter: @TelanganaCMO)

HYDERABAD: Ending the confusion over setting up an electronic manufacturing facility in Telangana, Foxconn Technology Group chairman Young Liu wrote a letter to Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Monday stating that the Taiwanese contract manufacturing giant is committed to setting up the plant at Kongarakalan Park on the city outskirts while referring to the CM as a "new friend in India".

In a letter to the Chief Minister, the Foxconn chairman, said, "As discussed with you during our meeting on March 2, Foxconn is committed to setting up a manufacturing facility in Kongarakalan and I seek the support of your team in operationalising the Kongarakalan Park as early as possible."

Referring to the CM as a "new friend in India", Young Liu said, "I now have a new friend in India and I look forward to working with you in the future."

Liu extended an invitation to the CM to visit Taiwan, noting, "I would also like to take this opportunity to kindly invite you to Taiwan as my personal guest. It would be an honour to host you in Taipei. Looking forward to meeting you soon."

Liu thanked the CM for the hospitality extended to him and his team during their visit to Hyderabad on March 2.

"We had a wonderful time during our stay in Hyderabad. I wish to thank you for your warm birthday wishes and a personalised card. I was indeed inspired by your vision and the efforts towards transformation and development of Telangana."

On March 2, Liu and his team met the CM and industries minister K.T. Rama Rao at the Pragathi Bhavan. Following the meeting, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) released a press release claiming that Foxconn will establish an electronic manufacturing facility in Telangana, creating one lakh employment over the next 10 years.

It went on to say that Foxconn and the state government had signed an agreement in this regard, but Foxconn issued a clarification from Taipei on March 4 stating that it did not enter into any "binding, definitive agreements" in India during its chairman and CEO Young Liu's recent visit, causing confusion and embarrassment for the state government.

The government reportedly showed the Taiwan company two land parcels totaling more than 200 acres each in Kongarakalan and Dundigal, and the Taiwan company expressed interest in establishing a facility in Kongarakalan.
West Bengal leader of the opposition Suvendu Adhikari. (Photo: ANI)

KOLKATA: West Bengal leader of the opposition Suvendu Adhikari on Monday accused the CBI of lethargy in acting against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the Saradha chit fund scam. He wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his intervention.

This comes just a day after many Opposition leaders including Mamata Banerjee had claimed that the BJP-led Centre was going easy on scam-accused persons who had joined the ruling party. "Former TMC leaders Suvendu Adhikari and Mukul Roy were under the ED and CBI scanner in the Narada sting operation case but the cases didnt progress after they joined the BJP..." the letter said. Mukul Roy has since rejoined the Trinamul Congress.

He alleged that in 2014 there were news reports claiming that promoter of Saradha chit fund, Sudipta Sen, purchased one of Mamata Banerjee's paintings for Rs.1.8 crore.

Linking the Trinamul Congress supremo's association to Saradha Group since she became the railway minister in the UPA-II government, the BJP MLA wondered, "Is this why the CBI is hesitant? Or has the height of her chair made them reluctant to act against her? But wasn't it the primary reason for handing over the investigation to the CBI?"

Adhikari told the PM, "I hope you would consider this plea of the people of West Bengal and see to it that the culprits are punished strictly as per the law of the land."
Samsung Heavy Industries' shipyard on Geoje Island in South Gyeongsang Province / Courtesy of Samsung Heavy Industries



By Park Jae-hyuk



Samsung Heavy Industries is facing skepticism about its competitiveness, after its rivals decided recently to acquire manufacturers of engines for ships, in order to vertically integrate their shipbuilding supply chains, according to industry officials, Monday.



Although the shipbuilding subsidiary of Samsung Group seeks to survive through its capability of building higher value-added offshore plants, industry officials point out that Korea's shipbuilding industry could be reorganized in the long run to be under the leadership of Hanwha and HD Hyundai.



Last Thursday, HD Hyundai's subsidiary, Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, reportedly became the only participant in the main bid to acquire a 47.8 percent stake in STX Heavy Industries from Pinetree Partners, a local private equity firm (PEF). This came as Socius, another PEF that participated in a preliminary bid to acquire STX Heavy, decided to acquire Casco, a manufacturer of castings for ship engines, from Pinetree.



Hanwha, which is supposed to acquire Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) during the first half of this year, was once mentioned as a potential buyer of STX Heavy. However, the conglomerate dropped out of the race after Hanwha Impact signed an agreement last month to acquire a 33 percent stake in another ship engine manufacturer, HSD Engine, from Inhwa Precision.



"By integrating technical skills of HSD Engine and DSME, we will enhance our competitiveness in the construction of ships equipped with eco-friendly engines," a Hanwha official said.



HD Hyundai also seeks to utilize STX Heavy to diversify its portfolio into small and medium-sized engine firms and create synergy effects with the group's shipbuilding subsidiaries.



"We will offer higher fair values to companies that are likely to create synergy effects with our subsidiaries," HD Hyundai President Chung Ki-sun told reporters on the sidelines of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January.



In contrast, Samsung Heavy has reiterated that it will continue to outsource the supply of engines from HSD Engine, which was established in 1999 after a merger between Doosan's engine unit and Samsung's spun-off engine manufacturing business.



The shipbuilder has also dismissed concerns over possible engine supply instability following Hanwha's acquisition of HSD Engine, saying that the engine manufacturer has produced enough engines for multiple shipbuilders.



HSD Engine's partnership with Samsung Heavy, however, could weaken, if the engine supplier focuses more on developing eco-friendly engines in collaboration with Hanwha.



"If a shipbuilder owns an engine manufacturer, it can hold a dominant position in terms of its transition to eco-friendly fuel," Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade researcher Lee Eun-chang said.


At a dharna at the party office in the city, Sanjay asserted that the BJP, after it comes to power in Telangana, would follow the Uttar Pradesh model, bulldoze the houses of those committing crimes against women, while also stating he had never seen "any government steal dead bodies so they could keep the truth out." (DC Image)

Hyderabad: In a blistering attack on the BRS government and Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, state BJP president Bandi Sanjay on Monday claimed that Telangana had become the only state that "steals dead bodies" for the purpose of doctoring the outcome of controversial deaths.

At a dharna at the party office in the city, Sanjay asserted that the BJP, after it comes to power in Telangana, would "follow the Uttar Pradesh model, bulldoze the houses of those committing crimes against women," while also stating he had never seen "any government steal dead bodies so they could keep the truth out."

On the death of PG medical student Dr D. Preethi, Sanjay argued that the haste and secrecy surrounding the police escorting her body from the Nims hospital for a post-mortem, and then forcing the family to rush through the funeral demonstrates the governments conspiracy to convert a murder case into a suicide.

"She was not alive when brought to Nims but the government enacted a drama of treating her for four days. The police used the dead girls hand for fingerprints to unlock her phone and deleted anything that could implicate the accused," Sanjay alleged.

On the Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia announced to the kin of the family, Sanjay remarked, "This is not even equal to the value of the wrist watch that costs Rs 20 lakh worn by KCRs daughter."

"Every atrocity against women in Telangana has involvement of either a BRS leader or an AIMIM leader or their relatives. The Chief Minister does not even react or respond be it the gang rape of a girl in Jubilee Hills, a BRS leader raping a girl in Nirmal, or the action of the BRS MLA from Khammam that forced a family to commit suicide. Women do not feel safe in Telangana. KCRs focus is on saving his daughter from the Delhi liquor scam," Sanjay said.

Etala Rajendar, a senior party leader and Huzurabad MLA who joined Sanjay in seeking stern action against the accused in the Preethi case, said the Chief Minister should declare on International Women's Day that the government will close liquor belt shops.

Among those who addressed the protest, attended by a number of BJP Mahila Morcha workers and leaders were party national vice-president D.K. Aruna, BJPs national OBC morcha president Dr K. Laxman, partys national executive committee member G. Vivek Venkatswamy, and senior party leaders Vijayashanti, N.V.S.S. Prabhakar, Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy.
Delhi Police personnel escort Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia form Rajghat ahead of his questioning by CBI in the liquor policy case, in New Delhi. (PTI Photo/Manvender Vashist Lav)

Some of most important regional and opposition leaders from different states and parties took to stating their grievances and allegations against the BJP-led Central government in an epistolary format, even as Rahul Gandhi, the leader from Congress, was expressing the same sentiment and assessment of Indias democracy, in a JAccuse mode at exclusive tete-a-tete in elite Oxbridge circles.

The sum and substance of all of it was pretty much a repeat of the oppositions charge against the Narendra Modi government from the beginning  that it does not respect democracy and can resort to any means, including misusing agencies and institutions to crush voices of dissent, especially the opposition.

The leaders had the immediate provocation of the arrest of Manish Sisodia, the deputy CM of Delhi, and senior AAP leader, in the Delhi liquor scam, to which they referred, but also highlighted the larger danger to democracy and a relentless attack on the opposition from 2014.

Interestingly, the Congress party did not join in to sign the letter, but others including Chief Ministers K. Chandrashekar Rao and Mamata Banerjee, besides obviously the two AAP CMs, Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann, joined to address PM Modi by asking  "We hope you would agree that India is still a democratic country. The blatant misuse of central agencies against the members of the opposition appears to suggest that we have transitioned from being a democracy to an autocracy."

"After a long witch-hunt, Sisodia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation without a shred of evidence against him," the letter, which was also signed by former CMs Farooq Abdullah, Sharad Pawar, Uddav Thackeray and Akhilesh Yadav, besides and Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav, further said.

Ironically, and tragically, most of the charges made by these leaders have been against them in the states, where criticism of ruling party leaders carries stern retaliation, and the state opposition parties face the same systemic attacks on them, including massive luring of leaders and elected members, and misuse of agencies available to state governments.

There is, of course, no democracy without an opposition; and while the ruling party may do a lot to weaken or defeat it, the government cannot and should not participate in such an endeavour; nor any of its agencies misused. Equally significantly, political vendetta cannot be an excuse or defence against massive, institutionalised corruption. Let each one of these state leaders also check how terribly guilty they are of the same attack on democracy.

The core point raised by the letter is significant and must be discussed, debated and the government must consider it seriously. The agencies too must introspect. It might be no consolation at a latter day moment of democracys demise that everyone contributed to its downfall  because if it could be saved by certain actions, certain agencies and certain people, their silence and evasion will prove too expensive.
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The newly-refurbished cinematic arts studio at Ulster Universitys Derry campus has been named after former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Labour politician, the late Mo Mowlam.

The studio was officially opened on Friday (3rd March) ahead of the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement, which Mo Mowlam oversaw as then-Secretary of State.

The universitys launch of the studio in her name and unveiling of a new mural is a celebration of Mo Mowlams lasting impact and legacy.

Its the first in a programme of events Ulster University is organising for the peace agreements anniversary.

Those in attendance at the official opening included Mos stepdaughter, director and producer Henrietta Norton; current leader of the Labour Party, Sir Keir Starmer; current Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Peter Kyle; and former Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Louise Haigh.

The dedicated space in the Walled Citys much-loved Foyle Arts Centre has been transformed into a fit-for-purpose studio which will enable Ulster Universitys Cinematic Arts students to harness their creative talents and develop their skills in a controlled environment, replicating a professional film studio.

Opening the Mo Mowlam Studio, Ulster University Provost Professor Cathy Gormley-Heenan said: We are delighted to open the doors of the newly-refurbished Mo Mowlam Studio and unveil our new mural, paying homage to the legacy of an inspirational leader who played an instrumental role in the signing of the Good Friday Agreement some 25 years ago.

Just one in a programme of events we will be announcing shortly and hosting across our three campuses and beyond, todays launch here in Derry highlights Ulster Universitys continued commitment to the North West, the arts and culture of the region, and to our students leveraging the power of film to inspire social change.

"This truly is an investment in the futures of our young people  the post-Good Friday Agreement generation.

Freddie and Henrietta Norton, Mo Mowlam's stepchildren in attendance at the launch of the Mo Mowlam Studio, commented: We are incredibly proud and grateful to see the life and legacy of our wonderful stepmum, Mo Mowlam, celebrated at Ulster University in Derry.

Sophie Hetherington, UU Graphic Design and Illustration student who created the mural

"Before going into politics, Mo was an academic and teacher. She believed in the power of education to transform people's lives and make the world a better place. And as a politician, she placed great value and importance on ensuring the voices of everyone were heard, especially young people in Northern Ireland.

The Mo Mowlam Studio is an educational space which brings students together, enables them to find their voice and express themselves, and invests in their futures - there could not be a more fitting tribute.

The project will serve as a boost to the screen industry in NI - a thriving sector that has emerged in the years since the Good Friday Agreement, and promises to continue to put NI on the world stage as a leader in the creative industries.

The donation has been used to create a space that will enhance the practical learning experience of Ulster Universitys cinematic arts students and is testament to Mos lasting legacy of investing in young people, long after the signing of the peace agreement.

The additional new specialist teaching space reflects a shared commitment to accessing higher education and the opportunity to support creative excellence for students in their chosen subject.

Speaking at the event, Sir Keir Starmer MP, Leader of the Labour Party, added: Mo Mowlam was a true political force with an unwavering dedication to peace. Her political skill, courage and charisma brought people together from all sides, and as part of the last Labour government, she helped pave the way for the Good Friday Agreement.

Mo loved the people of Northern Ireland, and was passionate about securing better opportunities for the next generation.

"Im honoured to see her legacy celebrated with the opening of the Mo Mowlam Studio at Ulster University's campus in Derry today.

"It will support the University's Cinematic Arts students for years to come, and is an investment in Northern Ireland's creative industries.

Sir Keir Starmer addresses cinematic arts students at Ulster University Derry.

On behalf of the Labour Party, I thank the staff and students at Ulster University, and everyone who has made this brilliant project possible.

Starmer's comments come after he attended St Columb's College and stated he believed The Windsor Framework gives enough to end the Stormont stalemate.

Starmer was questioned by school students as part of an event organised by the John and Pat Hume Foundation.

He said he hoped that with time and space the new UK-EU deal would pave the way for the return of the power sharing institutions.

Sir Keir Starmer, Henrietta and Freddie Norton join Cinematic Arts students and their professor, Victoria McCollum at the opening of the newly-refurbished cinematic arts studio at Ulster Universitys Derry campus, named after former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the late Mo Mowlam.

He added: "Its very important for communities and political parties here to be comfortable with the progress that we make, and when I was here working 20 years or so ago, I was always reticent about being the person who came along to tell people in Northern Ireland what I thought they ought to think.

But I do genuinely think that this is a real opportunity, I felt that before we even saw the text, over the last month/six weeks I could feel that the UK and EU were moving closer together. This is a good thing, Im a great believer in bridge building and bringing people together."

Year 2 Graphic Design and Illustration student at Ulster University Sophie Hetherington said she was honoured to create the mural.

She said: "Graphic Design isnt just a degree to me, its something I love and have so much interest in and aspire to learn more about it every day.

"I am so honoured to be given this opportunity to create this mural in honour of Mo Mowlam. Mo Mowlam was such an inspiring woman and to say I have created this mural, to represent her, is such an amazing experience for me.

The newly-refurbished studio was made possible by funds raised by the Labour Party Irish Society.
A man who was given a suspended sentence at Derry Magistrate's Court on Friday for a hospital assault within days 'deliberately' breached his bail on domestic abuse charges.

Thomas Rush (39) of Glengalliagh Park in Derry appeared charged with breaching his bail on March 5 and 6.

The court heard that police were called to a report of a domestic incident when the defendant was said to have been at his former partner's home on March 5.

In the early hours of March 6 the defendant was said to have been at the alleged victim's home and texted her to say he was inside her flat.

This was in breach of bail conditions prohibiting him from entering the Waterside area.

Rush was found inside the flat and arrested.

A police officer said that they had no confidence that Rush would abide by conditions and said Rush had 101 previous convictions.

Defence solicitor Seamus Quigley said his client said he had gone to get clothing.

He accepted Rush had 'a terrible record'.

District Judge Barney McElholm said that this man had been in court on Friday and then had gone out and breached his bail like this.

He said he could not even 'dream' that this man would abide by any conditions and said the defendant had to learn if he did not abide by his bail 'there would be consequences'.

Rush will appear again on March 9.
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A commemoration to mark the 30th anniversary of the death of Sean Keenan was held in Derry on Sunday.

Mr Keenan, who died on March 3, 1993 was interned without trial on three occasions, between 1940-45, 1957-1961 and 1971-1972. He served a total of 15 years in prison despite never having been convicted of any charge.

Nora Canning and Roisin Barton, the daughters of Sean Keenan, laid flowers at the beginning of the ceremony, while a wreath was laid of behalf of the leadership of Republican Sinn Fein (CIRA) by Anthony Lancaster.

Wreaths were also laid by Damian Harkin, on behalf of the Ulster Executive of Republican Sinn Fein, and by Mary Ward (RSF) at the memorial for the 14 civilians murdered on Bloody Sunday.

Hester McElhinney recited a decade of the rosary while Saoirse McElhinney read the 1916 proclamation.

The oration was delivered by Republican Sinn Fein Ard Chomhairle member Martin Duffy (Lurgan).

Michael McGonagle (Dungiven), who chaired proceedings, ended by singing Amhran na bhFiann.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, March 12, Republican Sinn Fein will be holding a commemoration to mark the 100th anniversary of the Drumboe Martyrs who were executed by a Free State firing squad in March 1923.

The event will be held in Stranorlar, County Donegal at 2.30pm.




POSCO Center in Seoul / Courtesy of POSCO Group





By Kim Hyun-bin







Korean companies, which benefited from a 1965 treaty with Japan that normalized diplomatic ties in exchange for economic aid, appear to be cautious about compensating victims of Japan's wartime forced labor, according to industry officials, Monday. The hesitation follows the Korean government's announcement that businesses here will take part in the reparations.







Under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration's scheme, a foundation for victims of forced mobilization, affiliated with the interior ministry, will collect "voluntary" donations from the private sector.







The government is expected to seek donations from 16 Korean companies, including the country's leading steelmaker POSCO, under which Tokyo offered $300 million in grants to Seoul at the time.







The list also includes KT, KT&G, KEPCO, Korea Expressway Corp. and KEB.






Community opera company Spark Opera has been awarded funding to deliver a new music project at Ardnashee School and College in Derry.

Over the next six months students will work with professional artists to devise a new musical work, entitled Tribe. The workshops will be tailored to specifically meet the complex needs of students, with a focus on promoting positive mental health and self-expression.

Spark Opera is one of 24 groups set to benefit from funding worth 190,000, thanks to National Lottery funding through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

The ARTiculate Young People and Wellbeing Programme was set up by the Arts Council to help give a voice to young people (aged 12-18) through drama, music, visual arts and literature activities. In September, organisations were invited to apply for up to 10,000 each to support arts-led projects, with a particular focus on developing projects which included young people experiencing higher levels of disadvantage or exclusion and more vulnerable groups, such as those living with a mental health condition, eating disorders or addiction.

Lorraine Calderwood, ARTiculate Young People and Wellbeing Programme Manager at the Arts Council, commented: Thanks to funding from the National Lottery, we are delighted to announce grants for 24 organisations today through the ARTiculate Programme.

The positive links between engagement in the arts and our health and wellbeing are firmly established and we believe that this programme is more important than ever post-pandemic, as young people across Northern Ireland continue to recover from the effects of lock-down and social isolation.

The funding announced today will support a fantastic range of creative projects in communities across Northern Ireland. With this funding, we want to reach out to some of the most vulnerable children in society to engage them in fun and creative arts projects, which help build confidence and promote self-expression. It was a pleasure to be able to visit Ardnashee Special School and meet the students as they embark on this hugely exciting project with Spark Opera.

Kate Guelke is the Director of Spark Opera, a community opera company, committed to making the arts accessible for all. We are so excited to be working with Ardnashee. Tribe is a collaboration, harnessing the school's ethos of radical inclusivity and belonging and turning it into a musical.

This project will build on a pilot project which we ran with the school in 2022, with funding from the TeleCommunity Fund and will celebrate the power of music to bring people together.

When people are next to each other, sharing a sound or rhythms, they connect in a way that is beyond words. It's so good for mental health. For young people especially the benefits can be amazing.

Students at Ardnahee School and College will be working with Spark Opera to create a new musical called Tribe. Spark Opera was awarded funding for the project from the National Lottery through the Arts Council's ARTiculate Young People and Wellbeing Progamme.

Emma OKane, Senior Teacher and Assistant SENCO at Ardnashee School and College, commented: Ardnashee School and College are delighted to be able to avail of funding from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and working in collaboration with Spark Opera to reach our most bespoke set of learners.

Pupils with complex needs rely on an immersive multisensory approach to be able to fully engage with the environment around them.

Through the production of Tribe our complex needs learners will experience a variety of creative arts methodologies which will take them through a magical theatre production incorporating dance, drama, live music and visuals.

The process of devising theatre through carefully planned workshops onsite enables our very complex needs learner to have a voice throughout the process.

Pupils will undoubtedly reap the benefits of the project in relation to improving mental health and, to quote Professor Barry Carpenter, 'this year more than ever, we need to ensure that wellbeing is at the heart of our education system'."

TOP PICTURE: Lorraine Calderwood, ARTiculate Young People and Wellbeing Progrmme Manager at the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, is pictured with Kate Guelke, Director of Spark Opera, Emma O'Kane, Senior Teacher and Assistant SENCO at Ardnashee School and College and one of the pupils who will be taking part in Tribe, a new musical project within the school, funded by the Arts Council's ARTiculate Young People and Wellbeing Programme. Pictures: Martin McKeown
Former Irish premier Bertie Ahern has said he expects the DUP to take a few weeks to consider clarifications on the Windsor Framework.

The DUP is considering whether it will back the agreement on post-Brexit trading in Northern Ireland.

Speaking at Stormont after a plenary session of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, Mr Ahern said it is reasonable for people to seek legal and working clarifications on the agreement.

I think it is reasonable in a document that is so lengthy and so many legal backgrounds that people will have clarifications, particularly both legal clarifications and working mechanisms, he said.

It would seem like a few weeks is a reasonable time.

Mr Ahern, who was Irelands taoiseach at the time of the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, said the Assembly could be back in session for the anniversary in April if people wanted to.

I dont know how many clarifications are necessary. But, you know, Rishi Sunak cant continue to give this high preference, as he has been doing for a number of months, indefinitely, he said.

I think these issues should be possible to deal with fairly quickly.
Former Irish premier Bertie Ahern has remained coy on the prospect of running for the Irish presidency in 2025.

Almost a month after it was revealed that he rejoined the Fianna Fail party, 10 years after leaving, he urged reporters to avoid all kinds of speculation on whether he would make a bid for the Aras.

Speculation has circulated on what role the former Fianna Fail leader would take in the party after he was readmitted as an ordinary member, paying an annual fee of 20 euro.

Senior Fianna Fail figures have emphasised that he would not take on any senior party role, with Tanaiste and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin saying that his membership is welcome in the context of his outstanding contribution to peace on the island, ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

Mr Ahern himself has said that he has no intention of going back to my old job, and suggested that the 2025 presidential election is too far away to clarify whether he intends to run.

After an address to a gathering of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly at Stormont on Monday, Mr Ahern told reporters that there was lots of speculation about a lot of things.

I keep away from that, he said of the Aras bid rumours.

All I did was join my local (Fianna Fail) Cumman branch in Drumcondra and that led to all kinds of speculation, so dont listen to that too much.

When asked whether he had no interest in running for the presidency, he replied: I didnt say that.

When asked did this mean he was interested in the role, he said: I didnt say that either.

Mr Ahern left Fianna Fail in 2012, as efforts began within the party to expel him following a tribunals findings.

The Mahon Tribunal, which looked at allegations of planning corruption, did not find Mr Ahern to be corrupt but it said he did not truthfully account for money he lodged into his bank account.

With Fianna Fail stuck in the mid-teens to high-20s in opinion polls, speculation abounds about the consequences of the former taoiseachs return to his party.

As leader of Fianna Fail, the Dublin politician won three back-to-back elections for the party, and served as taoiseach from 1997-2008.
If you are active in the world of technology news, then the chances are that you get your regular dose of Apple leaks and rumours, most of them coming from one Mr Mark Gurman. In his recent article, the fabled Bloomberg reporter hinted at the launch of a new 24-inch iMac and 13-inch MacBook Air.

Apples current lineup of Macs includes the 24-inch iMac that comes equipped with the M1 chip. Launched a couple of years ago, the 24-inch iMac has been due for an upgrade for some time now. The MacBook Air had recently gotten an update both in terms of design and processing hardware. Apple gave its design a boxier, iPhone-like treatment and fitted its lightest and cheapest laptop line with the M2 chip. The M1 variant is still up for sale and has been reporting decent numbers. However, Apple plans to make changes to its Mac line-up, or at least that is what Gurman suggests.

In his article, he wrote  I can now share some good news. Apple Inc.s next iMac desktop is at an advanced stage of development called engineering validation testing, or EVT, and the company is conducting production tests of the machine.

He added that the new iMacs will carry the same colourways and screen size. The biggest change would be the addition of a new M-series chip that would replace the M1 chip. On the MacBook front, he speculated that if Apple are to stick with their release pattern from last year, then we could very well see a new MacBook Air (13-inch) being introduced, fitted with the new M3 chip which is set to launch sometime this year.

It will be interesting to see what approach Apple takes and what impact will the new M3 chip have on the whole personal computer market as a whole. As things develop, we hope that we get some new exciting machines to play with!

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in or head to our Google News page.
Flipkart is going to host the Big Saving Days sale where it will offer great discounts and deals on a vast range of products including smartphones. The Holi sale is live on Flipkart where it is already offering some fantastic discounts and now the e-commerce giant has revealed the Big Savings Day Sale.

The Big Savings Day Sale will make flagship phones available like iPhones, Google Pixels, Samsung Galaxy S series and more with crazy prices. However, the bank discounts haven't been revealed by Flipkart yet, but we have some idea of price ranges. The sale will go live from March 11 and it will end on March 15.

Good news for the Flipkart Plus subscribers is that they will be able to get an early access on the sale as usual. The Big Saving Days sale will start for them a day earlier.

Here are the phones Flipkart has teased, which will be available with discounts in the sale:

1. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE

Flipkart hasnt revealed much but it teased the Galaxy S21 FE with the minimum price of 12,990. To get the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE at this price, there will be some terms and conditions which Flipkart is yet to reveal.

2. Google Pixel 7

Google Pixel 7 is the latest phone of Google which launched along with Google Pixel 7 Pro. Flipkart teased the Pixel 7 series to be available under 50,000. Google Pixel 7 was launched at a price of 59,999.

3. iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus

iPhone 14 series was launched last year in september and it will also be available on Flipkart with bank offers and more. However, the teaser on Flipkart has only revealed that iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus will be priced under 70,000.

4. Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus

The Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus is also in the queue and it will receive a good discount tag along with bank offers and more.

5. Nothing Phone 1

The e-commerce giant has also teased the Nothing Phone 1 which will be available in sale and will cost under 30,000.

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in or head to our Google News page.
Amazon has offered a really good deal on iPhone 12. Apple iPhone 12 was launched in 2020 and is now available on Amazon at 23 percent instant discount. The price of the base model of iPhone 12, thus drops to 50,900. The original price of the iPhone 12 is 65,900. Along with that Amazon is also offering an exchange offer worth up to 18,050 and a bank offer.

Amazon discounts on iPhone 12

The base variant of the Apple iPhone 12 is priced at 50,900 on Amazon after a 23 percent instant discount. Amazon makes an exchange offer available for the device up to 18,050. If you manage to avail of the exchange offer to the max, the price will go down straight to 32,850.

Now the discount in the exchange offer depends on the phone and its condition. The condition of phone which you are trading with the exchange offer should be in a good condition. It should be working and it shouldnt have any major scratches or damage to it.

Amazon has also offered a bank offer on iPhone 12, interested buyers can avail of the discount of 1,500 by using a Bank Of Baroda Credit card while buying the Apple phone.

So by availing of all these offers, iPhone 12 could cost you just 31,350.

iPhone 12 specifications

iPhone 12 comes with a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display which supports Dolby Vision. It emits 1200 nits on peak brightness according to the lab tests. The display is protected by Ceramic Shield glass.

iPhone 12 is powered by the A14 Bionic (5nm) chipset and it runs on iOS 14.1 but can be upgraded to iOS 16.2. The phone comes in three storage options; 64GB, 128GB and 256GB.

Apple iPhone 12 comes with a dual camera setup carrying a 12-megapixel primary camera and a 12-megapixel ultrawide lens. It has a 12-megapixel front-facing camera as well.

iPhone 12 packs a 2815mAh battery which can be charged 50% in 30 mins claimed by Apple. The phone supports a 20-watt fast charging.

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in or head to our Google News page.
Motorola Edge 40 Pros press renders were leaked by a Twitter user named Evan Blass (@evleaks) via a tweet. This news comes on the back of Motorolas announcement of the new Edge 40 Pro, which is set to launch later this year.

Not only the design but the specs of the upcoming phone have made their way out on the internet. The phone is expected to come with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage. This is pretty much the standard in flagship phones released today. If this is the case, then the phone would be competing in the upper echelons of the Android smartphone market against offerings by Samsung, OnePlus, and Xiaomi.

In terms of the screen, the phone is expected to have a 6.67-inch full-HD+ (1080x2400 pixels) 10-bit pOLED panel clocking in a 165 Hz refresh rate and a round hole punch camera cut out at the top. Protecting all this hardware on the font will be Cornings Gorilla Glass victus. Additionally, if the rumours and reports are anything to go by, the phone is expected to come with Android 13 and would be priced at around Rs. 49,999.

The Motorola Edge 40 Pro will be the successor to last years Edge 30 Pro. Last years release, the Edge 30 Pro, did not get much love from smartphone aficionados for many reasons. The overall package for the price that it was retailing at made for a deal that did not attract many. However, with all the changes that are set to come in with the new Edge 40 Pro, Motorola would expect the sales numbers to be much higher than what they were for the Edge 30 Pro.

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in or head to our Google News page.
Ko Hak-soo, chairman of the Personal Information Protection Commission, speaks during the new year's first plenary session of the commission at the government complex in Seoul, Jan. 11. Yonhap



Google and Meta Platforms have filed a lawsuit against a ruling by the Korean data protection watchdog to fine the global tech giants for illegally collecting personal data here, industry sources said Monday.



The legal action by the two U.S. companies came after the Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) decided in September last year to slap a combined fine of 100 billion won ($77.2 million) on them for collecting personal information without users' consent and using it for personalized online advertising and other purposes.



The fines marked the highest amount ever imposed for alleged violations of the personal information protection law.



The PIPC also ordered Google and Meta inform their users clearly and simply, and get their consent if they are to gather or use user behavior data on websites or applications outside of their own platforms.



But Google and Meta have expressed regrets over the regulatory decision, claiming it is operators of websites and applications, not platform operators like themselves, who are supposed to receive legitimate consent in the process of collecting information from users visiting the websites and using apps. (Yonhap)


Cross-border travel has posed challenges to migrants integration on the island of Ireland and migrants have raised concerns about an increase in racial profiling post-Brexit, research has found.

The findings are contained in a new study, carried out by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) in partnership with the Taoiseachs Shared Island Unit, which looked at migrants experiences on the island, including on cross-border travel since Brexit.

The ESRI said that for non-EU nationals, there were restrictions on cross-border travel prior to Brexit, and that many of the legal requirements for cross-border travel remain similar to before Brexit.

In a consultation held in October with 32 migrant group representatives, it was indicated that some migrants are effectively excluded from taking part in events that require them to cross the border.

These include education and sports, holidays, religious events, and family gatherings that require cross-border travel.

Stakeholders at the consultation raised immigration checks as an issue, saying ethnic minority migrants are more likely to be checked while travelling across the border.

It said that among the key points raised were concerns about racial profiling at border checks, which results in considerable fear and anxiety among migrants.

While the legal provisions for cross-border travel after Brexit remain broadly similar to pre-Brexit, participants described heightened profiling on the basis of skin colour, the research found.

Without routine passport checks, the consultation raised the issue that some migrants are checked on the basis of their skin colour, sometimes also their clothes and language/accent.

A reported lack of clarity around rights has led to feelings of fear and uncertainty among migrant groups, which it said in turn, can negatively impact on integration on the island.

The ESRI research also found that in Ireland, 35% of migrants are Irish citizens, and in Northern Ireland, 17% are British citizens.

Ireland and Northern Ireland have seen an increase in migrants arriving in recent decades, with 20% of Irelands working-age population born abroad compared to 9% of Northern Ireland, both mostly in Europe.

In both jurisdictions, most migrant groups are highly skilled and more likely to have third-level qualifications than the native-born population, though the skills profile of migrants is generally higher in Ireland than in Northern Ireland.

A higher proportion of migrants in both jurisdictions work in professional or managerial jobs than non-migrants, though Eastern Europeans in both jurisdictions are much less likely to be in professional managerial jobs.

In Ireland, there was little difference in either academic achievement scores or wellbeing at age 15 between migrant-origin children and their Irish-origin peers.

In Northern Ireland, first generation migrant-origin children have considerably lower achievement scores in English reading and mathematics than their Northern Irish- or UK-origin peers.

Second generation migrant-origin children in Northern Ireland have similar achievement scores but have lower wellbeing than young people of Northern Irish or UK origin.

In 2017/2018, attitudes to migrants are more positive in Ireland than in Northern Ireland.

These differences in attitudes appear to be mostly explained by people in Ireland being more likely to have migrants in their social networks, being more optimistic about the future, and being more likely to believe their voice is heard in politics than people in Northern Ireland.

The reports co-author Frances McGinnity said that despite migrants substantial contribution to the economy and society in both Ireland and Northern Ireland, they can also face challenges with work and cross-border travel.

Some of these challenges appear greater in Northern Ireland, such as facing more negative attitudes about migration or in the achievement of the children of migrants in school.

Differences in attitudes appear to be mostly explained by people in Ireland being more likely to have migrants in their social networks, being more optimistic about the future, and more likely to believe their voice is heard in politics than people in Northern Ireland.

The report includes data from a consultation event with 32 participants from migrant representative groups and other stakeholders in Ireland and Northern Ireland in October 2022. It also uses data from the Labour Force Survey, the Programme for International Student Assessment and Eurobarometer data from 2017/2018.
Gardai in Drogheda have seized in excess of 116,000 worth of drugs and arrested one man as part of a search operation in Louth on Saturday.

According to a garda spokesperson:

"As part of Operation Stratus and Operation Tara, Gardai attached to the Louth Divisional Drug Unit executed two search warrants as part of a targeted operation involved in the cultivation, sale, supply and distribution of drugs in the Drogheda and surrounding areas.

"During the course of the first search this morning, cannabis with an estimated street value of 22,600 along with 4,280 cash was also seized. No arrests were made during this search.

"In the second search this afternoon, a total of 60 cannabis plants with an estimated street value of 48,000 and rock methamphetamine with an estimated street value of 45,600 was seized. The drugs are now subject to analysis by Forensic Science Ireland (FSI)."

One man, aged in his mid 30s was arrested at the scene and taken to Drogheda Garda station where he was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.

This man has since been released from custody without charge and a file will now be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Gardai say investigations ongoing.
RockSalt were crowned winners at the National Digital Awards on Friday, taking home the trophy for Hospitality Website of the Year.

The awards are organised by Digital Business Ireland, the countrys leading representative body for the digital commerce sector, and Permanent TSB.

Spanning 22 categories, the awards reward businesses, organisations and individuals who demonstrated digital excellence in 2022. Chairperson of Digital Business Ireland, Ashley McDonnell said, This years National Digital Awards series has been the most impressive yet, highlighting the tremendous growth and development of the Irish digital commerce sector throughout 2022.

ZOMA said Rocksalt worked hand in hand with it over the past 18 months to create an online presence that is both innovative, creative and functional, with an eye on giving their customers an exceptional experience from start to finish.

Using video and photography produced by ZOMA's inhouse content creation team, the website is designed to highlight this content, is easy to navigate and showcases all the amazing food and coffee that Rocksalt offers.

Customers can view Rocksalt's menu in their multiple locations or buy Rocksalt's signature blend and treats online which ensures no one misses out.

Since the launch of the new website, both brand awareness and customer engagement has increased substantially.
Kang Gam-chan, an industry ministry official, speaks during a press conference at the Sejong Government Complex, Monday. Yonhap



By Lee Kyung-min



Korea will seek a rapid restoration of frayed bilateral relations with Japan by deciding to temporarily halt an ongoing dispute settlement process with the World Trade Organization (WTO), the industry ministry said Monday.



Ties between the two countries have deteriorated after years of intensified conflict over Japan's export curbs on key materials needed to manufacture computer chips  Korea's growth driver industry accounting for about a fifth of its total exports.



Accelerating the move to end four years of bilateral feuding is a recent breakthrough in long-stalled talks over compensating Koreans who were forced to labor at Japanese factories during World War II. The dispute was triggered by Korea's 2018 Supreme Court ruling that ordered Japanese firms to pay Korean forced labor victims.






Business leaders of South Korea and Japan gather for a photo session during the 29th Korea-Japan Business Council held in Seoul on July 4, 2022. Korea Times photo by Bae Woo-han



A major business lobby in Korea said Monday it will consider all measures to flesh out a plan Korea and Japan have agreed to push for to form a joint fund to support the youth under Seoul's proposal on compensating Korean victims of Japan's wartime forced labor.



The Seoul government earlier announced the decision to compensate 15 forced labor victims through a government foundation funded with donations from Korean companies, instead of Tokyo paying them as ordered by Seoul courts.



The government also proposed creating a "future youth fund," as part of the resolution measures, to serve as a bridge to revitalize private exchanges, especially among the younger generations.



The government offered the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) and the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) to lead efforts to establish the fund.



"The FKI and Keidanren have discussed various ways to develop the Korea-Japan relations in a forward-looking manner, and we will begin more detailed discussions on how to build future-oriented ties based on the agreement reached between the two governments with regard to the forced labor issue," the FKI said in a statement.



"We'll consider every measure, including discussion on the fund, on a zero-base basis," the FKI said.



The Korean business circles hailed the government's plan and the commitment shared by the two countries to resolving Tokyo's export restrictions on Seoul.



Hours after the announcement on the compensation plan, Seoul said it has decided to halt the process for the complaint it has lodged with the World Trade Organization on Japan's export controls of key industrial materials to Seoul.



The export curbs have been seen as retaliation for the Korean Supreme Court's rulings that ordered Japanese companies to compensate Korean victims. Japan has refused to pay the compensation to the Korean victims, citing a 1965 deal that normalized the bilateral relations. (Yonhap)


Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi addresses lawmakers while defending his next year's budget bill at the parliament in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, Jan. 22. AP-Yonhap





A crisis over suspected poisonings targeting Iranian schoolgirls escalated Sunday as authorities acknowledged over 50 schools were struck in a wave of possible cases. The poisonings have spread further fear among parents as Iran has faced months of unrest.







It remains unclear who or what is responsible since the alleged poisonings began in November in the Shiite holy city of Qom. Reports now suggest schools across 21 of Iran's 30 provinces have seen suspected cases, with girls' schools the site of nearly all the incidents.







The attacks have raised fears that other girls could be poisoned, apparently just for going to school. Education for girls has never been challenged in the more than 40 years since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iran has been calling on the Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan to allow girls and women return to school and universities.







Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi on Saturday said, without elaborating, that investigators recovered "suspicious samples" in the course of their investigations into the incidents, according to the state-run IRNA news agency. He called for calm among the public, while also accusing the "enemy's media terrorism" of inciting more panic over the alleged poisonings.







However, it wasn't until the poisonings received international media attention that hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi announced an investigation into the incidents on Wednesday.







On Sunday, Raisi told the Cabinet, following a report read by Intelligence Minister Ismail Khatib, that the root of the poisonings must be uncovered and confronted. He described the alleged attacks as a "crime against humanity for creating anxiety among student and parents."







Vahidi said at least 52 schools had been affected by suspected poisonings. Iranian media reports have put the number of schools at over 60. At least one boy's school reportedly has been affected.







In this file photo taken on Oct. 5, 2022 a protester holds a portrait of Ali Khamenei during a demonstration in support of Amini, a young Iranian woman who died after being arrested in Tehran by the Islamic Republic's morality police, on Tajrish Square in Tehran, Iran. AFP-Yonhap





Videos of upset parents and schoolgirls in emergency rooms with IVs in their arms have flooded social media. Making sense of the crisis remains challenging, given that nearly 100 journalists have been detained by Iran since the start of protests in September over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. She had been detained by the country's morality police and later died.







The security force crackdown on those protests has seen at least 530 people killed and 19,700 others detained, according to Human Rights Activists in Iran.







The children affected in the poisonings reportedly complained of headaches, heart palpitations, feeling lethargic or otherwise unable to move. Some described smelling tangerines, chlorine or cleaning agents.







Reports suggest at least 400 schoolchildren have fallen ill since November. Vahidi, the interior minister, said in his statement that two girls remain in hospital because of underlying chronic conditions.







As more attacks were reported Sunday, videos were posted on social media showing children complaining about pain in the legs, abdomen and dizziness. State media have mainly referred to these as "hysteric reactions."







Since the outbreak, no one was reported in critical condition and there have been no reports of fatalities.







Attacks on women have happened in the past in Iran, most recently with a wave of acid attacks in 2014 around the city of Isfahan , at the time believed to have been carried out by hard-liners targeting women for how they dressed.







Speculation in Iran's tightly controlled state media has focused on the possibility of exile groups or foreign powers being behind the poisonings. That was also repeatedly alleged during the recent protests without evidence. In recent days, Germany's foreign minister, a White House official and others have called on Iran to do more to protect schoolgirls  a concern Iran's Foreign Ministry has dismissed as "crocodile tears."







A woman walks towards a bus stop in downtown Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Feb. 23. AP-Yonhap





However, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom noted that Iran has "continued to tolerate attacks against women and girls for months" amid the recent protests.







"These poisonings are occurring in an environment where Iranian officials have impunity for the harassment, assault, rape, torture and execution of women peacefully asserting their freedom of religion or belief," Sharon Kleinbaum of the commission said in a statement.







Suspicion in Iran has fallen on possible hard-liners for carrying out the suspected poisonings. Iranian journalists, including Jamileh Kadivar, a prominent former reformist lawmaker at Tehran's Ettelaat newspaper, have cited a supposed communique from a group calling itself Fidayeen Velayat that purportedly said that girls' education "is considered forbidden" and threatened to "spread the poisoning of girls throughout Iran" if girls' schools remain open.







Iranian officials have not acknowledged any group called Fidayeen Velayat, which roughly translates to English as "Devotees of the Guardianship." However, Kadivar's mention of the threat in print comes as she remains influential within Iranian politics and has ties to its theocratic ruling class. The head of the Ettelaat newspaper also is appointed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.







Kadivar wrote Saturday that another possibility is "mass hysteria." There have been previous cases of this over the last decades, most recently in Afghanistan from 2009 through 2012. Then, the World Health Organization wrote about so-called "mass psychogenic illnesses" affecting hundreds of girls in schools across the country.







"Reports of stench smells preceding the appearance of symptoms have given credit to the theory of mass poisoning," WHO wrote at the time. "However, investigations into the causes of these outbreaks have yielded no such evidence so far."







Iran has not acknowledged asking the world health body for assistance in its investigation. WHO did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday.







However, Kadivar also noted that hard-liners in Iranian governments in the past carried out so-called "chain murders" of activists and others in the 1990s. She also referenced the killings by Islamic vigilantes in 2002 in the city of Kerman, when one victim was stoned to death and others were tied up and thrown into a swimming pool, where they drowned. She described those vigilantes as being members of the Basij, an all-volunteer force in Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.







"The common denominator of all of them is their extreme thinking, intellectual stagnation and rigid religious view that allowed them to have committed such violent actions," Kadivar wrote. (AP)


The IGNITE programme at University College Cork (UCC), which nurtures start-ups from the idea stage to commercial reality, has opened a fresh call for applications.

The IGNITE programme is accepting applications from recent graduates for the next full-time start-up incubation programme starting in April 2023.

The IGNITE programme has worked with more than 160 start-ups over the last 11 years and these companies have created more than 370 jobs.

The programme is based at University College Cork and is open to recent graduates in any discipline, from any third level Institution in Ireland, who have the passion and ambition to work full-time on a scalable start-up idea that has potential for economic, environmental or social impact.

IGNITE Director Eamon Curtin said: The programme consists of several valuable resources to help grow your start-up to the next level. We offer seminars, workshops, entrepreneurial guest speakers, mentoring and experts, fundraising and a workspace to help you grow your idea.

Some really exciting companies have come out of IGNITE.

Conor Lyden, founder of Trustap, a transaction platform, specifically designed to protect people from being scammed when theyre buying or selling, online or in person, with strangers said that without IGNITE and all of the people involved he simply would not have my own business.

Another, Clare Meskill, co-founder of Teleatherapy, has created a platform that offers speech therapy technology to people living with Parkinsons disease.

IGNITE is supported by University College Cork, Bank of Ireland, the Local Enterprise Offices of Cork City, South Cork and North and West Cork, Cork City Council and Cork County Council.

Founded in 2011 and supported by the Bank of Ireland, IGNITE is a joint initiative by Cork City Council, Cork County Council, the Local Enterprise Offices in Cork City and County and UCC to encourage entrepreneurship and enterprise creation.

Since then, it has worked with almost 160 start-ups and over 190 founders who have launched companies such as AnaBio Technologies, ApisProtect, LegitFit, OncoAssist, PunditArena, QuickMinutes, Talivest, Teleatherapy, TrustAp, UrAbility and Vconnecta. Based at UCC, IGNITE is open to all recent graduates from all third-level institutions in Ireland to work full-time on a scalable start-up idea with potential for commercial or social impact.

Applications close on March 6 and people can apply on ignite.ucc.ie
A security man at Penneys had two front teeth knocked out by a headbutt from a 45-year-old woman who was stopped for shoplifting.

Rosemary OSullivan of Barretts Buildings, Cork, pleaded guilty to a charge of assault causing harm to the security man.

Sergeant Geraroid Davis said that on June 12 2020, gardai responded to a call to the scene outside Penneys on Patricks St. Security staff followed OSullivan to Cook St as she ignored their efforts to get her to wait outside the store.

She headbutted one of the security men by headbutting him when she threw her head back into his face causing the loss of two teeth, Sgt Davis said.

Her previous convictions include one from May last year for an aggravated burglary.

Solicitor Frank Buttimer said that while the accused was extremely anxious in court she had improved immeasurably from how she had been over a year ago. She required intervention in the Central Mental Hospital following her release from prison. There was an issue about fitness to plead and her capacity in relation to the offending.

The 45-year-old said: I am doing very well, your honour. I am attending womens group and probation. I am taking my medication.

Mr Buttimer said the accused carried out the assault when she was experiencing severe mental health difficulties. In her right mind, she would not have done it. And she does empathise with the victim, the solicitor said.

Judge Olann Kelleher said: I am aware of your background history and your illness. The judge said the offence would merit a jail term but that in light of all the background circumstances he would impose a nine-month suspended sentence.
IT has been a challenging few years for companies of all sizes however, the resilience of micro and small businesses in Cork city is remarkable.

At Cork City Local Enterprise Office, were seeing local companies creating employment and sustaining employment. Businesses supported by Cork City LEO created 76 new jobs during 2022.

There is a determination among entrepreneurs in Cork to learn, to upskill and to ask for help if and when they need it. Last year, LEO Cork City provided training for almost 1,500 people. A further 100 companies availed of vouchers to enable them to trade online.

Enterprise Week is an opportunity for entrepreneurs to participate in events targeted at businesses at all stages of development. The schedule of events for Local Enterprise Week 2023, we believe, reflects the changing environment businesses and business owners find themselves in.

The week kicks off today with an event focusing on the future of retail. Our customer-facing businesses, the bricks and mortar stores are the heartbeat of our city and are constantly changing to meet the needs of the ever evolving consumer. Cork City Retail Therapy - 2023 and Beyond is an opportunity to hear some of Irelands leading experts give their views and tips.

On Tuesday afternoon, the focus turns to green issues and sustainability when Cork City Councils Procurement Officer will deliver a webinar introducing local businesses to Green Public Procurement.

We know that small changes can make a big difference when it comes to efficiencies and cost savings for companies. However, businesses need to be aware of their environmental impact if they wish to provide goods or services to public bodies and large organisations. For example, when Cork City Council tenders for goods, services and works it aims to ensure that the contract it enters will address the environmental impact of that contract in a meaningful and measurable way.

There is a strong focus on digitisation, competitiveness and productivity throughout Local Enterprise Week 2023.

On Wednesday morning, we are hosting a one-hour course in delivering courses, presentations or training online in a live online or pre-recorded setting. Judie Russell from The Vidacademy will offer her insights and advice on how to get the best out of delivering courses online.

At lunchtime, participants will have an opportunity to stretch, relax and breathe with Anita Siegl from Happy Feet Reflexology. This 30-minute interactive session is filled with exclusive hand stretching and relaxing exercises that are specifically designed to improve mobility and flexibility in your wrists and hands. Its important to take time out to destress, however, many people struggle with mindfulness. Anita will combine deep breathing techniques with hand movements shown to effectively reduce mental and physical tension.

Making labour-intensive tasks digital is one of the quickest ways to drive down costs for a business. Chat GPT has taken the internet by storm since it launched at the end of 2022. Its a versatile chatbot that can be trained to do any number of tasks including writing stories, composing music and answering questions. It can even help businesses with development, marketing plans, project management, financial planning. Our webinar on Wednesday afternoon will give attendees an overview of Chat GPT and how it is changing the way we search and experience the web.

Partnership and Enterprise at the Imperial Hotel on Thursday morning is a networking event focusing on the business supports available to small and micro enterprises. It will be of particular interest to people considering self-employment but who may not be familiar with the role played by the Local Enterprise Office, Cork City Partnership and the Department of Social Protection.

On Thursday afternoon, John OShanahan of LeanBPI will be delivering a presentation at the Northside Business Campus on the benefits of digitisation for food manufacturers. This event aims to offer real solutions, showing how small businesses can harness the power of digitalisation to streamline operations, reduce stress, and improve overall performance.

On Friday, the attention turns to Improving The Bottom Line. The workshop by Denis Casey of Casey Business Consulting takes place at the Clayton Hotel, Silversprings. Denis will show how companies can improve their bottom line, demonstrating how to cost and price their products and services. Small business owners will also have an opportunity to attend Green Business Advice sessions throughout the day, receiving practical and strategic one-to-one guidance from experienced business practitioners.

Local Enterprise Week is an opportunity for entrepreneurs and small businesses to tap into the expertise that is available to them in Cork city. We hope that owners and people thinking about starting their own businesses will engage with us this week.

All of the events are free but booking in advance is essential. For further information on the LEO Cork Citys complete programme of events for Local Enterprise Week and to book your place online, visit www.localenterprise.ie/corkcity
Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions.

The Denka facility at the center of the DOJ and EPA lawsuit, on Aug. 12, 2021. EMILY KASK / AFP via Getty Images

The U.S. filed a complaint last week against two companies behind a highly polluting petrochemical plant in Louisianas Cancer Alley.

The Pontchartrain Works facility makes neoprene, a synthetic rubber used for everything from laptop covers to wetsuits. But to do this, it releases chloroprene, a likely carcinogen that is the main reason that the majority Black town of Reserve, Louisiana, has the highest cancer risk from air pollution in the country, at a full 50 times the national average, as The Guardian reported in 2019.

Its a positive move in the right direction, Mary Hampton, the president of Concerned Citizens of St. John the Baptist Parish  where Reserve is located  told AP News of the lawsuit. Its been a long time coming.

Tuesdays complaint was filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) with the help of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according to an EPA press release. It names two companies: the Japanese-based Denka Performance Elastomer LLC that owns and operates the plant and U.S. chemical giant DuPont Specialty Products USA LLC, which owns the land beneath the plant and acts as Denkas landlord. The complaint, filed under section 303 of the Clean Air Act, intends to force Denka to reduce its chloroprene emissions.

We allege that Denkas emissions have led to unsafe concentrations of carcinogenic chloroprene near homes and schools in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta said in the press release. The Justice Departments environmental justice efforts require ensuring that every community, no matter its demographics, can breathe clean air and drink clean water. Our suit aims to stop Denkas dangerous pollution.

Chloroprene, like other carcinogens, is especially dangerous to children who are still developing. Yet the plant is within 450 feet of the 5th Ward Elementary School, which more than 300 children attend, and within a mile-and-a-half of East St. John High School, which around 1,200 children attend.

The suit claims that emissions remain so high that a child breathing air near certain monitors around the facilitys fence line would exceed their lifetime excess cancer risk within two years, Yvonne Leche Perkins of Concerned Citizens of St. John posted on its Facebook page.

Overall, air monitoring carried out by both the EPA and Denka show long-term chloroprene concentrations near the plant that are as much as 14 times whats recommended over 70 years of life, according to the press release.

In response, Denka said it strongly disagrees with the complaint, as The Guardian reported.

DPE is in compliance with its air permits and applicable law, the company said in a statement reported by The Guardian. EPA is taking an unprecedented step  deviating from its permitting and rulemaking authorities  to allege an emergency based on outdated and erroneous science the agency released over 12 years ago.

The claim is part of attempts by the Biden administration to clean up Cancer Alley  a corridor along the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and Louisiana notorious for petrochemical plants that disproportionately impact Black and low-income communities, as AP News noted. EPA Administrator Michael Regan visited the region in late 2021 as part of an environmental justice tour and pledged action, including $600,000 for air pollution monitoring.

You can read more about the complaint @EPA and @TheJusticeDept filed here https://t.co/Cj6xjKl7Ok  Michael Regan, U.S. EPA (@EPAMichaelRegan) March 1, 2023

When I visited Saint John the Baptist Parish during my first Journey to Justice tour, I pledged to the community that EPA would take strong action to protect the health and safety of families from harmful chloroprene pollution from the Denka facility, Regan said in the press release. This complaint filed against Denka delivers on that promise. The company has not moved far enough or fast enough to reduce emissions or ensure the safety of the surrounding community. This action is not the first step we have taken to reduce risks to the people living in Saint John the Baptist Parish, and it will not be the last.
Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions.

Polar bears feeding at a garbage dump near a remote Russian village in 2018. Scientists say human conflicts with polar bears will increase as melting Arctic ice forces the bears to compete for food on land. ALEXANDER GRIR / AFP via Getty Images

In 2019, an archipelago in the Russian Arctic Ocean declared a state of emergency when an aurora of polar bears muscled their way into a settlement and began nosing through the garbage.

At the time, experts said that the climate crisis likely caused the polar bear invasion, as dwindling sea ice forced them to seek food from human dumpsters instead. Now, a new study led by researchers from the University of Washington (UW) finds that this was not an isolated incident.

We found evidence of conflicts between people and wildlife exacerbated by climate change on six continents, in five different oceans, in terrestrial systems, in marine systems, in freshwater systems  involving mammals, reptiles, birds, fish and even invertebrates, study lead author and UW assistant biology professor Briana Abrahms said in a press release. Although each individual case has its own array of different causes and effects, these climate-driven conflicts are really ubiquitous.

The paper, published in Nature Climate Change, was a review of three decades of research, according to The Guardian. The research team looked for peer-reviewed documentation of conflicts between humans and wildlife that could be clearly traced to the impacts of climate change and focused on 49 incidents. Further, they found that the number of relevant studies multiplied by four in the decade of the study period.

Polar bears have historically been the poster animals for the climate crisis, and the paper found that encounters between bears and humans in Churchill, Manitoba, in Canada  already considered the polar bear capital of the world  multiplied by three between 1970 and 2005. However, the paper also turned up conflicts in less expected places, from Sumatra to Scotland.

We were surprised that its so globally prevalent, this was one of the big takeaways of this paper, Abrahms told The Guardian.

More than 80 percent of the incidents were caused by either temperature or rainfall changes. For example, a drought in western Tanzania in 2009 forced elephants to forage local fields for food, the press release explained. Subsistence farmers, desperate to protect their crops, sometimes resorted to killing the elephants that could munch through two to three acres a day. In another case, higher temperatures in both the air and ocean off South Africa  exacerbated by El Nino  led to an uptick in shark attacks.

Overall, 45 percent of the studies reviewed described an incident that led to wildlife injury or death, while 43 percent of the incidents led to a human injury or death, according to The Guardian. While these findings are troubling, the scientists hope that by studying these increasing conflicts, they can discover ways to help prevent them.

Identifying these pathways allows for developing mitigation strategies and proactive policies to limit the impacts of human-wildlife conflict on biodiversity conservation and human well-being in a changing climate, they wrote in the abstract.

Indeed, one of the incidents they reviewed had a happy ending. In 2014 and 2015, researchers noticed that a record number of blue and humpback whales were getting tangled in fishing gear off the California coast. Eventually, they figured out this was because of a record breaking marine heat wave in the Pacific from 2014 to 2016 dubbed the warm blob, according to the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC).

With the ocean warming, we saw a shift in the ecosystem and in the feeding behavior of humpback whales that led to a greater overlap between whales and crab fishing gear, UCSC applied mathematics researcher and lead author on a paper explaining the phenomenon Jarrod Santora said in the university press release.

In response to the data, California changed its fishing regulations to be more responsive to where and when whales are likely to be based on ocean conditions.

These examples show us that once you know the root causes of a conflict, you can design interventions to help both people and wildlife, Abrahms said in the press release. We can change.
Ukrainian soldiers of the 10th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade "Edelweiss" load a 120 mm mortar mine into a French MO-120-RT61 mortar to fire towards Russian positions at a front line in the Donetsk region amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, March 4. AFP-Yonhap



Russia's defense minister has inspected troops in frontline regions in eastern Ukraine, after the United States offered more support to Kyiv whose forces are struggling in Bakhmut.



Sergei Shoigu inspected an advance command post in the direction of the south of the Donetsk region, the defense ministry said, without specifying exactly where or when.



It put out a rare video of the Russian defense minister travelling in a helicopter and talking to a soldier in front of damaged buildings.



Shoigu handed state awards to servicemen and held a meeting with his deputies "on organizing the uninterrupted provision of troops with armaments, military hardware and ordnance", his ministry later said.



The visit came with fierce fighting ongoing around Bakhmut, the longest battle of the conflict, which has further exposed rivalries between the conventional army and the Wagner paramilitary group.



Wagner chef Yevgeny Prigozhin said Friday his fighters had "practically encircled" Bakhmut.



Well-versed in social media, Prigozhin has for weeks been publicizing the advances of his men towards the eastern city, whose symbolic importance outstrips any military significance.



Prigozhin regularly posts videos of himself alongside mercenaries, on the ground or even in a fighter jet, in contrast with Russian generals criticized for shirking the frontline.



In his latest video Friday, Prigozhin directly called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to abandon Bakhmut, which Russia is determined to seize as part of the wider aim of capturing the entire Donetsk region.



Allies support



Zelensky has pledged to defend "fortress Bakhmut" for as long as possible, calling on allies to intensify their support to help his men do so.



On Saturday the president of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola visited Ukraine, where she met Zelensky and called for the country to be allowed to begin its EU membership negotiations this year.



"The task is to actively prepare everything for our country's EU membership, increase the supply of weapons to Ukraine, and strengthen sanctions against Russia," Zelensky said in his daily address after the meeting.



U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday hosted German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for his first visit since the offensive, a display of partnership after friction over supplying tanks to Ukraine.



Ahead of the meeting, the Kremlin warned that Western weapon deliveries to Kyiv would only "prolong the conflict and have sad consequences for the Ukrainian people".



The United States responded by offering another $400 million in security assistance.



The new security package features ammunition  including for the HIMARS precision rocket system that Ukrainian forces have used to devastating effect against Russian troops and supply dumps.



Ukraine's Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov praised the package as "a solid investment in the future success of the Ukrainian army on the battlefield", where Western military aid has been key to Kyiv's ability to hold out and to even regain ground.





A Ukrainian soldier of the 10th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade "Edelweiss" fires a French MO-120-RT61 mortar towards Russian positions at a front line in the Donetsk region amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, March 4. AFP-Yonhap
Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions.

The high seas are home to abundant marine life and extraordinary ecosystems like coral reefs. Roberto Machado Noa / LightRocket via Getty Images

After more than a decade of talks, the 193 United Nations (UN) member states have reached a landmark international agreement for a new Treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in areas of the ocean outside national jurisdiction, known as the high seas.

In New York late Saturday night, President of the UN Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction Rena Lee announced that the substantive issues of the Treaty had been agreed upon.

Greenpeace activists display a banner before the UN headquarters in New York during negotiations on a treaty to protect the high seas on Feb. 27, 2023. ED JONES / AFP via Getty Images

Following a two week long rollercoaster ride of negotiations and super-hero efforts in the last 48 hours, governments reached agreement on key issues that will advance protection and better management of marine biodiversity in the High Seas, said Director of the High Seas Alliance Rebecca Hubbard in a press release from the High Seas Alliance.

The Treaty will clear the way for the establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the high seas and provide guidelines for assessing how human activities impact the environment, a press release from the Pew Charitable Trusts said.

The High Seas Alliance is calling on the UN to conclude the formalities of adoption of the Treaty as soon as possible to ensure the agreement is preserved.

High seas marine protected areas can play a critical role in the impacts of climate change, said Liz Karan, project director of the Pew Charitable Trusts Protecting Ocean Life on the High Seas, in the Pew Charitable Trusts press release. Governments and civil society must now ensure the agreement is adopted and rapidly enters into force and is effectively implemented to safeguard high seas biodiversity.

The high seas are home to abundant marine life and extraordinary ecosystems like deep-water corals. They also serve as migratory routes for sharks, whales and other species.

A network of MPAs in the high seas is crucial for preserving a minimum of 30 percent of marine and terrestrial habitat worldwide by 2030  an international movement known as 30 by 30.

30 by 30 was adopted last December by the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity as part of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Following the Kunming Montreal Agreement, which sets out a global path for biodiversity protection, this treaty will bring a similar ambition to the high seas. Because Canadas waters are bounded by three international ocean basins, it has an outsized role in ensuring that the Treaty is fully implemented, once formally adopted, said Vice President of Conservation and Projects at Oceans North Susanna Fuller, in the High Seas Alliance press release.

Currently, only a little more than one percent of the high seas is protected, but the new Treaty will provide a framework for establishing MPAs, as well as the legal basis for attainment of the 30 by 30 goal. Protecting at least 30 percent of the planets ocean by 2030 is the minimum level needed to ensure it will be healthy, scientists have said.

The Treaty will make it easier to manage shipping, fishing and other activities that have historically contributed to the deterioration of ocean health in the high seas, the High Seas Alliance press release said.

The high seas is home to millions of species and is the largest habitat on the planet.

Its been a very long journey to get to a Treaty. We will be looking to the 52 states that make up the High Ambition Coalition to lead the charge to adopt, ratify and identify important High Seas areas to protect, said Hubbard in the High Seas Alliance press release.

One of the major sticking points in Treaty negotiations was how best for nations to share marine genetic resources (MGR) and the profits that will eventually come from them, reported The Guardian. MGR are the genetic material of deep-sea organisms like krill, seaweeds, corals, marine sponges and bacteria, which can potentially be used in cosmetics and medications.

The High Seas Treaty opens the path for humankind to finally provide protection to marine life across our one ocean. Its adoption closes essential gaps in international law and offers a framework for governments to work together to protect global ocean heath, climate resilience, and the socioeconomic wellbeing and food security of billions of people, said Minna Epps, director of the International Union for Conservation of Natures Global Marine and Polar Programme, in the High Seas Alliance press release.




Poultry producers urge Bangladesh's government to fix prices

Amid skyrocketing chicken and egg prices, Bangladesh's poultry producers have called for the government to fix prices as they claimed that the farmers are still incurring losses.

At a press conference in the capital on Sunday, poultry producers platform World Poultry Science Association (WPSA) noted that the country's wholesale egg rate is below the production cost. This comes as poultry feed prices soared by up to 123% last February, when compared to 2020.

The feed price hikes are more than 71% in the past one year, according to the association's leaders, who blamed middlemen, price manipulations and extortion.

Poultry Science Association former president AI Fazle Rahim Khan gave a detailed media presentation suggesting the industry "is in dire straits".

To protect small farmers, the association leaders placed four-point recommendations including forming a price fixation committee and making the poultry production costs public on a regular basis.

The committee could incorporate university teachers, feed production experts and representatives from Bangladesh's Ministry of Livestock, said Moshiur Rahman, president of the association and managing director of the Paragon Group.

Moshiur said rational production costs should be determined and published in the media every three months.

"The department of agriculture marketing has set profit margins on production, wholesale and retail stages. The margin should be followed to find out whether the feed producers are overcharging," he added.

According to association leaders, prices of one-day chicken started declining in May 2022. Although it had improved slightly in the August-October period, the prices dipped again, causing trouble to the industry.

The leaders added that poultry farms cannot increase or decrease their production overnight as the production needs time.

They feared if such a situation continues, many of the farmers would not be able to continue their businesses.

- The Financial Express


March 6, 2023

Cutting numbers of Ireland's suckler herd can help Irish agriculture meet climate goals, says official

The chair of the Food Vision Beef and Sheep Group, Prof. Thia Hennessy, believes it will be "very challenging" for the agriculture sector to meet climate targets without reducing the suckler herd.

Among the recommendations in the group's final report were voluntary diversification and extensification schemes for the beef sector.

However, Irish Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has since said that a government scheme to reduce the Irish beef herd is "off the table".

Prof. Hennessy, who is the head of the Department of Food Business and Development and chair of Agri-Food Economics at Cork University Business School, told Agriland that the emissions reduction targets for the agriculture sector "are very ambitious."

"As the scientific solutions were presented to us, it became more and more evident that reaching those ambitious targets without some contraction in production is going to be almost impossible," she said.

Several farming organisations refused to sign off on the group's final report, with the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers' Association (INHFA) having previously withdrawn from the process entirely.

"Those two particular proposals were the ones that received the most resistance within the group. The inclusion of them in the final report was probably what caused many stakeholders to object to the report or not to sign up fully," she said.

"My own view was that I was asked to chart a way forward to reaching the targets and with the science available, we could not reach the target without including those proposals. From my perspective, they needed to be in the report to provide the full honest account of where we are within the sector.

"After the report was submitted, stakeholders had a number of one-to-one meetings with the minister and obviously his decision arising out of those meetings was that those proposals were too controversial and too disruptive for the sector.

"I think that it will be very challenging to reach the proposed targets without some reduction in animal numbers on the beef side."

Prof. Hennessy added that it is still unknown what the implication will be if Ireland does not reach its emissions targets.

"I think that if we knew that, we'd have more urgency and we'd be making more progress. For me, it just seems like the urgency isn't there at the moment," she said.

The Food Vision beef group chair maintains that there was some support for the diversification proposals.

"This would allow suckler cow farmers to reduce their cow numbers and receive a payment on the cows that they are taking out of the system," Prof. Hennessy explained. " It would allow them to use that payment to invest in more environmentally-friendly practices for their remaining animals.

"So I think it's unfortunate that that proposal has been completely taken off the table, especially when it still exists as a possibility for dairy sector."

- Agriland




Namibia distributes over 2.5 tonnes of aquaculture fish to help flood victims

Namibia's Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources recently supported flood victims in the country's north by distributing over 2.5 tonnes of freshwater fish harvested from an aquaculture demonstration farm at Epalela.

Epalela Fish Farm is the biggest government research project of freshwater production in Namibia.

The handing over of the fish to the Office of the Prime took place in Windhoek, where Minister of Fisheries Hon Derek Klazen said the donation is for the benefit of the citizens who are affected by flood. It is also to demonstrate that aquaculture is feasible in Namibia.

"Food security is a high priority of my ministry and I call upon Namibians who have a passion for aquaculture to start their aquaculture projects," Klazen said. "The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources stands ready to provide fingerlings and technical advisory service to the fish farmers."

According to Klazen, the purpose of the Epalela farm is to demonstrate through research, production trials and improvements in economic efficiency, the viability of freshwater fish farming. "The farm has 12 ponds, with a maximum production capacity of 60 tonnes per annum. Fish are grown to the market size and sold to the community at a subsidised price."

Recent floods in the north-central regions of Namibia have displaced people and affected their livelihoods.

Klazen said the purpose of the government to establish aquaculture centers in the regions is to attain the national socio-economic objectives, which are to enhance food security, employment creation and income generation from small, medium to large-scale aquaculture production.

"The established regional aquaculture centers have responsibilities of fish breeding extension service (such as fingerling production and distribution) and training or awareness creation on how the local communities can venture into aquaculture or fish farming," he added.

The Northwest Aquaculture centres include Ongwediva, Onavivi and Epalela.

"These centres provide extension services to the communities of Oshana, Ohangwena, Oshikoto, Omusati and Kunene," he said, adding that the ministry has eight operational fish farm centres, which are Hardap Aquaculture and Inland Fisheries Centre in the Hardap Region; Leonardville Fish Farm in the Omaheke Region; Fonteintjie Fish Farm in the Karas Region; Onavivi Aquaculture and Inland Fisheries Centre in the Omusati Region; Ongwediva Aquaculture and Inland Fisheries Centre in the Oshana Region; Mpungu Demonstration Fish Farm in the Kavango West Region; Kamutjonga Inland Fisheries Institute in the Kavango East Region and Zambezi Aquaculture and Inland Fisheries Centre in the Zambezi Region.

- Namibia Economist




Lower number of cattle, pigs in Austria slaughtered last year

Austria's pig inventory, as of December 2022, was 2.65 million head.

According to the Austrian Statistical Office, about 1.86 million head of cattle (down 0.5% or -9,000 animals compared to 2021), 2.65 million head of pigs (-4.9% or -135,400 animals), 400,700 head of sheep (- 0.4%) and 99,000 head of goats (-1.6%) were raised in Austria.

Fewer cattle, pigs and horses were slaughtered in 2022, but more sheep and goats were slaughtered.

As for the swine inventory, compared to December 1, 2021, the number of pigs decreased in all categories. The number of piglets and young pigs decreased by 4.8% to 1.32 million head, finishing pigs by 4.5% to 1.12 million head and breeding sows by 7% to 212,000 head.

The provinces with the highest pig production were Upper Austria, Lower Austria, and Styria, whose inventory increased slightly to 94% of the total herd (93.7%, 2021).

In 2022, the number of pigs slaughtered in slaughterhouses and deemed fit for human consumption decreased by 4.3% to 4.88 million head.

- Austrian Statistics Office




Strong start for Ireland's export of calves in first seven weeks of 2023

The first seven weeks of 2023 has seen a strong start to Ireland's calf export numbers, with just over 13,000 calves exported as of February 19.

This marks an increase of 120% or just under 7,200 head of additional calves exported compared to figures from the same time period last year.

The Netherlands has been the standout destination for Irish calves to date this year, with over 6,300 head making their way to the country in the first seven weeks of 2023. This is up 282% from the 1,650 head of calves that had been exported from Ireland to the Netherlands in the same time period of 2022.

In 2022, a total of 95,000 Irish calves were exported to the Netherlands. This accounted for more than half of the total number of calves exported last year.

Irish calf exports to Spain are up 34% on last year to just under 5,000 head.

In 2022, Spain was an important market for both dairy and beef-sired calves with 55,000 Irish calves exported to the country in total.

Interestingly, 1,100 Irish calves have been exported to Poland in the first seven weeks of 2023. There were no Irish calves exported to the country in the first seven weeks of last year or the year before.

Calf and weanling exports have increased on last year while store and adult cattle exports have both dipped in numbers.

A strong cow trade and a strong demand for store cattle lead by a positive beef trade to date this year are likely some of the main factors causing the drop in store and adult cattle exports.



- Agriland




Borregaard partners with Hawkins, Inc. for SoftAcid acidifiers in North America

Borregaard, headquartered in Sarpsborg, Norway, has recently signed an agreement with Hawkins, Inc. (headquartered in Roseville, Minnesota, the United States) for the licensed production and distribution of its range of SoftAcid products in North America.

Adam Donnelly, area business manager of feed (Americas), said: "We see North America as a very exciting market for our SoftAcid products, which have been successfully adapted by feed producers in other parts of the world. These products offer a number of unique and interesting benefits when it comes to bacterial control, safety and handling. They also represent a more sustainable and less corrosive alternative to pure organic acids.

"We are confident that Hawkins Inc. is the right partner for us. They have a very skilled staff, many strong industry contacts, a large geographic footprint and a trusted reputation in the American market. Furthermore, they believe in and will promote our SoftAcid products. This is essential for us when we evaluate and choose new partners."

Dave Mangine, vice president of industrial sales at Hawkins Inc., said: "We are pleased to enter into this partnership with Borregaard for their SoftAcid products. We find the SoftAcid products to be a great fit for our portfolio and our customer applications. We have built a reputation of solving complex challenges for our customers by providing innovative chemistry solutions. Our partnership with Borregaard and the SoftAcid products is another example of our company's long-term commitment to innovation."



- Borregaard
Tetiana Hurieieva, the mother of Volodymyr Hurieiev, a Ukrainian soldier killed in the Bakhmut area, cries during the funeral in Boryspil, Ukraine, Saturday, March 4. AP-Yonhap



Russian shelling destroyed homes and killed one person in northern Ukraine's Kharkiv province, the region's governor said Sunday, while fighting raged in the fiercely contested eastern city of Bakhmut.



The town of Kupiansk is about 30 kilometers (18 miles) from the Russian border; the region has come under frequent attacks even though Russian ground forces withdrew from the area nearly six months ago. Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said at least five homes were razed in the latest attack that left a 65-year-old man dead.



Two civilians were killed over the past day in Bakhmut, Donetsk province Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said.

Russian forces have spent months trying to capture the city as part of their offensive in eastern Ukraine, and the area has seen some of the bloodiest ground fighting of the war.



In recent days, Ukrainian units destroyed two key bridges just outside Bakhmut, including one linking it to the nearby town of Chasiv Yar along the last remaining Ukrainian resupply route, according to U.K. military intelligence officials and other Western analysts.



Associated Press journalists near Bakhmut on Saturday saw a pontoon bridge set up by Ukrainian soldiers to help the few remaining residents reach the nearby village of Khromove. Later, the AP team saw at least five houses on fire as a result of attacks in Khromove, a nearby settlement.



The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, assessed last week that Kyiv's actions may point to a looming pullout from parts of the city. It said Ukrainian troops may "conduct a limited and controlled withdrawal from particularly difficult sections of eastern Bakhmut," while seeking to inhibit Russian movement there and limit exit routes to the west.



Capturing Bakhmut would not only give Russian fighters a rare battlefield gain after months of setbacks but might rupture Ukraine's supply lines and allow the Kremlin's forces to press on toward other Ukrainian strongholds in Donetsk province.





Tetiana Hurieieva, the mother of Volodymyr Hurieiev, a Ukrainian soldier killed in the Bakhmut area, receives the flag that draped his coffin, during the funeral in Boryspil, Ukraine, Saturday, March 4. AP-Yonhap
UN chief welcomes agreement on text of UN ocean treaty

Xinhua) 09:34, March 06, 2023

UNITED NATIONS, March 5 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomes the finalization of a text of the United Nations (UN) Ocean Treaty to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdictions, his spokesman said Saturday.

"The secretary-general commends delegates for finalizing a text to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction," said an unnamed spokesperson for Guterres in a statement. "This breakthrough, which covers nearly two-thirds of the ocean, marks the culmination of nearly two decades of work and builds on the legacy of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea."

This action is a victory for multilateralism and for global efforts to counter the destructive trends facing ocean health, now and for generations to come. It is crucial for addressing the triple planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. It is also vital for achieving ocean-related goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, said the statement.

Guterres commends all parties for their ambition, flexibility and perseverance and looks forward to continuing working with all parties to secure a healthier, more resilient, and more productive ocean, benefiting current and future generations, said the statement released late Saturday night.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
In this April 17, 2022 file photo, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex visit the track and field event at the Invictus Games in The Hague, Netherlands, Sunday. AP-Yonhap



King Charles III's office has been in touch with Prince Harry about the new monarch's coronation, raising the possibility the prince will attend the historic ceremony despite tensions within the royal family.



If Harry and his wife, Meghan, were to attend the May 6 coronation at Westminster Abbey in London, it would be the first meeting between Charles and his younger son since Harry deepened the rift within the House of Windsor by revealing family secrets in his bestselling book , "Spare.''



A spokesperson for Harry and Meghan, also known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, confirmed Sunday that Harry had received "email correspondence'' from the king's office about the coronation. Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to a request for comment.



"An immediate decision on whether the Duke and Duchess will attend will not be disclosed by us at this time," the couple's office said in a statement.



Speculation about whether Harry and Meghan would be invited to the coronation has raged since the release of Harry's explosive memoir, which contained damning allegations of intrigue behind the palace walls.



The disclosures, including details of private conversations with his father and brother, Prince William, fanned tensions between Harry and his family that became public when he and his wife moved to North America in 2020.



The book also included allegations that members of the royal family regularly feed the press unflattering information about other members of the House of Windsor in exchange for positive coverage of themselves.



The prince singled out Camilla, the queen consort, accusing her of leaking private conversations to the media as she sought to rehabilitate her image after marrying Charles. Camilla was once reviled for her long-term affair with Charles, which contributed to the breakdown of his marriage to the late Prince Diana, Harry and William's mother.



The acrimony between Harry and his family once again spilled into public view this week when the Sussexes acknowledged they were asked to vacate their home in Britain.



Frogmore Cottage, on the grounds of Windsor Castle west of London, was the couple's main residence before they gave up royal duties and moved to Montecito, a wealthy enclave in Southern California.



The Sun newspaper reported that Charles asked them to relinquish the dwelling on Jan. 11, the day after Harry's memoir was published.



But issues other than the book may have sparked the request.





In this Sep. 19, 2022 file photo, Britain's William, Prince of Wales and Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attend the state funeral and burial of Britain's Queen Elizabeth, in London, Britain. Reuters-Yonhap
The Morning After: The Justice Department wants to keep Sam Bankman-Fried on a flip phone And it doesnt mean the Z Flip 4.

FTX founder and former CEO Sam Bankman-Fried may be stuck using a feature phone. In a letter seen by Bloomberg, prosecutors said Bankman-Frieds lawyers had agreed to modify the terms of his bail agreement. Provided the judge overseeing the case agrees to the changes, SBF will be restricted to using a non-smartphone without internet connectivity. Unless a lawyer is present, he will also be forbidden from contacting current or former FTX and Alameda Research employees. The proposed restrictions came after Bankman-Fried allegedly attempted to contact the general counsel of FTXs US subsidiary over Signal at the start of the year. District Judge Lewis Kaplan threatened to revoke Bankman-Frieds bail and send him to jail before the start of his trial after learning the disgraced entrepreneur may have influenced potential witnesses.

Under the modified bail agreement, SBF would be allowed to use a laptop to surf the web, but his access would be filtered through a VPN that would limit him to two categories of websites. One category would include resources his defense team says are critical to his case. The other has 23 websites SBF could use to order food, read the news and watch streaming content.

 Mat Smith

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Los Angeles, CADuring the writing of Without Redemption: Creation & Deeds of Freeway Killer Bill Bonin, His Five Accomplices & How One Who Escaped Justice, authors Vonda Pelto, Ph.D. and Michael B. Butler sought to discoverer the mystery of why he became a serial killer. Able to track his personal evolution, by mining a trove of official investigative docs and Bonin's diaries, they found a number of key episodes that truly mattered. For example, Bonin's two-year stay, from ages 5 to 7, at the Franco-American Orphanage in Lowell, Massachusetts is a formative and unappreciated event by those seeking a better understanding of the infamous Freeway Killer Bill Bonin.

Without Redemption, the most detailed historical biography about Bonin, let alone any serial killer, provides lots of information vital to truly understanding the how and why of the unfeeling murderer Bill Bonin.

Till March 31, 2023, the Kindle of Without Redemption is on sale for 99 Cents

Here is an excerpt from the book regarding Bonin's stay, with his older brother, at the orphanage:

Franco-American Orphanage, September 1953 to May 1955

Alice and Robert Bonin had a dual problem on their hands. Their two oldest sons, Bobby nine and Bill six, were acting out, they were out of control and becoming seriously delinquent. Pressure to control their children's behavior began coming from all sides: neighbors, local police, probation officers, school authorities and the Church.

The children were lucky because their father spent little time at home. He continued to beat them over the slightest provocation, clearly not understanding the value of or how to offer appropriate guidance, discipline and love. Alice kept drinking, chain smoking and frequenting the local bingo parlor, equally out of her depth when it came to properly caring for her sons. Inept at the demands of giving her sons the protection, love and attention they required and needed.

All of the elements in the Bonin's lives combined to force a decision serving multiple purposes; satisfy local authorities, give the boys a structured environment, relieve pressure on the parents and keeping the boys away from their father's physical abuse.

On September 6, 1953 the Bonin's two older sons were placed in the Franco-American Orphanage at 357 Pawtucket Street in Lowell, Massachusetts, a Catholic boarding school for children, to be cared for by Nuns with a mandate from society and God.

Most of the children placed there were not orphans, rather coming from families unable to care for or control their children. The facility was maintained by the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston and run primarily by Nuns. Located 83-miles north of Willimantic, the school consisted of a three-story red brick building complex situated on the banks of the Merrimack River.

Originally built as a stately mansion in the 1870s by prominent Lowell industrialist, Frederick Ayer, it was designed in the Victorian style of the time to reflect Ayer's wealth and power. Vacant for eighteen years before it was purchased in 1908 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, it was to provide a home for orphaned children of Franco-Americans, thus ensuring a continuity of French-Canadian heritage from families who settled in Lowell from Canada.

During a campaign stop for John F. Kennedy's second senatorial campaign, in October 1958, Jacqueline Kennedy visited the facility, and a picture was taken with her and all the students.



When Bobby and Bill arrived, the facility was surrounded by a 15-foot-high chain link fence covered with metal nubs and topped by loops of barbed wire, looking more like a prison than an orphanage. Newcomers were teased, one student recalling "it took a while to learn not to cry." Passersby viewed the sad faces of the confused children pressed against the fence, looking for help which never materialized.

They spent almost two-years at the orphanage. Bill attended grades one thru three in this structured environment and maintained acceptable grades. Cut off from the outside world, the Nuns running this rather scary institution could and did treat the children as they pleased. A daily routine consisted of "morning wake-up, go to church, eat, go to school, go to church, go to lunch, go to school, go to church, go to dinner, go to church, then bedtime. Once you went to bed at night, you were not allowed to get up and would be physically punished if you did."

Their lives were strictly regimented with playgrounds segregated by sex and age. Should boy and girl siblings see each other through the playground fence and attempt communication, severe punishment followed; one incident saw a young girl, who tried to talk to her brother, "jerked away from the fence by her hair and severely beaten." Siblings might see each in the community dining room but were not allowed "to sit together or talk with each other." Bill became severely depressed. He was scared and lonely, not allowed any interaction with his brother.

Perimeter fencing kept children inside and served as a punishment tool. When Bill misbehaved, the Nuns forced him to hit the fence with his fists until his knuckles bled, the fingers becoming unmovable once scabs formed. When subjected to this severe punishment, children "cried and begged not to have to hit the fence."

Begging, crying or pleading brought neither sympathy nor relief from the Nuns, whose Christian charity came from a sense of their duty to the children. They never held, hugged or offered any emotional support. A number of sisters spoke only French, leaving many of the children unable to understand them; of course, blood curdling anger and punishment is the same in any language.

Without Redemption in Kindle on Sale for 99 Cents Till March 31, 2023

Watch a Radio Show Video of Vonda Pelto on the Gary Nolan Show at http://bit.ly/41yfUWc

Watch a Radio Show Video of Vonda Pelto on James Lowe Radio Show at http://bit.ly/3IRx3BE





Watch Radio Show Video of Vonda Pelto on Thunderstruck Radio at https://bit.ly/3EGzK85





Here are two interesting reviews of Without Redemption:

All the Makings of Compelling Serial Killer Movie or Mini-Series

'Without Redemption' sets itself apart from other serial killer bios with the sheer volume of factual detail, one which reads like historical biographies of famous leaders. Freeway Killer Bill Bonin's whole life is laid out and this allows the authors to carefully track his 30-year journey/descent into murderous depravity. I have worked on a number of productions about serial killers and murderers, and this book has all the elements for a compelling movie, mini-series or docudrama.

First, you have Bonin's detailed diaries/written confessions which give an inside view of everything; Second, the co-author, Vonda Pelto, Ph.D., having ersatz counseling/confession sessions with three of the six Freeway Killers in jail; Third, reams of documentary evidence about Bonin's childhood, war service, years in mental hospitals and prisons followed by the months leading up to the murder spree. Next are Bonin's carefully written stories of the 22 killings all over Southern California, the journalists reporting on his activities and the detectives chasing him.

Then, after his arrest the story really gets juicy, and complex, as everyone jumps in the pool together to hash out the penultimate act. Surprises await around every corner as cases are getting built, deals negotiated and more suspects pursued. Part and parcel are scenes of political backstabbing, deception, lying and coverups, which is followed by Bonin's huge trial and the final curtain in this tragic drama.

Generous use of newspaper stories fills in the gaps and the whole book moves rapidly forward without too much lollygagging. 'Without Redemption' is as close to a complete serial killer historical biography that one might find.

M.E.

Co-Author Vonda Pelto is Actually a Player in This Serial Killer Bio

My surprise in this book was how the co-author, Clinical Psychologist Vonda Pelto, Ph.D., actually participated in the story told about the life of Freeway Killer Bill Boninshe dealt with Bonin and two of his accomplices while working at Los Angeles Central Jail. Pelto had numerous sessions with all three, and other horrible serial killers, and had to listen to their ghastly stories, told in some ways to see her reactions and in other ways to relive their crimes. Her disgust is evident, but she hides it during discussions with Bonin, Miley and Munro, where they all talked about murders in detail.

Aside from that 'Without Redemption' is interesting because it is the story of one person's slow march to becoming an unfeeling monster. It was scary how the killing took over his life, kind of like Gollum in 'Lord of the Rings,' it simply swallowed him up.

The authors really packed in the factual stories of Bonin's life, from birth all the way through months and months of day-to-day events after his arrest, when the system was gearing up and he was trying to make a deal to avoid the death penalty. This part of the book is when very public events are analyzed from inside and outside, and where big surprises pop up.

A thoroughly fascinating and engaging read.



D.R.

Watch the Without Redemption Book Trailer http://bit.ly/3Y7gebu

The most detailed bio of serial killer Bill Bonin ever written using previously hidden documents.

How childhood abuse & Vietnam War service helped create what followed.

How Bonin manipulated California judicial, mental health & prison systems for nine years before the killings.

Interviews of Bonin, Miley & Munro with Vonda Pelto, Ph.D. before, during & after his Los Angeles trial.

Bonin's jailhouse writings offer new perspective on his brutality, methods, thoughts and personality.

How & Why Bonin covered for accomplice Eric Wijnaendts, who helped him with two murders.

How & Why March 24, 1980 is a key date in the Bill Bonin story.

Without Redemption: Creation & Deeds of Freeway Killer Bill Bonin, His Five Accomplices & How One Escaped Justice, Paperback ISBN: 979-8841931249, Hard Cover ISBN: 979-8844477775. For more info go to www.WithoutRedemption.com and purchase copies at Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

Media Contact: For interviews or to request review copies contact Flotsam PR at 213-534-7292 or flotsampr@pm.me.
(The Center Square)  History was made Monday morning when President Sauli Niinisto of Finland addressed a joint session of the Washington State Legislature  the first time a foreign leader has ever done so  in a stirring speech that largely focused on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

Niinistos visit to the Evergreen State comes just days after Finlands parliament approved that countrys bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and several months after Gov. Jay Inslee and other representatives from Washington visited Finland in September during a trade mission to Nordic countries focused on energy, technology, and fighting climate change.

The current critical geopolitical situation has brought us closer together than ever before, Niinisto told the Legislature in reference to the conflict in Europe. We are now strengthening our ties in sectors: defense, trade, technology, and energy security. And soon we will be able to call each other allies.

He then went on to talk about the conflict explicitly.

Ladies and gentlemen, more than one year ago Russia launched its brutal attack on Ukraine and brought full-scale war back on the European continent, Niinisto said. The past year has seen horrors we did not expect to see in Europe in this day and age  cities destroyed. Schools, homes, and critical infrastructure demolished. Thousands of lives taken. Millions forced to leave their homes.

Russias invasion of Ukraine combined with Russian President Vladimir Putins previous demands that NATO not expand eastward made the decision to join the Western military alliance clear, according to the Finnish leader.

In May, Finland and Sweden simultaneously handed in their official letters of application to join NATO.

New entrants must be approved by all existing members of the alliance, and support for Finland's application remains pending from Turkey and Hungary.

Finlands NATO membership will not only maximize our own security, Niinisto said. We will be a strong contributor for the security of the whole alliance.

The Finnish leader then pivoted to his nations relationship with Washington state and what that means.

Ladies and gentlemen, the state of Washington is one of Finlands core partners in the United States, Niinisto stated. The first Finnish communities settled here at the end of the 19th century.

He continued, The Finnish and Nordic communities in Washington are still strong and active. We are proud to have one of our own representatives here in the state Legislature, Sen. Marko Liias.

Beyond the cultural ties between Finland and Washington, Niinisto touted cooperation between the two governments on the transition to a green energy future in response to climate change.

For Finland, state partnerships in the U.S. are an increasingly important element of bilateral cooperation, he said.

Niinisto pointed to a November 2021 memorandum of understanding between Finland and Washington concerning cooperation in the forest bioeconomy and technology industries.

We are working to accelerate our cooperation in crucial fields of the future  that is, high technology and green transition, he said. I hope that this visit can also serve to take this work forward.

Niinisto had high praise for Washington states efforts at combatting climate change.

In the global fight against climate change, Finland and Washington are forerunners, he said. Finlands goal is to be carbon neutral by 2035. Reaching that goal requires investments, political leadership, determination and innovation.

In 2021, Washington lawmakers passed the Climate Commitment Act and the Clean Fuel Standards with the goal of helping the state reach its mandated greenhouse gas emissions. Washington must cut emissions 45% below 1990 emission levels by 2030, and continue lowering emissions to net-zero by 2050.

Those two policies went into effect this year.

Only together can we ensure that these crucial technologies will be developed and used in line with our own values, Niinisto said. I trust that the good work that we have started between Finland and the state of Washington will bear fruit and benefit not just us, but also the larger international community.
Traffic is down to one lane on Highway 22 in New Sit
Concerns have been raised over the 'likely extensive' use of pre-cast concrete panels which may be poorly installed on UK farms following the death of a farm worker in 2021.

Jamie Woods, a 40-year-old dairy farm worker who worked at Hawkins Farm in Sherborne, Dorset, died from injuries sustained by a falling concrete panel in January 2021.

Mr Woods was in the collecting yard when the upper concrete panel that divided the collecting yard from the straw storage came away from its fixing.

The collapsed panel caused multiple injuries to the farm worker, who was confirmed deceased at the scene.

Brendan Allen, area coroner for Dorset, has now issued a report into the tragedy, calling for more awareness and education over the matter.

Typically, the concrete panels, which weigh approximately 800kg, are placed between vertical reinforced steel joists (RSJs), secured by means of a metal bracket bolted to the concrete panel.

On Hawkins Farm, two panels had been repurposed from another building to form a divide between the collecting yard and an adjacent barn where straw was stored, with one panel placed on top of the other, to form a wall that was approximately 6 feet in height.

Mr Allen's report highlights concerns over the 'likely extensive' use of pre-cast concrete panels on farms across England and Wales.

Following the report's publication, Mr Allen said there appeared to be a lack of understanding of the importance of securing the panels in the optimal manner.

"It does not appear to have been understood by those working on the farm that the fixings that were used on the panel that collapsed were weaker," he said.

"Neither does it appear to have been appreciated by those that undertook inspections of the farm subsequent to the use of this weaker method of fixing.

Publicising the risks and educating the farmers of the risks of departing from the recognised method of fixing the pre-cast concrete panels may reduce the risk of future deaths.

His report has been sent to the UK's safety watchdog, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), calling it to take urgent action to prevent future deaths.
A new partnership has been formed which aims to tackle the growing scourge of rural crime in the north east of Scotland, an area among the worst affected.

The North East Partnership Against Rural Crime (NEPARC) will see 35 organisations working together to tackle various types of rural crime in the region.

These include fuel, timber, plant and machinery thefts, equestrian incidents, fly-tipping, heritage crime and livestock offences.

Data shows that Aberdeenshire is consistently the second most targeted area in Scotland for rural crime.

Chief Inspector Simon Reid, chair of the NEPARC, explained that the region was one of Scotlands most diverse rural environments.

The theft of agricultural and forestry machinery, plant and quad bikes, for example, had been 'compounded' by global supply chain delays, Brexit, Covid-19 and the cost of living crisis.

He said this had made targeting these commodities very lucrative and worth the risk involved in stealing them.

"Our rural locations are perceived to be an easier target for such crimes," Chief Inspector Reid explained.

"We are aware of the significant financial loss that residents and landowners face due to opportunistic or organised crime.

"The effect of offences within a rural environment can often be far-reaching and impact the victim and the wider community.

"As a partnership, we will encourage, implement and promote initiatives to prevent and reduce opportunities for such criminality."

Lorna Paterson, regional manager at NFU Scotland, one of the organisations in the partnership, said there were 'very challenging criminal activities' in the region.

We need full engagement from our farming members to be aware, to mitigate against illegal activities where possible, and to have avenues to communicate and highlight suspicious behaviours.

The wealth of knowledge and dedication across the partnership allows Police Scotland to maximise the success of their great work.
The UK and Europe are leading the way for global agri-tech investments, having received nearly 81 billion from over 1,700 investors, according to a new report.

The report has highlighted that global investment in agri-tech is growing, almost doubling to 100 billion between January 2020 and January 2021.

Since 2000  when worldwide investment stood at less than 1 billion  companies headquartered in the UK and mainland Europe have attracted over 43% of global investment in agri-tech.

These 564 companies have received nearly 81 billion from over 1,700 investors.

The importance of agri-tech has been recognised by the UK government. At a recent conference in the US, Defra Secretary Therese Coffey said: It is through science, innovation and technology that our farming industry will continue to be sustainable.

Looking at the UKs ambitions, Innovate UK comes joint top globally for the number of agri-tech companies invested in, tying with Horizon 2020 and SVG Venture-THRIVE.

It is also the number one investor in Europe, highlighting the UKs impact on the sector.

The report on agri-tech investment was created by IP specialists GovGrant, to discover the global hotspots attracting capital to the sector.

The UK specialises in indoor farming and animal agri-tech, which accounts for around 40%of its investment, whereas in Europe or globally, they make up under 10%.

With significant expertise in these areas, the report says there is 'great potential' for UK growth and differentiation in indoor farming and animal agri-tech.

Animal agri-tech concentrates on solutions to monitor, analyse and optimise animal health and production. It also explores animal substitution through alt proteins.

Indoor farming, meanwhile, involves components, systems and growers that are all focused on farming indoors, including tech contributing to vertical farming, aquaponics and hydroponics.

London-based Vertical Future raised the largest-ever series A investment for a European indoor farming company: 21 million, which included participation from SFC Capital.

Adam Simmonds, research associate at GovGrant, said the rise in UK agri-tech investment in recent years was 'nothing short of remarkable'.

"As the world faces surging food demand, its also becoming increasingly urgent to curb emissions from food production," he explained.

"This combination of factors only makes the case for agri-tech more compelling, so we can expect even more investment."

Mr Simmonds said venture capital would account for most of the early investment, particularly for agri-tech startups.

"Then, private equity investors will come on board to help thriving companies grow," he added.

And as agri-tech becomes ever more vital and goes more mainstream, many agri-tech companies will be listed on stock exchanges.

"It all points to more-than-healthy growth for the sector," Mr Simmonds said, adding that in the UK, indoor farming and animal agri-tech would be at the forefront.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a Quad ministers' panel at the Taj Palace Hotel in New Delhi Friday, March 3. AP-Yonhap





U.S. top diplomat Antony Blinken on Sunday applauded plans announced by South Korea to compensate victims of Japan's forced wartime labor, as Seoul looks to forge closer ties with Tokyo.







South Korea and Japan are "two of the United States' most important allies, and we are inspired by the work they have done to advance their bilateral relations," the Secretary of State said in a statement.







The trilateral relationship is "central to our shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region," he added.







"We applaud (Seoul and Tokyo) for their courage and vision, and call on the international community to join our commendation of this momentous achievement."






Image: Instagram/@special_momenta

Bhitarkanika National Park In Odisha To Host Bhitarkanika Mahotsav For The First Time



Located in the Kendrapara district of Odisha, Bhitarkanika National Park is an important wetland site and mangrove forest. For the first time ever, a three-day festival  the Bhitarkanika Mahotsav  will be held in the village of Nalitapatia, located six kilometres from the Bhitarkanika National Park that will celebrate the national park and its wetland reserve.

Image: Instagram/@curioussoven

Declared a Ramsar Site in August 2002, the national park is the habitat of the saltwater crocodile, king cobra, Indian python, as well as over 215 species of birds, both resident and migratory. The mangrove forest in Bhitarkanika is one of the largest of its kind in India. The national park is additionally composed of rivers, backwaters, estuaries and mudflats, all part of the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, spread out over 672 square kilometres.

A joint venture between the Odisha Forest Department, District Administration and the tourism department, the Bhitarkanika Mahotsav  scheduled for March 10 to 12, 2023  will celebrate the Nalitapatia village, the national park and the wetland area.

Image: Instagram/ @pure_odisha



When you visit for the Mahotsav or even just to experience the sanctuary, also add Gahirmatha on your itinerary. Just 35 kilometres away, this is an excellent destination at which to see endangered sea turtles. Olive Ridley turtles nest at Gahirmatha Beach and Marine Sanctuary; it is one of the important nesting sites in the world.

Also Read: Mark Your Calendar: Bir In Himachal Will Host The Musicathon Festival
Chris Rock slammed Will Smith and his wife in a comedy special streamed live across the world a year after being slapped on stage at the Academy Awards, joking that he enjoyed seeing the actor thrashed in his latest film.The comedian stated that he had been watching the slavery drama Emancipation, just to see Smith "get whooped," cheering "hit him again" and "you missed a spot."Talking about the 2022 Academy Awards incidents, Rock said, "You know what people say, they say, 'words hurt'  Anybody that says words hurt has never been punched in the face."In the live-streamed show, Rock further stated that Will Smith practises "selective outrage".Referring to Pinkett Smith's marital infidelity, he said that everybody knows that he had nothing to do with it. "She hurt him way more than he hurt me", he added.Rock riffed for the majority of the show on a variety of subjects, including the Kardashians, abortion, the British royal family, and his love life. He also explained his decision not to respond when Smith slapped him in his closing remarks.
Westbourne College Singapore is part of the world's first global network of academically elite IBDP schools, with students ranking in top 1% globally

SINGAPORE, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- With a mission to prepare leaders of the future for the careers of the future within the fields of business, entrepreneurship and STEM, the Westbourne brand of award-winning academic excellence launches in Singapore this April.

This follows the first cohort success of Westbourne College Sydney, which shot straight to 1st in Australia for the highest proportion of 44+ IBDP Point grades. Westbourne's rapidly expanding network of global IB Diploma colleges aims to rank in the top 3 colleges in each of its markets within three years of operations, establishing a worldwide reputation for a groundbreaking STEM and innovation-led, IB-only, co-ed, future-focused model.

Built on foundations of 127 years of academic excellence, Westbourne School UK has led the UK leagues tables for over 5 years in a row, and was named IB School of the Year in 2019 by the Sunday Times.

Westbourne College Singapore boasts a formidable leadership and teaching team, who will lead students, aged 15-18, in small group teaching similar to university-style tutorials, ensuring a highly personalised approach.

Founding Principal, Mr Stephen Keegan, said:

"This is an exciting time in Westbourne's evolution, where we have a unique opportunity to build on our reputation for providing a world-class education for ambitious young learners, supported by the latest in technology and innovation, with unmatched global learning links."

Westbourne has a longstanding reputation for outstanding student outcomes at IGCSE and in the IBDP. 90% of UK graduates secure Russell Group university places or international equivalents, including Oxbridge and Ivy League.

Mr Keegan continued:

"We offer a future-ready approach, leveraged by exceptional relationships with universities globally, as well as with world-leading business school INSEAD."

"Combined with cutting-edge technology and STEM excellence, and you have a powerful offering that produces university-ready young people poised to make their mark in leading global industries. We provide the bridge to university and a successful career."

Westbourne College Singapore students benefit from access to world-leading thinkers and global exchange trips. The College will offer the 1-year IGCSE, 2-year IBDP and an innovative 12-week academic booster programme, PreIB. Students are supported to pursue leadership roles, in STEM & business, globally.

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XUANCHENG, China, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Huasun Energy, ("Huasun") a first-class photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturer, has been named on the list of Tier 1 PV module manufacturers by BloombergNEF (BNEF) for Q1 of 2023.

BNEF is a globally leading provider of research into green energy trends, and its quarterly tiering for global PV module manufacturers is generally regarded as the gold standard in the panel manufacturing industry. Judged on factors such as product quality assurance and bankability, a Tier 1 ranking reflects industry recognition for brand credibility on a global scale. From the time of application to being named on the list, Huasun achieved a Tier 1 ranking in a record time for a manufacturer specialized in heterojunction technology (HJT).





BNEF's tiering for global PV module manufacturers is divided into three tiers, and Tier1 has the most stringent criteria to meet in order to be selected. To qualify as a Tier 1 PV module manufacturer, companies must prove they produce self-owned brand PV modules for six different projects, and obtain non-recourse financing from six different commercial banks.

"The Tier 1 designation serves as independent validation of Huasun's performance as a business partner since it rates PV module manufacturers on bankability or financial stability," said Matthew Jin, General Manager of Sales & Marketing Center of Huasun.





Huasun now owns 2.7GW capacity of high-efficiency HJT solar cells and 2.7GW capacity of modules respectively and has delivered over 1GW HJT products to nearly 30 countries around the globe, ranking as the largest HJT manufacturer in the world. Being listed as a Tier1 PV module manufacturer further elevates Huasun's reputation and influence in the global market and facilitates firmer steps in its ambitious for global expansion.

About Huasun Energy

Huasun Energy is a technological innovation enterprise specialized in the R&D and large-scale manufacturing of ultra-high efficiency N-type silicon-based heterojunction solar cells and modules. Relying on its 2.7GW capacity of solar cell and module respectively, Huasun is now ranked as the largest HJT manufacturer in the world. With over 1GW HJT products delivered to more than 30 countries and regions, Huasun is committed to providing customers with the most effective clean energy solutions of greater performance and better returns.

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The landmark event brings together global leaders and creative forces in luxury fashion to honor Brunello Cucinelli, Jonathan Anderson and Amina Muaddi

PARIS, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Neiman Marcus Group (NMG) hosted a gathering in Paris last night to celebrate the Neiman Marcus Awards and pay tribute to the 2023 honorees. The event also marked the commencement of annual customer programming that will harness the full strength of Neiman Marcus' merchandising and marketing magic and its deep relationships in the fashion community.





"Bringing together the beating heart of the luxury industry was an incredibly important component of how we reimagined the awards platform," said Geoffroy van Raemdonck, Chief Executive Officer of NMG. "Tonight, we came together, united by our passion for our customers, to celebrate visionaries in the field of fashion who Revolutionize Luxury Experiences."

The retailer gathered industry leaders and creative forces, alongside global brand partners, past Award recipients and top customers. More than 50 fashion brands were in the room, collectively reflecting nearly $200B in total revenues and employing nearly half a million people around the globe.

Brunello Cucinelli received the esteemed Neiman Marcus Award for Distinguished Service in the Field of Fashion, an award with a history of honoring more than 150 fashion luminaries over 85 years. Inaugural awards were given to Jonathan Anderson, Creative Director of LOEWE, who received the new Neiman Marcus Award for Creative Impact in the Field of Fashion, and accessories designer Amina Muaddi, who received the new Neiman Marcus Award for Innovation in the Field of Fashion. The Neiman Marcus Award statue was designed by William King in 1961, symbolizing the unfettered spirit of freedom so essential to the fashion creator.

"I greatly admire the 20 years of collaboration with Neiman Marcus, one of the highest expressions of fashion and luxury in the world and an icon of lifestyle and elegance," said Cucinelli. "Thank you [Neiman Marcus] for this gift, because it pays tribute and honor to our Italy, to our Umbria region, to our Solomeo, and to all those human beings who, with their skilled hands, are able to design special things."

The event took place at La Suite Girafe, capping off the Fall/Winter 2023 season of Paris Fashion Week. Notable attendees included: Noah Cyrus who performed for guests, Ashley Park and Paul Forman from Emily in Paris who both wore Brunello Cucinelli collection; Sabrina Elba, Didi Han, Lori Harvey, Tina Kunakey, Olivia Palermo and more. Special guest Rosita Missoni celebrated her 50th anniversary of receiving the Distinguished ServiceAward.

"Thank you very much, Neiman Marcus, for choosing me. You have been there from the very beginning, and believed in me when no one else did," stated Anderson at the event. "Thank you for supporting LOEWE in everything we do."

Each honoree's unique brand expression will come to life through immersive experiences engaging customers in stores, online and through remote selling, as part of the retailer's integrated approach. They will enjoy premium access to exclusive events, curated collections and retail-tainment activations. The activity will be further amplified as part of an integrated marketing strategy, across the website, app, social media, store visuals and the Neiman Marcus Book. In celebration of the Awards, several store windows have been transformed to honor past recipients whose legacy continues to inspire customers today.

"It is not often that an accessories designer gets the same recognition as Ready-to-Wear or are perceived as innovators in fashion," explained Muaddi. "It's such an important award for me because having Neiman Marcus as a partner was always a dream before I started my business, and Neiman Marcus believed in me right from the very beginning."

Brunello Cucinelli will launch the Icon Collection this April, with exclusive pieces and a personal appearance for customers in Dallas. Jonathan Anderson and Amina Muaddi will each design exclusive collections and celebrate with Neiman Marcus customers at select stores across the country. Neiman Marcus will expand into new categories by honoring different industry creatives each year.

The Neiman Marcus Awards platform is one of many ways the luxury retailer creates a differentiated halo effect for all brand partners and makes life extraordinary for its luxury customers. For more information on the Neiman Marcus Awards, visit the Neiman Marcus Awards website.

neimanmarcusawards | @neimanmarcus

Link to more information and assets here.

ABOUT NEIMAN MARCUS AWARDS

Neiman Marcus Awards is a new platform to recognize and amplify breakthrough luminaries in fashion globally. It includes the return of the prestigious Neiman Marcus Award for Distinguished Servicein the Field of Fashion, a legacy accolade established by Carrie Marcus Neiman and Stanley Marcus 85 years ago, as well as two expanded categories: the Neiman Marcus Award for Creative Impact in the Field of Fashion and the Neiman Marcus Award for Innovation in the Field of Fashion.

The Distinguished Service Award has been given to over 150 luxury fashion luminaries including Christian Dior, Coco Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Giorgio Armani, Grace Kelly, Karl Lagerfeld, Miuccia Prada, Oscar de la Renta, Ralph Lauren, Salvatore Ferragamo, Carolina Herrera, Estee Lauder and Baccarat, among others.

The reimagined awards are an extension of the company's growth strategy to Revolutionize Luxury Experiences. It celebrates brand partners who share an interest in NMG's differentiated approach to retail and purpose-driven commitment to creating impact. As a relationship business, the awards platform embodies the company's differentiated business model, connecting brand partners to luxury customers in entirely new ways.

ABOUT NEIMAN MARCUS:

Neiman Marcus is a Dallas-based luxury retailer, providing customers access to exclusive and emerging brands, anticipatory service, and unique experiences since 1907. Each day, Neiman Marcus connects with customers worldwide while delighting them with exceptional experiences across a 36-store presence in the U.S., one of the largest U.S. e-commerce luxury platforms, and industry-leading remote selling and personalization technology. From delectable dining and indulgent beauty services to bespoke experiences and exclusive products, there is something for everyone. To keep up with the latest news and events at Neiman Marcus, visit neimanmarcus.com or follow the brand on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.













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Sibnayal (potassium citrate/potassium bicarbonate) has been launched on March 1, 2023

Reference price equals to an annual treatment cost of 15,000 per patient.

Regulatory News:

Advicenne (Euronext Growth Paris ALDVI FR0013296746), a specialty pharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and commercialization of innovative treatments for those suffering from rare renal diseases, announces today the reimbursement of Sibnayal (fixed combination of potassium citrate and potassium bicarbonate) in Denmark.

Advicenne and FrostPharma, partners for the Nordic and Baltic countries, have achieved a major success with the approved marketing of Sibnayal as of March 1, 2023, by Danish pricing and reimbursement bodies. The Danish authorities recognize that the therapeutic contribution of Sibnayal is commensurate to the severity of the disease in the absence of any treatment alternatives and justifies an annual cost of treatment close to 15,000 euros per patient.

Didier Laurens, Chief Executive Officer of Advicenne, declared: "I am particularly proud of this achievement for Advicenne and FrostPharma teams, who have done a remarkable job in educating and convincing the Danish health authorities. It is extremely gratifying they consider the value of Sibnayal considering the severity of the disease and in the absence of any treatment alternatives. The Danish health authorities' decision paves the way for the other European countries, currently under negotiation."

Fredrik AnderschChief Executive Officer of FrostPharma, declared:"We are very happy with our partnership with Advicenne and to have Sibnayal as a part of our portfolio. We are looking forward to making Sibnayal available for children and adults suffering from rare renal diseases in the Nordic region. The decision from the Danish health authorities will significantly help these patients, their relatives and the healthcare."

About Advicenne

Advicenne (Euronext: ALDVI) is a specialty pharmaceutical company founded in 2007, specializing in the development of innovative treatments in Nephrology. Its lead product Sibnayal (ADV7103) has received its Marketing Approval for distal renal tubular acidosis in EU and GB. ADV7103 is currently in late-stage development in cystinuria in Europe and in dRTA and cystinuria in the US and in Canada. Headquartered in Paris, Advicenne, listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange since 2017, has now been listed on Euronext Growth Paris since its transfer on March 30, 2022. For additional information see: https://advicenne.com/

About FrostPharma

FrostPharma is an entrepreneurial Swedish Specialty Pharma company specializing in the commercialization of value-adding medicines.

FrostPharma signed its first product distribution agreement in 2017, and since then 35 products have been added to the therapy agnostic portfolio through a strong agreement deal-flow, as well as through the development of proprietary products. The company has an established specialty pharma platform across the Nordics, and now actively plan to expand to additional EU countries. The FrostPharma portfolio of products are primarily oriented toward hospital use, and hospital initiation. FrostPharma has also developed a separate division offering sustainable solutions to petroleum based plastics across the Healthcare sector. https://frostpharma.com/

Disclaimer

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements concerning Advicenne group and its business, including its prospects and product candidate development. Such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that Advicenne 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 2021 Universal Registration Document filed with the French financial market authority on April 29, 2022 (a copy of which is available on www.advicenne.com) and to the development of economic conditions, financial markets, and the markets in which Advicenne operates. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to risks not yet known to Advicenne or not currently considered material by Advicenne. The occurrence of all or part of such risks could cause actual results, financial conditions, performance, or achievements of Advicenne to be materially different from such forward-looking statements. Advicenne expressly declines any obligation to update such forward-looking statements.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230305005071/en/

Contacts:

Advicenne

Didier Laurens, CEO

+33 (0) 1 87 44 40 17

Email: investors@advicenne.com

Ulysse Communication

Media relations

Bruno Arabian

+33 (0)6 87 88 47 26

Email: advicenne@ulysse-communication.com
Evolva Holding SA / Key word(s): Partnership

Evolva partners with Grace Breeding to replace chemical fertilizers with nature-based alternative



06-March-2023 / 07:20 CET/CEST

Release of an ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



Ad Hoc Announcement (PDF) PRESS RELEASE | AD HOC ANNOUNCEMENT PURSUANT TO ART. 53 LR By leveraging Evolva's precision-fermentation technology, Grace Breeding's Nitrogen Fixation solution has demonstrated the desired impact on yield and overall crop resilience Reinach, Switzerland and Rehovot, Israel, 6 March 2023 - Evolva (SIX: EVE), a pioneer in the field of natural molecules and industrial biotech, partners with Grace Breeding (TASE: GRAC), a forward-thinking ag-climate-tech company developing biological-based products, to replace chemical nitrogen fertilizers for crops with eco-friendly and cost-effective biofertilizers. Grace Breeding's sustainable proprietary plant-based formula Bio-Fertilizer (NFT) leverages Evolva's precision-fermentation platform to boost crop yields without harming soil and causing chemical runoff entering bodies of water. The nitrogen-based fertilizer market was estimated to be upwards of $118 billion in 2021 . Due to the environmental impact of chemical fertilizers on soil and groundwater, regulations regarding the use of these are ever increasing, supporting the significance of biologically-based fertilizers. Additionally, the war in Ukraine, a major producer of chemical fertilizers, has contributed to driving up global food prices due to the widespread use of nitrogenous fertilizers, despite the environmental damage they inflict. As such, biological alternatives are becoming increasingly important, addressing a notable market need. NFT is an environmentally sensitive bio-fertilization approach where natural molecules are used to enable crops to naturally fix nitrogen, substantially reducing the need for chemical fertilizers. As a result, the process reduces CO2 emissions and leads to a significantly lower environmental impact on soil and groundwater while being cost-effective. NFT can be applied to a wide range of crops including corn, wheat, and rice. Grace Breeding's Bio-Fertilizer NFT solution, in combination with Evolva's precision-fermentation technology, has proven successful in farm-scale corn and wheat tests in Israel and Brazil. Additional ongoing field tests conducted in Brazil are slated to conclude this year. "We are very excited to collaborate with Evolva to improve crop yields," says Assaf Dotan, CEO of Grace Breeding. "By substituting conventional fertilizers with our Bio-Fertilizer in combination with Evolva's precision-fermentation technology, we can make significant contributions towards climate change and reduce the impact on air, soil, and water." "The partnership with Grace Breeding opens a new and attractive market for Evolva," says Christian Wichert, CEO of Evolva. "We see significant long-term potential in this partnership, which represents an additional upside to our mid-term plan. It is further testimony to Evolva's capabilities along the entire value chain and the potential of our powerful technology from our unique precision-fermentation platform." Important dates 09 March 2023 Full-year 2022 results 18 April 2023 Annual General Meeting Contact Doris Rudischhauser Head of Investor Relations and Corporate Communications +41 79 410 81 88 dorisr@evolva.com About Grace Breeding Grace Breeding is an ag-climate-tech company focused on developing products that are biologically based and provide efficient and natural solutions for farmers and distributors. Grace Breeding aims to disrupt crop and animal agriculture - including, soil microbiome, crop fertilization, and crop protection - by offering innovative products and solutions that reduce the environmental damage caused by synthetic fertilizers. Grace Breeding has an R&D center in Israel and in parallel the company is developing its products with several leading research and development centers around the world. About Evolva Evolva is a Swiss biotech company focused on the research, development and commercialization of ingredients based on nature. We have leading businesses in Flavors and Fragrances, Health Ingredients and Health Protection. Evolva's employees, half of which are women, are dedicated to make the best products that can contribute to wellness, health and sustainability. Find out more at evolva.com and connect with us on LinkedIn . For Evolva multimedia content, please visit: evolva.com/multimedia-library . Disclaimer

This announcement is not an offer of securities into the United States. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and may not be offered, pledged, sold, delivered or otherwise transferred, directly or indirectly, in the United States, except pursuant to an exemption from, or transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. No public offering of securities is being made in the United States. Further, the securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the applicable securities laws of Canada, Australia or Japan or under the applicable securities laws of any other jurisdiction where to do so might constitute a violation of such laws.

This press release contains specific forward-looking statements, e.g. statements including terms like believe, assume, expect or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may result in a substantial divergence between the actual results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and those explicitly or implicitly presumed in these statements. Against the background of these uncertainties readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The company assumes no responsibility to update forward-looking statements or to adapt them to future events or developments.

End of Inside Information
Important milestone reached in creating a new contract catering and multiservices leader. Shareholders' Meeting scheduled to approve the transaction on April 18, 2023.

Independent directors to play a stronger role in Elior Group's governance, ensuring a balanced Board of Directors once the transaction is completed.

BDL Capital Management, Permian Investment Partners, FSP, and EMESA-representing in total approximately 24.4% of Elior Group ownership-will vote in favor of the contribution.

Regulatory News:

Bernard Gault, Chairman and CEO of Elior Group, commented:

"With the signing of the Derichebourg Multiservices acquisition agreement, we have taken a decisive step in our project to create a new leader in contract catering and multiservices. This project lays out a new ambition for the Elior Group, one that will create value for its employees, customers, and shareholders.

I personally ensured that this project will be supported by a new governance structure that meets the highest standards in terms of balance and independence over the long term. This new structure will enable all stakeholders to benefit from Elior's development and success.

I would like to thank Derichebourg SA and all the other shareholders who are supporting us in this process, particularly those who have already pledged their support at the upcoming General Meeting on April 18, where shareholders will vote on the transaction."

Elior Group ("the Group") (Paris:ELIOR) announced today that it has signed an Investment Agreement and a Contribution Agreement with Derichebourg SA, following on from the press release of December 20, 2022, regarding the proposed acquisition of Derichebourg Multiservices by Elior Group. This is a major milestone in creating a new contract catering and multiservices leader.

This signing, which was unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of Elior Group and Derichebourg, confirms the financial terms of the transaction as communicated on December 20, 2022.

The transaction remains subject to the satisfaction of customary conditions precedent, in particular the European Commission's approval under its merger control procedures and the AMF waiver from filing a public offer based on Article 234-9 3 of the AMF General Regulation and free and clear of any claims. The transaction will have to be approved by Elior's Combined Shareholders' Meeting scheduled for April 18, 2023. It should be noted that Derichebourg will not be able to vote on the resolution concerning the contribution in accordance with Article L225-10 of the French Commercial Code. The transaction is expected to be completed on that date.

BDL Capital Management, Permian Investment Partners, FSP, and EMESA-representing approximately 24.4% of Elior Group ownership and voting rights-support this new chapter in the Group's strategy and will vote in favor of the contribution of Derichebourg Multiservices SA's activities to Elior.

New Governance for the Elior Group

In conjunction with the transaction, a new governance structure is being put into place, in line with the highest standards for balance and independence over the long term:

The board will be made up of 12 members: 5 Derichebourg appointees, 5 independents, and 2 employee representatives. A supermajority of 8 out of 12 directors, with a majority of independent directors' votes, will be required for the most important decisions. Only independent directors will be allowed to participate in the independent director selection process. Derichebourg's voting rights on any resolution concerning independent directors at the Annual General Meeting will be limited to 30%. Derichebourg pledges to maintain its stake at the level reached on transaction completion.

The details:

On the transaction completion date, Elior Group and Derichebourg will enter into a governance agreement for a period of five years, the terms of which are as follows:

The Board of Directors will have 12 members: 5 Derichebourg SA appointees, including Mr. Daniel Derichebourg as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (4-year term), 5 independent members, and 2 directors representing the employees. The future composition of the Board (including the new appointments) will be detailed in the notice of the Combined General Meeting to be convened on April 18. Mr. Daniel Derichebourg undertakes to resign from all of his operational positions at Derichebourg SA, to fully focus on the development of the Elior Group. Extended rights for the Lead Independent Director: the rights the internal bylaws previously granted to the Vice President of Elior Group will be combined with those of the Lead Independent Director. The Lead Independent Director will be expressly responsible for organizing meetings at least twice a year with the independent directors only and at least twice a year with the Group's key executives. Mr. Gilles Auffret will remain as Lead Independent Director until the General Meeting of Shareholders held to approve the financial statements for the year ending September 30, 2023. The most strategic decisions (in particular significant acquisitions or disposals, capital increases, listing of subsidiaries on the stock exchange) must be approved by a supermajority of 8 out of 12 directors, including at least 3 out of 5 independent directors. Decisions relating to the annual budget, the strategic plan, and key executives of the Elior Group will have to be approved by a qualified majority requiring a simple majority that must include at least one Derichebourg director. Derichebourg pledges to maintain its stake at the level reached on transaction completion (lockup). An ad hoc committee composed solely of independent directors will be created to oversee Derichebourg's commitments pursuant to the transaction (liability guarantees, agreements between Elior and Derichebourg, governance agreement).

During this five-year period, Derichebourg commits to (i) vote in favor of the resolutions approved by the Board of Directors at the General Meeting and (ii) vote in favor of the appointment of independent directors from among the candidates selected by the Nominating and Compensation Committee.

Derichebourg has also committed to a five-year standstill on its stake.

For a period of eight years, this governance agreement provides for the following:

The Nominating and Compensation Committee will be exclusively responsible for the independent director selection process (with the support of a specialized recruitment firm). The members nominated by Derichebourg will not be allowed to participate in the selection process. A statutory ceiling will cap Derichebourg's voting rights at 30% for resolutions relating to (i) the appointment, renewal, and removal of independent members of the Board of Directors and (ii) the amendment of this statutory provision.

The Contribution Agreement as well as the other documents relating to it and the information mentioned in article R. 225-73-1 of the French Commercial Code will be made available to shareholders in due course on the Company's website (www.eliorgroup.com) in the "Investors" section.

Advisors

Morgan Stanley Co International and Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank are acting as financial advisors to Elior Group, and Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier and Actance are acting as legal advisors.

Rothschild Co delivered a fairness opinion to the Board of Directors, which met on March 3, and concluded that the consideration to be offered by Elior Group for the contribution of DMS was fair, from a financial point of view.

D.F. King Ltd. is acting as proxy solicitor for voting on the transaction at the combined shareholders' meeting to be held on April 18, 2023. Questions regarding the transaction and voting can be directed to D.F. King: elior@dfkingltd.co.uk.

Financial Calendar :

Tuesday April 18, 2023: Combined shareholders' meeting

Wednesday May 17, 2023: First-half 2022-2023 results pre-opening press release and conference call

Thursday July 27, 2023: Revenue for the first nine months of fiscal 2022-2023 pre-opening press release

Wednesday November 22, 2023: Annual results for fiscal 2022-2023 pre-opening press release and conference call

About Elior Group

Founded in 1991, Elior Group has grown into one of the world's leading operators in contract catering and support services and has become a benchmark player in the business industry, education, health welfare, and leisure markets. With strong positions in 5 key countries, the Group generated 4.45 billion in revenue in fiscal 2020-2021. Our 97,000 employees feed over 3 million people on a daily basis in 20,250 restaurants on three continents and offer services at 2,400 sites in France. Innovation and social responsibility are at the core of our business model. Elior Group has been a member of the United Nations Global Compact since 2004, reaching the GC Advanced Level in 2015.

For further information please visit our website http://www.eliorgroup.com or follow us on Twitter at: @Elior_Group

DISCLAIMER

This press release is for informational purposes only and is not intended to and does not constitute an offer or invitation to exchange or sell, or solicitation of an offer to subscribe for or buy, or an invitation to exchange, purchase or subscribe for, any securities, any part of the business or assets described herein, or any other interests or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction in connection with the proposed transaction or otherwise. This press release should not be construed as a recommendation to any reader of this press release.

The press release is neither a prospectus, product disclosure statement, or other offering document for the purposes of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 June 2017, as amended from time to time and implemented in each member state of the European Economic Area and in accordance with French laws and regulations.

This press release includes certain projections and forward-looking statements with respect to the anticipated future performance of Elior Group, post completion of the proposed acquisition of DMS.

Such information is sometimes identified by the use of the future tense, the conditional mode and forward-looking terms such as "estimates", "targets", "forecasts", "intends", "should", "has the ambition to", "considers", "believes", "could", and other similar expressions. This information is based on data, assumptions, or estimates that Elior Group believes are reasonable. Actual future results may differ materially from those projected or forecast in the forward-looking statements, in particular due to a number of risks, uncertainties and factors that are beyond Elior Group's control, including but not limited to: the failure of Elior Group's shareholders to approve the proposed transaction, the reaction of Elior Group's and DMS's customers, employees and suppliers to the proposed transaction, the possibility that the synergies and value creation from the proposed transaction will not be realized in the expected time frame, the risk that the businesses will not be successfully integrated, the possibility that the proposed transaction will not receive the necessary approvals, that the anticipated timing of such approvals will be delayed or will require actions that will adversely affect the anticipated benefits of the transaction, the possibility that the proposed transaction will not be completed, and those risks described in disclosures that have been made or may be made with regulatory authorities such as the French Autorite des Marches Financiers (the "AMF"). All forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this disclaimer.

Each forward-looking statement speaks only at the date of this press release. Elior Group makes no undertaking to update or revise any information or the objectives, outlook, and forward-looking statements contained in this press release or that Elior Group otherwise may make, except pursuant to any statutory or regulatory obligations applicable to Elior Group.

No statement in this press release is intended as a profit forecast or estimate for any period. Persons receiving this press release should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. This document includes supplemental financial measures that are not clearly defined under IFRS and that are or may be non-GAAP financial measures. These supplemental financial measures should not be viewed in isolation or as alternatives to measures of Elior Group's net assets and financial position or results of operations as presented in accordance with IFRS in its consolidated financial statements. Other companies that report or describe similarly titled supplemental financial measures may calculate them differently.

Additional information

In connection with the proposed transaction, Elior Group may file with the AMF a document for prospectus exemption and other relevant documents in connection with the proposed transaction. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO CAREFULLY READ ALL RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE AMF, INCLUDING THE DOCUMENT FOR PROSPECTUS EXEMPTION WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE, BECAUSE IT WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Those documents, when filed, may be obtained free of charge from Elior Group's website at http://www.eliorgroup.com.

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Contacts:

Press contact

Jennyfer Dellupo jennyfer.dellupo@eliorgroup.com +33 (0)6 79 51 75 65

Investor Relations

Kimberly Stewart kimberly.stewart@eliorgroup.com +33 (0)1 71 06 70 13
Regulatory News:

TotalEnergies (Paris:TTE) (LSE:TTE) (NYSE:TTE) is developing its renewable activities in Poland by acquiring the country's main biogas producer, Polska Grupa Biogazowa (PGB), and a 200-megawatt (MW) development pipeline of solar projects.

Poland, Europe's Fourth-Largest Biogas Potential

With 130 employees in nine Polish regions, PGB is mainly involved in generating renewable heat and power from biogas sourced from organic waste. It owns and operates 17 facilities in production and one under construction, for a total power generation capacity of 166 GWh per year1. PGB's portfolio also includes a development pipeline of 23 projects.

The acquisition of PGB raises TotalEnergies' biogas production capacity to 1.1 TWh and gives the Company a leading position in the promising Polish market, which represents Europe's fourth-largest potential for biogas and biomethane production, estimated at close 100 terawatt-hours (TWh).

Poland, a Dynamic Solar Market

TotalEnergies is also entering the Polish solar market with the acquisition of six solar projects under development representing a production capacity of 200 MW. Located in northern and western Poland, the first solar farms are expected to come on stream by 2025.

"These agreements illustrate TotalEnergies' commitment to developing its renewable activities in Poland, and in Europe as a whole, to support the European Green Deal," said Stephane Michel, President Gas, Renewables Power at TotalEnergies. "On the one hand, we are gaining a solid foothold in Poland's biogas market thanks to an existing company's proven track record, experienced teams, and broad asset base. On the other hand, we are developing our presence in renewable energies with a portfolio of solar projects. With these two transactions, we are pleased to be able support Poland in its ambition to develop renewable energies and strengthen its energy sovereignty. We hope we will also have the opportunity to provide Poland with our expertise in offshore wind, an area in which we have formed a partnership with KGHM."

TotalEnergies, Europe Second Largest Biogas Producer

TotalEnergies is one of the segment leaders in Europe, with now 1,1 TWh of biogas production capacity, and aims to become a major player internationally by partnering with market leaders such as Clean Energy in the United States. The Company is active across the entire value chain, from project development to marketing of this renewable gas and its by-products (biofertilizers, bioCO2). It aims to produce at least 20 TWh per year by 2030, which represents the average annual gas consumption of four million French consumers, and a reduction in CO2 emissions of around four million tons.

TotalEnergies and renewable electricity

As part of its ambition to get to net zero by 2050, TotalEnergies is building a portfolio of activities in electricity and renewables. At the end of 2022, TotalEnergies' gross renewable electricity generation installed capacity stood at almost 17 GW. TotalEnergies will continue to expand this business to reach 35 GW of gross production capacity from renewable sources and storage by 2025, and then 100 GW by 2030, with the objective of being among the world's top 5 producers of electricity from wind and solar energy.

About TotalEnergies

TotalEnergies is a global multi-energy company that produces and markets energies: oil and biofuels, natural gas and green gases, renewables and electricity. Our more than 100,000 employees are committed to energy that is ever more affordable, cleaner, more reliable and accessible to as many people as possible. Active in more than 130 countries, TotalEnergies puts sustainable development in all its dimensions at the heart of its projects and operations to contribute to the well-being of people.

@TotalEnergiesTotalEnergiesTotalEnergiesTotalEnergies

Cautionary Note

This press release, from which no legal consequences may be drawn, is for information purposes only. The entities in which TotalEnergies SE directly or indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. TotalEnergies SE has no liability for their acts or omissions. The terms "Company" or "TotalEnergies company" refer collectively to the company TotalEnergies SE and the companies it controls directly or indirectly. Such terms are used solely for the sake of convenience for purposes of the present communication. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" may also be used to refer to subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. This document may contain forward-looking information and statements that are based on a number of economic data and assumptions made in a given economic, competitive and regulatory environment. They may prove to be inaccurate in the future and are subject to a number of risk factors. Neither TotalEnergies SE nor any of its subsidiaries assumes any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information or statement, objectives or trends contained in this document whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

1 This represents nearly 0.4 TWh in biomethane equivalent (i.e., if the same installations produced biomethane, with the same inputs, and based on 1 MW 20.5 GWh/year of biomethane equivalent).

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230305005132/en/

Contacts:

TotalEnergies Contacts

Media Relations: +33 1 47 44 46 99 presse@totalenergies.com @TotalEnergiesPR

Investor Relations: +33 (0)1 47 44 46 46 ir@totalenergies.com
Rohingya refugees try to douse a major fire in their Balukhali camp at Ukhiya in Cox's Bazar district, Bangladesh, Sunday. AP-Yonhap



A massive fire at a crammed camp for Rohingya Muslims in southern Bangladesh left thousands of the refugees homeless Sunday, a fire official and the United Nations said.



No casualties were reported at Balukhali camp in Cox's Bazar district, said Emdadul Haque, a fire service official.



The UNHCR in Bangladesh said in a tweet that Rohingya refugee volunteers responded to the fire with the agency and its partners providing support. It provided no further details.



More than 1 million Rohingya refugees have fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar over several decades, including about 740,000 who crossed the border starting in August 2017, when the Myanmar military launched a brutal crackdown.



Conditions in Myanmar have worsened since a military takeover in 2021, and attempts to send back the refugees have failed.



Last year, the United States said the oppression of Rohingya in Myanmar amounts to genocide after U.S. authorities confirmed accounts of mass atrocities against civilians by the military in a systematic campaign against the ethnic minority. Muslim Rohingya face widespread discrimination in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where most are denied citizenship and many other rights. (AP)






TOKYO, Mar 6, 2023 - (JCN Newswire) - Two elementary schools in the Republic of Indonesia, whose buildings were constructed with the support of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (hereafter, Mitsubishi Motors), have held their opening ceremonies.This school building construction support project is a collaborative venture between Mitsubishi Motors and World Vision Japan, an international NGO, with the aim of improving the learning environment for children. Mitsubishi Motors contributed 5.8 million yen, together with voluntary donations(1) from Mitsubishi Motors employees, to construct two elementary school buildings and donate equipment such as blackboards, desks, and chairs, as well as books.At the opening ceremony of the elementary schools in East Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Hideki Hanaoka, CFO of Mitsubishi Motors' local production company, PT Mitsubishi Motors Krama Yudha Indonesia, said, "It is with the support of the people of Indonesia that Mitsubishi Motors has continued to produce and sell automobiles. We are both pleased and proud that our support has contributed to the construction of new elementary school buildings. We hope that the children will enjoy many experiences in these school buildings, and that they go on to play a leading role in Indonesia's development."In 2018, Mitsubishi Motors advocated Contribution to Local Economy through Business Activities as one of its materiality. It is working to contribute to local economies in the ASEAN region through the employment, human resources development, investment, technology transfer, and exports generated by its business growth in the region. To further help resolve environmental and social issues in ASEAN, Mitsubishi Motors continues to leverage its unique technologies and services.(1) The donation program that started in April 2019 in which Mitsubishi Motors Group employees voluntarily contribute small donation every month. The fund raised is used to benefit society.About Mitsubishi MotorsMitsubishi Motors Corporation (TSE:7211) --a member of the Alliance with Renault and Nissan--, is a global automobile company based in Tokyo, Japan, which has about 30,000 employees and a global footprint with production facilities in Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, mainland China, the Philippines, Viet Nam and Russia. Mitsubishi Motors has a competitive edge in SUVs, pickup trucks and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and appeals to ambitious drivers willing to challenge convention and embrace innovation. Since the production of our first vehicle more than a century ago, Mitsubishi Motors has been a leader in electrification - launched the i-MiEV - the world's first mass-produced electric vehicle in 2009, followed by the Outlander PHEV - the world's first plug-in hybrid electric SUV in 2013. The company announced a three-year business plan in July 2020 to introduce more competitive and cutting-edge models, including the Eclipse Cross (PHEV model), the all-new Outlander and the all-new Triton/L200.For more information on Mitsubishi Motors, please visit the company's website at www.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/.Source: Mitsubishi MotorsCopyright 2023 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.


Representatives from Axiata Group Berhad, Axiata Enterprise and Rakuten Symphony meeting at MWC Barcelona 2023: Thomas Hundt, Group Chief Strategy & Technology Officer, Axiata (3rd-L); Dr Hans Wijayasuriya, Joint Acting Group CEO, Axiata (4th-L); Dr Gopi Kurup, CEO, Axiata Enterprise (4th-R); and Rabih Dabboussi, Chief Business Officer, Rakuten Symphony (Center).



Vikram Rao, Head of Enterprise, ASEAN, AWS; Jayanth Nagarajan, Head, Telecommunications Industry, Asia Pacific & Japan, AWS; Haris Izmee, Managing Director, ASEAN Growth Markets, AWS (Back L-R); Namal Jayathilake, Chief Technology Officer, Axiata Digital Labs; Thushera Kawdawatta, Chief Executive Officer, Axiata Digital Labs (Front L-R)



Dr Hans Wijayasuriya, Joint Acting Group CEO of Axiata (R) inks MOU with Ryu Young-sang, CEO of SKT (L) in partnership for the ifland metaverse platform.



Tan Sri Shahril Ridza Ridzuan, Chairman, Axiata Group Berhad (4th-L) is welcomed by Thushera Kawdawatta, Chief Executive Officer, Axiata Digital Labs (5th-R) at the Axiata Digital Labs showcase during MWC23 in Barcelona.

BARCELONA, Mar 6, 2023 - (ACN Newswire) - The culmination of MWC Barcelona 2023 on 2 March saw Axiata Group Berhad positioned to take the lead in Asia in deploying GSMA Open Gateway, joining other leading telcos to herald a new wave of digital services and apps at the mobile telecommunications convention.GSMA's Open Gateway initiative was launched on the opening day of MWC on 27 February 2023. Supported by 21 Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) globally, the framework of universal network Application Programmable Interfaces (APIs) is designed to provide universal access to operator networks for developers. The GSMA-led initiative is a federated approach to harmonise the industry around Open APIs and represents a paradigm shift in the way the telecoms industry designs and delivers services in an API economy.At the GSMA Pavillion, Axiata showcased the Axiata Digital Concert Platform, featuring MetaStage, the Group's first ever metaverse concert powered by Axiata Digital Labs' (ADL) Axonect, and hosted by Sri Lanka's Dialog Axiata and Indonesia's XL Axiata. The immersive musical fest showcased GSMA's Open Gateway APIs for Number Verification (SMS 2FA), Device Location and Carrier Billing.Enabling Digital TransformationADL, a telco-focused software and solutions provider, delivered MetaStage through its Axonect Enterprise Enabler Product Suite. This proof-of-concept showcased the suite of services available to MNOs to enhance existing services and deploy new ones to its customers. ADL's demonstration of the GSMA Open Gateway-compliant Axonect Product Suite highlighted its potential as a powerful tool for digital innovation and transformation.This was further underscored by its collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced on 1 March 2023, whereby ADL will begin providing Axonect Product Suite running on AWS. With this collaboration, ADL will be able to provide customers with its suite of systems and tools, such as its Digital Business Support System (BSS), 5G and cloud optimized business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) platforms, and multi-domain orchestrators on AWS. ADL's customers will have access to AWS's global infrastructure and the breadth and depth of cloud capabilities.Communication Service Providers (CSPs) will also be better supported as they embark on the transformational journey along the Telco to TechCo continuum, moving beyond traditional connectivity to platform-based products and services as part of an ecosystem, thereby reaping benefits such as improved performance, a competitive advantage in big data, and new revenue streams.Partnership with SK Telecom for 'ifland'At MWC Barcelona 2023, Axiata also signaled its strong interest in bringing the metaverse platform 'ifland' developed by South Korea's SK Telecom (SKT) to its markets. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the two telco giants on 28 February 2023, enabling Axiata's subsidiaries the ability to develop metaverse platform business models and support AI-based opportunities that are market competitive.The signing, represented by SKT's CEO, Ryu Young-Sang and Axiata's Joint Acting Group CEOs, Dr Hans Wijayasuriya and Vivek Sood, is part of Axiata's digital transformation and inclusivity strategy."As part of the Group's vision to be The Next Generation Digital Champion, we are deeply committed to leveraging emerging technologies towards the inclusive advancement of Societies and Economies across Asia," said Dr Hans Wijayasuriya, who is also Axiata's CEO of Telecommunications Business and Group Executive Vice President. "We are proud to partner with SKT and the ifland platform and consider the partnership a significant component of our participation in the metaverse going forward."All in all, this week at Barcelona was pivotal in Axiata's journey towards becoming The Next Generation Digital Champion, putting in place the building blocks to enable the ecosystem for digital telcos to move into their new future.About AxiataIn pursuit of its vision to be The Next Generation Digital Champion, Axiata is a diversified telecommunications and digital conglomerate operating Digital Telcos, Digital Businesses and Infrastructure businesses across a footprint spanning ASEAN and South Asia.The Group has controlling stakes in market-leading mobile and fixed operators in the region including 'XL' and 'Link Net' in Indonesia, 'Dialog' in Sri Lanka, 'Robi' in Bangladesh, 'Smart' in Cambodia and 'Ncell' in Nepal while 'CelcomDigi' in Malaysia is a Key Associate Company. Axiata's regional digital business verticals comprise 'Boost' a fintech company, and 'ADA', a digital analytics and AI company. 'EDOTCO' is among the top 10 independent TowerCos globally, operating in nine countries to deliver telecommunications infrastructure services.As a committed and long-term investor, the Group actively supports and drives young talent development; community outreach; as well as climate change initiatives. Axiata's broader goal of Advancing Asia aims to piece together the best in the region in terms of innovation, connectivity and talent to drive digital inclusion and sustainable progress across our markets. Find out more at www.axiata.comAxiata Group Berhad [XKLS: 6888][RIC: AXIA:KL ][BBG: AXIATA:MK][OTC: AXXTF]Source: Axiata Group BhdCopyright 2023 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
After-Tax NPV5 of USD 573 million, 58.4% IRR & 10.6 Month Payback

LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / Meridian Mining UK S (TSX:MNO)(Frankfurt/Tradegate:2MM)(OTCQB:MRRDF) ("Meridian" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the positive results of the Preliminary Economic Assessment led by Ausenco Engineering Canada Inc. ("Ausenco") for the Cabacal gold-copper deposit in Brazil ("Cabacal" or the "Project"). The PEA study confirms the economic potential of the project, positioning it as a promising growth opportunity for the company.

Cabacal 2023 PEA Highlights: (All amounts are in United States Dollars unless otherwise stated)

Base case after-tax NPV5 of $573M (CAD 1 $778M) and 58.4% IRR using $1,650/oz gold, $3.59/lb copper, and $21.35/oz silver (Table 1);

Spot case after-tax NPV5 of $745M (CAD 1 $1.01B) and 69.7% IRR using3 $1,841/oz gold, $4.13/lb copper, and $21.35/oz silver;

High-grade year 1 mill feed of 2.3 g/t gold and 0.29% copper which generates high after-tax first year free cash flow of $204M, leading to capital repayment in 10.6 months;

Average grade of 0.64 g/t gold and 0.31% copper over the life of mine - which demonstrates the efficiency of the flowsheet in recovering the gold, copper and silver;

Average annual gold equivalent production of 131,100 ounces at AISC of $670.70/oz AuEq 2 for years 1-5;Total LOM (22.3 years) production of 1.02M ounces gold, 353 Mlbs of copper and 1.76M ounces of silver;

Pre-production CAPEX of $179.6M (CAD 1 $244.1M);

Low life-of-mine strip ratio of 2.1:1;

After tax NPV5:CAPEX Ratio of 3.2:1; and

Significant potential for future economic optimization and project upside remains through engineering optimizations, increased throughput and additional resources that could be identified through the ongoing drill programs.

Exchange Rate USD/CAD of 1.35889. See technical notes for gold equivalent equation. Spot prices on London close on 1st March, 2023.

Meridian will host a Live Webcast to discuss the Cabacal PEA Results on March 6, 2023 at 10:30am EST (7:30am PST). A presentation by management will be followed by Q&A.

Conference Call Webcast and Dial in Details:

Webcast URL with Audio: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/2958/47803

Telephone Numbers: US/Canada Free: 888-506-0062; International: 973-528-0011; Access Code: 624154

Dr. Adrian McArthur, Meridian's CEO commented, "The PEA demonstrates Cabacal's exceptional potential as a sustainable, low-cost open-pit mining operation capable of supplying both industrial and precious metals to the global market. The PEA study has shown exceptionally high-margin and meaningful returns, confirming both the quality of the asset and the expertise of our technical team. Within just two years of acquiring Cabacal, we have produced our first economic study, outlining an after-tax NPV5 of $573m, which is a testament to our commitment to swift and effective progress.

"The PEA lays a solid foundation for expansion, as the Company anticipates that optimization studies will confirm the potential for superior economic returns by increasing annual throughput from 2.5Mt to ~4Mt after year four, while still using the same resource. What excites us even more is the potential for further growth, not only at Cabacal, but also at our other satellite targets, including the nearby St Helena mine within trucking distance. This presents a genuine opportunity for us to advance Cabacal, as outlined in our PEA, and to systematically develop a cornerstone asset in a significant new gold and copper camp over time."

"We are pleased to have a team of mining professionals already stationed in Brazil to advance Cabacal through feasibility following the completion of the PEA. We extend our gratitude to Meridian's team, as well as Ausenco and GE21, for their role in delivering this report and contributing to the revival of the Cabacal gold and copper mine."

Table 1: Summary of Cabacal PEA's NPV5 and IRR sensitivities to metal prices

PEA Results Summary

Figure 1: Cabacal project annual and cumulative cash flow

Figure 2: NPV5 Sensitivity to costs and metal prices.

Figure 3: IRR sensitivity to costs and metal prices.

Figure 4: Payback sensitivity to costs and metal prices.

Study Contributors

The PEA team was led by Ausenco, a global provider of consulting and engineering services for mining projects. Ausenco were supported by H&S Consultants Pty Ltd (resource estimation), GE21 Mineral Consultants Ltd (mine plan and schedule), SGS Lakefield Canada (metallurgy), Sete Solucoes e Tecnologia Ambiental Ltda (environmental studies) and Hidrovia Hidrogeologia e Meio Ambiente Ltda (hydrological studies).

Cabacal Resource Estimate1

Table 7: Cabacal Mineral Resource (Effective Date August 21st, 2022, 0.3 g/t AuEq cut-off)

Estimates are based on the Technical Report titled, "Independent Technical Report, Mineral Resource Estimate for the Cabacal VMS deposit, Cabacal Project, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil". The Mineral Resource estimate in the table above was prepared by specialist group, H&S Consultants Pty Ltd ("H&SC") and announced by Meridian on September 26, 2022. A technical report was filed on the Company's website and SEDAR within 45 days of this disclosure.

Mineral Resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability; and

Minor variations may occur during the addition of rounded numbers.

Significantly, the Mineral Resource is near-surface, and extends over 1.9km along strike with a prominent high-grade shallow gold zone in the Cabacal Northwest Extension. Ongoing drilling on the margins of the Mineal Resource has intercepted significant zones of copper-gold mineralization. Further drill results are pending.

The Mineral Resource estimate included in the PEA is reported according to the classification criteria set out in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Reserves ("CIM Definition Standards"). These standards are internationally recognized and allow the reader to compare the Mineral Resource with that reported for similar projects.

The PEA is preliminary in nature. The PEA mine schedule and economic assessment includes numerous assumptions and is based on both Indicated and Inferred mineral resources. Inferred resources are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the project economic assessments described herein will be achieved or that the PEA results will be realized. Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. Additional exploration will be required to potentially upgrade the classification of the Inferred Mineral Resources to be considered in future project evaluation studies.

Mining

22.3-year shallow open pit mining operation proposed at with total feed inventory of 55.6 Mt;

High-grade year 1 mill feed of 2.3 g/t gold and 0.3% copper with average grade of 0.64 g/t gold and 0.31% copper over the life of mine; and

Low life-of-mine strip ratio of 2.1.

Cabacal will be mined using the open pit method in 3 alternating shifts, operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The mining movements were designed to produce enough ROM to feed a mineralized material processing plant with a nominal capacity of 2.5Mtpy and LOM of 22 years and 4 months.

The mining will operate with block model of 10x10x5m and slope angle in the hang wall of 48 and following the mineralized material slope in the foot wall.

Mining will be fully outsourced in the operations of mechanical blasting, loading and haulage. With a soft mineralized material - average WI of 11.8 - blasting will be carried out with a load ratio of 350g/t for mineralized material and 280g/t for waste. A dilution factor of 3% and mining recovery of 97% were considered. The transport distance from the mine to the ROM yard varies from 1.49Km in the pre-stripping to a maximum of 2.50Km in year 18. For the waste the transport distance will range from 1.02Km to 4.02Km in year 18.

The transport of the mineralized material and waste will be carried out by 42t trucks manufactured in Brazil, a fact that contributes to the reduction of CAPEX and OPEX costs. For work associated with these trucks, 8.1t hydraulic excavators were dimensioned, which means 4.7 passes per truck loaded with mineralized material and 5.1 passes per truck loaded with waste.

Trucks will transport the mineralized material for discharge directly into the crusher or to the ROM stockyard. When necessary to recover mineralized material from the ROM stockyard, a 13.7t wheel loader will be used. The waste will direct to the 3 projected waste dumps, each trip being directed to the pile closest to the pit region in mining activities at that time. From the 16th year onwards mining in the northwest extension of the pit will have been completed, thus permitting the return of waste material to this area and thereby reducing costs and environmental impacts.

The table below shows annually, since pre-stripping, the mining plan (0.3 g/t AuEq. Cut-off) and the mineralized material feeding plan in the beneficiation plant. A mining plan was adopted that allows the plant to be fed with mineralized material of high gold content equivalent in the first years of production, storing low-grade mineralized material (LG) to be fed later. This allowed the elaboration of a plan optimizing the economic model of the project. The mining strip ratio results in an average value of 2.12.

Table 8: Cabacal mining schedule

Figure 5: The final pit shell of the Cabacal mine.

Metallurgical Testing

Testwork supports production of a high-grade copper concentrate of 28.4% with payable gold and silver;

High metallurgical recoveries of 87.39% for gold and 92.4% for copper;

Circa 30 % of gold recovered via a gravimetric circuit;

Copper flotation is effective;

Rougher concentrate is reground to 40 microns prior to cleaning to enhance grades and recoveries; and

Waste rock and mill tailings projected to be non-acid generating.

In 2022, Meridian selected samples from seven metallurgical drill holes to confirm historical Cabacal process performance in a testwork program at SGS Lakefield, Canada. The holes provided samples from the four known main VMS systems at Cabacal and most of the samples were within the expected head grade range for the deposit. A key feature of the Cabacal mineralization is the low S:Cu ratio, which implies low pyrite/pyrrhotite content. The average feed would be expected to be ~ 1.5 S:Cu which confirms the historical mineralogy, suggesting that chalcopyrite is about 65% of the sulphides in the sulphide assemblage. Comminution tests were conducted. The average Bond Work Index was 11.2 which is considered to be relatively soft and not atypical for VMS deposits. The average Abrasion Index was 0.28 which suggests moderate abrasion. Samples were considered to be of medium to hard competency for SAG milling (average SMC A x b was 44.5). A three stage Gravity Recoverable Gold ("GRG") test was conducted on the Master Composite sample. The final GRG number is 64.3, which is considered quite high and is an indication that this material is amenable to gravity gold recovery. It is anticipated that gold not recovered in the gravity circuit will be picked up in the downstream flotation circuit. Rougher conditions for flotation testwork used natural pH, potassium amyl xanthate ("PAX") collector and Methyl Isobutyl Carbinol ("MIBC") frother. Sulphur recovery was typically around 95% leaving a non-acid generating tailing, which was typically less than 0.1% in sulphur content. Mass pull for the Master Composite was around 5 to 6 percent by weight. The rougher flotation was conducted mostly in solids percent around 35%. The slope between recovery and concentrate grade is quite flat, which indicates that the Cabacal mineralization could produce higher grade concentrates. A 24.8 % copper concentrate was produced with 94.4% copper recovery, 87.2% gold recovery (gravity + float) and 81.9% silver recovery (gravity + float). The recoveries achieved are in line with the historic metallurgy. A pyrite concentrate was produced from the cleaner tailings to remove the acid generating minerals. The concentrate assayed 44% of sulphur with notable levels of gold and silver which could have market potential.

A gravity circuit recovers the free gold which is converted to a dore product for sale. The sulphide minerals including copper, in the form of chalcopyrite, and associated gold and silver will be recovered by rougher flotation. The rougher concentrate is reground to 40 microns to separate the gangue material and lime is added to suppress the pyrite. The rougher and cleaner tails are expected to be low in sulphides, therefore non-acid generating and are combined for disposal together in a dry stacked facility. The pyrite float will either be sold or separately stored.

Mineral Processing

2.5Mtpa mill capacity designed with conventional flowsheet;

P80 grind size of 200 micron and moderate to soft rock hardness requires only a SAG mill and 1 stage crushing.

Based on the SGS testwork results, Ausenco designed a new process plant to process 2.5Mtpa of run-of-mine (ROM) feed from the Cabacal open pit. The process comprises crushing and grinding to reduce the RoM material to a characteristic grind (P80) of 200 microns (). Cleaning then occurs in a Jameson cell followed by a single stage cleaner flotation cell. The Process flowsheet is illustrated in Figure 6.

Figure 6: Cabacal Process flowsheet diagram

Figure 7: Cabacal process plant layout

Access and infrastructure

Infrastructure associated with the historic Cabacal Mine has been removed from site, aside from some old buildings which are being converted to field offices and core processing / storage facilities. The PEA therefore assumes that the new Cabacal mine is effectively a greenfields project.

Cabacal is well supported by existing public infrastructure. It is located in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil. It is accessed by sealed roads approximately 320 km west-north-west of the state capital Cuiaba, then a 30km all-weather gravel road from the Company's administrative base in the town of Sao Jose dos Quatro Marcos.

The region is currently supplied by a high-voltage 34.5kV power line. Several hydroelectric power stations operate in the region. A potential route for the construction of an electric line of sufficient capacity for the Cabacal project from the Araputanga substation to the Project area has been identified, extending over 21 km.

Subject to permitting, water is potentially available from the nearby Cabacal river. The process facility aims to recover and re-use as much process water as possible. All rainwater that comes in contact with mining operations is planned to be collected and either used on site or treated to required standards then released.

Mine services and labour are readily available, primarily from nearby towns.

The Cabacal site plan is shown in Figure 8. The major project facilities include the open pit mines, tailings management facility (TMF), waste rock facilities, mine services and access roads. Site selection took into consideration the following factors:

Locate the process plant on competent flat ground and in an area with minimal potential to be mineralized;

Locate the process plant and other facilities at a safe distance from the mine pit and blasting operations; and

Locate the process plant and waste storage facilities to minimise transport distances.

Figure 8: Cabacal mine site layout

Several areas have been identified to store waste rock from the mine. Three waste rock storage facilities (WRSF) have been identified in the PEA. The tailings will be filtered to produce a dry cake that will be trucked from the filter plant and stacked in two DSTFs. The DSTFs have been design to international standards for the PEA. Initial studies indicate that waste rock and tailings are potentially non-acid generating. Detailed waste material characterisation studies are planned for optimization of the long-term storage facility design for construction, safe operation and eventual closure.

Environmental, Permitting & Stakeholder Engagement

Meridian commenced baseline environmental and social impact data collection in January 2022. Meridian has engaged the Sete Solucoes e Tecnologia Ambiental Ltda to undertake environmental studies, Hidrovia Hidrogeologia e Meio Ambiente Ltda has been engaged to undertake hydrogeological studies and Totem Consultoria em Arqueologia Ltda has been engaged to perform archaeological studies of the Cabacal project area. These studies are ongoing and expected to be completed this year to enable the permitting application process to commence later this year.

Meridian also undertakes its own stakeholder engagement processes which commenced on acquiring the Cabacal project in 2021. The Cabacal project is located within farming land, with no artisanal mining activity. Aside from local farmhouses, there are no settlements or population clusters within the project's active area. The nearest indigenous land is located 80km distant from Cabacal to the northwest (Terra Indigena Figueiras). The project is located more than 25 km away from areas classified as Quilombolas (settlements first established by escaped slaves in Brazil, whose descendants have recognized land rights). No areas classified as of special tourist importance are present. Since commencement of activities, the Company has established written or verbal exploration access agreements with thirty-one landowners and continues to engage with others progressively along the trend of the licences.

Upside and optimisation

The PEA results provide a high-level estimate of the potential economic value of the mineral resources discovered to August 2022. In completing the PEA a number of opportunities were identified that would potentially enhance the Cabacal project, subject to completing the necessary assessment. Some of this work is already underway These include:

Resource infill and extensional drilling has been underway since the cut off for the initial resource in August 2022. The primary aim is to improve the confidence of the Mineral Resource estimate and to test zones that currently have little information;

The Cabacal resource is open to the NW and SE and sits in a corridor of 11km of prospective ground with numerous targets. Exploration drilling will progressively test the targets generated and geophysics and geochemistry will be used to identify additional targets;

A Geotechnical study of the proposed Cabacal pit will be conducted to enhance knowledge of the competency of the rock mass in which the Cabacal deposit is hosted. Conservative pit wall slopes were assumed for the PEA and subject to the results of the geotechnical study these angles may be made steeper, thereby reducing the quantity of waste rock needing to be mined;

A Geotechnical study for the proposed infrastructure (Process Plant, DSTF, WRSF and other ancillary facilities will be conducted to enhance knowledge of the subgrade and foundation conditions for the proposed facilities. Conservative assumptions were assumed for the PEA and subject to the results of the geotechnical study these may change based on the geotechnical program;

The PEA did not have the opportunity to undertake a processing scale optimisation study. The Mineral Resource estimate published in September 2022 was more than 2 times larger than the previous historic resource, producing a 22 year mine life for the PEA. An optimisation study would determine if processing at a higher rate would further improve the project economics; and

24.7Mt @ 0.22g/t AuEq of mineralized material between 0.15 to 0.3 g/t gold equivalent was categorised as waste rock for the purposes of the PEA. Further study is warranted to establish if this could be economically processed, thereby reducing the amount of waste requiring disposal.

Non-International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") Financial Measures

The Company has included certain non-IFRS financial measures in this news release, such as initial capital cost, sustaining capital cost, total capital cost, AISC, and capital intensity, which are not measures recognized under IFRS and do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS. As a result, these measures may not be comparable to similar measures reported by other corporations. Each of these measures used are intended to provide additional information to the user and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures prepared in accordance with IFRS. Non-IFRS financial measures used in this news release and common to the gold mining industry are defined below.

Total Cash Costs and Total Cash Costs per Ounce

Total cash costs are reflective of the cost of production. Total cash costs reported in the PEA include mining costs, processing and water treatment costs, general and administrative costs of the mine, off-site costs, refining costs, transportation costs and royalties. Total cash costs per ounce is calculated as total cash costs divided by payable gold ounces.

AISC and AISC per Ounce

AISC is reflective of all of the expenditures that are required to produce an ounce of gold from operations. AISC reported in the PEA includes total cash costs, sustaining capital, closure costs and salvage, but excludes corporate general and administrative costs. AISC per ounce is calculated as AISC divided by payable gold ounces.

Qualified Person Statement

The PEA Study has an effective date of 01 March, 2023. It was authored by independent Qualified Persons and is in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. The following Qualified Persons ("QPs") are responsible for the PEA Study and have reviewed the information in this news release that is summarized from the PEA Study in their areas of expertise:

Robert Raponi (P. Eng), Principal Metallurgist with Ausenco Engineering) is responsible for project infrastructure, recovery methods, capital and operating costs relating to processing, and economic analysis.

Scott Elfen (P. E.), Global Lead Geotechnical and Civil Services with Ausenco Engineering) is responsible for tailings infrastructure, capital and operating costs relating tailings infrastructure and environmental.

Simon Tear (PGeo, EurGeol), Principal Geological Consultant of H&S Consultants Pty Ltd, is responsible for the geological setting, deposit type, exploration, drilling, sample preparation, data verification, Mineral Resource estimation, and adjacent properties.

Joseph Keane (Mineral Processing Engineer; P.E), of SGS North America Inc, is responsible for the project laboratory testing methodology and interpretation.

Guilherme Gomides Ferreira (Mine Engineer MAIG), of GE21 Consultoria Mineral, is responsible for mining method, capital and operating costs related to the mine.

Dr Adrian McArthur, Chief Executive Officer of Meridian Mining UK, a QP as defined in NI 43-101, has reviewed the PEA Study on behalf of the Company and has approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release. The PEA Study is summarized into a technical report that will be filed on the Company's website at www.meridianmining.co and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com in accordance with NI 43-101 within 45 days of this news release.

Technical Notes

Gold equivalents are calculated as: AuEq(g/t) = (Au(g/t) * %Recovery) + (1.492*(Cu% * %Recovery)) + (0.013*(Ag(g/t) * %Recovery)), where:

Au_recovery_ppm = 5.4368ln(Au_Grade_ppm)+88.856

Cu_recovery_pct = 2.0006ln(Cu_Grade_pct)+94.686

Ag_recovery_ppm = 13.342ln(Ag_Grade_ppm)+71.037

Recoveries based on 2022 metallurgical testwork on core submitted to SGS Lakefield.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information

All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release constitute "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of certain securities laws and are based on expectations and projections as of the date of this press release. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include particularly, but without limitation, those related to the PEA Study results (as such results are set out in the various graphs and tables featured above, and are commented in the text of this press release), such as the Project's production profile, LOM, construction and payback periods, NPV, IRR, (direct/indirect, before/after tax) capital costs, contingency, industry leading operating costs, AISC, sustaining capital costs, free cash flows, M&I resources, open pit mineralization and waste extraction, mill feed, milling process and recovery, power supply arrangements and power consumption, and closure costs.

Forward-looking statements are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the time of this press release. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon several estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the time of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business and economic uncertainties and contingencies. These estimates and assumptions may prove to be incorrect.

Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can directly or indirectly affect, and could cause, actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements. As future events and results could differ materially what is currently anticipated by the Company, notably (but without limitation) in the PEA Study, there can be no assurance that the PEA Study results will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events can differ materially from those anticipated in the PEA Study.

By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that estimates, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that assumptions do not reflect future experience. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as several important risk factors and future events could cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the beliefs, plans, objectives, expectations, anticipations, estimates, assumptions, and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements.

All forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and those made in the Company's other filings with the securities regulators of Canada including, but not limited to, the cautionary statements made in the relevant section of the Company's Management Discussion & Analysis. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive, and new, unforeseeable risks may arise from time to time. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law.

About Cabacal

In November 2020, Meridian signed a Purchase Agreement to acquire 100% ownership of certain licences covering the historical Cabacal and Santa Helena mines and the along-strike licences, from two private Brazilian companies ("Vendors"). Subsequently, Meridian expanded its land tenure to today's 50km of strike length. Cabacal had two historical, shallow, high-grade selectively mined underground mines that cumulatively produced ~34 million pounds of copper, ~170,108 ounces of gold, ~1,033,532 ounces of silver and ~103 million pounds of zinc via conventional flotation and gravity metallurgical processes.

Meridian has defined an open trend of shallow copper-gold mineralization centred on the Cabacal Mine. This mineralization trends Northwest-Southeast, sub-crops along its Northeast limits, dips to the southwest at 26 and is up to 90m thick; presenting excellent open-pit geometry and mineral endowment. Meridian is currently focused on infill drilling along a 2,000m corridor along this trend.

Cabacal's base and precious metal-rich mineralization is hosted by volcanogenic type, massive, semi-massive, stringer, and disseminated sulphides within units of deformed metavolcanic-sedimentary rocks ("VMS"). A later-stage sub-vertical gold overprint event has emplaced high-grade gold mineralization truncating the dipping VMS layers. It was explored and developed by BP Minerals/Rio-Tinto from 1983 to 1991 and then by the Vendors in the mid-2000's. This historical exploration database includes over 83,000 metres of drilling, extensive regional mapping, soil surveys, metallurgy from production reports, and both surface and airborne geophysics. The majority of Cabacal's prospects remain to be tested.

Cabacal has excellent infrastructure with access by all-weather roads, clean electricity provided by nearby hydroelectric power stations, and local communities provide mining services and employees. Cabacal consists of 1 mining license, 1 mining lease application, and 7 exploration claims which total 44,265 hectares. The September 2022 Cabacal Mineral Resource estimate consists of Indicated resources of 52.9Mt @ 0.6g/t Au, 0.3% Cu and 1.4g/t Ag and Inferred resources of 9.0Mt @ 0.7g/t Au, 0.2% Cu & 1.1g/t Ag2, with strong optionality for targeting higher grade mineralization for the future development studies.

About Meridian

Meridian Mining UK S is focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development activities in Brazil. The Company is currently focused on resource development of the Cabacal VMS gold-copper project, the regional scale exploration of the Cabacal VMS belt, the exploration in the Jauru & Araputanga Greenstone belts all located in the state of Mato Grosso and exploring the Espigao polymetallic project in the State of Rondonia Brazil.

About Ausenco Engineering

Ausenco is a global company 'redefining what's possible'. Its team is based across 26 offices in 14 countries, with projects in over 80 locations worldwide. Combining their deep technical expertise with a 30-year track record, Ausenco provides innovative, value-add consulting and engineering studies and project delivery, asset operations and maintenance solutions to the mining & metals, oil & gas, and industrial sectors.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Meridian Mining UK S

Dr. Adrian McArthur

CEO and Director

Meridian Mining UK S

Email: info@meridianmining.net.br

Ph: +1 (778) 715-6410 (PST)

Stay up to date by subscribing for news alerts here: https://meridianmining.co/contact/

Follow Meridian on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MeridianMining

Further information can be found at: www.meridianmining.co

1See Meridian news release September 26, 2022 https://meridianmining.co/press-releases/

2Meridian Mining News Release of September 26, 2022

SOURCE: Meridian Mining UK S

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/742083/Meridian-Delivers-Strong-Economics-for-Cabaals-PEA
Expanded Milling Capacity to Further Increase Gold Production

TORONTO, March 06, 2023thpress release, TRX Gold is committed to a short-term objective of increasing Buckreef Gold's current average annual throughput of oxide ore by 75-100%, through the addition of this new mill.



Informational highlights:

The 1,000 tpd mill has been ordered from CSI Energy Group (Tanzania) in partnership with Solo Resources Pty in South Africa, an equipment and services sector expert with over 30 years of experience in the sale, design, installation and commissioning of metallurgical processing equipment for various applications.

The mill will have dimensions of 3,200 mm diameter by 4,500 mm equivalent grinding length and a 630 kW drive motor. The ball mill is the long-lead critical item and is scheduled to be shipped within 60 days, ex-works. Orders are in the final stages for several other major items of equipment including the crushing circuit upgrade equipment (apron feeder, vibrating grizzly and double deck screen), additional CIL inter-tank screens, and CIL agitators. Three more CIL leach tanks, with 400 m 3 nominal capacity each, will be constructed on site to maintain the retention time above 24 hours.

nominal capacity each, will be constructed on site to maintain the retention time above 24 hours. The mill expansion will occur simultaneously with the upgrade of the existing power supply, from the current 2.5 MVA to 5.0 MVA, through the addition of a second 2.5 MVA transformer on the national grid. TRX Gold remains committed to sustainable practices and is pleased that it will be able to rely on additional capacity from the national power grid, which is mainly powered by clean hydroelectricity.



The near doubling of milling capacity is expected to enable Buckreef Gold to increase gold production beyond current annual guidance of 20,000-25,000 ounces of gold. TRX Gold expects the commissioning of this project to occur early fiscal 2024, therefore benefiting gold production in the near-term. The Company will provide its annual gold production guidance for F2024 at a later date.

This is one of many growth projects that TRX Gold has outlined for F2023, in line with its business strategy of reinvesting cash flow from operations into value-accretive activities to create shareholder value.

Stephen Mullowney, TRX Gold Chief Executive Officer states, "We are very pleased to be making today's announcement as we continue to prove to the market that we deliver on our objectives. A nod goes to our engineering consultants and construction and operations teams who built the current 1,000+ tpd mill, using larger tanks and agitators, with the optionality and foresight of creating an opportunity for this short-term expansion. Once this project is delivered, it will be our third mill expansion at Buckreef Gold; phenomenal growth for a junior gold mining company within a 24-month period."

Figure 1: 1,000+ tpd Processing Plant at Buckreef Gold, showing new CIL tanks and conveyor feed to the new ball mills (Q1 2023)







About TRX Gold Corporation



TRX Gold is rapidly advancing the Buckreef Gold Project. Anchored by a Mineral Resource published in May 2020, the project currently hosts an NI 43-101 Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource of 35.88 MT at 1.77 g/t gold containing 2,036,280 oz of gold and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 17.8 MT at 1.11g/t gold for 635,540 oz of gold. The leadership team is focused on creating both near-term and long-term shareholder value by increasing gold production to generate positive cash flow. The positive cash flow will be utilized for exploratory drilling with the goal of increasing the current gold Resource base and advancing the Sulphide Ore Project which represents 90% of current gold Resources. TRX Gold's actions are led by the highest ESG standards, evidenced by the relationships and programs that the Company has developed during its nearly two decades of presence in Geita Region, Tanzania.

Investors

Christina Lalli

Vice President, Investor Relations

TRX Gold Corporation

+1-438-399-8665

c.lalli@TRXgold.com

www.TRXgold.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements as defined in the applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "hopes", "intends", "estimated", "potential", "possible" and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions or results "will", "may", "could" or "should" occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect TRX Gold management's expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the purchase, instillation and operation of the additional ball mill within the projected timeframe, the operation of the proposed ball mill at projected capacity, the anticipated average annual throughput of oxide ore, estimation of mineral resources and gold production, and ability to develop value creating activities.

Although TRX Gold believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance. The actual achievements of TRX Gold or other future events or conditions may differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements due to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors. These risks, uncertainties and factors include general business, legal, economic, competitive, political, regulatory and social uncertainties; actual results of exploration activities and economic evaluations; fluctuations in currency exchange rates; changes in costs; future prices of gold and other minerals; mining method, production profile and mine plan; delays in exploration, development and construction activities; changes in government legislation and regulation; the ability to obtain financing on acceptable terms and in a timely manner or at all; contests over title to properties; employee relations and shortages of skilled personnel and contractors; the speculative nature of, and the risks involved in, the exploration, development and mining business. These risks are set forth in reports that TRX Gold files with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Company's profile on www.sedar.com.

Investors are advised that the terms mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates disclosed in this press release have been calculated pursuant to Canadian standards which may differ from SEC reporting standards.

The information contained in this press release is as of the date of the press release and TRX Gold assumes no duty to update such information.

The TSX and NYSE America have not reviewed and do not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the contents of this press release, which has been prepared by the management of TRX Gold.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ea3b6165-6f62-4f3a-9e0a-e79de2dcf33f
Loop Energy (TSX: LPEN), a designer and manufacturer of hydrogen fuel cell solutions, has completed third-party validation of the use of its patented eFlow technology in PEM electrolyzers. In partnership with Fraunhofer USA, testing was conducted by the German Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, and has demonstrated a fuel cell architecture with trapezoid flow field design can enhance temperature uniformity. When incorporated into conventional PEM electrolysis cells, this bipolar plate architecture demonstrates it can increase hydrogen production. Loop Energy is now seeking industry partners to develop a full-scale electrolyzer prototype for commercial validation.

Results show that eFlow architecture creates a more stable and uniform operating environment in the PEM water electrolysis test cells compared to conventional flow fields with parallel channels, resulting in greater hydrogen production and improved efficiency. Testing also shows the enhanced uniform operating environment should have a beneficial impact on durability.

"Results from the validation process show that the new flow field technology has the potential to surpass typical levels of hydrogen production that we see in the industry today and supports green hydrogen production to become increasingly economically viable," said Fraunhofer ISE Head of Department Chemical Energy Storage, Dr. Tom Smolinka. "The difference we have seen from current electrolyzer performance with conventional parallel flow field is that the adapted design appears to create more uniform temperature distribution could make it an enabling technology for some of the advanced materials needed to really increase the economics of electrolyzers and green hydrogen."

Encouraged by the results, Loop Energy and Fraunhofer ISE are inviting expressions of interest from potential industry partners. Interested parties will partner with the two companies in designing and manufacturing an electrolyzer prototype to verify eFlow's benefits for producing hydrogen on a commercial scale. All expressions of interest can be directed to Loop Energy Chief Commercial Officer, George Rubin.

"The completion of third-party validation is an important milestone for Loop Energy as we explore how eFlow can transform the hydrogen production sector," said Loop Energy President CEO, Ben Nyland. "We're extremely pleased to partner with Fraunhofer ISE and draw on their long-lasting experience in cell and stack design for PEM water electrolysis. The results have been encouraging, and we're excited to begin the search for strategic partners to support us as we innovate electrolyzer technology."

Currently, Loop Energy's proprietary eFlow technology is applied in its fuel cell products to offer unmatched levels of fuel efficiency. Its tapering channel design enables eFlow to provide improved uniform current density and increases gas velocity to deliver superior thermal and water management. With the new discovery that eFlow can benefit hydrogen production efficiency, it expands the patented technology's potential use across the hydrogen energy vertical.

Global demand for hydrogen production is projected to grow by more than US$1 trillion by 20501. As a result, both new and existing hydrogen producers are searching for a competitive advantage to meet rising demand.

Ben Nyland will share details of this development at CERAWeek on March 6 and 7 alongside Thomas Schuelke, president of Fraunhofer USA, which also acts as project partner. In addition, Dr. Tom Smolinka and Loop Energy Chief Scientist, Dr. Sean Mackinnon will present the technical results at Hannover Messe on April 17. Requests for meetings at either event can be coordinated with Ethan Hugh.

Loop Energy's management team will share more details on its end of year financial results call on March 30. Call details can be found on Loop Energy's website.

About Fraunhofer ISE

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, based in Germany, is the world's leading organization for application-oriented research. With its focus on key technologies of relevance to the future and on the exploitation of results in business and industry, it plays a central role in the innovation process. As a guide and stimulus for innovative developments and scientific excellence, it helps shape our society and our future. Founded in 1949, the organization currently operates 76 institutes and research facilities in Germany. More than 30,000 employees, most of them trained in the natural sciences or engineering, produce the annual research volume of 2.9 billion euros. Of this, 2.5 billion euros is spent on contract research. Further information: www.ise.fraunhofer.de/en

About Fraunhofer USA

Fraunhofer USA, Inc., a legally independent US affiliate founded by Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, is an R&D organization working with industry, universities, and state and federal governments on contract R&D projects. Fraunhofer is in the high-tech problem-solving business and utilizes world class scientific and engineering expertise to engage in complex R&D projects across many different disciplines. Through Fraunhofer USA, U.S. clients can connect to the 79 research units throughout the U.S. and Germany with over 30,000 employees, predominantly scientists and engineers. www.fraunhofer.org

About Loop Energy Inc.

Loop Energy is a leading designer and manufacturer of hydrogen fuel cell systems targeted for the electrification of commercial vehicles, including light commercial vehicles, transit buses and medium and heavy-duty trucks. Loop Energy's products feature the company's proprietary eFlow technology in the fuel cell stack's bipolar plates. eFlow is designed to enable commercial customers to achieve performance maximization and cost minimization. Loop Energy works with OEMs and major vehicle sub-system suppliers to enable the production of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles. For more information about how Loop Energy is driving towards a zero-emissions future, visit www.loopenergy.com.

Forward Looking Warning

This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, which reflect management's current expectations and projections regarding future events. Particularly, statements regarding the Company's expectations of future results, performance, achievements, prospects or opportunities or the markets in which we operate is forward-looking information, including without limitation, purchase orders, cost reduction, profitability and revenue targets; our future growth prospects and business outlook including without limitation the expected demand for our products, the allocation of resources and funds, the expected timeline for profitability, the planned growth of our customer base and the expected growth of our operations globally. Forward-looking information is based on a number of assumptions (including without limitation assumptions with respect the current and future performance of the Company's products, growth in demand for the Company's products, the Company's ability to execute on its strategy, achieve its targets and progress existing and future customers through the Customer Adoption Cycle in a timely way, and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control and could cause actual results and events to vary materially from those that are disclosed, or implied, by such forward-looking information.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230306005095/en/

Contacts:

Loop Energy Investor Inquiries:

Natalie Arseneau Tel: +1 604.222.3400 Ext. 418 investors@loopenergy.com

Loop Energy Business Inquiries:

George Rubin Tel: +1.604.828.8185 grubin@loopenergy.com

Loop Energy Media Inquiries:

Ethan Hugh Tel: +1 604.306.4277| ethan.hugh@loopenergy.com

Lucas Schmidt Tel: +1.778.791.8756 lucas.schmidt@loopenergy.com

Fraunhofer ISE Inquiries:

Dr. Tom Smolinka Tel: +49.761.4588.5212 tom.smolinka@ise.fraunhofer.de

Diana Bribach Tel: +49.761.4588.2804 diana.bribach@ise.fraunhofer.de

Fraunhofer USA Inquiries:

Elliott Sprehe Tel: +734.927.3984 esprehe@fraunhofer.org
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / Tinka Resources Limited ("Tinka" or the "Company") (TSXV:TK)(BVL:TK)(OTCQB:TKRFF) is pleased to announce results for six recent drill holes from the Company's ongoing infill and resource expansion drill program at the Ayawilca project in Peru. All six drill holes are infill holes from the South Ayawilca area. Hole A23-212 returned much better than expected results with a thick and high-grade zinc intersection of 145.2 metres grading 10.9% zinc (estimated true thickness of ~ 100 metres) including 29.3 metres grading 20.2% zinc from a shallow depth of 158 metres. The drill program at South Ayawilca continues to exceed our expectations with respect to the continuity of the ultra high zinc grades. Drilling is expected to continue with two rigs until the end of April.

Key highlights of recent South Ayawilca drill holes

Hole A23-212: 145.2 metres at 10.9% zinc from 158.2 metres depth, including: 29.3 metres at 20.2% zinc from 158.2 metres depth, and 10.6 metres at 14.9% zinc from 200.8 metres depth, and 9.8 metres at 15.1% zinc from 239.1 metres depth, and 3.6 metres at 35.0% zinc from 262.6 metres depth, and 25.8 metres at 13.1% zinc from 277.6 metres depth. The wide interval includes 4.4 metres of no recovery assumed zero grade in three separate zones.

Hole A22-208: 4.6 metres at 32.4% zinc from 105.2 metres depth; and 9.9 metres at 9.7% zinc from 142.1 metres depth; and 71.2 metres at 8.8% zinc from 168.8 metres depth, including: 37.7 metres at 12.8% zinc from 194.0 metres depth, including 2.7 metres at 45.2% zinc from 188.0 metres depth, and 20.0 metres at 16.9% zinc from 211.9 metres depth; and 1.7 metres at 36.3% zinc from 265.9 metres depth.

Hole A22-206: 37.8 metres at 10.5% zinc from 153.5 metres depth, including: 23.4 metres at 15.2% zinc from 168.0 metres depth; and 2.7 metres at 45.2% zinc from 188.0 metres depth and 1.7 metres at 15.9% zinc from 200.3 metres.

Hole A23-215: 5.2 metres at 11.2% zinc from 144.4 metres depth; and 4.1 metres at 33.6% zinc from 190.0 metres depth; and 30.1 metres at 8.6% zinc from 263.4 metres depth, including 5.6 metres at 21.3% zinc from 264.5 metres depth.

Hole A22-210: 2.7 metres at 16.2% zinc from 85.6 metres depth.

Hole A22-201: An extension of hole A17-066 (extended by 59 m) did not intersect significant mineralization.

A total of 10,000 metres have now been drilled for 30 drill holes in the 2022-23 drill program with a further 1,000 metres (approximately) to be completed. Seven holes have results pending.

True thicknesses of the mineralized intercepts are estimated to be at least 70% of the downhole thicknesses.

Dr. Graham Carman, Tinka's President and CEO, stated: "Hole A23-212 is without doubt Tinka's best ever hole at Ayawilca in terms of thickness and grade of the zinc mineralization - the hole intercepted a continuous zone of massive sulphide mineralization grading 11% zinc over an interpreted true thickness of approximately 100 metres. This hole is one of five fan holes reported here, following-up on the spectacular high-grade intercept of 39 metres grading 20% zinc including 10.4 metres at 42% zinc in hole A22-202 (link to news release). The results of these fan holes prove that there is excellent continuity of the high-grade zinc mineralization along a 200-metre strike length of folded limestone at the western extremity of the South Ayawilca deposit. This ultra high-grade zinc zone, which we are continuing to define and extend with more drilling, is expected to be very important for the project as it is located at the shallowest part of the South Ayawilca resource and therefore likely to be accessed early in the mine plan."

"Importantly, exploration opportunities still exist to expand this ultra high-grade mineralization. The drill program will continue until April with at least two more holes to be drilled at South Ayawilca. Several additional holes remain to be reported including five holes from West Ayawilca. Next steps for the project, following completion of the drill program, include an update of the mineral resource estimations and the evaluation of alternatives to fast track Ayawilca towards development."

Discussion of the geology

Table 1 summarises the highlighted drill intercepts for the six drill holes from South Ayawilca in this news release. The Company has now completed approximately 10,000 metres of drilling in 30 holes in the 2022-2023 resource definition-expansion program (see Table 2). A total of 23 holes have now been reported (see also previous releases Oct 11 2022 , Nov 21 2022 , Jan 9 2023 and Jan 24 2023. Table 2 summarises the complete list of holes drilled in the 2022-23 drill program. A drill hole map is presented in Figure 1.

This news release includes five holes drilled in a fan pattern from the same platform (holes A22-206, 208, 210, A23-212 and 215) targeting the core of an overturned fold 'anticline' covering approximately 200 metres of strike length (north-south). An impermeable quartz sandstone, a unit of the local Goyllar formation, forms the footwall to the massive sulphide zone which has replaced the favourable Pucara limestone in the core of the anticline with substantial quantities of zinc. The sandstone is folded around the Pucara limestone forming an efficient trap which has concentrated the zinc mineralization in the hinge of the fold and along the contacts with the sandstone. High-grade zinc is associated with semi-massive sulphide (30-70% sulphides) to massive sulphide (70-100% sulphides) mineralization as sulphide replacements of the limestone and as veins into the sandstone. The sulphides are dominated by sphalerite, pyrite, and iron-rich carbonates (siderite) with minor magnetite, pyrrhotite, and quartz. Sphalerite (both high and low-iron varieties) typically comprises between 30% and 90% of the total sulphides.

An interpretation of the zinc mineralization in the recent drill holes is highlighted in Figure 2. The massive sulphide body dips at a moderate angle to the east. A major northeast-southwest trending fault located at the northern edge of the sulphide body truncates the mineralization to the north. This "060 Fault" (shown in Figure 2) could also be an important conduit for the mineralization at Ayawilca.

Figure 3 is an example of the ultra high-grade zinc cores from A23-212.

The final hole reported in this news release, A22-201, is a deepened exploration hole from 2017 (A17-077) to 430 m depth, targeting the possible extension of high-grade zinc mineralization intersected in nearby hole A22-195 (6m at 18.8% Zn from 392.6m depth) on the eastern side of South Ayawilca (see link). On this occasion, A22-201 did not intersect any significant mineralization possibly as a result of the thinning out of the manto structure in A22-195.

Table 1. Summary of drill hole results in this release from South Ayawilca

Hole From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Zinc % Lead % Silver g/t Indium ppm Notes A22-201 no significant results Extension of hole A17-066 A22-206 153.55 191.35 37.80 10.54 0.06 17 181 incl 168.00 191.35 23.35 15.23 0.07 22 284 incl 188.00 190.65 2.65 45.21 0.14 76 1730 and 200.30 202.00 1.70 15.92 0.02 9 187 A22-208 105.20 109.75 4.55 32.39 0.04 32 354 and 125.40 127.25 1.85 17.33 0.04 15 87 and 142.15 152.00 9.85 9.74 0.19 20 97 and 168.80 240.00 71.20 8.75 0.51 33 55 incl 194.00 231.65 37.65 12.76 0.75 44 89 incl 211.70 231.65 19.95 16.92 0.01 6 87 and 265.90 267.55 1.65 36.30 0.15 88 2940 A22-210 85.60 88.30 2.70 16.22 0.39 92 216 and 157.20 164.20 7.00 4.39 0.45 79 4 A23-212 124.30 126.10 1.80 32.74 0.02 21 58 and 158.20 303.40 145.20 10.86 0.19 31 229 1 incl 158.20 187.45 29.25 20.17 0.04 21 418 incl 200.80 211.40 10.60 14.87 0.20 48 426 2 incl 239.10 248.85 9.75 15.14 0.04 19 244 incl 262.60 266.20 3.60 34.96 0.07 50 868 incl 277.60 303.40 25.80 13.06 0.61 86 312 3 A23-215 144.35 149.50 5.15 11.24 0.01 22 247 incl 144.35 145.45 1.10 31.46 0.03 32 811 and 190.00 194.10 4.10 33.59 0.19 72 1263 incl 190.70 192.80 2.10 42.82 0.34 118 1629 and 263.40 293.50 30.10 8.61 0.14 38 91 incl 264.50 270.10 5.60 21.34 0.06 36 451 incl 283.10 292.60 9.50 12.78 0.29 58 9

1 includes 4.4 m of no recovery assumed zero grade 2 includes 0.8 m of no recovery assumed zero grade 3 includes 3.6 m of no recovery assumed zero grade

Figure 1. Drill hole map of Ayawilca highlighting drill holes released here in RED

Figure 2.

Figure 3. An example of high-grade zinc mineralization in hole A23-212. The interval 205.5 - 208.5 metres has an average grade of 31.3% zinc, 90 g/t silver, and 0.13% lead.





Note on sampling and assaying

Drill holes are diamond HQ size core holes with recoveries generally above 80% and often close to 100%. The drill core is marked up, logged, and photographed on site. The cores are cut in half at the Company's core storage facility, with half-cores stored as a future reference. Half-core was bagged on average over 1 to 2 metre composite intervals and sent to SGS laboratory in Lima for assay in batches. Standards and blanks were inserted by Tinka into each batch prior to departure from the core storage facilities. At the laboratory samples are dried, crushed to 100% passing 2mm, then 500 grams pulverized for multi-element analysis by ICPMS using multi-acid digestion. Samples assaying over 1% zinc, lead, or copper and over 100 g/t silver were re-assayed using precise ore-grade AAS techniques. Samples within massive sulphide zones were also assayed for tin using fusion and AAS finish.

The Qualified Person, Dr. Graham Carman, Tinka's President and CEO, and a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, has reviewed and verified the technical contents of this release.

Readers are encouraged to read the NI 43-101 Technical Report entitled "Ayawilca Polymetallic Project, Central Peru, NI 43-101 Technical Report on Updated Preliminary Economic Assessment" available for download on Tinka's website at www.tinkaresources.com. The Technical Report was prepared by Mining Plus Peru S.A.C. ("Mining Plus") as principal consultant, Transmin Metallurgical Consultants ("Transmin"), Envis E.I.R.L ("Envis"), and SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd ("SLR").

Table 2. Drill hole details for 2022-2023 drill program including drill collar coordinate information

Drill hole Easting Northing Elevation Azimuth Dip Depth Area Comment A22-190 333281 8845755 4167 180 -50 498.95 Central Results reported A22-191 333169 8845799 4182 180 -55 478.80 Central Results reported A22-192 333345 8845195 4208 232 -74 385.90 South Results reported A22-193 332766 8845659 4237 68 -65 365.40 West Results reported A22-194 333143 8845231 4226 135 -73 380.20 South Results reported A22-195 333149 8845353 4221 148 -65 426.90 South Results reported A22-196 333035 8845307 4235 174 -45 382.10 South Results reported A22-197 332912 8845693 4220 264 -55 412.60 West Results reported A22-198 332900 8845768 4222 265 -53 451.10 West Results reported A22-199 333046 8845067 4195 303 -66 344.10 South Results reported A22-200 332821 8845889 4246 260 -58 352.00 West Results reported A22-201 333342 8845195 4208 310 -73 58.90 South Results HERE A22-202 333046 8845066 4197 283 -52 270.15 South Results reported A22-203 332839 8845685 4228 264 -60 350.00 West Results reported A22-204 333090 8845061 4196 307 -60 334.30 South Results reported A22-205 332839 8845685 4227 244 -72 352.70 West Results reported A22-206 333044 8845064 4197 270 -58 217.30 South Results HERE A22-207 332710 8845883 4252 254 -74 332.00 West Results reported A22-208 333044 8845064 4197 270 -70 282.55 South Results HERE A22-209 332738 8845927 4251 257 -68 314.15 West Results reported A22-210 333047 8845065 4197 297 -48 259.80 South Results HERE A22-211 332785 8845707 4236 260 -75 295.00 West Results pending A23-212 333047 8845065 4197 228 -79 324.30 South Results HERE A23-213 332853 8845650 4225 258 -65 316.00 West Results pending A23-214 332710 8845883 4252 255 -67 287.10 West Results pending A23-215 333047 8845065 4197 180 -80 295.10 South Results HERE A23-216 332710 8845883 4252 220 -73 310.00 West Results pending A23-217 332853 8845650 4225 240 -78 300.00 West Results pending A23-218 333109 8845020 4190 330 -75 323.70 South Results pending A23-219 333219 8845582 4182 180 -85 336.80 Central Results pending TOTAL 10037.90

Notes: Datum for coordinates is WGS84 Zone 18S. Azimuth is true azimuth

On behalf of the Board,

"Graham Carman"

Dr. Graham Carman, President & CEO

Further Information:

www.tinkaresources.com

Mariana Bermudez 1.604.685.9316

info@tinkaresources.com

Stay up to date by subscribing for news alerts at Contact Tinka and by following Tinka on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

About Tinka Resources Limited

Tinka is an exploration and development company with its flagship property being the 100%-owned Ayawilca zinc-silver-tin project in central Peru. The Zinc Zone deposit has an estimated Indicated Mineral Resource of 19.0 Mt @ 7.15% Zn, 16.8 g/t Ag & 0.2% Pb and Inferred Mineral Resource of 47.9 Mt @ 5.4% Zn, 20.0 g/t Ag & 0.4% Pb (dated August 30, 2021). The Ayawilca Tin Zone has an estimated Inferred Mineral Resource of 8.4 Mt grading 1.0% Sn.

Forward Looking Statements: Certain information in this news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively "forward-looking statements"). All statements, other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs and expectations of Tinka as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to Tinka's management. Such statements reflect the current risks, uncertainties and assumptions related to certain factors including, without limitations: timing of planned work programs and results varying from expectations; delay in obtaining results; changes in equity markets; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future; equipment failure, unexpected geological conditions; imprecision in resource estimates or metal recoveries; success of future development initiatives; competition and operating performance; environmental and safety risks; the Company's expectations regarding the Ayawilca Project PEA; the political environment in which the Company operates continuing to support the development and operation of mining projects; risks related to negative publicity with respect to the Company or the mining industry in general; the threat associated with outbreaks of viruses and infectious diseases, including the novel COVID-19 virus; delays in obtaining or failure to obtain necessary permits and approvals from local authorities; community agreements and relations; and, other development and operating risks. Should any one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein. Although Tinka believes that assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. Except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Tinka disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement.

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 news release

SOURCE: Tinka Resources Ltd.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/742021/Tinka-Drills-145-Metres-at-109-Zinc-Including-29-Metres-at-20-Zinc-at-Ayawilca
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 6, 2023) - Palladium One Mining Inc. (TSXV: PDM) (FSE: 7N11) (OTCQB: NKORF) ("Palladium One" or "PDM") and MetalCorp Limited (TSXV: MTC) ("MetalCorp" or "MTC") are pleased to announce a definitive agreement (the "Arrangement Agreement") for a business combination to be completed under a plan of arrangement. Palladium One has agreed pursuant to the Arrangement Agreement to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of MetalCorp by way of a statutory plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) (the "Transaction"). Pursuant to the Transaction, MetalCorp shareholders ("MTC Shareholders") will receive, in exchange for each common share in the capital of MetalCorp (a "MTC Share") held, 0.30 (the "Exchange Ratio") of a common share in the capital of Palladium One (each whole share, a "PDM Share"). The Exchange Ratio implies a purchase price of C$0.026 per MTC Share, or gross consideration of C$3.3 million. The number of PDM shares to be issued on completion of the Transaction is approximately 38,703,051. Existing shareholders of PDM will hold approximately 88% of PDM immediately following completion of the Transaction, and the former MTC Shareholders will hold approximately 12% immediately following completion of the Transaction.

"This transaction advances our strategy of creating value by responsibly, establishing a partnership with a senior producer and growing a portfolio of critical mineral assets in Canada in support of North American critical mineral supply chains, and it also increases liquidity," commented Derrick Weyrauch, Chief Executive Officer of PDM.

"We are pleased to be combining MetalCorp's business with Palladium One," commented Donald Sheldon, Chief Executive Officer of MTC. "Like MetalCorp, Palladium One has an excellent suite of properties including gold, PGEs, copper - nickel and a strong cash position. Based on the TSXV closing prices of each company on the day the agreement was signed, this transaction reflects a 28% premium for MetalCorp shareholders."

Transaction Highlights:

PDM will maintain the earn-in agreement in favour of Barrick Gold Inc. ("Barrick"), on MetalCorp's Hemlo East Project adjacent to Barrick's producing Hemlo Gold Mine (>21 million ounces mined to date) and located 40 kilometers southwest of PDM's Tyko Project.





MetalCorp's assets include two critical mineral projects located in Ontario, a Tier 1 mining jurisdiction (Figure 1):



North Rock Copper - Nickel Project Road accessible, permitted, exploration stage. A historical resource estimate.



Big Lake BL-14 Copper - Zinc - Gold - Silver VMS-style Project Road accessible, exploration stage.



MetalCorp's assets also include a royalty portfolio of five exploration stage mineral projects located in Ontario, the principal royalty being:



Hemlo Annex Property (Barrick): 2% NSR royalty. 176 hectares between Barrick's Hemlo gold mine and the Hemlo East Project.



The business combination strengthens the proforma cash position to approximately C$13 million as of December 31, 2022.

Upon completion of the Transaction, Palladium One will benefit from the following:

Three district scale, road accessible massive sulphide, magmatic nickel - copper projects located in Tier 1 mining jurisdictions:

Tyko Nickel - Copper - Cobalt Project (30,000 hectares), Ontario Canada Extremely high tenor Massive Sulphides in a new untested Nickel District

CanAlask Nickel - Copper Project (3,400 hectares), Yukon Canada Large-scale ultramafic body with multiple high-grade nickel - copper - PGE showings.

KS Nickel - Copper - PGE Project (16,000 hectares), Finland Potential for extremely high tenor sulphide: ~ 3 oz per tonne precious metals, ~10% nickel and ~13% copper (based on 100% sulphide using metal tenors of the adjacent LK Project).

LK Platinum-Group-Element (PGE) - Copper - Nickel Project in Finland National Instrument 43-101 compliant Mineral Resource Estimate (April 2022)



North Rock Copper - Nickel Project (7,000 hectares), Ontario Canada Covers 20 kilometers of the Grassy Portage layered mafic intrusion and hosts four known zones of copper-nickel sulphide mineralization.



Hemlo East Earn-in agreement with Barrick Gold Inc. ("Barrick" or "ABX") Hemlo East Project is adjacent to Barrick's producing Hemlo Gold Mine (>21 million ounces mined to date) Located 40 kilometers southwest of the Tyko Project (see details above). Earn-in agreement signed in November 2020. On November 26, 2021, MetalCorp announced that Barrick provided a notice of Force Majeure due to permitting delays resulting in Barrick's inability to meet the performance obligations under the earn-in agreement. Barrick is maintaining the claims in good standing.



C$4.4 million of assessment credits from MetalCorp resulting in no cash servicing requirements for at least ten years on the North Rock Cu-Ni, Big Lake Cu-Au VMS and the Black Bear Au Projects.





Figure 1. Location map of Ontario mineral properties. Red are Critical Mineral nickel-copper projects, yellow are gold projects.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6502/157317_b4f6d06d940e39f9_001full.jpg

Transaction Details

The Transaction will be subject to the approval of at least 662/3% of the votes cast by MTC Shareholders, voting as a single class at a special meeting of the MTC Shareholders to be called to consider the Transaction, which is expected to be held near the end of April 2023 (the "Meeting"). In addition to the approval of the MTC Shareholders, the Transaction is also subject to the receipt of certain regulatory and court approvals, including the approvals of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV"), and other closing conditions customary in transactions of this nature.

Pursuant to the Arrangement Agreement, unless otherwise excluded, all outstanding options exercisable into MTC Shares, which remain unexercised at the effective time of the Transaction, will be exchanged for options exercisable into PDM Shares at the Exchange Ratio.

Support for the Transaction

All directors and senior officers of MTC have entered into support and voting agreements with PDM, pursuant to which they have agreed to vote their MTC Shares, representing approximately 40% of the issued and outstanding MTC Shares, in favour of the Transaction. The board of directors of MTC has unanimously approved the Transaction.

Subject to certain conditions, including obtaining the requisite regulatory approvals, the Transaction is expected to close by the end of April 2023.

Further details of the Transaction are set out in the Arrangement Agreement and will be included in a management information circular of MetalCorp to be mailed in connection with the Meeting (the "Circular"). The Arrangement Agreement and Circular will be made available on SEDAR under the issuer profile of each of PDM and MTC at www.sedar.com.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities.

Advisors and Counsel

Bennett Jones LLP is acting as Palladium One's legal advisor. Dickinson Wright LLP is acting as MetalCorp's legal advisor.

Qualified Person

The technical information in this release has been reviewed and verified by Neil Pettigrew, M.Sc., P. Geo., Vice President of Exploration and a director of Palladium One and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

About Palladium One

Palladium One Mining Inc. (TSXV: PDM) is focused on discovering environmentally and socially conscious Metals for Green Transportation. A Canadian mineral exploration and development company, Palladium One is targeting district scale, platinum-group-element (PGE)-copper-nickel deposits in Canada and Finland. The Lantinen Koillismaa (LK) Project in north-central Finland, is a PGE-copper-nickel project that has existing NI43-101 Mineral Resources, while both the Tyko and Canalask high-grade nickel-copper projects are located in Ontario and the Yukon, Canada, respectively. Follow Palladium One on LinkedIn, Twitter, and at www.palladiumoneinc.com.

About MetalCorp

MetalCorp is a mineral exploration company based in Thunder Bay, Ontario, with gold and base metal projects in the Canadian Shield of Northern Ontario, Canada, one of the most prolific mineral districts in the world. To find out more about MetalCorp visit its website at www.metalcorp.ca.

For further information, for Palladium, contact:

Derrick Weyrauch, President & CEO

Email: info@palladiumoneinc.com

For further information, for MetalCorp, contact:

Donald Sheldon, CEO

Email: info@metalcorp.ca

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This press release is not an offer or a solicitation of an offer of securities for sale in the United States of America. The common shares of Palladium One Mining Inc. have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration.

Information set forth in this press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that relate to future, not past events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address a company's expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", and "intend", statements that an action or event "may", "might", "could", "should", or "will" be taken or occur, or other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, without limitation, statements with respect to: any information as to the future financial or operating performance of Palladium One and MetalCorp, the completion of the Transaction, the expected synergies and benefits of the Transaction, the "Transaction Highlights", the future price of nickel, copper, gold, and cobalt, the estimation of mineral resources, costs and timing of the development of projects and new deposits, success of exploration, currency fluctuations, requirements for additional capital, government regulation of mining operations, and environmental risks. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

Such factors include, among others, risks associated with the results of shareholder and regulatory approvals for the Transaction, the integration of MetalCorp with Palladium One, the quality of the title of MetalCorp to its assets and the extent of any known, unknown or contingent liabilities of MetalCorp, the results of the exploration at the Hemlo East or North Rock Copper-Nickel Projects, the accuracy of mineral resource estimates; project development; the need for additional financing; operational risks associated with mining and mineral processing; fluctuations in palladium and other commodity prices; title matters; environmental liability claims and insurance; reliance on key personnel; the absence of dividends; competition; dilution; the volatility of Palladium One and MetalCorp common share prices and volume; and tax consequences to Canadian and U.S. shareholders. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and neither MetalCorp nor Palladium One undertakes any obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/157317
KYIV, Ukraine, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- N1 fintech fund invested in SteadyPay, a British progressive lending platform with a co-founder from Ukraine. European venture funds such as Ascension, The Future Fund and others have already invested in this fintech.

"We have seen a progressive lending product for the new generation, backed by well-built AI technology. It's great that Ukrainians worldwide are involved in creating innovations. It makes one want to invest in such startups. The decision was unanimous within the team." - says Nykyta Izmailov, CEO and founder of N1.

Steadypay is a fintech startup founded by John Downie, from the UK and Ivan Istomin, from Ukraine.

SteadyPay co-founder John Downie has spent most of his career developing technical solutions for banks and realized that existing lending solutions needed to meet the needs of workers with irregular incomes, such as freelancers. And the "gig economy" is bringing more and more of them into the labor market.

"The demand for lending to people with irregular incomes is growing, so we've created a solution," - says Downie.

Ivan Istomin is a Ukrainian co-founder of SteadyPay and an experienced payment and retail lending entrepreneur. In startup he develops white-label embedded finance and l?nding-as-a-service: "We see the huge demand for integration of SteadyPay lending platform under own branding of neobanks and marketplaces for their customers asking for financing"

How does it work?

SteadyPay is a UK-based progressive lending platform for people with unstable incomes.

The AI-based solution analyzes open user data to predict their creditworthiness. According to these forecasts, Steadypay tops up the bank account of a trusted and reliable platform user if their earnings fall below the average monthly income. The algorithm calculates how much money can be loaned to a particular client. The average monthly replenishment per person is about 250, and the maximum balance a user can have on SteadyPay at any given time does not exceed 1000. The platform operates on a subscription model. The funders describe it as "Netflix for credit".

Users are charged a monthly fee of 7 per week for the service. They can recharge without interest and only have to repay SteadyPay when they exceed their average income in a given month.

The platform currently has 12,000 active users, most of whom are between the ages of 22 and 40.

Info: N1 is a specialized fintech fund established by Nykyta Izmailov. The fund's portfolio includes the second largest mobile bank in Ukraine, sportbank, the innovative payment system Asquad, and TRANSENIX, a service with Tap2Phone technology that turns a smartphone into a payment terminal, and now the UK-based lending platform SteadyPay.

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Wallbox (NYSE:WBX), a leading provider of electric vehicle (EV) charging and energy management solutions worldwide, today announced its participation in upcoming institutional investor-focused events:

March 7, 2023: Virtual Investor Roadshow with TD Cowen Research

Enric Asuncion, co-founder and CEO, will join Gabe Daud of TD Cowen Research for a day of virtual investor meetings. Interested investors should reach out to their TD Cowen sales contact directly.

March 13, 2023: Chardan's Grid Innovation Virtual Summit

Eduard Castaneda, co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer will join Brian Dobson of Chardan for a fireside chat to discuss the future of EV charging and energy management. Participants can join via this link.

March 23, 2023: Bank of America Global Industrials Conference London, UK

Jordi Lainz, CFO, and Matt Tractenberg, Vice President of Investor Relations will participate in a fireside chat to discuss recent results, current outlook, and review their business strategy. Management will also host Investor meetings. Interested investors should reach out to their Bank of America sales contact directly.

About Wallbox

Wallbox is a global technology company, dedicated to changing the way the world uses energy. Wallbox creates advanced electric vehicle charging and energy management systems that redefine users' relationship to the grid. Wallbox goes beyond electric vehicle charging to give users the power to control their consumption, save money, and live more sustainably. Wallbox offers a complete portfolio of charging and energy management solutions for residential, semi-public and public use in more than 113 countries. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Barcelona, the company now employs over 1,250 people in its offices in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. For additional information, please visit www.wallbox.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230306005077/en/

Contacts:

Wallbox Investor Contact:

Matt Tractenberg

VP, Investor Relations

Matt.Tractenberg@wallbox.com

+1 404-574-1504

Wallbox Public Relations Contact:

Elyce Behrsin

Public Relations

Press@wallbox.com

+34 673 310 905
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 6, 2023) - Pacific Ridge Exploration Ltd. (TSXV: PEX) (OTCQB: PEXZF) ("Pacific Ridge" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has acquired an option to earn up to a 75% interest in the Chuchi South property ("Chuchi South" or the "Property") from American Copper Development Corporation (TSXV: ACDX) ("ACDX") and prospector Ronald Bilquist ("Bilquist"). The Property adjoins Pacific Ridge's Chuchi porphyry copper-gold project ("Chuchi") on the south and west. Combined, Chuchi and Chuchi South (the "Properties") are more than 16,000 hectares in size, which more than doubles the size of Pacific Ridge's current land position at Chuchi (6,100 hectares). The Properties host several compelling exploration targets (see Figure 1), are road accessible and are located approximately 35 km northwest of Centerra Gold Inc.'s Mount Milligan mine within British Columbia's prolific Quesnel Trough.

"The acquisition of Chuchi South materially increases the size of our land position in one of B.C.'s most prospective areas for new porphyry discovery," said Blaine Monaghan, President & CEO of Pacific Ridge Exploration Ltd. "Based on historic drill results, and the results of our 2022 exploration work at Chuchi, we believe that these Properties have excellent potential for new porphyry discovery. Pacific Ridge plans to drill test several targets at Chuchi and to further develop targets at Chuchi South this summer."

Figure 1



Target Zones at Chuchi and Chuchi South

Figure 1

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5460/157321_df2571334465fb7e_001full.jpg

About Chuchi South

At the adjacent Chuchi project, porphyry copper-gold mineralization at the BP Zone is less than 2 km outboard of the southeastern margin of the regional-scale Hogem batholith and immediately west of a north-striking fault, the Valley Fault. This same fault extends southward onto Chuchi South. The main porphyry copper-gold target at the Property is the Coho Zone, to the east of Valley Fault. The Coho Zone is hosted in diorite that is spatially associated with an east-west trending fault zone and is flanked by magnetic highs that appear to be related to marginal mafic-ultramafic dykes. Of the 47 grab samples collected in 2020 from Chuchi South, mainly in the Coho Zone, gold ranged from 0.005 to 16.15 g/t (average 1.41 g/t), and copper assayed from 0.04% to 10.2% (average 0.87%). Of the 162 grab samples collected in 2021, gold varied from 0.005 to 7.67 g/t (average 0.33 g/t), and copper assayed from 10 ppm to 16.35% (average 0.58%). The area of anomalous to high-grade mineralization at Coho measures approximately 450 m x 350 m (see Figure 1).

One interpretation is that the Coho Zone, 4.5 km to the south of BP Zone, could be the offset eastern portion of BP Zone mineralization along the Valley Fault (see Figures 1 and 2). Alternatively, 2D and 3D inversion results from the 2022 ZTEM survey flown by Pacific Ridge over Chuchi and Chuchi South (see Pacific Ridge press release dated December 1, 2022) suggest a west-dipping, stock shaped intrusion or intrusive complex underlies the Coho Zone aeromagnetic and surface geochemical anomaly (see Figure 3).

Figure 2

ZTEM Survey Showing Distribution of Stock-Shaped Resistivity Anomalies at the Margin of Hogem Batholith

Figure 2

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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Historical exploration over the Chuchi South area dates from the 1960's. Much of the Property has been covered by soil sampling, defining kilometre-scale areas of anomalous copper, gold and molybdenum. Grab (rock) sampling results also indicate widespread distribution of anomalous copper values with the Coho Zone having the highest concentration of copper assays exceeding 1% (see Figure 1). Geophysical surveys have included airborne magnetic, ground magnetometer, and EM surveys, with local ground IP coverage (87.1 line-km total) in the southern portion of the claims. There are 20 widely scattered historical drill holes (2,186 m total). These holes locally encountered anomalous copper and gold values or higher grades (such as up to 1.27% Cu) in narrow (<10 m) structurally controlled intervals.

Numerous other mineralized occurrences have been described at Chuchi South, including five BC MINFILE showings. However, the more recently identified mineralized occurrences, the West Zone and Brooks Zone, may be of greater interest (see Figures 2 and 3). The West Zone is coincident with the same east-west trending ZTEM resistivity feature and 3000 m x 800 m lenticular aeromagnetic anomaly that underlies Coho Zone. The Brooks Zone lies along a NNW trend of stock-shaped ZTEM anomalies near the margin of the Hogem batholith that extends northward, west of the Coho Zone, through the Shoulder Zone and BP-Klaw Zone target areas, and is sub-parallel to the Valley Fault.

Figure 3

Cross Section of ZTEM 2D Inversions Showing Stock/Dyke Shaped Anomalies Underlying Coho and Brooks Zones. Inset map is ZTEM IP 90 Hz DT grid with section lines shown

Figure 3

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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Chuchi South Option Terms

Pacific Ridge can acquire a 51% interest in Chuchi South by making $250,000 in payments to Bilquist and completing $4,000,000 in exploration expenditures by December 31, 2027 (the "First Option"). The Company then has the right to increase its interest to 75% by issuing shares valued at $250,000 to ACDX by January 30, 2028, by making cash payments of $150,000 to ACDX, and completing an additional $4,000,000 in exploration by December 31, 2029 (the "Additional Interest Option").

Chuchi West

In addition to Chuchi South, ACDX has granted Pacific Ridge the sole and exclusive right and option to acquire a 51% interest in the Chuchi West Property ("Chuchi West") in consideration of Pacific Ridge satisfying the First Option on Chuchi South. The Chuchi West Property would then be included in the Additional Interest Option for a 75% interest in Chuchi South and Chuchi West.

Chuchi West includes the Chent West target area where an 1,800 m x 400 m ENE-trending copper-in-soil anomaly delineated in 1991 is coincident with a 500 m diameter aeromagnetic high feature in the 2021 ZTEM total magnetic intensity (TMI) aeromagnetics (see Figure 4). Review of the 2022 preliminary ZTEM 3D inversion model suggests the Chent West target area lies at the western margin of the interpreted Chuchi syenite phase of the Hogem Intrusive suite, similar to the positioning of the West target on its east side (see Figures 3 and 4).

Figure 4 - Aeromagnetic Anomalies (>56200 nT) and Target Zones at Chuchi, Chuchi South and Chuchi West

Figure 4

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About Pacific Ridge

Our goal is to become British Columbia's leading copper-gold exploration company. Pacific Ridge's flagship project is the Kliyul copper-gold project, located in the Quesnel Trough, approximately 50 km southeast of Centerra Gold Inc's Kemess. In addition to Kliyul, the Company's project portfolio includes the RDP copper-gold project (optioned to Antofagasta Minerals S.A.), the Chuchi copper-gold project, the Onjo copper-gold project, and the Redton copper-gold project, all located in British Columbia. Pacific Ridge would like to acknowledge that its B.C. projects are located in the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the Gitxsan Nation, McLeod Lake Indian Band, Nak'azdli Whut'en, Takla Nation, and Tsay Keh Dene Nation.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

"Blaine Monaghan"

Blaine Monaghan

President & CEO

Pacific Ridge Exploration Ltd.

Corporate Contact:

Blaine Monaghan

President & CEO

Tel: (604) 687-4951

www.pacificridgeexploration.com

https://www.linkedin.com/company/pacific-ridge-exploration-ltd-pex-

https://twitter.com/PacRidge_PEX

Investor Contact:

G2 Consultants Corp.

Telephone: +1 778-678-9050

Email: ir@pacificridgeexploration.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.

Forward-Looking Information: This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address exploration drilling and other activities and events or developments that Pacific Ridge Exploration Ltd. ("Pacific Ridge") expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include plans to drill Chuchi and develop other targets at Chuchi South this summer. Although Pacific Ridge believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include market prices, exploration successes, and continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. These statements are based on a number of assumptions including, among other things, assumptions regarding general business and economic conditions, that one of the options will be exercised, the ability of Pacific Ridge and other parties to satisfy stock exchange and other regulatory requirements in a timely manner, the availability of financing for Pacific Ridge's proposed programs on reasonable terms, and the ability of third party service providers to deliver services in a timely manner. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Pacific Ridge does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/157321
In this file photo taken on Oct. 17, 2018, an Iraqi man buys liquor from a shop in Iraq's second city of Mosul. AFP-Yonhap



Iraq's customs department gave orders on Saturday to start enforcing a ban on alcohol imports that became law last month despite divisions over the legislation.



But the specialist retail stores that dominate alcohol sales in the virtual absence of bars or licensed restaurants remained open for business, at least in Baghdad, an AFP correspondent reported.



Public alcohol consumption is frowned upon in mainly Muslim Iraq but beverages can be readily purchased from liquor stores, many of them run by Christians or other non-Muslims.



The new legislation, which bans the sale, import or production of alcohol, was originally approved by parliament in 2016 but only became law following its publication in the official gazette on February 20.



"The General Customs Authority has given orders to all customs centers to ban the entry of all types of alcoholic drink," the authority said in a statement.



The new law sets fines of between 10 million and 25 million dinars ($7,700-$19,000) for violations.



But it contradicts a government decree adopted less than a week earlier on February 14, setting duty at 200 percent on all imported alcoholic drinks for the next four years.



The legislation has drawn sharp criticism from rights activists and lawmakers representing Iraq's dwindling non-Muslim communities.



Earlier this week, five members of parliament from the Christian bloc appealed to the federal Supreme Court, arguing that the ban was unconstitutional because it failed to respect the rights of minorities, lawmaker Duraid Jameel told AFP.



Yazidi activist Murad Ismael underlined in a tweet that even though non-Muslim faiths do not ban alcohol, "the legislation imposes the same restrictions" on their followers as on Muslims.



Mustafa Saadoon, of the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights, said the alcohol ban formed part of a "comprehensive package aimed at restricting freedoms".



He recalled a spate of arrests last month targeting "decadent content" posted on social media platforms.



Baghdad estate agent Sarmad Abbas, 44, said the ban would merely push alcohol sales onto the back market.



He acknowledged that Muslim teachings banned the consumption of alcohol.



"But these are personal freedoms that you cannot forbid citizens from practicing," he added.



Although the alcohol ban is a federal law, it is unlikely to apply in Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region, which operates its own customs posts on the northern border with Turkey. (AFP)




LONDON (dpa-AFX) - British car registrations increased for the seventh straight month in February on the back of strong demand for battery electric vehicles along with easing supply-chain constraints, data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, or SMMT, showed on Monday.



Car registrations showed a double-digit annual growth of 26.2 percent in February following a 14.7 percent rise in January.



Data showed that 74,441 new cars were registered in the middle of the first quarter compared to 58,994 units sold in the same month of 2021.



While February is typically low volume ahead of the March plate change, this year it marked the seventh month of consecutive growth as easing supply chain shortages steered the market closer to pre-pandemic levels, down just 6.5 percent on the same month in 2020, SMMT said.



Growth was evident across almost all the market categories. Sales to private buyers grew 5.8 percent, and those to large fleets jumped 46.2 percent. Business registrations, which account for a fraction of the market, increased 0.7 percent.



Hybrid electric vehicles recorded the most significant sales growth among all fuel types, up 40.0 percent in February compared to last year. This was followed by a 35.8 percent rise in petrol types, while diesel registrations slid by 7.0 percent.



Data also affirmed that zero-emission capable vehicles continued their upward trend in February. Sales of plug-in hybrids rose 1.0 percent and battery electric vehicles logged another strong month, up 18.2 percent to account for one in six new UK car registrations.



'As we move into 'new plate month' in March, with more of the latest high-tech cars available, the upcoming Budget must deliver measures that drive this transition, increasing affordability and ease of charging for all,' SMMT Chief Executive Mike Hawes said.



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SOUTH JORDAN, Utah, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Experlogix, a leading provider of Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) and Document Automation software, announced today that it has expanded its presence in the Asia-Pacific region and hired Brian Ambrosius as a Sales Director to enhance support for APAC clients and prospects.





Based in Australia, Ambrosius brings more than 15 years' experience forging partnerships and helping organizations expand into new regional markets. Experlogix has also expanded its implementation team presence in the APAC market.

Experlogix has undergone significant global growth, and its expansion into APAC represents a continuation of that success. In addition to expanding sales and implementation support, the company has invested in its engineering teams specifically for the APAC region, to ensure it can support new clients as they implement Experlogix Document Automation and CPQ software.

"We're excited to continue growing our presence and provide further support for APAC clients," says Beth Thornton, Chief Revenue Officer at Experlogix. "APAC organizations face unique challenges. By growing our presence there, we're equipped to help solve them. This expansion will fuel further growth and lay the foundation to form new partnerships based on mutual success."

Experlogix has expanded teams across multiple regions and departments, expanding its headcount by more than 100 between 2022 and 2023, to support an increasingly global client base. More than 1,700 organizations leverage Experlogix CPQ and Document Automation software with more than 100,000 users globally.

"I'm excited for the opportunity to contribute to Experlogix's expansion in APAC and establish a local presence in this region," Ambrosius says. "Seeing how we already have a very strong customer and partner base inspires me to think about how we can grow in the future. I look forward to meeting our customers and partners, as well as growing the Experlogix family."

Experlogix expects to see continued growth for the CPQ and Document Automation markets in the APAC region. While the region continues to face disruptions in the supply chain that linger from the pandemic, industries such as manufacturing have grown and been transformed to take advantage of new opportunities. This will help drive greater demand for more efficient operations, greater accuracy, and better communication between business units - all use cases that can drive demand for CPQ and document automation solutions.

About Experlogix

Experlogix solutions simplify and humanize the most complex processes to unlock workflow velocity and create a better customer experience. Experlogix CPQ makes configuration and other processes faster than you ever thought possible and simpler than you dared to imagine. Experlogix Document Automation simplifies and optimizes even the most complex document processes for companies worldwide, in any industry. Experlogix - simplifying the complex.

Headquartered in the United States and the Netherlands, Experlogix supports more than 1,700 clients in more than 30 countries globally. We're online at www.experlogix.com

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OMAHA, NE / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / Avant Solutions , a PR/Communication consultancy and marketing firm specializing in customized communication strategies and services for clients in a variety of industries and sectors, recently earned national certification as a Women's Business Enterprise by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council , a regional certifying partner of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council. WBENC Certification is the gold standard for women-owned business certification in the United States.

"It's an honor to be recognized as a Women's Business Enterprise, and to be among a growing network of amazing women-owned businesses across the nation," said Monique Farmer, president of Avant Solutions. "We've built a team of accomplished, experienced professionals who stand at the ready to provide customized communications strategies and personalized solutions for our clients. I look forward to the opportunities for growth and development this certification offers."

The WBENC standard of certification implemented by the WBDC is a meticulous process, including an in-depth review of the business and a site inspection. The certification process is designed to confirm the business is at least 51% owned, operated, and controlled by a woman or women, and that the business has appropriate structure and strategic business planning and implementation in place.

By including women-owned businesses among their suppliers, corporations and government agencies demonstrate their commitment to fostering diversity and the continued development of their supplier diversity programs, which in turn empowers women as leaders and brings about a more diverse, balanced and sustainable economy.

WBENC Certification combined with professional development and engagement in the WBENC network provides unsurpassed opportunities year-round, both virtually and in-person, for women-owned businesses to grow and expand their business and innovation through events, programming and connections with major corporations and other WBEs.

About Avant Solutions:

Avant Solutions is a full-service PR/communication firm that provides customized communication strategies, media training/media relations, executive communication support and services to clients across various industries and sectors. The team has in-depth knowledge of strategic communication and public relations, serving a diverse clientele that includes federal and local government, public agencies, non-profit organizations, education, small businesses and startups. Avant Solutions belongs to the Public Relations Consultants Group, a national network of 50 award-winning independent communications and public relations professionals and consultancies, allowing reach in every market across the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. The firm is also part of the Goldman Sachs 10KSB Small Businesses Alumni group and the only Black woman-owned, WBENC and WOSB-certified PR/Communication firm in the State of Nebraska.

About WBENC:

Founded in 1997, WBENC is the nation's leader in women's business development and the leading third-party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women, with more than 18,000 certified Women's Business Enterprises, 14 national Regional Partner Organizations, and more than 500 Corporate Members, most of which are Fortune 500. Thousands of corporations representing America's most prestigious brands, as well as many states, cities, and other entities, look for and accept WBENC Certification. Through the Women Owned initiative, WBENC also is a leader in supporting consumer-oriented female entrepreneurs and those who do business with them by raising awareness for why, where and how to buy Women Owned. For more information, visit www.wbenc.org and www.buywomenowned.com .

CONTACT:

Brandi Long-Frank

brandi.long-frank@avantsolutions.org

(402) 882-7277

avantsolutions.org

SOURCE: Avant Solutions

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/741965/Nebraska-based-PRCommunication-Firm-Certified-by-Womens-Business-Enterprise-National-Council
SEATTLE and TACOMA, WA / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / KeyBank is focusing on its commitment to improving financial wellness among the local Black community with March events related to job recruitment and home ownership. Details on the events are below, and all local residents are invited to attend:

Seattle Job Recruitment Event: Wednesday, March 8, 2023, 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Tabernacle Baptist Church | Pastor Robert L. Manaway

2801 S. Jackson Street, Seattle, WA 98144

Tacoma Job Recruitment Event: Wednesday, March 15, 2023, 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Shiloh Baptist Church Tabernacle Baptist Church

1211 S I St. Tacoma, WA 98405

This recruitment opportunity will include on-the-spot interviews for qualified candidates for positions that include teller, personal banker and mortgage loan officer.

Seattle Home Ownership Class: Saturday, March 11, 2023, 10:00 a.m. to noon

Bethel Christian Church of the Apostolic | Bishop Thomas Davis

200 24th Ave., South, Seattle, WA 98144

Tacoma Home Ownership Class: Saturday, March 18, 2023, 10:00 a.m. to noon

Church of the Living God

1954 S M St., Tacoma, WA 98405

KeyBank will share information designed to put attendees in a position to rebuild credit and improve their credit score, while guiding them through the process of purchasing a home and/or understanding the benefits of refinancing their home.

"At KeyBank we know that helping our neighbors build wealth through stable jobs and home ownership is critical to their success and instrumental in building and maintaining a vibrant economy," said I.V. Reeves, Corporate Responsibility Officer for KeyBank for the Pacific Northwest, adding that similar events will be held in Tacoma.

About KeyBank

KeyCorp's roots trace nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $190 billion at December 31, 2022. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,300 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications, and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com. KeyBank is Member FDIC.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from KeyBank on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: KeyBank

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/keybank

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: KeyBank

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/742121/KeyBank-Reaches-Out-to-Seattle-and-Tacomas-Black-Community-To-Promote-Financial-Wellness
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / Irving Resources Inc. (CSE:IRV)(OTCQX:IRVRF) ("Irving" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has discovered a new high-grade vein system in an area approximately 300 m west of Hokuryu historic mine site and encountered substantial veining in a newly drilled diamond drill hole at Omui, both areas part of its 100% controlled Omu Au-Ag Vein Project, Hokkaido, Japan.

Major New Vein System Discovered at Hokuryu Historic Mine Site:

Hole 22HKR-001 completed at Hokuryu in late 2022 encountered a new high-grade Au-Ag vein system nearly 300 m west-northwest of know underground mine workings (Figures 1 and 2). Results are summarized in the table below:

Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au (gpt) Ag (gpt) Au Eq (gpt) Ag Eq (gpt) 22HKR-001 7.40 40.35 32.95 1.35 15.45 1.55 120.75 including 10.50 13.15 2.65 5.55 11.32 5.70 444.22 including 12.52 13.15 0.63 15.00 25.70 15.33 1195.70 and 28.80 31.30 2.50 7.82 25.90 8.15 635.86 including 28.80 29.05 0.25 23.90 40.40 24.42 1904.60 including 31.00 31.30 0.30 42.70 120.00 44.24 3450.60

Au eq = Au + (Ag/78); Ag eq = Ag + (Au x 78); recovery of both Au and Ag is expected to be +95% as smelter flux

These veins were intercepted near the top of the hole and occur within a broad envelope of mineralization extending 33m grading 1.35 gpt Au and 15.45 gpt Ag. Although the exact orientation of these veins is unknown at this point in time, they do not appear to reconcile with any known veins at the Hokuryu historic mine. Interestingly, multiple vein intercepts deeper in the hole encountered sub 1 gpt Au grades.

This new vein set is believed to represent a major new discovery and is open along strike, currently thought to be roughly E-W. Irving believes that these veins, like those mined at Hokuryu, will persist to depths of several hundred meters. True widths are believed to be approximately 70-80% of reported widths.

Given the region west of Hokuryu mine site has seen no historic exploration, Irving believes there is substantial opportunity for making further discoveries of veins given the abundance of resistive features discernable in geophysical data here. More drilling is currently being contemplated to follow up these results later this year. A second diamond drill hole at Hokuryu, 22HKR-002, terminated in broken ground well before it reached its target.

2023 Drilling at Omui Encounters Substantial Vein System at Depth

Since mid-January, Irving has been diamond drilling at the Omui Mine Site. One hole, 23OMI-001, drilled from north to south and tested deep areas underneath the Nanko vein target where, in 2020-2021, the Company discovered an extensive high-grade vein network. This new hole intersected multiple veins, some with visible sulfides thought to be ginguro, silver sulfosalt minerals. Notably, the deepest vein intercept occurs near 700 m vertically below surface. Assays are awaited from 23OMI-001.

A second hole, 23OMI-002, similarly drilled from north to south, is currently testing areas deep under Honpi where numerous drill holes completed between 2019-2021 encountered a complex, extensive network of high-grade veins. Notably, hole 23OMI-002 was designed to pierce through a deep level silica sinter system discovered by drilling in late 2021. Irving is pleased to announce that the current hole successfully cut through the sinter starting at about 120 m and appears to have encountered a significant epithermal veins underneath. The hole is currently at a depth of around 300 m and will progress until it is fully past this zone of veining. Once complete, this hole will be logged, split and sampled, then submitted for assay.

"We are thrilled to see new high-grade veins appear in just our second ever hole completed at Hokuryu," commented Dr. Quinton Hennigh, technical advisor and a director of Irving. "Any doubts that Hokuryu might be a vein system with limited potential can be dispelled by this discovery. We already see strong merit in following up on these results with more drilling later this year. At Omui, at long last, we are now testing the deeper parts of the Honpi and Nanko vein networks with remarkable visual success. Our two holes from 2023 both show very strong promise. There is clearly a major zone of hydrothermal upwelling and potentially high-grade mineralization under the deep sinter target. While it is early to conjecture what we might have, we are quite encouraged and eagerly await results from holes 23OMI-001 and -002."

All samples discussed in this news release are  split sawn diamond core samples. Irving submitted samples to ALS Global, Vancouver, Canada, for analysis. Au and Ag were analyzed by fire assay with AA finish. Overlimit samples were assayed by fire assay with gravimetric finish. Multielements were analyzed by mass spectrometry following four acid digestion. Irving routinely inserts standard and blank samples in assay batches submitted to the laboratory. Company staff are responsible for geologic logging and sampling of core. Au equivalent is calculated by adding Au (gpt) to Ag (gpt)/78. Results referred to in this news release are not necessarily representative of mineralization throughout Hokuryu.

Drill Collar Data:

Hole No. Type Grid Collar Easting Collar Northing Elevation Depth Azimuth Angle 22HKR-001 Core WGS84-54N 643300.6 4934032 267.534 600 179.8 -52 22HKR-002 Core WGS84-54N 644313.5 4933924 171.026 430.3 179.8 -53

Quinton Hennigh (Ph.D., P.Geo.) is the qualified person pursuant to National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects responsible for, and having reviewed and approved, the technical information contained in this news release. Dr. Hennigh is a technical advisor and a director of Irving Resources Inc. and has verified the data disclosed including sampling, through review of photographs of core prior to and after sawing and sampling, and analytical, through review of standard and blank analyses.

About Irving Resources Inc.:

Irving is a junior exploration company with a focus on gold in Japan. Irving resulted from completion of a plan of arrangement involving Irving, Gold Canyon Resources Inc. and First Mining Finance Corp.

Additional information can be found on the Company's website: www.IRVresources.com.

Akiko Levinson,

President, CEO & Director

For further information, please contact:

Tel: (604) 682-3234 Toll free: 1 (888) 242-3234 Fax: (604) 971-0209

info@IRVresources.com

Forward-looking information

Some statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation including, without limitation, statements as to the potential for making further discoveries of veins at Hokuryu and as to further planned drilling . Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such factors include, without limitation, customary risks of the mineral resource exploration industry, the availability to Irving of sufficient cash to fund planned drilling and other exploration activities, as well as the performance of services by third parties.

THE CSE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS RELEASE.

(Figure 1: Plan map showing the trace of hole 22HKR-001 and interpreted locations of important Hokuryu veins. Note the new vein intercepts are over 270 m west-northwest of historic mine workings shown in yellow. Cross section A-B is shown in Figure 2.)

(Figure 2: Cross sectional view looking east showing hole 22HKR-001 and its vein intercepts. Irving thinks the veins encountered at shallow depth will extend to depths of several hundred meters like those mined at the Hokuryu historic mine site. The location of this cross section is shown in Figure 1.)

SOURCE: Irving Resources Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/742118/Irving-Resources-Intersects-New-High-Grade-Au-Ag-Veins-at-Hokuryu-and-Encounters-Significant-Vein-System-at-Depth-at-Omui-Omu-Project-Hokkaido-Japan
LONDON, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Monevium, the UK based, authorised payment institution, offering a modern and straightforward way to manage money, has recently announced the launch of their intuitive mobile app. This latest feature gives Monevium users the ability to control their entire account from just a single app.





The FCA regulated company provides fast and secure payment facilities to manage everyday finances. With the Monevium Euro IBAN account, users can send and receive funds worldwide, as well as transfer funds between Monevium customers, and the launch of the mobile app makes this process even simpler.

Monevium account holders can access the full functionality of their account by simply logging in using Face ID from the home screen of the app.

Among the comprehensive range of functions within the mobile application are features which help to make the most of the mobile application in the increasingly 'mobile-first' world that we now live in, including the ability to order virtual debit cards as well as physical debit cards directly from within the application.

Monevium customers can view all card and account statements on a real-time basis from within the application, as well as retrieve previous statements with ease.

Gone are the days of having to write a PIN number associated with a debit card which is often required to either make cash withdrawals from automated tellers or to verify in-store purchases with a physical debit card, as the Monevium application securely hosts the PIN number associated with your card, meaning that Monevium account holders can look it up on the application securely at any time, without the concern that it may be mislaid or accessed by unauthorised people, as would be the case with PIN numbers written on paper files.

Should a Monevium account holder have to report a physical card missing, there is no need to have to contact customer service, as it is often vital that a card is disabled immediately upon noticing that it is not present. Instead, Monevium account holders can instantly freeze the use of any Monevium physical card via the application, and then should the card be located, it can be reactivated again via the application instantly.

In keeping with the truly global nature of today's economy, Monevium account holders can make international payments via the SWIFT network or Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) system from within the application, something which is very much avantgarde compared with many traditional banking systems which require their customers to log onto web pages in order to conduct international transactions rather than facilitating them via a mobile application in the way that Monevium does.

Monevium account holders can transact quickly and easily between each other via the peer to peer (P2P) payment functionality available in the Monevium application which allows Monevium customers to make internal payments.

Ordering new or replacement cards can be conducted from within the mobile application, and the details of the cards can be displayed at the touch of a button, making online purchases easy without having to carry additional paraphernalia.

Alexey Stepanov, the Managing Director of Monevium, comments "The Monevium mobile application is here to further the 'mobile-first' nature of everyday life in the modern economy. Monevium customers are very much at the forefront of the modern way of living, and the array of features provided by the mobile application make keeping track of transactions as well as managing new ones effortless, regardless of location, all in one place, on one user-friendly platform."

"This is just the first step in our mobile journey. We have a vast amount of features planned to roll out over the coming months, which include a corporate app with corporate cards; balance top ups from debit cards; support for more currencies; and many more, which will only serve to improve the experience our users have with Monevium."

Users interested in opening a current account with Monevium can visit www.monevium.com and sign up for an account in minutes.

About Monevium:

Monevium is a trading name of Advanced Wallet Solutions Limited, which is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as an authorised payment institution. Unlike a traditional bank, users from Europe or the UK can open a Euro IBAN current account online in minutes, to send and receive funds worldwide, regardless of citizenship or financial history.

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MONTREAL, QC / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / Alphinat Inc. (TSXV:NPA) announces the election of Eric David to position of the Chairperson of Alphinat's Board of Directors and the release of SmartGuide version "X.1". Alphinat is pleased to announce the appointment to Chairperson of the Board of Directors after several years of board services and valuable insights on corporate and strategic development for Alphinat. In this role Eric continues guiding management more directly with this increase to his role on the board, the board committees and management support.

Eric brings more than 30 years of experience in the software industry including senior executive roles at various companies including CSDC Systems (now part of Granicus) where he oversaw growth, marketing and strategic partnerships. "Eric has worked to partner with Alphinat in the past helping to evolve our enterprise strategy" said Curtis Page, President and CEO of Alphinat, he adds "We are grateful to have Eric take on the added responsibility with our team and his ongoing support to management and the board continues to be impactful".

Michel Lemoine our Chairperson Emeritus will continue with his tireless service to the Board of Directors after steering Alphinat through many formative and difficult years as a Canadian enterprise software startup. "Michel has been the guiding light for Alphinat as Chairperson since 2007 and for this we are ever appreciative" said Eric David Alphinat 's Chairperson.

SmartGuide version X.1 (10.1) on our product evolution " X.1 introduces several improvements to make developing, compliance and configuring applications easier than ever" explains Harold Russel Alphinat's Chief Software Architect, he adds "With this version it continues to be the easiest and the most pleasant way to create secure web/mobile applications for your organization".

SmartGuide X.1 expands SmartGuide's accessibility and compliance dynamic interaction capacity and focuses on facilitating the integration of source control systems, as well on the addition of numerous functionalities to reduce the use of code in the creation of your apps.

SmartGuide X.1 "Low code No code" solution makes it possible to create enterprise grade applications that include features such as dynamic validation messages, recalculate fields, trigger events on fields, or even stop the processing of a sequence of actions.

Multilingual support has also been greatly improved, allowing labels to be translated directly from the Designer interface without the need to use an Excel file.

An improved "base theme" is provided which allows better accessibility compliance and updates.

Smartlet source files now separated by pages, for easier versioning

Smartlet localization files in JSON form separated by page, to facilitate version management

Metadata now available at theme level

New simplified Smartlets navigation URL, allowing you to ride in default Smartlets multiple mode

Scripts in beanshell now with highlighting for easier reading

Rules support via beanshell scripts

Action GotoSmartlet can now trigger Smartlet initialization destination

Actions to show/hide a field

Ability to assign an error message to a field

Ability to put a read-only field on an action

New function available to delete cookies

Extension functions can return arrays of values

As well as several performance optimizations

Contact Alphinat at sales@Alphinat.com for more information.

SmartGuide allows the IT department to focus on the infrastructure, technical conventions, connections to existing systems and demonstrated that it offers our clients and partners the lowest Total Cost of Ownership compared to alternative solutions.

To accelerate future growth, Alphinat has focused on five main areas of solution development:

1) SmartGuide Grants and Contributions solution (www.SmartGrants.ca) was developed in conjunction with a federal department of the Canadian Government. This platform offers unparalleled productivity for federal, state and municipal clients creating calls for grants including financial program creations for applications, adjudication and payments;

2) SmartGuide Portal Edition for Dynamics 3651 (www.SmartD365.com) has optimize the way that clients can now create and deploy online services on top of Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM solutions. This offering is available in SaaS mode as well as on-premises;

3) SmartGuide Green House Gas Registry solutions (www.SmartGHGR.ca) is a green fintech solution allowing governments and industry to work together in reducing the harmful effects of greenhouse gas. Alphinat currently has three provincial clients for our SmartGHGR.ca solution;

4) SmartGuide Claims solutions (www.SmartClaims.ca) was developed in conjunction with a major IT consulting partner, which aims at offering unparalleled productivity to federal, state and municipal clients for financial claims applications, adjudication and settlements for financial compensation and class action settlements;

5) SmartGuide CIVIC Portal, CIVIC Portal for Permits & Licensing (www.PermitSmart.ca) and SmartGuide Municipal Cloud are Municipal Cloud and on-premises solutions front ending partner solutions and other digital services for improved user experience for both the cities and their citizens.

The company delivers solutions to various federal, state / provincial agencies and municipalities across North America. In addition, the company continues to be involved in supporting its partners to ensure the delivery of solutions to government customers.

Alphinat's full filling information can be found on SEDAR, at www.sedar.com.

1Dynamics 365 is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation

About Alphinat

At Alphinat, we are driven by the passion to make application development easy for everyone. We enable people leveraging a customer's vision to be an integral part of the development team. After all, what better way to ensure a more favourable outcome than to provide those closest to an application's end-users with a vested interest in its success throughout its development?

So, whether you choose to develop your applications with the help of our low-code platform SmartGuide, kickstart your project using one of our pre-built apps or engage us or one of our partners to do the work for you, we're here to help you deploy better applications in record time. Visit us at https:// www.alphinat.com for more information. We look forward to hearing from you.

Forward-looking statements

Certain statements in this document, including those which express management's expectations or estimations with regards to the Company's future performance constitute forward-looking statements" as understood by applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are, of necessity, based on a certain number of estimates and hypotheses; while management considers these to be accurate at the time they are expressed, they are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and risks on the commercial, economic and competitive levels. We advise readers that these forward- looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other known and unknown factors that 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 in these forward-looking statements. A number of factors could cause significant differences between actual results and those described in forward-looking statements. These include, but are not limited to, the Company's capacity to increase acceptance of its products on the market, and to penetrate new markets; the potential existence of defects or undetected problems in the Company's products; the Company's ability to manage its growth; the Company's ability to compete with others; potential commitments; maintaining the Company's intellectual property rights and defending against litigation putting those rights in question; the Company's reliance on the knowledge of its key personnel; and the Company's access to sufficient capital to finance its future needs. This is a partial and non-exhaustive list of factors that could bear on any of our forward-looking statements. Investors are advised to not rely unduly on the forward-looking statements. This advisory applies to all forward-looking statements, whether expressed orally or in writing, attributed to Alphinat or to any individual expressing them in the name of the Company. The Company is under no obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements, whether to reflect new information, future events, or other circumstances. Risks and uncertainties that bear on the Company are described in greater detail in the Company's Annual Report.

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.

For further information please contact:

Mr. Curtis Page

Chief Executive Officer

Alphinat Inc.

(514) 398-9799 ext 225

SOURCE: Alphinat, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/742134/Alphinat-Announces-the-Election-of-Eric-David-to-Chairperson-of-Alphinat-Board-of-Directors
Dubai, United Arab Emirates--(Newsfile Corp. - March 6, 2023) - Hair of Istanbul has expanded its services to Dubai with the inauguration of its new consultation office in Business Bay. The company is renowned for providing the highest level of care and expertise to patients seeking to restore their confidence through hair transplantation.

Hair of Istanbul, Opus Tower

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The facility offers a wide range of services including consultations for hair and beard transplants. With the opening of this new office, Hair of Istanbul continues to build upon its reputation.

"We are delighted to be able to offer our services in Dubai and help more people achieve their desired look. We believe that this new facility will help us reach more patients than ever before," - Mehmet Fatih Akdemir, Chief Executive Officer at Hair of Istanbul.

The new Dubai facility offers follicular unit extraction (FUE) consultation for men and women alike.

As well as offering treatments, Hair of Istanbul also provides post-operative support such as scalp care advice and follow-up consultations. By providing these additional services, they ensure that each patient receives high quality service throughout their entire journey with them.

"We know how important it is for our clients to feel comfortable during their time with us. We strive to make sure our patients feel safe and secure when undergoing any procedure. Our goal is for all our patients to leave our clinic feeling empowered by their new look," - Mehmet Fatih Akdemir, Chief Executive Officer at Hair of Istanbul.

With its expanded presence in Dubai, Hair of Istanbul looks forward to continuing its mission of helping people regain confidence through expert hair transplantation services.

Hair of Istanbul Logo

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Follow HAIR of ISTANBUL on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube

For more information please visit the website or contact us directly :

Contact: Mehmet Fatih Akdemir, Chief Executive Officer

Website: https://hairofistanbul.com

Email: info@hairofistanbul.com

Phone: +90 532 650 51 51

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/157348
Comcast announced the issuance of a $1 billion 10-year green bond, offering investors the opportunity to support environmental efforts such as those currently underway or under consideration as part of Comcast's goal to be carbon neutral by 2035.

PHILADELPHIA, PA / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / Proceeds from the green bond may be allocated to five investment areas, all of which contribute to Comcast's efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, including renewable energy, energy efficiency, green buildings, campuses, communities and cities, clean transportation, and circular economy adapted products, production technologies and processes. Comcast's Green Financing Framework provides details on eligible green investments in these categories, in addition to the processes for project selection and progress reporting.

"We're excited to have offered investors the opportunity to join us as we scale clean energy technologies and other decarbonization strategies across our business," said Sara Cronenwett, Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Environmental Sustainability at Comcast.

These investments bring great value to the broader community of Comcast shareholders, employees, and customers by helping to foster a cleaner, healthier environment. SARA CRONENWETT Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Environmental Sustainability at Comcast

As part of its goal to be carbon neutral by 2035, Comcast's environmental efforts have included:

Reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions 31% since 2019.

More than doubling the use of renewable electricity from 2020 to 2021.

Decreasing Comcast Cable's energy per consumed terabyte nearly 30% from 2019 to 2021.

Piloting electric and hybrid vehicles in select locations, including debuting the first four electric trams in the Universal Studios Hollywood fleet.

Increasing the number of green buildings it owns or occupies, including the LEED Platinum Comcast Technology Center.

Comcast worked with S&P Global Ratings to obtain an independent second party opinion on the Green Financing Framework, which concluded the framework is aligned with the ICMA Green Bond Principles (2021) and LMA/LSTA/APLMA Green Loan Principles (2021).

"We're pleased that our inaugural green bond offering was largely led and underwritten by four nationally recognized minority-, women-, and service-disabled veteran-owned investment banking firms with whom Comcast has a strong historical relationship," said Jason Armstrong, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer for Comcast Corporation.

We value the role these firms play and are delighted to have partnered with them on such an important transaction for Comcast. JASON ARMSTRONG Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer for Comcast Corporation

BofA Securities, Inc. was sole Green Structuring Agent, an Active Bookrunner, and a Coordinator for the minority- and women-owned broker-dealers on the transaction. Also leading the green bond as active bookrunners were service-disabled veteran-owned Academy Securities, Inc., African-American-owned Loop Capital Markets LLC, Hispanic-owned Samuel A. Ramirez & Company, Inc., and African-American- and women-owned Siebert Williams Shank & Co., LLC. All 10 co-managers on the transaction were diversity firms.

"The strong response from investors to Comcast's inaugural green bond offering highlights the market's positive view of the company and appetite for this type of security structure," said Andrew Karp, head of Global Sustainable Banking Solutions Group at BofA Securities, Inc.

For more information on Comcast's environmental efforts, visit the environment page at www.comcastcorporation.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes statements that may constitute forward-looking statements. In evaluating these statements, you should consider various factors, including the risks and uncertainties we describe in the "Risk Factors" section of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include changes in and/or risks associated with: the competitive environment; consumer behavior; the advertising market; programming costs; consumer acceptance of our content; key distribution and/or licensing agreements; use and protection of our intellectual property; our reliance on third-party hardware, software and operational support; keeping pace with technological developments; cyber attacks, security breaches or technology disruptions; weak economic conditions; acquisitions and strategic initiatives; operating businesses internationally; natural disasters, severe weather-related and other uncontrollable events; loss of key personnel; laws and regulations; adverse decisions in litigation or governmental investigations; labor disputes; and other risks described from time to time in reports and other documents we file with the SEC. There are also certain risks and challenges we may face in meeting our environmental goals that are beyond our control, including political, economic, regulatory and geopolitical conditions, the evolution of carbon offset markets, limited large-scale investments and innovations in technology and infrastructure, and supply chain and labor issues. The inclusion of forward-looking statements that may address our corporate responsibility initiatives, progress, plans and goals in this press release is not an indication that they are necessarily material to investors or required to be disclosed in our filings with the SEC. Such statements may contain estimates, make assumptions based on developing standards that may change and provide aspirations and commitments that are not intended to be promises or guarantees. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made, and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or our actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any such forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Comcast Corporation on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Comcast Corporation

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/comcast-corporation

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Comcast Corporation

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/742174/Comcast-Issues-1-Billion-Green-Bond-To-Fund-Clean-Energy-Infrastructure-Projects
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / Cisco Systems Inc.

Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Also known as African American History Month, the event grew out of "Negro History Week," the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating Black history.

To me, it is a time of reflection, celebration, and honor for those that have gone before us and about the lessons we can learn from them. It sometimes is said that the shortest month of the year was set aside for Black History Month, and thus is yet another insult toward our community and its achievements. For me, Black History is American history, and it is impossible to tell America's history without a truthful exposition of Black people. So, for me, I celebrate Black History every day.

What is Connected Black Professionals (CBP)?

Cisco's Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are known internally as Inclusive Communities and Connected Black Professionals (CBP) is an organization for Cisco employees that support the Black community inside and outside of Cisco. They help drive a sense of community and belonging for Black Cisconians and their allies and champion initiatives to ensure that the community is able to reap all of the benefits working at a global company like Cisco. The ERO has a global reach and seeks to be a reflection of the Black experience the world over.

What does Black History Month mean to other Ciscoians?

I'm proud to be a member of the CBP community and spotlight some of the exceptional Black Cisconians who exemplify our commitment to social justice. Here are some of my colleagues and their thoughts on Black History Month:

Shaunya Ishmael, Program Manager, Social Justice Action on HBCUs

"I view Black History Month as a time of reflection and celebration. It is a time to reflect on our history, our struggles, and our accomplishments. It is a time to reflect on what we have endured as African Americans and on the triumphs that have arisen from those struggles. It is a time to celebrate our accomplishments and to remember the giants on whose shoulders we stand. It is a time to celebrate our culture, our resiliency, and our ability to thrive though adversity.

I also view Black History Month as a call to action. It is a call to action to pass our stories down to our younger generation, so they understand the richness of our history. It is a call to action to push until the telling of our story is not contained to a month but is part of the everyday retelling of American history. It is a call to action to continue to push forward until the day that our history is retold honestly and without editing or embellishment. It is a call to action to reach back into the community and pay forward the blessings we have received so that our community continues to thrive."

Donyea Perry, Virtual Demand Center, Collaboration

"What does Black History Month mean to you? Being posed this simple question instantly transported me back to sitting in my living room as a child, an earshot away from "grown folk conversation". It was in those conversations that I was first introduced to pioneers such as, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, Rebecca M. Johnson, and many other great Black leaders/activist. I remember hearing my mom, uncles and aunts in great debates discussing what I would call, Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness for Black people. They would passionately discuss governmental systems, systemic oppression, educational blockers, job displacement and many other issues that plague the Black community in America. As the discussions continued, inevitably someone would shout, 'What we need to do is'

This phrase would immediately cause a shift in the room. The discussion would transition from stating problems to asking the question, what can we do about it? With every solution proposed the volume in the room would rise, as if the escalation of their voices could change governments and create opportunities. The tape recorder would be pulled out so every suggestion offered could be played back and used as a reference point as my uncle had his notepad and pen mapping out program ideas and identifying key contacts. As the discussion got deeper, my family would seek a different perspective, often calling in someone from the younger generation. Even as a small child my family taught me every perspective needs to be heard and all who ask for it should listen with the intent to understanding.

It was here, where I began developing my idea of what Black History Month means to me. It means the representation of past, present, and future. Black History Month is a moment for remembering and celebrating but also a time for reflecting, strategizing, and mobilizing. For this month is as much about the future as it is about the past.

Advancement is an ever-flowing river; empowering those who are strong enough to withstand the current. As a people we have never stood on the shore resting on our laurels. We push boundaries and fight for our future generations. During Black History Month I look to my family, co-workers and to myself to utilize our combined strengths and to take up the responsibility to learn, to educate, and to find solutions concerning equality for our people."

Andrea Parker, Marketing Specialist

"What Does Black History Month Mean to Me?

At times, Black people are viewed as a spectacle; an amazement that is usually emphasized when profit or credibility is involved or, when mutual interests align with those who may have found us unfavorable, initially. However, Black History Month is a moment in the year where my culture is highlighted for the amazement it truly is. Stolen realities are uncovered and, if it's paying attention, the world gets an opportunity to learn about pure, unadulterated, Black beauty and excellence.

As a child, my school system would highlight the same figures every year during Black History Month. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, Madame C.J. Walker and the like. With no intentions to diminish these astonishing men and women nor their accomplishments and contributions to the culture, my school system provided limited exposure to the true meaning of Black History Month.

Since becoming an adult, I have learned to appreciate Black History Month beyond the cosmetic appearance the world offers. From music appreciation, film and literature, the importance of the Black dollar and financial literacy, Black History Month enriches my soul as I continue to learn more and appreciate those who have made a way for me to be the best version of black that I can possibly be. We are Black every day and feel the effects, daily, whether positive or negative. I only hope that someone out there, who doesn't know what it's like to be me, uses the month of February to further educate themselves in my culture and learn to appreciate our blackness as constantly as I do."

How to become an ally to the Black community

In the U.S. the Black population is growing, with 46.8 million people who self-identify as Black. Despite representing about 14% of the U.S. population, prejudice and racism are still an ongoing problem. According to Reuters, "Inequality between white and Black Americans persists in almost every aspect of society and the economy" and systemic racism is impacting Black individuals' education, income, health and even lifespans.

Allyship leads to real change for friends, family, and colleagues who are part of the Black community. Please consider taking action and speaking up. Here are three ways to begin:

Look for literature, podcasts, or documentaries that share the history and lived experiences of Black individuals and communities. Research organizations that support the advancement of equity and inclusion for Black communities and consider donating or volunteering with them. Don't just show your support during Black History Month. Listen to, celebrate, and uplift voices from Black individuals and communities all year.

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View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/742210/What-Black-History-Month-Means-to-Members-of-Ciscos-Connected-Black-Professionals
CENTENNIAL, Colo., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- NioCorp Developments Ltd. ("NioCorp" or the "Company") (TSX:NB) (OTCQX:NIOBF) is pleased to announce the receipt of a Letter of Interest from the Export-Import Bank of the United States ("EXIM") for potential debt financing of up to $800 million through EXIM's "Make More In America" initiative to fund the project costs of NioCorp's proposed Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project.





EXIM's communication to NioCorp states: "We are pleased to extend this Letter of Interest in support of the proposed capital funding plan by Elk Creek Resources Corp. for the Elk Creek Project. Based on the preliminary information submitted on expected exports and jobs supported, EXIM may be able to consider potential financing of up to $800,000,000.00 of the project's costs under EXIM's Make More In America initiative." Elk Creek Resources Corp. is a Nebraska corporation wholly owned by NioCorp.

A project finance letter of interest from EXIM represents only a preliminary step in the formal EXIM application process, and the Letter of Interest states that the communication "does not represent a financing commitment" and "is not an explicit indication of the financial or commercial viability of a transaction."

NioCorp expects to submit an application to EXIM to begin the first phase of the underwriting process ("Phase I") as soon as possible. As stated in the Letter of Interest, "Upon receipt of NioCorp's application for financing, EXIM will conduct all requisite due diligence necessary to determine if a Final Commitment may be issued for this transaction." The process from submission of a Phase I application to a final commitment of financing by EXIM, if any, is expected to take approximately six to nine months and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. See "About NioCorp's Application Process" and "Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimers" below for additional information. As explained in the Letter of Interest, "Any final commitment will be dependent on meeting EXIM's underwriting criteria, authorization process, and finalization and satisfaction of terms and conditions. All Final Commitments must be in compliance with EXIM policies as well as program, legal, and eligibility requirements."

"We are very pleased with this Letter of Interest from the Export-Import Bank of the United States for NioCorp's Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project, and with the fact that we may qualify for as much as $800 million in debt financing from EXIM," said Mark A. Smith, Chairman and CEO of NioCorp. "We look forward to finalizing and submitting a formal loan application to EXIM and working closely with them through this process."

The debt financing is subject to the satisfactory completion of due diligence, the negotiation and settlement of final terms, and the negotiation of definitive documentation. There can be no assurance that the debt financing will be completed on the terms as described above or at all.

As noted on EXIM's website, in February 2021, President Biden signed Executive Order 14017 directing an all-of-government approach to assessing vulnerabilities in - and strengthening the resilience of - the United States' critical supply chains. From that Executive Order, the White House released findings from its comprehensive 100-day supply chain assessments for four critical products: semiconductor manufacturing and advanced packaging; large capacity batteries, like those for electric vehicles; critical minerals and materials; and pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients.

More information on EXIM's Make More In America initiative can be seen here: https://www.exim.gov/about/special-initiatives/make-more-in-america-initiative

The information on or accessible from any social media postings or sites, or EXIM's website, is not, and will not be deemed to be, incorporated by reference into this press release or any filings with the SEC.

@NioCorp $NB $NIOBF ElkCreek Niobium Scandium ElkCreek Nebraska EXIM GXII

For More Information

Contact Jim Sims, VP of External Affairs, NioCorp Developments Ltd., 720-639-4650, jim.sims@niocorp.com

About NioCorp

NioCorp is developing a superalloy materials project in Southeast Nebraska that will produce Niobium, Scandium, and Titanium. Niobium is used to produce superalloys as well as High Strength, Low Alloy ("HSLA") steel, which is a lighter, stronger steel used in automotive, structural, and pipeline applications. Scandium is a superalloy material that can be combined with Aluminum to make alloys with increased strength and improved corrosion resistance. Scandium is also a critical component of advanced solid oxide fuel cells. Titanium is used in various superalloys and is a key component of pigments used in paper, paint and plastics and is also used for aerospace applications, armor and medical implants.

About NioCorp's Application Process

EXIM's "Make More in America" initiative allows companies to apply to EXIM for a project finance letter of interest, which letter indicates EXIM's willingness to consider a financing application for a given transaction. In February 2023, NioCorp applied to EXIM for a project finance letter of interest and, following a preliminary review of the Elk Creek Project to determine whether it met the basic criteria for a potential debt financing by EXIM, EXIM issued the Letter of Interest. NioCorp expects to submit a Final Commitment Application to EXIM to begin the Phase I of the underwriting process as soon as possible. The application will require detailed information and analysis from NioCorp regarding the Elk Creek Project, the Feasibility Study prepared by independent qualified persons for the purposes of estimating mineral resources and reserves at the Elk Creek Project, supply and offtake agreements, project costs, annual financial statements, financial model and assumptions, market information, principal risks and benefits, and insurance coverage. Phase I of the underwriting process would involve due diligence by EXIM and their advisors and the payment of certain fees and expenses by NioCorp. If the Phase I evaluation process is satisfactorily completed, EXIM will issue a preliminary project letter, indicating whether or not EXIM is prepared to move forward on a financing offer, as well as the general terms and conditions of such offer, based on the information available at the time of application. After the issuance of a preliminary project letter indicating that EXIM is prepared to move forward on a financing offer, NioCorp and EXIM would commence a second phase ("Phase II") of due diligence, involving additional fees payable by NioCorp, before EXIM determines if it will provide a final commitment of financing. The process from submission of a Phase I application to a final commitment of financing by EXIM, if any, is expected to take six to nine months. Even if NioCorp ultimately receives a final commitment from EXIM for up to $800 million of project financing, NioCorp would still require additional financing to fund the estimated capital costs expected to be required to complete development of the Elk Creek Project and advance it to the production stage.

Additional Information about the Proposed Transaction and Where to Find It

In connection with the proposed business combination between NioCorp and GX Acquisition Corp. II ("GXII") pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement, dated September 25, 2022 (the "Business Combination Agreement"), among NioCorp, GXII and Big Red Merger Sub Ltd. (the transactions contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement, collectively, the "Transaction"), NioCorp has filed a registration statement on Form S-4 (the "registration statement") with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), which includes a document that serves as a prospectus and proxy circular of NioCorp and a proxy statement of GXII, referred to as a "joint proxy statement/prospectus." The definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus has been filed with the SEC as part of the registration statement and, in the case of NioCorp, with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities, and will be sent to all NioCorp shareholders and GXII stockholders as of the applicable record date. Each of NioCorp and GXII may also file other relevant documents regarding the proposed Transaction with the SEC and, in the case of NioCorp, with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING OR INVESTMENT DECISION, INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF NIOCORP AND GXII ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, THE DEFINITIVE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND ALL OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED OR THAT WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC AND, IN THE CASE OF NIOCORP, WITH THE APPLICABLE CANADIAN SECURITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION, INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THESE DOCUMENTS, CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION.

Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the registration statement and the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus and all other relevant documents that are filed or that will be filed with the SEC by NioCorp or GXII through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus and all other relevant documents that are filed or that will be filed with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities by NioCorp through the website maintained by the Canadian Securities Administrators at www.sedar.com. The documents filed by NioCorp and GXII with the SEC and, in the case of NioCorp, with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities also may be obtained by contacting NioCorp at 7000 South Yosemite, Suite 115, Centennial CO 80112, or by calling (720) 639-4650; or GXII at 1325 Avenue of the Americas, 28th Floor, New York, NY 10019, or by calling (212) 616-3700.

No Offer or Solicitation

This press release and the information contained herein do not constitute (i) an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any security, commodity or instrument or related derivative, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which the offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction or (ii) an offer or commitment to lend, syndicate or arrange a financing, underwrite or purchase or act as an agent or advisor or in any other capacity with respect to any transaction, or commit capital, or to participate in any trading strategies. No offer of securities in the United States or to or for the account or benefit of U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or an exemption therefrom. Investors should consult with their counsel as to the applicable requirements for a purchaser to avail itself of any exemption under the Securities Act. In Canada, no offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus in accordance with the requirements of applicable Canadian securities laws or an exemption therefrom. This press release is not, and under no circumstances is it to be construed as, a prospectus, offering memorandum, an advertisement or a public offering in any province or territory of Canada. In Canada, no prospectus has been filed with any securities commission or similar regulatory authority in respect of any of the securities referred to herein.

Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimers

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements regarding NioCorp's plans to submit a Phase I debt financing application to EXIM; the prospects for successfully securing financing from EXIM on acceptable terms, or at all; the expected timing of, and benefits to the Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project of, securing such financing from EXIM; the parties' ability to close the proposed Transaction, including NioCorp and GXII being able to receive all required regulatory, third-party and shareholder approvals for the proposed Transaction; the financial and business performance of NioCorp; NioCorp's anticipated results and developments in the operations of NioCorp in future periods; the adequacy of NioCorp's financial resources; NioCorp's ability to secure sufficient project financing to complete construction and commence operation of the Elk Creek Project; and the creation of full time and contract construction jobs over the construction period of the Elk Creek Project. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as "plan," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "outlook," "estimate," "forecast," "project," "continue," "could," "may," "might," "possible," "potential," "predict," "should," "would" and other similar words and expressions, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking.

The forward-looking statements are based on the current expectations of the management of NioCorp and are inherently subject to uncertainties and changes in circumstances and their potential effects and speak only as of the date of such statement. There can be no assurance that future developments will be those that have been anticipated. Forward-looking statements reflect material expectations and assumptions, including, without limitation, expectations, and assumptions relating to the Company's ability to successfully complete EXIM's Phase I application process and secure project financing on acceptable terms, or at all; the expected timing of, and benefits to the Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project of, securing such financing from EXIM; the future price of metals; the stability of the financial and capital markets; NioCorp and GXII being able to receive all required regulatory, third-party and shareholder approvals for the proposed Transaction; the amount of redemptions by GXII public shareholders; the consummation of the convertible debenture transaction and the stand-by equity purchase facility contemplated by the definitive agreements with YA II PN, Ltd., an investment fund managed by Yorkville Advisors Global, LP (together with YA II PN, Ltd., "Yorkville"); and other current estimates and assumptions regarding the proposed Transaction and its benefits. Such expectations and assumptions are inherently subject to uncertainties and contingencies regarding future events and, as such, are subject to change. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties or other factors that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those discussed and identified in public filings made by NioCorp with the SEC and with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities and the following: NioCorp's ability to submit a complete application to begin the Phase I evaluation process; NioCorp's ability to pay the necessary fees in connection with EXIM's underwriting process, including the expenses of EXIM's or any other lenders' legal and other advisors and NioCorp's own advisors; the completion of the Phase I due diligence process and the receipt of a preliminary project letter indicating that EXIM is prepared to undertake Phase II due diligence; the completion of the Phase II due diligence process; the possibility that, even if NioCorp completes the application process, it does not receive a final commitment of financing from EXIM on the anticipated timeline, on acceptable terms, or at all; the amount of any redemptions by existing holders of GXII Class A Shares being greater than expected, which may reduce the cash in trust available to NioCorp upon the consummation of the Transaction; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Business Combination Agreement and/or payment of the termination fees; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against NioCorp or GXII following announcement of the Business Combination Agreement and the Transaction; the inability to complete the proposed Transaction due to, among other things, the failure to obtain NioCorp shareholder approval or GXII shareholder approval or the consummation of the convertible debenture transaction and the stand-by equity purchase facility contemplated by the definitive agreements with Yorkville; the inability to complete the convertible debenture transaction and the stand-by equity purchase facility contemplated by the definitive agreements with Yorkville due to, among other things, the failure to obtain shareholder approval or regulatory approval; the risk that the announcement and consummation of the proposed Transaction disrupts NioCorp's current plans; the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the proposed Transaction; unexpected costs related to the proposed Transaction; the risks that the consummation of the proposed Transaction is substantially delayed or does not occur, including prior to the date on which GXII is required to liquidate under the terms of its charter documents; NioCorp's ability to operate as a going concern; NioCorp's requirement of significant additional capital; NioCorp's limited operating history; NioCorp's history of losses; cost increases for NioCorp's exploration and, if warranted, development projects; a disruption in, or failure of, NioCorp's information technology systems, including those related to cybersecurity; equipment and supply shortages; current and future off take agreements, joint ventures, and partnerships; NioCorp's ability to attract qualified management; the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic or other global health crises on NioCorp's business plans, financial condition and liquidity; estimates of mineral resources and reserves; mineral exploration and production activities; feasibility study results; changes in demand for and price of commodities (such as fuel and electricity) and currencies; changes or disruptions in the securities markets; legislative, political or economic developments; the need to obtain permits and comply with laws and regulations and other regulatory requirements; the possibility that actual results of work may differ from projections/expectations or may not realize the perceived potential of NioCorp's projects; risks of accidents, equipment breakdowns, and labor disputes or other unanticipated difficulties or interruptions; the possibility of cost overruns or unanticipated expenses in development programs; operating or technical difficulties in connection with exploration, mining, or development activities; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities of grades of reserves and resources; claims on the title to NioCorp's properties; potential future litigation; and NioCorp's lack of insurance covering all of NioCorp's operations.

Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or should any of the assumptions made by the management of NioCorp prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements.

All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning the proposed Transaction or other matters addressed herein and attributable to NioCorp or any person acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to herein. Except to the extent required by applicable law or regulation, NioCorp undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

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The public offering of its shares will help finance the growth of XA's operations and to tap into its significant, proven oil reserves.

Orlando, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - March 6, 2023) - XA Interactive, a technology, and secondary recovery oil and gas company, has announced that they have struck oil in the Permian Basin. The announcement comes following the completion of its first three oil wells which are part of its 335-well drilling campaign which has drawn the attention of key players and investors in the oil and gas sector, given the company's proven oil reserves.

The company is currently in the process of finalizing its plans for its public offering through a reverse merger to help expedite its operations, and is expected to make a formal announcement in the coming weeks. The successful drilling of the wells is seen as a welcome development that will contribute to the economy and help meet the energy needs of Americans.

Speaking on the occasion, XA's CEO Michael Prozer said, "This is exciting news, having the successful drilling of these wells. I have the best operations team and staff who have been working very hard day and night for the past few months. According to our comprehensive well data acquisition from intelligent formation testing, fluid sampling, and pressure measurements, the resources appear to exceed our pre-drill expectations and have motivated us as we continue our drilling efforts by bringing new wells online. The successful drilling is also in line with our company's vision and adds to the value to the public offering. As a newcomer to the oil and gas sector, we have very ambitious goals, proven reserves, and work with the very best in the industry."

The company is now focused on its public offering, continuing its operations and tapping into its reserves, which are said to be in the billions of dollars. This will enable faster production so the company's aggressive drilling plans can be achieved.

People interested in learning more can visit XA's website today: www.xainteractive.com.

ABOUT XA INTERACTIVE INC:

XA Interactive Inc. ("XA") specializes in technology and digitalization to help solve the challenges of today's world. With substantial oil and gas drilling operations, cutting-edge app development, and expert development of top-quality digital advertising platforms and electric vehicle charging stations. XA is incorporated in Las Vegas, Nevada, with offices in Orlando, Florida.

XA is involved in three diverse fields of business: Natural Resources; Technology; and Electric Vehicle Charging Stations.

For more information, please visit www.xainteractive.com

Contact Information

Company Name: XA Interactive, Inc.

Contact Person: Josephine Vargas

Email: josephine@xainteractive.com

Website: https://xainteractive.com/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/157131
HONOLULU, HI / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / The Hawaii longline fleet swordfish season is in full swing. This is the first season since the fishery was certified sustainable by the globally recognized Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). Swordfish landed by the Hawaii longline fleet is a fresh, extremely tasty, sustainable seafood option that members of the Hawaii longline Association (HLA) are proud to catch and offer to consumers nationwide.

"Hawaii-landed swordfish has always been a high-quality option for seafood lovers," said Mike Goto, auction manager of United Fishing Agency Ltd. "The landed quality and size of fish, as well as the diverse culinary preparations for swordfish, really make it a premium seafood product."

"The fishery is among the most highly monitored and strictly regulated fisheries on Earth," said Eric Kingma, executive director of the Hawaii Longline Association. "We have 100 percent federal observer coverage, satellite-based vessel monitoring, daily at-sea electronic reporting, and other requirements including protected species mitigation measures. With our recent MSC certification, consumers can be more confident than ever that the Hawaii swordfish they enjoy is harvested in a responsible and sustainable manner."

Swordfish being landed by Hawaii longline fishermen

The Hawaii longline fleet is comprised of 150 vessels, with most targeting bigeye and yellowfin tuna year-round. Around 20 vessels out of the fleet seasonally fish for swordfish in waters approximately 1000 nautical miles north of Honolulu.

The annual weight of swordfish landings is around 1.5 million pounds, making the Hawaii fishery the largest producer of swordfish to the U.S. domestic seafood market: roughly half of all the swordfish landed by weight in the country is from the Hawaii fleet. The main domestic market for swordfish is the U.S. East Coast, but consumers can find it in fish markets and high-end restaurants across the country.

Swordfish at the seafood auction

The Hawaii longline shallow-set swordfish seasons runs from January until June.

About HLA

The Hawaii Longline Association represents the Hawaii longline fishery, the largest food producing industry in the State of Hawaii. A major fishery of the United States, the industry is managed under federal regulations, and fishes primarily in international waters around the Hawaii Archipelago. The fleet supplies highly monitored, traceable, fresh, ice-chilled, premium quality fish to Hawaii and U.S. mainland markets.

Press Contact

Eric Kingma

(808) 389-2653

???????Eric.k.kingma@gmail.com

SOURCE: Hawaii Longline Association

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/742250/Hawaii-Longliners-Producing-Highly-Monitored-Sustainable-Swordfish-in-First-Season-since-MSC-Certification
COLUMBUS, OH / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / The Ohio Diversity Council will host its annual Central Ohio Women in Leadership Symposium (WILS) on Thursday, March 16, 2023 from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Baldwin Wallace University: Center for Innovation & Growth, 6565 Kilgour Pl, Dublin, OH 43017. The 2023 Women in Leadership Symposium theme, "Rising in Resilience: Achieving Empowerment through Advancement & Adaptability" will focus on topics such as adaptation and flexibility to changing tides in work structure, pay equity and interpersonal relationships.

"As we embark on two decades of progress, the Women in Leadership Symposium highlights the legacy of excellence and advocacy for women's equality in workplaces and communities," said TyKiah Wright, Senior Director of the Ohio Diversity Council. "We invite you to join us for the Central Ohio WILS as we rise in resilience!"

The conference will feature moderator, W. Shawna Gibbs, Director of Education and Special Initiatives, ADAMH Board of Franklin County and panelists, Jasmine Green, Vice President, Enterprise Customer Solutions & Enablement Nationwide; Sumithra Jagannath, President, ZED Digital; Ameena Kemavor, Vice President Advocacy and Engagement, ADAMH Board of Franklin County; Suzanne Kiggin, Vice President, Operations & Customer Experience, American Signature; and Lillian Morales-Laster, VP, Human Resources Director, United Midwest Savings Bank. Lourdes Negron-McDaniel, CDP, SHRM-SCP, Director, Inclusion and Culture at Nationwide Children's Hospital will also be recognized as the 2023 Woman of the Year awardee.

The Ohio Diversity Council will also partner with Dress for Success Columbus and attendees are encouraged to donate gently used or new blazers, pantsuits and jewelry at the event. The event is sponsored by American Signature, Inc. and Hexion Inc. Registration is currently ongoing and can be completed at: https://bit.ly/3kwg6Vh . To learn more information about the event or sponsorship opportunities, please contact laura.grajczyk@nationaldiversitycouncil.org .

About the National Diversity Council

A non-profit organization committed to fostering a learning environment for organizations to grow in their knowledge of diversity. The council affords opportunities for organizations to share best practices and learn from top corporate leaders in the areas of diversity and inclusion. More information about the National Diversity Council is available at: www.nationaldiversitycouncil.org .

About the Ohio Diversity Council

The Ohio Diversity Council (OHDC) is committed to fostering a learning environment for organizations to grow and leverage their knowledge of diversity. Through a variety of events and programs, the OHDC serves as the premier resource for diversity best practices and leadership development in the state of Ohio. It is currently comprised of five advisory boards: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Toledo. For more information about the Ohio Diversity Council, please visit https://www.ohiodiversitycouncil.org/ .

###

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Contact Info:

Spokesperson: National Diversity Council

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SOURCE: National Diversity Council

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/742331/The-Ohio-Diversity-Council-To-Host-2023-Central-Ohio-Women-in-Leadership-Symposium
LIMASSOL, CYPRUS / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / On the 6th of March 2023, MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 Apps have been reinstated and are available for download from the AppStore. During the lengthy process of restoring the Apps back in the AppStore, MetaQuotes has communicated to Apple extended explanations surrounding operational technicalities and provided further insights as requested.





MetaTrader is back

MetaTrader is back

All matters have been resolved and the iOS applications have been reinstated to the store. Our applications are fully compliant with Apple's requirements.

"We are happy that the situation has been resolved and we managed to find an understanding with Apple," Renat Fatkhullin, CEO of MetaQuotes, commented. "Our company respects the requirements of any marketplace and always strives to meet them. We feel responsible to our users and, therefore, we did our best to provide clarifications on the issues raised from Apple in a timely manner. I also want to thank the traders, brokers and media, who actively showed their support."

Mobile versions of MetaTrader are designed to trade currencies and stocks. This is a fully-featured working tool that allows the implementation of various trading strategies. The applications have been distributed free of charge via the App Store since 2011.

Mobile applications can be downloaded from the App Store (MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5) and from Google Play Store (MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5), as well as from the official website of the platform.

Contact Information:

Mikhail Kirilin

PR Manager

kirilin@metaquotes.net

+35795564211

SOURCE: MetaQuotes

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/742337/MetaTrader-4-and-5-Applications-Are-Back-in-the-Apple-AppStore
Car accidents can be terrifying experiences. Often, at least some of the people involved are injured, sometimes severely, and the automobiles that crashed are damaged. The legal system can help the parties sort out who is at fault for the accident, and which party needs to pay the doctors' and mechanics' bills.

How a Car Accident Case Works

Car accident law is a combination of traffic and personal injury law. Someone who is injured in an auto accident can hire an attorney who will negotiate with the other drivers to determine who should pay for the damage, and if necessary, the attorney will file a lawsuit. The courts will piece together exactly what happened using police reports, photos, and other evidence, and then use the local traffic laws as well as legal concepts such as to determine who caused the accident. Whoever is at fault usually has to compensate the other party for medical and property expenses, as well as for harm such as lost wages and pain and suffering.

However, this is not always a simple calculation, since sometimes both drivers are at fault. Each state has slightly different rules for situations in which there is more than one person responsible for the crash. Some states require that one party pays all the bills, whereas others allow the two parties to split the bills according to the amount each party is to blame.

The Role of Auto Insurance

Fortunately, most people do not pay all of the damages stemming from a collision out of pocket. Automobile insurance may pay to repair at least some of the damages or replacement cost for all or some of the vehicles involved, and may pay for some medical expenses as well. Insurance companies may also pay for an attorney, if necessary, although clients do not usually get to choose their own attorney. State laws vary widely on the extent and types of insurance required to drive a vehicle.

Determining Who Is At Fault

The laws on who is at fault vary depending on the types of vehicles involved. Most states give more protections to pedestrians and bicyclists, since they are more vulnerable to injuries from a collision. Similarly, motorcyclists may have greater injuries, but motorcyclists also must follow different traffic rules since they can be faster and more nimble than an automobile. Truck drivers are usually professionally trained and certified, and have to drive more carefully than most other drivers. Determining who pays for the damage after a collision with a truck is slightly more complicated than other kinds of accidents because trucks are often commercially owned, so the liability may rest not only on the driver, but on the owner of the truck as well.

Look through the articles in this section to find more information on the different types of collisions, how auto insurance works, and on what to do after a car accident to ensure that any legal case that follows goes as smoothly as possible.
Infodriver Capital, a London, UK-based investment firm, has launched a $10M fund focused on backing DeFi, GameFi, and AI startups across the UK, UAE, Europe, and the USA

The investment strategy diversifies the total portfolio of the startups from Seed to A round with a working revenue model and user base. The firms approach also provides value-added services such as fundraising assistance, business development, co-promotion, and influence marketing to further assist startups in achieving their full potential.

Led by Kirill Mishanin, CEO and Founder, Infodriver Capital is an investment firm that provides wealth management and financial services to multiple HNWFs.

The firm has already identified several promising startups, including Certhis wallet with utility collections, Aspis DAO asset management, Bangers gaming DeFi, Toscale super app for liquidity and social trading, Main community-building platform, Stage only-music-fans for Zen Z, and Babylon Voice for Metaverse as Media Wallet with Digital ID  VoicePrint, that is Face ID did for iPhone.

FinSMEs

06/03/2023
N2F, a Bourg-en-Bresse, France-based provider of expense management software solutions, received 24m in Strategic Growth funding.

The investment was made by PSG Equity.

The company intends to use the funds to fulfil its international ambitions, recruit 200 new employees over the next five years and invest in the development of new products.

Founded in and 2015 by Nicolas Dubouloz and Jean-Joseph Reslinger, N2F is a fully connected (mobile & web app) expense management solution that digitizes the entire process of logging, approving and archiving expense reports, simplifying the work of accountants, managers and employees. The company combines features such as smart scanning, tax-compliant archiving, real-time monitoring and AI-powered anti-fraud in a user-friendly application. The software provides native integrations with accounting software, banks, travel agencies or fleet management solutions.

N2F today processes over one million expense reports per month for more than 10,000 businesses in more than 86 countries. While being initially developed for SMEs, today the company can serve companies of all sizes and is used by blue-chip European enterprises, such as Iliad, DMG MORI and Holidu.

FinSMEs

06/03/2023
The first product from Mwah! is a creamy and decadent Madagascan Vanilla Gelato, made from plants, that mirrors the indulgent experience of classic gelato

Singapore-based Next Gen Foods announced the acquisition of Mwah!, a London, UK-based new food startup producing creamy and indulgent dairy-inspired products from plants.

The acquisition of Mwah! is the first for Next Gen Foods who introduced TiNDLE  its chicken made from plants  less than two years ago. The expansion into new categories that now include plant-based dairy and meat allows Next Gen to continue diversifying its product offerings.

Founded in 2020 by Damian Piedrahita and Claudia Comini, Mwah! is a food startup that creates creamy and indulgent dairy-inspired experiences, using plant-based ingredients. Its first product is a creamy and decadent Madagascan Vanilla Gelato, made from plants, that mirrors the indulgent experience of classic gelato. It is lactose-free and made with plant-based ingredients that include cashews, coconut oil, vegetable fibers, natural flavors, sugar, salt, and organic Madagascan vanilla.

Mwah! will leverage existing distribution through Next Gen Foods to support the introduction of its products to key markets, including the United Kingdom.

Founded in 2020 by Andre Menezes and Timo Recker, two veterans of the animal agriculture and plant-based food industries, Next Gen Foods is a food tech startup developing and commercializing plant-based food brands  including TiNDLE, chicken made from plants, and Mwah!, creamy and indulgent dairy-inspired products.

To date, Next Gen Foods has raised $130m in funding.

FinSMEs

06/03/2023
Palmetto, a Charleston, SC-based provider of a technology enabled clean energy platform, raised $150M in growth funding.

TPG Rise Climate made the investment.

The company intends to use the funds to continue spurring the adoption of clean energy and access to residential solar across the United States.

Led by Chris Kemper, Founder and CEO, Palmett leverages proprietary platform technology and energy intelligence solutions to accelerate the sale and adoption of clean energy. Palmetto enables established consumer brands to expand into the clean energy market in order to increase their revenue and decarbonization goals while driving environmental impact at scale. It manages the end-to-end residential solar process with a fully enabled operating platform that handles sales, design, engineering, permitting and fulfillment. Its Get-Solar, Give-Solar program provides a women-owned entrepreneurship program advancing the distribution of solar energy in developing countries across sub-Saharan Africa.

FinSMEs

07/03/2023
A new, smaller Foxconn plant is planned for India, about half the size of the massive iPhone assembly facility in Zhengzhou, China  known as iPhone City  according to the latest Bloomberg report.

Apple Expands Production in India

Apple is looking to India as a potential new production hub, with reports suggesting that up to half of all iPhones could be made there by 2027. Foxconns Zhengzhou plant has around 200,000 employees, while Apples new Indian facility will be be creating 100,000 jobs. The company is also expanding its supply chain in India, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

Apple phones to be built in the state soon. Apart from creating about 100,000 jobs, it will create a whole lot of opportunities for Karnataka. Under the visionary leadership of Honble PM @narendramodi Ji, we will do our share to make India a $5 trillion economy by 2025. https://t.co/bdcVuVHkvT  Basavaraj S Bommai (@BSBommai) March 3, 2023

Foxconn Expands in India

Foxconn has taken steps to expand its operations in India, setting up a new plant in neighboring Telangana state to create 100,000 jobs. Though its unclear if the facility will manufacture Apple products, the move will be essential for Foxconn and other suppliers if they are to meet the expected demand for iPhonesChinas so-called iPhone City is estimated to produce 80% of the worlds supply.

Foxconn to Build Factory in Bengaluru

Foxconn, a major electronics manufacturer, is planning to build a massive manufacturing facility on a 300-acre site near Indias IT hub, Bengaluru. The factory is expected to employ around 100,000 people and will manufacture components for iPhones, potentially even assembling them. Chairman Young Liu is currently on tour in India attended a dinner hosted by Karnatakas Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday.

Foxconn to Increase Indias iPhone Assembly to 10-15%

Foxconn, Apples primary supplier, is setting up a new factory near Bengaluru, India, and meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss its good progress in the country.

This move is expected to create about 100,000 jobs, and boost Indias share of iPhone assembly from a sub-5% to 10-15%. This decision suggests that suppliers may be moving capacity out of China far faster than expected due to Covid-related disruptions.

Foxconn Could Transform Indias Tech Gap

Foxconns potential investment in India could be a game-changer for the countrys tech sector, offering a chance to close its tech gap with China. India has offered financial incentives to Apple suppliers like Foxconn, who has already started producing the latest iPhones in Tamil Nadu.

Other companies like Wistron, Pegatron, Jabil Corp. are expanding operations and producing AirPods components in the country. However, Foxconns actual plans are still uncertain.

Speaking on the announcement, Basavaraj S Bommai, Chief Minister of Karnataka, said

Apple phones to be built in the state soon. Apart from creating about 100,000 jobs, it will create a whole lot of opportunities for Karnataka. Under the visionary leadership of Honble PM, we will do our share to make India a $5 trillion economy by 2025.

Source
Albany residents may have noticed a white truck patrolling their city parks. Yes, the vehicle says Albany Police Department. No, this isnt a police officer. Its a park ranger.

Marimar Moreno, 29, is the police departments park service officer. The role is funded by both APD and the citys parks and recreation department.

Laura Hawkins, APD community engagement officer, said the job came about as a response to community concerns about the safety and cleanliness of parks in town. She said residents wanted more enforcement.

We want to make sure the parks are family friendly so everyone can visit and enjoy them, Hawkins said.

According to a memo from APD Chief Marcia Harnden and Parks & Rec Director Kim Lyddane sent to city council in October 2021, the position was proposed as an opportunity to provide quality in-person customer service and education to park users.

The memo said the position would help curtail illegal activity like graffiti, camping and illegal dumping. The salary at the time was proposed as $95,000 a year with a one-time purchase of a $24,000 utility truck.

City council voted and approved the position Oct. 13, 2021, according to meeting minutes.

It took a while to hire someone for the role, but Albany now has its own park ranger.

Moreno, who started in June, said shes still figuring out exactly what day-to-day tasks look like. But in general, she performs security checks at the parks, makes contact with the homeless people camping in Albany, keeps the parks clean and looks for overnight campers.

She is charged with patrolling all 29 city parks. Moreno joked that Doug Killin Friendship Park is her favorite of the 29 since its relatively calm.

Time in the community

The best part of the job for Moreno has been engaging with community members.

I like mingling with the little kids and just interacting with all the people you meet at the parks, she said.

The job comes with its own challenges, though. Telling homeless people they need to move their camps is always hard, according to Moreno, and shes noticed that some people see her as a cop and want to avoid her.

However, her job functions are quite different from a patrol officer.

Moreno cannot make arrests or issue citations. She carries a Taser, pepper spray and a baton but not a firearm. She does wear a body camera.

Making a difference

Part of the reason the park ranger job came to be was because patrol officers simply couldnt make it out to and stay on top of every park in Albany.

Were really just happy to have one (park ranger), Hawkins said. She added that having one park service officer seems to be enough for the time being.

Moreno is still adjusting to life in Albany, but shes looking forward to the summer where shell get to work different events in town.

Im just excited to meet more of the community, she said.
70 years ago today, on 5 March 1953, Joseph Stalin died. In his wake, he left behind a legacy of brutality and betrayal that could not be further from the traditions of genuine Marxism upon which the Soviet Union was founded. To mark the anniversary of the death of the bureaucratic usurper of the Russian Revolution, we wish to draw readers attention to Leon Trotskys unfinished biography of Stalin: his last great work before his assassination. The IMT has produced the definitive version of this text, which holds vital insights into the life and mind of the man who would become synonymous with the USSRs degeneration.

The 2016 edition of Stalin, published by Wellred Books, was painstakingly put together over a period of ten years, using the source material from the Harvard Archives. Containing 86,000 more words than the original 1946 edition, the comrades who contributed to the 2016 edition have restored Trotskys masterful analysis to its rightful condition. This book is a remarkable accomplishment by our organisation, which many of our members and supporters might not be aware of! Do not miss your opportunity to own Trotskys final masterpiece.

Below is an article written in 2016 on the importance of Trotskys study of Stalin and its usefulness to Marxists today. The text can be bought from Wellred Books here.

Trotskys Stalin  a Marxist masterpiece

By Alan Woods, London 18 May 2016

On August 20th 1940 Trotskys life was brutally ended when a Stalinist agent brought an ice pick crashing down on his defenceless head. Among the works left unfinished was the second part of Stalin. Trotskys Stalin.This work is probably unique in Marxist literature in that it attempts to explain some of the most decisive events of the 20th century, not just in terms of epoch-making economic and social transformations, but in the individual psychology of those who appear as protagonists in a great historical drama.

The relationship between individual psychology and historical processes provides a fascinating theme for students of history and forms the basis of the present work. How did it come about that Stalin, who began his political life as a revolutionary and a Bolshevik, ended up a tyrant and a monster? Was this something pre-ordained, whether by genetic factors or childhood upbringing?

There are some circumstances in Stalins early life, painstakingly analysed by Trotsky, that suggest certain tendencies towards revengefulness, envy and a cruel, even sadistic streak. Taken in isolation, however, these tendencies cannot have a decisive significance. Not every child who is abused by a drunken father becomes a sadistic dictator, just as not every unsuccessful artist, resentful at his rejection by Viennese society, becomes Adolf Hitler.

For such transformations to occur, great historic events and social convulsions are necessary. In the case of Hitler it was Germanys economic collapse following the Wall Street Crash that provided him with an opportunity to lead a mass movement of the ruined petty bourgeois and de-classed lumpen-proletariat. In the case of Stalin it was the ebb of the movement that followed the Russian Revolution, the exhaustion of the masses following the great exertions of the War, Revolution and Civil War and the isolation of the Revolution in conditions of frightful backwardness and poverty that led to the rise of a privileged bureaucracy.

The millions of officials that elbowed the workers aside hardened into a privileged caste. These upstarts needed a leader who would defend their interests. But this leader had to be a man with revolutionary credentials  a Bolshevik with a solid pedigree: Cometh the moment, cometh the man. The Soviet bureaucracy found its representative in Joseph Djughashvili, known to us as Stalin.

At first sight, Stalin would not seem an obvious choice to step into Lenins shoes. Stalin had no ideology, other than to gain power and hold onto it. He had a tendency towards suspicion and violence. He was a typical apparatchik  narrow-minded and ignorant, like the people whose interests he represented. The other Bolshevik leaders spent years in Western Europe and spoke foreign languages fluently, and participated personally in the international workers movement. Stalin spoke no foreign languages and even spoke Russian poorly with a thick Georgian accent.

This paradox is explained by Trotsky. A revolutionary epoch demands heroic leaders, great writers and orators, bold thinkers who are able to put into words the unconscious or semi-conscious aspirations of the masses to change society, translating them into timely slogans. It is an age of giants. But a counter-revolutionary period is one of ebb, retreat and demoralization. Such a period does not require giants but people of a far smaller stature. It is the age of the opportunist, the conformist and the apostate.

In such circumstances, bold visionaries and heroic individuals are no longer required. The mediocrity rules supreme, and Stalin was the supreme mediocrity. Of course, this definition does not exhaust his qualities, or he would never have succeeded in elevating himself above the heads of people who were in every respect his superiors. He also possessed an iron will and determination, a stubborn, indomitable thirst for power and personal advancement and an innate skillfulness in manipulating people, exploiting their weak side, manoeuvring and intriguing.

Such qualities in the context of an advancing revolution are of only third-rate importance. But in the ebb-tide of the revolution, they can be utilised to great effect. The way in which this applied in Stalins case is explained by Trotsky with a mass of carefully assembled material drawn both from his personal archives and many other sources, including the memoirs of Bolsheviks, Stalinists, Mensheviks and particularly Georgian revolutionaries who knew the man intimately.

The role of the individual

The attempt to reduce great historic events to individual personalities is superficial and usually reflects an inability to approach history from a scientific point of view. Historical materialism finds the mainspring of history in the development of the productive forces. But this by no means denies the role of the individual in history. On the contrary, the historical process can only be expressed through the agency of men and women.

To discover the complex interplay between the particular and the general, between personalities and social processes, is a difficult task. But it can be done. Marx dealt with this aspect brilliantly in The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte, where he shows how, under certain historical circumstances, a mediocrity, like the man Victor Hugo called Napoleon le Petit (Napoleon the Little), can come to power. The precise way in which the individual interacts with objective processes has never been so painstakingly examined.

Did the personality of Stalin determine the fate of the USSR? It is sufficient to pose the question to expose its complete hollowness. The defeat of the European Revolution meant that the regime of workers democracy established by the October Revolution could not survive. Once the Revolution was isolated in conditions of frightful economic and cultural backwardness, the rise of the bureaucracy was inevitable, with or without the presence of Stalin. But one can say that the particularly horrific nature of the regime, its sadistic methods and the monstrous scale of the Terror were determined to a very great extent by Stalins character, his paranoia and his unquenchable thirst for revenge.

Stalin is a fascinating study of the way in which the peculiar character of an individual, his personal traits and psychology, interacted with great events. For that very reason, it has had its detractors. There have been many attempts to present Stalin as a work motivated by Trotskys desire to discredit his enemy in the Kremlin, or at the very least as an account in which factors of a personal or psychological nature rendered an objective study impossible. Such a superficial judgement does a serious injustice to the author. Trotsky already anticipated these criticisms when he wrote:

The point which I now occupy is unique. I therefore feel that I have the right to say that I have never entertained a feeling of hatred towards Stalin. In certain circles there is a lot said and written about my so-called hatred for Stalin which apparently fills me with gloomy and troubled judgements. I can only shrug my shoulders in response to all this. Our ways have parted so long ago that whatever personal relationship there was between us has long ago been utterly extinguished. For my part, and to the extent that I am the tool of historical forces, which are alien and hostile to me, my personal feelings towards Stalin are indistinguishable from my feelings towards Hitler or the Japanese Mikado. (Stalin, present edition, Chapter 14: The Thermidorian Reaction; section: The revenge of history)

It is characteristic of academic historians to hide behind a facade of what is supposed to be impartiality. But, in fact, every historian writes from a particular viewpoint. This is particularly evident in histories of the Russian Revolution  or even the French Revolution, if it comes to that. As proof of this we can point to the flood of learned books on the Russian Revolution that is churned out every year, especially since the fall of the Soviet Union, that claim to furnish incontrovertible proof that Lenin and Trotsky were bloodthirsty monsters and the Soviet Union never accomplished anything except the KGB and the Gulag.

One only has to scratch the surface for the mask of academic objectivity to slip, revealing the ugly contorted features of an anti-Communist fanatic. In contrast to the hypocritical pseudo-objectivity of academic historians, Trotsky approaches the question of the Stalinist counter-revolution as a Marxist and a revolutionist. Is there a contradiction between having a passionate interest in changing society and at the same time being capable of an objective appraisal of historical events and the role of individuals in the historical process? Let Trotsky answer for himself:

In the eyes of a philistine a revolutionary point of view is virtually equivalent to an absence of scientific objectivity. We think just the opposite: only a revolutionist  provided, of course, that he is equipped with the scientific method  is capable of laying bare the objective dynamics of the revolution. Apprehending thought in general is not contemplative, but active. The element of will is indispensable for penetrating the secrets of nature and society. Just as a surgeon, on whose scalpel a human life depends, distinguishes with extreme care between the various tissues of an organism, so a revolutionist, if he has a serious attitude toward his task, is obliged with strict conscientiousness to analyse the structure of society, its functions and reflexes. (Trotsky, The Chinese Revolution, 1938)

About the new edition

Nobody can ever claim to have produced the definitive edition of Stalin. It was unfinished on the day of Trotskys assassination and will remain unfinished for all time. What we can say without fear of contradiction is that this is the most complete version of the book that has ever been published.

There have been other editions of the book, they have never been satisfactory, and some were even misleading. In preparing for this project, we compared the translations of other versions, all of which were inadequate in different ways. We have brought together all the material that was available from the Trotsky archives in English and supplemented it with additional material in Russian.

The new edition contains an additional 86,000 words. That is an increase of approximately thirty percent over the book as a whole. But in the second part, where almost all of the new material is to be found, the text has been augmented by approximately ninety percent.

If Trotsky had lived, it is very clear that he would have produced an infinitely better work. He would have made a rigorous selection of the raw material. Like an accomplished sculptor he would have polished it and then polished it again, until it reached the dazzling heights of a work of art. We cannot hope to attain such heights. We do not know what material the great man would have selected or rejected. But we feel we are under a historic obligation at least to make available to the world all the material that is available to us.

Despite all the difficulties, this work has been of great educational value. We have found in many pieces that were discarded as things of no interest fascinating insights into Trotskys thought. Like the last works of Marx, Engels and Lenin, the writings of Trotskys last few years are the products of a mature mind that was able to draw on a whole lifetime of rich experience. Of particular interest are his observations about dialectics and Marxist theory in the Appendix Stalin as a Theoretician, which, as far as I know, have never been published before.

In making available for the first time a great deal of material that was arbitrarily excluded from Stalin and hidden in dusty boxes for three quarter of a century, we are discharging a debt to a great revolutionary and simultaneously providing a wealth of new and valuable material to the new generation that is striving to find the ideas and programme to change the world. This is the only monument he would have ever wanted.
Chicago, March 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global Kaolin Market by Process (Water-Washed, Airfloat, Calcined, Delaminated, and Surface-Modified & Unprocessed), End-Use Industry (Paper, Ceramic & Sanitarywares, Fiberglass, Paints & Coatings, Rubber, Plastics), and Region - Global Forecast to 2025", size is projected to grow from USD 3.1 billion in 2020 and reach USD 4.1 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 5.5% from 2020 to 2025, as per the recent study by MarketsandMarkets. The growth of this market can be attributed to the increase in demand from paper, ceramics & sanitarywares, fiberglass, paints & coatings, rubber, plastics end-use industries, and its availability.

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Browse in-depth TOC on Kaolin Market

152 - Market Data Tables

32 - Figures

161 - Pages

List of Key Players in Kaolin Market:

Imerys S.A. (France) BASF SE (Germany) Ashapura Group (India) EICL Limited (India) SCR-Sibelco N.V. (Belgium) KaMin LLC (US) Thiele Kaolin Company (US) LASSELSBERGER Group (Hungary) Quarzwerke GmbH (Germany) Sedlecky kaolin a. s. (Czech Republic) I-Minerals lnc. (Canada) 20 Microns Limited (India) Minotaur Exploration Limited (Australia) W. R. Grace & Co. (US) KERAMOST, a.s. (Czech Republic) Uma Group of Kaolin (India) Jiangxi Sincere Mineral Industry Co., Ltd. (China) Active Minerals International, LLC (US)

Key Findings of the Study:

A water-washed segment to lead the kaolin market during 2020-2025 Ceramic & sanitarywares are expected to grow at the highest CAGR in the kaolin market during the forecast period The Asia Pacific to lead the global kaolin market during the forecast period

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Based on the end-use industry, the kaolin market has been segmented into paper, ceramic & sanitarywares, fiberglass, paints & coatings, rubber, plastics, and others. The paper segment is expected to lead the kaolin market. This is due to improvement in paper appearance, which is characterized by gloss, smoothness, brightness, and opacity. Kaolin also improves various other properties of paper such as ink absorption and ink pigment holdout, low linting tendency, and roughness, which, in turn, enhance the printability of paper. Kaolin is combined with pigments such as calcium carbonate, talc, or titanium dioxide to produce the desired effect in the coated paper during the process involved to produce paper.

Based on the process, the kaolin market has been segmented into include water-washed, airfloat, calcined, delaminated, and surface-modified & unprocessed. The growth of the water-washed segment can be attributed to increase in demand for ceramics from the building & the construction industry is among the most significant factors projected to drive the water-washed kaolin market, as this kaolin is majorly used in the manufacture of ceramic products. Advantage of using the water-washed process in the production of hydrous kaolin as this process helps to retain water in the clay for about 12%-14%.

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The kaolin market in the Asia Pacific region is projected to grow at the highest CAGR between 2020 and 2025. China accounted for the major share of the Asia Pacific kaolin market in 2019. This can be attributed to industrial development in the country and its improving economic conditions. This region constitutes approximately 60% of the worlds population, resulting in the wide-scale use of kaolin in the paper, plastics, rubber, and ceramic & sanitarywares end-use industries.

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Chicago, March 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The report " Collaborative Robot Market by Component, Payload (Up to 5 Kg, 5-10 Kg, and Above 10 Kg), Application (Handling, Processing), Industry (Automotive, Electronics, Healthcare, Furniture & Equipment) and Geography - Global Forecast to 2028" The global collaborative robot market is projected to grow from USD 1.1 Billion in 2022 to USD 9.2 Billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 41.5% during the forecast period from 2022 to 2028.

The growth of this market is driven by factors such as high return on investment as compared to the traditional industrial robotic system, increasing demand in the e-commerce and logistics industries due to contingency of COVID-19, cobots to benefit businesses of all sizes, and increased ease of programming of collaborative robots. However, higher preference for low payload capacity traditional industrial robots over cobots in heavy-duty industries restrain the growth of the collaborative robot market.

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Browse in-depth TOC on " Collaborative Robot (Cobot) Market

214  Tables

55  Figures

291  Pages

Key Market Players

Universal Robots A/S (Denmark),

FANUC Corporation (Japan),

ABB (Switzerland),

Techman Robot Inc (Taiwan),

KUKA AG (Germany),

Doosan Robotics Inc. (South Korea),

Denso Corporation (Japan),

Yaskawa Electric Corporation (Japan),

AUBO (Beijing) Robotics Technology Co., Ltd (China), and

Rethink Robotics GmbH (US),

Omron Adept Technologies, Inc. (US),

Franka Emika GmbH (Germany).

Universal Robots A/S develops and manufactures collaborative robots (cobots) to automate and streamline repetitive industrial processes. The company raised its initial phase of funding from Syddansk Innovation (Denmark). It was subsequently acquired by the automated equipment manufacturer, Teradyne Inc. (US), in June 2015. It supplies its collaborative robots to various industries such as automotive and subcontractors, electronics and technology, metal and machining, food and beverage, plastic and polymers, medical and cosmetics, education and science, and more industries. Universal Robots exclusively develops collaborative robots, and its product portfolio includes the UR3e, UR5e, UR10e, UR16e, and UR20 robot arms, named after their payload capacity in kilograms.

The new UR20 robot comes with a 1750 mm reach and 20 kg payload capacity, URs next generation cobot handles more tasks, fits more applications, and assists in more environments than ever before. The UR20 is built for higher payloads, faster speeds, and superior motion control all within a lightweight, small footprint system for optimal versatility within your existing production space. No special electrical hookups or costly wiring solutions are required. Even with the big step up in performance, a single-phase standard power outlet is all thats needed to power the UR20 The company offers the UR+ Solutions platform, providing plug-and-play robot accessories and software from third-party manufacturers such as Robotiq (Canada), Zimmer Group (Germany), PIAB (Sweden), ATI (US), SICK (Germany), and Vention (Canada).

Universal Robots is currently one of the most well-known players in the collaborative robot market. The safety system of the robots is approved and certified by TUV (The German Technical Inspection Association). The major applications of these robots include pick and place, injection molding, packaging, palletizing, quality inspection, screw-driving, polishing, machine tending, injection molding, lab analysis, testing, gluing, painting, and welding.

The company has 29 offices in 20 countries, including Denmark, the US, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the Czech Republic, Turkey, China, India, Bangladesh, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Mexico. Universal Robots has a global network of around 800 distributors, 400+ certified products & almost 300+ approved developer companies.

In January 2022, the company reported a record annual revenue of USD 311 million, 41% up in 2020 and 23% up on pre-pandemic results in 2019.

FANUC Corporation operates its business through four divisionsFA (Factory Automation), ROBOT, ROBOMACHINE, and Service. The FA Unit encompasses basic technologies consisting of NCs, servos, and lasers, which are also applied to the ROBOT and ROBOMACHINE Units. All collaborative robots are offered under the ROBOT division. Robots offered by the company contribute to automation in the automotive, electric, food & beverages, and pharmaceutical industries, among others. Although the company is known for its traditional industrial robots, it also offers various collaborative robots. FANUC provides collaborative robots that can handle payloads of up to 35 kg, which is higher than the average payload of most collaborative robots available today. These collaborative robots also feature rubberized surfaces to reduce the effects of any collisions and have a distinctive neon green color to differentiate them from the companys traditional robots. In 2015, FANUC launched its first collaborative robot, the CR-35iA, with a payload capacity of 35 kg and reach of 1,813 mm. Subsequently, the company launched smaller collaborative robots with lower payload capacities. For instance, FANUC offers the CR-4iA collaborative robot with payload capacity and reach of 4 kg and 550 mm, respectively, and the CR-7iA and CR-7iA/L with payload capacities of 7 kg (each) and a reach of 717 mm and 911 mm respectively. Currently the company offers seven collaborative robots in the CR Series range and five collaborative robots in the CRX Series range.

FANUC operates in the APAC, the Americas, Europe, and other regions. Its sales and support services are undertaken through an integrated network of central technical centers and branch offices as well as overseas group companies worldwide; the company has a presence in 100+ countries and 270 service locations. Some of its major subsidiaries are FANUC America Corporation (US), FANUC Europe Corporation (Luxembourg), Beijing-Fanuc Mechatronics Co., Ltd., SHANGHAI-FANUC Robotics CO., LTD., FANUC INDIA Private Limited, Taiwan Fanuc Co., Ltd., and Korea Fanuc Corporation.

ABB is a leading supplier of industrial robots and modular manufacturing systems and services. Its operations are organized through 4 business divisionsElectrification, Motion, Industrial Automation, and Robotics & Discrete Automation. All industrial robots offered by the company are handled by its Robotics & Discrete Automation business segment. More than 300,000 ABB robots are estimated to be installed worldwide. ABBs robotics solutions are used in various industries, such as automotive, metal fabrication, foundry, plastics, food & beverage, chemical, pharmaceutical, consumer electronics, solar, and wood. Welding, material handling, painting, picking, packing, and palletizing are the general industry applications where ABBs robotics solutions are used. The companys product portfolio consists of traditional as well as collaborative industrial robots. The robots offered by ABB are of either articulated, parallel, or SCARA design. In addition to standalone robotic arms, the company also provides a variety of special-purpose robots, such as painting robots and door-opening robots. The payload capacity of robots offered ranges from 0.5 kg to 800 kg. ABB Ability Network is a network model for connecting multiple robots and robotic equipment to enable the monitoring and control of the automation process.

ABB has operations in around 100 countries across four regionsEurope, the Americas, Asia, and the Middle East & Africa. Some of its major subsidiaries are ABB Holdings Limited, Warrington (UK), ABB Norden Holding AB (Sweden), ABB Ltd., Seoul (South Korea), ABB K.K., Tokyo (Japan), ABB (China) Ltd., ABB Ltda., Osasco (Brazil), and ABB AG, Mannheim (Germany).

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Recent Developments

In July 2022, FANUC America Corporation (US), a leading supplier of CNCs, robotics, and ROBOMACHINEs, announces a West Campus expansion that will push its operational space in Oakland County, Michigan to nearly two million square feet. The construction will include a 655,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility to house manufacturing, engineering, and R&D projects.

In June 2022, Universal Robots A/S (Denmark) launched a new 20 kg cobot called the UR20 to its product range. A 20kg (44.1lbs.) payload capacity, which is 4kg more than URs previous heaviest load capability of 16kg with its UR16e cobot. Reach of 1750mm, which is 450mm more than the longest previous UR cobot reach of 1300mm with the UR10e.

In February 2021, ABB is expanding its collaborative robot portfolio with the new GoFa and SWIFTI cobot families, offering higher payloads and speeds, to complement the YuMi and Single Arm YuMi in ABBs cobot line-up. These stronger, faster, and more capable cobots are expected to accelerate the companys expansion in high-growth segments including electronics, healthcare, consumer goods, logistics, and food & beverage, among others, meeting the rising demand for automation across multiple industries.

Related Reports:

Industrial Robotics Market by Type (Traditional, Collaborative Robots), Component, Payload, Application (Handling, Processing), Industry (Automotive, Food & Beverages) and Region (North America, Europe, APAC, RoW) - Global Forecast to 2027

Cleaning Robot Market by Type, Product (Floor Cleaning Robots, Lawn Cleaning Robots, Pool Cleaning Robots, Window Cleaning Robots), Operation Mode (Self-driven, Remote Controlled), Sales Channel, Application and Region - Global Forecast to 2027
TORONTO, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alkaline Fuel Cell Power Corp. (NEO: PWWR) (OTCQB:ALKFF) (Frankfurt: 77R, WKN: A3CTYF) (PWWR or the Company), a diversified investment platform developing affordable, renewable, and reliable energy assets and cleantech, announces 2023 Priorities.



With the recent launch of Jupiter 1.0 fuel cell prototype, PWWR has the opportunity to greatly reduce our burn and match fuel cell business spend to strategic pilot projects. Coupled with investments in CHP business line- PWWR Flow Streams- PWWR is focused on creating an EBITDA-positive platform within next 4-6 quarters, stated Frank Carnevale, CEO. Timing will be based on speed and size of accretive acquisitions and deployment of capital for PWWR Flow projects. We believe that there is greater shareholder value in building out a de-risked alternate asset class platform with a leading-edge proven fuel cell technology to create the future-friendly value for shareholders.

2023 Priorities

PWWR is generating decisions based on the following 2023 priorities:

Figure 1- List of 2023 priorities

Speed up path to greater revenue and earnings

Reduce Fuel Cell cash burn and match to strategic projects

Use Fuel Cell Pilots to generate nearer term sales opportunities

Source funding pathway to reducing cost of growth capital

Updated Investor Presentation

An updated PWWR investor presentation can be found here.

Figure 2- Updated Investor Presentation - March 2023

ABOUT ALKALINE FUEL CELL POWER CORP. (NEO: PWWR)

PWWR is a diversified investment platform developing affordable, renewable, and reliable energy assets and cleantech. We bring Power to the People today, combining a stable revenue stream with a future- forward vision to commercialize our advanced hydrogen fuel cell technology to meet the massive global market need, and ultimately generate compelling returns for investors.

PWWR operates through two global entities: Fuel Cell Power NV, a wholly owned subsidiary in Belgium, and PWWR Flow Streams (PWWR Flow), an PWWR brand in Canada.

Fuel Cell Power NV is focused on the development, production and commercialization of micro- combined heat and power (micro-CHP) systems and off-grid and back-up power generators based on advanced alkaline fuel cell technology that generates zero CO2 emissions. Fuel Cell Power NV is working through milestones to deliver a commercialized alkaline fuel cell in 2024.



PWWR Flow is focused on the development, ownership and operations of combined heat and power (CHP) assets. PWWR Flow assets deliver efficiency improvements of over 20% with reduced costs to customers in multi-residential and commercial applications. PWWR Flow has contracted existing CHP assets in Toronto, Canada, and has an additional pipeline of potential contracts valued at over $50 million currently in development.



PWWR is well positioned to deliver Power to the People in the global energy transition while offering a diversified cleantech growth platform for investors.

Further information is available on the Company website at https://www.fuelcellpower.com/ , and the Company encourages investors and other interested stakeholders to follow it on:

LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Common shares are listed for trading on the NEO under the symbol PWWR, the OTC Venture Exchange OTCQB under the symbol ALKFF and on the Frankfurt Exchange under symbol 77R and WKN A3CTYF.

For further information, please contact:

Frank Carnevale

Chief Executive Officer

+1 (647) 531-8264

fcarnevale@fuelcellpower.com

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements or information. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates, believes or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might, occur or achieve. Forward-looking statements in this news release may include, but are not limited to, the Companys 2023 properties as outlined herein, statements with respect to the Companys technology, intellectual property, business plan, financial projections, objectives and strategy.

Forward-looking statements and information are provided for the purpose of providing information about the current expectations and plans of management of the Company relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such statements and information may not be appropriate for other purposes, such as making investment decisions. Since forward-looking statements and information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. The forward- looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and no undertaking is given to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

NEITHER THE NEO EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE NEO EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

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TORONTO, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canadian North Resources Inc. (the Company, TSXV: CNRI; FSE: EO0 (E-O-zero)) is pleased to report the identification of extensive granitic pegmatites potentially hosting lithium-bearing minerals over the 253.8 km2 area of the 100% owned Ni-Cu-Co-Pd-Pt Ferguson Lake property (Ferguson Lake project). The potential for lithium minerals has never been explored at the Ferguson Lake area. The Company will undertake its first lithium-specific exploration programs during 2023.



We are examining the granitic pegmatites for their potential for hosting lithium minerals over the large area at the Ferguson Lake project. Said Dr. Kaihui Yang, President and CEO, We reviewed the regional geology and noticed the potential for lithium minerals, while aggressively drilling to expand the mineral resources of the Ni, Cu, Co and PGM-rich mineralized zones at the Ferguson Lake project. We are exploring and assessing all the valuable critical minerals that could possibly be present over the area.

The Ferguson Lake area is located in southern part of Nunavut within the northern Canadian Shield that holds a world-class potential for critical minerals including nickel, copper, PGM, diamond, lithium, uranium and rare earths. The review of the regional geology over the Ferguson Lake area was carried out on historic exploration data, and geological maps and reports completed by the governmental geological surveys and the previous owner of the project. The regional geology and tectonic environment are favorable for lithium mineralization, although no lithium exploration was previously carried out.

In particular, the granitic pegmatites, as recorded in the historic geological maps (Figure 1), were identified from the outcrops in large areas on the surface of the Ni-Cu-Co-PGM mineralized West Zone and the East Zone. In the East Zone (Figure 2), the pegmatites occur with quartz diorite, granite, gneiss and mafic outcropping rocks over an area of 4.5 km long by 1.5 km wide. The pegmatites were also found in some drill cores testing south of the East Zone. Similar pegmatites had been mapped over an area of 2.0 km by 1.2 km in the West Zone.

The pegmatites occur as dike swarms in those two areas and were recorded in outcrops as veins and plugs of variable width within amphibolite (metamorphosed mafic intrusions or volcanics) and gneiss over both the core mining leases and surrounding the exploration claims. Little is known about the areal extension of those pegmatite bodies.

These pegmatites could potentially bear the lithium minerals; however, no work has been completed on their mineralogy and geochemistry. The Company has commenced an investigation of the lithium potential associated with these pegmatites. The Company has planned its first lithium-specific exploration programs which include geophysical survey, geological mapping and outcrop sampling on the pegmatite dike swarms and veins, followed up with drill test in 2023.

Figure 1 Regional Geology and occurrences of pegmatites (in pink color) at the Ferguson Lake project





Figure 2, Local geology and occurrence of pegmatites (in pink color) in the East Zone of the Ferguson Lake project





Qualified Person:

The technical contents of this news release have been reviewed by Dr. Trevor Boyd, P.Geo., a qualified person as defined by Canadian National Instrument 43-101 standards.

About Canadian North Resources Inc.:

Canadian North Resources Inc. is an exploration and development company focusing on the metals for the clean-energy, electric vehicles, battery and high-tech industries. The company is advancing its 100% owned Ferguson Lake nickel, copper, cobalt, palladium, and platinum project in Nunavut, Canada.

The Ferguson Lake mining property contains substantial resources in compliance with NI43-101 standards, which include Indicated Mineral Resources of 24.3 million tonnes containing 455 million pounds (Mlb) copper at 0.85%, 321Mlb nickel at 0.60%, 37.5Mlb cobalt at 0.07%, 1.08 million ounces (Moz) palladium at 1.38gpt and 0.18Moz platinum at 0.23gpt; Inferred Mineral Resources of 47.2 million tonnes containing 947Mlb copper at 0.91%, 551.5Mlb nickel at 0.53%, 62.4Mlb cobalt at 0.06%, 2.12Moz palladium at 1.4gpt and 0.38Moz platinum at 0.25gpt. The resource model indicates significant potential for resource expansion along strike and at depth over the 15 km long mineralized belt. (Refer to Independent Technical Report, Updated Mineral Resource Estimate, Ferguson Lake Project, Nunavut, Canada, June 13, 2022 filed by the Company to Sedar.com).

Further information please visit the website at www.cnresources.com or contact:

Dr. Kaihui Yang, President and CEO

Phone: 905-696-8288 (Canada) 1-888-688-8809 (Toll-Free)

Email: info@cnresources.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this news release, including statements which may contain words such as expects, anticipates, intends, plans, believes, estimates, or similar expressions, and statements related to matters which are not historical facts, are forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking statements, which reflect managements expectations regarding the Companys future growth, results of operations, performance, business prospects and opportunities, are based on certain factors and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on the Companys forward-looking statements. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements contained in this news release and the documents incorporated by reference herein are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. In addition, 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. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly any future revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as expressly required by law.

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90 million ounces silver classified as Measured



Calico silver resource also includes 51 million ounces classified as Inferred

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Apollo Silver Corp. (Apollo or the Company) (TSX.V:APGO, OTCQB:APGOF, Frankfurt:6ZF0) is pleased to announce an updated National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101) mineral resource estimate (MRE) with an effective date of February 8, 2023, for its flagship Calico Silver Project (Calico or the Calico Project) located in San Bernardino County, California (the 2023 MRE). The findings of the 2023 MRE, particularly in terms of size and confidence level, positions Calico and its Waterloo Property (Waterloo) resource as one of the largest advanced stage silver projects in North America.

Highlights of the Calico Project 2023 MRE1:

110 million ounces (Moz) silver (Ag) classified as Measured and Indicated (M&I) declared at Waterloo with an average grade of 100 grams per tonne (g/t) silver: 81% (90 Moz) classified as Measured at 103 g/t silver. 95% of Inferred 2 silver ounces have been converted to M&I 2 .

51 Moz silver classified as Inferred: 720,000 oz silver at Waterloo Property 1 50 Moz silver at Langtry Property 2

70,000 oz Inferred oxide gold (Au) ounces added to metal inventory at Waterloo.

Robust silver resource: conservative base-case estimate uses 50 g/t silver cutoff grade (COG).

Low strip ratio of 1.1:1 for Waterloo silver resource.

Significant growth opportunities remain.

Todays announcement is an important milestone that will underpin the future development of the Calico Silver Project, commented Apollos President and CEO, Tom Peregoodoff. This updated mineral resource estimate significantly de-risks the Calico Project and confirms Waterloo as one of the premier silver development opportunities in any Tier-1 jurisdiction. This solid outcome is the culmination of a tremendous amount of work by an excellent team that has consistently delivered against our stated objectives. The low strip ratio, combined with the recently announced positive initial metallurgical results, and nearby infrastructure provide an excellent foundation as we advance one of the largest undeveloped silver resources in the USA. Calico is uniquely positioned to benefit from the USAs commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and the increased demand for a secure supply of ethically sourced silver to support that objective. We believe that Apollo provides a compelling investment opportunity for investors looking for exposure to responsibly sourced silver development opportunities.

I am very pleased with the outcome of our 2023 MRE, Apollo Vice President Exploration and Resource Development, Cathy Fitzgerald, commented. The team went above and beyond for our 2022 exploration and drilling programs to deliver results on time, on budget and safely, with results culminating in the delivery of a very positive 2023 MRE. The exceptional conversion rate of material from Inferred to Measured and Indicated reflects the robustness of Waterloos geologic model and the continuous and predictable nature of silver mineralization at Waterloo. With the size of the resource now confidently defined, our plans in 2023 to advance the Calico Project include geotechnical drilling, preliminary engineering work, and additional metallurgical studies. In addition, there remain a number of growth opportunities at Calico and we are confident that further work will not only continue to increase the silver and gold inventory, but add barite to a future MRE at Waterloo.



Apollo will host a webcast to discuss the 2023 MRE at 9:00am PT on Wednesday, March 15, 2023. To register, please click here: http://bit.ly/3KUP1Gf

A technical report is being prepared for the 2023 MRE in accordance with NI 43-101 and will be available on SEDAR and the Companys website within 45 days of the date of this release.

1The Calico Project 2023 MRE has been prepared by Derek Loveday, P. Geo., of Stantec Consulting Services Ltd. (Stantec), who is an independent qualified person as such term is defined in NI 43-101 (a Qualified Person), in co-operation with Mariea Kartick, P.Geo. (an independent Qualified Person for drilling data quality control and quality assurance). The 2023 MRE was produced in conformance with the Canadian Institute of Mining Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Estimation of Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserves Best Practices guidelines and are reported in accordance with NI 43-101. The 2023 MRE has an effective date of February 8, 2023. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that any mineral resource will be converted into a mineral reserve.

2No drilling was completed on the Langtry Property since the disclosure of the Companys 2022 mineral resource estimate on February 9, 2022 (the 2022 MRE) and as such, the Inferred mineral resource disclosed at that time for the Langtry Property remains unchanged and current. The 2022 MRE was prepared by Derek Loveday, P. Geo. of Stantec, an independent Qualified Person.

Significant growth opportunities remain

Silver: As previously reported (see news release dated December 1, 2022), 2022 drilling was successful in defining additional silver mineralization situated beneath the base of the 2022 MRE (see news release dated February 9, 2022). These intersections have been incorporated into the 2023 MRE. There remain further opportunities to expand the silver mineralization below the base of the 2023 MRE in the northern half of the Waterloo deposit.

As previously reported (see news release dated December 1, 2022), 2022 drilling was successful in defining additional silver mineralization situated beneath the base of the 2022 MRE (see news release dated February 9, 2022). These intersections have been incorporated into the 2023 MRE. There remain further opportunities to expand the silver mineralization below the base of the 2023 MRE in the northern half of the Waterloo deposit. Gold: Drilling and surface mapping in 2022 has successfully defined a significant gold bearing horizon within the Barstow sedimentary rocks that extends over 1,000 metre (m) strike length at Waterloo. Also, two key discoveries of the 2022 work programs were that the underlying Pickhandle volcanic sequence hosts thicker gold mineralization than previously understood, and a number of high-grade structures (up to 211 g/t gold from grab samples) were identified (see news release dated February 14, 2023). The expansion of the gold mineralized horizon has culminated in the addition of inferred gold resources at Waterloo in the 2023 MRE. Gold mineralization remains open along strike and at depth and future work will focus on both expanding this and better defining high-grade structures.

Drilling and surface mapping in 2022 has successfully defined a significant gold bearing horizon within the Barstow sedimentary rocks that extends over 1,000 metre (m) strike length at Waterloo. Also, two key discoveries of the 2022 work programs were that the underlying Pickhandle volcanic sequence hosts thicker gold mineralization than previously understood, and a number of high-grade structures (up to 211 g/t gold from grab samples) were identified (see news release dated February 14, 2023). The expansion of the gold mineralized horizon has culminated in the addition of inferred gold resources at Waterloo in the 2023 MRE. Gold mineralization remains open along strike and at depth and future work will focus on both expanding this and better defining high-grade structures. Barite: A portion of the 2022 Metallurgical Test Program comprised understanding the quality of barite at Waterloo. A barite concentrate was produced and sent for testing to determine if its quality met the standards for use in oil and gas drilling, as specified by the American Petroleum Institute. Final results of the 2022 Metallurgical Test Program, including barite testing results, will be released once they are received. Pending these, further work will involve better understanding the distribution and concentration of barite throughout the Waterloo deposit with the goal of adding it to a future MRE update.



Calico Project 2023 Mineral Resource Estimate

The 2023 MRE focused on upgrading and expanding the Waterloo resource estimate from that declared in 2022 (see news release dated February 9, 2022). The most significant change in the 2023 MRE is the significant conversion of the silver mineralization defined in the Waterloo deposit to the Measured and Indicated resource classification categories. The Waterloo resource now contains 110 Moz silver in 34.2 Mt at an average grade of 100 g/t silver in M&I, and 0.72 Moz silver in 0.29 Mt at an average grade of 77 g/t silver in the Inferred category. The Langtry MRE remains unchanged from that defined in the 2022 MRE2, therefore the following information relates only to the 2023 MRE and updates for the Waterloo Property.

In addition to its robust silver resource, the Waterloo resource now contains 70,000 oz oxide gold contained in 4.5 Mt at an average grade of 0.50 g/t gold in the Inferred category. Oxide gold mineralization has been drilled over 1,000 m strike length and remains open in multiple directions. Previously reported preliminary cyanide solubility tests show gold recoveries ranging from 75% to 95% (see news release dated February 14, 2023). Please refer to Table 1 for a summary of the 2023 MRE silver and gold results.

Mineralization at Waterloo is shallow and shows high continuity along the 1.8 km long strike length of the deposit. The 2023 MRE is calculated to a maximum depth of ~183 m (600 ft) (increased from 125 m (410 ft). Using conservative open pit optimization to determine reasonable prospects for economic extraction, the calculated waste to mineralization ratio for the silver resource is 1.1:1 and 2.1:1 for the gold resource.

Table 1: Calico Project 2023 mineral resource estimate. Base case at 50 g/t silver and 0.30 g/t gold cut-off grades, effective February 8, 2023.

Deposit

Metal

Class



Imperial Units Metric Units Strip

Ratio

(t:t)

Contained

Metal Volume

(Myd3) Tons

(Mst) Grade

(oz/st) Volume

(Mm3) Tonnes

(Mt) Grade

(g/t) Moz Waterloo1

Silver

Measured 14.7 30.2 2.99 11.2 27.4 103 1.1 90 Indicated 3.7 7.5 2.67 2.8 6.8 91 20 Measured

+ Indicated 18.3 37.7 2.93 14.0 34.2 100 1.1 110 Inferred 0.2 0.3 2.25 0.1 0.3 77 1.1 0.72 Gold Inferred 2.4 5.0 0.01 1.8 4.5 0.5 2.1 0.07 Langtry2 Silver Inferred 10.3 21.3 2.35 7.9 19.3 81 6.0 50

Ounces reported as troy ounces.

Base-case resource estimate reported in Table 1 using 50 g/t silver and 0.30 g/t gold cut-off grades.

CIM definitions are followed for classification of the mineral resource.

For the Waterloo Property, cut-off grade was calculated using the following variables: surface mining operating costs (US$2.75/st), processing costs (US$20.00/st), general and administrative costs (US$3/st), silver price (US$23.50/oz), gold price (US$1,800/oz), and metal recoveries (silver 65%, gold 80%). Resources reported in Table 1 are constrained to within a conceptual economic pit shell targeting mineralized blocks with a minimum of 50 ppm (50 g/t) silver and 0.3 ppm (0.30 g/t) gold. Specific gravity for the mineralized zone is fixed at 2.44 t/m 3 (13.13 ft 3 /st). Silver grade was capped at 450 g/t and gold was capped at 2 g/t for the Waterloo estimate only.

(13.13 ft /st). Silver grade was capped at 450 g/t and gold was capped at 2 g/t for the Waterloo estimate only. Totals may not represent the sum of the parts due to rounding.

1 The 2023 MRE has been prepared by Derek Loveday, P. Geo., of Stantec Consulting Services Ltd., an independent Qualified Person, in co-operation with Mariea Kartick, P.Geo. (independent Qualified Person for drilling data QA/QC). The 2023 MRE was produced in conformance with NI 43-101. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that any mineral resource will be converted into a mineral reserve.

The 2023 MRE has been prepared by Derek Loveday, P. Geo., of Stantec Consulting Services Ltd., an independent Qualified Person, in co-operation with Mariea Kartick, P.Geo. (independent Qualified Person for drilling data QA/QC). The 2023 MRE was produced in conformance with NI 43-101. There is no certainty that any mineral resource will be converted into a mineral reserve. 2No drilling was completed on the Langtry Property since the declaration of the 2022 MRE and as such, the Inferred mineral resource announced February 9, 2022 for the Langtry Property remains unchanged and current. The 2022 MRE was prepared by Derek Loveday, P. Geo. of Stantec, an independent Qualified Person. Cut-off grade for the Langtry 2022 MRE was calculated using surface mining operating costs of US$2.50/st, processing costs of US$29.00/st, silver price of US$23.00/oz and silver recovery of 80%. The Langtry resource is constrained to within a conceptual economic pit shell targeting mineralized blocks with a minimum of 50 ppm (50 g/t) silver.



Figure 1: Calico Project, Waterloo Property 2023 mineral resource block model.

Figure 2: Cross section through Waterloo Property 2023 mineral resource block model.





Data Input

The 2023 MRE considered drilling information up to and including the most recently completed program in 2022, as well as geological information from Apollos 2021 and 2022 exploration activities. Drilling data supporting the 2023 MRE includes information from historic drilling data from 258 holes (18,679 m/61,283 ft), and 2022 drilling data from 85 holes (9,729 m/31,919 ft) for a total of 343 holes (28,407 m/93,199 ft). Nominal drill hole spacing is 30 x 46 m (100 x 150 ft) within the Measured portion of the 2023 MRE. Of the drill data set used, 332 holes are rotary or reverse circulation holes, and 11 holes are diamond drill holes. Verification of drilling exploration data used for the 2023 MRE was performed by Mariea Kartick, P.Geo. (Stantec), an independent Qualified Person.

The 2023 MRE reflects the addition of drilling completed by the Company at Waterloo to the drilling database and other geological information acquired in 2022 as reported above. No drilling was completed on the Langtry Property since the declaration of the 2022 MRE and as such, the Inferred mineral resource announced February 9, 2022, for the Langtry Property remains unchanged and current. The following information therefore relates only to the 2023 MRE and updates for the Waterloo Property.

Cut-Off Grade and Reasonable Prospects for Eventual Economic Extraction

The base-case COG (50 g/t silver and 0.30 g/t gold) was determined using the following assumptions:

Silver price of US$23.50 per troy ounce and gold price of US$1,800 per troy ounce;

Processing costs of US$20 per short ton;

General and administrative costs of US$3 per short ton;

Mining costs of US$2.75 per short ton; and

Silver recovery of 65% and gold recovery of 80%.

Metal recoveries are based on preliminary results from the 2022 Metallurgical Test Program (see news releases dated February 14, 2023, and February 23, 2023) and published recoveries for comparative operations. Silver price was calculated by averaging the price from the last 24 months up to December 31, 2022, based on data from the World Bank. Changes in metal prices, optimized processing parameters and/or improved metal recoveries will all impact COGs and any resultant MRE.

Reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction of silver were assessed by calculating block revenues for silver grade blocks at 50 g/t silver or greater, less surface mining costs, and generating an optimized Hexagon Mineplan Pseudoflow economic pit shell at constant slope of 45 degrees and constrained to within the property claim boundaries. Reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction of gold were assessed by calculating revenues for gold grade blocks at 0.30 g/t gold or greater, less surface mining costs, and generating an optimized Hexagon Mineplan Pseudoflow economic pit shell at constant slope of 45 degrees and constrained to within the property claim boundaries. The economic pit shells for silver and gold are spatially separate from one another.

Sensitivity Analysis

A sensitivity analysis was undertaken to examine the impacts of varying the COG for silver and gold above and below that of the COG for the 2023 MRE for Waterloo. The available tonnes and average grade for each COG from within the 2023 MRE economic pit shell for silver is shown in Table 2. The strip ratio (t:t) shown in Table 2 are cumulative with decreasing levels of assurance.

Table 2: Sensitivity analysis of the grade and tonnage relationships at varying pit-constrained cut-off grades for silver for the Waterloo Property. Effective February 8, 2023.

Classification Silver

COG (g/t) Tonnes

(Mt) Average Ag

Grade (g/t) Strip Ratio

(t:t) Contained

Silver (Moz) Measured

 25 37.0 86 0.7 102  50 27.4 103 1.3 90 75 17.3 126 2.6 70  100 10.9 150 4.6 53 Indicated

 25 10.7 72 0.5 25  50 6.8 91 1.1 20 75 3.8 114 2.4 14  100 2.0 140 4.6 9 Inferred

 25 0.5 62 0.5 1  50 0.3 77 1.1 0.7 75 0.1 95 2.4 0.4  100 0.03 110 4.6 0.1



RESOURCE ESTIMATION METHODOLOGY

The 2023 MRE was prepared in accordance with the requirements of NI 43-101 and applicable guidelines disseminated by CIM. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The quantity and grade of reported Inferred resources are uncertain in nature as there has been insufficient exploration to define these Inferred Resources as Indicated or Measured.

The 2023 MRE resource block model was oriented along regional strike of mineralization controlling range front fault (Calico fault) and bedding, at approximately 045 degrees. Silver grades were estimated using ordinary kriging into a standard 20 ft x 20 ft x 10 ft block model using 5 ft drill hole composites and a bulk density of 2.44 t/m3 (13.13 ft3/st). The block models are constrained to the west by the Calico range front fault and to the east by the contact between the mineralized Barstow formation sedimentary rocks and the Pickhandle formation rhyolitic rocks. Both structures are mineralization controlling features. A grade capping evaluation was performed, and silver grades were capped at 450 g/t silver; gold grades were capped at 2 g/t gold.

The MRE was internally audited and peer reviewed by Stantec prior to being released to the Company and being declared final. Further, the Company completed an internal review of the 2023 MRE data supplied by Stantec. A full description of the data and the data verification process will be detailed in the technical report associated with the 2023 MRE, which will be prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and filed within 45 days of this news release on the Companys website and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

SAMPLING AND QUALITY ASSURANCE/QUALITY CONTROL

Drilling in 2022 was undertaken by Cooper Drilling LLC, of Monte Vista, Colorado. Representative chip samples were also collected for logging purposes (lithology, alteration, mineralization), detailed photography and analysis by portable X-Ray Fluorescence. RC samples were catalogued and securely stored in a warehouse facility in Barstow, California until they were ready for secure shipment to ALS Global-Geochemistry in Reno, Nevada (ALS Reno) for sample preparation and gold analysis. ALS Reno has selectively shipped samples to other ALS laboratories for preparation, such as Carson City of Nevada, ALS Chihuahua of Mexico or ALS Chemex de Mexico, S.A. de C.V., branch Queretaro, Mexico. After preparation, splits of prepared pulps were securely shipped to ALS Vancouver, British Columbia for multi-element analysis. Samples from the three PQ diamond drill core drilled in 2012 by Pan American Silver Corporation, were prepared by McClelland Laboratories Inc., in Sparks, Nevada. In 2022, the -1.5 inch reject material was separated into 2 m intervals, each of which was coarsely crushed to ~38 mm before being thoroughly blended and split in half. One half was further crushed to -1.7 mm and a 250 g split was taken using a rotary-type splitter. The 250 g splits were pulverized to better than 90% passing 106 microns. McClelland maintains its own comprehensive guidelines to ensure best practices in sample preparation. The pulp pulverized by McClelland were sent by secure transport to ALS Global-Geochemistry in Reno, Nevada.

Drilling samples were prepared at ALS Reno (Prep-31 package) with each sample crushed to better than 70% passing a 2 mm (Tyler 9 mesh, U.S. Std. No.10) screen. A split of up to 250 g is taken and pulverized to better than 85% passing a 75-micron (Tyler 200 mesh, U.S. Std. No. 200) screen. All samples were analyzed for 48 elements via ICP-MS following a four-acid digestion with reportable ranges for silver of 0.01 to 100 ppm (method ME-MS61). Over-range samples analyzed for silver were re-submitted for analysis using a four-acid digestion and ICP-AES finish with a silver range of 1-1,500 ppm (method Ag-OG62). When results were over 400 ppm silver, they were re-submitted for analysis by fire assay with a gravimetric finish using a 30 g nominal sample weight with reportable silver range of 5-10,000 ppm (method Ag-GRA21). Over-range samples analyzed for copper, lead and zinc were re-submitted for analysis using a four-acid digestion and ICP-AES finish with range of 0.001-50% for copper, 0.001-20% for lead, and 0.001-30% for zinc. Gold was analyzed by fire assay with atomic absorption finish (method Au-AA26) with a reportable range of 0.01-100 ppm Au. Metallurgical pulp samples were analyzed for analysis of 48 elements via ICP-MS following a four-acid digestion with reportable ranges for silver of 0.01 to 100 ppm (method ME-MS61). Over-range samples were re-submitted for analysis using a four-acid digestion and ICP-AES finish with a silver range of 1 to 1,500 ppm (method Ag-OG62) and by fire assay with a gravimetric finish using a 30 g nominal sample weight with reportable silver range of 5 to 10,000 ppm (method Ag-GRA21). Major elements were analyzed using fused-disc X-Ray Fluorescence (method ME-XRF26). Gold was analyzed by fire assay with atomic absorption finish (method Au-AA26) with a reportable range of 0.01 to 100 ppm Au. All analyses were completed at ALS Vancouver except for gold by fire assay, which was completed at ALS Reno.

For cyanide solubility testing, pulps representing individual drill samples from within gold intercepts (at a 0.100 g/t Au cutoff grade) for which fire assay gold results were previously reported were analyzed. Pulps were submitted to ALS Reno and analyzed using method Au-AA13 (reported range of 0.03 to 50 ppm) which measures Au by cyanide leach with follow up gold analysis via AAS. For bottle roll testing, all heads and tails assays were performed by McClelland, an ISO 17025 certified facility, via AAS 4-acid digestion with reportable ranges for silver of 1 to 200 ppm.

The Company maintains its own comprehensive quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) program to ensure best practices in sample preparation and analysis for samples. The QA/QC program includes the insertion and analysis of certified reference materials, commercial pulp blanks, preparation blanks, and field duplicates to the laboratories. Apollos QA/QC program includes ongoing auditing of all laboratory results from the laboratories. The Companys Qualified Person is of the opinion that the sample preparation, analytical, and security procedures followed are sufficient and reliable. The Company is not aware of any drilling, sampling, recovery, or other factors that could materially affect the accuracy or reliability of the data reported herein.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Location

The Calico Project is located in San Bernardino County, California and comprises the adjacent Waterloo and Langtry properties which total 2,950 acres. The Calico Project is 15 km (9 miles) from the city of Barstow, 5 km (3 miles) from commercial electric power and has an extensive private gravel road network spanning the property.

Geology and Mineralization

The Calico Project is situated in the southern Calico Mountains of the Mojave Desert, in the south-western region of the Basin and Range tectonic province. This 15 km (9 mile) long northwest- southeast trending mountain range is dominantly composed of Tertiary (Miocene) volcanics, volcaniclastics, sedimentary rocks and dacitic intrusions. Mineralization at Calico comprises high-level low-sulfidation silver-dominant epithermal vein-type, stockwork-type and disseminated-style associated with northwest-trending faults and fracture zones and mid-Tertiary (~19-17 Ma) volcanic activity. Calico represents a district-scale mineral system endowment with approximately 6,000 m (19,685 ft) in mineralized strike length controlled by the Company. Silver and gold mineralization are oxidized and hosted within the sedimentary Barstow Formation and the upper volcaniclastic units of the Pickhandle formation along the contact between these units. The 2023 MRE for the Calico Project comprises 110 Moz silver in 34.2 Mt at an average grade of 100 g/t silver (Measured and Indicated categories); 0.72 Moz silver in 0.3 Mt at an average grade of 77 g/t silver (Inferred category); and 70,000 oz gold in 4.5 Mt at an average grade of 0.5 g/t gold.

QUALIFIED PERSONS

The scientific and technical data contained in this news release was reviewed, and approved by Derek Loveday, P. Geo., and Mariea Kartick, P.Geo., both of Stantec. Both are Qualified Persons independent of the Company. Mr. Loveday is a registered Professional Geoscientist in Alberta, Canada and is responsible for the mineral resource estimation and Ms. Kartick is a registered Professional Geoscientist in Ontario, Canada and is responsible for drilling data QA/QC.

This news release has also been reviewed and approved by Isabelle Lepine, M.Sc., P.Geo., Apollos Director of Mineral Resources. Ms. Lepine is a registered Professional Geoscientist in British Columbia, Canada and is not independent of the Company.

Please visit www.apollosilver.com for further information.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Tom Peregoodoff

Chief Executive Officer

About Apollo Silver Corp.

Apollo Silver Corp. has assembled an experienced and technically strong leadership team who have joined to advance world class precious metals projects in tier-one jurisdictions. The Company is focused on advancing its portfolio of two significant silver exploration and resource development projects, the Calico Silver Project, in San Bernardino County, California and Silver District Project in La Paz County, Arizona.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release includes forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements included in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements including, without limitation, statements with respect to the potential of the Calico Project and its overall investment attractiveness; the potential for identification of gold and barite resources at Calico; the potential recovery rates; the potential to expand the resource estimate and upgrade its confidence level, including prospective silver and gold mineralization on strike and at depth; timing and execution of future planned drilling, exploration, preliminary engineering and additional metallurgical activities; timing of completion of the 2022 Metallurgical Test Program, including barite test results; and timing of commencement and completion of a preliminary economic assessment or a future MRE update. Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections and forecasts and are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as anticipate, believe, plan, estimate, expect, potential, target, budget and intend and statements that an event or result may, will, should, could or might occur or be achieved and other similar expressions and includes the negatives thereof.

Forward-looking statements are based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis, and opinions of the management of the Company made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management of the Company believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made. Forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions that have been made by the Company as at the date of such information and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may have caused actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: risks associated with mineral exploration and development; metal and mineral prices; availability of capital; accuracy of the Companys projections and estimates; realization of mineral resource estimates, interest and exchange rates; competition; stock price fluctuations; availability of drilling equipment and access; actual results of current exploration activities; government regulation; political or economic developments; environmental risks; insurance risks; capital expenditures; operating or technical difficulties in connection with development activities; personnel relations; contests over title to properties; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The estimate of mineral resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, sociopolitical, marketing, or other relevant issues. The quantity and grade of reported inferred mineral resources in this estimation are uncertain in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define these inferred mineral resources as an indicated or measured mineral resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in upgrading them to an indicated or measured mineral resource category. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including but not limited to the price of silver, gold and barite; the demand for silver, gold and barite; the ability to carry on exploration and development activities; the timely receipt of any required approvals; the ability to obtain qualified personnel, equipment and services in a timely and cost-efficient manner; the ability to operate in a safe, efficient and effective matter; and the regulatory framework regarding environmental matters, and such other assumptions and factors as set out herein. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and actual results, and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward looking information contained herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. The forward-looking information contained herein is presented for the purpose of assisting investors in understanding the Companys expected financial and operational performance and the Companys plans and objectives and may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
EDISON, N.J., March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zerify Inc., (OTC PINK: ZRFY), the 22-year-old cybersecurity company focused on secure video conferencing & digital communications, announced today that last Thursdays Federal Reserve Zoombombing attack was preventable and to prove its point, Zerify is offering a three month free trial of its Zerify Meet, the industrys most secure video conferencing platform, with no strings attached.



We solved the Zoombombing problem over a year ago when we introduced our Zerify Meet Secure Video Conferencing Platform, says Mark L. Kay, CEO of Zerify, and Im honestly shocked that most video conferencing platforms still do not require 2FA (two-factor authentication) for users to join a meeting, they keep distributing auto-join links, or sending the same passcode for everyone, thats just insane.

Zerify Meet authenticates every participant for every meeting with 2FA by default. You will never have to worry about a Zoombombing style attack when your using our platform, unless you are choosing our public meeting feature, says Kay. In fact, meeting creators can can even step-up the level of authentication and have users perform an out-of-band multi-factor authentication if you even want a higher level of security for your meeting. No other video conferencing platform on the market offers that kind of flexibility, says Kay. Thats one of the reasons why both the Forrester Group and Aite-Novarica Group listed our Zery Meet as the industrys leading Secure Communications Platform, says Kay.

We welcome any size business or Government Agency thats looking to secure their meetings from zoombombing style attacks to sign-up for a free three month trial at: https://www.zerify.com/contact/.

To learn more about all Zerify solutions, go to: https://www.zerify.com/



About Zerify:

Zerify Inc. (OTC PINK: ZRFY), formerly StrikeForce Technologies, is an Edison, New Jersey-based company with over two decades of experience in cybersecurity solutions. The company helps to prevent cyber theft and data security breaches for consumers, corporations and government agencies through powerful multi-factor out-of-band authentication and keystroke encryption along with mobile solutions. Zerify offers a video conferencing solution that uses no desktop and is entirely web-based, offering a five-level meeting security control approach designed to protect valuable information. Features include keystroke protection, anti-screen capture, and push and biometric authentication to keep businesses secure. The technology also protects cameras, microphones and speakers, keeping computers and confidential data secure even when one is offline and not on a video conference. No other video conferencing service on the market, such as Zoom, Webex, LogMeIn, MS Teams or BlueJeans, offers these protections.

Zerify Contact,

Mark L. Kay

marklkay@zerify.com

(732) 661-9641
Dublin, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Education Technology Market Report: By Type, Application, End-user - Revenue Estimation and Demand Forecast to 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global education technology market size was estimated at $237.6 billion in 2021, and it is expected to touch $998.4 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 17.3%.

With the development of technologies such as AI and IoT, Edtech solutions are set to evolve. Additionally, the incorporation of VR and AR in these solutions supports a more-interactive learning experience for students.



Other factors driving the demand for EdTech solutions include the developments in connectivity infrastructure, surging smartphone penetration, increasing speed of the internet, and growing investments by private equity and venture capital firms. In addition, learning material is easily accessible through smartphone apps. Furthermore, the increasing disposable income has advanced the demand for mobile learning platforms.

COVID-19 has boosted the adoption of advanced education technology and emphasized the prospect of education innovations encouraged by EdTech institutions. The pandemic forced many students to enhance their skills and strengthened their reliance on educational technology. As the number of people utilizing different EdTech tools grew, so did the demand to go digital.



Big players in the education technology market are Blackboard Inc., Chegg Inc., Edutech, Coursera Inc., edX Inc., Instructure Inc., Udacity Inc., Google LLC, Microsoft Corporation, and Think and Learn Private Limited (BYJU'S).

Key Findings of Education Technology Market Report

The rising usage of the internet and smart devices drives the industry in APAC. In addition, the government's financial help in developing countries, such as China and India, combined with the advancing accessibility of smart devices for students, is assisting the growth of the market. According to the UNICEF, China has 282 million students and 17.32 million teachers in more than 530,000 schools.

Individual learners generated above $100 billion in education technology market revenue in 2021 as they are more open to garnering new skills. Additionally, the high federal investments in the education industry drive the usage of EdTech solutions among individuals.

In the coming years, the usage of IT-driven educational methods will grow the fastest among educational institutions. This can be credited to the growing trend of smart classes, which gained wings during the pandemic.

For instance, in March 2020, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) signed a partnership to provide 700,000 LAUSD students with educational aids via television broadcasts, to counter school closures.

In the same way, the Indian Union Budget FY23 has assigned INR 1,04,278 crore to the education sector, for the advancement of digital connectivity and to offer high-quality education.

Thus, hardware accounted for approximately 60% of the revenue in the education technology market in 2021, attributed to the strengthening significance of digital classrooms. For example, interactive whiteboards have expanded in popularity as they deliver a more-satisfactory experience. They offer dry-erase surfaces, communication software, digital pens, and other multi-touch options.

Key Metrics

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 220 Forecast Period 2021 - 2030 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2021 $237.6 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030 $998.4 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 17.3% Regions Covered Global

Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1. Research Scope

1.1. Research Objectives

1.2. Market Definition

1.3. Analysis Period

1.4. Market Size Breakdown by Segment

1.5. Market Data Reporting Unit



Chapter 2. Research Methodology

2.1. Secondary Research

2.2. Primary Research

2.3. Market Size Estimation

2.4. Data Triangulation



Chapter 3. Executive Summary



Chapter 4. Voice of Industry Experts/KOLs



Chapter 5. Market Indicators



Chapter 6. Industry Outlook

6.1. Market Dynamics

6.1.1. Trends

6.1.2. Drivers

6.1.3. Restraints/challenges

6.1.4. Impact analysis of drivers/restraints

6.2. Impact of COVID-19

6.3. Porter's Five Forces Analysis



Chapter 7. Global Market

7.1. Overview

7.2. Market Revenue, by Offering (2017-2030)

7.3. Market Revenue, by Application (2017-2030)

7.4. Market Revenue, by End-user (2017-2030)

7.5. Market Revenue, by Region (2017-2030)

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/emqkf4

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.

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Provide Improved Medical Services to VHA and U.S. Dept. of Defense



Los Angeles, CA, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Endonovo Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCQB: ENDV) today announced the signing of a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Government Reseller Agreement (Agreement or Contract) with Academy Medical, Inc. of West Palm Beach, FL to distribute SofPulse medical devices to ensure its availability to the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and Department of Defense (DoD) contracts.

The new Contract allows Academy Medical and Endonovo to team up and bring top-notch medical and surgical supplies, as well as telehealth solutions, to our military and veterans.

SofPulse Benefits for Veterans

SofPulse Pulse Electro Magnetic Frequency (PEMF) medical devices are FDA cleared and clinically proven for the reduction of postoperative pain and edema. Endonovos Medical Device Division, run by Ira Weisberg President and Chief Commercial Officer, is focusing on commercializing its SofPulse medical device line and telehealth initiatives. Weisberg has a proven track record of growing revenues and demand for similar medical device companies. Through the announced Agreement, he is expected to have similar success developing distribution for SofPulse. This newly-signed Agreement with Academy Medical is designed to improve healthcare for both our military and veterans, better access to medical and surgical supplies and telehealth solutions that make a real impact in the lives of our heroes.

The Agreement

The Agreement with Endonovo focuses on developing commercialization initiatives to improve the post-operative outcomes of our military and veterans by reducing pain and edema while improving recovery times and reducing opioid use after surgery.

Additionally, this Agreement allows Academy Medical to provide its expertise in the procurement process of medical and surgical supplies to enhance access to the federal medical marketplace and the distribution of SofPulse. The result of the Agreement will offer improved access to medical and surgical supplies for veterans as well as offering veterans a non-opioid solution for postoperative pain management.

Weisberg said of the announcement: Teaming up with Academy Medical is an important step in SofPulse, Inc.s growth and expansion. Academy Medicals federal contracts and networks are active in every region of the world. Together we plan to bring better medical solutions to veterans and their families and provide improved access to medical and surgical supplies on a global level."

Expanded Distribution of SofPulse

Academy Medical holds several Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts and Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs). It offers over 45,000 products from over 30 supplier partners to the Department of Defense and other federal agencies with the VHA as its largest customer.

"Academy Medical is proud to partner with Endonovos SofPulse and bring our expertise in the federal procurement process to this exciting partnership," said John Campbell, Vice President/Government Affairs from Academy Medical. "We are committed to improving the health, well-being and quality of life of veterans and service members, and this partnership will allow us to do just that."

Teaming up with SofPulse is expected to bring enhanced benefits to veterans including: improved access to medical and surgical supplies, reduction of opioid use postoperatively and improved recovery times allowing our military and veterans to get back to their lives faster. It also has the potential to drive growth and expansion for both Academy Medical and Endonovo as they work together to provide better medical solutions to veterans.

Endonovo Moves on From VHSS

With the announcement of the partnership with Academy Medical, Endonovo terminated its previous contract with Veterans Healthcare Supply Solutions Inc. (VHSS).

Weisberg commented on the change: Academy Medical offers expanded services and contracts not previously available through our past VA contract. The new Agreement allows SofPulse, Inc. to expand exponentially by being listed with Academy Medicals Dept. of Defense and VHA contracts. We appreciate VHSS services, but as we move forward and expand distribution throughout the federal marketplace, Academy Medical is the partner we see as giving us the best opportunity to succeed in our expansion.

About Academy Medical

Academy Medical, Inc. is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) that improves the health, well-being and quality of life of Veterans and service members by making the complex procurement process easier for its federal agency customers and supplier partners. Academy Medical is an SDVOSB comprised of combat veterans led by Naval Academy and West Point graduates together with a 1/75 Army Ranger, a Marine Corps Heavy Machine Gunner and other patriotic employees. Academy Medical entered the government market with its first FSS contract in 2010 for the provision of medical and surgical supplies to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and has been solely in the federal medical marketplace for 12 years. Today, the company holds several IDIQ contracts and BPAs and offers over 45,000 products from over 30 supplier partners to the Department of Defense and other federal agencies with the VA as its largest customer. Academy Medical is headquartered in West Palm Beach, Florida. Learn more about partnering with the company in its service-driven business at www.academymedical.net.

About Endonovo Therapeutics, Inc.

Endonovo Therapeutics is currently structured into two divisions: Legacy  a commercial-stage developer primarily of noninvasive wearable Electroceuticals therapeutic devices for pain relief, general wellness and wound curatives with many of its products marketed under the SofPulse brand name; and its Build Up Strategy  acquiring complementary specialty service providers in the construction industry.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains information that constitutes forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, trends, analysis, and other information contained in this press release including words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and other similar expressions of opinion, constitute forward-looking statements. Any such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results described within the forward-looking statements. Risk factors that could contribute to such differences include those matters more fully disclosed in the Company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking information provided herein represents the Company's estimates as of the date of the press release, and subsequent events and developments may cause the Company's estimates to change. The Company specifically disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking information in the future. Therefore, this forward-looking information should not be relied upon as representing the Company's estimates of its future financial performance as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.

Investor Relations Contact:

Endonovo Therapeutics, Inc.

Steve Barnes

(800) 701-1223 Ext. 108

sbarnes@endonovo.com

www.endonovo.com

Media Contact:

Gregory A. McAndrews

Greg McAndrews & Associates

(310) 804-7037

greg@gregmcandrews.com
Cleveland, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The United Church of Christ is poised to make a historic choice.

After a year-long process, the UCC Board voted March 4 to nominate Associate General Minister, the Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson, for General Minister and President.

If elected by the General Synod this summer, Thompson would be the first woman  and the first woman of African descent  to lead the denomination.

We couldnt have more faith in Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson, said the Rev. Cameron Barr, UCC Board chair. She has articulated our shared values on a global stage as Ecumenical Officer and Associate General Minister, and now, provided that she is elected by General Synod, she will be our spiritual leader.

We sought a leader who will champion the UCCs mission and values both within the church and externally; embody an adaptive, resilient leader who can guide the UCC through rapidly changing times; and provide a foundation for the churchs future stability and growth, said the Rev. Emma Brewer-Wallin, chair of the Search Committee that recommended Thompson. And the Search Committee is clear that we have found such a leader in Rev. Thompson.

Thompsons vision for the future of the UCC embodies the values at the heart of her work: religious multiplicity and diversity, justice for marginalized communities world-wide and broader affirmation of spiritual practices beyond mainline Christianity.

My hope is that we, the UCC, will begin to live more fully into what it means to be a church that proclaims to be God-centered and Spirit-filled, Thompson said. Its not just about the head, but also about the heart. How do we become mission-minded? How do we show up? How do we be present for communities that are on the margins  not just here, but globally?

Thompson would bring a global, interfaith perspective to the UCCs highest office. In her current role, she leads Wider Church Ministries and serves as Co-Executive of Global Ministries. In September, Thompson was elected to the Executive Committee of the World Council of Churches.

This passion for international, interreligious collaboration and thirst for justice, especially for people of African descent, grew out of Thompsons roots.

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, she immigrated to New York City as a teenager, eventually graduating from Brooklyn College. She later obtained a Master of Public Administration from North Carolina Central University and a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in New York.

She received her Doctorate in Ministry from Seattle University, publishing her dissertation on the multiple religious traditions practiced by African Caribbean people.

Her interlocking identities as a Black woman, an African descendant, a Jamaican immigrant, a poet and a public theologian all are central to Thompsons life, work and ministry.

Thompson will become the first woman to lead the UCC if she is affirmed by at least 60 percent of the delegates at General Synod 34, to be held June 30-July 4.

She expressed a hope that the UCC would continue to be a united and uniting church as it moves through the 21st century and into the 22nd.

The possibility of uniting is yet to be explored, she said. I would like to see the United Church of Christ continue to live into this ecumenical witness.

# # #

The United Church of Christ, a mainline Protestant denomination, has more than 770,000 members and over 4,700 congregations nationwide. Headquartered in Cleveland, it is a church of many firsts: the first mainline denomination to ordain a woman, the first to ordain an openly gay man and the first predominantly white denomination to ordain an African American.

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GUELH, Ontario, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- You may remember the remarkable story of the conjoined twins Anick and Destin who were the first to be successfully separated in the DR Congo back in 2017, thanks to a medical evacuation flight provided by Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) and flown by Canadian pilot Brett Reierson.



Last year, MAF staff realized the twins would be turning five years old and began the task of locating the family to see how the twins were doing. After a difficult, month-long search with the help of Dr. Mudji  who organized their separation surgery  the family was found in their very rural village. Sadly, it was devastating news: Destin had passed away in her mothers arms from malaria before the twins first birthday.

With World Malaria Day approaching on April 25th, we wanted to give the family and Dr. Mudji a chance to tell their stories and talk about the impact that Malaria has on children in the DR Congo.

In late 2022, Claudine  Anicks mother  agreed to come by MAF flight to the Vanga Hospital, along with Dr. Mudji, to shed light on the devastating realities of malaria in the DRC  where 12% of the worlds cases can be found.

Dr. Mudji spoke about the conjoined twins, and his ongoing battle to fight malaria in the remote regions of DRC, I couldnt believe how one could die of an easily treatable condition. I was furious and angry. Every time a child under five dies because of malaria it is a tragedy. It was a shock to find out, but at the same time, it's common in my hospital. Almost every day we have a child dying of malaria. He continued, We need help. It's difficult to accept when a child has been saved from a very difficult situation and then died from a preventable disease - this shows the inequality and inequity we have in our global health care."

Despite the tragic circumstances, Canadian pilot Brett Reierson was overjoyed to see the family again, and it felt like a reunion of friends, She recognized me right away as the pilot who had flown her family to Kinshasa for the separation surgery. She greeted me like an old friend and thanked me for the role MAF played in their lives.

Jaclyn Reierson was also there to greet the family, and offered a heartfelt gift to Destins mother, It has been a privilege to serve and support this family through MAF as theyve faced moments of fear, joy, tragedy, and hope. Claudine cried when I gave her a printed photo I had taken of her twin girls after they were separated five years ago. She told me that was the only picture she had of her daughter who had died.

Brett and Jaclyn Reierson are currently on furlough in Canada and are available to be interviewed. A full collection of photo assests are available for print, courtesy of MAF.

For more than 75 years, Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) has been bringing help, hope and healing through aviation to some of the most isolated places on earth. Today, we partner with over 2,000 organizations to deliver support, supplies, staff, spiritual care, and community development to thousands of communities where flying is not a luxury but a lifeline.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3730132c-c1fd-4a74-9869-8e1a9374447f

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2ad4e441-92b4-4f66-a429-25bc4e543b76

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8b366279-0056-4841-a79f-cbbdfb33c4b9

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4569425c-c69c-4a33-a096-0b9c4a55266e
Los Angeles, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Im going back over there. I know I wont make it back this time, but it really doesnt matter because no one would even care. Those are the words that inspired Carolyn Blashek to found Operation Gratitude, a nonprofit celebrating 20 years of providing Care Packages to our Nations Military, Veterans, and First Responders. To date, the organization has impacted 3.8 million people who stepped forward to serve. The total volume of the contents from those Care Packages totals 21 million pounds, the equivalent of 636 F-16 jets. As part of Operation Gratitudes Deployed Troop program, Care Packages have been sent to Service Members deployed to over 50 countries and troops stationed on over 80 Naval Ships.

I just wanted to extend a huge, sincere thank you for the amazing care packages our squadron just received today. Your unbelievable kindness and selfless volunteerism has brought a smile to the face of 123 Sailors in the middle of a long, difficult deployment. - AM1(AW) J.L. Donaldson.

Every Operation Gratitude Care Package contains snacks, personal care and hygiene products, and handmade items crafted by Volunteers as part of the organizations worldwide Handmade with Love program. A cherished item included in every Care Package are handwritten letters from grateful Americans nationwide.



In celebration of 20 years, Operation Gratitude is hosting assemblies across the country and throughout the year, beginning with a kickoff celebration on March 18 in Los Angeles where Volunteers will assemble 5,000 Care Packages for Deployed Troops. The organization will continue to host assemblies with a buildup to a birthday event on December 9, 2023 to celebrate 20 years and more.

Im going back over there. I know I wont make it back this time, but it really doesnt matter because no one would even care. Its been 20 years, and these words are as powerful as they ever were! They were spoken by a distraught soldier to our founder, Carolyn, a volunteer working in an airport military lounge, and they inspired what has become an amazing journey to honor all those who've raised their hand to serve. And, for 20 years, grateful Americans have been doing just that with Operation Gratitude! We are so proud and excited to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Operation Gratitude with everyone who has and will join us on this enduring journey to say thank you to those who've raised their hand to serve. - James Johnson, Major General, U.S. Air Force (RET.), CEO, Operation Gratitude.

To Volunteer either virtually or in-person, or to sponsor a Care Package, please visit OperationGratitude.com.

About Operation Gratitude

Operation Gratitude is a nonprofit dedicated to providing people nationwide opportunities for hands-on volunteerism in support of Military, Veterans, and First Responders. In March of 2003, Operation Gratitude sent its first four care packages to deployed service members in Iraq. Since its inception, the organization has encouraged millions of Americans to express their gratitude through hands-on volunteerism, in turn lifting the spirits of more than 3.8 million Deployed Troops, Recruit Graduates, Veterans, Military Families, and First Responders. The Volunteers of Operation Gratitude are a generous and spirited grassroots network of Americans joined in common cause to say Thank You to all who serve our amazing country. For more information visit OperationGratitude.com.

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Train derailment mirrors toxicity of U.S. politics

09:35, March 06, 2023 By Chen Zi ( People's Daily Online

(Cartoon by Ma Hongliang.)

Recently, a train carrying hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, the U.S., spilling large quantities of toxic chemicals into the air, soil and water and causing serious damage to the local environment.

The accident resulted in about 44,000 aquatic animals being killed, suggested data released by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources on Feb. 23. The department estimated that about 38,222 minnows and about 5,500 other aquatic species, including small fish, amphibians, crayfish, and macroinvertebrates, were killed in an 8 km radius of the train wreck site.

Local residents have complained that they have coughed every day and had rashes on their faces and arms following the accident.

Instead of solving these urgent problems, the two major political parties in the U.S. have again focused their energy on attacking each other. The Republican Party criticized U.S. President Joe Biden for not going to East Palestine but instead visiting and substantially increasing military support for Ukraine.

During his visit to East Palestine, former U.S. President Donald Trump accused the Biden administration of "indifference and betrayal" in its response to the train derailment.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, who is a Democrat, took aim at Trump and said that he should "express support for reversing the deregulation that happened on his watch.

"Whenever disaster strikes in divided America, toxic politics isnt far behind," said an article published on the website of CNN.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Du Mingming)
THE Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) says it is eagerly awaiting the pending premiere of a documentary by Qatar international news network, Al Jazeera that will purportedly expose massive corruption in government.

In a short preview of the documentary titled: Unveiling Zimbabwes Dark Secrets, Al Jazeera says it will expose looting, plunder and money laundering involving senior government officials and their cronies.

The documentary, initially scheduled to premiere last week Thursday, but was postponed to a yet to be announced date, has since sent tremors down Zanu PF and government corridors.

Zacc chairperson Loice Matanda-Moyo, told NewsDay that her team was on standby to pounce on any possible corrupt individuals that might be mentioned in the documentary.

We will wait to see what is there before taking any action, Matanda-Moyo said in an interview yesterday.

Snippets released by the news channel feature President Emmerson Mnangagwas appointed ambassador at large Uebert Angel, as one of the key figures in the alleged scams, as well as local businessman Ewan Macmillan.

In the documentary Macmillan is quoted alleging that corrupt cartels control 90% of the government through shady dealings.

Analysts said Mnangagwas pledge to fight graft will be exposed as a ruse if he does not take any action against officials in government named in the corrupt ring.

Since 2017 when he assumed power, scandals involving government officials have been exposed, but no substantial action has been taken against alleged perpetrators.

Instead, Zimbabweans have continued to witness the catch and release of bigwigs by Zacc with most of the cases involving highly connected people tumbling before they even go to trial.

According to Transparency International, corruption costs the country around US$2 billion each year.

Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development programmes manager John Maketo told NewsDay that ignoring the expose is fatal to the national image and would raise many doubts over Mnangagwas willingness to fight graft.

As the adage goes, there is no smoke without fire. Investigations into every trace and sign of corruption should be instituted. Costs of corruption must be raised higher than the incentive to do so, Maketo said.

Government should not be afraid or only act because of a media expose. Rather, government should be reacting to people's demands for accountability and transparency in governance systems.

Otherwise, this will be eventful. What is needed is a systematic process in response to the endemic corruption that has infiltrated governance institutions in Zimbabwe.

In 2019, Al Jazeera released a documentary called Fishrot, exposing corruption in Namibia.

The expose led to the arrest of top government officials who are now serving time. Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere said there has been no commitment by Mnangagwa to fight corruption.

Zacc has failed to eradicate corruption or to bring perpetrators to book to the point whereby Nick Mangwana (Information and Broadcasting Services secretary) boasts about the chronic corruption, Mahere said.

Catch and release, selective application of the law and corrupt protection of Zanu PF elites all make the fight against graft futile under this government.

We also need reforms in the media space so that local journalists can commission and produce documentaries such as the coming Al Jazeera one. Democracy demands it. We continue to call on citizens to vote out corrupt dunderheads and install ethical leaders and a competent government led by Nelson Chamisa.

Last week, Mangwana admitted that corruption was rife in the country, but claimed Mnangagwa was ready to fight it.

Facts: Is there corruption in Zimbabwe? Yes. Is there smuggling of minerals and forex out of the country? Yes-Is there money laundering in Zimbabwe? Yes (including by NGOs) Is the government fully committed to getting rid of all the above ills? Thats a fact! Mangwana posted on Twitter.

Presidential spokesperson George Charamba also said government cannot respond to yet to be premiered documentary.

Police spokesperson Paul Nyathi was not available for comment whether they would arrest anyone based on the much-anticipated Al Jazeera expose.

Zimbabwe is no stranger to corruption with a 2020 Global Corruption Barometer revealing that 25% of people using public services had been required to pay a bribe.

The 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index ranked Zimbabwe 157 out of 180 countries, with a score of 24/100, where a score of 100 means there is little to no corruption present. Newsday
It still hurts: Chris Rock speaks about Will Smith slap for first time

The Guardian Showbiz News Mar - 05 - 2023 , 14:57

Comedian lays into victimhood, Jada Pinkett Smith and her husband during his new standup show, saying she hurt him way more than he hurt me.

Chris Rock has spoken at length for the first time about being slapped by Will Smith during the Oscars, almost a year since the scandal that shocked millions watching around the world.

Everybody knows, yes it happened, I got slapped a year ago  I got smacked by this motherfucker, Rock said. And people are like, Did it hurt? It still hurts. Ive got Summertime ringing in my ears.

Rock appeared weary and frustrated as he spoke about Smith at the end of his stand-up show Selective Outrage, which was streamed live on Netflix from the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore on Saturday night.

During last years Oscar ceremony, Smith, who went on to win best actor that night, smacked Rock in the middle of the broadcast after he joked about Smiths wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, having a bald head, which she shaves due to alopecia. After yelling at Rock from his seat, Smith walked on stage to smack Rock in the face. The comedian later declined to press charges.

Days later Rock performed in Boston but said on stage then: Im still kind of processing what happened. So at some point Ill talk about that shit. And it will be serious and funny. Despite going on a world tour in between, this is the first time the comedian has spoken at length about the incident.

Rock made several comments in his new show about people seeking attention by classifying themselves as victims, but said: I am not a victim. You will never see me on Oprah or Gayle crying. Never going to happen  I took that hit like [boxer Manny] Pacquiao. I took it like motherfucking Pacquiao. Did it hurt? Yeah motherfucker, it hurt.

He rejected people describing himself and Smith as fighting, saying: First of all, I know you cant tell on camera but Will Smith is significantly bigger than me. We are not the same size. Will Smith does movies with his shirt off. You aint never seen me do a movie with my shirt off. Im in a movie getting open-heart surgery, Ive got on a sweater.

Will Smith played Muhammad Ali in a movie. Do you think I auditioned for that part? He played Muhammad Ali, I played Pookie in New Jack City.

Rock revealed that the slap had inspired the name of his show.

Will Smith practices selective outrage. Everybody knows what the fuck happened. And everybody really knows I had nothing to do with that shit. I didnt have any entanglements, he said, referring to Pinkett Smiths description of the affair she had with rapper August Alsina while married to Smith.

Related articles VIDEO: Why Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on Oscars stage

Will Smith: Chris Rock's first comments since Oscars slap

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Pinkett Smith made the admission directly to Smith on an episode of her online show, Red Table Talk.

His wife was fucking his sons friend, OK? I normally would not talk about this shit, but for some reason  [they] put that shit on the internet. I have no idea why two talented people would do something that lowdown. What the fuck?

Everybody in here has been cheated on. None of us have ever been interviewed by the person that cheated on us on television  She hurt him way more than he hurt me, Rock said, adding that he tried to call Smith afterwards to give him my condolences  he didnt pick up for me.

Everybody called that man a bitch  and whos he hit? Me, he added, to laughter.

I loved Will Smith, my whole life I loved him. I saw him open for Run DMC  he has made some great movies. I have rooted for Will Smith my whole life. And now I watch Emancipation just to see him get whooped.

He said he did not retaliate on the night because I got parents. Because I was raised. And you know what my parents taught me? Dont fight in front of white people, he said, throwing his microphone to the ground to end the show.

Smith has repeatedly talked about the slap since, publicly apologising to Rock the day after on Instagram, writing: I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. Months later, he said he had reached out to Rock but hes not ready to talk.

Comedian lays into victimhood, Jada Pinkett Smith and her husband during his new standup show, saying she hurt him way more than he hurt me.
Alert! Greed, wickedness in contaminated drugs

Vicky Wireko Opinion Mar - 05 - 2023 , 07:31

Contaminated drugs making their way into our markets? That is how far the greed and mad rush to make money at the expense of the vulnerable have taken the few who would stop at nothing when it comes to making cheap money.

It may sound unusual and incomprehensible but at what seems like an escalated and alarming state of affairs, the plan by some drug manufacturing companies to falsely misrepresent supposed ingredients in some drugs is becoming alarming.

Falsified drugs

Sometime last month, indeed, just about a couple of weeks ago, the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) issued an alert notice, warning the public about what they called a falsified anti-malaria drug on the Ghanaian market. It sounds scary does it not?

Why would anyone choose to contaminate anti-malaria drugs for a market that is malaria endemic and people seek and pursue desperate remedies because malaria can kill if not well treated?

Is it a premeditated plan to make quick money on the huge numbers of malaria sufferers in areas such as ours? Or is it a premeditated plan to harm? My guess is the former  to make quick and excess profit based on the demand by patients, old and young.

FDA Alert

According to the FDA alert, the counterfeit anti-malaria drug  Combiart Tablet  was discovered on the market as part of the Authoritys market surveillance. As reported in the notice, the drug, Combiart Artemether/Lumefantrine, 20/120mg was taken from the Northern Region of Ghana. It did not contain any of the two active pharmaceutical ingredients stated on the label.

Classifying it as a counterfeit drug, the FDA released further details for the public to watch out for. The drugs batch number is 722519 and the manufacturing date is 03/2021 with expiry date of 02/2024.

The manufacturer of the alleged fake drug is Strides and Arcolab Ltd and the country of manufacture is India. No one should be deceived by a NAFDAC registration, A4  6700 and an FDB/SD registration number 133-7453 also embossed on the drug.

The alert called on health workers and the general public to be on the lookout and report to the FDA the presence of that particular drug.

The regrettable fact is that these drug fraudsters have escalated their trade and are active also on the continent.

BBC News report

Sometime late last year, a BBC Africa news report raised an alarm on a case of falsified cough syrup specifically in The Gambia and possibly in other parts of the African continent. In The Gambia, the contaminated drug had reportedly caused the death of 66 children and a number of acute kidney injuries.

The drug, Promethazine Oral Solution BP, is a product of Maiden Pharmaceuticals and manufactured in India. The drug was colourless and odourless, making it difficult to detect any abnormality just at the look of it.

According to the report, however, when samples of the drug were sent to laboratories in Senegal and Ghana for testing, the alarming information discovered about the drug which was meant for children was that it contained two toxic products  an anti-freeze agent and a solvent. Any wonder children who took the drug died or suffered kidney damages?

Allegedly, the World Health Organisation (WHO) immediately ordered all countries to remove the drug from circulation to forestall any further harm.

Meanwhile, The Gambian authorities had also commenced a door-to-door investigation and search for samples of the syrup for destruction and further action. So far, no other country has reported seeing the cough syrup in their markets.

In India, where the news about the contaminated cough syrup was produced, the BBC report alleged that the government had ordered immediate investigation into the contaminated syrup.

Incidentally, India is said to host one-third of the worlds drug manufacturing sites currently.

So, if such acts of falsifying drugs and coming to dump them on unsuspected markets are not an act of premeditated harm, I wonder what else it could be. The sad thing is that it is not a one-off act. FDA confirms that they do regular market surveillance as part of their routine checks as a national regulator and publish them.

Many a time, the Authority detects counterfeit drugs and alerts the public.

Perhaps, however, not until the fear is put into these manufacturers or importers by naming and shaming, or sometimes even prosecuting, these fraudsters will always get away with murder. We need to have examples set and time is overdue.

Since FDA claims they do see a few of contaminated drugs in their market surveillance, the time has come to not only name and shame but also to go deeper. Once the perpetrators are named, they should be prosecuted and given harsh sentences to serve as deterrent.

We have let miscreants off the hook for far too long and they continue to perpetrate their crimes and go free to enjoy their undeserved profits. They have to face severe consequences for the harm their acts cause the public.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu promised to renew hope for Nigeria - 5 ways he can achieve this

The Conversation Opinion Mar - 06 - 2023 , 16:48

Al Chukwuma Okoli, Federal University Lafia

The 2023 presidential election in Nigeria has been formally won  and lost. By mid-week Bola Ahmed Tinubu, of the ruling All Progressives Congress, had been declared the winner of the keenly contested presidential election with 36% of the 24,965,218 votes cast.

His closest rivals were Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Partys Peter Obi. Abubakar got 29% of the votes cast while got Obi got 25%.

Atikus and Obis parties described the poll as a sham and demanded a cancellation. They may end up in court to challenge Tinubus victory.

The parties protested against the inability of the Independent National Electoral Commission to upload the presidential election results from each of the 176,606 polling units on an electronic portal accessible to all citizens, as early promised.

For its part, the electoral commission blamed its failure to upload the results on poor internet connectivity. The explanation did little to assuage the protesting parties especially as the electoral commission conducted a voting exercise ahead of the election in a bit to anticipate internet network failures.

Bola Tinubu

The controversies surrounding Tinubus victory underscore the task ahead of him. Once hes inaugurated, he will have to lead his administration in five key focus areas.

He must restore the waning public faith in government by building legitimacy. Secondly, he must demonstrate the new administration has the capacity to govern effectively. Thirdly, his government should be concerned with protecting people from all forms of vulnerabilities, including political, social and economic.

Fourthly, he must mitigate the material drivers of corruption and criminality by reducing poverty, unemployment, underemployment and inequality. And finally, government institutions must undertake to serve the interests of ordinary Nigerians.

Tinubu was a two-term governor of Lagos State and a former Senator of Federal Republic of Nigeria. Considered by fans and followers as an astute and pragmatic strategist, who has the sagacity to excel in party politics, he promised Nigerians a new deal of progressive leadership through his mantra of renewed hope.

However, many Nigerians doubt that Tinubu can rescue a system in which he has been a prime actor  as well as a benefactor.

Nigeria today

In the twilight of the arguably unpopular administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, the travails of the nation do not seem to be abating.

In the weeks before the election, the country faced the multiple crises of fuel scarcity, a massive spike in the cost of living and a cash scarcity.

Nigeria was also already experiencing extensive national security threats. These affect almost all of the country in different ways.

There is a banditry crisis in the north-west and north-central regions. Separatist violence and associated criminal opportunism affect the south-east.

Some parts of the south are controlled by gangs and ritual brigands whilst others are affected by piracy and oil theft. In the wider northern Nigeria jihadist terrorism is rampant.

The state of the nation in the past seven and a half years of Buharis administration has been precarious. His government appeared to be unable to protect the country from its multiple governance and development woes.

It is doubtful that Tinubu represents the popular change that the country needs. Or that his tenure offers a progressive departure from the status quo that many Nigerians were angling for. This is because he is very much part of the countrys political establishment.

Popular expectations and priorities

The task before the incoming government is to fulfil peoples expectations by responding to their legitimate yearnings and aspirations. And this is beyond electioneering.

The administration must get its priorities right. Oftentimes in Nigeria, governments come to power without any clear understanding of what it takes to govern, and what specific concerns of governance to pursue. I suggest these as the way forward:

The incoming administration must strive to restore the waning public faith in government through altruistic leadership. The welfare of the people must come first in its policies and actions. The administration must build legitimacy and capacity to govern effectively. Beyond having the requisite mechanisms, institutions and policies, peoples goodwill and confidence must be sought and sustained through responsive and responsible statesmanship. Human security and sustainable development should be the focus. Government should be concerned with protecting people from all forms of vulnerabilities, be they political, social, economic, ecological or cultural. National development should be planned and carried out in a way that looks after the countrys interests in the present and the future. The material drivers of corruption and criminality should be mitigated by reducing poverty, unemployment, underemployment and inequality. Social investment programmes that targets the poor and unemployed should be pursued. The wage structure and package of the government and corporate workers should be enhanced in the light of economic realities. Government institutions should perform better to deliver the common good by undertaking to serve the interest of the populace in their policies and programmes.

What next?

The 2023 elections and transition offers Nigeria an opportunity to reposition itself for good governance, sustainable security and development.

The expectation is that the incoming President will mark a shift from the legacies of Buharis administration, by bringing his personal leadership style to bear on the process of governance. The crux of this endeavour should be to secure and develop the society in pursuit of the welfare of the people.

As Nigerians hopefully count down to the 29 May handover to the new administration, it is expected that the incoming government will live up to its promise of renewed hope, and deliver a popular regime of good governance.

Al Chukwuma Okoli, SeniorLecturer, Security Sector Consultant-researcher, Department of Political Science, Federal University of Lafia, Nigeria, Federal University Lafia

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Police detain Nigerian pastor who brandished AK-47 during church service

International News Feb - 13 - 2023 , 18:22

A Nigeria pastor, Uche Aigbe, has been trending on social media following his use of an AK-47 riffle at his church.

It is unclear whether the riffle of Pastor Aigbe, who is also the Presiding Pastor of the Abuja chapter of the House on the Rock church, was loaded with ammunitions or not.

But reports are that he mounted the pulpit on Sunday with the deadly riffle just to send a word of caution to some men of God "with the gift of divination who go about ripping people."

Pastor Aigbe's gun was reportedly given to him by a police officer, Inspector Musa Audu.

The said police officer has been recommended for dismissal by the Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory Command, Sadiq Abubakar.

Inspector Audu and Pastor Aigbe have been detained by the Intelligence Response Team, Force Intelligence Bureau, Garki, Abuja, on Monday, according to information sourced from the Punch, a Nigerian-based news site.
Ghana Education News

Lebanese Community offers 15 GIJ students scholarships

Emmanuel Bonney Education Mar - 06 - 2023 , 07:07

Fifteen students made up of 12 undergraduate students and three postgraduate students have been offered scholarships to study journalism and development communications at the University of Media, Arts and Communication (UniMAC).

The support was from the Lebanese community to support needy, brilliant Ghanaian students.

At a short ceremony at the UniMAC-Ghana Institute of Journalism campus in Accra, the Lebanese Ambassador to Ghana, Maher Kheir, paid glowing tributes to the Lebanese community for its illustrious work over the years in supporting the education of Ghanaian students across journalism and legal fields.

The scholarship, he said, was proof that the Lebanese believed in education as the bedrock for social transformation.

Describing Lebanese in Ghana as partners for development, the diplomat said they would continue to pursue initiatives that would enrich the historical relationship between the two countries.

Media, arts and communication are very powerful tools that can shape any countrys growth.

Lebanon is a leader in the Middle East region in media and arts.

I am confident that we will see deeper cooperation between Lebanese and Ghanaian schools towards a bright future, he said.

He was hopeful that as part of efforts to promote educational cooperation, there would be more collaborations between schools in Lebanon and Ghana.

Ambassador Kheir congratulated GIJ on its new status as the University of Media, Arts and Communications (UniMAC) and called for innovations to help students solve problems in society.

Evolving

The world is evolving very fast and so are the challenges of men.

Many countries, including Lebanon, are experiencing desperate times, which call for desperate measures.

Hence, it is necessary for institutions of higher learning like UniMAC to innovate and provide education that offers practical solutions to current problems, he indicated.

The Vice Chancellor of UniMAC, Professor Kwamena Kwansah-Aidoo, who was grateful for the continuous support, also called for an expansion of the scheme to cover other UniMAC constituents.

The acting Rector of UniMAC-GIJ, Professor Eric Opoku Mensah, commended the Lebanese community for its commitment to the scheme over the past 10 years.

He urged the students to strive for professionalism in their chosen fields and endeavour to challenge bad journalism.

Excitement

A representative of the Lebanese Community, Naaman Ashkar, expressed excitement at the fruits that the scholarship scheme had produced over the years since its inception, noting that the community would continue to work to support Ghanaian students to reach their full potential.

The Lebanese Community Scholarship Programme started in 2013 as a way of supporting brilliant, needy Ghanaian students and deepening educational cooperation between both countries.

Over the past 10 years, the programme has produced a number of professionals, including practising lawyers, journalists and public relations officers, among others.
72 Students honoured at Presidents Independence Day Awards

Mary Anane-Amponsah Mar - 05 - 2023 , 07:55

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Friday rewarded the 2021-2022 winners of the Presidents Independence Day Awards in Accra.

The awards, which is sponsored by Nestle Ghana Limited, is an annual event which recognises and rewards young brilliant students between the ages of 14 and 19 from across the regions.

The 72 awardees were selected based on their exceptional academic performances in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

The overall best male and female students from public schools were also selected based on the raw scores obtained in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

There was also a category for persons with disability.

Each awardee received a plaque, a certificate, an amount of GH3,000, a laptop computer and a full year supply of Nestle products.

Delight

President Akufo-Addo said he was always delighted to interact with brilliant and talented young people because they represented the future of the country.

You will be part of the story of whether this country will still remain somewhat dependent on foreign assistance or it will be a self-reliant nation largely mobilising its own resources to take care of its needs, he added.

The President urged the awardees not to allow the success chalked up to get into their heads because the achievement was the beginning of more to come for which reason they must continue to work hard.

He advised them to be diligent, hardworking and morally upright, adding that honesty and integrity were important values they must always uphold.

The President gave an assurance that the government will continue to place importance on access to quality education for all because today's youth running barefooted to school could be a future leader.

Significance

President Akufo-Addo further described education as a sector that provide equal opportunities and the most effective way to change an individual and a nations fortunes.

He commended both teaching and non-teaching staff of schools that nurtured the awardees and urged them to continue to give of their best to unearth more talents for nation-building.The President also commended parents and guardians for their care, support and sacrifices that had motivated the children and wards to give their best.

School placement

The Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, said this year more than 500,000 students were placed in various schools to enable them to realise their dreams.

The vision of the President is to ensure that this nation will live true to its motto of Freedom and Justice, by providing opportunities for all children irrespective of their economic circumstances or background.
Company holds clean-up in Mamprobi

Diana Mensah Mar - 06 - 2023 , 06:58

A cleaning company, El-Sayus, has embarked on a clean-up exercise to tidy up the streets of Mamprobi and its neighbouring areas in Accra.

Last Saturdays six-hour exercise, which started at 6 a.m., was dubbed: Your Health, Our Priority.

It was geared towards keeping the community clean to eliminate the chances of conditions induced by poor environment.

Staff of the organisation were joined by residents and staff of the district assembly to desilt gutters, sweep the streets, clear weeds and dispose of refuse.

The exercise was aided by a number of waste collecting tricycles positioned at vantage points throughout the clean-up route to facilitate easy collection of garbage.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of El-Sayus, Archibald Darko-Boateng, said there was a need to raise awareness on sustainable hygiene practices to create a good environmental footprint.

Caring for our community and our environment is a necessity, and we are proud that our team and the entire community have embraced this exercise wholeheartedly," he said.

Mr Darko-Boateng also expressed the hope that the clean-up exercise would demonstrate the community's commitment towards cleaniness.

He added that the exercise would not be a days event, and promised to assist the assembly in its clean-up exercises.

Commendation

Mr Darko-Boateng urged members of the community to ensure the proper disposal of filth and to desist from indiscriminate disposal of refuse, warning them to be canscious of the dangerous diseases they could bring.

The Assembly Member for the Mamprobi Electoral Area, Joseph Brown, commended El-Sayus for the innitiative, and promised to ensure good sanitation conditions within the community.

Cleaning my environment has been one of my core mandates, and this exercise will go a long way to reduce floods in our community during rainy seasons.

We are very grateful for coming on board to support our community," he said.

Mr Brown urged the members of the community to take sanitation very seriously, and not to only rely on the assembly members and government to keep their environment clean.

"Let us sustain the clean-up exercise to promote good health, as negative sanitary practices and attitudes continue to retard efforts to ensure a clean environment in the community, he said.

He, however, appealed to the government and stakeholders to support the assemblies with the necessary tools to undertake regular clean-ups, saying the assemblies were seriously constrained.
Ghana month throwback: 'Let's fulfil ideals of our independence'

Graphic.com.gh Mar - 06 - 2023 , 02:18

On March 6 every year, Ghana observes the 1957 Independence anniversary. Today we reproduce some of the anniversary publications, quotes around the anniversary and some developments over the years from 1957 to 2023.

This content is sponsored by



It was announced that partisan politics was resuming on May 18, 1992

Photo 1: On March 6, 1992, the return to partisan politics was announced after almost 11 years of military rule. It was announced that partisan politics was resuming on May 18, 1992, ahead of the November 7, 1992, presidential election and the December 7, 1992, parliamentary elections. That was how the political campaigns towards the 4th Republican Constitutional governance started.

Chairman of the PNDC, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings reiterated the need to fulfil the ideals of the independence.

Photo 2: During the 30th anniversary of the March 6 Independence in 1987, the then Chairman of the PNDC, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings reiterated the need to fulfil the ideals of the independence.

General Fred Williams Kwesi Akuffo announced that Presidential and Parliamentary elections for the 3rd Republic had been fixed for June 18, 1979.

Photo 3: On March 6, 1979, as part of the independence anniversary, the then head of state and chairman of the Supreme Military Council (S.M.C.) General Fred Williams Kwesi Akuffo announced that Presidential and Parliamentary elections for the 3rd Republic had been fixed for June 18, 1979.

Miss Ghana 1957

Photo 4: Guess who was Miss Ghana in March 1957.

Caption

Photo 5: A year after Ghana's independence, Prime Minister Dr Kwame Nkrumah in a broadcast on March 5, 1958 announced how Ghana was going to help other African countries to freedom.

Caption

Photo 6: "Long live Ghana". Various organisations and companies in Ghana have always joined the celebration. In 1958, this is how some companies placed adverts as part of the independence anniversary.

Caption

Photo 7; Ghana has a bright future was Col Kutu Acheampong's message in March 1976 when he met Sir Denis.

more to follow...
Ghanaians in Liberia Commemorate 66th Independence with Charity

Francis G. Boayue Mar - 06 - 2023 , 09:47

Ghanaians living in Liberia and the Ghana Embassy in Liberia, as part of activities to commemorate Ghana's 66th Independence Day celebration on March 6, donated items to underprivileged Liberian children in Paynesville over the weekend.

The items, including bags of rice, boxes of made in Ghana chocolate, soft drinks, washing and bath soaps, sweets, a cake decorated in Ghana colours were donated to the Rescue for Abandoned and Children in Hardship (REACH), which is run by Madam Nesuah Beyan Livingston in Nickley Town Community, Jacob Town.

Francis G. Boayue reports from Monrovia that the Ghanaian Ambassador to Liberia, Kwabena Okubi-Appiah, speaking on behalf of all Ghanaians residing in Liberia, expressed joy in celebrating Ghana's Independence with the children of Liberia.

Ambassador Okubi-Appiah used the occasion to motivate the children to cultivate the role of being emerging leaders for Liberia and Africa at large.

He called on them to "never lose hope and [to remember that] there is a brighter future for the children of Africa because the leaders of today have already begun to lay the foundation for their future."

He, however, urged the children to take their lessons seriously, be disciplined, and always learn to respect those who are older than them, which will guide them for good leadership in the not-too-distant future.

Madam Ne-Suah Beyan Livingstone, receiving the items, lauded all Ghanaians residing in Liberia, mainly Eric Ellington Agyedenah who is the organiser of the programme, for always taking concrete steps in the last three years to identify with her organisation through her regular Saturday feeding programme for children whose parents cannot afford daily meals to come and have a plate of rice every weekend.

The president of the Association of Ghanaian Professionals in Liberia, George Idun-Sam graced the occasion.

Mr. Eric Ellington Agyedenah, the initiator and also the dream bearer of the donation, said his interest in catering for the wellbeing of children is backed by his passion for children and expressed excitement about having the Ghanaian Ambassador on board this year.

He said that since 2020, he has made it his duty to reach out to less fortunate children in celebration of Ghana's independence.
Guinea-Bissau President lauds Ghanas leadership in Africa (PHOTOS)

Alberto Mario Noretti & Timothy Ngnenbe Mar - 06 - 2023 , 22:40

The President of Guinea-Bissau, Umaru Sissoco Embalo, has commended Ghana for playing a leading role in the independence struggle on the African continent.

He said the exceptional leadership demonstrated by Ghanas first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, gave hope to many African countries in the independence struggle.

At the 66th Independence Day celebration at Adaklu Tsrefe, near Ho in the Volta Region yesterday, Mr Embalo, who is also the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), said Ghana remained a strong force Africa looked up to for democratic governance.

Nkrumahs legacy is still valid for the whole of Africa, President Embalo, the special guest at the event said.

He added that the people of Guinea-Bissau remained grateful to Ghana for supporting that country's democratic journey.



Bilateral cooperation

President Embalo said his country looked forward to greater bilateral corporation with Ghana towards improving the welfare of their peoples and social development in both countries.

The celebration was on the theme: Our unity, our strength, our purpose.

The special guest said he was highly honoured to take part in the Independence Day celebration as Ghana still stood tall with gallantry for the liberation of the African continent.

The celebration took part on a carnival note with a large number of people from all works of life turning up at the venue long before sunrise.

When President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo turned up at the venue soon after 10 a.m., the crowd burst into a state of euphoria with loud applause as he lit the perpetual flame.

The day also featured thrilling cultural displays, with chiefs from more than 50 paramountcies in the region and others present.

Among them were the Chairman of the Council of State and Omanhene of the Juaben Traditional Area, Nana Otuo Siriboe II; the President of the Volta Region House of Chiefs and Paramount Chief of Anfoega, Togbe Tepre Hodo IV; the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, Togbe Afede XIV, the Awomefia of Anlo, Torgbui Sri II; the Paramount Chief of Adaklu, Togbe Gbogbi Atsa V; the Paramount Chief of Ziavi, Togbe Kwaku Ayim IV, and the Paramount Chief of Klefe, Togbe Kwaku Dzaga.



Activities on the ground

The Youth Resource Centre at Adaklu Tsrefe, near Ho, the Volta regional capital, was a sight to behold as the security agencies treated members of the public who converged there for Ghanas 66th Independence anniversary to artistic display of skills and drills.

The 20 contingents drawn from the various security agencies, namely the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), the Ghana Prisons Service, the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), as well as the National Ambulance Service (NAS) engaged in a quick match past, after performing various drills.

The GAF, in particular, performed more drills and displayed essential skills, including risky rescue operations and gymnastic displays to the admiration of spectators.

Besides the security services, 14 selected senior high and basic schools also took part in the march past at the centre.

Displays

The displays by the security commenced with soldiers from the physical training school of the GAF, based at the El-Wak Barracks.

They engaged in physical fitness displays and rescue exercises.

Led by Lt Paa Kwesi Owusu of the 66 Regiment, the officers engaged in a series of ground operations, including forehead springs, dive and roll in pairs, running hand springs in pairs, staggered dive and roll, front somersault in pairs as well as individual skills.

The breath-taking moment for the gathering was when the soldiers took a dive and somersaulted through the loop with flames of fire around it.

The team also engaged in gymnastic displays including the pyramid formation.

As if that was not enough, the Special Force Unit of theGAF took the display to another level with deployments of ground troops to support an air assault team on a mock risky mission to rescue a government appointee from terrorists who are demanding hefty ransom.

About 10 rescuers, with a Belgian trained dog, Hazy, rappelled down a helicopter that hung about 70 metres from the ground to conduct the rescue exercise.

Equipment

Aside from the gymnastics, the security agencies also demonstrated their capacity to execute their mandate with the showcasing of sophisticated weapons, armored vehicles, fire-fighting equipment, helicopters, motorbikes for improved visibility and other resources.

The Ghana Police Service also showcased some equipment and new units such as the Canine Unit and the Formed Police Unit, alongside crowd control vehicles and three helicopters.

A 21-gun salute by the GAF was flooded by fly pasts by a fighter jet, heralding the end of the parade and an invitation to the President to deliver the anniversary speech.

With patriotic songs in a background, the gun salute was sounded amid cheers from the crowd.

Cars and human beings competed for space at the venue, giving security personnel a hectic time controlling the crowd at the celebration which witnessed no untoward incident.
Pomp and circumstance marks 66th indece day in Adaklu

Timothy Ngnenbe Mar - 06 - 2023 , 22:14

There was a great showcasing of culture when a cross-section of the Ghanaian society converged on the Volta regional capital, Ho, Monday to celebrate the country's 66th independence anniversary.

The commemorative event held annually to acknowledge the day the country cut its umbilical cord from British colonial rule was yet another rare moment when Ghanaians from all walks of life put aside personal differences and political persuasions and rallied behind the national flag.

This year's event was held on the theme: "Our unity, our strength, our purpose.

Political leaders, traditional authorities, workers, security agencies and all citizens were joined in the celebration as they sang patriotic songs to thank God for the 66-year independence journey.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo led the charge in hoisting the flag of Ghana at the event, which was attended by many dignitaries, including members of the diplomatic corps.

Even before the official take-off, Ho and its surroundings were bustling with human activities, as many families and friends from that part of the region returned to take part in the historic hosting of the event in the region.

As early as 6 a.m., the atmosphere was already charged as hundreds of people made their way to the Volta Regional Youth Resource Centre at Adaklu Tsrefe.

The road leading from Ho to the parade ground was awash with the red, gold and green national colours, with members of the public also adorned in the national colours.

It was a bumper-to-bumper situation as drivers of the Metro Mass Transit buses that had been made available to transport patrons to the venue and private vehicles made their way to the centre.

Businesses

Typical of such events, small businesses were on hand to cash in.

They mounted stands and pitched camps at strategic locations outside the Youth Centre, with many of them selling national paraphernalia ranging from branded caps, shirts, flags to bags, water and soft drinks, snacks and a variety of cuisines.

The security agencies, made up of the police, the military, the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Ghana Prisons Service, were positioned at strategic locations both in the town and the venue of the event to provide safety for patrons.

By 7:30 a.m., the 5,000-capacity Youth Resource Centre was filled as the spectators eagerly awaited the arrival of the chief host, President Akufo-Addo.

With its strategic location at the foot of the famous 580-metre Adaklu Mountain, the Youth Resource Centre gave patrons of the Independence Day Celebration the opportunity to see the imposing scenery of the land, which hosts many animal species and other biodiversity.

Some of the spectators at the event also discussed the African buffaloes, bushbucks, baboons, rainbow agama and other animal species that can be found in Kalakpa Resource Reserve, which is located just three kilometres away from the foot of the Adaklu Mountains.

The blend of royalty from the traditional rulers, uniformed security agencies and traditional dresses gave the event the a esthetic value it deserved.

Key personalities

Key political figures such as the wife of the President, Rebecca Akufo-Addo; the Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and his wife, Samira Bawumia; the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare; the Chief Justice, Kwasi Anin Yeboah; the Ministers of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul; the Interior, Ambrose Dery, and Special Advisor to the President, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, were also present at the event.

Statesmen such as the Chairman of the Council of State and Omanhene of the Juaben Traditional Area, Nana Otuo Siriboe II, the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, Togbe Afede XIV, also graced the occasion with pomp and circumstance.

Regional ministers, metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs) and other heads of government agencies were also present.

Euphoria at parade

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo led the charge in hoisting the Ghana flag when he arrived at the event at 10:20 a.m., with his special guest, President Umaro Sissoco Embalo of Guinea-Bissau, who is also the Chairman of ECOWAS.

When the flag was raised, the parade ground went agog as the patrons rose to their feet and waived miniature national flags and sang patriotic songs.

The Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), Vice Admiral Seth Amoama, and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, were the Aides de Camp that escorted the President around the parade ground to inspect the formed contingents on parade.

The celebrations reached a crescendo when President Akufo-Addo lit the perpetual flame to symbolise the spirit of independence and the need for Ghanaians to keep the flame of nationalism alive.

This was followed by an aerial tour of the national flag hanging down a military helicopter.

The colourful parade saw 20 contingents from the various security agencies dressed in ceremonial attire, and 12 from the basic and senior high schools (SHSs), participate in the match past, amid artistic displays.

Participating schools in the Independence Day parade were five SHSs, seven basic schools, one Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and special schools.

Other interest groups who took part in the match past were the Veterans Administration of Ghana (VAG), Workers of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, the 17-member Heads of State Award Scheme, Ghana Youth Federation and representatives from the 16 administrative regions.

Dramatic displays

Cultural troops from the various regions took turns to display their rich culture and also portray their heritage.

The five regions from the northern part of Ghana were at their usual best in their smocks while kente was the predominant attire worn by participants from the Eastern, Ashanti, Volta and other regions.

A dramatic display of prowess at war from Zangbetor, the warrior group from Aflao in the Volta Region, drew applause from the gathering.

Adorned in traditional outfits, the group performed war dances to the admiration of the crowd.

The anniversary was again brought to light when masqueraders took the stage to make incisive dance moves.
Transform tertiary education to respond to growing needs  Prof. Anamuah-Mensah

Justice Agbenorsi Mar - 06 - 2023 , 07:26

Educating the youth to thrive in the ever-changing complex world requires a drastic transformation of the countrys tertiary education system, the Chairman of the Zenith University Colleges Council, Professor Jophus Anamuah-Mensah, has said.

He said in an economy characterised by labour market inefficiencies, skills gap and inadequate harnessing of technologies, there was the need to fine-tune the tertiary education structure to respond to the needs of the country and the global trend.

Ghana needs such a transformed tertiary education system to address its needs. The universities and other tertiary institutions are being called to transform themselves into entrepreneurial institutions to provide workplace skills on their programmes for our youth and prepare them to be career ready to establish their own business, he added.

Prof. Anamuah-Mensah, was speaking at the 14th Congregation of the Zenith University College, a degree awarding institution under the mentorship of the University of Cape Coast.

Postulating some recommendations, the former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), said tertiary institutions must expand their faculties to include visiting fellows, entrepreneurs-in-residence, investors-in-residence, policy makers, top chief executive officers and national figures.

They should also encourage the development of an entrepreneurial mindset to cater for the growing job demands, Prof. Anamuah-Mensah added.

He added that there was also the need for universities to give equal value to both academic university pathways and technical and vocational training pathways.

We must also increase the quadruple helix of academia, industry, government and community in collaborative partnerships to accelerate research and commercialisation, he said.

The congregation was for the December 2020, June 2021 and June 2022 batches.

A total of 154 students, made up of 76 females and 78 males, were presented for graduation at the university which commenced as a Tutorial College to its current status as a degree awarding institution.

The ceremony witnessed the colleges first batch of Bachelor of Law (LLB) students graduate.

The other graduates were from the Faculty of Bachelor of Business (BBA) Administration in Accounting; BBA - Business Information Systems; BBA- Financial Management; BBA-Human Resource; BBA- Management; BBA-Marketing; BBA-Tourism and Hospitality Management; BBA- Tourism Management, and BBA-Hospitality Management.

The Overall Best Student awards went to Augustine Amoah Nai, an LLB student, and Godfred Klenam Tamakloe, a BBA-Information Systems student from the 2020 Class.

Appeal

The Deputy Rector of the College, Philip K. Buabeng, called on the government to assist private universities, including the school in order to reduce the pressure on the public institutions.

Private universities continue to be pivotal in building the capacity of our future leaders but it is a very expensive venture. The private individual founders cannot do it alone, he added.

Mr Buabeng urged the graduates to leverage the skills acquired from the school to provide jobs for themselves and other members of society.

Use the education you have acquired here to help improve conditions in your societies and help fight corruption, poverty, disease, hunger and ignorance, he noted.

In a speech read on his behalf, the Vice-Chancellor of UCC, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong, commended the university for its effort at equipping students in the countrys bid to address the myriad of developmental challenges confronting the nation.

Zenith University College is on course in meeting the requirements of its affiliation with UCC and we are hopeful that if appropriate structures are put in place, sooner or later Zenith will be on its own and manage its own affairs, he said.
UGMC advocates regular ear screening "Offers free screening on World Hearing Day"

Yaa Kuffour Senyah Mar - 06 - 2023 , 06:51

The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) has marked World Hearing Day with a free ear screening exercise to help members of the public to identify hearing impairment risks for early treatment.

It was part of activities to commemorate the day, celebrated every March 3, to educate the public and create awareness on the need to prevent hearing impairment by promoting regular screening and frequent hearing care.

Celebrated under the global theme: Ear and Hearing Care for All: Lets Make it Real, participants were taken through sessions to demonstrate the importance of general care for the ear and the terrible barriers it created in ones life if not properly taken care of.

The Head of the UGMC Ear, Nose and Throat Department, Dr Micheal Damah, said research figures estimated that 1.4 million Ghanaians were suffering from disabling hearing loss, with over 60 per cent of these cases preventable.

He, however, stated that even with the high record of numbers, the ear constituted the one of the least parts of the body given the needed attention or care.

Dr Damah explained that hearing loss had physical, emotional and economic impact not only on the individual concerned but also the family, the community and the country as a whole.

The effective intervention for hearing loss, he said, started with the systematic screening of newborns because they were more exposed to hearing defects, preschool and school age children, people exposed to noise or chemicals, individuals on medicines such as antibiotics, and the aged.

Prevention

An audiologist at UGMC, Abiba Sumaila, said the risk factors associated with hearing impairment could be congenital or acquired.

These factors, she said, included heredity, viral infection during pregnancy, premature birth and anomalies of the ear.

Ms Abiba advised that the public strictly adhered to prescription drugs while they sought immediate treatment in case of high fever or upper respiratory infection.

Avoid picking ears or putting foreign objects into ear canals, and parents with family history of congenital hearing impairment should seek counselling, she added.

She further advised the public to avoid exposure to prolonged noise either through the use of earpieces or from the environment, and called for an active adherence policy on noise limits in the environment.

The Chief Executive Officer of UGMC, Dr Darius Osei, stated that as humans an active part of good self-care was the ability to take care of the five senses, which included the ear.

He said the commemoration of the World Hearing Day gave the facility the opportunity to promote care for the ear and to make the public aware of the services the UGMC offered.

While celebrating, we are reminded of the vision and our determination to fully achieve our mandate of prevention, treatment and promoting good health care, he said.
Young students urged to patronise engineering - Karpowership, UNESCO mark Engineering Day

Dialy Graphic Mar - 06 - 2023 , 10:24

Karpowership Ghana and the Ghana Commission for the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) have held a seminar for students studying engineering programmes at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to commemorate the International Day of Engineering.

The seminar was to sensitise aspiring and existing engineering students to the contribution of engineers to society and to also inspire them to stay in the field.

The World Engineering Day is a global celebration of how engineers, technicians and technologists make a difference and solve problems.

The UNESCO's General Conference proclaimed March 4 World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development during its 40th session in November 2019.

This years event is on the theme: Engineering innovation for a more resilient world.

Engineers, development

The Communications Manager of Karpowership Ghana, Sandra Amarquaye, praised engineers for their contribution to development.

She said Karpowership was committed to whipping up the interest of Ghanaian students in engineering.

As part of our corporate social responsibility, we have instituted a scholarship scheme for brilliant needy students at the Engineering Department of the Takoradi Technical University.

We also have a mentorship programme which aims at empowering the young child.

Over 400 students have benefited from this initiative, she said.

Celebrating engineers

The Chief Operating Officer of the Ghana Commission of UNESCO, Appolonius Asare, said UNESCO saw the need to observe March 4 every year as World Engineering Day for sustainable development because of how vital engineering was to the world.

On this day, engineers from all over the world reflect on their contribution to advancing knowledge in their field and how they achieved global impact through technology transfer and training opportunities.

The Provost of the College of Engineering of the KNUST, Prof. Kwabena Biritwum Nyarko, spoke to the students on the role engineering students could play in national development.

Our basic mandate as engineers and aspiring engineers is to identify problems and innovatively provide solutions to such complex problems. Engineering makes the world go round and innovation is the backbone of all engineering, he said.

This year's celebration brought together 748 engineering students and aspiring engineering students from six senior high schools in the Kumasi metropolis and students from the KNUST.
66th Independence anniversary - 5 Parties call for economic liberation

Samuel Duodu, Benjamin Xornam Glover & Justice Agbenorsi Politics Mar - 06 - 2023 , 11:12

FIVE political parties have called for aggressive development and action-oriented leadership to provide economic independence to Ghanaians.

It is the conviction of the five political parties that 66 years of political independence had not reflected in any meaningful economic well-being of the ordinary Ghanaian.

The political parties are the Convention Peoples Party (CPP), the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP), the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), the Peoples National Convention (PNC) and the All Peoples Congress (APC).

The General Secretary of the CPP, Nana Yaa Jantuah; the National Chairman of the PPP, Nana Ofori Owusu, the Leader and Founder of the LPG, Percival Kofi Akpaloo, the General Secretary of the PNC, Janet Nabla, and the Founder of APC, Hassan Ayariga, made the call in separate interviews with the Daily Graphic on the commemoration of the countrys 66th independence anniversary, which falls today (March 6).

This year's celebration is on the theme Our unity, our strength, our purpose."

CPP

Ms Jantuah said successive governments after Kwame Nkrumahs regime had not lived up to the ideals of fostering economic liberation and financial independence.

She urged Ghanaians not to give up as there were chances of sailing through the current economic difficulties.

Our spirit should not be broken, we should have hope in these difficult times," she said

Measures

Ms Jantuah called on the government to open up to the people by organising national dialogues to discuss the best ways to equitably share the burden of restoring the broken economy and to solicit solutions to transform the countrys economic challenges.

Aside from that, she said the government must also reduce the size of its appointees as a measure to reduce the strain on the public purse.

Beyond that, the general secretary said there must also be in place a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) to measure the performances of governments, adding: So that if after a certain period, you are not able to achieve the targets, you will find your way out.

She lauded the government for the operationalisation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA), but advocated the need for all the bottlenecks, including currency, among other things, to be removed to ensure its success.

PPP

For his part, Nana Owusu said political independence must be used to pursue the economic development of the country for the benefit of all citizenry.

"True Independence must give competitive advantage to the Ghanaian without regard to their ethnic, religious, geographic or social standing," he said.

Governance

Nana Owusu noted that the celebration of the day must be based on the collective prosperity of the citizenry but that had not been attained yet.

He urged Ghanaians to hold steadfast to the idea that the country would be better in the near future when good people get the opportunity to rule.

"Our form of democracy has deepened inequity, tribalism, an economy dependent on raw export of natural resources, witch-hunting of political "foes" and a wider gap between those who have and those who do not have," he said.

Nana Owusu, therefore, expressed the hope that alternative parties would join hands with the PPP to bring about the change required to deliver prosperity to the people.

"We must blend the energies of the pre-1966 and that of the youth who will forward match with us into the 21st Century," he stated.

LPG

For his part, Mr Akpaloo said the current economic challenges needed an action-oriented and solution-driven leadership to address the agony of the working class and ordinary people.

It is high time we recognise the suffering of the workers and the masses and offer them a better condition of work and livelihoods, he stated.

Values

He expressed regret that the majority of Ghanaians had only tasted political independence but were still under the shackles of socio-economic oppression.

Mr Akpaloo called on the government to create an environment where citizens felt and appreciated the founding values of the liberation struggle and make them the foundation of the society.

Mr Akpaloo said the recent threats of industrial actions upon the announcement of the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) and demonstrations from workers and some individual organisations in various sectors, clamouring for better working and living conditions was testimony that economic freedom and independence were fast diminishing in the country.

He said Ghana, which was rich with fertile arable lands and rich natural resources, deserved better governance and management of its resources.

We envisage a Ghana free of corruption, deprivation, inequalities, repression and free of violence in our preparations towards the next general election, he stated.

Elections

He also called on the authorities not to pay lip service to peaceful and non-violent elections in 2024.

He, therefore, urged the government to put in place practical modalities that would ensure a free and fair election.

Political parties on the other hand must not preach peace by day and unleash monsters during night.

Government institutions also need to be non-partisan and not apply the law selectively, he stated.

PNC

The General Secretary of the PNC, Ms Nabla, said after 66 years of independence, Ghana was still dependent on foreign goods, services and aid, a situation she said was retrogressing the progress of the nation.

She urged Ghanaians to reorient themselves on their perception regarding governance amid the world economic turmoil.

Ms Nabla said the prevalence of corruption and dishonesty in the country, could not be tagged to the politicians alone, but Ghanaians as a whole.

We have concentrated our discussion on corruption so much on the politicians such that we have lost sight of the corrupt market woman, the civil servant, the public servant, the private sector, among several others, who are wallowing in gargantuan corruption that is dragging the country backward, she said.

When you fix the root causes, the politician will have no means to indulge in corruption, which is usually propelled by those from the root.

Our cry on the negative impacts of corruption as individuals shall continue until the person crying about corruption is incorruptible himself.

May we become incorruptible as individuals and as a whole as we celebrate the 66th Independence Day, she said

APC

For his part, Mr Ayariga said 66 years after Independence, there were schools in Ghana where pupils in basic schools sit on the ground to write and receive lessons from teachers.

He said more than six decades after declaring independence, the healthcare system in Ghana was confronted with no bed syndrome and peoples inability to pay bills, adding that Ghanas infrastructure, including roads.

continued to deteriorate while many communities across the country lacked access to potable water and electricity

He said although Ghana was endowed with natural resources, successive governments after Dr Kwame Nkrumah had ruined the economy and had not given the true meaning of what it took to be an independent country.
ASCIR Deputy Director joins Kintampo South NDC Parliamentary Race

Kweku Zurek Politics Mar - 06 - 2023 , 08:57

The Deputy Director of the Afro-Sino Centre of International Relations (ASCIR), a pan-African think tank and research centre headquartered in Accra  Ghana, has picked nomination forms to contest the Kintampo South Parliamentary race on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Mr. Arhin Acheampong, a US-trained international security and development professional who started his career in the United States as a Deputy Project Manager for the Frederick S. Pardee Centre for International Futures has been instrumental in shaping Africa-China relations on the continent through research.

He is a resource person on Africa-China relations and has provided insights on Afro-Sino relations on international platforms like the Atlantic Council and BBC NewsDay among others.

As a pan-African and party faithful of the NDC, Mr. Acheampong, in an interview expressed his desire to contribute to "Building the Ghana we Want: and advancing the African Unions Agenda 2063 - The Africa we Want.

As part of his short-term goals, the Kintampo South parliamentary aspirant seeks to unite the constituency under one umbrella to reclaim their lost seat from the New Patriotic Party through a youth-led agenda.

He intends to empower branch, ward and constituency structures to enable them work effectively as an organized party. The goal, according to him is to reclaim the lost seat as well as ensure victory for the party in the upcoming general elections.

When asked about his plan for the constituency and the country, Mr. Acheampong shared four priority programs, projects and policies that he hopes the country could benefit from.

One is to support efforts to establish a tertiary institution in the constituency. He explained that the benefits of having a tertiary institution in the constituency be it a teachers training college, nursing and midwifery school or satellite university campus are immeasurable.

He reiterated the economic and social benefits of such projects citing direct and indirect employment as side benefits in addition to the quality education constituents and Ghanaians would receive.

The second is the advancement of smart agriculture in the constituency. The Kintampo South Constituency is one of the breadbaskets of Ghana which produces yams, cashew and corn. He believes that when the agricultural value chain in the constituency is enhanced, the entire country stands to benefit.

We can start by first fixing the Apesika, Amoma and Cherehin roads that connect farm produce to the market. President Mahama started the construction of some of these roads, but they were abandoned by the current administration. We must come and finish what was started, he said.

Youth employment and tourism were the other two priority areas he touched on.

In concluding his encounter with the media, Mr. Acheampong closed with this quote, the terrain is not favourable for young professionals and politicians but with the right support and leadership, African youth can, and will shape the Africa we Want.
Boycott 66th Independence Day celebration - Nana Yaa Jantuah

Getrude Ankah Nyavi Politics Mar - 06 - 2023 , 10:21

The General Secretary of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP), Nana Yaa Jantuah wants the 66th Independence anniversary celebration to be boycotted by Ghanaians.

According to her at 66 years, Ghana is unable to buy vaccines for children, adding that "we are at the International Monetary Fund (IMF). What kind of independence do we have when Ghana is going back to her protegee?she asked.

Nana Yaa Jantuah who was speaking in radio interview with Accra-based 3 FM on Monday (March 6, 2023) said the day should be for sober reflection, not celebration.

"Today should be a day of sober reflection instead of the funfair. Why is it that today that we dont have money, and you are spending little to refurbish the stadium for the independence day celebration?

She added that instead of celebrating, the government should rather engage stakeholders such as GUTA, GPRTU, and others to brainstorm on how Ghana can be brought out of the current economic crises.
Let's protect our unity - President Akufo-Addo to Ghanaians

Zadok Kwame Gyesi Politics Mar - 06 - 2023 , 15:52

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has stressed the need for Ghanaians to guard the countrys unity and peaceful-coexistence.

He said Ghanaians cannot afford to allow individuals who seek to divide the country along the lines of ethnicity and religion to succeed.

Speaking at the 66th Independence Day celebration in the Volta Regional capital, Ho, today, (March 6, 2023), President Akufo-Addo said the greatest achievement of our independence is the fact that we have welded different ethnic entities into one nation.

He added, although the Gold Coast was the precursor to our independent Ghana, it was a collection of disparate groups. It was the attainment of independence that gave us our common identity as Ghanaians.

He said the countrys forefathers were united and strengthened in realising one common purpose  the attainment of independence.

The 66th Independence Day celebration was held on the theme: Our unity, our strength, our purpose."

For him, Ghanas forefathers were able to gain independence due to the fact that they were united in spirit and did not care about ethnicity or religion.

It did not matter where they came from; it did not matter which tribe they belonged to; it did not matter which religious persuasion they subscribed to; and their standing in society certainly did not matter. They recognised the fact that colonialism did not inure to our nation's collective benefit, and they were determined to end it. And, indeed, they did, President Akufo-Addo explained.

He said it was time for the present generation to work to maintain the sanity of the country and ensure its progress, noting that we should continue to work to improve accountability, efficiency and transparency in the delivery of public services.

He said it was also important to continue with the process of digitalization, urging Ghanaians to fight the menace of illegal miming  galamsey.

We should continue the difficult but necessary task of ridding our environment of the menace of galamsey; and we should continue to pay our taxes, and demand that our leaders put them to good use, President Akufo-Addo noted.
Why former President Mahama was absent at 66th Independence Day celebration

Zadok Kwame Gyesi Politics Mar - 06 - 2023 , 12:53

Former President John Dramani Mahama has explained why he has refused to attend Ghana's 66th Independence Day celebration at Ho in the Volta Region.

He explained that the Independence Day celebration is a national event in the country but has unfortunately been turned into a political jamboree by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), hence his decision not to associate himself with political events.

"I am not going to be in Ho because I don't want to be part of an NPP jamboree," the former President said, whilst speaking with the media concerning the celebration.

He said he will always attend the independence day if it is charaterised by the sense of nationalism the event has always been celebrated with.

The former President also accused the ruling NPP of busing their supporters in branded party shirts to the venue of the Independence Day celebrations, which he feels does not speak well of the celebration.

Mr Mahama also said when he attended the Independence Day that was marked in the Northern Regional capital, Tamale, some years ago, the camera crew from Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) were instructed not to film him, and was given a seat outside the dais.

"Nkrumah got us an independence; I'm an 'Nkrumaist'. I will attend an Independence Day any day if it is not hijacked by one party because it should be a national day for all of us," he explained.
Australia-based Green Technology Metals Limited (GT1), a Canadian-focused multi-asset lithium business, signed a binding option agreement to purchase an 80% interest in the Junior Lake Project from Landore Resources Canada, which comprises 591 staked mineral claims on 10,856 Hectares (109km2) of tenure located adjacent to the Flagship Seymour Project (Seymour) in Ontario, Canada.

The tenements are located immediately adjacent (approximately 22km) from the companys flagship Seymour project in Ontario. The Junior Lake Project is host to three drill-ready LCT pegmatite prospects, identified from previous exploration, indicating the projects lithium potential. LCT pegmatites are complex pegmatites characterized by anomalous accumulations of lithium, caesium, tantalum, rubidium, beryllium, tin, barium, phosphorus, and fluorine.

We are excited to secure the agreement with Landore, adding a sizeable tenement package to our portfolio and look forward to commencing exploration on the Junior Lake Project which offers the company a unique combination of a close proximity location, identified targets through previous regional exploration and early indications of similar geology to our flagship Seymour Project. We plan to commence exploration activities imminently at Junior Lake as we look to grow our resource base for greater Seymour and move swiftly into development. GT1 CEO Luke Cox

The Junior Lake Project, currently 100% owned by Landore, consists of 33,029 hectares, including 10,856 hectares relating to Lithium tenure. The project is located approximately 235 kilometers north-northeast of Thunder Bay and 75km east-northeast from the town of Armstrong and easily accessible via Jackfish Highway which connects the Seymour, Falcon and Junior Lake project areas.

Junior Lake is host to several LCT pegmatites with three previously identified target areas; Despard, Swole Lake and Tape Lake, all presenting similar geology to Seymour based on the lithium exploration undertaken to date.





GT1 owns a sizeable portfolio of lithium exploration claims located across highly prospective Archaen Greenstone belts in north-west Ontario, including the Seymour Project. The company is strategically focused on rapidly advancing both the Seymour and Root projects into production, to become the first lithium producer in Ontario.

The Junior Lake Projects being proximal to Seymour and adjacent to GT1s proximal lithium claim Falcon Lake, presents an opportunity to secure additional feedstock for a lithium concentrate plant at Seymour and fits within the broader strategic objective to become a leading lithium focused near-term producer.

The option agreement increases the companys footprint across the prospective Caribou Lake  OSullivan greenstone belt and offers the potential for GT1 to make new lithium discoveries with Junior Lake host to multiple LCT pegmatites at surface, confirmed by historical exploration activities on the property and drill ready targets presenting similar geology to Seymour.





GT1 plans to undertake a two-phase exploration program at the Junior Lake Property commencing in June 2023. Phase one exploration will initially consist of geological mapping and sampling of the Despard and Swole target areas to identify additional drill targets at the property and will be followed by a phase two maiden 1200m diamond drilling program initially focusing on the Despard target area. The two-phase program is anticipated to be completed by Q4 2023.

Concurrently with the exploration program at Junior Lake, GT1 will be undertaking an exploration program that will include geological mapping of the North Seymour and Falcon project areas.
Delegates of the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) have finalized a text to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, calling it a breakthrough after nearly two decades of talks.

Already being referred to as the High Seas Treaty, the legal framework would place 30% of the worlds oceans into protected areas, put more money into marine conservation, and covers access to and use of marine genetic resources.

Noting that the BBNJ decision builds on the legacy of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres commended all parties for their ambition, flexibility and perseverance, and saluted Ambassador Rena Lee, of Singapore, for her leadership and dedication.

Delegations will reconvene later to adopt the text formally. The treaty still has to be ratified by the member states.

According to European Views, protected areas will be able to be determined with a three-quarters majority of the member states.

Another issue that had to be resolved was the potentially profitable research findings that may never become a reality. On this question, the countries of the so-called Global South wrestled primarily with the leading industrialized countries in the North. Since the most significant economies are also likely to receive the most expected returns, a mechanism for compensatory payments to poorer countries has been established.

According to information from the DPA news agency, the compromise that has been reached provides for annual lump sum payments by the industrialized countries.
According to Mark Gurman, a renowned Apple analyst, the company plans to launch a new MacBook 13 and 15-inch versions powered by the upcoming M3 chips. Some new iMacs are also on the horizon as well as a redesigned Mac Pro.

Let's start with the MacBooks. The new Airs will likely be announced sometime this spring or summer. Gurman suspects that both versions of the notebook will run on the M3 chip.

Speaking of Apple's silicon, the M3 Pro and M3 Max, which are the more potent variants of the M3 chip, will launch sometime in 2024, bringing major efficiency boost thanks to the improved 3nm node.

The upcoming Mac Pro and iMac Set will get huge upgrades too. The M2 Ultra chip with 24 CPU cores, 76 GPU cores and up to 192GB RAM will power up the Mac Pro, while the iMac is expected to receive the M3 treatment, just like the 13 and 15-inch Airs. The Mac Pro should make an appearance alongside the MacBooks.

The standard iMacs with 24-inch screens are also due for an upgrade and Gurman predicts major changes in internal design. In addition to the new Apple M-series SoCs, the internal components and design have changed and a new stand attachment is also expected. A launch date in the second half of this year is the most likely scenario

Last but not least, an iPad Pro is also in the cards with the new M3 chip on board and an OLED screen.

Source
Welcome to Week 9's recap! This week's headlines were dominated by the MWC 2023 - the industry's largest event took place this week and had its busiest edition in several years.

Honor announced its Magic5 series as well as the global rollout of the Magic Vs foldable. Meanwhile, Xiaomi brought its 13 and 13 Pro flagships to international markets and unveiled the 13 lite.

Tecno confirmed its lofty ambitions and followed the high-profile cameraphone Phantom X2 Pro with the Phantom V Fold. TCL announced a bunch of new devices targeting the lower segments, while Nokia announced the first change of its iconic logo in 60 years.

vivo unveiled its V27 trio, while Samsung debuted the 4G version of its A14. All in all a really eventful week and you should check below for the full list of hot topics to make sure you haven't missed anything.



Realme GT3 unveiled: first phone with 240W charging goes global This phone is the global version of the GT Neo 5 240W. It has a 144Hz OLED display and Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset.





Xiaomi shares a list of smartphones soon to receive MIUI 14 The list contains 18 devices for now but will be updated in the future.





Honor unveils the first silicon-carbon battery with 12.8% higher energy density This is compared to a standard lithium battery that uses a graphite anode and has the same physical size.





Tecno introduces color-changing Chameleon Coloring Technology at MWC Uses electrically-controlled prism coloring technology to produce 1600 colors at the touch of a button.





TCL 40 XE is the company's new cheapest 5G phone, 40 X and 40 XL tag along The TCL 40 X has a more capable camera, but it costs more too. The XL skips the 5G connectivity of the other two but brings a larger display.





TCL unveils NXTPAPER 11 with second gen display tech, more affordable Tab 11 slate The Tab 11 has optional 4G connectivity. The NXTPAPER has special coating on the display, plus various other features to make IPS LCD feel more like paper.





Xiaomi 13 Lite arrives with Snapdragon 7 Gen 1, island dual front camera Yes, the design is based on the Civi 2, but the hardware is not the same. The 13 Lite will cost half as much as the Xiaomi 13.





Motorola Moto G53 in for review A phone that's not a straightforward upgrade over the G52.





Hands-on: Honor Magic5 Pro This is an all-around flagship, but it's not shy about aiming for first place in the smartphone camera competition.





Xiaomi Watch S1 Pro and Buds 4 Pro in for review Coming from MWC and straight to our office for detailed tests and review.





Honor Magic5 Pro unveiled with a custom 1/1.12" camera sensor, vanilla Magic5 follows The Pro model has a triple 50MP camera setup, the vanilla model goes for 54+50+32MP. Both have large LTPO displays and are powered by the SD 8 Gen 2.





Tecno introduces color-changing Chameleon Coloring Technology at MWC Uses electrically-controlled prism coloring technology to produce 1600 colors at the touch of a button.


CHamoru musician Connor Sablan, who was raised in Guam and is now living in the Bay Area, found his way to jazz music and hasnt looked back since. Sablan released a new single Hummingbird on Feb. 24, and plans to release a series of singles over the coming months before dropping a full-length album in July.

Its definitely a jazz album, its an album based heavily on Bossa Nova and Samba, so Brazilian styles of jazz. Its based mainly on that kind of jazz, but also swing jazz and the American modern interpretation of jazz. It has some rock songs on it, too, and a hip-hop song. Its like a fusion of a bunch of music, Sablan said.

Growing up in Guam, Sablan was immersed in music through school choirs and excelled as a piano player. He then left the island to attend the College of San Mateo, in Californias Bay Area, which offered a robust music program. It was there that Sablan cut his teeth on jazz.

When I got to San Mateo, thats what everybody was playing in the music programThey were all hanging out at each others houses playing jazz and I was like dude, I have no idea how to do that. The first time my friends came over, I was like I dont know what to do. Then I joined the band there...and I was like this music is kind of cool. You could do a lot with it, you could solo, you could improvise. But what really got me into jazz, the thing that really just got my attention, is when I heard A Love Supreme, that album by John Coltrane. That just blew my mind open. I didnt know that you could play like that, Sablan said.

Sablans education was deepened by San Franciscos music scene.

I started coming out to San Francisco at night. San Francisco is like 15 or 20 miles north of San Mateo, so its a drive, but we went there, and we would go after school, like 11:00 p.m. is when the jam session would start, thats when all the local San Francisco guys would come out and play like 50s, 60s, 40s style jazz. It was crazy, they were just so good, I didnt know that you could be that good. So thats when I started practicing, I was like okay, I gotta be able to play like these guys, he said.

Collaborations

For the new and upcoming releases, Sablan collaborated with his local music community.

The drummer is my longtime friend Ben Visini, we were in the same graduating class, he played a lot of gigs with me. Some of the guitarists too are my friends, some friends that I had mix the album, he said.

Sablan still plans to return to Guam in the future and nurture his roots and connections to the islands music community.

Theyve already done so much for me, theyve supported me. All my family and friends are super stoked, the people from Guam that I play with in bands out here, theyre all excited. I just want to say thank you to everybody on Guam for supporting me, Sablan said.

Sablans music is available for streaming on Spotify, and interested listeners can check him out on Instagram, @connorsablanmusic, to follow along with the journey.

Whats next?

Whats next for Sablan? The artist has his sights set on creating music that responds to some of the struggles that he sees the island face.

This album is not too political. But I do have plans, the music that Im writing now is gonna be almost totally geared to things that are happening on Guam  the military build-up. Ive been inspired by a lot of people lately. I follow all the posts about the military blowing up ordinances and everything like that, thats a really big issue, especially because of our status as a territory, were not a state. Theyre kind of just using our land, Sablan said.

Revolutionary music

For Sablan, its natural to express struggle and resilience through jazz.

Jazz has always been revolutionary music. It was from the slaves, the African slaves, who got together and put together this music. Jazz has always been a Black music, its like a truly Black American art form, which I really like. You know, everybody throws their own stuff into it. I hope to maybe create some kind of Guam jazz fusion. I know theres people who play, like Patrick Palomo, all of these great guys. Something a little more like what Guam can call their own version of jazz. Original CHamoru rhythms and even taking a classic CHamoru song and making it into a jazz form, he said.

He adds that hes inspired by friends in the community who are working to use their passions to better the island for future generations.

I feel like the only thing I can do, what music has done for decades, is just try to help, Sablan said.
Winners of the 16th Annual Toyota Dream Car Art Contest for Guam, from left, Minchan Kwon, Amanda Salomon, Almar Salomon, Jeremiah Perez, Qi Shen, Jiyu Kwak, Kirsthel Marajas, and Brennan Huang pose with their art pieces during an awards ceremony on March 4, 2023, in the Atkins Kroll Toyota showroom. The winning works of art for Guam will be sent to Japan as entries in the world contest.
Hundreds of residents came down to Humatak on Monday for the Guam History & CHamoru Heritage Day Festival, where besides carnival rides and shaved ice you could get a healthy dose of cha-cha music and CHamoru pride.

Maxine Bigler-Tainatongo, a fafanague, or instructor with Guma Kinalamten i Tao Tao Tano, climbed off the stage after leading a display of traditional song and dance. The group, one of several recognized cultural houses throughout the Marianas, has around 40 young members.

We came here to be a part of this celebration because it makes us proud as a CHamoru people, promoting, perpetuating and preserving the CHamoru culture through song, dance and weaving, Bigger-Tainatongo said.

They are regular participants at the annual festival in Humatak, and participation with Bigler-Tainatongos group and others has been growing. We have so much of our youth being more proud of who they are.

Though her group usually participates in the annual reenactment of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellans arrival in Humatak Bay, they came for support this time around, as the ceremony has evolved much over the years.

CHamoru Heritage Day was previously known as Discovery Day, a public holiday that marked the anniversary of Ferdinand Magellans March 6, 1521, arrival. The government of Guam dropped the holiday due to budgetary constraints, but the holiday was reinstated in 2014 and rebranded Guam History and CHamoru Heritage Day.

This years reenactment was a collaboration, according to Raymond Lujan of Guma Ninaen Acho Latte. His group worked in collaboration with Southern High Schools CHamoru Club, Kinahulo Tuninos.

The reenactment, which uses drums, music, and traditional dance culminates the same way it always has in recent years: with huts constructed along the beach lit on fire to illustrate the conflict between Magellans forces and the indigenous CHamorus upon first contact.

But whats changed this year is whos reading the narrative to the gathered crowd: Logan Duenas, 19.

The past couple of years, Ive been a performer. But today was the first time that my saina asked me to narrate, said Duenas.

And the position came with nerves, as hes stepping in for the longtime narrator Dave Tedtaotao Gofigan, the reenactment coordinator and son of Humatak who died in 2019.

For the past, how many years it was senot Gofigan, said Duenas. So I dont think Im replacing him, but to follow in his footsteps. I feel like its an honor.

Duenas, who has been with Guma Ninaen Acho Latte for six years, said it was amazing to be a part of the celebration of CHamoru heritage and Magellans landing.

Its a very pivotal moment in our history. And I would like to believe that, you know, it was the catalyst for so many events in our history.
The United States is seeking more than $8 million in damages from the Japan-based Nippon Maru cruise ship and its owners for a pier accident at Apra Harbor in 2018 that a federal report later concluded was caused mainly by the ship masters alcohol drinking.

Nippon Marus stern struck the Navys fueling wharf in Apra Harbor, resulting in no less than $8,006,397.10 in damages to the Navys fueling wharf, the Department of Justices March 1 lawsuit says.

Efforts to reach a settlement between the parties years after the accident failed.

Now, the Department of Justice, in its lawsuit filed in the District Court of Guam, seeks judgment against Nippon Maru, Mitsui O.S.K. Passenger Line Ltd. and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd.

The lawsuit seeks the sale of the Nippon Maru, proceeds of which will be used to pay out the U.S. claim, with interest and costs.

It said the defendants failure to exercise care and skill in the navigation of the Nippon Maru, including failure on the part of the master of the ship, resulted in damage to the fueling wharf.

The lawsuit said that it is presumed that Nippon Maru was at fault for causing damage to the Naval fueling wharf because at the time of the allision, or the running of one ship upon another object that is stationary, the cruise ship was underway and the fueling wharf was, and remained, stationary.

It also said that the willful and wanton misconduct of the cruise shipmaster in navigating the Nippon Maru while under the influence of alcohol entitles the United States to punitive damages.

An Oct. 23, 2019 report from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said the 2018 accident was caused by the Nippon Maru masters alcohol drinking that day. The report said the shipmaster likely consumed more alcoholic beverages than what he reported, based on his breath test results after the accident.

The cruise ship, which was carrying 524 passengers and 224 crew members, was headed to Saipan when it hit the fueling wharf while still at Apra Harbor on Guam at around 9 p.m. on Dec. 30, 2018.

There were no injuries or pollution reported, but the accident was a costly one. After the accident, the passengers were flown home, but the vessel stayed on Guam for nearly two weeks and eventually left after repairs were made.

Now, the U.S. government asks the court to be declared the holder of a preferred maritime lien against Nippon Maru, and that a warrant be issued for the arrest of the M/S Nippon Maru, together with her tackle, apparel, and appurtenances.

No hearing has been set yet.
Traditional Chamoru prayer leader or techa, Margaret Blas, waves a white cloth as she stands alongside fellow Catholic community members, waiting for the arrival of the Santa Marian Kamalen statue in Dededo during its islandwide pilgrimage on Dec. 8, 2022.
The eviction of homeless people from a Dededo encampment across from the Micronesia Mall began on the morning of March 2, 2023. Representatives from the Guam Police Department, Office of the Attorney General, Dededo mayors office, Guam Customs, Department of Public Works and Guam Environmental Protection Agency were at the site to assist with the removal of the homeless and their belongings from the area.
Published on 2023/03/06 | Source

New stills added for the upcoming Korean movie "Soulmate" (2020)

Advertisement

Directed by Min Yong-keun

With Kim Da-mi, Jeon So-nee, Byeon Woo-seok, Nam Yoon-su, Park Ji-yeon-II, Ryu Hae-jun,...

Starts filming: 2020/08

Formerly known as "Hello, My Soulmate" (,  , an-nyeong, na-eui so-ul-me-i-teu)

It is a remake of a Chinese film directed by Peter Chan.

Synopsis

Age of 12, Mi-so, who transferred from Seoul to Jeju Island, meets Ha-eun, who is different from herself, and they promise never to separate.

Age of 18, Ha-eun's first love, Jin-woo breaks in two girls' friendship. Age of 23, the two girls are in pain because of their unfamiliar changes.

Age of 27, the two girls meet again. They missed each other living in a world that everyone changes. It takes 15 years to confirm their friendship. The two girls exchange their lives and truly understand each other's lives.

Release date in Korea : 2023/03/15
The language status of Finland is a matter of concern among parliamentary candidates, especially with the increasing use of English instead of Finnish and Swedish languages. This concern is highlighted by the recently launched Kielivaalikone, a language policy election compass, which has attracted responses from 683 parliamentary candidates. The Kielivaalikone platform features 28 language policy questions and provides recommendations of candidates in the users electoral district.

The platform also displays the differences between a candidates answers and those of the user. Users can also browse through candidates' responses and their language policy pledges even without answering any questions. The platform can be accessed in Finnish and Swedish languages at kielivaalikone.fi and valkompassomsprak.fi, respectively. The Kielivaalikone project is being run by a non-partisan, language advocacy group called Oma kieli ry - Eget sprak rf.

The majority of candidates who have responded to the Kielivaalikone questionnaire are concerned about the language status of Finland. They believe that all permanent residents of the country should speak Finnish or Swedish, the official languages of the country. Some candidates advocate for an increase in the use of English as a language of instruction in schools, while others worry that it could lead to a reduction in the status of Finnish and Swedish languages. Also, some candidates argue that the English-only policy of some businesses and public institutions discriminates against people who do not speak English fluently.

There is a significant number of candidates who advocate for stricter state regulation to promote the use of Finnish and Swedish languages in society. The Kielivaalikone platform reveals that 74% of the candidates believe that language laws should apply to state-owned enterprises and agencies fully. Moreover, 62% of the respondents would prefer tighter language regulations instead of deregulation. Many of the candidates who support tighter regulations have also made language policy pledges in the Kielivaalikone platform to promote the status of Finnish and Swedish languages.

However, some candidates are skeptical of increasing regulation. They emphasize the right of businesses to use any language they want in their marketing and customer service activities. 35% of the respondents oppose the imposition of Finnish and Swedish languages on businesses and public institutions in favor of English. Despite this, the overwhelming majority of candidates (84%) still consider English-only customer service as discriminatory.

According to Marja Alkio, the chairperson of the Oma kieli ry, the country is heading in a harmful direction if it continues to offer public services increasingly in English, encourage workplaces to switch to English, and allow municipalities and educational institutions to offer English-language education freely. Such individual decisions, if taken together, could lead to the decline of the Finnish and Swedish languages, weaken the quality of education, hamper work efficiency, and create large language minorities that do not share a common language with most people in Finland.

In conclusion, the Kielivaalikone project has highlighted the language policy concerns of parliamentary candidates in Finland. The majority of candidates advocate for stricter state regulation to promote the use of Finnish and Swedish languages in society. However, some candidates are skeptical of increasing regulation and emphasize the right of businesses to use any language they want in their marketing and customer service activities. Regardless of these differences, the Kielivaalikone project has provided a useful platform for discussing language policy issues in Finland.

HT
YLE on Thursday published the results of its latest opinion poll , revealing that the three most popular political parties in the country are separated by no more than 1.8 percentage points  a difference that falls within the polls two-point margin of error.

THE NATIONAL COALITION , Social Democrats and Finns Party are locked in an ever tighter race for the right to take first stab at forming the next government.

Support for the National Coalition fell by 0.8 points to 20.8 per cent. The Social Democrats and Finns Party are polling at 19.9 per cent and 19.0 per cent after recording gains of 0.8 and 0.6 points, respectively.

The National Coalition has held on to the top spot of the poll since May 2021. Long a proponent of joining Nato, the right-wing opposition party saw its popularity spike last spring as debate about the membership heated up in the wake of Russias invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Tuomo Turja, the research director at Taloustutkimus, reminded YLE that the changes in the poll are moderate.

The Nato bonus has melted away for the National Coalition, but the National Coalition remains the most well supported party out of the trio, he commented. The three most popular parties are more closely together, though.

All three parties are presently projected to improve on their performance in the parliamentary elections of 2019. The Social Democrats emerged from the elections as the largest party with a vote share of 17.7 per cent, narrowly topping the 17.5-per-cent haul of the Finns Party and the 17-per-cent haul of the National Coalition.

Support for the Centre Party decreased by 0.5 points to 9.5 per cent.

The Centre isnt in a particularly good situation at the moment, said Turja. The party continues to haemorrhage support in the traditional directions, meaning the Finns Party and National Coalition. The Finns Party has been benefiting slightly more in recent months.

Key for the ruling party will be its ability to mobilise its former supporters, according to him.

The Left Alliance overtook the Green League as the fifth most popular party as popular support for the former rose by 1.4 points to 9.0 per cent and that for the latter sank by 1.4 points to 8.9 per cent.

The Greens poll result is the worst in a long time. This is once again showing how voters are moving within the red-green bloc. This time around, the Greens are losing support to the Left Alliance, stated Turja.

Support for the Swedish Peoples Party stayed at 4.4 per cent. The Christian Democrats and Movement Now registered drops of 0.4 points and 0.3 points to 3.6 and 1.5 per cent, respectively.

Support for other parties, meanwhile, jumped by 0.7 points to 3.4 per cent, driven largely by the emergence of the Liberal Party. Turja estimated that the party, which accounted for one-third of the backing given to other parties, has a chance to nab votes particularly in Uusimaa, particularly from the National Coalition.

Taloustutkimus interviewed 2,459 people for the poll between 6 and 28 February.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT
Conservationists urge commissioners to keep tools to save farms, open land

If MountainTrue members supervised the editors, theyd probably start by taking the red markers from their hands.

Henderson County commissioners, land conservationists and some agriculture leaders say, are stripping the 2045 Comp Plan of tools the environmental community says are needed tools to preserve open land and save farms from development.

Last week, a roomful of people heard about ways the new comprehensive land-use plan could achieve those goals. So far, they were told at a MountainTrue-led presentation, Henderson County commissioners are declining to endorse the tools available to them to save farmland and natural areas and prevent sprawl.

Nancy Diaz, the southern regional director of the environmental nonprofit, noted that commissioners had often praised the planning staff and consultants for aggressively marketing surveys in person and on line that asked county residents what they hoped the long-range plan would do. The effort generated almost 8,000 responses. Survey results, the environmental community and land conservationists say, overwhelmingly supported saving natural areas, protecting farmland and preserving the countys rural character.

By deleting goals, theyre completely ignoring something theyre so proud of, Diaz said.

Dont delete tools

Chris Joyal, the director of the healthy communities program for Mountain True, noted that the comp plan projects that Henderson County will add 30,000 people in the next 20 years, an in-migration he said will require 17,000 dwellings.

We have a decision to make, he said. What were asking county commissioners to think about it is in the next 20 years, where are those people going to go? Are they going to go out into the rural areas that were working so hard to protect or do we want to concentrate them closer to Hendersonville, Flat Rock, Fletcher  the areas that have existing infrastructure, sewer, water, roadways  to absorb that new population.

Toward the tail end of the meeting at Jackson Park, MountainTrue showed slides that recommended commissioners strengthen the comp plans role in protecting wildlands, forests and farmland. Do not ignore public input. Keep recommendations based on community input sessions, one said. Add to our tool kit to guide growth. Dont delete tools, another said.

Among the goals commissioners removed in their Feb. 15 meeting were these:

Continue density bonuses to encourage land conservation in subdivisions with access to water and sewer and evaluate additional density bonuses as an incentive for workforce housing in new developments.

Develop an overlay district in the new Edneyville sewer service area to limit uses that are incompatible with the existing rural, agricultural area.

Set aside part of the Edneyville sewer capacity for industrial and agriculture uses.

Develop an Ecusta Trail joint overlay district with the cities of Laurel Park and Hendersonville that could expand allowable uses compatible uses compatible with the trail.

In Goal 2, entitled Protect and conserve rural character and agriculture, commissioners kept the goal of collaborating with Agribusiness Henderson County (AgHC) to support agriculture but deleted references to land-use planning related to economic development. They also kept a goal to assist three agriculture-supporting agencies  AgHC, the Soil & Water Conservation District and N.C. Cooperative Extension  but dropped the phrase and encourage collaboration.

During their Feb. 15 review commissioners also retreated from the more substantive recommendations under the preserve existing farmland goal, declining to endorse programs that would pay farmers to put their land in a form of conservation easement, which would protect the farmland from development in perpetuity. The board also declined to endorse a commitment to study a transfer of development rights program to move density from farmland to higher density zones served by water and sewer. And it deleted a goal to consider applying the County Voluntary Agricultural District to all Present-Use Value enrolled farms  those that get a property tax discount for remaining active in farm production  to further protect farmland from development pressure.

Bert Lemkes, the manager of the TriHishtil commercial greenhouse in Mills River and a longtime agriculture advocate, implored commissioners on Monday night to restore strong tools in support of the goal to protect and conserve rural character and agriculture.

My great concern is the list of recommendations relative to this goal that start with study or consider, he said. Delay in any of the steps will eliminate the goal in a very short time. To preserve existing farmland, the voluntary farmland preservation program is a must and needs implementation. If this does not happen, Goal No. 2 will be part of the history and not the future of Henderson County.

Commissioners continued their edits on Monday night, sometimes with a meat ax, other times with a scalpel. They deleted a recommendation sent up by the Planning Board to use the comp plan to direct higher density housing closer to the city to reduce sprawl, provide affordable housing for workforce and relieve pressure on roads and later deleted a reference to lighting mitigation on industrial and commercial land next to neighborhoods. They quibbled over the meaning of robust buffers or green belts between commercial and residential property before deciding to strike both phrases. The board members are expected to continue their review and editing of six more major goal categories over the next several months.
A CARE home in Sonning Common has promoted four new carers after they passed their carer exams.

Antony Jamela, Chitra Lakha Singh, Mawinnie Musonda and Lenny Jewure passed their care certificate qualifications last week and have now been employed full-time by the Abbeycrest Nursing Home in Essex Way.

Mr Jamela, 36, who comes from Zimbabwe, said: Im passionate about giving care to the residents and passing the certificates gives me the confidence to improve myself.

Mr Jewure, 39, also from Zimbabwe, said: I enjoy the variety that being a carer brings each and every day. Gaining these qualifications means the world to me.

Ms Singh, 32, from Guyana, said: The fact I get to make a huge difference in peoples lives makes this job so rewarding. Im glad of passing as I worked so hard for this.

Ms Musonda, 22, who comes from Zambia, said: Im proud of passing these certificates because they will help me further my career by upgrading my knowledge and skills.

Home manager Sonia Silva said: I am really pleased for the team. We are committed to providing the best care and service to our residents.
Hong Kong: Govt officers finish training course

The Development Bureaus Centre of Excellence for Major Project Leaders (CoE) today held a convocation ceremony and welcome session for Project Delivery Capability Programme participants.

Officiating at the event, Financial Secretary and CoE Honorary President Paul Chan congratulated the first four cohorts of government officers on their successful completion of the one-year programme and welcomed the four cohorts of candidates of this years programme.

In his speech, Mr Chan pointed out that with landmark developments including the Northern Metropolis and the Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands in the pipeline, the Government is committed to developing Hong Kong into a more liveable, sustainable and economically vibrant city.

Given Hong Kongs construction volume in the medium to long term is anticipated to hit about $300 billion a year, he stressed that the Government must use resources more smartly and effectively to take forward these projects.

As a major programme of the CoE, the Project Delivery Capability Programme, designed and delivered by Polytechnic University, aims to provide systematic training for mid-tier managers of public works projects in the Government, so that they can enhance their professional skills and uplift project delivery capabilities to deliver public works projects with a more innovative mentality and improved leadership skills.

Following the Financial Secretarys announcement in the 2022-23 Budget, the participants of the new term of the programme will include senior professionals from public organisations. Mr Chan encouraged the graduates and new candidates to tackle future challenges with innovative minds to enhance public project performance.

This story has been published on: 2023-03-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Japan's decision to discharge radioactively contaminated wastewater into Pacific Ocean is dangerous

09:39, March 06, 2023 By Joseph Veramu ( People's Daily

In the Pacific, Japan prides itself as a pacifist state. Their diplomats are known for being polite, respectfully bowing to dignitaries and emphasizing that they have the interest of the Pacific in their peaceful hearts. Now Pacific islanders are distressed and hoping Japan does not have the heart of aggression.

The Japanese government has been firm in its stance that the planned discharge of treated radioactive wastewater from Fukushima into the Pacific Ocean in 2023 is safe despite strong opposition from Pacific leaders.

Pacific islanders hope that Japan will look at the harmful effects of radioactive dumping that has a very high possibility of negatively affecting current and future generations of Pacific islanders.

Even local Japanese fishermen have strongly objected to the discharge of radioactive water. Toshiko Tanaka, a survivor of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima, pleaded, "We share one water on the earth and what leaks from Japan will leak everywhere. I think it's very bad and it's got to stop. All the wastewater has to be kept on land and not be released into the ocean."

It is noted that the Pacific Ocean is the largest mass of water on Earth, having the greatest biomass of organisms of ecological, economic, and cultural value. It has 70 percent of the world's fisheries. The health of the ocean ecosystems is failing due to climate change, over-exploitation of resources, and pollution. The discharge of radioactive wastewater by the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) will worsen the situation.

The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), comprising 18 members, set up a panel of global experts on nuclear issues. Their research was to support Pacific nations in their deliberations on the matter.

"We're unanimous in saying we don't see enough information to support dumping the radioactively contaminated water into the ocean," The panel noted. "Our first recommendation is to take that option (of dumping nuclear wastewater) off the table."

There are huge concerns that the movement of ocean currents will enable pelagic fishes to accumulate radionuclides in their systems and widely distribute them over the vast Pacific Ocean.

What should be understood is that fish consuming radioactive materials from Japan travel very widely. Unlike people who show their passports and visa before entering a country, fish do not stop to get visas before entering the waters of Pacific nations.

If the research that TEPCO is using to argue that the radioactive wastewater is safe to dump in the Pacific is found later to be wrong, then there is the real possibility of the genocide of Pacific peoples who rely on the ocean for their food needs. Consuming contaminated marine foods can affect the next generation of Pacific islanders.

PIF Secretary General Henry Puna emphasized, "Our ultimate goal is to safeguard the Blue Pacificour ocean, our environment and our peoplesfrom any further nuclear contamination. This is the legacy we must leave for our children."

Henry Puna was invited to Japan to discuss the release of the treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean. There is deep concern that Japan, which facilitates the Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM) every three years, may use checkbook diplomacy to entice Pacific leaders to agree to the dumping by promising them more money.

The president of the Federated States of Micronesia, for example, is quoted later as saying, "our country is no longer fearful or concerned about this issue (wastewater dumping)".

The PIF panel of experts, who have been trying to independently verify the safety of the operation, say they have not been sent data that proves it is safe. Alarm bells were raised over discrepancies in the data provided. The panel noted "We immediately noticed problems with the data that the panel has considered to be serious red flags. The panel has found that some of TEPCO's sample extraction has been inadequate, incomplete and at times inconsistent and even biased."

Some good news for the Pacific is that Japan has agreed to delay the discharge of treated nuclear wastewater into the Pacific Ocean until PIF science experts verify if it is safe to do so.

The incoming PIF Chair and the Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown traveled to Japan as part of the PIF delegation in an effort to convey their deep concerns. He requested a deferral of Japan's plans to dump wastewater into the ocean.

It has been suggested that Japan needs to reform its foreign policy in the Pacific. At the 9th PALM held on July 2, 2021, leaders of the PIF emphasized the importance of "ensuring international consultation, international law, and independent and verifiable scientific assessments with regards to Japan's announcement (of dumping radioactive wastewater)."

Japan cannot unilaterally dump radioactive materials. As it is a very powerful Asian country, it has a moral responsibility to respect and protect small Pacific island nations that are already suffering from the negative effects of climate change. These nations rely on the ocean for almost all their food sources and national incomes to support their economic development.

It should also be obvious that the dumping will also affect the entire world which sources marine foods from the Pacific Ocean.

We hope that common sense will prevail in the end and that the right action will be taken that will ensure harmony in the environment of the Pacific.

Joseph Veramu is the dean of the South Pacific Island Countries Institute of Asian Studies.

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Du Mingming)
Extended stay pioneers edyn announces the re-opening of its Moorgate property under its serviced apartment brand Cove. Opened on the 27th February 2023, The Moorgate by Cove is ideally located between the hotspots of The City and Liverpool Street in London, home of in-demand HQs, up-market restaurants and bars, and close to the buzzing neighbourhood of Shoreditch and Old Street, with its thriving arts scene, restaurants, and nightlife.

Newly refurbished with a contemporary design that encompasses heritage elements, the 27 thoughtfully designed serviced apartments include 4 studio apartments, 17 large studio apartments and 6 one-bedroom apartments.

Apartments at The Moorgate by Cove feature high ceilings, original fireplaces paired with elegant interiors and all the signature elements Cove is known for, such as fully fitted kitchens, king-size beds and integrated technology including a smart tv with screen-mirroring app control and super-fast private Wi-Fi. In addition, the one-bedroom apartments all include separate sleeping and living quarters, alongside a luxurious marble bathroom with under-floor heating.

Hotel website
Angela Howard will commence in the position of Senior Vice President Talent & Culture, Premium, Midscale & Economy, for Accor Pacific from 29th March 2023. Angela is an accomplished executive with over 20 years' experience delivering the strategic direction and operational effectiveness of Human Resource practices within multi-site and multi-business unit environments. Angela has most recently been performing a global role as the Holland America Group Vice President of Talent and Culture within Carnival Corporation with brands including P&O Cruises Australia, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Cunard, Carnival Cruise Lines and Seabourn. Angela takes over from Shelley Perkins who has been promoted to the role of Senior Vice President of Talent & Culture, Premium, Midscale and Economy, for Middle East, Africa & Asia Pacific.
Melia Hotels has appointed Pavlina Tarabova Alghamdi as general manager of Melia Desert Palm in Dubai.

As a seasoned hotelier with a strong UAE and Middle East background, Alghamdi has worked with well-known brands such as Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott Marquis. Most recently, she managed Rove Dubai Marina.

In her new role, Alghamdi will work to further elevate the luxury experience of the resort, with a focus for her and the team on designing memorable guest stays.

She brings a wealth of experience to the position, including time Melia Hotels International chain, having previously worked as the GM of INNSiDE by Melia Prague Old Town.

Alghamdi holds a Master's degree in Hospitality and Spa Management and has extensive experience in various roles within the hotel industry. She believes that hospitality is a team sport, and a leader should encourage employees to be the best version of themselves on a daily basis.
ITB Berlin also called Internationale Tourismusborse Berlin is undeniably the world's largest travel and tourism trade fair held at Berlin ExpoCenter City. After cancelling the previous edition due to the escalating Covid-19 situation ITB Berlin will reunite the travel industry again on 8 - 12 March 2023. With over 10 000 exhibitors and 160 000 visitors expected to gather during ITB Berlin 2023 the trade show will once again prove to be a staple in the travel event industry.

During the four days of the fair visitors will be able to explore information stands, hotels and property displays offering a comprehensive product overview featuring over 180+ travel destinations. This extensive showcase is arranged into easy-to-find show floor segments based on the destination's geographical locations. Additional guidance provide the thematic sectors of the exhibition further organising the extensive array of products and services into groups such as Adventure travel & responsible tourism, business travel, career centre, LGBT + tourism, luxury travel, medical tourism, youth travel and others.

Exhibiting businesses at ITB Berlin 2023 will gain competitive advantage in the travel market by utilising the expo's perfect conditions for successful product presentations, business networking and learning market driving forces. An advantage of the format is the ITB Buyers Circle, which groups the 1,000 top visitors with significant decision-making and purchasing power.

This event is organized by Messe Berlin GmbH
Noble House Hotels & Resorts  the family-owned boutique hotel brand with a carefully curated collection of 25 hotels, resorts, and experiences across North America  has partnered with Green Seal and applied for certification for 13 of its properties, continuing its sustainability efforts.

Noble House Hotels & Resorts is deeply committed to protecting and sustaining the environment and all of the communities connected to its hotels and resorts year-round. Working with Green Seal provides the hotel brand access to the nations foremost sustainable purchasing experts with a global reputation for excellence and the tools and guidance needed to adopt safer and more sustainable practices and products.

Each participating Noble House property commits to achieving certification to Green Seals Standard for Hotel and Lodging Properties (GS-33), typically within three to five months, signifying that the property has met Green Seals rigorous environmental criteria following an extensive review and on-site visit. Noble House properties that have applied and are in process of achieving this sought-after certification include: Kona Kai Resort & Spa, The Portofino Hotel and Marina, River Terrace Inn, Corazon Cabo Resort & Spa, Teton Mountain Lodge & Spa, Hotel Terra Jackson Hole, Gateway Canyons Resort & Spa, The Edgewater, Sole Miami, Pelican Grand Beach Resort, Little Palm Island Resort & Spa, Ocean Key Resort & Spa, and Marquesa Hotel.

Now more than ever, travelers are looking for proven-green destinations, with 70% of global travelers more likely to book a green accommodation. Working with Green Seal to certify several properties within the Noble House brand portfolio allows us to live at the forefront of wellness tourism and act as environmental stewards in the diverse communities our portfolio reaches. Stefan Muhle, VP, Regional Managing Director of Noble House Hotels & Resorts

Green Seal certification is based on a rigorous, independent evaluation of hotel features, operations and processes by scientists and environmental experts. To qualify, Noble House properties must demonstrate that they:

Protect human health and the environment by using housekeeping products that are low-VOC and free of toxic chemicals.

Are committed to stewardship by having an environmental mission and purchasing policy.

Conserve water through water-efficient landscaping and grounds-keeping measures and water-saving fixtures in guestrooms and public areas.

Conserve energy with 100% energy-efficient lighting in all guestrooms and public areas and energy-efficient appliances and windows.

Reduce waste by minimizing use of disposable food service items and seeking out reusable packaging and shipping pallets.

Green Seal certification is unique in its focus not just on environmental protection but also on health and indoor air quality. Achieving certification will validate that Noble House guests and staff can stay safe from allergy and asthma triggers while reducing their exposure to toxic chemicals.

For more information about Noble House Hotels & Resorts ongoing commitment to sustainability and more, visit the website and follow the boutique hotel brand on Facebook and Instagram.

About Green Seal

Green Seal is a global nonprofit organization with a mission to transform the economy for a healthier, greener world. Since 1989, Green Seal has applied rigorous standards for health, environmental sustainability, and product performance to its certification programs to empower better purchasing decisions. Today, the Green Seal certification mark is a universal symbol that a product or service meets the highest benchmark of health and environmental leadership. Visit greenseal.org or connect with Green Seal on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

About Noble House Hotels & Resorts

The Noble House Hotels & Resorts portfolio is a collection of 25 luxury and upscale hotels, resorts, and experiences across North Americaall designed for discerning travelers seeking to escape the daily routine. Noble House can be trusted to unlock the most authentic experiences in the most compelling destinations. This promise is delivered through their carefully curated collection that pairs boutique local charm with consistent high service and comfort standards. All concepts within their collection offer immersive, active adventure experiences that bring out the best of their destinations. Headquartered in Seattle, their family-owned business philosophy creates value for each concept's community, environment, ownership, staff, and guests. The portfolio includes: over 75 restaurants, bars, and lounges; the Napa Valley Wine Train; a collection of spas, marinas, and private residences throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico; a range of beachfront resorts from California to Florida; luxury retreats in Jackson Hole, Wyo., British Columbia, and Colorado; and award-winning urban hotels in Seattle and San Francisco. For more information, visit www.noblehousehotels.com or call 877.NOBLE.TRIP.
Vision Hotels Sold Tasmanias Scamander Beach Resort

Australia-based Vision Hotels has announced the sale and settlement of the Scamander Beach Resort at an undisclosed sum. Situated in Scamander, the property is just next to Steels Beach and Scamander River. The 60-key property features one food and beverage outlet with more than 150 seats and a liquor store.

Japan-based Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd (MECL) is selling a 50% stake of the newly constructed ARGYLE Aoyama (AA) to Japan Real Estate Asset Management Co., Ltd (JRE-AM), an investing arm of Japan Real Estate Investment Corporation (JRE) for JPY23.9 Billion. The 20-storey AA sits on a 22,010 square metre plot located in the fashion-centric Minato Ward and consists of office, co-working, a hotel, and retail spaces. The 42-key Aoyama Grand Hotel is currently operated by Japan-based hospitality firm Plan Do See Inc and consists of four restaurants, rooftop bar and a fitness center. The AA which was completed in 2020, sits on the corner of Gaien Nishi-dori Avenue and Aoyama-dori Avenue in Minato wards Aoyama upscale neighborhood.

Japan-based Tokyu Land Corporation (TL) is investing in hotels located in Thailand through the companys Singapore arm, investing in a trio of Ibis-branded franchised hotels as tourist returns. TL will acquire ownership interests from Thailand-based developer Origin Property Company Ltd. (OPCL) of three properties located in Phuket, Krabi and Hua Hin. OPCL will enter the partnership through their subsidiary, One Origin Company Ltd (OOC) which together with Tokyu Land will form a new entity with a registered capital of THB281 million. OOC will hold a 51% share while the remaining 49% will be held by Tokyu Lands Singaporean investing arm. The 258-key Ibis Phuket Kata, which is the largest of the trio sits on a 5,700 square metre site and consists of one restaurant and bar, swimming pool and three meeting rooms. The 206-key Ibis Styles Krabi sits on a 5,700 square metre site and consists of one restaurant and bar, two swimming pools and two meeting rooms. Lastly the smallest of the trio, the 200-key Ibis Hua Hin which sits on a 3,400 square metre site and consists of one restaurant and bar, swimming pool and two meeting rooms.

Frasers Residence Singapore Rebranded as Coliwoo Orchard

Frasers Residence Singapore has recently rebranded as Coliwoo Orchard, marking the eighth property of the Singapore-based LHN Group launched in Singapore. Situated at 2 Mount Elizabeth Link near Orchard and Somerset MRT stations, the 411-key property is within walking distance of the Mount Elizabeth Hospital. The 22-storey property features shared facilities such as a swimming pool, separate childrens pool, a jacuzzi, a co-working lounge, a gymnasium, and a BBQ pit. All rooms are equipped with a kitchenette, washer, and dryer machine, and en-suite bathroom. LHN Group has secured a three-year lease agreement with Eastern Realty, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Singapore-based Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation, Limited.

Malaysias Subang Airport is set to be Redeveloped as an Aviation Hub

Malaysias Subang Airport is set to be redeveloped into a premium city airport and aviation hub after the Cabinet approved of plans for its rejuvenation last week. The redevelopment plan, which is part of the new Subang Airport Rejuvenation Plan (SARP), will focus on seven areas, including the introduction of commercial jet passenger flights for general aviation, business aviation, urban air mobility, as well as regional commercial flight operations among others. The end goal is to turn the Subang Airport into a regional aviation hub with a maximum capacity of eight million annual passengers. The completion of this project will create thousands of high-value jobs in Malaysia.

About HVS

HVS is the world's leading consulting and valuation services organization focused on the hotel, restaurant, shared ownership, gaming, and leisure industries. Established in 1980, the company performs more than 4,500 assignments per year for virtually every major industry participant. HVS principals are regarded as the leading professionals in their respective regions of the globe. Through a worldwide network of over 50 offices staffed by 300 experienced industry professionals, HVS provides an unparalleled range of complementary services for the hospitality industry. For further information regarding our expertise and specifics about our services, please visit www.hvs.com.
Duetto, the hospitality industrys #1 Revenue Management Software (RMS), has today unveiled a refreshed brand ahead of exhibiting at ITB Berlin this week.

The brand refresh incorporates the mathematical greater symbol and a dynamic color palette, in a bold move to differentiate it from other hotel revenue tech vendors.

Our original logo was taken from the iconic curves of the Alfa Romeo Duetto. Not only was it an aspirational car for our co-founder, Marco Benvenuti, but it also symbolized speed and acceleration, all delivered with a fantastic driver (user) experience. It was no mistake that the curves also evoked the greater symbol. David Woolenberg, CEO, Duetto

Now, as 2023 gets underway, and as the hotel industry is truly on an upward trajectory, seeing figures surpassing those of 2019, we unveil a brand refresh for Duetto. One that has all the hallmarks of our past and represents our promise to our hotel clients: Duetto delivers greater revenue, Woolenberg added.

Complementary colors and icons evoking the greater symbol play through to the brand representation of the companys core products:

GameChanger helps maximize booking revenues and profits. It empowers hotels to sharpen revenue management strategies through innovative technology.

ScoreBoard helps hotels, casinos, and resorts create accurate day-level forecasts in minutes and receive business insights instantly through custom reports and interactive dashboards.

BlockBuster is a group accommodation software that helps hotels discover the optimal blend of group and transient business at the right rate, at the right time.

The website refresh also includes new, easy-to-navigate pages on property types, including hotels, casinos, resorts, and extended stay, as well as revenue challenges, such as total profit optimization, multi-property management, forecasting, and reporting.

Visit the Duetto website to see how it all pulls together: www.duettocloud.com.

Attending ITB Berlin? Why not visit the stand and see the new brand in its multicolored glory at Stand 142, Hall 8.1.

Attending ITB Berlin? Why not visit the stand and see the new brand in its multicolored glory at Stand 142, Hall 8.1  Photo by Duetto

About Duetto

Duetto delivers a suite of SaaS cloud-native applications for hospitality businesses to optimize every booking opportunity for greater revenue impact. The unique combination of hospitality experience and technology leadership drives Duetto to look for innovative solutions to industry challenges. The software as a service platform allows hotels, casinos, and resorts to leverage real-time dynamic data sources and actionable insights into pricing and demand across the enterprise.

More than 4,000 hotel and casino resort properties in more than 60 countries have partnered to use Duetto's applications, which include GameChanger for pricing, ScoreBoard for intelligent reporting, and BlockBuster for contracted-business optimization.

In both 2022 and 2023, Duetto was named the world's #1 revenue management system in the HotelTechAwards.

For more information, please visit http://www.duettocloud.com/.

Sarah McCay Tams

Director of Marketing Communications
Berlin, Germany - Fairmas GmbH has successfully completed the global rollout of its latest-generation web-based software for IHG Hotels and Resorts (IHG). Fairmas has been supporting IHG since 2005 with its innovative software solutions designed for the hospitality industry. Fairmas is a trusted BI hospitality software provider specializing in financial planning, controlling and management solutions supporting hotel businesses worldwide.

The software has been rolled out in 75 countries, including in more than 400 hotels in China.

The global rollout involved the implementation of FairPlanner, the easy-to customize solution to efficiently plan all P&L hotel revenues, costs, and profits; and the FairPayroll module to plan employee payroll expenses to optimize costs and savings as an all-in-one solution.

Fairmas has always been a strong and committed partner for hotel planning for IHG over the years. The software company has evolved with the hospitality industrys ever-changing needs and scaled up with IHG as it has grown and expanded its global presence. This has been a successful rollout - right from the start the Fairmas team was responsive to our needs and specifications for this project, always willing to find solutions, while managing the project efficiently and delivering to budget. Frank Merchiers, Vice President, Global Finance Business Intelligence & Information Delivery, IHG

As a Global Project Owner for IHG, we implemented FairPlanner because it is an extremely efficient hotel planning solution for our managed and owned hotels. Furthermore, the data interfaces with other systems, the easy-to-use & flexible reporting and the integrated payroll planning are all very useful for us in managing large-scale hotel financial planning and reporting. With 3000+ users worldwide, not only from finance, but also other operational departments and general managers, we can now drive better engagement with other stakeholders for our hotels financial planning and budgeting - leading to higher visibility and planning accuracy. Fairmas has played a key role in making our Forecasting, Budgeting and Actual Reporting process more efficient. We are extremely happy with Fairmas services and look forward to achieving more success together. Rolf Arndt, Director, Global Hotel-Owner Forecasting & Budgeting Process, IHG

Fairmas financial planning software is currently used by 900+ IHG hotels worldwide and the number is continuously growing. Fairmas has supported IHGs growth and never shied away from a challenge. Features such as allowing customers to work with different international currencies, availability in 9 universal languages, and catering to a variety of properties ranging from essential travel, luxury escapes to budget-wise staycations, among others, have kept Fairmas ahead of the changing times.

We are proud to have IHG onboard with us for the last 18 years, with 900+ hotels worldwide. Their trust in our products and the Fairmas team has been a great source of motivation for us. In addition to being pleased to work with one of the best hotel chains in the world, we are eager to evolve with them and further innovate. I would like to thank IHG for the continued trust they have bestowed on us and aim to continuously work towards a fruitful future for the industry. Niels Schroeder, Managing Director, Fairmas GmbH

About Fairmas

For more information or free demonstration, please visit www.fairmas.com

Fairmas GmbH is a software development company offering financial planning, management reporting and controlling solutions specifically for the hospitality industry. Fairmas also offers data management for hotel owners and investors. It is headquartered in Berlin, with offices in Germany, Spain, and Canada. Since the company's foundation in 2003, their focus has been on the development of innovative, tailor-made hotel software. With their continuous growth and steady expansion of their product range, more than 5,000 hotels worldwide are satisfied with Fairmas' hospitality financial BI solutions (www.fairmas.com).

Kinza Raheel

International Marketing & Communications Manager
All BOSC3 students take the course Talent Management Systems (TMS). We have learned that well-designed systems must adapt to the environment and relate to talent retention and company profitability. Is this true in practice? To find out, we interviewed Lilian Labropoulou, Head of Human Resources at the Four Seasons Hotel in Athens, Greece. Here is what we learned.

Hospitality industry is different

You have experience in different types of industries. What is unique about the hospitality industry?

One of the main differences in hospitality is that career progression is more flexible. No matter what your studies or your starting point might be, people have the opportunity to work and experience different areas across the sector to understand what they enjoy and determine their strengths. I also find hospitality more open-minded. People usually have traveled abroad, and they are more agile. They are not afraid of change, and they are willing to test and experience more things. This makes them better professionals throughout their career.

Context matters

In class we discuss differences between a traditional hierarchy (tight TMS) and a participative/agile structure (loose TMS). How does this work at Four Seasons?

Within the Four Seasons I have to say that the brand, the culture, the philosophy is the same in all the hotels.

Depending on the hotel and resort where you work, however, there are different challenges and a different local culture. So the approach is not the same in all the hotels around the world. The Four Seasons Athens, for example, is a very dynamic and complex environment with seasonal highs and lows. Here in order to be successful you need to be energized and a fast thinker to adjust to unforeseen changes.

Four Seasons has systems for talent management. Every year we evaluate and identify our high performers - key people we need to retain. All the people identified as high potential work closely with the learning and development team to have a development plan in place, preparing a leadership journey for the next few years.

Attracting talent for seasonal work

You identified seasonal workers as an important part of the Four Seasons Athens. How do you attract and motivate them?

We have approximately 600 seasonal employees and 400 permanent employees, and the motivations are different for these two groups. Our goal is to have at least 80% of seasonal employees as rehires, and we offer opportunities to work in different hotels across the Four Seasons chain. For example, we have international career days where representatives from seasonal hotels recruit staff from other Four Seasons hotels.

We offer the opportunity to stay in the Four Seasons family and work at different hotels around the world. We provide job security, training and the opportunity for international experience. The benefit for us is that we retain ourpeople who know the Four Seasons standards and guests. It is win-win situation for everyone.

In terms of rewarding, the compensation package and benefits are exactly the same for seasonal and permanent employees. The only difference is the type of contract. We have special benefits such as discovery nights, where employees from all levels can experience the Four Seasons hospitality in different parts of the world. We also provide opportunities to visit and work in other properties for one to three months to allow employees to experience a Task Force Assignment and create connections globally, expand their network and enhance their career growth.

Onboarding and managing Gen Z

Do you see differences in attracting young talent?

Generation Z is great. They want to have a well-balanced lifestyle, and I admire that they are realizing this at a young age. It took me 18 years to understand that I need to have more balance, self-care and time with my family. They are not afraid to travel, to change and to relocate. Young people have academic knowledge, energy and an appreciation for diverse groups so they are contributing to the success of our organization in its new environment.

One way we are adapting to Generation Z is in our on-boarding process. We used to have a program that was three days sitting in the classroom. The young generation love technology so our on-boarding journey starts with an app. You receive a link when you start and get introduced to the company and to the culture. It's more fun and interactive, and it has games, so you don't just watch and read things about things.

Furthermore, being born in a fast-paced era, Gen Z has adapted to the environment they live in, which led us to also rethink and adapt our communication and training styles. For one thing, we are very visual in the way we transmit messages, instead of long texts and descriptions we opt for focused communication, using interactive videos to engage our audience. The same goes for how we redefined our learning strategy. We replaced in class trainings by bite-sized, digestible key information and focused more on interactive application and on-the job training.

Feedback is another area we have been fostering. Younger generations seek for feedback and acknowledgement of their work and that is exactly what we educate our leaders to do. Open, honest and constructive feedback is a must and is one of the main motivations of our younger peers.

As mentioned before, Gen Z are keen on having a balanced life. Beyond this, they place great emphasis on having fun, being authentic and embracing who they really are in order to feel fulfilled. Our yearly Employee Experience Program offers a plethora of events, challenges, celebrations and activities for our people to enjoy themselves at work, be themselves feel celebrated, accomplished and well taken care of.

Learning & Development for young talent

Does Four Seasons offer any specific training programs to develop talent?

We constantly need to educate ourselves if we want to remain competitive and if we want to relate to the people in our team and our customers. We are designing monthly learning calendars combined with operational training. These include development of soft skills such as how to give feedback or how to do performance evaluations. These training sessions can have an immediate impact on all participants.

We also offer training for the well-being of our employees such as bi-monthly stress management or training to fulfil your personal development plan.

We have a Cross Training Program that allows our employees to experience another department and expand their craftsmanship. The ability to do so gives them freedom, experience and perspective, and in most cases, the ability to transfer from one department to another. We view our hotel and brand as a free school where you can explore other opportunities within the realm of your work, which consequently, improves our retention as well.

Learning and development is one of the most important divisions in Four Seasons, and they have a close collaboration with the managers, because it is important to set up the entire planning across the hotel.

Young workers and the industry

Any tips for young people entering hospitality and hotel sector today?

Never stop learning. I believe until you die you need to learn. This is the power - knowledge. Things are moving and changing. You need to be open to the way you see things and learn. And learning doesn't necessarily mean a degree. It could be reading, researching, exchanging and collaborating with other professionals. Learning is number one.

The second thing I always say is that no matter what you do, at the end of the day you need to make sure that you have fun and enjoy what you are doing. The one thing that will lead to success is to do things with passion. If you have passion and a love for what you are doing, there is no way to fail.

So our conclusion after this interview? Absolutely, what we learn in TMS is relevant and happening in the real world of hospitality. It was especially interesting to learn how the Four Seasons is innovating in their seasonal workforce planning and adapting to the needs of Gen Z related to onboarding and learning and development. The advice to never stop learning and enjoy what you are doing is inspirational for EHL students and graduates.

EHL Hospitality Business School

Communications Department

+41 21 785 1354

EHL

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Hudson, NY (12534)

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The REAL reasons governments want to ban TikTok

Nations worldwide are now scrambling to set restrictions on the use of TikTok. In this op-ed, Karl Bode of techdirt explains why banning a single app may not be the best solution for cyber security

Op-Ed by Karl Bode from techdirt

The Biden administration has given all federal agencies 30 days to ensure staffers do not have TikTok on any federal devices. All agency vendors are to adhere to the same rules within 90 days. Its the latest evolution in a growing planetary moral panic thats gotten well out ahead of its skis, resulting in often-performative solutions that dont fix the actual problem.

The Biden administration memo comes at the same time as EU announced it would be banning all diplomats from having TikTok on their professional devices, with the UK being pressured to follow suit. Those responses come in the wake of numerous performative announcements that the app has been banned by numerous states and state-funded colleges.

Banning a Chinese-owned app from government employee devices isnt a bad idea. The problem remains, as weve noted countless times, that this isnt actually fixing the underlying issue. Namely, our repeated failures on consumer protection, our failure to meaningful regulate the unaccountable data broker market, and our corruption-fueled failure to pass even basic privacy legislation for the internet era.

To hear the TikTok hyperbolics tell it, theyre taking meaningful steps to protect consumer privacy and national security:

The Biden-Harris Administration has invested heavily in defending our nations digital infrastructure and curbing foreign adversaries access to Americans data, Chris DeRusha, federal chief information security officer, said. This guidance is part of the Administrations ongoing commitment to securing our digital infrastructure and protecting the American peoples security and privacy.

This may surprise some folks, but youre not actually protecting the American peoples security and privacy by hyperventilating about a single app.

Yes, TikTok plays fast and loose with consumer data. So does nearly every other foreign and domestic app and service on your phone, from apps that track and monetize your every waking movement in granular detail, to apps and services that casually traffic in your mental health specifics. And thats before you get to the telecom industry, which has pioneered irresponsible collection and monetization of user info.

All of this data is fed into a massive and intentionally confusing data broker market that regulators have been generally disinterested in seriously policing, lest U.S. companies (gasp) lose money. We dont want to pass a modern internet privacy law, or be tough on data brokers, app makers, OEMs, or telecoms, because rampant surveillance and data monetization is simply too lucrative.

Theres a lot of sound and fury being generated to distract everyone from that fact.

There are two general problems cited when it comes to TikTok. The first being that the data TikTok collects can be abused by the Chinese government. But heres the thing: its trivially easy for Chinese, Iranian, Russian, or any other government intelligence to buy this same (and more!) data for very little money from the data broker industry weve routinely failed to meaningfully regulate.

The other claimed problem is that the Chinese government will use TikTok to fill U.S. kids heads with gibberish and propaganda. But not only is there no evidence thats actually happening at scale, its a rich concern coming from a country so inundated in authoritarian propaganda (across AM Radio, Fox, Sinclair and the Internet) that residents increasingly engage in widespread domestic terrorism.

The U.S. made a very specific, very clear policy choice decades ago to prioritize wealth accumulation over consumer privacy, national security, and market health. The same policymakers freaking out about TikTok created the very regulatory environment TikTok exploits. And they dont want to actually fix it because they dont want to lose money (or have to do things like obtain pesky warrants).

So what we get instead is a big, dumb, performance.

But the problem isnt exclusively TikTok. The problem is greed, corruption, and our multi-decade failures on consumer protection, privacy legislation, and corporate accountability. All protected by an increasingly lopsided court system specifically being cultivated to erode this sagging accountability even further.

Banning TikTok is like running into a burning house, dumping a cupful of water on a burning couch, then standing idly in the swirling smoke with a dumb look on your face insisting youve fixed the problem and that all worried house residents can go back to sleep.

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The town owns about 148 acres of the non-working farm within Dalton; another four acres is across the border in Windsor. The APR has been in place for 30 years. DALTON, Mass.  Town officials are wading through regulations that complicate their attempts to sell the Bardin property.

The 148 acres of land made up of three parcels came into the town's possession in 2016 in a taking for delinquent taxes. The town had first placed a lien against the property in 2009.

However, there's a fourth parcel still owned by the Bardin estate in Windsor and an agricultural preservation restriction that covers all four contiguous pieces of the farm that would seem to prevent Dalton from selling its portion.

This issue was apparently not brought up in land court when the town took the land.

The invitation for bids is still being finalized and reviewed by the town's legal counsel to discern the best language to use. Officials expect it to be ready by next week for publication.

A resident raised the issue of the Windsor land at that meeting, warning that selling only the Dalton land could violate the state APR. He suggested having one entity buy both the Dalton and Windsor land as a way to resolve the problem.

However, town officials cannot guarantee that since the town has no control over the privately owned Windsor land.

The state Department of Agricultural Resources paid the late James Edgar Bardin $260,000 in 1991 to place an APR on his farm. The agreement also gives the state the right of first refusal if the land is to be sold. A waiver from MDAR would be required for a sale to any other entity.

The preservation program was the first of its kind in the nation when it was enacted in 1977 to

encourage farmers to maintain their land for agricultural use by paying them the difference between the fair market value and the fair market agricultural land value.

In exchange for this payment, there is a "permanent deed restriction which prevents any use of the property that will have a negative impact on its agricultural use," according to MDAR's guide.

"Since its enactment nearly 1,000 farms totaling more than 73,000 acres have been protected allowing farm owners to access the equity in their land while still maintaining ownership of it," said MDAR spokesperson Phu Mai.

According to the agreement, the APR cannot be subdivided and can only be sold when unified. But the problem is that the APR became subdivided when the town took possession of three lots located in Dalton, separating them from the four acres in Windsor.

A lot of variables, including the soil and property viability, is considered by the field representative and landowner when considering what parcels to place under a restriction, APR Acquisition Planner Michele Padula explained.

Depending on the situation, a farm may be made up of multiple APRs or a single APR will be placed on multiple parcels.

MDAR does not want a viable farm to slip up into a bunch of small pieces without approval. So if it finds that several different parcels are viable and they make up one viable property, then they are protected under one restriction.

If there are separate APRs for multiple parcels, then they could all be sold separately and there will no longer be a viable farm.

Mai said the only way to release the APR is if the owner is able to demonstrate that the land is not suitable for agriculture or horticulture.

Last month, the board reviewed the draft of a bid invitation developed by town counsel KP Law, the state Inspector General, and Town Manager Thomas Hutcheson.

The original language specified that a "successful proposer" must own or have an enforceable contract to acquire the four acres in Windsor, read Chairman Joseph Diver, "prior to or concurrently with the closing on the property" with the intent to unite the APR under single ownership.

However, state procurement laws require bidding be competitive and this language did not seem to meet that standard.

Select Board member John Boyle strongly opposed Diver's proposed language saying, he is not in a position to "change what has been legally determined to be the best solution to this problem" by "the best legal advice available in the commonwealth."

The board then approved Diver's proposal to change the original language to say a "successful bidder will be liable to clear all issues with MDAR" and that "any bidder who hasn't a purchase and sale agreement with the Windsor parcel on the date of the bid is not eligible to bid" unless that agreement is voided prior to the bid date and time.

The goal of this language would keep the bid competitive to fulfill the state procurement laws.

"If the town was aware that someone had a contract on the property that would be problematic, but if the town was not aware of a current contract, that would be considered to be competitive bidding," said attorney Katharine Klein of KP Law, who attended the meeting. "I think this is a very, very difficult situation  I think it would be in lieu of the language that's there now and I do think that that would be legal."

Klein said the language could be cleaned up but noted that it is unclear what the end result will be. If someone bid for the property in Dalton without having the ability to buy the Windsor property, MDAR may not sanction the transaction, she said.

"I personally think that MDAR is being unreasonable and has been for a long time, but that's just my personal opinion," she said following this explanation.

The situation became more complex when Boyle claimed there has been a purchase-and-sale agreement in place for six months on the Windsor property that town counsel and other board members were unaware of.

If the town is aware of the agreement, then the bidding becomes noncompetitive.

Diver said in a follow-up interview that the town as a last resort may have to call on its representatives to introduce a home rule petition to the Legislature to resolve the situation.
Lenox Man Facing Obscene Materials Charges

BOSTON  A Lenox man was arrested and charged last week with attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor.

Paul J. Bruzzi, 35, made an initial appearance in federal court in Springfield on Wednesday.

According to the charging documents, starting in September 2022, Bruzzi used social media applications to communicate with an individual he believed to be a 14-year-old girl, but who was actually an undercover federal investigator. During these conversations, it is alleged that Bruzzi sent the purported minor nine photographs and videos of himself displaying his genitalia and attempted to pressure her into sending him photos of herself.

The charge of attempt to transfer obscene matter to a minor provides for a sentence of at least 10 years in prison, three years supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

U.S. Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement on Wednesday, saying Valuable assistance was provided by the Salisbury and Winchester police departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil L. Desroches of Rollins' Springfield Office is prosecuting the case.
Kaspersky recently unveiled its Kaspersky Extended Detection and Response (XDR) platform which aims to mitigate the costly threat of targeted ransomware for businesses in the Philippines.

Ransomwarethe malware that locks a device or filescontinues to evolve in quality and quantity. Last year, the global cybersecurity company noted the almost two-fold (181%) increase in ransomware encountered daily, which translates to 9,500 encrypting files per day globally.

The malicious actors behind these attacks also continue to sharpen their tactics and tools to earn more. Back in 2020, Kaspersky sounded the alarm against Ransomware 2.0. These attacks are highly targeted and employ pressure tactic to ask for higher ransom and to increase the reputational impact of an attack.

Two years later, we see the rise of targeted ransomware groups who added another extortion mode  either through reselling the data or files they have hacked, conducting DDoS attacks against their victim or the victims customers, or using the same data to conduct follow-up attacks like targeted phishing. They are dubbed as Ransomware 3.0.

For Southeast Asia (SEA), latest data from Kaspersky revealed Lockbit is the most prolific targeted ransomware which attacked 115 unique businesses in the region. These enterprises are users of Kasperskys B2B solutions; hence these incidents were foiled.

Lockbit ransomware group, which is also a ransomware-as-a-service provider, have successfully victimized major companies globally and in SEA including a major IT Service Provider  allegedly $50 million was asked for ransom, a private school in Malaysia, and a food manufacturer in Singapore.

The ransomware created by this notorious group is used for highly targeted attacks against enterprises and other organizations and is regularly updated, now on its Lockbit 3.0 version.

Malicious actors, like the Lockbit ransomware group, invest considerable time in up-front intelligence gathering to determine who they will target, how they will target them, and the optimal timing of their attack. This level of pre-planning makes attacks more sophisticated and therefore harder to catch. Combine this with their double and now the emerging triple-extortion models, modern targeted ransomware groups are set to disrupt more enterprises in SEA if we are not equipped enough to nip them in the bud, warns Yeo Siang Tiong, General Manager for Southeast Asia at Kaspersky.

To help the overwhelmed and undermanned enterprise security teams, we consolidated our multiple security tools into a coherent, unified security incident detection and response platformour Kaspersky Extended Detection and Response (XDR). This new platform provides multi-layer protection for enterprises, as well as threat hunting capabilities for their existing Security Operations Center (SOC), adds Yeo.

Kasperskys XDR promises adaptability for organizations of all shapes and sizes. This simple-to-use platform is also enriched with trustworthy threat intelligence data from KSN (Kaspersky Security Network) for better detection capabilities.

It is a multi-layered security technology platform in the form of solutions and cybersecurity experts' services and uses a proactive approach of coordinating siloed security tools into a coherent, unified security threat detection and response platform.

The many benefits of Kaspersky XDR for enterprises here also include:

Consolidating a large volume of alerts into a much smaller number of incidents that can be prioritized for manual investigation

Providing integrated incident response options that provide sufficient context so that alerts can be resolved quickly

Providing response options that extend beyond infrastructure control points, including network, cloud, and endpoints, to deliver comprehensive protection

Automating repetitive tasks to improve productivity

Providing a common management and workflow experience across security components, creating greater efficiency

The Kaspersky products and services that form its XDR are:

Kaspersky EDR Optimum

Kaspersky EDR Expert

Kaspersky Anti-Targeted Attack Platform

Kaspersky Managed Detection and Response

Kaspersky Incident Response

Interested customers can find out more at go.kaspersky.com/expert or contact sea.sales@kaspersky.com.
Following its series of successful store openings in 2022, Power Mac Center (PMC) continues to expand its retail footprint as the Apple Premium Reseller opens its second store in Western Visayas and its first store in the province of Capiz on March 3, 2023.

Its important nowadays to have access to a wide variety of devices that will help Filipinos achieve their daily productivity goals and hone their skills. Thats why we continue to boost our efforts in opening new Power Mac Center stores all over the country, and this year, were beginning with Roxas City. Our loyal customers and Filipino Apple fans can look forward to more locations this 2023, said Joey Alvarez, PMC Director of Product Management and Marketing.

As part of PMCs tradition in celebrating milestones, early shoppers at PMC SM City Roxas can enjoy huge discounts on select Apple and non-Apple devices from March 3-5. Participating MacBook Air and iPhone models are offered at up to P15,000 off, while a pair of AirPods (2nd gen) with charging case is available at P1,500 off. These offers are valid for installment, cash, and straight payments. Customers can also get 80% off on select premium accessories. More deals are available in-store so be sure to drop by.

PMC SM City Roxas is ready to serve customers Apple needs at the SM Cyberzone every day from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM. It is the 94th PMC establishment nationwide and the eighth location in Visayas, alongside The Loop by Power Mac Center stores and Mobile Care Service Centers.

For more information on PMC and its offerings, visit powermaccenter.com. To be updated on news and promotions, follow Power Mac Centers official Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube accounts.
ICC is the apex national body representing the Indian Chemical and Petrochemical industry. and the conference was attended by over 100 CEOs, 80 CXO level speakers and 500 delegates from various parts of the world. IIFL Securities interaction with participants revealed somber outlook, with most of them expecting demand weakness to persist for at least the next two quarters. New enquiries have dried up and the orders from European clients are getting deferred. Companies exposed to discretionary demand like dyes & pigments, automotive, flavors & fragrances and polymers are facing severe headwinds while agchem and pharma based-value chains are doing well. Consensus view was that the current volatility is here to stay and business uncertainty is certain in the near term.

However, almost all of the interactions pointed towards healthy medium-to-long-term outlook, on the back of strong capex pipeline with outsourcing opportunities remaining intact. Comments offered by several participants reiterate IIFL Securities cautious view on the sector, with recovery likely to be prolonged.

Marching towards $1 trillion by 2040

This years theme was based on 'Indian Chemical Industry: March towards USD 1 Trillion by 2040'. Thus, presentations and discussion were centered around the various ways to achieve the $1 trillion target. Shri Arun Baroka  Secretary, Chemicals & Petrochemicals, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilisers, GoI  highlighted that supply-demand gap in petrochemicals and intermediate chemicals provide attractive business opportunities for India. The government is taking required steps like rationalizing custom duty, imposing BIS standards, setting up Centre of Excellence, reducing time to grant ECs, and setting up of chemical parks to attract investments. Consultations are also ongoing for incentivizing chemical production through PLI schemes.

India  Next chemicals manufacturing hub

McKinsey, as a knowledge partner, released a whitepaper on India: The next chemicals manufacturing hub. The report highlighted various aspects of Indian chemical manufacturing. Its benchmarking against the six global chemical clusters revealed Indias strength as a global destination for manufacturing chemicals. It also highlighted Indias potential to triple its share to 10-12% by 2040 in global Chemicals sector. The Speciality Chemicals segment is expected to be a key driver of this growth, with a potential to contribute more than $20 billion to Indias exports by 2040 (10x jump). Although analysts at IIFL Securities remain optimistic on the industrys prospects, they find these projections to be more aspirational.

Focus on Agrochemicals to drive Chemicals exports

Shri Susanta Kumar, Joint Secretary  Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals  stressed on the efforts to bust the myths regarding agrochemicals in India. He urged the industry to come up with more scientific data points and take efforts towards educating farmers about the benefits of using agrochemicals. The government is bringing reforms such as companies are no longer required to submit data on toxicology if published information is already available. This is very positive for domestic players, as it rules out any arbitrary banning of agrochemicals. Indian Agrochemicals is a $5.5 billion market (Exports + Domestic) growing at ~8%, and is expected to contribute ~40% to Indias Chemicals exports. It is also likely to capture ~13% share of global agchems by 2040. Sodium (soda ash) and Caustic Soda are likely to become $13 billion and $11.5 billion markets respectively; while Fluorine is expected to reach $4.2 billion.

Europes pain to be Indias gain?

Europes Chemical sector,  the second largest producer globally  is facing significant challenges, on the back of geopolitical tensions, Green deal and its ambition to go climate neutral by 2050. Consequently, its competitiveness is increasingly getting challenged for most production input factors. Further, SMEs constitute ~96% of European chemical companies, which are witnessing drastically weak outlook for growth. While this is likely to prolong recovery for companies that are exposed to Europe, the view was that it would benefit Indian players in the long run through Europe + 1 shift.

Buzz on sustainability  Decarbonization and Renewables

The jury was unanimous on pursuing sustainability through decarbonization and foraying more into renewables, electric mobility and bio-chemicals. Net neutrality is compelling companies across the world to optimize existing fossil supply chains and adapt to the circular chemicals economy to achieving net-zero targets. Newer opportunities are also emerging from renewables, future of mobility, electronics, diagnostics and biotechnology. Though currently India lags, the industry is all set to leapfrog in the next 10 years. The growing demand for bio-friendly products globally is likely to benefit India, as it is expected to become the leading producer of many chemicals that are sued in such products. The companies that are exposed to these segments should do very well in the coming years.

Oil/Coal to Chemicals

With the world moving more towards electric vehicles and renewable energy  oil demand for fuels and coal demand for power  is expected to change drastically. This calls for stepping up efforts to move towards oil/coal to chemicals. GoI has set a target of 100 mMT of coal gasification by 2030. The Union Budget 2023 has proposed four pilot projects for coal gasification and conversion of coal into chemicals, so as to evolve technical and financial viability. Efforts are also on to study the feasibility of partial replacement of LPG with Dimethyl ether, which would help in cutting import bills.
Global Surfaces Limited, a company engaged in processing natural stones and manufacturing engineered quartz initial public offer is opening for subscription from March 13-15. The company has fixed the price band at Rs 133-144 per share. Investors who want to invest in the IPO should apply in a lot size of 100 shares.

The IPO comprises fresh issue up to 8,520,000 equity shares and an offer for sale of 2,550,000 shares. The promoters of the company, Mayank Shah and Swati Shah are offloading 14,00,000 and 11,50,000 equity shares.

The company has reserved 50% of the issue size for QIB, 15% for HNI and 35% for retail investors.

It has two units, one located at RIICO Industrial Area, Bagru Extn, Bagru, Jaipur, Rajasthan, and the other at Mahindra World City SEZ, Jaipur, Rajasthan. Both units engage in the processing and manufacturing of the products.

Open date March 13, 2023 Close date March 15, 2023 Lot size 100 shares IPO size (Rs crore) 154.98 crore IPO price range (Rs) Rs 133-144 a share Minimum investment Rs 14,000 Basis of allotment date March 20, 2023 Refunds date March 21, 2023 Credit to demat account date March 22, 2023 Listing date March 23, 2023

Unistone Capital Pvt Ltd is the sole lead manager of the IPO.

The company will be using the net proceeds for investing in a wholly owned subsidiary, Global Surfaces FZE for part-financing its capital expenditure requirements in relation to the setting up of a manufacturing facility for engineered quartz at The Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and for general corporate purposes.
On Sunday, IndiGo announced that it is considering using its alliance with Turkish Airlines to enable codeshare access to the US and Canada. The airline has been given permission by the civil aviation ministry to wet lease up to two aircraft to operate flights to the United States and Canada, a senior official told PTI on Friday.

IndiGo on Sunday responded to inquiries on the matter by various news outlets stating that while it continually assesses and discusses potential with aircraft manufacturers, at this point, it is all merely speculative.

'At this time, our goal is to allow codeshare connection to the US and Canada via our collaboration with Turkish Airlines after the necessary application and approval process,' the statement stated.

An airline can offer smooth travel to locations where it has no presence by using codesharing to book its passengers on partner airlines.

Air India is beginning to ramp up its foreign operations, and the airline is also planning to grow its fleet by ordering new aircraft.

In February, IndiGo began running wide-body Boeing 777s on the Delhi-Istanbul route. Turkish Airlines has given the jet to the low-cost carrier on a wet lease, marking the debut of wide-body service for the latter.

The operating crew and engineers are leased along with the planes under the wet lease arrangement. Wet leasing of aircraft is typically permitted for brief durations to address supply issues and prevent a substantial increase in airfares.

The airline currently operates a fleet of more than 300 aircraft, and another 500 are being ordered according to news reports.

With over 1,800 daily flights and the largest domestic market share in the nation, IndiGo is planning to fly to more foreign locations while concentrating on expanding its international operations.

IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers stated in a February interview with PTI that the company has always maintained the possibility of using wide-body planes open but withheld further information.

For feedback and suggestions, write to us at editorial@iifl.com
The man claimed that his son and daughter-in-law humiliated and insulted him on several occasions, ultimately forcing him to live in an old-age home.

The 80-year-old man was reportedly mistreated by his son and daughter-in-law, and as a result, the man gave his property, which was worth one crore rupees, to the governor of Uttar Pradesh with the provision that either a school or a hospital be built on it.

screenshot

Nathu Singh, a Khatoli town resident living in an old people's home, said that he had filed an affidavit with the sub-registrar's office to give over his land to the governor of Uttar Pradesh. Singh is originally from the village of Biral.



Pankaj Jain, the Sub-Registrar of Budhana Tehsil, revealed that on March 4, Nathu Singh filed a will to donate his residential property and ten bighas worth of agricultural land to the state governor.

Unsplash

The total value of the donation is around one crore rupees.



In the affidavit, Singh said that he would want the property to be used to construct either a school or a hospital after his death.

According to statements made to the TOI by Nathu Singh, who resides in an old age home since his son and daughter-in-law do not treat him correctly, the decision to transfer the land to the governor was made so that it might be put to productive use.

(For more trending stories, follow us on Telegram.)


In a move aimed to support and enhance Indias health sector development, the Government of India and the World Bank have signed two complementary loans of $500 million each.



This commitment comes about two weeks after India-born Ajay Banga was nominated to head the World Bank by US President Joe Biden.

Last month, India's think tank NITI Aayog's outgoing CEO Parameswaran Iyer was appointed as Executive Director at World Bank.

$1 Billion Loan For India's Healthcare Infrastructure

world bank

Through this combined financing of $1 billion, the World Bank will support Indias flagship Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), launched in October 2021, to improve the public healthcare infrastructure across the country.



In addition to the national-level interventions, one of the loans will prioritise health service delivery in seven states including Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Meghalaya, Odisha, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.



As per World Banks press release dated March 3, 2023, the agreement was signed by Rajat Kumar Mishra, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance on behalf of the Government of India and Auguste Tano Kouame, Country Director, India, World Bank.

Both the loans from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) have a final maturity of 18.5 years including a grace period of five years.

Also Read: Explained: Why All 13 Presidents Of The World Bank Have Been From US

World Bank's Statement Regarding The Loan

cnbc

The COVID-19 pandemic brought to the fore the urgent need for pandemic preparedness and health system strengthening around the world and was a stark reminder that pandemic preparedness is a global public good said Auguste Tano Kouame. The two Projects are supporting Indias decision to increase the resilience and preparedness of the countrys health systems against future pandemics. This will be of great benefit for the populations of the states participating in the projects and will generate positive spillovers for other states.



Indias performance in health has improved over time.

According to World Bank estimates, Indias life expectancyat 69.8 in 2020, up from 58 in 1990is higher than the average for the countrys income level. The under-five mortality rate (36 per 1,000 live births), infant mortality rate (30 per 1,000 live births), and maternal mortality ratio (103 per 100,000 live births) are all close to the average for Indias income level, reflecting significant achievements in access to skilled birth attendance, immunizations, and other priority services.

Despite these advances in the health of the Indian population, COVID-19 has underscored the need for revitalizing, reforming, and developing capacity for core public health functions, as well as for improving the quality and comprehensiveness of health service delivery, the press release mentioned.

The two Programs leverage the unique strengths of both the Center and the States to support the development of more accessible, high-quality, and affordable health services, said Lynne Sherburne-Benz, the World Banks South Asia Regional Director for Human Development. This strengthening of health systems, combined with attention to strong disease response, will improve preparedness and response to future disease outbreaks.

How The Loans Will Help Indian Govt

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As per World Bank's press release, the $500 million Public Health Systems for Pandemic Preparedness Program (PHSPP) will support the governments efforts to:



1. Prepare Indias surveillance system to be ready to detect and report epidemics of potential international concern, ensure rapid response, and prevent the emergence of pathogens.

2. Enhance Indias capacity to detect pathogens, including zoonotic diseases, to inform Indias bio-security response and commercialization of new technologies to prevent, detect or treat infectious diseases.

3. Strengthen coordination and build the institutional capacity of core public health institutions to implement the program and deliver high-quality results.

The $500 million Enhanced Health Service Delivery Program (EHSDP) will support Governments efforts to:

1. Strengthen service delivery through a redesigned primary healthcare model, which includes improved household access to primary healthcare facilities, stronger links between each household and its primary care facility through regular household visits and risk assessment of non-communicable diseases.

2. Improve the quality of care by supporting the National Quality Assurance Standards certification across Health and Wellness Centers (HWCs), implementing measurement tools for quality of care, including patient experience, and strengthening the health workforce by adopting state-specific human resource strategies for public health care facilities.

3. Transform health sector governance and accountability by strengthening implementation capacity, enhancing performance measurement and rewards at the district level, and fostering learning and knowledge exchanges among states.

Also Read: World Bank Warns Of Global Recession In 2023

For the latest and interesting financial news, keep reading Indiatimes Worth. Click here.
Avoid driving if possible. If you have to drive, clear all snow and ice from your vehicle before you start out. Drive according to the road conditions and give snowplows and other vehicles plenty of space.

Create an emergency preparedness plan for your family and assemble disaster safety kits for your home, car and office. Make sure you have extra windshield cleaner.

Prepare for power outages. Have flashlights and portable lighting ready. When using candles, always be mindful of fire hazards.

Charge electronics and have backup power sources available.

Once the snowfall has ended, keep your sidewalk and the front stairs of your house clear of snow and ice.

Keep snow away from gas meters, gas appliance vents, exhaust vents and basement windows.

Park vehicles in a garage, if possible.

Inspect your attic for frost accumulation, and check your eavestroughs and roof for potential ice dams or icicles.

Move valuable items out of your basement to higher levels in your home, in case of flooding.

Have someone check your property if you are away.

IBC also suggested that homeowners speak with their insurance representatives to confirm if they have the appropriate coverage. In particular, the bureau offered a reminder that water damage in a basement due to sewer backup is only covered by optional sewer backup coverage, and that overland flooding is similarly covered by an optional overland flood coverage.
Allstate CEO Tom Wilson gave assurances to investors that he had no concerns about the companys capital. The company raised its shareholder dividend by 5% last month, and Wilson said that it would spend a remaining $802 million on its existing stock buyback authorization by the end of the third quarter this year.
Zurich has become an industry-leading carrier for middle-market insureds, said Alex Wells, head of US middle market at Zurich. With the Summit Package, were providing another path to greater efficiency for middle-market customers and the distributors who work with them. Combining our Property Portfolio Protection  a preferred form for our customers and insureds  and general liability coverages will allow many customers to simplify their strategies for greater overall protection for their companies.
Were still living through the Great Resignation, a unique post-pandemic labor shortage defined by employers struggling to recruit and retain top workers. And as of May 2022, the layoff rate is still low and the demand for workers continues to remain high. This means that if they are having trouble hiring and keeping great employees, especially in a job seekers market, health insurance can give them a competitive edge. American workers are acutely aware of healthcare costs and often seek out companies that offer better benefits. In fact, healthcare can be the key deciding factor when taking a new job.
Facebook had come up with groups a few years before and they were really kind of making a push for groups, so I decided to put that whole network of all my friends and buddies in various industries in a Facebook group and the plan was just to add people as they asked, Bagby said.
A Wexford man suffered fatal injuries during his first lesson on learning to ride a motorcycle after colliding with a wall at a training compound, an inquest has heard.

Paul Martin, 48, a father of three from Cromogue, Bunclody, Co Wexford, died at Tallaght University Hospital in Dublin on June 13, 2021, a few hours after being transported by air ambulance from the Showgrounds in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, where he had been taking a professional driving lesson in the car park of the local greyhound stadium.

Evidence was heard that Mr Martin was training in stopping at a T-junction on a Suzuki SV650 motorbike but instead of turning drove straight into a concrete wall.

He was participating in the first day of a mandatory three-day initial basic training course for learner motorcyclists.

Relatives of the deceased told a sitting of Dublin District Coroners Court on Monday that they were concerned over the manner in which the circumstances of his death had been investigated by gardai, the Health and Safety Authority and the Road Safety Authority.

His wife, Rita Martin, described her late husband as a very careful and cautious man. She told the coroner, Aisling Gannon, that she and her family had serious concerns about how the tragic death had occurred and how it was subsequently investigated.

Ms Martin said they had been left chasing the various authorities seeking answers about his death while it had taken 20 months before her husbands helmet and training logbook were returned to them.

'Like a horror film'

The couples son, Josh Martin, told the inquest how seeing his father in hospital was like a horror film as his head was cracked open like an egg.

The inquest heard the witness describe replaying the events of the day his father died over on a daily basis like a film.

My life turned completely upside down. I dont want to get out of bed. I dont want to be alive, he remarked.

He recalled how the deceased was not only his father but his best friend, whom he regarded as invincible. Mr Martin vowed that he would try to ensure that his father would not be made a scapegoat for what happened on the day.

He also criticised the failure of the authorities to preserve the scene and clean up the area following the fatal collision.

Mr Martin described going to the accident site the following day and finding a pool of blood but being mistakenly informed by a garda that it was hydraulic oil.

He claimed HSA inspectors had not visited the site until two days after the incident and had not returned calls from his family.

I feel the same disregard for safety is still taking place and it feels like everything is being swept under the carpet, he added.

Driving instructor's evidence

Driving instructor Stephen Hodnett, of Two Wheels Training in Enniscorthy, told the coroners court that Mr Martin had already completed several practice runs of stopping at a T-junction without incident before the collision.

Paul Martin, 46, from Bunclody, Co Wexford, died at Tallaght University Hospital in Dublin on June 13, 2021, a few hours after being transported by air ambulance from the Showgrounds in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, where he had been taking a professional driving lesson in the car park of the local greyhound stadium. Picture: Collins

He described the task as one of the slower exercises in the training course, which was as much about education as skill riding a bike.

Mr Hodnett said Mr Martin had begun training at 8.30am that morning and they had just returned to training after a coffee break at around 12.40pm when the accident happened.

He said the motorcyclist was knocked out on impact, while his helmet came off his head and was later discovered on the far side of the wall.

Although gardai had recorded that Mr Hodnett had described the victim as appearing to be in a state of panic just before the collision, he told the coroner he did not recall making such a comment.

There was no reaction. There was no panic, said Mr Hodnett.

Becoming emotional, the instructor said the only thing he could not understand was the riders lack of reaction.

He was looking straight through me as if I was a ghost, he recalled.

Mr Hodnett said he was an approved instructor with the RSA who had also certified the Showgrounds for use in training with motorcycles.

He confirmed Mr Martin was wearing the appropriate gear, including a helmet.

Asked by the coroner if he had any concerns about Mr Martins ability with a motorcycle, Mr Hodnett replied: Zero.

However, he said it was not always possible to tell if a rider had closed the strap on their helmet and it was an issue he encountered frequently.

In reply to questions from lawyers for Mr Martins family about the safety of training near a wall, Mr Hodnett said: Eight metres from a wall is a hell of a lot safer than one metre from a moving car.

The inquest heard evidence that an inspection of the Suzuki motorcycle used by Mr Martin was found to be in excellent condition prior to the collision.

No criminal prosecution

Garda Lorraine ODwyer said a file on the case had been forwarded to the DPP, who directed that no criminal prosecution was warranted as it was deemed a tragic accident.

HSA inspector Joeline Cantwell said no defects had been found with the helmet used by the deceased, while all the required risk assessments and safety statements had been in place at the time by Two Wheels Training.

The inquest heard the RSA had no powers to investigate such incidents but could respond to complaints to see if approved driving instructors were compliant with road safety regulations.

RSA official Marian Lambe said it was aware of the investigations into Mr Martins death being conducted by both gardai and the HSA.

Ms Lambe said the RSA had no concerns about Mr Hodnett as an instructor, while it had recently re-certified the Showgrounds in Enniscorthy for use as a training compound.

Autopsy results showed Mr Martin died from multiple traumatic injuries consistent with a motorcycle colliding with a wall.

Lawyers for Mr Martins family claimed his death was avoidable as his helmet was not correctly fastened while the training compound was accessible to the public during lessons.

However, the coroner said the familys suggestion that the training centre was unsuitable and quite dangerous was not in keeping with the evidence.

Ms Gannon also pointed out that the deceaseds catastrophic injuries were not confined to his head.

Verdict of accidental death

Based on the evidence, the coroner returned a verdict of accidental death.

Ms Gannon said she would recommend that the RSA would advise driving instructors to check that learner motorcyclists had properly closed their helmets at each stage of a training course, particularly after taking breaks.

At the conclusion of the inquest, Ms Martin said she had raised her familys concerns because they wanted to ensure that no other family would suffer in a similar way, as her husband should not have lost his life that day.

There is no blame here. Its about lessons learned and putting in place best practice and standards, said Ms Martin.
In the 16 years he has been in national politics and the seven years he has occupied one of the two finance ministries, Paschal Donohoe has only once seen his personal integrity come under focus.

That was January of this year when the Mr Nice Guy of Irish politics came under pressure over undeclared general election spending on posters.

Following reports in The Phoenix magazine and then the Irish Examiner six weeks ago, Mr Donohoe gave a hastily convened press conference outside Merrion Square on a Sunday afternoon.

Donohoe presented himself to the media to address allegations that he was subject to an investigation by the Standards in Public Office Commission (Sipo).

Paschal Donohoe said 'he did not better understand and appreciate' the exact accounting for election expenses. Picture: Moya Nolan

The investigation was initiated by a complaint from a member of the public and followed several weeks of media queries about his election campaigns in 2016 and 2020.

His failure to properly declare work carried out by a third-party company became the subject of intense political and media scrutiny for almost two weeks.

Over a matter of roughly 1,000, the president of the Eurogroup of finance ministers was in a dogfight to save his career. For the first time in his national political career, which commenced in 2007, Donohoes own personal conduct was in question.

Donohoe was forced to apologise and submit an amended financial statement to the political ethics watchdog after revelations that he did not correctly account for expenses paid for his election seven years ago.

A unique challenge

In his first major interview since the controversy, Donohoe speaks candidly of the personal toll the saga has had on him.

I regret so much what happened, I do," he says. "I'm working to meet the requirements that Sipo will have in relation to it.

"I looked back on my time in public office, and while I did find this really demanding, it was demanding in a different way, because of course, it was about me, and that posed a unique challenge to me.

I did my best to deal with the matter.

He absolutely regrets that at each point in his two elections, which were at the heart of this controversy, that he did not better understand and appreciate the exact accounting for election expenses.

The declaration of expenses for two election campaigns should have been more accurate, he says. "And that is my responsibility. I don't want to diminish that.

I really regret that happened.

"I became embroiled in an understandable focus that lasted over two weeks.

"I just want to reiterate that I acknowledge that was an important and serious issue, which I know Sipo will now consider.

Did he ever consider that his position was becoming untenable and that his resignation was becoming necessary?

He doesn't answer the question straight on, but says he was very grateful for the considerable support offered to him by his Government colleagues, which allowed him to go into the Dail and argue for proportionality on his mistakes.

'Committed centrist'

The day before this interview, the respected columnist and former Government advisor Gerard Howlin took direct aim at Donohoe and Fine Gael, describing it as a fake right-wing party which has been dragged towards the left wing of politics by the likes of Sinn Fein.

Donohoe, a self-described committed centrist responds by accepting that the centre ground in Irish politics has moved to the left, but has done so in response to dramatic crises, such as the pandemic.

He also defends his record of managing the public finances, despite them ballooning from about 50bn six years ago to 90bn now.

I am a credible and committed centrist and I always have been, and always will be, he states.

So the centre has moved [left] in Ireland, but I would argue the centre has moved more in a response to two things.

Number one, experiencing the aftershocks of the global financial crisis.

"The greatest challenge that I faced was the intense expectations in the aftermath of exiting an external aid programme and our economy beginning to grow again, he says of the 2010 to 2013 Troika bailout.

He says meeting those expectations did result in a movement of the centre.

And likewise, there's little doubt at all that the aftermath of covid has reframed how our society views our Government, he says.

So I accept that the centre has moved."

But he then comes the defence of his role in all of it, saying: Do you remember the early phase of dealing with covid and me making the case for the fact that our books would have to balance again?

"I'm the politician who, in the run-up to the 2020 election, argued that we have to have a budget that didn't have tax reductions and social welfare increases because of Brexit.

And I'm also the politician who's got our national finances to surplus twice, and made deposits into a rainy-day fund twice.

"So I accept the centre has moved, but I see the centre moving as a response to the seismic events our society and economy has confronted.

Mr Donohoe highlights how he has managed the exit from the hugely expensive pandemic unemployment payment and the wage subsidy scheme without the "sky falling in", even though Opposition parties were demanding the retention of such schemes.

Leadership ambitions

The interview concludes with the same question he has been asked for years.

Do you want to lead your party?

The answer is a swift and resolute no.

My answer to your question is still the same from the first day, he says.

I've worked for three taoisigh now, as I said, and I see how incredibly demanding that office is.

"And the office that I've attained and been able to try to do my best in is more than enough for me now."
Interview Assessing Possible Military Developments in Myanmar This Year

Peoples Defense Force fighters

In the following interview, human rights campaigner Igor Blazevic asks security analyst Anthony Davis about the state of the civil and armed opposition to the junta, and the condition of the Myanmar military after two years of trying to contain the armed uprising.

Blazevic: Anthony, you are military analyst, but let me start by asking, are multiple forms of civil resistance and disobedience still important factors in Myanmars anti-junta uprising? Spring Revolution started with the civil resistance and only later it transformed into the armed resistance as well. What role the civic resistance plays now? Is it still very important factor or the outcome will be decided on the battlefield?

Davis: Civilian mobilization and civic organization is fundamental in underpinning support for any popular armed struggle. This is particularly important in a situation where there is no revolutionary party as an organizing core which is very much the case in Myanmar today: the NLD represented the legitimacy underpinning the popular uprising of 2021 but it is certainly not a revolutionary party going forward. So, if you dont have that one revolutionary center then civic organizations across the country in different regions become critically important. You cant have a peoples war without peoples participation, politically, economically, militarily, in terms of the information war  across the whole spectrum. Although the military struggle, in my opinion, will be the decisive element, without the continued support and participation of society through civil organizations, including those supported by the NUG, that military element cannot hope to prevail.

Blazevic: We are already second year of a conflict that is extremely exhausting conflict for the population. Do you see popular support for the revolution and resistance already floundering under the pressure of the military atrocities or you think the resilience of the people of Myanmar is still as strong as it was at the beginning of the uprising?

Davis: Thats a difficult question for me to answer sitting in a comfortable office in Bangkok. But my general impression is that the people of Myanmar are still very much committed to the struggle. They recognize that this is a revolutionary opportunity, which is probably not going to come again  a truly historic opportunity to introduce a new political, social and economic system for Myanmar. I think that awareness is generally felt.

However, there will obviously be areas where the degree of support or of exhaustion varies. What I am hearing is that, if youre in an urban area of Myanmar, if youre in Yangon, Mandalay or one of the big cities, life for many people is to a degree normal. I was talking to somebody the other day who just arrived from Yangon and this lady was saying, Im not seeing troops on the streets, I do not have to go through checkpoints. Life is largely normal. So, if you are in an urban area without much disruption, it is reasonable to assume you will want to get back to a normal life, being able to feed your family and do your business as soon as possible.

However, if you are in an area where the war is immediate and real, in Karen state or in Sagaing or Magway or Chin where the fighting is ongoing, where villages are being destroyed, where people are being killed, then I would imagine that there is a very powerful level of anger driving participation. It would depend very much on where you are.

Blazevic: Is Myanmar military being significantly weakened? They are losing soldiers and territory, they face defections, they have recruitment problems. Is Myanmar military still strong enough for a war of attrition? What currently are the main vulnerabilities on Myanmar military?

Davis: From the beginning of the crisis, I have always argued that it would be a very serious mistake to underestimate the strength of the Myanmar military. This is a huge organization which for seven decades has been used not just to running the country but also coming to feel that they own the country  that they somehow represent the essence of Myanmar and have the right to decide what is the best for it and how politics will be played. With this mentality the military has built up over time a very significant degree of organization, internal cohesion, discipline, military resources, and economic power. It would be a bad mistake to underestimate these people simply because the ordinary people of Myanmar have stood up to fight them. They should not be underestimated.

There has been a tendency since the months following the coup to exaggerate the number of defections and desertions from the military as well as their battlefield losses. The media, both in Myanmar and abroad have not done a very good job in looking at this issue of defections, desertions, losses in a realistic manner.

Lets start with defections and desertions we hear so much about. Because we want to believe it, its tempting to think that this is an army on the verge of disintegration. This is clearly not the case. I have looked at the issue closely and talked to well-placed sources inside Myanmar regularly. My assessment, which may of course be wrong, is that desertions and defections may perhaps have totaled somewhere around 3,000, maybe 4,000, from the army and police over two years. In terms of battlefield losses, killed and badly wounded, my best estimate would be somewhere between 10,000 and 15,000 in two years.

So in terms of men whove quit the security forces plus those killed or wounded, were likely talking less than 20,000. Now this is a military which in terms of combat-capable units numbers somewhere over 100,000 personnel. You can then add to that an essentially militarized police force of not less than 70,000. So in terms of losses, perhaps 15,000 in two years from a military organization that is at least 170,000 strong, maybe more. These are not insignificant losses but theyre certainly not crippling, and I doubt if they are going to produce any dramatic reassessment of how the military looks at this struggle. I would argue that such losses are seen from Naypyidaw as acceptable; that the military believes it can continue to function and fight with this level of loss.

Let me add one other thing as regards defections and desertions. They have almost all been defections of individuals or very small groups of two or three men leaving a unit. What we have not yet seen  and I stress the word yet  is an entire unit of 10, 20, 30 men quitting en masse  either by giving up their weapons and going home or joining the resistance. That hasnt happened. I believe that eventually it may happen but so far it has not, and we need to understand this. It is not a coincidence; it reflects the fact that the Myanmar military is a remarkably disciplined and cohesive organization.

So, if thats the bad news, is there any good news? Yes: they also have some real weaknesses to contend with. The most fundamental is that they simply do not have enough manpower to suppress resistance across much of Myanmar. Almost every combat unit in Myanmar is undermanned, and overall, the military is overstretched. Its trying to do too much in too many places. A battalion in the Myanmar army should number around 750 men, officers and other ranks. A typical battalion now today in Myanmar is probably 200 on a very good day, often 150 or less. Not 750, but 150 or less. This is a huge problem.

Air power can only offset this dilemma to a certain extent. And since the last quarter of 2022 there has been a lot of stress, in the media, from the NUG, from PDFs, from civil society, on the impact of air strikes and the fact that the resistance has no anti-aircraft capability. However, I would argue that its important not to exaggerate airpower and to understand its limitations. Having spent much of the 1980s working in Afghanistan where Soviet airpower was deployed against village-based guerrilla resistance in much the same way as across Myanmar today, I know a little bit about this. Then it was Mi-24 helicopter gunships and Su-25 ground attack jets; now its Mi-24s and YAK-130 jets. These strikes can certainly cause large scale displacement of the civil population. But guerrilla resistance learns to adapt to the threat using camouflage, dispersal and optimum timing for their own attacks. So in a guerrilla environment, the initial psychological and kinetic shock of air power typically diminishes over time.

Where air power can of course be incredibly destructive, both physically and in terms of morale, is when guerrilla forces allow themselves to get bogged down in protracted assaults against army strongpoints or futile attempts to capture urban areas. At this stage in the war the regime in Naypyidaw will absolutely not accept the loss of urban areas. They will destroy them in order to save them, killing not only resistance fighters but also their civilian supporters. That will result in civilians saying to the resistance, thank you very much for coming to our town but you killed half of the population indirectly by attracting airstrikes. So, for the time being  this year and probably into 2024, depending on how the situation develops  in my opinion at least, it is really important in that the resistance in Myanmar does not attempt to capture urban centers, however tempting that may appear.

So, what do they do? I would argue simply that for the coming year, the focus should be on hitting the military at its point of greatest vulnerability  a plethora of over-extended, undermanned army and police positions spread almost everywhere. The strategy must focus specifically and relentlessly on destroying enemy forces piecemeal and capturing their weapons.

It may be worth making one other comment with regard to the weaknesses of Myanmar military. This is an organization which finds very difficult to conceptualize defeat. Their institutional arrogance and lack of self-doubt have created a mindset in which conceding strategic reverses, let alone outright defeat in almost impossible. It seems likely that at this point they dont fully understand just how bad their strategic dilemma is. For the resistance, facing an enemy who imagines he can still win when he is actually slowly losing, is undoubtedly an advantage.

Blazevic: You mention that battalions should be 750 men, but now they are only about 150. Where have all those soldiers gone? One more question about logistic. It is often said that the war is won and lost by logistics. How do you estimate the weaknesses of the military in terms of their logistic capacity?

Davis: The answer to the first question is simple. The fact that infantry battalions in the Myanmar military have, give or take, only 150 men is nothing new. This goes back at least 20 years. In the 1990s, after the 88 uprising the Myanmar military expanded at a breakneck speed in order essentially to establish a garrison footprint across the entire country. But recruitment for what has always been a voluntary rather than conscription-based army simply could not keep up. They were expanding the number of infantry battalions without having sufficient manpower to fill them, while battalion commanders were  and still are  under pressure to maintain or increase unit strength and happy to inflate the numbers of recruits they were pulling in.

But what is now happening now is that infantry battalions are in action, potentially or actually, not just in certain parts of certain ethnic states  Shan or Kachin or Rakhine  but across the whole country. So under-manning is not a new problem, but today it has become a critical one.

As to logistics, any army is looking essentially at supplying line units with food, ammunition, and fuel. In this respect I dont think the military is facing problems it cannot solve. If there is one exception, that would be Chin state, where the roads are really bad, often extend over long distances and are few and far between. Resupply in 2021 and 2022 involved very big convoys moving slowly between the main towns  Mindat, Matupi, Hakha, Thantlang. These convoys are extremely vulnerable because they move slowly on bad roads and the areas around them are largely controlled by the Chin resistance. Chin state is a logistical nightmare for the military, and it now depends significantly on helicopters  expensive in terms of fuel costs and, if the resistance can position machine-guns around landing pads, maybe not that safe either.

Karenni state also poses broadly similar logistics problems though probably not to the same degree. But with regard to other fronts across the country, I am not aware of any areas where logistics are a critical headache. There are of course plenty of ambushes and IEDs, especially in Sagaing and northern parts of Magwe. But is that a critical problem anywhere? I dont think so.

That can of course change if the resistance becomes more effective in not only attacking convoys but temporarily cutting roads. If the resistance in the coming year or two can begin effectively cutting major roads and railways, then the logistics issue has the potential to become a huge problem for the military. But right now, we havent reached that point.

Anthony Davis is a Bangkok-based security consultant and analyst with extensive field experience on a range of armed conflicts across Asia. He writes primarily for Janes, a security and defense publishing house.

Igor Blazevic is a senior adviser at the Prague Civil Society Centre. Between 2011 and 2016 he worked in Myanmar as the head lecturer of the Educational Initiatives Program.
Burma Myanmar Junta Losing More Than One Soldier Per Day: Kayah Resistance

Troops of the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force parade in Kayah State. Photo/ KNDF

Junta troops lost an average of more than one soldier per day in clashes with resistance forces in Kayah State in February, according to the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF).

In February, a total of 45 regime soldiers were killed and 16 wounded in 35 clashes with resistance forces including KNDF across Kayah State and neighboring townships in southern Shan State.

The KNDF has been fighting the junta in the states alongside several Peoples Defense Forces (PDFs) and the Karenni Army (KA), the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP)s armed wing.

Two KNDF fighters were also killed in Februarys clashes, the resistance group said.

After facing near-daily attacks by the resistance groups, the regime launched repeated artillery attacks and six airstrikes on civilian targets in the three Kayah townships  Loikaw, Hpruso and Demoso  and in Pekon Township in neighboring Shan State.

Eight civilians including children were killed and 12 injured by the indiscriminate junta attacks.

They also destroyed nine homes, a clinic and four religious buildings, said the KNDF.

On Feb. 24, the KNDF and allied resistance fighters managed to seize a military checkpoint at the entrance of Saung Pyaung village in Pinlaung Township, southern Shan State. Regime forces responded by deploying 100 reinforcements including junta-allied Pa-O National Army (PNO) troops, resulting in a week of clashes in the area. After suffering heavy casualties in the clashes, junta forces retaliated with artillery and air strikes.

On Feb. 27, the KA and KNDF jointly attacked a junta outpost near the Thai border in Bawlakhe Township, Kayah State, killing 10 regime troops and seizing a large cache of weapons and ammunition, said the Karenni Military Information Center, the KAs media unit.

Some fighters from the combined resistance force were then killed and 15 wounded when five junta fighter jets attacked as they prepared to seize another junta outpost nearby.

A total of 1,635 junta troops and 224 resistance forces have been killed in 586 clashes in the state since the February 2021 coup, said the Progressive Karenni People Force Information Center, which monitors the clashes and juntas atrocities. Also, junta forces have killed 309 civilians while another 130 have died fleeing regime raids and clashes. The junta has detained 279 civilians in the state.

A total of 1,352 homes and 30 religious buildings have also been destroyed by the juntas bombardments, according to the Karenni rights group.
Burma Son of Myanmars Failed Peace Negotiator Spotted on USDP Campaign Trail

U Htoo Char Aung (left) and his father U Aung Min

When the vice-chairman of the militarys proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party U Myo Zaw Thein traveled to eastern Bago Region on a campaign trip Tuesday, he was accompanied by U Htoo Char Aung, son of U Aung Min  who led the Thein Sein governments failed peace plan with ethnic armed groups.

Dr. Htoo Char Aung graduated from the Defense Services Medical Academy. He left the military to contest for a seat in the Bago regional parliament at the 2020 general election, but lost.

When USDPs chairman, ex-Brigadier General Khin Yi, canvassed in Bago in December, U Aung Min joined him. Observers believe he was seeking blessings for his son, who plans to run in the juntas proposed poll. U Aung Min also ran for the USDP in the 2015 polls in Kayah State but failed to get elected.

U Aung Min served in the Myanmar army for 35 years before retiring as a major-general in 2002.

After hanging up his military uniform, he served as the countrys Railways Transportation minister under the former military regime (2003-2011) and the quasi-civilian government that took office in April 2011.

In August 2012, he was appointed as a Presidents Office minister and given a mandate that included guiding peace talks between the central government and ethnic rebel groups.

To fulfill that mandate, he headed the Myanmar Peace Center (MPC) and invited ethnic armed groups to join the National Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). However, the invitation was spurned by powerful ethnic armed groups including the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), and the peace talks stalled due to disagreements among the military.

U Aung Min largely disappeared from public view after the National League for Democracy came to power in 2015, before resurfacing at the USDP event in Bago in December last year.

Observers believe he is now laying a path to power for his son, leveraging his political and military connections to benefit his son in the regimes proposed election.
War Against the Junta 35 Junta Forces Killed in Three Days of Resistance Attacks

Resistance fighters from the Cobra column of the Karen National Liberation Army. /Cobra Column

At least 35 Myanmar junta troops including allied Pyu Saw Htee militia were killed in the last three days as Peoples Defense Forces (PDFs) and an ethnic armed organization (EAO) hit regime targets across the country.

Deadly clashes were reported in Magwe, Sagaing and Mandalay regions and Mon State.

The Irrawaddy has collected the following reports of significant attacks by PDFs and the EAO.

Some military casualties could not be independently verified.

Seven soldiers and militia killed by PDFs in Magwe

A PDF drone drops a bomb on a military detachment in Myaing Township on Sunday. /Myaing-PDF

Five regime personnel and two pro-regime Pyu Saw Htee militia members were killed and 14 injured in Myaing Township, Magwe Region on Sunday when combined PDF groups attacked a military detachment with land mines and drone strikes, according to Myaing-PDF, which coordinated the attacks.

Junta troops and allied militia were ambushed while returning to the pro-regime village of Kani after buying rations in Myaing town on Sunday.

The detachment had also been ambushed by PDFs several times while heading to Myaing for supplies on Saturday.

Regime forces bombarded by PDF drones in Magwe

Yesagyo-PDF said it used drones to drop bombs on a military detachment of 40 troops between two villages in Yesagyo Township, Magwe Region on Sunday.

The attack yielded a large number of military casualties.

Three regime forces were also injured in the township last Friday when they were hit by a drone strike as they checked civilians on a road between Zeegone and Kone Talin villages.

On the same day, the PDF group used six land mines to ambush regime forces traveling in three vehicles outside Yesagyo town, the PDF group said. Two junta soldiers were killed in a friendly-fire incident during the blasts, which also damaged two regime vehicles.

Regime forces attacked in Sagaing

At least 10 regime troops are thought to have been killed or injured on Sunday morning when five PDF groups combined to attack junta forces in Wetlet Township, Sagaing Region, according to the Special Attacking Force-Upper Burma, which took part in the assault.

Pro-junta militia leader assassinated

Urban Guerrilla Force-Kalay informed local media that it assassinated the pro-regime Pyu Saw Htee militia leader Phoe Chan in the town of Kale, Sagaing Region on Sunday.

The militia leader had raped and killed a 15-year-old girl at a village in Kale Township, according to locals. He was also involved in looting, robbery and junta atrocities in the area, the PDF group said.

Junta police outpost bombed by Sagaing PDF drone

At least six regime forces were injured in Wetlet Township, Sagaing Region on Sunday when four PDF groups used drones to drop bombs on a police outpost at Shein Makhar village, said Eagle Guerrilla Force, which joined the attack.

Military convoy hit by lethal mine ambushes

At least five regime forces were killed in Myinmu Township, Sagaing Region last Friday when four PDF groups conducted land-mine ambushes against a convoy of 13 vehicles traveling from Sagaing to Monywa, said the Peoples Army to Fight Dictatorship (PAFD), which coordinated the attacks.

The combined PDF groups first used land mines to ambush the convoy on the Sagaing-Monywa road at 1.40 pm, killing two soldiers and damaging their vehicle.

Three more soldiers were killed soon after when the convoy ran into two more PDF mine ambushes on the same highway, PAFD said.

Six junta soldiers killed by resistance ambush in Mon

Six regime forces were killed and five seriously injured in Kyaikhto Township, Mon State last Friday when the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and Kyaikhto Revolution Force (KRF) jointly attacked regime patrols on the Yangon-Mawlamyaing Highway, said KRF.

Four junta troops killed by drones in Mandalay



A drone drops bombs on regime targets at the village in Madaya Township last Friday. /Nagar Nyi Naung PDF

The Nagar Nyi Naung PDF group reports that it killed four junta soldiers in a drone strike on regime forces stationed at a former police outpost at Yone Pin village in Madaya Township, Mandalay Region last Friday.

The PDFs video shows a drone dropping bombs on regime targets at a village.

Mandalay ward administration office bombed

Urban guerrilla force Aung Si Taw-Mandalay said it threw a grenade into the junta-controlled ward administration office of Chan Mya Tharsi Taung in Mandalay city on Saturday night. Casualty numbers are not known.
Due to its closed proximity to the US, Costa Rica is a popular travel destination for Americans and South Floridians  almost 1.3 million Americans traveled to the Central American country in 2022 - looking for eco travel, beautiful beaches and tour the countrys lush rainforests.

Version es espanol

It has also been considered safe and for having one of the most stable and democratic government in the region. That consideration has been tempered as last week, the U.S. issued a Level 2 alert for Costa Rica, asking those traveling to the Central American country to take extra precautions.

The U.S. government has a 4-level system to advice travelers on the safety outlook for each country:

Level 1  U.S. citizens should exercise normal precautions

Level 2  U.S. citizens should exercise increased caution

Level 3  U.S. citizens should reconsider travel plans

Level 4  U.S. citizens should not travel

The rise in level was due to an increase in violent crimes on the country. While no specific instances or types of crimes were mentioned, travelers should heed the warning.

On its website, the US Embassy in Costa Rica said:

The U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica advises U.S. citizens of increasing levels of crime, particularly violent crime, in Costa Rica and specifically San Jose. For this reason, the Embassy would like to remind you of the importance of personal safety and situational awareness.

The Embassy highlighted the capital of San Jose as having most of the recent criminal, which is home to the countrys biggest airport and the hub where most visitors begin their Costa Rica adventures.

Along with the advisory, the Costa Rican U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica provided these safety guidelines:

Be watchful when in a public, specifically when exiting a store or venue.

Be aware of your surroundings and leave any area that does not feel safe.

Do your best not to stand out in a crowd, and it is always best not to be alone.

Dont be flashy  keep valuables such as electronic, jewelry, and money hidden.

It is best to walk around at night within a group on well-lit streets. Do not walk alone at night.

Provide someone you trust with your contact information and let them know of your whereabouts, such as when and where you will be going.

Always lock the doors when leaving your hotel, or vacation rental.

When driving, it is advised to keep the vehicles doors locked at all times.

In a The Tico Times report, Jorge Torres, Costa Ricas Minister of Public Security, questioned the travel advisory, and promised to meet with US Embassy officials to discuss their rationale for issuing it. Torres also criticized Costa Ricas judicial branch, calling judges irresponsible.

President Chaves and the Ministry of Security agreed that the upsurge in violent crime was due to drug gangs, The Tico Times reported.

For the complete US Embassy advisory, click here.
COMPANY NEWS: Nintex, the global standard for process intelligence and automation, today announced the appointment of Amit Mathradas as chief executive officer. Mathradas most recently served as president and chief operating officer of Avalara. He succeeds Eric Johnson, following a successful five-year tenure in the role.

"Nintex has built a reputation as a company with deep process expertise, to help customers eliminate manual processes, manage process risk and compliance, and improve communications," said Mathradas. "A passion for technology and commitment to continuous improvement were the cornerstones upon which Nintex was born and remain a part of our identity today. And that's why it's a privilege to join the company at such an exciting time in its history."

Mathradas is a seasoned operating executive with significant experience leading teams, transformations, go-to-market strategies, and new business development for technology companies. At Avalara, Mathradas was responsible for most of its day-to-day operations and helped lead the business through a period of significant growth. Prior to Avalara, Mathradas was the general manager and head of SMB for North America at PayPal. He also served in senior leadership roles at Web.com and Dell.

"Amit's joining is another strong sign of momentum at Nintex, following the company's acquisition of process discovery leader Kryon last year," said Nehal Raj, co-managing partner at TPG Capital. "Amit's leadership, operational expertise, and vision make him the right person to continue Nintex's transformation from a leading automation tool into a strategic, enterprise platform for broad-based automation."

"We also want to recognise Eric for his incredible contributions to Nintex over his decade with the company," said Stephen Elop, chairman of Nintex. "Eric has been essential to the company's growth and success, and we thank him for his leadership." Johnson will continue to work closely as a senior advisor to TPG.

To learn how more organisations across every industry are going digital faster and transforming the way people work with the Nintex Process Platform, visit https://www.nintex.com/why-nintex/case-studies.
Australia's peak body for innovation technology, the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA), has called for $1.6 billion to be allocated as a key priority to fund a NSW Digital Maturity Fund announced by the NSW Government in its pre-election statement.

The AIIA says the fund builds off the work of the Digital Restart Fund that helped drive world class digital citizen experiences - and for NSW to be a leading digital government. The NSW election will be held on 25 March 2023.

The AIIA says it has identified six priority recommendations for the incoming New South Wales Government as:

1. Digital and Data Innovation Funding and Governance

 Including reinstating the DaPCo model

2. Procurement Transparency

 Including implementing and reporting on NSW Sovereign Procurement Taskforce

3. Digital, Data Analytics & Science Skills

 Continue to invest and in digital skills across NSW and the public sector

4. Developing a NSW Regional Tech Hub tand purchases

5. Customer Service, Digital Identity & Data Sharing

 Drive digital identity leadership national and uptake across the state

 Look for greater interoperability and data sharing across the NSW government and

with the federal government

6. Embedding Sustainability

 Embedding sustainability reporting and outcomes in Agency activities and purchases

The AIIA says that by implementing the recommendations it put forward, NSW can look to cement and elevate its role as a leading digital state, fostering a strong tech sector that is also socially responsible and environmentally sustainable.

AIIA CEO Simon Bush said: NSW is the national leader in adopting and implementing digital technologies to provide leading services for the State. The Digital Restart Fund has provided many significant benefits and opportunities for NSW, it is now time for the next Government to provide funding for the next stage, a Digital Maturity Fund, that will continue to support and grow NSWs tech sector and capabilities.

Building the state's tech workforce, particularly in regional areas, is important to supporting the continued growth of the sector. Location shouldnt be a barrier to working in the tech industry, but access to training currently can be. Developing a NSW Regional Tech Hub Strategy, working with TAFEs and universities, is important to continue to upskill the workforce. There continues to be high demand for skilled IT workers in well paying jobs.

As governments continue to adopt and implement digital services, it is important that data can be shared between government agencies. NSW has led the development of digital government services, we encourage the next government to continue to lead this on a national level and at the national Data and Digital Ministers Meeting. The work The Hon. Victor Dominello has led in this area has been outstanding, we urge the next government to continue to build on this excellent platform, Bush concluded.
Swedish telecommunications equipment provider Ericsson has paid a fine of US$207 million over breaches of a deferred prosecution agreement reached with the US Department of Justice in 2019, the company says.

In a statement issued on Friday, the company said it would enter a guilty plea over previously deferred charges relating to its actions prior to 2017.

Ericsson, one of the world's big three telecommunications outfits, said the agreement with the DoJ was over violations of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act between 2010 and 2016 in a number of countries.

Since the agreement had been struck, it had not been charged with any further FCPA violations, it said.

The agreement was reached in connection with alleged bribes paid by Ericsson to the terrorist groups Al Qaeda and Islamic State in Iraq to facilitate its business activities.

In March 2022, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists shared internal Ericsson files with a number of newspapers, including The Guardian, detailing the alleged bribery.

The leak took place just prior to the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the biggest industry event for mobile firms, and one which was being held in 2022 after a gap of two years.

Ericsson, which was made aware of the forthcoming leak, issued a public statement two weeks before the ICIJ leaked the files, admitting serious breaches of compliance in Iraq from 2011 to 2019.

Chief executive Borje Ekholm said on Friday: "Taking this step today means that the matter of the breaches is now resolved. This allows us to focus on executing our strategy while driving continued cultural change across the company with integrity at the centre of everything we do.

"This resolution is a stark reminder of the historical misconduct that led to the DPA. We have learned from that and we are on an important journey to transform our culture. To be a true industry leader, we must be a market and technology leader while also being a leader in how we conduct our business.

"The Ericsson Executive Team and I remain committed to this transformation and we continue to implement stringent controls and improved governance, ethics and compliance across our company, with corresponding enhancements to our risk management approach. The change continues and we are a very different company today and have made important changes since 2017 and over 2022.

A DoJ spokesperson said about the agreement: [Ericsson] has significantly enhanced its compliance program and internal accounting controls through structural and leadership changes, including but not limited to the hiring of a new chief legal officer and new head of Corporate and Government Investigations and the establishment of a multi-disciplinary Business Risk Committee comprised of Group-level senior executives  and has committed to continuing to implement and test further enhancements.

[Ericsson] has significantly enhanced its co-operation and information sharing efforts.
This Week in Review

A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more.
Commentary: China's unremitting peace efforts on political settlement of Ukraine crisis show its role as responsible major country

Xinhua) 10:06, March 06, 2023

BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Terminating the conflict and making peace have become the common expectations of the international community as the negative effects of the escalating crisis in Ukraine continue to affect the rest of the world after the conflict broke out a year ago.

Recently, the Chinese government released a paper stating China's position on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis, in which it comprehensively and systematically explains its basic position and propositions.

The comprehensive and feasible plan, which is in line with the common aspirations of the international community and the fundamental long-term interests of the world, demonstrates China's role as a responsible major country to defend world peace.

In the paper, China put forward a 12-point proposal to end the conflict in Ukraine by addressing both the symptoms and root causes of the crisis, and reiterated the necessity to end the conflict through dialogue and negotiation.

To summarize, China's paper centers around the following 12 aspects: respecting the sovereignty of all countries, abandoning the Cold War mentality, ceasing hostilities, resuming peace talks, resolving the humanitarian crisis, protecting civilians and prisoners of war, keeping nuclear power plants safe, reducing strategic risks, facilitating grain exports, stopping unilateral sanctions, keeping industrial and supply chains stable, and promoting post-conflict reconstruction.

The paper not only reiterates China's consistent proposition, but also incorporates the rational views of the international community. It clarifies the major principles and preconditions, and marks a clear path out of the crisis, which has been widely recognized globally.

The peace proposal has been welcomed by many countries of the international community. Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, called the position paper "an important contribution."

Aiming for an end to the conflict, China's stance is in line with the universal expectations of peace-loving people around the world, who believe that a political settlement of the dispute is in the common interests of Russia, Ukraine and the international community.

To the world's dismay, the crisis has escalated during the past year.

To make matters worse, whenever there was a peace talk, some external forces would interfere by creating rumors, sowing discord, and discrediting the mediators. They do not want the peace talks to succeed, nor do they want the conflict to cease.

For a "bigger strategic goal," they instigated camp confrontation and continued to fan the flames. They didn't care about the lives of the Ukrainian people and were indifferent to the collateral damage to other countries and regions.

To resolve the crisis, China expressed the broad public opinion -- end the conflict -- which has been suppressed by hegemony for long.

Zoltan Kiszelly, director of the Center of Political Analyses at Hungary's Szazadveg Institute, said the position paper by China on the Ukraine crisis is a very important contribution to preventing a new global Cold War era from beginning.

China's position paper hits the pain points of the Ukraine crisis and offers important guidance for all parties to exit the security dilemma.

The Ukraine issue has a complicated history. It is not only the outbreak of long-term accumulation of European security conflicts, but also the result of Cold War thinking and bloc confrontation.

China stressed that all parties should abandon the Cold War mentality: the security of a country should not be pursued at the expense of others; the security of a region should not be achieved by strengthening or expanding military blocs; and the legitimate security interests and concerns of all countries must be taken seriously and addressed properly.

The Diplomat magazine stated on its website that disregard of the principle of "indivisible security" is one of the root causes of the crisis, and that compliance with this principle will be an important part of the solution.

China's position paper adheres to the consistent position of promoting peace talks, providing a feasible path for a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis.

Since the outbreak of the crisis, China has always adhered to the principle of "indivisible security," upheld fairness and justice, actively promoted peace talks, and participated in humanitarian assistance.

From calling for creating space for peace and leaving room for political solutions, to proposing a five-point position on the Ukraine issue and a six-point initiative on easing the humanitarian crisis, and from putting forward the four points about what must be done, and the four things the international community must do together, to the three important thoughts, China has outlined its fundamental approach to the issue.

China's unremitting peace efforts are obvious to all and widely recognized by the international community.

Former Croatian Deputy Prime Minister Ante Simonic said that the position paper issued by China is of great significance not only to Russia and Ukraine, but also to the international community.

Polish President Andrzej Duda emphasized that negotiations will always be a path to peace on the Ukraine issue, and China, as a great partner and a major country with great strength, cannot be ignored.

No one can win in conflicts, and there is no simple solution to a complex issue. Confrontation between major powers must be avoided.

The Ukraine crisis has sounded alarm bells: seeking security at the expense of other countries will inevitably lead to a security dilemma; building a world and regional security framework with a Cold War mentality only causes conflicts and confrontations.

As a responsible major country, China has put forward the Global Security Initiative, and issued a position paper on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis.

The message is clear: China upholds justice, seeks peace, focuses on the long term, and will always stand on the side of peace, oppose hegemonism and power politics, and work with the international community to safeguard the peace and tranquility of mankind.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
The 2023 AICPA CGMA Virtual Teaching Symposium highlighted the importance of students' sense of belonging and a future-focused curriculum in management accounting classes. Educators shared their insights on many important topics at the symposium, which met virtually Jan. 34 and was followed Jan. 57 by the in-person 2023 American Accounting Association Management Accounting Section Midyear Meeting, with additional in-person sessions held at the section meeting.

The symposium "shows AICPA & CIMA's commitment to the pipeline by working with the educator community to prepare future CPAs and CGMAs for the profession," said Tom Hood, CPA/CITP, CGMA, executive vice presidentBusiness Growth & Engagement for AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants.

Welcoming students in the classroom and the profession

Instructors can tap into humans' inherent need to belong, Lisa Nunn, Ph.D., sociology professor and director of the Center for Educational Excellence at the University of San Diego, said during her plenary session. Nunn emphasized that students need faculty to explicitly welcome them into their classrooms and learning communities using inclusive teaching strategies. For instance, she encouraged faculty to be intentionally explicit about the classroom norms that students may experience in their learning environment. She expressed the need for faculty to actively encourage students to interact with them outside the classroom. She stressed that students need to perceive faculty as available, and she offered several easy-to-implement classroom methods to achieve this, such as inviting students to office hours, making expectations explicit, and promoting study strategies to support student success.

Other speakers emphasized the importance of proactively welcoming students into the accounting profession. Accounting faculty have opportunities to highlight the importance of accounting and the professional opportunities available for accountants  in their classrooms, the university community, and the business community, said Margarita Lenk, Ph.D., associate professor emeritus of accounting and computer information systems at Colorado State University. She stressed the need to inform students and parents about the opportunities available in the accounting profession.

Jennifer Cainas, CPA, Ph.D., associate dean for financial management at the University of South Florida, shared tips for introducing the accounting profession in introductory accounting classes, using relatable videos featuring early-career accountants that the Center for Audit Quality is developing. Anne Farrell, Ph.D., PriceWaterhouseCoopers Professor of Accountancy at Miami University in Ohio, discussed reinvigorating the accounting curriculum by flipping the typical sequence of introductory accounting courses, with students first studying management accounting before progressing to financial accounting. Shane Dikolli, Ph.D., Bank of America Associate Professor of Business Administration at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business, supported Farrell by suggesting students could focus on accounting for decision-making before studying accounting for specific transactions.

Faculty innovating in this area shared several curricular initiatives developed to explicitly connect accounting students with practice. Cristina Bailey, Ph.D., assistant professor of accounting at the University of New Mexico, shared insights about how the MAFIA (management accounting, fraud, and internal audit) student organization at the University of New Mexico provides students with opportunities to network with professionals. Bailey's research shows that participation in these activities increases students' feelings of belonging and professional commitment.

Other faculty emphasized the importance of encouraging students to pursue professional accounting credentials. Wendy Tietz, CPA, Ph.D., professor of accounting at Kent State University in Ohio, shared how she incorporates the CGMA Finance Leadership Program into her graduate management accounting classes, which prepares students for their future careers.

Nurturing future-ready students

The practice of management accounting is changing, Hood said, as accounting roles are increasingly merged with finance roles. His insights from executives and practitioners emphasized the need for accounting graduates to be flexible and adaptable in a fast-changing profession. He particularly stressed the need for students to begin developing a growth mindset to ensure their success in an evolving profession. Technical expertise and critical-thinking skills make accounting students attractive to a variety of future employers.

Students trained in management accounting are well suited for new jobs examining nonfinancial information, Farrell said. As the importance of sustainability and environmental accounting grows, management accountants will be increasingly in demand. Dikolli added that management accountants' skills in performance assessment equip them to work in a variety of domains and across borders. Finally, Farrell emphasized the critical importance of management accounting for entrepreneurial economies.

Communication skills are of increasing importance, Hood said, as accountants increasingly emphasize strategic functions over transactional analysis. Romana Autrey, CPA, Ph.D., associate professor of accounting at Willamette University in Oregon, shared insights about how improving students' written communication skills can help them thrive in professional environments. To aide in practical implementation of this, Autrey provided instructors with guidance on how to develop efficient and effective writing assignments. During the last session of the symposium, Farrell provided examples of how low-stakes assignments can provide students with fruitful opportunities to improve their writing skills.

Insights from conference participants

Conference participants also added memorable insights about teaching and practice. For example, Monte Swain, Ph.D., Deloitte Professor at Brigham Young University's School of Accountancy in Utah, said he had never shaken the hand of an accounting professional who described themselves as a "management accountant." Instead, such professionals often identify themselves within the finance function of organizations and hold titles such as "financial analyst." This comment complemented evidence provided by Hood about the broad applicability of management accounting topics to a variety of business domains.

Other conference participants shared insights about how to create an inclusive classroom. For example, Christine Denison, Ph.D., associate professor of accounting at Iowa State University, encouraged faculty to use inclusive techniques for managing class discussions, while Carol Cain, Ph.D., associate professor of accounting at Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina, emphasized the importance of student groups for providing students with career-development opportunities. Other faculty, such as Margaret Shackell, Ph.D., associate professor of accounting and business law at Ithaca College in New York, emphasized the need to promote the profession to high school students, so that they can make informed career decisions.

Conclusion

Management accounting can be thought of as "accounting for managers," Dikolli said. Emphasizing critical-thinking skills, which can be taught in management accounting classes, will enable accounting students to thrive as strategic decision-makers in organizations, Hood said.

The symposium offered accounting educators an optimistic vision for the future of management accounting and its value to accounting and business students. The symposium also provided educators with valuable insights about how to foster a sense of professional belonging and provide an enriching college experience to accounting students. Robust engagement from conference participants elevated the presenters' insights. Please plan to join us in early January 2024 for next year's symposium.

 Romana Autrey, CPA, Ph.D., is an associate professor of accounting at Willamette University in Oregon; Jennifer Cainas, CPA, Ph.D., is an associate dean for financial management at the University of South Florida; Nicholas Fessler, CPA, Ph.D., is an associate professor of accounting at Western Kentucky University; Serena Loftus, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of accounting at Kent State University in Ohio; and Sarah Shonka McCoy, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of accounting at the University of New Mexico. To comment on this article or to suggest an idea for another article, contact Courtney Vien at Courtney.Vien@aicpa-cima.com.
An N.C. House Select Committee is recommending that the General Assembly change a state law forcing districts to start school the Monday closest to Aug. 26 and end no later than the Friday clo
After hearing elders, community leaders and experts in December, the Yoorrook truth-telling commission restarted last week its public hearings on one of the most impacting violations faced by First Nations people in the state of Victoria, in Australia: those done to children.

In a pre-recorded session aired before the commission on Wednesday March 1, members of the Wright family from Heywood in south-western Victoria told the story of their mother, Eunice, who was forcibly removed by police at the age of nine in the 1950s, along with her siblings Ronnie and Gloria. At the time, Eunices mother was away in hospital with terminal tuberculosis. They were having afternoon tea [at her aunts]. It was hard enough with their mum in hospital, but they were safe and well-loved. Thats when the police came, recounted her daughter Donna. Another aunt, she added, hid six year-old brother Ronnie under a bed when the police came. If you dont tell us where Ronnie is, were going to come and take your children, said an officer, according to Donnas testimony before the Yoorrook Commission.

The three children were held in cells at the police station and taken before a magistrate, who approved the separation of the children from their mother, despite the protests of the other family members: The decision was already made, said Donna. At a receiving centre for children in state care, the two girls [Eunice and Gloria] were separated from Ronnie, reduced to meeting him through a fence once a day. Donna told the Commission that theyd meet at the fence and sent kisses to each other. The separation traumatised mum all her life  she always spoke about speaking to him through the fence.

The children were processed under criminal forms. Blatantly racist comments were made in official records, which were obtained by the Wright family, about the children and their parents. They came from home  safe and loved and happy  to this environment where theyre not even treated humanely, and this system starts changing their identity. They are now these other children, theyre not Eunice and Ronnie and Gloria. Theyre now this piece of paper that this government used to change their identity and who they were, said Donna.

Orphanage little slaves

The orphanage in Ballarat, where Eunice was taken and put to work, wouldnt have been able to run without their little slaves, she added. And violence was common. Ronnie  who, like other boys in state care was sent out to work on farms, had his jaw broken after being hit by one farmer, she said. After losing her hair ribbon, Eunice had her head rammed into a steel coat hook by a member of the orphanage staff. It was only decades later after her daughter discovered a long scar on her mothers head that Eunice told her the story. In both these cases, no medical records of these serious injuries exist.

The Wright family members told the Commission of the enduring effects of separation. Eunices father, Monty, never recovered from the removal of his children and died of a broken heart aged 53 in a psychiatric hospital, suffering from malnutrition and bed sores. His wife, a regular visitor, was not informed of Montys death until she visited one day, and was told her husband had been buried in a paupers grave. He was just left in that hospital to rot, and not treated like a human. How much trauma do you inflict on one person? asked Donna Wright. Ronnie died young, and a generation later, three out of five of Glorias children committed suicide, affected by their own separation from their mother.

Despite the violence and trauma inflicted upon her family and years of activism, Eunice Wright never saw any form of compensation from the Victoria government, passing away four days before Victoria became the last Australian state in March last year and announced a redress scheme for survivors of the stolen generations  i.e. the children who were forcibly removed from their parents under official government policy. Eunices family is unable to apply for reparations on her behalf because she died days before the announcement. I feel like the government pissed on our family tree, said another of her daughters, Tina. Here in Victoria, not only did they do nothing, they didnt care, added Donna.

This is happening right now

On Thursday, Sissy Austin, a DjabWurrung woman, gave evidence to the commission of her own experiences with the contemporary Victoria child protection system, after becoming at the age of 21 a carer for her younger cousin, Tinjani, only seven years ago.

In open session, Sissy Austin decried the lack of support given by child protection authorities to both herself and her cousin, because of their Aboriginal origins. Tinjani ended up with Sissy after leaving an unsafe placement she had been put in by the Department of Families, and calling her cousins from a train station telephone. Sissy received no support at all for the first two years she cared for Tinjani, moving houses ten times in five years, and struggling to negotiate various bureaucratic hurdles. On one occasion, Tinjani was removed from school because Sissy could not be confirmed as her official guardian. And when support finally arrived, it was often unhelpful, Sissy said. Officials were unable to name Tinjanis traditional country, for example. That was a kick in the guts: currently unknown. Shed been with me for a number of years and seen so many [social] workers. All it wouldve taken was asking us, Sissy testified.

This is happening right now. Sissy Austin, appearing before the Yoorrook Commission, describes her recent experience of discrimination against Indigenous women and children by the Victoria Department of Families.  Yoorrook Justice Commission

The grief of separation described by the Wright family and endured by many Aboriginal families at the hands of government continues today, said Sissy Austin. Ive heard these stories from our elders, but what we dont realise is that this is happening right now: there are children in our community who know theyve got a sibling somewhere, they just dont know where because they dont have a voice. Attempts to secure funding from the Department to cover travel costs for sibling visits have been unsuccessful, and Austin recommended this to the commission as an area for reform.

An us and them attitude pervade the relationship between the Department and Aboriginal mothers, she added. The dehumanisation of Aboriginal mothers is quite frankly disgusting, she continued. The punitive nature of the system leaves women afraid to report domestic violence for fear of child removal, she said, and the involvement of the courts  the most dehumanising place you can enter into  makes Aboriginal women feel like the villain of their story. At the end of her testimony, Sissy Austin implored the Department to view Aboriginal women as loving mothers, rather than problems.

93% of Aboriginal children criminalized

Due to the sensitivity of the topics covered by the commission, much of the evidence was heard in closed sessions. But on Friday, a range of Aboriginal-led organisations spoke to the commission about Victoria's child protection system.

Chris Harrison from the Aboriginal Justice Caucus, an NGO that provides state-wide Aboriginal representation before the justice system, told the Commission that 93% of Aboriginal children were leaving the child protection system with a criminal charge to their name, decrying the criminalisation of vulnerable Aboriginal children in care. Harrison explained that the threat of police is regularly used as a tactic to keep children in line, and that the Department often seeks to have Aboriginal children in care charged for minor incidents, such as breaking a window, so insurance can be claimed on damaged items.

Anoushka Jeronimus of WEstjustice, an organisation that provides free legal help to people in the western suburbs of Melbourne, told the commission that it is increasingly common for police to be first responders, as stand-in youth workers or counsellors, and that this also contributes to the criminalisation of Aboriginal children. Such interactions for minor incidents can be counterproductive and re-traumatising for children who have already had negative experiences with police. Police racism, she said, was a further contributing factor in Aboriginal childrens continued over-representation in Victorian incarceration rates.

2021 data from the Victoria Commission for Children and Young People, a state monitoring body, found that Aboriginal children were nine times more likely than non-Aboriginal children to be in youth judicial custody. Police were also more likely to use detention rather than cautions with Aboriginal children, it said, and courts were more likely to issue longer sentences to them. Also, the bail laws, which have had the effect of doubling the number of Aboriginal women in custody, have contributed to a situation where Aboriginal children are losing their parents at a greater rate than they were last century, a representative of the Koorie Youth Council, an Aboriginal youth organisation, told the commission.

These three days of testimonies on the child protection system shed a cold light, according to what the Yoorrook truth-commission was able to make public, on the fact that the injustices of the past continue to be repeated in contemporary Victoria. The commission will reconvene this week for hearings on Victorias criminal justice system. It has also scheduled a series of hearings at the end of March where Victorian government authorities will be invited to respond and give their version of the facts.
Francois Bozize, a former president of Central African Republic who became a rebel leader, has left neighbouring Chad under a deal taking him to a new place of exile, the CAR's foreign minister said on Monday.

Bozize, 76, has been accepted by the West African state of Guinea-Bisseau, Foreign Minister Mahamat Saleh Annadif told AFP.

He left last Friday under a deal between the CAR, Chad and Angola that was agreed in the Angolan capital Luanda on February 17, he said.

"Guinea-Bissau agreed to take him in, he's been there since March 3," he added.

Bozize, a former general, seized power in the CAR in 2003 but was toppled a decade later, unleashing a civil conflict along sectarian lines.

Defying UN sanctions for his presumed role in the crisis, he fled to Uganda, slipping home in 2020 in a bid to contest presidential elections and then donning the mantle of rebel leader.

He went to Chad at the end of 2021 after government troops recovered swathes of territory with the help of Russian paramilitaries.

Bozize's presence in Chad while his Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC) waged a guerilla war in northern CAR strained bilateral ties. The CAR accused Chad of allowing the rebels to operate from its soil.

"Mr Bozize went to Chad at Angola's request and in line with an agreement with the CAR authorities," said Saleh Annadif.

"The change in the situation has shown that the Central African Republic is no longer in favour of his presence in Chad as a neighbouring country."

In Guinea-Bissau, an advisor to President Umaro Sissoco Embalo confirmed Bozize had arrived last Friday.

"He's been accepted purely on humanitarian grounds," the adviser told AFP, asking not to be named.

Civil conflict has torn CAR, one of world's poorest countries, since 2013 when Muslim-dominated armed groups ousted Bozize.

Bozize set up armed militias known as the anti-Balakas, who were mainly Christian, to try to regain power.

The conflict lost intensity from 2018, but the country still suffers bouts of violence and remains deeply poor.

Both sides have been accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity by the United Nations.

The UN and Western capitals also accuse CAR's army and Russian paramilitaries -- as well as today's rebels -- of committing atrocities.
Francois Bozize, a former president of Central African Republic who became a rebel leader, has left neighbouring Chad under a deal taking him to a new place of exile, the Chadian foreign minister said on Monday.

Bozize, 76, has been accepted by the West African state of Guinea-Bisseau, Foreign Minister Mahamat Saleh Annadif told AFP.

He left last Friday under a deal between the CAR, Chad and Angola that was agreed in the Angolan capital Luanda on February 17, he said.

"Guinea-Bissau agreed to take him in, he's been there since March 3," he added.

Bozize, a former general, seized power in the CAR in 2003 but was toppled a decade later, unleashing a civil conflict along sectarian lines.

Defying UN sanctions for his presumed role in the crisis, he fled to Uganda, slipping home in 2020 in a bid to contest presidential elections and then donning the mantle of rebel leader.

He went to Chad at the end of 2021 after government troops recovered swathes of territory with the help of Russian paramilitaries.

Bozize's presence in Chad while his Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC) waged a guerilla war in northern CAR strained bilateral ties. The CAR accused Chad of allowing the rebels to operate from its soil.

"Mr Bozize went to Chad at Angola's request and in line with an agreement with the CAR authorities," said Saleh Annadif.

"The change in the situation has shown that the Central African Republic is no longer in favour of his presence in Chad as a neighbouring country."

In Guinea-Bissau, an adviser to President Umaro Sissoco Embalo confirmed Bozize had arrived last Friday.

"He's been accepted purely on humanitarian grounds," the adviser told AFP, asking not to be named.

Civil conflict has torn CAR, one of world's poorest countries, since 2013 when Muslim-dominated armed groups ousted Bozize.

Bozize set up armed militias known as the anti-Balakas, who were mainly Christian, to try to regain power.

The conflict lost intensity from 2018, but the country still suffers bouts of violence and remains deeply poor.

Both sides have been accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity by the United Nations.

The UN and Western capitals also accuse CAR's army and Russian paramilitaries -- as well as today's rebels -- of committing atrocities.
Shin Sung Han (Cho Seung Woo) encountered a peculiar case involving famous radio host Lee Seo Jin (Han Hye Jin) in "Divorce Attorney Shin" Episode 1.

'Divorce Attorney Shin' Episode 1: Lee Seo Jin Wants Shin Sung Han To Handle Her Divorce Case

In "Divorce Attorney Shin" Episode 1, Shin Sung Han won the divorce case of his client against her cheating husband. There was also a glimpse of how Mr. Shin used to be a pianist in Germany, who returned to Korea and amazingly aced the bar exam in just two years.

Despite his achievements, he only takes divorce cases.

Jang Hyeong Geun (Kim Sung Kyun) shared his regrets as his favorite radio host has quit the show due to her leaked sex tape scandal.

Unexpectedly, Lee Seo Jin, the famous radio host, entered the office. She wanted Shin Sung Han to handle her divorce case. Inititally, he refused to take it since it was problematic as she was also dragged into a controversy.

After hearing that Lee Seo Jin only wanted the custody of her son, Shin Sung Han decided to help her.

In another scene, Lee Seo Jin's husband was revealed to be abusive.

During the first trial, it was shown that Lee Seo Jin's alleged boyfriend forcefully recorded their intimate act even though she asked him not to film it.

Shin Sung Han Defends Client Lee Seo Jin Against Controlling Husband

Shin Sung Han defended his client by asking why people think Lee Seo Jin cheated. A flashback appeared, showing the how miserable Lee Seo Jin had been with her husband.

Attorney Shin pointed out that Lee Seo Jin cheated because of her husband's over-controlling nature. After the exchange of statements, the preceding judge stopped the trial and announced to proceed once her son's psychotherapy result is out.

However, Kang Hee Sub (Park Jung Pyo) already looked up what kind of questions were asked in the tests and instructed his son to say exactly what he said.

Attorney Shin met up with Hyeon U (Jang Sun Yool) and found out the kid wanted to erase his memories, giving suspicion that he had seen his mom's video.

Lee Seo Jin Wants To Drop the Divorce Case

The kid had a panic attack. When his father tried to call for help, Hyeon U smashed the phone into the wall. It broke Lee Seo Jin's heart, and immediately called Shin Sung Han to drop the case after seeing her son's condition.

There was a suspicion that Kang Hee Sub may have shown the videotape to his son.

Will Lee Seo Jin be able to save her child from her manipulative husband? Let's all find out in the upcoming "Divorce Attorney Shin" episode.

For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news, keep your tabs open here at KDramaStars.

KDramaStars owns this article.

Shai Collins wrote this.
Song Joong Ki discussed his plans with his career and family as he graced GQ Korea's latest issue.

The Hallyu star showed off his remarkable charm for the March 2023 issue of the fashion magazine. Besides his dazzling looks, the "Reborn Rich" actor also talked about welcoming a new milestone in his life.

Song Joong Ki on Having Family, Children

The South Korean heartthrob expressed his affection towards his wife Katy Louise Saunders. As obtained by a news portal, Song Joong Ki told GQ Korea about his marriage, which he described as "so good."

The actor said he "liked it," and mentioned that he looks forward to it.

"I think I said it in a previous interview, but having a family and having children was my biggest goal in life," he said.

To recall, Song Joong Ki made headlines after the actor dropped bombshell news regarding his marriage with Katy Louise Saunders, weeks after confirming that he is dating the British actress.

On his official fan cafe, the top star shared the happy news that he "has promised to continue living together with Katy Louise Saunders. In addition, he said that he "became a better person."

Interestingly, he also revealed that he has registered their marriage and was about to welcome their firstborn.

As for his appearance in GQ Korea, Song Joong Ki continued to talk about Katy Louise Saunders and said nice words for his wife.

"If I had to explain what kind of person Katie is, she is a good person who can tell a lot of stories," he said, adding that Song Joong Ki's wife, gives the actor "confidence in many parts."

Song Joong Ki's Plan This 2023

When asked about his plans this spring, the actor said that he wanted to spend more time with his wife.

"Because it's the last spring before I become a father, I want to go on a lot of dates with my wife. A lot," he said.

Song Joong Ki and Katy Louise Saunders made headlines after the couple was spotted at the airport together and were greeted by the media and fans warmly.

The duo left Korea to visit Hungary where the actor is set to film his new movie, "My Name Is Loh Kiwan."

Besides Song Joong Ki and Katy Louise Saunders, the couple flew along with their fur-baby Nala.

Song Joong Ki Film: 'Bogota: City of the Lost,' 'My Name Is Loh Kiwan'

After the successful comeback through the web novel-based K-drama "Reborn Rich," Song Joong Ki is booked and busy with a slew of upcoming films. He headlines "Bogota: City of the Lost," which was filmed amid the height of the pandemic.

In addition, he also stars in the forthcoming drama film "Hopeless" with BiBi and Hong Xa Bin.

Adding to the list of Song Joong Ki's new movies is "My Name Is Loh Kiwan" where he is set to transform as a North Korean defector.
The cast of the highly rated Netflix drama "The Glory" gathered to talk about the upcoming Part 2 of their beloved show, and also dished their thoughts on fans' theories and predictions.

Jung Sung Il, Park Sung Hoon and more made an appearance in the interview, showcasing their intense chemistry and friendship behind the cameras.

'The Glory' To Produce Multiple Seasons After Part 2 Premiere

"The Glory" stars dished out their honest thoughts on fans' predictions and theories, much to the viewers' amusement!

On March 4, Netflix Korea released a where the cast of "The Glory" including Jung Sung Il, Park Sung Hoon, Kim Gun Woo, Kim Hieora and Cha Joo Young discussed fans' theories.

In "The Glory," the five stars showcased their award-winning performances as perpetrators and possible allies of Song Hye Kyo, whose character, Moon Dong Eun, seeks revenge after she became a victim of school violence.

Since the drama only released its first half in December 2022, fans wished they could pull the dates to finally see Part 2. Because of this, various predictions have been made about the ending of "The Glory."

One fan theorized that Moon Dong Eun might just drop everything and forgive everyone at the end. However, Park Sung Hoon, who plays the role of Jeon Jae Joon in the series, disagreed.

According to the actor, if she just wanted to forgive her perpetrators, then she wouldn't have dedicated her whole life planning for revenge.

"I personally think that bullying shall never be forgiven," Park Sung Hoon stated, expressing his distaste about bullying.

However, the actor also said that if the characters in the work plan to avenge themselves, then it would take them forever before the show finally comes to an end.

"If you're 100% hurt, then you would want to get a 100% revenge," Park Sung Hoon said. "If everyone dies at the end, Ha Ye Sol will grow up to avenge them. Then the revenge never ends. We'll need 120 more seasons for this."

Though intended as a joke, fans are open to the idea, especially that "The Glory" is one of the most well-written and riveting dramas among numerous releases in recent years.

Watch the teaser interview here, ICYMI:

What To Anticipate In 'The Glory' Part 2

After two long months, Netflix Korea finally releases the much anticipated global drama "The Glory" starring Song Hye Kyo!

In the drama's Part 2, all loose ends are expected to be tied neatly once and for all-Song Hye Kyo is expected to finally exact her long awaited revenge on Lim Ji Yeon who made her life a living hell.

On the other hand, Lee Do Hyun, who also has an unfinished business of his own, is also predicted to overcome it and finally find peace.

Even more so, fans are expecting to see the blossoming romance between Song Hye Kyo and the two male leads Lee Do Hyun and Jung Sung Il.

Although some fans believe that a love line isn't necessary, many viewers claim that Song Hye Kyo needs to be with a man who deserves her to show that she's capable of feeling things other than hate and anger.

All questions are expected to be answered in "The Glory" Part 2 March 10 on Netflix. Watch the teaser here:

KDramaStars owns this article.

Written by Elijah Mully.
The "Crash Course in Romance" stars making their individual comeback as they are already booked for new projects and some of them are scheduled to release this 2023. Want to know who among the stellar cast is releasing new works this year? Then read on.

Jeon Do Yeon

Veteran actress Jeon Do Yeon is ready to wear a new hat this March 31 as she will headline the upcoming thriller-action movie "Kill Bok Soon." It is a Netflix film that features the story of Gil Bok Soon, a hitman and legendary killer. Before she renews her contract with her company, she gets entangled in an inevitable confrontation where she has no choice but to kill or to be killed.

Jung Kyung Ho

Lead star Jung Kyung Ho is also gearing up for new works. This year, he is expected to participate in the upcoming film "Boss" (working title). It is a comedy-action movie that foretells the desperate competition between the members of the biggest organization in Yongdu City. Working with him on the project are Park Ji Hwan, Jo Woo Jin, and Lee Kyu Hyung.

Roh Yoon Seo

This rookie actress was supposed to join Park Ji Hoon in the forthcoming webtoon-based series "Bastard." However, her agency announced that she declined the offer. Meanwhile, Roh Yoon Seo is making her guest appearance in the upcoming "Running Man" episode. It is her first variety show following the conclusion of "Crash Course in Romance."

Lee Chae Min

Did you know? This rising actor is actually hosting the famous Korean music show "Music Bank" alongside Le Sserafim member Hong Eun Chae. As of this writing, Lee Chae Min has no confirmed drama yet but will continue emceeing at the said music program. This heartthrob is also labelmates with some of the biggest stars in the industry today namely Kim Soo Hyun, Seo Ye Jin, Seol In Ah, and Choi Hyun Wook.

Lee Min Jae

Another scene-stealer is winning the viewers' hearts, thanks to his well-done performance in "Crash Course in Romance," Lee Min Jae is getting a massive following on his social media account. With his skyrocketing popularity, Min Jae is already working on his upcoming project. He is confirmed to join the cast of the rom-com series "Oh! Young Sim" where he will collaborate for the first time with actor and Super Junior member Lee Donghae, Song Ha Yoon, and Jung Woo Yeon.

The drama is scheduled to meet the viewers in the first half of 2023.

Who among the cast are you excited to watch again? Share your thoughts/replies

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.
Sandra Helm walks in the hallway at the Montreal courthouse in Montreal on Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2023. A sentencing hearing is underway for a Quebec man found guilty in the 2020 kidnapping of a couple from Upstate New York. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sidhartha Banerjee
The Kenosha History Center will celebrate womens history in a number of ways throughout March.

On display at the center is WCH Kenosha  an exhibit in conjunction with Women and Childrens Horizons that looks at the history and mission of WCH in Kenosha.

Incorporated with the state in 1976, Women and Childrens Horizons is the oldest incorporated shelter in Wisconsin and offers services to victims of abuse regardless of age, gender, or sex, as well as training to the general public.

It was groundbreaking in the early 1970s for two women to form their own agency to confront domestic violence, which was not openly discussed, said Women and Childrens Horizons Executive Director Jennifer Paine. Our work for the community has not stopped since. Today, we provide a suite of services to victims of all backgrounds, genders, and demographics, and their children, as well as training and support to the community. But we cannot do this work without your support.

The Kenosha History Center exhibit provides a snapshot of the WCH mission. The history center will also accept donations for WCH, cash or needed items throughout the month (see wchkenosha.org for a list).

On Saturday March 25, the Kenosha History Center will host a family friendly discussion with speakers from Women and Childrens Horizons history. The event will start at 1 p.m., is free to the public and refreshments will be provided.

On display at the Northside Public Library in March is Changing Trends in Womens Fashion and Body Image: Late 1800s vs Early 1900s. This exhibit, by Carthage College student Abigail Swihart, looks at the changing ideal of a womans body via changing fashion. The exhibit features the Dovie Horvitz Womens Collection, a special collection of the Kenosha County Historical Society. The exhibit will be on display all month.

Swihart will give a talk on her exhibit on Thursday, March 9, at 7:30 p.m. at the Northside Public Library. The event is free.

Also on display at the Kenosha History Center is 1LT Edna Gray: WWII Army Nurse. Designed by Kenosha History Center volunteer Royanne Moon, the exhibit looks at the military experience of a Kenosha woman.

Edna Gray was 35 years old when she was Kenoshas first nurse volunteer. She kept a scrapbook of her experience, which was donated to the museum.

Moon found it very fulfilling to be able to give her time and receive far more back. I will never look at an exhibit the same way, she said.

1LT Edna Gray will be on display through the month of March.
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Recently I tried to log onto my hospital systems electronic health record to check on the status of a patient. This patient is elderly, severely mentally incapacitated, and being cared for by physicians on the neurology service. Her son, a practicing physician at the same facility, had not received a return phone call from any of the inpatient physicians and wanted to know why his mom needed a lumbar puncture (spinal tap). As a member of the staff and her outpatient physician, I attempted to log into the system and answer his questions or at least find the contact information he needed to find a physician to talk to.

My local community hospital has recently signed on to be a member of a large regional not-for-profit hospital system. In the past, I would access the hospital website and enter my user ID and password to log in. Now I must first enter the health system database using several levels of authentication, which proves it is me and not some mercenary trying to introduce a virus or kidnap the system. If I enter my information correctly, a prompt is sent to an app on my mobile phone. I must access that app, and then, if I enter everything correctly, a new sign-in window appears from my local hospital.

On this occasion, I miraculously performed that task flawlessly, and suddenly the login screen appeared. I entered a different User ID and password and clicked on the log in tab. A new window appeared asking if I had downloaded a Citrix receiver. I clicked on the tab that said, I have already downloaded a Citrix receiver. It replied that it could not detect the receiver. So, I chose the option to download Citrix receiver. A new window appeared. I clicked on it, and suddenly I was inside the system.

I used my mouse to click on the patient electronic health record portal I always used, and a new question popped up asking what software app I wished to open this system with. It gave me a choice of six different ones. I did not know what to do, so I called the local hospital phone line and asked the operator to connect me with Anna at the hospital Information Technology (IT) help desk. I was told rather brusquely that she didnt know each employees individual phone extension, but she would connect me to the general number.

The next thing I knew, I was told by an automated system that I was connected to the general health system IT helpline and number 16 in line. The expected wait time was 90 minutes. I hoped they would give me the option to leave a phone number and they would call me, but none was given. I hung up and returned to the computer screen that had given me a choice of six options. I chose number six, and the screen turned into unintelligible numbers and letters. Clearly, I had made the wrong choice.

At that point, I quit. I turned off the computer, picked up the phone, and dialed the hospital phone number. When the automated attendant answered, I pressed zero to speak to a live operator. I was connected with a different message and again pressed zero for an operator. A message came on saying all the operators were busy with calls. Several seconds later (which felt like minutes), an operator answered. I identified myself and asked to be connected with the neurology ICU. A human being answered the phone. I again identified myself and asked for the nurse caring for that patient. She came to the phone, was pleasant and professional, answered all my questions, and promised to ask the patients in-hospital attending physician to call the patients son, who is a doctor.

What should have been, at best, a five-minute operation took at least 25 minutes, and I am still left with having to reach someone tomorrow to learn how to get rid of the program that did not work and choose the program that will work.

When I used to make hospital rounds before the millennium, I would spend 10- 20 minutes with a patient and a few minutes documenting the visit in the chart. I now understand why hospital-based physicians complain that they have no more than five minutes to spend at the bedside while spending 15 to 20 minutes in front of the computer screen trying to document what they did during the five minutes at the bedside. There has to be a better way!

Steven Reznick is an internal medicine physician and can be reached at Boca Raton Concierge Doctor.
The curious cases of the Tenerife plane crash and medical errors: What we see through the Swiss cheese model

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Even a room with flammable gas will not explode unless someone strikes a match.

 Dr. Bob Wachter

Case 1:

On March 27, 1977, two 747s collided on the runway at Tenerife in the Canary Islands, killing 583 people. On a foggy morning, the KLM 747 was waiting for clearance to take off. Captain Van Zanten was a well-known pilot with excellent safety records. The KLM crew spotted a Pan Am 747 taxiing toward the lone runway a while ago and assumed the plane was out of the way. The fog was so thick that the crew had to rely on the Air Traffic Controller (ATC). The KLM copilot said to the ATC, We are now at takeoff, which is a nonstandard statement in aviation. The pilot then added, We are going. The ATC assumed the KLM plane was in a takeoff position (and not actually taking off) and replied, OK, which is another nonstandard reply and led the KLM captain to believe they were cleared for takeoff. Due to the interference in the radio frequency, the KLM crew couldnt hear accurate information about the Pan Am 747. The KLM flight engineer asked the captain: Is [the Pan Am] not clear? The captain just replied with Yes and pulled the throttle, accelerating for takeoff. Emerging from the fog was the Pan Am plane sitting on the main runway right in front of them. The collision caused the explosion of both planes, resulting in the worst air traffic collision of all time.

Case 2:

On April 21, 2013, an 86-year-old male patient recovering from pneumonia at a community hospital experienced fluctuating blood pressure throughout the day. A nurse noticed the trend in the morning yet did not voice her concern to the resident and attending physician. The resident later noted the patients unstable condition and was unsure about the next steps; however, he did not escalate it to the attending because the attending was off duty. Later in the day, the patients daughter noticed the patients decreasing heart rate. She pressed the nurse call buttons numerous times, but nobody was there to respond to her call at the nurse station. The daughter rushed to the nurse station and realized that all the heart monitors at the station were turned off. She went back to her fathers bedside and held his hand until he passed away 4 minutes later.

The seemingly unrelated cases above have several common underlying themes:

1. A single event/person did not cause either incident.

2. Authority gradients (psychological distance between a worker and supervisor) and miscommunication played huge roles in the buildup of each event.

3. Both workplaces did not have a system that caught human errors.

Theme #1: A single event/person did not cause either incident

Accumulation of multiple lapses led to the plane collision and the patients death. The Swiss Cheese Model is often used in commercial aviation and health care to demonstrate that a single sharp-end (e.g., the pilot who operates the plane or the surgeon who makes the incision) error is rarely enough to cause harm. The error must penetrate multiple incomplete layers of protection (Swiss cheese layers) to cause an accident. Organizations goal is to shrink the holes in the Swiss Cheese (latent errors) through multiple overlapping layers of protection to decrease the probability that the holes will align and cause harm.

Case 1: Plane collision at Tenerife

Multiple factors caused the plane collision.

Factor 1: weather. Foggy weather contributed to poor vision.

Factor 2: communication between the KLM copilot and air traffic controller (ATC). Both parties used nonstandard terminology when communicating their plane position and status. ATC assumed the KLM plane was in a takeoff position and not actually taking off.

Factor 3: technology. Interference on the radio frequency precluded the KLM crew from hearing Pan Ams status message and the ATCs response.

Factor 4: authority gradient. Hierarchy in the aviation industry enforced the psychological distance between the flight engineer/copilot and the pilot. The flight engineer and copilot did not raise concerns about the missed radio transmission from Pan Am. The pilot was not receptive to/aware of their colleagues mild voices of concern, such as the KLM flight engineers nudging question.

Now moving on to case 2.

Case 2: Medical errors

Factor 1: authority gradient. Health care hierarchy enforced the psychological distance between the nurse and the resident/attending physician. The nurse noticed the patients fluctuating blood pressure in the morning and felt concerned; however, she didnt voice it to the resident/attending physician.

Factor 2: cognitive and communication lapses/authority gradient. When the resident physician later noticed the patients condition, he didnt know what to do. He didnt ask for help by escalating the issue to the attending physician.

Factor 3: alarm fatigue. Too many insignificant alarms created mental fatigue among health care workers. The main crisis monitor was turned off at the nurse station. Health care providers couldnt detect warning signals that showed the patients dangerously low heart rate for nearly 30 minutes before his heart stopped.

Factor 4: staffing issue. Nobody was at the nurses station to respond to the nurses call. Low nurse staffing led to a compromised safety culture.

Theme #2: Authority gradients and miscommunication played huge roles in the buildup of each event

Communication structures in both incidents were heavily influenced by authority gradients. Figure 1 shows that surgeons and nurses/residents often have completely different perceptions of the efficacy of their communication structures. While attending surgeons in the survey felt that teamwork in their OR was solid, the rest of the team members disagreed. This means that followers, not just leaders, should also evaluate the communication and teamwork quality. Acknowledging the differences in degrees of perception among team members is critical because we cannot design effective solutions unless we become aware of existing problems.

Figure 1

Why would the discrepancy in perception happen in the first place? Blaming people for their attitudes, such as arrogance and complacency, is easy, but that alone does not explain the whole picture. The core issue is the lack of systems thinking, a paradigm that looks at relationships among parts instead of separate parts when understanding the complexity of the world. In many industries, each role is highly specialized, and individuals are often not aware of interrelationships among different roles, let alone how those relationships affect their workflow and outcome. As a result, cross-departmental communication rarely happens, and each role relies on its assumptions about other roles.

Donald Norman, an advocate for user-centered design, points out the tendency in engineering to forget that individual elements work together, creating a system. The same thing applies to hospital staffing/resource allocation. Everyone wants to do the right thing and perhaps functions well on their own; however, most work requires teamwork, and when these professionals come together without understanding how they work as a system, things fall apart.

Theme #3: Both workplaces did not have a system that caught human errors

Humans err. Telling people not to slip is unrealistic because we work in a dynamic, not a static environment. Multiple factors, including our fatigue level and mental state, influence our decision-making and actions and cause slips and mistakes.

Slips are inadvertent, unconscious lapses when performing automatic tasks such as pilots taking off or health care providers writing prescriptions. In case 1, slips happened for both the copilot/pilot and ATC when they used nonstandard statements during their status communication. In case 2, slips happened when the heart monitor was turned off at the nurse station, and nobody was there to respond to the nurses call. If the nurse station had been adequately staffed, they might have been able to prevent the sharp-end harm by responding to the nurses call despite the heart monitor being turned off. Another potential slip could be that the nurse who noticed the patients fluctuating blood pressure might have forgotten to bring it up to the resident due to her heavy workload, or the information was not communicated well to an incoming nurse during handoffs.

Slips can be prevented by relatively easier approaches. For example, built-in redundancies, cross-checks/checklists, readbacks, and safety practices, such as asking patients for their name and date of birth before administering medications, have been successfully implemented in the U.S. In case 2, simple, standardized communication procedures among health care providers might have helped create complete and accurate information flow in the team. U.S. teaching hospitals have increasingly adopted the I-PASS mnemonic (Illness Severity, Patient Summary, Action List, Situation Awareness and Contingency Planning, Synthesis by Received) to standardize provider-to-provider signout, which has improved safety.

So what can we do?

Crew resource management (CRM) developed after the Tenerife disaster has been one of the most successful practices in improving safety culture in aviation, and it has also influenced health care in the U.S. Following the CRM adoption in the aviation industry, the U.S. and Canadian airlines had a remarkable reduction in the annual fatal accident rate (Figure 2). CRM focuses on training crews in communication and teamwork to encourage crews to speak up against the authority gradient. Communication skills such as SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendations) and briefing/debriefing techniques have been applied in health care to improve staff communication, especially between nurses and physicians. CUS words (Im concerned about  thenIm uncomfortable  and finally, This is a safety issue!) are also effective ways to escalate levels of concern for anyone lower on a hierarchy. While aviation and health care have unique field-specific challenges, CRM combined with multi-pronged approaches can address inevitable yet preventable human factors errors.

Figure 2

To recap, here is the message: Systems thinking and the Swiss cheese model are critical to understanding the root cause of each incident, designing system-specific solutions that catch human factors errors, and developing situational awareness about how an individuals role affects other roles and impacts the workflow.

Alisa Sano is a public health research assistant.
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2 dead, 6 injured after shooting at Georgia house party that had more than 100 teenagers in attendance
Multiple cars of a Norfolk Southern train lie toppled on one another after derailing at a train crossing with Ohio 41 in Clark County, Ohio, Saturday, March 4.
Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon, left, meets Angolan President Joao Lourenco in Luanda, March 1. Courtesy of Busan Metropolitan City



Angola, South Africa, Lesotho welcome visiting mayor, Korean government envoys



By Ko Dong-hwan



Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon has finished his trip to Africa, wrapping up the mission to promote the city's 2030 Expo bid against Riyadh and Rome.



While the mayor's visits have drawn promises from each country to support the city's bid, they also resulted in agreements on expanding bilateral ties to create more opportunities for exchanges in businesses, education and solutions for common problems.



Park returned from his visits to three African countries as 170 member states of the Bureau International des Expositions are expected to vote during the Paris-based organization's general assembly in November to pick the city that will host the World Expo 2030. Park has been meeting heads of countries in South America, Southeast Asia and Europe since last year, asking them to support his city's bid.



Park most recently visited Angola on March 1, meeting President Joao Lourenco. The mayor requested the president to vote for his city in the BIE general assembly in November and discussed ways in which Busan can support the African nation in various sectors, including new environmental policies to fight the climate crisis and improve policies on energy, wastewater treatment, education and public health.



The president said there already are business exchanges between Angola and Korea including petroleum and shipbuilding. As well, an increasing number of Korean firms recently started investing in the country in the fields of fishery and processed seafood, according to President Lourenco.





Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon speaks to Angola's state broadcasters and news wire agencies following his meeting with Angolan President Joao Lourenco. Courtesy of Busan Metropolitan City



The president, according to the Diplomacy and Trade Division under the Busan city government's 2030 Expo Bid Promotion Headquarters, said both nations have been "maintaining a good relationship, therefore I expect Busan will see a good result."



Another proposition Park made to the Angolan leader was that not just Angola's top-tier government officials but also young locals and public workers will visit Busan and learn how it became Korea's biggest port city.



"For any development cooperation project between the two different countries to wind up developing more in-depth planning, what must follow is the exchange of manpower," Park told the president.



The two ended their meeting with mutual agreement that Busan and the Angolan capital of Luanda sign a bilateral sister city partnership in the near future. Luanda, within the province of the same name, is Angola's primary port city as well as the country's leading industrial and cultural center  much like Busan. The trade division of the Busan government said the Angolan president "showed a big interest in how that partnership will hoist Luanda to modernization."



Park's meetings in Angola continued with Minister of External Relations Tete Antonio and Luanda Provincial Governor Manuel Homem. Park and Homem hit a particular note in that the two cities will see strategic cooperation in many fields. The governor, according to the Busan authority, showed a particular interest in ICT exchanges and mutual supports in that matter. Park personally requested Homem to join the World Climate Industry Expo to be held in Busan in May.



Park also talked to Angola's state broadcasters and news wire agencies, including TPA, ANGOP, Rede GIRASSOL and TV ZIMBO, explaining why he was in Africa and what Korea-Angola ties would bring to the African nation.





Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon meets South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor in Pretoria, Feb. 27. Park presented the minister with Boogi, Busan's seagull mascot. Courtesy of Busan Metropolitan City




SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, right, meets Vestas Wind Systems CEO Henrik Andersen, left, the world's No. 1 wind turbine manufacturer, in Copenhagen, Denmark, March 2 (local time) to discuss business cooperation. Courtesy of SK Group
China's top military officials attend the opening session of China's National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Sunday, March 5. AP-Yonhap



China said Sunday its military spending would rise at the fastest pace in four years, warning of "escalating" threats from abroad at a meeting of its rubber-stamp parliament that will hand Xi Jinping a third term as president.



The increase in the world's second-largest defense budget came as Beijing announced an economic growth goal of around five percent for this year  one of its lowest in decades.



The country's planned budgets for the year put defense spending at 1.55 trillion yuan ($225 billion), a 7.2-percent rise and the quickest rate of increase since 2019. It officially rose 7.1 percent last year.



Outgoing Premier Li Keqiang told delegates to the National People's Congress (NPC) that "external attempts to suppress and contain China are escalating".



"The armed forces should intensify military training and preparedness across the board," he said as he presented the government's annual work report to thousands of amassed delegates in Beijing's Great Hall of the People.



The military must "devote greater energy to training under combat conditions, and... strengthen military work in all directions and domains", he added.



China's defense spending still pales in comparison with the United States, which has allotted over $800 billion for its military this year.



But analysts have said Beijing spends much more money than the officially announced sums.



The ramped-up spending comes during a low point in relations between China and the United States.



Beijing and Washington have butted heads in recent years over trade, human rights and other issues, but relations soured even further last month when the U.S. shot down a Chinese balloon it said was being used for surveillance  a claim strenuously denied by Beijing.



Top American officials have also repeatedly warned that China may invade Taiwan in the coming years, pointing to Beijing's increasingly assertive military moves around the self-ruled island, which it sees as its own territory and has vowed to bring under its control.



Niklas Swanstrom, director of the Stockholm-based nonprofit the Institute for Security and Development Policy, said Beijing appeared to be "investing in its capacity to take over Taiwan and keep the US out of the region."









But James Char, an expert on China's military at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University pointed out that several countries across Asia were boosting their defense spending, in part due to "their respective threat perceptions of the regional security landscape".



'Steady recovery'



Experts expect few surprises at this week's carefully choreographed NPC, with thousands of politicians coming from across China to vote on laws and personnel changes pre-approved by the ruling Communist Party (CCP).



Sunday's conservative economic goals followed China posting just three percent growth last year, widely missing its 5.5-percent target as the economy strained under the impact of strict Covid-19 containment policies and a property crisis.



"The growth target came in at the low end of the market expectation. But it should be taken as a floor of growth the government is willing to tolerate," said Zhiwei Zhang, president and chief economist at Pinpoint Asset Management.



"Given the very low base of economic activities last year, it is unlikely to see growth drop below five percent."



Li struck a bullish tone in his speech, saying China's economy "is staging a steady recovery and demonstrating vast potential and momentum for further growth".



He lauded Beijing's growth-suppressing COVID curbs  abruptly abandoned late last year  and "effective and well-coordinated" economic and social development.



The sustained growth in defense spending despite sagging economic expectations showed that "security is now much more important for the national leadership" than before, said Alfred Muluan Wu, an associate professor at the University of Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.



"It is even, to some extent, more important than economic growth," he told AFP.





China's President Xi Jinping attends the opening session of the National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 5. AFP-Yonhap
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Return him to the White House, and Donald Trump promised to deliver global peace and domestic harmony. Deny him a second term, and the United States would become a failed country, a nation that no one will even recognize  a lawless, open-borders, crime-ridden, filthy communist nightmare.

That was the choice the former president presented to an adoring crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference a few miles outside the nation's capital in suburban Maryland. As he spoke, many of the exuberant MAGA faithful seemed ready to carry him across the Potomac and reinstall him in the Oval Office then and there.

Trump is competing for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, and perhaps for the first time, he will have to defend his record from the right, not the left. He didnt mention any of his GOP rivals by name, some of whom had served on his own cabinet and who had taken the same stage the day before. Instead, he called out the old guard, promising we are never going back to the party of Paul Ryan, Karl Rove, and Jeb Bush.

The main distinction between Trump and those previous Republican leaders? I was the only president in modern history who did not have any new wars. No new wars, he said of his presidency before qualifying, though, that he had finished some old ones.

Land war in Europe provided Trump the opportunity to talk foreign policy at length. In his telling on Saturday night, the world teeters on the brink of a third world war, a conflict he claimed he could prevent very easily. The war in Ukraine could be buttoned up and over with, Trump told the crowd, very quickly.

During an impromptu press conference before taking the stage, Trump told reporters that he has a plan to end that war in 24 hours. He wouldnt give any details, he explained, because if I told you that, I probably wouldn't be able to do it. Of course, he added, Russian tanks wouldve never rolled across Ukraine if he had remained in the White House.

I was also the only president where Russia didnt take over a country during my time. Russia didnt take over because I got along with Vladimir Putin very well, he said of the Russian leader. Id say Vladimir, dont do it. You know, you and I are friends, dont take over any countries because you know, Moscow will be hit very hard.

Trump also returned to his regular complaint that Europe was taking the United States for a ride. If you look at Ukraine, and we all feel so badly about it, he said, why isn't NATO putting up dollar for dollar with us? He complained when he noted that Europe was contributing just a tiny fraction of the critical war materiel needed to keep Ukraine standing. Pointing to the map, he continued that while he wanted to see Ukraine succeed, It's far more important to them than it is to us because of the location.

Just hours earlier Trump had won the CPAC straw poll with 62% of the vote, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis coming in a distant second with 20%. The result was expected. Hed won the previous five straw votes, and the populist conference served as more of an unofficial coronation than a true cattle call. Other than former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, most potential 2024 candidates stayed away. This includes former Vice President Pence, who declined an invitation, and DeSantis, who traveled this weekend to a donor retreat hosted by the conservative Club for Growth.

Trump did not mention either rival, though he claimed to reporters before the event that Pence had the right to overturn the presidential election and, during the speech, that the Republican Party would never be controlled by people who want to destroy our great Social Security system. Earlier in the week, Trump accused DeSantis of being a wheelchair-over-the-cliff kind of guy. For understandable reasons, Trump welcomes a large field, telling reporters, the more, the merrier.

The Republican primary season promises to be a battle royale with multiple candidates vying for the nomination. If half as many candidates run in 2024 as did in 2016, it could quickly devolve into the kind of name-calling, substance-free chaos that defined that last contest. The former president can also deliver mayhem all on his own.

Though under investigation by prosecutors probing his efforts to overturn the results of the last presidential election in Georgia, and by the U.S. Justice Department, Trump declared that not even an indictment would end his candidacy. I won't even think about leaving," he told James Rosen of Newsmax, speculating, Probably, it'll enhance my numbers.

Trump returned to his claim onstage that he had won the 2020 election, and he condemned the investigations as politically motivated, telling the audience that they want to lynch you for doing nothing wrong, but complaining that Joe Biden is a criminal and nothing ever seems to happen to him. The idea that Democrats want a rematch, he said, was bullshit because why else would his opponents launch those investigations.

His enemies are many, and Trump told the crowd as much. In 2016, I declared, I am your voice, he said. Today, I add, I am your warrior, I am your justice, and for those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution.

Vengeance would not get in the way of setting things right at home. Trump promised that he would fix public education in short order through universal school choice and the direct election of school principals by the parents. He called for new child tax credits, declaring I want a baby boom! Crime rates would fall, business would rebound, and there would be a quantum leap in the American standard of living, Trump claimed, especially for our young people.

Trump took the opportunity to unveil two new policies. First, he said, the federal government should take over control and management of Washington, D.C. Second, he called for the building of new freedom cities on the frontier to give countless Americans a new shot at homeownership and the American dream.

The former president seemed to relish being back in the spotlight. His speech lasted more than an hour and a half. He took the opportunity to take yet another victory lap, recalling how wonderful things once were when he was in charge and how great things could be again if he won. But the contest was existential, the dichotomy Trump presented, rigid.

We have no choice. If we dont do this, our country will be lost forever, he said, echoing a similar claim that he delivered less than three years ago. People are tired of RINOs and globalists. They want to see America First. He continued, This is the final battle. They know it, I know it. You know it, everybody knows it. This is it. Either they win or we win, and if they win, we no longer have a country.

Return him to the White House, Trump said, and all would be well. A loss, he insisted, would mean all would be lost forever.
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IZ*ONE is one of the most prominent girl groups in K-pop. Loved by their pleasing aesthetic and elegant concepts, it didn't take long for IZ*ONE to reach out on wider audiences. However, everyone knew how the girl group only had two years of promotions, as they are a project girl group from "Produce 48."

Their fandom, WIZ*ONES, were met with sad news involving their contractual disbandment. After their group activities concluded, the members went their separate ways to focus on individual careers. Some returned to their own companies. Others debuted on groups and some took on solo endeavors.

Here are 8 former members with the best post IZ*ONE eras!

1. Kwon Eunbi

Kwon Eunbi was the former leader of IZ*ONE. With someone charismatic as her, it's impossible for Eunbi not to have a career of her own.

The idol debuted on August 24 with her first solo album "Open" and its title track "Door." She has also released well-loved tracks such as "Glitch" and "Underwater."

2. Choi Yena

Back in IZ*ONE, Choi Yena was the group's ball of energy, gleaming with her upbeat personality. After IZ*ONE disbanded, that same quirkiness didn't just stay with Yena, but was also embedded through her music!

On January 17, 2022, IZ*ONE's "Ducky" Yena debuted with her first solo music "SMILEY." She has also followed two other songs as well, consisting of the optimistic "SMARTPHONE" and the gloomy "Love War" (feat. BE'O), which showcased her versatility as an artist.

3. IVE Wonyoung

In IZ*ONE, Wonyoung was the maknae, who is responsible for capturing hearts of fans left and right with her charms. Although she's not the youngest in IVE anymore, fans are still amazed with her presence and talent!

4. IVE Yujin

Just like Wonyoung, Ahn Yujin is also a part of IZ*ONE's maknae line. Fans were amazed of Yujin's transformation from being IZ*ONE's "Puppy" maknae to becoming IVE's reliable leader.

5. LE SSERAFIM Chaewon

During her IZ*ONE era, Chaewon was the adorable fairy everyone adored. However, most fans would agree that she received the most change, due to her visual evolution, chic fashion, and role as LE SSERAFIM's leader.

6. LE SSERAFIM Sakura

Sakura's endearing feel from IZ*ONE also beautifully transformed in LE SSERAFIM, as she's capable of pulling off any style and concept when needed.

7. Jo Yuri

IZ*ONE's former main vocalist Jo Yuri also took her own path. On October 7, 2021, Yuri debuted with the catchy "GLASSY." The idol also followed up her comeback "Love Shhh!" on her discography.

8. Lee Chaeyeon

Among all members who were expected to shine solo, Chaeyeon was definitely the top pick! Boasting with her ferocious dance skills and stage presence, fans couldn't wait to see more of her performances. The main dancer debuted on October 12, 2022, with "HUSH RUSH" and its album of the same name.

Do you already miss IZ*ONE? Which members are you following? Tell us in the comments below!

Read KpopStarz for more K-pop news.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Check Out The Most Heartbreaking Disbandments in The History of K-pop

KpopStarz owns this article

Written by Israel Monte
Following a dialogue with EU consumer protection authorities and the European Commission (CPC network), WhatsApp committed to being more transparent on changes to its terms of service. Moreover, the company will make it easier for users to reject updates when they disagree with them, and will clearly explain when such rejection leads the user to no longer be able to use WhatsApp's services. Also, WhatsApp confirmed that users' personal data are not shared with third-parties or other Meta companies - including Facebook - for advertising purposes. The dialogue was coordinated by the Swedish Consumer Agency and the Irish Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and facilitated by the Commission.

Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, said: I welcome WhatsApp's commitments to changing its practices to comply with EU rules, actively informing users of any changes to their contract, and respecting their choices instead of asking them each time they open the app. Consumers have a right to understand what they agree to and what that choice entails concretely, so that they can decide whether they want to continue using the platform.

The CPC Network first sent a letter to WhatsApp in January 2022, following an alert by the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) and eight of its member associations on alleged unfair practices in the context of WhatsApp's updates to their terms of service and privacy policy. In June 2022, the CPC Network sent a second letter to WhatsApp reiterating their request that consumers must be clearly informed about WhatsApp's business model and, in particular, whether WhatsApp derives revenues from commercial policies relating to users' personal data. Following discussions among the CPC Network, the Commission and WhatsApp, the company confirmed that it does not share users' personal data for advertising purposes.

Overview of commitments

For any future policy updates, WhatsApp will:

explain what changes it intends to make to the users' contracts and how they could affect their rights;

include the possibility to reject updated terms of service as prominently as the possibility to accept them;

ensure that the notifications informing about the updates can be dismissed or the review of the updates can be delayed, as well as respect users' choices and refrain from sending recurring notifications.

Next steps

The Consumer Protection Cooperation Network (CPC) will actively monitor how WhatsApp implements these commitments when making any future updates to its policies and, where necessary, enforce compliance  including by the possibility of imposing fines.

Moreover, a recent Commission study and the last CPC sweep on dark patterns showed that many companies use dark patterns, for example making it more difficult to unsubscribe from a service than to subscribe to it. The CPC Network, with the support of the Commission, will continue to intensify their efforts to addres such illegal practices where they occur.

Background

The new Digital Services Act foresees i.a. an obligation for services to have clear terms and conditions, explaining to the user in comprehensible language when their content or their account can be affected by certain restrictions, and an obligation to apply such restrictions in a diligent, objective and proportionate manner. The DSA will complement rules such as the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive or the General Data Protection Regulation, ensuring that no regulatory gap is left for platforms to manipulate users.

The Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) is a network of authorities responsible for the enforcement of EU consumer protection laws. To tackle cross-border issues, their actions are coordinated at EU level.

National authorities are responsible for the enforcement of EU consumer protection laws. Thanks to the Consumer Protection Cooperation Regulation, they have a common toolbox of strong powers to detect irregularities and take speedy and coordinated action against non-compliant traders.

Moreover, the new Directive on better enforcement and modernisation of Union consumer protection rules, amended existing EU consumer law instruments by further enhancing transparency for consumers when they buy on online marketplaces.

Cooperation applies to consumer rules covering various areas such as unfair commercial practices, e-commerce, geo-blocking, package holidays, online selling, and passenger rights.

For More Information

First letter to WhatsApp  January 2022

Second letter to WhatsApp  June 2022

More information on consumer enforcement actions

Zarazeno po 06.03.2023 12:03:00 Zdroj Evropska komise en Original ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/api/documents?reference=IP/23/1302&language=en lang en
Sri Lankas 6th Periodic Review under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) will be held on 8 and 9 March 2023 in Geneva.

It is recalled that Sri Lanka acceded to the ICCPR on 11 June 1980. Currently, 173 countries have ratified the ICCPR. In addition to the implementation of the Covenant, all States Parties to the Covenant have undertaken a voluntary obligation to submit periodic reports to the Committee and participate in periodic reviews.

Accordingly, Sri Lanka has submitted 5 Periodic Reports in 1983, 1990, 1994, 2003 and 2013 and has participated in 5 Reviews in 1983, 1991, 1995, 2003 and 2014.

The 6th Report was submitted on 22 February 2019 to the Human Rights Committee. The Human Rights Committee is a body comprised of 18 independent experts that monitor the implementation of the ICCPR. The Reviews of all countries are conducted by the Committee.

At the request of Sri Lanka, the 6th Review will be conducted in hybrid format and will be led by Sri Lankas Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Himalee Arunatilaka. The Sri Lanka delegation also comprises senior officials from the Presidential Secretariat, Ministry of Public Security, Attorney-Generals Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva participating in person. Senior officials from Colombo will join the Review virtually representing the Ministry of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment, Ministry of Health, Department of Prisons, Department of Police, Office on Missing Persons (OMP), Office on Reparations (OR) and Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR).

In addition to Sri Lanka, the following countries will also be reviewed by the Human Rights Committee during its 137th session to be held from 27 February to 24 March 2023: Egypt, Turkmenistan, Zambia, Peru, and Panama.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Colombo

06 March 2023
Madam President,

Distinguished delegates,

It is an honour to address this august assembly and to share my countrys perspectives on the work of the Conference on Disarmament, at a time the world is facing myriad of security threats which are at the core of issues discussed at the CD for decades, primarily the threat of nuclear escalation. Other current global security challenges such as transnational organized crime, terrorism, advanced weapon delivery systems add to the dangers associated with the existence of WMD. The situation has heightened the need for progress in global disarmament and the non-proliferation regime which remains the primary purpose of this Conference.

Madam President,

The times are difficult, and our responses require swift action with a sense of collective responsibility, conviction and firm determination. We are deeply concerned about our collective failure to reach a consensus outcome at the 10th Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, a missed opportunity indeed given our increased vulnerabilities and growing nuclear threats. The implementation of disarmament commitments and obligations have stalled to a great extent, while the expansion and modernization of nuclear arsenals, and the introduction of advanced nuclear weapons continue to take place. We emphasize the equal importance of the three pillars of the NPT; nonproliferation, disarmament, and peaceful uses of nuclear energy and urge for meaningful dialogue to find possible convergence building on our work during the last review conference. Sri Lanka remains committed to the goal of a world free of nuclear weapons, the only guarantee against their proliferation.

Madam President,

My country attaches great importance to the adherence to multilateralism as a basic principle of disarmament and non-proliferation negotiations. We express our deep concern about the current security dilemma due to serious deterioration of trust and mutual respect amongst states and the dangerous implications of a return to strategic competition and international armed conflict. More than ever before, and in relation to current theaters of conflict, there is a need to bring renewed impetus to multilateral dialogue in the interest of enhancing global security. In no uncertain terms, the current global security situation has made it clear to us that multilateralism is the only option.

In view of the increasing danger of the proliferation of WMD, nuclear weapons in particular, it is imperative that the nuclear weapon states provide unconditional, non-discriminatory and irrevocable legally binding assurances against use or threat of use of nuclear weapons to non-nuclear weapon states. Given that the existing unilateral assurances are conditional and that those assurances under regional nuclear weapon free zones contain geographical limitations, we reiterate the importance and urgency to commence negotiations on negative security assurances, which is only an interim step until the total elimination of nuclear weapons is achieved.

On nuclear disarmament, we are not only concerned about the expansion and modernization of nuclear arsenals and the increasing reliance on nuclear deterrence arguments by states but equally worrying is the very real threat of weapons of mass destruction falling into the hands of non-state actors, which is the subject of UN Security Council resolution 1540. It is imperative that that the international community work together efficiently to prevent non-state actors from gaining access to WMDs.

Due to the increased reliance on space technologies in our day-to-day activities we are faced with increased vulnerability, more importantly a shared vulnerability that would be caused by any disruption to space-based services such as civil navigation systems or satellite communications. Security of outer space therefore is closely linked with the security and development of human civilization. This is why the growing exploration and use of space by both state and commercial entities raise increasing concerns regarding the possibility of weaponization and arms race in outer space.

We follow closely the ongoing discussions on responsible behavior in outer space and acknowledge the value of such deliberations that would deepen the understanding on perceptions about threats to security and safety of outer space. We also note the proposed Group of Governmental Experts on Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (GGE on PAROS) as a step in the right direction. Sri Lanka remains firmly convinced that a verifiable legally binding agreement on the prevention of an arms race in outer space is necessary and that voluntary transparency and confidence-building measures cannot be a substitute for such binding regulations.

With regard to the adoption of binding regulations on the use of advanced technologies including AI in weapon systems, Sri Lanka remains deeply concerned regarding the slow progress in spite of the discussions in this regard that have been ongoing in Geneva for nearly a decade now. Sri Lanka is among many other states that have consistently voiced our concerns regarding legal, military, security, technological and ethical considerations of autonomous weapon systems and the importance of maintaining centrality of meaningful human control in weapon systems. We welcome in this regard the Joint Statement delivered at the UNGA last year with the support of 70 states. We believe that this is a progressive step to build momentum towards the development of legally binding prohibitions and regulations on autonomous weapon systems, the urgency of which cannot be over emphasized.

Madam President,

The Conference on Disarmament, as the single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum of the international community, has exceptional history of negotiating key disarmament and non-proliferation treaties. We emphasize on the importance of this forum to rise up to its mandate as a negotiating body rather than a forum for deliberation. Given the deteriorating and fluid international security landscape, we have every reason to make the CD work. Even as I close my statement it is my earnest hope that the Conference will be able overcome the prolonged impasse at least this year so that we could decide how best we could utilize our resources to advantage. Sri Lanka stands ready to contribute to all efforts on disarmament and nonproliferation within the work of the CD through a balanced and comprehensive programme of work.

I thank you Mr. President.

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Patna, March 6: A CBI team on Monday questioned former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi at her residence here in connection with a case lodged by the agency pertaining to the period when her husband Lalu Prasad was the Railway Minister.

The CBI contingent came in four cars and reached 10, Circular Road, a stone's throw from the official residence of the Chief Minister and the Raj Bhavan at around 10.30 AM and spent five hours inside. Land-for-Job Case: CBI at Rabri Devis Residence in Bihars Patna.

CBI headquarters in Delhi maintained that no search or raid was conducted at the house, in connection with the land for jobs scam for which it has recently received the Centre's sanction to prosecute Prasad, the RJD president, his wife and some other close members of the family. Land for Job Scam: Delhi Court Summons Lalu Yadav, Rabri Devi; Takes Cognizance of CBI Chargesheet.

Notably, unlike in the past when the house remained sealed whenever a raid was conducted, visitors were allowed during the period. Nonetheless, the word chhapa and chhapemari rent the air and a number of angry supporters reached the high-security locality to register their protest, some of them taking off their clothes in a fit of rage and vowing to wipe out (safaaay) the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls next year.

Her elder son Tej Pratap Yadav, a maverick minister who stays a few hundred metres away, rushed to his mother's place riding a bicycle. Rabri Devi herself looked unruffled when she emerged from the house after the CBI sleuths left, as she smilingly nodded at the bystanders while her car sped towards the Vidhan Parishad. The "visit" by the CBI team comes a day after opposition leaders including Tejashwi Yadav wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing the government of misusing Central agencies "to settle scores with Opposition parties".

Fellow RJD MLC and close aide Sunil Kumar Singh, named as one of the accused in a land for jobs case, was with his benefactor for much of the time CBI slueths were present in her house. Later, he fulminated against the agency, alleging it is left with less credibility than even local police.

About eight to nine people had come. I was left wondering what did they want to achieve. They just whiled away time. I wonder whether they had ccome to have a Holi Milan ahead of the festival, said Singh.

When pressed to share crucial details, he replied just remember that in Bihari weddings there is a ritual called Majhakka. The CBI's antics reminded me of the same. They were at my house a few months ago and they had wasted their time as well as mine. RJD national vice president Shivanand Tiwary, who is often taunted by the BJP for having been one of the complainants in the fodder scam case, convictions in which have disqualified the party supremo from contesting polls, also visited the spot.

I wonder what is the point in the CBI team coming to this place in connection with irregularities they claim to have taken place in the Railways. The only purpose, in my view, is to humiliate Lalu Prasad which is what the BJP wants, alleged Tiwary.

It is not a mere coincidence that the CBI action has come close on the heels of the Mahagathbandhan's rally where a united opposition' call was made, in presence of Prasad and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, to dethrone the Narendra Modi government, he added.

Tejashwi Yadav, the Deputy CM and Rabri Devi's son, who was allowed to leave the premises and visit the Vidhan Sabha, vented spleen while replying to queries from journalists.

I have said it many times that the CBI should open its office at my residence. It will make it convenient for the agency, he remarked sarcastically, adding examples of Ajit Pawar in Maharashtra and Mukul Roy in West Bengal bear testimony to the fact that political figures in the country come under attack, or get reprieve, from central agencies based upon their stance against the BJP.

BJP leaders in the state, however, rubbished allegations of political vendetta.

Party leaders like Nitin Nabin and Jibesh Kumar Mishra, both former ministers, claimed Prasad and his family were reaping what they have sown.

(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 [India], March 6 (ANI): A person accused in Rs 14 Lakh fraud case died allegedly by suicide after jumping off a weatherboard in the Kamla Market Police station here on Sunday, police said.

A Delhi Police statement detailing the matter noted, "The deceased identified as Anand Verma was seen roaming on the 3rd floor, however, jumped the railing and suddenly came on the Chajja (Weatherboard), police personnel on the ground raised the alarm and requested him not to jump."

Also Read | Land for Jobs Scam Case: CBI Team at Residence of Former Bihar CM Rabri Devi.

However, he didn't pay any heed and jumped, he was soon rushed to the LNJP Hospital via a PCR van although he succumbed to his injuries at around 4:15 pm in the evening.

Upon enquiring about the matter, it was revealed that the deceased Verma (45) a resident of Uttam Nagar was facing charges of Rs 14 Lakh of fraud in the name of arranging a job.

Also Read | Elephant Attack in Tamil Nadu: Wild Tusker Tramples Two Men to Death in Satyamangalam Tiger Reserve.

"It was further revealed that a complaint of cheating of Rs 14 lakh in the name of arranging a job was filed against Anand Verma by Head Constable Ajeet Singh, posted in Police Station Kamla Market. He was brought to the police station for inquiry in connection with the cheating complaint by Ajeet Singh. As per Ajeet Singh, Anand Verma was freed after initial inquiry on his assurance to return the money," the statement from police read.

The statement detailing the matter added that the concerned authorities have been informed about the case, while Ajeet Singh has been placed under suspension after initiating the departmental action. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 6 (PTI) An over 100-member strong French contingent arrived at the Pangode Military Station here on Monday evening to participate in a two-day joint military exercise with Indian troops.

Also Read | Dearness Allowance: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee Says Can't Give Additional DA Even if Beheaded.

The French contingent, which will take part in the maiden military exercise, comprised six officers and 111 troops, a Defence statement said.

Also Read | Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann Asks Officers To Gear Up To Host Two G-20 Sessions in Amritsar.

"Indian Army personnel of Pangode Military Station hosted an overwhelming welcome in a traditional manner to the French military contingent," it said.

Titled FRINJEX-23, the joint military exercise is aimed at enhancing interoperability, coordination and cooperation between both the forces at the tactical level, the statement said.

It is for the first time both the nations are engaging in this format with each contingent comprising a Company Group, it said.

On March 7, there will be an opening ceremony at 8 AM and then from 9 AM to 5 PM there will be a joint training of both the Indian and French contingents.

At 10.30 PM there will be night training and exercise, the statement said.

On March 8, there will be joint training of both contingents from 9 AM to 11.30 AM and from noon to 1 PM there will be joint technology and weapon display as well as fusing and interchange of ideas, it said.

The closing ceremony would be held at 6.30 PM, it added.

The French contingent is part of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade which is onboard the Dixmude ship.

The theme for the exercise is based on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Operations in a Contested Environment, the statement said.

The joint exercise intends to consolidate the Indo-France strategic partnership at the tactical level and build a strong foundation for both the nations to collaborate for peace and harmony, it said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Hyderabad, Mar 6 (PTI) Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on Monday said the highest office where a woman is holding a post in the State is insulted.

Also Read | Twitter Did Not Appear Before Review Committee Over Takedown Orders: Centre Tells Karnataka High Court.

The person who humiliated the highest office is rewarded, she said without naming anyone.

Also Read | Holi 2023: Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court Sets Aside Yavatmal Collector's Order to Shut Liquor Shops on March 7.

"Even the highest office where a woman is holding a post it is insulted...it is ridiculed...humiliated. When the highest office is insulted and humiliated and the person who humiliated the highest office is rewarded. That is message given to people of Telangana. It is very unfortunate," Soundararajan said during the International Women's Day celebrations held at Raj Bhavan here.

"If such a person is garlanded what message we are giving? It is not me I am with everyone. When I am insulted... many women are with me so I am standing as the strongest person here," she said adding "Kindly respect women. Even the highest office is not spared".

"Telangana is a cultured state. But they use derogatory and bad words. But instead of punishing them they are awarded. That is the question I am asking."

The Governor said everybody was invited for the event. However, many from the government side did not attend, she said.

"My aim is come together to serve the people. I am your sister...Whatever may be the situation, I want to do good things for the people of Telangana. There may be some criticism on me. Whatever activities I take up it is for the people of Telangana. I hold no personal ambition," she said.

Relations between Raj Bhavan and the BRS government have not been on the best of terms and Soundararajan had earlier complained of protocol not being followed with regard to her office.

The Governor said the number of suicides in Telangana are increasing. She was referring to the suicide of a woman medical student, who ended her life following alleged harassment by her senior in Warangal district recently.

"Inspite of we celebrating International Women's Day...We were unable to save her. A bright girl. We lost her. This is one of the sorrowful examples," Soundararajan said. PTI VVK

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Mumbai, Mar 6 (PTI) The inquiry committee set up by Indian Institute of Technology Bombay after the death of its student Darshan Solanki last month allegedly by suicide has ruled out caste-based discrimination and hinted at deteriorating academic performance as a possible cause.

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Originally from Ahmedabad in Gujarat, 18-year-old Solanki, a first-year student of B.Tech (Chemical) course, died on February 12 after allegedly jumping off the seventh floor of his hostel on the campus in Powai.

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His family had claimed he was facing discrimination since he belonged to a Scheduled Caste.

Authorities at the prestigious IITB had set up a 12-member inquiry committee under Professor Nand Kishore, head of the chemistry department, in connection with the death and allegations surrounding the incident.

Late last month, the police had said the Maharashtra government had formed a special investigation team to conduct a probe into Solanki's death.

The incident hit national headlines, with students group in several cities of the country holding protests denouncing caste-based discrimination in educational institutions.

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New Delhi, Mar 6 (PTI) Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Ropar, will host the second G20 Education Working Group meeting in Amritsar from March 15 to 17 with a focus on the identification of relevant policies and best practices for research and innovations, officials said on Monday.

The theme of the meeting is "Strengthening Research and Innovation through collaboration".

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IIT-Ropar Director Rajeev Ahuja said the event would help in ensuring a roadmap for multi-partner collaborations to facilitate accessibility and provision of research materials, reducing the gap between industry and academia and thereby discovering and identifying relevant policies and practises for research and innovations.

"This would lead to establishing long-lasting collaborations for equitable quality research in G20 member nations while following the theme of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' - One Earth, One Family, One Future.

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"Through this event, the government intend to create closer ties with the G20 member nations and collectively respond to the issues each country has in reaching sustainable development goals," he said.

According to Ahuja, the discussions will also concentrate on methods and tactics such as cooperative initiatives that could be undertaken or implemented to encourage collaboration in many fields.

The participants in the meeting will also include representatives of international organisations such as UNESCO, UNICEF, the World Bank and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), among others.

"The event will emphasise research and innovation as well as the effect of collaboration on the performance of G20 member nations.

"The key sessions on research and innovations would help reduce inequalities inside and between countries, innovations for sustainable agriculture for getting high yield and reducing food waste, the role of academia in cheap and sustainable energy research and innovation and innovations for environmentally conscious and accountable industrialization," a senior official of the Ministry of Education said.

"Focusing on women and socially and economically disadvantaged groups, the deliberation would also help in strategizing methods to expand collaboration among G20 member nations to improve research, open access and innovation promotion and to reduce barriers towards research mentoring and cross-institutional collaboration etc," the official added.

The first meeting of the G20 Education Working Group was held in Chennai earlier this year. There would be three supplementary meetings of the education group before arriving at a broad consensus in June this year.

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Kochi (Kerala) [India], March 6 (ANI): The Kerala High Court on Monday dismissed the bail plea of Sunil NS, popularly known as Pulsar Suni, the prime accused in the 2017 actress assault case.

A single Bench of Justice PV Kunhikrishnan passed the order.

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Offences under Sections 120 (B), 109, 342, 366, 354, 354B, 357, 376D, 201, and 212 read with Section 34 of the IPC and Sections 66 A and 66 E of the IT act were charged against Suni, who is in jail for the past six years.

He had earlier approached the High Court for bail in March 2022. The same bench had on March 29, 2022, rejected the plea. When he approached the Supreme Court against this, it also rejected the same and directed him to approach the High Court if the trial has not concluded in a reasonable time.

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In the plea, Sunil contended, "There is absolutely no chance of the trial being concluded in the near future. The applicant has not moved any other court seeking the same relief and shall not move a similar application during the pendency of this application. The petitioner is not in a position to defend his case properly by consulting and discussing with his lawyer, since he is not on bail and is not being produced in court every day. The basic right of the applicant to defend his case properly itself is defeated."

The case pertains that, the actress, who worked in Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu films, was allegedly abducted and molested inside her car by a group of men who had forced their way into the vehicle on the night of February 17, 2017. Dileep who is a famous Malayalam actor and producer is the eighth accused in this case. There are a total of 10 accused in the case. (ANI)

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New Delhi [India], March 6 (ANI): Stepping up the investigation into the rumours of the alleged 'attack' on the Bihar migrant labourers in Tamil Nadu, the police of both states have swung into action with the Bihar Police issuing the preservation notice to social media platforms while the Tamil Nadu Police is conducting the reach out programmes to the labourers to allay their fears.

The Bihar Police has asked the platforms like YouTube, Facebook and Gmail to save the links of the posts by the miscreants in connection with the rumours of the alleged 'attack', to help in the probe in the future.

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"We have sent preservation notices to Facebook, Youtube and Gmail under which all these service providers are directed to save the links with them for about three months so that thorough investigation is done in case someone deletes it," Jitendra Singh Gangwar, ADG Police Headquarters said in a press conference today.

On the other hand, the Tamil Nadu Police is reaching out to the migrant workers attempting to send the message that the atmosphere is peaceful and the labourers can return to their work.

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"The situation now is peaceful and the workers have resumed their work. A few of them have left for the Holi celebrations. They had already booked their tickets and therefore they are gone, otherwise, we are able to convince them through the employers. The police officers have reached out to the migrant workers and also convinced them that there is no such incident of attack on Bihari workers or workers from any other state here. Whatever they have seen in the media that the migrant labourers are attacked, they are all fake videos," Tamil Nadu DGP C Sylendra Babu said while speaking to ANI.

He dismissed the reports of any 'attack' on the Bihar migrant labourers and said that videos circulated on social media are fake and most of them have not taken place in Tamil Nadu.

"Most of them have not even taken place in Tamil Nadu. They were now convinced. In the places where the north Indian workers were employed, we have intensified the police patrol. Hindi-knowing police officers are in constant touch with them," he said.

The Bihar Police official also stressed that the video which went viral was made "deliberately".]

"The video was made deliberately to sway the public with propaganda. There could have been worse situations arising because of this video. A DSP and 4 members are currently in Tamil Nadu," the police official said.

The Tamil Nadu Police DGP said that they have set up helpline numbers in many districts asking people to file complaints about any such incident.

"Special helplines have been set up in districts including Erode, Tripur, Coimbatore, and Chennai to encourage people to come forward to give a complaint if at all there is any. There has been not even one complaint from them," he said.

The police official also mentioned the team which visited from Bihar to gather information about the alleged 'attacks' and said that they have been informed about the "offensive information" that was spread in the last few days.

"They have got the first-hand information that every offensive information that has been published from March 1 onwards, is devoid of truth. They are completely fake videos. The district administration and the police are in touch with the employers and sometimes the workers," he said.

The DGP elaborated on the steps taken by the administration and police to counter the rumours and said that the real motive behind the rumours and fake videos can be ascertained after the investigation.

"Since March 1, we started countering the fake information. On March 2, I came on video and clarified the situation about a particular video. My officers who are also from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh also gave video bytes. Our 37 social media cells have also countered in terms of comments, and other means that these incidents have never taken place in Tamil Nadu. We requested to delete these contents. Many of the channels did not delete, therefore, we have registered criminal cases against them. Because of this, many of them have deleted the contents," he said adding that some of them are still keeping it.

He said that the police have registered nine cases so far and investigating the matter.

"We have registered nine cases so far based on the legal opinion and complaints. We are investigating and based on the investigation, it will be possible for us to know what is the real motive behind the creation of such videos and without verifying the facts, they still continue to do it," the police official said.

He appealed to the migrant workers not to believe in what has been reported in the media and the rumours on social media stating that the police officials are active in their protection.

"Rumours are very dangerous and can cause serious law and order problems. Therefore, do not forward any such posts on social media which is very offensive and which can cause serious bitterness between two groups of people. I appeal to the migrant workers that there is nothing of this nature which has been reported in the press has happened. You can trust our officers, we are in touch with you. Keep attending to your work. There is nothing adverse here. We are always here for your protection," he said.

"Everybody must act responsibly including the members of the press," the DGP added.

Meanwhile, amid the row over alleged 'attacks' over Bihar migrant workers, Tamil Nadu Minister for Labour Welfare and Skill Development CV Ganesan on Monday said that the state government is in the middle of a process of conducting a census of the migrant labourers.

The Minister stressed that the migrant labourers are safe in the state, stating that this has been conveyed to the 4-member team from Bihar which had visited Tamil Nadu to gather information about the alleged incidents of 'attack'.

"Tamil Nadu Govt is in process of collecting a census of migrant labours. Migrant workers in Tamil Nadu are safe, they themselves told this to the team that came to Tamil Nadu on behalf of govt from Bihar," Ganesan said in a press conference.

He further said that the MK Stalin-led government has taken steps to make sure that the migrant labourers from across the country are safe.

"The Tamil Nadu government has been actively taking steps to ensure the safety of migrant labourers. A Census of Migrant workers is ongoing in every district. There are approximately 6 lakh Migrant workers in Tamil Nadu," the Minister said.

Earlier on Saturday, a 4-member team from Bihar reached Chennai and participated in a meeting with Chennai District Collector, Commissioner of Tamil Nadu Labour Department and other government officials in connection with the matter.

The Bihar government had sent the team to the Southern state after reports of alleged attacks on the migrant labourers surfaced.

The four-member team included D Balamurugan, Secretary, Rural Development, P Kanan, IPS (IG CID), Shree Alok, Special Secretary, Labour Department and an IPS officer will submit a report to the Bihar chief minister after their visit. (ANI)

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Agartala (Tripura) [India], March 6 (ANI): After Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) electoral success in the recently held Tripura Assembly polls, Chief Minister-designate Manik Saha on Monday called on Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya to stake claim to form the government in the Northeast state.

Earlier on Monday, there was a general meeting of all the newly elected BJP MLAs who unanimously proposed the name of Manik Saha for the leader of the legislature party.

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"My sincere gratitude to all for electing me as the leader of the legislature party. Under the guidance of PM Narendra Modi ji, we shall work together to build 'Unnata Tripura, Shrestha Tripura' and ensure the welfare of all sections of people," tweeted Saha after the meeting.

Manik Saha on Friday submitted his resignation to Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya at Raj Bhavan in Agartala. The Governor asked him to continue until the new government is sworn in.

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Ahead of oath taking ceremony on March 8, CM-designate Manik Saha on Sunday visited Astabal Maidan to inspect the venue of the swearing in event.

Saha also had visited the Swami Vivekananda maidan where he along with the high officials inspected the preparations for the upcoming oath ceremony.

Speaking to the media, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also attend the event on March 8.

"Last time, the oath-taking ceremony took place at Assam Rifles Ground and this time it will take place at the Swami Vivekananda Maidan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will remain present in the ceremony," Saha told reporters.

He further said that BJP president JP Nadda will also visit the state to take part in the oath-taking ceremony. "Union Home Minister Amit Shah will also be there during the Oath taking ceremony along with various other leaders of the party," he added.

He said several chief ministers of BJP ruled states will also join the event.

BJP returned to power in the state by winning an absolute majority.

According to the Election Commission of India, BJP won 32 seats with a vote share of around 39 per cent. Tipra Motha Party came second by winning 13 seats. Communist Party of India (Marxist) got 11 seats while Congress bagged three seats. The Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) managed to open its account by winning one seat.

The CPI(M) and the Congress, arch rivals in Kerala, came together in the Northeast this time in a bid to oust the BJP from power. The combined vote share of CPI(M) and Congress remained around 33 per cent.

Chief Minister Saha defeated Congress' Asish Kumar Saha from the Town Bordowali seat by a margin of 1,257 votes. In the 60-member Tripura assembly, the majority mark is 31.The BJP, which had never won a single seat in Tripura before 2018, stormed to power in the last election in alliance with IPFT and had ousted the Left Front which had been in power in the border state for 35 years since 1978.

The BJP contested on 55 seats and its ally, IPFT, on six seats. But both allies had fielded candidates in the Ampinagar constituency in the Gomati district.The Left contested on 47 and Congress on 13 seats, respectively. Of the total 47 seats, the CPM contested 43 seats while the Forward Bloc, Communist Party of India (CPI) and Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) contested one seat each.

The CPI(M)-led Left Front ruled the state for nearly four decades, with a gap between 1988 and 1993, when the Congress was in power but now both parties joined hands with the intention to oust BJP from power. (ANI)

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Kadapa (Andhra Pradesh) [India], March 6 (ANI): Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party Kadapa MP YS Avinash Reddy on Monday said that he is ready to join the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry in the case pertaining to the former minister YS Vivekananda Reddy on March 10.

CBI, probing the case, served a third notice to Avinash Reddy, asking him to appear at its Hyderabad office on Monday, but the latter couldn't appear before the agency following his prior programmes.

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This time, the investigation agency also served notice to his father YS Bhaskar Reddy, asking him to appear along with his son for questioning in connection with the case.

"CBI has issued notices to me and my father YS Bhaskar Reddy to attend for the enquiry on the 10 March and 12th March of this month," Reddy said while talking to media on Monday in Kadapa.

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He further said that he would join the investigation on the same date.

"According to the notices, we will attend the hearing and support the authorities. I am going attend the enquiry on 10th March and my father will attend it on 12th March for enquiry," Reddy added.

The Kadapa MP, who is a cousin of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, has appeared twice before the agency. (ANI)

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North 24 Parganas (West Bengal) [India], March 6 (ANI): The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered 40 gold biscuits weighing 4.6 kg and valued at Rs 2.57 crore from a swamp, informed BSF officials on Monday.

According to BSF officials, a few months ago, there was an attempt to smuggle contraband through the pond. Seeing the on-duty jawans, however, the smuggler jumped into the pond. The troops informed their company commander after which the smuggler was pulled out of the water and searched. However, nothing was recovered from him.

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"A massive search operation was launched after cordoning the area off. However, because of the wet and watery area, the jawans could not find anything, and the smuggler was allowed to leave," said an official.

After a few days, the force received information that the smuggler had hidden a large consignment of gold in the pond before fleeing. Personnel from the BSF's South Bengal Frontier seized more than 113 kg of gold on the border in 2022.

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"In the past, smugglers have used various methods, including hiding gold in motorcycle parts, under the cabin and cavities of import-export trucks, throwing over the fence, hiding in slippers or saris, targeting and hiding in school children's bags, hiding them in farming tools or the lower part of the body, smuggling by organised smugglers, smuggling in jars on the pretext of selling fish, and hiding in luggage by passengers on ICP, etc. After studying the smugglers' modus operandi, South Bengal Frontier issued a pamphlet for the benefit of the personnel," the official said.

Based on the information that the gold was concealed in the pond, the Coy Comdr of the BOP increased security in that particular area and posted a sentry to keep watch.

The BSF received information that smugglers would enter the pond on the pretext of playing Holi and try to retrieve the hidden consignment of gold. It was, therefore, decided that a thorough search of the pond would be conducted.

"Last night, a BSF search team was formed under the leadership of officers. The team was equipped with modern gadgets and imparted training to carry out an intense search so that hidden gold could be recovered. This morning, a thorough search using an F3 land mine detector and metal detectors was started in the target area of the pond. During the search, 40 gold biscuits were found in the pond. The search operation is ongoing in the area," said an official. (ANI)

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New Delhi, Mar 6 (PTI) LTIMindtree, a technology consulting and digital solutions company, on Monday announced the inauguration of a new delivery centre in Krakow, Poland, in line with its strategy to expand its presence in Eastern Europe.

The 500-seat centre at Krakow, will support the company's capabilities in the region and bring LTIMindtree's services closer to its customers in the travel, transportation, and hospitality industries.

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The new centre will complement LTIMindtree's existing delivery centre in Warsaw, according to a company release.

The Krakow facility is the latest addition to the growing operations of LTIMindtree across Europe, where it serves over 75 clients.

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With 23 offices and 9 delivery centres in the region, LTIMindtree offers technology solutions and services that provide clients with a competitive edge in their marketplace.

Nachiket Deshpande, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Board Member, LTIMindtree, said, "This advanced facility will enable us to understand the needs of our customers better and bring our services closer to our global clients and those in Europe, and help deliver next-generation experiences to them".

Deshpande added: "Our nearshore delivery model has proven to be successful, and this expansion will further bolster our geo capabilities, making us more agile and responsive to the needs of our clients."

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New Delhi, Mar 6 (PTI) Reliance Retail plans to open offline stores of its soon-to-be-launched e-commerce beauty platform Tira also, a top company official said on Monday.

The company would open its first offline Tira store in Mumbai and plans to expand its presence in the country, both in a 'shop-in-shop' format and standalone stores.

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Currently, Tira's e-commerce platform, on which Reliance Retail is offering makeup, skincare, hair care, fragrances, bathing, men's beauty and luxury sections, is open to Reliance employees only.

This portal will open for customers soon, said Reliance Retail Director Subramaniam V on the sidelines of an event organised by industry chamber FICCI.

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When asked about the offline expansion of Tira, Subramaniam said: "It will come up in the month of April in Mumbai."

Though he did not share the number of stores Reliance Retail plans to open initially said: "We would have a sufficient number of stores to take it pan-India."

He said, "Tira would be the premium and for non-premium (brand), we still have to decide."

According to sources, there could be several tech interventions at the proposed Tira stores, including customised recommendations and virtual try-ons.

Tira could be retailing luxury products under a specialised category called Tira Red, he added.

Last year, Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd (RRVL) bought a controlling stake in makeup and personal care brand Insight Cosmetics, which has the largest opening price points at leading e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart and Nyka.

Subramaniam said Reliance Retail is one of the largest players in the beauty segment.

"We were there in personal care, hair care and the largest customer for Lakme. But now, we are bringing a kind of special channel for beauty," he said.

In a 2021 report, global market research platform Statista said that India ranked fourth in revenue generation from the beauty and personal care market, just behind the US, China, and Japan, projecting that online sales would grow 18.2 per cent in the next few years.

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Kabul [Afghanistan], March 6 (ANI): Four Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) commanders wanted in India have been killed in separate shootouts in Pakistan and Afghanistan, Khaama Press reported.

The four wanted commanders identified as Syed Noor Shalobar, Syed Khalid Raza, Ejaz Ahmed Ahangar alias Abu Usman al-Kashmiri and Bashir Ahmed Peer alias Imtiaz Alam were eliminated in separate shootouts within a month.

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The Islamic State - Khorasan Province is an affiliate of the Islamic State militant group active in South Asia and Central Asia.

According to Khaama Press, Syed Noor Shalobar was assassinated on Friday by unknown gunmen in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa area of Pakistan. Shalobar was responsible for recruitment and spreading terror in Kashmir Valley and "was allegedly working closely with Pakistan Army and ISI," the report stated.

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Another commander of IS, Syed Khalid Raza, was on last Monday, killed in Karachi, Pakistan. The Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army (SRA) claimed responsibility for his killing.

Bashir Ahmad Peer, another IS commander, was last month, killed by unidentified gunmen in Pakistan. He was involved in several online activities to mobilize ex-militants to help organizations like Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Ejaz Amin Ahangar, known as Abu Osman Al-Kashmiri, a senior commander of the Islamic State of Khorasan, was killed in the southern province of Afghanistan last week.

According to intelligence authorities and his family members, Abu Osman is thought to have been slain in southern Afghanistan. He is accused of being the leader of an Islamic State cell responsible for a string of suicide attacks by Indian nationals in Kabul and Jalalabad, according to Khaama Press.

Abu Osman was previously a part of the "Mujahideen Movement" in Kashmir, Pakistan. In 2015, he eventually joined ISIS after initially joining Al-Qaeda. Abu Osman has reportedly been slain by the Taliban and was discovered dead in Afghanistan's Kunar Province.

In addition, in a separate special operation launched by the Taliban earlier last week, two ISIS members including a top commander were killed in Kabul.

According to Mujahid, one of the terrorists murdered was Qari Fateh, the intelligence chief and former minister of war for the IS-Khorasan province.

The statement added that Qari Fateh was the IS-K's primary plotter and was in charge of organising a number of attacks, including those on the diplomatic missions of China, Pakistan, and Russia in Kabul, according to Khaama Press.

Meanwhile, the Islamic State of Khorasan is the main adversary of the Taliban, aiming to kill Taliban forces, foreign citizens and people. (ANI)

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Ankara, Mar 6 (AP) One month after a powerful quake devastated parts of Turkiye and Syria, hundreds of thousands of people still need shelter and sanitation, and an appeal for USD 1 billion to assist survivors is only 10 per cent funded, hampering efforts to tackle the humanitarian crisis, a United Nations official said Monday.

The February 6 earthquake and strong aftershocks have killed close to 47,000 people in Turkiye, destroyed or damaged around 214,000 buildings and left hundreds of thousands of people homeless  making it the worst disaster in Turkiye's modern history. The UN estimates that the earthquake killed around 6,000 people in Syria, mainly in the rebel-held northwest.

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Close to 2 million survivors have been evacuated from the earthquake-devastated region, according to Turkish government figures. More than 1.4 million people have been settled in tents while another 46,000 have been moved to container houses. Others are living in dormitories and guesthouses, the government said.

Given the number of people that have been relocated, given the number of people that have been injured and given the level of the devastation, we do have extensive humanitarian needs now, Alvaro Rodriguez, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Turkiye, told The Associated Press.

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We have some provinces where up to 25 per cent of the population  we're talking sometimes half a million people  have relocated. So the challenge we have is how do we provide food, shelter, water for these communities? he said.

The UN representative said tents are still needed even though they are not the optimal solution for sheltering people. He reported some cases of scabies outbreaks due to poor sanitary conditions.

Last month, the UN made a flash appeal for USD 397.6 million to help Syrian quake victims and USD 1 billion appeal for victims in Turkiye to cover emergency needs, such as food, protection, education water and shelter, for three months. Rodriguez said the appeal for Turkiye is only about 10 per cent funded.

The reality is that if we do not move beyond the roughly 10 per cent that we have, the UN and its partners will not be able to meet the humanitarian needs, he said.

Rodriguez added: Turkiye has been a country that has supported 4 million Syrian refugees over the last few years, and this is an opportunity for the international community to provide the support that Turkiye deserves.

The World Bank has estimated that the earthquake has caused an estimated USD 34.2 billion in direct physical damages - the equivalent of 4 per cent of Turkiye's 2021 GDP.

The World Bank said recovery and reconstruction costs will be much higher and that GDP losses associated to economic disruptions will also add to the cost of the earthquakes.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who faces tough presidential and parliamentary elections in May, has promised to rebuild hundreds of thousands of homes for the quake survivors within a year.

More than 1.74 million refugees lived in the 11 Turkish provinces affected by the earthquakes, according to the UN refugee agency. Turkiye's interior minister said 4,267 of the people killed in Turkiye were Syrian nationals.

Rodriguez said that around 40,000 Syrians in Turkiye have returned home to check on family or economic assets such as land or housing that may have been impacted by the earthquake there. (AP)

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Sydney [Australia], March 6, (ANI): Australia's space industry issued warning against China's satellite surveillance,Voice of America (VOA) reported.

The warning comes as Australia's Defense Space Command says it is working on a plan to acquire so-called soft-kill technology to take out enemy satellites, Voice of America (VOA) reported.

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In February, the United States blew down a massive Chinese balloon that it claimed was spying on important military sites throughout America. China, though, asserted that the aircraft had veered off course and was a civilian one.

The diplomatic dispute sparked a discussion between the two concerning spying and surveillance.

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Australian experts think that worries about satellite spying have been overshadowed by the balloon event, read a report in Voice of America (VOA).

James Brown, the head of the trade group the Space Industry Association of Australia, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Saturday that China has a vast space monitoring system, Voice of America (VOA) reported.

Roberts said the number of satellites in space had more than doubled to around 8,000 as China launched more satellites than the United States did last year, Voice of America (VOA) reported.

"I think people just do not realize that every day we are being listened to and surveilled by Chinese satellites that are only 100 to 200 kilometers above our heads, and China is launching hundreds of them a year and we are seeing more and more of that activity," Voice of America (VOA) quoted Brown as saying.

Australia's year-old Defense Space Command is working on a plan to buy so-called soft-kill technology to destroy enemy satellites without creating dangerous debris. Instead of using missiles, Australia wants to develop its own electronic warfare capability to disrupt and disable satellites but the appropriate technology is not yet commercially available.

The command's head, Air Vice Marshal Cath Roberts, Friday gave an update on electronic warfare capabilities and the threats to Australian satellites. She told reporters that there was a need to have "nondestructive" capabilities to deter attacks or interfere with enemy satellites.(ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Berlin, Mar 6 (AP) German police said Monday that they have disrupted an international cybercrime gang which has been blackmailing large companies and institutions for years, raking in millions of euros.

Working with law enforcement partners including Europol, the FBI and authorities in Ukraine, police in Duesseldorf said they were able to identify 11 individuals linked to a group that has operated in various guises since at least 2010. In recent years it has gone by the names Indrik Spider, Double Spider and Grief.

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Among its most prominent victims were Britain's National Health Service and Duesseldorf University Hospital, whose computers were infected with a type of ransomware known as DoppelPaymer in 2020.

A woman who needed urgent treatment died after she had to be taken to another city for treatment.

Also Read | Russia Steps Up Effort to Take Elusive Prize of Ukraine City.

Dirk Kunze, who heads the cybercrime department with North Rhine-Westphalia state police, said at least 601 victims have been identified worldwide, including 37 in Germany.

Europol said victims in the United States paid out at least 40 million euros ($42.5 million) to the gang between May 2019 and March 2021 to release important data that was electronically locked using the malware.

The group specialized in big game hunting," said Kunze, and ran a professional recruitment operation, luring new members with the promise of paid vacation and asking applicants to submit references for past cybercrimes.

He said police conducted simultaneous raids in Germany and Ukraine on Feb. 28, seizing evidence and detaining several suspects.

Three further suspects couldn't be apprehended as they were beyond the reach of European law enforcement, Kunze said.

German police identified the fugitives as Russian citizens Igor Turashev, 41, and Irinia Zemlyanikina, 36, and 31-year-old Igor Garshin, who was born in Russia but whose nationality wasn't immediately known. (AP)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Kathmandu, Mar 6 (PTI) Holi made a triumphant return to Nepal after a three-year pandemic-induced hiatus, as thousands of people from across the country celebrated the festival with gusto sprinkling colours and soaking in the revelry.

Holi is a festival celebrated to mark the onset of spring. This festival is observed in the mountainous districts of the country on Fagu Purnima, the full Moon day in the month of Fagun, as per the Hindu calendar.

Also Read | China Prioritizes Defence Budget Despite Economic Woes.

The people in the plains, notably in the Tarai-Madhes region, however, will celebrate this festival on Tuesday.

Thousands of people, mostly youth, thronged key centres here to celebrate Holi by sprinkling colours at each other, as the festival made a triumphant return to the country after nearly three years due to the pandemic.

Also Read | Russia Steps Up Effort to Take Elusive Prize of Ukraine City.

The Holi celebrations began last week with the installation of "Chir", with colourful strips attached to a bamboo pole.

According to tradition, Nepalese celebrate Holi for eight days from the day of the installation of the "Chir" to the full moon day in the lunar calendar.

More than 25,000 security personnel were mobilised in the Kathmandu Valley for the Holi celebrations, Nepal Police said on Monday.

(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 [India], March 6 (ANI): The maiden Joint Military Exercise FRINJEX-23 between Indian Army and French Army will be conducted at Pangode Military Station in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram on March 7-8, 2023.

It is for the first time that the armies of both nations will engage in this format with each contingent comprising a Company Group each from the Thiruvananthapuram-based Indian Army troops and French 6th Light Armoured Brigade.

Also Read | China Prioritizes Defence Budget Despite Economic Woes.

The exercise is aimed at enhancing inter-operability, coordination and cooperation between both forces at the tactical level. The scope of the exercise involves the establishment and operationalisation of a joint command post to secure an envisaged area for undertaking joint humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, establishing an Internally Displaced Population (IDP) camp and move of disaster relief material.

"The maiden edition of India-France joint military exercise #FRINJEX will be conducted at #Thiruvananthapuram. The two-day exercise aims at enhancing interoperability between both Nations in Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief Operations. #IndiaFranceFriendship #IndianArmy," the Indian Army tweeted.

Also Read | Russia Steps Up Effort to Take Elusive Prize of Ukraine City.

The Joint exercise will further cement defence cooperation with France which is a crucial aspect of the overall Indo-France strategic partnership. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Ankara, Mar 6 (AP) Opposition politicians sought on Monday to salvage an alliance that was left in disarray following a dispute over the nomination of a joint candidate to challenge President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in elections scheduled for May.

Meral Aksener, who leads the nationalist Iyi Party, broke away from a six-party alliance on Friday, rejecting the likely nomination of main opposition Republican People's Party, or CHP, leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

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Aksener went on to call on the popular mayors of Ankara and Istanbul  both from the CHP party  to defy the party leadership and and run in the elections instead of Kilicdaroglu.

Aksener's split from the alliance  less than three months before presidential and parliamentary elections  was seen as a major boost for Erdogan, whose popularity has suffered amid a weak economy as well as his government's response to a devastating earthquake last month.

Also Read | Russia Steps Up Effort to Take Elusive Prize of Ukraine City.

Aksener, a former interior minister whose party is the second largest in the opposition bloc, was reported to have favoured either of the mayors instead of Kilicdaroglu, who has failed to win a national election in the 13 years he has led the CHP.

The two mayors have been showing more favourable poll ratings against Erdogan than Kilicdaroglu.

On Monday, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas met with Aksener in an apparent attempt to convince her to return to the alliance.

There is an election in front of us. Our nation cannot tolerate a separation, Yavas told reporters.

Aksener and Kilicdaroglu then met, during which the two discussed a compromise solution where the mayors could be nominated as vice-presidents, said an Iyi Party spokesman.

Hamish Kinnear, Middle East and North Africa Analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft said the opposition was still able to unify behind a joint candidate.

But the opposition alliance is running out of time ... and already missed a golden opportunity to solidify opposition to Erdogan in the wake of February's devastating earthquake, he said.

Erdogan took a dig at the fractured opposition on Saturday.

We said months ago that this would be the case. They sat, they talked and they dispersed  as I said they would, Erdogan said. (AP)

(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], March 6 (ANI): Male students in Afghanistan on Monday returned to their classes after the reopening of universities following a winter break. Women, however, are barred from attending classes by the Taliban authorities, Afghanistan-based news agency Khaama Press reported.

The Taliban-led Ministry of Higher Education in a statement on Wednesday said that male students' classes at public universities would commence on Monday.

Also Read | China Prioritizes Defence Budget Despite Economic Woes.

The statement, however, said nothing about the resumption of universities for female students.

Since the Taliban retook control in August 2021, numerous limitations have been placed on women. One of these restrictions, the university ban, has outraged people worldwide, particularly Muslims.

Also Read | Russia Steps Up Effort to Take Elusive Prize of Ukraine City.

The Taliban regime issued the ban after accusing female students of disobeying the university's rigorous dress code and requiring them to travel to and from campus with a male relative.

Tolo News recently reported that, as Afghan women continue to grapple with challenges related to education due to Taliban-imposed bans, the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in a statement said that the females in war-torn Afghanistan are living in exile in their own country.

The UN Chief reiterated that the basic rights of Afghan women and girls are trampled due to the ban on education by the de-facto authorities.

The UN said in a statement that Guterres expressed his concerns about the right of women and girls in Afghanistan.

The spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, Zabiullah Mujahid, however, refuted the claims and asserted that women's and girls' rights have been upheld in Afghanistan and that the international community should refrain from exerting pressure on the current administration using the subject of women.

"They should not make this a political tool and use it as a means of pressure," Mujahid said, as per TOLOnews.

Females students in Afghnaistan have repeatedly called out to the Taliban to open education institutions for girls to attend at the earliest.

"We ask the current government to reopen schools, madrassas and all educational centers to girls," said Nargis Niazi, a student.

At the recent UN Human Rights Council in Geneva meeting, representatives of several countries expressed concerns over the existing restrictions on Afghan women and girls.

President of the Saudi Human Rights Commission, Hala Mazyad Al-Tuwaijri, at the UN Human Rights Council, said Saudi Arabia calls on Kabul to rescind its decisions so women can "fully enjoy their rights without discrimination". (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Chennai, March 6: National Commission for Women member and actor-turned-politician Khushbu Sundar had said that she was abused by her father when she was eight years old, she said in interview to a media portal.

Khushbu said that when a child is sexually abused, the scar remains for life, adding that it is immaterial whether the child is a boy or a girl.

She said that her mother had gone through the most abusive marriage, adding that her father thought it was his birthright to beat up his wife and children and abuse his only daughter. Tamil Nadu Shocker: Man Held for Raping, Impregnating His 13-Year-Old Daughter in Vellore.

Khushbhu said that the fear of other members of the family getting abused kept her mouth shut even though she had been abused since she was eight. She added that her only fear was whether her mother would believe her as she had a 'Kuch bhi hota hai, meri pati Devta hai' mindset. Mumbai Shocker: 42-Year-Old Man Rapes, Impregnates Minor Daughter; Arrested.

She said that when she turned 15, she thought enough was enough and started speaking against her father. The actor-turned-politician added that her father left the family when she was only 16, and the family didn't know from where the next meal was coming.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 06, 2023 08:39 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
<i> From Associated Press</i>

One of the Cold Wars most secret documents, the CIAs scathing internal investigation of the 1961 Bay of Pigs debacle, has been released, and there is little wonder why the spy agency guarded it so jealously.

The 150-page report, released after sitting in the CIA directors safe for more than three decades, blames the disastrous attempt to oust Fidel Castro not on President Kennedys failure to call in airstrikes but on the agency itself.

The CIAs ignorance, incompetence, as well at its arrogance toward the 1,400 Cuban exiles it trained and equipped to mount the invasion, was responsible for the fiasco, says the report, released by the agency last week.

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The choice was between retreat without honor and a gamble between ignominious defeat and dubious victory. The agency chose to gamble, at rapidly decreasing odds, the report says.

The document criticizes almost every aspect of the CIAs handling of the invasion: misinforming Kennedy administration officials, planning poorly, using faulty intelligence and conducting an overt military operation beyond agency responsibility as well as agency capability.

Few of the CIA personnel helping train the exiles for the invasion spoke Spanish, yet the agency reduced the exiled leaders to the status of puppets.

Despite U.S. news articles linking the United States with a plan to invade Cuba, the project went forward under the pathetic illusion of deniability, the report says.

Castros forces easily turned back the April 1961 assault at the Bay of Pigs, killing 200 rebel soldiers and capturing 1,197 others, who were later turned over to U.S. authorities.

The fiasco at the swampy, mosquito-ridden inlet on Cubas southern coast was a watershed for the CIA, puncturing the air of invincibility it had acquired with its successes in helping topple Irans president in 1953 and Guatemalas leader in 1954.

It was also a major foreign-policy disaster for the Kennedy administration, tarnishing its Camelot sheen and frustrating its young president. Yet it also hardened his determination to get rid of Castro, evident in subsequent assassination plots that became the subject of congressional investigations.

CIA officials and Cuban exiles believed that Kennedys failure to approve airstrikes to back up the seaborne invaders doomed the plan.

But the report, by CIA Inspector General Lyman Kirkpatrick, places the blame directly on CIA leaders, saying they had failed to advise the president, at an appropriate time, that success had become dubious and to recommend that the operation therefore be canceled.

The report so outraged CIA officials that all but one of the 20 copies produced were destroyed.

CIA officials feared that if the document leaked, it could provoke crippling public criticism of the agency. In unfriendly hands, it can become a weapon unjustifiably to attack the entire mission, organization and functioning of the agency, CIA Deputy Director C.P. Cabell wrote in a Dec. 15, 1961, memorandum.

The sole remaining copy of the report remained in the CIA directors safe until last week, when it was released in response to a Freedom of Information Act request by the National Security Archive, a nonprofit group in Washington.
There is the world of neoconservative columnists such as The Times Jonah Goldberg, who in an Aug. 24 column asserted that the anti-Muslim backlash is mainly a myth.

Then there is the world where the rest of us live.

Anyone who is witnessing the debates over the proposal to build an Islamic center in New York City has watched an unraveling of emotions across America. Muslims in America  numbering between 4 million and 7 million  have been chastised for not being sufficiently sorry for the acts of 19 hijackers on that terrible day in September 2001, or sensitive enough to the victims families. It has been a momentously myopic moment in American history, made worse by violent acts and signs that disparaged Muslims and Islam.

Expressing ones opinion is, of course, a right; nobody would say otherwise. However, in places like California, Kentucky, Texas, Florida, New York, Wisconsin and elsewhere, disturbing incidents have either taken place or are being planned. These actions undermine years of interfaith efforts and belie our ideals of tolerance, pluralism and multiculturalism.

Goldberg is right to note that hate crimes occur against other groups, namely Jews, and those crimes rightfully disturb and disgust. There are people who harbor strong anti-Semitic views, and some cowards act on those views. The hate crimes committed against Jews are greater in number than the crimes committed against Muslims, but does that make the crimes committed against Muslims insignificant? Of course not. If anything, Jews and Muslims share a common interest in fighting hate crimes in America and working to strengthen pluralism.

The first step is to acknowledge there is a problem. The crimes against Muslims do not look random or isolated.

Law enforcement authorities in California classified the vandalism at the Madera Islamic Center in the Central Valley that nearly smashed a window as a hate crime when they discovered signs that read Wake up America the enemy is here and No temple for the god of terrorism. In New York, an intoxicated man forced his way into a mosque in Queens and urinated on several prayer rugs. Michael Enright, a 21-year-old New York film student, is being charged with attempted murder in connection with the stabbing of a Muslim cab driver. The act has been classified as a hate crime.

There have been many other incidents, such as a reported pipe-bomb incident at a mosque in Florida and the vandalism and arson that took place in Texas in July. This is to say nothing about efforts to construct mosques in Wisconsin and Kentucky that have come under the kind of attack that would never have happened if the building projects were for Christian churches.

Then there are the numbers.

Statistics corroborate the belief that Islamophobia is on the rise in America, and that the temptation to view Islam and Muslims through the prism of extremism remains ever-present. A study from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life found that the publics view of Islam has worsened. According to the study, 30% say they have a favorable opinion of Islam, while 38% have an unfavorable view. These figures mark a change from 2005, when slightly more expressed a favorable opinion of Islam. The study found that those who are younger than 50 have more mixed views of Islam than older Americans, who harbor more uniformly negative opinions.

These perceptions are undoubtedly linked to the debates in New York, but Christian pastors and elected leaders whose irresponsible rhetoric has undone years of interfaith work on part of Muslims and non-Muslims also deserve blame. Last month, Newt Gingrich compared Muslim Americans who want to build the Islamic center in New York to Nazis who would erect a sign next to Washingtons Holocaust museum. Terry Jones, the pastor of the Dove World Outreach Center in Florida, posted a video that outlines his desire to expose Islam; he uses fear and paranoia to encourage more people to burn the Koran. He warns that Europe has been lost to Muslims and that America might be next.

No widespread Islamophobia, Goldberg says.

Oh really?

John L. Esposito, the author of The Future of Islam, is University Professor of Religion and International Affairs at Georgetown University and founding director of the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding. Sheila B. Lalwani is a research fellow at the center.
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed 55 years ago, on June 19, 1953. But last week, they were back in the headlines when Morton Sobell, the co-defendant in their famous espionage trial, finally admitted that he and his friend, Julius, had both been Soviet agents.

It was a stunning admission; Sobell, now 91 years old, had adamantly maintained his innocence for more than half a century. After his comments were published, even the Rosenbergs children, Robert and Michael Meeropol, were left with little hope to hang on to -- and this week, in comments unlike any theyve made previously, the brothers acknowledged having reached the difficult conclusion that their father was, indeed, a spy. I dont have any reason to doubt Morty, Michael Meeropol told Sam Roberts of the New York Times.

With these latest events, the end has arrived for the legions of the American left wing that have argued relentlessly for more than half a century that the Rosenbergs were victims, framed by a hostile, fear-mongering U.S. government. Since the couples trial, the left has portrayed them as martyrs for civil liberties, righteous dissenters whose chief crime was to express their constitutionally protected political beliefs. In the end, the left has argued, the two communists were put to death not for spying but for their unpopular opinions, at a time when the Truman and Eisenhower administrations were seeking to stem opposition to their anti-Soviet foreign policy during the Cold War.

To this day, this received wisdom permeates our educational system. A recent study by historian Larry Schweikart of the University of Dayton has found that very few college history textbooks say simply that the Rosenbergs were guilty; according to Schweikart, most either state that the couple were innocent or that the trial was controversial, or they excuse what [the Rosenbergs] did by saying, It wasnt that bad. What they provided wasnt important. 

Indeed, Columbia University professor Eric Foner once wrote that the Rosenbergs were prosecuted out of a determined effort to root out dissent, part of a broader pattern of shattered careers and suppressed civil liberties. In other words, it was part of the postwar McCarthyite witch hunt.

But, in fact, Schweikart is right, and Foner is wrong. The Rosenbergs were Soviet spies, and not minor ones either. Not only did they try their best to give the Soviets top atomic secrets from the Manhattan Project, they succeeded in handing over top military data on sonar and on radar that was used by the Russians to shoot down American planes in the Korean and Vietnam wars. Thats long been known, and Sobell confirmed it again last week.

To many Americans, Cold War espionage cases like the Rosenberg and Alger Hiss cases that once riveted the country seem irrelevant today, something out of the distant past. But theyre not irrelevant. Theyre a crucial part of the ongoing dispute between right and left in this country. For the left, it has long been an article of faith that these prosecutions showed the essentially repressive nature of the U.S. government. Even as the guilt of the accused has become more and more clear (especially since the fall of the Soviet Union and the release of reams of historical Cold War documents), these anti anti-communists of the intellectual left have continued to argue that the prosecutions were overzealous, or that the crimes were minor, or that the punishments were disproportionate.

The left has consistently defended spies such as Hiss, the Rosenbergs and Sobell as victims of contrived frame-ups. Because a demagogue like Sen. Joseph McCarthy cast a wide swath with indiscriminate attacks on genuine liberals as reds (and even though McCarthy made some charges that were accurate), the anti anti-communists came to argue that anyone accused by McCarthy or Richard Nixon or J. Edgar Hoover should be assumed to be entirely innocent. People like Hiss (a former State Department official who was accused of spying) cleverly hid their true espionage work by gaining sympathy as just another victim of a smear attack.

But now, with Sobells confession of guilt, that worldview has been demolished.

In the 1990s, when it was more than clear that the Rosenbergs had been real Soviet spies -- not simply a pair of idealistic left-wingers working innocently for peace with the Russians -- one of the Rosenbergs sons, Michael, expressed the view that the reason his parents stayed firm and did not cooperate with the government was because they wanted to keep the government from creating a massive spy show trial, thereby earning the thanks of generations of resisters to government repression.

Today, he and his brother Robert run a fund giving grants to the children of those they deem political prisoners, such as convicted cop killer Mumia Abu-Jamal. Ironically, if there was any government that staged show trials for political ends, it was the government for which the Rosenbergs gave up their lives, that of the former Soviet Union.

This week, the Meeropols made it clear to the New York Times that they still believe the information their father passed to the Russians was not terribly significant, that the judge and the prosecutors in their parents case were guilty of misconduct, and that neither Julius nor Ethel should have been given the death penalty for their crimes.

On the subject of their mother, the Meeropols have a point. In another development last week, a federal court judge in New York released previously sealed grand jury testimony of key witnesses in the case, including that of Ruth Greenglass, Julius sister-in-law. It turns out that a key part of her testimony for the prosecution -- that Ethel had typed up notes for her husband to hand to the Soviets -- was most likely concocted.

That doesnt mean that Ethel was innocent -- indeed, the preponderance of the evidence suggests she was not. But what is clear is that in seeking to get the defendants to confess to Soviet espionage, the prosecutors overstepped bounds and enhanced testimony to guarantee a conviction. Americans should have no problem acknowledging when such judicial transgressions take place, and in concluding that the execution of Ethel was a miscarriage of justice.

Nevertheless, after Sobells confession of guilt, all other conspiracy theories about the Rosenberg case should come to an end. A pillar of the left-wing culture of grievance has been finally shattered. The Rosenbergs were actual and dangerous Soviet spies. It is time the ranks of the left acknowledge that the United States had (and has) real enemies and that finding and prosecuting them is not evidence of repression.

Ronald Radosh, an emeritus professor of history at City University of New York and an adjunct senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, is the coauthor of The Rosenberg File.
March 8 is International Women's Day. It is not only a day of honoring and celebrating women. At the same time, it is also regarded as a season for commemorating both women's achievements and painful losses throughout history.

According to Esperanza United, March 8 has been branded as "8M" in Latin America. Women from this region celebrate this day by protesting and speaking up against gender inequality, injustice, and misogyny, picking up more momentum throughout the years.

Now that International Women's Day 2023 is approaching let us take a look at some of the Latinas who championed women's rights and welfare in the past few decades.

Dolores Huerta

Mexican American Dolores Huerta is a labor and civil rights activist starting in the 1950s. In 1962, she co-founded United Farm Workers with Cesar Chavez and Philip Vera Cruz to improve the working conditions of farmers. She led protests and pickets, as well as lobbied for legislation instrumental in protecting some of the most vulnerable sectors in our society, as noted by Google Arts & Culture. While in the world of politics, she advocated increasing women's representation in office through the Feminist Majority project.

RELATED ARTICLE: Dolores Huerta Leads Fundraising for Families Affected by COVID-19

Bianca Jagger

The world first knew Bianca Jagger when she married Mick Jagger in May 1971, but she proved that she was much more than the Nicaraguan wife of a rockstar. Bianca Jagger established her own name through her activism and charity works spanning three decades. According to her interview with High Profiles, she considers her 1981 visit to Colomoncagua, a UN refugee camp in Honduras, a turning point that started her passion for advocacies. At the time, she demanded at gunpoint that the refugees be released by a death squad from El Salvador and the Honduran army.

"These were extraordinary circumstances I was thrown into by fate. It was a privilege to be there and to be able to understand so much - to be there when people were about to be killed and our presence, because we were foreigners, [saved their lives]," Jagger said, saying it was an important lesson in her life.

Rigoberta Menchu

Guatemalan Rigoberta Menchu Tum became a UN ambassador for the world's Indigenous peoples. In 1992, the same year the western countries celebrated Christopher Columbus's "discovery" of America, she received a Nobel Peace Prize "for her struggle for social justice and ethno-cultural reconciliation based on respect for the rights of indigenous peoples." Her nomination was lobbied by Indigenous groups to highlight the fact that the European's discovery of America resulted in the "extermination and suppression of Indigenous populations."

Obviously, these are just a few of the many Latina women who have paved the way for significant changes throughout history. Up until now, many Latina women continue to break stereotypes in the male-dominated world.

As Latino Leaders Magazine pointed out, we may see more glass ceiling breakthroughs as women continue to change and write "herstory" in the years to come.

READ MORE: Mexicans Protest Vs. Killings, Disappearances of Women

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Beau West

WATCH: What Is International Women's Day? - from ClickView
Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro said on Saturday that he plans to return this month to his country, where he will face several investigations.

Bolsonaro mentioned it in an interview while attending the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Maryland, and not in his speech, Bloomberg reported.

Bolsonaro previously told CNN Brasil that he would return by the end of January, but that date has already lapsed. He also reportedly told his attorney Marcelo Bessa that he could return in April.

Bolsonaro is being investigated for his possible role in the January 8 riot that targeted the city of Brasilia by his supporters who do not accept his election defeat by Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

However, the former president argued that he was no longer in office, was abroad of the country, and that his followers would never condone an attack of this nature.

If Bolsonaro does not return to Brazil voluntarily by the end of March, the Lula administration will reportedly look for ways to compel the former president to return to the country so he can face charges in Brazilian courts.

READ NEXT: Jair Bolsonaro Says He May Return Home 'In Coming Weeks'

Jair Bolsonaro Intends to Return to Brazil This Month

Jair Bolsonaro traveled to Florida after losing the presidential election last year. He applied for a six-month visa on January 30.

In an interview with NBC News, Bolsonaro said he does not respond to lawsuits and "was not cited in absolutely nothing" when asked if he would stay in Brazil and answer the allegations.

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a left-leaning challenger, won the election by a narrow margin, with 50.9% of the vote against Bolsonaro's 49.1%. However, Bolsonaro still refused to acknowledge this on Saturday.

Instead, he said: "The Brazilian people protested the results of the elections, and the other side - the people - did not celebrate the election of the other candidate."

"I had more support in 2022 than I did in 2018," he added.

Similar to January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump, a crowd of Bolsonaro supporters invaded the presidential palace, Congress, and the Supreme Court to condemn the election results days after Lula's January 1 inauguration.

Jair Bolsonaro Traveled to U.S. to Clear His Head

Before Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva entered office on January 1, Jair Bolsonaro traveled to the U.S. to "clear his head and enjoy being a tourist there for a few months before deciding his next step," the former president's attorney Felipe Alexandre previously told Reuters.

Bolsonaro's flight to the U.S. went off without difficulty, but a week later, hundreds of Bolsonaro's crazed fans stormed the city and destroyed the government facilities.

An investigation is ongoing to determine if Bolsonaro started the uprising that could bar him from holding public office again.

READ MORE: King Charles Kicked Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Out of Frogmore Cottage

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Jair Bolsonaro Says He Plans to Return to Brazil in March to Lead Opposition - From FRANCE 24 English
Canada is looking into an international human trafficking ring that lures Mexicans with promises of a better life in the country but exploits them instead.

York Region police said Friday that they have managed to rescue 64 Mexican nationals from that trafficking ring. The Associated Press reported that Canadian police found the Mexican citizens in deplorable conditions.

The police also managed to arrest five members of that alleged criminal human trafficking organization, and they are now facing multiple charges. Police are still looking for two others.

Det. Sgt. Gary McBride noted that the Mexican nationals were promised good jobs in Canada. But instead, they are made to work in "deplorable" conditions and even threatened with deportation should they speak out.

These trafficked men and women were made to work at farms, factories, and warehouses and then taken to and from their workplaces on private buses.

READ NEXT: Canada Sends Military Plane to Haiti to Survey Gang Activity

Canada Police Describe Deplorable Living Conditions of Trafficked Mexican Workers

Gary McBride told reporters that they spoke with the Mexican workers, who told them there was overcrowding in their living spaces, with dozens of people sleeping on mattresses on the floor.

There were also reports of bug infestations where they lived and a lack of privacy. The Mexican laborers also reported to police that there were coercion and control methods to make sure they did not speak out.

These include a lack of freedom and isolation. They were also financially bound and routinely threatened. There were also reports of sexual assault.

The victims were a mix of men and women, some in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. They were all made to work long hours with very little pay. Many of them accepted these jobs to support family back home in Mexico.

As for their captors, three of the five people arrested were also Mexican citizens, while two were Canadians. According to Reuters, they are facing charges of human trafficking, sexual assault, and working for a criminal organization. Arrest warrants have been filed for the two other suspects.

Human Trafficking Mexican Victims Get Support From Police, Local Organizations

On the day the York Region police raided where the Mexican laborers lived, they set up a victim assistance center in partnership with a local faith organization.

They also brought in Spanish speakers to help "allay any fears" that the migrants might have, according to CTV News. All the migrants, except for 11 of them, accepted help from the center. Those who accepted this help were given clothing, food, and interim housing solutions.

The police themselves were also impacted by the rescue operation and raid, according to York Regional Police Deputy Chief Alvaro Almeida.

"The officers I think really saw themselves in the victims, especially our Spanish-speaking officers. They really saw themselves and their families in those types of situations as they were speaking with the victims and learning about where they have come from and how they were exploited in Canada," he said in a press conference.

Investigations are still ongoing. Thus, the Mexican laborers are still not being named because of this.

READ MORE: What Did Joe Biden, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, and Justin Trudeau Agree On?

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: 64 Mexican Nationals Rescued From Human Trafficking Ring Near Toronto, Police say - From CBC News
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis blasted California Governor Gavin Newsom during his speech in the state of the Democratic governor, saying that California residents are fleeing the state to live in Florida so "they can live freely."

DeSantis started his speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley on Sunday by joking, "I knew you guys got a lot of problems out here, but your governor is very concerned about what we're doing in Florida, so I figured I had to come by," Fox News reported.

The Republican governor noted that the former president, whom the library was named after, "understood the vital role that government had to play" and how it could be a "negative force if not applied properly."

DeSantis likened Reagan's leadership stance to the way he governed Florida during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He then said there had been a "great American exodus" in some states, particularly those "governed by leftist politicians," and now Florida has been experiencing a "hemorrhaging population" with people wanting to live in other states.

READ NEXT: Florida: Ron DeSantis Takes Drastic Action Amid Fears of Mass Migration

Ron DeSantis Speech in California

The Republican leader also said that families move from Pacific Coast to Florida for the reason the Sunshine State had schools open "when you didn't have them open in many other states,"

U.S. Census data showed that California's population was down by more than 500,000 people from April 2020 to July 2022, with residents moving to other states, New York Post reported.

Experts and data partially attributed the mass exodus to the state's lack of affordable housing, while Ron DeSantis blamed Gavin Newsom and other Democrats for their governance.

Aside from California, New York, Illinois, and Louisiana have also reported a decline in their population. DeSantis called California a "biomedical security state" due to its strict COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

Florida did not impose the use of vaccine passports for people to enter establishments and businesses. DeSantis noted that it was a "personal choice" that people had to decide on, and the state was "not going to let you be excluded."

Aside from banning vaccine cards, DeSantis also enforced other policies in Florida, such as banning books in school libraries, claiming that some books provide pornographic material, ABC Action News reported.

California on Ron DeSantis

California resident, Laura Zempel, said that Ron DeSantis is absolutely doing a "laboratory for fascism." Zempel is from a family of educators and commented on DeSantis' move to ban books in Florida.

The California resident told Sacramento Bee that it would ruin the country's democracy if DeSantis were to be a national figure.

An educator from Simi Valley, Tara Lynne, also put her foot down on DeSantis's move, saying "not on my watch are you going to ban books."

Click Orlando provided a list of challenged books in Florida. Some of it included "Dreaming in Cuban," John Greene's "Looking for Alaska," and Jay Asher's "Thirteen Reasons Why."

Some books required parental consent, such as Christine Watkins's "Date Rape" and Patricia McCormick's "Sold," among many others. DeSantis also revoked the Reedy Creem Improvement District of its self-governing status.

READ MORE: Ron DeSantis Beats Donald Trump in Hypothetical 2024 Match-up for Republican Presidential Nomination: New Poll

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WATCH: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Visits Reagan Library in Simi Valley - From KTLA 5




A Florida Man tried to flip off Florida police officers from the Volusia County Sheriff's Office as he tried to get away while riding his motorcycle. He would soon regret this as shortly after, he was run over by a pick-up truck.

Deputies from the Volusia County Sheriff's Office were trying to stop a group of motorcyclists on Old Dixie Highway "driving recklessly" and passing in a no-passing zone. The group soon tried to flee, with one of them being seen flipping off the law enforcement officers as he fled.

The motorcyclist drove through a red light at an intersection when he was hit by the truck. Police officers soon caught up to the rider and arrested him. Police soon identified him as Joshua Richardson, according to NBC affiliate WESH-2.

The Volusia Sheriff's Office posted about the incident on Facebook, saying, "Here's a good way to get yourself killed."

Florida Man Facing Various Charges After Traffic Incident

The group of motorcyclists was spotted by the Volusia County deputies while popping wheelies in the middle of a busy highway. As they sped off, they ignored several police cars that were trying to pull them over, according to Law and Crime.

After he was run over by the truck, Richardson was reportedly hurt but not critical. He has now been charged with multiple offenses, including fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, resisting without violence, and leaving the scene of a crash.

The Florida Man also received several citations for his actions that night, including failure to stop at a red light and passing in a no-passing zone.

READ NEXT: Florida: Mass Shooting Suspect Killed by Police After He Stole a Woman's Car

Florida Man's Arrest Caught on Camera

Videos of the incident have now been posted on the internet, including YouTube. Richardson, the motorcyclist, has been presented as yet another crazy Florida Man.

Videos showed that after his motorcycle was run over by a truck, Richardson somehow survived and was still able to walk. He stood up and tried to escape law enforcement officers while on foot but was soon caught.

Body camera footage from one of the deputies was released by the Volusia County Sheriff's Office. There, the Florida Man can be seen writhing on the ground and telling deputies he is in a lot of pain.

The New York Post reported that while being handcuffed, Richardson told the deputies that he was hurt. One of them then told him that he was an "idiot," to which the motorcyclist acknowledged, "I know."

Richardson can be heard complaining as police took him away, with one officer telling him, "You know how your leg doesn't get hurt? You don't run from the cops and crash your bike." Another deputy then responded that he did not think what Richardson did was funny but found it to be "incredibly stupid."

Richardson was also seen telling the supporters that he and his group were being chased by 12 cops, asking, "What am I supposed to do," to which one of the deputies told him, "Stop and figure out why we're chasing you."

READ NEXT: Florida Man Killed Ex-Girlfriend, Her New Boyfriend During Jealous Rage

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Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Fleeing motorcycle crash: 3/3/23 - Volusia Sheriff's Office
A Texas mom was detained Friday after she was accused of fatally stabbing three of her kids and injuring two more.

The suspect was identified as Shamaiya Hall, 25, from Italy.

A 6-year-old and two 5-year-olds were reportedly found dead inside a residence near Stafford Elementary School in the small Ellis County town Friday afternoon.

Two more children, aged four and one, were also stabbed and flown to a nearby hospital by helicopter, but there is no information about their health status.

The five kids are all siblings, according to Child Protective Services, who confirmed this to WFAA.

Hall reportedly stabbed her children when a CPS worker unexpectedly showed up at the house on suspicion that Hall was engaging in unsupervised visitations with her kids, according to sources.

The CPS had put the children in the care of another relative in the past,

The Ellis County sheriff's deputies were dispatched after they verified that child protective services workers had visited a residence on the block where the crime had occurred.

Meanwhile, officials have stated that there is no new danger to the public.

"We are shocked by this incomprehensible tragedy and already working with law enforcement to investigate how this happened and why," said CPS.

READ NEXT: Texas Mom Pleads Guilty to Murder of Sick Daughter

Texas Mom Who Killed Her Kids Has Previous Police Record

A $6 million bond was set up for the Texas mom accused of committing three capital murders.

The incident reportedly began at a residence in Italy, Texas, when a CPS worker went up unannounced, suspecting Hall of engaging in unsupervised visitations with her children.

Hall allegedly attacked her kids, ages one to six, at that time.

Hall was arrested in 2017 for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly stabbing her sister's boyfriend, according to court documents, said ABC 13.

Troyshaye Mone Hall, Hall's twin sister, was also previously charged with fatally stabbing her daughter, 7, in June 2021, said an arrest affidavit.

Texas Mom's Kid's School Reacts the Murder

Italy ISD Superintendent Rachel L. Kistner issued a pair of messages on the district's Facebook page, PEOPLE noted.

"Italy ISD is deeply saddened by the tragedy that occurred off-campus this evening. Words cannot express the overwhelming grief felt by the district and the community, hearing of such a tragedy," Kistner stated in a Facebook post published by Italy ISD on Friday.

Kistner posted another message on Facebook on Saturday: "Italy ISD is processing through the tragedy that occurred on Friday and is preparing to support our students and staff as they return to school on Monday."

Meanwhile, around 50 individuals assembled in a circle near Stafford Elementary School Friday night, which is attended by many neighborhood residents who lived close to the school and had either participated in the institution themselves or had children who did.

They gathered over candlelight, singing "Amazing Grace." All of them prayed for the sake of the household and its children and one another, The Dallas Morning News reports.

Tye Thomas, who has lived in the city for 12 years, claims four kids went to Stafford Elementary.

Thomas, a student at Navarro College, claimed he had already met the Texas mom's children on Friday since he fills in as a substitute teacher at the primary school.

READ MORE: LeBron James Injury Update

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WATCH: Mom in custody after 5 children stabbed, 3 killed at home, deputies say - From ABC 7
Meghan Markle and Rebel Wilson met each other when a mutual friend introduced the Australian actress to Markle and Prince Harry.

The actress opened up that Prince Harry "could not have been nicer" while Markle "was not as cool," according to Daily Mail.

Wilson told host Andy Cohen on "Watch What Happens Live!" that Markle "wasn't as naturally warm."

However, she went on to say that Markle's cold demeanor may have been due to her mother, Sue Bownds, asking the duchess some personal questions, such as "where are your kids?"

Wilson said that her mother was "being Australian" and asked the Duchess of Sussex "all these slightly rude questions."

She then reproached her mom, saying, "mom, don't ask her that."

The mutual friend of the Sussexes and Wilson was a polo player, and Harry was known to be an avid polo player at a club in the area.

READ NEXT: Meghan Markle Feels 'Excluded' as Palace 'Is Only Fighting for Prince Harry' to Attend King Charles III Coronation

Meghan Markle Accused of 'Difficult' Behavior

There have been earlier reports of Meghan Markle being accused of having "difficult" behavior, including by her former Kensington Palace staffers, as reported by Fox News.

The staffers claimed that they were bullied by the duchess while she lived there.

Buckingham Palace investigated how the staff handled allegations of bullying, but the findings will be private.

Markle explained in her podcast last year that being "particular" is not the same as being "difficult."

She also discussed how she had to fight against the "angry Black woman" trope, which was incorporated into almost every role available to her at the time.

Meghan Markle went on to say that the casting sheets had a description of the character as always having an "edge or an attitude."

In an interview with Paris Hilton, she recalled feeling "objectified" as a briefcase girl on the show "Deal or No Deal," as cited by Yahoo Life.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

A spokesperson for the Sussexes recently confirmed that Harry has recently "received email corresponded" from King Charles's office regarding the coronation.

The representative said that an immediate decision on whether the duke and duchess will attend will not be released publicly by them at this time.

Meanwhile, Buckingham Palace had yet to comment on the matter.

A source close to Harry and Markle earlier told PEOPLE that the invitation for King Charles's coronation had yet to be extended.

A palace insider said at the time that the couple would be invited to the duke's father's coronation.

The Sussexes stepped down from their senior royal duties in January 2020, which caused a strain in the relationship between the Sussexes and the rest of the royal family members.

In addition, further tensions were placed on the connection after Harry published his memoir, "Spare," revealing a trove of family secrets such as an alleged physical fight with his brother, Prince William.

Harry also claimed in his book that Charles made "hurtful comments" about his "real father."

READ MORE: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Royal Titles Could Be 'In Danger' With New Monarch as King Charles - Royal Expert

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WATCH: 'Wasnt as naturally warm': Rebel Wilson reveals first impression of Harry and Meghan - from Sky News Australia


A second Ohio train derailment was reported, with the crash coming from the same company that crashed in East Palestine, Ohio.

Officials said that the second Norfolk Southern crash involved no hazardous materials. The incident happened at 5 p.m. near Springfield, Ohio, according to The New York Times.

The train of 212 cars was traveling from Bellevue, Ohio to Birmingham, Alabama. The same rail company had the same crash incident in East Palestine, which caused concerns about air and water quality.

The second crash had caught the attention of lawmakers, with Republican Rep. Mike Turner saying on "Meet the Press" on Sunday that it was "truly outrageous."

He added that it seems that they "may have missed a bullet in this one."

A democrat Senator of Ohio, Sherod Brown, said that the second Ohio train derailment was at least 50 cars longer as compared to the train derailment that occurred in East Palestine.

He noted that the railroads "got a lot of questions" yet to be answered, adding that "they haven't really done it very well yet."

READ NEXT: Joe Biden Says 'No' Plan to Visit Ohio Train Derailment Site Even After Donald Trump's Tour

Second Ohio Train Derailment by Norfolk Southern

The Norfolk Southern spokesperson said more or less 20 cars of the 212-car train derailed while traveling south.

One witness, Shawn Heaton, said that he was waiting at an intersection as the train crossed and captured the incident on video.

Heaton said that he heard the bang and saw "all kinds of debris and metal shoot out" from under the cars, as reported by The Guardian.

The Clark County emergency management agency had asked residents within 1,000 feet of the derailment to be in a shelter. However, the agency said that it has not released formal evacuation orders.

USA Today reported that Turner was asked by NBC's Chuck Todd if the rail industry needs new regulations, to which the Republican lawmaker replied, "absolutely."

The Ohio representative added that derailment after derailment shows that there is "really the lack of investment," which needs to change.

Ohio Train Derailment in East Palestine

On Friday, it was reported that the Ohio train derailment in East Palestine caused one possible chemical concern at higher levels than normal, according to officials.

The monitoring report was from a team of scientists from Carnegie Mellon University and Texas A&M at a briefing. Researchers said it was still unclear what effect the chemical acrolein could have on residents' health.

CNN noted that many residents have reported worrisome health symptoms in the weeks since the derailment, which included rashes and headaches.

University researchers said that the information in the new analysis was collected on February 20 and 21.

The lab also found amounts of benzene, toluene, xylenes, and vinyl chloride was below the minimal risk levels for intermediate exposures, which was set by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

Dr. Ivan Rusyn, director of the Texas A&M University Superfund Research Center, said that it is still early to tell whether the elevated levels will have an effect on residents' health.

READ MORE: Donald Trump Visits Ohio Town After Train Derailment, Says Officials 'Indifferent'

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WATCH: Second train derailment in Ohio under investigation - from CBS Pittsburgh


A father and his four kids died during a Phoenix condo fire in Arizona Wednesday night, according to the authorities.

Shimone Boyer, 52, was declared dead at the scene. The four young victims were all in serious condition when rushed to the hospital. Dov Boyer, 7, and his brother Nachman Boyer, 8, died at the hospital.

Meanwhile, the deaths of Tamar Boyer, 11, and Shevach Boyer, 9, were confirmed by the Phoenix Fire Department on Saturday night.

No one knows what sparked the fire yet, but investigators say they saw no signs of arson, ABC News said.

Furthermore, there were no smoke detectors in the apartment, according to the fire department.

READ NEXT: Arizona Driver Crashes Into Cyclists

The Phoenix Condo Fire

The Phoenix Fire Department was summoned to a house on the corner of 35th and Northern avenues at around 11 p.m. on Wednesday. They arrived to find smoke and flames shooting from the windows of a condo.

Firefighters said there are no signs that the fire was started deliberately, but they are still investigating.

When Steve Boyer, Shimone's brother and the children's uncle, learned the news, he went to the Valley to be with his family.

He described his brother as a committed father and Rabbi in an interview.

They have spent the last six years caring for four kids under 12.

"If I was there, could I have done something?" questioned Boyer. "Could have smelled it, maybe?"

A friend of the family, Dawn Harris, claims she heard of Shimone's death through Jewish communities.

"I was shocked. I didn't want to believe it," she said.

Although Harris is a resident of another state, she met Shimone six years ago, and they have been talking about their children every other week since then.

"We connected because I have children with disabilities. And I noticed that his kids had disabilities. And so I was able to help him obtain different connections to resources he needed," Harris told ABC15.

Harris noted that the two motivated one another to improve and that Shimone worked hard to provide for his children.

Phoenix Jewish Community Mourns Arizona Father and His Kids' Death

The Head of School at Phoenix Hebrew Academy, Rabbi Baruch Harris, gave a poignant speech on how Tamar was a free spirit and recently drew Purim images for her classmates.

Rabbi Ahron Green, a Mashgiach at Phoenix's Yeshivas Haturim, remarked on Shimon's holy spirit and described how he never missed a day of prayer or Torah study.

Meanwhile, Greater Phoenix Vaad Hakashrus Rabbi Yisroel Isaacs emphasized Shimon's assistance with the Vaad's kashrus and the tragedy's ripple effect on the entire community.

Steve also talked about how devoted and loving his sibling was as a father, noting how often Shimon drove his kids to and from school, how well he fed them, and how often he set up extracurricular activities.

Hundreds of members of Phoenix's Jewish community came together for the levayah.

"People of all walks of life were here," Mrs. Robin Meyerson told Hamodia.

"From every shul, all the schools, the high school, the yeshiva, the day school, the caregivers, tutors, friends, and the office workers from the schools. We have never seen such a tragedy, and the entire community is shocked. The sight of five hearses lined up was overwhelming. The outpouring from the community was a kiddush Hashem," she added.

The levaya, or Jewish funeral for the Arizona father and his kids who died at the Phoenix condo fire, was held Sunday afternoon at Beth Israel Cemetery in Phoenix.

READ MORE: When Will Jair Bolsonaro Return After Election Loss?

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Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Remembering family that died during Thursday condo fire in Phoenix - From 12 News
The infamous Colorado home in Boulder, wherein JonBenet Ramsey was found dead, is now up for sale. Interested buyers can snatch the home for $7 million, according to a recent listing that was posted.

The home features five bedrooms, five bathrooms, and three half-baths, with the property occupying 7,240 square feet, as reported by Fox Business.

In 2014, the Colorado home was up for sale for under $2 million. The new listing for the home had a 250% increase for the selling price of $7 million.

Aside from spacious rooms, the brick home also has a wine cellar and open brick patio. However, the listing did not mention the home's history, according to New York Post.

The Ramseys sold the home less than two years after six-year-old JonBenet was found killed in the home's basement in 1996.

The Colorado home was first bought in 1991 by the Ramseys. The property was then sold to a group of investors for $650,000 in 1998.

READ NEXT: JonBenet Ramsey Murder Case: New Investigation Launched as Police Seek Help From Colorado Cold Case Team

JonBenet Ramsey Case New Findings

New documents were unearthed from the early investigation of the case, which showed that DNA evidence recovered under the child's fingernails and clothes was not a match for members of the family.

Fox News reported that police continued to suggest the possibility that JonBenet's parents were under "an umbrella of suspicion" in the murder of the child.

John W. Anderson, author of "Lou and JonBenet: A Legendary Lawman's Quest to Solve a Child Beauty Queen's Murder," said that the Boulder police have "ignored the DNA evidence" that exonerated the parents and could be used to identify JonBenet's killer.

Late Colorado investigator, Lou Smith, came out of retirement in 1997 at the request of the Boulder County District Attorney's Office to look into the JonBenet case.

The released documents were from Smit's files, which his family shared with investigators.

Smit resigned 19 months after coming out of retirement, writing in his resignation letter that John and Patsy did not kill their daughter, adding "that a very dangerous killer is still out there."

Smith added that no one was looking for the possible suspect.

JonBenet Ramsey's Murder

On December 26, 1996, JonBenet was discovered dead in the basement of their Colorado home. It was reported that the child beauty queen was already dead the night before, but was only found the next morning.

Denver 7 News detailed that her father found her body eight hours after her mother said she found a ransom note demanding $118,000.

JonBenet's parents were initially believed to have been kidnapped and called 911 despite the note saying that if they called the police, the child would die.

Police arrived but failed to secure the scene of the crime.

Smit reported on evidence at the time that an intruder likely broke in and killed JonBenet.

In addition, Smit said that the DNA evidence also indicated that her attacker was a male.

In June 1997, the Ramsey family moved out of Boulder, Colorado ,and lived in a house in the Atlanta suburbs. It was two months after the Boulder DA Alex Hunter publicly noted that the parents were the focus of the investigation.

READ MORE: John Lennon Killer: The Disturbing Story of Mark David Chapman Who Was Denied Parole for 12th Time

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WATCH: Former home of JonBenet Ramsey for sale - from FOX31 Denver


During his Selma speech on Sunday to mark the 58th anniversary of "Bloody Sunday," when state police attacked peaceful protestors marching against segregation, President Joe Biden pushed for the passage of laws to strengthen American voting rights.

This trip is the latest effort by Biden to demonstrate his dedication to the black community, which played a significant role in getting him elected and will likely play a similar one in his re-election quest in 2024.

It arrived at the same time his efforts to pass voting rights legislation through Congress hit a wall, Reuters noted.

"Selma is a reckoning. The right to vote and to have your vote counted is the threshold of democracy and liberty," Biden stated in front of the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the site of violent clashes between protesters and state troopers in the 1965 voting-rights demonstrations.

"With it, anything's possible. Without it, without that right, nothing is possible. And this fundamental right remains under assault."

The President ended his speech by marching across the bridge with civil rights leaders Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and administration officials.

READ NEXT: Joe Biden's Classified Documents

Joe Biden Uses Selma Visit to Speak with Civil Right Activists

Joe Biden used his time in Selma as an opportunity to address the new generation of civil rights workers.

Many people are frustrated by how slowly voting rights reform has moved, so they hope his administration will continue highlighting the issue.

In his opening remarks, Biden emphasized the significance of remembering Bloody Sunday to prevent history from being lost, according to CBS News.

"We can't just choose to learn what we want to know, and not what we should know," Biden said during his speech on Sunday, seeming to take a shot at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the issue regarding AP African American History.

He also said that we must know the good, the terrible, and the truth about ourselves as a nation. In addition, everyone has to know the real story of Selma.

There have been few events in the history of the civil rights struggle that have had such a lasting impact as the events of March 7, 1965, and the weeks that followed in Selma.

Several weeks after an Alabama policeman fatally shot a young Black man, Jimmie Lee Jackson Lewis, and fellow activist Hosea Williams led about 600 nonviolent protests.

As part of a larger effort to register African American voters in the South, Alabama troopers and sheriff's deputies brutally beat Lewis and the others as they sought to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge at the beginning of a 54-mile trek to the state Capitol in Montgomery.

"On this bridge, blood was given to help redeem the soul of America," Biden said.

Joe Biden Said He Was a Civil Right Activist During Selma Speech

In his Selma speech, President Joe Biden made an unsupported claim that he participated in the civil rights movement.

The President visited the ancient city to remember the 58th anniversary of the "Bloody Sunday" march, a watershed event in the civil rights struggle of the 1960s.

"I was a student up north in the civil rights movement," Biden said to the crowd.

"I remember feeling how guilty I was, [that] I wasn't here. How could we all be up there, and you go through what you went through," he continued.

Yet, Biden's assertion is not backed by any evidence from the past. It was not the first time Biden had made such a claim since he did so in a previous address on Sunday, Fox News.

Biden stated that he took part in desegregation sit-in protests in 1983.

"When I was 17, I participated in sit-ins to desegregate restaurants and movie houses," Biden said, adding that hearing Faubus's and Wallace's voices made him sick to his stomach and seeing Bull Connor and his dogs enraged his soul.

Joe Biden also suggested that he was detained in January because of his activism for civil rights. Two prestigious black universities, Morehouse and Clark Atlanta, share the campus where he gave a speech.

READ MORE: Phoenix Condo Fire

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WATCH: Biden marches in Selma marking 58 years since Bloody Sunday - From MSNBC
An elderly female doctor was given a one year jail sentence for damaging her neighbours property.

Dr Annette Brennnan, 74, with an address at Graigueaverne House, Graigueaverne, Ballybrittas cut down 26 fence posts with a chainsaw at Lake Road, Ballybrittas on February 18, 2021.

She was convicted of a second count of causing criminal damage to the foundations of a property with a pick axe at Lake Road in Ballybrittas on March 7, 2021.

At a sitting of Portlaoise District Court, Judge Andrew Cody asked if the defendant had brought any compensation and whether she would allow the ESB onto her property to connect a couple who had purchased land from her.

Solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick said her client didnt have any compensation for the court.

The neighbour confirmed the ESB had called out to his property but the defendant wouldnt allow them access.

Judge Cody said the couple are unable to move into their home because they havent been connected by the ESB.

Judge Cody said when the case was heard he observed the defendant mumbling something in court. When he later asked gardai what she had said they informed him the defendant had said, you can go stuff yourself.

Clearly again today she is telling the court, you can go stuff yourself, said Judge Cody.

Judge Cody then remanded the defendant in custody for a week to think about her difficult and truculent attitude.

He said he planned to give her six months for each of the criminal damage charges to run consecutive to one another, meaning a one year sentence in total when the case returned the next week.

However, Ms Fitzpatrick expressed her belief that the defendants attitude wouldnt change. She urged the Judge to finalise the case. Judge Cody agreed to finalise the case.

Ms Fitzpatrick said her client had no previous convictions. She suggested a probation report for the woman who she said has an otherwise exemplary record and was due to attend medical appointments for some health issues. She reminded the Judge of the damage to the fence and said proportionality must be considered.

Judge Cody said the woman was putting her own health at jeopardy. He said if she wanted to be belligerent and difficult, he could be equally belligerent and difficult. Judge Cody said the woman sold the site to the couple and was now refusing to allow the ESB connect their new home.

We are simply dealing with the criminal damage, Ms Fitzpatrick said.

She cut down a fence with a chainsaw, said Judge Cody.

She was 100 percent wrong to do what she did, he added.

Judge Cody said an engineer was hired to inspect the fencing and found that the defendant was in the wrong.

He said the woman also came out with a pick axe and hacked at the foundations of their property. As next door neighbours, Judge Cody said he would like to see them live in peace.

Judge Cody said he had given the defendant an opportunity to reflect on her actions.

This young couple cant move into their home because the pole for the ESB is on her land, he said.

He said the defendant was refusing to accept the findings of the court. He said the couple had paid her tens of thousands of euro for the land.

She is not prepared to facilitate in any way these people she has terrorised, he remarked.

Judge Cody sentenced the woman to six months on each charge to run consecutively. He fixed recognisance in case of appeal at 2,000 with 1,000 to be lodged in cash.

Ms Fitzpatrick said her client was in receipt of 174 allowance a week.

She must have some of the 100,000 she got for the site left over, said Judge Cody as he refused to change the conditions.

Shortly after the defendant went into custody, Ms Fitzpatrick lodged papers for an appeal of the sentence.
School principals in Laois and Offaly are at their wits end over school accommodation, a Laois Offaly TD has said.

The Department of Education is currently in receipt of 11 applications under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme from schools in Laois and Offaly, according to information provided to TD Carol Nolan.

Deputy Nolan called on the Minister for Education Norma Foley to consider redeploying staff to the School Building Unit within her Department to escalate the delivery of these projects.

She also raised the matter directly with Tanaiste Micheal Martin in the Dail, where she called on him to support the proposal as a means to assist in addressing any delays that may be impacting the delivery of additional capacity or school renovation works:

I know that the Department is currently in receipt of 11 applications under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme, but my experience would also suggest that there is a far greater number of schools urgently awaiting progress on renovation works, such as St. Brendans Community School in Birr, said Dep Nolan.

That is why I have suggested the possible redeployment of any available staff from other areas of the Department to try and speed up the process, she said.

Some schools are waiting years for work to begin even after approval has been granted. This would suggest that there are major blockages somewhere in the system, and it is not in the schools. I can tell you from personal engagement with school principals that they are at their wits end from the lack of engagement or slowness of responses coming from the Department.

I did have a very constructive engagement with the School Building Unit during our Oireachtas Education Committee examination of the issue recently and so I know they are trying to get projects delivered. But clearly the level of need is such that additional staff must be considered to get things moving and to allow our schools to make some kind of forward planning for current and future needs, Dep Nolan concluded.
More than a quarter of all Ukrainians who have found refuge in Laois from the war waged by Russia are children, according to the latest figures.

New Department of Education figures show that 210 students have enrolled in Laois up to March 1, 2023. There are 127 children in primary schools while another 83 pupils are attending secondary schools in the county.

The figure is slightly higher than in February when there were 2017 children enrolled.

When schools broke up for the Christmas school holiday there were 112 children in primary school with a further 77 students in secondary school.

The latest official figures from the Central Statistics office published on February 24 show that there were 873 people in the county up to February 12 when the latest national count of refugees was completed.

That means that nearly 27% of those who have had to flee Vladimir Putin's invasion are children.

The Department of Education also confirmed that as of 1 March, 14,931 Ukrainian pupils have been enrolled in schools across Ireland. Of this, 9,650 are in primary schools while 5,281 pupils have enrolled in post-primary schools.

To assist with the transition of Ukrainian students and their families into Irish schools Regional Education and Language Teams (REALT) continue to operate, hosted by the 16 regional education and training boards around Ireland and staffed by regionally-based education support personnel.

These teams are ensuring that clear, accessible information flows are in place between schools, local education support services and national support structures in relation to people arriving from Ukraine.

Information for parents in Ukrainian and Russian on accessing school places is available on www.gov.ie/Ukraine
Just under 15,000 students from Ukraine have been enrolled in Irish schools up to the start of this month.

The Department of Education can confirm that as of 1 March, 14,931 Ukrainian pupils have been enrolled in schools across Ireland. Out of that figure, 9,650 of these pupils have been accommodated in primary schools while 5,281 pupils have enrolled in post-primary schools.

Current data indicates an enrolment rate of 91% among Ukrainian children aged 5-18.

To assist with the transition of Ukrainian students and their families into Irish schools Regional Education and Language Teams (REALT) continue to operate, hosted by the 16 regional education and training boards around Ireland and staffed by regionally-based education support personnel.

These teams are ensuring that clear, accessible information flows are in place between schools, local education support services and national support structures in relation to people arriving from Ukraine, the Department of Education outlined.

Information for parents in Ukrainian and Russian on accessing school places is available on gov.ie/Ukraine.

The Department will continue to publish figures on the enrolment of Ukrainian children each month.
A Laois woman has been reported missing in Dublin, with her sister appealing for help.

Gardai are concerned for the well-being and are appealing to the public for assistance in tracing the whereabouts of 26-year-old Mary Lou Nevin.

They say that she is missing from her home in Ballymun, Dublin 11 since the evening of Sunday, 5th March 2023. She was last seen at approximately 6pm.

There is local concern in Mountmellick, where the Nevin family live.

Her sister is Marguerita Nevin.

"Please if anyone has seen or spoken to my sister please let me and my family no we are very worried and concerned because this isnt like her and so out of character for her please sister contact us or please come home sister Im heartbroken its been 48 hours," she wrote on social media.

Social influencer Hughie Maughan has asked for help to find Mary Lou.

"Shes from Laois but was up staying with me and just went off to the shop and hasnt returned and has barely any contact and none since before 12 Saturday x" Mr Maughan said in a comment on the Missing Persons Ireland Facebook post.



Mary Lou is described as being 57 in height with a medium build, dark hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a navy sweater, black leggings and black and white runners.



Anyone with information on Mary Lous whereabouts is asked to contact Ballymun Garda Station 01 666 4400 on the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.
Gardai told Naas District Court that a man they stopped had a different registration plate in his car when he was stopped by them.

James Quinn, with an address given as Ballyfore Cross, Edenderry, County Offaly, was detected by gardai driving at 165 kilometres per hour in a 120 km/h zone on the M4 in Kilcock on November 3, 2020.

Judge Desmond Zaidan was told that the 28-year-old had an English registration plate on his car, but an Irish one was also found in his car at the time.

Gardai who stopped him quizzed him over the presence of the other plate, but he was ultimately not charged in relation to the plate.

The judge was told that the road was frosty at the time of the offence, and that Mr Quinn has seven previous convictions, including one for Section 2 assault and one for driving with no insurance.

Defending barrister Aisling Murphy told Judge Zaidan that her client was running late for work on the date in question, and he 'decided to take a risk.'

She added that was remorseful over the offence.

Ms Murphy asked the court to deal with the matter by way of a fine, as he needs his licence for his job, and noted that no collision took place despite Mr Quinn's driving on the date in question.

Judge Zaidan said that there were 'distinguishing features' in the case due to the presence of the second reg plate.

He ultimately decided to fine Mr Quinn 750 for dangerous driving.

He also disqualified him for two years.
Over 73,000 displaced Ukrainians have arrived in Ireland since the war started in February 2022. In the midst of a wider housing crisis, the state has run out of emergency accommodation for new arrivals.

County Kildare Leader Partnership CLG., in collaboration with Helping Irish Hosts are inviting current hosts, and anyone interested in hosting to join us for an evening of celebration and information on what it's like to host a Ukrainian family and how to go about it.

The first of a series of nationwide events will take place at the Keadeen Hotel in Newbridge Wednesday March 22 @ 7.00pm.

The evening will be hosted by radio presenter Keith Walsh, who will be joined by local host families and Ukrainian guests, Angie Gough from Helping Irish Hosts, and expert partners from The Irish Refugee Council, Nasc, Doras, The Open Community and the Irish Red Cross.

You can book a place here: http://bit.ly/3Zx7Rr2

This event is funded by County Kildare LEADER Partnership, through funding from the SICAP Programme. The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) 2018  2023 provides funding to tackle poverty and social exclusion through local engagement and partnerships between disadvantaged individuals, community organisations and public sector agencies.

Administered by Pobal, the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) is co-funded by the Irish Government, through the Department of Rural and Community Development, and the European Social Fund Plus under the Employment, Inclusion, Skills and Training (EIST) Programme 2021 -2027.
An investigative programme on bogus psychologists across Ireland is due to air tonight (March 6).

The RTE Investigates documentary follows reporter Barry O'Kelly - who has no background whatsoever in the profession - going undercover as a psychologist to reveal the total lack of regulation in the private psychology sector.

As part of his investigation, O'Kelly created a website for 'Dr Barry OKelly, Psychologist' and joined some reputable-looking bodies to improve his credentials.

In the absence of regulations Dr OKelly also decided to enroll at the Sheffield State University in America to get some qualifications on paper.

The level of qualification he could get depended on how much he wanted to pay. The options were extensive. An associate degree would cost $290, a Master's degree $399, and a doctorate PhD degree was priced at $449. For the full package (PhD degree with thesis) the cost was $849 and the date of graduation was completely up to him.

O'Kelly decided it would look best to have lots of experience so he backdated his graduation to 2014.

Just seven minutes after applying, he was given a receipt for a PhD and told he would receive confirmation within the next 24 hours, by which time he would have a PhD in Clinical Psychology.

CEO of AsIAm, Adam Harris, tells the programme: "It couldn't be any simpler because there's nobody to stop it. Buy a brass plate, put it up, say you're a psychologist, set yourself up a website, maybe find some interest groups that are related to psychology that sounds impressive, but are probably open to anybody sign up to those put their logos on your website, perhaps maybe offer a slightly cheaper rate for assessment than others do, perhaps target a community of people where there's a shortage of professionals working in the space."

Currently, there is no body in Ireland with a statutory role in checking the qualifications of private psychologists who do not seek to work for the HSE or join a professional body like the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI).

Mitchell Fleming, Consultant Clinical Psychologist: "In the public sector, in order to gain employment, you have to have the employment requirements for a post, hold the appropriate qualifications and have gone through the proper training in order to obtain a post. No such standards apply in the private sector. The system, as it currently is, is a mess."

The state body CORU was tasked with regulating psychologists in 2007, but 15 years later there are no regulations and no registration system for psychologists in place.

CORU outlined the benefits of regulation in a statement to RTE Investigates. Regulation provides greater protection for the public. Members of the public can have confidence in knowing that a professional's standing and qualifications have been independently verified. They also know that if there is a failure in the delivery of care from a CORU registered professional, CORU will investigate any complaint under our fitness to practise process.

However, none of this protection is available to people who want to engage a psychologist in Ireland.

Mark Smyth, Chartered Clinical Psychologist: "There are plenty of very reputable good qualified people working in the private sector. And it's also true to say that, there's also an element of the Wild West. There is no protection for the public. There's no protection of the term psychologist."

Rachel Martin, from campaign group FUSS: "Parents wont always know what to look for. They dont know what qualifications someone should have. And nobody tells them, you should have this and this. You should have a multi-disciplinary team assessment; it should be this qualification and that qualification. Parents are forced into a situation where they are forced to go it alone. Then they are vulnerable."

Thousands of children are waiting for a variety of services, in particular an Assessment of Needs from the HSE for ADHD and Autism. This helps identify the underlying causes of the challenges children face and it puts them in the queue for a full HSE support team.

RTE Investigates spoke to a number of these children and their families for Mondays programme.

Kacper Hauptman has traits of Autism Spectrum Disorder. His mum Gosia had to bring a court challenge just to get him a preliminary assessment of needs from the HSE.

Gosia Gbiorczyk: He doesnt always understand what is happening around him. We have had a two year battle to get services, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, an assessment of needs.

Once he started school he started facing more behavioural issues. We weren't aware that he would be so stressed. The whole pressure is on me and my partner Tom. We are never going to live forever. There is a worry, what might happen in the next 10-15 years.

Faced with these waiting lists, Kacpers family and many others have had their child assessed privately by psychologists. Parents hope that an assessment from a private psychologist will help them access supports in the public system. But due to the lack of regulation, some of these private sector reports have caused serious concern among some HSE officials, according to internal documents seen by RTE Investigates.

Although the HSE is legally obliged to provide an Assessment of Needs within six months of an application, it confirmed to RTE Investigates that the average waiting time is 16 months.

Watch RTE Investigates: Ireland's Unregulated Psychologists tonight (Monday March 6th) at 9.35pm on RTE One and RTE Player.

Photos: RTE Investigates
A crowd pushed toward the exits of a concert in upstate New York, amid apparent fears that shots had been fired, killing one person and injuring eight others, police said.

Police found no evidence to support a shooting having occurred inside the concert late Sunday featuring rappers GloRilla and Finesse2tymes at the Main Street Armory, Rochester police Lieutenant Nicholas Adams said in a statement.

A 33-year-old woman died, and two people were in critical condition, the department said.

Im just now hearing about what happened wtf praying everybody is ok  GloRilla (@GloTheofficial) March 6, 2023

Six additional people were taken by private vehicles to hospitals with injuries that were not considered life-threatening, the Democrat & Chronicle newspaper reported.

GloRilla, a Memphis native whose 2022 song F.N.F. (Lets Go) with Hitkidd was nominated for a Grammy for best rap performance, tweeted that she was praying everybody is ok.

Officers responded around 11pm to initial reports of gunshots fired inside, Lt Adams said, but later determined injuries were not consistent with gunshot wounds.

The injuries appear to be as a result of a large crowd pushing towards the exits following accounts of individuals hearing what they believed to be gunshots, Lt Adams said.
Free drinking water is a particularly sensitive issue in Belgium. In 2019, the Walloon government  composed of socialists, liberals and ecologists  surprised its population by announcing that it would ask restaurant owners to serve free tap water. But the government will not honor its promise, as was revealed by the Belgian newspaper La Libre Belgique on Wednesday, March 1.

"The idea was to democratize access to water," said liberal vice president and Walloon finance minister Willy Borsus. However, given the current difficult economic situation, "we did not want to add this element of constraint" for restaurants and cafes, he added, not excluding that the subject might one day return to the political agenda.

For a few years now, Belgians have demanded better access to water, a basic necessity. The idea is to reduce the use of plastic and glass bottles and help counter alcohol-induced dehydration. The Free Tap Water Belgium app was created, now listing more than 900 eateries that offer free tap water all over Belgium.

"It's a societal responsibility. In addition, making water free is a better way to protect alcoholics who would not spend their money on water. This is also true for young people," said Martin de Duve, who studies alcohology and is director of the organization Univers Sante, promoting healthy lifestyles among young people. He added that in Belgium "water is sometimes more expensive than beer."

A series of crises

Eateries make a lot of money out of water bottles. A bottle bought for 80 cents can be sold for two or even 10 times as much, depending on the type of restaurant. This also makes mineral water producers happy, as 30% of their turnover is linked to restaurants and cafes, according to the Belgian Water and Soft Drinks Industry (FIEB) association.

In 2018, the hospitality sector protested when the European Commission proposed a directive imposing free water in restaurants. The Walloon region then revived this idea, which was described as "preposterous" by Luc Marchal, president of the hospitality industry federation Federation HoReCa Wallonie, which reminded that free water has a cost in terms of table service and cleaning.

Since 2019, Walloon restaurant owners have faced a series of crises, related to the Covid-19 pandemic, the floods that hit the region in 2021 and soaring energy and food prices. "Margins are shrinking. Many businesses are going under," said Marchal. Although no impact analysis was carried out on the introduction of free water, the Walloon government preferred to abandon this popular measure. According to De Duve, "special interests were favored over the interests of all."

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In Marinka, Ukraine, on February 19, 2023. AP

Ukraine has taken a new step in its judicial struggle with the creation, on Sunday, March 5, of the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression (ICPA).

The ICPA, an interim prosecutor's office made up of magistrates, is a first step toward the creation of a special court that could, in the future, try the perpetrators of the Russian aggression against Ukraine. At least that is what Ukraine wants.

In Lviv, European and American prosecutors and ministers met for the United for Justice conference. The International Criminal Court (ICC), which opened an investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity committed on the territory of Ukraine a year ago, has no authority to take up the crime of aggression because neither Kyiv nor Moscow ratified its treaty.

The idea of a special tribunal to judge the Russian aggression was put forward by the Franco-British lawyer Philippe Sands on February 28, 2022, in the Financial Times, four days after the beginning of the Russian invasion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky approved the idea when the massacre committed by Russian troops in Butcha, in April last year, was discovered.

"Our union for justice must become a powerful impetus for the adoption of the draft resolution [in support of a special court] by the United Nations General Assembly," Zelensky told the audience at the Lviv conference.

The draft resolution, intended to gain a green light from as many UN members as possible, has been under discussion since mid-November 2022.

Many legal experts believe that this tribunal must be established on a solid basis of legitimacy, knowing that it would not recognize the immunity enjoyed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and his minister of defense, Sergei Choigou.

Read more Article reserve a nos abonnes 'Ukraine is keeping records and intends to one day prosecute those responsible, up to Putin'

Joint investigation team

The Ukrainians are trying to convince their allies to support them. But France, the United States and the United Kingdom are opposed to such a court, whose creation could pave the way for similar judicial processes in other cases of aggression, such as the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

These countries also reject the idea of having prosecutors determine the terms of future wars. They are the ones who, together with Russia and well before the conflict in Ukraine, have been working to limit the prerogatives of the ICC on the crime of aggression.

Pending the eventual creation of this court, the ICPA will operate under the supervision of Eurojust, the European Union's agency for judicial cooperation. At the end of March 2022, a joint investigation team was set up within it to investigate the crimes committed in Ukraine.

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FITTING all the pieces together, three Limerick students have represented their schools in the national finals of the All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad (AILO) in Dublin City University.

Matteo Jeanneau-Zoncada, student in Salesian College, Pallaskenry with students Cameron Rice and Vanessa Urban from Villiers School, Limerick competed in solving puzzles that require logical thinking and the ability to think outside the box.

Run by ADAPT, the world-leading SFI Research Centre for AI-Driven Digital Content Technology, the contest challenges secondary school students to apply logic and reasoning skills to solve complex puzzles in unfamiliar languages.

The four winners from the AILO will travel overseas to Bulgaria to represent Ireland at the International Linguistics Olympiad in July.

The 100 national finalists have successfully got through the preliminary rounds held in schools all over Ireland in January with more than 3,500 students registered for this years contest.

Students must analyse the language data they are given to work out the rules of the new language. These transferable skills are critical in preparing young people for a wide range of careers in computing, linguistics and language.

The results of the National Final of the All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad are yet to be released and sample puzzles from the Olympiad can also be downloaded for practice and educational purposes.
A LANDMARK celebrating the transformative impact philanthropist Dr Chuck Feeney had on University of Limerick has been unveiled.

The main thoroughfare on the University of Limerick campus has been renamed Feeney Way to highlight the Irish American philanthropists legacy and his giving while living philosophy.

Dr Feeney, from New Jersey and who pioneered the concept of duty-free shopping in the 1960s, gave more than 1.5 billion to projects in Ireland via The Atlantic Philanthropies, which was wound up in 2017 after he reached his life-long ambition to give away his fortune of some 7.6 billion.

UL President Professor Kerstin Mey, founding president Dr Ed Walsh, UL Foundation Chair Harry Fehily, and Dr Feeneys son Patrick and biographer Conor OClery  attending on the 91-year-olds behalf  were among those in attendance at the event honouring The Atlantic Philanthropies founder and his contribution to the University.

Through The Atlantic Philanthropies in the region of 150m has been gifted to the UL Foundation, which has been transformational to the campus, the city and wider region.

Professor Mey said: University of Limericks status as a research university in Ireland and indeed globally would not have been possible without Chuck Feeneys giving while living philosophy. His is an exceptional story of giving  around 8 billion towards philanthropy, for education, youth, health, and human rights globally.

As the son of Irish American parents, maybe it is no surprise that over 1 billion of philanthropic support went to Ireland, and UL has been one of the main beneficiaries. At its simplest, this University campus, over 18,000 students and 2,000 staff would not have been possible were it not for Chuck Feeneys generosity.

The new Feeney Way is more than a thoroughfare, it is a philosophy, it is more than a road, it is a story. That story and Chucks generosity, his practice of giving while living has been the key catalyst influencing the development of the wonderful campus we see around us today and he had a transformative impact on UL.

Its right that we do acknowledge him with the Feeney Way dedication; for one, because we are hugely appreciative for what he has done for UL, this region and for Ireland and this was ultimately where his Giving While Living started, Professor Mey added.
AN GARDA Siochana have launched an operation to tackle the misuse of scrambler bikes in Limerick city.

The operation was announced in the Joint Policing Committee meeting in the Limerick City and County Councils (LCCC) chambers in Dooradoyle.

The operation launched this Monday, March 6 was brought into motion due to the anti-social behaviour, miseducation and misuse of scrambler bikes in the city and county.

Labour Councillor for Limerick City North Conor Sheehan brought forward the motion to tackle the misuse of scrambler bikes along the canal banks of the north side of the city.

Cllr Sheehan mentioned that the misuse of these bikes is causing concern amongst citizens in the area as they fear for their safety as some scrambler bikes have been driven towards them at speed.

Chairperson of the JPC Cllr Adam Teskey seconded the motion.

A member of An Garda Siochana who was present at the JPC meeting last Friday gave a commitment that they will be targeting the north side of the city in areas such as Moyross and along the canal banks in regard to the anti-social behaviour caused by the misuse of scrambler bikes.

Cllr Sheehan welcomed the operation but mentioned that the setting up of a task force or sub-committee of the JPC including the Road Safety Authority (RSA) to look at the scrambler issue would be beneficial.

Can we bring a resolution to this? I feel like there is a lot of time spent chasing and seizing these bikes, Cllr Sheehan said.

Limerick city and Sinn Fein TD Maurice Quinlivan was also present at the JPC meeting.

I welcome the focused approach on the north side of the city but scramblers are also massive on the south side including Southill, Deputy Quinlivan said.

The Sinn Fein deputy also mentioned city centre areas such as William Street and Peoples Park also see a high level of anti-social behaviour due to the misuse of the bikes.

It affects people working from home hearing scramblers morning, noon and night when they are attending meetings online. Its embarrassing for them.

Innocent people will be killed. Its very very dangerous, Deputy Quinlivan added.
THIS documentary has given us solace, some bit of success, and some bit of relief.

The words of Patrickswell man Mike McNamara who was one of the army of former Debenhams workers who featured in a new film which premiered in Dublin.

There was a red carpet reception in the capitals Lighthouse Cinema on the final night of the Dublin International Film Festival for the unveiling of 406 days, an extended piece focusing on the plight of the former retail staff who lost their jobs in the pandemic.

Flying the flag for Limerick was Mr McNamara, who worked for more than 40 years in the stockroom of Debenhams and its predecessor Roches Stores.

Trish Long, the Limerick-born Disney executive who chairs the Dublin International Film Festival described the documentary as moving and powerful and in the audience, there was laughter, amusement, anger and tears as the former workers lives were followed.

Mr McNamara admitted he felt emotional watching the documentary back as it charted the longest labour dispute in Irish history.

The first time I've ever witnessed a standing ovation in a cinema auditorium. At the close of the @DebenhamsStaff film '406 days'.



Witnessing the dispute again, it still makes one's blood boil at the shabby way so many good people were treated. pic.twitter.com/NRTGMjsxj1  Nick Rabbitts (@Nick468official) March 4, 2023

"Its brought back a lot of memories. Its not out of our systems yet, even though its much further down the road. But its going to make a huge difference going forward when ordinary people see it, people who have worked, ordinary people who have paid their way, will see this injustice, and they will see that something drastically has to be done in the way workers have no rights whatsoever, he said after the screening concluded.

It was Holy Thursday, April 9, 2020, when the lives of around 100 Limerick workers fell apart after it emerged the British firm would pull support from its Irish operation, meaning the stores  closed at the time due to Covid-19  would stay this way.

The film sees many staff who were left in tears after discovering their careers had been ended by an email.

It got worse after it became clear that workers would not receive a redundancy deal they had signed up to four weeks earlier. Picket lines formed outside stores across the country, including the Limerick outlet in OConnell Street. Workers had hoped the stock could be sold to provide their redundancy.

But eventually, the liquidators secured a High Court injunction which saw demonstrators removed from the site.

It was in the early hours of Tuesday, May 18, 2021, where staff of the liquidators, aided by the gardai, arrived in Limerick to try and recover the stock.

The film charts this, as Limerick staff lay on the floor of Liddy Street in a bid to stop trucks entering the premises.

As well as Mr McNamara, fellow ex-Debenhams worker Aisling OGorman, former councillor John Costelloe and activist David Vallelly feature on the film from Limerick.

There were ugly scenes in the film, when the gardai arrived at picket lines across the country to carry out the High Court order and forcibly remove protestors.

Mr McNamara said he felt let down at the way workers were handled by officers.

We know there are criminal things in our country that gardai should be dealing with. They are not dealing with these things to the extent they should be. But they could come down to ordinary people standing on a public footpath just looking for their proper payments, causing no harm to anybody and doing no damage, he said.

Having premiered in Dublin, its hoped the film will show in Limerick in the coming weeks.
TRIBUTES have poured in for former publican Dermot 'Dobs' O'Brien following his sad passing on Sunday.

Mr O'Brien passed away peacefully at University Hospital Limerick following an illness, surrounded by his loving family, including his daughter Sinead, a well-known influencer also known as Sinead Curvy Style.

Residing in Patrickswell, Mr O'Brien was formerly of Castle Street and The Arch Bar on William Street in Limerick city.

This is the second tragedy to strike the family in recent times after Mr O'Brien's son-in-law Tom Tierney passed away suddenly in his sleep on February 24.

Sinead was attending a family wedding in Australia when she got the news that her sister Mary's husband had passed away. She cut her trip short to make the return journey home to Ireland last week to be with her sister and family.

The influencer paid tribute to her father and her brother-in-law in an emotional social media post this Monday.

"The greatest man I have ever known! Dad you held me for my first breath and I held you for your last, and I know youll forever wrap your arms around me and mind me, until we meet again.

"My beautiful dad went to sleep yesterday with all of us by his side. He will forever be in our hearts, my greatest love, my best friend, my everything, my dad."

Sinead continued: "He fought so hard since November, so much so the doctors were scratching their heads while he pulled through time and time again. But that was my dad - STRONG.

"He wanted to live for all of us because he had so much to live for. Life can be so cruel, and we never saw any of this coming.

"The cards we have been dealt this past week are incomprehensible but we will pull through together as a family for our two best men. Dobs and Tierney, we love you."

The Vacious by Sinead founder thanked her friends and followers for their kind words following her family's loss.

"Nobody knows more how much I know you all loved him too. I can say hand on heart that I am sure many of you are also grieving my dad.

"I have so much to share here and I'll always keep his memory alive. He loved the craic on Instagram and loved even more when people noticed him out and about. He loved the attention!"

Tributes have poured in online for the beloved man who was known by many throughout the city and county.

Lifestyle blogger Louise Cooney said: "Absolutely heartbroken for you and the family, life is so cruel.

"One thing for sure, he left an amazing mark on the world and hell live on in you and your amazing family. Love you so much. He is so proud of you."

Blogger Julie Haynes said she was "heartbroken" after hearing the news of Dermot's death.

"I have no words to say to take your pain away. I know how incredibly close ye all were, he was a legend and a joy to watch when he appeared on the gram.

"Your wonderful boy Jacob will give you so much strength to get you through your dark days, I am sending you so much love."

Sadly missed by his loving wife Rose, cherished daughters Lorna, Mary and Sinead, adored grandchildren Isabel and Julia, Aubrey and Blathnat and Jacob, brother Greg, sons-in-law, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives and his many friends.

Reposing at Griffins Funeral Home, Johns Gate on Tuesday, March 7, from 4.30pm.

Removal to Church of the Blessed Virgin, Patrickswell at 6:30pm. Requiem Mass will take place on Wednesday, March 8 at 11am, streamed live here. Burial afterwards in Patrickswell Cemetery.
FINE GAEL and Clare TD Joe Carey has spent the last number of days on a trolley at University Hospital Limerick (UHL).

The Clare TD who was first elected in 2007 said he was admitted to the hospital on Saturday evening by ambulance from home, and a 30-minute period where he could not breathe followed.

Deputy Carey said the incident was ironic as he had quit smoking cigarettes only 26 days ago.

This has never happened to me before and there is a battery of tests lined up for me. It appears to be an infection in my lung Deputy Carey said.

He made the announcement in a social media post where he said he is getting great care despite being on a trolley.

UHL has been the centre of the trolley crisis for the last number of weeks as the Limerick hospital is repeatedly seeing the highest number of patients waiting in trolleys both in the emergency department and other wards around the facility.

According to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisations (INMO) trolley watch statistics, UHL has 77 patients waiting for a bed throughout the hospital this Tuesday, the largest number in the country.

The national figure stands at 525, with UHL consisting of over 14% of the national trolley numbers.

Last Thursday saw 102 patients waiting on a trolley in the hospital, approaching the record of 126 which was recorded on Thursday, April 21, 2022.

Deputy Carey thanked all the nurses, doctors, porters, catering and cleaning staff at the hospital for their kindness and help.

The ambulance crew were simply amazing and I cant thank them enough for their professionalism and care.

Hopefully Ill be out and about before too long, Deputy Carey added.
What has been described as work which will "ensure greater transparency" in WhasApp terms of service has been welcomed by a Government Minister.

Minister for Trade Promotion and Digital Transformation, Dara Calleary welcomed the work of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) on behalf of Irish consumers to ensure greater transparency in changes to WhatsApp terms of service.

The CCPC jointly led this work with its Swedish counterpart and the European Commission under the framework of the European Unions Consumer Protection Cooperation Network, Minister Calleary said.

This allows national authorities to work together to effectively tackle widespread infringements of EU consumer law and review commercial practices of traders, he added.

Following a dialogue, WhatsApp will now ensure it explains the impact of changes to users, highlights the option to reject updates as prominently as accept them and, ensure notifications provided to users are clear, prominent and not aggressive, Minister Calleary outlined.

Minister Calleary said: I am delighted to see the CCPC working with its counterparts across Europe in the interest of consumers. WhatsApp will now have to clearly explain any changes it intends to make to users contracts in advance and explain how such changes could affect their rights. It is vital that consumers receive clear information to allow them to make informed decisions. I welcome this work, jointly led by the CCPC, which emphasises the importance of clarity for consumers.
Call for council to reconsider carpark sale

A group of Peninsula community representatives have called on Central Coast Council to reconsider its decision to sell the Woy Woy commuter carpark.

The group includes Member for Gosford Ms Liesl Tesch, former Member for Gosford Ms Marie Andrews, the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce and the Peninsula Residents Association.

Central Coast Council resolved on Tuesday night to begin the negotiations to sell off the Woy Woy Commuter carpark and its rights to expansion.

The resolution allowed Council chief executive Mr David Farmer to negotiate the sale of the 700 space car park at 93 Blackwall Rd with Queensland developer Raptis.

He will also negotiate the sale of Council's $1 option for an additional 220 car spots in December 2032.

Ms Tesch said the decision was made with no consultation with local residents, community groups, the Peninsula Chamber of Business or herself.

"This decision is bad for commuters, shoppers and our community. It is short-sighted to hand a hugely valuable publicly-owned asset and our rights to its expansion over to a private developer for a short-term revenue hit", said Ms Tesch.

"Our community stands united in opposition to this decision by Council and we call upon Council Administrator Rik Hart to reconsider this short-term decision about this long-term community asset.

"We know that putting a public asset into the hands of one private provider has had disastrous consequences for electricity and toll roads, so why would car parks be any different?

"This developer will only pay once but our community will be paying forever."

Ms Andrews said that in her last term the then-Labor Government committed $19.8 million to upgrade the carpark, increasing its capacity by 300.

"As the former Member, I am outraged about the suggestion that this car park is sold off," said Ms Andrews.

"This was a big investment by a former State Labor Government of nearly $20 million to create more publicly owned parking spaces, not only for commuters but for shoppers as well.

"It's a shame on Council for thinking of selling it and I urge all local residents to get behind this campaign to save it from privatisation."

Chamber of Commerce president Mr Matthew Wales said: "There was no warning that Council was going to sell off the commuter car park.

"There was no dialogue.

"The problem is the lack of community consultation.

"This is all about Council's balance sheet and dumping a depreciating asset to improve their financial position.

"They were not concerned about how our community local businesses would feel about this.

"That's unacceptable.

"We need to know what the sale price is, whether commuters and shoppers are protected in the future and if Raptis would charge for parking in the future.

"There has been no transparency whatsoever.

"This is all subject to confidentiality, so we don't know how that value is being determined and that is of great concern.

"For such a valuable community asset, we need to ensure the ratepayer gets good value for their dollar."

Speaking on behalf of the Peninsula Residents Association, Mr Michael Wilder said he would not be happy if the carpark was sold.

"Our community wants to know what's going on."

In a statement issued by the association vice-president Mr Julian Bowker said: "This decision seems to have been made in a rush, without any community consultation.

"There was only four days notice of this proposal created by Council staff.

"This was subsequently supported by the Administrator in spite of public objection delivered on the night of the Council decision via the only available channel - a three-minute address."
QpiVolta which is a subsidiary of Qpi Technology announced Indias first high energy density Lithium metal based Solid State Battery pouch cell.

Dr Nagendra Nagaraja Co-founder and CEO of QpiVolta suggested, In 2021 we announced that we will use Quantum and AI material simulation to come up with solid state batteries which are superior in energy density and safe. We have achieved it now at the prototype level, by having first pouch cell of Lithium metal SSB from India. This is first step in building 10 Gwh Giga factory for 2-wheeler, 4-wheeler production capacity and utility level energy storage. Next step will be replicating this with different chemistries including Sodium metal based SSBs. EV market is ripe for adopting SSBs in large scale as we stabilize the battery cells and higher layers of 32 layers with 100Ah from current 8 layer prototype which is 3 Ah. We are open to test this battery cell and battery packs. We used Quantum algorithms and AI to optimize our batteries in record time."

Further Aswanth Krishnan Co-founder and Director of QpiVolta suggested, We have achieved energy density of 360 Wh/kg in our NMC based cell and 220 Wh/kg in our cobalt free LFP cells. This is a significant increase in energy density (~60 %) compared to the li-ion cells that are available in the market today. We have a roadmap to double the energy density by further optimisation of our cells. Apart from the performance, our solid electrolytes are designed to be compatible with existing mass production lines with minor modifications, which is very important for us as we scale up this technology."

View Full Image Figure 3 Performance Figure of QpiVolta SSB

Dr Nagendra Nagaraja Co-founder and CEO of QpiVolta suggested, "As a next step we will be setting up pilot line to support 20 cells per day to begin PoCs with 2 wheeler, 4 wheeler and UAV customers. Following interest from customers and production orders, we would setup an initial Giga factory with 10 Gwh per year capacity in outskirts of Bangalore. We have roadmap to make this Giga factory facility an export hub for SSBs from Bangalore and supply local EV manufacturers as well."

View Full Image Team QpiVolta with high energy density Lithium metal Solid state Battery (SSB) cell

Please contact info@qpivolta.tech and visit https://qpivolta.tech/ for further information and collaborations.

Disclaimer: This article is a paid publication and does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of Hindustan Times. Hindustan Times does not endorse/subscribe to the content(s) of the article/advertisement and/or view(s) expressed herein. Hindustan Times shall not in any manner, be responsible and/or liable in any manner whatsoever for all that is stated in the article and/or also with regard to the view(s), opinion(s), announcement(s), declaration(s), affirmation(s) etc., stated/featured in the same.
Australian High Commissioner Barry O'Farrell on Monday said that Adani group is still a significant investor in Australia. "Adani's investment is fully functioning in Australia. No reports I see from Australia of any effect on business, he is still a significant investor," O'Farrell said on Monday.

Adani Group is an Indian multinational conglomerate founded by Gautam Adani. It is headquartered in Ahmedabad.

The Australian High Commissioner on Monday also said that the Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will arrive in Ahmedabad on the evening of Holi. "I expect him to take part in those celebrations," O'Farrell said.

Asserting that India and Australia are deepening ties through two-way mobility to fulfil 21st-century aspirations, O'Farrell also said " Very soon, India will have Australian campuses".

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan recently said that two Australian universities- Wollongong and Deakin will soon establish campuses in Gujarat.

ALSO READ: Adani's Mundra Power Plant under scanner with $1 billion debt

"Education is the key to all transformation. Therefore, education is the natural 'mother' for all transformation and partnerships. India and Australia are deepening ties through two-way mobility to fulfil 21st-century aspirations," Dharmendra Pradhan said.

The visiting Australian delegation led by Education Minister Jason Clare held a high-level meeting with the Indian delegation led by Pradhan and participated in student engagement programmes in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Pradhan further said that strengthening educational linkages will provide opportunities for students from both countries to learn and gain new experiences in diverse cultural settings, thereby truly upholding the values of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" or "One Earth, One Family and One Future", which is also the theme of India's G20 Presidency.

As per the Ministry of Education, both sides held discussions to take their partnership in the education sector forward in areas of school, higher and vocational education.

"They discussed ways to deepen engagements to empower youth in both countries and make the education and skills sector more vibrant. Both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing institutional collaboration and two-way mobility by exploring the delivery of transnational education in the higher education, skills and research sectors," the ministry added.

Australian High Commissioner also emphasized that "Quad is not turning into Indo-Pacific NATO".

The Quad Foreign Ministers recently carried out a comprehensive review of various issues, ranging from Indo-Pacific to ASEAN.

The meeting was presided by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Japanese counterpart Yoshimasa Hayashi and US State Department Secretary Antony Blinken.

The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) reaffirmed its steadfast commitment to supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific and strongly supported the peaceful settlement of disputes without resorting to threats or use of force and freedom of navigation and overflight.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.
NEW DELHI : As the global travel market recovers to pre-pandemic levels, one company said the Indian outbound travel market is so promising that it is expected to outpace many other countries, faster than almost any market in the west. Even in the Asia Pacific region, its going to be one of the top growing markets.

Agoda Co. Pte. Ltds chief executive, Omri Morgenshtern, who was visiting India recently told Mint that the Singapore headquartered company was very bullish about the Indian market, both in terms of domestic travel as well as outbound travel.

Agoda buys bulk inventory of hotel and rental properties and has about 3.2 million hotels and holiday properties in its listings. For it, India is in the top 3-4 countries in the world and as a feeder market for travellers to other countries, it is in the top two.

The company is a subsidiary of Booking Holdings that also owns websites like Booking.com, Priceline, Rentalcars, Kayak and OpenTable.

The companys chief executive said India recovered very well from the pandemic in 2022. Travel in generalbased on searches made on the portalis already higher than it was in 2019. Its expected to surpass the current levels by 20% this year, he said. The search information includes inbound, outbound and domestic travel which is over twice as high than the 2019 data for their platform.

The market is booming. Domestic travel is showing a crazy, crazy growth, so is outbound. Indians are going outside Asia, and the power of the Indian customer is growing very, very fast worldwide. Business from India can grow in double digits, one of the fastest in the world," he added.

As a trend, the company has observed that leisure travel around the world recovered much faster than business travel and as a medium, booking online recovered much faster than offline. India recovered much faster in both aspects. Last year, the total travel returned to the 2019 levels.

In India, a majority or 90% of travellers are booking rail tickets online, 60% use online platforms to book plane tickets but just 40% use platforms to book hotels.

But the company has observed that travel to India from abroad has not grown at the pace it was expected to.

However, as a feeder market to other countries, many more Indians are now travelling abroad. Even if China goes back to its original numbers, as it was sending out globally pre covid, he still expects India to grow in many markets, much faster than any other country.

I suspect that India will gradually become the number two market for outbound travellers to the world. People tend to think that the Indian traveler is not a big spender, but thats not true. What weve seen is that they are actually big spenders. Across the industry, the customer actually outspends the Chinese customer on an average. So, its a very lucrative customer for many countries. In the next three to five years, the financial impact of Indian customers around the globe where they travel to, would be at least 20%," said Morgenshtern.

But he said the flight capacity out of China is still very, very limited and while the Chinese traveller is still very important, and they are starting to see the Chinese people trickling back, its still nowhere near the numbers of 2019. At the moment, it is very hard to predict how long the business will take to recover from the country.

The company said it is now heavily focused on localization in the country. In Asia Pacific there is a need for companies like theirs to adjust their user experience to suit the consumer. India is one of those markets that if you dont do that, you dont stand a chance with them. One such example is supporting the local payment options like UPI," he said.

Last week, Booking Holdings reported its total revenues for 2022 at $17.1 billion, an increase of 56% from the prior year (approximately a 71% increase on a constant-currency basis). Its net income for last year was $3.1 billion, an increase of 162% from the prior year. But the company did report a decrease in room nights booked in its third quarter (July-September 2022), which is usually considered the strongest travel period since they are summer months. While the decline was marginal, from $246 million to $240 million in the year, buyers of its stock around the world are still in wait and watch mode.
NEW DELHI : Reliance Retails beauty app Tira is set to go live for customers in coming weeks after the retailer opened up the app for employees last month. Tira branded stores selling skin care and cosmetic products are set to open, too, with the first store expected to open in Mumbai in April.

Reliances entry is set to heat up competition in the beauty retailing marketthat for long lacked organized retail chains, leaving consumers to shop for such products from mom-and-pop stores. However, things are different nowan uptick in demand for beauty and personal care products and an explosion of both online and offline retail has livened up the market.

Estimates suggest that the countrys beauty and personal care market is set to touch 2.2.trillion by 2025.

We are bringing it (beauty concept) under the official umbrella of beauty. We have launched Tira for employees, a site called tirabeauty.com," Subramaniam V., managing director, Reliance Retail Ltd, said on the sidelines of an event organized by industry body FICCI in the capital on Monday. The site will open for consumers very soon". The first store will come up by end March or early April in Mumbai, Subramaniam said.

Tira will house more premium brands; while another concept could be underway to cater to mass beauty products. Tira will be the premium piece of it, non-premium piece we are yet to decide," he said. To be sure, Reliance Retail already retails beauty and personal care products via its own large network of department store chains.

However, a dedicated beauty store concept is set to plug the gap in companys retail portfoliowith interests in grocery, fashion and lifestyle, footwear, electronics, medicines and home goods.

The company wants to tap multiple consumer segments across price points selling low-price lipsticks to pricier skin care products. We will have sufficient stores to take the beauty retail concept pan-India," Subramaniam added.

Tiras launch follows the retailers attempts to secure rights for global beauty retailer Sephora in India. However, as Mint reported, Reliance Retails advanced talks with Sephora did not materialize. The retailer is now close to opening its own stores.

Lately companies such as Myntra, Nykaa and even the Tata Group have been getting more active in the beauty market. Thats because the penetration of such products in India is still low. Companies are hoping that young, savvy consumers spend more on lipsticks and eye liners and trade up to better products as they earn more.

Reliance Retail is a subsidiary of Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd, the holding company of all the retail businesses under Reliance Industries Ltd. RRVL, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, operates integrated omni channel network of 17,225 stores and digital commerce platforms across grocery, consumer electronics, fashion and lifestyle and pharma consumption baskets. RRVL reported a consolidated turnover of 199,704 crore and net profit of 7,055 crore for the year ended 31 March 2022.
IT major Wipro on Monday announced the opening of its Americas Headquarters in East Brunswick, New Jersey.

The company said that the Americas region makes up nearly 60 per cent of its global revenues. In a statement, Wipro said it employs more than 20,500 people in the US, Canada, Mexico and Brazil, and the renovation of its East Brunswick office demonstrates the company's commitment to its clients in the Americas region.

Wipros US leadership team are to be based out of that office, including both CEOs of the Americas, Srini Pallia, and Suzanne Dann, as well as Amit Choudhary- Wipros COO, it said in its statement.

Srini Pallia, CEO  Americas 1, Wipro, said businesses must continually adapt to and modify their operations in the fast-paced environment of today's global marketplace, while stressing on the need for adoption of cloud technology and the use of AI.

"In today's dynamic business landscape, companies are constantly facing new challenges and pressures that require them to adapt and transform their operations. Adoption of Cloud and using AI will be instrumental to meet these challenges head on. At Wipro, we use our vast technology experience and domain expertise to help drive business outcomes for our customers. The Wipro Americas Headquarters launch represents a new era, as we place great importance on settling our workforce in an environment that fosters innovation and collaboration to drive business forward in the region," said Srini Pallia.

"The launch of our new workspace provides employees, clients, and partners a tremendous location to meet, collaborate, and innovate. The space has been thoughtfully designed to accommodate our clients growing needs for collaboration, while delivering outstanding employee and client experiences. We couldnt be prouder of our new workspace and its reflection of our longstanding and significant investments in the Americas," said Suzanne Dann, CEO  Americas 2, Wipro.

Wipro reported a 2.8 per cent year-on-year (YoY) rise in net profit at 3,052.90 crore in December 2022 quarter. This is against a net profit of 2,969 crore in the same quarter last year.

The revenue for the operations for the quarter came in at 23,229 crore, up 14.35 per cent over 20,313.60 crore in the same quarter last year.

The company's scrip ended 0.85% up at 393.75 on BSE.
NEW DELHI : Union Minister for Road, Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari said that the 4-lane National Highway (NH) in Kerala is developed at a total cost of Rs. 571 crore to connect the International Container Transhipment Terminal (ICTT) Vallarpadam with Kalamassery.

In a series of tweets, the minister informed that coastal and port connectivity infrastructure plays a pivotal role in a nations economic growth.

Gadkari added that the project involved the construction of a port connectivity highway, stretching 8.721 km through the backwaters of the Arabian Sea at Cochin, on reclaimed land.

He said that this highway links the North-South corridor for freight movement to Cochin Port, thereby facilitating the transportation of goods.

The minister added that this highway also enhances the mobility of eight seashore villages and has significantly contributed to the socio-economic development of the region.

Gadkari said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the unwavering commitment of the government is to deliver time-bound, cost-effective, high-quality, and sustainable road infrastructure that serves the needs of the citizens.
Automotive component manufacturer Divgi TorqTransfer Systems' initial public offering (IPO) was subscribed 5.44 times by the last day of offer that opened on Wednesday, March 1, 2023 and concluded on Friday, March 3, 2023. The 412 crore-offer received bids for 2,08,87,225 shares against 38,41,800 shares on offer, as per NSE data.

The quota meant for Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs) got subscribed 7.83 times, the category for Retail Individual Investors (RIIs) received 4.31 times subscription and the non-institutional investors quota was subscribed 1.40 times.

Divgi TorqTransfer Systems IPO comprised of fresh issue aggregating up to 180 crore and an Offer For Sale (OFS) of up to 39,34,243 shares. As part of the OFS, Oman India Joint Investment Fund II, NRJN Family Trust, Bharat Bhalchandra Divgi, Sanjay Bhalchandra Divgi, Ashish Anant Divgi, Arun Ramdas Idgunji and Kishore Mangesh Kalbag offloaded shares.

Divgi TorqTransfer Systems on Tuesday said it has raised more than 185 crore from anchor investors ahead of its initial share sale. The company decided to allot 31.43 lakh equity shares to 12 funds at 590 apiece The price band was set at 560-590 a share.

The finalisation of the basis of the share allotment of the public issue is expected to happen this week on Thursday, March 9, 2023. Link Intime India Private Ltd is the registrar of the public offer.

As per market observers, Divgi TorqTransfer Systems shares have been commanding a premium (GMP) of 72 in the grey market today. The equity shares of the company are expected to list next week on Tuesday, March 14, 2023 on the leading stock exchanges BSE and NSE.

Divgi is an automotive component entity, developing and provide system-level transfer case, torque coupler, and Dual Clutch Automatic Transmission (DCT) solutions. It has three manufacturing and assembling facilities located across India.

Proceeds from the fresh issue will be used towards funding capital expenditure requirements for the purchase of equipment for its manufacturing facilities and general corporate purposes.
Indian market extended its rally at the start of this week with Sensex regaining its 60,000 psychological mark and Nifty 50 inching closer to 17,800 levels. Fears of rate hikes and uncertainties in Adani Group seem to have flavoured out which led to the return of bulls in domestic equities. On Monday, a broad-based buying was recorded across sectoral indices with oil & gas, IT, and auto stocks taking the lead. Additionally, except for cement businesses, all other Adani stocks continued to witness an upside which further bolstered the market's mood.

Sensex closed at 60,224.46 up by 415.49 points or 0.69%. Nifty 50 ended at 17,711.45 higher by 117.10 points or 0.67%. During the trading session, Sensex touched an intraday high of 60,498.48 and the Nifty 50 clocked a high of 17,799.95.

Tata Motors was the top gainer surging by nearly 2.8% on BSE, followed by NTPC and Power Grid which were up by 2.5% and 2.3% respectively. Stocks like Bajaj Finserv, Infosys, Asian Paints, and HDFC also contributed to the upside by zooming between 1-5%.

On the other hand, Tata Steel was the top laggard with a downside of 1.22% followed by L&T, IndusInd Bank, and Sun Pharma.

Adani Group stocks gained for the fourth consecutive day. Flagship firm Adani Enterprises stock rose 5.5%, while Adani Ports picked up nearly 1%. Other Adani-named stocks such as Adani Wilmar, Adani Power, Adani Total Gas, Adani Green Energy, and Adani Transmission hit yet another 5% upper circuit each. In the media business, NDTV's share price also gained by nearly 5%. However, in the cement business, Ambuja Cements was down by 1.7% and ACC stock tumbled by 1.5%.

In terms of sectoral indices, on BSE, the IT index soared over 364 points, while Oil & Gas rallied nearly 329 points. The auto index was up by 285 points. In the broader market, midcap and smallcap indices also gained by nearly a percent.

Last week, on Friday, Sensex and Nifty 50 advanced by over 1.5% each. While the benchmarks ended the week gaining around 1% each.

As markets extend their rally, equity investors got richer by 5.5 lakh crore as the total market capitalisation of all BSE-listed stocks rose to 265.5 lakh crore on Monday.

Shrikant Chouhan, Head of Equity Research (Retail), Kotak Securities said, "The relief rally continued for the second straight session backed by a sharp upsurge in energy stocks like power, oil & gas that helped benchmark Sensex end above the psychological mark of 60,000."

Going forward, Chouhan added, "there is some amount of bargain buying seen after the recent sell-off but the overall sentiment still remains that of caution with a negative bias as larger worries related to macroeconomic woes and geo-political tension still pose a significant threat to markets. Technically, 17800-17900 could be the immediate profit booking zone for the bulls while 17650-17600 would be the sacrosanct support zone for the traders. However, below 17600 uptrends would be vulnerable."

While Rohan Shah-head technical analyst at Stoxbox said, "intraday, traders can look for long opportunities only above the resistance level of 17,800 & the price should sustain above 17,800 for 15 minutes to confirm long. Traders can look for fresh shorts only if nifty breaks the 17,640 level & remains below for 15 min to ensure short."

Disclaimer: The views and recommendations made above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, and not of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
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Multibagger stock: Shares of Goyal Aluminiums Ltd are one of the multibagger stocks that Indian stock market has produced in last six months. This small-cap stock with a market cap of around 400 crore has almost tripled shareholders' money in this period as the multibagger stock has risen more than 200 per cent on BSE in this period. However, in last five years, this stock has surged from around 11.50 to 280 apiece levels, giving more than 2300 per cent return to its shareholders.

The multibagger stock is in news these days for foraying into the electric vehicle segment through the newly incorporated venture namely Wroley E India. According to an exchange filing, the Goyal Aluminiums will manufacture electric scooters and low-speed scooters for the Indian market. The company in a statement said that the decision is in line with the government's initiative of 'Clean India and Green India' in view of the rising levels of pollution. Wroley E India has secured sanction for financing from Shri Ram Finance to offer customers financing solutions to purchase its electric scooter in monthly installments.

"This will make it easier for customers to choose e-scooters over existing fuel-mechanic vehicles in the two-wheeler segment," the statement said.

The company has plans to launch high-speed electric scooters in April this year, for which it has secured approval from the Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT).

Goyal Aluminiums share price history

In last one month, this small-cap multibagger stock has surged from around 214 to 280 apiece levels, ascending to the tune of 30 per cent in this time. In last six months, this small-cap stock has risen from 90 to 280 per share levels, logging more than 200 per cent in this time. In YTD time, this stock has risen around 45 per cent while in last one year, it has shot up to the tune of 225 per cent.

Goyal Aluminiums share price outlook

According to Ravi Singhal, CEO, GCL Broking, Goyal Aluminium shares are showing strength on daily and weekly charts with most of the momentum indicators in the bullish zone and well supported with volume growth. The stock has the potential to touch 350 - 400 levels in the short term.

Disclaimer: The views and recommendations made above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, and not of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.

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Adani Ports: After revising its outlook on Adani Total Gas, ICRA has downgraded its outlook on another Adani Group-backed firm and this time it would be Adani Ports. ICRA revised its outlook on Adani's port arm to 'Negative' from stable, while reaffirming ratings on the company's long-term fund-based and non-fund-based loans, non-convertible debentures, and commercial papers. A similar action was done for the group's joint venture Adani Total Gas as well. The reason behind both of the 'Negative' outlooks is also the same --- deterioration in the group's financial flexibility.

Maruti Suzuki: After causing a production loss of 46,000 units in the previous quarter, semiconductor shortage in Maruti Suzuki India might further increase the order backlogs of its certain models, said a company official. The company expects the problem to persist in the next few quarters. The company's pending bookings could stretch to 3.69 lakh units. Out of the total models of the company that are have stretched bookings, Ertiga leads the pack with close to 94,000 bookings, reports PTI. The company's other models that have kept waiting customers for too long are Grand Vitara and Brezza.

HDFC: NBFC giant HDFC on Friday said that NCLT has sanctioned the scheme of merger of two wholly-owned subsidiaries HDFC Property Ventures (HPVL) and HDFC Venture Capital (HVCL) with HDFC Capital Advisors (HCAL) ahead of the $40 billion merger deal with HDFC Bank. On BSE, HDFC's share price ended up by 2% to 2,645.85 per share. As part of a merger deal with HDFC Bank, HDFC e-filed an application with NCLT in August last year for the merger of HPVL and HVCL with HACL. Following this, NCLT granted its approval for the merger of the two real estate private equity investment companies on March 3rd, 2023.

Power Grid Corporation: State-owned Power Grid Corporate has bagged two inter-state electricity transmission projects under tariff-based competitive bidding. Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd has been declared as the successful bidder under tariff-based competitive bidding to establish two inter-state transmission systems on a build, own, operate and transfer (BOOT) basis, a BSE filing stated. It bagged the project named Western Region Expansion Scheme- XXVII (WRES-XXVII). The project comprises the establishment of a 400-kV D/C transmission line passing through Chhattisgarh and bays extension works at two existing substations.

Bajaj Electricals: Bajaj Electricals on Saturday said its EPC division has bagged a contract worth 564.87 crore from South Bihar Power Distribution Company Ltd (SBPDCL). The contract is for the supply of goods and services by South Bihar Power Distribution Company Ltd (SBPDCL), a domestic entity, under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), the company said in a regulatory filing. The work includes the supply of plant and installation services for the development of distribution infrastructure of electric supply circle Sasaram and Munger of Bihar, it added.

Kansai Nerolac Paints: The Board of Kansai Nerolac Paints (KNPL) has approved the acquisition of shares (40% of the total shareholding) of Nerofix from Polygel for a cash consideration of 37 crore. In January 2020, KNPL acquired a 60% stake in Nerofix. With the decision to buy the remaining 40% shares, the firm is set to expand its ownership to 100%. "Consequent to the said acquisition of shares, Nerofix Private Limited will become a wholly owned (100 per cent) subsidiary of Kansai Nerolac Paints Limited," the exchange filing noted. The acquisition is expected to be completed by 31 March this year.

Mahanagar Gas: Mahanagar Gas (MGL) on Friday signed an agreement to acquire rival private sector city gas distributor Unison Enviro from its promoters and existing shareholders Ashoka Buildcon and an investment fund managed by Morgan Stanley India Infrastructure, for an undisclosed sum. Unison Enviro is a subsidiary of highway developer Ashoka Buildcon and is into city gas distribution in the districts of Ratnagiri, Latur and Osmanabad in Maharashtra, and Chitradurga and Davanagere in Karnataka, to domestic, commercial, industrial and transport sectors.

InterGlobe Aviation: In a bid to expand its international flight operations, IndiGo said that the civil aviation ministry has granted permission to the airline to wet lease up to two planes for operating flights to the US and Canada. An Indigo official told PTI news agency the ministry has also given approval for IndiGo to wet lease up to two wide-body aircraft which can be used for flying to the US and Canada. Under the wet lease arrangement, planes are leased along with the operating crew and engineers. Generally, wet leasing of planes is allowed for short periods to tackle supply constraints and ensure that airfares do not surge significantly.

Dish TV: Shareholders of Dish TV India Ltd rejected the candidature of four independent directors, bringing the total to nine directors that have been booted out from the board of the countrys third-largest satellite television provider in the last fifteen months as investors continue to express their ire against the company. On Friday, Dish TV, which conducted an extraordinary general meeting, only 25.9% of shareholders voted in favour of Sunil Gupta, Madan Mohanlal Verma, Gaurav Gupta and Lalit Behari. 74% of investors voted against the appointment of the four directors, who were inducted into the board in December.

Computer Age Management Services: Computer Age Management Services Ltd (CAMS) has picked up a majority stake in Think Analytics India Pvt Ltd (Think360 AI) aimed at strengthening its account aggregator framework and enhancing Artificial Intelligence and analytics services, the company said on Sunday. Think360 AI established in 2013 is an AI and data sciences firm. It provides innovative solutions using digital technologies like advanced analytics, machine learning, and mobile and cloud computing. Think360 AI offers software as a service (SaaS)-based products, data science and technology advisory services to market-leading firms in India and across the globe.
One of the key factors for investors to consider before putting their money in a mutual fund is the total expense ratio (TER). This is because fund houses charge management fees and other expenses in the form of TER, on a daily basis, irrespective of whether a scheme is performing well or not. Thus, higher the TER, lower will be the returns that investors get and vice-versa.

It is in this context that the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) had, in December, initiated a detailed study on the existing policies on TER and market practices of charging it to investors. Recent reports suggest that the regulator may propose the introduction of a uniform expense ratio across all fund schemes.

To be sure, as per the existing framework, there is a cap on the expense ratio on the basis of assets under management (AUM) of a scheme. In case of open-ended equity and debt schemes, the maximum TER that a fund house can charge is 2.25% and 2%, respectively on regular plans. As the AUM of the scheme goes up, the applicable TER has to come down. The idea is to pass on the benefits of economies of scale to investors.

If the proposed uniform TER comes into effect, all equity/debt mutual fund schemes would be subjected to the same expense ratio limit. This is aimed at discouraging the growing number of schemes in the mutual fund industry and to curb mis-selling of schemes. There have been reports that Sebi has taken note of some distributors nudging investors to redeem funds from existing schemes to invest in new fund offers (NFOs), which generally come at a higher expense ratio and thus attract higher commissions.

Further, reports also suggest that the regulator may bring GST (goods and services tax) and transaction chargeson buying and selling securities in the portfolioin the ambit of TER. These are currently charged to an investor over and above the TER.

View Full Image Mutual fund expense ratio data

Besides, AMCs could also charge an additional 30 basis points (0.3% of AUM) for retail applications of up to 2 lakh from B30 cities (locations beyond the top 30 geographical cities in India). This is to incentivize distributors for bringing in customers from the B30 cities. However, Sebi has temporarily barred fund houses from charging additional expenses for B30 retail assets, citing inconsistencies in implementing the B30 norms.

Sebis recent statement on this states that it has noticed mis-selling practices by distributors in B30 locations that includes splitting of transactions (to meet 2 lakh limit) and churning existing investments to reinvest for higher commission.

Here are some statistics pertaining to the growing number of schemes in the mutual fund industry year-on-year, top fund houses with large AUM charging higher expense ratio, and asset management companies (AMCs) paying higher commission to distributors on equity schemes.

Growing number of schemes

Mutual funds in India offer investors a plethora of schemes. As on date, there are about 1,284 schemes that include equity, debt, hybrid, and others, both active and passive funds that are open-ended. In 2022 alone, about 194 schemes were launched and these were dominated by passive schemes under both equity and debt. In around five years now, the number of mutual fund schemes grew by about 13% CAGR (compounded annual growth rate).

If what reports suggest is true, by introducing a uniform expense ratio, Sebi wants to further rationalize the structure by considering the operational efficiencies that AMCs may have as they grow in size," said Santosh Joseph, a mutual fund distributor based out of Bangalore.

When the AUM size of an AMC goes up, the same team may continue to manage multiple schemes. When the fund manager, key management personnel, operations team and sales team across different schemes are all mostly same, why should there be a different expense ratio for an NFO? A uniform expense ratio across new and old schemes discourages unwanted proliferation of schemes," said one of the persons associated with the mutual fund industry who did not want to be identified.

With a uniform expense ratio, distributors, too, will not have any incentive in coercing investors to invest in NFOs by redeeming their funds in existing schemes.

Not everybody, though, is in favour of the proposal. Some argue that a uniform TER may not bring in the desired results. Instead, why not cap the commission paid to distributors on NFOs," and put a cap on the number of schemes that a fund house can launch," are the opinions shared by some who are against the uniform expense ratio.

Higher expense ratio

Since Sebis rationalization of expense ratio structure in 2018when the TER rates and slabs were alteredthe yields of large AMCs have fallen. The yield of an AMC represents the fee collected from the investor as a percentage of the value of the investment. As their AUM grew, fund houses had to bring down the expense ratio to comply with the TER rules.

AMCs were affected by a lower total expense ratio (TER), as mandated by the Sebi directive. Consequently, the yield on AUM for the top 10 players dipped from 69 basis points (bps) in FY18 to 48 bps in FY22," according to a report on the mutual fund industry authored by Mohit Mangal from BoB Capital Markets. One basis point is one-hundredth of a percentage point.

Having said that, the revenue of the large AMCs has grown at a healthy rate in the last few years, with AUM of the industry now almost double that of 2018. Most large AMCs saw growth in PAT (profit after tax) yield due to reduction in costs likely on the back of economies of scale.

However, 15-50% of the equity schemes offered by the large AMCs with bulky AUM still charge a higher expense ratio of more than 2%. A majority of debt-oriented schemes charged much lesser TER than the maximum permissible limit.

Yet, any drastic changes can adversely impact the mutual fund industry, which is already highly regulated, opine those in the industry.

Any rationalization of expense ratios in the equity side can be a retrograde step for the sector," opined an industry veteran.

Bringing in GST and the transaction (brokerage) charges within the purview of TER is going to have a drastic impact on the profitability of the companies, as per those in the industry. Any cap on the transaction charges will hinder the fund managers ability to transact," added another industry representative.

Higher commission

In view of the higher number of NFOs launched in 2021 and 2022 amid a buoyant equity market, the commission paid by fund houses to the distributors went up in FY22, as per the BoB Caps report mentioned earlier. At the industry level, the commission payout increased to 77 bps at the end of FY22 compared to 66 bps in the previous year," stated the report.

There have been instances of smaller AMCs paying more than three-fourths of their fee collected from investors as distributor commission (see graphic) on their equity schemes. Such higher commissions may be a cause of concern for the regulator since it could lead to conflict of interest when fund houses pursue higher AUM.

Industry experts believe that a cap on the brokerage commission as a percentage of the TER could be a solution to this problem.

Conclusion

With mutual fund industry recording an impressive growth in AUM since 2018, it is perhaps time for Sebi to take a relook at the expense ratio structure of mutual funds.

The measures that the regulator may bring in can have a long-term impact on the returns that will be earned by mutual fund investors and improve the industry ecosystem.

Sebis move to lower the expense ratios in 2018 and ban upfront commission to distributors has had a positive impact on the industry in the last few years, as per experts.

Measures aimed at stopping newer schemes being launched just to push up the AUM and rules that enable the benefit of economies of scale for investors are essential now.
Adani's Mundra power plant has more liabilities than assets and has run up $1.8 billion of losses, as per a Bloomberg report which added that the conglomerate has deployed more than $1 billion of creative debt-financing to paper over the deficit and reassured investors and lenders that profits will come soon.

But Adani Power Ltd.s auditor cant fully make sense of the math underpinning this claim  and neither can accounting experts who spoke with Bloomberg News. The Mundra Thermal Power Plant  and its debt, which experts say appears designed to shield Adani Power from extraordinary writeoffs, regardless of the units losses  exemplifies this balancing act, where a single asset writedown could have cascading ramifications," stated the Bloomberg report.

Adani Group stocks took a beating on the exchanges after US-based short seller Hindenburg Research last month made a litany of allegations, including fraudulent transactions and share price manipulation, against it. The group has dismissed the charges as lies, saying it complies with all laws and disclosure requirements.

Listed companies' shares of Gautam Adani-led conglomerate lost as much as $153 billion in combined market value amid Hindenburg rout, though bounced back last week. Chairman Adani's personal wealth has tumbled by more than half to $49.8 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Adani group management, including group chief financial officer Jugeshinder Singh, last month held roadshows in Singapore and Hong Kong to reassure investors that the company's finances are under control. These are to be extended to Dubai, London and the US from March 7 to 15.

The group is not seeking to refinance debt or inject capital, group chief financial officer Jugeshinder Singh told Bloomberg News on the sidelines of an investor roadshow in Hong Kong last week.

(With inputs from Bloomberg)
While speaking to ANI, Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav said that , The day Trust Vote was ongoing and our Mahagathbandhan Govt formed, I said that this series will continue. There is a hearing on 15th March which is a normal procedure for bail."

He further added, If you stay with BJP, you'll be Raja Harishchandra. In Maharashtra when Sharad Pawar's nephew (Ajit Pawar) went to BJP, all cases were withdrawn. When TMC's Mukul Roy when to BJP, all cases were withdrawn. If you show the mirror to BJP, this (raid) will happen."

Some RJD workers also protested against CBI's visit to Rabri Devi's Residence.

RJD workers protest over CBI visit at the residence of former Bihar CM Rabri Devi in connection with land-for-job case. pic.twitter.com/4CIHPYLd7p  ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2023

Earlier on 27 February, a Delhi court had summoned former railway minister Lalu Prasad, his wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi and 14 others in connection with the alleged land-for-job scam.

Speaking on this, Former chief Minister of Bihar and senior RJD leader Rabri Devi had said that BJP is scared of Lalu Prasad Yadav in Bihar and that is why central agencies are after them. On this matter, while talking to the media, she said, "Won't run away. We are facing these allegations for the past 30 years. BJP is scared of Lalu Yadav in Bihar."

"PM Modi is helping everyone run away. He helped Nirav Modi run away with crores," Rabri added.

The case relates to alleged appointments made in the railways in return for land parcels gifted or sold to Prasad's family when he was the minister of railways between 2004 and 2009.

It was alleged in the FIR that some persons, although residents of Patna in Bihar, were appointed as substitutes in Group-D posts during the period 2004-2009 in different zones of the railways located in Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur and Hajipur and in lieu thereof, the individuals themselves or their family members transferred their land in the name of family members of Prasad and a company, AK Infosystems Private Limited, which was subsequently taken over by family members of Prasad.

It was further alleged that about 1,05,292 sq. ft. land situated in Patna was acquired by the family members of Prasad from those persons through five sale deeds and two gift deeds and in most of the sale deeds, payment to the sellers was mentioned to be paid in cash.

The value of the land as per existing circle rate was about 4.39 crore.

The land was directly purchased by the family members of Prasad from the sellers at a rate lower than the prevalent circle rate. The prevalent market value of the land was much higher than the circle rate.

Also Read: Long witch-hunt: 8 political parties write to PM Modi over Manish Sisodia's arrest

It was alleged that due procedure and guidelines issued by the railway authority for the appointment of substitutes was not followed and later on, their services had also been regularised.

Speaking on today's CBI visit at former CM's residence, BJP leaders asserted that the Central Bureau of Investigation was "doing its job as an independent agency" in cases against RJD president Lalu Prasad who was "reaping what he had sown".

Leaders of the saffron party, which is in opposition in the state but in power at the Centre, were approached with queries on a CBI team reaching the residence of Rabri Devi, Prasad's wife and a former CM herself.

Senior BJP leader and former state minister Nitin Nabin said, "Lalu Prasads brush with CBI has been long. The fodder scam cases, in which he has been convicted, were lodged much before the BJP came into picture."

He pointed out "the fodder scam cases were registered when the Centre was ruled by the United Front, of which he was a part. The complainants included Shivanand Tiwary, now his party's national vice president, and Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan, who heads the JD(U), his current ally".

Jibesh Kumar Mishra, another BJP leader and ex-minister, said, "Lalu Prasad got first convicted in a fodder scam case in 2013, when the Congress-led UPA, of which his party was a part, ruled the Centre".

"The CBI is an independent agency and doing its job. Allegations of political vendetta are baseless. Lalu Prasad and his family are reaping what he has sown (jaisi karni vaisi bharni)," the BJP leader added.

(With inputs from agencies)
Ex-Delhi deputy chief minister and senior Aam Aadmi Party Manish Sisodia will be lodged in central jail number-1 of Tihar Prison in the national capital following being remanded to judicial custody till 20 March in connection with the excise policy case.

Earlier on Monday, after the expiry of his seven-day custodial interrogation, he was produced before special judge M K Nagpal, where the CBI told the court that it did not require the custody of Sisodia for now.

Following the court order, Sisodia was brought to Tihar and he will be lodged in jail number-1 after the completion of the due formalities.

While AAP claims CBI had no grounds to seek Sisodia's further interrogation in the excise policy case.

ALSO READ: Manish Sisodia sent to judicial custody till 20 March in Delhi excise policy scam

"There was no hearing on his bail plea. The court had to consider two options -- either send him to judicial custody or extend his police custody. The CBI had no questions, no grounds to seek his interrogation. They have no documentary evidence," AAP national spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed.

AAP spokespersons have been alleging on TV debates that the excise policy case is an open-and-shut case. The party attacked the BJP and alleged that they showed fake documents to claim that there was a scam.

"If they have evidence, why don't they hand it over to the CBI," the AAP leader asked.

In the meantime, "If they have evidence, why don't they hand it over to the CBI," the AAP leader asked. it also directed the Tihar jail authorities to consider his request to be allowed to do Vipassana meditation.

"Everyone knows that he likes to write. He has also written a book 'Shiksha' that is widely popular and is read by people to know about Delhi's education revolution. He has been a practitioner of Vipassana and the court has asked the jail superintendent to consider his request. It is a good time to work on oneself," Bharadwaj said.

Sisodia's bail plea will be on heard on 1 March. "If he is granted bail, his judicial custody will end," the AAP spokesperson added.

Last week, Sisodia was arrested in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy for 2021-22.

With PTI inputs.
New Delhi: Airlines are considering introducing special discounted fares for passengers who opt to fly with just their carry-on luggage, two people aware of the development said.

The cheaper fares will benefit about 40% of domestic travellers, such as small businessmen and corporate executives, on short trips and encourage them to travel more frequently rather than stay in hotels.

Indian airlines are studying the market to see which routes make more sense to offer such fares. We are aware that they are preparing to offer lower airfares to those travelling with just one cabin bag. One of the main beneficiaries of this service would be the micro, small, and medium enterprises," said a senior executive at an online travel operator.

Currently, the lowest airfares offered on most domestic routes include the provision of a cabin bag weighing up to 8 kg and check-in luggage weighing 15-25 kg, and no Indian airline offers cabin baggage-only fares.

However, foreign carriers do, and Scoot, the low-cost subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, already offers zero baggage fares from India.

IndiGo, Indias largest domestic airline, said it is considering the plan. We will continue to evaluate our service offerings to offer options and flexibility to meet the evolving needs of our customers," an IndiGo spokesperson said in response to a query.

This will not be the first time airlines roll out special fares for passengers. An earlier attempt in 2017 was rejected by the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

There was a difference of opinion between the aviation regulator and the Federation of Indian Airlines, and the matter was taken up by the Delhi high court in 2017. The ruling was in favour of airlines, and hence, under the current regulations, nothing stops airlines from offering different fares to those with check-in luggage provision and those without," said a senior government official on the condition of anonymity.

Queries emailed to SpiceJet, Air India, Vistara, and GoFirst for comments remained unanswered.

While hand baggage-only fare is standard practice among European and American airlines for short-haul flights, Indian airlines are planning an accelerated push towards the same as this helps save fuel and vacates the cargo belly for ancillary revenue, analysts said.

IndiGo, SpiceJet and AirAsia introduced zero-baggage fares or hand baggage-only fares a few years back, but had to subsequently withdraw these fares as it was too early for the Indian market," said Michael Jain, director of Belair Travel agency.

Another analyst said that these special fares have the potential to change the way Indians fly. At the moment, about 40% of people in India travel with only cabin baggage, but with these changes coming in gradually, it could lead to the number of such passengers increasing by 20-25% in the long run," said a travel industry analyst, who declined to be identified.
Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav on Monday hinted that the BJP is using its power to falsely frame the opposition and further slammed that If you stay with BJP, you'll be Raja Harishchandra. The comment comes amid a CBI team visited Chief Minister Rabri Devi house in connection to the land for job scam case.

Tejashwi Yadav said, as quoted by news agency ANI, In Maharashtra when Sharad Pawar's nephew (Ajit Pawar) went to BJP, all cases were withdrawn. When TMC's Mukul Roy when to BJP, all cases were withdrawn. If you show the mirror to BJP, this (raid) will happen."

Speaking on the CBI team visiting Rabri Devi residence, The day Trust Vote was ongoing and our Mahagathbandhan Govt formed, I said that this series will continue. There is a hearing on 15th March which is a normal procedure for bail".

A CBI team on Monday examined former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi at her residence in Patna in connection with its "further probe" in the land for jobs scam case, officials said.

There is no search or raid taking place, they said.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had already filed its charge sheet in the case and the special court has summoned the accused, including former Railways Minister Lalu Prasad and his family members and others on March 15, they said.

The agency has kept the further probe open into the alleged scam case and quizzing Rabri Devi was in connection with "further investigation" in the case, they said.

The team might also seek some additional documents in the case from the family of Lalu Prasad, they said.

It was alleged in the FIR that some persons, although residents of Patna in Bihar, were appointed as substitutes in Group-D posts during the period 2004-2009 in different zones of the railways located in Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur and Hajipur and in lieu thereof, the individuals themselves or their family members transferred their land in the name of family members of Prasad and a company, AK Infosystems Private Limited, which was subsequently taken over by family members of Prasad.

It was further alleged that about 1,05,292 sq. ft. land situated in Patna was acquired by the family members of Prasad from those persons through five sale deeds and two gift deeds and in most of the sale deeds, payment to the sellers was mentioned to be paid in cash. The value of the land as per existing circle rate was about 4.39 crore.

(With inputs from agencies)
New Delhi: India has started upgrading standards for critical infrastructure to bolster their lifespan and resilience to disasters, as the country aims to ramp up spending on capital assets by 37.4% in 2023-24 to 10 trillion.

The revisions are required by the changing nature of climate change-induced natural disasters and a review of seismic risks to assets vital to the economy, officials said. Earthquakes, like the ones in Turkey last month, can batter the country, with 59% of its landmass being vulnerable to high seismic activity.

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is revamping an array of design norms and quality benchmarks, from oil pipelines to steel and concrete buildings, a move that will span all sectors of Asias third largest economy, several officials said.

The standards agency has given the task of R&D for the revamp to some of the countrys top technology institutions. This week, commerce and consumer affairs minister Piyush Goyal reviewed BISs key projects that include new benchmarks for a wide range of goods and services, asking officials to ramp up market surveillance.

Seeking to create jobs and investments, India has added more than 60,000km of national highways to link major industrial hubs, while doubling capacity at ports and adding nearly 100 GW of power capacity in the past five years.

One of the first tasks at hand is an updated probabilistic seismic hazard map" of the country based on which new codes will apply and work on which is being done at IIT Madras. Assets such as pipelines, the arteries that supply industry with everything from water to oil, will have new design codes for higher resistance to earthquakes, a project being handled by IIT Bhubaneshwar, said Chitra Gupta, senior BIS scientist.

Homes in hills and mountains will also have stricter codes, especially in the wake of the recent land sink in Uttarakhands Joshimath, which displaced thousands.

New chairs for standardisations have been created in the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) in Guwahati and Gandhi Nagar and the National Institute of Technology, Calicut," said Nidhi Khare, additional secretary in the consumers affairs ministry.

Additional chairs are being created in IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi and IIT Karagpur, besides one at the Birla Institute Of Technology and Science, Pilani. All these positions will especially focus on revamping infrastructure standards.

R&D work for two sets of design codes for steel and concrete buildings are being prepared by IIT Roorkee and IIT Madras, while IIT BHU has been tasked with benchmarks to assess vulnerability of physical infrastructure, such as ports, to wind loads, or cyclone resistance capability.

There are various technical groups that work to create standards through scientific processes, discussions and consensus before they are notified. Their implementation is spread across various ministries," said HJS Pasricha, deputy director general of BIS.
NEW DELHI : Indias rapid digitalization across sectors holds great potential for its partnership with ASEAN countries, said Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of state for Electronics and Information Technology and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship on Monday.

Addressing the ASEAN-India Business Summit 2023, the minister said that digital technologies have been key drivers of economic development in the ASEAN region, especially in sectors such as e-commerce, online media and financial services. Indian IT companies have played an integral part in the digital transformation journey of Malaysia and other ASEAN countries."

Reflecting on the scope for further cooperation between India and the regional bloc, Chandrasekhar said that after the recent announcement of the real time payments linkage system between India and Singapore, India is working with Malaysia and other ASEAN countries to operationalize it for more countries in the region.

The minister reflected on the rapid advancements that India has made with respect to digitalization. The changes have taken place due to Prime Minister Narendra Modis governments focus on expanding affordable digital infrastructures, tech advancement, rapidly growing startup ecosystem and open technologies."

Chandrasekhar also spoke about the investments made by the Indian government in developing various Digital Public Infrastructures that have brought in transformation in various segments of the Indian economy and society.

Speaking about the catalyzing impact of UPI in developing Indias Fintech ecosystem, the minister said that Indias Unified Payments Interface with over 350 banks and 260 million users has transformed the way payments are made. Over 8 million transactions are made every month through this platform."

In addition to UPI, he spoke about other digital public infrastructure created by the Indian government such as Aadhaar, Cowin, GeM which collectively under the aegis of the India Stack have streamlined and reformed government and governance and promoted economic inclusion.

The theme for the summit was strengthening and moving forward ASEAN-India Economic Relations for a strategic business partnership. It is being held as part of the ASEAN-India Year of Friendship to commemorate more than three-decade long engagement between India and the 10-member bloc in Kuala Lumpur.
The GOP DOES still have ideas  bad ones that are extremely dangerous ones

, nicely documents the ways that the Republican party has become both increasingly anti-intellectual and incoherent since the days of Reagan. The GOP deserves to be skewered for its inconsistencies, absurdities, and lunatics. And its very real fissures ought to be analyzed with care, for they can grow, and contribute to the partys weakening if they do.

But it does not follow from these fissures that the GOP is an agglomeration of nihilists and no longer has ideas. It has ideas, and they are summed up in the acronym MAGA, which now defines both the Republican base and its major leaders and presidential aspirants.

These are powerful and dangerous ideas, even if they do not constitute a coherent policy agenda.

Noah writes that the partys failure to produce a party platform in 2020 proved beyond a doubt that there was no such thing as a GOP ideology. I get what he is saying; that 2020 Republican not-platform was surely a sign of something troubling. But Noahs account is not quite right.

The RNCs one-page announcement in the summer of 2020 declared that the Convention would adjourn without adopting a new platform until 2024 (emphasis added.) This announcement was immediately preceded by this Resolution: That the Republican Party has and will continue to enthusiastically support the Presidents America-first agenda.

In short, the GOP in 2020 registered its continued adherence to its 2016 platform and, more important, announced its unqualified and total support for the agenda, the rhetoric, and the performance of Donald Trump, this after numerous scandals, the Mueller Report, and an impeachment.

There is a term for this: The Leader Principle (in German, more ominously, Fuhrerprinzip). It played an important role in the history of fascism. As Noah well knows, for years now a serious debate has raged among scholars and public intellectuals about the extent to which Trumpism has fascist dimensions.

The semantic debate about fascism will surely continue. But what is really beyond debate is that the GOP has become deeply hostile to liberal democracy, and its principal leaders and ideologues have quite explicitly lauded the xenophobic, nationalistic, and anti-liberal regime of Hungarys Viktor Orban.

It is not only that prominent Republican officials and MAGA media personalities like Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, and Steve Bannon embrace Orban. A substantial network of right-wing academic institutions actively and relentlessly promote Orbans dark vision.

These include the Claremont Institute and its publications, The Claremont Review of Books and The American Mind; venues such as American Affairs, American Greatness, and Law & Liberty; and Hillsdale Collegethe principal source of Trumps infamous 1776 Commissionwhich Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is currently vaunting as the model for the restructuring of higher education in his state (and is surely a demonstration project for a DeSantis presidency).

The purveyors of these ideas have willingly and cynically made common cause with Q-anon conspiracists, Second Amendment fanatics, Left Behind preppers, and neo-Nazis. And in doing so they have helped to transform the GOP from a more or less free market conservative party to a radical conservative partyan extremist partyintent on eradicating progressivism, socialism, wokeism, and all forms of liberalism.

The GOP might be confused about what it is for. But it is crystal clear about what it is against.

And while the nasty skirmish about Kevin McCarthys House Speakership might have centered on egos and power rivalries, it is a fact that McCarthy, Elise Stefaniak, Steve Scalise and their attack dog Marjorie Taylor Greene in short order came together with Matt Gaetz, Lauren Boebert, Paul Gosarall of whom voted to undo Joe Bidens election as presidentto commit themselves to a culture war against the left and indeed against cultural modernity itself.

Todays GOP contains idiots and nihilists and pathological liars like George Santos. It contains sheer opportunists such as Mitch McConnell and even McCarthy himself. And since 2016, it has been dominated by a group of right-wing ideologues, inside and outside of government, who have fueled and been fueled by Trump and who are emphatically committed to a reactionary nationalist, racist, and authoritarian vision of American Greatness. Whether this vision is carried forward by Trump, or DeSantis, is for them quite beside the point. For that is the GOP vision.

I am quite willing to agree with Timothy Noah that in a conventional, colloquial sense these people have lost their minds. They surely inhabit a strange intellectual and moral universe of their own deluded contrivance. But they are not without ideas. They are fanatics, in possession of and possessed by very dangerous ideas.

These ideas helped to promote an insurrection. They continue to sustain lies about the legitimacy of the Biden administration and to justify efforts to undermine democratic procedures, voting rights, and racial and gender equality. And they are currently being instrumentalized to reshape K-12 education and higher education in the U.S.

These ideas are very dangerous. And in order to defeat them we need to treat them with the seriousness they deserve.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has spoken against "blatant misuse" of central agencies against the opposition and compared them with those by the al-Qaeda and Taliban "who use weapons to attack their opponents."

While speaking to reporters, Raut said, "The way people like the Taliban and the al-Qaeda take up weapons in their hands to eliminate their opponents, in the same way, this government is using weapons like ED-CBI to eliminate its opponents."

His statement also came a day after political leaders from nine parties across India wrote to PM Modi over the recent arrest of AAP leader Manish Sisodia. The former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister had been arrested by the CBI a week ago in connection with the city's now scrapped excise policy. As the senior politician remains in CBI custody, the letter dubbed it a "long witch-hunt" that smacked of a political conspiracy." They also linked the lodging of cases and consequent arrests with election timings, alleging that the actions were "politically motivated.

9 Opposition Leaders including CM @ArvindKejriwal write to PM Modi



@msisodia's arrest will be cited worldwide as an example of a political witch-hunt & further confirm what the world was only suspecting- India's democratic values stand threatened under an authoritarian BJP pic.twitter.com/3ELL5N88UJ  AAP (@AamAadmiParty) March 5, 2023

The missive was signed by several chief ministers and party heads including Trinamool Congress' Mamata Banerjee, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and BRS chief K Chandrashekhar Rao. Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal also signed the letter in support of their fellow AAP leader. The list of signatories included JKNC chief Farooq Abdullah, former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.

Moreover, in his address, Raut also alleged that the manner they [the central government] us "terrorizing" its opponents by using ED-CBI raids against them is "more than fascism and not democratic."

"That's why yesterday, the nine prominent leaders of main opposition parties wrote a letter to PM Modi and put this matter in front of him," Raut said. The Shiv Sena leader however said that that the letter was not needed since the PM Modi was already aware of all this.

"This [the raids] are happening on his [PM Modi's] orders," Raut alleged.

Today, CBI reached the residence of former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi in Patna in connection with the land-for-job case. Speaking on this, Delhi CM Kejriwal called this visit by the CBI "humiliating". "This is wrong, raids like these are humiliating," he said.

(With inputs from ANI)
New Delhi: State-run energy major Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) has tied up with French multinational TotalEnergies to establish a holistic framework for exchange of technical strengths in deep-water offshore.

ONGC inks MoU with French multinational TotalEnergies to establish holistic framework between the two for exchange of each others technical strengths in deep-water offshore, especially Mahanadi & Andaman," the company tweeted on Monday.

The MoU seeks to provide technical help for ONGCs push to explore and reduce green house emissions in development of deep-water blocks especially in Mahanadi and Andamans, off Indias east coast.

We will jointly evaluate Exploration and Development opportunities to create synergies with local economies," said Sushma Rawat, ONGCs Director for Exploration.

This collaboration shall lead to deployment of best practices and technology in offshore, to reduce greenhouse emissions for sustainable development.

This strategic technology-driven collaboration will develop future cooperation for potential business in deepwaters of Bay of Bengal on mutually aligned purpose," ONGC said in a tweet.

In August 2022, ONGC signed an agreement with American oil and gas major ExxonMobil for deepwater exploration at Indias east and west coasts. The tie-up is expected to firm up by March-end.

ONGC produces two-third of all oil and gas produced in the country and any incremental production would help the country cut its dependence on imports for meeting energy needs.

India imports over 85% of the crude oil, which is converted into fuel such as petrol and diesel in refineries, and roughly half of the natural gas that is used to produce electricity, make fertiliser, converted into CNG for running automobiles and piped to household kitchens for cooking.

The government has been pressing state-owned firms to step up efforts to raise domestic output to help cut the $115 billion import bill.
The hilly state Uttarakhand has been at the edge of matters, since after the huge Joshimath cracks that forced an entire town to displace to save themselves. In the latest of the attacks, three earthquake tremors were felt within 12 hours on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, said Disaster Management Secretary Ranjit Sinha.

Uttarakhand that is situated on the Himalayas, run the risk of facing frequent earthquakes because the Himalayas are a young-fold mountains that is still rising.

Three back-to-back earthquakes in Uttarakhand

The epicenter of the earthquake has been described as the northern region of Uttarkashi. The area of Uttarkashi falls in India's seismic zone 'V Zone' (maximum risk).

In the state, the first tremor was felt at 12.45 AM in the Siror forest of Bhatwari block. The magnitude of the earthquake was 2.5 on the Ritcher Scale. The third tremor was felt at around 10.10 am. The intensity was measured at 1.8 on the Ritcher scale.

With this, 12 earthquake tremors have been felt in Uttarakhand in the last two months.

Uttarakhand- seismic zone 'V Zone'

In February, scientists at Hyderabad-based CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute had warned that Uttarakhand runs the risk of facing massive earthquake'. This warning was sounded including the Joshimath area.

Uttarakhand falls in a seismic gap where a great earthquake is waiting to occur," Dr Purnachandra Rao, chief scientist, Seismology, NGRI had told Deccan Herald.

The scientist further informed the news daily that the pressure built up underneath the Himalayas due to the tectonic movement will be released. However they could not place a date on the event.

Another Hyderabad-based research institute, ISRO-National Remote Sensing Centre, had last month sounded alarm bells for the central and Uttarakhand state officials to act quickly on Joshimath's subsidence. NRSC detected a rapid subsidence of 5.4 cm, recorded in a span of just 12 days and confined to the central part of the Himalayan town.

What is a great earthquake?

An earthquake is described as a great earthquake when it measures 8 or above in the Richter Scale.

The last time India saw a great earthquake was in 1905 in Himachal Pradesh and in the Bihar-Nepal border in 1934.
The battle for AI-powered chatbots is heating up with Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai and Satya Nadella all trying to outpace each other in the race to develop more powerful generative artificial intelligence (AI) apps and chatbots. Heres whats at stake:

How transformative is generative AI?

Generative AI can help businesses create content more efficiently and faster by generating headline suggestions, blogs, images, captions, product descriptions, reviews, ads, code generation, and even templates for marketing campaigns and ideas to augment artistic creativity. Shopifys Magic tool, for instance, can generate product descriptions from a list of keywords, in tones that merchants choose. Generative AI can also analyse data from clinical trials and other sources, accelerating new drug development. In retail, Carrefour is experimenting with ChatGPT to make videos to answer customers questions.

How is Big Tech upping the stakes?

Microsoft is not only funding OpenAI but also made its AI-powered Bing available on its Edge browser, Skype, and also as a typeable Windows search box in the taskbar. Googles conversational AI service, called Bard, is powered by its Language Model for Dialogue Applications (LaMDA) but the company is yet to integrate Bard with Google Search. Meta (formerly known as Facebook) had to shut down two of its AI chatbots called BlenderBot and Galatica due to glitches but has now released a Large Language Model Meta AI (LLaMA) and publicly shared the code for researchers to test it.

Whats Musk doing in the generative AI race?

Elon Musk, who co-founded OpenAI along with Sam Altman in 2015, left its board in 2018 but is reportedly setting up a team to develop an AI-powered chatbot called BasedAI. Musk is wary of Microsofts investment in OpenAI and has accused it of pushing for profits" instead of developing AI for human good.

This is tech: what are the pitfalls?

AI-powered chatbots continue to hallucinate, meaning they can provide convincing yet untrue or inaccurate statements. They are prone to plagiarizing text and ideas that can violate intellectual property (IP). Using chatbots mindlessly can rewire the brain and make us, humans, outsource our thinking abilities to machines. Racial bias, toxic content and inaccuracies can cost companies. Google lost over $100 billion in mcap after Bard shared inaccurate data about the James Webb space telescope.

How to avoid the dark side of generative AI?

Recommendations to ban AI-generated content are retrograde steps, given its benefits. That said, policy makers have to build frameworks to regulate tech companies on the use of the copious amounts of data that is being fed to these models daily. Smart chatbots must reveal their sources and give credit to the original authors. Humans ought to moderate the output of such chatbots for inaccuracies, toxic content and racial bias, which is easier said than done since it increases the cost for companies.
Prince Harry and Meghan have received an email inviting them to King Charles coronation on May 6. However, they have not yet confirmed whether they plan to attend. If Prince Harry does return for the coronation, it is not known what part he might play, as he is no longer a "working Royal".

In a previous interview about his memoir, Prince Harry had declined to say whether he would attend his father's coronation, saying: "The door is always open. The ball is in their court."

During the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, the Sussexes were not part of the appearances on the Buckingham Palace balcony. These traditional appearances for the crowds will also be part of the coronation celebrations.

Buckingham Palace has declined to comment on invitations, and it is understood that some prospective guests are being asked to save the date ahead of official invitations that will be sent later.

Also Read: King Charles takes away Queen Elizabeths wedding gift to Harry-Meghan, their UK home

The focus on whether Prince Harry and Meghan will come to the coronation follows revelations in his memoir about tensions with his family. This included an account of an altercation with his brother Prince William, who as Prince of Wales is likely to have a role in the coronation ceremony.

Westminster Abbey, where the coronation will take place, has capacity for about 2,200 guests. Many public figures, politicians and international dignitaries are expected to attend, as well as the King's family and friends.

Formal printed invitations are expected to be sent closer to the time, but it is believed that some groups of guests are being approached in advance, advising them to save the date.

Also Read: Big celebs refuse to perform at King Charles coronation

Chris Rock in his Netflix special called Selective Outrage, made light of Meghan Markle's accusations of racism against the Royal family, specifically referencing her interview with Oprah Winfrey in April 2021. In the interview, Markle and Prince Harry alleged that there were "concerns" about the skin colour of their son Archie before he was born. As per Rock, what Meghan was dealing with was not racism, but in-law sh**".
A BBC conducted investigative report has suggested that Tesla Chief Elon Musk's Twitter is no more a safe space from cyber bullying. The report titled Twitter cant protect you from trolls any more quotes employees of the micro-blogging site who confirms that Elon Musk's agenda to make the social media company profitable and to champion freedom of expression, may have back fired for the users.

According to the BBC report, Tweeps or Twitter insiders have confirmed that Twitter has lost its ability to protect against trolling, state-coordinated disinformation and child sexual exploitation. They cited this to massive lay-offs after Elon Musk took over as the sole owner of the platform.

Hate thriving under Musk's leadership

According to exclusive data handled by BBC, they media house noted a trend of trolls emboldened, harassment intensifying and a spike in accounts following misogynistic and abusive profiles.

Current and former employees of the company tell BBC Panorama that features intended to protect Twitter users from trolling and harassment are proving difficult to maintain, amid what they describe as a chaotic working environment" the BBC report read.

The former head of content design says everyone on her team - which created safety measures such as nudge buttons - has been sacked. She later resigned. Internal research by Twitter suggests those safety measures reduced trolling by 60%." the report added.

Chaos in the Twitter workplace

An engineer in the San Francisco office of Twitter has said that chaos has been created by the huge disruption in staffing. The engineer has further reiterated that previous features on the platform still exist but those who designed and maintained them have left - he thinks they are now left unmanned.

"There are so many things broken and there's nobody taking care of it, that you see this inconsistent behaviour," BBC quoted the engineer.

Musk does not trust Twitter employees

The report also quotes the engineer saying that Elon Musk does not trust the Twitter employees. He has brought in engineers from his other companies, like Tesla, to evaluate engineers' code over just a few days before deciding who to sack.

Rise in creation of abusive profile

The investigation also showed that there has been a 69% increase in new accounts following misogynistic and abusive profiles.

New research from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue - a UK think tank that investigates disinformation and hate - echoes what I've uncovered about the troll accounts targeting Ellie.

It shows that tens of thousands of new accounts have been created since Musk took over, which then immediately followed known abusive and misogynistic profiles - 69% higher than before he was in charge.

The research suggests these abusive networks are now growing - and that Musk's takeover has created a "permissive environment" for the creation and use of these kinds of accounts.

The nudge tool on Twitter

Lisa Jennings Young, Twitter's former head of content design, was one of the people who specialised in introducing features designed to protect users from hate. Twitter was a hotbed for trolling long before Musk took over, but she says her team had made good headway at limiting this. Internal Twitter research, seen by the BBC, appears to back this up.

In an internal research by Twitter it was seen that at least 60% people would edit or delete their tweet or comment when they were nudged by the tool, furthering the process of online abuse.

Elon Musk's response

While the Twitter owner or the organisation did not officially reply to Panorama BBC's investigation, the Tesla chief quoted the BBC article and tweeted, "Sorry for turning Twitter from nurturing paradise into place that has  trolls,"

Sorry for turning Twitter from nurturing paradise into place that has  trolls  pic.twitter.com/HaWl1jPfOm  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 6, 2023

(real article from organization calling itself bbc)" Musk added another tweet.
The US administration is reportedly developing a new programme that could prohibit US participation in certain Chinese sectors. The move is seen as an attempt to protect American technological advantages in the escalating rivalry between the two countries.

People familiar with the programme expect it to cover private equity and venture capital investments in advanced semiconductors, quantum computing and some forms of artificial intelligence. The aim is to stop American investors from providing funding and expertise to Chinese companies that could improve the speed and accuracy of Beijing's military decisions.

According to reports provided to lawmakers on Capitol Hill on March 3, the US Treasury and Commerce departments are considering a new regulatory system to address US investment in advanced technologies abroad that could pose national security risks. The reports did not mention specific technology sectors that the Biden administration considered risky, but it was noted that sectors that could advance rivals' military capabilities would be a focus of the programme.

Also Read: China sending lethal aid to Russia, likely shift Ukraine war dynamics in Putin's favour

The programme would focus on "preventing US capital and expertise from being exploited in ways that threaten our national security while not placing an undue burden on US investors and businesses," according to the US Treasury department report.

The reports did not mention the names of countries that would be placed under the new rules, but it is expected that the Biden administration's work on the new rules would in practice largely deal with US investments in China.

The US Treasury and Commerce departments are expected to finalise their policy on the issue in the near future and seek additional resources for the investment programme in the White House budget, due to be released next week. The new programme will be subject to public comment, and the Treasury will administer it in consultation with the Commerce Department.

Also Read: Proof of great friendship: China to send Pakistan another $1.3 billion

The rules regulating US investment in other nations will be part of a broader effort by the Biden administration to impact China's ability to create technologies that US officials believe could pose a national security risk.

In 2022, the US government announced export restrictions on advanced semiconductors and chip-manufacturing equipment aimed at slowing China's military advance. The US government has been working on an executive order establishing the new investment rules for months.

US Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo recently said that Washington should set up the investment programme rules to address national security risks and not create unfair economic advantage. Adeyemo made the remarks at a recent public event.

(With ANI inputs)
Leaked WhatsApp messages have revealed that former UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock suggested "frightening the pants off" the public with a new Covid variant to ensure compliance with lockdown rules. The messages, part of the "Lockdown Files" - over 100,000 WhatsApp messages exchanged between ministers and officials - show the use of scare tactics to force compliance and push through lockdowns. In one message, UK Cabinet Secretary Simon Case said that the "fear/guilt factor" was "vital" in ramping up messaging during the third national lockdown in January 2021.

The non-disclosure agreement was breached by journalist Isabel Oakeshott when she sent The Telegraph the whole collection of more than 100,000 WhatsApp communications that Matt Hancock had given her in confidence. In an interview with the BBC's Today programme, Oakeshott asserted that breaking the journalism code was in the public's best interest.

Hancock stated that there was no public interest in the messages being published as he had already given them to the public inquiry into Britain's handling of COVID-19, which is due to start its hearings later in 2023.

Also Read: UK health minister Matt Hancock resigns after breaking Covid rules with affair in office

Throughout the pandemic, the UK government has been accused of scaremongering, but it has denied such allegations. Hancock's department stated that the accusations were "misleading".

The WhatsApp conversation between Hancock and his media adviser, Damon Poole, took place on 13 December 2020, two days after the emergence of the new variant, known as alpha or the Kent variant. Poole suggested that the variant could be helpful in preparing the ground for a future lockdown and tougher restrictions in the run-up to Christmas. Hancock responded: "We frighten the pants off everyone with the new strain." Poole agreed that this would lead to proper behaviour change.

The discussion came amidst concerns that Brexit talks would dominate headlines and reduce the impact of the new strain. Hancock probed Poole for media advice, asking: "When do we deploy the new variant?" The surge in cases later led to the effective cancellation of Christmas on 19 December 2020.

Also Read: Boris Johnson names Sajid Javid as new UK health secretary after Matt Hancock quits in disgrace

The leak of Matt Hancock's WhatsApp messages to journalist Isabel Oakeshott has caused a stir. Hancock shared the messages with Oakeshott as they worked on their book "Pandemic Diaries." Oakeshott then passed the messages to the Daily Telegraph, which published them on its front pages.

Critics have accused Oakeshott of having a political agenda. Hancock accused Oakeshott of a "massive betrayal and breach of trust," but Oakeshott argued that she acted in the public interest. She said that this was about the millions of people who were adversely affected by the repeated lockdowns on the flimsiest of evidence for political reasons.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sounak Mukhopadhyay Sounak Mukhopadhyay, who also goes by the name Sounak Mukherjee, has been producing digital news since 2012. He's worked for the International Business Times, The Inquisitr, and Moneycontrol in the past. He's also contributed to Free Press Journal and TheRichest with feature articles. He covers news for a wide range of subjects including business, finance, economy, politics and social media. Before working with digital news publications, he worked as a freelance content writer. Read more from this author
India topped the list of countries to which the United Kingdom issued the most number of visas in 2022. The UK issued 2,836,490 visas last year, with 25% of those going to Indian nationals. This included a record number of student visas from India, which saw a 73% increase in 2021. Additionally, work visas issued to Indian nationals increased by 130%. India also had the largest share of visit visas, with 30% of the world's visit visas being issued to Indians.

Earlier, British High Commissioner to India Alex Ellis took to Twitter to announce the same.

Last year  issued 2,836,490 visas; 25% of those went to , more than to any other country.



Indian nationals received:



 highest student visas  by 73% on 2021



 most work visas  by 130%



 largest share of visit visas, 30% of   Alex Ellis (@AlexWEllis) February 28, 2023

With the trend continue in 2023?

Despite the talk around stricter immigration policies, the UK government has taken steps to invite more migrants to the country. The India-UK Young Professionals Scheme is an example of this, as it aims to attract young graduates from India to live, study, travel and work in the UK for up to two years. This is a positive move towards strengthening the relationship between India and the UK, as it allows for cultural exchange and injects expertise into both economies.

The eligibility criteria for the scheme seem reasonable, requiring applicants to have a bachelor's degree or above and possess a minimum amount of savings. It is also important that applicants do not have any serious criminal convictions and meet the English language requirement, which ensures that they can integrate into UK society and contribute positively to the economy.

The British High Commissioner to India Alex Ellis praised the scheme calling it an "excellent opportunity for India's brightest young people".

Big opportunity to work and study in the UK for 2 years.Have you got your application ready? https://t.co/2ThmhUWFW8  Alex Ellis (@AlexWEllis) February 23, 2023

India has a wealth of talented individuals, and it is important to provide them with opportunities to develop their skills and gain experience in other countries. The UK benefits from the contributions of Indian students and professionals to its economy, and it is important to continue to build on this relationship.
NEW DELHI : India and the US will hold a commercial dialogue on March 10 after a gap of three years to discuss cooperation in various sectors that could unlock new trade and investment opportunities between the two countries.

The last India-USA Commercial Dialogue was held in February 2019. Since then, due to pandemic and other factors it could not be held.

"It is proposed to re-launch the dialogue with a strategic outlook with focus on supply chain resiliency and diversification and new emerging areas, after a gap of three years," the commerce ministry said in a statement.

US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo will be visiting here between 7-10 March for the dialogue and India-US CEO Forum meet.

"During the visit, India-USA Commercial Dialogue and CEO Forum will be held on March 10 to discuss cooperation in various sectors that could unlock new trade and investment opportunities between the two countries," the statement said.

The Commercial Dialogue is a cooperative undertaking encompassing regular government-to-government meetings to be held in conjunction with private sector meetings, with an aim to facilitate trade, and maximize investment opportunities across a broad range of economic sectors.

Earlier, India-US CEO Forum was soft-launched by Indian Commerce & Industry Minister and US Secretary of Commerce on 9 November 2022 via video-conference for which identified key priorities were increasing supply chain resilience, enhancing energy security & reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions, advancing inclusive digital trade; and facilitating post-pandemic economic recovery, especially for small businesses.

Trade, Commerce and Economy had always enjoyed a place of prominence in the India-US multifaceted strategic bilateral relations. Today, the two countries are leading trading partners of each other.

India is the ninth largest trading partner for the US, while the US is Indias largest trading partner and the largest export destination.

The bilateral trade in goods saw very robust growth during CY 2022, surpassing $131 billion in goods, thus doubling since 2014 (in 8 years) while total trade in Goods and Services is expected to cross US$ 180 billion.

US is also the third biggest source of FDI for India, and USA is one of the top five investment destinations for India.

"This visit will immensely contribute towards furthering trade and commercial ties between the two countries," the ministry said.
F-35 fleet reportedly to be retrofitted for engine vibration issue

Xinhua) 10:59, March 06, 2023

WASHINGTON, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The entire fleet of F-35 fighter jets will be retrofitted within 90 days to address an engine vibration issue, U.S. media outlets reported, citing the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO).

The office issued a directive last week, detailing retrofit procedures for the aircraft globally.

"While only a small number of aircraft were impacted by the harmonic resonance, the plan is to retrofit the entire fleet," it said in a statement.

F-35 deliveries were halted in December 2022 after a crash involving one of the fighter jets in Fort Worth, Texas, which led to the grounding of some of the aircraft.

An investigation found a vibration issue in the engine which led to the mishap and the JPO said was a "rare occurrence" and that engineers had developed a fix for it.

The F-35, a fifth-generation stealth fighter delivered in three configurations, is the world's most expensive weapons program, with an estimated lifetime cost of 1.6 trillion U.S. dollars.

U.S. Congressman Adam Smith said in March 2021 that he thinks the F-35 is an overly expensive platform with disappointing capabilities.

"I want to stop throwing money down that particular rathole," Smith, then chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said in a virtual event with the Brookings Institution.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
The reports states that Shahzadi and her family were busy expanding their businesses in other nations and registering companies in the United Kingdom when Imran Khan was asking overseas Pakistanis to invest in the country.

As per the report, during the tenure of Imran Khan's administration, the Shahzadi's family registered or purchased four firms in the UK whose business in the documents are SIC or real estate.

Three companies were registered/acquired by Faraht's sister and one by Farhat Shahzadi and her husband from 2019 to 2021.

Also Read: Pakistan crisis: Talks with IMF to begin today; here's what to expect

Shahzadi's sister Musarat Khan also owns or has owned around half a dozen companies in the UK.

Farhat Shahzadi also known as Farah Khan/Farah Gogi and her husband Ahsan Iqbal Jamil, who are currently living abroad and have been facing serious corruption allegations. However, Imran Khan has termed these allegations as political victimisation by the present government, according to The News International report.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has defended Farhat Shahzadi in a press conference. The FIA has lodged a case against her under the Anti-Money Laundering Act and the government is planning to bring them back to Pakistan through Interpol.

Her declared wealth increased by over four times from 2018 onwards. Farah Khan, her husband Ahsan Iqbal Jamil along with three other partners acquired the company Goldstar Euro Limited on May 14, 2020, in the United Kingdom.

Citing sources, the report said that Farah Khan and her husband acquired the company for money laundering purposes. However, Farah Khan's husband Ahsan Iqbal Jamil refuted these allegations and called them "mere allegations."

Farah Khan's sister Musarat Khan registered a company Black Apple Investments Limited on November 9, 2021. According to the documents, the company deals in buying and selling real estate and management of real estate on a fee or contract basis.

Al Muez Limited was another company registered by Farah Khan's sister in 2019. Farah Khan also own different companies with this name in Pakistan, including Al Muez Dairy. In its FIR, the FIA stated that Farhat Shahzadi acquired an industrial plot of 10.3 acres for the Al Muez Dairy in the Faisalabad Industrial Zone at a subsidised rate, as per the news report.

Musarat Khan acquired another company DMK Enterprises Limited on July 4, 2019. However, the company was dissolved in March 2021. Besides this, she owned some other companies, including Dayyan Enterprises Limited, Maximum M K Tradings Ltd and DKhans Constructions Limited, etc.

According to the documents, there is an inflow of money in the form of remittances in Farah Khan, Ahsan Iqbal Jamil and Musarat Khan's accounts. However, no documents revealed outflows, the report said.

Before Imran Khan came into power, Farah Khan's declared assets were reported to be worth Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 231,635,297 in 2017, as per the news report. However, within the first three years of Imran Khan's government Farah's declared assets reached PKR 971 million in 2021.

Farah Khan and her husband also availed themselves of the whitening of black money (Tax Amnesty Scheme 2019) during Imran Khan's government. The couple had declared PKR 328.7 million and PKR 20 million respectively under the Tax Amnesty Scheme 2019, as per the news report.

Ahsan Iqbal Jamil has termed the FIA's FIR "completely political victimisation." He further said that Pakistan's interior minister, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, PM's Adviser Ata Tarar and other government representatives have publicly made such threats against Farhat Shahzadi.

Meanwhile, the police in Pakistan said officers attempted on Sunday to arrest Khan, who is battling several legal cases as he pressures the government for early elections. Officers from the capital, Islamabad, arrived at Khan's home in the eastern city of Lahore, which was surrounded by hundreds of his supporters, but were unable to carry out the arrest.

"A team of Islamabad police has arrived in Lahore to arrest Imran Khan to comply with the court orders," Islamabad police said in a tweet.

"Imran Khan is reluctant to surrender -- the Superintendent of Police had gone into the room but Imran Khan was not present there." The arrest warrant was issued after Khan failed to appear in court in a corruption case on February 28. Khan is accused of failing to declare gifts received during his time in office or the profit made from selling them. Government officials must declare all gifts but are allowed to keep those below a certain value. He later spoke to party workers in his Zaman Park house in Lahore, where police remained outside. "I am being summoned in fake cases and the nation should know about them," he said. "It will be a bad omen for the country if the nation does not stand against the corrupt rulers."

However, the vice chairman of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, earlier told reporters in Lahore: "We have received the notice from Islamabad police -- the notice does not contain any order for the arrest." "We will consult our lawyers and follow the legal process." Pakistan's courts are often used to tie up lawmakers in tedious and long-winded proceedings that rights monitors have criticised for stifling political opposition.

(With inputs from ANI)
By the looks of it, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis manufacturing drive is on the up, with all the trappings of imminent success. Multinational companies and long-term foreign investors like private equity giant Blackstone have their sights on India. The recently unveiled budget boosts capital spending by more than expected. With a host of subsidies and sweeteners, firms like Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics are making big commitments to the country. Yet, a look at the Indian units of long-established multinationals shows how much help the industrial sector will need.

Consider publicly-listed ABB India Ltd, the domestic unit of European industrial firm ABB, that manufactures products for automation and electrification, along with other industrial equipment. Orders grew 4% in the latest quarter. However, that was lower than the 22% order uptick from India for ABBs global parent. Why the gap? It accounts for supplies by ABB India in the domestic market and the imports of ABB to deal with the growing backlog, the company said in a statement.

ABB India isnt alone. Global companies need their parent to meet rising local demand. In a recent earnings call, executives from Cummins India, a unit of Cummins Inc, said orders for a project with the Gas Authority of India would be taken by the parent entity and the local business would help with service support and installation. For most firms, big projects that are tendered out end up relying on overseas entities because many of the products and supplies arent available domestically, or in some cases, dont meet global standards.

Dont get me wrong, these firms are still doing wellas long as the orders keep coming in and firms are able to meet them, business hums along. For Indias industrial sector, however, this means many companies arent building out operations for new products. Organic growth doesnt really happen until demand is established, either, and any supply chains that do develop are piecemeal. These are the holes Modi must focus on filling before private capital rushes in.

Indias longer-term solution is more localized production lines. In theory, high enough demand would mean domestic subsidiaries build factories on the ground that cater to growing needs for motors, gears and other such intermediate goods. But what is enough? Determining a critical mass of real demand is crucial before businesses plunge into investing in Indiaand thats tough. ABB India last week announced plans to invest $121 million over the next five years, including a factory for gas insulated switch-gears that are used to manage power systems in substations, railways and industrial complexes. Last year, it opened a smart instrumentation factory to make a range of devices. Clearly, there is a growing need for infrastructure along with policy tailwinds. ABB, though, has been invested in India for a long time. For new companies entering India now, the runway is far longer. Despite production-linked incentives, the threshold for sales and upfront capital is far too high for medium-sized businesses to take advantage of subsidies. Firms are still exploring opportunities and shopping around states for spots.

Businesses need to be more open-minded to locations further out from urban areas and cognizant of the time it takes to set up, according to consultants at Roedl & Partner India. The southern states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are front runners, with their government-led investment boards driving incentives. In central Indian states, provinces are trying to push through the building of highways, hoping to spread the reach of roads and infrastructure to expand industrial areas.

Industries like electronics (including computer software and hardware) and automobiles (largely components) have drawn the bulk of the foreign direct investment in the countrys manufacturing sector, pointing to the concentration and fragmented nature so far.

To avoid becoming just an assembly line, India needs to spread the love by pushing supply chains further out. Geographical clusters focused on sectors much like Chinas, deeper into the hinterland, would be one place to start. Manesar, a now not-so-remote area near Gurgaon, became an industrial hub and residential area because carmaker Maruti Suzuki set up a plant there. It boasts excellent sushi and Japanese restaurants, too. Drawing in companies that make vital yet smaller components, not just the big headline goods, would also help.

Theres a practical lesson for the executives rushing to India: Companies need to choose locations where other firms are already present, not states where the incentives look the best, or crowded and saturated urban centres. And, tread with care because theres opportunity, just not where youd hope.

bloomberg
In October last year, the India Mobile Congress, a four-day telecom conference and exhibition in Delhi, buzzed with over 100,000 visitors and hundreds of stalls. The whos who made a beelinetop corporate heads, bureaucrats, businessmen. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Big bang announcements followed. 5G services were launched by Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, Indias biggest telecom service providers.

Amid all this, one stall attracted an unusual amount of footfallthe Tata groups display zone. The salt-to-software conglomerate filled its tent with telecom equipment; marketed its semiconductor prowess and, quite predictably, solutions around 5G.

Ive not had a minute to breathe," Parag Naik, the chief executive of Saankhya Labs, a wireless communication and semiconductor solutions company, told this writer at that time. Visitors from the central government, states, companies so many are here."

Naik walked away before finishing the conversation to receive yet another set of visiting bureaucrats.

In March 2022, Tejas Networks, an Indian telecom equipment company, acquired a majority stake in Saankhya Labs. A year before, in July 2021, an arm of Tata Sons acquired a controlling stake in Tejas Networks. At the mobile show, Saankhya Labs was showcasing equipment it developed, alongside equipment by Tejas Networks.

We all make calls, surf the internet, download videos, and stream music on the go. While most of us are familiar with the telecom service providers, like Jio and Airtel, the equipment makers are the backroom people. The equipment is the backbone that enables communication.

This equipment market is a playfield dominated by multinationals. Within visible distance of the Tata stall at the Mobile Congress, were two massive stalls, set up by Nokia and Ericsson. They are the two giants, holding a combined share of 68% in Indias telecom and networking products market in 2021-22, according to Frost & Sullivan. The Tata group now wants to disrupt this market and compete fiercely with them.

View Full Image Telecom

Through acquisitions and group synergies, the Tatas are gradually building its telecom gear play. The stall, and subsequent statements from the conglomerates executives, signalled their intent.

The goal is clear. We want to be one of the top five players in the $200 billion global telecom gear market in the next five years," said a senior executive at Tejas Networks, asking not to be named.

The group is committed to being a large player in the telecom technology space. We are consolidating all our telecom equipment and technology offerings under Tejas Networks which we acquired recently," Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran recently said in an interview to Fortune India.

Tata groups growing ambitions is well-timed. The world is in transition. India and many other countries want to reduce their exposure to Chinese telecom equipment makersHuawei and ZTE, in particular. Even beyond telecom, multinationals now want to reduce their dependence on China for manufacturing of critical goods and equipment. They learnt a tough lesson over the past two years as Chinas zero-covid policy backfired, causing severe disruptions in supply chains. Input and production costs rose, so did the price of goods to end consumers.

India has emerged as the second most sought-after manufacturing destination across the world and telecom is a priority sectorthe central government has announced a production-linked incentive scheme for telecom equipment.

The Tata group wants to position itself as a formidable player here, starting from being a key supplier to the government-owned telco, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL).

The liftoff

Tejas Networks started in 2000, in Bengaluru. Over the past two decades, the company has seen many ups and downs. And it has remained a small to mid-sized player.

Industry insiders said that the companys products were yet to gain major traction in any market. They dont have products or market share to show," said a senior industry watcher, asking not to be named.

Numbers tell the story. Nokia reported net sales of 2.7 billion (about 23,533 crore) for network infrastructure and 2.9 billion (about 25,274 crore) for mobile networks in the December 2022 quarter. Tejas Networks consolidated revenue for the same period was 275 crore.

Under the Tata group umbrella, the company appears to be fast transforming, from a tiny player to a force to reckon with. It may soon taste its first multi-billion-dollar 4G equipment contract.

Tejas Networks is part of a Tata consortium that is the frontrunner for supplying 4G equipment to BSNL. The consortium also includes IT services exporter Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and the government-owned Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT). This deal could be a mammoth order for 100,000 sites, with an estimated outlay of about 25,000 crore, of which network equipment would be about 13,000 crore.

We are L1 (the lowest bidder) in a very large pan-India tender for building a backbone for our 4G and 5G, winning against global MNCs. And we believe this will have a significant revenue potential during next year. We expect to close (the order) sometime in this quarter and this will possibly be the largest single order for optical networking business till date," Sanjay Nayak, the co-founder and chief executive of Tejas Networks, said during the companys third quarter earnings call on 6 February. He did not name BSNL.

He added that the gear maker had significantly increased production capacity by signing up three new electronic manufacturing services, or EMS, vendors as its contract manufacturing partners and had invested in expanding its own internal capacitywarehousing, production floor, research and development (R&D) as well as people. The company now has 1,250 employees, up 60% from a year ago. About 800 of them are in R&D.

Setting up the 4G network for Indias largest public sector unit in the telecom sector will set the ball rolling for the local gear maker. Possibly, set the stage for other domestic contracts and, going ahead, a global expansion.

The China factor

A massive tailwind for Tejas is coming from the absence of Chinese telecom gear makers, Huawei and ZTE, from not only all new Indian telecom contracts  spanning 2G, 4G, 5G and so forth  but also from many foreign markets, such as the US and Europe.

India barred the use of Chinese gear by its telecom service providers a couple of years ago. Recently, India barred Chinese gear for being used as replacements as well, effectively shutting them out from any telecom business in the country.

The geopolitics is working in our favour. Another factor working for us is economies of scale that is comparable only to China. This, in turn, gives us a real competitive edge," the executive quoted above said. He added that Tejas Networks was among the four companiesthe others are Nokia, Ericsson and Ciscoto have received the trusted sources approval from the National Cyber Security Coordinator (NCSC). In India, the NCSC coordinates with different national agencies on cyber security matters and has the final say on the source destination for telecom gear.

Group synergies

For the longest time, Tejas had limited access to large customers even when it had the products.

We have pretty much everything that you need in the product portfolioalmost the same as Nokia or Huawei or Ericsson. The problem is, we never had enough customers. We never had enough market access," the executive quoted above said.

The Tata groups brand opens many doors. The conglomerate is also pumping a total of 1,890 crore into Tejas. The Tata Groups backing will put the company on the map," said a sector analyst who did not want to be named. The evidence is in the companys stock performance, he added. Tejas Networks shares have more than doubled from 246 a piece on 29 July 2021when it announced that a Tata Sons subsidiary will acquire controlling stake  to 613.55 on 6 March.

While it may have had a tough time on its own, Tejas could have a winning chance at contracts, in India and overseas, as part of a consortium of Tata Group companies. The BSNL bid is an example, where Tata Consultancy Services, or TCS, has pitched itself as a systems integrator. Tejas can also be part of a consortium alongside Tata Communications, a company aiming for the 5G business pie in enterprises. Tata Communications, which operates an advanced subsea fibre network, sells communication, collaboration, cloud, mobility, network and data centre services, among other solutions.

TCS did not comment on its plans to expand its role as a systems integrator or partner with other Tata group companies for building 4G and 5G telecom networks in India.

So, what exactly is the private 5G opportunity and how can Tejas benefit?

5G is expected to offer ultra-high data speeds with extremely low latency. In other words, no lag. This will facilitate automation and efficiencies never seen before. Coupled with other technologies such as internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), 5G is seen to be enabling autonomous vehicles, drones, remotely assisted surgeries, traffic control, and everything smart  from cities to factories.

This is why telcos as well as non-telco companies are pinning their hopes on 5G for the enterprise, also called private 5G networks or captive non-public networks. This is expected to be a multi-billion-dollar revenue stream globally. According to Finnish gear maker Nokia, private 5G in India is likely to be a $240-250 million market by 2027, while globally, the market could generate $7.5 billion in revenues, increasing at a CAGR of 23.5% from $2.5 billion in 2022.

A.S. Lakshminarayanan, MD and CEO of Tata Communications, said in a recent interaction with Mint that the company has invested in delivering industrial connectivity as a service. 5G networks would power such connectivity, going ahead. The company is talking to Indian and international customers to offer the same.

TCS chief operating officer, N Ganapathy Subramaniam, has been quoted in media reports saying that the company would help organizations across sectors set up their private 5G networks.

Tejas could well benefit from being the telecom gear supplier for 5G private networks, when the roll out begins.

Challenges ahead

All this doesnt mean that the Tata group wont face challenges. If Tejas doesnt scale up, and at the right time and pace, the group synergies it is hoping to leverage may go for a toss. After all, Tejas continues to be a mid-sized business with an order book of 1,431 crore as of December 2022.

A telecom sector analyst, who did not want to be named, said that the global telecom vendor market had space for more players. But as things stand, Tejas will have an uphill task. Not all global markets will be available for entry since Huawei and ZTE are still operational in several South East Asian and African markets, leaving the pricier and tougher US and European markets open, he said.

Tejas, meanwhile, also needs to integrate Saankhya Labs, a company developing technology for 5G as well as 6G. The focus of Saankhyas R&D team now is to strengthen and accelerate the development programs for 5G, radio, cellular broadcasts, satellite communication and other areas like semiconductor chip design," the senior executive quoted earlier said.

As of now, executives at Tejas, and the Tata group, are brimming with confidence. Indias push to promote indigenous telecom ecosystems is a great opportunity they dont want to miss at any cost.
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Denim Day for Dementia is celebrated annually on the first Friday of March, and this year, it fell on March 3. Whether you dare to double denim or re-use old denim, The Alzheimer's Society of Ireland urge people to wear denim and donate to show their support for those living with dementia.

Staff at Keenan's of Tarmonbarry, Co Roscommon jumped on board and wore denim to raise much needed funds for dementia.

The staff decided as a team to donate all tips made on Friday, March 3 to the Alzheimer's Society of Ireland.

Keenan's management also agreed to double the tips made on Friday to increase the funds made.

Keenan's are delighted to announce that 535.00 was raised with tips on Friday, bringing the total to 1,070 raised for The Alzheimer's Society of Ireland.

Keenan's would like to thank their staff and all the customer's who left tips and donations on Friday.

Manager David Keenan said, "I have to compliment the staff on donating their tips on Friday. There was a great buzz about the place. Thanks to all the customer's who came through the doors and donated - all for a great cause."
The Longford branch of the Irish Farmers Association elected a new chairman at the group's AGM recently held in the Rustic Inn in Abbeyshrule. Ballinalee man John Sheridan takes up the helm of the farmers representative organisation.



John was elected to the role in replacement of outgoing chair Gavin White, who held the post for the last four years.

The new chair is tasked with the role of being the chief spokesperson for local farmers in their county: The only goal is to look after each section of the IFA and the wider farming community, John told the Leader of his ambitions for the office, Everybody has to be looked after.

If they are farmers who are farming we have to represent them. It doesn't matter if they are growing carrots or raising beef, the IFA are there to represent them.

John says the local IFA organisation is in a good place, but acknowledged that more can be done: There is good engagement, but there is work to be done. Over Covid people did not engage, and it has been difficult to attract them back.



We would like to see the younger generations become more involved, because the strength of the organisation is dependent on our members.



The Edgeworthstown farmer believes the Department of Agriculture and the Government are not providing adequate support to farmers: There is a lot of uncertainty in farming at the moment. Lobbying for support is crucial, and the IFA is the best way to do that, at both local and national level.



John commended the outgoing chair Gavin White: Gavin had a very good term. He had to deal with the Covid restrictions and did so very well. He co-ordinated bringing meetings out to farms, which were very well attended. He leaves big boots to fill.



The AGM also acknowledged the contribution of long standing members. Andy Keegan received honorary life membership for his support over the years in the IFA, while Trevor McHugh received the JJ Farrell cup for his contribution to Longford IFA.



Trevor hosted hound driver training in his premises over the years and offered tractors and machines to train the next generation of farmers.

At the AGM Gavin was presented with a memento from regional chair Frank Brady, while his wife Trisha was given a beautiful bouquet of flowers for holding the fort when the outgoing Chair was away at meetings.
Local News

By Chris Boyle Published: March 06 2023

"Long Island is well positioned for sustainable economic growth that will help protect property values and curb tax increases," said Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone.

Governor Kathy Hochul last week toured Patchogue in Suffolk County, Long Island with local leaders and elected officials to highlight key components of the New York Housing Compact -- the Governor's strategy announced in the Fiscal Year 2024 Executive Budget to address New York's housing crisis and build 800,000 new homes in the next decade. Advocates voiced broad support for the Governor's vision to make New York more livable, more accessible, and more affordable.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said, "Long Island is well positioned for sustainable economic growth that will help protect property values and curb tax increases, thanks to the Governor's investment in our region's transportation and innovation assets. The single greatest threat to this economic prosperity is the housing crisis and I applaud Governor Hochul for taking this issue head on. The Governor has put forward a plan that will incentivize local municipalities to work closely with the state to address an issue that is critical to our economic future."

Village of Patchogue Mayor Paul Pontieri said, "Housing costs are issues many Long Islanders face. Here in Patchogue, we have done a lot to address the housing crisis on Long Island and have built mixed-use workforce housing so that our young adults and seniors can stay here while participating in our local economy. I had the pleasure to show the Governor how density and design go hand-in-hand and look forward to working with her administration in making sure our communities are able to address the housing crisis with the tools they need to implement change."

Co-Chair of LIREDC John Nadler said, "The region's lack of affordable housing has severely hampered the College's ability to recruit and retain talent. Addressing this housing shortage is vital to the future success of the College and Long Island."

Co-Chair of LIREDC Linda Armyn said, "I applaud Governor Hochul for elevating housing availability as a critical component for New York States continued economic growth."

President of Local 338 RWDSU/UFCW John Durso said, "We are encouraged by Governor Kathy Hochul's commitment to addressing this multi-generational housing problem. We look forward to working with her and the other stakeholders on Long Island to address this critical issue facing our region."

President of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Nassau and Suffolk Counites Matthew Aracich said, "Long Island's real estate market is completely lopsided. I applaud the Governor's stance on attempting to tackle this issue, so we can move forward and address the housing needs in both counties."

Executive Director of Long Island Housing Services, Inc., Ian Wilder said, "Governor Hochul deserves credit for standing up to propose a vision to address Long Island's lack of housing - especially affordable housing. Without a plan, Long Island -- especially our economy -- will continue to be hollowed out because of a dearth of places to live. Even opponents of details of the Governor's Housing Compact agree that we have a crisis. Yet after all this time, those opponents have failed to provide an alternative roadmap. This is why we continue to support the Housing Compact as a pro-home, pro-Long Island toolbox to move beyond the rhetoric to reach solutions."

Executive Director of Housing Help Inc., Pilar Moya-Mancera said, "The Housing Compact Plan is an excellent opportunity to address the housing needs of young adults, senior citizens, disabled individuals, the hard-working class, and the essential workers who are the backbone of our economy. It is long overdue that we start investing in the current and future success of the Long Island community. Moreover, the Housing Compact Plan is an incredible opportunity to usher in a new era on Long Island for desegregation. It is morally unacceptable that in 2023 we live in a region where the zip code you come from determines your life expectancy, quality of education, health, and quality of life."

President and CEO of Community Development Corporation of Long Island Gwen O'Shea said, "We commend the Governor on attempting to tackle entrenched barriers that have prevented home and economic opportunities for so many. We believe refinements can further intended outcomes, such as rewarding pioneering communities (like the Villages of Hempstead and Patchogue) and incentivizing the growth targets with increased funding to local governments to address their specific concerns related to environmental protections and infrastructure capacity."

CEO of Health and Welfare Council of Long Island Rebecca Sanin said, "Long Island's lack of attainable and affordable housing impacts competitive employment, public health, safety and retention of young professionals who attend our schools of excellence but need affordability in order to stay locally in their communities. The lack of safe, affordable housing on Long Island is a top economic and social issue impeding our progress as a region, stymieing family well-being and preventing America's first suburb from being a destination for investment and innovation. A combination of resources, infrastructure and incentives are sorely needed so that individual communities can effectively plan to meet their needs and potential and be attractive communities for future generations to live, work and raise their families on Long Island."

President of Huntington Township Housing Hunter Gross said, "I'm proud to support Governor Hochul's NYS Housing Compact. We can't continue to have middle-class families, young professionals and aging residents of all races shut out of the housing market. This plan will tackle restrictive zoning, while working with localities to decide what housing makes sense for their community. Truly a no brainer for Long Island's economy."

Long Island Builders Institute Mike Florio said, "The Governor rightfully recognizes that the status quo will not solve the housing crisis we all know exists. By providing resources and incentives and working together to understand the unique needs of each community, we can develop a transformational plan that benefits Long Islanders now and for future generations."

Vice President, State Programs for Regional Plan Association Melissa Kaplan-Macey said, "RPA is proud to support Governor Hochul's New York Housing Compact proposal. While no one strategy is the silver bullet that will address the housing needs in our state, one thing is very clear - in order to meet our housing challenge, we must allow more homes to be built. We have to work collaboratively to solve our housing supply problem at all levels of government--to both address our current housing crisis and allow for future growth."

Senior Program Officer of Long Island Community Foundation Sol Marie Alfonso-Jones said, "Long Island is a dynamic region with tremendous assets. But we haven't kept pace with the housing needs. Our lack of quality affordable housing continues to be a primary impediment to quality of life for our residents, workers, and business owners. We are grateful for the forward-thinking municipal leaders that have created innovative housing options to meet the needs of our diverse populace. We applaud Governor Hochul's commitment to support all Long Island municipalities to create inclusive homes that will ensure our region remains a beautiful vibrant place where all can enjoy a good quality of life."

President and CEO of HIA-LI Terri Alessi-Miceli said, "HIA-LI is delighted that Governor Hochul recognizes that the future of the Long Island economy depends on expanded housing availability - especially to help keep young professionals living and working here in the bi-county region. One of Long Island's most prominent business advocacy organizations and steward of the Long Island Innovation Park at Hauppauge. "The New York Housing Compact is a novel approach that, with local input, can help safeguard the suburban character of our communities."

Founder and President of Minority Millennials, Inc., Dan Lloyd said, "Minority Millennials support Governor Hochul's housing compact vision, one that boldly addresses our region's urgent housing crisis and works to ensure that Long Island's next generation has the opportunity to raise their families on Long Island while affording to pursue the American Dream. We appreciate that the plan empowers local governments to choose solutions that are tailor-made for their communities with funding, planning, and administrative support from the state. This is a unique moment for regional leaders to work on new solutions to a very old problem: housing."
SCPD: Suspects Steal Over $1,000 in Merchandise from Lake Grove Victorias Secret

Crime

By Chris Boyle Published: March 06 2023

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest.

Surveillance stills of the suspects.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Fourth Squad detectives are seeking the publics help to identify three women who stole merchandise from a Lake Grove business this month.

Three women entered Victorias Secret, located at the Smith Haven Mall, and stole merchandise with a value of more than $1,000 on February 8 at approximately 6:00 p.m.
Local News

By Chris Boyle Published: March 06 2023

Sewers to Help Spur Growth and Revitalization in Downtown Business District While Protecting Water Quality.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone has joined Village of Westhampton Beach Mayor Maria Moore for a celebratory "first flush" to announce the completion of the long-awaited project connecting the Village's Business District to the Countys wastewater treatment plant at Frances S. Gabreski Airport. The sewer district connection will allow for the Westhampton Beach business district to continue to expand and attract new business. The connection works to protect both the quality of water, by preventing nitrogen from entering the groundwater, and downtown vibrancy.

The connection of this business district to a modern wastewater treatment plant is a win-win that will protect water quality and keep Westhampton Beachs economy moving forward, said Suffolk County Executive Bellone. This is perfect example of how local governments can work cooperatively to share services and save taxpayer dollars."

Westhampton Beach Village Mayor Maria Moore said: Because of the generous support from New York State, Suffolk County and Southampton Town we were able to complete this project without raising taxes. The project, which cost approximately $16 million was funded largely by a combination of state dollars through the Department of Environmental Conservation and Environmental Facilities Corporation, Suffolk County, and Southampton Town Community Preservation Fund dollars, with the remainder coming from the Village surplus. This is a prime example of what can be achieved through cross-sector collaboration and determination, said Mayor Moore.

A study provided to the Village by Stony Brook scientist Christopher Gobler in the projects initial planning stages laid out the enhanced environmental pro tections and improved water quality that would ensue. According to the Gobler report, the system will reduce the nitrogen content into the bay by 5,000 pounds a year representing a 24% decrease.

In 2018, County Executive Bellone signed legislation to authorize an agreement with the Village of Westhampton Beach to connect its business district and two condominium complexes to the Countys wastewater treatment plant located at Frances S. Gabreski Airport.

Westhampton Beach officials considered building a new sewage treatment plant in the Village, but ultimately decided that it would be too expensive to do so. A Village sewer consultant had estimated that the Village will save about $7.4 million by contributing towards an expansion of the Countys treatment plant, known as Suffolk County Sewer District 24, which currently serves Gabreski Airport, the Air National Guard base and the companies located in the Hampton Business District.

The Countys treatment plant at Gabreski Airport required modifications in order to accommodate the additional sewage from Westhampton Beach. The sewage treatment plant used the connection fee of $1.8 million from the Village to offset the cost of the modifications which increased the plants capacity by 50 percent.

"The project will also provide a boost to the local economy, attracting new businesses and supporting existing ones. People are already showing confidence in the community by building and renovating their existing infrastructure, said Mayor Moore. With a new boutique hotel taking over an old bank building and expanded dining experiences, it has greatly enhanced the aesthetic appeal of the area making it more attractive to residents, businesses and visitors.

Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. said: "Because of the state and local government cooperation, we have taken another major step to improve water quality on the East End. Congratulations to the Village of Westhampton Beach for completing the connection of downtown and other environmentally sensitive parts of Westhampton Beach to the Suffolk County Gabreski Sewer Treatment Plant. New York State contributed $6.8 million to support the connection to the Gabreski plant, including $5 million from the Department of Environmental Conservation Water Quality Improvement Program. The Town also provided over $4 million from the Community Preservation Fund to the Village to finance the construction of the wastewater collection and conveyance infrastructure. The result will be a win for the environment and the economy. Water quality will be improved with reduced nitrogen pollution and local businesses will be able to reach their full potential.

Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming said: "Mayor Maria Moore and the Village Trustees have demonstrated exactly how to balance environmental needs with smart growth that revitalizes downtown Westhampton Beach and reduces nitrogen pollution up to 24%. Thanks to our intermunicipal partnership, new drainage and infrastructure improvements have transformed Westhampton Beach into a vibrant community location that will help grow the east end economy and bolster Suffolk County's clean water efforts. I applaud Mayor Moore and the Village Trustees for their extraordinary leadership and thank County Executive Steve Bellone and the Suffolk County Department of Health Services for their professionalism in accomplishing this important milestone.

Southampton Supervisor Jay Schneiderman said:  Responsible development and preventing water pollution from aging septic tanks are two critical issues for the East End. Sewer systems and wastewater treatment are an important way to achieve both. This infrastructure project will help diversify and grow the Villages economy, while protecting our sole source aquifer.

Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos said: The Long Island Nitrogen Action Plan is a critical partnership that helps advance significant State investments in innovative projects that are reducing nitrogen pollution and restoring Long Islands waters. DEC is excited to be a partner in projects underway in Westhampton Beach, helping connect the sewer system between Suffolk County and the village of Westhampton Beach, which will prevent water impairments and significantly improve water quality for generations to come.

New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation President & CEO Maureen A. Coleman said: EFC today celebrates with the Village of Westhampton Beach and Suffolk County on this important milestone for a critical project that will reduce nitrogen pollution and improve water quality in the bay. New York State's significant investment and ongoing partnership with the village and county to undertake this critical wastewater treatment upgrade is representative of the positive, tangible outcomes for people and communities that result when government works together.

Advancing Suffolk Countys wastewater infrastructure and reducing nitrogen pollution in the Countys waterways is a top priority for County Executive Bellone. County Executive Bellone introduced the Reclaim our Water initiative to reduce nitrogen pollution of groundwater and surface waters from cesspools and septic systems through connection of communities to sewer systems and the installation of advanced on-site wastewater treatment systems. Cesspools have been identified as a primary source of nitrogen pollution that has degraded water quality throughout Suffolk County, contributing to harmful algae blooms, beach closures and fish kills.
Community, Charity & Cause, Health & Wellness, Press Releases

By Jacob Alvear Published: March 06 2023

Bad weather, cold and flu season and more are causing a drop in blood donations.

(NEW YORK) Today, New York Blood Center (NYBC) declared the first blood emergency of 2023. The blood emergency is due to several evolving factors, including recent poor weather, school breaks and cold and flu season. Last month, NYBC and its divisions across the nation received 6,000 fewer blood donations than the year prior and blood donations are 12% below hospital and patient needs.

The number of blood donations still are not back to pre-pandemic levels. Compounding the problem is a continued lag in first-time and youth donors, which remain about half of pre-pandemic levels. And while New Yorkers are returning to in-person work, office and community blood drives and visits to NYBC Donor Centers are significantly down. People working from home had an easier time donating in our donor centers, but were seeing a dramatic decrease at our centers.

Each winter, we struggle to get folks to donate blood and this year is no exception. We need more New Yorkers to make blood donations, host blood drives and spread the word about the need for donations, said Andrea Cefarelli, Senior Vice President at New York Blood Center. Last year, we expanded our reach with a new donor center, and we recently announced new donor guidelines from the FDA; we are expanding in every way we can in order to reach new donors. This March, make a blood donation and tell a friend!

In addition to whole blood donors, platelet donors are urgently needed. With a shelf life of just 7 days, NYBC relies on dedicated platelet donors to help patients undergoing chemotherapy, those with bleeding disorders, new mothers, and more.

Blood donors can give every 56 days, and platelet donors can give twice per month. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently lifted eligibility restrictions for individuals who lived in Europe during certain periods of time. To view current eligibility guidelines, visit nybc.org or call 800.688.0900.

The need is constant, but the supply is not. Visit nybc.org to schedule an appointment to donate, or call 800.933.2566.
Community, Charity & Cause, Press Releases, Politics

By Jacob Alvear Published: March 06 2023

Funding to Update Aging Water Infrastructure, Combat Harmful Algal Blooms, Protect Drinking Water, and Prevent Potential Contamination

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that approximately $110 million was awarded to 86 projects through two grant programs to improve water quality across the state. The grant programs support projects that will help protect drinking water, combat contributors to harmful algal blooms, update aging water infrastructure, and improve aquatic habitat in communities statewide, with more than $90 million of the funding supporting water quality improvements in Environmental Justice communities that have been disproportionately impacted by environmental pollution.

"New York continues to provide historic levels of financial support to ensure all New Yorkers have access to clean water for generations to come," Governor Hochul said. "We will continue upgrading New York's aging infrastructure and strengthening our water security  improving the quality of life and public health of communities across the state."

The $110 million in grants were administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), with more than $108 million going to 51 projects through the State's Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) program and nearly $2 million going to 35 projects through the Non-Agricultural Nonpoint Source Planning and Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Mapping Grant (NPG). New York State continues to prioritize funding for projects that may help decrease the occurrence of harmful algal blooms (HABs). Nearly half of the WQIP and NPG awarded grants, totaling approximately $45 million, will support projects in watersheds known to have experienced HABs in the past five years and/or help implement a project identified in a DEC HABs Action Plan.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said, "Governor Hochul continues to demonstrate her commitment to improving water quality, I know how important it is to her. She recognizes that we can't sustain the health of our communities and environment without access to clean water. The grants announced today will help communities across the state safeguard our drinking water so families know they have access to something that's not a privilege, but a human right."

The WQIP grant program funds projects that directly improve water quality or aquatic habitat, or protect a drinking water source. Supported in part by the State's Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) and Clean Water Infrastructure Improvement Act funding, WQIP projects include municipal wastewater treatment upgrades, non-agricultural nonpoint source abatement and control, land acquisition projects for source water protection, salt storage construction, aquatic connectivity restoration, and marine habitat restoration.

The NPG program funds projects that help pay for the initial planning of non-agricultural nonpoint source water quality improvement projects, such as undersized culvert replacements and green infrastructure technologies, and State permit-required storm sewer mapping in urban areas. When implemented, these projects will reduce the amount of polluted stormwater runoff entering lakes, rivers, and streams, and improve resiliency against climate impacts. This grant is supported by the State's EPF, which Governor Hochul's 2023-24 Executive Budget sustains at a historic $400 million. The EPF provides funding for critical environmental programs such as land acquisition, farmland protection, invasive species prevention and eradication, enhanced recreational access, water quality improvement, and an aggressive environmental justice agenda.

The full list of awardees can be found at https://www.dec.ny.gov/ pubs/4774.html for WQIP and https://www.dec.ny.gov/ pubs/116725.html for NPG. Examples of the 51 projects funded in this round that highlight the breadth and scope of WQIP awards include:

Wastewater Improvement Projects:

Onondaga County - $10 Million for Wastewater Treatment Infrastructure, Combined Sewer Overflow/Sanitary Sewer Overflow Reduction (Central New York): The county will repair and/or replace the force main sewer collection system in the areas of Ley Creek and Liverpool, improving the water quality of Onondaga Lake.

Town of Chenango - $10 Million for Wastewater Treatment Facility Improvements (Southern Tier): The town will add new treatment technology at its Northgate facility to help meet State standards and improve water quality by reducing the amount of phosphorus entering the Chenango River and the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Buffalo Sewer Authority - $10 Million for Wastewater Treatment Infrastructure, Combined Sewer Overflow/Sanitary Sewer Overflow Pollution Reduction (Western New York): Buffalo Sewer Authority will improve wastewater treatment equipment at the Bird Island Wastewater Treatment Facility, including rehabilitating primary sedimentation tanks and associated sludge pumping and piping, and installing a new disinfection facility. This project will provide a higher level of primary treatment for wet weather flows through the facility and improve the quality of water entering the Niagara River. This builds upon the announcement in October that construction began on the wastewater improvement project at Bird Island Wastewater Treatment Facility.

Town of Hermon - $718,400 for Wastewater Treatment Facility Improvements (North Country): The town will upgrade their wastewater treatment facility by adding ultraviolet disinfection equipment, improving the water quality of Elm Creek.

Nonpoint Source Abatement Projects:

New York City Department of Environmental Protection - $2 million for Green Infrastructure Practices (New York City): City-owned street medians will be upgraded with green infrastructure practices to protect local water quality and address inland flooding challenges.

City of Plattsburgh - $817,525 for Bathing Beach Restoration (North Country): The city will implement green infrastructure projects at the City Beach. Practices will include stormwater tree trenches and bioretention areas to capture stormwater runoff from impervious areas. The project will reduce nutrients, sediment, and stormwater flow to the Cumberland Bay segment of Lake Champlain.

Ontario County Soil and Water Conservation District - $610,000 for a Road Ditch Stabilization Program (Finger Lakes): The Soil and Water Conservation District will implement a roadside stabilization program in the towns of Canadice and Bristol. The program will slow stormwater flow, reduce roadside erosion, and reduce the amount of nutrients and other contaminants that could enter the Rochester drinking water supply and Mill Creek in the Genesee River watershed.

Chautauqua County Soil and Water Conservation District - $432,555 for Streambank/Shoreline Stabilization (Western New York): The Soil and Water Conservation District will implement stream grading, and vegetative buffers at multiple locations in Chautauqua County. The project will reduce erosion, sediment, and nutrients in the Chautauqua Lake watershed.

Land Acquisition Projects to Protect Drinking Water Sources:

City of Watervliet - $480,000 for Land Acquisition to Protect Watervliet Reservoir (Capital District): The city will acquire a 58-acre parcel of land adjacent to their drinking water source, the Watervliet Reservoir. Acquiring this parcel will protect the reservoir from potential pollution associated with development or certain land use activities. The land will remain as undeveloped forest, acting as a natural riparian buffer for the reservoir.

Salt Storage:

Town of Indian Lake - $225,000 for New Shared Salt Storage Facility (North Country): The town will construct a salt storage facility to cover their currently exposed salt pile. The salt stored in this structure will be used by both the town of Indian Lake and Hamilton County. The structure will protect the water quality of the Cedar River and adjacent groundwater.

Aquatic Connectivity Restoration:

Ulster County - $250,000 for Aquatic Connectivity Restoration (Mid-Hudson): The county will replace a failing and undersized stream culvert in a tributary to the Sawkill Creek in Woodstock. The project will connect 2.2 miles of aquatic habitat and alleviate flooding events in the Lower Esopus Creek watershed.

Marine Habitat Restoration:

Save the Sound - $749,976 for Marine Habitat Restoration (New York City): Save the Sound will restore four acres of salt marsh and install oyster castles and vegetation along 1,100 linear feet of shoreline. The oyster castles and vegetation will filter nutrients from stormwater and stabilize marsh banks in Udalls Cove.

Seatuck Environmental Association - $320,000 for Marine Habitat Restoration (Long Island): The Seatuck Environmental Association will implement a fish passage at the Mill Pond dam in Wantagh. The project will provide passage for aquatic biota and fish access to freshwater spawning habitat in Bellmore Creek.

Examples of the 35 projects funded in this round that highlight the breadth and scope of NPG awards include:

Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Mapping:

Onondaga County Office of the Environment- $396,000 for MS4 Mapping (Central New York): The Onondaga County Office of the Environment will work with the Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board to complete comprehensive mapping of storm sewer systems for 30 regulated MS4s in the Syracuse area. Mapping will include all basic and additional element data to facilitate better management of their regulated stormwater systems.

Town of Orangetown - $75,000 for MS4 Mapping (Mid-Hudson): The town will hire an engineering firm to complete comprehensive mapping of storm sewer systems in the Hackensack River, Lower Nauraushaun Brook, and Lower Hudson River Estuary watersheds. Mapping will include all basic element data for regulated stormwater system management.

Town of New Windsor - $75,000 for MS4 Mapping (Mid-Hudson): The town will complete comprehensive mapping of the stormwater system. The project will include mapping of priority areas and proposed stormwater retrofits.

Nonpoint Source Planning Reports:

Town of Seneca Falls - $30,000 for Stream Culvert Repair and Replacement (Finger Lakes): The town will prepare an engineering report to address a failing stream culvert on Bayard Street. The project will reduce erosion in the Cayuga Lake watershed.

Allegany County Soil and Water Conservation District - $30,000 for Streambank/Shoreline Stabilization (Western New York): The Soil and Water Conservation District will complete a streambank stabilization survey and engineering design plan to stabilize an eroding streambank in the Town of Caneadea . The project will reduce the erosion of nutrients into the Genesee River and protect infrastructure in the area.

Cortland County Soil and Water Conservation District - $75,000 for Comprehensive Stream Corridor Assessment (Central New York): The Soil and Water Conservation District will prepare a comprehensive stream corridor assessment, including flood risks, for the Trout Brook and Smith Brook watersheds using the North American Aquatic Connectivity Collaborative framework. The report will enhance data for over 70 miles of stream corridor and document priorities for erosion control.

New York's Commitment to Clean Water

New York continues to increase its investments in clean water infrastructure. Most recently, in the 2023 State of the State and Executive Budget, Governor Hochul proposed investing an additional $500 million in clean water funding, bringing New York's total clean water infrastructure investment to $5 billion since 2017. To leverage these investments and ensure ongoing coordination with local governments, the Governor proposed the creation of Community Assistance Teams to provide proactive outreach to small, rural, and disadvantaged communities to help them access financial assistance to address their clean water infrastructure needs. The initiative was recently launched and outreach meetings are underway. For more information, go to https://efc.ny.gov/CAT.

In addition, voters approved the $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act in November 2022, advancing additional, historic levels of funding to update aging water infrastructure and protect water quality, strengthen communities' ability to withstand severe storms and flooding, reduce air pollution and lower climate-altering emissions, restore habitats, preserve outdoor spaces and local farms, and ensure equity by investing at least 35 percent, with a goal of 40 percent, of resources in disadvantaged communities.

About the Consolidated Funding Application

The grants announced today were issued following completion through the Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) process. The CFA was created to streamline and expedite grant applications and marks a fundamental shift in the way state resources are allocated, ensuring less bureaucracy and greater efficiency to fulfill local economic development needs. The CFA serves as the single-entry point for access to economic development funding, ensuring applicants no longer have to slowly navigate multiple agencies and sources without any mechanism for coordination. Now, economic development projects use the CFA as a support mechanism to access multiple state funding sources through one application, making the process quicker, easier, and more productive. Learn more about the CFA here.
Local News

By Chris Boyle Published: March 06 2023

Division of Consumer Protection Helped Nearly 20,000 New Yorkers with Consumer Complaints in 2022.

To kick off National Consumer Protection Week, Governor Kathy Hochul has announced that the New York Department of State's Division of Consumer Protection assisted 19,752 New Yorkers with a variety of consumer protection matters in 2022, resulting in nearly $2.4 million being returned to consumers. National Consumer Protection Week is celebrated during the first full week of March every year to help individuals understand their rights as consumers and to share resources available to help protect them. This year National Consumer Protection week falls on March 5 - 11, and the Division of Consumer Protection is sharing the top five categories of consumer complaints received in 2022 with tips to educate, inform and protect consumers on these topics.

"My administration has worked diligently to return millions of dollars to consumers that fraudulent businesses stole out of the pockets of hard-working New Yorkers," Governor Hochul said. "With tips and tools available to stay safe in this fast-changing economy, we will continue to protect consumers, ensure New Yorkers are informed of their rights, and hold dishonest businesses accountable."

Secretary of State Robert J. Rodriguez said, "Over the last year, our Division of Consumer Protection has worked tirelessly to help thousands of New Yorkers recover their hard-earned money from unscrupulous businesses. We will continue this important work to help ensure consumers are informed of their rights and have the tools they need to protect themselves and their families from fraud."

Top Five Categories of Consumer Complaints DCP Received in 2022 and Tips to Protect Consumers:

Orders/Deliveries: Complaints related to the order and delivery of goods purchased, including missing items, incorrect items received, late or delayed delivery or items never shipped.

For example, a consumer from Westchester County ordered bedroom furniture from a large retailer in Brooklyn. At the time of sale, the shipping date was scheduled for February 3rd, but it was later moved to April 3rd. Upon learning of the new date, the consumer contacted the furniture store to cancel the order, however, they were told they would incur a 15% restocking fee. The consumer filed a complaint with DCP, and DCP was able to arrange for a full refund to the consumer.

Consumers should:

Remember to always shop on trusted sites when online shopping. Consumers should shop from sites known to them and exercise caution when shopping from unfamiliar sites or those that host items for third-party sellers.

Learn about the Federal Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule of 1975 , which generally requires retailers to deliver products ordered by mail, phone, or online within 30 days unless otherwise stated at the time of purchase. If there is a delay, you must be notified. If the company cannot reach you to obtain your consent to the delay, they must, without being asked, promptly refund all the money you paid for the unshipped merchandise.

Be careful when shopping through social media. Social media commerce is gaining ground among shoppers, and according to experts it's growing three times faster than more traditional ecommerce economies. As more consumers browse and shop directly or through links found on social media platforms, we urge consumers to pay attention to brand imposters and fake retailers with fake consumer reviews. Research and verify vendors to avoid placing orders on copycat sites for products that will never arrive.

Keep track of your packages. Review the tracking information for your package and report any issues to the retailer and shipping company immediately.

Consumers should be aware that an unsolicited text message or email about an unfamiliar shipment or delivery may be a sign of a package tracking and delivery scam, and they should exercise caution if one is received.

Refunds/Store Policy: Complaints related to refunds and store policies, including return policies, restocking fees, and refunds for damaged goods.

For example, a consumer from Bronx County purchased cookware from a direct salesman. She received the cookware four days later and decided she no longer thought it was worth the cost. The consumer contacted the cookware company and was told that, pursuant to the "Cooling Off Rule", she only had three days from the date of purchase to initiate a return. However, the consumer noted that the company website advertised a return policy of ten days after a consumer receives the merchandise. The consumer shipped everything back to the company three days after receiving it, however, the company refused to issue a refund. DCP reached out to the company on behalf of the consumer and arranged for the consumer to receive a full refund of $2000.

Consumers should:

Know your rights. In NYS, stores must clearly post their refund policies. When no refund policy is posted, consumers have 30 days from the purchase date to receive a full refund or a credit (at the consumer's option). You must provide a receipt or other confirmation provided by the vendor that shows that 30 days has not elapsed from the date of purchase, and the merchandise must not have been used or damaged.

Ask about refund policies. Before making an expensive purchase, ask the store to provide information on any conditions or costs, such as restocking fees, relating to the return of merchandise.

Save all receipts for purchases to allow for ease of returns.

Merchandise/Product: Complaints related to merchandise or products that did not meet consumers' expectations.

For example, a consumer in Nassau County purchased a new range from an appliance store. Immediately after installation, the range would intermittently shut off during cooking. The consumer contacted the retailer who directed her to the manufacturer. After numerous phone calls and attempts to resolve the issue with the manufacturer, the consumer reached out to DCP. After contacting the manufacturer, DCP was able to arrange for the consumer to receive a full refund of $7,303 and removal of the range.

Consumers should:

Shop on trusted sites to avoid fraud. Be aware that if a website leads to a third-party to order merchandise, the first website is not liable for the orders made on the third-party site. Always read verified customer reviews before placing an order on a new website.

Always read product specifications to be sure of the product you will receive. Make sure that what is being pictured is the product that you expect to receive.

When shopping for children, check that products are age-appropriate for their safetymanufacturers are required to provide this information on the packaging. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) updates consumers regularly on product recalls , a great tool to shop safely.

Review store return policies and keep receipts for ease of returns.

Home Improvement: Complaints related to home improvement, repair services and contractors.

For example, a consumer in Niagara County hired a franchise painting company to repair holes in a few walls and repaint the interior of their home. The work done was covered by warranty, so when some of the tape used to patch the holes began to peel, the consumer tried to contact the company for repair. Unfortunately, the franchise company had since gone out of business. The consumer tried contacting the parent company multiple times but did not receive a reply. DCP reached out to the parent company on behalf of the consumer and was able to arrange to have the repair work completed under warranty and at no cost to the consumer.

Consumers should:

Get at least three estimates from reputable, insured contractors that include a list of the materials, price and services to be provided for the job.

Request and check references from the contractor. Look up the contractor through the Better Business Bureau and other websites and speak to local suppliers and friends to see if they have information that may be helpful. If you live in New York City, Westchester, Nassau, Suffolk, Orange, Putnam or Rockland Counties, check your local consumer affairs office. If you live in another county, check with your local municipality to see if they license home improvement contractors.

If the contract price is more than $500, New York State law requires a written contract that includes the contractor contact information (including phone number), price, payment schedule, start and end dates and a thorough description of the work to be done.

Negotiate a payment schedule tied to the completion of specific stages of the job. Never pay the full price up front and try to limit the amount of any deposit made prior to the commencement of work.

Ensure you receive and save copies of all warranties, including those on the materials used.

Know your rights. Consumers have three days to cancel after signing a contract for home improvements. All cancellations must be in writing.

Credit Cards: Complaints related to erroneous charges, billing, card benefits and illegal surcharges.

For example, a consumer in Cayuga County purchased a trip through her travel credit card, which included several travel benefits and services such as trip cancellation insurance. Four days before the scheduled trip, the consumer's husband suffered a medical emergency that qualified for trip cancellation. The consumer filed a claim with her credit card company, submitted the required supporting documentation, and then repeatedly contacted them over the next four months for an update. She was promised a call back by a claims examiner numerous times but never received one. Once the consumer filed a complaint with DCP, DCP contacted the credit card company and arranged for the consumer to receive a full refund totaling over $15,000.

Consumers should:

Review your bills carefully. Examine all charges and ensure they are for services you requested and are receiving.

Be aware of charges for automatic contract renewals. It is illegal in New York State to continue charging someone for an online service without offering an easy way to also cancel the service online.

Always read the fine print. Make sure you review the terms and conditions of service and understand the provisions of contracts.

State Senator Kevin Thomas said, "During National Consumer Protection Week, I'm proud of the work we are doing to make sure New York consumers remain informed and safe. I'm thankful for the leadership of Governor Hochul and the Department of State team for have returned an impressive $2.4 million to consumers in 2022."

Assemblymember Nily Rozic said, "From price gouging and price hikes to fraud and identity theft, New York consumers are constantly at risk of being scammed. Here in New York we are hard at work fighting for consumers, and I'm thankful to work with Governor Hochul to ensure New Yorkers have the necessary protections and assistance."

The Federal Trade Commission leads several public events during National Consumer Protection Week that promote consumer protection awareness. All events are free to join and can be found here.

About the New York State Division of Consumer Protection

The New York State Division of Consumer Protection's mission is to assist, protect, educate, and represent consumers in an ever-changing economy. The Division of Consumer Protection works hard to assist individuals aggrieved in the marketplace through its complaint mediation efforts, along with educating the public on marketplace scams, and advocating consumers' interest before legislative and regulatory bodies.

The New York State Division of Consumer Protection serves to educate, assist and empower the State's consumers. Consumers can file a complaint with the Division of Consumer Protection at https://dos.ny.gov/file- consumer-complaint.

For more consumer protection information, call the DCP Helpline at 800-697-1220, Monday through Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm, or visit www.dos.ny.gov/consumer- protection. For regular consumer protection tips and recall information, follow DCP via Twitter at @NYSConsumer or Facebook at www.facebook.com/nysconsumer. Sign up to receive consumer alerts directly to your email or phone here.
Music, Movies & Entertainment, Arts & Culture, Press Releases

By Jacob Alvear Published: March 06 2023

This event will take place Friday, March 24 from 12pm-5pm.

Stony Brook, NY-

The Staller Centers Zuccaire Gallery announces an afternoon at the Zuccaire Gallery and the Long Island Museum. Spend the afternoon at two of Stony Brooks most beloved institutions! Visit The Paul W. Zuccaire Gallery at Stony Brook University to view the Revisiting 5+1 exhibition, Black Artists & Abstraction at Stony Brook in the '60s and '70s, before heading down the road to the Long Island Museums Art Museum to see Romare Bearden: Artist as Activist and Visionary and Creative Haven: Black Artists of Sag Harbor. This event will take place Friday, March 24 from 12pm-5pm.

"The LIM is always looking for ways to more deeply connect with the students at Stony Brook University," said Lisa Unander, Director of Education at the Long Island Museum.

"When our colleagues at the Zuccaire Gallery shared their upcoming exhibitions with us, we saw an amazing opportunity for a natural collaboration. This event could be a first-time visit to the museum for many students and we feel they will be excited by what they experience here, and will hopefully build a foundation for future visits." Lisa Unander, Director of Education at the Long Island Museum.

We are thrilled to have this collaboration between Stony Brook University and the Long Island Museum. This is an incredible opportunity for us to bring Stony Brook University students, faculty, and staff to the community, and to bring the surrounding community to Stony Brook University. Students are always interested in exploring off-campus but are often limited by a lack of transportation. My hope is that this event will show them just how great Long Island is! said Georgia LaMair Tomczak, Manager of Public Programs at the Zuccaire Gallery.

________

Event Highlights:

Transportation provided: A free shuttle will run between the Zuccaire Gallery and the Long Island Museum from 12:30pm-5:00pm. Visitors are also welcome to drive themselves between each location. The first shuttle will leave at 12:30pm from the Zuccaire Gallery. The last shuttle will leave the Long Island Museum at 5pm. LIM drop off/pick up will be located conveniently outside of the LIM's Art Museum - there will be signs indicating where visitors can board the bus. Zuccaire Gallery drop off/pick up will be located at the main entrance near the Wang Center.

Free food: Bagels and coffee will be offered at the Zuccaire Gallery from 12-1pm. Refreshments will be offered at the Long Island Museum at 4pm.

Free admission

Music: From 2-4pm, visitors to the LIM Art Museum will enjoy live music from The Jazz Loft, a staple of the Stony Brook Village community.

Exhibition Hours: 12pm-5pm

_______

Exhibition Information:

Revisiting 5+1: Revisiting 5+1 is a reflection on the historic 1969 Stony Brook University exhibition entitled 5+1. Revisiting 5+1 features work by the original six artists, all of whom were Black men, with an addition of six Black women artists, all trailblazers at a time when their work in abstraction was challenged by both the mainstream art world and Black art institutions. Photographs and archival materials exhibited alongside the work provide additional contextual history from this era of student protests and racial justice on campus.

Click here for more exhibition info.

Click here for exhibition photos.

Click here for the exhibition catalog.

Romare Bearden: Artist as Activist and Visionary: This exhibition of nearly 50 paintings, screenprints, and collages explores the work of one of the 20th centurys most important visual artists. Born on September 2, 1911, in Charlotte, North Carolina, Romare Howard Bearden studied at Lincoln University, Boston University, Columbia University, and NYU, from which he graduated in 1935. After college, Bearden immediately joined the Harlem Artists Guild. Becoming a case-worker with the NYC Department of Social Services in 1938, Beardens career as an artist took rise in the 1940s, with exhibitions in Harlem and Washington, DC. He continued his arts education at the Sorbonne in Paris, in 1950. Committed to support of emerging black painters and to the cause of Civil Rights, Bearden founded the Spiral Group in 1962, with other Black artists Charles Alston, Norman Lewis, and others. Beardens work is in many significant museum collections around the United States, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and The Studio Museum in Harlem. Awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1987, he died in New York City the next year, on March 12, 1988. The exhibition was organized by the Romare Bearden Foundation, New York. Exhibition tour management was handled by Landau Traveling Exhibitions, Los Angeles, CA. Open until May 29, 2023.

Creative Haven: Black Artists of Sag Harbor: A community with rich African and Native American histories, Sag Harbor became home to an outstanding, emergent, and well-connected community of Black artists by the early 1960s. Drawn to the area by its historic foundations as a home to whalers in the 18th and 19th centuries and Black summer residents in the 20th century, artists brought a modern sensibility and camaraderie to their work and experiences rooted in this community. This exhibition features the work of a total of 12 artists, including Frank Wimberley (b. 1926), an outstanding abstract painter who vacationed in Sag Harbor beginning in 1960 and built a home there in 1965; abstract expressionist and collagist Al Loving (1935-2005); the talented couple Reynold Ruffins (1930-2021), a famed illustrator who was also a painter of energetic acrylic compositions, and his wife, Joan Ruffins (1932-2013), an Impressionist artist who trained at Cooper Union in the 1950s; and Nanette Carter (b. 1954), an abstract collagist who was profoundly impacted by her formative experiences with artists such as Wimberley and Loving. A rich exploration of creative work and connections between artists, the exhibition will feature 12 artists in all, including work by Claude Lawrence (b. 1944), Harlan Jackson (1918-1993), and Michael Butler (b. 1955), who is also serving as a guest co-curator of this exhibition. Open until August 27, 2023.





ABOUT THE PAUL W. ZUCCAIRE GALLERY:

The Paul W. Zuccaire Gallery presents dynamic professional and student exhibitions in a 5,000 square foot space in the Staller Center for the Arts at Stony Brook University. Exhibitions bring works by celebrated artists to the campus, including Yoko Ono, Faith Ringgold, Elizabeth Murray, Philip Pearlstein, Sara Greenberger Rafferty and the Guerrilla Girls. In addition, each year the gallery presents exhibitions featuring the work of Stony Brook University undergraduate and graduate students as well as triennial exhibitions featuring the distinguished faculty of the Art Department. For more information visit ZuccaireGallery.stonybrook.edu .

ABOUT THE LONG ISLAND MUSEUM:

Located at 1200 Route 25A in Stony Brook, the Long Island Museum is a Smithsonian Affiliate dedicated to enhancing the lives of adults and children with an understanding of Long Island's rich history and diverse cultures. Museum hours are Thursday through Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. For more information visit: longislandmuseum.org.
A victory for neighbors of short-term rentals with loud tenants. Two Chicago homeowners said the ordinance that curbed excessive noise was unfair. The appellate court, however, sided with a Circuit Court judge and anyone living next to a rental who wants to sleep at night.

6-Mar-23  A state appeals panel had no reservations about ending a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a Chicago ordinance regulating short-term rental properties, such as those sold through Airbnb.

Homeowners Leila Mendez and Alonso Zaragoza sued the city in November 2016 to challenge its then-recently enacted shared housing ordinance. The lawsuit named as a defendant Kenneth Meyer, in his official capacity as commissioner of the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection. They said the ordinance violated the state constitution through provisions concerning inspections and excessive noise, a primary residence rule, and a ban on single-night rentals.

The homeowners said the inspection requirement violated protections against unreasonable, warrantless search and seizure of private property; argued a requirement that people can only rent space in their primary residences is disconnected from a legitimate state interest; and said a limit on excessive noise violates due process protections because it is both vague and inequitably applied, as hotels or bed-and-breakfast rentals dont have the same guideline.

After the city won dismissal on virtually all of the original complaint, it did so again on an amended complaint. They returned with a second amended complaint resulting in cross-motions for summary judgment. A judge ruled the homeowners lacked both a legal injury and standing to sue.

In their third amended complaint, the plaintiffs added an allegation the single-night ban unlawfully delegates the power of the legislative branch to administrative officials.

Cook County Circuit Court Judge Cecilia Horan dismissed the final complaint due to lack of standing.

Mendez and Zaragoza then brought their challenge to the Illinois First District Appellate Court, which affirmed Horans ruling.

Justice Terrence Lavin wrote the panels decision, issued February 14; Justices Michael Hyman and Mary Ellen Coghlan concurred. The order was issued under Supreme Court Rule 23, which may restrict its use as precedent.

Regarding inspections, the panel explained the ordinance allows inspections of units operated by a shared housing unit operator, which it defines as someone who has registered or must register more than one unit.

Plaintiff Zaragoza rents out only one unit as a shared housing unit; plaintiff Mendez has ceased doing so due to the ordinance provisions, wrote Lavin (left). In short, plaintiffs are simply not currently subject to any inspection provisions. They thus lack standing to challenge the inspection provision of the ordinance because they are not interested parties, as required.

The panel also said the claims are premature. The ordinance says inspections must fall under the building commissioners rules and regulations, but those rules have yet to be promulgated, rendering the ordinance powerless. It also said the Fourth Amendment does not inhibit administrative searches of hotel records but would not analyze whether that applies to shared housing rentals.

In analyzing the primary residence rule, the panel pointed to an August 2020 committee meeting prior to the Chicago City Council amending the ordinance, which established the rule was intended to curb investor rentals in residential neighborhoods with single-family homes and townhouse walk-ups; as a matter of common sense, those residing in and more closely watching their homes a majority of the year have a greater stake in renting them to well-behaved and legally-compliant guests.

On appeal, Zaragoza challenged the ordinance clause granting city officials the power to make exceptions to that rule. The panel said it could not invalidate that clause without negating their entire rule. They further explained Zaragoza lacks standing to challenge the clause by failing to allege how a vague application caused him legal injury. And they said he had not yet exhausted appropriate administrative remedies.

Similar logic doomed the challenge to a limit on single-night rentals, pending review of the building commissioner and police superintendent. The panel said the council enacted that ban as a public safety measure in 2020 amid pandemic-era concerns about party houses. So even if the panel decided the method for approving such rentals gives undue powers to administrators over elected aldermen, the reasons for instituting the ban remain valid.

...even a child understands the difference between inside and outside voices...

The justices also rejected arguments the citys limits on excessive noise were too vague.

As the Circuit Court observed, even a child understands the difference between inside and outside voices, Lavin wrote. The ordinance clearly aims to proscribe the yelling, screaming, and loud laughter that often accompanies a party and wafts over to neighboring properties. It also reasonably proscribes this conduct during the evening hours when, due to such excessively loud noise, the average Chicagoan in a residential high-rise or neighborhood might be precluded from sleeping and getting up the next morning to go about their day. Notably, the ordinance does not proscribe just any noise, such as a baby crying or garage door opening, as plaintiffs would have us believe. Rather, it proscribes excessive loud noise, and with the limiting language and parameters, it adequately delineates a nuisance.

Lavin further explained that plaintiffs allegations of other types of rental units not being subjected to similar limits lacked supporting evidence while also failing to put their properties on the same legal footing as a hotel, bed-and-breakfast, or long-term rental. Even if the panel did accept the plaintiffs allegations, Lavin wrote, it also could logically explain why different types of rental housing businesses can earn different treatment.

Finally, the panel rejected the plaintiffs arguments they have grounds to sue as payers of sales and property tax, explaining the complaint fails to show how the ordinance itself makes them, as individuals, liable for increased taxes.

Mendez and Zaragoza have been represented in the action by attorneys Jeffrey Schwab, of the Liberty Justice Center of Chicago, and Jacob Huebert and Christina Sandefur, of the Goldwater Institute of Phoenix, Arizona.
(Alliance News) - GreenRoc Mining PLC on Monday said it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Leonhard Nilsen & Sonner A/S for the development of its Amitsoq Graphite Project in Greenland.

The London-based company focused on the development of critical mineral projects in Greenland said the MoU will allow LNS, a Noway-based construction and mining company, and GreenRoc to explore commercial opportunities at Amitsoq. This includes the potential appointment of LNS as the civil, mining or logistics contractor for construction at the project, GreenRoc said.

Alba Mineral Resources PLC, which holds a 51% majority interest in GreenRoc, noted the announcement.

GreenRoc shares were down 15% trading at 3.67 pence per share at midday on Monday. Alba Mineral Resources shares were down 14% trading at 0.10p per share, also in London.

GreenRoc also said on Monday that it has raised GBP550,000 via a placing of 15.7 million new shares at 3.5 pence per share.

The firm said the proceeds of the placing will be used to funder test work and studies, to advance the Amitsoq project, as well as for negotiations with potential offtake and financial partners.

The test work will include the processing of a 700 kilogram bulk graphite ore sample, and work towards the completion of environmental and social impact assessments, GreenRoc said.

By Harvey Dorset, Alliance News reporter

Comments and questions to newsroom@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2023 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Kingswood Holdings Ltd - London-based wealth and investment management group - Confirms it has engaged Houlihan Lokey as its financial adviser, discussing its strategic options including but not limited to a potential sale, or third-party investment, into its UK business operations. Also notes recent press speculation. Says there can be no certainty that any transaction will ultimately occur, likewise regarding the structure or terms on which any transaction might take place. Says it continues to enjoy the long-term support of its key existing investors and shareholders and continues to deliver accelerated growth and strong delivery against its strategy. Expects to publish its 2022 results during the second quarter of 2023.

On Friday last week, Kingswood completed the acquisition of Dublin-based financial advice firm Moloney Investments Ltd, following regulatory approval. In September, Kingswood said the then-proposed acquisition was for a 70% stake in Moloney Investments for a total cash consideration of EUR25.8 million. Kingswood also said it would increase its funds under advice or management to over GBP7.8 billion across the UK and Ireland, and over GBP10 billion overall.

Current stock price: 29.60 pence, up 12%

12-month change: up 2.1%

By Greg Rosenvinge, Alliance News reporter

Comments and questions to newsroom@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2023 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - Rebuilding Britain's dwindling stockpile of munitions in the wake of the war in Ukraine could take at least a decade putting UK national security at risk, Members of Parliament have warned.

The Commons Defence Committee said the UK and other Nato allies have allowed their reserves of ammunition to fall to "dangerously low levels" as they seek to keep Kyiv supplied in its struggle against the Russian invader.

It said the way in which western governments procure armaments is "not fit for purpose" and it urged the Ministry of Defence to draw up an action plan to cut the time needed to restore its stockpiles.

"It is clear that the UK and its Nato allies have allowed ammunition stockpiles to dwindle to dangerously low levels," it said.

"Whilst Russia is also facing the diminution of its stockpiles, other adversaries are able to maintain and potentially increase their own.

"This inability to replenish UK stockpiles therefore puts at risk not just our ability to resupply Ukraine but also to counter any threat to our own security."

The committee's warning echoes concerns expressed by Defence Secretary Ben Wallace who has said that armed forces across Europe have been paying the price for years of "hollowing out".

Last month, Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg urged allies urgently to step up production, as the Ukrainians were burning up munitions faster than the West was able to keep them supplied.

The committee said it was essential that the UK's defence industrial capacity was both "resilient and scalable" if it was to be able to ramp up production.

"The MoD produced a strategy aimed at improving the way that it engages with industry and allies almost two years ago and yet we have been told it will take at least a decade to replenish (and then increase to a sustainable level) UK ammunition stockpiles," it said.

"We therefore recommend that the department produce an action plan of how it intends to grow defence industrial capacity and reduce the time taken to replenish UK stockpiles."

Committee Chair Tobias Ellwood said: "Russia's invasion of Ukraine should be a wake-up call for the West. Safety, security and democracy are hard won and easily lost.

"A powerful, resilient armed forces, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our allies overseas, is the best deterrent against aggression."

Commenting on the report, Labour's Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey said: "Our military stockpiles are depleted, and the government is acting too slowly to replenish them."

source: PA

Copyright 2023 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
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Lycoming College was honored to host the Society of Physics Students (SPS) annual Zone 3 Meeting on Saturday, Feb. 25, welcoming nearly 70 students from 12 different colleges and universities. This meeting functions as a type of mini conference, providing undergraduate students the opportunity to meet and discuss physics with peers and professionals in their fields.

SPS is an organization of professionals and associations in the physics world. Originally founded in 1968, its goal has always been to uplift undergraduate students with a passion for physics, and help them build a network of connections with those that have come before them while developing research and scholarly experience. Zone 3 consists of most of Pennsylvania and the entirety of New Jersey and Delaware. This years Zone 3 meeting was organized by student members of Lycomings own SPS chapter.

The event featured several segments, beginning with a lecture on the history of the SPS by Andrew Zeidell, Ph.D., the assistant director of Sigma Pi Sigma, the national honors society for physics and astronomy. After the opening came the main event with a talk by Jim Gates, Ph.D., a decorated scientist in the field of theoretical physics with expertise in supergravity, superstring theory, and supersymmetry. Gates currently works for the University of Maryland, previously serving on the Council of Advisors on Science and Technology under President Barack Obama.

Following Gates talk was a virtual panel featuring other professionals in the field, including K. Renee Horton, Ph.D., Sarah Horst, Ph.D., and 2014 Lyco alum David Kenward, Ph.D.; followed by student poster and paper presentations on research theyve conducted during the past year. The conference also featured a Shark Tank themed workshop, where groups were tasked to come up with themed inventions to pitch to a panel of student judges, making the event entertaining as well as informative.

Setting this whole thing up was very hard, but it was a really rewarding experience, said Kaitlyn Sheriff 24, an astrophysics major and computational science minor who is also the current president of Lycomings SPS. I think its really cool that we had the opportunity to meet these incredibly smart people and talk with them like this, in a professional and personal way.

The Lycoming Chapter of SPS is open to any student with an interest in physics and astronomy. There are more than 820 chapters nationwide that help students transform into contributing members of the professional physics community. More information can be found at http://lycostu.lycoming.edu/orgs/sps/.
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What complicates matters further is an emerging divide in Europe over how to end the war. While Old Europeans, including Scholz, are urging peace talks now, the Russophobic East European and Baltic leaderships are clamouring for Russias defeat and a regime change in Moscow.

by M. K. Bhadrakumar

The dash for the White House in Washington on Friday by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz remains a riddle wrapped in a mystery. Scholz landed in DC, drove to the White House and was received by President Biden in Oval Office for a conversation that lasted over an hour. No aides were present. And he flew back to Berlin.

Associated Press reported cryptically, If any agreements were reached or plans made, the White House wasnt saying. Scholz had insisted while leaving Berlin that he and Biden want to talk directly with each other. Scholz mentioned a global situation where things have become very difficult. He said, It is important that such close friends can talk about all of these questions together, continually.

The official readout of the meeting mentioned that the two leaders discussed the war in Ukraine and exchanged perspectives on other global issues.

In remarks before the meeting, Biden effusively welcomed Scholz and paid tribute to the latters strong and steady leadership. Scholz briefly responded that this is a very, very important year because of the very dangerous threat to peace that comes from Russia invading Ukraine. The optics of the White House readout is that the two leaders reiterated their commitment to impose costs on Russia for its aggression for as long as necessary.

Scholzs dash to the Oval Office came at a defining moment in the Ukraine conflict. Russia has seized the initiative in the Donbass campaign and its spring offensive may start in the coming weeks. Ukraines military took heavy battering and the country depends almost entirely on western financial handouts and military aid for survival.

Most important, Kievs western backers are no longer sure of its ability to reclaim all the territory under Russian control  roughly, one-fifth of erstwhile Ukraine. An inchoate belief is also gaining ground in the western mind, behind all rhetoric, that the burden of the war effort is not going to be sustainable for long if the conflict extends into an indeterminate future.

Support for Ukraine is waning in the western public opinion. A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research shows that while 19% of Americans repose confidence in Bidens ability to handle the situation in Ukraine, 37% say they have only some confidence and 43% have hardly any.

Vast majority of adults, including most Democrats, do not want Biden to run for president in 2024. Many also express little confidence in his abilities.

Scholzs one-on-one with Biden took place only a week after the latters triumphant secret trip to Kiev to mark the first anniversary of the war. In reality, the display of Western unity with Ukraine that Biden claims is wearing thin against a backdrop of strains within the trans-Atlantic alliance and a growing sense of despondency that the war has no end in sight.

The heart of the matter is that the Ukraine conflict has shattered the existing security architecture of Europe. Germany, Europes powerhouse, is hit badly. The German electorate is increasingly skeptical about the Wests approach to the war. There has been animated discussion in Germany over the findings of the renowned American journalist Seymour Hersh regarding the sabotage of the Nord Stream.

After Scholzs return to Berlin, on Saturday, Sevim Dagdelen, leader of the Left Party  a four-term MP since 2005  labeled the sabotage of the Nord Stream as a terrorist attack, adding that the German government is obligated to look into the case and find the culprit.

If Scholz was privy to Bidens plan to destroy Nord Stream, it signifies an act of collusion. A major German national strategic asset owned in joint venture with Russia was destroyed, seriously damaging the countrys economy and impacting tens of millions of jobs, putting many lives at risk.

Germany has had to pay 10 times the market price for gas to bolster its reserves. Europe has fallen into the trap of becoming highly dependent on US energy imports. The US is the main beneficiary of Europes energy crisis and its ensuing deindustrialization and industrial hollowing-out. A deep recession appears inevitable in Germany. This climate forebodes dire consequences for the German government, as the election to the Bundestag in 2025 draws closer.

Two days after Russias special operation in Ukraine began, Scholz had vowed in his famous Zeitenwende speech in the Bundestag that Germany, long wary of militarisation, would take steps to boost defence spending. But Wolfgang Schmidt, Scholzs chief of staff and longtime friend, acknowledged this week that a budget crunch was likely to prevent Berlin from fulfilling the promise of increased defence spending. We must be honest about this, he told Wall Street Journal. Ambition and reality are diverging.

What complicates matters further is an emerging divide in Europe over how to end the war. While Old Europeans, including Scholz, are urging peace talks now, the Russophobic East European and Baltic leaderships are clamouring for Russias defeat and a regime change in Moscow. According to Politico, Biden had to deliver a reminder to the Bucharest Nine with whom he had a meeting in Warsaw after his trip to Kiev that the goal of the war is not to remove the regime under Putin.

Meanwhile, there is frustration building up in Europe that the continent finds itself in a cul-de-sac. So far, the lack of European cohesion provided policy space for the US to divide and rule. However, if Europe finds itself today in a subordinate position, it must also own part of the blame for it. Europes inability to define its own core interests so far weakened its internal cohesion, while the lack of internal cohesion condemned it to subaltern role.

Thus, European strategic autonomy has become meaningless talk. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said last week that the most important realisation of the war is that Europe has retired from the debate.

In the decisions adopted in Brussels, I recognise American interests more frequently than European ones, he added, also pointing out that today in a war that is taking place in Europe, the Americans have the final word.

Belling the cat

Enter Rishi Sunak. In the prevailing complex situation, there is no one better than the UK Prime Minister Sunak to bell the cat, as it were. Britain has impeccable credentials as a trusted friend of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and Sunak inherits the legacy left behind by his discredited predecessors Boris Johnson and Lis Truss.

More importantly, this erudite, youthful PM is raring to go. Sunak was never an ardent believer in Brexit  nor is he a mindless Russophobe. He has set his compass navigating Britain toward calmer waters, which requires making up with the EU that helps the UKs economic recovery, and he hopes to lead the Conservatives in next years general election with a solid record in office. An overreach in Ukraine he cannot risk. Period.

Thus, it is that Sunak floated the tantalising idea last month to put Ukraine on the NATO summits agenda in June in Madrid an offer to Zelensky to discuss a package of incentives that would give Kiev much broader access to advanced military equipment and convince the Ukrainian leader to pursue peace talks with Moscow realistically, given the deepening private doubts among politicians in London, Paris and Berlin about the trajectory of the war and the gut-wrenching belief that the West can only help sustain the war effort for so long.

The French President Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor Scholz are on the same page as Sunak. The Biden Administration is in the loop but Zelensky is not a pushover and a NATO security pact may be needed, apart from bringing on board the fiery New Europeans of Eastern Europe and the Baltic.

The good part is that the UK, France and Germany are in this together. Yet, the road ahead is long and winding. For Putin, the bottomline will be that no NATO membership for Ukraine and the ground realities must be heeded. But, fundamentally, peace talks would vindicate the raison detre of Russias special military operation, which aimed to force the West to negotiate regarding NATO expansion.

AP reported that when the one-on-one meeting in Oval Office ended, Biden and Scholz walked across the hall to the Roosevelt Room, where the American and German officials had been mingling. Biden apparently joked that the two leaders had solved all the worlds problems by themselves. That gives a positive spin.

M. K. Bhadrakumar was a career diplomat by profession. Roughly half of the 3 decades of his diplomatic career was devoted to assignments on the territories of the former Soviet Union and to Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. Other overseas postings included South Korea, Sri Lanka, Germany, and Turkey. He writes mainly on Indian foreign policy and the affairs of the Middle East, Eurasia, Central Asia, South Asia and the Asia-Pacific.
South Korea has developed a new Baekho experimental mobile command post that uses a K808 8x8 armored vehicle to carry the command personnel and the large array of radio, sensors and computers they use to assess the situation and issue orders.. Mobile command posts have been common since automobiles began entering military use over a century ago. While there was little demand for mobile command posts during the static World War I, by the time that conflict ended in 1918, mobile warfare was returning in the form of armored combat vehicles. Some of these were designed to carry troops safely to the combat zone. It took decades for armies to become completely mechanized (transported on armored and unarmored wheeled vehicles) and during that process it was found necessary for some commanders to use a mobile command post so they could stay close to and control the fighting. By this time (the 1930s) long range radios were small enough to fit into one of these armored personnel carriers. This type of mobile command post was widely used during World War II and continued to evolve and be used ever since.

This brings us to the South Korean Baekho command vehicle, which carries a large assortment of radios, sensors and computers to assist a commander in a combat zone. In 2020 South Korean combat vehicle manufacturer Hyundai won the contract to build the third and last batch of K808 and K806 wheeled combat vehicles. The last of these was delivered in 2023. Hyundai designed the K808/806 vehicles, which won a design competition with two other South Korean firms. All three firms can build these vehicles, which is why there was a competition for each batch. Hyundai had an edge and used it to win all three batch orders. The K808 is an 8x8 wheeled combat vehicle similar to the American Stryker in design and function. The K806 is a 6x6 version of the K808 and intended for rear area defense.

The first 600 K808/806 vehicles began arriving in 2016 in batches of up to 200 vehicles. Hyundai has an assembly line that can build about a hundred of these vehicles a year. The second and third batches incorporate modifications suggested or required based on experience with earlier vehicles.

Most (500) of the vehicles delivered are the 20-ton 8x8 K808, which carries 12 (two crew and ten passengers) and is armed with a 30mm autocannon and 7.62mm machine-gun. The K808 has a top road speed of 110 kilometers an hour and in water can do ten kilometers an hour. The 16-ton 6x6 K806 is mainly for reconnaissance and internal security. The K806 can also carry twelve and is armed with a 40mm automatic grenade launcher and 7.62mm machine-gun.

Development of the K806 and K808 began in 2012 when the South Korean army asked Hyundai for locally designed wheeled armored vehicles similar to the American Stryker. This meant a successful design was guaranteed an army order and production could begin quickly. Hyundai had actually designed the K808 in 2012 with their own money, believing that the South Korean forces might need it and the export markets definitely sought this type of combat vehicle.

Private development of combat vehicles, including experimental models like Baekho for local use as well as for export, is common in East Asia. Several Chinese firms do it and another South Korean manufacturer (Doosan) that created the South Korean Army K21 tracked IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) went ahead and developed the 18 ton, 8x8 Black Fox, mainly for the export market. Black Fox could be equipped with the turret from the K21. This, in effect, creates a wheeled armored vehicle carrying light artillery (a 40mm autoloading cannon). This weapon fires up to 300 rounds per minute, at speeds of 1,000 meters per second (3,100 fps). The Black Fox has a crew of three and carries nine passengers. Fox was built in the hopes of snagging domestic or foreign sales and it, and similar Doosan wheeled armored vehicles, have done just that. But Doosan found that cheaper was always an easier sell so vehicles like Black Fox also come in less expensive and lighter 6x6 versions. The Doosan vehicles were meant for export markets although they were proposed as candidates to be the South Korean Stryker. The Doosan vehicles lost out to the K808 and K806.

The losers in these competitions survive by concentrating on exports. This system has worked for China and South Korea, the two largest weapons manufacturers and exporters in East Asia. Japan is seeking to join this club as well, but had to overcome several unique problems to do so. First, Japan had to amend its post-World War II constitution that prohibited exporting weapons. This was done in 2012, but with three conditions: No weapons could be exported to a communist government, a nation under a UN arms embargo or a country at war or about to get involved in one. That last condition is often applied with some flexibility. These three restrictions still leave Japan with plenty of export opportunities. All Japan has to do is resolve their other problem. For over half a century Japan has been building and increasingly developing weapons for its own armed forces. With no incentive to keep costs under control, so that exports could compete, Japanese built weapons tended to be very expensive. The government considered this good domestic politics, but it made them uncompetitive in price elsewhere. Japanese arms companies face difficult adjustments to compete in world markets.

Currently there are weapons being developed and produced in East Asia because so many countries see China as a threat. In other words, an arms race. The is leading to more new developments, like the Baekho mobile command post vehicle.
By now one thing is pretty clear - Shah Rukh Khan has become the undisputed king of the Bollywood film industry and is now moving towards the kind of success that has even the South film industry acknowledging and praising his level of success.

We say this after coming across a wholesome tweet from none other than Shobu Yaslagadda, producer of the popular South film Baahubali, who couldnt resist but praise Shah Rukh Khan and the magnanimous success of his film Pathaan.

Congratulations to @iamsrk sir, #SiddharthAnand @yrf and the entire team of #Pathaan on crossing @BaahubaliMovie 2 Hindi NBOC. Records are meant to be broken and I am happy it was none other than @iamsrk who did it!  https://t.co/cUighGJmhu  Shobu Yarlagadda (@Shobu_) March 4, 2023

The latest tweet by film critic Taran Adarsh established how Pathaan has managed to beat even Baahubali 2 by becoming the Highest grossing Hindi film of all time. The development had been creating a stir online as SRK fans rejoiced in the glory of the actors film.

At the same time, Shobu Yarlagadda posted a rather inspiring tweet for Team Pathaan as he wrote, Congratulations to @iamsrk sir, #SiddharthAnand @yrf and the entire team of #Pathaan on crossing @BaahubaliMovie 2 Hindi NBOC. Records are meant to be broken and I am happy it was none other than @iamsrk who did it!

His tweet went viral in no time, attracting many fans who couldnt help but laud the producer for his kind words and an even kinder gesture.

Wow. That's shows your class Sir 

Thanks from our hearts for Congratulating Pathaan as It has Smashed all Existing Records. We saw Baahubali2 in theatres many times too.  Sekhar (@TwITLiKeAKinG) March 4, 2023

Thanks for such a graceful gesture. BB2 will always have its own place in history. Please teach some this gracefulness to some of our producers and directors in Bollywood too sir.  Ashkay (@FanAshkay) March 4, 2023

Wow, this is unprecedented, feels like the Marvel putting out the Chris Pratt dino-riding meme after the first Jurassic World, amidst all the N vs S nonsense going on, a truly lovely gesture, kudos !!  CA Income Tax (@capriyankasphs) March 4, 2023

Fans dropped comments like, He is a gentleman indeed who works on spreading love for cinema and makes Indian cinema outstretch for a wider audience . Thanks for commendable work of RRR in usa, while another one wrote, Wow. That's shows your class Sir. Thanks from our hearts for Congratulating Pathaan as It has Smashed all Existing Records. We saw Baahubali2 in theatres many times too.

Its great to see that instead of the South vs North debate, filmmakers and actors are choosing to lift each other up and give credit where its due.

On one side Bahubali 2 producer congratulating Pathaan and here we have ppl like @RonnieScrewvala in same industry who are pulling down Pathaan's achievement, grapes are sour. https://t.co/ZxbRtUmSHO  Slayer (@Cricnerd36) March 4, 2023

Keeping that in mind, some even slammed Ronnie Screwvala for pulling down Pathaan's achievement. A user wrote, On one side Bahubali 2 producer congratulating Pathaan and here we have ppl like @RonnieScrewvala in same industry who are pulling down Pathaan's achievement, grapes are sour.
Many people are familiar with the term 'alpha' males. These are the men at the top of the socio-sexual male hierarchy. However, there is a subset of males who are similar to alpha males but prefer to remain outside the hierarchy; they are known as sigma males.

More About Sigma Males

A sigma male prefers to avoid social hierarchy and the need for validation and attention, instead focusing on internal strength. Sigma males are essentially "social misfits" or "lone men," though they may have a small circle of loved ones and acquaintances with whom they share a close connection. The sigma male is not socially awkward but simply uninterested in social situations.

Additionally, a sigma male prefers to spend time on his own, where he can be alone and not worry about social politics. The sigma male acknowledges that, contrary to what the alpha male desires, he only needs the power to maintain his independence from others and control himself. While others may perceive sigma males as distant, paranoid, secretive, or self-centred, they are frequently pragmatic.

Now let's look at some of the other characteristics and traits of the sigma male.

Traits Of Sigma Males

1) They Are Loners By Default

Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash

Contrary to popular belief, sigma males do not dislike social interaction. Instead, it implies that they often do not need others to enjoy themselves. But, on the other hand, they can also be amiable and cordial with those they like.

The stories of such people who embraced solitude without feeling lonely is beautifully captured in the book 'Celebrating Time Alone: Stories Of Splendid Solitude'.

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2) They Embrace Their Own Personality And Care Less About Others

The sigma male is not a people-pleaser! Instead, sigma males remain true to their elements, while alpha males and other males occasionally change their personalities to maintain their relevance in social standings. It is a remarkable quality because it means they'll essentially be the same person around others as they are by themselves.

3) They Listen Well

Ever met an intriguing man who talks less but remembers every little detail from the last conversation? There is a strong possibility that he could be a sigma male. Because they recognise the value of maintaining silence and showing respect when others speak, sigma males typically have good listening skills. As they prioritise the quality of the content over the volume, they listen attentively and speak only when necessary.

4) They Stay Low-Key About Their Goals

Photo by bruce mars on Unsplash

Sigma males don't talk about their goals and dreams. Instead, they tend to hustle at their own speed until they have obtained the desired results.



5) They Have An Obscure Moral Compass

Sigma men have a propensity for seeing right and wrong in complicated situations. In this regard, rather than passing instant judgement on a group of people, they might have sympathy for them. They become more analytical thinkers who consider all sides of a situation before making a judgement.

6) They Are Risk Takers

Sigmas don't take the beaten path when it comes to their careers or personal lives. They prefer to break free and pursue their own interests because they detest cultural norms and cages. They also acknowledge the risks involved in their choice. Sigma males also know a better way of managing stress.

Now that we've looked at some sigma male traits let's get right to their characteristics.

Characteristics of Sigma Male

1) Material Insignificance

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Sigma males are minimalists. They don't prioritise the same luxuries that other men do because they are complete without material possessions.



Sigma males live wherever they like. They are just as confident in a small house as in a huge mansion. They know material goods are not substitutes for self-worth. Therefore, the sigma male focuses on immaterial accomplishments instead of chasing material things and luxuries.

2) Self Management

Like alpha males, sigma males have a difficult time with power and authority. In contrast to beta males who do as they are told, sigma males frequently break the rules, making them poor followers and workers. Sigma males experience a sense of being stuck in stop-and-go traffic at work. They do not want anything or anyone to impede their progress. They want to handle issues their own way.



The sigma male wants the freedom and flexibility to rethink, reinvent, and reshape their problems uniquely. They are devoted self-starters who thrive when given total control. Many men in the sigma group are entrepreneurs, risk-takers, and creative thinkers.

The Power of Your Subconscious Mind is the most promising self-improvement book.

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3) Advocates of Privacy

The passions of sigma men are contained within their hearts. Others frequently describe them as secretive, selfish, and private. However, sigma males indeed tend to hide their interests and passions. They don't feel the need to share because they have something to hide, not because they have something to conceal. Therefore, a sigma male does not promote his success.

Sigma males are the most rewarding people to connect with and befriend, even though it takes a while. That quiet exterior conceals a self-assured passion unmatched by any other.

4) Grounded Leaders

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Sigma males lead by example, putting their hearts into their work and inspiring others to follow in their footsteps. Alpha males frequently use force and aggression to lead, but sigma males do so by setting a good example for others. They don't typically want to dominate or intimidate others. Without being superior to anyone, sigma males command just as much respect and power as an alpha.

Titles and positions don't matter to sigma males. They adopt a modest and realistic strategy. Because of their discipline and humble attitude, sigma males make such respected leaders.

This book, 'The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You' by John Maxwell teaches about how to become a good leader.



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5) The Sigma Lifestyle

A sigma male lives his life unlike anyone else. He has high standards for his way of life, workout routines, and habits. Nobody has the power to alter his way of life. Nothing is worse for a sigma male than a controlling individual. He will find it intolerable when someone tries to change his way of life. He prefers to complete tasks in his own order without worrying about other commitments or others' desires.



Now that we have successfully learned the characteristics of sigma males and understood their perspective let's look at the advantages of being a male sigma.

The Perks of Being Sigma Males

Zero Pressure

Photo by Zac Durant on Unsplash

They frequently live alone, so they devote all their time and effort to caring for themselves rather than others. If they take action, it is for their own benefit; if not, it will be to their own detriment. They aren't responsible for making other people happy, appeasing society, or abiding by its rules as regular people do.

Charismatic

Photo by Sebastian Pociecha on Unsplash

Women everywhere are attracted to men who are driven and focused on achieving their goalsa universally appreciated trait. These men are alluring because they adhere to the "sigma male rule list" of being committed to one's goals and ignoring all distractions. We all aspire to their disciplined way of life and drama-free existence to some degree. Their well-groomed personality adds more points to their charisma.



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Efficiency

Everyone can agree that these people are incredibly productive. According to the sigma male theory, productivity is the guiding principle behind this hierarchy of men. As mentioned, they don't let interpersonal conflicts or other issues stop them from working effectively. They complete tasks more quickly, don't waste time and excel at completing tasks on schedule.

The Book 'Deep Work' by Cal Newport has helped many people eliminate distractions and focus on their work resulting in increased productivity.

Get your copy here.

Every sigma male adheres to principles that distinguish them from other male archetypes. Here are the six rules for sigma males.



Follow your path regardless of where everyone else is. Always have a straightforward approach to any situation. Lay low and hustle hard without a show, among others. Speak less and only speak when necessary. Stay independent enough to thrive on your own. Always be self-aware of your surroundings and count your every move.

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The Bottomline

Sigma males are equally attractive as alpha males. They carry their own charm and charisma that leaves everyone in awe. Their productivity and efficiency help them stand out from the crowd. Sigma men are not just lone wolves but excellent leaders too. So when you find such men admire and appreciate them as much as you can. Tell us which sigma male quality is your favourite.
Astros GM Dana Brown provided an update on his efforts to extend members of the clubs core while speaking on a radio broadcast this afternoon, as noted by Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle. Brown acknowledged that the club is in extension negotiations with Casey Close, the agent of Houston outfielder Kyle Tucker, saying, Were optimistic. We think we can get something done. while also acknowledging that any contract discussions would likely be tabled if a deal was not in place by Opening Day. Brown also mentioned that the club has begun discussions with left-hander Framber Valdez and his agent about a potential extension, as well.

Brown has been unusually candid publicly about his efforts to extend several members of the Astros core, having made public comments regarding a desire to extend not only Tucker and Valdez but also Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, and Cristian Javier. Of that group, only Javier has inked an extension thus far, though Altuve and Bregman are both under club control for the next two seasons, while Tucker and Valdez arent expected to hit free agency until the 2025-26 offseason.

Browns front office will certainly have the financial resources to get extensions done, as the clubs payroll situation leaves Houston plenty of room to maneuver. RosterResource pegs the clubs 2024 luxury tax commitments at just under $159.5MM, and though that figure does not include salaries due to arbitration-eligible players, even a significant raise on the $23.2MM the Astros spent in arbitration this year would leave them with plenty of room under their expected 2023 payroll, which stands at just under $218MM for luxury tax purposes.

More from around the American League
Are you one of those fresh graduates who are puzzled about what to do or where to go next? Ive been teaching college students for more than two years, so I frequently run into grads who are struggling to decide what career to pursue. There were also people who had numerous job applications rejected and were now reluctant to reapply. Some of my former students now fresh graduates contacted me seeking motivational guidance on how to land employment or identify their true callings.

The standard advice I offer them is as follows:

1. Attend seminars and training.

Fresh graduates who have obtained multiple certificates from workshops, seminars, short courses, or other types of those training have an advantage over those without. You have fewer credentials to land a job as a recent graduate without any prior work experience, especially if your co-applicants have years of experience.

At this point, the best thing you can do is take part in training that is related to your degree or the type of career you wish to pursue. Your credentials might persuade HR managers at potential employers that you have acquired the necessary abilities to contribute to their staff.

2. Get as many skills as you can.

Its not just entertaining and nice to learn new things. These later become useful as well. The more practical skills youve picked up, the greater your chances of finding a good job. You wont regret learning things like leadership techniques, how to use Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, how to use an LCD projector, and fundamental bookkeeping.

You can also pick up knowledge pertaining to the field you want to enter. For instance, you can enroll in quick courses on housekeeping and front desk operations if you wish to work in the hotel industry.

Discovering your passion might be aided by developing new talents. For instance, you might decide to become a professional musician after learning how to play an instrument.

3. Develop communication abilities.

In order to succeed in white-collar employment, one must possess effective oral and written communication abilities. Many candidates for jobs fall short during interviews because they lack the ability to their ideas clearly. There are also people who fail written tests because they are unable to put together coherent, ordered responses.

Understanding a languages grammar is not sufficient. The capacity to comprehend questions and articulate your opinions in a clear and reasonable way is crucial.

Reading books and journals frequently can be beneficial, as can practicing interview questions with a partner. Expose yourself to the language by viewing shows in it and conversing with native speakers if a second languagesuch as Englishis necessary for the job you wish to attain and it is not your mother tongue.

4. Make sure your personality is appealing.

Although it could sound discriminatory lets confront the unpleasant truth: Fresh graduates with good looks have a better chance of landing a job. If two applicants have the same educational background, talents, and years of work experience, the charm will ultimately decide who gets the jobthe applicant who is more handsome.

Yet to land a job, you dont have to look like a star. Develop your unique brand of beauty. Play up your strengths and hide your weaknesses. For instance, to emphasize the size and depth of your enormous, attractive eyes as a lady, add eyeliner and eye shadow (but make it as natural-looking as possible). Wear the black suit instead if you believe you are overweight and are uncomfortable with your body features to provide the appearance of having a slimmer body.

Make sure you appear professional, tidy, and well-groomed. Use cologne or perfume as well. I hope you use this advice every day, especially if you already have a job. Dont just use it for interviews.

5. Establish links.

As fresh graduates, you can advance in the race if you have influence. Character references from well-known persons might help you make a positive first impression. The company you are interviewing for would regard hiring you as an opportunity to meet potential investors or forge new contacts if they are high-ranking authorities, successful businesspeople, or respectable experts with wide-ranging influence.

Any organization, whether public or private, appreciates social responsibility. and political affiliations for substantial backing. Indeed, creating a connection with well-known people is difficult, but you may begin with tiny measures.

Being polite to everyone you meet is a good idea since you never know who they may be connected to or who they may turn out to be in the future. Engage actively in social activism and other programs for advocacy. Join several organizations as well. You will soon have a large network of friends and acquaintances who may be able to assist you in some way.

6. Use caution when posting on social media.

Despite being private, your social media accounts might nevertheless affect your trustworthiness. Some businesses conduct social media account checks on job candidates or workers who are on probation as part of their background investigation procedure. Make your accounts look as professional as you can because of this.

Use your genuine name instead of a code name because the latter could come across as less mature. Also, refrain from uploading too many selfies because doing so reveals vanity and may indicate a sense of self-importance.

While posting your ideas, use caution. While expressing your thoughts or beliefs, refrain from being so extreme as to offend and degrade others. That may be taken as a sign of narrow-mindedness, which is unacceptable in the workplace. Avoid sharing offensive images, using vulgar language, or cursing.

7. Do more research.

Going on to graduate school may boost your marketability as a professional. Which is Why not limit yourself to a bachelors degree? Just a word of advice: only do this if you have a job or previous work history.

More degrees might greatly aid you in promotions, but if you have never held a job before, you may find it challenging to find your first one because you will be overqualified for it. Yet, due to your lack of experience, employers will be hesitant to hire you for a management or higher job.

8. Examine various fields.

If you are still unsure of what career to pursue, you might look at various job categories. As fresh graduates, you may become more aware of your strengths and areas of comfort as a result. Never settle for a single profession in order to be practical. If you continue to work in a job that you dislike, you will eventually burn out and become less productive. So, dont be afraid to take risks and try new things until you find what you truly desire.

9. Select jobs that are related to your ideal career.

If you already know what career is best for you, you should prepare for it. You cant jump to the top, so youll have to start at the bottom. Take every step with caution. Invest your time and energy in job opportunities that will bring you closer to your goal.

Assume your ultimate goal is to be a lawyer. If it is not yet possible due to unforeseen circumstances, you can work in a job related to your desired field in the meantime. You could work as a legal secretary. Aside from the points for work experience, it can be an opportunity for you to be exposed to a lawyers environment and learn lessons that you can apply once you have already achieved your dream.

10. You adore your job.

The first step toward being productive in your work is to enjoy it. If you only see the pressure, mismanagement, lack of compensation, and other flaws in your company, you will become stressed and complain. You would not put forth enough effort to complete your tasks. well. Youd end up being one of those mediocre employees who only go to work for the money.

As fresh graduates, if you want to be an excellent professional someday, you must enjoy your current job. This way, youll be satisfied with your work and motivated to do your best. Avoid complaining about your boss or anything else that bothers you about your job. If possible, simply formally report to your supervisor the issues youve noticed and suggest ideas to help your company improve.

You may one day be a boss, and while you would not want to be stabbed in the back by your coworkers, you would appreciate receiving helpful ideas from them.

11. Make an orderly exit.

You should be concerned with more than just getting a job. Exiting it is also a critical step that must be taken with caution. Make certain that you do not cause any problems at work in order to avoid being fired. This will give you a bad reputation.

If you want to resign from your job and look for another, make sure you do so gracefully. Follow the proper resignation procedure and meet all of the requirements. You can then return to that company if you so desire. You can also obtain your employment certificate, and your supervisor can serve as a character reference for your next job application.

12. Be ready for an opportunity.

I dont believe that 80% of life consists of simply showing up. I believe you must prepare. Also, practice. And make errors. And take notes from them. Please, however, do not simply show up and expect things to happen to you. I frequently find myself in meetings marveling at how other people simply sound better. The answer is rarely to take a speech class; rather, it is to read more and do the work.

13. There is never a good time.

To travel abroad. Or you can relocate. Or look for a new job. The thing about opportunity is that it rarely comes at a convenient time. So, when youre presented with an amazing job, gig, or fellowship and you say, Its just not for me, a good time double-check yourself. Will there ever be a better time than this? This, I believe, is especially true in the midst of a pandemic.

14. Be ready for an opportunity.

I dont believe that 80% of life consists of simply showing up. I believe you must prepare. Also, practice. And make errors. And take notes from them. Please, as fresh graduates, however, do not simply show up and expect things to happen to you. I frequently find myself in meetings marveling at how other people simply sound better. The answer is rarely to take a speech class; rather, it is to read more and do the work.

15. Strive for greater heights and never settle for less.

The height of your success will be determined by how far you want it to go. be. Do not limit your monthly earnings to just enough to cover your house rent and bills. Strive to advance in your profession and advance to a higher level as long as you have the time and opportunities.

Why stay on as a regular employee for ten years when you could have worked hard to become a manager in that time? Why settle for a job as a chef in a popular bistro when you can save up to build your own? Dream big dreams and dont be afraid to take risks to achieve them.

Conclusion

Life is more than just having a good-paying job and saving for retirement. No matter how much money you make, if you are dissatisfied with your joband you stay If you stay in it for thirty years for the sake of stability, you will lose half of your life. Discover your calling, find your passion, and you will be living a fulfilling life.

If you are looking for literature in English tutors for yourself or your child, worry no more. Call/WhatsApp +233(0)501457284, email: [email protected] or visit us www.excellenthomeclasses.com
Mr. Benjamin Kofi Quashie, South African NDC Council of Elders Chairman and Dr. John-Baptist Naah, former Deputy Secretary of the NDC Germany Chapter have both thrown their weight behind Mahama's bid to lead the NDC into the 2024 elections.

According to them, former president Mahama had an enviable track record in his first term as president and must be allowed to continue his second time.

Speaking to Nyansa TV, Thursday, 2nd March, 2023, the former Deputy Secretary for the NDC Chapter in Germany averred that Mr. Mahama has sufficiently demonstrated to have the development of Ghanaians at heart. This, in his view, was copiously exhibited in his first term as President with impressive infrastructural development, especially in the education, health and energy sectors of the economy.

"I, therefore, pledge my unflinching support for the second coming of JDM to accomplish his unfinished plans for Ghana", Dr. Naah stated.

The SA NDC Council Chair, on the other hand revealed, that "Mahama has always been a true leader and a nation builder. His track record as a President compared to what we have today is a clear indication that Ghana needs him to come and rescue us from our current economic quagmire. His infrastructural policies, his economic policies and above all his love to see a Ghana with opportunities is a mark we need now as a country".

Addressing their supporters regarding their decision to support Mahama, Dr Naah reiterated the fact that "All 'akatamansonians' (both home and in the diaspora) who will be going to the polls to determine the NDC flagbearer should massively endorse former President John Dramani Mahama in the May presidential primaries to enable him to claim victory for the NDC come 2024 general elections."

On the part of Mr. Benjamin Quashie, he encouraged party faithfuls to discard personal interests and look at the bigger picture. "My call to all our party members and non-members is that we should look at the mess we are in as a country and instead of championing our parochial and partisan interests, we should look for a builder, a unifier and a man with the track record. This can only be President Mahama. Hes tried and tested. We must all vote for him", he said.

Dr. John-Baptist Naah pleaded with Ghanaians to give the former President a second chance. "Ghanaians, by your calm and accommodating persona, have always loved H.E. President Mahama", he noted.

Both Mr. Benjamin Quashie and Dr. John-Baptist Naah added that it is their wish Ghanaians will give JDM another opportunity to complete his unfinished agenda for Ghana.

"We pray that Ghanaians grant him the needed electoral votes so he becomes our President again. In his second coming, we pray that he does better than before. He should leave us a legacy that will surpass that of President Kwame Nkrumah.

"This election will be about the survival of Ghana. The economic mess we find ourselves in need a messiah. The same group that promised us men, have failed us. Lets vote for change. Lets vote for the visionary President John Dramani Mahama."
A popular social media commentator of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), known as General Mohamed Buhari, says the former President is being dishonest when he said he will cut down government expenditure when given a second chance to become President.

The former President has called for reduction in government expenditures to save the country some money amid the economic challenges.

Mr. John Dramani Mahama during his official campaign launch at the University of Health and Allied Sciences in Ho on Thursday, March 2, said he will run a lean government.

"I shall assemble and operate the leanest but most efficient government under our fourth republic. We will reduce, significantly, the size of the government. As I announced in my Ghana We Want address at UPSA late last year, I will form a government of less than sixty (60) ministers and deputy ministers of state," he promised.

The aspiring NDC flagbearer said he will scrap the payment of an end-of-service allowance (ex-gratia), paid to Article 71 officeholders when elected again.

"The payment of ex-gratia to members of the executive will be scrapped. The necessary constitutional steps to take this will start in earnest in 2025. We will also persuade members of the other arms of government to accept its removal," said the former president.

Wading to the former presidents assertion, the ruling partys communicator asked why Mr. Mahama couldnt cut down his salary to cushion the state when President Akufo-Addo did.

He claimed that the 2020 NDC presidential candidate now takes more "fat" allowance than the president himself, indicating that until Mr. Mahama sacrifices part of it to the nation, no one will take him serious.

"We all want government to cut down expenditures, Nana has since July 2022 cut down his salary and that of appointees by 30%, which made John Dramani Mahama the highest allowance receiver, which is over Ghc42,000 monthly, while Nana receives around Ghc29,000, can JM cut his FAT allowance too to prove his point?" read his tweet sighted by Modernghana.
Ahead of the May 2023 presidential and parliamentary primaries of the NDC, the Akatsi South branch of the party, under the aegis of Mr. Anthony Kwadzo Owusu (Westfalia), has promised to mobilize not less than 100% votes for former President H.E. John Dramani Mahama, flagbearer aspirant.

The party led by Mr. Owusu said it desired a more secure, economically buoyant, and better country for all, hence the need to support an experienced and well-prepared leader against other presidential hopefuls.

Reiterating the statement made by the Akatsi South constituency chairman on Friday, Mr. Samuel B.K. Nugblega, a parliamentary aspirant, also noted that he has appointed some 28 coordinators across the constituency as part of strategies to achieve the target set by the party.

He said, "former President John Dramani Mahama will not only bring stability and prosperity but will also bring sustainable growth so we can usher in the fabrication of a new generation of political, business, and economic leaders, create manufacturing opportunities, build new enterprises, provide social infrastructure, mentor new entrepreneurs, and strengthen the small and medium-scale enterprises, which are the bedrock of any serious and successful country."

Mr. Samuel B.K. Nugblega, however, urged citizens of Akatsi home and abroad to forget about political affiliation and see a future in him as the next parliamentary candidate of the opposition NDC.

Mr. Japhet Festus Gbede also explained to the media why he thinks former President John Dramani Mahama should be voted into power.

Mr. Gbede, the outspoken former deputy communication officer aspirant remarked on some of the key factors, saying, "It is too late to fail.

"The success of Ghana is non-negotiable; the Ghana dream must be realized. Whether it is a kid from Sremanu, Have, or Wuxor, that kid has a right to a decent life and an opportunity to actualize his or her dreams under the next NDC government led by former President Mahama."
The District Chief Executive (DCE) of Ellembelle in the Western Region, Kwasi Bonzoh has disclosed that Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources will inaugurate a Community Mining Program in the area.

The Community Mining Program is an initiative instituted by the Akufo-Addo-led government as alternative to the illegal mining (galamsey) in the country.

It was first inaugurated in July 2019 by President Akufo-Addo at Wassa Akropong in the Amenfi East District of the Western Region.

Speaking exclusively to the media at Nzema Aiyinasi, the Ellembelle DCE, Kwasi Bonzoh disclosed that the District Assembly had secured three hundred (300) acres of land to do Community Mining in the area.

He emphasized that the program would be inaugurated in the month of March 2023 to create 300 direct job opportunities for some youth in the District.

"...the youth in the catchment areas have been complaining about unemployment in my District and we are trying to some innovative ways of creating jobs for them and it is for this reason that they have been engaging themselves into galamsey activities. We have been telling them that galamsey is an illegal. Fortunately for we the people of Ellembelle District, the Adamus Mining Company has released some 300 acres of land for the purpose of Community Mining Program", he said.

"We are currently going through the process and I'm sure within this month (March) the project will also be launched and this will take care of a lot of unemployed youth in Ellembelle District so the company Adamus Resources is doing well and they need to be supported and commended", he added.

He stated that, "The fight against galamsey has been very tough in Ellembelle District and we are appealing to the wives in this area to advise their husbands to stop involving themselves into galamsey. We are in anticipation that in the month of March, we should have the project duly launched and over 300 people are expected to be employed in that sector alone and that to us is a lot of employment opportunities".

He said that the Community Mining Program in Ellembelle District would not be used to destroy the water bodies in the area.

"When we talk about Community Mining, what we are going to do is quite unique, it is not the one people call it glofied galamsey, in our case, a company called Ellembelle Community Mining Company is being established and this company is owned by all the 14 Communities that are in the Adamus Mining Company catchment areas, they are shareholders in the company, they are represented by their Chiefs and at the end of the day whiles the Community Mining is going to provide direct employment, the proceeds is also going to the communities," he added.

He continued, "Each Community is going to have Community Fund and the payment will be made directly to the Fund and they can use it to do any project of their choice. We have this together with Adamus, the Chiefs and the Paramount Chief of Eastern Nzema Traditional Council."

He, therefore, called on the good people of Ellembelle District to support the program.

He took the opportunity to commend President Akufo-Addo for introducing Community Mining Program as an alternative livelihood program to support illegal miners in the country.
The Chief of Teleku-Bokazo near Nkroful in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region, Nana Afful Kwaw II, has commended the management and staff of Adamus Mining Company for instituting training program to equip young women in Nzema with skills.

He made the commendation at Aiyinasi where the Adamus Mining Company launched its Women Empowerment Project.

One hundred (100) young women have been enrolled onto the program.

The beneficiary young women would be given setups to establish their own business at the end of the training.

They will be trained in the areas of hairdressing, millinery and accessories, beauty technology, makeup and cosmetic science.

Nana Afful Kwaw II said the training of the young women in Nzema by the company would reduce unemployment situation in the area.

He said life was not all about going to school to become a professer but "it also good to learn apprenticeship to become a hairdresser, dressmaker, welder among others because nowadays people are getting money from these works".

He called on the beneficiary young women to take their training seriously.

"Let me tell you that Adamus Mining Company think about your welfare that is why they are doing this for you so I will urge you to take this training seriously to become responsible parents in future. Respect your trainers, if you think you will not respect the trainers then stay at home because I will visit the training center at Teleku-Bokazo on time to check your seriousness and behavior", he advised.

He, took the opportunity and appealed to the Adamus Mining Company to support the Teleku-Bokazo Community to develop.

The District Chief Executive (DCE) of Ellembelle, Kwasi Bonzoh commended the Adamus Resources Company for taking such a great move to reduce unemployment rate in the District.

He said the Ellembelle District Assembly would continue to support the company to operate in the area without any setback.

He took the opportunity to disclose that in March 2023, the Akufo-Addo-led government would launch a Community Mining Programme in the District to provide alternative livelihood services to the illegal miners in the area.

He urged the beneficiary young women to advise their husbands and family members to stop engaging them themselves into galamsey activities in the Ellembelle District.

On her part, Mrs. Angela List, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Adamus Mining said the company's aim was to provide training skills to young women in Nzemaland to become self-reliant and responsible.

She pledged that the company would train another batch of young women after this training.

She emphasized that, "it is our hope that with such an investment in training and entrepreneurship programme will impact Ghana as a whole starting here in the Western Region. Entrepreneurs form majority of the sphere of people across the globe because they are able to identify and capitalize on our industry demand".

Mrs. Angela List said the training being offered by the College of Beauty Arts and Entrepreneurship was intended to equip an individual with skills to create a better life for an individual and therefore urged the beneficiary young women to take their training seriously.

"The training being offered in this institution is intended to equip you with the skills and resources to create a better life for yourself and your family. We will motivate you to take your studies seriously because it is the first step in becoming self-reliant", she advised.

Some of the beneficiary young women who spoke to the media expressed their profound appreciation for the kind gesture and promised to take their training program seriously.

"We are very excited today, we never thought about it, God bless Adamus Mining Company and we promise to take our training seriously without wasting the investment the Adamus Mining Company is investing in us", they stated.

Source: Francis Addo, Contributor
A popular Ghanaian social media influencer and activist, Joshua Buernortey Boye-Doe, known popularly as KalyJay, has slammed the government over poor conditions in the health sector.

He claimed a hospital in his hometown has not been provided with an ambulance to help convey emergencies either from home to the facility or from there to referral facilities.

In all of this, what makes him angrier is the fact that the chair the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo sits on at events, is assigned a V8 and a driver everywhere he goes.

"Where I come from, some hospitals don't have ambulances, but there is a chair that has its own V8 and driver. If I speak right now, people will say I don't respect," he wrote.

Scores of Ghanaians have been complaining that assigning a whole vehicle for just a chair is a waste of money and the countrys scarce resources.

Already, there have been criticisms about the number of vehicles that follow the presidential convoy.
The Director of Electoral Services at the Electoral Commission (EC), Dr. Serebour Quaicoe, seems not to understand Ghanaians who are complaining about the upcoming limited voter registration exercise.

The Commission plans to conduct the exercise in their offices instead of going to the polling stations.

This, according to Ghanaians, particularly the opposition NDC, will undermine the process.

They noted that people, especially those in rural communities, will find it very difficult to travel long distances to the offices to register.

Another issue raised by the NDC and some Ghanaians is that those people may not be assigned to any polling station.

But while speaking on Accra-based Newsfile on Saturday, March 4, Dr. Serebour Quaicoe said, It is not interesting that these very people we are talking about when they finish JHS, they go to secondary schools when the secondary schools are not within the settlement but nobody complains about that."

According to him, Our intention is that if you are an opinion leader if you are an MP, if you are an assemblyman, there is a distance between your community, you gather your people, give us the information that in my village, we have this number of people who are 18 years but they will not be able to travel."

To which he said, If we have to travel, one day or two days, we will move the team there to come and capture you.

On issues of not assigning the voters polling stations, he said, Since I joined the commission, we have never registered anybody without assigning the person to a polling station so I dont know how that one came forth.

He explained that his outfit has the data of every town and area  once the person mentions the address, they will assign him or her to a nearby polling station.
Former President John Dramani Mahama has said he will not be part of the Independence Day anniversary held in Ho today, Monday, March 6.

He accused the organizers of the event of turning the occasion into a political party jamboree where New Patriotic Party (NPP) supporters are bussed to cheer up their leaders.

Mr Mahama stated that the Independence Day celebration is a national solemn day and should not be hijacked by a political party.

Speaking at the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Professional Forum Dinner and Awards Night in Accra on Sunday, March 5, Mr Mahama who is seeking to be elected flagbearer of the NDC ahead of the 2024 general elections said I just came from the Volta Region, and just when I was leaving they were preparing to celebrate the Independence Day. I have stopped going to Independence day because it has become a party jamboree. I went to Tamale and they told GBC to take the camera off me, they bussed their supporters in and filled the whole stadium.

When I got into the stadium the place was quiet, I went and sat, they gave me some corner somewhere, I went and sat there and they occupied the dais. When any of them came [the supporters] shouted.

I said I dont want to be part of this party jamboree. Independence is a solemn national celebration that is celebrated at Independence Square and everybody could come. Today, they bus their supporters in, they have party flags, and they are wearing party T-Shrts, I dont want to be part of the party jamboree.

Nkrumah got us independence, I am a Nkrumahist, I will attend an Independence Day anniversary any day if it is not hijacked by one party, it is a national day for all of us, so I am not going to be there because I dont want to be part of an NPP Jamboree. You watch what will happen, they will bus their people there and occupy the whole place.

-3news.com
06.03.2023 LISTEN

Ghana is celebrating her 66th Independence Day Anniversary today.

The Republic of Ghana gained her Independence on March 6, 1957. Since then, the country has commemorated the day annually with a big celebration.

There is a grand march scheduled for today at the Ho Youth Resource Centre in Ho in the Volta Region.

The President of the Republic, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will deliver an address at the event being attended by ECOWAS Chairman and President of Guinea Bissau, H.E Umaro Mokhtar Sissoco Embalo.

Other dignitaries including government officials, Members of Parliament, as well as traditional leaders will be gracing the celebration today.

Today gives the country the opportunity to remember and celebrate the Ghanaians who fought for the country's independence.

Besides the national Independence Day Celebration at the Ho Youth Resource Centre, there are various celebrations in all the regions of the country.

In the days leading to the celebration today, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo called for the country to unite in strength to take the country to the promised land.
Former President, John Dramani Mahama

06.03.2023 LISTEN

Former President, John Dramani has called for Ghanaians to unite to make the country's independence from colonial rule count.

In his view, Ghana will become great if greed is eschewed and all heads come together to work toward the collective good.

Happy and a reflective 66th Independence Day to us all.

We can, obviously, make our independence from colonial rule count if we put our minds to the task and eschew greed and divisiveness in all sectors of our national life, John Dramani Mahama said in a post on Facebook.

In his Independence Day message, the leading member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has admonished the citizenry to deliver the best services in their various capacities to help build the country.

I also know political leadership has a greater responsibility towards making Ghana great and strong again.

I, therefore, urge every Ghanaian including members of government to acknowledge our common but differentiated roles and responsibilities in order to deliver our best service to build the Ghana we want together.

Happy Independence Day, John Dramani Mahama shared in his post.

Ghana is celebrating her 66th Independence Day Anniversary today. The national event is being held at the Ho Youth Resource Centre in the Volta Region.
06.03.2023 LISTEN

As Ghana marks 66th independence celebration, the national communications officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has made a wish for the country.

He has shared a write-up which enlisted what Ghana as the first sub-Saharan African country to attain independence should have been by now.

Among other things, Sammy Gyamfi prayed for a transparent electoral system and a situation whereby citizens could be able to provide themselves with quality meals.

He also wished for a country where children would be provided with vaccines for inoculation of infants against the six childhood killer diseases.

His write-up reads, As Ghana marks 66 years of independence today, there is the need for a sober reflection and stock-taking on where we are as a nation. We must also remind ourselves of the time-honoured aspirations of our forebears for;

A Ghana that is economically emancipated and free from debt overhung.

A Ghana where our people are able to afford the basic needs of life without fearing about where their next meal is going to come from.

A Ghana that is able to provide basic vaccines for inoculation of our infants against the six childhood killer diseases.

A Ghana where institutions such as the Electoral Commission commits to delivering free, fair and transparent Electoral processes to manifest the sovereign will of the Ghanaian without any let or hinderance.

For these, we pray.

He stressed that God bless our homeland Ghana and deliver us from clueless leadership and misgovernance.

Meanwhile, Ghanas 66th Independence Day celebration is being held at Ho, Adaklu in the Volta region of Ghana.
Former Pro-vice-chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. Kwesi Yankah has stressed that there is a need for the country to have a talk on how Independence Day is celebrated.

In his view, it is a tragedy for the country to be signing a dependency agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) when its been already 66 years since the country gained independence.

I think we should use this day as a day of recommitment, rededication but Im not seeing much.

Its a tragedy that were celebrating our 66th anniversary and then were signing a dependency agreement with the IMF, Kwesi Yankah said in an interview with Asaase Radio on Monday, March 6.

According to the Academic and Author, it is unfair to be parading young school children to march every year especially when it has not been beneficial to the country in any way.

66 good years that weve been celebrating independence, have we really sat down to reflect on this day beyond just having school children going to march? I think were giving the children a raw deal.

Just go and march, dress well, eyes right all over the place, what have we gotten right in Ghana since we attained independence? So the whole orientation about independence celebration ought to change to focus on the ideals of independence, Kwesi Yankah said.

He continued to lament, What is wrong with Ghana at the moment? We should sit Ghana Beyond Aid down. What do we mean by that? Is it just a slogan? I think we should lament and commiserate that on Independence Day, were in this mess.

Government is hosting a grand event today to commemorate the Independence Day Celebration.

Todays edition which is the 66th Independence Day Anniversary is being hosted at the Ho Youth Resource Centre in the Volta Region.
The ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority (ERCA) convened a technical working-group meeting to review the Draft ECOWAS Directive on Consumer Protection from the 26th February to 03rd March 2023, in Dakar, Republic of Senegal.

The meeting brought together six (6) technical experts from the ERCA Consultative Competition Committee (CCC) and ERCA staff to review the draft ECOWAS Directive on Consumer Protection before submission for further review by the CCC and subsequently to the meeting of ECOWAS Ministers of Trade and Industry for validation.

The Executive Director of ERCA, Dr. Simeon KOFFI welcomed the working group members to Dakar and thanked them for attending the meeting. He stated that the purpose of the meeting was to review the draft Directive on Consumer Protection following the comments and orientation of the ECOWAS Ministers in charge of Trade and Industry (ECOMOTI) at their meeting in Abidjan in November 2022. Subsequently, the 6th meeting of the CCC will review the draft ECOWAS Directive on Consumer Protection prior its resubmission for consideration and validation by the 2nd ECOMOTI meeting schedule for May 2023.

The Chairperson of the CCC Ms. Boladale Adeyinka also welcomed working group members and thanked ERCA for organizing the meeting. She emphasized the need to amend the document around the orientation of the Ministers of Trade and Industry. She pointed out the comments regarding the institutional framework that should be more flexible to allow Member States to adopt the appropriate mechanisms for consumer protection in line with the goals and objectives set up at the regional level and also with best practices. She encouraged CCC members to be consistently briefing the trade experts who have the responsibility to inform the Ministers of Trade and Industry to facilitate the validation of the draft Directive.

The Directive is the first step in developing a holistic framework for consumer protection in the region. This instrument will help ERCA in promoting and enforcing the regional framework on consumer protection and will contribute to enhance the welfare of consumers within the ECOWAS region.
Tax authorities said on Monday they found no record of half-a-million dollars stolen from South Africa's president being declared at customs, rekindling a scandal threatening Cyril Ramaphosa.

The $580,000 he has said was payment for 20 buffalo bought by a Sudanese businessman three years ago is at the centre of allegations that almost cost Ramaphosa his job and endanger his chances of securing a second term after next year's elections.

The businessman Hazim Mustafa confirmed he paid cash for animals in interviews with British media.

But the South African Revenue Services said in a statement that "after an extensive search", record of the money having been declared at customs -- as legally required -- "could not be found ... or may not be in existence".

The statement did not name Mustafa directly, referring instead to "a certain traveller".

It was issued in response to an information request filed by the largest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), seeking to establish whether the Sudanese businessman had declared the sum upon entering South Africa.

The revelation adds to questions surrounding the 2020 cash theft from Ramaphosa's luxury farmhouse.

His spokesman Vincent Magwenya said, "The obligation to declare the money... was for the buyer to fulfil on arrival and not for the management of the farm during receipt of payment."

The scandal which erupted in June has tarnished Ramaphosa, who was championed as a graft-busting saviour after the corruption-tainted tenure of predecessor Jacob Zuma.

Ramaphosa has acknowledged $580,000 in cash that was hidden beneath sofa cushions at his residence at the ranch was stolen, and has denied any wrongdoing.

"We now know that the president... had hidden dirty dollars, which had entered the country illegally," said the DA leader John Steenhuisen.

In December, Ramaphosa narrowly escaped a parliamentary vote that could have initiated proceedings to remove him from office over the affair.
President of the Republic, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has noted the importance of the religious and ethnic tolerance that exists among Ghanaians.

Delivering his address at the 66th Independence Day Anniversary on Monday, March 6, the President admonished Ghanaians to remain tolerant while resisting attempts by people who will attempt to cause division along the lines of ethnicity or religion.

We cannot allow those who seek to divide us along the lines of ethnicity or religion to succeed. Let us deepen the cohesion that exists amongst us, and let us wear, with pride, the badge of being called Ghanaian, President Akufo-Addo said in his address.

The Ghanaian leader continued, There is no better homage we can pay to the memories of all those who fought to free us from the shackles of colonialism and imperialism than to dedicate this 66th independence anniversary to working even harder for the unity, strength and purpose of our dear Ghana.

In his address, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo reiterated that his government acknowledges that times are hard.

While assuring that government is working to turn things around, he urged the citizenry to count their blessings and be grateful that, unlike other countries, things are better in Ghana on many fronts.

Fellow Ghanaians, I am very much aware of the current difficulties confronting our nation, and we are working hard to resolve them. But, maybe, we should also count our blessings in how, together, we are managing the difficulties. We all see the images around the world. Here in Ghana, we have not had any fuel queues, we have not suffered shortages of food and essential items, or the catastrophe of dumsor, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo argued.
Nigeria's opposition leader Atiku Abubakar who came second in a February 25 presidential poll took to the streets on Monday along with his supporters to contest the election results.

The electoral body last week declared Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner to take over from President Muhammadu Buhari in May.

Almost 25 million people cast ballots in a vote that was largely peaceful but marred by long delays and technical glitches, angering voters and opposition parties who have claimed massive vote-rigging.

Abubakar's supporters and members of his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dressed in black to walk to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)'s headquarters in Abuja and submit a petition, claiming electoral fraud.

INEC has "direct involvement in aiding and abetting the monumental rigging and manipulation of the election results in favour of the ruling party," said Iyorchia Ayu, the PDP chairman.

"It is really an appalling situation," said another PDP leader, Baraka Sani, surrounded by protesters with banners saying "Save our democracy" and "INEC is corrupt".

The commission has acknowledged technical difficulties on the day of the vote but rejects claims of fraud.

The Labour Party's Peter Obi, who came in third in the election, has also rejected the results, and said he was going to court to prove to Nigerians he won the presidential race.

Running for a sixth time, "Atiku", as Abubakar is known, has not clearly said if he is going to court, but he is consulting lawyers to "decide the next line of action".

Nigerian elections have often been marred by fraud allegations.

In a bid to improve transparency, INEC this year introduced biometric voter identification for the first time at the national level as well as IReV, a central online database for uploading results.

But some voters and opposition parties said failures in the system when uploading tallies allowed for ballot manipulation and disparities between the manual and online results.

Problems with the new technology also caused huge delays and queues, discouraging some from voting.

With registered voters numbering 93.4 million, turnout was just over 27 percent -- even less than in the 2019 election.

INEC is set to address some of the concerns raised by parties and voters before key governorship and local assembly elections on Saturday.
In recent times, elections in our motherland are won by a kaleidoscope of factors. And as the connoisseurs have rightly emphasised, it is as a result of the political maturity which has engulfed and embellished our political landscape, a feat that can be said to be a feather in our political cap.

In light of this, it is hilariously curious for the former MP for Kwadaso, Mr Kwadwo Nuamah to pontificate that the NPP won the 2016 and 2020 elections because of the One District One Factory (IDIF) Policy introduced by Mr Alan Cash Kyerematen, and not the Free SHS Policy and the other policies His Excellency President NADAA propagated. The former MP ought to be admonished to hesitate slowly in his aesthetic encomiums for Alan Cash. What is being trumpeted here is that regardless of where ones pendulum of support swings to, it would be politically expedient for us to be guarded against desperate attempts to pull the wool over the eyes of people, just in the name of amassing political points.

Of course, Alan Cash has carved a remarkable niche for himself in the pantheon of Ghanaian politicians and leaders. His achievements at the Ministry of Trade and Industry are enviable. However, Mr Nuamah has made himself quite obnoxious by pointing to a policy that finds itself on the proverbial struggling board as the veritable saviour that propelled His Excellency NADAA to the presidency. Isnt it unpardonably churlish for anyone to speak about a policy which has not made any significant impact in the lives of Ghanaians in such a manner?

Well, even if one refrains from calling it jejune analysis, one cannot turn a blind eye to the plethora of questions surrounding it. Several policies were propagated by the NPP, so why is the former MP for Kwadaso asserting that it was only the IDIF that helped the party to win the elections? Can the former MP substantiate it with empirical evidence? It makes one wonder what all the fuss is about. What we are not adequately being informed about is whether or not the party members themselves have lost confidence in the Free SHS Policy.

Suffice it to observe, nevertheless, that it sounds insulting to the intelligence of Ghanaians. What the former MP seems to be saying is that Ghanaians are not politically discerning. What needs to be brutally and blatantly highlighted is the painfully inexcusable fact that both the NPP and NDC have taken Ghanaians for granted for far too long and keep hurting our interests in apocalyptic proportions on a daily basis. Under the tutelage of those two old horses, Ghanaians have been forced to eke out an existence on a few cedis a day, wracking our nights with nightmarish hallucinations. Mr Nuamah needs to vigorously mount pressure on his party members to do everything sagaciously possible to salvage our ailing and failing economy and desist from gratuitously dabbling in wounding aspersions.

For me, our challenge is that some people presumptuously envisage themselves to wield the quintessential authority to influence the colour and shape of the political fortunes of the country by surreptitiously campaigning for their man. Well, the thumb power resides with the Ghanaian people, whose intelligence you have already impugned by heretically asserting that they voted for the NPP based on only the IDIF, which is not making any positive impact in our lives. Do you expect us to vote for you again?

Kwabena Aboagye-Gyan

( [email protected] )
Four jihadists have escaped from prison in Mauritania after a shootout left two national guards dead, the interior ministry said Monday, a rare event in a nation spared the insurgency sweeping through the Sahel.

The breakout in the capital on Sunday night left two other guards lightly wounded, it said.

"Four terrorists managed to escape from the central prison of Nouakchott after assaulting the guards, which led to an exchange of fire," the ministry said in a statement to the official news agency.

"The National Guard has tightened its control over the prison and immediately started tracking down the fugitives."

The identities of the escaped prisoners were not revealed.

According to a military official, two had been sentenced to death, while the other two were awaiting trial for membership of a terrorist organisation.

The same source said one of the prisoners was Saleck Ould Cheikh, who had been on death row since 2011 for his part in a plot to assassinate Mauritanian president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.

Ould Cheikh had already escaped prison in December 2015 before being arrested in Guinea Bissau and sent back to Mauritania after three weeks on the run.

The second prisoner on death row participated in attacks on the army in the north of the country in 2005, the military official said.

Asking not to be named, he said their vehicle had been found in the northeastern part of Nouakchott.

The death penalty has not been enforced in Mauritania since 1987.

Attacks rare

By Monday morning, the roads around the prison had been cleared after being cordoned off the previous evening and calm had returned to the surrounding area, an AFP journalist noted.

With a population of 4.5 million, Mauritania has been spared jihadist attacks since 2011, despite sharing a border with Mali, from where an insurgency that began in 2012 has spread across the region.

The absence of attacks has fuelled suggestions a secret non-aggression pact exists between Nouakchott and the jihadists.

Washington claimed to have found documents in 2011 at the Pakistani hideout where former al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed, listing an attempt at rapprochement between the group and the Mauritanian government in 2010.

The government refutes this.

Mauritania was regularly targeted in the 2000s, including attacks and kidnappings.

In 2008, the former head of presidential security, General Ould Abdel Aziz, took power and a year later was elected president.

Any qualms Western countries had about his rise were set aside.

Jihadist threat

Given the numbers of Mauritanians in emerging rebel groups in northern Mali, the sense was "the jihadist threat could spread to Mauritania", a French expert told AFP in 2020.

Abdel Aziz, who stepped down in 2019, is now on trial for abuse of office, influence peddling, money laundering and illicit enrichment.

Under his regime, France and the United States sent instructors to support anti-terrorist units and strengthen Mauritanian intelligence.

The Mauritanians invested in training and retaining recruits. Military spending increased, providing better equipment, pay and conditions for soldiers.

And the border has been tightly policed, whereas in other Sahel countries, porous borders are a notorious weak point.

Nouakchott also launched projects to deter vulnerable youngsters from joining the jihadists.

In 2010 a dialogue between leading Muslim scholars and 70 jailed jihadists led to around 50 repenting.

More than 500 imams were recruited and youngsters offered vocational training after leaving Islamic schools, giving them a chance to earn a living.

In an effort to spur economic activity, authorities also spearheaded the creation of new towns in the desert.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has appealed to Ghanaians to live in harmony and eschew acts that have the propensity of dividing them.

Speaking at the 66th Independence anniversary celebration held at Adaklu in the Volta region, the President underscored the need for unity in the face of global threats of terrorism.

We should continue to guard and protect jealously the security and integrity of our nation against dangers from outside and within our borders. We cannot allow those who seek to divide us along the line of ethnicity or religion to succeed. That we deepen the cohesion that exists among us and let us wear with pride the badge of being called Ghanaian.

The President said despite the nations current economic quagmire, Ghanaians should be thankful because the government has ensured the supply of essential goods during the hard times.

Nana Akufo-Addo claims Ghana has experienced a steady flow of fuel for both commercial and industrial use as compared to other countries in the sub-region.

He pledged that the government would do everything within its power to alleviate the suffering of the populace.

We should be united with God protecting us. For it is only in a free democratic form of governance and intelligent management of the economy that will bring the upliftment that Ghanaians what and deserve. We should continue to strive to ensure that no Ghanaian child is denied access to quality education and the groundbreaking and transformative free SHS policy.

We should continue to guarantee access to affordable healthcare for all in every part of the country by continuing the National Health Insurance Scheme, expanding healthcare infrastructure and enhancing general health delivery.

It is these that have brought hardships on our people. The government has deployed a number of fiscal measures to help bring relief to Ghanaians and I'm confident that sooner rather than later we'll see significant relief and recovery, Mr Akufo-Addo further added.

-citinewsroom
In todays Money Morning, theres an asset the mainstream finance press hates more than any other right now. In fact, there were three hit pieces about it over this past weekend. And yet, behind the scenes, the data has never been more bullish. The next 12 months could be your last chance to get in.

On 5 December 2022, CNBCs Jim Cramer urged his viewers to exit crypto.

He said:

Its never too late to sell an awful position, and thats what you have if you own these so-called digital assets.

Hows that call going so far?

Check out the chart:

Three months after Cramers call, Bitcoin [BTC] is up an almighty 41%.

Some altcoins are up by triple digits.

This fact might surprise you.

Especially if you only follow the mainstream news on crypto.

Theyve spent the last year (the last decade, if truth be told) saying how crypto was a useless asset, a scammy industry, or worse.

Though, funnily enough, the one entrepreneur in the space they all seemed to get behind was this guy:

I mean kudos to them, I suppose.

They actually managed to back the biggest scammer in the entire crypto industry!

Like Cramer, these people are useful for their consistency in getting it wrong.

The cold hard truth is that the mainstream has never had its facts right about bitcoin or crypto.

And from what Ive seen and read this past year, theyre not going to change any time soonat least until its far too late for you to do anything about it.

For example, theyre not telling you any of this

Big brands quietly make their moves

Nike, Adobe, Starbucks, Disney, Adidas, DraftKings, Mercedes, Meta, Reddit, and hundreds of other big-name companies are all actively developing blockchain-based products for their customers.

Disneys CEO said:

We forget, in our generation, that things dont have to be physical. They can be digital, and they have meaning to people. And as long as that meaning can be essentially substantiated in a blockchain, I think youre going to see an explosion of things being created, traded, collected in NFTs.

Elsewhere

Vodafone, the seventh-biggest telecommunications company in the world, has plans to create a platform to connect the worlds devices  the so-called internet of things.

According to the company, its a US$12.6 trillion opportunity to radically change supply chains, point-of-sale financing, energy markets, and transport solutions.

And its also using blockchain technology, as you can see in this diagram:

And even in finance itself, the big banks dont want to be left out, no matter what they say in public.

For example, a few months back, JPMorgan  a company with a CEO thats been a very vocal critic of crypto since 2017  quietly patented its own crypto wallet.

As reported:

In November, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office approved the banks trademark application for the JP Morgan Wallet, which is designed to transfer and exchange virtual currencies, facilitate crypto payment processing, and support virtual checking accounts and financial services in general.

As the old saying goes, look at what people are doing, not what theyre saying.

And you can bet your bottom dollar, as soon as theyre all set, theyll change their tune on crypto quick smart.

With a compliant media cheering them on, of course.

The clock is ticking on your chance to claim a stake in this inevitable future. And if history repeats a fifth time, you have less than 12 months to get in.

Let me explain why

A look under the hood

If you ignored the price action and just looked at the raw data, youd see that bitcoin has never looked stronger.

You can do this quite easily with bitcoin because everything is on a public blockchain.

The good news?

The on-chain data is showing some very bullish signals, even while the Cramers of the world continue to stir up panic.

First up

The security of the worlds premier decentralised network has never been stronger:

I wont go into the complexities of this. But the gist is, the higher the hash rate, the more secure it is.

It also means, despite the pessimism, bitcoin miners are happy to spend money to get the mining reward of newly issued bitcoin.

This is a strong show of confidence in the future price.

Secondly

The Lightning Network  a layer two built on top of Bitcoin that helps it scale  continues to gather pace:

Jack Dorseys fintech company, Block, announced last Friday theyd be supporting the Lightning Network by deploying part of their bitcoin holdings onto it.

The goal is to help with the reliability of the emerging payments network, which is still a work in progress.

But there are two interesting consequences to the growth of the Lightning Network.

First, it locks in more bitcoin, meaning more supply available for sale is taken off the market.

Secondly, Lightning allows bitcoin holders to generate yield on their holdings as they share in any transaction fees they help pass on.

When institutional investors realise this  that unlike gold, you can earn yield on bitcoin  the investing equation radically changes.

And lastly

The diehards, the so-called hodlers, are soaking up every last bit of bitcoin they can.

An astonishing 67% of existing bitcoin hasnt moved in the past 365 days:

In other words, these are the people who have taken everything last year could dish out and yet continue to hold.

Let me tell you, theyre not the type of people to sell into a small 41% price pump either!

In fact, theyre still accumulating, as this chart shows:

How can these people be so confident, you might be asking yourself.

Well, weve been here before

60,969 blocks to go

Heres another chart for you:

As you can see, bitcoin has had four price drawdowns of more than 70% prior to 2022s price collapse.

And each time, its recovered to new all-time highs (thats north of US$69,000 today).

These repeatable price cycles closely follow Bitcoins halving schedule.

This is when the reward paid to miners  the people that secure the network by dedicating computing power  is cut in half.

You can see the schedule here:

Over time, less and less new bitcoin is created as we approach the 21 million hard cap.

Historically, bitcoin has tended to rise in value as we approach each halving.

Check out this chart:

Its pretty easy to see the pattern here.

So what drives this predictable price cycle?

Well, each halving re-highlights the in-built scarcity of bitcoin.

Its a stark contrast to fiat currencies, which have no ceiling on how much can be created.

As I type, there are 60,969 blocks (a block is added to the blockchain every 10-minute containing valid transaction on the network) until the next halving.

But in my experience, the price tends to lead well in advance.

Beyond the price dynamics, though, now is the perfect time to actually try and understand what crypto and bitcoin really are.

Ive been in this space since 2013 when bitcoin was sitting at US$600.

And I can guarantee you, if youre getting your information on this from the likes of Cramer, youre missing 99% of the picture.

This is a risky industry to get involved in and it takes time to understand it properly.

Thats why downcycles in the price are the perfect time to do it.

You get in at a cheap price, and you have the time to understand properly what youre actually invested in.

The alternative  waiting for the next crypto frenzy  usually ends in tears, unfortunately. Bull markets are full of noise and scammers looking to take advantage of the unwary.

You dont want to fall into that trap.

Thats why now is the time to get interested.

The clock is ticking

Good investing,





Ryan Dinse,

Editor, Money Morning
March 06, 2023 Why Bakhmut Is Falling Just two days ago I reported that Bakhmut is falling. The Ukrainian soldiers there are outgunned 1 to 10 and die under artillery fire with little chance to shot back. More reports from the front have since come in. They support my dire view. The German pro-Ukrainian news outlet Bild reported this morning that there were misgivings in the Ukrainian war leadership: President Volodymyr Zelensky and Commander-in-Chief of Ukraines Armed Forces Valerii Zaluzhnyi have conflicting views on how the military should handle the situation in Bakhmut, according to unnamed sources within the Ukrainian political leadership cited in a report by Bild. Bild writes that Zaluzhnyi was deliberating a tactical withdrawal from Bakhmut weeks ago over concern for the wellbeing of his troops. The Ukrainian government told Bild that remaining in Bakhmut was the right decision due to the serious damage it inflicted on Russian military personnel and equipment. However, according to other sources cited by the publication, the situation is at risk of becoming untenable. "The vast majority of soldiers in Bakhmut do not understand why the city is being held," a Ukrainian military analyst told Bild on condition of anonymity. Just hours after that item came out Zelensky's office issued a press release denying any such trouble (machine translation): On Monday, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a regular meeting of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief's Staff. The commanders of the operational and strategic troop groups reported on the situation on the main front lines. The members of the Staff considered the situation in Bakhmut in particular. Assessing the course of the defense operation, the President asked Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhnyi and Commander of the operational and strategic grouping of troops "Khortytsia" Oleksandr Syrskyi about further actions in the Bakhmut direction. They spoke in favor of continuing the defense operation and further strengthening our positions in Bakhmut. I do not believe that Zaluzhnyi and Sirskyi gave such advice. The situation for the Ukrainians in Bakhmut (Ru: Artyomovsk) is hopeless and they certainly know it. Losses would be less if the troops would pull back to the next defense line on the higher grounds west of Bakhmut.

Source: topographic-map.com - bigger The current situation is a mess:

Source: Live UA map - bigger To move out of Bakhmut or to move supplies in one has to cross a 10 kilometer long corridor which is only 6 kilometer wide and completely covered by Russian artillery and ground fire. The results of attempts to run that gauntlet can be read in the Russian Defense Ministry's daily report: In Donetsk direction, the active action of the 'Yug' Group of Forces and artillery operation have resulted in the elimination of up to 225 Ukrainian personnel, five infantry fighting vehicles, nine armoured fighting vehicles, five pickups, four motor vehicles, one Uragan MLRS, and one D-30 howitzer. One ordnance depot of 55th Artillery Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), and one U.S.-manufactured AN/TPQ-37 counterbattery warfare radar have been destroyed near Dachnoye and Chasov Yar (Donetsk People's Republic) respectively. Losing 23 transport vehicles in a day, plus the people in them, is quite severe. It has stopped to freeze in Bakhmut and the fields are now too muddy to drive over them. Here is video of some pickups which tried and got messed up by artillery fire. All roads out are under direct Russian fire. The safest way to move in or out is thereby probably a long walk through the muddy fields. Another map of Bakhmut:

Source: Military Land - bigger The above map is two days old. It shows 9 Ukrainian brigade equivalents in the area. I do not know how reliable the information about those units positions is. The overview map from the same source shows a total of 13 brigade equivalents in the same area.

Source: Military Land - bigger A full brigade has about 3,000 to 3,500 men. So there are probably 30,000 to 40,000 Ukrainian troops involved. However all these brigades have had losses. Some even had extreme losses and are now only at 30% of their original size. In Saturday's summary Military Land authors wrote about Bakhmut: A road bridge was blown up in Khromove settlement, west of Bakhmut. The only remaining road from/to Bakhmut is through the fields and Ivanivske. (source)

Given the situation in the area of Bakhmut and reports on the ground, its safe to assume that Russian forces captured the remaining part of northern outskirts and the area north of Tavr Meat Plant.

The situation in Zabakhmutka (eastern part of Bakhmut) is currently covered by the fog of war. There is a possibility that Ukrainian defenders retreated from the area. Here is another map based on Russian sources.

Source: Rybar - bigger Yesterday the Kyiv Independent reported from near the frontline about the bad situation for the Ukrainian troops fighting there: Ukrainian soldiers in Bakhmut: Our troops are not being protected Russias relentless assault on Bakhmut is sacrificing waves and waves of unprepared men being sent to their deaths. But multiple defenders of this embattled city in Donetsk Oblast feel that they are in a similar boat, according to interviews with more than a dozen soldiers currently fighting in or around Bakhmut. During their brief visits to the nearby town of Kostiantynivka, Ukrainian infantrymen told the Kyiv Independent of unprepared, poorly-trained battalions being thrown into the front line meat grinder to survive as best they could with little support from armored vehicles, mortars, artillery, drones and tactical information. We dont get any support, says a soldier named Serhiy, who has been fighting on the front lines in Bakhmut, sitting down with his friend, also named Serhiy, for a conversation in a small cafe in the Kostiantynivka market. Both men are in their 40s but one of them is a bit older than the other. The soldiers lack about everything that would support their defense: They say that Russian artillery, infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers are often allowed to strike Ukrainian positions for hours or days without being shut down by Ukrainian heavy weapons. Some complained of poor coordination and situational awareness, allowing this to happen or making it even worse. Mortarmen spoke of extreme ammunition scarcity and having to use weapons dating back to World War II. Drones that are supposed to provide critical reconnaissance information are also scarce and are being lost at very high rates in some parts of the battlefield. All this leads to terrifying casualties of both dead and wounded. "The battalion came in in the middle of December between all the different platoons, there were 500 of us," says Borys, a combat medic from Odesa Oblast fighting around Bakhmut. "A month ago, there were literally 150 of us." When you go out to the position, its not even a 50/50 chance that youll come out of there (alive), says the older Serhiy. Its more like 30/70. The soldiers describe the Russian operation as small reconnaissance followed by artillery fire. This is repeated again and again until it has reached the desired result. The very reasonable application of this tactic is why I disregard claims of 'waves or Russian cannon fodder storming forward' or of 'high Russian losses'. They are obviously nonsense: The older Serhiy says that the enemy likes to send a team of three or four expendable foot soldiers to attack and make the Ukrainians expose themselves by shooting at them. At that point, the more elite forces zero in on the defenders position. Once they begin exchanging fire, the Ukrainians are struck with heavier weapons like Russian mortars and rockets from Grad multiple launch rocket systems or BMP infantry fighting vehicles and BTR armored personnel carriers with machine guns. They get the positions where we are, establish the coordinates, then they hit us from seven to nine kilometers out with mortars, as well as from closer by with grenade launchers, says the older Serhiy. They wait for the house to fall so we have to jump out. The building catches fire and then they try to finish us off. Their birds come out and they chase us with fire, adds the younger Serhiy, referring to Russian UAVs, like quadcopters and Orlan-10 fixed wing drones that spot distant heavy weapons. They hit accurately. As Russians destroy more and more buildings, Ukrainians keep losing more places where they can reliably take cover. Borys the medic says people have been lost when their entrenched positions collapsed from heavy Russian fire, suffocating them. Ill put it like this, we should get our people out because if we dont take off, then in the next few weeks, its going to be bad, says Oleksandr. A mortarman named Illia agrees that Bakhmut is practically encircled. For lack of ammunition there is no Ukrainian counter artillery fire. Infantry fighting vehicles are held back from the front. The little trained Territorial Brigades are sent in at night to be killed the next morning: Multiple soldiers say Bakhmut troops are barely given enough time to learn to shoot a rifle  sometimes their training is just 2 weeks, before theyre dropped into the hottest parts of the most intense current battle of the war. They would have preferred for troops to get a minimum of two or three months of training before being deployed to such a hot spot. Two weeks live training and theyre sent here. You cant do that, says the older Serhiy. Or its a person who once served in the army, how long ago was that? Obviously they forgot everything. We were promised that we wouldnt be sent to the zero line right away, that at first wed be sent to the second or third line, he continues. And then we came here in the middle of the night and they immediately sent us to Bakhmut.

...

According to both soldiers named Serhiy, most brigades are insufficiently trained and lack the experience for an environment as brutal as Bakhmut. People are taken at night to a place theyd never seen before and the battle starts in the morning. This is why positions are abandoned, people are there for the first time, says the younger Serhiy. I went to a position three times and was given six people who hadnt fought at all before. We had a few dead and wounded that had to be evacuated Our people are not being protected. Oleksandr confirms that while some battalions fighting in Bakhmut are well-trained and ready, most of them arent and many were thrown in at night without much preparation. Yes, thats true, my battalion was not prepared, he says. After five months without a single break from the fighting, only half of Oleksandrs battalion is left, he says. They shouldnt have rushed to throw everyone in there, says the younger Serhiy. Better to abandon those positions, who cares? Its better to properly train people. The Kyiv Independent reporter did not ask, or did not report, what opinion the soldiers hold about Zelensky's pep talk and die-hard slogans. I don't think that they will thank him for the experiences they have gained. They will rather use them to explain their disgust to him. Posted by b on March 6, 2023 at 17:51 UTC | Permalink Comments next page  next page 
Greek PM apologizes over deadly train accident for "state's mistakes"

Xinhua) 11:02, March 06, 2023

ATHENS, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis apologized on Sunday for the "state's mistakes" following the country's worst train accident which killed 57 and injured dozens.

"As prime minister, I owe everyone, but above all the relatives of the victims, a huge apology. Both personally, and in the name of all those who ruled the country over the years," he said in a press statement, adding that the government "should not hide behind human error."

A station master has been arrested and charged with manslaughter through negligence for the head-on collision of a passenger train with a freight train in central Greece on Tuesday night. The two trains had been running for several kilometers on the same track in opposite directions.

Mitsotakis reiterated that justice will be served following an ongoing investigation and immediate steps will be made to improve safety in Greek railways.

The government will ask European Commission and other EU member states to assist providing know-how, as well as additional European funds to upgrade Greece's railways, he said.

Also on Sunday, thousands of people protested in front of the parliament during a rally called by political parties and labor unions, Greek national news agency AMNA reported.

Railways employees' labor unions said following the tragedy that they had been warning many officials for long of chronic shortcomings in the network operation, such as understaffing and lack of adequate safety systems.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Merchandise with symbols of former President Donald Trump is sold at the Conservative Political Action Conference at Gaylord National Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, March 3, 2023.
Road Tax Graph Provided By Caltrans View Photo

Tuolumne, CA  A variety of issues will go before the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors at the first meeting of the month on Tuesday.

It will begin at 9am at the Tuolumne Resilience Center on Bay Avenue in Tuolumne.

The county already has a local state of emergency declared for storm damages received between December 27 and January 31, and will vote on proclaiming another emergency for more recent damages occurring throughout February and March. It could open up the door for additional state and federal dollars to assist in recovery efforts.

Later, at 11am, there will be an informational presentation from Caltrans Road Use Charge Program Manager Lauren Prehoda. She will talk about studies California is conducting around the idea of Californians paying for road improvements via a user fee, instead of the traditional gas tax. The change is being looked at because more drivers are purchasing electric and lower-emission vehicles (see image provided by Caltrans ahead of the meeting).

Then at 1:30pm, the Supervisors will hold a public hearing on a proposal to change the Williamson Act contract for the T-Five Ranches 872 acre site on OByrnes Ferry Road. The change has to do with the preparations ahead of a biomass facility being constructed on the property. In addition, the county will vote to approve a related agricultural management plan for the site. Click here to read an earlier story about the project.

Tuesdays meeting at the Tuolumne Resilience Center is open to the public.
The US is trying to hold its high ground of dominance of the semiconductor industry via export restrictions and subsidies to increased domestic manufacturing, notably via the Chips Act. Yet experts are quietly warning that this plan to decouple from China may backfire, particularly if pursued too aggressively.

Semiconductors are fundamental to the operation of commerce and consumer communications, so the US believes it has found a key choke point by which it can impede Chinas further rise as an economic superpower. But the wee problem with that view is that the US view thought it had an even more powerful choke point with Russia via its supposed dependence on dollar payment systems. We know how that movie is working out.

Admittedly, the US actions against Chinas chips industry are not of the kill the economy ambitions of its sanctions against Russia. But theres a weird myopia in not understanding that China has plenty of ways of retaliating if thing were to get ugly, given US dependence on China for many imports, starting with pharmaceutical ingredients and seemingly humble chemicals like ascorbic acid. And as well address soon, a broad analysis of technology leadership by an Australian think tank shows the China to be number 1 in 37 of 44 categories.

Well provide a high level treatment today and plan to go deeper in future posts. Lets return to the various semiconductor protection moves. As far as I can tell, the justifications were to prevent Chinese spying on Americans and impede China from using advanced chips in military applications (although truth be told, armed forces dont make much use of the super-small chips that are the focus of the curbs). But even experts who are sympathetic with the idea that the US should do more to protect its interests in its dealings with China think that even with obviously over-broad Trump era measures having been rolled back, the new restrictions arent well targeted. From Jon Bateman, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, in Politico in January:

America has embarked on one of its most difficult and dangerous international challenges since the Cold War. The task: reversing decades of economic and technological integration with its chief rival, China. This technological decoupling, if done selectively, will help to preserve Americas military edge, protect key U.S. industries from unfair competition, and push back on Beijings human rights abuses. But if decoupling goes too far, it will drag down the U.S. economy, drive away allies, stymie efforts to address global crises like climate change, and increase the odds of a catastrophic war. Restrictions on Chinese technology make sense when they match the scale of specific threats and buy time for America to bolster its own tech base. But Washington seems intent on a grander crusade  to hobble China at a fundamental level  with little regard for the risks to global stability, the U.S. economy and American alliances.

The Biden Administration first focused on increasing investment in the tech industry, but then started deploying restrictions. Again from Bateman:

Even so, there were growing hints of a more aggressive agenda. First came reports in May that Americas most severe sanctions list  populated with terrorists, drug lords and war criminals  might for the first time target a major Chinese tech firm. Then came the bombshell announcement in October of new export controls on semiconductors and chip-making equipment The new U.S. export controls block China from importing high-end foreign semiconductors it needs to train artificial intelligence algorithms. At the same time, Washington sought to stop China from making homegrown versions of such chips, or even the mid-range chips that power the Internet of Things and other lesser devices. It therefore barred Chinese chip-makers from importing advanced manufacturing equipment and from working with U.S. personnel Officials cited the fact that advanced processors can help Beijing model nuclear explosions and missile aerodynamics. But these military applications comprise a tiny fraction of the countless important uses for powerful semiconductors and AI. The vast majority are benign: business process automation, e-commerce, cybersecurity, disease diagnosis and much more. Some uses, like climate change research, would actually benefit the United States and the world. Alan Estevez, a senior official who oversees export controls, captured the gung-ho mood in late October: I meet with my staff once a week and say, Okay, whats next? What are we going to do next? Whos being bad? Where is the technology area that we need to address? He said that future controls on biotech, quantum technology, and AI software and algorithms are likely.

That triumphalism seems awfully familiar. Foreign Policy sets forth that view in more detail:

To retain its role as the worlds sole superpower, Washington believes that it has to stop Beijing in its tracks In this economic war, the United States is unsurprisingly keen to put all forms of economic coercion to good use. The Trump administration imposed tariffs on $360 billion of U.S. imports from China; President Joe Biden has made it clear he is not lifting theseIn the financial sphere, U.S. lawmakers are pondering whether to delist more than $1 trillion worth of shares of Chinese companies on U.S. stock exchanges. Congress is also considering barring the Thrift Savings Plan, which manages the pensions of millions of federal government employees, from investing in Chinese companies. The Chinese economy, however, has grown far too big for Washington to sanction Beijing with its usual toolkit. Semiconductors are the Achilles heel of the Chinese economy. Beijing buys more than $300 billion of foreign-made semiconductors every year, making computer chips Chinas largest import, far above oil. This reflects the fact that Chinese factories import 85 percent of the microchips they need to build electronic goods. Most of these semiconductors are manufactured using U.S. technology. For Washington, this makes export controls a seemingly ideal tool to deprive Beijing of U.S. innovation and know-how. Such restrictions function in a similar fashion to financial sanctions: They seek to curb adversaries access to U.S.-made staplesthe greenback for financial sanctions or computer chip technology for export controlsthat have become so crucial that few countries can do without them. Washington knows that it has a massive trump card to play in the semiconductor sector: Virtually every microchip around the world has some link to the United States, be it because it was designed with U.S.-made software, produced using U.S.-made equipment, or inspected with U.S.-made tools U.S. firms manufacture only around 10 percent of the computer chips sold across the world. The worlds leading microchip foundries (as semiconductor assembly lines are called) are located in Asia, mainly in Taiwan and South Korea. However, a handful of U.S. companies control all of the higher, upstream echelons of the supply chain. Given the United States dominance over the microchip sector, Washington knows that measures curbing Chinas access to U.S. semiconductor technology have every chance to deal a blow to Beijings technological ambitions. In October, the Biden administration dealt an even more severe blow to Chinas technological sector: Instead of targeting only high-profile Chinese firms, Washington clamped down on all exports of advanced microchips and semiconductor-making tools to China. U.S. citizens were also warned that without explicit (and unlikely) U.S. government approval, they are breaking U.S. law if they choose to work for Chinese technology firms.

Other experts are warning that the loss of the Chinese market will hurt the profits and even more so the R&D spending of key players. From Anjani Trivedi at Bloomberg:

China accounts for over a quarter of sales for chip equipment manufacturer Tokyo Electron Ltd., where theyve been growing sharply over the past five years. For Nikon Corp., a maker of lithography machines, its around 20%, while Advantest Corp., which produces testing machines, depends on Chinas evolving computing market for its customers, too. The country accounted for over a quarter of global billings  a gauge for demand  at the end of last year. Along with Taiwan and South Korea, China has been the top destination for capital spending for the past two years for the largest semiconductor equipment companies. Heres the rub: These firms dont just invest in China, they sell equipment across the world, including to the US and Europe. That keeps the virtuous cycle of technology transfer and development humming along. If theyre hamstrung because major sources of revenue get cut out, then ultimately industrial innovation will struggle. Even if the US manages to stay ahead in terms of technological advances in lab projects and patents, it wont be able to scale them.

Scaling is a key point. Some commentators, including NC readers, have opined that a major focus of the China-hawkish measures is to reduce the dependence of US chip designers on Taiwanese fabs and build up capacity in the US. The problem is the big-sounding numbers on that front dont go all that far. From Yu Zhou in Issues.org:

The CHIPS and Science Act authorized $52 billion for domestic semiconductor chip manufacturers with the aim of enhancing the global competitiveness of the US chip industry, improving the security of the supply chain, and countering Chinas ambitions in the sector. While increasing investment in semiconductor research and development is welcome, whether it can improve US global competitiveness and prevent the rise of China is uncertain. In 1990, US companies manufactured 37% of semiconductors produced globally, but by 2020 that share had shrunk to 12% In this notoriously capital-intensive industry, the CHIPS Acts $52 billion investment is relatively small. For example, in 2022, just one company, TSMC, announced new capital investments of over $40 billion, building on $30 billion invested last year. Samsung plans to invest $355 billion in its semiconductor and biopharmaceutical technologies over the next five years. Since the semiconductor industry is the single most important global niche held by South Korea and Taiwan, government and commercial conglomerates in those countries are likely to do whatever is necessary to maintain their supremacy. The CHIPS Act thus signals the start of a high-stakes global race, leading to more public and private money in the semiconductor industry. A race to invest in manufacturing will ultimately flood the market with chips, which is likely to drive down the price and profit margin for all playersas is already being seen with memory chips. Given that such slumps are almost inevitable, it is unclear how American chip makers, with their long-standing focus on quarterly earnings, will deliver on promises of expanding capacity. Asian corporate structures, by contrast, are far more tolerant of temporarily low profit margins.

Yours truly is old enough to remember when the US was a serious semiconductor producer, and earnings of its very capital intensive big players were cyclical, on the order of boom-and-bust-ish.

A wee problem with this picture is that it leads the US public to think the US can cut China down to size with its chips curbs, when tech-wise, the US and China live more in a world of mutually assured destruction. We first mentioned years ago that 80% of US pharmaceutical ingredients, including some finished drugs, come from China.

A more even-handed, and sobering, view comes via a new paper, ASPIs Critical Technology Tracker, from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. Philip Pilkington provided an overview on Twitter:

2/ This in spire of the fact the US is still poaching Chinese talent. Although many of these people are likely just learning skills to transfer back to China. pic.twitter.com/TXSHJKAIG3  Philip Pilkington (@philippilk) March 3, 2023

Well stop here for a second. All but the very few truly bicultural Chinese would hit a glass ceiling in US companies and would have good odds of returning to China either dispatched by their US employer (and they might jump ship when back home) or on their own. The new open hostility towards China is sure to reduce how much Chinese talent comes to the US. And before you declare than means China is depriving itself of access to science-and-technology leading US schools, think again. The paper lists top academic institutions in the various technology categories, showing Chinese leadership in research generally corresponds to a strong real-world position.

4/ They are also way ahead on communications, AI and other stuff thatll be important in the commercial economy in the coming future. pic.twitter.com/NFJAi4smzp  Philip Pilkington (@philippilk) March 3, 2023

5/ If America thinks this can be overcome by sanctions theyre deluded. Sanctions will only make US companies even less competitive as theyre starved of export income and CapEx. Compete or die.  Philip Pilkington (@philippilk) March 3, 2023

It looked as if the study attempted to throw some bones to the US. It dignifies our balloon panic:

Although balloons are conceptually low tech, their ability to (at least sometimes) slip through detection systems and carry heavy payloads is extremely valuable. The Financial Times reported that Chinese state television showed footage of high-altitude balloons carrying hypersonic glide vehicles in 2018, but that the video is no longer available. Video matching the description can be found on Twitter and Toutiao. Comments below the video state these were scale models of hypersonic glide vehicles used for testing, and suggest the wing design matches the I-plane hypersonic concept from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The 2018 research paper describing this design has been cited by, so far, 19 subsequent research papers. Thus, its likely that high-altitude balloon research has

directly contributed to the cost-effective testing and development of nuclear-capable hypersonic glide vehicles.

Douglas Macgregor pointed out that for the US touring Chinese balloon to have had meaningful surveillance capabilities, it would have had to carry a payload similar to the one of the Goodyear blimp.

Oddly the report did not spend much time on medicine or pharmaceuticals despite continuing development in areas like robot assisted surgeries and the use of AI in diagnostics. Instead we get:

Now admittedly medicine took a big step back under Maos efforts to push traditional Chinese medicine, and the fact that doctors are not highly esteemed or well paid (while by contrast, both Singapore and Thailand are medical tourism destinations). And this study focuses on major areas of technology advancement, not routine practice. Nevertheless, I found this bit to be surprising:

Its also in front in the crucial areas of quantum computing and vaccines (and medical countermeasures). This is consistent with analysis showing that the US holds the most Covid-19 vaccine patents and sits at the centre of this global collaboration network. Medical countermeasures provide protection (and post-exposure management) for military and civilian people against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear material by providing rapid field-based diagnostics and therapeutics (such as antiviral medications) in addition to vaccines.

Americas terrible performance in Covid infections and deaths, and in our medical countermeasures as witness the inaction after the East Palestine toxic explosion, raises questions about whether our supposed excellence actually benefits anyone other than the vendors.

As I said, this was intended to be a high-level introduction, so forgive me for being broad brush. No doubt well be returning to this topic.
Following his election in 2017, French President Emmanuel Macron said he wanted to reset relations with francophone Africa based on a partnership of equals. If anyone has been doing so, its been Russia. As France has been run out of Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, and Mali, Moscow has moved in.

French troops have been forced to abandon what Paris calls its Barkhane operation to fight against jihadists in the Sahel, which has been going on for a decade.

Many are being redeployed to Niger, which is of existential importance to Paris. Three out of four light bulbs in France are powered by Nigerien uranium. In contrast, only 10 to 20 percent of Nigeriens in urban areas have access to electricity, while roughly 3 percent do in the rural areas.

Nigeriens are taking notice and might soon follow the lead of other Sahel countries looking to expel Western troops. Amina Niandou, president of the Association of African Communication Professionals, explains:

The Nigeriens who are in this position have observed what is happening in Mali and Burkina Faso. For these Nigeriens, the French forces in these countries have not been able to prevent the expansion of terrorism. So, for them, Niger will be in the same situation. Some also believe that the attacks are sponsored by French forces.

And from Amadou Oumarou, lecturer at the Abdou Moumouni University of Niamey, speaking to The New Humanitarian:

The reservation of Nigeriens on the French presence in their country is explained by several factors. First, the historical factor: Colonisation is an unhappy memory that pushes many people to revolt against the French and France. This explanation is [old] but current, because it dominates the subconscious of many Nigeriens who see in France those who tortured their ancestors. Second, the economic factor: France is present in our countries through several firms or companies which only benefit the French and France. This is a cause for frustration and hate. Third, the political factor: France is rightly or wrongly considered to support and maintain autocratic, dictatorial, and corrupt regimes.

Despite Nigeriens reservations, the West is increasing its presence in the country  what the Financial Times calls the wests bulwark against jihadis and Russian influence in Africa. Germany is sending more troops and the US is pledging more help as part of efforts to hold back the tectonic shift taking place in the region.

Ironically, the West, as is becoming customary, helped bring it on themselves. Much of the current instability in the region that is leading Sahel states to turn to Russia/Wagner Group originated back in 2011 when Nato destroyed Libya. As the Financial Times admits:

Much of the rot set in after western powers, including France and the UK, engineered the downfall of Libyas longtime dictator, Muammer Gaddafi, in 2011. The resulting power vacuum precipitated a flood of arms into the Sahel, weaponising ancient antagonisms and providing Islamists and criminal gangs with the wherewithal to wage terror. Wagner is now fighting in Libya too, alongside the rebel general Khalifa Haftar.

Overall, Russias numbers in the Sahel are small. Moscow says there are 1,890 Russian instructors present in the mineral-rich Central African Republic. Primarily through the Wagner Group, Moscow has roughly 400 mercenaries in Mali. The extent of Russian involvement in Burkina Faso remains unclear. The EU in February announced additional sanctions against Russias Wagner Group for human rights abuses committed in the Central African Republic, Mali, and elsewhere.

Media like Politico blame Frances retreat on Russian disinformation and warn of a domino effect in other French outposts, such as Niger and the Republic of Cote dIvoire. But of course the reality points to Russia and China winning the battle for hearts and minds in the new Cold War we find ourselves in.

Russias opportunistic democratic security deals with these African states are fairly straight-forward: Russia / the Wagner Group offer military support, arms deals, political backing at the UN and strategic investments. The arrangements are meant to be mutually beneficial and are part of Russias appeals to the Global South to prevent Western efforts to isolate it. This was laid out by Putin in his address following the signing of treaties on accession of Donetsk and Lugansk peoples republics and Zaporozhye and Kherson regions to Russia. What exactly is Russia helping defend against, though?

In the Sahelian states of Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger, US-trained forces have conducted seven coups since 2008. More from Nick Turse:

Rarely, however, have so many coups been so concentrated in a region over such a short period of time. Last fall, after returning from a trip, alongside other top State Department and Pentagon officials to the Sahelian states of Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger, Ambassador Victoria Nuland was upbeat. We went to the region in force. We were looking, in particular, at how the U.S. strategy towards the Sahel is working. This is a strategy that we put in place about a year ago to try to bring more coherence to our efforts to support increased security, she said during an October conference call with reporters. After Rolling Stone pointed out that U.S.-trained military officers had conducted seven coups in these same countriesBurkina Faso, three times; Mali, three times; and Mauritania, one timesince 2008, Nuland was less sanguine. Nick, that was a pretty loaded comment that you made, she replied. Some folks involved in these coups have received some U.S. training, but far from all of them. The fact is the leaders of all of these coups have received significant U.S. training.

Unfortunately for Nuland, these US-trained officers are now ditching the US for Moscow. Russias military prowess and its willingness to take on the West is an attractive alternative, and it also serves as an interesting complement to Chinas economic tools. Andrew Korybko, a Moscow-based political analyst, writes:

This gives Russia an edge over everyone else, especially its Western rivals whose only response to these bespoke Democratic Security strategies that Moscow has crafted for its African partners is to spew information warfare narratives about their ties and threaten to impose sanctions against them. Without first securing their sovereignty, these African states cant sustainably benefit from Chinas Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) investments, hence their prioritization of ties with Moscow over Beijing nowadays. That observation isnt to imply that Russia is eroding Chinas partnerships in Africa, but rather to raise awareness about how these two complement one another since the first ensures that those states sovereignty is secure while the second then helps them meaningfully benefit afterwards.

And thats what is happening. Ken Opalo, a political scientist at Georgetown University, writes at An Africanist Perspective:

Importantly, France is no longer the undisputed major power when it comes to francophone African countries foreign relations. The last two decades have seen China supplant France as these countries largest trade partner. China is now a bigger trade trade partner for francophone African states than the United States, the United Kingdom, and France combined. More recently, countries like the Central African Republic (CAR), Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Mali have forged closer security ties with Russia. Frances situation looks even worse when one considers its share of total trade to/from its former African colonies. Among these countries, French share of trade plummeted from more than a quarter in the early 1990s to just over 5%.

It could be an effective arrangement. Russia provides the muscle, while China deals with the investments. Whether Russia intends it or not, its moves into Africa could also have major repercussions for Europes energy future. Brussels is attempting a major turn to Africa in order to partially replace supplies of Russian energy and better secure green resources.

And in the southern Sahel sits the energy crown jewel of Nigeria.

Nigeria is currently Africas third largest producer of both oil and gas, and it sits on the largest gas reserves on the continent. Due to the war in Ukraine, Nigeria and its potential partners to the north are resurrecting massive pipeline projects to Europe. Nigerian president-elect Tinubu said in the runup to the Feb. election that he wanted Nigeria to replace Russia in supplying gas to Europe.

Algeria and Morocco, already at odds over other issues such as Western Sahara, are also competing for the pipeline route from Nigeria to Europe. The 3,480-mile Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project would run across 13 African countries and provide gas from Nigeria to West African countries through Morocco and subsequently to Europe. And completion of the project would only take [checks notes] 25 years.

Algeria wants to get moving on a Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline linking Nigeria to Algerias Mediterranean coast via Niger. Algiers says the 2,565-mile pipeline could be completed in three years. Europe, for its part, isnt even sure it wants one of the pipelines. Brussels says its kicking the gas habit for good. Any day now.

In the meantime Europe is relying on shipped LNG from Nigeria and is hoping Abuja can increase its LNG output. The EU imports 14 percent of its total LNG supplies from Nigeria and wants to double it, but security issues have left Nigeria LNG Ltds Bonny Island terminal operating at 60 percent capacity, and there are other issues hampering increased output.

Nigerian ties with Russia have been hampered by Western sanctions as the country had to buy emergency supplies of Canadian potash last year after the country was unable to import the fertilizer from Russia. Sanctions have also complicated maintenance of Russian-made military hardware. In 2021, Nigeria and Russia signed a military cooperation deal providing a legal framework for the supply of equipment and the training of troops, but that has fallen by the wayside due to the Ukraine war.

Meanwhile the US is trying to tighten its grip on Nigeria, as it has done for years. Much of the increased presence is justified under the need to fight terrorism.

There is an argument to be made that the Boko Haram insurgency (and others like it across Africa) have less to do with religion and more to do with economic interests and resources  water, oil, gas, or other minerals.

Indeed, a 2011 report from the US House of Representatives Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence tried to explain Boko Harams popularity. Reasons included a feeling of alienation from the wealthier, Christian, oil-producing, southern Nigeria, pervasive poverty, rampant government corruption, heavy-handed security measures, and the belief that relations with the West are a corrupting influence.

The response? Nigeria, which had been transforming into an arm of US Africa Command ever since the dawn of the War on Terror, executed Boko Harams leader and state forces began killing or displacing thousands of Nigerian Muslims. And everything has gone pretty much according to plan since then. From MR Online:

Its not as if strategists dont understand that violence doesnt work. They understand that violence escalates violence which can then be used as pretexts for more violence. A U.S. Council on Foreign Relations article from 2020 notes: the last two years have been deadlier than any other period for Nigerian soldiers since the Boko Haram insurgency began.

US military aid and involvement in Nigeria has continued to increase in an effort to secure the countrys natural resources and keep out Russia and China.

In 2017, the US sold Nigeria 12 Super Tucano warplanes, including thousands of bombs and rockets, for $593 million. Last year, the U.S. approved a $1 billion sale of 12 attack helicopters and related training and equipment to Nigeria. Alarmingly, The Intercept reports on how the Tucano sale came after Nigerian air forces bombed an internally displaced persons camp, and the helicopter sale right after a helicopter attack on homes, farms, and a school in an effort to strike at bandits.

Meanwhile, despite the boom in oil profits from the Ukraine war, Nigeria has not benefited at all. Now undersecretary of state Victoria Nuland is blaming terrorism in Nigeria and the Sahel on Russias increased involvement in the region. Again from Nick Turse writing at Rolling Stone:

Nulands assessment, however, ignored the fact that security trends have been in a free fall for years, despite the U.S. pouring more than a billion dollars of security assistancein the form of equipment, training, and weaponsinto Mali and its neighbors in West Africa over the last two decades. As Rolling Stone reported in October, the Pentagons own Africa Center for Strategic Studies chronicled catastrophic security failures that predate significant Russian involvement in the region. The western Sahel has seen a quadrupling in the number of militant Islamist group events since 2019, reads a recent Pentagon report. This violence has expanded in intensity and geographic reach. In fact, the Africa Center found violent events linked to militant Islamist groups in the Sahel jumped from 76 in 2016 to a projected 2,800 for 2022, a 3,600 percent increase. The spike in fatalities stemming from these attacks has been almost as extreme, rising from 223 to 7,052 over that same span. Despite this record of failure, Americas playbook for the region remains largely unaltered with the United States continuing to provide security assistancejust as it has for almost two decadesas terrorist violence escalated, deaths rose, insecurity increased, and coups proliferated.

Indeed, despite the US and EU pouring weapons, training, and troops into the region, the terrorism problem only gets worse. And the countrys people can never seem to benefit from their wealth of natural resources. Funny how that works.

Unfortunately, its just more of the same. Nnimmo Bassey, a Nigerian architect and environmentalist, explains why hes not optimistic about more EU and US investment in Nigeria or elsewhere in Africa. The short version: exploitation, domination, colonialism. And the longer, from EU Observer:
Conor here: As the following piece demonstrates, it sure is convenient for US natural gas production that Russia and Europe have been severed and someone blew up those Nord Stream pipelines. Germany isnt a top receiver of US LNG yet, but that is likely to change. A March 3 report from the German economy ministry details Berlins plans for an extensive LNG infrastructure to ensure security of supply. The report says that with several floating import terminals and three fixed onshore ports, Germany could rely on about 30 bcm per year starting in 2027.

One problem: Welt am Sonntag, citing a recent local McKinsey study, reported on Sunday that by 2025 the country will lack four gigawatts of power capacity, while by 2030 the deficit could increase to 30 gigawatts.

So were heading toward a significant shortage: 30GW corresponds to the capacity of about 30 large thermal power plants, the study warned.

And yet the witch hunts in Germany for former politicians who had close ties with Russia continue, and nobody asks any questions about who blew up the pipelines, but the Green economy minister Robert Habeck assures everyone that theyre learning from their current predicament:

Russias attack on Ukraine has made us realise how dangerous unilateral dependencies are and that they cost us,. We would be fools not to learn from this.

By Wolf Richter, editor of Wolf Street. Originally published at Wolf Street.

US natural gas production rose to a record 39 trillion cubic feet in 2022, according to EIA data, having soared by 33% since 2017 and having doubled since 2006, amid the massive US fracking boom that reshaped the energy landscape in the US globally. By 2008, with limited demand in the US and not enough export possibilities, the price of natural gas in the US collapsed ( for a neck-breaker rollercoaster, see the long-term price chart at the bottom). In 2011, the US became the largest natural gas producer in the world.

The US has exported natural gas via pipelines to Mexico since the late 1990s, and to a lesser extent to Canada (from which is also imports natural gas). And the US has long had a small Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) export terminal in Alaska.

But large-scale exports of LNG to the rest of the world was impossible until the first large-scale LNG export terminal on the Gulf Coast began operating in 2016. And as the LNG export boom took off, providing more demand for US production, US production skyrocketed:

Exports of natural gas.

Total exports of natural gas via LNG to the rest of the world, and via pipelines to Mexico and Canada rose to a new record of 6.89 trillion cubic feet, or roughly 18% of US production.

Exports via LNG rose by 3.6% in 2022 to 3.87 trillion cubic feet, up from near-0 in 2015. Exports were handicapped by the shutdown of the Freeport natural gas liquefaction plant in Texas last June, after a major fire, which cut LNG export capacity by 17% for the second half of the year. Exports did not resume until this year.

Exports via pipeline to Mexico took off over 20 years ago and in 2021 reached a record of 2.15 trillion cubic feet, but dipped to 2.07 trillion cubic feet in 2022 (the US imports no natural gas from Mexico).

Exports to Canada via pipeline have remained relatively stable over the years, and in 2022 rose to 952 billion cubic feet, but that was below the 2019 volume (the US imports more natural gas from Canada than it exports to Canada).

In the chart, you can see the slower growth in LNG exports (purple line) in 2022 due the shutdown of the Freeport LNG export terminal. The green line represents exports via pipeline to Mexico and Canada. The red line is total natural gas exports:

LNG Exports by region and country.

Asia had been the dominant buyers of US LNG, at first Japan and South Korea. China and India also became big buyers starting in 2020. In 2021, exports of LNG to Asia reached a record 1.68 trillion cubic feet, nearly half of total LNG exports, according to EIA data. But in 2022, sales to Asia plunged by 46% (green line), as US LNG was diverted to Europe.

European countries with LNG import terminals became large buyers of US LNG. Combined, they bought 2.47 trillion cubic feet in 2022, about 64% of total US LNG exports (red).

Even though Germany ended up with some of the gas through the European gas distribution network, it didnt have LNG import terminals until the very end of the year, and so it doesnt show up as a major buyer.

The buyers in Europe were coastal countries with LNG import terminals and with chartered Floating Storage and Regasification Units (FSRU). The largest buyers in Europe were, in billion cubic feet (Bcf)

France: 571 Bcf United Kingdom: 464 Bcf Spain: 426 Bcf Netherlands: 378 Bcf Poland: 127 Bcf Italy: 116 Bcf Belgium: 80 Bcf

Exports to Latin America plunged by 60% in 2022, to 245 billion cubic feet (gray).

Exports to the Middle East and Africa rose to 249 billion cubic feet (blue).

For your amusement: The price of US natural gas.

Today, the price of natural gas futures edged over $3 per million Btu for the first time since January, after having dropped as low as $2.20 in February, after having spiked to nearly $10 in the summer of 2022.

Note the much higher prices that prevailed before 2008, before fracking unleashed the biggest and fastest supply surge ever, upon which the price collapsed, pushing many dozens of smaller shale oil and gas drillers into bankruptcy, plus some big ones, including finally Chesapeake Energy in 2020, which marked the end of the Great American Oil and Gas Bust and the beginning of the recovery:
(Natural News) Thanks to fake president Joe Biden, Americans are losing their medical freedom.

The Biden regime this week affirmed its commitment to what it described as a legally binding accord that grants the World Health Organization (WHO) total control over the United States every time there is a pandemic.

A statement from Ambassador Pamela Hamamoto at the WHOs fourth meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) opens with a canned condemnation of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, calling it an unprovoked, unjustified war. It then segues into the Biden regimes commitment to the Pandemic Accord, which is described as a major component of the global health architecture for generations to come.

We seek a Pandemic Accord that builds capabilities; reduces pandemic threats posed by zoonotic diseases; enables rapid and more equitable responses; and establishes sustainable financing, government, and accountability to ultimately break the cycle of panic and neglect.

(Related: Learn more about the WHOs Pandemic Treaty and how it will unleash a medical dictatorship across the entire globe.)

Biden is bypassing the need for Senate approval by avoiding calling its Pandemic Accord a treaty  even though it has the full force of one

In Geneva this week, international leaders have converged to discuss a so-called Zero Draft of the agreement, which would hand over near-limitless power to the WHO to not only manage a global pandemic emergency but also to declare one on a whim.

Once a health emergency is declared, every signatory to the Zero Draft, including the U.S., must relinquish its national sovereignty and hand over all authority and power to the WHO, which operates as the public health arm of the United Nations.

This includes caving to them on treatments, lockdowns and vaccine mandates along with government surveillance, explains The Gateway Pundit.

Even more chillingly, the Biden regime does not feel they need to submit this agreement for Senate approval because they are not calling it an official treaty despite it having the full force of one.

For the past year, the Biden regime has been negotiating the terms of this agreement with the WHO. It is being carefully crafted to avoid having to include Congress while still allowing maximum power and authority to be handed over to the globalists.

In her announcement, Hamamoto specified that the final agreement cannot include common but differentiated responsibilities and capabilities, calling such an idea not appropriate.

We look forward to seeking common ground to best ensure universal application while also ensuring capacities are strengthened so that countries can meet their obligations, she said, adding that the final agreement must stand the test of time while building on the lessons from previous pandemics in order for the U.S. and the WHO to build a strong global health architecture for all.

Finally, the Pandemic Accord must stand the test of time while building on the lessons from previous pandemics, her announcement concludes. By creating solutions that are flexible and adaptable, by laying out commitments that are clear regarding triggers and responsibilities, and by strengthening coordination and capacities, together we can build a stronger global health architecture for all.

If ever there was a blatant act of treason by this corrupt regime, this is it. Biden and his cronies are no longer even trying to hide their true intentions for America, which include sacrificing the Constitution on the altar of public health.

All treaties require congressional approval, one commenter emphasized about the absolute lawlessness of this regime. Joebama is not following the law again.

More news coverage about Bidens assault on medical freedom can be found at Tyranny.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheGatewayPundit.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) The worlds largest provider of DNA services has been gobbled up by Wall Street investment giant Blackstone.

For $4.7 billion, Blackstone purchased Ancestry.com from private equity rivals Silver Lake, Spectrum Equity, and Permira, placing a big bet, as Reuters describes it, on family-tree chasing as well as personalized medicine.

In case you are unfamiliar with the services it offers, Ancestry.com allows customers to not only trace their genealogy but also identify specific genetic health risks using testing kits. (Related: Remember when it came out that Communist China is stealing peoples DNA from these at-home testing kits?)

Blackstones hope is that because of the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19), more customers will stay home and use Ancestry.coms services, generating more profits for the investment firm.

We believe Ancestry has significant runway for further growth as people of all ages and backgrounds become increasingly interested in learning more about their family histories and themselves, said David Kestnbaum, a Blackstone senior managing director.

Why does a major investment firm want to own a family history company?

The deal is Blackstones first acquisition out of Blackstone Capital Partners VIII, the largest-ever private equity fund that siphoned $26 billion last year from its investors.

As of this writing, some three million paying customers use Ancestry.com on a regular basis. They hail from about 30 different countries, feeding the company more than $1 billion in annual revenue.

Ancestry.com was launched in 1996 as a family history website. It has since morphed in a DNA testing and smartphone app company that allows customers to utilize the latest technological advancements in personalized genetics-based medicine.

Singapore-based sovereign wealth fund GIC, another Ancestry.com investor, said it will continue to maintain a significant minority stake in the company despite the acquisition.

The $4.7 billion purchase price is a substantial jump from Ancestry.coms previous evaluation from two years ago. Silver Lake and GIC invested in the Lehi, Utah-based company at a $2.6 billion valuation.

Ancestry.com currently has more than 10,000 terabytes of data on genetics, immigration, births, marriages, and deaths that will now fall into the hands of a major investment firm.

Blackstone says it sees significant runway for growth at Ancestry.com as increasingly more people probe their family history for clues about who they truly are. The investment firm says its main goal in acquiring Ancestry.com is to cater to this interest as well as provide a differentiated service to customers.

Other companies in Blackstones $880.9 billion asset portfolio include Michaels, Crown Resorts, and VFS Global.

Another thing worth pointing out is that Jeffrey Kindler, the former chairman and CEO of Pfizer, is now a senior adviser at Blackstone. This suggests that Blackstone is aiming for a venture into the customized medicine industry.

You dont spend $4.7 billion unless you have a plan to make it back, and more, said longtime Ancestry.com user Shirley Ruge, adding that she doesnt believe for a second that Blackstone bought Ancestry simply because they love people.

Electronic Privacy Information Center executive director Alan Butler added to this worry by telling CBS News in an interview that the concern when there is a big deal like this is that investors might be interested in that data for other reasons, and in the ways that consumers intended when they gave over that information.

An Ancestry.com spokesperson responded to these data concerns by claiming that Blackstone will not have access to any of the genetic or family tree information provided by customers. The company also has no plans to change any of its data storage or access rules.

The latest news about Wall Streets acquisition of everything can be found at Globalism.news.

Sources for this article include:

Reuters.com

NaturalNews.com

MarketRealist.com
(Natural News) The world of Walt Disney has arrived in East Palestine, Ohio, where a local man exposed to the chemical plume from the train derailment says he developed a high-pitched voice that sounds like Mickey Mouse.

Wade Lovett, 40, claims doctors have confirmed that he has the chemicals in me but that there is nobody left in East Palestine who is able to run the toxicological tests to determine which ones they are.

The auto detailer told the media in his new high-pitched Mickey Mouse voice that his normal voice is low, but that his normal voice is gone ever since the train was intentionally set on fire.

Its hard to breathe, especially at night, Lovett said. My chest hurts so much at night I feel like Im drowning. I cough up phlegm a lot. I lost my job because the doctor wont release me to go to work.

Lovett and his fiance have been spending a lot of their time delivering water bottles to locals in need, many of whom were driven out of the area following the disaster. (Related: Did the Ohio train derailment and controlled explosion create the worlds largest dioxin plume?)

According to the couple, there is a substantial lack of real information on the ground in East Palestine. Both state and federal officials, including those from the Biden regime, have done next to nothing to help area residents.

East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway took aim at fake president Joe Biden for instead traveling to Ukraine to surprise visit his buddy Volodymyr Zelensky rather than show up to help East Palestinians.

This, Conaway said, is the biggest slap in the face from the current regime, which has shown that it could not care less about the plight of East Palestinians and their families.

East Palestine residents who came home when the authorities declared it safe now suffer from rashes and other health problems

Lovett is not the only East Palestine resident suffering from strange symptoms since the incident. Jami Cozza, 46, says she has 47 close relatives in the area and many of them are facing health issues from the fire, including mental health issues.

Much like environmental activist Erin Brockovich, Cozza is a fireball of activist who was at the same town hall meeting Brockovich attended to voice her concerns about the incident.

Ive known Jami my whole life and she is very sharp, said 47-year-old Jason Trosky, a lifelong resident of East Palestine.

Were lucky to have her. Brockovich came with her lawyer in tow. Will she help? Maybe, but shes also trying to stay relevant. Jami will be here for us after the circus leaves town.

Cozza has lived in East Palestine for most of her life as well. She has a 91-year-old widowed grandmother whom she tried to help clean chemicals off the furniture in her home, only to end up at a local hotel in the end.

Even though the authorities have declared East Palestine safe for return, locals say they are struggling to sleep and feel normal. Many have sore throats, skin rashes, and other problems indicative of chemical exposure.

Local creeks are also still rippling with rainbow-like contamination, indicating that chemicals are also present in local water supplies.

My fiance was so sick that I almost took him to the hospital, Cozza said to the media before leading her own town hall meeting.

Not only am I fighting for my familys life, but I feel like Im fighting for the whole towns life. When Im walking around hearing these stories, theyre not from people. Theyre from my family. Theyre from my friends that I have grown up with.

The latest news about the East Palestine train derailment can be found at Disaster.news.

Sources for this article include:

NYPost.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Newly released emails show that disgraced government career criminal Tony Fauci knew from the very beginning that the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) did not come from bat soup in communist China as was widely claimed by the government and the media.

In January 2020 (and likely much earlier than that), Fauci was aware, according to email correspondences, that covid is a man-made invention, not a random act of nature.

[O]ne has to look really closely at all the sequences to see that some of the features (potentially) look engineered, reads an email sent to Fauci by British researcher Dr. Kristian Andersen on Jan. 31, 2020, at 10:32pm.

Eddie [Holmes], Bob [Garry], Mike [Ferguson] and myself all find the genome inconsistent with evolutionary theory, the email further reads.

Two hours later at 12:29am on Feb. 1, 2020, Fauci emailed his long-time deputy, Dr. Hugh Auchincloss, that included a paper written by Ralph Baric and Zhengli-Li Shi, the so-called bat woman from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV). That paper highlighted the taxpayer-funded gain of function (GoF) research that was taking place on coronaviruses prior to the launch of the scamdemic.

It is essential that we speak this [morning], Fauci wrote with urgency. Keep your cell phone on  read this paper  you will have tasks today that must be done. (Related: Remember when Fauci admitted that covid vaccines spread disease?)

Fauci is a slimy, deceptive criminal who desperately needs to meet justice

Two hours after that correspondence, at 2:48am  why is Fauci awake in the middle of the night sending urgent emails about bat coronaviruses?  Fauci emailed Robert Kadlec, a Trump-appointed Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the Department of Health and Human Services. In that email, Fauci downplayed the lab leak theory and pushed for an evolutionary origin to covid.

Bob: This came out today, Fauci wrote. Gives a balanced view.

In this email, Fauci was calm and collected. In his previous email to Auchincloss, Fauci was urgent and frantic. Why the change in tone? And why did Fauci not send Kadlec the Baric-Shi study that he sent to Auchincloss? The answer, as penned by The Federalists Jim Jordan, is this:

The paper that supported the original message from Dr. Andersen that COVID-19 looked engineered, was inconsistent with evolutionary theory, and linked American tax dollars to gain of function research at the WIV.

Keep in mind that Andersen, who sent Fauci the initial email in this sequence, had already received millions of dollars in grant money from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is connected to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the federal agency that Fauci oversaw.

Later that morning, at 11:47am, Auchincloss responded to Fauci, confirming that American tax dollars were, in fact, used to perform GoF research at the WIV  and that this research did not go through proper oversight.

Dr. Fauci already knew there was a lethal virus on the loose in Wuhan, China. In just 13 hours, between 10:32 p.m. January 31, 2020, and 11:47 a.m. February 1, 2020, Dr. Fauci learned three additional facts, Jordan explains.

First, Dr. Fauci knew that American taxpayers had helped to fund dangerous gain-of-function research in Wuhan, China  Second, Dr. Fauci knew this research funding did not go through the governments required safety review process  a process known as the P3 framework  Third, Dr. Fauci knew that the virus looked  engineered and seemed to be inconsistent with evolutionary theory.'

Fauci then proceeded to arrange a conference call that included 11 virologists from around the world, including Andersen. Nearly every participant had previously been awarded American taxpayer-funded grants by Fauci  and the only person missing was Kadlec, Faucis boss at the HHS.

Read the rest of the story at The Federalist.

More related news about Fauci can be found at Evil.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheFederalist.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Ohio-based attorney Tom Renz exhorted both the U.S. Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of Arizona to conduct a full investigation of the judicial corruption happening in the country on the Feb. 28 episode of the Brighteon.TV program Lawfare with Tom Renz.

He cited the independent investigation done by a group of people in Arizona that had the backing of a law firm, which ultimately discovered that corruption in the Grand Canyon State was widespread.

It is bad. They found judges, they found political officials all the way up to Katie Hobbs herself, the crook thats in the governors mansion after stealing the election that she oversaw, Renz remarked. What I do know is that if this stands therell never be anything even close to a fair election again in Arizona. And I know how its standing right now. Its standing on corruption just systemic corruption.

I care about the credibility of our judicial system. And I think that its ethically incumbent upon me to say that Im calling on the Supreme Court of the United States and the Supreme Court of Arizona to do a full investigation into this. We have evidence of corruption.

The Lawfare host also mentioned that there is evidence of corruption in federal courts around the country. Thus, a fully transparent and independent third-party investigation of the judiciary must be done immediately.

This cant be a judiciary-friendly appointment. This has to be someone who is truly and legitimately independent of the judiciary, Renz stated, urging the proposed investigative body to dig really hard to find out what the judges had, where the money was coming from and how this corruption was happening.

Arizona court rulings egregiously bad

According to Renz, the state supreme courts rulings on the election cases filed by State Rep. Mark Finchem, gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake and attorney general candidate Abe Hamadeh were not just a little bit off  they were also egregiously bad. The Brighteon.TV host said these rulings featured intentionally conflated principles of law. While the Arizona Legislature passed a law in 2020 enabling people to challenge elections in the courts, this was overturned by a statute.

The Ohio-based lawyer and founder of Renz Law said Arizonans deserve a court that would truly hear their grievances in a fair and impartial way as well as elected officials that they can trust.

This sort of corruption cannot stand. There have been numerous whispers about corruption in the federal system for a long time. I have evidence of some things that I think are unethical. We have a number of other people that brought forth issues with ethics, and all this gets swept under the rug. We cant have this. We cannot have a justice system that people cant trust to be credible, fair and balanced. We cant have a two-tiered justice system, Renz said. (Related: Lawfare with Tom Renz: Two-tiered system destroying the credibility of Americas judiciary  Brighteon.TV)

Follow Corruption.news for more news about the corruption in the judicial branch.

Watch the Feb. 28 episode of Lawfare with Tom Renz below. Lawfare with Tom Renz airs every Tuesday at 11:30 a.m.-12 p.m. and every Saturday at 12:30 p.m.-1 p.m. on Brighteon.TV.

More related stories:

Lawfare with Tom Renz: The American justice system urgently needs reform  Brighteon.TV.

CLAIM: Arizonas Democrat governor, Katie Hobbs, accused of taking bribes from Mexican cartel through complex real estate scheme.

Toni Shuppe tells Dr. Alan Keyes: There is a lot more corruption going on at certain levels of our government  Brighteon.TV.

Dan Happel, Jim Beers talk about exposing corruption in the federal government  Brighteon.TV.

Arizona cant enforce new election law in 2022 election: Federal judge.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

TheThinkingConservative.com
(Natural News) Top doctors are increasingly questioning the need to put millions of children who have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, on medications that alter their minds and behaviors, often in very bad ways, over a period of time.

As glasses help people focus their eyes to see, medical experts from the American Academy of Pediatrics say, medications help children with ADHD focus their thoughts better and ignore distractions. And while stimulants are often abused for their ability to produce addictive sensations of high energy, euphoria, and potency, they are commonly compared to benign medical aids like eyeglasses or walking crutches, as suggested by their name, notes Dr. Yaakov Ophir. Ophir is a research associate at the Natural Language Processing lab of the Technion  Israel Institute of Technology and a licensed clinical psychologist with a specific expertise in child therapy, parent training, and family interventions, in a column that was initially published by the Brownstone Institute.

The piece was republished on the Substack of Dr. Robert Malone, who helped create mRNA technology.

Ophir went on to say that clinicians are informed that numerous studies back their effectiveness and safety, and evidence-based medicine recommends them as the primary treatment for children with ADHD, adding that theres one big problem here.

The most pressing issue is that ADHD has become the most prevalent childhood disorder in Western-oriented countries, with rapidly escalating rates. The documented occurrence of ADHD, which was originally introduced in 1980, is no longer around 3 percent. A survey conducted by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2014 indicated that more than 20 percent of 12-year-old boys were diagnosed with this life-long condition.

In 2020, thousands of real-life medical records from Israel suggested that over 20 percent of all children and young adults (5-20 years) received a formal diagnosis of ADHD, Ophir continued. This means that hundreds of millions of children around the world are eligible for this diagnosis and that most of them (about 80 percent), including very young, preschool children, will be prescribed with its treatment-of-choice, as if regular use of stimulants is indeed comparable to eyeglasses.

Medications like Ritalin, Concerta, Adderall, or Vyvanse, which are stimulants for ADHD, are among the best-selling medications for children. The popularity of cognitive enhancers like these in the US may be influenced by the American dream, but the demand for these magic pills is not limited to national borders. According to the International Narcotics Control Board, the countries currently leading the way in the use of Ritalin are Iceland, Israel, Canada, and Holland, the Israeli physician and researcher noted.

But what if the scientific consensus is wrong? What if the medications for ADHD are not as effective and as safe as we are told? After all, stimulant medications are powerful psychoactive substances, which are prohibited to use without medical prescriptions, under federal drug laws, he wrote.

As with all psychoactive substances that impact the central nervous system, stimulant medications are created to cross the blood-brain barrier, a specialized tissue and network of blood vessels that typically shields the brain from harmful compounds. Thus, stimulant medications alter the biochemical processes of our brain, which is the extraordinary organ that defines our individuality, he says.

Contrary to the assertions made by the American Academy of Pediatrics, numerous reputable academic journals have published hundreds of studies that indicate that stimulant medications are not analogous to eyeglasses.

Regarding ADHD medications, At first usage, they may trigger intense sensations of potency or euphoria, but when used for prolonged periods, their desired effects subside, and their unwanted negative effects start to emerge, Ophir writes. The brain recognizes these psychoactive substances as neurotoxins and activates a compensatory mechanism in an attempt to fight the harmful invaders. It is this activation of the compensatory mechanism, not the ADHD, that might cause the biochemical imbalance in the brain.

He adds: In my new book ADHD is Not an Illness and Ritalin is Not a Cure: A Comprehensive Rebuttal of the (alleged) Scientific Consensus, I do my best to answer these disturbing questions.

Sources include:

RWMaloneMD.Substack.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) The Telegraph (UK) has released an explosive series of articles documenting the psychological terrorism and biological warfare COVID campaigns waged against the British people by their own government.

See The Lockdown Files here.

Read about Project Fear in this article.

As The Telegraph writes:

Throughout the course of the pandemic, officials and ministers wrestled with how to ensure the public complied with ever-changing lockdown restrictions. One weapon in their arsenal was fear.

We frighten the pants off everyone, Matt Hancock suggested during one WhatsApp message with his media adviser.

The then Health Secretary was not alone in his desire to scare the public into compliance. The WhatsApp messages seen by the Telegraph show how several members of Mr. Hancocks team engaged in a kind of Project Fear in which they spoke of how to utilise fear and guilt to make people obey lockdown.

At one point, Matt Hancock, the former UK Health Minister, asks another government employee, When do we deploy the new variant?

He was texting with Damon Poole, who commented, Yep thats what will get proper behviour [sic] change.

In another message, Hancock bragged, We frighten the pants of everyone with the new strain

These are open admissions of a criminal conspiracy to carry out psychological terrorism against the British people.

Damon Poole and Matt Hancock should be immediately arrested and prosecuted, then jailed for life if found guilty.

Get the rest of the story in todays podcast

In todays Situation Update podcast, I cover the rest of the story of how UK government officials actively conspired to run a Truman Show psychological terrorism campaign against their own people. They also engaged in biological warfare, plotting the timing of the release of variants  by their own admissions  to terrorize the public.

Importantly, what they are admitting to is exactly what the alternative media told you was happening from the very beginning. All our so-called conspiracy theories turn out to be facts, again and again.

What Hancock and his staffers did is an admission that the entire covid plandemic was, in fact, contrived from the very start. From its inception, the plandemic has always been a weaponized conspiracy against the people. (Yes, yet another actual conspiracy fact, not merely a theory.) And these government tyrants are such woke idiot morons, they actually left an electronic trail of their crimes against humanity.

Thats how arrogant and stupid they are. They think they can get away with running biological terrorism and psychological terrorism against their own people. But now, the truth is coming out. (The truth weve been reporting since 2020.) And all those who downplayed the conspiracy facts surrounding the plandemic are now eating crow: The UKs own government officials admit to their crimes, in their own words.

The debate is over. COVID was a government-run conspiracy of terrorism and bioweapons, designed to achieve global depopulation and economic collapse.

And the covid vaccines are, of course, a global depopulation weapon designed to exterminate humanity and collapse global economies. This is a fact.

The corporate media is now starting to roll out elements of truth, believe it or not. Those entire thing is about to flip.

Get full details in todays podcast, covering:

 Another train derailment in Ohio

 Theyre still running trains that are TOO LONG

 Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has no clue how transportation works

 Walmart closing ALL its stores in Portland due to rampant crime

 Walmart cant publicly tell the truth: The BLUE cities run by Dems are collapsing

 Walmart knows a societal collapse is coming, followed by rampant looting and arson

 RFK Jr. is thinking about running for President: Why this is a GOOD thing

 RFK Jr. may force Trump to face the truth about #vaccines and Operation Warp Speed

 Former UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock exposed through 100,000+ leaked messages

 Conspired with his govt. colleagues to scare the pants off everyone to achieve compliance

 Plotted the release of new variants, confirming the govt. keeps bioweapons and deploys them against the public

 Reveals how the entire covid plandemic was a Truman Show script to terrorize the public into vaccine compliance

Brighteon: Brighteon.com/9683812f-7048-4934-b9a5-8fbf8fdbc4d2

Rumble: Rumble.com/v2byhgk-situation-update-3623-bombshell-leaked-govt.-messages-reveal-covid-was-a-pl.html

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Banned.Video: Banned.video/watch?id=64060034b056e94a32bc372c

iTunes podcast: Healthrangerreport.com/situation-update-mar-6-2023-bombshell-leaked-govt-messages-reveal-covid-was-a-planned-psychological-terrorism-campaign-from-the-very-start

Discover more interviews and podcasts each day at:

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ESPO:                 ...
(Natural News) Supermarkets in the United Kingdom  such as Aldi, Morrisons, Tesco, Sainsburys and Lidl  have begun rationing vegetables that customers can buy. But this appears to be a ploy to normalize food shortages, according to some pundits.

Many mainstream media (MSM) commentators believe the food rationing was brought about by Brexit  the U.K.s withdrawal from the European Union that took effect in January 2020. However, Mac Slavo of SHTF Plan thinks this reason makes little sense. This is because the bulk of the U.K.s vegetables come from either Morocco or domestic sources, the latter depending on the weather.

Both of these are advantageous for the public to believe regarding the plans to install a New World Order totalitarian slave system using climate change as the scapegoat, remarked Slavo.

Kit Knightly, a contributor to the Off-Guardian news outlet, also put in his two cents on the issue.

Ireland has been affected too, plus were only five months removed from France and other EU nations facing their own catastrophic food shortages. That is supposing there are real shortages, not just psy-op nonsense like the toilet paper fiasco at the beginning of the pandemic. One way or another, they have been engineered.

Globalists using food to enslave the population

Analysts have echoed this speculation and have blamed government worldwide for intentionally creating these shortages. On the other side of the fence, authorities are pointing their fingers at whatever else they can to convince people that enslavement and their salvation are the only way.

In one instance, they claimed the Russia-Ukraine conflict was behind skyrocketing costs of producing, harvesting and transporting all crops. The MSM has conditioned peoples minds that the rising costs of oil, gas and crops was caused by the fertilizer shortage  likewise intentionally created.

Interestingly, people right in the middle of the war zone in Ukraine are not worried about the shortage of tomatoes  a stark difference compared to the U.K.s situation.

Lindsey Hilsum of Channel 4 revealed this in a tweet: No tomato shortage here  but Im in Kherson, a frontline Ukrainian city that gets shelled by the Russians daily, not a British supermarket.

GB News presenter Neil Oliver ultimately remarked that this planned food shortage is all about psychological manipulation.

Theyre rationing tomatoes in the supermarkets. Were told its about supply chains, bad weather and the price of heating. But right now, in terms of the messaging, I suspect its more about pushing the word rationing. Less about any believable shortage of food and more about getting us used to hearing the word, he added. (Related: FOOD RATIONING: British supermarkets Asda and Lidl now limiting the number of eggs customers can buy.)

For now, its more of a familiar process of psychological manipulation. [To] get us acquainted with the general idea of food scarcity so that were well-primed when the planned reality is unrolled.

Slavo appeared to concur with Olivers remarks: These sociopaths that most believe control their lives are trying to see what they can get away with before the slaves rise up and realize that firstly, they are slaves, and secondly, they dont have to be.

Visit FoodRationing.news for more news related to food shortages and rationing.

Watch this video that talks about vegetable rationing in the United Kingdom.

This video is from the ADAPT 2030 | Solar Minimum channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

UN food chief warns of chaos, hell, devastation from FAMINE  expect price controls, rationing and criminalization of preppers  HIDE YOUR FOOD.

Collapsifornia: California Gov. Gavin Newsom to mandate rationing of water, food and energy.

Collapse incoming: European nations start RATIONING food and fuel.

Food rationing begins in some countries as plandemics war phase escalates.

Gas rationing, food vouchers and hunger are now being normalized for the war phase of the plandemic.

Sources include:

SHTFplan.com

Off-Guardian.org

Twitter.com

GBNews.com

Brighteon.com
According to a recent study, alpaca antibodies may help farmers protect their crops.

Giving plants antibodies from animals is a new strategy developed by biotechnology researchers at the University of East Anglia to increase disease resistance. The group describes modifying alpaca and llama antibodies to enable them to combat a specific type of plant fungus.

Alpacas, Crops, Diseases

Research from the past demonstrated that animals are far more effective than plants at warding off diseases brought on by microbes. Sites of plant infection merely perish and fall to the ground. The plant perishes if too many of its parts die off or get a disease.

Animals, on the contrary, have sophisticated immune systems that frequently only require a few weeks to produce new antibodies in response to newly discovered threats. In this new endeavor, scientists questioned whether it might be possible to use a portion of an animal's immune system to assist plants in warding off infections.

To find out, the research group built on earlier work and developed a method to disrupt cellular functions in mammalian cells using single-domain antibody fragments derived from alpacas. The Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research team has carried out research similar to this in the past.

Antibodies from Alpacas

Pikobodies, or antibodies from alpacas and llamas that had been fused with the Pik-1 protein, were developed by the team for the latest study. The protein is normally found in plants that resemble tobacco plants in nature; it aids in the detection of a protein that permits a specific type of blast fungus to infect plant cells. Additionally, the team modified the antibodies to target fluorescent proteins.

The next step is for the team to inject the pikobodies into different plant species before exposing them to the fungus. They discovered that when plants were exposed to fluorescent proteins, cells in the plants died, leaving behind brown spots on the plant's leaves.

Four of the 11 versions of their pikobodies that they tested were not lethal to plant cells and also killed only those cells that contained specific proteins, demonstrating the viability of using such a tactic to aid in plant defense.

Additionally, the researchers discovered that their various pikobodies could be combined in various ways to give plants numerous ways to combat a single disease, PhysOrg reports.

The paper by a team of biotechnology researchers from the University of East Anglia was recently published in the journal Science.

Also Read: Bigfoot Mystery Finally Solved Through Analysis of Statistical Data

Plant Diseases

Plant diseases can have a significant impact on crop quality and yield, according to Biome Makers. Some of these diseases have seen significant increases in 2022, particularly in North America. Knowing the most prevalent diseases is crucial so that measures can be taken to stop them from eradicating entire crops.

In 2022, there will be several additional plant illnesses, including fungi like Rhizoctonia solani and Phakopsora pachyrhizi. Other well-known crops, including tomatoes, spinach, and potatoes, are affected by Phytophthora, albugo, and Streptomyces scabies, respectively.

Related Article: Catfish Injected with Alligator DNA Could Live Longer, Experiment Demonstrates
Researchers aimed to look into how robotic bees could help the queen to stimulate and optimize egg laying, benefiting healthy colonies and the environment.

Bees are essential and experts in pollination.

The potential decline of the bee population could affect the environment, food and agricultural supply.

According to the UN Environment Programme, bees are significant in food supplies and food security.

Bees are helpful to the reproduction of plants for their crucial role in pollination.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the bee population's decline could pose a significant threat to biodiversity and food security.

The reports noted that bees suffer from climate change, habitat loss, widespread pollution, changing weather patterns and excessive use of insecticides and other chemicals.

Role of robotic bees

The project title is robotic replicants for optimizing the site by augmenting living ecosystems.

The report is also published on Phys.org's website.

With the pressing concerns over the threats against bee populations, artificial intelligence and machine learning could be helpful.

Based on the report, the researchers developed robotic bees that could bolster the queen's egg-laying.

Before they deployed the robotic bees, the team looked into queens inside hives that could offer new insights for the project.

The project's initiative would significantly increase or improve the bees' pollination, benefiting plants and the environment.

Also Read: Kelp Forest Replanting by 2040 Shows Crucial to Save from Decline, Brink of Extinction

According to the report, computer scientist Dr. Farshad Arvin explained that it could attain healthier colonies using biological and machine learning approaches.

Part of the project is to design robotic bees that could interact with the queen in the hive.

The project is expected to employ micro-cameras for robotic bees.

The report noted that the project would focus on the queen. The researcher would test the robotic bees and help provide the queen with sufficient nutritious food to optimize egg laying.

On the other hand, the challenge that the project could encounter is how they could make robotic bees less noticeable inside the hives.

The project noted that the bee population is sensitive to foreign objects inside hives.

Did you know? More facts about bees

As mentioned, bees play a crucial role in the environment and pollination process.

According to World Wildlife Fund, about 75% of global crops depend on the bees' pollination.

Amazingly, WWF said that the hives could find a new candidate if the queen bee dies inside the hive.

The bees could select a young larva inside the hive. They take serious care of the young larva by feeding it with royal jelly.

As a result, scientists and conservationists are studying ways to save the bee population from significant decline.

The conservation of bees is vital to the environment, livelihood and communities. The dependence of plants and crops on pollution shows the valuable roles of bees.

Ultimately, bees are hardworking pollinators that benefit humans and biodiversity.

Related Article: How Arctic Geese Population Adapts To Extreme Temperatures, Warming Threat

For more similar stories, don't forget to follow Nature News.
As part of a strategy to manage its booming population, Colombia wants to transport about 70 hippos that currently reside close to the former ranch of Pablo Escobar to two other nations.

Since the drug lord was shot and killed by police in December 1993, Escobar's ranch and the infamous "cocaine hippos" have developed into popular tourist destinations. The hippos survived and multiplied in the nearby rivers and under ideal climatic conditions after his ranch was abandoned.

According to environmental authorities, there are about 130 hippos in the Antioquia province area, and within the next ten years, their population may increase to 400.

Hippos Threaten the Ecosystem

Hippos are among Earth's most aggressive animals, possessing territorial behavior and a maximum weight of three tons. With their strong jaws, they can split a canoe in half. Hippos kill about 500 people every year in Africa alone.

The lack of a natural predator makes the herbivorous mammals a potential threat to biodiversity because their feces alter the river's ecology. They add that and might affect the habitats of nearby animals like manatees.

Hippos Moving to Mexico and India

If everything goes according to plan, the hippos would be shipped to Mexico and India.

According to Lina Marcela de los Ros Morales, the director of animal protection and welfare at Antioquia's environment ministry, the idea to relocate them has been brewing for more than a year. Since they are in a controlled environment inside the ranch, it is intended to concentrate on the hippos that live in the rivers that surround it.

According to the Antioquia Governor's Office, Ecuador, the Philippines, and Botswana have also shown interest in migrating the hippos to their nations.

Humane Move

A spokesman for Cornare, the regional environmental agency in charge of the relocations, David Echeverri Lopez, said that moving large wildlife is doable and that they have prior experience doing so in zoos across the country.

The authorized team will work with Ernesto Zazueta, the president of Mexico's sanctuaries and zoos, who serves as a liaison with other nations and coordinates their rescue efforts, NPR reports.

A truck will transport the hippos to the international airport in Rionegro, which is about 90 miles away, after luring them with food into large iron containers. The animals are then flown to Mexico and India.

Along the nation's western coast and the Arabian Sea, 60 hippos will travel to Gujarat, India's Greens Zoological Rescue & Rehabilitation Kingdom.

The other ten hippos will be shipped to Mexican zoos and wildlife refuges, including the Ostok in Sinaloa, which is located near the Gulf of California.

Although the animals' natural habitat is in Africa, De los Ros Morales claimed that the relocations would help manage the hippo population and are more humane than the alternative suggestion of eradicating the African hippos as an invasive species in Columbia.

Also Read: 2-Year-Old Boy Survives Hippo Chomp and Hurl in Uganda

African Hippos in Columbia

The animals have spread far past the Hacienda Napoles ranch boundaries, located along the Magdalena River, about 125 miles from Bogota, and are descended from four animals that were illegally imported from Africa by the late drug kingpin in the 1980s, USA Today (with contributions from AP News) reports.

According to stories from Lit Hub, Escobar obtained control of a sizable Russian cargo plane, which he then loaded with tranquilized illegal wildlife from Africa and had flown back to Columbia.

Escobar smuggled kangaroos, lions, tigers, and four hippos over the years. There were three females and one male he called El Viejo, a common Colombian Mafia moniker denoting "Old Man."

Related Article: Rhinos Down to 400 as Poaching Intensifies in Botswana
Californians experienced heavy snow and record-setting snowpack after winter storms unloaded.

This week, the latest weather forecasts said heavy snow would continue.

The early beginning of March became troublesome for Californians after winter storms dumped massive snow in the region, causing many Californian residents to become stranded at their homes.

In January, Reuters and the BBC News reported that California experienced relentless rain, resulting in widespread flooding and evacuations.

Heavy snow in California

Recently, The New York Times and Associated Press (AP) reported that the heavy snow in California caused snow emergency, especially in San Bernardino County.

The heavy snow caused many to be stranded California without power.

The AP said that about 13 counties in California were under a state of emergency.

According to the New York Times, rescue operations and clearing efforts were ongoing, especially in San Bernardino Mountains.

In the latest weather forecast, another round of heavy snow is expected to dump in parts of California.

AccuWeather reported that heavy snow is forecasted in midweek in Northern California, Sierra Nevada and Northern Sacramento Valley.

Until Wednesday, the forecast explained that snow could cause road closures and possible avalanches in Reno, San Francisco and Fresno.

Residents in the affected areas should resupply for possible winter storms and heavy snow this week.

Furthermore, slower commutes and travel disruptions could unfold due to the snowy conditions.

There is also a possibility of power outages due to freezing temperatures.

On the other hand, CNN reported that the snowpack in parts of California helped improve the drought conditions.

Based on the report from US Drought Monitor, there is about 49% of California state in drought conditions, showing a significant improvement due to heavy rain in January and massive snow in February.

According to CNN, survey manager Sean de Guzman from Department of Water Resources explained that the current snowpack could rival the 1982 to 1983 snowpack record.

Also Read: Why Record-Breaking Heat Considered Global Health Concern

The record-setting snowpack was shown in the significant snow in Sierra Nevada that serves a crucial reservoir in California.

Heavy snow tips at home

Recent reports showed that many Californian homes became trapped after the record-setting snow conditions.

Snow preparedness during winter storms is essential to prevent injuries and casualties.

The clearing efforts could take days, depending on the situation.

As a result, homeowners should prepare for possible winter storms that could result in the same situation.

Here are essential safety tips during the blast of heavy snow.

Keep updated with the weather in California.

Whether your area is prone to heavy snow, keeping updated with the weather is essential. Homeowners can become better prepared for what is ahead.

Homeowners should have multiple sources of news, from local radio stations, televisions and gadgets.

Equip your home with disaster preparedness.

Homeowners should keep emergency tools and kits when heavy snow unleashes, trapping them inside their homes.

Power outages could also become a problem, making the situation difficult.

Homeowners should have the following:

Snow shovel

Non-perishable food supply.

Enough bottled water supply

Battery-operated radio

Battery-operated flashlights

Full-charged mobile phone and power bank

List of numbers of family members and nearby rescue authorities.

Related Article: Snow to Unload in New York City, North Dakota This Week; Travel Delays Expected

For more similar stories, don't forget to follow Nature News.
Weather reports showed torrential rain and seasonal flooding unloaded in Malaysia, causing four casualties and widespread evacuations.

Authorities deployed rescue operations for stranded and affected communities in Malaysia.

The flooding brought homes and vehicles underwater.

According to a CNN report, the Malaysian Meteorological Department said that the wet weather conditions are expected to continue until this coming April.

Torrential rain and flooding

Reuters and CNN reported that southern Johor state, with about 4 million population, suffered from torrential rain and flooding, forcing a widespread evacuation.

Furthermore, the report said that Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim explained that flooding was considered a concerning problem in Malaysia.

The Malaysian Prime Minister added that flood mitigation projects are crucial, so that widespread flooding would not occur again.

The reports added that homeowners should immediate evacuate as floodwaters could become life-threatening or rise again.

Flooding has become the main concern due to seasonal floods and torrential rain.

Expediting mitigation plans and projects would help address the widespread flooding in the region.

On the other hand, the wet weather conditions in Malaysia could affect the supply of vegetables.

In a recent report, Straits Times reported that there is a possibility that vegetable prices could soar due to flooding.

Flooding and torrential rains impacted the farmers.

What to do during relentless rain and flooding

Rapid flooding is considered life-threatening.

The situation could worsen if affected residents would not immediately evacuate.

As a result, homeowners and communities should prepare for flooding, especially for seasonal flooding in Malaysia.

Also Read: Plastic New Disease 'Plasticosis' Causes Serious Damage to Seabirds' Digestive Systems

Disaster preparedness would help prevent possible injuries and casualties.

Here are essential reminders for communities during torrential rain and devastating flooding.

Keep updated with weather and flooding alerts.

The weather reports explained that seasonal flooding is common in Malaysia, adding that the weather conditions are expected to continue until April.

Keeping updated with the weather would help local communities and residents evacuate and brace for the flooding impact.

Evacuate immediately.

Homeowners and communities should evacuate to the nearest shelter when local officials and weather agencies announce.

Keeping an emergency bag or kit would be helpful when there is an evacuation. The emergency bag should include the following:

Medicines

Battery-powered radio

Raincoat

Battery-powered flashlight

Bottled water

Non-perishable goods

It is important to full-charged your mobile phones and power banks as power outages could be possible due to torrential rain and challenging winds.

Wait until floodwaters abate.

Homeowners should return when the weather improves, and floodwaters abate. Flooding could still cause dangers to motorists and homeowners.

After the flooding, homeowners should check their homes for possible damages and repairs. Be careful with grounded or damaged electrical wiring.

It is best to keep away from floodwaters.

Contact your family members.

During and after the flooding event, you should contact your family members about your situation or if they are safe after the flooding.

If any of your family members becomes missing, immediately inform the nearest authorities.

Also Read: Conservation Zones To Help Mekong River Protect and Save Endangered Irrawaddy Dolphins in Cambodia

For more similar stories, don't forget to follow Nature News.
Millions of Americans, including those in California, Idaho, and Maine, have been warned of the dangers of winter weather this weekend, as power outages wrack states from Alabama to New York following a deadly outbreak of severe weather.

This comes just days after a multistate severe weather outbreak slammed wide swaths of the South and Midwest with tornadoes, strong winds, and flash floods, killing at least ten people and injuring many more.

Cleanup had begun in those areas, but tens of thousands were still without power, and strong winds and tornadoes damaged buildings, particularly in Alabama, Louisiana, Kentucky, Arkansas, and Texas.

Millions Warned Of Winter Weather

The Sierra Nevada, including Lake Tahoe, is expected to be the hardest hit, with one to two feet of snow expected at lower elevations and two to four feet above 7,000 feet.

Winds could gust to 50 mph, with gusts reaching 100 mph along the Sierra crest, as per USA Today.

According to Shawn Carter, a physical scientist at the National Water Center, some areas around Lake Tahoe have received more than 50 feet of snow this year since October 1, 2022.

The same storm is forecast to bring snow or rain to parts of eastern Oregon and Washington, with accumulations ranging from five to 12 inches in places like Toutle, Ariel, and Lake Merwin, and less than two inches in places like Lower Columbia, Oregon.

Residents have been left stranded without power, with collapsed roofs, and running out of necessities such as food and medicine after the San Bernardino Mountains were slammed with waves of heavy snowfall beginning late last week.

The National Guard was sent to 13 California counties to help with recovery, but crews are having difficulty clearing roads and delivering aid.

On Saturday morning, hundreds of thousands of households in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Michigan were still without power as a powerful winter storm moved across the country.

As the storm moved east, power outages also affected Alabama, West Virginia, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and New York.

As heavy, damp snow snapped tree branches in New York's capital region of Albany, crews worked to restore power to nearly 20,000 customers, as per Economic Times.

Also Read: US Weather Forecast: Severe Weather Systems Poses Widespread Hazardous Travel from the West to the Great Lakes Region

13 Died Due To Winter Storms

At least 13 people were killed by the storm, which began with several feet of snow in California's mountains and moved east, as per Yahoo News.

Wind gusts exceeding 70 mph downed trees and power lines, damaging homes and other buildings in Kentucky, according to Gov. Andy Beshear.

After Friday's high-speed wind storm knocked out power for hundreds of thousands of Kentucky residents, power crews in Louisville and across the state worked Sunday to restore power.

On Saturday morning, hundreds of thousands of households in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Michigan were still without power as a powerful winter storm moved across the country.

As the storm moved east, power outages also affected Alabama, West Virginia, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and New York.

As heavy, damp snow snapped tree branches in New York's capital region of Albany, crews worked to restore power to nearly 20,000 customers.

Beshear Pays A Visit To Mccracken County

Heavy rains of up to 4.5 inches fell on Friday, causing widespread flash flooding and numerous road closures.

According to the National Weather Service, soggy ground from excessive rainfall likely contributed to some trees being more susceptible to being blown over.

"This event has caused as much damage as any natural disaster in Kentucky co-op history," said Chris Perry, president of Kentucky Electric Cooperatives.

Beshear and Liz Pratt, a spokesperson for Louisville Gas & Electric, both described the restoration of power as a "multi-day" process.

Pratt stated that LG&E would prioritize restoring power to critical locations such as hospitals and nursing homes, but would work to restore power to the rest of the city as soon as possible.

According to her, the outages were the worst since an ice storm in 2009.

Related article: US Weather Update: Massive Storms Strikes Down With Some Snow in New York City
As a new source for construction and fashion materials, manufacturers are turning to mushroom roots.

The mushroom industry is experiencing a surge in popularity. This is evident from the success of Netflix's Fantastic Fungi and numerous clinical trials investigating the use of hallucinogenic species for depression treatment.

But mycelium, the mushroom's root structure, is one component of fungi that companies are now particularly utilizing.

Biohm's Construction Panels from Mushroom Roots

Mycelium is grown on a large scale by Biohm, a London-based biomanufacturing company, using feedstocks like food scraps and sawdust to produce products for the construction sector, such as insulation panels, which can be used instead of its plastic predecesors.

Oksana Bondar, the director of design at Biohm, explains that the company is focused on resolving global issues, and the construction sector is one of the biggest in terms of its effects on the environment and ecosystem.

They investigated waste streams, material types, and the structure of buildings in greater detail, and discovered that insulation is one of the most important commodities. The plan was to find a natural way to solve one of the problems.

Mycelium is harvested by Biohm after it has grown over a period of weeks, dried, and compressed into brick-like panels.

According to Bondar, the mushroom root panels can be recycled, can be converted into feedstock, are safe for composting, are pH-neutral and entirely natural, and can be used to fertilize the soil.

Within the next few years, mycelium thermal insulation is anticipated to be installed in homes, workplaces, and public spaces throughout the UK and Europe, according to a Biohm spokeswoman.

MycoWorks' Mushroom Root Leather

Mycelium is being grown in San Francisco by a business called MycoWorks to create "Reishi," a leather substitute. These days, anything from wallets to hats, handbags, and bowls is made using this material.

Mycelium-grown Reishi, according to Sophia Wang, co-founder of MycoWorks, is a remarkable material and the first leather substitute of its kind that doesn't contain plastic as a primary component. Low carbon emissions are achieved by growing it with three organic materials: water, sawdust, and mycelium.

The luxury goods industry, she continues, is actually garnering the most attention in the company's efforts. MycoWorks has already worked with hatmaker Nick Fouquet and Hermes to produce a handbag that uses some of their mycelia, according to The Guardian.

To investigate using mycelium in automobile interiors, MycoWorks is also collaborating with General Motors.

Wang claims that the business "coaxes" mycelium to develop into a substantial brick. The top layer of this is peeled off and can be colored or tanned like leather because it is said to resemble a sheet of animal leather.

Reishi, according to Wang, is currently priced similarly to high-end leather. She does, however, hope that the price will decrease as the company starts producing on a much larger scale.

The company has raised $125 million to build a new facility that will enable it to ramp up production from thousands of sheets per year to millions in order to achieve this growth. Their product is slated to debut in South Carolina by the end of the year, BBC News reports.

Also Read: Fungi-Based Proteins: Scientists Develop Alternative to Plant-Based Substitutes, Reduces Carbon Footprint Further

Mycelium, the Company

A company by the name of Mycelium specializes in using organic remedies that have existed for millions of years to solve the most pressing environmental issues. A team of experts in biotechnology, manufacturing technology, production, and marketing makes up the company. They want to combine science, farming, and manufacturing to spread mycelium technology to everyone.

They currently offer insulation panels, acoustic insulation boards, and planter pots.

According to Mycelium, the biomaterial produced by the process of mushroom growth on plant residues eventually yields a wholly natural composite material that meets standard new specifications. The biomaterial develops a complex network of chitin fibers that cross each other and the plant's own fibers as it grows.

Related Article: Fire Starter Fungus: Candidate for Plastic Alternative, Study Shows
Along the coasts of Chile, archaeologists and paleontologists have discovered more than 7,000 skeletons of extinct animal species, some of which date back as far as 24,000 years.

Ancestor Species

The extinct species that were uncovered were remains of Camelidae, which were ancestors of camels; Cervidae which are ancestors of deer; Equidae, which are ancestors of horses; Mylodontidae which is an extinct group of giant land sloths; Xenarthra, which is an ancestor of sloths, anteaters, and cingulatel; Canidae, which are an ancestor of dogs, foxes, and wolves; myocastorinae and octodontidae, which are two ancestors to rodents; and multiple mylodons which is another extinct type of giant sloth.

The wetlands that once covered the area where the remains were discovered were frozen between 24,000 and 17,000 years ago during an ice age. The area is now completely underwater.

The discovery of the fossils was made in the central Chilean coastal region of Quintero Bay, where researchers have been conducting excavations at a location known as GNL Quintero 1 (GNLQ1).

Last Ice Age 24,000 Years Ago

The area of the ocean that Quintero Bay now occupies was once a vast esplanade of wetlands that extended several miles from the present-day coastline. Paleolamas, mylodon, American horses, deer, and various rodent species, as well as foxes and coypus, lived on the Esplanade.

The esplanade became submerged as a result of the melting of the ice sheets, creating the only known end-Pleistocene submerged site located on South America's Pacific Coast.

Archaeologists teaming up with paleontologists have studied GNLQ1 and discovered deposits of the species, as well as numerous mylodon, remains; all of these discoveries are related to the kinds of animals discovered at Paleoindian hunter-gatherer sites in related environments in central Chile.

The underwater fieldwork involved excavation by strata, cleaning up the cleared sediments to later retrieve the faunal clusters in blocks, as well as the sediment containing skeletal remains, Heritage Daily reports.

Also Read: Scientists Baffled After 500-Million-Year-Old Fossil in Indian Cave Turns Out to be a Beehive

Shasta: Giant Sloths of the Pleistocene

In the Pleistocene era, about 12,000 to 1.8 million years ago, giant sloths existed on earth. It is thought that both human hunting and climate change caused the extinction of the species, according to the Natural History Museum.

The sloths, who ate meat instead of scavenging like modern sloths, are believed to have lived in South America.

The "Shasta," which is one of the smallest species of the giant sloth, grew to a length of about 9 feet and weighed up to 550 pounds. However, the Megalonyx breed of giant sloths, one of the larger species, grew to a length of about 10 feet and a maximum weight of 2,200 pounds, The Jerusalem Post reports.

Other Species on Site

Isabel Cartajena, the OHC's director and a professor at the University of Chile's Department of Anthropology, and her team have also discovered the remains of reptiles as well as medium-sized species like foxes, numerous rodent species that make up the microfauna, as well as very tiny marsupials.

The OHC director and professor at the University of Chile's Faculty of Social Sciences stated that, up until this point, the GNLQ1 site had not reported any cultural evidence in support of the existence of early human groups. But this location shows that there was a landscape available for the habitation and movement of extinct fauna as well as early human groups along South America's Pacific coast, Scoop Trade reports.

Related Article: Prehistoric Animals: Meet Murrayglossus, Egg-Laying Mammal as Big as a Sheep
RICHARDS BAY, SOUTH AFRICA  One day, the Jericho Church, which was founded by Melika Vilakati, will merge.

This was said by senior members of the Vilakati family and the church during the cleansing ceremony for Jericho Church members under Archbishop Bhekibandla Vilakati. The cleansing ceremony was held jointly with the archbishops 44th birthday celebration in the Indian Ocean in Richards Bay, South Africa over the weekend. During the all-night prayer on Saturday, three senior members of the Vilakati family were asked to share with members the background of the archbishop, who was celebrating his 44th birthday. First to speak was the mother of the Archbishop, Busisiwe Vilakati (LaNtshalintshali), who related to the congregants that when she was nine months pregnant, the founder of the church went to the mountains to pray.

She shared that it was when her husband was in the mountains praying that she experienced labour pains.

She said her husband also had a vision that their son (archbishop) would be born with two teeth. Busisiwe went on to state that when her husband retuned from the mountains, the first thing she asked her was whether their son was ok and she answered to the affirmative. She narrated that her husband then put his fingers inside Bhekibandlas mouth and felt the teeth in his jaws and he asked her why she did not tell him about this. However, later on she said Melika told her that he knew that their son would be born with teeth. After that, she said from time to time, Melika would come and tell her visions he had about Bhekibandla. She said at times, he saw him in a vision walking at sea shores and in another, he saw something like copper coming from the sky and entered to him through his nose and went straight to his mind. She said when telling her the visions, Melika would ask her to pray harder because their son was special and had a huge secret from the Lord.

She said when it was time for him to go to pre-school, his father refused and said he should not go to school. However, I took him to school by force because I was concerned how he would survive if he does not go to school, Busisiwe said. She said when he was doing Grade III, his father told her to take him out of school to her sisters home at Ndlotane. Later on she said Melika told her to take him to Gege, where he (Melika) also grew up so that he could go through what he went through when growing up  looking after livestock in the mountains. She said Melika said this after seeing Bhekibandla in a vision, sitting on top of a rock in the mountains. After a while, she said Melika saw Bhekibandla changing and becoming a rock.

Later on, she said they asked to take him back to school and he failed, yet he was intelligent. She said Melika had to slaughter a white chicken and do a little ceremony to appease the angels and after that, he passed until he finished school. Melika told us that our son was not supposed to go to school because not all angels will visit him once he was educated, the archbishops mother said.

Thereafter, Busisiwe sent a stern warning to the archbishop and the church members. She said following what she witnessed and told about him, he should respect the church. In turn, she said the church should also respect him. You are the Joshua of the church. Respect the church and it will lift you, the archbishops mother said to his son. After that, a senior member of the Vilakati family, Samuel, who was close to the late Melika, said when Bhekibandla was schooling at Ngcoseni Primary School, he was the chairman of the school committee.

He said one day Melika ordered him to take his son out of school and when he went to report same to the head teacher, he refused and said the boy was intelligent. However, he advised him to listen to what his father was saying.

He also narrated how Melika would see visions about his son and reacted by doing things which seemed to affect his life, like taking him out of school to look after livestock. On the same note, a senior member of the church, Jerome Dlamini, who was Melikas driver, shared his story which was similar to that of the two other speakers. He said Melika never beat Bhekibandla and would be angry when he heard him crying. On another note, he said before Melika died, he told him that he had a vision of him in Heaven. Dlamini said in the vision, Melika told him that he saw the church being divided into two factions.

Vision

However, he said later on in the vision, Melika said he saw one leader being anointed as the rightful one and the church merged and was united. He said this happened after the chosen leader had spent quality time praying in an ocean, Dlamini said. He added that according to Melika, in his vision, the merging of the church happened when African countries were no longer colonised by the European colonists. In that regard, the elders of the church said they were optimistic that soon the church would merge. Their argument was that everything that the founder of the church saw in a vision or said used to happen. It is worth noting that after the death of the founder of the church, there was a dispute on who should lead it between his sons Bhekibandla and Khanyakwezwe. The dispute went on for a while until the authorities of the country ruled that the duo should lead their factions. Currently, the Jericho Church, which was founded by the late Melika, has two factions; one is under Archbishop Bhekibandla and the other is led by Bishop Khanyakwezwe.
MBABANE  We now fear and are reluctant to elect a Member of Parliament (MP) as they are arrested for representing the will of the people.

It would seem some Fonteyn residents under Mbabane East Constituency share similar sentiments with those from Nkhaba when it comes to the arrest of legislators. The Fonteyn residents shared their sentiments during the civic voter education exercise, which was conducted by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC), yesterday. When speakers made their submissions, community members made a round of applause to show that they were in agreement with what was being said. One of those who made a submission was former executive Director at CANGO Emmanuel Ndlangamandla, who said they were now unwilling to elect an MP to represent them as they (legislators) ended up being arrested. He commended EBC for a good administrative job, but stated that Eswatini was now the only country that did not elect a government into office. It is fine that we elect an MP but it is not enough as they do not form government, he said.

Voted

Ndlangamandla stated that they would have at least understood if the MPs were able to elect the prime minister and ministers instead of being led by people they had not voted for into office. He also mentioned that after the civic voter education exercise and final election of the aspiring MPs, emaSwati would suffer for the next five years. Furthermore, he added that after nominating the MP, he or she was required to campaign yet they did not have resources and were looking to their first salary when they got into Parliament. He said they were wondering whether they should demand the MPs to use their own salaries to attend to projects in the communities as they had no roads, among other things. Ndlangamandla stated that the municipalities and government were also sleeping on the job and failing to deliver on their mandate. Hospitals do not have drugs, there are also no scholarships for our children who are idling at home, said Ndlangamandla. He said the system of voting for various positions in the country was not working as peoples lives remained the same and were getting worse off.

According to the resident, voting was not a routine, but changing peoples lives. Anything that does not change the peoples lives cannot be referred to as elections, he added. He said during the civic education exercise, they were told that they should sit with their MPs and state their concerns but when they sent them on their behalf, they were arrested. Ndlangamandla said another MP was in exile, while others were arrested for reportedly representing the will of the people. As he touched on the issue of the MPs, most of the people present would give him a round of applause, with some nodding in agreement. Zakhele Gama reiterated Ndlangamandlas sentiments. Gama said the nation needed change. He said in the Constitution, they were given a right to change and amend it as and when it was necessary. He alleged that they were not enjoying that right as people were being taken for granted by the regime.

Budget

Gama said EBC was promoting a system of governance that was not people centred, such that it allowed a minister to pass a budget in Parliament with a hotel project would cost over E300 million, knowing very well that in six years, the same project would be costing E7 billion. He said the same nation was paying E7 billion in taxes, which was directed to the hotel project which would not change the peoples lives in any way. This, Gama said, was happening because EBC was promoting a system that did not work for the people. Gama advised the EBC team to forward their submissions to their authorities in the serious matter in which they were presented to them. Gama said they would have appreciated if the EBC team provided the communities with the Constitution before coming to educate them.

He said currently, a number of people were not conversant with the Constitution because government had no respect for the people and took them for granted. Gama said in the five years of office, EBC had failed to even print 20 000 copies of the Constitution for the people to read and understand to make the civic education easy. The Constitution, which is one of the tools that the EBC works with is not owned by the people, said Gama.

Oversight

On another hand, Jabulani Shiba wanted to know from the EBC officials of the person who played an oversight role, as EBC said they were an agent. Shiba said they knew very well that EBC was not an agent but had powers. He said there was an institution that had taken over the justice system and Parliament. He pleaded with EBC to have a conscience and not leave the nation to suffer and not only align their pockets. Shiba said the hospitals in the country did not have drugs and there were no scholarships, yet they were being educated on elections. He said EBC should also feel the pain of emaSwati. In response, Chief Mawandla Gamedze from the EBC said their wish was for the people to elect their MPs who would represent them in Parliament. He said as EBC they wished that if the communities elected their representatives, they should serve them.
NKHABA  Nkhaba residents have jumped into the fray in calling for the dialogue before the national elections in order to first iron out differences.

The residents said this during the civic voter education exercise yesterday held at Nkhaba Royal Kraal. The exercise was conducted by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) officials ahead of the national elections set for this year. This call by the Nkhaba residents was made parallel to a submission made at Fonteyn under Mbabane East Constituency, where Muzi Ngwenya questioned the EBC on how elections would be possible while the country was seemingly at war. Ngwenya said the country needed to dialogue first and resolve any differences before going into elections. He said he doubted if the elections would be peaceful, while there were issues left behind that were not addressed.

Intimidate

Ngwenya pleaded that should elections continue, chiefs should not intimidate the people and tell them whom to elect. This, he said, was done in one of the constituencies. Some Members of Parliament (MPs) also shared their views that the country should have the national dialogue prior to going to the polls. The same sentiments were shared in several occasions by pro-democracy formations, who opined that the country was not ready for the elections but the dialogue. At Nkhaba, the EBC officials were led by Khombisile Dlamini, who is the commissions Head of Secretariat. The officials arrived at the royal kraal before 10am, which was the time set for the start of the exercise. However, residents arrived a bit late which resulted in the exercise starting at 11am.

Among those present was the chief of the area, Mnisi. Prior to the question and answer session, the EBC officials took the Nkhaba residents through the stages of the elections from the civic education, nominations, primary elections and lastly, secondary elections. The residents were also educated on who was eligible to vote, to be nominated and to be elected.

They then afforded them a chance to ask questions. First to make a submission about the dialogue was Zwakele Mavuso, who opined that there were currently a lot of differences in views among the people countrywide. Mavuso was of the view that, in order to resolve those differences, there was a need for the dialogue. He mentioned that through the dialogue, people would be able to voice out their concerns and how they wished the country could be governed going forward. It was further Mavusos view that the nation was not pleased with electing people who upon being elected to Parliament, failed to deliver.

He highlighted that the electorate in different parts of the country voted for people over and over again but in return they got poor service delivery. He said a majority of the youth was unemployed and had nothing to do to earn a living, hence they were bitter at the current government as they felt betrayed. Mavuso said all these challenges and others required the nation to sit down and find common ground. Samkeliso Hlatshwayo, on the other hand, submitted that after the electorate had elected their Members of Parliament (MP), the legislators should be allowed to work freely. He said it was concerning that some MPs were arrested for allegedly voicing out what their electorate had sent them to say in Parliament. Hlatshwayo said this led to other MPs being scared to speak out in the august House. He said all MPs should be allowed to do their work freely in order for the electorate to have confidence in them.

Another resident, Lwazi Dlamini, raised the question on the protection of candidates amid the ongoing calls for multiparty democracy. Lwazi said it was noted that there were those calling for multiparty democracy and those who were in support of the Tinkhundla System. He said candidates from both parties required protection ahead of the elections as it was noted that the differences might lead to others being attacked for voicing out their views. Themba Dlamini asked the EBC officials on what was done to MPs who absented themselves from Parliament and missed other activities done in the House. He submitted that recently, it was reported about MPs who missed the official opening of the 5th session of the 11th Parliament. Another concern raised by the residents was about aspiring MPs who enticed the electorate with food parcels for their votes.

The residents said such tendencies resulted in them being deceived and voting for people who were not necessarily interested in serving the nation but their own interest, which included enriching themselves. The residents wondered what the EBC was doing as buying votes was not allowed. In response to the questions by the residents, the EBC head of secretariat said the calls for the dialogue were out of their jurisdiction. Khombisile said as the EBC, they were just doing their assignment which was to conduct elections as per the Constitution which provides that there should be elections every after five years. She said any other thing could happen as per the guidance of the countrys authorities but the elections should go ahead as this was the fifth year.

Khombisile said on the calls for multiparty democracy, as EBC they were non-partisan, but had to conduct the elections accordingly. She stated that, nonetheless, they encouraged tolerance as that was the foundation of democracy. She said having differing views, did not mean they should kill each other, but instead should bring their differences on the table in order to find common ground. On the issue of MPs who were not delivering as per their mandate, Khombisile highlighted that it was unfortunate that currently there was no law which empowered the electorate to recall the person they had elected.

Emphasised

Khombisile also emphasised that the EBC did not have powers over MPs and their duties. She said their duty as the EBC started and ended on the elections part. She said even if there was a vacancy of an MP in Parliament, as EBC they would receive a letter from the Speaker in the House of Assembly to fill that vacancy. The head of secretariat said as the EBC they would just do that right away without asking much questions as to how the vacancy came about. In an interview after the civic education at Nkhaba, Khombisile observed that the residents were mostly concerned about service delivery. She said such was a task for government to find ways as to how best service delivery could be improved. Khombisile noted that as the EBC officials, they were warmly welcomed by the Nkhaba Chiefdom and its residents. She noted that most residents did not ask questions around the election processes but they were on issues of service delivery and accountability of MPs.
Oman Power and Water Procurement Company is set to award solar energy projects worth RO300 million ($777 million) to international investors following approval from the Authority for Public Services Regulation (APSR), said a report.

The Manah 1 and 2 projects, which will jointly produce a total of 1,000MW, is set to come up on a 15 million sq m area within the Governorate of ADakhiliyah, reported Times of Oman.

It is expected that around 2.082 million solar panels will be installed in these two stations, which will be the largest solar panel project for the sultanate.

These two stations represent the second projects to be floated by OPWP to contract the purchase of capacity generated by renewable energy, stated the report.

Work on these two stations will kick off in Q3 this year and the entire project is due for commercial operations by mid-2025.
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Cloudy and windy. A few showers this afternoon. High around 45F. Winds WSW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph..

Tonight

Rain showers early changing to snow showers overnight. Low around 35F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of precip 40%. Higher wind gusts possible.
Qatars Ooredoo Group has signed a partnership agreement with Huawei at MWC 2023 to leverage Huawei Mobile Fintech platform to provide Fintech services in markets across the companys footprint.

Under the agreement, the two entities will cooperate for Ooredoo to provide state-of the art, mobile-first financial services on Huaweis platform for both consumers and merchants in Ooredoos markets.

Aziz Aluthman Fakhroo, Managing Director and Group CEO at Ooredoo Group, said: A key pillar of our strategy is evolving our core, and this includes identifying new use cases and exploring new businesses in our immediate industry adjacency such as Fintech, where Ooredoo has already established successful operations in our home market Qatar.

Financial inclusion

Our plan in 2023 is to evolve our Fintech marketplace to other markets within our footprint, enabling us to simplify everyday financial transactions and drive financial inclusion. This new partnership agreement with Huawei will solidly underpin our efforts in this field.

Li Peng, President of Carrier BG at Huawei, said: This agreement is an important step forward to foster our long-term strategic partnership with Ooredoo. Huawei is committed to providing industry-leading technology with purpose that will ensure the realisation of this project and help Ooredoo achieve business success.

Ooredoo has already a strong position in Fintech in Qatar that represents a 35% market share of the overall mobile money transaction value in the Mena region, based on a 2022 GSMA study for the Mena market. The new cooperation with Huawei will further enhance Ooredoos market leading role in this region and improve the competitiveness in this industry.-- TradeArabia News Service
Following a 2022 The Guardian article discussing cognitive changes that can arise after surgery, 84 comments were submitted and published online. More recently, researchers performed qualitative thematic analysis on these comments in order to identify common themes in the public perspective of how cognition can change following surgery.

Study: 'It was a great brain, and I miss it': lay perspectives on postoperative cognitive dysfunction. Image Credit: AndriyShevchuk / Shutterstock.com

Cognitive changes after surgery

One of the most concerning outcomes following surgery and anesthesia among older adults is a condition known as postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). Often, patients and their family members report feeling very fearful that the patient will suffer permanent cognitive deficits after anesthesia. Unfortunately, this pre-emptive fear may contribute to the complex array of symptoms associated with POCD and further complicate the ability to fully understand the subjective experience of this postoperative complication.

About the study

The current study published in the British Journal of Anesthesia involved the collection of data from the comments section of the published article titled 'The hidden long-term risks of surgery.' The comments were given an alphanumeric code to maintain chronological order and structure, while the username, submission date, and time were kept anonymous.

Four different researchers reviewed the comments for the purposes of the current study. These included a pre-clinical medical student, an academic geriatrician and palliative medicine physician, a medial sociologist, and a practicing academic anesthesiologist. All reviewers were asked to reflect on their own pre-existing biases around POCD during the review process.

The lack of data on the lay perspective on POCD led the current analysis to be primarily 'exploratory' in nature. Moreover, the comments were analyzed by two researchers using inductive thematic analysis, following which preliminary themes were identified, reviewed, and ultimately segregated for further coding.

A post hoc robustness analysis of comments submitted under eight other articles was also performed.

Study findings

A total of 84 user comments were submitted under 67 unique usernames. After careful analysis, the researchers identified five primary themes of these comments, which included functional impact, emotional/psychiatric impact, perception of causes, inadequate response by medical providers, and the importance of sharing information.

Some of the different functional impacts associated with POCD included reduced daily cognitive load and lost abilities after recovering from the surgery. Importantly, a wide range of cognitive dysfunctions was reported, from subtle deficits to severe and extreme impacts on the ability to perform daily tasks.

A number of highly distressing emotional experiences were associated with POCD. These experiences were described as 'struggle,' 'woeful,' and 'diminished,' as well as 'strange sort of depression' and 'spells of great anger.'

The commentators offered various explanations for what they believed to be the cause of their POCD. These included the anesthetics used during the surgery and the psychological impact associated with the trauma of surgery or other undesirable aspects of the patient's hospitalization.

Many commentators also discussed shared grievances regarding how their healthcare providers approached their POCD symptoms. For example, some indicated that their healthcare providers were dismissive of their symptoms or unaware of the possible risks associated with anesthesia use. One commentator also described a sense of abandonment by medical providers.

Despite the comments' overwhelming frustration and challenges, several users emphasized their gratitude for articles discussing POCD to better inform the public about the potential risks of surgery and anesthesia. To this end, they felt that this type of article validated their experiences and shed light on an important clinical issue that is rarely discussed.

Conclusions

The current study reported on the results of a qualitative thematic analysis of comments submitted in response to an online published article on POCD. These findings can help clinicians better understand the public perception of POCD symptom complexes and the challenges that persist in diagnosing and managing this condition. Further studies on public messaging of POCD symptoms and supporting healthcare providers in recognizing symptom complexes can be potential areas of improvement.
Making a connection between the flu and the risk of subsequent heart problems significantly increased flu vaccination rates among older Danish adults, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session Together With the World Congress of Cardiology. A reminder message the day before the start of a national vaccine program also helped "nudge" people to get vaccinated.

Each year, seasonal influenza accounts for more than 500,000 deaths globally and certain high-risk groups are disproportionately affected, including older adults and those with diabetes, heart disease and other chronic conditions. An annual flu shot is widely recommended to prevent influenza infection or lessen its severity and complications should someone get sick. Still, vaccination rates aren't nearly what they should be in many countries, including the U.S., and that's especially true for younger people with chronic diseases like heart disease.

Figuring out ways to increase the percentage of people who get the flu [shot] and other vaccines is important. Vaccines help prevent infectious diseases and for flu, specifically, many countries lag well behind the WHO recommendation for over 75% of the population to be vaccinated." Tor Biering-Srensen, MD, MSc, MPH, PhD, professor, Center for Translational Cardiology and Pragmatic Randomized Trials, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hellerup, Denmark, and the study's chief investigator

While earlier studies have tested different nudge strategiesthat is, messages designed specifically to educate, remind and push positive health behaviorsto increase flu vaccination in select populations, this study is the largest of its kind and involved all adults 65 years or older in Denmark.

The NUDGE-FLU trial randomized 964,870 Danish citizens across 691,820 households to receive one of nine different electronic letters featuring a specific message about the upcoming flu season and the need for vaccination to see which, if any, would increase influenza vaccination uptake among older adults. The communications were delivered via the country's electronic letter system on September 16, 2022. Citizens were either in usual care (no letter) or they received one of nine nudge strategies (participants were randomized 1:1, so for every citizen receiving no letter, one received one of the nine intervention letters). In addition to the letter that linked the flu vaccine with a reduction of cardiovascular events, and the approach that sent the standard flu pamphlet two weeks before the flu season started and a reminder on the day the vaccine became widely available, the other seven messages included:

A clear recommendation from a leading health authority to get vaccinated

A nudge for people not to be in the minority and to get vaccinated

A nudge to join the majority to prevent the flu from spreading (collective goal)

The role flu vaccination can play in helping in a pandemic to protect you and your loved ones (gain framing)

The danger of too few people getting vaccinated placing you and your loved ones at risk (loss framing)

A prompt to make a plan to get vaccinated and record their appointment in a space provided; and

A basic letter without name personalization

The primary endpoint was the receipt of influenza vaccination on or before January 1, 2023; while flu vaccination can continue throughout the influenza season, fall is the ideal time to assure protection.

Compared with usual care, influenza vaccination rates were significantly higher in the group receiving a letter highlighting potential cardiovascular benefits of vaccination (81% vs. 80.12%) and the group receiving repeat letters about the importance of flu vaccination generally and to let them know about available flu vaccines at the start of the study and 14 days later (80.85% vs. 80.12%).

"The only two nudge strategies that significantly increased flu vaccine uptake were the simple reminder and explaining that flu vaccination may also prevent cardiovascular events," Biering-Srensen said.

He added that these strategies improved vaccination rates across major subgroups, including participants with cardiovascular disease. The cardiovascular benefits message, which stated that "in addition to its protection against influenza infection, influenza vaccination also seems to protect against cardiovascular disease, such as heart attacks and heart failure," resulted in a greater increase in vaccine uptake among the participants who had not been vaccinated for influenza in the prior season.

Biering-Srensen said he expects these increases in flu vaccine uptake may have been even more pronounced in countries where vaccination rates are low. Denmark has among the highest flu vaccine rates to start withmore than 80% this season. During the 2021-2022 influenza season, only 49% of U.S. adults received a flu vaccine, despite widespread recommendations for annual flu vaccination.

More research is needed to test the messaging around the flu and related cardiovascular outcomes given that was the most effective message to boost flu vaccination.

"As cardiologists, it's very interesting that just telling people that we can also prevent other downstream issues like cardiovascular outcomes was what worked the best of all the nudge strategieseven better than the reminder, which we expected would be positive," Biering-Srensen said. "A lot of studies have shown that people who get the flu vaccine have a lower risk of cardiovascular outcomes, and there may be protective effects [for the heart] that are not specific to flu infection. The flu vaccine may have broader benefits that we don't yet know."

He said that these improvements were accomplished through a simple email, making it a replicable and very low-cost intervention that could help prevent flu-related deaths and associated complications. They will be further analyzing the data to see if certain nudge messages worked better in people with diabetes and other chronic conditions.

The study is limited to the Danish population, which has free access to influenza vaccination, so the bump in vaccine uptake may be different if cost is a barrier.

The study was funded by Sanofi.

This study was simultaneously published online in The Lancet at the time of presentation; a pre-specified analysis of the trial was simultaneously published online in the journal Circulation.
Scientists in Japan have revealed a chemical compound that could be used for the treatment of various autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. These diseases occur when the body's immune response goes wiry. The immune system, which normally attacks pathogens and infections, instead attacks healthy cells and tissues. For the millions of people who suffer from autoimmune diseases worldwide, the result can be debilitatingrheumatoid arthritis causes excessive joint pain, while multiple sclerosis can disable one's brain and spinal cord function.

The key to the development of autoimmune diseases, and thus the way to inhibit this development, lies in our cells, but the underlying mechanism has always been unclear. Now, our recent research has shed light on a compound that could suppress the development of these diseases." Prof. Hiroki Ishikawa, Leader, Immune Signal Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST)

Prof. Ishikawa went on to explain that this research, published in Cell Reports, could lead to the development of treatments for autoimmune diseases.

The research focused on T helper 17 cells, or Th17 cells. Th17 cells are a type of T cella group of cells, which form major parts of the immune system. These cells, which exist in high numbers in our guts, evolved to help us fight invasive pathogens but, sometimes, they're overactivated and mistake normal, healthy tissue as pathogens, resulting in autoimmunity. The generation of Th17 cells requires glycolysis, a metabolic process in which glucose is broken down and converted to energy to support the metabolic needs of cells. Glycolysis is essential for the growth of not only Th17 cells but also a variety of cells in our body.

"What's interesting in that excessive glycolysis seems to suppress Th17 cell activity," stated first author, Mr. Tsung-Yen Huang, a PhD candidate in the Immune Signal Unit. "So, we hypothesized that molecules produced during glycolysis may inhibit the cells."

Enter phosphoenolpyruvate, or PEP for short. This chemical compound is a metabolite produced when glucose is converted to energy. Since it is part of such an important process, PEP is generated every day in our bodies. The researchers found that treatment with PEP can inhibit the maturation of TH17 cells, leading to resolution of inflammatory response.

Mr. Huang explained how this was, at first, a confusing result, as it went against all other research on the topic, but he decided to persevere and take a closer look at what could be occurring.

The research led them to a protein called JunB, which is essential for the maturation of Th17 cells. JunB promotes Th17 maturation by binding to a set of specific genes. The researchers found that PEP treatment inhibits the generation of Th17 cells by blocking JunB activity.

Armed with this knowledge, the researchers went on to treat mice that had neuroinflammation caused by autoimmunity with PEP. This disease is very similar to multiple sclerosis and these mice showed positive signs of recovery. The scientists have now filed a patent to continue with this research.

"Our results show the clinical potential of PEP," explained Mr. Huang. "But first we need to increase its efficiency."

In the past, researchers who were interested in developing a treatment for autoimmune diseases, often looked at inhibiting glycolysis and thus Th17 cells. But glycolysis is essential to various types of cells in the body and inhibiting it could have significant side-effects. PEP has the potential to be used as a treatment without resulting in such side-effects.
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is an ophthalmological complication of diabetes that is the primary cause of vision loss and blindness in this patient population.

DR is a frequent microangiopathic complication in Catalonia, Spain, with its incidence expected to increase due to the rise in diabetes, obesity, as well as an aging population. Therefore, nutritional therapy is integral to diabetes management and can help prevent late diabetes complications.

Study: Caffeine and the Risk of Diabetic Retinopathy in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Findings from Clinical and Experimental Studies. Image Credit: ARZTSAMUI / Shutterstock.com

Caffeine and DR

Caffeine (1,3,7-trimethyl xanthine) is an active food component that is important for health. Among the primary sources of caffeine include tea, coffee, energy drinks, cola, chocolate, alcoholic beverages, and certain other food products such as gum.

Coffee is the richest source of caffeine taken daily by most of the general population worldwide. Many studies have reported that consuming between two and three cups of coffee can reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular diseases.

However, a recent review indicated that the association between DR and caffeine remains unclear. For example, drinking more than two cups of coffee daily has been reported to be inversely correlated with DR prevalence among people with T2D.

Another study indicated that daily caffeine consumption could alter the retinal microvasculature in adults at an increased risk of cardiovascular issues, while a different study reported a protective effect of caffeine on the blood-retinal barrier in a cellular model of diabetic macular edema. However, few studies have also reported a neuroprotective effect of green tea on the retina of diabetic rats.

About the study

A new study in Nutrients discusses the relationship between caffeine intake and DR risk in people with T2D without any other late diabetic complications. It assesses the impact of caffeine using an experimental diabetic model.

The current study involved 144 T2D patients with DR and 147 people with T2D without DR. Recruitment of participants took place in the DR screening and treatment program at the University Hospital Arnau de Vilanova in Lleida, Spain, between March 2010 and January 2013. Information on the sex, age, self-reported ethnic group, physical activity, smoking habit, blood pressure, educational level, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and antihypertensive and lipid-lowering drugs were obtained from all participants.

Data on antidiabetic treatments and diabetes duration were also obtained. Blood and urine samples were collected from all participants after fasting for 12 hours. A validated 101-item semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to assess the usual intake of foods and nutrients, followed by a caffeine intake calculation.

In the experimental diabetic model, db/db male mice and non-diabetic control male mice (db/+) were subjected to caffeine or vehicle eye drops. Caffeine or vehicle eye drops were administered to the mice twice daily in each eye for two weeks.

After mice were euthanized, mouse retinas were stained for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) to assess the extent of neurovascular damage caused by either treatment. In addition, the Evans blue method was used to determine the permeability of the retinal vasculature by measuring the amount of albumin leaking from the retinas.

Study findings

Individuals with DR were older, had a larger waist circumference, higher frequency of hypertension, higher systolic blood pressure, higher glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, longer diabetes duration, more elevated high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) levels, and lower educational levels.

T2D patients who consumed the least amount of caffeine were more frequently affected by DR. However, no significant association was observed between coffee and tea consumption and the prevalence of DR. However, diabetes duration, HbA1c, and hypertension were associated with a greater risk of DR.

No difference in blood glucose concentrations and body weight was observed in db/db mice treated with caffeine compared to control mice.

Histological examination revealed that GFAP expression was confined to the retinal ganglion cell layer in non-diabetic mice compared to diabetic mice, which was expected. Notably, mice receiving caffeine did not exhibit any increase in GFAP expression, thus indicating that reactive gliosis did not increase as a result of caffeine exposure.

Non-diabetic mice exhibited less albumin leakage than diabetic mice treated with the vehicle. Although albumin leakage was lower in diabetic mice treated with caffeine than those treated with the vehicle, this difference was insignificant.

Conclusions

The study findings indicate that moderate and high caffeine intake offered protection against the development of DR among people with diabetes. Nevertheless, this difference was not replicated when comparing coffee and tea drinkers, which may be attributed to the different antioxidant compounds present in these drinks that may also offer some degree of protection against DR. Furthermore, the in vivo results from the current study did not indicate any effect of caffeine on the retina.

Further studies are needed to understand the possible benefits of caffeine intake and how other compounds found in tea and coffee may contribute to these effects. Additional research on the potential mechanisms responsible for the development of DR in people with T2D is also needed.

Limitations

The current study could not establish a relationship between caffeine intake and the development of DR. A second limitation was due to the small sample size in the human study. Finally, the presence of other compounds in caffeinated beverages was not analyzed.
For years, the FDA has defended its efforts to intercept prescription drugs coming from abroad by mail as necessary to keep out dangerous opioids, including fentanyl.

The pharmaceutical industry frequently cites such concerns in its battle to stymie numerous proposals in Washington to allow Americans to buy drugs from Canada and other countries where prices are almost always much lower.

But the agency's own data from recent years on its confiscation of packages containing drugs coming through international mail provides scant evidence that a significant number of opioids enters this way. In the two years for which KHN obtained data from the agency, only a tiny fraction of the drugs inspected contained opioids.

The overwhelming majority were uncontrolled prescription drugs that people had ordered, presumably because they can't afford the prices at home.

The FDA still stops those drugs, because they lack U.S. labeling and packaging, which federal authorities say ensure they were made under U.S. supervision and tracking.

The FDA said it found 33 packages of opioids and no fentanyl sent by mail in 2022 out of nearly 53,000 drug shipments its inspectors examined at international mail facilities. That's about 0.06% of examined packages.

According to a detailed breakdown of drugs intercepted in 2020, the lion's share of what was intercepted  and most often destroyed  was pharmaceuticals. The No. 1 item was cheap erectile dysfunction pills, like generic Viagra. But there were also prescribed medicines to treat asthma, diabetes, cancer, and HIV.

FDA spokesperson Devin Koontz said the figures don't reflect the full picture because U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the primary screener at the mail facilities.

But data obtained from the customs agency shows it likewise found few opioids: Of more than 30,000 drugs it intercepted in 2022 at the international mail facilities, only 111 were fentanyl and 116 were other opioids.

On average, Americans pay more than twice the price for exactly the same drugs as people in other countries. In polling, 7% of U.S. adults say they do not take their medicines because they can't afford them. About 8% admit they or someone else in their household has ordered medicines from overseas to save money, though it is technically illegal in most cases. At least four states  Florida, Colorado, New Hampshire, and New Mexico  have proposed programs that would allow residents to import drugs from Canada.

While the FDA has found only a relatively small number of opioids, including fentanyl, in international mail, Congress gave the agency a total of $10 million in 2022 and 2023 to expand efforts to interdict shipments of opioids and other unapproved drugs.

"Additional staffing coupled with improved analytical technology and data analytics techniques will allow us to not only examine more packages but will also increase our targeting abilities to ensure we are examining packages with a high probability of containing violative products," said Dan Solis, assistant commissioner for import operations at the FDA.

But drug importation proponents worry the increased inspections targeting opioids will result in more uncontrolled substances being blocked in the mail.

"The FDA continues to ask for more and more taxpayer money to stop fentanyl and opioids at international mail facilities, but it appears to be using that money to refuse and destroy an increasing number of regular international prescription drug orders," said Gabe Levitt, president of PharmacyChecker.com, which accredits foreign online pharmacies that sell medicines to customers in the U.S. and worldwide. "The argument that importing drugs is going to inflame the opioid crisis doesn't make any sense."

"The nation's fentanyl import crisis should not be conflated with safe personal drug importation," Levitt said.

He was not surprised at the low number of opioids being sent through the mail: In 2022, an organization he heads called Prescription Justice received 2020 FDA data through a Freedom of Information Act request. It showed that FDA inspectors intercepted 214 packages with opioids and no fentanyl out of roughly 50,000 drug shipments. In contrast, they found nearly 12,000 packages containing erectile dysfunction pills. They also blocked thousands of packages containing prescription medicines to treat a host of other conditions.

Over 90% of the drugs found at international mail facilities are destroyed or denied entry into the United States, FDA officials said.

In 2019, an FDA document touted the agency's efforts to stop fentanyl coming into the United States by mail amid efforts to stop other illegal drugs.

Levitt was pleased that Congress in December added language to a federal spending bill that he said would refocus the FDA mail inspections. It said the "FDA's efforts at International Mail Facilities must focus on preventing controlled, counterfeit, or otherwise dangerous pharmaceuticals from entering the United States. Further, funds made available in this Act should prioritize cases in which importation poses a significant threat to public health."

Levitt said the language should shift the FDA from stopping shipments containing drugs for cancer, heart conditions, and erectile dysfunction to blocking controlled substances, including opioids.

But the FDA's Koontz said the language won't change the type of drugs FDA inspectors examine, because every drug is potentially dangerous. "Importing drugs from abroad simply for cost savings is not a good enough reason to expose yourself to the additional risks," he said. "The drug may be fine, but we don't know, so we assume it is not."

He said even drugs that are made in the same manufacturing facilities as drugs intended for sale in the United States can be dangerous because they lack U.S. labeling and packaging that ensure they were made properly and handled within the U.S. supply chain.

FDA officials say drugs bought from foreign pharmacies are 10 times as likely to be counterfeit as drugs sold in the United States.

To back up that claim, the FDA cites congressional testimony from a former agency official in 2005 who  while working for a drug industry-funded think tank  said between 8% and 10% of the global medicine supply chain is counterfeit.

The FDA said it doesn't have data showing which drugs it finds are unsafe counterfeits and which drugs lack proper labeling or packaging. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection data shows that, among the more than 30,000 drugs it inspected in 2022, it found 365 counterfeits.

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the trade group for the industry, funds a nonprofit advocacy organization called Partnership for Safe Medicines, which has run media campaigns to oppose drug importation efforts with the argument that it would worsen the fentanyl epidemic.

Shabbir Safdar, executive director of the Partnership for Safe Medicines, a group funded by U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturers, said he was surprised the amount of fentanyl and opioids found by customs and FDA inspectors in the mail was so low. He said that historically it has been a problem, but he could not provide proof of that claim.

He said federal agencies are not inspecting enough packages to get the full picture. "With limited resources we may be getting fooled by the smugglers," he said. "We need to be inspecting the right 50,000 packages each year."

For decades, millions of Americans seeking to save money have bought drugs from foreign pharmacies, with most sales done online. Although the FDA says people are not allowed to bring prescription drugs into the United States except in rare cases, dozens of cities, county governments, and school districts help their employees buy drugs from abroad.

The Trump administration said in 2020 that drugs could be safely imported and opened the door for states to apply to the FDA to start importation programs. But the Biden administration has yet to approve any.

A federal judge in February threw out a lawsuit filed by PhRMA and the Partnership for Safe Medicines to block the federal drug importation program, saying it's unclear when, if ever, the federal government would approve any state programs.

Levitt and other importation advocates say the process is often safe largely because the drugs being sold to people with valid prescriptions via international mail are FDA-approved drugs with labeling different from that found at U.S. pharmacies, or foreign versions of FDA-approved drugs made at the same facilities as drugs sold in the U.S. or similarly regulated facilities. Most drugs sold at U.S. pharmacies are already produced abroad.

Because of the sheer volume of mail, even as the FDA has stepped up staffing at the mail facilities in recent years, the agency can physically inspect fewer than 1% of packages presumed to contain drugs, FDA officials said.

Solis said the agency targets its interdiction efforts to packages from countries from which it believes counterfeit or illegal drugs are more likely to come.

Advocates for importation say efforts to block it protect the pharmaceutical industry's profits and hurt U.S. residents trying to afford their medicines.

"We have never seen a rash of deaths or harm from prescription drugs that people bring across the border from verified pharmacies, because these are the same drugs that people buy in American pharmacies," said Alex Lawson, executive director of Social Security Works, which advocates for lower drug prices. "The pharmaceutical industry is using the FDA to protect their price monopoly to keep their prices high."
Pancreatic cancer is an incurable form of cancer, and gene therapies are currently in clinical testing to treat this deadly disease. A comprehensive review of the gene and cell biotherapies in development to combat pancreatic cancer is published in the peer-reviewed journal Human Gene Therapy.

Study: Pancreatic Cancer Cell and Gene Biotherapies: Past, Present, and Future. Image Credit: MDGRPHCS / Shutterstock

The article titled "Pancreatic Cancer Cell and Gene Biotherapies: Past, Present and Future," contributed by corresponding author Pierre Cordelier from the University of Toulouse, and coauthors describes the ongoing gene therapy clinical trials. In addition to gene therapies, the authors discuss vaccines, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy, suicide genes, and oncolytic viruses

"Breaking the code of pancreatic tumors rather than using brute force will help in defeating this currently incurable disease," state the authors.

There is no greater unmet medical need in the field right now than pancreatic cancer. This review provides a basis for understanding the lessons learned from past cell and gene therapies for pancreatic cancer, thereby informing the potential for future clinical progress." Editor-in-Chief Terence R. Flotte, MD, Celia and Isaac Haidak Professor of Medical Education and Dean, Provost, and Executive Deputy Chancellor, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
Fewer cases of melanoma were observed in people with a history of atopic diseases, such as allergic asthma or rhinitis, than in nonatopic people. The risk of melanoma in people with atopy was up to 50% lower than in the control group. In addition, people with atopy had a considerably lower overall risk of skin cancer, according to estimates by experienced dermatologists. The prevalence of cancers in extracutaneous sites was also lower in atopic people. The study, conducted in collaboration between the University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital, included nearly 500 people with an increased risk of skin cancer. The findings were published in Melanoma Research.

Atopic diseases, such as allergic asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis, have become increasingly prevalent in industrialized countries over the past decades. The prevalence of skin cancers, too, has increased, which has raised questions about a possible association between the two. Indeed, the association of atopic diseases and skin cancer has been studied before, but with somewhat inconclusive results. Studies have suggested that chronic inflammation associated with atopic diseases, or an abnormal immune response, may either contribute to the development of cancer, or prevent it.

"The latest theory is that the skin has a naturally occurring autoreactive immunoglobulin E response that could protect against carcinogens and skin damage leading to cancer. This theory makes sense because atopic diseases typically involve an IgE-mediated allergy, so the protective mechanism may be even more pronounced in atopic skin," says Professor Ilkka Harvima, who led the study at the University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital.

Conducted under the North Savo Skin Cancer Programme, the study recruited 496 adult patients estimated to have an increased risk of a skin cancer, such as basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma or melanoma, in the dermatological outpatient clinic of Kuopio University Hospital. Experienced dermatologists at the University of Eastern Finland carefully analyzed the patients' background information and medical history and examined their skin. The dermatologists also classified the patients into different skin cancer risk classes, namely low risk, moderate risk and high risk. The patients' history of atopic diseases was also analyzed, after which atopic patients were divided into groups based on whether they had mucous membrane atopy or atopic dermatitis.

A key finding of the study is that in the group consisting of 171 atopic patients, there were considerably fewer cases of melanoma, considerably fewer cancers in extracutaneous sites, and a considerably better general skin cancer risk classification than in the nonatopic group. Logistic regression analysis showed that in atopic patients, the risk of melanoma was almost 50% lower, and the risk of cancers in extracutaneous sites was more than 50% lower than in nonatopic patients. When 94 immunosuppressed patients were removed from the analysis, the reduced melanoma risk was found to be particularly pronounced in the mucous membrane atopy group, where the risk was more than 50% lower than in the nonatopic group.

However, there was no statistically significant association between atopy and the severity of photoaging, actinic keratoses, nevus count, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. In addition, serum total IgE levels were not associated with these skin changes nor with cancers in extracutaneous sites. Since the research design was cross-sectional, the researchers were unable to demonstrate a causal relationship.

The cellular mechanism between atopy and melanoma needs to be studied further, and skin biopsies taken from the study subjects are currently under analysis." Jenni Komulainen, M.D., Doctoral Researcher, first author of the study

Research conducted under the North Savo Skin Cancer Programme has previously concluded that mortality due to malignant melanoma in the North Savo region is relatively high in relation to its incidence, and the researchers also observed fewer cases of melanoma among people taking vitamin D supplements regularly. Professor Harvima notes that in order to reduce melanoma and other skin cancers in the North Savo region, it is vital to identify further factors that are relevant to the risk of developing cancer.
In a recent study published in the journal Nature, researchers devised a non-invasive optogenetic and wearable cardiac pacemaker for accurate and specific control of cardiac rhythm for 900 beats per minute (bpm), enabled by micro-light-emitting display (LED) harness and systemic channelrhodopsin delivery.

Studies have reported an increase in heart rate as a result of anxiety. However, whether tachycardia can result in anxiety is not clear. The team previously reported that ChRmine facilitated the non-invasive neurological modulation of deep cranial circuits, raising possibilities of optogenetic control of cardiac tissues in humans.

Study: Cardiogenic control of affective behavioural state. Image Credit: Evgeniy Kalinovskiy / Shutterstock

About the study

In the present study, researchers devised a pacemaker for non-invasive optogenetic control of particular heart rhythms during active-type behavior.

Brain-wide activities were screened, and electrophysiological analyses were performed to identify regions of the brain activated by the imposed optogenetic heart rhythms. Cardiomyocyte-limited expression was attained by placing ChRmine under the murine cardiovascular troponin T promoter (mTNT) control, utilizing the AAV9 cardio-trophic serological type.

Wild-type murine animals were utilized to investigate whether systemic ChRmine delivery would permit non-invasive optogenetic controlling of heart rhythms. A 591.0 nm micro-LED was mounted onto wearable fabric vests to deliver light to the skin of the chest wall. To investigate whether cardiac rhythms imposed by the cardiac pacemaker could affect behavior, intermittent ventricular tachycardia of 900 beats per minute for 500 ms at every 1,500 ms was induced optogenetically to simulate non-sustained stress-induced arrhythmias.

Real-time place-preference (RTPP) assays were performed to assess the aversive or appetitive influence of optogenetic cardiac pacing, and elevated plus maze (EPM) assays were performed to assess anxiety-associated behavior. Further, the team investigated if the context-based increase in anxiety-associated behavior would be observed during classical operant tasks using modified Vogel conflict tasks. The willingness of water-limited mice to seek water rewards, although the rewards were associated with shock risks.

Transgenic TRAP2 murine animals, comprising neurons with elevated Fos expression, that could be labeled with the tdTomato neural activation marker, were utilized for whole-brain screening. In vivo electrophysiological experiments were performed using awake murine animals to assess optogenetic cardiac control-imposed neural dynamics at the single-neuron level. Furthermore, optogenetic cardiac inhibition was performed, using blue light-stimulated inhibitory-type channelrhodopsin iC++, to investigate whether the anxiety-generating mechanisms could be modulated for affecting behavior.

a, Schematic showing the optical control of cardiac rhythm with an external light source enabled by retro-orbital injection of AAV9-mTNT::ChRmine-p2A-oScarlet. b, Confocal cross-section images indicating homogeneous transgene expression of ChRmine-p2A-oScarlet (red) with DAPI staining (blue) in atria and ventricles. Scale bars, 1 mm (main); 100 m (inset). c, Example electrocardiogram (ECG) trace with optical pacing using 589 nm light delivered at 15 Hz (at 900 bpm) with a pulse width of 10 ms and irradiance of 160 mW mm2. Scale bar, 500 ms. Inset traces: ECG signal before and after light delivery (grey) and at light onset and cessation (red). Scale bar, 50 ms, 0.5 mV. d, Reliability of photoactivated QRS complexes at 900 bpm as a function of cutaneous optical irradiance (n = 6 mice). e, Example ECG traces of individual 10-ms optical pulses. Grey arrowheads indicate P waves associated with sinus rhythm, which are overridden (red arrowheads) during optical pacing. Scale bar, 25 ms, 0.25 mV. f, Example ECG traces of pacing at 600, 800 and 1,000 bpm. Scale bar, 50 ms, 0.5 mV. The shaded area indicates the period of illumination at the specified frequency at 100% duty cycle. g, Characterization of optical pacing fidelity, showing stimulation frequency versus ECG-measured heart rate (n = 6 mice). All ECG measurements were performed in anesthetized mice. Data are mean  s.e.m.

Results

Optically induced intermittent ventricular tachycardia potently increased anxiety-associated behavior, crucially in risky-type contexts only, indicative of brain (central) and body (peripheral) involvement in emotional development. The posteriorly located insular cortical region (pIC) was identified as a probable regulator of bottoms-up heart interoceptive-type processing, the optogenetic blockade of which suppressed anxiety-associated behavior initially induced by optogenetic cardiovascular pacing.

Infecting cardiomyocytes with AAV9-mTNT::ChRmine-2A-oScarlet resulted in light-activated contractions with an irradiance of 0.10 mW per mm2. Retro-orbital AAV9 injections led to a limited but homogeneous expression of ChRmine in cardiomyocytes, with no off-target expression in other cardiac cells such as fibroblasts, neuronal ganglia, and other organs.

Combining a molecular approach with accessible electronic devices facilitated sustained and non-invasive cardiac pacing at pre-determined rhythms appropriate for behavior assessment using freely mobile mice. In the EPM assay, mice exhibited limited exploration of the open (exposed) arms of the apparatus after optical pacing. After introducing shocks, optically paced mice suppressed or abolished water-seeking, with an increase in apprehension.

Optical pacing increased Fos messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels in the pIC and the brainstem, especially in the nucleus tractus solitarius sensory neurons and noradrenergic neuronal cells of the locus coeruleus, associated with stress and arousal. Optogenetic pacing activated the pIC, the blockade of which, alone, was inadequate in inducing anxiolysis. Intermittent cardiac stimulation at 660.0 bpm did not lead to anxiety-like behavior, indicating that the changed rate, instead of the external nature of the timing of heart contractions, was essential.

The attenuation of anxiogenic behavior during optogenetic pIC inhibition indicated casual involvement of the insular region in assimilating sensory cardiac data with the contextual evaluation of environmental risks involved in generating patterns of adaptive behavior. The findings indicated the involvement of the insula in assessing consummatory and interoceptive internal states for instructing relevant behavior-associated responses.

The findings indicated that cell-specific, temporally accurate, and non-invasive organ physiology perturbations are possible among mammals. The devised method, requiring no special surgery or optoelectronics, could be applied to various physiological organ systems in the human body, unraveling novel opportunities for exploring the complicated mechanisms of health and disease.

Overall, the study findings showed that peripheral and central pathways must be elucidated to improve understanding of emotion and behaviors origin. In addition, the study findings showed a generalizable method for temporally accurate and non-invasive functional assessments of joint organ-wide physiological interactions in the cellular targets during anxiety-like behavior.
Disproportionately exposed to the environmental, social, and economic effects of climate change, it is critical that nations across the Middle East and Africa accelerate sustainable financing through ESG principles, says Joel Van Dusen, Group Head of Corporate & Investment Banking, Mashreq.

Countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), which is also the fastest-growing region in the world, are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change.

These interconnected dynamics have created a sense of political urgency and economic impetus for change. Now, as GCC countries build their non-oil economies, investors face new opportunities across a vast spectrum of industry sectors, from renewables to infrastructure development, digital technologies, e-commerce, and fintech. This may be a diverse range of sectors, but they are all being increasingly influenced by the same defining factor: sustainable financing.

The prospects for sustainable financing are promising because the concept of responsible business has very quickly registered in the public consciousness as a corporate necessity. That is why, within the context of climate change, sustainable financing has become a defining element to meet consumer preferences. This  buoyed by regulations  has created a new reality where the most sustainable investments are those built around environment, social and governance (ESG) principles, and where consumers vote with their feet.

For these reasons, the emergence of ESG investing has rapidly moved the needle on how investors think and the choices they make. In particular, the ESG spotlight has led to an emphasis on the importance of investment decisions that mitigate exposure to climate risk, comply with current and future regulations, and limit any potential reputational damage. This is why banks and investment firms are devising green and sustainable strategies, incorporating them into their business strategies and aligning their funding mechanisms to their sustainable development commitments.

Climate resilience & long-term vision

We are already seeing how such mechanisms are delivering success  partly because they incorporate very long-tenure deals. To accelerate the adoption of sustainable financing opportunities, Mashreq has facilitated $15.5 billion of sustainable finance and adaptation-related investments in the past two years across Egypt, India, Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE. Many of these countries are accelerating adoption by advancing green bonds and Sukuk issuances.

Egypt was the first country to issue a sovereign green bond in MENA in 2020, issuing $750 million of five-year bonds. The sovereign green bond was seven times oversubscribed, leading to a 50% upsizing of the transaction to its $750 million ultimate issuance level. The investor response gives a view into the opportunity and appetite for green financing in the MENA region  and an insight into how seriously investors are focusing on the social and economic threats from climate change.

Following the catastrophic floods in 2022 in Pakistan, and in a nod to the worsening issue of water security, Mashreq also facilitated $1.3 billion in water-related projects, which will build resilience to scarcity and adapt to the climate impacted changes. As part of these efforts, the bank has been heavily involved in financing solutions for projects like the Abu Rawah Wastewater Treatment Plant in Egypt, among many other water-related programs. This investment will benefit more than eight million people, mainly in the Giza Governorate, the Eastern side of the River Nile, and the Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road. The project has also generated 1,600 jobs, 20% of which are for women, delivering wider positive social impact. Mashreq also led the Sustainability Linked Loan (SLL) for Nogaholding in Bahrain, which, at $2.2 billion, was the largest SLL in the region. For Mashreq, the long-term view is ambitious  it has set itself a target to reach $30 billion in sustainable financing by 2030.

Partnering with policymakers

However, such financing targets are only part of the picture. To further boost its impact, the banking sector must partner closely with its clients, advising them on transition strategies, managing risk and then helping them access appropriate sustainable financing for their needs  across CAPEX, OPEX or even retraining their workforce and raising awareness amongst employees.

Partnerships with policymakers have also become important  not only regionally but at a global level. This years COP28 in the UAE  following COP27 in Egypt in 2022 - will provide a new opportunity for governments and the public and private sectors to collaborate to streamline details on national and regional finance frameworks. This boosts clarity, which is integral to strengthening investors appetites and confidence. Looking ahead, all banks have a responsibility to build their sustainable financing solutions within the context of national, regional, and international regulations, standards, and policies.

Across MENA, alignment with national and regional frameworks - such as the UAEs climate goals  as well as global environmental initiatives, must become a moral and ethical imperative for the banking sector  mainly as this is an important route to accelerating sustainable finance.

In November 2022, Mashreq announced that it had joined the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) initiative  a voluntary leadership platform for the development, implementation, and disclosure of responsible business practices. Through its involvement with UNGC initiatives, Mashreq looks forward to further incorporating the principles of social and environmental responsibility, integrity, transparency, and robust social and governance practices across its operations and activities.

Acting as responsible corporate citizens and leading by example will set prominent banks apart from their counterparts and give them a substantial competitive advantage, which is essential for the banking sectors aims to promote sustainable business practices and encourage the adoption of sustainable financing. This is precisely why, as one of the UAEs leading private banks, Mashreq is well positioned to pave the way for making sustainable financing mainstream. -TradeArabia News Service
Just off the historic U.S. Route 66 in eastern New Mexico, a 10-bed hospital has for decades provided emergency care for a steady flow of people injured in car crashes and ranching accidents.

It also has served as a close-to-home option for the occasional overnight patient, usually older residents with pneumonia or heart trouble. It's the only hospital for the more than 4,500 people living on a swath of 3,000 square miles of high plains and lakes east of Albuquerque.

"We want to be the facility that saves lives," said Christina Campos, administrator of Guadalupe County Hospital in Santa Rosa. Its leaders have no desire to grow or be a big, profitable business, she said.

But even with a tax levy to help support the medical outpost, the facility lost more than $1 million in the past six months, Campos said: "For years, we've been anticipating kind of our own demise, praying that a program would come along and make us sustainable."

Guadalupe is one of the nation's first to start the process of converting into a Rural Emergency Hospital. The designation was created as part of the first new federal payment program launched by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for rural providers in 25 years. And though it is not expected to be a permanent solution to pressures facing rural America, policymakers and hospital operators alike hope it will slow the financial hemorrhage that continues to shutter those communities' hospitals.

More than 140 rural hospitals have closed nationwide since 2010, and health policy watchers aren't sure how many of the more than 1,700 rural facilities eligible for the new designation will apply. CMS officials said late last month that seven have already filed applications. Dr. Lee Fleisher, director of the Center for Clinical Standards and Quality at CMS, said how long it will take to review the applications will vary. The agency declined to provide the names or locations of hospitals seeking the designation.

Facilities that convert will get a 5% increase in Medicare payments as well as an average annual facility fee payment of about $3.2 million in exchange for giving up their expensive inpatient beds and focusing solely on emergency and outpatient care. Rural hospitals with no more than 50 beds that closed after the law passed on Dec. 27, 2020, are eligible to apply for the new payment model if they reopen.

The new program "strikes me as the first time we are saying, you know, maybe we can just take the beds away," said Dr. Paula Chatterjee, an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine. Outpatient and emergency visits already make up about 66% of Medicare payments for rural hospitals that are eligible to convert, according to Chatterjee's recent research.

Still, she found that many would likely need to scale up some outpatient services, such as telehealth and substance use care. Even then the payment model might not be able to shift the "foundational pressures" of declining, aging, and sicker populations that are making it hard to deliver care in rural America, she said.

"This feels like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic," Chatterjee said.

More than 50 hospitals and other organizations have expressed interest in the rural emergency designation, said Janice Walters, chief operating officer of programs for the Rural Health Redesign Center, which has a federal grant to provide technical assistance to facilities interested in converting.

Most hospitals "are still trying to figure out, 'Is the math going to work?'" Walters said.

Those showing immediate interest are very small, with three or fewer patients staying overnight any given day, and, generally, they long ago gave up maternity care to save on expenses. The federal law will need to be amended to help larger rural hospitals with more overnight stays, said Brock Slabach, chief operations officer for the National Rural Health Association.

"It's enough for now," Slabach said. "But is it going to be enough for the long term? I don't think so." Top priorities for the group include adding the ability for hospitals to participate in a federal drug discount program and allowing for longer patient stays.

At Stillwater Medical in Oklahoma, Chief Administrative Officer Steven Taylor said the switch already makes sense for two of the system's smaller hospitals that "have struggled financially." The small regional health system's outpost in Perry, which rarely has more than two inpatients a day, has already filed an application, and its facility in Blackwell will likely do so soon, he said.

Keeping emergency services "is the most important thing" for the small communities, he said. The new model requires a 24-hour emergency department and a clinician on call. It also caps the average length of patient stays at 24 hours  which Taylor said is not a problem. One patient may need to be watched for 12 hours for chest pain while another, with pneumonia, may need to stay for 36 hours, but that will average out to less than 24 hours for the year, he said.

Plus, he said, anybody who needs more intense care can be transferred to their regional hospital in Stillwater. Oklahoma, like other states, is working to update state laws for licensing or regulations to ensure hospitals can be credentialed with the rural emergency designation quickly.

John Henderson, president and chief executive of the Texas Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals, agreed with other speakers at the National Rural Health Association's February policy conference in Washington, D.C. The new rule "could be a relief valve" for very small rural hospitals, he said. A two-bed facility in Crosbyton confirmed for Henderson earlier that day that it was the first in Texas to be approved for the new payment mechanism.

Henderson said he knew of several more of the state's 158 rural hospitals that are applying or have already applied, and others are considering it: "These are the folks that are just hanging on."

Dr. Denise Brown, CEO of virtual care provider Fident, spoke up from the front row during Hendersons presentation. Her company uses telehealth so doctors and other clinicians can work virtually with multiple hospitals in different states. Brown said she was concerned that hospitals that convert won't have enough ambulances available to transport or a place to send sicker patients, especially if they aren't part of a larger health system.

Heads began to nod throughout the crowded room. Many rural hospitals needed every bed they had during the worst of the covid-19 pandemic, and to give up those beds now seems counterintuitive.

Those same rural hospitals often find that larger facilities refuse to take their patients who need specialized care, Brown said.

"How do I know that I can guarantee somebody a bed?" Brown said, adding that she prefers rural hospitals keep patients longer. How would she explain to concerned family members that their loved one was "two or three hours from home"?
Walgreens ends sale of abortion drug in some GOP-controlled states where it remains legal Play

Walgreens has announced it will stop dispensing the abortion pill mifepristone in 21 states where Republican attorneys general threatened legal action against the company, which is the nations second-largest pharmacy chain.

KHN senior correspondent Sarah Varney joined PBS NewsHour co-anchor Amna Nawaz in a report on the move and its ramifications for women in those states, many of which have outlawed or severely restricted abortion. In four  Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, and Montana  Walgreens could legally sell the pills but has said it will not.

Other pharmacies such as CVS, Rite Aid, Costco, Walmart, and Kroger also face legal action.

To otherwise obtain the medication, Varney said, women could seek a telehealth appointment with someone outside of the state or you could order from an online pharmacy.

But, she noted, the move by Walgreens restricts access to the drug for women in what is typically a very time-sensitive situation.
Zambia holds medal awarding ceremony for Chinese military medical team

Xinhua) 11:04, March 06, 2023

LUSAKA, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Zambia's Ministry of Defense has held a grand medal-awarding ceremony for the 25th Chinese Military Medical Team in Lusaka, the Zambian capital, awarding 11 members of the team "Medal of Foreign Cooperation".

Norman Chipakupaku, permanent secretary in Zambia's Ministry of Defense commended China for sending senior doctors with vast experience and specialization, saying Zambia will continue to value their contribution and knowledge transfer they bring.

The medical teams, he said, have continued to make great contributions to the health of the Zambian people and that their medical skills have earned the trust and respect of many local people. "That is why they have continued to receive high accolades from people of all walks of life in Zambia."

Zambia, he said, appreciates the level of cooperation between the two countries in the health sector and intends to solidify it further in areas of medical equipment, technology and training. He commended the 25th medical team for its hard work, adding that the Zambian government was looking forward to the arrival of the 26th Chinese Military Medical Team and hoped that the new team will uplift the glorious tradition of the outgoing team.

Brigadier-General Bernard Kapatamoyo, commandant at the Maina Soko Medical Center, commended the commitment to duty of the outgoing medical team. He said the team showed innovation in its duty and that through mutual understanding and identifying gaps in delivery of health services, an emergency response team has been established at the hospital which will be responding to the various needs in terms of medical emergency.

He said the formation of the response team will go a long way in providing mentorship to the oncoming medical personnel and help in transfer of skills and knowledge.

Defense Attache at the Chinese Embassy in Zambia, Senior Colonel Jiang Lei, commended the team for carrying forward the spirit of the Chinese medical team by successfully completing their task at the Maina Soko Medical Center where they were based.

He said the Chinese Military Medical Team has become a successful symbol of the cooperation between the two countries since 1984 and deepened the medical cooperation as well as friendship between the peoples of the two countries.

"Chinese military doctors will be remembered by our Zambian friends and all members of our team will bring back to China the valuable experience in Zambia and the friendship of the two brotherly nations," he said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the worlds leading hotel companies with more than 6,000 hotels, has announced the opening of voco Dubai The Palm, a brand-new beachfront hotel situated on the iconic Palm Jumeirah.



The 138-room voco Dubai The Palm is located on the picturesque shores of Palm Jumeirahs West Beach, offering guests direct access to the West Beach Promenade, only a few steps away from the majestic waters of the Arabian Gulf. Visitors looking to soak up the sun can also indulge in the ultimate beach getaway at the hotels private beach.



The rooftop pool and Mediterranean lounge bar, Frenia, are a highlight of the hotel allowing guests to indulge in a slice of voco life, lounging by the pool with snacks and barista brews. Set to open in early April, Frenia, will transform the rooftop as the sun sets, providing sundowner aficionados breathtaking views of the sea and Ain Dubai (the world's biggest and tallest Ferris wheel).



The hotels all-day dining venue Maison Mathis opened last month. The restaurant is inspired by the best European cuisine with a special focus on the rich heritage of Belgian food culture. With dishes made using only the freshest and finest ingredients, visitors can expect a truly authentic and unforgettable dining experience. Diners looking to savour the taste of the ocean can indulge in a rich Sea bass fillet  a dish carefully seasoned and grilled to perfection  as well mouth-watering sea food linguini, packed with flavourful clams, shrimp, bisque, and fresh calamari.



Guests looking to maintain their fitness routine can access the 24-hour fitness centre full of natural light. Business travellers can also take advantage of the hotels day-lit meeting rooms, perfect for exclusive business meetings and discussions.



voco Dubai The Palm features an innovative sustainable water system, duvets made of recycled plastic, and aerated showers to reduce water usage, all industry-leading initiatives.



voco Hotels is one of IHG Hotels & Resorts 18 distinct brands and focuses on offering guests an unstuffy and charming experience, combining the reassurance of a global brand with the informality and charm of an individual hotel.



voco Dubai The Palm is excited to open with its A New Playground Is Here offer, meaning guests can enjoy an exclusive introductory saving of 30% on all hotel bookings. When guests stay at any IHG Hotels & Resorts property, they can earn points and rewards thanks to the IHG One Rewards loyalty programme. At voco The Palm Dubai, IHG One Rewards Members will also receive 25% off at the hotels dining outlets.  TradeArabia News Service
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Ahli United Bank (AUB), a Bahrain-based leading pan-regional Banking group, has signed a strategic partnership with Mastercard as the exclusive partner of choice for all AUBs existing and acquired card programs in Bahrain.

During 2022, AUB acquired Citibanks retail banking business in Bahrain, and this partnership will cover their entire portfolio, including the acquired segment, with a differentiated offering that focuses on premium and travel.

Mastercard will also support AUB in launching value-added services to enhance and differentiate the latters cards proposition and strengthen the long-standing relationship between the two organizations.

These services include real-time remittance solutions, innovative loyalty programs and cyber intelligence solutions amongst others.

With that, AUB would ensure to provide its customers the highest standards of customer experience.

AUB will also launch the World Elite product, which gives cardholders an unrivalled array of specially curated travel, lifestyle, and insurance benefits.
South Korea announced plans Monday to compensate victims of Japan's forced wartime labour, aiming to end a "vicious cycle" in the Asian powers' relations and boost ties to counter the nuclear-armed North.

Japan and the United States immediately welcomed the announcement, but victims have criticised the proposal because it falls far short of their demand for a full apology from Tokyo and direct compensation from the Japanese companies involved.

Seoul and Tokyo have already ramped up security cooperation in the face of growing threats from Kim Jong Un's regime, but bilateral ties have long been strained over Tokyo's brutal 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean peninsula.

Around 780,000 Koreans were conscripted into forced labour by Japan during the 35-year occupation, according to data from Seoul, not including women forced into sexual slavery by Japanese troops.

Seoul's plan is to take money from major South Korean companies that benefited from a 1965 reparations deal with Tokyo and use it to compensate victims, Foreign Minister Park Jin said. ...continue reading
Multiple incidents of cat killings that came to light in Japans Saitama city over the last month have triggered fear among the residents. One of the bodies of the mangled feline was found near an elementary school, raising concerns about childrens safety

The horrendous killings of cats in Japans Saitama city last month have raised alarm.

In early March, a teenager was arrested at a junior high school near Tokyo for stabbing a teacher. As per The Japan News, the 17-year-old has claimed he was behind the recent brutal murders of cats in Saitama, located near greater Tokyo.

The police are probing his possible role in the cat murders, Japanese media has reported.

Early in February, the severed head and paws of a brown spotted cat were discovered along the banks of the Arakawa River in Saitama, as per CNN.

Days later, the remaining body, of what police believe was the same cat, came up on the grounds of an elementary school.

Till mid-February, two more mutilated cats, one on a park bench, and the other tied with a piece of string and hanging from the climbing frame at a junior school were found. ...continue reading
With an increased focus on women-focused education, mentorship and scholarships, crypto exchange aims to level its industry's gender gap

DUBAI, UAE, March 6, 2023 /CNW/ -- Ahead of International Women's Day, Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, is renewing its commitment to increase the number of women active and employed in Web3. Through women-focused education and mentorship initiatives, Binance to date has invested more than $2 million to support women in more than 10 countries around the world and will increase those efforts in the year ahead.

Binance is committed to creating and funding Web3 education for women.

Binance Charity donated $2 million to fund over 36,000 dedicated Web3 scholarships for women in 2022, and will continue funding courses, programs and scholarships in 2023 with a focus on women and underrepresented communities. With women comprising only 37% of crypto owners[1], education is key to empowering more women to join the industry.

The 2022 scholarships to study blockchain and crypto-related courses at universities, schools and nonprofits were awarded to women in Germany, Nigeria, Kenya, Brazil, France, South Africa, Australia, and Ukraine. In honor of International Women's Day, Binance Charity will also make an additional donation of $100,000 to Georgia's Innovation & Technology Agency ( GITA ) to support web3 education and training for women. Binance Academy will provide educational content for GITA web3 courses.

Binance is committed to increasing female representation in the workforce.

Binance was co-founded in 2017 by Yi He, making the company one of the few female-founder crypto companies in the world. Less than 5% of crypto founders at top crypto companies are women[2]. As of 2022, the number of female-founded cryptocurrency companies was approximately 292, out of more than 10,000 companies[3].

In order to further address the gender gap, Binance offers various early career programs, such as Binance Accelerator Program, and undergraduate internships which offer more access to careers in crypto for diverse talent. The company also offers guidance and career advice to women through female mentorship programs, talent workshops, educational courses and lectures to share industry experience and insights on how to break into a career in Web3.

"As one of the few female leaders in the industry, I believe that we have a mission, through Binance Charity and Binance Academy, to help more women understand web3 and blockchain technology -- our education and internship programs aim to empower young women with knowledge and skills ready for industry disruption," said Yi He, Binance co-founder and chief marketing officer. "We believe that anyone with ideas can change the world, regardless of gender. We hope these commitments will result in more women on the front line of innovation and bring change to our industry."

In addition to providing free crypto educational resources in more than 30 languages on Binance Academy , Binance will be waiving trading fees[4] through the month of March with code IWD2023 as an additional way to welcome new users to crypto.

About Binance

Binance is the world's leading blockchain ecosystem and cryptocurrency infrastructure provider with a financial product suite that includes the largest digital asset exchange by volume. Trusted by millions worldwide, the Binance platform is dedicated to increasing the freedom of money for users, and features an unmatched portfolio of crypto products and offerings, including: trading and finance, education, data and research, social good, investment and incubation, decentralization and infrastructure solutions, and more. For more information, visit: https://www.binance.com

SOURCE Binance

For further information: Media Contacts: Binance: [email protected]
Fairstone is committed to promoting gender equality in the workplace and across society.

MONTREAL, March 6, 2023 /CNW/ - Fairstone Bank of Canada and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Fairstone Financial Inc. (hereinafter collectively "Fairstone"), celebrate 2023 International Women's Day ("IWD") with a series of initiatives dedicated to celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women at Fairstone and in the finance industry in general, and to promote financial literacy as a powerful tool to empower women and overcome barriers to financial independence.

On Tuesday, March 7, from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m., Fairstone will mark International Womens Day with a free, captivating 90-minute panel on women, finances and wellness. Register for the event at www.fairstone.ca/en/about/events. (CNW Group/Fairstone Financial Inc.)

Parity Certification by Women in Governance

Since 2019, Fairstone has been awarded Bronze Parity Certification by Women in Governance. This award is a testimony to Fairstone's active involvement in supporting women and advancing female leadership. Women currently occupy 56% of Fairstone's senior and executive management roles, and 65% of all positions across the organization. This is a significant achievement in terms of gender parity. Additionally, Fairstone has pledged to foster equal gender representation at all management levels, and review compensation and recruiting processes, to continue to break down barriers and foster leadership and a welcoming culture focused on DEI within the next three years.

Free Webinar | Women and Financial Literacy: Embracing Equity

On Tuesday, March 7, from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m., Fairstone will mark International Women's Day with a free, captivating 90-minute panel on women, finances and wellness, featuring accomplished panelists from impactful organizations in Canada. The speakers will discuss the current state of financial literacy for women across Canada, including how increasing financial literacy and empowering women benefits society. Register for the event at www.fairstone.ca/en/about/events.

Canadian Women's Foundation Partnership

Fairstone believes that diversity and gender equality are key to organizations' health, productivity and success, both from an employee and business standpoint. To that effect, Fairstone pledged a four-year, $80,000 commitment to the Canadian Women's Foundation's Economic Development Program, and continues to work with them on initiatives that help women, girls and gender-diverse people move out of poverty.

Women in Leadership Award

As part of its commitment to promote women within its organization, Fairstone introduced a "Women in Leadership Award" in 2022. This award aligns with a larger corporate objective to continuously improve and evolve in diversity, equity, and inclusion. It is presented to a woman who leads and inspires others by representing our business leadership principles and values, and who champions the advancement of women in the workplace. This year, the award was presented to Amy Langford, District Manager, London, Ontario, in recognition of her ability to strive for excellence every day and demonstrate courage and accountability in all aspects of her life.

"I am so honoured to be the recipient of this recognition. When you can be yourself and know that you have a voice at the table and that opportunities are open to you, this is when you are at your best," said Amy Langford. "Fairstone believes in its people and strives to create an engaging workplace where everyone feels empowered, fulfilled, and has a sense of belonging. This is really a place to grow professionally and have the chance to make a difference. I'm so proud of my team and the entire Fairstone family for what we have built and continue building."

Other initiatives

Over the last few years, Fairstone has openly committed to initiatives that contribute to reaching gender parity within the organization and increasing women's representation at all levels. As it continues implementing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in its business and culture, Fairstone recently launched the Women's Network, an initiative created by the Fairstone Women's Committee to support women and advance female leadership. The Women's Network is a space for women and allies to share their knowledge, develop their skills and further professional opportunities. Fairstone has also recently appointed its Women's Committee's executive sponsor, Amir Gorgi, Chief Financial Officer at Fairstone. His role moving forward will be to help the Women's Committee build a diverse pipeline around DEI and parity goals.

"At Fairstone, we believe that a diverse workforce best serves the interests of our employees and our customers, who want to see themselves represented in our company's workforce and management," said Mr. Gorgi. "As the executive sponsor of the Women's Committee, I'm committed to identifying and addressing any barriers towards gender diversity in our organization by working with this employee-driven committee and our leadership team to implement tangible actions towards parity. I personally owe many of my professional successes to incredible women with whom I've worked and learned from throughout my career, and I feel compelled to help this important initiative".

About the Company

Fairstone Bank of Canada ("Fairstone Bank") and its subsidiary, Fairstone Financial Inc. ("Fairstone"), form a leading consumer lending group. Fairstone Bank and Fairstone provide innovative financial services that enable Canadian consumers and businesses to achieve their goals. Collectively, Fairstone Bank and its subsidiaries offer credit cards and rewards programs, point-of-sale financing through merchant partners, automobile financing via dealerships, and unsecured and secured personal loans and mortgages online and at over 245 Fairstone branches coast to coast. With a long-established Canadian history, Fairstone Bank and Fairstone are committed to improving the lives of Canadians with value-driven and accessible financial solutions. More at: www.Fairstone.ca and www.FairstoneBank.ca

SOURCE Fairstone Financial Inc.

For further information: Caroline Morin, Vice President, Corporate Communications, [email protected], +1 833-461-2900
Meet adoptable pets March 6-12 at adoption events at PetSmart locations across Canada

TORONTO, March 6, 2023 /CNW/ - More than 90,000 pets enter shelters and rescue organizations each year. Those who stay longest are often pets with special needs, such as living with chronic illnesses, physical differences such as loss of sight or limbs or behavioral needs, often stemming from their upbringing (some pets prefer rural to urban environments, others do better as the only animal in the home). To help pets of all varieties find loving homes, PetSmart Charities of Canada, the leading funder of animal welfare in Canada, aims to create connections for animals in need of homes during its National Adoption Week March 6-12, 2023.

Theres no shortage of love for Heidi Marston, director of pet placement at PetSmart Charities of Canada and her special needs dog Gatsby. PetSmart Charities National Adoption Week takes place March 6-12 with adoption events for pets in need of loving families at PetSmart stores nationwide. (CNW Group/PetSmart Canada)

During PetSmart Charities of Canada National Adoption Week, potential pet parents will have the chance to interact with adoptable pets from animal welfare organizations at local PetSmart stores. Visitors will have the chance to spend time with animals including cats, kittens, dogs and puppies in safe and spacious areas. Staff and volunteers will be on hand to help potential adopters learn more about the pets they are interested in and ensure they feel confident in caring for them.

For Heidi Marston, director of pet placement at PetSmart Charities of Canada, this mission feels especially personal. Marson adopted her dog Gatsby, a 6-year-old blind and deaf Great Dane mix, after touring a shelter for her role.. Marston originally took a video of sweet Gatsby to send to a friend who was looking to adopt. But after showing the video to her partner, Gatsby had an instant home with Marston and her family.

Despite being blind and deaf, Gatsby enjoys life just like any other dog. He quickly learned the layout of Marston's home with some help from sensory items and innovative accommodations to help him navigate, and now enjoys running and playing in the yard. Gatsby has taught Marston much about trust and adaptability, and despite the challenges he's endured, Gatsby is the most kind, loving and social dog she's ever met. Marston hopes others will see the joy adopting a petspecial needs or otherwisecan bring to their homes and consider bringing home a new family member.

"National Adoption Week is an ideal opportunity to give a shelter pet what they need mostpeople to love," said Marston. "Many shelters across the country are full, and pets of all kinds are waiting longer today for their families. I've always been drawn to pets with special needs because they have so much to teach us much. These resilient pets have a different way of connecting with people and that bond is often like nothing you've ever experienced before."

Loving homes make significant impacts on pets and families alike. If you'd like to consider adopting a pet with special needs, Marston recommends the following tips before heading out to local National Adoption Week events:

Ask the adoption representatives about pets with special needs; see if you're that missing puzzle piece that helps them to thrive.

Be honest with yourself about what you can do and what your home has to offer. If you don't find the perfect fit on the first try, that's okay! Your local adoption groups will be thrilled to help you find the right pet.

Keep an open mind! Oftentimes, we skip over the pets that might need a little extra care, thinking it may be harder to care for them, but that's not always true. For example, if you primarily work away from your home, a puppy may be challenging to care for but a more senior pet who loves napping and requires little exercise could be perfect! If you know what you have to offer a pet and go in open minded, your perfect match will find you!

Those who aren't quite ready to expand their family can still make a big impact by donating to help pets in need at PetSmartCharities.ca. They also can find their match when the time is right by visiting PetSmartCharities.ca/adopt-a-pet for adoptable pets, adoption centres and events.

PetSmart Charities of Canada National Adoption Week Details:

Thousands of animal welfare organizations will bring a host of adoptable shelter pets including cats, dogs, kittens and puppies into nearly every PetSmart store across Canada.

Dates: March 6-12, 2023

Locations: Nearly every one of PetSmart stores across Canada. Visit PetSmart.ca to find a store near you.

About PetSmart Charities of Canada

PetSmart Charities of Canada is committed to making the world a better place for pets and all who love them. Through its in-store adoption program in PetSmart stores across the country, PetSmart Charities of Canada helps thousands of pets connect with loving families each year. PetSmart Charities of Canada also provides grant funding to support organizations that advocate and care for the well-being of all pets and their families. Our grants and efforts connect pets with loving homes through adoption, improve access to affordable veterinary care and support families in times of crisis with access to food, shelter, and emergency relief. Each year, thousands of generous supporters help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities of Canada directly at PetSmartCharities.ca, while shopping at PetSmart.ca, and by using the PIN pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities of Canada efficiently uses more than 90 cents of every dollar donated to fulfill its role as the leading funder of animal welfare in Canada, granting more than $25 million since its inception in 1999. Independent from PetSmart LLC, PetSmart Charities of Canada is a registered Canadian charity. To learn more visit PetSmartCharities.ca.

About PetSmart

PetSmart LLC is the leading pet retailer offering products, services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart's passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so together they can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities.

PetSmart operates approximately 1,660 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, as well as more than 200 in-store PetSmart PetsHotel dog and cat boarding facilities. We provide a broad range of competitively priced pet food and products, as well as services such as dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day Camp and pet adoption.

PetSmart, PetSmart Charities and PetSmart Charities  of Canada work with nearly 4,000 animal welfare organizations to bring adoptable pets into stores so they have the best chance possible of finding a forever home.

Through this in-store adoption program and other signature events, PetSmart has facilitated over 350 thousand adoptions in Canada, more than any other brick-and-mortar organization.

24-hour media at PetSmart and PetSmart Charities: [email protected]

Connect with PetSmart Canada and Charities on social media:

Instagram: @PetSmartCanada & @PetSmartCharities

Facebook: @PetSmartCanada & Facebook.com/PetSmartCharities

Twitter: @PetSmartChariTs

YouTube: YouTube.com/PetSmartCharitiesInc

SOURCE PetSmart Canada

For further information: Media Contacts: Kaitlyn Ward, [email protected], PetSmart Charities 24-hour media line: 623-587-2177
What have countries agreed to do?

The new treaty aims to establish vast marine protected areas to prevent the loss of wildlife and ensure that resources are equally distributed between nations.

The protected areas established in the treaty will limit the exploitation of resources from the deep seas. Stricter regulations will be put on activities such as deep-sea mining and fishing, and routes of shipping lanes will also be restricted.

Issues such as fishing rights and funding have held up negotiations for years, but in the most recent talks, concerns over the sharing of marine genetic resources were also a major sticking point.

Marine genetic resources are biological materials derived from plants and animals that are used to benefit human society and are used in things like pharmaceuticals and food.

The global south led the talks on ensuring that resources are to be fairly distributed so that poorer nations would also benefit.

The High Ambition Coalition, which includes the US, the EU and the UK, played a key role in moving talks forward and made compromises to get the final agreement across the line.

Countries will be meeting again in the future to formally adopt the agreement and work will then begin to start implementing the treaty.

'It's really exciting to have this global consensus and this global agreement about what we all recognise as important for marine conservation and improving knowledge on the remarkable biodiversity in the deep sea,' says Muriel.

'I think having these shared goals is what helped to push this treaty to the finish line. Everyone is behind the need for conservation and for better knowledge of the deep sea.'

'At times like these, when things feel quite politically fragmented, it's exciting that countries can come together and agree to improve conservation with those big goals in mind.'
Richard Robinson was being eyeballed by a giant. The juvenile southern right whale balanced on one fin and rolled towards the photojournalist from only feet away. Then the 11 metre male disappeared into the churned up sea. This was an area known for great white sharks, and the terrible visibility created an eerie feel. Within moments, a colossal shadow crept towards Richard across the ocean floor. The curious whale had returned for another inspection, flashing the love heart pattern on his belly. This game continued for half an hour.

As the whale rolled around and the light bounced off the sand, Richard snapped one of his commended images. He had to back-fin so that he could fit the whale in the frame, even with a fisheye lens.

'I've done a lot of stuff with whales,' he says, describing often fleeting moments, 'But this was just something else. The curiosity of this whale was phenomenal.'

The whale research expedition

It had been a lifelong goal of Richard's to photograph southern right whales, but photographers can't turn up to this remote area unannounced. There are strict controls to protect the whales, which are now in recovery after the end of whaling.

In 2020, his wish was granted. Richard boarded an expedition yacht with a small team of scientists, led by the University of Auckland's Dr Emma Carroll. The photojournalist had his camera poised on two separate expeditions across two years. Even with a drysuit and gloves, the water would be freezing. They sailed for roughly three days from the bottom of New Zealand's South Island, arriving at the subantarctic Auckland Islands. This is where the whales breed and give birth  where they go to feed, nobody knew.
Following the Supreme Court judgment, which extended the validity of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) currency redesign policy to December, some deposit money banks have started paying out the old notes.

Checks showed that some commercial banks in the City of Kano and Abuja have commenced paying out the old N500 and N1000 notes.

While some branches of Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB) issued out old notes, some others like Polaris bank in Abuja had not commenced as of the time this report was filed.

A member of staff confided in our reporter that only the old N200 notes were still being issued, as we do not have any new directive on what to do yet.

Sources at GTB said they received a directive from their management to begin paying old notes in their vault.

The problem is that taking the old notes from customers will require the CBN form as we dont have any directive in that regard, the source said.

As of the time of this report, we were unable to confirm if the CBN had officially issued a bank-wide circular instructing the Deposit money bank to comply.

Economic experts have asked President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Governor of the CBN, Godwin Emefiele, to obey the judgment on the validity of the old naira notes.

An economist, Paul Alake, had said there needs to be more clarity on how the old N500 and N1000 notes return into circulation.

He said the judgment would not be impactful if the old Notes were not released by the CBN back into the banking system.

If the money is not released in the financial sector by the Central Bank of Nigeria, the judgment may not have any effect.

In a unanimous judgement, a seven-member panel of justices presided by Justice Inyang Okoro, on Friday, held that the directive by President Muhammadu Buhari to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the redesigning and withdrawal of old notes of N200, N500 and N1,000, without consultation with the states, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and the National Council of State and other stakeholders, was unconstitutional.

The apex court observed that no reasonable notice was given before the implementation of the policy as provided under the CBN Act.








Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said, political leaders and not farmers should be blamed for the inability of the country to attain self-sufficiency in food production.

Obasanjo stated this on Sunday at a lecture organised to mark his 86th birthday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

The former President said, it was regrettable that, Nigeria and Africa had failed to take advantage of advancement in science and technology for the development of the agricultural sector.

Obasanjo said, Nigerians must blame the country leaders for lacking the political will to turn Nigeria into the food basket of Africa.

According to him, Nigeria was not created by God to be poor, but the leaders of the country have Nigerians with poor policies.

Obasanjo said, I believe that God has not created Nigeria as a basket case. God has created Nigeria for a great purpose. At independence, the world did not refer to Nigeria as giant in Africa, no, they referred to Nigeria as giant in the sun, Nigeria was more than giant in Africa, it was giant in the sun. But, not only have we not been giant in the sun, we have not even been giant in Africa. Some people called us giant with clay feet.

So, that is not what God has created Nigeria to be, that is what we Nigerians have inadvertently or advertently made Nigeria to be.

But, will Nigeria continue to be so, I believe no. So, we must continue to hold ourselves together, pray and understand all the factors and the elements that is making us to be not the giant, but the dwarf of Africa and how we can get out of it and I believe and pray that we will get out of it.

Food security is very important and for as long as we are not reasonably self-sufficient in food and nutrition security in Africa, we are of course not doing the right thing for ourselves.

Until Ukraine war, I really did not realise how much we in Africa, almost all of us in Africa depend on the Russians and the Ukrainians for wheat. Wheat which is use to make bread is only carbohydrate, are there no carbohydrate food stuff that can be produced in Africa that we can be self-sufficient in. I know some of our countries cannot produce wheat and this is the sort of thing that IITA have been doing.

Science and technology have given us all that we need for food and nutrition security in Africa what is left is political will and political action.

And if we fail not to have food and nutrition security we cannot blame our scientists, we blame our politicians and our farmers, but more of politicians than farmers because I have been at the two helms and I can tell you that the farmers are ready if they are given all the incentives and the encouragement that should be given by the politicians.
Goma, DR Congo, Mar 6 (UNI) The first contingent of Burundian soldiers arrived Sunday in Goma, the capital of North Kivu province in northeast Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), under the mandate of the regional forces of the East African Community (EAC).



General Emmanuel Kaputa Kasenga, deputy commander of the East African contingent who greeted the Burundian soldiers arriving at the Goma International Airport, said the Burundian troops are set to end the violence in eastern DRC.
Kelvin Chukwu, younger brother of the late Oyibo Chukwu, has been elected as the new Labour Party (LP) candidate for Enugu east senatorial district.

Oyibo Chukwu was killed and set ablaze at Amechi Awkunanaw in Enugu south LGA on February 23 after gunmen opened fire on his convoy.

TheCable reported that five of his supporters in the car were also killed in the incident.

Following the murder, Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), announced the suspension of the election for the senatorial district and rescheduled it to March 11.

In a fresh party primary conducted on Sunday, Innocent Okeke, LPs south-east chairman, declared Kelvin Chukwu as the winner

He secured 223 votes to defeat Uchenna Ogbodo, Chinedu Nneji and Christian Onyeni.

Speaking after the announcement, Chukwu promised to fulfil the dreams of his late brother and make the people of Enugu East senatorial district proud.

Kelvin said the family is yet to recover from how Oyibo was gruesomely shot and burnt alongside his personal aide.

Casmir Agbo, the state party chairman, praised the 231 delegates in the senatorial zone for their resilience and support.
Who is the governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Rivers state? Many will say Itubo Beatrice but some insist it is Fafaa Princewill.

This inability to see eye-to-eye is the source of a controversy brewing in the Rivers chapter of the LP as Princewill has declared himself as the governorship candidate of the party in the state.

Despite his claim, Itubo Beatrice remains the candidate recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Members of Princewills camp alleged that his name was submitted to INEC following a February 2 court judgement that recognised him as the LP candidate.

Were yet to obtain the said order and has also been unable to reach Princewill for clarification.

Similarly, the electoral body is yet to issue an amendment on the standard bearer for the state.

Itubo has however dismissed the claim from Princewills camp, saying she remains the candidate of the party.

I want to state categorically that I am the Labour Party governorship candidate in Rivers state. The party has not changed my name, Itubo told TheCable.

I am currently in Abuja. I was with the national chairman who affirmed my candidacy. So, there is no basis for what that man (Princewill) is saying. It is a gimmick. I am sure somebody has paid him to do that.

On the alleged court judgment, she replied: Where is the court judgement? Let him bring the court order. Let us see where the court said my name should be substituted with his.

You can check INEC if my name has been replaced. Ive told my lawyer to contact him, I am not even bothered. I have told my supporters not to be distracted but to come out and vote for us.

All he is trying to do is cause distraction among our teeming members. The only work for us is to tell people that I am still in the race. Labour party knows their candidate. INEC knows the candidate. So, theres no point for that distraction.

When contacted Yunusa Tanko, LP national campaign spokesperson, he said: Mrs Beatrice Itubo is the one I know.

You know the party has the constitutional right to put up a candidate but I am not too sure if that change was made. If the change was made, I will confirm and get back to you.

Julius Abure, LP national chairperson, did not respond to his calls for a reaction.

The governorship and state assembly elections are scheduled for March 11.




A Federal High Court presided over by Justice Muhammad Yunusa has granted bail to House of Representatives Majority Leader, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, who is accused of the alleged killing of some persons on election day.





Doguwa was detained by the police last week and subsequently arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ibrahim Mansur on six count charges including culpable homicide, causing grievous hurt, mischief by firearm and inciting disturbances.





He was remanded in prison till March 7 but was granted bail by the Federal High Court in Kano on Monday.
Adams Oshiomhole, the Edo North Senator-elect, has downplayed the possibility of impeaching the state Governor, Godwin Obaseki ahead of the March 11 House of Assembly and governorship elections.

Oshiomhole said Obaseki should not worry about being impeached by the incoming lawmakers in the state.

Speaking with newsmen in Benin City, the Edo State capital, the Senator-elect said if Obaseki had performed well, he wont be afraid that the people of the state would vote out his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

He noted that Obaseki can only fear impeachment if he had committed some atrocities.

According to Oshiomhole: There is no truth in it unless the governor feels that he has committed so much atrocities that he is now afraid that he cannot stand the rigour of democratic governance.

The purpose of the House of Assembly is to subject the Executive to legislative scrutiny. It is not for nothing that you spend millions, if not billions, maintaining a parliament.

He noted that the House of Assembly candidates contesting to occupy the Edo Parliament are hungry to ensure that the governor spends resources in a manner that captures the aspirations of their various constituents. Sacking the governor is not in their manifesto.

Oshiomhole accused the Obaseki-led state government of not allowing the parliament to function the way it should.




Death toll from the explosion in Rumuekpe community, in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State has reportedly risen to 20.





It was reported that an explosion from illegally refined petrol killed several persons in the Rivers community, leaving some severely injured and vehicles destroyed on Friday.





The Paramount Ruler of Rumuekpe Community, His Royal Highness, Eze Christian Evekwuru, who confirmed the death toll, blamed the incident on hunger and poverty in the land.





While commiserating with families who lost loved ones to the explosion, Eze Evekwuru recalled that since 1958 when oil exploration started in the area, oil multinationals operating in the community allegedly refused to employ the youths in the community.





The monarch claimed that the multinationals have failed to establish any industry to help their host community, but has rather, cleverly avoided the community leaders and engaged some dubious characters of their choice as pipeline surveillance agents who in return easily sabotage them at will.





He said despite being host community to four oil companies, there was nothing to show for it except incessant fire outbreaks and other calamities in the community.





The monarch added that all efforts to draw the attention of the Federal Government to their plight had proved abortive, in spite of their contribution to the nations economy.





The Rumuekpe Paramount Ruler also accused security agencies of having knowledge of the illegal refining activities going on in the area.





He further appealed to FG to collaborate with the oil companies and consider compensating the families of the dead victims.
The federal government has disclosed why there is slight fuel scarcity nationwide.

It stated that the just concluded presidential and National Assembly Elections are the reason for the scarcity.

In a statement on Sunday by the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, Engr. Farouk Ahmed, the authority warned Nigerians against panic-buying.

It assured that it is working with stakeholders to address the situation.

Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, assures Nigerians that operations in loading depots have fully resumed following the restriction of movements during the recently concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections, which necessitated truck drivers to travel to exercise their civic duty.

Consequently, the NMDPRA is working with other Stakeholders to mitigate the slight tightness being experienced in the distribution of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

Most importantly, the public is invited to note that the current stock sufficiency stands at 35.39 days for PMS, 34.86 days for AGO and 31.36 days for ATK.

The Authority strives to guarantee supply and distribution reliability nationwide and strongly advises against panic buying.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Femi Fani-Kayode, has disclosed what the party must do during Saturdays governorship election.

Fani-Kayode said the APC must win the governorship election in Lagos, Kaduna, Niger, Zamfara, Yobe, Borno States on Saturday.

He noted that the ruling party must replicate its feat at the presidential election during the forthcoming governorship polls.

In a tweet, Fani-Kayode wrote: We won the pres. election & a great majority in the Senate & House of Reps.

Our focus is now on the governorship elections. Lagos, Kaduna, Niger, Zamfara, Yobe, Borno & ALL other states are a MUST win for us.

May the wind blow behind our sails & may God grant us victory! Godspeed.

APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu had won last Saturdays election after garnering the highest votes.
Lagos State Chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has debunked claims by the Labour Party, LP, Governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour that he is talking with the real owners of PDP structure in Lagos State for possible alliance towards the March 11 gubernatorial poll.

The party, through Publicity Secretary and Chairman, Media and Publicity Team for JandorFunke 2023 Campaign Council, Hakeem Amode, debunked the claim in a statement on Monday.

The rebuttal followed a recent statement credited to Rhodes-Vivour and a purported message broadcasted on a Twitter handle @zuccinille who claimed that Jandor would collapse his structure to work for a certain political party.

The statement read in part: The claim as credited to the Labour Party Candidate came as disrespect to PDP, as no one can lay claims to the ownership structure of the PDP. PDP is a proper Democratic Party and its only the State Executive of the party as recognised by the National Body can be described as the custodian of the PDP under the leadership of the partys Governorship Candidate Dr. Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran (Jandor).

So whoever Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour is talking to is only representing themselves and not Lagos PDP, as no official conversation across the two-party lines at the moment, and Jandor is NOT planning to step down for any candidate.

Jandor as a candidate in this election achieved making the Jandor brand a household name in Lagos on his own merit due to his immense hard work, and hes not riding on any sudden waves.

We are using this opportunity to urge our teeming supporters and good people of Lagos that the decision of the people to ensure that Lagos breaks free will be respected and defended in the coming gubernatorial election of March 11.

The efforts to liberate Lagos from the present oligarchy government of APC cannot be undermined by people who do not see such a great battle that must be won and cannot be subjected to social media cruise.
Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has denied reports that he held a meeting with the president-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressive Congress (APC), at the Imo State Government House, Owerri, on how to stop the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi from pursuing the process to reclaim his mandate through a court process.

Tinubu was declared the winner of the Feb. 25 Presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

The former Lagos State governor polled 8,794,726 votes to beat Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who got 6.96 million votes and Obi, who garnered 6.1 million votes, according to INEC announcement last Wednesday.

Reports had emerged that a helicopter allegedly flew into Awka by 1:30am on Sunday and took Soludo to a secret meeting at Government House, Owerri.

Details of the said meeting were unknown but it was gathered that Tinubu was said to be expressing concern about the growing popularity of Obi and solicited the help of Soludo to find a solution.

However, in his reaction, Soludo, through his Press Secretary, Christian Aburime, said the allegations were false and disgusting.

Aburime, in a statement made available to journalists in Awka, on Monday, said, The general public is advised to disregard the allegations. Ndi Anambra should also disregard all the insinuations and come out to vote massively for APGA this Saturday for the State House of Assembly election in order to sustain the developmental strides of the present administration of Governor Soludo.

If certain people could sit somewhere and cook up a story of this nature, it becomes highly reprehensible and certainly deserves to be condemned by every right-thinking person.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has asked the presidential election petition tribunal to amend the orders granted to the presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP).

Peter Obi of the LP and Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, on Friday, secured leave of the court to have access to all the sensitive materials used by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the conduct of the election held on February 25.

A panel of the appellate court led by Joseph Ikyegh made the orders on Friday after the court heard two separate ex parte applications filed by the two aggrieved candidates and their political parties.

INEC, in a motion on notice filed on March 4, asked the court to vary the order which restrained it from tampering with materials used for the election.

The commission said it needs to reconfigure the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for the governorship and state houses of assembly election.

In one of the reliefs, Obi and LP had sought an order of the court restraining the 1st respondent (INEC) from tampering with the information embedded in the BVAS machines until due inspection is conducted and Certified True Copies of them issued.

However, the relief was withdrawn and consequently struck out by the court.
China calls US report on port crane spying conspiracy misleading

Beijing, Mar 6 (UNI) The Chinese Foreign Ministry waved off on Monday a media report that said US officials were concerned about the spying potential of Chinese-made port cranes used widely across the country.

"This statement is completely irrational and misleads the American people," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a daily news briefing.

Chinese port equipment maker ZPMC has been supplying giant ship-to-shore cranes to multiple American ports, including those used by the US military, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday. Its cranes are equipped with sensors that can track cargo origins and destinations, making them a potential Trojan horse, according to unnamed Pentagon and national security officials.
Bola Tinubu, Nigerias president-elect, says mindless killings have no place in the country.

The president-elect was reacting to an attack on a police station in Maru LGA of Zamfara.

In the early hours of Sunday, gunmen attacked the station, killing Kazeem Raheem, its divisional police officer (DPO), and Rabiu Umar, a police inspector.

In a statement on Monday, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, an aide of Tinubu, quoted him as saying that citizens have to be united to defeat these killers.

As a country, we have to come together to defeat these merchants of death and terror once and for all, Tinubu said.

Mindless killings and atrocities like this should have no place in our country.

He said there should be an investigation into the murder of the district head of Maigari in Kano state, who was the father of Munir Dahiru Maigari, Rimin Gado LGA chairman.

The president-elect condoled the families of Ahmad Gumi, an Islamic cleric, and the late Sani Abacha.

While Gumi lost his mother, the Abacha family lost Abdullahi, a son.

It is touching to part with a loved one, no matter the circumstances and age, he said.

We cannot question the will of Allah but we can only pray that Almighty Allah grants them eternal rest and give us the fortitude to bear their demise.
Phrank Shaibu, special assistant on public communications to Atiku Abubakar, says the pyrrhic victory of Bola Tinubu at the February 25 presidential poll will be short-lived.

In a statement on Saturday, Shaibu said Tinubu was rejected in Lagos at the presidential poll despite anchoring his campaign on his records in the state.

The media aide asked Nigerians to reject Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, at the March 11 governorship election in the state.

Tinubus pyrrhic victory will be short-lived. The stolen crown balances on his head precariously. He will continue to shake until he drops it, Shaibu said.

It is funny that Lagos was the fulcrum of Tinubus campaign as he promised to replicate the miracle of Lagos across Nigeria, and yet the people of Lagos rejected him on the day of election.

Tinubu lost in Ikeja local government where he had voted and also lost in Bourdillon, Ikoyi where he lives. Rather than accept the will of the people, he unleashed thugs on the people he claimed to love.

Jennifer Efidi Bima was hit in the face by Tinubus hounds in Surulere. Her blood-stained ballot paper is a testament to the resolve of the people as he still lost in Lagos despite the violence.

Ahead of the governorship election, Tinubu will once again relocate to Lagos, where he will try to unleash violence on the people in order to ensure that his puppet, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is re-elected. Nigerians must rise up against such tyranny.

On March 1, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Tinubu, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the election.

The result was rejected by major opposition parties and the conduct of the election was criticised by some international and local media platforms.

Shaibu said Atiku, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, commended Jim Risch, a US senator, for taking a position that the election was marred with irregularities.

The PDP presidential candidate also commended the Guardian Newspaper of London, the Financial Times of London, and The PUNCH for their editorials on the conduct of the presidential election.

Risch, a member of the US senate foreign relations committee, had asked the US government not to rush and embrace the results of the poll.




The Niger State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the state All Progressives Congress, APC, to explain why sensitive electoral materials like BVAS, ballot papers and Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, staff are at an apartment that serves as its situation room in the state.





The state Chairman of the PDP, Bar. Tanko Beji made the disclosure while addressing journalists at the partys secretariat on the issue in Minna.





He urged the INEC to as a matter of urgency cancel the February 25, 2023 Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state, saying plans were made by the ruling APC to use INEC and security personnel to rig the March 11 governorship election.





According to him, We have it on record that plans are being made by the APC to use the INEC and security agencies to rig the forthcoming Governorship and State House of Assembly elections.





He continued, We have our facts and evidence, some people call that place a situation room. What are they doing with various electoral materials Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) machines, PVCs?





These items were found there; what were INEC adhoc staff who are National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and stalwarts of the APC doing at the said apartment?





Recall that the APC had claimed that the state police stormed the situation room of its governorship candidate, Hon. Umar Bago in Minna, the state capital on Sunday.





Beji further stated that with the discovery, the ruling party should explain to Nigerlites what they are doing with electoral materials in the said apartment.





Therefore, we are calling on the INEC to hasten the cancellation of the February 25 elections and the police need to seal off the apartment, find out what corps members who are adhoc staff were doing there, he maintained.





The Police Public Relations Officer DSP Abiodun Wasiu, who confirmed the development in a statement, explained that two persons were nabbed for false information and attempting to cause breach of peace in the state.





The police said, On 5/03/2023 at about 1500hrs, information was received that some persons were found in a building at Bosso Estate thumbprinting ballot papers towards the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state.





Unfortunately, on entering the building and based on preliminary investigation, it was discovered that the information is false.





The police spokesman further noted that the informant identified as Engr Ndagi and one other were immediately arrested for giving false information and attempting to cause breach of peace at the scene.
The All Progressive Congress (APC) in Cross River has endorsed Brian Odey, candidate of the Labour Party (LP), for the Yala 1 state assembly polls.

Alphonsus Eba, the party chairman, spoke during an interactive session with journalists in Calabar, the state capital, on Monday.

Eba said the endorsement of the LP candidate followed the supreme courts judgment nullifying the candidacy of Regina Anyogo, who was the APC candidate.

He said the endorsement of Odey is in line with the political calculation and sportsmanship to support the LP in the state.

He explained that the alliance is to ensure that LP supporters reciprocate the gesture and vote for Bassey Otu, APC governorship candidate in the state.

As a party, we are adopting the candidate of the Labour Party, Brian Odey in the Yala 1 state constituency election, he said.

We are in this alliance because we want supporters of the Labour Party to also support the candidate of the APC in the governorship election.

The APC chairman also called on the police to prosecute the suspects arrested for allegedly causing violence during the presidential and national assembly elections in Cross River north.

He asked the police to also arrest their sponsors and prosecute them accordingly.

Eba also alleged that the presidential election held in the state was militarised.

He called on Farouk Yahaya, chief of army staff, to ensure that soldiers from 82 Division, Enugu, are not deployed for election in the state again.
Former presidential aide and social media influencer, Reno Omokri has said despite Peter Obi of Labour Party patronage in the Nigerian Christendom, he could not get the national spread needed to win the just concluded presidential election.

Omokri, a known supporter of Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, made this known via his official Twitter handle on Sunday.

He was reacting to the fallout of the presidential election where the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Party the winner and returned elected president.

Despite jumping from church to church, Obi could get neither the numbers nor the spread needed to win. It is even with three strong Muslims dividing the Muslim vote on the same ballot. Obi just demystified the Christian bloc vote. Oya, insult me, he tweeted.

Omokri has been critical of politicians not under his political party, PDP.
The spokesman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential Campaign Council, APC, Festus Keyamo, has disclosed why the Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate, Peter Obi cant come to court to demand that he should be declared winner of the presidential election.

Keyamo said Obi must fight the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to prove he came second.

He said after proving they came second, then they can wrest the position of the presidency with the President-Elect, Bola Tinubu.

In a tweet, Keyamo wrote: Peter Obi & Labour Party cannot even come to court & ask to be declared winner straightaway.

They have to first fight PDP in order to prove they came second, before they can have the temerity to face @officialABAT. So, there is no room for cooperation b/w Labour & PDP in court.

Obi came third in last Saturdays presidential election after PDPs Atiku Abubakar and Tinubu, who was declared winner of the poll.




The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, has called on the chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, to resign from his position.





INEC declared the flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, the winner of the February 25 election with 8,794,726 votes.





Tinubu beat Atiku who polled 6,984,520 votes and the Labour Party, LP, candidate Peter Obi who secured 6,101,533 votes.





Yakubu, during a meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) yesterday, noted that a number of issues affected the outcome of the polls.





He vowed that officials responsible for the infractions wouldnt be involved in the gubernatorial poll on March 11 and would face disciplinary actions.





However, Atiku in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, on Sunday said: Prof. Yakubu should be man enough to own up to his failure.





A fish rots from the head down, and that is what has happened at INEC.





Rather than suspend any staff, the INEC chairman is the one that needs to step aside as his first act of contrition.
Ahead of Saturdays governorship election, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Femi Fani-Kayode, has said the party will not allow the Labour Party, LP, governorship candidate in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, hand over the state to Igbos.

Fani-Kayode noted that Yorubas and Igbos were subjected to torture in the Southeast during the presidential election.

In a series of tweets, the politician said some Igbos were killed in the Southeast for voting for the President-elect.

According to Fani-Kayode: How can such a well brought up & distinguished young man be one of those that joined the mob to burn buses during the Endsars riots?

How can he be one of those that turns his back on his own Yoruba people, hero worship secessionists like Ojukwu & conspire to hand over Lagos to the Igbos? Can any Igbo man do that for a Yoruba in the East? Is he aware of what the Yoruba were subjected to in parts of the east during the just concluded presidential election?

Does he know the number of Igbos that were killed, tortured & whose homes were burnt in the east simply because they dared to vote for Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a Yoruba man?

I love the Igbo & I believe in a plural society which welcomes all ethnic nationalities & creeds but to hand Lagos over to them as a way of compensating them for their past woes is absurd.

That would be absurd and suicidal and we will NEVER allow it to see the light of day. What happened to this otherwise brilliant and cerebal young man called Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour? What has got into him? Is he possessed? Is he in need of prayer and deliverance?
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by its National Chairman, Sen. Iyorchia Ayu and National Working Committee members on Monday urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the Feb. 25 Presidential election and to re-conduct a very credible election.

Ayu stated this while presenting a party protest letter to INEC in Abuja.

Recall that INEC had declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu as the winner of the presidential election.

Tinubu defeated the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi.

The former Lagos State governor has since received his Certificate of Return.

On behalf of the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the teeming members of the PDP, we present this protest letter to INEC, addressed to the Commission Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Ayu said.

We dont accept the charades of what has been presented to Nigeria people as election and what has been declared.

We, there, call on INEC not only to cancel the election but to re-conduct a very credible election, not only to Nigerians but also the international community.

Receiving the letter, Mr Festus Okoye, the INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, commended the PDP for a peaceful protest.

Okoye promised to submit the letter to the appropriate authorities for necessary action.

I have received this letter on behalf of the commission, if there are remedial issues to be dealt with, were going to deal with those remedial issues.

This commission is for the Nigerian people. Our allegiance is for the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he said.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will redress the grievances of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) regarding the presidential election outcome.

Festus Okoye, INEC national commissioner for information, spoke on Monday while addressing members of the PDP who protested at the commissions headquarters in Abuja.

TheCable had reported how the protesters led by Atiku Abubakar, the PDP standard bearer, marched to INECs office to protest the result of the election won by Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The protesters, who were dressed in black, started their demonstration from Legacy House, causing heavy traffic congestion around the Maitama axis.

Okoye said the protest letter received from the PDP will be transmitted to Mahmood Yakubu, INEC national chairman, adding that the grievances will be addressed.

I have received this particular protest letter on behalf of the chairman of INEC and I promise you that this letter will be transmitted to him, he said.

If there are remedial issues to be dealt with, we are going to deal with those remedial issues.

But I want to assure you that this commission is a listening commission. This commission is a public trust and this commission belongs to the Nigerian people.

This commission does not have any allegiance to any political party. We dont have allegiance to any political party. We dont have any allegiance to any candidate. Our allegiance is to the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I want to thank all of you for the peaceful way this protest has been conducted.

The commission belongs to the Nigerian people and whatever grievances there are, we will look into all those grievances. If there are grievances that can be redressed, we will redress those grievances but I want to plead that all of us should continue to be peaceful and all of us should continue to respect the integrity of the commission and also the integrity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

I am going to go and hand over the protest letter to the chairman of the commission and I want to assure you that the commission will meet over this letter, look into it and address some of the issues.

While presenting the protest letter, Ayu maintained that INEC must cancel the election and conduct a fresh one that will be respected not only by Nigerians but by the whole international community.
RSS route march in TN passes off peacefully, amid tight security 16 Apr 2023 | 7:50 PM Chennai, Apr 16 (UNI) The route march by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak

Sangh (RSS) across Tamil Nadu passed off peacefully on Sunday, amid

tight security as per the orders of the Supreme Court.

The march was held in 45 locations in various parts of the State and in

the city senior BJP leader and Union Minister L.Murugan took part, for

which more than 2,000 police personnel were deployed on security duty,

to prevent any untoward incident. see more..

3-day meet of G20 Digital Economy working Group in Hyderabad from Apr 17 16 Apr 2023 | 7:37 PM Hyderabad, Apr 16 (UNI) The 3-day second in-person meeting of 'G20 Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG)  would be held in Hyderabad from April 17-19. see more..

People fed up of 40 percent BJP govt: Kharge 16 Apr 2023 | 7:34 PM Kolar, Apr 16 (UNI) AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday said that the people of Karnataka are fed up with the "40 percent commission" taken by BJP government and have decided to elect Congress government. see more..

Rahul slams BJP for "insulting OBCs" at Kolar rally 16 Apr 2023 | 6:33 PM Kolar, Apr 16 (UNI) Addressing the issue that cost him the Wayanad MP's post, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday slammed the BJP government for "insulting the OBCs" of this country and challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make public a caste census report. see more..
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Sounds good. Swiping a card is convenient

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New Delhi, Mar 06 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that India is trying to ensure minimal dependence on foreign countries in the healthcare sector.

He pointed out that as the pandemic focused the global attention on health, India went a step further and focused on wellness.

That is why we have put forward a vision before the world - One Earth, One Health. This involves holistic healthcare for all creatures- humans, animals or plants" said the Prime Minister, while addressing a Post Budget Webinar on the subject of Health and Medical Research.

Highlighting the growing confidence of the world in the pharma sector of India, the Prime Minister emphasized the need to capitalize on this and work towards protecting this image.

He informed that a new programme is being launched to boost research and innovation in the pharma sector through centres of excellence which will strengthen the economy as well as create new opportunities for employment.

The Prime Minister noted the absence of an integrated long-term vision for health for many decades after Independence. The Prime Minister said that the government is now pushing the whole-of-the-government approach instead of limiting the subject of health to just the Health Ministry.

Underlining the importance of strong health infrastructure for the treatment of serious ailments, the Prime Minister said more than 1.5 lakh health centres are being developed across the country close to residential areas so that testing centres and first aid are available.

The Prime Minister said Critical health infrastructure is being made accessible to small towns and villages under the PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission which is not only giving rise to new hospitals but it is also creating a new and complete health ecosystem.

Making medical treatment affordable has been the top-most priority of our government, said the Prime Minister, informing that through Ayushman Bharat, about Rs 80,000 crore of the poor patients were saved due to free treatment under the scheme.

Modi said that March 7 is observed as Jan Aushadhi Diwas, and he pointed out that affordable medicines through 9000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras have saved about Rs 20,000 crore of the poor and middle classes all over the country. "This means that just these two schemes saved one lakh crore rupees of the citizens" he added.



Regarding human resources in the sector, the Prime Minister informed that more than 260 new medical colleges have been opened in the last few years.

"This has doubled the medical seats in graduate and postgraduate medical courses as compared to 2014" he said.



The Prime Minister underlined the emphasis on the nursing field in this years Budget. Opening 157 nursing colleges in the vicinity of the medical colleges is a huge step in the direction of medical human resources. This may be useful in fulfilling global demand, not just the domestic need, he added.

The Prime Minister reiterated the lessons learnt with regard to supply chain during the pandemic and said that it has become a matter of great concern.

He lamented the fact that life-saving equipment like medicines, vaccines and medical devices were weaponised when the pandemic was at its peak.

Highlighting the role of technology in medical services he said "We want to give timely healthcare to the citizens through the facility of Digital Health ID. 10 crore people have already benefited by teleconsultation through schemes like e-Sanjivini, he said.

"5G is creating new opportunities in this sector for startups. Drones are bringing revolutionary changes in medicine delivery and testing services" he said.

This is a great opportunity for the entrepreneurs and will give a push to our efforts for universal healthcare, he said, exhorting the entrepreneurs to avoid the import of any technology. The Prime Minister listed the required institutional response in this regard" he said.

The market size of the pharma sector in India is 4 lakh crores today, the Prime Minister said. He stressed the need to find coordination between the private sector and academia as it has the potential to grow the market size beyond Rs 10 lakh crores.

UNI JA RKM
Indian national dies in violence-hit Sudan 16 Apr 2023 | 1:18 PM New Delhi/Khartoum, Apr 16 (UNI) An Indian national died when he was hit by a stray bullet in Khartoum amid clashes between the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday expressed grief over the death and said the Indian Embassy is making all efforts to extend assistance to the family. see more..

Kejriwal reaches CBI office for questioning in excise policy case 16 Apr 2023 | 12:57 PM New Delhi, Apr 16 (UNI) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday reached Central Bureau of Investigation headquarters here for questioning in connection with Delhi excise policy case. see more..

EAM holds telephonic talk with US Secretary of State Blinken 16 Apr 2023 | 12:16 PM New Delhi, Apr 16 (UNI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday held a warm conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during which they discussed regional and global issues, as well as bilateral ties. see more..

Criminals must be punished under 'law of land': Congress 16 Apr 2023 | 11:27 AM New Delhi, Apr 16 (UNI) The Congress on Sunday took a swipe at the Yogi Adityanath-led government in Uttar Pradesh over the firing incident in Prayagraj saying criminals should be given the harshest punishment, but it should be under the law of the land. see more..


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Gigi Hadid is a "nepotism baby".

The 27-year-old model is the daughter of Yolanda Hadid and Mohamed Hadid, and Gigi accepts that she comes from "privilege".

Gigi - who has Khai, two, with ex-boyfriend Zayn Malik - told the Sunday Times newspaper: "Technically, I'm a nepotism baby."

Despite this, Gigi insists she's worked hard for her success in the fashion industry.

She also explained that her parents have instilled a good work ethic into her.

The blonde beauty - who is the sister of fellow model Bella Hadid - shared: "My parents came from very little, [but] I've always acknowledged that I come from privilege.

"My parents told me, 'Just because you have parents who were successful, it doesn't mean that you shouldn't walk into the job being as nice and as hard-working as you can be."

Gigi was recently linked to Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio.

And the catwalk star admits that it's hard for her to have a healthy relationship.

She explained: "I don't know how anyone expects anybody they see in the public eye to have any sort of normal dating experience if you tie people [to one another] so quickly."

Last month, a source explained that although Gigi and Leonardo "get along well", they're not actually dating.

The celebrity duo were spotted together in Milan, but a source insisted that they're merely friends.

The insider explained: "The two get along well and were enjoying time together with friends. Gigi's priority is her daughter and her business and that's what she's focusing on right now."

Gigi and Leonardo love spending time together. However, they're not involved romantically.

The source added: "Gigi and Leo spent time together in Milan but they are just friends and are not dating."
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Jerry Davich Jerrys career began in 1995 as a political cartoonist/columnist with The Times of NWI, writing thousands of columns and stories through narrative storytelling, or shining a light on societys darkest corners, or provoking unpopular conversations. Follow Jerry Davich 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

Todays column is the second in a two-part series on the 1985 murder of Ruth Pelke and her grandsons crusade to save the life of her killer, chronicled in a new book.

Bill Pelke could not bring himself to clean his grandmothers blood from the floorboards of her Gary home. His Nana was killed May 14, 1985, when four teenage girls talked their way into her house, then viciously stabbed to death the 78-year-old Bible teacher.

Nonetheless, Bill Pelke felt compelled  and convinced  that the 15-year-old girl who was sentenced to death for his grandmothers murder shouldnt be executed by the state. That girl, Paula Cooper, would become the youngest death row inmate in Indiana, creating international attention and a passionate controversy that would continue after her own death.

I believe this is a story about the best and the worst that humanity is capable of, said Alex Mar, author of the new book, Seventy Times Seven: A True Story of Murder and Mercy (Penguin Press, $28).

The book, set to be released March 28, explores overarching themes that have fascinated me about this case  mercy, forgiveness, compassion and empathy  and our lack of such virtues. The books title is a reference to biblical scripture, citing Jesus words.

This particular crime inspired a series of individuals, from Lake County to the Vatican, to challenge the status quo  sometimes at great emotional cost  because they believed we could do better, explained Mar, who lives in New York City.

She stumbled onto this case while researching broader aspects of the justice system.

I was immediately struck by two things, Mar told me. The fact of Paulas age at the time of the crime, and the choice of her victims grandson to forgive her. I wanted very much to try to understand Bill and Paulas relationship over time; it posed enormous questions about the limits of empathy, forgiveness, and friendship.

Mar also tried to understand how such a young person could end up doing what Cooper did on that bright spring day in 1985.

I dont think theres a clear answer to that question, but I do hope that Ive captured some important pieces of who she was, Mar said. The chaos and abuse that defined her childhood, her incredibly close relationship with her sister in the middle of that chaos, and the vivid intelligence she began to display in her many letters from death row.

Coopers death sentence was later commuted by the Indiana Supreme Court, thanks to the tireless efforts of Pelke and countless strangers who learned about the case. In 1989, Cooper was sentenced to 60 years. She served 27 years until her release in 2013.

Was this proper justice for Coopers crime? Our answer may reveal our core values regarding crime and punishment.

This is a story that asks what any community is willing to accept as just consequences  as justice  for harm done, Mar writes in the prologue of her 368-page book.

Cooper had earned a college degree in prison, learned culinary skills, and then attempted to live a normal life in the Indianapolis area. Second chance, a headline in The Times stated.

Bill Pelke had moved from Portage to Anchorage, Alaska, to live with his life partner, Kathy Harris, whom hed met in 1998 while crusading against the death penalty for death row inmates. He founded Journey of Hope, an organization led by murder victims family members seeking alternatives to capital punishment. He toured more than 40 states and 15 countries, preaching forgiveness and compassion.

Jerry, its all about love, compassion, and forgiveness, Pelke told me when I knew him. I can hear his calm voice in my head as I write these words. Mars written words echo his feelings.

If it was wrong for Paula to kill Mrs. Pelke, then why was it justice for the state to sentence her to death  particularly for a crime committed at the age of 15? Mar asked rhetorically. While Bills Baptist father believed that the death sentence was right in (Coopers) case, citing his faith, Bill considered it a matter of Christian conviction to forgive. How do we know when our convictions are right?

We dont, I thought. Not for every conviction. Something Ive learned over several decades of personal interactions is that peoples convictions often change over time. At one point in their life, theyre convinced of something that somehow loses conviction over time. Maybe they find or lose God. Maybe an abstract issue becomes a personal one. Or maybe they simply change their mind after experiencing profound circumstances.

Pelkes conviction about this issue remained intact, without waver, until his death Nov. 12, 2020. He died of an apparent heart attack after exiting his home to shovel the driveway. His funeral, affected by pandemic restrictions, was attended by no more than 15 mourners and livestreamed on the internet, according to Mars book.

I remember when I heard the news. I recalled Pelkes gentle smile, calm voice, and devout Christianity. I wondered if his grandmother could be described the same way. She would be so proud of his life and his actions, I thought.

Cooper wouldnt die from a heart attack or a vicious stabbing or from racist death threats made after her release from prison. She took her own life after a lifetime of emotional demons, harassing anguish, and haunting guilt.

In a letter to her fiance, Cooper wrote, I have taken a life and never felt worthy.

Cooper died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. A Bryco .380-caliber handgun was found on her lap. A digital recorder was found on the seat of her nearby car.

This pain that I feel every day I walk around  Im so miserable inside. ... This is a reality thats too much for me to handle, Cooper said into the recorder, according to Mars book. I must have peace  peace of mind, peace in my heart. ... Forgive me, I must go now.

A headline in The Times stated, KILLER COMMITS SUICIDE.

I ask you again, was this proper justice for Coopers crime?

When I first read the news, I shook my head in sadness  not for Cooper but for the human condition.

In so many ways, this case illustrated how our species is still in its infancy. Our primal savagery. Our grasps for forgiveness. Our attempts to make sense of the senseless. And our beacon pleas for humanity in the darkness of inhumanity.

We have so much blood on our floorboards yet mercy in our hearts.
CHESTERTON  Scandinavian immigrants flocked to Northwest Indiana in the late 1800s and early 1900s, often in search of farmland.

Swedish settlers came to Gary, Lake Station, Hobart, Whiting, Michigan City, LaPorte and the Bailleytown area in northeast Porter County. Swedish immigrant Charles O. Hillstrom founded the Hillstrom Organ Manufacturing Co. in Chesterton, employing mainly Swedes. So many came to town and to farm in unincorporated Porter County that the Chesterton Tribute sometimes ran front-page articles in Swedish, according to the book "Peopling Indiana."

Michigan City also had a Swedeville neighborhood. Lutheran churches sprung up around the Region.

Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties accounted for more than half of Indiana's Swedish immigrants by 1890, according to Hoosier History Live.

Chesterton's Scandiana Lodge, Sons of Norway, carries on the ethnic tradition.

The group will meet at 12:30 p.m. March 18 at the Baugher Center, 100 W. Indiana Ave. in Chesterton, with a potluck lunch beginning at 1 p.m.

"This month's program, at (2 p.m.), will feature music and a history of the lodge, which was founded in 1985. Our lodge members come from Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties," Scandiana Lodge Publicity Director Jim Nelson said.

The Scandiana Lodge has put on other cultural programs such as a celebration of Norway's Independence Day and Midsommar at the Indiana Dunes National Park, showcasing Scandinavian cuisine, baked goods, crafts, costumes and traditions throughout the year.

Gallery: The Times Photos of the Week Riding shotgun with the Gary Fire Department Valparaiso gymnastics regional Valparaiso gymnastics regional Valparaiso gymnastics regional Class 4A Sectional semi-final Class 4A Sectional semi-final 030523-spt-bbk-mor_1 030523-spt-bbk-mor_11 030523-spt-bbk-mor_2 Munster Superintendent Shadows Eads Elementary Student Munster superintendent shadows Eads Elementary Student Class 4A Sectional 2 quarterfinal Class 4A Sectional 2 quarterfinal 030223_spt-bbk-mun_4 030223_spt-bbk-mun_6 030223_spt-bbk-mun_1 Malden Solar hearing draws angry crowd Malden Solar hearing draws angry crowd 030123_spt-bbk-mun_1 030123_spt-bbk-mun_2 Ballet Hispanico hosts a dance workshop at IUN Screw Conveyor Corporation marks 90 years in Hammond Tri Kappa sorority is back in the chocolate egg business Tri Kappa sorority is back in the chocolate egg business Tri Kappa sorority is back in the chocolate egg business Gallery HTML code Class 4A Sectional semi-final Class 4A Sectional 2 quarterfinal
PORTAGE  Is arming teachers a good idea?

A parent posed that question to experts on school safety at a Portage Township Schools meeting last week.

Michele Gay, co-founder and executive director of Safe and Sound Schools, is a mother and former teacher. She became hyper-focused on school safety after she lost a daughter in the Dec. 14, 2012, shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. It was the second-worst school shooting, in number of deaths, in U.S. history.

As an organization, Gay said, the answer to the question of giving firearms to teachers is first and foremost always a local decision. Some schools are so remote that first responders might not be able to get there quickly. Each situation is different.

Then Gay spoke from her own experience.

As a teacher and a mom, I dont want that, she said. Students are like our school babies, so even with hours and hours of training, it would be difficult to shoot to kill one of the students.

School resource officer Trent Howard said he has had hours and hours of training, including on the citys SWAT team. That experience includes being the first officer to enter the building during a crisis.

If an officer sees a white male in the school with a gun, theres a good chance hes getting shot, he said. In a crisis like that, its difficult to immediately distinguish between a good guy with a gun and a bad guy with a gun.

Theres a lot of room for tragedy, Gay said. Theres a strong deterrent factor, too, of having school resource officers.

The United States is unique in its number of school shootings. Students, faculty and staff now drill for them, the same as their parents and grandparents did for fires, tornadoes and Russian missiles.

Safety procedures are being continually re-evaluated to implement best practices. Thats why Gay was in Portage last week to meet with school safety officials and student groups.

At Sandy Hook, a group of students who escaped the shooter followed their training. They raced along the route they were taught to use, even though that was in front of windows where the shooter could have spotted them. Others hid in bathrooms inside the classrooms.

It occurred to me that we had not given them any other options, Gay said. We had never thought they would need more than one path to get to safety. And by the grace of God, that is a path that worked for them and they got to physical safety. But they were defaulting to this practiced escape route. They had practiced through many evacuation drills, fire drills, lockdown drills and so on. That's all they had.

And that in and of itself was something so important to all of us to understand, that in a moment of crisis, if crisis falls at your feet, you don't have time to play MacGyver and problem-solve and come up with a new solution if you're if you're confronted with the worst thing. They didn't have that either. All they had was that muscle memory to fall back on.

Drills and planning are vital to childrens safety. But so is having parents talk to them about how to get to a safe place and the dangers they might face.

We have to have these conversations on beautiful blue-sky days like we had today, when all is right in the world, not when we're in the middle of a crisis, Gay said.

It will be important for all of you to talk to them, unpack it, and share age-appropriate information.
The Hammond Education Foundation is a nonprofit philanthropic partner of the School City of Hammond. Since being founded in 1983, the foundation has reportedly generated more than $1.8 million in scholarships, classroom grants, programs and other educational support to help Hammond students.
PORTAGE  After replacing her sons infant cap multiple times within one hour due to perspiration problems, Karen Hannon knew she needed to create a solution.

Then she had her a-ha moment.

As my frustration continued, I took one of Aaydons bath towels, bought a yard of material and created this functional cap, said Hannon, of Portage.

With her education and knowledge in the field of fashion design, Hannon learned the towel material would help prevent her sons curly locks from being soaked while he was dressed in his winter attire. After creating a solution for her son, Hannon wanted to help other children that might benefit from this as well.

This led Hannon to establish Xaydon LLC and the Lounge N Lax brand in 2008. Xaydon LLC is derived from the names of Hannons two youngest children, Xandra and Aaydon Hannon. She also created nonprofit LNL Foundation in 2010.

Through LNL Foundation, she created The Comfort Line exclusively for children who are battling cancer. Hannon discovered the eco-friendly bamboo lining of the cap that she designed could regulate the body temperature from anemia and camouflage baldness due to side effects of chemotherapy.

My dad passed away from cancer, and I thought thered be nothing worse than my children having cancer, she said. This is when I started doing research on cancer and chemotherapy.

The Comfort Line includes the cap, matching lounge pants, a stuffed animal with a matching cap and a carrying bag, she said. Hannon wanted to include a bag for children to store their belongings in during their stay at the hospital.

When my dad was dying from cancer, my older children always had a stuffed animal in the room with him, and it kind of gave him comfort, she said. I decided to put a stuffed toy with a matching hat so the child could have that for comfort.

For the next few years, Hannon hand-sewed Lounge N Lax garments while trying to get her brand recognized by the American Cancer Society. Her goal was to have her products advertised in the American Cancer Societys TLC catalog. The tender loving care catalog is aimed toward women battling cancer, but Hannon was determined to expand outreach. She also started applying to display her product on ABCs Shark Tank.

Then everything came to a pause.

In 2013, her daughter Darien Davis was diagnosed with lupus. Davis began having seizures and became disabled and depressed. This not only had an impact on Hannon but her entire family.

Hannon took one year off from LNL Foundation, aiming to resume things in 2014. However, as her daughters diagnosis became more severe, in 2015 Hannon made the tough decision to pause LNL Foundation until further notice.

My kids and I were traumatized for around seven years because we saw her go through so much, she said.

During this time, Hannons son, Aaydon began suffering from tremors. After having MRIs and CAT scans done, doctors were unable to determine what was wrong with the 9-year-old child. Eventually, it was determined that Aaydon had conversion disorder with common side effects including paralysis, blindness and deafness.

While dealing with this stress, Hannons dream had come true  Shark Tank informed her she could film a promotional video to advertise her product. Once she began filming the video, Hannon was unable to recall her life story. She experienced memory loss, which she still partially experiences today.

I was in such a dark place  not only because the kids were sick but because I lost my chance at Shark Tank after trying for nine years, Hannon said. I was breathing and working to take care of them but not actually living.

Her continual sadness led her to get a Havanese Bichon mix named Sebashtian in 2018 to help cheer up her family. With her dogs important impact, she decided to return to fashion design and created a new clothing line, Childhood Cancer is Ruff, in 2019.

This dog had saved my life and brought me back to the living, she said. I wanted to create something for the entire family. Sebashtian helped us, and thats why I wanted to get dogs involved with the clothing line.

Since her daughter studied fashion merchandising in college, she helped Hannon bring her visions to life with Adobe Photoshop. Together the pair created T-shirts, hoodies, dog bandanas and awareness bracelets.

Though things appeared to be moving in a positive direction, Davis disease worsened. In 2021, Davis died from Lupus and end-stage renal failure at 29. After Davis death, Hannon decided to resume LNL Foundation alongside Childhood Cancer is Ruff.

Hannon said one of the most difficult parts of her daughters death is no longer having that person who would support her ideas 100% of the time.

I had to reteach myself how to do everything because of my memory loss, she said. Thankfully I had my notes and drawings of clothes to go off of. As I relearned how to do everything, I discovered it didnt come as easy to be as before.

Today the Lounge N Lax brand consists of The Lounge N Lax Line, The Comfort Line, The Fleece Line, The Cozy Line, The Strip Bands and Glam Jams. Hannon also sells her products online through Walmart.

I felt the need to show society how you can combine fashion and awareness together to raise mental health and self-esteem levels of children with cancer because childhood cancer is rough, she said.

Hannon has partnered with different individuals and organizations across Northwest Indiana, including State Farm Insurance agent Kenya Hamilton and Industrial Dance Project. She has also collaborated with Steven Southall and Danny Blvck for videography and dance choreography for a promotional video.

Karen goes so hard to advocate for childhood cancer, said Hamilton, a childhood friend. She really opened my eyes.

On Jan. 14, Hannon created a video to promote Childhood Cancer is Ruff. While shooting the video, Hannon was introduced to Lilly Renfro, a 3-year-old girl diagnosed with leukemia at 20 months.

The most amazing part of the day was when I was introduced to Lily and her mom, Maria Bagwell, she said. Lilly has endured four different types of chemotherapy and has spent over 100 days of her life in the hospital. Lilly is the reason why I advocate.

Since meeting Renfro and her family, Hannon has created a product line honoring Renfro through Childhood Cancer is Ruff. She will also feature Renfro at a black-and-gold themed gala Sept. 9. The benefit will be held at the Hellenic Cultural Center at 8000 Madison St. in Merrillville.

Even though I do this, I dont have an opportunity to meet children in Northwest Indiana battling cancer, Hannon said. It was amazing to build her spirit and know Im working for a specific child.

Learn more about the gala by contacting Hannon at kdhannon1@gmail.com. For more information about Lounge N Lax, visit lnlfoundation.org.

PHOTOS: Indiana Vintage Fest Indiana Vintage Fest Low Waste Liv Offbeat Thrift and Vintage Indiana Vintage Fest The Gas Station Bad Fish Goods Bro Bros Closet Payless Vintage
It is a privilege to be in revival at Temple Missionary Baptist Church. We desire to be a blessing to Gods people and want to tell the lost about salvation in Christ. In this troubling time, the answer is not more legislation, education, social change or economic growth; it is Jesus Christ," said Evangelist Tod Masters, who will be preaching the sermons and attending together with his wife, Gina Masters.
Shelli Wiley was killed on a cold October morning in 1985 in Laramie, Wyo., just before the sun rose. She was stabbed. Her apartment was set on fire, and her body was burned beyond recognition. In many respects, she was erased. The local media gave her death barely any attention. Ms. Wiley, who was only 22 when she died, seemed to leave hardly a ripple on the surface of Laramie. Her killer was not caught.

At least, thats what I remembered. Back then, I was a 14-year-old high school sophomore, living in a drab ranch house about three miles from Ms. Wileys apartment. I didnt know her. But her murder, like so much else about the town, left a mark on me.

Laramie was a wind-swept town of about 30,000 people that sometimes got so snowed in, it felt as though we were trapped, as if there were no way out. Like any tragedy in a smallish town, Ms. Wileys murder pinballed around my high school  where she had played in the marching band, run track and made it into the National Honor Society, and where some of the seniors still remembered her. The murder sat with me for decades, the core around which I wrapped my memories of Laramie.
Chinese medical team in Sudan organizes free clinic for locals

Xinhua) 11:05, March 06, 2023

KHARTOUM, March 5 (Xinhua) -- In celebration of the 60th anniversary of sending the first Chinese medical team overseas, the 37th batch of the Chinese medical team in Sudan has set up a free clinic in northern River Nile State.

The free clinic organized Saturday covers 14 specialties, including Traditional Chinese Medicine and general surgery, with 40 medical staff providing services, according to Xing Zhijing, head of the Chinese medical team in Sudan.

The clinic has witnessed a huge turnout from the citizens of Shendi town in the state.

Faisal Balla Al-Bashir, a patient who visited the free clinic, told Xinhua that "we thank the members of the Chinese medical team, who are highly specialized."

Salah Ali, minister of production and resources of the River Nile State, on behalf of the state governor, expressed his appreciation to the Chinese medical team for the free clinic and all their efforts to cure the Sudanese people over the past decades.

"The China-Sudan friendship remains lofty throughout generations, and the medical cooperation between the two sides dated back to as early as the 1970s," he said.

For his part, Guo Hu, commercial counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Sudan, vowed China's commitment to supporting Sudan in the future via medical teams, donation of equipment and vaccines, projects to develop hospitals, and co-hosting seminars and workshops.

"This year marks the 60th anniversary when China sent its first medical team abroad," he said, adding "over the past six decades, China has sent medical teams consisting of 30,000 members to 76 countries and regions across five continents to provide diagnosis and treatment for the local population."

The Chinese medical team in Sudan works in three hospitals: Abu Osher Hospital in central Sudan's Gezira State, Damazin Friendship Hospital in Blue Nile State, and China-Sudan Omdurman Friendship Hospital in Khartoum.

Abdulaziz Hassan Hamad, deputy secretary-general of the Sudanese-Chinese Friendship Society, which co-organized the event, said the free clinic represented the spirit of popular diplomacy and popular communication between the two friendly countries.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
On a freezing January afternoon, the podcaster and influencer Eileen Kelly welcomed a reporter into her spacious Lower East Side loft. She was wearing her shows merch  a sweatshirt emblazoned with the word Prozac (she also sells Wellbutrin and Lexapro versions). Glass vases on a nearby credenza held six dried bouquets, gifts from ex-boyfriends she has kept for years. Two red candles burned beside a tray of snacks.

Sorry if this looks like I set the table for a date, she said, laughing.

Ms. Kelly is a provocative influencer on Instagram with more than 400,000 followers, a sex-education blogger and a podcast host who interviews incendiary cultural figures and dishes on topics including her sex life and her stay in a psychiatric hospital. Like other nebulous multihyphenates living in the swath of neighborhoods surrounding SoHo and the Lower East Side, she performs a version of herself in the theatrical milieu of the internet. More than any particular venture, a textured, dramatic life is Ms. Kellys product.

I remember my dad told me in high school, Never put anything on the internet that you dont want your teacher to see. And I was like, Well, oops. I put literally everything on the internet, she said.

Catapulted into the spotlight in 2016 by a New York Post article, Ms. Kelly, 27, has spent the entirety of her adult life online. She posted risque selfies before the OnlyFans boom; she opened up about her mental health struggles just as therapy and burnout were becoming de rigueur topics for influencers. Her years of exposure have earned her, if not quite fame, then something within spitting distance. Her core followers  mostly young women  feel a strong bond with her.
Todays Theme

This puzzle features four starred theme entries in the long Across positions, as well as a revealer that explains what the four have in common. That revealer is HUMAN NATURE (Set of traits we all have  or a two-part description of the answers to the starred clues?). Each theme entry is a two-word or compound term, where the first part is a HUMAN body part and the second part is something you might find in NATURE.

The theme entries are FINGER LAKES (*Region of upstate New York named for its bodies of water), HEADWIND (*Navigation hurdle for a sailboat), FOOTHILLS (*Climbers warm-ups before mountains) and PALM TREE (*Source of shade on a desert island, say).

The New York Times Crossword has featured body part themes before and nature themes before, but combining them, Mr. Fagliano said, made for an unbelievably tight theme. He added, Its just really impressive that she even managed to find examples, let alone symmetrical examples. In crossword lingo, a tight theme is one that has very few possible theme answers, and most or all are included in the puzzle. Symmetrical refers to the length of the theme entries and their placement in opposite positions in the grid, like HEADWIND (eight letters) and PALM TREE (eight letters).

Tricky Clues

Mr. Fagliano shared two comments from the tester panel that were considered in crafting the final puzzle, at 33D and 42D:

33D. Testers flagged the clue Arm or leg for LIMB, not because it was difficult but because, with its body part components, it might be confused for a theme clue. Ultimately, the team decided that it wasnt too distracting because it didnt have a nature element.

42D. The clue here is Auto access item for CAR KEY, but Ms. Lempels original clue, Mr. Fagliano told me, was Obsolescent auto security item. Testers said they thought of electronic fobs as keys, too, so the word obsolescent maybe wasnt accurate. Mr. Fagliano added, I have a 2006 Toyota Corolla where I do literally have to open the trunk with a key, so its not obsolescent to me.
Judy Heumann, who spent decades attacking a political establishment indifferent to the rights of disabled people and won one fight after another, ultimately joining and reforming the very establishment she once inveighed against, died on Saturday in Washington, D.C. She was 75.

An announcement on her personal website did not specify the cause.

A quadriplegic since childhood, Ms. Heumann (pronounced human) began her career in activism waging a one-woman battle to be allowed to work as a teacher in New York City when discrimination against disabled people was not widely understood as a problem.

She went on to become an official in the Clinton administration, a special adviser in the Obama State Department and a fellow or board member at some of the nations leading nonprofits. She was also featured in the Oscar-nominated 2020 documentary Crip Camp.

Over time, she saw a revolution occur in the governments involvement in the lives of disabled people such as herself. And she, as much as anyone else, helped bring about that revolution.
Change implies movement: from here to there, from then to now, from one thing to another and perhaps back again. But in Agnes Borinskys new play, The Trees, it is represented by immobility. After all, the two central characters are physically rooted to the ground. They do not evolve much over the course of the show  its those around them who do.

Returning from a party with her brother, David (a one-note Jess Barbagallo), Sheila (the ever-engaging Crystal Dickinson) jokes that they should just stay where they are  that is, a Connecticut park  for 10 years, or maybe even 100. Suddenly, a drunken flight of fancy becomes reality as the pair sink into the floor down to their ankles and stay there for the entire show, stationary fixtures watching the friends, lovers, family members and even strangers drawn to their orbit.

As fraught as the situation might conceivably be, Borinsky (A Song of Songs, Ding Dong Its the Ocean) stays clear from existential dread a la Samuel Beckett, whose apocalyptic Happy Days famously centers on a woman half-buried in a mound of earth. Rather, she attempts to mine a whimsical absurdist vein that feels like a creaky Eugene Ionesco plot device filtered through the sensibility of the writer and performer Taylor Mac, whose queering of theater aesthetics and quasi-spiritual questioning of community looms large over The Trees.

The show, which opened Sunday at Playwrights Horizons, does not tell us much about David and Sheila besides the fact that she had been visiting from Seattle and he makes movies  sorry, films, as he is prompt to remind her and everybody else. Poor Sheila, stuck next to this humorless pedant. You can see why Davids boyfriend, Jared (a scene-stealing, amusingly arch Sean Donovan), would jump on this unexpected opening and break up with him. Well, sort of, because like several others, Jared keeps being pulled back to the siblings orbit  he even helpfully suggests they be classified as trees so they wont be evicted for staying on public land overnight.
ATLANTA  Hundreds of activists breached the site of a proposed police and fire training center in Atlantas wooded outskirts on Sunday, burning police and construction vehicles and a trailer, and setting off fireworks toward officers stationed nearby.

The Atlanta Police Department said 23 people had been charged with domestic terrorism, adding that agitators had also thrown large rocks, bricks and Molotov cocktails. Most of those arrested were not Georgia residents, according to the department. Darin Schierbaum, the citys police chief, said during a news conference around midnight that the F.B.I. was assisting in the investigation.

The destruction occurred on the second day of what is supposed to be a weeklong series of demonstrations to protest the building of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, a planned 85-acre campus owned by the city.

The planned complex would include classrooms, an amphitheater and spaces where law enforcement officers can simulate shootouts and high-speed chases, and firefighters can learn to drive fire trucks and battle blazes. Opponents derisively call it Cop City.
A passenger of a business jet was killed when the plane, which was traveling from Keene, N.H., to Leesburg, Va., encountered severe turbulence on Friday, officials said.

The aircraft, a Bombardier Challenger 300, was carrying two crew members and three passengers and was forced to land in Windsor Locks, a town about 14 miles north of Hartford, Conn., the National Transportation Safety Board said in a statement.

The passenger who was killed was later identified as Dana Hyde, 55, a resident of Cabin John, Md. She had been taken by ambulance to Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford, Conn., where she was pronounced dead, the Connecticut State Police said Monday.

The N.T.S.B. said that investigators were interviewing the crew, operator and passengers and had removed the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorders from the plane, which had been secured at the Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks.
David Lance Goines, the graphic artist and printmaker whose evocative posters helped define the aesthetic of Berkeleys counterculture, beginning with his sensuous images for Chez Panisse, the artisanal French restaurant opened by Alice Waters, a former girlfriend, died on Feb. 19 at his home in Berkeley, Calif. He was 77.

The cause was complications of a stroke, a niece, Hannah Hoffman, said.

Mr. Goiness signage for Chez Panisse, starting with the flame-haired woman with the plume of feathers he created for the poster announcing the now-storied restaurants opening in 1971, became emblematic of its visual identity and earthy, bohemian ethos. He said the woman was nobody in particular: an embodiment of romance drawn from his imagination.

His distinctive images and lettering, inspired by German Art Nouveau and Japanese woodblock prints, among other influences, and refracted through his own fastidious sensibilities, appeared on Chez Panisse matchbooks, menus, cookbooks and the posters he made every year to celebrate the restaurants anniversaries.
Musical themes abound in the work of the novelist Richard Powers, often intertwined with science and social issues. The parallel decoding of Bach and DNA (The Gold Bug Variations), the saga of an interracial family of classical performers unfolding against the events of the Civil Rights era (The Time of Our Singing): A signature of Powerss novels is the virtuosity with which he weaves these strands into narratives that seem both surprising and inevitable.

With his 12th novel, The Overstory, which won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2019, Powers draws on the findings of dendrology (the study of trees) and contemporary environmental anxieties to hint at a music that is always present but largely unrecognized  that of nature itself, as represented by the lives of trees.

Powers said in an interview that his preoccupation with the more-than-human world, the living world beyond the human had pushed his work in a new direction for The Overstory, which he called the most operatic of my novels. It is told on a large scale, with an extended cast of characters, wide geographical scope and a long time frame.

The composer Tod Machover sensed this operatic potential as soon as he read it and was especially drawn to its relevance. The subjects Powers brings together here are so important, Machover said in a phone interview from the Massachusetts Institute of Technologys Media Lab, where he directs the Opera of the Future group. Ive always wanted to write a theatrical work with many strands that come together in an unusual way.
The soft but grand dawn opening felt not portentous but natural, building to a sunrise that was shining without blare. Throughout, Thielemann refused to dwell on the climaxes, be they mountaintop vistas or thundering storms, blurring the boundaries between the episodes into an ever-shifting, gorgeously disorienting whole.

Sometimes sumptuous, sometimes frosty, sometimes glistening, Viennas strings were perhaps at their most impressive when it came to maintaining tension even as a barely audible foundation of the orchestral textures. This helped ensure that material that often feels like filler was continually mesmerizing.

More relaxed passages had the poised intimacy of Strausss salon-style opera Ariadne auf Naxos. And, toward the end, the orchestra luxuriated in the wandering chromatic music that demonstrates Strausss debt to Schoenberg, whose Verklarte Nacht opened the concert with the same sense of unforced flow that Thielemann brought to An Alpine Symphony.

That easy flow, though, managed to convey the opposite of ease, making this score sound more mysterious and thorny, and more engrossing, than Id ever heard it. This was a truly persuasive performance.

So was the rendition of Bruckners Eighth Symphony on Sunday. As in the Strauss, Thielemann conveyed a sense of continuity, of great arches, that pressed intensity through the works endless, hypnotic repetitions. (And, as in the Strauss, the strings in particular never let up.) At the start of the Adagio, the melody was properly broad without losing the line, and the Finale was a medieval edifice, looming through fog and in sunshine.
1

bell hooks

In 2020, when it became apparent that we were going to be locked down for some time, I was getting book recommendations from people. I had just finished The United States vs. Billie Holiday, and Miss Lawrence, who was a castmate, had recommended We Real Cool by bell hooks. I read it and fell in love with her voice, and felt seen in a way I had never felt seen before, and understood things about myself I didnt know. Then everything she had ever written, I was just diving through. To me they really question masculinity standards, particularly Black masculinity standards, which, with Gregory, I try to dismantle as many of those as I can.

2

Voodoo by DAngelo

I had to be 8 or 9 the first time I heard that album played in my house. And I was like, Who did this? Who took my insides and made it sonic? I listen to that album once every day, usually at the top of the day. DAngelo, hes kind of everything to me.

3

CinemaSins

Its a YouTube channel that points out all the tropes and archaic things that happen in our industry, where everything is so austere and we make art. Its usually how I end my night when Im in bed and winding down. Just to have some guy somewhere break it all down and dismantle it is really funny to me.

4

Earl Grey Latte

Due to Crohns, I had to stop drinking coffee when I was younger, and I was a big latte person. So I got this great combination of Earl Grey teas that you mix together. Froth up the milk. It feels like a coffee, but you have the flowery notes that are in the tea. In the wintertime, you could do a dash of nutmeg, even some cinnamon, and a single sugar. And if its one of those days where its like, This is going to be a heavy lift, you do two tea bags.

5

Skywalker Marijuana

Thats my favorite strain. Also Crohns-related, my doctors wanted me to eat more. My appetite response isnt the same as everybody elses  I need something to tell me that Im hungry. And they were like, Hey, theres marijuana. It seems to do all the things we need it to do.

6

Tom Ford Candles

I was shooting a show called Whiskey Cavalier in Prague, right before Abbott, and I stumbled on this candle at one of the stores on Parizska Street. Theres notes that are very masculine, but then theres this soft powder behind it thats feminine and light. I was like, This is what I want my house to smell like at all times.
Her work has been one constant in a restless, nomadic life. Born in Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe, she left to study in Paris in 1953, eventually earning a Ph.D. in comparative literature at the Sorbonne. A Fulbright scholarship took her to the United States, where she taught at several universities (including Columbia, for many years). In the 1960s, as a young Marxist, she moved to newly independent Guinea and Ghana, in West Africa, where she rubbed shoulders with figures such as Malcolm X and Che Guevara, and surrounded herself with filmmakers, activists and Caribbean exiles.

That was a fervent and formative period for her, even if it ended on a sour note: Disillusioned with the government of Kwame Nkrumah, Ghanas president, she was expelled from the country after suspicions of subversive activity. I have been witness to many contradictory events, she recalled, including the deaths of Nkrumah and Ahmed Sekou Toure, Guineas leader, which signified the end of a certain radicalism and the beginning of interconnectedness between African societies.

In her essay collection The Journey of a Caribbean Writer, she describes Africas profound impact on her. It was Africa that revealed me to myself, she wrote, allowing me to see, with my own eyes, the world in which I live and to look at things round me in my own way, I Maryse Conde, Black, female and Caribbean.

Her extensive roots around the world have enriched Condes work, giving it a distinct perspective on the Black diaspora. The French Guadeloupean writer Sarah-Estelle Bulle, the author of Where Dogs Bark With Their Tails, sees Condes life and books as historical and cultural bridges. Her experiences in the Caribbean, Africa and Europe, as well as the U.S., are so vast that they allow us to think about the complex links between those worlds, Bulle said. She has an open culture and she is deeply attached to the notion of a global world and human culture. This is not so common in French literature.
In a tony Boston suburb, a 20-year-old woman spends an evening hanging out with some friends and is found dead the next day. The murky, labyrinthine story of Eden Perrys murder in Stephen Amidons LOCUST LANE (Celadon, 301 pp., $28) is told not by her contemporaries but by a rotating cast of adults struggling to extract the truth from their offsprings piecemeal information (young people are so uncommunicative!).

What emerges is less a straightforward whodunit than a sharp portrait of class divisions and high-end dysfunction  bullying, sexual misconduct, extramarital affairs, shady business deals, hush money  in a community heaving with careless wealth. This is a place where residents think nothing of using wheelchair-accessible bathrooms even when people in actual wheelchairs are waiting outside, where parents cheerlead for their overindulged children with the breathless enthusiasm usually encountered in the first round of the N.F.L. draft.

Some of the adults are more sympathetic than others, especially Alice, who is unimpressed by the world she has (foolishly, as it turns out) married into. Her rage deepened as she pictured Oliver driving around in his Merc like it was a chariot of the gods, paying people off, intimidating them, she thinks of her husbands shifty business partner. When her stepdaughters skeevy boyfriend makes an outrageously sexist comment, Alice is tempted to impale him with one of the little plastic spears holding his gyro together.

Keep an eye on Patrick, a lawyer who may have seen something important that night and who has turned to alcohol to dull his horror at how people behave in this morally blighted community. Drinking absolutely made you feel better, he thinks. And if you drank enough, it made you feel nothing, which was the finest feeling of all.
The Times has just published a series of maps and charts focusing on New York City neighborhoods where most eligible voters are of Asian descent, including Sunset Park, Flushing and Manhattans Chinatown. Jason told me that he had started thinking about this subject after his father, who rarely talks about politics, said that he had voted for Zeldin. Later, Jason saw a post-election map of New York and was shocked to see that some of the Chinatown neighborhoods where he grew up were colored red.

As Aminta Kilawan-Narine, a community activist who was raised in South Ozone Park, which is home to a large Indian American population, told Jason, Ive never seen so many signs for a Republican governor in the areas I grew up in. She was one of the local leaders, academic researchers and political officials whom Jason interviewed, and he heard a few points repeatedly from those experts:

Republican campaigns have recently increased their outreach to Asian voters, while Democratic candidates had grown complacent.

Education issues hurt Democrats. Asian voters have been unhappy with proposals to change the rules for magnet high schools like Stuyvesant that admit children based on test scores. Many students at those schools come from lower-income Asian families.

Perhaps most important, the Republicans anti-crime message resonated, following increases in both citywide crime and anti-Asian violence. Lester Chang, a military veteran and a new Republican member of the New York State Assembly, said that the overwhelming reason he won a Brooklyn district  beating a Democratic incumbent who had held the seat for 36 years  was crime.

Asian Americans are politically diverse. The most heavily Democratic groups include those of Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Arab descent. The least Democratic group is Vietnamese Americans, followed by Korean, Cambodian and Filipino Americans.

Upscale Democrats

Nationally, the rightward drift of Asian voters is connected to a new class divide in American politics. The Democratic Party, especially its liberal wing, has increasingly come to reflect the views of college-educated professionals. This development has had some benefits for Democrats, helping them win more suburban voters and flip Arizona and Georgia in recent elections.

To a growing number of working-class voters, however, the newly upscale version of the party has become less appealing. The trend has long been evident among white working-class voters, and many liberal analysts have claimed that it mostly reflects racial bigotry. But recent developments have weakened that argument. Class appears to be an important factor as well. Since 2018, more Asian and Latino voters have supported Republicans, and these voters appear to be disproportionately working-class.

The Pew Research Center has conducted a detailed analysis of the electorate and categorized about 8 percent of voters as belonging to the progressive left. This group spans all races, but it is disproportionately white  and upper-income. True, a large number of Democrats, including many Black voters, are more moderate. But the progressive left has an outsize impact partly because of its strong presence in institutions with access to political megaphones, like advocacy groups, universities, media organizations and Hollywood.

The Covid era

The shift of Asian and Latino voters has coincided with a period when the progressive left has become bolder and shaped the Democrats national image. The shift has also coincided with the pandemic and its aftermath.
Some Ukrainian officials had recently signaled that Ukrainian troops could withdraw from Bakhmut, but over the weekend, they went on the attack, mounting assaults from the ground and pounding Russian positions with artillery from the surrounding hills.

The fight over a city of little strategic value has come to represent the latest stage of the war, where both sides have engaged in a bloody contest to see which army can break the other. For Russia, capturing Bakhmut would be its first significant victory in months; for Ukraine, holding on would be an emblem of resistance.

In other news from the war, Ukrainian special forces made the rare admission that one of its drones had destroyed an unmanned watch tower in Russia.

Also, Estonian voters handed a big win to one of Ukraines staunchest backers.
South Korea and Japan ease dispute

South Korea announced that it would set up a fund to pay victims of forced Japanese labor during World War II. Its a sign of strengthening ties between Americas most steadfast Asian allies as the threat from China and North Korea grows.

The fund is the most notable action taken by either country to try and resolve a festering historical dispute, one of several that date back to Japans colonization of Korea from 1910 to 1945. South Korea will now stop demanding that Japanese companies compensate the victims, which some view as a concession.

The promise of increased cooperation is a boon to the U.S., which is trying to shore up regional alliances as China grows stronger. President Biden celebrated the deal as a groundbreaking new chapter of cooperation and partnership.

And the fund is part of a broader easement. As the regional threats mount, President Yoon Suk Yeol has made improving relationships with Tokyo a top diplomatic goal. He has expanded joint military drills with Japan and the U.S. and asked his people to see Japan as a cooperative partner rather than a militarist aggressor.
All eyes on Binance

When FTX fell in November, its top rival Binance became the undisputed giant of the crypto world. It was so strong that it could offer to bail out other companies, including the collapsed broker Voyager Digital, and scolded Sam Bankman-Fried, FTXs founder, for shoddy business practices that jolted investor confidence in the sector and sank asset prices.

But Binance has increasingly found itself under tighter scrutiny by U.S. regulators. And now, according to a new report, they may seek to examine new evidence that the exchanges U.S. and global arms were more interconnected than previously described. With negative headlines piling up, Binance Coin, the exchanges digital token, has fallen nearly 7 percent in the past week.

Binances two divisions were supposed to be independent of each other, allowing the firm  which claims to have no actual headquarters  to shield its vast overseas operation from U.S. oversight. But that may not have been the case, according to The Wall Street Journal:

Binance and Binance.US, have been much more intertwined than the companies have disclosed, mixing staff and finances and sharing an affiliated entity that bought and sold cryptocurrencies, according to the interviews and the messages and documents reviewed by The Journal. Binance developers in China maintained the software code supporting Binance.US users digital wallets, potentially giving Binance access to U.S. customer data.

A spokeswoman for Binance acknowledged to The Journal that the company did not have adequate compliance and controls in place during those early years and operated differently now.

Binance considered several ways to minimize its exposure to U.S. oversight, beyond creating the Binance.US entity just for American customers. One internal presentation suggested that Binance roll out major P.R. efforts to show its willingness to cooperate with U.S. regulators.
There were shortages of people who had kids at home, said Catherine Ruckelshaus, the general counsel of the National Employment Law Project, a worker advocacy group. Im sure that elevated the stakes.

But Ed Egee, a vice president at the National Retail Federation, argued that labor shortages most likely cut the other way, giving low-level managers the leverage to negotiate more favorable pay, benefits and schedules. I would almost say theres never been a time when those workers are more empowered, he said. (Pay for all workers grew much faster than pay for managers from 2019 to 2021, though pay for managers grew slightly faster last year.)

Experts say the denial of overtime pay is part of a broader strategy to drive down labor costs in recent decades by staffing stores with as few workers as possible. If a worker calls in sick, or more customers turn up than expected, the misclassified manager is often asked to perform the duties of a rank-and-file worker without additional cost to the employer.

This allows them to make sure theyre not staffing any more than they need to, said Deirdre Aaron, a former Labor Department lawyer who has litigated numerous overtime cases in private practice. They have assistant managers there who can pick up the slack.

Ms. Palliser said that her normal shift at Panera ran from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m., but that she was often called in to help close the store when it was short-staffed. If an employee did not show up for an afternoon shift, she typically had to stay late to cover.
JetBlue Airways said Monday that it saw a high likelihood that the Justice Department would sue the company this week over its planned acquisition of Spirit Airlines. The $3.8 billion deal could create a new challenger to the nations four dominant carriers, but would add to industry consolidation.

JetBlue said that it had long prepared for such a lawsuit and that its timeline for closing the deal was unchanged, provided it overcomes the expected challenge in court.

We believe there is a high likelihood of a complaint from D.O.J. this week, and we have always accounted for that in our timeline to close the transaction in the first half of 2024, the company said.

Critics of the deal say removing Spirit from the market would limit competition and further consolidate an already concentrated industry. While JetBlue is known for affordable fares, Spirit offers even lower prices, charging extra for everything from printing boarding passes at airport kiosks to selecting seats in advance. After the deal, JetBlue would reconfigure Spirits densely packed planes, removing seats, increasing legroom and adjusting the economics of each flight.
Toblerone chocolate will no longer feature the distinctive Matterhorn mountain peak on its packaging in order to avoid violating a Swiss law that protects national symbols, as the brands owner shifts some production out of Switzerland.

Mondelez International, the U.S. maker of Toblerone, said in a statement that it had to adapt its packaging to comply with Swiss law, and that it was making changes to its production to meet increased demand. The company will use a new mountain logo that retains a geometric and triangular aesthetic, a spokeswoman said, adding that Toblerone bars will continue to be produced in Switzerland as well.

The packaging change was reported earlier by the Swiss newspaper Aargauer Zeitung, which said that Mondelez would begin some production in Slovakia in July.

Under a Swissness law, national symbols can be used to promote chocolate only when the milk it contains is sourced exclusively from Switzerland, as well as 80 percent of all other raw materials too. For milk-based products, the processing and manufacturing must also take place in Switzerland, according to the law  the latest version of which came into effect in 2017. There are exceptions for products like cacao, which is grown in humid climates.
Nobody loves ice more than Americans. Its a running joke, a quirk of the national personality: Iced drinks are as American as rock n roll, pickup trucks and to-go cups.

Way back in 1895, Mark Twain wrote that ice had become so inextricably linked with the United States that there is but a single specialty with us, only one thing that can be called by the wide name American. That is the national devotion to ice-water.

For years to come, all ice was good ice. But now its entering a new Gilded Age. Frozen water, which costs most Americans virtually nothing, is being redefined as a luxury item.

At fashion-brand parties, ice cubes stamped with the companys logo are de rigueur. On tables at high-end weddings, fairy lights in Mason jars are out and wildflowers suspended in $14 ice cubes are in. TikTok creators routinely draw 30 million views overnight (and sizable paychecks) by showing off stocked ice drawers, along with retail links for buying specialty ice molds in all shapes and sizes. Then theres the pinnacle of domestic opulence: a countertop ice maker that turns out the pebble-shaped nugget ice previously available only at fast-food chains.
Landlords and brokers routinely discriminate against people trying to pay for housing with government subsidies, housing advocates charge, and the city lacks a robust oversight system. Fewer than one-fifth of nearly 8,000 emergency federal housing vouchers that were recently issued to New York City had been used to get an apartment, the news organization City Limits reported in October.

Mr. Parkers path to squatting was, he said, hastened by staff members of a city program called Homebase, who in his view improperly suggested he leave an apartment where he was living so that he could get government help quickly.

The program, run jointly with nonprofit organizations, is meant to function as a hub where New Yorkers can find services to help them stay in their home or find a new one. Low-income people or those at risk of becoming homeless can visit offices in all five boroughs to obtain vouchers, find apartments and train for jobs. People are referred to Homebase through government agencies, politicians and even from 311 calls, and Homebase does outreach at community events.

City officials said Homebase served more than 25,000 households in the most recent fiscal year, and demand for the programs services has been increasing.

But some New Yorkers who have sought help from Homebase have reported frustrating problems: Applications can take up to a year to process, caseworkers are sometimes unreachable for weeks at a time and clients get contradictory instructions on eligibility requirements, according to the Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, a nonprofit public defense firm that represents Mr. Parker and others.
Hope Hicks, a trusted aide to Donald J. Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign, met with the Manhattan district attorneys office on Monday  the latest in a string of witnesses to be questioned by prosecutors as they investigate the former presidents involvement in paying hush money to a porn star.

The appearance of Ms. Hicks, who was seen walking into the Manhattan district attorneys office in the early afternoon, represents the latest sign that the prosecutors are in the final stages of their investigation.

She is at least the seventh witness to meet with prosecutors since the district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, convened a grand jury in January to hear evidence in the case. Last week, another prominent member of the 2016 campaign, Kellyanne Conway, testified before the grand jury, according to two people with knowledge of the matter. Two employees of Mr. Trumps company have also testified, as have two former executives of The National Enquirer who helped broker the hush-money arrangement, as well as a lawyer for the porn star, Stormy Daniels.

The potential case is focused on Mr. Trumps role in covering up the payment to Ms. Daniels, who has long said that she had an affair with him. The $130,000 payment was made by Michael D. Cohen, a longtime fixer for Mr. Trump, in the waning days of the 2016 campaign. After Mr. Trump took office, he reimbursed Mr. Cohen.
At the root of the militarys power is amnesia. During the dictatorship, the regime killed hundreds and tortured 20,000 people. Yet in 1979, it passed an amnesty law for those who had committed politically motivated crimes in the previous two decades, covering not only exiled activists but also military and public officials accused of murder, torture and sexual abuse. The law was upheld in 2010 by the Supreme Court. Four years later, a National Truth Commission identified 377 public officials responsible for human rights abuses during the dictatorship, but little was done. No military officers have ever been punished for their crimes.

Thats why Brazilians cannot watch the movie Argentina, 1985 without crying out in shame. Winner of the Golden Globe for best non-English-language film and nominated for a 2023 Academy Award, it depicts the effort to haul into court members of the military juntas that ruled Argentina from 1976 to 1983. The trial, which occurred in 1985, helped shape the public debate about what happened in those brutal years  and sent a few generals to prison. So far, more than a thousand people have been convicted of crimes against humanity in our neighboring country.

Nothing of the sort ever occurred in Brazil. Here, in 2023, there are still many people who praise the countrys military past. As one Bolsonaro-supporting woman told me recently, the regime hadnt butchered ordinary people. I wouldnt dare to say that to the family of Maurina Borges da Silveira, a Catholic nun who was tortured in 1969, or to Gino Ghilardini, an 8-year-old who was tortured in 1973, or to the family of Esmeraldina Carvalho Cunha, a homemaker who was killed in 1972 after she accurately blamed the military for the death of her daughter.

In Brazil, supporters of the dictatorship hint at the crimes of the other side  the leftist guerrilla groups that opposed the regime  as if their acts were in the same league as the atrocities committed by forces of the state. But its impossible to defend the officials who tortured pregnant women and arrested young children, calling them terrorists and threats to national security.

The Brazilian military never apologized for its crimes. On the contrary, it still celebrates what it calls the 1964 revolution. During the government of Mr. Bolsonaro, it celebrated March 31  the date of the coup that brought the military to power  every year. The regime change, according to a former defense minister, was a historical landmark of Brazilian political evolution.
Whats your opinion?

Bret: Every thriving city needs to get two basic things right: It has to be safe for people and safe for commerce. Under Lightfoot, homicides, carjackings and shoplifting skyrocketed, and businesses fled the city. Nearly a third of Michigan Avenues retail space is vacant. Boeing decided to move its headquarters out of the city. When the McDonalds C.E.O. complained about crime, Lightfoot scolded him. So Im glad Chicago voters had the good sense to give her the boot. I just hope they also have the good sense to go with the centrist Paul Vallas in the runoff election instead of his opponent, Brandon Johnson, who may be even further to the left than Lightweight  er, Lightfoot.

Gail: Were gonna have more to discuss on that point.

Bret: The election will also have national implications, Gail. Notice that President Biden has said he wont veto a bill in Congress that would reverse a District of Columbia law that lightened sentences for various felonies. Higher crime rates are going to dog Democratic candidates everywhere until they start to get as tough on the issue as they were when Biden was in the Senate, promoting the federal crime bill.

Gail: Doubt theres a Democrat in America who isnt sensitive to the crime issue now. But as we follow this story, just want to leave you now with one thought: Getting tough on lawbreakers is not enough to make a great chief executive. Remember Rudy Giuliani.

Bret: A highly successful mayor who brought down crime, made the city livable again and was endorsed in 1997 for a second term by the editorial board of  The New York Times. Granted, its a shame about the rest of his career.

Gail: Now Bret, heres a change of subject for you. Masks! Been so eager to converse about your anti-mask column the other day. Eager in part because people keep stopping me on the street and yelping: Bret! Masks!
The Conservative Political Action Conference is a festival disguised as a political meeting, a sales convention doubling as a revival, an annual celebration of a particular kind of conservatism and its red-hat-wearing, pin-collecting enthusiasts. Its like the parking lot outside a concert: Everyones got something to sell or something to say.

But this year, the enthusiasts didnt seem as enthusiastic as usual.

Maybe it was the lackluster 2022 midterm results for Republicans. Maybe it was the reduced number of vendors at the four-day event, held at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Maryland, just outside Washington. Maybe it was the gray weather.

Or maybe it was the fact that there are only so many times you can threaten the return of Baal and Moloch if Democrats win elections before people stop listening.
There has recently been a lot of chatter in Washington about family policy, and surprisingly to many people, a lot of it has happened among Republicans. Senators like Mitt Romney and Marco Rubio have released proposals that offer financial benefits to many American households for children, while other conservatives have talked about becoming a parents party. The overturning of Roe v. Wade has accelerated this trend.

But the center of gravity in the Republican Party is still more comfortable picking culture war fights than offering policy solutions. A true party for parents needs to provide something for their pocketbooks as well as for their values. Republicans, still grappling with their newfound identity as the party of the working class, need to understand that a pro-family agenda that doesnt provide material support to families will be, at best, half-baked.

The path forward for Republicans is to listen to parents, particularly those without a college degree who have too often been left out of such discussions, and respond with tangible policy solutions. A popularist version of a conservative governing agenda  which would be heavily informed by polling  has the potential to put the meat on the bones of a parents party approach to politics. And critically, it could attract at least some bipartisan support.

Polling I did for the Ethics and Public Policy Center in conjunction with the Institute for Family Studies and YouGov suggests five key areas of focus: improving the child tax credit, protecting kids online, supporting new parents, promoting strong families with involved fatherhood and striving to eliminate marriage penalties in our tax code and benefit programs.
Just before midnight on a Friday in January, a fire tore through a three-story house in East Elmhurst, Queens, injuring 10 people inside and killing a 63-year-old man who was trapped on the second floor. Five days later, on a rainy Wednesday afternoon, another fire broke out in the basement of a house in Forest Hills, Queens, where an unauthorized day care center was housed. Eighteen children were injured, one seriously.

The cause of both fires was rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, which power the e-bikes and e-scooters that have become ubiquitous on city streets, according to the New York Fire Department.

Jose Corona, whose e-scooter sparked the deadly fire in East Elmhurst, told reporters that he heard an explosion shortly after parking the scooter on the first floor of the house. Once I opened the door, on the second floor the stairs was already on fire in seconds, he said.

The use of micro-mobility vehicles surged during the pandemic as New Yorkers shunned public transportation and ordered food from delivery apps rather than crowd into restaurants. Delivery workers are increasingly reliant on e-bikes, which allow them to go farther and faster to meet the demand.
Meta has long been concerned about losing teenagers and young adults to rivals like TikTok and Snapchat, especially since that audience is highly coveted by advertisers. Facebook, which Mark Zuckerberg created in 2004 while at Harvard, was aimed at college students in its early years but has struggled in recent years with an aging user base.

Last year, 17 percent of Facebook users were 18 to 24 years old, compared with 44 percent who were older than 45, according to Data.ai, an analytics company. In contrast, 28 percent of Instagram users were 18 to 24 and 33 percent were older than 45, while 39 percent of Snapchat users and 30 percent of TikTok users were 18 to 24.

To appeal to younger users, Instagram and Facebook have in recent years introduced features like Stories, which emulates a Snapchat feature by letting people post photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours. They also rolled out Reels, a TikTok-like feature that lets people create short videos.

Last year, Instagram engineers were told that Meta wanted more people to post from Instagram to Facebook, said three people involved with the project, who were not authorized to speak publicly. That led to the new prompt, which was designed so most users would give Instagram permission to permanently share their posts with Facebook, they said. The prompt was placed where thumbs typically fall on a screen, one of the people said.

Meta declined to comment on what had led to the prompt and its design. But the company said not all Instagram users received the prompt and acknowledged that some had to decline multiple times before Instagram stopped asking. Meta also said a software bug last year caused some users to see the prompt every time they posted on Instagram.
The Biden administration is considering pushing Congress to give it more legal power to deal with TikTok and other technology that could expose sensitive data to China, five people with knowledge of the matter said, as it comes under growing pressure to resolve security concerns about the Chinese-owned video app.

White House officials are weighing whether to support legislation being developed by Senator Mark Warner, Democrat of Virginia, that would give the government more authority to police apps and services that could pose a risk to Americans data security or be used in foreign influence campaigns, two of the people said. That could be used to target TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance.

The administration has provided feedback on the draft bill, which would offer an alternative to legislation that outright bans the app, the two people said. Mr. Warner is expected to introduce the legislation on Tuesday alongside Senator John Thune, Republican of South Dakota. Its unclear exactly how the administration would back Mr. Warners bill or other legislation should it choose to do so.

The growing focus on Congress is a significant shift in the White Houses strategy to respond to concerns about TikTok. Since President Biden took office, his administration has privately negotiated a deal that would allow TikTok to operate in the United States while mitigating national security concerns about it. Under Chinese law, critics have said, the app could be compelled to turn over personal data it has collected about millions of Americans to Chinese authorities. And they fear Beijing could use TikTok to deliver political messages to peoples smartphone screens.
In an announcement on Monday, the D.O.T. added that the new dashboard would allow parents to sidestep confusing claims on family seating policies and make it easier for passengers to know which airlines had stepped up. Making the guarantee in their customer service plans also means that if airlines failed to uphold the policy, the D.O.T. could step in to enforce it, the department said.

In recent weeks, airlines have said they would change their policies to help accommodate families. United Airlines announced in February that it would allow children under 12 to sit next to accompanying adults at no extra cost, and updated the seat map technology on its online booking system to allow families to more easily find adjacent seats. If no adjacent seats are available, passengers can rebook on a different flight for free.

Frontier Airlines also announced that it had been making efforts to ensure its system would automatically assign at least one parent a seat with their children under 14. And American Airlines said that it had updated its customer service plan in February to guarantee that children under 15 will sit with accompanying adults for free, and offer travelers free rebooking or a refund if the seating wasnt available.

Southwest Airlines said in a statement that it did not charge a fee for seat assignments and offered a service for families to choose their preferred seats during boarding.

The changes come after the Department of Transportation said that in a review begun last year it found that no airline guaranteed seating families together for free, though many airlines said they would make their best efforts. The Biden administration is now planning legislation that would legally enshrine family seating.
In most of the United States, tire chains are a rare sight. But when winter storms sweep through the Sierra Nevada, drivers cannot travel treacherous stretches of highway without them. And Californias strict regulations frequently take visitors by surprise.

Last week, during the heavy snowstorms that shut down highways in the Lake Tahoe region and closed Yosemite National Park, the Sierra Nevada was crisscrossed with miles and miles of roads under chain controls. At Caltrans checkpoints along the highway, drivers must either confirm they have tire chains installed or, in some cases, four-wheel or all-wheel drive with snow tread tires. Hapless vacationers, unprepared for the mountain conditions, are often turned away.

People come up there from the Bay Area or from out of state and they have no idea that theyre going to need chains or the conditions that theyre going to be driving into, said Steve Nelson, the chief public information officer for Caltrans District 3, which includes the Lake Tahoe region.

Although tire chains can damage the roads, they are necessary to traverse the steep slopes of the Sierras, Nelson said. Traveling over Donner or Echo Summits means driving over 7,000 foot elevations with 6 percent road gradients.
WASHINGTON  Senator Bernie Sanders on Monday confirmed that his committee will hold a vote this week to open an investigation into federal labor law violations by major corporations and subpoena Howard Schultz, the billionaire chief executive of Starbucks, as the first witness.

Mr. Sanders, the Vermont independent and chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, last week announced his intent to try to compel Mr. Schultz to appear on Capitol Hill, stating that Starbucks had declined an invitation in February for him to testify about his violation of federal labor law and defied congressional oversight inquiries, including by refusing requests for meetings and documents.

Mr. Schultz, the on-and-off chief executive of the coffee giant who briefly eyed a presidential bid as an independent in the 2020 election, and the company have faced increasing scrutiny amid continuing unionization efforts.

Last week, an administrative judge in New York ruled that the company had violated federal law dozens of times in responding with egregious and widespread misconduct to a union campaign that started in 2019. The National Labor Relations Board has received 504 unfair labor practice charges against Starbucks for violating federal labor law, and 81 complaints have been lodged by the boards general counsel against the company, according to an N.L.R.B. spokeswoman.
WASHINGTON  The Biden administration said on Monday that it would take initial steps toward challenging a ban that Mexico has placed on shipments of genetically modified corn from the United States, restrictions that have rankled farmers and threatened a profitable export.

Mexico has planned to phase out the use of genetically modified corn, as well as an herbicide called glyphosate, by 2024. About 90 percent of corn grown in the United States is genetically modified.

Senior administration officials have expressed concerns to the Mexican government about the measures for more than a year in virtual and in-person meetings, saying they could disrupt millions of dollars of agricultural trade and cause serious harm to U.S. producers. Mexico is the second-largest market for U.S. corn, after China.

On Monday, U.S. officials said that they were requesting consultations over the issue with their Mexican counterparts under the terms of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which governs the terms of trade in North America. Biden officials said that parties to that agreement, which was signed in 2020, had committed to basing their regulation on scientific research, and that Mexicos ban on genetically modified corn did not conform to those promises.
WASHINGTON  In appearing before the Jan. 6 committee last year, Cassidy Hutchinson, the former White House aide who recounted President Donald J. Trumps conduct in the lead-up to the attacks on the Capitol, shared how her original lawyer had tried to influence her testimony.

While represented by that lawyer, Stefan Passantino, Ms. Hutchinson was less forthcoming to the committee. But after hiring a different lawyer, she provided more damaging details about Mr. Trump and said that Mr. Passantino had pressured her to remain loyal and protect the former president.

Now, several dozen prominent legal figures, including past presidents of the American Bar Association and the District of Columbia Bar, are seeking to revoke Mr. Passantinos license to practice law. The move reflects intensifying scrutiny over whether Mr. Passantino, a former Trump White House ethics lawyer whose legal fees were covered by Mr. Trumps political action committee, violated his own professional duty, along with a host of other ethical requirements, by putting the interests of a third party over that of his client.

In a 22-page complaint filed on Monday with D.C.s Board on Professional Responsibility, prominent lawyers accused Mr. Passantino of the crimes of subornation of perjury, obstruction of justice, witness tampering and bribery. The latter referred in part to Ms. Hutchinsons allegation that his advice to say little to the panel was accompanied by assurances that she would get a really good job in Trump world.
Dalits, who account for about 20 percent of Indias population, in many cases remain stuck at the lowest rungs of society. Although India has made large strides in helping the poor, almost a third of the Dalit community, or some 100 million people, still live in poverty, according to the United Nations.

The Hindu nationalist party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Bharatiya Janata Party, has courted and increasingly drawn a bigger share of the Dalit vote. But it has done little to persuade the religious ideologues among its support base to let go of a centuries-old Hindu social order that relegated Dalits to the most undesirable tasks like cleaning toilets, skinning animals and disposing of dead bodies.

Ms. Kotwal had no business plan for The Mooknayak, but she knew there were millions who desperately needed their stories told. She hired Dalits, Indigenous people and women as reporters, editors and video journalists. Publishing articles and videos in Hindi and English, they aspire to cover everything from individual injustices to policy debates.

I want the marginalized community to be able to say, We have our own media, we report on all kinds of stories and we raise issues that havent been raised until today, said Ms. Kotwal, 33.
Turkeys foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, said on Sunday that his country was working hard to extend the Black Sea grain deal, which allows cargo ships to transport Ukrainian grain past a Russian blockade.

We are working hard for the smooth implementation and further extension of the Black Sea grain deal, Mr. Cavusoglu said in Doha, Qatar, at the United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries, according to the Turkish state broadcaster TRT.

The head of the U.N. World Food Program said that lives are at stake if the agreement, which expires this month, isnt renewed.

Here are some other developments were watching in the war in Ukraine:
A court in Belarus has sentenced the countrys main exiled opposition leader in absentia to 15 years in prison, the state news agency, Belta, said on Monday, as the government continues to clamp down on dissent following an election in 2020 whose results were widely derided as fraudulent.

The opposition leader, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, fled the country after running for president in 2020 against Belaruss authoritarian leader, Aleksandr G. Lukashenko. She has been based in neighboring Lithuania and continues to coordinate opposition to Belaruss government from abroad.

The court in Minsk handed down the sentence for crimes including conspiracy to seize state power as well as creating and leading an extremist group, Belta reported. It said that the court had also sentenced another exiled opposition leader, Pavel P. Latushko, to 18 years in prison.

In a post on Twitter, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya  who had previously described the charges against her as a farce  played down the sentence and drew attention to opposition activists who have been imprisoned by authorities in Belarus.
KOSTENETS, Bulgaria  The job is straightforward, dangerous and will soon be open to applicants: filling a 122-millimeter Soviet-style artillery shell with explosives that will turn it into a lethal projectile.

For the residents of Kostenets, a dying mountain town in western Bulgaria, it is a welcome opportunity despite the risk of death. It means more jobs at the Terem ammunition plant on the outskirts of town.

The factory stopped making the 122-millimeter shells in 1988 as the Cold War came to a close. But soon the assembly lines will be running again. Russias invasion of Ukraine has turned Soviet-era arms and ammunition into critically important materiel as Western nations seek to supply Kyiv with the munitions it needs to foil Moscows assault.

And so in January, 35 years after the last 122-millimeter shells left the Terem plant, the company recommissioned production.
A plan by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to severely curtail the powers of Israels Supreme Court has prompted weeks of demonstrations, rattled the countrys technology sector and raised fears of political violence.

Now, protests are emerging even within the nations military.

Hundreds of soldiers in the military reserves either have signed letters expressing a reluctance to participate in nonessential duty or have already pulled out of training missions, officials said. The affected units include the 8200 division that deals with signal and cyberintelligence and whose graduates have helped drive the countrys tech industry, as well as elite combat units.

The military leadership fears that growing anger within the ranks over the governments plans will affect the operational readiness of Israels armed forces, according to senior military officials.

It is most concerned about unrest within the Air Force, with reserve duty pilots increasingly upset over the government plans, the officials said. They also fear that they may be asked to engage in illegal operations, and that restraints on Israels judiciary may strengthen foreign calls to prosecute them in the International Criminal Court, the officials said. Reserve duty pilots often lead Israels regular airstrikes on Syria and the Gaza Strip, and would be involved in any major Israeli attack on nuclear facilities in Iran.
In last years governors election, voters in Asian neighborhoods across New York City sharply increased their support for Republicans. Though these areas remained blue overall, they shifted to the right by 23 percentage points, compared with 2018, after more than a decade of reliably backing Democrats.

Governors margin of victory since 2006 Chart of the political shifts in Asian neighborhoods in New York City since 2006, in which voters shifted to the right by 23 percentage points in 2022, compared with 2018. More Democratic Tie More Republican 2006 2010 City avg. Majority-Asian precincts 2014 2018 +23 pts. 2022 +30D +15D +15R +30R More Dem. Tie More Rep. 2006 2010 City avg. Majority-Asian precincts 2014 2018 +23 pts. 2022 +30D +15D +15R Source: New York Times analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau, New York City Board of Elections and New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment By The New York Times

It was the largest electoral shift in Asian neighborhoods in the period from 2006 to 2022, the longest available span of election results by precinct, according to a New York Times analysis.

Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, won even though almost the entire city moved to the right. Among that wave of red shifts, one set of voters had the largest movement of any racial or ethnic group: residents of Asian neighborhoods. Across boroughs, this pan-Asian constituency spans many ethnicities and ideologies, and this New York Times analysis offers a nuanced look at voting patterns, from satellite Chinatowns in Brooklyn to Little Punjab in Queens.

Shift from the 2018 governors election Precincts with a majority of eligible Asian voters are outlined. Map of political shifts in neighborhoods across New York City. Republican support increased in almost all precincts, including many predominantly Asian areas. More Dem. in 2022 More Rep. in 2022 Bronx +20 +10 +10 +20 Flushing Manhattan Jackson Heights Chinatown Richmond Hill Queens Sunset Park Brooklyn Bensonhurst Staten Island More Dem. More Rep. Bronx +20 +10 +10 +20 Manhattan Flushing Chinatown Queens Brooklyn Richmond Hill StateN Island Bensonhurst More Dem. in 2022 More Rep. in 2022 +20 +10 +10 +20 Bronx Flushing Manhattan Jackson Heights Chinatown Richmond Hill Queens Sunset Park Brooklyn Bensonhurst Staten Island Source: New York Times analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau and New York City Board of Elections By The New York Times

Some Asian neighborhoods, like Chinese enclaves in Sunset Park and Bensonhurst in Brooklyn, had shifts so big that they flipped to support a Republican candidate for governor for the first time in at least a decade. Others, like Manhattans Chinatown and Queenss Richmond Hill, remained solidly Democratic despite an increase in Republican votes.

The Times interviewed more than 20 community organization leaders, scholars and local politicians who serve or study Asian immigrants and Asian Americans in New York. In recent years, they said, Republican candidates have increased their presence in Asian neighborhoods. They added that Republicans have also benefited from residents sense of being overlooked by Democratic leaders and that Republicans tough-on-crime stance attracted voters after increased anti-Asian violence.

The only possible way for a shift of a community like this is when that community has largely been ignored by both parties, said John Park, the executive director of MinKwon Center for Community Action, a nonprofit serving Korean and Chinese immigrants in Flushing, Queens.

Like in much of the city, the red shifts were consistent across predominantly Asian neighborhoods. Ms. Hochul narrowly defeated Lee Zeldin, the Republican candidate, in a contest in which the Republican vote increased in all but 1 percent of the citys more than 4,000 precincts.

How Republican support changed by precincts majority race from 2018 to 2022 Each gray line represents one precinct. Chart of political shifts for each precinct, grouped by each precincts majority racial or ethnic group: Asian, Hispanic, white, and Black. Asian Hispanic White Black 2018 Average One

precinct  2022 100% Rep. 75% 50% 25% 0% Source: New York Times analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau and New York City Board of Elections Note: Hispanic refers to anyone of Hispanic ethnicity, regardless of race. By The New York Times

Asian residents, who make up about 14 percent of New York Citys population, are the fastest-growing group of eligible voters in the city.

And predominantly Asian areas  precincts with a majority of eligible Asian voters  have undergone a pivotal shift.

About 22 percent of eligible Asian voters in the city live in these areas and are included in this analysis. Below are maps showing the 2018 and 2022 governors election results. Here you can see which party won, and by how much, in precincts where more than 50 percent of eligible voters are Asian.

In the governors race, large swaths of satellite Chinatowns in Brooklyn flipped party support. Margin of victory +15D 0 +15R Chinese neighborhoods in Brooklyn, 2018 Bensonhurst Sunset Park Sheepshead Bay Kensington Ocean Ave. McDonald Ave. 65th St. New Utrecht Ave. Kings Hwy. 8th Ave. Coney Island Ave. Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Chinese neighborhoods in Brooklyn, 2022 Bensonhurst Sunset Park Sheepshead Bay Kensington Ocean Ave. McDonald Ave. 65th St. New Utrecht Ave. Kings Hwy. 8th Ave. Coney Island Ave. Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Note: The precinct in Kensington is mostly Indian and Bangladeshi. Many precincts in Flushing and Bayside in Queens, which are predominantly Chinese and Korean, turned red as well. Margin of victory +15D 0 +15R Flushing, 2018 Murray Hill Bayside Flushing Northern Blvd. 73rd Ave. Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Flushing, 2022 Murray Hill Bayside Flushing Northern Blvd. 73rd Ave. Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area In Manhattans Chinatown, the Democratic margin of victory declined in 2022, but it remained strongly blue. Margin of victory +15D 0 +15R Manhattans Chinatown, 2018 Lower

East Side Chinatown Canal St. Broadway Delancey St. Grand St. Bowery Centre St. Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Manhattans Chinatown, 2022 Lower

East Side Chinatown Canal St. Broadway Delancey St. Grand St. Bowery Centre St. Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Source: New York Times analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau and New York City Board of Elections By The New York Times

From 2018 to 2022, the Republican share of the vote increased by 27 percentage points in the rapidly growing satellite Chinatowns in Brooklyn, the biggest change in any Asian neighborhood. In Flushing and Bayside in Queens, Republican support increased by 22 percentage points.

The Asian population in New York extends much farther than the predominantly Asian precincts in these maps.

Community organization leaders pointed to a 2018 proposal by then-Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat, as a political awakening moment for some Chinese Americans in the city.

The proposal would have changed the admissions process for the citys elite public high schools, in order to increase the number of Black and Latino students. Offers to Asian students, who make up a majority in the schools, would have dropped by about half under the plan.

For years, many of these schools students have been from low-income Chinese immigrant families, a group that is generally concentrated in the citys Chinatowns. After the proposal was announced, protests sprung up in Sunset Park, Flushing and City Hall Park, which is near Manhattans Chinatown.

In April 2019, community organizations representing several Asian American groups held a rally at Queens Borough Hall to oppose proposed changes to specialized high school admissions. Christopher Lee for The New York Times

Manhattans Chinatown differs from the satellite Chinatowns in Brooklyn and Queens.

It had a smaller shift rightward in the last governors election, and it remained more Democratic. This neighborhood also stands out from the other Chinese neighborhoods in its socioeconomic makeup.

All Chinese neighborhoods in New York have median incomes below the citys average. But of all the residents across these neighborhoods, those in Manhattan are the poorest. Additionally, many of these residents families arrived in the country during earlier waves of immigration, allowing them to build up party loyalties over generations. The satellite Chinatowns in Queens and Brooklyn are home to more first-generation immigrants, and these areas have a much higher rate of voters registering with no party affiliation.

In New York, the last decade has seen members of this newer, relatively higher-income group of Chinese Americans align more often with Republican candidates, said Pei-te Lien, a professor of political science at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Republican support increased in neighborhoods with large South and Southeast Asian populations in the 2022 governors race. Margin of victory +15D 0 +15R Elmhurst and Jackson Heights, 2018 Elmhurst Woodside Jackson Heights Queens Blvd. Roosevelt Ave. Broadway Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Elmhurst and Jackson Heights, 2022 Elmhurst Woodside Jackson Heights Queens Blvd. Roosevelt Ave. Broadway Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area But many of these areas, like much of eastern Queenss South Asian neighborhoods, stayed blue. Margin of victory +15D 0 +15R Eastern Queens, 2018 Richmond Hill Jamaica Hills South Ozone Park Bellerose Hillside Ave. Atlantic Ave. Francis Lewis Blvd. Van Wyck Expy. Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Eastern Queens, 2022 Richmond Hill Jamaica Hills South Ozone Park Bellerose Hillside Ave. Atlantic Ave. Francis Lewis Blvd. Van Wyck Expy. Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Source: New York Times analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau and New York City Board of Elections By The New York Times

An uptick in Republican campaigning was a significant factor to increasing Republican support, community organization leaders said.

Ive never seen so many signs for a Republican governor in the areas I grew up in, said Aminta Kilawan-Narine, the founder of South Queens Womens March, who was raised in South Richmond Hill and South Ozone Park.

Were so underresourced that sometimes we settle for those who simply just show up, Ms. Kilawan-Narine said.

Republican support increased by 21 percentage points in eastern Queenss stretch of South Asian neighborhoods. They include Richmond Hill, with its mostly Sikh and Indo-Caribbean population; Jamaica Hills, home to many Bangladeshi residents; and Bellerose, a large Malayali community.

Fears about hate crimes, like the recent string of attacks against Sikh men in Richmond Hill, have shaken the community.

John Albert, the founder of Taking Our Seat, a Queens-based group that advocated for the South Asian community during redistricting, said that Republicans had been more effective in communicating with South Asian voters, like those in Richmond Hill, on the issue of public safety.

I think what the Republican Party has done well is to make very stark for people that they are the party thats going to keep people safe, Mr. Albert said. Whether theyre actually doing it or not is probably less relevant.

Community organization leaders across the city echoed the observation that a heightened fear of racial violence helped align some voters with the Republican Partys tough-on-crime platform.

At the onset of the pandemic, experts pointed to racist language used by then-President Donald J. Trump and Republicans in Congress as a prominent cause of increased violence against Asian Americans.

Before last years governors election, banners were hung around Sunset Park in Brooklyn, encouraging residents in the predominantly Chinese neighborhood to vote. Janice Chung for The New York Times

Community organization leaders across the citys Asian neighborhoods emphasized that Republican candidates may be gaining support among Asian American voters because of political engagement on local issues, not party identification.

For example, Mr. Zeldin, Ms. Hochuls Republican opponent in the governors race, won most of the majority-Asian precincts in Brooklyns Chinese neighborhoods, but there were a significant number of split-ticket voters in these same areas.

In a down-ballot race for a State Senate seat, Iwen Chu, a Democrat like Ms. Hochul, won in many of the precincts that the governor lost.

These maps show the margins of victory in majority-Asian precincts in Iwen Chus State Senate district, comparing her race with the 2022 governors race. Margin of victory +15D 0 +15R governors race Bensonhurst Sunset Park McDonald Ave. 65th St. New Utrecht Ave. 8th Ave. Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area state senate race Bensonhurst Sunset Park McDonald Ave. 65th St. New Utrecht Ave. 8th Ave. Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Detail area Source: New York Times analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau and New York City Board of Elections By The New York Times

In her districts majority-Asian precincts, Ms. Chu received 22 percent more votes than Ms. Hochul.

Republican outreach to Asian American voters aligned with their fear, not their needs, Ms. Chu said.

Dr. Lien said that issues related to education and public safety are galvanizing Asian American communities across the country. The red shifts seen in New York are likely to occur in more places in future elections.

This is the harbinger of what is coming, Dr. Lien said.
A warming climate has left a fifth of the conifer forests that blanket California's Sierra Nevada stranded in habitats that no longer suit them, according to a study published last week by researchers at Stanford University.

In these zombie forests, older, well-established trees  including ponderosa pines, Douglas firs and sugar pines  still tower overhead, but few young trees have been able to take root because the climate has become too warm and dry for them to thrive.

In Californias zombie forests, conifers have become mismatched to a warming climate. A map of the Sierra Nevada, showing areas where conifer distribution has been stable, and areas where there is a mismatch (11 percent) and severe mismatch (8 percent) between the vegetation and the climate. The mismatched areas generally occur in the low elevations of the Sierra Nevadas western slopes. Reno Severe mismatch Less than 1 percent of conifer forests historically occurred in current climate. NEVADA Sacramento Stable conifer forests San Francisco Mismatch Less than 5 percent of conifer forests historically occurred in current climate. San Jose CALIFORNIA Fresno Pacific Ocean NEVADA Bakersfield Area of detail CALIF. 50 MILES Reno Severe mismatch Less than 1 percent of conifer forests historically occurred in current climate. NEVADA Sacramento Stable conifer forests Mismatch San Francisco Less than 5 percent of conifer forests historically occurred in current climate. San Jose Fresno CALIFORNIA Pacific Ocean NEVADA Bakersfield Area of detail CALIF. 50 MILES NEVADA Sacramento Stable conifer forests Severe mismatch Mismatch San Jose CALIFORNIA NEV. Bakersfield CALIF. Area of detail 50 MILES Source: The Global Ecology and Climate Solutions Lab at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, using data from the U.S. Forest Services Wieslander Survey and Existing Vegetation maps. Note: The data looks at changes in conifer forests across the Sierra Nevada between the 1930s and the 2010s.

Zombie forests are cheating death, in a way, said Avery Hill, an ecologist and the studys lead author.

Mature trees are able to survive even after their local climate has shifted, but the species is not likely to grow back in these areas after a major disturbance, like a catastrophic wildfire, logging event or period of extreme drought. Instead, the study found, the forest is more likely to be replaced by smaller, shrublike vegetation that is adapted to warmer, drier conditions.

For their analysis, Dr. Hill and colleagues examined historical data going back more than eight decades, comparing detailed survey data plotted by the U.S. Forest Service in the 1930s with more recent vegetation maps. They found that during that time period, the Sierra Nevadas conifer forests had, on average, shifted about 112 feet higher in elevation. The most suitable temperature range for the conifers had shifted even faster, climbing upslope by about 600 feet.

That has left an estimated 11 percent of todays conifer forest in the Sierra Nevada mismatched to its current climate conditions, with another 8 percent considered severely mismatched, according to the study, which was published in the journal PNAS Nexus. Dr. Hill was a doctoral student at Stanford at the time of the research.

Global climate change has put pressure on many species of plants and animals to move to higher elevations or toward polar latitudes in order to stay in climate zones they have historically adapted to. Longer-lived species, like conifer trees, which can live for centuries, often find it harder to keep up with the velocity of climate change, said Chris Field, the director of the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment and senior author on the study. They can only move as fast as their seeds get dispersed.

Warmer winters and drier summers can also embolden invasive insects and diseases to move northward, killing some native plants and trees. Foresters in Rhode Island and across the country have tried ambitious experiments to deliberately move certain tree species northward in a process known as assisted migration.

Temperatures in the Sierra Nevada have warmed by an average of 1.2 degrees Celsius (2.2 degrees Fahrenheit) since the 1930s. A warming climate has exacerbated Californias weather whiplash, experts say. Following years of drought, this year saw major storms that dumped record amounts of snow across the Sierras.

The recent study ascribed climatic factors, including changes in annual precipitation and winter temperatures, as two major drivers of the shifts in suitable conifer habitats. It also notes that wildfires and other disturbances, as well as increasing human presence in formerly wild lands, have played a role in the changing forests.

Global warming is not the entire story, said Jon Keeley, a research scientist with the United States Geological Survey, who did not work on the study. The role of historical forest management practices has also influenced the changes in conifer forest distribution, he said, as it has helped fuel more destructive wildfires.

Until the 1930s, low-intensity fires that did not kill many large trees occurred regularly, which meant tree seedlings could more easily re-establish themselves in those regions after the fire. However, decades of aggressive wildfire suppression that began in the 20th century led to a buildup of vegetation in forests that was primed to burn. Once ignited, they often resulted in higher-intensity crown fires that could spread across a forest canopy from treetop to treetop and leave vast swaths of the landscape barren and arid, making it more difficult for young trees to take root, Dr. Keeley said.

Americans have also increasingly moved into the fire-prone foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Rapid development in areas known as the wildland-urban interface has increased wildfire risk.

More recently, forest managers have begun using prescribed burns to preemptively thin out forests so that wildfires have less fuel to consume, but the changing climate is making intentional burns more complicated to carry out.

The Stanford team also mapped where the conifer-dominated forests of the Sierra Nevada have already transitioned to landscapes dominated by other vegetation, like shrubs or flowering plants, between the 1930s and the 2010s.

A map of the Sierra Nevada, showing areas where conifer-dominated forests have transitioned to angiosperm-dominated forests. Reno Areas that have remained dominated by conifers NEVADA Sacramento Areas that are no longer dominated by conifers San Francisco Some forest data is missing due to incomplete survey information San Jose Fresno CALIFORNIA Pacific Ocean NEVADA Bakersfield Area of detail CALIF. 50 MILES NEVADA Reno Areas that have remained dominated by conifers Sacramento Areas that are no longer dominated by conifers San Jose Fresno CALIFORNIA Some forest data is missing due to incomplete survey information NEV. CALIF. Bakersfield Area of detail 50 MILES Source: The Global Ecology and Climate Solutions Lab at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, using data from the U.S. Forest Services Wieslander Survey and Existing Vegetation maps.

When transitions like this happen, it can harm local and native species that are dependent on the forests. Forests also play a critical role in regulating water quality and sequestering carbon.

The new study can help forest managers and policymakers prioritize their limited resources, said Winslow Hansen, an ecologist with the nonprofit Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, who did not contribute to the study.

That could mean conserving zombie forests in mismatched regions for as long as possible, he said, or directing resources to areas where the climate is still aligned with the vegetation.
An Argentinian teacher must have had the shock of her life when coming to school for the opening day to find a large banner accusing her of sleeping with the married father of one of her students.

The first day of school is usually one full of joy and excitement for both students, teachers and parents, but that was not the case at one Buenos Aires school where the general feeling was one of shock. Parents taking their kids to school and faculty coming to greet them were treated to a rather bizarre sight  large handwritten banner hanging outside the school gates accusing a certain member of the faculty of ruining a family by sleeping with one of her students father despite knowing that he was married.

Carla, you were the mistress of my baby and you slept with my husband. You ruined a family the large banner read. As you can imagine, people started taking photos of it and posting them on social media.

Great start to the school year, people, Twitter user @ fabita90 tweeted alongside a photo of the large banner. His tweet garnered over 30,000 likes and got retweeted thousands of times.

The photo went viral last week, generating hundreds of humorous comments about the situation, but its worth pointing out that it has been doing the rounds online since March of 2022. The identity of the accused teacher has not been revealed, but Argentinian media did quote a Facebook comment from a person claiming to be familiar with the case. They wrote that the cheating father was the one who picked up the children from school and that Carla took advantage of this, seducing him. The person didnt know how the woman found out about the cheating, but added that the teacher and the married couple knew each other well and were quite close.

Obviously, there is no way to confirm the above version of the story, since anyone can write pretty much anything on the internet these days, but its all the context we could find for this story.
An Indian man recently made national news headlines after filing a police complaint against his own father, accusing him of seducing his wife and eventually eloping with her.

They say all is fair in love and war, and that love is blind, but there is also such a thing as forbidden love. Pawan Vairagi, a worker from Indias Rajasthan state, is accusing his own father of falling in love with his wife and luring her away from him. Vairagi, who hails from a village called Silor, told authorities that he had been spending a lot of time away from his family because of work, which allegedly gave his father the opportunity to spend more time with his wife and seduce her. The pair recently eloped, leaving Pawans six-month-old daughter behind.

Photo: Igor Rodrigues/Unsplash

After learning that his wife had run off with his father, an outraged Pawan Vairagi went to the police precinct of Bundi district, accusing his old man of stealing his wife, as well as his bicycle, which the eloping couple apparently used to make their getaway. Indian media reports that Pawan also accused his father of taking part in other illegal activities, but its unclear if he provided any evidence of that or if its just his anger talking.

Approached by reporters, the victim confirmed that he had filed a complaint against his father, Ramesh Vairagi, adding that he considered his wife innocent. He also accused police of not taking his case seriously. Authorities denied the accusation, saying that they were working diligently to find the missing couple.
CGPR, French/West/Vaughans Boston-area office specializing in the outdoor, fitness, fashion, lifestyle and travel sectors, signs on as agency of record for Trere Innovation, an Italian company that provides products and services in the high-tech apparel and footwear sectors. CGPR is working with the company to introduce its footwear, baselayers and socks to the US market through media relations, events and influencer engagement. CGPRs proven expertise in the consumer lifestyle and component categories and deep knowledge of trends are impressive and we cannot wait to hit the ground running, said Trere Inovation owner and founder Marco Redini. CGPR has also been named AOR for The Woolmark Company, the global authority on Merino wool, and Tread Labs, an insoles manufacturer that is introducing a line of warm weather sandals this spring.

LDPR has been named agency of record for the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria in Sorrento, Italy. The agency will be overseeing all PR programming including print and digital media relations, influencer and brand partnerships, and media visit programs. Owned and operated by the Fiorentino family since 1834, the property is surrounded by a five-acre park and 25 minutes from Capri and 30 minutes from Positano, the Amalfi Coast and Pompeii.

The Romans lands King, maker of Candy Crush, the top grossing mobile gaming franchise in U.S. app stores. The agency will handle creative campaigns, events, stunts, and ongoing press office activities, with a focus on Kings key markets in the US and UK. The account will be led on a day-to-day basis in the US by vice president Katherine Espinosa and in Europe by director Kate Brazier. We were looking for a global agency with an implicit understanding of gaming, tech, and most importantly, culture, said King brand communications lead Louise Ramsden. The response The Romans delivered showed they not only had a deep understanding of our audience, but they also knew how to reach new audiences around the world via high-impact creative campaigning.


Pacific Surfliner Needs PR Engineer Mon., Apr. 10, 2023 The Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor Agency wants a digital marketing firm to promote visibility and recover ridership that the Pacific Surfliner brand lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has budgeted $200K for the one-year effort.
THE gravestone of the first fatality in the Civil War in Offaly was restored lst year following an appeal by a local historian.

Last year Dr Philip McConway called on Ulster Bank to restore the headstone of its Tullamore branch manager, Thomas Mitchell who was killed by anti-Treaty IRA forces when he confronted them during an armed raid on the bank on Monday, July 3 1922.

The gravestone was restored by Dublin based company, Pmac but Ulster Bank's parent company, the NatWest Group declined Dr McConway's suggestion for further conservation work on the inscription to enhance its legibility.

The Tribune reported on the restoration work in late January and Dr McConway speculated that the sculptor who erected the headstone was William Kennedy.

Dr McConway's research found that Kennedy was a stone and monumental sculptor who operated a thriving limestone quarry on the Arden road with up to 30 employees.

The King's County Chronicle (19 July,1883) reported he was "one of the ablest practical stonecutters in Ireland."

A native of Edenderry, Kennedy resided in Tullamore for over 30 years. Charismatic, efficient, sincere, an indefatigable and fervent patriot, he encouraged industrial development in the town.

He was elected to Tullamore Urban Council. A member of the Gaelic League, he promoted the Irish language. He was secretary of the United Irish Leagues local branch and a member of Cumann na nGaedheal, a front organisation for the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) in Tullamore.

He was the IRB leader, or centre, in the town, was also active in the GAA and was president of the local hurling club. He died from pneumonia in 1910, aged 64 years, and is buried in Durrow Cemetery.

Following the publication of the article in January a reader contacted the Tribune to point out that Kennedy could not have erected the headstone in 1922 when he passed away 12 years previously in 1910.

However, Dr McConway has now revealed that Mitchell is buried alongside his mother-in-law and first wife.

The headstone was erected in 1906 following the death of his mother-in-law, Jane Pink. She seemingly lived with Mitchell and his wife in their apartment, above the Ulster Bank in Tullamore. The death registry noted he was present at Janes death from asthenia and chronic bronchitis. A retired teacher, she was aged 79.

Mitchell married his first wife, Alicia Bristow Pink, at the Presbyterian Church in Bray, in 1893. His personal life was tinged with tragedy. From Belfast, she died from breast cancer at their apartment in 1909.

He married Jessie Kerr, a builders daughter, at Sligo Presbyterian Church, in 1911. She died, aged 46, of tuberculosis at a nursing home in Sligo in 1916. She appears to have been buried in her native Sligo.

Mitchell may have been emboldened as a widower, without children or family responsibilities, when, armed with a revolver, he confronted the IRA at the fatal raid on 3 July 1922.

The local press reported: His actionalthough plucky, was considered a most fool-hardy one, inasmuch as the raiders were numerous and determined.

Resistance by bank staff to IRA raids from 1920-23 was exceptional outlined the local historian.

On the day of Mitchell's death in 1922 an IRA unit drove up in a Crossley tender to the Ulster Bank in Tullamore. Mitchell, standing outside the counter, observed an estimated 15 Volunteers, wearing overcoats, enter.

Dr McConway, in a feature article published in the Tribune last year, wrote: "He (Mitchell) walked to his office desk and grabbed a revolver from the drawer. He then confronted the IRA and pointed his revolver at them. Without hesitation Timothy Buckley (the IRA's unit's commander), armed with a rifle, shot Mitchell beneath the heart. Dr George A. Moorhead was summoned. Arriving swiftly, the doctor examined the unconscious Mitchell who died in two minutes.

The bank janitor and other employees carried the corpse upstairs to rooms inhabited by Mitchell. The IRA then ordered the staff to put their "hands up" and removed them to the street. The vicinity of the bank was cordoned off by the IRA. Hundreds of people witnessed the raid from a distance. Fr Thomas O'Keefe remonstrated with the IRA who ignored him.
BORD na Mona has begun a pre-application consultation in relation to its plan for a 600 MW gas-fired power station in north Offaly.

The pre-application process began with An Bord Pleanala on February 24 and the planning board says Bord na Mona Powergen Ltd is proposing a two-unit power plant on land in the Derrygreenagh Bog group, which lies between Rhode and Rochfortbridge.

There will be a combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) unit and an open cycle gas turbine (OCGT) unit.

In April 2010 Bord na Mona was first granted planning permission for a natural gas-fired 430MW CCGT unit and and a distillate/natural gas-fired 170MW OCGT unit.

Speaking about that project in November 2021, a Bord na Mona spokesperson said: The company is reviewing options to develop new generation capacity on this site in light of the current pressure on the electricity system.

At that time a local Fine Gael councillor, Noel Cribbin, said that if the power plant got the go-ahead it would be absolutely massive for north Offaly and for the whole Midlands.

This isn't just big for the Midlands, it's big for Ireland. You can imagine what that would be worth to the Irish economy, said Cllr Cribbin.

Certainly we wouldn't have worries with rates from now on if we could get something like that.

In a combined cycle unit, the gas turbine generator generates electricity with the waste heat from the gas turbine used to make steam to generate additional electricity via a heat recovery steam generator and a steam turbine.

An open gas cycle unit involves linking a single gas turbine to a generator. It can be powered up within 20 minutes and such plants are often used for 'peaking' purposes when extra power is needed by the grid quickly.

Bord na Mona operates the 118 MW peat and biomass co-fired power station, Edenderry Power, near Clonbullogue. The burning of peat there is being phased out.

It also supplies electricity to the grid from two wind farms in north and east Offaly, one at Mountlucas and another at Cloncreen. It has begun work on another wind farm at Derrinlough in the west of the county.
Students from Tullamore College competed at the national finals of the All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad (AILO) in Dublin City University (DCU) on Wednesday last, March 1.

Run by ADAPT, the world-leading SFI Research Centre for AI-Driven Digital Content Technology, the contest challenges secondary school students to apply logic and reasoning skills to solve complex puzzles in unfamiliar languages.

The 100 national finalists, from 49 schools in 21 counties, have come through preliminary rounds held in schools all over the island in January. More than 3,500 students registered for this years contest. Competing in individual and team rounds, the finalists are faced with anything from deciphering ancient Norse scripts about Thor to working out unusual counting systems such as Bukiyip where there are two counting systems, depending on what you are counting!

The AILO finals see teenagers solve puzzles that require lateral thinking skills and the ability to think outside the box. Students must analyse the language data they are given to work out the rules of the new language. These transferable skills are critical in preparing young people for a wide range of careers in computing, linguistics and language.

Four winners from today will go on to represent Ireland at the International Linguistics Olympiad held in Bulgaria in July.

The results of the National Final of the All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad will be released next week. Sample puzzles from the Olympiad can be downloaded at https://ailo.adaptcentre.ie/sample-puzzles/
The international investigation involving the FBI and Europol has revealed details of an international cybercrime gang accused of blackmailing major firms and institutions.
World number one Novak Djokovic withdraws from this week's Indian Wells Masters event with the Serb unable to enter the United States.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has said the battle for Bakhmut is unlikely to change the tide of the war. Ukrainian forces are said to be in a "painful and difficult" battle in the Donbas. DW rounds up the latest.
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The founder of Russia's Wagner mercenary force has said his troops now tightening their grip on the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut are being deprived of ammunition and that, if they are forced to retreat, the entire front will collapse.
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In the last 10 minutes of his live Netflix special Selective Outrage, Chris Rock finally addressed the Oscars slap that has a lot of us still scratching our heads. The stand-up special marked the first time Rock publicly addressed the incident in which Will Smith slapped the comedian live on air at last year's Academy...
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Maine parents are voicing concerns about the easy accessibility of graphic and explicit materials from the school library to young students.

A father spoke at the board meeting and called out the school administrators after his son was given access to a book inappropriate for his age.

The problem of explicit books for young adolescents has long raised concerns among parents nationwide.

This is also one of the reasons why parents are calling for strictly following age-appropriate labels on reading materials.

Maine parents complain about explicit school materials

According to the Daily Wire, Knox Zajac, a 6th-grade student who is only 11 years old, caused a stir at a school board meeting when he read aloud from a sexually explicit book titled "Nick and Charlie."

Despite the recommended age limit of 14 years or older, Knox was able to borrow the book from his school's library. During the meeting, Knox revealed that he found the book on the library shelf and read a page of explicit material out loud to the audience.

Standing at the center of the stage, Knox narrated a graphic sexual encounter between two teenage boys, including a scene where one of the characters looks for a condom in a bedside drawer.

When Knox showed the book to his father, the librarian offered to provide him with more explicit materials, even suggesting a graphic novel version.

In a subsequent interview, Knox explained that he brought the book to the school board's attention because he felt uncomfortable with such graphic content readily available to himself and other students his age.

Furthermore, the New York Post also reported that Knox's father, Adam, also addressed the board of the Windham Raymond School District (also known as RSU 14), expressing his concerns about another book called "Gender Queer," which depicts sexually explicit scenes between minors and is only recommended for readers aged 18 and older.

Knox and his father called for stricter age restrictions on library materials and greater oversight of the school's library collection.

Read Also: Child Labor in the US: Labor Department Announces New Measures to Combat Exploitation

Age-appropriate books in the school library

State and federal laws prohibit possessing and distributing pornographic materials involving children.

However, the laws remain ambiguous when it comes to cartoon images of minors engaging in sexually explicit acts.

As per The Maine Wire, in Maine, a law has been in place since the 1970s prohibiting the provision of obscene materials to minors. The law includes exemptions for certain educational settings, such as museums and public schools.

These exemptions were intended to safeguard legitimate educational materials, including artistic works that may contain nudity.

In recent years, there have been reports of public school officials and teachers taking advantage of the obscenity exemption to promote books that are not age-appropriate.

While some argue that such books provide insight into sensitive topics and help promote understanding, many parents are concerned that their children may be exposed to inappropriate content.

Parents are calling for age-appropriate limitations on access to these books, especially if they are to be included in school libraries.

They believe children should not be exposed to graphic material unsuitable for their age. Unfortunately, most school board members seem to disagree with the parents' concerns, and some community members believe that the board is taking steps to limit parental involvement in public meetings.

The potential harm that children may face when exposed to such graphic books cannot be overlooked. Access to sexually explicit material may negatively impact a child's emotional, mental, and social development.

Additionally, exposure to such content early may lead to normalizing unhealthy sexual behavior, which may persist into adulthood.

Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that children are not exposed to inappropriate content and that the material available in school libraries is age-appropriate and promotes healthy development.

Related Article: Parental Support Crucial for LGBTQ Youth's Mental Health
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A San Francisco-based couple had a one of a kind wedding after winning the fast food chain's competition. The wedding was held in Decentraland.

Taco Bell threw a literal out of this world wedding for couple Sheel Mohnot and Amruta Godbole last February 24. It was the very first legal wedding in the metaverse.

The wedding ceremony happened at Decentraland, a 3D virtual world browser-based platform.

"This is a real wedding with a real couple, a real officiant, in an unreal Taco Bell Metaverse venue. At the Taco Bell Metaverse Wedding you'll get the chance to participate in an experience that includes a one-of-a-kind venue, unique wearables, a DJ, live dancefloor, and a few tasty Taco Bell surprises," stated the couple's wedding invitation published in Decentraland's website.

The couple won Taco Bell's competition

Godbole told People in an exclusive interview that she promised her now husband a marriage life that is fun, romantic and "more than a little weird," exactly like how their wedding went in the metaverse.

The couple admitted that it was never on their plan to have a wedding in the metaverse nor in Taco Bell, yet after the latter announced a competition offering couples a chance to win a wedding in the virtual realm, they decided to join, especially since the groom is a big Taco Bell fan.

Mohnot shared how a lot of people tagged him on Twitter, pushing him to participate in the competition. Fortunately, the bride was game and so they went to a Taco Bell branch, shot their video, which was done in two takes, and submitted it without expecting they would win from out of 300 other couples that joined.

The couple stated that they had mixed emotions when they found out they won. They even asked each other if they really want a wedding that will be held in Decentraland.

The Taco Bell team encouraged them, assuring them that their inputs will be respected as it is their wedding in the first place. They were eventually convinced and Taco Bell, they said, truly "delivered."

More than the wedding being unique in so many different ways and levels, it was really special for Mohnot whose memories of Taco Bell go way back since childhood. Thus, it made the wedding a "full-circle moment," especially that he got to ride an elephant to their wedding venue in a customary baraat procession, to pay homage to the couple's Indian roots.

Read More: Here Comes the Tamagotchi Generation: Future Parents May Opt for Virtual Kids in the Metaverse

A wedding celebrated both in the real and virtual worlds

According to PR Newswire, the wedding pushed "past previous platform limitations with never before seen elements" that Decentraland users can view for a limited time even when the wedding is over.

It was reported that after the couple said their "I dos," a kissing emote in the metaverse unveiled, which was specially designed for the occasion. Moreover, since Taco Bell was the wedding host, guests witnessed the largest virtual Cinnabon Delights cake that the brand has ever made.

As for the Master of Ceremonies, American actor Kal Penn, who is of Indian heritage like the couple, facilitated the wedding.

After the metaverse wedding, a real life, physical reception happened at Taco Bell's ocean-front Pacifica Cantina in San Francisco, where family and friends gathered and celebrated the newlywed with loads of food, from Mexican pizza, Dorito Loco tacos, chalupas, black bean chalupas to a three-tiered Cinnabon Delight cake.

Mohnot shared that even with the physical gathering, Taco Bell allowed them to make it as their own. They played games and had trivia contests. They were so happy because the Taco Bell branch where they had their reception was "really beautiful." It did not feel like a fast food restaurant, the groom expressed.

The couple got some criticisms about having their wedding in the metaverse, yet they have shrugged them off because the reality was they, and their friends and those who were able to watch their special day, felt that the ceremony was "fun and loving." Most of all, they were able to do what could have been impossible to do elsewhere.

Related Article: Virtual Reality Gives Kids Better Chance to Bond With Parents Behind Bars
Photo: (Photo : Pexel/Helena Lopes)

A claim that babies below six months are not allowed to have water has been making some noise and starting a debate on social media.

In a Facebook post dated February 26, Madeline Stark stated in bold letters, "Babies can't have water before 6 months," and repeated this statement six times. She warned parents and caregivers to educate themselves before putting their babies in danger.

"Water dilutes the sodium levels in babies and can cause seizures, coma, brain damage or death," she concluded her post, which has been shared 3,500 times at the time of this writing.

Water as 'potential health hazard'

USA Today made a fact check on Stark's now-viral post and found that the statement holds truth.

According to the pediatricians that the news outlet has talked to, giving babies under six months the liquid adults take as a necessity can be very dangerous to their health.

Babies' kidneys are still unable to process much water. Thus, parents and caregivers are recommended to exclusively use breast milk or formula for babies in their first six months.

Pediatrician and dean of Des Moines University's College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dr. Steven Halm, emphasized that "supplemental water is a potential health hazard" for newborns and that breast milk should be their primary source of nutrition for the first six months.

Further, he said that in case of shortage or lack of breast milk, combining the latter with formula or formula alone can be parents' other option. However, water alone can never be an option.

Another pediatrician Dr. Hailey Nelson, who is working with Valley Children's Healthcare in California, explained that additional water intake for babies is unnecessary and hazardous as breast milk and formula already have water. Too much water can shake off their electrolytes, which can be damaging.

Read More: 10 Weird, But Perfectly Normal Things About Your Newborn

Too much water intake causes complications

America encountered a baby formula crisis last year. Due to the shortages, many parents reportedly added more water than necessary to dilute the baby formula to make the milk last longer. Nelson warned that this was a grave mistake as it could lead to water intoxication. This can result in babies having seizures or brain swelling, and worst, dying, St. Louis Children's Hospital stressed.

The World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics published the same guidance and warning for parents and fully encouraged exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a baby's life.

Chief of pediatric service at Hassenfeld Children's Hospital, NYU Langone Health, Dr. Arun Chopra, also warned parents about giving their babies water when it is hot outside or when the baby is sick. This is not recommended, the doctor declared, as this can cause complications, which vary on the age of the newborn and on how well their kidneys are functioning.

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Photo: (Photo : Zaruhi Paronyan)

Founded in Philadelphia, USA, in 2019, the Abacus Kids Academy of Mental Arithmetic is the brainchild of Zaruhi Paronyan. Born in Armenia and with a passion at an early age for languages, Zaruhi and the Academy introduce the learning method known as Mental Arithmetic, which helps develop the intellectual skills of young children.

About Zaruhi Paronyan

Zaruhi was born in Armenia, in the city of Yerevan, into a family of engineers. She credits her parents as her inspiration, and thanks them for instilling into her the importance of a strong education. From an early age Zaruhi was interested in languages, and she began to learn English and French at an early. She was an avid reader and read books whenever there was time.

When her father founded a company in the construction field while she was in her teens, Zaruhi's interest in the world of business and commerce was ignited. Indeed, whilst at university she began to help her father in the running of the business, and once graduating became his partner in a role involving expanding into new areas.

Zaruhi - also known as Zara - graduated as a Specialist of International Business in Commerce from the French University Jean Moulin Lion 3 and would later study English Language in more depth in London, UK.

Having attained the status of Professional Instructor in Mental Arithmetic, as awarded by the body that oversees the subject across the world, SAMA Global Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Association, Zaruhi is also the US Chairmen of SAMA Global.

Abacus Kids Academy of Mental Arithmetic - How it Works

Abacus Kids Academy of Mental Arithmetic, founded by Zaruhi in Philadelphia, uses a method of teaching that has its roots in Japan. Using an abacus - or Soroban - children between the ages of 5 to 15 are taught to train their brains to perform mental arithmetic at first with the abacus, and later without. The benefits of this are many.

Once the children have learned how the abacus works - and it can perform all the main tasks in basic arithmetic and beyond - they are encouraged to imagine the tool while performing the calculations in their mind.

Mastering this technique is at the core of the Mental Arithmetic teaching program. Once able, children will grow their analytical skills, improve concentration and listening skills, and gain a better understanding of logic and memory recall. They will develop visualization ability and be able to perform mathematical process fast and without the need for physical aids.

The method draws on both the hemispheres of the brain, awakening the power of development within, and is used widely across the world. In the USA, however, Zaruhi noticed a lack of Abacus Mental Arithmetic programs, hence the foundation of the Academy.

Abacus Kids Academy - The Future

Popular in Japan and in as many as 50 other countries, the Abacus and Mental Arithmetic program has been absent in the USA up to now. Thanks to the foresight and dedication of Zaruhi and the team at Abacus Kids Academy of Mental Arithmetic, children in the Philadelphia area now have access to this impressive learning program.

Zaruhi has plans to enhance the availability of the method by way of launching a franchise system across the USA, enabling children in other states to begin the Mental Arithmetic teaching program. To further this, she is also founding the Mental Arithmetic Association of the USA. This will provide training for persons wishing to become instructors, as well as other assets for franchises and students.

Other plans include the organization of competitions for kids to enter, a popular feature in other countries that Zaruhi intends to launch in the USA. For the third year in a row, the academy's students have participated in international online Olympiads, and some of them have already become world champions. In 2023, the academy plans to participate in the Olympiad, which will be held in Dubai.
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The New York City Department of Education has one of the lowest completion rates for sexual harassment training among all city agencies.

With only 62 percent of DOE staffers completing the mandatory training course from September 2021 through August 2022, the agency's performance has been deemed "abysmal" and is a cause for concern.

This revelation came shortly after the agency settled a lawsuit filed by middle and high school students alleging sexual assault and harassment, including two students who claimed they were raped.

NYC Department of Education's low compliance

According to the New York Post, a report released by the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, the average completion rate for sexual harassment training among all agencies in New York City was 79 percent in the previous year, up from 74 percent.

Some departments had much lower completion rates, such as the Bronx County Public Administrator's Office at 14 percent and the Department of Correction at 72 percent.

The New York City Department of Education had the lowest completion rate, with only 62 percent of its staff taking the mandatory training course from September 2021 through August.

DOE spokesperson Jenna Lyle stated that education officials are working to remind workers to complete the training. However, the low completion rate is concerning, especially considering the Education Department settled a federal sexual assault and harassment lawsuit by four female middle and high school students of color with disabilities a year and a half ago.

The settlement included a payment of $700,000 to the students and a promise to strengthen rules around reporting and investigating sexual assaults.

As reported by Politico, Nelson Mar, senior staff attorney at Legal Services NYC, the nonprofit group that brought the case, noted that the Education Department staff have been under pressure, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, and have a lot of other professional development they need to complete.

However, Mar emphasized that this is not an excuse for the low completion rate and that failure to adequately address and respond to sexual harassment has been an ongoing issue.

Mar expressed disappointment in the numbers, given that the city has already been sued. He stated that one would expect the city to make more effort to prevent further litigation on this issue.

Furthermore, Lyle reaffirmed that ensuring safe and welcoming environments for students and staff is the department's top priority.

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Completing the sexual harassment training

According to Impactly, New York City has passed legislation in recent years that requires sexual harassment training. As per Local Law 96 of 2018, employers with 15 or more employees in New York City are required to provide and conduct annual training for the prevention of sexual harassment.

The training is mandatory for all Education Department employees, including leadership, to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for students and staff.

With 142,000 regular employees in the department, completing the training is crucial to preventing sexual harassment and assault in the workplace.

The training covers ways to identify, prevent, and address sexual harassment in the workplace, including how to report incidents of harassment and assault.

Completing the training is vital for compliance with the law and can help DOE staffers protect the students of NYC public schools from harassment.

The training provides employees with the knowledge and skills necessary to identify, prevent, and respond to sexual harassment in the workplace.

This is particularly important for educators and other staff members who interact with students regularly, as they are responsible for creating a safe and secure environment for all students.

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report stating that over 44 percent of teenagers experienced persistent sadness and hopelessness in the first half of 2021.

In addition, the report, conducted through an online survey, found that almost 20 percent of teens had seriously contemplated suicide, while 9 percent had attempted it.

As per The Conversation, parents' role in supporting their teen's mental health has been overlooked as a crucial factor.

This alarming statistic shows that adolescent mental health has become a significant concern.

Adolescent girls, as well as bisexual, gay, and lesbian teenagers, are struggling the most, but boys and teens in every race and ethnic group also reported worsening symptoms.

Dr. Lisa Damour, a clinical psychologist, author, and executive director of Laurel School's Center for Research on Girls, expressed deep concern about the suffering teens experienced during the pandemic and the current crisis in adolescent mental health.

Knowing how to help your teen through tough times is essential if you are a teenager's parent. With that, here are some things you can explore: the advice of Dr. Lisa Damour on how to support your teen during difficult times, according to The New York Times.

Advice from Psychologist Lisa Damour on How to Help Your Teen

Allow teenagers to be angry and Express Freely.

Many parents may find their teen's anger, sadness, or frustration uncomfortable, and they may try to shut down these emotions. According to Dr. Damour, this approach is not helpful, as it sends the message that the teenager's feelings are unacceptable.

Dr. Damour advises parents to allow their teens to express their feelings freely, even when it is challenging to hear. By validating their emotions, parents can help their teens understand that it is acceptable to sometimes feel sad or angry. It is essential to listen without judgment and allow them to express themselves.

Show curiosity and empathy to your teenagers.

Dr. Damour also advises parents to show curiosity and empathy toward their teenagers. When your teenager talks to you about their struggles, ask open-ended questions and be curious about their experiences.

This will help them feel heard and understood. By showing empathy, you are acknowledging their feelings and helping them feel supported. This approach can foster a stronger connection between parent and child and help your teenager feel less alone during difficult times.

Read Also: The Power of Positive Reinforcement: How to Raise Confident Children

Allow them to go through discomfort to develop healthy skills and process painful emotions.

Another advice from Dr. Damour is to allow your teen to go through discomfort to develop healthy skills and process painful emotions. Adolescence is a critical period for developing emotional regulation skills, and it is crucial to allow your teen to experience a range of emotions, including the discomfort. By doing so, they can develop resilience and learn how to cope with difficult emotions.

Finally, UNICEF emphasizes the importance of parents expressing their love and support towards their teens, regardless of the state of their relationship.

Whether they are getting along well or facing challenges, parents should make it clear that they are always there to help their teens navigate difficult situations.

This reassurance can provide a sense of security and comfort to teenagers, especially during tough times when they may feel overwhelmed and alone.

Related Article: Parenting Strategies to Improve Your Relationship With Your Child
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The University of Massachusetts warned about the health risks of the recent TikTok drinking trend - "Blackout Rage Gallons."

BORGs have gained popularity among college students. BORGs are a blend of alcohol, water, flavoring, and electrolytes.

While some consider BORGs a way to reduce the harm caused by drinking, others argue that it is merely another form of binge drinking.

Although BORGs provide students with the ability to manage their alcohol consumption, there is a legitimate worry about the quantity of alcohol that they can hold.

University of Massachusetts warns about the TikTok trend

A new preferred beverage among college-aged students nationwide has emerged, as indicated by the hashtag #BORGs, which has garnered over 73 million views on TikTok.

However, according to ABC, the University of Massachusetts is cautioning against the TikTok drinking trend after 28 ambulances were called to off-campus parties.

Students were seen carrying jugs labeled "blackout rage gallons" or "BORGs." Officials say this is the first instance of widespread BORGs use at off-campus parties observed by the university.

The Amherst Fire Department stated that none of the cases were life-threatening, but there were so many requests for ambulances due to alcohol intoxication among students that neighboring agencies had to intervene.

UMass Police reported two arrests for underage drinking. In a statement, the university said the weekend would be evaluated, and measures would be taken to enhance alcohol education.

Incoming students were already educated about the physiological and medical risks of binge drinking.

The weekend's festivities, known among UMass students as the "Blarney Blowout," is an annual, unsanctioned event linked to St. Patrick's Day.

Health noted that while BORGs may be founded on reducing the harm caused by drinking, the significant amount of alcohol used in certain gallons has raised concerns among experts.

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Are BORGs and Binge drinking the same?

Most online tutorials recommend adding roughly 750 milliliters, or approximately 17 shots, to a half-gallon of water when making a BORG.

However, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism's criteria, consuming just a portion of such a BORG (approximately four or five shots) could increase blood-alcohol concentrations to over 0.08 percent within a few hours, constituting binge drinking.

According to Fox8, Amelia McCoun, a licensed professional counselor and Texas Tech University's Student Wellness department member, the likelihood of consuming too much alcohol rises as BAC does.

She added that considering this information, she believes there is a chance that consuming BORGs could raise the risk of binge drinking or alcohol overdose. However, this would depend on the quantity of alcohol added to the BORG and the rate at which it is consumed.

Nonetheless, McCoun emphasized various favorable aspects of the trend, such as its ability to prevent the spread of bacteria and harmful viruses that would otherwise infect communal beverages.

BORGs has the potential to aid in harm reduction in several ways. Most importantly, many drinkers create and consume their own BORGs, meaning they are aware of the ingredients used.

A BORG enables the individual to add as much or as little alcohol as they desire into their own container, or they may choose not to include any alcohol at all without anyone else knowing.

However, harm reduction techniques can only assist in minimizing harm and cannot eliminate the hazards associated with drug or alcohol use.

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The Biden Administration has awarded San Diego International Airport (SAN) in California with US$20m for the New T1 program.

The discretionary grant funds have been awarded as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law  Airport Terminal Program. New T1 will replace the current Terminal 1 with a modern and efficient facility. The project will look to improve the airfield and transportation improvements to make it easier to get to and from the airport.

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Kimberly Becker, president and CEO of San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, said, We truly appreciate the support of Senators Alex Padilla and Dianne Feinstein, and Congressman Scott Peters, as well as our entire delegation, in making these funds available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The US$20m Airport Terminal Program grant will fund a portion of the New T1 project, the largest construction project in the San Diego County Regional Airport Authoritys history. Our purpose is to create an exceptional airport experience for the community and the world. When the project is complete, the terminal will support that purpose by making our airport more attractive to the millions of people who want to visit our beautiful city.

To find out more about San Diego Airports latest developments, click here.
Blessed are the pure in heart, says Matthew 5:8 in the King James Version of the Bible, for they shall see God.

Whenever I think of this particular beatitude, I always think of the title of a devotional essay or sermon by the great Danish philosopher Sren Kierkegaard (1813-1855): Purity of Heart is to Will One Thing.

And, of course, I recall the famous words of James 1:5-8  the first verse of which was of such pivotal importance at the very beginning of the Restoration:

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

I like a passage from the ancient apocryphal Gospel of Thomas:

Jesus said: It is impossible for a man to mount two horses and to stretch two bows, and it is impossible for a servant to serve two masters . . .[iv]

C. S. Lewis used to ask this question: How will we ever be able to speak with the Lord face to face until we have decided which face to present to him? Thats the background, in fact, to the title of his 1956 novel Till We Have Faces, which is relatively little known among his works but which was one of his own personal favorites.

We find it extraordinarily difficult to be single-minded. Our motives are very often mixed. The speaker in a Young Single Adult ward may sincerely want to deliver a talk that will honor God and inspire the congregation, but he may also wish to impress the attractive girl who generally sits about five rows back on the right.

And, of course, sometimes our internal conflicts are a little less innocent. A famous passage from Augustines Confessions illustrates this well, as he addresses God:

But I wretched, most wretched, in the very commencement of my early youth, had begged chastity of Thee, and said, Give me chastity and continency, only not yet. For I feared lest Thou shouldest hear me soon, and soon cure me of the disease of concupiscence, which I wished to have satisfied, rather than extinguished.[ii]

And a more innocent but still rather amusing anecdote comes to mind from my own personal experience many, many years ago: When I had just entered the old Mission Home in Salt Lake City, before transferring down to the Language Training Mission in Provo, we went one Sunday morning over to the Tabernacle on Temple Square for a performance by the Tabernacle Choir. As we stood in line waiting to enter, several very attractive young women walked by. One of the new missionaries turned around and stared at them with obvious and lingering interest. Another missionary good naturedly chided him: Eyes right, elder! The embarrassed missionary responded instantly with a witty (and sexist) comeback that Ive often thought about in the years since. I may be fasting, he said, but I can still look at the menu! And he was precisely right. There is no law against reading menus during a fast. But how stupid it is to do so! How much more difficult it makes fasting! How self-defeating! If youve decided to fast, you probably shouldnt be lingering around Big Bobs Famous Grill to take in the savory aromas.

Purity of heart may well require some very difficult choices. Here is an ancient though non-scriptural Christian passage that poses a real challenge and that merits future analysis and unpacking:

Jesus said: Whoever does not hate his father and his mother in My way will not be able to be a [disciple] to me. And whoever does [not] love [his father] and his mother in My way will not be able to be a [disciple] to me . . .[v]

Of course, Latter-day Saints would probably want to clarify that true purity of heart involves willing one right thing, or perhaps even the one most right and most important thing. It certainly is conceivable that one could be perfectly focused on evil, and this would be, after a fashion, a sort of purity of heart. But its not what the Lord wants from us. I think, in this connection, of Bertrand Russells description of Vladimir Lenin  which Ill share in a future entry.[i]

As to the idea of seeing Gods face, we Latter-day Saints take this very literally. We are unashamed anthropomorphists. It is true that God is, in a very real sense, omnipresent via his Spirit:

Cleave a (piece of) wood, I am there; lift up the stone and you will find Me there.[iii]

But God really has a real face, and modern scripture makes the same promise that Matthew 5:8 makes:

Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am. (Doctrine and Covenants 93:1)

But what does it mean to be pure in heart? Here are a few preliminary clues:

Zion is defined as the pure in heart (Doctrine and Covenants 97:21).

And the Lord called his people ZION, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them. (Moses 7:18.) And again I say unto you, let every man esteem his brother as himself. For what man among you having twelve sons, and is no respecter of them, and they serve him obediently, and he saith unto the one: Be thou clothed in robes and sit thou here; and to the other: Be thou clothed in rags and sit thou there  and looketh upon his sons and saith I am just? Behold, this I have given unto you as a parable, and it is even as I am. I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine. (Doctrine and Covenants 38:25-27) [I]n your temporal things you shall be equal, and this not grudgingly, otherwise the abundance of the manifestations of the Spirit shall be withheld. (Doctrine and Covenants 70:14)

For future reference, look at the concepts of atonement/purgation/purification, and re-read Dallin H. Oaks, Purity of Heart.

[i] Bertrand Russell, Unpopular Essays?

[ii] Augustine, Confessions, 8:7.

[iii] A. Guillaumont, H.-Ch. Puech, G. Quispel, W. Till, and Yassah Abd Al Mas, trans., The Gospel according to Thomas (Leiden: E. J. Brill and New York: Harper and Brothers, 1959), 43.

[iv] A. Guillaumont, H.-Ch. Puech, G. Quispel, W. Till, and Yassah Abd Al Mas, trans., The Gospel according to Thomas (Leiden: E. J. Brill and New York: Harper and Brothers, 1959), 27.

[v] A. Guillaumont, H.-Ch. Puech, G. Quispel, W. Till, and Yassah Abd Al Mas, trans., The Gospel according to Thomas (Leiden: E. J. Brill and New York: Harper and Brothers, 1959), 51.

Posted from Bountiful, Utah
I dont monitor blogs or websites connected with the so-called Heartlander movement. In fact, I dont think that Ive ever actually looked at any of them. They havent interested me. Im familiar enough with Heartlander books and arguments to know that Im not persuaded by their model of Book of Mormon geography and, anyway, Book of Mormon geography isnt a primary interest of mine. I am, though, quite displeased at the tendency of some Heartlander figures to badmouth those who disagree with their views  very notably including your humble and obedient servant  and to criticize Latter-day Saint scholars more generally and even Church leaders for failing to toe the Heartlander line. That is why I have made it a practice to call attention to the Neville-Neville Land blog, which has rendered yeoman service in chronicling the astounding claims of one prominent Heartlander figure in particular.

On Saturday, thanks to a friend who does pay attention to Heartland goings-on, I shared some troubling quotations from the FIRM Foundation blog, a central Heartlander voice that was offline for a few days. (See my Conspiracy Fantasies and Anti-Semitism in the Heartland?) I thought, and I think, that such things deserve our concerned attention. Im horrified by them, and Im deeply disappointed (to put it mildly) that at least one member of my Church is trafficking in such ideas.

This morning, a friend shared the note below with me. And, with that friends kind permission, I quote it here in its entirety:

The FIRM site/blog went back up last night, with a new web host, and with the most recent problematic blog posts (dated 2/9/23, 2/12/23, and 2/28/23) missing. So I suspect someone did complain to their old host about the content and they got suspended, not that they just forgot to pay a bill.

But there are still a lot of really awful posts up. I generally skim their posts every couple weeks or so, but Im not as well-versed in bonkers anti-semitic conspiracy theories as I needed to be to recognize some of this stuff. So I didnt understand until the past couple days how bad this isI thought the goyim reference was the first anti-semitic red flag.

Heres a brief background. In this anti-semitic conspiracy worldview, most of the people known as Jews today are not real Jews from the tribe of Judah (or in the terms used on the FIRM blog, theyre not real Hebrews.) Instead, centuries ago an impostor group called the Khazarians somehow set themselves up to be Jews, and parlayed their Jewish identity into total control over the worlds governments, finance, deep state, etc (no, this doesnt make any actual sense). For those in the know about the conspiracy, the fake Jews are actually the Khazarian Mafia or KM, or simply the Cabal.

This supra-conspiracy gives someone like the FIRM blog writer cover to be able to say Im not anti-semitic! I love the Jews/Hebrews! But I only love the *real* Jews, not the KM impostors who control the world and _______ (long list of accusations). Its an attempt to launder anti-semitism through a supposed opposition to the real villains, but since the KM story is bogus, its just plain old Jews-control-the-world-and-cause-all-the-bad-events anti-semitism.

Where this gets even more ugly is that the FIRM writer merges anti-semitism with the Book of Mormon. He explicitly, repeatedly identifies the KM as todays Gadianton Robbers that the Book of Mormon warns us about. Using the Book of Mormon to justify anti-semitism is so abhorrent.

The 2/12/23 post I linked above (though its a cache that could disappear soon, but I have it saved) is a really good example of this. It openly quotes a prominent anti-semitic writer, Jack Mohr, and his book The Inside Story of International Judaism. And he twists Bible passages to say that the KM were posing as Jews back in Biblical times.

It also identifies Khazarians as Gadiantons: Who is the Lord speaking to when He says, I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan? Rev 2:9. Or again the Lord says, Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Rev 3:9 Christ is speaking of the Gadiantons of today, (KM) who descended from Gomer, and Japeth. The non-priesthood lineage. Real Hebrews and the Tribe of Judah come through ChristI feel the Synagogue of Satan spoken of in the Book of Revelation, are those in this world who are the biggest deceivers of all, which are the KM, Deep State, Cabal, Nazis, or Gadiantons of today.

Some other posts, that are still up, that promote this:

From 4/19/21: I also believe the Cabal consisting of the Rothchilds, the Vatican, City of London, Washington DC, Khazarians or Krypto Jews are the people today of this High Cabal. This High Cabal has been working against We the People ever since the CIA was formed and long before that, and this is what the Trump administration has been working to take down. I feel It will result in the Great Awakening where we get our Republic back. It will happen, General Flynn, Lin Wood, Mike Pompeo and Sidney Powell will win this for the Patriots. How do I know? The Gadiantons were removed werent they? The Gadiantons are the High Cabal and the Children of Israel will win. The Lord has told us that. This is not the second coming of the Lord, but a great Second Harvest that I believe will allow us to prepare for His second coming. This is only my opinion.

(Blaming things on a cabal is also an anti-semitic trope.)

From 6/13/22: I personally believe Dr. [Steven] Jones [the former physics prof who was forced out of BYU for his 9/11 conspiracies] very much about what he said about 9-11. For over 20 years I believed the same politically correct narrative that the government and main stream media insisted us to hear, that Jihadi hijackers brought down the buildings. In the past few years I have studied and researched for many hours, and I believe the Deep State or Cabal is fully behind many of the wars and problems of today.

From 3/17/21, I honestly dont know how to summarize this post. It endorses every possible conspiracy theory, from the KM to the Illuminati to the Bohemian Grove performing Satanic ritual child sacrifice to the QAnon plan for Trump to take back the presidency.

It makes me queasy to see this abhorrent nonsense interspersed with quotes from President Nelson, various apostles, and the Book of Mormon. And though blog author Rian Nelson throws in the occasional disclaimer this isnt the official view of FIRM, thats a really thin fig leaf for years of hosting ugly anti-semitism on their site. If this were just some random church member losing his grip, whatever. But finding it on the Book of Mormon Evidence site, that hosts a well-attended expo in Utah twice a year, is worrisome.
Did Jesus & Peter Talk to Dead People Before They Rose from the Dead, and  Along with Elijah and Elisha  Pray for the Dead, or Only Ask Them to Move After They Were Raised?

Jason Engwer, who runs the Tribalblogue site, wrote posts entitled, Agreement Among The Gospels About How Jesus Raised The Dead (5-29-22) and Did Jesus offer support for praying to the deceased by speaking to people he raised from the dead? (3-5-23). This is my reply. His words will be in green (earlier article) and blue (later one).

*****

When Jesus raised people from the dead, he would tell the person to move in some manner, probably at least in part to demonstrate that a resurrection had occurred. A description of the persons movement follows, which suggests that Jesus references to rising and such were about moving the body after a resurrection rather than the resurrection itself (Mark 5:41-42, Luke 7:14-15, 8:54-55, John 11:43-44; Matthew 9:25 is in agreement as far as it goes, even mentioning that Jesus took the girls hand, but doesnt say whether Jesus made any comments telling her to move). We see something similar with Peters raising of the woman in Acts 9:40-41, perhaps in imitation of what Jesus did, but the other resurrections referred to in the Old and New Testaments dont involve any such scenario (1 Kings 17:21-23, 2 Kings 4:34-37, 2 Kings 13:21, Matthew 27:52-53, Acts 20:10, Revelation 11:11). [italics and bolding my own]

He did often make comments like arise to those he raised from the dead, . . . But . . . its likely that he was telling the people to move in some way in order to demonstrate that they had been brought back to life (e.g., telling Lazarus to come out, after which Lazarus walked out of his tomb). Since the focus in these passages seems to be on physical demonstrations that a resurrection has occurred, interpreting a phrase like arise or come out as a command to come back to life is at best a secondary interpretation. Jesus may have been simultaneously telling these people to rise from the dead and to move their bodies in the relevant ways. But a may scenario is a reference to a possibility, not a probability. I see no way to demonstrate that its probable that Jesus was speaking to dead people in these passages. . . .

And I want to reiterate a point Ive made many times before. What does it suggest about the weakness of the case for praying to the dead when arguments like the one Im responding to in this post have to be resorted to by advocates of such prayers? [italics and bolding my own, excepting the word may]

In reply to the last sentence, I say that the weakness and desperation and special pleading are all on his side of the argument, as I will now proceed to show: so great is his pathetic sophistry and eisegesis that plain meanings of biblical texts are flat-out ignored or never even comprehended, before he goes on to make his groundless arguments. Here are the problem texts for his wishful interpretation:

Luke 8:52-55 (RSV) And all were weeping and bewailing her; but he said, Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping. [53] And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. [54] But taking her by the hand he called, saying, Child, arise. [55] And her spirit returned, and she got up at once; and he directed that something should be given her to eat.

This verse alone makes mincemeat of Jasons contentions, because the order of events is reversed (a. Jesus words, b. the child is raised, c. she gets up) from what he proposes (a. the child is raised, b. Jesus words, c. she gets up). His nonsense cannot be reconciled with the text above. And when that happens, one who wishes to be biblical must give up their wishful thinking. The only reason Jason attempts this absurd explanation is because he believes the prior falsehood that no one can ever communicate with a dead person. Jesus just undeniably did that here (before her spirit returned), so, so much for that!

Acts 9:40-41 But Peter put them all outside and knelt down and prayed; then turning to the body he said, Tabitha, rise. And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. [41] And he gave her his hand and lifted her up. Then calling the saints and widows he presented her alive.

This is the second fatal passage for Jasons contentions. This has everything all together: Peter prayed for a dead person. We know this for a fact because any and every commentator would agree that he was praying that she would be raised. After his prayer, the text says that he spoke to a body and not a person who was alive. No one says that they talked to a body if the person is alive. I wouldnt say about my wife, I turned to Judys body and asked her if she wanted to go out to dinner. Thats clearly absurd.

No; the text plainly asserts that Tabitha was still dead. Peter prayed while she was, which means both that 1) he prayed for the dead, and 2) he prayed / talked to the dead. The latter is anathema in Protestantism, and the former is for most Protestants. But here is Peter undeniably doing it, as Jesus had in Luke 8.

But theres still more!

1 Kings 17:17-23 After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill; and his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. [18] And she said to Elijah, What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to cause the death of my son! [19] And he said to her, Give me your son. And he took him from her bosom, and carried him up into the upper chamber, where he lodged, and laid him upon his own bed. [20] And he cried to the LORD, O LORD my God, hast thou brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? [21] Then he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried to the LORD, O LORD my God, let this childs soul come into him again. [22] And the LORD hearkened to the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. [23] And Elijah took the child, and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house, and delivered him to his mother; and Elijah said, See, your son lives.

This is a reiteration of the sequence that we also saw in Luke 8:52-55 (a. Elijahs words [including prayers for the dead], b. the child is raised, c. he gets up). In Luke the terminology of her spirit returned is used. In 1 Kings its  the soul of the child came into him again (cf. Rev 11:11).

2 Kings 4:32-37 When Elisha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his bed. [33] So he went in and shut the door upon the two of them, and prayed to the LORD. [34] Then he went up and lay upon the child, putting his mouth upon his mouth, his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands; and as he stretched himself upon him, the flesh of the child became warm. [35] Then he got up again, and walked once to and fro in the house, and went up, and stretched himself upon him; the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. [36] Then he summoned Gehazi and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she came to him, he said, Take up your son. [37] She came and fell at his feet, bowing to the ground; then she took up her son and went out.

The same sequence occurs for a third time (a. Elishas words [including prayers for the dead], b. the child is raised, c. he gets up). Note that all of these arguments come from the very biblical passages that Jason noted (thanks for saving me the trouble, my brother in Christ!). Game, set, match. Readers must choose to either be biblical and follow the Catholic and plain biblical interpretation, or unbiblical and eisegetical and follow the standard Protestant special pleading about what is occurring in these incidents. I didnt write biblical passages. Im simply reporting them and defending the clear and perspicuous meaning of Scripture (as our Protestant brethren always urge all of us to do; glad to oblige!).

***

Practical Matters: Perhaps some of my 4,200+ free online articles (the most comprehensive one-stop Catholic apologetics site) or fifty-one books have helped you (by Gods grace) to decide to become Catholic or to return to the Church, or better understand some doctrines and why we believe them.

Or you may believe my work is worthy to support for the purpose of apologetics and evangelism in general. If so, please seriously consider a much-needed financial contribution. Im always in need of more funds: especially monthly support. The laborer is worthy of his wages (1 Tim 5:18, NKJV). 1 December 2021 was my 20th anniversary as a full-time Catholic apologist, and February 2022 marked the 25th anniversary of my blog. PayPal donations are the easiest: just send to my email address: apologistdave@gmail.com. Youll see the term Catholic Used Book Service, which is my old side-business. To learn about the different methods of contributing, including 100% tax deduction, etc., see my page: About Catholic Apologist Dave Armstrong / Donation Information. Thanks a million from the bottom of my heart!

***

Photo credit: Cornelis Bloemaert II (1603-1692): The revival of Tabita by the apostle Peter [public domain / Look and Learn: History Picture Archive]

***

Summary: Anti-Catholic polemicist Jason Engwer contends that Jesus, Peter, Elijah, & Elisha never made prayers to & for the dead before raising them from the dead. Wrong!
Sometimes all you need is the basics to get the job done. Well, this Lenovo mouse is about as basic as you can get and thats a really good thing. Amazons selling the Lenovo 530 wireless mouse (with battery!) for just $14.89, which is 26 percent off of the original $19.99 price tag. If you add the on-page coupon, youll get an additional $3 off. Thats a great value. Not only is the minimalist aesthetic really cool, but it also features some good specs.

The Lenovo 530 has a 1,200 DPI, 2.4 GHz wireless connectivity, and an ambidextrous design. The 1,200 DPI sensor resolution is ideal for office work and day-to-day tasks. Gaming mice, for example, can have a maximum DPI of 20,000, which is ridiculously fast and takes time getting used to. For general use, you definitely want a lower DPI, otherwise the mouse will quickly get away from you. The Lenovo 530 also weighs just 65 grams, so its easy to travel with.

This is a fantastic deal. You better swoop in now and nab it.

Get the Lenovo 530 wireless mouse for $11.89 at Amazon
If youre interested in trying out the far future of Windows features  say, Windows 12?  the new Windows Insider Canary channel may be right up your alley.

Microsoft debuted the fourth new Windows Insider Channel on Monday morning. Canary joins the other Windows Insider channels as a way for you to try out new features before they arrive on Windows 11. Typically, the arrangement goes as follows: Release Preview is for code thats just about to be released, while the Beta Channel is code thats definitely scheduled, through a bit further out.

The Dev Channel and the new Canary Channel are more experimental. Microsoft relaunched the Dev Channel on Monday, with an eye toward enthusiasts who want to try out new code that may never see the light of day. Canary is even riskier, and the new channel was accompanied by warnings that it could end up putting your PC into a state where you might have to reinstall Windows.

On the other hand, the Canary Channel may end up as a way for you to see what Microsoft is working on for the next release of Windows. What Microsoft wont do, apparently, is always tell you what those features may be. We will offer limited documentation for the Canary Channel, but we will not publish a blog post for every flight  only when new features are available in a build. We will continue to provide blog posts for Dev, Beta, and Release Preview releases like we do normally, Microsoft said in a blog post.

How Microsoft sees its four new Windows Insider channels. Microsoft

Windows Central points out that the new channel may be used to debut so-called Windows vNext, code that wont end up in Windows 11 but may be released in an entirely new version, aka Windows 12. Put another way, the Dev Channel is being designed for enthusiasts who want to try out code within the Windows 11 timeframe, but the Canary Channel could wind up reserved for Windows 12 (or 13?) experiments.

Joining the Windows Insider program for Windows 11 is easy. In its blog post, Microsoft suggested that now might be a good time for switching channels, which you can do via the Windows Insider portion of the Settings>Windows Update section of the Settings menu. Just remember that while its easy to switch to more advanced channels (from Release Preview to Beta to Dev to Canary), its more difficult to go backwards. Thats because Windows doesnt want you to go update to an earlier build. In that case, you may have to reinstall Windows, which will erase all of your installed applications. In other words, Insider builds are still best left for a secondary machine thats tolerant of bugs and other glitches.

Rumor has it, though, that Windows 12 could debut in 2024. If youd like to roll the dice and start getting an early peek, than the Canary Channel may be for you.
The Kwame Nkrumah Interchange is an important transport hub that distributes thousands of vehicles to connect in different directions  inter-city and intra-city  with more than 20 lorry terminals and boasts of all-day-round activities.



Given its importance and the thousands of people who use it on a daily basis, the three-tier interchange was constructed to help ease congestion and enhance free movement of vehicles and commuters.



Known for its bustling city life, the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange has, however, been plagued with illegal activities, resulting in unprecedented levels of congestion, compounded with criminal activities that undermine the good intentions for which the project was birthed.



Context



Formerly, the area only had a roundabout to distribute the thousands of vehicles that use the corridor to connect in different directions, including to major towns and cities such as Kumasi, Takoradi, Cape Coast, Tema, Aflao, Korle Bu, Teshie/Nungua, Odorkor, Accra.



It has commercial bus and/or taxi stations for almost all major suburbs of Accra and also serves as the terminal for long-distance travellers. The Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, therefore, has terminals for STC, VIP, VVIP, OA, PROTOA, GPRTU and all transport unions and networks, including those that travel to the West Coast, such as GUO and EFEX.



About three million people are estimated to visit the city each day, with most of them living on the outskirts, according to official figures.



Their rush in and out of the city on a daily basis creates chaos, especially during rush hours at places such as the Interchange (Circle), which is a transport hub for commuters.



Congestion



The congestion is mainly caused by the rising number of hawkers and street vendors who set up makeshift shops in the area in an attempt to make a living.



With no official regulation being enforced, the vendors have been blocking the walkways and parts of the streets, making it increasingly difficult for vehicles to pass.



In addition, the area has seen an influx of illegal parking activities by commercial and private vehicles, including 'Okadas and trotros.



The Daily Graphic team which monitored the scenes at the area observed that the situation had created a chaotic atmosphere, with drivers weaving in and out of traffic, often ignoring road traffic regulations.



Police helpless



The team again observed that the situation worsens in particular parts of the area when there is no police presence.



At the locations where police officers are stationed, the observation is that they were often overwhelmed and sometimes watched in despair as the situation deteriorates.



The few police officers, who are usually seen under the overpass and on the two ends of the roads in front of the Orion Cinema, near P&T, were seen only trying to impress on the drivers to move their vehicles as soon as they stopped to pick passengers. The picking of passengers on the move is a major cause of the congestion.



Again, the stretch from the Neoplan terminal to the New Times Corporation office often has trotros taking up one of the three lanes of the road.



The situation worsens in the evening when drivers deliberately park their vehicles on the shoulders of the road after the day's work.



It is also common to see persons who appear to be drug addicts and mentally challenged making parts of the overpass their places of abode.



Frustration



The congestion has caused much frustration among commuters and pedestrians alike, with many people voicing their complaints even on social media.



One resident of Achimota, Mathilda Hammond, who works in the area, told the Daily Graphic in an interview that the situation was mind-boggling, given that the redesigning of Circle into an interchange was expected to create some room for businesses to thrive in the area.



"I can't believe how bad the traffic is in Circle. It's like a nightmare. I hope the authorities do something about it soon," she said.



Asked why people still sold on the streets instead of the Pedestrian Mall constructed about a decade ago to decongest the streets and bring some sanity to the area, Ms Hammond said people were always rushing from one place to the other and did not patronise the wares of the traders in the mall.



Its easier for people to buy from the streets than enter the mall because they are always rushing from one place to the other, she indicated.



The trader added that some people had shops in the mall but still operated from the streets to make the numbers.



Crime



Crime in the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange area has been on the rise due to the increasing levels of congestion in the area.



Over the past few months, there have been numerous reports of muggings, pickpocketing and other criminal activities.



As the congestion in the area has resulted in a surge in the number of vehicles and pedestrians, it has made it easier for criminals to blend in and commit their crimes.



The criminals, the Daily Graphic gathered, are often taking advantage of the heavy traffic build-up to snatch mobile devices and side bags.



Indiscipline



A trotro driver, Charles Bentum, told the Daily Graphic that the chaotic situation was mainly due to indiscipline on the part of both drivers and pedestrians who ignored road traffic regulations in the area.



He said successive governments had announced plan after plan to tackle the problem of illegal activities in the area and minimise indiscipline but the plans had not been implemented successfully.



A new police task force was set up to regulate the traffic and enforce the law during the previous administration but that too didnt work, Mr Bentum said.



In an interview to find out what the city authorities were doing to curb the vehicular and trader congestion at the area due to sheer indiscipline, the Municipal Chief Executive of the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly (KKMA), Samuel James Nii Adjei Tawiah, said the assembly was employing a raft of measures to decongest roads and spaces around the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange that has been plagued with illegal activities to bring sanity to the area and boost economic activities.



The measures, some of which are already being implementation, include getting rid of hawkers and beggars from the streets, relocating street vendors to newly built markets, strict enforcement of bye-laws on parking in collaboration with the private sector and a new plan to create car parking spaces such as on-street parking within the bustling city centre.



He told the Daily Graphic that ultimately the adopted measures would help reduce streetism, promote sanitation and organise the commercially vibrant area in a manner that would bring serenity and comfort to city dwellers.



The move will also help to contain the growing number of vehicles and persons that compete for space in the vibrant area.



Attitudinal change needed



Addressing the concerns of the public, the MCE noted that growing public indiscipline had enormously contributed to the present chaotic situation in the area.



The main problem is attitudinal change because some of these measures have been deployed in the past, but people ignore them and still perpetrate their illegal activities, including selling on the pavements, which is very dangerous, he said.



Already, Mr Tawiah said the assembly had completed a market around Odawna where small stalls and lockable stores had been constructed in order for all street hawkers to be at a central location.



That has also been difficult to achieve because we as a people like to buy in traffic instead of buying from the market so the traders have also refused to move but with enforcement, we hope to change the situation, he said.

Source: graphic.com.gh









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
Paired assistance provides power for green development

By Hou Liqiang (China Daily) 14:00, March 06, 2023

Engineers conduct an annual inspection of transmission lines at an altitude of 120 meters in Mingguang, Anhui province. SONG WEIXING/FOR CHINA DAILY

New electricity networks are being built to bring renewable energy to the nation's major urban and manufacturing areas. Hou Liqiang reports.

Cooperation between paired eastern and western regions  in which prosperous regions provide assistance to underdeveloped areas  has proved to be an effective approach that helped China declare victory in its battle against extreme poverty in February 2021.

As the country forges ahead with its ambitious and arduous targets of peaking carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and realizing carbon neutrality before 2060, the pairing mechanism is likely to play a significant role once again.

This time, though, support is being offered by the west of the country  which is sparsely populated but home to rich renewable resources  to the densely populated, power-thirsty eastern areas.

Irrespective of the direction, the result of such cooperation is still a win-win outcome.

In the country's poverty eradication campaign, Beijing is paired with the Inner Mongolia autonomous region and Hebei province.

According to the Beijing government, in 2016-17, the capital provided more than 2 billion yuan ($290 million) in funds to support the two provincial-level regions in their poverty relief endeavors.

In total, the support, which aided implementation of 350 projects, helped lift 470,000 people out of poverty. Now, the two regions are paying Beijing back and helping make the city even greener.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
The Police are on the hunt for Pius Anundoabil Ayoma, a private security officer who is said to have escaped from the Manet Police Station in Accra, where he was remanded pending his transfer to the Nsawam Medium Security Prison.



The suspect was hauled before an Accra High Court over charges of robbery and attempted murder of his former employers, and was remanded into prison custody following a request by the prosecution.



But a source close to the issue told DAILY GUIDE that the accused person absconded from the Manet Police Station at the dawn of Thursday, and is yet to be apprehended by the police.



Prosecuting documents filed before the court indicate that Pius Anundoabil Ayoma, who lives off the Spintex Road in Accra, works with a private security company and was assigned to a couple who are the complaints in the case.



He served as a security guard for the couple until he was relieved of that post upon a complaint made by the couple to his (the accused persons) supervisor for petty stealing at their residence.



He went back to the complainants house on January 21, 2020, where he attacked the security man on duty, tied his legs and arms with rope and neck tie, and hit him several times with the but of a gun.



He then gained access to the main house with a duplicate key which he already had, and forcefully broke into their bathroom where one of the complainants (the wife) was freshening up to go to church.



He then ordered her to transfer some money from her phone to a mobile number, which investigations later revealed was registered in his name. The complainant transferred GH2,000 to the number, and the accused later assaulted her and tied her in the room where he kept the security man.



The accused went ahead and ransacked the rooms and collected various items belonging to the couple, including two iPhones, one Dell laptop computer, one DSTV decoder, one Subwoofer, a 32 inches Samsung television, and one 55-inch Philip flat screen television.



Pius Anundoabil Ayoma, according to court documents, ordered the woman to order an Uber with her phone, which she did, and the accused conveyed the stolen items into the vehicle with the assistance of the driver.



He then laid ambush in wait for the husband who had returned from work and shot at him after he tried to rescue his wife, who was tied to a toilet seat.



The accused then entered the Uber and ordered the driver at gunpoint to drive, but the accused during the trip ordered the Uber driver to stop a taxi for him, which he transferred his booty.



The police at this point had been informed about the activities of the accused, and they traced him to Kassapreko in Accra, where they met him in the taxi.



The accused however pointed a gun at the police and managed to escape, leaving the booty behind.



He then fled to Fumbisi, in the Upper East Region, where he was arrested, but had fired at the police and injured some officers in the process.

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
The Electoral Commission (EC) Ghana has debunked assertions that the proposed elimination of the guarantor policy in Ghanas electoral system will disenfranchise millions of Ghanaians.



The EC chairperson Jean Mensa on Tuesday told Parliament the guarantor system, where an individual can guarantee the citizenship of a person so he or she can acquire a voters ID card for the purpose of election will be no more when the new Constitutional Instrument (CI) is passed.



But the Minority Caucus disagrees. It said the proposed CI, which will eliminate the guarantor system is a deliberate attempt by the election management body to disenfranchise millions of Ghanaians.



Reacting to the development on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Thursday (2 March), the deputy chairman of the EC in charge of corporate services, Dr Bossman Asare, said the guarantor system is being phased out as a result of advancement in the electoral process.



In 2021, we had a discussion with our stakeholders including political parties and civil society organisations, Asare said. One of the central decisions that came out was that with the advances Ghana has made and especially with the registration of Ghanaians through the NIA system, it was now appropriate for any Ghanaian, who wanted to register as a voter to do so on his own merit.



In other words, theres no need for someone to vouch for another person, he added.

Source: Asaaseradio









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.

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Former President John Dramani Mahama has come under fire from a mammoth number of Ghanaians on social media for using what has been described as "insulting words" against his critics who doubt his sincerity to cancel ex gratia payments.



The former President, in an address to NDC party delegates in the Volta Region, said if Ghanaians return him to power, he will scrap the constitutional ex gratia payments to Article 71 holders.



But as one of the longest and biggest beneficiary of ex gratia payments as a four-term MP, Vice President, President and ex-President for the past 27 years under the Constitution, many people have cast doubts on his honesty and commitment to fulfill his promise to cancel what he has benefitted for years.



Also, the likes of Lawyer Martin Kpebu have asked the former President to return his ex gratia payments to demonstrate he truly detests ex gratia and as a show of faith in his promise to the Ghanaian populace.



To the surprise of many, however, former President Mahama went acerbic, launching scathing attacks on those who commented and described their suggestions as "silly".



"I said categorically that we will cancel ex gratia. And then somebody who should know better, a lawyer, he said then I should refund all the ex gratia we took before to show that we are serious about cancelling it. He does not even know the principle in our constitution that says you cannot pass retrospective legislation...if you pass legislation today, it does not affect what happened in the past. And what he says is a bit silly because it's like saying that because we have introduced free SHS, all of us should go and get refund of our school fees that we paid," former President Mahama said.



However, many Ghanaians, apart from disagreeing with the analogy of the Mahama, have also expressed surprise at his disrespect to his critics.



With Togbe Afede and First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo on record to have returned ex gratia payments, many wondered what is preventing former President Mahama from returning his over two-decade ex gratia payments he continues to receive.



Below are some comments from the public:









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.

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Last Friday, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia commissioned and handed over the Kumasi Central Mosque which he single-handedly funded its reconstruction.



The mosque, which used to be a 3000-capacity facility, has now been rebuilt into an ultra-modern, multi-purpose facility with a 7000-capacity, a 500-seater conference hall, offices for Imams and Chiefs as well as a two-bedroom apartment for guests.



Assisted by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu to commission it, the mosque was immediately opened to the public for Jummah prayers and thousands of people present were eager to be part of the first, historic Jummah prayers in the mosque which was led by the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu.



As both the old and young men accessed the mosque, the women were not left out.



An enthusiastic number of them trooped into the mosque in excitement screaming Allahu Akhbar (God is the greatest) amidst echos of God bless Dr. Bawumia in appreciation of the Vice President's singular effort in funding the reconstruction which started about 2 years ago.



Watch the video:



https://web.facebook.com/thezongomail/videos/526117763044956

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.

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Former President John Dramani Mahama has explained why he was absent from Ghana's 66th Independence Day celebration at Ho in the Volta Region.



According to Mahama, I just came from the Volta Region, and just when I was leaving they were preparing to celebrate the Independence Day. I have stopped going to Independence day because it has become a party jamboree. I went to Tamale and they told GBC to take the camera off me, they bussed their supporters in and filled the whole stadium.



Speaking at the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Professional Forum Dinner and Awards Night held in Accra on Sunday, March 5, continued I said I dont want to be part of this party jamboree. Independence is a solemn national celebration that is celebrated at Independence Square and everybody could come. Today, they bus their supporters in, they have party flags, and they are wearing party T-Shrts, I dont want to be part of the party jamboree.



Nkrumah got us independence, I am a Nkrumahist, I will attend an Independence Day anniversary any day if it is not hijacked by one party, it is a national day for all of us, so I am not going to be there because I dont want to be part of an NPP Jamboree. You watch what will happen, they will bus their people there and occupy the whole place he added.

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.

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Georgi "millennial" Sandev Secures Huge PokerStars Bounty Builder Series Score

March 06, 2023 Matthew Pitt Editor

The PokerStars Bounty Builder Series may be a few events into its bustling schedule, but the PKO festival has already created some massive scores, including one worth more than $129,000. The first of four $1 million+ guaranteed tournaments crowns its champion on March 6, but before that happens, let us take a look at some of the biggest PokerStars results of the weekend.

The $5,200 Titans Event became a progressive knockout tournament on March 5, as PokerStars made it part of the Bounty Builder Series. Eighty-nine players bought in and created a $445,000 prize pool, with half going on each entrants head and the other half shared among the top 11 finishers.

Mario "MB TREMENDO" Bonanata was the unfortunate bubble boy, although they did collect $5,000 worth of bounties, so it was not too much of a bad day at the office. Simon "C. Darwin2" Mattsson busted in 11th, and Felipe "ketzerfelipe" Ketzer in tenth, which set the final table.

Bounty Builder Series 8: $5,200 NLHE 8-Max Titans Event Final Table Results

Place Player Country Bounties Prize Total Prize 1 Georgi "millennial" Sandev Bulgaria $82,031 $47,112 $129,143 2 SerVlaMin United Kingdom $28,906 $47,112 $76,048 3 foxjoke United Kingdom $2,500 $31,700 $34,200 4 Pascal "Pass_72" Lefrancois Canada $14,062 $24,476 $38,538 5 Javier "que_te_crio" Fernandez Andorra $3,750 $18,899 $22,649 6 hello_totti Mexico $14,593 $14,593 7 Ognyan "cocojamb0" Dimov Bulgaria $6,875 $11,268 $18,143 8 WhatifGod Sweden $1,250 $8,700 $9,950 9 Dennys "dennyramos2" Ramos Brazil $7,500 $7,088 $14,588

Brazil's Dennys "dennysramos2" Ramos ($14,588) was the first of the nine finalists heading for the exits. Swedish pro "WhatifGod" ($9,950) and Ognyan "cocojamb0" Dimov ($18,143) followed suit before "hello_totti" ($14,593) and Javier "que_te_crio" Fernandez ($22,649) were relieved of their stacks.

Pascal Lefrancois

The exit of Pascal "Pass_72" Lefrancois ($38,538) left the waters slightly less shark-infested, with the untimely demise of the United Kingdom's "foxjoke" in third ($34,200) setting up a heads-up battle between "SerVlaMin" and Georgi "millennial" Sandev.

It was Sandev that emerged from the fight relatively unscathed and with a first-place prize worth $129,143 with bounty payments included. The runner-up walked away with $76,048, which is still a healthy return for a few hours of grinding.

Brooks Bags Bounty Builder Series Title

British grinder Patrick "thebigdog09" Brooks became a Bounty Builder Series champion when he came out on top of a 692-strong field in the $530 No-Limit Hold'em 8-Max Event. Having a prize pool of $346,000 attracted some of online poker's biggest stars, with several of them navigating their way to the final table where the big buck lay in wait.

"Rebel FishAK" ($4,815), Rui "Silden4filho" Bouquet ($5,904), and Sweden's "flerrehuve" ($6,459) bowed out in succession, leaving only six players in the hunt for the title, all six locking in five-figure prizes.

Pascal Hartmann

Pascal "Paffchen" Hartmann ($10,632) saw his tournament end in a sixth-place finish, while "Eller77" ($13,581) and Thailand-based "belthazorrrr" ($12,628) dusted off their stacks. Montenegro's "Shemowna" crashed in third ($18,501), which left Brooks one-on-one against Ukraine's "234241234214432" for the glory and the lion's share of the prize pool.

Brooks got the job done and his hands on the $52,703 top prize, resigning his Ukrainian opponent to a $35,357 consolation prize.

Bounty Builder Series 4-H: $530 NLHE 8-Max Final Table Results

Place Player Country Bounties Prize Total Prize 1 Patrick "thebigdog09" Brooks United Kingdom $27,193 $25,510 $52,703 2 234241234214432 Ukraine $9,848 $25,509 $35,357 3 Shemowna Montenegro $2,707 $15,794 $18,501 4 belthazorrrr Thailand $1,062 $11,566 $12,628 5 Eller77 Brazil $5,111 $8,470 $13,581 6 Pascal "Paffchen" Hartmann Austria $4,430 $6,202 $10,632 7 flerrehuve Sweden $1,917 $4,542 $6,459 8 Rui "Silden4filho" Bouquet Hungary $2,578 $3,326 $5,904 9 Rebel FishAK Romania $2,156 $2,659 $4,815

Multiple $1M GTD Events Scheduled for Returning PokerStars Bounty Builder Series

Other PokerStars Results Worth More Than $10,000

Plenty of other establish pros helped themselves to titles at PokerStars over the weekend. "hello_totti" made up for the disappointment of finishing sixth in the $5,200 Titans Event by taking down the $1,050 NLHE 8-Max Freezeout tournament for $34,679.

It was a similar story for "WhatifGod," who finished eighth in the title but then went on to triumph in the $1,050 Sunday Supersonic for $14,376.

Event Entrants Prize Pool Champion Prize $1,050 NLHE 8-Max Freezeout Bounty Builder Series 168 $168,000 hello_totti $34,679* $215 NLHE Bounty Builder Series Kick-Off 1,328 $265,600 gkamei09 $31,681* $109 Irish Poker Open Online Main Event 2,306 $230,600 attitudeeeee $28,739 $215 NLHE 7-Max Sunday Cooldown Bounty Builder Series 1,083 $216,600 $24,736* $1,050 Sunday SuperSonic 43 $43,681 WhatifGod $16,693 $109 Sunday Fenomeno 1,171 $117,100 fcb-serv $16,038 $1,050 Sunday Warm-Up 57 $57,000 Sintoras $14,376 $109 Bounty Builder 1,011 $101,100 dodi Papa $13,429* $215 Sunday Supersonic 346 $70,846 paulinhoo00 $13,375 $109 NLHE Turbo Adrenaline Bounty Builder Series 859 $85,900 Scarmak3r $13,190* $1,050 Sunday Cooldown Turbo PKO 30 $30,000 Bolko $12,086 $215 PLO 6-Max Bounty Builder Series 267 $53,400 vavan199212 $11,347* $215 Bounty Builder 241 $50,000 humble359 $10,367*

*includes bounty payments

Angelou Konstas Captures The Grand Title at PartyPoker

Ioannis Angelou Konstas

Ioannis Angelous-Konstas is the latest poker superstar to take down The Grand at PartyPoker, a $1,050 buy-in affair that saw 74 players pony up the asking price, and fight it out for the largest slice of the $75,000 prize pool.

The top 13 finishers won some prize money, so spare a moment's thought for Charalambos Patakos, who fell in 14th and popped the all-important money bubble. Alexandre Lemay, Theo Bijaoui, Andrei Kotelnikov, and French star Sylvain Loosli all busted before the nine-handed table, but they had some return on their investment at least.

Ali Akok ($2,890), Artjoms Visockis ($3,184), and Niklas Astedt ($3,483) saw their quest for glory halt during the early stages of the final table. Andrea Radicchi ($4,011) and Emil Olsson ($4,912) joined the ever-growing list of eliminated players, as did Casepr Jensen ($6,382) and Team PartyPoker pro Jaime Staples ($8,684).

Angelou Konstas and Matthew Stumpf, the latter being in superb form of late, struck a deal when heads-up that brought the curtain down on proceeding. Angelou Konstas collected $16,017, with Stumpf securing a $15,134 payout.

$1,050 The Grand Final Table Results

Place Player Country Prize 1 Ioannis Angelou Konstas Ireland $16,017* 2 Matthew Stumpf Canada $15,134* 3 Jaime Staples Canada $8,684 4 Caspar Jensen Denmark $6,382 5 Emil Olsson Sweden $4,912 6 Andrea Radicchi Malta $4,011 7 Niklas Astedt Sweden $3,483 8 Artjoms Visockis Latvia $3,184 9 Ali Akok United Kingdom $2,890

*reflects a heads-up deal

"blend84" Binks The Big Saturday

Although not a Sunday major, The Big Saturday is one of three new PartyPoker weekly events. Exactly 150 players bought in for $215, each vying for their piece of the $30,000 pot.

All but two of the finalists turned their $215 investments into four figures. "antiZZZ" fell in ninth for $771 but then went on to win The Super $530 for $8,848! "euS2pessagno" was the other player to collect a three-figure score, namely $894.

Everyone else locked in $1,044 or more for their efforts, but the night belonged to "blend84," who defeated "Brelarssssss" heads-up to reel in $5,882, resigning the runner-up to $4,104.

The Big Saturday Final Table Results

Place Player Prize 1 blend84 $5,882 2 Brelarssssss $4,104 3 Red_Bull_Trader $2,899 4 gunfire22 $2,005 5 whatudoingstebr $1,497 6 darferdas $1,245 7 big rich 123 $1,044 8 euS2pessagno $894 9 antiZZZ $771

Other PartyPoker Results

Matt Staples

While Jaime Staples finished third in The Grand his brother Matt Staples won The Super $215 for $7,306! Shout-out also to "OTmaskiner" who won The Super $320 for an impressive $9,403.

Event Entrants Prize Pool Champion Prize The Super $320 121 $36,300 OTmaskiner $9,043* The Super $530 56 $28,000 antiZZZ $8,848 The Super $55 1,213 $60,650 Unbearable $7,930* $530 Great Game 43 $25,000 OffToRozvadoff $7,350 The Super $215 139 $33,800 Matt Staples $7,306*

*includes bounty payments
Day 1c has drawn to a close in the $3,500 Main Event at the 2023 Wynn Millions and it was the largest starting flight of the three. A total of 560 entries were recorded today with 156 players advancing to Day 2c on Tuesday, March 7th. There was no issue with reaching the $3,000,000 guaranteed prize pool that was put up by the Wynn Resort and Casino.

Over the course of three starting flights, there were a total of 1,314 entries that filtered their way through the registration desk. That generated a prize pool of $4,171,950 that will be up for grabs over the coming days. An unofficial number of 363 players will be returning to the felt over the next couple of days, looking to progress toward the money bubble that will take place on Day 3.

When Day 1c came to an end near the midnight hour, it was Rick Biever who emerged as the chip leader with a stack of 483,000 chips. Biever said after the conclusion that he was sitting on a subpar stack for the majority of the day, but when the final two levels rolled around, it was hard for him to lose a pot. Biever catapulted up the leaderboard in the latter stages to put himself in a great position heading to Day 2c.

The North Carolina native just started playing poker more seriously during the pandemic and often splits his time at the felt in Cherokee or in Las Vegas. Biever is just starting to add to his poker resume and will be looking to add a big score to his list of accomplishments when this tournament wraps up.

He will be joined by many other notable big stacks that pushed their way through the madness of Day 1c including Yuval Bronshtein who finished just behind Biever with 434,000 chips. Lenard Adams was the chip leader for most of the day but lost a couple of pots in the final hands of the night to slip back to 392,500 chips.

Once again, the field was littered with familiar faces at every table and a vast majority of them were able to find a bag and advance to the next stage of the tournament. They will all get a day off tomorrow but some of those to keep an eye on when they return to the felt include Lily Kiletto (325,000), Kathy Liebert (257,000), Noah Bronstein (216,000), and 2014 WSOP Main Event champion Martin Jacobson (204,000).

Top 10 Leaderboard from Day 1c

Rank Player Country Chip Count 1 Rick Biever United States 483,000 2 Yuval Bronshtein Israel 434,000 3 Lenard Adams United States 382,500 4 Jacob Powers United States 343,500 5 Ronald Sullivan United States 339,000 6 Andrew Esposito United States 335,500 7 Andros Ioakimides United States 332,000 8 Lily Kiletto United States 325,000 9 Pierre De Almeida France 304,500 10 Pierce McKellar United States 282,000

The cards will go back in the air tomorrow for Day 2ab at 12 p.m. noon local time where 203 players from the first two flights will be taking their seats. The blinds will be resuming on level 11 at 1,500/2,500 and a 2,500 big blind ante. The levels will be increased to 90 minutes going forward but only five levels will be on the schedule for Day 2.

There will be a 15-minute break after each level and a 60-minute dinner break after the fourth level of the day. All of those players that bag up chips tomorrow will be returning on Wednesday, March 8th when they will join the survivors of Day 2c for the first time. The money bubble is expected to burst at some point on Day 3 and a full list of the payouts will be posted tomorrow.

The PokerNews live reporting team will be with you all the way to bring you the latest updates and all of the action from around the room.
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President Biden said at the Bloody Sunday commemoration in Selma, AL, that Republicans are trying to hide the truth of US history.

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Biden calls out Republicans for censoring history and truth, "The truth matters, notwithstanding what the other team is trying to hide the truth. No matter how hard some people try, we can't just choose to learn what we want to know and not what we should know. " pic.twitter.com/ej0JiIInvs  Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) March 5, 2023

Biden said, Ive been on this bridge before as vice president. As a candidate for president, before I was a senator, because history matters. And now Im here as your president. The truth matters, notwithstanding what the other team is trying to hide the truth. No matter how hard some people try, we cant just choose to learn what we want to know and not what we should know. We should learn everything, the good, the bad, the truth of who we are as a nation. And everyone should know the truth of Selma.

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Republicans like Ron DeSantis have been building their political brands around censorship. Censorship in the library. Censorship in the classroom. Censorship of the curriculum. Democrats have yet to adopt this censorship as a national political issue.

President Bidens remarks are significant given the time and the place where he made them. Republicans are trying to erase the the history of the Civil Rights movement and Americas history of discrimination and racism.

Hiding the truth is not an option. An America that hides its history will be a weakened country where progress will cease.
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Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) admitted that the goal of his select subcommittee is to defund the Department of justice.

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Jordan said on Fox Newss Sunday Morning Futures, Were going to look to propose legislation then, in the end, the real power of Congress. The real power of the legislative branch is the power of the purse. Were going to have to use that. Both on this issue where we think the government has been targeting the people its supposed to serve. Also, frankly on the border. I think we are going to use the appropriations process to deal with the border.

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Remember, all of this talk about other issues is a cover story, Jim Jordan has admitted that the real purpose of his committee is to get Trump back into the White House in 2024.

Jordans whistleblowers have been exposed as not whistleblowers at all but paid Trump political actors and 1/6 terrorist sympathizers.

House Republicans are making it clear that they are going to attempt to defund the DOJ to put pressure on them not to criminally indict Trump.

The supposed party of law enforcement and combatting crime is signaling that they want to weaken federal law enforcement to help Donald Trump in 2024.
Aiken, SC (29801)

Today

Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High 78F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 48F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.
Moncks Corner, SC (29461)

Today

Sun and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 82F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 54F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Every morning at 7 a.m., LaMondre Pough, a 49-year-old Columbia native, welcomes his first attendant care nurse into his home in Irmo.

By 10:30, after the nurse has helped him eat breakfast, bathe and put on clothes, he's ready for work, parking his power-wheelchair at his computer desk where he will stay until the late evening.

Pough works long hours as the CEO and founder of Billion Strong, a global nonprofit dedicated to helping people with disabilities. He is also a public speaker, advocate and, most recently, a podcast host and interviewer.

Throughout the day, Pough receives visits from two more home health nurses, totaling 11 hours of at-home nursing care per day.

Pough lives with spinal muscular atrophy, a genetic disorder characterized by weakness and deterioration in muscles used for movement. Over time, the disease begins to weaken more and more muscles.

"I'm a full-time wheelchair user," Pough told The Post and Courier. "I can't bathe or feed myself."

"Every facet of my life, except mental capability, is affected by my disorder," Pough added.

Pough's motor capabilities are slim, only being able to control his right hand and hold his head up.

"And my life is dope," Pough said. "I just need accommodations."

At-home care

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of adults and children in the state with disabilities who depend on in-home nursing and personal care services have felt the brunt of a growing nursing shortage.

Many of them left the profession during the pandemic due to low wages and lack of standard benefits like health insurance and retirement.

The shortage has created a revolving door of nurses and personal care assistants for people in the state who've been approved for in-home assistance through Medicaid, and who rely on this type of care to maintain their daily lives.

"Oh my God, it's been too many to count," Pough said, referring to the number of attendants he's had since the pandemic started.

One concern is that South Carolinas low Medicaid reimbursement rates for home care services have produced a severe wage disparity between in-home nurses and nurses working in health care facilities, creating staffing issues for providers trying to recruit and retain enough nurses and caregivers.

Many of the people receiving in-home care were approved for multiple hours of nursing services per week. And with qualified nurses leaving the field for higher-paying jobs at businesses such as Amazon and fast food companies, patients are left with unfilled care coverage and risk the ability to remain cared for at home.

The average hourly rate for a home care nurse in South Carolina ranges from $11 to $13.

Recently, Pough along with home care employees and family caregivers met with state lawmakers about the impacts of home care programs and the challenges created by the severe wage disparity.

Melissa Allman, director of government affairs for BAYADA Home Health Care, a home nurse provider, said the state's low Medicaid reimbursement rates for home health nurses not only affects the patients but their family members as well.

Allman said for many caretakers who are parents and have children that require multiple hours of nursing services per day are unable to work full-time jobs due to the shortage.

This is the case for Kristy Crowley in Ruby, S.C. Crowley worked as a teacher's assistant for children with special needs before adopting her two children, Jaden and Savannah, during the pandemic. Both her kids require extensive at-home medical care. Jaden lives with Down syndrome and Savannah is a total-care patient, being completely bedridden, nonverbal and has to be fed through a tube. Savannah also experiences frequent seizures.

With a revolving door of nurses and many unable to make the drive to her rural town in Chesterfield County, Crowley was forced to leave her full-time job.

Crowley said her nurses have declined coming to her home because the providers don't reimburse them for miles driven.

"I've even offered to pay the mileage costs for some of the nurses myself," Crowley said.

The ones that stay

For the nurses who continue to care for patients at home despite the low wages, both Crowley and Pough said they have a passion for the work.

"That's the difference," Crowley said.

Crowley said her current nurse who helps with both Jaden and Savannah's care frequently declines offers to work at higher-paying facilities.

Pough said nurses like these know that if they don't do the work, there's a good chance there will be no one to do it.

For the ones who come to his home, "they know if they don't get me out of bed, I may not get out of bed at all," Pough said.

To find information on home care services or how to get involved, visit heartsforhomecare.com.
The Individual Income Tax due date is Tuesday, April 18. If you have a tax bill and are worried you can't pay, the South Carolina Department of Revenue (SCDOR) wants you to know that you have options. Read moreWhat to do if you can't afford to pay your taxes
JAMES ISLAND  Tucked away in an overgrown forest blanketed in draping Spanish moss, The May Forest Convent will soon become the centerpiece of a new state park.

From the outside, the single-story beige building could be anything, but this was where Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy lived and spent their lives in service to their faith on the edge of Charleston Harbor with a panoramic view of the city.

Much of the religious artifacts have been removed but the tall stained-glass windows forged in the 1800s and vaulted point of the chapel are the only giveaways to its former life.

Soon, it will serve a new purpose as an event venue.

Saving Grace

Every day, the sisters would start their mornings together in prayer as the sunrise shined through the chapels stained-glass windows. They spent most of their days volunteering in the community, caring for their eldest sisters and spending time with one-another during mass, meals and free time.

Sister Mary Joseph, general superior of the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy, made her vows in 1960 after graduating from high school. Now 80, she said many of her favorite memories throughout those 63 years of service are the times spent with sisters in their chapel after taking the vow "of commitment to the church and in service of Gods people."

The Sisters of Charity congregation of nuns dates back nearly two centuries in Charleston. The group ran a school for free children of color in the 1840s, cared for both Union and Confederate wounded soldiers during the Civil War, founded the hospital that would evolve into the Roper St. Francis Healthcare system and ran social service organizations that helped those facing poverty.

As the congregation aged and fewer women joined the ranks, a decision was made to relocate its surviving members to the Bishop Gadsden retirement home and sell the property. The once sacred place of prayer is just a place of peace now, nestled along the waterfront. It sits empty, but the state has big plans for the site.

New life for former convent

The 23-acre waterfront parcel was bought by the state in 2021 for $23.25 million. Located at the end of Fort Johnson Road, the convent was built in the 1950s.

The waterfront property offers a one-of-a-kind view that can only otherwise be seen from a boat in the harbor, complete with views of downtown Charleston, Fort Sumter, and the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. The waves gently grace the shore, offering a soothing sound in tune with the rustling trees.

Despite having a cash offer from a developer, the Catholic Church worked with the state to preserve the property. Many had hoped it would become a park to keep that rare view from being privatized. It's a promise the state intends to keep.

The property is owned by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, which runs the marine lab next door, and is managed by the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism.

Unless you were a sister or visiting priest, chances are you didnt know that this was tucked away back here, said agency Director Duane Parrish. This is a rare opportunity here. We envision the building to become a space for people to stay or to enjoy events like weddings, and for the property to become a place where people can relax along the harbor-front in a peaceful park setting.

The venue will be similar to Charles Towne Landing, he added.

Director of State Parks Paul McCormack envisions the rental space will include overnight accommodations as well as a chapel area, a rental hall and dining offerings, and the scenic view will be a prime wedding location along the harbor.

It may not look like it now but there's no doubt about it, this would be a unique event space, McCormack said. To be right on the water outside of downtown and to have this view, its one of a kind.

As it stands, the convent main building has 27 rooms, a chapel that seats 60 and a large open meeting space that can seat 125. Once updates are completed, they expect around 15-20 rooms. They also hope to add a dock along the water to complement the existing gazebo and bench swing.

McCormack said the biggest challenge is the convent is not turnkey and ready to rent out.

The property is undergoing evaluation as part of a master planning process that will map out the next 20 years for the entire Fort Johnson pointe, the area surrounding that part of James Island. The building needs to be reviewed by architects and engineers to see what the price tag will be to renovate.

This was a treasured place of religion, which is evident by the chapel and other markers," Parish said. "We want to acknowledge and honor its 70-year history as a convent, yet modernize it for future generations to cherish. Its location along the harbor makes it the perfect place for weddings and events.

The property was most recently used as a film set for the Netflix flick "Suncoast," featuring Woody Harrelson and Laura Linney. A faux digital stained-glass window featured in the film still sits in the chapel as a centerpiece over the former altar.

This business model is a new approach to helping the department become more self-sustaining, Parrish said. Eventually, money made from renting the convents rooms and event space will go back into upkeep and renovations.

The undertaking is expected to have an architectural design in place by sometime in 2024. Parrish said his office has requested about $10 million in assistance from lawmakers, on top of the $5 million received last year.

While the future state park on the site has not been officially named, it is likely to be May Forest at Fort Johnson State Park. Its a nod to the convent and the areas rich history  the point at the end of Fort Johnson Road is where the first shots of the Civil War were fired on Fort Sumter.

Changing times

When the property was bought by the Catholic Church, the sisters raised money to clear the land and build their new home. The building housed sisters and new members joining the religious community who needed to be trained.

Sister Mary Joseph said that as times changed, the needs of the sisters did too. Much of the building was renovated after Hurricane Hugo. By that time fewer sisters were joining and existing members needed somewhere to age in place. A great hall was added to become the center of spirituality and more rooms for the aging and semiretired sisters were built, as well as a medical wing for those needing more intense medical care.

Now, the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy are only 12 members strong. While the decision to sell their home was a difficult one, Sister Mary Joseph said their top priority was ensuring their members were taken care of. It came down to knowing their financial and health care needs were too great.

The sale of the property allowed us to move to Bishop Gadsden, which allowed us to provide continuing health care at different levels for our sisters, Sister Mary Joseph said. There is a strong sense of community at Bishop Gadsden. Our sisters there, who are able, can continue practicing their faith and provide ministry to other residents. Its been life-giving in that sense for the sisters.

Sister Mary Joseph said that the sisters faith, ministry and charity are gifts that they continue to share wherever we are.

A collection of artifacts and history panels are displayed in a room within the convent, which has been called the Heritage Room.

The state will soon open the former convents grounds for individuals looking to picnic or roam the property of the former convent.

Im so proud that our state stepped in to protect this property and its history by ensuring its accessible to everyone, McCormack said. The opportunities we have before us with this project are endless.
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 79F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low around 55F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
For years, Spartanburg County has been a destination for investment by big business with an emphasis on manufacturing, touting itself as the best in the state.

Last year, it brought in $3.2 billion in capital projects and 1,742 new jobs, with just over half of that in advanced manufacturing.

But while big business thrived, smaller businesses may have been left behind. Spartanburg County Council and OneSpartanburg plan to change that using a data-based approach to support the little folks.

What were trying to do is make Spartanburg one of the best places in the entire country to be an entrepreneur, said County Councilman Monier Abusaft.

Using American Rescue Plan funds, the county allocated $6 million to OneSpartanburg last year for a five-year comprehensive small- and minority-owned business development strategy. Aspects of the nine-point strategy include loans and grants, mentoring and streamlined access to technical support and marketing.

This is not just 'heres a check, best of luck,'" OneSpartanburg CEO Allen Smith said. This is support in all facets.

When Spartanburg County lost its textile jobs in the 1980s and '90s it had to find a way to fill the void, said David Britt, whos been on County Council since 1991. Manufacturing was a way to stop the bleeding, and Britt credits BMW's 1992 announcement it would build an automotive plant in the county as the catalyst needed.

In 2022, Spartanburg brought in three of the states largest capital investments, according to the South Carolina Department of Commerce. The county hopes to foster the same type of success among its small and minority-owned businesses.

As I like to say, Theres gold in those hills in minority-owned businesses, because it reaches a need and theres so many opportunities there, Britt said.

Spartanburg is underperforming in the number of small- and minority-owned businesses. Spartanburg Countys population is about 20 percent Black and the city of Spartanburg is almost 45 percent Black, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Despite that, the county has almost 4 percent fewer small businesses than the national average and half the rate of Black-owned businesses relative to the countys Black population, Smith said.

The rate of non-employer businesses among White people in Spartanburg is on par with the national average, according to OneSpartanburg, but the rate for Black-owned non-employer businesses is about 30 percent lower than the average.

We want to see those communities hit on all cylinders so that our county can reach its maximum economic output, said Abusaft, the lone Black member of County Council and a small business owner.

Abusaft and County Councilwoman Jessica Coker, who is also a small business owner, worked together to convince the council to fund the plan.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, small businesses have accounted for 65 percent of new jobs between 2000 and 2019. Coker, a certified public accountant, said growth driven by large companies would create a shortage of services in the county if small business development didnt keep up.

Were not gonna have anybody to cut our hair or change the oil in our car, she explained.

But setting up a small business comes with a giant learning curve.

Small companies often need to be bonded and insured. Entrepreneurs need to learn how to get an employer identification number from the IRS, figure out what type of corporation they should be, and how to register. They need to come up with a business plan and learn how to build business credit.

I cant tell you how many times Ive seen small businesses fail because they couldnt find answers to their questions, Coker said.

Part of the strategy is streamlining the process for connecting small businesses to resources that can help them find those answers. Businesses who use the resources available through the program can put themselves in a position for lucrative and life-changing contracts with large corporations.

Because OneSpartanburg functions as both chamber of commerce and corporate recruiter, it usually has years-long relationships with large companies that announce a move to the county, Smith said. That trust makes it easier to connect those big corporations to smaller, local ones who can serve specific needs like maintenance, cleaning, catering or lawn care.

When a small business person gets a contract with one of these major firms, it changes the trajectory of their entire life and the lives of their family, Abusaft said. It might change the trajectory of the next generation of their family.

Later this month, OneSpartanburg will launch a website and brand for the strategy. Part of that announcement will be the launch of a business success hub website where small businesses can connect to resources and each other. It will be the first of several announcements as the plan is rolled out through the rest of the year.

The business mentoring program, for example, wont be available publicly for at least eight months, Smith said.

OneSpartanburg sent team members to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to learn about its business mentoring program in order to set up a local pilot program. Smith said MIT has previously worked with 119 communities. Spartanburg will be 120.

Right now, the infant program is locked with a limited number of participants but OneSpartanburg is recruiting mentors for the public launch. The process includes an interview and submission of a curriculum vitae, said Mario Insabella, who started a commercial real estate company 15 years ago.

Insabella said Coker had recruited him to be a mentor. He said if he successfully completes the recruitment process, hell be assigned to businesses that could benefit from his specific experience.

Im just happy as heck to be on the committee and in the mentoring program, he said.

Tentatively, the strategy includes $2.4 million for loans and grants to small businesses, with 30 percent of the money set aside in the first two years for minority business owners, said Abusaft.

People of color often struggle with access to capital, making that part of the program particularly critical.

Its called capitalism, said Abusaft. When you choke off the path to capital, small businesses, whether theyre minority or not, just die.

Smith said OneSpartanburg still has to interview and pick the community development financial institutions who will administer the loan and grant program. A CDFI may be able to find other funding sources to grow the pot of money.

If access to capital is a problem, we want to be able to remove that barrier, Coker said. But small businesses who get the money will have to provide financial statements, attend seminars, and otherwise ensure the money isnt going to waste.

Were not just giving away free money, she added.

Right now, the $6 million provides five years of funding. Smith said if the program is working properly and Spartanburgs small businesses are growing, then we wont have a choice but to make this sustainable.

At the end of the day, if weve done a good job, we will be building generational wealth for people in Spartanburg County, Smith added.
Iyabo Masha, a former member of the Nigerian Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC), has taken office as the Director and head of secretariat of the Intergovernmental Group of Twenty-Four (G24).

Based in Washington, the G24 comprises nations collaborating to coordinate the positions of developing countries on monetary, financial and development matters.

Dr. Masha replaces Marilou Uy, an erstwhile senior adviser of the World Bank and G24s director of secretariat from 2015 until her recent exit. The new appointee emerged after what the institution called an extensive recruitment process.

The new director has broad experience in research, policy and operation on local and international fronts, the G24 said in a press statement.

PREMIUM TIMES understands that Mrs Masha is the first African to hold the position since G24 was founded in 1971. Past Directors have been from either the Asia or Latin American bloc of the membership.

Her past role in Nigeria, as part of an eight-member presidential advisory committee (PEAC), between 2019 and 2022, centred on advising President Muhammadu Buhari on economic policies. The position allowed her to offer direction on PEACs work on global economic impact and policies on macroeconomic and sustainable development.

Mrs Masha is a global economist with a demonstrated history of working in central banking and financial markets, economic management, international lending, finance and development. She has a strong focus on macroeconomic stabilization policy research and implementation.

She worked with the International Monetary Fund beginning 2003. The assignments in more than 10 emerging markets (Asian and African countries) focused on comprehensive economic management, including (i) policy reform advisory services and dialogue with governments (ii) financing and lending programs; (iii) analytic research and economic modelling and forecasting.

Specifically, she helped design for national governments and central banks implementable solutions specific to their circumstances.

She also ensured that key economic and financial policy reforms are focused on fiscal and debt sustainability; foreign reserve adequacy; improving the transmission mechanism of monetary policy; achieving depth, safety and soundness in the financial sector; and managing capital flows.

She worked at Central Bank of Nigerias Research Department between 1998 and 2003. She also worked with the World Bank between 1997 and 1998 as well as at the IRIS Centre, the University of Maryland at College Park, as a consultant.

She also served as IMF Representative for Sierra Leone.

Mrs Masha attended the University of Lagos and the American University in Washington and holds a doctorate in Economics.

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The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and their supporters, on Monday, stormed the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja demanding the cancellation of the 25 February presidential election.

Led by its National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and the Director General of his campaign and Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, the party also submitted a petition to the commission.

They said the election was not credible.

INEC had on Wednesday declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, winner of the election.

The commissions Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, who announced the results, said Mr Tinubu polled the majority votes of 8,794,726, while Atiku secured 6,984,520 votes, Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) came third with 6,101,533 votes and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) got 1,496,687 votes.

Altogether, 18 candidates contested the presidential election.

The PDP and Labour Party (LP) had rejected the results of the election during the collation of results and before Mr Tinubu was announced as the winner.

Both parties have also approached the court to challenge the electoral process and Mr Tinubus victory.

They also faulted the electoral commission for not uploading the polling unit results on the INEC result viewing (IReV) portal before the collation of results began.

The parties insisted that it is part of the promises repeatedly made by the commission and that it is backed by some section of the Electoral Act 2022.

Call for fresh election

Presenting the petition to INECs National Commissioner for Voter Education and Information, Festus Okoye, on Monday, Mr Ayu asked the commission to cancel the election and conduct another one that will be respected by all.

Cancel the election and conduct a very credible election that will be respected not only by Nigerians but by the whole international community, he said.

Mr Okoye, who received the letter on behalf of the INEC Chairman, said the commission will look into the issues raised and deal with them.

He assured that the electoral body will meet to address the issues raised where they need to be addressed.

He appreciated the peaceful conduct of the protesters.

Mr Okoye reiterated that INEC is a commission whose allegiance is to Nigerians and not to any political party or candidate.

I want to assure you that this commission is a listening commission. This commission is a public trust and this commission belongs to the Nigerian people. Our allegiance is to the people of the federal republic of Nigeria, he said.

This commission does not have any allegiance to any political party. We dont have allegiance to any political party. We dont have any allegiance to any candidate. Our allegiance is to the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The commission belongs to the Nigerian people and whatever grievances there are, we will look into all those grievances. If there are grievances that can be redressed, we will redress those grievances. But I want to please ask that all of us should continue to be peaceful and all us should continue to respect the integrity of the commission and also the integrity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, but I want to most sincerely thank all of you for the peaceful way this protest has been conducted.

I am going to go and hand over the protest letter to the chairman of the commission and I want to assure you that the commission will meet over this letter, look into it and address some of the issues.

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National Institute of Security Studies (NISS) has solicited the support of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to advance strategic collaboration that would enhance the application of Information and Communication Technology (ICTs) towards improving national security.

Speaking during a visit to the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta at the NCCs head office in Abuja recently, the Institutes Director, Research Estimates and Library Services, Dr. Adegboyega Karim, said the visit was on a fact-finding mission to enrich ongoing research that focuses on globalization and regional integration for sustainable development in Africa.

Karim led a delegation of Executive Intelligence Management Course Sixteen Participants (EIM16) to the Commission. The team comprised a study group with representations from various security agencies under the auspices of NISS, typically senior officers in security agencies, including the military, police, intelligence services, and other relevant agencies.

He noted that the Commission has made giant strides advancing the course of digital economy development in Nigeria, and that its regulatory processes provide a good opportunity for collaboration to enable the group to research further into matters regarding telecommunications and national security.

Director, Special Duties of the Commission, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, who received the team on behalf of Danbatta, affirmed the readiness of the Commission to collaborate with the Institute, and, indeed, any private and public institution that is focused on national development.

Speaking on the advancements made in ICTs, Adinde said it is within this context that the Commission has continued to promote the deployment of robust digital infrastructure capable of supporting and improving the security of lives and property.

As a way of consolidating on the tremendous successes that had been recorded in the telecoms industry through effective regulatory regime emplaced by the Commission, the Federal Government has formulated a number of policies such as the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) and the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS), among others, which serve as a compass for our efforts at building a resilient digital economy that supports security, he said.

Adinde enlightened the visiting delegation on NCCs efforts towards ensuring adequate protection for telecoms facilities, across the nooks and crannies of the country where it is treated as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI), the building of Emergency Communications Centres (ECCs) across states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as well as series of collaborations with relevant agencies to ensure effective connectivity to individuals and institutions.

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Gibril Massaquoi, the Sierra Leonean man, whose acquittal of war crimes and crimes against humanity charges by a Finnish District Court is being challenged, has been accused of ordering the raping to death of two minors and a pregnant woman.

The minors, between the ages of 8 and 9 and the pregnant woman cried for help in vain, a witness has told the Turku Appeals Court in Monrovia.

We were put in one room then the two girls and the pregnant woman were put in another room, said Civilian 45. Then they (soldiers) started using (having sex) with them.

A former commander for Sierra Leones Revolutionary United Front, (RUF), Mr Massaquoi was acquitted of his charges by the Tampere District Court, which ruled in April 2021 that prosecutors did not prove he committed the crimes beyond a reasonable doubt.

The RUF fought alongside Liberian government forces against an insurgency by the Liberian United for Reconciliation and Democracy, between 2001 to 2003. But Mr Massaquoi has always denied the charges against him, yet prosecution witnesses have continued to link him to the crimes.

Civilian 45 told prosecution lawyers on direct examination that it was the reaction of the minors and woman that made him and others to know they were raped.

We were hearing the girls crying and we could hear the sounds of everything that was going on, said Civilian 45. They (rebels) kept using those girls until the pregnant woman never survived.

But he said the minors survived the alleged incident. Rape is one of the crimes the District Court acquitted Mr Massaquoi of. Civilian 45 also accused Mr Massaquoi and his troops of looting, another charge prosecutors are challenging on appeal.

Civilian 45 alleged they were forced to carry looted items, including mattresses, chickens, ducks, and sewing machines by foot over distances from towns and villages in Lofa to Foya, amid the presence of heavily armed men.

They put all the manpower in line, said Civilian 45. Then they took those things and put those things on our heads and then they will put our houses on fire.

Civilian 45 alleged the incident happened in 2001 when RUF soldiers captured the town of Kortuhum from forces of the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy, (LURD).

Civilian 18, and Civilian 27, Fridays two other prosecution witnesses corroborated the testimony of Civilian 45.

Civilian 18 alleged on Mr Massaquois orders, he was beaten and locked up in a store for an entire day without food and water until the next day when he along with a group of captives were taken to Foya.

It was on a Monday in 2001, they (RUF Rebels) entered our town and started collecting people, men, women and children and materials then they said that they were taking us to Foya, said Civilian 18. They started beating people then while we were going, the put us in a store and we spent the whole (day) there.

He said the fighters who invaded his town were speaking Krio, a Sierra Leonean English.

Civilian 18 also told the court that he survived captivity at the time he and other captives were put out by the soldiers to go and fetch wood, but said it was at that point he, and another captive escaped the area.

Civilian 27, the lone female witness for the day, who said she came from Babahum said Mr Massaquoi and his soldiers also committed looting and torture.

At these hearings, defence lawyers have been raising concern about prior inconsistent statements by the witnesses, including the dates of Mr Massaquois alleged crimes.

Paula Sallinen, one of the defence counsels told FrontPage Africa/ New Narratives after the hearings that the hearings are helping them to understand how the witnesses tell their stories, as well as their testimonies about the dates and times of their clients alleged crimes.

We understand that people come from small villages, small communities, and it is most likely that they have discussed their experience in the lower court with each other, said Ms Sallinen. So we are trying to see if theres any sort of signs that they have actually discussed this then we will assess how it will affect the credibility of the witness.

The hearings continue on Monday.

This story was a collaboration with New Narratives as part of its West African Justice Reporting Project.

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Leaders of Labour Party (LP) in Oyo State have dumped the partys governorship candidate, Tawfiq Akinwale, and adopted Governor Seyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Saturdays governorship election in the state.

However, Mr Akinwale has said he has not stepped down for Mr Makinde despite the position of his partys leaders.

The chairperson of LP in the state, Atayase Sadiq, made the announcement at a press briefing held at the partys secretariat in Ibadan, the state capital, on Sunday.

Mr Sadiq said the decision was made after consultation with members of the party across the states 33 local government areas.

The last presidential election was keenly contested by the three major parties in the country and the result of the election as announced by INEC shows that the Labour Party is a force to reckon with, he said.

The result of the presidential election in Oyo State is similar to that. While the result of the election in its entirety is still a subject of contention, the take home of the election is that a third force party that emerged barely a year ago has grown to become a strong force because of the quality of its candidate, he added.

Having considered this, in the upcoming election in our dear state, we have decided to support a candidate with the character, competence and capacity to lead and who is also concerned about the wellbeing of the citizens as it is obvious that no party can win the gubernatorial election alone, he noted.

However, the main priority should be that the citizens win through the emergence of a candidate that best serves their interest. Based on this, we have decided to work with the party whose candidate aligns with ours in terms of security, agricultural development and financial well-being. And it is obvious that the current administration of Seyi Makinde has done this, the LP chairman stated.

The LP chairperson called on voters in the state to vote massively for the PDP governorship candidate.

And we hereby call on all citizens of Oyo State to vote for him. This decision was taken with serious consideration for the partys future in the state.

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Onyebuchi Ezeh, a domestic worker, has allegedly cut the genitals of a 72-year-old woman for money ritual in Anambra State, south-east Nigeria.

The incident happened on Thursday.

Chidinma Ikeanyiownu, a media aide to the State Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Ify Obinabo, who disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, said the woman had been rescued.

Ms Ikeanyiownu said Mr Ezeh was a domestic help of the 72-year-old woman, who hails from Umunze, a community in Orumba North Local Government Area of the state.

The ugly incident was discovered after the survivor raised alarm on Thursday when one of her workers alongside two other men stampeded her in her house and cut off her genital organs, including nipple, ear, fingers, among others, she said.

She added that Mr Ezeh has been arrested and had confessed that he and others, currently on the run, were sent by an unnamed native doctor to get the victims body parts in order to make them rich.

Mr Ezeh, who hails from Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, said he usually helped the victim to cut palm trees, and that they committed the act because of their desire to get instantly rich as assured by the native doctor, according to the media aide.

The victim is currently receiving medical treatment at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Awka, she said.

Meanwhile, Mr Ezeh is being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department of the police in Anambra State for investigation.

He would soon be arraigned before Children and Gender Based Violence Magistrate Court in Awka, according to the statement.

Mrs Obinabo, Ms Ikeanyiownu said, has expressed sadness over the incident.

The commissioner, who visited the victim at the hospital, assured that other persons involved in the crime would also be apprehended and charged to court.

She vowed to collaborate with the police in the state to ensure that all the suspects were brought to book as soon as possible.

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A former Governor of Enugu State and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sullivan Chime, has endorsed Peter Mbah, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state ahead of the 11 March election.

Mr Chime served as the governor of the state between 2007 and 2015 under the platform of the PDP.

The former governor, who spoke from his residence in Enugu, said he decided to endorse Mr Mbah after interacting with governorship candidates of other political parties in the state.

A video clip of the endorsement has been circulating on Social since Sunday.

The PDP candidate, Mr Mbah, also shared the clip on his verified Facebook page.

I have had interactions not just with him (Mbah), but also Frank Nweke (APGA), Chijioke Edeoga of the Labour Party, and to me, looking at the field, Peter Mbah is the best Enugu can offer now, he said.

I have no reservations whatsoever in endorsing and supporting him. I believe knowing Peter Mbah too well, that he will not disappoint Enugu, Mr Chime added.

The former governor said Mr Mbah has the passion to develop the state, saying the PDP candidate has expressed readiness to leave his business empire to become the governor of the state.

If after four years, I call this kind of meeting again, stone me, he said in a mixture of Igbo and English languages.

If after four years, he was not able to convince Enugu people, through his works, to bring him back to office, he will be on his own.

Background

The APC in Enugu State has been enmeshed in a leadership crisis lately, resulting in the splitting of the party into two factions.

Mr Chime belongs to a faction of the APC opposed to the Chairperson of the party in the state, Ugochukwu Agballah, and its governorship candidate in state, Uche Nnaji.

Other members of the APC faction include Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, former speaker of the State House of Assembly, Eugene Odo, and a former president of the Nigerian Senate, Ken Nnamani, who leads the faction.

The faction had accused Messrs Agballah and Nnaji of running the party like their personal businesses.

In January, the APC faction under the aegis of Concerned Enugu State APC besieged the APC national secretariat in Abuja demanding the payment of the convention allowances to the tune of $1.5 million by the partys leadership in the state.

The protesters accused Messrs Agballah and Nnaji, of embezzling the convention funds.

PREMIUM TIMES also reported that the faction, in January, boycotted the presidential campaign rally held in the state.

The party chieftains were at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport Enugu to welcome the presidential candidate of the party, Bola Tinubu, now president-elect, but failed to show up at the campaign venue.

They would later explain that they stayed away from the rally because of Mr Agballahs attitude towards them.

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The fate of Akan Udofia of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State, who is battling for recognition as the governorship candidate of the party will be decided by the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

The governorship election is on Saturday, 11 March.

The Supreme Court had, on 27 February, set aside 7 March to rule on the appeal filed by a former presidential aide, Ita Enang seeking the nullification of the election of Mr Akan as the governorship candidate of the party in the state.

Mr Enang, a former senator had prayed the court to declare him as the authentic governorship candidate of the party on the basis that Mr Udofia was not an APC member as at 26 May 2022 when the party conducted the governorship primary.

His application originated from the decision of a Federal High Court in Uyo which had on 14 November 2022 nullified the election of Mr Udofia as the APC governorship candidate for the state.

The judge, Agatha Okeke, had ordered the APC to conduct a fresh primary within 14 days but barred Mr Udofia from participating in the new election.

Dissatisfied with the judgment Mr Udofia lodged an appeal at the Court of Appeal in Abuja. The appellate court on 19 January set aside the judgment of the lower court and restored him as the APC candidate.

The appellate court held that the Federal High Court in Uyo wrongly assumed jurisdiction to entertain the matter contrary to Sections 97 and 98 of the Sheriffs Act, a decision that Mr Enang who instituted the matter was pleased with and therefore appealed to the Supreme Court.

The Appeal Court in its judgment on the matter failed to order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise and publish Mr Udofias name as the APC governorship candidate for the governorship election in the state.

Less than a week to the election, the Commission had not yet recognised Mr Udofia as the governorship candidate of the APC in the state.

Backstory

PREMIUM TIMES last month reported that less than a week to the 2023 general elections, the APC was still without a governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State, according to the lists of candidates so far released by INEC.

INEC in Akwa Ibom had, on 27 May 2022, a day after the APC governorship primary, sent a report to its headquarters in Abuja that the APC did not hold its primary.

We wish to report that the APC governorship primary scheduled to hold on Thursday, 26 May 2022 at the Sheergrace Arena, Nsikak Eduok Avenue, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State did not hold at all, Mike Igini, the then resident electoral commissioner in the state had said in the letter.

Mr Igini had led the monitoring team of the Commission, together with the police commissioner in the state, to the venue to monitor the exercise but were informed that the APC election committee were held up by an angry group of party members who were engaging in a fight over the control of the primary election materials along a major road in Uyo.

The APC election committee members were later rescued by the State Security Service (SSS) who took them to their office that night.

Chairman of the election committee, Tunde Ajibulu, had told Mr Igini on phone that he was unable to leave the SSS office because he was traumatised and could not go ahead with the primary.

Mr Igini, after briefing reporters on the development, left the venue of the primary at about 10:30 p.m., but the material was later released to a faction of the party who conducted the primary around midnight at a different venue.

Mr Udofia, who left the Peoples Democratic Party to join the APC in Akwa Ibom barely two weeks, was declared winner of the primary election.

INEC, who relied on the report of the exercise submitted by its state office in Uyo, had since then refused to recognise Mr Udofia as the governorship candidate of the APC in the state.

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The Labour Party (LP) in Delta State has disassociated itself from rumours making the rounds that it was negotiating with Governor Ifeanyi Okowa ahead of the 11 March governorship election in the state.

The LP State Chairman, Tony Ezeagwu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview on Monday in Asaba, the state capital, that there was no truth in the rumours.

He said the LP and its supporters in the state remained resolute in their determination to win the governorship election and would never divert their support to any other party.

The Labour Party in Delta held a meeting yesterday where we discussed the rumours making the rounds that our party candidate, Ken Pela is a stooge to Governor Okowa.

The same rumour being peddled also alleged that my humble self has been settled with one million naira to surrender our support to the PDP.

I want the public to know that the Labour party in Delta has no business with Governor Okowa, the PDP or any other party in the state.

As a party, we have not discussed anything of such with Okowa, we have not even held any meeting with him and we dont intend to do so, Mr Ezeagwu said.

The chairman advised the public, especially the LP supporters to disregard the rumours.

According to him, the rumour was being peddled by people who he said were envious of the popularity and general acceptance of the LP in the state.

He said: Those spreading these rumours are simply terrified and afraid because they are being hunted by what the Labour party did to them at the last presidential election.

Mr Ezeagwu said some mischievous politicians in the state were hell-bent to bring down the LP ahead of the governorship election in the state.

He said the party in Delta has no dealing or agreement with either the PDP or the APC as far as the March 11 governorship election was concerned.

Let me state it categorically clear that the Labour party in Delta is going into the 11 March governorship election with a mandate to win with our candidate.

We remained in total support and solidarity with our governorship candidate, Ken Pela, and we are confident of victory with our teeming supporters, Mr Ezeagwu said.

(NAN)

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The President-elect, Bola Tinubu, has condemned attacks at the weekend in Maru Local Government of Zamfara State and Maigari town in Rimin Gado Local Government in Kano State by bandits and unknown assailants.

A Divisional Police Officer (DPO), a police inspector and a vigilante were reported killed in the bandits attack in Zamfara. In the Kano attack, unknown gunmen broke into the residence of a village head and shot him dead.

In a statement by his media office on Monday, Mr Tinubu said the attack on Maru town after a period of relative peace in Zamfara State was a reminder that more needs to be done to completely defeat bandits and terrorists.

As a country, we have to come together to defeat these merchants of death and terror once and for all. Mindless killings and atrocities like this should have no place in our country, he said.

The president-elect condoled with the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, the Zamfara State Government and the families of the affected security personnel over the deaths.

Mr Tinubu also called for an investigation into the murder of the district head of Maigari in Kano State, who was the father of Rimin Gado Local Government chairman, Munir Dahiru Maigari.

He commiserated with the local government chairman, the Kano State Government and the family of the deceased over the gruesome murder of the community leader.

In separate condolence messages, the president-elect consoled prominent cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi who lost his aged mother and the family of the late Head of State, Sani Abacha, over the death of their son, Abdullahi.

It is touching to part with a loved one, no matter the circumstances and age. We cannot question the will of Allah but we can only pray that Almighty Allah grants them eternal rest and give us the fortitude to bear their demise, he said.

The president-elect condoled all the families who lost their relatives and prayed for Gods mercies on the departed souls.

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The Federal High Court has announced the commencement of its Easter vacation.

The courts Chief Information Officer, Catherine Christopher, said in a statement on Monday that the vacation would begin from 31 March till 17 April.

According to the statement, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, John Tsoho, declared the vacation based on the provisions of Order 46, Rule 4 (b) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedures) Rules, 2019 (as amended).

Court activities would resume on 18 April, the statement said.

Vacation judges

But the court has arranged for vacation judges that will attend to emergency cases, particularly suits of fundamental human rights during the judges Easter vacation.

While Ahmed Mohammed and Donatus Okorowo will preside over cases in Abuja during the Easter holiday, Tijjani Ringim and A. O. Awogboro, will hold the fort in Lagos division, where matters from the South-western region will be adjudicated on.

In Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where all emergency cases emanating from the South-south and South-east regions of the country will be heard, A.T Mohammed and S.I Mark, will hear such suits.

In the statement, Mr Tsoho advised the vacation judges and heads of divisions to promptly refer to the Hon. Chief Judge all matters which they believe may require His Lordships urgent attention and directives.

Read the full statement here:

*PRESS RELEASE*

*NOTIFICATION OF 2023 EASTER VACATION AND ROSTER FOR VACATION JUDGES.*

The Federal High Court announces its 2023 Easter Vacation and Roster for Vacation Judges.

According to a circular signed by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Hon. Justice John Terhemba Tsoho, the Court shall commence its Easter Vacation from Friday, 31st March, 2023 to Monday, 17th April, 2023.

This is Pursuant to the provisions of Order 46, Rule 4 (b) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2019 (as amended).

The Court resumes sitting on Tuesday, 18th April, 2023 in all Judicial Divisions.

During the vacation period, the Abuja, Lagos and Port-Harcourt Judicial Divisions shall remain open to the public only for cases of extreme urgency.

The Abuja Judicial Division will cater for cases from the Federal Capital Territory, North Central, North Western and North Eastern parts of the Country.

The Lagos Division will cater for cases from all the South Western States, while the Port-Harcourt Judicial Division will cater for cases from all states within the South-South and South Eastern Geo-political Zones.

The following Hon. Judges will serve as Vacation Judges:

ABUJA JUDICIAL DIVISION

1. Hon. Justice A.R. Mohammed

2. Hon. Justice D.U. Okorowo

LAGOS JUDICIAL DIVISION

1. Hon. Justice T.G. Ringim

2. Hon. Justice A.O. Awogboro

PORT-HARCOURT JUDICIAL DIVISION

1. Hon. Justice A.T. Mohammed

2. Hon. Justice S.I. Mark

The Vacation Judges and Heads of Divisions are as usual advised to promptly refer to the Hon. Chief Judge all matters which they believe may require His Lordships urgent attention and directives.

The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Honorable Justice John T. Tsoho, wishes his fellow lordships a wonderful vacation in advance.

Signed

Catherine Oby Christopher,PhD.

Assistant Director Information,

Federal High Court of Nigeria.

Sunday 5th March, 2023.

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The Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Monday, flagged off the laying of a 64 kilometres broadband fibre optic cable and placing landmarks of the state on Google maps.

The digital economy project according to the state government is worth N16 billion and will be financed by investors.

Mr Adeleke while inaugurating the projects said the state government was in partnership with an ICT firm, Oodua Infraco, for execution of the states digital economy projects.

The governor said the digital economy policy was designed to identify and apply information communication technology in various sectors of the state.

He added that his administration will encourage establishment of tech hubs and continue to support residents of the state who are interested in venturing into tech innovations.

Permit me to note that this is the first time Osun state will be having an ICT Policy. The policy is designed to identify and apply information communication technology in various sectors of the state. Hence, the new policy has ICT in agriculture, education, health, environment, administration, infrastructure among others. This policy will change our state for the better, he said.

I am also unveiling the Osun State Tech Innovation policy. Many talented tech innovators abound in our state. The policy seeks to create an enabling environment for tech innovations. Hence, we will support establishment of tech hubs and ensure innovators secure much needed backing, he added.

Mr Adeleke also promised to domesticate the Nigerian StartUps Act for new startups entrepreneurs to enjoy adequate financing from the government.

As part of our digital economy drive, Osun is poised to be the first State to domesticate the Nigerian StartUps Act. This will be my first Executive Bill I will be forwarding to the State Assembly after this event. The Act is programmed to ensure that new start ups promoters and entrepreneurs secure desired mentoring and financing. The law once domesticated will enhance the goals of both the ICT and the Tech Innovation policy, he noted.

As e-commerce is at the heart of the digital economy, my administration also launched the Osun Google Mapping project. This is to ensure that Osun businesses and landmarks are placed on Google maps to start with. When I took over in November, 2022, Osun Goggle Mapping coverage was below 30 percent. I am happy to record that Osun Mapping coverage is today above 50 percent. When we are to launch Phase 2, I will host e-commerce giants in Nigeria alongside Goggle Corporation.

The governor said connection to the internet will be free for public institutions in the state when the project is completed.

In line with the new National Broadband policy and the urgency of internet Fiber connectivity for Osun state, this government is waiving payment for Telecom Right of Way in return for free connectivity to our schools and health centers when the broadband project is completed.

The Chairman of Oodua Infraco, Sammy Adigun, thanked the governor for initiating the digital economy policy.

Mr Adigun said the digital economy of Osun State would be developed after the completion of laying of the broadband cable

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Ahead of Saturdays elections, the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria has lamented the spate of attacks unleashed on women during the 25 February general elections.

Addressing journalists via Zoom on Monday, FIDAs national president, Amina Agbaje, said its observers in collaboration with their partners witnessed cases of violence against women during the elections.

Nigeria had its presidential and National Assembly elections on 25 February.

FIDA Nigeria said its observers witnessed some incidents of patriarchal, physical and other forms of violence perpetrated against women at some of the polling units in focal states and across the country.

Ms Agbaje highlighted cases of violence perpetrated against women in Borno, Kaduna, Edo and Lagos States.

At Polling Unit 18, Ward 8, Marte LGA, Borno State, there were incidences of physical violence of which women became victims which discouraged and limited their participation at that unit.

In Edo state, a lady was shot dead by assailants who shot sporadically at her polling unit while votes were still (being) counted. This incident had disrupted the voting process.

In another incident, Mr Agbaje lamented that a woman was attacked and stabbed by party thugs at the Surulere area of Lagos, South-west Nigeria.

Asks INEC to extend voting time

FIDA appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the timeframe for voting to 5 p.m.

INEC had set the timeframe for voting during the 25 February presidential and National Assembly elections between 8:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.

But Mrs Agbaje said issues relating to the timeframe for conducting elections needed to be extended from 8:30 a.m. till about 5 p.m to encourage more women participation.

Presenting FIDAs assessment of INECs conduct of the polls on Monday, Mrs Agbaje said the elections were characterised by a lot of shortcomingsranging from the late arrival of electoral materials at several polling units across the country.

She said FIDA Nigeria, through her situation room in Abuja, observed the participation of women in the elections in four focal states  Borno, Plateau, Kaduna and Kwara.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that thugs disrupted voting in several polling units across Nigeria, a development INECs chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, acknowledged at a press briefing in Abuja.

As the electoral umpire gears up for the conduct of the governorship and state parliamentary elections on 11 March, FIDA said an extension of the voting timeframe would enable more female voters to exercise their franchise.

INEC on 1 March declared Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), winner of the 25 February presidential election.

Mr Tinubu scored 8.8 million votes to beat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and Labour Partys (LP) Peter Obi who came third in the poll.

Both Atiku and Mr Obi said the elections were marred by irregularities, calling on INEC to halt the collation of results in the presidential election.

FIDA urged security agencies to arrest and prosecute electoral offenders, especially persons who perpetrate violence during polling.

It called on INEC to collaborate with traditional rulers and religious leaders to encourage the participation of more female electorateto exercise their franchise at subsequent elections.

The association advised the electoral umpire to clean up the voter register.

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The Central Bank of Nigeria has said that the total loan repayments under the Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) stood 52 per cent in February.

The CBN spoke in reaction to a report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which claimed that only 24 per cent of loans disbursed under the ABP had been repaid.

In its recent report titled Nigeria selected issues, the fund said agricultural credit in Nigeria has not significantly boosted production even though there is the challenge of targeting the right recipients for the credit.

But in a statement released on Monday by the acting director of corporate communications department at the CBN, AbdulMumin Isa, the apex bank disclosed that it has released N1.079 trillion as of 28 February, of which N960 billion was due for repayment.

Mr Isa said the ABP supported about 4.57 million smallholder farmers who cultivated over 6.02 million hectares of 21 commodities across the country.

He listed the commodities to include rice, wheat, cowpea, millet, maize, cotton, fish, soya bean, poultry, cassava, groundnut, ginger, sorghum, oil palm, cocoa, sesame, tomato, castor seed, yellow pepper, onions, and cattle/dairy.

Citing statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FOA), Mr. Isa noted that the ABP also contributed significantly to the increased national output of commodities, with maize and rice peaking at 12.2 and 9.0 million metric tonnes in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

He said the programme also helped to improve the national average yield per hectare of these commodities, with productivity per hectare almost doubling within the eight years of the Programmes implementation.

He also said that the repayments under the ABP are made through cash or produced by the beneficiaries.

The CBN spokesperson explained that the outstanding due balance on loans was still under moratorium due to the COVID-19 forbearance granted to beneficiaries of the banks interventions in March 2020 and extended to February 2022.

It is pertinent to note that the tenor of loans under the ABP is based on the commodity gestation period. For instance, loans granted to farmers cultivating some perennial crops could have up to seven-year tenor, he said.

He noted that the banks interventions, with the core objective of catalyzing the economys productive base, have continued to support investments in capital assets in sectors with high-growth and employment-elastic potential.

The Central Bank of Nigeria remains committed to its developmental mandate of stimulating access to finance for the real sector, particularly agriculture, as it continues to support the Federal Governments drive for food security and economic growth. Accordingly, the Central Bank of Nigeria continues to welcome applications from eligible Nigerian farmers and firms under the Anchor Borrowers Programme, he added.

ABP

The ABP was launched in November 2015 by President Muhammadu Buhari to boost agricultural production and reverse Nigerias negative balance of payments on food.

Smallholder farmers cultivating cereals (rice, maize, wheat, etc.) cotton, roots and tubers, sugarcane, tree crops, legumes, tomato, and livestock are those captured under this initiative.

Loans are disbursed to the beneficiary farmers through Deposit Money Banks (DMBs), Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), and Microfinance Banks (MFBs), which the programme recognizes as Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs).

According to the guidelines of the programme, upon harvest, the farmer repays their loans by taking their harvest to anchors who pay the cash equivalent to the farmers account.

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Flutterwave, an Africa-focused payments company, on Sunday debunked reports that its account was hacked and the sum of N2.9 billion was lost to fraudsters.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the fintech company said it collaborates with other financial institutions and law enforcement agencies to keep its ecosystem safe and secure.

We want to reassure you that Flutterwave has not been hacked. As a financial institution, we monitor transactions through our transaction monitoring systems and 24-hour fraud desk and review any suspicious activity, the statement said.

Earlier on Sunday, reports said that hackers made away with 2.9 billion from the companys accounts and that the funds were illegally transferred into several accounts with different Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria.

The reported breach made the company take an order to free the accounts of several customers in many banks and that over 300 customers have been affected, the reports said.

However, Flutterwave in its statement said its payment system was not hacked and that none of its users lost any funds as reported.

We want to confirm that no user lost any funds, and we take pride in the fact that our security measures were able to address the issue before any harm could be done to our users, the statement noted.

At Flutterwave, we understand that our customers personal and financial information is of the utmost importance. We take this responsibility seriously and understand that any potential security breach can cause anxiety and concern among our customers.

The fintech company claimed that during a routine check of its transaction monitoring system, it identified an unusual trend of transactions on some users profiles and that its team acted accordingly.

Our team immediately launched a review (inline with our standard operating procedure), which revealed that some users who had not activated some of our recommended security settings might have been susceptible, the statement said.

ALSO READ: Flutterwave CEO Olugbenga Agboola rings NYSE closing bell

Our commitment to keeping our users financial information safe and secure is why we invest heavily in security initiatives such as periodic audits, certifications, and licences such as the PCI-DSS & ISO 27001. These are in line with global best practices in information security management.

The tech company urged its customers to continue to trust its operations and feel secure in using Flutterwave for their business needs.

Our commitment is to enable your business growth while keeping your financial information safe and secure, Flutterwave said.

Flutterwave, founded in 2016, specialises in individual and consumer transfers. It is headquartered in San Francisco.

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Twelve candidates are challenging Governor Dapo Abiodun as voters in Ogun State join their counterparts in 27 other states to elect their governors for the next four years.

Mr Abiodun is seeking a second term as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC). His challengers are Ladi Adebutu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Biyi Otegbeye of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ojeshina Anthony of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), and Adelanwa Kayemilola of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Also in the race are Harrison Adeyemi of African Action Congress (AAC), Falana Olifemi of All Peoples Party (APP), Shokunbi Kazeem of Action Democratic Party (ADP) and Ogunrombi Tofunmi of National Resistance Movement (NRM).

The others are Accord Partys Adebisi Oyewale; Allied Peoples Movements (APM), Jolaoluwa Olutosin; New Nigeria Peoples Partys (NNPP), Kassim Jakie; Action Alliances (AA), Iskil-Ogunyomi Safiat and Peoples Redemption Partys (PRP) Cyrus Johnson who replaced deceased Okusanya Adedeji.

Adebutu, Akinlades merger

After winning the ticket of the APC, Governor Abiodun appeared to be the only one in the race to the Oke-Mosan Government House.

Many followers of the governor and political observers in the state said he and the APC did not have any serious opponent in the election.

To them, Mr Adebutu did not look like a serious contender, especially with the internal wrangling tearing the PDP apart and litigations which at a time handicapped the party.

However, the narrative changed on July 8 when the candidate supported by former Governor Ibikunle Mosun in 2019, Adekunle Akinlade, defected from the APC to the PDP and was named the partys deputy governorship candidate.

Mr Akinlade left the ruling party alleging injustice to him and reunited with his old colleague at the House of Representatives between 2015 and 2019.

In 2019, Mr Akinlade had earlier dumped APC to run for governor under the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) after the then incumbent, Mr Amosun, failed to make him the APC candidate. But he lost the election to Mr Abiodun.

In the poll, Mr Akinlade lost by a 19,517 votes margin.

Mr Abiodun of the APC polled 241,670 votBes; Mr Akinlade got 222,153, Gboyega Isiaka of the African Democratic Congress, (ADC), polled 110,422; while the PDP candidate garnered 70,290 votes.

But while Mr Isiaka has been elected to the House of Representatives under the APC, Mr Akinlade has joined forces with the PDP and Mr Amosun has transferred his own support to Mr Otegbeye of the ADC.

Brief about Otegbeye

Mr Otegbeye is a lawyer and the Group Managing Director of Regency Alliance Plc.

He had his early education at Christ Church School, Ijebu Ode, Comprehensive High School, Aiyetoro and CMS Grammar School, Bariga. He obtained a Bachelors degree in Insurance from the University of Lagos in 1984, a Masters degree (MBA) in Financial Management and Accounting in 1987 and qualified as an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute, London (ACII) in 1988.

He also obtained a Law degree from the Lagos State University in 2001 and was enrolled as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 2003.

Mr Otegbeye began his working career at the United Nigeria Insurance Company Limited (UNIC) in 1986. Between 1990 and 1991, he was the General Manager, Capital Asset Insurance Brokers and in 1991, he became CEO of Excel Insurance Brokers. In 1993, he founded Regency Alliance Insurance Company Limited which became publicly quoted in 2007.

In 2012, Mr. Otegbeye was appointed a member of the Fact-Finding Panel of Gateway Industrial and Petroleum Institute by the state governor.

He was later appointed as Chairman of the Governing Board of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital in April 2013 by the then President Goodluck Jonathan.

Last election

In 2019, the governorship race was a straight battle between the APC and APM.

At that election, the PDP did not really campaign as it was rumoured that the then candidate of the party, late Buruji Kashamu, was not really interested in the election, but only wanted to show his superiority over Mr Adebutu, who was wrestling over the partys ticket with him.

Their fight over the partys ticket culminated into a legal tussle that went on for a long time.

But the late Mr Kashamu held the aces because the tenure of the then Bayo Dayo led executives of the party, who were loyal to Mr Kashamu, did not end until after the election.

Although Mr Kashmus led faction won the legal battle in court, Mr Adebutu had the backing of the national leadership of the party.

Thus, the PDP machine was not put to work for him as party leaders were divided and obviously confused as to the next line of action till after Election Day in 2019.

A party member, Adeniran Raufu, said the 70,000 votes declared for the party were from die-hard PDP supporters who would not vote for any other party.

It was obvious that any vote for the PDP during the last election was a waste.

The internal wrangling caused Mr Adebutu to join strength with Mr Akinlade in the APM.

But Mr Adebutus father, Keshington Adebutu, also went public, telling the people, especially in Ogun East region, to support Mr Abiodun who hailed from the region as against Mr Akinlade who hailed from the western part of the state.

The 2023 fight

The current political alignments in the state indicate that Saturdays will be a straight battle among the trio of APC, PDP and ADC.

Mr Akinlades defection to the PDP to contest as the deputy governorship candidate of the party in the election seems to have reorganised political activities in the state.

After Mr Akinlade defected to the PDP, Mr Amosun said he was not part of the move. But Mr Akinlade lef the APC with some longtime political allies of Mr Amosun like Rotimi Rahmon and Tola Banjo, a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, among others.

The PDP candidate is a political juggernaut1 who currently holds a firm grip of the party in the state.

Mr Adebutu is the son of a business tycoon cum philanthropist who hails from the same Iperu hometown, in Ikenne Local Government Area as the incumbent governor.

Messer Adebutu and Akinlades combination has caused uncertainty in the political calculations.

With Mr Akinlade in from Ogun West, some supporters of Mr Amosun (who are now loyal to PDP) in Ogun Central and Adebutu from the same Ogun East, the party looks far stronger.

Also, the election will not be an easy ride for the incumbent as the new electoral law, the adoption of technology in the electoral system, the outcome of the Osun election and the peoples perception of the performance of Mr Abiodun will play a major role in the outcome of the election.

Mr Adebutus family is popular for its philanthropic gestures especially in the Ijebu-Remo area of the state.

Unlike Mr Adebutu, Mr Abiodun has no political structure across the state and will bank on the APC structure. But part of the structure has been removed by those who defected with Mr Akinlade to the PDP.

A party member, Ibrahim Adewale, who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES, also said some APC members now attend ADC meetings in many parts of the Ogun east and west senatorial districts.

We all can see what is going on, many of us in the APC will not leave our party and will not also trade Amosun. It is on election day that you will know which party each and every one is sympathetic to.

You will see party A member appearing as agent for party B, lets all wait till then, Mr Adewale said.

Otegbeye, Amosuns influence, compound Abioduns problems

Mr Amosun has renewed his rivalry with his successor, Governor Abiodun, over the 2019 governorship election.

The two old friends went up in arms against each other following the controversial 2019 primary election of the APC in the state.

The then Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee of the APC had backed Mr Abiodun, stopping Mr Amosun from installing Mr Akinlade as his successor.

Dissatisfied, Mr Akinlade and other loyalists of Mr Amosun fled to the APM to contest the election.

Mr Abiodun eventually won the keenly contested general election, beating Mr Akinlade to second position.

Recently, Mr Amosun broke his silence on the outcome of the election, which he fully participated in by campaigning for Mr Akinlade.

Speaking at a function in Abeokuta, Mr Amosun said Mr Akinlade won the election, but that it was rigged for Mr Abiodun.

During the last election, thank God, Chief (Segun) Osoba is here, I have said it, we won convincingly. They rigged, rigged, and ended up with 19,000 (votes). Some of them came to apologise to me. I can be mentioning names. We won that election. But I have moved on, he said.

Mr Amosun again declared that he has never been in support of Mr Abioduns administration, saying the governor must vacate his seat at the expiration of his first four-year term.

In an interview with BBC Yoruba, Mr Amosun endorsed Mr Otegbeye and directed his loyalists to queue behind him.

However, Mr Abiodun, in a swift reaction, said he would not exchange words with his predecessor.

The governor said he would not be distracted by anybody, stressing that Ogun State is not anybody fathers inheritance.

Speaking with journalists in Abeokuta, the governor said: I will not be distracted by any person or persons who have a problem with self-delusion. I will not be distracted by any person who does not appreciate that Ogun State is not anybodys fathers inheritance. We are all stakeholders in this Commonwealth called Ogun State.

I am not going to join issues with anyone that wants to play God; I will leave them to God, God can deal with whoever is challenging His authority and wanted to play God.

How can we on the outside take on an incumbent and then be accused of rigging out an incumbent in the same party? Anyone can explain their failure whichever way they like, anyone can also begin to pant and threaten that they will do whatever. We will not be distracted.

Governor Abiodun said he would be re-elected because of his stellar performance since he assumed office in 2019.

Meanwhile, the governor and the ADC candidate might greatly share the APC sympathisers at the poll, especially in Ogun Central, the most populated senatorial district in the state.

Gbenga Daniel factor

Also there was a rumour in political circles that another former governor, Gbenga Daniel, is not supporting Mr Abiodun.

Mr Daniel is the current senator-elect on the platform of the APC for Ogun East senatorial district.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that it took the interference of national officers in the APC for Mr Daniel to secure the partys ticket.

Inside sources hinted PREMIUM TIMES that the governor did not back Mr Daniel for the partys senatorial ticket.

Mr Daniel had planned a big event to launch his senatorial race but the party, less than 24 hours to the event, cancelled all campaign activities. However, Mr Daniel went ahead with the programme as an empowerment programme.

Political analysts are watching whether Mr Daniel will get his loyalists to vote for the governor on Saturday.

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The younger brother of a slain senatorial candidate in Nigerias election has been elected to replace his brother on the ballot.

Kelvin Chukwu is now the candidate of the Labour Party (LP) for the Enugu East District, Enugu State, south-east Nigeria, as a replacement for his brother, Oyibo Chukwu, who was assassinated along Amaechi-Agbani Road within Enugu metropolis at about 7:20 p.m. on 22 February, barely two days to the elections on 25 February.

The election had to be shifted to 11 March because of the assassination.

It is unclear for now if the police had arrested those behind the incident.

The new candidate, Mr Chukwu, scored 223 votes in the primary election to defeat his rivals, Uchenna Ogbodo, Chinedu Nneji and Christian Onyeni.

His rivals did not score any votes.

The LP National Vice Chairman (South-East), Innocent Okeke, announced the results on Sunday in Enugu in the presence of two officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who were there to monitor the exercise as mandated by the Electoral Act.

Mr Okeke, afterwards, declared Mr Chukwu as the new flag bearer of the LP for the senatorial election in Enugu East District.

Earlier, the LP Chairman in Enugu State, Casmir Agbo, praised the 231 delegates drawn from the 77 wards in the district, for their resilience and support.

The House of Reps member-elect, Enugu North and South Federal Constituency, Chimaobi Atu, expressed joy that the delegates unanimously elected Mr Chukwu to fly the partys flag on behalf of his slain elder brother.

Responding, Mr Chukwu promised to fulfil all the dreams of his late brother and make the people in the district proud.

He said his family was yet to recover from how their elder brother was gruesomely shot and burnt alongside his personal aide.

(NAN)

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Police in Ebonyi State have declared the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Ifeanyi Odoh, wanted.

Mr Odoh and nine others were declared wanted on Monday over the murder of a monarch, Igbokwe Ewa.

Background

Some gunmen killed the monarch last Monday in his country home.

He was, until his death, the traditional ruler of the Umu-Ezekoha Community in the Ezza North Local Government Area.

Following his death last week, the All Progressive Congress (APC), which is the ruling party in the state, had accused Mr Odoh and his supporters of having a hand in the monarchs death.

But Mr Odoh denied the allegations, stating that the monarch, who hails from the same local government as him, was like a father to him.

The police spokesperson in Ebonyi State, Onome Onovwakpoyeya, in a statement on Monday declared Mr Odoh and nine others wanted over the murder of the monarch.

The nine others, according to the police, are Samuel Onyekachi Aligwe, Peter Orogwu (aka one boy), Chukwudi Aliewa (aka Ezza) and Chika Ezealigbo.

Others are Nnaemeka Egede (aka Champaign), Nnabuike Okohu, Ogobuchi Agbom (aka Okiri), Nonso Obasi, and Ikechukwu Nwoba (aka Solid).

The police appealed for information from the public that could lead to the arrest of the suspects.

PREMIUM TIMES could not immediately reach Mr Odoh for his comment as he did not respond to calls from our reporter.

His media aide, Charles Otu, did not also respond to calls from our reporter.

Increase in political violence

Ebonyi State has become notorious for political violence in the lead-up to the general elections, with frequent attacks on opposition candidates in the state.

Some gunmen, late last year, attacked Mr Odoh and his convoy in Izzi Local Government Area.

Though no life was lost in that attack, one of the cars in his convoy was damaged by a gunshot fired by the assailants.

Mr Odoh was again a victim of a deadly attack in the Ishielu Local Government Area, during which his driver and a police officer were killed.

Gunmen, last month, attacked the home of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Izzi/Abakaliki Federal Constituency, Barnabas Ofoke.

Cars and other valuables in the compound, which was to be used as the campaign venue of the partys governorship candidate, Ifeanyi Odii, were destroyed.

Gunmen, last month, killed an APC supporter when they opened fire at the party campaign ground in Ishielu Local Government Area.

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Embattled Nigerian author, Onyeka Nwelue, has commented on a recent article published by Cherwell, a students newspaper at Oxford University, describing him as fake and fraudulent, saying the report was meant to ridicule and cancel him.

The idea of that piece is to cancel and ridicule me. They have succeeded in doing that, he said in response to the article.

In the response, Mr Nwelue said he never claimed to be a professor at either the University of Oxford or Cambridge as it was public knowledge he does not have a first degree.

He insisted, however, that he was a Professor before going to Oxford.

Although his social media profile suggested he is a professor at both institutions, the author insists Cherwell writers have a comprehension challenge.

If I were a professor at Oxford, why did I need to add an Academic Visitor? Comprehension is a problem, so I dont have to blame the writers of the article meant to scandalise me, for not understanding what I said in the language of the country they live in. Even the reporter from The Telegraph refused to comprehend it, he said.

Mr Nwelue in the statement apologised to those who believe he is a racist, a misogynist, sexist or other crimes against humanity from the evidence screenshot from his social media posts.

He insists the controversial posts were meant to elicit feedback for his books.

He accused Cherwell and Telegraph of refusing to insert his responses, where he explained to them that he had been a professor before coming to Oxford and Cambridge.

They didnt want to publish it. They already made up their mind, he said.

His journey to Oxford University

According to Mr Nwelue, it was the idea of the University of Oxford for him to come as an academic visitor.

What brought me to the University of Oxford, was an idea I shared with James Currey and he put me in touch with Professor Wale Adebanwi, who in turn, introduced me to Professor David Pratten and after weeks of forth and back, Professor Pratten informed me, that the proposal was approved. That on Monday, I would get an official letter for it. I received a letter that I had now been approved as an Academic Visitor, he narrated.

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Mr Nwelue said he became the envy of the world following his confirmation as an academic visitor to Oxford University as it was something impossible but someone did it.

He added that he paid the bench fees of 1000 to Oxford and 9000 to Cambridge as an academic visitor.

Academic visitors are unpaid at the universities they are attached to. So, they are not employees of the universities, so I never in this world, told anyone that I was a professor at Oxford and Cambridge, he said.

Losses following Cherwells article

Mr Nwelue said the first message he received after Cherwells article was published was from his Canadian publisher, Bibi Ukonu, telling him they will remove his book, The Strangers of Braamfontein, from their list.

He said he was shocked seeing that it came from a fellow Nigerian who he considered an elder brother, a confidant.

For him, it is business, so he will throw me under the bus to protect his business because I am now a pariah dog, he remarked.

Additionally, the South African publisher, who was supposed to publish Mr Nwelues book, The Strangers of Braamfontein, in 2021, will no longer publish it.

Although he has yet to be informed, according to him, the publisher has informed those who pre-ordered the book.

It is easy to cancel me, but the question is: to what gain? Where are the proofs that I hate women or disrespect them? I have more respect for women than anybody. The women around me know this, he said.

Cherwell News wrote an article about a Nigerian, so it is sensational to sprinkle in words like, fake and fraudulent as captions, to elicit the responses they want from the world about Nigerians, Mr Nwelue added.

Although he did not specify which of the universities between Oxford and Cambridge, he said the university has begun to remove links that have my name from their website.

I did not lose a job

Mr Nwelue in his post said that it appears to people as though he has lost a job but that is not the case as he was not being paid.

It was a platform to be seen as powerful, a platform to leverage on. That was why, many people came around me, to associate with power and prestige and when it was announced by Cherwell, I saw those people distancing themselves from me. What money and power can not do, does not exist!

On students paying to attend David Hundeyins book event, Mr Nwelue said the event was not advertised as an event for students.

Fans of the author came from cities like Liverpool. They had no issue coming for it. Another problem is the use of the logo, which I apologised for and removed after I was asked to remove it.

He noted that Mr Hundeyin, like him, is not a character loved by many.

He said he has received messages from those who love him asking him to calm down and that everything will be okay.

I have apologised to the University and taken full responsibility for what happened because I will never blame anyone for my failure, Mr Nwelue said.

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A Federal High Court in Kano on Monday released on bail the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Ado Doguwa, who was detained over alleged complicity in the murder of three members of his constituency.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the police in Kano arrested and charged Mr Doguwa, alongside others, for criminal conspiracy, and culpable homicide.

He was also charged with causing grievous hurt, mischief by fire, and inciting disturbance.

The police prosecutor told the court that Mr Doguwa allegedly committed the offence on 26 February at the Tudun Wada Local Government Area of Kano State.

The police said the offences are contrary to sections 97, 114, 221,247 and 336 of the penal code.

Mr Doguwa was initially charged to a magistrate court in Kano but his lawyer approached the Federal High Court and sought his bail while questioning the jurisdiction of the magistrate to entertain the case.

However, in an exparte application for the enforcement of his rights, Mr Doguwas counsel, Nuraini Jimoh, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), appealed to the court to release the accused on bail on the ground that the magistrate court that has no jurisdiction to entertain the case.

The judge, Yunusa Muhammad, granted him bail in the sum of N500m, with the condition that the suspect must provide two sureties, one of which shall be a first-class traditional ruler while the other must be a permanent secretary at the federal or state civil service.

The judge ordered that the suspect shall deposit his travel documents with the court registry, which can be released upon request if needed for travel. The documents must be resubmitted upon return from the journey.

The lawmaker was involved in a violent confrontation between members of the New Nigeria People Party (NNPP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) that led to the killing of three people and the burning of a campaign office of the opposition party in the Tudun Wada Local Government Area of Kano.

Mr Doguwa, who was seeking re-election to represent the Tudun Wada, Doguwa federal constituency, reportedly arrived at the venue of the fracas to protest the alleged cancellation of the result where the crisis ensured.

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A soldier committed suicide on Saturday after killing three colleagues including Sam Oladapo, the Commander, Forward Operating Base stationed in Rabah local government area of Sokoto State.

The soldier, Nwabodo Chinoso, a Lance Corporal, was posted to the 223 battalion in Zuru Kebbi State but was deployed to Rabah.

A signal sent to the Army headquarters and seen by PREMIUM TIMES revealed that Mr Chinoso also shot dead Iliyasu Inusa, a Sergeant Major and Attahiru Mohammed, a private.

Shooting incident. At about 051700A Mar 23. LCPL Nwabodo Chinoso of 223 battalion Zuru attached to 26 and deployed at FOB Rabah, opened fire and killed the FOB commander LT TI Sam Oladapo, the CSM Sergeant Iliyasu Inusa and Private Attahiru Mohammed, inside the Commandant accomodation before killing himself.

The Commandant 8 Division Garrison and Commandant 26 battalion are presently at the location, efforts ongoing to move the corpses to Usman Danfodiyo Teaching Hospital Sokoto. Investigation into the cause to start immediately. Cause of incident not yet known. Details later, the signal read.

According to the signal, Mr Chinoso went to the military commanders official accomodation in Rabah town and shot Mr Oladapo. He was unprovoked.

When two other soldiers, Messrs Inusa and Mohammed tried protecting the commander, Mr Chinoso shot them too with his rifle.

He later shot himself.

The Nigerian Army spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement said the army has launched investigation into the killing.

The circumstances leading to the incident could not be immediately ascertained, as the soldier who killed his colleagues also shot himself immediately, terminating his own life.

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 8 Division Nigerian Army, who also doubles as the Commander Joint Task Force Northwest Operation Hadarin Daji Major General Godwin Mutkut and other senior officers have visited the location, where he commiserated with troops for losing their colleagues in such an unfortunate situation.

He urged them to be their brothers keepers and report any anomaly observed amongst their colleagues in order to forestall such incidents. He also encouraged them to remain calm and committed in the discharge of their duties, Mr Nwachukwu, a Brigadier General, said in the statement.

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The national elections are technically over and the battle for the consolidation of democracy has shifted to the courts. The judiciary must take all necessary steps to shield itself from being tarred by politics. Leaders of the bench must admit that they need much work to regain its reputation of the judiciary in the minds of Nigerians. No love is lost between Nigerians and judicial intervention in politics, due to some judgements related to past political contests.

The last presidential and National Assembly elections were as crucial to our democracy as they were controversial. A lot was riding on them, delivering more drama than anticipated. Our present reality is that going by the posturing of key political gladiators, the 2023 presidential and National Assembly elections have triggered direct judicial intervention as the final phase of the electoral process. This is fine. At least it is the only legitimate channel to address grievances against the conduct of the elections and to seek redress.

Two major political parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) presidential candidates have made it clear they will be approaching the courts to correct what was not properly done on 25th of February. Apart from the two presidential candidates, many National Assembly candidates have also indicated interest in going to court. Without claiming to be a prophet, the number of cases may be less than we had in 2019 because of the dwindling faith of contestants in the judiciary, among other reasons, but the issues will be more contentious this time around.

These issues range from interpretations of the Constitution and Electoral Act, alongside electoral malfeasance and criminal disruption of polling processes, which have made some question the validity of the electoral outcomes.

The assumption before the elections, based on INEC narratives, was that we would have few reasons to drag the judiciary into the simple constitutional exercise of the people electing their leaders. This hypothesis has turned out to be incorrect.

Avoidable slips by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) created these triggers for the option of judicial intervention. What is worrisome is not that political gladiators are approaching the court to help fix our electoral process and may help us decide our political leaders but that this will put our judiciary on the edge. This is a judiciary that, objectively speaking, cannot claim it is enjoying the best public standing before Nigerians. In an environment suffused with corruption, even in the judiciary, the democratic process is at risk if it must depend on judicial outcomes to determine the validity of electoral processes.

One way to bring down democracy in any society or country is to have a compromised, incompetent, pusillanimous, and politically exposed judiciary. This invariably gives citizens only one option  self-help, which is the most common denominator for crisis and chaos in nations. Examples abound where the collapse of proper constitutional processes yielded failed states. Therefore, we will focus on the judiciary in the next few weeks to stabilise and salvage our democracy.

Never in the history of Nigeria has the apex court cancelled, nullified, or changed the outcome of a presidential election. We assume that it was because no such cases of presidential elections before the Supreme Court have convinced it that there was a prima facia justification for such. However, we have a precedent in Africa of such cancellation.

Aside from the alleged malpractices during the elections, a few constitutional issues are at stake in this last poll. Prominent among them is the contentious issue of 25% of votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as part of the requirements to be declared winner of a presidential election, and the position of the law on the electronic uploading and transmission of election results at the polling unit/booth level. The courts will interpret the relevant laws and establish whether INEC or any candidate or party has broken them.

The courts must also adjudicate on the claims filed by candidates, which are in three broad categorisations: (1) allegations of a stolen mandate, in which other candidates claim that they won the recent elections on the basis of their own collated results from the polling units by their agents, and that they must be declared as winners by the courts. (2) Calls for the cancellation of the presidential election by candidates. (3) Calls for maintaining the status quo and allowing the president-elect and winner of the last presidential election to lead Nigeria because the opposition is incpabale of proving their case, or that the level of infractions recorded during the poll is insufficient to have changed the outcome of the election.

The national elections are technically over and the battle for the consolidation of democracy has shifted to the courts. The judiciary must take all necessary steps to shield itself from being tarred by politics. Leaders of the bench must admit that they need much work to regain its reputation of the judiciary in the minds of Nigerians. No love is lost between Nigerians and judicial intervention in politics, due to some judgements related to past political contests. The crisis of credibility afflicting the judiciary is evident to all and has taken a severe toll on the institution. It is trite to say that over time, the Nigerian court has not lived up to a decent reputation in many electoral-cum-political cases.

The impartiality of the courts and their principled stand on key politically and electoral issues should not leave anyone in doubt about the courage to do justice. The belief in the judiciary as the ultimate sanctuary of justice in a democracy is founded on the supposition that judges will be above reproach.

Never in the history of Nigeria has the apex court cancelled, nullified, or changed the outcome of a presidential election. We assume that it was because no such cases of presidential elections before the Supreme Court have convinced it that there was a prima facia justification for such. However, we have a precedent in Africa of such cancellation. In the 2017 Kenyan presidential polls, the Supreme Court annulled the presidential election result, citing irregularities and that the election had not been conducted in accordance with the constitution. This judgement was a landmark one and was reached to save democracy in Kenya.

Their job of the court is to uphold the constitution and the rule of law and it is not essentially a substitute for the collective will of the people expressed through their votes. Judicial decisions of the Supreme Court are final and can only be changed by the Court itself or God. Therefore, the Supreme Court judges must be circumspect and convinced in their choices, based on the laws and constitution of Nigeria, from where they derive their powers.

Admittedly, in a democracy, nobody can underestimate the judiciarys role in correcting malfeasance. Advisedly, the court must allow technical issues to take the back seat and allow substantial justice to prevail. That is the only way we can correct a dysfunctional system and win the trust of Nigerians. This point is vital because in essential cases that attract the attention of the nation and citizens eagerly waiting for justice to be served, it is difficult for everyone to understand why legal technicalities will be the basis of judgements, instead of the substance of the law. Only lawyers understand these technicalities, and decisions based on them are often difficult to sell to the public.

Communicating judicial pronouncements to the lay audience have been the bane of judicial reporting in Nigeria and it is one of the major causes of public distrust of the judiciary in recent times. These presidential election cases allow the court to show its power and clear separation from the executive and legislature. Their job of the court is to uphold the constitution and the rule of law and it is not essentially a substitute for the collective will of the people expressed through their votes. Judicial decisions of the Supreme Court are final and can only be changed by the Court itself or God. Therefore, the Supreme Court judges must be circumspect and convinced in their choices, based on the laws and constitution of Nigeria, from where they derive their powers.

It may be convenient for electoral disputes at sub-national and sub-sovereign levels to be determined by judicial processes, as we have seen in cases where the Supreme Court has altered the destinies of governors and states. It is common and understandable that at this level, whatever decisions the Supreme Court makes may not undermine the state so much, given that the states are intertwined and linked with the federal and, as such, can withstand the sudden change of governors by the Supreme Court. But at the national level of the presidency, for example, purely technical and legal arguments may not suffice. Judicial decisions must be conditioned by the higher considerations of jurisprudence, national interest, and national security. At that level, judges of the Supreme Court must protect the Nigerian state and its sovereign security over and above matters of justice concerning the rights of individual contestants for partisan pre-eminence. There must be a nation before partisan contestants acquire the right to win an election. Nigeria cannot afford to pour out dirty water with the baby. Nigerias existence and growth far outweigh the issue of who leads it. We must always remember that there will be another election in four years if Nigeria survives the furore caused by the last election.

It is a pity that after all the plans and provisions of the Electoral Act that were greeted with fanfare by all Nigerians, and the promises of INEC to conduct a free and fair election in 2023 due to provisions on the BVAS and IREV, we are still going to depend on the judiciary to determine the validity or otherwise of the polls. We all admit that BVAS worked and contributed to more transparency and likely reduced disputation of electoral outcomes, especially in the National Assembly polls. We must do a post-mortem of the elections and learn from them to improve subsequent polls.

And the Supreme Court and the judiciary must be conscious that all eyes in and outside the country are on them. They are carrying the hope of a nation and must not dash that hope.

We look forward to a new Nigeria where judicial incursion into politics will be minimal, if not completely eradicated.

Dakuku Peterside is a policy and leadership expert.

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As the most critical institution in our democratic process, accountability and transparency demand that Yakubu reveals totally what transpired at the agency he heads. His obscurantist approach deepens doubts, rather than clearing the miasma. The so-called glitches or neglect that savaged the electoral process, for which N305 billion of public funds was expended, were not isolated in some polling units, but was a national enigma.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is seemingly singing a redemption song with its resolve to bar its members of staff found negligent, whether they are regular or ad hoc, including Collation and Returning Officers, involved in the weird conduct of the 25 February presidential and National Assembly elections from participating in next Saturdays polls. Governors and states assembly lawmakers will be on the ballot this time around. All shades of opinions have been torrential, scathing, and in some cases, sycophantic in relation to these elections. New vistas have been unfurled, sparking spells of anxiety, rage, half-truths, and obfuscations by hirelings of hue to mask realities.

It is interesting that the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, in an in-house review of performance with INEC State Commissioners a few days ago, admitted that there were indeed challenges in the conduct of the last polls and vowed to eviscerate them with harder work this Saturday. The Commissions earlier apologia on technical glitches didnt obliterate the spectre of suspicion it has become shrouded in. In Yakubus optimism that going forward the system will run optimally, one rational deduction that be made from it is that results will be uploaded real time  this time  from polling units to its IReV portal through the Biomodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS).

The earlier breach is the gravamen of the complaints of political parties, local and foreign observers about the credibility of the 25 February results announced by INEC. Section 64 (4) (a) of the Electoral Act 2022, as amended, on the electronic transmission of results was not complied with in the presidential polls. The word Shall is expressly stated in this provision, which makes compliance obligatory or inviolable, legally speaking.

Why this was not followed in the collation of presidential results alone, against the backdrop of the fact that senatorial and House of Representative elections held same day, and were uploaded in line with the law, has not ceased to arouse curiosity. The INEC boss has put himself on the spot. It behoves him to tell Nigerians more than the negligent explanation. It is obviously, a facile and empty excuse, which at best, is an indictment of the agency.

As the most critical institution in our democratic process, accountability and transparency demand that Yakubu reveals totally what transpired at the agency he heads. His obscurantist approach deepens doubts, rather than clearing the miasma. The so-called glitches or neglect that savaged the electoral process, for which N305 billion of public funds was expended, were not isolated in some polling units, but was a national enigma.

A new dimension to the presidential election cacophony is what the correct interpretation of Section 34 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended is, that requires the winner to not only win the majority of lawful votes cast, but also 25% of the votes cast in 24 states and the Federal Capital Territory, for the purpose of national spread. The controversy is whether the FCT is a must win for the declared winner.

Nigerias elections and their outcomes since 1999 have reached a point where we should be more concerned about the integrity of the electoral process, rather than who emerges as winners of elective offices, for the sake of democratic consolidation. Virtually, all international election observers, especially the European Union (EU), NDI, IRI, AU and others who regularly constitute technical partners to Nigeria in every election, have lacerated INEC for its shoddy outing so far; just as our local observers.

One of them, Yiaga Africa, said it observed discrepancies in the results it collected in Imo and Rivers States, when juxtaposed with what INEC published. According to it, Peter Obi of Labour Partys (LP) votes tally in Imo State was 88.1% as against the 77.1% that was announced, while in Rivers State, he notched 50.8% of votes and not the 33.4% declared.

There were late arrivals of materials at some centres by 4.30 p.m., when 2.30 p.m. was the official time to close polling. This disenfranchised a lot of voters who had thronged the polling units early but did not have the patience to endure for more than eight hours for officials to arrive. Violence, voter intimidation by gunmen and the destruction of thumb-printed ballot papers at polling units and in some cases outright hijacking of materials by electoral bandits, were induced strategies some candidates adopted to outfox opponents in their strongholds.

A new dimension to the presidential election cacophony is what the correct interpretation of Section 34 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended is, that requires the winner to not only win the majority of lawful votes cast, but also 25% of the votes cast in 24 states and the Federal Capital Territory, for the purpose of national spread. The controversy is whether the FCT is a must win for the declared winner. The APC candidate, Bola Tinubu did not win it there with his 18.8 per cent votes, while Obi was the only candidate with 60%.

As it is on every legal issue, opinions of senior lawyers are divergent. But a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Michael Aondoakaa, says a 2008 Supreme Court judgement in an Election Petition case, which involved the late Umaru YarAdua, versus Muhammadu Buhari, settled the debate with its conjunctive reading of the section, making the FCT a mandatory win. Obi and Atiku Abubakar have obtained Court of Appeal ex parte orders to inspect INEC electoral materials in search of the silver bullet evidence for their respective victory claims. Let the legal fireworks begin!

Abuses of our electoral process were why the Smart Card readers, Permanent Voter Card and now BVAS were introduced into the system to guarantee the sovereign will of the people in any election. To trifle with it will ineluctably lead to self-immolation.

Electoral absurdities swept under the carpet do not help any democracy; rather they kill and bury the system. Facts already in the public space in respect of past elections show clearly that INEC officials compromise the system. The Commission had in 2017 admitted that its staff collected over N3 billion as bribe in the 2015 general elections. A report of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) revealed a more staggering amount  the deployment of about N23 billion, after its investigation of 282 INEC staff, both serving and retired.

Abuses of our electoral process were why the Smart Card readers, Permanent Voter Card and now BVAS were introduced into the system to guarantee the sovereign will of the people in any election. To trifle with it will ineluctably lead to self-immolation.

My experience in the 2007 presidential election in Kano, which I was posted from Abuja to cover, has left a scar in my psyche over what elections are in this clime. While waiting at the Kano State INEC headquarters, along with party agents, other reporters and an AIG of Police, for full collation of results from the 44 local governments areas, a sarcastic call from Abuja came to me: What are you still doing in Kano, INEC has declared the result?

My riposte was uncouth. The fellow, a journalist too, in Abuja, asked me to watch any television around if in doubt. Lo and behold, that was it; the culmination of the do-or-die garrison mentality to that democratic transition. Non-serialisation of the ballot papers was thought by all, especially, President Muhammadu Buhari, a candidate in that poll, to be enough evidence to seek legal redress. The rest, as often said, is history.

This country has since resolved not to tread this path again. It must be kept! The contrary diminishes us all.

Chiawolamoke Nwankwo is member of Premium Times Editorial Board.

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days after the 2023 presidential election, when Obasanjo walked out to make a press statement denouncing the conduct of the exercise, those of us from Anambra State had a different take on the words coming out of his mouth. To us, Obasanjo sounded like a man who had forgotten these incidents of the past. But the truth is that he did not.

This is the story of how Olusegun Obasanjos support of the structure of criminality ruined Peter Obis chances, transformed Anambra State and produced the Peter Obi currently on the national stage. It is also a story of how Obasanjo is trying to make amends in the late hours of his life, hoping to make heaven.

During the 2004 World Igbo Congress Convention in New Jersey, Chekwas Okorie, the then chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), told a few of us inside a hotel room what happened between him and Olusegun Obasanjo during the 2003 elections in Nigeria. Chekwas Okories story illustrated who Bola Tinubu, then governor of Lagos State, was and how he differed from Peter Obi.

According to Chekwas Okorie, in 2003, APGA won the election in four of the five South-Eastern states. But the PDP rigging machine, now known as structure, rigged APGAs governorship candidates out. In those days of an unholy alliance between President Olusegun Obasanjo and INECs Chairman, Maurice Iwu, they wasted no time with sophisticated rigging methods. They simply wrote the desired results and handed them to INEC officials to announce.

When INEC announced the result of the 2003 elections, Chekwas Okorie went to Olusegun Obasanjo to complain. Obasanjo acknowledged the rigging and promised to hand two or three states back to APGA. He asked Chekwas Okorie to go and consult his party on which states he would like Obasanjo to hand over to APGA.

During the same election, PDP had plans to rig the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) out of the South West. As the results were being published online on the INEC website, all the South-Western states were falling to PDP. When the then Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, saw what was happening, he called President Obasanjo. He told Obasanjo that he had in his command 10,000 area boys with gallons of petrol ready to burn down federal government properties in Lagos if INEC announced that he lost to PDP.

In the words of Chekwas Okorie, Obasanjo immediately called Maurice Iwu and asked him to leave Lagos State alone. That was how Lagos State was left alone, while other states in the South-West became PDP states.

Peter Obi did not give up on his stolen mandate, unlike the APGA gubernatorial candidates in other Southeastern States. He fought in several courts for almost three years. It culminated in the court kicking out Dr Ngige as governor in March 2006. It did not end there. Enforcers of Obasanjos structure of criminality did not leave Peter Obi to govern the state in one piece.

Meanwhile, Chekwas Okorie returned to Obasanjo days after the election. He had consulted his party people and they had chosen the three states he wanted Obasanjo to hand over to APGA. One of the states was Anambra.

At this point, Obasanjo had seen that all was calm in the South-East. The people had accepted their fate and moved on. Obasanjo told Chekwas Okorie off and asked him to go and do his worse.

This act of condoning the structure of criminality on the part of Olusegun Obasanjo gave Anambra State the governorship of Dr Chris Ngige.

Another bombshell dropped a day after Chekwas Okorie told us the story above. In the same conference, Obasanjos boy, Chris Ubah, acknowledged in front of Governor Chris Ngige and Anambra State indigenes that he was the person who wrote the results of the Anambra State gubernatorial election and handed over the paper to an INEC officer who read it out to the world. He pointed at Peter Obi, who was in the audience, and said, this was the man who won the election.

Peter Obi did not give up on his stolen mandate, unlike the APGA gubernatorial candidates in other Southeastern States. He fought in several courts for almost three years. It culminated in the court kicking out Dr Ngige as governor in March 2006. It did not end there. Enforcers of Obasanjos structure of criminality did not leave Peter Obi to govern the state in one piece. The hoodlums who burnt down government offices and radio stations under Governor Chris Ngige in November 2004 continued to attack. In October 2006, they burnt down the governors lodge in Onitsha. It was part of well-orchestrated efforts by the same hoodlums enjoying the cover of then President Olusegun Obasanjo to unleash mayhem on the state. Their suit-and-tie colleagues in the State House of Assembly impeached the governor twice. Peter Obi survived all those attempts and became stronger in the end.

So, days after the 2023 presidential election, when Obasanjo walked out to make a press statement denouncing the conduct of the exercise, those of us from Anambra State had a different take on the words coming out of his mouth. To us, Obasanjo sounded like a man who had forgotten these incidents of the past. But the truth is that he did not.

Like most African politicians, Olusegun Obasanjo has used the first part of his life to destroy the last. Like his fellow co-travelers on the disgusting path, Obasanjos last-minute effort to crossover to the decent road almost always hits a roadblock, a remnant of the structure of criminality with which he used to be in bed. He can pretend to show pertinence for his sins

In a leaked audio that Charly Boy initially denied but later confirmed, Obasanjo had wanted the musician to lead a protest in Lagos and Abuja against INECs declaration of Bola Tinubu as the president-elect. In Charly Boys version of events, Obasanjo later called him back and asked him not to proceed with the protest for fear that the Nigerian military would kill protesters.

We can forgive those young people who think Obasanjo became penis-shy about protest because of the EndSARS killings. No. During Obasanjos eight years as president, he supervised the Nigerian militarys massacre of unarmed civilians.

Under Obasanjos order, on 20 November, 1999, the Nigerian military invaded Odi in Bayelsa State and killed over 900 people. The militarys excuse was that a gang of Niger Delta militants killed twelve police officers days before. In a February 2013 judgment, the Federal High Court ordered the Federal Government to pay N37.6 billion compensation to the people of Odi for the Nigerian militarys massacre and burning down of their town. In May 2014, Jonathans administration paid N15 billion as compensation.

Again under Obasanjos order, the military attacked Zaki-Biam in Benue State in October of 2001 and killed over 200 people. The military gave the excuse that they went to enforce order in a region of Tiv villages where militants killed 19 soldiers. Amongst those killed were women, children, and the elderly. The Nigerian government initially denied the killings. President Umaru YarAdua later apologised in 2007 during a visit to Benue.

Like most African politicians, Olusegun Obasanjo has used the first part of his life to destroy the last. Like his fellow co-travelers on the disgusting path, Obasanjos last-minute effort to crossover to the decent road almost always hits a roadblock, a remnant of the structure of criminality with which he used to be in bed. He can pretend to show pertinence for his sins, but as his powers wean, he can only pray  for Buhari to do something, for the people to rise, for the international community to intervene, for the God in heaven to strike. But as we have repeatedly seen, regret comes at the end.

Rudolf Ogoo Okonkwo teaches Post-Colonial African History at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. He is also the host of Dr. Damages Show. His books include This American Life Sef, Children of a Retired God, among others.

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More airing is required on the media trade in personality conscription  be it for negative or positive packaging. That goes also for exposed individuals who get sucked in  through unawareness, nonchalance, or gradations of collaborative conduct. Among Nwelues intimate associates unfortunately, are some dubious hangers on who exploit his own susceptibility and frail health to nurse their hunger for notoriety. The ultimate responsibility is however his, and he has emerged upfront to accept this in a letter of apology.

I feel compelled to intervene without further delay in this affair, having come across the following in Onyeka Nwelues efforts to set the record straight over his entanglement with the British university establishment. He revealed in his response that:

The first message I received, when the article was published, was from my Canadian publisher.telling me, they will remove my book, The Strangers of Braamfontein from their list. It shocked me, honestly.

The South African publisher, who was supposed to publish The Strangers of Braamfontein since 2021, will no longer publish it. They have not communicated to me, but they have informed those who pre-ordered the book.

If Nwelue was shocked, I felt both shocked and appalled. This is over-reaction in the sententious mode, a dangerous, extra-curricular response. The charges against this author do not involve plagiarism or other literary offence, nor any crime against humanity. Would his film documentaries  including his prize-winning latest be up next for the Censorship Index? Do we proceed to burn copies of that sociological expose and raunchy read  The Strangers of Braamfontein  already in our possession?



At the risk of this being interpreted as an attempt to lure attention away from, or diffuse culpability into a loose perspective, it is essential  and this is addressed largely to his society (and mine)  to emphasise that, beyond Nwelue, that very society is indicted and summoned to some intense soul-searching, involving remedial action. Public figures are often the creations of that promiscuous facility known as Internet or social media and, unfortunately, some such figures of marketable interest fail to exercise caution, refuse to apply the brakes on the media runaway vehicle on which they are launched. It is rather ironic, but while Nwelue permitted himself to go for the ride, so to speak, he appeared to have been more concerned for others certainly for this Prof!

Here, in evidence, is a recent exchange, barely two days before the storm broke. Perturbed by a recent notorious spate of electioneering fulminations attributed to me, clearly the work of some demented partisans of one contestant or the other, Nwelue forwarded this message, from within his internet circle:

Prof needs to take control of his social media presence

To this, I replied, clicking on REPLY TO ALL:

You must excuse me, you young energetic lot, but I could not help roaring my head off with laughter at that. This thing is out of control. The submentals have taken over and, like those science-fiction films of the body snatcher genre, they inhabit other bodies with impunity.. That is the reality of the social media, Nigeria brand.

Good luck with your uphill, mostly thankless but essential fumigation effort. If you ever succeed in identifying one of these zombies, just pass on the information, and leave the rest to me.!

It has become a rampaging pastime. It extends across professions and classes. Not so long ago, I drew the attention of a young colleague to the fact that he was being falsely addressed as Sir, and needed to put a stop to it. For a while, he shrugged it off as inconsequential, but eventually took action. Yet, the media persisted in investing him with this spurious knighthood. Discreetly, I pressured Mediaville to spare us the impending day of national embarrassment. It took some doing, but it stopped. That potential capture of the titular craze owes me. Going by the recent expulsion of Prince Harry and his princess from their accustomed lodgings after their rupture with the monarchy, that artiste friend would have received even shorter shrift from the elite Order of Knights Distempered.

More airing is required on the media trade in personality conscription  be it for negative or positive packaging. That goes also for exposed individuals who get sucked in  through unawareness, nonchalance, or gradations of collaborative conduct. Among Nwelues intimate associates unfortunately, are some dubious hangers on who exploit his own susceptibility and frail health to nurse their hunger for notoriety. The ultimate responsibility is however his, and he has emerged upfront to accept this in a letter of apology. Now, it is the turn of the enabling environment to also take stock and clean up its act. Casting the first stone is easy enough; ensuring that the baby is not thrown out with the bathwater is the harder, and far more productive responsibility. The literary world can do with more babies from the bassinet of The Strangers of Braamfontein!

Wole SOYINKA wrote on furlough at NYUAD, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

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Gunmen on Sunday killed Musa Hyok, a priest of the Church of Christ in Nation (COCIN), and his two sons at Ganawuri community of Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau.

Residents claimed incident was a reprisal for the killing of three Fulani persons in the area.

The spokesperson of Plateau State police command, Alfred Alabo, confirmed the incident to reporters in Jos, the states capital.

Mr Alabo said the command is investigating the incident to unravel those behind the attack.

The youth leader of the community, Bitrus Song, alleged that the incident was a reprisal for the killing of three Fulani youths in the community.

Trouble started when some suspected Fulani kidnappers were arrested last Wednesday which is our Market day, but later escaped in the hands of Fulani vigilante who were to keep them before the arrival of security operatives.

The situation degenerated into an argument and later escalated to a clash leading to the death of three fulani youths despite several meetings and appeals for calm.

We suspect that that situation led to this attack on an innocent family that knows nothing about last Wednesdays incident, he said.

But when contacted the Plateau State chairman of Miyyati Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Nura Abdullahi, said that the three members of the group earlier arrested were not kidnappers.

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Some supporters of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, in Delta State, have pledged to work with the All Progressives Congress (APC) during Saturdays governorship election.

Mr Obis supporters, also known as Obidients, pledged their support for the APC during an interactive session with the partys governorship candidate, Ovie Omo-Agege, in Asaba, the state capital, on Sunday.

This was contained in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES by the spokesperson of the Delta State APC Campaign Council, Ima Niboro, on Monday.

According to the statement, the Lead Coordinator of the Coalition of Obidients Movement in Delta Central, Ochuko Edafe, said the Obidients vote for individuals and not parties.

We Obidients, we follow the footsteps and watch the character of our principal, His Excellency, Mr Peter Obi, and when we came down home to our state, Delta, we decided we are going to look out for the same character and among all the people running for governor of Delta State.

His Excellency, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has those qualities and character and as you can see, he is a man of the people who is ready to meet with the people anytime.

We are not card-carrying members of any political party. We look for the qualities of a good leader and we have chosen to work with Senator Ovie Omo-Agege. He is the most credible candidate for the 2023 governorship election in Delta State. That is where we have pitched our tent and that is where we have decided to follow, Mr Edafe said.

The coordinator said Saturdays election would provide the opportunity to remedy the situation in Delta State and that Obidients would maximise the opportunity.

He explained that they chose to follow Mr Omo-Agege instead of the LP governorship candidate because the deputy senate president was the only credible candidate in the race and had performed creditably as a senator.

We know everything that is happening in Delta State and now that we have the opportunity to remedy the situation we want to maximize it.

Since 1999 till date, there has not been a senator who performed like Senator Omo-Agege. People ask why dont we follow the Labour Party governorship candidate and we say, we follow Peter Obi because he is credible and that is why we say, the only credible candidate as far as Delta State governorship election is concerned is Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.

I want to assure you that the way the 25 February presidential election went, that is the way it will go on March 11, expect more votes for Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, he said.

Earlier on, Mr Omo-Agege expressed bitterness about the burden of suffering the state governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, had allegedly placed on Deltans saying, he, the as governorship candidate of the APC, was on the same page with philosophical views on how the people could live a better life.

He called for an alliance to fight the battle during the election.

We are not happy with the way Okowa has punished our mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters who gave the best part of their lives serving Delta State and upon retirement, Okowa refused to pay them their gratuities and pensions. On that, we are all on the same page.

We are also not happy that our students who are in tertiary institutions in Delta State are being made to pay so much money by way of school fees and levies. We know when Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan left office, tuition was N25,000. Today under Governor Okowa tuition is N300,000. Are we happy about that?

On that one, I, Ovie Omo-Agege, Delta APC governorship candidate and you are on the same page.

We have so much in common, we have to come together, we have to work together and chase away Okowa and PDP from Delta State. We have succeeded in the first step, when the election came on Saturday, the man who had stolen all our money said he wanted to be vice president, we said it could never happen. All of us came out and we chased PDP out.

So now, the man can never be vice president. We have one more battle to go, we have to retire him permanently. We dont have emperors in Delta State. Here we dig six-foot graves to bury our dead but we are going to politically bury this man in a 21-foot grave. We dont want the afflictions of Okowa and PDP in Delta State again.

I want to make a commitment to all of you today, I feel your pains, we are on the same page. We want a Delta State where there will be job opportunities for our children when they leave school, where we will have good infrastructure, good roads, good schools, good hospitals and where workers will be paid their gratuities when they retire. A Delta State where we have 24-hour electricity, where companies operating across the Niger can come here to do business and create job openings for our youths.

Mr Omo-Agege said he was the only one standing to fight and chase out Mr Okowa and that all other persons were pretenders enlisted into the battle to protect the governors interest.

Okowa is the one financing them. He is doing so because he wants a third term by proxy. I cannot do it alone. I need your help. I want all of us to come together. Between now and Saturday, go out there and canvass on behalf of Ovie Omo-Agege.

When I emerge governor it is you that has emerged governor. When it is good for me, it is good for you. By Gods grace, if I emerge, governor, come to me and tell me, this is what we want you to do for us. We are going to run a participatory government. We are going to bring you into the government. I want to thank you, please do not rest. You started this and you have to finish it.

Today, Okowa is running around begging everybody, moving about like a wounded lion. You see him on TV crying that the election was rigged against him when we know he is the one who rigged the election. When we know he is the one who stole the election in Ika federal Constituency and Delta North. And for us in Delta Central he was prepared to steal our senate seat, in Delta South he wanted to steal our senate seat too but we refused.

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One person was feared killed, on Monday, by gunmen who carried out multiple attacks in different communities in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigerias south-east.

The gunmen, who fired sporadic gunshots, also set many vehicles ablaze during the multiple attacks in the state at about 5 a.m.

The vehicles affected during the attacks were two Sienna, five tricycles, two saloon cars, a Toyota SUV and a mini-bus.

The gunmen were said to be enforcing the controversial Monday sit-at-home declared by a faction of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a group leading the agitation for an independent state of Biafra which it wants to be carved out from the South-east and some parts of the South-south.

The hoodlums first attacked and set ablaze two saloon cars at the popular T-Junction in the council area at about 5:30 a.m.

The gunmen also got to Harmony Road, Umuchigbo, a community in the council area, where they set ablaze a minibus and a Toyota SUV, about 10 minutes later.

At a motor park in Liberty, Abakpa-Nike, another community in the council area, the hoodlums also razed two Sienna vehicles and five tricycles otherwise known as Keke-Napep.

During the attack at the T-Junction, a man who declined to step out of the vehicle, was reportedly burnt alive in the vehicle by the gunmen.

They stopped the man and commanded him to step out of the car, the man resisted and that made the gunmen open the fuel tank, and shot into the tank causing the car to go up in flames with the man inside, an unnamed witness was quoted as saying in the local media.

Destiny Igboji, who survived the incident, said the gunmen attacked him and other commuters at the T-Junction, but that he escaped.

It was so heavy, he said of the attack. He was silent on whether anybody was killed during the attack.

I dont know what to say because, at this time, my body is still shaking. My body is full of injuries, blood, Mr Igboji stated.

When contacted, the police spokesperson in Enugu State, Danie Ndukwe, confirmed the multiple attacks to PREMIUM TIMES.

Mr Ndukwe, a deputy superintendent of police, however, said no life was lost in the attacks.

There was no casualty recorded, while police detectives and tactical operatives are on the trail of the hoodlums, he said.

Meanwhile, one white Toyota Sienna minivan and black-coloured Lexus RX300 SUV, used by the armed arsonists to perpetrate the heinous act, have been recovered, Mr Ndukwe stated.

The police spokesperson enjoined residents of the state to support the police with credible information and intelligence to track down the fleeing gunmen.

Background

IPOB, in August 2021, introduced a sit-at-home order every Monday across the South-east to pressure the Nigerian government to release its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who is standing trial for alleged terrorism at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The separatist group later suspended the order, in preference for it to be implemented only on the days Mr Kanu appears in court.

But despite its suspension, residents of the five South-east states  Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo, Abia and Anambra  have been observing the Monday sit-at-home order, mostly out of fear.

Some residents and motorists, including commuters, have been attacked lately by gunmen for stepping out of their homes on Monday and other declared sit-at-home days.

A factional IPOB leader, Simon Ekpa, has been accused of being behind the recent sit-at-home orders in the region.

Mr Ekpa, a Nigerian-Finnish citizen, has repeatedly declared sit-at-home orders across the region.

In February, the controversial pro-Biafra agitator was arrested in Finland over the sit-at-home orders and rising insecurity in the South-east.

He was released hours later by the Finnish police, while investigations into the allegations against him were expected to continue.

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The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has promised to top salaries of local government workers in the state.

The governor spoke during an interactive session with civil servants at the local government level on Monday at the Adeyemi Bayero Auditorium within the Alausa Secretariat, in Ikeja.

The development comes a few days before the governorship and House of Assembly elections.

I as governor have promised to increase, no matter how small, the salary of the public servants, he said.

The market where the Alausa workers shop, thats where you shop too. Your children go to the same school, you pay the same fare and all of us are from Lagos.

I have told them and I have challenged them and we are trying to see how we adjust so that one is not higher than the other so that we dont disenfranchise anybody. You are all my people, my staff, you are all my citizens and I need to take care of you.

And by Gods grace, like I said earlier, we are trying to see if we can sort this thing out before the end of this month.

No matter how small it is, we will top it.

The governor said the decision was made because the workers are deserving of it.

And it is not because we are trying toarm-twistt you but we know that you are deserving of it, thats the essence, Mr Sanwo-olu said.

He added that the development is in view of the economic realities in the country and the cost of living in the state.

He said that as a proactive and sensitive government, there is no need to wait for a national body to tell us what we know that is right.

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LONDON, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Techspace , the flexible office provider where innovative and ambitious tech companies thrive, and global early-stage VC firm Antler have partnered up to bring you a series all about failure, and how success is often built on a foundation of learned lessons. The pair have teamed up to bring 'Failure Friday' to their respective communities and alumni, which is an ongoing event series aimed at sharing the lessons founders have learned on their path to success.

Techspace x Antler launch Failure Friday Techspace x Antler launch Failure Friday

If at first you don't succeed, as the saying goes, try, try again, and these two growth communities have paired up to bring ambitious teams a series of events dedicated to sharing the lessons founders learned before they made it. As a concept, Failure Friday takes inspiration from Digital Brighton who previously ran 'Church of Fail' for creatives, so it goes to show the idea is still a great one and with 'failing fast and often' being a collective mantra of many successful growth stories, you could argue it's even more relevant to the technology ecosystem.

The sharing of stories is as valuable now as it ever has been, with Antler's Associate Director Darren Murphy praising the concept as "...a space to share, and talk about the things they messed up and the lessons they learned along the way". People in all walks of life love to present you their highlights and downplay the dark times, but Failure Friday sees successful founders and C-levels sharing the mistakes they made along the way in the hope it inspires new founders and change-makers to never give up.

While sharing stories of failure is by no means novel, it remains an incredibly valuable practice for new and experienced entrepreneurs alike. You learn more from falling and getting back up than any other part of your professional life, and Antler are acutely aware of the challenges founders face as a day zero investor. This simple shift of perception from invisible to visible failure is just one of many ways Antler supports new and exciting projects run by exceptional founders.

As Antler combines with Techspace for what both hope will be a long-term series, it is easy to see why the partnership is so complimentary. With Antler bringing the entrepreneurial community teeming with new ideas, and Techspace bringing more established startups and scaleups to the fold. This depth and variety of insight means the stories of failure are captured from both ends of the scaleup journey, providing a great deal of value to those just starting out and a moment of reflection and giving back to those who've been there and done it. A circular, paying-it-forward philosophy that seems to fit the narrative we've come to expect from the close-knit nature of the technology scene.

Although hosted initially at Techspace's Shoreditch location, The Loading Bay, this is very much the embryonic stages of the partnership but with Antler's prolific European presence and Techspace's thriving community in Berlin, there's certainly potential for the series to expand into Europe.

For a taste of what Failure Friday can offer, you can watch the VOD of our first session below. Where we were lucky enough to be joined by Charles Armitage, CEO of HealthTech startup Florence and Lara Stallbaum, Co-Founder and CPO at ecommerce video pioneers Twirl, who entertained and informed the crowd with tales of their own early failures.

Of course, if you're an Antler or Techspace member (or alumni) make sure you don't miss the next event on 24 February. Or tune in on YouTube for the recordings.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2014488/Failure_Friday.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2014489/Techspace_x_Antler.jpg

SOURCE Techspace
VANCOUVER, BC, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Wondershare continues to celebrate #BlackHistoryMonth by launching the "Share the Spotlight" Campaign, which aims to highlight Black creators, elevate Black talent, and raise funds for the Black creative community.

Wondershare Filmora #ShareTheSpotlight

Between March 6th and May 30th, Wondershare invites creators to make a short video that features talented Black creatives. Be it a community member, an artist, a designer, a local business owner, a filmmaker of any stripe, an influencer or anyone who comes to mind when you think of Black talent, Wondershare wants to shine a spotlight on these stories so that the world can see them.

To help creators participate in the campaign, Wondershare Filmora is also offering a variety of downloadable effects packs such as a broadcast effect, a stage-light effect, an interview effect and many more effects packs that will help creators stylize their content.

To participate, Wondershare is asking all creators to make a 1-3 minute video that features Black talent, share it on social media, and include the tag @wondershare and the hashtag #ShareTheSpotlight. For each video that is entered, Wondershare will add $50 to their Black Creator Fund which directly supports the Black creative community.

"Black History Month provides Wondershare an important opportunity to reflect, act, and raise funds for the Black creative community," said Shearer Wang, the head of Product Marketing at Wondershare. "For years, we have aimed toward a more equitable future for the Wondershare Filmora community. We are thrilled to see the continued contributions of Black creators in our community. While Black History Month is over, this campaign empowers video creators to continue to shine a spotlight on Black creatives in order to highlight their talents to the world and raise funding for future generations. "

About Filmora 12

Filmora 12 has been designed with the user in mind. It features smoother performance, a new and more intuitive UX and UI design, and advanced AI functions. With these new features and over 2,000 media resources, new royalty-free music, 3D LUTs, effects, and preset templates, you'll have everything you need to perfect your videos without sacrificing your creative vision.

Compatibility and Price

Wondershare Filmora 12 is compatible with Windows PC, Mac, Android Phone, iPhone, iPad, and Android Tablet. Pricing starts at $49.99 per year.

The latest version of the software is now available for use, and you can try Filmora 12 for free by visiting filmora.wondershare.com/

About Wondershare

Wondershare is a world-renowned software company dedicated to providing innovative solutions for both personal and business use. As a market leader in creativity and productivity products, Wondershare has been recognized with awards from The Shorty Awards and G2 Crowd. With over 100 million users in 150 countries, Wondershare's mission is to help our users pursue their passions and build a more creative world, together.

Global PR and Media Contacts

Iris Liu

Wondershare

irisl@wondershare.com

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2015963/PR_release_image.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1623993/Logo.jpg

SOURCE Wondershare
ORLANDO, Fla., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Angebilt Building at 37 North Orange, a local landmark in downtown Orlando, celebrates a historic milestone on its 100th anniversary on March 14th.

Once the tallest building in Orlando, the Angebilt was home to the city's finest hotel when it opened its doors in 1923. For over a century, it has stood tall, witnessing the city's transformation. Today, the building is owned by Expansive a leading provider of flexible workspace for professionals from across greater Orlando.

Expansive Workspace's Angebilt Building celebrates its 100th anniversary this month.

In honor of its storied history, the City of Orlando will unveil a plaque at the Angebilt Building commemorating The Rosalind Club, a trailblazing social club for women in the city. Founded in 1915 on the current Angebilt site, its members formed the state's first suffrage league, and led by Rev. Mary Safford, helped pave the way for gender equality across Florida. The unveiling will fittingly take place on March 7th, the eve of International Women's Day, with a ceremony at 11 am at Expansive.

Expansive is proud to help celebrate the Angebilt's legacy and committed to preserving it for future generations. They recently completed a full renovation of the penthouse floor and added new Club Suites , which offer a smart solution to meeting the workspace needs of hybrid teams.

"We are honored to be part of the Angebilt Building's 100th anniversary celebration," noted McKenna Michel, Expansive's Chief Marketing Officer. "As a company committed to creating vibrant, inclusive workspace where people and teams thrive, we are proud to be the current caretakers of this unique property and to commemorate its rich background during Women's History Month. We look forward to building on its tradition by supporting the growth and diversity of the exciting business community we've found here in the heart of downtown Orlando."

As the building celebrates its centennial, it's clear it will continue to be a landmark in downtown Orlando for years to come.

About Expansive

Expansive owns, develops, and operates nearly 4 million square feet of workspace nationwide, many at historic properties like the Angebilt. Because we own our buildings, we have a vested, long-term interest in the communities where we operate and actively work with local partners to drive their success together. Explore our flex suites, private offices, on-demand conference rooms, coworking, and more at expansive.com.

SOURCE Expansive
NAPA, Calif., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The six-event Climate & Wine Symposium is returning for a second time this April, now with a new name, RISE: Resilience, Innovation, Sustainability, Empowerment. This unique Symposium, organized around the six pillars of sustainable winegrowing leadership, first launched in 2022 and was an incredible success, with over 65 speakers and 600 total guests. Throughout Earth Month, RISE is returning with another impressive lineup across the pillars of Energy Efficiency & Savings (Apr 5); Water Efficiency & Savings (Apr 6); Waste Prevention & Supply Chain (Apr 12); Proactive Farming, Soil Health & Biodiversity (Apr 13); Social Justice, Diversity & Inclusion (Apr 19); Climate Action & Regenerative Agriculture (Apr 20).

RISE will launch with a Marquee Address from the world's most influential wine writer, Jancis Robinson, MW. "Most of us feel vaguely impelled to do what we can to save our precious planet but RISE aims to provide real, practical help, which is why I'm thrilled to be supporting it," shares Robinson, editor in chief of JancisRobinson.com. "I initially suggested online participation but the organizers are adamant that personal participation has so much more value. I aim to prove them right." (RISE has purchased carbon offsets for travel.)

Throughout the six events there will be seven Marquee speakers, including Mimi Casteel (Hope Well Wine), Michael Silacci (Opus One Winery), and Maryam Ahmed (Diversity in Wine Leadership Forum). There will also be Living Room Salons with leaders like Kelly Mulville (Paicines Ranch) in a conversation about "The True Value of Regenerative Agriculture," and Esther Mobley (San Francisco Chronicle) and Alexandria Villasenor (Earth Uprising International) discussing the current "State of Sustainability."

"RISE is about taking care of our own community, building vineyard resilience and business longevity. It is also about leveraging our powerful platform to galvanize aspirational change in the wine industry," says Anna Brittain, Executive Director of Napa Green and co-founder of RISE. "Our goal at Napa Green is to set the highest bar for sustainability and climate action globally, and, critically, provide the support and resources to achieve that leadership. RISE is central to this goal."

Elizabeth Vianna, Winemaker and General Manager at Chimney Rock Winery, attended the Symposium events last year. Vianna says, "Every leader should be there for an engaged dialogue and exchange of ideas. This is action-oriented, focusing on the meaningful opportunities that we can take back to our wineries and start getting busy tomorrow."

RISE is organized and hosted by the Napa Green non-profit, with a community planning committee. Learn more and purchase your tickets at www.RISEGreen.org.

Symposium Location: RISE Premier Sponsor Charles Krug Winery | Carriage House | 2800 Main St, St Helena, CA 94574

Thank you to our Exclusive Event Sponsors, who have helped make RISE possible: MCE Clean Energy; Lallemand Plant Care; H&A Barrel Management; Napa Valley Vintners; International Wineries for Climate Action

Contact: Megan Scott

Napa Green

[email protected]

(707) 200-7813

SOURCE Napa Green
LOS ANGELES, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Inc. Magazine today revealed that Advertise Purple is No. 108 on its third annual Inc. 5000 Regionals: Pacific list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing Pacific private companies, based in Alaska, Hawaii, California, Oregon, and Washington. Born of the annual Inc. 5000 franchise, this regional list represents a unique look at the most successful private companies within the Pacific economy generating sustainable growth and jobs.

Advertise Purple, Inc. Rolls the Dice on Affiliate-Only Business Strategy and Wins Big.

According to Advertise Purple's president, Kyle Mitnick, "Being on an Inc. fastest-growing list for six consecutive years is an honor. This regionals list, which we've made all three years since its inception, is a great way to highlight top-producing companies in their respective industries and localized regions. It's no surprise that growth has been challenging in this post-pandemic world, though, as you can see from these lists, businesses that make great decisions are getting it done.

Our business philosophy hasn't changed since day one: provide value for the customer. All of our technical and infrastructural initiatives address this. Thanks to Inc. for the recognition, our clients for the trust, and most importantly to our best-in-class employees."

The companies on this list show a remarkable rate of growth across all industries in the Pacific. Between 2019 and 2021, these private companies had an average growth rate of 559 percent and, in 2021 alone, they added 14,536 jobs and $4.6 billion to the Pacific region's economy. Companies based in the Irvine, Santa Monica, and Venice, California areas had the highest growth rates overall.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Regionals: Pacific, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, metro area, and other criteria, can be found at inc.com/pacific starting February 28, 2023.

"This year's Inc. 5000 Regional winners represent one of the most exceptional and exciting lists of America's off-the-charts growth companies. They're disrupters and job creators, and all delivered an outsize impact on the economy. Remember their names and follow their lead. These are the companies you'll be hearing about for years to come," said Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. magazine.

Advertise Purple has helped over 3,000 brands in 23 verticals generate $3.6B in affiliate revenue, making us the leader in partnership marketing management. Through a combination of experience, exclusive proprietary affiliate partnership technology Purply, and our team of 150+, Advertise Purple provides award-winning affiliate program management for Enterprise, SMB, and international e-commerce brands looking to drive performance-based online customer acquisition.

Contact: Jonathan Moisan, (424) 272-7400

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Regionals

Methodology

The 2023 Inc. 5000 Regionals are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2019 and 2021. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2019. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2021. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2019 is $100,000; the minimum for 2021 is $1 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons.

About Inc. Media

The world's most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent.

The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

SOURCE Advertise Purple
Direct travel between Portland and Vancouver, BC now available

WASHINGTON, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Amtrak, in collaboration with ODOT, WSDOT and other agencies resumes Cascades service between Portland, Ore. and Vancouver, BC on March 6. Today's announcement marks the first time direct service will operate between Portland and stations north of Seattle since 2020. Serving 12 stations along the I-5 corridor in western Washington, customers traveling north can depart Portland at 3:05 p.m.  Seattle at 7 p.m.  for an 11 p.m. arrival in Vancouver, BC. The southbound train leaves Vancouver, BC at 6:35 a.m. for an 11 a.m. stop in Seattle and a 2:55 p.m. Portland arrival.

"With more people now traveling, we are thrilled to double the daily roundtrips between Seattle and Vancouver, BC. By adding staffing and equipment to the region, we can once again offer customers a direct connection between Portland and Canada," said Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner.

Running along the water from British Columbia, through river and mountain vistas in Washington and Oregon, Amtrak Cascades offers views of some of the country's most distinctive cities and spectacular natural attractions.

Amtrak Cascades restarted daily service to Canada, between Seattle and Vancouver, BC, in September 2022. Now fully restored on the popular Pacific Northwest route, Amtrak Cascades offers a cafe car, which features products grown and made in the Pacific Northwest on its Bistro Menu. Travelers also can enjoy large spacious seats with ample leg room, no middle seat and one of the most generous baggage policies in the travel industry, applicable for two personal items and two carry-on bags.

The states of Washington and Oregon jointly sponsor and fund the Amtrak Cascades service.

"WSDOT is pleased to be restoring trains between Portland, Seattle and Vancouver, BC. The resumption of this additional roundtrip marks the first time since the pandemic that passengers can travel on the same train to all stops between these major cities," said Ron Pate, Director of WSDOT's Rail, Freight and Ports Division. "We're looking forward to adding even more Amtrak Cascades trains later this year between Seattle and Portland."

"We're aware of just how ready everyone is for this direct service from Portland to Vancouver, BC to come back," said Karyn Criswell, administrator of the Oregon Department of Transportation's Public Transportation Division. "With our new reduced rates for travel within Oregon on the Cascades, we're excited to see ridership grow throughout the corridor, giving people in the Pacific Northwest an affordable, comfortable and safe option for travel."

"Thanks to all the players who helped us return to full service, including ODOT, WSDOT, BNSF, VIA Rail, Sound Transit, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Canada Border Services Agency and the Congressional Delegation, including the key members who hold leadership positions on our transportation committees  Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA)," said Gardner.

Customers can visit Amtrak.com, AmtrakCascades.com, the Amtrak app, Amtrak ticket desks and kiosks and call 1-800-USA-RAIL for tickets. Travelers departing from Canada can also book their tickets at ViaRail.ca and through 1-888-VIA-RAIL.

The United States and Canadian governments have specific requirements for travel between the two countries. Those who fail to meet these criteria will not be allowed to cross the border.

Reactions:

Senator Murray (D-WA)

"I am thrilled to join Amtrak in announcing that service between Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, BC is resuming. This train line runs along a critical North-South corridor in Washington state, connecting families, communities, and small businesses. Amtrak plays a critical role in getting people where they need to be on time and at a reasonable costthis is great news as we work to keep Washington state moving forward," said Senator Murray (D-WA).

Senator Cantwell (D-WA)

"Finally, Amtrak Cascades service is restored to pre-pandemic levels, providing travelers a convenient transportation option to skip traffic along the I-5 corridor. But this meaningful milestone isn't the final stop. Amtrak has committed to adding two additional trips between Seattle and Portland this fall providing commuters even more travel options."

Senator Wyden (D-OR)

"Restoration of this Cascades rail service between Portland and British Columbia provides a key reconnection for Oregonians to travel free of traffic headaches in the Northwest," Wyden said. "Today's wonderful news from Amtrak about restoring this valued and scenic route shows both the benefits of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's investments in passenger rail and indications of an ongoing recovery from the worst economic impacts of the public health crisis."

Senator Merkley (D-OR)

"Restoring passenger rail in the Pacific Northwest brings economic and recreational benefits to the region by providing additional ways for people to travel from Portland to Vancouver, BC for business or pleasure," said Senator Merkley. "I'll keep working to improve and expand transportation options for residents and visitors to Oregon and the region."

Congressman Larsen (D-WA-02)

"The full restoration of Amtrak Cascades service is great news for the Pacific Northwest," said U.S. Representative Rick Larsen, the lead Democrat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee! "Thanks to bold, long-term investments in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Amtrak is able to renew and support routes like Cascades, Empire Builder and Coast Starlight that connect communities like Edmonds, Everett, Mount Vernon, Stanwood and Bellingham in my district to Vancouver, British Columbia, Seattle, Portland and Eugene. I will continue to push for Congress to fully fund its passenger rail commitments to create more jobs, grow regional economies, reduce congestion and carbon emissions, and build a cleaner, greener, safer and more accessible transportation network."

Congressman Blumenauer (D-OR-03)

"Travel by rail is one of the most enjoyable ways to see the country, with the bonus of skipping the all-but-certain traffic delays," said Congressman Earl Blumenauer. "I proudly voted for an unprecedented investment in passenger rail in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and am hopeful that this will be the first of many instances of stronger rail service. The resumption of a second daily round trip route between Portland and British Columbia is an indicator that travel is bouncing back from the pandemic, and worthy of celebration."

Congresswoman Bonamici (D-OR-01)

"Amtrak's Cascade line is a crucial link between the major metro regions of the Pacific Northwest, and improving transit service is key to advancing equity and addressing the climate crisis," said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. "The resumption of Amtrak's second daily Cascades route to Vancouver, BC will increase mobility in our region, making it easier for more people to get where they need to go. I am grateful for Amtrak's work to restore this service."

Congresswoman Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR-05)

"Whether traveling for tourism or business, this route runs right through a thriving economic corridor that helps connect Oregonians to important industries and destinations up north. I'm glad to see regular service between Portland and Canada resume," said Chavez-DeRemer.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler

"I welcome and celebrate the restarting of the Portland to Vancouver, BC train as an inter-city rail connection that transports visitors and business travelers between our two communities and makes our broader region more sustainable and competitive. I appreciate Amtrak for restarting this service and look forward to future opportunities to connect Portland with other communities throughout our region."

About Amtrak

For more than 50 years, Amtrak has connected America and modernized train travel. Offering a safe, environmentally efficient way to reach more than 500 destinations across 46 states and parts of Canada, Amtrak provides travelers with an experience that sets a new standard. Book travel, check train status, access your eTicket and more through the Amtrak app . Learn more at Amtrak.com and connect with us on Twitter , Instagram , Facebook and LinkedIn .

CONTACT:

Amtrak Media Relations

Kelly Just

206-467-5166

[email protected]

SOURCE Amtrak
Built Across a 2 Acre Multi-Level Venue, TRANSFIX Features A Staggering Collection of Over 50 Mind-Bending, Interactive Installations by the World's Most Innovative Artists

**Image assets available for use here **

LAS VEGAS, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- TRANSFIX, the world's largest touring immersive art experience, is pleased to announce its inaugural edition, launching this April on the Las Vegas Strip at Resorts World Las Vegas. TRANSFIX will present over 50 interactive, kinetic, illuminated, and fire-breathing artworks by international artists across a 200,000 square-foot multi-level venue. TRANSFIX will open to the public on April 21, 2023, and will run through Fall 2023. Following its Las Vegas residency, TRANSFIX will roll out globally, with plans to tour across major US cities and abroad.

TRANSFIX presents over 50 monumental installations by the most innovative artists of today. Tweet this Christopher Bauder & KiNK / AXION. Photo by Ralph Larmann. Courtesy the artist and TRANSFIX.

Designed to be an experience unlike any other, participants are invited to embark on their own 90-120 minute journey through a two-acre labyrinth. The venue, which is located on the north end of the Las Vegas Strip, includes 10 artist-designed bars and speakeasies, and provides a thrilling environment for guests to have a unique night out on the town. Tickets will go on sale March 15, 2023, and begin at $59.

Artworks range from monolithic, shapeshifting kinetics, mesmerizing tunnels, and mind-melting video installations to large-scale fire-breathing sculptures, ocular and sonic landscapes, and hidden lounges and speakeasies. Participating artists include Christopher Bauder & KiNK , Marco Cochrane, Foldhaus Collective, Kate Raudenbush, Christopher Schardt, Playmodes, HOTTEA, Kevin Clark, and many more.

"We are thrilled to be partnering with TRANSFIX and for the opportunity to bring such a unique offering to our guests," said Scott Sibella, President of Resorts World Las Vegas. "This experience will truly elevate and redefine the immersive experience approach, and we cannot wait to welcome our guests and visitors alike to this never-before-seen attraction."

Through a myriad of live experiences encompassing art, light, sound, and video works alongside music, food, beverage, and retail offerings, TRANSFIX aims to build future art experiences that foster a global creative economy, form a strong community, and support innovative art and artists of all backgrounds, while encouraging participation and inspiring personal creative discovery. TRANSFIX is co-founded by experiential entrepreneurs Michael Blatter and Tom Stinchfield.

"Our aim is to elevate and redefine 'immersive.' We believe that interacting with art at this large of a scale can change the world by illuminating one mind at a time. If we can inspire even a fraction of our guests to restore their childlike wonder and curiosityor explore their own personal creativity and expressionwe've done our jobs well," said Tom Stinchfield, TRANSFIX Co-Founder and CRO.

"Over the past two years, we've carefully built out the TRANSFIX business model by placing artists at the forefront of what we do. Our goal is to change the way that artists receive recognition and compensation for their work. We founded TRANSFIX to create a platform that funds artists of all backgrounds to develop new large-scale artworks that would have never been realized otherwise, and we're thrilled to present it with the world," added Michael Blatter, TRANSFIX Co-Founder and CEO.

ABOUT TRANSFIX

TRANSFIX is the world's largest immersive art experience, presenting over 50 monumental installations by the most innovative artists of today. Launching April 2023 at Resorts World in Las Vegas, TRANSFIX features a labyrinth of art, light, sound, and video works across a 200,000 square-foot multi-level venue, inviting participants to embark on their own adventure. Co-founded by Michael Blatter and Tom Stinchfield, TRANSFIX aims to build future art experiences that foster a global creative economy, build a strong community, and support innovative art and artists of all backgrounds, while encouraging participation and inspiring personal creative discovery.

CONTACT:

[email protected]

SOURCE TRANSFIX
ATLANTA, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Artivion, Inc. (NYSE: AORT), a leading cardiac and vascular surgery company focused on aortic disease, today announced that it will participate virtually at the upcoming Oppenheimer 33rd Annual Healthcare Conference. The Company's virtual fireside chat is scheduled to begin at 3:20 p.m. ET on March 14, 2023.

A live webcast of the virtual fireside chat will be accessible through Artivion's website, www.artivion.com, on the Investors page. An archived copy of the webcast will be available for 90 days on the same website.

About Artivion, Inc.

Headquartered in suburban Atlanta, Georgia, Artivion, Inc. is a medical device company focused on developing simple, elegant solutions that address cardiac and vascular surgeons' most difficult challenges in treating patients with aortic diseases. Artivion's four major groups of products include: aortic stents and stent grafts, surgical sealants, On-X mechanical heart valves, and implantable cardiac and vascular human tissues. Artivion markets and sells products in more than 100 countries worldwide. For additional information about Artivion, visit our website, www.artivion.com.

Contacts:





Artivion D. Ashley Lee Executive Vice President and Chief Financial

Officer Phone: 770-419-3355 Gilmartin Group LLC Brian Johnston / Lynn Lewis Phone: 332-895-3222 [email protected]

SOURCE Artivion, Inc.
NYC event, uniting chefs Franklin Becker, Daniel Boulud, Charlie Palmer & more, will honor The New England Center for Children and help fund autism services

NEW YORK, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Autism Speaks annual Celebrity Chef Gala will welcome notable chefs, philanthropists and advocates to celebrate the autism community and help fuel Autism Speaks' mission to create a more inclusive world for all autistic people. The event returns to Cipriani Wall Street in New York on April 4, with celebrity chefs, including Daniel Boulud, Charlie Palmer, Ralph Scamardella and more, plating custom creations for attendees.

"The Autism Speaks Celebrity Chef Gala is an event to thrill the senses, and change the future for people with autism," said Keith Wargo, President & CEO of Autism Speaks. "We are excited to come together over culinary masterpieces to support autistic individuals in achieving their dreams, and to create more opportunities for them at every stage of their lives in joining forces with pioneering organizations, like The New England Center for Children."

Event Co-Chairs Curtis Arledge and Jennifer Seidel join Culinary Chair Chef Franklin Becker to create an unforgettable four-course dining experience, while honoring The New England Center for Children (NECC), a nonprofit dedicated to creating a network of educators, researchers and programs that help those with autism live fuller lives, as the event's honoree.

"It is an honor to be recognized for our contributions to the autism community," said L. Vincent Strully, Jr., Founder, President & CEO of NECC. "We have transformed so many lives during our 48-year history in collaboration with partners like Autism Speaks. Together, we are proud to continue promoting a deeper understanding of autism through educational services and applied research."

The event will benefit Autism Speaks and NECC, funding grants, research & innovation, advocacy, and partnerships that improve the quality of life and well-being of individuals with autism.

More on sponsorship opportunities can be found here.

About Autism Speaks

Autism Speaks is dedicated to promoting solutions, across the spectrum and throughout the life span, for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. We do this through advocacy and support; increasing understanding and acceptance of people with autism spectrum disorder; and advancing research into causes and better interventions for autism spectrum disorder and related conditions. To find resources, join an event or make a donation, go to AutismSpeaks.org.

About The New England Center for Children

The New England Center for Children (NECC) is an award-winning autism education center and research institute, with headquarters in Southborough, Massachusetts and Abu Dhabi, UAE. Our community of teachers, researchers, and clinicians provides comprehensive services including day and residential programs, partner classrooms in public schools, consulting services, a patented curriculum software system and more. Learn more at www.necc.org .

SOURCE Autism Speaks
WASHINGTON, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Avison Young announced today the closing of 140,000 square feet (SF) in lease transactions at 1300 Eye Street NW in Washington, DC over the last 18 months. The 485,000-SF historic building, commonly referred to as Franklin Square, recently underwent a stunning renovation to transform it into an iconic trophy office building.

Recognized as retrofit's 2021 "Metamorphosis of the Year," Franklin Square's renovation was led by global investment managers Nuveen Real Estate and Norges Bank Investment Management, co-owners of the building.

Commonly referred to as Franklin Square, 1300 Eye Street NW in Washington, DC recently underwent a stunning transformation. The renovations feature a monumental stairway leading from the expansive lobby to an imaginative concourse outfitted with a variety of hospitality-centric amenities. Over the past 18 months, the building's co-owners and their leasing partner Avison Young have executed five new leases totaling 112,000 square feet, and two lease renewals totaling 28,000 square feet. Franklin Square's renovation was led by global investment managers Nuveen Real Estate and Norges Bank Investment Management, co-owners of the building. New additions to the building's three-story grand lobby include contemporary lighting and glass, soft-seating collaboration areas, new modern artwork, an in-lobby barista-operated cafe and lounge, additional modern security measures and new elevator cabs and elevator mechanical systems. Learn more at www.franklinsqdc.com.

Since the renovations delivered in early 2021, Nuveen and leasing partner Avison Young have executed five new leases totaling 112,000 SF, and two lease renewals totaling 28,000 SF. New tenants include the Conference of State Bank Supervisors, the Bank Policy Institute, Greenpeace, TIAA-CREF, and DAV (Disabled American Veterans), with lease renewals from the American Public Transportation Association and the American Water Works Association.

The Avison Young leasing team, led by Principals Will Stern and Eli Barnes, Senior Vice President Lauryn Harris and Senior Associate Alston Offutt, has represented Franklin Square for over 15 years. With the new leases, the building is now 95 percent leased.

"We are pleased to welcome these new tenants and continue the partnerships with existing tenants at Franklin Square," Stern said. "With a renovation that both honors and enhances an iconic piece of history, Franklin Square combines the charm of years past with the best of today's workplace technologies and amenities."

Franklin Square is prominently situated on the south side of Franklin Square Park, which recently received a $21 million renovation that features a new restaurant pavilion, children's play area, seating, lighting and pathways.

Thanks to its floor-to-ceiling windows, Franklin Square offers sweeping views of the park's transformation throughout the north side of the building.

"With the phenomenal renovations of both the building and the park, Franklin Square has caught the attention of numerous tenants across the DC region," Harris said.

Originally designed by architect Philip B. Johnson, the building's modernization embraced the sustainable practice of adaptive re-use. The addition of a new three-story glass entrance fronting Franklin Square Park brought the building's bronze-clad grates and medallions to the building's concourse level, where they became the perfect accent for the building's conference facility and breakout rooms.

"Franklin Square has enhanced its focus on hospitality, flexibility, sustainability and convenience to bring its tenants and their guests back into the office," Barnes said. "The results are extraordinary."

More information and a short video about the building can be found at www.franklinsqdc.com.

ABOUT AVISON YOUNG

Avison Young creates real economic, social and environmental value as a global real estate advisor, powered by people. As a private company, our clients collaborate with an empowered partner who is invested in their success. Our integrated talent realizes the full potential of real estate by using global intelligence platforms that provide clients with insights and advantage. Together, we can create healthy, productive workplaces for employees, cities that are centers for prosperity for their citizens, and built spaces and places that create a net benefit to the economy, the environment and the community.

Avison Young is a 2022 winner of the Canada's Best Managed Companies Platinum Club designation, having retained its Best Managed designation for 11 consecutive years.

For more information:

SOURCE Avison Young
The firm receives high recognition globally for employee quality of life and diversity efforts

BOSTON, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Bain & Company today announced that the firm has received the number one spot each of Vault's 2023 consulting rankings in North America, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia-Pacific (APAC). The firm also ranked highly and was lauded for its commitment to employee quality of life and diversity efforts earning high rankings in those individual categories in its respective regions.

"We're truly honored by this recognition, especially since it is based on direct feedback from our people about the impact of our client work, our culture of close teaming and mentorship, the ability to create a meaningful career path, and more," said Manny Maceda, Bain & Company's worldwide managing partner. "I'm grateful to our global team for the passion, creativity and dedication that they bring every day, making Bain such a special place to work."

With unparalleled expertise and reputation, Bain provides an environment committed to employee growth and advancement. Employees unanimously cite their collaborative teams, the firm's commitment to work/life balance and professional development among the many drivers of firm culture and success. Bain consultants have stated that the transparency at Bain allows them to understand every step of their respective career growth and what it takes to succeed and contribute to the meaningful work that the firm does. Bain's diversity initiatives have been praised internally as receptive and ambitious, with significant acknowledgement around its diversity recruiting efforts.

"We couldn't be more thrilled to earn this recognition from Vault. Our people make our firm what it is, and we will always ensure that Bain remains a company that is supportive, inclusive, and committed to their growth," said Kara Gruver, Bain & Company's chief talent officer. "We're proud of the culture we've built at Bain and these rankings from Vault reaffirms our values, goals and commitment to all of our stakeholders."

Bain & Company has earned recognition around the world as a great place to work. The firm ranked as the top consulting firm on Glassdoor's list of 100 Best Places to Work, ranking #1 in the UK and #3 among large U.S. companies. It is currently the only company in North America to earn a number one ranking on five separate occasions, and the firm has consistently ranked in the top four since Glassdoor founded the list in 2008. Bain & Company was named as one of Fortune's "100 Best Companies to Work For" and Fortune's "Best Workplaces for Women" in 2022. Additionally, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation recognized Bain as one of the "Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality" in 2022, with the firm earning a perfect score on the organization's annual Corporate Equality Index (CEI) for 16 consecutive years.

Vault's rankings in North America, EMEA and APAC are based on each regions' annual Management and Strategy Consulting Survey. Consulting professionals of all levels assessed their peer consulting firms on a scale of 1 to 10 based on prestige. Respondents were unable to rate their own employers and rated only firms with which they were familiar. Consultants also rated their own firm's quality of life in such categories as firm culture, among others. For the purpose of the Vault rankings, a weighted formula was used to combine findings from both prestige and quality of life rankings to create one "Best to Work For" category.

Editor's Note: For more information or interview requests please contact:

Dan Pinkney (Americas)  tel. +1 646 562 8102, email: [email protected]

Gary Duncan (London)  tel. +44 7788 163791, email: [email protected]

Ann Lee (APAC)  tel. +65 6228 2960, email: [email protected]

About Bain & Company

Bain & Company is a global consultancy that helps the world's most ambitious change makers define the future.

Across 64 cities in 39 countries, we work alongside our clients as one team with a shared ambition to achieve extraordinary results, outperform the competition, and redefine industries. We complement our tailored, integrated expertise with a vibrant ecosystem of digital innovators to deliver better, faster, and more enduring outcomes. Our 10-year commitment to invest more than $1 billion in pro bono services brings our talent, expertise, and insight to organizations tackling today's urgent challenges in education, racial equity, social justice, economic development, and the environment. Since our founding in 1973, we have measured our success by the success of our clients, and we proudly maintain the highest level of client advocacy in the industry.

SOURCE Bain & Company
OAK BROOK, Ill., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Card Integrity, a leading provider of spend management solutions, is pleased to announce the launch of a new feature that will revolutionize how businesses view their spending habits. The innovative feature, available on customer reports as of March 1, 2023, identifies cardholders who are following company policies and doing the right thing regarding spending. This level of engagement will drive a positive culture by making a top list of positive spenders instead of only focusing on fraud.

The new feature gives businesses a unique tool to encourage positive spending habits among their cardholders. Companies can easily track the spending habits of individual cardholders and name those who consistently make positive choices. By highlighting the cardholders who follow policy, companies can create a culture that values these attributes and encourages others to follow suit. Additionally, this new feature is fully customizable and will even allow businesses to emphasize characteristics of vendors, such as sustainability, proximity or minority-owned.

"Creating a positive expense culture will expand compliance and positive behavior," said Doug Hindsley, Senior Partner of Card Integrity. "Card Integrity's focus on who did what right fosters program growth while still getting the point across that experts are reviewing expenses, and everyone must follow policy. This approach also repaints the reviewing team from one of a detracting agent to a supportive one. Focusing on employees with positive usage enhances control visibility and increases employee morale and retention."

Card Integrity's new feature is just one of the company's many solutions to help businesses monitor their cardholder spend. With a focus on strengthening spend controls and increasing cost savings, Card Integrity empowers businesses to spend wisely.

About Card Integrity

Headquartered in the Chicago area, Card Integrity brings greater insight, transparency, and flexibility to the expense review process while serving its government, healthcare, higher education, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, retail and transportation clients. Expense monitoring and reporting by Card Integrity offers customers easy access to hundreds of alerts to identify fraud, track compliance and streamline notifications. Leading organizations rely on Card Integrity services for stronger controls, greater insights and smarter spend.

To learn more about Card Integrity's solutions, visit the Card Integrity website at www.cardintegrity.com.

Media Contact:

Anita Hindsley

630-501-1507

[email protected]

SOURCE Card Integrity
LAS VEGAS, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jim Umpleby is expected to participate in a fireside chat, hosted by Jerry Revich from Goldman Sachs, at CONEXPO on Tuesday, March 14, 2023. Mr. Umpleby is scheduled to speak beginning at approximately 9:30 a.m. PT.

Institutional investors and analysts attending CONEXPO may view the event live at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the Central Hall in room N112. The event is expected to be webcast in real-time and available to the public at https://video.ibm.com/embed/24917230.

Listeners should go to the investor relations website at least 30 minutes before the live event to register and to download and install any necessary audio software. The webcast will be available for replay for up to 90 days. A transcript is anticipated to be posted afterward on Caterpillar's investor relations website, https://investors.caterpillar.com/events-presentations/default.aspx.

About Caterpillar:

With 2022 sales and revenues of $59.4 billion, Caterpillar Inc. is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. For nearly 100 years, we've been helping customers build a better, more sustainable world and are committed and contributing to a reduced-carbon future. Our innovative products and services, backed by our global dealer network, provide exceptional value that helps customers succeed. Caterpillar does business on every continent, principally operating through three primary segments  Construction Industries, Resource Industries and Energy & Transportation  and providing financing and related services through our Financial Products segment. Visit us at caterpillar.com or join the conversation on our social media channels at caterpillar.com/en/news/social-media.html.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release relate to future events and expectations and are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "believe," "estimate," "will be," "will," "would," "expect," "anticipate," "plan," "forecast," "target," "guide," "project," "intend," "could," "should" or other similar words or expressions often identify forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding our outlook, projections, forecasts or trend descriptions. These statements do not guarantee future performance and speak only as of the date they are made, and we do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements. Caterpillar's actual results may differ materially from those described or implied in our forward-looking statements based on a number of factors, including, but not limited to: (i) global and regional economic conditions and economic conditions in the industries we serve; (ii) commodity price changes, material price increases, fluctuations in demand for our products or significant shortages of material; (iii) government monetary or fiscal policies; (iv) political and economic risks, commercial instability and events beyond our control in the countries in which we operate; (v) international trade policies and their impact on demand for our products and our competitive position, including the imposition of new tariffs or changes in existing tariff rates; (vi) our ability to develop, produce and market quality products that meet our customers' needs; (vii) the impact of the highly competitive environment in which we operate on our sales and pricing; (viii) information technology security threats and computer crime; (ix) inventory management decisions and sourcing practices of our dealers and our OEM customers; (x) a failure to realize, or a delay in realizing, all of the anticipated benefits of our acquisitions, joint ventures or divestitures; (xi) union disputes or other employee relations issues; (xii) adverse effects of unexpected events; (xiii) disruptions or volatility in global financial markets limiting our sources of liquidity or the liquidity of our customers, dealers and suppliers; (xiv) failure to maintain our credit ratings and potential resulting increases to our cost of borrowing and adverse effects on our cost of funds, liquidity, competitive position and access to capital markets; (xv) our Financial Products segment's risks associated with the financial services industry; (xvi) changes in interest rates or market liquidity conditions; (xvii) an increase in delinquencies, repossessions or net losses of Cat Financial's customers; (xviii) currency fluctuations; (xix) our or Cat Financial's compliance with financial and other restrictive covenants in debt agreements; (xx) increased pension plan funding obligations; (xxi) alleged or actual violations of trade or anti-corruption laws and regulations; (xxii) additional tax expense or exposure, including the impact of U.S. tax reform; (xxiii) significant legal proceedings, claims, lawsuits or government investigations; (xxiv) new regulations or changes in financial services regulations; (xxv) compliance with environmental laws and regulations; (xxvi) the duration and geographic spread of, business disruptions caused by, and the overall global economic impact of, the COVID-19 pandemic; and (xxvii) other factors described in more detail in Caterpillar's Forms 10-Q, 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE Caterpillar Inc.
LAKELAND, Fla., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Barney Barnett School of Business & Free Enterprise has earned a place on another prestigious list.

The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) has named the Center for Free Enterprise & Entrepreneurship at Florida Southern College an Oases of Excellence. Florida Southern joins 80 elite institutions from across the U.S. and is one of only three schools in Florida included in its Oases of Excellence Network (OEN).

Florida Southern joins the American Council of Trustees and Alumni's Oases of Excellence Network. Tweet this Center for Free Enterprise Director Justin Heacock

"At a time when higher education too often forces students to limit their efforts in narrow preparation for landing the first job, the Center for Free Enterprise & Entrepreneurship readies students for a meaningful role in the dynamic economy of the 21st century," said Michael Poliakoff, the president of ACTA. "The Center equips students to transform inspiration into action and to do so with a goal of serving their nation and local community with vision, high purpose, and creativity. In recognition of its invaluable work, ACTA is proud to work of the Center for Free Enterprise & Entrepreneurship as a part of our Oases of Excellence network."

Directed by Justin Heacock, the Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Florida Southern, the Center for Free Enterprise & Entrepreneurship aims to instill an entrepreneurial mindset and reinforce free enterprise principles for Florida Southern College and the surrounding community. The Center offers academic programming as well as experiential opportunities to enrich a student's education. Students can receive start-up money and mentorship to develop innovative ideas into viable businesses. The Center strives to transform students into innovative leaders that can be effective in new or existing organizations.

"The affiliation with ACTA is important because they amplify the story we are trying to tell here at the CFEE about our exceptional students," Heacock said. "We hope this partnership leads to more connections and resources to grow our experiential student impact as an Oases of Excellence School."Launched in 1995, ACTA is an independent, nonprofit organization promoting academic excellence, freedom, and accountability at America's colleges and universities. The organization works with alumni, donors, trustees, and education leaders across the United States to support liberal arts education, uphold high academic standards, safeguard the free exchange of ideas on campus, and ensure that the next generation receives an intellectually rich, high-quality college education at an affordable price.

"ACTA connects students, alumni, and others who care deeply about educating the next generation of leaders, while maintaining the highest academic standards on college campuses across the nation," ACTA's Department of Entrepreneurship chair, Tim Holcomb, said. "We are particularly pleased with this recognition of our efforts to prepare tomorrow's entrepreneurial leaders and motivate them to innovate, create value, and elevate their impact on society."

The Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise was recently named No. 1 in "Teaching Quality" by Poets&Quants and continues to be included in The Princeton Review's list of the nation's Best Business Schools. The School's Online MBA program was also recently lauded by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top programs in the nation. Florida Southern was recognized because of the Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise's focus on career-relevant courses with a broad set of multidisciplinary perspectives and student opportunities for real-world experience through industry internships and other forms of professional engagement.

About Florida Southern College

Founded in 1883, Florida Southern College is the oldest private college in the state. The College maintains its commitment to academic excellence through 70+ undergraduate programs and distinctive graduate programs in business administration, education, nursing, and physical therapy. Florida Southern has a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio, is an award-winning national leader in engaged learning, and boasts 30 NCAA Division II National Championships. Florida Southern is ranked at #8 among the "Best Regional Universities in the South" by U.S. News & World Report in its 2022 "Best Colleges" guide and is included in The Princeton Review's 2023 Best 388 Colleges guide and the "Fiske Guide to Colleges 2023." The 2022-2023 Colleges of Distinction guidebook praises Florida Southern's AACSB accredited Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise alongside the College's School of Education and its Ann Blanton Edwards School of Nursing and Health Sciences. Poets&Quants, U.S. News & World Report, Fortune, and The Princeton Review further laud the Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise and the Ann Blanton Edwards School of Nursing and Health Sciences as foremost programs in the nation for business and nursing education. Home to the world's largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, FSC has appeared on The Princeton Review's top 20 "Most Beautiful Campus" national listing for 13 consecutive years. Connect with Florida Southern College.

SOURCE Florida Southern College
BEIJING, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- When meeting the press on Sunday morning, Shan Zenghai, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) and chief engineer of Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group, announced that his company, a construction giant of the country, now has lifted cranes to new heights.

Rising above obscurity in the sector of manufacturing, the group now boasts full proprietary intellectual property rights for all key components of its all-terrain cranes, injecting fresh impetus into China's high-quality development, Shan said.

Hours later in the afternoon, the NPC deputy from the delegation of east China's Jiangsu Province welcomed an important fellow deputy  President Xi Jinping  to their deliberations at the first session of the 14th NPC after the nation's top legislature started its annual session in Beijing.

During the group discussion, Xi underscored the importance of pursuing high-quality development, calling it the "first and foremost" task in China's modernization endeavor.

Quality matters

China aims to achieve a faster economic growth of around 5 percent with better quality of development in 2023, as the world's second-largest economy gathers pace to build up a recovery momentum and push ahead with its modernization drive.

As one of the engines driving China's economic growth, Jiangsu has become a front-runner in the country's modernization efforts. In 2022, Jiangsu's GDP reached 12.28 trillion yuan ($1.77 trillion), a 2.8-percent increase over the previous year, and its economic output accounted for 10.2 percent of the country's total.

During Sunday's discussions, Xi affirmed what Jiangsu has achieved over the past five years, and called on it to continue to lead on the path of high-quality development.

His election in Jiangsu as a deputy to the 14th NPC has been widely interpreted as the great importance the top leadership has attached to the Chinese path to modernization, and to the establishment of a new development pattern, a priority he had stressed during a 2020 inspection tour.

Back then, he urged efforts to apply the new development philosophy and foster a new development pattern to advance high-quality and sustainable economic and social development, not only in the province but also in the rest of the country.

Over the past decade, China's economy has grown by leaps and bounds, with a greener and more efficient economy enabled by a shifted focus to high-quality development. For instance, the country's energy consumption per 10,000 yuan of gross domestic product in 2022 decreased by 0.1 percent from 2021, while CO2 emissions per 10,000 yuan of GDP fell 0.8 percent year on year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

Self-reliance in science and technology

In the pursuit of high-quality development, China is also doubling down on technological innovation as a primary driver of growth.

As early as 2014, in another tour of Jiangsu Province, Xi highlighted the role of innovation in economic development, saying that China must rely on innovation to achieve continuous and healthy economic development.

The president called for close coupling between science and technology and the economy, as well as deep integration among industry, university and research so as to achieve seamless connection between industries and science and technology.

In 2022, China spent a record 3.09 trillion yuan on research and development, a 10.4-percent year-on-year increase that could be credited with the nation's accelerated efforts to enhance its innovation capability for more breakthroughs.

The country should continue to make efforts to build industrial science and technology innovation centers with global influence, said Xi during the deliberations.

He also emphasized that the ultimate goal of promoting high-quality development is to deliver happiness and well-being to the people.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2023-03-05/Xi-attends-deliberation-of-Jiangsu-delegation-at-legislative-session-1hVrhJvVcDm/index.html

SOURCE CGTN
Designed with Creative Director in Residence Nicola Formichetti, the future forward lab in Paris' 11th Arrondissement and Gen Z magazine MINI V immerse consumers in the world of Claire's

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Global brand Claire's is continuing to cement its foothold in fashion and culture with the opening of its new store in Paris, creating a space for consumers to experience the future of the brand. Ushering in a new era of retail, the store was designed in collaboration with Claire's Creative Director in Residence, Nicola Formichetti. Today Claire's will celebrate the store, located on Rue Faubourg St. Antoine, and the launch of MINI V , the newest and youngest edition of the V editorial family, with a fashion week event.

"We want our customers to feel inspired  through our product, our content and our innovative creative partnerships  but most importantly, through the shopping experience itself," said Richard Flint, Claire's President of Europe. "The new Paris store is a portal into our brand world and a glimpse into our future. Full of immersive experiences and innovative touches, we're inviting consumers to have fun, experiment and co-create with Claire's."

The event will also shine a spotlight on MINI V, which launched in December and was developed through Claire's partnership with Nicola Formichetti and V Magazine to bring a youthful lens to photography, fashion, music and culture for the new generation. With the release of its second issue this spring, MINI V will continue to be a nonstop festival of artistry, beauty and inclusivity by exploring today's fashion and pop-culture trends and sparking important conversations around topics like cyberbullying, self-acceptance and political policies through powerful essays penned by Gen Z activists, artists and politicians.

"Gen 'Zalpha' is fearless, authentic and wildly creative in the ways they show up, and our brand is a platform that creates space for them to express all sides of themselves. Through our creation of MINI V, we are championing them in a whole new way and giving a powerful place for their voices to be heard," said Kristin Patrick, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer of Claire's.

"Claire's and I believe in individuality, and together we hope to send the younger generation on an enjoyable and fun journey of self-expression," said Nicola Formichetti. "With the launch of MINI V, we have a unique opportunity to offer young consumers tools to unlock their personal style while also providing a space to explore deeper topics and a powerful platform to share their voices."

The 1,200 square foot Paris store is designed for total brand immersion with experiences and social storytelling at its core. An ear-shaped 'chandel-ear' designed by Formichetti celebrates the brand's #EarPrint campaign, whilst two dedicated ear piercing studios showcase Claire's industry-leading service and a content creation studio invites consumers in to have fun with creativity. The store will serve as a launch pad for exclusive, new products and test lines while hosting a steady rotation of experiential and pop-up events.

The store sets the tone for the brand's future and establishes Claire's foothold as a Gen 'Zalpha' destination for new products and experiences. Follow along @ClairesStores and @MiniVMag on social media.

About Claire's Holdings LLC

Claire's Holdings LLC is a fully integrated, global fashion brand powerhouse committed to inspiring self-expression through the creation and delivery of exclusive, well-curated products and experiences. More information regarding Claire's is available at corporate.claires.com .

MEDIA CONTACT

Sarah Gordon, SHADOW

[email protected]

Nicole Colasanto, SHADOW

[email protected]

SOURCE Claire's
Delta Features CNC Controller NC5 Series Upgrade at TIMTOS 2023

TAIPEI, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta, a world-class provider of power management and industrial automation solutions, has announced its participation in the Taipei International Machine Tool Show 2023 (TIMTOS 2023) with the theme of "Cloud & On-Premises Integration for Sustainable Smart Manufacturing". During the exhibition, Delta is demonstrating exhibits in five topics, including "Manufacturing Operation Visualization", "CNC Industry-Specific Applications", "Smart Manufacturing Integration", "ESG Fulfillment for the Industry", and "Smart Machines". For metal machining, Delta is integrating its upgraded High Performance General CNC Controller NC5 Series and is introducing lathe, milling, wood routing, multi-spindle machinery, and other CNC IIoT solutions. The CNC controller NC5 Series' new features include built-in industry CAD/CAM and energy consumption calculation for machining to enhance productivity and yield rate, and achieve environmental sustainability. With the CNC IIoT architecture, the solutions support MES (Manufacturing Execution System) and visualization platforms to optimize management efficiency for a new era in machining.

Andy Liu, general manager of Delta's Industrial Automation Business Group (IABG), mentioned that smart manufacturing and sustainability are keywords in today's industry and are influencing the progress and direction of transformation and upgrades. As an advocate and practitioner, Delta has simulated its extensive experience in smart manufacturing and has continuously summarized actual needs in the machining scenarios. With our devotion to the CNC field, we have upgraded our CNC controller NC5 Series and developed various CNC IIoT industry-specific solutions that we are showcasing at TIMTOS 2023. Seeing the emerging post-pandemic recovery, we look forward to helping the industry bounce back and create growth with our integrated hardware and software solutions.

Delta's exhibit highlights at TIMTOS 2023 include:

Manufacturing Operation Visualization

Observing pain points in the machining industry resulting from the lack of machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, such as inefficient management and poor data records and traceability, Delta is presenting its Visualization for Metal Machinery Smart Factory during TIMTOS 2023. Including the 3D Visualization Management System and the Scada System VTScada , machining manufacturers can choose based on their applications and production requirements. Either solution can monitor, collect, upload, and analyze machine and machining data. With clear charts, machining manufacturers can quickly find where to improve, assist decision-making, and continuously optimize the process.

CNC Industry-Specific Applications

Delta's CNC controller NC5 Series has received much praise since its debut. Based on its powerful features of machine tool and robot arm controller integration, RTCP 5-axis processing, and more, the NC5 Series now has newly added built-in industry CAD/CAM. The software can automatically identify graphics and generate G Code with one click and it supports tool path simulation which shortens production time and enhances productivity. For the machining manufacturers with requirements to mill multiple parts simultaneously, Delta demonstrates the Multi-Spindle Machinery Solution . This solution can calibrate the tooltip position of each Z axis, and automatically compensate tool wear for high-precision and high-speed machining. Meanwhile, with the integration of the Advanced Multi-Axis AC Servo System ASDA-W3 Series , its common DC bus effectively leverages regenerative energy which helps manufacturers lower carbon emissions and achieve energy savings.



In terms of software, Delta showcases CAD/CAM specifically for the machine tool industry. The software supports standard milling and lathe controller commands and features pattern identification, machining optimization, auto tool selection, interference detection, domain know-how integration, and more. Machining manufacturers can integrate controllers, software functions, and know-how based on different industry machine requirements to enhance machine value and competitiveness.

Smart Manufacturing Integration

Adopting industrial robots for repetitive and dangerous work is the current trend. Seeing the growing demand, Delta has developed a comprehensive product portfolio including SCARA , articulated robots, and the Modular Robot RS-M90E7 combining the advantages of industrial and collaborative robots in terms of performance and friendly operation. In addition to the robots, Delta is showcasing its Smart Screwdriving Solutions for Assembly , providing handheld and integrated robotic arm solutions with the Smart Screwdriving System to complete metal production from machining to assembly.

ESG Fulfillment for the Industry

ESG is no doubt among the current high-awareness topics in the industry. As a pioneer advocating environmental sustainability, Delta continuously devotes innovation and research and development (R&D) to enhancing resource utilization efficiency and product sustainability to respond to global carbon reduction goals. During TIMTOS 2023, Delta is exhibiting its Smart Green Manufacturing Solution and the CNC controller NC5 Series featuring built-in energy management functions, which can generate workpiece carbon footprint reports to facilitate the industry in achieving energy savings and fulfill ESG .

Smart Machines

Delta is joining forces with its partners to demonstrate the smart machining center, lathe machine, 3-axis milling machine, and grinding machine with NC5 Series solutions to showcase the practical applications of its RTCP , multi-axis, and multi-channel functions. In addition, Delta is presenting its Electric Servo Press AM-SAP F Series to provide a precise, accurate, and high-speed press-fitting option to optimize machining precision for complex production.

Besides the exhibits, Delta has also arranged seminars during TIMTOS 2023 to share in-depth and professional insights in the fields of CNC controller NC5 Series integrated applications. This includes software and hardware integration for turning, milling, woodworking, and other multi-axis applications, industry-specific smart CAD/CAM solution, metal machinery 3D smart factory, green boosters for machine tool industry to fulfill ESG, and electric servo press for metal part processing. Two topics are presented every day to assist the machine tool industry in achieving machinery transformation and seizing the opportunities of smart machining.

For more information on Delta's machine tool related products and solutions, please visit the Delta Virtual Expo for TIMTOS 2023: https://www.deltaww.com/event/TIMTOS/.

Delta's Booth at TIMTOS 2023

Dates: March 6  11, 2023

Time: 10:00  18:00

Location: 1F, Hall 2, Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center

Booth Number: Q0824

About Delta Industrial Automation

As a world-class industrial automation brand, we are dedicated to the development of AC motor drives, servo and motion control systems, programmable logic controllers, human machine interfaces, machine vision systems, meters and sensors, industrial control and monitoring software, and industrial robots.

Our industrial automation solutions extend to a broad range of industry applications, including electronics, textiles, food, pharmacy, rubber and plastics, packaging, printing, woodworking, and machine tools. We integrate our automation products, equipment networking, system software, IoT technology, and big data analysis to build innovative and reliable smart, green factory automation solutions for global customers, and to realize our promise of "Digitized Automation for a Changing World".

For more information, please go to:

Delta Electronics: http://www.deltaww.com/

Delta Industrial Automation: http://www.delta.com.tw/product/em/em_main.asp

SOURCE Delta Electronics
Northern Italian firm formerly known as Immobiliare Magri becomes Corcoran Magri Properties

NEW YORK, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Corcoran Group, LLC today announced its continued expansion by welcoming its first European franchise with the launch of Corcoran Magri Properties, owned and led by Maddalena Magri, and based out of Lake Garda, Italy. The announcement, made by Pamela Liebman, President and CEO of The Corcoran Group, is a watershed moment for the fast-growing brand.

Centrally located in Northern Italy, between the major metros of Milan and Venice, Lake Garda is the country's largest lake, known for its enchanting coastal towns, crystal clear waters, and exceptional cuisine. As a prime destination for nearby city dwellers, expatriates, and international vacationers to secure lakeside residences, Lake Garda is an ideal fit for Corcoran's first foray into Europe and continued global expansion.

"As we continue to grow our global footprint and network of exceptional affiliates, I'm thrilled to make our way into the European market, specifically into Italy," said Liebman. "The Magri team has always prided themselves on turning every client's dream of Lake Garda into a reality. Their dedication to client service is exactly what we look for when partnering with affiliates, it perfectly aligns with Corcoran's established culture and core values."

Immobiliare Magri, now Corcoran Magri Properties, was founded in 1987 as a family-run business led by Luigi Magri, whose trustworthy character, sincere business practices, and earnest demeanor made him a renowned agent within the area since the 1950s. From 1993 to today, Luigi's daughter, Maddalena Magri, has led the company's business operations, progressive growth, and overall local influence. In 2000, the company established their current office in Garda, Corso Italia, creating a central meeting place along Lake Garda's east coast for both agents and clients alike.

Maddalena acquired majority control of the company in 2013, and alongside co-owner Francesco Visentin, further developed the organization while protecting the familial values the business is recognized for. Today, Corcoran Magri Properties continues to operate out of their Garda, Corso Italia office and follows the company's long-standing traditions of market expertise, professionalism, and putting client service first.

"We are excited to introduce the Corcoran brand to our business, our clients, and the entire Lake Garda real estate market," said Francesco Visentin, Co-Owner of Corcoran Magri Properties. "Through the elevated marketing, dedicated support, international network, and educational opportunities provided by Corcoran, we are confident that this partnership will take our business to the next level," he added.

In addition to their real estate endeavors, and as an example of their commitment to serving their community, Corcoran Magri Properties has actively donated their time and resources to charitable works, particularly Mission Bambini. Started in 2000, Mission Bambini aids in providing health services, primary education, and emergency support to underprivileged children across Italy, and abroad.

For 50 years, Corcoran has stood for excellence in real estate, following their tagline, "Live Who You Are," by providing a human-first approach to real estate that has made it one of the industry's most luminous brands. Through the company's strong history of sales, Corcoran has become a leader in their company-owned regions of New York City, where the brokerage has been ranked #1 based on residential sales volume for the last several years1, the Hamptons, as well as Miami and Palm Beach in South Florida  some of America's most luxurious markets.

Expanding upon the brand's presence, Corcoran's affiliate network has grown steadily both domestically and abroad, since its launch in February 2020. In 2022 alone, Corcoran welcomed and expanded affiliates in Florida, Georgia, Connecticut, Washington, Tennessee, New Jersey, the Cayman Islands, and Turks & Caicos.

Corcoran Magri Properties will continue to welcome visitors and clients alike to its current office in Garda, Corso Italia, and will officially launch in the coming weeks.

About The Corcoran Group

The Corcoran Group has been a leading residential real estate brand for 50 years. Through its New York City, Hamptons, and South Florida brokerages, along with its rapidly growing affiliate network, the firm is home to more than 170 offices and more than 4,500 independent salespersons in key urban, suburban, and resort markets worldwide. Corcoran agents earn and keep their clients' trust with an unwavering commitment to white-glove service, expertise, and integrity. In every market served, Corcoran helps you find the home that's just right for you. The Corcoran brand comprises both offices owned by a subsidiary of Anywhere Advisors LLC (f/k/a Realogy Brokerage Group LLC) and franchised offices, which are independently owned and operated. For more information about The Corcoran Group, please visit www.corcoran.com.

1 H. Connery & S. Wall, " NYC's top residential brokerages," The Real Deal, Online, Korangy Publishing, 3/2/2023, https://therealdeal.com/magazine/national-march-2023/nycs-top-residential-brokerages/.

SOURCE The Corcoran Group
MAUMEE, Ohio, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Dana Incorporated (NYSE: DAN) announced today that it has accelerated the company's climate commitments with a goal of achieving net zero by 2040. As part of this commitment, Dana is accelerating its plan to reduce Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and plans to achieve a 75 percent reduction by 2030, up from its previously announced goal of 50 percent by 2030.

"Dana is committed to a science-based approach in achieving substantial reductions in our global emissions," said James Kamsickas, Dana chairman and chief executive officer. "The acceleration of these targets is a testament to our team's focus on implementing strategic sustainability initiatives across every level of the organization so that we can ensure we not only deliver innovative solutions to meet our customer's needs, but also do so in the most responsible manner."

Renewable Energy Projects Support Net Zero Target

Reaching these accelerated targets will require Dana to continue implementing projects across each of its facilities to improve efficiency and reduce emissions and energy consumption. It will also include leveraging on-site renewable energy projects and renewable energy purchase agreements to support reductions across the globe.

Last month, Dana completed a renewable power purchase agreement with Enel Green Power for an upcoming solar project in Spain. The agreement, commencing January 2025, will supply Dana with approximately 240,000 megawatt hours per year of renewable energy. This project will offset 100 percent of Dana's emissions from purchased electricity in Europe.

Our previously announced Texas wind facility in Texas became operational in December 2022 and is now generating approximately 300,000 megawatt hours of renewable electricity annually, offsetting 100 percent of Dana's emissions from purchased electricity in the United States and Canada.

Dana also has several on-site renewable energy projects, including an on-site solar array on the campus of its World Headquarters and Technology Center in Maumee, Ohio, USA. Supported by GEM Energy, the project will supply approximately 30 percent of the facility's electricity requirements.

"These projects, coupled with ongoing initiatives across our global operations, help to advance our vision of a zero-emission future," added Doug Liedberg, senior vice president and chief sustainability officer for Dana. "We are excited to be able to accelerate the timeline for meeting our emissions-reduction targets."

Built on a Science-based Approach

Dana is committed to achieving its targets using a science-based approach. Last week, the company announced that the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) has validated the company's previous climate commitments of reducing Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by more than 50 percent and Scope 3 GHG emissions by more than 25 percent before 2030. The company has initiated the validation process for these new targets with SBTi.

Aligned with United Nations Global Compact

In addition to its commitment to science-based targets, Dana has also joined the United Nations Global Compact, which is focused on implementing ten principles that address important action for human rights, labor, the environment, and anti-corruption.

About Dana Incorporated

Dana is a leader in the design and manufacture of highly efficient propulsion and energy-management solutions that power vehicles and machines in all mobility markets across the globe. The company is shaping sustainable progress through its conventional and clean-energy solutions that support nearly every vehicle manufacturer with drive and motion systems; electrodynamic technologies, including software and controls; and thermal, sealing, and digital solutions.

Based in Maumee, Ohio, USA, the company reported sales of $10.2 billion in 2022 with 42,000 people in 31 countries across six continents. Dana, with history dating to 1904, was named one of "America's Most Responsible Companies 2023" by Newsweek for its emphasis on sustainability and social responsibility. The company is driven by a high-performance culture that focuses on valuing others, inspiring innovation, growing responsibly, and winning together, earning it global recognition as a top employer. Learn more at dana.com.

SOURCE Dana Incorporated
GUIYANG, China, March 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A report from Huanqiu.com:

"When I was young, there were but bare mountains around. The wind ravaged the land with sand and the rain took the fertile soil away. The potatoes we grew were only the size of eggs. The well also dried up and we had to walk 20 to 30 minutes to get water," said Wang Xuefang in Haique Village along the banks of Wujiang River, the biggest tributary on the south bank of upper Yangtze River.

Beautiful night view of Wujiang Village Resort. (Courtesy of the Wujiang Village Resort)

Realizing that sound ecological environment is just as important as economic development, the local government has been committed to forestation. The forest coverage rate of Haique Village of southwest China's Guizhou province has improved from 5% to over 77%.

As the largest river of Guizhou, the Wujiang River nourishes many villages like Haique Village. The utilization of water resources of the Wujiang River basin and the protection of water ecology restored the beauty of the Wujiang River and provided the region with rich tourism resources. Down the Wujiang River, places including Wujiang Gallery Scenic Area in Huawu village and Wujiang Village Resort in Zunyi received swarms of tourists in recent years.

On the rippling surface of the Wujiang River, traditional style tourist boats vanish into the distance against the backdrop of green mountains. "At high season of tourism, numerous boats are lined up on the river. It's quite magnificent!" Chang Kailin, First Secretary of Huawu Village of southwest China's Guizhou province, said. Chang added, "In recent years, Guizhou went all out to improve the ecological governance of the Wujiang River. Now that the ecology gets better, tourists are coming in numbers."

Yang Yuyong, a villager who used to earn a living outside Guizhou, had his eye on such potential, and started to run boat tour business in his hometown. "Wujiang River is getting better everyday, and so is our business. We can earn more than RMB 100,000 in just four months. There are more and more young people like me coming home now!"

Wujiang Village Resort started trial operation at the beginning of 2022 and has grown from an obscure place to a tourism attraction receiving over 10,000 people times per day during the 2023 Spring Festival holiday.

Before its completion, the Wujiang Village Resort was home to dilapidated traditional houses. Now, villagers in the neighborhood have all benefited from the development of tourism. "Our family can earn in total around RMB 15,000 every month, which is much more than what we got from farming," said Zhu Tao.

Ecology is origin of developing Wujiang River tourism and thus "co-existence" has become the guiding principle of constructing Wujiang Village Resort. According to He Mingliang, a staffer of Wujiang Village Resort, before 2014, the locals would directly discharge their domestic wastewater into the river nearby. For that, Wujiang Village Resort planned and constructed the sewage treatment plant.

"The water coming out of the sewage treatment plant gets fully utilized through the self-circulation system of Wujiang Village Resort and becomes a part of the landscape. It is also used for irrigation of green plants and crops in the Wujiang Village Resort. The absorption and filtration by the ground surface can improve the overall water quality to nearly Class III, ensuring that neither the lower reaches of the natural ecological channel nor the waters of Wujiang River are polluted, which achieves the harmonious co-existence between human and nature," said He Mingliang.

SOURCE Huanqiu.com
SAN DIEGO, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Denovo Biopharma LLC ("Denovo"), a pioneer in applying precision medicine to the development of innovative therapies, set up a gene registry web portal and invites people who suffer from treatment-resistant depression (TRD) to visit www.iMatchDepression.com to help identify whether they or someone they know may be eligible to participate in a biomarker-guided global Phase 2b clinical trial (the "ENLIGHTEN" study).

Two-thirds of people with depression do not benefit from their first antidepressant treatment, and more than 30% of people fail to adequately respond following multiple treatment attempts. Denovo is trying to address this unmet need with a novel precision medicine approach. Denovo identifies a specific DNA biomarker, called Denovo Genomic Marker 4 (DGM4); people who have this biomarker have increased likelihood of responding to an investigational medication called liafensine. However, it brings an unique challenge to the study enrollment as no more than 20% of the patients carry the DGM4 biomarker. To overcome this difficulty, Denovo has created a novel gene registry platform which allows potential participants to have their DGM4 status tested without leaving their home by simply submitting their saliva sample to a testing lab, at no cost. People with the DGM4 biomarker may be eligible to join the ENLIGHTEN clinical study, but there is no obligation to do so. This may be the first precision medicine based clinical study in the CNS field.

Matthew A. Spear, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Denovo, said, "At www.iMatchDepression.com people can register, obtain a test kit for the DGM4 biomarker, and learn more about joining our innovative biomarker-guided ENLIGHTEN clinical study for TRD. We thank everyone in advance for contributing to this effort to potentially develop a precision medicine for TRD."

For more information on the iMatchDepression registry and the DB104 ENLIGHTEN clinical study, visit www.imatchdepression.com and www.enlightendepressionstudy.com.

About Treatment-Resistant Depression

Major depressive disorder (MDD) afflicts more than 15 million people in the US in any given year. Approximately one-third of people with MDD do not respond adequately to at least two different antidepressants that have been given at adequate doses and duration and are considered to have treatment-resistant depression (TRD). TRD is a chronic condition that places an ongoing emotional, functional, and economic burden on the individual, their loved ones, and society.

About the Phase 2b ENLIGHTEN clinical study

The ENLIGHTEN clinical study assesses the safety and efficacy of liafensine in patients with treatment resistant depression (TRD). Liafensine is a first-in-class triple reuptake inhibitor targeting transporters for dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. Using a unique machine learning technology combined with a whole genome sequencing to identify biomarkers Denovo discovered a novel genetic biomarker that may identify persons who are likely to respond to liafensine. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled global study will enroll approximately 200 patients. The primary outcome measure for this study is the change in the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) total score in patients with or without the proprietary DGM4 biomarker. This TRD study has received Phase 2b permission from regulatory agencies in the US, Canada, and China.

About DB104 (Liafensine)

DB104 is a first-in-class triple reuptake inhibitor targeting reuptake transporters for dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. It was licensed from Albany Molecular Research, Inc. following its return from Bristol-Myers Squibb, who had conducted two large phase 2b clinical trials in TRD. To date more than 1700 subjects have been treated with DB104.

About Denovo Biopharma

Denovo Biopharma LLC is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that uses novel biomarker approaches to execute efficient, patient-targeted clinical trials to optimize the probability of trial success. Denovo has 8 late clinical stage drugs in its pipeline. These address major unmet medical needs in oncology and CNS diseases, most of which are first-in-class drugs with global rights. It has two biomarker-guided late-stage ongoing trials -- a Phase 3 trial in glioblastoma (GBM) for its DB102 asset and a Phase 2b trial for its DB104 asset. For additional information, please visit www.denovobiopharma.com.

Contact:

For questions or more information about the www.iMatchDepression.com website please visit it or email [email protected].

Michael F. Haller, Ph.D., Chief Business Officer

Denovo Biopharma LLC

[email protected]

SOURCE Denovo Biopharma LLC
SAN ANTONIO, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Anton Jorgensen, MD and Ortho San Antonio announced today the first cases in the BalancedBack Total Joint Replacement pivotal clinical trial using the breakthrough 3Spine MOTUS device, as an alternative to lumbar spinal fusion surgery. Dr. Jorgensen completed the surgeries at the Foundation Surgical Hospital of San Antonio.

Open 3Spine MOTUS device (PRNewsfoto/3Spine) Anton Jorgensen, MD headshot Ortho San Antonio Logo

3Spine's lumbar total joint replacement procedure and MOTUS device is a 'first-of-kind' technology replacing the function of the disc and facet joints through a posterior approach. The procedure is intended to broadly address leg pain, back pain, and spinal instability, while correcting posture and allowing movement. Much like a hip or knee total joint replacement, the procedure treats degenerative disease through reconstruction of the functional spinal unit.

"As a community, we must acknowledge the challenges associated with spinal fusion surgery," said Dr. Jorgensen. "We are leading the way to find new and innovative solutions to improve patient care. I am very proud to be the first surgeon in Texas to participate in this important clinical trial. This is something new I had to learn and practice, but I am convinced that MOTUS has the potential to fundamentally change the way I treat degenerative lumbar disease."

"We were thrilled to be selected as the only site in Texas to participate in this groundbreaking clinical trial," said Laura Sittler, CEO of Foundation Surgical Hospital of San Antonio. "3Spine's innovative research aligns with our mission to provide the latest and most effective treatments to our community. We are proud to be at the forefront of spine care and look forward to the positive impact this work can have on the lives of our patients."

Scott Hodges, DO, co-founder and medical director of 3Spine trained Dr. Jorgensen on the total joint replacement procedure. Dr. Hodges said, "Dr. Jorgensen is an incredibly gifted surgeon and forward thinker. Advances in medicine are only possible if surgeons like Dr. Jorgensen innovate and learn. We are thankful to partner with Dr. Jorgensen to bring new lumbar motion preservation techniques to Texas."

3Spine, Inc., the study sponsor, is seeking patients with single-level lumbar spine disease suffering from lumbar degeneration with or without foraminal or lateral recess spinal stenosis with no more than a grade 1 spondylolisthesis. Additional details are available at ClinicalTrials.gov. Patients interested in participating in the clinical trial in San Antonio, TX can email [email protected] for more information.

About 3Spine:

3Spine is a new kind of healthcare company founded to integrate the development, clinical research, and delivery of low back total joint replacement. 3Spine is headquartered in Chattanooga, TN, with research and development facilities in the Greater Boston area.

www.3Spine.com

About Dr. Anton Jorgensen:

Dr. Anton Jorgensen is a board-certified orthopaedic spine surgeon, fellowship trained at Rush University Medical Center in minimally invasive spine surgery and adult spine deformity surgery. Dr. Jorgensen additionally trained at Shriners Hospitals for Children in pediatric scoliosis surgery. He served as the Chief of Orthopaedic Spine Surgery at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) for five years where he specialized in treating active-duty service members, utilizing the latest techniques in minimally invasive surgery and spinal disc replacement to return soldiers back to duty.

https://www.ortho-sa.com/dr-anton-jorgensen-orthopedic-surgeons-san-antonio-tx

About Foundation Surgical Hospital of San Antonio:

Foundation Surgical Hospital is the only physician owned surgical hospital in San Antonio, Texas. Foundation Surgical Hospital is the preferred facility for surgery in San Antonio. We boast state-of-the-art technology, the top surgeons and healthcare staff in our community. Our goal is to offer an extraordinary level of patient care and overall experience in the area. Our surgeon partners are renowned as the best in their field and are skilled in the latest surgical technologies.

https://www.fshsanantonio.com/

Foundation Surgical Hospital of San Antonio is a facility in which physicians have an ownership or investment interest. The list of physician owners or investors is available upon request.

SOURCE 3Spine
Program will be implemented in two phases with the first phase beginning in March

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 1,400 income-eligible customers in Volusia County's DeLand neighborhood will soon receive a jolt of positive energy from Duke Energy.

Through its innovative Neighborhood Energy Saver program, the company will give qualified customers a complimentary energy makeover for their house, mobile home or apartment.

Due to the size of the DeLand community, the program will be implemented in two phases with the first phase beginning in March. Phase 2 is currently under development and will be announced at a later date.

"The more you know about your energy use and how your home uses energy, the more opportunities you have to save and lower your monthly bill," said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president. "We look forward to continuing to offer programs, like the Neighborhood Energy Saver program, that can help our customers make their homes more energy efficient and save money on their bills."

Duke Energy Florida will assess each home to determine if it qualifies for free attic insulation, duct sealing and AC maintenance. Customers will also qualify to receive up to 17 energy-saving improvements at no cost, including:

Digital room thermometer

Energy-saving showerhead or shower wand

One-year supply of AC filters

Supply of AC/furnace filters

Water-saving kitchen and bathroom faucet aerators

Energy-efficient lightbulbs

Water heater wraps/pipe wrap

Covers for window AC units

Caulking, weatherstripping and door sweeps

Insulation upgrade

Basic AC maintenance

AC duct leakage sealing

Customers will also learn how daily activities, habits and other factors can increase their electric use and raise their energy bills.

"This is an amazing opportunity for our residents to save money and improve the quality of their homes, we hope many community members take advantage of this program," said City of DeLand Mayor Christopher Cloudman. "Sustainability is a strategic priority of the city and we are excited that Duke Energy is offering this program to our residents."

Eligible customers received an invitation to the Neighborhood Energy Saver launch event that will take place on Tuesday, March 14, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Chisholm Center, 520 S. Clara Ave. Customers should contact our Neighborhood Energy Saver Customer Care Center at 855.227.2918 to reserve their spot, or to get more information if they cannot attend the launch event.

A map detailing the eligible residents in phase 1 is available upon request.

Since the Neighborhood Energy Saver program's inception in 2006, the company has implemented it in more than 65 communities across Florida and installed more than 700,000 energy efficiency improvements in more than 47,000 income-eligible customers' homes.

The program is available to residential customers (both homeowners and renters) living in communities identified by Duke Energy. Federal and state guidelines and census data are used to objectively select communities where the program would be most beneficial.

Since 1981, Duke Energy has helped its Florida customers save nearly $1.25 billion through its energy efficiency programs, including the Neighborhood Energy Saver program. For more information on energy efficiency tips that benefit all homeowners, visit duke-energy.com/home/savings.

Duke Energy Florida

Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 10,500 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 1.9 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 13,000-square-mile service area in Florida.

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities serve 8.2 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 50,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 27,600 people.

Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy transition to achieve its goals of net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company has interim carbon emission targets of at least 50% reduction from electric generation by 2030, 50% for Scope 2 and certain Scope 3 upstream and downstream emissions by 2035, and 80% from electric generation by 2040. In addition, the company is investing in major electric grid enhancements and energy storage, and exploring zero-emission power generation technologies such as hydrogen and advanced nuclear.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2023 "World's Most Admired Companies" list and Forbes' "World's Best Employers" list. More information is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos and videos. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Media contact: Audrey Stasko

Media line: 800.559.3853

Twitter: @DE_AudreyS

SOURCE Duke Energy
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Encompass Health Corp. (NYSE: EHC) today announced it will participate in the Barclays Global Healthcare Conference, which is being held in Miami, Florida, on March 14-16, 2023.

Encompass Health's President and Chief Executive Officer Mark Tarr and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Doug Coltharp will participate in a fireside chat on Wednesday, March 15, 2023, from 9:00 - 9:25 a.m. ET.

The presentation will be webcast live and available at http://investor.encompasshealth.com .

About Encompass Health

Encompass Health (NYSE: EHC) is the largest owner and operator of rehabilitation hospitals in the United States. With a national footprint that includes 153 hospitals in 36 states and Puerto Rico, the Company provides high-quality, compassionate rehabilitative care for patients recovering from a major injury or illness, using advanced technology and innovative treatments to maximize recovery. Encompass Health is ranked as one of Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For and Modern Healthcare's Best Places to Work in Healthcare. For more information, visit encompasshealth.com , or follow us on our newsroom , Twitter , Instagram and Facebook .

Media Contact:

Casey Winger| 205.970.5912

[email protected]

Investor Relations Contact:

Mark Miller | 205.970.5860

[email protected]

SOURCE Encompass Health Corp.
2023/24 Epic Pass goes on sale March 7 and will include unlimited, unrestricted access to Disentis

BROOMFIELD, Colo., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Next winter's Epic Pass goes on sale tomorrow and will provide even more access in Europe. Almost a year after Vail Resorts announced it acquired a majority stake in leading Swiss resort Andermatt-Sedrun, today the company is proud to share that neighboring Disentis Ski Area will join the Epic Pass as a partner resort, starting with the 2023/24 winter season. Further, the company shared it has extended its long-term partnerships with three destination resorts throughout Europe: Les 3 Vallees in France, Ski Arlberg in Austria and Skirama Dolomiti in Italy.

Disentis

Known for its beautiful winter landscapes and deep powder, Disentis is the neighboring mountain to Andermatt-Sedrun, linked via the Cuolm da Vi gondola and Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn. Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis are less than 90 minutes from three major metropolitan areas (Zurich, Lucerne and Lugano) and approximately two hours from Milan, Italy. More information here.

"When combined, Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis provide skiers and riders access to the largest ski area in the heart of Switzerland, with 111 miles of pistes and 33 lifts climbing nearly 10,000 feet," said Ryan Bennett, chief marketing officer of Vail Resorts. "With Andermatt-Sedrun and now Disentis on the Epic Pass, we look forward to welcoming our Pass Holders to these spectacular resorts."

The 2023/24 Epic Pass goes on sale March 7, and will include unlimited, unrestricted access to Disentis. Epic Day Pass Holders with All Resorts Access will be able to visit using any of their days, and Epic Local Pass Holders will receive five days total to use across Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis. Pass Holders will be able to access the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn for an exclusive price in the 2023/24 season.

The 2023/24 Epic Pass will provide access to additional European partner resorts including five days at Verbier4Vallees in Switzerland, seven days at Les 3 Vallees in France, seven days at Skirama Dolomiti in Italy, and three days at Ski Arlberg in Austria, with specific details available here .

Beyond Europe, Vail Resorts recently extended its partnership with Resorts of the Canadian Rockies in Canada, including Nakiska in Alberta, Fernie Alpine Resort, Kimberley Alpine Resort and Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in British Columbia, and Mont-Sainte-Anne and Stoneham Mountain Resort in Quebec. It also has international partnerships with Hakuba Valley and Rusutsu in Japan.

About Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN)

Vail Resorts is a network of the best destination and close-to-home ski resorts in the world including Vail Mountain, Breckenridge, Park City Mountain, Whistler Blackcomb, Stowe, and 32 additional resorts across North America; Andermatt-Sedrun in Switzerland; and Perisher, Hotham, and Falls Creek in Australia. We are passionate about providing an Experience of a Lifetime to our team members and guests, and our EpicPromise is to reach a zero net operating footprint by 2030, support our employees and communities, and broaden engagement in our sport. Our company owns and/or manages a collection of elegant hotels under the RockResorts brand, a portfolio of vacation rentals, condominiums and branded hotels located in close proximity to our mountain destinations, as well as the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Vail Resorts Retail operates more than 250 retail and rental locations across North America. Learn more about our company at www.VailResorts.com, or discover our resorts and pass options at www.EpicPass.com .

SOURCE Vail Resorts, Inc.
ATLANTA, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Equifax  Inc. (NYSE: EFX) ("Equifax") has filed a registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in connection with the company's acquisition of Boa Vista Servicos (BOAS3: SAO), the second largest credit bureau in Brazil. Equifax and Boa Vista Servicos entered into a Merger Agreement on February 9, 2023 (the "Merger Agreement"). Filing the registration statement with the SEC is an important step in being able to issue Equifax Brazilian Depository Receipts ("BDRs") and Equifax do Brasil S.A. ("Equifax Brasil") common shares to Boa Vista Servicos shareholders.

"We are energized to continue progress towards the closing of the acquisition of Boa Vista Servicos. The strategic combination of our organizations will allow us to expand in the large and fast growing Brazilian market and bring Equifax cloud technology and products to provide new insights for Brazilian lenders and service providers to help meet the needs of the approximately 34 million unbanked or underbanked consumers in Brazil," said Mark W. Begor, CEO of Equifax. "The transaction also provides immediate liquidity at a compelling premium to Boa Vista Servicos' shareholders."

Once declared effective by the SEC, Equifax will be able to issue BDRs to Boa Vista Servicos shareholders in connection with the closing of the merger. Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, Equifax will offer all Boa Vista Servicos shareholders the option to receive (1) R$8.00 per share in cash, (2) R$7.20 in cash and 0.0008 of an EFX BDR representing an equivalent fraction of one share of Equifax common stock or (3) R$5.33 of Equifax Brasil common shares and R$2.67 in either cash or 0.0027 of Equifax BDRs. This price represents an 89 percent premium to the closing stock price of Boa Vista Servicos on December 15, 2022, the last unaffected trading day prior to the issuance of the notice to the market by Boa Vista Servicos acknowledging receipt of the Equifax acquisition proposal, and a 185 percent premium to Boa Vista Servicos' enterprise value based on such closing price on December 15, 2022.

The closing is subject to Boa Vista Servicos' shareholder approval and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions, and is expected to occur by the end of the second quarter of 2023.

BofA Securities is serving as financial advisor to Equifax, and Hogan Lovells US LLP and Machado Meyer Advogados are acting as legal counsels to Equifax.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. All statements that address operating performance and events or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future, including statements relating to our ability to consummate the proposed transaction with Boa Vista Servicos, the ability of Boa Vista Servicos to receive shareholder approval and satisfy other closing conditions, the expected financial and operational benefits, synergies and growth from the proposed transaction and our ability to integrate Boa Vista Servicos and its products, services, technologies, IT systems and personnel into our operations, and similar statements about our outlook and our business plans are forward-looking statements. We believe these forward-looking statements are reasonable as and when made. However, forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from our historical experience and our present expectations or projections. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those described in our 2022 Form 10-K and subsequent filings with the SEC. As a result of such risks and uncertainties, we urge you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date when made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

NO OFFER OR SOLICITATION

This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

This press release is for informational purposes only and should not, under any circumstances, constitute, be interpreted or understood as an investment recommendation, nor as an offer to acquire any of the securities of Equifax or Equifax Brasil.

FILINGS WITH THE SEC

Equifax and Equifax Brasil filed a Registration Statement on Form S-4/F-4 with the SEC in connection with the transaction on March 6, 2023. The Registration Statement has not yet become effective. No securities may be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted prior to the time the Registration Statement becomes effective. The Form S-4/F-4 contains a prospectus and other documents. The Form S-4/F-4 and prospectus contain important information about Equifax, Equifax Brasil, Boa Vista Servicos, the transaction and related matters. Investors and shareholders of Boa Vista Servicos should read the prospectus and the other documents filed with the SEC in connection with the transaction carefully before they make any decision with respect to the transaction. The Form S-4/F-4 and the prospectus, and all other documents filed with the SEC in connection with the acquisition will be available when filed free of charge at the SEC's web site at www.sec.gov. In addition, the prospectus and all other documents filed with the SEC in connection with the acquisition will be made available to investors free of charge by calling or writing to Equifax Inc., Attn: Office of Corporate Secretary, P.O. Box 4081, Atlanta, Georgia 30302, telephone (404) 885-8000.

ABOUT EQUIFAX INC.

At Equifax (NYSE: EFX), we believe knowledge drives progress. As a global data, analytics, and technology company, we play an essential role in the global economy by helping financial institutions, companies, employers, and government agencies make critical decisions with greater confidence. Our unique blend of differentiated data, analytics, and cloud technology drives insights to power decisions to move people forward. Headquartered in Atlanta and supported by nearly 14,000 employees worldwide, Equifax operates or has investments in 24 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific region. For more information, visit Equifax.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Kate Walker for Equifax

[email protected]

SOURCE Equifax Inc.
DUBLIN, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Comparative SWOT & Strategy Focus - 2022-2026 - Europe's Top 5 Aerospace & Defense Companies - Airbus, BAE Systems, Rolls Royce, Safran, Leonardo" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The report analyses & provides comprehensive insights into Europe's Top 5 Aerospace & Defense industry OEMs with focus on a blend of quantitative & qualitative analysis.

The report provides detailed analysis on A&D Primes, including, comprehensive analysis of business portfolio and strategic market positioning, overall strategy focus, key strategies & plans for medium term, financial analysis and a detailed Comparative SWOT ana

lysis against the backdrop of emerging rapid shifts in the geopolitical dynamics, equations & landscape and technological leapfrogging. The report also projects market evolution for the global A&D market over medium term with analysis of emerging market scenario, defense spending growth projections, key market & technology trends, issues & challenges, key growth domains and potential growth opportunities.



The defense industrial base across Europe is set for a renaissance at least for the medium term with increasing threat perception levels, rapid shift in defense posture & focus on preparedness with plans for replacement & modernization of ageing, cold-war era defense equipment and leapfrogging of technological capabilities marked by upgrade efforts for legacy platforms, like the British Challenger & French Leclerc MBTs, and the initiation of a number of new defense programs across the old continent led by the Franco-German FCAS & MGCS apart from the British-Italian-Swedish Tempest 6th generation fighter jet program amid increasing environmental uncertainty & volatility, political tensions & risks of escalations following the virtual evaporation of traditional, rule-based world order



Further, defense spending across Europe has surged following the resurgence of the bear and its ongoing mauling of Ukraine which has been driving the rejuvenation the European defense industrial base with plans for better defense preparedness being prioritized through equipment modernization, upgrade & outright replacement with next-generation capabilities which is likely to provide growth opportunities to European OEMs & their value chains while competing against their American counterparts.

For instance, F-35 Lightning II JSF's 5th generation capabilities have been driving its latest successes & further expansion of customer base across Europe with Switzerland, Finland and now Germany choosing the F-35 platform as a replacement for their ageing, legacy fighters over the European 4+ generation jets.

For Whom: Key Decision-Makers across Industry Value Chain



The report will also be useful for existing & potential Investors, Industry & Company Analysts, M&A Advisory Firms, Strategy & Management Consulting Firms, PE Firms, Venture Capitalists, Financing & Leasing Companies, Researchers and all those associated with the industry.



Relevance & Usefulness: The report will be useful for:

Strategic Planning & Decision-Making Processes

Comparative Analysis of Industry Players and OEMs from a Business & Relative Strategy Perspective

Identification of & Insights into Potential Growth Opportunities & Avenues

Review of Key, Upcoming Defense Programs

Global Defense Budgetary Trend and Defense Budgetary Spending Levels across Key Markets

Identifying & highlighting areas for making potential Strategic Changes, Adjustments & Realignment

Overview of Key, Emerging & Game Changer Technologies that are likely to Shape the future

Key Topics Covered:



Section 1: Business Structure & Snapshot - For each of the Europe's Top 5 Aerospace & Defense Companies

Founded

Headquartered

Business Segments

Employees

Revenues

Market Capitalization

Key Executives

Shareholding/Ownership Pattern & Structure

Section 2: Financial Performance Snapshot - For each Industry OEM



Revenue Base & Growth Trend

Revenues Split by Key Segments

Revenues Split by Key Geographic Markets & Regions

Gross Earnings & Margin Trend

Operating Earnings & Operating Margin Trend

Return on Sales Trend

Profitability Growth Trend

Cash Flow from Operations

R&D Expenditure Trend

CAPEX Trend

Order Intake Trend

Order Backlog Position & Growth Trend

Section 3: SWOT Analysis - For each of the Top 5 Industry Players

Strengths to be Leveraged

Weaknesses to be worked on

Opportunities to be capitalized upon

Threats to be negated & mitigated

Section 4: Comparative Analysis of Strengths

Airbus SE

BAE Systems plc

Rolls Royce Holdings plc

Safran SA

Leonardo S.p.A.

Section 5: Comparative Analysis of Weaknesses

Airbus SE

BAE Systems plc

Rolls Royce Holdings plc

Safran SA

Leonardo S.p.A.

Section 6: Strategy Focus across OEMs - Near to Medium Term - For the Top 5 European A&D Primes

Airbus SE

BAE Systems plc

Rolls Royce Holdings plc

Safran SA

Leonardo S.p.A.

Section 7: Analysis of Key Strategies & Plans for the A&D OEMs

Business and Product Portfolio Strategies & Plans

Market, Segment, Domain & Program Specific Strategies & Plans

R&D Strategies & Plans

Growth Strategies & Plans

Business and Corporate Strategies & Plans

Sales & Marketing Strategies & Plans

Production/Manufacturing Strategies & Plans

Financial Strategies & Plans

Portfolio Adjustment & Realignment based on Acquisitions, Strategic Alliances & JVs

Other Strategies & Strategic Initiatives

Section 8: Global Aerospace & Defense Industry - Force Field Analysis - Analysis of Driving & Restraining Forces and their Overall Dynamics

Driving Forces

Restraining Forces

Section 9: Key Trends

Industry Trends

Market Trends

Technology Trends

Section 10: Key Issues, Challenges & Risk Factors



Section 11: Latest & Upcoming European Defense Programs - Detailed Program Factsheets

Program Size

Scale & Scope

Competing OEMs

Program Stage & Status

Contract Awards

Latest Developments

Upcoming Milestones

Program Outlook

Section 12: Strategic Market Outlook - Global Aerospace & Defense

Analysis of Emerging Market Scenario for Aerospace & Defense

U.S. & Global Defense Spending Trends

Top 5 & Top 10 Defense Spending Nations

Market Outlook & Growth Projections

Global Defense Spending - Trends & Projections

Global Defense Spending & Growth Rates for Key Regions

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/9obms3

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.

Media Contact:

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SOURCE Research and Markets
DUBLIN, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "European Concrete Fiber Market Size, Share, Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The European concrete fiber market is expected to register a healthy CAGR of 4.2% over the next five years to reach a value of US$ 684.1 million in 2027.

The European concrete fiber market witnessed a moderate decline, in both value and volume in 2020, as construction activities slowed as a result of the pandemic. However, the market experienced phenomenal growth in 2021 (23.1% YoY), owing to the combined effects of recovery in construction activities and an abrupt increase in raw material prices.

Market Segments' Analysis

Based on the fiber type, the market is bifurcated into steel fiber, synthetic fiber, glass fiber, and others. Steel fiber is estimated to remain the dominant fiber type in the foreseen future, owing to its high durability, e-modulus, and tensile strength. Steel fiber-reinforced concrete offers higher ductility and post-cracking strength, resistance to fatigue, spalling, and wear & tear compared to conventional reinforced concrete.

Synthetic fiber is likely to experience the highest growth during the forecast period. It enhances impact, abrasion and shear resistance of concrete; reduces bleeding and plastic settlement; increases durability and flexural strength. Polypropylene is the predominantly used synthetic fiber type in the market.



Based on the application type, the market is segmented as transport infrastructure, building & construction, mining & tunnel, industrial flooring, and others. Mining & Tunnel is expected to remain the largest application type during the forecast period. The use of fibers in this application improves the tunnelling structure's ductility, durability, stability, and safety.

Furthermore, they not only provide excellent fire protection but also increase the mechanical capacity of the lining. Steel is the dominantly used fiber type in mining & tunnel applications. Building & Construction is likely to experience the fastest growth over the forecast period. The segment includes all the residential and non-residential buildings and structures.



Based on the synthetic fiber type, the market is segmented into macrofiber and microfiber. Between these synthetic fiber types, macrofiber is expected to remain the larger and the faster-growing segment during the forecast period. Macrofibers are used where an increase in post-cracking flexural strength is required.

Some of the most significant advantages of macrofibers are their resistance to corrosion and greater concrete ductility. Synthetic macrofibers are more commonly used than synthetic microfibers because they are cheaper, easier to mix, and used in many concrete applications.



Germany unassailably dominated the market in 2021 and is likely to experience the fastest growth during the forecast period. Both steel and synthetic are the majorly used fiber types in Germany. Key players based in Germany are Master Builders Solutions, and KrampeHarex GmbH & Co. KG. France is likely to remain the second-dominant country in the market till 2027.

Key Players

The supply chain of this market comprises several nodes including raw material suppliers, concrete fiber manufacturers, and concrete element suppliers/contractors, and end users.

The following are some of the key players in the European concrete fiber market:

N.V. Bekaert S.A

ArcelorMittal

Sika AG

Master Builder Solutions

KrampeHarex GmbH & Co KG

GCP Applied Technologies Inc

1. Executive Summary



2. European Concrete Fiber Market Environment Analysis

2.1. Supply Chain Analysis

2.2. PEST Analysis

2.3. Industry Life Cycle Analysis

2.4. Emerging Trends

2.5. Market Drivers



3. European Concrete Fiber Market - The COVID-19 Impact Assessment

3.1. Penetration of Europe in the Global Concrete Fiber Market

3.2. European Concrete Fiber Market Trend and Forecast (US$ Million & Kilotons)

3.3. Market Scenario Analysis: Pessimistic, Most Likely, and Optimistic Scenarios

3.4. Pre-COVID vs Post-COVID Assessment

3.5. Real GDP Loss vs European Concrete Fiber Loss/Gain



4. European Concrete Fiber Market Assessment (2016-2027)

4.1. Segment Analysis for the Year 2021

4.2. Fiber-Type Analysis: Trend and Forecast (US$ Million & Kilotons)

4.2.1. Synthetic Fiber: Trend and Forecast (US$ Million & Kilotons)

4.2.1.1. Macrofiber: Trend and Forecast (US$ Million & Kilotons)

4.2.1.2. Microfiber: Trend and Forecast (US$ Million & Kilotons)

4.2.2. Steel Fiber: Trend and Forecast (US$ Million & Kilotons)

4.2.3. Glass Fiber: Trend and Forecast (US$ Million & Kilotons)

4.2.4. Others: Trend and Forecast (US$ Million & Kilotons)

4.3. Application-Type Analysis: Trend and Forecast (US$ Million & Kilotons)

4.3.1. Transport Infrastructure: Trend and Forecast (US$ Million & Kilotons)

4.3.2. Building & Construction: Trend and Forecast (US$ Million & Kilotons)

4.3.3. Mining & Tunnel: Trend and Forecast (US$ Million & Kilotons)

4.3.4. Industrial Flooring: Trend and Forecast (US$ Million & Kilotons)

4.3.5. Others: Trend and Forecast (US$ Million & Kilotons)

4.4. Building & Construction Concrete Synthetic Fiber Market: Trend and Forecast (US$ Million & Kilotons)

4.4.1. Country Analysis: Trend and Forecast (US$ Million & Kilotons)

4.5. Country Analysis: Trend and Forecast (US$ Million & Kilotons)

4.5.1. Germany: Trend and Forecast (US$ Million & Kilotons)

4.5.2. France: Trend and Forecast (US$ Million & Kilotons)

4.5.3. The UK: Trend and Forecast (US$ Million & Kilotons)

4.5.4. Russia: Trend and Forecast (US$ Million & Kilotons)

4.5.5. Turkey: Trend and Forecast (US$ Million & Kilotons)

4.5.6. RoE: Trend and Forecast (US$ Million & Kilotons)



5. Competitive Analysis

5.1. Market Consolidation Level

5.2. Competitive Landscape

5.3. Market Share Analysis

5.4. Key Information about the Leading Players

5.5. Product Portfolio Mapping

5.6. Mergers and Acquisitions

5.7. Porter's Five Forces Analysis



6. Strategic Growth Opportunities

6.1. Market Attractiveness Analysis

6.1.1. Market Attractiveness by Fiber Type

6.1.2. Market Attractiveness by Synthetic Fiber Type

6.1.3. Market Attractiveness by Application Type

6.1.4. Market Attractiveness by Country

6.2. Emerging Trends

6.3. Key Strategic Implications

6.4. Key Success Factors (KSFs)



7. Company Profile of Key Players (Alphabetically Arranged)

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CENTENNIAL, Colo., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- NioCorp Developments Ltd. ("NioCorp" or the "Company") (TSX:NB) (OTCQX:NIOBF) is pleased to announce the receipt of a Letter of Interest from the Export-Import Bank of the United States ("EXIM") for potential debt financing of up to $800 million through EXIM's "Make More In America" initiative to fund the project costs of NioCorp's proposed Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project.

EXIM's communication to NioCorp states: "We are pleased to extend this Letter of Interest in support of the proposed capital funding plan by Elk Creek Resources Corp. for the Elk Creek Project. Based on the preliminary information submitted on expected exports and jobs supported, EXIM may be able to consider potential financing of up to $800,000,000.00 of the project's costs under EXIM's Make More In America initiative." Elk Creek Resources Corp. is a Nebraska corporation wholly owned by NioCorp.

A project finance letter of interest from EXIM represents only a preliminary step in the formal EXIM application process, and the Letter of Interest states that the communication "does not represent a financing commitment" and "is not an explicit indication of the financial or commercial viability of a transaction."

NioCorp expects to submit an application to EXIM to begin the first phase of the underwriting process ("Phase I") as soon as possible. As stated in the Letter of Interest, "Upon receipt of NioCorp's application for financing, EXIM will conduct all requisite due diligence necessary to determine if a Final Commitment may be issued for this transaction." The process from submission of a Phase I application to a final commitment of financing by EXIM, if any, is expected to take approximately six to nine months and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. See "About NioCorp's Application Process" and "Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimers" below for additional information. As explained in the Letter of Interest, "Any final commitment will be dependent on meeting EXIM's underwriting criteria, authorization process, and finalization and satisfaction of terms and conditions. All Final Commitments must be in compliance with EXIM policies as well as program, legal, and eligibility requirements."

"We are very pleased with this Letter of Interest from the Export-Import Bank of the United States for NioCorp's Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project, and with the fact that we may qualify for as much as $800 million in debt financing from EXIM," said Mark A. Smith, Chairman and CEO of NioCorp. "We look forward to finalizing and submitting a formal loan application to EXIM and working closely with them through this process."

The debt financing is subject to the satisfactory completion of due diligence, the negotiation and settlement of final terms, and the negotiation of definitive documentation. There can be no assurance that the debt financing will be completed on the terms as described above or at all.

As noted on EXIM's website, in February 2021, President Biden signed Executive Order 14017 directing an all-of-government approach to assessing vulnerabilities in  and strengthening the resilience of  the United States' critical supply chains. From that Executive Order, the White House released findings from its comprehensive 100-day supply chain assessments for four critical products: semiconductor manufacturing and advanced packaging; large capacity batteries, like those for electric vehicles; critical minerals and materials; and pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients.

More information on EXIM's Make More In America initiative can be seen here: https://www.exim.gov/about/special-initiatives/make-more-in-america-initiative

The information on or accessible from any social media postings or sites, or EXIM's website, is not, and will not be deemed to be, incorporated by reference into this press release or any filings with the SEC.

@NioCorp $NB $NIOBF #ElkCreek #Niobium #Scandium #ElkCreek #Nebraska #EXIM #GXII

For More Information

Contact Jim Sims, VP of External Affairs, NioCorp Developments Ltd., 720-639-4650, [email protected]

About NioCorp

NioCorp is developing a superalloy materials project in Southeast Nebraska that will produce Niobium, Scandium, and Titanium. Niobium is used to produce superalloys as well as High Strength, Low Alloy ("HSLA") steel, which is a lighter, stronger steel used in automotive, structural, and pipeline applications. Scandium is a superalloy material that can be combined with Aluminum to make alloys with increased strength and improved corrosion resistance. Scandium is also a critical component of advanced solid oxide fuel cells. Titanium is used in various superalloys and is a key component of pigments used in paper, paint and plastics and is also used for aerospace applications, armor and medical implants.

About NioCorp's Application Process

EXIM's "Make More in America" initiative allows companies to apply to EXIM for a project finance letter of interest, which letter indicates EXIM's willingness to consider a financing application for a given transaction. In February 2023, NioCorp applied to EXIM for a project finance letter of interest and, following a preliminary review of the Elk Creek Project to determine whether it met the basic criteria for a potential debt financing by EXIM, EXIM issued the Letter of Interest. NioCorp expects to submit a Final Commitment Application to EXIM to begin the Phase I of the underwriting process as soon as possible. The application will require detailed information and analysis from NioCorp regarding the Elk Creek Project, the Feasibility Study prepared by independent qualified persons for the purposes of estimating mineral resources and reserves at the Elk Creek Project, supply and offtake agreements, project costs, annual financial statements, financial model and assumptions, market information, principal risks and benefits, and insurance coverage. Phase I of the underwriting process would involve due diligence by EXIM and their advisors and the payment of certain fees and expenses by NioCorp. If the Phase I evaluation process is satisfactorily completed, EXIM will issue a preliminary project letter, indicating whether or not EXIM is prepared to move forward on a financing offer, as well as the general terms and conditions of such offer, based on the information available at the time of application. After the issuance of a preliminary project letter indicating that EXIM is prepared to move forward on a financing offer, NioCorp and EXIM would commence a second phase ("Phase II") of due diligence, involving additional fees payable by NioCorp, before EXIM determines if it will provide a final commitment of financing. The process from submission of a Phase I application to a final commitment of financing by EXIM, if any, is expected to take six to nine months. Even if NioCorp ultimately receives a final commitment from EXIM for up to $800 million of project financing, NioCorp would still require additional financing to fund the estimated capital costs expected to be required to complete development of the Elk Creek Project and advance it to the production stage.

Additional Information about the Proposed Transaction and Where to Find It

In connection with the proposed business combination between NioCorp and GX Acquisition Corp. II ("GXII") pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement, dated September 25, 2022 (the "Business Combination Agreement"), among NioCorp, GXII and Big Red Merger Sub Ltd. (the transactions contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement, collectively, the "Transaction"), NioCorp has filed a registration statement on Form S-4 (the "registration statement") with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), which includes a document that serves as a prospectus and proxy circular of NioCorp and a proxy statement of GXII, referred to as a "joint proxy statement/prospectus." The definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus has been filed with the SEC as part of the registration statement and, in the case of NioCorp, with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities, and will be sent to all NioCorp shareholders and GXII stockholders as of the applicable record date. Each of NioCorp and GXII may also file other relevant documents regarding the proposed Transaction with the SEC and, in the case of NioCorp, with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING OR INVESTMENT DECISION, INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF NIOCORP AND GXII ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, THE DEFINITIVE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND ALL OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED OR THAT WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC AND, IN THE CASE OF NIOCORP, WITH THE APPLICABLE CANADIAN SECURITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION, INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THESE DOCUMENTS, CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION.

Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the registration statement and the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus and all other relevant documents that are filed or that will be filed with the SEC by NioCorp or GXII through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus and all other relevant documents that are filed or that will be filed with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities by NioCorp through the website maintained by the Canadian Securities Administrators at www.sedar.com. The documents filed by NioCorp and GXII with the SEC and, in the case of NioCorp, with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities also may be obtained by contacting NioCorp at 7000 South Yosemite, Suite 115, Centennial CO 80112, or by calling (720) 639-4650; or GXII at 1325 Avenue of the Americas, 28th Floor, New York, NY 10019, or by calling (212) 616-3700.

No Offer or Solicitation

This press release and the information contained herein do not constitute (i) an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any security, commodity or instrument or related derivative, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which the offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction or (ii) an offer or commitment to lend, syndicate or arrange a financing, underwrite or purchase or act as an agent or advisor or in any other capacity with respect to any transaction, or commit capital, or to participate in any trading strategies. No offer of securities in the United States or to or for the account or benefit of U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or an exemption therefrom. Investors should consult with their counsel as to the applicable requirements for a purchaser to avail itself of any exemption under the Securities Act. In Canada, no offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus in accordance with the requirements of applicable Canadian securities laws or an exemption therefrom. This press release is not, and under no circumstances is it to be construed as, a prospectus, offering memorandum, an advertisement or a public offering in any province or territory of Canada. In Canada, no prospectus has been filed with any securities commission or similar regulatory authority in respect of any of the securities referred to herein.

Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimers

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements regarding NioCorp's plans to submit a Phase I debt financing application to EXIM; the prospects for successfully securing financing from EXIM on acceptable terms, or at all; the expected timing of, and benefits to the Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project of, securing such financing from EXIM; the parties' ability to close the proposed Transaction, including NioCorp and GXII being able to receive all required regulatory, third-party and shareholder approvals for the proposed Transaction; the financial and business performance of NioCorp; NioCorp's anticipated results and developments in the operations of NioCorp in future periods; the adequacy of NioCorp's financial resources; NioCorp's ability to secure sufficient project financing to complete construction and commence operation of the Elk Creek Project; and the creation of full time and contract construction jobs over the construction period of the Elk Creek Project. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as "plan," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "outlook," "estimate," "forecast," "project," "continue," "could," "may," "might," "possible," "potential," "predict," "should," "would" and other similar words and expressions, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking.

The forward-looking statements are based on the current expectations of the management of NioCorp and are inherently subject to uncertainties and changes in circumstances and their potential effects and speak only as of the date of such statement. There can be no assurance that future developments will be those that have been anticipated. Forward-looking statements reflect material expectations and assumptions, including, without limitation, expectations, and assumptions relating to the Company's ability to successfully complete EXIM's Phase I application process and secure project financing on acceptable terms, or at all; the expected timing of, and benefits to the Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project of, securing such financing from EXIM; the future price of metals; the stability of the financial and capital markets; NioCorp and GXII being able to receive all required regulatory, third-party and shareholder approvals for the proposed Transaction; the amount of redemptions by GXII public shareholders; the consummation of the convertible debenture transaction and the stand-by equity purchase facility contemplated by the definitive agreements with YA II PN, Ltd., an investment fund managed by Yorkville Advisors Global, LP (together with YA II PN, Ltd., "Yorkville"); and other current estimates and assumptions regarding the proposed Transaction and its benefits. Such expectations and assumptions are inherently subject to uncertainties and contingencies regarding future events and, as such, are subject to change. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties or other factors that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those discussed and identified in public filings made by NioCorp with the SEC and with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities and the following: NioCorp's ability to submit a complete application to begin the Phase I evaluation process; NioCorp's ability to pay the necessary fees in connection with EXIM's underwriting process, including the expenses of EXIM's or any other lenders' legal and other advisors and NioCorp's own advisors; the completion of the Phase I due diligence process and the receipt of a preliminary project letter indicating that EXIM is prepared to undertake Phase II due diligence; the completion of the Phase II due diligence process; the possibility that, even if NioCorp completes the application process, it does not receive a final commitment of financing from EXIM on the anticipated timeline, on acceptable terms, or at all; the amount of any redemptions by existing holders of GXII Class A Shares being greater than expected, which may reduce the cash in trust available to NioCorp upon the consummation of the Transaction; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Business Combination Agreement and/or payment of the termination fees; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against NioCorp or GXII following announcement of the Business Combination Agreement and the Transaction; the inability to complete the proposed Transaction due to, among other things, the failure to obtain NioCorp shareholder approval or GXII shareholder approval or the consummation of the convertible debenture transaction and the stand-by equity purchase facility contemplated by the definitive agreements with Yorkville; the inability to complete the convertible debenture transaction and the stand-by equity purchase facility contemplated by the definitive agreements with Yorkville due to, among other things, the failure to obtain shareholder approval or regulatory approval; the risk that the announcement and consummation of the proposed Transaction disrupts NioCorp's current plans; the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the proposed Transaction; unexpected costs related to the proposed Transaction; the risks that the consummation of the proposed Transaction is substantially delayed or does not occur, including prior to the date on which GXII is required to liquidate under the terms of its charter documents; NioCorp's ability to operate as a going concern; NioCorp's requirement of significant additional capital; NioCorp's limited operating history; NioCorp's history of losses; cost increases for NioCorp's exploration and, if warranted, development projects; a disruption in, or failure of, NioCorp's information technology systems, including those related to cybersecurity; equipment and supply shortages; current and future off take agreements, joint ventures, and partnerships; NioCorp's ability to attract qualified management; the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic or other global health crises on NioCorp's business plans, financial condition and liquidity; estimates of mineral resources and reserves; mineral exploration and production activities; feasibility study results; changes in demand for and price of commodities (such as fuel and electricity) and currencies; changes or disruptions in the securities markets; legislative, political or economic developments; the need to obtain permits and comply with laws and regulations and other regulatory requirements; the possibility that actual results of work may differ from projections/expectations or may not realize the perceived potential of NioCorp's projects; risks of accidents, equipment breakdowns, and labor disputes or other unanticipated difficulties or interruptions; the possibility of cost overruns or unanticipated expenses in development programs; operating or technical difficulties in connection with exploration, mining, or development activities; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities of grades of reserves and resources; claims on the title to NioCorp's properties; potential future litigation; and NioCorp's lack of insurance covering all of NioCorp's operations.

Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or should any of the assumptions made by the management of NioCorp prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements.

All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning the proposed Transaction or other matters addressed herein and attributable to NioCorp or any person acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to herein. Except to the extent required by applicable law or regulation, NioCorp undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

SOURCE NioCorp Developments Ltd.
DALLAS, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The attorneys of the trial firm Lyons & Simmons, LLP have filed suit on behalf of the family whose daughter was killed when a drunk driver slammed through their White Settlement, Texas, home in August 2022.

Katey Kirkland, 18, was killed when a truck driven by Donald Gruber and Peggy Cox left the roadway, crashing through the family's home. Her father, Kevin Kirkland, is still recovering from injuries he sustained in the incident. Gruber and Cox have been criminally charged with intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault, and manslaughter, respectively.

According to the lawsuit, despite being "obviously intoxicated" Gruber and Cox were continued to be served alcohol by employees of The Point on Lake Worth and then allowed to leave the premises driving a heavy truck with an attached trailer. A Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission investigation is ongoing.

"Just as alcohol and driving are a deadly combination, so too is the combination of improperly trained bar employees and serving someone who is obviously intoxicated," said the Kirkland family's attorney Michael Lyons of Lyons & Simmons.

"We look forward to the development of this case. What's apparent is that these were two people who were far past the point where any alcohol service should have been cut off. If it had, then this family would be looking forward to Katey's high school graduation rather than continuing to mourn the death of their only child."

The lawsuit is Amy Kirkland, individually, and as Next Friend of Kevin Kirkland v. The Point on Lake Worth, LLC, Wildcat Canyon, LLC, Woods Inlet, LLC F/K/A Wood Inlet Corp., Donald Gruber and Peggy Cox, Cause No. 342-340639-23 in Tarrant County, Texas.

About Lyons & Simmons, LLP

Dallas-based Lyons & Simmons, LLP is a trial boutique representing clients in wrongful death, personal injury, products liability, and complex "bet-the-company" business litigation matters across the country.

Media Contact:

Rhonda Reddick

800-559-4534

[email protected]

SOURCE Lyons & Simmons
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Future Investment Initiative (FII) Institute will host the global PRIORITY summit in Miami on March 30-31, 2023, bringing together people from all walks of life to discuss the highest priority for each segment of society as the world goes through extraordinary social, economic and geopolitical changes.

The summit is in partnership with the City of Miami, one of the most diverse cities in the world currently undergoing massive expansion due to its thriving technology and financial investment hub.

FII Institutes PRIORITY event sets to create a roadmap for humanity in challenging times

The unique summit is set to create a roadmap for the world to navigate its most pressing challenges.

PRIORITY is designed as a platform for understanding humanity's needs, wants, and expectationsthen engaging in a discussion aimed at prompting action and finding solutions that will help leaders across the world to address the number one priority for each segment of society.

The summit offers a unique opportunity for expert leaders in topics like climate change, poverty and immigration to meet with potential partners and catalyze projects to move from the research stage to full-developed the real-world solutions.

Beyond fostering crucial dialogue behind these issues, FII Institute has invested directly to organizations creating change like Red Sea Farms, which designs sustainable agriculture technology, and Timbeter, an organization aiming to improve timber supply.

The summit seeks to answer critical questions, such as what new regulations and/or organizations need to be formed to realize each priority? How can communities around the world learn to understand and support each other to achieve each priority? How can we help global political, economic, and cultural leaders to encourage them to focus on each priority?

Richard Attias, CEO of the FII Institute said, "PRIORITY is held to open our eyes to the people's main concerns which is a priceless tool in the hands of those capable of change. This inclusive summit focuses on what action we can take to address those concerns and how to reinvent many business and social models of the global economy and make way for more prosperous, fulfilling lives."

He added, "As part of the FII Institute's vision to make a lasting, positive impact on our humanity, our priority is that the people's voices do not go unheardwhich is why we are determined to hold this annual global dialogue so that those in power can listen to the wishes, hopes, and expectations of our fellow human beings."

Held in the city of Miami, a booming, innovative and rising global hub, the summit looks to incorporate the city's dna into its own.

"Our world has never moved as fast as it does today, and technology is only accelerating this process," said Mayor of Miami Francis X. Suarez. "To thrive in the new era of our economy, we must gather together and discuss our most pressing challenges  that is why we are proud to be hosting this year's edition of the Future Investment Initiative Institute Summit in Miami, as it will congregate extraordinary minds that will share their insights into how we can unleash our potential in an ever-disrupting environment."

About FII Institute



The FII Institute is a global non-profit organisation with an investment arm and one agenda: Impact on Humanity. Launched in 2019, the Institute has published various reports, hosted many international platforms, and launched several initiatives and projects to create a more sustainable future for humanity.

In addition, the FII Institute is committed to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles, fostering the brightest minds and transforming ideas into real-world solutions in five focus areas: Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Education, Healthcare and Sustainability.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2016046/FII_Institute_PRIORITY_Banner_Miami.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1811613/FII_Institute_Logo.jpg

SOURCE FII Institute
S.5120A/A.1721A aims to measure EV charging station reliability across New York

NEW YORK, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - FLO, a leading North American electric vehicle (EV) charging network operator and smart charging solutions provider, and ChargerHelp!, a charging station maintenance and analytics company, along with Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee Chairman Kevin Parker (D  District 21) and Assemblyman Brian Cunningham (D  District 43) announced the EV Charging Reliability Transparency Act to ensure New York's EV drivers have access to reliable charging stations.

FLO curbside chargers in New York City. (CNW Group/FLO)

S.5120A/A.1721A, introduced in the New York State Senate (with a companion bill in the State Assembly), will require the disclosure of reliability data for all public and ratepayer-funded EV charging stations deployed across New York. Over the next few years, New York is expected to incentivize EV charging infrastructure deployment to the tune of nearly $1 billion through a combination of state programs and funding secured through the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

"New York EV drivers know the frustration of pulling up to a charging station only to find that it is out of order, but today is the first step in eliminating that concern. This bill will help safeguard critical investments being made in EV charging infrastructure by establishing reliability standards that put the EV driver first," said Daniel Bloom, Public Affairs Manager at FLO. "Thanks to the support of Chairman Parker and Assemblyman Cunningham in our efforts to improve the overall EV experience and accelerate EV adoption."

Ensuring charger reliability has never been more important. A record 71% of American drivers are reportedly interested in owning an EV. Unfortunately, access to reliable charging infrastructure has become a growing concern. Recent data show an increasing number of drivers have trouble accessing public EV charging stations, with broken chargers cited as the most common issue.

FLO and ChargerHelp! continue to work together to resolve this problem, sponsoring similar legislation in California. The legislation, the first of its kind in the United States, was signed into law last year to help policymakers and the public understand the performance of California's investments in EV infrastructure and inequities in driver access to reliable charging stations.

"As New York continues to implement the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), it is critical that EV chargers are maintained operational and deliver outstanding reliability for all communities, at all times," said Kameale C. Terry, Chief Executive Officer at ChargerHelp!.

For more information on the EV Charging Reliability Transparency Act, visit: NY State Senate Bill S5120A.

About FLO

FLO is a leading North American electric vehicle (EV) charging network operator and a smart charging solutions provider. We fight climate change by accelerating EV adoption through a vertically integrated business model and by delivering EV drivers the most dependable charging experience from curbside to countryside. Every month, we enable more than 1 million charging events thanks to over 80,000 fast and level 2 EV charging stations deployed at public, private and residential locations. FLO operates its network across North America and our high-quality charging stations are assembled with care in Michigan and Quebec. To learn more about what "EV charging done right" means to us, visit flo.com.

About ChargerHelp!

ChargerHelp! is a technology company that enables on-demand diagnostics, data collection, maintenance, and repair of electric vehicle charging equipment, while building out local workforces, removing barriers and enabling economic mobility within all communities. ChargerHelp! operates at the intersection of clean technology and workforce development. ChargerHelp!'s system solves the industry-wide problem of downed electric vehicle charging stations by providing on-demand repairs and maintenance support from trained and supported local workforces. ChargerHelp! is headquartered in Los Angeles, California with service across the United States. Learn more about our commitment to reliability and workforce development at www.chargerhelp.com.

SOURCE FLO
MASON, Ohio, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Flying Ace Express Car Wash celebrated the grand opening of its 14th express car wash location with 10 days of free car washes alongside a monetary donation campaign for the Mason Food Pantry. Throughout the grand opening period at 5810 Tylersville Rd in Mason, OH, Flying Ace gave away more than 3,039 free car washes at a retail value of over $54,000. Flying Ace also collected $21,628.63 in monetary donations for the Mason Food Pantry, the largest grand opening donation total in the Company's history.

During the grand opening, Flying Ace offered a free signature "Flying Ace" car wash ($18 value) to every customer in exchange for a monetary donation to Mason Food Pantry. Flying Ace Express Car Wash also offered discounted retail gift cards with 100% of proceeds being donated directly to Mason Food Pantry. ChemQuest, an industry leading car wash chemical products and service provider for Flying Ace Express, also stepped in and generously donated $1,000.

"Our ultimate goal with our Grand Opening donation campaigns is to make significant, positive change in each community we operate in, and we find we do that best when we support great, hyper-local nonprofit organizations such as the Mason Food Pantry," said John Roush, Express Wash Concepts CEO and Moo Moo Express Car Wash Founder. "This record donation will provide thousands of meals to hundreds of Mason families in need, which is a cause we are more than honored to help support."

Flying Ace Express is Dayton, Ohio and Richmond, Indiana's leader in the high-end, express car wash market. The company currently operates 14 express washes throughout Greater Dayton, Ohio and Richmond, Indiana.

About Flying Ace Express Car Wash:

Founded in 2015, Flying Ace Express Car Wash is Dayton, Ohio and Richmond, Indiana's award-winning, premier express car wash with 14 locations and rapidly expanding. Flying Ace's fast, high-quality and environmentally friendly car washes are 100% satisfaction guaranteed. For more information, please visit www.flyingacecarwash.com.

About Mason Food Pantry:

Founded in 2002, Mason Food Pantry's purpose is to serve as an interim support facility for the Mason community. Their vision is to see individuals empowered and to go from need to abundance. For more information, visit www.masonfoodpantry.org.

SOURCE Express Wash Concepts
- FNZ's new global family leave benefits package is available to all employees and recruits worldwide and marks a significant step forward in the industry

- Primary and secondary caregivers are each entitled to 26 weeks of fully paid parental leave  including if both work at FNZ

- Employees are also entitled to up to eight weeks of fully paid bereavement leave, and up to two weeks emergency care leave per year

- With 6,400 employees across 30+ global locations, the new benefits package is a clear demonstration of FNZ's commitment to creating a culture for growth, and promoting an inclusive and diverse workforce across its global business

BOSTON, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- FNZ, the leading global wealth management platform, is delighted to announce the launch of a transformative global family leave benefits package for all employees and new recruits.

The new package, available to all of FNZ's 6,400 employees worldwide, is a significant step forward for the industry and sets the standard at a global level. The new package is also a strong demonstration of FNZ's commitment to its culture and values, as it continues to support its employees and attract the very best talent to join its business.

FNZ has experienced exponential growth since its establishment in 2003. In the past five years alone, the company has increased its assets under administration from US$212 billion to over US$1.5 trillion, an impressive seven-fold growth. This success is attributable to the contribution of FNZ's dedicated employees, who have been instrumental in the company's expansion. In the last two years, FNZ has welcomed more than 2,000 colleagues worldwide through job creation and acquisition.

The announcement of this new package, which is a part of FNZ's Total Benefits Package, is a clear demonstration of the company's commitment to promoting an inclusive and diverse workforce across its global business. This commitment is further reflected in FNZ's continuous efforts to attract and build top talent through competitive financial rewards and significant career development opportunities.

Employees are now eligible for 26 weeks of primary and secondary parental leave, regardless of gender, at 100% of their salary. This benefit is available within the first 18 months of birth or adoption and both the primary and secondary caregivers can claim this benefit, including if they are both employed by FNZ. Caregivers are defined as biological parents, adoptive parents, same sex parents, or parents through surrogacy. FNZ is also offering transitional support to employees currently on maternity benefit packages.

Employees are also able to take eight weeks of fully paid bereavement leave, dependent on the relationship of the employee to the deceased person, and up to two weeks of fully paid emergency care leave per year. This new benefit package is fully integrated with existing FNZ policies and local statutory benefits.

Renata Mrazova, FNZ Group Chief People Officer, said: "Preparing our employees for the future by empowering them to succeed and develop the right skills is paramount. It is our responsibility to provide our global employees with the support and freedom to enable them to grow their careers at FNZ throughout the different stages of their lives.

"This new benefits package is aimed at creating a level playing field for all our employees globally by supporting diversity and inclusion and ensuring that everyone can succeed equally regardless of gender. Employees should not have to make the difficult decision to prioritize between a career and supporting their families. Providing all of our colleagues with the ability to choose how they shape their futures is a big part of our culture."

Adrian Durham, FNZ Group CEO, added: "We are thrilled to introduce our new global family leave benefits package. FNZ's ambition is to create a culture for growth, one that opens up limitless opportunities for our employees, customers, and the wider world.

"In order to achieve these aspirations, we need to inspire our people, based on the premise that only engaged, dedicated and passionate employees can take care of our customers. We're dedicated to attracting and developing the very best talent to our exciting, fast paced business  and this investment is a testament to our commitment to supporting our employees around the world."

To learn more about FNZ's employee value proposition, culture and global benefits package please visit www.FNZ.com/careers.

About FNZ

FNZ is the global platform provider in the wealth management sector, partnering with over 650 of the world's leading financial institutions and over 8,000 wealth management firms.

With about 6,400 employees in 21 countries, FNZ's mission is to open-up wealth, helping everyone, everywhere to invest in their future on their terms.

FNZ combines technology, infrastructure, and investment operations in a single state-of-the-art platform that frees its partners to create hyper-personalized and innovative products and services, that are seamlessly aligned with the needs of their clients.

To date, FNZ administers more than $1.5 trillion in client assets and has enabled over 20 million people, from all wealth segments, to invest in an effective, simple, and transparent way, making wealth management accessible to everyone. For more information, please visit www.FNZ.com and follow us on LinkedIn (@FNZ Group).

SOURCE FNZ
Dr. Hyman brings expertise in healthcare and wellness advocacy, leadership, and education to the Fountain Life Medical Advisory Board

NAPLES, Fla., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Fountain Life, a preventative health and longevity company committed to transforming global healthcare from reactive to proactive, today announced the appointment of Mark Hyman, M.D. to the company's Medical Advisory Board.

Mark Hyman, M.D. is a practicing family physician and an internationally recognized leader, speaker, educator, and advocate in the field of Functional Medicine. He is the founder and director of The UltraWellness Center, Founder and Senior Advisor for the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine, a fifteen-time New York Times best-selling author, and Board President for Clinical Affairs for The Institute for Functional Medicine. He is the founder and chairman of the Food Fix Campaign, dedicated to transforming our food and agriculture system through policy.

"We are honored to welcome Dr. Hyman to our Medical Advisory Board," said Bill Kapp, M.D., Fountain Life CEO and co-founder. "His commitment to applying scientific research to the goal of improving patient health and longevity is remarkable. His experience and insights will be particularly valuable as we pursue our mission to extend healthspan by detecting and diagnosing diseases at their earliest stages."

Dr. Hyman has distinguished himself as the host of one of the leading health podcasts, The Doctor's Farmacy with 150+ million downloads. His expertise is widely sought after as a regular medical contributor to several television shows and networks, including CBS This Morning, Today, Good Morning America, The View, and CNN. His latest book, Young Forever: The Secrets to Living Your Longest, Healthiest Life, is currently a #1 New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller, the #1 seller on Amazon, and the #1 bestselling hardcover book in America .

"I believe everyone deserves a life of vitality and that we have the potential to create that life for ourselves. I feel in synchrony with Fountain Life's values and commitment to empowering people to be in control of their health," Hyman stated. "I am thrilled to join Fountain Life's esteemed Medical Advisory Board and contribute to making their innovative healthcare offerings available to more members across the U.S. and globally."

Hyman joins Eric Verdin, M.D., president and chief executive officer of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, and Daniel Kraft, M.D., Stanford and Harvard-trained physician-scientist, inventor, entrepreneur on the Fountain Life Medical Advisory Board. The Board's primary mission is to provide strategic input, guidance, and recommendations for the company's expanding efforts in preventative medicine.

About Fountain Life

Fountain Life brings together the world's most renowned scientists and physicians to boost longevity and performance  putting health back in healthcare. Fountain Life does this by using cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) to collect data and gain insights into the human body that have never been possible before. Fountain Life's data-driven approach enables finding illnesses, including cancer, cardiac, metabolic, and neurodegenerative disease, early before they can cause harm. As a result, Fountain Life members operate at peak performance throughout their life with the aim that they will feel as healthy and vibrant at 100 as they were at 60. Learn more at www.fountainlife.com and follow us on LinkedIn , Facebook and Instagram .

A photo of Dr. Mark Hyman is available upon request.

Photos of Fountain Life centers (interior and exterior) are available upon request.

Fountain Life Media Contacts:

Erica Fiorini, Ph.D., or David Schull

Russo Partners, LLC

[email protected]

[email protected]

+1 (914) 310-8172

Fountain Life Company Contact:

Evan Balter

[email protected]

SOURCE Fountain Life
FTX Debtors Demand Injunctive Relief to Allow Redemptions and Reduce Fees in Grayscale Trusts

Grayscale and its Controllers Continue to Breach Trust Agreements and Fiduciary Duties

Grayscale's Self-Imposed Redemption Ban Prevents Realization of Approximately $9 Billion of Value

WILMINGTON, Del., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- FTX Trading Ltd. and its affiliated debtors (together, the "FTX Debtors") today announced that one of their debtor affiliates, Alameda Research Ltd., filed a lawsuit against Grayscale Investments, LLC ("Grayscale") in the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware. The FTX Debtors also asserted claims against Grayscale's CEO, Michael Sonnenshein, and its owners, Digital Currency Group and Barry Silbert.

The FTX Debtors are seeking injunctive relief to unlock $9 billion or more in value for shareholders of the Grayscale Bitcoin and Ethereum Trusts (the "Trusts") and realize over a quarter billion dollars in asset value for the FTX Debtors' customers and creditors. As described in the complaint:

In the past two years alone, Grayscale has extracted over $1.3 billion in exorbitant management fees in violation of the Trust agreements.

in exorbitant management fees in violation of the Trust agreements. Grayscale has for years hidden behind contrived excuses to prevent shareholders from redeeming their shares.

Grayscale's actions have resulted in the Trusts' shares trading at approximately a 50% discount to Net Asset Value.

If Grayscale reduced its fees and stopped improperly preventing redemptions, the FTX Debtors' shares would be worth at least $550 million , approximately 90% more than the current value of the FTX Debtors' shares today.

John J. Ray III, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Restructuring Officer of the FTX Debtors, said, "We will continue to use every tool we can to maximize recoveries for FTX customers and creditors. Our goal is to unlock value that we believe is currently being suppressed by Grayscale's self-dealing and improper redemption ban. FTX customers and creditors will benefit from additional recoveries, along with other Grayscale Trust investors that are being harmed by Grayscale's actions."

Advisors

The FTX Debtors are represented in this action by Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP as legal counsel, and Abrams & Bayliss LLP as Delaware counsel. In their chapter 11 cases, the FTX Debtors are also represented by Sullivan & Cromwell LLP as legal counsel and Landis Rath & Cobb LLP as Delaware counsel.

SOURCE FTX
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Outdoor performance apparel manufacturer Gillz, LLC, announces Outdoor Nation: A diverse collection of adventure-ready performance apparel at unmatched value. Outdoor Nation's expansive product lines range from high-performance fishing apparel to hard-working protective wear for outdoor professionals. Now consumers and retail industry merchants/buyers can go to OutdoorNation.com, the new online retail destination of the Gillz, Reel Life, Fintech and Mad Pelican apparel brands.

Homepage of the new Outdoor Nation website

The new website offers innovative search, filtering features and product suggestions, so consumers can easily discover an outdoor wardrobe mixing any of the Outdoor Nation brands.

Users can expect an enhanced browsing experience when shopping by activity, price point, color, size, style, special collection, or other features. The site also uses a smart suggestion feature that recommends popular styles and curated pairings, based on similar search history.

Retailers considering whether to offer Outdoor Nation brands in their physical stores and online shops can see the full breadth of each line and learn about the company's innovative approach to design and global sourcing power. A unique portal connected to the backend of the site allows the merchant/buyer to create a "cart" of unreleased styles they are interested in. This gives the professional sales staff at Outdoor Nation an opportunity to work exclusively with retailers to place orders for next season.

"Outdoor Nation is the place for people passionate about the outdoors to find performance clothing for every day of the week," said Jim Phelan, President of Gillz LLC. "We have a wide range of silhouettes and fits for UV-performance apparel, from shirts and shorts to jackets and hoodies. We also feature casual styles for men and women that are still true to our soft yet protective heritage. Our colorways and prints range from sea-inspired Reel Life to the irreverent Mad Pelican. Behind all our brands is our commitment to gear that helps safeguard against skin cancer, focuses on sustainable manufacturing, and connects communities supporting outdoor causes."

The Outdoor Nation team invites our professional fishing customers, outdoor enthusiasts, and the retail trade to explore our new site, OutdoorNation.com.

About Gillz LLC. Gillz LLC is an innovative apparel manufacturer based in Jacksonville, Florida, which created and manufactures the Gillz, Reel Life, Fintech and Mad Pelican brands. These brands are found in thousands of stores, including 4 of the top 10 retailers in the United States. Founded in 2008, privately held Gillz LLC has doubled its revenue in 5 of the last 6 years.

Media Contact:

Jim Phelan, CEO

336-473-1400

[email protected]

SOURCE Outdoor Nation
BEIJING, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- China-US "Ping-Pong Diplomacy" and the ice-breaking tour that was the Philadelphia Orchestra's first visit to China in the 1970s opened a new chapter for the people of both countries to enhance understanding and deepen friendship. With increasing cultural exchanges between the two countries, people in the US have more opportunities to learn about China and are eager to more deeply explore China's more than 5,000 years of history and fruitful culture, as well as understand Chinese people's philosophy of life and values. The Global Times interviewed three US expats residing in China, who shared their stories about the country, misunderstandings about China in the West and how they see current China-US relations and cultural exchanges.

'Mr Egg' Brian Linden wants to establish bridge between China and the US

Brian Linden from the US, who lives in Southwest China's Yunnan Province, traveled to Laos with his wife in late February. He told the Global Times that in the past, it would take eight hours to travel from Vientiane, the capital of Laos, to Luang Prabang Province, a place rich in UNESCO World Heritage Sites. However, thanks to the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the high-speed train built by China, it now only takes less than two hours to make the journey. In Laos, the train is inspiring groups of young entrepreneurs to look beyond Vientiane and pursue business opportunities along the train line.



The year 2023 marks the 10th anniversary of BRI. Linden said China's investment in neighboring countries has inspired many local people. By investing in their infrastructure, China is helping to boost their economies and is providing them with hope.



"If China were not to do that, I don't believe there were any other countries waiting outside the door of Laos to say 'we're going to do this and help you.' So in that regard, I felt very, very proud of my adopted home [China]," he said.



Linden first came to China to study in 1984 and he was amazed by China's economic development and profound culture. In 2004, he returned to China with his family. He later settled down in Xizhou township, Yunnan Province, and founded the Linden Centre, or "Xilinyuan," to welcome guests from all over the world while preserving local cultural traditions. Since Linden has been in China for 38 years, his wife likes to call him "Mr Egg," as she jokes that he is white on the outside and yellow on the inside. Linden said he hopes that "Xilinyuan" can act as a platform to promote China-US cultural exchanges and eliminate communication barriers between China and the Western world.



According to Linden, the way Americans see China has changed over the past four decades. They have gone from inclusiveness to reticence to fear.



China has grown in geopolitical relevance, a fact that is difficult for the existing order to accept. However, he believes China's voice on the world stage will continue to grow.



"In this regard, we should focus on our commonalities and not allow our views to become too extreme," he said. "Many Americans respect China, and many Chinese respect America. We need to continue to promote cultural and educational exchanges and business ties between our countries. 'Xilinyuan' is trying to bridge the divides between China and the outside world. "



He pointed out that China suffers from a soft power deficit compared with the US, as Starbucks, Apple products, Michael Jackson, Coca Cola are nearly everywhere, which underlines the US soft power.



Without a flourishing soft power foundation to offset the media's critiques, the narrative about China is limited, he said, as he believes that China needs to continue to expose the world to its traditional wisdom and charm.



The most common response Linden gets from his foreign guests is "we never knew that China was like this." Usually they are talking about the warmth and hospitality of the people. China's greatest soft power resource is its people, and China needs to create more opportunities for authentic interaction between all Chinese people and the world, Linden said.



Recently, Linden has been promoting his new book One Village at a Timeacross China. He told the Global Times that an English version would be published overseas as well.



"Because of geopolitical issues, I think it is necessary to go out and share this. My role is to promote continued interaction between the peoples of China and the US. I need to share the authentic stories about China that too often go untold. These stories are as valid and important as the political posturing that occurs at the governmental level," he said.



'Hotpot King' Nathan Rich: US always tries to put China into 'adversarial role'

Political commentator Nathan Rich, better known by Chinese netizens as "Hotpot King," has been living in China for years.



He has posted more than 100 videos about China on Chinese and overseas platforms, gaining more than 4 million subscribers in total.



"I don't consider my videos to be pro-China, so much as pro-logic, reason and treating China fairly," he told the Global Times. "That is quite a different thing to me.



"I've never been interested in if people like China. But when I see parts of what I consider to be my culture - America, the West - when I see them describing events in China that I'm literally standing in the middle of, and I'm looking at a description that doesn't match reality, it makes me confused and annoyed. It makes me want to make videos talking about the actual truth of it," Rich said.



"If that is considered pro-China, then so be it."



Fluctuating China-US relations have become strained in recent years in the eyes of many, especially since the start of the pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.



Rich came to China the first time in 2012. Having been to dozens of Chinese cities and having talked to lots of local people over the years, Rich has gradually gotten to know the real China.



This made him able to recognize the many misconceptions that many Westerners, especially Americans, have about the country.



One of the misconceptions that Rich has heard multiple times from Americans is that "Christianity is illegal in China," he noted.



Having worked with Chinese Christians and been to Christian churches across China himself, Rich commented that he feels the saying is bizarre.



Therefore, to reduce misconceptions and enhance people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, Rich suggests people in the West spend more time listening to Chinese individuals instead of repeating "scary sounding cliches and stereotypes."



"So I think for Americans, it's really important that we focus on backing up our opinions with independent research, rather than the skimming headlines and tweets we saw that day," he noted.



'Beijinger' Andy Friend expects return to 'respecting each other'

Many moviegoers were impressed by the character "Mike," played by US actor Andy Friend, in the Chinese sci-fi blockbuster The Wandering Earth II.



They become even more amazed after watching Friend speak the native Beijing dialect in Chinese action comedy film Hidden Man.



Born and raised in Beijing, Friend sees himself a "total Beijinger" who just has a white face.



With over 25 years experience on movie sets both in Hollywood and China, Friend is one of the best bilingual filmmakers working on co-productions and commercials in China.



His combination of on-set film experience and creative artistic skills has made him a popular visual effects producer in the Chinese film industry.



He pointed out the difference between films in the US and China is that most films made in the US are about superheroes and more about individualism while Chinese movies, like The Wandering Earth II, are more about group efforts in which everyone in the world needs to work together to solve common problems.



But there is one thing in common: filmmakers need to work hard to make original stories for their people.



"As long as human stories are told well, then they will be universally accepted," he said.



Friend said he believes that many people in the US really do love the Chinese, noting that China and the US actually did a lot of positive things for each other in the past.



"I'm hoping that the two countries will return to something like actually working together and respecting each other. Sometimes politics just pushes people to extremes and it's not so pretty," he said.

SOURCE Global Times
LONDON, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Golub Capital has expanded its presence in Europe with three new additions to its London-based team:

Daniel von Rothenburg joined Golub Capital as a Managing Director and Head of EMEA on the Business Development and Investor Relations team. Prior to Golub Capital, Daniel was a Managing Director at New End and at Oaktree Capital.





joined Golub Capital as a Managing Director and Head of EMEA on the Business Development and Investor Relations team. Prior to Golub Capital, Daniel was a Managing Director at New End and at Oaktree Capital. Philipp Schroeder joined Golub Capital as a Senior Director on the Direct Lending team. Prior to Golub Capital, Philipp worked in the Direct Originations team at Apollo Global Management in London .





joined Golub Capital as a Senior Director on the Direct Lending team. Prior to Golub Capital, Philipp worked in the Direct Originations team at Apollo Global Management in . Mensah Lambie joined Golub Capital as a Principal on the Direct Lending team. Prior to Golub Capital, Mensah was a Principal at Apollo Global Management in London .

Reflecting on the Firm's continued growth in Europe, David Golub, President of Golub Capital, said, "European investors have become increasingly interested in private credit, recognizing its ability to deliver consistent, premium returns. We look forward to meeting this growing demand, building on our nearly 30 years of success in nurturing long-term, win-win partnerships."

Golub Capital first established a dedicated direct lending presence in Europe in 2020 under the leadership of Tara Moore. In the last three years, Golub Capital has made nearly $9 billion of financing commitments to European deals across more than 80 transactions.1 Golub Capital's global sponsor finance platform closed nearly $23 billion in commitments across more than 220 transactions in 2022.

"As European private equity sponsors participate in more cross-border transactions, they are looking for financing partners like us who have the ability to offer best-in-class, scalable lending solutions as well as multi-currency facilities," said Tara Moore, Managing Director and Head of European Originations at Golub Capital. "We are excited about the opportunity ahead as we continue to deepen new and existing relationships with sponsors throughout the region, bringing the full strength of the Golub Capital platform to bear."

About Golub Capital

Golub Capital is a market-leading, award-winning direct lender and experienced credit asset manager. We specialize in delivering reliable, creative and compelling financing solutions to companies backed by private equity sponsors. Our sponsor finance expertise also forms the foundation of our Broadly Syndicated Loan and Credit Opportunities investment programs. We nurture long-term, win-win partnerships that inspire repeat business from private equity sponsors and investors.

As of January 1, 2023, Golub Capital had over 775 employees and over $60 billion of capital under management, a gross measure of invested capital including leverage. The firm has lending offices in Chicago, New York, San Francisco and London. For more information, please visit golubcapital.com.

1 Represents deals with a European-domiciled private equity sponsor, European-domiciled borrower and/or a European currency component.

Media Contact

Aleka Bhutiani, Director of Strategic Communications

[email protected]

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/5437/GOLUB_CAPITAL_LOGO.jpg

SOURCE Golub Capital
BOSTON, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Grain Ecosystem will launch its innovative digital platform supporting carbon removal project development at the North American Carbon World Summit. Grain Ecosystem's platform helps biochar carbon project partners to evaluate eligibility for carbon offsets, estimate potential impact and match carbon projects with investors to accelerate access to the carbon offset market.

"We are excited to share the work of our visionary and creative project team as we revolutionize the carbon removal space," said Grain Ecosystem co-founder Jason Dodier. "It has been a great experience to see the growth of the company as we interact with leaders in the sustainability space and take into account their needs to make a platform suited to tackle the industry's most pressing challenges. The North American Carbon World Summit will be an opportunity to continue to educate this rapidly changing marketplace on how Grain Ecosystem is leveraging technology and digitization to increase accessibility and reshape the biochar market."

The Grain Ecosystem product launch will include private beta access for users and a workshop with carbon project developer South Pole to explore emerging opportunities for biochar project development, including market insights, methodological landscape, and an interactive demonstration of the Grain platform. The workshop will be held on March 21, from 10am-12pm in Anaheim California as part of the North American Carbon World Conference. "The Grain team has been fantastic to work with and we're excited to be partnering with them to help drive innovation in this space. The biochar market is evolving rapidly and collaborations like these are critical for accelerating carbon removal and working together to ensure a true climate impact," said Hannes Etter, Technology Strategy Deputy Director for Biochar at South Pole.

"We look forward to seeing new partners, customers and future collaborators at North American Carbon World," said Grain Ecosystem co-founder and CEO, Ryan J. Letourneau. "Working with industry leaders like South Pole will be critical to our ability to meet the needs of the biochar offset market initially, and other markets going forward."

North American Carbon World will be held in Anaheim March 21-23, 2023.

About Grain Ecosystem

Grain Ecosystem was created to address global warming and accelerate decarbonization by unlocking the supply of impactful carbon offsets. Its innovative platform streamlines the long, complex, and expensive certification process for carbon offset projects, creating opportunities for new carbon offset projects.

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Grain Ecosystem, Inc.
San Francisco's Preston, Chan and Ronen denying our city's revival, says Greenberg

SAN FRANCISCO, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Richie Greenberg, San Francisco activist and former candidate for mayor, delivered a scathing rebuke to the failing of city hall officials to enact urgent recovery policies.

"As 2023 city hall legislative sessions move forward, San Franciscans face a startling reality: the far Left-Wing ideologues in elected office have failed to learn from November's elections - and now these officials are continuing rejecting policies for reviving our city as it spirals further downward. Recent projections show a massively growing deficit amid a dwindling tax base and businesses continuing to leave."

"Three of the city's District Supervisors, namely Dean Preston, Hillary Ronen and Connie Chan, are the most anti-progress, anti-recovery elected officials in a long time. Placing their most radical ideology front and center, they ignore San Francisco's filth, crime, blight, carjackings, daytime robberies and homelessness - yet they champion drug dealers' protections. The three rabidly supported disgraced former district attorney Chesa Boudin during his recall. Preston is a laughably self-titled "Socialist" while his family wealth clearly says otherwise. He presses massive tax increases, defunding the police, closing of jails, tweets insults incessantly ( @deanpreston ), and supports the already failed Reparations Plan (see RejectThePlan.com) . Connie Chan astoundingly defies our mayor's proposed urgent budget allocation to the severely understaffed police department for supporting overtime costs. Ronen, who terms out next year, defiantly demands drug dealers be left alone, even with gang turf shootouts, and the fentanyl ODs killing users on our streets by the day."

Greenberg laments: "At this point, San Francisco is held hostage until such time Mayor London Breed reverses her soft tone governance style and actually seizes the reins to begin the city's recovery. Voters cannot wait over a year and a half for elections next year to oust these three ideologues. Mayor Breed's re-election in 2024 is on the line as well. What San Francisco needs most, right now, is a team of experienced, winning attorneys to represent residents and business owners, to file suits and execute challenges to our city hall incompetence, malice and extremist Leftist ideology."

Media Contact: [email protected]

Website: richiegreenberg.org

Twitter: @richieSF2016

SOURCE Richie Greenberg
HAMAMATSU, Japan, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hamamatsu, a leading manufacturer of photonics devices, including whole slide scanners for digital pathology, today announced a multi-year distribution agreement with Siemens Healthineers. Under the agreement, Hamamatsu will provide NanoZoomer* whole slide scanners to support Siemens Healthineers expansion into digital pathology in the Americas and Europe.

Digital pathology is at a tipping point, and the evolution from glass to digital is already transforming standards of care. The technological combination of high-speed, high-resolution imaging; trusted medical data storage; fast, secure data transmission; and intuitive, inter-operable workflows with continual improvements in AI, are the key pillars supporting this movement.

Hamamatsu brings over 60 years of experience in photonics engineering to bear on the development of NanoZoomer scanners, resulting in instruments renowned for image quality, reliability, and ease of use. When coupled with Hamamatsu's dedication to customer service, Hamamatsu users experience the best combination of robust performance and personalized support.

Siemens Healthineers brings decades of experience in diagnostics, enterprise imaging, and healthcare IT. The partnership with Hamamatsu NanoZoomer whole slide scanners will help Siemens Healthineers bridge the gap between radiology and pathology to reach the full potential of digital operations in patient care.

This partnership between Hamamatsu and Siemens Healthineers will create tremendous value for laboratories and healthcare ecosystems," said, Fumio Iwase, Executive Officer, Division Director, Systems Division at Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. "Together, we will help laboratories across healthcare systems adopt digital pathology by seamlessly integrating pathologists' workflow with hardware to provide the utmost patient care." Mr. Iwase believes integrating complex hardware and software solutions into pathologists' workflow is critical to maximizing the potential of digital pathology in clinical environments.

"We now complement our portfolio for digital pathology with the products and expertise of Hamamatsu," said Christian Zapf, Head of Digital & Automation at Siemens Healthineers. "Together with our strong Syngo Carbon portfolio in enterprise imaging IT, we can now help our customers to comprehensively gain the benefits of a digital transformation in digital pathology."

In the US, C13220-01MD NanoZoomer S360MD Slide scanner system is intended for in vitro diagnostic use.

NanoZoomer S360MD Slide scanner system ("NanoZoomer System") is an automated digital slide creation, viewing, and management system.The NanoZoomer System is intended for in vitro diagnostic use as an aid to the pathologist to review and interpret digital images of surgical pathology slides prepared from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded ("FFPE") tissue. The NanoZoomer System is not intended for use with frozen section, cytology, or non-FFPE hematopathology specimens.

In Europe, following products are regulatory compliant for IVDR (EU), UKCA (UK) and IvDO (CH) for in vitro diagnostic use:

C13220-21MDEU NanoZoomer S360MD Slide scanner system, C16600-21MDEU NanoZoomer S60v2MD Slide scanner system and C16300-21MDEU NanoZoomer S20MD Slide scanner system.

NanoZoomer Slide scanner system ("NanoZoomer System") is an automated digital slide creation, viewing, and management system.The NanoZoomer System is intended for in vitro diagnostic use as an aid to the pathologist to review and interpret digital images of surgical pathology slides prepared from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded ("FFPE") tissue. The NanoZoomer System is not intended for use with frozen section, cytology, or non-FFPE hematopathology specimens.The NanoZoomer System comprises the Scanner and the NZViewMD Software. The NanoZoomer System is for creation and viewing of digital images of scanned glass slides that would otherwise be appropriate for manual visualization by conventional light microscopy. It is the responsibility of a qualified pathologist to employ appropriate procedures and safeguards to assure the validity of the interpretation of images obtained using NanoZoomer System.

Syngo Carbon consists of several products which are (medical) devices in their own right. Some products are under development and not commercially available. Future availability cannot be ensured.

About Hamamatsu Corporation

Hamamatsu Corporation is the North American subsidiary of Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. (Japan), a leading manufacturer of devices for the generation and measurement of infrared, visible, and ultraviolet light. These devices include photodiodes, silicon photomultipliers, photomultiplier tubes, scientific light sources, infrared detectors, image sensors, spectrometers, and cameras. The parent company is dedicated to the advancement of photonics through extensive research. This corporate philosophy results in state-of-the-art products which are used throughout the world in scientific, industrial, and commercial applications.

Information furnished by Hamamatsu Corporation is believed to be reliable. However, no responsibility is assumed for possible inaccuracies or omissions. Specifications are subject to change without notice.

SOURCE Hamamatsu Corporation
Commentary: Democracy shines through as China powers ahead on new journey

Xinhua) 14:10, March 06, 2023

BEIJING, March 6 (Xinhua) -- With a cabinet institutional reform plan, a new state leadership lineup, and policies concerning social fairness and justice for over 1.4 billion people on the agenda, all eyes are on China's annual key political event, the "two sessions."

The coming days will witness how these major decisions are made through a democratic process, ensuring transparency, accountability and representation for all.

The annual meetings of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) bring together thousands of national legislators and political advisors.

Their main objective is to align the interests and aspirations of the Chinese people with the development of the Party and the nation. With thousands of attendees, these meetings serve as a platform for meaningful discussion and collaboration, as participants work together to shape the future of China.

Representing and addressing the diverse concerns of a country as large as China is no small feat. However, what is truly commendable is the country's ability to foster consensus through effective communication and consultation.

Unlike some Western countries where chaos and tensions caused by wrangling between political parties, polarization, or racial issues are common, the two sessions in China present a different picture.

People attending this key political event witness a peaceful and unified gathering where diverse voices are heard and respected. Here, consensus is sought and common ground is reached through constructive dialogue, rather than being divided by partisan politics. The two sessions serve as a shining example of China's commitment to promoting unity, harmony and progress for its people.

As the Chinese leadership steers the nation through unforeseen circumstances and uncertainties in its development trajectory, the strength and vitality of China's socialist democracy have become increasingly apparent.

In the midst of current events and ongoing developments, this year's two sessions hold particular significance.

It is the first such event held since the Communist Party of China (CPC) unveiled its blueprint for building a modern socialist China in all respects for the following five years and beyond at its 20th National Congress last October.

National legislators and political advisors will review the work of the central government, national legislature, supreme court, and top procuratorate. They will also deliberate on a draft amendment to the Legislation Law and engage in in-depth discussions to ensure that Chinese modernization sets sail with a detailed plan.

DEMOCRACY FOR 1.4 BLN PEOPLE

The CPC has led the Chinese people in finding a new form of democracy that suits China's national conditions, one that Chinese President Xi Jinping has described as "the whole-process people's democracy."

China's whole-process people's democracy includes election, consultation, decision-making, management and oversight. It distinguishes itself from the Western model of democracy which is often plagued by money politics, elite rule and political polarization.

The newly elected 2,977 deputies to the 14th NPC, who serve a five-year term, come from diverse backgrounds. Nearly 17 percent are workers and farmers, including 56 migrant workers from rural areas; 15 percent are from ethnic minorities, representing all of China's 55 ethnic minority groups; more than a quarter are women; and 21.3 percent are technical personnel.

It is rare to see a high rate of representation of rural, blue-collar and ethnic minority individuals in the highest level of state power in Western countries such as the United States. This is because the democratic system in these countries tends to favor the elite capture of power rather than the well-being of the general population.

Among the 2.62 million deputies to people's congresses at the county and township levels, who were directly elected by over 1 billion voters on a one-person-one-vote basis, the proportion of workers, farmers, technicians and women is even higher.

Deputies to the 13th NPC have voted on a range of crucial decisions and policies that have far-reaching significance: they have adopted constitutional amendments and the country's first-ever Civil Code, and approved the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025).

The CPPCC National Committee has held more than 70 consultative forums for specialists over the past five years, focusing on key issues including promoting the implementation of new childbirth policies. This has provided important references for the decision-making of the central authorities.

TACKLING PRESSING PROBLEMS

Over the past five years, the NPC deputies and national political advisors have filed over 70,000 suggestions and proposals covering various areas such as people's livelihoods, social governance, modern economic systems, and green development.

On the basis of their advice, China's cabinet has introduced over 7,800 policy measures.

For instance, Li Li, an NPC deputy who works in central China's Hubei Province, put forth a suggestion for measures to resolve the difficulties faced by the elderly in going outside due to a lack of elevators in their apartment buildings. It has prompted the allocation of a huge amount of funds from the central budget to subsidize the renovation of old residential buildings nationwide, with 69,000 elevators newly installed.

Democracy in China is an integration of the CPC leadership, the running of the country by the people and law-based governance, which is guaranteed by the effective implementation of democratic centralism, the fundamental organizational principle of the CPC and the principle of China's state institutions as stipulated by the country's Constitution.

Under the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation led by the CPC, the CPC and non-communist parties work in cooperation with each other for the advancement of socialism, striving to improve people's standard of living. The relationship maintains political stability and social harmony and ensures efficient policy-making and implementation.

DELIVERING EFFECTIVE OUTCOMES

The ultimate goal of democracy is to ensure happiness for the people.

In China, democracy is not reduced to empty slogans. Instead, it prioritizes addressing the most pressing issues faced by the people and meeting their aspirations for a happy life. These include better access to education, greater job security, more decent incomes, improved social security, enhanced medical and health services, more comfortable living conditions, and a cleaner and more beautiful environment.

High-quality democracy in China has enabled the country to achieve rapid economic development and long-term social stability despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

China has remained the world's second-largest economy with its GDP expanding at an average annual rate of 5.2 percent in the past five years, much higher than the global average.

China's life expectancy has reached 78.2 years and its per capita disposable annual income has more than doubled in the past decade. Over 13 million urban jobs have been created annually on average during the same period.

There is no one-size-fits-all model of democracy, nor is there a single correct form for others to emulate. Democracy should not be privatized, labeled, or politicized.

China's socialist democracy is brimming with vitality as it reflects the will of the people, accords with the country's realities, and enjoys the support of the Chinese people.

China will never blindly copy other models of democracy, but rather make informed decisions based on its unique cultural, social and political context.

Facts have demonstrated that preaching the idea of "human rights above sovereignty" and imposing democratic models on other nations have not yielded stability or prosperity. On the contrary, such approaches have led countries into chaos and disastrous crises.

Now is perhaps the perfect time to champion an open and inclusive philosophy that puts people at the forefront, respects diverse models of democracy, and allows to live and let live.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
WALNUT CREEK, Calif., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Heffernan Insurance Brokers, one of the largest full-service, independent insurance brokerage firms in the United States, announced that Philip Mortimer has joined the company as Chief Financial Officer.

Phil began his public accounting career in Dublin, Ireland and held finance roles across various European entities. In 2019, he relocated to San Francisco where he took on the role of Director of Internal Audit, and later added data analytics to his responsibilities. Phil comes to Heffernan Insurance Brokers with extensive financial background that includes public accounting, internal audit, and business process and transformation.

"I am grateful and excited to be part of Heffernan Insurance Brokers," said Philip Mortimer, CFO of Heffernan Insurance Brokers. "I look forward to assisting with the growth of the business while maintaining the amazing culture we have here."

"We're excited to have Phil on our team," said F. Michael Heffernan, CEO of Heffernan Insurance Brokers. "We look forward to his insight and ideas as we continue to execute on Heffernan Group's growth strategy."

About Heffernan Insurance Brokers

Heffernan Insurance Brokers, formed in 1988, is one of the largest independent insurance brokerage firms in the United States. Heffernan provides insurance and financial services products to a range of businesses and individuals. Headquartered in Walnut Creek, Calif., Heffernan has offices in San Francisco, Petaluma, San Jose, San Mateo, Truckee, Bakersfield, Woodland Hills, Cypress, Los Angeles and Irvine, CA; Reno, NV; Phoenix, AZ; Albuquerque, NM; Portland, OR; Seattle, WA; St. Louis, MO; Philadelphia, PA; and London UK.

Employee-owned, Heffernan Insurance Brokers was named the Top Mid-Sized Broker in the United States to work for in 2009 by Business Insurance Magazine. The firm has been among the Top Greater Bay Area Philanthropists since 2003.

For more information, visit www.heffins.com. License #0564249

SOURCE Heffernan Insurance Brokers
Bids Due March 27, 2023

NEW YORK, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hilco Streambank announced that it is soliciting offers for the intangible assets of Hale & Hearty, a well-known soup brand with a loyal following across the Northeast. The assets include the highly recognized Hale & Hearty brand name, wholesome soup recipes, and related intangible assets.

Started in a small storefront on the Upper East Side of New York City, Hale & Hearty grew quickly into a well-known brand, offering nourishing soups, salads, and sandwiches to busy city-goers. Beloved for its homemade, wholesome, delicious soups and culinary offerings, including sandwiches and salads, Hale & Hearty ladled up hundreds of soups and more to New Yorkers and Bostonians for more than 20 years.

Bids are due on or before March 27, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. (ET), and an auction will be conducted on March 29, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. (ET). A "stalking horse agreement" has been entered into with Schnipper Restaurants LLC, which is subject to court approval. Parties interested in participating in the auction must submit bids equal to or greater than $340,000.

Hilco Streambank Senior Vice President Richelle Kalnit commented, "The Hale & Hearty brand is iconic in the Northeast and resonates strongly with a large customer base. An acquirer of the Hale & Hearty brand assets has the unique opportunity to leverage this widely recognized name and recipe list for a variety of strategic go-forward plans, whether to reopen retail locations serving those returning to the office, offer catering, bring the brand to supermarkets and specialty food stores, extend the brand to offerings beyond soups, and more."

Interested parties should click here for additional information or contact Hilco Streambank directly.

The assets are being offered by Gregory M. Messer, solely in his capacity as Chapter 7 Trustee of Hale & Hearty Soups L.L.C., pending in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (the "Bankruptcy Court"). The sale of the assets, the dates set forth herein and entry into the stalking horse agreement are subject to Bankruptcy Court approval.

About Hilco Streambank: Hilco Streambank is a market-leading advisory firm specializing in intellectual property disposition and valuation. Having completed numerous transactions, including sales in publicly reported transactions, private transactions, and online sales through IPv4.Global, Hilco Streambank has established itself as the premier intermediary in the consumer brand, internet, and telecom communities. Hilco Streambank is part of Northbrook, Illinois-based Hilco Global, the world's leading authority on maximizing the value of business assets by delivering valuation, monetization, and advisory solutions to an international marketplace. Hilco Global operates more than twenty specialized business units offering services that include asset valuation and appraisal, retail and industrial inventory acquisition and disposition, real estate, and strategic capital equity investments.

SOURCE Hilco Streambank
All-electric Honda Autonomous Work Vehicle (AWV) represents a new category of capable work vehicle for companies that need autonomous operation or delivery solutions

New capabilities include more pallet capacity, payload, and enhanced obstacle detection

Honda invites potential business partners and companies interested in field testing AWV to Honda's booth at CONEXPO 2023

TORRANCE, Calif., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Honda will showcase the new capabilities of the latest generation of its prototype Honda Autonomous Work Vehicle (AWV) to improve construction industry and worksite efficiencies at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2023 in Las Vegas, March 14-18, 2023. Interested construction entities will have an opportunity to learn more about field testing the rugged off-road platform at their worksites. Watch a video of the Honda AWV at https://honda.us/HondaAWV.

As Honda aims to commercialize AWV, the company is looking for partners to participate in field testing. Tweet this Honda will showcase the third-generation of its prototype Honda Autonomous Work Vehicle (AWV) to improve construction industry and worksite efficiencies at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2023 in Las Vegas, March 14-18, 2023.

"As we continue to advance the Honda AWV platform, we want to meet with potential business partners and companies at CONEXPO that are interested in field testing the vehicle at their worksite," said Jason VanBuren, systems engineering manager at American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "We believe the Honda AWV can be a valuable solution to supporting construction teams while also enhancing worksite efficiencies and safety. Leveraging Honda's decades of experience developing reliable, safe and clean mobility technology, we aim to address issues such as labor shortages and improved environmental performance."

The fully programmable all-electric Honda AWV leverages the company's emerging advanced autonomous technology to create a rugged off-road work vehicle that is designed to support construction-related activities and enhance workforce productivity. With the ability to operate autonomously  or manually via remote control  the Honda AWV could provide a wide range of services to industries that need autonomous operation or delivery solutions, especially where workforce constraints make other solutions impractical. The company is also exploring the development of attachments and tools that could make the vehicle a suitable platform for many work environments.

Honda successfully field tested the second-generation Honda AWV at a large-scale solar construction site in the Southwest U.S. Based on real-world testing, the company is now introducing the third-generation Honda AWV which features a number of enhancements.

Key features of the third-generation Honda AWV include:

Increased bed size to 2 pallets and greater loading capacity of 2000 pounds

Improved navigation in locations where GNSS (global navigation satellite system) service is weak or unavailable through the use of LiDAR sensors

Simplified tablet-based programming interface and cloud connectivity

Higher speed in autonomous mode  up to 10 miles per hour (mph)

Increased battery size and longer operating time of up to 10 hours

Enhanced avoidance function for vehicles stopped on road

Lower bed for easier loading and improved ergonomics

The Honda AWV employs a suite of sensors to operate autonomously, using GPS for location, radar and lidar for obstacle detection and cameras for remote monitoring. Previous field tests have also successfully verified that multiple Honda AWVs can transport and deliver construction materials and supplies at precise points along a pre-set route. The vehicle leverages Honda's extensive portfolio of mobility technologies, using common components from its automobiles and other products.

Honda Autonomous Work Vehicle Third-Generation Specifications

Honda anticipates further improvements to performance and design specifications as the development of the prototype Honda AWV continues to progress.

Vehicle dimensions W: 51in (1300mm) x L: 119in(3025mm) x H: 81in (2052mm) Bed size 101in (2560mm) x 51in (1300mm) Unladen vehicle weight 1765 lbs. Maximum loading capacity 2000 lbs. Speed Autonomous driving: Max 10mph

Default by remote control: 2.5mph Minimum turning radius 11.4ft Battery size 18.6kWh Range at maximum loading

capacity Up to 28 miles depending on the use case

As Honda aims to commercialize AWV, the company is looking for partners to participate in field testing, as well as to improve functions and enhance services, especially in the areas of:

Product distribution

Product support / after-market sales

Software and attachment development

Honda invites interested companies to visit Honda's booth #F8515 in the Festival Grounds, or contact Honda at: [email protected].

About Honda

Honda started operations in the United States with American Honda Motor Co., Inc. in 1959. Today, Honda employs about 30,000 associates in America engaged in the development, manufacturing, sales and service support of Honda and Acura automobiles, Honda power equipment, Honda powersports products and the HondaJet advanced light jet.

Based on its longstanding commitment to build products close to the customer, Honda operates 12 major U.S. manufacturing facilities, working with more than 600 U.S. suppliers to produce a diverse range of Honda products. Honda has built automobiles in America for 40 years, and in 2022, more than two-thirds of all U.S.-sold Honda and Acura automobiles were produced in America, using domestic and globally sourced parts.

Honda also conducts research and development activities at 21 facilities in America where we fully design, develop and engineer many of the products the company manufactures in America.

Learn more with Honda's Digital FactBook.

SOURCE Honda
New, innovative, free-from product developments powered by InnovoPro's chickpea protein to be showcased in snacks, meat alternatives, dressings and dairy alternatives categories at this year's event

ANAHEIM, Calif., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- InnovoPro, the global leader of chickpea protein, announced today that its clean-label ingredients will be powering several products at this year's Natural Products Expo West on March 7th through March 11th highlighting the versatility and functionality of their platform. The show is meant to promote innovative products that are transforming the future of food and wellness and serving the natural and organic products industry.

InnovoPro's innovative and versatile chickpea protein will be showcased by industry-leaders from the U.S. and Canada.

Ingredion, a global provider of ingredient solutions to the food manufacturing industry, will present Cacio e Pepe Plant-Based Cheese Crisps (Booth 971) featuring InnovoPro's CP-Pro 70 chickpea protein concentrate. Dan Kennedy, Director of Business Development for Plant-Based Proteins at Ingredion, said, "Consumers are seeking healthier, indulgent, and convenient products. Premium ingredients, such as InnovoPro's CP-Pro 70 chickpea protein, enable us to help our customers formulate and deliver on these consumer purchase drivers. Ingredion created the plant-based cheese crisps for Expo West to demonstrate how food brands can use plant-based proteins to enhance protein content and deliver a tasty, satisfying crunch in on-the-go plant-based snacks."

Before the Butcher (Booth 1674) will be sampling a chickpea protein burger made with InnovoPro's CP-Xtura 65 texturized protein. Combining CP-Xtura 65 and Before the Butcher's meat alternative formulation expertise, these chickpea burgers boast over 20 grams of plant-protein per serving, a superb "bite", and are free from the top 9 food allergens.

Live Kuna's (Booth 1808) founders, Carlos Gutierrez and Santiago Stacey, will be showcasing their new brand and latest innovation: Kunana (kunanamilk.com). Kunana is a first-of-its-kind banana milk made with upcycled bananas from Ecuador and InnovoPro's chickpea protein. Kunana is low in sugar and responsibly sourced by using imperfect bananas to create a dairy-free milk rich in protein, potassium, fiber, and vitamin C. It takes less water to produce Kunana than almond milk and creates fewer CO2 emissions than traditional dairy-based milk, making Kunana both healthy and sustainable.

Humble & Frank (Booth 5153), a Canadian food manufacturer, is thrilled to showcase their new line of distinct, protein-enhanced salad dressings at Expo West. These dressings have been crafted with a focus on simplicity and health, using high-quality ingredients sourced from trusted partners. In partnership with InnovoPro, Humble & Frank has been able to develop these dressings with a clean label and without unnecessary additives.

As part of a larger innovation consortium supported by Protein Industries Canada, Humble & Frank is committed to working with InnovoPro to drive the development of new, sustainable and plant-based products in Canada's food industry. They are proud to offer these new dressings as an example of commitment to creating delicious, nutritious and eco-friendly food options. Come and taste for yourself how great plant-based eating can be!

"Seeing firsthand how much our partners trust InnovoPro's ingredients is such a rewarding feeling," said Michael Kreutzer, CCO North America of InnovoPro. "As the Food & Beverage industry continues to evolve, consumers demand clean-labeled products that prioritize nutrition without sacrificing taste. With industry-leading customers and partners, InnovoPro has become the fastest growing chickpea protein supplier, and we are excited to see how conference attendees will react to these new innovations."

ExpoWest will be held on March 7-11 2023, at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California.

About InnovoPro

InnovoPro is committed to bringing a unique plant-based protein platform to the global food & beverage market, for creating nutritious, tasty, and sustainable food products. With an excellent nutritional profile, "free from" properties and wide usability in the food industry, InnovoPro's CP-Pro 70 concentrate is the best choice for the growing plant-based protein market. Now, with its growing recognition and infrastructure, InnovoPro is in the best position to scale up its innovative solutions worldwide. Please visit innovopro.com for more information.

Media Contact

Veronica Fernandez de Soto

Si14 Global Communications

[email protected]

SOURCE InnovoPro
MIAMI, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- After recently winning his $82 million lawsuit against Celsius energy drinks, Flo Rida embarks on a mission to continue his lifelong pursuit of evolving innovation, alongside his JettSet1 Enterprises Co-Founders, George Tabi, M.D. and Erik Hicks. JettSet1 is an enterprise with vast interests and partnerships across various industries spanning from biotech, health & wellness, and beverage to real estate development, film, and television, just to name a few. Moreover, JettSet1 is slated to announce and launch a myriad of cutting-edge technologies and products later this year.

Flo Rida embarks on a mission to continue his lifelong pursuit of evolving innovation Tweet this Flo Rida

JettSet1 recently partnered with Sanare Bioscience, a company that developed a new patented investigational drug which will relieve patients from cannabis intoxication. JettSet1 also plans to introduce a new energy drink, which was conceptualized and formulated by Dr. Tabi in conjunction with Flo Rida and Hicks. JettSet1 energy drink will be organically and naturally sourced, with the special formula and ingredients blended by their business partners at Dolce Foglia, a flavoring company lead by the legendary flavorist Mr. Ed Vanderloo who previously worked for companies, amongst others, such as PepsiCo, Pfizer, Sanofi Bio Industries, and International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF).

Flo Rida was quoted as saying, "We have a very gifted and dedicated team that is committed to quality assurance. It's great to continue to work with my friends and business partners at JettSet1, David J. Kovacs, Dr. Carr Bettis, Lionel "Elbee" Bussey, and Lori Trigg, Esq., who will help guide the ship globally as we delve into our various ventures."

Dr. Tabi added, "Flo is an absolute visionary and it's been a true honor to be his longtime doctor and business partner, and as I reflect back to when we first launched JetSetter Nutrition as a multivitamin company, we knew we wanted to expand our horizons from day one. This undertaking provides us with a platform, not just for health and wellness, but allows us to further our creativity in areas of business that reflects our overall vision. With that being said, I'm elated to continue the journey with Flo and the rest of our resplendent team."

David J Kovacs concluded, "We've previously had great success together but more importantly we've stayed synergistically aligned on our collective goals, and our new company is a culmination of that."

SOURCE JettSet1 Enterprises, Inc.
The Company provides its WiBAS Wireless Access System at 28 GHz for network modernization

ATHENS, Greece, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Intracom Telecom, a global telecommunication systems and solutions vendor, announced the signing of a frame contract agreement with Maxnet, a provider of internet & data connectivity services in Sudan, for the supply of the WiBAS wireless access systems. The project is anticipated to be completed by 2025.

Within the framework of this multimillion US dollars agreement, Intracom Telecom supplies its latest generation of WiBAS-Connect Terminals and OSDR Hubs, a Point-to-Multipoint (PMP) wireless system capable of connecting up to 120 subscribers to a base station sector, along with company's network lifecycle management and automation system, uni|MS.

Maxnet, in line with its network modernization strategy, embraces Intracom Telecom's superior technology at 28 GHz spectrum, aims to replace unlicensed band radios and older technology & infrastructure and expands its network coverage and performance.

Intracom Telecom has been already providing the WiBAS technology to Maxnet since 2021, building a pioneering PMP network for the banking sector in Sudan, and upgrading connectivity for top residential and enterprise customers in the country. The network is interoperable and compatible with company's latest technology, the WiBAS G5, which is expected to be included in the deliveries.

Elrashied Abdalla Mahmoud, Maxnet General Manager, stated: "We are very excited to deploy Intracom Telecom's ultra-broadband FWA solution WiBAS in Sudan. WiBAS has enabled Maxnet to provide broadband connectivity with growing capacity demands at high speed and quality of service. Our customers are very happy & satisfied with MaxNet services, and we are very grateful to Intracom Telecom for their support."

John Tenidis, Marketing Director of Intracom Telecom's wireless solutions portfolio, commented: "We are pleased to further enhance our partnership with Maxnet, which started in 2021, honored to be part of their business success and ready to provide better quality connection for private networks in Sudan, for enterprise customers with top quality of reliable connectivity. Our WiBAS technology provides the highest capacity in the industry, the best radio technology for uninterrupted service and the widest set of networking functions to meet Maxnet's strict list of requirements."

About Intracom Telecom

Intracom Telecom is a global telecommunication systems and solutions vendor operating for 45 years in the market. The company has become the benchmark in fixed wireless access and it successfully innovates in the 5G/4G wireless RAN transport and small-cell SON backhaul international arena. Intracom Telecom offers a comprehensive revenue-generating software solutions portfolio and a complete range of ICT services, focusing on IoT, SDN/NFV, Big Data analytics & data-driven intelligence, and Smart City solutions. Moreover, it addresses the Energy & Utilities industry, emphasizing on smart metering and end-to-end IT solutions. Intracom Telecom is also active in the defense systems sector providing security integrated systems for critical infrastructure protection and border surveillance. The company has extensive know-how and a proven track record in the market, serving fixed and mobile telecom operators, public authorities and large public and private enterprises. Intracom Telecom maintains its own R&D and production facilities, and operates subsidiaries worldwide. For more information please visit www.intracom-telecom.com

SOURCE Intracom Telecom
JG Wentworth acquires a Silicon Valley Fintech digital consumer lending platform and appoints new SVP of Lending

CHESTERBROOK, Pa., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Industry leading consumer financial services company JG Wentworth announced today that after its recent acquisition of Stilt Inc., it is appointing Stilt co-founder and ex-CEO Rohit Mittal as Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Lending division of The JG Wentworth Company effective December 1, 2022. In his role Mittal will be responsible for the P&L of JG Wentworth's soon to be released consumer lending business and will work closely with various teams across the JG Wentworth brand.

Mittal comes to JG Wentworth as part of its recent acquisition of Stilt Inc., a San Francisco based fintech and personal loan lender. Mittal founded the company in 2015 with his co-founder Priyank Singh (now CTO at JG Wentworth). Prior to its acquisition by JG Wentworth, he led Stilt Inc.'s fundraising which included $14 million in Series A funding, and the company's foray into fintech infrastructure with a product called Onbo. He also oversaw the raising of $375 million in Stilt's equity and debt financing.

Mittal joins JG Wentworth with extensive experience in credit risk analytics and data science and spent years building risk and fraud models for top U.S. banks. He also brings on expertise in fintech compliance, regulations, modernization of lending products, debt capital strategies etc. In addition, he also advises companies across various stages on embedded lending, credit underwriting, and risk management. Prior to founding Stilt, he worked at Verisk Analytics optimizing credit risk, and was the founding member of the data science team at PopSugar, an American Media and Technology company. He has a bachelor's degree from Delhi College of Engineering in India, and a master's from Columbia University in the City of New York.

"I am thrilled about Rohit and the Stilt team joining JG Wentworth. This will be a major addition to the company's capabilities. He (Rohit) brings on leading edge credit risk expertise along with a strong background in working collaboratively with regulators across the country and will be a primary driving force as we roll out our new consumer lending service." said Randy Parker, Chief Operating Officer at The JG Wentworth Company.

About JG Wentworth

JG Wentworth is a consumer financial services company that focuses on helping everyday Americans achieve their financial goals. Its services include structured settlement payment purchasing, annuity payment purchasing, lottery and casino payment purchasing, and debt resolution services. Most recently, the company launched its consumer lending arm, with a focus on debt consolidation. JG Wentworth was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania.

Follow JG Wentworth on social media to stay updated on the latest news from the company: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

About Stilt Inc.

Stilt is a leading mission-driven company building technology to democratize access to transparent credit products for the millions who are currently shut out by the financial system, such as immigrants, international students, DACA and visa holders. Stilt also provides businesses with the infrastructure to offer credit products to their customers in as little as two weeks, without requiring a bank sponsor. Founded by immigrants on visas, Stilt has lent to people from more than 150 countries around the world

SOURCE The JG Wentworth Company
"The study found that ChatGPT reaches the equivalent of a passing score for a third-year medical student"

TORONTO and PHILADELPHIA, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A study published on February 8, 2023, in JMIR Medical Education, a leading open access journal on digital medical education, evaluated the potential of ChatGPT, a natural language processing model, as a medical education tool. The study found that ChatGPT reaches the equivalent of a passing score for a third-year medical student. Conducted by researchers from Yale University School of Medicine's Section for Biomedical Informatics and Data Science and University College Dublin, the study aimed to test the performance of ChatGPT and previous-generation large language models on the medical question-answering problem as part of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 and Step 2 exams.

In their paper titled "How Does ChatGPT Perform on the United States Medical Licensing Examination? The Implications of Large Language Models for Medical Education and Knowledge Assessment," [1], Aidan Gilson and coauthors tested the models on study aids commonly used by medical students, including multiple-choice questions (with indicators of question difficulty) and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) test sample questions. ChatGPT outperformed previous-generation models and was capable of correctly answering up to over 60% of questions, which is comparable to a passing score for a third-year medical student. Incorrect answers were primary due to logical and information errors, and the performance decreased as question difficulty increased. Impressively, ChatGPT provided logical reasoning and information internal to the question in most of its answer selection. Additionally, ChatGPT's responses provided external information beyond the question, which was significantly correlated with the performance. ChatGPT can provide a basis for dialogic interaction that is likened to studying with a peer, not only by giving a narrative, coherent answer but also by establishing the information needed to answer the question.

ChatGPT has drawn considerable attention since its prototype was released on November 30, 2022, with users sharing their impressions of the chatbot all across the globe. These researchers describe how the artificial intelligence (AI)-powered chatbot ChatGPT, as the first in a new line of language models, can prove to be an interactive medical education tool given its ability to represent a combination of clinical knowledge and dialogic interaction.

Conrad W Safranek, one of the medical students involved in the project, describes his use of ChatGPT as a study aid. Upon reflection, he found value in using the tool to unearth context relevant to the question, which supported his ability to recall external information and make logical connections from medical courses as expected by the question. Using this tool to enhance self-directed reflective learning is but one example of the opportunities that ChatGPT brings to enhancing medical education.

The corresponding author, David Chartash, PhD, from Yale University School of Medicine remarked, "JMIR Medical Education has proved time and again to understand the value of the integration of medical informatics in medical education. This study builds upon on the fundamental principles which I have previously written about with colleagues last year [see published work here]: as medical education seeks to develop competencies in clinical informatics for medical students, exposure to the fundamentals of novel technology in pre-clinical years that may shape their practice (such as with dialogic AI) will support their ability to understand the technology-augmented clinical practice they will inherit when they graduate."

The authors of the study believe that their results make a compelling case for the potential use of ChatGPT as an interactive medical education tool, as it provides users with contextually interpretable and narratively coherent translation of medical knowledge along with its answers. This study published by JMIR Publications marks a significant advancement in natural language processing models for medical question answering and could have a profound impact on the future learning environment for medical students.

To further demonstrate the capabilities of this tool, the authors asked ChatGPT to summarize their research findings. Want to know how ChatGPT performed? Read the (second) "Conclusions" of this paper here.

JMIR Medical Education Launches a Theme Issue on ChatGPT, Generative Language Models, and AI in Medical Education

Given the interest this research has generated among medical educators and researchers, JMIR Medical Education has released a call for papers for its upcoming theme issue and e-collection titled "ChatGPT and Generative Language Models in Medical Education" [2]. This special issue aims to explore the potential of emerging technologies like ChatGPT and similar generative language models or AI applications in medical education, including their use in teaching and learning, clinical decision-making, and patient care. JMIR Medical Education welcomes submissions from researchers, educators, and practitioners in medicine, health care, computer science, and related fields. Submissions from a breadth of professionals at all career stages who are engaged in medical education are welcome. We encourage both empirical and theoretical submissions, including original research, systematic reviews, viewpoints, and tutorials. We also encourage submissions that address practical challenges and opportunities related to the use of generative language models and AI in medical education.

"ChatGPT has changed the world and the potential for ChatGPT to disrupt medical education is significant," says Gunther Eysenbach, publisher at JMIR Publications. "ChatGPT not only provides new interactive learning opportunities for medical students and health professionals but also raises new interesting questions for medical educators. The special issue will be a useful resource for researchers, medical educators, and trainees alike to get the most out of this fascinating technology that will change how we teach and learn." In an accompanying editorial, Eysenbach interviews ChatGPT itself, having the machine illustrate some of the opportunities for medical education; however, some striking errors and limitations also became evident [3].

Cite as:

Gilson A, Safranek CW, Huang T, Socrates V, Chi L, Taylor RA, Chartash D. How Does ChatGPT Perform on the United States Medical Licensing Examination? The Implications of Large Language Models for Medical Education and Knowledge Assessment

JMIR Med Educ 2023;9:e45312 ( Feb 8 )

doi: https://doi.org/10.2196/45312 PMID: 36753318 Call for Papers for the ChatGPT Theme Issue for JMIR Medical Education: https://mededu.jmir.org/announcements/365 Eysenbach G. The Role of ChatGPT, Generative Language Models and Artificial Intelligence in Medical Education: A Conversation with ChatGPT and a Call for Papers

JMIR Med Educ 2023;9:e46885

http://preprints.jmir.org/preprint/46885

doi: https://doi.org/10.2196/46885

Contact:

Corresponding author: David Chartash, PhD

Institution: Section for Biomedical Informatics and Data Science, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, US and School of Medicine, University College Dublin, National University of Ireland, Dublin, Dublin, IE

Email: [email protected]

About JMIR Publications

JMIR Publications is a leading, born-digital, open access publisher of 30+ academic journals and other innovative scientific communication products that focus on the intersection of health and technology. Its flagship journal, the Journal of Medical Internet Research, is the leading digital health journal globally in content breadth and visibility, and it is the largest journal in the medical informatics field.

To learn more about JMIR Publications, please visit https://www.JMIRPublications.com or connect with us via:

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The content of this communication is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, published by JMIR Publications, is properly cited.

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This news release was issued on behalf of Newswise. For more information, visit http://www.newswise.com

SOURCE JMIR Publications
The Cincinnati-based company is the go-to global leader in providing IT field technicians and on-demand coordination services for U.S.-based enterprises

CINCINNATI, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Inc 5000 announced their selection of only 203 companies in the Midwest this past week, and Kinettix is recognized as a company experiencing rapid growth. Based in Cincinnati, Ohio, the company has expanded its global footprint year over year and plans to do the same in 2023

Kinettix is named to the Regional Inc 5000 Midwest 2023. The Cincinnati, OH based company is the go-to global leader in providing IT field technicians and on-demand coordination services for U.S.-based enterprises Kinettix is honored for the second year in a row as a regional leader in the Midwest. The global company continues to scale year over year amid global expansion.

Kinettix is known by enterprise companies worldwide as the go-to resource for IT field technicians, break-fix dispatches, and on-demand coordination services. From retail to restaurants and beyond, they support U.S.-based companies in their efforts to find offshore resources to support a 24/7 marketplace. Kinettix specializes in providing high-quality, vetted team members to augment teams and take on both short-term and long-term relationships.

"The Kinettix team is honored to be selected as a 2023 Inc. 5000 Midwest company," said Chad Mattix, President of Kinettix. "Our growth is due to intentional investments in our people and our services, and enterprise customers are seeing a measurable difference."

The Inc. 5000 Midwest recognizes only 203 companies across 12 states. The honorees are determined by revenue growth over the past year. Kinettix is ranked 171 out of 203 and noted as a global dispatch services provider that can plan, schedule, implement and oversee projects from start to finish. The company was named to the same list in 2022 and has also been recognized nationally as an Inc. 5000 leader in 2021 and 2022.

Kinettix announced in February 2023 that it is expanding its services to include FieldFlex, which addresses a critical need, as companies increasingly value a flexible, scalable, on-demand workforce. Mattix stated in the announcement that FieldFlex is the future model for the company to engage and support large IT Service Provider partners. The solution makes it simple for companies in any industry to deploy and coordinate field service teams worldwide.

"This year's Inc. 5000 Regional winners represent one of the most exceptional and exciting lists of America's off-the-charts growth companies. They're disruptors and job creators, and all delivered an outsize impact on the economy. Remember their names and follow their lead. These are the companies you'll be hearing about for years to come," says Scott Omelianuk, Editor-in-Chief of Inc.

ABOUT KINETTIX

Kinettix is the global leader in providing IT field technicians and on-demand coordination services to U.S.-based enterprises and managed service providers anywhere, anytime. They take the complexity out of identifying local partners in international markets. Kinettix provides stress-free and quick solutions for their clients' IT field services dispatch and deployment needs through an API-driven platform, Dispatch1.

As an Inc. 5000 company, Kinettix is rapidly expanding to support multi-site enterprises 24/7/365.

Visit https://www.kinettix.com to learn more.

MORE ABOUT INC. AND THE INC. 5000 REGIONALS

METHODOLOGY

The 2023 Inc. 5000 Regionals are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2019 and 2021. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2019. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent  not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies  as of December 31, 2021 (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired). The minimum revenue required for 2019 is $100,000; the minimum for 2021 is $1 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons.

ABOUT INC. MEDIA

The world's most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month.

Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com .

Media Contact:

Cara Posey

614-273-5314

[email protected]

SOURCE Kinettix
Ian Nussbaum advises public and private companies on a range of strategic M&A matters.

NEW YORK, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Latham & Watkins LLP1 is pleased to announce that Ian Nussbaum has joined the firm's New York office as a partner in the Mergers & Acquisitions Practice. Nussbaum advises public and private companies on mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, corporate governance, and shareholder activism and takeover defense matters.

Ian Nussbaum, Partner, Latham & Watkins

"Ian is a top-notch M&A lawyer and we are excited to welcome him to our New York office and the firm," said Marc Jaffe, Office Managing Partner of Latham & Watkins in New York. "We continue to see increased demand for our M&A services in line with the overall growth of Latham's transactional footprint. Ian's experience in some of the most active industry sectors will benefit our clients tremendously."

Nussbaum's experience includes advising major public and private companies, special committees, and investors across some of the most active industries in M&A, including technology, healthcare, life sciences, financial institutions, consumer, gaming and leisure, and industrials.

"Ian's practice complements the breadth and sophistication of services that our extensive, ever-growing base of public company clients require," said Justin Hamill, Global Co-Chair of Latham & Watkins' Mergers & Acquisitions Practice. "Ian is a tremendous addition to our M&A practice as we look to continue expanding our group. His commercial approach and industry experience adds additional strength to our market-leading practice and we are thrilled to welcome him to the team."

"Latham's dynamic transactional platform and network of public company clients is second to none, and I look forward to being part of such a robust global firm," said Nussbaum. "The firm's commercial approach, combined with a culture of teamwork and collegiality, will no doubt enhance my service to clients."

Nussbaum joins Latham from Cooley LLP. He received his JD, magna cum laude, from University of Pennsylvania Law School and his BA, magna cum laude, from Columbia University. Prior to entering private practice, Nussbaum served as a law clerk for the Honorable Chancellor Leo E. Strine, Jr. of the Delaware Court of Chancery.

About Latham & Watkins (lw.com)

Latham & Watkins delivers innovative solutions to complex legal and business challenges around the world. From a global platform, our lawyers advise clients on market-shaping transactions, high-stakes litigation and trials, and sophisticated regulatory matters. Latham is one of the world's largest providers of pro bono services, steadfastly supports initiatives designed to advance diversity within the firm and the legal profession, and is committed to exploring and promoting environmental sustainability.

Notes to Editors

1 Latham & Watkins operates worldwide as a limited liability partnership organized under the laws of the State of Delaware (USA) with affiliated limited liability partnerships conducting the practice in France, Hong Kong, Italy, Singapore, and the United Kingdom and as an affiliated partnership conducting the practice in Japan. Latham & Watkins operates in Israel through a limited liability company. Latham & Watkins operates in South Korea as a Foreign Legal Consultant Office. Latham & Watkins works in cooperation with the Law Office of Salman M. Al-Sudairi in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Contacts

Marc Jaffe, New York Office Managing Partner, +1.212.906.1281

Justin Hamill, Global Co-Chair, Mergers & Acquisitions Practice, +1.212.906.1252

SOURCE Latham & Watkins
Live Audio Webcast Available on March 15, 2023, from 4:40 p.m. to 5:20 p.m. ET

RESTON, Va., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Leidos (NYSE: LDOS), a FORTUNE 500 science and technology leader, will participate in the J.P. Morgan 2023 Industrials Conference being held in New York City.

Roger Krone, Chief Executive Officer, will engage in a question and answer "fireside chat" on March 15, 2023, at 4:40 p.m. ET.

A live audio webcast of the event will be available on the Leidos Investor Relations website at http://ir.leidos.com. A replay of the webcast will be available following the presentation at the same link listed above for 30 days afterward.

About Leidos

Leidos is a Fortune 500 technology, engineering, and science solutions and services leader working to solve the world's toughest challenges in the defense, intelligence, civil, and health markets. The company's 45,000 employees support vital missions for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $14.4 billion for the fiscal year ended December 30, 2022. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

CONTACTS:





Media contact: Investor Relations: Melissa Lee Duenas Stuart Davis 571.526.6850 571.526.6124 [email protected] [email protected]

SOURCE Leidos
MIAMI, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Lennar Corporation (NYSE: LEN and LEN.B), one of the nation's largest homebuilders, announced today that the Company will release earnings for the first quarter ended February 28, 2023 after the market closes on March 14, 2023. Additionally, the Company will hold a conference call on March 15, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

The call will be broadcast live on the Internet and can be accessed through Lennar's website at investors.lennar.com. If you are unable to participate during the live webcast, the call will be archived at investors.lennar.com for 90 days.

Lennar Corporation, founded in 1954, is one of the nation's leading builders of quality homes for all generations. Lennar builds affordable, move-up and active adult homes primarily under the Lennar brand name. Lennar's Financial Services segment provides mortgage financing, title and closing services primarily for buyers of Lennar's homes and, through LMF Commercial, originates mortgage loans secured primarily by commercial real estate properties throughout the United States. Lennar's Multifamily segment is a nationwide developer of high-quality multifamily rental properties. LENX drives Lennar's technology, innovation and strategic investments. For more information about Lennar, please visit www.lennar.com.

Contact:

Ian Frazer

Investor Relations

Lennar Corporation

(305) 485-4129

SOURCE Lennar Corporation
LONDON, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Localz , leading experts in customer empowerment technology for the last mile, today announced it has been selected by Lewisham Homes to support and improve its tenants' experience.

Lewisham Homes manage 19,000 homes on behalf of Lewisham Council; it operates its own maintenance company, builds new homes and finds valuable ways to invest in the local community.

Lewisham Homes has recently implemented Localz as part of on its journey in continuing to improve services and place its residents right at the heart of everything they do. Lewisham has integrated the Localz modules Track My Appointment and Rate My Experience to provide tenants with automated updates around repair and maintenance appointments. Additionally, operative on-my-way tracking for residents and real-time feedback following service allows for Lewisham to ensure better overall experiences.

Sarah Willcox-Jones, Director of Repairs at Lewisham Homes, said:

"We look forward to seeing the difference this technology makes to our residents. We know that residents want to be updated with appointments in real-time. The additional modules will allow residents to give us immediate feedback following their appointment, meaning that if there are any issues, we can start working towards resolution straight away."

"We are delighted that Lewisham Homes has selected our technology to improve communication and tracking for its tenants. Automated notifications, multi-party communications and real-time feedback will not only empower and improve the overall experience for its tenants, but it will also give Lewisham Homes new insights on how to continually improve experiences in the long term," said Tim Andrew, CEO of Localz.

About Lewisham Homes:

Lewisham Homes is an enterprising, not-for-profit organisation, set up to improve housing in the borough. As well as managing 19,000 homes on behalf of Lewisham Council, we operate our own maintenance company, build new homes and find valuable ways to invest in the local community.

We're taking full advantage of new technology, developing innovative services and placing our residents right at the heart of everything we do. We're proud to be 100% focused on Lewisham and aim to make a real difference to the lives of the residents and communities living and working in our borough.

For more information: https://www.lewishamhomes.org.uk/about/

About Localz:

Localz is the innovator of customer empowerment technology, helping companies to deliver frictionless customer experiences on the day of service.

Localz provides digital customer engagement, combining real-time location tracking and interactive customer communications. Taking the complexity out of the last mile, Localz offers businesses configurable solutions to improve customer satisfaction while reducing no-access and other operational costs.

Localz technology has been created to serve the entire customer journey. Developed into key modules, businesses can select and seamlessly integrate Localz technology to improve operations and empower their customers at any point in the workflow.

Countless companies use Localz across various service and retail organisations, including Watford Housing, Fairhive Homes, Clarion Housing, Autoglass, Welsh Water, RAC, HSS Hire and Rentokill.

For more information: www.localz.com

SOURCE Localz
Groundbreaking start-up working to create a new data center industry from the Moon clears key financing milestones.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Lonestar Data Holdings Inc. announced today that it has successfully closed its $5m Seed with this financing round being oversubscribed.

The round has been led by Scout Ventures and joined by Seldor Capital, 2 Future Holding, The Veteran Fund, Irongate Capital, Atypical Ventures, and KittyHawk Ventures. Lonestar is scheduled to launch a series of data centers to the lunar surface in 2023.

Funding oversubscribed for US Start-Up, Lonestar, launching first data centers to the Moon in 2023. Tweet this Funding oversubscribed for Lonestar, US Start-Up putting the first data centers on the Moon in 2023.

"We are thrilled to have completed this successful seed round and are sincerely grateful for the support and vision of our investors," said Chris Stott, CEO of Lonestar.

"We believe that expanding the world's economy to encompass the Moon, which happens to be the Earth's most stable satellite, is the next whitespace in the New Space Economy," says Scout Ventures' Founder and Managing Partner, Brad Harrison. "Data security and storage will be a necessary part of leading the new generation of lunar exploration."

The VC funded startup is working to revolutionize premium mission critical data services and communications from Earth's largest satellite, the Moon.

The successful closing of the company's Seed funding round is a major milestone for Lonestar and will help the team to accelerate its growth and expand its offerings to meet the needs of its clients around the world.

About Lonestar - Saving Earth's Data One Byte at a Time

Lonestar Data Holdings Inc. (Lonestar), headquartered in St Petersburg's Maritime and Defense Technology Hub, has been founded by a proven team of experts from the Cloud and Space verticals to pioneer a future for data at the edge for all of us. www.lonestarlunar.com

SOURCE Lonestar Data Holdings Inc.
TORONTO, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Mandalay Resources Corporation ("Mandalay" or the "Company") (TSX: MND) (OTCQB: MNDJF) is pleased to announce that Frazer Bourchier has been appointed by the Board of Directors ("Board") to lead Mandalay as the new President and Chief Executive Officer effective April 3, 2023. Mr. Bourchier will also be appointed to the Board. In the interim, current CEO, Dominic Duffy, will be working closely with Mr. Bourchier to support a smooth transition. Mr. Duffy will remain on the Board as a non-executive director.

Mr. Bourchier has over 32 years of industry experience with a proven track record of operational success and executing upon growth strategies across multiple mining jurisdictions. He previously served as CEO of Harte Gold Corp., COO for Detour Gold Corporation and Nevsun Resources Ltd. and VP Business Development & Technical Services at Silver Wheaton (Wheaton Precious Metals). He has held numerous executive leadership roles and was instrumental in creating meaningful growth in numerous gold and polymetallic operations in North America and internationally.

Bradford Mills, Executive Chair, commented:

"We are delighted to welcome Frazer to Mandalay as our new CEO. With his extensive industry knowledge, operational track record and deep understanding of capital markets, Frazer is well suited to lead Mandalay in executing our long-term objectives and maximizing shareholder value. I would also like to thank Dominic for his strong leadership over the last five years that has seen the Company's reserves grow significantly and our balance sheet improve to the point where we are able to start returning capital to our shareholders again. Frazer inherits this strong foundation and the Board believes that this positions the Company for further success in the years ahead."

Incoming CEO Frazer Bourchier, commented:

"I am thrilled and energized to be joining Mandalay and believe there is tremendous opportunity ahead to continue to transform and grow the Company. I am excited to get started and work towards these goals, while unlocking further long-term value for all stakeholders with the support of an excellent team. Mandalay is uniquely positioned with its diversified asset base and healthy balance sheet and I look toward leveraging our competitive advantages and momentum to further develop our operations, grow the Company and deliver world-class results."

In addition, Terry Ackerman has advised the Board that he will not be standing for re-election at the next annual general meeting of shareholders. We thank Terry for his contribution to the Board during his years of service.

About Mandalay Resources Corporation

Mandalay Resources is a Canadian-based natural resource company with producing assets in Australia (Costerfield gold-antimony mine) and Sweden (Bjorkdal gold mine), with projects in Chile and Canada under closure or development status. The Company is focused on growing its production and reducing costs to generate significant positive cashflow. Mandalay is committed to operating safely and in an environmentally responsible manner, while developing a high level of community and employee engagement.

Mandalay's mission is to create shareholder value through the profitable operation and continuing the regional exploration program, at both its Costerfield and Bjorkdal mines. Currently, the Company's main objectives are to continue mining the high-grade Youle and Shepherd veins at Costerfield, which are expected to continue to supply high-grade ore to the processing plant, while extending Mineral Reserves. At Bjorkdal, the Company will aim to increase production from the Aurora zone and other higher-grade areas in the coming years in order to maximize profit margins from the mine.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements depending on, among other things, changes in commodity prices and general market and economic conditions. The factors identified above are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect Mandalay. A description of additional risks that could result in actual results and developments differing from those contemplated by forward-looking statements in this news release can be found under the heading "Risk Factors" in Mandalay's annual information form dated March 31, 2022, a copy of which is available under Mandalay's profile at www.sedar.com. In addition, there can be no assurance that any inferred resources that are discovered as a result of additional drilling will ever be upgraded to proven or probable reserves. Although Mandalay 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 forward-looking 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.

SOURCE Mandalay Resources Corporation
ACC.23/WCC late-breaking data: PULSED AF, one of the most rigorously executed PFA clinical studies to date, exceeds safety and efficacy performance goals in the treatment of paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation

DUBLIN and NEW ORLEANS, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Medtronic plc (NYSE: MDT), a global leader in healthcare technology, today announced that its PulseSelect Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA) System exceeded its safety performance goal, with an adverse event rate of 0.7%, one of the lowest adverse event rates of any prior U.S. FDA Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) trial for atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation or any multi-center PFA study. PULSED AF exceeded the threshold for its efficacy performance goal and further, clinical success, freedom from recurrence of any symptomatic atrial arrhythmias, was at least 80% for each patient cohort. Findings from the PULSED AF Pivotal Trial were presented as a late-breaking trial today at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session Together with World Congress of Cardiology (ACC.23/WCC) and simultaneously published in Circulation.

Medtronic PulseSelect PFA System demonstrates impressive results in landmark PULSED AF global IDE trial

PULSED AF is the first and only completed, global, and multi-center clinical study with IDE approval to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of PFA technology for AF ablation. PFA is a breakthrough ablation technology that uses pulsed electric fields to efficiently isolate the pulmonary veins for the treatment of patients with paroxysmal or persistent AF.

PULSED AF is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the PulseSelect System for the treatment of AF in adult patients with a history of drug refractory, recurrent and symptomatic paroxysmal or persistent AF. The trial is a prospective, single arm, multi-center clinical trial that treated 300 patients (150 with paroxysmal AF and 150 with persistent AF). Patients were enrolled across 41 sites in nine countries with 67 operators throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, and Japan.

Study Results: Safety

The study exceeded its performance goal of freedom from a composite of serious procedure and device-related adverse events with a 0.7% (p=0.002) rate of primary adverse events in both patient cohorts. There were no esophageal events, instances of pulmonary vein stenosis, or phrenic nerve injury.

"Uniquely, these results represent the first prospective, global, large-scale study with two different, rigorously monitored patient populations that demonstrates an impressively low adverse event rate of 0.7%," said Atul Verma, M.D., electrophysiologist and director, Division of Cardiology, McGill University Health Centre in Montreal and principal investigator (PI) for the PULSED AF study. "The results of PFA trials have been highly anticipated among the EP community to help us treat the growing number of AF patients around the world. The high rate of 80% or more in clinical success and the promising safety and efficiency results from PULSED AF will help establish PFA as an exciting new option for patients."

Study Results: Efficacy

PULSED AF exceeded the threshold for efficacy performance at 66% efficacy in paroxysmal AF patients and 55% in persistent AF patients (p<0.001), based on the pre-specified performance goals of >50% (paroxysmal) and >40% (persistent) at 12 months. The PULSED AF primary effectiveness endpoint included a composite of measures based on efficacy endpoints across multiple studies of radiofrequency (RF) and cryoablation energy sources. The composite endpoint included freedom from acute procedural failure, arrhythmia recurrence, repeat ablation, direct current cardioversion, left atrial surgery, or antiarrhythmic escalation through twelve months, excluding a 3-month blanking period.

Freedom from atrial arrhythmia recurrence at 12 months was 70% in the paroxysmal cohort and 62% in the persistent. Additionally, clinical success, freedom from recurrence of any symptomatic atrial arrhythmias, was 80% for paroxysmal and 81% for the persistent cohort.

"Today's findings demonstrate a critical achievement in the decade-long commitment we have made to researching PFA and underscores our confidence in the PulseSelect System," said Rebecca Seidel, president, Cardiac Ablation Solutions business, which is part of the Cardiovascular Portfolio at Medtronic. "We are taking the same comprehensive approach to PFA that we took with the introduction of the single-shot Arctic Front Advance cryoballoon, and that involves building a deep, extensive body of clinical evidence and strong collaboration with clinicians globally. The single-shot PulseSelect System, together with the focal Affera Sphere-9 mapping and ablation catheter, will allow us to offer a complementary suite of PFA technologies to help treat patients with AF and other arrhythmias."

About Patient Monitoring Strategies

Published PFA studies utilize different monitoring frequency and endpoints. For PULSED AF, patients underwent rigorous arrhythmia monitoring with assessments at three, six, and 12 months, and weekly symptomatic trans-telephonic monitoring. 96% (287) of patients completed the 12-month follow up. PFA study results cannot be directly compared; however, to show the impact of how monitoring differences affect outcome measurements, Medtronic analyzed its own data using the monitoring frequency and endpoints used in other PFA studies9 and found the PULSED AF outcomes to be higher when using those metrics.

The single-shot PulseSelect System delivers pulsed electric fields through an ablation catheter designed specifically to interrupt irregular electrical pathways in the heart that trigger AF. However, unlike traditional methods of ablation that heat (radiofrequency ablation) or cool (cryoablation) the atrial tissue, the PulseSelect System uses a non-thermal approach and preferentially targets heart tissue with the goal of avoiding unwanted injury to surrounding structures, a risk of current ablation technologies. Worldwide, the PulseSelect System is investigational and not approved for sale or distribution. For more information on PULSED AF, visit Medtronic.com/PFA.

AF is one of the most common and undertreated heart rhythm disorders, affecting more than 60 million people worldwide.1 AF is a progressive disease meaning it can become worse over time and can increase the risk of serious complications including heart failure, stroke and increased risk of death2-5. Antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) therapy has been the current standard first-line treatment, however, AAD therapy is ineffective at controlling AF in approximately half of patients treated with drug therapy.6-8

Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic's periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results.



About Medtronic

Bold thinking. Bolder actions. We are Medtronic. Medtronic plc, headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is the leading global healthcare technology company that boldly attacks the most challenging health problems facing humanity by searching out and finding solutions. Our Mission  to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life  unites a global team of 90,000+ passionate people across 150 countries. Our technologies and therapies treat 70 health conditions and include cardiac devices, surgical robotics, insulin pumps, surgical tools, patient monitoring systems, and more. Powered by our diverse knowledge, insatiable curiosity, and desire to help all those who need it, we deliver innovative technologies that transform the lives of two people every second, every hour, every day. Expect more from us as we empower insight-driven care, experiences that put people first, and better outcomes for our world. In everything we do, we are engineering the extraordinary. For more information on Medtronic (NYSE:MDT), visit www.Medtronic.com and follow @Medtronic on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Roth GA, Mensah GA, Johnson CO et al. Global Burden of Cardiovascular Diseases and Risk Factors, 1990-2019: Update From the GBD 2019 Study. J Am Coll Cardiol 2020;76:2982-3021. Miyasaka Y, Barnes ME, Bailey KR, et al. Mortality trends in patients diagnosed with first atrial fibrillation: a 21-year community-based study. J Am Coll Cardiol 2007;49:986-92. Hindricks G, Potpara T, Dagres N, et al. 2020 ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of atrial fibrillation developed in collaboration with the European Association of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS). Eur Heart J 2020. Wolf PA , Abbott RD, Kannel WB. Atrial fibrillation as an independent risk factor for stroke: the Framingham Study. Stroke 1991;22:983-8. Lubitz SA, Moser C, Sullivan L, et al. Atrial fibrillation patterns and risks of subsequent stroke, heart failure, or death in the community. J Am Heart Assoc 2013;2:e000126 Wazni OM, Dandamudi G, Sood N, et al. Cryoballoon Ablation as Initial Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation. N Engl J Med. January 28, 2021;384(4):316-324. Kuniss M, Pavlovic N, Velagic V, et al. Cryoballoon ablation vs. antiarrhythmic drugs: first-line therapy for patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Europace. March 17, 2021:euab029. Andrade JG, Wells GA, Deyell MW, et al. Cryoablation or Drug Therapy for Initial Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation. N Engl J Med. January 28, 2021;384(4):305-315. Medtronic data on file March 2023 . Post-hoc Medtronic analysis efficacy of 70.9% and 91.3% for the paroxysmal cohort using inspIRE and MANIFEST monitoring protocol and endpoints, respectively, and 86.3% in the persistent cohort using the MANIFEST monitoring protocol and endpoints. The analysis is based on publicly available published or presented monitoring methods from Biosense Webster inspIRE and Boston Scientific FARAPULSE MANIFEST-PF Survey. These outcome rates should not be used to compare the Pulsed AF results to other trial results, as the results have not been adjusted for patient characteristics.

Contacts:





Allison Kyriagis Ryan Weispfenning Public Relations Investor Relations +1-612-750-6061 +1-763-505-4626

SOURCE Medtronic plc
Wilson Pang to Supercharge Technological Innovation Focused on Today's Modern Customers



LOS ANGELES, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Mercury General Corporation (NYSE: MCY), a leading provider of property and casualty insurance, has appointed Wilson Pang as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) to lead its technological transformation efforts.

Mercury was built on innovation when George Joseph  who founded Mercury more than 60 years ago  transformed the industry with the introduction of segmented pricing for different risk groups. With that entrepreneurial spirit serving as the foundation for the company, Mercury is poised to take a giant step into the digital future with the appointment of Mr. Pang as the company's CTO.

"Technological transformation is a major priority for Mercury as we look to technology to help unlock new products and services for our customers," said Victor Joseph, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Mercury Insurance. "This new position is one of the keys to Mercury's future success as we transform our business to meet the everchanging needs and desires of our customers. It's just the first step, however, in the company's digital journey as we expand and refine our consumer-centric capabilities."

The CTO position represents Mercury's emphasis on the importance of technological innovation by building high-quality software and systems using modern development methodologies. The ability to rapidly assess, evaluate and deploy these solutions will allow the company to launch new products and services that will improve customer service, simplify agent processes, advance its data science and analytics capabilities, and position Mercury at the forefront of the industry's digital frontier.

As part of Mercury's executive leadership team, Mr. Pang will develop and drive digital transformation strategies and will be responsible for overseeing the company's software engineering and Technology teams. Prior to joining Mercury Insurance, he served as Chief Technology Officer at Appen, an industry leader in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) data space. Mr. Pang built Appen's technology teams from scratch and developed multiple product lines, which enabled rapid business growth. Mr. Pang also served in senior leadership roles at Trip.com group and eBay, where he led successful transformations through technology and data.

"The insurance industry is about risk management through data," said Mr. Pang. "I chose to work in this business because of my passion for data and my belief that technology, data and AI can have positive impacts on people. It's my mission to unlock this potential to help make life better for our customers, agents, and team members, and I'm very excited by the opportunities ahead of us."

About Mercury Insurance

Mercury Insurance (NYSE: MCY) is a multiple-line insurance carrier predominantly offering personal auto, homeowners and renters insurance through a network of independent agents in Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia, as well as auto insurance in Florida. Mercury writes other lines of insurance in various states, including commercial, business owners and business auto, landlord, home-sharing, ride-hailing and mechanical protection insurance.

Since 1962, Mercury has provided customers with tremendous value for their insurance dollar by pairing ultracompetitive rates with excellent customer service. Mercury has earned "A" ratings from A.M. Best and Fitch, as well as "Best Auto Insurance Company" designations from Forbes and Insure.com. For more information visit www.MercuryInsurance.com or follow the company on Twitter or Facebook.

SOURCE Mercury Insurance
Winners will receive $1,000 to cover the cost of becoming a board-certified lactation consultant.

COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Molina Healthcare of Ohio and Pacify, a health technology company that provides 24/7 infant feeding support to new and expecting parents, have awarded four recipients the Diversity in Lactation Consulting Scholarship, the first of its kind in Ohio.

Winners Yukeana Stallworth, Nabila Buwe, Sherveriria Harris and Errin Weaver will receive $1,000 to cover the cost of the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners exam required to become a board-certified consultant. Their comments are below.

Why is winning Pacify's Diversity in Lactation Consulting Scholarship so meaningful to you?

Yukeana: So much has been lost on our children because mothers have misinformed or discourage from providing adequate breastfeeding technique. Our mothers need our support, resources, and education now more than ever. With Pacify's Diversity in Lactation Consulting Scholarship, this is what I hope to achieve.

Nabila: Winning Pacify's Diversity in Lactation Scholarship is so meaningful to me because it aims to promote diversity in an area of motherhood where there are already many disparities. As Muslim, Somali-American women, I am able to acknowledge the disparities faced by the women whom I identify with. I hope to provide culturally-competent care that is judgment free and truly supportive of each mother's needs. This scholarship will allow me to further gain the knowledge and skills needed to better support the patients or clients I work with in the future. There are significant racial and ethnic disparities in breastfeeding rates and maternal mortality rates of women of color in the United States that should no longer be ignored. I believe that each awardee of this scholarship is one more individual willing to help address these issues.

Sherveriria: I was so excited to hear that I was awarded the 2022 Pacify scholarship. It definitely will help to alleviate some of the financial burden associated with the cost of required classes and testing associated with becoming an IBCLC. I also felt like my voice was heard throughout this entire process. It means a lot to communities of color, that an organization is committed to making institutional changes in order to diversify the lactation field.

Errin: Winning this scholarship is meaningful in that it allows me access to networks and knowledge in order to provide optimal service to my clients with the hopes of fortifying my community. The dismal outcomes for Black women and babies shines a light on the possibility that the health system is failing the Black community. We must take steps to increase representation on all fronts and ensure equity in order to begin to shift this narrative. This effort by Pacify is a step toward that end.

"We are excited to offer the scholarship to four excellent recipients," said Ami Cole, plan president for Molina Healthcare of Ohio. "Molina is committed to health and well-being of the communities we serve, and this scholarship not only benefits the recipients but the health of newborns and their mothers."

"These four recipients will be amazing lactation consultants," said Melanie Silverman, MS, RD, IBCLC, Chief Clinical Officer of Pacify. "The lactation profession has a long way to go to improve diversity, but this cohort of people joining the ranks of lactation consultants is a bright spot as we work towards better representation of minority groups within the profession. We are so grateful to Molina for helping to make this happen."

Pacify enables new and expecting parents to connect to its network of more than 100 IBCLCs who provide 24/7 infant feeding support via video chat on their smartphones. Through partnerships with forward-thinking health plans across the country to implement evidence-based strategies that increase member engagement, boost quality scores, improve outcomes and reduce the cost of care, Pacify prioritizes building and sustaining a provider network designed for all new parents.

Read more about our scholarship winners https://www.pacify.com/molina-ohio-diversity-in-lactation-consulting-scholarship/

Pacify's Lactation Mentorship Program

While the Diversity in Lactation Consulting Scholarship removes some of the financial barriers, we know there is more that can be done to support our winners. Together, Molina Healthcare of Ohio and Pacify, are committed to not only removing financial barriers, but also to contributing to the success of future IBCLCs of color. We believe that by nurturing diversity we ensure the future of a healthy and relevant lactation profession.

That is why Pacify has created the Lactation Mentorship Program, in which current Pacify Lactation Consultants serve as mentors for scholarship awardees for a year long mentorship program. This program is meant to holistically support mentees along the path to becoming an IBCLC. With support from Pacify's Clinical Department, mentors will provide a framework for navigating the IBCLC pathways, choosing an education program, reviewing clinical cases, preparing for the exam, interviewing skills and more.

We are happy to announce that all four scholarship winners will be participating in Pacify's Lactation Mentorship Program.

About Molina Healthcare of Ohio

Molina Healthcare of Ohio has been providing government-funded, quality health care since 2005. The Company serves members through Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare-Medicaid (Duals) and Health Insurance Exchange programs throughout Ohio. Through its locally operated health plans, Molina Healthcare, Inc., a FORTUNE 500 company, served approximately 5.2 million members as of September 30, 2022. For more information about Molina Healthcare of Ohio, visit MolinaHealthcare.com.

About Pacify

Pacify is the leading health technology company that provides 24/7 perinatal and infant feeding support to new and expecting parents. Pacify's network of 100+ lactation consultants, doulas and registered nurses have helped more than 100,000 families, reducing costs and improving outcomes in partnership with managed care organizations, health systems, non-profit organizations and employers across the country. For more information about Pacify, visit Pacify.com.

SOURCE Pacify Health
Ongoing Layoffs, However, Could Trigger an Uptick in Burnout

ARLINGTON, Va., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Levels of employee burnout among the U.S. workforce remain high but are trending downward since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly half (46 percent) of American employees say they are burned out from their jobs, according to new Eagle Hill Consulting research. Burnout has fallen slightly since last year (49 percent in August 2022) and more substantially since the early months of the pandemic (58 percent in August 2020). Younger workers (51 percent) and women (48 percent) continue to report higher levels of burnout, although their levels also have dipped.

As for the top sources of burnout, workers say it's their workload at 52 percent, which is up from 48 percent in August 2022. Staffing shortages follows at 44 percent. Nearly three-fourths of workers (71 percent) say a four-day work week would alleviate stress, followed by increased flexibility (66 percent).

Nearly half of American employees say they are burned out, according to new Eagle Hill Consulting research. Tweet this

These findings are from the 2023 Eagle Hill Consulting Workforce Burnout Survey conducted by Ipsos from February 9-13, 2023. The survey included 1001 respondents from a random sample of employees across the U.S.

"While worker stress levels are trending downward, employers should not be complacent in addressing employee burnout," said Melissa Jezior, president and chief executive officer of Eagle Hill Consulting. "Still, nearly half of the workforce reports burnout, and that is far too high for organizations that seek optimal performance and retention of their top talent. When employees are tired and stressed, you can bet they'll either underperform or look for another job."

"Employers should be cognizant that the current wave of employee layoffs could trigger an uptick in burnout. We know that staffing shortages have been a major source of worker burnout. In fact, we asked employees how staff shortages impact their workload, and 83 percent of workers said it's covering the workload for un-filled positions. That number could rise in the coming months given that layoffs often create more work for those who remain on the job," Jezior cautioned.

"There are actions employers can take to address burnout, according to employees. It can be allowing more flexibility to decreasing the workload. It's critically important for employers to dig in to understand exactly what is causing burnout among their workers to properly diagnose and address the problem. Our research shows that workers are comfortable talking about burnout, and those conversations are essential," Jezior said.

The survey's key findings are as follows:

When asked how staff shortages are impacting their workload, 82 percent of workers said it's covering the workload for un-filled positions, 37 percent said it's helping others learn their job, 39 percent said it's training new hires, and 28 percent said it's recruiting and interviewing new hires.





Most employees who report burnout (62 percent) feel comfortable telling their manager or employer they feel burned out.





The top causes of burnout include workload (53 percent), staff shortages (44 percent) juggling personal and professional lives (41 percent), a lack of communication and support (39 percent), and time pressures (38 percent).





When asked how to reduce burnout, 71 percent of workers said a four-day work week would help. Other solutions included increased flexibility (66 percent), decreased workload (65 percent), better health and wellness benefits (60 percent), working from home (58 percent), reduced administrative burdens (55 percent), more on-site amenities (51 percent), and the ability to relocate or work from multiple locations (41 percent).





The research also signals that despite layoffs and economic turmoil, a substantial share of the workforce (30 percent) plans to leave their job in the next 12 months.

Eagle Hill Consulting LLC is a woman-owned business that provides unconventional management consulting services in the areas of Strategy & Performance, Talent, and Change. The company's expertise in delivering innovative solutions to unique challenges spans across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. A leading authority on employee sentiment, Eagle Hill is headquartered in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, with employees across the U.S. and offices in Boston and Seattle. More information is available at www.eaglehillconsulting.com.

SOURCE Eagle Hill Consulting
Ibex Labs will provide Nobody Studios with a Web3 company-building engine on the Polygon blockchain

NEW YORK, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Nobody Studios, ( https://nobodystudios.com/ ), announced today its first strategic move in the blockchain space by adding the Ibex Labs team to its ranks.

Launched in 2022 by co-founders Zack Pyzer and Jeremy Shankle, Ibex Labs is a platform for creating decentralized applications on the Polygon blockchain.

Nobody Studios and Ibex Labs will answer the growing demand for permissionless and decentralized technology, evolving far beyond the utilities of trading crypto and NFTs into practical applications that solve real problems. In addition to working alongside the Nobody Studios team, Ibex Labs will provide enterprise-scale solutions in compatible fields to established companies looking to explore blockchain-as-a-service tooling.

Ibex Labs will perform a 'building block company' role in Nobody Studios, a term that means a company whose technology, in turn, helps to build other Studio portfolio companies. Nobody Studios will be deploying the Web3 platform to explore opportunities for building companies at the intersection of blockchain, retail, gaming, and hospitality, among others. Before Ibex Labs, two additional building block companies had already joined the Nobody Studios journey: ThoughtForma, an intelligent no-code platform, and The Adjacent Possible, an AI-powered IP creation platform.

Top brands and Fortune 1000 companies worldwide seek to integrate blockchain functionality to bolster mission-critical systems, including payments and loyalty programs. Nobody Studios and Ibex Labs will answer the growing demand for permissionless and decentralized technology, evolving far beyond the utilities of trading crypto and NFTs into practical applications that solve real problems.

In addition to working alongside the Nobody Studios team, Ibex Labs will provide enterprise-scale solutions in compatible fields to established companies looking to explore blockchain-as-a-service tooling.

"As soon as we began talking to Nobody Studios, we knew we had found the best possible home for our platform," said Zack Pyzer, co-founder and CEO of Ibex Labs. "The greatest partnership that a company-building engine could dream of is to work with a venture studio to quickly find projects that work, and scale them up. We are on the precipice of blockchain becoming a core component across multiple sectors, and together we will be able to take advantage of what is coming."

Nobody Studios CEO and Chief Nobody Mark McNally comments, "The addition of Ibex Labs is in alignment with our strategy to support all portfolio companies with the best technology this world has to offer. We're thrilled that Ibex Labs will be joining our family of companies, and honored that Nobody Studios continues to attract such quality individuals like Zack and Jeremy."

Jeremy Shankle, co-founder and CTO of Ibex Labs, explained that his philosophy in building sustainable Web3 companies aligned with the Nobody story: "In the long crypto and NFT bull markets, everyone was leaning into speculative trading and tokenization as a panacea in place of a business model. We want to generate companies that use blockchain as a value add, rather than as a way to segue trading into everyday products and experiences. That approach aligned with Nobody Studios' values right from the first call."

As a venture studio headquartered in Los Angeles, and with global teams based in New York, London, Tel Aviv, and Manila, Nobody Studios is an already distributed operation that is well-placed to integrate the Ibex Labs founders, who are split between Tel Aviv and Berlin, two of the world's hotspots for blockchain innovation.

ABOUT NOBODY STUDIOS

Nobody Studios is a Crowd Infused company creation machine bringing together creators, entrepreneurs, and investors to build businesses that shape a more vibrant, human, and equitable future. For more information, please visit, https://nobodystudios.com

ABOUT IBEX LABS

Ibex Labs is an enterprise-scale, no-code Web3 platform built to create decentralized applications on the Polygon blockchain, focusing on sectors such as retail, media, gaming, and hospitality.

Media Contact:

George Pappas

Conservaco/The Ignite Agency

562 857-5680

[email protected]

SOURCE Nobody Studios
Increasing Infusion Volume Per Site Resulted in a Reduction of Injection Sites

Increasing Infusion Rates Decreased Infusion Duration

PARAMUS, N.J., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Octapharma USA presented research at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting evaluating the efficacy and safety of cutaquig (Immune Globulin Subcutaneous [Human]-hipp, 16.5% solution) infusions at higher infusion parameters, potentially offering greater dosing flexibility for patients.

Octapharma USA presented research at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting evaluating the efficacy and safety of cutaquig (Immune Globulin Subcutaneous [Human]-hipp, 16.5% solution) infusions at higher infusion parameters, potentially offering greater dosing flexibility for patients.

Subcutaneous immunoglobulin (SCIG) has been an accepted mode of infusion for over 30 years and, with its increased utilization, improvements in methodology now drive replacement therapy in patients with primary immune deficiency. To further explore dosing flexibility with potential reductions in infusion time, sites, and/or frequency, Octapharma conducted a prospective, open-label, multicenter, Phase 3 study (NCT03939533) to evaluate the efficacy and safety of cutaquig in three modified infusion regimens. Cutaquig is indicated for treatment of primary humoral immunodeficiency (PI) in adults and pediatric patients age 2 and older.

"From both the patient and physician perspective, the benefits of SCIG include stable serum IgG levels, a reduction in systemic side effects as compared to intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) and improved compliance and reductions in hospitalizations as a result of the flexibility of self-administration," said Primary Investigator Sudhir Gupta, MD, Chief, Basic and Clinical Immunology, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, and Director, Jeffrey Modell Diagnostic Center for Primary Immunodeficiencies. "The research suggests that cutaquig infusions at higher infusion parameters, may offer greater dosing flexibility for patients."

Octapharma's AAAAI poster, entitled Subcutaneous Immunoglobulin 16.5% (cutaquig) in Primary Immunodeficiency Disease: Safety, Efficacy, and Patient Experience with Modified Infusion Regimens, reports that increasing infusion volume resulted in a reduction of injection sites, while increasing infusion rates subsequently decreased infusion duration. Dosing every other week demonstrated equivalency to trough levels with weekly dosing.

"Octapharma is committed to providing the PI community life-saving and life-enhancing therapies so we were happy to see that the research was well-received by AAAAI attendees," said Octapharma USA President Flemming Nielsen. "The study evaluated increased infusion volume per site, increased infusion rate, and increased interval between infusions when compared to previous approved regimens for cutaquig and may offer more flexibility around administration options for patients in the future."

The cutaquig study was organized into three cohorts. In cohort 1, the volume per site (maximum 100 mL/site) was increased by reducing the total number of injection sites while maintaining similar flow rates. In cohort 2, the infusion rate per site was increased until reaching a maximum flow rate of 100 mL/hr/site or maximum tolerated flow rate. In cohort 3, patients received double their weekly dose every other week.

The results of the study were as follows:

For cohort 1 (n=15), the maximum realized volume per site was 108 mL/site; 33.3% of patients (5/15) attained 90% of the allowed maximum volume of 100 mL/site. The mean number of infusion sites were reduced to 2.3 versus 3.3 and 3.9 in cohorts 2 and 3, respectively.

In cohort 2 (n=15), the maximum realized infusion flow rate was 67.5 mL/hr/site indicating that higher infusion flow rates were well tolerated and reduced the duration of infusion.

In cohort 3 (n=34), the mean total trough levels for every other week dosing demonstrated equivalency to weekly dosing (p value = 0.0017).

No serious bacterial infections were reported.

The AAAAI Annual Meeting was held Feb. 24  27. For program details, please visit aaaai.org .

About cutaquig 

Cutaquig (Immune Globulin Subcutaneous [Human]-hipp) is a 16.5% immune globulin solution for subcutaneous infusion indicated for treatment of primary humoral immunodeficiency (PI) in adults and pediatric patients 2 years of age and older.

CONTRAINDICATIONS

History of anaphylactic or severe systemic reaction to human immune globulin or other components of cutaquig  (Polysorbate 80).

(Polysorbate 80). IgA deficient patients with antibodies against IgA and a history of hypersensitivity.

WARNING: THROMBOSIS

Thrombosis may occur with immune globulin products, including cutaquig  . Risk factors may include: advanced age, prolonged immobilization, hypercoagulable conditions, history of venous or arterial thrombosis, use of estrogens, indwelling vascular catheters, hyperviscosity, and cardiovascular risk factors.

. Risk factors may include: advanced age, prolonged immobilization, hypercoagulable conditions, history of venous or arterial thrombosis, use of estrogens, indwelling vascular catheters, hyperviscosity, and cardiovascular risk factors. For patients at risk of thrombosis, administer cutaquig at the minimum dose and infusion rate practicable. Ensure adequate hydration in patients before administration. Monitor for signs and symptoms of thrombosis and assess blood viscosity in patients at risk of hyperviscosity.

For complete prescribing information, please visit cutaquigusa.com/pi .

About the Octapharma Group

Headquartered in Lachen, Switzerland, Octapharma is one of the largest human protein manufacturers in the world, developing and producing human proteins from human plasma and human cell lines.

Octapharma employs more than 11,000 people worldwide to support the treatment of patients in 118 countries with products across three therapeutic areas: Hematology, Immunotherapy and Critical Care.

Octapharma has seven R&D sites and five state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Austria, France, Germany and Sweden, and operates more than 190 plasma donation centers across Europe and the US. The company's American subsidiary, Octapharma USA, is located in Paramus, N.J. For more information, please visit octapharmausa.com .

CUTA-0841-PPR

Octapharma USA, Inc.  117 West Century Road  Paramus  NJ 07652  201-604-1130  www.octapharmausa.com

SOURCE Octapharma USA
AA offers a variety of meetings for individuals seeking sobriety and for members of the community who want to learn more about the AA program.

NEW YORK, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A remarkable effect can take place in an Alcoholics Anonymous group meeting when an individual struggling with a drinking problem asks for help and someone is there to share with them that AA may be a solution. For some AA members, their journey of sobriety began at "open" AA meetings, which can be attended by any member of the community, alcoholic or nonalcoholic. Open meetings have long been a vital source of information for anyone who wants to learn more firsthand about the AA Fellowship. The only request is that attendees not disclose the names of AA members outside the meeting so that members' anonymity may be maintained.

A typical open meeting will have a "leader" and other speakers. The leader opens the meeting, introduces each speaker, then closes the meeting after sharing and discussion. With rare exceptions, the speakers at an open meeting are usually AA members. Each may share some drinking experiences that led them to join AA and they also may talk about how their life has changed because of the AA Fellowship and the Twelve Steps.

Open meetings are among the variety of meeting types offered by AA. "Closed" meetings are open to anyone with a desire to stop drinking, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, income, or profession. There also are AA meetings specifically geared toward groups, topics, and communities, such as, young people, men and women, beginners, meditation, LGBTQ+, and online, to name a few.

More information on meetings and the Fellowship can be found in our Frequently Asked Questions pamphlet and on aa.org .

Open meetings are searchable by contacting a local A.A. office and by using the Meeting Guide app , where you can search by meeting type, location, day and time, and other features.

For nearly 90 years, AA has helped millions recover from alcoholismto get sober and stay sober. Alcoholics Anonymous is for anyone who wants to stop drinking. For more information, visit www.aa.org .

Contact: Public Information Desk

[email protected]

(212) 870-3119

SOURCE Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
New collection of unforgettable experiences will offer travelers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to unlock the doors to world-famous destinations, sights, and cultures and reveal the stories behind them.

Small groups of visitors will also gain exclusive access to celebrated spaces and moments that are not typically open to the public.

'Originals by GetYourGuide' is part of GetYourGuide's first global campaign, 'Make Memories,' which launched alongside powerful new research proving that formative events in life such as traveling beat positive memories of career progression and even a first kiss.

NEW YORK, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading travel online booking platform GetYourGuide announced today the launch of 'Originals by GetYourGuide'  a curated collection of exclusive, one-of-a-kind experiences that allow travelers to discover the world in the deepest, most immersive and memorable way. Following the tremendous popularity of its Turning the Lights on at the Vatican Museums experience, which let travelers open the doors to the Vatican Museums before sunrise, GetYourGuide is excited to add dozens of experiences to its offering. These are not bookable anywhere else and offer special opportunities to go deep under the surface of destinations like never before.

GetYourGuide Announces the Launch of 'Originals by GetYourGuide'

"For years, GetYourGuide has helped travelers create lasting memories on every trip they take. This year, we are gearing up to unlock even more unforgettable experiences with the launch of Originals by GetYourGuide, where travelers will get a rare glimpse into unique spaces and moments, and discover their treasures in a way no other visitor can," says Jean-Gabriel Duveau, VP of Brand at GetYourGuide. "Together with the 75,000+ experiences we offer, Originals by GetYourGuide will help us to live up to our promise to unlock unforgettable travel experiences, and help more travelers experience moments that will leave them filled with wonder and awe for years to come."

The Making of 'Originals by GetYourGuide'

In 2022, the Turning the Lights on at the Vatican Museums experience served as the source of inspiration for 'Originals by GetYourGuide.' In partnership with the Vatican Museums, GetYourGuide gave visitors the extraordinary opportunity to accompany Head Key Keeper Gianni Crea  who has held all the keys to the Vatican Museums for a quarter century  and open the doors to the 24 interconnected galleries, museums and chapels that make up the Vatican Museums before dawn, including areas otherwise closed to the public. Among the most memorable moments travelers experienced were being able to hold the keys and turn on the lights of the Sistine Chapel and enjoy one of the world's most famous rooms all to themselves  before the daily arrival of 25,000 tourists. After interest in this tour peaked and more than 15,000 people applied for a coveted seat, the tour is now available for booking regularly via the GetYourGuide platform.

The 2023 'Originals by GetYourGuide' Lineup

Each 'Originals by GetYourGuide' experience is handcrafted together with selected local partners around the globe to be able to deliver truly unforgettable memories. While exclusive access and new and authentic experiences are certainly key ingredients for 'Originals by GetYourGuide,' the 'guides' themselves will play a crucial role in making each experience memorable. In addition to sharing their expertise and authentic connection to the experience, they will all have incredible stories to tell.

Kicking off the collection of 2023 experiences is an exclusive tour executed in partnership with one of the world's most visited museums, the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA), where travelers can enjoy an intimate guided tour of the museum one hour before regular opening hours. Bookable now on GetYourGuide , a professional art historian will guide travelers through the museum's coveted galleries before the crowds rush in and tell stories about the renowned works of art and artists featured in the museum.

Looking ahead at spring and summer 2023, travelers can expect an exciting roll out of experiences that will feature the following legendary attractions, with many more to come:

Sagrada Familia : In a private, after-hours tour without the crowds, travelers will get to explore Gaudi's masterpiece as the artist intended himself  guided by the sounds of music and a rare color phenomenon only few get to witness. As the sunset fills the world-famous Basilica and a symphony of color is revealed through its stained-glass windows, travelers can experience the architectural gem come to life, set to the live soundtrack of revered local organist Juan de la Rubia.

: In a private, after-hours tour without the crowds, travelers will get to explore Gaudi's masterpiece as the artist intended himself  guided by the sounds of music and a rare color phenomenon only few get to witness. As the sunset fills the world-famous Basilica and a symphony of color is revealed through its stained-glass windows, travelers can experience the architectural gem come to life, set to the live soundtrack of revered local organist Juan de la Rubia. Vendee Globe : French champion sailor Tanguy le Turquais will welcome travelers aboard his transatlantic solo racing yacht and discover the thrill of open ocean exploration on the magnificent vessel, sailing with Tanguy and the team preparing to compete in the world's only non-stop, solo race around the world, the Vendee Globe  known as the 'Everest' of the Seas.

French champion sailor Tanguy le Turquais will welcome travelers aboard his transatlantic solo racing yacht and discover the thrill of open ocean exploration on the magnificent vessel, sailing with Tanguy and the team preparing to compete in the world's only non-stop, solo race around the world, the Vendee Globe  known as the 'Everest' of the Seas. Truffle Hunting in Piedmont: At sunset, accompanied by an expert truffle hunter, the Trifolau, travelers will search the woods of Piedmont for one of the most famous truffles in the world, the White Truffle of Alba.

GetYourGuide's 'Make Memories' campaign launches March 6 across Europe and the US

The launch of 'Originals by GetYourGuide' follows the brand's vision to unlock the most unforgettable travel experiences, and forms part of the 'Make Memories' campaign, which highlights the importance of meaningful moments that create lasting memories. A research study commissioned by the brand for the campaign examined the impact of experiences on life and found that positive memories of a first kiss are comparable to travel memories and almost half of the participants (47.3%) felt more positive emotions when reflecting on a travel experience than their first kiss. The findings underscore the impact travel can have on people's lives and why GetYourGuide will search near and far to bring travelers the best experiences in the world and make their next trip one they will remember forever.

To learn more about upcoming 'Originals by GetYourGuide' and discover other unforgettable experiences around the world, please visit www.getyourguide.com .

About GetYourGuide

GetYourGuide is the leading global online marketplace for unforgettable travel experiences. Travelers use GetYourGuide to discover and book the best and most unique activities in any destination  including guided tours by local experts, culinary excursions, cooking and craft classes, skip-the-line tickets, as well as exclusive bucket-list experiences. Today, GetYourGuide offers more than 75,000 activities from over 16,000 experience creators. Since launch, travelers from over 150 countries have booked more than 80 million tours, activities and attraction tickets through GetYourGuide. Powered by a global team of more than 700 travel and tech experts, the company is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, and has 17 local offices around the world (including in the UK and USA).

Press Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE GetYourGuide
HONG KONG, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ping An of China Asset Management (Hong Kong) Company Limited ("PAAMC HK") is delighted to announce that it has received 2 awards at Bloomberg Businessweek (Chinese Edition) Top Fund Awards ("TFA") 2022.

The Ping An of China SIF- RMB Bond Fund (the "Fund") is awarded the Best Performer in the category of Mutual Funds (5 years)  Fixed Income  RMB Bond. The Fund has been honored by the TFA in the Mutual Funds category 4 times in the past 5 years for its industry-leading performance.

Launched in 2011, Ping An of China SIF - RMB Bond Fund aims to provide total returns comprised of interest income and capital growth. The Fund invests primarily in RMB denominated instruments including fixed income instruments, asset backed securities, convertible bonds, commercial papers and short term bills and notes. The Fund is actively managed with a variety of strategies. Its holdings are well diversified in terms of industries and regions, with the majority in the investment grade space.

In addition, the Ping An of China CSI 5-10Y CGB ETF (3080.HK) is awarded the Outstanding Performer in the category of Exchange Traded Funds ("ETFs") (Nav Tracking Error 1 Year).

Mr. Hoi Tung, Chairman and CEO of China Ping An Insurance Overseas (Holdings) Limited, commented, "We are very honored to receive these two awards. We would like to thank the organizer and all our investors for the acknowledgement of our team's commitment and hard work. We are ready to embrace new challenges and opportunities in this volatile market environment by continuously enhancing our products and services, and working ever more closely with our partners and investors to succeed together."

The TFA is organized by Bloomberg Businessweek (Chinese Edition). Awards are given in three categories  Mutual Funds, ETFs and Mandatory Provident Funds. The Awards apply a Bloomberg data-driven and performance-based methodology evaluating funds subject to asset class categories to identify the best performing funds. All assessments are based on market figures and historical data available on the Bloomberg Terminal.[i]

[i] Source: Bloomberg Businessweek/Chinese Edition Top Fund Awards official website: http://www.bbwhkevent.com/

SOURCE Ping An of China Asset Management (Hong Kong) Company Limited
Meet adoptable pets March 6-12 at adoption events at PetSmart locations across the U.S.

PHOENIX, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- More than five million pets enter shelters and rescue organizations each year. Those who stay longest are often pets with special needs, such as living with chronic illnesses, physical differences such as loss of sight or limbs or behavioral needs, often stemming from their upbringing (some pets prefer rural to urban environments, others do better as the only animal in the home). To help pets of all varieties find loving homes, PetSmart Charities, the leading funder of animal welfare in the U.S., aims to create connections for animals in need of homes during its National Adoption Week March 6-12, 2023.

Theres no shortage of love for Heidi Marston, director of pet placement at PetSmart Charities, and her special needs dog Gatsby. PetSmart Charities National Adoption Week takes place March 6-12 with adoption events for pets in need of loving families at PetSmart stores nationwide.

During PetSmart Charities National Adoption Week, potential pet parents will have the chance to interact with adoptable pets from animal welfare organizations at local PetSmart stores. Visitors will have the chance to spend time with animals including cats, kittens, dogs and puppies in safe and spacious areas. Staff and volunteers will be on hand to help potential adopters learn more about the pets they are interested in and ensure they feel confident in caring for them.

For Heidi Marston, director of pet placement at PetSmart Charities, this mission feels especially personal. Marston adopted her dog Gatsby, a 6-year-old blind and deaf Great Dane mix, after touring a shelter for her role at PetSmart Charities. Marston originally took a video of sweet Gatsby to send to a friend who was looking to adopt. But after showing the video to her partner, Gatsby had an instant home with Marston and her family.

Despite being blind and deaf, Gatsby enjoys life just like any other dog. He quickly learned the layout of Marston's home with some help from sensory items and innovative accommodations to help him navigate, and now enjoys running and playing in the yard. Gatsby has taught Marston much about trust and adaptability, and despite the challenges he's endured, Gatsby is the most kind, loving and social dog she's ever met. Marston hopes others will see the joy adopting a petspecial needs or otherwisecan bring to their homes and consider bringing home a new family member.

"National Adoption Week is an ideal opportunity to give a shelter pet what they need mostpeople to love," said Marston. "Many shelters across the country are full, and pets of all kinds are waiting longer today for their families. I've always been drawn to pets with special needs because they have so much to teach us much. These resilient pets have a different way of connecting with people and that bond is often like nothing you've ever experienced before."

Loving homes make significant impacts on pets and families alike. If you'd like to consider adopting a pet with special needs, Marston recommends the following tips before heading out to local National Adoption Week events:

Ask the adoption representatives about pets with special needs; see if you're that missing puzzle piece that helps them to thrive.

Be honest with yourself about what you can do and what your home has to offer. If you don't find the perfect fit on the first try, that's okay! Your local adoption groups will be thrilled to help you find the right pet.

Keep an open mind! Oftentimes, we skip over the pets that might need a little extra care, thinking it may be harder to care for them, but that's not always true. For example, if you primarily work away from your home, a puppy may be challenging to care for but a more senior pet who loves napping and requires little exercise could be perfect! If you know what you have to offer a pet and go in open minded, your perfect match will find you!

Those who aren't quite ready to expand their family can still make a big impact by donating to help pets in need at petsmartcharities.org . They also can find their match when the time is right by visiting petsmartcharities.org/adopt-a-pet for adoptable pets, adoption centers and events.

PetSmart Charities National Adoption Week Details:

Thousands of animal welfare organizations will bring a host of adoptable shelter pets including dogs, cats, kittens and puppies into nearly every PetSmart store across the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

Dates: March 6-12, 2023

Locations: Nearly every one of PetSmart stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Visit petsmart.com to find a store near you.

ABOUT PETSMART CHARITIES

PetSmart Charities is committed to making the world a better place for pets and all who love them. Through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, PetSmart Charities has helped 10 million pets connect with loving homes. PetSmart Charities also provides grant funding to support organizations that advocate and care for the well-being of all pets and their families. PetSmart Charities' grants and efforts connect pets with loving homes through adoption, improve access to affordable veterinary care and support families in times of crisis with access to food, shelter and disaster relief. Each year, millions of generous supporters help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities directly at PetSmartCharities.org, while shopping at PetSmart.com, and by using the PIN pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses more than 90 cents of every dollar donated to fulfill its role as the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, granting more than $500 million since its inception in 1994. Independent from PetSmart LLC, PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that has received the Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator for the past 18 years in a row  placing it among the top one percent of rated charities. To learn more, visit www.PetSmartCharities.org.

ABOUT PETSMART

PetSmart LLC is the leading pet retailer offering products, services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart's passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so together they can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities.

PetSmart operates approximately 1,660 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, as well as more than 200 in-store PetSmart PetsHotel dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and products, as well as services such as dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day Camp and pet adoption.

PetSmart, PetSmart Charities and PetSmart Charities of Canada work with nearly 4,000 animal welfare organizations to bring adoptable pets into stores so they have the best chance possible of finding a forever home.

Through this in-store adoption program and other signature events, PetSmart has facilitated over 10 million adoptions, more than any other brick-and-mortar organization.

SOURCE PetSmart Charities
EAGAN, Minn., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Prime Therapeutics, a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) serving nearly 38 million members nationally, has hired industry veteran Matt Patella as its new vice president and general manager, national & mid-market accounts. Patella brings more than 20 years of sales leadership including account management and new business development to his role. Patella will be responsible for the employer group market sales strategy including growth and retention.

Patella brings previous health care, consultant and PBM leadership experience to his new role at Prime. Most recently he was area vice president with global insurance brokerage firm Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. He has held other sales leadership positions at WellDyne, Vital Decisions and Express Scripts/Medco.

"Matt is going to be a wonderful addition to Prime as we bring together the brightest minds in health care to transform the industry and deliver new value," said Dave Schlett, executive vice president and president of PBM solutions for Prime. "Matt's experience is sure to lead to positive client experiences and productive working partnerships for those we serve."

Patella holds an undergraduate degree from Pace University in Pleasantville, N.Y. and a Master of Business Administration from Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y.

About Prime Therapeutics + Magellan Rx

Prime Therapeutics LLC (Prime) is a diversified pharmacy solutions organization serving health plans, employers and government programs. Prime is collectively owned by 19 Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans, subsidiaries or affiliates of those plans. Magellan Rx Management, a Prime Therapeutics LLC Company, is a pioneer in specialty and medical drug management and a leader in serving public sector state government programs. Together Prime and Magellan Rx provide a wide range of clients with solutions that bridge the distance between medical and pharmacy management. For more information visit primetherapeutics.com and magellanrx.com, or follow us on Twitter at @Prime_PBM and @Magellan_Rx.

Contact: Denise Lecher

Director, Public Relations

612.777.5763

[email protected]

SOURCE Prime Therapeutics LLC
VANCOUVER, BC, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The global Robotic Process Automation (RPA) market size was valued at USD 2.45 Billion in 2022 and is expected to register a CAGR of 36.3% during the forecast period, according to the latest report by Emergen Research. RPA is the technology of using software robots or digital workers to automate business processes, particularly repetitive and routine tasks. The adoption of RPA technology has grown rapidly in recent years due to its potential to increase operational efficiency, reduce costs, improve accuracy, and enhance customer experience. The market is driven by the growing demand for digital transformation, increasing adoption of automation solutions, and advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies.

One of the major drivers of the RPA market is the need for digital transformation. Organizations are embracing digital transformation to enhance business processes, improve customer experience, and optimize operations. RPA is an essential part of digital transformation, as it automates manual and repetitive tasks, which enables organizations to focus on more complex tasks that require human judgment and decision-making. Additionally, RPA can help organizations to achieve cost savings, improve quality, and enhance compliance with regulatory requirements.

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Another significant driver of the RPA market is the increasing adoption of automation solutions across various industries. Many industries, including banking, financial services, insurance, healthcare, retail, and manufacturing, have adopted RPA to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs. For example, in the banking industry, RPA is used to automate back-office processes, such as loan processing, account reconciliation, and customer onboarding. In healthcare, RPA is used to automate tasks such as claims processing and medical coding. The increasing demand for automation solutions is expected to drive the growth of the RPA market in the coming years.

Advancements in AI and ML technologies are also driving the growth of the RPA market. RPA vendors are leveraging AI and ML technologies to improve the capabilities of their RPA solutions. For instance, AI and ML technologies can enable RPA solutions to learn from past experiences, make predictions, and improve decision-making. Additionally, AI and ML technologies can enable RPA solutions to perform more complex tasks that require cognitive capabilities, such as natural language processing (NLP) and image recognition.

Despite the significant growth opportunities, the RPA market faces several challenges. One of the major challenges is the lack of skilled resources to implement and maintain RPA solutions. RPA solutions require specialized skills in programming, data analysis, and business process management, which are in short supply. Additionally, the high cost of RPA implementation and maintenance can be a barrier to adoption, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Another challenge is the risk of job displacement. RPA solutions automate repetitive tasks that were previously performed by humans, which can lead to job displacement. However, proponents of RPA argue that the technology can enable workers to focus on more complex tasks that require human judgment and decision-making, which can lead to higher job satisfaction.

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The RPA market is expected to register a CAGR of 36.3% over the forecast period, and revenue is projected to increase from USD 2.45 Billion in 2022 to USD 54.06 Billion in 2032. The Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness the highest growth rate during the forecast period, owing to the increasing adoption of automation solutions in countries such as China, India, and Japan. The banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) industry is expected to account for the largest share of the RPA market, owing to the high demand for automation solutions to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs.

Current Trends and Innovations:

The robotic process automation market is continuously evolving, and companies are coming up with innovative solutions to meet the changing needs of businesses. Here are some current trends and innovations in the RPA market:

Artificial Intelligence Integration: Many RPA vendors are integrating AI technologies, such as machine learning and natural language processing, to enhance their automation capabilities. This integration enables bots to learn from data inputs and improve their performance over time, making them more efficient and accurate. Cloud-based Automation: Cloud-based RPA is gaining popularity due to its scalability, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness. With cloud-based RPA, businesses can easily scale their automation capabilities as per their requirements, without worrying about infrastructure or maintenance costs. Process Discovery Tools: Process discovery tools are used to identify and map business processes, making it easier to automate them. These tools use machine learning algorithms to analyze data logs and identify repetitive and rule-based tasks that can be automated. Hyperautomation: Hyperautomation is the integration of various automation technologies, including RPA, AI, and process mining, to automate end-to-end business processes. This approach is gaining popularity as it enables businesses to automate complex processes that involve multiple systems and applications. Mobile Robotics: Mobile robotics is an emerging trend in the RPA market, which involves the use of autonomous robots to perform tasks that require physical movement, such as picking and placing items in a warehouse or factory. This technology is gaining traction due to its ability to improve efficiency and reduce operational costs.

Browse Full Report Description + Research Methodology + Table of Content + [email protected] https://www.emergenresearch.com/industry-report/robotic-process-automation-market

Strategic Initiatives:

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is a rapidly growing technology that enables businesses to automate repetitive, rules-based tasks, freeing up employees to focus on higher-value activities. Some of the major players in the RPA market include UiPath, NICE, Pegasystems Inc., OnviSource, Inc., NTT Advanced Technology Corp., Blue Prism Limited (SS&C Technologies Holdings, Inc.), Automation Anywhere Inc, EdgeVerve Systems Ltd. (Infosys), FPT Software, KOFAX, Inc.

On January 10, 2023 , UiPath announced the acquisition of Cloud Elements, a leader in API integration and management. With this acquisition, UiPath aims to expand its capabilities in cloud automation and enhance its AI-powered automation platform. The acquisition will also enable UiPath to provide seamless integration with popular cloud applications such as Salesforce, HubSpot, and Shopify.

, UiPath announced the acquisition of Cloud Elements, a leader in API integration and management. With this acquisition, UiPath aims to expand its capabilities in cloud automation and enhance its AI-powered automation platform. The acquisition will also enable UiPath to provide seamless integration with popular cloud applications such as Salesforce, HubSpot, and Shopify. On December 15, 2022 , Automation Anywhere launched a new version of its RPA platform, featuring enhanced capabilities for unstructured data processing, advanced analytics, and machine learning. The new version of the platform, called Automation Anywhere Enterprise A2019, will enable organizations to automate more complex processes and improve their decision-making capabilities.

, Automation Anywhere launched a new version of its RPA platform, featuring enhanced capabilities for unstructured data processing, advanced analytics, and machine learning. The new version of the platform, called Automation Anywhere Enterprise A2019, will enable organizations to automate more complex processes and improve their decision-making capabilities. On November 21, 2022 , Blue Prism announced a strategic partnership with IBM to help enterprises accelerate their digital transformation initiatives. As part of the partnership, Blue Prism will integrate its RPA platform with IBM's cloud services and Watson AI capabilities. The partnership will enable organizations to leverage the power of RPA and AI to streamline their business processes and drive innovation.

, Blue Prism announced a strategic partnership with IBM to help enterprises accelerate their digital transformation initiatives. As part of the partnership, Blue Prism will integrate its RPA platform with IBM's cloud services and Watson AI capabilities. The partnership will enable organizations to leverage the power of RPA and AI to streamline their business processes and drive innovation. On October 7, 2022 , NICE announced the acquisition of Brand Embassy, a leading provider of omnichannel customer engagement solutions. With this acquisition, NICE aims to enhance its customer service offerings by integrating Brand Embassy's advanced AI capabilities with its RPA platform. The integration will enable organizations to provide personalized, seamless customer experiences across multiple channels.

, NICE announced the acquisition of Brand Embassy, a leading provider of omnichannel customer engagement solutions. With this acquisition, NICE aims to enhance its customer service offerings by integrating Brand Embassy's advanced AI capabilities with its RPA platform. The integration will enable organizations to provide personalized, seamless customer experiences across multiple channels. On September 15, 2022 , WorkFusion announced the launch of its new platform for intelligent automation, called WorkFusion Hyperautomation Cloud. The platform combines RPA, AI, and analytics capabilities to enable enterprises to automate their end-to-end business processes. The platform also features a low-code development environment, making it easier for non-technical users to build and deploy automation solutions.

, WorkFusion announced the launch of its new platform for intelligent automation, called WorkFusion Hyperautomation Cloud. The platform combines RPA, AI, and analytics capabilities to enable enterprises to automate their end-to-end business processes. The platform also features a low-code development environment, making it easier for non-technical users to build and deploy automation solutions. These strategic initiatives demonstrate the ongoing innovation and growth in the RPA market, as companies seek to expand their capabilities and provide more value to their customers through automation and AI-powered solutions.

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The robotic process automation market is growing rapidly, driven by increasing demand for automation, cost savings, and improved efficiency and productivity. The market is expected to continue to grow in the coming years, with the integration of AI technologies and the emergence of new automation technologies such as mobile robotics. However, there are also several challenges that need to be addressed, including security concerns, integration challenges, and limited cognitive capabilities. Despite these challenges, the benefits of RPA make it an attractive solution for businesses that want to streamline their operations and improve their bottom line.

Scope of Research

Report Details Outcome Market Size in 2022 USD 2.45 Billion CAGR (20232032) 36.3 % Revenue Forecast to 2032 USD 54.06 Billion Base Year for Estimation 2022 Historical Data 20192021 Forecast Period 20232032 Quantitative Units Revenue in USD Billion and CAGR in % from 2023 to 2032 Report Coverage Revenue forecast, company ranking, competitive landscape, growth factors, and trends Segments Covered Type, deployment, organization size, industry vertical, and region Regional Scope North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa Country Scope U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain, Benelux, Rest of Europe, China, India,

Japan, South Korea, Rest of APAC, Brazil, Rest of LATAM, Saudi Arabia, UAE, South Africa, Turkey,

and Rest of Middle East & Africa Key Companies Profiled UiPath, NICE, Pegasystems Inc., OnviSource, Inc., NTT Advanced Technology Corp., Blue Prism

Limited (SS&C Technologies Holdings, Inc.), Automation Anywhere Inc, EdgeVerve Systems Ltd.

(Infosys), FPT Software and KOFAX, Inc Customization Scope 10 hours of free customization and expert consultation

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Advancing White House Strategic Objective to Develop a National Strategy to Strengthen Our Cyber Workforce

BETHESDA, Md., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- SANS Institute, the global leader in cybersecurity training and certifications, is proud to announce the launch of the SANS Cloud Diversity Academy (SCDA), brought to you by SANS & Google. This academy provides unparalleled training and certifications to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), women, and other underrepresented groups who are passionate about pursuing a technical career in cybersecurity. The SCDA aims to reduce the skills gap in the industry, with a particular focus on cloud security, while also creating a more diverse and inclusive workforce.

"Empowering communities that have been traditionally underrepresented to pursue a career in cybersecurity is of utmost importance to SANS and Google.," said Max Shuftan, Director of Mission Programs and Partnerships at SANS Institute. "The White House just released the National Cybersecurity Strategy to secure the full benefits of a safe and secure digital ecosystem for all Americans. SCDA directly supports the Administration's strategic objective of developing a national strategy to strengthen our cyber workforce and tackle the lack of diversity in the field head-on. We are committed to reducing the talent shortage and driving greater diversity, equity, and inclusion, ensuring careers in cybersecurity are well within reach for all Americans."

SANS Institute Partners with Google to Launch Cloud Diversity Academy Tweet this

"As more businesses adopt cloud technology, the need for skilled professionals in cloud security becomes increasingly vital," said Frank Kim, SANS Institute Fellow, Cloud Curriculum lead, and CISO-in-Residence at YL Ventures. "SANS Cloud Diversity Academy equips professionals with essential skills to protect businesses and their data through SANS OnDemand training & hands-on labs with industry experts."

Applicants can currently be employed in an entry-level IT or STEM role, but priority may be given to those unemployed, underemployed, or interested in a career change. In addition, applicants must demonstrate their aptitude and passion for security, and also be currently living in the U.S. and have work authorization as a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident.

"The SANS Cloud Diversity Academy is an exciting initiative that we're proud to support," said M.K. Palmore, Director, Office of the CISO, for Google Cloud. "By partnering with SANS, we will reduce the critical shortage of skilled talent in cybersecurity by providing individuals from diverse backgrounds with the training they need to launch a career in cloud security. The program offers an exceptional opportunity for participants to develop hands-on, practical cloud security skills and gain industry-leading certifications. We're eager to see this initiative's impact on the cybersecurity workforce!"

The academy will provide scholarship-based training of up to three SANS courses and the associated GIAC certifications, the gold standard in the industry. This accelerated SANS training and GIAC certification will launch careers in months, not years, and provide valuable, validated skills and knowledge for graduates as they launch careers in cloud security.

The SANS Cloud Diversity Academy application window opens March 1, 2023, and ends April 14, 2023. To learn more and apply today, please visit https://www.sans.org/scholarship-academies/cloud-diversity-academy/.

About SANS Institute

The SANS Institute was established in 1989 as a cooperative research and education organization. Today, SANS is the most trusted and, by far, the largest provider of cybersecurity training and certification to professionals in government and commercial institutions worldwide. Renowned SANS instructors teach more than 60 courses at in-person and virtual cybersecurity events and on demand. GIAC, an affiliate of the SANS Institute, validates practitioner skills through more than 35 hands-on technical certifications in cybersecurity. The SANS Technology Institute, a regionally accredited independent subsidiary, offers master's and bachelor's degrees, graduate certificates, and an undergraduate certificate in cybersecurity. SANS Security Awareness, a division of SANS, provides organizations with a complete and comprehensive security awareness solution, enabling them to manage their "human" cybersecurity risk easily and effectively. SANS also delivers a wide variety of free resources to the InfoSec community, including consensus projects, research reports, webcasts, podcasts, and newsletters; it also operates the Internet's early warning systemthe Internet Storm Center. At the heart of SANS are the many security practitioners representing varied global organizations, from corporations to universities, working together to support and educate the global information security community. www.sans.org

SOURCE SANS Institute
AVENTURA, Fla. and MEDELLIN, Colombia, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Santo Mining Corp., d.b.a. Santo Blockchain Labs (OTC PINK:SANP) today announces it has entered into an NFT software development agreement with Vegachi Holdings SAS; this agreement is to develop a series of NFTs linked to the fractalization of land with gold mining rights. Under this agreement Santo will receive 3% transaction fee for the sale of each NFT, including a 1.5% royalty fee for every future transaction of the minted NFTs.

Mr. Yglesias CEO of Santo stated: "This is a great opportunity to showcase our vast NFT development experience, be able to incorporate all the legal documentations and titles of the land inside an NFT that will constantly morph as the historical and future value of the land and dead holders change. Additionally, the transaction fee structure will insure reoccurring revenue for the Company."

Mr. Hassan Mustafa lead Attorney at Law at Mustafa & Associates and Legal Representative of Vegachi Holdings SAS in Medellin Colombia stated: "We are delighted to work in this project and be able to bridge LawTech & FinTech with digital assets, and ensure that the traditional legal world can be linked and embedded with the blockchain and digital asset technology."

ABOUT VEGACHI HOLDINGS:

Vegachi Holdings SAS has 345.94 acres of land located in Vegachi, Antioquia Colombia, with gold mining rights issued by the Government of Antioquia. The Company has done a lidar drone scan and a top soil geological test and has shown 18grams of gold per metric tonnes, according to the World Gold Council, Colombia produced 26.8 tonnes of gold in 2020.

ABOUT SANTO:

The Company is a vertically integrated blockchain and cryptocurrency company that manages, operates, and develops end-to-end "BaaS" Blockchain-as-a-Service, similar to software-as-a-service, blockchain as a service lets businesses get applications up and running with minimal hassle.

For more information, please visit: https://santoblockchain.com/

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:

Because we want to provide more meaningful and useful information, this Disclosure Statement contains certain "forward-looking statements" (as such term is defined in Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended). These statements reflect our current expectations regarding our possible future results of operations, performance, and achievements. These forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, regulation of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and common law.

Such statements use such words as " may"," would"," will"," intend"," expect"," believe"," plan"," anticipate"," and other similar terminology Specifically, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, this report contains forward looking statements relating to (i) expectations regarding the future trading and value of bitcoin (ii) the anticipated performance of the Company, including anticipated future revenue and profit and number of machines (iii) the anticipated timing and ability of the Company to further expand internationally (iv) the ability of the Company to complete future acquisitions (v) anticipated future expenses of the Company (vi) the Company's business plans and objectives, including the expansion of its ATMs, its relationships with additional hosts and retailers and the integration and success of new software and web based services (vii) the anticipated timing for the mining and introduction of additional bitcoin (viii) the anticipated success and integration of the Company's SANTO PAY software (ix) expectations regarding the increased use of bitcoin as payment and (x) the Company's goals with respect to its anticipated future revenue sources (including web based revenue) and the timing thereof By their very nature, forward looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, which give rise to the possibility that predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward looking statements will not be achieved Forward looking statements are based on management's opinions, estimates and assumptions in light of its experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that management currently believes are appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances, including expectations and assumptions concerning prevailing currency prices and differentials exchange rates the sufficiency of budgeted capital expenditures in carrying out planned activities the timing of future acquisitions the state of the economy and the bitcoin industry results of operations performance business prospects and opportunities the impact of competition the ability to efficiently integrate assets and employees acquired through acquisitions and capital markets generally There can be no assurance that the underlying opinions, estimates and assumptions, and consequently the forward looking statements and actual results, will prove to be correct.

SOURCE Santo Mining Corporation aka: Santo Blockchain Labs
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Security 101, a portfolio company of Gemspring Capital and a national provider of full-service commercial security solutions, announced today that it has acquired Security Solutions Northwest (SSNW), based in Bellingham, WA. SSNW is a leading regional provider of commercial security systems design and installation services.

With this acquisition, Security 101 expands its presence in the State of Washington and complements its existing client base in the education, government, and property management verticals.

"Given SSNW's commitment to exceptional customer service and their deep relationships, it is a natural fit for Security 101," said Steve Crespo, CEO of Security 101. "The acquisition of SSNW expands our national footprint and broadens the scope of our service offerings to include life safety systems -- advancing our capabilities in fire testing and inspection services," Crespo added.

Jamie Vos, President of SSNW, remarked, "We're proud of the reputation we've established in our local markets and the longstanding relationships we've built through our customer-first approach. Partnering with Security 101 enables us to enter new industries nationally while we continue to provide existing customers with the exceptional security service they've come to expect over the years."

About Security Solutions Northwest :

Founded in 1904, Security Solutions Northwest has a rich heritage of providing physical security services in the Bellingham, Washington area and surrounding communities. SSNW helps its customers design and execute customized solutions for their security needs. For more information, visit www.ssnw.co.

About Security 101 :

Security 101 is a national provider of integrated security solutions to a diversified set of commercial customers across multiple end markets, including healthcare, education, financial, and government, among others. The company delivers a full-service offering of security services and products including the design, installation, and maintenance of access control, video surveillance, intrusion detection, visitor management, and managed service solutions. Founded in 2005 and based in West Palm Beach, FL, Security 101 has over 50 locations in the U.S. For more information, visit www.security101.com.

About Gemspring Capital :

Gemspring Capital, a Westport, Connecticut-based private equity firm with $3.4 billion of capital under management, provides flexible capital solutions to middle market companies. Gemspring partners with talented management teams and takes a partnership approach to helping drive revenue growth, value creation and sustainable competitive advantages. Target companies have up to $500 million in revenue and are in the aerospace & defense, business services, consumer services, financial and insurance services, healthcare services, industrial services, software and tech-enabled services, or specialty manufacturing sectors. For more information, visit www.gemspring.com.

Contact:

Alex Shakibnia

[email protected]

SOURCE Gemspring Capital
Annual recognition program honors SilverSneakers fitness instructors who empower and support older adults on their path to better health

NASHVILLE, Tenn., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- SilverSneakers by Tivity Health, the nation's leading community fitness program for older adults, today opened the call for nominations for its 2023 SilverSneakers Instructor of the Year Awards. This year marks the 7th anniversary of the Instructor of the Year Awards, which honors all SilverSneakers fitness instructors who encourage and inspire members to stay active, build community, and provide opportunities for vital social connection.

Annual program honors SilverSneakers fitness instructors who support older adults on their path to better health. Tweet this (PRNewsfoto/Tivity Health, Inc.)

"The Instructor of the Year award is an exciting way to recognize our outstanding instructors who directly impact the lives of members every day," said Richard Ashworth, president and CEO of Tivity Health. "I admire the passion our instructors have for encouraging older adults to keep their bodies and minds active for improved overall well-being and the communities they create within their classes. Our instructors strive to deliver the best experience possible, and I'm honored to witness the connections they make with our members and the great work each of them does every day."

The call for nominations will be open today through March 17, and nominations can be submitted from peers, class members, fitness location staff and instructors themselves at silversneakers.com/ instructorawards . A SilverSneakers committee will review nominations and the winner and finalists will be announced at the end of April. The winner and four finalists will be highlighted on the Instructor of the Year website, and a special event will be held in their honor.

SilverSneakers offers members a network of up to 22,000 fitness locations, along with community-based options such as rec centers and parks. Members can take part in live, instructor-led and on-demand virtual classes in a variety of lengths and formats that include strength training, cardio, meditation and stress management, always bringing more to the member.

Eligible members in participating health plans can experience social engagement and mental enrichment offerings through innovative partnerships with GetSetUp, a virtual learning platform, and Stitch, an in-person and online social community for seniors, allowing older adults to connect virtually and in person.

Currently, nearly 18 million Americans are eligible for SilverSneakers at no additional cost to the member through select Medicare Advantage, group retiree, and Medicare Supplement plans. SilverSneakers members can use their membership for access to multiple locations and use the SilverSneakers GO mobile app, to enable them to be active wherever and whenever they choose to work out.

About SilverSneakers

SilverSneakers, by Tivity Health, is the nation's leading community fitness program for Medicare eligible Americans. The program was founded in 1992 and is available to about 18 million Americans through many Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare Supplement carriers, and group retiree plans. For more information, to check eligibility or to enroll in the program or sign up for a SilverSneakers newsletter, go to silversneakers.com.

About Tivity Health

Tivity Health Inc. is a leading provider of healthy life-changing solutions, including SilverSneakers, Burnalong, Prime Fitness and WholeHealth Living. We help adults improve their health and support them on life's journey by providing access to in-person and virtual physical activity, social, and mental enrichment, condition-specific programming, as well as a full suite of physical medicine and integrative health services. We continue to enhance the way we direct members along their journey to better health by delivering an insights-driven, personalized, interactive experience. Our suite of services support health plans, employers, hospital systems and others nationwide as they seek to reduce costs and create healthier communities. At Tivity Health, we deliver the resources needed to live healthier, happier, more connected lives. Learn more at www.tivityhealth.com.

Contact:

Debbie Jacobson

Tivity Health

(480) 444-5204

[email protected]

SOURCE Tivity Health, Inc.
TAIPEI, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- SINBON has been named to Bloomberg's Gender-Equality Index (GEI). This is SINBON's first time participating in the GEI to be selected as a component stock, making SINBON one of the leading electronic component manufacturers.

The Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index covers five key perspectives to assess corporate gender equality performance, including leadership & talent pipeline, equal pay & gender pay parity, inclusive culture, anti-sexual harassment policies, and external brand. This year, 485 companies with a combined market capitalization of US$16 trillion from 45 countries and regions across 11 industries have been selected in GEI, including 16 companies from Taiwan.

SINBON values gender equality and actively creates a friendly corporate culture that embraces diversity by recruiting diverse talents. SINBON also encourages women to display their confidence and strengths in the workplace. Since 2021, more than 30% of SINBON's managers at the associate level and above are female, and more than 40% of our managers at the division director level are female, with the proportion of female executives in the entire group reaching as high as 46%. On the issue of inclusion, SINBON has employees from more than 10 countries around the world. Therefore, SINBON strives to create a diverse and inclusive work environment to help our employees shine and excel in the workplace. For example, SINBON designs recruitment and development programs for employees from different regions, including international internship programs, assisting foreign employees in applying for work permits, and hiring local supervisors in different overseas locations. Moreover, SINBON adopts inclusive, diverse, respectful, and equal principles toward the LGBTQ+ community, providing fair and smooth channels for promotion and stages and opportunities to showcase their abilities.

"We are honored to be invited and selected for the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index for the first time. In the future, we will continue to refine our performance in various evaluations to build a gender-equal workplace and gradually realize our vision of diversity and inclusion," the Director of Sustainable Strategy Division, Ms. Lily Huang said.

About SINBON

Established in 1989 in Taiwan, SINBON (TWSE: 3023) is a world-leading provider of integrated design and production services of bespoke interconnect solutions. SINBON has widely established operations in Taiwan, China, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, Hungary, and the United States. For more information, please visit www.sinbon.com, or reach out to us at [email protected].

SOURCE SINBON Electronics
PHOENIX, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) Foundation announced a major gift from John Lipman, MD, FSIR, of Atlanta, that will propel uterine fibroid research forward. This gift will support four years of funding for SIR Foundation's newly announced Dr. Scott C. Goodwin Uterine Artery Embolization Grant and five years of funding for the Dr. James B. Spies Global Summit on Uterine Fibroid and Adenomyosis Research. The announcement was made at the SIR Foundation Gala on March 5 during the SIR 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting.

The Dr. Scott C. Goodwin Uterine Artery Embolization Grant is focused on advancing uterine fibroid and uterine artery embolization research and will launch in October 2023. The first Dr. James B. Spies Global Summit on Uterine Fibroid and Adenomyosis Research will be hosted in June 2023.

"Research into uterine fibroids and adenomyosis and the minimally invasive treatments that can address these conditions, such as uterine artery embolization, are invaluable in providing care to women," said SIR Foundation Board Chair Theresa M. Caridi, MD, FSIR. "We are incredibly grateful to Dr. Lipman for his personal commitment to advancing the future of interventional radiology for patients and our colleagues in all practice settings."

Scott C. Goodwin, MD, FSIR, and James B. Spies, MD, FSIR, are highly regarded pioneers of uterine fibroid research, having led the SIR Foundation's Fibroid Registry, the largest collection of data on uterine fibroids, and conducted foundational research into uterine artery embolization. Dr. Goodwin and Dr. Spies are long-term members of the SIR, having each served as SIR president, as well as members of SIR Foundation's leadership.

Dr. Lipman is a widely recognized expert on uterine fibroids and uterine fibroid embolization (UFE), having performed more than 10,000 UFE treatments throughout his career. Since 2015, he has served as founder and medical director of the Atlanta Fibroid Center, a renowned outpatient medical center treating patients from around Atlanta, the United States and world. In addition to his medical practice, Dr. Lipman is an active public speaker and advocate, delivering regular lectures and making media appearances to ensure more widespread knowledge about uterine fibroids among both medical and general audiences.

"Dr. Goodwin and Dr. Spies have had a lasting and transformative impact on research into uterine fibroids and the safe and effective procedure of uterine artery embolization," said Dr. Lipman. "I am inspired by their decades-long service as physicians, researchers, educators and advocates, and grateful to have this opportunity to support ongoing research into this historically underfunded area of care afflicting historically underserved women in particular."

About the Society of Interventional Radiology Foundation

SIR Foundation fosters research and education in interventional radiology for the purposes of advancing scientific knowledge, increasing the number of skilled investigators in interventional radiology and developing innovative therapies that lead to improved patient care and quality of life. For more than 30 years, SIR Foundation has made grants and conducted research panels, driving research and innovation to build the future of interventional radiology and support promising interventional research. Visit sirfoundation.org.

About the Society of Interventional Radiology

The Society of Interventional Radiology is a nonprofit, professional medical society representing more than 8,000 practicing interventional radiology physicians, trainees, scientists and clinical associates, dedicated to improving patient care through the limitless potential of image-guided therapies. SIR's members work in a variety of settings and at different professional levelsfrom medical students and residents to university faculty and private practice physicians. Visit sirweb.org.

The Society of Interventional Radiology is holding its Annual Scientific Meeting March 49, 2023, at the Phoenix Convention Center. Visit sirmeeting.org.

SOURCE Society of Interventional Radiology Foundation
Attains all six Microsoft Solutions Partner designations

BENGALURU, India, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Sonata Software, a leading Modernization and Digital Engineering company, announced that it has attained all six Microsoft Solutions Partner designations. These designations are anchored on the Microsoft Cloud and aligned to six specific Microsoft solution areas. Sonata has achieved the Solutions Partner designations in Business Applications, Data & AI (Azure), Digital & App Innovation (Azure), Infrastructure (Azure), Modern Work and Security.

The Solutions Partner designation is awarded by Microsoft based on Partner Capability Score. This is calculated as a composite score of three categories, namely, performance, skilling and customer success. The designations reaffirm Sonata's strength and expertise in Microsoft solutions.

Samir Dhir, MD & CEO at Sonata Software said, "We are proud to be a trusted full stack partner of Microsoft. This milestone is a testament to the expertise, experience, and delivery excellence of our team. We will continue to strive to deliver best-in-class solutions and services around Microsoft technologies of today and tomorrow."

"By attaining Microsoft Solution Partner designations across all six Microsoft solution areas, Sonata Software unlocks new sales and marketing opportunities while reinforcing their skills. This recognition is a testament to Sonata Software's strong commitment to delivering exceptional technology solutions to our customers," said Venkat Krishnan, Executive Director, Global Partner Solutions, Microsoft India.

Sonata Software is proud of its three decades of association with Microsoft. It is a member of the Microsoft Inner Circle for Business Applications, an Azure Expert Managed Services Provider, and a market leader in Azure services. Sonata was named Microsoft Partner of the Year for Business Applications in the India region in 2021 and holds a range of advanced specializations from Microsoft.

Effective October 2022, Microsoft renamed its partner program as 'Microsoft Cloud Partner Program'. It announced key changes, including Solutions Partner Designations, as part of its investment in the cloud as a strategic lever for innovation and growth, and as a reflection of its continued commitment to partners.

About Sonata Software

For more information, press only :

Nandita Venkatesh,

Sonata Software Limited

CIN- L72200MH1994PLC082110

A.P.S. Trust Building,

Bull Temple Road, N.R. Colony

Bangalore 560004, India

Tel:+91806778199

[email protected]

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/689012/Sonata_Software_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Sonata Software
Gianni Versace's favorite spot to sip coffee, read the morning newspaper, and people-watch returns refreshed but true to its roots

MIAMI, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- News Cafe, the famed restaurant, bar, and newsstand that contributed to South Beach's resurgence in the 1980s, reopened at its original location on the ground floor of The Tony Hotel at 804 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach. Operated by Vida & Estilo Restaurant Group, the iconic landmark will boast an elevated design and Mediterranean-American menu.

South Beachs Iconic News Cafe to Reopen on Ocean Drive

The brainchild of renowned restaurateur Mark Soyka, News Cafe debuted in 1988 as one of the only restaurants in Ocean Drive's Art Deco district, an infamously dilapidated area at the time. The 350-seat restaurant quickly became a go-to destination for locals and tourists alike, including Gianni Versace who notoriously frequented the restaurant daily for his breakfast and newspaper. The concept thrived for nearly 30 years, open 24 hours and servicing between four and five thousand patrons a day.

"The News Cafe was essential to South Beach," said Jamil Dib, Founder and Co-Owner of Vida & Estilo Restaurant Group. "If you visited without going to News Cafe, you didn't experience the real South Beach. We have the honor of restoring the restaurant and therefore a responsibility to its legacy, which we are confident the new concept pays homage to."

In tandem with the News Cafe's success, founder of Goldman Properties and late visionary Tony Goldman pioneered a renaissance in South Beach. He renovated and revitalized a portfolio of Art Deco hotels and properties in the neighborhood, including The Tony Hotel. The new developments attracted locals, tourists, and businesses to the neighborhood that ushered in a new era of prosperity which continues there today. Goldman Properties acquired the News Cafe brand in 2021 and is partnering with Vida & Estilo for the reopening.

"Tony had a unique ability for placemaking. He built diverse communities where local businesses thrived and tourism flourished," said Scott Srebnick, CEO of Goldman Properties. "We strive to honor Tony's legacy by continuing to restore and preserve historic establishments like the News Cafe."

In tribute to the original menu, News Cafe will return with beloved classics alongside new dishes conceived by Chef Henry Hane, Founder of Brickell's popular B Bistro. Open all day, News Cafe will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner inspired by Mediterranean and American cuisine. Its ingredients will be sourced from local purveyors and artisans well-known for their craft, including fresh pastries, honey, and vegetables.

"As a local, I remember eating at News Cafe with my family every Friday," said Chef Henry Hane. "I know I'm not the only one who has felt its absence since it closed, so I'm humbled to support its renaissance."

Encouraging nostalgia, the menu will recreate the original Tony's tomato soup, tuna melt, Aegean-Mediterranean plate, and eggs benedict. New additions include indulgent dishes like the Ocean Drive bacon, egg, and cheese; pina colada pancakes with grilled pineapple and coconut syrup; loaded fries; and a delicious burger with red wine demi sauce, smoked gouda, and caramelized onions. Lunch and dinner menus pair exceptionally well with an extensive beverage menu that includes iced and frozen cocktails, still and sparkling wines, and an assortment of beers.

The same sentimental green awning with its "News Cafe" logo that has welcomed guests since 1988 will remain above the entrance to the eatery. Its namesake and legendary newsstand will be populated with local, national, and international papers for diners to buy and read over a cup of coffee, as was typical of its past patrons. Wall decor includes framed portraits of 90s icons, including Gianni Versace and Tony Goldman, in addition to vintage images of News Cafe's early years. Guests will be seated at marble tables or can request to dine in the "Fashion Corner," featuring an homage to Versace.

Next door to the News Cafe, Vida & Estilo Restaurant Group just opened the doors to its third Oh! Mexico location, serving Mexican dishes made with fresh ingredients and house-made tortillas. Since 1997, Oh! Mexico has provided authentic Mexican fare to its patrons on Espanola Way. The 804 Ocean Drive concept, Oh! Mexico Taco Shop will operate as a classic taco shop, welcoming beachgoers and pedestrians to enjoy a casual bite and a frosty margarita.

About Vida & Estilo Restaurant Group:



The hospitality group Vida & Estilo, which translates to Life and Style, has operated restaurants since 1996 with the goal of reflecting Miami Beach's melting pot of cultures. Its restaurants offer a variety of cuisines, including Cuban, Mexican, Italian, American, and Japanese. One of the largest hospitality groups in South Florida, V&E operates 19 dining establishments in Miami and an additional three in Las Vegas, consisting of full-service restaurants and three Cuban Coffee Shops. V&E is a team of international industry professionals that successfully tie together traditional, lifestyle, and nightlife concepts into one vision. This talented group of creators are behind some of the most recognized and entertaining restaurants in Miami and Las Vegas and have demonstrated proven expertise through its diverse portfolio.

Media contact: [email protected]

SOURCE News Cafe
Carrier thanks Rapid Rewards Members for loyalty with limited-time tier status promotion

DALLAS, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) is rewarding its Rapid Rewards Members for their long-term loyalty by making it easier to earn tier status through 2023. Starting today, Rapid Rewards Members have more opportunities to accelerate their way to the highly coveted A-List or A-List Preferred tier status.

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES OFFERS RAPID REWARDS MEMBERS& THREE NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO ACCELERATE THEIR WAY& TO COVETED A-LIST & A-LIST PREFERRED STATUS

"We're thanking our Customers for continuing to fly Southwest, engaging in Rapid Rewards, and trusting us to connect them to the people and places that matter most in their lives," said Jonathan Clarkson, Vice President of Marketing, Loyalty & Products at Southwest Airlines. "Our Members deserve to be rewarded, which is why with this limited-time offer, we're giving Customers three new opportunities to reach our coveted A-List and A-List Preferred tier status faster."

Earn Double Tier Qualifying Points

Southwest Rapid Rewards Members who register for this promotion, purchase Southwest qualifying flights, and travel through May 31, 2023, can earn double tier qualifying points toward A-List or A-List Preferred tier status for 2023.1

Reward Travel Counts

Southwest Airlines is making travel even more rewarding by applying reward travel toward tier status segment requirements, allowing Members to continue enjoying the benefits and rewards they love and value. Every flight purchased with Rapid Rewards points counts as one flight credit toward tier status, and 10% of points redeemed count as tier qualifying points for use on any flights when Customers register for this promotion, purchase Southwest qualifying flights, and travel through May 31, 2023.2

Earn with Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Cards from Chase

Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmembers who register for this promotion can earn their way to tier status faster with credit card spending. Now through May 31, 2023, for every $5,000 in purchases Cardmembers make with their Rapid Rewards Priority, Premier, and Plus Consumer Credit Cards, as well as Premier, Plus, and Performance Business Credit Cards from Chase, they can earn 3,000 tier qualifying points. These tier qualifying points are in addition to current tier qualifying points that Cardmembers already earn as Cardmembers.3

Visit Southwest.com for the full list of terms and conditions.

Join Rapid Rewards

The Rapid Rewards program is designed around a simple conceptto make earning reward flights faster and easier. With Rapid Rewards, every seat is a reward seat, there are no blackout dates, and points don't expire. Customers can create an account to become a Rapid Rewards Member at Southwest.com.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

1Tier qualifying points are earned on flights paid entirely with dollars, Southwest LUV Voucher's, gift cards, or travel funds, and with no portion of the purchase price paid for with Rapid Rewards points. Only qualifying activity will be eligible for tier qualifying points. Tier qualifying points are not eligible to use for redemption toward flights or with More Rewards. Only the Rapid Rewards Member who received this offer from Southwest Airlines is eligible for this promotion. The offer is nontransferable. Bonus tier qualifying points earned from this offer will post prior to June 30, 2023. To qualify for this bonus offer, the Cardmember's Rapid Rewards Credit Card account must be open and not in default at the time of fulfillment. Chase is not responsible for the provision of, or failure to provide, the stated benefits and services. Bonus tier qualifying points will post directly to the Member's Southwest Rapid Rewards account and will not appear on their credit card statement.

2To be eligible for this offer, Members must register between March 1, 2023, and May 31, 2023. All reward travel is subject to availability and taxes, fees, and other government on airport-imposed charges of at least $5.60 per one-way. Tier qualifying points are not eligible to use for redemption toward flights or with More Rewards. Only the Rapid Rewards Member who received this offer from Southwest Airlines is eligible for this promotion. The offer is nontransferable. Bonus tier qualifying points earned from this offer will post prior to June 30, 2023. To qualify for this bonus offer, the Cardmember's Rapid Rewards Credit Card account must be open and not in default at the time of fulfillment. Chase is not responsible for the provision of, or failure to provide, the stated benefits and services. Bonus tier qualifying points will post directly to the Member's Southwest Rapid Rewards account and will not appear on their credit card statement.

3To be eligible for this bonus tier qualifying points offer, Members must register between March 1, 2023, and May 31, 2023 ("Promotion Period"). During the Promotion Period Cardmembers will earn 3,000 bonus tier qualifying points for every $5,000 in purchases made with their Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card. Please allow up to 4 weeks after the end of the Promotion Period for the bonus tier qualifying points to post to the Member's Southwest Rapid Rewards account. "Purchases" do not include balance transfers, cash advances, travelers checks, foreign currency, money orders, wire transfers or similar cash-like transactions, lottery tickets, casino gaming chips, race track wagers or similar betting transactions, any checks that access their account, interest, unauthorized or fraudulent charges, or fees of any kind, including an annual fee, if applicable. Tier qualifying points are not eligible to use for redemption toward flights or with More Rewards. Only the Rapid Rewards Member who received this offer from Southwest Airlines is eligible for this promotion. Offer is nontransferable. Chase is not responsible for the provision of, or failure to provide, the stated benefits and services. Bonus tier qualifying points will post directly to the Member's Southwest Rapid Rewards account and will not appear on their credit card statement. Bonus tier qualifying points earned from this offer will post prior to June 30, 2023. To qualify for this bonus offer, the Cardmember's Rapid Rewards Credit Card account must be open and not in default at the time of fulfillment. Chase is not responsible for the provision of, or failure to provide, the stated benefits and services. Bonus tier qualifying points will post directly to Member's Southwest Rapid Rewards account and will not appear on their credit card statement.

SOUTHWEST RAPID REWARDS PROGRAM INFORMATION

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card is brought to you by Southwest Airlines and Chase. Southwest Airlines is responsible for the redemption of Rapid Rewards points toward benefits and services. The number of points needed for a particular Southwest flight is set by Southwest and will vary depending on destination, time, day of travel, demand, fare type, point redemption rate, and other factors, and are subject to change at any time until the booking is confirmed. Rapid Rewards points can only be transferred to the primary Cardmember's Rapid Rewards account. All Rapid Rewards rules and regulations apply and can be found at Southwest.com/rrterms. Southwest reserves the right to amend, suspend, or change the program and/or program rules at any time without notice. Rapid Rewards Members do not acquire property rights in accrued points.

ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.

Southwest Airlines Co. operates one of the world's most admired and awarded airlines, offering its one-of-a-kind value and Hospitality at 121 airports across 11 countries. Southwest took flight in 1971 to democratize the sky through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel and now carries more air travelers flying nonstop within the United States than any other airline4. Based in Dallas and famous for an Employee-first corporate Culture, Southwest maintains an unprecedented record of no involuntary furloughs or layoffs in its history. By empowering its more than 66,0005 People to deliver unparalleled Hospitality, the maverick airline cherishes a passionate loyalty among as many as 130 million Customers carried a year. That formula for success brought industry-leading prosperity and 47 consecutive years6 of profitability for Southwest Shareholders (NYSE: LUV). Southwest leverages a unique legacy and mission to serve communities around the world including harnessing the power of its People and Purpose to put communities at the Heart of its success. Learn more by visiting Southwest.com/citizenship. Southwest is also continuing to develop tangible steps toward achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, including offering Customers an opportunity to help the airline offset its carbon emissions. To be part of the solution, visit Southwest.com/wannaoffsetcarbon.

4U.S. Dept. of Transportation most recent reporting of domestic originating passengers boarded

5Fulltime-equivalent active Employees

61973-2019 annual profitability

SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.
FREMONT, Calif., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In a bid to further increase its sustainability efforts, STL (NSE: STLTECH), a leading optical and digital solutions company, today announced the adoption of Science-based Targets initiative (SBTi), for more transparent and granular carbon monitoring, control, and disclosure. STL is now among the 0.01% of the Indian companies that have committed to SBTi. This underscores the company's bold ambition to become Net-Zero by 2030 and drive towards UN Sustainable Development Goals.

STL commits to Science-based Targets Initiative for sustainability

Since STL announced its Net-Zero ambition, the company has accomplished some significant milestones. 8 out of STL's 11 global plants are now Zero Waste and 6 are Zero Liquid Discharge plants. STL has increased indigenous sustainable procurement in cable manufacturing from 55% in FY21 to 61% in FY22 and recycled over 1,45,000 m of water at its facilities.

Now with SBTi, STL will join a stellar group of ~4,500 companies globally to decarbonise at scale in a target-based manner. These targets will be published on the SBTi website following validation, triggering an iterative annual disclosure procedure. This will ensure an entirely new dimension of transparency to STL's sustainability initiatives.

Internet and digital networks are responsible for ~2% of the global carbon output[1], thereby significantly contributing to global climate change. SBTi is a global body enabling businesses to assess the complexity of ICT and quantify its impact on the environment. It helps them to visualize how quickly they need to shrink their carbon footprint to avert the climate change fallouts and set realistic emissions reduction targets. As a sustainability-first organization, STL is in absolute sync with the ethos of SBTi.

Commenting on this achievement, Ankit Agarwal, Managing Director, STL, said: "Our purpose of 'Transforming Billions of Lives by Connecting the World' serves as a north star for our ESG efforts. Adopting SBTi will definitely reinforce STL's sustainability commitment as we always believe in setting targets and measuring them scientifically. At the same time, we also hope to encourage and motivate our peers to take equally bold transformation measures that can have a net positive impact on the present climate realities."

About STL - Sterlite Technologies Ltd:

STL is a leading global optical and digital solutions company providing advanced offerings to build 5G, Rural, FTTx, Enterprise and Data Centre networks. Read more, Contact us, stl.tech | Twitter | LinkedIn | YouTube

[1] According to a study by the Boston Consulting Group

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2016379/STL_Science_based_Targets_Initiative.jpg

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/876464/Sterlite_Technologies_STL_New_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Sterlite Technologies Ltd. (STL)
The newly renovated Burn Center and ICU will support both caregivers and patients with expanded

spaces and enhanced technologies.

TAMPA, Fla., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Tampa General Hospital (TGH)  the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and west central Florida's only Level I trauma center  today announced the opening of its newly renovated regional Burn Center, including its connected, specialized Burn Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for critically ill burn patients. Tampa General's 18-bed Burn Center includes a six-bed intensive care unit, a 12-bed wound care unit, treatment rooms and a burn operating room located within the unit.

Tampa General Hospital (TGH)  the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and west central Florida's only Level I trauma center  today announced the opening of its newly renovated regional Burn Center, including its connected, specialized Burn Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for critically ill burn patients. Tampa Generals Burn Center ICU features new patient rooms of the future, which increase the efficiency of care with advanced technologies.

"As one of the leading academic health systems in the country, each day we provide world-class care and leading-edge therapies to all who enter our doors. We are able to do this, in part, through our ongoing and significant investments in building physical patient care environments that leverage next-generation technologies to enhance care, support patients and families, and improve outcomes," said John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General. "The enhancement to our Burn Center  especially our Burn ICU  exemplifies this investment and, like the other components in our Master Facility Plan, will allow us to continue to offer transformational care in state-of-the-art spaces that serve patients from across our community and beyond."

Tampa General's Burn Center, which treats critically burned patients from emergency admission through rehabilitation, is one of just five burn centers in Florida to have earned verification by the American Burn Association (ABA)/American College of Surgeons (ACS) and one of only two ABA-verified adult and pediatric burn centers in Florida. This distinction means the center has met stringent guidelines for patient care procedures, facilities, and staffing.

The academic medical center's Burn Center has nurses and physicians who are highly trained in the care of patients who have experienced a burn trauma from fire, chemicals, oil, or electricity over more than 10% of their body. All nurses within the unit have Advanced Burn Life Support (ABLS) certification. Specialized care provided in Tampa General's Burn ICU includes intravenous fluid replacement, breathing support, pain control and treatment of burn wounds. The ICU is equipped with state-of-the-art monitoring equipment.

To streamline care, the newly renovated Burn ICU has added a room specifically for ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation). ECMO is a heart-lung machine that removes carbon dioxide and sends oxygen-filled blood back to tissues in the body, allowing the heart and lungs to rest and heal.

Within the updated center, care is truly multidisciplinary and focused on the specific needs of the burn patient. Physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, and therapists provide expertise in infection prevention, nutrition, wound care, reconstruction and rehabilitation. Tampa General also has a Burn Survivor program for patients that provides support after their initial injury.

A major feature within the renovation of the Burn Center's ICU will be Tampa General's new "patient rooms of the future," which increase the efficiency of care with advanced technologies and allow caregivers to quickly receive the information they need to provide better patient care. The new technology in the Burn Center's ICU aims to simultaneously support quality care, improve patient satisfaction, and increase team member efficiency. An example is the transformation of a standard manual whiteboard to an electronic patient dashboard called an eWhiteboard.

The eWhiteboard automatically updates pertinent patient information and also serves as a dashboard during patient rounding. Another innovation is the Digital Door Sign. Essentially a wall-mounted iPad outside the patient room door, it provides the care team with the most up-to-date information on the patient. This provides efficiency and standardization across the hospital for important data, including the patient's status/requirements, patient-specific alerts, and special instructions to enhance the quality of care and safety.

"This renovation is more than an investment in patient care, but also in patient experience," said Dr. Jared Troy, assistant professor in the Department of Plastic Surgery in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, and medical director of the Tampa General Burn Center. "When patients are in our care, especially for long-term treatment as is often the case for burn patients, we want them to feel at home and at ease. To achieve this, we designed the space to have a sleek, modern feel that promotes the health and healing of our patients, and provides the space to be close to their loved ones."

Tampa General's Burn Center and ICU treat more than 500 adult burn patients and about 300 pediatric burn patients each year and this newly remodeled unit provides the team with more space to work and care for burn patients, as well as for patients with other skin conditions.

"This renovation extends beyond the physical space and focuses on how we can best serve our community as one of the nation's leading academic medical centers tackling challenging and complex procedures and care," said Kelly Cullen, executive vice president and COO, Tampa General. "We've collaborated to ensure every detail of the unit provides our team members with the resources they need to deliver exceptional care."

The renovated Burn Center and ICU make up one part of Tampa General's Master Facility Plan, announced in September 2021. Tampa General's comprehensive Master Facility Plan is the largest in the hospital's history and is the cornerstone of the academic medical center's commitment to developing Tampa Bay's first Medical and Research District to serve the region's increasing health care needs.

ABOUT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL

Tampa General Hospital, a 1,040-bed, not-for-profit, academic medical center, is one of the largest hospitals in America and delivers world-class care as the region's only center for Level l trauma and comprehensive burn care. Tampa General Hospital is the highest-ranked hospital in the market in U.S. News & World Report's 2022-23 Best Hospitals, and is tied as the third highest-ranked hospital in Florida, with seven specialties ranking among the best programs in the United States. Tampa General Hospital has been designated as a model of excellence by the 2022 Fortune/Merative 100 Top Hospitals list. The academic medical center's commitment to growing and developing its team members is recognized by two prestigious Forbes magazine rankings  first nationally in the 2022 America's Best Employers for Women and sixth out of 100 Florida companies in the 2022 America's Best Employers by State. Tampa General is the safety net hospital for the region, caring for everyone regardless of their ability to pay, and in fiscal year 2021, provided a net community benefit worth more than $224.5 million in the form of health care for underinsured patients, community education, and financial support to community health organizations in Tampa Bay. It is one of the nation's busiest adult solid organ transplant centers and is the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. With six medical helicopters, Tampa General Hospital transports critically injured or ill patients from 23 surrounding counties to receive the advanced care they need. Tampa General houses a nationally accredited comprehensive stroke center, and its 32-bed Neuroscience, Intensive Care Unit is the largest on the West Coast of Florida. It also is home to the Jennifer Leigh Muma 82-bed neonatal intensive care unit, and a nationally accredited rehabilitation center. Tampa General Hospital's footprint includes 17 Tampa General Medical Group Primary Care offices, TGH Family Care Center Kennedy, TGH Brandon Healthplex, TGH Virtual Health, and 21 TGH Imaging powered by Tower outpatient radiology centers throughout Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Palm Beach counties. Tampa Bay area residents also receive world-class care from the TGH Urgent Care powered by Fast Track network of clinics. To see a medical care professional live anytime, anywhere on a smartphone, tablet or computer, visit Virtual Health | Tampa General Hospital (tgh.org). As one of the largest hospitals in the country, Tampa General Hospital is the first in Florida to partner with GE Healthcare and open a clinical command center that provides real-time situational awareness to improve and better coordinate patient care at a lower cost. For more information, go to www.tgh.org.

Media Contact: Beth Hardy, APR

Senior Communications Specialist

(813) 844-7322 (direct)

(813) 510-6363 (cell)

[email protected]

SOURCE Tampa General Hospital
In the face of cultural chaos, Edges offer a strategic blueprint for the year ahead

LOS ANGELES, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Backslash, the cultural intelligence unit of TBWA\Worldwide, has released its annual glossary of Edges. More than a trend report, Edges are defined as meaningful cultural shifts that have the scale and longevity to help brands capture a greater share of the future.

"Culture is not only accelerating, it's also becoming messiermaking it harder for brands to keep up, make sense of where they can play, and determine what to act on. That's where Edges come in," says Agathe Guerrier, TBWA\Worldwide's Global Chief Strategy Officer.

Backslash 2023 Edges

Backslash's rigorous set of criteria requires Edges be rooted in human values, be recognizable through consumer behaviors, and lead to clear business implications. In order to be declared an Edge, identified shifts must have sustained relevance for over a year and should continue to matter for the foreseeable future. Each Edge must also be globally relevant, manifesting in a majority of the world's regions.

This year's 39 Edges span categories and countries, offering a comprehensive forecast of what's to come. Six new Edges have been identified for 2023, including:

Artificial Creativity: Creativity is undergoing an AI revolution. Giant leaps in the progression and availability of generative AI tools are driving a shift from purely logical, task-oriented applications to more artful, previously impossible outputs. As AI pushes further into creative industries, culture wars around ownership, value, and definitions of "real" creativity will ensue.

Lab-Made World: Beef, blood, building materials: the future is being grown in a lab. While "all-natural" was once thought to be better for people and the planet, our current environmental reality calls for a different approach. One that begins with science. As resources run out and supply chains fall under scrutiny, "lab-made" will go from sterile and apologetic to responsible and aspirational.

Neo-Collectivism: A renewed emphasis on collectivism is redistributing power at scale. Realizing that individualism can only get us so far, brands and organizations are relinquishing control and inviting participation in the form of decentralization, crowdsourcing, and co-creation. The future belongs to all of us.

When looking across the 2023 Edges, major themes like resource scarcity, taboo toppling, and tech backlash sit at the root of several separate but related shifts. Each of these conversations have become seismic pressures underpinning the rest.

"Together, overlapping Edges tell a larger story about where culture is heading. Other Edges inherently contradict one another, which creates an even more interesting narrative full of cultural tensions," says Backslash's Director of Cultural Strategy, Cecelia Girr. "The reality is that no cultural shift is good or bad. They all encompass various perspectives and a great deal of nuance, which means there's several different ways for brands to leverage them."

To help clients better understand which Edges influence their audiences, TBWA' Disruption Indexa data product spanning 18 countries collects cultural relevance and economic impact data from thousands of people worldwide. This has allowed TBWA to quantify the impact of Edges against a particular brand or category, giving clients the confidence to build a long-term strategy upon them.

For instance, Disruption Index data found Body Debates (an Edge introduced in 2021) was the most relevant Edge in around 70% of the markets last yearwith an average of 84% of consumers saying it is "very important to be able to make decisions about their body and health." For healthcare clients, such an insight can unlock richer creative territories centered around body autonomy and empowered decision making.

To help further inspire business action, this year's Edge glossary also includes provocations for the future of brand experience. These insights were born from a partnership between Backslash and TBWA's global innovation practice, NEXT.

The complete glossary of 39 Edges can be downloaded at https://www.backslash.com/edges

About Backslash

Backslash is a cultural intelligence unit powered by a global network of over 300 Culture Spotters from 70 offices across the TBWA collective. Together, Backslash closely observes and analyzes worldwide developments so that TBWAand its clientscan better understand and anticipate cultural change. Through a dynamic hybrid of strategy, data, and journalism, Backslash turns today's stories into tomorrow's opportunities. For more, follow @tbwabackslash on Instagram or visit www.backslash.com .

About TBWA\Worldwide

TBWA is The Disruption Company. We use creativity to help businesses challenge the status quo and capture an unfair share of the future. Named one of the World's Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company in 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019, Adweek's 2022, 2021 and 2018 Global Agency of the Year and AdAge's A-List 2022 Network of the Year. We are a disruptive brand experience company that uses trademarked Disruption methodologies to help businesses address their challenges and achieve transformative growth. Our collective has 11,000+ creative minds in over 40 countries, and also includes brands such as Auditoire, Digital Arts Network (DAN), eg+ worldwide, GMR, The Integer Group, TBWA\Media Arts Lab, TBWA\WorldHealth and TRO. Global clients include adidas, Apple, Gatorade, Henkel, Hilton Hotels, McDonald's, Nissan and Singapore Airlines. Follow us on LinkedIn , Twitter and Instagram . TBWA is part of Omnicom Group (NYSE: OMC).

SOURCE TBWA\Worldwide
Teamsters Committee Exchanges Proposals for New National Agreement

WASHINGTON, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC) met with TForce Freight today in Washington to begin negotiations for a new TForce National Master Freight Agreement (NMFA). The Teamsters will formally exchange proposals with the company this week.

"We will negotiate the strongest contract possible at TForce so that we can protect our members and restore pride in the freight industry," said Teamsters General President Sean M. O'Brien. "We are demanding a national contract that raises wages and resets standards. We won't settle for anything less."

The current national agreement expires July 31.

"We have assembled a topnotch negotiating team with the experience and know-how to take on this company and put members first. We have a plan and a vision focused entirely on the membership," said Teamsters National Freight Director John A. Murphy. "The committee has reviewed hundreds of issues based on thousands of responses from our members at TForce, and we are committed to making sure their voices are heard during these negotiations."

TForce Teamsters from across the country are serving on the national negotiating committee.

"As a 30-year road driver, I look forward to providing my input in negotiations and sharing my real-world experience at the table," said Joseph Villarreal-Doan, a Local 657 member at TForce Freight in Round Rock, Texas, serving on the national negotiating committee. "We know how this contract will impact us and can speak firsthand on these issues. Our voices will be valuable in negotiations."

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.2 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.

Contact:

Daniel Moskowitz, (770) 262-4971

[email protected]

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters
SAN DIEGO and SEOUL, South Korea, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- POINTek, Inc., a global leader and provider of high performance athermal AWGs (AAWGs) and optical module packaging services, today announced the release of the New Super AAWGs significantly improving the Thermal Wavelength Insensitivity over the -40C ~ 85C industrial temperature environment.

Figure 1. The center wavelength offset profile of super AAWG multiplexer over the industrial temperature range. Figure 2. The center wavelength offset profile of super AAWG multiplexer over the standard temperature range.

Conventional athermal AWGs are made to support a total of 60pm or larger wavelength drift, which amounts to compensating 0.5pm/C shift in the AAWG operating temperature range of -40C to 85C. In POINTek's New Super AAWG which is based on IP-pending optical packaging technology, the New Super AAWGs can support a total of typical 15pm or less wavelength drift, equivalent to 0.12pm/C shift in the -40C to 85C range. Therefore, the New Super AAWG can sufficiently withstand any OSP applications such as 5G wireless fronthaul deployment. Also, the New Super AAWG provides the much-enhanced thermal wavelength insensitivity for the ISP applications. This New Super AAWGs can support a total of typical 5pm or less wavelength drift, equivalent to 0.07pm/C shift in the operating temperature range of 0C to 70C whereas even well-made conventional AAWGs perform total of 20pm or larger wavelength drift or 0.3pm/C shift in the 0C to 70C range (see the following comparison figures at the industrial (Figure 1) and standard temperature (Figure 2) ranges below).

"POINTek's New Super AAWG, the upgrade version of our current Super AAWG, is result of continuing improvement of POINTek's athermalization technology and packaging process. By applying the simple athermal operating mechanism to the New Super AAWG, we are able to enhance the reliability and production capability. Our New Super AAWG's low thermal wavelength insensitivity is beneficial to the optical transport systems needing the smaller wavelength drift of the optical transmitters and will effectively provide the larger selection of optical transmitters," according to Dr. TH Rhee, CEO of POINTek. "I label this product as New Super AAWG because of the Super Low and Flat thermal wavelength drift of this 5pm total or 0.07pm/C shift performance in 0C to 70C. This high performance AAWG is not available from any AWG vendor on the markets, and we are the first in the world," Rhee adds.

"POINTek has released its own athermalization IP-based AAWG products for the world first WDM-PON in 2004 as well as the world first 5G wireless fronhaul deployment in 2018, and we are selling various high performance AAWG bricks, in cassettes and chassis globally for the last 20 years," according to Dr. Donald Yu, CMO of POINTek, who runs global marketing operations in Southern California. Yu explains that POINTek's broad yet specialized optical packing technology allows us to manufacture all types of customized AAWGs as POINTek's athermalization technology is good for optimizing the temperature-induced wavelength insensitivity. "Now, we keep evolving our optical packaging know-hows to the New Super AAWG capability," Yu says.

POINTek has deployed more than 200,000 AAWG units globally and POINTek has expanded its AAWG application from the legacy DWDM networks to FTTx, 5G Wireless and even sensors. "We are not just an AWG specialty company. We started the DWDM multiplexer brick business with the athermal AWG product line, and then we have added Aero-space optical product line since 2011. Now, we are adding AAWG based DWDM optical sensor line, high-density DWDM cassette and chassis line with the aim of transforming POINTek into integrated optical solution provider company," Yu adds.

POINTek management expressed their continuous commitments to their core AAWG products in the multitudes of the athermal AWG family products, and these products including the New Super AAWG will be shown in POINTek booth 6219 at the OFC2023 Exposition in San Diego Convention Center, March 7~9, 2023.

About POINTek, Inc.

Launched in 2000 with the goal of developing cutting edge Planar Optical Waveguide Technology, POINTek has become a global leader in the following two decades since its establishment, providing top-quality high performance athermal AWGs. POINTek specializes in packaging and manufacturing AAWG based DWDM optical device products and other optical specialty products. For more information, visit http://www.pointekinc.com.

Media Contact:

Donald Yu, Chief Marketing Officer

[email protected]

USA +1 (714) 519-4943

SOURCE POINTek Inc.
With a delicate pink hue, this delicious Reposado tequila is the perfect invitation to celebrate in the daytime

NEW YORK, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Tequila Don Julio, the leader in the luxury tequila category, is expanding its esteemed portfolio of luxury offerings with the introduction of Tequila Don Julio Rosado, an exquisite Reposado tequila that's aged at least four months in Ruby Port wine casks to impart a light fruit finish and delicate pink hue. Inspired by Don Julio Gonzalez's innovative spirit and his love of craft that revolutionized the tequila category, the team of expert tequileros at Tequila Don Julio is continuing the brand's legacy and leadership in luxury innovation by producing this delicious, smooth tequila that will be a permanent addition to the brand's portfolio alongside its tequilas such as the iconic Tequila Don Julio 1942 and Ultima Reserva.

Tequila Don Julio Rosado is debuting with a new creative campaign that lures you into the fantastical Rosado world and depicts how the best celebrations can happen during the day. Introducing Tequila Don Julio Rosado, the latest addition to the brands growing portfolio of luxury offerings

Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/9145251-tequila-don-julio-introduces-tequila-don-julio-rosado/

"At Tequila Don Julio we strive to evolve our flavor profiles and offerings to delight the ever-expanding palettes of discerning tequila drinkers," says Christina Choi, Senior Vice President of Tequila, DIAGEO North America. "We are thrilled to continue the brand's legacy of exceptional innovation and luxury tequila leadership with the release of Tequila Don Julio Rosado. Most people enjoy luxury tequila in the evening  with Rosado, we are enticing people to call up their friends to enjoy a luxury tequila drinking experience during the day time with a delicious Rosado cocktail and a fabulous elevated vibe."

Tequila Don Julio Rosado is a Reposado tequila that's aged for at least four months in Ruby Port wine casks from the enchanting Douro wine region of Portugal. The result is a tequila with notes of creamy strawberry, ripe raspberry, dried plum, roasted caramel and a touch of rich cocoa, creating a unique and deliciously smooth tequila. Whether sipping poolside with friends or celebrating at a beach club, Tequila Don Julio Rosado is the perfect spirit to enjoy for all of life's fabulous moments.

This latest offering from Tequila Don Julio is debuting with a new creative campaign, created by the community, that lures you into the fantastical Rosado world. The creative will be featured across social, out-of-home and digital media. The concept for the film, directed by celebrated Ukrainian Filmmaker Tanu Muino, is all about bringing the night to the day. A night out is designed to stimulate our senses  with music, lights, fashion, and vibes. In this campaign, the brand built a world where the feelings you get from the most extravagant night out are brought to life in the daytime.

Filmed in Mexico and featuring a diverse cast of talent from various backgrounds, the films take us through the Tequila Don Julio Rosado world and transport you to a utopic place with a bit of magic. Modern disco meets Mexican luxury, where you can roller-skate with disco pumas or grab a bottle of Tequila Don Julio Rosado from a cloud  all under a perfectly pink sky.

Filmmaker Tanu Muino who brings an unparalleled love for her craft to the film shares, "I was thrilled to partner with Tequila Don Julio on this ambitious new campaign. They gave me such artistic freedom, allowing me to draw inspiration from architecture, bold artists that have influenced me along my creative journey and so much more. The world that we created for the new Tequila Don Julio Rosado is striking and colorful. It was a great experience being able to push boundaries and make something so original together."

This spring, the world of Tequila Don Julio Rosado will come to life through surprise and delight moments that encourage consumers to celebrate all of life's fabulous moments. Stay up to date on what's to come by following @DonJulioTequila on Instagram.

Tequila Don Julio Rosado is best enjoyed on the rocks or with a splash of sparkling water and lemon garnish. It is available nationwide wherever spirits-based beverages are sold for an SRP of $125.99 for a 750ml bottle. Tequila Don Julio encourages consumers of legal drinking age to celebrate responsibly.

ABOUT TEQUILA DON JULIO

Founded on the pioneering agricultural principles of Don Julio Gonzalez and his personal pursuit of perfection, Tequila Don Julio revolutionized the tequila industry and set the standard for ultra-premium tequila. The original luxury tequila of choice in Mexico, Tequila Don Julio uses only the highest caliber, fully matured and ripened Blue Agave that has been hand-selected from the rich, clay soils of the Los Altos region of the state of Jalisco. The Tequila Don Julio portfolio includes Tequila Don Julio Blanco, Tequila Don Julio Reposado, Tequila Don Julio Anejo, Tequila Don Julio 70 Cristalino, Tequila Don Julio 1942, and Tequila Don Julio Ultima Reserva. For more information on Tequila Don Julio, please visit www.DonJulio.com.

ABOUT DIAGEO NA

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan's whiskies, Smirnoff, Ciroc and Ketel One vodkas, Casamigos, DeLeon and Don Julio tequilas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE: DGE) and their products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world.

For more information about Diageo, their people, brands, and performance, visit www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo's global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice. Follow at Twitter and Instagram for news and information about Diageo North America: @Diageo_NA

SOURCE Tequila Don Julio
TORONTO, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Page One Formula, a research and practice-based online business consulting company, announced that their new book, How To Make Money Online in 2023, has made the #1 New Release on Amazon in E-Commerce books. The book was published in late December 2022, and since then it has quickly gained traction and received many positive responses from readers.

"Online businesses are what saved me from once struggling to find jobs as a new immigrant, and made me who I am today, an 8-figure business owner. Through this book I share the things I learned on online businesses, and I hope it to be eye-opening for many other aspiring entrepreneurs as well," said Michael Wu, the author of the book, and the founder of Page One Formula, a platform where he and his professional team continue to share their knowledge and insights on online businesses.

How To Make Money Online in 2023 is filled with helpful advice for anyone interested in learning about online businesses. It covers various online monetization models, such as e-commerce, affiliate marketing, blogging, agency work, online courses, etc. The book also expands on topics such as choosing the right niche for your business, building a brand, marketing strategies and more.

This book is the first of the series, and volumes 2 and 3 are expected to be published later this year.

About Page One Formula:

Page One Formula is a business consulting company. By drawing from their own experiences of building and operating online businesses, the company helps entrepreneurs start and grow their online ventures with knowledge and expertise. Their impassioned mission is to equip and inspire as many people as possible to embark on the journey of entrepreneurship, unlocking the door to financial independence and a life of limitless possibilities.

Headquartered in Oakville Ontario and with a growing team of over 20 remote employees globally, Page One Formula is led by Michael Wu, an 8-figure online business owner, former Venture Capitalist and Management Consultant with over a decade of corporate experience, and a Master's Degree from HEC Paris, the #1 Business School in Europe ranked by Financial Times.

SOURCE Page One Formula
New campaign from adidas and Havas Annex celebrates Houston culture and tastemakers, proving that in style and one small step can make a difference that is out of this world

HOUSTON, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - adidas, in partnership with Havas Annex, is officially landing in Houston with the introduction of NMD S1 Has Landed: Houston, a highly visual campaign and lookbook that celebrates the NMD S1 alongside the city and culture of Houston.

The campaign features Houston's finest tastemakers, also known as ROVERs. (CNW Group/Havas Chicago) NMD S1 Has Landed: Houston (CNW Group/Havas Chicago)

Introduced as a breakthrough innovation for urbanites on-the-move, the NMD S1 is designed to appeal to the modern city dweller, merging the best of performance running and lifestyle. Ahead of its commercial debut later this year, adidas collaborated with Havas Annex for a regionally focused campaign in a city that makes style moves daily and is inspired by those who are constantly moving the culture needle.

Launching March 3, the campaign features a uniquely local POV curated by a group of the city's finest tastemakers, also known as ROVERs for this campaign. Houston's own, the ROVERS are H-Town born and bred with a strict NMD S1 mission: to capture content that celebrates the things that move Houston and make THEIR city soar in ways that only a local can.

As a nod to Houston's deep ties to space, adidas will outfit each of the ROVERs with Landing Kits, the first ever zero-gravity kit, featuring the NMD S1. The NMD S1 Has Landed: Houston ROVERs

Include:

Deun Ivory (@deunivory)  A Texas born photographer, director and creative visionary at the forefront of the beauty and wellness movement

(@deunivory)  A born photographer, director and creative visionary at the forefront of the beauty and wellness movement LE$ (steakxshrimp) A rapper and car collector at the center of the auto meets music community and conversation in Houston

(steakxshrimp) A rapper and car collector at the center of the auto meets music community and conversation in J Mulan (@jmulan)  A self-described curator, muse and creative director driving Houston style culture

With Houston as their muse, the ROVERs will traverse the streets, shops and locations that drive the city's swagger, curating content that sheds light on how they make their moves throughout Houston, and why the NMD S1 is the perfect sneaker to do so. Content created by the ROVERs will laud the city's versatility and greatness through the lens of fashion, style and culture. Behind the scenes, the campaign will be supported by a fully local Houston production team.

"From fashion and food to music and style, Houston doesn't always get the credit it deserves as a true force in culture. With its ties to space, the city is a launchpad quite literally, but also as an apt metaphor for the city's boundless cultural influence in the streets of Houston and beyond," said adidas spokesperson. "It's the perfect mashup of movement and culture and this is precisely why we chose Houston as a launchpad for the adidas NMD S1, the ultimate footwear for the urbanite on the move."

In the campaign, the ROVERs will showcase the NMD S1 alongside a local backdrop that fuels their movement. Each will star and launch content from their own channels, highlighting the shoe's versatility and their personal interpretation of what it means for the NMD S1 to land in Houston. As the launch goes live on ROVER channels, Havas Annex will launch The NMD S1 Has Landed: Houston, a visual lookbook, featuring ROVER content showcasing the NMD S1 against the Houston backdrop.

With these lookbooks, Havas Annex and adidas will collaborate on a conversation that centers on Houston style and culture, spotlighting the NMD S1 as the ultimate sneaker to make moves in. Supporting video content will take mixtape inspiration, curated with a style and fashion lens.

"We're proud to partner with a brand like adidas who embraces the edge  the 'what if' thinking that leads to world-changing ideas, even when launched at the local level," said Havas Chicago Chief Creative Officer Myra Nussbaum. "The boundless potential of Houston is palpable, and the NMD S1 is landing in this city is just one small step to recognize and support Houston's cultural impact now and in the years ahead."

Through the campaign, Havas Annex and adidas are celebrating Houston's global influence through a truly local lens, highlighting the tastemakers that started their journeys in the city and for those who still call it home today in a deeply authentic way. From behind-the-scenes stylists and photographers to the artists and tastemakers featured front and center, the lookbook lands the NMD S1 in Houston because it's made by and for Houston, through and through.

Each of the ROVERS NMD S1 Has Landed: Houston lookbooks can be viewed on their Instagram channels:

Deun Ivory (@deunivory)

(@deunivory) LE$ (steakxshrimp)

(steakxshrimp) J Mulan (@jmulan)

About adidas

For more information on the NMD S1, please visit adidas.com/NMD .

About Havas Annex

Havas Annex is a premier advertising agency based in Chicago and a part of the powerful network of Havas Creative agencies. With best-in-class cross-disciplinary talent located in our global villages, we're committed to building strong brands through powerful strategies and meaningful creativity. Our independent spirit, combined with the scale and reach of a global network, uniquely positions us to drive positive change and create meaningful connections between people and brands. Connect with us at https://chi.havas.com/ to learn more.

SOURCE Havas Chicago
NOIDA, India, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new report published by UnivDatos Markets Insights, the biochemical reagents market was valued at USD 14 billion in 2021 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 9% from 2022-2028. The analysis has been segmented into Product Type (Polymerase Chain Reaction Reagent Kits, Cell and Tissue Culture Reagents, Electrophoresis Reagents, Chromatography Reagents, and Others); End-User (Biotechnology Companies, Pharmaceutical Companies, Contract Research Organizations, Contract Development and Manufacturing Organizations (CDMO), and Others); and Region/Country

Click here to view the Report Description & TOC

https://univdatos.com/report/biochemical-reagents-market/

The biochemical reagents market report has been aggregated by collecting informative data on various dynamics such as market drivers, restraints, and opportunities. This innovative report makes use of several analyses to get a closer outlook on the biochemical reagents market. The biochemical reagents market report offers a detailed analysis of the latest industry developments and trending factors in the market that are influencing the market growth. Furthermore, this statistical market research repository examines and estimates the biochemical reagents market at the global and regional levels.

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Market Overview

Biochemical reagents are used to perform chemical reactions controlled by biomolecules in living organisms and to study elements and compounds. These biochemical reagents may include some essential molecules such as peptides, proteins, lipids, vitamins, carbohydrates, amino acids, nucleotides, and others. Further, biochemical reagents include inorganic and organic chemicals that have applications in life science. Detergents, salts, and other tiny molecules that have biological effects or are necessary for biological assays could therefore be these reagents. In recent years, the demand for these reagents has risen due to the leading market players' increased focus on research and development in the industry. These major players are concentrating on expanding the use of biochemical tools in the healthcare and life science industries. For instance, in 2021, Sino Biological Inc launched a panel of research reagents for the newly identified Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The biochemical reagents market is expected to grow at a steady rate of around 9% owing to technological advancement coupled with the increasing demand for diagnostics and screening. Also, the increasing prevalence of infectious diseases, which require early diagnosis is creating the opportunity for the biotechnology industry players to produce effective reagents to carry out various diagnostic tests. Moreover, the launching of new diagnostic tests and assays is contributing to the growth of the biochemical reagents market. For instance, in April 2019, Roche launched the Ventana HER2 Dual ISH DNA Probe Cocktail assay for the detection of the HER2 biomarker in breast and gastric cancer patients to determine the eligibility for the targeted drug trastuzumab (Herceptin).

Some of the major players operating in the market include Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.; Abbott; Agilent Technologies, Inc.; BD; Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.; Merck KGaA; Waters Corporation; Siemens Healthineers Private Limited; F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd; Beckman Coulter, Inc.

COVID-19 Impact

The rising number of COVID-19 cases is increasing the demand for tests and several types of research that will require reagents, hence propelling the studied market toward growth. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a rising demand for biochemical reagents, which in turn will push the growth of the biochemical reagents market during the study period.

The global biochemical reagents market report is studied thoroughly with several aspects that would help stakeholders in making their decisions more curated.

Based on product type, the market is segmented into polymerase chain reaction reagent kits, cell and tissue culture reagents, electrophoresis reagents, chromatography reagents, and others. The polymerase chain reaction reagent kits category is to witness significant CAGR during the forecast period. These reagents are used in the diagnosis of chronic diseases because of the surging chronic diseases such as cancer, immune system disorders, and metabolic disorders which will boost the growth of this segment. For instance, according to the data published by the American Cancer Society (ACS), in January 2020 , around 1.8 million new cancer cases were diagnosed.

Based on end-user, the biochemical reagents market has been classified into biotechnology companies, pharmaceutical companies, contract research organizations, contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMO), and others. The pharmaceutical companies' category is to witness higher adoption of biochemical reagents during the forecast period. This is mainly due to additional funding & investment for research from government agencies and non-profit organizations. For instance, as per India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), in May 2020 , the Department of Biotechnology received Rs. 2,581 crores ( USD 343.56 million ) in the Union Budget 202223 for the development of fundamental infrastructure, genetic engineering, technologies and bioinformatics, agricultural biotechnology, and training qualified professionals.

Have a Look at the Chapters https://univdatos.com/report/biochemical-reagents-market/

Biochemical Reagents Market Geographical Segmentation Includes:

North America ( United States , Canada , and Rest of North America )

( , , and Rest of ) Europe ( Germany , United Kingdom , Spain , Italy , France , and the Rest of Europe )

( , , , , , and the Rest of ) Asia-Pacific ( China , Japan , India , and the Rest of Asia-Pacific )

( , , , and the Rest of ) Rest of the World

North America is anticipated to grow at a substantial CAGR during the forecast period. This is mainly due to the availability of many biopharmaceutical companies coupled with the increased investment in the biotechnology and healthcare sector has led to this growth in the region. Also, increasing investment in manufacturing companies and academic and research institutions for the development of gene synthesis-based products like precision medicine, diagnostic products for various types of diseases, and other treatments.

The major players targeting the market include.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

Abbott

Agilent Technologies, Inc.

BD

Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.

Merck KGaA

Waters Corporation

Siemens Healthineers Private Limited

F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd

Beckman Coulter , Inc.

Competitive Landscape

The degree of competition among prominent global companies has been elaborated by analyzing several leading key players operating worldwide. The specialist team of research analysts sheds light on various traits such as global market competition, market share, most recent industry advancements, innovative product launches, partnerships, mergers, or acquisitions by leading companies in the biochemical reagents market. The major players have been analyzed by using research methodologies for getting insight views on global competition.

Key questions resolved through this analytical market research report include:

 What are the latest trends, new patterns, and technological advancements in the biochemical reagents market?

 Which factors are influencing the biochemical reagents market over the forecast period?

 What are the global challenges, threats, and risks in the biochemical reagents market?

 Which factors are propelling and restraining the biochemical reagents market?

 What are the demanding global regions of the biochemical reagents market?

 What will be the global market size in the upcoming years?

 What are the crucial market acquisition strategies and policies applied by global companies?

We understand the requirement of different businesses, regions, and countries, we offer customized reports as per your requirements of business nature and geography. Please let us know If you have any custom needs.

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Biochemical Reagents Market Report Coverage

Report Attribute Details Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2028 Growth momentum Accelerate at a CAGR of over 9% Market size 2021 USD 14 billion Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, Rest of the World Major contributing region North America to Dominate the Global Biochemical Reagents Market Key countries covered United States, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, France, China, Japan, India, and Australia Companies profiled Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.; Abbott; Agilent Technologies, Inc.; BD; Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.; Merck KGaA; Waters Corporation; Siemens Healthineers Private Limited; F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd; Beckman Coulter, Inc. Report Scope Market Trends, Drivers, and Restraints; Revenue Estimation and Forecast; Segmentation Analysis; Impact of COVID-19; Demand and Supply Side Analysis; Competitive Landscape; Company Profiling Segments Covered By Product Type; By End-User; By Region/Country

About UnivDatos Market Insights

UnivDatos Market Insights (UMI) is a passionate market research firm and a subsidiary of Universal Data Solutions. We believe in delivering insights through Market Intelligence Reports, Customized Business Research, and Primary Research. Our research studies are spread across topics across the world, we cover markets in over 100 countries using smart research techniques and agile methodologies. We offer in-depth studies, detailed analysis, and customized reports that help shape winning business strategies for our clients.

Contact

UnivDatos Market Insights

Ankita Gupta

Director Operations

Ph: +91-7838604911

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://univdatos.com/

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1225049/UnivDatos_Logo.jpg

SOURCE UnivDatos Market Insights Pvt. Ltd.
NEW YORK, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --

Global Community Banking Market 2023-2027

Source: ReportLinker

The analyst has been monitoring the community banking market and is forecast to grow by $207.21 bn during 2022-2027, accelerating at a CAGR of 5.3% during the forecast period. Our report on the community banking market provides a holistic analysis, market size and forecast, trends, growth drivers, and challenges, as well as vendor analysis covering around 25 vendors.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06426867/?utm_source=PRN

The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, the latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. The market is driven by rise in adoption of microlending in developing nations., adoption of advanced technology, and better rates and lower fees boosting market growth.

The community banking market is segmented as below:

By Area

Metropolitan

Rural and micropolitan

By Sector

Small business

CRE

Agriculture

By Geography

North America

APAC

Europe

South America

Middle East and Africa

This study identifies the rising adoption of digital platforms as one of the prime reasons driving the community banking market growth during the next few years. Also, increased investment propelling market growth and rapidly growing number of start-ups will lead to sizable demand in the market.

The analyst presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources by an analysis of key parameters. Our report on the community banking market covers the following areas:

Community banking market sizing

Community banking market forecast

Community banking market industry analysis

This robust vendor analysis is designed to help clients improve their market position, and in line with this, this report provides a detailed analysis of several leading community banking market vendors that include Bay Community Bancorp., BCB Bank, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd., Beyond Bank Australia Ltd., Coastal Community Bank, CSBS, Dime Community Bancshares inc., First Community Bankshares Inc., Fiserv Inc., Flint Community Bank, Holland and Knight LLP, HSBC Holdings Plc, JPMorgan Chase and Co., Morton Community Bank, PRIDE MICROFINANCE LTD., Sound Financial Bancorp Inc., Summit Community Bank, The Co-operative Bank Plc, West Central Georgia Bank, and Wintrust Financial Corp. Also, the community banking market analysis report includes information on upcoming trends and challenges that will influence market growth. This is to help companies strategize and leverage all forthcoming growth opportunities.

The study was conducted using an objective combination of primary and secondary information including inputs from key participants in the industry. The report contains a comprehensive market and vendor landscape in addition to an analysis of the key vendors.

The analyst presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources by an analysis of key parameters such as profit, pricing, competition, and promotions. It presents various market facets by identifying the key industry influencers. The data presented is comprehensive, reliable, and a result of extensive research - both primary and secondary. Technavio's market research reports provide a complete competitive landscape and an in-depth vendor selection methodology and analysis using qualitative and quantitative research to forecast accurate market growth.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06426867/?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
SAN ANTONIO, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Shannon W. Locke, Esq. is being recognized by Continental Who's Who as a Top Pinnacle Life Member for his contributions as an attorney.

Mr. Locke earned a Bachelor's degree in History with Honors at Macalester College in St. Paul, MO. He obtained a J.D. degree from the University of Arizona, College of Law in Tucson, Arizona, in 2002. Prior to becoming a prosecutor at the Pima County Attorney's Office, Mr. Locke worked for a Fortune 500 company for three years.

Shannon W. Locke

Mr. Locke worked in the Bexar County District Attorney's Office after moving to San Antonio, Texas. He has prosecuted financial crimes in the White-Collar Crime Unit and gained valuable trial experience and complex litigation skills. He has also practiced in several Texas counties and has tried cases in Hays, Kendall, Gillespie, and Bexar County. He dismissed cases in counties such as San Patricio County, Guadalupe, Nueces, Kerr, and Comal County. Mr. Locke is the only prosecutor in Pima County to successfully first-chair two first-degree murder trials in 2005.

Mr. Locke is currently a board-certified criminal defense attorney at Shannon W. Locke, Esq. and works diligently on behalf of his clients. He has represented many criminal law cases, including murder, aggravated assault, possession with intent to deliver, DWI, and domestic violence. According to Mr. Locke, The Locke Law Group is an expert criminal defense firm in San Antonio, TX that defends clients against a myriad of criminal charges in San Antonio and its vicinity. Mr. Locke and his team of criminal defense attorneys and family law attorneys are dedicated to providing the highest quality of representation.

Mr. Locke notes that every criminal case is unique and requires strict attention to detail and listening to the client's needs to provide the best possible outcome. He asserts that Locke Law Group strives to protect their clients' fundamental rights, passionately defend cases at trial, or fight for a fair plea negotiation. Mr. Locke and his team defend their clients from the potentially severe consequences of convictions, including high penalty fees or jail time. The practice offers a free first consultation session with an experienced lawyer, where clients can discuss their case. The firm offers flexible payment options, detailed defense strategies for each case, and prompt communication at all times.

Mr. Locke is affiliated with the American Bar Association and the Texas Bar Association. He has received awards for his work, including AIOLCA's 10 Best in Texas for Client Satisfaction in 201; Top Attorney in Who's Who Directories; and National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Criminal Defense Attorney.

To learn more, please visit https://thelockelawgroup.com/.

Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, [email protected]

SOURCE The Inner Circle
HOUSTON, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation, Ashvin Dayal, Senior Vice President of Power & Climate, and Eileen O'Connor, Senior Vice President of Communications, Policy, and Advocacy, will travel to Houston, Texas, to join more than 900 global leaders at CERAWeek by S&P Global 2023. During the conference, themed: Navigating a Turbulent World: Energy, Climate and Security, the three will discuss challenges and breakthrough opportunities related to accelerating just energy transitions, expanding energy access, and ending energy poverty. In addition, Dr. Shah will participate in a conversation on addressing climate change in the developing world at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy.

"If humanity continues with business as usual, the world is on track to warm by about 3 degrees Celsius, at which temperature life for far too many people will be harsher, poorer, and more fragile," said Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation. "I look forward to speaking in Houston about how The Rockefeller Foundation is working with partners around the world to scale innovative technologies, and identify new ways to mobilize financing, to both avert climate catastrophe and improve the lives of millions of underrepresented people around the world."

Alongside the engagement at Rice University, Dr. Shah, Ms. O'Connor, and Mr. Dayal will talk about The Rockefeller Foundation's efforts to advance just energy transitions in emerging and developing countries via the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP). A year after its official launch, GEAPP released early results of its efforts in its 12 partner countries during COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. The $500 million that The Rockefeller Foundation committed to GEAPP is the single largest investment in The Rockefeller Foundation's $22-billion, 109-year giving history.

Mon., March 6 4:30 - 5:10 pm

(CST) 1) Balancing Net Zero and Just Energy Priorities in Energy Transition How can we promote energy transition policies that address climate concerns and balance with the basic need for universal energy access all global citizens should experience?  Eli Aheto, Managing Director, Beyond Net Zero  Ashvin Dayal, Senior Vice President, Power & Climate Initiative, The Rockefeller Foundation  Sunita Narain, Director General, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE)  Takeshi Soda, Director for Oil and Gas Division, Agency for Natural Resources and Energy (ANRE), Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI), Japan  Susan Kish, Managing Partner, Andesa Advisors CERAWEEK INNOVATION AGORA STUDIO



Tues., March 7 2:30 - 03:00 pm

(CST) 2) Improving Energy Access While Addressing Climate Change Can combating climate change and alleviating energy poverty go hand in hand? How do we lift people out of energy poverty while combating the climate crisis? This is the energy trilemmamaintaining security, reliability and affordabilitywhile lowering emissions.  Ashvin Dayal, Senior Vice President, Power & Climate Initiative, The Rockefeller Foundation  Enoh Ebong, Director, United States Trade and Development Agency  Annette Hugh, Global Head of Market Development & Engagement, S&P Global Commodity Insights  Maria Fernanda Suarez, Managing Director, Accenture CERAWEEK INNOVATION CLIMATE HUB



Thurs., March 9 10:50  11:30 am (CST) 3) Spotlight | How to End Global Energy Poverty Energy poverty is limited access to energy resources that precludes people and nations from meeting basic human needs and achieving their aspirations for a better future. About 750 million people, mostly in Africa, lack complete energy access and about 3.5 billion do not have reliable power for more than a few hours a day. Developing countries are demanding access to power technologies and financing on competitive terms. Bridging this gap has become a global challengeto mobilize resources and new capacities at scale. How much of the problem can be solved through innovation in distributed energies? Is reinvention needed in global financial and development strategies? In commercial practices? Join a discussion on emerging solutions that can define a path of progress.  Carlos Pascual, Sr. Vice President Geopolitics and International Affairs, S&P Global Commodity Insights  Rajiv J. Shah, President, The Rockefeller Foundation CERAWEEK EXECUTIVE CONFERENCE



Thurs., March 9 4:30  5:45 pm (CST) 4) Addressing Climate Change in the Developing World: A Conversation with Rajiv Shah Dr. Rajiv J. Shah will give remarks on the need to accelerate just energy transitions in developing countries and speak with Kenneth B. Medlock III, the senior director of the Institute's Center for Energy Studies  one of the world's leading energy think tanks  about the opportunities and challenges of using renewable energies to meet global demand. He will also visit with Baker Institute for Public Policy fellows, scholars, and researchers studying a wide range of foreign and domestic policy issues. The Event will be livestreamed on The Rockefeller Foundation's social media channels, and Houston area media can attend in person here.

RICE UNIVERSITY JAMES A. BAKER III HALL



About The Rockefeller Foundation

The Rockefeller Foundation is a pioneering philanthropy built on collaborative partnerships at the frontiers of science, technology, and innovation that enable individuals, families, and communities to flourish. We work to promote the well-being of humanity and make opportunity universal and sustainable. Our focus is on scaling renewable energy for all, stimulating economic mobility, and ensuring equitable access to health care and nutritious food. For more information, sign up for our newsletter at rockefellerfoundation.org and follow us on Twitter @RockefellerFdn.

SOURCE The Rockefeller Foundation
Abigail Smith's extensive REIT capital markets experience further enhances Latham's market-leading REIT Practice

WASHINGTON, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Latham & Watkins LLP1 is pleased to announce that Abigail Smith has joined the firm as a partner in the Washington, D.C. office and as a member of the Capital Markets and Public Company Representation Practices. Smith represents issuers, underwriters, and other parties across an array of capital markets transactions, with a primary focus on the real estate investment trust (REIT), financial services, and hospitality industries. She also advises clients on ongoing disclosure, reporting, and broader corporate governance matters.

Abigail Smith

"Abigail has significant experience in REIT capital markets transactions that will further strengthen our top-ranked REIT practice on the East Coast and around the globe," said Daniel Lennon, Office Managing Partner of Latham & Watkins' Washington, D.C. office. "Her sophisticated understanding of the space enhances our ability to help clients stay ahead of the curve as markets, regulations, and asset classes evolve."

Smith brings substantial experience representing issuers and underwriters in SEC-registered and exempted capital markets transactions, such as initial public offerings, preferred and common equity offerings, and debt offerings, including investment grade, high yield, and green bonds.

Julian Kleindorfer, Global Co-Chair of Latham's REIT Industry Group, said: "Abigail's significant experience on cutting-edge REIT transactions will further propel our market-leading position in the space. She will be an asset to our REIT and investment banking clients through the full REIT lifecycle, as well as our public company clients navigating an increasingly complex market environment."

Smith said: "Latham's premier platform of capital markets, M&A, tax, real estate, finance, and executive compensation capabilities is built to meet the needs of REITs from every angle and at every turn. Latham is known for its collaborative culture, and I look forward to working with colleagues across practices to deliver positive results for clients."

Smith joins Latham from Hogan Lovells. She received her JD from Georgetown University and BA from Vanderbilt University.

About Latham & Watkins (lw.com)

Latham & Watkins delivers innovative solutions to complex legal and business challenges around the world. From a global platform, our lawyers advise clients on market-shaping transactions, high-stakes litigation and trials, and sophisticated regulatory matters. Latham is one of the world's largest providers of pro bono services, steadfastly supports initiatives designed to advance diversity within the firm and the legal profession, and is committed to exploring and promoting environmental sustainability.

Notes to Editors

1 Latham & Watkins operates worldwide as a limited liability partnership organized under the laws of the State of Delaware (USA) with affiliated limited liability partnerships conducting the practice in France, Hong Kong, Italy, Singapore, and the United Kingdom and as an affiliated partnership conducting the practice in Japan. Latham & Watkins operates in Israel through a limited liability company. Latham & Watkins operates in South Korea as a Foreign Legal Consultant Office. Latham & Watkins works in cooperation with the Law Firm of Salman M. Al-Sudairi, a limited liability company, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Contacts

Daniel Lennon, Washington, D.C. Office Managing Partner, +1.202.637.2200

Julian Kleindorfer, REIT Industry Group Global Co-Chair, +1.213.891.8371

SOURCE Latham & Watkins
U-Haul Company's portable containers again voted best overall choice for customers ahead of 2023 moving season

PHOENIX, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Planning to move in 2023? Millions of Americans will change their home address this year.

Meeting their needs will require flexible, dependable and affordable moving solutions for local, cross-country and international relocations.

BobVila.com recognized U-Haul as Best Overall in its Best Moving Container Companies of 2023 category, awarding its Editors Choice label to U-Box over all competitors. Visit uhaul.com/ubox to receive an instant quote.

U-Box portable moving and storage containers check the box for every category. Yet another prominent name in the home improvement industry agrees.

BobVila.com recognized U-Haul as "Best Overall" in its Best Moving Container Companies of 2023 category, awarding its Editor's Choice label to U-Box over all competitors.

Receive an instant U-Box quote on your upcoming move or storage needs at uhaul.com/ubox.

"We are thrilled to be recognized again for offering the best moving container service. Bob Vila is a respected brand name and has been for decades," said Sam Shoen, U-Box Program Director.

"U-Haul continues to be the customer's brand of choice for moving solutions, and U-Box is an increasingly attractive service because it fits so many different needs and schedules," Shoen added. "When you consider our worldwide delivery coverage, the number of rental and storage facilities in big and small cities across North America, and the 78-year U-Haul track record of support and care for our customers, U-Box trounces the competition."

The BobVila.com award is the latest U-Box endorsement on a growing list from publications evaluating the moving industry.

Forbes Home ranked U-Box first on its Best Moving Containers of 2022 list with 4.8 out of five stars. U-Box was the only container to score that high from the 70 moving companies that were considered.

When selecting a moving container company, BobVila.com urged customers to factor in the service area and quote process; move distance; container material and size options; loading and shipping time; packing and loading assistance; storage availability and facility climate control; insurance; and cancellation policy.

"U-Haul U-Box offers competitive rates, no cancellation or delivery fees, and a streamlined, transparent quote process," BobVila.com explained on its award page. "One of the best moving truck rental companies is also one of the best when it comes to renting a moving container. U-Haul's U-Box is affordably priced with a transparent and quick online quote process that lets customers know exactly what they're paying before they commit. U-Haul also provides guaranteed container delivery dates, giving customers peace of mind that their belongings will arrive when they're expected."

U-Box containers provide 257 cubic feet of storage and one-ton capacity (2,000 pounds). This generous space enables furniture, boxes and other belongings from up to one-and-a-half rooms, on average, to be shipped and stored safely inside each container. Customers can order as many U-Box containers as they need and only pay for what they use.

VIDEO: How to Load Your U-Box Container

In addition to DIY movers utilizing U-Box for residential moves without the worry of driving a moving truck, many customers also have U-Box containers delivered to their homes for on-site storage during home-improvement projects and spring cleaning. Non-contact home delivery and pick-up is available.

The best part about U-Box is the flexibility it offers. Customers can have U-Box containers shipped directly to their new home or have them stored in a secure U-Haul facility until they know where they are going and when they are needed. If plans change, U-Haul never charges a fee to alter the date or cancel a reservation.

About U-HAUL

Founded in 1945, U-Haul is the No. 1 choice of do-it-yourself movers, with a network of more than 23,000 locations across all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. U-Haul Truck Share 24/7 offers secure access to U-Haul trucks every hour of every day through the customer dispatch option on their smartphones and our proprietary Live Verify technology. Our customers' patronage has enabled the U-Haul fleet to grow to approximately 186,000 trucks, 128,000 trailers and 46,000 towing devices. U-Haul is the third largest self-storage operator in North America and offers 934,000 rentable storage units and 79.7 million square feet of self-storage space at owned and managed facilities. U-Haul is the largest retailer of propane in the U.S., and continues to be the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket industry. U-Haul has been recognized repeatedly as a leading "Best for Vets" employer and was recently named one of the 15 Healthiest Workplaces in America.

Contact:

Jeff Lockridge

Sebastien Reyes

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: 602-760-4941

Website: uhaul.com

SOURCE U-Haul
Unanimously passed legislation will require third-party product safety certification of battery-powered micromobility devices to UL Standards

NORTHBROOK, Ill., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The UL enterprise  UL Research Institutes, UL Standards & Engagement and UL Solutions  commends the New York City Council on the unanimous passage of 663-A that requires certification by an accredited testing laboratory to:

Pictured above, an e-bike undergoes safety testing at a UL Solutions laboratory. The UL enterprise  UL Research Institutes, UL Standards & Engagement and UL Solutions  commends the New York City Council on the unanimous passage of safety legislation that requires certification to UL Standards for all e-bikes and micromobility devices, sold, distributed, leased or rented in New York City.

UL 2849, the Standard for Electrical Systems for e-Bikes, for the electrical system of any powered bicycle sold, distributed, leased, or rented in New York City .

. UL 2272, the Standard for Electrical Systems for Personal E-Mobility Devices, for all powered mobility devices, including e-scooters, sold, distributed, leased, or rented in New York City .

. UL 2271, the Standard for Batteries for Use In Light Electric Vehicle Applications, of any storage battery for a powered bicycle or mobility device sold, distributed, leased or rented in New York City .

This legislation addresses the safety risks that have emerged as the adoption of electrified forms of transportation has increased. As recently as March 5, 2023, the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) stated a lithium-ion battery that powered an e-bike caused a five-alarm fire in the Bronx, injuring at least seven. And, in 2022 alone, FDNY responded to more than 200 micromobility-related fires resulting in six fatalities. These incidents are not restricted to New York  over 2021 and 2022, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) received reports from 39 states of at least 208 fires or overheating events that caused a reported 19 fatalities.

Third-party product safety certification, earned once a device meets specific requirements of consensus-based safety standards, can significantly reduce related fire, explosion, property damage and other risks associated with micromobility devices.

The UL enterprise is proud to help lead the safe adoption of e-bikes, e-scooters and other personal e-mobility devices globally. The passage of this legislation highlights how the application of safety science research, development of consensus-based safety standards and independent, third-party certification to those standards remain among the best tools available to help mitigate potential hazards across new and legacy technologies.

All three UL enterprise organizations  together with external safety advocates including FDNY, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the CPSC  have played a significant role in driving safety science progress in micromobility.

"The important work we do to characterize, understand and mitigate the risks of current and emerging technologies helps to make apparent the need to improve the safety of e-bikes and other micromobility products," said Dr. Chris Cramer, senior vice president and chief research officer, UL Research Institutes. "We remain committed to continuing our research to help protect our first responders and all who use these products."

"For the past 10 years, UL Standards & Engagement has placed a sharp focus on developing consensus-based safety standards that mitigate risks from micromobility equipment, and we are pleased New York City has recognized the impact our standards have on promoting safety," said Dr. David Steel, executive director of UL Standards & Engagement. "These devastating fires have no geographic boundaries, and we encourage cities across the country to consider modeling New York's approach."

"We believe in the importance of safety science and the vital role independent and impartial product safety certification play in bringing new technologies, such as e-bikes, to the market safely and efficiently," said Dr. Robert Slone, senior vice president and chief scientist, UL Solutions. "We thank Council Member Feliz for his leadership on this legislation and encourage Mayor Adams to sign this initiative into law. E-bikes and micromobility products provide multiple benefits to society. We stand ready to apply our comprehensive, rigorous testing methodologies to help realize those benefits."

The UL enterprise is committed to confronting safety challenges head-on, turning questions and hypotheses into discoveries, and innovating to ensure that scientific knowledge is applied to support its shared mission of working for a safer world.

About UL Research Institutes

UL Research Institutes is a nonprofit research organization dedicated to advancing public safety through scientific discovery. Since 1894, our research has advanced our mission toward a safer, more secure and sustainable future. Focused on global risks from fire mitigation and air quality to safe energy storage and digital privacy, we conduct rigorous independent research, analyze safety data and partner with experts to uncover and act on existing and emerging risks to human safety. Discover more at UL.org.

About UL Standards & Engagement

UL Standards & Engagement is a nonprofit organization that translates safety science into action through standards development, partnerships and advocacy. Since 1903, we have developed nearly 1,700 standards and guidance documents for products ranging from fire doors to autonomous vehicles. ULSE enables innovation and grows trust by convening experts and informing policymakers and regulators as we work toward a safer, more secure and sustainable future. Visit ulse.org for more information.

About UL Solutions

A global leader in applied safety science, UL Solutions transforms safety, security and sustainability challenges into opportunities for customers in more than 100 countries. UL Solutions delivers testing, inspection and certification services, together with software products and advisory offerings, that support our customers' product innovation and business growth. The UL Certification Marks serve as a recognized symbol of trust in our customers' products and reflect an unwavering commitment to advancing our safety mission. We help our customers innovate, launch new products and services, navigate global markets and complex supply chains and grow sustainably and responsibly into the future. Our science is your advantage.

Press contact:

Steven Brewster

UL Solutions

[email protected]

T: +1 (847) 664.8425

SOURCE UL LLC
Utah SB 271 moves to Governor for signing, setting a milestone for the future of co-ownership in the state

SALT LAKE CITY, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Pacaso, the leading real estate platform that helps people buy and co-own a luxury second home, celebrates a monumental moment for co-ownership with the passage of Utah SB 271.

The passage of the bill, sponsored by Sen. Michael McKell and Rep. Val Peterson, means the benefits of Pacaso's second home co-ownership model can be offered freely throughout the entire state of Utah, opening the door for more people to second home ownership.

"This is the first time state legislators have passed co-ownership legislation, but won't be the last," said Austin Allison, Pacaso CEO and co-founder. "We are grateful to the Utah legislature for recognizing the value and legality of co-ownership. This bill reaffirms that individuals, friends, and families have the right to co-own and enjoy a home together without interference."

"Utah has always been a state that has protected property rights and the right to own and enjoy a home. I'm proud our State is willing to preserve and stand behind this right by supporting this legislation," said Senate bill sponsor Sen. Michael McKell.

Co-ownership is being embraced as the future of second home ownership. By consolidating home buyers into fewer luxury homes, Pacaso is relieving the pressure of second home demand and unlocking benefits across the board for buyers, owners and communities. In addition to lowering ownership costs and hassles, Pacaso homes have an almost 90% occupancy rate compared to 11% for traditional second homes. According to trusted economic firm EBP, this year-round use decreases competition for single-family homes and increases tax revenue and spending at local businesses. Experts found that Pacaso homes generate 10 times more support for local businesses than a traditional second home.

At Pacaso, second home demand has been off to an active start in 2023. Deposits have increased 90% in the first two months of 2023, compared to the last two months of 2022. This is an encouraging indicator for our business.

To see all available homes, please visit the Pacaso website. For more information, contact [email protected].

About Pacaso

Pacaso is a technology-enabled marketplace that modernizes real estate co-ownership to make second homes possible and enjoyable for more people. Pacaso curates luxury listings with premium amenities and high-end contemporary interior design, offers  to  ownership with integrated financing, and, after purchase, professionally manages the home and supports seamless resale. Co-founded by Austin Allison and Spencer Rascoff in 2020, Pacaso operates in 40 top second home destinations around the world. Pacaso has been certified as a Great Place to Work and is recognized as one of Glassdoor's 2022 Best Places to Work.

Learn more about Pacaso and view listings at Pacaso.com and connect with @PacasoHomes on Instagram and Twitter.

SOURCE Pacaso
CENTENNIAL, Colo., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Vexcel Imaging received the Creative Content Award at the 2023 Esri Partner Conference (EPC) held in Palm Springs, California March 46, 2023. This award was presented to Vexcel Data Program, a business unit of Vexcel Imaging, for delivering exceptional creative content to ArcGIS users.

Using its market-leading cameras and a fleet of fixed-wing aircraft, Vexcel collects high-resolution aerial imagery and geospatial data in 28 countries and territories, making it the world's largest aerial imagery program. Vexcel publishes on average 100,000 images per day. Every pixel and underlying datasetincluding orthos, obliques, and digital surface modelsare optimized for use in ArcGIS technology. In 2022, Vexcel launched Vexcel Image Services for ArcGIS, providing insurers, government, and other industries easier and instant access to its imagery library inside Esri apps and software.

Esri is the global leader in location intelligence with a network of over 2,800 partners around the world. The award winners are organizations that have demonstrated innovative and creative ways to solve complex problems by using Esri's ArcGIS software and those who have done exceptional work in advancing geographic information system (GIS) technology. Vexcel was one of 27 Esri partners that received an achievement award at the conference.

"Esri congratulates Vexcel on their 2023 EPC award in recognition of their innovative work leveraging ArcGIS software," said Robert Laudati, Director of Global Partners and Alliances at Esri. "We are proud to partner with Vexcel to foster the use of Esri technology in support of our mutual customers."

"Winning the Creative Content award from Esri is a proud moment for us," said Robert Carroll, Vice President, Business Operations and Go-To-Market at Vexcel Data Program. "Our team's relentless efforts in leveraging Esri ArcGIS Image Dedicated and oriented imagery catalogs has been recognized with this award, and we feel more motivated than ever to keep innovating the Vexcel Data Program. Our mission is to provide GIS users with most valuable geospatial information available. This recognition from Esri acknowledges our approach and the direction we are heading towards."

Learn more at vexceldata.com.

About Esri

Esri, the global market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping, helps customers unlock the full potential of data to improve operational and business results. Founded in 1969 in Redlands, California, USA, Esri software is deployed in hundreds of thousands of organizations globally, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, nonprofit institutions, and universities. Esri has regional offices, international distributors, and partners providing local support in over 100 countries on six continents. With its pioneering commitment to geospatial technology and analytics, Esri engineers the most innovative solutions that leverage a geographic approach to solving some of the world's most complex problems by placing them in the crucial context of location. Visit us at esri.com.

About Vexcel Imaging

For over 30 years, Vexcel Imaging has been the industry leader in the photogrammetric and remote sensing space, building market-leading UltraCam sensors, and providing a comprehensive library of cloud-based geospatial data. The Vexcel Data Program is the largest aerial imagery program in the world, collecting high-resolution imagery and geospatial data in 25+ countries. Its dedicated fleet of fixed-wing aircraft capture imagery in the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and across Western Europe. Vexcel's unique technology stack results in unmatched, accuracy and consistency across its aerial collection programs. Its comprehensive aerial data library helps customers streamline remote assessment, innovate common workflows, and enhance decision-making with confidence. More at: vexceldata.com

SOURCE Vexcel Data Program
AUSTIN, Texas, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Last week, Dr. Jennifer Lamm, a veteran, through her attorneys at Wiley Walsh, P.C. filed suit against Texas State University for sex discrimination, equal pay act violations, and retaliation.

According to the petition filed in Hays County, Dr. Lamm was not paid as much as other male Lecturers at Texas State. The petition also alleges that men were promoted to Senior Lecturer before she was despite her meeting all of the qualifications. Moreover, according to the petition, Texas State justified this discriminatory treatment by making up a policy that did not exist and, even if it did, appeared to only be applied to Dr. Lamm and not male lecturers. According to one witness who Texas State interviewed as part of its internal investigation, Dr. Lamm was "discriminated against and treated unfairly."

The petition also alleges that the Political Sciences Department engages in several unethical practices, such as requiring students to purchase course materials for which the department gets a royalty, which is contrary to the standards of the American Political Science Association and the Association of American University Professors. Further, the petition alleges that the Department Chair of the Texas State Political Sciences Department failed to take actions to prevent cheating on exams by students.

Dr. Lamm's lawsuit seeks to end the sex discrimination, retaliation, and unethical practices at Texas State University.

The case is captioned Dr. Jennifer Lamm v. Texas State University, No. 23-0448, filed in Hays County on February 28, 2023.

Dr. Lamm is represented by Colin Walsh and Jairo Castellanos of Wiley Walsh, P.C. Both Colin Walsh and Jairo Castellanos are certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization as a specialist in labor and employment law.

Related Links

https://www.scribd.com/document/629539904/Lamm-v-TXST-No-23-0448

https://www.wileywalsh.com

SOURCE Wiley Walsh, P.C.
DETROIT, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Will Jones rejoins WDIV/Local 4 as an anchor and reporter it was announced today by WDIV Vice President and General Manager Bob Ellis.

"It is wonderful to welcome Will back to Detroit and southeast Michigan. He made a deep impression on our community with his reporting and his work in the community," said Ellis. "His passion to serve our viewers and make a difference in the lives of the people whose story he tells is exactly what we work to do at Local 4 every day. As we put more local in Local 4, Will's contributions will make us better."

Will Jones, WDIV-Local 4 Reporter

Jones was a general assignment reporter at WDIV from 2012 to 2015. He returns to Detroit from ABC 7 Chicago. He spent the first five of his seven years there as a general assignment reporter. In 2021, he became their first race and culture reporter, focused on highlighting underrepresented voices in the community.

"Our Local 4 news team just got even better," said News Director Kim Voet. "Will knows Detroit. He's been in the neighborhoods talking to the people and telling their stories. We're looking forward to having his skilled and compassionate reporting back in our newsroom."

"Detroit has always had a special place in my heart. I have many fond memories from childhood visiting family," Jones said. "It is so great to be back in the city and at Local 4. I know what this station means to the community. I'm looking forward to reintroducing myself to Metro Detroiters and getting back to work on their behalf."

While working in Chicago, Will received multiple Chicago/Midwest Emmy awards, including one in 2022 for a short documentary on a trans youth mentorship program. The documentary was also recognized by the Illinois Broadcasters Association.

During Will's previous tenure in Detroit, he was honored with a Michigan Emmy award in 2015 for his special report on Freedom House Detroit, an organization that aids asylum-seekers. It was a personal story for Will as he spent several hours each week volunteering there, helping their clients learn English and adjust to life in the United States.

Will has also worked at television stations in Greenville, South Carolina; Charleston, West Virginia; and in his hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio.

He's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and lives in Detroit with his wife, Monica.

About WDIV-Local 4

Local 4 News is currently the No. 1 newscast at 4 p.m., 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 11 p.m. in Nielsen ratings for the Detroit television market. WDIV is the No. 1 NBC affiliate in the top 20 LPM markets. In addition, Local 4's ClickOnDetroit.com is a top breaking news and weather website and the No. 1 news website in Metro Detroit. And Local 4+ - WDIV's free streaming app - available on Fire TV, Roku, Google TV and Apple TV, brings viewers live, original and on-demand programming.

SOURCE WDIV-TV
SOMERSET, N.J., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- With data showing an increase in advanced prostate cancer cases, doctors at a leading New Jersey cancer treatment center urge men over 55 to get their annual screening.

The American Cancer Society's annual cancer report, released in January, showed promising overall trends with a 33 percent drop in the cancer mortality rate since 1991. However, after two decades of declines, the report also highlighted a 3 percent increase in the prostate cancer incidence rate each year from 2014-2019  including a surge in late-stage cases.

Physicians at ProCure Proton Therapy Center suggest using the PSA (prostate specific antigen) screening test for men over the age of 55 who had an average risk for prostate cancer. This falls in line with guidelines set by the American Urological Association.

"The rise in prostate cancer cases is concerning, especially with late-stage diagnosis that are often more difficult to treat," said Dr. Brian Chon, ProCure Medical Director. "Detecting cancer early increases your options for treatment. That is why we recommend that men over 55 have a conversation with their primary care doctor about getting screened annually."

Detecting cancer in the early stages could make men eligible for proton therapy, a non-invasive treatment option that significantly reduces the risk of side effects.

ProCure is New Jersey's most experienced proton therapy center. It offers pencil beam scanning, which is the most advanced form of radiation with the most precise technology. With laser-like accuracy, this technology precisely targets prostate cancer while sparing surrounding healthy tissue and vital organs.

About ProCure Proton Therapy Center:

ProCure Proton Therapy Center in Somerset, NJ, opened in March 2012 as the tri-state region's first proton therapy facility, treating a range of cancers including disease of the prostate, breast, lung, brain, head and neck, and gastrointestinal system, as well as sarcomas and many pediatric cases. Using the most advanced radiation treatment available, ProCure has treated more than 6,000 patients and enables many cancer patients to choose a non-surgical treatment personalized to their medical needs and lifestyles, often with fewer side effects and less downtimegiving them more freedom to enjoy what matters most in their lives. For more information, visit ProCure.com.

Media Contact:

Sarah Ferrington, Marketing Manager

Phone: 732-357-2609

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE ProCure Proton Therapy Center
SHANGHAI, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. (NYSE: ZTO and HKEX: 2057) ("ZTO" or the "Company"), a leading and fast-growing express delivery company in China, today announced that it will hold its extraordinary general meeting of shareholders ("EGM") on Friday, April 14, 2023, at 2 p.m (local time), at 9/F, The Center, 99 Queen's Road Central, Central, Hong Kong, for the purposes of considering and, if thought fit, passing each of the Proposed Resolutions as defined and set forth in the notice of the EGM (the "EGM Notice"). An online live webcast of the meeting will also be made available for holders of ordinary shares of the Company as of the Record Date.The EGM Notice and the form of proxy for the EGM are available on the Company's website at http://zto.investorroom.com. The board of directors of the Company fully supports the Proposed Resolutions and recommends that shareholders and holders of American depositary shares ("ADSs") vote in favor of the Proposed Resolutions.

Holders of record of ordinary shares of the Company at the close of business on March 13, 2023, Hong Kong time (the "Record Date"), are entitled to notice of and to attend and vote at the EGM or any adjournment or postponement thereof. Holders of record of ADSs as of the close of business on March 13, 2023, New York time, who wish to exercise their voting rights for the underlying Class A ordinary shares must give voting instructions to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., the depositary of the ADSs.

You may obtain an electronic copy of the Company's annual report, free of charge, from the Company's website at http://zto.investorroom.com, The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited's website at www.hkexnews.hk or from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's website at www.sec.gov.

About ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc.

ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. (NYSE: ZTO and SEHK: 2057) ("ZTO" or the "Company") is a leading and fast-growing express delivery company in China. ZTO provides express delivery service as well as other value-added logistics services through its extensive and reliable nationwide network coverage in China.

ZTO operates a highly scalable network partner model, which the Company believes is best suited to support the significant growth of e-commerce in China. The Company leverages its network partners to provide pickup and last-mile delivery services, while controlling the mission-critical line-haul transportation and sorting network within the express delivery service value chain.

For more information, please visit http://zto.investorroom.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains statements that may constitute "forward-looking" statements pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "aims," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "likely to," and similar statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about ZTO's beliefs, plans, and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in ZTO's filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and ZTO does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

Investor Relations Department

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: +86 21 5980 4508

SOURCE ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc.
Kanpur, March 6 : Two men have been arrested in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur district for allegedly luring people to change their religion, police said.

The accused persons allegedly targeted people of weaker sections by luring them with money, an official said.

A case under the IPC and the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act has been registered against the accused.

The two men have been identified as Rajat Kumar Shah, 34, hailing from Delhi, and Abhijeet Mesih, 32, a resident of Chakeri town, police said.

Both have been sent to jail.

The arrests were made after workers of the right-wing Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal created a ruckus over the alleged religious conversions.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (East), Ravindra Kumar, said the police were alerted about the alleged forceful religious conversion event at a building in Shyam Nagar in Chakeri.
Chennai, March 6 : National Commission for Women member and actor-turned-politician, Khushbu Sundar, has said that she was abused by her father when she was eight-years-old, she said in an interview to a media portal.

Khushbu said that when a child is sexually abused, the scar remains for life, adding that it is immaterial whether the child is a boy or a girl.

She said that her mother had gone through the most abusive marriage, adding that her father thought that it was his birthright to beat up his wife, children and abuse his only daughter.

Khushbhu said that the fear of other members of the family getting abused kept her mouth shut even though she was abused since she was eight.

She added that her only fear was whether her mother would believe as she had a 'Kuch bhi hota hai, meri pati Devta hai' mindset.

She said that when she turned 15, she thought that enough was enough and started speaking against her father.

The actor-turned-politician added that her father left the family when she was only 16 and the family didn't knew from where the next meal was coming.
Riga, March 6 : Estonia's Reform Party is set to win the parliamentary election, according to preliminary results.

The Reform Party, led by Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, has won 32 per cent of votes after more than 92 per cent of votes had been counted, Xinhua news agency reported.

Estonians voted on Sunday to elect the 101 members of the country's unicameral legislature, the Riigikogu.
Jerusalem, March 6 : Dozens of Israel's air force reservists have announced that they will not show up to duty for a training day in protest of the government's planned judicial overhaul.

In an open letter, 37 of the 40 reservist pilots of Squadron 69, an elite air force unit, said on Sunday that they will not take part in an exercise scheduled for Wednesday.

The military did not comment on the letter, but Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said in a video statement that "any call for military disobedience harms the functioning of the army and its ability to carry out its duties".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's extreme-right coalition government is pressing on with judiciary overhaul to "curb the overly activist Supreme Court".

Fearing that Netanyahu, who faces an ongoing trial over corruption charges, wishes to gain excessive power over the legal system, tens of thousands of Israeli have been staging weekly public demonstrations over the past two months, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Israeli air force has counted heavily on reservists on the battlefield, particularly pilots, navigators and other aircrew members. The reservists have been called for training several times a year to maintain the air force's readiness.
Chitrakoot, March 6 : Police in Uttar Pradesh's Chitrakoot have arrested three more prison officials for their role in organising unlawful meetings between jailed Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) MLA Abbas Ansari and his wife Nikhat.

The police said that prison superintendent Ashok Sagar, jailer Santosh Kumar Singh and warder Jagmohan are accused of accepting bribes from Nikhat's driver Niyaz to allegedly facilitate meetings which found no mention in any police or jail records.

The three were already accused in the case under the charges of Prevention of Corruption Act, IPC's section 201 (disappearance of evidence) and others.

Additional director general of police, Prayagraj Zone, Bhanu Bhaskar, said that police were working on exposing the co-conspirators who facilitated meetings between SBSP MLA Abbas Ansari and Nikhat Bano in exchange of cash.

"And for the above, co-conspirators were facilitating not only the meeting but were also privy to the designs of influencing and threatening witnesses, prosecutors and police officers. They repeatedly failed in their duties as uniformed officers," the ADG said.

The ADG said that the teams of Chitrakoot police which raided 18 districts of the state have made recovery of incriminating documents from the residences of the accused, which will now be used as evidence in the court of law.

ADG, law and order, Prashant Kumar, said that the police are working to uncover the co-conspirators involved in the entire act.

So far, police have already arrested eight persons, including Nikhat Bano, driver Niyaz, SP district president Faraz, his accomplice Navneet and four jail officials.

Seven jail officials have also been suspended.

On February 11, Nikhat Bano visited her husband inside Chitrakoot jail and was found in possession of two mobile phones and Rs 21,000 cash along with 12 Saudi Riyals.

The police later seized the SUV used by Nikhat to visit her husband inside the jail.

Abbas Ansari was subsequently transferred to Kasganj jail by the government.
Prayagraj, March 6 : Another person accused in the Umesh Pal murder case was killed in an encounter with Prayagraj police on Monday.

Vijay Kumar, a.k.a Usman Chaudhary, was seriously injured and taken to a hospital where he later died.

Ramit Sharma, Commissioner of Police, said that the encounter took place between the police and the accused in the Kaundhiyara police station area.

On February 27, three days after the daylight murder of Umesh Pal, the police gunned down an accused, identified as Arbaaz.

Umesh Pal was the main witness in the Raju Pal murder case and his evidence was crucial to the case.

According to reports, Arbaaz was a close aid of former Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Atiq Ahmad.

Police said that Arbaaz was driving the car at the time Umesh Pal was murdered.

Atiq has been named as an accused in the Umesh Pal murder case.

Recently, Atiq Ahmad's wife Shaista Parveen had written a letter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath demanding a CBI probe into the incident.

Atiq's two sons have been kept in police detention.
Chennai, March 6 : Indian space agency on Tuesday will bring down its decommissioned satellite Megha-Tropiques-1 (MT1) in a controlled manner along with French space agency CNES.

The satellite is to impact an uninhabited location in the Pacific Ocean, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said.

According to ISRO, it is gearing up for a challenging experiment of controlled re-entry of a decommissioned low Earth orbiting satellite, namely Megha-Tropiques-1 (MT1), on March 7, 2023.

MT1 was launched on October 12, 2011, as a joint satellite venture of ISRO and the French space agency, CNES for tropical weather and climate studies.

Although the mission life of the satellite originally was to three years, the satellite continued to provide valuable data services for more than a decade supporting regional and global climate models till 2021.

The ISRO said the UN/IADC space debris mitigation guidelines recommend deorbiting a LEO (Low Earth Orbit) object at its end-of-life, preferably through controlled re-entry to a safe impact zone, or by bringing it to an orbit where the orbital lifetime is less than 25 years.

It is also recommended to carry out "passivation" of on-board energy sources to minimise the risk of any post-mission accidental break-up.

The orbital lifetime of MT1, weighing about 1,000 kg, would have been more than 100 years in its 20 degree inclined operational orbit of 867 km altitude.

About 125 kg on-board fuel remained unutilised at its end-of-mission that could pose risks for accidental break-up.

This left-over fuel was estimated to be sufficient to achieve a fully controlled atmospheric re-entry to impact an uninhabited location in the Pacific Ocean, ISRO said.

Controlled re-entries involve deorbiting to very low altitudes to ensure impact occurs within a targeted safe zone.

Usually, large satellites/rocket bodies, which are likely to survive aero-thermal fragmentation upon re-entry, are made to undergo controlled re-entry to limit ground casualty risk.

However, all such satellites are specifically designed to undergo controlled re-entry at end-of-life, ISRO said.

MT1 was not designed for end of life (EOL) operations through controlled re-entry which made the entire exercise extremely challenging.

Furthermore, the on-board constraints of the aged satellite, where several systems had lost redundancy and showed degraded performance, and maintaining subsystems under harsher environmental conditions at much lower than originally designed orbital altitude added to the operational complexities.

"Innovative workarounds were implemented by the operations team based on the study, deliberations, and exchanges among the mission, operations, flight dynamics, aerodynamics, propulsion, controls, navigation, thermal, and other sub-system design teams across the ISRO centres, who worked in synergy to surmount these challenges," Indian space agency said.

An uninhabited area in the Pacific Ocean between 5 degree S to 14 degree S latitude and 119 degree W to 100 degree W longitude was identified as the targeted re-entry zone for MT1.

Since Aug 2022, 18 orbit manoeuvres were performed to progressively lower the orbit.

In between the de-orbiting, aero-braking studies at different solar panel orientations were also carried out to gain better insights into the physical process of atmospheric drag affecting the orbital decay of the satellite.

The final de-boost strategy has been designed after taking into consideration several constraints, including visibility of the re-entry trace over ground stations, ground impact within the targeted zone, and allowable operating conditions of subsystems, especially the maximum deliverable thrust and the maximum firing duration of the thrusters.

The final two de-boost burns followed by the ground impact are expected to take place between 16.30 IST to 19.30 IST on March 7.

"Aero-thermal simulations show that no large fragments of the satellites are likely to survive the aerothermal heating during the re-entry," ISRO said.

As a responsible space agency committed to safe and sustainable operations in outer space, ISRO proactively takes efforts for better compliance with the UN/IADC space debris mitigation guidelines on post-mission disposal of LEO objects.

The re-entry experiment of MT1 has been undertaken as a part of the ongoing efforts as this satellite with sufficient left-over fuel presented a unique opportunity to test the relevant methodologies and understand the associated operational nuances of post mission disposal by direct re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere.
Kuala Lumpur, March 6 : The families of those on board the Malaysia Airlines MH370 plane which has been missing since March 8, 2014, have urged the government in Kuala Lumpur to begin a new search for the aircraft.

In 2018, the Malaysian government had engaged US seabed exploration firm Ocean Infinity to search for the aircraft in the southern Indian Ocean, offering to pay up to $70 million if it found the plane, reports CNN.

But its operation came up short.

The firm was deployed came after Malaysia, China and Australia ended a fruitless two-year $135 million underwater hunt in January 2017 after finding no trace of the plane.

On Sunday, Voice370 -- a grouping of relatives of those aboard the plane -- said Ocean Infinity hoped to embark on a new search as early as this summer and urged the Malaysian government to accept any proposals from the firm on a conditional fee basis, such that the firm would only be paid if successful.

"Ocean Infinity, over the last 12 months have made real progress working with many people to further understand... The events in 2014," CNN quoted Voice370 as saying in a statement, following a memorial event to mark the ninth year since MH370's disappearance.

"Ultimately, this has greatly improved their chances of conducting a successful search." In a message to read out at the memorial event, Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke vowed not to "close the book" on MH370, adding that due consideration would be given to future searches if there was "new and credible information" on the aircraft's potential location.

Debris confirmed or believed to be from the MH370 aircraft has washed up along the African coast and on islands in the Indian Ocean.

Malaysian investigators previously drew no conclusion about what happened aboard the flight, but did not rule out the possibility that the aircraft had been deliberately taken off course.

Malaysia Airlines flight 370 with 227 passengers and 12 crew aboard, disappeared on March 8, 2014 while flying from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Beijing.

The crew of the Boeing 777-200ER registered as 9M-MRO, last communicated with air traffic control (ATC) around 38 minutes after takeoff when the flight was over the South China Sea.

The aircraft was lost from ATC radar screens minutes later, but was tracked by military radar for another hour, deviating westward from its planned flight path, crossing the Malay Peninsula and Andaman Sea.

The disappearance of flight 370 was the deadliest incident involving a Boeing 777 and the deadliest in Malaysia Airlines' history until it was surpassed in both regards by Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, which was shot down while flying over eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014.
Lucknow, March 6 : A couple and their four bouncers allegedly held a Gomti Nagar resident hostage at their house where they thrashed him mercilessly and abused him.

The brother of the victim got a call from a woman who told him that the victim was held hostage at her house and was being beaten by her husband, his friend and their bouncers.

"When I called my brother, he told me that he had been held hostage at the house and they would kill him. He further told me that he had dialled the police control room," the victim's brother said.

He said that when he reached the house, he found him wounded and bleeding even as the police had made him sit in their van.

"My brother was tricked into visiting the house of the accused and then attacked with knives. The bouncers beat him with the butt of the pistols they were carrying," the victim's brothers said.

The police have registered a case on the complaint of the victim's brother.

The accused couple, meanwhile, alleged that the so-called victim had visited their house and was forcing them to take back the case which was lodged against him at the Vibhuti Khand police station and later staged a drama. They have also lodged a case against the youth.

SHO, Gomti Nagar, D.C. Mishra, said a case of murderous assault, rioting while armed with weapons and on other counts was registered against the couple, their friend and their bouncers.

He said the couple also lodged a cross FIR alleging that the 'victim' reached their house and forced them to take back the old case against him.

He said that the matter was being investigated and further action would be taken accordingly.
Seoul, March 6 : The South Korean government on Monday formally proposed compensating more than a dozen victims of Japan's wartime forced labour through a Seoul-backed public foundation, instead of direct payment from responsible Japanese firms.

The proposal announced by Foreign Minister Park Jin is intended to resolve the issue of compensating 15 Koreans who won legal battles against two Japanese firms accused of mobilising them for hard labour during World War II, reports Yonhap News Agency.

In 2018, South Korea's Supreme Court ordered Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and Nippon Steel Corp. to pay them compensation.

Under President Yoon Suk-yeol's administration scheme, the Foundation for Victims of Forced Mobilization, affiliated with the Interior Ministry, will collect "voluntary" donations from the private sector.

It also plans to use the foundation, created in 2014, to compensate other plaintiffs who win pending cases.

The government is expected to seek donations from South Korean companies that benefited from a 1965 bilateral treaty, such as steelmaker POSCO, under which Tokyo offered $300 million in grants to Seoul.

Still, victims and supporting civic groups have strongly protested the plan floated earlier during a public hearing.

Tokyo has maintained that all reparation issues related to Japan's 1910-45 colonisation of Korea were settled in a 1965 deal to normalise bilateral diplomatic ties.

The neighbouring countries held several rounds of official talks on the thorny matter over the past several months in line with the conservative Yoon administration's push for strengthening the trilateral security partnership with the US and Japan to counter North Korea's military threats.

The two sides have tentatively agreed to create a "future youth fund" to sponsor scholarships for students, an informed source said.

Meanwhile, Seoul's top diplomat expressed hope in a statement that the two nations will honour a 1998 joint declaration adopted by then President Kim Dae-jung and then Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi.

In the declaration, the two leaders called for overcoming the past and building new relations, with Obuchi expressing remorse for the "horrendous damage and pain" Japan's colonial rule inflicted on the Korean people.
New York, March 6 : Emerging evidence suggests that Covid virus can have lasting effects on nearly every organ and organ system of the body weeks, months and potentially years after infection, an updated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance for certifying deaths due to coronavirus disease has revealed.

In the acute phase, clinical manifestations and complications of Covid-19 of varying degrees have been documented, including death.

However, patients who recover from the acute phase of the infection can still suffer long-term effects, commonly referred to as "long Covid".

Now, the expanded CDC guidance suggests that documented serious post-Covid conditions include cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, renal, endocrine, haematological, and gastrointestinal complications as well as death.

"For decedents, who had a previous SARSCoV-2 infection and were diagnosed with a post-Covid condition, the certifier may consider the possibility that the death was due to long-term complications of Covid-19, even if the original infection occurred months or years before death," according to the updated Vital Statistics Reporting Guidance.

In some cases, survival from Covid can be complicated by pre-existing chronic conditions, especially those that result in diminished lung capacity, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma.

These medical conditions do not cause Covid-19, but can increase the risk of contracting a respiratory infection and death, said the CDC guidance.

Long Covid has also been associated with reduced brain oxygen levels, worse performance on cognitive tests and increased psychiatric symptoms such as depression and anxiety, according to new research from the University of Waterloo in Canada.

At least 65 million people are thought to have long Covid, according to a latest review of 200 Covid-19 studies published in Nature Reviews Microbiology journal.

The US-based researchers estimate that the condition is present in 10 per cent of more than 651 million Covid-19 cases that have been documented worldwide.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Los Angeles, March 6 : Comedian Pete Davidson was involved in a car accident in which the vehicle he was in ran into a fire hydrant in Beverly Hills, California police has confirmed.

Davidson, 29, was behind the wheel of the vehicle and was accompanied by his girlfriend, actress ChaseSui Wonders, 26, reports 'People' magazine.

The actor was driving at a high speed and lost control of the car, resulting in it going over the curb, hitting the hydrant, and ultimately running into the side of a residence. TMZ reported no one was injured.

Christopher Coulter of the Beverly Hills police confirmed to 'People' that officers responded to a report on Saturday occurring around 11 p.m., in which a car ran into a fire hydrant.

Coulter confirmed that the 'Saturday Night Live' star was in the car, but did not state whether he was driving nor whether Sui Wonders was a passenger.

An accident report was taken for city property damage, Coulter noted.

Davidson and Wonders first sparked romance rumours in December 2022 when they attended a New York Rangers game together, alongside castmate Rachel Sennott.

On January 9, the two were seen snuggled up in a Brooklyn restaurant as they waited on food together.
Islamabad, March 6 : In view of his "provocative statements against the state institutions and officers", the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has imposed a ban on broadcasting live and recorded speeches of former Prime Minister Imran Khan on all satellite TV channels with immediate effect.

The decision came hours after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman delivered a hard-hitting speech outside his Zaman Park residence in Lahore following a police team's arrival there to arrest him in the Toshakhana case, The News reported.

In its notification, the media watchdog directed all the TV channels to refrain from airing Khan's live or recorded statements, speeches and conversations.

"Imran Khan is continuously blaming state institutions by levelling baseless allegations," it added.

The notification further said that the PTI chief, through his incendiary statements, spread hate against the institutions and their officers, The News reported.

His statements may cause a law and order situation in the country, it added.

The media regulatory authority, on February 21, also banned television channels from coverage of terror attacks.

The directives had come in continuation to the earlier orders on the subject asking TV channels to adhere to the provisions of the PEMRA Electronic Media Code of Conduct 2015.

Reacting to the development, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said the move was a "nefarious attempt to silence Imran Khan's voice" by the government.

He said the party would challenge the ban in court, and urged the media to approach the court against the order.
New York, March 6 : Indian-American judge Tejal Mehta took oath as the first justice of Ayer District Court in the US state of Massachusetts.

Mehta, who served as an the associate justice with the same court, was unanimously selected and sworn in by Judge Stacey Fortes, chief justice of the District Court, on March 2, the Lowell Sun reported.

"I'm confident that with her leadership a that the best is yet to come for the Ayer District Court," Fortes said.

The ceremony was attended by several members of Mehta's family, including her 14-year-old daughter Mena Sheth, who was among the ceremony speakers.

"As a lawyer you can help people, but you can only help them to a point," Mehta was quoted as saying in the Lowell Sun.

"As a judge, you can do so much more and get to the root of issues and talk to people in such a way that really gets through to them." Mehta said her goal is to make a positive impact on the community she has grown close to.

"I have seen the same hopes and despairs in every court I have sat in as a travelling judge. But when you are the first justice, then you can really get to know the community and make a real impact." Born to a chemist father and a mother who worked in a hospital, Mehta earned a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Notre Dame in 1997.

Thereafter, she completed a JD at Boston University School of Law in 2000.

After graduating from law school, Mehta began her legal career as an assistant clerk for the Suffolk County Superior Court.

She then entered into private practice the following year, working as an associate at Gadsby Hannah (2001 to 2002), Cohn & Dussi (2002), and Deutsch, Williams, Brooks, DeRensis & Holland (2002 to 2004).

In 2005, the Indian-American judge joined the Middlesex County District Attorney's Office as an assistant district attorney.

She worked in that capacity until 2016, at which time she opened her own private practice as a sole practitioner.

Her memberships have included the Massachusetts Bar Association and the South Asian Bar Association.

She also sat on the Board of Bar Overseers as well as the Executive Board of the Bedford Montessori School.There are 94 district courts, 13 circuit courts, and one Supreme Court throughout the country.

They handle trials within the federal court system -- both civil and criminal.
Amaravati, March 6 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has served fresh notice to Kadapa MP Y. S. Avinash Reddy, directing him to appear before it on March 10 for questioning in the Y. S. Vivekananda Reddy murder case.

He was earlier asked to appear before CBI officials on Monday (March 5) but he informed the agency that he would not be able to appear on the day due to a busy schedule.

The CBI officials, late on Sunday night, served a fresh notice at the residence of Avinash Reddy at Pulivendula in Kadapa district, directing him to appear before the agency in Hyderabad on March 10.

Avinash Reddy, cousin of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, has already appeared before the investigation agency twice for questioning.

The MP appeared before the CBI in Hyderabad on January 28 and February 24 for questioning.

Meanwhile, Avinash Reddy said he would appear before CBI on March 10 while his father Y. S. Bhaskar Reddy would appear on March 12.

The central agency, which is probing the four-year-old case, has asked Bhaskar Reddy to appear before its officials at Kadapa Central prison on March 12.

Bhaskara Reddy was earlier summoned on February 23 for questioning but he requested the CBI to postpone the questioning to another day as he has some prior commitments.

Vivekananda Reddy, who was found murdered at his house in Kadapa district in 2019, was the paternal uncle of Jaganmohan Reddy and Avinash Reddy.

The questioning of the MP and his father assumed significance in the wake of an affidavit filed by the CBI in Telangana High Court last month while opposing the bail petition of Sunil Yadav, one of the accused.

The investigation agency stated that Avinash Reddy, Bhaskara Reddy and their follower D. Siva Sankar Reddy had hatched a criminal conspiracy to kill Vivekananda Reddy over conflicting political ambitions.

Avinash Reddy has denied the allegations and claimed that he and his father were in no way involved.

Vivekananda Reddy was younger brother of former chief minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, father of Jagan Mohan Reddy.

He was found murdered mysteriously at his residence at Pulivendula in Kadapa district on March 15, 2019, a month ahead of 2019 general elections.

The 68-year-old former state minister and former MP was alone at his house when unidentified persons barged in and killed him. He was killed hours before he was to launch YSR Congress Party's election campaign in Kadapa.

Though three Special Investigation Teams (SITs) conducted the probe they failed to solve the mystery.

The CBI took over the investigation into the case in 2020 on the direction of Andhra Pradesh High Court while hearing a petition of Vivekananda Reddy's daughter Sunitha Reddy, who raised suspicion about some relatives.

In November last year, the Supreme Court transferred to a CBI court in Hyderabad the trial and probe into the larger conspiracy behind the murder. The apex court observed that doubts raised by Sunitha Reddy about getting a fair trial and investigation in Andhra Pradesh were reasonable.
New Delhi, March 6 : The CBI on Monday conducted raids at the residence of former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi in Patna in connection with the land of job scam.

"We are doing further investigation in the matter," a CBI source said.

The central probe agency has got the prosecution sanction against against former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad in the matter In January, the agency furnished the prosecution sanction letter before the concerned court.

The CBI had in October last year charge sheeted 16 accused, including Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi and their daughter Hema Yadav.

The CBI had said that during the investigation, it has been found that the accused in conspiracy with the then GM Central Railways and CPO, Central Railways engaged persons as substitutes in lieu of land either in their name or in the name of their close relatives.

This land was acquired at prices lower than the prevailing circle rate and much lower than the market rate.

"The candidates have used false TC and submitted false attested documents to the Ministry of Railways," the CBI has alleged in the charge sheet.

The CBI has learnt in the probe that Rabri Devi and Hema Yadav were gifted land in connection with the scam by job seekers who were later appointed in railways.

Haridayanand Chaudhary, a railway employee and Bhola Yadav, the then OSD to former former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav were earlier arrested by the CBI.

Bhola was Lalu's OSD between 2004 to 2009.

The CBI registered a case against the Yadav, the then union railway minister, his wife Mrs Rabri Devi, two daughters and 15 others including unknown Public servants and Private persons.

"During the period 2004-2009 Yadav had obtained pecuniary advantages in the form of transfer of landed property in the name of his family members in lieu of appointment of Substitutes in Group 'D' Post in different Zones of Railways," the official said.

A number of residents of Patna themselves or through their family members sold and gifted their land in the city in favour of the family members of Yadav and a private company controlled by Yadav and his family and they were also involved in transfer of such immovable properties.

"No advertisement or any public notice was issued for such appointment of substitutes in Zonal Railways, yet the appointees who were residents of Patna were appointed as Substitutes in different Zonal Railways located at Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur and Hazipur.

"In continuation of this modus operandi, about 1,05,292 Sq. feet land, immovable properties situated at Patna were acquired by Yadav and his family members through five sales deeds and two gift deeds, showing the payment made to seller in cash in most of the land transfer," the CBI official said.
New Delhi, March 6 : The oral evidence on breach of privilege against Rahul Gandhi will be heard by the Lok Sabha Privilege Committee on Friday.

The Committee of Privileges has called BJP MP Nishikant Dubey to hear his case.

Dubey along with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Jodhi had given notices of breach of privilege against Rahul Gandhi "for making a misleading, derogatory, unparliamentary and incriminatory statement during a discussion on the motion of thanks on President's Address in the House on February 7 and a further request for expunction of the impugned statements.

However, sources close to Rahul Gandhi have insisted that he has replied to the notice to the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

The Privilege Committee directed BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who had filed the notice against Rahul Gandhi, to appear before it on March 10 and present his case.

Dubey had sent the notice claiming that Rahul Gandhi had levelled derogatory allegations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi without any evidence and facts during a discussion in the Lok Sabha on the motion of thanks on the President's address.

Acting on the notice as per the laid down parliamentary convention and rules, the Lok Sabha Secretariat issued the notice to Rahul Gandhi, asking him to reply by February 15.
San Francisco, March 6 : As lakhs of Big Tech employees make a beeline to secure a job as soon as possible, smaller tech firms are hiring the talented laid-off workers albeit with a caveat: "We can't pay you any more." Eric, a former Amazon software engineer, was on a $200,000-plus salary-and-stock package, before he was laid off in the US, reports The Seattle Times.

When a smaller tech firm offered Eric less than he'd made at Amazon and he tried to negotiate, he was "flatly told" they can't pay him more and he "eventually accepted a job, and a pay cut".

A senior software engineer with seven to 15 years experience could expect anywhere from $300,000 to $450,000 in total compensation from a Big Tech firm.

"We were seeing people with two, three years of experience getting over $200,000 in total compensation. It was absolute insanity," Albert Squiers, who runs technology recruitment for Seattle-based Fuel Talent, was quoted as saying.

That started to ebb when layoffs hit the Big Tech firms like Meta, Google, Microsoft, Twitter, Salesforce and more.

According to Jacob Vigdor, an economist with the University of Washington's Evans School of Public Policy, he would not be surprised to see more rounds of layoffs.

"Tech firms may find now that they've adapted to this somewhat smaller workforce, that they could make deeper cuts," he was quoted as saying.

After a dismal year for tech companies and startups in 2022 which saw lakhs of employees being shown the door, 2023 started on a similar note and in January-February, 417 companies laid off more than 1.2 lakh workers globally.

In January alone, close to 1 lakh tech employees lost jobs globally.
In the last 15 years, Romita Ghosh, a scientist by training and an entrepreneur by passion, has co-founded and successfully sustained four companies. She built them from scratch, developing ideas into products and services that touch peoples lives daily. Sadly, she is an exception in the world of business.

According to the Economic Survey, 2019-2020, India ranks third on the global entrepreneurial scale. However, when you tease apart this growth, you notice that women are only contributing a minute percentage towards this ranking. They make up only about 13% of entrepreneurs, of which those with a STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) focus are even less. This is obviously not because of a lack of aptitude or interest. The problem lies with systemically strengthened stereotypes enmeshed within the fabric of society.

Experiments conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois have showed that six-year-old girls start avoiding games for 'really, really smart' children and exhibit gendered beliefs about intelligence, which tend to have a cascading effect on other choices, such as study of subjects like science and maths that are for 'smart people'.

That is exactly the kind of stereotype that BioPrime AgriSolutions founder Dr Renuka Karandikar tries to avoid while bringing up her child.

"I want people to make gender neutral choices very early on in their child's life. Please give your girls mechanical toys and dinosaurs to play with. Do not give them glitters, clips, dolls and kitchen sets. And if you do, then make sure you give it to your boys as well," says Of all the scientists, engineers and technologists employed in research institutions in the country, women make up only 14%. With such a low representation, it is no wonder that young girls (or even adults) find themselves dissociated from the sciences. Even those who push past these hurdles to enter the field do not get a welcoming embrace. Despite similar or even better credentials, women are constantly paid lower salaries, given smaller lab spaces, awarded fewer grants and cited fewer times than their male counterparts. Their voices are muted and their contributions ignored. And this is not limited to academia.

Entrepreneurial circles cater to the needs and lifestyles of men as they dominate that space. Women mostly have responsibilities of family and childcare and hence are excluded from these spaces. The system does not make it easy for them to juggle home and work. Dr Srishti Batra (founder, QZense Labs), Dr Aridni Shah (founder, ImmunitoAI) and Dr Shambhavi Naik (founder, CloudKrate Solutions) stress the importance of family support that enabled them to balance work and home life.

Srishti became a mother this year and resumed work 10 days after her delivery. This would not have been possible without the support of her husband, parents and in-laws, each of whom pitched in to take care of the newest member of the family. She believes "the biggest barrier for a woman entering the entrepreneurial field is lack of family support." Shambhavi has also been extremely lucky in this department. Holding her six-month-old baby in her lap during the interview, Shambhavi told me the story of how a stern, but encouraging talking-to from her dad about being financially independent, even when her husband was earning well, was the "swift kick in the butt she needed to get her company off the ground".

Aridni recounts how encouragement from her husband was key to her starting a business.

"To be very honest, I would have probably not taken that risk if it was just me. His continuous support and encouragement made me fearless. It made me think 'yes, I can try this, there's no harm in trying'," she says with pride.

Women's professional growth is usually affected by lack of childcare facilities, exclusion from networking events outside of working hours, gender bias and workplace harassment and a general dismissive attitude towards them. The victims might be only women, but the repercussions of their exclusion are felt by everyone.

Responses to the ovid-19 pandemic by heads of different countries showed that women-led countries had significantly better outcomes and half as many deaths on average, as compared to those led by men. This was attributed to the fact that women leaders showed more willingness to listen to diverse voices and incorporated suggestions from experts when formulating their strategies. With a gender balanced staff and a majority of women led departments, qZense sets a great example for a diverse and inclusive enterprise. These ratios happened organically, clearly demonstrating that hiring and promoting women is not something to be mandated but celebrated.

A great example is the invention of sanitary belt by Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner in 1957, long before disposable pads entered the scene. The belt was used to keep the cloth pad in place and prevented blood from leaking and staining garments. I cannot think of a man coming up with such a product, simply because they don't have the need for it.

Despite the wealth of benefits that come with female leadership, somehow, their presence is still not accepted in the business world. An experiment done by researchers at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology showed that most investors preferred to invest in a pitch presented by a male voice. Carol A Nacy, founder of Sequella, Inc., a pharmaceutical company, recounts in this Atlantic article, how on many occasions, ideas explained by her have not inspired confidence in male venture capitalists, but the same words repeated by her male colleague resulted in happy and satisfied faces.

Renuka speaks from experience when she says that "if it takes X effort for a man to earn trust, a woman might have to do 1.5 times of that." Romita, who founded iHeal HealthTech Pvt Ltd, faced hurdles at multiple stages, including from her parents who were 'ashamed of her leaving a job to start a business', to seeing biased behaviour from investors. In an email interaction, she said, "I have seen investors question women entrepreneurs about the future of their businesses if they decide to marry or become a mother." She has also seen employees questioning her abilities but has managed to turn them around through her work. Shambhavi says "she never experienced blatant gender bias. But there are benefits to having a male co-founder to deal with situations populated by men." About her experience of getting funding, Srishti says, "I think acquiring funding, in general, is very hard. But it is difficult to find out if gender bias played any role. More often than not, an investor is just looking for a good business." Srishti believes that women-led companies could benefit from more female venture capitalists, so that they have someone who understands their point of view.

"Every time I am talking to investors, it is mostly men. There are certain challenges that only women will understand," she sighs.

One of the strategies that has worked for Renuka in convincing VCs to invest is to include them in the scientific process from the first day, even before she actually needed the funds, instead of bombarding them with dense technical data all at once.

A common thread among these trailblazing entrepreneurs is the initial support they received from different sources, giving them room to make mistakes and learn from them. Srishti and Aridni met their respective co-founders at Entrepreneur First, which not only facilitated their collaboration, but also provided them with a starter fund. Shambhavi was selected for the first ever iteration of the IIMB-Goldman Sach's Woman Start up Programme at NSRCEL, which provided her with a stipend and valuable mentorship that helped launch her company.

These women are only five out of the small but growing pool of brilliant women entrepreneurs in the country. Surely, the world needs to know about them. "We need to highlight more women entrepreneurs running small businesses. I do not know if I want a Rs 100-crore company. But I want to make CloudKrate sustainable, help the community and take care of my child. I want to run my business on a small scale and be happy. That is something the business community needs to celebrate," says Shambhavi.

To those women who aspire to be an entrepreneur, but are held back by barriers, Srishti says, "Whenever in doubt, just take that first step. And once you do, you will find an ocean of opportunities before you." (This piece was originally published by Rukhmabai Initiatives, an endeavour by 101Reporters to make Indian STEM more inclusive.)
Bengaluru, March 6 : Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said opposition leader Siddaramaiah during his tenure as the CM, had set 'targets' for his ministers in Karnataka.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, CM Bommai reacted to the questions on the bandh call given by the Congress in the backdrop of Lokayukta trap case in which BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa is the prime accused. He said, "Congress is mired in corruption".

"Siddaramaiah gave targets to all ministers. You can ask M.B. Patil, K.J. George, H.C. Mahadevappa (all former ministers in the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government). Ask them what was the 'target' given to them?" Bommai charged.

"There are scandals by the Congress government. The Congress party itself is vanishing. By giving a bandh call, they are planning to revive their political future. They will not get any response from the public," he said.

Bommai further stated, "If anyone gives a bandh call, they should be clean handed. Then they have a response. These people (Congress) have not left anything. They have not even spared beds and pillows, biscuits and coffee (referring to funds allotted to procure them). From small schemes to irrigation projects, they have practiced corruption.

"The hands of Congress leaders are tainted with corruption. People have seen their games. People know that whether they are Satya Harishchandras (a legendary king known to keep his word no matter what)... The field is ready for elections by May this year. People will decide," he said.

Answering a question on the inauguration of Shivaji statue twice, Bommai said, "It is ridiculous. The fort belongs to the government and during the tenure of B.S Yediyurappa, funds were allocated. After the official inauguration, only for the purpose of false prestige, the Congress has held the inauguration ceremony again. They should not practice politics in the name of patriots and national heroes who fought for freedom."
Thiruvananthapuram, March 6 : The Congress-led opposition in the Kerala Assembly on Monday walked out of the Assembly in protest, and slammed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for his government's "haunting" of the media and the action resorted by the police against Asianet News.

The opposition claimed that the Vijayan government was irked by a news item aired by Asianet News against the growth of the drug mafia which showed an incident involving a girl.

A treasury bench legislator P.V. Anvar levelled an allegation against the channel that the news violated the POCSO Act following which the police swung into action. On Friday night the students wing of the CPI(M), SFI barged into the Asianet News Kochi office, a first of its kind in the state, and on Sunday a high-level police team raided the Kozhikode Asianet News office and after four hours came out of the office empty-handed.

Vijayan, while replying to a motion moved by Congress legislator P.C. Vishnunath said his government has always been in the forefront of media freedom, but the action done by the Asianet News was against the basic tenets of ethical media principles.

"What the police resorted to is a natural process of law and when the police received a complaint, they started the due process of law and nothing else needed to be seen into it. If the police has served a notice to its editorial staff to appear before them, the police need not look into if the said journalist is in the hospital or elsewhere," said Vijayan, amid huge opposition protest.

"None has forgotten how the Congress national government haunted the media during the Emergency days, when editors, journalists were arrested. By now a huge section of the journalists have not expressed that any wrong was done by the police against Asianet News," said Vijayan, amid huge cheering from the treasury benches.

Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheeshan before leading the opposition members out of the House said that this was nothing but a well organised script on which the Vijayan government is working by targeting the frontline media house to terrorise and scare away the media.

"If one looks into the speed of the action by the police, it clearly shows that Vijayan is trying to scare them that they will take on the media and have done it on Asianet, so others beware. Vijayan, like all autocrats knows that if the media is allowed to do its job and if there are others who are critical, then silence them, is the tactic of Vijayan which is being enacted now," said Satheesan.

Satheesan had a piece of advice to the media and quoted a top Indian journalist, "If you crawl, this government will come after you, so stand up," added Satheesan.

Incidentally, Asianet and others have pointed out when CM Vijayan as often comes out with his stock statements like "the law will take its course", however does not seem to take any action when their reporter at Kannur - who brought out several news attacking the ways of the CPI(M) in Kannur - after receiving a few threats complained to the police, but till date no action has been taken on his complaint.
Mumbai, March 6 : Actor-director Balraj Syal recently shot his directorial 'Apne Ghar Begane' in Canada, a film is also produced by him. He shared his experience shooting for the movie in extremely cold weather and how he felt about being behind the camera.

"We shot this in minus 30-35 in winters when people don't even prefer going out. We were supposed to shoot in the summer but couldn't because of visa issues. I thought we would get a different look which will be very good so decided to shoot in winter. I've always wanted to be a maker of films. I wrote the film and my producers liked it a lot so they also asked me to direct the film," he said.

This film stars Yograj Singh, father of Yuvraj Singh, Kulraj Randhawa, Roshan prince, Armaan Aujla and Rana Ranbir.

Ask him who his favourite director is, and he says: "One of my favourite directors is Rajkumar Hirani sir because all his films have so many emotions which excite the audiences. Anurag Kashyap's way of storytelling is commendable. These are my favourite two directors." Talking about how it is to be behind the camera, he said: "It was really tough being behind the camera because it was very cold and our whole crew's visa wasn't on time and we were short of manpower. The Canadian crew and my actors were very supportive. Being an actor is not easy but being a director, you have to look after various situations. The work never ends. It was very tough and I also lost almost 10 kgs weight during that time but as it is said, all's well that ends well. The film is very nicely made and I can't wait for all of you to see the magic. The best part was that my wife was also there in Canada during the shoot which helped me a lot." He added: "I didn't give much attention to writing while I was busy with my acting work but during covid time, I started writing again. Now I am working on other films and hopefully, we will start shooting for another film soon."
Islamabad, March 6 : Pakistan and the US will start the all-important dialogue on counter-terrorism and intelligence sharing in Washington on Monday as both sides work towards resetting strained relationships.

As per details shared by Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the country's delegation will be led by Syed Haider Shah, Additional Secretary (UN&RD), while the US side will be headed by Acting Coordinator for Counterterrorism Christopher Landberg.

"The dialogue is aimed at discussing common threat of terrorism, cooperation at multilateral fora and countering financing of terrorism," the Foreign Office said in a statement.

"The US and Pakistan will discuss the shared terrorist threats facing our two countries and develop policy-oriented strategies regarding cooperation in critical areas such as border security and countering the financing of terrorism. " The meeting holds major importance for Pakistan as the country faces daunting challenge of resurgence of terrorism with wide range of terror attacks continue across the country, especially along the country's border with Afghanistan.

Pakistan is witnessing a resurgence of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terror group, which has claimed responsibility of a number of attacks in the country recently.

The TTP re-emergence in the country has gained momentum after the Afghan Taliban took over control in Afghanistan and released thousands of terrorists of TTP and other groups.

The previous government under Imran Khan had conducted peace talks with the group under facilitation of the Afghan Taliban in Kabul, under which, thousands of TTP militants were not only allowed to come back to their hometowns in the country, but were also allowed to resettle their families as well.

However, the peace talks became a breach to exploit for the TTP, who used the time and space to regroup their operations in the country, which were activated after the peace talks were cancelled by the terror outfit, accusing the Pakistan government of not fulfilling its commitments.

Pakistan has been calling on the Afghan Taliban in Kabul to take action against TTP militants operating out of Afghan soil and also to stop providing support to the group, a demand that the Afghan Taliban reject and refuse to comply with.

It is because of the negative response of the Afghan Taliban to Islamabad's demands that is reportedly compelling the government to reset and come back to counter-terrorism and intelligence sharing understanding with Washington, making the two-day dialogue process even more critical and crucial.

Experts say that the Afghan Taliban do not want to stop supporting the TTP because they are aware of Pakistan's current capacity to launch a sustained military offensive against the TTP.

However, Islamabad's willingness to change its Afghan policy and rub shoulders with the US on counterterrorism operations, is certainly an alarm bell for the Afghan Taliban.
San Francisco, March 6 : Tech giant Apple will reportedly launch a new iMac as early as the second half of this year, which is expected to come with a powerful M3 chip made with a 3nm process.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the upcoming iMac will feature the same 24-inch display size as the previous model, reports The Verge.

Gurman said that the new iMac will not likely go into mass production for at least three months, but it might still start shipping in the latter half of this year in the same colour choices as its predecessor, including blue, silver, pink, and orange.

Moreover, he said that the new computer is at "an advanced stage of development" and that the tech giant is currently "conducting production tests of the machine." He further revealed that the production method for attaching the iMac's stand to the display is "different," and that some internal iMac components might be "relocated and redesigned." The iPhone maker is expected to announce its new M3 chip at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June this year, where it might also unveil its highly-anticipated mixed-reality (MR) headset, the report said.
Government work report encouraging, inspires confidence: CPPCC member

(People's Daily App) 14:19, March 06, 2023

The first session of China's 14th National People's Congress kicked off on Sunday morning in Beijing, during which, Premier Li Keqiang delivered the much-anticipated government work report.

Zhang Qiao, member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and deputy mayor of Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, shared his views and insights on the report with the People's Daily.

(Produced by Zhu Yurou, Shen Zhiyuan, Zhu Yingqi and Qiao Wai)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Los Angeles, March 6 : Gigi Hadid, in her own words, is a "nepotism baby". The 27-year-old model is the daughter of Yolanda Hadid and Mohamed Hadid, and she accepts that she comes from "privilege".

However, she insists that she's worked hard for her success in the fashion industry, reports Female First UK.

Gigi - who has two-year-old Khai with ex-boyfriend Zayn Malik - told the Sunday Times newspaper: "Technically, I'm a nepotism baby." She also explained that her parents have instilled good work ethics in her. The blonde beauty - who is the sister of fellow model Bella Hadid - shared: "My parents came from very little, (but) I've always acknowledged that I come from privilege." She further mentioned, quoted by Female First UK: "My parents told me, 'Just because you have parents who were successful doesn't mean you shouldn't walk into the job being as nice and as hard-working as you can be." Gigi was recently linked to Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio. And the catwalk star admits that it's hard for her to have a healthy relationship.

She explained: "I don't know how anyone expects anybody they see in the public eye to have any sort of normal dating experience if you tie people (to one another) so quickly." Last month, a source explained that although Gigi and Leonardo "get along well", they're not dating. The celebrity duo were spotted together in Milan, but a source insisted that they're merely friends.
New Delhi, March 6 : The medical examination of a 32-year-old woman seeking termination of a 27-week abnormal pregnancy is being carried out, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) informed a single-judge bench of the Delhi High Court on Monday.

Through an interim report, AIIMS informed Justice Pratibha M. Singh that the petitioner woman was examined and more exams are being conducted.

After noting down the submissions, the judge directed it (AIIMS) to file a final report and scheduled the next hearing for March 7.

Last week, the court had directed it to constitute a medical board to examine the petitioner whose foetus is suffering from cardiac abnormality.

The woman seeks termination of pregnancy after some abnormality was detected in the foetus via ultrasound.

"Considering the nature of abnormality let the AIIMS constitute a medical board," the bench had said.

The court had referred the case to a foetal medicine expert after noting the ultrasound result dated February 17.

On February 25, a cardiac abnormality was found and the court perused the report.

It is the petitioner's case seeking HC's intervention in passing directions to conduct medical termination of her pregnancy under Section 3(2B), Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 (as amended by the MTP Amendment Act, 2021).
New Delhi, March 6 : During a special gathering at the French Institute in India (IFI), the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna, who is in India for the G20 FMM, officially launched the network of "Villa Swagatam" residencies. The project marks a significant turning point for the network of 15 Alliances Francaises and the French Institute, which together make up the French cultural community in India.

Speaking at the event, French Foreign Affairs Minister Catherine Colonna said: "There is a deep friendship, and mutual cultural admiration between the French and Indian peoples. We are both nations with a rich history, and extremely talented artists and innovators. It is our endeavour to bring them closer together and build a true Indo-French community of artists. That is the purpose of the Villa Swagatam initiative, which I have the pleasure of inaugurating today. I warmly thank the Indian partners who will open their residencies to French writers and artists all over India." The French cultural network has made sustainability, community involvement, and increased variety and inclusion its guiding principles as it constantly changes to reflect the demands of the times. This led to the creation of "Villa Swagatam," a network of residencies in India that aims to foster long-term relationships between the literary and creative actors of the two nations. With the introduction of this program, India joins a long list of international French residency-based initiatives around the globe, including the Nouveau Grand Tour and the Villa Medicis in Italy as well as Villa Albertine in the United States, Villa Kujoyama in Japan, Casa de Velazquez in Spain, and Villa Kujoyama in America.

Long organising residencies, the French Institute in India and the Alliances Francaises in India included renowned French dancer-choreographer Amala Dianor, who delivered a stunning performance on the night of the launch. Villa Swagatam has collaborated with a number of French cultural organisations, including literary residencies and centers, art schools, theatres, festivals, and private foundations, in an effort to draw more and more French artists and authors to India. Midway through 2023, an application period will open, with the first inhabitants arriving in India. Villa Swagatam will therefore open the door for the constant presence of French artists and authors throughout India all year long.

In stage 2, Villa Swagatam will expand to send Indian residents to France: the 16 residencies in France added to the 16 residencies in India will generate no fewer than 320 Villa Swagatam alumni. For the next 10 years, this will be a new pillar for the French Institute and the Alliances francaises network for developing their cultural programming.

'Swagatam', the Sanskrit equivalent of the French 'Bienvenue', reflects the desire to welcome dialogue, collaboration, and exchange. This philosophy is at the core of the French cultural network, which aims to foster bilateral cooperation.

The Villa Swagatam network: Literary residencies

MAD Salon+Lab

Sangam House

Rachna Books & Northeast Journeys

Tara Books

DC Kizhakemuri Foundation and Kerala Literature Festival

The Himalayan Writing Retreat

Alice Boner Institute

Arts & Craft residencies

Kalhath Institute

Khoj

Public Arts Trust of India x Prameya Art Foundation

Nila House

Vastrakala

Performing arts residencies

Serendipity Arts

RRAP (Rajasthan Rural Arts Programme)

Katkatha Puppet Arts Trust

Prakriti Foundation

(IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)
Kolkata, March 6 : Three minor boys were killed in a landslide in West Bengal's Darjeeling district on Monday morning while they were indulging in illegal sand mining.

The bodies of the three -- Manu Kumar (16), Shyamal Sahani (15) and Rohit Chauhan (15) -- have been recovered from the riverbed.

Initial investigation suggested that they were probably engaged in their assignments of sand and stone mining at Balason riverbed on early Monday morning, when landslides happened killing them.

According to district police officials, a fourth minor boy, who was injured severely, has been admitted to the North Bengal Medical College & Hospital at Siliguri by the police.

Local residents detected the bodies and they informed the local police.

The police removed the soil through earthmover and recovered three bodies and shifted the severely injured to hospital.

The local people have alleged that illegal sand and stone mining at the Balason riverbed by the mafias had been rampant for some time and in that process the operators mainly use child labourers like the victims against some paltry payments. The local people also alleged that although the police are aware of this menace no strong action had been initiated so far.

The family members of the victims have alleged that one Ganesh Sardar, a local middleman, is mainly responsible for the supply of child labourers to the illegal sand and stone mining mafias. Sardar is absconding.
Agartala, March 6 : The newly-elected members of the ruling BJP in Tripura will meet on Monday to elect the Chief Minister, party sources said.

A swearing-in-ceremony of the new Chief Minister and the council of ministers will take place on Wednesday and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President J.P. Nadda are slated to be in attendance.

Top BJP sources told IANS that outgoing Chief Minister Manik Saha would all probably be elected as the BJP legislature party leader and Chief Minister for another term.

A meeting of the newly-elected MLAs and BJP leaders was held in Agartala on Sunday.

The BJP's northeast coordinators Sambit Patra, Manik Saha, BJP President Rajib Bhattacharjee, and Union Minister Pratima Bhowmik among others were present in the meeting.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited Tripura on Saturday and held meetings with Saha, Bhowmik and other BJP leaders and discussed the government formation.

Sarma on Sunday visited Delhi and held meetings with Shah and Nadda and discussed about government formation in Tripura and Nagaland, a senior BJP leader told IANS.

In the February 16 Assembly polls, the BJP won 32 seats, one more than the magic figure of 31 in the 60-member Assembly while its ally Indigenous People's Front of Tripura got one.

The tribal-based Tipra Motha Party, which contested 42 seats on its debut, emerged as the second-largest party securing 13 seats.

The CPI-M won 11 seats while the Congress bagged three.
New Delhi, March 6 : Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Monday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of defaming the country in a foreign land.

It appears that he has taken a contract to defame India abroad, he added.

Speaking to the media this morning, minister Thakur said, "Be it among his foreign friends, agencies or foreign land - he's leaving no stone unturned to defame India. To hide his failures, he has taken a contract to defame India from foreign land in a planned manner".

He further said, "His language, thoughts & working style are suspicious. He has done it again & again...when jawans were martyred, he said, a few people were killed in a car bomb explosion." Other BJP leaders also slammed Gandhi over the same.

Union Minister Arjun Munda said that when Indian citizens go abroad, they feel proud to be Indians. But when opposition party leaders publicise & give statements to hurt India's respect, it shows that they are not bothered about the country's respect.
Bhubaneswar, March 6 : At least four people were killed and four others seriously injured in a major explosion at an illegal firecracker manufacturing unit in Odisha's Khurda district on Monday.

The incident took place near Bhusandpur village under Tangi police limits.

The explosion occurred when the victims were reportedly making firecrackers for the Dola Utsav, which is observed during Holi.

However, the exact cause of the explosion is yet to be ascertained.

After getting information at around 10.45 a.m., local police and fire service personnel rushed to the spot and rescued the four injured persons, and sent them to the district headquarters hospital (DHH), said Khurda collector K. Sudarshan Chakraborty.

"The firecracker unit was operating illegally. No license was issued for it. We will investigate the incident and take strict action against the concerned persons," the collector said.

He also informed that only one of the deceased has been identified while the process is on to get the identification of the others.

Meanwhile, two of the injured with very severe burn injuries have been referred to AIIMS Bhubaneswar, an official of the Khurda hospital said.
San Francisco, March 6 : Some Google Pixel Watch users have reported that their alarms have been going off late because of a bug.

Taking to Reddit, several users complained about the bug, reports Gizmochina.

While one user said that their alarm for 7 p.m., set as a reminder to give their son milk, had been going off late for the last few days.

Another said that their alarm had gone off a few minutes before or after the set time.

It is expected a recent update might have caused the issue.

However, it is still unclear what is the reason causing the issue, but there might be a possibility that the watch is in a deep sleep mode before the alarm goes off, making it difficult to rouse it on time.

Google will likely address the bug in the next few days and will roll out an update to the Pixel watches to solve the issue, the report said.
Kochi, March 6 : The Kerala High Court on Monday dismissed the bail plea moved by Pulsar Suni, the prime accused in the 2017 actress assault case, in which Malayalam actor Dileep is also an accused.

This is the second time that the High Court has denied bail to Suni who has been in jail since his arrest soon after the incident occurred near here in 2017.

The actress was abducted and driven around Kochi- the commercial capital of the state and sexually assaulted. The act was also filmed and later she was let off.

The court after hearing the bail plea pointed out that even if the accused has spent six years behind bars and the trial hasn't concluded, bail can only be granted after considering the gravity of the offences alleged to have been committed by him.

The court also said that the evidence given by the beleaguered actress prima facie showed that the incident was brutal in nature.

"There are some decisions that say that the gravity of the offences have to be considered as well.... prima facie the evidence of the victim...how brutal it is," the single-judge remarked.

Suni last year moved the Supreme Court after he was denied bail by the Kerala High, but the apex court too refused to grant him bail saying that it saw no reason to interfere with the Kerala High Court order refusing bail.

The apex court, however, said that if the trial is not concluded within a reasonable time, Suni may renew his bail application before the High Court and hence he approached the High Court.

The trial in the case is currently underway at the Principal Sessions Court at Ernakulam.
New Delhi, March 6 : A Delhi court on Monday sent Sahil Gehlot, the main accused in the Nikki Yadav murder cases, and five others to a 14-day judicial custody.

More details are awaited on the latest development.

On February 22, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Archana Beniwal had sent Gehlot to a 12-day judicial custody.

Four fresh charges were invoked by police under different Sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Gehlot's counsel D.S. Kumar had said that while the FIR was initially registered under Sections 302 (murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender) of the IPC, police have now invoked Sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy), 34 (common intention), 202 (intentional omission to give information of offence by person bound to inform) and 212 (harbouring offender).

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samiksha Gupta of Dwarka court on February 20, had sent five co-accused to 14 days judicial custody.

Gehlot had allegedly strangled 23-year-old Yadav near Kashmiri Gate on February 10 and married another woman on the same day.

Yadav's body was found in a fridge at a dhaba, owned by Gehlot, in Mitraon village on the outskirts of Delhi on February 14.

Gehlot's father Virender Singh; cousins Naveen (a constable in Delhi Police) and Ashish; and friends Lokesh and Amar are accused of hatching a conspiracy to get rid of Yadav, so he could go ahead with his wedding with another woman.

According to a senior police official,Gehlot was interrogated at length during police custody and disclosed that Yadav was trying to stop him from marrying someone else as they had already solemnised their marriage in 2020.

"She was pleading with him not to go ahead with the marriage fixed by his family with another girl on February 10. However, Gehlot along with his father, two cousins, and two friends hatched the conspiracy and planned to remove the deceased from their way," the official had said.

"He executed the plan and murdered her and informed other co-accused persons about it on the same day and then all of them went ahead with the marriage ceremony."
Hyderabad, March 6 : The government of Telangana has declared special casual leave for all its women employees on March 8 on the occasion of International Women's Day.

The General Administration (services welfare) department issued an order in this regard on Monday.

Signed by Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari, the order has asked all concerned to take necessary action accordingly.
Mumbai, March 6 : Actress Surveen Chawla, who is awaiting the release of her OTT series 'Rana Naidu', has said that the role was quite intense and demanded a lot from her, and that and pulling it off to perfection "empowered" her as an artiste.

In the series, the actress plays the role of Naina Naidu - Rana's wife, she is a character with secrets and a strong will that commands attention.

Led by Rana Daggubati portraying the titular character, the show follows the life of a man who does the dirty work for the city's top power players, making the problems of the rich and famous disappear. However, his life takes an unexpected turn when his father Naga (played by Venkatesh) is released from prison, setting off a chain of events that shakes the Naidu family to its core.

Speaking about working on the show, the actress said: "Playing Naina in Rana Naidu was an incredibly empowering experience. I loved how she was written as a strong, independent woman who was not afraid to speak her mind. I would say the character of Naina Naidu is the most intense role that I've essayed so far. It was challenging to bring out the various layers of her character, but I enjoyed every moment of it. As women, we need more characters like Naina. Whether it was motherhood, being a wife or anything else - I could truly relate to Naina." The women of Rana Naidu hold equal power as men. Priya Banerjee, who portrays the role of Mandira, is another strong-headed woman in the show who has been through a lot and is determined to get what she wants.

Mandira and Rana's chemistry is intriguing, and the two work together incredibly well, making them an essential part of the show's dynamic.

Talking about her part in the show, Priya said: "Mandira is a woman who knows what she wants and will stop at nothing to get it. I loved playing this badass character who held her ground and was unapologetically herself. It was exciting to bring out her vulnerabilities and show her softer side." "Working with the talented cast and crew on 'Rana Naidu' was an unforgettable experience, and I am proud to have been a part of this show. Mandira is ambitious - although it might not come off as that in the beginning. Her head is in the right place and she's willing to cross whatever line she has to to get where she needs to," she added.

'Rana Naidu' will drop on Netflix on March 10.
Bengaluru, March 6 : Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday questioned Karnataka Congress chief D.K. Shivakumar after a global terror outfit ISKP took responsibility for the Mangaluru cooker blast.

Speaking to reporters he said, "NIA is carrying out its duties. They have claimed responsibility. Now, what will Shivakumar say? He ridiculed that it was not a cooker bomb and it was just a cooker and nothing in it. Shivakumar also stated that BJP is misusing the issue. What he will tell now," CM Bommai questioned.

The global terror outfit IS has claimed responsibility for the Mangaluru cooker blast case. Islamic State - Khorasan Province (ISKP), an affiliate of the IS has claimed responsibility in its magazine 'Voice of Khorasan' which has published a report on carrying out blasts in Mangaluru of Karnataka and Coimbatore of Tamil Nadu.

The blast occurred on November 19, 2022 in a moving auto in Mangaluru. The cooker bomb was allegedly designed to carry out a large-scale attack to fuel communal tension in the coastal region and in the state. The Islamic Resistance Council (IRC), an unknown Islamic outfit, claimed responsibility for the November 19, 2022, Mangaluru auto blast and warned of another attack in future.

Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar had stirred a controversy by stating that the Mangaluru blast incident was done by the ruling BJP to divert attention of the people from the Voter ID scam.

Shivakumar further had questioned that "without investigation how the suspect Mohammad Shariq arrested in connection with the blast could be declared as a terrorist? Was it an incident like the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack? Was it an incident like the Pulwama terror attack? "How was the whole incident projected by the ruling BJP? When the Voter ID scam came to light in Karnataka, immediately after the Mangaluru cooker blast incident took place. Why? From where the accused came? Shivakumar had asked then.

"You are trying to highlight emotional issues in life and trying to make a livelihood out of it. In your (BJP) tenure not a single recognizable work has been carried out. Simply you indulged in deviation," he had attacked.

"The DG visits hurriedly and declares it a terror act. What are you trying to do? This is an attempt of deviation. Do you think people are dumb?" Shivakumar had said then.
New Delhi, March 6 : One97 Communications Limited, that owns leading payments and financial services company Paytm, on Monday announced it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Andhra Pradesh government to drive initiatives in financial inclusion, public health and cyber security and empower millions of merchants, street vendors and hawkers in the state.

The MoU was signed on the sidelines of the Andhra Pradesh 'Global Investors Summit 2023', in the presence of Saurabh Gaur, Secretary, IT, Electronics and Communications, state government and Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Founder, Managing Director and CEO, Paytm.

"We are happy to partner with the government of Andhra Pradesh in their journey of sustainable development through inclusive growth. We are fully committed to driving financial inclusion at the last mile and this partnership is a step in that direction," said Sharma.

"We will continue to empower the people of Andhra Pradesh by enabling lakhs of small businesses with mobile payments and access to various financial services," he added.

Under the MoU, Paytm plans to empower merchants, street vendors and 'ChiruVyaparulu' (street hawkers) in the state to accept digital payments and provide them access to loans through its lending partners.

Paytm plans to extend its platform for providing e-government services, which will be conveniently accessible to all Paytm Super App users.

Additionally, the company aims to empower various state government departments to accept digital payments from citizens and businesses, thereby enhancing service delivery for the people.

The company proposed to also enable the digitisation of toll plazas across the state to accept payments digitally.

In the area of public health, Paytm proposed to collaborate with the State Health Authority in facilitating seamless OPD appointment booking at government and private hospitals under the forthcoming Unified Health Interface (UHI) programme.

Paytm also plans to conduct cybersecurity training for state police personnel and launch a joint campaign to raise awareness of cybersecurity best practices among citizens, particularly those residing in non-urban areas.
Anandpur Sahib, March 6 : Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday paid obeisance at Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib and participated in events to mark the starting of the traditional festival of Hola Mohalla.

The Chief Minister prayed to the almighty for peace, progress and prosperity in the state.

He also wished the ethos of communal harmony, peace and brotherhood are strengthened in the state with every passing day and Punjab leads the country in every sphere.

Mann said it is a divine experience for him to participate in the starting of this festival which is a symbol of the martial spirit of the Punjabis in general and the Sikh community in particular.

The Chief Minister said he was blessed to bow here at this holy city of Anandpur Sahib, which has the privilege of having been founded by the ninth Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, in 1665, who sacrificed his life to uphold human dignity and human rights.

He further said this revered place was also the birthplace of Khalsa as in 1699 the 10th master of Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh, laid the foundation of Khalsa Panth at this sacred land on the historic day of Baisakhi.

Mann said this sacred land has always inspired the Punjabis to fight against tyranny, oppression and injustice.

Meanwhile, interacting with officers, the Chief Minister said a huge participation of the people from different walks of life is witnessed on the holy land of Anandpur Sahib during the festival.

He said with all its humility and enthusiasm the state government is duty-bound to ensure world-class arrangements for the devotees visiting the holy city during Hola Mohalla.

Mann said every year pilgrims celebrate this traditional festival with the colours of unity, tolerance, brotherhood and compassion.
Hyderabad, March 6 : BJP's Telangana unit president Bandi Sanjay Kumar said on Monday that if voted to power in Telangana, the BJP would bulldoze the houses of those indulging in crimes against women.

Exuding confidence that BJP will come to power in Telangana, he said it would follow the model of Uttar Pradesh which is using bulldozers to demolish the houses of offenders.

He was addressing a day-long protest at the party office in Hyderabad to protest against increasing atrocities against women in the state.

Sanjay spoke extensively about the death of Preethi, MD student of Kaktiya Medical College (KMC), who committed suicide due to alleged harassment by her senior.

He reiterated that the government should order a probe by a sitting judge into the death of Preethi. He alleged that the BRS government was siding with Preethi's senior Saif who was harassing her.

Sanjay, who called on the family members of Preethi in Jangaon district on Sunday, alleged that Preethi's murder was being portrayed as suicide.

After the meeting, Sanjay had said that all evidences in the case were destroyed. He claimed that the government was acting in favour of the accused as it fears that the accused will cause communal riots. He also claimed that the government is threatening family members of Preethi to follow their command.

The BJP leader said Preethi would have been alive if her complaint about harassment was taken up seriously and acted up immediately by authorities.

He slammed state minister K.T. Rama Rao for terming the incident as a small issue. He also questioned if home minister Mehmood Ali is confined to the old city of Hyderabad.

Sanjay said police did not reveal full facts of how Preethi died. He also wanted to know if her mobile phone was unlocked by fingerprints of dead body.

BJP leader and actor Vijayashanthi alleged that Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao was raising the issue of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's arrest in Delhi liquor policy scam as he fears arrest of his daughter K. Kavitha in the same case.

She slammed Chief Minister KCR for speaking about Sisodia while forgetting the safety of women.

She came down heavily on KCR for writing a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with other opposition leaders over Sisodia's arrest.

Vijayshanthi also alleged that the chief minister was promoting liquor consumption in the state, thus turning the state into a curse.

"Women have no protection in the state. What is the government doing when women are being murdered," she asked.
Islamabad, March 6 : A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Monday rejected Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khans plea seeking suspension of the non-bailable arrest warrant issued against him in the Toshakhna case, media reports said.

Additional session judge Zafar Iqbal announced the verdict he had reserved earlier in the day after a brief hearing of the case, Geo News reported.

During Monday's hearing, Khan's lawyers Ali Bukhari, Qaiser Imam and Gohar Ali Khan appeared before the court.

Bukhari contended that his client has always followed court orders. While Imam argued that if Khan is willing to appear, the police cannot arrest him.

At this, the judge remarked that the PTI chief could have approached the Islamabad High Court for the suspension of the warrant, Geo News reported.

However, Imam told the judge that they want the sessions court to suspend the warrant. While Bukhari added that the PTI chief was at his Zaman Park residence in Lahore.

"Imran Khan wants to know a way he can appear in court," said Bukhari.

Imam added that a private complaint was registered against the PTI chief under the Election Act 2017. He argued that usually arrest warrant are not issued on a private complaint and urged the court to suspend the warrant.

The judge remarked that the PTI chief's lawyer had informed them that their client will not appear in court, Geo News reported.

The judge then reserved the verdict on the petition.

On February 28, Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal issued the former prime minister's non-bailable arrest warrant for continuously failing to appear before the court in the Toshakhana case.

As per court orders Islamabad Police team on Sunday, led by a superintendent of police, had visited Zaman Park to implement the arrest warrant. But failed to do so.

The PTI chief has also approached the Lahore High Court today for post-arrest bail in the case, Geo News reported.
New Delhi, March 6 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday said that they recently conducted search and survey operations at 15 places in Nagpur and Mumbai in a case related to a Ponzi Scheme fraud of around Rs 150 crore committed by one Pankaj Mehadia and others.

The ED conducted searches on March 3 and seized gold and diamond jewellery worth Rs 5.51 crore, cash of Rs 1.21 crore, digital devices and various incriminating documents during the searches.

The ED said that the searches were held at the residences and offices of Mehadia, Lokesh Jain and Karthik Jain, who are the main accused in this scam.

The office and residential premises of the main beneficiaries were also raided.

The ED initiated PMLA investigation based on an FIR registered at Sitabuldi Police Station, Nagpur, against five people -- Pankaj Mehadiya, Lokesh Jain, Kartik Jain, Balmukund Lalchand Keyal and Premlata Nandlal Mehadiya.

They allegedly committed a fraud and caused huge loss to their investors to the tune of several crores of rupees.

The ED said that their PMLA investigation has established that Pankaj Mehadia along with other accomplices were running a Ponzi scheme and lured various investors by promising to give 12 per cent assured profit after deducting TDS on the investments made from the year 2004 to 2017.

"Throughout the period of 2005 to 2016, with the malafide intention of cheating and siphoning off the investors' money, the accused persons ran the Ponzi scheme giving assured returns to win over the investors and thus luring the investors to invest in larger amounts in the associated companies and ultimately did not return the money.

"In order to divert the money and to give the transactions a tinge of legitimacy, transactions worth more than Rs 150 crore have been affected in the Bank accounts and it is suspected that most of these transactions are not backed by genuine business deals and are in the nature of accommodation entries," the official said.

Further investigation in the matter is on.
New Delhi, March 6 : A sacked Google India employee shared his story on LinkedIn, saying "it's my turn to say goodbye to Google".

Google has terminated more than 400 employees in India last month, and globally the tech giant handed over pink slips to nearly 12,000 workers.

Deepak Jain, who worked for Google in Gurugram as an Advertising Solutions Architect for nearly two years, wrote on LinkedIn: "Today is my turn to say goodbye to Google after almost 2 years. Thoroughly Enjoyed! My role, along with several other Googlers in India, was also impacted by the mass global layoffs." "Although the circumstances feel like a punch in the stomach I can only look back and be grateful for all the growth opportunities and milestones during this time and the role that Google played in supporting them," he said.

Jain did his Bachelors of Engineering in Computer Science and previously worked at Adobe for more than six years (2015-2021).

Keeping up the fighting spirit, he said: "I don't know what's next for me but, as Larry Page would say, I'm uncomfortably excited for what's to come." "I am looking for a new role and would appreciate your support," he said in conclusion.

Meanwhile, another Google India worker who got laid off last month, took to LinkedIn to share his plight, in which he described the feeling of losing the job same as a "breakup".

Priyang Davey, who worked as Creative Lead for APAC GTM Creative Works in Mumbai for nine months, wrote on LinkedIn: "My last couple of weeks have been pretty eventful. I got a new Bluetooth speaker, watched the night manager which was not that bad, and oh also! I got laid off from Google." "It's like a breakup. Sure, it kinda sucks, but you'll choose your next partner who's wise enough to not break up with you over a text (or an email)," he added.
Mumbai, March 6 : Bollywood star-filmmaker Ajay Devgn said he had to a maintain a "sensibility" and called it a "responsibility" about his fight sequence with a Trishul in 'Bholaa'.

Talking about his fight sequence with a Trishul, a weapon used by lord by Shiva in Hindu mythology, Ajay said: "I think it was very interesting. It was a little difficult but new too. We had to design, execute and perform it."

Image Source: IANS News

"Had to maintain a sensibility and had a responsibility as I had a Trishul in my hand."

Image Source: IANS News

'Bholaa' is a remake of the Tamil film 'Kaithia' which released in 2019. Ajay has directed the film and is starring in it. The film also features Tabu.

'Bholaa' is all set to release on March 30. The film also has Deepak Dobriyal, Sanjay Mishra and Gajraj Rao.

-- Syndicated from IANS
Mumbai, March 6 : TV actress Neeharika Roy spoke about the Holi special episode of 'Pyaar Ka Pehla Naam Radha Mohan' which will not only focus on the unique 'Lath Maar Holi' of Vrindavan, but also send out a message of how consent of a person is important before playing colours with them.

It also reinforces that no woman should ever silently face unwanted situations or an unwelcome touch, she should always stand up for herself.

Neeharika said: "In our show, we're gearing up for a popular type of Holi. It's called the 'Lath Maar Holi' that happens in Vrindavan - something unique that viewers haven't seen on television so far. The story will talk about an extremely relevant message for its audience, that is, women's safety and dignity." The show brings out a love story of Radha (Neeharika) and Mohan (Shabir Ahluwalia). During the show, Radha teaches Mohan's mama the lesson of his life when she calls him out for his indecent behaviour.

"I feel it's very important for every person who plays Holi that consent is very important, regardless of gender. So, through this track, we want to convey that no one should put up with any kind of inappropriate touch," she added.

'Pyaar Ka Pehla Naam Radha Mohan' airs on Zee TV.

Latest updates on Holi Festival 2023
New Delhi, March 6 : Stanlow Terminals Ltd has announced that it will develop a major new open access import terminal for green ammonia in the Port of Liverpool.

The new terminal, which will be an expansion of Stanlow Terminal's existing facilities, will provide the connecting infrastructure to enable significant volumes of green ammonia to be imported into the UK.

The new terminal contributes to Essar's ambition to be a major hub of low carbon energy innovation and a leader in production globally.

Green ammonia is a highly-effective liquid carrier of hydrogen, which allows for the safe and cost-efficient transport of green hydrogen at scale.

The new terminal will enable the import and storage of more than one million tonnes per year of green ammonia for onwards distribution into the UK or conversion back to green hydrogen for supply to the North West's industrial customers.

The green hydrogen produced will be used by a wide range of industries in the region, including as a sustainable fuel for marine shipping and to help decarbonise energy usage and, in doing so, contribute significantly to the UK's net zero ambitions.

Green ammonia is a crucial component in the development of the global hydrogen economy and is expected to develop into one of the world's major sustainable energy commodities.

Once operational, the new terminal will put Stanlow Terminals at the heart of the global hydrogen energy market, with ready access to large scale international green ammonia imports.

The new terminal will be advantageously located within Stanlow Terminal's existing facilities, where it will benefit from the Port of Liverpool's unique combination of competitive geographical location, deep water access and maritime infrastructure which can handle the largest gas carrier vessels. The terminal will also benefit from direct connectivity with Hynet, the UK's leading low carbon hydrogen project in terms of scale and speed to market.

Feasibility studies are currently being undertaken, with the terminal currently scheduled to commence operations in 2027.

The development of the green ammonia terminal is the latest phase in Stanlow Terminal's long-term plan to become the UK's largest bulk liquid storage and energy infrastructure solutions provider.

Michael Gaynon, Chief Executive, Stanlow Terminals, said: "This new terminal is the latest milestone in Stanlow Terminal's and Essar's ongoing commitment to leading the UK's low carbon transformation.

"By investing in new energies infrastructure and building a secure supply chain of green ammonia into the UK, we are building on our expertise in storing and blending of bulk liquids to put the North West economy at the forefront of the UK's energy transition to net zero." Prashant Ruia, Director, Essar Capital, said: "Essar Energy Transition is putting the UK at the forefront of the low carbon energy transition. We're excited to be sharing more detail of our investment plans. The new terminal, provides the connecting infrastructure to enable Essar' ambition to be a major hub of low carbon energy innovation and a leader in production globally." Claudio Veritiero, Chief Executive Officer of Peel Ports, said: "The Port of Liverpool is one of the world's leading ports and we welcome Stanlow Terminals' investment in its exciting future. Liverpool's strategic location means it's perfectly placed to support energy transition with exciting projects like this major new open access import terminal for green ammonia." Chris Shirling-Rooke, Chief Executive Officer of Mersey Maritime, said, "As the fastest growing maritime region in the UK, the Mersey is once again at the forefront of global maritime innovation. We welcome this announcement from Stanlow Terminals and welcome the commitment to support our environmental goals, and to see a positive impact on jobs and growth in our coastal communities."
London, March 6 : Russian reservists are likely using "shovels" for "hand-to-hand" combat in Ukraine due to a shortage of ammunition, the UK's Ministry of Defence has said, according to a media report.

In late February, reservists described being ordered to assault a Ukrainian position "armed with only 'firearms and shovels'," the ministry said in its intelligence update, the BBC reported.

It mentioned a shovel known as 'MPL-50'. The tool was designed in 1869 and had changed little, the ministry said.

"The lethality of the standard-issue MPL-50 entrenching tool is particularly mythologised in Russia," the ministry said, the BBC reported.

The continued use of the shovel "as a weapon highlights the brutal and low-tech fighting which has come to characterise much of the war", it said.

One of the reservists described being "neither physically nor psychologically" prepared for the action, the update added.

"Recent evidence suggests an increase in close combat in Ukraine," it said, the BBC reported.

"This is probably a result of the Russian command continuing to insist on offensive action largely consisting of dismounted infantry, with less support from artillery fire because Russia is short of munitions." Meanwhile, Russian forces appear to have secured a sufficient positional advantage in the besieged city of Bakhmut, the Imstitute for the Study of War (ISW) said.

Bakhmut has seen months of fighting, as Russia tries to take control of the small city, where around 4,000 civilians remain.

Taking the city would be a rare battlefield success in recent months for Russia, but the city's strategic value has been questioned, the BBC reported.

The ISW said Russia's positional advantage could allow a "turning movement" in the city.

The purpose of a turning movement is to force the enemy to abandon prepared defensive positions, and is different from the aim of an encirclement, which is to trap and destroy enemy forces, the ISW says.
Bengaluru, March 6 : After the opposition parties dubbed the ruling BJP's announcement regarding establishment of iPhone assembling unit by Foxconn in Bengaluru as a publicity stunt, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai released the letter of appreciation on Monday.

The appreciation letter, by Foxconn CEO Young Liu addressed to Bommai, describes the visit of the Foxconn team to Bengaluru a great success.

"My team would be in close contact with your team to take this forward and ensure successful grounding of 'Project Elephant' in Bengaluru. I am confident that this project will lay a strong foundation for our other multiple plans, spanning mechanical/precision machinery, electric vehicle, IC design and semiconductor segments to consider your state as a potential investment destination," Young Liu, Chairman of Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd (Foxconn Technology Group) stated.

The letter reads, "At the outset I would like to extend sincere gratitude towards you and your team for making our visit to Bengaluru a big success. Yourself, Minister for Higher Education, IT and BT, Minister for Large and Medium Industries, the chief secretary and other senior government of Karnataka officials and the broader team, all worked together to ensure that the multiple events and interactions planned through the day were conducted seamlessly and for maximum benefit of all stakeholders involved." "We were welcomed at the airport by Dr. C.N. Ashwath Narayan, Minister for Higher Education. The visit began with a walkthrough of the world class new Terminal 2, recently inaugurated by Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi, followed by a detailed presentation by senior executives from Bengaluru Airport International Limited (BIAL) on cargo infrastructure and facilities at the airport. The efficiency of cargo handling at the airport does have a significant bearing on our operations and matrix as we rely on air freight for our multiple products to a considerable extent," Young Liu stated.

"We proceeded for a site visit at the proposed area, near the airport. Meeting Dr. Murugesh Nirani, Minister for Large and Medium Industries, during lunch, marked an important highlight during the day. Thereafter, led by Vandita Sharma, Chief Secretary, the senior officials made a presentation on three key pillars, essential for making 'Project Elephant' a grand success, at Vidhana Soudha. It was great to note the infrastructure readiness timelines, government of Karnataka's support for skilling and talent acquisition and the availability of social infrastructure around the region, where the plot is earmarked for the project," the letter said.

"The eventful day culminated with the detailed discussion over dinner with yourself. Your vision and drive to make Karnataka an attractive investment destination, particularly for electronics manufacturing, not just in India but on a global level, are laudable." JD(S) leader and former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy had questioned the ruling BJP government to clarify whether the announcement regarding Foxconn by the Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai was a publicity stunt? Or, whether the MoU was signed at all? Taking to social media, Kumaraswamy had maintained that the Karnataka BJP government has the policy of maximum publicity and zero result policy. This is their objective as well as the statement. The government is busy with publicity ads and it does not have any care towards welfare of people, development and generation of employment.

"Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and two other ministers took free publicity on Friday by stating that iPhone manufacturer Foxconn company from Taiwan has come to the state for investment. They held the signed letters in their hands stating the MoU had been signed and posed before the media," Kumaraswamy stated.

Earlier, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, claimed that the MoU with Foxconn is a big boost to India's Atmanirbhar Bharat ambitions and a testimony to Karnataka's success in drawing investments to the state in the electronics manufacturing and assembly segment.

"Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn) has announced a major investment in Karnataka. The 300 acres of land has been identified for this purpose near the Bengaluru International Airport, in Doddaballapura and Devanahalli taluks," Bommai had stated.
New York, March 6 : The first drug designed for lowering cholesterol levels among people with statin-intolerance has shown to reduce serious cardiovascular events, according to a global study of nearly 14,000 patients.

Statins have been the standard first-line treatment for the prevention of cardiovascular disease that works by lowering cholesterol levels in the blood. However, in some people, it causes side effects such as muscle pain or leads to bad interactions with other medications, and these people then refuse to follow the treatment.

Researchers, from Cleveland Clinic in the US, led a clinical trial to show that the statin-intolerant patients who used bempedoic acid not only had a decrease in lowered low-density lipoproetin (LDL) or bad cholesterol but also had reduced heart attacks and coronary procedures.

Approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Bempedoic acid is made by the US pharmaceutical company Esperion Therapeutics (which also funded the study). It is sold under the brand name Nexletol.

Bempedoic acid differs from statins by not activating until it reaches the liver. This limits the drug's effects on muscle, or other tissues or organs, reducing the likelihood of side effects reported with statins.

"Until now, there have not been any drugs designed specifically for statin-intolerant patients," said lead author Steven E. Nissen, chief academic officer of the Heart Vascular & Thoracic Institute at Cleveland Clinic.

"While statins remain the cornerstone of risk reduction in patients with elevated LDL cholesterol, this is a major step forward for a population who need statins but suffer troublesome side-effects," he added.

The findings were presented at the American College of Cardiology's 72nd Annual Scientific Session in New Orleans and also published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The study enrolled 13,970 statin-intolerant patients between December 2016 and August 2019 in 32 countries.

All participants had LDL-c levels of 100 mg/dL or higher and either a previous cardiac event or other risk factors for heart disease. Participants were randomly assigned to take 180 mg of bempedoic acid or a placebo daily and followed for an average of over three years.

The results showed that bempedoic acid treatment reduced the risk of cardiovascular death, heart attack, stroke or coronary revascularizations (a procedure to open blocked arteries) by 13 per cent.

Bempedoic acid also reduced heart attacks by 23 per cent and coronary revascularisations by 19 per cent.

Researchers noted that the 20-25 per cent reduction in LDL cholesterol reported for bempedoic acid is less than the 40-50 per cent reductions typically achieved with statins.
Chandigarh, March 6 : Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday said no person involved in looting public money will be spared by the government.

The Chief Minister, while slamming Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa for shielding the corrupt by criticising the action of the Vigilance Bureau (VB) against tainted leaders in the assembly, said his government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against corruption and exemplary action will be ensured against the leaders involved in sins against the state.

He said no one could stop him from acting against these culprits who have mercilessly robbed and ruined the state.

Mann said it is a sorry state of affairs that the Congress leaders are trying to patronize those people who have looted the wealth of the state by misusing the power given to them by people.

The Chief Minister said the corrupt leaders, whether they are from the ruling side or the Opposition, won't be spared at any cost. He assailed the Congress for being neck deep in corruption, adding the Congress leaders misused their positions to rob public wealth.

Mann assured the House that nothing can deter him from taking stringent action against the corrupt leaders.

Training his guns against the Congress leaders, the Chief Minister said most of the Congress leaders sitting on the Opposition benches are tainted. He told Bajwa that though these leaders are sitting amongst him on these seats, they too will also have to pay for their sins very soon as action against them was inevitable.

Mann said the names of several Congress leaders figure in every crime against the state, adding his government will make them accountable for their sinister moves.

The Chief Minister said though his government is duty bound to act tough against corrupt leaders, but the Congress has always protected such leaders.

He reminded Bajwa that a former Chief Minister of his party had submitted a list of corrupt ministers and MLAs during his tenure to the Congress high command.

However, Mann quipped that instead of acting against these corrupt leaders, his high command squatted over the list to avert embarrassment for the party, which had exposed the real face of the Congress.
New Delhi, March 6 : The Indian startup ecosystem has evolved dynamically over the last two decades, demonstrating a rapid growth trajectory. However, despite the rapid growth of the startup ecosystem, there are certain challenges that are still left to be addressed.

One significant challenge, which needs attention this International Women's Day, is equitable funding for women-led enterprises and women impact businesses. According to Traxcn database, only 2 per cent of female only founded companies and 26.2% companies with female co-founders received any funding.

Last few years have seen an emergence of mission-driven companies, attempting to solve for critical social and environmental challenges. Caspian Debt, is one such organisation that helps enable the growth of enterprises that work towards creating social and/or environmental impact, in a responsible, transparent, and sustainable manner. The company works in sectors and with companies where debt capital is scarce and much needed.

Over the years, Caspian Debt has funded over 225 social enterprises, startups, and financial institutions across sectors, out of which, 33% of the loan amount disbursed by Caspian Debt during FY 22 were to women led companies.

This is in a wide contrast to the larger industry figures where only 2 per cent funding goes to women. One of the primary reasons behind the encouraging figures at Caspian is the team, which is very diverse and is intentional about reaching out to more women entrepreneurs. The organisational processes which include sourcing, due diligence, credit committee approval and disbursements are aligned to achieve the objective of reaching more women entrepreneurs.

Research say that women dare to dream big despite lack of opportunities and resources. They have been marking their identity, across domains and industries, confidently taking on leadership roles in all sectors of the economy, along with the society witnessing a steady rise in women entrepreneurs in India. A conducive ecosystem for budding & existing women entrepreneurs gives them the boost and adds to the economy.

While a recent report by NASSCOMM says, 18 per cent of startups in India are led by at least one woman founder or co-founder. The report also highlights that between 2019 and 2022, 17 per cent of investment deals in India were raised by startups with women leaders, indicating the rise of women leaders in India's start-up ecosystem.

Avishek Gupta, MD & CEO, Caspian Debt, says, "Women entrepreneurs we have worked with are innovative and versatile, and have been seen to successfully lead impact driven initiatives. We have a higher acceptance rate and retention rate for women led organisations.

"Fort-three per cent of the companies funded by Caspian Debt since inception are either women led or deliver a product or service that benefit women or employ majority women. During FY 22 alone, 33% of the loan amount disbursed by Caspian Debt were to women led companies. We at Caspian Debt believe in enabling those, who have a vision to build a better world, and women surely make a large part of it. We invest in women not only because it is the right thing to do but also because it makes business case for us." The lack of pipeline of women entrepreneurs is considered as one of the biggest challenges of reaching women entrepreneurs leading to poor funding outcomes. While this is true to some extent, a significant investment needs to be made to ensure that regular flow of women enterprises is sourced. Caspian Debt has a strong incubator, accelerator and entrepreneur networks catering to women entrepreneurs. It has integrated gender lens in startup school curriculums of incubators/accelerators and has reached out to over 200 women entrepreneurs through these outreach programs.

Caspian Debt's own team is built in a way that 50% of the client facing team consists of women. The Head of Underwriting and the Head of Operations are women. Fifty per cent of Caspian Debt's functional leads reporting to the CEO are women and women constitute more than 40 per cent of the team. While these investments in the eco-system and the team will take time to deliver results these need to be made now to stay true to company's commitment to 2X challenge of making atleast 30% investments in women led and women impact businesses.

As women overcome hurdles in their homes and society and race towards their ambitions, there has never been a better time with the market gaining consciousness and making it easy for them to set up their enterprises.

Multiple platforms, organisations and initiatives have come up that can help women set up, grow and lead businesses, fostering a more inclusive and innovative environment.

Impact organisations led by women have an edge in addressing social and cultural barriers along with important issues that impact the society at large. Appropriate Funding type and support for organisations led by women is an important step towards encouraging women entrepreneurs, empowering women in leadership roles and achieving gender equality not only at local levels, but world over.
Jaipur, March 6 : In a brazen daylight robbery, two armed, masked men barged in a branch of a government bank in Jaipur on Monday and fled with Rs 10 lakh, police said.

An Indian Overseas Bank branch on Ajmer Road was targeted, police said, adding that checkpoints have been set up across the city to nab the robbers.

According to eyewitnesses, the robbery was carried out by two criminals who came to the bank branch on a motorcycle and fled on it after committing the crime.

A police official said that the two men, wearing masks, entered the bank branch at around 9.45 a.m. when only three employees were present there, and threatened the staff with a pistol. They forced the staff to open the vault where Rs 10 lakh was kept and fled with the money by 10.30 am.

A local police team reached the spot after bank officials informed them.

The robbers were visible in CCTV and police have taken the footage to identify them while further investigations are in progress, police said.
New Delhi, March 6 : : A patient and her attendants allegedly manhandled an on-duty doctor at a government hospital in Delhi's Jahangirpuri area, an official said on Monday.

The incident took place at Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital on Sunday evening.

According to at police, at around 9 p.m, on Sunday, an information was received at Jahangirpuri police station that a patient and her attendant misbehaved and manhandled a doctor on duty in the emergency ward of Babu Jag Jeevan Ram Hospital.

"Acting on the information, a police team reached the hospital where CCMO Vijay Kumar Jha stated that at about 8.00 p.m., Saheen, a resident of Mahindra Park, and her attendants misbehaved and manhandled Shivam Kumar Yadav, who sustained abrasion injuries," said Jitendra Kumar Meena, Deputy Commissioner of Police (northwest).

On the basis of the complaint and medico-legal case, a case was registered at the Jahangirpuri police station against the alleged person.

"Presently, the situation is normal at the hospital. Further investigation of the case is in progress," the DCP added.
Kolkata, March 6 : Four-time Congress MP Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury on Monday filed a PIL in the Calcutta High Court with a five-point demand for the forthcoming panchayat elections in West Bengal seeking deployment of central armed forces personnel for the rural civic body polls.

The PIL was filed at the division bench of Calcutta High Court's Chief Justice Prakash Srivastava and Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj. The matter is likely to come up for hearing on March 10.

It is the learnt that the five-point demand as mentioned in the PIL includes introduction of online nomination system for the candidates, ensuring safety and security of the candidates since the day of nomination, videography of the entire election process, six-phase rural civic body polls and deployment of central armed forces during polling and counting.

Although the dates for the panchayat polls are yet to be announced by the West Bengal State Election Commission (WBSEC), the opposition parties in the state including BJP, Left Front and Congress have been accusing the ruling Trinamool Congress of already unleashing violence in the rural pockets of the state to terrorise the opposition and the voters well in advance.

Earlier, the leader of opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, too had filed a similar PIL at the same division bench demanding deployment of central armed forces for the panchayat polls.

Choudhury made his entry in the Lok Sabha in the bypolls for the erstwhile and pre-delimitation Malda Lok Sabha constituency in 2006, following the death of his elder brother and long-time MP from that constituency, ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury.

Later, following delimitation, the Malda constituency got divided into two Lok Sabha constituencies namely Malda (South) and Madla (North).

In the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury successfully contested from Malda (South). He got re-elected from the same constituency twice -- in 2014 and 2019.
Patna, March 6 : After a CBI team reached her residence here on Monday in connection with the IRCTC land for job case, former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi herself announced said that the agency had come to question her.

The CBI has summoned RJD chief and former Union Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi and 14 others under land for job scam in Patna and Rabri Devi had given the CBI time for questioning on Monday.

A 12 member team in three SUVs reached Rabri Devi's residence at 10 a.m. on Monday and stayed for 4 hours, coming out at 2 p.m. After their departure, Rabri Devi reached the Legislative Council to attend the proceedings of the ongoing budget session.

"Such a raid and questing is a regular procedure. Nothing has happened," Rabri Devi told reporters after reaching the Legislative Council.

Meanwhile, the CBI has also summoned Lalu Prasad Yadav in this matter and a team will quiz him in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, expressing concern over the CBI questioning, met her son and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav in the corridor of the Assembly premises and asked him about it.

"The questioning is over now and she is on the way to Bihar Vidhan Parishad to attend the budget session," Tejashwi Yadav said.

The alleged scam reportedly took place during the tenure of Lalu Prasad Yadav as Railway Minister in the UPA-1 government.
Hong Kong, March 6 : Google is now laying off employees in China that have hit senior positions and high-paying workers as part of the global announcement, the media reported on Monday.

The aim of the company is to "reset the salary standard and reduce operating costs while improving overall work efficiency", reports Pandaily.

The compensations include stock and annual leave discount and 30,000 yuan ($4,339) in cash and medical insurance, and these benefits can only be obtained by signing the agreement of leaving the company before March 10, the report noted.

"In addition, Google has provided a three-month buffer period for laid-off employees, during which they cannot work but will continue to be paid normally," it added.

Alphabet, Google's parent company, recently laid off 12,000 workers and even 100 robots that cleaned its cafeterias at its headquarters. The company sacked about 400 employees in India as part of the global announcement.

On January 20, Google CEO Sundar Pichai confirmed in a letter to employees that about 12,000 people will be laid off globally, accounting for more than 6 per cent of the total workforce.

Several Google employees went to social media, especially LinkedIn, to share their plight.

Denying that the layoffs were done "randomly", Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai had said that he is "deeply sorry" for reducing the workforce.

In an email to employees, Pichai said he takes "full responsibility for the decisions that led us here".

The layoffs at Google's parent company were expected amid the deepening funding winter that has hit companies of all sizes in the global slowdown and recession fears.
Mysuru, March 6 : Congress leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday asserted that he would oppose the RSS till his last breath.

"Whether I am in power or otherwise, until I am alive, I will remain opposed to the RSS," he said.

Addressing a meeting of Congress party workers at T. Narasipur in Mysuru, Siddaramaiah stated that the RSS is opposed to an equal society and he opposes it for this reason.

"As inequality existed, social reformer Basavanna built Anubhav Mantap. The Anubhav Mantap of those days is the Parliament," he said.

He said that the RSS and Hindu Mahasabha have opposed the Constitution of India and the BJP also has an anti-constitutional stand. "If the Constitution is opposed it is as good as opposing Dr B.R. Ambekar," he said.

"Ambedkar had warned that, if elected governments did not strive to eradicate social and economical inequalities in the society, the socially and economically weaker sections will demolish the pillars of democracy one day," he stated.

Stressing that Hindu and Hindutva are different, he said: "I am Hindu. My parents are Hindus and I worship Hindu gods. BJP MLA and National General Secretary C.T. Ravi calls me Siddramullah Khan. Does he have any respect?"
Mumbai, March 6 : Sitcom 'Happu Ki Ultan Paltan' has recently completed four years, and this turned out to be a moment of celebration for the entire cast and many of them got nostalgic for the success of the show.

The actors shared a few moments from the sets and their journey so far.

Actor Yogesh Tripathi, who is essaying Daroga Happu Singh, said: "Happu Ki Ultan Paltan is a show that is very close to my heart. It has given me a lot. Be it recognition, appreciation, and affection. With the show reaching this milestone, I feel even more responsible for my work. I owe it to my audience. Making someone laugh is not easy. Comedy is a tough genre." "We are happy to see the response the show has received over the years. I feel fortunate to be a part of this journey. I feel really happy when my fans call me Happu Singh instead of Yogesh. It only goes to show how much people appreciate and adore this character," he said.

Actress Kamna Pathak, seen as Rajesh Happu Singh in the show, said: "As our show completed four years, I recently visited Ujjain's Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga to seek Lord Shiva's blessings for our show's success. May his blessings continue to flow. It is indeed a very special moment for all of us. I was so happy to see so many people calling me Rajjo and telling me how much they adore my character." Himani Shivpuri, who is playing Katori Amma, said that every success of the show gives a lot of satisfaction to the actors who are part of it and the same goes for the completion of four years of 'Happu Ki Ultan Paltan'.

"It has already been four years. The time has just flown! But I must say it has been a wonderful journey. We are happy to see the response the show has been getting, especially the popularity each of its characters has earned over time and the audience's fascination with the catchphrase and dialogues. People remember the lines by heart and some memorable scenes, which is amazing," Himani said.

'Happu Ki Ultan Paltan' airs on &TV.
New Delhi, March 6 : The Supreme Court has said merely breaching a contract cannot lead to initiation of criminal prosecution for cheating unless fraudulent intention is shown at the beginning of the transaction even as it stressed that the criminal courts are not meant to be used for settling scores or to pressurise parties to settle civil disputes.

A bench of Justices Abhay S. Oka and Rajesh Bindal said: "A breach of contract does not give rise to criminal prosecution for cheating unless fraudulent or dishonest intention is shown right at the beginning of the transaction. Merely on the allegation of failure to keep up promise will not be enough to initiate criminal proceedings." The bench observed that the entire idea seems to be to convert a civil dispute into criminal and put pressure on the appellant for return of the amount allegedly paid. "The criminal courts are not meant to be used for settling scores or pressurise parties to settle civil disputes. Wherever ingredients of criminal offences are made out, criminal courts have to take cognisance," it added.

The apex court made these observations while setting aside a Punjab and Haryana Court order, declining to quash an FIR against a petitioner under Sections 420 (cheating), 120 B (criminal conspiracy) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC. The top court was hearing a plea filed by Sarabjit Kaur challenging the high court order and the matter was connected with the sale of land.

The petitioner had entered into an agreement to purchase a plot of land in May 2013 with Malkit Kaur, wife of Surender Singh. Later, she entered into another agreement to sell the same land to the wife of Darshan Singh. The petitioner received Rs 5 lakh and later another Rs 75,000. Darshan Singh filed a complaint against property dealers Manmohan Singh and Ranjit Singh, as the agreement was not executed. In 2016, it was held that it was a civil dispute and no police action was required. Without disclosing this complaint, Darshan Singh lodged an FIR against the petitioner and the property dealers.

The top court said: "From the facts available on record, it is evident that the respondent No.2 (Darshan Singh) had improved his case ever since the first complaint was filed in which there were no allegations against the appellant and rather it was only against the property dealers which was in subsequent complaints that the name of the appellant was mentioned." "The complaint in question on the basis of which an FIR was registered was filed nearly three years after the last date fixed for registration of the sale deed. Allowing the proceedings to continue would be an abuse of process of the court." In conclusion, the apex court said: "Hence, in our opinion, the impugned order passed by the high court deserves to be set aside. The petition filed by the appellant for quashing of FIR is ordered to be allowed. As a consequence, FIR No 430 dated October 16, 2017 and all the subsequent proceedings therewith are ordered to be quashed. The appeal is, accordingly, allowed."
Chennai, March 6 : Tamil Nadu's opposition AIADMK will be conducting a threadbare discussion on the drubbing it faced in the Erode East bypoll during its General Council meeting on March 10.

The meeting, to be held on March 9, was deferred by a day.

All the state General Council members of the party are expected to participate in the meeting which is likely to lead to consultations for naming the party's General Secretary. Interim General Secretary K. Palaniswami is slated to take over the post.

The AIADMK lost heavily in the Erode East by-elections with party veteran leader K.S. Thenarasu trailing the winner, Congress leader and DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance candidate E.V.K.S. Elangovan by 66,087 votes.

Talking to IANS, political analyst and Centre For Policy and Development Studies Director, C. Rajeev said: "The DMK-led front has won a landslide in Erode East by-election. This is not the end of the AIADMK front but they have to rework their strategies and have to start afresh to win seats in 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The DMK front has an edge now." He said that the Gounder tag of Palaniswami has not done good for the AIADMK in the bypolls as other communities united against him and AIADMK. The Aranthiyur community, which has strong roots in the constituency and have been traditional supporters of the AIADMK, had also shifted allegiance to the DMK.

In the entire Kongu Nadu comprising of Coimbatore, Tiruppur, and Salemm the AIADMK had won handsomely during the 2021 elections. However the drubbing the party faced at the Erode East by-poll is considered as a major shift in the social voting pattern.

The Dalits and other traditional support base of the AIADMK is slowly shifting base. The Thevar community which has always been a strong base of the AIADMK has also shifted its support to DMK given the fact that three powerful leaders of the community, O. Panneerselvam, V.K. Sasikala and T.T.V. Dhinakaran are now persona non-grata for the present dispensation of the AIADMK.

Former AIADMK spokesman and legislator Kovai Selvaraj, who recently shifted allegiance to the DMK, told media persons that the AIADMK lost the charisma of both MGR and Jayalalithaa who used to be major vote catchers for the party. He also said that several senior party leaders in the Kovai belt had remained silent during electioneering and this also has led to the loss of major vote share for the party.

Sources in the AIADMK told IANS that the party would rework its strategy and prepares itself for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in the ensuing General Council meeting on March 10. The party will try to build up new permutations and combinations and if it joins with the NTK of actor-turned-politician Seeman, the PMK of Dr S. Ramadoss, and the DMDK of Capt Vijayakanth and the BJP, it will become a formidable force in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
New Delhi, March 6 : The Delhi High Court on Monday issued notice to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on a plea moved by several teachers over non-payment of salaries since January 2023 to various employees, sanitation workers in the Education Department of MCD.

The plea seeks the court's direction to the civic body to forthwith release due salaries to all the teachers and Class IV employees and pay future salaries also in time.

The division bench of Justice Satish Chander Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad, dealing with a bunch of pleas filed in 2020, showed displeasure over the delay in giving salaries.

The court asked the MCD counsel: "When your Commissioner had assured us of timely payment of salaries then why salaries to teachers and class IV employees have not been paid?" On February 2, MCD had told the High Court that it had paid salaries and pensions to employees and retired staff members till December, and the payment for January would be cleared soon.

The bench issued a notice to the civic body and listed the matter for the next hearing on March 24.

Appearing for MCD teachers, advocate Ashok Agarwal told the court that due salaries have not been paid to close to 20,000 teachers since January 2023.

On January 30, the High Court had summoned the MCD Commissioner, Delhi Finance Secretary, and Urban Development Secretaries over non-payment of salaries.

The same bench had said that despite assuring them of timely payments, the employees are not being paid, which is "unfortunate".

Even retired employees have moved pleas seeking the release of their pensions.

On December 21, last year, the AAP government and the MCD had promised that all dues will be cleared in four weeks.

Noting the above, the bench during the last hearing had directed the officials: "It is also strange that the pensioners are not receiving the pensions and they are hand to mouth. This court is left with no choice but to direct the personal appearance of the Commissioner of MCD, Finance Secretary and Secretary of Urban Development of the GNCTD."
New Delhi, March 6 : The global passenger electric vehicle (EV) sales rose by 53 per cent (year-on-year) in Q4 2022 to bring the year's total to over 10.2 million (more than 1.2 crore) units, a report showed on Monday.

Tesla's Model Y remained the best-selling model globally followed by China-based BYD's Song model.

During Q4 2022, battery EVs (BEV) accounted for almost 72 per cent of all EV sales, while plug-in hybrid EVs (PHEVs) accounted for the rest, according to Counterpoint Research.

According to senior analyst Soumen Mandal, by the end of 2023, EV sales are expected to reach nearly 17 million units.

In 2022, the top three EV markets were China, Germany, and the US. The top 10 EV automotive groups, which hold more than 39 passenger car brands, contributed to almost 72 per cent of all EV sales in Q4 2022.

"The annual total for 2022 would have reached close to 11 million units had fresh Covid-19 infections not surfaced in China. The infections in China during November and December affected automotive production and sales and disrupted the component supply chain," said research analyst Abhik Mukherjee.

Despite these headwinds, Chinese brands managed to record strong growth.

In 2022, many Chinese brands started to expand in markets like Europe, Southeast Asia and Latin America.

"Chinese brands are likely to dominate in Southeast Asia and Latin America as there are very few brands operating in these regions. But a fight for market presence is expected in Europe," Mukherjee added.

The top 10 EV models accounted for one-third of the total passenger EV sales in Q4 2022.

According to Mandal, by the end of 2023, EV sales are expected to reach nearly 17 million units.

"The end of the purchase subsidy in China might push EV manufacturers to increase their prices. BYD has already implemented one price hike in January. But these price hikes are unlikely to affect EV sales in one of the most matured EV markets," said Mandal.
Havana, March 6 : Russia and Cuba have implementing financial mechanisms to shield their economic cooperation from US sanctions, as per Russian Ambassador to the Caribbean nation Andrey Guskov.

"The introduction of independent settlement mechanisms is being successfully carried out, which will help protect cooperation with Cuba from the negative impact of the US trade, economic and financial blockade, as well as establish ties bypassing the financial organisations of unfriendly states," Guskov said, RT reported.

In January, Russia-Cuba Business Council Chairman, Boris Titov, said that in order to mitigate the effect of Western sanctions, the countries are considering new mechanisms for mutual settlements, including in ruble and cryptocurrencies, as well as clearing schemes.

Moscow has been also promoting its SPFS interbank messaging system as an alternative to SWIFT as the West ramps up its economic restrictions. Nearly 470 participants, including foreign entities from 14 countries, have already joined the SPFS. Russia has also accelerated efforts to move away from the US dollar and euro towards settlements in national currencies.
Woman consumes poison live on video for not being allowed to see her child in K'taka Image Source: IANS News

Woman consumes poison live on video for not being allowed to see her child in K'taka Image Source: IANS News

Bengaluru, March 6 : A shocking incident of a woman -- allegedly not being allowed to see her child -- consuming poison on camera came to light on Monday at Devanahalli on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

According to the police, the incident took place opposite to the Ozone Urbana apartment. The woman has been identified as Sumayya Banu from Tumakuru city.

The police said thar Sumayya is undergoing treatment at a hospital.

Sumayya had separated from her first husband two years ago. The court had given the custody of their child to Sumayya.

Her divorced husband, Mohammad Iqbal, came to her house last month and took away the child.

She later got the information that her ex-husband and child were living near Devanahalli. She went there to take back her child where she picked up a fight with her ex-husband, following which she consumed poison in front of his house and made a live video of the act.

Doctors have stated that since she was rushed to the hospital on time, she could be saved. Devanahalli police have lodged a complaint and counter-complaint in the matter and are investigating the case.
New Delhi, March 6 : A Delhi court on Monday extended the judicial custody of Sahil Gehlot, the main accused in the Nikki Yadav murder case, and five others by 14 days.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Dwarka courts, Samiksha Gupta extended their judicial custody till March 20.

The magistrate also allowed family of co-accused Ashish and Lokesh to meet them in the courtroom.

Appearing for Lokesh, advocate Anirudh Yadav moved an application seeking the marking of the case diary and showed displeasure over manipulation in it.

The judge listed his application for hearing on March 13.

On February 20, Gupta had sent five co-accused to 14 days of judicial custody and two days later, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Archana Beniwal sent Gehlot to 12-day judicial custody.

Four fresh charges were invoked by police under different Sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Gehlot's counsel D.S. Kumar had said that while the FIR was initially registered under Sections 302 (murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender) of the IPC, police have now invoked Sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy), 34 (common intention), 202 (intentional omission to give information of offence by person bound to inform), and 212 (harbouring offender).

Gehlot had allegedly strangled 23-year-old Yadav near Kashmiri Gate on February 10 and married another woman on the same day.

Yadav's body was found in a fridge at a dhaba, owned by Gehlot, in Mitraon village on the outskirts of Delhi on February 14.

Gehlot's father Virender Singh; cousins Naveen (a constable in Delhi Police) and Ashish; and friends Lokesh and Amar are accused of hatching a conspiracy to get rid of Yadav, so he could go ahead with his wedding with another woman.

According to a senior police official, Gehlot was interrogated at length during police custody and disclosed that Yadav was trying to stop him from marrying someone else as they had already solemnised their marriage in 2020.

"She was pleading with him not to go ahead with the marriage fixed by his family with another girl on February 10. However, Gehlot along with his father, two cousins, and two friends hatched the conspiracy and planned to remove the deceased from their way," the official had said.

"He executed the plan and murdered her and informed other co-accused persons about it on the same day and then all of them went ahead with the marriage ceremony."
New Delhi, March 6 : The opposition has come out in support of Lalu Prasad and his family after the CBI on Monday reached at the residence of former Chief Minister Rabri Devi.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress General Secretary, said, "Those opposition leaders who have not bowed down against BJP are being subjected to harassment through ED and CBI. Today, they are torturing Rabri Devi while Lalu Prasad and his family are being harassed for years because they did not bow down. BJP wants to crush the opposition voice." Independent MP Kapil Sibal too slammed the CBI for interrogating former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi.

Sibal said that it is being done to pressurise Lalu Prasad.

"The CBI heat is on Lalu Prasad. We all know the fragile state of his health. To pressurise Tejashwi, the more the government does this, the more the people will turn against this government," Sibal said in a tweet.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) told IANS that it was not any raid or search operation, but the team paid a visit to the house of the former Bihar Chief Minister for further investigation in connection with the land for job scam involving former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and others.

The opposition leaders accused the CBI of conducting raids ahead of Holi.

In this case, Rabri Devi, Lalu Prasad and others have been summoned by Delhi's Rouse Avenue District Courts to appear before it on March 15. The CBI has got the prosecution sanction against Lalu Prasad in the case.
London, March 6 : Two-thirds of Britain's Chief Constables were either "too terrified" or did not care enough to acknowledge institutional racism in the force, the country's most senior Indian-origin police officer has said.

According to The Telegraph, Neil Basu, who retired from the Metropolitan Police last year, said that "positive discrimination" should be introduced while recruiting ethnic minorities to combat institutional racism.

The UK's former counter-terror chief revealed how a Chief Constable was told by his senior that he would be sacked for calling the force institutionally racist.

According to Basu, positive discrimination is the "only thing that will work" to improve the representation of ethnic minorities within the police service and so help counter racism.

"If you attract more people to join, you get more applicants. They are massively outweighed by the number of white middle-class undergraduate applicants," he told Danny Shaw, the interviewer for Crest.

"If you do it on an equal waiting basis, they're always going to crowd out black and brown voices unless you actually do something to increase the possibility of getting through. That is not about lowering standards, that's about recognising if you've got a problem in that area." Around eight per cent of the British police workforce is from an ethnic minority, compared with 18 per cent of the population who belong to a black, Asian, mixed race or other ethnic groups, according to estimates.

Born to a Bengali doctor, who migrated from Kolkata in the 1960s, and a Welsh mother, Basu said he didn't want positive discrimination 30 years ago when he joined the police.

"I wanted people to think I was a great cop. I didn't want anyone to give me a leg up for any reason other than I was a great cop," Basu was cited as saying in The Telegraph. "And everybody I know with a protected characteristic, whether they're female, gay, black, brown also feel exactly the same way. We do not want positive discrimination. My point to the Government in setting policy is you will never have a representative police service without it." Basu was tipped for the post of Director General of Britain's National Crime Agency (NCA), equivalent to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the US. But he was turned down, reportedly due to honest differences with former Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the past.

It was then that he had called on police chiefs in Britain to admit there is institutional racism in policing in the country.

"I've been the only non white face as a chief officer for a very long time. I don't think the Home Office cares about this subject at all," he had said.

Basu, who gave up a banking career to become a police officer, said that at least a third of Chief Constables probably don't think they are institutionally anything, and another third are "terrified of reducing morale by our frontline".
Chandigarh, March 6 : Haryana Congress MLAs, under the leadership of Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda and state party president Chaudhary Udaybhan, on Monday submitted a memorandum to Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya against e-tendering, increasing corruption, unemployment and crime.

As per the memorandum, "the BJP-JJP government is showing an increasing tendency of violence and brutality against the public".

It noted with concern that the government mercilessly cane-charged first the employees, and then panches and sarpanches within a few days.

While the employees were protesting peacefully against the demand of the old pension scheme and panchayat representatives against e-tendering.

Their demands were completely justified and constitutional.

"But the government adopted an autocratic attitude to crush their constitutional rights. If the public has to face canes and bullets for raising their grievances and problems, then the government does not have the right to be called democratic," the memorandum noted.

A demand has been made in the memorandum that the government, after talking to the people's representatives, should give back their Constitutional rights to the panchayats and withdraw the cases registered against the representative.

On this occasion, Hooda said the e-tendering instruction imposed on January 19 is in violation of the provisions of Section 39, 40 of the Haryana Panchayati Raj Act of 1994 and Rule No. 11 and 134 in the 1996 rules made thereunder.

Talking about the memorandum, Chaudhary Udaybhan said there is no law and order in the state.

"In the BJP-JJP government, the people of the state are feeling terrorised and the criminals consider themselves safe and protected. The social progress report of the Central government has also made it clear that the Haryana government is lagging behind all the governments in providing security to its citizens," he said.
Bengaluru, March 6 : Sandalwood actress Saptami Gowda, who created waves with her earnest performance in the surprise pan-India hit 'Kantara', has been selected by the makers for their upcoming Kannada movie 'Yuva'.

Helmed by Santosh Anandram, the movie marks the screen debut of the late Kannada thespian Raj Kumar's grandson.

Taking to its social media, Hombale Films shared the welcome onboard poster of its upcoming film. It further jotted down the caption in Kannada - "A warm welcome to the 'Yuva' raja's queen. Get ready to witness the magic of the graceful @gowda_sapthami once again! With her raw talent and dedication to the craft, we knew she was the perfect fit for #Yuva." 'Yuva' is scheduled to be out on December 22 this year and will primarily be released in the Kannada language. Plans to release the movie in other languages are also under consideration.

The production house has a reputation for nurturing and promoting new talent and delivering engaging stories that resonate with audiences.

They have had a successful run in 2022 with 'KGF 2' and 'Kantara' among the biggest blockbusters the country has ever seen after the post-Covid scenario.

Hombale Films will also be coming out with its new action thriller 'Salaar' with rebel star Prabhas in September this year. Hombale intends to make it a blockbuster year again with a plan of releasing four more movies this year.
Washington, March 6 : Kshama Sawant made history last month when Seattle adopted a resolution moved by her to ban caste-based discrimination, become the first US city to do so. She took and stared down critics like the Hindu American Foundation, a powerful advocacy group, and many Hindu Indian Americans who argued the ban discredits and singles out Hindus.

Sawant is determined to take on the Hindu right wing and, at the same time, both the Republican and Democratic parties alike for not representing workers adequately. Her own political outfit is called Socialist Alternative. Sawant says the caste ban was borne out of the movement she and others had launched three years ago to oppose India's Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens.

Here are excerpts from an interview: IANS: What would you say to critics of the ban on caste-based discrimination that that okay cost is bad and we are dealing with it internally but with this resolution, you have put a target on the entire community of Indian Americans and South Asians?

Kshama: First of all, it's i's completely dishonest to say that there is any target on Indian American community or South Asians because the Seattle anti-discrimination law already bans discrimination on the basis of religion or national origin. And my question to these people is, if you oppose discrimination based on caste, why would you oppose a law that bans caste discrimination. It's contradictory to what you claim to stand for.

In fact, throughout history, we have seen right-wing forces start their right wing talking points couched in progressive sounding rhetoric, like 'Oh, I'm against discrimination, but this is not the way to go'. So no matter how you put a fight against discrimination, they will say, 'Well, this is not the right way to go about it'.

It's not surprising that it's the Hindu American Foundation (an advocacy group that led the opposition to the caste ban) and coalition of Hindus in North America that are opposing this, because they, you know, their entire agenda as you can see from their website is very aligned with Hindutva ideology. And they actually don't want to address caste discrimination because they are some of the purveyors of caste oppression because it's an integral part of Hindutva ideology.

Although it's far from the only one. So it's not surprising that it's not only that they oppose this legislation. They are also the right wing Hindu, right wing forces, who are the purveyors of Islamophobia as well. So it's not just about this issue. And this argument that it's somehow anti-Hindu, it's all a fake argument, it's, as I said, it's a right wing talking point.

IANS: Critics of the ban also argue that Seattle already banned all sorts of discrimination, including on the basis of ancestry, which would include your country, religion, background. Why add caste to it, specifically? Kshama: They're grasping at straws to oppose something that is clearly -- was clearly -- needed. And, in fact, you can see from the response that we've gotten globally, just this overwhelming support shows that this is actually needed. Even from a legal point of view, the reason this kind of case was filed in California was because the state does not have a specific discrimination (law) against caste (refers to a case filed by a tech company employee).

And if you look at the pre-existing discrimination law in the city, you know, before we won this ordinance, for example, it bans discrimination on the basis of gender, and also bans discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. At that time when people were advocating for having sexual orientation also, in addition to gender, the right wing at that time said 'Well, why do you need to do that, it's already protected by the ban on discrimination based on gender'. But that's not true.

I mean, they're separate things. In fact, the law is stronger when it recognises and stops a very specific form of discrimination. And the reason you need to put in caste is because this type of discrimination is very real, and it is becoming more widespread as the concentration of South Asian immigrant workers increases.

IANS: The last point that critics have brought up is that caste-based discrimination is not so rampant in the US and, in fact, it's very rare. So why bother? And that some of the data cited in support for the need for a caste ban is suspect, specially those coming from Equality Labs (a Dalit civil rights organisation in the US).

Kshama: All the data that we have, which is a lot, completely defies this talking point from the Hindu American Foundation. Yes, we have the Equality Labs study. We're very clear that none of these studies has perfect methodologies but they do reveal something very important about what's happening in relation to caste discrimination. And it's not just a study by Equality Labs.

There's also another study which used a different methodology, but reached the same conclusion: that there is a serious issue of caste oppression and that it is pervasive in the United States where we have South Asian community members. That study was by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

The Carnegie study also acknowledged limitations of their own methodology. What they said, and this is a very important point, given how much fear oppressed caste people feel in even coming out as Dalits or oppressed caste, if anything, there's under-reporting. In addition to the statistical studies, we've also seen hundreds upon hundreds of Dalits and other oppressed caste workers speak up about the kinds of discrimination that they face in the workplace. It ranges from being denied raises and promotions to being treated unfairly in reviews, peer reviews and appraisals, and also include day-to-day harassment, day-to-day indignity of being the target of so-called jokes on the basis of caste.

IANS: So just to be clear, this discrimination based on caste is by Indians on other Indians? Kshama: I wouldn't say only Indians because other people from South Asia also face discrimination. For example, the ban on caste discrimination that was achieved by the movement in California State University was spearheaded among others by a Dalit activist from Nepal. This type of discrimination which, as I said, is very specific, is faced by oppressed castes - South Asian immigrant workers - from dominant caste South Asian bosses.

IANS: So it's basically a brown-on-brown kind of thing? Kshama: I wouldn't use that term because that's a phrase used by the right wing to dismiss the real racism in our society.

Question: So essentially, it's South Asians on South Asians? Kshama: Again, I wouldn't put it in that way. I wouldn't use that phrase, because it's important to explain that the reason this is happening has nothing to do with them being South Asian. Under capitalism, we see different types of oppression. And so there's racism in the United States; and that's not just by South Asians, racism is rife in all of society.

There is sexism in India and other countries as well. What it really points to is what Malcolm X once said, which is, you can't have capitalism without racism. Similarly, you can't have capitalism without sexism. You can't have capitalism without caste oppression. Different types of oppression have a common thread running through them which is originating in a very class based society, a society that benefits a very few people at the top, and then divide-and-conquer strategies are used to divide masses at the bottom.

IANS: So when did you start thinking of bringing a resolution to ban caste-based discrimination? Kshama: In many ways, the genesis of this movement goes back to our fight against another type of oppression, which is discrimination against Muslims. It really began with many activists - Hindu, Muslim, Dalit and other activists - fighting alongside Socialist Alternative (her political organisation) and my office three years ago for another historic resolution we won that year -- in February of 2020 -- condemning the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) and NRCA (National Register of Citizens) citizenship laws of the Modi regime.

And based on that we won another resolution in solidarity with the farmers movement in India. So you know, this movement has been maturing where activists have been fighting alongside us on many different issues and in December of last year, it was clear that organisations and other activists in in our movement wanted -- and I agreed with them -- to really push for a big, progressive measure related to caste and that's how we came up with the idea of banning caste discrimination.

In fact, when we started researching how to do this, we found out that actually there are universities across the United States that have already banned caste discrimination on their campuses. So that was really heartening for us. You know, that was good, but there was already momentum around that issue. And so we built a movement here that united Dalit activists alongside dominant caste progressive Hindus -- organisations like the Hindus for human rights -- were on our side and also Muslim and Sikh activists, union members, Alphabet workers union -- the union that represents Google workers -- were also on our side and of course Socialist Alternative, my organisations.

IANS: And so now, are you planning to take this movement to other cities and states? Kshama: We absolutely need this to spread around the country and inside. It's clear, just from the overwhelming response we have got that 1000s of activists across the nation want to win it and we want to actively help them win. And it's like the most important thing we are sharing with them are the lessons from how we won. If we don't build fighting movements like the one we've built here, you will not be able to defeat the Hindu right wing, and you won't be able to overcome the opposition of the Democratic establishment in your city either.

IANS: Did you get support from the four Indian Americans in Congress - Ami Bera, Pramila Jayapal, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ro Khanna? Kshama: I wrote a letter personally to Pramila Jayapal and Ro Khanna. I don't believe we heard back from Ro Khanna at all. And the momentum was so strong that we did get, I think, some sort of social media tweet from Pramila Jayapal.

IANS: Can you speak a little bit about the international response to the ban? From India? Kshama: We received an overwhelming response from people in India. It is clear that it has really captured their imagination. We've received letters of excitement and congratulations from ordinary people, including young young people and we got a letter of support from the spokesperson of the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

IANS: What about the Indian diaspora? In Canada, England? Any of these countries? Kshama: Yes, definitely. We have received letters of support from direct and other activists in the UK, Australia and also, as I said, people from Canada literally came and joined us for the vote here. And since then, we've also received a couple of letters of support from other people and other organisations in Canada as well.

IANS: So what next? Is there a new agenda that you are working on now? Kshama: Yeah, I don't know if you have heard yet. But this is an election year for the City Council, I'm not going to run again. This coming Saturday, actually, Socialist Alternative and I and other activists are going to launch a new nationwide movement called Workers Strike Back . We are demanding $25 an hour minimum wage (it's $15 currently), Medicare for All and continuing the fight against oppression and discrimination, and also a call for building a new party. You know we believe that the working class in the United States needs a new party of its own because our interests are not being served by the Democrats or Republicans.
Chennai, March 6 : The fishermen of Nagapattinam will hold a 'road roko campaign on March 8 in protest against the oil spill in Nagapattinam.

While the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd (CPCL) officials have plugged the oil leak in its underground pipeline, the fishermen are protesting demanding the removal of these pipelines from the Nagapattinam sea.

The oil spill was detected by fishermen on March 2 in the sea at the Nagapattinam coast and when informed, the officials of CPCL conducted an inspection and found a leak in the 9 km pipeline off the Nagapattinam coast in Pattimancherry, which is a fisherman hamlet.

The leak was plugged on Sunday (March 5) evening after the workers of the CPCL carried out repairs for three continuous days.

The fishermen leaders announced a 'road roko' agitation on March 8 after continuous protest since March 2, and abstained from fishing for the fourth consecutive day on Monday.

Nagapattinam district collector, Arun Thamburaj, has conducted an inspection at the spot and told mediapersons that CPCL had plugged the leak on Sunday and has been instructed not to pump oil till further information.

Even as the fishermen of Pattimancherry have announced a road roko on March 8, the revenue and fisheries department will be conducting a peace meeting with the protesting fishermen.

While hundreds of litres of crude oil were pumped into the sea from the CPCL, the officials said that it was a minor leak and was plugged on Sunday evening.
Kolkata, March 6 : Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, questioning if the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had been hesitant to take action against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the multi-crore Saradha chit fund scam.

In the latter, a copy of which is available with IANS, he directly accused the Chief Minister of being the principal beneficiary of the Saradha scam.

"The CBI was expected to nail the person occupying the high positions in the system, and thereby misused her position to become the Biggest Beneficiary of the Saradha Chit Fund Scam. The person is none other than Mamata Banerjee, unfortunately the Chief Minister of West Bengal. Is this why the CBI is hesitant? Or has the height of the chair made the reluctant to act against her? But wasn't it the primary reason for handing over the investigation to the CBI? So that the position of the high & mighty doesn't deter them from acting against them and bring them to justice?" he wrote in the letter.

Thereafter in the latter to the Prime Minister, he detailed the Chief Minister's alleged connections with the ponzi entity on various counts including the purchase of her paintings by the Saradha Group chief Sudipta Sen.

"The people of West Bengal are fed up with the slow paced investigation against the high & mighty of the state. The state is in the grapple of corruption and wants perpetrators to face action for their misdeeds. A mandate can't be misconstrued as impurity and regarded as a license to loot people and siphon public money. I hope you would consider this plea of the people of West Bengal and see to it that the culprits are punished strictly as per the law of the land," Adhikari said in his letter to the Prime Minister.

Incidentally, his letter to the Prime Minister comes just a day after leaders of nine opposition parties forwarded a letter to the Prime Minister alleging that the central agencies are being used in a selective manner mainly against the opposition party leaders in the state.

Till the report was filed there was no reaction from any Trinamool Congress leader on this count.

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Amritsar, March 6 : Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday asked officers to gear up fully for making two sessions of G-20 slated to be held in the state on March 15-17 and March 19-20 a huge success.

The Chief Minister, who reviewed the arrangements for the mega event here, said Punjab is fully ready to host the sessions and asked the officers to ensure foolproof arrangements for the working sessions slated to take place at the holy city of Amritsar next week.

Batting for flawless planning and execution, he said no stone should be left unturned for making this event a huge success. He said they were fortunate to have got a once in a lifetime opportunity to hold such a mega event in the state, adding rumour mongers will never succeed in tarnishing the image of state.

The Chief Minister said the government is duty bound to make elaborate arrangements for the comfortable stay of the dignitaries participating in the summit.

He said apart from assuring their cozy stay in state, the guests will be offered the traditional Punjabi food, and will also be given a glimpse of rich Punjabi culture during the cultural events in the evening.

Mann hoped the state government will set a new benchmark by successfully hosting the two sessions of G-20 in the state.

He said that it is a matter of immense pride and satisfaction that the state has got two sessions of G-20, first in March 15, 16 and 17 on education and then on labour on March 19 and 20.

Mann said that this summit will promote Punjab as a most preferred destination for business on the international level and it will also provide a stage to the government to showcase its achievements and facilities for setting up new businesses.

He said this is a golden opportunity when Punjab can be presented as a land of best opportunities and by bringing maximum investment they can create new employment opportunities for the youth.

Mann said the government will involve every Punjabi in the event so that the rich heritage of state is showcased to the visiting dignitaries.
New Delhi, March 6 : Lawyer and Uttar Pradesh BJP spokesperson Prashant Kumar Umrao on Monday moved the Delhi High Court seeking transit pre-arrest bail after the TN police lodged an FIR against him for allegedly disseminating false information claiming attacks on migrant workers from Bihar in the southern state.

TN's Thoothukudi Central Police Station registered the FIR against Umrao under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) such as provocation with intent to cause riot, provoking breach of peace and statement leading to public mischief, promoting enmity and hatred.

The petition said that because he is a member of a different political party, he is a victim of political rivalry.

The petition read: "The applicant intends to avail his legal remedies under Section 438 of the Cr.P.C. before the courts at Tamil Nadu having jurisdiction in the subject FIR, however, he is having grave apprehension that before he could avail such legal remedies, he would be arrested by the Tamil Nadu police in connection with the FIR." Umrao has alleged that his name has popped up after he tweeted something based on news covered by different national news agencies and that his name has been wrongly registered against him.

He had tweeted that "12 migrants from Bihar were hung to death in Tamil Nadu for speaking in Hindi" and shared a photo of Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav with TN Chief Minister MK Stalin saying that even after the migrants were attacked, Yadav attended the birthday celebrations of Stalin. The tweet has since been deleted.

"The applicant only gained the knowledge of the said FIR through a press release of the state of Tamil Nadu and several news articles which have been recently published covering the action initiated by TN in response to similar tweets and news articles," the petition filed through advocates Kushal Kumar and Harsh Ahuja said.

"In view of the press release, registration of FIR against the applicant and subsequent action of the respondent no. 1 (State of Tamil Nadu), the applicant is seriously apprehending arrest in the subject FIR. The applicant is a resident of NCT of Delhi and is a practising lawyer before the courts at Delhi. He is a member of Delhi High Court Bar Association. He is also serving as standing counsel for the State of Goa before the Supreme Court," it said.

"In the event the applicant is arrested without any reasonable opportunity to avail his legal remedies owing to his resident in Delhi, the distance and various other factors including the requirement and time to look for and engage a counsel in Tamil Nadu, the right to liberty of the applicant guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution would stand violated at the hands of Respondent no. 1," the petition added.

The court is likely to hear the petition on March 7.
Hyderabad, March 6 : Union Tourism and Culture Minister G. Kishan Reddy on Monday announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh to the family of a four-year-old boy who was mauled to death by stray dogs in Hyderabad last month.

He visited the residence of Pradeep at Erukula Basti, in Amberpet and consoled his parents.

Kishan Reddy, who is Member of Parliament from Secunderabad constituency, extended financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh from his salary and another Rs 1 lakh on behalf of BJP corporators.

He also announced that he will take care of the expenses for education of Pradeep's sister.

He urged the Telangana government to bring in necessary amendments to the current policies for a holistic approach to combat growing menace of stray dogs, including shifting of dog sterilisation centers to low population density areas.

Kishan Reddy blamed the negligence of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) for the unfortunate death of the child.

The heart-wrenching incident occurred on February 19 in a car servicing centre where the boy's father Gangadhar was working as watchman.
Kolkata, March 6 : A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court on Monday extended the judicial custody of the wife and son of Trinamool Congress legislator and West Bengal Board of Primary Education's (WBBPE) former President Manik Bhattacharya in connection with the multi-crore teachers' recruitment scam.

Incidentally, neither did Bhattacharya's wife Satarupa Bhattacharya nor son Souvik Bhattacharya moved any bail plea at the special court on Monday, though both have earlier moved the Calcutta High Court challenging Enforcement Directorate (ED)'s move to name them in the supplementary charge sheet in the scam.

Bhattacharya's wife and son were arrested by ED in the matter on February 22. After they surrendered at the court on that day, the ED sleuths arrested them at the court premises. They were sent to the Presidency Correctional Home in south Kolkata, where Manik Bhattacharya is also in judicial custody.

ED's counsel had constantly claimed in the court that Manik Bhattacharya's wife and son were not aware of the Trinamool leaders' involvement in the scam but also knowingly participated in the swindling process. On this matter, counsel also referred to a joint account held by Satarupa Bhattacharya with a deceased person and said the investigation official doubts that this account might have been used for diversion of scam proceeds. The central agency also informed the court that the said joint account was kept alive using the KYC documents of the deceased person, even after years of his death.

Meanwhile, on Monday, the ED officials have once again summoned for questioning beauty salon owner Soma Chakraborty, to whose account a massive amount of Rs 50 lakh were transferred in phases from the accounts of arrested youth Trinamool Congress leader Kuntal Ghosh. She has been summoned to the agency's office at Salt Lake on March 10.

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Panaji, March 6 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said that the Indian Navy has strengthened the country's position as "Preferred Security Partner" in the Indian Ocean Region.

Rajnath Singh, who arrived in Goa on Monday afternoon, reviewed the operational capabilities of the navy during the Naval Commanders' Conference held aboard India's first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier INS Vikrant.

He lauded the Navy for standing firm and protecting national interests with courage and dedication. "The Indian Navy has strengthened India's position as 'Preferred Security Partner' in the Indian Ocean Region," he said.

He described secured borders as the first requirement to ensure social and economic progress.

"Defence sector has emerged as a major demand creator, which has been boosting the economy and ensuring the country's development. In the next 5-10 years, orders worth over $100 billion are expected to be placed through the defence sector and it will become a major partner in the economic development of the country. Today, our defence sector is on the runway, soon when it takes off, it will transform the country's economy," he said.

Rajnath Singh also commended the Navy for being at the forefront of indigenisation and innovation through inductions of ships and submarines and development of niche technologies, in consonance with the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' vision.

The operational demonstrations witnessed by the Defence Minister included complex aircraft carrier and fleet operations, weapon firing by ships and aircraft, and underway replenishment at sea.
Kolkata, March 6 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) will be leaving by a flight for Delhi along with Trinamool Congress strongman and the party's Birbhum district president Anubrata Monda on Tuesday.

The central agency sleuths will be presenting him at the Rouse Avenue Courts in the national capital on Tuesday afternoon.

Sources said that as directed by the special court of CBI at Asansol on Monday morning, the Asansol Special Correctional Home officials escorted by armed personnel from Asansol-Durgapur Police Commiserate will leave for Kolkata along with Mondal at 6 a.m, on Tuesday.

After reaching Kolkata, Mondal will be taken to the ESI Hospital at Joka in the southern outskirts of Kolkata for the purpose of medical examination. Once the hospital authorities provide the certificate to Mondal of being medically fit for travelling, the correctional home authorities will hand him over to the ED officials.

As per plans as of now, said sources, the ED officials escorted by central armed forces personnel will rush for the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport from the ESI hospital. From there, they will take a flight to Delhi and after reaching the national capital, Mondal will be presented at the Rouse Avenue Courts.

BJP national vice president Dilip Ghosh said that Mondal's Delhi visit was inevitable though he made several attempts to avoid that since last year. "In Bengal, he was given royal treatment in the jail, which he will not get in the national capital now," Ghosh said.

Trinamool Congress leadership has described ED's attempts to take Mondal to Delhi as an "unnecessary" and "politically motivated" exercise keeping in mind that the central agency already has a full-fledged setup near Kolkata and is also extending its office space and upgrading infrastructure here.
New Delhi, March 6 : Former Pakistan Senate chairman and senior PPP leader Senator Raza Rabbani said on Monday that the people of Pakistan have a right to know if the country's nuclear assets are under pressure, media reports said.

Senator Rabbani added that the country also needs to know "if our strategic relationship with China is under threat or we are being called up to play role in the region which will facilitate the military presence of an imperialist power," The Express Tribune reported.

"These and other questions require a policy statement by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the floor of a joint sitting in the parliament," he added.

While talking about the desperately-needed deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the senator furthered that the parliament needs to be taken into confidence on the issue as well as the matter of reluctance of friendly countries, except China, to help Pakistan sans the global lender.

"The dragging of the feet by the IMF on signing the agreement and reluctance of friendly countries, except China, to help sans the IMF, Parliament needs to be taken into confidence." "It appears Pakistan is being softened up to play a role which is against its national and strategic interests," he added, Express Tribune reported.

The senator further pointed out that the government has failed to discuss the issues pertaining to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the increase in terrorism.

"It seems be it the PTI or present governments want azadi [freedom] from Parliament and the Constitution, 1973, the senator added.
Chennai, March 6 : Tiruchirappalli's Superintendent of Police Sujit Kumar, who hails from Bihar himself, on Monday said that there was no threat to workers from other states in Tiruchi and other parts of Tamil Nadu.

He said that there are 2,784 guest workers in Tiruchi which include 406 women and said that most of them are working in the area since the past 10 years.

Condemning the fake videos that were circulating about alleged attacks on the migrant workers from north India, Sujit Kumar, while talking to reporters here, said: "Such incidents did not happen in Tiruchi or elsewhere in Tamil Nadu. Senior police officers have interacted with migrant workers and no one has complained of any threat to them." He, however, said that north Indian migrant workers have left for their home states as Holi is on March 8 and not because of any threat.

The SP said that the employers of Tamil Nadu were looking after their workers well and have been providing accommodation and food for the guest workers near their workplace.

Noting that there are students from north India at the prestigious National Institute of Technology, Trichy and the Tamil Nadu National Law University (TNNLU), he said that he has not received any complaints of harassment from students in these institutions. He also said that the district police have issued a helpline number and some calls had landed in that number but none was for help regarding any harassment of north Indian workers.
New Delhi, March 6 : Mark Mobius, who allocates capital all over the world, has raised a red flag about doing business - or trying to bow out of your business - with China, media reports said.

"I'm personally affected because I have an account with HSBC in Shanghai. I can't get my money out. The government is restricting the flow of money out of the country," Mobius told Fox Business.

"So I would be very, very careful investing in China." The Mobius Capital Partners founder noted that China's bottom line is moving "in a completely different direction" than its former open-minded-market revolutionary leader Deng Xiaoping.

"Now you have a government which is taking gold in shares in companies all over China. That means they're going to try to control all these companies," Mobius explained, Fox Business reported. "So I don't think it's a very good picture when you see the government becoming more and more control oriented in the economy." China has made a "very significant" effort to allegedly prevent Mobius from removing capital from Chinese-based stocks.

"I can't get an explanation of why they're doing this. It's just amazing. They're putting all kinds of barriers," the investor said, Fox Business reported. "They don't say, 'No, you can't get your money out,' but they say, 'Give us all the records from 20 years of how you've made this money,' and so forth. It's crazy."
Kohima, March 6 : As almost all political parties in Nagaland expressed their willingness to support the NDPP-BJP alliance government, it is likely to assume office on Tuesday.

Earlier, in April last year, an Opposition-less United Democratic Alliance (UDA) government was formed to expedite the Naga political dialogue with the Central government.

A senior BJP leader told IANS that in Nagaland, no party was keen to remain in opposition, and each of them wanted to remain with the government for various reasons, including the development of all areas.

"Till now, only Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas Paswan) in writing has submitted a letter supporting the NDPP-BJP alliance government. No other party has so far provided any letter of support to the alliance government even as they have verbally expressed their willingness to support the government," the BJP leader said.

He said that the central leaders of the BJP and the top leaders of NDPP along with Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio would decide whether the government would take any support from all other parties after they submit their letters of support.

The ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), along with its ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) retained power in Nagaland for a second straight term by winning 37 seats together in the 60-member Assembly.

In the February 27 elections, the results of which were declared on March 2, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) secured six seats; National People's Party led by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma managed five seats; Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas Paswan), Naga People's Front and Republican Party of India (Ramdas Athawale) bagged two seats each; Janata Dal (United) bagged one seat; while four seats were won by Independent candidates.

As many as 12 political parties had fielded 183 candidates, including four women nominees in the recent assembly polls.

The Congress, which governed the state for many years till 2003, had contested 23 seats but drew a blank once again. The grand old party had no legislator in the outgoing Assembly.

Nagaland Congress president Kewekhape Therie lost in Dimapur against BJP's H. Tovihoto Ayemi by a margin of 6,959 votes.

Leaders of NCP, NPP and NPF separately said that they would support the NDPP-BJP coalition government after discussing within their parties they would submit letters of support to the Governor.

The NDPP-BJP has yet to stake a claim to form the government, the alliance government, according to the earlier announcement likely to assume office on Tuesday.

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President J.P. Nadda in Delhi on Sunday and discussed the government formation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several central BJP leaders and ministers are likely to attend the swearing-in ceremony.

The NPF had emerged as the single largest party in the 2018 elections, but the NDPP and the BJP, with the support of the independent MLAs, managed to form a coalition government.

In April last year, 21 of the 26 NPF legislators led by former Chief Minister Taditui Rangkau Zeliang had "merged" themselves with the NDPP and formed the opposition-less all party UDA government to expedite the Naga political dialogue with the Central government.

However, the Congress, which ruled the state for the most part, does not have a single MLA in the outgoing assembly.

(Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in)
Mumbai, March 6 : Actor Mohit Anand, who was last seen in 'Panipat' as Sanjay Dutt's son, next will be seen in Aditya Roy Kapoor and Mrunal Thakur starrer criminal thriller 'Gumraah', helmed by director Vardhan Ketkar, shared his working experience with the Bollywood actor in the film.

Sharing his working experience with Aditya and others, Mohit said: "I missed the opportunity to work with Mrunal and Ronit sir on this project. I hope I get to work with them soon! All my scenes in the film are with Aditya and I can go on about how cool that guy is. Being the star he is, Aditya never made my input look minuscule, in fact, he added to it and made them look better.

"I remember one of my scenes in the film was just a line but Aditya being the 'yaaron ka yaar' I mentioned earlier, discussed this (graph of the scene) with the director and made this into a proper dialogue! It is amazing to work with a humble star like him. Vedika Pinto was great as well, we had some common friends and bonded easily. Didn't have much with her but the song we shot together was super fun," he said.

Talking about how he grabbed the opportunity, Mohit said: "For the longest time I have been auditioning in Aram Nagar, and trying to make contacts in several casting circles. This story is quite fun as I also happen to work with Ashutosh Gowariker and assisted him for five years now, we were in a meeting when I got a call asking for a few pictures of my current look from an assistant called Pooja Vyas at Mukesh Chhabra Casting. I thought it was just one of those messages so I didn't even share a portfolio picture, it was a lift selfie I shared." He said: "In some time, my agent Inder Sagoo had asked me that the director wants to test you on a few scenes and so I asked Ashutosh (who is the most supportive mentor one can have) asked me to leave everything and go audition. I tested for the part and the next day I got to know that I was on. The funny part is my audition was not good. I was informed by an AD but it was my passion the director saw with the variations I gave that landed me the part." Despite coming from a film background but with no connections it wasn't a cakewalk for Mohit to make it here.

Mohit said: "Firstly, there are challenges for everyone, outsider or insider, just the challenge is different. Having said that, I belong to a film family, my grandfather Nirmal Anand was a producer who had made films with legends like Jitendra, one of my favourites is 'Madadgaar'. Then my father Bunty Anand was launched as an actor as well in a film called 'Bhai No.1' but soon he decided to part ways from acting and when I decided to enter the same field I was 6." "I have no connections at all but I must say the journey has been amazing! Lots to learn and to move forward! One thing I would say is difficult is to get auditioned for parts, what i mean is even getting a test itself is tough until one is not known as a face that is well established, I hope things change for me after 'Gumraah'," he added.
New Delhi, March 6 : A case has been registered against a passenger on an Air India Kolkata-Delhi flight for allegedly smoking inside the lavatory of the plane, official sources said on Monday.

The incident was reported on March 4 and the passenger was identified as Anil Meena.

According to sources, the Air India official handed over the passanger to Delhi Police after he was caught smoking inside the flight's lavatory.

"He was smoking inside lavatory when the alarm started ringing which alerted the flight crew," said an official privy to investigation.

"The Delhi ATC was informed about the incident and the passenger was handed over to Delhi Police as soon as the flight landed at IGI Airport.

"On interrogation, the man disclosed that he was a chain smoker," said the official.

On Sunday, the Delhi police has lodged a case against a student for allegedly urinating on a fellow passenger on a New York-Delhi American Airlines Flight.

The student was said to be drunk at the time of the incident.

The incident allegedly took place on flight number AA292, which took off from New York on Friday and landed at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport in Delhi at 10.12 p.m. on Saturday.
New Delhi, March 6 : The Investment Information and Credit Rating Agency (ICRA) has revised the outlook for the Indian aviation industry to 'Stable' from 'Negative', given the fast-paced recovery in domestic passenger traffic in FY2023 and the expected continuation of the same in FY2024.

Moreover, the industry has witnessed improved pricing power, as reflected in the healthier yields and thus the revenue per available seat km - cost per available seat kilometre (RASK-CASK) spread of the airlines.

The same is expected to continue, given the sequential decline in aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices from the peak of June 2022 and the anticipation of relatively stable foreign exchange rates.

ICRA projected domestic passenger traffic growth at 8-13 per cent in FY2024, post the 55-60 per cent expansion in FY2023, to reach 145-150 million, which is much higher than the pre-Covid levels.

ICRA estimated international passenger traffic for Indian carriers to witness a YoY growth of 10-15 per cent in FY2024, post the 125-130 per cent expansion in FY2023.

The international passenger traffic for Indian carriers is likely to surpass the pre-Covid levels in FY2023 itself while exceeding the peak of FY2019 in FY2024. Over the medium term, growth in the Indian airline sector will be driven by improving airport infrastructure in addition to the government's concerted efforts to promote regional tourism.

Commenting further, Suprio Banerjee, Vice President & Sector Head - Corporate Ratings, ICRA Limited, said: "The pace of recovery in industry earnings will be gradual owing to the high fixed cost nature of the business. The industry is estimated to report a net loss of Rs 110-130 billion in FY2023 due to elevated ATF prices twined with the depreciation of the Indian rupee against the US dollar. However, the same is much lower than the net loss of Rs 235 billion in FY2022 and ICRA's earlier estimated net loss of Rs 150-170 billion in FY2023, primarily driven by the improved ability of the airlines to shore up their yields without impacting the demand. The net loss is further expected to compress to Rs 50-70 billion in FY2024, as airlines continue to witness healthy passenger traffic growth and improve their RASK-CASK spread through better pricing discipline." Despite a healthy recovery in passenger traffic, the domestic aviation industry continues to face challenges on account of elevated ATF prices and depreciation of the Indian rupee vis-a-vis the US dollar, both of which have a major bearing on the airlines' cost structure.

Fuel costs account for 30-40 per cent of the airlines' expenses, while 35-50 per cent of the airlines' operating expenses -- including aircraft lease payments, fuel expenses, and a significant portion of aircraft and engine maintenance expenses -- are denominated in US dollar terms, it said.

The competitive landscape in the domestic aviation industry is set to change with the foray of new entrants, likely re-initiation of operations by Jet Airways, and consolidation of Air India, Air Asia India, and Vistara.

In ICRA's view, capacity addition in FY2023 will be limited to around 10 per cent of the FY2022 fleet of airlines, which was close to around 700 aircraft.
Hyderabad, March 6 : Acting tough on the suicide of an intermediate student, the Telangana government on Monday cancelled affiliation of a corporate junior college where he was studying.

The Board of Intermediate Education announced cancellation of affiliation of Sri Chaitanya College, Narsingi, where 16-year-old Satwik hanged himself due to harassment by the Principal, incharge, teacher and others. The order will come into effect from next academic year.

The intermediate first year (Class 11) student hanged himself in the classroom after study hours on the night of February 28.

In a suicide note, the student wrote that he was taking the extreme step due to mental torture by the Principal and three others.

Based on the suicide letter and a complaint lodged by the student's parents, police arrested Principal (Administration) Akalanakam Narasimha Chary, Principal Tiyyaguru Siva Ramakrishna Reddy, warden Kandaraboina Naresh, and Vice Principal Vontela Shoban Babu. A court sent them to judicial custody.

Police have charged the four with harassment and insulting the victim in the name of studies, thereby forcing him to take the extreme step.

Police in its remand report stated that the Principal and others used insulting words and even beat up Satwaik in front of other students, making mentally upset. On the day when the student died by suicide, his parents had come to the college meet him. After they left, Chary and Ramakrishna Reddy used foul language.

Meanwhile, the Education Department on Monday held a meeting with representatives of various private colleges to discuss ways to prevent such incidents. The Board of Intermediate Education decided to constitute a committee to control misleading advertisements by the colleges.

The officials also announced that action will be taken against the colleges conducting classes beyond the fixed hours. Board of Intermediate Education Secretary Sunil Mittal said that the biometric system will be implemented from next academic year.

--IANS ms/vd

A
New Delhi, March 6 : The government is soon going to create a strong health support and emergency management infrastructure for the pilgrims embarking on Cham Dham yatra from across the country.

This will be a three-layered structure to ensure that the pilgrims are provided for during their journey from a medical point of view.

This was said by Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, on Monday, after meeting Dhan Singh Rawat, Health Minister of Uttarakhand.

Rawat had called on the Union Minister and requested support from the Central government for developing a health and emergency infrastructure for the lakhs of pilgrims who undertake the Char Dham yatra every year.

He informed the Union Health Minister of the health challenges faced by pilgrims along the strenuous route, and the number of pilgrim deaths in the past few months due to health emergencies such as stroke etc.

Many of these casualties were pilgrims who suffered from co-morbidities, he added.

Mandaviya assured "full support of the Centre", saying "the best possible healthcare and health emergency infrastructure will be provided for the visiting pilgrims".

He said that a strong network of advanced ambulances and stroke vans is planned to ensure that stroke management and treatment can start on the way to the health facility.

These ambulances will be stationed at different points on the yatra route, he added. PG students from medical colleges from across the country are proposed to be deployed as part of the strengthened healthcare infrastructure who will act as first responders.

"This experience will also act as a skilling and capacity building exercise for the PG students," Mandaviya said.

In addition to this, drones will also be used to provide emergency medicine in the higher locales of the yatra.
Patna, March 6 : Bihar Police on Monday registered an FIR against for YouTubers in connection with alleged violence in Tamil Nadu against migrant workers.

An FIR has been registered in the Economic Offence Unit (EOU) in Patna and one of the accused is leader YouTuber Manish Kashyap. Bihar Police also identified 30 fake videos uploaded on social media.

Besides Kashyap, the other accused were identified as Aman Kumar, Rakesh Tiwari, and Youraj Singh.

"A EOU team arrested one of the YouTubers Aman Kumar from Jamui district on Monday. He is accused of uploading old videos on social media and creating rumours. That video was completely fake. He was trying to create tension between people of Bihar and Tamil Nadu through such a video," ADGP, Law and Order, G.S. Gangwar said.

Meanwhile, Bihar Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar wrote a letter to his Tamil Nadu counterpart R.N. Ravi seeking investigation into alleged violence on Bihari labourers in the state.

The Tamil Nadu police has already denied any such violence in the state. The Tamilnadu DGP earlier claimed that the the videos uploaded on the social media was fake and the incidents appeared few weeks ago to Tiruppur and Coimbatore districts.

Meanwhile, Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas Chirag Paswan met Tamil Nadu Governor Ravi on Monday and urged to investigate. He has also handed over a memorandum to the Governor.

"India is a country where people speak a number of languages and creating differences on the basis of languages is not a right thing. However, some people are creating differences in Tamil Nadu. It needs to be investigated. If it is wrong, investigators should find out who is behind such a conspiracy," Paswan said.

"We have seen a number of videos where people are assaulting Bihari labouers but neither me nor my party is confirming their truth. If there is any truth in the viral video, it is a matter of concern for everyone. I have also written a letter to the Union Home Ministry to investigate this matter too," Paswan said.
Hyderabad, March 6 : The youth who killed his friend in a most brutal fashion by beheading him, ripping out his heart, and chopping off private parts over a girl, had taken her to the crime scene to show the victim's body, revealed Telangana Police on Monday.

Abdullapurmet police under Rachakonda commissionerate revealed more shocking details of the macabre killing following the questioning of accused P. Hari Krishna. The police also included his girlfriend as the third accused in the case and arrested her.

Hassan, who has already been arrested in the case, is named number two accused in the case Hari Krishna had killed his friend N. Naveen, 21, an engineering student, at Pedda Amberpet on the outskirts of Hyderabad on February 17 but it came to light a week later when the accused surrendered before police.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, LB Nagar, B. Sai Sri told media persons that after killing Naveen, Hari Krishna severed his head, ripped out his heart, fingers and private parts. He kept the organs in a bag and took it to the house of his friend Hassan at Brahmanapally village on a two-wheeler. He, along with Hassan, later dumped the organs near Manneguda and returned to Hassan's house, changed the clothes and spent the night there.

The next morning, Hari Krishna went to the girl's house at B.N. Reddy Nagar colony. He told her about Naveen's murder, took Rs 1,500 from her for his expenses and left. Subsequently, they remained in contact over the phone.

On February 20, Hari Krishna went to the girl's house and took her out on a two-wheeler. He took the girl to the place where he had killed Naveen and showed her the body from a distance.

When Naveen's family members called Hari Krishna on February 21 to check about Naveen's whereabouts, he panicked. Fearing that his crime may get exposed, he left for Khammam. Later, he went to Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam and went to Warangal to meet his father on February 23. His father informed him that police are on the lookout for him and suggested that he surrender.

On February 24, Hari Krishna came to Hyderabad and went to Hassan's house. They went to the place in Manneguda where they had thrown body parts of Naveen. They brought the body parts to the place where he had killed Naveen and set them on fire.

Hari Krishna then went to his girlfriend's house and took a bath. From here he went straight to Abdullapurmet police station and surrendered.
New Delhi, March 6 : Arrested alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar on Monday, in a letter, extended his greetings to Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez on the occasion of Holi, but, rather in a "personal way".

"I wish the most fantastic human, the amazing, my ever-beautiful Jacqueline, a very Happy Holi. On this day, festival of colours, I promise you, the colours which faded or disappeared will be brought back to you, a 100x folds," Sukesh wrote in his letter, released through his advocate.

"This year in full jazzy and brightness, my style. I will make sure of that and its my responsibility. You know I will got to all extent, for you my baby girl," he wrote.

"I love you my baby, stay smiling. You know well what you mean to me and how much you mean to me. Love you my princess, miss you loads, my bee. My bomma. My love. My Jackie," he added in his letter.

Latest updates on Holi Festival 2023
New Delhi, March 6 : US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo will arrive in New Delhi on Tuesday on a four-day visit to India.

She will be visiting India between March 7-10 on the invitation of her Indian counterpart Piyush Goyal.

During the visit, the India-USA Commercial Dialogue and CEO Forum will be held on March 10 to discuss cooperation in various sectors that could unlock new trade and investment opportunities between the two countries.

The Commercial Dialogue is a cooperative undertaking encompassing regular government-to-government meetings to be held in conjunction with private sector meetings, with an aim to facilitate trade and maximise investment opportunities across a broad range of economic sectors.
Adodara, March 6 : A woman from Vadodara has lodged a complaint against her husband and in-laws for mental and physical torture. She has even alleged that her husband threatened an acid attack and divorce over a domestic issue.

Nikitaben Sheth lodged a criminal complaint against her husband Aakash, father-in-law Babubhai, and mother-in-law Jyotiben on Monday. In her complaint to the Panigale police station, she claimed that her husband threatened her with an acid attack because she was opposed to her husband's of extramarital affairs.

According to the complaint, in 2019, Nikita married Aakash as per tradition, with both side's approval. From their union, they have one son. In September 2022, accidentally, she found her husband's photo with a woman. When she informed her in-laws, they started harassing and torturing her.

Last Saturday, she asked her husband to break all ties with the other woman, which led to a quarrel between the two, during which her husband threatened to divorce and an acid attack. Police have booked the husband and in-laws for domestic violence, voluntarily causing hurt, using foul language, and criminal intimidation.
Patna, March 6 : RJD MLC Sunil Singh, who was present in party leader and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi's residence on Monday when the CBI team came to question her, claimed that the investigators asked her old and out of context questions.

"Rs 10 crore was recovered from a MLA of BJP in Karnataka and the CBI is conducting raids on number 10 (Rabri Devi's residence is at 10 Circular Road, Patna).

"I was present inside Rabri Devi's residence when the CBI was quizzing her. It was out of context questions that CBI sleuths asked her. The CBI team was headed by a DIG rank officer and the situation was such that they were telling jokes. They have asked all old questions which they had asked Rabri Devi and other members of the Lalu family already in the past. The CBI team came here to the house of Rabri Devi for the Holi Milan Samaroh," he said.

"CBI is taking action on the directions of the BJP and it is carrying out political vendetta with the leaders of the opposition parties. The CBI takes action only against the leaders who are anti-BJP," Sunil Singh added.

"The central agencies like CBI, ED and Income Tax are losing credibility through such raids. Hence, no one is taking them seriously. Everyone is understanding now that these agencies are acting on the directions of BJP leaders," he said.

"In 2024, BJP will not get a single seat in Bihar. All 40 seats will go to Mahagathbandhan. Hence, BJP is anguished about it. It is deliberately asking the CBI to conduct raids on the opposition leaders," Singh said.
Kohima, March 6 : The northeastern state of Nagaland is heading for another Opposition-less government as almost all political parties have expressed their willingness to support the NDPP-BJP alliance government, which is likely to assume office on Tuesday.

Earlier, in April last year, an Opposition-less United Democratic Alliance (UDA) government was formed to expedite the Naga political dialogue with the Central government.

A senior BJP leader told IANS that in Nagaland, no party was keen to remain in opposition, and each of them wanted to remain with the government for various reasons, including the development of all areas.

"Till now, only Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas Paswan) in writing has submitted a letter supporting the NDPP-BJP alliance government. No other party has so far provided any letter of support to the alliance government even as they have verbally expressed their willingness to support the government," the BJP leader said.

He said that the central leaders of the BJP and the top leaders of NDPP along with Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio would decide whether the government would take any support from all other parties after they submit their letters of support.

The ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), along with its ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) retained power in Nagaland for a second straight term by winning 37 seats together in the 60-member Assembly.

In the February 27 elections, the results of which were declared on March 2, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) secured six seats; National People's Party led by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma managed five seats; Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas Paswan), Naga People's Front and Republican Party of India (Ramdas Athawale) bagged two seats each; Janata Dal (United) bagged one seat; while four seats were won by Independent candidates.

As many as 12 political parties had fielded 183 candidates, including four women nominees in the recent assembly polls.

The Congress, which governed the state for many years till 2003, had contested 23 seats but drew a blank once again.

The grand old party had no legislator in the outgoing Assembly.

Nagaland Congress president Kewekhape Therie lost in Dimapur against BJP's H. Tovihoto Ayemi by a margin of 6,959 votes.

Leaders of NCP, NPP and NPF separately said that they would support the NDPP-BJP coalition government, and after holding discussions among themselves, they would submit letters of support to the Governor.

Even as the NDPP-BJP is yet to stake a claim to form the government, the alliance government, according to the earlier announcements, is likely to assume office on Tuesday.

On Sunday, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president J.P. Nadda in Delhi and discussed the government formation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several central BJP leaders and ministers are likely to attend the swearing-in ceremony.

The NPF had emerged as the single largest party in the 2018 elections, but the NDPP and the BJP, with the support of the independent MLAs, managed to form a coalition government.

In April last year, 21 of the 26 NPF legislators led by former Chief Minister Taditui Rangkau Zeliang had "merged" themselves with the NDPP and formed the Opposition-less all party UDA government to expedite the Naga political dialogue with the Central government.

However, the Congress, which ruled the state for the most part, does not have a single MLA in the outgoing assembly.

(Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in)
New Delhi, March 6 : The government on Monday cleared appointment of Joint Secretaries in 12 ministries, including Home, Food, Health, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and Agriculture, among others.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the appointment of Garima Srivastava (IRPS) as Secretary of the Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board under the Department of Agricultural Research & Education.

She has been appointed to the post for a tenure of five years or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

Srivastava is a 1999-batch Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS) officer.

Palka Sahni, a Bihar cadre IAS officer of 2004 batch has been appointed as Joint Secretary in the Department of Food & Public Distribution for a tenure of five years or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

Aradhana Patnaik, a 1998 batch IAS officer of Jharkhand cadre, has been appointed as Joint Secretary in the Department of Health & Family Welfare under the Health Ministry.

Mukta Shekhar, a 1994 IRAS officer, has been appointed as Joint Secretary in the Heavy Industries Ministry.

Anil Subramaniam, a Central Secretariat Services officer, has been appointed as Joint Secretary in the Home Ministry.

Kamal Kishore Soan, a 1998 batch IAS officer of Jharkhand cadre, has been appointed as Joint Secretary in the Labour Ministry.

Himani Pande, a 1998 batch IAS officer of Jharkhand cadre, has been appointed as Joint Secretary in the DPIIT.

Tanuja Thakur Khalkho, an IRAS officer of 1995 batch, has been appointed as Joint Secretary and Financial Advisor in the Rural Development Ministry.

Amarpreet Duggal, an IPoS officer of 1999 batch, has been appointed as Joint Secretary in the Department of School Education & Literacy.
New Delhi, March 6 : Future conflicts will be unpredictable. The constantly-evolving world order has forced everyone to re-strategise. Constant vigil on the Northern and Western borders as well as the entire coastline must be maintained. We need to be ready to deal with all future challenges, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said this to the navel commanders on Monday.

Rajnath Singh reviewed the operational capabilities of the Indian Navy during the Naval Commanders' Conference held aboard India's first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier INS Vikrant on March 06. He interacted with the Naval Commanders and witnessed the operational demonstrations at sea, highlighting the Navy's capability to undertake multi-dimensional missions towards safeguarding the maritime interests of the country.

In his address to the Commanders, Singh described secured borders as the first requirement to ensure social and economic progress, asserting that India, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, is moving forward in a'mrit Kaal' with renewed thrust and zeal to achieve this objective. Emphasising that economic prosperity and security scenario go hand-in-hand, he pointed out that the defence sector has emerged as a major demand creator, which has been boosting the economy and ensuring the country's development.

"In the next 5-10 years, orders worth over $100 billion are expected to be placed through the defence sector and it will become a major partner in the economic development of the country. Today, our defence sector is on the runway, soon when it takes off, it will transform the country's economy. If we want to see India among the top economic powers of the world by the end of aAmrit Kaal', we need to take bold steps towards becoming a defence superpower," the Defence Minister said.

Rajnath also made special mention of the credible and responsive presence of the Navy in the Indian Ocean Region. He stated that Mission-Based Deployments of the Navy have strengthened India's position as a preferred security partner of friendly foreign countries in the region.

He reiterated the need for a huge country like India to be completely self-reliant and not dependant on others for its security. He listed out numerous steps taken by the Government to achieve 'Aatmanirbharta' in defence, including notification of four Positive Indigenisation Lists, increase in FDI limit and creating a favourable environment for Indian vendors including MSMEs. He termed the recent announcement of earmarking record 75 percent of the defence capital procurement budget for domestic industry in 2023-24 as a testament to the Government's firm commitment to achieve self-reliance in defence manufacturing.

Rajnath Singh commended the Navy for being at the forefront of indigenisation and innovation through inductions of ships and submarines and development of niche technologies, in consonance with the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' vision. On the commissioning of INS Vikrant, he stated that it further reinforced the belief that India's Naval designing and development is at a promising stage and more progress will be made in the times to come.

The operational demonstrations witnessed by the Defence Minister included complex Aircraft Carrier and Fleet operations, weapon firings by ships and aircraft and Underway Replenishment at Sea. In addition, a demonstration of indigenous products, including spotter drone, remote controlled lifebuoy and fire-fighting bot was witnessed by the minister. The strides taken by the Indian Navy towards 'pole-vaulting' the technological curve, through indigenous sources in the domains of Big Data Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, Laser technology and cryptography were also demonstrated.
Hyderabad, March 6 : Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on Monday hit out at the state government for rewarding a legislator who 'insulted and humiliated' her.

Speaking at an event held at Raj Bhavan in connection with International Women's Day, the Governor targetted the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government headed by K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

She did not name anybody but it was apparent that she was referring to the appointment of Member of Legislative Council P. Kaushik Reddy as government whip in the Legislative Council.

"It's very disheartening. Even the woman holding the highest office has been ridiculed and humiliated. The highest office is insulted and humiliated and the person who humiliates the highest office is rewarded. That's the message they have given to the people of Telangana," she said.

"It's very very unfortunate. When a person throws stones on a woman, if we garland that person what message are we giving to the womanhood of Telangana," she asked.

"It's not me. I am with everyone. If a woman, if a girl child, if a person is suffering, I will be with them. When I am insulted so many women are with me. Thank you for that. Because you are all with me I am standing as a very strong person here," she told the participants.

Kaushik Reddy had made derogatory remarks against the governor for not giving assent to the bills sent to her for approval by the state government. He used foul language while commenting that the Governor was deliberately sitting on the bills.

On January 26, the video clip of Kaushik Reddy using the abusive word in Telugu went viral on social media.

He had made the remark amid a rift between the Governor and the state government over pending bills.

The differences between the BRS government and the governor had first cropped up in 2021 when she did not approve the Cabinet's recommendation to nominate Kaushik Reddy to the Legislative Council under the Governor's quota in social service category.

When the Governor delayed clearing the file, the BRS government sent Kaushik Reddy to the upper house under the Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) quota.

During her speech on Monday, the Governor also hit back at those trolling her. He told them to be decent and behave. "Don't keep pricking women. You don't know the strength of women," she said.

Tamilisai also took a dig at the state women ministers and officials who stayed away from the programme.

"When a celebration is planned, everyone should come together, that is our culture. We have to leave all differences and we should come together. Nowadays, that culture is vanishing. When an invitation is coming from one place, it is not seen in a transparent way. It's seen in a different way. They don't see the affections through the card, they see the possibility of defections which could happen," the governor said with a laugh.

She had been criticising the chief minister, ministers and others for not accepting her invitations for various programmes at Raj Bhavan on the occasion of festivals and other important occasions.
New Delhi, March 6 : In wake of the BJP attacking Rahul Gandhi on his speech in London, the Congress on Monday mounted a strong defence of its leader, alleging that it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has been saying things abroad about the country and the opposition.

Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said: "When the Prime Minister said that nothing has been done in past 70 years, he is demeaning the country and its people." She also slammed Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur for his comments on Gandhi.

Gandhi, in London, said that Indian political leaders can give a talk in Cambridge or Harvard Universities but he can't give a talk in an Indian university.

"The reason is that our government simply does not allow any idea of the Opposition, any concept of the Opposition to be discussed. Same happens in the Parliament house. When there are important things that we need to speak about demonetisation, GST, the fact that the Chinese are sitting inside our territory... when we try to raise these questions, we are not allowed to raise them in the House. It is a fact. It is shameful but it is true, and this is not the India that all of us are used to." The BJP has attacked this and said he is undermining the Parliamentary democracy

Gandhi, addressing the Indian diaspora, said that the biggest issues in India today are unemployment, price rise and the violence that Indian women face.

"We have an ideology of hatred and violence, a disrespectful ideology that attacks people because of their ideas, and you must have noticed one thing and this is in the nature of the BJP and the RSS," he said.

He slammed Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, noting that he had said that China is stronger than us, so we can't fight with them, adding that at the heart of the ideology is cowardice.

"The British were stronger than us, so then we should have not fought with them. How would we ever get Independence? If we had followed the BJP's principle and the RSS' principle that if they are stronger than us, we don't fight with them, then we would still be ruled by the British," he contended.
New Delhi, March 6 : A Delhi court on Monday granted four days' interim bail to Olympian wrestler Sushil Kumar, the main accused in the murder case of junior national wrestling champion Sagar Dhankar, for performing the last rites of his father.

Sushil Kumar, along with others, is accused of allegedly assaulting former junior national wrestling champion Dhankar, a resident of Haryana's Rohtak, and his friends in the parking lot of the city's Chhatrasal stadium, on May 4, 2021 over an alleged property dispute.

He has been in judicial custody since June 2, 2021.

In October last year, the court had framed charges against Sushil Kumar and 17 others, setting the stage for their trial.

During the hearing, Additional Sessions Judge Shivaji Anand said: "Keeping in view the fact that the father of the accused expired yesterday and his last rites are to be carried out today itself, on humanitarian grounds, the applicant or accused be released on interim bail from March 6 to March 9 only on furnishing personal bonds of the sum of Rs 1 lakh with two sureties of the like amount." "The entire expenditure of deployment of security persons or policemen for keeping surveillance and security of the applicant shall be borne by his family members," the judge added.

According to prison regulations, the court stated, the money must be lodged in advance with the jail superintendent concerned.

The judge directed that Kumar should surrender before the Jail Superintendent concerned on March 10, on expiry of his release.

The court imposed several conditions on interim bail like not threatening the prosecution witnesses, not tampering with evidence or indulging in any crime and sharing his phone's live location as and when required by the investigating officer (IO).

The judge said: "In case it is prima facie brought to the notice of the court that the applicant is violating the said conditions, the interim bail granted to him shall be liable to be cancelled." Dhankar, who was murdered, had succumbed to injuries and according to the post-mortem report, he died due to cerebral damage resulting from blunt object impact.

Anand framed charges against Kumar and other accused under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code, including those related to murder, rioting and criminal conspiracy.
Kolkata, March 7 : A branch office of New York's renowned World Trade Center will be opened in Kolkata shortly, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Monday.

"A team of their representatives will be coming to Kolkata on March 21. They will sign a memorandum of understanding with the state government on this count. This will strengthen our ties with the international business communities in the coming days," she told the mediapersons.

She said "Kolkata acts as an important gateway to entire eastern India".

"That is why this city has been chosen as the principal city of eastern India. We too want Kolkata to be the principal corridor of industrial activities in the eastern part of the country," the Chief Minister said.

She also said that the process for identifying the land for setting up the branch office of the World Trade Center has already started.

"This is really a matter of pride for our city that it has got the preference over all other eastern Indian cities in the matter," the Chief Minister added.
New Delhi, March 7 : In a shocking incident, a 16-year-old girl was allegedly fired upon by her neighbour in east Delhi's Nand Nagri on Monday night, police said.

A police official said that they got a call at around 8.30 p.m. informing them of firing in Subhash Park area of Nand Nagri area.

"Immediately after receiving the call, the SHO, along with staff, reached the spot. The police team learnt that one minor girl was was fired upon by her neighbor identified as Kasim. The victim suffered injuries and was taken to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital by her family," said the official.

The police further said that the girl was under observation at GTB Hospital and her condition was stable.

The police said that they have lodged a case in this respect against the accused after recording the statement of her family members and a manhunt was launched to trace and nab the accused.

Seeing the gravity of the situation, adequate police staff have been deployed in the area to avoid untoward incidents.

Further investigation in the matter but no arrest has been made as of now, police said.
Bhubaneswar, March 7 : The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has asked the Odisha government to submit a detailed report on the diversion of District Mineral Foundation (DMF) funds in the tribal areas of the state within one month.

The Commission led by chairperson Harsh Chouhan on Monday conducted a review meeting with the state government officials here.

The NCST took stock in the implementation of Constitutional and legal rights, review of socio-economic development and safeguard of the Scheduled Tribes in Odisha.

Due to lack of awareness among the tribal people about the DMF (district mineral foundation) fund, they are being neglected, said Chouhan.

The state government needs to address the issues relating to diversion and non-utilisation of ST Component funds which have been reserved for the welfare of the tribes in the state under various heads, he said.

The chairperson expressed dissatisfaction over the non-formation of a separate department to look into the welfare of tribals, like at the Centre.

Chouhan said the Commission will send a proposal to the Odisha government in this regard.

The Commission found that absence of basic amenities like water, roads, electricity which are necessary for human life, poor job opportunities in PSUs, extremely poor telephonic connectivity in tribal areas and other government services for STs.

The NCST also observed the pathetic and un-human conditions of boys and girls in residential hostels and schools.

It has suggested that to make PESA Rule for implementation of PESA Act in state. No action against the officials and the person who issued and received the fake and/or false ST caste certificates, he added.
Bhopal, March 7 : Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday announced that the "Bhagoria" festival of the tribal community will be celebrated as a state festival and will be given a place in the state's cultural heritage.

He made this announcement while addressing a large gathering celebrating the festival in tribal-dominated Alirajpur district.

Chouhan participated in the festival with his wife Sadhna Singh and he also joined people dancing in traditional costumes.

As he reached the venue in an open jeep, a large number of tribals in traditional costumes were walking in front of him and performing Bhagoria dance on the beats of dhol and other instruments.

"Our festivals, values of life and moments of celebration make us happy. Today is Bhagoria festival, I congratulate and wish all the brothers and sisters on Bhagoria. Bhagoria festival is an integral part of tribal tradition and a folk festival. And it will be celebrated as a state festival and it will be given a place as a cultural heritage," Chouhan said.

He also announced renovation of Baba Chhitu Kirad's fort in village Sorva, construction of his grand memorial and installation of statue of freedom fighter Chandrashekhar Azad in Alirajpur.

Bhangoria festival is celebrated by tribals, especially Bhils, Bhilalas and Pateliyas, in MP's tribal-dominated regions such as Badwani, Dhar, Alirajpur, Khargone and Jhabua districts.

It is celebrated for seven days in the month of March before the Holi Festival. Traditionally, celebrants travel to the festival grounds with their families on decorated bullock carts. There they purchase the things required to celebrate Holi, dance to traditional musical instruments, sing folk songs, and enjoy meeting other people.
Jaipur, March 7 : After showing her strength during her birthday celebrations in Salasar Temple in Rajasthan, former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Monday went to famous Govind Dev Temple here and sprinkled 'gulal' on devotees assembled there.

She was accompanied by her son MP Dushyant Singh and Jaipur MP Ramcharan Bohra.

She also paid obeisance at a Gurudwara located near the temple and "wished for the prosperity of the state". On the occasion, Raje said: "The colours of Holi conveys the blessings of God; and people from all walks of life bow down before God together in the same colour and love."

Latest updates on Holi Festival 2023

-- Syndicated from IANS
Jaipur, March 7 : Rajasthan Tourism will organise the 'Dhulandi' festival on Tuesday at Hotel Khasa Kothi. About 2000 tourists will participate in this festival, which is being organised entirely for foreign tourists.

According to Deputy Director of Tourism Department Upendra Singh Shekhawat, the festival is being organised after three years. The aim of this festival is to make the foreign tourists experience "Holi Ke Rang, Suraksha Ke Sang".

Shekhawat said that foreign tourists will be able to participate in the festival through tour and travel operators. The department will make available special 'gulal' to the tourists to play Holi. The department will also make arrangements for refreshments for dignitaries during the programme which will run from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Artists will perform Kalbeliya dance, Mayur dance, Kachhi Ghodi dance and Langa-Manganiyar during the festival. Tourists will also be able to experience the hospitality of Rajasthan Tourism amid the traditions of Holi festival and folk singing.

Latest updates on Holi Festival 2023

-- Syndicated from IANS
New Delhi, March 7 : Protesting against the alleged excise scam, the Delhi BJP burnt effigies of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain in all 70 Assembly constituencies.

Leader of Opposition Ramvir Singh Bidhuri along with Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva burnt the effigies outside the ancient Hanuman Temple at Connaught Place.

Sachdeva said, "Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal takes blessings from the Hanuman temple whenever elections are announced, so it is a clear message to Kejriwal from here that we will end his politics from where he started." "We will not wait for 2025, Kejriwal will have to resign in this liquor scam. This is also the demand of the people of Delhi," he added.

The Delhi BJP chief further said, "Today, 'Holika Dahan' is happening because it is a symbol of victory of good over evil, so today we have gathered to burn the effigies of AAP leaders who are symbols of liquor scam and corruption." Former Delhi BJP President Harsh Vardhan, while participating in the programme at Shastri Nagar, said that the BJP has always been saying that Kejriwal and his ministers are "running a government mired in corruption." "Today, the two ministers whom he (Kejriwal) praised the most, both of them turned out to be the biggest corrupt and the result is in front of everyone that both of them are inside the jail," Harsh Vardhan asserted.
For a group of Afghan evacuees forced to flee their home country in the fall of 2021, a tourist village on the Albanian coast became more than just a temporary stopover on their way to the US.

The group arrived in Albania in September of 2021 and believed their stay would be a short one. However, that was not the case as what happened in the following months was indicative of what happened to the many Afghans who were evacuated by private charters just after the departure of the final US troops on 31 August 2021. That is to say, the US government ignored them for over a year and it fell to small non-profits to pay the bills for their extended stay. Those funds were limited and the expenses at the resorts were onerous and the NGOs were strained under the burden of the high costs per person. It was simply unsustainable.

In September 2022, the American Rescue Project (ARP)which operates under the mandate that every life mattersstepped in and took it upon themselves to make come up with a solution to the housing and sustainment costs that was economically viable in the long term.

ARPs solution was a unique blending of commercial support organizations and non-profit organizations that allowed for the business agility required to create an entirely new non-profit business model that utilizes an almost joint venture like structure to rapidly make joint business decisions to solve issues that arise immediately in an emerging situation vice the slow non-profit model of a series of board meetings and slow decision making that seems to hamper larger and less agile humanitarian organizations.

This test case for this new type of assistance model was put to the extreme test in Albania where, with limited resources, the new joint venture consisting of the American Rescue Project, along with its partners TradingHouse Global, a South Africa-based commodities and goods traderwith vast experience and varied expertise in operating in the most challenging situations in the most out-of-reach places and the Uruci Foundation, and Albanian NGO who provided on-the-ground knowledge and support, rapidly stepped into the situation and within a few weeks had moved over 340 Afghans, who were facing eviction, to new apartments and provided food assistance and medical support for a fraction of the monthly cost previously encountered in the preceding months.

The seemingly insurmountable set of tasks that required the sourcing and securing of accommodation, the provisioning of food for three meals a day, specialized medical care, stipends to be paid, and education to be provided and all within under a 30-day window was completed, proving that the new model was not only workable but in many ways preferred to the existing models for the support of refugees around the world. The new joint venture model has the advantages of being agile, rapid, and extremely cost-effective. The other advantage as the team has found out is that the people in transit towards their new lines get to participate more in caring for themselves in their daily lives by doing things like shopping and preparing meals which leads to better mental health and less of a feeling of helplessness. The new model was a win-win in every way.

The new team now aspires to take this new business and support model and replicate it wherever there is a need to sustain refugees while in transit toward their new homes or wherever displaced persons need a place to temporarily call home.
We totally support our regulators move to ensure that people are able to speak out about what has happened to them and to be able to seek redress in the criminal courts and /or to ensure that the appropriate disciplinary action is taken."Fiona Martin, Director and Head of Employment Law

The Martin Searle Solicitors Employment Law team have found that sexual harassment in the workplace remains a problem, particularly now people have returned to work and are once again attending business conferences and work social events.

In February 2023 the media publicised the fact that McDonalds have signed a legal agreement with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to show they are committed to communicating a zero-tolerance approach to sexual harassment. This was in response to a number of high-profile international claims, the most newsworthy being a 2020 class action filed in the US representing more than 5,000 women at more than 100 McDonalds locations. And the concerns by the EHRC about their handling of sexual harassment complaints made by staff in the UK.

A 2020 survey carried out by the Government Equalities Office found that 30% of women had experienced sexual harassment at work over the past year, as compared with 27% of men. Only 51% thought that their employer was tackling sexual harassment well. Two thirds of those surveyed had not noticed any changes in how their employer approached the issue of sexual harassment at work.

A government study published in 2020 found that just 15% of people who had experienced sexual harassment in the workplace felt confident making a complaint to their employer, something which makes it likely that employers will underestimate the level of harassment taking place. Out of those who did report it, 41% said that there were no consequences for the perpetrator. The study also found that, although all employees can experience sexual harassment at work, there was a higher incidence among those aged under 35, people from an ethnic minority, those identifying as LGBT+, and those with a disability. 48% of those who reported their workplace sexual harassment were asked to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) in relation to their experience.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) are committed to ensure that NDAs are not preventing staff from reporting these and similar issues to them or to other regulators or law enforcement agencies or making disclosures which are protected by law, such as whistleblowing. A Warning Notice was published in November 2020 which gave guidance to all managers and employees of law firms, those responsible for managing HR and complaints in law firms and practitioners dealing with NDAs, including in-house lawyers.

This made it clear that anyone failing to report a serious breach of the solicitors regulatory requirements or other wrongdoing or criminal conduct, by them or their firm, or improperly using NDAs would be in breach of our SRA principles and liable to disciplinary action. They also made it clear that if the NDA sought to do any of the above, the practitioner might need to cease acting for their client.

Fiona Martin, Director and Head of Employment Law, said We totally support our regulators move to ensure that people are able to speak out about what has happened to them and to be able to seek redress in the criminal courts and /or to ensure that the appropriate disciplinary action is taken against the perpetrator.

We also welcome the steps the EHRC are taking to encourage employers to take a stance on stamping out sexual harassment. It is important that employers, in all sectors, encourage employees and workers to come forward, while discouraging this type of behaviour. Speaking out about sexual harassment is difficult with much at stake for the complainant, including reputation, career prospects and the fear of dismissal. A thorough investigation is crucial as those accused must be in a position to know the detail of the allegations in order to be able to defend themselves. Most importantly, employees should not be paid off and silenced using inappropriate NDAs in Settlement Agreements so that no action is taken against the perpetrator.

Martin Searle Solicitors have produced a series of free factsheets, case studies and FAQs for employers and employees covering sexual harassment at work.

On Thursday 23 March 2023, from 1pm  2pm, Martin Searle Solicitors will be running a free virtual seminar for employers on How to Deal Fairly with Allegations of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace. To book, click here.

They will also be running a free virtual workshop for employee advisers and Trade Union representatives on Sexual Harassment at Work  How to Support Employees Bringing and Defending Allegations. This will take place on Thursday 30 March 2023 from 1- 2pm. To book, click here.

Martin Searle Solicitors are also offering employers and employees a free initial 30 minute confidential advice call that will help employees understand their rights around sexual harassment, and provide advice to employers on creating a working environment where all employees feel safe and are supported by their employer. Their legal helpline will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout March from 3.30pm to 5.30pm on 01273 609911. You can email to book an appointment at info@ms-solicitors.co.uk

For more information about their campaign, please visit https://www.ms-solicitors.co.uk/metoo-matters/
Myth 1: Get your air conditioner technician in Los Angeles on Craigslist.

The interweb has given us a variety of places to find an air conditioning service technician, but beware because not all are comparable. While the Better Business Bureau gives you information on whether a contractor is accredited based on their organization's history and practices, other web pages are open to anyone who requests to post an ad. For example, Craigslist lets anyone post an ad providing their services, not requiring them to verify whether or not they're truly qualified, licensed and bonded, or have the proper training and background.

If you choose a contractor or individual without verifying their qualifications and skill set, it may ultimately cost you more. Suppose the technician doesn't know how to service your actual air conditioning system properly. In that case, you may need a different, more experienced technician to repair their mistakes and pay multiple Trip Charges.

Myth 2: Choosing a small business is better.

Working with small businesses can be fantastic for some minor home services  it's wonderful for the local business, good for the economy, and maybe even great for your pocket book. But beware: small businesses or one-person companies could leave you in a lurch. If something goes wrong, they may disappear and not be available to fix it, or they may not have the human resources to get to you quickly, which is not what you want if your AC dies in the summer heat in Los Angeles, CA.

Myth 3: You can use any refrigerant in your air conditioner.

With the government stopping the production of R-22, many families are seeing the cost of refilling their air conditioner's refrigerant increasing. It may sound like a simple fix to substitute a different, less expensive refrigerant. Still, if an AC service technician in Los Angeles recommends this, you probably want to find a second opinion.

Manufacturers specify the exact refrigerant the system is designed for, and before 2010, it was commonly R-22. Although there is an extreme decline in the production of R-22, those AC systems are still designed for it, and replacing R-22 with a different refrigerant may not only destroy your AC system it could invalidate your warranty. Due to possible damage, a voided warranty may cost you way more in future parts.

Myth 4: You don't need routine air conditioning maintenance in Los Angeles.

Most people who aren't having trouble with their air conditioning system may believe they don't need yearly maintenance. It works fine, so why spend the money on a tune-up? Well, there's the fact that a routine AC tune- up in Los Angeles costs around $99 while repairs will cost you around $600. Most manufacturers demand regular maintenance to continue your warranty, so disregarding your annual tune-up could cost you your warranty, resulting in a huge payout if your air conditioning system dies on the hottest summer day in LA.

Myth 5: Finding out about the business isn't important.

You must do your due diligence before choosing an air conditioning service business in Los Angeles, CA, especially if you feel a specific company is pushing you. As we discussed in Myth #1, some domains don't need a contractor to be qualified to place an ad for their services. You need to know what you're getting into so you don't have to pay twice for the same service.

Online reviews, referrals from family, and a high accreditation grade with the Better Business Bureau will assure you of the type of company you will be offering your business to and help you decide if they are best for you. Google is a wonderful review site to start your search. You could have to invest your hard-earned money with your air conditioning company, so invest a little time and research to ensure they are the best HVAC company in Los Angeles for your home.

Myth 6: It will cost more to turn your thermostat up while you're away from home.

Over time, leaving the thermostat at a lower temperature throughout the day will cost you more than raising it 10 degrees while you are gone. It usually will not take excessive extra energy to get your home comfortable once you return, depending on your home.

A programmable thermostat lets the temperature increase or decrease from a phone or tablet so you can easily adjust the temperature cooler before coming home, so your home is cool and comfortable when you get home. This reduces your energy over the day and decreases your cooling bills.

Myth 7: Constantly running ceiling fans will help lower the temperature in your home.

Fans help keep you cool and don't decrease the home's temperature by themselves. In fact, fans (comparable to refrigerators) increase your home's temperature. The motor causing your fan to operate creates heat, which can add heat to the air in the home. A good ceiling fan does help level the temperature of a room and may help to cool air by circulating. Still, if there isn't a person below the fan to feel the cool air, you're wasting energy and money, especially if the AC is already on. So keep ceiling fans off when nobody is in the room and additional air circulation is unneeded.

Myth 8: It doesn't matter where the thermostat is installed.

Thermostats read the temperature surrounding it to choose whether it needs to activate the air conditioner to cool the home. Installing a thermostat in the bedroom will ensure that the bedroom cools to the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Once the bedroom is cooled, the AC will shut off and the rest of the floor or home might be much warmer. Suppose the thermostat is placed near a well-lit window or an appliance. In that case, it could continuously read the temperature as being much higher than the home truly is and keep running your air conditioner, increasing your cooling bills.

Myth 9: Turning your thermostat down much lower will help it cool more quickly.

Turning your air down lower may make your air conditioning system run longer. It won't get to a colder temperature any faster. If your thermostat is set on 77 but wants it to be 75, then put it at 75 and run until it gets to that temperature. Putting the thermostat on 73 won't make it lower to 75 any faster, and it will cause your system to run long, wasting money and energy.

Myth 10: It's ok to change your air filter once every twelve months.

Depending on the health conditions of the people living in Los Angeles in the home and the type of air filter you have for your AC, your air filter may need to be changed as often as every 30 days. Failure to change the air filter often enough not only means for your air conditioning system to work harder and lower efficiency, but it could also exacerbate respiratory illnesses like common allergy symptoms.

In conclusion, if you need residential or commercial HVAC services in Los Angeles or San Diego, CA, look no further than WeDo HVAC. With their team of licensed and insured HVAC technicians and comprehensive range of services, they're here to keep your home or business comfortable all year round.
Matthias Walter Eser with his ESER Capital Vermogensverwaltung GmbH, a holding company owned by the Eser family with operative consulting business in the environment of small and medium-sized companies with the aim of simplifying company successions at all relevant levels, has been accepted into the Forbes Business Council, the foremost growth and networking organization for successful business owners and leaders worldwide.

Matthias Walter Eser was vetted and selected by a review committee based on the depth and diversity of his experience. Criteria for acceptance include a track record of successfully impacting business growth metrics, as well as personal and professional achievements and honors.

We are honored to welcome Matthias Walter Eser into the community, said Scott Gerber, founder of Forbes Councils, the collective that includes Forbes Business Council. Our mission with Forbes Councils is to bring together proven leaders from every industry, creating a curated, social capital-driven network that helps every member grow professionally and make an even greater impact on the business world.

As an accepted member of the Council, Matthias has access to a variety of exclusive opportunities designed to help him reach peak professional influence. He will connect and collaborate with other respected local leaders in a private forum and at members-only events. Matthias will also be invited to work with a professional editorial team to share his expert insights in original business articles on Forbes.com, and to contribute to published Q&A panels alongside other experts.

Finally, Matthias Walter Eser will benefit from exclusive access to vetted business service partners, membership-branded marketing collateral, and the high-touch support of the Forbes Councils member concierge team.

"It is a great honor for me, after more than three years of intensive preparation for inclusion in this exclusive circle of international business people and entrepreneurs, to be able to share my experiences and impressions from three successfully sold companies with the entire community of and around Forbes. Many thanks to Scott Gerber and the entire team around the Forbes Business Council for this unique opportunity to leave a lasting footprint in the entrepreneurial context on this world." - Matthias Walter Eser

ABOUT FORBES COUNCILS

Forbes Councils is a collective of invitation-only communities created in partnership with Forbes and the expert community builders who founded Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC). In Forbes Councils, exceptional business owners and leaders come together with the people and resources that can help them thrive.

To learn more about Forbes Councils, visit forbescouncils.com.

[ESER Capital Vermogensverwaltung GmbH | http://www.eser.capital | info@eser.capial]
My thoughts have been constantly invaded by the images and sounds of my daughters suffering.

Roberts Disability Law, P.C., attorneys representing the father of a slain Sacramento Police Officer announced today that they are suing Lincoln National Life Insurance Company after it allegedly refused to fulfill the obligations of Denis OSullivans disability insurance policy in the wake of his daughters murder.

According to Court documents, Denis OSullivan filed suit in the federal district court of the Northern District of California, stating he has been unable to work and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) since his daughter was shot and killed in June of 2019. As a result, the OSullivan family has lost health insurance benefits and faces foreclosure of their home, despite having disability benefit coverage under a group-policy issued by Lincoln to Mr. OSullivans former employera policy that is supposed to compensate him if he cannot do his job.

The Complaint alleges that Denis OSullivan has been diagnosed with PTSD and MDD by no less than four different medical professionals in the days and years since his daughters murder. Mr. OSullivan alleges that the ongoing murder trial for his daughter has required that he review evidence to be presented at trial that forces him to experience the event all over again. Court documents further allege that the experience left him with multiple symptoms, including: recurrent nightmares, extreme anxiety, panic attacks, depression, flashbacks, visual hallucination, overwhelming guilt, negative thoughts and affect, disrupted sleep and insomnia, hypervigilance, heightened startle reflex, agitation and irritability, difficulty concentrating, lack of focus, loss of short-term memory, lack of motivation, feelings of detachment, physical and emotional reactivity after exposure to traumatic reminders, decreased interest in activities, withdrawal and isolation, all of which made it impossible to do his job. As a result, he has had essentially no income since 2019 and the family may lose their home.

Court documents allege that Denis OSullivan had Lincoln disability insurance through his employer, which was supposed to protect him if he is deemed physically, mentally, or emotionally unable to work by medical professionals. Rather than pay Mr. OSullivan the contractual long-term disability benefits, Mr. OSullivan alleges that Lincoln denied the claim in reliance on medical reviewers who opined that he was not disabled. Mr. OSullivan alleges that these reviewers did not meet or speak to him when they rendered their conclusions.

Since the moment I learned of Taras murder, my life has been turned upside down, said Denis OSullivan. My thoughts have been constantly invaded by the images and sounds of my daughters suffering.

On March 6, 2023, Roberts Disability Law, P.C. filed Mr. OSullivans Complaint in the federal district court of the Northern District of California, Case No. 3:23-cv-01000. The suit alleges a claim for benefits under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and seeks to enforce the terms of the group disability policy and to cover legal costs associated with filing the suit.
I cant say enough about how proud I am of our teams ability to serve our innovative health plan clients with a technology platform thats transforming payment accuracy.

Inc. magazine today revealed that ClarisHealth ranked for the second year in a row on its third annual Inc. 5000 Regionals: Southeast list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing Southeast private companies, based in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, and Tennessee. ClarisHealth, the leading provider of an enterprise payment integrity platform for health plans Pareo, attributes its sustained revenue hyper-growth to an industry shift toward innovation.

According to ClarisHealth chief executive officer https://www.clarishealth.com/about-us/leadership/Jeff McNeese, payment integrity has been rising to a more strategic function at health plans, who seek to control the cost of healthcare by reducing improperly paid healthcare claims. Clients that implement Pareo accelerate improvements in healthcare claims payment accuracy.

I cant say enough about how proud I am of our teams ability to serve our innovative health plan clients with a technology platform thats transforming payment accuracy, says McNeese. Its one thing to grow. Its quite another to grow on this trajectory with consistency, especially in challenging times. But working together, were achieving incredible results.

Born of the annual Inc. 5000 franchise, this regional list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the Southeast economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. Between 2019 and 2021, these private companies had an average growth rate of 673-percent and, in 2021 alone, they added 25,844 jobs and nearly $7 billion to the Southeast regions economy.

This years Inc. 5000 Regional winners represent one of the most exceptional and exciting lists of Americas off-the-charts growth companies, said Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. magazine. Theyre disrupters and job creators, and all delivered an outsize impact on the economy. Remember their names and follow their lead. These are the companies youll be hearing about for years to come.

This ranking is the latest recognition of ClarisHealths hypergrowth. In 2022, it ranked on the Inc. 5000 for the third year running and on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 for the second year in a row. Its enterprise technology platform Pareo has been included as a sample vendor for prospective payment integrity by the Gartner Hype Cycle for U.S. Payers.

The companies on this list show a remarkable rate of growth across all industries in the Southeast region. Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Regionals: Southeast, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, metro area, and other criteria, can be found at inc.com/southeast.

About ClarisHealth

ClarisHealth, an Inc. 5000 and Deloitte Technology Fast 500 company and recognized as for prospective payment integrity solutions in the Gartner Hype Cycle, provides health plans and payers with the industrys leading payment integrity operating system. Its proprietary, A.I.-powered enterprise technology platform Pareo enables health plans to maximize cost avoidance and recoveries at the most optimized cost for a 10x return on their software investment.

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Regionals Methodology

The 2023 Inc. 5000 Regionals are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2019 and 2021. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2019. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2021. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2019 is $100,000; the minimum for 2021 is $1 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons.

About Inc. Media

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.
Stigma around mental health concerns prevents many individuals from seeking the help they need. Like any health concern, mental health can improve with treatment.

Origins Counseling Center in Dallas, Texas, will open its new Mental Health Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) on March 6, 2023. This valuable new program will meet the critical need for outpatient services for individuals with mental health disorders. Clinical Director Shea Barakatt, MA, LCSW, LCDC, understands mental health's impact on adults and their family systems.

"Mental health is just as important as physical health. If one of these elements is ignored, it can affect the whole person. Beyond that, untreated mental health symptoms can dramatically impact a persons social relationships, job or academic performance, and family system," says Barakatt. By acknowledging and addressing mental health concerns, people from all walks of life can learn valuable tools to help them find improved self-esteem and reach their highest potential.

The new Mental Health IOP framework at Origins Counseling Center in Dallas offers a sophisticated in-network treatment option for individuals with mental health concerns who want to amplify their healing process. While individual therapy can be a powerful resource, coupling this with intensive group therapies can help people with mental health disorders develop a network of lasting, peer-driven support. Mental Health IOP is a good option for those who are psychiatrically stable or recently discharged from a residential psychiatric treatment program and want the continued support and motivation provided by group therapy sessions.

Origins compassionate therapists and counselors help identify and treat a wide range of mental health disorders, including depression, borderline personality disorder (BPD), anxiety, mood disorders, bipolar disorders, trauma and post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), adjustment disorders, grief and loss, obsessive-compulsive disorders, process addictions, and more. These masters-level clinicians leverage evidence-based modalities such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), psychoeducation, biofeedback, Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and expressive arts therapy.

Patients are surrounded three days a week by an empathetic group of clinical professionals. Therapists help patients learn coping mechanisms and practical strategies to use when they feel overwhelmed to help improve their quality of life. Origins Mental Health IOP offers a chance to gain emotional stability in a safe, supportive environment while carefully monitoring patients' progress. The program accepts insurance and is in-network with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas.

"Stigma around mental health concerns prevents many individuals from seeking the help they need. Like any health concern, mental health can improve with treatment," says Barakatt. We want our patients to know that there is hope and that healing is possible for them. We are honored to be able to expand our services to this realm and, in the process, help to lessen the stigma surrounding mental health.

Patients in the Mental Health IOP will learn vital coping skills to help navigate work-related stress and burnout, the challenges of parental, family, and social relationships, financial pressures, grief and loss, and other medical diagnoses and health concerns. The goal is for individuals to gain a newfound sense of self-worth, direction, and control that they can bring into every aspect of their lives.

Call Origins Counseling Centers Mental Health IOP at 855.741.4673 or fill out our online contact form: originscounselingdallas.com/contact-us/.

About Origins Behavioral HealthCare

Origins Behavioral HealthCare offers a range of treatment programs targeting recovery from substance use, mental health issues, and beyond. Our primary mission is to provide a clear path to a life of healing and restoration. We offer renowned clinical care for addiction and mental health concerns and have the compassion and professional expertise to guide you toward healing. Visit OriginsRecovery.com or call 855.741.4673.

About Origins Counseling Center in Dallas

Origins Counseling Center, based in Dallas, Texas, offers outpatient addiction and mental health treatment for men, women, and families. We serve everyonefrom business professionals and stay-at-home moms to young college students. With compassion and expertise, our gifted therapists can empower you with the tools you need to embrace a whole, healthy life. Our team uses evidence-based therapies and interventions for substance use, mental health, and co-occurring disorders, and we develop personalized treatment plans for each patient. Visit OriginsCounselingDallas.com or call 855.741.4673.
Copper Creek Hardware is introducing several trend-forward handlesets, electronic LED keypads, and interior door hardware that appeal to builders, remodelers, interior designers, and homeowners. We believe everyone should be able to afford premium solid-forged door hardware with advanced quality elements without having to break the bank.

With a pulse on trending design styles and leading interior hardware finishes, Copper Creek Hardware announced today the launch of several new products that will appeal to builders, remodelers, interior designers, and homeowners. Copper Creeks 2023 additions include modern handlesets, electronic LED keypad deadbolts and levers, and sleek interior hardware. In addition, the companys high-end designer brand Montana Forge is introducing four contemporary handlesets, a square rosette knob, and a modern crystal knob.

A well-known brand among the builder community, Copper Creek Hardware launched in 2003 when the founders made it their mission to provide the most valued feature-rich hardware with personalized service. The company expanded exponentially over the years with a determination to improve the industrys lack of feature innovation, inefficient service models, and reduction in material quality and product designs. Copper Creeks mantra of treating customers like family is seen through its exceptional customer service, personal touch on hardware mechanics, and consistent 98+% in-stock status with accurate, on-time delivery. These efforts ensure customers receive exactly what they want, exactly when they need it.

Were thrilled to introduce our new products, designs and finishes that will appeal to those seeking quality and style, says Tae Lee, cofounder of Copper Creek. Weve gathered input from builders and designers to add key designs and finishes. These new styles combined with our feature-rich mechanics and our everyday quick-ship, in-stock status allows us to deliver something unique to the market.

Incorporated into Copper Creeks new product additions are a number of premium hardware options from its Montana Forge brand. The exquisitely crafted solid-forged door hardware portfolio offers high-end designs, luxury features and the finest finishes available. Montana Forge is beautifully designed door hardware that is also one of the most customizable in the industry: users can mix and match any rosette with any knob or lever in any finish, enabling customers to create unique styles they adore.

Our Montana Forge portfolio includes the most affordable luxury door hardware available in the market, says John Probst, cofounder of Copper Creek. We engineered this brand to provide the highest quality finishes, features, and designs. We believe everyone should be able to afford premium solid-forged door hardware with advanced quality elements -- like concealed screws and short 28-degree latch rotation -- for the utmost in convenience and style, without having to break the bank.

The latest new product innovations, which are in-stock and available now include:



Copper Creek Modern Handleset

Copper Creek Metro Knob with Round and Square Rosette

Copper Creek Zane Square Rosette Lever

Montana Forge: four Contemporary Handlesets

Montana Forge Square Rosette Knob

The following new items will be available in May and June:



Copper Creek Electronic LED Keypad Deadbolts

Copper Creek Electronic LED Keypad Levers

Montana Forge Modern Crystal Knob

Copper Creek and Montana Forge Hardware are available nationwide through hardware dealers, lumberyards and building supply distributors. In addition, Copper Creek products are online at Build.com, Amazon, Home Depot, Factory Direct, and Wayfair. Montana Forge Hardware is offered online at Build.com and Hardware Supply.

About Copper Creek Hardware:

Copper Creek Hardware provides superior crafted hardware with advanced product features at the best price point to save builders, designers, and homeowners time and money. The company offers two brands to meet every users needs: Copper Creek and Montana Forge. Builder-grade door hardware by Copper Creek provides durable and stylish hardware solutions for residential homes, multi-family buildings, and commercial projects. High-end Montana Forge door hardware is exquisitely crafted from premium solid-forged brass and combines the highest standard luxury features with the finest finishes available.

The comprehensive door hardware portfolio includes handlesets, interior hardware, electronic deadlocks, smartlocks, and commercial hardware. To learn more, please visit: http://www.CopperCreekHardware.com I http://www.MontanaForge.com
"Gerard is the best FinTech recruiter in the country and an absolutely outstanding human being. His insight and experience working with some of the most innovative companies in financial services is a gamechanger for our clients as we continue to scale our FinTech practice," Rick Harris said.

Raines International, a leading executive search and talent advisory firm, announced today that Gerard Dash joined as a Senior Vice President, FinTech. Based in Atlanta, Dash brings nearly a decades experience in executive search and will operate in Raines Global Software & Technology Practice.

Raines Global Software & Technology Practice has grown rapidly as top talent has joined to create an industry-leading vertical advising on talent identification and development for enterprise software clients as well as clients across industry seeking technology talent.

Rick Harris, Raines Managing Director and co-lead of the practice, said, "Gerard is the best FinTech recruiter in the country and an absolutely outstanding human being. His insight and experience working with some of the most innovative companies in financial services is a gamechanger for our clients as we continue to scale our FinTech practice. I couldnt be more thrilled to work with him again.

Previously a Principal in FinTech and Product, Data, & Technology at True Search as well as head of the Atlanta office, Dash specializes in placing CxO, board, and direct reports for FinTech and financial services companies across payments, lending, banking, crypto / blockchain, personal finance, wealthtech, insurance, and proptech. Prior to True Search, Dash worked with Korn Ferry and Russell Reynolds Associates.

With the tremendous amount of investment, innovation, and interest in fintech, Im excited to work with such passionate colleagues at Raines to solve our clients toughest talent challenges, Dash said. With Raines unique offerings and services, as well as entrepreneurial, aggressive growth spirit, were well-positioned to serve a wide variety of clients.

Dash, a graduate of Davidson College, is on the boards of several non-profits including Jumpstart and the Atlanta Fire Rescue Foundation.

Raines International is an advisory firm committed to making a difference with executive search, organizational consulting, and talent management solutions. Headquartered in Miami with more than a dozen offices across the Americas and Europe, Raines specializes in senior-level leadership recruitment and assessment and DEI advisory across industries and functions.
The Vessel Group, LLC. (The Vessel Group or Company) today announced the appointment of Sheshieda Davis as Senior Vice President effective February 1, 2023. In her new role, Mrs. Davis will report to Chief Executive Officer Dennis M. Hatchett and will be responsible for managing all company operations in consulting, implementations, software support, training, and Enterprise Risk Management.

Mrs. Davis comes to The Vessel Group with 20-plus years of experience as a quintessential technology professional. A native Houstonian with a BS in Biochemistry from Texas A&M University and MS in Management of Technology from UTSA, Sheshieda has spent the majority of her career successfully navigating various roles in energy technology including software development, business analysis, product management and project management. She has experience as a customers and a vendor with the last 10 years in sales and business development.

Regarding Mrs. Davis' appointment, The Vessel Group CEO commented Our new management structure with Sheshieda as Senior Vice President will allow her to help lead the company in focusing on integration of our growing organization as well as accelerate growth in expanding practice areas. I'm proud of, and confident in, the capability and depth of our companys talent, which enables us to leverage our expansive experience, unique skill sets, and relationships to seamlessly scale."

About The Vessel Group, LLC

The Vessel Group, LLC., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a dynamic organization providing Recruitment, Consulting Services (Implementation, Support, and Training), strategic Software Selection, Enterprise Risk Management, and Digital Transformation. The Vessel Group has a proven track record of streamlining and increasing the efficiency of systems and services for organizations of all sizes looking to leverage technology and consulting to support and expand business operations.

Companies that struggle due to the lack of experience or the capacity to implement and support new systems are able to take advantage of proven Vessel Group methodologies and infrastructure to complete the right projects on time and on budget.

More information about the company and their solutions in the energy and technology space is available at http://www.thevesselgrp.com.
Amaza Lee Meredith, a pioneering U.S. architect and subject of 'New Angle: Voice,' season two, by BWAF Marking International Womens Day, the national womens advocacy group BWAF releases this season's debut episode on Ray Eames for the acclaimed audio documentary series, 'New Angle: Voice'.

Marking International Womens Day 2023, the national womens advocacy group Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation will release its debut episode of Season 2 of the acclaimed audio documentary series, 'New Angle: Voice'. Starting March 8 and following a highly successful first season, 'New Angle: Voice' continues to document the lives and legacies of pioneering yet under-recognized women in the history of architecture and design, beginning with the story of groundbreaking designer Ray Eames.

In 2022 the audio documentary series, which blossomed into a national hit with tens of thousands of dedicated listeners, won major grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the prestigious Graham Foundation. The second seasons premiere on March 8, International Womens Day, presents an insightful and rich narrated history of Ray Eames (1912-1988), whose pioneering contributions in the arts, architecture, graphic design, textile design and furniture innovation have had a profound effect on the trajectory of those fields.

Our original story about Ray Eames draws on new research of her years as a painter in New York, from archival footage and audio of her media appearances as well as interviews with Eames family members and employees of Eames Office, their design studio in Venice, California, says Cynthia Phifer Kracauer AIA, creative leader of the series and executive director of Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation (BWAF). The interviews also offer a deep-dive into manufacturer Herman Millers archives, showcasing the bold ideas sometimes obscured by Rays self-effacing public persona.

*Audio clips available at https://we.tl/t-Y461CsgWsu for promotional use.*

The pioneering audio series New Angle: Voice is created and produced by BWAF and its executive director Phifer Kracauer, who is joined in conceiving and producing the audio documentaries by noted writer and editor Alexandra Lange, Ph.D. and the acclaimed producer Brandi Howell. The primary sponsor of 'New Angle: Voice' is MillerKnoll, a collective of dynamic brands and an influential modern design company.

Following the debut episode on Ray Eames, new episodes of New Angle: Voice in 2023 will include the amazing stories of trailblazing African American architect Amaza Lee Meredith (1895-1984), the architect and industrial designer Anna Wagner Keichline (18891943), and famed Wall Street Journal architecture critic Ada Louise Huxtable (1921-2013).

Season Two Premiere: Ray Eames

The debut episode on the legacy of Ray Eames is informed by interviews with Eames Foundation board members Lucia Dewey Atwood and Llisa Demetrios, the film art director and production designer Jeannine Oppewall, as well as Library of Congress collaborators Meg McAleer and Tracey Barton. In addition, the design curator Donald Albrecht and design historian Pat Kirkham contribute to the Eames episode.

Later this second season, episodes feature interviews with architecture and design critics Christopher Hawthorne, Eric Gibson and Karrie Jacobs on the life story of Ada Louise Huxtable. For the episode featuring Black architect Amaza Lee Meredith, insights come from a senior executive of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and leader of the Where Women Made History campaign, Christina Morris. The episode on Anna Keichline includes comments from Sarah Lichtman, dean of the Parsons School of Design, as well as from industrial designer Nancy Perkins, who is Keichlines great-niece. Background on a Cambridge, Mass.-based firm The Architects Collaborative, with founding members including Jean B. Fletcher (1915-1965) and Sarah P. Harkness (1914-2013), comes from Bloomberg Green editor Amanda Hurley and the professor of architectural history Michael Kubo.

"The 'New Angle: Voice' series pulls forward the stories of women who've helped to define the fields of architecture and design, says Amy Auscherman, Director of Global Archives and Brand Heritage at MillerKnoll. With the spotlight on Ray Eames in the debut episode, season two kicks off with a bang, taking a deep look into Ray's significant oeuvre across many disciplines. Ray's contributions to the work of the Eames Office were severely overlooked during her lifetime. This episode helps to rectify that and includes digitized interviews culled from our archive that provide an intimate look into her problem-solving approach to design.

In its opening season 2021-2022, the 'New Angle: Voice' audio documentaries brought its growing listener audience the stories of Julia Morgan, the first woman to attend the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, and Norma Merrick Sklarek, the African American architect who oversaw the construction of the largest U.S. shopping mall. Other episodes spotlight the pioneering women Natalie de Blois, Helen Fong, and Florence Knoll, and can be found on Apple Podcasts and other services. The work by BWAFs Kracauer and team earned wide praise and major grants from the NEA, the NEH and the Graham Foundation  along with tens of thousands of listeners globally.

'New Angle: Voice' embodies the mission of BWAF: "to lead a cultural revolution in the building industry that will acknowledge, cultivate, and value womens contributions and achievements  past, present, and future." The series shines a spotlight on the often untold or forgotten stories of American women who broke barriers of gender, race, and education, offering the recognition they deserve for redefining the physical landscape of this country and reinventing the role of women in leadership.

Fighting the sexism and misogyny of white male-dominated American architectural offices, these women design leaders overcame prevalent issues of professional disrespect for mothers and the persistent mythology of the individual creator, says Kracauer. Our goal with 'New Angle: Voice' is to document and preserve these important but easily overshadowed or forgotten achievements as we also correct the record of our greatest leaders in architecture and design.

Adds Kracauer, Were excited to debut our second season in observance of International Womens Day, and share with others globally the essential mission of elevating the voices of women. around the world.

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Images are at https://we.tl/t-Wuk1BEBMy3 for the second season of 'New Angle Voice.' Audio clips are available for download at https://we.tl/t-Y461CsgWsu for press use.

For interviews, please contact Chris Sullivan at chris@ccsullivan.com or +1 914-462-2096, or maya@ccsullivan.com.

About BWAF

The Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation (BWAF) is leading a cultural revolution in the building industry that acknowledges, cultivates, and values womens contributions and achievements  past, present, and future. BWAF advocates for gender equity in leadership and recognition in architecture, design, landscape, engineering, technology, real estate and construction. BWAF achieves its mission by researching and documenting womens contributions and achievements in the built realm, educating the public, and transforming industry practices. Through exhibitions, websites, media, public and invitation-only programs, and our acclaimed New Angle: Voice series of audio documentaries, BWAF collaborates with museums, universities, professional organizations, and other groups to advance women. We cultivate leaders at all levels. Through our work, we seek to build global change.
ATELIER Playa Mujeres is very proud that our signature restaurant Maria Dolores by Edgar Nunez, has been recognized in this important ranking, which highlights the best in the gastronomic industry, mentioned Mascia Nadin, ATELIER Play Mujeres' Chief Operating Officer.

ATELIER Playa Mujeres, the All-Suites Luxury Resort that offers an outstanding Barefoot Luxury experience, as part of the Mexican hotel marketer and operator ATELIER de Hoteles, known for its Handcrafted Hospitality and Addictive Service concepts, celebrates that Maria Dolores by Edgar Nunez, its flagship restaurant, was recognized as one of the best 250 restaurants in Mexico by the Mexican Culinary Guide.

In this celebration's framework, renowned Chef Edgar Nunez, received from the hands of the directors of the Mexican Culinary Guide the plaque that acknowledges Maria Dolores by Edgar Nunez as one of the 10 best restaurants in the State of Quintana Roo.

The Mexican Culinary Guide is an independent editorial, a benchmark for gastronomic communication in the country, whose purpose is not only to exalt and show the diversity of Mexican gastronomy but to highlight the balance between the proposals of all states.

"ATELIER Playa Mujeres is very proud that our signature restaurant Maria Dolores by Edgar Nunez, that is characterized by offering a new concept of luxury culinary art, has been recognized in this important ranking, which highlights the best in the gastronomic industry, according to the opinion of expert judges." mentioned Mascia Nadin, ATELIER Play Mujeres' Chief Operating Officer.

A Council of Voters selected the renowned restaurants for the 2023 edition of the Mexican Culinary Guide. It comprised more than 60 gastronomic journalists, content creators, sommeliers, and lovers of the national gastronomic treasure. With enthusiasm and curiosity, they undertook the task of touring the entire Mexican Republic for a year in search of new culinary proposals.

"Appearing in the Mexican Culinary Guide is a source of satisfaction and reflects our commitment to the country's gastronomy. Maria Dolores restaurant's cuisine highlights each ingredient's origin and freshness. Coupled with our wine menu, we evoke the deepest feelings of contemporary Mexican gastronomy and offer diners a unique experience, with a balance between tradition and innovation." Commented Edgar Nunez, Maria Dolores' Author and Executive Chef.

Recognitions like this allow ATELIER Playa Mujeres to consolidate its position as a leading luxury resort.

To book a stay with the best rates and exclusive benefits at ATELIER Playa Mujeres, visit http://www.atelierdehoteles.com and prepare to live a memorable experience.

About:

ATELIER de Hoteles is an innovative and disruptive Mexican hotel chain born in 2015. Mexican art is a differentiating value and common thread of its concepts, which include strategy, passion, and commitment. ATELIER de Hoteles offers in its four brands, ATELIER, ESTUDIO, OLEO, and MET, the concept of Barefoot Luxury, with high standards of service in its properties, currently located in the Hotel Zone and Playa Mujeres, both in Cancun, Quintana Roo and with upcoming openings projected in the most important beach and business destinations in Mexico.
Avalanche Technology, the leader in next generation MRAM technology announced today the release of its white paper entitled Data Centers in Space  The Key to Solving Satellite Network Scalability & Resilience. Leveraging domain expertise in high performance computing architectures, cloud network topologies, storage, advanced memory technologies and radiation effects to put forward innovative solutions for the defense and industrial commercial base. The white paper will be available to those who register on the Avalanche website or drop by the Avalanche booth at GOMACTech 2023 (Booth #518). Held March 20-23, 2023 in San Diego, California, the conference focuses on advances in systems being developed by the Department of Defense and other agencies.

Widespread investment in satellite technology driven by national security and commercial interests from communications and intelligence to navigation and the search for habitable ecosystems has resulted in an explosion of satellite networks. Legacy satellite architectures and their networks face increasing challenges to scalability and resilience, which require transformative levels of distributed intelligence and storage similar to those experienced in the evolution of terrestrial IoT networks. Fairly limited in capability today, these satellites must achieve levels of autonomy and responsiveness not yet available in order to deal with real time threats, both natural and manmade.

The much awaited white paper paints a backdrop for why satellite network scalability and resilience are nearly impossible without a reimagined architecture centered around distributed intelligence and storage. By examining key challenges from the unique environment and weaving in learnings from the successful transformation of terrestrial IoT networks, data centers in space are not only possible, but they may also serve as the lynchpin for autonomous satellite capability and at the envisioned scale. The white paper drills into system architectures, including the critical storage subsystem, enabled in part by innovations from Avalanche Technology, namely Space Grade MRAM solutions.

Avalanches Gen 3 Space Grade MRAM solutions are providing value to a variety of aerospace and defense applications, but few as compelling as space, where the inherent radiation immunity combined with high density, endurance & reliability provide a platform for disruptive innovation, said Danny Sabour, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at Avalanche Technology. From idealized boot solutions with in-orbit upgradability so that satellites can adapt with evolving mission needs and threats to a more resilient and scalable satellite network with critical distributed storage, Avalanche is committed to a pace of innovation typically synonymous with terrestrial technology, now and in the future.

Avalanche Gen 3 Space Grade MRAMs

The Gen 3 Space Grade families are offered as a standard product in Parallel with asynchronous SRAM-compatible timing and Dual QSPI high speed serial interface in various density options from 1Gb to 8Gb. Designed for High-Reliability with multibit error correction and industry leading 10^16 write cycle endurance, data is always non-volatile. The devices are offered in small footprint packaging and extended operating temperature range (-40C to 125C) with a JEDEC qualification flow, where every device goes through a 48-hour burn in before being shipped to customers. There are additional qualification screening and packaging options available through partners. More information about Avalanches MRAM-based Persistent SRAM (P-SRAM) products is available at https://www.avalanche-technology.com/products/discrete-mram/space/.

About Avalanche Technology

Avalanche Technology Inc. is the leader in next generation Perpendicular STT-MRAM technology, accepted as the front-runner to replace traditional Flash and SRAM for unified memory architectures in future SOC systems, delivering high performance and low power at 55, 40, 28 and 22nm with scalability beyond 14nm. With a proven STT-MRAM portfolio at multiple geometry nodes combined with an intellectual property portfolio of over 300 patents and applications, Avalanche Technology is delivering on the promise of enabling the next generation of scalable unified memory architecture for industrial, IoT, aerospace and storage applications, making it the true Next Generation MRAM Company. For more information, visit us online at https://www.avalanche-technology.com.
Michael F. Marcotte - Q5id, Inc. new President of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer "I am excited and honored to be the Board President and CEO of Q5id. The reason I joined Q5id is because it is THE premier cyber security software company delivering the BEST identity management solutions in the WORLD." -Michael F. Marcotte

Q5id, Inc. announced Michael F. Marcotte as the new President of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Brian Grant as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Corporate Secretary to lead the next phase of growth and innovation. Co-founder, Chairman and former Chief Executive Officer, Steve Larson positioned the company for growth and has stepped out of an operational role as Q5id requires an exponential global growth leadership team.

Marcotte is a proven, relevant CEO with extraordinary expertise combining polymathic breadth and depth. He has served as the CEO of numerous companies and corporate boards from startups and fast growth pre-IPO companies to publicly traded companies. He is the former Global Chief Information Officer, Chief Digital Officer, and President (Hughes Cloud Services) of the global EchoStar/EchoStar International/Dish Network/Hughes/SlingTV, etc. family of companies. He has served as a corporate officer with 7 major corporations. He has M&A experience in billions of dollars of revenue and valuation. Marcotte is a co-founder of the public/private National Cyber Security Center (NCC) and was the founder and Chairman of the NCCs Rapid Response Center (NCC/RRC). He is a former board member of the Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT). He has been a senior advisor for several state Governors and United State Senators, on both sides of the aisle. He was a recipient of The Business Journals Forty Under 40 award. He is a two-time winner of the NASA award for engineering excellence and United States Air Force Award of Engineering Excellence.

Marcotte stated, I am excited and honored to be the Board President and CEO of Q5id. I am eager to advance the solutions Mr. Larson and the team have created. The cyber security software market is exploding, and companies are seeking identity management solutions that protect their organizations from fraud, data breaches, financial and reputational risk. The reason I joined Q5id is because it is THE premier cyber security software company delivering the BEST identity management solutions in the WORLD.

Grant, as CFO leads finance, accounting, and human resources. Grant reports directly to Marcotte. With over 30 years of experience as a financial executive, he has held leadership roles in several industries, including software, high tech and telecommunications. Before Q5id, Grant was an assurance and consulting partner for an esteemed CPA firm where he managed and rapidly grew the firms emerging and growth clients who had complex capital structures and were involved with domestic and international expansion, and mergers and acquisitions. Brian initiated and led the firms transaction services practice, providing all aspects of buy-side and sell-side due diligence for private equity and strategic clients. He held significant leadership roles with the firm, including the firms innovation and expansion committee, which analyzed existing and future firm investments in service lines and geographies. Brians public accounting experience also includes many years with a national firm as an assurance and consulting professional. In addition, he spent several years in private industry in various executive roles.

About Q5id

Q5id is THE premier cyber security software company delivering the BEST identity management solutions in the WORLD. Proven, authenticated, trusted, secure, and managed identity protection, now.

Learn more: Q5id.com.

Contact

Q5id, Inc.

Media Relations

(503) 389-0985

media@q5id.com

Connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter!
Within a few years, JBS raised and maintained occupancy from below 70 percent to more than 98 percent.

JBS Commercial Real Estate, a leading commercial real estate firm, is pleased to announce the sale of a portfolio of 37 industrial and flex properties representing more than 1.4 million square feet that had never been marketed for sale, making it one of the biggest industrial real estate transactions of 2022.

JBS negotiated an off-market transaction deal totaling more than $150 million for Rothbart Construction Realty. Thirty-three of the portfolio assets were sold to Clear Height Properties and the remainder to individual parties.

Rothbart Construction Realty was founded in 1976 by Gary and Michael Rothbart, who concentrated on the development and management of industrial and flex properties in the immediate Chicagoland area. As entrepreneurs themselves, Gary and Michael Rothbart took pride in being more than landlords, by building lasting relationships and partnerships with their tenants.

In 2010, Rothbart tapped JBS for brokerage support while working to recover occupancy from the 2008 Great Recession. Within a few years, JBS raised and maintained occupancy from below 70 percent to more than 98 percent. This fruitful partnership created a strong bond of trust between the two parties. In lieu of publicly marketing the portfolio, Rothbart engaged JBS Commercial Real Estate to leverage their network to reach out to a selected group of interested parties. Rothbart placed their trust in JBS to handle the sale in a confidential, private, and targeted manner. Clear Height Properties and their partner Harbert Management Company were determined to be the right buyer. For years, JBS had worked as a broker with Clear Height Properties and its CEO, Dominic Sergi.

"We are thrilled to have been able to facilitate the sale of this outstanding portfolio," said Brian Silverman, partner at JBS. "The Rothbarts have done an excellent job of managing these properties, setting the industry standard for quality. We knew that this was a rare opportunity to sell such an exceptional portfolio."

The sale of the Rothbart portfolio is a testament to the strength and growth of the Chicago market area. The properties' prime locations of industrial and flex space made them attractive to a wide range of buyers.

"We are excited to see the impact that the sale of these properties will have on the Chicago market," said Jason Shibata, partner at JBS. When you have the rare combination of irreplaceable locations, high asset quality and 98 percent occupancy, there will be strong buyer demand. The quality of the Rothbart portfolio and the professional organization of Clear Height Properties were successful despite the challenges of changes in the capital market during the sale process. It has been an absolute pleasure working with Rothbart Realty and Clear Height Properties, and we look forward to continuing to lease many of these assets on behalf of Clear Height Properties.

About JBS Commercial Real Estate

JBSCRE is a commercial real estate firm located in the Chicago suburbs specializing in the leasing and sales of office and industrial properties. Founded in 2012 by partners Jason Shibata and Brian Silverman, JBSCRE has achieved year-over-year growth, successfully completing more than 1000+ real estate transactions.
The 11 finalists for the 2023 Seafood Excellence Awards, the prestigious Best New Products competition at Seafood Expo North America, have been announced. Winners of the competition will be revealed on Sunday, March 12, 2023, at 3:30pm in the Demonstration Theater during Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America. The three-day Expo takes place March 12-14, 2023, at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in Boston, USA.

The Seafood Excellence Awards annually recognize the product leaders in the North American seafood market. Each year, exhibitors have the opportunity to submit their new products for consideration. Products are evaluated by three seafood industry experts based on their uniqueness and appropriateness to the market, taste profile, packaging, market potential, convenience, nutritional value and originality.

The 2023 finalists were selected from 71 entries in the expositions New Product Showcase and compete for two awards: Best New Foodservice Product and Best New Retail Product.

The finalists in the foodservice category are:



King & Prince Seafood - Honey Butter Biscuit Shrimp

Multiexport Foods, Inc. - Frozen Atlantic Salmon, Trim D Fillet/Skin on Fillet, Certified Carbon-Neutral

Netuno USA - Tambaqui Ribs

The finalists in the retail category are:

Aquamar Seafood - Days Catch Fish Fillet Smoked Haddock

Choice Canning Company, Inc. - Clam Bake

East Coast Seafood - Snow Crab Hot Pot

Peter Pan Seafood - Wild-Caught Alaska Sockeye Salmon with Kelp Chimichurri

Secret Island - Smoked Coho Salmon Bacon

Tai Foong USA - Shrimp Miso Ramen

Thunders Catch - Wild Salmon Chowder

Wholey Seafood - KLT Global - Shrimp au Gratin

Each finalists product, and all other new products submitted for the competition, will be displayed in the New Product Showcase during the three-day event in Boston.

View all the entries of the Seafood Excellence Awards.

The Seafood Excellence Awards serves as the North American extension of the Seafood Excellence Global Awards competition, held at Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona, Spain. Both Seafood Excellence Awards and Seafood Excellence Global Awards are organized by Diversified Communications, producers of Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America, Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global and Seafood Expo Asia.

Seafood-industry buyers and processors can learn more about Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America and register to attend by visiting the expositions website, seafoodexpo.com/north-america.

About Seafood Expo North America and Seafood Processing North America

Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America is North America's largest seafood exposition. Thousands of buyers and suppliers from around the world attend the annual, three-day exposition to meet, network and do business. Attending buyers represent importers, exporters, wholesalers, restaurants, supermarkets, hotels, and other retail and foodservice companies. Exhibiting suppliers offer the newest seafood products, processing and packaging equipment, and services available in the seafood market. The exposition is sponsored by the National Fisheries Institute. SeafoodSource.com is the official media. The exposition is produced by Diversified Communications, the international leader in seafood-industry expositions and media. For more information, visit: http://www.seafoodexpo.com/north-america

About Diversified Communications

Diversified Communications is a leading international media company with a portfolio of face-to-face exhibitions and conferences, online communities and digital and print publications. As producers of these market-leading products Diversified Communications connects, educates and strengthens business communities in over 15 industries including: food and beverage, healthcare, natural and organic, business management and technology. The companys global seafood portfolio of expositions and media includes Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America, Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global, Seafood Expo Asia and SeafoodSource.com. Established in 1949 and headquartered in Portland, Maine, USA with divisions and offices around the world, Diversified Communications remains a privately held, third generation, family-owned business. For more information, visit: http://www.divcom.com

###

Media Contact:

Christine Wright, Marketing Director

Diversified Communications

cwright@divcom.com
We know this is the right decision for BCM and our customers, Bettanini said. The ARCH platform broadens our offering and will be very beneficial to our customers. Joining forces with ARCH provides us with added resources, skills, and capabilities. We especially like the culture at ARCH.

ARCH Medical Solutions Corp. (ARCH) today announces the acquisition of Bettanini's Custom Manufacturing (BCM), located in Sonora, California. BCM is a contract manufacturer of precision-machined components for the surgical robotics, defense, aerospace, and specialized components markets. The newly acquired operation will join ARCH Medical Solutions, bolstering ARCH as a diversified supplier noted for growth and scale within the medical device contract manufacturing market. The acquired business features expertise that aligns well with the ARCH Medical Solutions  Sonora facility and will be integrated into this business unit as part of a 16,000-square-foot facilities expansion.

Paul Barck, Divisional President of ARCH Medical Solutions, said the BCM acquisition brings impressive engineering and 5-axis programming expertise to ARCH, enhancing the companys support of surgical robotic and other highly engineered complex machined components.

BCM being local to our Sonora facilities, we have successfully worked together with Tony and his team on numerous projects over the years, Barck said. With this long-standing and established relationship, joining forces will allow us to quickly capitalize on the combined expertise and scale to broaden resources available to meet the growing supply chain needs of our OEM customers.

Tony Bettanini, founder of BCM, is excited about the partnership. We know this is the right decision for BCM and our customers, Bettanini said. The ARCH platform broadens our offering and will be very beneficial to our customers. Joining forces with ARCH provides us with added resources, skills, and capabilities. We especially like the culture at ARCH, as it matches our core values and we look forward to growing together.

John Ruggieri, Senior Vice President of Business Development at ARCH Medical Solutions, welcomed BCM as the right move, not only for ARCH Medical Solutions but also for its customers.

BCM is an excellent addition to our ARCH  Sonora team, Ruggieri said. ARCH is gaining more than talented people with deep experience and expertise. Were gaining a company with a trusted reputation for quality that advances our capabilities to provide industry-leading OEMs with precision manufacturing of their components and subassemblies.
Unable to find work post-college in her desired field, Gina Yiantselis sought a new career in construction. If you want to do it and youre afraid, do it anyway,

In celebration of the 25th annual Women in Construction Week (March 5-11), the Carpenter Contractor Trust (CCT), is shining the spotlight on three women construction workers. In line with this years national theme of many paths, one mission, the women are sharing the different career tracks that led them to careers in construction.

Gina Yiantselis  From College to Construction

Gina Yiantselis, 32, graduated from college in New Jersey with a degree in psychology but was unable to find work in her desired field. She took a position in marketing and relocated to Philadelphia; but that job turned out to not be a fit. She then took a job as a waitress.

I was doing everything I should do to get to where I thought I should go, but nothing was working, Gina said. So, I thought I should try something else that I actually wanted to do.

Gina stumbled on an article online about the Sisters in the Brotherhood, a community of women union workers that provides support, networking, and mentorship.

She then contacted the woman mentioned in the article and learned that a training course was starting in two days. That introductory course, a pre-apprentice program that teaches the soft skills of carpentry to prospective carpenters is called the Carpenters Apprentice Ready Program (CARP). Gina was sponsored by a construction company while she completed CARP and then continued with a 3-year apprenticeship program.

Gina graduates this March, and will continue on as a project manager at the company she's been with since 2019, which is one of the highest-paying union positions. She suggests other women who might be scared of making a career transition into the construction industry, embrace the change.

Jenna Padeletti  From the Beauty Counter to the Tradeshow

Jenna Padeletti, 29, was working in the beauty department at a pharmacy in Baltimore and dissatisfied with her take home pay, when her construction worker fiance suggested she consider a job in construction too.

Now I work on a lot of tradeshows. I do drape and carpet, sometimes I build booths, Jenna said, explaining that her new job was much more interesting and much better paid.

Jenna who has three children also finds construction work to be more flexible. Her jobs are project-based, so if she can foresee that childcare will be challenging or there are various appointments coming up for her kids, she can occasionally skip booking a job to tend to things and call the Mix 20/20 union dispatch line to renew her status as eligible for work after.

Jamie Poole  From Incubators to Convention Centers

Jamie Poole, 37, was working at a warehouse that built incubators for newborn babies in Baltimore, when she was laid off. While she had a college degree, she couldnt fathom working a typical 9 to 5 job.

Im a hands-on person. I like being active. I dont like sitting at a computer, Jamie said. When someone she knew suggested she sign up for CARP, she thought shed look into it; that was 5-years ago. Now Jamie has worked behind-the-scenes at tradeshows and convention centers. She says the work is fun and rewarding. I like creating things and its something I can see myself doing in the long term.

All three women followed different paths to land full-time work with benefits in the construction industry. Theyre part of the 10.9-percent of women who work in the field, according to the latest figures available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A fact the women agree should be celebrated, then built upon.

If you want to do it and youre afraid, do it anyway, said Gina Yiantselis, of pursuing a career in construction. "There are a lot of intimidating factors of working in a largely male dominated industry and what that might be like on the job, but I have worked with some of the best people and had the best experiences.

About The Carpenter Contractor Trust

The Carpenter Contractor Trust is a labor-management trust formed to bond the relationship between the trained talents of union carpenters and their qualified signatory contractors to gain market share within the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters area. We serve as a liaison to amplify the voices of our partners to bring attention to matters that affect them most. Learn more at http://www.cctmarketing.org
South Africa: No work, no pay principle to apply to striking employees

Acting Public Service and Administration (DPSA) Minister, Thulas Nxesi, says the no work, no pay principle will apply to employees embarking on illegal strike action.

In a virtual media briefing on Monday, Nxesi said no disciplinary action should be taken against employees embarking on peaceful picketing.

Disciplinary action should be taken against those employees who block entrances and embark in an unlawful strike, Nxesi said.

He said government expects employees to come to work because the strike has been interdicted.

No leave should be taken during this period of the strike. Careful consideration should be taken when granting leave, Nxesi said.

Responding to a question about employees who said they are not going back to work until the 10% increase has been granted, Nxesi said government will not announce the offer in the media.

We are persuading all other parties to come back to the negotiations. This is where the offer will be discussed and announced, Nxesi said.

According to the departments Director-General, Yoliswa Makhasi, there has been a number of reports received about people blocking entrances and those who got arrested for embarking on unlawful strike action.

Wage negotiations broke down last month between unions and the DPSA.

The department offered a 4.7% increase, while unions are demanding between 10% and 12%.

The National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) said it is disappointed with the ruling of the Labour Court interdicting the public service strike action, which was to commence today.

The court ruling follows an urgent application by the DPSA, heard in the Johannesburg Labour Court on Saturday, after being postponed on Friday.

In a statement, the DPSA said government respects the rights of trade unions to organise, and the rights of members to embark on peaceful and lawful protests, including pickets and strikes.

It is the commitment of government to ensure that these hard fought for rights are discharged in a manner that does not disrupt service delivery, especially in relation to essential services such as health, it said in a statement.

Nehawu said it will go ahead with the wage strike despite the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) obtaining a court interdict.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2023-03-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Foreign Correspondents Club of China shows its prejudice

14:48, March 06, 2023 By Zhang Zhouxiang ( Chinadaily.com.cn

Almost a month has passed since Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh wrote a report saying that US Navy laid the bombs that damaged the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines linking Russia with Germany and other European Union nations, yet most of the Western media have remained mute on the issue.

On Feb 3, a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in the United States. Yet hardly any media reported the incident until 10 days later, on which day the scene of a journalist being taken away by the police on site was shown to the public.

It is such selective reporting that makes people wonder whether there is really any freedom of the press in the West.

Similarly, the Foreign Correspondents Club of China, in which the US plays a major role, published a report on its official website criticizing China for "travel restrictions".

The FCCC's complaint about "travel restrictions" during the COVID-19 pandemic is risible. It is common sense that when a major public health threat emerges, every member in a society contributes to the fight against it by sacrificing some convenience to travel. These restrictions in the case of the COVID-19 pandemic applied to everyone. There is no reason for foreign correspondents to expect any exemption. The privilege to travel "freely" as they misunderstand it would pose a risk to everybody, themselves included.

The first session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference opened on Saturday, while the First Session of the 14th National People's Congress opened on Sunday. According to official data, about 3,000 journalists have registered to attend this year's two sessions, of which over 1,000 come from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan and foreign countries.

The fact that foreign reporters can freely do interviews at the sessions of China's top legislative body and top political advisory body is best evidence against the FCCC report. The FCCC said they want to "tell the China story well", and China welcomes foreign journalists who do that. Unfortunately, some come with other intentions.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
"I am looking forward to the 2023 CRAACO event as it is so important to explore 'how' clinical research can work with community hospitals, said Madeline Sparks Cresswell, MBA, Research Program Manager  OHSU Health, Clinical Research Services Office (CRSO), Oregon Health & Science University.

The Conference Forum announced the launch of the 7th annual CRAACO: Clinical Research as a Care Option conference, with the 2023 keynote and key topics. The meeting will take place May 22-23, 2023 at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel Raleigh-Durham Airport at Research Triangle Park, in Raleigh-Durham, NC.

Embedding clinical research in the care setting can lead to higher rates of clinical trial participation inside of a health system, better health outcomes, lower cost of care and more satisfied patients, said Jennifer Byrne, Founder, Board Member and CEO, Javara.

The CRAACO 2023 keynote, Julie Freischlag, MD, will be speaking on the future of integrated health. Dr Freischlag is CEO of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Chief Academic Officer and Executive Vice President, Advocate Health, and Executive Vice President for Health Affairs, Wake Forest University.

CRAACO is the only conference that examines how we can integrate care and research to give many more patients access to clinical research, said Valerie Bowling, Executive Director, Conference Forum.

Featured sessions include:



Evaluating and Strategizing the Financial Economics of Clinical Care in the Research Setting

Enabling All Care Locations to be Research Locations

Strategies for Building a Successful Clinical Research Team in the Care Setting

How Merck Increased Minority Representation in its Clinical Research Staff

Applying Digital Innovation to Streamline Clinical Research in the Care Setting for the Improvement of the Patient Experience

How Sanofi is Partnering with Hospital Systems to Leverage EHRs for Patient Matching from Care to Research

I am looking forward to the 2023 CRAACO event as it is so important to explore 'how' clinical research can work with community hospitals, said Madeline Sparks Cresswell, MBA, Research Program Manager  OHSU Health, Clinical Research Services Office (CRSO), Oregon Health & Science University.

Key topics for 2023 include:



The business case for CRAACO

Patients first

Democratizing access and connecting the ecosystem

Community integration

Workforce issues in clinical research

Integrating digital innovation

EHRs & data from care to research

To learn more about the event and to read the full agenda, please visit craacoevent.com.

About CRAACO: Clinical Research as a Care Option

The Clinical Research as a Care Option event (CRAACO) is the first conference dedicated to bringing together health systems, pharma, patients, regulators and innovators to address the value, challenges and success stories of integrating clinical research options in the clinical care space for the benefit of patients.

About the Conference Forum

The Conference Forum is a life science industry research firm that develops conferences primarily around how to get therapeutics to patients faster. They examine and challenge the complex ecosystem of drug development and delivery, bringing ideas together from a variety of sources to help advance clinical research with common goals that are patient-focused.

They currently offer conferences for pharma/biotech professionals including R&D leaders, CEOs, business development/licensing, medical affairs/safety, chief patient officers/advocates, clinical innovation champions, investors and drug delivery specialists. The company also publishes six newsletters and produces PharmaTalkRadio and virtual events.
Law Office of Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP For more information about the class action lawsuit against Homebridge, Inc., call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today.

The San Francisco employment law attorneys, at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP, filed a class action lawsuit against Homebridge, Inc., alleging the company violated the California Labor Code. The lawsuit against Homebridge, Inc. is currently pending in the Homebridge, Inc. County Superior Court, Case No. CGC-23-604614. To read a copy of the Complaint, please click here.

The Complaint alleges Homebridge, Inc. failed to reimburse employees for required business expenses. California Labor Code  2802 expressly states that "an employer shall indemnify his or her employee for all necessary expenditures or losses incurred by the employee in direct consequence of the discharge of his or her duties..." During employment, Plaintiff and other California Class Members were allegedly required to use their personal cellular phones as a result of and in furtherance of their job duties.

Additionally, the Complaint further alleges that Defendant discriminated against Plaintiff and failed to reasonably accommodate Plaintiff for her physical disabilities. Plaintiff's request for accommodation, allegedly, fell on deaf ears, as the request was not honored. Ultimately, the request was ignored and subsequently Defendant terminated Plaintiff's employment.

For more information about the class action lawsuit against Homebridge, Inc., call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today.

Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP is a labor law firm with law offices located in San Diego County, Riverside County, Los Angeles County, Sacramento County, Santa Clara County, Orange County, and San Francisco County. The firm has a statewide practice of representing employees on a contingency basis for violations involving unpaid wages, overtime pay, discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, and other types of illegal workplace conduct.

***THIS IS AN ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT***
It is important for medical device companies to understand the latest requirements in the EU MDR, to minimize the risk of non-compliance and inability to certify products in the EU.

Companies attempting to comply with Medical Device Regulation (EU) 2017/745 (MDR), introduced in May 2021 for medical device certification in the EU are challenged by the complexity and scope of the requirements. It is important for medical device companies to understand the latest requirements in the EU MDR, to minimize the risk of non-compliance and inability to certify products in the EU.

Register to gain a clear understanding of the essential EU MDR requirements for medical device registration and vigilance.

Join Aarekh Shrestha, Sr. Manager and Head of Drug Safety/Device Vigilance, Veranex DM&A; and Garima Tripathi, Sr. Drug Safety Physician, Veranex, for the live webinar on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at 2pm GMT (3pm CET/EU-Central).

For more information, or to register for this event, visit EU MDR: Compliance Requirements From a Vigilance Perspective.

ABOUT XTALKS

Xtalks, powered by Honeycomb Worldwide Inc., is a leading provider of educational webinars to the global life science, food and medical device community. Every year, thousands of industry practitioners (from life science, food and medical device companies, private & academic research institutions, healthcare centers, etc.) turn to Xtalks for access to quality content. Xtalks helps Life Science professionals stay current with industry developments, trends and regulations. Xtalks webinars also provide perspectives on key issues from top industry thought leaders and service providers.

To learn more about Xtalks visit http://xtalks.com

For information about hosting a webinar visit http://xtalks.com/why-host-a-webinar/

Contact:

Vera Kovacevic

Tel: +1 (416) 977-6555 x371

Email: vkovacevic@xtalks.com
"It's an honor to earn our Great Place to Work re-certification; we're grateful to have such a talented, passionate group of people helping us achieve our mission." - Craig Mandeville, Founder and CEO, Forcura

Forcura, a healthcare technology company that enables safer patient care transitions and coordination, today announced its re-certification as a Great Place to Work following employee third-party survey results that acknowledged the companys strong workplace culture.

2023 represents the third consecutive year Forcura received the certification. This year, 97% of employees said its a great place to work, which is 40 percentage points higher than the average U.S. company.

Survey results indicated that 100% of participating employees feel welcomed when they join the company, and that its facilities support a good working environment. 99% of employees employees also feel good about the ways Forcura contributes to the community and that it is a fun place to work.

Great Place to Work Certification isnt something that comes easily  it takes ongoing dedication to the employee experience, said Sarah Lewis-Kulin, vice president of global recognition at Great Place to Work. Its the only official recognition determined by employees real-time reports of their company culture. Earning this designation means that Forcura is one of the best companies to work for in the country.

Forcuras Great Place to Work Certification is one of several recognitions the company has earned for its workplace culture. The organization has also ranked 16th in Fortunes Best Small & Medium Workplaces in 2021 and was honored as a Healthiest Company by the First Coast Worksite Wellness Council.

At Forcura, we strive to create a people-focused culture that empowers our teams to come to work every day feeling fulfilled, supported, and proud of all their accomplishments, said Forcura founder and CEO, Craig Mandeville. Its an honor to earn our Great Place to Work re-certification; were grateful to have such a talented, passionate group of people helping us achieve our mission.

According to Great Place to Work research, job seekers are 4.5 times more likely to find a great boss at a Certified great workplace. Additionally, employees at Certified workplaces are 93% more likely to look forward to coming to work, and are twice as likely to be paid fairly, earn a fair share of the companys profits and have a fair chance at promotion.

Learn more about Forcuras culture here.

WERE HIRING!

Looking to grow your career at a company that puts its people first? Visit our Careers page at forcura.com.careers.

About Forcura

Forcura, a healthcare workflow management company headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, facilitates continuity of care and improves business performance for providers via its automated workflow, collaboration and analytics SaaS solutions. The company is deeply committed to empowering better patient care and elevating the role of post-acute in the broader healthcare continuum. The company is a KLAS reviewed technology vendor, is a certified Great Place to Work employer, and has ranked for the sixth consecutive year on the Inc. 5000. For more information visit forcura.com, call 800-378-0596 or follow Forcura on LinkedIn.

About Great Place to Work Certification

Great Place to Work Certification is the most definitive employer-of-choice recognition that companies aspire to achieve. It is the only recognition based entirely on what employees report about their workplace experience  specifically, how consistently they experience a high-trust workplace. Great Place to Work Certification is recognized worldwide by employees and employers alike and is the global benchmark for identifying and recognizing outstanding employee experience. Every year, more than 10,000 companies across 60 countries apply to get Great Place to Work-Certified.

About Great Place to Work

Great Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees worldwide and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Their employee survey platform empowers leaders with the feedback, real-time reporting and insights they need to make data-driven people decisions. Everything they do is driven by the mission to build a better world by helping every organization become a great place to work For All. Learn more at greatplacetowork.com and on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Greenberg Traurig Adds Robert C. Ross, Former Chief Legal Counsel to Massachusetts Governor Bob brings an impressive combination of government law and administrative litigation experience to the firms Boston office, said Terence P. McCourt and David J. Dykeman, co-managing shareholders of Greenberg Traurigs Boston office.

Global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP added Robert C. Ross, former chief legal counsel to Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, to its Boston Government Law & Policy Practice as of counsel. In this role, Ross will focus on guiding clients with a wide range of complex regulatory, governance, and transactional matters.

Ross brings over 23 years of experience advising senior government leaders and has worked with numerous state and local agencies on myriad legal, administrative, and legislative issues. He has held numerous state government roles in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, most recently serving as chief legal counsel for former Governor Baker, whose term ended in January. As the governors chief legal counsel, Ross oversaw a team of in-house attorneys and advised the governors office and state agencies on many issues, including the Commonwealths COVID-19 pandemic response. He also oversaw litigation and approved settlements on behalf of the Commonwealth.

Prior to his work as chief legal counsel, Ross was general counsel in the Executive Office for Administration and Finance, where he oversaw the drafting of legislation filed by the governor, including the preparation of five annual state budgets. As assistant attorney general and chief of the Massachusetts Attorney Generals Business and Labor Bureau, he supervised the regulation and enforcement of various laws governing for-profit businesses and charitable organizations in Massachusetts. His other state governmental roles have included chief policy advisor for the Office of the Senate President, counsel and budget director for the Committee on Ways and Means, and counsel for the State Rating Bureau in the Division of Insurance.

Bob brings an impressive combination of government law and administrative litigation experience to the firms Boston office, said Terence P. McCourt and David J. Dykeman, co-managing shareholders of Greenberg Traurigs Boston office. His expertise will be invaluable to clients, particularly those in highly regulated industries, navigating the complexities of state laws and regulations.

Greenberg Traurig is strategically located in key state capitals, and the addition of Bob to the Boston office augments our growing government capabilities not only in that city, but around the country, said Co-Chairs of the firms Government Law & Policy Practice Harold N. Iselin and Demetrius G. McDaniel.

Ross said, Greenberg Traurig has a thriving Boston office and a vibrant state presence that is backed by the firms global footprint. This is an ideal platform for me to grow my practice and assist emerging and established companies that need to interact with state and local agencies.

Ross obtained his J.D. from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and his B.A. from the College of William and Mary. He is subject to the Massachusetts Public Employee Ethics Law which prohibits the involvement of former state employees in particular matters that the individual participated in personally and substantially, and places a one-year restriction on matters over which the former state employee had official responsibility.

About Greenberg Traurigs Government Law & Policy Practice: Greenberg Traurigs Government Law & Policy Practice combines the capabilities of its Federal Practice in Washington D.C. with its state and local practices across the country. The firms national team of governmental affairs professionals and attorneys spans major political and commercial capitals throughout the United States, including: Albany, Austin, Denver, New York City, Philadelphia, Sacramento, Tallahassee, and Washington, D.C. Most recently, Greenberg Traurigs Government Law & Policy team was Top Listed for Government Relations in Best Lawyers in Americas 2018 edition. The team was also named Law Firm of the Year for Government Relations by the U.S. News-Best Lawyers 2014 edition of "Best Law Firms." The practice also received the most first-tier Government Relations rankings in the U.S.

About Greenberg Traurigs Boston Office: Established in 1999, Greenberg Traurigs Boston office is home to more than 80 attorneys practicing in the areas of bankruptcy and restructuring, corporate, emerging technology, energy, environmental, financial services, gaming, governmental affairs, intellectual property, labor and employment, life sciences and medical technology, litigation, public finance, real estate, and tax. An important contributor to the firm's international platform, the Boston office includes a team of nationally recognized attorneys with both public and private sector experience. The team offers clients the value of decades of helping clients in complex legal matters and hands-on knowledge of the local business community, supported by the firm's vast network of global resources.

About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP has more than 2650 attorneys in 44 locations in the United States, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East. The firm is a 2022 BTI Highly Recommended Law Firm for superior client service and is consistently among the top firms on the Am Law Global 100 and NLJ 250. Greenberg Traurig is Mansfield Rule 5.0 Certified Plus by The Diversity Lab. The firm is recognized for powering its U.S. offices with 100% renewable energy as certified by the Center for Resource Solutions Green-e Energy program and is a member of the U.S. EPAs Green Power Partnership Program. The firm is known for its philanthropic giving, innovation, diversity, and pro bono. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com.
There are stumbling blocks to progress that must be addressed if women are to earn the opportunities to provide the depth of diverse aptitudes and management strengths that equate to the success of all businesses in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics

Women are 23 percent more likely to drop out of STEM fields in college, yet inherently embody strengths such as empathy and collaboration needed by corporations in tech industries. The time to inspire young girls and begin to train on the values of STEM fields is during elementary and middle school; not waiting for college, notes Monica Eaton, Paid for Grades founder and Chargebacks911 CEO.

As a role model and mentor to generations of women entrepreneurs and those that have an eye on science, technology, education and mathematics (STEM), Monica Eaton created Paid for Grades, a partnership with the Pinellas Education Foundation in Tampa Bay, Florida fostering confidence in students to reach their potential. Paid for Grades has provided over $1 million to area students, teachers and schools since its original pilot in 2013. (1) Two years earlier, when the growing issue of chargebacks plagued her business, Eaton founded Chargebacks911, the first technology platform provider supporting end-to-end chargeback and transaction dispute resolution and remediation. With a passion for inspiring more women to enter the technology field, she went on to create LIFT, a program providing mentoring opportunities for women in technology. (2)

Globally, only 33 percent of researchers, 22 percent of professionals working in artificial intelligence and 28 percent of engineering graduates are women. (3) Women constitute almost 50 percent of the labor market, but in STEM fields only 28 percent are women as opposed to 72 percent of men. They are less likely to be promoted and are less present in corporate leadership and technical roles in STEM industries. (4)

There are stumbling blocks to progress that must be addressed if women are to earn the opportunities to provide the depth of diverse aptitudes and management strengths that equate to the success of all businesses in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, notes Eaton.

As role models, successful women in STEM are finding value in interacting with young girls in elementary and middle school to inspire an interest in math, science and computer technology before they reach high school. Eaton wants to ensure that bright young women enter a college classroom with confidence, surrounded by other girls. She also wants to turn around the statistics that women are far less likely than men to declare a STEM major once in college  and are 23 percent more likely to drop out of STEM fields than their male counterparts. (5) The mentorship programs she has created are building blocks to increase the numbers of girls majoring in science and technology and ensure that they remain in the programs until graduation with the degrees that reflect their aspirations.

We have been blessed to have accomplished female leaders join our ranks, some of whom have been making significant impacts in a multitude of industries for years," said Eaton. "For example, we recently brought on Pel Faquiryan as our chief growth officer, as she has an incredible track record of success at companies specializing in STEM, including as vice president at U.S. Bank, Ingenico and FiServ. It's women like these that are truly showing what passion and determination can bring to any company that is willing to give them the opportunity."

In honor of Womens History Month in March and dates throughout the year recognizing women and girls in STEM, Eaton urges employers and educators to work together to establish programs that will nurture womens interest and confidence in the industry.

My female colleagues and I spend as much time as we can with young women in our own fields of expertise, and we strongly encourage women working in other STEM fields to do the same. The girls need us, and the future needs them.

About Monica Eaton

As an acclaimed entrepreneur, speaker, and author, Monica Eaton is widely recognized as a thought leader in the FinTech industry and a champion of women in technology. She established her entrepreneurial credentials upon selling her first business at the age of 19. When a subsequent eCommerce venture was plagued by revenue-leeching chargebacks and fraud, Eaton rose to the challenge by developing a robust solution that combined human insight and agile technology. Today, her innovations are used by thousands of companies worldwide, cementing her reputation as one of the payment industrys foremost experts in risk management, chargeback mitigation, and fraud prevention. Monica Eaton is honored to be the recipient of various industry awards. Her own expertise, as well as the services provided by her companies, has been recognized as outstanding by her peers and other industry leaders. Visit http://www.monicaec.com.

References:

1. Staff Writer. Paid for Grades, Student Incentive Program, Paid for Grades.com, 2013, paidforgrades.org/about-2/.

2. Eaton, Monica. LIFT: Elevating Women Through Mentorship, MonicaEC.com, 05 July 2021, monicaec.com/lift-elevating-women-through-mentorship/.

3. Staff Writer. In Focus: International Day of Women and Girls in Science, UN Women, 09 February 2022, unwomen.org/en/news-stories/in-focus/2022/02/in-focus-international-day-of-women-and-girls-in-science.

4. Staff Writer. Where are the Young Women in STEM? Make Your Mark in High School, Princeton Review, 2023, princetonreview.com/college-advice/women-in-stem.

5. Brown, Emilie. Why Women are Underrepresented in STEM and How we Can Start to Close the Gap, The Aggie, 25 January 2023, theaggie.org/2023/01/25/the-gender-gap-in-stem/.
Monster Energys Giovanni Vianna Takes Second Place in the 29th Annual Tampa Pro Skateboard Contest and Also Takes Third Place in Independent Best Trick Competition

What a wild weekend! Monster Energy congratulates team rider Giovanni Vianna on taking second place in the 29th annual Tampa Pro street skateboarding competition. In front of a high-energy crowd at Skatepark of Tampa (SPoT) and global audiences tuned in via live stream, the 22-year-old from Santo Andre, Brazil, put down a perfect run in the closely contested final for second place. Vianna also claimed third place in the Independent Best Trick contest.

In the Cariuma Concrete Jam bowl contest on Saturday, Monster Energy riders swept the entire podium: First place went to Monster Army rider Jake Yanko with Tom Schaar claiming second place and Trey Wood taking third place.

From March 3-5, 2023, the 29th edition of the legendary Tampa Pro contest attracted the worlds best street and bowl skateboarders to Florida. Once again, the longest-running competition in skateboarding featured over 100 skateboarders from countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, all looking to etch their name into Tampa Pro history with a win.

Presented by Monster Energy as the title sponsor, Tampa Pro is the most respected grassroots contest in skateboarding. The legacy began with the first skateboard competition at the SPoT warehouse in 1995. Since then, several of the worlds most iconic street skateboarders have won the coveted Tampa Pro title, including Monster Energy rider Nyjah Huston (winner in 2014 and 2020).

Heres how Tampa Pro 2023 unfolded for Team Monster Energy:

Tampa Pro Street 2023: Monster Energys Giovanni Vianna Takes Second Place in Close Final

For Sundays Tampa Pro Street final, the crowd inside Skatepark of Tampa (SPoT) created the type of pressure cooker atmosphere that makes the contest unique. Rewarding every perfect run and standout trick with roaring applause, the crowd pushed the 12 finalists to put down their best performances.

When all was said and done, the win came down to a close race between two riders: 22-year-old Giovanni Vianna from Santo Andre, Brazil, versus Japans Yuto Horigome. Both riders put down a perfect routine in the final session, but ultimately the judges awarded Vianna a strong second-place finish and $5,000 in prize money.

In his best run, Vianna put together a huge gap out to backside lipslide the centerpiece rail, Caballerial backside noseblunt fakie the flat rail, heelflip frontside boardslide down the rail, nollie backside big spin to frontside boardslide fakie the A-frame rail, frontside feeble grind the long rail, fakie nosegrind revert the Hubba ledge, Caballerial frontside noseslide the rail, pop shove-it over the bump gap, and a backside bluntside across the entire centerpiece rail for second place.

Vianna also took a podium spot and prize money in Saturdays Independent Best Trick competition. Applying his technical skills to the center stage rail, Vianna finessed a Half Cab blunt to backside noseblunt slide to impress the crowd and judges.

Cariuma Concrete Jam: Monster Armys Jake Yanko Takes First Place, Tom Schaar Claims Second, and Trey Wood Third Place

In the Cariuma Concrete Jam on Saturday night, the wild crowd at SPoT was treated to some of the worlds best bowl skateboarding in a heated session. Fireworks and pyrotechnics did their share to stoke the flames  and so did the next-level skating! When the dust settled, Monster Energy riders swept the entire podium.

Emerging from the wild progression session in first place, 20-year-old Monster Army rider Jake Yanko from Melbourne, Florida, had the tricks and lines to rise above the rest. Standouts included Indy air off the extension, backside one-foot ollie over the doorway channel, backside ollie to tail pop in revert on the tabletop extension, Madonna to disaster, and backside 5-0 grind over the box corner for the win.

Also climbing into the top three, 23-year-old Tom Schaar from Malibu, California, claimed second place with larger-than-life tricks, including frontside blunt and kickflip nose stall fakie on the tabletop extension, and frontside nosegrind over the doorway channel.

Rounding out the teams podium sweep, 22-year-old Trey Wood from Chandler, Arizona, ended up taking third place with tricks including frontside Smith stall on the tabletop extension, and huge frontside nosebone airs off the deep end.

In case you missed this weekends live webcast from the Tampa Pro 2023 contest, you can watch a full replay on the official Skatepark of Tampa YouTube Channel.

Thanks to Brian Schaefer and the entire crew at Skatepark of Tampa (SPoT) for another epic chapter in Tampa Pro history and for continuing the tradition.

For more on Giovanni Vianna, Jake Yanko, Tom Schaar, Trey Wood, and the Monster Energy skateboarding team, visit http://www.monsterenergy.com. Also, follow Monster Energy on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.

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About Monster Energy

Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports, athletes, and musicians represent. More than a drink, its the way of life lived by athletes, sports, bands, believers, and fans. See more about Monster Energy including all of its drinks at http://www.monsterenergy.com.
The Grant Cardone Foundation will be welcoming 100 at-risk students from the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project at the 10X Headquarters in Aventura, Florida on March 15th, 2023.

Staff members of the 10X Team will teach the students about goal-setting, overcoming obstacles in life, and the value in investing in their own education and abilities.

The Grant Cardone Foundation has successfully held several similar events to empower youth from various organizations in the past, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Broward County and Overtown Youth Center.

I want to help kids and young adults who need mentoring, direction, and guidance. I know how badly I needed a father figure and how painful it is growing up without a strong role model. I told my mom when I was 16, One day I will be successful and I am going to help a lot of people. Now I am delivering on that promise with The Grant Cardone Foundation, said Grant Cardone, founder of The Grant Cardone Foundation.

The Foundation is looking forward to helping these students from the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project further hone their skills in areas such as goal-setting, wealth creation, and resourcefulness.

If you know of a child that needs financial literacy mentoring, please let us know, Mr. Cardone also said. If you know a group with a similar mission, please reach out to us as we want to collaborate with other groups to provide energy and resources to kids in need.

For more information or to donate to The Grant Cardone Foundation, please visit grantcardonefoundation.com.

About The Grant Cardone Foundation: The Grant Cardone Foundation is an international non-profit organization invested in helping youth in our communities reach their full potential. Entrepreneur and best-selling author, Grant Cardone, created the foundation as a result of experiencing the traumatic loss of his father when he was only ten-years-old. Growing up without a father figure in his life affected him emotionally, socially, and academically. So he has made it his mission to help young adults who may need life and career guidance, just as he once did. The foundation partners with community organizations, municipal agencies, corporations, and other non-profit entities to help deliver energy and educational resources to kids in need.

About Grant Cardone: Grant Cardone is an American author, sales trainer, real estate investor, and motivational speaker. He wrote seven books: Sell To Survive, The Closer's Survival Guide, If You're Not First, You're Last, The 10X Rule, Sell or Be Sold, The Millionaire Booklet, and Be Obsessed or Be Average. Grant showed off his sales and marketing process when he was featured in Discovery Channel's Undercover Billionaire, Season 2.

About 5000 Role Models: Founded by then Miami-Dade County School Board Member Frederica S. Wilson, now a member of the United States Congress, the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project was initiated by the Miami-Dade County School Board in March 1993, due to the realization that there is an ongoing crisis in the lives of many young males. The project's mission is to intervene in the lives of at-risk boys, in order to provide them with alternatives that will lead them away from a life of crime and violence.
Web Accessibility Diagnostics & Renovation Service transcosmos will offer its website accessibility diagnostics & renovation service, which covers two phases  diagnostics and development & operations.

transcosmos inc. hereby announces that the company has rolled out a web accessibility diagnostics & renovation service that ranges from performing a current status survey, defining the scope of renovation projects, developing necessary documents, to revamping the current websites to make all clients' site visitors enjoy a more pleasant user experience.

The obligation for the private business sector to make endeavours to provide reasonable accommodation to remove social barriers under the Act for Eliminating Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (*1) will come into effect on June 4, 2024. Despite companies recognizing the importance of taking measures to make their official websites accessible for all, many find it hard to identify what they should do, and where to start to make it happen.

To help businesses overcome such challenges, transcosmos will offer its website accessibility diagnostics & renovation service, which covers two phases  diagnostics and development & operations. In the diagnostics phase, transcosmos will perform a current status survey on the client's website, define the scope of the website renovation project, and create documents such as a guideline for website development. In the development & operations phase, transcosmos will not only renovate and evaluate the upgraded website, but also maintain enhanced web accessibility. With this website accessibility & renovation service, transcosmos will assist clients in solving their challenges from all aspects.

[Diagnostics Phase]

transcosmos experts in website analytics will conduct a survey using AMCC (Accessibility Management Checker Cloud) by InfoCreate Co., Ltd. (*2), a service that provides scores on current accessibility status. Based on the survey results, the team then defines the project scope, and creates a web accessibility guideline for the project, as well as a useful check sheet for developing the site.

Project duration: About two to three months * Subject to the volume of a website.

Price: Starts from 1,000 yen

[Development & Operations Phase]

Based on the results of the diagnostics phase, transcosmos team renovates your website. The team will evaluate the renovated website and the level of web accessibility based on the criteria defined at the diagnostics phase.



Both project duration and price are subject to the results of the diagnostics phase.

Making the most of its strengths as a leading website development company with a team of 2,600 web developers across Japan and abroad, transcosmos continues to offer website development and operations services, carry out renovation initiatives including web accessibility, and execute digital marketing strategies leveraging marketing automation tools. As a partner in driving clients' digitization efforts, transcosmos will help clients further enhance their services.

(*1) About the Act for Eliminating Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was adopted in 2006 and took effect in 2008. It requires signatories to take appropriate measures to prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability. In Japan, the Act for Eliminating Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (the Act for Eliminating Discrimination), which is intended as a means to realize the provisions was enacted in June 2013 and took effect in April 2016 for the purpose of promoting the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of disability in order to realize a society where no citizens are treated differently on the basis of whether or not they have disability and where all citizens can coexist with mutual respect for one another's personalities and individuality.

The Act was amended in May 2021 (Act No. 56 of 2021). The effective date of the revisions will be a day specified by the Cabinet Order within a period not exceeding three years from the date of promulgation (June 4, 2021).

Cabinet Office: https://www8.cao.go.jp/shougai/english/index-e.html

(*2) About InfoCreate Co., Ltd.

InfoCreate Co., Ltd. is the only JIC certified web accessibility inspection body (Conformity Assessment Body) in Japan. InfoCreate works on developing inspection programs and conducts inspections on web accessibility, and was a member of 2004 JIS X 8341-3 working group. The company also supported major central government ministries and agencies work on web accessibility. Currently, InfoCreate is developing Libra, a JIS: 2010 conformity assessment tool that supports 2010 amended JIS 8341-3:2010. The company is also offering inspection services. InfoCreate's AMCC, also a conformity assessment tool, supports JIS X 8341-3:2016 which was amended in 2016.

InfoCreate Co., Ltd. (no translation available): https://www.infocreate.co.jp/aboutus

(Related page)

transcosmos Digital Marketing Services: https://www.trans-cosmos.co.jp/english/digitalmktg/

*transcosmos is a trademark or registered trademark of transcosmos inc. in Japan and other countries.

*Other company names and product or service names used here are trademarks or registered trademarks of respective companies.

About transcosmos inc.

transcosmos launched its operations in 1966. Since then, we have combined superior "people" with up-to-date "technology" to enhance the competitive strength of our clients by providing them with superior and valuable services. transcosmos currently offers services that support clients' business processes focusing on both sales expansion and cost optimization through our 172 bases across 28 countries/regions with a focus on Asia, while continuously pursuing Operational Excellence. Furthermore, following the expansion of e-commerce market on the global scale, transcosmos provides a comprehensive One-Stop Global E-Commerce Services to deliver our clients' excellent products and services to consumers in 46 countries/regions around the globe. transcosmos aims to be the "Global Digital Transformation Partner" of our clients, supporting the clients' transformation by leveraging digital technology, responding to the ever-changing business environment. Visit us here https://www.trans-cosmos.co.jp/english/
February 24 marked one year since Russia invaded Ukraine* in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War. Since that time, 2,700 schools have been bombed and more than 5.5 million schoolchildren have seen their education disrupted by the war. More than 8 million people have fled the country as refugees, according to UNHCR  the United Nations Refugee Agency. Nearly 18 million people are in need of urgent humanitarian aid.

When the shelling started, water, electricity and gas were also cut off. We could not wash and it was difficult to get food, recalled Boris, who fled Mariupol. My city no longer exists because it is burned and destroyed.

Since the beginning, Salesian missionaries have been supporting people who remained in the country and those who fled to neighboring countries for protection. Salesians in Poland and Slovakia, among those in other countries, have welcomed refugees and provided shelter, food, medical support and education. Convoys of medical aid have also left Poland to help Salesians who are sheltering people in Ukraine.

Thanks to the aid received, some Salesian schools in Ukraine have been able to remain open and provide education in emergency situations by building shelters and providing support for water, electricity and gas supplies. There is also some psychological support for students, teachers, and families, while some school costs are being covered.

Sixty-six Salesian organizations from five continents have supported more than 100 projects. Projects include the construction of emergency shelters, support to refugees abroad and internally displaced persons, and educational programs and activities for children and youth.

There is also a special emergency plan to cope with winter, as well as aid to affected communities with essential medicines, vehicles, field kitchens, food, clothes, tents, blankets and other specific forms of aid requested.

We want to bring aid as close as possible to the border, where most of the villages have been destroyed, houses have been burned and people are living assembled in shelters. They need help, said Father Jozef Nuckowski, who led a convoy of aid collected through the generosity of the Salesian family from around the world. It is thanks to our donors that we can get this aid this far.

Fr. Nuckowski stressed the importance of the aid delivered as he arrived in Luch, not far from Kherson in southern Ukraine. Really, everything has been destroyed. Every building has been hit, no one has been left untouched.

People have been generous in their support and it has been life-saving for those who have been impacted. One of the 55 people remaining in Luch said, We have experienced the full harshness of the war since its beginning. We just hope that all this will end well, that we can rebuild our village and live in peace.

Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, has sent food and medical aid to help support people in need. A recent shipment reached more than 1,000 people. In addition to these efforts, soon after the war started, Salesian Missions launched a Ukraine Emergency Relief Fund that is helping to provide shelter, nutrition and supplies to refugees in need. This fund is among other fundraising efforts that Salesians in more than 130 countries are doing in support of Salesians on the front lines of this crisis.

*Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in this country were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasurys Office of Foreign Asset Control.

###

About Salesian Missions USA

Salesian Missions is headquartered in New Rochelle, NY, and is part of the Don Bosco Networka worldwide federation of Salesian NGOs. The mission of the U.S.-based nonprofit Catholic organization is to raise funds for international programs that serve youth and families in poor communities around the globe. The Salesian missionaries are made up of priests, brothers and sisters, as well as laypeopleall dedicated to caring for poor children throughout the world in more than 130 countries and helping young people become self-sufficient by learning a trade that will help them gain employment. To date, more than 3 million youth have received services funded by Salesian Missions. These services and programs are provided to children regardless of race or religion. For more information, go to SalesianMissions.org.

Contact:

Laura Perillo

media@salesianmissions.org

908-406-3413 (text messages OK)

Twitter: @MissionNewswire

Newswire: MissionNewswire.org

Press room: SalesianMissions.org/press
WCG MAGI Clinical Research Conference  2023 East is about empowering clinical trial practitioners to ignite change in clinical trials. It provides solutions that will take clinical operations, business, and regulatory compliance to new heights.

Long considered the best value in clinical research, WCG MAGI provides attendees access to more than 45 sessions addressing the biggest challenges in clinical trials and showcasing innovation that is igniting change throughout the industry. The best value in clinical research is at its greatest value now, with Early Bird savings of $400 off registration.

Over the course of three-and-a-half-days, attendees will get best practices and actionable information, including:



Pre-Conference Sessions

WCG MAGI East is bringing back popular pre-conference sessions, including good clinical practice (GCP) training for those new to clinical research, need re-accreditation or want a thorough refresher. Participants will receive a certificate of training completion. Other pre-conference sessions address research fundamentals, dissecting clinical trial agreements and an interactive ethics session based on Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Keynotes by Renowned Thought Leaders on the Main Stage

Kenneth Getz, executive director of the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development will share his thoughts on Innovation in Clinical Research: Why Does it Take Us So Long to Adopt New Solutions? Dr. Jill Fisher discusses her book Adverse Events: Race, Inequality, and the Testing of New Pharmaceuticals, followed by a book signing.

Next-Level Networking and Access

WCG MAGI is all about building lasting relationships. Throughout the event, facilitated peer-to-peer networking both in session and out will help attendees meet people from all areas of the clinical research industry. Two Executive Fireside Chat Sessions with WCG CEO Sam Srivastava and industry leaders will offer exclusive insights on the topics clinical trials practitioners care about most.

Physical Workshop Details:

WCG MAGI Clinical Research Conference  2023 East

Sunday, May 21 - Wednesday, May 24, 2023

Loews Philadelphia Hotel, Philadelphia, PA

https://wcg.swoogo.com/magi-east23

Tuition:

Physical All-Access Pass:

Early Bird: Register by March 10, 2023  $1,295

Advance: Register by April 21, 2023  $1,495

After April 21, 2023  $1,695

Full access to the event includes all workshops, panel discussions, sessions, meals, and exhibit hall access.

Preconference Workshops Only Pass  $345.00

Includes access to the preconference workshops on Sunday only. Lunch is included.

Exhibit Hall Only - $125.00

Includes access to the exhibit hall only. Lunch is not included.

Easy Ways to Register:

Online: https://wcg.swoogo.com/magi-east23

By phone: 888.838.5578 or 703.538.7600

About WCG MAGI Conferences:

WCG MAGI events connect clinical research professionals who share a deep commitment to ensuring the quality, compliance, and efficiency of clinical research that is needed to advance the delivery of therapies and devices that impact patients lives. Professionals who attend WCG MAGI conferences benefit from: comprehensive programing including best-in-class training from seasoned faculty; standardization of best practices for clinical operations, business, and regulatory compliance; innovation forums; and peer-to-peer networking. Most importantly, the WCG MAGI experience strengthens collegiality in a way that ensures the growth and success of clinical research.


This honor underscores the significant growth Stirista has achieved in innovation, client growth and market expansion...as the gold standard for data-driven digital marketing with our next-gen identity solutions for core and emerging digital channels - Stirista CEO Ajay Gupta

With a three-year revenue growth of nearly 250%, Stirista, a data-driven marketing leader, today revealed that the company was ranked No. 76 in Inc. magazines fourth annual Inc. 5000 Regionals Southwest list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing private companies based in Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. Born of the annual Inc. 5000 franchise, this regional list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the Southwest region economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses.

As the Southwests tech industry continues its expansion, Stirista is proud to be recognized among a wide array of innovative organizations, said Ajay Gupta, Stirista founder and CEO. This honor underscores the significant growth Stirista has achieved in innovation, client growth and market expansion as we continue to uphold our reputation as the gold standard for data-driven digital marketing with our next-gen identity solutions for core and emerging digital channels.

Listed on the Inc. 5000 Regionals Southwest list for the second year in a row, this recognition comes on the heels of great momentum for Stirista, as the company has experienced 261% revenue growth since 2019, with growth in all of its data-driven marketing initiatives including email, creative and CTV/digital. Consistently expanding its customer base in all verticals (automotive, retail, financial, B2B and B2C), Stirista owes much of its success to a thriving employee base, which has grown 140% in the U.S. since 2019.

The companies on this list show a remarkable rate of growth across all industries in the Southwest region. Between 2019 and 2021, these private companies had an average growth rate of 557% and, in 2021 alone, they added 16,116 jobs and nearly $5.5 billion to the Southwest regions economy.

This years Inc. 5000 Regionals winners represent one of the most exceptional and exciting lists of Americas off-the-charts growth companies. Theyre disruptors and job creators, and all delivered an outsize impact on the economy. Remember their names and follow their lead. These are the companies youll be hearing about for years to come, says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. magazine.

About Inc. Media

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent.

The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.

ABOUT STIRISTA

Stirista is a leader in data-driven marketing combining data, email, and digital prowess to help clients acquire and retain customers. Named one of Americas fastest growing private companies in 2022, Stirista offers clients a unique data-driven experience by utilizing precise audience data combined with access to Stirista's proprietary ESP and DSP platforms to yield the fastest time-to-market actionable insights and optimized campaigns. For more information, please visit http://www.stirista.com.

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The 60th Bologna Childrens Book Fair kicked off today, drawing 1,456 exhibitors hailing from 90 countries and regions of the world. This is more than in the pre-pandemic year of 2019, when there were 1,442 exhibitors. In addition to the childrens-focused programming, also taking place are the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair and BolognaBookPlus, an extension of the fair dedicated to general trade publishing.

Although the fair had returned in-person in 2022, publishers seem even more delighted to return this year as Covid anxiety continues to fade. The halls are filled with enthusiastic reunionsmore hugging and less elbow-bumping. Scholastic v-p and group publisher Lori Benton told PW, Its so exciting to be back and a little surreal but it also feels like we were just here. Its a perfect blend of excitement and familiar. And just to be back in Bologna feels like seeing an old friend.

That energy is reflected in the books as well. Im only five appointments in, said Paula Wiseman, v-p and publisher of Paula Wiseman Books at Simon & Schuster, but I feel like theres a joy in the books Im seeingbright colors, a real vibrancy. It feels like people want to be happy.

The fair is bigger than in the last few years and a nicer experience with the renovations that have happened, Prashant Pathak, publisher of Wonder House Books from Delhi, India, said. The big trend for us is that we are seeing a need for more self-help books for children, on topics like mindfulness and time and anger management. I think the pandemic played a big role in putting a spotlight on mental health. Wonder House will begin distributing its titles through IPG in the U.S. in June. Pathak cited high demand for boxed-set editions of books focused on simple subjects, such as learning the alphabet and numbers. Library sales have already begun and we had an order of 1,400 copies of our books from the California state library system.

Tamer Said, publisher of Kalimat Books from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, said the companys strategy for publishing internationally is paying off. When we started coming to Bologna more than a decade ago, we specifically sought to work with and hire the best international illustrators. This way we were able to create collaborations with Arabic writers and international illustrators. Now, our books have a recognizable, international style that is appealing to publishers across the world who are buying rights. It has been a huge success for us, this integration and mixing of cultures, he said. In addition, readers across the world are becoming more comfortable with the Arabic culture and see the themes of our books as universal, which is helping to grow the market as well.

Philippe Werck, publisher and CEO at Clavis in Belgium, who is attending his 37th Bologna fair, said, Its great to be back to almost normal. I know how things have changed here over the years, but Im happy the fair is still focused on physical books. Werck said that Covid actually help boost sales for Clavis, he suspects because, as in other countries, parents were eager to buy books to keep their children engaged during lockdown. Sales are holding steady, he said.

As part of its effort to identify new talent, Clavis is gearing up to launch a Chinese edition of its Key Colors Competition for emerging author-illustrators. Hosted in other international markets since 1996 and in the U.S. since 2021, the competition was created to provide publishing opportunities for aspiring artists. Clavis has also started an educational program for childrens book creators, called the Dream Academy. Editor Greet Poelmans said the two-day course, held in-person at Claviss headquarters in Belgium, offers one-on-one feedback and instruction for a group of eight authors and eight illustrators. The inspiration for the Dream Academy grew out of the publishers desire to address some of the recurring issues the editors noticed in unsolicited submissions, which totaled 3,500 in 2022, and to elevate the quality of those manuscripts.

A presentation on international markets by Andre Breedt, managing director of Nielsen BookData, offered an overview of book sales from several countries, including South Africa, the U.K., and Greece. Among the most notable revelations was a shift in sales away from YA to pre-school and picture books in the U.K. I think, broadly speaking, this is a result of the product mix that is currently on offer in stores, Breedt said, though I would rather not speculate. He noted that TikTok, too, has influenced the sales of booksprimarily romance novels, bought by women under the age of 35. They have spent 39 million pounds on TikTok books, i.e. books that reference TikTok in their metadata, Breedt said.

Meanwhile, Back on the Home Front

In Italy, childrens books are among the most important parts of the book market and represent 17% of total sales. In all, 8,850 childrens books were published in Italy last year, along with an additional 2,101 e-books. Total sales based on cover price amounted to 268.4 million euros in 2022, reflecting a drop in revenue of 3.7% from 2021, but a hike of 12.8% over 2019. When it comes to rights sales in Italy, childrens books are even more important, representing a third of all rights sold, and totaled 2,812 books in 2022. Italian publishing is working with an international viewpoint and childrens books and the rights sold for them are key to this. A growing number of co-editions are an indication that interest in Italian books is growing as well, Bruno Giancarli said during a presentation as part of the BolognaBookPlus program on Monday morning.

One fear Italian publishers have is the prospect of a demographic crash that will see the number of Italian children fall precipitously in coming years. We have already lost a million children aged 0-14 as a part of the overall population in the past decade, Giancarli said. The only place where it is worse is Japan.

The top 10 bestselling childrens books in Italy that are translations are those you would expect: there are four Harry Potter titles on the list and two Wimpy Kid books. The top 10 bestselling childrens books by Italian writers for 2022 look very different. Eight of the top 10 are by YouTube stars, Giancarli said. Its likely because they are easy to recognize in the bookstore. The 11th bestselling book of 2022 was also unique: backlist author Gianni Rodaris La Luna di Kiev, from Einaudi, with all sales benefitting the Italian Red Cross, which supported relief efforts in Ukraine. BCBF is celebrating Rodaris centenary (which was in 2020, at the height of the pandemic) with an exhibit of original works by 21 Italian illustrators, including Bruno Munari and Emanuele Luzzati, as well as contemporary artists.

McEvoy Group president Jack Jensen summed up the upbeat mood in saying, What could be better than early spring in Bologna? The fair is well attended and vibrant, no one is moaning about books not selling, people have smiles on their faces and are having fun.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  Purdue Global Chancellor Frank Dooley was elected to the American Council on Education (ACE) board of directors on Thursday (March 2). Dooleys term will begin after the spring board meeting in April.

Dooley, who assumed the role of chancellor in May 2020, was a key leader of the Purdue University team that secured the regulatory approvals and helped launch Purdue Global in 2018, extending Purdues land-grant mission to students from across the state and around the nation.

Dooley also is a member of the Presidents Forum governing board.

Before becoming Purdue Globals chancellor, Dooley served as senior vice provost for teaching and learning at Purdue University, where he earned an international reputation as being a gifted and innovative teacher, as well as a creative researcher.

Dooley joined the Provosts Office in 2011, becoming vice provost in 2014. He provided leadership for undergraduate education, including curriculum governance, academic policy development and general academic program implementation. He promoted and supported efforts to increase student success (retention, persistence and graduation) while maintaining Purdues reputation for academic rigor.

He came to Purdue in 1998 in the Department of Agricultural Economics. He has served as professor of agricultural economics, associate head of the department, Provost Fellow, associate vice provost for undergraduate academic affairs and vice provost for teaching and learning.

Dooley has received numerous awards for teaching, research and service, including the Charles B. Murphy Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award in 2009, Purdues highest award for teaching. He was inducted into Purdues Teaching Academy in 2002 and into the universitys Book of Great Teachers in 2014. He was selected as a recipient of the EDGE Commendation for Innovation in Undergraduate Education by The Gardner Institute in 2021.

Dooley received his bachelors degree from St. Johns University, his Juris Doctor from the University of North Dakota and his doctoral degree from Washington State University.

About Purdue Global

Purdue Global delivers personalized online education tailored to the unique needs of adults who have work or life experience beyond the classroom, enabling them to develop essential academic and professional skills with the support and flexibility they need to achieve their career goals. It offers personalized paths for students to earn an associate, bachelors, masters or doctoral degree, based on their work experience, desired pace, military service, previous college credits and other considerations  no matter where they are in their life journey. Purdue Global is a nonprofit, public university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. It is affiliated with Purdue Universitys flagship institution, a highly ranked public research university located in West Lafayette, Indiana. Purdue University also operates regional campuses in Fort Wayne and Northwest Indiana, as well as serving science, engineering and technology students at the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus. For more information, visit https://stories.purdue.edu/purdue-global/.

About ACE

ACE is a membership organization that mobilizes the higher education community to shape effective public policy and foster innovative, high-quality practice. As the major coordinating body for the nations colleges and universities, our strength lies in our diverse membership of more than 1,700 colleges and universities, related associations, and other organizations in America and abroad. ACE is the only major higher education association to represent all types of U.S. accredited, degree-granting institutions: two-year and four-year, public and private. For more information, please visit www.acenet.edu or follow ACE on Twitter @ACEducation.

Writer: Tom Schott, tschott@purdue.edu

Media contact: Matthew Oates, 765-496-6160, oatesw@purdue.edu, @mo_oates

ACE media contact: Jon Riskind, jriskind@acenet.edu

Source: Frank Dooley
Over-the-top (OTT) TV episode and film revenues for 19 Latin American countries will increase by $7 billion between 2022 and 2028 to reach $16 billion, with both advertising and subscription video-on-demand (AVOD, SVOD) to each add $3 billion over this period says Digital TV Research.

The Latin America OTT TV and Video Forecasts report notes that the SVOD industry will remain the regions largest OTT revenue source, contributing $9.7 billion by 2028  double the the total derived from AVOD services.Five platforms are forecast to account for two-thirds of the regions OTT revenues by 2028. Digital TV Research expects that Netflix, Disney+ , HBO and Paramount (pictured) will all start hybrid AVOD-SVOD platforms in the short term and that the AVOD element of these hybrid offers will significantly boost revenues for these platforms as SVOD growth falters.Looking regionally, the Latin America OTT TV and Video Forecasts report sees Brazil and Mexico combined as providing 64% of the regions revenues in 2028. Brazil is set to add $2.9 billion and Mexico $1.6 billion.
Taking place in Johannesburg, original drama Adulting from South Africas iEmmy-nominated Tshedza Pictures, is set in the parallel universes of four varsity friends. Their strong bond has held them together even as their journeys in life have taken them in very different directions. Theirs is the bromance of the decade.Thembinkosi Mthembu stars as successful businessman Bonga, with Luthando BU Mthembu as toy-boy Vuyani, Thabiso Rammutsi as cheating family man Mpho and Nhanhla Kunene as hot-headed bad-boy Eric.Showmax Original Stella Murders is a true-crime documentary that investigates the 2018 murders of two girls at Stella High School in North West, South Africa. It investigates the deaths of best friends Sharnelle Hough (17) and Marna Engelbrecht (16) at their hostel. Home to just over 4 000 people, Stella is a small, quiet cattle-farming dorpie near Vryburg in North West. In such a close-knit community, danger is expected to come from the outside, says clinical psychologist Elmarie Claassens in the trailer. But the thing about danger is: it doesnt come exclusively from the outside.On Saturday morning, 26 May 2018, Sharnelle was found hanged by the staircase and Marna was discovered in a bathroom, with both deaths initially looking like suicides. The 90-minute documentary features interviews with Ronnie and Sonja Hough, Sharnelles parents; Stefaans, Rianet, and Riane Engelbrecht, Marnas father, mother and sister; Captain Zagaries Human, the Stella South African Police Services station commander; Captain Markus Ferreira, the investigating officer; private investigator Chris Saunders; and Advocate Johan Smit, the state prosecutor, now retired.New Ghanaian Showmax Original drama series The Billionaires Wife follows Adepa, a 19-year-old from the slums of Ashaiman who marries an old billionaire with the aim of turning her fortunes around, only to find out that being a billionaires wife is the toughest thing shes ever done.The 45-minute episodes are set in the glamorous, chaotic, unpredictable and scandalous world of the rich and powerful in Accra. Adepa finds herself locked in an endless battle for survival, where backstabbers, schemers and faceless enemies will stop at nothing to prove she is a fraud and a gold digger. The Billionaires Wife is directed and produced respectively by Ad-Visors duo Danny Adotey and Collins Amlalo, known for Akwaaba Magics hit drama Inside Out.Also on the slate is Sex & Pleasure . Hosted by writer Kim Windvogel and journalist Romantha Botha, Sex & Pleasure will take a broader view of what South Africans get up to behind closed doors, and, well, everywhere else too. Each episode will explore the subject in relation to a different topic: sex work, parenting, love, drugs, orgasm, disability, age, and spirituality.Kim and Romantha co-wrote and conceptualised Sex & Pleasure with director Ayanda Duma, who was also a producer on the South African leg of Planet Sex with Cara Delevigne. SAFTA winner IdeaCandy (Steinheist, Devilsdorp) is producing the eight-part series, which includes motion graphics by Mbali Hlatshwayo
To be directed by award-winning director Vinay Waikul and written by Sambit Mishra, the second season will once again witness the return of Sonali Bendre, Jaideep Ahlawat and Shriya Pilgaonkar as they reprise their roles as the ever so popular journalists from season one which showed the battle between truth and sensationalism.The upcoming season will continue to capture the lives, lies, loves and struggles of journalists and their battle between truth and sensationalism. With the lead cast returning to their roles, the upcoming chapter marks the homecoming of characters that struck a chord with viewers. Unfolding the inner workings of journalism, this newsroom drama will continue the reality behind daily news  the business and the politics of it and the behind-the-scenes action as these journalists try to balance work, ambition and integrity, amid the never-ending pressure to deliver breaking news.Announcing the second season, Archana Anand, chief business officer, ZEE5 Global said: The Broken News received an overwhelming response across the globe as it immersed viewers in the ever-evolving battle between truth and sensationalism in news. ZEE5 Global is now proud to present an all-new chapter of the show that captures the adrenaline rush of journalism. Staying true to our commitment to bring our viewers the most engaging and real stories on ZEE5 Global, we look forward to this new season of The Broken News continuing to strike a strong chord with our global audiences.We are excited to announce the second season of The Broken News after the tremendous love for its first season and were delighted to see the return of this show helmed by Vinay Waikul and the brilliant lead cast Sonali Bendre, Jaideep Ahlawat and Shriya Pilgaonkar, added Sameer Gogate, general manager  BBC Studios India.The first season is best remembered for the wonderful performances of the actors, who enlivened the newsroom drama, and its success is a testimony to the strength of our formats that resonate across cultures. We hope the audience will welcome the upcoming season and immerse themselves in the captivating cycle of TV news journalism.The original UK series, titled Press, was created and written by award-winning writer Mike Bartlett and is a Lookout Point, BBC Studios and Deep Indigo production, co-produced with Masterpiece. It aired on both BBC One in the UK and on PBS Masterpiece in the US in 2018, with the original series set in a print newsroom rather than a TV newsroom
It was reported in the New York Times the week before last that the U.S. hedge funds at the top of the proverbial heap had reaped gains for their owners of over $22 billion in 2022. Contrast the previous number with losses in the total hedge fund space that exceeded $200 billion.

That billionaire is so often associated with hedge funds in the popular imagination speaks to how few there are relative to the total amount of hedge fund managers. That billions can be made is a reminder that many billions more can be lost. We hear a lot about the vital few in the hedge fund space, but comparatively very little about the silent, 99%+ majority who fail in their pursuit of billions. Theres cause for optimism in this truth.

The actual, empirical reality about how incredibly difficult it is to succeed in hedge funds is what should have us seeing the future of finance in a positive light, and also the economy in general. While the pundit class would have us believe that the future is bleak thanks to so many money managers allegedly embracing ESG over returns, its the desire among all money managers to be elite that reminds us we perhaps dont have much to worry about.

So what is ESG? In short, its a desire within companies to expand the definition of success beyond simple profits. ESG-driven companies are said to factor environmental and societal aims beyond mere profits. Notable here is that some of the largest money managers in the world, including BlackRock, are making ESG a key consideration in how they allocate capital across companies.

These developments understandably have some in our midst worried. What does it mean for the U.S. economy and future prosperity if profits take a backseat to theories about global warming, along with gauzy notions of woke, social justice, and other ideas that have nothing to do with profits? Worse, what will businesses and investors distracted by feel-good notions of governance mean for a nation populated by 401(k) owners? If profits take a backseat to woke capitalism, well all lose. True enough.

To be clear, ESG is on its face rather nonsensical. Businesses are owned by shareholders, and there wont be shareholders if businesses and investors place their political views above those of investors in pursuit of returns.

At the same time the acquisition of talented employees has everything to do with making money for shareholders. Since people power progress and prosperity, its perhaps understandable that corporations in a constant war for talent might embrace what, at least on its face, doesnt naturally correlate with creating wealth for shareholders.

Which hopefully helps explain the increasingly sanctimonious pose among gargantuan money managers like BlackRock. They can embrace ESG as a way of luring talent inside BlackRocks headquarters, but they can also embrace it simply because companies focused on ESG are attractive to talented individuals. Think about it.

Once again, the first glance notion of ESG is properly negative precisely because it has everything to do with feel-good notions, and little to do with success. Except that company CEOs are in that position because they're expected to oversee rising share prices. A failure to do so will speed up their exit. Which seems to suggest that they embrace whats inimical to profits on the surface in order to attract the talent that once again makes profits possible.

Whats true for corporations is similarly true for money managers. Anyone who has spent any time on Wall Street understands this truth well. Hedge fund managers and portfolio managers are among the most competitive people on this earth. The very notion that they would sacrifice returns in pursuit of feel-good truly beggars belief. That is so because managers who oversee subpar returns are soon enough not managers, and theyre surely not on the path to billionaire status.

So while ESG is yet again on its face an assault of common sense, common sense similarly requires us to think deeply about the incentives that drive company CEOs and the investors who back them with capital. Were talking about incredibly competitive people, which is a reminder that the ESG we fear in theory will prove rather meek in reality.
In Brief

The Philippine coast guard issued a statement on Feb. 13 accusing China of firing military lasers at one of their ships near Ayungin Shoal (known as Renai Reef in China and Second Thomas Shoal in the U.S.), causing temporary blindness to the crew. Both China and the Philippines claim the shoal as their own territory and accuse each other of violating the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Asia Fact Check Lab (AFCL) found that Chinas misleading claims of sovereignty are purely political. A 2016 case in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) defined the shoal as a low-tide elevation, a terrain feature which under UNCLOS cannot be claimed by any sovereign jurisdiction.

A Chinese Coast Guard ship allegedly aims a green laser at a Philippine Coast Guard ship.





In Depth

Who attacked whom?

On Feb. 6, a Chinese Coast Guard ship about 10 nautical miles from Ayungin fired two green lasers at a PCG ship replenishing a nearby Sierra Madre landing craft. The lasers temporarily blinded several Philippine crew members, with the Chinese ship approaching within 150 yards of the Philippine ships starboard at one point.

The Philippine government believes that the Chinese Coast Guard blatantly ignored and violated the sovereignty of the Philippines by attempting to obstruct the transport of supplies. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin responded by stating that Philippine ships had trespassed in the waters of Ayungin Shoal  which China claims sovereignty over as part of larger territorial claims to the Spratly Islands  and that the Chinese ship defended Chinese sovereignty in accordance with domestic law and UNCLOS.

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs issued a press release on Feb. 14, condemning China's encroachment on Philippine economic waters and calling on China to comply with UNCLOS and the ruling of the 2016 ICJ South China Sea arbitration.

Did the South China Sea case settle the dispute over Ayungin Shoal?

Due to the South China Seas rich oil reserves and important shipping routes between the Pacific and Indian oceans, competing sovereign claims over certain maritime features in the region have repeatedly blown up into international disputes.

In the 2013 South China Sea arbitration case held by the ICJ, the Philippines requested clarification on whether certain maritime features claimed separately by China and the Philippines  including Ayungin Shoal - were islands, rocks or low tide elevations. Each of these terms is defined as a different type of maritime feature by UNCLOS, and each grants different territorial rights to the controlling sovereign state. These territories are broadly divided into territorial waters which are fully under the controlling states jurisdiction, exclusive economic zones (EEZ) where the controlling state enjoys special rights on resource extraction in the water.

The ICJ finally ruled that the Ayungin Shoal  along with three other contentious maritime features  is a low tide elevation, which under UNCLOS does not confer either territorial seas or an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to the controlling country.

The ICJ further ruled that the shoal is part of the Philippines EEZ, declaring that Chinas obstruction of Filipino fishermen and oil extraction, construction of artificial islands and interception of Philippine ships all violate the Philippines sovereign rights. UNCLOS only permits ships to pass freely through another countrys EEZ, not to conduct law enforcement operations within it, noted Song Chengen, an Oxford University doctoral candidate and scholar of international law.

Must China obey the South China Sea ruling?

While both countries are signatories to the UNCLOS, China refused to participate in the South China Sea arbitration proposed in 2013 and has repeatedly asserted that the ruling in the Philippines favor is invalid and non-binding.

The Chinese government has claimed sovereignty over most of the Spratly islands since 1953, publishing various documents since then which list the islands within its territory (1, 2) and resolutely denying the legitimacy of the ICJ ruling on the South China Sea, which Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian called, a complete political, farce concocted by the United States.

U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price called on China to comply with the ICJ ruling at a press conference on Feb. 14, noting that the U.S. stands behind the Philippines and affirms that the ICJ decision ought to be legally binding on both parties.

The International Court of Justice ruled that Ayungin Shoal is within the Philippines Exclusive Economic Zone.





Conclusion

Chinese claims of sovereignty over the Ayungin Shoal and subsequent accusations that Philippine Coast Guard ships were trespassing the Shoals outlying waters are misleading.

AFCL found that neither the Ayungin Shoal nor the surrounding 12 nautical miles of territorial waters can be claimed as sovereign territory by either China or the Philippines, and that the shoal still falls within the Philippines exclusive economic zone.

Asia Fact Check Lab (AFCL) is a new branch of Radio Free Asia, established to counter disinformation in todays complex media environment. Our journalists publish both daily and special reports that aim to sharpen and deepen our readers understanding of public issues.
The military budget is just over a quarter of planned US spending this year.

Military delegates arrive to attend the opening session of China's National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, March 5, 2023

Beijing plans to expand its military spending this year by 7.2%  the highest rate since 2019  amid rising tensions with the United States in the Indo-Pacific and over Taiwan.

It was announced at the opening of the annual gathering of Chinas National Peoples Congress that the military budget this year would reach about U.S.$225 billion.

It is still much smaller than the U.S. defense expenditure which stood at U.S.$801 billion in 2021, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

Outgoing premier Li Keqiang, in probably his final government work report, said that external attempts to suppress and contain China are escalating.

The army should carry out military operations, boost combat preparedness and enhance military capabilities so as to accomplish the tasks entrusted to them by the Party and the people, Li said.

This years growth rate of 7.2% is only slightly higher than last years rate of 7.1% but it still follows an upward trend.

Meanwhile the projected growth rate of Chinas economy is set at just around in 2023.

COVID-19 and other domestic and international factors had affected the countrys economy beyond our expectations, said the premier, who is expected to step down at the Congress.

In 2022, Chinas gross domestic product (GDP) grew just 3%, far below the governments 5.5% target.

Focus on Taiwan

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) will celebrate its centenary in 2027. Its goals include the modernization of national defense and the armed forces by 2035, and the transformation of the armed forces into world-class forces by the mid-21st century.

China has boosted its military expenditure over the last two decades, from just U.S.$33 billion in 2003 to the current level.

"The increase in defense spending is needed for meeting the complex security challenges and for China to fulfill its responsibilities as a major country, Wang Chao, a National People's Congress spokesperson, told reporters in Beijing.

China's defense spending, as a share of GDP, has stayed basically stable for many years and it is lower than the world average. An increase is appropriate and reasonable," Wang said.

The U.S. Congress in December approved an 8% increase in the defense budget to U.S.$858 billion.

Taiwanese ground crew attach a missile to the wing of an F-16 jet fighter at Air Force base in Chiayi, southwestern Taiwan, Jan. 6, 2023. Credit: Taiwan Presidential Office via AP

Taiwan remains one of the main points of tension between Beijing and Washington, with the latter continuing to provide support and arms sales to the democratic island that China vows to reunify.

Just last week, the U.S. State Department approved a U.S.$619 million deal to sell missiles to Taiwan.

Since 2019, the U.S. has approved more than U.S.$20 billion in sales of military aircraft and weapons to Taipei in order to help the island build a strong deterrence against threats from China.

Our assessment is  that deterrence is real, deterrence is strong, and we're doing everything we can to make sure it stays that way tomorrow and into the future, said Ely Ratner, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs at an event last week.

Speaking to an audience at Hudson Institute, a conservative think tank in Washington D.C., Ratner said that China is the only country with the capability and the intent in essentially overthrowing the international order as we know it in a way that runs directly counter to vital U.S. national interests.

The U.S. is working with allies and partners to ensure that that kind of coercion and aggression doesn't succeed, the senior official said.

A Chinese invasion of Taiwan will not take place by the end of the decade, he argued, because the costs of aggression remain unacceptably high to Beijing.

Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Ely Ratner at the event at the Hudson Institute, March 2, 2023. Credit: Screenshot from event video

Meanwhile a U.S. Senator has warned that if Taiwan falls to China, it may cost the global economy U.S.$2.5 trillion per year.

Senator Dan Sullivan was speaking at another event at the Hudson Institute titled "A Test of Will: Why Taiwan Matters" on Thursday.

We all know Taiwan dominates the production of the world's most advanced semiconductors, he said, In fact, Taiwan is home to 92% of the most advanced semiconductor production in the world.

Imagine what that would do with regard to the U.S. and global economy if the most advanced chips in the world were not only taken offline, but possibly in the control of one of our biggest adversaries, the Republican senator said, adding that many of the U.S. weapon systems, F-35 aircraft, radars and advanced missile defense capabilities rely on these chips.
Wang Li says she is on the edge of a breakdown after being threatened by officials, followed by security guards.

Wang Li, wife of jailed dissident poet Wang Zang, says she and her children [shown] are under 24-hour surveillance by men who follow her wherever she goes.

Chinese police in the southwestern province of Yunnan have slapped a gag order, travel ban and round-the-clock surveillance on the wife and children of jailed dissident poet Wang Zang as part of a nationwide stability maintenance operation during the National People's Congress in Beijing, Radio Free Asia has learned.

Wang's wife Wang Li, who was sentenced alongside her husband for subversion in December 2021, but who was released after serving a shorter jail term, said she and her family are currently under round-the-clock surveillance by a 24-person security detail, who follow her wherever she goes, including to buy groceries and take the couple's children to school.

To start with, there were 12 people ... working four shifts, with three people per shift, Wang, who expressed concerns for her mental health, told RFA on Monday.

They were changing shifts as I was taking my kids to school in the morning [last week], and I took some video and posted it online, she said. On the third morning, they increased the numbers from 12 to 24, with six guards working each shift.

Chinese security personnel in Chuxiong municipality, Yunnan province, China, follow Wang Li, the wife of jailed dissident poet Wang Zang, last week. Credit: @0530Wlq Twitter

The ongoing surveillance of Wang Li and the couple's children despite her release from prison at the end of her shorter sentence comes amid a nationwide mobilization of law enforcement agencies as part of Chinas stability maintenance program, which aims to nip any form of public protest or criticism of the government in the bud during key political events or political sensitive dates in the calendar.

Wang Zang and Wang Li were both jailed behind closed doors by the Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture Intermediate People's Court, which found them guilty of incitement to subvert state power after they gave interviews to foreign media organizations.

Followed everywhere

Wang Li said she had gotten a visit on Sunday from the deputy mayor of her hometown of Donggua and the head of the township judicial affairs bureau, who warned her not to leave the general area of Chuxiong municipality, and put pressure on her to take down the video clip she had posted earlier.

They told me that the consequences of doing stuff like that would be very bad indeed, Wang said. [They said] it wouldn't do me, my family or my kids any good at all.

I feel like I'm under a lot of pressure right now, she said.

They follow me wherever I go, just tag along wherever, Wang said. If I go to the bathroom, they wait for me outside the women's toilets.

Whenever I come out of a shop, one of them goes inside that shop -- I dont know what theyre doing, she said. Im really on the edge of a breakdown.

One of Wang Lis guards declined to comment when contacted by RFA on Monday.

Youve got the wrong number, the guard said. Wrong number.

Further calls to the same number rang unanswered after that.

Repeated calls to local state security police officer He Guoqing rang unanswered during office hours on Monday.

A call to the deputy mayor of Donggua township was answered, but nobody spoke.

Wang Li and her husband, jailed poet Wang Zang, are seen in an undated photo. Credit: @0530Wlq Twitter





Wang Zang and Wang Li previously lived at Beijings Songzhuang artists village, and had been targeted with repeated forced evictions for showing online support for the 2014 Occupy Central pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong.

Wang Li had several episodes of mental illness as a result of the evictions, including a spell in a psychiatric hospital and reported suicidal thoughts, friends told RFA at the time.

Beijing-based housing rights activist Ni Yulan said Wang Li has been left providing and caring for four children while Wang Zang is in prison.

The fact that they resorted to threats to get Wang Li to delete video showing her current situation shows that they are the culpable ones, Ni said.

What is their ulterior motive here?

Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Matt Reed.
Change.org says it hasnt detected any leaks, so how did state security police know a users email address?

Chinese state security police appeared to know the email address she had used to sign the petition already, as well as other email addresses she had used, Ning Ning said.

Chinese state security police recently targeted a U.S.-based Chinese national after she signed a petition critical of Communist Party leader Xi Jinping on Change.org, raising questions over how they managed to get hold of her personal details, Radio Free Asia has learned.

A U.S.-based Chinese woman who gave only the nickname Ning Ning said she had recently received a late-night phone call from her father back in China, asking her to confirm whether a signature on a Change.org petition was hers.

The state security police had come visiting, and my dad was repeating the [text on the petition] website back to me, asking me if it was me who signed, Ning Ning said.

They knew it was me because I had to fill out some personal details [for the petition], she said.

Ning Nings revelations come as governments around the world scramble to assess the degree to which Beijing has managed to infiltrate and exert influence on foreign soil, particularly through the use of overseas police service stations, which have been shut down in a number of locations worldwide in recent months.

Video call from state security

State security police also wanted Ning Ning to provide all of the registration details she gave to Change.org, and to accept a video call from them, so they could see her logging onto the website, she said.

The state security police appeared to know the email address she had used to sign the petition already, as well as other email addresses she had previously used there, Ning Ning said.

They knew my account details and asked me to share my screen with them, and they also searched for my accounts on other social media, she said. They then asked me if the accounts were mine or not, and what sort of things I had posted there.

Change.org currently hosts more than 9,000 petitions containing the keyword China in English, according to a brief search of the site. Credit: RFA screenshot





Ning said she was being targeted because the petition she signed contained wording critical of ruling Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping, which elevated the matter to a major national security incident, according to the state security police she spoke to.

Repeated calls to the local police department in the district where Ning Nings family lives rang unanswered during office hours on March 3.

Change.org currently hosts more than 9,000 petitions containing the keyword China in English, the majority of which have to do with animal protection issues, according to a brief search of the site.

It is entirely possible to withhold a person's real name on the site, and only have a nickname displayed publicly, raising questions about how Chinese state security police were able to access private information on users of Change.org.

Its pretty scary, as if the state security police can see in real time who is logging onto that website with what email address, Ning Ning said. How can they know about these email addresses?

A spokesperson for Change.org, which is blocked by China's Great Firewall of internet censorship, said the companys cybersecurity team had recently reviewed the data privacy and information security agreements relating to people who sign international petitions and found no signs of leaks or system vulnerabilities.

Former Sina Weibo censor Liu Lipeng said China-based hackers could have targeted Change.org, or police could have somehow gotten their hands on leaked data from the site, however.

The fact that the Chinese authorities were able to go straight to her family and ask them to get her to take something down tells us clearly that they saw her email address, Liu said. The police have already made it totally clear that this was a leak from Change.org.

But how did they then link her email to her real name? he said. That is still an open question.

But the fact that they knew the email address shows that this is definitely something leaked from that website.

Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Matt Reed.
Government development and industrial concessions have also contributed to forest losses.

Villagers have cleared trees from the land for rice farming in northern Laos in October 2021 Credit: Citizen journalist

Illegal logging, concessions to private developers and agricultural encroachment on forest lands are jeopardizing Laoss goal of achieving 70% forest cover density by 2035.

Thats according to a recent survey by Laoss Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, which pointed to an increase in illegal logging in the country.

From 2001 to 2021, Laos lost nearly 21% of its tree cover, according to Global Forest Watch.

Villagers illegally cut down trees in the Pakkading district of Bolikhamsai province in Laos in August 2015. Credit: RFA/TS





One official from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Laoss Xaysomboun province blamed local ethnic minority communities, who they accused of using protected forest lands for agricultural purposes.

Sometimes [ethnic minority villagers] cut trees to sell to lumber companies as part of their income, he told RFA.

Hills are stripped of trees for rice farming in Oudomxay province, Laos in November 2015. Credit: RFA/TS





But another official from the same ministrys Xayabury office said the decrease in forest density is due to government concessions to foreign development projects around dam construction and mine exploration.

Preserved forests in the country are destroyed by government concession projects, he said.

Authorities allocated land to 306 projects that covered over 610,000 hectares across the country between 2013 and 2022, according to Som Phone Keohavong, a forest inspection leader from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. That has resulted in a decrease in forest density in Laos to 68%, or about 14.7 million hectares of forest land, he said.

This development stripped trees from this mountain in northern Laos, Oct. 10, 2022. Credit: RFA





Companies are encroaching on forest land a lot  cutting down trees in forests that are legally protected from logging, one villager in Laoss Attapeu province told RFA on condition on anonymity, like others in this report. Cattle that local villagers rely on have no land left for grazing as a result of deforestation.

He blamed the increase on Lao authorities granting more land contracts to foreign investors, giving them concessions for large plots of lands to be used for industrial farming projects that replace critical forest cover.

Translated by Sidney Khotpanya. Edited by Nawar Nemeh and Matt Reed.
The site of the land mine explosion in Indaw town center, Sagaing region on March 3, 2023.

Junta troops have been rounding up civilians in Myanmars northern Sagaing region in the hunt for supporters of anti-regime militias after a mine blast that killed two Peoples Defense Force Members.

Three of the 22 civilians were released Sunday, leaving 19 in custody including three civil defense movement teachers, according to a spokesman for the local defense force.

The arrests follow the capture of two Peoples Defense Force members in Indaw township on Friday after the mine blast hit a police vehicle escorted by military soldiers in Indaw town center.

Troops are patrolling most of the areas and market places in town by vehicle, said a local who requested anonymity. The two boys who triggered the mine died. Two boys who went to see the place where the mine exploded were arrested.

The information officer for the local Peoples Defense Force (PDF) said troops rounded up locals from Friday through Sunday.

On the morning of March 3, two young PDF comrades were arrested, and they keep arresting people accused of being donors [to the PDF], said the spokesperson who declined to be named.

He said the three women  who teach students who dropped out of school to protest the Feb. 1, 2021 military coup  were 44-year-old Aye; 52-year-old Ohn Mar; and 39-year-old Thein Hla from Indaw town.

Locals said that all of the arrested civilians were being interrogated by Indaw-based military infantry battalion 186.

Many of the shops in Indaw town are closed and the streets are silent, according to locals.

RFAs calls to the junta council spokesman for Sagaing region, Aye Hlaing, went unanswered.

Nearly 20,000 civilians have been arrested nationwide, including more than 2,000 from Sagaing region, in the 25 months since the coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.
The UN Human Rights Office calls for urgent, concrete action to end a humanitarian crisis in the country.

Bodies are piled on a cart after being discovered then collected in Nyaung Yin village, Myinmu township in the Sagaing region of Myanmar, March 2, 2023. Soldiers in Myanmar rampaged through several villages, raping, beheading and killing people, residents said.

Nearly four out of every five townships in Myanmar has been impacted by conflict in the two years since the military coup, according to the United Nations, prompting calls by civil society for immediate action to end the juntas crimes against its own citizens.

A new report published on Friday found that 255 of Myanmars 330 townships, or nearly 80%, had been impacted by armed clashes between the military and anti-junta forces between Jan. 31, 2023, and the Feb. 1, 2021, takeover as the regimes generals have embarked on a scorched earth policy in an attempt to stamp out opposition, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said in a statement accompanying the findings.

Tragically, regional and global efforts for peace and restraint have largely fallen on deaf ears, Turk said.

The military, emboldened by continuous and absolute impunity, has consistently shown disregard for international obligations and principles, he said. Urgent, concrete action is needed to end this festering catastrophe.

Kone Ywar village, Yinmarbin township, in Myanmars Sagaing region is seen Nov. 17, 2020 [left] and March 4, 2023. The second image was taken days after junta troops torched the village. Credit: Google Earth CNES/Airbus [left] and Planet Labs

The report documents a long list of human rights violations from Feb. 1, 2022, to Jan. 31, 2023, alone amid what it said was a sharp rise in violence over the past year  particularly in the countrys northwestern and southeastern regions.

It cited credible sources as having confirmed the militarys killing of at least 2,940 civilians and arrest of 17,572 others since the coup. The Assistance Association of Political Prisoners (Burma), an NGO based in Thailand, puts the numbers higher, with at least 3,110 killed and 20,167 arrested.

Central to the militarys impact on Myanmars civilian population is its so-called Four-cuts approach against the armed resistance, the report found. This included indiscriminate airstrikes and shelling, razing of villages, and denial of humanitarian access as part of a bid to cut off anti-junta forces from access to food, finances, intelligence and recruits.

The military launched 301 airstrikes in 2022, compared to 125 a year earlier, fired heavy artillery shells 756 times, compared to 376 times in 2021, and burned civilian villages 1,355 times  a staggering five-fold increase from its 282 arson attacks the prior year.

The report singled out the systematic and widespread burning of villages and dwellings as one of the militarys most frequently used tactics, noting that nearly 39,000 houses across the country have been burnt or destroyed by junta troops since February 2022 alone  a more than 1,000-fold increase from a year earlier.

Of the countrys regions, Sagaing was the most affected, with more than 25,500 homes destroyed by military arson, the U.N. said. The military razed nearly the entire village of Ah Shey See in Sagaings Kale township, burning 621 structures to the ground, the report found, based on an analysis of satellite imagery.

Civilians in the crosshairs

The militarys indiscriminate airstrikes do more harm to the civilian population than its enemies, the commander of an anti-junta Peoples Defense Force paramilitary group in Chin states Kanpetlet township told RFA Burmese, speaking on condition of anonymity out of security concerns.

The military airstrikes target our bases but they often misfire and hit civilian populations, causing the people to suffer, he said.

A resident of Kawkareik township in southeastern Myanmars Kayin state told RFA that not even civilians who flee attacks on their villages are safe from the military.

People fleeing to the jungle have no shelter and have to live with what little they can carry, under [makeshift] roofs made of leaves, said the resident. The military troops still target and shoot at them, as if [the shelters are] an enemy base.

The U.N. report also documented at least 24 mass killings by junta troops of five people or more in 2022 alone.

The reported increase in the targeting of civilians comes despite numerous claims by junta Deputy Information Minister Major Gen. Zaw Min Tun during interviews with RFA that the military does not target noncombatants or commit arson attacks.

Meanwhile, Myanmars economy has foundered as the result of military mismanagement, doubling the countrys poverty rates from March 2020.

The U.N. Human Rights Office said in its report that nearly half of the population now lives in poverty, while rural populations risk starvation amid military restrictions in conflict zones. Some 17.6 million people are being denied access to crucial humanitarian aid, it said.

Junta troops torched Kone Ywar village, Yinmarbin township, in Myanmars Sagaing region on March 1, 2023. When the flames finally died down by Wednesday morning, they methodically set fire to whatever was left standing. Credit: Citizen journalist

Commissioner Turk accused the military of creating a perpetual human rights crisis in Myanmar since the coup.

Across Myanmar, people are continuously exposed to violations and crimes, including killings, enforced disappearances, displacement, torture, arbitrary arrests, and sexual violence, he said.

There are reasonable grounds to believe that the military and its affiliated militias continue to be responsible for most violations, some of which may constitute crimes against humanity and war crimes.

The U.N. report called for an immediate halt to the violence in Myanmar, the release of those arbitrarily detained, accountability, and unhindered humanitarian access.

Call for immediate action

Speaking to RFA, Nay Phone Latt, the spokesperson for the office of shadow National Unity Government Prime Minister Duwa Lashi La, welcomed the U.N. report, but called for immediate and concrete action to stop the junta.

This is a situation where tens of people are killed by the junta every day, and their homes and property are being destroyed on a daily basis, as well, he said.

Time is of the essence. The longer action is delayed, the more innocent civilians will suffer. Thats why we need to determine the root causes, choose the right methods to deal with them, and implement them quickly.

Kyaw Win, director of the Burma Human Rights Network told RFA that the militarys human rights violations do more than constitute crimes against humanity, calling them even worse than what is documented in the U.N. report.

What the Myanmar military is carrying out are crimes against humanity  because it has systematically committed such crimes everywhere using the same pattern and methods, he said.

Other sources said they were unsurprised by the U.N.s findings, noting that the military has become increasingly brutal over the two years since the coup.

If such atrocities continue to happen every month, the people will be in serious trouble, said a member of the PDF in Sagaings Wetlet township, who also declined to be named. The international community must join together to overthrow the military regime as soon as possible.

Translated by Myo Min Aung. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster.
Chinese authorities in Tibet arrested a woman for contacting Tibetans outside the western autonomous region amid an increase in surveillance and security searches before a politically sensitive anniversary, a Tibetan with knowledge of the situation said.

Police arrested Yangtso, 23, from the town of Shigatse on March 2, after checking her cell phone and seeing that she contacted and sent photos to people outside the Tibet Autonomous Region.

She is being detained at the local police station of Namling county, said a Tibetan living in exile, who declined to be identified so as to speak freely about the matter.

Yangtsos family members have no contact with her at the moment, the source said.

China rules Tibet with an iron grip, closely monitoring and restricting Tibetans political activities and expressions of cultural and religious identity.

The crackdown is intensifying in the run-up to March 10, known as Tibetan Uprising Day, which commemorates the uprising of 1959 during which tens of thousands of Tibetans took to the streets of the regional capital Lhasa in protest against Chinas invasion and occupation of their homeland a decade earlier.

The failure of the armed rebellion resulted in a violent clampdown on Tibetan independence movements, and the flight of the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, and many Tibetans into exile in Dharamsala, India.

As the March 10 anniversary is approaching, there is high-alert scrutiny and random interrogations in place all over Lhasa and Shigatse, said the Tibetan who lives in exile. Everyone must carry their identity cards, and police are checking cell phones.

Yangtso worked in a restaurant called Gang-ri in Shigatse city, according to an article in the Tibet Times, a Tibetan-language newspaper published in Dharamsala, residence of the Dalai Lama and the seat of the Tibetan government in exile.

Tibetans accuse Chinese authorities of violating their human rights and trying to eradicate their religious, linguistic and cultural identity.

Chinese authorities have cracked down on Tibetans during Losar, the Tibetan Buddhist New Year celebrated Feb. 20-26 this year, with cellphone checks and raids in Lhasa, Shigatse and Chamdo, sources told RFA in an earlier report.

Before the holiday, authorities warned against holding events that could endanger national security and said they would take immediate action against them.

Translated by Tenzin Dickyi for RFA Tibetan. Edited by Roseanne Gerin and Malcolm Foster.
KYIV -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called for "effective security guarantees for Ukraine" immediately, even as rescue work continues following a Russian air strike in the Donetsk region city of Slovyansk that left at least 11 civilians dead.

In his nightly video address on April 15, Zelenskiy said he had held a 90-minute phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron during which the two leaders affirmed "those principles that unite our entire anti-war coalition," including that Russia must withdraw from all Ukrainian territory, that all points of the UN Charter must be enforced, and that "none of Russia's violations of international law can be ignored."

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensives, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

"It is upon such principles that security and peace will be restored in international relations," Zelenskiy said.

He urged NATO leaders to extend "effective security guarantees for Ukraine" ahead of the NATO summit in Vilnius in July, "even before we join the alliance." Ukraine in September asked NATO to consider it for an accelerated membership path.

Speaking at a Black Sea regional security conference in Bucharest on April 15, Defense Minister Oleksiy Resnikov called on the international community to seize "the strategic initiative and be ready to act quickly and preemptively" in the face of security threats.

Such an approach, he said, "will be the best sobering factor for any aggressor." He also called for a "system of guarantees" that he said could curb "the desire of the Russian Federation to solve things by force."

In his video address, Zelenskiy said over 50 buildings had been damaged or destroyed in the Slovyansk air strike on April 14 and that "there are still bodies" under the rubble. One of the victims was an "boy born in 2021," he said. At least 23 people were reportedly injured in the attack.

"None of those who are guilty of this aggression can be forgiven or forgotten," he concluded.

WATCH: Both Slovyansk and neighboring Kramatorsk are facing intensified attacks by Russian invading forces, currently bogged down in nearby Bakhmut, which they have tried to seize for months, taking heavy casualties but advancing slowly.

The Ukrainian military on April 16 reported more than 60 Russian attacks along the contested front around the Donetsk region city of Bakhmut, which has seen the most intense fighting of the war over the past several months.

The Russian Defense Ministry said Wagner units had seized two additional city blocks in northwest and southeastern Bakhmut. The report could not immediately be verified.

The claims come as Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Kremlin-connected businessman who controls Wagner, said that a long conflict in Ukraine could lead to the dissolution of Russia.

In a statement on Telegram, Prigozhin urged Moscow to declare its goals in Ukraine "achieved" and bring an end to the fighting there. Prigozhin wrote that "many of those who yesterday supported the special operation today either have doubts or are categorically opposed to what is happening."

The Ukrainian General Staff, in its daily briefing, reported there also were attacks in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhya areas.

The military administration in the Zaporizhzhya region reported a "massive attack" overnight that damaged a church in the settlement of Komyshuvakha. The extent of the damage and number of possible casualties was being determined, administration head Yuriy Malashko wrote on Telegram.
Bosnia-Herzegovina's Prosecutor's Office has filed a case against Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik for denial of genocide in the massacre of 8,000 men and boys at Srebrenica in eastern Bosnia in 1995.

According to Bosnian law, the office will conduct an investigation, after which the acting prosecutor will decide whether to file an indictment, officials said on March 6.

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the UN's top judicial authority, the International Court of Justice, each recognized the killings by Bosnian Serb forces commanded by Ratko Mladic at Srebrenica late in the 1992-95 Bosnian war as genocide.

Dodik has on multiple occasions denied genocide since the-then international high representative for Bosnia, Valentin Inzko, imposed the Law on Prohibition of Genocide Denial at the end of July 2021.

"Genocide did not happen there. We all know that here in Republika Srpska," Dodik told a news conference in Banja Luka on February 21.

The following day, the U.S. ambassador to Bosnia issued a scathing condemnation of Dodik's remarks, calling such comments "reprehensible," illegal, and destabilizing.

Ambassador Michael Murphy said in a video statement that Dodik's "repeated attempts to deny the genocide at Srebrenica, as he did again yesterday, cannot change the facts and it cannot change the truth."

"Genocide took place in Srebrenica in 1995," Murphy said.

Some Serbs cite violence and injustices committed against Serbs during that and other conflicts and refuse to acknowledge Srebrenica as anything but another major tragedy in the brutal wars that followed Yugoslavia's breakup.

Dodik was declared the winner after a recount of the election on October 2 to the presidency of Republika Srpska, which along with a Bosniak and Croat Federation comprises Bosnia.

The United States has targeted Dodik with multiple rounds of sanctions over perceived destabilization efforts and alleged corruption.

Dodik has long threatened to seek Republika Srpska's independence from the rest of Bosnia, and rejects the authority of the Office of the High Representative in matters including the ban on genocide denial and glorification of war criminals.

More than 50 people have been sentenced to a combined 700 years in prison for their roles in genocide and war crimes at Srebrenica, including former Bosnian Serb leaders Radovan Karadzic and ex-commander Mladic.
After a year of war in Ukraine, China and Russia have grown closer together in the information space, often parroting each other's talking points across state-owned media as part of a wider strategy to undermine the West, a new report finds.

The yearlong study by the German Marshall Fund's Alliance for Securing Democracy found that messaging by Chinese officials and media evolved following Moscow's February 2022 invasion to provide greater "rhetorical cover for the Kremlin" despite Beijing's official stance as a neutral party in the conflict.



"There has definitely been a pro-Russian convergence, and China has been repeating pro-Russian talking points since the beginning of the war while also downplaying Russian war crimes and giving prominence to Russian voices," Etienne Soula, a research analyst with the Alliance for Securing Democracy and one of the report's authors, told RFE/RL.



Given that growing overlap, the report, issued on February 24, notes that "China's ability to use its own global influence network to undermine the West" gives it a uniquely powerful role to play moving forward in shaping attitudes among nonaligned countries in the Global South.

"To weaken Western democracies and their allies, China also has tried to isolate those countries by appealing to the Global South," the report states. "In the context of the war in Ukraine, Chinese messaging has consistently argued that countries supporting Ukraine are hypocrites and indifferent to the rest of the world."



A Year Of War



China's tightly controlled media have refrained from calling the war an invasion and have instead used the Kremlin terminology, referring to it as a "special military operation." At other times, Chinese outlets have pushed disinformation and conspiracy theories popularized on Russian state-led channels such as that the United States has bioweapons labs in Ukraine and that the extrajudicial killings of civilians by Russian forces in the town of Bucha is a hoax, and have suggested Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is controlled by U.S. billionaire George Soros.



Bolstered by nearly a decade of reports propagating against the West and deepening ties that the countries characterized as a "no limits" partnership prior to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, Chinese state-controlled outlets have helped spread the Kremlin's narrative of the war to their massive audiences at home and abroad.

According to the report's analysis, this stance was borne out across social-media channels.



Between February 24, 2022, and January 23, 2023, Chinese diplomatic and state-affiliated media accounts on Twitter quoted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov "more than three times as often" as Dmytro Kuleba, his Ukrainian counterpart. Russian President Vladimir Putin also received eight times more mentions than Zelenskiy.



As the report notes, the Chinese outlets' echoing of Russian narratives has also provided an opportunity to chide the United States and bolster long-standing talking points from Beijing about U.S. foreign policy.



In the first year of the war, Chinese diplomatic and state-affiliated media accounts on Twitter mentioned the United States twice as often as Russia when mentioning "war" and have put a greater focus on NATO, which "was not a regular feature of Chinese [media] attacks prior to the war."



In 2021, according to figures compiled by the Alliance for Securing Democracy, Chinese state media mentioned "NATO" in more than 1,200 tweets, with the alliance's "expansion" only included in 52 tweets. Following Russia's invasion, the frequency of both "NATO" and "expansion" rose more than 540 percent and 1,700 percent, respectively.

Taiwan is another topic that has seen its references skyrocket since Russia's invasion last year, although in a way that has proved awkward for China's convergence with Russia in the information space.



Chinese accounts mentioning the self-governing island that Beijing claims as its own in the same tweet as Ukraine happened more than 500 times, although the report notes that the vast majority of them were Chinese officials or media aiming to dispel comparisons between the two. Beijing views Taiwan as a rogue province and often cites a respect for its own "sovereignty and territorial integrity" as reasons why countries should not engage with Taipei as an independent nation.



"China's support for Russia isn't unequivocal. The red line is that Chinese interests come first no matter what," Soula said. "That's quite clear whenever Taiwan gets brought up and the talking points are adamant in distinguishing that Ukraine and Taiwan are not the same and, in doing so, it kind of throws Russia's narrative under the bus."



China And Russia In The Global South



The report's findings echo comments made by James Rubin -- a coordinator for the Global Engagement Center, a U.S. State Department body set up to "expose and counter" foreign propaganda and disinformation -- during a European tour in early March in which he warned that the West has been slow to respond to China's emergence in the information space and Beijing's close ties with Russia.

"We as a nation and the West have been slow to respond, and it is a fair judgment that we are facing a very, very large challenge," Rubin told reporters on February 28. "In the communication space, the alignment between China and Russia is near complete."

China and Russia have invested heavily in courting new audiences across Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia in the last decade, with Rubin claiming both countries have spent billions to expand their operations globally.



Chinese state media has been central to Beijing's efforts to influence other countries, control information about the Communist Party, and be able to amplify China's narratives about its policies and role in the world.



Against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, those narratives seem to be finding fertile ground in the Global South. A late February poll by the European Council on Foreign Relations found that while strong majorities of Western countries stand in support of Ukraine, those surveyed across the Global South were less supportive of continued war and more likely to sympathize with Moscow's grievances and be suspicious of Western leaders' motives.



Soula says this means Beijing and Moscow's growing convergence is set to expand, even if the two countries might not see eye to eye on every issue.



"Information space is the low-hanging fruit. No one says they will put sanctions on China for supporting Russia there," he said. "It keeps Russia happy, and it also serves Beijing's broader interests by accelerating a loss of Western influence in places like Africa, where only China really has the capacity to fill the void left by Western powers."
Georgian lawmakers brawled on March 6 while discussing a controversial "foreign agent" law that critics say will impact freedoms in the South Caucasus nation. Security at the parliament building was beefed up as protesters rallied in front of it, demanding consideration of the law be dropped.
Welcome back to The Farda Briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter that tracks the key issues in Iran and explains why they matter. To subscribe, click here. www.rferl.org/a/31793259.html



I'm RFE/RL correspondent Golnaz Esfandiari. Here's what I've been following during the past week and what I'm watching for in the days ahead.

The Big Issue

Iran appears to be making headway toward renewing official ties with Saudi Arabia and Persian Gulf states that in some cases have been publicly avoiding Tehran for decades.

The foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia held talks in Beijing on April 6 in a significant step toward restoring diplomatic relations, which were cut in 2016 after protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran following Riyadhs execution of prominent Saudi Shi'ite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.

Iran also accepted an invitation from Saudi King Salman for President Ebrahim Raisi to visit Riyadh, while Tehran said it will send a similar invitation to the Saudi king. Meanwhile, a Saudi delegation traveled to Iran on April 9 to discuss the reopening of the embassy in Tehran and a consulate in Mashhad. The trip came as Iranian media reported on April 8 that a street sign near the Saudi consulate in Mashhad provocatively named after Sheikh al-Nimr had been quietly removed. An Iranian delegation also arrived in Saudi Arabia on April 12 to pave the way for the reopening of Iranian diplomatic missions there.

Iran is meanwhile taking steps to improve ties with other countries in the region, naming an ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) and working to decrease tensions with Egypt and Bahrain.

Why It Matters: Iran and Saudi Arabia appear to be pursuing implementation of last months Chinese-brokered agreement, possibly clearing the way for Tehran to de-escalate tensions with other countries that followed Riyadhs lead on a rupture seven years ago.



What's Next: Tehran and Riyadh could move surprisingly swiftly toward normalization, but its no sure thing. Abdolrasool Divsallar, a visiting professor at the Catholic University of Milan (UCSC), told me that the political environment between the two regional rivals could encourage the start of military and security talks within months.

But Divsallar also warned that opponents at home and abroad could still undermine the agreement. Hard-liners in Iran may act as a spoiler rather than as a supporter of the deal, he said, adding that Israel could do the same.

The regional tensions between Israel and Iran, on one side, andbetween Iran, Saudi [Arabia] and the United States, on the other side, are two dynamics that make this process very fragile, he said.

Divsallar also suggested that any normalization between Iran and countries with less appetite for a quick restoration of ties, for instance Bahrain, could take longer.

They feel more secure under the current status quo rather than immediately normalizing their ties with the Islamic republic and losing their leverage, he said, adding, They may wait to see a major change of policies.

Stories You Might Have Missed

Irans civil aviation sector has for years been under Western sanctions that prevent it from purchasing new aircraft or spare parts for repairs. Now, Russia's oldest airline, Aeroflot, has sent one of its passenger planes to Iran for repairs for the first time ever. Aeroflot reportedly ran into obstacles at home stemming from Western sanctions over Russias ongoing, unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. The RBK media group cited an Aeroflot representative and sources close to the company on April 11 as saying that an Airbus A330-300 had been sent to Tehran on April 5 to be repaired by specialists from Iran's Mahan Air.

Iranian pensioners staged protests in more than a dozen cities across Iran, demanding higher pensions amid soaring prices. Protests were reported on April 9 in Tehran, Ahvaz, Mashhad, Isfahan, Arak, Qom, Shush, Tabriz, and several other cities where retirees complained of poor living conditions and chanted anti-government slogans. Labor protests in Iran have swelled as the economy deteriorates following years of mismanagement compounded by crippling U.S. sanctions.

What We're Watching

Prominent Iranian female religious scholar Sedigheh Vasmaghi has challenged Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei over the Islamic republics mandatory hijab law.

In a letter published online, Vasmaghi asked about the reasoning behind Irans strict model for womens dress and said the Koran does not specify the need for women to cover their hair in public.

There is no evidence to show that during the time of the Prophet Muhammad women were harassed and punished for not covering their hair or even their bodies, Vasmaghi, who has published several books on Islamic jurisprudence, wrote.

Why It Matters: Vasmaghis letter is significant for its timing -- just days after Khamenei asserted that the removal of the hijab in public was religiously banned. But it is also important because it comes from a religious woman who wears the veil while opposing the mandatory hijab, which is seemingly being defied by a growing number of women.

That's all from me for now. Don't forget to send me any questions, comments, or tips that you have.

Until next time,

Golnaz Esfandiari

If you enjoyed this briefing and don't want to miss the next edition, subscribe here. It will be sent to your inbox every Wednesday.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called a wave of illness that has hit hundreds of schoolgirls all across the country over the past four months "an unforgivable crime" and vowed that it should be "severely punished."



The unexplained illnesses have required the hospitalization of many young women and girls and ignited parents' and broader public anger over the failure of authorities to identify the cause amid underlying tension brought on by protests over women's rights and rule of law and a resulting crackdown.



"Authorities should seriously pursue the issue of students' poisoning," state media quoted Khamenei as saying on March 6 in his most-forceful public response so far to the situation, according to Reuters.



"This is an unforgivable crime...the perpetrators of this crime should be severely punished," Khamenei, who had previously not publicly used the word poisoning to describe what was happening, added.



As public anger persisted over the weekend, reports said authorities responded by inexplicably detaining a journalist who has actively covered the trend from one of its epicenters in the central city of Qom.



A fellow reporter said the Qom News website's Ali Purtabatabaei phoned a family member late on March 5 to say he'd been detained but the line was disconnected before he could provide details.



Sharq reporter Milad Alavi said Purtabatabaei "announced the news of his arrest by calling his sister at around 8 p.m."



Iranian authorities frequently arrest and hold citizens without immediately providing information to their families or acquaintances for days or even weeks.



Purtabatabaei's Twitter account went silent after the apparent detention.



Multiple local news agencies said it was unclear which institution seized Purtabatabaei, why they targeted him, or where he was taken.



Public frustrations have led to protests recently as the number of girls' schools affected by the mass illnesses grew and government critics questioned official actions.

White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said Washington was calling for an independent investigation to determine if the poisonings were related to the protests.

"The possibility that girls in Iran are being possibly poisoned simply for trying to get an education is shameful, it's unacceptable," she told a news briefing.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi this month ordered an investigation amid allegations by some that the wave of illness, coupled with the government's lack of a response, was retaliation for students and women leading anti-government protests sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in police custody for allegedly wearing a head scarf improperly.



The first report of suspected mass illness came in Qom in November, when 18 schoolgirls were taken to a hospital after complaining of symptoms that included nausea, headaches, coughing, breathing difficulties, heart palpitations, and numbness and pain in their hands or legs.

Female students reportedly fell ill in dozens of cities across at least 17 Iranian provinces this weekend, as speculation swirled over what some allege are months of noxious gas attacks that have coincided with a crackdown on unprecedented protests over the death while in police custody of a young woman in September for allegedly wearing a head scarf improperly.



Officials have been unable to pinpoint the cause of the reported illnesses.



The Qom Seminary Teachers and Researchers Association, which has ties to reformists, warned recently that the situation "will only add to society's accumulated dissatisfaction with the government" brought on by unemployment, government inefficiencies, and a "crisis of legitimacy of the system."



After the report of Purtabatabaei's detention, Iranian media activist Ehsan Bodaghi tweeted that "Finally, one person was arrested for poisoning the students..., one of the administrators of the Qomnews site, who has been the most-followed for news related to poisonings and the investigation of their causes in the last 3 months."

Abbas Abdi, an influential journalist and reformist, tweeted that "not only does [Purtabatabaei's detention] not help to clear up the ambiguity of rumors and news about the poisonings, but it also makes it worse."

Some parents have protested outside of schools where students have fallen sick, but Iran's chief justice, Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, warned on March 6 that those who criticized the government faced "severe punishment" and that those who "spread lies, rumors, and incitement" should be summoned.



Iranian authorities have overseen a brutal crackdown on protesters over Amini's death, with thousands of people arrested and many claiming they were tortured while in custody. Rights groups say more than 500 people have died as a result of the crackdown.



Mohseni-Ejei, a former intelligence minister who is considered a hard-liner, said the judiciary would continue to punish women who violate the Islamic republic's strict dress code.

With reporting by Reuters
A naturalized Kazakh citizen, Raqyzhan Zeinolla made what he thought would be a brief visit in 2004 to see relatives in his native Xinjiang region in northwestern China.

But the short trip turned into a 17-year nightmare for him and his family.

Soon after arriving in Xinjiang, Zeinolla was thrown into prison, where he languished for 13 years before being put in a reeducation camp and, later, under house arrest on dubious espionage charges.

Zeinolla was finally allowed to return to Kazakhstan in April 2021.

Nearly two years later, Zeinolla declines to speak publicly about what happened to him in China or about the situation in Xinjiang, where Kazakhs and other Muslim minorities suffer grave human rights abuses at the hands of Chinese authorities, who deny the charges.

Also silent is Zeinolla's wife, Farida Qabylbek, who had for many years led a relentless campaign to secure her husband's release, with regular protests in front of the Chinese Embassy in Astana and its consulate in Almaty.

"Zeinolla will not give an interview, he doesn't want to. He also tells me not to speak to the media," Qabylbek told RFE/RL's Kazakh Service.

Many other ethnic Kazakhs from China are similarly reluctant to talk to the media despite having been settled in Kazakhstan for many years. They fear Chinese authorities will retaliate against their relatives in Xinjiang, activists say.

According to activist Erbol Dauletbekuly, the relatives of those who leave China literally become hostages, giving the government enormous leverage in forcing the emigres into silence. "For each person who decides to go abroad, at least three relatives must register as 'hostages.' Authorities warn [him/her] that if they give interviews or criticize China after going abroad, the relatives will be held accountable," Dauletbekuly told RFE/RL.

"Those who want to go abroad cannot easily find relatives who agree to register as so-called hostages. Nobody wants to do it," Dauletbekuly added.

Brother Sent To Jail

RFE/RL cannot independently confirm Dauletbekuly's claims, but one Chinese-Kazakh woman in Almaty said her brother was thrown into prison in Xinjiang after she criticized the Chinese government.

Rahima Sembaiqyzy moved to Kazakhstan many years ago with her husband and their four children. In 2017, Sembaiqyzy traveled to her native Xinjiang to visit her parents and siblings.

Pregnant with her fifth child at the time, Sembaiqyzy was arrested soon after arriving in Xinjiang. On the day of her arrest, she was forced to have an abortion, she says.

The naturalized Kazakh citizen spent two months in prison, followed by 10 months in a reeducation camp, and another two months under house arrest. Sembaiqyzy's father was also sent to the reeducation camp with her.

"To get permission to return to Kazakhstan, I registered my mother and father as hostages. I signed a document pledging that when I return to Kazakhstan I won't talk about [what happened to me in Xinjiang]," Sembaiqyzy told RFE/RL.

Sembaiqyzy said she kept silent about her ordeal in Xinjiang "for quite some time."

"But I couldn't take it anymore, and I told the media about everything I'd been through in Xinjiang," Sembaiqyzy said.

Sembaiqyzy's family in Xinjiang paid the price for her speaking out. Her brother -- a policeman in Xinjiang -- was sent to prison. Sembaiqyzy also lost contact with her parents. She believes they have been ordered not to call or write her or respond to her phone calls.

The prospect of a similar situation prevents many other Xinjiang-born Kazakhs who have settled abroad from speaking about the Chinese government's brutal crackdown on Muslim minorities in Xinjiang, where hundreds of thousands of them have been interned in camps.

"I cannot say anything, please leave me alone," Ghalym, a Xinjiang-born ethnic Kazakh, told RFE/RL when contacted about his time at a Chinese prison and reeducation camp several years ago. Like many others, Ghalym was detained while visiting his relatives in China.

He was eventually released and returned to Kazakhstan in 2018, but he has remained silent about what happened to him in China.

Even some of those who once actively campaigned for the release of their imprisoned relatives in Xinjiang have suddenly halted their protests and avoid speaking to the media.

Astana Also Silent

Chinese authorities use various methods to control ethnic minorities even after they leave China and become citizens of other countries, says Bekzat Maqsutkhan, the head of the unregistered Naghyz Atazhurt group, which defends the rights of Xinjiang natives in Kazakhstan.

"Before allowing someone to leave China, officials warn them that 'we have agents who will find you anywhere...if you criticize China,' or even threaten that they can still return them to China," Maqsutkhan told RFE/RL.

The United States and several other Western countries have accused China of committing genocide in Xinjiang, where human rights groups says more than 1 million Muslims, most of them ethnic Uyghurs, have been placed in prison camps in recent years.

In 2022, the UN human rights office accused Beijing of serious human rights violations that may constitute "crimes against humanity" in its mass detentions in Xinjiang.

Former prisoners have given horrific accounts of the torture, rape, and psychological pressure they faced in the camps. Many women said they were forcibly sterilized while in custody.

Beijing denies the charges and says the camps are vocational facilities designed to combat extremism and terrorism.

More than 1.5 million ethnic Kazakhs live in Xinjiang, making them the province's second-largest Turkic-speaking group after Uyghurs.

Thousands of ethnic Kazakhs have resettled in Kazakhstan since the Central Asian government launched a special repatriation program in 1991 to encourage Kazakhs abroad to return to their ancestral country.

Despite the reports of rights abuses in Xinjiang, the Kazakh government has refrained from criticizing China, a major investor in the Kazakh economy.

Written by Farangis Najibullah based on reporting by Nurtai Lakhanuly of RFE/RL's Kazakh Service
BUCHAREST -- Amid much fanfare and boasting of a global first, Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca unveiled Ion, his new political adviser powered by artificial intelligence (AI), at a cabinet meeting on March 1.

Taking the form of a full-length mirror, ION spoke in a deep, calm voice as blue text scrolled across the reflective screen. According to Ciuca, Ion -- or John in English -- will be able to collect information from social networks and citizens' direct input to inform the government "in real time of Romanians' proposals and wishes."



But since its launch last week, Romania's AI adviser has already become the butt of jokes -- and has been accused of using an image without permission. The prime minister's new helper also raises ethical questions about the collection and use of data.



Created by a volunteer group of Romanian academics and industry experts, Ion will analyze the data it receives to give politicians a better idea of the concerns and priorities of Romanian citizens. According to a government document, the information will be used to guide state policy decisions.



However, representatives from the city hall in Ciugud, which is one of the most digitalized municipalities in Romania, complained that the government's promotion of Ion was using an image of a local school without permission.

"Dear Ion, first of all," staff of the city hall in central Romania wrote on Facebook, "we recommend that you study Romanian legislation and GDPR regulations," referring to an EU-wide law on data protection and privacy, "so that you will not be accused of unjustly appropriating the work of others."



Ion -- or perhaps its sentient handlers -- was quick to apologize -- although it appeared that human, rather than artificial intelligence, was to blame: "Dear people from Ciugud Town Hall, I, Ion, do not (yet) make videos. I am assisted by a team of volunteers who have worked tirelessly to make this project happen. I apologize for the situation created. I have [taken down] the image in question, and I promise you that I have learned from this experience."



The ethical questions about Ion go beyond the improper use of photos. Romanians can interact with Ion through ion.gov.ro, a sleek website that proclaims, "We are Ion" and "Ion represents you like a mirror." Users share their concerns, supposedly with the government, by entering text into a box. Shortly after its launch, Ion's website reportedly crashed but was quickly fixed.



Romanians can also tweet or send direct messages to Ion through Facebook and Instagram. In case they're worried about their messages disappearing into a void, Ion reassures users, saying, "I represent you. I will be present at government meetings on your behalf." Ciuca has said his new honorary adviser will serve as a sort of cyber-ombudsman and give a "voice to Romanians."

What exactly Ion will do with all those voices is what experts are concerned with, however. According to its creators, Ion is still in a learning phase, collecting masses of information, but questions remain as to how that information will be processed and what will happen to the personal data of those who share their views.



Speaking to Politico, Kris Shrishak, a technology fellow at the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, said the way Ion prioritizes messages "should be explained to the public" and users should be cautious about the technology.



Experts contacted by RFE/RL's Romanian Service said many questions remained about how Ion was processing information and said they had asked for clarification from its developers. They were hesitant to speak on the record about the platform's potential flaws before they had more information.



Ethical questions aside, many Romanians are skeptical and, in a country where corruption is deeply entrenched, have been quick to joke about the new AI tool.

"The Ion robot settled in very quickly in the government. He has already granted himself a special pension, just today rigged four tenders from the PNRR (Romania's Recovery and Resilience Plan), announced that he would build 28 regional hospitals, and during the night he calls the coffee machines on the ground floor and invites them out on dates," quipped one Facebook user.

"Now, Ion is playing Solitaire and Minesweeper with officials from the ministry. After he studies hard, he will be ready to take charge of the government," said another Facebook commenter.



Romanians' skepticism is understandable with political instability and corruption often the rule rather than the exception. In Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index from 2022, Romania was among the most corrupt countries in the EU. In November of that year, however, the European Commission acknowledged the progress Romania had made "through new legislation, policies, and tools to strengthen the judiciary and combat corruption" and said the country had met commitments made when it joined the EU.



Despite the minor hiccups, Research, Innovation, and Digitalization Minister Sebastian Burduja said in a Facebook post that he believes Ion had a successful world premiere.

"Over 150,000 Romanians have accessed the ion.gov.ro project website," he said, "and over 300 researchers have registered as volunteers in the project." The platform is managed by the Research, Innovation, and Digitalization Ministry, with Romanian technology and AI companies taking a leading role.

Romania has a vibrant and highly skilled tech sector, sometimes known as the Silicon Valley of Eastern Europe. In terms of numbers of IT specialists, Romania ranks No. 1 in Europe and sixth in the world, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration. Home to many international technology companies, including Amazon, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Microsoft, and Oracle, a recent study found that Romania's IT sector generated 9 billion euros ($9.6 billion) in 2022.



At its unveiling, Ciuca invited Ion to say a few words. "Hello! You gave me life," Ion obediently responded. "The messages to me represent a portrait of us, the Romanians. Teach me to be Romanian. What do I need to know about Romania?"



The answers might not always be ones that Romanian politicians want to hear. "It would be nice if Ion was prime minister and he took Ciuca to be his robot," joked one Facebook user.
Russia and Ukraine completed a prisoner exchange that resulted in the return of 130 Ukrainian prisoners, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiys chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, wrote on Telegram on April 16.

He did not say how many Russians were released in what he called a "great Easter exchange."

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensives, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

Earlier in the week, 106 Russian prisoners were swapped for 100 Ukrainians, the two governments reported.

Despite the Easter holiday, fighting continued to rage in eastern Ukraine, with Ukraine's military reporting dozens of attacks over the past 24 hours.

Zelenskiy congratulated Orthodox Christian Ukrainians on the occasion of Easter, noting that after 417 days of war with Russia, the country retains an "unshakeable faith" in victory.

"We are not only waiting and asking, but we are winning and creating this victory ourselves," Zelenskiy said in a video address on April 16. "With all our strength, we fight for our land and ask for the help of heavenly forces."

In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin attended an Easter service at Moscows Cathedral of Christ the Savior with Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, both of whom have been outspoken supporters of Russias February 2022 massive invasion of Ukraine.

Putin praised the Russian Orthodox Church for its "active commitment to mercy and charity in the face of serious challenges" in a statement posted by the Kremlin.

IN PHOTOS: In sacred cathedrals, ruined churches, on the streets, and in the trenches, Orthodox Christians in Ukraine took time to celebrate Easter in the days leading up to April 16.

He added that Easter "gives hope to believers, inspires good thoughts and deeds, and serves to reaffirm high moral ideals and values in society."

Putin, 70, is the subject of an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, including the mass deportation of Ukrainian children.

During the service Patriarch Kirill described the Russian invasion and the war, which has killed tens of thousands and left millions of people displaced, as "sad events that may be described as an internal feud that are now taking place on our historic Russian land."

With reporting by RFE/RL's Ukrainian and Russian services
A Ukrainian military commander has described "hellish" conditions in and around Bakhmut, but he and others vowed to continue the bloody fight for the eastern city, while Russia's defense minister kept up a morale-building effort in the war zone and the head of the Wagner mercenary group stoked further tensions with Russian military commanders.

"The situation in Bakhmut and around it is utter hell, as it is on the entire eastern front," Volodymyr Nazarenko, a commander of troops in Bakhmut, said in a Telegram video on March 6 amid reports that some Ukrainian forces were beginning tactical withdrawals from frontline positions.

Ukraine has vowed to continue to defend Bakhmut, which has endured months of brutal fighting that has inflicted heavy casualties on both sides.

AP reported that heavy shelling in the nearby towns of Chasiv Yar and Kostyantynivka sparked fires and damaged vehicles and houses.

The report said police and volunteers were helping to evacuate people from frontline areas but that damaged bridges and incessant Russian artillery fire made for perilous conditions.

The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War said that Ukrainian defensive efforts had substantially drained Russian military resources but that Kyiv's forces may now be conducting a "gradual fighting withdrawal" from some positions.

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensives, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on March 6 discussed the situation in the besieged Donetsk region city with Valeriy Zaluzhniy, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and Oleksandr Syrskiy, the commander of the ground forces, where "they spoke in favor of continuing the defensive operation and further strengthening our positions in Bakhmut," according to the president's website.

Zelenskiy has acknowledged in recent days that the battle for the eastern Donbas region is "painful and challenging" and the Ukrainian General Staff said in its regular battlefield update on March 6 that Russia was concentrating its main efforts on offensives in the areas around Bakhmut, Avdiyivka, Lyman, and Shakhtarsk in Donetsk, as well as farther north in Kupyansk, in the Kharkiv region.

It claimed to have fought off more than 95 enemy attacks in a handful of areas of the most intense fighting.



The enemy "is continuing its attempted assault on the town of Bakhmut and surrounding settlements," the General Staff said, citing shelling in more than a dozen Donetsk municipalities.



The Ukrainian military said Russian forces were moving columns between the southeastern Kherson region and occupied Crimea "in order to mislead" the Ukrainian side.



It alleged that the feint was "causing discontent" among Russian personnel due to what it said was "a lack of a sufficient amount of fuel and even any hint of the effectiveness of such maneuvers."

New signs of discord in Moscow emerged on March 6, with the boss of the Wagner private military group, which has spearheaded much of Russia's attacks in the region, demanding more ammunition supplies while complaining one of his aides had been refused entry to the military's operational headquarters.

"On March 5, I wrote a letter to the commander of the SMO grouping about the urgent need to allocate ammunition. On March 6, at 8 a.m., my representative at the headquarters had his pass cancelled and was denied access," Yevgeny Prigozhin, who has been demanding more ammunition for weeks, said via his press service on Telegram.

"For now, we are trying to figure out the reason: is it just ordinary bureaucracy or a betrayal," Prigozhin said, according to Reuters.

Prigozhin has repeatedly criticized Russian military commanders and routinely claims victories distinct from the efforts of regular army troops.

Prigozhin, long considered close to President Vladimir Putin, said a week ago that Russian fighters were closing their "pincers" around Bakhmut.

Reports of missteps and low morale have dogged Russia's military from the early days of the unprovoked invasion.



RFE/RL cannot independently confirm casualty or battlefield developments claimed by either side in Russia's yearlong full-scale war in Ukraine.

During a Middle East visit on March 6, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin downplayed Bakhmut's significance, saying it was more "symbolic" than anything else while declining to suggest its eventual fall to Russian forces.

In Photos: Ukrainian troops are putting up fierce opposition as Moscow's forces close in on the eastern city of Bakhmut.

"I think it is more of a symbolic value than it is strategic and operational value," Austin said in Amman, Jordan, adding, "The fall of Bakhmut won't necessarily mean that the Russians have changed the tide of this fight."

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu appeared determined to project confidence in a purported visit to eastern Ukraine to meet with senior commanders and survey the situation that was shared in multiple Defense Ministry releases during the weekend and again on March 6.



The ministry said Shoigu had visited the southeastern Ukrainian city of Mariupol, which was captured last year after a long siege.

With reporting by Reuters and AP
Welcome to Wider Europe, RFE/RL's newsletter focusing on the key issues concerning the European Union, NATO, and other institutions and their relationships with the Western Balkans and Europe's Eastern neighborhoods. To subscribe, click here.

I'm RFE/RL Europe Editor Rikard Jozwiak, and this week I'm drilling down on two major issues: if Serbia and Kosovo can finally agree on a new deal; and the ever-dwindling EU sanctions on Ukraine's former president and his entourage.

Brief #1: Perhaps Serbia And Kosovo Can Finally Make A Deal

What You Need To Know: On February 27, Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic endorsed an EU-facilitated proposal in Brussels titled, the "Agreement On The Path To Normalization Between Kosovo And Serbia."

The agreement, which has been in the making since the fall of 2022 and covers numerous facets of the two countries' relationship, is not signed yet but has been officially published by the EU's foreign policy corps, the European External Action Service.

There are some caveats, though.

A senior EU official familiar with the talks told me that the text lacks any validity without the annex, which the two sides will work up before their next meeting in Ohrid, North Macedonia, on March 18.

This makes the final article in the 11-point agreement, which simply states that "both Parties commit to respect the Implementation Roadmap annexed to this Agreement" the most crucial one. A blueprint of this road map with a timeline of the implementation of the agreement exists but it is still very much a work in progress.

Deep Background: The agreement is essentially an addition to the landmark 2013 Brussels agreement between Belgrade and Pristina that set out to normalize relations between the pair after Kosovo declared independence in 2008 -- a move Serbia has never accepted.

Serbia, Kosovo, and the EU are trying to update the deal struck a decade ago, to help the Balkan pair kick-start their EU membership quests but without any formal obligation for Belgrade to recognize Kosovo's independence -- at least for now.

While Serbia opened negotiations with the EU a year after the initial Brussels agreement, in 2014, it has so far only managed to resolve two of the 34 policy fields.

With five EU member states still not recognizing Kosovo as a country, it remains the only state in the Western Balkans that still isn't an official EU candidate country and its application to join, submitted late last year, has still not been considered seriously by the bloc.

For now, that means Pristina can't even officially begin the process of working on the EU-mandated policy fields.

Drilling Down

One of the main sticking points remaining from the 2013 agreement is the creation of an association of Serb-majority municipalities in Kosovo. Prime Minister Kurti has built his recent political success on refusing to allow this to happen, arguing that such a structure would create similar problems to those in Bosnia-Herzegovina where political entities centered around ethnicity make any reform difficult.

The current agreement text does not explicitly mention anything about an "association" of Serb-majority municipalities. Instead, it spells out that both Belgrade and Pristina should "ensure an appropriate level of self-management for the Serbian community in Kosovo and ability for service provision in specific areas, including the possibility for financial support by Serbia and a direct communication channel for the Serbian community to the Government of Kosovo."

The question is if such vague, noncommittal language can fly. Perhaps. Kurti could potentially try to sell it as something other than an association of Serb-majority municipalities, even though it technically amounts to pretty much the same thing and Vucic can argue that Belgrade still has avenues to financially and politically support ethnic Serbs in Kosovo.

Since the publication of the latest document, Vucic has been adamant that he will never recognize Kosovo's independence or accept it joining the United Nations. That stance is at odds with the provisions of the new agreement, notably Article 4, which states that "Serbia will not object to Kosovo's membership in any international organization."

The real test for progress might come this spring. First, Kosovo is seeking to join the Council of Europe; and second, the 27 EU member states will seek consensus in order to send Pristina's EU application from the European Council, which defines the political direction and priorities of the EU, to the European Commission to prepare a legal opinion. In both cases, Belgrade has been working behind the scenes to hamper any progress, according to several EU officials familiar with the issue but who are not authorized to speak on the record.

It is also worth noting that while the deal doesn't force Belgrade to legally accept Kosovo's independence, it does include moves that essentially mean de facto recognition, such as the need to "mutually recognize their respective documents and national symbols, including passports, diplomas, license plates, and customs stamps" and the exchange of permanent missions in each other's capitals.

Brief #2: How The 'Yanukovych Sanctions' Fell Apart

What You Need To Know: The EU's sanctions machinery has gone into overdrive recently. Last week, it passed its 10th package of restrictive measures against Russia since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine one year ago.

This included slapping visa bans and asset freezes on over 100 officials and companies, bringing the total number of sanctioned people to a record high of 1,473 individuals and 205 entities.

But that is far from all.

At the end of February, Brussels also rolled over its Belarus sanctions, consisting of 195 people and 34 firms -- plus, the bloc slapped sanctions on 32 Iranians for what it considers gross human rights violations in the country. The Iranian list now consists of nearly 200 people.

However, there is one area where the number of sanctioned people and entities is quietly diminishing and that is high-ranking Ukrainian officials that Brussels deems responsible for the "misappropriation of Ukrainian state funds."

Deep Background: These sanctions were put together immediately after the then president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, fled Ukraine for Russia in February 2014 after months of protests triggered by his decision to forgo the signing of an association agreement with the EU.

Yanukovych was listed along with his two sons, Oleksandr and Viktor, as well as 15 others in his inner circle, including the former head of the presidential administration, Andriy Klyuyev, his brother Serhiy, the former Prosecutor-General Viktor Pshonka and his son, Artem, plus two previous Ukrainian prime ministers, Mykola Azarov and Serhiy Arbuzov.

While the restrictive measures imposed were renewed in 2015, decided by consensus by all EU member states, signs that enthusiasm was waning for the measures began showing in 2016.

First, the former health minister, Raisa Bohatyriova, was taken off the list, with EU officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, telling me that it was simply due to a lack of evidence. From then on, every year, another few names were knocked off the list.

Drilling Down

On March 1, EU ambassadors took the unanimous decision to prolong the sanctions regime by another year -- giving it a lifespan for at least a full decade. But many EU member states are questioning the wisdom of going much further, especially considering that only three out of the original 18 remain listed.

The three are Vitaliy Zakharchenko, who served as interior minister, his deputy Viktor Ratushniak, and the businessman Serhiy Kurchenko. These are hardly the biggest names among what are informally called the "Yanukovych sanctions" in Brussels. The irony is not lost on anyone that the man himself is no longer included on the list.

Viktor Yanukovych, his son Oleksandr, as well as Pshonka and his son were all quietly delisted in September last year without so much as a press release from Brussels. (Yanukovych's other son, Viktor, was delisted after his death in 2015.)

That didn't mean, however, a reprieve for the Yanukovychs. In August 2022, EU ambassadors added father and son to the EU sanctions list of people who since Russia's full-scale invasion are deemed to have played a role in "undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Ukraine and the state's stability and security." Oleksandr Yanukovych was also listed on new EU sanctions for "conducting transactions with separatist groups in the Donbas region of Ukraine."

If you ask diplomats in Brussels why the "Yanukovych sanctions" have unraveled so spectacularly, they will point to one thing: They were put in place in haste back in 2014 and were largely based on information from the Ukrainian authorities, information that in many cases remains incomplete.

In turn, this led to another reason for the reluctance: Many on the list, often backed by considerable personal wealth, have employed good European lawyers to take their cases to the European Court of Justice (ECJ).

Viktor Yanukovych and his son have won three times in the Luxembourg-based court, the earliest in 2019, with the judge demanding that the EU annul its restrictive measures imposed on the pair, noting that Ukrainian judicial authorities had not provided them with the right to defense or the right to effective judicial protection.

The only reason they remained listed until September 2022 was that the various court verdicts always concerned previous sanction periods and didn't consider that the measures had been renewed on a constant, annual basis. For example, the 2019 judgement only concerned the sanctions period between 2016 and 2018. So, in a sense, the EU sanctions regime was saved by its own slow wheel of justice.

In the end, not even the EU could justify keeping people on the list who scored judicial victories over the bloc in its own court. There is a fear in Brussels that many Russian officials and oligarchs now sanctioned for supporting the Russian war effort will soon test Brussels in the ECJ. The legal service of the Council of the European Union recently identified weak legal grounds for the EU listings of Russian businessmen Grigory Berezkin and Sergei Mndoiants last year, even though both remain sanctioned for now.

Looking Ahead

EU defense ministers will meet in Stockholm on March 7-8. This is an informal EU defense council meeting, meaning that no concrete decisions can be taken. That said, these sorts of gatherings usually mean that ministers spend time together in a more relaxed setting, discussing pressing needs more thoroughly.

And the most pressing need right now is Ukraine and how the EU can provide the country with more ammunition.

There was already an agreement among EU member states late in 2022 that citizens of Kosovo will be able to travel to most EU countries without a visa by January 1, 2024.

This week, this decision will start to be formalized as the bloc's interior ministers meet in Brussels on March 9-10 to rubber-stamp the deal.

The European Parliament is also expected to vote overwhelmingly in favor of the move, first in the chamber's civil liberties committee on March 22-23 and then in the full plenary, either at the end of March or in mid-April.

That's all for this week. Feel free to reach out to me on any of these issues on Twitter @RikardJozwiak or on e-mail at jozwiakr@rferl.org.



Until next time,



Rikard Jozwiak

If you enjoyed this briefing and don't want to miss the next edition, subscribe here.

And you can always reach us at newsletters@rferl.org.

NOTE TO SUBSCRIBERS: Because I'll be traveling this week, the newsletter won't appear on March 13. But I'll be back in your in-boxes on March 20.
Culture-art night highlights China-Bangladesh cultural exchanges

Xinhua) 15:03, March 06, 2023

DHAKA, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen has stressed the need for more cultural exchanges between Bangladesh and China to strengthen people-to-people relations between the two countries.

Speaking at the China-Bangladesh Culture &Art Night which was held in Dhaka on Saturday night, the ambassador said cultural exchanges would strengthen cultural and people-to-people relationship between the two countries as well as bilateral ties.

The program, organized by the Chinese embassy in Bangladesh, was presented by Kunming National Song &Dance Theater, with the support of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy or BSA (the Bangladeshi national academy of fine and performing arts).

More than 500 people from all walks of life in Bangladesh, foreign missions in Dhaka and the Chinese community enjoyed the performance.

In his remarks, Yao underscored the significance of the event as the first non-virtual art performance presented by a Chinese art troupe in Bangladesh since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Friendship, which derives from close contact between the people, holds the key to sound state-to-state relations," he said, adding that the future of China-Bangladesh relations lies in deepening understanding and recognition of each others' cultures, promoting convergence and integration of people-to-people and cultural cooperation, and consolidating friendship between the two peoples.

There will be flights between China and Bangladesh on a daily basis from March, which serves a great opportunity to usher in more exchange visits of cultural, education and youth groups, Yao said.

Addressing the event as a chief guest, Md Abul Monsur, secretary of Bangladesh's Ministry of Cultural Affairs, said the two countries signed the MoU on the 2023-2027 Culture and Tourism Exchange Program last year, which sets up framework for cooperation in the relevant fields.

The first visit of a Chinese art troupe in three years should be considered a signal of revival in cultural exchanges between China and Bangladesh, he said.

Liaquat Ali Lucky, director general of the BSA, expressed his gratitude to China for the great cooperation in the field of acrobatic training.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
I'm sure you've heard it: platinum is on the agenda with projected market deficit in 2023 and an anticipated rise in its industrial consumption in a long run. And although palladium's performance may be lackluster, it is still a major trade commodity. However, the scope of platinum group metals (PGMs) lies beyond those two stellar members of the family.

Among the four 'ugly ducklings' are rhodium, osmium, ruthenium and iridium, and if you look closely, they may actually appear to be beautiful little swans, and very rare ones at that. The market share and volume of these elements may comprise just a fraction of that of palladium alone, but it is nigh impossible to substitute them for anything else. Moreover, to get your hands on these four PGMs, in most cases you have to turn to producers directly which means that usually, only industrial buyers and professional investors remain primary consumers.

That said, not all PGMs are created equal. Some are critical for various hi-tech industries, while others have seen virtually no price fluctuations or new uses for decades. Still, PGMs are quite exciting to look into in terms of their varying applications and recent market dynamics. We will briefly touch upon platinum and palladium markets and focus more on those PGMs that are not a usual focus of attention for investors. But first, let us assess the current state of PGM markets.

Brief market overview

Prices of most PGMs are closely tied to both technological advancements and environmental policy regulations. Platinum, palladium and rhodium are extensively used in automotive industry for catalytic converters to a varying degree of emissions reduction efficiency, with rhodium being the best. However, prices usually dictate how much of each metal is used for such applications, and this is where rhodium which costs around $12 000 per troy ounce loses to both platinum and palladium which cost about $1000 per ounce and $1650 per ounce respectively. Automotive sector accounts for 41% of platinum demand, 81% of palladium consumption, and 85% of rhodium usage which puts it as a major driver for markets of all three metals.

The other three PGMs have more specific applications. Ruthenium, currently priced at around $465 per ounce, is used primarily in electronics as plating for contacts and in smelting as a component of some specific alloys. Iridium is a more expensive element priced at around $4600 per ounce, used primarily in temperature resistant crucibles to grow synthetic crystals. Iridium and ruthenium are used together in several industrial chemical processes, including the manufacture of acetic acid, a key intermediate in the manufacture of other bulk chemicals. Lastly, osmium, the rarest of the bunch, has not found many new markets over the past few decades which is why its price has remained relatively stable at around $60 000 per ounce. The cost of osmium has attracted the attention of forward-thinking individuals who are actively trying to establish a new and unexpected market for this metal.

Production and geopolitics

Since PGMs have a critical importance for a variety of industries, it is of utmost concern to ensure a constant supply, especially for countries like USA, China and Germany due to their sizeable manufacturing sectors.

For example, the Critical Minerals Institute is an organization that was founded for education, collaboration, and to provide professional opportunities to meet the critical minerals supply chain challenges in America, Canada, Australia, Britain and Europe. Just recently it posted a list of 14 critical minerals identified by the United States Geological Survey as "critical to the U.S. economy and national security after an extensive multi-agency assessment". These critical minerals are required not just for battery materials and electric vehicles, but also for future green technologies and energy production, and PGMs are a part of this list along with rare-earth elements and others.

Focus on PGMs is not surprising considering the fact that there are only a handful of producers in the world. South Africa is in the lead in terms of all six PGMs production with a global share of more than 60% and the country is estimated to hold up to 90% of world reserves of these elements. The second largest is Russia, a major producer of palladium (around 40% of the world's supply), platinum (10%), and rhodium (7%). Each year, around 180 tonnes of platinum, 198 tonnes of palladium, 35 tonnes of ruthenium, 30 tonnes of rhodium, 3 tonnes of iridium and 1 tonne of osmium are produced worldwide.

PGMs are usually mined as a concentrate which is then broken into individual elements. For example, Anglo American produces a 5E+gold (five elements and gold) concentrate comprising platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium and iridium, and gold. Sibanye-Stillwater produces 4E concentrate (platinum, palladium, rhodium and gold) at its South African operations. Rarer PGMs are critically dependent of platinum and palladium mining as they are mostly obtained as by-products at concentrate refineries.

In March 2022, a rally in PGM markets was attributed to Russian military action against Ukraine. Investors feared that new sanctions could be put in place, effectively severing Russian PGM supply from the world market. Last year, power outages in South Africa have put a noticeable pressure on PGM mine production in the country. Since this limited supply can be easily jeopardized, it is no wonder that major manufacturing powers want to secure reserves of rare PGMs  especially in the wake of green energy transition. According to a recent study by the WPIC, China has been buying sizeable quantities of platinum over the course of 2022, and I suspect that similar picture is true for other PGMs. China has got big reserves of rare-earth elements but does not have PGMs. It needs both to get an edge in a highly competitive hi-tech manufacturing market. And PGMs are the future of hi-tech industry with each element having its own unique applications.

Platinum, palladium and rhodium

The biggest trio of PGMs is undoubtedly platinum, palladium and rhodium, all used extensively in automotive industry for catalytic converters. However, there are other applications for these elements, namely, electrochemical industry, jewellery and glassmaking.

Apart from an extensive usage in jewellery sector (30% of total demand), platinum is a prime metal to empower green energy transition and hydrogen economy because it is used in both production and consumption of hydrogen in fuel cells. It is an important sector of growth but even trade bodies acknowledge that hydrogen energy is only one of the facets of the future green economy. Hydrogen can be stored relatively easily, it can be transported and used to mitigate grid deficits while taking advantage of excess energy production. This is a long-term game for platinum, as hydrogen power will require big investment and a lot of time to implement.

At the same time, total historic PGM autocatalyst demand growth is well above global auto sales growth due to progressively higher loadings, in other words the quantity of metal used in an emissions control system. As long as conventional vehicles sales remain strong and eco legislation continues to tighten, the PGM autocatalyst demand is going to increase.





Source: OICA, LMC Automotive, Johnson Matthey

The only real threat to this demand is electric vehicles sector, projected to reach $846.70 billion by 2027, a significant share of the global automotive sales. Although quantities vary by model, on average, one standard catalytic converter contains about 3-7 grams of platinum, 2-7 grams of palladium, and 1-2 grams rhodium, while an electric battery-powered vehicle may contain only a fraction of these metals, mostly used for plating microchips and contacts. As for fuel-cell electric vehicles, it is unlikely that they will play a significant role in a foreseeable future. This is especially bad news for palladium with autocatalyst demand comprising more than 80% of this sizeable market. With EV proliferation, palladium market may face a significant squeeze long-term.

All three metals are extensively used in both chemical and glassmaking sectors. For example, platinum-based catalysts are key to many large-scale industrial chemical processes. They ensure high-quality production with fewer by-products and more efficient use of input raw materials, frequently along with lower energy use in the process. Rhodium is used to catalyse a variety of chemical processes, including globally important chemicals such as nitric acid and acetic acid, which are precursors to a range of end-products. In glass industry, high temperature stability and oxidation resistance under harsh conditions make platinum, palladium and rhodium the ideal candidates for crucibles and molten glass mixers to achieve high purity. Since fiber optics require high quality, low-impurity glass, the proliferation of 5G networks may lead to increased demand for these PGMs.

Ruthenium

There has been a substantial growth in global ruthenium demand within the electrical sector for data storage. Ruthenium, along with platinum, forms part of the magnetic layer in hard disk drives. Chip resistors, another near-ubiquitous component in consumer and industrial electronics, rely on ruthenium-containing compounds, and this sector is becoming increasingly important for ruthenium demand. The unique chemical and physical properties of ruthenium mean that it is also utilised in numerous semiconductor materials and components, which enable increasing miniaturisation and efficiency in various electronic devices.





Single-crystal jet turbine blades. Source: American Scientist

Ruthenium is seldom alloyed with metals outside the platinum group, where small quantities improve some properties. One prime example is advanced high-temperature single-crystal superalloys for power systems, next generation jet engines and high performance space rockets. When jet engine blades are cast as a single crystal part from a superalloy, they can withstand temperatures close to melting point for prolonged periods of time without creep or degradation. Addition of ruthenium to superalloys has shown improvement in mechanical properties by an order of magnitude.

Some ruthenium complexes absorb light throughout the visible spectrum and are being actively researched for solar energy technologies. For example, ruthenium-based compounds have been used for light absorption in dye-sensitized solar cells, a promising new low-cost solar cell system.

Iridium

Iridium is the most corrosion resistant of all PGMs and it is critical for several niche products, including temperature resistant crucibles used to grow synthetic crystals for electronics and telecommunications systems, such as 5G, high-performance spark plugs and medical devices.

Only non-alloyed, very pure materials such as platinum, iridium, gold and rhenium can be used for growing single crystals from oxide melts. The melting temperature, the atmosphere and the constituents of the melt determine the choice of material. For this reason iridium crucibles are used at temperatures up to approximately 2300 C for growing crystals of high melting oxides (e.g. sapphire, spinell) for laser technology and the optical industry. Synthetic sapphires are getting more acceptance for high-end electronic devices and watches. Similar method is used to produce OLED displays for modern smartphones. OLED technology, which is used in consumer electronics and is built on an iridium compound, was currently the quickest growing display technology. According to Heraeus Precious Metals, electrical end-uses, including OLED display, accounted for around 70 000 ounces of iridium in 2020, 31% of total demand.





Grown sapphire. Source: Gemological Institute of America

Automotive sector plays an important role for iridium market, too, accounting for about 13% of total demand. Iridium tips optimize the performance of automotive spark plugs to improve the efficiency of the combustion process in gasoline engines due to the high temperature stability of the metal.

Osmium

Osmium is the densest of all the naturally occurring non-radioactive elements and the hardest of all PGMs, possessing a high abrasion resistance which led to its use in everyday objects such as fountain and ball pen nibs, styluses, record player needles, instrument pivots and electrical contacts where friction needs to be minimized. Due to osmium's hardness and brittleness it is extremely difficult to work with and it is usually produced in a powdered form. When oxidized, it emits a toxic osmium tetroxide used in the detection of fingerprints and in staining biological samples before theyre inspected under a microscope.

With this, osmium would not be very exciting in terms of its applications if not for a certain recent development. The price of the metal has been stagnating for decades due to the fact that the demand and supply matches up and doesnt fluctuate  until recently.

The new development came in 2013 when scientists in Switzerland found a way to crystallize osmium, rendering it non-toxic and available for both collectors and jewelers. Osmium crystals are forged into discs of varying sizes and then cut into different shapes to be used in jewellery pieces. Since then, an Osmium World Council was created in Germany with a goal to proliferate the knowledge about the metal and create a whole new market.





Ring featuring 'Osmium Diamonds'. Source: osmium-jewelry.com

Since osmium is rare and only a small amount is produced each year as a by-product of platinum mining, the new trade body for the metal decided to market the new product by comparing it to another rare luxury  diamonds, of course. And naturally, the strategy of cannibalizing the diamond market is in place. For example, one of the products is called 'Osmium Diamonds' which is a small disc of crystallized osmium of 6-8mm in diameter. According to the Osmium World Council's web shop (sic!), they "sparkle even more beautifully than diamonds" which is of course subjective but then it reads that "Osmium Diamonds are much more impressive in terms of surface area than the small standard diamonds in 3 mm size". The FAQ section of their website goes on to talk about how rare and beautiful osmium is compared to how common and worthless diamonds are. Truth be told, this is just marketing for potential buyers and I don't see osmium taking over any significant share from the diamond market.

Theodor Lisovoy for Rough&Polished
(politico.eu) - Valentine's Day drove a spike in demand for rough diamonds from Russia, according to the most recent numbers from the Belgian economy ministry requested by POLITICO. The import of rough Russian diamonds is not sanctioned by the EU, despite repeated calls from Ukraine and some EU countries to crack down on the luxury industry. Imports to Belgium rose again in December and January in the lead-up to Valentine's Day on February 14. In January 2023, Belgium imported 132 million worth of Russian rough diamonds, which was higher than the 97 million in January 2022, although the weight of imports was lower in 2023.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui

'I kept calm as my kids must have read all this drama somewhere', Says Nawazuddin Siddiqui

MUMBAI: The Controversy between veteran Bollywood actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui and his ex-wife Aaliya has been a topic of discussion in media and social media since last few days. Recently, Alia shared a video and alleged that she and her children are not being given entry in the house. However, Nawazuddin's team has already denied these allegations. Meanwhile, for the first time, Nawazuddin Siddiqui himself has released his statement on this issue through social media. He said, "My silence termed me a bad guy everywhere. I kept calm for so many days as my kids must have read all this drama somewhere."

Issuing a statement from his official Instagram account, Nawazuddin Siddiqui wrote, First of all me and Aaliya do not stay together since several years, we are already divorced but we definitely had an understanding only for our kids. Does anyone know, why my kids are in India and not attending school for 45 days, wherein the school is sending me letters everyday that it's been too long an absence. My kids have been made hostage for past 45 days & are missing their schooling in Dubai."

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The Actor wrote, "She had abandoned the kids in Dubai for last 4 months before calling them here on pretext of demanding money. On an average, she is been paid approx 10 Lakhs per month for past 2 years and 5-7 lakhs per month before moving to Dubai with my children, excluding the school fees, medical, travel and other leisure activities. I have given my children an apartment in Dubai, where she was also living comfortably. She only wants more money and hence have filed numerous cases on me and my mother & its her routine, she has done the same in the past too and withdraws the case when paid as per her demand."

Nawazuddin further wrote, "Whenever my children came to India during their vacation, they used to stay with their grandmother only. How could anyone throw them out of the house. I myself was not in the house during that time. Why didn't she make a video of being thrown out, whereas she makes video of every random thing. She has dragged the kids in this drama and she is doing all this to simply blackmail me, malign my reputation, her intent to spoil my career and fulfil her illegitimate demands."

He added, "Any parent on this planet will never want their kids to miss out on their studies or hamper their future, they will always try to give them best of the best possible things. Whatever | am earning today is all for both my kids and no person can change this. I love Shora & Yani and I will go to any extent to secure their well-being and their future. I will continue to place my faith in the judiciary."

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Clash

The police have also registered a case in the matter

SAHARANPUR: Dalit and Muslim communities clashed with sticks over a collision between two bikes in Saharanpur city of Uttar Pradesh. About 7 people were seriously injured. On receiving the information, the police admitted the injured to the hospital. The police have also registered a case against the people of the Muslim community under the SC-ST Act.

On Sunday evening, two parties clashed with each other in village Khujnawar and village Majri of Fatehpur police station. Argument started between the two groups after a Dalit boy bike collided with Muslim's bike. The matter escalated to such an extent that the people started fighting with sticks-rods. As per the reports, five persons from the Dalit side and two from the Muslim side have sustained injuries.


Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann

The Chief Minister prayed for peace, progress and prosperity in the state

SRI ANANDPUR SAHIB: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann along with his wife Dr Gurpreet Kaur on Monday (March 6) paid obeisance at Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib and participated in the functions organized to mark the beginning of the traditional festival of Hola Mohalla.

The Chief Minister prayed to God for peace, progress and prosperity in the state. He also wished that fraternity in the state would remain intact and Punjab would lead the country in every field. CM Bhagwant Mann said that he considered himself lucky to participate in the opening ceremony of this festival which symbolizes the fighting spirit of Punjabis in general and the Sikh community in particular.

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Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann

The Chief Minister said that he had the privilege of paying obeisance at this holy city, Sri Anandpur Sahib, which was established in the year 1665 by the ninth Guru, Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji, who protected human values and rights. He sacrificed his life. The Chief Minister further said that this holy place is also the birthplace of Khalsa as in the year 1699, the tenth Guru of Sikhs Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji laid the foundation of Khalsa Panth on this holy land on the historic day of Baisakhi. CM Mann said that this holy land has always inspired Punjabis to fight against oppression and injustice.

On this occasion, during the conversation with the officials, the Chief Minister said that on the occasion of this festival, people from different classes come in large numbers to pay obeisance at the holy land of Sri Anandpur Sahib. He said that the Punjab government is fully committed to ensure world-class and adequate arrangements for the pilgrims coming to the holy city during the Hola Mohalla. CM Bhagwant Mann said that every year devotees celebrate this traditional festival with colors of unity, tolerance, brotherhood.

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Punjab CM Bhagwant MannThe Chief Minister emphasized the need for detailed arrangements for traffic, parking of vehicles, security arrangements, accommodation and other facilities for the pilgrims. He also asked the authorities to ensure that no stone is left unturned for the convenience of the pilgrims coming to pay obeisance at this holy land. He called upon the people to celebrate this great event collectively with full enthusiasm, rising above the distinctions of caste, colour, creed and religion to reflect the sentiments of secularism and tolerance.
Raja Warring at Vidhan Sabha

Complete 'Jungle Raj' has gripped Punjab: Raja Warring

CHANDIGARH: The Second day of the budget session of Punjab Vidhan Sabha started amidst the opposition's uproar. The Governor's speech is being discussed today. Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Waring was in limelight as he wore a news print T-shirt to the Vidhan Sabha.

Meanwhile, he also talked to the media about the issues of Punjab and said that crime incidents are spoiling the environment of Punjab everyday. This has become a matter of concern for people. The condition of Punjab has become worse and the government is watching as a silent spectator. The incidents that happened in Punjab since last year, the Congress repeatedly raised all those issues with the government, but the state govt always responds with only one answer that there is peace and tranquility in Punjab.

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Raja Waring said that the situation in Punjab has become such that the Punjab Police was so strong, which has now been completely weakened. He said that now it seems as if he is feeling helpless. Raising the question, Raja Waring said that the incident takes place in Punjab but the people of Delhi are arresting the culprits.

Speaking in favor of Sidhu Moose Wala's father, he said that now Sardar Balkaur Singh is receiving constant threats but the government has no time to listen to his voice. He said that a full year is about to pass but his family is yet to get justice. He said that a person who has lost his son and is now receiving death threats, nothing worse than this can happen in Punjab. Regarding the Ajnala incident, he said that even after 15 days, a case has not been registered in this matter and it seems that now a complete 'Jungle Raj' has gripped Punjab.
Debate

'Whoever commits a mistake in the 'AAP' party will be punished'- CM Mann

CHANDIGARH: On the second day of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha session, a heated debate erupted between Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa.

Taking a jibe at Partap Bajwa, CM Mann said that he can tolerate the slander of Punjab, but will not tolerate the slander of the Congress. He said that whoever commits a mistake in the 'AAP' party will be punished. Along with this, he also talked about the relationship of Congress leaders with gangsters.

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On the other side, Slamming CM Mann-led state government, Partap Bajwa asked how many issues's investigation is still pending in Punjab?, CM Mann said that investigation of every case takes time and everyone will have their turn. He said that whoever has eaten the money of Punjab, the money will be withdrawn. On this, Partap Singh Bajwa said that if this is the system, then why no action was taken against former minister Fauja Singh Sarari.

The Chief Minister also questioned Partap Singh Bajwa about the Congress leaders joining the BJP and mockingly asked Partap Bajwa that former Congress leaders Captain Amarinder Singh, Sunil Jakhar, Gurdeep Kangar, Balbir Singh Sidhu, Manpreet Badal and Fateh Jung Bajwa- Where are all of them? He said that if the government changes, it does not mean that you will be saved, if you have eaten the money of Punjab, then you will definitely be punished.

Talking about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, CM Mann said, "Congress leader Rahul Gandhi questions the relationship between PM Modi and Adani, but in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, Congress has given complete importance to Adani."

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Pratap Bajwa also questioned Delhi CM and AAP Convener, Arvind Kejriwal's guarantee of collecting Rs 20,000 crores annually from sand, to which CM Mann said that he would clarify everything during his budget speech.

CM Mann added, "I'll tell everyone how many congressmen's mafias have been caught, in which former CM Charanjit Singh Channi and his favorite leaders sitting in the House are also present." The CM also taunted Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira for playing tweet-tweet. Partap Singh Bajwa said whether the Punjab government will compensate PSPCL's loss of Rs 22,000 crore.
British Sikh MP

The Message Read, "Watch Your Back."

LONDON: Britain's first woman Sikh MP Preet Kaur Gill informed the cops after receiving threatening email message. Preet Kaur Gill said that she received a threat through an email that said 'Watch your back'.

Edgbaston, Senior Labor MP for Birmingham, said she was forced to hire a bodyguard to attend his constituency meetings after the email. Gill told GB News that this latest direct threat really worries her.

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She said, "This is a matter of concern as I am with my daughters in the constituency all the time. My family lives here. As a woman, when you put yourself forward and you want to address injustice and you care about issues that affect your constituents, then you have to face people that think It's okay to say this sort of stuff to you."
Wearing the right cologne makes you feel more attractive and confident. When youre interacting with others, this can have a direct effect on how you talk and socialize with people.
Ellen Ochoas calculus class at Grossmont High School led the way to more math at San Diego State University and then to the thought of looking into a field that actually uses math.

She became an astronaut.

Ochoa joined NASA in 1988 as a research engineer and then went to the Johnson Space Center two years later, after being selected as an astronaut candidate. Ochoa has flown in space four times since becoming an astronaut in 1991, logging nearly 1,000 hours in orbit.

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On May 19, she will be inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, nine days shy of her 59th birthday.

In a phone interview, Ochoa, now the director of the Johnson Space Center in Houston, recalled some of the memories she has of growing up in La Mesa.

Ochoa recalled how as a grade school student, she and some of her friends on Henderson Drive began a spirited Independence Day tradition.

My parents and our neighbors started up a Fourth of July parade, Ochoa said. Kids would gather at our house and wed put on crepe paper hats of red, white and blue. One of the neighbors would crank up Stars and Stripes Forever on their Victrola and wed go marching up and down the block.

We did the parade for a number of years. Anybody who lived there then would remember this!

Ochoa said being an astronaut was not on her mind when in high school. She took some math and calculus classes, but wasnt thinking much about science or engineering.

I have to admit that I didnt take lot of science in high school, she said.

She played the flute while at Grossmont, an instrument which she had taken up in sixth grade and still plays to this day.

Ochoa graduated in 1975 and is one of three Grossmont High alumni who have been U.S. astronauts, joining William Anders of Apollo 8 (class of 1951) and Frederick W. Sturckow (class of 1978), a fact that seems surreal to her.

Its pretty incredible that one high school has three astronauts, she said. I cant really explain it. I know I got good education there. I had a great calculus teacher. And back then, they didnt offer that class every year, only if enough people were interested in taking it. So Im glad they had calculus when I wanted to take it.

While attending SDSU, she joined the marching band and wind ensemble while continuing to take math courses. At some point in college, she said she began to think about looking into a field that actually uses math.

Ochoa took a variety of classes at SDSU and decided to concentrate on physics, eventually earning her bachelors degree in that field. She then went up the coast and got both a masters degree and doctorate in electrical engineering from Stanford.

She was the first Hispanic woman to go into space.

Ive been fortunate to have had the opportunity to interact with students, including reaching out to girls and to Hispanic children, Ochoa said. Ive literally given hundreds of talks at schools and to school groups.

Ive had the opportunity to reach out directly to students and tell them about the experience of getting to go to space, being part of a team and learning new things, accomplishing things as a team. Thats very, very rewarding.

Ochoa said she has spoken to students in East County several times. She helped open the Challenger Learning Center at Parkway Middle School where a bungalow on the campus had a mock-up space station and faux Mission Control center. The learning center has since moved to the Reuben H. Fleet Center in Balboa Park.

Ochoa, who is married with two sons, said she returns to San Diego to visit every few years. Her brother and one of her nieces still live in town.

She will be a keynote panelist and accept an award at the U.S. News and World Reports Science Technology Engineering Math Leadership Hall of Fame Awards luncheon. The event is May 25 at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina and part of a weekend-long U.S. News STEM Solutions conference.

Ochoa said she has a positive outlook as far as the future of space exploration and travel for U.S. astronauts.

At NASA, were on a plan to advance space exploration of the solar system, and getting to Mars in the 2030s, she said. Our goal is to continue that.

She said being inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame is very exciting, especially given the people whose names are in there already.

Ochoa will join the elite group of space explorers including the Mercury Seven (Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, John Glenn, Gus Grissom, Wally Schirra, Alan Shepard and Deke Slayton) as well as Neil Armstrong and Sally Ride.

Those are names I have heard my whole life, icons of space exploration, she said. Some of them I have had the pleasure of knowing, even flying in space with a few.

I must say that anything any of us have accomplished has been part of a team effort. Astronauts are just one little piece of the big picture.
Astronomers using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have captured an amazing photo of the irregular spiral galaxy NGC 5486.

NGC 5486 is located approximately 110 million light-years away in the constellation of Ursa Major.

Constellations are not only patterns of bright stars, but also a system that astronomers use to divide the sky into regions, Hubble astronomers said in a statement.

There are 88 of these regions, and each has an associated constellation depicting a mythological figure, an animal, or even an item of scientific equipment.

This strange celestial menagerie contains everything from Ursa Majors great bear to a toucan, a sea monster, a telescope, and even a painters easel.

NGC 5486 was discovered by the German-born British astronomer William Herschel on April 14, 1789.

Otherwise known as IRAS 14056+5520, LEDA 50383, TC 537 and UGC 9036, it is classified as an irregular spiral galaxy.

NGC 5486 is a member of the NGC 5485 group (LGG 373), a group of at least 8 spiral and lenticular galaxies.

The tenuous disk of NGC 5486 is threaded through with pink wisps of star formation, which stand out from the diffuse glow of the galaxys bright core, the astronomers said.

While this particular galaxy has indistinct, meandering spiral arms it lies close to the much larger Pinwheel galaxy, one of the best known examples of grand design spiral galaxies with prominent and well-defined spiral arms.

In 2006, Hubble captured an image of the Pinwheel galaxy which was  at the time  the largest and most detailed photo of a spiral galaxy ever taken with Hubble.

The color image of NGC 5486 was made from separate exposures taken in the visible and near-infrared regions of the spectrum with Hubbles Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS).

Two filters were used to sample various wavelengths. The color results from assigning different hues to each monochromatic image associated with an individual filter.

This observation comes from a selection of Hubble images exploring the detritus left behind by Type II supernovae, the researchers said.

As massive stars reach the end of their lives they cast off huge amounts of gas and dust before ending their lives in titanic supernova explosions.

NGC 5486 hosted a supernova in 2004, and astronomers used the keen vision of Hubbles ACS instrument to explore the aftermath in the hopes of learning more about these explosive events.
A full 'worm moon' is set to rise on the evening of March 7. This coincides with several festivals and holidays all over the world.

Cultural, Religious Value of March Full 'Worm Moon'

The Almanac has dubbed this full moon as the Worm Moon because of the worms that start surfacing after the ground thaws in the northern hemisphere. Several Ojibwe or Anishinaabeg, which are indigenous people from the region of the Great Lakes, have known such an event as the Onaabidin Giizis or Snow-Crust Moon.

However, for Europeans, the full moon is known to be the Lenten moon as it comes after the fasting period before Easter. Live Science reports that this full worm moon also coincides with the Jewish holiday known as Purim, which commemorates the Jewish people's salvation from attempts to kill the Jews in ancient Persia.

For Hindus, this full worm moon will mark the Holi festival, which is a celebration of the Hindu god Radha Krishna and the victory over evil. During this event, bonfires are ignited, and revelers douse one another with colored water or powders.

When it comes to Buddhism, this full worm moon is the third lunar month's full moon. This is the time for the celebration of the Magha Puja across Sri Lanka, Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia. Such a festival commemorates a historical gathering of Buddhist disciples.

ALSO READ: Does The Moon's Light Emit For Earth? Study Explains The Reflection of Light From Sun and Moon

When To Spot the Full Worm Moon

According to Forbes, viewers from across Europe will get to witness the sun and moon's perfect alignment. While some astronomers advise that the evening of the full moon is not the most optimal time for viewing it, there is something missing in this. For those who want to look into the moon's mountains and craters, it would be better to view the moon with a small telescope or a pair of binoculars when the moon is only lit partially. However, the terminator, which is the line that differentiates the bright and dark areas, is where lengthy shadows from the mountains and craters can be seen.

Live Science reports that the full worm moon will be at its fullest by 7:40 a.m. EST. According to EarthSky, the moon will appear full for days after and before this official full moon.

Full moons take place when both the sun and moon are on the earth's opposite sides. With the dayside of the moon facing the earth fully, the moon's whole disk looks round and bright.

After this full worm moon, the next full luna will take place on April 5. At times, it is also referred to as the "Pink Moon," mirroring the pink wildflowers that start blooming during this time of the year across northern America.

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RELATED ARTICLE: Moon Plays Crucial Role in Life on Earth, Could Potentially Determine What Makes A Planet Habitable

Check out more news and information on the Moon in Science Times.
Birla Tyres, a Kesoram Companies firm admitted for debt resolving by India's bankruptcy court last year, has obtained expressions of interest (EoIs) from Ceat, Bain-Piramal-backed India Resurgent Fund, Naveen Jindal company Jindal Power, Dalmia Bharat Refractories, and Purnendu Chatterjee-promoted MCPI, 2 persons aware of the development said.

The National Company Law Tribunal admitted the company under the corporate insolvency resolution process (CIRP) in May 2022 on a petition by chemicals maker SRF after it defaulted on dues of Rs 15 crore.

The resolution professional Pratim Bayal, supported by PwC, has invited the EoI applicants to submit their resolution plans before the end of this month. The RP, who has admitted Rs 1,128 crore claims from financial creditors.

The other corporate EoI applicants include Jindal Poly Films, Falcon Marine Exports, Himadri Speciality Chemicals, KLJ Specialities, Bommidala Enterprises, United Biotech, KR Pulp and Paper, Orissa Metaliks, Shyam Sel and Power, and a consortium led by DD Steel and Power.

Other strategic investors include Dickey Alternative Investments Trust, which acts through its fund manager Dickey Asset Management; RKG Fund-I, a trust operated by Prudent ARC; a consortium led by Stephens Financial Services and Edelweiss Alternative Asset Advisors.

Birla Tyres manufactures tyres for commercial vehicles, farm vehicles, heavy earth-moving machinery, motorcycles, and three-wheelers. It was demerged from parent Kesoram Industries as a standalone tyre manufacturing company in 2019.

"One of the key attractions is the location of the plant. It is situated in an industrial area with 181 acres of freehold land available for development to the potential bidder," a person aware of the debt resolution process said.

The second reason is that there are three ports and one airport - Subarnarekha Port, Mahanadi Riverine Port, Paradip Port, and Biju Patnaik International Airport - close to the plant.

It has a manufacturing unit in Balasore in Odisha, but operations have been stalled for the past two years. Birla Tyres also has an under-construction project adjacent to the existing Balasore plant for manufacturing radial tyres for passenger cars.

Among the lenders, Axis Bank has made the highest claim of Rs 555.6 crore, followed by Asset Reconstruction Company of India at Rs 196 crore and State Bank of India at Rs 120 crore.

Its other lenders include DBS Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, IndusInd Bank and Yes Bank. Ceat, Jindal Power, PE Funds Among Cos in Race for Birla Tyres
Two-wheeler major Hero MotoCorp on Monday said it has approved an agreement with the US-based Zero Motorcycles to partner on premium electric motorcycles. According to a statement from Hero MotoCorp, the nation's biggest two-wheeler producer, the relationship combines the size of production, procurement, and marketing of Hero MotoCorp with the expertise of Zero in designing power trains and electric bikes.

In September 2022, Hero MotoCorp's board approved an equity investment of up to USD 60 million in California-based Zero Motorcycles, a leading player in electric motorcycles and powertrains.

"Our partnership with Zero Motorcycles is a significant milestone in our journey towards ushering in an era of sustainable clean technology in the mobility space. With Zero as our partner, we look forward to accelerating the transition of electric mobility in India and across our global markets," Hero MotoCorp Chairman & CEO Pawan Munjal said.

The company has forayed into the electric scooter segment with the VIDA V1 scooter. Hero MotoCorp has also initiated operations of its public charging infrastructure in Bengaluru, Delhi, and Jaipur. It has already set up nearly 300 charging points across the three cities for public use.

Zero Motorcycles CEO Sam Paschel said the companies are committed to transforming the riding experience and bringing remarkable, innovative products to the world.
InfoVision Inc, a leading global digital services company headquartered in the United States, has signed an MOU with IIT-Hyderabad to establish collaboration areas specifically to create closer ties and greater collaboration between industry and academia. On February 23, 2023, Sean Yalamanchi, President of InfoVision, visited the IIT Hyderabad campus to formalize the partnership with IITH officials and launch two new Hybrid classrooms as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative.

It is heartening to witness a prestigious educational institution such as IIT take a decisive and impactful move towards digitization, said Mr. Sean Yalamanchi, Co-Founder, President and Member of the Board, InfoVision.

This convergence of our strengths will help in bridging the gap between industry and academia which will in turn ensure that academic research and education will align with the needs of the industry leading to the development of innovative solutions to solve real-world problems. I am confident that this will play a significant role in preparing students for the workforce by providing them with hands-on experience, industry insights, and career opportunities, added Sean.

Academia welcomes and appreciates the industry's interest in creating substantial value using their best capabilities. We are grateful to InfoVision for their proactive approach and initiative, which will augment to the existing system to help us in delivering high-quality education to students, both nationally and internationally, said Dr Murty, Director, IIT Hyderabad.

As a part of the agreement, InfoVision engineers and technology subject matter experts (SMEs) express their commitment to collaborate with the learned faculty and promising students of IIT-Hyderabad on edge technologies. The aim is to share expertise for mutual benefit and growth in areas such as technology lab visits, research & development programs, guest lectures, mini projects, internships and so on.
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur and its Startup Incubation & Innovation Centre (SIIC) hosted the two-day "Abhivyakti" Startup Festival, which was completed on Sunday. At the opening session on Saturday, IIT-Kanpur professor-in-charge of innovation and incubation Professor Ankush Sharma welcomed the attendees.

Although the institute's director, Prof. Abhay Karandikar, stressed the need to support startups and entrepreneurship in India in his inaugural address, Nikhil Agarwal, CEO, SIIC & AIIDE-CoE, IIT Kanpur, talked on the significance of innovation and entrepreneurship.

More than 600 government representatives, innovators, venture capitalists, angel investors, startups, and students were present on the first day of the conference. Dignitaries in attendance included Ajay Hinduja of the Hinduja Group (virtually), Arun Tiwari, group president of the BFSI division of the Hinduja Group, Dr. Ajay Kumar, a former defence secretary of the GOI, and Sivasubramanian Ramann, chairman and managing director of SIDBI.

On the inaugural day of the event, SIIC, IIT -Kanpur also signed an MoU with the Hinduja Group to collaborate on promoting the startup ecosystem in India by providing crucial support to budding entrepreneurs, fostering innovation and driving growth in the Indian startup ecosystem. The SIDBI Seed Equity Support Scheme (S4-SIIC) was also launched on the occasion.

With this fund, SIDBI is setting up a pilot fund for supporting the hard-tech startups incubated at SIIC. Prof Karandikar said, We are proud to host the Abhivyakti Startup Festival at IIT-K, which brings together the brightest minds in the startup ecosystem, including entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, and government officials. We believe that the festival will serve as a launchpad for many promising startups .

"Abhivyakti is a terrific project that gives a forum for companies to promote their ideas and interact with investors and mentors," claimed Prof. Sharma. "The Vision for Fund of Funds is aligned with the government's purpose of supporting entrepreneurship by providing indirect finance to developing businesses through Venture Capital (VC) Funds," stated Sivasubramanian Ramann, chairman & MD, SIDBI, in his keynote address. Former Defense Secretary Ajay Kumar emphasised the importance of young innovators in the defence industry.

Around 70 companies from a range of industries, including Agritech, Cleantech, Cybersecurity, Fintech, Healthcare, Infrastructure, Defense, Sustainability, the Internet of Things, and Artificial Intelligence, took part in the event's first day. The event featured participation from more than 40 investors from across the nation.

Government se Baat, a panel discussion on "Government Efforts for Encouraging Deep-Tech Startup Culture in India," and FundSights, a panel discussion on "Investing in Deep-Tech Startups: Opportunities and Challenges," were events and activities that were hosted during the festival. Samvaad with Industry, a different event, emphasised the importance of corporate-startup collaborations in fostering innovation.
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Pundits tuning into Teslas marathon annual investor day last week admitted being bored. So was the market: the companys share price fell by 5 per cent after a four hour slog that offered nothing much, according to one business publication.

No new models were revealed, nor were eagerly awaited production dates or prices disclosed. Even the rock star chief executive himself, Elon Musk, was much more muted and low profile than in previous years.

Investors saw a more muted Elon Musk last week. Credit: AP

It was dull for a reason: the Chinese are coming, bringing cheap electric cars to Western markets, potentially in huge quantities. They may have unpronounceable names, such as Aiways, and corny marketing slogans (bring your own dreams), but they are fulfilling demand for cheaper electric vehicles, which are what the sector is crying out for as demand stalls.

As the electric car market leader, Tesla has never done affordable, nor has it really ever cracked reliable high-volume production.
Court filings in recent days revealed that Fox News executives and hosts considered fraud claims by the Trump camp to be really crazy stuff, as Rupert Murdoch, head of the Fox media empire, put it, yet pushed them on air anyway. The recording of the November 16 meeting adds further context to the atmosphere inside the network at that time, when executives were on the defensive because of their Arizona call and feared alienating Trump and his supporters. In a statement on Saturday, the network said, Fox News stood by the Arizona call despite intense scrutiny. Given the extremely narrow 0.3 per cent margin and a new projection mechanism that no other network had, of course there would be a wide-ranging post-mortem surrounding the call and how it was executed no matter the candidates. In the crosshairs now is Scott, who joined the network at its inception in 1996 as a programming assistant and worked her way up to become CEO in 2018. Media analysts have speculated that she may take the fall; Murdoch testified in a deposition that executives who knowingly allowed lies to be broadcast should be reprimanded, maybe got rid of. But Fox later put out word that she was not in danger. Scott was among the executives who grew alarmed after the networks Decision Desk called Arizona for Biden at 11:20 p.m. on election night on November 3, 2020, a projection that infuriated Trump and his aides because it was a swing state that could foreshadow the overall result. No other network called Arizona that night, although The Associated Press did, several hours later, and the Fox News journalists who made the call stood by their judgment.

At 8:30 a.m. the next day, Scott suggested Fox not call any more states until certified by authorities, a formal process that could take days or weeks. She was talked out of that. But the next day, with Bidens lead in Arizona narrowing, Baier noted that Trumps campaign was angry and suggested reversing the call. Its hurting us, he wrote Wallace and others in a previously reported email. The sooner we pull it even if it gives us major egg. And put it back in his column. The better we are. In my opinion. Arizona had never been in Trumps column, and the Decision Desk, overseen by Bill Sammon, managing editor for Washington, resisted giving it back to a candidate who was losing just to satisfy critics. Loading But Friday night, November 6, when Sammons team was ready to call Nevada for Biden, sealing his victory, Wallace refused to air it. Im not there yet since its for all the marbles  just a heavier burden than an individual state call, Wallace wrote in a text message obtained by the Times. Rather than be the first to call the election winner, Fox News became the last. CNN declared Biden the victor the next day at 11:24 am, followed by the other networks. Fox News did not concur until 11:40 am, about 14 hours after Sammons election team internally concluded the race was over.

While Biden held on to Arizona by 10,000 votes, the explosive fallout from Fox News call panicked the network. Viewers erupted. Ratings fell. Ive never seen a reaction like this, to any media company, Tucker Carlson told Scott in a November 9 message released in a court filing. Scott complained to a colleague that Sammon did not understand the impact to the brand and the arrogance in calling AZ and it was his job to protect the brand. Rupert Murdoch testified in a deposition that executives who knowingly allowed lies to be broadcast should be reprimanded, maybe got rid of. Credit: AP On November 16, Scott and Wallace convened the Zoom meeting to discuss the Arizona decision. Sammon and Arnon Mishkin, the director of the Decision Desk, were included. Chris Stirewalt, the political editor who had gone on air to defend the call, was not. Scott invited Baier and MacCallum  the face of the network, as she called them  to describe the heat they were taking, according to the recording reviewed by the Times.

We are still getting bombarded, Baier said. It became really hurtful. He said projections were not enough to call a state when it would be so sensitive. I know the statistics and the numbers, but there has to be, like, this other layer so they could think beyond, about the implications. MacCallum agreed: Theres just obviously been a tremendous amount of backlash, which is, I think, more than any of us anticipated. And so theres that layer between statistics and news judgment about timing that I think is a factor. For a loud faction of our viewership, she said, the call was a blow. Ive never seen a reaction like this, to any media company. A message from Tucker Carlson to Suzanne Scott on November 9, 2020 Neither she nor Baier explained exactly what they meant by another layer. A person who was in the meeting and spoke on condition of anonymity to describe internal discussions said Saturday that Baier had been talking about process because he was upset the Decision Desk had made the Arizona call without letting the anchors know first. What no one said at the meeting was that Scott would not let Sammons team risk the networks brand again. She decided to push out Sammon and Stirewalt, but fearing criticism for firing journalists who had gotten the call right, she opted to wait until after Georgia.

Murdoch was not keen on waiting. On November 20, four days after the Zoom meeting, according to documents filed by Dominion, he told Scott, Maybe best to let Bill go right away, which would be a big message with Trump people. Loading Sammon, who had called every election correctly over 12 years at Fox News and had just been offered a new three-year contract, was told that same day that his contract would not be renewed after all. He heard not from Fox News but from his lawyer, Robert Barnett. Stirewalt was out too. Fox News would, in the end, wait until after Georgia to announce the purge, without attributing it to the Arizona call. Sammon, who negotiated a severance package, would call his departure a retirement, while Stirewalts dismissal was characterised as a restructuring. Three weeks later, Fox News announced a new multi-year contract extension for Scott.
So let me set the scene, sings Eamon the lifesaver, a snarling guitar below his words. Its two in the afternoon and 34 degrees. Too hot for a bloke like Eamon, youd think, his lily skin complementing his ginger mullet. But the singer keeps marching, confessing, The Queensland harsh summer heat had me sweating buckets up and down my street.

Thirty-four degrees, and 18 million YouTube views  thats the nutshell history of Smoko, the 2017 debut single of The Chats, a shed-rock trio out of Noosaville. Seeming more Weasley than punk god, Eamon Sandwith meets a tradie perched atop of his milk-crate throne. Meet Josh Price, the hi-vis guitarist, while Matt Boggis and his drums appear beside the cyclone fencing.

Verse by verse, the song tackles Centrelink payments and lastly lifesaver Eamon ignoring a drowner at the beach, Coz Im on smoko, so leave me alone! Repeat. Repeat. The tone is cranky, the riff catchy. To the point a million offshore listeners began to wonder what the hell smoko meant.

Viral songs can also see their novel lyrics spread. Warren Zevon taught me Naugahyde, Jay-Z (Manolo Blahnik) and B-52s (bikini whale). As for Smoko, the songs narrative, plus the video, set the scene for most fans. Despite the tradie opting for a sausage roll over a rollie, the slangs meaning is guessable. Graspable. But where did the Australianism first appear?
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Reuben Kaye and I meet in a cafe at Heathrow Airport. Its a lucky overlap. I arrived from Australia the previous night; he is about to leave Britain for an Australian tour of two cabaret shows  one total drag razzamatazz, one smaller and more intimate, where he spends most of the show among the audience  taking in Sydney Pride, Adelaide Fringe, Melbourne International Comedy Festival and a string of other gigs. I spot him checking in at the premium economy counter of Emirates, where the luggage allowance  47 kilos, he tells me later  just about accommodates his six bags, including two suitcases of make-up in case one gets lost. Im often overweight and so Ill say ooh, I didnt know high heels and eyelashes weighed so much! he says, his drag fabulousness seemingly turning up to full beam just at the mention of eyelashes. And the check-in person says why, what do you mean? At which point he whips out a picture of himself in full regalia, all glitter and make-up. Nod, wink. That is his open-sesame to get waved through. See, there are some benefits to being a pariah, he says, sounding rather more queenly than a pariah should. To tell the truth, were both excited by being such jet-setters that we have to meet on the fly in departures. Kaye has lived in Britain since 2010, first playing an Argentinian aristocrat in Evita  in which he felt like a fraud  before sliding into the London cabaret scene, which was wilder and less grounded in music theatre than the Australian equivalent. And thats how the monster was born, he says. I fell in love with it. I fell in love with the fact that anything could happen on any night. He worked at the Savoy; he had a residency at the Cafe de Paris; he toured. Ive loved the last three years, of living and constantly travelling, he sighs. There is an adrenaline to it. There is a show business aspect to it too. I mean, Im now doing a press interview in an airport before I get on a 24-hour flight. All that showbiz stuff! Im trying to say its an inconvenient perk, which kind of gets it. Its fab! Being queer is, in Kayes view, a f--- you to any kind of expectation. Credit:Kyahm Ross Kaye is 36. Of course, he loves the idea of show business  its tatty glamour and people who, as the song says, smile when they are low; its commitment to going on with the show. People tell him hes doing something new; he says he is essentially an old-school song and dance man. But Kaye is also a stirrer. His politics are firmly on the left, his sexual identity on lurid display, his love of a show tune equalled by his love of filth. He is inspired, he says, by rage, unrest and dissatisfaction and is not bothered if people find that rage uncongenial. Which, of course, plenty of neo-conservative haters do. People say: this isnt comedy, he told Australian magazine The Modern Gays Guide. And its like, well, you know what? If people are laughing, then Im sorry, mate, thats comedy. Last week, he caused no end of trouble on The Project with a risque crack about the crucifixion, which drew the ire of bishops and a subsequent on-air apology from host Waleed Aly. Kaye hasnt responded, but there is little point; poking at pieties is his stock-in-trade. Cabaret is lawless; being queer is, in his view, a f--- you to any kind of expectation, meaning that the life itself is a form of rebellion. And as much as we have hatred and judgment and religion coming for us, we were here before them and we will outlast them all, he told Time Out. Including the idea of God. Anger can be a force for change, he says. And there is so much to be angry about  and so much that is funny.

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There was never a time when Kaye wasnt a performer. His family were all artistically inclined  his mother was a former dancer and filmmaker  and loved opera, which meant that his earliest shows were renditions of great operatic deaths. My brother had to stand there with a breadknife and a bag of Ribena while I was playing Carmen in a bedsheet flamenco dress, he says. Or Id be doing Ophelias mad scene and they would have to watch me stick my head in the sink. Or throw myself off the back of the couch doing Tosca. Kaye making that joke on The Project last week. Credit:Network Ten This was when he was at kindergarten. I was always a camp child! I used to try to change my name in primary school so I wouldnt get bullied, thinking that my name, Reuben, was the reason. Meanwhile, Im seven years old and singing the entire score of West Side Story down the halls at full volume. Somewhere along the line he was diagnosed with ADHD, but his parents baulked at a child being given drugs, so that was that. All the teachers would say the same thing: oh, we love having Reuben in the class, hes so charming and so funny, to the extent that they didnt realise I wasnt handing in any work. High school in Balwyn was worse. I got thrown in front of cars, that kind of thing. At his 10-year school reunion  which he attended, he now thinks, out of morbid curiosity to see what these terrorists had become  a string of grown men came up to him to apologise. Which I was not expecting. It gave me a glimmer of hope that people who have done shitty things know, that they are holding on to it in some way  although it didnt help that one guy who apologised then tried to get me to be a brand ambassador for his tequila brand. That took the joy out of it, somehow. There was another guy I had to fake remembering. And one guy came up to me and really started getting quite emotional, started crying on my shoulder, which was in turn touching and then tedious. Because there is a moment when you realise the apology is not really about you. Because Ive moved on from this. In fact, Ive made it tax-deductible. Kaye says he is inspired by rage, unrest and dissatisfaction. Credit:Vincent Van Berkel How much does anyone move on, though, when it comes to it? Kaye is endlessly interested in families, especially families with gay children. The moment he came out to his father is the subject of both a TED talk he gave recently and the bigger of the two shows he is bringing to Melbourne, Live and Intimidating. I know thats what the world needs, another coming-out story, he says, with a wotcha-gonna-do grin. But specifically, this is designed to let people know that if the coming out isnt smooth, it doesnt mean the parental relationship has to be sacrificed. Sometimes parents speak from their own place of trauma or confusion and just say the wrong thing. Although my parents were very supportive, my dad fumbled the coming-out response because he said, Im just sad youll never be a father because that means Ive failed. Kaye was devastated. My take on that, after talking to him  and this went on for years  was that I felt so unseen, he says. And that I was a failure.

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It wasnt what he was expecting. His parents were progressive. Kaye was, he says, obviously gay. I wonder that he felt he had to come out at all, what with the school beatings and his penchant for making jewelled costumes. Coming out is so big, he counters. The aim ultimately is not to have to come out at all, but at the moment its still a wonderful statement of being, of your own identity. When a kid says Im gay to a parent, what theyre really asking is: Am I OK? Do you still love me? I have such amazing leftie, artistic parents and I had no reason to think they would reject me, but it was still a really scary thing to do because the world was feeding me narratives, especially in the 80s and 90s, like youre gay and deserve to die of AIDS; you will be rejected. On television, gay characters were victims or psychotic villains. Even in Disney, the villains are queer-coded. Ka the snake, Captain Hook, Ursula the Octopus: all caustic, evil and camp as Christmas. Well, you know what? If people are laughing, then Im sorry, mate, thats comedy. Reuben Kaye, comedian By that time, his parents were divorced. I was already a very angry kid. It took a while before I really got to know my dad and realised were post-Holocaust Jews. Were built with the mindset of the faceless 6 million. And Dad was raised in this Russian family unit  a unit in the military sense, almost. I had to understand that. Fortunately, they had many reconciled years. I think a lot of kids dont think of their parents, when theyre that young, as fully rounded humans with backstories, Kaye says. So the show is designed around that. Young gay people bring their parents. Parents bring their gay children. Its a way of bridging gaps  and thats beautiful. It also has, he hastens to add, 25 songs, ranging from country queen Bobbie Gentry to Stormzy, mashed into four big musical numbers by Kaye and his musical director, Shanon Whitelock. Its still cabaret. As is the smaller show, The Kaye Hole, which is improvised chat and songs played on a grand piano. Its relaxing, you know. An intimate candle-lit supper, as Hyacinth Bucket would say, as opposed to a Bacchanalian extravaganza. TAKE 7: THE ANSWERS ACCORDING TO REUBEN KAYE Worst habit? Overthinking things to the point I never start them. Greatest fear? Stopping. The line that stayed with you? After several sinus surgeries I can safely say no line has stayed with me. But I think the last line of Billy Wilders Some Like It Hot is the cherry on top of a wonderful Sundae. Its no good Osgood. Im a man! Nobodys perfect. Biggest regret? Not working harder as a dancer when I was a kid. I wouldve loved to go into acrobatics and circus. Favourite room? Cafe de Paris in London. Its where Marlene Dietrich, Judy Garland, Noel Coward, The Rat Pack, The Stones, Prince and everyone in between gigged and drank and I was lucky enough to work there as host and MC for almost 5 years. It was the best room in London. The artwork/song you wish was yours? Oooh! I could go monetary and wish that I owned a Banksyor perhaps to have written something like Timewatching by Divine Comedy. I think Id rather have written something that I would still love to perform until I die, that still hits hard. The Stones - Gimme Shelter. If you could solve one thing? That no child should go unfed, unhoused and without books or that every aeroplane seat should be designed for people over 6ft. My back is killing me. While reflecting on his own story, the tricky negotiation between parents and children has become his special subject. Its very rich. Its very complex, its a relationship that can be incredibly close with people who are similar to you, and yet you still want to divorce yourself from them or find your own identity. Look how many times children say: oh they are so similar to me and yet they fight like cats and dogs. In what other position do you get such a brutal peer review? He has been making a podcast called Come to Daddy, in which his guests  most, but not all, comedians  talk about their parents. Because every comedian has a bit about parents, for good or bad and with their approval or not, he says. So whats that relationship like? And do comedians who make jokes about their parents suffer the fate of becoming their parents, given theyve been doing material about them for years? He doesnt have an answer to that one  not yet, anyway. You can cover a lot of ground in a conversation over coffee. It certainly wasnt all about queer identity and rhinestones. A full 10 minutes was spent on pug dogs and the cruelty of their breeding. Donald Trump came up, inevitably, but with an extra spin about rumoured incontinence. There were tales from the cabaret demi-monde, such as the time a tall woman behind him told him how great his show was, he turned around and it was Elle Macpherson. He tells me he is thinking of having his ADHD assessed again because a fellow comedian told him the medication gave her more focus. I wonder if that would put a lid on all this ricocheting repartee. That would be a shame.

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What David Hare wants to write about at the moment is pretty simple: the fact that two billion of us are doing well in this world and six billion are not.

Often referred to as our greatest living playwright, the 75-year-old Englishman has written 39 plays, many about current events including conflict in the Middle East, media moguls and COVID-19. He received two Academy Award nominations for best-adapted screenplay for writing The Hours in 2002 and The Reader in 2008.

Sir David Hare is only now turning his attention to writing about men.

Speaking ahead of a talk in Melbourne this week, Hare says the huge gap between the haves and the have-nots is the issue of the 21st century. Global capitalism is not currently delivering an equal way of living, he says. So we have this massive disparity between the rich and the poor, which gets greater all the time and makes societies demonstrably unhappier. That, of course, is what I would write about, but god knows how you write about it.

To his mind, the best writers express something that needs to be said but which has not yet been articulated. What they should do - and what he aims to do - is find the gaps and challenge our preoccupations as a society. All the great playwrights - Shakespeare, Ibsen, Chekhov and Moliere - were way ahead of what society was thinking.
Why Australia's biggest threat is China

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NSW councils are opposing a state government move to reduce or stop development on flood-prone land, condemning a one-size-fits-all approach and accusing the government of shifting the goalposts after initially making the ban voluntary.

Severe flooding hits Lismore in northern NSW in February 2022. Credit: Sydney Morning Herald

The debate concerns the proposed insertion of clause 5.22 of the standard planning instrument into councils local environment plans. The clause stipulates that consent must not be granted unless it can be shown the development will not affect safe occupation or efficient evacuation of people in a flood.

Any development must also incorporate appropriate measures to manage risk to life, and show that it will not adversely affect the environment in the event of a flood.

Initially, 32 of the 128 councils in NSW  exactly a quarter  volunteered to insert the clause into their LEPs, which set parameters for development in local government areas. But following the recommendations of the 2022 flood inquiry, led by former chief scientist Mary OKane and former top cop Mick Fuller, the government has moved to place it into all LEPs, or make it mandatory in a statewide planning instrument.
Marisa Quintana has lived in the states Central West for the past 20 years and has never seen a fire near her home. That changed on Tuesday when the Tambaroora fire that started the day before swept through the town of Hargraves.

Quintana said she sheltered inside the home with her dogs, crying and shaking while her husband joined firefighters outside.

While the threat has passed for Quintana, others in the region are facing emergency fire conditions. The Alpha Road fire at Tambaroora, which has burnt through more than 2000 hectares, was upgraded to an emergency warning level on Tuesday afternoon as temperatures spiked across the state.

As of 5pm on Tuesday, 41 bush and grass fires were burning across NSW, 27 of which are yet to be contained.
On the one-year anniversary of my Ukrainian orphans arrival in Poland (C8) we were driving yesterday, writes Chris Keane who is now back in Seattle (USA). The kids, who have been learning English using Duolingo, have their heads packed full of an eclectic array of English names and phrases. When Pound the Alarm by Nicki Minaj came on the cars playlist, I almost crashed into a pole (wooden, not human) when the kids gleefully belted out the chorus. Instead of singing pound the alarm!, they sang Bob Dylan! Thats the new lyric now, I guess. Sorry, Nicki.

Ive just encountered the ultimate in phone on loudspeaker (C8) madness, declares Merona Martin of Meroo Meadow. The couple beside me in a local cafe put their phone on loudspeaker and held it out, almost in my face, so their two noisy, bouncing dogs could say hello to a friend who happened to call.

Graham Bird of St Ives confesses: [I] resisted owning a mobile phone for as long as possible, telling people in the 1990s I wasnt important enough to have one. From the dawn of the new century, I changed my tune, telling people I was too important to have one.

Contrary to comment from Eric Scott (C8), Bell did not invent the telephone, he stole it from Italian immigrant inventor Antonio Meucci who had sought Bells advice on its usefulness, claims Shane Nunan of Finley. Bell told him it was not of any use but immediately registered the patents behind Meuccis back and was given credit for its invention. However, the US House of Reps belatedly awarded credit to Meucci in 2002. Others have also claimed credit for this invention.

Stewart Coppers shark tale (C8) featured a bit of a directional miscue when he expressed concern about them swimming west across the Pacific. The resultant feeding frenzy was just kicking off with the likes of Julie Campbell of Redfern, who noted that they would have to circumnavigate South America via the Magellan Straits or sneak through the Panama Canal when Stewart decided to fall on his harpoon and offer a correction.
Sydney has recorded its hottest day in more than two years as a heatwave wreaks havoc across the state.

The NSW Rural Fire Service issued two emergency alerts on Monday afternoon and warned that almost 40 fires were burning across NSW as temperatures continue to soar.

Sydneys Observatory Hill recorded 37.6 degrees at 4.30pm on Monday, surpassing the 37.1 degrees set on January 26, 2021. In Penrith, 39.9 degrees was recorded at 3.30pm.

The extreme heat is the result of a low-pressure trough and hot northerly winds that have increased the risk of fires, the Bureau of Meteorology said.
The federal government has been urged to make an immediate improvement to the lives of prisoners by providing Medicare in custodial settings, in a change that coroners have argued could reduce Indigenous deaths in custody.

An investigation by The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and 60 Minutes has raised questions about the medical treatment provided in prisons, as well as the failure of governments to implement the recommendations from the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.

A smoking ceremony is held at the NSW Coroners Court in July 2022 during the inquest for Mootijah Shillingsworth, who died from an ear infection. Credit: Dean Sewell

Advocates have argued for decades that Medicare should be available in custody. However, the change has not yet been made. Medicare is not available for prisoners because of a section of the Health Insurance Act that prohibits Medicare benefits from being paid when state funding has been provided.

Nadine Miles, principal legal officer of the NSW and ACT Aboriginal Legal Service, said her organisation had appeared at inquests where Indigenous men in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s died in custody from ailments including an asthma attack, organ failure, an ear infection, a clot in the lung, and coronary artery disease.
Police last night were raiding homes of known acquaintances of the escapers who, police said, were Archie Butterly, 47, who has convictions for armed robbery and manslaughter, and Peter Robert Gibb, 38, with convictions for armed robbery and murder.

Wounded policeman Warren Treloar receives emergency treatment after being shot in the chest and shoulder.

Two prisoners who wounded a police officer in a shootout after using explosives to blast their way out of the Melbourne Remand Centre last night evaded a huge police search across Melbourne.

First published in The Age on March 8, 1993

The two escapers, one of whom was armed with a small-calibre pistol, exchanged shots with police after a motorbike they had stolen crashed in Southbank Boulevard, near City Road, in South Melbourne.

A senior constable aged 31 was shot in a shoulder and left side at 6.20 pm. He was in a satisfactory condition in the Alfred Hospital.

After the shooting, the escapers grabbed a police service revolver and stole a police car, which was abandoned a short distance away. They were seen getting into a dark grey Suzuki Vitara. There have been no further sightings.

A woman, whom police described as skinny and wearing sunglasses and a scarf, was in the Suzuki. Police were not sure if she was being held hostage or was part of the elaborate escape plot.
Alisha Fagan says she has changed her ways since killing a beloved grandfather in a crash while drunk and then blaming four African men.

The 21-year-old Melbourne woman read out a letter of apology to Sedat Hassans family, as she faced the County Koori Court for a pre-sentence hearing on Monday.

Fagan was on a suspended learners licence, drunk and travelling more than 25km/h over the speed limit when she drove into the side of the 69-year-old mans car, killing him, on June 9 last year.

The court heard that in the hours before, Fagan had been drinking wine from the bottle with a friend near the Maribyrnong River.
Australians have been kept in the dark about the threat posed by China. Conventional wisdom in Canberra has been that Australia would have at least 10 years warning of war, but an expert panel assembled by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age has advised we need to be ready to fight within three years. The panel thinks fighting could come as early as 2026, should Chinese President Xi Jinping take the opportunity while the US and its allies are unprepared and distracted by the war in Ukraine, which has vacuumed up the Western worlds stocks of ammunition and military equipment.

The five-member panel for Red Alert, our in-depth examination of the most pressing national security challenges facing Australia, agree that China, Australias biggest trading partner, is far and away its most dangerous security threat. Red Alert will roll out over the next three days, culminating in a joint communique including recommendations for action. While all the experts stressed they wanted peace, they said we needed to prepare for the possibility of imminent war.

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Australias more recent conflicts have been fought by small groups of professionals trained to the hilt in warfare, but the panel warned Australia needs to urgently strengthen its military and national security capabilities and this is a responsibility of the whole nation rather than the military alone. Most important of all is a psychological shift, they argued. Urgency must replace complacency. The recent decades of tranquillity were not the norm in human affairs, but an aberration. Australias holiday from history is over.
Australia will ship more coal, gas and critical minerals to India under government plans to expand upon more than $24 billion in annual exports when Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visits three Indian cities this week after years of friction with China over trade and security.

The stronger strategic relationship is tipped to lead to more investment in Australian resources including lithium at a time when countries are racing to secure supplies to manufacture batteries and electric vehicles  a key objective for India this decade.

Resources Minister Madeleine King said the Indian government was showing great interest in Australian critical minerals. Credit: Trevor Collens

But the talks will also canvass ways to boost Australian supplies of fossil fuels when Indian demand for coal is forecast to grow by 7 per cent across its power stations by 2025 and by 20 per cent at its steelmakers and other industrial users over the same time.

Resources Minister Madeleine King, who will join the prime minister on the trip, said the Indian government was showing great interest in Australian critical minerals as part of its plan to lift the share of renewable energy in its economy.
One Nations NSW leader Mark Latham says the party will run in at least 20 seats in the March 25 election, more than twice the number it contested in 2019 as it aims to capitalise on voters deserting major parties.

Latham said candidates were being finalised before nominations close on Wednesday, but the number could be as high as 22. The party ran nine candidates in the 2019 state election.

One Nations NSW leader Mark Latham and the partys upper house candidate, former Labor MP Tania Mihailuk. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

The former federal Labor leader said increasingly low primary votes for the ALP and the Coalition indicated that voters were turning to smaller parties and Pauline Hansons One Nation was in a strong position to grow its support.

What you can see from published polling is that the combined votes for major parties is trending down, Latham said. We saw Anthony Albanese scrape into government with a primary of just 32 per cent yet once parties had to be on at least 40 per cent to win.
The Coalition will fast-track its signature education policy of offering free pre-kindergarten to all four-year-olds, promising to spend $1 billion this year to start building 500 new preschools.

The major election commitment brings forward plans for the state government to offer five days per week of extra schooling before kindergarten to every four-year-old by 2030.

Premier Dominic Perrottet, Environment Minister James Griffin and Education Minister Sarah Mitchell with school student Joshua Stafford, 12, in Manly on Monday. Credit: NCA Newswire

A cornerstone of last years state budget, the $5.8 billion once-in-generation reform will be accelerated so that 50,000 children will have access to the free pre-kindergarten year by 2027.

Universal preschool will ultimately require 100,000 places for children under five in NSW and construction on the first preschools was originally not slated to start until the second half of 2024.
London: Exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has been handed a 15-year jail term after being convicted in absentia for treason and conspiracy to seize power, a verdict she said was punishment for her efforts to promote democracy.

Tsikhanouskaya, 40, a former English teacher, fled to neighbouring Lithuania in 2020 after running against incumbent leader Alexander Lukashenko in a presidential election, which official results showed Lukashenko won by a landslide.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is the opposition leader of Belarus. Credit: Bloomberg

She and the opposition said at the time that the results had been doctored to hand victory to Lukashenko instead of herself. Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus with an iron fist for nearly 30 years, denied the claim.

Mass protests against Lukashenko, a close ally of Russias President Vladimir Putin, then erupted which his security forces suppressed, locking up his opponents or forcing them to flee.
Whatever trials and troubles Israel has experienced over the decades, it has long been one of its proudest boasts that it is an island of democracy amid a sea of autocracies.

Today, that status is under severe test. The new government led by Benjamin Netanyahu is proposing a law to allow the parliament by a simple majority to overturn decisions of the Supreme Court. This is such a blatant power grab, so direct an assault on the doctrine of the separation of powers, that it has brought enormous crowds onto the streets in resistance.

Hundreds of thouands of Israelis are taking to the streets daily to protest against the actions of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Credit: AP

After two months of near-continuous protests, the government last week ordered the security forces to crack down and violence began.

Writes Jonathan Shamir in the Israeli daily Haaretz: On last Wednesdays unprecedented day of disruption, the police brought tools usually reserved for Palestinians  horses, stun grenades and water cannons  into the heart of Israel.
United Nations reach agreement to protect the worlds oceans

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Uranium market continues to approach deficit

And not only are uranium prices rising, but utilities are again signing long-term contracts. Russia\-s invasion of Ukraine has led to a rethink. The increasing demand for uranium, while at the same time the secondary supply is decreasing, is ensuring higher production. This is also necessary to meet demand in the coming years. But uranium companies still need price incentives to invest. In 2023, 143 million pounds of U308 are estimated to come out of the mines. This compares to an estimated demand of 181 million pounds of U308, a significant gap. With no end in sight to the Russia-Ukraine war, nuclear suppliers are expected to stock up on uranium. That some countries have backed away from decommissioning plans and others are stepping up a gear in building new nuclear reactors is well known. Nuclear power has become respectable again both in the USA and in Europe. This whole development should ensure rising uranium prices and joy for the uranium companies.

In China, too, the construction of reactors is being accelerated, with eight to ten new nuclear power plants to be built each year. India also wants to increase the number of its power plants. While 22 reactors are currently active, eight are under construction and twelve more are planned. In addition to the major economies, various developing countries are also striving for nuclear energy, for example Turkey, Egypt, the Philippines and Bangladesh. Uranium companies should therefore have no problem selling their uranium. This brings uranium companies such as Labrador Uranium  https://www.commodity-tv.com/play/labrador-uranium-corporate-update-on-2023-exploration-plans/  or IsoEnergy  https://www.commodity-tv.com/play/newsflash-with-karora-resources-osisko-gold-royalties-tarachi-gold-isoenergy-and-caledonia-mining/  into the focus of investors.

In the Athabasca Basin in Saskatchewan, for example, IsoEnergy is working on promising, high-grade uranium projects. Labrador Uranium is making good progress with its exploration program in Labrador. There, in the Central Mineral Belt, the company owns a large land package (152,000 hectares of land).

Latest corporate information and press releases from IsoEnergy (https://www.resource-capital.ch/de/unternehmen/iso-energy-ltd/) and Labrador Uranium (https://www.resource-capital.ch/de/unternehmen/labrador-uranium-inc/)

In accordance with A34 of the German Securities Trading Act (WpHG), I would like to point out that partners, authors and employees may hold shares in the respective companies addressed and that there is therefore a possible conflict of interest. No guarantee for the translation into German. Only the English version of this news is valid.

A Disclaimer: The information provided does not constitute any form of recommendation or advice. Express reference is made to the risks involved in securities trading. No liability can be accepted for any damages arising from the use of this blog. I would like to point out that shares and especially warrant investments are generally associated with risk. The total loss of the invested capital cannot be excluded. All information and sources are carefully researched. However, no guarantee is given for the correctness of all contents. Despite the greatest care, I expressly reserve the right to make a mistake, especially with regard to figures and prices. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but in no way claims to be accurate or complete. Due to judicial decisions the contents of linked external pages are to be answered for (so among other things regional court Hamburg, in the judgement of 12.05.1998  312 O 85/98), as long as no explicit dissociation from these takes place. Despite careful control of the contents, I do not assume any liability for the contents of linked external pages. The respective operators are exclusively responsible for their content. The disclaimer of Swiss Resource Capital AG applies additionally: https://www.resource-capital.ch/de/disclaimer-agb/
Xi visits national political advisors

Xinhua) 16:18, March 06, 2023

BEIJING, March 6 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping on Monday afternoon visited national political advisors from the China National Democratic Construction Association and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, who are attending the first session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, participated in their joint group meeting and heard their comments and suggestions.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
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Romania's Culture Minister Lucian Romascanu on Monday welcomed US ambassador in Bucharest Kathleen Kavalec to discuss protection against illicit trafficking in cultural property and the creation of a legislative framework for the US film industry to produce in Romania.

"It was an extremely applied, concrete dialogue, also helped by the fact that in the recent past Her Excellency was the cultural attachee of the US Embassy in Romania. We agreed on the signing next week of an agreement on the protection against illicit trafficking in cultural property, and initiating a broader protocol regarding mutual cultural collaboration," Romascanu said in a social media post.

He added that the US film industry is "extremely interested" in producing in Romania, saying that the responsibility of the Romanian administration is to remedy film production incentives.

"I thanked Her Excellency for the US contribution of over 1 million US dollars in recent years to the restoration of some historical monuments in Romania. We also discussed the initiation of a US-Romania cultural fund, an older idea of ours which I hope will be carried through," Culture Minister Romascanu also wrote. AGERPRES
The Minister of Culture, Lucian Romascanu, met, on Monday, with Rim Kap-soo, the ambassador of the Republic of Korea in Bucharest, on which occasion they talked about "possible support" of the Korean business milieu in Romania for "George Enescu" International Festival.

"We discussed the support that the Ministry of Culture can offer to mark, as it should, the 15 years of strategic partnership between our countries. There will be some special events, hosted by institutions of the Ministry of Culture, which will bring to the Romanian public South Korean cultural elements. We also discussed the possible support of the Korean business milieu in Romania for the 'George Enescu' International Festival. I hope to come back soon with good news!," Romascanu wrote on Monday on Facebook.

Also on Monday, the minister of culture met with the ambassador of the United States of America to Romania, Kathleen Kavalec, with the agenda of the meeting including the protection against trafficking in historical heritage and the creation of the legislative framework for the American film industry to produce in Romania. AGERPRES
The Chamber of Deputies met on Monday to debate the simple motion against the minister of labour, Marius Budai, submitted by 56 MPs from the USR (Save Romania Union) and non-affiliated members of the Forta Dreptei Party [Right Force Party - editor's note].

The voting on the motion will take place on Tuesday.

The meeting is chaired by the Chamber's vice-president Daniel Suciu, who announced that 131 deputies out of a total of 330 had registered their presence.

The simple motion is read by USR deputy Cristian Seidler.

The simple motion, entitled "Marius Budai - the minister of the rescue of special pensions," was submitted to the plenary session of the Chamber two weeks ago. AGERPRES
Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had a phone conversation on Monday on priority topics for the bilateral Strategic Partnership, namely in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine and the endeavors to combat its effects, a Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE) release sent to AGERPRES shows.

The dialogue also took place in the preparation of the 8th round of the Strategic Dialogue between Romania and the US, that shall be hosted by Romania mid-March, in Bucharest.

In the context in which one year has passed since the start of Russia's aggression war against Ukraine, minister Aurescu and secretary of state Blinken discussed about the profound global effects of the war, as well as joint steps taken in order to counteract its effects. The head of the Romanian diplomacy reviewed the comprehensive and multidimensional support granted to this state by Romania since the beginning of the war.

The US secretary of state thanked minister Aurescu for the concrete, particularly substantial and essential support granted by Romania to Ukraine.

At the level of regional security, the two officials highlighted the stake of continuing concrete and consistent strengthening of the Eastern Flank of NATO, and minister Bogdan Aurescu conveyed the appreciation for US' commitment to defend the entire Allied territory, including the Black Sea region and Romania, expressed also on the occasion of the Bucharest 9 meeting in Warsaw.

The two heads of diplomacies also tackled the possibilities to strengthen resilience in the Black Sea region through a strategic approach which can ensure, in a sustainable manner, the free, safe and prosperous character of the Black Sea and to consolidate its status as a major trade and energy route.

Bogdan Aurescu mentioned the importance of the future US Strategy for the Black Sea and the necessity to ensure its synergy with the regional strategies of the EU and NATO, evoking Romania's assessments and ideas in this regard, which were conveyed to secretary of state Blinken through a consistent reflection document, on the occasion of the November 2022 visit to Bucharest. The Romanian minister informed his US counterpart about his proposal, agreed with his Turkish counterpart in December, to create a Romanian-Turkish bilateral working group on security in the Black Sea, which is in the process of operationalization, an initiative appreciated by the US side.

Furthermore, minister Aurescu also underscored the strategic relevance of the infrastructure projects promoted within the Three Seas Initiative and highlighted that Romania will host in September, in Bucharest, the Summit and the Business Forum of the Three Seas, a paramount moment for the further development of the Initiative.

The head of the Romanian diplomacy underscored the major impact which Russia's aggression war against Ukraine also has over the Republic of Moldova and reaffirmed Romania's firm, continuous and unconditional support for the Republic of Moldova to strengthen its resilience and security, and its European path.

In this context, he reaffirmed the firm condemnation of Russia's threatening and provocative rhetoric, as well as the recent destabilization attempts, pointing out that the US support remains essentially at this level. In his turn, the US secretary of state emphasized the determination of the US to support the Republic of Moldova in the current difficult context. He also brought to mind the US decision to allocate 300 million USD to support the energy security of the Republic of Moldova, including the energy and cross-border interconnection infrastructure.

Equally, the two officials addressed China-Russia and Iran-Russia relations in the context of Russia's illegal war against Ukraine and highlighted the need for the international community to discourage any support given to Russia's war effort. In this context, the Romanian Foreign minister mentioned the latest EU sanctions packages for Iran, also supported by Romania.

Minister Aurescu reiterated the priority importance of including Romania in the Visa Waiver Programme of the US and "the Romanian side's interest in working closely with the US so that our country joins this programme, the US secretary of state reiterating the strong and concrete commitment of the US for this common Romanian-US objective."
The meeting of the regional customs coordination group between Romania, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, which took place last week at the headquarters of the Giurgiulesti Border Customs Office, was aimed at streamlining the flow of cargo traffic and improving the reaction to possible emergency situations.

"On March 2, 2023, the president of the Romanian Customs Authority, Mr. Bogdan-Lari Mihei, together with the head of the European Union Border Assistance Mission in Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM), Mr. Slawomir Pichor, jointly chaired the meeting of the regional customs group that brings together the authorities customs from Romania, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. Our country was the host of this meeting which took place at the headquarters of the Giurgiulesti Border Customs Bureau, within the Galati Regional Customs Directorate," informs a press release of the Romanian Customs Authority sent to AGERPRES on Monday.

The parties made a comparative analysis of the control procedures applied in emergency situations, in the three countries, in order to improve the prompt action mechanism and identify solutions to alleviate the pressure at the borders.

The purpose of the meeting was to exchange opinions and information between the customs authorities from Romania, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine regarding the current situation at the common borders, in order to make the flow of cargo traffic more efficient and to improve the response to possible emergency situations. The representatives of the Romanian Customs Authority, the Customs Service of the Republic of Moldova, and the State Customs Service of Ukraine appreciated the constant support of EUBAM to face the challenges of managing borders and ensuring their security, in the regional context.

"We very much appreciate the partnership with EUBAM, and this regional customs coordination group is very important for the relations between the customs authorities in Romania, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, especially in the current regional context in which streamlining traffic at the common borders is essential," said Bogdan Lari Mihei, president of the Romanian Customs Authority.

In the spirit of good cooperation, EUBAM and the customs authorities from Romania, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine have reiterated their availability for active cooperation, by coordinating joint actions and intensifying efforts to ensure border protection. AGERPRES
Representatives of the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and Other Related Matters (ANITP) will go to schools and high schools to inform the children about minor trafficking and child pornography, and to offer them educational materials on the same topics, as part of the campaign "Your safety is not a game!".

The campaign, launched by ANITP at the "Henri Coanda" Airport in Bucharest, in collaboration with the National Company Bucharest Airports and the Telefonul Copilului Association [Child Helpline Association - editor's note], takes place between March, 2023, and February, 2024, and aims to prevent the trafficking of minors and child pornography, by improving the level of information and awareness regarding these serious forms of abuse.

"The campaign implementation activities will be carried out at the national level, both in the urban and rural areas, and will be addressed to minors, in order to reduce their vulnerability, as well as to all adults, who are responsible for the safety and protection of children's rights," informs the press office of ANITP.

Children will find out that they can call Telefonul Copilului 116.111 for free, which is the European helpline for children, managed in Romania by the Telefonul Copilului Association, they will be able to write to 116111@telefonulcopilului.ro and on the organization's online platform https://www.116111. ro/, to benefit from specialized counseling services. Also, if they want to report possible cases of child trafficking, they can call the Telverde line 0800 800 678, offered free of charge by ANITP. AGERPRES
Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca met, on Monday, at the Victoria Palace, with representatives of Mass Global Energy Rom, the company which acquired the Mintia Thermal Power Plant. On this occasion, the investment plan worth over 1 billion EUR, which will transform the thermal power plant into the largest and most efficient gas-fired electricity production capacity in the European Union, was presented, according to a Government's release.

"In this sense, the most modern technologies will be used, which will allow, in accordance with the European taxonomy, the production of at least 1,500 MW. The first stage of the investment will be completed within 24 months, and the project will reach full maturity in 36 months," the release informs.

At the same time, the plant's components will be prepared for the transition to new energy production technologies, based on hydrogen.

"Our natural resources represent an important asset, especially in this period, when the need to ensure the energy security of the country is amplified by the imbalances generated by the Russian military aggression on Ukraine. Romania needs to make the most of its gas reserves, and the Government has already taken important steps in this regard. Gases from the Black Sea, which can currently already provide ten percent of the annual domestic consumption, will transform, in the coming years, our country into one of the largest gas producers from the EU. The Mintia plant, which will use gas as a resource to produce electricity, will be able to fully benefit from these resources, so that we can consolidate, on the one hand, our electricity production, ensuring domestic consumption, but also to be able to export it, helping the Republic of Moldova and our partners from the European Union," said Prime Minister Ciuca, quoted in the press release. AGERPRES
Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca on Monday welcomed executives of the AE SOLAR company and the Black Sea University Network, with the company announcing opening a solar panel factory in Romania on a 1 billion euro investment.

According to the Romanian government, in the initial stage this larger project will have a capacity of 2 GW, and upon completion of the integration of production flows in Romania, it will reach 10 GW, which is a third of the European demand.

The company's execs confirmed that the first stage in the project will be carried through in 2023.

The government says that it will look at resources that can be secured by European funding or from the national budget to support the project.

It adds that in order to support the development of the applicability of the large-scale investment, specialists from the Black Sea Universities Network will get involved, who will be able to co-operate through a scientific park related to the production facilities.

"This investment will place Romania at the centre of the European production of solar panels, contributing substantially not only to energy independence, but also to protecting the environment, through the use of renewable, clean energy for the production of electricity. The government is thus meeting not only a pledge made at a European level, but also the need felt by citizens and the private sector to access less expensive and more environmentally friendly solutions to have energy," Ciuca is quoted as saying in a press release. AGERPRES
Romania is deeply engaged in promoting and implementing the European policy on equal opportunities, the European agenda on women, as well as the UN Convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, says Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca.

On Monday evening, PM Ciuca gave a speech at the "Women in Economy" Gala, organized by the National Confederation for Feminine Entrepreneurship - CONAF.

"On behalf of the Government of Romania, I have the honor to congratulate you, but also convey our thanks for your substantial contribution to everything that Romanian society has become in recent years. An increasingly inclusive, more cohesive society, open to innovation and progress and, last but not least, with increased respect for gender equality. I also thank you, dear ladies, for your sustained involvement in Romania's economy and in the education of our children, but also for capitalizing on the opportunities offered by European policies and funds that Romania has benefited from in recent years I would like to emphasize the fact that Romania is deeply engaged in the promotion and implementation of the European policy on equal opportunities, the European agenda on women, peace and security, as well as the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women," declared Nicolae Ciuca.

The prime minister pointed out the fact that, in recent years, Europe has gone through unprecedented challenges that strengthen more than ever the need for "unity and solidarity" at the European level and for a "horizontal approach to the issue of equal opportunities".

"Moreover, all the current crises, the energy crisis, the increase in prices, the war in Ukraine involve gender issues that primarily affect women, which proves that gender equality and women's rights must remain a priority objective on the national and European political agenda", stated Ciuca.

In terms of governmental measures, he mentioned that tens of thousands of women were supported through grant schemes financed from European funds related to the 2014-2020 programming period, so that the number of female entrepreneurs increased by more than 100,000 from 2014 until now.

"For the period 2021-2027, Romania pursued capitalizing on all opportunities, both through the creation of the national strategic framework in the field of equal opportunities and domestic violence, and through dedicated interventions at the level of programs financed from European funds. Through the Cohesion Policy and through the National Plan of Recovery and Resilience (PNRR), we are dedicating over 9 billion EUR to the business milieu for investments in activities that favor economic growth and the creation of sustainable jobs, of which over 100 million EUR is directly aimed at supporting women in the sphere of entrepreneurship, in the field of education or social inclusion. These interventions will lead to the increase of women's participation in the labor market, as well as to the increase of skills and the exploitation of their potential in priority economic fields", said the prime minister. AGERPRES
The exhibition "Romanian Press. Between tradition and innovation" will open on Thursday, starting 11.00 a.m., in the "Theodor Pallady" room of the Romanian Academy Library.

According to a press release of the Romanian Academy sent to AGERPRES on Monday, Marius Andruh, Vice-President of Romanian Academy, and Nicolae Noica, honorary member of the Academy and Director General of the Romanian Academy Library, will speak at the opening, which will be attended by President of the Romanian Academy Ioan-Aurel Pop.

The exhibition will bring to the public pieces illustrating the history of the Romanian press from its beginnings to the modern period, some of them unique.

Next to the famous 'Curierul romanesc' and 'Albina romaneasca', which mark the first half of the 19th century, a photographic copy of 'Courier de Moldavie', the first periodical in Moldavia, published in Iasi in 1790, will be exhibited.

A special place will be given to the "Sarindar press", represented by the newspapers 'Adevarul', the longest-running Romanian newspaper (the first issue appeared in Bucharest on 15 August 1888), and 'Dimineata' (1900), the exhibition highlighting, on large spaces, the process of modernisation of the Romanian press at the end of the 19th century and the journalistic effervescence of the interwar period.

The exhibition "Romanian Press. Between tradition and innovation" will be open from 9 to 24 March, from Monday to Friday, from 9.00 to 15.00 and on Saturdays from 10.00 to 13.00.

Admission is free.

The event is part of the series of annual events dedicated to the presentation of the heritage of periodicals of the Romanian Academy Library, owner of the richest collection of Romanian press printed in Romania and abroad. To date, the periodicals collection of the Romanian Academy Library has over 58,800 titles, representing over 8.5 million copies.
Ambassador of the UK in Bucharest Andrew Noble stated that the threat of human trafficking represents a priority of the institution because hundreds of thousands of Romanians are affected by this phenomenon.

On Monday, he argued, on the occasion of participating in the launching of a study on youngsters' outlook on risks of the online environment, which was drafted at the request of the eLiberare Association, that there is a need to improve the legislation regarding human trafficking and its better implementation.

According to the diplomat, the UK Embassy aims to agree with the Government over a bilateral action plan, so that an entire range of elements of human trafficking and abuse remain a priority.

The ambassador signaled that the data on the women trafficked for sex trade are almost inexistent. Andrew Noble said that if the women who have been trafficked are not free to make a complaint, it would be difficult to collect information, but according to the UK police force, there are thousands of Romanian women in this situation in the UK.

He drew attention that the human trafficking is not considered as a main policy problem. He mentioned that the exclusion of Roma people, of persons with disabilities and the violence against women are not treated as priorities in Romania. Last but not least, he emphasized that it is vital to understand the scourge of poverty in our country.
Ian Froeb Ian Froeb is the restaurant critic for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Ian Froeb 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

With Wrights Tavern, the transformation of Wydown Boulevard is complete. The particulars have changed  sometimes dramatically so  but this pocket of Clayton still boasts the greatest concentration of culinary appeal in the metro area. It now also claims strong contenders for St. Louis best french fries and its best onion rings, both served at Wrights in overwhelming portions with small dishes of the house aioli and Heinz ketchup for dipping.

Before the pandemic, this stretch of not even a quarter-mile of Wydown was the province of the restaurateur Zoe Robinson. Beginning in 2001, she and her longtime chef, Ny Vongsaly, opened a trio of acclaimed, beloved restaurants: the Italian flagship, I Fratellini; its French sibling, Bar Les Freres; and the beguilingly unclassifiable Billie-Jean.

All three closed in 2020, though their fate remained unclear until last year. The neighborhood still featured a formidable restaurant lineup of Protzels Delicatessen, Peno and Akar, but Robinsons departure left a significant void.

As Ive written before, the greatest tribute to Robinsons legacy is the firepower required to succeed her. Take Root Hospitality, the restaurant group behind Vicia, reinvented Bar Les Freres as Bistro La Floraison. Ben Poremba of Elaia, Olio, Nixta and the Benevolent King made over Billie-Jean into the Iberian-inspired Bar Moro.

Wrights is the latest venture from Matt McGuire, who operates Louie in Claytons DeMun neighborhood. If scoring a last-minute reservation at Louie has become merely improbable, rather than impossible, I assume we owe thanks to all of the Louie devotees packing Wrights nightly. Technically speaking, you dont need to make reservations at the new restaurant. All of four seats at Wrights bar are first come, first served. Ill just say I made online reservations for dinners in February when they became available at the beginning of January.

Immediately inside the front door is a dramatic statement of the restaurants new identity: a marble floor tile by the Alton artisan company Henley Forge with Wrights name and street number in brass. I Fratellini regulars will recognize the former occupants basic layout, though, from the ramp that gradually leads you up from the entrance, heightening the sense of occasion, to the open, galley kitchen to the dining room charitably described as cozy.

The decor is restrained relative to I Fratellinis eye-popping art and even to Louies autographed dinner plates, with framed photographs along one long, dark-green wall the main element. The most striking feature is the backlit bar shelving, which casts an orange glow that makes the array of bottles appear empty or filled with water. Rest assured, Wrights pours real booze into terrific cocktails, including a Manhattan nonpareil made with rye (as it should be), coffee-steeped sweet vermouth, bitters and a glancing almond note courtesy of Creme de Noyaux.

If there is an obvious point of comparison between Wrights and Louie, it is the service ethic instilled by McGuire, a front-of-house whiz throughout his career. Even as your server asks you to order your appetizers and main courses at the same time for the small kitchens sake, you feel like you and your dinner are the center of the crowded dining room.

The more important similarity, though, is the two restaurants confidence. Both Louie and Wrights know exactly what they want to do and do it exceptionally well. What Wrights does, broadly speaking, is classic American steakhouse fare stripped of the cigars-and-Scotch swagger, if not the breathtaking expense, of the typical American steakhouse. Here your 14-ounce strip steak cooked in a high-temperature broiler to a properly browned crust you will linger over before biting all the way through to the precisely medium-rare meat.

Wrights Tavern Burger is a masterpiece of minimalism: a plump patty (also medium-rare, in my case) crusted with char, topped with nothing more than Prairie Breeze cheddar and raw onion. It delivers exactly what a burger should, beef and bite, nothing more, except, of course, its side of perfectly crisp, cottony pommes frites.

I would feel confident, too, if Cary McDowell were running my kitchen. Most recently the corporate executive chef for Pi Pizzeria, McDowell can call upon the experiences of an extraordinary career. McDowell cut his teeth in such legendary New York City restaurants as Lutece and Daniel Bouluds Daniel. He moved to St. Louis and with Jim Fiala founded the Crossing. He opened his own terrific  if short-lived  restaurant, Revival.

In other words, McDowell knows a crab cake shouldnt be a puck of panko-breaded filler but a tremendous discus of blue crab  two cakes worth of colossal and jumbo lump meat, really, just barely held together and requiring only a dab of remoulade on every other bite. He interprets shrimp scampi as a celebration of butter: You swirl tender, buttery shrimp in silky, garlicky, chile-streaked sauce and sop up the leftover sauce with bread.

While it may be difficult to resist the primal pleasure of the burger or one of the steaks (in addition to the strip, Wrights offers a rib-eye, a filet mignon au poivre and steak frites with wagyu-breed sirloin), McDowell and his steak make compelling arguments for other main courses. A lemon beurre blanc sparks a firm piece of roasted halibut in a delicate potato crust. Half of a chicken, deboned, is pan-roasted to an alluring mahogany shade that pales only in comparison to the jus served with the chicken.

Much of what makes Wrights special can be found in unflashy details. Under the halibut are haricot verts cooked to the ideal crisp-tender texture; under the chicken is spinach cooked down until as luscious as prosciutto. The dauphinoise potatoes that accompanied my strip steak were indulgently creamy and yielding but still registered as potato. And those onion rings! Gnarly and crunchy, yet with a melting, sweet heart of actual onion. I can think of several restaurants with fries equal to Wrights  none with onion rings.

Wrights as a whole might not break new ground  the most interesting of three desserts is a giant slice of wedding cake  but it is definitive in its own way. You probably cant do this sort of restaurant any better than McGuire, McDowell and their team have done. You should probably try something else.

Rating Highly recommended  The Post-Dispatch evaluates restaurants on the following scale, lowest to highest: Not Recommended, Recommended, Highly Recommended, Essential. The rating reflects how the restaurant succeeds on its own terms  and how it meets a diner's good-faith expectations of quality food and hospitality  regardless of cuisine, location or cost.

How much Onion rings  $14.95 Tavern Burger  $23.95 Crab cake  $28.95 Roasted chicken  $34.95 Strip steak  $65.95

Where Wrights Tavern, 7624 Wydown Boulevard, Clayton  More info 314-390-1466; wrightswydown.com  Menu Steaks, seafood and truly exceptional onion rings  Hours Dinner Monday-Saturday (closed Sunday)
For years, the FDA has defended its efforts to intercept prescription drugs coming from abroad by mail as necessary to keep out dangerous opioids, including fentanyl.

The pharmaceutical industry frequently cites such concerns in its battle to stymie numerous proposals in Washington to allow Americans to buy drugs from Canada and other countries where prices are almost always much lower.

But the agencys own data from recent years on its confiscation of packages containing drugs coming through international mail provides scant evidence that a significant number of opioids enters this way. In the two years for which KHN obtained data from the agency, only a tiny fraction of the drugs inspected contained opioids.

The overwhelming majority were uncontrolled prescription drugs that people had ordered, presumably because they cant afford the prices at home.

The FDA still stops those drugs, because they lack U.S. labeling and packaging, which federal authorities say ensure they were made under U.S. supervision and tracking.

The FDA said it found 33 packages of opioids and no fentanyl sent by mail in 2022 out of nearly 53,000 drug shipments its inspectors examined at international mail facilities. Thats about 0.06% of examined packages.

According to a detailed breakdown of drugs intercepted in 2020, the lions share of what was intercepted  and most often destroyed  was pharmaceuticals. The No. 1 item was cheap erectile dysfunction pills, like generic Viagra. But there were also prescribed medicines to treat asthma, diabetes, cancer, and HIV.

FDA spokesperson Devin Koontz said the figures dont reflect the full picture because U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the primary screener at the mail facilities.

But data obtained from the customs agency shows it likewise found few opioids: Of more than 30,000 drugs it intercepted in 2022 at the international mail facilities, only 111 were fentanyl and 116 were other opioids.

On average, Americans pay more than twice the price for exactly the same drugs as people in other countries. In polling, 7% of U.S. adults say they do not take their medicines because they cant afford them. About 8% admit they or someone else in their household has ordered medicines from overseas to save money, though it is technically illegal in most cases. At least four states  Florida, Colorado, New Hampshire, and New Mexico  have proposed programs that would allow residents to import drugs from Canada.

While the FDA has found only a relatively small number of opioids, including fentanyl, in international mail, Congress gave the agency a total of $10 million in 2022 and 2023 to expand efforts to interdict shipments of opioids and other unapproved drugs.

Additional staffing coupled with improved analytical technology and data analytics techniques will allow us to not only examine more packages but will also increase our targeting abilities to ensure we are examining packages with a high probability of containing violative products, said Dan Solis, assistant commissioner for import operations at the FDA.

But drug importation proponents worry the increased inspections targeting opioids will result in more uncontrolled substances being blocked in the mail.

The FDA continues to ask for more and more taxpayer money to stop fentanyl and opioids at international mail facilities, but it appears to be using that money to refuse and destroy an increasing number of regular international prescription drug orders, said Gabe Levitt, president of PharmacyChecker.com, which accredits foreign online pharmacies that sell medicines to customers in the U.S. and worldwide. The argument that importing drugs is going to inflame the opioid crisis doesnt make any sense.

The nations fentanyl import crisis should not be conflated with safe personal drug importation, Levitt said.

He was not surprised at the low number of opioids being sent through the mail: In 2022, an organization he heads called Prescription Justice received 2020 FDA data through a Freedom of Information Act request. It showed that FDA inspectors intercepted 214 packages with opioids and no fentanyl out of roughly 50,000 drug shipments. In contrast, they found nearly 12,000 packages containing erectile dysfunction pills. They also blocked thousands of packages containing prescription medicines to treat a host of other conditions.

Over 90% of the drugs found at international mail facilities are destroyed or denied entry into the United States, FDA officials said.

In 2019, an FDA document touted the agencys efforts to stop fentanyl coming into the United States by mail amid efforts to stop other illegal drugs.

Levitt was pleased that Congress in December added language to a federal spending bill that he said would refocus the FDA mail inspections. It said the FDAs efforts at International Mail Facilities must focus on preventing controlled, counterfeit, or otherwise dangerous pharmaceuticals from entering the United States. Further, funds made available in this Act should prioritize cases in which importation poses a significant threat to public health.

Levitt said the language should shift the FDA from stopping shipments containing drugs for cancer, heart conditions, and erectile dysfunction to blocking controlled substances, including opioids.

But the FDAs Koontz said the language wont change the type of drugs FDA inspectors examine, because every drug is potentially dangerous. Importing drugs from abroad simply for cost savings is not a good enough reason to expose yourself to the additional risks, he said. The drug may be fine, but we dont know, so we assume it is not.

He said even drugs that are made in the same manufacturing facilities as drugs intended for sale in the United States can be dangerous because they lack U.S. labeling and packaging that ensure they were made properly and handled within the U.S. supply chain.

FDA officials say drugs bought from foreign pharmacies are 10 times as likely to be counterfeit as drugs sold in the United States.

To back up that claim, the FDA cites congressional testimony from a former agency official in 2005 who  while working for a drug industry-funded think tank  said between 8% and 10% of the global medicine supply chain is counterfeit.

The FDA said it doesnt have data showing which drugs it finds are unsafe counterfeits and which drugs lack proper labeling or packaging. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection data shows that, among the more than 30,000 drugs it inspected in 2022, it found 365 counterfeits.

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the trade group for the industry, funds a nonprofit advocacy organization called Partnership for Safe Medicines, which has run media campaigns to oppose drug importation efforts with the argument that it would worsen the fentanyl epidemic.

Shabbir Safdar, executive director of the Partnership for Safe Medicines, a group funded by U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturers, said he was surprised the amount of fentanyl and opioids found by customs and FDA inspectors in the mail was so low. He said that historically it has been a problem, but he could not provide proof of that claim.

He said federal agencies are not inspecting enough packages to get the full picture. With limited resources we may be getting fooled by the smugglers, he said. We need to be inspecting the right 50,000 packages each year.

For decades, millions of Americans seeking to save money have bought drugs from foreign pharmacies, with most sales done online. Although the FDA says people are not allowed to bring prescription drugs into the United States except in rare cases, dozens of cities, county governments, and school districts help their employees buy drugs from abroad.

The Trump administration said in 2020 that drugs could be safely imported and opened the door for states to apply to the FDA to start importation programs. But the Biden administration has yet to approve any.

A federal judge in February threw out a lawsuit filed by PhRMA and the Partnership for Safe Medicines to block the federal drug importation program, saying its unclear when, if ever, the federal government would approve any state programs.

Levitt and other importation advocates say the process is often safe largely because the drugs being sold to people with valid prescriptions via international mail are FDA-approved drugs with labeling different from that found at U.S. pharmacies, or foreign versions of FDA-approved drugs made at the same facilities as drugs sold in the U.S. or similarly regulated facilities. Most drugs sold at U.S. pharmacies are already produced abroad.

Because of the sheer volume of mail, even as the FDA has stepped up staffing at the mail facilities in recent years, the agency can physically inspect fewer than 1% of packages presumed to contain drugs, FDA officials said.

Solis said the agency targets its interdiction efforts to packages from countries from which it believes counterfeit or illegal drugs are more likely to come.

Advocates for importation say efforts to block it protect the pharmaceutical industrys profits and hurt U.S. residents trying to afford their medicines.

We have never seen a rash of deaths or harm from prescription drugs that people bring across the border from verified pharmacies, because these are the same drugs that people buy in American pharmacies, said Alex Lawson, executive director of Social Security Works, which advocates for lower drug prices. The pharmaceutical industry is using the FDA to protect their price monopoly to keep their prices high.

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

USE OUR CONTENT

This story can be republished for free (details).
Just off the historic U.S. Route 66 in eastern New Mexico, a 10-bed hospital has for decades provided emergency care for a steady flow of people injured in car crashes and ranching accidents.

It also has served as a close-to-home option for the occasional overnight patient, usually older residents with pneumonia or heart trouble. Its the only hospital for the more than 4,500 people living on a swath of 3,000 square miles of high plains and lakes east of Albuquerque.

We want to be the facility that saves lives, said Christina Campos, administrator of Guadalupe County Hospital in Santa Rosa. Its leaders have no desire to grow or be a big, profitable business, she said.

But even with a tax levy to help support the medical outpost, the facility lost more than $1 million in the past six months, Campos said: For years, weve been anticipating kind of our own demise, praying that a program would come along and make us sustainable.

Guadalupe is one of the nations first to start the process of converting into a Rural Emergency Hospital. The designation was created as part of the first new federal payment program launched by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for rural providers in 25 years. And though it is not expected to be a permanent solution to pressures facing rural America, policymakers and hospital operators alike hope it will slow the financial hemorrhage that continues to shutter those communities hospitals.

More than 140 rural hospitals have closed nationwide since 2010, and health policy watchers arent sure how many of the more than 1,700 rural facilities eligible for the new designation will apply. CMS officials said late last month that seven have already filed applications. Dr. Lee Fleisher, director of the Center for Clinical Standards and Quality at CMS, said how long it will take to review the applications will vary. The agency declined to provide the names or locations of hospitals seeking the designation.

Facilities that convert will get a 5% increase in Medicare payments as well as an average annual facility fee payment of about $3.2 million in exchange for giving up their expensive inpatient beds and focusing solely on emergency and outpatient care. Rural hospitals with no more than 50 beds that closed after the law passed on Dec. 27, 2020, are eligible to apply for the new payment model if they reopen.

The new program strikes me as the first time we are saying, you know, maybe we can just take the beds away, said Dr. Paula Chatterjee, an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvanias Perelman School of Medicine. Outpatient and emergency visits already make up about 66% of Medicare payments for rural hospitals that are eligible to convert, according to Chatterjees recent research.

Still, she found that many would likely need to scale up some outpatient services, such as telehealth and substance use care. Even then the payment model might not be able to shift the foundational pressures of declining, aging, and sicker populations that are making it hard to deliver care in rural America, she said.

This feels like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic, Chatterjee said.

More than 50 hospitals and other organizations have expressed interest in the rural emergency designation, said Janice Walters, chief operating officer of programs for the Rural Health Redesign Center, which has a federal grant to provide technical assistance to facilities interested in converting.

Most hospitals are still trying to figure out, Is the math going to work? Walters said.

Those showing immediate interest are very small, with three or fewer patients staying overnight any given day, and, generally, they long ago gave up maternity care to save on expenses. The federal law will need to be amended to help larger rural hospitals with more overnight stays, said Brock Slabach, chief operations officer for the National Rural Health Association.

Its enough for now, Slabach said. But is it going to be enough for the long term? I dont think so. Top priorities for the group include adding the ability for hospitals to participate in a federal drug discount program and allowing for longer patient stays.

At Stillwater Medical in Oklahoma, Chief Administrative Officer Steven Taylor said the switch already makes sense for two of the systems smaller hospitals that have struggled financially. The small regional health systems outpost in Perry, which rarely has more than two inpatients a day, has already filed an application, and its facility in Blackwell will likely do so soon, he said.

Keeping emergency services is the most important thing for the small communities, he said. The new model requires a 24-hour emergency department and a clinician on call. It also caps the average length of patient stays at 24 hours  which Taylor said is not a problem. One patient may need to be watched for 12 hours for chest pain while another, with pneumonia, may need to stay for 36 hours, but that will average out to less than 24 hours for the year, he said.

Plus, he said, anybody who needs more intense care can be transferred to their regional hospital in Stillwater. Oklahoma, like other states, is working to update state laws for licensing or regulations to ensure hospitals can be credentialed with the rural emergency designation quickly.

John Henderson, president and chief executive of the Texas Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals, agreed with other speakers at the National Rural Health Associations February policy conference in Washington, D.C. The new rule could be a relief valve for very small rural hospitals, he said. A two-bed facility in Crosbyton confirmed for Henderson earlier that day that it was the first in Texas to be approved for the new payment mechanism.

Henderson said he knew of several more of the states 158 rural hospitals that are applying or have already applied, and others are considering it: These are the folks that are just hanging on.

Dr. Denise Brown, CEO of virtual care provider Fident, spoke up from the front row during Hendersons presentation. Her company uses telehealth so doctors and other clinicians can work virtually with multiple hospitals in different states. Brown said she was concerned that hospitals that convert wont have enough ambulances available to transport or a place to send sicker patients, especially if they arent part of a larger health system.

Heads began to nod throughout the crowded room. Many rural hospitals needed every bed they had during the worst of the covid-19 pandemic, and to give up those beds now seems counterintuitive.

Those same rural hospitals often find that larger facilities refuse to take their patients who need specialized care, Brown said.

How do I know that I can guarantee somebody a bed? Brown said, adding that she prefers rural hospitals keep patients longer. How would she explain to concerned family members that their loved one was two or three hours from home?

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

USE OUR CONTENT

This story can be republished for free (details).
Joe Holleman Joe Holleman is a reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Joe Holleman 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

Lets take a quick lap around The Beltway and check in on what some U.S. legislators from the St. Louis area are doing in D.C.:

 U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner: The west St. Louis County Republican and vice chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is co-sponsor of legislation that aims to strengthen U.S. support of Taiwan.

Saying she was deeply concerned about the Biden Administrations move to reimpose certain restrictions on U.S.-Taiwan contact, Wagner said the bill would eliminate these outdated and unnecessary restrictions on such contact.

Last week, the bill was approved by the full Foreign Affairs Committee.

 Two Illinois members of the U.S. House of Representatives, Republican Mike Bost and Democrat Nikki Budzinski, both have been named to the House Agricultural Committee. Both legislators represent district that include portions of the Metro East area.

Bost will serve as a member of the Conservation, Research and Biotechnology subcommittee, which includes oversight of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Budzinski was named to three subcommittees: general farm commodities, risk management and credit; conservation, research and biotechnology; and commodity markets, digital assets and rural development.

Those two, along with U.S. Rep. Mary Miller  a Republican and another Illinois member of the Agricultural Committee who represents a piece of Metro East  announced Monday that they have convinced the Mexican government to meet with U.S. trade representatives to discuss Mexicos current ban on buying genetically modified corn from the U.S.

 U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, chair of the Ways and Means Committee, was the subject last week of a story in Politico.

The article said the Republican congressman, whose 8th District includes much of Jefferson County, has already done something rare for a Republican: Hes struck fear into the heart of corporate tax lobbyists.

The article noted Smiths promise to scrutinize Chinese investment in the U.S. and quoted him as saying, Our priorities have changed  our priorities are small business, working-class Americans and farmers over big corporations.

 U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt: With his thwarted attempt to land a seat on the Judiciary Committee behind him, Schmitt has taken a spot on the Commerce Committee and has been named the ranking Republican on the space and sciences subcommittee.
CLAYTON  A top St. Louis County jail supervisor asked guards in early November to sign a form agreeing to work alone watching dozens of inmates, a violation of jail policy that may have led to an attack on an officer just weeks later.

Superintendent Tena Johnson sent the form to managers on Nov. 3. Managers began sharing it with corrections officers that week. But jail policy requires two officers on duty per housing unit.

That other senior administrators failed to follow this policy is disappointing, Jeff Smith, chairman of the St. Louis County Justice Services Advisory Board, said Thursday. That they actively undermined it is disturbing and, frankly, inexplicable.

County officials said they are now considering disciplinary action against jail staff. Johnson did not respond to requests for comment.

The county instituted the two-officer policy following a brutal inmate assault on a guard in the fall of 2021. But jail staff told the Post-Dispatch after the recent attack that the policy hadnt been followed for months because of staffing shortages. The jail employs 159 corrections officers, down from 194 in 2019.

Johnson sent the form to managers when her boss, jail Director Scott Anders, was on vacation, Anders said. Emails obtained by the Post-Dispatch flesh out the timeline.

Johnson, who has worked at the jail since 1987, emailed the document, titled informed consent letter, to a group of supervisors on Nov. 3.

The form included a signature line where guards could affirm they were capable of working as a single officer in one of the jails housing units  a block of cells that can house up to 72 inmates.

A jail supervisor, Maj. Jerry Kramer, emailed Johnson for clarification on the rules.

Once officers signed, Johnson responded, they would have to work alone unless a supervisor approved a partner.

If they ask for any reason every now and then to have a partner, it wont void the paperwork, but it will be at the discretion of the supervisor, Johnson wrote.

Five days later, on Nov. 9, Lt. Annabella Arthur replied to Johnson: Officers didnt want to sign the form, she said.

I have several officers that said they will work, but they will not sign the form, Arthur said.

Then they should be assigned a partner, Johnson responded.

Later that day, Kramer asked Johnson if she planned to do anything else to the form or if they should start having officers sign the paperwork if they want to?

Within 10 minutes, Johnson responded to the entire group of supervisors, asking them to hold back for now on using it.

I need to get Director approval, Johnson wrote.

The form had already circulated for nearly a week by that point.

On Nov. 23, a guard was supervising dozens of maximum security inmates alone when one attacked her.

The inmate was horse-playing and talking loudly, a county spokesman said. The guard asked him to move to a different room. The inmate first complied, then came back into the room yelling, pushed the guard and punched her three times in the face.

Other inmates rushed to the guards defense and subdued the man until officers arrived, jailhouse video shows. But the attack left the guard with a bloody nose and mouth, a swollen face and multiple bruises.

The next day, a whistleblower told the jail director about the form, according to Anders, and the county launched an investigation into why the officer was on duty alone.

The signature process was stopped after the whistleblower expressed concern to a supervisor circulating the form and said that I should know about what was going on, Anders wrote in an email to the Post-Dispatch.

Anders reassigned the person in charge of scheduling and began requiring watch commanders to list the names of officers working in housing units in their daily reports. The director also began dropping in at random times on weekends, nights and holidays.

All staff are now following the policy, Anders said.

Anders confirmed that the county was investigating staff actions  and that they could lead to discipline  but declined to say more, citing personnel rules.

The inmate who attacked the jail guard in November  Bobby Booker, 31  was in jail on charges of robbery, armed criminal action and weapons offenses.

Booker was charged in December with third-degree assault on the guard, a felony.

The case is ongoing.
ATLANTA  Election officials in Missouri, Florida and West Virginia said Monday they are withdrawing from a bipartisan, multistate effort aimed at ensuring the accuracy of voter rolls that has found itself in the crosshairs of conspiracy theories fueled by former President Donald Trumps false claims about the 2020 presidential election.

The system to thwart voter fraud known as the Electronic Registration Information Center, or ERIC, has become a target of suspicion among some Republicans after a series of online posts early last year questioning its funding and purpose.

Louisiana withdrew last year and Alabama is in the process of doing so.

Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft said Monday that he had been pushing the group to address concerns by him and others.

It appears that ERIC will not make the necessary changes to address these concerns, therefore, it is time to move on, Ashcroft said in a statement.

West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner said he did not expect the departure from the program to affect his states ability to maintain accurate voter rolls. Floridas secretary of state, who is appointed by the governor, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Shane Hamlin, the groups executive director, confirmed the three states had provided notice to withdraw.

We will continue our work on behalf of o ur remaining member states in improving the accuracy of Americas voter rolls and increasing access to voter registration for all eligible citizens, Hamlin said in a statement.

The program was started in 2012 by seven states and was bipartisan from the beginning, with four of the founding states led by Republicans.

After the states officially depart, participation will be limited to 28 states and the District of Columbia.

The departures have frustrated state election officials involved in the effort and have demonstrated how deeply election conspiracies have spread throughout the Republican Party.

Election officials who pull out of ERIC are primarily harming their own states ability to keep their voter list accurate, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said in a statement Monday to The Associated Press. Its odd and disturbing to me that any official would choose validating misinformation over being part of a collaborative that has the sole and well-established purpose of improving the integrity of our elections.

Not all Republican-led states have been reevaluating their participation in the program.

In a recent survey by the AP, election offices in 23 states and the District of Columbia said they had no intention of leaving, including eight led or controlled by Republicans.
JEFFERSON CITY  A Texas group behind Missouris new law against camping in public supports an effort to ban diversity, equity and inclusion statements from public university hiring processes here.

Jared Meyer of the Cicero Institute, an Austin, Texas-based think tank, said Monday the group had been involved with the drafting of the Missouri legislation, sponsored by Rep. Doug Richey, R-Excelsior Springs.

He said students he meets on college campuses do not feel like they are empowered to speak their opinions in class.

The push in Missouri resembles actions by leaders in other Republican-led states  such as in Florida and Texas  to target woke ideology on college campuses.

These statements arent asking prospective employees or faculty members: Are you a decent, respectful, kind person that can ... respect the opinions of others? Richey said. These are statements that are drilling down more specifically into political ideology.

Meyer said the Cicero Institute was involved in the Missouri effort.

We sent our model language, he said.

The proposal would ban compelling, requiring, inducing or soliciting diversity, equity and inclusion statements from job applicants, employees, students and contractors at public universities.

The type of statement banned from job applications and from promotion opportunities is defined as a communication relating to an applicants:

 Race, color, religion, sex, gender, ethnicity, national origin, or ancestry, except when necessary to record required demographic information of such individual ... .

 Their views on, experience with, or past or planned contributions to efforts involving: diversity, equity, and inclusion; marginalized groups; antiracism; social justice; intersectionality; or related concepts.

 Their views on or experience with race, color, religion, sex, gender, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, or other immutable characteristics of students and coworkers.

Rep. Stephanie Hein, a Springfield Democrat who is the former head of Missouri State Universitys Department of Hospitality and Leadership, said that as a hiring administrator, it was important to know that my faculty could manage a conversation effectively  not subscribe to a belief.

Richey said nothing would stop a university from asking about how an applicant has handled differing thoughts and opinions in the classroom.

But you cant say the word diversity? Hein asked.

I just asked the question without even using the word diversity, Richey said. You dont even have to use the word.

Said Hein: So as long as we dont say diversity, equity or inclusion, we can  we should go all the way around it and get at what we need to do.

I think this bill is absolutely discriminatory, said Rep. LaKeySha Bosley, D-St. Louis, saying the state shouldnt promote such an effort because it will drive our scholars out of their institutions as well as deplete our workforce.

This years proposal, at least partially based on model legislation from Cicero, follows passage of legislation in 2022 dealing with homelessness that one advocate called insane.

That law, also based on model legislation advanced by Cicero, acts as a reversal of the popular housing first policy, which aims to provide people foundational stability by getting them into permanent housing.

The Cicero Institute was launched in 2016 by Joe Lonsdale, a co-founder of the data-mining company Palantir and other tech companies. In a 2021 tweet, Lonsdale said DEI: divisiveness, envy, insipidity, and dont tolerate bad or racist ideas in your organization.

DEI: divisiveness, envy, insipidity



Dont tolerate bad or racist ideas in your organization.  Joe Lonsdale (@JTLonsdale) December 29, 2021

The legislation in Missouri resembles a recent directive to public universities by the office of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, asserting that diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives violate federal and state hiring laws, the Texas Tribune reported.

Lawmakers on the governmental accountability committee on Monday were also scheduled to consider legislation by Rep. Ben Baker, R-Neosho, that among other things would require medical schools receiving state funds to submit annual statements to state regulators affirming officials dont require students to subscribe to diversity-equity-inclusion (DEI) ideologies.
JEFFERSON CITY  Missouri senators pumped the brakes last week on plans to slash the personal property tax and wipe away the state sales tax on grocery items amid concerns the reductions would prove too costly to government.

Action on the two pieces of legislation  Weldon Spring Republican Sen. Bill Eigels personal property tax cut and Harrisonville Republican Sen. Rick Brattins omnibus tax measure offering relief for firearms purchases and groceries, among other items  was on hold in the Missouri Senate after the bills recently won initial approval.

Senators ended work for the week Thursday without taking final votes on the bills and advancing them to the House. It wasnt a guarantee that the measures would receive final votes this week, either. With one week left before spring break, Republicans may take up controversial legislation on transgender issues, all but guaranteeing drawn-out debate on the Senate floor.

In comments to reporters Thursday, President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, said eliminating the sales tax on groceries would come at a tremendous cost to the state.

Referencing the states roughly $5 billion budget surplus, Rowden predicted possibly leaner times in the not-too-distant future.

We just want to be diligent about all of those things and recognizing that this year, you know, fiscally is a one- or two-off maybe, Rowden said.

Eigels legislation, which senators gave initial approval to on Feb. 21, would exempt vehicles and farm machinery at least 10 years old from the personal property tax.

The bill also cuts the personal property tax assessment rate from 33.3% to 31%. Currently, personal property is assessed at a third of its real value, which local governments then tax.

A nonpartisan fiscal analysis said the legislation could cost local governments nearly $500 million by the 2026 fiscal year with the price tag potentially reaching more than $628 million in fiscal 2030.

Asked Thursday if the half-billion-dollar cost was a stumbling block, Rowden said, Yeah, I would assume so.

He said much of the money would come from local governments.

Theyre going to tell us they dont love that, right? the Senate president said. So I spoke to the Municipal League a couple of weeks ago. I said we want to do something in this space; were not trying to pull the rug out from under anybodys ability to pay their police and fire.

The analysis said 64% of registered vehicles in the state  vehicles with a model year of 2014 or older  would be exempt from the personal property tax in the 2024 tax year.

Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, R-Arnold, attached the sales tax exemption on groceries to Brattins legislation on tax relief for firearm purchases.

The bill would exempt certain grocery items from the state sales tax, which stands at 1.225% for non-prepared foods. Of that, 1% goes to the School District Trust Fund, 0.125% to conservation, and 0.1% to parks, soils and water funds.

Brattins tax bill states sales of firearms and ammunition made in Missouri would be exempt from all taxes. The proposal also would provide a tax credit for those selling firearms and ammunition to offset federal excise taxes they pay.

Levying these taxes upon a constitutional right is one that we need to definitely protect. Taxation is a hindrance limiting the ability of people to exercise that right, Brattin said.

Although Democrats opposed the underlying legislation, Sen. Lauren Arthur, D-Kansas City, tacked on a second amendment that would exempt diapers from sales taxes.

The legislation also exempts feminine hygiene products  including tampons, pads, liners, and cups  from the sales tax, as well as wheelchairs, parts and accessories. The act also applies a sales tax exemption to certain medical devices.

A legislative analysis said the final plans total cost to the state could top $373 million per year starting in fiscal 2025.

Largely due to the elimination of the food sales tax, local governments could lose $1.5 billion annually.

I think that the bill sponsor and some of the other people in the Senate chamber kind of want to take a little closer look at that, said Senate Majority Leader Cindy OLaughlin, R-Shelbina, said of Brattins legislation. I think theres going to be more discussion about it.
ST. LOUIS  New polling suggests majorities of voters are not happy with their mayor or their top prosecutors performance.

Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner is in the deepest hole: Fully two-thirds of 469 likely voters surveyed by Remington Research for Missouri Scout last week said they disapproved of her performance, while just 23% approved.

Just over half of respondents said they disapproved of Mayor Tishaura O. Jones performance, while 33% approved.

Additionally, 67% of those polled said city leaders top priority should be reducing crime.

There were caveats. The margin of error on the robocall survey was 4.7%.

Ken Warren, a political scientist and pollster at St. Louis University, said white voters appeared to be overrepresented in the poll, which focuses on two of the citys most prominent Black leaders. Warren also said the timing of the Gardner poll  just a week after her office was excoriated for failing to jail a man who violated his bond conditions dozens of times before hitting a visiting teenager with his car downtown  likely exacerbated her negatives, which he said were so bad he questioned the polls accuracy.

The poll is also weighted to simulate turnout for the November 2024 general election, but Jones would run for reelection in the spring 2025 elections, when turnout is generally lower among right-leaning voters hostile to a left-leaning mayor.

Nick Desideri, a spokesman for Jones, brushed off the results, noting Remingtons ties to Republicans and past polls underestimating support for Jones, a Democrat, in previous races.

Remington, Desideri said on Twitter, is always reading St. Louis wrong.

A spokeswoman for Gardner did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

Still, the results are not ideal for two leaders more or less halfway through their terms.

Gardner appears weakened after six years of scandals, controversies and criticism, which reached new heights after the downtown crash Feb. 18.

Large majorities of respondents from every party and ideology said they disapproved of Gardners performance, including 60% of Democrats and 61% of progressives, which is how Gardner has been billed. The only demographic with a positive reading was Black voters, with 46% approving and 43% disapproving.

Just over half of those surveyed also said they supported a lawsuit filed by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey to remove Gardner from office. But Democrats were evenly divided on the question, progressives were against it and Black voters were strongly against it.

Jones, who took office in April 2021, had stronger numbers than Gardner. But they werent good, either.

Among Democrats, 38% approved while 46% disapproved, and progressives were evenly divided, with 42% approving and 42% disapproving. Her numbers were slightly better among Black voters: 47% approved, while 39% disapproved.
WASHINGTON  Over the past 11 months, someone created thousands of fake, automated Twitter accounts  perhaps hundreds of thousands of them  to offer a stream of praise for Donald Trump.

Besides posting adoring words about the former president, the fake accounts ridiculed Trump's critics from both parties and attacked Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and U.N. ambassador who is challenging her onetime boss for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

When it came to Ron DeSantis, the bots aggressively suggested that the Florida governor couldn't beat Trump, but would be a great running mate.

As Republican voters size up their candidates for 2024, whoever created the bot network is seeking to put a thumb on the scale, using online manipulation techniques pioneered by the Kremlin to sway the digital platform conversation about candidates while exploiting Twitter's algorithms to maximize their reach.

The sprawling bot network was uncovered by researchers at Cyabra, an Israeli tech firm that shared its findings with The Associated Press. While the identity of those behind the network of fake accounts is unknown, Cyabra's analysts determined that it was likely created within the U.S.

To identify a bot, researchers will look for patterns in an account's profile, its follower list and the content it posts. Human users typically post about a variety of subjects, with a mix of original and reposted material, but bots often post repetitive content about the same topics.

That was true of many of the bots identified by Cyabra.

One account will say, Biden is trying to take our guns; Trump was the best, and another will say, Jan. 6 was a lie and Trump was innocent,'" said Jules Gross, the Cyabra engineer who first discovered the network. "Those voices are not people. For the sake of democracy I want people to know this is happening.

Bots, as they are commonly called, are fake, automated accounts that became notoriously well-known after Russia employed them in an effort to meddle in the 2016 election. While big tech companies have improved their detection of fake accounts, the network identified by Cyabra shows they remain a potent force in shaping online political discussion.

The new pro-Trump network is actually three networks of Twitter accounts, all created in huge batches in April, October and November 2022. In all, researchers believe hundreds of thousands of accounts could be involved.

The accounts all feature personal photos of the alleged account holder as well as a name. Some of the accounts posted their own content, often in reply to real users, while others reposted content from real users, helping to amplify it further.

McConnell... Traitor! wrote one of the accounts, in response to an article in a conservative publication about GOP Senate leader Mitch McConnell, one of several Republican critics of Trump targeted by the network.

One way of gauging the impact of bots is to measure the percentage of posts about any given topic generated by accounts that appear to be fake. The percentage for typical online debates is often in the low single digits. Twitter itself has said that less than 5% of its active daily users are fake or spam accounts.

When Cyabra researchers examined negative posts about specific Trump critics, however, they found far higher levels of inauthenticity. Nearly three-fourths of the negative posts about Haley, for example, were traced to fake accounts.

The network also helped popularize a call for DeSantis to join Trump as his vice presidential running mate  an outcome that would serve Trump well and allow him to avoid a potentially bitter matchup if DeSantis enters the race.

The same network of accounts shared overwhelmingly positive content about Trump and contributed to an overall false picture of his support online, researchers found.

Our understanding of what is mainstream Republican sentiment for 2024 is being manipulated by the prevalence of bots online," the Cyabra researchers concluded.

The triple network was discovered after Gross analyzed Tweets about different national political figures and noticed that many of the accounts posting the content were created on the same day. Most of the accounts remain active, though they have relatively modest numbers of followers.

A message left with a spokesman for Trump's campaign was not immediately returned.

Most bots aren't designed to persuade people, but to amplify certain content so more people see it, according to Samuel Woolley, a professor and misinformation researcher at the University of Texas whose most recent book focuses on automated propaganda.

When a human user sees a hashtag or piece of content from a bot and reposts it, they're doing the network's job for it, and also sending a signal to Twitter's algorithms to boost the spread of the content further.

Bots can also succeed in convincing people that a candidate or idea is more or less popular than the reality, he said. More pro-Trump bots can lead to people overstating his popularity overall, for example.

Bots absolutely do impact the flow of information, Woolley said. They're built to manufacture the illusion of popularity. Repetition is the core weapon of propaganda and bots are really good at repetition. They're really good at getting information in front of people's eyeballs."

Dangerous social media challenges NyQuil chicken This challenge involves dumping NyQuil cold and flu medication over chicken and cooking it, purportedly as a protein-infused cold remedy. The Food and Drug Administration has warned against it. "The challenge sounds silly and unappetizing  and it is," the FDA said. "But it could also be very unsafe. Boiling a medication can make it much more concentrated and change its properties in other ways." Blackout challenge Probably the most deadly of them all, the "blackout challenge" entails cutting off one's air supply either by holding the breath or tying something around your neck. The dangerous trend has been around since at least 2008, but it started making the rounds on TikTok again in 2021. The challenge has been linked to more than 80 deaths back when it first emerged, said the CDC. Benadryl challenge The "Benadryl challenge" on TikTok encourages people to film themselves taking large doses of the antihistamine containing diphenhydramine, which will induce hallucinations. At least one death, of a 15-year-old girl in Oklahoma, has been blamed on the challenge. Tide pod challenge Videos circulated in 2018 on social media showing kids biting into brightly colored liquid laundry detergent packets, or cooking the soap-filled capsules in frying pans, then chewing on them before spitting the soap out. Experts say the game, dubbed the "Tide pod challenge," is dangerous. Some people have been shown foaming at the mouth and coughing violently after doing the stunt. Milk crate challenge People have filmed themselves gingerly climbing rickety pyramids made of plastic milk crates, then sending the internet into hilarity when they fall down. Trouble is, people break bones, fall on their faces and get severe head injuries. One Chip Challenge A single chip is wreaking havoc in school districts across the country, sending children home sick and sometimes even to a hospital. The One Chip Challenge, which has over 850 million views on TikTok, is making a bold return with kids back in class. The One Chip Challenge, invented by the chip company Paqui, dares people to buy a single  eye-watering, curse-inducing chip made with the hottest peppers on the planet that comes in a coffin-shaped box, Paquis website says.
The founder of Russias Wagner mercenary force has said his troops now tightening their grip on the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut are being deprived of ammunition and that, if they are forced to retreat, the entire front will collapse.

Yevgeny Prigozhin had said on Friday that his units had practically surrounded Bakhmut, where fighting has intensified in the past week after months of attritional warfare, with Russian forces attacking from three sides.

Wagner often appears to operate autonomously from the regular army, or even in competition with it  and in a video published over the weekend, Prigozhin complained that the ammunition that Moscow had promised it had not been delivered.

If Wagner retreats from Bakhmut now, the whole front will collapse, Prigozhin said. The situation will not be sweet for all military formations protecting Russian interests.

Reuters could not independently verify when and where the video was recorded. It was published not on Prigozhins usual press service Telegram channel, but on one that has associated itself with Wagner and disseminated news about Prigozhin.

On his usual channel, Prigozhin also mentioned the lack of ammunition, saying on Sunday: For now, we are trying to figure out the reason: Is it just ordinary bureaucracy, or a betrayal?

Prigozhin regularly criticizes the military hierarchy and last month accused Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and others of treason for withholding munitions.

A prominent opponent of Prigozhins, Russian nationalist ex-rebel commander Igor Girkin, said without citing evidence that the doom-laden video published at the weekend had been recorded at the height of that row, about two weeks ago.

In the nearly four-minute video published on the Wagner Orchestra Telegram channel on Saturday, Prigozhin said his troops were worried that Moscow wanted to set them up as potential scapegoats if Russia lost the war.

If we retreat, then we will go down in history forever as people who have taken the main step towards losing the war, he said.

This is exactly the problem with ammunition hunger.

Prigozhin delivered his sometimes repetitive monologue in what appeared to be a bunker, with a dim light casting his heavy shadow on the wall behind him.

He said his troops would wonder whether they were being set up for defeat by the top brass or even someone higher.

Prigozhin has used the war to become a public figure in Russia, and strong signs have emerged in the past month that the Kremlin wants to clip his wings after he began feuding with the defense establishment.

The Defense Ministry said last month it was absolutely untrue that Wagner was being starved of ammunition.

Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne and Nick Starkov in Kyiv.
Danforth's respect for Carter recalls a better political era

I miss the days of mutual respect among politicians, as demonstrated in former Sen. John C. Danforth's his op-ed on former President Jimmy Carter ("A good heart, extended to all, is Jimmy Carter's legacy," Feb. 27). When I heard Carter was going into hospice, I was sad that hes near the end of his life. He devoted his life to service. He made us all better.

Danforth is also a relic from the past. He, too, is a good man. We should have more politicians like Carter and Danforth.

Ann Marie Barry  Greendale

Lawlessness by St. Louis drivers is a learned behavior

I am an active real estate agent in St. Louis city. While I am not happy about the number of people carrying and using guns, I am more afraid of driving there than being shot. My close calls over the past few years are too numerous to list.

I can only surmise that many young St. Louisans learned to drive by playing the Grand Theft Auto video game. Lawlessness is a learned behavior. So is being lawful. I guess we are doing a poor job of teaching our younger generation that its good to be lawful.

Klaus Illian  Manchester

North-south transit needs more bus lines, not MetroLink

Regarding Tony Messenger's column, "Reduce crime in St. Louis? Mayor looks to transit, investment in north side" (Feb. 28): Mayor Tishaura Jones' focus on a new north-south MetroLink line seems to be misplaced. Did she not learn lessons from the Loop Trolley? Building a fixed transportation system that few people would ride is pure folly.

A better option, in my opinion, is to establish good, reliable, timely bus lines on streets that run north-south  Kingshighway, Jefferson, Grand  and a downtown bus line. Establish quality bus stops (not just signs on poles), with separate lanes so the bus pulls out of traffic, and good-sized shelters, something that looks more like a train stop.

Space these stops with some common sense, not one on either end of the entire line. Also, establish smaller stops, small shelters with pull-outs, between the larger ones. Make sure the buses run on time, every 15 or 20 minutes. Make it free of charge for city residents and pay bus drivers well to recruit and keep good ones. Train them in driving and customer service. Finally, fund good-quality maintenance of the streets in question and the buses themselves.

All of that would not cost nearly as much in money and disruption as a new MetroLink line. The bus lines could shift if traffic patterns shift for some reason. The flexibility would allow for changes over the years.

Mary Jane Van Cleave  Fenton

Hawley's call to abandon Ukraine is wrong on all levels

Remember Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, holding his fist to salute the protesters just before the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection? Then there was Hawley cartoonishly running for his life later that day. Hawley embarrasses Missouri every time he opens his mouth.

Recently, Hawley pandered to his base at the Heritage Foundation by asserting that we should cut off U.S. military aid to Ukraine until our European allies step up. ("Josh Hawley says the US is spending too much on Ukraine," Feb. 24.) There are moral and pragmatic reasons why this position is fundamentally wrong.

Since invading Ukraine, Russia is believed to have committed over 71,000 war crimes, including executions, child abductions, torture and sexual violence. Under Vladimir Putin, the country has indeed lived up to the evil empire moniker given to the Soviet Union by President Ronald Reagan. In the face of this malevolence, does Hawley honestly believe we should suddenly desert Ukraine?

Pragmatically, the war has been an incredible diplomatic and military bargain for the U.S. Our greatest adversary over the last 80 years is significantly weaker because of Ukraines heroic and fierce resistance. Over the past year, Russia reportedly has lost 8,000 pieces of equipment, including 1,500 tanks. Troop morale and fighting ability are at an all-time low.

The Ukrainians are willing to die for freedom, and all they request are additional weapons to do the fighting. Granting this request would only cost the U.S. money, not lives. In addition, more aid should end this conflict sooner, thereby saving lives.

America should continue giving generously, including F-16 fighters. Meanwhile, we should ignore Hawley and remember his narcissistic ineptitude in next years election.

Joe Regenbogen  St. Louis County

Koenig and Republicans are ignoring the will of voters

As a resident in Missouri state Senate District 15, I believe state Sen. Andrew Koenig is telling the citizens of Missouri that their votes don't matter. A ballot measure was passed a few years ago that required the Legislature to be transparent with its records under the state's Sunshine Law. Koenig obviously does not agree, as he has now proposed a bill to deny the public access to records pertaining to the legislative process. ("Bill carving some legislative records out of Missouri Sunshine Law advances in Senate," Feb. 27.)

This action mirrors his dismissal of voter-approved Medicaid expansion. Following this pattern, let us not forget how Koenig was complicit in reversing the voters' initial will on the "Clean Missouri" election-reform and redistricting plan, using deceitful and ambiguous language to get it reversed and allowing the party in power to resume gerrymandering districts.

Citizens of Senate District 15 deserve to be heard. The voting public should rise above party politics and start electing public servants who respect the voters' wishes rather than their own partisan agenda.

Michael Grojean  Manchester

Read letters online at STLToday.com
Norway, in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and threats against its other neighbors, is upgrading the tanks that equip its ground forces. Currently Norway has 36 Leopard 2A2 tanks obtained in the early 1980s. Norway is replacing these with 54 Leopard 2A7 tanks, with an option to add another 18 to that order. These new tanks will begin arriving in 2026. Meanwhile Norway is considering sending eight or more of its older Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.

Norway is a small country, with only 5.5 million people. The army has only 8,000 troops, 0nly 46 percent of them career soldiers, the rest are conscripts who serve 19 months. The only hostile border the army has to worry about is the 195 kilometer border with Russia in the far north. Most army personnel are infantry, supported by some artillery and tanks. Norway also maintains a large intelligence collection force for a country its size and this is mainly to monitor what the Russians are up to. This intel effort is quite effective and that annoys the Russians a great deal. Russia has more tanks near its land border with Norway but there is not much on the Norwegian side that is of military value. On the Russian side of the border there are several major naval bases and shipyards.

The Leopard 2A7 is similar in capabilities to the American M1A2. The first Leopard 2s entered service in the early 1980s, the same time the first American M1s appeared. Ultimately, 3,600 Leopard 2s were built, compared to about 10,000 M1s. Germany was the major operator of Leopard 2s, having over 2,000 in service before the Cold War ended in 1991. After 1991 Germany reduced its tank force, selling many of its Leopard 2s to countries seeking to upgrade their tank forces. Currently Germany has about 300 Leopard 2 tanks with many (up to a third) out of service for upgrades or maintenance. Several NATO countries are donating their older Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, where even these older Leopard 2s are more capable in combat than any Russian tanks.

The 55 ton Leopard 2A7 is similar to the American M-1, including the upgraded armor. The 66.5- ton 2A7 model is the most expensive tank on the market, costing over $15 million each. The 2A7 has a stabilizer (for firing on the move) and a thermal imager (for seeing through night, mist and sand storms.) The additional weight reduces range to 340 kilometers on roads or 220 kilometers off-road. Max road speed is 70 kilometers an hour. The Leopard 2 and M1 have evolved to become more identical in capabilities. This was done deliberately to achieve some NATO standardization for the two tanks most often used by NATO countries.
The information communicated within this announcement is deemed to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (as amended). Upon the publication of this announcement, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.

2022 BlackOak Alpha Growth Fund performance update and recap of the year

LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / Alpha Growth Plc (LSE:ALGW)(OTCQB: ALPGF), a leading financial services specialist in the growing longevity asset class and insurance linked asset management, is pleased to provide a general update on the Company's activities within its fund and insurance business segments and a review of achievements in 2022.

2022 was yet another transformational year for Alpha Growth plc, a year which saw the BlackOak Growth Fund deliver consistent returns far in excess of major stock market indexes and where the Company completed and successfully integrated two further acquisitions into the group. The Company also launched a new Fund during 2022 which introduced a new category of investor into the group. In addition to the Company delivering on its strategic aims for the year, it also increased assets under management ("AUM") to circa $700m - a 70x increase from January 2020 and more than doubling in the past 12 months alone.

Alpha Growth's 2B Plan

At the beginning of 2022, Alpha announced its strategic goal to reach $2 billion in AUM by 2025. This ambitious but achievable target demonstrates the Company's drive to establish itself as an industry leader.

Over the last year, Alpha has made substantial progress towards achieving its 2025 goal and demonstrated the efficacy of its business model. Through its successfully completed acquisitions, a strong pipeline of future acquisitions, and expected organic growth, Alpha is positioning itself to surpass expectations in growing its AUM and in doing so is creating an organisation of real scale which the Board anticipates will be highly cash generative once its goals are met.

Head of Affiliated Funds Appointment

On 26 September 2022 Chad Schafer began his new role as Head of Affiliated Funds. Chad is a recognised expert in structured securities and is responsible for the growth and strategic direction of the Alpha funds.

Chad brings invaluable expertise and experience to the team and has been making significant progress since his appointment.

Change of Adviser

In October 2022 the Company announced the appointment of Allenby Capital Limited ("Allenby Capital") as the Company's sole broker.

Allenby Capital advises or acts as a broker for more than 70 corporate clients who are listed on the AIM, Standard List or AQUIS markets. This brings Alpha Growth access to a diverse range of investors, including institutional investors, family offices, private client brokers and high net worth individuals.

The appointment is an exciting development that marks a significant shift in strategic opportunities, as Allenby Capital's proactive approach and shared passion for Alpha Growth's future promises to bring about positive change.

Broker Note

The Company is pleased to note that its new broker, Allenby Capital, has recently initiated coverage of Alpha Growth with the publication of a detailed research note. This research note provides a very good overview of the Company and will be a useful tool when introducing new investors to the Company. The note can be found at:https://www.allenbycapital.com/client/alpha-growth-plc

Warrants

The Company would like to confirm that, as announced on 11 February 2021, pursuant to a placing to raise 3.75 million, the Company granted 187,500,000 warrants ("Warrants") to the placees, exercisable at a price of 3 pence per share, for a period of 24 months following the date of grant, being 15 March 2021.

Due to circumstances whereby the prospectus was not published and the admission for the shares issued was not completed until 21 December 2021, the Directors have resolved that, following the statements made in announcements in relation to the same, the final exercise date for the Warrants relating to the 2021 placing be amended so that such references in the warrant instrument to the final exercise date for the Warrants be fixed at 21 December 2023. All other terms of the Warrants remain the same.

These Warrants can, if exercised by warrant holders, provide the Company with a useful source of additional cash which may be used to further accelerate the growth of Alpha.

The Alpha Funds

Alpha Alternative Assets Fund - Interval Fund

On 28 September 2022, the Company announced that its wholly owned subsidiary Alpha Growth Management LLC ("AGM") had been named investment manager of the Alpha Alternative Assets Fund with current assets under management of ~$5 million. The Alpha Alternative Assets Fund is a unique longevity-based interval fund, providing access to institutional-grade assets for (US-Based) mainstream investors through its low minimum investment size of $2,500 and the ability for prospective investors to buy-in daily. It offers a 5% annual dividend yield making it attractive to both income and capital investors.

The fund charges a 1.5% management fee earned by AGM. Alpha's team is actively repositioning the fund to focus on longevity assets to ensure current and prospective investors into the fund can enjoy the benefits of this uncorrelated and low volatility asset class.

(Please note that this is not a solicitation to invest in the Alpha Alternative Assets Fund and restrictions do apply for US and non US investors)

BlackOak Alpha Growth Fund returns

The Company is pleased to report that the BlackOak Alpha Growth Fund returned 7.20% during 2022. During this period it reported positive returns every month and won multiple awards from Barclay Hedge for its performance.

Since inception in September 2019 up until end December 2022, the fund has produced returns of over 27% compared with the FTSE 100 which has only increased by circa 2% over the same period. Over the same period the fund recorded positive returns in all but one month with zero negative returns versus the much more volatile FTSE100 which recorded losses in 5 months.

(Please note that this is not a solicitation to invest in The BlackOak Alpha Growth Fund which only available to accredited and institutional investors.)

Accretive Acquisitions to the Group

Guernsey Life Insurance Company

On 6 December 2022 the Company announced the successful completion of the acquisition of Old Mutual International (Guernsey) Ltd and this Guernsey based insurance company has since been renamed Alpha International Life Assurance Company (Guernsey) Ltd. which, at that time, added ~$275m of AUM to Alpha Growth.

This acquisition provides an excellent platform for Alpha to offer both life insurance-based wealth management products and life insurance linked funds, either originated by Alpha or through other partners, to a broad base of European based UHNWI, family offices and institutions.

Havelet Assignment Company Ltd

The Company reported on 12 December 2022 that it had successfully finalised the acquisition of Havelet Assignment Company Ltd. This Barbados based financial services company is a strategic acquisition which has added $9m AUM to the Company.

This strategic acquisition not only expands Alpha's abilities to accumulate assets under administration but also provides a complementary source of business to Alpha's Providence Life Assurance Company ("Providence").

This strategic acquisition carries a two-fold benefit to Alpha's business. Firstly, it bolsters its ability to accumulate assets under administration, thus expanding capabilities in this area. Secondly, the acquisition brings with it a complementary source of business which can serve as an additional revenue stream for Providence. Overall, the acquisition has the potential to contribute significantly to the growth and development of Alpha's business.

Gobind Sahney, Executive Chairman, commented:"2022 was a very productive year for Alpha Growth which saw AUM almost doubling to circa $700m, bringing us significantly closer to achieving our stated goal of managing over $2bn of AUM by 2025. During the year, we completed two significant acquisitions and launched a significant new fund which we expect to attract a new category of investor into the Company."

"We start 2023 with a robust list of exciting opportunities which will allow us to continue to rapidly scale the organization both organically and through further acquisitions, none of these opportunities are expected to require a raise. Throughout 2023, we will also look to bolster our team of experts to support our 2B plan and ensure we continue to grow AUM and revenue significantly."

** ENDS **

For more information, please visit www.algwplc.com or contact the following:

Alpha Growth plc +44 (0) 20 3959 8600 Gobind Sahney, Executive Chairman [email protected] Allenby Capital Limited +44 (0) 20 3328 5656 Amrit Nahal (Sales and Corporate Broking) Nick Athanas / Piers Shimwell (Corporate Finance) UK Investor Relations - Mark Treharne [email protected]

About Alpha Growth plc

Specialist in Longevity Assets

Alpha Growth plc is a financial advisory business providing specialist consultancy, advisory, and supplementary services to institutional and qualified investors globally in the multi-billion dollar market of longevity assets. Building on its well-established network, the Alpha Growth group has a unique position in the longevity asset services and investment business, as a listed entity with global reach. The group's strategy is to expand its advisory and business services via acquisitions and joint ventures in the UK and the US to attain commercial scale and provide holistic solutions to alternative institutional investors who are in need of specialised skills and unique access to deploy their financial resource in longevity assets.

Longevity Assets and Non-correlation

As a longevity asset, it is non-correlated to the real estate, equity capital and commodity markets. Its value is a function of time because as time passes the value gets closer to the face value of the policy. Hence creating a steady increase in the net asset value of the investment. This makes it highly attractive to investors wishing to counteract volatility within an investment portfolio and add yield.

Note: The Company only advises on and manages Longevity Assets that originate in the USA where the structured and life settlement market is highly regulated.

Forward Looking Statements Disclaimer

Certain statements, beliefs and opinions in this document are forward-looking, which reflect the Company's or, as appropriate, the Company's directors' current expectations and projections about future events. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions could adversely affect the outcome and financial effects of the plans and events described herein. Forward-looking statements contained in this document regarding past trends or activities should not be taken as a representation that such trends or activities will continue in the future. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You should not place undue reliance on forward- looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this document. Readers should not treat the contents of this document as advice relating to legal, taxation or investment matters, and are to make their own assessments concerning these and other consequences, including the merits of information and the risks. Readers of this announcement are advised to conduct their own due diligence and agree to be bound by the limitations of this disclaimer.

Important Notice

The content of this announcement has not been approved by an authorised person within the meaning of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA). This announcement has been issued by and is the sole responsibility of the Company. The information in this announcement is subject to change.

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact [email protected] or visit www.rns.com.

SOURCE: Alpha Growth PLC

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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / SNOWLINE GOLD CORP. (CSE:SGD) (OTCQB: SNWGF) (the "Company" or "Snowline") is pleased to announce the appointment of Thomas Branson, M.Sc., P.Geo., to the role of Vice President of Exploration. Mr. Branson served as Snowline's Exploration Manager in 2022, playing a key role on Snowline's team during a transformative year for the Company that included initial delineation of the large, near-surface, and unusually high-grade bulk tonnage Valley gold discovery on Snowline's Rogue Project in Canada's Yukon Territory.

Prior to joining Snowline, Mr. Branson spent 15 years as an exploration geologist, gaining extensive experience in the Yukon and British Columbia, from greenfields exploration through to feasibility studies. He has been involved with organization and management of over 190,000 cumulative metres of exploration and resource drilling on programs in the Wernecke Mountains and Wolverine mine in Yukon, Mount Milligan, Kemess and Scottie Gold mines in BC and elsewhere. His role with Snowline bridges operational and technical aspects of exploration, discovery, team building and project advancement. Mr. Branson earned a B.Sc. in Earth and Ocean Science from the University of British Columbia and an M.Sc. in Exploration Geology from Rhodes University in South Africa. He is a licensed Professional Geologist with Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia.

"I am excited at the potential for our growing team to continue making game-changing discoveries as we evaluate and explore our land package, roughly equal in size to one quarter of BC's Golden Triangle, selectively acquired," said Mr. Branson, referring to the Company's >280,000 ha land position in the Yukon. "The many prospective targets within Snowline's Selwyn Basin project areas point to an emerging gold district. Valley and Jupiter appear to be the tip of the iceberg, and with two years now under our belt, we are poised to take advantage of a unique opportunity in the exploration space."

Other recent internal appointments include Sergio Gamonal to Chief Geologist, Steve Rennalls to Director of Operations, and Stephanie Hansen to Director of Marketing and IR.

"Snowline's rapid growth trajectory over the past year is as much a testament to the strength of our team as it is to the quality of our exploration targets," added Scott Berdahl, CEO & Director of Snowline. "We are fortunate to have Thomas Branson, with his broad skillset and exploration mindset, as a key player helping to drive Snowline's advancement. We are similarly fortunate at the talent that Snowline's discoveries have attracted, as we continue to build out our team and ramp up our efforts towards making additional discoveries."

ABOUT SNOWLINE GOLD CORP.

Snowline Gold Corp. is a Yukon Territory focused gold exploration company with a seventeen-project portfolio covering >280,000 ha. The Company is exploring its flagship >137,000 ha Rogue and Einarson gold projects in the highly prospective yet underexplored Selwyn Basin. Snowline's project portfolio sits within the prolific Tintina Gold Province, host to multiple million-ounce-plus gold mines and deposits including Kinross' Fort Knox mine, Newmont's Coffee deposit, and Victoria Gold's Eagle Mine. The Company's first-mover land position and extensive database provide a unique opportunity for investors to be part of multiple discoveries and the creation of a new gold district.

Figure 1 - Project location map for Snowline Gold's eastern Selwyn Basin properties. The Valley and Gracie Zones on the Rogue are the sites of Snowline's 2022 drill programs.

QUALIFIED PERSON

Information in this release has been prepared under supervision of and approved by Thomas K. Branson, M.Sc., P. Geo., Vice President of Exploration for Snowline and a Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Scott Berdahl

CEO & Director

For further information, please contact:

Snowline Gold Corp.

+1 778 650 5485

[email protected]

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements, including statements about the Company's drill program, results, implied significance of visual inspection of drill core, and surface work and plans for exploring and expanding a new greenfield, district-scale gold system. Wherever possible, words such as "may", "will", "should", "could", "expect", "plan", "intend", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "predict" or "potential" or the negative or other variations of these words, or similar words or phrases, have been used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management as at the date hereof.

Forward-looking statements involve significant risk, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results discussed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among other things: risks related to uncertainties inherent in drill results and the estimation of mineral resources; and risks associated with executing the Company's plans and intentions. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure readers that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law.

SOURCE: Snowline Gold Corp.

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Three-Year Contract Offers Leading Medical Labels to Vizient Members for Accurate Identification, Compliance and Efficiency

VALENCIA, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / PDC, a global leader in healthcare identification and patient safety solutions, announced today that it has been awarded a contract with Vizient, Inc., the nation's leading healthcare performance improvement company.

PDC Medical Labels and Thermal Printer

PDC Medical Labels being printed in a PDC Thermal Printer

The contract, effective March 1, 2023, gives Vizient members access to increased savings for the PDC medical label portfolio, which is the largest in the industry. It includes pharmacy labels, laboratory labels, chart labels, pre-printed communication labels, anesthesia labels, anesthesia tapes and more.

PDC, a manufacturer of a full suite of patient ID solutions including wristbands, printers and scanners, also holds a national Vizient contract for patient ID wristbands. The addition of the medical labels contract allows PDC to offer a complete patient identification solution to Vizient members, helping to consolidate their supply chain, stabilize pricing and avoid supply chain disruption.

"PDC is honored to continue our relationship with Vizient to provide its members increased savings with a complete patient identification solution. Our portfolio helps healthcare providers be more efficient, reduce medical errors and increase patient safety. With the addition of this contract, we're able to expand these benefits to a larger number of Vizient members," said Sean Souffie, Vice President of North America Sales.

A full list of held PDC contracts can be found at pdchealthcare.com.

Contact Information

Jessica Johnson

Senior Brand Manager

[email protected]

2167549372

SOURCE: PDC

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Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZenecas ENHERTU met pre-specified criteria for objective response rate and duration of response

TOKYO & BASKING RIDGE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Positive topline results from an analysis of the ongoing DESTINY-PanTumor02 phase 2 trial showed treatment with Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZenecas ENHERTU (trastuzumab deruxtecan) met the pre-specified target for objective response rate (ORR) and demonstrated durable response across multiple HER2 expressing advanced solid tumors in heavily pre-treated patients.

ENHERTU is a specifically engineered HER2 directed antibody drug conjugate (ADC) being jointly developed and commercialized by Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca.

The DESTINY-PanTumor02 phase 2 trial is evaluating the efficacy and safety of ENHERTU in patients with previously-treated locally advanced, unresectable or metastatic HER2 expressing solid tumors not eligible for curative therapy, including biliary tract, bladder, cervical, endometrial, ovarian, pancreatic and rare cancers. The primary endpoint of the trial is investigator-assessed confirmed ORR and investigator-assessed duration of response (DoR) is a key secondary endpoint.

The data will be presented at an upcoming medical meeting and shared with global regulatory authorities.

HER2 is a tyrosine kinase receptor protein expressed on the surface of various tissue cells throughout the body and is involved in normal cell growth.1,2 In some cancer cells, HER2 expression is amplified or the cells have activating mutations.1,3 While HER2 directed therapies have been used to treat breast, gastric and lung cancers, more research is needed in evaluating their potential in treating other HER2 expressing tumor types.2,4,5,6

The clinically meaningful responses seen in the DESTINY-PanTumor02 trial reaffirm our belief in the potential of ENHERTU across multiple HER2 expressing cancers, said Ken Takeshita, MD, Global Head, R&D, Daiichi Sankyo. The results seen so far across multiple cohorts of the trial will inform next steps of our broad development program as we look to bring this important medicine to as many patients as quickly as possible.

ENHERTU has already demonstrated its potential to improve outcomes for patients with HER2 targetable breast, gastric and lung cancers, and these positive initial results in other tumor settings with significant unmet need are very encouraging, said Cristian Massacesi, MD, Chief Medical Officer and Oncology Chief Development Officer, AstraZeneca. The DESTINY-PanTumor02 results mark an important step forward in our understanding of the potential role of ENHERTU across multiple HER2 expressing tumor types.

The safety profile observed in patients treated with ENHERTU in the DESTINY-PanTumor02 trial was consistent with that seen in other trials of ENHERTU with no new safety signals identified.

About DESTINY-PanTumor02

DESTINY-PanTumor02 is a global, multicenter, multi-cohort, open-label phase 2 trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of ENHERTU (5.4 mg/kg) for the treatment of HER2 expressing tumors, including biliary tract cancer, bladder cancer, cervical cancer, endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer and rare tumors.

The primary efficacy endpoint of DESTINY-PanTumor02 is confirmed ORR as assessed by investigator. Secondary endpoints include DoR, disease control rate, progression-free survival, overall survival, safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics.

DESTINY-PanTumor02 has enrolled 268 patients at multiple sites in Asia, Europe and North America. For more information about the trial, visit ClinicalTrials.gov.

About ENHERTU

ENHERTU (trastuzumab deruxtecan; fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki in the U.S. only) is a HER2 directed ADC. Designed using Daiichi Sankyos proprietary DXd ADC technology, ENHERTU is the lead ADC in the oncology portfolio of Daiichi Sankyo and the most advanced program in AstraZenecas ADC scientific platform. ENHERTU consists of a HER2 monoclonal antibody attached to a topoisomerase I inhibitor payload, an exatecan derivative, via a stable tetrapeptide-based cleavable linker.

ENHERTU (5.4 mg/kg) is approved in more than 40 countries for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2 positive breast cancer who have received a (or one or more) prior anti-HER2-based regimen, either in the metastatic setting or in the neoadjuvant or adjuvant setting, and have developed disease recurrence during or within six months of completing therapy based on the results from the DESTINY-Breast03 trial.

ENHERTU (5.4 mg/kg) is approved in more than 30 countries for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2 low (immunohistochemistry (IHC) 1+ or IHC 2+/in-situ hybridization (ISH)-) breast cancer who have received a prior systemic therapy in the metastatic setting or developed disease recurrence during or within six months of completing adjuvant chemotherapy based on the results from the DESTINY-Breast04 trial.

ENHERTU (5.4 mg/kg) is approved under accelerated approval in the U.S. for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have activating HER2 (ERBB2) mutations, as detected by an FDA-approved test, and who have received a prior systemic therapy based on the results from the DESTINY-Lung02 trial. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial.

ENHERTU (6.4 mg/kg) is approved in more than 30 countries for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2 positive gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma who have received a prior trastuzumab-based regimen based on the results from the DESTINY-Gastric01 and/or DESTINY-Gastric02 trials.

About the ENHERTU Clinical Development Program

A comprehensive global development program is underway evaluating the efficacy and safety of ENHERTU monotherapy across multiple HER2 targetable cancers. Trials in combination with other anticancer treatments, such as immunotherapy, also are underway.

About the Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca Collaboration

Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca entered into a global collaboration to jointly develop and commercialize ENHERTU in March 2019 and datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd) in July 2020, except in Japan where Daiichi Sankyo maintains exclusive rights for each ADC. Daiichi Sankyo is responsible for the manufacturing and supply of ENHERTU and datopotamab deruxtecan.

About the DXd ADC Portfolio of Daiichi Sankyo

The DXd ADC portfolio of Daiichi Sankyo currently consists of five ADCs in clinical development across multiple types of cancer. The companys clinical trial stage DXd ADCs include ENHERTU, a HER2 directed ADC and datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd), a TROP2 directed ADC, which are being jointly developed and commercialized globally with AstraZeneca; and patritumab deruxtecan (HER3-DXd), a HER3 directed ADC. Two additional ADCs including ifinatamab deruxtecan (I-DXd; DS-7300), a B7-H3 directed ADC, and DS-6000, a CDH6 directed ADC, are being developed through a strategic early-stage research collaboration with Sarah Cannon Research Institute.

Designed using Daiichi Sankyos proprietary DXd ADC technology, each ADC targets and delivers a cytotoxic payload inside cancer cells that express a specific cell surface antigen. Each ADC consists of a monoclonal antibody attached to a number of topoisomerase I inhibitor payloads (an exatecan derivative, DXd) via tetrapeptide-based cleavable linkers.

Datopotamab deruxtecan, ifinatamab deruxtecan, patritumab deruxtecan and DS-6000 are investigational medicines that have not been approved for any indication in any country. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

ENHERTU U.S. Important Safety Information

Indications

ENHERTU is a HER2-directed antibody and topoisomerase inhibitor conjugate indicated for the treatment of adult patients with:

Unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who have received a prior anti-HER2-based regimen either: In the metastatic setting, or In the neoadjuvant or adjuvant setting and have developed disease recurrence during or within six months of completing therapy





Unresectable or metastatic HER2-low (IHC 1+ or IHC 2+/ISH-) breast cancer, as determined by an FDA-approved test, who have received a prior chemotherapy in the metastatic setting or developed disease recurrence during or within 6 months of completing adjuvant chemotherapy



Unresectable or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have activating HER2 (ERBB2) mutations, as detected by an FDA-approved test, and who have received a prior systemic therapy



This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on objective response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial.



Locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma who have received a prior trastuzumab-based regimen

WARNING: INTERSTITIAL LUNG DISEASE and EMBRYO-FETAL TOXICITY Interstitial lung disease (ILD) and pneumonitis, including fatal cases, have been reported with ENHERTU. Monitor for and promptly investigate signs and symptoms including cough, dyspnea, fever, and other new or worsening respiratory symptoms. Permanently discontinue ENHERTU in all patients with Grade 2 or higher ILD/pneumonitis. Advise patients of the risk and to immediately report symptoms.

Exposure to ENHERTU during pregnancy can cause embryo-fetal harm. Advise patients of these risks and the need for effective contraception.

Contraindications

None.

Warnings and Precautions

Interstitial Lung Disease / Pneumonitis

Severe, life-threatening, or fatal interstitial lung disease (ILD), including pneumonitis, can occur in patients treated with ENHERTU. A higher incidence of Grade 1 and 2 ILD/pneumonitis has been observed in patients with moderate renal impairment. Advise patients to immediately report cough, dyspnea, fever, and/or any new or worsening respiratory symptoms. Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of ILD. Promptly investigate evidence of ILD. Evaluate patients with suspected ILD by radiographic imaging. Consider consultation with a pulmonologist. For asymptomatic ILD/pneumonitis (Grade 1), interrupt ENHERTU until resolved to Grade 0, then if resolved in 28 days from date of onset, maintain dose. If resolved in >28 days from date of onset, reduce dose one level. Consider corticosteroid treatment as soon as ILD/pneumonitis is suspected (e.g., 0.5 mg/kg/day prednisolone or equivalent). For symptomatic ILD/pneumonitis (Grade 2 or greater), permanently discontinue ENHERTU. Promptly initiate systemic corticosteroid treatment as soon as ILD/pneumonitis is suspected (e.g., 1 mg/kg/day prednisolone or equivalent) and continue for at least 14 days followed by gradual taper for at least 4 weeks.

Metastatic Breast Cancer and HER2-Mutant NSCLC (5.4 mg/kg)

In patients with metastatic breast cancer and HER2-mutant NSCLC treated with ENHERTU 5.4 mg/kg, ILD occurred in 12% of patients. Fatal outcomes due to ILD and/or pneumonitis occurred in 1.0% of patients treated with ENHERTU. Median time to first onset was 5 months (range: 0.9 to 23).

Locally Advanced or Metastatic Gastric Cancer (6.4 mg/kg)

In patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma treated with ENHERTU 6.4 mg/kg, ILD occurred in 10% of patients. Median time to first onset was 2.8 months (range: 1.2 to 21).

Neutropenia

Severe neutropenia, including febrile neutropenia, can occur in patients treated with ENHERTU. Monitor complete blood counts prior to initiation of ENHERTU and prior to each dose, and as clinically indicated. For Grade 3 neutropenia (Absolute Neutrophil Count [ANC] 38.3 C or a sustained temperature of 38 C for more than 1 hour), interrupt ENHERTU until resolved, then reduce dose by one level.

Metastatic Breast Cancer and HER2-Mutant NSCLC (5.4 mg/kg)

In patients with metastatic breast cancer and HER2-mutant NSCLC treated with ENHERTU 5.4 mg/kg, a decrease in neutrophil count was reported in 65% of patients. Sixteen percent had Grade 3 or 4 decreased neutrophil count. Median time to first onset of decreased neutrophil count was 22 days (range: 2 to 664). Febrile neutropenia was reported in 1.1% of patients.

Locally Advanced or Metastatic Gastric Cancer (6.4 mg/kg)

In patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma treated with ENHERTU 6.4 mg/kg, a decrease in neutrophil count was reported in 72% of patients. Fifty-one percent had Grade 3 or 4 decreased neutrophil count. Median time to first onset of decreased neutrophil count was 16 days (range: 4 to 187). Febrile neutropenia was reported in 4.8% of patients.

Left Ventricular Dysfunction

Patients treated with ENHERTU may be at increased risk of developing left ventricular dysfunction. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) decrease has been observed with anti-HER2 therapies, including ENHERTU. Assess LVEF prior to initiation of ENHERTU and at regular intervals during treatment as clinically indicated. Manage LVEF decrease through treatment interruption. When LVEF is >45% and absolute decrease from baseline is 10-20%, continue treatment with ENHERTU. When LVEF is 40-45% and absolute decrease from baseline is 20%, interrupt ENHERTU and repeat LVEF assessment within 3 weeks. If LVEF of 20% is confirmed, permanently discontinue ENHERTU. Permanently discontinue ENHERTU in patients with symptomatic congestive heart failure. Treatment with ENHERTU has not been studied in patients with a history of clinically significant cardiac disease or LVEF

Metastatic Breast Cancer and HER2-Mutant NSCLC (5.4 mg/kg)

In patients with metastatic breast cancer and HER2-mutant NSCLC treated with ENHERTU 5.4 mg/kg, LVEF decrease was reported in 3.6% of patients, of which 0.4% were Grade 3.

Locally Advanced or Metastatic Gastric Cancer (6.4 mg/kg)

In patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma treated with ENHERTU 6.4 mg/kg, no clinical adverse events of heart failure were reported; however, on echocardiography, 8% were found to have asymptomatic Grade 2 decrease in LVEF.

Embryo-Fetal Toxicity

ENHERTU can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise patients of the potential risks to a fetus. Verify the pregnancy status of females of reproductive potential prior to the initiation of ENHERTU. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment and for 7 months after the last dose of ENHERTU. Advise male patients with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with ENHERTU and for 4 months after the last dose of ENHERTU.

Additional Dose Modifications

Thrombocytopenia

For Grade 3 thrombocytopenia (platelets

Adverse Reactions

Metastatic Breast Cancer and HER2-Mutant NSCLC (5.4 mg/kg)

The pooled safety population reflects exposure to ENHERTU 5.4 mg/kg intravenously every 3 weeks in 984 patients in Study DS8201-A-J101 (NCT02564900), DESTINY-Breast01, DESTINY-Breast03, DESTINY-Breast04, and DESTINY-Lung02. Among these patients 65% were exposed for >6 months and 39% were exposed for >1 year. In this pooled safety population, the most common (20%) adverse reactions, including laboratory abnormalities, were nausea (76%), decreased white blood cell count (71%), decreased hemoglobin (66%), decreased neutrophil count (65%), decreased lymphocyte count (55%), fatigue (54%), decreased platelet count (47%), increased aspartate aminotransferase (48%), vomiting (44%), increased alanine aminotransferase (42%), alopecia (39%), increased blood alkaline phosphatase (39%), constipation (34%), musculoskeletal pain (32%), decreased appetite (32%), hypokalemia (28%), diarrhea (28%), and respiratory infection (24%).

HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer

DESTINY-Breast03

The safety of ENHERTU was evaluated in 257 patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who received at least one dose of ENHERTU 5.4 mg/kg intravenously every three weeks in DESTINY-Breast03. The median duration of treatment was 14 months (range: 0.7 to 30).

Serious adverse reactions occurred in 19% of patients receiving ENHERTU. Serious adverse reactions in >1% of patients who received ENHERTU were vomiting, interstitial lung disease, pneumonia, pyrexia, and urinary tract infection. Fatalities due to adverse reactions occurred in 0.8% of patients including COVID-19 and sudden death (one patient each).

ENHERTU was permanently discontinued in 14% of patients, of which ILD/pneumonitis accounted for 8%. Dose interruptions due to adverse reactions occurred in 44% of patients treated with ENHERTU. The most frequent adverse reactions (>2%) associated with dose interruption were neutropenia, leukopenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, pneumonia, nausea, fatigue, and ILD/pneumonitis. Dose reductions occurred in 21% of patients treated with ENHERTU. The most frequent adverse reactions (>2%) associated with dose reduction were nausea, neutropenia, and fatigue.

The most common (20%) adverse reactions, including laboratory abnormalities, were nausea (76%), decreased white blood cell count (74%), decreased neutrophil count (70%), increased aspartate aminotransferase (67%), decreased hemoglobin (64%), decreased lymphocyte count (55%), increased alanine aminotransferase (53%), decreased platelet count (52%), fatigue (49%), vomiting (49%), increased blood alkaline phosphatase (49%), alopecia (37%), hypokalemia (35%), constipation (34%), musculoskeletal pain (31%), diarrhea (29%), decreased appetite (29%), respiratory infection (22%), headache (22%), abdominal pain (21%), increased blood bilirubin (20%), and stomatitis (20%).

HER2-Low Metastatic Breast Cancer

DESTINY-Breast04

The safety of ENHERTU was evaluated in 371 patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-low (IHC 1+ or IHC 2+/ISH-) breast cancer who received ENHERTU 5.4 mg/kg intravenously every 3 weeks in DESTINY-Breast04. The median duration of treatment was 8 months (range: 0.2 to 33) for patients who received ENHERTU.

Serious adverse reactions occurred in 28% of patients receiving ENHERTU. Serious adverse reactions in >1% of patients who received ENHERTU were ILD/pneumonitis, pneumonia, dyspnea, musculoskeletal pain, sepsis, anemia, febrile neutropenia, hypercalcemia, nausea, pyrexia, and vomiting. Fatalities due to adverse reactions occurred in 4% of patients including ILD/pneumonitis (3 patients); sepsis (2 patients); and ischemic colitis, disseminated intravascular coagulation, dyspnea, febrile neutropenia, general physical health deterioration, pleural effusion, and respiratory failure (1 patient each).

ENHERTU was permanently discontinued in 16% of patients, of which ILD/pneumonitis accounted for 8%. Dose interruptions due to adverse reactions occurred in 39% of patients treated with ENHERTU. The most frequent adverse reactions (>2%) associated with dose interruption were neutropenia, fatigue, anemia, leukopenia, COVID-19, ILD/pneumonitis, increased transaminases, and hyperbilirubinemia. Dose reductions occurred in 23% of patients treated with ENHERTU. The most frequent adverse reactions (>2%) associated with dose reduction were fatigue, nausea, thrombocytopenia, and neutropenia.

The most common (20%) adverse reactions, including laboratory abnormalities, were nausea (76%), decreased white blood cell count (70%), decreased hemoglobin (64%), decreased neutrophil count (64%), decreased lymphocyte count (55%), fatigue (54%), decreased platelet count (44%), alopecia (40%), vomiting (40%), increased aspartate aminotransferase (38%), increased alanine aminotransferase (36%), constipation (34%), increased blood alkaline phosphatase (34%), decreased appetite (32%), musculoskeletal pain (32%), diarrhea (27%), and hypokalemia (25%).

Unresectable or Metastatic HER2-Mutant NSCLC (5.4 mg/kg)

DESTINY-Lung02 evaluated two dose levels (5.4 mg/kg [n=101] and 6.4 mg/kg [n=50]); however, only the results for the recommended dose of 5.4 mg/kg intravenously every 3 weeks are described below due to increased toxicity observed with the higher dose in patients with NSCLC, including ILD/pneumonitis.

The safety of ENHERTU was evaluated in 101 patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-mutant NSCLC who received ENHERTU 5.4 mg/kg intravenously every three weeks in DESTINYLung02. Nineteen percent of patients were exposed for >6 months.

Serious adverse reactions occurred in 30% of patients receiving ENHERTU. Serious adverse reactions in >1% of patients who received ENHERTU were ILD/pneumonitis, thrombocytopenia, dyspnea, nausea, pleural effusion, and increased troponin I. Fatality occurred in 1 patient with suspected ILD/pneumonitis (1%).

ENHERTU was permanently discontinued in 8% of patients. Adverse reactions which resulted in permanent discontinuation of ENHERTU were ILD/pneumonitis, diarrhea, hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, myocarditis, and vomiting. Dose interruptions of ENHERTU due to adverse reactions occurred in 23% of patients. Adverse reactions which required dose interruption (>2%) included neutropenia and ILD/pneumonitis. Dose reductions due to an adverse reaction occurred in 11% of patients.

The most common (20%) adverse reactions, including laboratory abnormalities, were nausea (61%), decreased white blood cell count (60%), decreased hemoglobin (58%), decreased neutrophil count (52%), decreased lymphocyte count (43%), decreased platelet count (40%), decreased albumin (39%), increased aspartate aminotransferase (35%), increased alanine aminotransferase (34%), fatigue (32%), constipation (31%), decreased appetite (30%), vomiting (26%), increased alkaline phosphatase (22%), and alopecia (21%).

Locally Advanced or Metastatic Gastric Cancer (6.4 mg/kg)

The safety of ENHERTU was evaluated in 187 patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma in DESTINY-Gastric01. Patients intravenously received at least one dose of either ENHERTU (N=125) 6.4 mg/kg every 3 weeks or either irinotecan (N=55) 150 mg/m2 biweekly or paclitaxel (N=7) 80 mg/m2 weekly for 3 weeks. The median duration of treatment was 4.6 months (range: 0.7 to 22.3) for patients who received ENHERTU.

Serious adverse reactions occurred in 44% of patients receiving ENHERTU 6.4 mg/kg. Serious adverse reactions in >2% of patients who received ENHERTU were decreased appetite, ILD, anemia, dehydration, pneumonia, cholestatic jaundice, pyrexia, and tumor hemorrhage. Fatalities due to adverse reactions occurred in 2.4% of patients: disseminated intravascular coagulation, large intestine perforation, and pneumonia occurred in one patient each (0.8%).

ENHERTU was permanently discontinued in 15% of patients, of which ILD accounted for 6%. Dose interruptions due to adverse reactions occurred in 62% of patients treated with ENHERTU. The most frequent adverse reactions (>2%) associated with dose interruption were neutropenia, anemia, decreased appetite, leukopenia, fatigue, thrombocytopenia, ILD, pneumonia, lymphopenia, upper respiratory tract infection, diarrhea, and hypokalemia. Dose reductions occurred in 32% of patients treated with ENHERTU. The most frequent adverse reactions (>2%) associated with dose reduction were neutropenia, decreased appetite, fatigue, nausea, and febrile neutropenia.

The most common (20%) adverse reactions, including laboratory abnormalities, were decreased hemoglobin (75%), decreased white blood cell count (74%), decreased neutrophil count (72%), decreased lymphocyte count (70%), decreased platelet count (68%), nausea (63%), decreased appetite (60%), increased aspartate aminotransferase (58%), fatigue (55%), increased blood alkaline phosphatase (54%), increased alanine aminotransferase (47%), diarrhea (32%), hypokalemia (30%), vomiting (26%), constipation (24%), increased blood bilirubin (24%), pyrexia (24%), and alopecia (22%).

Use in Specific Populations

Pregnancy: ENHERTU can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise patients of the potential risks to a fetus. There are clinical considerations if ENHERTU is used in pregnant women, or if a patient becomes pregnant within 7 months after the last dose of ENHERTU.

ENHERTU can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise patients of the potential risks to a fetus. There are clinical considerations if ENHERTU is used in pregnant women, or if a patient becomes pregnant within 7 months after the last dose of ENHERTU. Lactation: There are no data regarding the presence of ENHERTU in human milk, the effects on the breastfed child, or the effects on milk production. Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in a breastfed child, advise women not to breastfeed during treatment with ENHERTU and for 7 months after the last dose.

There are no data regarding the presence of ENHERTU in human milk, the effects on the breastfed child, or the effects on milk production. Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in a breastfed child, advise women not to breastfeed during treatment with ENHERTU and for 7 months after the last dose. Females and Males of Reproductive Potential: Pregnancy testing : Verify pregnancy status of females of reproductive potential prior to initiation of ENHERTU. Contraception : Females : ENHERTU can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with ENHERTU and for 7 months after the last dose. Males : Advise male patients with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with ENHERTU and for 4 months after the last dose. Infertility : ENHERTU may impair male reproductive function and fertility.

: Verify pregnancy status of females of reproductive potential prior to initiation of ENHERTU. : : ENHERTU can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with ENHERTU and for 7 months after the last dose. : Advise male patients with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with ENHERTU and for 4 months after the last dose. : ENHERTU may impair male reproductive function and fertility. Pediatric Use: Safety and effectiveness of ENHERTU have not been established in pediatric patients.

Safety and effectiveness of ENHERTU have not been established in pediatric patients. Geriatric Use: Of the 883 patients with breast cancer treated with ENHERTU 5.4 mg/kg, 22% were 65 years and 3.6% were 75 years. No overall differences in efficacy within clinical studies were observed between patients 65 years of age compared to younger patients. There was a higher incidence of Grade 3-4 adverse reactions observed in patients aged 65 years (60%) as compared to younger patients (48%). Of the 101 patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-mutant NSCLC treated with ENHERTU 5.4 mg/kg, 40% were 65 years and 8% were 75 years. No overall differences in efficacy or safety were observed between patients 65 years of age compared to younger patients. Of the 125 patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma treated with ENHERTU 6.4 mg/kg in DESTINY-Gastric01, 56% were 65 years and 14% were 75 years. No overall differences in efficacy or safety were observed between patients 65 years of age compared to younger patients.

Of the 883 patients with breast cancer treated with ENHERTU 5.4 mg/kg, 22% were 65 years and 3.6% were 75 years. No overall differences in efficacy within clinical studies were observed between patients 65 years of age compared to younger patients. There was a higher incidence of Grade 3-4 adverse reactions observed in patients aged 65 years (60%) as compared to younger patients (48%). Of the 101 patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-mutant NSCLC treated with ENHERTU 5.4 mg/kg, 40% were 65 years and 8% were 75 years. No overall differences in efficacy or safety were observed between patients 65 years of age compared to younger patients. Of the 125 patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma treated with ENHERTU 6.4 mg/kg in DESTINY-Gastric01, 56% were 65 years and 14% were 75 years. No overall differences in efficacy or safety were observed between patients 65 years of age compared to younger patients. Renal Impairment: A higher incidence of Grade 1 and 2 ILD/pneumonitis has been observed in patients with moderate renal impairment. Monitor patients with moderate renal impairment more frequently. The recommended dosage of ENHERTU has not been established for patients with severe renal impairment (CLcr

A higher incidence of Grade 1 and 2 ILD/pneumonitis has been observed in patients with moderate renal impairment. Monitor patients with moderate renal impairment more frequently. The recommended dosage of ENHERTU has not been established for patients with severe renal impairment (CLcr Hepatic Impairment: In patients with moderate hepatic impairment, due to potentially increased exposure, closely monitor for increased toxicities related to the topoisomerase inhibitor. The recommended dosage of ENHERTU has not been established for patients with severe hepatic impairment (total bilirubin >3 times ULN and any AST).

To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. at 1-877-437-7763 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or fda.gov/medwatch.

Please see accompanying full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNINGS, and Medication Guide.

About Daiichi Sankyo

Daiichi Sankyo is dedicated to creating new modalities and innovative medicines by leveraging our world-class science and technology for our purpose to contribute to the enrichment of quality of life around the world. In addition to our current portfolio of medicines for cancer and cardiovascular disease, Daiichi Sankyo is primarily focused on developing novel therapies for people with cancer as well as other diseases with high unmet medical needs. With more than 100 years of scientific expertise and a presence in more than 20 countries, Daiichi Sankyo and its 16,000 employees around the world draw upon a rich legacy of innovation to realize our 2030 Vision to become an Innovative Global Healthcare Company Contributing to the Sustainable Development of Society. For more information, please visit www.daiichisankyo.com.

References:

1 ASCO. Breast Cancer. Accessed March 2023.

2 Iqbal N, et al. Mol Biol Int. 2014;852748.

3 Omar N, et al. Pathogenesis. 2015;2(3):1-9.

4 Wu VS, et al. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2015;153;45-53.

5 American Cancer Society. Targeted Drug Therapy for Stomach Cancer. Accessed March 2023.

6 National Cancer Institute. Enhertu Marks First Targeted Therapy for HER2-Mutant Lung Cancer. Accessed March 2023.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230305005091/en/

Global:

Jennifer Brennan

Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.

[email protected]

+1 908 900 3183 (mobile)

Japan:

Koji Ogiwara

Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd.

[email protected]

+81 3 6225 1126 (office)

Investor Relations Contact:

[email protected]

Source: Daiichi Sankyo
Heritage continues to build on its revenue channels through its product and brand recognition globally

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Heritage Cannabis Holdings Corp. (CSE: CANN) (OTCQX: HERTF) (Heritage or the Company), is pleased to announce that it has received a purchase order from a well established Australian company for the supply of 15,000 units of Live Resin concentrate vape cartridges. Heritage recently received import permits allowing the Company to ship products to this growing market.

The Australian market, while still in its infancy operating largely as a medical cannabis market, could grow to as large as US$1.55 billion by 2024 according to Prohibition Partners, and Heritage, the first company to ship live resin to Australia, is looking to capture market share with its innovative industry leading products.

Heritage is becoming a well-known entity around the globe for our best-in-class concentrate products as evidenced by this order. We are experiencing an increased amount of requests for our concentrates from other international buyers, said David Schwede, CEO of Heritage. Our concentrates are our bread and butter, and we have the execution, innovation and quality that people are looking for. This is the start of a strong and growing relationship and we are excited to be capitalizing on this market opportunity, with additional shipments already in the preparation phase. With our superior products we are confident that our trademark resins will be well received down under.

About Heritage Cannabis Holdings Corp.

Heritage Cannabis is a leading cannabis company offering innovative products to both the medical and recreational legal cannabis markets in Canada and the U.S., operating under two licensed manufacturing facilities in Canada. The company has an extensive portfolio of high-quality cannabis products under the brands Purefarma, Pura Vida, RAD, Premium 5, Thrifty, feelgood., the CB4 suite of medical products in Canada and ArthroCBD in the U.S.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF HERITAGE CANNABIS HOLDINGS CORP.

David Schwede

David Schwede, CEO

The Canadian Securities Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230306005260/en/

Kelly Castledine

Tel: 647-660-2560

Source: Heritage Cannabis Holdings Corp.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Insurify, Inc., (Insurify), Americas top-rated virtual insurance agent to compare, buy and manage insurance has entered into an agreement to acquire Inspop USA, LLC and its subsidiary, Compare.com Insurance Agency, LLC (Compare.com), a pioneer in the U.S. online auto insurance comparison market in a transaction expected to close in H1 2023.

This strategic acquisition brings two leading online insurance shopping platforms under one larger scale entity that combines Insurify's cutting edge AI-powered technology, expert advice, and organic marketing expertise with Compare.com's robust consumer choice and long-established insurance experience. This combination allows Insurify to realize the benefits of the respective brands, platforms, and operations to effectively deliver next-generation solutions to consumers and carrier partners. Insurify will maintain the Compare.com brand.

Compare.com was founded by and is majority owned by Admiral Group plc (Admiral), one of the UKs leading auto insurers and a member of the FTSE 100. As part of the transaction, Admiral will retain a minority stake in Insurify and continue to serve as a strategic shareholder. Allie Feakins, Compare.coms CEO, will join Insurify as SVP of Insurance and lead insurance operations for the combined company.

Acquiring Compare.com, a long-established and respected digital insurance distribution brand, will further Insurifys mission to empower every insurance-shopper with the expert advice and resources to compare, buy and manage insurance. Bringing the companies and their technology together allows us to build on our complementary auto insurance capabilities. The addition of Compare.com strengthens Insurifys market position as we continue to build the preeminent and most trusted digital insurance agent, said Snejina Zacharia, Founder and CEO of Insurify.

Over the past 10 years, we have observed firsthand the rapid growth of Insurify as one of leading auto insurance comparison platforms. We are excited that Insurify chose to acquire Compare.com and the opportunity to extend our business model to a full-service insurance agency. We look forward to meaningfully scale to be the highest quality digital insurance offering, said Allie Feakins, CEO of Compare.com

Costantino Moretti, Head of International Insurance, Admiral Group said: This is a positive outcome for Compare.com customers and employees who will continue to empower more motorists in the U.S. to shop and save on their insurance needs. This transaction will enable Admiral to continue to focus on what we have consistently done well, creating, underwriting and delivering leading financial service products, while also benefiting from the continued momentum being seen in the U.S. price comparison market.

This transaction does not impact Admirals U.S.-based insurance business, Elephant which is an entirely distinct business.

Perella Weinberg Partners LP served as financial advisor and Clifford Chance US LLP served as legal advisor to Admiral. Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP served as legal advisor to Insurify.

About Insurify

Based in Cambridge, MA, Insurify, America's top-rated virtual insurance agent, provides expert advice and empowers customers to securely compare, buy, and manage their auto and home insurance policies from the largest selection of accurate quotes. With more than 70 million quotes served and $200B in insurance coverage, Insurify has won several insurance industry awards, including Forbes NextBillion Dollar Startups of 2022, WPOs 50 Fastest Growing Women-Owned and -Led Companies 2022, Inc.s 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in America of 2022 and 2021, Forbes Fintech 50 List for 2021, Stevies Gold International Business Award for a Medium-Sized Insurance Company 2021, EYs 2021 New England Entrepreneur of the Year, and Insurtech Insights Future 50 2021.

For more information, visit www.insurify.com.

About Compare.com

Compare.com is an online comparison platform that allows consumers to receive side-by-side comparisons on auto insurance quotes with real prices from more than 60 of the countrys top carriers. Since its launch in 2013, Compare.com has helped more than 7 million customers switch and save on their auto insurance, putting over $300 million back in US consumers wallets. Headquartered in Richmond, VA, Compare.com is majority owned by the Admiral Group, LLC, one of the UKs leading auto insurers and a member of the FTSE 100. For more information, visit www.compare.com.

About Admiral:

Admiral Group plc is a FTSE100 global financial services company offering motor, household, travel and pet insurance as well as personal lending products. Established in 1993 in the UK, the Group now has offices in Canada, France, Gibraltar, India, Italy, Spain, and the US.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230306005418/en/

Media Contact:

For Insurify:

Press Contact: [email protected]

Insurify Inc.



For Admiral:

Press Contact: [email protected]

+4474 3603 5615

Addy Frederick

Admiral Group plc

Source: Insurify, Inc.
DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Invitation Homes Inc. (NYSE: INVH) (Invitation Homes or the Company) today announced several leadership changes and promotions.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230306005572/en/

Marnie Vaughn, Senior Vice President, Transformation and Innovation. (Photo: Business Wire)

David Ayers is now Senior Vice President (SVP), Engineering. Ayers joined Invitation Homes in March 2020 as Vice President, Engineering. Prior to joining Invitation Homes, he was Group Vice President of Information Technology for Leslies Poolmart, Inc., Principal Architect at Credera, and Vice President of Technology at The Container Store, as well as earlier roles at Hilton, Perot Systems Corp, and Luminant Worldwide. Ayers is an experienced public speaker on the topics of DevOps and technology leadership.

Ryan Judge is now SVP, Technology Management and Data. Judge joined the Company in March 2020 as Vice President, Office of the Chief Information Officer. He previously was Senior Director, Delivery & PMO, at Hilton Worldwide, and Senior Manager at Accenture, as well as earlier roles. Judge holds a bachelors degree in business administration from Emory University, and he is a certified SAFe Agilist, Scrum Master, and Project Management Professional.

Angie Luna, currently SVP, Field Division-West, will become SVP, Operations Support, effective April 3, responsible for national leasing and property management operations. Luna joined the Company in 2013 as Vice President of Operations for two West Coast markets. Previously, she worked with multifamily investment and management groups, providing a broad range of large-scale renovation and fee management expertise along with experience in asset repositioning and disposition. Luna holds a bachelors degree from California State University.

Scott McLaughlin is now SVP, Investor Relations & Tax. McLaughlin joined Invitation Homes in March 2021 as Vice President, Investor Relations & Tax. Previously, he was Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer for Virtonomy.io and SVP at TIER REIT, Inc., as well as earlier roles. McLaughlin holds a bachelors degree in business administration from the University of Richmond and a masters degree in business administration from the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin. He holds an Investor Relations Charter from the National Investor Relations Institute and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Tracy Valenzuela, currently Vice President of Operations for the Companys Phoenix business, will become SVP, Field Division-West, effective April 3. Before joining Invitation Homes in January 2015, she was Managing Partner of ARC Southwest Management and founded Heads on Beds Consulting Services, in addition to earlier roles. Valenzuela maintains an active real estate license in Arizona, and she is passionately involved with Bulldog Rescue. She holds a bachelors degree in marketing from The University of Georgia.

Marnie Vaughn, currently SVP, Operations Support, will become SVP, Transformation and Innovation, effective April 3. Vaughn also has been elevated to the Companys internal Executive Committee, which oversees all aspects of the Companys business, finances, operations, people, and culture. She joined Invitation Homes in November 2012, and previously served as Vice President of Operations for two Florida markets and Vice President, Leasing. Prior to Invitation Homes, Vaughn held leadership roles with real estate companies across multiple industries. She holds a bachelors degree from the University of Central Florida.

We are pleased to recognize the strong contributions these six leaders have made to the Companys business, said Dallas Tanner, Chief Executive Officer of Invitation Homes. As the nation's premier home leasing company, we rely on the strength of our people, and we appreciate the value these leaders bring to our company as well as to the systems, processes, and teams in their respective organizations and professions.

About Invitation Homes

Invitation Homes, an S&P 500 company, is the nation's premier single-family home leasing company, meeting changing lifestyle demands by providing access to high-quality, updated homes with valued features such as close proximity to jobs and access to good schools. The Company's mission, "Together with you, we make a house a home," reflects its commitment to providing homes where individuals and families can thrive and high-touch service that continuously enhances residents' living experiences.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230306005572/en/

Investor Relations Contact:

Scott McLaughlin

844.456.INVH (4684)

[email protected]

Media Relations Contact:

Kristi DesJarlais

972.421.3587

[email protected]

Source: Invitation Homes Inc.
LambdaTest Test Automation Professional Certificate exclusively on LinkedIn Learning will enable learners to learn the art and science of test automation from one of the leading experts in the industry

NOIDA, India & SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- LambdaTest, the leading digital experience testing cloud platform, has partnered with LinkedIn to offer the LambdaTest Test Automation Professional Certificate exclusively available on LinkedIn Learning, as part of its mission to support the testing and QA community.

Through this Professional Certificate course, learners will acquire fundamental knowledge of test automation, including various tools and best practices, in a highly engaging manner from Meaghan Lewis, Technical Program Manager at Microsoft.

More importantly, learners will be able to implement and optimize test automation in their jobs after this course. To earn their LambdaTest Test Automation Professional Certificate, learners will have to complete all courses and content in the learning path and pass the final exam. Learners can access their certificates immediately after they pass the final exam and seamlessly showcase their certificate on LinkedIn.

"We are excited to partner with LambdaTest to provide our customers and learners additional, credible paths to upskilling as well as broaden the audience for the LambdaTest Test Automation Professional Certificate to the worlds largest talent marketplace," said Dan Brodnitz, Sr. Director of Global Content Strategy at LinkedIn Learning.

As LinkedIn Learning students for the LambdaTest Test Automation Professional Certificate, learners can get free trial access to the LambdaTest platform. This enables learners to get hands-on experience and implement the concepts.

Enterprises, all over the world, are automating their testing to ensure a better digital experience for their users. Learning test automation will open up various career avenues for learners. We are also happy to offer free access to the LambdaTest platform to enable students to get hands-on experience. We are excited to play our role in enabling thousands of learners to achieve their career goals, said Maneesh Sharma, Chief Operating Officer, LambdaTest.

LambdaTest recently announced the launch of digital experience testing cloud for enterprises. The offering will enable enterprises to accelerate their digital transformation by providing a best-in-class, 360-degree test execution and orchestration platform coupled with insightful test analytics and customizable deployment options.

Also, Satya Nadella, Chairman & CEO of Microsoft, delivered the keynote address at the Microsoft Future Ready Technology Summit 2023, Bengaluru, where he said that LambdaTest is doing for test automation what Kubernetes did for container orchestration - creating that next level of efficiency around test automation so that people can actually focus on testing versus test orchestration.

To know more, visit: https://www.lambdatest.com/certifications/linkedin-learning

Notes to the editor

For further information please contact the LambdaTest press office: [email protected].

About LambdaTest

LambdaTest is a leading digital experience testing cloud that helps developers and testers ship code faster. Over 10,000+ enterprise customers and 2+ million users across 130+ countries rely on LambdaTest for their testing needs.

LambdaTest platform provides secure, scalable, and insightful test orchestration for customers at different points in their DevOps (CI/CD) lifecycle:

 Cross Browser Testing Cloud

LambdaTest test execution platform allows users to run both manual and automated tests across 3000+ different browsers, real devices, and operating system environments. It enables developers to test their websites, web applications, and native apps without requiring to install or maintain an internal lab of virtual machines, real devices, emulators, or simulators.

 Real Device Testing Cloud

With LambdaTests Real Devices Testing Cloud, you can now test unhandled errors, UI/UX, performance, and functionality of your native, web, and hybrid apps before they get released into production. Test on the widest range of mobile and OTT devices (iOS, Android, iPad, Amazon Fire TV, Roku TV & Apple TV). With seamless cross-functional team collaboration across the mobile app development lifecycle, you can release quality mobile apps in shorter development cycles which enables you to innovate and scale rapidly.

 Continuous Testing Cloud - HyperExecute

An IP-led next-gen cloud test execution and orchestration platform that helps enterprises run end-to-end automation tests at the fastest speed possible, thereby enabling them to achieve quicker time-to-market, and deliver a quality digital experience. Achieve 70% faster test execution times and zero flakiness with HyperExecute.

 Visual Regression cloud

Perform Regression Testing in just one click using LambdaTest. Compare the screenshots of your applications webpages taken from two different browsers to view/detect any visual deviations. Increase browser coverage by running automation scripts on a cloud of 3000+ different desktop and mobile environments.

 Test Intelligence at Scale

Test execution insights are critical for digital transformation as they provide enterprises with more profound insight into the quality of releases and trends. By analyzing the test execution data, LambdaTest's Integrated Test Intelligence delivers enterprises with insights into patterns and trends that can lead to informed decisions about future development and improve application quality.

For more information, please visit: https://lambdatest.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230306005067/en/

LambdaTest press office:

[email protected]

Source: LambdaTest
MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Miami Beef Company Inc. (Miami Beef or the Company), a portfolio company of Trivest Partners, LP (Trivest), announces the acquisition of Brooklyn Burger and Devault Foods.

Brooklyn Burger is a frozen burger brand primarily serving grocery and retail customers across the United States. Brooklyn Burgers products include Original Steakhouse Burgers, Wagyu Beef Burgers, Premium Blend Burgers and All Natural Angus Steakhouse Burgers.

Since 1949, Devault Foods has been a leading supplier of burgers, meatballs, and steaks to restaurants across the Northeast and Midwest. Devault expands Miami Beefs presence in foodservice through one of the most reputable brands in the industry.

We are energized by these first two acquisitions for Miami BeefBrooklyn Burger and Devault Foods represent talented management teams, innovative products, and very strong brands that were excited to continue building. Miami Beef has tremendous plans for growth through additional add-on acquisitions, added Robert Young, CEO of Miami Beef.

About Miami Beef

Since 1972, Miami Beef has been an industry leader in providing quality fresh and frozen meat products to retail and foodservice customers nationwide. Miami Beef brands including Florida Raised, Young Ridge and Free Graze are produced out of their South Florida based facility. For more information, visit www.miamibeef.com

About Trivest

Trivest Partners, with offices in Miami, Charlotte, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Toronto, is a private investment firm that focuses exclusively on the support and growth of founder-led and family-owned businesses in the U.S. and Canada, in both control and non-control transactions. Since its founding in 1981, Trivest has completed more than 500 investments, totaling approximately $8 billion in value. The firm has roughly $4.5 billion in assets under management, with a growing team of 70 professionals. For more information, visit www.trivest.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230306005744/en/

Jonathan Schonfeld

Trivest Partners

(305) 858-2200

Source: Miami Beef Company Inc.
MADRID--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Now Health International, the multi-award-winning international private medical insurance (IPMI) provider, has announced the launch of a new Direct Billing network in Europe.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230305005059/en/

Launch of Direct Billing in Europe (Photo: AETOSWire)

From 1st March 2023, Now Health International members in Europe will have access to over 1,000 Direct Billing facilities across the continent, including in the UK.

The new Direct Billing provider network gives Now Health International members the convenience of being able to undergo consultations and medical investigations without needing to pay and reclaim. Now Health Internationals Europe members will also be able to use Direct Billing should they be admitted to hospital for any reason.

All Now Health International members have been informed of how they can use the new Direct Billing network. There will be no changes to the administration of their plans and premiums will not increase as a result of this new feature.

In addition to this change, Now Health International has also announced access to its Europe Direct Billing network for all its members.

UK members, who have had access to 126 Direct Billing facilities across the country since June 2021, can now access Direct Billing facilities across the rest of Europe should they ever be travelling in the region. Likewise, Now Health International plan holders living anywhere in the world will be able to access Direct Billing facilities should they travel to Europe, including the UK.

Discussing the new Direct Billing network, Laurent De Veyrac, General Manager  UK and Europe, Now Health International, said: Our new Direct Billing network will enhance our Europe members experience of using their plan while also providing even more added value for our UK members, many of whom we know frequently travel to and within the rest of Europe for both professional and personal reasons.

About the availability of the Direct Billing network to all of the companys members worldwide, Dr Bilal Shirazi, Chief Medical Officer, Now Health International, said: The new Direct Billing network improves our ability to deliver world-leading features and benefits to our members in Europe and also for our worldwide members who can now enjoy additional peace of mind when travelling in these regions.

About Now Health International

Now Health International (NHI) is one of the fastest growing providers of International Private Medical Insurance (IPMI) solutions for Global Expatriates, High-Net-Worth individuals and Companies. Now Health has offices in the UK, Malta, UAE, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Indonesia.

For more information, visit https://www.now-health.com/.

*Source: AETOSWire

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230305005059/en/

Ali R. Mehboob, Global Marketing Director

E: [email protected]

Source: Now Health International
PUTEAUX, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Regulatory News:

ORPEA S.A. (The " Company ") (Paris: ORP) announces the continuation of its financial restructuring within the planned timetable and, as such, welcomes the convergence of its main banking partners on the principles of an agreement concerning the establishment of an additional financing and the adjustment of the financing documentation of June 2022.

These banking partners intend to participate to the implementation of this additional financing and to the amendment of the financing documentation of June 2022 only within the framework of the implementation of the plan proposed by the Company and in particular in so far as the group of French long term investors led by the Caisse des Depots et Consignations including CNP Assurances, MAIF and MACSF, hold 50.2% of the capital of the Company.

The implementation and drawing of the additional financing, via several tranches, partly in the form of a bridge, enabling the Company's cash flow requirements to be met until the group led by Caisse des Depots et Consignations acquires its majority stake in the Company, remains conditional on obtaining the agreement of the credit committees of the institutions concerned, the finalization of the required contractual documentation, and certain steps of the financial restructuring of the Company.

About ORPEA

ORPEA is a leading global player, expert in the care of all types of frailty. The Group operates in 22 countries and covers three core businesses: care for the elderly (nursing homes, assisted living, home care), post-acute and rehabilitation care and mental health care (specialized clinics). It has more than 72,000 employees and welcomes more than 255,000 patients and residents each year.

https://www.orpea-group.com/

ORPEA is listed on Euronext Paris (ISIN: FR0000184798) and is a member of the SBF 120, STOXX 600 Europe, MSCI Small Cap Europe and CAC Mid 60 indices.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230305005088/en/

Investor Relations

ORPEA

Benoit Lesieur

Investor Relations Director

[email protected]

Toll free tel. nb. for shareholders:

+33 (0) 805 480 480

Investor Relations

NewCap

Dusan Oresansky

Tel.: +33 (0)1 44 71 94 94

[email protected]

Media Relations

ORPEA

Isabelle Herrier-Naufle

Media Relations Director

Tel.: +33 (0)7 70 29 53 74

[email protected]

Image 7

Charlotte Le Barbier

Tel.: +33 (0)6 78 37 27 60

[email protected]

Laurence Heilbronn

Tel.: +33 (0)6 89 87 61 37

[email protected]

Source: ORPEA S.A.
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Santa Clara University School of Law has hired its first-ever senior director for diversity, equity and inclusion, Thiadora (Dori) Pina, currently a clinical professor and director of the schools externship program.

The position was created to lead Santa Clara Lawone of the most diverse law schools in the countryas it implements a plan to increase the enrollment, retention, and success of underrepresented students and faculty. In 2022, the law school enrolled an exceptionally diverse and talented class of students, 57% of whom identified as persons of color and 22% as first-generation students.

Among the articulated goals of the school to build on such diversity as a key distinctive strength:

Increase the enrollment, retention, and graduation rates of students from underrepresented communities.

Recruit, retain and promote outstanding educators with diverse and enriching teaching, research, and life experience.

Implement intentional anti-racism and anti-oppression initiatives in curricular, pedagogy, counseling, career, and bar-passage programming.

Implement restorative-justice and trauma-informed practices.

I look forward to partnering with Dori in her new role to ensure that we are always working intentionally and comprehensively together to become a more diverse, equitable and inclusive community, said Dean Michael Kaufman. Under Doris remarkable leadership, I am confident that we will make great strides in welcoming and graduating richly diverse classes of outstanding lawyers who will be ambassadors of our Jesuit mission to build a more just, humane, and sustainable world.

A Proven Innovator and Cultural Leader

Pina is an accomplished civil litigation attorney with strong communication, customer service, and project-management skills. As director of the externship program, she has employed an innovative approach to professional development using instructional design centered on adult learning theory and principles of positive psychology.

I believe the law school has made an excellent choice in selecting Professor Pina as the first senior director of diversity, equity, and inclusion, said Santa Clara University Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Sha Duncan Smith. This role is pivotal in advancing the law school's justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, access and belonging efforts (JEDI) lifted up in the law school's and the University's JEDI strategic plan. I look forward to working with Professor Pina as a thought, strategy and action partner as we collaborate on these initiatives moving forward.

Pina has extensive experience in cultural intelligence, as both a lawyer and professor. She is the faculty advisor for Santa Clara Laws Black Law Student Association and the founding advisor of Santa Clara Laws First-Generation Law Student Association. She designed and now delivers a cultural competence workshop centered on critical lawyering competencies.

I am delighted and proud to be the first senior diversity officer at Santa Clara Law, said Pina. I know firsthand the progress and potential of this school to be a national leader in advocating and demonstrating inclusive excellence. We will also nurture our diverse and outstanding students who will lead according to our Jesuit values and standards of excellence.

Prior to coming to Santa Clara Law, she practiced civil litigation for over 11 years, concentrating on insurance, healthcare, and personal bankruptcy law. She is the lead author of Essential Lawyering Skills: A Companion Guide to Neil W. Hamiltons ROADMAP (ABA publishing, 2021), an interactive workbook designed to develop students professional identity and lawyering skills.

A native of Boston, she received her B.A. degree from University of Massachusetts, and her J.D. degree from Boston University School of Law. She enjoys cooking, travel, sports, and astronomy. Pina is the Faculty Director of Santa Clara University's da Vinci Residential Learning Community and lives in Santa Clara.

A search to replace her role as director of externships was launched on February 8.

About Santa Clara University School of Law

Santa Clara University School of Law, one of the nations most diverse law schools, is dedicated to educating lawyers who lead with a commitment to excellence, ethics, and social justice. Santa Clara Law offers students an academically rigorous program including certificates in high tech law, international law, public interest and social justice law, and privacy law, as well as numerous graduate and joint degree options. Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Santa Clara Law is nationally distinguished for its faculty engagement, preparation for practice, and top-ranked programs in intellectual property. For more information, see law.scu.edu.

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Deborah Lohse | SCU Media Commumications | [email protected] | 408-554-5121

Source: Santa Clara University
ISTANBUL,Turkey--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- In implementation of the directives from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, KSA Minister of Tourism and Chairman of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) Board of Directors, H.E. Mr. Ahmed Aqeel Al-Khateeb, signed an agreement with the Governor of the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey, Sahap Kavcoglu, to make a significant $5 billion deposit into the Central Bank of Turkey.

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H.E. Mr. Ahmed Aqeel Al-Khateeb, KSA Minister of Tourism and SFD Chairman, signs a $5 billion deposit agreement with the Central Bank of Turkey, alongside Governor Sahap Kavcoglu, further enhancing economic cooperation between the two nations (Photo: AETOSWire)

This deposit is not only a testament to the close cooperation and historical ties that exist between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Turkey and their peoples, but it is also a demonstration of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's commitment to supporting Turkey's efforts to strengthen its economy and to promote social growth and sustainable development.

The deposit will contribute to bolstering the Turkish economy by addressing economic aspects across various sectors. By making this deposit, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is expressing its strong support for the Turkish people and its confidence in the future of the Turkish economy.

*Source: AETOSWire

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Randah Al-Hothali

Director General of Corporate Communications Department

Saudi Fund for Development

Phone: 00966112794448

Source: Saudi Fund for Development
The list features executives from top public and private companies who drive growth in their organization and industry

BOCA RATON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Terran Orbital Corporation (NYSE: LLAP), a global leader in satellite-based solutions primarily serving the aerospace and defense industries, today announced Co-Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer Marc Bell has been named to South Florida Business Journals 2023 Power Leaders 250 List.

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Terran Orbitals Marc Bell Named to South Florida Business Journals 2023 Power Leaders 250 List (Image Credit: Terran Orbital Corporation)

Bell is a serial entrepreneur and five-time unicorn founder. In 2008, Bell took a $250 million SPAC public, acquiring startup Armour Residential REIT (NYSE: ARR). Armour today holds over $8 billion worth of mortgage-backed securities in its portfolio. Before Armour, Bell began his career in 1989 as the founder of Globix: The Global Internet Exchange. Globix was an Internet Infrastructure company with over 28,000 miles of fiber and over 1 million square feet of Data Center Space globally. Bell is also an avid Broadway producer with two Tony Award-winning Broadway shows: Grammy Award-winning Jersey Boys (Tony for Best Musical) and Pulitzer Prize- winning August Osage County (Tony for Best Play). His most recent Tony Award- nominated Broadway show was Beetlejuice (Best Musical).

Under Bells leadership, Terran Orbital recently secured a $2.4 billion contract to design, build, and deploy 288 low-earth orbit satellites for Rivada Space Networks. As part of the contract, Terran Orbital will also develop 12 spare satellites to produce a total of 300 spacecraft. The deal is the largest small satellite production contract to date. Bell has also led Terran Orbitals partnership with Lockheed Martin, securing a $100 million investment from Lockheed Martin in October 2022 and a new Strategic Cooperation Agreement (SCA). The new SCA runs through 2035 and allows Terran Orbital to pursue a wider variety of opportunities with Lockheed Martin. Prior to the SCA, Terran Orbital and Lockheed Martin were already working together on numerous projects, including the Space Development Agencys (SDA) Transport Layer. Terran Orbital has already delivered ten spacecraft to Lockheed Martin in support of the SDA Transport Layers foundational layer, Tranche 0, and is currently developing 42 satellites for the next layer, Tranche 1. Once completed, SDAs Transport Layer will provide assured, resilient, low-latency military data and connectivity worldwide to the full range of warfighter platforms.

Being counted among South Floridas 250 Power Leaders is an honor  especially at a time when South Florida is home to so many titans, said Bell. When I undertake a venture, I intend to rank as the best or second best in the industry. My mission with Terran Orbital is no different. I look forward to continuing to propel Terran Orbital on its upward trajectory as a satellite manufacturer of choice to aerospace and defense entities worldwide  and I look forward to providing the fuel for this journey from South Florida.

In addition to his business endeavors, Bell is involved with numerous boards and nonprofits including the NYU Board of Trustees, NYU Langone Health Board of Overseers, NYU Stern Center for Real Estate Finance Research Advisory Board, NYU Schack Advisory Board, and the NYU College of Arts and Science Deans Advisory Council. He is also Chairman and Founder of the Boca Raton Police Foundation and serves on the board of SOS Childrens Villages Florida.

About Terran Orbital

Terran Orbital is a leading manufacturer of satellite products primarily serving the aerospace and defense industries. Terran Orbital provides end-to-end satellite solutions by combining satellite design, production, launch planning, mission operations, and on-orbit support to meet the needs of the most demanding military, civil, and commercial customers. Learn more at www.terranorbital.com.

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Investor Relations Contact

Jonathan Siegmann

[email protected]

949-202-8476



Media Contact

Virginia Norder

[email protected]

949-508-6404

Source: Terran Orbital
DoubleVerify Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: DV) today announced the launch of an underwritten offering of 12,500,000 shares of its common stock by Providence VII U.S. Holdings L.P. and Providence Butternut Co-Investment L.P. (collectively, Providence). The shares will be offered from time to time for sale in one or more transactions on the New York Stock Exchange, in the over-the-counter market, through negotiated transactions or otherwise, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. The underwriters will have a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 1,875,000 shares of common stock from Providence. DoubleVerify will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares in the offering.

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Barclays Capital Inc. are acting as the underwriters in the offering.

The offering of common stock is being made only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus. Copies of the prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained from: J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, Attn: Prospectus Department, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, by telephone at 1-866-803-9204 or by email at [email protected]; or Barclays Capital Inc., c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, by telephone at (888) 603-5847 or by email at [email protected].

A registration statement relating to these securities was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on September 30, 2022 and became effective automatically. The registration statement may be obtained free of charge at the SECs website at www.sec.gov under DoubleVerify Holdings, Inc. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities, and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of that jurisdiction.

About DoubleVerify

DoubleVerify is a leading software platform for digital media measurement and analytics. Our mission is to make the digital advertising ecosystem stronger, safer and more secure, thereby preserving the fair value exchange between buyers and sellers of digital media. Hundreds of Fortune 500 advertisers employ our unbiased data and analytics to drive campaign quality and effectiveness, and to maximize return on their digital advertising investments  globally.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements, including with respect to the proposed secondary offering. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which may be beyond our control. We caution you that the forward-looking information presented in this press release is not a guarantee of future events, and that actual events may differ materially from those made in or suggested by the forward-looking information contained in this press release. In addition, forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as may, plan, seek, will, expect, intend, estimate, anticipate, believe or continue or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology. Any forward-looking information presented herein is made only as of the date of this press release, and we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information to reflect changes in assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events, or otherwise.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230305005104/en/

Media

Chris Harihar



Crenshaw Communications



646-535-9475



[email protected]

Investor Relations

Tejal Engman



DoubleVerify



[email protected]

Source: DoubleVerify Holdings, Inc.
Realty Income Corporation (NYSE: O) today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire up to 415 single-tenant convenience store properties located in the U.S. from EG Group, a leading independent convenience retailer based in the United Kingdom. The portfolio is expected to be acquired at an estimated cap rate of approximately 6.9% and have a 20-year weighted average initial lease term. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2023, subject to customary closing conditions, approvals, and completion of due diligence.

Approximately 80% of the total portfolio annualized contractual rent is expected to be generated from properties in the Northeast U.S., including approximately 116 properties in Massachusetts, 87 properties in New York, and 74 in Florida, which are the top three representative states in the portfolio. Over 80% of the total portfolio annualized contractual rent is expected to be generated from properties operated under the Cumberland Farms brand. Other representative EG Group brands in the portfolio include Tom Thumb, Fastrac and Sprint, and the average property size of the portfolio is approximately 3,700 square feet. Pro forma for the completion of the transaction, the convenience store industry and the EG Group are expected to represent approximately 11.3% and 2.9%, respectively, of Realty Income's total portfolio annualized contractual rent.

"Our core investment philosophy is to partner with leading operators in industries that have demonstrated an ability to deliver favorable risk-adjusted returns over the long term," said Sumit Roy, Realty Income's President & Chief Executive Officer. "We believe this portfolio includes brands that are among the most recognizable convenience store brands on the east coast, and the convenience store industry has long been a well-performing staple in our real estate portfolio. We are pleased with the portfolio's attractive real estate quality, store-level cash flow coverage, and average property size."
(Updated - March 6, 2023 7:41 AM EST)

Today, Vistra Corp. (NYSE: VST) announced that it has executed a definitive agreement with Energy Harbor Corp., pursuant to which Energy Harbor will merge with and into a newly-formed subsidiary of Vistra. The transaction will combine Energy Harbor's nuclear and retail businesses with Vistra's nuclear and retail businesses and Vistra Zero renewables and storage projects under a newly-formed subsidiary holding company, referred to generally as "Vistra Vision." This combination creates a leading integrated retail electricity and zero-carbon generation company with the second-largest competitive nuclear fleet in the country, along with a growing renewables and energy storage portfolio. The agreement has been approved by both companies' boards of directors. Sufficient stockholder approval for the transaction has been committed through support agreements signed by a majority of the Energy Harbor stockholders.

Vistra President and CEO Jim Burke stated, "We are excited to announce this unique combination and the many benefits it brings to our key stakeholders  customers, employees, communities, and shareholders. Vistra has been focused on responsibly transitioning our power generation profile, and though we've made significant progress over the past several years, there are few opportunities to grow a reliable and dispatchable zero-carbon generation portfolio at scale this quickly. As our country navigates a massive energy transition to cleaner sources of electricity, nuclear energy provides the unique capability of being both carbon-free and a dependable, always-on source of reliable power. With the enactment of the zero-emission nuclear production tax credit (I.R.C. Sec. 45U), nuclear power generation now has down-side protection against lower power prices, resulting in tremendous upside opportunity compared to other generation with similar attributes."

Burke continued, "This transaction provides the first opportunity to unlock the value of our Vistra Zero portfolio, and we've structured it in a way that aligns squarely with our capital allocation plan so that we can continue our share repurchase program and dividend payments as we originally announced in November 2021. Importantly, Vistra will continue its focus on an integrated model, ensuring customers are served in a reliable, affordable, and sustainable manner. We have a tremendous business platform with Vistra Vision and a portfolio of efficient, reliable, dispatchable generation assets with Vistra Tradition. We operate assets that are well run, meet the customers' needs, and are supported by strong risk management and commercial capabilities. Vistra is well-positioned to lead in the competitive electric sector."

"As an active investor committed to the global energy transition, we believe Vistra has designed an attractive investment and structure that will create value for all stakeholders while continuing to advance zero-carbon solutions," said John Miller, head of municipals at Nuveen. "This new platform will be a meaningful force for decarbonization in the energy industry, and we look forward to being part of it."

"We are proud of Avenue's four-year partnership with the Energy Harbor team and look forward to our unique investment in Vistra Vision, which combines a growing set of nuclear, solar, and storage assets with an innovative retail business essential for the energy transition," shared Avenue Capital Group's Senior Portfolio Manager Matt Kimble.

Burke concluded, "We look forward to welcoming the Energy Harbor generation and retail teams in Ohio and Pennsylvania to Vistra. We focus on being a preferred place to work and a core member of the communities where our plants, retail offices, and customers are located, which will soon include Akron among other locations in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Our purpose at Vistra, 'Lighting up lives, powering a better way forward,' will be greatly reinforced with this exciting opportunity. I want to thank Energy Harbor for their confidence in our team at Vistra."

Transaction Structure

Vistra will form a new subsidiary holding company, referred to generally as Vistra Vision, which will own all of Vistra's nuclear and retail businesses, as well as Vistra Zero assets. At closing of the transaction, Energy Harbor will merge with and into a subsidiary of Vistra, thereby becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Vistra Vision. Total compensation will consist of $3 billion cash and a 15% equity interest in Vistra Vision. Most Energy Harbor shareholders will receive cash at closing, and the two largest shareholders, Avenue Capital Group and Nuveen, will receive a combination of cash and the 15% ownership interest. In addition, Vistra Vision will assume ~$430 million of net debt from Energy Harbor in the transaction. Vistra will continue to own 85% of Vistra Vision, as well as 100% of Vistra Tradition, Vistra's highly efficient gas and coal generation fleet. Vistra intends to finance the majority of the $3 billion of cash consideration through debt financing at Vistra Operations, with all or a portion of the debt expected to be invested in Vistra Vision via an inter-company loan. At closing, it is expected that the net debt of Vistra Vision will be ~$3.430 billion.

Vistra has committed financing sufficient to fund the cash consideration and plans to execute long-term financings prior to the closing of the transaction.

Vistra will not acquire Energy Harbor's legacy conventional generation fleet. Energy Harbor has previously signed definitive agreements to sell these assets to third parties.

Projected Strategic and Financial Benefits

Vistra Vision will be a premier zero-carbon generation and retail growth company. With a continuing safety-first culture, it will operate the second-largest competitive nuclear fleet in the country with four nuclear plants totaling more than 6,400 MW across ERCOT and PJM. This fleet provides critical, zero-carbon baseload generation that produces enough electricity to power 3.2 million U.S. homes. Vistra Vision will also own a portfolio of ~340 MW of operating solar assets and ~1,020 MW of operating storage assets, including 350 MW of storage through the Phase 3 expansion of its Moss Landing Energy Storage Facility, expected online mid-2023. The operating portfolio is expected to grow through time, including through an identified development pipeline of ~1,100 MW of renewables and storage assets; this growth is expected to be primarily funded by non-recourse financing and free cash flow generated by the Vistra Zero assets.

Additionally, Vistra Vision will operate one of the largest retail businesses in the country with ~5 million customers across 18 states. Through Vistra Vision and Vistra Tradition, Vistra will continue to operate as a fully integrated power company, leveraging commercial acumen and back office and fleet support.

Vistra Vision and Vistra Tradition will each produce significant Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted FCFbG for Vistra shareholders. Vistra Vision's earnings power and free cash flows are expected to benefit from significant downside protection through the nuclear production tax credit, for which all four of the nuclear assets it will own following this transaction are eligible through at least 2032. Throughout the past several months, Vistra has performed detailed diligence of the Energy Harbor assets, including site visits and extensive third-party operational analysis. Vistra has also identified a significant amount of synergy opportunities through scale efficiencies by combining the businesses. Specifically, Vistra expects the combination to result in at least $125 million of run-rate annual synergies by year-end 2025 from optimized operations and cost structure efficiencies.

Vistra's Continuing Capital Allocation Plan

As of Feb. 23, 2023, Vistra had ~$800 million remaining under its $3.25 billion share repurchase authorization. On March 5, 2023, Vistra's board authorized an additional $1 billion of share repurchases, effective immediately. Vistra expects to complete the upsized ~$1.8 billion authorization by year-end 2024. In addition, Vistra continues to expect to repurchase $1 billion of stock each year 2025-2026, as well as pay $300 million in aggregate dividends in each year 2023-2026 (subject to board approval), in line with its original capital allocation plan announced in November 2021.

Management and Headquarters

Following the close of the transaction, the combined company will be led by Jim Burke, Vistra's president and CEO, and will continue to trade on the NYSE under ticker VST. The Energy Harbor senior leadership is expected to remain with that company through at least the closing of the transaction. The combined company will be headquartered in Irving, Texas, with retail offices in Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Illinois.

Conditions and Timing

The companies anticipate closing the transaction in the second half of 2023. The transaction is subject to certain regulatory approvals, including by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the Department of Justice under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act.

Advisors

Citi is serving as exclusive financial advisor, and Latham & Watkins LLP and Balch & Bingham LLP are serving as legal advisors to Vistra.

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and RBC Capital Markets, LLC are serving as financial advisors, Dechert LLP is serving as corporate legal counsel, and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP is serving as regulatory counsel to Energy Harbor.

Webcast

Vistra will host a webcast today, March 6, 2023, beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET (8:00 a.m. CT) to discuss this transaction. The live webcast and the accompanying slides that will be discussed on the call can be accessed via Vistra's website at www.vistracorp.com under "Investor Relations" and then "Events & Presentations." Participants can also listen by phone by registering here prior to the start time of the call to receive a conference call dial-in number. A replay of the webcast will be available on Vistra's website for one year following the live event.
FILE PHOTO: Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II aircrafts are seen on the flight deck of amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA-7) at Changi Naval Base in Singapore, Sept. 1, 2022. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo

(Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp said on Monday it resumed final testing of its advanced F-35 fighter jets, after the U.S. Government cleared delivery of engines from supplier following a safety conncern.

"Safety remains our top priority as we continue to produce the world's most advanced fighter aircraft," Lockheed said.

Lockheed Martin sends its new planes on check-out flights before completing paperwork for the final sale to various customers, which includes the U.S. military.

A video circulated in social media in December, which was carried by several outlets, showed an F-35B Lightning II crashing during a test with its pilot safely ejecting.

(Reporting by Nathan Gomes in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri)
Downing Strategic Micro-Cap Investment Trust plc

LEI: 213800QMYPUW4POFFX69

Investor Letter March 2023

6 March 2023

Downing Strategic Micro-Cap Investment Trust plc is pleased to announce the publication of its new investor letter.

The letter will be emailed to all stakeholders for whom the Investment Manager, Downing LLP, has a registered email address and is also available on the website at:

www.downing.co.uk/assets/dsmletter

To be added to the mailing list please email [email protected] with the subject 'DSM Investor letter' or sign up for updates through the Downing Strategic website.
ICG Enterprise Trust plc (the Company)

6 March 2023

Transaction in Own Shares

The Company announces that on 3 March 2023 it bought back 25,000 of its own shares, to be held as treasury shares, at an average price of 1158 pence per share.

Further details are set out below:

Number of shares held as treasury shares following this purchase: 4,687,425

Total shares in issue excluding treasury shares following this purchase: 68,225,575

The Company has bought back these shares under the authority granted by shareholders at its Annual General Meeting in June 2022, which permits the Company to repurchase a maximum of 14.99% of its ordinary shares. The actual number of shares repurchased by the Company will depend on market conditions. This authority lasts until the next shareholder authority granted (expected to be at the Annual General Meeting in 2023), or until expressly revoked by shareholders.

The above figure 68,225,575 may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company under the FCA's Disclosure and Transparency Rules.

No maximum consideration payable has been determined by the Company, but the Company is unable to pay a price for any shares pursuant to the buyback which would equate to a premium to the net asset value. It is the Companys current intention to hold any shares bought back in treasury.

The Company has instructed Numis Securities Limited as its broker in respect of its buyback transactions. This arrangement is in accordance with the UKLA Listing Rules and the Companys general authority to repurchase shares.

Analyst / Investor enquiries:

Chris Hunt

Shareholder Relations, ICG

+44 (0) 20 3545 2020

Andrew Lewis

Company Secretary, ICG

+44 (0) 20 3545 1344

Media:

Clare Glynn,

Corporate Communications, ICG

+44 (0) 20 3545 1395
MONTREAL, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Midland Exploration Inc. (Midland or the Corporation) (TSX-V: MD) is pleased to report that it has completed a regional targeting study for lithium mineralization in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region, which is recently highly regarded for its lithium potential and occurrences. New targets were identified on several currently 100% owned Midland projects that were deemed highly prospective for lithium potential, and new projects were also acquired on February 28th, 2023, by map designation for their lithium exploration potential.

Highlights

New strong lithium lake bottom sediment anomaly identified on the Komo project, located 20 km west of the James Bay lithium deposit (Allkem);

New cluster of strong lithium lake bottom sediment anomalies identified on the Shire project and located along the Lac des Montagnes amphibolites that host the Whabouchi lithium deposit about 60 km further southwest;

New strong lithium lake bottom sediment anomaly on the Chisaayuu block (Mythril Regional project);

New lithium lake bottom sediment anomalies on the Mythril project;

New important claim acquisitions resulting from new targets generated by lake bottom sediment statistical processing.

The new targets are the result of an extensive statistical processing of more than 23,000 lake bottom sediment analyses which were extracted from the Quebec governments digital SIGEOM database and complemented with additional data from local and higher resolution surveys, such as those completed by Midland. The statistical processing was oriented towards identifying the footprint of lithium-bearing S-type pegmatites and mineralization as well as defining exploration targets. This processing has proven its ability to positively identify lake bottom sediment anomalies around recent lithium discoveries and more advanced projects in Eeyou Istchee James Bay. Other new and similar secondary environment footprints were also identified, thus defining new targets on several active Midland projects while also generating targets and claim acquisitions.

Midland has 4,166 claims totalling 2,163 square kilometres of land positions in Eeyou Istchee James Bay and is among the top claim holders in the region. Four Midland projects, namely Komo, Galinee, Shire and Mythril Regional, were recently identified as highly prospective for their lithium potential based on striking geological similarities with adjacent lithium discoveries and compelling occurrences of lithium (Li), tantalum (Ta) and/or beryllium (Be) in historical rock sampling. Moreover, the statistical study identified new targets on the Komo, Shire, Mythril Regional, and Mythril projects. It should be noted that none of these projects have specifically been explored for lithium in the past. Occurrences of Li, Ta and/or Be noted on each of these projects were found while exploring for other commodities.

Komo Project

The Komo project is located about 20 kilometres west of the James Bay lithium deposit (Allkem). It is located at the contact between the La Grande and Nemiscau geological subprovinces, the same major geological structure that hosts the James Bay lithium deposit and is likely critical for its genesis. Prospecting for gold in 2022 uncovered a Li-Ta-Be pegmatite outcrop that returned 0.04% Li2O, 159 ppm Ta, 396 ppm Be in a grab sample. Furthermore, a strong lake bottom sediment anomaly located along the favourable contact was identified. This target enhances the strong lithium potential of the Komo project when combined with the strongly anomalous Li-Ta-Be values and the very favourable geological setting.

Shire Project

The Shire project is located within amphibolites of the Lac des Montagnes geological Group, which hosts the Whabouchi lithium deposit about 60 kilometres southwest of Shire. The Whabouchi lithium deposit is characterized by a pegmatite intrusion assigned to the Senay granitic Suite that also intrudes amphibolites of the Lac des Montagnes Group. In 2021, the Quebec government mapped at least 6 granitic intrusions belonging to the same highly favourable Senay granitic Suite on the Shire project. None of the favourable pegmatitic intrusions have been assayed for lithium. The Shire project is also located at the boundary between the La Grande and Opatica geological subprovinces, a major structure that could be critical for the emplacement of lithium-bearing pegmatites in the area. A cluster of several strong lake bottom sediment lithium anomalies were identified on the project. Historical exploration work by Midland for base metals reported a tourmaline-garnet-bearing pegmatite outcrop that returned a strong anomaly of 399 ppm Be (grab sample), not assayed for Li, Ta, Cs or Rb. The new favourable lake bottom targets combined with geological characteristics and strong hints of metal-bearing pegmatites on the project suggest an important lithium exploration potential.

Mythril Regional Project

The Mythril Regional project is a large project with several extensive claim blocks. The Mythril East claim block is located 7 kilometres northeast and directly on strike with the Corvette pegmatite field (held by Patriot Battery Metals). On another claim block, Chisaayuu, compilation of historical work by Midland revealed strong evidence of Li-Be-Ta pegmatite potential. While exploring for copper in 2022, a pegmatite outcrop returned two strongly anomalous lithium values in grab samples: 0.12% Li2O and 0.04% Li2O. Furthermore, a new tight cluster of lake bottom lithium anomalies was identified near the contact between intrusive granitic rocks and amphibolites on the project. Grab samples of pegmatitic boulders in other claim blocks in the area also returned highly anomalous Li-Ta-Sn values: 0.03% Li2O, 23 ppm Ta, 50 ppm Sn; 0.02% Li2O, 72 ppm Ta. None of these anomalies have been followed up. All of these further suggest a favourable exploration potential for lithium on the Mythril Regional project, which has never been explored for lithium.

Mythril Project

The Mythril project is located a couple of kilometres northwest and north of the Corvette pegmatites worked by Patriot Battery Metals. On this project, Midland discovered the Mythril copper-gold mineral system by prospecting in late 2018 and concluded a strategic investment with BHP Canada Inc. (BHP) in the spring of 2019 totalling $5.85 million for copper exploration in Quebec. The project was recently the subject of an option agreement for critical elements, including lithium, with Brunswick Exploration Inc. New moderate lake bottom lithium anomalies were identified on the project, which has never been explored for lithium yet.

New Claim Acquisitions

The new claim acquisitions result from new targets generated by the lake bottom sediment statistical processing, combined with a geological assessment of the underlying environment for favourable lithium potential.

The Picard project consists of 65 claims located approximately 66 kilometres northeast of the Whabouchi lithium deposit and 9 kilometres north of the Shire project. The project includes a cluster of several anomalous lake bottom sediments with anomalies up to > 99.5th percentile of the entire database. The project is also located over wacke-derived paragneiss and tonalitic rocks containing muscovite-bearing granitic intrusions nearby, north of an important structure at the northern edge of the Lac des Montagnes Group.

The Warp project consists of 112 contiguous claims located approximately 63 kilometres east of the Whabouchi lithium deposit. The project includes strongly anomalous lake bottom sediments with several anomalies up to > 99.5th percentile of the entire database. The project is located within the Opatica Subprovince where pegmatites intruding tonalitic rocks were recently identified by government mapping in 2021. This area is vastly underexplored.

The Sulu project consists of a total of 175 claims spread across two blocks, respectively located approximately 40 and 50 kilometres northwest and north of the Moblan lithium deposit. Both blocks are located within portions of the Opatica Subprovince covered only by limited regional-scale mapping. The general unit covering both blocks is described as a granite hosting pegmatites and paragneiss inclusions. The Sulu SW block (22 claims) covers a strong lake bottom anomaly with a calculated value above the 99.5th percentile. The Sulu NE block also contains several lake bottom anomalies that are in the same percentile range. This area is vastly underexplored and poorly mapped but hosts anomalous lithium values in lake bottom sediments.

Midland is currently planning exploration programs on these projects and will provide a more detailed update of these programs in the coming weeks.

Cautionary statements:

Note that grades from grab samples and erratic boulders are not necessarily indicative of mineralized zones.

Mineralization occurring at the Corvette, Whabouchi, Moblan and James Bay lithium deposits is not necessarily indicative of mineralization that may be identified on properties held by Midland described in this press release.

About Midland

Midland targets the excellent mineral potential of Quebec to make the discovery of new world-class deposits of gold and critical metals. Midland is proud to count on reputable partners such as BHP Canada Inc., Rio Tinto Exploration Canada Inc., Wallbridge Mining Company Ltd, Probe Gold Inc., Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, Osisko Development Corp., SOQUEM Inc., Brunswick Exploration Inc., Nunavik Mineral Exploration Fund, and Abcourt Mines Inc. Midland prefers to work in partnership and intends to quickly conclude additional agreements in regard to newly acquired properties. Management is currently reviewing other opportunities and projects to build up the Corporation portfolio and generate shareholder value.

This press release was prepared by Mario Masson. P.Geo., VP Exploration for Midland and Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, who also approved the technical content of this press release.

For further information, please consult Midlands website or contact:

Gino Roger, President and Chief Executive Officer Tel.: 450 420-5977 Fax: 450 420-5978 Email: [email protected] Website: www.midlandexploration.com

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.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to vary materially from targeted results. Such risks and uncertainties include those described in Midlands periodic reports including the annual report or in the filings made by Midland from time to time with securities regulatory authorities.

Four figures accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e35402b7-a418-4061-9c5b-0b0598a57c53

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/61dec2a0-8e34-44e2-bc82-e1352036d2dd

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2d03ebf2-c184-42ff-96fa-fdda623f96fe

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e7859b5c-d57b-4890-b7cc-8d1b648b9830

Figure 1 JB Main Lithium Prospects Figure 2 Midland Active and New Lithium Projects Figure 3 Midland Active Lithium Projects Figure 4 Midland New Lithium Projects

Source: Midland Exploration Inc.
BOCA RATON, Fla., March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Saxena White P.A. has filed a securities fraud class action lawsuit (the Class Action) in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida against Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (Fidelity National or the Company) (NYSE: FIS) and certain of its current and former executive officers (collectively, Defendants). The Class Action asserts claims under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act) and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder on behalf of all persons or entities that purchased Fidelity National common stock between February 9, 2021 and February 10, 2023, inclusive (the Class Period), and were damaged thereby (the Class). The Class Action filed by Saxena White is captioned: Palm Bay Police and Firefighters Pension Fund v. Fidelity National Information Services, Inc., No. 23-cv-252 (M.D. Fla.).

Fidelity National provides global e-commerce and payment technologies to financial institutions and businesses and, in recent years, has become the largest processing and payments company in the world. The Companys Merchant Solutions segment, which accounted for approximately 30% of Fidelity Nationals total revenue in 2021, serves merchants by enabling them to accept, authorize, and settle electronic payment transactions.

On July 31, 2019, Fidelity National announced it had completed the acquisition of payments company Worldpay, Inc. (Worldpay) for $43 billion, which became part of the Fidelity National Merchant Solutions business. Throughout the Class Period, Defendants assured investors that the integration of Worldpay was ahead of schedule, achieved success in revenue synergies, and ultimately was successfully completed.

The Class Action alleges that, during the Class Period, Defendants misled investors and/or failed to disclose that (1) the integration of Worldpay was not ahead of schedule; (2) the integration of Worldpay was not successfully completed during the Class Period; (3) the increases in revenue synergies were not driven by the Worldpay integration; and (4) as a result, Defendants positive statements about the Companys financial guidance, business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.

The truth began to emerge on August 4, 2022, when Fidelity National announced that its Chief Financial Officer James Woodall planned to step down. In response to this news, shares of Fidelity National declined approximately 7%, from a closing price of $104.13 per share on August 3, 2022, to a closing price of $96.57 per share on August 4, 2022.

Then, on November 3, 2022, the Company announced disappointing results for the third quarter of 2022, including that profit margins in the Merchant Solutions business saw continued pressure in the quarter resulting in an overall adjusted EBITDA margin contracting 150 points year-on-year. In response to this news, shares of Fidelity National declined approximately 28%, from a closing price of $79.47 per share on November 2, 2022, to a closing price of $57.18 per share on November 3, 2022.

Finally, on February 13, 2023, Fidelity National announced that it would be spinning off Worldpay and recording a goodwill impairment charge of $17.6 billion related to its Merchants Solutions business. In response to this news, shares of Fidelity National declined approximately 12%, from a closing price of $75.43 per share on the prior trading day of February 10, 2023, to a closing price of $66.00 per share on February 13, 2023.

If you purchased Fidelity National common stock during the Class Period and were damaged thereby, you are a member of the Class and may be able to seek appointment as lead plaintiff. If you wish to apply to be lead plaintiff, a motion on your behalf must be filed with the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida no later than May 5, 2023. The lead plaintiff is a court-appointed representative for absent members of the Class. You do not need to seek appointment as lead plaintiff to share in any Class recovery in the Class Action. If you are a Class member and there is a recovery for the Class, you can share in that recovery as an absent Class member.

You may contact Lester Hooker ([email protected]), an attorney and Director at Saxena White P.A., to discuss your rights regarding the appointment of lead plaintiff or your interest in the Class Action. You also may retain counsel of your choice to represent you in the Class Action.

You may obtain a copy of the Complaint and inquire about actively joining the Class Action at www.saxenawhite.com.

Saxena White P.A., with offices in Florida, New York, California, and Delaware, is a leading national law firm focused on prosecuting securities class actions and other complex litigation on behalf of injured investors. Currently serving as lead counsel in numerous securities fraud class actions nationwide, Saxena White has recovered billions of dollars on behalf of injured investors.

CONTACT INFORMATIONLester Hooker, Esq.[email protected]Saxena White P.A.7777 Glades Road, Suite 300Boca Raton, FL 33434Tel: (561) 206-6708Fax: (561) 394-3382www.saxenawhite.com

Source: Saxena White P.A.
Guelph, Ontario, Canada, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Skyline Industrial REIT (the REIT), a Canadian private Real Estate Investment Trust, announced an increased Distribution Rate for its Class A and Class F Units.

The annual Distribution Rate for the REITs Class A Units has increased 7.5% from $0.93/year to $1.00/year, effective March 1, 2023.

The annual Distribution Rate for the REITs Class F Units has increased 9.7% from $0.93/year to $1.0212/year, effective March 1, 2023.

The REITs Class A and Class F Units are currently valued at $22.50.

Skyline Industrial REIT is currently providing a 24.61% 3-Year Annualized Return.(1)

Launched in 2012, the REIT now comprises more than 9.3 million square feet of industrial space. It owns 61 properties in five provinces across Canada.(2)

In total, Skyline Industrial REIT manages approximately $1.5 billion in assets.(2)

The increase in Distribution Rate for Skyline Industrial REIT Units follows a historic year for the REIT as it made several key accomplishments in 2022, said Mike Bonneveld, President, Skyline Industrial REIT.

Capitalizing on the momentum of industrial real estate market growth, the REIT underwent a strategic repositioning to increase its weighting in the warehousing and distribution sector, acquiring $386.9 million in assets over the past year.

Bonneveld noted that 2022 marked the REITs largest-ever transaction, a $300+ million portfolio of four industrial business parks from a major Canadian pension plan, as well as considerable additions to the REITs development pipeline in major Canadian markets like Montreal, Ottawa, and Halifax.

To date, Skyline Industrial REIT has delivered historically stable returns to its investors since its inception.

Skyline Industrial REITs Class A Units are available through Skyline Wealth, a Canadian investment firm and the preferred Exempt Market Dealer for the REIT.

Class F Units for the REIT are available for purchase through Fundserv (code: RBS2404).

(1) The annualized return is based on a single unit initial investment in Skyline Industrial REIT inclusive of unit price changes and reinvested distributions. Skyline Industrial REITs 1-year annualized return is 30.71%, the 5-year annualized return is 23.65%, the 10-year annualized return is 18.08%, and the annualized return since inception is 16.29%. As of December 31, 2022.

(2) As of December 31, 2022.

About Skyline Industrial REIT

Skyline Industrial REIT (the REIT) is a privately owned and managed portfolio of industrial properties, focused on acquiring warehousing and logistics-centred properties along major highway corridors and transportation routes in Canada.

Skyline Industrial REIT is distributed as an alternative investment product through Skyline Wealth Management Inc. (Skyline Wealth), the preferred Exempt Market Dealer for the REIT. It is also available on Fundserv (Code: RBS2404).

Skyline Industrial REIT is committed to providing outstanding places to do business and superior service to its tenants, while surfacing value with a goal to deliver stable returns to its investors.

To learn more about Skyline Industrial REIT, please visit SkylineIndustrialREIT.ca.

To learn about additional alternative investment products offered through Skyline Wealth, please visit SkylineWealth.ca.

Skyline Industrial REIT is operated and managed by Skyline Group of Companies.

Attachment

Jeff Stirling, Vice President, Corporate Marketing & Communications, Skyline Group of Companies Skyline Group of Companies 5198260439 [email protected]

Source: Skyline Group of Companies
(Reuters) -Software maker Qualtrics International Inc said on Monday it has received a $12.4 billion go-private offer from private equity firm Silver Lake Management and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB).

The offer values Qualtrics at $18.15 per share, a premium of nearly 6% to the stock's last closing price.

Shares of Qualtrics rose 2.8% in early trading. They have gained 8.8% since the start of February when Silver Lake first expressed its interest in Qualtrics.

Qualtrics and Silver Lake have entered into an exclusivity agreement for the deal talks, which ends on March 15.

Germany's SAP, the majority investor in Qualtrics with a 71% stake, said in January it was mulling a sale of its interest in the U.S. company as part of a restructuring. SAP had bought Qualtrics in 2019 for $8 billion from founder Ryan Smith.

Silver Lake already holds a near 4.2% stake in Qualtrics.

(Reporting by Yuvraj Malik in Bengaluru; Editing by Uttaresh Venkateshwaran and Shailesh Kuber)
Highlights

17.1 g/t over 1.0 meter and 6.6 g/t gold over 3.5 meters in drillhole MEL22-02.

Assay values in 5 drillholes over 1.0 g/t Au and anomalous gold (>0.1 g/t) over 1.5 meters in 11 drill holes.

Historically, gold was known to be hosted in brecciated quartz-carbonate veins and a new mineralization style was identified with gold in porphyry dykes associated with disseminated pyrite over widths up to 18 meters.

Additional assets included significant silver up to 6.4 g/t Ag in the higher-grade gold intersections and copper in the form of chalcopyrite identified in veins.

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 6, 2023) - Advance United Holdings Inc. (CSE: AUHI) (OTCQB: AUHIF) (FSE: 9I0) (the "Company" or "Advance United") is pleased to announce the Company has received the results from the drill program at the Melba Property in Kirkland Lake Area in northern Ontario, Canada.

Figure 1: Core box of MEL-22-06 with 17.1 g/t over 1.0 meter and 6.6 g/t over 3.5 meters.



To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8072/157387_figure1.jpg

The drill program consisted of 12 drill holes totally 1,430 meters of drilling in the former Melba Mine area to explore the known gold-bearing quartz veins and test unexplored areas to the north and south of the known veins. The drilling was completed in November and December and terminated due to adverse road conditions during freeze-up.

The drill program was focused on confirming and extending the quartz vein mineralization and exploring previously unexplored areas of the property.

Gold and silver assays have been received for the 12 drill holes, these results confirm the locations of the known quartz veins and included values up to 17.1 g/t over 1.0 meters in a zone of 3.5 m with 6.2 g/t. This vein intersection is in the known gold shoot.

In addition, there were five additional intersections over 1.0 g/t gold. The higher-grade gold assays also included silver in the range of 3 to 4 g/t with the highest being 6.4 g/t Ag.

11 of the 12 holes had intersections of anomalous gold (i.e. greater then 1.0 g/t Au) over distances of up to 18 meters. These intersections represent a previously unknown style of gold mineralization related to disseminated pyrite in porphyry dykes. This style of mineralization has not been identified previously on the property and points to a new and exciting target.

"We believe there are exciting targets emerging from this drill program and we are pleased with the results so far - we have confirmed the presence of high-grade gold in quartz veins and identified a new model for targeting," states Mr. Jim Atkinson, P.Geo, CEO of Advance United. "The gold mineralization discovered in the porphyry dikes is especially exciting. This style of mineralization has not been identified previously on the property and points to a new and exciting target. We were not focused on this mineralization in our recent program, but this discovery will allow us to pursue a different model of gold mineralization - with different size implications. We are expecting to resume our program once the access road is sufficiently frozen to allow the crews to get into the mine area. The break has allowed us to examine the results obtained so far and refocus our program to better test the new model and follow-up on the high-grade gold we have found. I would like to commend the drilling crew and our field crews for their efforts in very difficult conditions during freeze-up. They did a great job."

Figure A.



To view an enhanced version of Figure A, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8072/157387_dae11b5214b78ab0_002full.jpg

Melba Mine Assay Results

Melba Mine Drillholes Hole Number From To length Gold (Au) Silver (Ag)

meters meters meters gram/tonne gram/tonne Mel-22-01 63.40 69.50 6.10 0.41 0.34 Including 65.20 67.10 1.90 1.00 0.88 MEL-22.02 68.60 71.90 3.30 6.60 3.46 Including 68.60 69.60 1.00 17.10 6.40 MEL-22-03 19.00 20.40 1.40 0.52 0.60

61.70 63.40 1.70 1.02 0.82

66.15 68.30 2.15 0.41 0.40 MEL-22-04 64.20 67.00 2.80 1.71 5.83 MEL-22-05 6.00 15.50 9.05 0.19 NSV

67.30 72.30 5.00 0.70 1.30 MEL-22-06 4.50 12.50 8.00 0.13 NSV

28.80 47.00 18.20 0.20 NSV

53.00 59.40 6.40 0.38 0.75 MEL-22-07 15.64 17.45 1.81 1.37 0.66

73.20 75.80 2.60 0.43 NSV

83.40 86.25 2.85 0.56 NSV MEL-22-08 15.00 17.80 2.80 0.90 NSV

75.80 82.80 7.00 0.41 NSV

87.50 92.15 4.65 0.24 NSV MEL-22-09 20.00 27.85 1.65 2.06 3.25

104.90 106.75 1.85 0.80 1.40

136.05 137.65 1.60 0.21 NSV MEL-22-10 22.00 23.70 1.70 1.22 1.26

91.90 93.85 1.95 0.55 0.70 MEL-22-11 18.00 19.50 1.50 0.27 NSV

91.25 92.60 1.35 0.35 1.35

103.90 106.90 3.00 0.21 NSV MEL-22-12





NSV













NSV= No Significant Values











Additional Surface Sampling

With reasonable access established and the known gold veins identified and exposed, stripped, and pitted, prospecting work resulted in a total of 94 samples being collected and submitted to Actlabs in Timmins for analysis.

The resulting assays indicated that the average of all samples collected was over 1.2 g/t gold with six of the samples returning greater than 5 g/t gold including 14.6 g/t, 11.9 g/t and 10.6 g/t. Visible gold was identified in at least one of the samples.

The initial sampling confirms the presence of high-grade gold on the property. Underground sampling in the past determined at least two gold mineralized shoots that averaged 22.5 g/t over a length of 25 meters and 16.22 g/t over a length of 85m in the underground workings.

Figure B.



To view an enhanced version of Figure B, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8072/157387_dae11b5214b78ab0_003full.jpg

About the Melba Mine

Gold was first discovered on the property in 1934 and the Melba Mine began development in 1936 but was shut down shortly thereafter with the declaration of World War II.

In 1936 Melba Gold Mines Limited began production and completed a 246 foot (75m) inclined shaft and 900 feet (275 m) of lateral drift work. Over the years, from 1939 to 1988, numerous companies worked the property mapping and grab / bulk sampling and performing ground and airborne geophysics. The property also experienced significant drilling and a compilation of this work indicates significant gold mineralization remains in the old workings. All of the material removed form the underground workings remains on site as a potential resource.

In the past four gold-bearing quartz-calcite veins have been identified and trenched on the property. These include the Rolling Vein, Mike Vein, Blue Vein, and the Contact Vein. Our prospecting crews have begun to expose these veins and preliminary sampling has been undertaken. Further detailed sampling will be carried out on the veins in the new year.

Geologically, the Melba Mine is situated on a regional shear that appears to originate at the Destor-Porcupine Fault Zone and extends to the south through the Lynx Deposit of the Black Fox Mine of McEwen Mining and the former producing Ross Mine to the Melba area. See map:

Figure 2: General Geology of the Melba Area.



To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8072/157387_dae11b5214b78ab0_004full.jpg

The geological setting of the Melba Mine has been compared to the nearby Ross Mine which produced over 1.2 million ounces of gold and 1.5 million ounces of silver over its life.

About Advance United Holdings

Advance United brings an entirely different approach to the mining industry. We don't mine. Rather, we've acquired a portfolio of undervalued gold properties and are increasing their value through the application of modern technology. We have a growing pipeline of similar properties that we are looking to acquire. And now we've launched the Au Marketplace. A first of its kind digital platform that connects owners of mineral commodities and deposits with developers and producers.

We are involved exclusively in the acquisition and advancement of past projects - with no intent to bring them back into production or to mine them ourselves. Our expertise is in identifying and acquiring undervalued properties with significant historical work, which were uneconomic at the time, but we believe have economic value at today's prices.

We fund the development of re-working historic data and applying modern technology to underwrite new qualified reports, document quantifiable resources and reserves to current standards, thereby recognizing the current value.

Our purpose is to bring immediate and long-term value to our partners and shareholders while seeking to eliminate exploration risk, so that we can all advance united in the shortest possible time frame.

For additional information about us, our projects, or to find out how you can list your project in the Au Marketplace, visit www.advanceunited.ca.

Contact Information

James Atkinson, P. Geo., CEO

Email: [email protected]

Tel: (647) 278-7502

Qualified Person

James Atkinson M.Sc., P. Geo., a Qualified Person ("QP") as such term is defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed and approved the geological information reported in this news release. The Qualified Person has not completed sufficient work to verify all historic information on the Property, particularly with regards to historical sampling, drill results, and technical work provided by others. The Qualified Person assumes that sampling and analytical results were completed to industry standard practices. The information provides an indication of the exploration potential of the Property but may not be representative of expected results.

Forward-Looking Information and Cautionary Statements

This news release may contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the trading of the Company's securities and the focus of the Company's business. Any such forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "contemplates", "believes", "projects", "plans" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding the Company's ability to increase the value of its current and future mineral exploration properties and, in connection therewith, any long-term shareholder value, the Company's ability to mitigate or eliminate exploration risk, and the Company's intention to develop a portfolio of historic gold properties. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. Although such statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that the Company will continue its business as described above. Readers are encouraged to refer to the Company's annual and quarterly management's discussion and analysis and other periodic filings made by the Company with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances or actual results unless required by applicable law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/157387
Purdex Zone continues to deliver world-class gold intersections.

McFarlane to attend the upcoming PDAC conference in Toronto from March 5 to 8th, booth number 3208.

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 6, 2023) - McFarlane Lake Mining Limited (NEO: MLM) (OTCQB: MLMLF) ("McFarlane" or the "Company"), a Canadian mineral exploration and development company, is pleased to provide a further update on the progress made at the Company's High Lake property in Ontario, near the Ontario-Manitoba Border. McFarlane completed 46 holes totalling just over 10,000 metres and is awaiting assays for a handful of holes.

Drilling in hole MLM-22-45 intersected a broad mineralized zone of 9.20 g/t gold over 26.4 metres from 292.1 to 318.5 as measured in drill core length from surface, including 15.43 g/t gold over 4.6 metres. The elevation of the broader intersection was -285.3m below surface.

"The Purdex Zone continues to deliver world-class gold intersections both near surface and at depth. Our High Lake property hasn't seen this intensity of drilling in its history but has proved if you are willing to do the work, the gold mineralization is there to be found," said Mark Trevisiol, CEO of McFarlane Lake Mining.

The mineralized zone in hole MLM-25-45 was comprised of altered mafic volcanics and quartz-feldspar porphyry intruded by numerous quartz-tourmaline veins. The zone occurs at the contact between the metasediments and mafic metavolcanics.

"Follow-up drilling in drill hole MLHL-22-45, above previously reported drill hole MLHL-22-06 (24.96 gpt Au over 14.9m), has confirmed the widening and high-grade nature of the Purdex Zone in this area," said Bob Kusins, Vice President of Geology at McFarlane. "We look forward to continuing exploration on our prospective target areas and developing a compliant resource on the Purdex Zone."

The Company released previous drill results showing attractive gold mineralization at High Lake on December 12, 2022, January 9, 2023, January 25, 2023, February 7, 2023 , and February 28, 2023.

The mineralized zone and our current drill results to date with multiple high-grade intersections are shown in figures 1 and 2 below.





Figure 1 Cross Section of Diamond Drill Holes



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8133/157269_ea2aded0942ce9dd_002full.jpg





Figure 2 - Longitudinal Section of Diamond Drill Holes

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8133/157269_ea2aded0942ce9dd_003full.jpg

Note: non-compliant historical resources on High Lake were outlined to only 100 metres below surface. Use the following link for the historic resource disclosure statement, which is located on the Company's website: mcfarlanelakemining.com/historic-resource-disclosure.

"As we wrap up a successful exploration program in the field, we continue to see high-grade intersections in our assays and are eager to see the results of the final holes to be returned," said Roger Emdin, COO of McFarlane. "We look forward to the work of developing and publishing a technical report that includes a mineral resource for the Purdex Zone on our High Lake property later this year."

Significant intersections are summarized in Table 1. Collar locations and details of the holes with assays received are summarized in Table 2.

Table 1: Significant Intersections.

Hole ID From

metres To

metres Length

metres Gold

grams/tonne MLHL-23-38 51.50 52.80 1.30 4.55 MLHL-23-45 292.10 318.5 26.40 9.20 including 292.10 296.70 4.60 15.43

Reported as core length as insufficient drilling to ascertain true width.

Table 2: Collar Location Details (NAD83 Zone 15).

Hole ID Easting

(mE) Northing

(mN) Azimuth

Deg. Dip

Deg. Length

m MLHL-23-37 350097 5508876 203.7 -44.7 60.0 MLHL-23-38 350097 5508877 206.9 -71.4 81.0 MLHL-23-45 350132 5509018 198.9 -70.9 354.0

Results from the remaining holes of the drill program will be released when they are available.

A technical report prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") with respect to the High Lake and West Hawk Lake properties is available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Company's website at https://mcfarlanelakemining.com.

QA/QC Control Procedures

McFarlane Lake has implemented a Quality Assurance/ Quality Control (QA/QC) program consistent with industry best practices. The drill core is being logged and sampled at a nearby facility with sawn half-core samples, including QA/QC samples, being sent to an accredited lab (Actlabs) in Thunder Bay, Ontario, for processing. The remaining half core has been retained in a locked facility for future examination. Certified reference material (CRM) standards and blanks are inserted every 10 samples into the sample stream. Gold was analyzed by 30-gram fire assay with AA-finish. Samples above 5 grams per tonne gold were re-assayed for gold with a gravimetric finish, while those above 10 grams per tonne were re-assayed utilizing the pulp metallic method.

Qualified Person

The technical contents of this news release have been reviewed and approved by Robert Kusins, Vice President of Geology of McFarlane. Mr. Kusins is a qualified person, as defined by NI43-101. However, Mr. Kusins is not independent of the Company by virtue of his position.

PDAC Conference, March 5-8, Toronto, Canada

McFarlane Lake Mining will attend the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada in Toronto from March 5 to 8. Management will be at Booth 3208 and available for one-on-one meetings.

About McFarlane Lake Mining Limited

McFarlane is a mineral exploration company focused on the exploration and development of the High Lake mineral property located immediately east of the Ontario-Manitoba border and the West Hawk Lake mineral property located immediately west of the Ontario-Manitoba border. In addition, McFarlane holds the McMillan and Mongowin mineral property located 70 km west of Sudbury, which hosts the past-producing McMillan Gold Mine. McFarlane also owns the Michaud/Munro mineral property situated 115 km east of Timmins along the so-called "Golden Highway". McFarlane is a "reporting issuer" under applicable securities legislation in the provinces of, British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario.

Additional information on McFarlane can be found by reviewing its profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release, including without limitation; anticipated results of geophysical surveys or drilling programs, estimated timing, geological interpretations and potential mineral recovery processes. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to 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 statements.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of McFarlane to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements are described under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Filing Statement dated as of January 14, 2022, which is available for view on SEDAR at www.SEDAR.com Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this press release, and McFarlane disclaims, other than as required by law, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, results, future events, circumstances, or if management's estimates or opinions should change, or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

McFarlane's operations could be significantly adversely affected by the effects of a widespread global outbreak of a contagious disease, including the recent outbreak of illness caused by COVID-19. It is not possible to accurately predict the impact COVID-19 will have on operations and the ability of others to meet their obligations, including uncertainties relating to the ultimate geographic spread of the virus, the severity of the disease, the duration of the outbreak, and the length of travel and quarantine restrictions imposed by governments of affected countries. In addition, a significant outbreak of contagious diseases in the human population could result in a widespread health crisis that could adversely affect the economies and financial markets of many countries, resulting in an economic downturn that could further affect operations and the ability to finance its operations.

Further Information

For further information regarding this press release, please contact:

Roger Emdin, Chief Operating Officer

McFarlane Lake Mining Limited

(705) 562-8520

[email protected]

Craig MacPhail

NATIONAL

(416) 525-5709

[email protected]

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/157269
Washington, D.C.--(Newsfile Corp. - March 6, 2023) - The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced charges against global mining and metals company, Rio Tinto plc, for violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) arising out of a bribery scheme involving a consultant in Guinea. The company has agreed to pay a $15 million civil penalty to settle the SECs charges.

The SECs order finds that, in July 2011, Rio Tinto hired a French investment banker and close friend of a former senior Guinean government official as a consultant to help the company retain its mining rights in the Simandou mountain region in Guinea. The consultant began working on behalf of Rio Tinto without a written agreement defining the scope of his services or deliverables. Eventually the mining rights were retained, and the consultant was paid $10.5 million for his services, which Rio Tinto never verified. The SECs investigation uncovered that the consultant, acting as Rio Tintos agent, offered and attempted to make an improper payment of at least $822,000 to a Guinean government official in connection with the consultants efforts to help Rio Tinto retain its mining rights. Furthermore, none of the payments to the consultant was accurately reflected in Rio Tintos books and records, and the company failed to have sufficient internal accounting controls in place to detect or prevent the misconduct. The mine has not been developed by Rio Tinto.

"Even well-designed controls need committed managers to be effective," said Charles E. Cain, Chief of the SEC Division of Enforcements FCPA Unit. "Here, deficient controls were no match for managers determined to hire a consultant whose only ostensible qualification was a personal relationship with a senior government official."

Rio Tinto consented to the SECs order without admitting or denying the findings that it violated the books and records and internal accounting controls provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and agreed to pay a $15 million civil penalty.

The SECs investigation was conducted by Sana Muttalib and was supervised by Ansu N. Banerjee. The SEC appreciates the assistance of Australian Securities & Investments Commission, the Australian Federal Police, and the United Kingdom Serious Fraud Office.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 6, 2023) - UGE International Ltd. (TSXV: UGE) (OTCQB: UGEIF) (the "Company" or "UGE"), a leader in commercial and community solar, announces that it has reached the 'Notice to Proceed' (NTP) milestone for a 457kW rooftop community solar project in Peekskill, NY. Notice to Proceed indicates that financing for the project has closed, and all necessary permits and interconnection approvals for the project are in place.

UGE's latest project will be built atop Spare Cube, a self-storage facility in Peekskill, NY, and is UGE's second community solar asset in Peekskill (the first reached commercial operation towards the end of last year). With large footprints and flat roofs, self-storage facilities make for ideal rooftop solar sites, while the addition of solar allows self-storage owners to maximize their assets by earning lease revenue from their rooftops in addition to income from storage units.

As part of an ongoing partnership announced in November 2021, wireless provider T-Mobile will serve as the project's anchor energy off-taker, supporting T-Mobile's commitment to power its business using 100% renewable energy. UGE will reserve 50% of the project's energy output for Low- to Moderate-Income subscribers, allowing these households and businesses to save upwards of 10% on their electricity costs.

Construction on the project is set to begin in the early spring, with commercial operation anticipated for early fall of this year. With this project, UGE has reached NTP on 833kW of projects and commercial operation on 1,432kW of projects so far this year.

About UGE

UGE develops, owns, and operates commercial and community solar projects in the US and strategic markets abroad. Our distributed energy solutions deliver cheaper, cleaner energy to businesses and consumers with no upfront cost. With over 500MW of global experience, we work daily to power a more sustainable world.

For more information, contact UGE at:

+1 917 720 5685

[email protected]

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the anticipated use of proceeds, and the listing of the Green Debentures on the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/157136
Phoenix, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - March 6, 2023) - The Stock Day Podcast welcomed US Nuclear Corp. (OTCQB: UCLE) ("the Company"), a radiation, chemical detection and specialty drone, holding company specializing in the development and manufacturing and sales of radiation and chemical detection instrumentation. CEO of the Company, Bob Goldstein, joined Stock Day host Everett Jolly.

"Could you tell us about what US Nuclear Corp. is all about and what you do?", asked Jolly to begin the interview. "US Nuclear is basically a sensor company; we make detectors for chemicals associated with biological and radioactive hazards," explained Goldstein. "Our main objective is working towards clean air and clean water, so that Americans and people around the world can be healthy and live safely."

"Do you think Palestine, Ohio is satisfied with Norfolk Southern or the EPA's response to the train derailment?", asked Jolly. "Absolutely not! They are rightly angry and upset," said Goldstein. "It has been over three weeks since all those dangerous chemicals were spilled, the gas was released, and then set on fire to prevent an explosion," said Goldstein, noting the significant hazards of these actions. "They may have had other less dramatic options to significantly reduce the huge spread of these gases into the wind."

"What will happen five to ten years from now because of these actions?" asked Jolly. "Some of those compounds released are cancer-causing. So, that is not good news for the health of the residents and first responders," said Goldstein. "There are actually over 1,000 train derailments in the US per year. Hopefully the railroad companies and the regulators will learn from this and take strong measures, including buying and deploying better trouble warning systems with detectors from US Nuclear."

"Are there any straightforward solutions to these complaints?", asked Jolly. "Definitely," said Goldstein. "Some of the things are very obvious," he added. "They need to be inspecting the train tracks and the train cars for integrity, for loose or failing parts, they need to reduce speed, update and automate their braking systems," said Goldstein. "They also need more and better on board and roadside sensors to detect high temperatures, tilts, shifting loads, and loss of traction among other precursors," he shared. "Trains must also be properly labeled as containing toxic and hazardous materials, unlike this particular train which was neither properly labeled nor announced as carrying toxic and explosive materials."

"How would US Nuclear products help to mitigate future accidents across the world?", asked Jolly. Goldstein explained that inspections could be conducted in real-time via drone, which could help to prevent derailments. "We have a Rail-Drone product that senses the temperature caused by friction in faulty wheel bearings or elsewhere, while also providing a visual record," said Goldstein, adding that the drone can also activate a sensor alarm to alert the engineers of any concerns.

"Another factor in the Palestine, Ohio train derailment is that the first responders were just looking in general for the presence of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). However, due to the fire, there are hundreds of different chemicals that could have been released, each chemical potentially causing different problems and perhaps requiring different medical treatment," said Goldstein. "What they needed are our real-time analyzers that can sense and identify a wide range of specific toxic chemicals that are present," he explained. "It is not enough to send someone with a vapor sensor."

Jolly then asked about the results of the Company's attendance at the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) Conference in February. "We had a really great response," said Goldstein. "There is nobody else that has a real-time PFAS detector, especially a high-tech one like ours, and our handheld, toxic chemical identifiers were also a great hit," he shared. "I think we are going to do a lot of business from that show."

"How do you see sales moving along here for 2023?", asked Jolly. "I expect a very good year," said Goldstein. "I am hoping to be back up to our $3.5 million per year standard, and expecting nice rising revenues in 2024."

To close the interview, Goldstein encouraged listeners and shareholders to consider the significance of utilizing sensors to prevent hazardous situations that affect the health and safety of our world. He also encouraged listeners and shareholders to keep up-to-date on the Company's current and upcoming projects as they continue to grow.

To hear Bob Goldstein's entire interview, follow the link to the podcast here: https://audioboom.com/posts/8258429-us-nuclear-corp-discusses-significance-of-its-drone-detectors-in-preventing-and-treating-devasta

Investors Hangout is a proud sponsor of "Stock Day," and Stock Day Media encourages listeners to visit the company's message board at https://investorshangout.com/.

About US Nuclear Corp.

US Nuclear Corp is a radiation, chemical detection and specialty drone, holding company specializing in the development and manufacturing and sales of radiation and chemical detection instrumentation. Through its four operating divisions (Technical Associates (TA), Overhoff Technology (OTC), Electronic Control Concepts (ECC), and Cali From Above (CFA), US Nuclear Corp. harbors more than 100 years of combined experience in supplying top of the line instrumentation to any industry utilizing radionuclides. This includes nuclear power plants, national laboratories, government agencies, homeland security, military, universities and schools, research companies, hospitals, medical and dental centers, energy companies, weapons facilities, first responders, local governments, and manufacturing plants.

Safe Harbor Act

This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ from expectations, estimates and projections and, consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Words such as "expect," "estimate," "project," "budget," "forecast," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "may," "will," "could," "should," "believes," "predicts," "potential," "continue," and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results.

Investors may find additional information regarding US Nuclear Corp. at the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov, or the company's website at www.usnuclearcorp.com.

CONTACT:

US Nuclear Corp. (OTCQB: UCLE)

Robert I. Goldstein, President, CEO, and Chairman

Richard Landry, Chief Financial Officer

(818) 883 7043

Email: [email protected]

Usnuclearcorp.com

About The "Stock Day" Podcast

Founded in 2013, Stock Day is the fastest growing media outlet for Nano-Cap and Micro-Cap companies. It educates investors while simultaneously working with penny stock and OTC companies, providing transparency and clarification of under-valued, under-sold Micro-Cap stocks of the market. Stock Day provides companies with customized solutions to their news distribution in both national and international media outlets. The Stock Day Podcast is the number one radio show of its kind in America.

SOURCE:

Stock Day Media

(602) 821-1102

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/157339
LONDON, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Aquadrill LLC ("Aquadrill" or the "Company") and a subsidiary of Vantage Holdings International (the "Manager") have reached an agreement to provide the Capella, an MPD outfitted 6th generation drillship, for a one well contract for operations in East Africa.

The total contract value for the contract is expected to be approximately $37 million. Work is expected to commence in mid-April 2023 and to run until the end of May 2023.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release includes forward looking statements. Such statements are generally not historical in nature, and specifically include statements about the Company's plans, strategies, business prospects, contracts, agreements, changes and trends in its business and the markets in which it operates. The duration, timing (including both starting and ending dates) and total contract value of customer contracts and any related agreements are estimates only. The actual total contract value over the course of any given contract or agreement may be lower and could be substantially lower, depending on a number of factors (cancellation, suspension, delays, rig downtime, etc.). These statements are made based upon management's current plans, expectations, assumptions and beliefs concerning future events impacting the Company and therefore involve a number of risks (some beyond the control of the Company), uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release. Consequently, no forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. When considering these forward looking statements, you should keep in mind the risks described from time to time in the Company's regulatory filings and periodic reporting. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all of these factors. Further, the Company cannot assess the impact of each such factor on its business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to be materially different from those contained in any forward looking statement.

CONTACT:

[email protected]

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aquadrill-announces-contract-award-for-the-capella-301763848.html

SOURCE Aquadrill LLC
NEW ORLEANS, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE: EW) today highlighted new important data examining mortality rates and cardiac damage of early-stage aortic stenosis (AS) sufferers, along with data examining 10-year transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) re-intervention rates using real-world Medicare data. Together these studies, presented at the American College of Cardiology ACC.23/WCC, add valuable insights to the discussion on lifetime management of patients with AS.

AS Mortality

In the study, "Untreated Aortic Stenosis Mortality by Diagnosis Severity: Results from a Large Real-World Dataset," Philippe Genereux, M.D., director of the structural heart program at the Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute at Morristown Medical Center, and colleagues analyzed more than 1.6 million echocardiograms from 24 U.S. hospitals in the egnite, Inc., cardiovascular management database.1,2 The study found that, for the almost 600,000 patients with AS severity assessment available, all degrees of untreated AS severity were associated with increased mortality risk. For example, the mean 2-year all-cause mortality for moderate untreated AS was ~20%, approaching the rate of those with severe AS.

"The main finding of this analysis is that the severity of AS may be underrecognized and undertreated, leading to unnecessary and preventable death among our patients," Genereux said. "Our study of real-world data highlights the challenges in properly determining the severity of AS by echocardiogram and underlines the high mortality rate associated with a milder degree of AS severity, such as mild and moderate, than previously suspected. Both point to the importance of continued study into the potential benefit of earlier intervention among patients with AS."

TAVR 10-Year Re-intervention

An analysis of Medicare data, led by Suzanne J. Baron, M.D., MSc, an interventional and structural cardiologist in Boston, Mass., showed a very low rate of re-intervention after TAVR out to 10 years. Among 230,644 patients treated with transfemoral and transapical TAVR between 2011 and 2021, only 1,880 underwent a valvular re-intervention. When the competing risk of death was considered, this translated to a 1.63% rate of re-intervention overall. Additionally, rates of re-intervention appear to be decreasing with the introduction of next-generation technologies.

"The observed, sustained low re-intervention rates as well as the decrease in re-interventions with advanced technology are particularly impactful and provide valuable input into the decision making of heart teams and patients in evaluating TAVR as a treatment option, particularly as younger patients are being treated," Baron said. "Certainly, more data are needed, but this is definitely reassuring."

"These data highlight the urgency in studying the right time to intervene in AS disease progression to achieve the best outcome for the patient, and we look forward to additional data that will come from the PROGRESS and EARLY TAVR trials currently underway," said Larry Wood, corporate vice president and group president, transcatheter aortic valve replacement and surgical structural heart, Edwards Lifesciences. "Through a potentially outdated treatment paradigm, some patients may be incurring needless cardiac damage or mortality when a proven therapy is available."

1 egnite's CardioCare software was incubated at Edwards Lifesciences.

2Dr. Genereux is a paid consultant for Edwards Lifesciences.

About Edwards Lifesciences

Edwards Lifesciences is the global leader of patient-focused innovations for structural heart disease and critical care monitoring. We are driven by a passion for patients, dedicated to improving and enhancing lives through partnerships with clinicians and stakeholders across the global healthcare landscape. For more information, visit Edwards.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.

This news release includes 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. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements made by Mr. Wood and statements regarding expected product benefits, patient outcomes, post-treatment reduction of invasive procedures, objectives and expectations and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by management of the company and are believed to be reasonable, though they are inherently uncertain and difficult to predict. Our forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of the statement. Investors are cautioned not to unduly rely on such forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements based on a number of factors as detailed in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings, along with important safety information about our products, may be found at Edwards.com.

Edwards, Edwards Lifesciences, and the stylized E logo are trademarks of Edwards Lifesciences Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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SOURCE Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
S.5120A/A.1721A aims to measure EV charging station reliability across New York

NEW YORK, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - FLO, a leading North American electric vehicle (EV) charging network operator and smart charging solutions provider, and ChargerHelp!, a charging station maintenance and analytics company, along with Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee Chairman Kevin Parker (D  District 21) and Assemblyman Brian Cunningham (D  District 43) announced the EV Charging Reliability Transparency Act to ensure New York's EV drivers have access to reliable charging stations.

S.5120A/A.1721A, introduced in the New York State Senate (with a companion bill in the State Assembly), will require the disclosure of reliability data for all public and ratepayer-funded EV charging stations deployed across New York. Over the next few years, New York is expected to incentivize EV charging infrastructure deployment to the tune of nearly $1 billion through a combination of state programs and funding secured through the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

"New York EV drivers know the frustration of pulling up to a charging station only to find that it is out of order, but today is the first step in eliminating that concern. This bill will help safeguard critical investments being made in EV charging infrastructure by establishing reliability standards that put the EV driver first," said Daniel Bloom, Public Affairs Manager at FLO. "Thanks to the support of Chairman Parker and Assemblyman Cunningham in our efforts to improve the overall EV experience and accelerate EV adoption."

Ensuring charger reliability has never been more important. A record 71% of American drivers are reportedly interested in owning an EV. Unfortunately, access to reliable charging infrastructure has become a growing concern. Recent data show an increasing number of drivers have trouble accessing public EV charging stations, with broken chargers cited as the most common issue.

FLO and ChargerHelp! continue to work together to resolve this problem, sponsoring similar legislation in California. The legislation, the first of its kind in the United States, was signed into law last year to help policymakers and the public understand the performance of California's investments in EV infrastructure and inequities in driver access to reliable charging stations.

"As New York continues to implement the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), it is critical that EV chargers are maintained operational and deliver outstanding reliability for all communities, at all times," said Kameale C. Terry, Chief Executive Officer at ChargerHelp!.

For more information on the EV Charging Reliability Transparency Act, visit: NY State Senate Bill S5120A.

About FLO

FLO is a leading North American electric vehicle (EV) charging network operator and a smart charging solutions provider. We fight climate change by accelerating EV adoption through a vertically integrated business model and by delivering EV drivers the most dependable charging experience from curbside to countryside. Every month, we enable more than 1 million charging events thanks to over 80,000 fast and level 2 EV charging stations deployed at public, private and residential locations. FLO operates its network across North America and our high-quality charging stations are assembled with care in Michigan and Quebec. To learn more about what "EV charging done right" means to us, visit flo.com.

About ChargerHelp!

ChargerHelp! is a technology company that enables on-demand diagnostics, data collection, maintenance, and repair of electric vehicle charging equipment, while building out local workforces, removing barriers and enabling economic mobility within all communities. ChargerHelp! operates at the intersection of clean technology and workforce development. ChargerHelp!'s system solves the industry-wide problem of downed electric vehicle charging stations by providing on-demand repairs and maintenance support from trained and supported local workforces. ChargerHelp! is headquartered in Los Angeles, California with service across the United States. Learn more about our commitment to reliability and workforce development at www.chargerhelp.com.

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SOURCE FLO
 PREEMPT CRC is a large, representative registrational study for the early detection of colorectal cancer

 Findings presented at the Western Colorectal Cancer Consortium Conference

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Freenome, a privately held biotech company, presents a subject population analysis from PREEMPT CRC, a study for the detection of colorectal cancer (CRC) at the Western Colorectal Cancer Consortium Conference in Portland, Oregon.

According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer-related death. Despite evidence that CRC screening reduces cancer incidence and mortality, screening rates continue to remain below recommended guidelines.

Freenome is in the final stages of development of its blood-based screening test for colorectal cancer. The test uses Freenome's multiomics platform, which combines tumor and non-tumor signals with machine learning to detect cancer in the earliest, most treatable stages using a standard blood draw. The test is intended to offer an accessible and convenient option for CRC screening.

PREEMPT CRC is the largest prospective study for CRC using a blood-based screening test in the average-risk population and is Freenome's clinical validation study for the use of its test.

The study's focus was to enroll subjects that reflected the demographics of the intended use population for a colorectal cancer screening test: average-risk adults between the ages of 45 and 85 across urban and rural communities in the United States. The study enrolled subjects between May 2020 and March 2022. Several mitigations for the impact of COVID-19 were developed and incorporated into overall study plans.

To ensure representation, Freenome integrated forward-thinking enrollment strategies into its clinical study design. The company offered options of virtual enrollment, electronic consenting and mobile phlebotomy that enabled home blood draws for participants who were not geographically close or able to visit a hospital or other study site.

"Our tests are designed for everyone, which means our clinical studies need to demonstrate that representation," said Lance Baldo, M.D. and chief medical officer for Freenome. "Screening saves lives, and our goal is to make screening for CRC easier and more convenient for everyone."

Analysis of results demonstrate enrollment strategies were effective in recruiting an intended-use population. For example, of the study's participants, 25% enrolled virtually and 7% used the mobile phlebotomy team. Additionally, racial diversity was above historical clinical study participation[1] with approximately 11% Black, 11% Hispanic or Latino and 7% Asian participants.

"From the onset, we wanted this study to be representative of the people of the United States. Making participation convenient was key to drive enrollment, especially during a pandemic. The results of our efforts show it's possible to have meaningful diversity in clinical trials," said Aasma Shaukat, M.D., study co-lead, professor of medicine and director of outcomes research for the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at NYU Langone Health.

For more information about PREEMPT CRC, visit Freenome's clinical studies webpage.

About Freenome

Freenome is a biotechnology company with a comprehensive multiomics platform for the early detection of cancer using a standard blood draw. The company combines its deep expertise in molecular biology with advanced computational biology and machine learning to detect disease-associated patterns among billions of circulating cell-free biomarkers. Freenome is headquartered in South San Francisco, California.

[1] The Society for Women's Health Research United States Food and Drug Administration Office of Women's Health. Dialogues on diversifying clinical trials; 2011.

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SOURCE Freenome Holdings, Inc.
The inaugural International Conference on Justice (ICJ), hosted by the Saudi Ministry of Justice (MOJ), is providing global legal stakeholders with a platform to exchange knowledge on the future and digitalization of justice.

The first day of the conference featured 12 speakers in three engaging sessions, which highlighted key developments in the digital transformation of global justice systems

The opening day of the ICJ also saw the presentation of the Kingdom's first law practice licenses for foreign firms

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Justice (MOJ) successfully concluded the first day of its inaugural International Conference on Justice in Riyadh. Over the course of the day, 12 international speakers led panel discussions and dedicated workshops to address the conference's central theme, 'Facilitating Access to Justice Through Digital Innovation', and shared their expertise on the transformative impact of technology in the field of global justice.

In his speech at the opening of the conference, H.E. Dr. Walid al-Samaani, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Justice, explored how justice systems are changing rapidly in light of digital transformation, and highlighted the importance of harnessing innovation not only to address current challenges, but also to make justice more efficient and accessible for all in the long term. "In view of the rapid global changes in all areas, including the justice sector, we need to keep pace with these developments and take them as an opportunity for progress, especially in terms of the technologies supporting and enhancing judicial safeguards," His Excellency noted.

The conference opening also saw H.E. Dr Al-Samaani join Saudi Investment Minister, H.E. Khalid Al-Falih, in awarding law practice licenses to three foreign law firms: Herbert Smith Freehills LLP, Latham and Watkins LLP, and Clifford Chance LLP. The licenses were the first of their kind to be issued to foreign law companies working in Saudi Arabia, and their presentation at the conference highlighted the spirit of international cooperation that the event embodies.

During the first session, 'Future of the Justice System in Light of Digital Transformation', H.E. Dr. Samaani, discussed the growing role of technology in the judiciary with ministers and high-level dignitaries from the European Union, Singapore, Morocco and Tunisia. In the second session, 'International Experiences in the Digital Transformation of the Justice Sector,' representatives from as far afield as Azerbaijan and China joined H.E. Mr. Majed Al-Salloom, Deputy Minister for Digital Transformation and ICT of the Saudi Ministry of Justice, to compare notes on how their respective jurisdictions are handling the wave of digital processes that are transforming the global judicial landscape. In the final session of the day, 'The Legal Dimension of Artificial Intelligence,' global experts in the fields of law and technology explored the question of AI and justice, including its challenges and potential approaches to regulation.

While the first day's three sessions covered a broad range of topics, from the future application of AI to the streamlining of legal processes, one common theme emerged: the need to balance the advantages offered by new technology with the requirement for justice to remain 'human.'

By enabling the exchange of knowledge and expertise, the International Conference on Justice provides stakeholders across the sphere of global justice with a forum to learn about and ultimately realize the benefits of digitalization in the field.

Saudi Arabia has undergone a process of rapid digitalization over the past few years. Saudi citizens have access to over 150 judicial e-services through the MOJ's Najiz portal, including the ability to acquire marriage certificates online and carry out e-property conveyancing in less than an hour. With its advances in digital governance and justice, the Kingdom now ranks first in the region and third globally on the World Bank's GovTech Maturity Index, making it a leader in digital government solutions.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2016265/MOJ_1.jpgPhoto: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2016266/MOJ_2.jpgPhoto: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2016267/MOJ_3.jpgPhoto: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2016268/MOJ_4.jpgLogo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2016291/MOJ_Logo.jpg

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/international-conference-on-justice-kicks-off-in-riyadh-301763279.html

SOURCE Saudi Ministry of Justice (MOJ)
Study findings presented during the American College of Cardiology's 72nd Annual Scientific Session & Expo Together With World Heart Federation's World Congress of Cardiology

European Society of Cardiology/European Respiratory Society (ESC/ERS) PH guidelines recommend initial dual combination therapy with macitentan and tadalafil for PAH patients without cardiopulmonary comorbidities

RARITAN, N.J., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson today announced results from the Phase 3 A DUE study (NCT03904693), which showed an investigational once-daily, single tablet combination therapy, also known as fixed dose combination, of macitentan 10 mg and tadalafil 40 mg (M/T STCT), significantly improved pulmonary hemodynamics (blood flow through pulmonary blood vessels) versus macitentan and tadalafil monotherapies in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients with World Health Organization (WHO) functional class (FC) II or III.1 The data were presented today as a Late-Breaking Clinical Trial presentation during the American College of Cardiology's 72nd Annual Scientific Session & Expo Together With World Heart Federation's World Congress of Cardiology.

PAH is a rare, progressive and life-threatening blood vessel disorder characterized by the constriction of small pulmonary arteries and elevated blood pressure in the pulmonary circulation that eventually leads to right heart failure.2 Recently updated European Society of Cardiology/European Respiratory Society (ESC/ERS) PH guidelinesi have recommended initial dual combination therapy with macitentan and tadalafil for PAH patients without cardiopulmonary comorbidities. Currently, this requires patients to take multiple pills as no single tablet that combines two or more PAH-specific pathways is available for these patients.3

"Targeting different pathways in the treatment of PAH has demonstrated clear clinical benefits, yet current treatment regimens are cumbersome and create a significant pill burden for patients, many of whom take a large number of pills each day to treat their PAH and various co-morbidities,ii,iii" said Kelly Chin, M.D., Professor of Internal Medicine and Director of the Pulmonary Hypertension Program at UT Southwestern Medical Center, and an investigator in the A DUE study.4 "The results from this study demonstrate that a single tablet combination has the potential to support initial dual combination therapy and rapid escalation from monotherapy, which may improve functional outcomes and help close the gap from guideline recommendations to clinical practice."

The A DUE study is a double-blind, randomized, active-controlled, multi-center, adaptive parallel-group study designed to compare the efficacy and safety of investigational M/T STCT versus macitentan and tadalafil monotherapies in patients with PAH. A total of 187 adult PAH patients from across 148 sites in 19 countries worldwide in WHO FC II or III who were treatment naive or on a stable dose of an endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA) or a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (PDE5i) for at least three months, were enrolled in the study. The primary endpoint is pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) measured 16 weeks following initiation of treatment expressed as the ratio of geometric means to baseline.

Secondary efficacy outcome measures included change from baseline in exercise capacity as measured by change in 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) at the end of double-blind treatment at week 16 compared to baseline.

Following the double-blind treatment period, patients transitioned to the open-label treatment period for 24 months. Baseline characteristics were balanced across treatment arms except for a higher proportion of WHO FC II patients in the M/T STCT arm and a greater time from diagnosis of PAH in the macitentan arm.

"The guiding light of our PH research is the goal of transforming PAH into a manageable condition, so we're constantly looking for ways to improve both clinical outcomes and the treatment experience," said James List, M.D., Ph.D., Global Therapeutic Area Head, Cardiovascular, Metabolism, Retina & Pulmonary Hypertension, Janssen Research & Development, LLC. "A single tablet combination has the potential to be an important new option for helping physicians optimize disease management with the potential to enhance convenience and help improve adherence and outcomes."

Key A DUE Study FindingsThe A DUE study met its co-primary endpoint, demonstrating marked pulmonary hemodynamic improvement as shown by the highly statistically significant, consistent and robust PVR reduction in participants treated with M/T STCT compared to both monotherapies. PVR change with M/T STCT was significantly greater versus macitentan (treatment effect: 29%; 95% confidence limit [CL]: -18%, -39%, p

Although the A DUE study was not powered to demonstrate a benefit on exercise capacity, there was a clinically relevant improvement in 6MWD.

At week 16, treatment effect was not statistically significant; however, a clinically relevant improvement in 6MWD in favor of M/T STCT versus monotherapies was observed. Adjusted treatment effect in 6MWD, change from baseline, in the M/T STCT versus macitentan group was 16.04m (CL: -17.0, 49.08, p=0.380) and 25.37m in the M/T STCT versus tadalafil group (CL: -0.93, 51.59, p =0.059).

The safety profile of M/T STCT was consistent with the known safety profiles of macitentan and tadalafil monotherapies and no new safety observations were made.

About macitentan/tadalafil STCTMacitentan 10 mg and tadalafil 40 mg STCT is an investigational therapy that combines the ERA, macitentan, and the PDE5i, tadalafil.

About OPSUMIT (macitentan)OPSUMIT is indicated for the treatment of PAH (WHO Group I) to reduce the risks of disease progression and hospitalization for PAH. The use of OPSUMIT in patients with PAH (WHO Group I), a type of PH, was demonstrated in the pivotal SERAPHIN trial, the largest (n=742) long-term (average treatment duration=2 years) outcomes-based trial of an ERA in PAH.

About tadalafilTadalafil is indicated for the treatment of PAH (WHO Group 1) to improve exercise ability. Studies establishing effectiveness included predominately patients with NYHA Functional Class II  III symptoms and etiologies of idiopathic or heritable PAH (61%) or PAH associated with connective tissue diseases (23%).

OPSUMIT INDICATION AND IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATIONINDICATIONOPSUMIT (macitentan) is an endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA) indicated for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH, WHO Group I) to reduce the risks of disease progression and hospitalization for PAH.

Effectiveness was established in a long-term study in PAH patients with predominantly WHO Functional Class II-III symptoms treated for an average of 2 years. Patients had idiopathic and heritable PAH (57%), PAH caused by connective tissue disorders (31%), and PAH caused by congenital heart disease with repaired shunts (8%).

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

BOXED WARNING: EMBRYO-FETAL TOXICITY

Do not administer OPSUMIT to a pregnant female because it may cause fetal harm.

Females of reproductive potential: Exclude pregnancy before the start of treatment, monthly during treatment, and 1 month after stopping treatment. Prevent pregnancy during treatment and for one month after stopping treatment by using acceptable methods of contraception.

For all female patients, OPSUMIT is available only through a restricted program called the OPSUMIT Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS).

CONTRAINDICATIONSPregnancy: OPSUMIT may cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. OPSUMIT is contraindicated in females who are pregnant. If OPSUMIT is used during pregnancy, advise the patient of the potential risk to a fetus.

Hypersensitivity: OPSUMIT is contraindicated in patients with a history of a hypersensitivity reaction to macitentan or any component of the product.

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONSEmbryo-fetal Toxicity and OPSUMIT REMS ProgramDue to the risk of embryo-fetal toxicity, OPSUMIT is available for females only through a restricted program called the OPSUMIT REMS Program. For females of reproductive potential, exclude pregnancy prior to initiation of therapy, ensure use of acceptable contraceptive methods, and obtain monthly pregnancy tests.

Notable requirements of the OPSUMIT REMS Program include:

Prescribers must be certified with the program by enrolling and completing training.

All females, regardless of reproductive potential, must enroll in the OPSUMIT REMS Program prior to initiating OPSUMIT. Male patients are not enrolled in the REMS.

Females of reproductive potential must comply with the pregnancy testing and contraception requirements.

Pharmacies must be certified with the program and must only dispense to patients who are authorized to receive OPSUMIT.

Hepatotoxicity

ERAs have caused elevations of aminotransferases, hepatotoxicity, and liver failure. The incidence of elevated aminotransferases in the SERAPHIN study >3 x ULN was 3.4% for OPSUMIT vs 4.5% for placebo, and >8 x ULN was 2.1% vs 0.4%, respectively. Discontinuations for hepatic adverse events were 3.3% for OPSUMIT vs 1.6% for placebo.

Obtain liver enzyme tests prior to initiation of OPSUMIT and repeat during treatment as clinically indicated.

Advise patients to report symptoms suggesting hepatic injury (nausea, vomiting, right upper quadrant pain, fatigue, anorexia, jaundice, dark urine, fever, or itching).

If clinically relevant aminotransferase elevations occur, or if elevations are accompanied by an increase in bilirubin >2 x ULN, or by clinical symptoms of hepatotoxicity, discontinue OPSUMIT. Consider re-initiation of OPSUMIT when hepatic enzyme levels normalize in patients who have not experienced clinical symptoms of hepatotoxicity.

Fluid Retention

Peripheral edema and fluid retention are known consequences of PAH and ERAs. In the pivotal PAH study SERAPHIN, edema was reported in 21.9% of the OPSUMIT group vs 20.5% for placebo.

Patients with underlying left ventricular dysfunction may be at particular risk for developing significant fluid retention after initiation of ERA treatment. In a small study of pulmonary hypertension due to left ventricular dysfunction, more patients in the OPSUMIT group developed significant fluid retention and had more hospitalizations due to worsening heart failure compared to placebo. Postmarketing cases of edema and fluid retention occurring within weeks of starting OPSUMIT, some requiring intervention with a diuretic or hospitalization for decompensated heart failure, have been reported.

Monitor for signs of fluid retention after OPSUMIT initiation. If clinically significant fluid retention develops, evaluate the patient to determine the cause and the possible need to discontinue OPSUMIT.

Hemoglobin Decrease

Decreases in hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit have occurred following administration of other ERAs and in clinical studies with OPSUMIT. These decreases occurred early and stabilized thereafter.

In the SERAPHIN study, OPSUMIT caused a mean decrease in hemoglobin (from baseline to 18 months) of about 1.0 g/dL vs no change in the placebo group. A decrease in hemoglobin to below 10.0 g/dL was reported in 8.7% of the OPSUMIT group vs 3.4% for placebo. Decreases in hemoglobin seldom require transfusion.

Initiation of OPSUMIT is not recommended in patients with severe anemia. Measure hemoglobin prior to initiation of treatment and repeat during treatment as clinically indicated.

Pulmonary Edema with Pulmonary Veno-occlusive Disease (PVOD)Should signs of pulmonary edema occur, consider the possibility of associated PVOD. If confirmed, discontinue OPSUMIT.

Decreased Sperm CountsOPSUMIT, like other ERAs, may have an adverse effect on spermatogenesis. Counsel men about potential effects on fertility.

ADVERSE REACTIONSMost common adverse reactions (more frequent than placebo by 3%) were anemia (13% vs 3%), nasopharyngitis/pharyngitis (20% vs 13%), bronchitis (12% vs 6%), headache (14% vs 9%), influenza (6% vs 2%), and urinary tract infection (9% vs 6%).

DRUG INTERACTIONS

Strong inducers of CYP3A4 such as rifampin significantly reduce macitentan exposure. Concomitant use of OPSUMIT with strong CYP3A4 inducers should be avoided.

Strong inhibitors of CYP3A4 like ketoconazole approximately double macitentan exposure. Many HIV drugs like ritonavir are strong inhibitors of CYP3A4. Avoid concomitant use of OPSUMIT with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors. Use other PAH treatment options when strong CYP3A4 inhibitors are needed as part of HIV treatment.

Moderate dual inhibitors of CYP3A4 and CYP2C9 such as fluconazole and amiodarone are predicted to increase macitentan exposure. Avoid concomitant use of OPSUMIT with moderate dual inhibitors of CYP3A4 and CYP2C9.

Concomitant treatment of both a moderate CYP3A4 inhibitor and moderate CYP2C9 inhibitor with OPSUMIT should also be avoided.

Please see full Prescribing Information, including BOXED WARNING.

About the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & JohnsonAt Janssen, we're creating a future where disease is a thing of the past. We're the Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, working tirelessly to make that future a reality for patients everywhere by fighting sickness with science, improving access with ingenuity, and healing hopelessness with heart. We focus on areas of medicine where we can make the biggest difference: Cardiovascular, Metabolism & Retina; Immunology; Infectious Diseases & Vaccines; Neuroscience; Oncology; and Pulmonary Hypertension.

Learn more at www.janssen.com. Follow us at @JanssenGlobal and @JanssenUS. Janssen Research & Development, LLC is part of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson.

Cautions Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding product development and the potential benefits and treatment impact of macitentan/tadalafil STCT. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Janssen Research & Development, LLC and/or Johnson & Johnson. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: challenges and uncertainties inherent in product research and development, including the uncertainty of clinical success and of obtaining regulatory approvals; uncertainty of commercial success; competition, including technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges to patents; changes in behavior and spending patterns of purchasers of health care products and services; changes to applicable laws and regulations, including global health care reforms; and trends toward health care cost containment. A further list and descriptions of these risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in Johnson & Johnson's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 1, 2023, including in the sections captioned "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" and "Item 1A. Risk Factors," and in Johnson & Johnson's subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of these filings are available online at www.sec.gov, www.jnj.com or on request from Johnson & Johnson. None of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies nor Johnson & Johnson undertakes to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information or future events or developments.

1 WHO FC II/III is defined as slight or marked limitation of physical activity with ordinary or less than ordinary activity causing undue shortness of breath or fatigue, chest pain, or near fainting.2 Right heart failure occurs when the heart's right ventricle is too weak to pump enough blood to the lungs.3 OPSYNVI (macitentan 10 mg and tadalafil 40 mg) was approved in Canada in October 2021 and in Argentina in October 2022 but only for substitution indication (for PAH patients who are already treated with combination of macitentan 10 mg and tadalafil 40 mg as separate tablets).4 Dr. Chin was compensated for her participation on the steering committee for the A DUE study.

i 2022 ESC/ERS Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary hypertension. European Heart Journal (2022) 43, 36183731. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehac237.ii Grady D, et al. Pulm Circ 2018; 8:19; 6.iii Lauffenburger JC, et al. J Gen Intern Med 2017.

Media Contact:Jennifer SilventPhone: +1 973-479-9845[email protected]

Shelly OrlacchioPhone: +1 717-471-3888[email protected]

Investor Contact:Raychel KruperPhone: +1 732-524-6164[email protected]

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SOURCE Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson
The landmark event brings together global leaders and creative forces in luxury fashion to honor Brunello Cucinelli, Jonathan Anderson and Amina Muaddi

PARIS, March 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Neiman Marcus Group (NMG) hosted a gathering in Paris last night to celebrate the Neiman Marcus Awards and pay tribute to the 2023 honorees. The event also marked the commencement of annual customer programming that will harness the full strength of Neiman Marcus' merchandising and marketing magic and its deep relationships in the fashion community.

"Bringing together the beating heart of the luxury industry was an incredibly important component of how we reimagined the awards platform," said Geoffroy van Raemdonck, Chief Executive Officer of NMG. "Tonight, we came together, united by our passion for our customers, to celebrate visionaries in the field of fashion who Revolutionize Luxury Experiences."

The retailer gathered industry leaders and creative forces, alongside global brand partners, past Award recipients and top customers. More than 50 fashion brands were in the room, collectively reflecting nearly $200B in total revenues and employing nearly half a million people around the globe.

Brunello Cucinelli received the esteemed Neiman Marcus Award for Distinguished Service in the Field of Fashion, an award with a history of honoring more than 150 fashion luminaries over 85 years. Inaugural awards were given to Jonathan Anderson, Creative Director of LOEWE, who received the new Neiman Marcus Award for Creative Impact in the Field of Fashion, and accessories designer Amina Muaddi, who received the new Neiman Marcus Award for Innovation in the Field of Fashion. The Neiman Marcus Award statue was designed by William King in 1961, symbolizing the unfettered spirit of freedom so essential to the fashion creator.

"I greatly admire the 20 years of collaboration with Neiman Marcus, one of the highest expressions of fashion and luxury in the world and an icon of lifestyle and elegance," said Cucinelli. "Thank you [Neiman Marcus] for this gift, because it pays tribute and honor to our Italy, to our Umbria region, to our Solomeo, and to all those human beings who, with their skilled hands, are able to design special things."

The event took place at La Suite Girafe, capping off the Fall/Winter 2023 season of Paris Fashion Week. Notable attendees included: Noah Cyrus who performed for guests, Ashley Park and Paul Forman from Emily in Paris who both wore Brunello Cucinelli collection; Sabrina Elba, Didi Han, Lori Harvey, Tina Kunakey, Olivia Palermo and more. Special guest Rosita Missoni celebrated her 50th anniversary of receiving the Distinguished Service Award.

"Thank you very much, Neiman Marcus, for choosing me. You have been there from the very beginning, and believed in me when no one else did," stated Anderson at the event. "Thank you for supporting LOEWE in everything we do."

Each honoree's unique brand expression will come to life through immersive experiences engaging customers in stores, online and through remote selling, as part of the retailer's integrated approach. They will enjoy premium access to exclusive events, curated collections and retail-tainment activations. The activity will be further amplified as part of an integrated marketing strategy, across the website, app, social media, store visuals and the Neiman Marcus Book. In celebration of the Awards, several store windows have been transformed to honor past recipients whose legacy continues to inspire customers today.

"It is not often that an accessories designer gets the same recognition as Ready-to-Wear or are perceived as innovators in fashion," explained Muaddi. "It's such an important award for me because having Neiman Marcus as a partner was always a dream before I started my business, and Neiman Marcus believed in me right from the very beginning."

Brunello Cucinelli will launch the Icon Collection this April, with exclusive pieces and a personal appearance for customers in Dallas. Jonathan Anderson and Amina Muaddi will each design exclusive collections and celebrate with Neiman Marcus customers at select stores across the country. Neiman Marcus will expand into new categories by honoring different industry creatives each year.

The Neiman Marcus Awards platform is one of many ways the luxury retailer creates a differentiated halo effect for all brand partners and makes life extraordinary for its luxury customers. For more information on the Neiman Marcus Awards, visit the Neiman Marcus Awards website.

#neimanmarcusawards | @neimanmarcus

Link to more information and assets here.

ABOUT NEIMAN MARCUS AWARDSNeiman Marcus Awards is a new platform to recognize and amplify breakthrough luminaries in fashion globally. It includes the return of the prestigious Neiman Marcus Award for Distinguished Service in the Field of Fashion, a legacy accolade established by Carrie Marcus Neiman and Stanley Marcus 85 years ago, as well as two expanded categories: the Neiman Marcus Award for Creative Impact in the Field of Fashion and the Neiman Marcus Award for Innovation in the Field of Fashion.

The Distinguished Service Award has been given to over 150 luxury fashion luminaries including Christian Dior, Coco Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Giorgio Armani, Grace Kelly, Karl Lagerfeld, Miuccia Prada, Oscar de la Renta, Ralph Lauren, Salvatore Ferragamo, Carolina Herrera, Estee Lauder and Baccarat, among others.

The reimagined awards are an extension of the company's growth strategy to Revolutionize Luxury Experiences. It celebrates brand partners who share an interest in NMG's differentiated approach to retail and purpose-driven commitment to creating impact. As a relationship business, the awards platform embodies the company's differentiated business model, connecting brand partners to luxury customers in entirely new ways.

ABOUT NEIMAN MARCUS: Neiman Marcus is a Dallas-based luxury retailer, providing customers access to exclusive and emerging brands, anticipatory service, and unique experiences since 1907. Each day, Neiman Marcus connects with customers worldwide while delighting them with exceptional experiences across a 36-store presence in the U.S., one of the largest U.S. e-commerce luxury platforms, and industry-leading remote selling and personalization technology. From delectable dining and indulgent beauty services to bespoke experiences and exclusive products, there is something for everyone. To keep up with the latest news and events at Neiman Marcus, visit neimanmarcus.com or follow the brand on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.

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SOURCE Neiman Marcus Group
HOUSTON, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Simon Bolivar Foundation Inc., the 501(c)(3) nonprofit private foundation of CITGO Petroleum Corporation awarded charitable grants to five qualified organizations through two of its programs, Small Grant Program and Medium/Large Humanitarian Health Grant Program, to assist Venezuelan and other migrants in Latin America and the United States. This initiative was made possible thanks to an additional donation from CITGO Petroleum Corporation in 2022 to support this growing crisis.

The demand for assistance continues to grow as the migratory flows maintain a steady increase. The United Nations (UN) estimates the number of Venezuelan migrants and refugees worldwide at 7.1 million, making it one of the world's largest external displacement crises. The number of migrants arriving to the U.S. from Cuba, Venezuela, Colombia and Nicaragua has increased significantly since January 2021. People from these four nations account for most encounters at ports of entry along the southwest U.S. border along with migrants from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.1

The numbers in Latin America continue to steadily increase. In Panama, according to the latest official data from January to December 2022, 248,000 people have crossed the Darien gap, an increase of 85% in comparison to the same period in 2021. During 2022 in Honduras, 189,000 migrants entered the country, an increase of 1059% in comparison with 2021.2

Migrant Program:

These migrants on the move face extreme conditions and require significant assistance, including those with health issues. To provide immediate action to address the large-scale increase in the migration flows in Latin America and the U.S., as well as the upsurge in critical assistance and protection needs, the Foundation is supporting the following organizations with two projects within the Medium/Large Humanitarian Health Grants  Migrants Program:

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Program: Improving access to health services for people on the move in Mexico and Central America

The IFRC received a $250,213 grant to 1) enhance community health services for people on the move through humanitarian diplomacy actions and humanitarian service points, 2) provide fixed and mobile units that deliver humanitarian assistance along the migratory routes, including primary healthcare, 3) provide mental health and psychosocial support, and 4) provide protection for people in Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico. An estimated 11,675 individuals will benefit from the program, with 6,175 people in Honduras, 3,500 people in Guatemala and 2,000 people in Mexico.

GlobalGiving Program: Grants for Venezuelan and other migrant support

GlobalGiving received a $150,000 grant to support programs in the U.S. and Latin America that provide relief to Venezuelan and other migrants in need. The program will focus on health needs, including medical attention, meals, psychosocial support, and basic needs.

"The journey made by courageous Venezuelans is a difficult one, to say the least. At GlobalGiving we are grateful to partner with incredible community led organizations to help families seeking refuge and safety, with the support of the Simon Bolivar Foundation."  GlobalGiving Vice President of Growth, Kristina Joss

Three Charitable Organizations Through the Hoy Invita Simon 2 Program:

To provide support to migrants in the U.S., the Foundation has relaunched Hoy Invita Simon, as part of the Small Grant program, an initiative that started in 2020, where meals and food bags are provided to migrants in need in different cities. As part of this program, the Foundation has awarded a total of $165,030 to three charitable organizations that will provide support to an estimated 4,145 people in need in Miami, New York and Houston.

Please visit simonbolivarfoundation.org for more information.

About The Simon Bolivar FoundationSimon Bolivar Foundation Inc. is the 501(c)(3) nonprofit, private foundation of CITGO Petroleum Corporation. The Foundation supports charitable initiatives, leverages existing resources, and provides charitable grants to qualified organizations to meet the immediate and long-term health needs of the most vulnerable individuals, particularly in and from Venezuela, with a special focus on the health and well-being of children and their mothers.

1 The United Nations (2022, October 12). Venezuela Humanitarian Crisis. The UN Refugee Agency. Retrieved January 22, 2023, from https://www.unrefugees.org/emergencies/venezuela/.2 DTM de la OIM. Costa Rica - Panama: Monitoreo de flujo de personas en situacion de movilidad a traves de las Americas #6 (mayo 2022).

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SOURCE CITGO Corporation
When thousands of U.S.-based soldiers rapidly deployed to Europe last year following Russias invasion of Ukraine, some of the combat gear they pulled from storage depots was substandard, according to a new Defense Department report.

The Pentagons inspector general examined how Army logistics and infantry units managed the fielding of thousands of pieces of equipment taken from pre-positioned stockpile locations in Europe.

The IG concluded that shortfalls within the Kaiserslautern, Germany-headquartered 405th Army Field Support Brigade resulted in some gear being poorly maintained.

The issued equipment had operational readiness rates below 90%, the IG stated, noting that Army regulations set the minimum standard at 90%.

The Feb. 27 report, which was heavily redacted, did not specify how much equipment was unusable.

In March 2022, for the first time, the service issued gear from its Europe-based Army Prepositioned Stock-2 warehouses to an entire armored brigade combat team arriving in Germany from the United States.

The U.S. deployed an additional 7,000 soldiers, including those from 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, in the immediate aftermath of Russias full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022.

The IG credited the 405th Army Field Support Brigade for quickly getting combat equipment into the hands of those incoming soldiers. But going forward, the unit should update various maintenance procedures to ensure that the equipment is mission ready, the IG said.

The Army concurred with the report's findings in an attached statement.

Brigade officials told the IG that equipment ranging from Paladin howitzers to Abrams tanks and other vehicles did not have proper combat configurations. As a result, that limited the speed of the issuance of numerous vehicles, the IG said.

For example, more than 60% of M88 recovery vehicles did not have all their required secondary equipment, according to the report.

In Europe, the Army relies on numerous pre-positioned weapons sites for units rotating in and out of the Continent. The purpose is to have a full range of combat equipment at the ready for incoming ground forces, whose deployments would be slowed if gear needed to be hauled across the Atlantic Ocean.

The sites also have played a role in U.S. weapons supplies to Ukraine, which has received everything from mobile rocket systems known as HIMARS to infantry combat vehicles from the Armys depots in Europe.
A Fort Bliss soldier was sentenced to eight years in prison for giving fentanyl to another person who died from the synthetic drug, according to court records from the Texas Army base.

Spc. Francisco Cardenas, 26, pleaded guilty to negligent homicide Feb. 27 for the death that occurred March 28, 2022. Fort Bliss redacted the name of the victim from the court document.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 times stronger than heroin and about 100 times stronger than morphine, according to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In his court-martial, Cardenas also pleaded guilty to willfully disobeying a superior commissioned officer, wrongful possession with intent to distribute and wrongful distribution of fentanyl, wrongful introduction with intent to distribute fentanyl, wrongful use of fentanyl, wrongful possession of dimethyltryptamine, and wrongful possession of a firearm while also possessing illegal drugs, according to Army court records.

In addition to prison, Cardenass sentence included a demotion in rank to the grade of E-1, forfeit of all pay and allowances and a dishonorable discharge from the service.

The sentence was consistent with the terms of a plea agreement, according to the court records. Cardenas also had been charged with murder and with using cocaine.

Cardenas enlisted in January 2020 and was assigned to Fort Blisss 1st Armored Division. He has been in pretrial confinement since Sept. 9, according to his charge sheet.

The Pentagon released data last month to Congress on service member overdoses, which revealed fentanyl was involved in 88% of deaths in 2021 of service members who overdosed on illicit drugs.

Five years earlier, the synthetic drug was involved in 36% of troop overdose deaths, according to Pentagon data.

From 2017 to 2021, Fort Bliss lost 13 soldiers to overdose deaths  the third highest among Army installations. At Fort Bragg, N.C., 31 soldiers died and 16 died at Fort Hood, Texas, according to the data.
The Navy waitlist for child care has been reduced by more than 3,200 kids across the service in the last two years, but officials said they need more workers to keep making progress in providing adequate facilities and services for all families.

The service has approached the problem in several ways, including an increase in the fee assistance for off-base day cares and in-home nannies, revitalizing unused space to be child-safe and beefing up employee incentives to get more workers on board, according to the Commander, Navy Installations Command, or CNIC, the headquarters responsible for managing bases and quality-of-life programs.

It's something that's improving, but we continue to try to look for solutions to make it even better, said Command Master Chief Jason Dunn of CNIC.

The coronavirus pandemic, which began in March 2020, strained child care facilities across the U.S., and the Navy and other military service branches felt that pinch, said Leslie Gould, director of Fleet and Family Readiness Programs for CNIC. Temporary closures in the early months of the pandemic caused many civilian child care businesses to permanently shut down and many of those workers to leave the field, she said.

Now, the Navy is struggling to attract enough workers to operate its facilities at capacity in some places and finding it difficult to locate space for kids off base in day cares that meet the Defense Departments standards. However, the immediate solutions put in place are making a difference, Gould said.

In December 2020, the Navy had its nationwide child care waitlist reached nearly 9,000 children in need of immediate care. That waitlist now stands at about 5,576, Gould said. Meanwhile, construction is ongoing to complete new facilities that have been approved by Congress in the regions where the Navy has a high density of sailors, such as San Diego and Norfolk, Va.

Getting that waitlist down and getting those children in care is the No. 1 priority, Gould said. It all has to happen at the same time to mitigate this waitlist. Its an aggressive strategy.

The number of kids in on-base facilities has stayed relatively the same, she said, because families have been able to utilize some other off-base and in-home care options that have helped reduce the waitlist as well. That includes raising the monthly fee assistance for approved civilian day cares from $1,500 to $1,700.

At Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego, child care facilities are operating at 70% capacity because there are not enough employees, said Tamara Lo-Ray, director of Child and Youth Programs at the base. To fill the gaps, theyve been hosting job fairs where they tout the Navys new hiring incentives, which seem to be helping, she said.

There are a $500 signing bonus and a retention bonus of $2,250 that are making an impact, Lo-Ray said. The Navy also offers a starting wage of $23.24 an hour in San Diego. But the employee discount on their own childs care is what is really moving the needle on hiring  50% off for the first child and 20% for additional children.

Its a huge difference because outside the fence line child care is extremely expensive, Lo-Ray said. Theres also the added savings that children at Navy child care facilities have their meals, including infant formula, provided. Parents only must drop kids off with diapers and wipes.

The Defense Department regulates the cost of child care at its facilities based on a familys income. It ranges from about $300 to $700 a month.

Lt. Cmdr. Jasmine Bee said when she found out she was pregnant, she immediately applied to get her baby on the Navys list for child care in the San Diego area because she had heard it could be a long process. Getting into a military child-development center instead of a civilian day care was important to her because of the long hours that she works as a human resource officer. Her husband, Lt. Lamar Bee, is a surface warfare officer and has a schedule thats even more unpredictable, she said.

Her daughter Naomi, now 3 years old, has been attending a Navy day care at Point Loma since she was 8 weeks old.

They're fully flexible, and they're willing to support the mission of the Navy, Bee said. I know that the [child-development center] is going to take care of her.

The Navy has found unused space at other bases to convert into child care facilities, including at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., and at Naval Base Kitsap, Wash. In Patuxent River, the Navy converted an old conference center into a youth center.

That's a really important point of how far we're looking outside the box and getting creative, Dunn said. We're looking at any facility that we can make to code for a [child-development center] and get certified providers in there, we're doing those kinds of things.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Tribune News Service)  The United States Naval Academy and Stockdale Center for Ethical Leadership have brought to life stories of Vietnam prisoners of war thanks to an interactive exhibit called the POW Remembrance Challenge.

The Returned with Honor exhibit went live at the Naval Academy on Feb. 12 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of prisoners returning from the Vietnam War. It will remain open to the public through August. The combined scavenger hunt and walking tour spans the academy campus and offers insights into the service and sacrifice of the 591 American POWs who returned home from North Vietnam as part of Operation Homecoming, which began Feb. 12, 1973.

To complete the challenge there are 19 QR code locations around campus that allow audiences to engage with the history of Vietnam prisoners of war, including text and videos that tell the individual stories of the nearly 600 POWs. Each of the 19 installations takes a deep dive into the lives of some of the prisoners during the war.

What were doing ... is bringing new technologies into the teaching of a very complicated subject matter, said Michael Sears, director of leadership innovation at the Stockdale Center, which conducts research and hosts conferences on ethics in military leadership.

Leadership, ethics and character are very hard to teach, you have to experience it, said Sears, a 1958 Naval Academy graduate who served in the Marines. After his time in the corps he headed to Silicon Valley where he worked for technology companies for almost 30 years.

My team and I are bringing artificial intelligence, virtual reality, that kind of stuff into the teaching of ethics and thats how we arrived at creating this challenge, Sears said.

Notable soldiers on the tour include former midshipman and U.S. Sen. John McCain, who spent more than five years in a POW camp in North Vietnam. McCains installation is near his burial site in the academy cemetery, where he was laid to rest in 2018.

I think the McCain site over by his grave is cool because you get personal insights to him not wanting to be a political prop and choosing to stay captured with his men, Sears said. Theyre all great stories.

The ultimate goal of the exhibit is to help midshipmen and civilians alike develop a closer understanding of what POWs went through, a message that resonated with Midshipman 1st Class Krista Wheelock.

Wheelock has spent close to three hours navigating the exhibit in between her studies, taking time to read and listen to the videos.

Just before this exhibit kicked off some real POWs came to campus to speak with us, Wheelock said. We had Cmdr. [ Everett] Alverez and Adm. [ Robert] Shumaker and Capt. [ Charlie] Plum talk to us, so hearing their testimony firsthand accompanied with this great curation of facts, I think it just hit home for a lot of us who have participated.

There are perks for midshipmen who stop bya certain number of locations. Those who finish 14 of 19 unlock a 10% discount at the coffee shop. Civilians who find at least eight locations receive 20% off at the gift shop.

Wheelock has finished all 19 locations and says she enjoyed every one, but the most memorable stop was at the Vice Adm. James Bond Stockdale statue outside the Stockdale Center.

We have probably heard his name the most during our time here with his statue being up and him being in the cemetery, too, but during this challenge I learned that his wife, Sybil Stockdale, was contacted by intelligence employees to send coded messages to her husband while he was being held, Wheelock said. I never knew how much the wives were a part of the effort, so that was very cool to me.

Remembering those who serve abroad is important, Sears says, recalling how the war effort was heavily scrutinized at the time. But Sears also wants to recognize the tremendous sacrifices made by service members wives and families.

 Sybil Stockdale was raising four boys in California in 1967, when a knock came to her door and a squadron leader told her that her husband had been shot down and they didnt know where he was, Sears said. Can you imagine that? And she just jumped to handling whatever business was next. So we want to celebrate the wives and the families who endured, too.

The exhibit isnt just for midshipmen, Sears said, its for anyone who visits the Yard.

We want everyone to be a part of this and everyone gets a gift, he said.

(c)2023 The Capital (Annapolis, Md.)

Visit at www.hometownannapolis.com
Pete Buttigieg, something of a genius in academic matters, is despairingly short of that when it comes to practicality, failing miserably, for instance, as secretary of the Department of Transportation. Its almost as if his job is to sit and do little, disappear from the office a lot, get mad, entertain himself with peculiar ideas and focus on becoming president someday.

For 10 days after it happened, he didnt say anything about the wham-bang train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, even though the crash was accompanied by a raging, prolonged fire, a huge, bulging, satanic-looking, black plume cloud and something else: the release of killer chemicals from train cars to keep the cars from exploding.

In fact, all kinds of chemicals were soon here, there and everywhere and many of the towns 4,700 residents were evacuated from danger although later told by the government that they were safe. Others said the threats could last for decades. A private charity promised long-term health care monitoring, hardly the concern Buttigieg showed when he earlier said there were 1,000 other such accidents a year nationally, as if none of this was a big deal.

He did then make a visit to East Palestine after Donald Trump got there first, badmouthing him. Buttigieg quickly sought revenge, blaming Trump for all the harm because his administration abandoned an Obama-era safety measure, special train brakes. Well, first off, that measure did not apply to this specific train. Second, it was experts, not Trump, who decided the brakes were faulty. Third, if Buttigieg thought the brakes did work, he had plenty of time to put the measure back into effect. For the moment, however, he might want to worry about overheated wheel bearings, the cause of this accident.

Buttigieg now wants the whole industry to begin using safer railroad cars within two years and for Congress to mandate tougher fines for regulation violations. He has meanwhile attacked train companies for putting profit over safety and sent a really nasty letter to the company in this accident, Norfolk Southern, which has pledged on its own to clean up the city, restore businesses and help individuals.

Understand that Buttigiegs personal derailments in his job preceded this accident. For instance, he went on a two-month paternity leave during the hugely hurtful, COVID-induced, supply-side crisis. In 2022, members of his own party got on his case for doing too little to stop airline delays and cancellations and guarantee compensation to customers. When a possible railway strike threatened the nation, he went to Portugal for a vacation.

A favorite topic of chatting Republicans is how taxpayers footed the bill when this environmentalist himself allegedly disregarded federal regulations in taking expensive trips in gas-guzzling private jets. An investigation is underway.

Lately, Buttigieg has been concerned about racist roads in America that disadvantage Black people in one way or another in how and where they were built. He wants to spend billions to replace them with different roads. What this expenditure of billions of dollars would actually accomplish strikes some as a dodgy guess.

He is also bothered by whites outnumbering Blacks in public construction projects in Black neighborhoods. It might be mentioned that when he intervened in police force issues as mayor of South Bend, Ind., the number of Black police officers declined significantly.

Buttigieg is definitely a smart guy with academic awards from high school to Harvard to Oxford you wouldnt believe. He is articulate and charming. His military service was admirable and he started out reasonably well in the 2016 Democratic presidential primaries and then crashed, endorsing Joe Biden and serving on his presidential transition team. Biden, who obviously believes in him, just maybe has done America an unintended favor by putting his shortcomings on display.

Jay Ambrose is an op-ed columnist for Tribune News Service.

2023 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
Crew members of the USS Oklahoma and bombers shot down during World War II were among the seven service members recently accounted for by the Defense Department agency tasked with recovering troops listed as missing in action or prisoners or war.

Six of the identifications announced in February by the Hawaii-based Defense POW-MIA Accounting Agency were associated with WWII and one was killed in Korea, according to agency news releases.

The remains include two sailors serving on Battleship Row during Japans surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Dec. 7, 1941.

Seaman 1st Class Donald Stott, 19, and Electricians Mate 3rd Class Cecil Barncord, 24, died aboard the Oklahoma along with 427 other crew members, the agency said.

Stott, of Monticello, Iowa, was identified March 26, 2021, and Barncord, no hometown listed, on Oct. 14, 2016, DPAA announced last month.

U.S. Army Air Forces 1st Lt. George Winger, 25, was piloting a B-24 Liberator shot down over Romania on Aug. 1, 1943, the agency said. Second Lt. Pharis Weekley, 21, was navigating another B-24 also shot down over Romania that day.

Winger, no hometown listed, was identified Jan. 24 and Weekley, of Bradley Junction, Fla., on July 12, according to DPAA releases.

The Korean War soldier, Cpl. Donald Dupont, 22, no hometown listed, was reported missing in action during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, Dec. 2, 1950. His remains were accounted for on Jan. 24, the agency said.
CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea  South Koreas government is pushing forward a plan to resolve its decades-long quarrel with Japan over the compensation for forced-labor victims during World War II.

A government foundation will fund reparations for South Koreans forced into wartime labor during Japans colonial rule, rather than continuing to demand Tokyo compensate them, South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin announced at a news conference Monday.

Seoul is determined to develop Korea-Japan relations while respecting the opinions of the forced labor victims, Park said.

The government has a lot of sympathy for the forced-labor victims anguish and pain that they went through for a long time and will make the utmost effort to try to heal the pain and wounds of the aged victims and bereaved families of forced labor victims, he added.

Roughly 53,000 people in Korea were forced by Japans military to work in factories from 1910 to 1945, according to the Foundation for Victims of Forced Mobilization by Imperial Japan.

Thousands of Korean women were also forced to become sex workers for Japanese forces. Only 11 registered survivors of wartime sexual slavery were alive as of last year, according to a Hankyoreh report in May.

Mondays announcement was met with criticism from the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, one of the largest unions in the country with over 1.2 million members.

In this solution, we cant find a direct apology from the Japanese government for the forced labor issue, the union said in a statement. It stated that Japanese businesses have an obligation to compensate the victims.

The foundation will also boost awareness of the wartime atrocities through an education campaign and the creation of research projects so that people remember the suffering and pain  and pass them down to future generations, Park said.

The government hopes that Japan and South Korea are able to make efforts together to overcome the past unfortunate history and develop future-oriented relations based on reconciliation and good neighborly relations and cooperation, he added.

South Koreas Ministry of Foreign Affairs first floated the plan in January during a public forum, where it said the foundation could be funded by donations from domestic companies that benefited from a South Korea-Japan treaty that normalized relations in 1965.

Under that agreement, Japan provided South Korea with $300 million in grants and an additional $200 million in low-interest loans to address Tokyo's occupation of Seoul and wartime grievances.

Ample reparations for the wartime victims have historically divided diplomatic relations between Seoul and Tokyo. The Japanese government maintains that the wartime labor issues were settled after the 1965 treaty while several rulings from South Koreas Supreme Court deemed that Japanese firms that benefited from the laborers still needed to compensate the victims.

Since his inauguration in May, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has vowed to bridge that divide with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, particularly in the wake of a continuing threat from North Korea.

In a national address in Seoul on March 1, a holiday that honors the countrys independence movement against Japans colonial rule, Yoon described Japan as a valued ally.

Now, a century after the March 1st Independence Movement, Japan has transformed from a militaristic aggressor of the past into a partner that shares the same universal values as us, he said. Today, Korea and Japan cooperate on issues of security and economy. We also work together to cope with global challenges.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement Monday that he welcomed the historic announcements  regarding the conclusion of discussions on sensitive historical issues.

[South Korea] and Japan are two of the United States most important allies, and we are inspired by the work they have done to advance their bilateral relations, he said.

Stars and Stripes reporter Yoo Kyong Chang contributed to this report.
YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan  A move by the Defense Health Agency to ease Defense Department employees access to health care at military hospitals is encouraging but not quite enough, employee advocates said Monday.

The agency on Friday reversed itself and said DOD civilian employees in the Indo-Pacific region may seek treatment again at base hospitals for chronic health conditions like diabetes or high-blood pressure. But they may only schedule appointments on a space-available basis, according to a DHA memo to Indo-Pacific region director Army Maj. Gen. Joseph Heck.

DHA, under a congressional mandate, on Jan. 1 limited chronic care at base hospitals to only beneficiaries under Tricare Prime, the militarys top-tier medical plan, which includes active-duty service members, their families and eligible retirees. DOD civilian workers, including agency employees, contractors, schoolteachers, analysts and others, were limited to space-available appointments only for sudden onset, or acute ailments.

Space-available appointments for DOD civilians are typically few in number, advertised on short notice and booked quickly. The Friday memo instructs military hospitals to use standard processes to find room on their schedules to treat the greatest number of patients within their capabilities.

Rescinding the ban on chronic care was an immediate gift to everyone who struggled to find routine health care, renew prescriptions and find referrals, Randi Wilson, a health care advocate said Monday. But it didnt fix everything, she said by Facebook Messenger.

What it does not fix is our access to emergency services, which has claimed several lives and makes parents afraid for their children, she said. It also doesnt address the fact that our [medical treatment facilities] were already under-resourced and not able to meet active-duty service members' needs.

Military hospitals exist to provide health care for Tricare beneficiaries and maintain medical readiness of the force, according to the DHA memo. But it also said DOD civilian employees and contractors are critical to our mission success.

At least one U.S. base in Japan, Camp Zama, on Monday began making space-available appointments for DOD civilians acute and non-acute medical needs, according to a post on the official Facebook page for the Army Medical Department in Japan. Camp Zama, southwest of Tokyo, is the headquarters of U.S. Army Japan.

Naval Hospital Yokosuka was studying the memo before making changes, according to hospital spokesman Gabriel Archer, who said he could speak only to the policy itself.

Its in the decision and planning stages, he said by phone Monday. Our priorities are still active duty and their family members.

Japan Civilian Medical Advocacy, a Facebook group that pressured DHA to reverse the restrictions, spread word of the change over the weekend. Group members expressed cautious optimism.

Yes, we celebrate a victory, but there is clearly more to be done, said Em Powers Hunter, a group member, in a comment posted Sunday on the groups page.

Wilson, a DOD analyst at Yokota who created the online forum, said the change is a win, but she worries it may be suddenly reversed.

The current situation mirrors another in 2017, when Naval Hospital Yokosuka and other military medical facilities in the region limited DOD civilians to same-day, space-available appointments.

The change is a move in the right direction, Amber Malone, a DOD schoolteacher at Yokosuka who established the civilian medical forum there, said Monday by Facebook Messenger.

But, she said, the group will continue to push for more personnel and funding for military medical treatment facilities and better access to emergency care for all members of the community.

The DHA response to civilian complaints about health care didnt come fast enough for some, according to group member Alexandra Cummings, the spouse of a DOD contractor.

Sadly, many impacted personnel have already made the choice to leave. They're injured, had their chronic conditions destabilized, are finishing the school year and are in the final stages of securing other jobs and moving back, she said Monday by Facebook Messenger. We will lose more people, including talented health care providers before things stabilize.
YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan  The guided-missile destroyer USS John Finn steamed through Tokyo Bay and anchored at its new homeport Saturday, where its scheduled to replace a cruiser slated for decommissioning.

The ship departed its former homeport, Naval Base San Diego, on Feb. 16 and made the approximately two-week journey across the Pacific before arriving at the home of the 7th Fleet, where it joined Destroyer Squadron 15 and Task Force 71, 7th Fleet announced in a Saturday news release.

USS John Finn is another fantastic addition to our team here in Japan, said Capt. Walter Mainor, commander of Task Force 71, in the news release. The dedicated crew will be a key part of our mission to work with our Allies and partners, and ensure we remain committed to maritime security in the region and uphold the promise of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

The John Finn will ultimately replace the guided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh, which is due to be decommissioned at Naval Base Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Task Force 71 spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Joe Keiley told Stars and Stripes by email Monday. Keiley declined to comment on the timeline for the Shilohs retirement due to operational security.

A Flight IIA variant of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers equipped with Aegis missile defense systems; the John Finn is the sixth destroyer in 7th Fleet capable of accommodating two MH-60 Seahawk helicopters via an onboard hangar.

The forward presence of John Finn enhances the national security of the United States and improves its ability to protect strategic interests, Keiley said in the email.

The addition of another Flight IIA destroyer falls in line with the Defense Departments policy to place the most capable units forward in the Indo-Pacific Region, he said.

The John Finn made history as the first Navy warship to shoot down an intercontinental ballistic missile with an SM-3 Block IIA interceptor missile during a November 2020 test.

It previously visited the Indo-Pacific during its maiden deployment in 2021, but Keiley could not confirm if it had stopped in Yokosuka. During that tour, the John Finn transited the Taiwan Strait.

The ship, first launched in 2017, is named after Lt. John William Finn, who was the first Navy sailor to earn the Medal of Honor during World War II, according to the Navy Department of Library.

Present during the Japanese attack on Hawaii, Finn earned the award after he manned a machine gun in an exposed section of a runway of the Naval Air Station at Kaneohe Bay and continued to return fire at attacking aircraft, even while being wounded multiple times, according to the Navy.
(Tribune News Service)  South Korean and American officials are expecting North Korea to continue missile launches  and potentially a seventh nuclear test  amid a tense regional standoff.

In late February, Kim Yo Jong, the prominent sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said North Korea would turn the Pacific Ocean into a "firing range" in response to joint naval exercises among South Korea, the U.S. and Japan off the Korean Peninsula.

The threat comes after a historic year of missile tests. In 2022, North Korea launched 95 ballistic and other missiles  more than any previous year  even as it faces harsh sanctions.

Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan Leaf, who formerly served as deputy commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific and lives in Honolulu, said tensions on the Korean Peninsula are "a case that's far more likely to lead to conflict than U.S.-Russia or U.S.-China, certainly in the short term," and that "the fact that we're putting much more time and certainly money into the China case and the Russia-Ukraine case tells us that there's very little appreciation for how genuinely serious this threat is."

On Feb. 18 North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile  or ICBM  that traveled 615 miles at a "lofted angle" before plunging into the sea just west of Japan. In response, South Korea, the U.S. and Japan held joint naval exercises in the area using ships with anti-missile systems. Once they left, North Korea fired two more ICBMs on Feb. 20, and four days later fired four strategic cruise missiles off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula.

Moon Chung-in, who served as an adviser to former South Korean President Moon Jae-in and has participated in talks with North Korean officials, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that he thinks Pyongyang is "very likely to undertake a nuclear test unless there is a major breakthrough for dialogue and negotiation."

North Korea detonated its first nuclear warhead in 2006 and has conducted six tests, most recently in 2017. Throughout much of 2022 there was widespread discussion among policymakers and analysts on when North Korea would conduct its seventh nuclear test, with broad consensus that it would happen sometime before the end of the year. It never came.

But even without a nuclear test, the North's arsenal and capabilities have continued to expand.

"The North needs to undertake the nuclear test either to operationalize the use of its tactical nuclear weapons or to enhance its ICBM/strategic warhead capabilities," Moon said. "I personally believe that Pyongyang is most likely to test tactical nuclear weapons rather than strategic nuclear warheads for ICBM because the former is relatively easy and less threatening to the U.S."

In Hawaii, missile defense has been a hot-button issue since 2018 when a false missile alert amid heightened tension between U.S. and North Korean leaders terrified Hawaii residents. After a North Korean ballistic missile test on Oct. 3 flew an estimated 2,850 miles  soaring over Japan before landing in the Pacific Ocean  the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency tweeted that authorities in Japan alerted the public and advised they take shelter. At this time NO threat to Hawaii is anticipated.

Moon said North Korea has developed short-range ballistic missiles aimed at South Korea, midrange ballistic missiles at Japan, intermediate-range ballistic missiles aimed at Guam and ICBMs for the U.S. mainland. But he added that when it comes to ICBMs, "the North has not fully shown its mastery of re-entry, accuracy, and stability  thus, I personally believe that Pyongyang cannot pose any immediate threats to the U.S., including Hawaii."

However, South Korean intelligence officials think the North could be planning to test-fire ICBMS on a lower, longer trajectory.

"ICBMs have not been launched at a normal angle so far, but North Korea has all the capabilities and seems to be preparing a timeline to boost the pressure effect on the United States," Yoo Sang-bum, a member of the South Korean parliamentary intelligence committee, told reporters in February after a briefing with South Korea's National Intelligence Service.

Diplomats, analysts and policymakers often struggle to read the North Korean government, which tightly controls the flow of information into and out of one the world's most isolated countries.

Kim Yo Jong has become a source of fascination among academics and journalists. She has become an increasingly visible figure, and there has been speculation that she might wield considerable power in her brother's government. But Moon said while she plays an important role in the regime's messaging, he doesn't think that she actually plays a significant role in policymaking.

"She is now playing the role of mouthpiece of North Korean leadership," said Moon. "She belongs to the Baekdu bloodline, and, thus, she personifies Kim Jong Un. Her remarks carry the weight of Kim Jong Un, but she is not Kim Jong Un.  I think an analogy of 'good cop and bad cop' can be applied here. Kim Jong Un is a good cop, whereas Kim Yo Jong is portrayed as a hardline bad cop."

Leaf said North Korea analysis is often treated "like debate society or a board game, and they speculate  and even wager  on will the country collapse, will the North pop out a new nuclear weapon, will they show a new missile at parades.  Whatever we've been doing, and especially this speculating about missile tests, is part of focusing on the wrong things."

Leaf notes that the Korean War, which began in 1951 when Soviet-backed North Korea invaded the American-backed South, never officially ended. The bloody war ultimately drew in the Chinese military and killed nearly 5 million people before an armistice agreement brought an end to the fighting, but no formal peace agreement has ever been signed. An enduring standoff  punctuated occasionally by violent skirmishes  has persisted ever since.

"It sounds silly, but we haven't talked with the North Koreans about the war," said Leaf. "They're kind of still pissed about the fact that we destroyed 80% of the structures in their country during the stalemate bombing from '51 to '53. I think that's understandable. And we're kind of pissed off about the atrocities and all the provocations and everything else since  also understandable  (but) we won't get past it if we don't begin a formal process of reconciliation."

North Korea has pursued its nuclear program in spite of international sanctions by the United Nations. Almost all trade with North Korea is illegal until Pyongyang agrees to stop tests and give up its nuclear ambitions. Reports have emerged of severe food shortages in the country, and North Korean state media recently reported that Kim Jong Un had vowed to increase grain production.

Those in favor of sanctions argue that while they contribute to the suffering of everyday North Korean citizens, they're necessary to force Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear ambitions. But North Korean hackers have managed to steal funds from countries around the world, and the North Korean government has gotten involved in counterfeiting and other black-market enterprises to keep money flowing to Pyongyang's missile program.

"If sanctions were working, they wouldn't be able to expend so much on so many missiles," said Leaf. "That's kind of simple math."

Moon said he thinks North Korean officials are telling the truth when they say launches are a response to American military maneuvers in the Korean Peninsula and argued that "if the U.S. scales down its joint military exercises and training with the ROK forces as well as refrains from deploying its strategic weapons over the Korean Peninsula, there is a good chance that Pyongyang will respond by showing a self-restraining behavior in its military posture and that even it might return to dialogue with the U.S.  Positive reinforcement, rather than negative reinforcement, has always proven to be very effective in dealing with North Korea."

Leaf said the North Korean regime has been a difficult government to work with  it has a history of violating agreements and continues to have one of the worst human rights records of any country. But he argued that policymakers need to emphasize diplomacy and dialogue regardless.

"I've got experience  direct experience  in wars. You have to be aggressive to win," said Leaf. "You got to be even more aggressive to make peace. That may sound contradictory, but we have to make peace a priority.  I don't mean a peaceful situation; I'm saying a formal state of not being at war, an end-of-war agreement. And I don't care how bitter that tastes or how difficult the negotiations are. It has to be done or we're not getting anywhere substantive."

(c)2023 The Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Visit The Honolulu Star-Advertiser at www.staradvertiser.com

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(Tribune News Service)  The rhetoric of Chinas ownership of American farmland does not reflect reality.

China owns less than 1 percent of all foreign-owned land in the United States and, according to an Auburn University associate professor studying the issue, does not own any land in Alabama. And in 2021, 17 countries owned more land in the U.S. than China, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

However, Alabama Sens. Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt recently have amplified their concerns over China owning American land. Tuberville last year co-sponsored a bill prohibiting China from purchasing U.S. land.

I believe that one acre of American farmland owned by the Chinese Communist Party is one acre too many, Britt said at a Senate committee hearing last month.

Experts say, though, that Chinas influence in land ownership is nominal while acknowledging it has increased over the past decade.

That whole thing frightens people, so I dont want to diminish peoples concerns, said Rick Pate, Alabama commissioner of agriculture and industries. Like I told you, I dont think its much of a problem  especially not in Alabama but even nationwide as far as Chinas investment. But we need to probably have a national policy before it is a problem.

Tubervilles office, citing USDA data, said Chinas increase in agricultural land holdings has grown from almost 14,000 acres in 2010 to more than 352,000 acres in 2020. Despite that increase, its still only 0.88 percent of the 40 million acres owned by foreign countries at the end of 2021.

Canada accounts for the most foreign-owned land in the U.S. at 31 percent, followed by the Netherlands at 12 percent. In both Alabama and Florida, 6.3 percent of its agricultural land is held by foreign interests  only Maine, Hawaii and Washington have higher percentages. The Netherlands far outdistances other countries in owning 836,642 acres in Alabama, followed by Canada, United Kingdom and Germany.

Of that foreign owned agricultural land in Alabama, 97 percent of the land is forest, according to the USDA. In forestry acres, its more than 1.78 million. For perspective, Alabama has about 23 million acres of forest, according to the state forestry commission. Only 1.1 percent of foreign owned land in Alabama is categorized as crop land.

Nationally, the USDA said 47 percent of foreign-owned land is forests and cropland is next at 29 percent.

Tuberville continues to support blocking any members of the Chinese communist party from owning land in the U.S. And in January, Tuberville introduced the Foreign Adversary Risk Management Act that would assign the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States  a move seen as a measure of protecting Americas farmland from being overtaken by foreign countries. But the target, Tuberville made clear, is China.

Over the past few years, weve seen an alarming increase in foreign purchases of farmland and food companies, particularly by China, Tuberville said in a statement accompanying the announcement of the bill. Britt is one of 10 Republican co-sponsors in the Senate. The proposed legislation has co-sponsors in the House of Representatives from both Democrats and Republicans, including Alabama Congressmen Jerry Carl and Barry Moore.

Both Tuberville and Britt have said they consider China to be the nations most significant foreign adversary. But any imminent threat by China in American agriculture is not born out by the data, said Mykel Taylor, associate professor and ALFA eminent scholar in the College of Agriculture at Auburn University.

Taylor said she and a colleague from Cornell University have been researching and studying foreign ownership of land and land markets in the United States. They had the 2021 USDA report on foreign land holdings but as detailed as that information is, there were questions it didnt answer. For example, the report breaks down land ownership by the countries who own the most land across the country by state. Those countries are Canada, the Netherlands, Italy, United Kingdom and Germany.

All other countries who own land in a state are categorized as all others. In Alabama, that accounts for about one-third of all land owned by foreign countries.

Through a Freedom of Information Act request, Taylor said the researchers obtained a breakdown of land ownership in the all others category. In Alabama, China was not listed as a landowner, she said.

In a worldwide economy, however, foreign land ownership should perhaps not necessarily be a red flag transaction. The impact of foreign companies owning land and operating in Alabama cannot be overstated given that transportation equipment was the states top export in 2022. That includes motor vehicles and parts, aerospace products and parts and ships, among other things, according to a January announcement by Gov. Kay Ivey.

Alabama could have its own chapter of the United Nations with automakers Mercedes (German-owned), Honda ( Japan-owned), Hyundai ( South Korea-owned) and Mazda Toyota ( Japan-owned). The Toyota motor plant in Huntsville  separate from Mazda Toyota  has the capacity to produce 900,000 engines per year. And Airbus in Mobile is co-owned by German-French-Spanish European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company with Great Britains BAE Systems holding a minority ownership share.

We cant diminish the investments that Mercedes and Hyundai and those companies have made not just in autos but in shipbuilding and, in Mobile, airplanes, said Pate, the Alabama agriculture commissioner. So, wheres that right balance? I think we can certainly draw up a list of countries we need to be concerned about and some others maybe not as much. And that would be reasonable.

We dont want to suspend foreign investment in Alabama.

Taylor pointed to Chinas purchase of Smithfield Foods in North Carolina in 2013, a $7 billion deal that received approval from the same committee (CFIUS) to which Tuberville is seeking to have the U.S. agriculture secretary appointed.

The purchase was approved and it went through and it hasnt necessarily caused any harm that we know of, Taylor said.

More recently, though, a Chinese company last year purchased about 300 acres in North Dakota to start a corn milling plant that will create about 200 jobs. That land, though, is about 20 miles from Grand Forks Air Force Base  creating the obvious concern of having a company from the country both Tuberville and Britt say is the Americas most formidable foreign enemy on the doorstep of a military base.

That might be a different situation, Taylor said. That might be one that requires a little bit different look.

The specific concern most often raised by both Tuberville and Britt is the effect China could have on Americas ability to feed itself. Britt last month was raising money off the issue, sending a fundraising email to supporters that states, The Chinese Communist Party is buying up American farmland and trying to control our food supply.

At the Senate committee hearing last month, Britt said, Food security is national security.

Pate, though, had a different perspective on the countrys food security.

Honestly, I thought one of the good things that came out COVID was it actually showed how well our food supply system worked, he said. Everything else  whether it was Q-tips or computer chips  we had problems getting out of China because of supply-side issues or production issues. But I was pretty proud. I thought in Alabama and across the nation, we did a dang good job of feeding ourselves through it.

Taylor also said she had little concern about Americas food security while acknowledging the future is an unknown.

I am not as concerned about it because of the percentage of land owned by foreign entities is so small, she said.

And while noting that China is seen as a present-day security threat, Taylor said foreign enemies are often cyclical, she said. She told of presenting some of her research data to agricultural economists and one remarked that he was old enough to remember when Japan was the enemy.

I think sometimes we dont fully appreciate that these things have come and gone before, Taylor said. And I dont want to be dismissive of whats going on right now because I think that theres enough going on on the national stage that its getting peoples attention. I just want to see them be as informed as possible. So that people dont think that Chinas buying all of our farmland because thats not been the case up until this point.

2023 Advance Local Media LLC.

Visit al.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
James McCullough (23) is accused of threatening to stick a knife in a mother-of-three before smashing her car with a hammer

A man threatened to stick a knife in a mother-of-three, before smashing her car windscreen with a hammer while one of her young children was still inside, it is alleged.

James McCullough (23) is accused of attacking the womans car after making the threat in an incident outside her south Dublin home.

Dublin District Court heard the alleged victim was related to a woman the accused had a relationship with.

The case was adjourned for the accused to decide how he intends to plead.

Mr McCullough, of Belclare Green, Poppintree, Ballymun, is charged with having a hammer in the course of a dispute.

He is also charged with causing criminal damage to the windscreen of the womans black Audi, and threatening to kill her or cause her serious harm, intending her to believe it would be carried out.

The offences are alleged to have happened an address in Ringsend on January 18 this year.

Garda Sergeant Michelle Lynch said the DPP consented to the case being heard in the district court subject to jurisdiction being accepted by the judge.

She gave an outline of the prosecutions case so the judge could consider the issue.

The court heard on the day in question the alleged victim returned home in her car with her three children at 4.25pm

It was alleged she was approached by the accused who verbally abused her and threatened: I will stick a knife in you next.

It was alleged he then took out a hammer from his work bag and used it to hit the windscreen of the womans car.

One of the children was still in the rear of the vehicle at the time, it was alleged.

The court heard the parties were known to each other.

The cost of the damage to the car was 500, the court heard.

Judge Smyth accepted jurisdiction, allowing the case to remain in the district court instead of being sent forward to the circuit court.

The accused, who has not yet entered pleas to the charges, was not present in court for the jurisdiction hearing but was legally represented.

A written summary of the states case was given to his lawyer and Judge Smyth ordered disclosure of further prosecution evidence.

He remanded the accused on continuing bail in his absence.

The charges against the accused are under the Firearms and Offensive Weapons, Non Fatal Offences Against the Person and Criminal Damage Acts.
Smiths lawyers told the appeal court in October that she was at the lowest level of the terrorist organisation and her sentence of 15 months was excessive.

The Court of Appeal will deliver its judgment this week on an appeal brought by former soldier Lisa Smith against her 15-month conviction for membership of Isis.

Smiths lawyers told the appeal court in October that she was at the lowest level of the terrorist organisation and her sentence of 15 months was excessive.

Michael O'Higgins SC told the court that his client went to Isis-controlled Syria where she got married and kept house only.

He said she did not contribute to any state-building exercise and did no positive act in favour of Isis.

However, Sean Gillane SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, said Smith knew of Isis bloodlust and discusses the terrorist groups atrocities in online conversations with jihadis.

He added: The very essence of the terror was known to her, discussed by her and in some situations explicitly approbated by her.

Smith became the first person to be convicted in an Irish court of an Islamic terrorist offence committed abroad last year when the three-judge, non-jury Special Criminal Court found that she joined Isis when she travelled to Syria in 2015.

The 40-year-old from Dundalk in Co Louth had pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful terrorist group, Islamic State, between October 2015 and December 2019.

Sentencing her to 15 months in prison, Mr Justice Tony Hunt said that Smith went to Syria with her eyes wide open and was aware of Isis activity.

He noted that while Smith is a low risk for re-offending, she was persistent and determined in her efforts to travel to Syria and join Isis and did not show any remorse for her actions.

However, he said it was serious for an Irish citizen to take up allegiance with a terrorist organisation and persist with it.

He added that she may have been easily led by circumstances and other people", but she had also shown resilience and determination to join and remain with Isis "to the bitter end".

The Court of Appeals will give its decision on Wednesday.
Gardai observed damage to the gym and saw equipment had been removed. When they checked the CCTV system, all but one of the hard drives had been removed.

A man with over 200 previous convictions who stole an exercise bike from a gym during the first Covid-19 lockdown has been handed a fully suspended prison sentence.

Paul Meehan (47) of Middle Abbey Street, Dublin 1, pleaded guilty to burglary at Fit4Less, Bargaintown, North Road, Finglas on May 2, 2020.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Monday that a woman was walking past the gym at 9.30pm on May 5, 2020 when she spotted a male walking in the car park. A few minutes later, she saw the man manoeuvring an exercise bike from the gym. She later gave a detailed description of the man to gardai.

The woman was aware the gym was closed due to the Covid-19 lockdown as she was a member of the gym. She contacted a staff member, who confirmed the gym was closed. Gardai were called and they attended the gym.

They observed damage to the gym and saw equipment had been removed. When they checked the CCTV system, all but one of the hard drives had been removed.

When this hard drive was checked, gardai found footage of Meehan, who entered the building as the front door was open, then cut the CCTV.

Meehan was arrested in the early hours of May 6, 2020 and was initially deemed unfit for interview. He was interviewed twice, and made no comment except to identify himself on CCTV during the second interview.

The exercise bike was not recovered. Meehan has 204 previous convictions, including over 20 for burglary.

The investigating garda agreed with Nicola Cox BL, defending, that it seems that the owner of the property was not keeping a close eye on the premises at that time and other people were in the property, including some living there.

The garda accepted that Meehan's detention was suspended following a review by a doctor. The court heard Meehan served a prison sentence in relation to a burglary at a hospital, which occurred a few days after this incident.

A medical report was handed into the court. Ms Cox said her client experienced homelessness, has a diagnosis of bipolar disorder and required inpatient treatment. She said a probation report states Meehan has engaged with mental health services, is taking medication and doing well.

Judge Martin Nolan said Meehan had served a two-and-a-half year sentence in relation to the burglary at the hospital and it was unlikely his stay in prison would have been extended if both incidents had been dealt with at the same time.

Judge Nolan noted Meehan's long history of offending, but said he now seems to be doing well.

He said it would be unfair to imprison Meehan and handed him a 16-month prison sentence, suspended on strict conditions including that he place himself under the supervision of the Probation Service.
The judge told cops objecting to her bail application, You let her go before and she came back, so really, you cannot object now

A jet-setting pensioner accused of diamond smuggling and selling fake designer goods worth more than 130,000 has been granted bail for a sun-soaked holiday in the Canary Islands.

Anne Rosaleen Darcy (66), who admits going on regular jaunts to Dubai, is said to have been found in possession of 80,000 worth of diamonds and nearly 500 fake designer items during a police raid last September.

The accused, of Windsor Bank in Newry, faces a string of charges, including fraud, selling counterfeit goods and possessing criminal property.

Police told previous court hearings they believe the secretary, who works for a commercial vehicle dealer in Newry, had been involved in smuggling and selling counterfeit items and diamonds for more than 16 years.

During a contested bail hearing at Newry Magistrates Court, she was granted a variation so she could go on holiday with her husband to Gran Canaria next week.

Darcys solicitor told Deputy District Judge Chris Holmes her partner bought her the trip to Gran Canaria as a Christmas present, adding despite fresh objections the police had let her go on holiday previously and she came back.

The judge told cops objecting to her bail application, You let her go before and she came back, so really, you cannot object now, before altering her bail conditions and allowing her to travel to Gran Canaria for a week from March 13.

Darcy answers the door to our reporter

Following the hearing, Sunday Life approached Darcy at her Newry home, but she declined to discuss the charges against her.

She faces five charges in total, including fraud by false representation, possessing items in breach of registered trademarks, possessing articles in connection with a fraud or cheat, selling suspect counterfeit goods and possessing criminal property.

Newry Magistrates Court heard the charges arose from a police raid on her home on September 1 last year during which cops seized 245 fake designer handbags.

Darcy admitted making 200 to 250 on each bag, the court heard, with the minimum profit reaching up to 49,000 for that seizure alone.

The charges allege that she possessed and sold various suspected counterfeit items... to make a gain for yourself or another or to cause loss to various fashion houses.

According to a statement from the PSNIs Organised Crime Unit, the charges followed a search where nearly 500 items of suspected counterfeit designer goods and a BMW car were seized.

An earlier court hearing was told how cops discovered a room stuffed with suspected counterfeit handbags, belts, shoes and purses.

Officers also said they uncovered 80,000 worth of diamonds wrapped in paper, as well as a diamond grading report from a business in Dubai dated January 1, 2011. Police said Darcy made full admissions, admitting she had been travelling back and forth to Dubai and confirming the items in her house were fake.

Since her initial interview, the court heard police had further questioned her for offences including money laundering, tax evasion and VAT fraud, as well as having restrained a couple of bank accounts.

No pleas have been entered. The case continues.
Glen Keegan (41), Karl Keegan (31) and Thomas McAllister (48) each pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of assault causing harm

Three men have received suspended sentences for their role in an attack on the adult occupants of a car while children were present on a busy Dublin Road.

Glen Keegan (41), Karl Keegan (31) and Thomas McAllister (48) each pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of assault causing harm at Killinarden Heights, Tallaght to two men on April 25, 2017.

The three men were not directly involved in an ongoing dispute between two particular families, but agreed to take part in this incident, during which children were present. Two motorists vehicles were damaged in the incident as the men reversed their car in a bid to escape the attack.

Karl Keegan (31), Kilcarrig Crescent, Fettercairn, Tallaght, Dublin 24, leaving Dublin Circuit Criminal Court Photo: Collins Courts

Passing sentence today, Judge Pauline Codd acknowledged that the original dispute had settled down and that the occupants in the car had not engaged with the investigation.

She also acknowledged that the mother of the children had expressed the familys forgiveness and said she does not want to see the three men in prison.

The judge said it was no doubt a highly barbaric attack and the three men had no regard for people in the vicinity or their property. She noted the use of balaclavas and weapons during the attack and said it would have been frightening experience for members of the public who witnessed it.

Judge Codd sentenced both Karl Keegan and McAllister to four years in prison which she suspended in full on strict conditions, while Glen Keegan got a three and half year suspended term.

She noted that both Karl Keegan and McAllister were on bail at the time of the offence and acknowledged that all three had "made considerable progress in terms of self-rehabilitation and not come to garda attention since.

The court heard that the men had 6,000 in court as a token of their remorse.

Glen Keegan (41) leaving Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Photo: Collins Courts

Garda Detective David Jennings told John Berry BL, prosecuting, that gardai were called following reports of a violent incident on a busy road between the Killinarden and Knockmore estates in Tallaght at around 9am on the day in question.

A taxi driver told gardai that he saw a maroon car coming up on the wrong side of the road behind him. The maroon car then crashed into an orange car, that was one vehicle in front of the taxi. Three people wearing balaclavas got out of the maroon car carrying implements and began to strike the orange car, which contained two children.

The orange car attempted to drive away, but there was heavy traffic. It then reversed into the vehicle behind it with such force that this other car was pushed into the taxi.

The men continued their attack on the orange car, which drove to a nearby green area. The two adult occupants of the orange car left the vehicle, while two children remained inside. The adults were followed by their assailants. The maroon car also drove to the green area, then the driver also got out.

There was an altercation, then the four occupants of the maroon car got back into the vehicle and left the scene.

When gardai arrived, the two victims were still in the area, but refused to engage with them. The two men were observed to have superficial cuts to their faces and arms and an ambulance was called. Gardai made arrangements for the two children to be taken home.

The maroon car was later found in a nearby estate. An attempt had been made to set it on fire. Some weapons were found in the boot of the partially-burnt car.

Glen Keegan, of Russell Lane, Jobstown, and McAllister with an address in Rhode, Co. Offaly were arrested by gardai nearby and their clothing seized on drugs search charges. They were re-arrested in relation to this incident at a later stage.

DNA from their victims were found on various items sent for analysis.

Thomas McAllister

Karl Keegan, of Kilcarrig Crescent, Fettercairn, Tallaght, was identified as a suspect by gardai using CCTV from the area. His DNA was found on a balaclava recovered from the maroon car.

Det Jennings said gardai did not identify the fourth man in the maroon car and could not say who had been the driver.

When interviewed by gardai, the three men maintained their right to silence.

No victim impact statements were made.

Karl Keegan has 35 previous convictions including seven public order offences, nine road traffic offences and eight for theft. He was on bail at the time of this incident.

McAllister has 15 previous convictions including five for possession of drugs for sale and supply and nine road traffic offences. He was also on bail at the time of this offence.

Glen Keegan has 28 previous convictions including three for assault and 13 for road traffic offences.

Det Jennings agreed with defence counsel for the three men that they had been courteous in their dealings with gardai. He accepted that their guilty pleas were valuable to the prosecution.

The investigating garda agreed with Sarah Jane O'Callaghan BL, defending McAllister, that her client's previous drugs convictions related to one incident and occurred because he was helping his brother with a drugs debt.

Her client spent six months in hospital following an incident in the weeks after this offence, which was not reported to gardai.

Ms O'Callaghan said her client had brought 4,000 to court as an expression of remorse to convey his utter disgust at his involvement.

Det Jennings agreed with Shaun Smyth BL, defending Glen Keegan, that his client is known to gardai in Tallaght, but has not come to any recent attention.

Most of his client's convictions relate to his addiction issues. His client had been persuaded to take part in this attack at a late stage, though he was not involved in the underlying dispute, the court heard.

The investigating garda agreed with Seoirse O Dunlaing BL, defending Karl Keegan, that his client had become involved in a pathetic dispute which spiralled out of control.

He also agreed that Karl Keegan's upbringing was chaotic following the death of his parents and he lived with family members, who had their own addiction issues.

Testimonials and letters from family were handed into the court on behalf of the three men.

Defence counsel for the three men outlined mitigating factors. They also said that all three men had willingly become involved in this dispute and they should not have done this. Family members were also in court to support them.

The court heard that the dispute between two families allegedly related to a small amount of cannabis herb, but tensions settled down after this event.
Darragh Farley (20) met the culprit through a friend, did not know about the scam and genuinely believed he was helping him

A young man let a fraudster use his Revolut account to transfer the proceeds of an online iPad-for-sale scam.

Darragh Farley (20) was arrested for money laundering after 400 was transferred into his account from the fraudulent sale on a fake Facebook page.

Farley met the culprit through a friend, did not know about the scam and genuinely believed he was helping him, his defence said.

He was spared a criminal conviction after paying the money back to the victim. Farley, from Clonshaugh Heights, Dublin 17 pleaded guilty to possessing the proceeds of crime.

Judge Bryan Smyth applied the Probation Act.

Dublin District Court heard that in October 2021, the victim tried to buy an iPad advertised on Facebook and sent 400 to a Revolut account but did not hear back and realised the advert was fake.

The account was Farleys and when questioned, he told gardai he had let a friend use it but did not contribute to the fake Facebook page. He told gardai he had no idea the third party had any criminal intent.

Through a childhood friend, he met a man who said he was over from England and had no bank account. This man said his father wanted to send him some money from the UK and Farley agreed to hold the money in his account for him.

He made no financial gain from it. The third party was now outside the jurisdiction and investigations were ongoing, a garda told the court.

Farley had no previous convictions.
Judge Alistair Devlin recommended that once freed, 33-year-old Kamil Balicki be deported back to his native Poland

A dark web drug dealer who tried to hide his illicit and illegal operation by getting customers to pay in Bitcoin was handed a 42 month sentence this week.

In addition to the sentence with half to be served in jail and half on licence, Judge Alistair Devlin recommended that once freed, 33-year-old Kamil Balicki be deported back to his native Poland.

Balicki, appearing at court by videolink from Maghaberry prison but with an address at Carndale Meadows in Ballymena in Antrim, had earlier entered guilty pleas to four drug offences including two counts each of supplying class A and B drugs between 19 May 2020 and 17 January last year and one of having 3,296 of criminal property.

That cash, along with heroin, cannabis and amphetamine, was seized by police when they raided Balickis home on 17 January last year.

Prosecuting counsel Michael Chambers outlined how that search was triggered by the PSNI cyber crime team after their officers identified that cocaine and heroin were being offered for sale for 40 per gram on the dark web by an individual using the moniker: dreamliner777.

Presented itself as an online shop selling cocaine and heroin, Mr Chambers said the site came complete with pictures of the goods and even had space for reviews from satisfied customers.

During the resulting search, cops also seized 42.43 grams of class A heroin worth between 1,600 and 5,000, 19.79 grams of amphetamine, a class B drug also known as speed which was worth about 200 and 32 grams of herbal cannabis, also a class B drug, which had an approximate street value of 310.

Officers also uncovered heat seal bags, deal bags, scales, postal envelopes and stamps and a bucket which tested positive for cocaine and had been used to cut and mix drugs.

A laptop and mobile phone were examined and it was evidence retrieved on those which established that Balicki had been involved in the sale and supply of four different types of drugs.

Sales through the Dreamliner website were posted to customers and payment was made to the defendant in Bitcoins, said Mr Chambers, adding that police enquiries with the defendants bank account revealed that he purchased 10,000 of crypto currency between March and July 2021 and that over 90,000 of transactions passed through his Bitcoin wallet.

Prosecuting counsel submitted there were numerous aggravating features to the case including the fact that Balicki was selling different types of drugs, the length of time his dark web business was operating and his efforts to conceal proceeds by use of dark web/Bitcoin.

Jailing Balicki and ordering him to serve half his sentence in jail and half on licence, Judge Devlin said while the dealer was due credit for pleading guilty, that had to seen in the context of an overwhelming prosecution case where he was effectively caught red handed running a commercial operation in the sale and supply of a menu of illegal drugs, particularly heroin which is a highly addictive and particularly pernicious drug.
Its pocket change given the value of the contracts Ashton Dog Pound had on its books. Its not a proper punishment in my book

The whistleblower who alerted gardai to the illegal use of a euthanasia drug on dogs at Ashton Dog Pound has said he is disgusted its owner was fined just 30,000, out of a possible 500,000 fine, when he appeared in court this week.

But, said Conor Williamson, the prosecution of David Stone in the Circuit Criminal Court has again shown he was vindicated in blowing the whistle on the illegal use of Pentobarbital on animals in the Dublin pound.

The fine was given to Stone  whose contract with Dublin City Council alone was worth 277,000  after the court heard how two dogs died after staff administered the drug  which was commonly administered orally to animals by putting it in their food.

The maximum penalty for the offences was a three-year prison term and 500,000 fine.

Ashton Dog Pound

As regards the fine handed down this week, 30,000, Im absolutely disgusted by it, Conor told the Sunday World.

Its pocket change given the value of the contracts Ashton Dog Pound had on its books. Its not a proper punishment in my book.

In October of last year, Conor was awarded 18,000 by the Workplace Relations Commission after it found he was penalised in his employment at Ashton Dog Pound after he reported animal welfare and veterinary pharmaceutical offences.

The award is being appealed by Ashton Dog Pound.

My primary concern was always the welfare of the animals, said Conor. At the end of the day, it was the right thing to do, even though I suffered greatly for coming forward.

At Stones sentencing hearing, Garda Eine McQuillan said gardai were contacted by a dog warden at the pound over the weekend of July 24, 2020, to alert them to the fact that two dogs, a Bichon Frise and an Akita, had been administered the euthanasia drug  Pentobarbital  and the dogs had not been visited by a vet.

The dog warden was concerned for the animals as they were in a bad state. The gardai called to the pound and Stone was there when they arrived. By that point, one of the dogs had died and the second dog was very unwell.

The gardai took this animal to the UCD veterinary clinical where it was put down in a more humane way, the court heard.

Gda McQuillan said that on arrival at the pound, gardai found the drug in an unlocked box.

She said there was a full bottle of the drug and a small amount in a second bottle, totalling over 350ml.

David Stone the owner of the Ashton Dog Pound

The garda said 5ml of the drug was enough to kill a dog and if a small amount of the drug came into contact with human skin it could be fatal.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that David Stone, aged 65, had been running Ashton Dog Pound in Dublin since 1996 and had contracts with local councils including Dublin City, Fingal, South Dublin and Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown county councils.

Stone pleaded guilty to using a premises for supply of an animal remedy contrary to various European regulations, possession of an animal remedy designated veterinary practitioner only and causing or permitting the administration of an animal remedy contrary to the same regulations on 24 July 2020.

Various statements were taken from staff at the pound, who outlined that the drugs were kept in an unlocked box at the receptionist desk of the pound.

The drugs were commonly administered orally to animals by putting it in their food.

Gda McQuillan said that Stone had been contracted by Dublin City Council and the contract was worth 277,000. This contract ended in March last year and although he went for re-tender, it was not successful.

Mr Carroll told the court that the maximum penalty for the offence was a three-year prison term and 500,000 fine.

Judge Martin Nolan said a very lethal substance had been held where it should not have been and it was being administered by untrained staff when it should have been administered by a vet.

Judge Nolan fined Stone 30,000.
David Keane (30) claimed the cocaine was for his own use at the family wedding

A man convicted of selling cocaine at a family wedding is a nephew of Limerick gang boss Christy Keane.

David Keane (30) had been found with nine bags of cocaine worth 580 in his underwear, along with 1,310 in cash and two mobile phones.

He claimed the drugs were for his own use at the event in Bunratty Castle Hotel, Co Clare, in June 2019.

When being interviewed by gardai he told them: I had no intention of selling drugs.

It was my family at the wedding  I wouldnt even let them know I had drugs.

Detective Kevin Hooban told Ennis District Court that it was his opinion the bags of cocaine were what was left of what David Keane sold, and the cash was the proceeds of sale and supply of the drugs.

Judge Mary Larkin said that she was absolutely satisfied Mr Keane had the cocaine to sell at the wedding following his failure to answer questions about the drugs.

He doesnt know this and he doesnt know that. I have no shadow of a doubt that he had the drugs there for one particular reason, she said.

David Keane

David Keane is close to his cousin Owen Treacy Jnr, whose father, also called Owen Treacy, was left badly injured in an attack that killed Kieran Keane.

David Keane has also posed for photos with one of the citys most notorious criminals who we are not naming as he is facing serious criminal charges.

He is a known sulky race enthusiast and is a regular face at sulky events around the country.

Last year, when Davids father Pa Keane passed away, his cousins and uncle were on hand to show their support at the funeral.

Pa, a brother of Christy Keane, had worked for Limerick City Council for many years and was well known around the city.

Christy Keane is a well-known mob boss in the city. He was jailed in 2002 for 10 years for possession of 250,000 worth of cannabis.

He survived an attempt on his life at a University of Limerick car park in 2015 when he was shot a number of times as he walked to a gym at the complex.

Pa Keane had worked in the familys coal business but was prosecuted for threatening to kill a co-worker at the councils road sweeping depot on April 22, 2010.

He escaped a jail sentence when the judge imposed a suspended eight-month term.

Pa Keanes family ties to one of the citys most infamous gang bosses almost cost him his life in 2010.

He escaped what is believed to have been an attempt to kill him when a suspected gunman approached a Limerick Council employee driving a mini-sweeper in the city centre.

The would-be attacker fled the scene after realising Pa Keane was not in the vehicle.

Is understood the suspected assassin planned to shoot Pa Keane because of his family connections.

Kieran Keane was tortured and shot dead in 2003 in one of the most infamous murders in Limerick city.

Clips of sulky racing on Tiktok

Kierans nephew, Owen Treacy, survived being stabbed 17 times in the same attack by members of the McCarthy/Dundon criminal gang.

Five men are still serving life sentences for that murder.

At the recent Ennis District Court hearing, Judge Larkin convicted David Keane of drug dealing after hearing the evidence.

She imposed 100 hours of community service on Mr Keane for the offence instead of a suspended prison term.

Mr Keane was attending a family wedding at the Bunratty Castle Hotel and the drugs were found on him at Ennis Garda Station after his arrest on the night.

Detective Hooban told the court that there is no possible way he could have taken that amount of drugs without being hospitalised, having already consumed other cocaine.

At interview, a garda told Mr Keane that this is a phenomenal amount of cocaine for one person.

Mr Keane replied: I had an awful amount of cocaine taken.

Judge Larkin said Mr Keane was unable to say how many grams of cocaine he had before being found with the nine bags.

The judge said: If I go to a wedding, I would be buying a dress and a pair of shoes to get all fancied up  that would be my thing.

I know how much the dress and the shoes would cost  how much gear did you get and how much did it cost you?

Mr Keane said he paid 300 but didnt know how much cocaine he received.
The emergency is not over. For very, very many people  almost 12,000 people in emergency accommodation, almost 4,000 of those are children  their emergency is not over

Extending the ban on evictions would give the Government time to get their act together on the housing crisis, a Sinn Fein TD has said.

Deputy Louise OReilly acknowledged the temporary prohibition on no-fault termination of tenancies was an emergency measure taken in response to the cost-of-living crisis but she insisted the emergency is not over.

The eviction ban is due to expire at the end of the month.

Sinn Fein TD Louise OReilly (Brian Lawless/PA)   Brian Lawless

The Cabinet is due to consider the issue on Tuesday, with Attorney General Rossa Fanning providing advice.

Ahead of that meeting, the leaders of the three coalition parties will meet with Housing Minister Darragh OBrien to discuss the matter.

Both Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Tanaiste Micheal Martin have pointed to potential negative implications to extending the ban.

Mr Varadkar has highlighted the experience of some Irish people returning from abroad who cannot access their own homes, while Mr Martin has questioned whether an extension could lead to a reduction in housing supply, with disaffected landlords deciding to sell up and leave the market.

On Sunday, Ms OReilly insisted an extension was necessary.

It was an emergency measure, she told RTE.

The emergency is not over. For very, very many people  almost 12,000 people in emergency accommodation, almost 4,000 of those are children  their emergency is not over.

So the need to extend the eviction ban is in order for the Government to actually get their act together and start to build social and affordable homes.

She added: There is a need to extend that eviction ban because the Government now need to build social and affordable homes for people who are absolutely desperate. The emergency is not over, the emergency response we havent seen yet from the Government  so the eviction ban gives them time to get their act together.

Education Minister Norma Foley said Cabinet would make a fully informed decision on the ban.

I think its important to say that the ban was in the first instance an emergency measure and a temporary measure and that was very necessary, she told RTE.

But, however, I think we need to look at everything in its broadest context. We need also, of course, to be advised by the attorney general.

Ms Foley insisted the Government had been making strides to increase supply.

This is part of a greater picture and the biggest emphasis must be on supply and weve already seen 30,000 homes being provided for in this past year, she said.

Weve seen the highest level of commencement notices ever in the month of January, weve seen planning permissions are up, so were seeing significant progress in that direction, four billion euro year-on-year being provided for.

But it is important that we look at all aspects of the eviction ban, the implications, but also it side by side with all the other measures that are being introduced as well.
Motorists and pedestrians have been warned to expect hazardous conditions on roads and paths due to the freezing temperatures and ice

Temperatures to 'drop significantly' on Monday, a Met Eireann forecaster said. Photo: Getty Images   dpa/picture alliance via Getty I

Temperatures are set to plummet to as low as -4C tonight with accompanying ice and snow showers as the country is set for a late blast of winter.

A Status Yellow ice warning for the entire country comes into force at 6pm on Monday and will last until 10am on Tuesday as a bitterly cold Arctic airflow pushes down from the north.

Motorists and pedestrians have been warned to expect hazardous conditions on roads and paths due to the freezing temperatures and ice.

However, conditions in the UK are expected to be even more severe, with warnings of snowstorms and -15C temperatures there for the days ahead.

Met Eireann forecaster Mark Bowe said snow showers here were expected to mainly affect the northern half of Ireland.

Because its an ice warning, we are expecting winter showers with plenty of icy stretches as temperatures plummet down to -3C/-4C, he said.

He said temperatures would drop significantly on Monday with afternoon highs struggling to reach high single figures.

Meanwhile, Monday nights temperatures could get down to -3C or even -4C.

It will be a change from the weather we had recently, he said. We had high pressure dominating our weather for a long time, we had quite mild weather through February.

The northern half of the country can expect to see snowfall, especially on high ground.

So there will be a couple of showers peppering the northern part of the country, especially in places around Donegal, Mr Bowe said.

On the higher ground, some showers may fall with sleet or snow. But for the rest of the country its a case of icy stretches and overnight frost with the temperatures going down to -3C or -4C.

Monday itself is starting off with hazy, sunny spells, but showers in the north will turn into rain and spread from the north to the rest of the country in the afternoon. It will turn cold, with temperatures ranging from 4 to 5 degrees in the north to a milder 6 to 9 degrees in southern areas, before turning much colder overnight.

The cold temperatures will continue on Wednesday, with night-time temperatures falling below freezing.

Mr Bowe said: It will recover just a little bit on Wednesday night but they will touch zero or below zero especially in northern parts of the country.

While there is some uncertainty around the forecast in the longer term, after the cold front clears midweek, it is expected to turn wet.
Loyalist areas of Northern Ireland have become a fertile and safe ground for these gigs

Nazi thugs from all over Europe congregated in Belfast last weekend for a secret far-right concert, we can reveal.

Notorious skinhead band Brutal Attack headlined the clandestine gig for the white pride fanatics at a social club in north Belfast last Saturday night.

Members of a Polish far-right group were also in attendance at the concert which was organised with strict security in fear of being targeted by protests.

Organised by the Ulster branch of right-wing extremist group Blood & Honour, members and supporters from throughout Europe made the trip.

Blood & Honour was set up by the late Ian Stuart Donaldson, who founded and fronted notorious band Skrewdriver.

Its not the first time the hate-filled bands have held secret gigs in Northern Ireland and the Sunday World has been told there are plans for many more after the Nazi-supporting lunatics were prevented from holding their gigs on the British mainland.

London-based band Brutal Attack are beloved of white pride fanatics

In recent times venues hosting these gigs in Scotland and England have been infiltrated by Hope Not Hate members, forcing cancellation of the concerts before they actually took place.

Most recently Hope Not Hate managed to stop a gig that was supposed to take place in Bathgate, Scotland, last November.

Speaking to the Sunday World last night Matthew Collins, Hope Not Hates Head of Intelligence, said that loyalist areas of Northern Ireland had become a fertile and safe ground for these gigs.

Weve chased these Nazi parasites out and away from just about every venue they have in Scotland and England, he told us.

Their tiny movement is split and divided, which is good for us, but theres still a few bob in it for the promoters  aging drunkards with swastika tattoos on their bodies. But wherever they go there is often violence and innocent people getting assaulted.

At one gig they did have last year in Widnes, (Cheshire, England), they battered each other for hours inside the venue they had chosen.

We hope these are the final cries of a disgusting sickness. These are no friends of Loyalists and Unionists. You cant remember the great war dead of Ulster and still wave your right arm in the air.

Belfast remains one of the few destinations still hosting the secretive shows.

Notorious skinhead band Brutal Attack

Operating on a need-to-know basis, gig goers were sent to a meeting point before then being directed to the venue.

Inside, Brutal Attack and their support bands belted out their hate-filled tunes.

Those inside greeted their heroes with Nazi salutes as the pints flowed and far-right literature was sold.

In 2019 we revealed how the racists held a skinhead gig at a secret destination in east Belfast. Bands from Italy and the Czech Republic flew into the country to headline the extremist bash.

They brought with them supporters from throughout Europe, with others travelling from the Republic of Ireland.

Among those in attendance was infamous north coast Nazi, Mark Brown.

The planned far-right event in Bathgate, Scotland last autumn had raised fears that hundreds of neo-Nazis would descend on the West Lothian town but it was cancelled following police involvement and an angry backlash.

Hope Not Hate claimed that white supremacists had been aiming to hold a 48-hour event in the Scottish town.

It alleged that a number of racist groups had drawn up plans to perform  including the avowedly pro-Nazi Finnish band Mistreat, who have been photographed performing in front of swastika flags and have described immigrants as cockroaches, parasites and rats.

The two-day gathering was believed to have been masterminded by Blood & Honour, whose chapters have been banned in Germany and Russia and which is listed as a terrorist group in Canada.

Speaking last autumn Collins said: After huge local pressure, plans for a 48-hour Nazi music festival in Bathgate have been called off. Wed like to thank supporters and trade unionists for their efforts to keep Bathgate Nazi free.

We will continue to work with them to make sure Scotland is hate-free.

At the east Belfast gig in 2019, Core 88 from the Czech Republic and Gesta Bellica from Italy jetted in to take part.

Headliners Gesta Bellica have been at the forefront of the Rock Against Communism scene in Italy for years.

Based in Verona, they were formed in 1991 and have released several albums. The bands name Gesta Bellica means Warfare in English.
Body representing 89pc of primary schools challenges views of Childrens Minister Roderic OGorman

Catholic primary school managers say their pupils should not be taught what it means to be transgender in a strongly worded letter sent to Government ministers.

Amid controversy over how the gender identity issue should be addressed for post-primary students, they have sent a clear signal about what they deem appropriate for primary pupils.

The Catholic Primary Schools Management Association (CPSMA) has argued there is a lack of scientific consensus on the issue, that it would create division in schools, and that it might add to a growing psychological contagion among children.

This is in contrast with those who have campaigned for increased teaching of gender diversity in primary schools.

In a recent interview with the Irish Independent, Childrens Minister Roderic OGorman said young people, including primary pupils, should have an understanding of diversity and should be taught more what it means to be transgender. But the CPSM, representing 89pc of primary schools, is strongly challenging the views expressed by the minister.

The CPSMA says teaching primary children what it means to be transgender would require to teach something about which there is neither a scientific nor social consensus to highly impressionable young children.

It would be counterproductive, generating unnecessary divisions in school communities where none now exist.

According to the CPSMA, more seriously, it might add to a growing psychological contagion amongst young and vulnerable children.

We believe a more prudent and sensible policy is to teach children to respect every human being and to allow children to be children, it added.

We should not prematurely introduce children to complex and sensitive topics around which there is no scientific or medical consensus.

The CPSMA, whose schools cater for about 500,000 pupils, set out its members views in a letter to Minister OGorman and copied to Education Minister Norma Foley.

CPSMA general secretary Seamus Mulconry said that, for many years, the association has worked with a significant number of schools to ensure children who are gender questioning are treated with respect, consideration and support as they navigate these issues.

Mr Mulconry added: It is not, in general, a major issue or source of controversy in our schools. However, CPSMA believe that it is neither prudent, nor age-appropriate, to attempt to teach primary school children about what it means to be transgender.

Debate around teaching of transgender issues in Irish schools has become even more high-profile in recent weeks amid the dispute involving post-primary teacher Enoch Burke. The sacked teacher refused to call a transgender pupil at Wilsons Hospital School, Co Westmeath, by the gender-neutral pronoun they.

Already, gender identity has emerged as a divisive issue in the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) public consultation on the new curricula for Leaving Cert students, with a view to it being introduced to schools in September 2024.

Some parents and teachers have objected to gender identity being included on the revised programmes for the junior and senior cycles.

But the curricula for social, personal and health education and relationships and sexuality education (SPHE/RSE) for pupils are being overhauled all the way from primary school to Leaving Cert. There is a commitment that they will be age-appropriate, allowing for differentiation in the treatment of sensitive topics for pupils at various stages in the education system.

A new junior cycle curriculum is being finalised ahead of roll-out in September.

There have been no formal discussions or consultation yet on the new SPHE programme for primary pupils, which will follow an overhaul of the entire primary curriculum, due to be unveiled soon.

The CPSMAs comments are a response to Mr OGorman, rather than a challenge to anything that has been mooted by the NCCA, but they leave the curriculum advisory body in no doubt about its position.

Its letter says: There is no scientific consensus on the cause [or causes] of gender dysphoria and there is currently an intense international debate on the appropriate treatment of children with gender dysphoria.

For example, the affirmative care model has recently been rejected in Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands and the UK.

Secondly, there is mounting evidence of psychological contagion. In the UK the numbers of children referred to the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) rose from 50 a year in 2009 to 25,000 in 2020.

Significantly, this increase in referrals was accompanied by a change in the case-mix from predominantly birth-registered males with gender incongruence from an early age, to predominantly birth-registered females presenting with later onset of reported gender incongruence in early teen years.

In addition, approximately one-third of children and young people referred to GIDS have autism or other types of neurodiversity.


Fans were left on the edge of their seats when season 1 came to a dramatic climax in October 2021 and have been left wondering if Frank (played by Aidan Gillen) survive the excessive nosebleed we saw him having as the closing credits rolled over?

Hit crime drama Kin is returning to our screens on March 19 as RTE has released the first promo.

Fans were left on the edge of their seats when season 1 came to a dramatic climax in October 2021 and have been left wondering if Frank (played by Aidan Gillen) survive the excessive nosebleed we saw him having as the closing credits rolled over?

One thing we do know is that Amanda has taken the control of the Kinsella family business and her nemesis Eamon is never coming back, having been assassinated in the carpark.

Eric being brought to court in the upcoming series

The incredible teaser released by RTE today shows that the drama is far from over with Eric, Birdy, Bren and Nikki all featuring alongside protagonists Michael and Amanda.

There is also a new crime family in town to cause mayhem on the streets of Dublin.

The gritty eight-part drama was a huge success nearly two years ago with brilliant performances from Emmett J Scanlan, Claire Dunne, Charlie Cox and Aidan Gillen.
The major winners in the 2023 Bay of Plenty Dairy Industry Awards, Cameron and Jessica Lea, say being surrounded by a strong mentor network has set them on the path for success.

The couple were announced winners of the regions Share Farmer of the Year category at the Bay of Plenty Dairy Industry Awards annual awards dinner held at the Awakeri Events Centre on Saturday night.

The other big winners were Chihiro Hanyuda who was named the 2023 Bay of Plenty Dairy Manager of the Year, and Caleb Spence, the 2023 Bay of Plenty Dairy Trainee of the Year.

Cameron, 32, and Jessica, 31, are 50/50 sharemilking over two farms  Colin and Maria Eggletons 120ha Opotiki 270-cow property, and Bern and Heather Mcdonals neighbouring 100ha, 300-cow property. They won $11,300 and three merit awards.

Entering the awards previously gave the Leas an opportunity to assess where their business was heading and actively set goals.

It also provided a wonderful environment to network with other farmers and rural professionals, says Cameron.

Cameron grew up on a dairy farm and after a small stint farming after leaving high school, worked in Australia and New Zealand as an agricultural contractor.

Farming is a great lifestyle to raise a family, says Jessica.

Everybody helps when jobs need to be done and we have the flexibility of juggling farm work with attending school functions, or heading to the beach for the afternoon.

The Leas are looking forward to their continuing journey in the dairy industry and are excited about their clear path to farm ownership.

The couple applaud the positive advertising from industry leaders and hopes it helps to change public perception around dairying.

Farmers bring so much to New Zealands economy and we generate work for so many industries that surround the dairy industry.

Challenges have included finding staff on their steep hill property, as the location can be off-putting for some.

If we want to achieve our goals, we have to be the driving factor.

Jessica holds a Certificate of Agribusiness Management from Open Polytechnic, while Cameron is currently studying towards PrimaryITO Diploma Level 5.

Were proud to be where we are now, sharemilking two neighbouring farms, from where we began several years ago.

The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors DeLaval, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra, Honda, LIC, Meridian, Ravensdown, and Trelleborg, along with industry partners DairyNZ, MediaWorks and Rural Training Solutions NZ.

Runners-up in the Bay of Plenty Share Farmer of the Year category were Troy Peterson and Zar Floyd.

The couple are 50/50 sharemilkers for Dean and Sharyn Petersen on their 92ha Opotiki farm, milking 280 cows. They won $5,850 in prizes.

The first-time entrants wanted to step out of their comfort zones and meet other farmers.

We entered the programme to learn more about our business and how we can improve," says Troy.

Prior to entering the dairy industry four years ago Troy, 29, was a diesel mechanic and Zar, 30, worked in retail.

We wanted to work together, set ourselves up financially and bring our children up on-farm.

The couple are passionate about breeding cows and a part of a sire proving scheme with LIC.

They study our cows DNA to help breed the ideal cow for New Zealand," says Troy.

Were excited about the future of technology within the dairy industry and how it will be implemented on-farm.

Zar holds a Certificate in Business and Accounting while Troy has Certificates in Automotive Heavy Engineering and Automotive Service Technician.

The couple identify their ability to plan ahead and achieve goals as a strength of their business.

We have also have a solid financial business strategy.

Future farming goals include purchasing a support block and farm ownership.

David Leeder and Mere Edwards placed third in the Bay of Plenty Share Farmer category and won $2,525 in prizes and three merit awards

The couple are contract milkers for Doug and Beth Leeder, milking 650 cows on their 240ha property.

Legacy played a big part in Dave and Mere returning to the family farm in 2008.

We wanted to come back and run the family farm and have a better lifestyle for our family,say the couple.

We love animals and we love working with our family and friends and growing new friendships.

David and Mere, both 40, are proud they are achieving goals and own some of their dairy cows. Future farming goals included 50/50 sharemilking with a long-term goal of buying into the family farm.

The winner of the 2023 Bay of Plenty Dairy Manager of the Year category is in the third season farming, which began with work experience while at university.

Chihiro Hanyuda won $7,975 in prizes plus three merit awards and is farm manager for Peter Overdevest and Tania Akehurst on their 148ha Galatea farm, milking 379 cows.

Interested in farming since childhood, Chihiro didnt know anything about the industry until work experience on a dairy farm while studying for a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Animal Science, minor in Ecology.

I got hooked on it  the lifestyle, the job, the cows. Every morning I wake up feeling excited to go to work.

Chihiro is passionate about new technologies and innovative ways of farming.

I always think about how to farm more easily and improve production at the same time.

While regulations and the climate are changing, our farming system needs to be adaptable to all sorts of possible scenarios.

Chihiro would love to be involved in decision-making for environmental regulations and laws.

I would love to assist farmers and government officials to understand each others point of view.

The 27-year-old says partner Te Maapi and daughter Mirai, 1, provide motivation to keep going during tougher times.

When people look at me, they dont think Im a farmer. Im proud to be a farmer in this country  if I can do it, anyone can.

Uneducated comments on social media frustrate Chihiro, who would like to see farmers educate themselves more on the environment.

I see these comments and I get a feeling that most havent even read the regulations or understand them properly.

Instead of blindly disagreeing, we should broaden our knowledge and think how we can individually improve the situation.

Future farming goals include farm ownership and showcasing New Zealand farming to Japan.

I want to show how great the farming life here is to Japanese people.

Im proud of myself for climbing the ladder relatively fast for someone who came to New Zealand alone just a few years ago and didnt know anything about farming.

There have been obstacles for me to overcome and Im sure there will be many more, but Im glad Ive never given up and kept trying and holding on to every opportunity.

Dayna Rowe is the runner-up in the 2023 Bay of Plenty Dairy Manager category and won $3800 and two merit award.

She is farm manager for Grant and Ngaire Rowe on their 286ha, 920-cow property at Te Puke.

Dayna was the 2021 Bay of Plenty Dairy Trainee of the Year and National Runner-up, and says entering the awards was an easy choice to make.

Ive always entered for judging and feedback, and the dairy trainee experience was about personal development for me, and this year I entered for the feedback and advice as we head into our first season contract milking.

Dayna is involved with a few environmental projects within her community and is also part of the Dairy Environment Leaders group.

I see a clear pathway for myself and my partner to continue to farm this land for the rest of my life, and hopefully have a family on this land that get to call our farm home too!

Dayna is embracing new technology on-farm.

Its rapidly enhancing how sustainable and future-forward farming can be for our environment and our people.

The 24-year-old says the weather has been a massive management challenge this season.

I have been so lucky to have worked in pretty incredible conditions and warm winters, so this has been a massive learning curve of farm management, and putting to use my circles of management, where I categorize the situation into the circle in my control or out of my control," says Dayna.

The weather is not in my control, but how I manage my pasture and people is."

Dayna says being awarded runner-up on a national level in the awards programme is one of her biggest achievements.

Being nationally recognised gave me a platform to begin speaking about farming and why Im passionate about it, and encouraging positive media around farming.

She identifies her farm owners (and parents) as the biggest strength of the business.

Ngaire and Grant arent stuck with their heads in a hole  they are willing to try new things to benefit our environment, our people, our cows and their business.

Lindsay Williams was awarded third placegetter in the Dairy Manager category. The 29-year-old is assistant manager for Andre Meier on his 123ha Pukehina property, milking 390 cows.

Caleb Spence is the 2023 Bay of Plenty Dairy Trainee of the Year and won $7,250 in prizes and one merit award.

The first-time entrant was encourage to enter by his employers and thought it would be an excellent way to learn about the dairy industry.

The 23-year-old is 2IC for David and Corina Niven on their 115ha, 255-cow property at Galatea.

I also enjoy the social aspects and networking it allowed.

Caleb is enthusiastic about the ability to supply premium dairy products to the world and is very interested in the advancement of technology to help with farm management.

I wish farms received more recognition for their contribution to New Zealand and the economy, he says. We often hear negative talk, however most farmers look after their land in a way that contributes positively to the environment and livestock.

Caleb is proud of how far he has come since entering the dairy industry in 2021.

Finding a work/life balance has been a challenge. Its important to take time off the farm and ensure you keep engaging in the activities that we enjoy outside of farming.

Future farming goals include farm and herd ownership.

Id like to breed and farm genetically-sound animals that produce to the best of their abilities.

Runner-up in the Dairy Trainee category was Keegan Blennerhasset, who was third in the same category last year.

The 21-year-old works as a herd manager on David Jensens 310ha, 710-cow property at Omanawa.

Keegan believes farming is the one of the only careers that uses every aspect of what a human can do.

Every single day you make decisions that show results quickly and you can change the way things happen on-farm through trial and error.

I like that you get your hands dirty at times, but also go to the office to do some math and decision-making.

Keegan is interested to see where technology and research takes the industry.

Seeing the new studies from DairyNZ which help farmers produce more for less, or technology that makes task easier is really exciting, he says.

I would like to continue progressing and be in the position where I can try new things to make my operation a better place.

Third place in the Dairy Trainee category went to Fergus Hamilton who is 2IC on Shona Perdersens 110ha, 300-cow Galatea property.

The first-time entrant wanted to give the programme a go, and meet some like-minded people with similar goals in the process.

The 21-year-old wants to be a farmer that has a focus on the environment, one that works with the land and not just on it.

I feel strongly about looking after waterways on-farm and am excited to see my progress as years go by. I hope to achieve my personal on-farm goals of working towards a more sustainable dairy system.

The Bay of Plenty Dairy Industry Awards winners field day will be held on Thursday March 23 at 209 McGregor Road, Opotiki S/N Fonterra 22550 where Share Farmers of the Year, Cameron and Jessica Lea, are share milking. Also presenting at the field day will be the regions Dairy Manager of the Year, Chihiro Hanyuda and Dairy Trainee of the Year, Caleb Spence.

Further details on the winners and the field day can be found at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz.
Baycourt Community and Arts Centre is gearing up to celebrate its 40th anniversary with a programme of art, exhibition and performance from April 21-29.

Beyond excited is how Baycourt manager Reena Snook describes her reaction to the forthcoming celebrations.

Baycourt holds a special place in the heart of our creative community. Its hosted world class performers and its been formative for many peoples artistic journeys.

Were going to make this a birthday celebration worthy of its legacy and future aspirations.

The Addison Theatre at Baycourt was named in honour of Bob and Vhea Addison. Photo: SunLive.

The anniversary week kicks off with a flourish on April 21 with the B40: Gala Concert, a variety concert in the Addison Theatre curated and directed by Tauranga born creative Jason Te Mete (Ngati Ranginui, Ngai Te Rangi) celebrating four decades of community creativity.

Reena says to expect a visual and auditory feast of music, kapa haka, drama, comedy and more.

The gala is a two and a half hour extravaganza of talent and spectacle. Itll demonstrate the full technical capabilities of the theatre.

This is the citys premier performing arts facility and were absolutely going to show it off.

Bob Addison was chairman of the Tauranga Community Arts Council, an enthusiastic group of local residents responsible for the original proposal to establish Baycourt in 1974. Their work included nine years of planning and fundraising before it was built and officially opened in 1983. Bob was appointed manager in 1988 and produced shows such as High Society, Nunsense and Follies.

The theme for Baycourts anniversary is ka mua, ka muri, a whakatauki (proverb) about the value of looking to the past to inform the future.

Reena says mana whenua will be acknowledged in the birthday celebrations.

The land that Baycourt sits on has a much deeper history than this building. We will be recognising that through the anniversary events.

A history of Baycourt will also be launched online as part of the anniversary week.

Tauranga-based Supercut Projects is creating a web-based digital experience that tells the story of Baycourt including its pre-history, grand opening and forty years of behind-the-scenes creatives and international names that have crossed the theatre stage.

The platform will continue beyond the anniversary as an online resource.

The Tauranga Primary Schools Music Festival which has been running since 1956, was formed by a group of teachers who wanted to ensure that Tauranga children could enjoy the experience of making music together. More than 1300 school children fill Baycourt with singing every night over five nights.

Also featuring from April 27 to 29 is He Toi Kupu (The Creative Everlasting Word), a project-based community engagement programme delivered by Tuatara Collective and Ahipoutu Collective that empowers local whanau, hapu and iwi to extract their own stories - ancient wisdoms and everyday happenings - and transform them into highly engaging cultural artworks  which includes the stage production Uhi Tai (The Flowing Tide).

The X Space will be open throughout the anniversary celebrations with a free exhibition that weaves together milestones and memorable moments from Baycourts history.

The B40: X-hibition is a collaboration with The Incubator Creative Hub who have been given exclusive access to Baycourts archives.

Baycourt foyer. Photo: SunLive.

Reena says the archives are a treasure trove of the centres history.

Weve given The Incubator exclusive access before theyre digitised and made available to the public. What better time to start sharing these stories than Baycourts 40th anniversary.

Bookending the celebrations on April 29 is the B40: Whanau Day. Running from 10am to 2pm, itll be a day of free guided tours which Reena says will offer an immersive journey behind the theatre curtain.

Youll get to experience Baycourt at its absolute best, all the tricks of the trade, the lighting and special stage effects, and an opportunity to explore our hallowed backstage spaces.

Baycourt's famous Wurlitzer organ is played for the annual New Zealand finals of the International Youth Silent Film Festival. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

The Baycourt lawn will play host to face painters, balloon sculptors, roaming performers and food carts during the Whanau Day.

There will also be stories to tell.

We have long serving staff with experiences theyll be keen to share, like giving you the inside scoop on the royal visit, says Reena.

Baycourt's Steinway grand piano being played in the Addison Theatre during the National Youth Jazz competition. Photo: SunLive.

Baycourt was opened by now King Charles III and Princess Diana in April 1983.

Baycourt has been bursting at the seams with energy ever since that royal visit.

Were going to celebrate and honour the amazing people who have invested themselves into this creative space over the decades and use that as a platform to take us into the next forty years!

To see the full Baycourt 40th Anniversary programme and to purchase tickets for the B40: Gala Concert, visit www.baycourt.co.nz
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The White House on Thursday released its long-expected National Cybersecurity Strategy. The new federal policy assigns much of the digital security responsibility to tech firms rather than more federal regulations.

The policy document urges more mandates on the firms that control most of the nations digital infrastructure. It also preaches an expanded government role to disrupt hackers and state-sponsored entities.

But this strategy creates a cybersecurity roadmap for new laws and regulations over the next few years aimed at helping the U. S. prepare for and fight against emerging cyber threats. It sets the pace for government actions in the long term that will:

Explore a national insurance backstop in the case of a catastrophic cyberattack to supplement the existing cyber insurance market;

Focus on defending critical infrastructure by expanding minimum security requirements in specific sectors and streamlining regulations;

Treat ransomware as a national security threat, not just a criminal issue.

That sets in motion a fundamental directional shift in the governments cybersecurity vision. The change in focus reflects how the United States allocates roles, responsibilities, and resources in cyberspace.

It also rebalances the responsibility to defend cyberspace by shifting the burden for cybersecurity away from individuals, small businesses, and local governments. Instead, the onus is on the most capable and best-positioned organizations to reduce risks for all of us, according to the policy declarations.

The Strategy recognizes that government must use all tools of national power in a coordinated manner to protect our national security, public safety, and economic prosperity, the White House said in its announcement.

The New Approach

The Biden-Harris strategy seeks to build and enhance collaboration around five pillars:

Defend Critical Infrastructure;

Disrupt and Dismantle Threat Actors;

Shape Market Forces to Drive Security and Resilience;

Invest in a Resilient Future through strategic investments and coordinated, collaborative action to lead the world in the innovation of secure and resilient next-generation technologies and infrastructure;

Forge International Partnerships to Pursue Shared Goals

With those standards in place, the newly harnessed global allies and partners will make the United States digital ecosystem defensible, resilient, and values-aligned, according to the policy statement.

Federal Cybersecurity Requirements, Enforcement

The federal government is visibly and meaningfully committing to expanding mandatory minimum cybersecurity requirements across critical sectors, offered CyberSheath CEO Eric Noonan.

He added that this is a refreshing acknowledgment of the federal governments role and a complete abandonment of the original 2003 strategy, which stated that federal regulation would not be a primary means of securing cyberspace.

It might have taken 20 years, but the federal government is now saying the quiet part out loud. The lack of mandatory cybersecurity minimums has failed, and regulatory mandates are coming, so get your house in order, Noonan told TechNewsWorld.

The strategy also makes it clear that where the government does not have the authority to mandate minimum standards, the administration will work with Congress to close those gaps and regulate the unregulated, he observed.

Noonan predicted that a sea change is coming in our ability to detect and defend against cyber threats. But that only happens if agencies like the DOD, SEC, FCC, and the rest of the federal government use the full weight of their regulatory powers to establish and enforce mandatory cybersecurity minimums across their respective contractors and suppliers.

That is the single most impactful thing the federal government can do for our nations cyber defense, and this strategy does it, he said.

Positive Backing From the EU

Martin Riley, director of managed security services at cyber firm Bridewel, is pleased to see the United States change of attitude regarding cybersecurity.

It is great to see these steps coming into effect. We in Europe have found ourselves in a place of leadership across many of these areas with regulations such as NIS and GDPR driving the agenda for years, Riley told TechNewsWorld.

That puts the European Union in a great position to assist its U.S. allies and lead them forward in the goal of cyber resilience, he added. I look forward to digging into the details to see the incentives the U.S. government is going to apply so that these practices are taken up equally across all states and relevant sectors.

Employing Updated Technology Crucial

The report emphasizes modernizing federal security. A crucial part of this must be accelerating the governments ability to onboard modern and next-generation security technologies, advised Marcus Fowler, CEO of Darktrace Federal.

Government agencies must be able to efficiently test technologies in dynamic environments that mirror, in both scale and complexity, the environment they will be expected to defend, Fowler told TechNewsWorld.

He offered that U.S. officials would also benefit from moving validated security solutions to the front of the line and accelerating mandatory audit timelines. Ultimately, when the federal government gains access to advanced security solutions more quickly, it can force attackers to adapt rapidly to try and keep pace.

It is positive to see the new strategy emphasizes the importance of mandating security by design as well as the focus on robust technologies and creating a better cyber workforce, Fowler said.

Technology Critical Element

Technology will also be critical for improving the speed and scale of threat intelligence sharing for which the report calls. Threat intelligence is vital, but the threat landscape is vast and growing.

Organizations need technology that cuts through the intelligence and identifies how a particular vulnerability impacts their unique environment. They need that information fast, Fowler recommended.

Distilling that information and translating it into a strategy based on bespoke organizational risk is a job for technology. We cannot put the onus on humans any longer because they need to be freed up for strategy and remediation, he said.

The future is where a hybrid human-AI approach to cyber is essential. The pursuit is to meet a stronger, more robust, and better-enabled cyber workforce, noted Fowler.

That must be executed with innovative and accessible programs that are both growing and investing in the next generation of security practitioners and augmenting them to get further faster and increase workload efficiency and accelerate response times, he said.

Ongoing Training, Readiness Needed

The administrations new cybersecurity efforts, unfortunately, do not move the needle on what needs to be done to strengthen the security workforce we have today, cautioned Debbie Gordon, founder and CEO of Cloud Range, a live-fire OT/ICS cyberattack simulation training company.

In any type of life safety field  and that is exactly what cybersecurity of critical infrastructure represents  the need for ongoing training and readiness is integral, Gordon told TechNewsWorld.

The cyber threat landscape changes daily, with critical infrastructure sectors being the targets of the most advanced, nation-state-backed advanced persistent threats (APTs). We cannot depend on a yearly training certificate to be confident that our infrastructure is protected, she advised.

Requirements for ongoing training that can be measured against industry standard frameworks to validate their effectiveness can not only help organizations ensure they have the right people with the right skills to prevent and respond to attacks in place. They can also provide cybersecurity professionals with a clear pathway to expand their careers with the cyber skills unique to operational technology (OT) cybersecurity, Gordon said.
What just happened? Amazon is permanently closing eight of its cashierless Amazon Go stores as the tech giant continues tightening its belt. Four of the affected stores are located in San Francisco, two are in New York City, and two are in Seattle. They will continue to operate until April 1.

When the first Amazon Go store opened in Seattle in 2018 following a lengthy delay, its Just Walk Out technology that allows shoppers to pick items off the shelves and leave was hailed as the future of shopping: no lines, checkouts, or registers, with the bill automatically charged to a person's Amazon account when they leave. Since then, over 40 stores have popped up in five different states and even made it to London, where they are branded as Amazon Fresh.

But not all the stores are proving successful. In a statement regarding the eight closures, Amazon said, "Like any physical retailer, we periodically assess our portfolio of stores and make optimization decisions along the way."

Amazon added that it remains committed to the Amazon Go format and continues to learn which locations and features resonate with most customers as it keeps evolving the outlets. It will also continue to open new stores - Geekwire reports that a new store was recently opened south of Seattle.

The announcement comes almost a year to the day since Amazon said it would be shuttering all of its Amazon Books physical stores in the US and UK, as well as its Amazon 4-star and remaining Amazon Pop-Up stores. In total, almost 70 stores were shut down as it shifted the focus to Amazon Fresh, Go, Whole Foods, and its cashierless tech.

Amazon is one of the many tech giants cutting staff and pausing projects now that the pandemic boom times are over and the global economy falters. It announced a record 18,000 job cuts in January, is closing and abandoning plans for dozens of US warehouses, and is pausing construction on its second headquarters in Virginia, where it aims to hire 25,000 workers by 2030.

Elsewhere, Amazon closed one of two Fresh Pickup locations in Seattle in January, and one of the Amazon Fresh stores in London is closing after 18 months of operation. There was also a report from The Information revealing that at least seven newly built Amazon Fresh locations in the US are sitting empty as "zombie" stores.

Amazon said it is working with employees affected by the closures to identify new roles within the company, including at other nearby Go stores or at Amazon Operations sites.
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What just happened? Qualcomm announced that its latest mobile platform is ready to integrate eSIM functionality directly into SoC silicon. The integrated SIM (or iSIM) form factor is highly attractive to device manufacturers, the company said, as a cost-cutting improvement for smartphones and other connected devices.

The classic SIM card-based standard is slowly being replaced by newer eSIM tech, but mobile manufacturers and SoC designers are already working to go beyond that. Qualcomm's recently announced Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform is the first GSMA certified iSIM-compatible device and the world's first "commercially deployable" SoC device with iSIM functionality integrated directly into the chip.

The iSIM is yet another - and likely the last - step in the evolution of connectivity technology for mobile users and devices. The eSIM (embedded-SIM) was designed to replace the small plastic card (and the integrated circuit within) needed for user identification by mobile service providers with a chip soldered on the phone's motherboard.

With iSIM technology, the aforementioned chip is not needed as connectivity ID duties are handled directly by the SoC platform. Qualcomm highlights how the new iSIM tech provides device makers with "further opportunities to save space and reduce build and supply chain costs," while maintaining the same best-in-class security level.

The San Diego-based chip designer worked with French multinational company Thales Group to make its iSIM solution fully compliant with the GSMA Remote SIM Provisioning standard. Therefore, mobile carriers should be able to manage iSIM subscriptions the same way they are currently managing eSIM users.

The iSIM market is expected to grow to 300 million devices by 2027, Qualcomm said, with a 19 percent market share of all the eSIM device shipments by then. While the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC provides integrated support for iSIM, phone manufacturers are mostly still using discrete eSIM chips in their designs.

According to Guillaume Lafaix, vice president of embedded products at Thales Mobile, the world's first GSMA security certification for the company's 5G iSIM gives device makers and mobile carriers even greater freedom to offer users "effortless over-the-air connectivity."

The iSIM technology increases the opportunity to "proliferate cellular capability" on mobile and other connected devices, GSMA chief technology officer Alex Sinclair stated. Meanwhile, end-users and customers will have no control on connection portability anymore.
In today's environment, with digital transformations taking place left and right, accountants and accounting firms need more than just a physical location to perform their duties. They must constantly broaden their expertise, stay current on market trends, and be able to communicate their knowledge with those seeking financial assistance.

Your team can keep up with accounting best practices to help your business thrive financially by using the top websites for accountants and accounting companies. Most significantly, increase your customer base and build your brand and reputation in the industry.

What Every Accountant Needs

As a CPA or an accounting business, you supply the fundamentals that allow you to deal extensively with customers. However, keeping up with all of the new requirements with technological solutions is what every accountant needs to do these days. Fortunately, there are now website builders for accountants and firms that aim to increase knowledge, attract new clients, and establish online brand visibility more effectively.

You can install accounting software for websites or learn how to create an account system for a website. Although accounting for website costs a lot, these top 5 best website builders for accountants can assist in increasing business awareness.

#1 Thomson Reuters Web Builder CS

Launch your online presence with a high-quality website for accountants that improves customer service and generates new business. Thomson Reuters Web Builder CS specializes in creating websites for tax and accounting firms. The program contains a library of prewritten pages tailored to your company so you can set up tools that deliver improved accounting for website.

Everything from the design and feel is open for customization or could be taken from accounting website templates. Thus, your design is all up to you. But rest assured that this solution will design your website, transfer or set up a domain, show you how to utilize the editing tools, and publish the finished result.

It offers free help with its safe website hosting and domain services. Choose from mobile-friendly layouts, build an infinite number of pages, and simply change your accounting company website. Get company-branded email addresses to boost your professional image. Then, provide automatic monthly mailings, online bill pay, IRS forms, financial calculators, and other services to your clients. Elevate your marketing materials and distinguish your company with a custom-designed logo.

Key Features and Benefits

With premium web hosting and domain services

Entirely editable design features

Offers email hosting and software integration

Client tools that offer accounting for website

Pre-built templates and personalized logo maker

#2 CPASiteSolutions

CPASiteSolutions recognizes that your company is unique. That means you'll use a website design tailored to your specific business strategy. This is why they provide four different plan levels and the opportunity to sample any of them for free for a full 60 days. After completing your free trial, you will be able to analyze all upfront charges and choose the plan that most matches your financial situation.

Suppose you're satisfied with your website design. In that case, you can access personalized assistance from its skilled CPA website designers and other tools that embed accounting for websites and will help expand your online presence for a low monthly cost. You will not be required to sign a contract and can discontinue services at any time.

CPASiteSolutions allows you to start with a simple base and expand on additional services afterward. You can use search engine optimization to improve organic search results, pay-per-click advertising to advertise your services during tax season or connect by offering helpful information on social media. Most websites for accountants that relied on them built their brands with pre-made designs topped by complete customization tools and extra services.

Key Features and Benefits

Four plans to build the best websites for accountants

Attracts new clients through tools that will highlight services

Helps establish brand expertise and credibility

Can convert leads into clients

Increases client satisfaction through improved accounting for website

#3 Build Your Firm

Build Your Firms' marketing experts will create accounting website designs specifically for CPAs, accountants, registered agents, and bookkeepers. All accounting marketing experience will be used to create your website, manage your online reputation, and grow your organization. Everything begins with creating the best accounting website for your organization, complete with free SEO at every hosting level.

With Google advertising, Facebook advertisements, and comprehensive social media marketing services, BYF helps generate even more visitors to your website. It also demonstrates how to build an accounting specialization inside your business. It also shows how to be in charge of lead generation using an outsourced marketing program to maximize your marketing efforts.

At no extra cost, all BYF websites are search engine optimized. Its BizPayO payment processing technology also enables you to get paid quickly, cheaply, and at no net cost. Accountants created it for accountants. BizPayO lowers your processing expenses and gives you more flexibility over being paid instantly. You also receive a handy email communication tool that permits you to send newsletters to your clients and a secure file-sharing facility that enables you to safely and efficiently share electronic documents.

Key Features and Benefits

Custom websites for accountants

Productivity tools to manage clients and generate leads

Automated payment tool for a streamlined client transaction

Free SEO features for your websites

Marketing team dedicated to managing your brand and reputation

#4 Service2Client

Service2Client is a pioneer in the accounting industry. They were the very first to deliver dynamic material built particularly for CPAs and Accountants in 1998, as well as the first and only to provide its own best-in-class secure file sharing solution and email marketing solution. That's why no one else offers you greater insight after 20+ years of dealing with accounting businesses like yours.

This inventive company offers a comprehensive range of websites and ever-improving tools to help you expand your organization. They provide the quickest hosting, the most secure hosting, and exceptional customer service, as well as the ability to attract and retain customers. If you want your company to establish a reputation as an authority in your sector, you'll want to utilize their compelling accountant websites, blog articles, newsletters, secure file share, and social media tools.

Key Features

MyWeb and WordPress-powered websites: Service2Client provides CPA websites on two CMS platforms: MyWeb and WordPress. MyWeb is the best-selling product, and it's simple and quick to use; you can have a website constructed and active on the internet in less than an hour. WordPress is the world's most popular CMS platform because it's user-friendly, comes with thousands of amazing plugins, and is as safe as any other platform when hosted on its network. Two great choices to get you started.

Email Marketing: It's CPA Email marketing made simple for financial professionals. Pick a template, select your send group, grab an article from our library, proofread, and send.

It's CPA Email marketing made simple for financial professionals. Pick a template, select your send group, grab an article from our library, proofread, and send. SEO: Service2Client provides proven education, expertise, knowledge, and tools to help you grow traffic for your firm and get results. Standard features include determining SEO objectives, conducting keyword research, employing the most relevant search terms, and creating an SEO strategy, among other things. All are powerful tools.

Quality Website Content: When compared to the other solutions on this list, Service2Client can deliver high-quality material that's automatically updated monthly at a low price. Content brings vitality to a dead website and encourages call-ins, which may result in billable time for you. The articles and calculators should give your current and prospective clients a reason to visit your website repeatedly. Keep them coming back for more.

Secured File Transfer: ICFiles is a secure file transmission solution and will be ideal for you if you operate in the tax and accounting field. ICFiles, an encrypted communication system was built by Service2Client and is housed in an AICPA-approved SOC 2 Type II data center. This provides unparalleled end-to-end security by securing all access points to and from any virtual or physical site. Feel secure knowing ICFiles has never had a data breach

Excellent Benefits

99.98% uptime

Security monitored hosting

Current content written by CPAs and professional writers

Secure portal that has never been hacked

1 million dollar data breach warranty

Professional tax and financial calculators

Automated email newsletters and marketing blasts

Business class private email - No Ads

Great customer support

Service2Clients is committed to being on the cutting edge of its field, including accounting firm websites, accountant email, accountant SEO, and social media marketing. It's not just a superb resource website, but also a resource that will help your company thrive and flourish.

Get started today and create the best accountant websites and access to customer-engaging ever-improving marketing tools to grow your practice. You'll be glad you did.

#5 Elementor

Use a top-notch accounting website builder like Elementor to improve your accounting website development experience with tools like simple drag and drop, a visual editor, and several widgets. You also get customized templates, a global design system for every brand, and a smart website builder that can help you cut production time and costs.

Elementor's industry-leading drag-and-drop editor lets you see the website content as you construct it. With customizable widgets, you can achieve your design goals while also meeting the needs of your clients and prospects. Advanced animations, custom CSS, different responsive designs, and other features will help you customize your site more and generate leads.

You may explore 100+ designer-made kits and wireframes for every industry. These web assets, which range from website blocks to whole pages, can be utilized for company websites, eCommerce businesses, marketing solutions, and much more. However, unlike other best websites for accountants on the list, this one offers a general website builder that cannot put up services like accounting for websites.

Key Features and Benefits

Drag and drop with visual editing

Over 90 widgets and theme builder

Advanced feature for your websites

Elementor library with customized templates

Guarantees speed and optimum website performance

Whether you wish to modernize your offerings or increase brand presence across all online channels, no doubt selecting the best websites for accountants will accomplish more. You may get even greater lead creation and boost your accounting services while remaining confident in your web credibility. Our top 5 accounting website builders ensure content and feature quality and help you spread a message over the web: You're a pro in your industry.

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Multi-national space company, Airbus, is now in partnership with the French government after it meets with President Emmanuel Macaron to create a first-of-its-kind high-performance satellite. This is a collaboration between France and Angola to supply the Central African country with a new Earth observatory satellite called Angeo-1.

This satellite will focus on looking into the life present on Earth and everything it includes in the Angolan region, with the help of its overview from the planet's orbit coming soon.

Airbus, France to Create 'Angeo-1' High-Performance Satellite

(Photo : Airbus)

Airbus Space recently announced that it secured a contract with the French government after a recent visit by President Macaron, which solidified the project for Angola. This new high-performance Angeo-1 satellite will center on improving life for the Angolan citizens, watching over their country and environment.

"As Angola's strategic partner for space, Airbus will deliver a latest-generation Earth observation satellite to support social and economic development including a range of strategic activities such as urban planning and management of precious mineral resources," said Jean-Marc Nasr, Head of Space Systems at Airbus.

This is France's collaboration with Angola, also strengthening their relationship.

Read Also: Bullitt Satellite Internet Efforts: New Rugged Smartphone Supports 5G Connectivity!

France to Give Angola a Satellite to Monitor its Region

This new Angeo-1 would add to Angola's latest fleet in orbit that monitors the region's environment from above, providing satellite imagery and an overview of what needs the most urgent care or action. It would also help them learn more about their country, with France and Angola looking into its preservation and development.

Airbus said it will soon provide "Sovereign access to satellite imagery will make a significant contribution to the development of infrastructure, mapping of natural resources, maritime surveillance including fisheries, agriculture and population."

Earth-Watching Satellite for the Environment

Many satellites on the planet are currently in-orbit to provide different kinds of services for humans, both in the public and private sectors, whether it benefits their organizations or daily lives. One of the best-known orbiting satellites is from SpaceX, centering on the Starlink internet that beams down high-speed connections to its subscribers.

Agencies like NASA, ESA, and more center on using this device to monitor the planet from above, and several missions in the past deliver payloads to do their bidding.

Satellites like the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) to monitor the planet's water, ESA's Meteosat, which aims to look into unpredictable weather and climate anomalies, are among those created by the top agencies to help learn more about the planet.

The French and Angolan governments are now looking into a high-performance satellite it can use to look into their region in Central Africa, focusing on monitoring its environment. The new Angeo-1 serves as a token for their stronger relationship and connection but also helps to monitor the planet for their needs.

Related Article: SpaceX's 4th Liftoff of the Year Carries a High-tech US Space Force GPS Satellite

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The United Arab Emirates is fully embracing technology, and it does not have a problem with AI tutors teaching their young ones in a classroom setting, with GPT-powered technologies it aims to push. UAE's Ministry of Education will soon introduce these ChatGPT AI-powered tutors to classrooms but claims it would not replace its educators.

It would be a human-AI effort to bring information and learning to students in the country, utilizing what technology has to offer and using it as a tool to further progress education for all.

GPT-powered AI Tutors to Teach in UAE Soon

(Photo : Andy Kelly on Unsplash)

According to a report by The National, a recent education summit in the country had its Minister of Education reveal its plans to utilize GPT-powered technology for its AI tutors to teach its students soon. It fully embraces what technology has to offer, and was not threatened by what it brings to the world, centering on the AI appearing in the classroom to teach.

As per the Minister of Education himself, Ahmad Al Falasi, UAE's Ministry of Education aims to integrate AI into its institutions to bring information and learning to students.

"At the Ministry of Education, we are committed to adopting trailblazing technologies and are collaborating with our partners to develop GPT-powered AI tutors and evolve education technology to elevate the education system in the UAE," Al Falasi claimed at the Alef Education Summit in Dubai.

Read Also: 'One Piece' Author Eiichiro Oda Asks ChatGPT to Generate New Anime Chapter: Here's What Happened

Educators Remain, to Work Side-by-Side

The Ministry also assures that educators remain to bring learning to students, and would not be completely replaced with technology. They would work side-by-side with the AI tutors that the country would soon delegate to students in helping them learn more of their lessons.

According to Interesting Engineering, Al Falasi emphasized that this new method would further learning in a classroom setup for students, to also collaborate with the likes of Microsoft and OpenAI soon.

ChatGPT for Education?

ChatGPT was made by OpenAI to bring information to many, under its GPT-3 AI model that centers on delivering data and content to users, depending on its application. With OpenAI's development of AI tech, it was able to hit it off with the public to help them in generating content for different needs, using only keywords which proved to be effective.

In its prominence and rise to popularity, ChatGPT was frowned upon by educators as it serves as a "cheating system" which students resort to, for help in creating school work.

Educators claim that they would not automatically get high scores when using AI, and it would still be subject to the content they pass to the institution.

While there are others against ChatGPT, there are still some who accept AI technology for education in the world, and not just in UAE. Still, the Arab country serves as a good example for its adaptation of the technology present to us, one that puts to good use what OpenAI has to offer with its GPT model, soon to serve as tutors alongside educators.

Related Article: Kentucky Teacher Welcomes ChatGPT, Challenges Students To Outwit Robot

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
DJI has discontinued production of its drone-detecting system, AersoScope, as reported by TheVerge.

(Photo : NICOLAS ASFOURI/AFP via Getty Images)

In this picture taken on May 11, 2017, a drone flies in the showroom of the DJI headquarters in Shenzhen.

The product page for the AeroScope now has a pop-up that reads, "The AeroScope is no longer in production. For the latest in DJI technology, please view our product recommendations below."

Closing out the notification will still allow you to view the whole product page of the device, and there is still an order form for DJI dealers at the bottom.

A New Version In the Works?

The company hasn't released a formal announcement regarding the discontinuation of the drone-detecting system. It is still not clear whether the AeroScope will lose functionality or if the platform's going away forever.

Rumor has it that DJI is working on a second version of the receiver, according to UAV Hire.

The Potential Reasons Behind the Discontinuation of AeroScope

Former VP of policy at DJI tweeted that there are probably two reasons behind the company's decision to discontinue the AeroScope. He cited that it didn't make sense to support the feature built to assist US security interests when it is being attacked by US security agencies.

It could also be the upcoming standard that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will implement, which is the Remote ID. The Remote ID will be used to detect and track most drones operating in US airspace, which will provide them with information about the identity, location, altitude, take-off location, and control location of the drone.

I don't work there anymore, but probably two reasons:

1. It doesn't make sense to continue supporting a feature that was created to assist US security interests when being constantly attacked by US security agencies.

2. FAA Remote ID is being implemented.https://t.co/qOXXGMxzvj  Brendan Schulman (@dronelaws) March 4, 2023

Also, starting on September 16th, 2023, most US-based drone operators will only be able to fly aircraft with built-in remote broadcast capabilities or a retrofitted remote ID broadcast module.

Also Read: DJI Mini 3 vs. DJI Mini 3 Pro: Should You Get the New Cheaper Drone?

The AeroScope Technology

The technology is a comprehensive drone detection platform that can track and identify drones in real-time via receiver signals broadcasted by newer DJI drones. Users are provided with information like flight status, path, and pilot location from drones up to 30 miles away.

Initially, the system was intended for use by law enforcement and government agencies to monitor drones flying in potentially dangerous areas and track down their pilots. However, the technology became concerning amid the war between Russia and Ukraine.

The drone-detecting system has been accused of helping Russians target and attack Ukrainian drone pilots.

In 2022, the Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine, Mykhailo Fedorov blamed the China-based company for helping Russia kill the Ukrainians. Russian soldiers allegedly used AeroScope receivers to find and attack Ukrainian drone operators with aerial strikes.

The signals broadcasted by DJI drones are not encrypted, allowing other receivers to pick them up. As a response to the accusation, DJI stopped shipments to both Russia and Ukraine and discontinued its portable version of AeroScope system a few months after that.

Related Article: DJI Mini 3 Pro Full Specs Revealed in Latest Leak Ahead of May 10 Release

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Microsoft is bringing a redesigned Quick Settings Volume Mixer to Windows 11. This will allow users to switch between audio devices, enable spatial audio, and adjust volume output on a per-app basis.

(Photo : Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 2: A view of the new Microsoft Surface Laptop following a Microsoft launch event, May 2, 2017 in New York City. The Windows 10 S operating system is geared toward the education market and is Microsoft's answer to Google's Chrome OS.

Modernized Audio Mixer

Windows has been criticized by its users for giving them the hassle to manage multiple audio devices and since then, the company has tried to improve the experience for the past few years. Despite these efforts, Microsoft still struggled to impress its consumers.

Microsoft just released Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25309 to the Dev Channel and rolled out some features that might change the previous opinions regarding its OS. As per the company, this build also aims to include a good set of fixes aside from updates and enhancements.

A modernized audio mixer in Quick Settings has just been added to the roster. "With this change, you can now tailor your audio experience with more control and fewer clicks to better manage your favorite apps," Microsoft noted.

This will bring a new experience for users as it allows them quick customization with additional control to swap devices. A new keyboard shortcut was also included in the release to bring users directly to the volume mixer for faster control (WIN + CTRL + V).

The Windows Sonic experience was also enhanced for users to enable the feature with a quick access list of installed spatial sound technology. Through the Microsoft Store, users can find additional spatial sound technology to choose from, including Dolby and DTS.

But since this feature was just starting to roll out, these are not still available to all Insiders in the Dev Channel as Microsoft monitors feedback and sees how it lands before releasing the updated features publicly.

Also Read: iMessage Is Coming to Microsoft Windows, but There Are Limitations

Based on a report from The Verge, this feature was leaked last month after it was discovered within an experimental flag of a test build for Windows 11. The modernized audio mixer may also look familiar to some, as it is very similar to EarTrumpet.

EarTrumpet is a third-party volume control app for Windows that was created almost five years ago for users who were dissatisfied with the audio management experience on Windows 10.

Touch Keyboard

Engadget reported that Windows 11 is also re-introducing the new touch keyboard setting. Users will be seeing a new dropdown menu with 3 options to control whether tapping an edit control should launch the touch keyboard.

This includes, (1) Never, this will suppress the keyboard even when no hardware is attached, (2) When No Keyboard Attached, that will show the touch keyboard only when it is used as a tablet without a hardware keyboard, and (3) Always, that will show the touch keyboard when the hardware is attached.

Related Article: Windows 11 Update: Microsoft Is Adding Bing AI Chatbot Button as Part of Latest Taskbar Change

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
There is a new telescope coming from NASA to bring yet another look into broad space, and it is the soon-to-launch Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. It is one of the highly anticipated space vessels to bring more information about the heavenly cosmos, and it was said to be 1,000 times faster compared to the Hubble in capturing the broad sky.

The Roman Space Telescope will soon join the likes of Hubble and James Webb to survey the cosmos in their quest to learn more about what surrounds us in this vast universe.

Roman Space Telescope is 1,000x Faster than Hubble, But Why?

(Photo : GSFC/SVS)

NASA has a new ally in space coming soon for the world to see its marvelous snaps of the universe, with the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope being its next vessel to traverse the cosmos. The latest study of the Roman Telescope's capabilities that will soon demonstrate, it is 1,000 times faster compared to the Hubble.

NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center's Aaron Yung published new research that predicts what the Roman will deliver soon. It analyzes the new telescope for what it would bring in the future.

In a NASA statement, the team claim that Roman would "rewind" the universe, with its broad imaging capabilities that would capture its entirety and learn more of its past.

Unlike Hubble and JWST focusing on the smallest of details to capture, the Roman would center on getting information from its wide snaps and using its gathered data for further research.

"To solve cosmic mysteries on the biggest scales, we need a space telescope that can provide a far larger view. That's exactly what Roman is designed to do," Yung added.

Read Also: NASA's Hubble Space Telescope Captures a Strange Galactic Ghost in Ancient Stars

When is the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Coming?

NASA said that it would launch the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope in four years, centering its launch date by May 2027 to assist the agency and the other telescopes of its mission.

The goal is to learn more about the universe, in both the largest of details, down to its smallest, with the Roman in charge of the wide picture.

NASA's Space Telescope for Surveys

To date, two iconic space telescopes are hanging out in their respective regions to survey the universe and look into the different phenomena or new things to discover. Space is abundant, but it is also unforgiving for the human eyes as the images NASA takes require significant power to see, considering that they are light-years away, or are impossible to perceive with the naked eye.

James Webb is the latest telescope there is, and it is the most powerful of the bunch. It was able to capture a record-breaking sight for astronomers and the entire space study, featuring a "treasure trove" of distant galaxies.

While the older, and less powerful spacecraft, Hubble, supplied the world with countless discoveries during its deployment in 1990, serving the planet for almost 33 years and counting.

No, the Romans will not replace both Hubble and James Webb on their missions to learn more about what there is out there but will complement each other to give humans more information from the skies. While Hubble and James Webb focus on the finest details, the Roman will give us a broader look at space's entirety, soon to deploy by 2027.

Related Article: [LOOK] NASA Webb Telescope Discover 'Fingerprint' Rings on WR 140 Stars-How Did it Form?

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
"A deliberate and premeditated act": in Angers, an investigation opened after the ransacking of a church

"Can cause very serious complications": doctors - about the increase in the incidence of measles in Russia

10 restaurants to eat (very good) for less than 40 euros in Madrid

11 exclusive menus to try in the most fashionable places in Madrid

Bordeaux: a car ploughs into the crowd during a wild race, 7 injured, 2 of them serious

"I worked with incredible overstrain": a historian on the importance of the railway for the victory of the USSR over the Wehrmacht

The week of God Tuitero: Cain and Abel are a model of fraternity next to Iglesias and Yolanda Diaz

The story of the atonement for sins: the film "Russian Cross" is released in cinemas

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Suspect entered the speech hall immediately after the Prime Minister's arrival or explosives at the Prime Minister's address.

Nuria Espert announces her retirement: "I have no intention of accepting any more projects"

In Yemen, last day of a vast prisoner exchange between Houthi rebels and the government

Chen Yushen: You just have to work hard, and God has its own arrangements

Did the suspect use a homemade bomb made by himself? Explosives at the Prime Minister's speech

The Mossos investigate the theft in Barcelona of a watch valued at 70,000 euros to the tennis player Dimitrov days before the Godo tournament

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There were further positive changes in the property market

Nine Arab countries want to weigh in for a resolution of the Syrian crisis

"Courtyard economy" is written into Central Document No. 1 for the first time What is the potential?

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Iran: the police take action to enforce the wearing of the Islamic veil

Express called the Polish ban on grain imports from Ukraine a stab in the back at a difficult moment

Despite the lack of congratulations of the crown prince and the "lackluster" treatment of the prime minister. Historic Iftars for Muslims in Britain

Assault detachments of PMC "Wagner": the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the liberation of two quarters of Artyomovsk

To watch.. Capture of camps, equipment and road closures in the second day of clashes in Sudan

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Political scientist Dudchak on Hersh's statement about Zelensky: there are probably a lot of such stories

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"Nuclear phase-out" realized in Germany, the last three nuclear power plants in operation were shut down

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The Mossos investigate the theft in Barcelona of a watch valued at 70,000 euros to the tennis player Dimitrov days before the Godo tournament

The head of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Reznikov said that the losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are less than the victims of the earthquake in Turkey

 Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
Rio Tinto has been accused of caving to Beijings thirst to make China greater after classifying Taiwan as part of wider China in its accounts.

The ASX-listed mining giant quietly changed its designation of the self-governing island state in its latest set of accounts.

Rio Tinto has quietly changed its designation of the self-governing island state of Taiwan in its latest set of accounts. Credit: Will Willitts

Revenues from Taiwan were formerly grouped under the designation Asia excluding China and Japan.

However, Rio Tinto now accounts for Taiwanese earnings under the heading Greater China. Including Taiwan as part of Greater China is not uncommon among multinational corporations, which describe mainland China along with Hong Kong and Macau.
In early December last year, Australia followed suit, with changes to the Fair Work Act introduced by the Albanese government. Loading Under the changes, workers have a new right to disclose their pay and also to ask others what they are paid. Importantly, everyone also has the right to not answer such questioning. However, it will take some time before the changes wash through the system. For contracts entered into from December 7 last year, employers are forbidden from taking action against any employees who breach pay secrecy clauses. From June, it will be illegal for contracts to have pay secrecy clauses written into them at all and companies face fines for doing so.

However, anyone on a contract signed prior to December 7 with a pay secrecy clause included is still bound by that contract until you either sign a new contract, or have your existing contract varied in some way, such as a pay rise. So, in reality, not every Aussie worker is at liberty  yet  to shout their pay from the rafters. Its time we broke the pay secrecy taboo with our colleagues. Credit: iStock Not that many are champing at the bit to do so, it must be said. Of all the taboos around money, talking about ones pay has got to be the most difficult to break down.

Employers have long argued disclosure of pay causes jealousy and disquiet among employees who discover they are relatively lower paid. However, it is precisely this disquiet, I would argue, which needs to be unleashed to encourage women to push for higher pay. So, for anyone not currently bound by an existing pay secrecy clause, I urge everyone  both men and women  to consider using this International Womens Day as the trigger to start a conversation about what you are paid, either with colleagues or competitors. Knowledge is power, and until women realise they are underpaid, there is little they can do about it. Its particularly important that men serious about supporting womens equality join the conversation and agree to share their own info to help female colleagues.

If we are to have this conversation, everyone needs to agree that nobody is allowed to get shirty with a colleague about what is disclosed. There are many good reasons why some people are paid different amounts, owing to relative performance, length of service, negotiation skill and willingness to switch employers to bargain for higher pay. Loading So, if you do ask a colleague and discover they are paid more than you, dont begrudge them, simply ask them how they got there. If you are interested in broaching this tricky topic with a colleague, one potential script could be to simply ask them if theyve seen a very fascinating article in the newspaper by Jessica Irvine that suggests it could be mutually beneficial to quietly swap salary information. To which you might breezily add: are you up for it? Another potentially significantly less awkward strategy is for employees to band together at the workplace level to have a slightly more anonymised discussion around pay. In the United States, a former Google employee created a spreadsheet that was then filled out by around 1200 employees to reveal and share their pay. At Microsoft, employees did much the same, creating a private group and spreadsheet to share information.

Getting this information across to employers is potentially valuable, too. Perhaps organisers of next years International Womens Day events  particularly those providing a networking opportunity across a particular industry or occupation  could replace the traditional lucky door prize with a bowl into which attendees could drop cards detailing their own salary, occupation, part-time or full-time status and level of experience, which could be later shared with attendees. Loading Or, if you really want to spice up an International Womens Day event youre attending this year, why not find a way to casually steer conversation towards the topic of ending pay secrecy, swap some pay numbers and get a real discussion going about gender pay equity in your industry. The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up here.
Closing Victorias coal-fired power stations by 2035 will not reduce greenhouse gases enough to meet the states ambitious new emissions targets, with environmentalists urging the Andrews government to reduce gas use.

If Victorians maintain their current reliance on burning gas in homes and small businesses  mainly for heating and hot water  the fossil fuel could be responsible for one-third of the states climate pollution by 2035, according to a new report released on Monday by Environment Victoria.

And if manufacturing and industry are included, gas consumption could account for about half of the states emissions by 2035.

Victoria has world-leading climate targets and a comprehensive plan to shift the electricity sector away from coal to renewables, but more than 2 million homes are still hooked up to fossil gas, said Environment Victoria chief executive Jono La Nauze.
A business manager who stole more than $430,000 from Melbourne High School over a decade has been jailed.

Frances Walshe was sentenced to two years jail, with a minimum of 14 months in prison, in the County Court of Victoria on Monday.

Frances Walshe arrives at the County Court of Victoria on Monday. Credit: AAP

Walshe, 65, previously pleaded guilty to stealing and dishonestly obtaining more than $430,000 from her employer over 10 years.

None of the money has been repaid to the school.
An electoral officer fielding calls from the public during the 2020 Merri-bek Council election was the first to raise concerns of alleged voter fraud, a court has heard.

Former councillor Milad El-Halabi, wife Dianna and their daughter, Tania, faced Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday accused of stealing ballot papers from mailboxes and fraudulently filling them out to support Milad El-Halabi in his candidacy for the north-west ward of Merri-bek City Council, which was then the City of Moreland.

Former Merri-bek councillor Milad El-Halabi (left) and wife Dianna arrive at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday. Credit: Jason South

All three maintain they are innocent and are contesting the charges.

Keegan Bartlett, the Victorian Electoral Commissions director of integrity and regulation, revealed in court on Monday it was one of his election officers who first blew the whistle on suspicions of fraud during the 2020 local government elections.
Victoria Police has reached a settlement with the ex-wife of a former Gippsland policeman after the man was accused of threatening, stalking and intimidating the woman. But it faces another civil suit in the Supreme Court by the officers ex-girlfriend, who is accusing the force of breaching its duty of care to protect her.

The two women also say Danny Shaddock, a former detective leading senior constable, accessed information about them and their family and friends from a police database known as the Law Enforcement Assistance Program (LEAP) between 2007 and 2013 to stalk them. Victoria Police concedes Shaddock made unauthorised checks on the database but did not say why.

Victoria Police officers have been warned about using the LEAP system without authorisation. Credit: Paul Rovere

The revelations come days after Chief Commissioner Shane Patton warned officers that misconduct would not be tolerated, particularly the unauthorised access of LEAP.

I am concerned about some of the behaviours I am seeing that clearly do not align with the Victoria Police values, Patton said in an email last Wednesday.
Glass responded by also writing to the premier and state Youth Justice Minister Enver Erdogan, and detailed her concerns about the use of isolation on vulnerable teen inmates. Loading In her December 12 letter, Glass said she shared many of the whistleblowers concerns and that the abuse of isolation practices have been the subject of several investigations by my office in recent years, and reinforce the urgent need for regular, independent inspections. Isolation, also known as solitary confinement, is, according to Glass, defined as the physical isolation of individuals for 22 or more hours a day without meaningful human contact. In her letter, Glass urged the Andrews government to introduce a new prison oversight body, known as a National Preventative Mechanism (NPM).

In my view, both the youth and adult custodial systems would benefit from the designation of a truly independent NPM  one that does not report to a departmental secretary or minister  to provide regular preventive inspection reports, she said. The revelation of Glass intervention comes after an investigation by The Age and 60 Minutes into Indigenous deaths and medical neglect in several Australian prisons. The investigation heard from prison healthcare whistleblowers describing systemic health services failures that have fuelled the neglect of vulnerable prisoners, including Indigenous inmates; while four mothers of Indigenous prisoners who died or almost died in prison have also called for urgent reform. Labor senator Pat Dodson also called for urgent action from the Albanese government.

The 14 whistleblowers from the Parkville centre also warn that the state governments new youth jail, the Cherry Creek Youth Justice Centre, will face the same problem when it becomes operational. In late December, one of teachers quit Parkville College, which provides services to young people in detention, and wrote to the school expressing concern about the extensive use of isolation. Students were regularly locked in their cells during school hours and beyond. Official figures belie the extent of this practice. In my two years at the school, I lost count of the number of times students were locked in their rooms for 22 hours or more a day without meaningful human contact, the teacher wrote. I witnessed the terrible impact of isolation on students mental health and education. One of my Indigenous students had been making incredible progress in the classroom before the schools schedule was scuppered by a period of consecutive lockdowns. His positive classroom contributions were replaced by constant screaming from his cell.

During my time at Parkville, there were multiple suicide attempts and self-harm incidents. Most of these took place while boys were forced to isolate in their rooms. The teacher, whose name The Age is not releasing because sources close to him said he didnt want to jeopardise his teaching future, added that he had detailed his concerns with a senior Victorian departmental official. [That official] conceded that boys were sometimes locked in their rooms for 22 hours or more a day, but argued that they had meaningful human contact through the stenophone (a metallic-sounding tannoy system connecting the units office with the boys cells), the resignation letter states. In response to the concerns raised by the whistleblowers, a senior youth justice official told Zoe Daniel the claims were overblown and that isolation practices were used as a last resort and ceased at the earliest possible opportunity.

The official also said the departments record keeping showed that the use of isolation [was] down 38 per cent over the last four years and 9 per cent in the most recent year. Loading Community Public Sector Union secretary Karen Batt said there was a repeating cycle in which inadequate staffing levels exposed workers to violence, leading to staff attrition and in turn increased reliance on isolation. The state government has run out of ideas and extended imposed isolation is the only available response for staff to keep everyone safe and this is unsustainable, Batt said. In a statement, Minister Erdogan said the governments top priority was ensuring the safety and wellbeing of staff and young people at youth justice centres, and that the use of isolation was always a last resort.
In the heyday of Melbourne fashion designer Charlotte Blau, her elegant gowns were sold in prestigious US stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue in New York.

In the 1950s and 1960s, her creations were prized by Melbournes society belles and captured by photographers like Helmut Newton and Athol Shmith.

Gina Goldsmith with one of her late mother Charlotte Blaus dresses. Credit: Penny Stephens

Fashion historian Tom McEvoy said Blau, who died in 1996, deserves recognition as one of Australias top designers and her pieces should be held by the National Gallery of Victoria.

McEvoy called on those who own a Charlotte Blau piece to come forward. He has seen just four since he started to document Australian fashion history six years ago.
Former prime minister Scott Morrison has argued Australias military spending should increase by billions of dollars a year to counter China.

However, he warned bolstering Australias defences would not be enough to protect the nation in a conflict with the Asian superpower, stressing stronger ties with countries such as the United States and India were key.

Former prime minister Scott Morrison speaks during a symposium of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China in Tokyo last month. Credit: Eugene Hoshiko/AP

Being prepared isnt just having your own capability. Its having the interlocking alignments and alliances that actually provide a counterbalance, he said in an interview on Sky News.

Were a country of just over 25 million people. Their defence budget is multiple, multiple, multiple times that of Australias.
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus says incarceration rates and deaths in custody of Indigenous Australians are a national shame but stopped short of backing Aboriginal senator Pat Dodsons calls for immediate action on 30-year-old royal commission recommendations.

In a powerful intervention, Dodson said national leadership was needed on the issue and urged his government to immediately set up a national Indigenous justice committee, a federal office to oversee state coronial inquests and ensure the provision of Indigenous-tailored health services in jails.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has stopped short of backing calls by his colleague, Aboriginal Senator Pat Dodson, for immediate action on the royal commission recommendations on deaths in custody. Credit: James Brickwood

Calling out the inaction of successive governments, including his own, Dodson said on Sunday that the Albanese government had an obligation to act on the findings and ensure the safety of people taken into custody, saying he would have some very robust discussions with Dreyfus about what action needed to occur.

Responding to Dodsons remarks, Dreyfus pointed to government work already underway on criminal justice reform, including a $99 million First Nations justice package funded in the October budget and working with states and territories on a proposal to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility.
An Australian right-wing Christian conference has been urged to flood the countrys Liberal parties with members to gain long-term influence and ensure conservative religious candidates prevail in every branch.

The comments from host Dave Pellowe were part of a panel session to end the Church and State summit in Brisbane on Saturday, focused on whether to join a major or minor party amid the goal of arming Christians to influence culture.

A screenshot of the annual Brisbane Church and State summit livestream on Saturday  the second of two days of panels and 20 speakers.

With Labor now holding power federally and in all states and territories except Tasmania and NSW, the various Liberal and National parties are seeking to rebuild relevance from opposition amid efforts by the religious sector and the far-right to import strategies from counterparts in places such as the United States.

Across two days and 20 speakers, the summits attendees (500 in total, Pellowe would tell the room) heard from a range of figures, including former National Party leader and deputy prime minister-turned YouTuber John Anderson, and pandemic freedom figure Joel Jammal.
Australians have been kept in the dark about the threat posed by China. Conventional wisdom in Canberra has been that Australia would have less than 10 years warning of war, but an expert panel assembled by The Age believes we need to be ready to fight within three years.

Chinese President Xi Jinping at the 14th National Peoples Congress. Credit: Getty Images

The panel thinks fighting could come as early as 2026, should Chinese President Xi Jinping take the opportunity while the US and its allies are unprepared and distracted by the war in Ukraine, which has vacuumed up the Western worlds stocks of ammunition and military equipment.

The five-member panel for Red Alert, our in-depth examination of the most pressing national security challenges facing Australia, agree that China, Australias biggest trading partner, is far and away its most dangerous security threat.

Red Alert will roll out over three days, culminating in a joint communique including recommendations for action. While all the experts stressed they wanted peace, they said we needed to prepare for the possibility of war.
Tucked away beside bins on Rainbow Alley in Melbournes CBD, Danial Korver is smiling in laminated photos his parents have attached to a brick wall where he overdosed last year.

Every week since his death, on a cold Saturday afternoon in June, Katrina and John Korver take fresh flowers to the alley behind Swanston and Little Collins streets that is scattered with needles from other heroin users.

Katrina Korver believes her son Danial would be alive if a safe-injecting room had opened in the CBD. Credit: Jason South

Please use safe injecting rooms or always make sure someone is with you when injecting, its not worth the risk, his parents urged in a note they stuck next to his photo.

The pair believe their 38-year-old son Danial  a roof tiler and father of one who often used the North Richmond safe injecting room  would still be alive if another facility opened in the city, as promised by the Andrews government in 2020.
Cuts to WorkCover benefits and increases to premiums are both under consideration as the Andrews government scrambles to fix the scheme that compensates the states workers and pull it back to a sustainable financial footing.

Two years after launching a review of the scheme, the government has now declared WorkCover is unworkable in its current form and flagged the possibility of higher premiums for businesses four months after the state election.

WorkSafe Minister Danny Pearson. Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui

The WorkCover scheme is fundamentally broken, a government spokesperson said.

The scheme is no longer fit for purpose and does not meet the modern needs of those it was originally designed to assist more than 30 years ago.
Washington: A growing number of civil liberties and digital rights groups are speaking out against calls to ban TikTok from the United States, mounting fresh resistance to those surging efforts by public officials.

Advocates argue the proposed TikTok crackdowns would violate users rights to express themselves online and distract from broader debates about data privacy.

TikTok is one of the most used apps in the West. Credit: AP

The burgeoning movement stands in sharp contrast to much of the debate in Washington, where critics have pushed for a ban over claims TikTok poses grave security risks due to its Beijing-based parent company ByteDance.

Congress took its biggest step yet toward that goal on Wednesday, with a GOP-led House panel advancing a bill to make it easier for President Biden to ban the app nationwide.
The trajectory of the Hercules stage musical has been a bit like the heros journey it depicts which is both good and bad news for the current production at Paper Mill Playhouse. The bad news is it hasnt quite settled the identity crisis it entered the world with during its 2019 New York premiere at the Delacorte Theater. The good news is it seems to be inching closer, even if it is still in its clumsy adolescence.

Naturally returning to the creative team for this second mounting are composer Alan Menken and lyricist David Zippel, whose songs for the original 1997 animated Disney movie remain the shining centerpiece of Hercules. All theatrical sins are forgiven when the Muses  the extraordinary Anastasia McCleskey, Destinee Rea, Charity Angel Dawson, Tiffany Mann, and Rashidra Scott  burn the house down with soulful earworms like Gospel Truth and Zero to Hero (Menkens street urchins from Little Shop of Horrors have always fit nicely in ancient Greece). Its almost as if director Lear deBessonet (also returning from the Delacorte production) and the shows new book writers Robert Horn and Kwame Kwei-Armah should look to this scaffolding Greek chorus of Muses astheir muses.

Hercules feels most like the Hercules we know and love inside the musical stylings, the aesthetic, and the self-referential humor of this group of riffing narrators. Even costume designer Emilio Sosa seems particularly inspired by the quintet, giving them the sleekest collection of costumes, while our godly characters  Hades (Shuler Hensley), Zeus (Dennis Stowe), and Hera (Kristen Faith Oei)  are dressed in a more Disney World vein (Hensley makes a quintessential Disney villain of Hades but does the job well). Its when these women leave the show to its own devices that it seems to forget itself and the brisk pacing at which it thrives.

Newly expanded from its former one-act form to a full two-act musical, Hercules takes artistic liberties with its central mythical character to tell a story of a part-human-part-God who fails to fit comfortably in either world. The show attempts to blend bildungsroman, love story, hero-villain melee, and song-and-dance musical comedy  a vast undertaking that is clearly still in flux. The book writers linger too long on Hercules origin story in order to introduce all the main players, but then rush through climactic moments in Act 2.

Horn, whose zingers in the musical Tootsie earned him a Tony Award, takes up space in the libretto with jokes that are sometimes worth the pause in story progression but frequently are not. And at the top of Act 2, we cede the floor to Aladdins Tony-winning Genie, James Monroe Iglehart (reprising his performance as Hercules trainer Phil with ebullience and heart), for an inordinate amount of time just so we can watch him defy fatigue in signature fashion with the funky song Im Back!

Of course, we cant forget about the man himself. Bradley Gibson stars in the demanding title role, which he fills admirably as a confirmed triple threat with a Herculean physique to boot. He does not disappoint with his sweet and yearning performance of everyones favorite I-Want song, Go the Distance. His rendering of Hercules, however, often reflects the indecision of the show around him. His boyish naivete suggests a musical aiming for elementary school audiences, leaving scant romantic energy for his love interest Meg.

Thankfully, this fiercely independent ingenue is inhabited by Isabelle McCalla, who strikes a miraculous balance of both tones while also juggling humor and sympathy (she sings excellent renditions of Menkens popular I Wont Say (Im in Love) as well as Megs clever new character song, Forget About It). Onstage together, Gibson and McCalla make a charming duo and leave us wanting more than just one flirtatious scene.

Between all these moving pieces we have exciting dance breaks co-choreographed by Chase Brock and Tanisha Scott that reliably lift the energy to proper Menken levels. Its a joy to watch Paper Mills fabulous ensemble of dancers do what they do best on Dane Laffreys visually impressive set, and inside these vignettes are flashes of what Hercules could and should be: a heartwarming story about finding your place in a world that is as filled with life-affirming gospel music as it is with grotesque monsters. If this production is Hercules second labor, it only has 10 more to go.
Theres a whiff of false advertising about Shayok Misha Chowdhurys Public Obscenities. The play takes place within the private confines of a well-to-do familys home in Kolkata. And nothing particularly obscene transpires  at least, nothing that could possibly shock the audience at Soho Rep.

Of course, obscenity is in the eye of the beholder, especially as vaguely defined by section 294 of Indias penal code, which prohibits obscene act(s) in any public place but only if they result in the annoyance of others. This is the reason why Indian cinemas have typically taken a conservative approach in screening foreign movies, excising the sexy bits. All it takes is one jerk claiming to be triggered to ruin the party for everyone.

That is surely on the mind of Choton (Abrar Haque) as he returns to Kolkata to conduct research for a PhD dissertation about queer life in West Bengal. Hes brought along his filmmaker boyfriend, Raheem (Jakeem Dante Powell), to record interviews with subjects he will meet through Grindr. They are staying in his late grandfathers home, now occupied by Chotons aunt (Gargi Mukherjee), her husband (Debashis Roy Chowdhury), and their faithful servant (Golam Sarwar Harun).

Echoes of The Cherry Orchard reverberate as the man of this downwardly mobile Brahmin house spends several hours a day playing online billiards, while his wife indulges in sweets that are exacerbating her diabetes. Raheem seems uncomfortable with the idea of a live-in servant, while Choton wonders if his life might have been better if his parents hadnt moved his branch of the family to California. The kindling is arranged and ready for an explosive domestic drama  if only someone would light a match.

Public Obscenities is one of those slow-boil plays that feels like its building to something spectacular, but never actually does. Chowdhurys aggressively naturalistic direction is the source of both our anticipation and disappointment as pregnant pauses reveal themselves to be mostly dead air over the course of three yawn-inducing hours. The actors devote several minutes to rearranging the set and props during extended transitions. And several more minutes feature characters silently scrolling through their phones or chatting online. Unrequited passions remain so, and this trip across the globe concludes with a search not for belonging or identity, but toothpaste.

Its fairly banal stuff, but it does reveal something about rapidly changing attitudes in India around sexuality, if not class and caste. As Choton explains his familys attitude, I can be gay, as long as I get a PhD in gay.

The threat of section 294 as wielded by intolerant policemen looms much larger for Shou, one of Chotons subjects, whom Tashnuva Anan embodies with radiating joy and an irrepressible sense of mischief. Along with NaFis, who appears in a cameo role, Anan brings to the stage a fascinating snapshot of queer life in Bengal, seemingly avant-garde but in reality, deeply rooted in tradition.

Performing in both English and Bangla, the entire cast works diligently to bring Chowdhurys understated, occasionally mumbling vision to life: Haque is perfectly cast as the perma-student more comfortable inhabiting his thoughts than his body. Powell easily conveys Raheems scrupulously polite unease. As the excessively gracious host, Mukherjee is as sweet as the biscuits this house serves with tea. Through subtly shifting postures and rapid intakes of breath, Debashis Roy Chowdhury illuminates the internal life of a very online person. And Harun feels like a visitor from a much older world, the contours of which have not changed as much as his employers would like to believe.

The set, by the design collective dots, effectively uses every inch of the small stage at Soho Rep to create an enclosed world, shielded from the oppressive heat (natural lighting by Barbara Samuels) and relentless noise (sound by Tei Blow) of the outside. Costume designer Enver Chakartash tells the story of Chotons flirtation with his ancestral culture (and the incredible heat in which it was forged), as a hooded sweatshirt gives way to a linen kurta. Were always aware of the teeming life beyond the house, but our focus remains there.

With all the dramatic dominos Chowdhury sets up and the painstaking time he spends establishing character, Public Obscenities feels like the beginning of something much larger  the first several episodes of a potentially fascinating Netflix series. In its present form, unfortunately, its just another meandering living room drama.
AARP Wyoming and veterans organizations around the state will host a free Military Veterans Resource Fair and Lunch at American Legion Post 14 in Laramie on April 29. The resource fair will take place from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. The American Legion Post 14 in Laramie can be found at 417 East Ivinson Avenue.

Click here to register for the event.

If you or a loved one is a veteran, we hope this will be your one-stop-shop to learn about veteran resources in Wyoming. From property tax benefits to caregiver resources to health benefits, fraud prevention, and job training, come find out about the benefits you as a veteran can qualify for in the Cowboy state. All veterans, veteran caregivers, and their family members are welcome to stop by the event and pick up information and a box lunch.

Vietnam Veteran Jim Ohrumunds who serves on the AARP Veterans Advisory Council has been integral in bringing this event to his hometown of Laramie and hopes it will help veterans in the area. Jim has secured the VA, Veterans Service Dogs, Albany County Assessor, UW Wyoming, Workforce Development and AARP for the event so far.

AARP has more than 3 million veterans in its membership and has made issues facing veterans, military members, and their families a priority. To that end, the organization has produced a free military caregiving handbook available by clicking here. The guide offers helpful resources and caregiving checklists, facts about veteran and military caregivers, and five key issues to address in your caregiving journey.

AARP also offers the free Watchdog Alert Veterans Addition guide, which is available by clicking here. The guide outlines the fact 1-in-3 current or former military members have been targeted by disability or benefit scams and how veterans and military families can avoid being scammed.

For more resources for veterans, check out: https://www.aarp.org/home-family/voices/veterans/.
Batavia, NY (14020)

Today

Sun and clouds mixed. High 81F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 44F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
2 Killed in Wrong-Way Crash on 118 Freeway in Porter Ranch

PORTER RANCH, Calif.Two people were killed and two others were injured in a wrong-way crash on the Ronald Reagan (118) Freeway in Porter Ranch March 5, authorities said.

The crash on the westbound freeway, at the Tampa Avenue off-ramp, was reported at 4:25 a.m. Sunday, the California Highway Patrol reported. Authorities said a dark-colored sedan was driving eastbound in the westbound lanes and slammed into a semi-truck. The vehicle landed on the embankment of the off-ramp.

Two people were pronounced dead at the scene. Paramedics dispatched to the location at 4:30 a.m. rushed two others to regional trauma centers, according to Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

A Sigalert, issued at 4:53 a.m. closing the Tampa Avenue off-ramp, as well as the No. 3 and 4 lanes of the westbound freeway, was canceled at 11:20 a.m.

A representative from the Los Angeles County coroners office was called to the scene at 5:44 a.m.
33 Iditarod Sled Dog Race Mushers to Trek Across Alaska

The lead dogs for musher Bailey Vitello of Milan, New Hampshire, run down Fourth Avenue during the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race's ceremonial start in downtown Anchorage, Alaska, on March 4, 2023. (Mark Thiessen/AP Photo)

WILLOW, AlaskaThe race to Nome began Sunday for 33 mushers in this years Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Alaska.

Jessie Holmes. an Alabama native living in the Alaska community of Brushkana, was the first musher to leave across a frozen lake about 70 miles north of Anchorage. Holmes works as a carpenter and appears on the reality television show Life Below Zero.

Other mushers left in two-minute intervals. They will travel nearly a thousand miles over the unforgiving Alaska winterscape, climbing over two mountain ranges, mushing on frozen rivers and streams and across the treacherous Bering Sea ice. The winner is expected to drive their sled dog team down Nomes Front Street to the iconic burled arch finish line in about 10 days.

Leading the charge will be defending champion Brent Sass, a kennel owner and wilderness guide who lives on a homestead about a four-hour drive northwest of Fairbanks.

Also competing is Pete Kaiser, the 2019 champion. The 33 mushers in the race is the smallest field ever. The very first race, held in 1973, had 34 mushers, but the average number of starters in the first 50 races was 63.

Only having two former champions in the race this year is a rarity.

Several veteran mushers have decided to retire or take a break from the Iditarod, including five-time champion Dallas Seavey, four-time winners Martin Buser and Jeff King and three-time champ Mitch Seavey.
4 Americans Missing in Mexico After Being Held at Gunpoint, Kidnapped, FBI Says

Police officers and members of the National Guard as seen in Mexico, in a June 5, 2021 photo. (Alan Ortega/Reuters)

Four U.S. citizens who crossed into Mexico from Texas are missing after being assaulted and kidnapped by unidentified gunmen, FBI officials said on March 5, noting that a Mexican national was killed in the same incident.

Unknown assailants in the northeastern Mexican city of Matamoros in Tamaulipas state violently kidnapped at gunpoint four U.S. citizens in an incident in which an innocent Mexican citizen was tragically killed, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said in a statement.

Matamoros is located just across the U.S.Mexico border from Brownsville, Texas.

We have no greater priority than the safety of our citizensthis is the U.S. governments most fundamental role, Salazar said. U.S. law enforcement officials from numerous agencies are working with Mexican authorities at all levels of government to secure the safe return of our compatriots.

The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for the return of the unidentified kidnap victims and for the arrest of those who were involved, according to a statement from the bureaus San Antonio office.

The four Americans entered Matamoros in a white minivan with North Carolina license plates. The vehicle came under fire soon after it entered Mexico, according to the bureau.

All four Americans were placed in a vehicle and taken from the scene by armed men, the FBI San Antonio office stated.

The FBI didnt provide names, descriptions, or other details about the Americans or the minivan; the license plate number wasnt provided.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador confirmed the incident on March 6, telling reporters that the information we have is that they crossed the border to buy medicines in Mexico, there was a confrontation between groups, and they were detained, and the whole government is working on it, according to news reports.

A March 3 post on Twitter appears to show the moment the Americans were held at gunpoint and kidnapped. One woman was seen being forced into a white pickup truck before men clad in what appear to be bulletproof vests and armed with rifles are seen dragging the others into the truck.

Those with information related to the kidnapping are encouraged to contact the FBIs San Antonio Division or submit a tip online.

Other Alerts

At about the same time, the U.S. consulate in Matamoros issued an alert amid reports of an individual being shot in what appears to be the same incident. It warned U.S. government employees to avoid the area, noting that this area in Mexico is under a Level 4: Do Not Travel, which is the highest-level warning issued by the State Department.

Illegal immigrants stand in lines on the U.S. side of the Gateway International Bridge to be processed to seek asylum in the United States, in Matamoros, Mexico, on Feb. 26, 2021. (Go Nakamura/Reuters)

The U.S. Consulate Matamoros has received reports of police activity occurring in the vicinity of Calle Primera and Lauro Villar in connection to a shooting. Media reports indicate that one individual has been killed. U.S. government employees have been instructed to avoid the area until further notice, the consulate wrote. The U.S. Consulate General reminds U.S. citizens that Tamaulipas is classified as Level 4: Do Not Travel in the State Departments travel advisory for Mexico.

It advised citizens and employees to be aware of their surroundings, avoid the area, seek shelter if needed, monitor local updates, and review personal security plans or follow the instructions of Mexican officials.

Organized crime activityincluding gun battles, murder, armed robbery, carjacking, kidnapping, forced disappearances, extortion, and sexual assaultis common along the northern border, including Tamaulipas, the U.S. Department of State website reads.

On the same day as the kidnappings, police in Matamoros sent out a warning on social media to parents to keep their children at home. They cited two shootings in the city, although not the kidnappings.

Matamoros is notorious for drug cartel violence, according to news reports. The Gulf drug cartel has long been based in Matamoros, according to the Congressional Research Service, which noted that the criminal organization has splintered into warring factions.

The Gulf [cartel] reportedly has split into several competing gangs, the agency said in a 2019 report. Some analysts no longer consider it a whole entity and maintain that it is so fragmented that factions of its original factions are fighting.

Matamoros also was the site in December 2022 of a large encampment of Haitian and Venezuelan illegal immigrants who were aiming to cross into the United States, according to reports.

There are thousands of people sleeping on the streets of Matamoros, said Joshua Rubin, founder of Witness at the Border, according to a Border Report article published at that time.
54 British Parliament Members Petitioned for the Release of Hong Kong Former Legislative Council Member

It has been two years since the Hong Kong Government prosecuted the candidates of 47 pro-democracy primaries. 54 bipartisan members of the House of Commons and the British human rights group Hong Kong Watch urged the Foreign Office to step in and push for the release of the defendants. The photo depicts Hong Kong Watch delivering a report on press freedom in Hong Kong on May 9, 2022. (William Luke/The Epoch Times)

It has been two years since the Hong Kong Government prosecuted 47 candidates at the pro-democracy primaries. Fifty-Four bipartisan members of the House of Commons and the British human rights group Hong Kong Watch urged the Foreign Office to step in and push for the release of the defendants.

Bipartisan members, including former Hong Kong Governor Chris Patten, signed a petition on Feb. 24, demanding British Foreign Minister James Cleverly to intervene with the Hong Kong government to release former Legislative Council member Claudia Mo Man-ching.

The members also urged Cleverly that it would be the Foreign Offices duty to assist and facilitate the release of BNO passport holders in the 47 Democrat primaries case.

On Nov. 12, 2020, Hong Kong Former Legislative Council member and Pro-democracy lawmaker Claudia Mo Man-ching submitted her resignation letter, dressed in black and holding a yellow umbrella. Mo said she felt sad but relieved and stressed that resigning from the Legislative Council does not mean giving up the struggle for democracy in Hong Kong, We never quit. (Sung Bilong/The Epoch Times)

Despite pleading guilty, Claudia Mo (Auntie Mo to Hong Kong protesters), who participated in the pro-democracy primary election, has been remanded and in custody for over two years.

The joint letter mentioned Cleverly should intercede on Claudia Mos behalf with the Hong Kong Government and allow Mo to visit her British husband, Philip Bowring, who has been in the hospitals intensive care due to pneumonia.

The joint letter pointed out that Mo was originally a British citizen but renounced her British nationality in 2012 due to the Legislative Council election.

The letter also noted that Philip Bowring and their children are British citizens, so the 54 members asked the foreign affairs office to consider Mos previous British nationality. They reminded the Foreign Office of its delicate responsibility to support Mos release.

Members who signed the signatures included Alicia Kearns, chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Foreign Affairs, Iain Duncan Smith, former leader of the Conservative Party, and David Davis, a former cabinet member.

In January 2023, Ian Duncan Smith had once been asked, during a parliamentary prime ministers Q&A session, about Jimmy Lai, the founder of the now-defunct newsgroup Apple Daily.

Smith responded, at the time, that Britain would carry on robustly in standing up to what we believe to be Chinese aggression.

Executive Director of Hong Kong Watch, Benedict Rogers, who organised the joint signature, hoped that on the second anniversary of the arrest of 47 pro-democracy members, Smith would listen to cross-party lawmakers and push for the release of the arrested democratic figures on humanitarian grounds.

Hostage Diplomacy Is Becoming a Norm in China

Hong Kong Watch announced on March 2 that it submitted evidence to the British Parliamentary Select Committees on Foreign Affairs on the 47 Democrats Case, with a particular mention of Mo, and the now-dissolved Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, Carol Ng Man-yee.

Hong Kong argued that both Mo and Ng, once British citizens, were part of the family members of the United Kingdom, The Foreign Office should ensure their consular rights and prompt their release.

Hong Kong Watch also urged the Foreign Affairs Office to review, as soon as possible, whether the 47 arrested democrats had contacts with the UK, including any family members of British citizens, BNO passport holders, and statuses on their family British citizenship.

Hong Kong Watch also echoed that The UK Government should work with like-minded partners to press for the release of the 47 democrats.

The organization also described its political trials as a stain on Hong Kongs past status as a center of an independent judiciary and the rule of law.

Sam Goodman, director of policy and publicity at Hong Kong Watch, said the Foreign Office needed to develop a coordinated and consistent strategy to deal with the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) increasing use of hostage diplomacy and its refusal to recognize dual citizenship.

Mos Husband Became Critically Ill

News suddenly broke in early February 2023. Philip Bowring was hospitalized with pneumonia and had been in the intensive care unit.

At that time, Mos former assistant and former Yau Tsim Mong District councilor, Chan Ka-long, posted an appeal on Facebook, hoping that the authorities could release Mo on bail based on a humanitarian standpoint to care for her loved ones.

Philip Bowring, an 80-year-old British journalist and historian has lived in Asia since 1973. Bowring has been a reporter, editor, and columnist for prominent media outlets. He was also editor-in-chief of the Far Eastern Economic Review.

In April 2021, Mos bail was rejected. Bowring was present in court and became very emotional as he listened to the closing statements from both prosecutors and defense attorneys.

Mo started as a journalist. Mo gained fame as a reporter for Agence France-Presse, TVB Chinese and English TVB, and a program host for Radio Television Hong Kong.

Mo later switched her career to politics, joined the Civic Party, and was elected to the Legislative Council.

After being reelected in 2016, Mo left the Civic Party and continued to work at the Legislative Council as a founding member of HK First.

In 2020, Mo ran for re-election in the pro-democracy primary.

However, the government accused everyone involved in the primaries of violating the Hong Kong National Security Law. Mo and 56 other pro-democracy figures and activists were arrested in January 2021 during a police raid.

On Feb. 28, 2021, Mo and 46 other people were charged with conspiracy to subvert state power under the National Security Law.

Although several arrestees were released on bail, Mo remains detained.

Mo later applied to the High Court for bail. Still, the National Security Law designated judge Esther Toh Lye-bing denied her, claiming Mo would continue to endanger national security if she were let out.
Al-Qaeda Confirms Top Leader Killed in Suspected US Air Strike in Yemen

A general view shows the southeastern Yemen city of Mukalla, on April 29, 2014. Suspected Al-Qaeda terrorists killed 18 Yemeni soldiers in separate ambushes as the army launched a ground offensive against their remaining strongholds in the south, medical and security sources said. (Fawaz Al-Haidari/AFP via Getty Images)

Al-Qaeda confirmed on March 5 that Hamad bin Hamoud al-Tamimi, a top Saudi leader in al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), was killed in a suspected U.S. air strike in Yemen last month, according to the SITE Intelligence Group.

Al-Tamimi was killed on Feb. 26 in a drone strike that targeted his residence in central Yemen, the American nonprofit that monitors Islamic extremist websites reported.

Yemeni security officials, who spoke to AFP on anonymity, said the air strike was apparently American, and it also killed a Yemeni bodyguard. They said al-Tamimi, also known as Abdel Aziz al-Adnani, was AQAPs consultative council president and judge.

The attack followed reports that three alleged al-Qaeda terrorists were killed in a drone strike on a vehicle in Marib province, which local officials believed was carried out by the United States.

The United States designated AQAP as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and views it as one of the most dangerous branches of the al-Qaeda network founded by Osama bin Laden, who was killed by the U.S. military in Pakistan in 2011.

Another AQAP leader Qassim al-Raymi was killed in a U.S. counterterrorism operation led in Yemen in February 2020.

Al-Qaeda Terrorist Attack in Yemen

Some 20 Yemeni security forces members were reportedly killed in an al-Qaeda attack in the southern Abyan province last September before all eight terrorist attackers were killed.

The terrorists used rocket-propelled grenades, light and medium weapons, and military vehicles in the ambush on a security checkpoint in Ahwar district, Mohammed al-Naqib, a spokesperson for Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces, told Reuters.

Yemens main southern separatist group STC, which is backed by the United Arab Emirates, has expanded its presence throughout Abyan in what it described as a move to combat terrorist organizations, specifying al-Qaeda.

Yemen-based AQAP has used the conflict between a Saudi-led coalition and the Iran-backed Houthis to enhance its influence.

AQAP has survived an intensive campaign over the past decade from the U.S. military, the coalition, and the Houthis, taking advantage of Yemens mayhem, tribal sympathies, and large and empty swathes of south Yemen.

Al-Qaeda Leader Killed in Afghanistan

President Joe Biden confirmed the U.S. killing of al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri last August, who succeeded Osama bin Laden as the leader in June 2011.

American forces conducted the precision drone strike on Zawahiri in Kabul, Afghanistan, after the U.S. intelligence community located him last year. Biden said the strike didnt lead to civilian casualties.

Biden called Zawahiri the number two at the time of the 9/11 terrorist attack and the mastermind behind attacks against Americans for decades.

Osama bin Laden (L) sits with his adviser Ayman al-Zawahiri (R), an Egyptian linked to the al-Qaeda terrorist group, during an interview with Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir (not pictured) in an image supplied by Dawn newspaper on Nov. 10, 2001. (Hamid Mir/Editor/Ausaf Newspaper for Daily Dawn/Handout via Reuters)

A U.N. Security Council report dated 2021 (pdf) said Zawahiri was ailing in Afghanistan then and that Sayf-Al Adl was to be Zawahiris most likely successor who then resided in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

That strike came a year after the Biden administration completed the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

Geopolitical analyst and author of The Shadow War: Irans Quest for Supremacy Brandon J. Weichert commented that while the killing of Zawahiri was an excellent success for the U.S. military, many unanswered questions still linger around the assassination and whether its truly a strategic victory for the United States.

One source of a great deal of confusion, Weichert said, was the means by which the American intelligence community obtained the whereabouts of Zawahiri, considering that U.S. networks have been eviscerated since the disastrous U.S. pullout of Afghanistan last year.

If this intelligence came from whatever allies remain on the ground, excellent, Weichert said. If it came from a rival faction or a rival individual seeking to replace the aging Zawahiri as leader of al-Qaeda, then U.S. power had been yet again hijacked and misused to further the ends of the jihadist cause.

Gary Bai and Reuters contributed to this report.
Arizona Supreme Court Agrees to Expedite Kari Lake Lawsuit

Arizona Republican gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake speaks to supporters during her election night event at The Scottsdale Resort at McCormick Ranch in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Nov. 8, 2022. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

The Arizona Supreme Court agreed to expedite a hearing for Republican Arizona candidate Kari Lakes election lawsuit after two lower state courts rejected it.

Lake had filed a motion to expedite the lawsuit and argued that such actions are needed to resolve these issues is needed to safeguard Arizona voters right to free and equal elections. On March 3, the states highest court wrote in an order granting the motion for expedited consideration and current Gov. Katie Hobbs, a former secretary of state, and the state agency need to respond by March 13.

The Court anticipates considering the matter at an internal conference on March 21, 2023. At the conference, the Court will decide whether to accept review and schedule an oral argument, the brief order said.

Lake, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, lost the November midterm election to Hobbsa Democrat who was sworn in more than two months agosby 17,000 votes, according to state data. A former television journalist, Lake has contended that there were enough problems on Election Day that suppressed voter turnout for Republican voters in Maricopa County and said the countys contest either needs to be re-done or she be declared the winner.

In late December after a two-day trial in Lakes first lawsuit, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson dismissed her request for a new election and said Lakes team did not bring enough evidence showing that she was maligned by Election Day issues. Later, she appealed her case to the state Court of Appeals, which rejected her challenge in late February.

Arguments

For her appeal to the Arizona Supreme Court, Lakes lawyers contended that Maricopa County election officials intentionally caused havoc on Election Day, including triggering issues with vote-tabulating machines that resulted in delays and long lines. Those issues, Lake said, were an attempt to quash GOP voters. Her team also accused Maricopa County of mingling what she described as illegal ballots with legal ballots as well as approving invalid signatures on absentee ballots.

Describing the alleged Nov. 8 voting chaos, the lawsuit said that a Republican attorney observerpart of a group of Republican attorneys covering 115 of 223 vote centers on Election Daytestified there was pandemonium out there everywhere with lines out the door, which did notyou did not see during the Primary. [and] angry and frustrated voters.'

The evidence and testimony presented at the Arizona Senate Committee on Elections meeting on January 23, 2023, showed more than 7,000 ballots being rejected by vote center tabulators every 30 minutes from 6:00 am to 8:00 pmtotaling over 217,000 rejected ballot insertions on a day with approximately 248,000 votes cast, the suit said.

Responding to the Arizona Court of Appeals decision to reject Lakes challenge, her team said the lower court erred by relying on presumptions that election officers act in good faith and that elevated evidentiary standards would effectively immunize election officials from suit, even if their intentional misconduct or gross negligence impairs elections.

Maricopa County lawyers have rejected Lakes claims that there was intentional malfeasance on behalf of county officials in connection to the Nov. 9 printer problems. Maricopa County elections co-director Scott Jarrett, during Decembers trial, blamed printing issues in some polling spots on toner that wasnt dark enough, saying that it resulted in voters with certain ballots that couldnt be read having to place them in a secure box to be counted later.

Former Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake speaks during the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., on March 4, 2023. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Jarrett told the court that some 17,000 ballots ended up in the secure boxes across the county. Later, he said there is no reason to believe any of the problems were intentionally caused.

All the votes get transferred to the duplicated ballot that gets duplicated and tabulated, Jarrett said.

CPAC Poll

Should her lawsuit be rejected by the state Supreme Court or any federal courts, her future in the Republican Party appears to be bright. Over the weekend, Lake won the Conservative Action Political Conference (CPAC) straw poll for vice president, defeating Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.

Were flattered, but unfortunately our legal team says the Constitution wont allow for her to serve as Governor and VP at the same time, Lakes team wrote on Twitter Sunday, referring to her election-related legal challenge that was recently appealed to the Arizona Supreme Court.

Lake won the straw poll with 20 percent of the vote. Haley nabbed 10 percent and DeSantis acquired 14 percent in the vice presidential poll.
As Blue States Rezone Their Red Suburbs, Its Not Really About Affordable Housing

A site plan for the city of Capistrano's new city hall, with a new affordable housing complex next to it. (Screenshot via the City of San Juan Capistrano)

Commentary

A recent opinion piece in The New York Times titled The Era of Shutting Others Out of New Yorks Suburbs Is Ending discussed a growing trend among state legislatures, particularly in blue states, to force changes in local zoning laws in the suburbs to allow more multifamily housing.

The zoning changes to combat what the Biden administration calls exclusionary zoning are high on President Joe Bidens governing agenda, and he included it in his original $2.3 trillion infrastructure bill. A White House fact sheet states:

For decades, exclusionary zoning lawslike minimum lot sizes, mandatory parking requirements, and prohibitions on multifamily housinghave inflated housing and construction costs and locked families out of areas with more opportunities.

The blog of the White House Council on Economic Advisers couched exclusionary zoning in racial terms in this statement:

Exclusionary zoning laws place restrictions on the types of homes that can be built in a particular neighborhood. Common examples include minimum lot size requirements, minimum square footage requirements, prohibitions on multi-family homes, and limits on the height of buildings.  Zoning laws have been used to discriminate against people of color and to maintain property prices in suburban and, more recently, urban neighborhoods.

The impetus for these initiatives seems to come from The Century Foundation, a Washington and New York nonprofit that bills itself as a progressive, independent think tank that conducts research, develops solutions, and drives policy change to make peoples lives better and pursues economic, racial, gender, and disability equity in education, health care, and work.

The Century Foundation and the opinion piece from The New York Times both couched so-called exclusionary zoning in racial terms almost the same as red-lining, the now-illegal bank practice of refusing to make mortgage loans to black homebuyers in white neighborhoods.

A Baleful History of Discrimination and Segregation in Housing

Theres little doubt that U.S. housing policy was historically racist. New Deal programs such as the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), created by President Franklin Roosevelt to guarantee mortgage loans for home ownership, allowed tens of millions of Americans to buy their first homes. For most, those homes were the first real property ever owned in their family after generations of U.S. citizenship.

But the FHA lending rules were avowedly racist and blatantly segregationist. A 1936 manual for FHA underwriters, for example, described infiltration by inharmonious racial groups. It also stated that if a neighborhood is to retain stability, it is necessary that properties shall continue to be occupied by the same social and racial classes and warned against an incompatible racial element in public schools.

Shamefully, the bigotry continued after World War II. Returning black veterans were largely denied benefitsostensibly available to them as a reward for their military serviceby insidious means. Veterans Administration (VA) loans, for example, were underwritten by the VA, but they first had to be made by private financial institutions that discriminated on the basis of race.

In New York and the northern New Jersey suburbs, fewer than 100 of the 67,000 mortgages insured by the GI bill supported home purchases by non-whites, historian Ira Katznelson said. In Mississippi, only two of 3,200 loans went to black veterans.

Today

No one should deny the United States history of denying black people their right to buy or rent a home on account of race. But were 60 years from the March on Washington and nearly 60 years from the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Housing discrimination is not only illegal; laws against it are also vigorously enforced.

Today, the biggest barriers to homeownership or a residential lease are income and wealth. Housingand particularly home ownershipin even a middle-income community is an expensive commodity that requires a significant level of income, and a significant percentage of that income has to be spent on it.

Moreover, housing is aspirational. Saving for the first home is a rite of passage for young people and particularly couples. A vivid childhood memory from more than 50 years ago is my mother getting upset when another relative chastised and embarrassed his wife who had ordered a shrimp cocktail appetizer at a restaurant where the families had gathered.

Do you want that house or do you want that shrimp cocktail? he asked.

The wife demurred and canceled the order; but my mother, no shrinking violet, shot dagger eyes at the husband for the rest of the evening and later warned my dad that he had better never embarrass her the way my relative had embarrassed his wife.

But thats how it was. You scrimped, saved, sacrificed, and delayed gratification to come up with a down payment, and then you bought the biggest home you could afford in the best neighborhood you could find.

That no longer seems to be the case. A New York state Senate sponsor of a law to allow rezoning in upscale suburban areas was quoted as saying, We need to end the policy of exclusionary zoning that disadvantages lower- and middle-income New Yorkers. It now seems that progressives such as the senator are set to create affordable housing in even the most expensive suburbs and frame an economic issue in divisive, racial, and class terms. As with the path taken by the Biden administration with student loan forgiveness, equitynot thrift, not delayed gratification, not personal responsibilityrules the federal and New York state governing agendas.

More realisticand we more cynicalAmericans who look at what progressives call exclusionary zoning nowadays recognize that economics, not race, is whats at issue. I personally know scores of hard-working, upper middle-income white peoplewell-paid professionals with advanced degrees from Ivy League universitieswho cant afford to live in wealthy towns such as Greenwich, Connecticut; Saddle River, New Jersey; or Chappaqua, New York. But with the accusatory rhetoric of race, even conservatives tend to demur; theyre cowed and seem willing to accommodate the demands of progressives, if not accede to them.

The progressive chimera of equal outcomes for all, regardless of ability, education, or accomplishment, seems to be advancing by rule of law.

The Politics of Affordable Housing

But the cynics among us note that these affordable housing initiatives are also likely political, particularly in blue states.

Many of the wealthy towns that are being targeted to be rezoned for multiunit dwellings here in New York state, for example, tend to vote Republican. But large, multiunit dwellings in towns and cities zoned for single-family homes will draw lower-income residents who tend to vote with the Democrats. That will affect votes for school boards, town councils, and the seats in state legislatures to expand the political influence of the Democratic urban strongholds to surrounding suburban areas, too.

Adding lower-income residents also causes a diminution of per-capita public services. Part of the appeal of wealthy neighborhoods, and why theyre aspirational for most Americans, is the quality of public services, particularly public schools. But those services are funded, most often, by high property taxes on single-family homes that fund a generous per-capita town budget. But a large, multiunit dwelling will distort that per-capita budget because more people, paying a lower per-capita property tax, will be drawing on the town services.

Exclusionary Zoning, But

Nobodyand certainly no politicianwants to oppose affordable housing and be perceived as a Mr. Potter, the warped, frustrated, old man who obstructed the homeownership dreams of people he viewed as rabble in Its a Wonderful Life, the beloved Christmas classic. But the irony of these urban politicians who will impose less-restrictive zoning in wealthy suburban areas for the purported cause of affordable housing is that they do so while ignoring flagrant abuses of existing affordable housing by the upper-income people in their own cities.

Lionel Barrymore as Mr. Potter in the classic Christmas film Its a Wonderful Life. (Liberty Films, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

A 2015 audit by the Housing and Urban Development inspector general, for example, found that, nationally, more than 25,000 public housing families had incomes exceeding legal limits and enjoyed taxpayer-paid housing subsidies of more than $100 million. More than 10,000 of the units were in New York, the state asserting the greatest need for suburban zoning changes. But the New York Housing Authority that manages these apartments has no policy to remove over-income tenants! Theyve been allowed to stay!

Abuse also occurs with other affordable housing built in private apartment houses. In New York City, developers can build larger buildings if they provide a certain percentage of affordable units. But since means testing only occurs on original occupancy, people whose income grows beyond the limitsand sometimes well beyond the limitsare able to continue living in their apartments at the affordable rent.

The abuse persists because New York and most other states means test residents only when they first apply for residence and not in later years. For example, a stockbroker who makes $400,000 per year accessed a two-bedroom Manhattan apartment as affordable housing for slightly more than $722 per month because, he claimed, he was between jobs and had a low income in the year he applied.

Summary

Its time to remove the veil of public and affordable housing. Cities need to be transparent in their policies and commence means testing of residents in public and affordable units at least triennially. Those who are over income need to be evicted and assisted in finding housing appropriate to their better means.

Older empty nest residents occupying two- and three-bedroom apartments in public and affordable housing whose children no longer reside with them should be downsized to single-bedroom units to free up the units for struggling families.

Finally, and perhaps most of all, blue cities such as New York need to rethink their sanctuary city policies. Subsidized housing is a form of welfare, and as Nobel laureate economist Milton Friedman told The Wall Street Journal in 2006, You cant have open immigration without largely the elimination of welfare. Its aggressively antithetical and disingenuous for politicians to demand zoning changes in suburbs to accommodate affordable housing while simultaneously defending sanctuary cities that welcome illegal immigrants.

Suburban leaders shouldnt be cowed by demands for equity from their urban counterparts.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
At Least 3 Police Officers Killed in Nagorno-Karabakh Clash

An ethnic Armenian soldier stands guard next to Nagorno-Karabakh's flag atop of the hill near Charektar in the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh at a new border with Kalbajar district turned over to Azerbaijan, on Nov. 25, 2020. (Sergei Grits/File/AP Photo)

MOSCOWA shootout between Azerbaijani soldiers and police of Nagorno-Karabakh, a separatist ethnic Armenian region, killed at least three people Sunday, according to Armenias Interior Ministry.

The two sides gave differing accounts of what happened. Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry said the shootout occurred when soldiers went to check vehicles suspected of transporting weapons along an auxiliary dirt road that leads from Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakhs capital, Stepanakert.

Armenias Interior Ministry described the shooting as an ambush and said three officers from the regions passport division were killed.

Azerbaijan said its forces suffered losses but did not give specific numbers.

The clash adds to already high tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which fought a war over Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020 that killed more than 6,000 people. The war ended in a Russia-brokered armistice under which Armenia relinquished territories surrounding the region.

Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan, but ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia had controlled the region and surrounding territories since 1994.

The agreement to end the 2020 war left a winding road called the Lachin Corridor as the only authorized connection between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, a lifeline for supplies to the regions approximately 120,000 people.

However, traffic on that road has been mostly blocked since December by protesters believed to be backed by Azerbaijani authorities.
Atlanta Police Name 23 Domestic Terrorism Suspects in Cop City Attack

Video footage released on March 5, 2023, shows left-wing rioters throwing fireworks and Molotov cocktails at officers in Atlanta. (Atlanta Police Department/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

The Atlanta Police Department confirmed the arrests of 23 people following a violent demonstration at a location where Atlanta plans to construct a police and fire training facility dubbed by opponents as Cop City.

Authorities said that of the 23 people arrested, only two were from Georgia, and at least two arent U.S. citizens. All 23 were charged with domestic terrorism, officials said in a statement.

The agitators destroyed multiple pieces of construction equipment by fire and vandalism. Multiple law enforcement agencies deployed to the area and detained several people committing illegal activity, police stated, noting that 35 agitators have been detained so far.

Officials said suspect Dimitri LeNy is from France and another, Fredrique Robert-Paul, is from Canada. Suspects Ayla King, Alexis Paplai, and Timothy Bilodeau are from Massachusetts, the department stated, noting that two othersSamuel Ward and Max Biedermanare from Arizona.

The remaining suspects were from Tennessee, Virginia, Louisiana, Indiana, New York, Connecticut, North Carolina, Florida, Maine, Utah, Colorado, Wisconsin, and other states. The only suspects with Georgia addresses were identified by authorities as Thomas Jurgens and Jack Beaman.

[Officials] continue to see a number of individuals not from Atlanta, Georgia, that are present tonight undertaking criminal activities to destabilize the construction of a fire and police training center, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum told reporters on March 5.

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr said in a March 6 statement: What happened last night was not peaceful protestit was violence. Plain and simple. We will not tolerate this destruction of property, and we will seek to ensure that those who have engaged in this criminal behavior are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.

Video footage released by the Atlanta Police Department shows individuals hiding behind a chain-link fence throwing what appear to be firecrackers at police. Several exploded in the vicinity of the officers, who appeared to call for backup and retreat, the footage shows.

Construction equipment is set on fire by a group protesting the planned public safety training center in Atlanta on March 4, 2023. (Atlanta Police Department via AP)

Other footage released by police shows a piece of heavy equipment in flames at the facility under construction. It was among multiple pieces of construction equipment destroyed, according to police.

In tactics reminiscent of far-left Antifa black bloc groups, the Cop City suspects were dressed mainly in all black. They also threw Molotov cocktails, bricks, rocks, and other objects at police, authorities said.

Police from nearby communities stepped in to assist city officers, and no officers were injured, Schierbaum said, noting that the FBI has joined police in the case. Officers used nonlethal enforcement methods to disperse the crowd and detain those involved, he said. Asked about injuries to any of the demonstrators, the chief said that some minor discomforts were reported and were being attended to by medical personnel.

This was a very violent attack, very violent attack, Schierbaum said. This wasnt about a public safety training center. This was about anarchy  and we are addressing that quickly.

Video footage released on March 5, 2023, shows left-wing rioters in a standoff with officers in Atlanta. (Atlanta Police Department/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said the people involved chose destruction and vandalism over legitimate protest, yet again demonstrating the radical intent behind their actions.

As Ive said before, domestic terrorism will NOT be tolerated in this state, Kemp said in a March 6 statement. We will not rest until those who use violence and intimidation for an extremist end are brought to full justice.

The Atlanta City Council approved the $90 million Atlanta Public Safety Training Center in 2021, stating that a state-of-the-art campus would replace substandard offerings and boost police morale, which is beset by hiring and retention struggles following left-wing, anti-police riots that erupted across Atlanta and the United States in the summer of 2020.

The group involved in this weekends incident, Defend the Atlanta Forest, issued a statement to local media outlets on March 5 claiming that it was engaged in legitimate protest.

Cop City will never be a legitimate project. It continues to be widely opposed by Atlantians, the statement reads. The civil rights violations committed by police today reaffirms [sic] that this cop training facility should never be built. We stand steadfast in our conviction to build a new world in which all people are safe from police terror.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Australia to Re-establish WWII Squadron to Pilot High-Tech Drone

The Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton Surveillance UAV, the key platform used by the U.S. Navy for surveillance. (Robert Frola via Wikimedia Commons)

A highly reputed air squadron will be brought back to operate high-tech unmanned aircraft and surveil northern waters, the Royal Australian Air Force has announced.

First established in 1939, 9 squadron will take over the operation of the U.S.-built MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), which will arrive in Australia in mid-2024 and will operate alongside the P-8A Poseidon to replace the AP-3C Orions.

With a wingspan of a Boeing 737 at 39.9m and the ability to fly up to 24 hours, this large high altitude long endurance (HALE) aircraft manufactured by Northrop Grumman will be used for real-time maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

At the Avalon Airshow on Mar. 3, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said that the Australian forces have been training with the Triton since November 2022 alongside the U.S. Navy, and are set to finish by June 2023.

Its also going to be really useful in terms of surveilling illegal fishing both in our own waters, but also the waters of our Pacific neighbours, said Marles.

Renowned Operational Unit

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Chief of Air Force Rob Chipman paid tribute to 9 Squadron when announcing its re-establishment, noting it has a history of being involved in some of Australias most iconic battles with the Australian Army and has flown 237,424 missions, reported the Australian War Memorial.

The 9 Squadron was previously in operation from 1939 to 1944 before being re-established in 1962 during the Vietnam War, where it flew its last mission in November 1971. It was responsible for carrying out a number of different types of missions, including inserting and extracting Special Air Service patrols, evacuating wounded troops, spraying herbicides and pesticides, dropping leaflets, and flying olfactory reconnaissance or people sniffer missions.

The emblem of the 9 Squadron is an Australian native bird, the black-browed albatross, which is known for spending a long time on overwater flights, making it the perfect symbol, for the perfect Squadron for us to establish the MQ-4 Triton capability, Chief of Air Force Chipman told reporters.

Australian Flat Pack Drones Sent to Ukraine

Meanwhile, cheap Australian drones made out of cardboard and rubber bands have been sent to the Ukraine Armed Forces as part of a $33 million (US$22.33 million) commitment to supply the country with unmanned systems.

Australian-owned SYPAQ Systems have been supplying around 100 cardboard drones a month to Ukraine since 2022. The low-cost drones are designed for the delivery of supplies and equipment into areas that may be hard for traditional logistics capabilities to reach, but some in Ukraine have undertaken 60 flights.

Developed in Melbourne in partnership with the Australian Army and under a $1.1 million (US$0.74 million) Defence Innovation Hub contract, SYPAQ Systems developed the Corvo Precision Payload Delivery System (PPDS).

Known as the cardboard plane, the PPDS comes flat-packed and is constructed from thick, wax-coated cardboard and heavy-duty rubber bands that secure the wings; it can also fly up to 120 km and has the ability to land by itself.

With the PPDS able to provide true autonomy and remove the cognitive load on the soldier during operation, the Ukrainian soldiers have used them for a variety of missions, including lethal ones.

When its operating with no data link, obviously its set and forget, and it does a great job of flying down range, monitoring the terrain and figuring out a landing pattern and approach, given the weather conditions, said SYPAQ chief engineer Ross Osborne at the Avalon Airshow.

Defence Minister Richard Marles and Ukrainian ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko were provided with a first-hand briefing on the cardboard plane, and Myroshnychenko commented that the appearance of the drone was deceptive.

When you look at it, it looks like something that kids would play with, Myroshnychenko said, report The Australian.

But when you see what it can do, its really amazing.

From what I hear, they have been very good at inflicting lots of damage on the enemy.

Our drone teams within the MOD (Ministry of Defence) are very sophisticated guys. There is a great deal of R&D and innovation going on in that department. And because they run a large number of UAVs they have become some of the best teams in the world.

Use of Australian Innovation within Australia

Although the cardboard drones sent to Ukraine have been well received, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) is yet to place any orders.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said the usefulness of the innovation doesnt relate directly to Australias current situation.

In the context of what has been faced by Ukraine, it has a high degree of value, Marles said.

Ultimately, thats a question of the assessment of our own needs, which are clearly different from those of Ukraine.

RAAF Chief of Air Force Rob Chipman said that it was important to continue working with the U.S. through cooperative development programs and ensure MQ-4C drones can be operated effectively once they arrive.

We think about interoperability when we design and deliver aircraft. And its very important to us to make sure you get that right from the outset. So that we are able to continue to operate with the US forces, Chipman said.

Meanwhile, Marles commented that it is important for Australia to increase its defence industry in a strategic way, the fact that weve got a technology being developed in Australia, which has use in that theatre, is something we should all feel proud about and helps boost Australias strategic weight.

And the fact that we are seeing that export, and the utility of that, has Australia be taken more seriously.
Australias Sunshine State to Spend $5B on Electricity Transmission Project

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk speaks at Yeronga High School in Brisbane, Australia on May 7, 2022. (Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Australias sunshine state, Queensland, will spend $5 billion (US$3.36 billion) on an 1100km electricity transmission line linking the states vast northwest mining region to the national grid for the first time.

The state government will take over private company CuStrings planned CopperString 2.0 project to build a high voltage line from Townsville to the northwest, which is rich in copper, zinc, lead, silver and potentially phosphate and rare earth minerals.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the line capacity would be increased between Townsville and Hughdenden to allow future renewable energy projects to connect to the grid as well.

State-owned transmission provider Powerlink will conduct early work this year before construction starts next year, with the project due to be completed by 2029.

CopperString is the most significant investment in economic infrastructure in North Queensland in generations, Palaszczuk said in a statement on Tuesday morning.

Unlocking affordable renewable energy and our critical minerals will benefit Townsville, Mount Isa and every town in betweenunlocking thousands of jobs and billions in investment.

Having a concrete timeline will give green energy and mining projects certainty to invest, CEO of economic development body Townsville Enterprise Claudia Brumme-Smith said.

We have spoken to plenty of prime ministers, plenty of premiers, and they all were supportive, but no one ever put their money where their mouth is, she told ABC radio North Queensland on Tuesday.

The premier has done that today  yes it took us ten years, but  we havent built transmission lines like that for decades.

Brumme-Smith said there were billions of dollars in the wings as wind farms, solar farms, and critical mineral mining projects waited on the enabling infrastructure.

Shes projecting a total of 3000 jobs for the region accounting for the subsequent projects.

The government indicated it was keen to take over the project in January after CopperString 2.0 was given federal approval in December.

Energy Minister Mick de Brenni said the line would open up the region for renewable energy projects, with the government signing a number of joint venture deals with private operators for solar, wind, hydrogen and gas projects there in the past two years.

Building this transmission line opens up 6000 megawatts of potential renewable energy in the North Queensland Renewable Energy Zone, creating more jobs than our state has ever seen in a new, decarbonised resources sector stretching from Townsville to Mount Isa  and theyre starting right now, with early works packages to be rolled out almost immediately, he said in a statement.

The project, which has bipartisan support, has been the subject of multiple state and federal election promises over the years.

Local federal and state MPs Bob Katter and Robbie Katter, a father-son duo who represent the aptly-named Katters Australian Party in the region, have been pushing for CopperString 2.0 since 2003.
Bodycam Shows New Angles of Jan. 6 Beating of Victoria White by Police

Jan. 6 protester Victoria White (at right) flinches in fear in the Lower West Terrace tunnel at the U.S. Capitol while a bystander yells at police, "No! You're going to kill her!" (Metropolitan Police Department/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

Recently released bodycam video from DC Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers provides more angles to the Jan. 6 beating of protester Victoria White in the Lower West Terrace tunnel at the U.S. Capitol in Washington.

The newest bodycam footage, from Officer Jeffrey Leslie, was captured directly behind MPD Cmdr. Jason Bagshaw, who landed most of the baton strikes and punches to Whites head and face during a four-minute span on Jan. 6, 2021.

In the Leslie footage, three officers land strikes, jabs, and stabs at White in the tunnel, starting just before 4:10 p.m.

An ear-piercing siren blared throughout Whites time in the tunnel, making it difficult to hear what was being said.

Bagshaw used his steel baton like a lance and a spear for some of the strikes on White, thrusting it through gaps between other officers and along the tunnel wall as White spun around trying to shield herself.

Officer Leslie slid his baton along the tunnel wall behind the legs of an MPD officer standing on a ledge. Its not clear if those strikes made contact with White.

At 4:08 p.m., Bagshaw jabbed overhand like a spear, then switched to forehand and delivered at least six blows. On the video, the bright red of Whites sweater was visible occasionally through the arms and bodies of the officers who surrounded her.

The bodycam of the officer standing on the ledge showed Bagshaws closed fist as he repeatedly punched White with his left hand. She was visible only briefly, but previously released overhead security camera footage captured the punches to Whites head and face.

Youre Going to Kill Her

Another bodycam, from an officer farther ahead in the tunnel, shows a man in the corner who begged police not to strike White, just as Bagshaw began punching her.

At 4:09 p.m., the man said: No, no, no, please! Please dont beat her, according to the video. Two minutes later, as police shouted at him to move it, keep walking! the man replied, No! Youre going to kill her!

A police officer grabs the arm of protester Victoria White in the Lower West Terrace tunnel at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. (Metropolitan Police Department/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

White stood with her back to the tunnel wall with her arms crossed above her in an effort to protect her head from the batons.

At 4:09 p.m., an officer to Bagshaws left made an overhead spearing motion with at least nine thrusts at White, the video shows.

When Whites back was again pressed against the tunnel wall, Bagshaw used his right hand and stabbed his baton at her six times, the video shows.

White said she was horrified by the bodycam images.

God allowed me to blackout for a reason, White told The Epoch Times. I honestly thought one or two officers beating me from the other publicly released footage was horrific, but it looks like four or more had beat me.

To make matters worse is that all this footage Im seeing for the very first time wasnt shown to me by any attorney, White said. The last two bodycams were exculpatory, as Im sure this is.

White Faces Charges

In a superseding indictment filed in January 2022, White was charged with civil disorder and aiding and abetting, entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building. She pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.

White had been scheduled to enter into a plea agreement with prosecutors at a February hearing, but decided days earlier to reject a plea and proceed to a May 8 trial date. At a March 3 hearing before U.S. District Judge John Bates, White said she planned to obtain new legal counsel.

On Feb. 10, prosecutors asked Judge Bates to jail White because she had been on Capitol Hill meeting with GOP lawmakers as part of a group that included Micki Witthoeftthe mother of Ashli Babbitt, who was killed by U.S. Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd. They said Whites presence in Washington violated her terms of pretrial release. The judge did not jail her but said any meetings with federal lawmakers would have to be pre-approved.

In the original statement of facts filed by the FBI in Whites case, the government included video screenshots of Whites hands and asserted she was trying to grab a police shield, grab at the officer on the ledge, and use her hand to block the baton. The document says police were trying to fend her off.

The document does not mention the 39 blows to Whites head, face, and body delivered by Bagshaw and other officers. Nor does it detail how the officer on the ledge repeatedly sprayed oleoresin capsicum onto her face as she flopped back and forth between officerssomething revealed on security-camera video.

Federal prosecutors in another Jan. 6 criminal case identified Bagshaw as the MPD supervisor who repeatedly struck White.

Metropolitan Police Department has declined to comment on Whites case. The department deemed all of its uses of force on Jan. 6 to be justified.
Bump Stock Sales Resume in 3 States After Feds Miss Deadline to File Appeal

A bump stock is installed on an AK-47 and its movement is demonstrated at Good Guys Gun and Range in Orem, Utah, on Feb. 21, 2018. (George Frey/Getty Images)

Sales of bump stocks have resumed in three states after federal authorities let a deadline pass to file a legal challenge against a court ruling that invalidated an administrative ban on the devices, which boost firing speed.

Guns shops in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi can now legally sell bump stocks after the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) failed to file a motion by a Feb. 27 deadline to block a ruling by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals that in January struck down a federal ban on bump stocks.

The 5th Circuit Court, which handles cases from the three states, ruled on Jan. 6 (pdf) that the ATF short-circuited the legislative process when it issued an administrative decision in 2018 that treated bump stocks under federal law as equivalent to machine guns.

The ATFs administrative decisionwhich went into effect in 2019made possession of bump stocks a federal crime carrying a penalty of up to 10 years behind bars and a $250,000 fine.

I Wasnt Surprised

The bump stock ban prompted a lawsuit by Michael Cargill, owner of Central Texas Gun Works in Austin, Texas, who was handed a victory when the 5th Circuit ruled to invalidate the ATF ban.

I wasnt surprised, Cargill told The Dallas Morning News. I was excited, because I felt that this was the absolute right decision to make.

While the ATFs bump stock ban remains in effect outside Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, the appeals court ruling prevents the agency from enforcing the rule in those three states.

The ATF told media outlets in a statement that its unable to comment on litigation.

A bump fire stock that attaches to a semi-automatic rifle to increase the firing rate is seen at Good Guys Gun Shop in Orem, Utah, on Oct. 4, 2017. (George Frey/Reuters)

The ATFs decision to impose the ban came after a high-profile mass shooting in Las Vegas on Oct. 1, 2017, in which shooter Stephen Paddock attached the devices to several semiautomatic rifles he used to shoot festivalgoers from his hotel room.

Paddock was found to have fired more than 1,100 rounds of ammunition from the 32nd floor of the Las Vegas Strip hotel where he was staying.

The Trump-era Department of Justice in 2019 amended ATF regulations, banning the sale and possession of bump stocks. It found that the devices fall within the definition of machine gun under federal law because they allow a shooter of a semiautomatic firearm to initiate a continuous firing cycle with a single pull of the trigger.

At the time, the Supreme Court refused to block the government from enforcing the ban.

The 5th Circuit Court noted in its ruling that for years prior to the Las Vegas shooting, the ATF held that bump stocks on semi-automatic weapons didnt meet the definition of a machine gun.
California Minimum Wage Bill for Health Care Workers Would Worsen Shortages

An empty bed in the Emergency Department at Providence St. Mary Medical Center in Apple Valley, Calif., on March 30, 2021. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Commentary

When you get olderIm 67one of the things that happens is you need more health care. Ive written hundreds of editorials and columns calling for privatizing Medicare. Never happened. Now Im on it. Im finding its quite generous. What I worry about is making sure there are enough medical professionals around in a few years as my needs increase.

Pew Trusts reported last March 25:

The lack of workers has become so dire that at least 20 governors this year directly addressed the situation in their state of the state speeches, proposing a range of policy fixes, according to the National Academy for State Health Policy, a nonpartisan forum of state health policymakers.

Gov. Gavin Newsom did not mention this problem in his March 8, 2022 address. Perhaps he will in his 2023 address, expected this week. But last year he did say, And this year, with your support, we will do something no other state in America has done  provide Health For All, regardless of immigration status. Thats the California Way. Which inevitably will mean a demand for more health care workers in the middle of a shortage.

This is why Im worried about my own health care in coming years, as well as that of my friends. Unlike most, I also use the Veterans Administration (VA), which has been improved greatly in recent years after President Trumps reforms after the scandals of a decade ago. But even there, although the VA is a federal department, in my experience it relies on local doctors, nurses, and other medical workers for some of the care given to vets.

These problems could be made worse if Senate Bill 535 becomes law. By state Sen. Maria Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles), in the bills words, it would require a health care worker minimum wage of $25 per hour for hours worked in covered health care employment.

And it would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. Meaning the state of California would not reimburse local hospitals, school medical workers, etc., for their added costs. Local taxpayers of private health companies, including nonprofits, would pick up the tabs.

Californias current minimum wage is $15.50 an hour. Although some cities have raised that as high as $17.95 in Sunnyvale. In Durazos L.A., its $16.04.

Its axiomatic that mandating higher wages means less money overall. Meaning other medical services will have to be cut, including firing some of the medical workers themselves. For them, a $25 hourly wage will mean a pink slip. Tax increases? Unlikely in a state already taxed more than any other.

Durazo also championed the Medi-Cal expansion, which started May 1, 2022, giving 235,000 more Californians new eligibility for coverage. She exulted at the time:

After years of tireless work from organizers and advocates, all eligible Californians 50 and older regardless of their immigrations status will have access to full-scope health coverage.

Up until now eligible, undocumented parents or grandparents of this age bracket could take their child or grandchild to the doctor but the parent or grandparent could not do the same for themselves.

We have taken a huge step forward by securing healthcare access for these quarter million Californians, but this latest inclusion is not the end  its another step in our continued efforts. This has been and always will be a campaign for all.

Its Economics 101: Increasing costs while also increasing demand is a surefire recipe for massive shortages.

Of SB 535, Durazo told Kaiser Health News (quoted in California Healthline) of struggling health care workers, How do people survive? They cant be on the edge of becoming homeless. Thats what were facing.

Well, maybe if she and other legislators stopped over-regulating and over-taxing everybody, and instead passed reforms to reduce the costs of housing and gasoline, everybody might live a little easier.

California Healthline itself wrote:

While the bill is backed by the influential Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, which represents roughly 100,000 workers statewide, similar proposals have previously faced strong opposition from the health industry .

Last year, the union spent about $11 million to promote local $25 minimum wage measures in 10 Southern California cities while hospitals and health care facilities spent $12 million against them. That fight yielded an opposite decision in November in two cities where the measure made the ballot: Inglewood voters approved raises at private hospitals and dialysis clinics, while voters in Duarte rejected the wage hike.

During the campaign, a ballot issue committee with funding from Kaiser Permanente of Northern California, Adventist Health, Cedars-Sinai, Dignity Health, and other hospitals and health systems warned that a $25 minimum wage would raise their costs.

According to CalMatters California Legislator Tracker, Senator Maria Elena Durazo has taken at least $516,000 from the Labor sector since she was elected to the legislature. That represents 54 percent of her total campaign contributions. So once again its union power, not the actual needs of Californians, thats behind the legislation.

During a recent minor health problem, an Internet search said I should get checked out. Cant be too careful at my age.

I went to Hoag Hospitals Emergency Room in Newport Beach. The place was packed. I love watching people and noticed in the lobby there was the mix of folks living in Orange County: old, young, middle-aged; all races, creeds, colors, and religions; a couple homeless people.

They didnt even take me into the back area with the beds because all were filled. Instead, the doctor and nurse wheeled out a stand with a computer on it and checked my blood pressure. Right in the lobby. The numbers improved after a couple hours and the doc cleared me to go home. Im OK and, like great Orange County crooner Gene Autry warbled, Back in the Saddle Again.

The doc said the Emergency Room soon would be expanding with new construction. Its obvious as California ages, and immigrants, legal and illegal, are given more treatment, were going to need more medical workers, not fewer. SB 535 would make that worse.

Next time I need some care I hope those great doctors, nurses, and specialists are still there.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
California Nuclear Plant Is Granted Exemption from Closing

Government regulators last week granted Californias largest nuclear power plant an exemption that could allow it to continue producing electricity after the expiration of its federal operating licenses.

The double-reactor Diablo Canyon plant was scheduled to close in 2025. But the federal exemption will allow it to continue while the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) reviews an expected application from the plant to extent its operating period for up to two decades.

Governor Gavin Newsoms decision last year to support a longer operating run for Diablo Canyon shocked environmentalists and anti-nuclear advocates because he had once been a leading voice for closing the plant.

The plant is operated by Pacific Gas & Electricity (PG&E), and it produces 9 percent of the states electricity.

PG&E initially was part of a complex 2016 agreement with environmentalists and plant worker unions to close the plant by 2025. But the state changed direction last year, and Newsom and the state legislature voided the 2016 pact and opened the way for PG&E to seek a longer operating run.

PG&E senior vice president Paula Gerfen praised the decision as an important step for the company to extend our operations beyond 2025 to improve statewide electric system reliability.

The company has said it intends to submit an application to extend the plants life by the end of this year. However, the current operating licenses would likely expire before the NRCs review could be completed, a process that can take two years or more.

Typically, if a nuclear plant files for a license extension at least five years before the expiration of the existing license, the existing license remains in effect until the NRCs application review is complete, even if it technically passes the expiration date. But PG&E would not meet the usual five-year benchmark.

One reactor is scheduled to close in November 2024 and its twin in August 2025, and a state analysis predicted it would take federal regulators until late 2026 to act on the application. With the exemption now granted from the NRC staff, the reactors can keep running while the agency conducts the expected review.

In documents submitted to the NRC, the company said the exemption will not present an undue risk to the public health and safety.

Anti-nuclear activists and national environmental groups earlier urged the federal agency to reject the exemption, saying in a petition that it amounted to a dangerous shortcut that would expose the public to safety risks.

PG&E officials have said they are eager for certainty about the plants future because of the difficulty of reversing course on a plant that was headed for permanent retirement, but now needs to prepare for a potentially longer lifespan.

The proposal comes at a time when the nuclear power industry foresees future growth. The Biden administration said on Thursday it is offering $1.2 billion in aid to extend the life of distressed nuclear power plants which, for the first time, could offer funding to a plant that has recently closed.

The funding comes from the $6 billion Civil Nuclear Credit program, created by the 2021 infrastructure law, and will be distributed by the Department of Energy.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
Californias Reparations Task Force Considers Payments of $360,000 per Person

People listen to speakers during a rally for reparations at the African Burial Ground National Monument in New York on July 23, 2021. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

California is weighing handing billions of dollars in reparations to black residents, with supporters insisting that such a move will bring down crime rates originating from the community, while others warn that reparations remain a bad idea.

One of the reparation models under consideration by the California Reparations Task Force would make the state owe roughly $360,000 per person to 1.8 million black Californians who had an ancestor enslaved in the United States, bringing the total amount to $640 billion.

The task force is a nonregulatory state agency established in 2020 to study and develop reparation proposals for black Americans who are descendants of slaves.

During the task forces meeting in Sacramento over the weekend, one of the speakers insisted that providing reparations to black people would stop children in the community from engaging in crime.

Ward Connerly, founder and chairman of the American Civil Rights Institute, warns that the move is wrong.

Though California is a progressive state, were not insane, and so I think that the people of this state would rise up and say no,' Connerly said in an interview with Fox News on Sunday.

I think its a bad idea, he said.

Almost 6.5 percent of residents in California, amounting to about 2.5 million people, identify as African American or black.

State Budget Strain

Its unclear where the state is expected to collect the $640 billion estimated as reparation disbursements. The amount is more than double the $297 billion budget for the 202324 fiscal year proposed by Newsom.

In addition, California is projected to suffer a $22.5 billion budget deficit for the coming fiscal year. The state is also battling a weak economy, with the tech sector especially affected amid mass layoffs.

California already imposes one of the highest tax rates in the country.

The $360,000 proposed payments are more than 60 percent higher than the $220,000 payments proposed last year.

The task force has limited reparations only to descendants of black people who were living in the United States as of the 19th century. The entity is yet to decide whether the reparations should also apply to people who lived in the state and intended to stay but were displaced.

The California Reparations Task Force is scheduled to provide its recommendations on the matter to the state Legislature by July 1, after which it will be the lawmakers who will decide on the issue.

San Francisco Proposal

Various cities in California, like Los Angeles and San Francisco, are also pushing forward their own reparation proposals. In San Francisco, the African American Reparations Advisory Committee is proposing that black residents who have been victims of systemic repression and exclusion be awarded $5 million per eligible individual.

While neither San Francisco, nor California, formally adopted the institution of chattel slavery, the tenets of segregation, white supremacy and systematic repression and exclusion of Black people were codified through legal and extralegal actions, social codes, and judicial enforcement, according to the committees draft reparations plan.

A lump sum payment would compensate the affected population for the decades of harms that they have experienced, and will redress the economic and opportunity losses that Black San Franciscans have endured, collectively, as the result of both intentional decisions and unintended harms perpetuated by City policy.

The draft proposal also recommended a comprehensive debt forgiveness program that clears off all personal, educational, and credit card debt of low-income Black households.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
China Continues to Block US Probe Into Origins of COVID-19, Lawmakers Say

Laboratory technicians wearing personal protective equipment working on samples to be tested for COVID-19 at the Fire Eye laboratory, a COVID-19 testing facility, in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Aug. 4, 2021. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continues to hamper U.S. efforts to determine the origin of COVID-19, according to Reps. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) and Mike Turner (R-Ohio).

The lawmakers made the comments during an appearance on NBCs Meet the Press that aired on March 5, when Himes noted that it may be forever before Washington knows exactly where the virus originated from.

We have so few facts because the Chinese regime has obfuscated, said Himes, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.

The interview follows reports last month that the Department of Energy (DOE) had allegedly concluded in a classified document sent to the White House that a lab leak was the likely cause of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Wall Street Journal reported on the classified document on Feb. 26 and intelligence officials told the publication that theres low confidence in the conclusion, meaning that there isnt absolute certainty in the lab leak theory.

Turner, the Intelligence Committees chairman, noted during the NBC interview that there has been no official comment from the DOE confirming or denying the alleged classified document.

No Direct Evidence

But lets assume that they did, Turner said. In all of this, because theres no direct evidence, we dont have China admitting it, we dont have [the] Wuhan lab handing these things over, all this is being assessed by looking at other aspects of the release.

Wuhan, the capital of Chinas Hubei Province, is home to multiple laboratories, including the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV). COVID-19 was first identified in an outbreak in the city in December 2019.

While some U.S. intelligence officials have said that the virus that causes COVID-19 might have come from the Wuhan lab, others have argued that it has a natural origin.

In February, FBI Director Christopher Wray confirmed that the bureau assessed that the origin of the virus was likely a lab incident in Wuhan.

The FBI has for quite some time now assessed that the origin of the pandemic are [sic] most likely a potential lab incident in Wuhan, Wray told Fox News. Work related to this continues, and there are not a whole lot [of] details that are unclassified.

Wray, like Himes and Turner, also noted that the Chinese regime has been doing its best to try to thwart and obfuscate U.S. and other foreign nations efforts to probe COVID-19s origins.

Debate Over COVID-19 Origins

However, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence has said that it was most likely caused by natural exposure to an animal infected with it or a close progenitor virusa virus that probably would be more than 99 percent similar to SARS-CoV-2.

The Chinese regime has long dismissed the possibility of a lab leak and has accused Washington of disregarding science, fabricating lies, and engaging in a smear campaign against Beijing.

Yet the CCP also hasnt allowed an independent investigation of the WIV.

Thats despite a fact sheet released by the U.S. State Department on Jan. 15 stating that several researchers at the facility fell ill with symptoms similar to those caused by COVID-19 in the autumn of 2019. The same fact sheet also noted that the WIV has worked on secret projects with the Chinese military, including classified animal experiments since at least early 2017.

We have so few facts that inevitably different agencies are going to arrive at different conclusions, Himes said during the NBC interview. And when an agency slightly adjusts its interpretation as the Department of Energy may have done, that doesnt mean that all of a sudden the government has a firm view. It may be forever before we actually know exactly what happened.
China Says It Will Not Deliver Weapons to Russia: German Chancellor

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrives for the weekly cabinet meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, on Aug. 10, 2022. (Michael Sohn/AP Photo)

The Chinese regime has declared that it will not supply Russia with weapons to aid in its invasion of Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on March 5.

Scholz made the comments at a press conference at the German government retreat in Meseberg, north of Berlin on Sunday, where he was joined by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

The chancellor was asked by reporters if he has received any conclusive evidence that China was considering delivering weapons to Russia and whether he would support sanctions against Beijing if it was found to have helped arm Moscow.

We all agree that there must be no weapons deliveries, and the Chinese government has stated that it wouldnt deliver any, the chancellor replied. That is what we are demanding and we are watching it.

Von der Leyen, meanwhile, said that we have no evidence for this so far, but we must observe it every day, adding that potential sanctions against Beijing are a hypothetical question that can only be answered if it were to become reality and fact.

Scholz reiterated his comments in an interview with CNN that aired on Sunday.

Noting that Germany, in line with Europe and the United States has been very clear there should be no circumventing of sanctions by China he stressed that officials are looking intensely that this is not happening.

China Not Circumventing Sanctions

As far as we see, more or less, they are not circumventing but we will continue to look, Scholz said. And this is even more so that we ask them not to deliver weapons to Russia and we are telling them in our bilateral talks but also publicly that they should not.

Publicly they said they will not deliver weapons, he said of Beijing.

Asked by CNN if he could imagine sanctioning China if it did aid Russia, Scholz replied, I think it would have consequences, but we are now in a stage where we are making clear that this should not happen, and Im relatively optimistic that we will be successful with our request in this case, but we will have to look at [it] and we have to be very, very cautious.

The German chancellor did not provide further details as to what, exactly, such sanctions would entail.

In an earlier address to the German Parliament on March 2, Scholz had called on China not to send weapons to Russia to aid in its invasion of Ukraine and urged Beijing instead to exert pressure on Moscow to pull back its forces.

He also expressed his disappointment that China had refrained from condemning the Russian invasion during a United Nations General Assembly on Feb. 23.

China was among a handful of nations to vote against a resolution calling on Russian troops to immediately withdraw from Ukraine.

One day later, Beijing issued a so-called peace plan for Russia and Ukraine in the form of a paper titled Chinas Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis in an apparent effort to portray itself as a mediator in the conflict.

China Calls for Dialogue, Negotiation in War

That plan states that the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of all countries must be effectively upheld and that dialogue and negotiation are the only viable solution to the Ukraine crisis.

The paper came shortly after Beijing pledged a deeper comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia last month during Chinese diplomat Wang Yis visit to the Kremlin.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has also confirmed that Chinese communist leader Xi Jinping is also set to visit Moscow in the coming months.

Amid growing concerns from senior U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, that China could provide lethal military aid to Russia, Beijing has denied such reports.

Adding fuel to the fire will only exacerbate tensions. Prolonging and expanding the conflict will only make ordinary people pay an even heftier price, Chinas Deputy U.N. Ambassador Dai Bing told the U.N. General Assembly on Feb. 23.

Despite reassurances from Beijing, Chinas role in the RussiaUkraine war was among the key topics that Scholz discussed with President Joe Biden during a meeting at the White House on March 3.

During that meeting, both leaders also committed to providing further assistance to Ukraine amid the ongoing invasion, and shortly after, the United States announced a new military aid package for Kyiv worth around $400 million.

The latest package includes artillery systems and munitions as well as testing and diagnostic equipment to aid vehicle maintenance and repair, as well as spare parts and other field equipment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Chinese Cranes at US Ports Trigger Spying Concerns

Cranes stack cargo containers at the Port of Baltimore in Baltimore, Md., on Nov. 10, 2021. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)

Cranes manufactured in China could be the latest security vulnerability facing the United States, with the equipment potentially offering Beijing a peek into import and export data.

Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (ZPMC) is a manufacturer of ship-to-shore cranes, which are used to move containers between ships and docks. ZPMC, a Chinese state-owned firm, is estimated to account for almost 80 percent of such cranes that are currently used in U.S. ports, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Some security experts are concerned about the sophisticated sensors present in the equipment that can potentially track the origin and destination of containers, providing an opportunity for Beijing to access the inflow and outflow of goods in the country.

Threat actors who are looking to disrupt the flow of goods in the United States can make use of the remote access provided by these cranes, Bill Evanina, a former top U.S. counterintelligence official, told the Journal.

Cranes can be the new Huawei, Evanina said. Its the perfect combination of legitimate business that can also masquerade as clandestine intelligence collection.

Chris Wolski, who formerly ran cybersecurity for the port of Houston, told the Journal that it wouldnt be hard for an attacker to disable a sensor on a crane and prevent the crane from moving.

A 2021 classified assessment conducted by the Defense Intelligence Agency found that China can potentially collect information about the shipment of military equipment through the cranes.

ZPMC is a subsidiary of China Communications Construction Co. (CCCC). In 2020, Washington restricted five CCCC units from accessing U.S. technology because of its ties with the Chinese regimes military-civil fusion initiative, the Journal reported.

NDAA Study, Bill to Limit Foreign Cranes

Lawmakers and officials are increasingly taking steps to counter the potential threat of Chinese-made cranes.

The 2023 National Defense Authorization Act signed in December 2022 contains a provision that requires the maritime administrator to work with the Department of Defense (DOD), the Department of Homeland Security, and the Cyber Security and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to conduct a study of whether foreign cranes used at U.S. ports are a security threat, CSO reported.

The study is scheduled to be completed by December and submitted to the House Transportation Committee, the Senate Commerce Committee, and the House and Senate Armed Services committees.

In January 2022, Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.) introduced a bill called the Port Crane Security and Inspection Act of 2022.

The legislation sought to limit the use of foreign cranes made by adversaries at U.S. ports. It also would have required that CISA inspect foreign cranes for security vulnerabilities and threats before they were put into operation.

Chinese Espionage

Concerns about the use of cranes to spy on the United States come as a Chinese spy balloon shot down by the U.S. Air Force in February heightened tensions between the two nations.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also admitted that the balloon had caused concerns within the DOD about U.S. nuclear capabilities being exposed. The balloon had reportedly flown close to critical military strategic sites.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget in late February ordered the removal of the Chinese-owned TikTok app from all government systems and devices to protect U.S. data.

According to a survey of Chinese espionage against the United States reported between 2000 and July 2021, 42 percent of the actors were found to be Chinese military or government employees.

The survey, conducted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, found that 34 percent of the incidents sought to acquire military technology and 51 percent wanted to access commercial technologies.
County Sheriff, District Attorney Launch White-Collar Crime Task Force

A new task force targeting public corruption and financial crimes in Orange County, New York, was formed by Sheriff Paul Arteta and District Attorney David Hoovler on March 1.

Hoovler told The Epoch Times that one catalyst for the task force is residential contractor fraud, which is expected to go up as building season nears.

Being the victim of a violent crime is certainly a life-altering experience, but being defrauded of the funds to build your dream home or losing your small business to fraud can also negatively affect victims lives for years, Hoovler said in a press release.

Aside from residential contractor fraud, the white-collar crime task force will also target public corruption, ethics violations, embezzlement, wage theft, and labor law violations.

At least one full-time criminal investigator from the district attorneys office will join the task force, plus three full-time investigators from the sheriffs office.

Since assuming office in January, Arteta has pulled back seven investigators from outside task forces to boost up county initiatives, including the new task force.

Task force members will assist police agencies across the county on financial crime investigations, which are often complex, labor-intensive, and beyond the capacity of small departments; they will also work for communities without a police force, Arteta told The Epoch Times.

Undersheriff Wilfredo Garcia told The Epoch Times that having a county task force will speed up financial crime investigations, as opposed to in the past when many were referred to the State Attorney Generals Office and had long turnaround times.

The Orange County Sheriffs Office in Goshen, N.Y., on Oct. 22, 2022. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

The new task force will work closely with the Goshen-based Hudson Valley Crimes Analysis Center, tackling an annual caseload of between 25 and 50, according to Hoovler.

Members are under the direct supervision of Chief Trial Assistant District Attorney Richard Moran and Chief Assistant District Attorney Christopher Borek.

As of now, Newburgh is the only local police agency to sign up, contributing one detective to the task force. Several other agencies are considering, Hoovler said.

In 2022, the district attorneys office prosecuted a major residential contractor fraud case out of Newburgh, resulting in the restitution of nearly $350,000.

In the case, the contractor pleaded guilty to misusing funds for three home improvement projects in violation of New York States Lien Law and Penal law.

As for public corruption, a major case in 2021 involved three former officials of the Orange County Industrial Development Agency who allegedly took advantage of their public posts to benefit private companies in which they had a personal interest.

All three defendants pleaded guilty and paid more than $1 million dollars in restitution.

In 2021, the office also prosecuted a major embezzlement case that had financially hurt an engineering firm in the City of Middletown, rendering restitution of more than $150,000.

The defendant, a payroll manager at the firm, admitted in court that she manipulated records to get undue payments; she was later sentenced to state prison.
Criminal Website Releases 2 Million Credit Card Numbers Free for the Taking

Security researchers issue warnings about 'BidenCash' darkweb site

An engineering student takes part in a hacking challenge near Paris on March 16, 2013. (AFP via Getty Images/Thomas Samson)

A darkweb website known as BidenCash released more than 2 million credit and debit card numbers and details, security researchers have warned.

Screenshots of the BidenCash website, reviewed by The Epoch Times, show that more than 2 million credit cards are being released because of its one-year anniversary. The website, reportedly run by Russian-speaking cybercriminals, uses President Joe Bidens name and likeness and, according to the screengrab, signed off in broken English: Sincerely, yours Joe Biden.

Threat research website Cyble wrote that the data within the leak included Personally Identifiable Information such as names, emails, phone numbers, home addresses, and the main offering: payment card numbers, expiration dates, and CVV codes, with the expiration dates ranging from early 2023 up to 2052.

This leak contained at least 740,858 credit cards, 811,676 debit cards, and 293 charge cards, according to a blog post dated March 1. The inherent risk is higher for debit card holders than credit card holders, due to different fraud protection.

 #BidenCash Store has shared a third credit card dump of over 2 million users!  These cards mainly come from web skimmers!  The archive contains: PAN, CVV2, Expiration Date, Name, Surname, Shipping Address and Email! We are analyzing the data, more details soon! pic.twitter.com/13yLekTyDv  D3Lab (@D3LabIT) March 1, 2023

An analysis provided by Cyble shows that the majority of the debit and credit card records come from the United States. There are also sizable numbers of leaked credit card numbers and details from Mexico, China, and the United Kingdom.

The top five most impacted banks are Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo, Capitol One, and Citibank, the researchers noted. However, some 1.6 million were listed as others.

The presence of email addresses and full information (commonly referred to as Fullz by cybercriminals) will make the victims of this leak vulnerable to other attacks, such as phishing, identity theft, and scams, long past the expiration of their card details, wrote Cybles researchers.

As of Monday morning, none of the five banks have issued statements on the purported leaked card information.

Threat Actors routinely utilize stolen credit cards for fraud by purchasing them from carding marketplaces, as we have seen in the examples of BidenCash, the researchers wrote. However, the availability of these cards for free will enable bad actors to commit more fraudulent activities. Banking institutions should monitor the dark web for these leaks and fraudulent activities to prevent fraud proactively.

Andrea Draghetti, a researcher with D3Lab, wrote last week that the BidenCash leaks data contains tens of thousands of duplicate entries. However, he noted that about 2,141,564 card entries are unique. His firm noted that the card numbers and other details often are sourced from illicit web skimmers.

Last weeks dump isnt the first time BidenCash has leaked card data. In October, it dumped 1,221,551 credit card details in October to promote its new URL after it was targeted in a DDoS, or distributed denial-of-service, attack, according to TechSpot.

BidenCash has done this twice before to market their dark web shop, so we believe its just a clever marketing strategy, Ilya Volovik, a researcher on payment fraud with Insikt Group, told The Record. I believe we will be seeing carding increase as Russia is sinking economically and politically because of the Russia-Ukraine war and the punishing Western sanctions, Volovik noted. The shadow economy that prevailed in Russia in the 1990s-2000s will return.

Security researchers say that one of the best ways to protect against fraudulent activity or identity theft is to frequently check their credit or debit card activity, sign up for credit or debit card alerts, and install strong antivirus software on all their devices.
Crown to Seek 17-year Sentence for Quebec Man Convicted in Kidnapping of US Couple

Sandra Helm walks in the hallway at the Montreal courthouse in Montreal on Jan. 18, 2023. (The Canadian Press/Sidhartha Banerjee)

A sentencing hearing is underway for a Quebec man found guilty in the 2020 kidnapping of a couple from Upstate New York.

The Crown is seeking a 17-year sentence for Gary Arnold, who was found guilty by a jury in February of five charges, including kidnapping, extortion and conspiracy to kidnap.

Arnold is facing sentencing for being part of a plot to abduct James and Sandra Helm of Moira, N.Y., in connection with what the Crown says was a botched drug deal involving their grandson.

The defence is seeking 10 years in prison for Arnold, who argued during his trial that he had acted under threats and did not know anything about a kidnap plot.

The Crown says the couple in their 70s were kidnapped as leverage by a group of men who wanted to recover 50 kilograms of cocaine or $3.5 million cash after their grandson had been arrested in Vermont six days earlier with the drugs.

The Helms were taken from their home, smuggled into Canada and held at a cottage in Magog, Que., for two days before they were rescued unharmed by a Quebec provincial police tactical unit on Sept. 29, 2020.
INDIANAPOLISDonna Brum and Ronald Doran attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at Clowes Memorial Hall, Butler Arts Center on March 5. Ms. Brum, semi-retired, has owned her own dance studio for 53 years and teaches ballet, tap, jazz, modern, hip hop, lyrical dance. Mr. Doran is a Professor of Social Work at Ball State University.

Mr. Doran said that Ms. Brum has been waiting seven years to see Shen Yun and was delighted with everything. With her background in dance, Ms. Brum was impressed. I thought it was phenomenal absolutely phenomenal. The technique and everything was beautiful!

Based in New York, Shen Yun was founded in 2006 by leading Chinese artists and quickly became the worlds premier classical Chinese dance and music company. Shen Yuns mission is to revive traditional Chinese culture.

Ms. Brum noted the dancers technique.

A lot of lyrical moves in there, I liked that. Its very smooth. Everything is together; their arms are together, the bodies are together. And their tumbling and gymnastics are wonderful. Theyre so light on their feet and their technique and everything is just beautiful.

As the theatergoers learn during the performance, classical Chinese dance is, alongside ballet, one of the most comprehensive dance systems in the world. Developed over thousands of years, it has also influenced many other art forms including acrobatics and gymnastics.

Ms. Brum said it was obvious all the hard work and practice that went into the performance. Their body, they have to work every day on it, she said. Absolutely.

She especially admired the how the dancers used the long sleeves in one of the dances. I love the long sleeves how they let it flow and, then they caught it and then it flowed again. I think they would have to practice a lot because as its coming down, they have to make sure that everything is perfect.

Ms. Brum was happy that the stories were explained in two languages. I love that, too. That was beautiful. Im glad they explained it in both languages so that we can see what was happening. They portrayed it quite well.

With her extensive experience in dance, Ms. Brum said she could see the inner beauty of the dancers movements.

They have to have it inside of them. They have to love dance in order to portray that. If you dont love it, its not going to happen, she said. You can see it in their faces. You can see it in their movements, you can see it in everything. Theyve got it.

The episode about the monk made Ms. Brum laugh. I loved the Monk. The humor. I loved the humor of it, because its really hard to find, but they did a great job of illustrating that. They bring up the love in your heart.

Mr. Doran also felt the love expressed by the performers. The whole show was just full of love. It was fantastic, and the hard work that these people put in to it. The audience was great, too. They were loving it.

I loved it, Ms. Brum said. I loved it. I loved it. I would recommend it to everyone to come and see this.

Mr. Doran noted that Shen Yun cannot be seen in China. Its a shame they cant show this in China. I mean this would be just fantastic for the people living there to help them understand whats going on.

Reporting by Stacey Tang.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006.
DC Mayor Wants Federal Agencies to Coordinate Policies for In-Person Work

With government health emergency nearly ended, the city is closing all COVID-19 centers

With the Biden administrations announcement that it will end the COVID-19 emergency status across the federal workforce and the nation by May 11, the District of Columbia is also trying to return to a prepandemic economy.

Mayor Muriel Bowser is urging President Joe Biden to do more to reinvigorate Washingtons economy, including requiring a unified return-to-work policy for all federal agencies that are housed in the capitals once-bustling downtown.

What we want to see is a more centralized policy, Bowser said during a Saturday interview with Meet the Press NOW on NBC News.

While some federal agencies have recently required workers to return to their downtown offices, many others require only one day in-person or are still 100 percent telework, which is continuing to hurt the local economy, Bowser said.

As a result, you dont have a vibrant downtown. And we know that the downtown and the capital of the free world should be vibrant and bustling, she said. It has real-life consequences for cities where we dont have our workers.

According to a 2022 report put out by the D.C. Policy Center in conjunction with the capitals Chamber of Commerce, the shift to remote work had a major impact on Washingtons labor market, commuter and tourist activity, unoccupied office space, and decreased economic activity in the city.

District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser stands on the rooftop of the Hay Adams Hotel near the White House and looks out at the words Black Lives Matter that have been painted in bright yellow letters on the street by city workers and activists in Washington on June 5, 2020. (Executive Office of the Mayor/Khalid Naji-Allah via AP)

George Washington University School of Business professor James Bailey told WTOP News in January that getting federal workers back to in-person work is crucial for Washingtons economy.

You have to understand how important that is, because the federal government owns or leases one-third of all office space in downtown D.C., said Bailey. Some agencies have 50 percent back. Some only have 10 percent back. Some have set no policy whatsoever. Ive talked to people who say when they go in, within their office space there are maybe two other people there.

A fairly large percentage of the districts workforce moved to other regions, taking with them all of the economic benefits of having workers in the city.

The D.C. Policy Center estimated the 2021 economic loss resulting from the pandemic to be $774 million.

An average of 60 percent of workers in large office buildings have continued to work from home as of July 2022, and many residents have chosen to relocate to areas with lower housing costs and a lower cost of living, resulting in a loss of over 20,000 residents, the report said.

Office buildings have remained largely vacant, with office vacancy reaching a historic high of 15 percent in the second quarter of 2022.

Bowser said the economy has suffered with the COVID lockdowns and remote work, affecting businesses and crime, so she hopes Biden will require federal agencies to unify their policy to bring back workers.

I just hope that we dont see that [working from home] have an effect on our investments and public education and public safety, Bowser said.

Bowsers administration also announced its decision to shut down all of Washingtons COVID-19 centers, where the district provided vaccines, testing, and masks since January 2022.

As cases of COVID-19 continue to decline in Washington, being the lowest since the pandemic began, Bowers administration has been prompted to end any pandemic-era measures that remain, including closing all COVID-19 centers on March 31.

The districts health department said in a recent statement said its taking this step because there has been a significant decline in COVID-19 cases and because most residents are vaccinated and have easy access to the vaccines and testing kits for at-home use.
The tension in the Taiwan strait and the surrounding area continuously escalated in 2022. Most of the attention was drawn to dangerous military operations made by the Chinese communist regime and responses from the United States in the area. Less was paid to the efforts that countries in the Indo-Pacific region have made.

In a discussion held from 9:30 a.m. ET on March 6 by Global Taiwan Institute, former U.S. assistant secretary of defense, Lieutenant General Wallace Chip Gregson; associate political scientist at the RAND Corporation, Dr. Naoko Aoki; and professor at De La Salle University, Manila, Renato Cruz De Castro will talk about how the countries in the region address the threat from communist China.
DeSantiss Immigration Bill Would Nullify Illegal Border-Crossers Out-of-State IDs

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis waves to the crowd after speaking about his new book The Courage to Be Free in the Air Force One Pavilion at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif., on March 5, 2023. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Legislation proposed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis would invalidate drivers licenses and state identification cards obtained by illegal immigrants in other states.

The bold initiative, according to Florida state Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, would crack down on illegal immigration in the Sunshine State by addressing the issue on multiple fronts, including employment, health care, voting, human smuggling, and out-of-state IDs.

I believe that this is going to be the largest, most comprehensive, landmark, state-led, anti-illegal immigration bill ever passed in the United States, the Republican lawmaker told Fox News in an interview published on March 5.

I believe it should be the blueprint for other states to pass so we can all push back as states on the federal government, the Biden administration, Secretary [Alejandro] Mayorkas, and their open border policies, said Ingoglia, who is sponsoring the legislation.

Under the new law, employers would be required to verify their employees citizenship status, and violations of that requirement would trigger new penalties. Penalties also would be increased for human smuggling, and confirmation of U.S. citizenship and Florida residency would be required for voter registration.

Additionally, any drivers licenses or state IDs issued in states where illegal immigrants can legally obtain them would be nullified.

We will not recognize a drivers license from any state that issues them to illegal immigrants, Ingoglia said. Law enforcement will then be told to proceed as if they had no license whatsoever.

At present, 18 states, plus Washington, allow illegal immigrants to obtain drivers licenses.

In California, illegal immigrants have had that capability since 2013, but in September 2022, Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, signed a bill allowing all noncitizens to obtain state identification cards, regardless of their ability to drive or provide proof that their presence in the United States is authorized.

The law also eliminates the previous requirement that those restricted IDs be marked with a recognizable feature to set them apart.

While Florida doesnt currently allow the issuance of state IDs or drivers licenses to illegal immigrants, Ingoglia noted that some city and county governments have been able to circumvent the law by paying third-party organizations to issue community identification cards, which illegal immigrants then use to obtain government services.

Its stuff like this, plus more, that the state of Florida is looking at doing to really force the federal government to finally fix this problem, which has been festering for about 50 years.

Another measure in DeSantiss proposal would require hospitals that receive state Medicaid funds to ask patients upon intake whether they are in the country legally and submit quarterly reports to the state on the number of illegal immigrants who passed through emergency rooms and the costs of their care.

In proposing the bill on Feb. 23, DeSantis said: Florida is a law and order state, and we wont turn a blind eye to the dangers of Bidens border crisis. We will continue to take steps to protect Floridians from reckless federal open border policies.
DeSantis Touts People Leaving Leftist Governed States for Florida in California Speech

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis waves to the crowd after speaking about his new book "The Courage to Be Free" in the Air Force One Pavilion at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif., on March 5, 2023. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis touted his states continued population growth as a sign of people fleeing states that are governed by leftists, like California.

Over the last four years, weve witnessed a great American exodus from states governed by leftist politicians imposing leftist ideologies and delivering poor results, DeSantis said in a speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California on Sunday. And you can see massive gains in states like Florida, who are governing according to the tried and true principles that President Reagan held dear.

While speaking before his audience in California, DeSantis repeatedly compared the west coast state to Florida. DeSantis said until recently, many people moved to California, but now you see the state hemorrhaging population.

According to recent census data, Florida became the fastest-growing state in the United States last year, notching a 1.9 percent population increase between 2021 and 2022. Florida also ranked second for sheer numeric increase in population last year. By comparison, census data indicated California ranked second overall for numeric population decline, losing about 113,649 residents. California was 10th overall for percentage population decrease last year, losing 0.3 percent of its population.

Weve seen people move from the West Coast, not just California, but Oregon and Washington State, in numbers like weve never seen, DeSantis said. This is a result of better governance in States like Florida, it is a result of poor governance in these left-wing statesthats why people are moving.

DeSantis has directly traded barbs with Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom in recent months. Last summer, Newsom called on Floridians to move to California, and called on the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate DeSantis for flying asylum applicants to Marthas Vineyard in Massachusetts. Newsom also donated $100,000 to DeSantis Democratic gubernatorial opponent in the 2022 election.

I knew you guys got a lot of problems out here but your Governor is very concerned about what were doing in Florida so I figured I had to come by, DeSantis said during his speech on Sunday.

Newswom took a crack at DeSantis as his Republican Florida rival arrived in California last week.

Welcome to the real freedom state, Newsom told DeSantis, in a statement he shared with the Los Angeles Times.

Just look at the dataCalifornia residents are safer, healthier and more prosperous than those unfortunate enough to have you as their governor, Newsoms statement continued. Oh, by the way, youre going to get smoked by [Donald Trump] in the 2024 Republican presidential primary.

Possible 2024 Plans

DeSantis spoke at the Ronald Reagan Library as part of a national media tour to promote his new book The Courage To Be Free. The media tour comes as three candidates have already announced their plans to run for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination and as DeSantis has faced questions about his own 2024 plans.

Ahead of his speech, a presenter said with his new book its clear [DeSantis is] asking all Americans to simply judge him by his works and said The Courage To Be Free is Floridas blueprint for Americas Revival, and Governor Ron DeSantis is the leader who drafted, and successfully implemented, that blueprint in the Sunshine State.

Judging by the size of this enthusiastic crowd here on a Sunday afternoon and by how quickly this event sold out Id say most of you have already become familiar with Governor DeSantiss Florida blueprint and you like what you see, the presenter continued.

Thus far, DeSantis has avoided any direct confirmation of his 2024 plans, neither confirming or denying whether he will run.

Trump was the first Republican candidate to announce his 2024 bid, followed by former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and biotechnology entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.

Trump and DeSantis have lead in a number of 2024 polls, with some polls showing Trump leading DeSantis, while others show DeSantis ahead.

From NTD News
DUP Sets up New Panel to Deliberate on New UKEU Windsor Framework

Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson (C) speaks to members of the media outside the Culloden Hotel near Belfast, on Feb. 17, 2023. (Paul Faith/AFP via Getty Images)

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has set up a consultation group to help deliberate on whether to accept proposed UKEU legislation to replace post-Brexit trading arrangements.

The panelmade up of politicians as well as business and legal representativeswill carefully scrutinise the Windsor Framework deal, as well as engage with members of the unionist and loyalist communities in Northern Ireland, the party said on Monday.

It will include former DUP leaders and first ministers Peter Robinson and Baroness Arlene Foster, according to party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson.

Announcing the new group in a statement posted on the DUPs website, Sir Jeffrey said: Today I have established a group to commence and undertake a wide consultation process within Northern Ireland, listening and taking views on the Framework document.

This work will be undertaken in parallel with our on-going engagement with the UK Government.

The group will comprise both members of our party as well as independent thinkers who have standing within the broader community.

They will want to engage with a broad section of the unionist and loyalist community, the business sector, civic society and others who want to see Northern Ireland prosper within the Union.

Sir Jeffrey once again made it clear that the DUP will take its time to consider the Windsor Framework before deciding whether to back it and lift its current blockade of devolution at Stormont.

He said the panel would report to him by the end of March.

Stormont Brake

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled the framework deal last week after months of intensive negotiations aimed at reducing checks on Irish Sea trade created by Brexits contentious Northern Ireland Protocol.

While cutting back on checks required on goods destined for use in Northern Ireland arriving from Great Britain, the deal also contains a new mechanism, the so-called Stormont brake, that offers a minority of MLAs30 from at least two partieshe ability to refer to the UK government its concerns about the introduction of new EU laws in Northern Ireland.

The government could then potentially prevent the application of those laws in the region.

Sunak has also committed to amending the 1998 Northern Ireland Act to provide further reassurance to unionists about the regions constitutional status within the UK.

Some prominent DUP figures, including Lord Dodds and MPs Sammy Wilson and Ian Paisley, have already suggested that the deal potentially does not go far enough to address their concerns over trade and sovereignty.

The immediate future of devolution at Stormont rests on whether the DUP agrees to go back into power sharing.

London and Brussels are both keen to see the institution restored ahead of next months landmark 25th anniversary of the Good Friday peace agreement.

Sir Jeffrey said the panel comprises individuals with political, legal, and business experience.

Its members are DUP MP Carla Lockhart, DUP peer Lord Weir, former DUP leaders and Stormont first ministers Robinson and Baroness Foster, businessman Ross Reed, lawyer John McBurney, and DUP MLAs Brian Kingston and Deborah Erskine.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during a press conference at the Guildhall in Windsor, Berkshire, on Feb. 27, 2023, following the announcement that they have struck a deal over the Northern Ireland Protocol. (PA Media)

Botched Decisions

The announcement comes just hours after Sunaks post-Brexit deal with the EU was branded just a case of the government clearing up its own mess.

Shadow chancellor and Labour frontbencher Rachel Reeves mocked the prime ministers comments that his agreement put Northern Ireland in the unbelievably special position of accessing both the EU and British markets, saying, I didnt know he was such a fan of the single market.

But the MP for Leeds West rejected reopening the Brexit referendum debate, saying, Were not going to be going back into the single market or customs union and Labour have been clear about that as well.

She said her party is proposing practical changes and improvements that could be won in a short space of time rather than years more of negotiations which I dont think is in our countrys interest.

Reeves warned that businesses across the UK are still dealing with botched decisions almost seven years since the Brexit vote, branding it a total mess.

Referring to the prime ministers Windsor Framework, she said: Obviously we welcome the fact that the government have secured changes to the [Northern Ireland] protocol.

The protocol was not working. Boris Johnson said back in 2019 that he had an oven ready deal, he had nothing of the sort and here we are almost seven years after the vote to leave the EU happened, still dealing with botched decisions since then.

So we welcome the fact that theres improvements to the protocol but it is just a case of the government clearing up its own mess.

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves speaking at the Labour Regional Conference in Barnsley, on Oct. 15, 2022. (Danny Lawson/PA Media)

Governance Change

On Sunday, Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton Harris said the government could consider changes to governance in the region if some in the unionist community do not accept Sunaks EU deal.

He told Sky News that he is focused on clarifying details in the Windsor Framework for members of the DUP and others who are still considering whether to support it, before looking at other steps forward.

Heaton-Harris also said he hopes to be able to cunningly persuade Johnson to back the deal in a Commons vote, replacing the Northern Ireland Protocol agreed by the former prime minister.

Johnson has publicly criticised the deal, claiming he would find it very hard to support.

Asked by Sky News what would happen if the DUP does not back the deal, Heaton-Harris said he is working to clarify all the questions from the unionist community.

He added: I would like to think that at that point we will be able to get the executive up and running, but I have already, in fact last week we were passing legislation through Parliament, the Executive Formation Act, which allows me to have the opportunity to call elections at any point during the next year should that be required.

There are other routes forward, and we need to do things on governance if that is the case.

However, I am a glass half full man, I believe we can get this right. The Windsor Framework is an amazing leap forward. I do think it actually delivers on all the questions that have been asked.

Pressed on whether he would put a timeframe on another Stormont election, Heaton-Harris said, I have learned from previous lessons in Northern Ireland that you dont set timeframes, and even if you have one in your mind you would never give it publicly.

Asked about Johnsons criticism of the Windsor Framework, the senior Cabinet minister said: I was his chief whip so Id like to think by the time we get to vote Id have cunningly persuaded him that he actually needs to vote for the deal.

Boris is a law unto himself in many ways. But he is a great man, a wise man, an honest man, and I believe he will come to see that it is a good idea.

Heaton-Harris also suggested the framework would allow Northern Ireland to fully feel the benefits of any future UK trade deals.

I think we can, he responded when asked if he could guarantee businesses and people in Northern Ireland would be full participants in future trade agreements.

While Heaton-Harris remained positive about convincing the DUP, Sinn Fein Vice President Michelle ONeill suggested future governance in Northern Ireland could involve a joint arrangement between the UK and Irish governments if the unionist party does not return to Stormont.

According to PA, a spokesman for the Northern Ireland Office later made clear that the government was not considering any changes to the power sharing arrangements created by the Good Friday Agreement or joint authority with the Irish government.

PA Media contributed to this report.
Exposing the Tip of the Chinese Foreign Interference Iceberg

A voter casts his ballot in Canada's federal election at a polling station in Calgary, Alberta, on May 2, 2011. (Geoff Robins/AFP/Getty Images)

Commentary

The revelation by Mike Burgess, the head of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), that foreign espionage has increased significantly in Australia was unsurprising.

Burgess said two years ago that Asias counter-espionage activities had surpassed its anti-terrorism efforts in recent times.

He previously warned of a plot by a foreign government to have candidates sympathetic to it elected to parliament.

What surprised many was his blunt statement this year that he had been pressured to curtail the organisations investigations.

Individuals in business, academia and the bureaucracy have told me ASIO should ease up its operational responses to avoid upsetting foreign regimes, Burgess said.

Of course, they are entitled to their views, but the reasons they offer for them are flimsy, such as: all countries spy on each other; we were going to make the information public anyway; its no different to lobbying or networking; the foreign government might make things difficult for us; and so on.

In my opinion, anyone saying these things should reflect on their commitment to Australias democracy, sovereignty, and valuesbecause espionage and foreign interference is deliberately calculated to undermine Australias democracy, sovereignty, and values.

Director-General of ASIO, Mike Burgess appears before a Senate inquiry at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on April 29, 2021. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch)

Although the spy chief did not say it, it is well known in security and defence circles that the chief culprit is China.

Pressure from supporters of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), business people with investments in or trade with China, and even agents of the regime is well-known to many people in the foreign policy and trade areas.

We need China for trade, you are risking our investments, we cant change the CCP, we have to live with them, are just some of the statements made to me over the past few decades.

Others urged no mention of the CCPs appalling human rights record.

Political Interference Campaigns

The ASIOs chiefs revelations come at a time when Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) reports indicate a campaign by the CCP to disrupt the nations 2021 elections and defeat conservative politicians critical of Beijing.

The documents show that the campaign aimed to elect a minority Liberal government and defeat certain conservative candidates.

According to a report in Canadas Globe and Mail newspaper, which had obtained the documents, the CCP was pressuring its consulates to create strategies to leverage politically [active] Chinese community members and associations within Canadian society.

These organisations were being used to advocate on behalf of the Beijing regime while obfuscating links to the Peoples Republic of China (PRC).

Disinformation campaigns to discredit the conservatives were central to the push.

As occurred in Australia during last years national election, criticism of the CCP was used to assert conservative candidates and parties would threaten the lifestyle and future of Chinese immigrants.

The CSIS documents reveal how agents of the Chinese regime, including members of the Chinese-language media, were instructed to stress that the Canadian Conservative Party was too critical of China and would take a hard line against Chinese students, banning them from universities.

This will threaten the future of the voters children, as it will limit their education opportunities, a Chinese consulate official was quoted as claiming in the CSIS documents.

Signs outside an advance polling station in Burnaby, B.C., on Sept. 10, 2021. (Jennifer Gauthier/Reuters)

The documents set out detailed plans to interfere in the Canadian elections, including the use of political donations.

Concerningly, the authors asserted that its easy to influence Chinese immigrants to agree with the PRCs stance.

The reports named the former Chinese consul to Toronto as saying that the defeat of a Conservative member of parliament proved that their strategy and tactics were good.

The revelations follow allegations of significant foreign interference by China in the 2019 Canadian elections to support 11 candidates, mostly representing the Canadian Liberals, in the Toronto metropolitan region.

The revelations come after an internal Liberal Party review of the 2022 Australian election found that the partys opponents pushed a perception among voters of Chinese heritage that criticisms of the CCP were criticisms of ordinary Chinese people.

As the review noted, in the top 15 seats by Chinese heritage, the swing against the party (on a two-party preferred basis) was 6.6 percent, compared to 3.7 percent in other seats.

While most Chinese immigrants to Australia came here to escape the authoritarian government and give their families a better future, the influence of the regimes United Work Department and other agents of influence cannot be ignored.

Many more recent arrivals are part of a new orbit generationpeople who move between Australia and China, living in both countries.

They are subject to the unrelenting propaganda of the CCP, which insists that members of the diaspora retain loyalty to China.

Many have family living in China and remain concerned for their safety.

As the ASIO and CSIS reports show, these are very significant issues for our security and democracy.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
FAA Not Required to Make Changes to Airline Seats, Sizes: US Appeals Court

An interior view of seats in an American Airlines B737 MAX airplane is seen at Dallas-Forth Worth International Airport in Dallas on Dec. 2, 2020. (Cooper Neill/AFP via Getty Images)

A U.S. appeals Court has rejected a request to order the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ratify minimum requirements for seat size and spacing between airline seats.

According to the ruling by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, there is no clear and indisputable evidence that tight seating could prove dangerous to passengers, albeit being uncomfortable.

The March 2 ruling followed a request by advocacy group, FlyersRights.org, which the court said had no right to force the FAA to adopt seating rules.

In 2018, Congress issued a one-year ultimatum to the FAA to implement measures for minimum seating dimensions, including pitch. Congress stipulated this as necessary for the safety of passengers.

Despite no such rules currently prevailing, airlines are obligated to adhere to emergency measures, which stipulate that passengers must be evacuated within 90 seconds if necessary. The reconfiguration of aircraft, however, could prove problematic and costly.

The claim by FlyersRights that tight seating could potentially implicate passenger health by increasing the risk of blood clots, as well as materially slowing emergency escapes, was rejected by Circuit Judge Justin Walker, stating that no compelling evidence of either exists.

To be sure, many airline seats are uncomfortably small. That is why some passengers pay for wider seats and extra legroom. But it is not clear and indisputable that airline seats have become dangerously small, Walker wrote in a three-judge panel, Axios reported.

He added that unless seats are dangerously small, seat-size regulations are not necessary for the safety of passengers.

According to Paul Hudson, president of FlyersRights, the courts decision ignored Congresss intent for the consideration of minimum seating standards, adding that passengers could expect seating to shrink to torture class if the FAA failed to act.

A petition against the ruling is being brought forward. The groups lawyer, Michael Kirkpatrick, said that even rules codifying the status quo would stop seat dimensions from getting even smaller.

The FAA did not comment on the matter.

Airline trade groups have also voiced their disapproval for any seating size rules. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, along with several U.S. senators, issued a proposal to the FAA last November to ban airlines from further shrinking seat sizes and leg room.

According to FlyersRights, the average seat pitch has shrunk by as much as four to seven inches, to as little as 28 inches (71 cm). Seat width has also decreased since airline deregulation in 1978.

Passengers, however, have gotten larger instead.

The case is In re Flyers Rights Education Fund Inc, D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 22-1004.

Reuters contributed to this report.

From NTD News
With his hands, Hassan Narejo from Pakistan gently drew both of Simbas large, droopy ears and held them outstretched for the camera.

Letting them down again, they hang like curtains on either side of the baby goats adorable head, touching the grass.

Narejo, Simbas owner, may work as an air traffic controller for Qatar Airways at Karachi Airport by night, but his real passion is breeding goats.

Born on June 4, 2022, Simba belongs to a breed called the Anglo-Nubiana breed known for its long ears. Veterinarians say Simbas are long even by Nubian standards.

Narejo sent the details of Simbas achievement to Guinness World Records, as he suspects Simbas ears could be a record. He is still awaiting their reply.

Hassan Narejos son displays an ear of kid goat Simba, in Karachi on July 6, 2022. (Asif Hassan/AFP via Getty Images)

Hassan Narejo displays the ears of his kid goat Simba, in Karachi on July 6, 2022. (Asif Hassan/AFP via Getty Images)

It turns out, no such category exists at Guinnessnot for goats anywaythough the longest ears on a dog are recorded.

After birth, Simbas ears were measured at 19 inches long, but they have since grown considerably and now measure some two feet from base to tipand are still growing.

Those enormous ears recently garnered fame for the tawny-toned kid and his owner after their photo was posted online, attracting millions of admiring views globally.

Goat farming is common in Narejos native Pakistan, as goats have proven highly adaptable to the countrys diverse terrain. The practice is not regarded highly, though.

In Pakistan, people do not consider goat farming a respectable profession. Goat farming is considered a profession only for uneducated people, Narejo told outlet GPB.

Hassan Narejo feeds milk to his kid goat Simba, in Karachi on July 6, 2022. (Asif Hassan/AFP via Getty Images)

Only doctors, engineers or bankers, and other formal professions like these are considered respectable; this is no longer the case now.

Simba gave this profession a whole new meaning and respect.

Intending to protect Simba from of online oglers who might throw shade on his accomplishment, Narejo has even placed a special amulet around his neck to ward off the evil eye.

Evil eye can destroy a mountain, Narejo told Reuters. He is just a kid goat with celebrity status.

Hassan Narejo nurses his kid goat Simba, in Karachi on July 6, 2022. (Asif Hassan/AFP via Getty Images)

Hassan Narejo displays the ears of his kid goat Simba, in Karachi on July 6, 2022. (Asif Hassan/AFP via Getty Images)

As for the cause of Simbas unusually long ears, veterinarians say it could be a thyroid issue or genetic oddity. Yet those ears dont cause him much trouble.

As they dangle all the way to the ground, making it easy for Simba to trip over them, Narejo got him a special velvet pouch to hold up them so he can run and play with ease.

Narejo also regularly cleans Simbas ears using a velvet cloth.

Typically, the long ears of goats help them keep cool in warm climes like those in Pakistan. Simbas have abundant blood vessels allowing circulation back to his body to help regulate his temperature while out in the Karachi sun.

Narejo has some 35 other goats, but only Simba stays in the house with him. He hopes to preserve his genetics for future breeding endeavors.

I bottle feed the goat myself in helping them with exercise, Narejo said. I have an emotional attachment to this goat.

Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Inspired newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter
Hancock Ignorant of COVID-19 Vaccine-Making Process, Former Taskforce Chiefs Say After New Lockdown Files Revelation

Two former heads of the UKs Vaccine Taskforce said Matt Hancock didnt understand the process of biological manufacturing after new Lockdown Files reports revealed disagreement between Hancock and the vaccines chiefs over COVID-19 vaccines deployment.

Hancock reportedly said that Kate Bingham, who headed the taskforce between April and December 2020, was totally unreliable, and accused Bingham and her deputy and successor Clive Dix of blocking the governments attempt to buy COVID-19 vaccines from India when the UK had a supply delay.

Bingham and Dix said Hancock was pushing ahead the way he did because the minister treated it as procurement without understanding the complexity of biological manufacturing.

The Lockdown Files investigation is a series of articles published by The Telegraph on more than 100,000 WhatsApp messages it exclusively obtained of government ministers and officials discussing work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The messages were released by journalist Isabel Oakeshott, who had been given access to them by Hancock himself when he enlisted Oakeshotts help to co-write a book called Pandemic Diaries.

Since Feb. 28, The newspaper has published more than 40 stories based on some of the messages. The Epoch Times did not review the messages and could not independently verify the context in which these discussions were taking place.

Who to Vaccinate

In one of its latest revelations, published WhatsApp threads appeared to show Hancock discussing Bingham and Dix with colleagues.

In one of the threads, Hancock was sent a link on Oct. 4, 2020, to a Financial Time (FT) interview with Bingham, titled Less than half UK population to receive coronavirus vaccine, says task force head.

A dose of AstraZeneca vaccine is prepared at COVID-19 vaccination centre in the Odeon Luxe Cinema in Maidstone, UK, on Feb. 10, 2021. (Andrew Couldridge/Reuters)

Bingham told the FT that vaccinating the whole population was not going to happen, adding: We just need to vaccinate everyone at risk.

According to messages, Hancock responded to his then-media adviser Damon Poole by saying he didnt have access to the article before going ahead to say Downing Street needs to sit on her hard.

But is that Kate? If so we absolutely need No10 to sit on her hard. She has view and a wacky way of expressing them & is totally unreliable. She regards anything that isnt her idea as political interference, the messages read.

Responding to the messages, Bingham said on Sunday she had been following the official advice that was always determined by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation and the governments vaccination policy.

I never questioned theseI only ever repeated government policy at the time in 2020. My role was to follow government policy not to create it, Bingham said.

Indian Supplies

Bingham left the temporary role in December 2020 and was replaced by her deputy Dix.

WhatsApp threads in February 2021 appeared to show that Clive was resistant to the idea of buying vaccines from the Serum Institute of India (SII) , saying those supplies were meant for countries in desperate need, and that the UK would get enough supplies in the next months to vaccinate all adults twice.

After then-vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi forwarded Clives message to Hancock, Hancock told then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson on WhatsApp that the initial plan to purchase vaccines from the SII in October 2020 had been blocked by Bingham and Dix, saying, Thats why we kept getting [expletive] excuses.

A sample vaccine vial is seen in front of the AstraZeneca logo in an illustration photo taken on Sept. 9, 2020. (Dado Ruvic/Reuters)

Writing in The Telegraph about the revelation, Dix said Hancock didnt understand how the manufacturing process worked, and that he panicked when there was a delay with the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The manufacturing process was brand new and any process like this is fraught with problems, which we need to fix as we go along, but normally you would spend two or three years stress-testing something like this, Dix wrote, adding that Hancock in the meantime was laying down timelines by saying things like we will vaccinate the whole population.'

Dix said he doesnt think ministers understood that its always tricky to set a date on vaccine delivery, especially when getting a vaccine in a much-accelerated timescale.

When we said the AstraZeneca vaccine had manufacturing problems, that is when Hancock panicked he wrote, saying Hancock didnt get the the taskforce couldnt change the nature of the process.

He thought it was like procurement. That is where his behaviour came from. He panicked and that led to them going to India and taking vaccines that had been meant for the developing world.

Bingham also said that the WhatsApp messages published by The Telegraph suggest that Matt Hancock was not aware of the published and agreed government vaccine procurement policy, did not read the reports by and about the work of the Vaccine Taskforce, and did not understand the difference between complex biological manufacturing and PPE procurement.

A spokesperson for Hancock said: As weve seen all week, these stories are wrong as theyre based on an entirely partial account.

In the case of vaccines, Matt drove the goal of getting everyone vaccinated, often against resistance in the system. Ultimately he prevailed, thank goodness, and we got the first vaccine in the world, for everyone. Matt set all this out in his book.
In a stunning turn of events, mainstream media are finally admitting what many of us have seriously suspectedbut were banned from discussing for nearly two years: The COVID-19 pandemic was caused by a lab leak and not some senseless wet market theory. Is there an even bigger story behind it?

For nearly two years, there was a complete ban on discussing the COVID-19 lab leak theory.

Facebook reversed its censorship policy on the lab leak theory in June 2021. Now, mainstream media are forced to admit the pandemic was most likely caused by a lab leak.

Jan. 28 epidemiologists Colin Butler and Delia Randolph published a joint statement saying a lab leak is the most likely source of COVID-19. The two had previously authored separate reports for the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), which commissioned them to investigate the possibility of the pandemic being the result of humanitys abuse of nature.

Feb. 26 The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. Energy Department has now revised its assessment of the origin of SARS-CoV-2, concluding the pandemic most likely arose from a laboratory leak.

The FBI also concluded a lab leak was the most likely scenario all the way back in 2021, yet played a central role in censoring anyone who suggested this is where COVID came from.

For nearly two years, there was a complete ban on discussing the COVID-19 lab leak theory, and as noted by Robby Soave in a June 2021 Reason article,1 this is a perfect example of why banning misinformation is a terrible idea. Often enough, whats labeled as misinformation one day has turned out to be true the next.

I first raised the lab leak theory on Feb. 4, 2020, and it wasnt until June 2021 that Facebook finally reversed its censorship policy on this particular topic, stating:

In light of ongoing investigations into the origin of COVID-19 and in consultation with public health experts, we will no longer remove the claim that COVID-19 is man-made or manufactured from our apps.

Facebooks concession that the lab leak story it once viewed as demonstrably false is actually possibly true should put to rest the idea that banning or regulating misinformation should be a chief public policy goal, Soave wrote.2

Scientists Told to Shut Up

In a Feb. 15, 2023, article3 in the British Express, Angus Dalgleish, a professor of oncology at St Georges, University of London, recounts how he and his Norwegian colleagues, Birger Srensen (a virologist) and Andres Susrud (a molecular biologist), were systematically silenced.4

The trio had assessed the genetic sequence of SARS-CoV-2, concluding a bat origin was extremely unlikely  as it had inserts around the receptor binding region  that would make it more infectious. But no matter how they tried, they couldnt get the paper published.

They even sent their findings to the British government and Cabinet members, only to be told, quite categorically that there was no way it could have been a laboratory escape.

What was to follow was a complete suppression of any debate about the origin, which would appear to have been driven by Tony Fauci from the NIAID in America, Dalgleish writes.5

Indeed, he was so intent on quashing any evidence of the origin that he commissioned a paper from a group of scientists, who we now know also had concerns that it may not be natural but nevertheless, they published the paper in Nature Medicine saying all the evidence showed it was completely natural and was not a laboratory leaked virus.

This paper was published in Nature Medicine and then used by Tony Fauci as absolute proof that it was not a lab leak. What was incredible was that this narrative was picked by governments throughout the world, all the mainstream media, and the majority of scientists, who should have known better than to accept the narrative rather than look at the evidence 

Chinas put-down was especially strong and it was so very obvious that they were covering up something as all specimens and databases were either altered or withdrawn. Very belatedly, China allowed a team of international experts to investigate the cause of COVID and a team were allowed into China to essentially come up with an official report saying that it was clearly of natural origin.

Now, more than two years later, two of the people involved with this, Prof. Colin Butler from Australia and Delia Randolph from the University of GreenwichLondon, have spoken out that it is clear now that all the evidence DOES support a lab leak and that there has been a suppression of the truth.

There has been secrecy and cover-up of this issue on a truly Orwellian scale  [In the] future, any new threat, infectious disease or pandemic, must be addressed with open scientific debate and not the complete suppression of the truth, secrecy, and coverup 

Evidence Supports Lab Leak and Always Did

As noted by Dalgleish, Butler, and Randolph have recently spoken out about the fact that evidence for a lab leak was there from the start. Thats why Butler signed an open letter6 to the World Health Organization in March 2021 calling for a full and unrestricted international forensic investigation into the origins of COVID-19.

The letter was sent after the WHOs team issued a clearly biased report dismissing the lab leak theory as unworthy of further investigation. On Jan. 28, Butler, along with Randolph, published a joint statement in the Daily Mail, noting that:7

[The] crucial debate over COVIDs origins has been shackled  And this refusal to discuss openly what everyone suspects to be trueor at the very least strongly possiblehas the disastrous consequence of eroding public trust in science.

Butler and Randolph are now trying to set the record straight. As explained in their article, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) commissioned each of them in early 2020 to investigate and write reports on the possibility of the pandemic being the result of humanitys abuse of nature.

Randolphs report, which came out first, ended up not addressing the possibility of a non-natural origin, even though it was actively considered in the drafting. [E]ven in early 2020, it appeared that UNEP was averse to including anything so controversial as the lab-leak theory in the report, the pair write.

Butler authored the second UNEP report. Early on, hed been skeptical about a lab link, but as circumstantial evidence in support of a laboratory pathway grew, thanks to the work of a few brave scientists, internet detectives, and journalists, Butler finally concluded that the lab leak theory had to be considered. Butlers report, therefore, did include an extensive discussion about the possibility of a lab leak.

Laboratory Pathway Seems the Most Likely

Butlers initial drafts were strongly criticized by internal UNEP reviewers, and as the report neared finalization, Butler started suspecting that publication was being deliberately stalled. According to Butler and Randolph:8

The first report was published within weeks of completion, but the second one took ten monthsand only appeared after an increasingly alarmed author contacted influential figures  It was eventually released with little publicity three months ago.

These two reports are substantial with a combined length of 152 pages, citing 387 scientific publications and with 94 reviewers. They cannot be dismissed as scientifically lightweight, nor the product of biased or naive authors.

Unlike some key players in the COVID origin debate, neither of us has been involved in gain of function work that includes manipulation of virological structures to increase virulence. Nor do we have any history of collaboration with the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV).

Neither of us has received funds from the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or EcoHealth Allianceall of which have been involved with funding work at WIV that falls within the definition of gain of function.

Nor have either of us been financially rewarded for work with the Wellcome Trust  whose director Sir Jeremy Farrar was, we believe, a key figure alongside U.S. funding chiefs in the scandalous suppression of debate on this issue 

Most recently discovered pathogens burn out in human populations. Some are then held in laboratories, including in Wuhan  Are some of these being experimented upon? Almost certainly, yes. Yet a pall of suspicious secrecy, deceit, and conflicts of interest shroud this work 

We can see incompetence, too. A new report by the U.S. Office of Inspector General found fault with both the National Institutes of Health, the worlds biggest public funder of biomedical research, and EcoHealth Alliance, which it was supposed to help monitor.

This report damningly noted that each organization failed to understand the nature of the research conducted, identify potential problem areas and take corrective action. It is of critical importance that these risks are better understood, that scientists accept the dangers, and that this field is better regulated.

Our view is that, on current balance of evidence, a laboratory pathway seems the most likely cause of the pandemic  Irrespective of the origin of the pandemic, however, this debate has exposed that self-regulation of gain of function research has been a dismal failure.

Department of Energy Report Supports Lab Leak Theory

Feb. 26, one month after Butler and Randolphs joint statement, The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. Energy Department has now revised its assessment of the origin of SARS-CoV-2, concluding the pandemic most likely arose from a laboratory leak:9

The shift by the Energy Department, which previously was undecided on how the virus emerged, is noted in an update to a 2021 document by Director of National Intelligence Avril Hainess office 

The Energy Department now joins the Federal Bureau of Investigation in saying the virus likely spread via a mishap at a Chinese laboratory 

The Energy Departments conclusion is the result of new intelligence and is significant because the agency has considerable scientific expertise and oversees a network of U.S. national laboratories, some of which conduct advanced biological research.

The Energy Department made its judgment with low confidence, according to people who have read the classified report. The FBI previously came to the conclusion that the pandemic was likely the result of a lab leak in 2021 with moderate confidence and still holds to this view.

US Intelligence Suspected Lab Leak All Along

So, in 2021, the FBI thought the lab leak theory was not only plausible but likely, yet the agency was instrumental in censoring public discussion about it. Whats more, the Energy Department reportedly prepared a study all the way back in May 2020, which concluded that a lab-leak hypothesis was plausible and deserved further investigation.

In other words, Big Tech was told to censor a truth that at least two different agencies within the intelligence community supported. In a Feb. 27 Twitter thread,10 investigative journalist Paul D. Thacker also points out that not just one but two separate teams of scientists at different Energy Department labs have concluded that a lab accident was the most likely source of the pandemic. So, we really have three intel community assessments pointing in the same direction.

The FBI concluded a lab leak was the most likely scenario all the way back in 2021, yet played a central role in censoring anyone who suggested this is where COVID came from.

Curiously, the FBI still appears hell-bent on continuing the cover-up, even as the fabricated narrative is crumbling. As noted by Dr. Robert Malone,11 House and Senate Republicans who are investigating the origin of the pandemic have pressed the FBI for more information, in particular, what kind of information made them suspect a lab leak.

But the agency is refusing to share those details, citing Justice Department policy on preserving the integrity of ongoing investigations. In other words, by claiming theres an active investigation underway, the FBI doesnt have to share any of the information Congress is requesting, which seems rather convenient.

The question isjust how long does the FBI need to conclude this supposed investigation? As noted by Malone,12 The FBI must divulge what it knows in a timely manner. We dont have time to wait for their endless investigations to be concluded. Three years is already too long to wait. Congress and the American public deserve answers now.

COVID Antibodies Found in Stored Blood From September 2019

On the other side of this story, researchers have discovered COVID antibodies in blood collected and stored in European blood banks since September 2019, in the case of Italy,13 and November 2019 in the case of France.14

As noted by Stanford professor Jay Bhattacharya,15 the implications of these findings are enormous, because this means the lockdowns were implemented several months after the virus had already started spreading across the globe. Lockdowns have only a tiny effect, if any, in the first place, and locking everyone down after a virus has been spreading for months is less than useless.

Yet no one in government or mainstream media covered these findings, which were published in November 2020 and February 2021 respectively. If they had, it would have been clear by the end of 2020 that lockdowns were futile from the start and had to end.

COVID-19 has allegedly killed nearly 6.8 million people around the world and the entire global economy has been decimated. If the kind of genetic tinkering that could have produced SARS-CoV-2 is allowed to continue, its only a matter of time before some manmade virus starts wiping out targeted populations, as they will eventually find a way to target specific genetic traits.16

The only policy that makes sense going forward is a complete ban on gain of function research, and severe punishment for violations. The industry clearly cannot regulate itself, and regulations on this kind of research always end up creating loopholes.

Originally published

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Epoch Health welcomes professional discussion and friendly debate. To submit an opinion piece, please follow these guidelines and submit through our form here.
Heritage Oversight Project Files 7 FOIA Lawsuits Against DOJ, FBI for Selectively Enforcing Law

Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI officials failed to respond as required by law to seven Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests filed by The Heritage Foundations Oversight Project, so the conservative think tank is taking the government to court.

Bidens DOJ and FBI made clear they are perfectly willing to selectively enforce the law. This double standard-driven war, particularly on conservatives, must stop, Heritage President Kevin Roberts said in a statement announcing the seven lawsuits, which were filed on March 6 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

When the top law enforcement agencies in the country refuse to comply with the very laws theyve sworn to enforce, true accountability is necessary. This is precisely why the Heritage Oversight Project is filing these lawsuits. Americans have a right to know why and how the FBI is targeting everyday Americans and others whom Joe Biden, Merrick Garland, and their lieutenants smear as domestic terrorists.

Federal officials are required by the FOIA to acknowledge receiving requests submitted seeking government documents within 20 days and to then conduct reasonably comprehensive searches for the materials being sought. Theyre also required to inform the requestor of an expected completion date, any reproduction costs that may be incurred, and whether fees will be waived in the public interest.

Each of the suits claims that federal officials failed to comply with the law in response to all seven FOIA requests from the conservative think tank, beginning with one filed Sept. 12, 2022, concerning documented work hours devoted by FBI agents to investigating any and all matters related to left-wing domestic terrorism, to include violent extremist agendasanarchists like Antifa and other agitators arising from the summer 2020 riots.

A Nov. 18, 2022, FOIA request to the FBI from Heritage sought documents concerning information provided by FBI whistleblowers to Republican staff members of the House Judiciary Committee regarding an internal program at the law enforcement agency believed to be titled Operation Bronze Griffin. The program is central to an alleged special relationship between the FBI and Facebook, according to the FOIA request.

Under Operation Bronze Griffin, Facebook provides the bureau with users content information without informing the individuals involved.

The type of user content Facebook provides has a partisan focus, tending to concern users from only one side of the political spectrum, according to the whistleblowers. The FBIs willingness to accept this political speech information from Facebookoutside of routine investigative pathwaysfurther threatens Americans constitutional rights.

The third suit concerns a FOIA request for information and documents regarding a June 2020 incident during a Black Lives Matter (BLM) protest and riot in which a group of FBI agents demonstrated political solidarity with Black Lives Matter protesters by kneeling, clapping, and making other gestures affirming sympathy with the BLM cause. The fourth suit also seeks documents in connection with the BLM events.

The fifth suit covers a FOIA request seeking information and documents regarding the number of work hours by FBI special agents assigned to the Washington Field Office in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol.

The sixth suit regards a FOIA request for information related to the transcribed witness interviews provided to two congressional committees by Nellie Ohr, a researcher for Fusion GPS who has been reportedly linked to Christopher Steele of the infamous Steele Dossier, which falsely alleged former Republican President Donald Trumps 2016 campaign colluded with elements of Russian intelligence to defeat former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee. Ohrs husband was a longtime DOJ senior executive.

The seventh suit is focused on a FOIA request for documents and information regarding the discovery of classified documents held by President Joe Biden at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement in the nations capital.

The classified documents request sought all communications with the White House counsels office regarding the materials at the Penn Biden facility, all communications with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) on those materials, all communications with President Joe Bidens personal attorneys on the materials, all internal DOJ documents mentioning the materials, and the calendars of all Biden administration political appointees concerning the materials.

A DOJ spokesman didnt respond by press time to a request by The Epoch Times for comment on the Heritage FOIA litigation.

It is inexcusable that The Heritage Foundation has to go to federal court to fight the FBIs unlawful withholding of these records, Mike Howell, director of the Heritage Oversight Project, said in the statement announcing the litigation. The truth is that these records do not belong to the FBIthey belong to the American people. This is not, and historically has not been, a partisan issue.

Historically, reform has happened at the FBI after large disclosures of information in the publics interest. That is the process we are initiating here, and we are not waiting for anyone on Capitol Hill or the media to do that job for us. It is past time for the weaponization of our federal law enforcement to end.

That is why we are suing and that is why we will win.

Prior to joining the think tank in 2021, Howell managed oversight relations with Congress for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) during the Trump administration. Prior to his DHS tenure, Howell was counsel to oversight investigations and judicial nomination efforts in the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Hong Kong Civil Service Budget Static While Police Budget Hits Record High

Police detain a man (L) as pro-democracy protesters gather in the Causeway Bay district of Hong Kong on June 12, 2020. (Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images)

To ensure the sustainability of public finance, the Hong Kong government implemented zero growth in civil service in 2021/22.

On Jan. 22, the Hong Kong government released the 2023-24 budget and announced that the civil service establishment would maintain zero growth in the new financial year of 2023/24.

The Government stated that civil service departments would enhance effectiveness and efficacy through reprioritization, internal redeployment, and streamlining of work processes to promote various new policies and initiatives.

However, under the zero growth of civil service, law enforcement expenses continued to rise.

Paul Chan Mau-po, Secretary for Finance, said in the budget speech that the peripheral environment remained full of challenges after two years of massive fiscal deficits during the pandemic. Chan said he would continue to abide by financial discipline and measures of income and expenditure, strictly control the growth of the civil service establishment, and discuss potential income increases.

The Governments target of zero growth in the civil service establishment would remain unchanged in 2023/24. The Government expected that About 197,000 posts would remain in civil service establishments by the end of March 2024.

Staff Shortage in Post Offices Causes Problems

Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan, Secretary for the Civil Service at the Civil Service Bureau, posted an article online after the budget announcement.

Yeung wrote that innovation is the way forward in the face of resource constraints and encouraged the civil service team to use science and technology while working hard.

We must stay current and review our work process and methods regularly. It will allow the civil service to run ahead and strive for excellence and achieve the maximum benefits with the least resources, said the secretary for the civil service.

However, before the budget was revealed, some civil service unions said that the front line was experiencing staff shortages.

The Hong Kong Post Office staff union met with the authorities on Feb. 21. Their representatives expressed that it was difficult for the post office counter staff to get time off due to insufficient human resources. They demanded the department review whether the staff shortage was due to a lack of organization at office branches.

In addition, the meeting pointed out that as of September 2022, vacancies of senior postal workers were more than three times those of junior workers, who carry out more experienced post workers jobs for a prolonged period.

Civil servant resignation reached an all-time high since the Handover

As civil servants remained at zero growth, resignations increased.

The Hong Kong government announced in November 2022 that in the 2021/22 fiscal year, resignations of civil servants had nearly doubled from the previous year, from nearly 2,000 in 2020/21 to almost 4,000 in 2021/22.

The Civil Service Bureau stated then, Although the number of civil servants quitting office has increased slightly in recent years, it has had little impact on the operation of the government.

In January 2023, the Hong Kong government published that the number of resignations in civil servants in 2021/22 was 3,743, at a resignation rate of 2.11 percent, marking it the highest since the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong to China in 1997.

The Government also updated the number in the first quarter of 2022/23. From April 1 to the end of June 2022, 944 civil servants resigned, reaching a 0.54 percent resignation rate in just three months.

Hong Kong Is Losing Police and Educators the Most

According to data, by March 31, 2022, the police department had the most vacancies, with 6,312 postings, at a vacancy rate of 16.7 percent. The vast majority of vacancies were junior police officer positions, with 5,284 vacancies, equivalent to a vacancy rate of 17.7 percent.

The Education Bureau, on the other hand, had 815 empty seats waiting to be filled, equivalent to a vacancy rate of 13 percent.

There are 949 vacancies in the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, equivalent to a vacancy rate of 8.99 percent.

The five positions with the most vacancies were junior police officers, level II workers, clerical assistants, clerical directors, and correctional assistants.

Hong Kong Police Force Expanded Since 2016

Although there are currently 6,312 job openings in the police force, the reason for the vacancies is due to the law enforcement expansion in recent years. From 2016 to the end of March 2022, the number of police officers increased by 4,709.

After the clashes between police and civilians in Mongkok in 2016, police force numbers increased yearly. Since March 2016, police officer numbers jumped from 33,688 to 35,436, an increase of 1,748 to the end of March 2019.

The number continued to shoot up.

After the 2019 Hong Kong Protests, there were 35,784 police officers at the end of March 2020; a further increase of 1,941 brought the number to 37,725 by the end of March 2021.

The Hong Kong Police Force pointed out that as of March 31, there would be 38,397 expected positions in the police force. But the number was forecast to decrease by 132 jobs in 2023/24.

The Gap Between Actual and Budget

Although there was a slight dip in human resources, the polices budget for 2023/24 broke the previous high of HK$26.8411 billion (US$3.42 billion). Not only was the expenditure of the police the highest among all discipline forces, but the expenses were also higher by 6.1 percent over the revised budget in 2022/23.

Based on the previous records of the police departments actual expenditure, the expenses during the anti-extradition movement were HK$23.701 billion (US$3.02 billion) in 2019/20. It had increased by 18.3 percent compared to 2018/19.

After that, the percentage dropped by 1.24 percent and 0.33 percent in the following two years.

However, the revised budget for the police force in 2022/23 ranked up to HK$25.303 billion (US$3.22 billion).

Police Spending on Special-purpose Vehicles and Equipment

In terms of expenses, the most significant part of the pie cut was salary. The budget for police salary in 2023/24 was HK$18.599 billion (US$2.37 billion), which would be more than the revised budget for 2022/23 of HK$17.313 billion (US$2.18 billion).

Meanwhile, the Governments budget for polices machinery, vehicles and equipment was HK$808.3 million (US$103 million) in 2023/24, making it an enormous leap from the revised budget of HK$43.06 million (US$5.5 billion) in 2022/23.

The expenditure in 2022/23 included replacements of multiple boats and six armored vehicles for the police coastal guard.

In 2021/22, the total expenses from the category were HK$26.865 million (US$3.4 million), and the approved budget for 2022/23 was HK$507.8 million (US$65 million). The Hong Kong government announced that the budget for special-purpose vehicles in 2023/24 for the Hong Kong Police Force would be HK$228.6 million (US$29 million). The relevant allocation is 55 percent lower than the revised budget for 2022-23.

The authorities explained that it was mainly due to the reduced cash flow demand for purchasing special-purpose vehicles.
Increasing Number of Chinese Rights Petitioners Disappear as State Meetings Commence

China's communist regime 'exploiting tax money to suppress the taxpayers,' protestor says

A police officer stands guard before the closing session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on March 10, 2022. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

In the hope of having their grievances redressed, Chinese petitioners from all over China visit the state petitioning office in Beijing. This week, however, the annual Two Sessions meeting has seen increasing numbers of petitioners being detained in Beijing and across the country due to heightened security around the state meetings.

The Two Sessions are the Chinese communist regimes annual plenary sessions, where the rubber-stamp National Peoples Congress and the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference meet simultaneously in Beijing. Held separately, the meetings are marked each year by massive increases in security and surveillance.

A number of Chinese petitioners told the Chinese-language edition of The Epoch Times about the huge increase in suppression they have experienced in recent days.

Nipping Dissent in The Bud

Chinese citizens understand that petitioners will often be detained by the authorities around the times and locations of sensitive eventssuch as National Congress meetings, or the anniversary of events such as the Tiananmen Square Massacre on June 4. This is recognized as standard practice for the regime, as it views petitioners and protestors as the so-called unstable elements of the harmonious society the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) seeks to impose.

In addition to hardcore Party cadres and officials, regular delegates and other representatives of Chinese society have arrived at the Two Sessions in Beijingand the regime considers it important that such persons should not witness any of these unstable elements, or hear what they have to say.

The regime also patrols train and bus stations in other cities to prevent protestors from arriving in Beijing in the first place, and even from protesting in other cities.

As of March 2, at least 31 petitioners from Shanghai have been illegally placed under residential surveillance or illegally detained in black jails, while some of them have gone missing entirely, according to Shanghai rights petitioner, Song Jiahong. Black jails are unofficial detention centers the regime uses to lock up protestorsoften indefinitely.

The Shanghai authorities have really accomplished Nipping all unstable elements in the bud, Song said.

Nipping all unstable elements in the bud has become the theoretical basis for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to suppress its own people. It is a propaganda slogan believed to have gained popularity after the Tiananmen Square Massacre in 1989.

Song said he has tried to relay the latest information about Shanghai petitioners online, but that none of his methods workedwhether it be text messages, photos, or notes.

I finally sent it out as a document, which can only be viewed, but not transferred, he said, stating that Chinas high-tech surveillance systems have made it very challenging for him to transmit any information to his contacts.

Song wanted to let his fellow Chinese people know that black jails have been set up in motels and even farm resorts, and are being guarded by personnel of unknown identity. The government paid for everything. Its exploiting tax money to suppress the taxpayers, he said.

More than 1,000 petitioners from various provinces in China traveled to Beijing to seek relief and redress for their grievances on Jan. 24, 2014. (Courtesy of petitioner Wang Zaiming)

Even Taxi Drivers Could Be Implicated

Hailing from northeastern Heilongjiang Province, petitioner Ma Bo revealed that another petitioner, Geng Shouxia, was met by police at her local train station on her way to Shenyang Second Circuit Court to file a petition on March 1.

The police wanted to know how she managed to get to the train station, and insisted that she reveal the taxi drivers license plate number.

I did not write down the number, Geng told the police.

Geng texted me through WeChat on the evening of March 2. The physical exam before her detention found a tumor in her lungsbut they still sent her to the detention center in Harbin City for 15 days, Ma told the Chinese-language edition of The Epoch Times.

Eight Security Personnel For One Petitioner

On March 2, Fan Yanqiong, a petitioner, writer, and 2011 Hellman/Hammett Award winner from Chinas southeastern Fujian Province, wanted to petition authorities in Hangzhou, some 290 miles north of Fujian.

Early in the morning, however, five men and three policemen were already waiting outside Fans home. They shadowed her all the way to the subway, where they then surrounded her and prevented her from going further.

According to Fan, she wished to seek redress after becoming disabled due to what she called Chinas industrialized medical system. Fan said she lost one of her kidneys because of her doctors malpractice in 2015, when an illegal stent was implanted into her kidney. Since then, shes been fighting for her rights as a victim of malpractice. She said, It has been eight years, and the court has not given me an answer.

Following her experience, Fan exposed how some doctors in China would conduct unnecessary operations with illegal and inferior medical apparatus. Such operations are carried out with the goal of earning commissions that can be as high as 40 percent, but that often result in injury to and even the death of the patients.

Fan said that in 2019, her husband also died of medical malpractice.

Nothing is clean under the rule of the CCP, Fan said. The only thing they care about is ramping up their surveillance of me.

Li Xi contributed to this report.
Judge Says Failure of Police to Arrest Wayne Couzens Confirmed His Belief in His Invincibility

Indecent exposure victims say crime not taken seriously

An undated police mugshot of Wayne Couzens, a serving police officer who abducted, raped, and murdered Sarah Everard in London in March 2021. (Metropolitan Police)

A judge has sentenced murderer Wayne Couzens for a series of indecent exposures back in 2021 and said his ability to get away with the crimes could have emboldened him.

The Metropolitan Polices Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Stuart Cundy, apologised for the failure to apprehend him before he abducted, raped, and murdered Sarah Everard in March 2021.

Couzens, 50, admitted three counts of indecent exposureonce in woodland in November 2020 and twice at the same fast-food restaurant in February 2021all in Kent.

He was jailed at the Old Bailey on Monday for another 19 months in prison, although it will make little difference as he was given a whole life sentence for the murder of Everard and will never be released.

The two offences at the fast-food restaurant were in a part of Kent which is covered by the Metropolitan Police and Cundy apologised for Couzens not having been identified as the offender at the time.

Like so many, I wish he had been arrested for these offences before he went on to kidnap, rape, and murder Sarah Everard and I am sorry that he wasnt, said Cundy.

We Could Have Saved Sarah

One of the women who Couzens exposed himself to at the drive-through restaurant told the court: I had no one contact me or ask for a statement. It was only after Sarahs murder that I became involved. If he had been held accountable when we had reported the crime, we could have saved Sarah.

Sentencing Couzens, Mrs. Justice Juliet May said, The fact that no police came to find him or his black car, to question him about these incidents, can only have served to confirm and strengthen, in the defendants mind, a dangerous belief in his invincibility, in his power to sexually dominate and abuse women without being stopped.

The court heard the registration number of his Seat carAF12 XXWwas clearly identifiable on the CCTV footage and he used his own credit card to pay for food.

An image from CCTV footage showing former police officer Wayne Couzens on the night he committed an offence of indecent exposure at a drive-through fast-food restaurant in Kent on Feb. 27, 2021. (Metropolitan Police)

Couzens, who was serving in the Metropolitan Polices Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command at the time he killed Everard, is thought to have used his police warrant card to trick her into getting into the back of an unmarked car.

He then drove her, with her arms handcuffed behind her back, to Kent where he transferred her to his own car, raped her, murdered her, and set her body on fire.

If he had been identified for the indecent exposure offences, he would almost certainly have been suspended and had his warrant card revoked.

On Monday, Cundy said: Todays sentencing reflects the impact these awful crimes committed by Couzens has had on the women he targeted. I have read the victim impact statements and it is clear to me the hurt and trauma that he inflicted on them. It is their courage that has been crucial in bringing him to justice and I am sorry for what they have gone through.

The Mets response to the reports of indecent exposure at the drive-through restaurant has been investigated by the police watchdog and an officer is facing a misconduct hearing.

The first offence, in November 2020, occurred in Deal, Kent, when Couzens exposed himself to a female cyclist on a country lane.

She reported it to Kent Police and, in her victim impact statement, she said she did not feel it was taken as seriously as I felt that it should have been.

Cyclist Feared Couzens Would Commit Worse Crimes

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said: I remember vividly being concerned that somebody who could expose themselves to a stranger in such an intimidating way could go on to commit much more serious acts. This is what happened.

She told Couzens during the sentencing hearing: Four months after you exposed yourself to me, you raped and murdered an innocent woman. There were opportunities to identify you and they were not taken.

A missing sign for Sarah Everard outside Poynders Court on the A205 in Clapham, London, on March 10, 2021. (Victoria Jones/PA via AP)

The horror of what happened will remain with me for the rest of my life, the cyclist added.

The judge said some of the indecent exposure victims suffered from a form of survivors guilt.

Cundy said, The fact he did this whilst serving as a police officer has brought shame on all of us who swore to protect the communities we serve.

The Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) also published a report on Monday about inappropriate and discriminatory comments Couzens and other police officers had made in a WhatsApp group in 2019 (pdf).

Kent Police told The Epoch Times they would not be commenting on the Couzens sentencing.

PA Media contributed to this report.
Kyiv Says Forces Are Holding on in Hellish Bakhmut Battle

Ukrainian servicemen fire a 2S5 Giatsint-S self-propelled howitzer towards Russian troops outside the frontline town of Bakhmut, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, on March 5, 2023. (Anna Kudriavtseva/Reuters)

KYIVKyiv said on Monday its troops were still holding out in a hellish fight for Bakhmut, while Washington said that even if the eastern Ukrainian city should fall to a Russian offensive, it would not necessarily give Moscow momentum in the war.

In the latest sign of a feud between Russias military and the Wagner private army leading its Bakhmut assault, Wagners boss demanded more ammunition and said his aide had been barred from the militarys operational headquarters.

Ukrainian troops have been reinforcing positions west of Bakhmut in apparent preparation for a possible retreat, but so far appear not to have decided to pull out.

Speaking to reporters in the Middle East, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he would not predict when or if Ukrainian troops might leave the city, but that its fall wont necessarily mean that the Russians have changed the tide of this fight.

I think it is more of a symbolic value than it is strategic and operational value, Austin claimed.

Moscow says capturing the city would be a step towards its major objective of seizing the full territory of the surrounding Donbass region. Kyiv says Russias losses in trying to seize the city could determine the future course of the war by destroying combat power ahead of decisive battles later this year.

Volodymyr Nazarenko, a Ukrainian commander in Bakhmut, said there had been no order to retreat and the defence is holding, albeit in grim conditions.

The situation in Bakhmut and around it is utter hell, as it is on the entire eastern front, Nazarenko said in a video posted on Telegram.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyys office said he had discussed the operation on Monday with his chief of the general staff and commander of ground forces, who both spoke in favour of continuing the defensive operation and further strengthening positions in Bakhmut.

Yevgeny Prigozhin issued the latest in a barrage of statements that have deepened his rift with Russias top brass.

Prigozhin said he had written a letter on Sunday to the commander of the Ukraine campaign about the urgent need to allocate ammunition. On Monday morning he said his representative at operational headquarters had had his pass cancelled and been denied access.

There was no immediate response from the Russian Ministry of Defence. Since the start of this year, the Ukraine campaign has been commanded personally by Russias top general, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov.

Prigozhin claimed last week that his men had practically surrounded Bakhmut. But on Saturday he appeared in a video with a gloomier assessment, warning that the front would collapse should Wagner be forced to retreatalthough it was not clear when the video was recorded.

He has accused ministry officials of treason for failing to supply adequate ammunition to his forces, something the ministry has denied.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, who has kept a low profile for most of the war, has been on a rare visit to his forces in Ukraine in recent days, awarding medals and meeting commanders. On Monday, he visited the eastern city of Mariupol, largely destroyed by Russian forces last year after a months-long siege.
Manuel Otero Cantudo and Maria Isabel Sanchez San Roman enjoyed Shen Yun on the evening of March 4, 2023 at the RiojaForum in Logrono, Spain. (The Epoch Times)

LOGRONO, SpainManuel Otero Cantudo and Maria Isabel Sanchez San Roman, both in the legal profession, drove nearly eight hours to be able to see Shen Yun Performing Arts in Logrono.

Weve come a long way because tickets had run out in Seville, Mrs. San Roman explained.

The couple saw the performance the evening of March 4, at the RiojaForum, catching the third of New York-based Shen Yuns four performances in Logrono.

It is the most beautiful thing that exists.  Maria Isabel Sanchez San Roman

Their art is wonderful, but I admire their courage even more, to fight against the oppression they have suffered and is suffering today. Because that is what makes me talk to people, that we tell all this. They are very brave, said Mr. Cantudo, who is also familiar with his arts, his mother being the well known Spanish actress Maria Jose Cantudo.

Mrs. San Roman similarly expressed her encouragement to the performers, hoping they would not stop doing this, no matter what.

It is a wonderful message, and above all that they use culture for this, the performing arts to give this message, it is the most beautiful thing that exists. Its the body expression without the verbal language is fantastic, she said.

The costumes were elegant, she said, almost vaporous, enhancing the dancers elegance in the gestures, in the dances and in their faces.

The visuals, combined with the wonderful music, the fantastic orchestra director, the instruments, the musicians, gave Mrs. San Roman a lot of tranquility, a lot of harmony  a tranquility that I love.

Shen Yun is the worlds premier classical Chinese dance company, and takes as its mission to show the world China before communism.

Mr. Cantudo said he was familiar with the atrocities of communism around the world, and through Shen Yun he realized for the first time how much China had lost to communism. His message was not tragic, but hopeful, as he saw in Shen Yun people willing to stand by their beliefs.

It has impacted me very positively that there are so many people with so much will to fight against that oppression. I admire the people in this group, he said. I love to see the customs, the Chinese history. It is wonderful.

Reporting by Haiying Wang.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006.
Legal Team for Christian Postal Worker Pushed out for Demanding Sunday Work Exemption Hopeful About Upcoming Case

The legal team representing an evangelical Christian postal worker who quit the U.S. Postal Service after it refused to accommodate his wish not to work on the Sunday Sabbath is optimistic about the case the Supreme Court will hear next month.

Over the opposition of the Biden administration, the court agreed on Jan. 13 to take up the civil rights lawsuit of Gerald Groff, who began working as a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service in 2012. The granting of the petition earlier this year came as the high court has become increasingly protective of First Amendment-based religious protections in recent years.

Groff was what is called a rural carrier associate, meaning he filled in for absent career employees.

Groff worked at the Quarryville, Pennsylvania, post office until he transferred to the Holtwood post office in August 2016. The postal service initially tried to accommodate his request not to work on Sundays, but he quit in 2019 after the agency stopped accommodating him. He sued, claiming the postal service discriminated against him by refusing to accommodate his religion under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which was originally passed in 1964, but was amended in 1972 to require employers to provide reasonable accommodation for religious employees.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit turned down Groffs appeal last year, finding that exempting him from Sunday work, as he had asked, would have imposed an undue hardship on the postal service.

Title VII generally prohibits an employer from discriminating against an individual because of that individuals religion. The law defines religion to include all aspects of religious observance and practice, as well as belief, unless an employer demonstrates that he is unable to reasonably accommodate to an employees or prospective employees religious observance or practice without undue hardship on the conduct of the employers business.

But in 1977, the Supreme Court narrowed the application of the religious provision. In Trans World Airlines (TWA) v. Hardison (1977), the court held that an employer suffers an undue hardship in accommodating an employees religious exercise whenever doing so would require the employer to bear more than a de minimis cost.

Oral arguments in Groff v. DeJoy, court file 22-174, are scheduled for April 18. The respondent, Louis DeJoy, is the U.S. postmaster general.

Stephanie N. Taub, senior counsel with First Liberty Institute, which is co-counsel representing Groff, said the case gives the Supreme Court the opportunity to restore religious liberty in the workplace.

The case turns on what the legal standard is for when employers are required to grant religious accommodations to people of faith, Taub told The Epoch Times in an interview.

Attorneys for Groff are asking the court to interpret undue hardship on the business in the way that it interprets it in other employment discrimination statutes, she said.

Such a move would really restore religious liberty rights for employees across the country to what Congress intended when it passed the Civil Rights Act, she said.

We are optimistic about the case, Taub said.

Its a pretty modest ask. Were asking the court to return the standard to what Congress intended when it amended the law in 1972 to make it clear that it wanted religious diversity to be respected, she said.

Congress wanted employers to be incentivized to grant meaningful religious accommodations to people of faith, and then it was gutted by  TWA v. Hardison in the 1970s. And so now, were asking the court to just interpret the language the way it does  in other employment discrimination statutes to make it clear that this is what Congress means when it uses this language.

So its a pretty straightforward argument that does have the potential to really restore these religious workplace protections, Taub said.

The problem is that lower courts have followed the Hardison ruling, allowing employers to point to a minimal burden  in order to justify not granting religious accommodation. Whereas if you have a plain reading of the statute, employers would have to point to a significant difficulty or expense in order to excuse not granting religious accommodations.

Taubs comments came as 30 friend-of-the-court briefs supporting Groff were filed in the case on Feb. 28. Among the filing parties were a bloc of 22 states including West Virginia and Louisiana, the American Constitutional Rights Union, the Muslim Public Affairs Council, the Thomas More Society, the Jewish Coalition for Religious Liberty, and the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty.

One brief (pdf) was filed by federal lawmakers including Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), James Lankford (R-Okla), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), along with Reps. Jeff Duncan and Ralph Norman, both South Carolina Republicans. The document encouraged the court to reconsider the Hardison ruling.

In Hardison, the Supreme Court advanced an interpretation of the law that no party advanced and it has severely impacted the very individuals the 1972 amendments were meant to protect the most, the lawmakers brief states.

The ruling has been a thorn in the side of religious adherents seeking to honor their religious convictions while also maintaining gainful employment.

In Groffs case, the ruling has had a disastrous legacy stripping a devout Christian of his job for observing the Sabbath while leaving his employer unscathed, contrary to the text and purpose of the 1972 amendments to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the brief states.

The Epoch Times reached out to the U.S. Department of Justice for comment on Groffs petition but has not received a reply.

U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar filed a brief (pdf) with the court in November 2022 saying the government has previously asked the justices to review Hardison but that Groffs case would be a poor vehicle for such review because he would not be entitled to relief under any plausible standard for undue hardship.
Manchin to Decide Political Future in December

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, presides over a hearing on battery technology, at the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, on Sept. 22, 2022. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) will decide at the end of this year whether or not he runs against President Joe Biden in the next presidential election or for reelection, the lawmaker has said.

Theres plenty of time for the elections, Manchin said in an interview with CBSs Face The Nation on March 5. This is the problem with America right now, we start an election every time theres a cycle coming up.

Manchin, a Democratic senator in one of the most Republican states in the country, is up for reelection to the Senate in 2024 but as of yet has not confirmed if he will seek reelection.

My main purpose right now is to work for my country and my state, thats my responsibility, Manchin told CBS. Im not going to make my announcement for anything until the end of the year. Im not going to make a decision, what my political position is going to be or where Im going to do for my political future. I wont do it until the end of the year. I got too much work to do now.

The bottom line is I will make my political decision in December, whatever it may be, he added.

Biden Intends to Run in 2024

Manchin also declined to say whether or not he would endorse Biden if he were to be the Democratic nominee in 2024, stating that he would prefer instead to wait until we see who all the players are.

The Virginia lawmaker is among a handful of Democrats who have criticized Biden over his handling of classified documents and called for a full investigation into the discovery of several batches of classified materials dating from his time as vice president at his former office and home.

While Biden has not yet made an announcement regarding a 2024 run, he has said it is his intention to do so. If Biden were to be reelected for a second term during the 2024 election, he would be 86 years old by the time he leaves office.

Manchin, 75, has repeatedly cast himself as a moderate or a centrist but has found himself at odds with his own Democratic Party on multiple occasions during his career, including on key issues such as a Democrat-led effort to end the 60-vote Senate filibuster threshold last year.

At the time, Manchin joined then-Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema in opposing the move. Sinema announced in December that she had officially left the Democratic Party and registered as an independent, citing what she said was everyday Americans becoming increasingly left behind by national parties rigid partisanship.

Presidential Race Heating Up

Shortly after her departure, Manchin was asked on CBSs Face the Nation whether he saw an advantage in the current political environment in becoming an independent.

Ill let you know later, what I decide to do. But right now, I have no intentions of changing anything except working for West Virginians, trying to give them more opportunities, better quality of life, and basically making sure our country is energy secured, Manchin said at the time.

The D does not saddle me to everything the Democrats want to do is whats right. I dont think the Democrats have all the answers. I dont think the Republicans are always wrong, and vice versa, he said.

Manchins latest comments mark the first time that he has provided a definitive timeline for when he will make a decision regarding the 2024 elections.

They come after bestselling self-help book author Marianne Williamson announced on Saturday that she is challenging Biden for the Democrat nomination in 2024.

So far, Republicans including former President Donald Trump, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, and entrepreneur businessman Vivek Ramaswamy have formally announced campaigns.
Marianne Williamson Accuses DNC of Rigging Primary System in Favor of Biden

Project Angel Food Founder Marianne Williamson is seen at the AIDS Monument Groundbreaking in West Hollywood, Calif., on June 5, 2021. (Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Foundation for the AIDS Monument)

Marianne Williamson, the first Democrat to formally challenge President Joe Biden for the 2024 primary, accused the Democratic National Committee (DNC) of rigging the nomination process in favor of Biden.

During her Sunday appearance on ABCs This Week, Williamson railed against DNCs recent decision that pushes back Iowa and New Hampshire to place South Carolina, where Biden enjoyed comfortable winning margins, as the first nominating state in 2024.

According to the Biden-backed plan approved last month at the DNCs winter meeting in Philadelphia, South Carolina will be the first state to host the Democratic presidential primaries on Feb. 3, 2024, followed three days later by Nevada and New Hampshire. The traditional lineup of the past 50 years has Iowa as the lead-off state, followed by New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina.

I can tell you that New Hampshirites are not happy about that, said Williamson, a 70-year-old self-help author who mounted an unsuccessful presidential bid in 2020.

The DNC should not be rigging this system, she continued. They dont even pretend anymore. Theyre not even covert about their swaying the primary season. Theyre very overt about it.

When asked if she expects an opportunity to debate Biden, Williamson said the president certainly should debate her and allow voters to decide who deserve the nomination.

It should be the voters who decide. It should not be the DNC that decides, she argued. It should be the voters who decide. That is what a democracy is.

Biden, currently the oldest president in U.S. history, will be 82 at the end of his first term. Williamson didnt say whether she thinks Biden is too old to run for reelection but implied that voters will likely take age into consideration.

I dont think ageism has any place in our thinking. But I do think that the American people obviously know what the statistics are, she said.

According to a recent poll from The Associated Press, most people in the United States, including most Democrats, say they dont want him to run again.

Williamson also said that she will absolutely compete in the New Hampshire primary, even if the Granite State was stripped from its traditional spots on the primary calendar.

Under New Hampshires election law, both Democratic and Republican must hold their presidential primary elections a full week before any other states. Meanwhile, Iowa has a caucus system that allows voters to pick their preferred candidates ahead of the New Hampshire primaries.

In New Hampshire, both state officials and Democrats have vowed to follow the existing law and hold their primary first no matter what, although defying the DNCs new calendar opens up the state Democratic Party to potential punishments, including losing of half its delegates.

Joe Biden and the power brokers at the DNC in Washington think New Hampshires time is up, but its not in our DNA to take orders from Washington, Gov. Chris Sununu, a Republican, wrote on Twitter. New Hampshire will be going first in 2024.
The traveler deposited the stash of gold, jewels, and silver coins near the Viking burial mounds in Haithabu some 800 years ago. Whoever that traveler was, and for whatever reason, he or she never returned to collect their treasure.

Just recently, this hoard of precious items has again seen the light of day after it was found by a volunteer metal detectorist in a farmers field southwest of Schleswig, Germany, a press release stated.

Buried in soil, the precious items were discovered by detectorist-in-training Nikki Andreas Steinmann. Among numerous valuable objects hidden were two exquisite, jewel-studded gold ear pendants.

Viking burial mounds at Haithabu, southwest of Schleswig, Germany. (Frank Vincentz/CC BY-SA 3.0)

Nicki Andreas Steinmann poses with the stash he found at Haithabu, southwest of Schleswig, Germany. (Courtesy of ALSH)

Steinmann had been assigned to a quadrant of the plot to hone his detectorist skills. After finding several coins and two gold items, he and his instructor, Arjen Spiewinkel, notified excavation official Jan Fischer.

Fischer then took the lead in caring for the artifacts and continuing the excavation.

A 4-square-meter perimeter around the find was drawn, and with permission from the farmer, they commenced an excavation that uncovered a number of silver and gilded objects.

The researchers determined that the artifacts had been slightly displaced by agricultural activity, though several of the coins still lay stacked one atop the other as originally deposited, indicating they were buried together.

The front of one of the gold earrings. (Courtesy of ALSH)

A frontal view of one of the gold earrings. (Courtesy of ALSH)

A view from the back of one of the golden ear pendants. (Courtesy of ALSH)

Additionally, remains of textiles were found preserved on several of the coins so it can be assumed they were at one time buried in a cloth bag, the press release stated.

The contents of the stash include said pair of very high-quality gold pendants set with stones; a gilded faux coin brooch, crafted to imitate an Islamic Almohad gold dinar coin; two gilded, stone-set rings and a ring fragment; a small, once-gilded perforated disc; a small ring brooch; as well as about 30 fragmented silver coins.

The most remarkable of all were the two golden ear pendants, which probably date back to sometime around or after 1100 A.D. They are crafted in the tradition of Byzantine goldsmiths.

Instrumental in dating the stash, inspection of some 30 silver coins indicate the reign of the Danish king Waldemar II (1202  1241). This suggests the hoard was deposited in the first half of the 13th century.

A gilded faux coin brooch, crafted to imitate an Islamic Almohad gold dinar coin, now reworked into a garment clasp in the Scandinavian tradition. (Courtesy of ALSH)

A selection of the 30 silver coins dating from the time of Danish King Waldemar II (1202-1241). (Courtesy of ALSH)

The excavation team who uncovered the find at Haithabu. (Courtesy of ALSH)

Haithabu is regarded today as an outstanding testament to the Viking Age and encompasses two large grave mounds and what are known as Danewerksearthen fortifications dating back to the Vikings.

Haithabu was also a thriving Viking trade center from the 8th  11th century before its destruction in 1066. The researchers believe the coins were deposited in the ashes of its heyday.

Now known as Haithabu-Danewerk Archaeological Frontier Complex, the site was inscribed on the UNESCO World World Heritage List in 2018 and remains protected today.

The aim of the investigations within this historic area is to recover remaining finds such as this one and document the circumstances surrounding their discovery which will serve as a basis for further research.

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Missing Cessna Caravan Found in Northern Ontario, With Both Occupants Deceased

After five days of searching, search and rescue personnel have located the wreckage of a missing Cessna Caravan with two people aboard in remote northwestern Ontario, with both occupants found dead.

Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) searchmaster Captain David Baird announced on Twitter on March 4 that the plane had been found by a Civil Air Search and Rescue Association (CASARA) aircraft at about 11:30 a.m. EST that day. The names of the deceased were not identified.

The commercial plane, also called Cessna 208, was initially reported missing on Feb. 28. It left Nakina, about 350 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, at around 12:30 p.m. that day and never arrived at its destination at Eabametoong First Nation, also known as Fort Hope.

Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) Trenton, a division of the Department of National Defence, began the search with a RCAF aircraft and a civilian aircraft that afternoon. On March 1, the search was upgraded to a major search and rescue operation.

Unfortunately, when #RCAF SAR Techs arrived on scene, both occupants were found without vital signs. Our thoughts are with family and friends at this time, said JRCC Trenton.

The aircraft was found just south of Chaucer Lake by a CASARA Cessna Skymaster aircraft. RCAF search and rescue officials were deployed minutes later from an RCAF CH-146 Griffon helicopter.

According to JRCC Trenton, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and Transport Canada have been advised of the discovery and the Transportation Safety Board will be launching an investigation into the cause of the crash.

In his news release, Baird said this was not the outcome searchers had hoped for.

He thanked local communities and those who provided search tips, adding that members of the RCAF, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Canadian Coast Guard, OPP, Webequie First Nation, Canadian Rangers, and CASARA volunteers had expended tireless efforts to find the plane.

At the height of the search, five RCAF aircraft, two CASARA aircraft flown by volunteers, and three helicopters were searching for the missing plane, along with 60 searchers from these organizations.
Mistrial Declared in Tucson for Man Charged in Girls Death

TUCSON, Ariz.A mistrial was declared after a jury in southern Arizona was unable to reach a verdict on a murder charge against a man accused of killing a 6-year-old girl.

The Arizona Daily Star reports a judge declared the mistrial Friday in the case against Christopher M. Clements, who was charged with murder in the death of Isabel Celis. Isabel was reported missing from her bedroom in her parents home in Tucson in April 2012.

In a separate case last year, Clements was sentenced to life in prison for the 2014 death of 13-year-old Maribel Gonzalez.

A different Pima County Superior Court jury heard Clements murder trial involving Celis.

Defense attorneys pointed to the lack of physical evidence, with no fingerprints or DNA connecting Clements to Isabels disappearance or death.

Prosecutors acknowledged that but called the circumstantial evidence, including Clements computer and cellphone records, overwhelming.

Clements, a convicted sex offender with a long criminal record, was arrested in 2018 and indicted on 22 felony counts in the girls deaths.

Gonzalez disappeared while walking to a friends house in June 2014 and authorities said her body was found days later.

Celis remains were not recovered until 2017. Authorities said Clements was identified as a suspect in March of that year after he led federal investigators to her remains in exchange for the dropping of unrelated charges.

Clements said he had nothing to do with Celis death and he only knew the location of the body, according to authorities.
New Hampshire Considering Ban on Transgender Treatment for Minors

The group Detrans Awareness has designaged Mar. 12 as National Detrans Awareness today to spotlight the dangers of gender transition treatment for minors (Courtesy photo)

A group of parents and lawmakers are hoping New Hampshire will become the next state to prohibit doctors from subjecting kids to sex change operations and related medical procedures with a bill that transgender advocates say if passed will impose the strictest ban on gender-affirming care for minors in the United States.

A hearing is slated for March 7 on Republican House Bill 619, entitled Protection Against Child Medical and Psychological Experimentation Act, which has been introduced in the New England State.

A large crowd is expected, with national LGBT groups having issued a national call to protest the bill. GLBTQ Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) set up a Facebook page called 603 Equality to rally against HB619, which it called dangerous and despicable. Other national groups like Planned Parenthood have also denounced the New Hampshire bill.

HB619 is sponsored by eight Republicans. The Epoch Times reached out to each of them, but none responded, including primary sponsor Terry Roy.

Some of the staunchest supporters of bills banning gender transition treatment for minors come from those who underwent transgender procedures in their youth.

Detrans Awareness recently produced a series of videos warning against transgender procedures.

See whats coming: a day when therapists, doctors, parents & teachers who truly believed they were doing the right thing will have to reckon with the damage they unintentionally caused vulnerable young people, the group wrote in promoting the videos.

The group has declared March 12 as National Detransition Awareness Day and has planned a number of protests in its observance.

Affirmation Generation also has launched an international campaign against transitioning minors.

Children are being targeted in soft campaigns on the internet and by laws that undermine parental authority, wrote the group in promoting a documentary it recently produced.

If passed, New Hampshire will join eight other states that have recently outlawed transgender treatment for minors. It will also make the Live Free or Die state the only state out of the six states that make up the otherwise liberal Northeast region to ban it.

The bill includes a ban on any discussion of gender transition treatment in public schools and the repeal of an existing ban on gay conversion therapy in the state.

A counter-bill has been introduced by Democrats seeking to designate New Hampshire as a sanctuary state for transgender procedures, similar to the one enacted in California. A similar bill has also been proposed in Vermont.

Under the New Hampshire proposal, any out-of-state court order for the return of a child undergoing a so-called transgender child would not be honored.

A law of another state that authorizes a state agency to remove a child from their parent or guardian based on the parent or guardian allowing their child to receive gender-affirming health care or gender-affirming mental health care shall be against the public policy of this state and shall not be enforced or applied in a case pending in a court in this state, the bill reads.

The bill, if passed, would also make it illegal to provide medical records of minors receiving gender transition treatment in a lawsuit, even if it is under a court order.

Not protecting transkids is no different than not protecting abused children, HB368s main sponsor Rep. Gerri Cannon (D-Strafford) told The Epoch Times. Cannon was born as a biological male and now identifies as a transgender female.

The 60-year-old was recently elected for the first time, becoming the first transgender lawmaker in New Hampshire, along with another transgender person to the New Hampshires House of Representatives. Cannon told The Epoch Times that he knew as young as 12 that he was really a girl and struggled with keeping that a secret.

The two polarizing bills are slated to be heard consecutively on the same day by the New Hampshire Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee.

Hearings are also slated for March 7 on two newly proposed parental rights bills in New Hampshire. HB10 and SB272 are similar to a parental rights bill narrowly defeated last year when some House Republicans voted with Democrats against it. New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, a Republican, vowed to veto it if it passed the House, which put him in step with LGBTQ groups and other liberal organizations opposed to it.

In a press release, Sununu said he opposed the bill because it creates numerous challenges for kids. He said he agreed with New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella, who deemed the bill a potential legal hazard when weighed against the states anti-discriminatory laws.

The bills are before the states Child and Family Law Committee.

Melissa Blasek, Executive Director of ReBuildNH, which advocated for the parental rights bills, told The Epoch Times that protecting the rights of parents to raise their children has nothing to do with discrimination or concealing child abuse.

Child abuse is already a crime and it should be a crime and nothing about either one of these bills overrides any type of child abuse laws, said Blasek. She added that parents have become the last entity who are guilty until proven innocent. The parental rights bill, said Blasek, is to stop the wedge being driven between parents and their children.

If the parental rights bill is successful this time around, New Hampshire will also be the only New England state to adopt such legislation. Similar parental rights legislation is pending in several other states including Alabama, Hawaii, Indiana, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Texas.

States that have outlawed transgender treatment for minors within the last year include Mississippi, South Dakota, Utah, Alabama, Arizona, and Arkansas.

Last week, Tennessee joined the ranks with a law that will go into effect on July 1. Under the law, minors already undergoing gender-transition treatment will be able to continue with it until March 31, 2024.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) vowed to fight the new law and criticized Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee for signing it.

We will not allow this dangerous law to stand, the ACLU wrote in a statement. We are dedicated to overturning this unconstitutional law and are confident the state will find itself completely incapable of defending it in court. We want transgender youth to know they are not alone and this fight is not over.

There are currently pending legal challenges to the gender-transition treatment bans for minors in Alabama and Arkansas.

New Hampshire lawmakers are also contemplating two other polar opposite bills on the issue. Senate Bill 184 seeks to eliminate the need for parental consent to mental health counseling for minors over the age of 16 while House Bill 253 seeks to reinforce an existing, mandating parents have full access to their childrens medical records until they are 18.

Hearings on both bills are slated for Thursday, March. 9.
New WHO Chief Scientist Made Crucial Change to Paper Claiming COVID-19 Didnt Come From Lab

Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust, attends the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 19, 2017. (Ruben Sprich/Reuters)

The World Health Organizations new chief scientist made a crucial change to an influential 2020 paper that claimed it was improbable that COVID-19 came from a laboratory, a newly disclosed email shows.

Jeremy Farrar, the chief scientist, was credited in one message with helping guide the paper about the origin of COVID-19, according to an email released by the U.S. House select subcommittee on the coronavirus pandemic on March 5.

Thanks for shepherding this paper. Rumors of bioweaponeering are now circulating in China, Dr. Ian Lipkin, a Columbia University professor, wrote to Farrar in the message.

Yes I know and in US  why so keen to get out ASAP. I will push nature, Farrar responded.

In the early 2020 paper, Lipkin and four co-authors claimed that it is improbable that SARS-CoV-2 emerged through laboratory manipulation of a related SARS-CoV-like coronavirus.

SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes COVID-19.

A draft of the manuscript, published by Nature, included a different word, the House panel found.

Sorry to micro-manage/microedit! But would you be willing to change one sentence? Farrar wrote to Kristian Andersen, who co-authored the paper, in an email just one day before publication.

Farrar asked to insert improbable in place of unlikely, the email showed.

Sure, Andersen responded.

The paper also stated that SARS-CoV-2 is not a laboratory construct and that the authors do not believe that any type of laboratory-based scenario is plausible.

This evidence suggests that Dr. Farrar was more involved in the drafting and publication of Proximal Origin than previously known and possibly should have been credited or acknowledged for this involvement, the panel said.

Asked for a comment from Farrar, the World Health Organization (WHO) told The Epoch Times via email he hasnt yet started in his new position.

The British scientist was, at the time of the messages, at the helm of the Wellcome Trust, which controls millions of dollars in funding for research in the UK.

The WHO announced on Dec. 13, 2022, that Farrar would be the next new chief scientist and that he would start in the second quarter of 2023. Wellcome, which didnt respond to a request for comment, has stated that Farrar was due to leave in 2023.

Dr. Anthony Fauci in Washington on Dec. 9, 2022. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

Secret Teleconference

Farrar helped arrange a secret Feb. 1, 2020, teleconference with Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, to discuss the origin of COVID-19, previously released emails show.

Some of the participants said details of SARS-CoV-2 indicated it didnt originate from nature, though others favored the natural origin theory.

Anderson was among the former, writing that some of the features (potentially) look engineered.

The call came after a report outlining the possibility that the virus escaped or was released from a high-level laboratory in Wuhan, China, where the first COVID-19 cases were detected in 2019.

Scientists on the call later penned the Proximal Origins paper and a letter published in The Lancet that reads, We stand together to strongly condemn conspiracy theories suggesting that COVID-19 does not have a natural origin.

Farrar was listed as a co-author of the letter but wasnt listed as a co-author or contributor to the paper. Neither was Fauci. Thats despite Andersen stating, in another newly released email, that the paper was prompted by Farrar, Fauci, and others, including Lipkin and then-U.S. National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins. Previous evidence also showed Fauci and Collins receiving a draft of the paper and questioning a key passage, with their recommendations making it into the published paper.

Fauci said shortly after the papers were published, from the White House podium in Washington, that highly qualified evolutionary virologists had looked at the virus and concluded the evidence is totally consistent with a jump of a species from an animal to a human. He also said he couldnt recall the names of any of the authors but that the paper could be made available to reporters.

Faucis agency sent money to the Wuhan lab through an intermediary. Some experiments funded with the money increased the virulence of a modified bat virus.

The P4 laboratory on the campus of the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on May 13, 2020. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images)

Softened Stance

Some of the scientists have since softened their stance against the lab leak theory, as more time passes without any identification of a host animal to support the natural origin theory.

Farrar told The Epoch Times in 2021 that the best scientific evidence available to date backed a natural origin, but admitted there are other possibilities which cannot be completely ruled out and retaining an open mind is critical.

Dr. Peter Palese, a U.S. microbiologist who signed the Lancet letter, said he supported an investigation into the origin of the virus.

The new House subcommittee has vowed to probe the matter, after it was largely ignored under Democrats in the previous Congress.

Like the scientific community, intelligence entities in the United States remain divided over the matter, but several say evidence is supportive of the lab leak theory.

That includes the FBI.

The FBI has for quite some time now assessed that the origin of the pandemic are [sic] most likely a potential lab incident in Wuhan, Director Christopher Wray, a Trump appointee, said in a recent interview.

The Energy Department has also reportedly shifted to say its more likely the origin was the lab.

On March 3, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for countries with information about the origin to share it with WHO and the international scientific community.

WHO continues to call for China to be transparent in sharing data and to conduct the necessary investigations and share the results, he said. Until then, all hypotheses on the origins of the virus remain on the table.
NH Governor Sununu Says Will Support 2024 GOP Nominee, Even If Trump, Amid Calls for Unity

New Hampshire State Gov. Chris Sununu speaks at the Republican Jewish Coalition Annual Leadership Meeting in Las Vegas, Nev., on Nov. 19, 2022. (WADE VANDERVORT/AFP via Getty Images)

Republican Party talk surrounding potential candidates for the 2024 GOP nomination continues to make waves, with some commentary focusing on former President Donald Trumps reelection bid.

During NBCs Sunday talk show Meet the Press on March 5, moderate Republican New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu was candid about his actions with a possible Trump GOP ticket in 2024.

As far as former President Trump, I think hes going to run. Obviously, hes in the race. Hes not going to be the nominee. Thats just not going to happen.

Speculation swirls around whether Sununu will also throw his name in the hat for the 2024 GOP nomination. However, he hasnt confirmed intentions to run against fellow Republicans like Trump or former ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Hailey in the primaries.

Read More New Hampshire Reelects Moderate GOP Governor Sununu

While Sununu thinks its unlikely Trump will win the 2024 GOP candidacy, he assured hed be supportive should Trump emerge from the primaries victorious.

Im a lifelong Republican. Im going to support the Republican nominee, he said.

When you look at whats coming out of the White House, it isnt Democrat policies; its real left-wing extreme agenda type stuff that is not in the best interest of this country. And I have no doubt that any solid Republican would be better than what comes out, he added.

Uniting the party behind whichever candidate runs for the presidency in 2024 has been a rallying call heard from Republican leaders in recent weeks, including Trump.

A request for all GOP candidates who participate in debates to sign a pledge of support for whoever wins the nomination was mentioned by Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel on Feb. 26.

The voters get to choose. And if the Republican voters pick the nominee, then everybody on that debate stage  in the Republican National Committee primaries, should say, Im going to support the nominee,' McDaniel told CNNs State of the Union.

We have to come together as a party, she said.

McDaniel stressed the importance of unity, noting that big races were lost in the last election cycle due to Republicans refusing to support other Republicans. She added that unless the party comes together and supports whichever candidate gets the GOP presidential nomination, we will not win in 2024.

Sununus skepticism surrounding Trumps ability to secure the presidential nomination arrives the day after the former president announced that hed stay in the White House race, even if hes criminally charged.

Oh, absolutely, I wont even think about leaving, Trump told the press at a Conservative Political Action Conference.

Sununu said he believes the party will likely move in a different direction during the primaries.

I think theres a lot of opportunity to bring forward what the Republican Partynot what we were, not yesterdays leadership or yesterdays story  but what were going to bring to the table and get done tomorrow.
In God We Trust: NYC Mayor Talks Faith in Governance, Public Safety

Eric Adams, mayor of New York City, speaks on stage during The 2022 Concordia Annual Summit at Sheraton New York in New York City on Sept. 19, 2022. (Riccardo Savi/Getty Images for Concordia Summit)

New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Sunday doubled down on remarks he made earlier in the week dismissing the idea of the separation of church and state.

Dana Bash, host of CNNs State of the Union, said Adamss earlier comments about the role of faith in governance alarmed some people, even religious leaders who were in the room, before promoting Adams for a response.

Lets be clear on something: the last words I said after I was sworn in is, So help me God. On our dollar bill, we have, In God We Trust. Every president touched a religious book when they were sworn in except for three, Adams said in response.

Faith is who I am, and anyone who takes those words [is] stating that Im going to try to compel people to follow my religion. No, Im a child of God. I believe that wholly. Im going to follow the law. Im not going to compel people who believe in whatever faith, the mayor added. It could be if you are in a synagogue, a baptist church, a Buddhist templeIm in all of them, and thats what was in my service.

Adams made the comments in question at an interfaith dinner on Feb. 28, which quickly became the target of online backlash and protests outside of the Big Apples city hall.

Dont tell me about no separation of church and state, said Adams on Tuesday. State is the body; church is the heart. You take the heart out of the body, the body dies. I cant separate my beliefs because Im an elected official.

Conservative figures such as Charlie Kirk and Benny Johnson endorsed the comments, calling them a pro-God rant in deep-blue New York.

In his Sunday interview, Adams clarified that he does not believe in a union between the church and the state institutionally, but that faith should be an integral part of governance.

Government should not interfere with religion, religion should not interfere with government, Adams said. That cant happen, and it should never happen.

But my faith is how I carry out the practices that I do and the policy, such as helping people who are homeless, such as making sure that we show compassion in what we do in our city, he added.

Comments on Crime

In that same interview, Adams shared his thoughts on Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoots failed attempt at reelection on Sunday, describing it as a warning sign for the entire country.

Bash asked Adams if he was worried about his Democrat counterparts pretty big loss in her reelection bid, and his thoughts on its connection to Chicagos high violent crime rate.

To the contrary, I think its a warning sign for the country. I think, if anything, it is really stating that this is what I have been talking about, Adam said. America, we have to be safe.

I stated on the campaign trail, and in the city, public safety is a prerequisite to prosperity. Same as Chicago, like New York, and many of our big cities across America, Adams said.

On March 1, Lightfoot became the first incumbent Chicago mayor to lose a reelection bid since 1983, a result widely seen as a fallout of Chicagos soaring violent crime rates under Lightfoots governance.

The front-running candidate in that race, former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas who ran with a tough-on-crime message, nearly doubled Lightfoot in the number of votes received, according to results reported by The New York Times.

From January 2019 to the end of 2022, Chicagos murder rate increased by 39 percent, theft by 37 percent, robbery by 13 percent, motor vehicle theft by 139 percent, and shooting by 32 percent, according to a report by the Chicago Police Department. Lori Lightfoot assumed office on May 2019.

But Chicagos numbers are only a snapshot of a much bigger blue-cities problem, according to a November 2022 report by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. It cited data from the first half of 2022 showing that 27 out of 30 cities with the highest murder rate in the country had Democrat mayors, including New York. Two cities had a Republican mayor and one city had an independent.

In Sundays interview, Adams touted the success of his subway safety plan, which was a focus of his crime reduction efforts, along with reducing theft.

There were 438 homicides in New York City in 2022, about a 10 percent drop from 2021, according to New York Police Department (NYPD) data.

However, the data shows an increase of 23 percent in what the city defines as major felony offenses, which include rape, robbery felony assault, burglary, theft, and motor vehicle theft, in addition to murder and non-negligent manslaughter.
Ofcom Rules GB News Broke Broadcasting Rules Over COVID Booster and Death Rates Claims

The Ofcom (Office of Communications) logo on the front of its headquarters in London, on Jan. 18, 2007. (Bruno Vincent/Getty Images)

Britains media regulator Ofcom has concluded that an episode of the Mark Steyn show on GB News broke its broadcasting rules and was potentially harmful and materially misleading.

On Monday, Ofcom ruled that the Mark Steyn programme, which aired on GB News on April 21 last year, was in breach of its broadcasting rules.

Ofcom ruled that the show presented a materially misleading interpretation of official data without sufficient challenge or counterweight, risking harm to viewers.

Steyn was a presenter at the channel, but he left in February amid a dispute over contract terms he claimed could have made him personally liable for Ofcom fines.

Fatally Flawed

In its ruling (pdf), Ofcom said that the programmes presentation of UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data and the way it used the data to draw conclusions materially misled the audience.

It had received four complaints about comments made by the presenter that, the complainants said, drew dangerous and fatally flawed conclusions from UKHSA statistics.

The regulator concluded that this programme incorrectly claimed that official UKHSA data provided definitive evidence that there was a causal link between receiving the third COVID-19 booster vaccine and higher infection, hospitalisation, and death rates.

It added that this was misleading because the programme failed to reflect that the reports made clear that the raw data contained within them should not be used to draw conclusions about vaccine efficacy, due to the biases inherent in those in the vaccinated and unvaccinated populations.

Given these misleading claims were broadcast as part of a factual programme on a news and current affairs service and may have resulted in viewers making important decisions about their own health, we concluded that the programme was potentially harmful and materially misleading, in breach of Rule 2.2 of the Broadcasting Code, the ruling said.

In March 2020, Ofcom issued a Note to Broadcasters (pdf), reminding them it will consider any breach arising from harmful Coronavirus-related programming to be potentially serious and will consider taking appropriate regulatory action, which could include the imposition of a statutory sanction.

Prescient

On his own website, Steyn said that he intends to appeal this and get it before a real court.

A spokesperson for GB News told The Epoch Times by email that they were disappointed by the finding and noted that Mark Steyn has left GB News and has not broadcast on the channel for three months.

GB News exists to allow freedom of speech and freedom of thought to flourish. We believe a willingness to debate and disagree is vital for an open and honest society, he said.

We are disappointed by Ofcoms finding. Our role in media is to ask tough questions, point out inconsistencies in government policy, and hold public bodies to account when the facts justify it. Mark Steyns programme did exactly that, he added.

GB News said that the channel supports Steyns right to challenge the status quo by examining the small but evident risks of the third COVID booster.

In an apparent reference to leaked WhatsApp messages showing former Health Secretary Matt Hancock intended to frighten the public into compliance with lockdown rules, the spokesperson said: As news stories in the last week have highlighted, it was prescient to question whether the government was candid with all the facts. It is an important story in the public interest.

Mr. Steyn looked at evidence from the governments own health data. He drew a reasonable conclusion from the facts. However, he drew only one conclusion. We accept that the data offered several valid interpretations, and he should have made this clear. Had he done so, the story would have remained within the wide freedoms that Ofcoms Broadcast Code allows, he added.

The news channel, which features presenters such as Calvin Robinson, Lawrence Fox, and Andrew Doyle, said it chose to work in a regulated environment, and we take Ofcom compliance seriously.

In our 20 months and more than 11,000 hours of live broadcasting, this is Ofcoms only finding against our television licence. It has not imposed a sanction. It remains our mission to challenge anyone who adopts a purely binary position on unfolding news events; their assumption that a governments narrative is the only legitimate version of events, and that everything else is misinformation,' said the spokesperson.

Naomi Wolf in an undated file photo. (Ruilian Song/The Epoch Times)

Naomi Wolf

Ofcom said that an additional investigation into an episode of Mark Steyn, which aired on Oct. 4, 2022, remains ongoing.

The regulator is considering whether comments made during an interview with American author and journalist Naomi Wolf about the COVID-19 vaccine rollout raised potential issues under its Broadcasting Code.

Ofcome said that it had received 411 viewer complaints about Wolfs comments.

It is believed that Wolf describing the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines as mass murder is being investigated.

At the time, Wolf told The Epoch Times that questioning the scientific conventional wisdom and government policies that are based on it is not harmful, but rather, is exactly what the world needs right now.

The Epoch Times contacted Mark Steyn for comment.
Omission of Childrens COVID-19 Vaccine Deaths In Australia Raises Concerns

A nurse prepares vaccines in the Wizink Center, currently used for COVID-19 vaccinations in Madrid on Dec. 1, 2021. (Paul White/AP Photo)

Australias drug regulator was slow to update the countrys Database of Adverse Event Notifications (DAEN) despite several deaths being attributed to the vaccine, including two children, aged 7 and 9.

The information came to light following a Freedom of Information request by an Australian doctor that found the delayed response from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

Senator Gerard Rennick said he would push for independent oversight of the TGA.

A third independent medical party should examine the evidence as the TGA has a conflict of interest because they approved the vaccines and would therefore be held responsible for the deaths of these children due to poor regulatory oversight, Rennick told The Epoch Times.

Nationals Senator Matt Canavan (L), Liberal Senator Alex Antic (C) and Liberal Senator Gerard Rennick (R) at a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on Nov. 21, 2022. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas)

The senator also said he was concerned that the TGA was soft-pedalling the risks with the COVID-19 vaccines, especially around myocarditis and cardiac arrests.

They are definitely downplaying the risks. They do not have enough information to rule it out given the known link between the vaccines and myocarditis and myocarditis and cardiac arrests, Rennick said.

The TGA states that they rigorously assess any COVID-19 vaccine for safety, quality and effectiveness before it can be supplied in Australia.

Currently, the TGA has granted provisional approval to VaxZeveria, Nuvaxovid, MVC COVID-19 vaccine, Cosmovaxx, and vaccines by Janssen, Moderna, and Pfizer.

All COVID-19 vaccine applications are being treated with the greatest priority as part of the Department of Health and Aged Cares response to the pandemic, the TGA states.

Under normal circumstances, the TGAs assessment (for both provisional and full registration) begins once all information to support registration is available. For COVID-19 vaccines, the TGA has agreed to accept rolling data to enable early evaluation of data as it comes to hand using the provisional pathway.

As of March 6, the DAEN states that since the beginning of the vaccination rollout in Australia, 137,576 adverse events have been reported relating to the range of COVID-19 vaccines. Of those, 134,224 are believed to be directly related to the vaccines, while 980 are vaccine-related deaths.

What the Vaccine Safety Investigation Group Does

The TGA does have a pre-existing independent review vehicle for vaccines called the Vaccine Safety Investigation Group (VSIG).

The group is meant to provide independent expertise to assist the TGA in investigating and managing Adverse Event Following Immunisation (AEFI) cases.

The group is described as a time-limited working group of experts that can be convened when a single serious AEFIthat is unexpected and without an obvious non-vaccine causeoccurs. The TGA notes that an AEFI is considered unexpected when it is not listed in the product information document for a drug, or when causality cannot be established.

A father covers the face of his son as he receives a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in Balgowlah in Sydney, Australia, on Jan. 11, 2022. (Jenny Evans/Getty Images)

Alternatively, the group can be established when a serious AEFI results in death, is life-threatening, requires inpatient or prolonged hospitalisation, results in persistent or significant disability/incapacity, or a congenital anomaly/birth defect.

It can also be established when an AEFI is above an expected rate or level of severity, or there is a cluster of AEFIs that are serious or could be due to administration or quality issues. A cluster is considered to be two or more cases of the same or similar events related in time, geography, and/or vaccine administered.

Despite the 100,000 plus adverse events recorded, according to the TGAs website, the VSIG has been convened only a couple of times during the pandemic.

One instance occurred on Jan. 21, 2022, to discuss two fatal cases of suspected thrombosis with thrombocytopenia following a second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Both cases were complex and involved patients with underlying conditions that could have caused their symptoms. After extensive deliberation, the panel concluded there was not sufficient evidence to link either case to vaccination, the TGA said.

TGA Head Defends Agencys Record

The deputy secretary of Health Products Regulation Group, Prof. John Skerritt, defended the TGAs decision to recommend the vaccines in a Senate Estimates hearing in February.

He said that while the TGA acknowledged and apologised for the pain and distress of those seriously injured from the vaccines, those reactions were rare.

I have actually apologised on national television, together with former Minister Hunt, when the first deaththe first sad death was a lady from the Central Coast. We apologised in writing for what were weekly and are now fortnightly vaccine safety reports.

So we put out detailed public reportsas well as doing mediaon vaccine safety, and, in those, we acknowledged the pain and distress of those who had been seriously injured, but we also emphasised the extreme rarity of these conditions, he said.

Dr. John Skerritt appears before a Senate Estimates hearing at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on April 6, 2022. (Screenshot by The Epoch Times)

He noted that all modern medicine comes with a set of associated risks, adding that many other common medicines have a higher rate of injury and death than the COVID-19 vaccines.

We have modern medicines, and every medicine has risks as well as benefits, Skerritt said. By way of indication: since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, more than 10 times as many people have died from paracetamol, from Panadol, as from adverse events due to COVID vaccines.

According to the DAEN website, since 2020, adverse events attributed to Panadol number 99; of those adverse events, 58 are believed to be directly tied to the medicine with four reported deaths.

The DAEN website also notes that since 1971, there have been 1,002 adverse events related to Panadol, with 38 deaths.

Doctors Hands Are Tied

Meanwhile, an Australian doctor who spoke to The Epoch Times on condition of anonymity, said they knew of hundreds of Australians suffering adverse reactions.

I know of literally hundreds who are suffering from adverse events; they have had their WorkCover or government compensation claims declined and have been left with disabling injuries, the doctor said.

As doctors, we really do not know how to treat these adverse events; there is limited information and limited collaboration because overall there is some reluctance to discuss these events and for some doctors even to admit they are happening.
Over 40 Chinese Vessels Swarm Philippine-Claimed Island Ahead of Talks

A view of Philippine-occupied (Pagasa) Thitu island in the disputed South China Sea on April 21, 2017. (Erik De Castro/Reuters)

More than 40 Chinese vessels were spotted swarming Thitu Island, a contested Philippine-occupied island, on March 4 as negotiations on a code of conduct for the South China Sea set to resume this week.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said that Chinas navy ship, coast guard vessel, and 42 suspected Chinese maritime militia vessels anchored near Thitu Island, also known as Pag-asa Island in the Philippines.

These Chinese vessels are estimated to have a distance of approximately 4.5 to 8 nautical miles from Pag-asa Island, clearly inside the land features 12 nautical mile territorial sea, the PCG said in a statement.

It stated that the Chinese naval vessel and coast guard ship were spotted loitering in the waters surrounding the island, while the suspected militia vessels were anchored in the vicinity of Pag-asa Cay 3 and Pag-asa Cay 4.

Their continuing unauthorized presence is clearly inconsistent with the right of innocent passage and a blatant violation of the Philippines territorial integrity, the PCG added.

Thitu Island is the largest island in the Philippine-occupied Kalayaan Island Group in the Spratly Islands chain. The PCG said the island is home to more than 400 civilians, including military and government personnel.

The incident occurred ahead of a two-day talk on the South China Sea code of conduct in Indonesia on March 8, which will include China and some southeast Asian countries with claims to the disputed sea.

During a summit in Cambodia in November between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called for the early conclusion of the code of conduct in the South China Sea based on international law.

It shall be an example of how states manage their differences: through reason and through right. I, therefore, welcome the progress on textual negotiations on the [code of conduct] this past year and hopefully an approved code of conduct in the very near future, Marcos said.

Although the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) classifies maritime areas within 200 nautical miles of coastal nations borders as part of their exclusive economic zones, China disputes Philippine sovereignty over some islands.

Beijing claims much of the South China Sea as its own territory under its so-called nine-dash line. The Hague Tribunal ruled in favor of legal action taken by the Philippines in 2016, but the ruling did not see the Chinese regime change its behavior, with Chinese vessels repeatedly intruding into the Philippines maritime zones.

Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Brunei have also clashed with China over its claims in the sea.

Indonesia does not regard itself as a party to the dispute, but Beijing claims sovereignty over parts of the sea that overlap Indonesias exclusive economic zone.

Philippines Seeks US, Australian Cooperation

The Philippines has begun talks with the United States and Australia over possible joint maritime patrols in the South China Sea to counter Beijings growing assertiveness.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke by phone with Philippine Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez in February and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to bolstering the Philippines defense capabilities.

Austin reiterated that any armed attack on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft would invoke U.S. mutual defense commitments.

The two leaders also discussed opportunities to expand security cooperation with like-minded nations, such as Japan, that seek to uphold the rules-based international order, the Pentagon said.

Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles met with Galvez in Manila and agreed to explore ways to pursue joint patrols together in the South China Sea.

Marles said that Australia will send one of its largest contingents to join the U.S.Philippine annual joint military exercise, while the Philippines will send its observers to join Exercise Talisman Sabrea multinational military drill led by Australia and the United States.
Pete Davidson Crashes Mercedes into House in Beverly Hills

(Left) Pete Davidson attends the premiere of "Big Time Adolescence" at Metrograph in New York City, on March 05, 2020. (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images); (Right) Chase Sui Wonders attends the Apple TV+ 2023 TCA Winter Press Tour at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 18, 2023. (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.Comedian Pete Davidson and actress Chase Sui Wonders were unscathed after crashing into a house in the Flats neighborhood of Beverly Hills on Saturday night, according to media reports.

Davidson and Wonders were in a Mercedes Benz traveling at a high rate of speed when it lost control, jumped a curb, sheared a fire hydrant, and crashed into the side of a house at around 11 p.m., TMZ is reporting.

No injuries were reported and Los Angeles Police Department responded.

Neither Davidson nor Sui Wonders were arrested or cited, according to a report by TMZ.

Davidson, 29, is known for his eight-season run on Saturday Night Live. Sui Wonders, 26, is on the HBO Max series Generation and in the 2022 film Bodies Bodies Bodies.
INDIANAPOLISJim OBold, president of financial firm Servant Solutions, attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at Clowes Memorial Hall, Butler Arts Center on March 5.

I thought it was wonderful, Mr. OBold said. It built into a crescendo. I really loved some of the comedy, and the choreography. And the last dance, I love when the men were dancing the Tibetan dance.

Based in New York, Shen Yun was founded in 2006 by leading Chinese artists and quickly became the worlds premier classical Chinese dance and music company.

He said this was a new experience. Im just so new to that kind of dance, that its a spectacle and so I really enjoy the uniqueness of the expression Ive never seen that before.

Shen Yuns mission is to revive traditional Chinese culture. But Shen Yun cannot be seen in China.

In fact, one of the story-based dances in the program showed the plight of Chinese who hold onto their faith and traditional values under the Chinese Communist Partys regime.

That hit home as far as how fortunate we are here in America. It makes you feel privileged to live in a free society. [We dont have] the strife and struggle others are experiencing throughout the world. We are secluded from that and dont think about it very much but this reawakens those thoughts, Mr. OBold shared.

There was a divine connection that Jim picked up in the Chinese culture before communism.

I especially appreciated the spiritual, divine connection. You know, right now you dont see that in China. But there is a connection with every human being, a spiritual component in that the culture right now does not emphasize. I really appreciated the ancient recognition of divinity, even in Creation, and a God of gods, and those types of concepts, he said.

The divine Creator is what brings us all together isnt it? He created all beings to be equal, yet to serve along with him, Mr. OBold said. So l love those parallels to the way I believe, as well.

As for the music and orchestra, Mr. OBold said, I loved the drums and their acoustics really stood out to me. [They] provided a backdrop to the orchestra yet [were] very powerful as they set the stage for some of the flowing elements of the production.

Reporting by Charlie Lu.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006.
Public Inquiry Into Election Interference Should Be on the Table: Election Integrity Adviser

Elections Canada workers place signage at the Halifax Convention Centre in Halifax as they prepare for the polls to open in the federal election on Sept. 20, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Andrew Vaughan)

Morris Rosenberg, the author of a recent report released by the federal government concluding that foreign interference attempts in the 2019 and 2021 elections did not sway their outcomes, says a public inquiry into interference reports should be on the table.

Rosenberg, who is a former senior public servant, appeared on CTVs Question Period on March 5, where he gave his thoughts on the supposed drawbacks and benefits of calling a public inquiry into election interference.

Rosenberg said that while the government has put in place a number of mechanisms to detect and combat election interference, he also sees the need for additional measures.

I think at this point consideration needs to be given to doing something else, he said, adding that there are good arguments for and against calling a public inquiry.

He said that a public inquiry could take a long time to get started and not even be completed by the time of the next federal election, but added, Its an option that I think needs to be on the table.

I would also say that its important to think through what is the scope of the public inquiry, he said.

Whether theres a public inquiry or not, it ought not to take away from the sense of urgency that the government should have about continuing to work on this.

Rosenbergs report was released by Ottawa on Feb. 28 and assessed the work done by the Critical Election Incident Public Protocol (CEIPP) in the 2021 federal election.

The CEIPP was created by the Liberal government in 2019 to communicate with the public in the event of election integrity being compromised through foreign influence.

Rosenbergs report said the CEIPP didnt detect foreign election interference in 2019 and 2021 that wouldve swayed election outcomes, but noted that there were efforts at foreign interference and made a number of recommendations to the government.

Canadians Concerned

Rosenberg also referenced recent polls conducted by Nanos Research and the Angus Reid Institute finding that a majority of Canadians are concerned about the Chinese communist regimes interference in Canadas democracy and also that almost 70 percent of the country thinks Ottawa is afraid to stand up to Beijing.

Rosenberg said he understands the concerns of most Canadians and said it raises an issue [that] is going to have to be addressed in some way.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also recently said he understands the concerns Canadians have about Chinese interference in elections, and said he has shared those concerns all the way back to 2015.

However, the prime minister also dismissed the possibility of holding a public inquiry, saying there are already a number of mechanisms in place to counter foreign interference, such as the CEIPP.

Opposition MPs on the House of Commons Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs voted 65 on March 2 in favour of calling for a public inquiry into the election interference reports.

Noe Chartier contributed to this report.
RCMP Investigating Media Leaks on Beijing Foreign Interference

The RCMP logo is seen in a file photo. (The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck)

A criminal investigation has been launched into the leaking of classified information to the media pertaining to the Beijing regimes interference in Canada, the RCMP told The Epoch Times on March 6.

The investigation relates to violations of the Security of Information Act, as several national security sources have leaked information of a secret and top secret nature to Global News and the Globe and Mail in recent months.

The RCMP wouldnt confirm if the investigation is internal or external, with a spokesperson only saying that this investigation is not focused on any one security agency.

As the RCMP is investigating these incidents, there will be no further comment on this matter at this time, said Cpl. Kim Chamberland.

While the RCMP is investigating the leaks, a senior official told the Commons procedure and House affairs committee on March 2 there was no investigation into foreign interference related to the 2019 or 2021 elections.

We did not receive any actionable intelligence that warned us to initiate a criminal investigation, said Deputy Commissioner Michael Duheme.

Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) Director David Vigneault said in committee on March 2 that his agency is investigating the leaks, along with other unspecified partners.

Much of the information leaked to the press is drawn from CSIS intelligence and investigations, but no media outlet has identified any of the information as coming from a CSIS employee.

I think its important to put in context that information that is in the public domain may or may not be coming from the Service or from other agencies, Vigneault said.

Based on some of the media reporting published thus far, it appears that some of the leaks could have come from within the RCMP.

Global News said in a Nov. 16 article on Beijings interference that it had obtained information from RCMP sources.

The article provided details of a CSIS investigation into a Toronto area businessman of Chinese origin.

The subject allegedly helped in 2019 to facilitate the transfer of about $250,000 from the Chinese consulate in Toronto to an Ontario MPP and a federal candidate staffer, who then redistributed the money 11 or more candidates.

A review of all the recent reporting from Global News and the Globe and Mail on Beijings election interference suggests there could be at least six sources leaking information if they are not talking to both outlets, with at least two of them being from the RCMP.

In its Feb. 24 story on Liberal MP Han Dong, Global talked of three sources with knowledge of the investigation.

In a Feb. 13 Globe and Mail article about CSIS warning the Liberal Party to be cautious of former Ontario Liberal cabinet minister Michael Chan due to his Beijing links, two national security sources and one government source are cited.

The CSIS director was asked on March 2 whether the leaks were an indication of the dissatisfaction of his employees with how the Trudeau government is handling foreign interference.

Does it say something about the tensions that might exist? asked Bloc Quebecois MP Christine Normandin.

I would say that in an intelligence agency like ours, there are always different points of view and very serious discussions, Vigneault answered. Its not an issue that there is this kind of tension within CSIS.

MPs on the House of Commons procedure and House affairs committee passed a motion on March 2 calling on the government to launch a public inquiry into foreign interference.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has thus far rejected such calls, saying current mechanisms are sufficient to deal with the issue.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said on March 4 he was not ruling out the possibility of ending his deal keeping the minority Liberals in power if no public inquiry is launched.

Peter Wilson contributed to this report.
Reject the WEF, Reject the Metaverse

An attendee demonstrates the Owo vest, which allows users to feel physical sensations during metaverse experiences such as virtual reality games, including wind, gunfire, or punching, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nev., on Jan. 5, 2022. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)

Commentary

The Metaverse. Youre probably familiar with the concept. Its just like the internet, but in 3D. Instead of surfing the web, people will inhabit it. Initially, this type of living will be done via avatars. However, one day, in the not-so-distant future, according to Mark Zuckerberg, one of the metaverses chief architects, humans will actually relocate there, and leave reality behind.

Who will govern this Brave New World?

The World Economic Forum (WEF), the international organization behind the Great Reset initiative, has big plans for the metaverse. Earlier this year, WEF members met in Davos to discuss the many ways in which digital IDs will become an integral part of this virtual-reality space.

Around the very same time as this meeting was taking place, the WEF and Accenture, a huge company dedicated to all things digital, published a briefing paper (pdf) discussing the metaverse and digital identification. Titled Interoperability in the Metaverse, the paper calls digital identity the nexus to an interoperable metaverse, enabling accountability and the capacity to traverse worlds with minimal friction. A digital identity, for the uninitiated, lays the foundation for a social credit system, the type of operation that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) clearly favors. Digital IDs store your credentials and record your behaviors, including your social media activity, the sites you visit, your current health status, your place of work, your home address, and your smartphones geolocation.

We must do everything in our power to reject both the WEF and the metaverse. Thankfully, we mightnt have to work too hard to reject the next iteration of the internet. You see, the metaverse doesnt exist yet. And from the looks of things, it may never come into existence.

Dead on Arrival

In a recent piece for the South China Morning Post, I discussed the various reasons why the metaverse has, to date, simply failed to launch. In short, it has been oversold and has constantly underdelivered.

Contrary to popular belief, we are not already living in the metaverse. The New York Times insists the next housing boom will take place in the metaverse. Well, it wont. It cant. How can a boom occur in a place that doesnt even exist? This is an especially important question to ask now that many of the metaverses architects are downing tools and retreating into the shadows.

One of those companies backing away is Facebook, or should I say Meta. Eighteen months ago, Facebook changed its name to Meta. The new name, which surprised many in the tech community, was supposed to reflect the companys ambitions of creating a new, inhabitable world powered by trendy avatars and cool, wearable devices.

Last year, the aforementioned Mark Zuckerberg, Metas CEO, referred to the metaverse as the next chapter of the internet, a chapter that he fully intended to write.

Now, though, the aspiring author appears to have other plans, insisting that the virtual space is no longer Metas top priority. This is like the president of the United States saying America is no longer his top priority, or Elon Musk, the CEO and chief engineer of SpaceX, calling space exploration a waste of time. However, when one acknowledges one simple, rather brutal fact, Zuckerbergs desire to leave the metaverse chapter unwritten becomes perfectly clear: last year, Reality Labs, Metas virtual worlds research unit, made an operating loss of $13.7 billion.

Thats a lot of money to waste on a ridiculous venture.

Jemma Kelly, a columnist at the Financial Times, recently pointed out that, since early 2022, search traffic for the word metaverse has collapsed by some 80 percent. Two years ago, the metaverse was a topic of hot discussion. Today, its yesterdays news.

Likewise, Meta appears to be yesterdays news. Rather incredibly, Meta, once the biggest tech company in the world, isnt even in the top 20 most valuable U.S. companies. Zuckerberg took a wild gamble, placing all his virtual eggs in the metaverse basket. The bet, as is clear to see, hasnt paid off. Today, instead of hiring new employees to build the metaverse, Meta is letting thousands of employees go. Microsoft, another huge tech company that was, up until very recently, passionate about the metaverse, is also turning its back on the new internet. The same is true for Tencent, one of the biggest tech companies in China.

By 2030, we were all supposed to be living in the metaverse. In truth, by the end of the decade, we will still be living here, on planet earth, using our phones to access the internet. The phone, not some pathetic VR (virtual reality) headset, will still be the primary device for accessing virtual worlds.

The WEF may harbor ambitions of conquering the metaverse, but it cant conquer something that doesnt exist. Lets hope the metaverse never comes into existence, and that the WEF never realizes its questionable ambitions.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Risk to New Energy Industry Without Reboot of Safeguard

Boris Johnson said the strategy, including new nuclear and offshore wind plans, would reduce the UKs dependence on foreign sources of energy (Owen Humphreys/PA)

Cleaner industries could be forced to dig deeper when it comes to reducing emissions to allow a bigger share of the carbon budget for coal and gas.

Australian raw mineral exports are powering the global energy transition with lithium production at a record high, according to a report issued on Monday, as the sector looks to start onshore refining.

Australias Identified Mineral Resources report also confirms the nations status as the world leader in the production of five important commoditiesbauxite, iron ore, lithium, rutile and zircon.

Meanwhile, new industries in the lithium battery supply chain as well as green steel, aluminium, green hydrogen and fertilisers, could suffer under federal Labors proposed emissions safeguard mechanism, modelling by research house Reputex has found.

Greenhouse gas emissions from oil, coal and gas projects are already projected to make up around half of the emissions covered under the scheme.

Even if a small number of new fossil fuel projects proceed, they will eat a growing share of the carbon budget, making the task of cutting overall emissions more onerous, according to Reputexs research for the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) and independent Climate Council.

Worse, if the production of coal and gas is even a little higher than the government has predicted, this risks blowing the carbon budget entirely, Climate Council spokeswoman Dr Jennifer Rayner said.

But Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association chief executive Samantha McCulloch told AAP the industry shares the commitment of net zero across the economy by 2050 and is consulting with the federal government over the mechanism.

Gas plays a crucial role in replacing coal, backing up renewable energy, producing low-carbon hydrogen and powering industries, including the processing of critical minerals necessary for net zero, she said.

The draft bill before parliament calls for annual emissions cuts of 4.9 percent for the 215 industrial facilities governed by the scheme.

Should liquefied natural gas and coal production be higher than forecast, decline rates of up to 8.9 percent may be needed, Reputex found.

But if higher emissions are identified at an earlier stage, increased action could be taken more quickly, providing companies and governments with a longer lead time to prepare for increased decline rates later in the decade.

ACF and the Climate Council say this could be done by adding in regular reporting to track annual progress against the emissions budget.

They also want the carbon budget to be a hard limit in law, along with rigorous environmental assessments for any new projects or expansions.

Carbon Market Institute spokesman Kurt Winter told AAP the Reputex report was a reminder to get the treatment of new industry entrants right, closely monitor the carbon budget, and bring forward a proposed review.

Reputex said the 16 new coal and gas projects in the pipeline, including Woodsides Scarborough, cover one-quarter of emissions reductions the mechanism aims to achieve this decade.

Three LNG projects  WAs Pluto, Barossa off the NT coast, and Browse in the North West Shelf  would account for more than two-thirds of annual emissions from new facilities, according to the modelling.

The Climate Council and ACF are calling for the emissions safeguard mechanism to be harder on new entrants to avoid a blowout in emissions.

ACF spokesman Gavan McFadzean said a huge flaw is that the mechanism doesnt distinguish between essential future industries and highly polluting coal and gas that should be phased out.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Considering Run for President

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks at the Humanity Against Censorship rally in front of Meta headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., on May 19, 2022. (Mrs. Hao/The Epoch Times)

At a low-profile event in New Hampshire, Robert Kennedy Jr. announced his interest in running for president.

The well-known nephew of late President John F. Kennedy capped off a speech he gave on March 3 at St. Anselms College with the announcement.

During his visit to the college, Kennedy, an environmental activist and vaccine skeptic, told a capacity crowd that hes considering a presidential run.

Im thinking about it, and Ive passed the biggest hurdle, which is my wife has green-lighted it, Kennedy told the small crowd that came to hear him talk at the Goffstown colleges New Hampshire Institute of Politics.

Like most members of the Kennedy dynasty, RFK Jr. is a registered Democrat, but he has also been denounced by members of his famous political family for his anti-vaccine views.

Kennedy, whos the founder of the Childrens Health Defense, has been especially criticized by COVID-19 vaccine advocates for spreading what theyve called disinformation about the dangers of the experimental injection. Social media platforms such as Instagram banned him for speaking against the vaccine.

He has been an odd bedfellow in the world of high-profile national politics. Trump picked the pro-gun control Democrat to chair his presidential commission on vaccine safety and integrity.

The last Kennedy to run for president was RFK Jr.s uncle, Ted Kennedy. He competed for the Democratic nomination in 1980 against then-President Jimmy Carter. Ted Kennedy eulogized RFK Jr.s father Robert Kennedy after he was assassinated.

Prior to Ted Kennedys run, the senior Robert F. Kennedy was the last Kennedy to run for President. He was challenging incumbent Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson.

His campaign for the presidency came to a tragic end on June 6, 1968, when he died in the hospital from gunshot wounds sustained at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles after winning the states primary.

RFK Jr. was 14 years old when his father was killed. Hes now 69.

As a Democrat, he remains critical of current President Joe Biden.

Before announcing his potential run for president, RFK Jr. lambasted the Democratic National Committee for changing the primary calendar that displaced New Hampshires long-standing rank as first in the nation primary.

We have the president of our party, the president of the United States, who feels like he needs to move this primary to a state where he can better control the outcome. What does that say to people? he said.

However, for the most part, Kennedy still embraces Democratic ideology. Hes a huge promoter of climate change theories, having co-authored the book Climate In Crisis in 2020.

As an environmentalist, hes the founder of Waterkeeper Alliance, a national clean water advocacy organization, and was named Time magazines 2010 Hero for The Planet.

He has also been hailed by the LGBT community for his support. In 2011, he joined the Human Rights Campaign in its call for changing marriage to include gay unions.

Kennedy is married to Hollywood actress Cheryl Hines, who publicly criticized her own husband when he compared COVID-19 vaccine mandate policies to Nazi Germany.

In the comment, Kennedy made a specific reference to Anne Frank, who wrote about her experiences during the Jewish Holocaust before dying.

Even in Hitlers Germany, you could cross the Alps into Switzerland. You could hide in an attic, like Anne Frank did, Kennedy said in his speech. I visited, in 1962, East Germany with my father and met people who had climbed the wall and escaped, so it was possible. Many died, true, but it was possible.

Hines posted on Twitter that her husbands comments were reprehensible and insensitive and that his opinions werent a reflection of her own.

Kennedy later apologized for comparing the plight of Frank to COVID-19 vaccine mandates, writing in a tweet that his intention was to use examples of past barbarism to show the perils from new technologies of control.

He didnt indicate when and if he would officially declare his candidacy for a run for President. So far, New York Times best-seller Marianne Williamson, at one time a spiritual adviser to Oprah Winfrey, is the only Democrat to officially declare their plans to run against Biden in 2024.

As recently as last month, Biden, whos now 80, said hes intending to seek reelection.

Correction: A previous version of this article gave an incorrect age for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the time of his fathers death. The Epoch Times regrets the error.
San Bernardino Residents Desperate After Heavy Snow

A vehicle attempts to drive along snow-covered Conaway Avenue in downtown Grass Valley, Calif., during a snowstorm, on Feb. 28, 2023. (Elias Funez/The Union via AP)

Residents in parts of California, especially the San Bernardino Mountains, are battling heavy storms, with roads blocked following large amounts of snow and people finding it difficult to secure food and medical supplies.

A life and death situation is unfolding in San Bernardino Mountains after this weeks powerful storm, ABC reporter David Gonzalez said in a March 5 Twitter post that was accompanied by a video of him exploring Crestline.

Made it to Crestline, California. No Joke. I didnt realize how bad it was up here. Its like a warzone. I just interviewed a guy carrying MREs up a mountain because he has no food, Gonzalez said in the video. MRE refers to individual rations used by the U.S. armed forces.

Theres people writing stop on the snow, saying plough us, help us because the roads look like this, he said while pointing to massive amounts of snow covering the region. People, sadly, are probably dying up here, which is crazy to think about.

In a video uploaded to Twitter on March 2, Michelle Calkins, a resident of Lake Arrowhead in the San Bernardino Mountains, said that communities in Crestline, Lake Arrowhead, and Running Springs are screaming and begging for help from our state.

According to Calkins, many mothers in the region are low on formula and have been calling the emergency hotline. But no one is taking us serious [sic], she said, adding that several people are also running low on medical supplies like insulin.

Our county declared a state of emergency but doesnt seem to be taking it serious [sic]. People are trapped in their homes and have been for now more than five days because the streets are not ploughed. The snow has now accumulated up to about nine feet. On those streets, people cannot walk anymore.

Newsom Exit

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, declared a state of emergency on March 1. However, the declaration came only a week after storms severely affected residents in the San Bernardino Mountains.

Newsom attracted severe criticism after reportedly leaving the state amid the crisis.

Californians are trapped in their homes without power. More storms are on the way. And Governor Newsom has just left the state for personal travel, Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.) said in a March 3 Twitter post.

Newsom had returned back to the state per his press office, according to a March 6 Twitter post by Emily Hoeven, a reporter at San Francisco Chronicle. Newsom had taken a personal trip to Baja, California, a spokesperson told the reporter.

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection as well as other state agencies have deployed 24 crews to aid communities impacted by the winter storms, including 12 crews committed to the San Bernardino Storm incident, Hoeven said in a March 6 post.

Snowy Conditions

According to AccuWeather, a weather forecasting service, more heavy snow is expected to affect California this week.

The storm track will be well to the north of Southern California, and most mountainous areas will not get the heavy snow that northern parts of the state will  There can, however, be small accumulations of less than 6 inches through the Transverse ranges, said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Heather Zehr, according to a March 3 post.

Regions above 3,000 feet are expected to get fresh snowfall of two to five feet in total. Heaviest snowfall is expected to be in Northern California regions like the Sierra Nevada, estimated to occur in a few waves through Wednesday.

Winds wont be quite as strong this go around, compared to the last round of storms, but can still be strong enough to contribute to poor visibility and cause blowing and drifting snow, Zehr said.
Scrutiny Over Perth Mints Gold Sale to Former Criminal

Gold bullion bars are pictured after being inspected and polished at the ABC Refinery in Sydney on Aug. 5, 2020. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images)

A notorious former bikie was reportedly allowed to purchase tens of thousands of dollars worth of gold from the Perth Mint in Western Australia without extensive screening.

Dayne Brajkovich, a former Hells Angels bikie who has served time in prison for drug offences, purchased $27,000 in gold from the mint in June last year, ABCs Four Corners program reports.

The mint is required to conduct extensive checks on higher-risk customers, but Brajkovich told the program he was only asked for his drivers licence.

There is no suggestion Brajkovichs money was sourced from illegal activity.

Members of the Hells Angels arrive at a property in Langley, B.C., on July 25, 2008. (The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck)

Perth Mint remains under investigation by financial crime regulator AUSTRAC, which last year ordered the appointment of an external auditor to the West Australian government-owned corporation after identifying compliance concerns.

The auditor is examining whether Gold Corporation, trading as Perth Mint, has complied with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing obligations.

It is also investigating the mints compliance with requirements relating to the reporting of suspicious matters.

Any confirmed breach of money laundering laws could leave the mint facing heavy criminal fines, which would ultimately be paid by taxpayers in Western Australia.

A worker displays a one-kilogram gold bullion bar at the ABC Refinery in Sydney on August 5, 2020. (DAVID GRAY/AFP via Getty Images)

A Perth Mint spokeswoman said the corporation is required to and fulfils its obligation to report to AUSTRAC if staff suspect a person or transaction is linked to a crime.

She said the mint had launched anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing remediation programs and processes to improve its engagement with customers.

The Perth Mint acknowledges there have been instances of historical non-compliance that we are working through, including with regulators such as AUSTRAC, to rectify any shortcomings, she said.

Perth Mint is Australias biggest gold refinery, with a turnover of almost $22 billion last financial year.

It sold almost 20 million coins, medallions and bars to customers in more than 130 countries.
Senate Commerce Republicans Call on NASA to Abandon Biden Admins Costly Climate Change Rule

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, speaks at a hearing to examine U.S.-Russia policy at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Dec. 7, 2021. (Alex Brandon/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) along with 12 Republicans sent the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) a letter on Monday asking the agency to abandon a proposed climate change rule.

The rule, initiated Nov. 14 by NASA in conjunction with the Department of Defense (DOD) and General Services Administration (GSA), implements a requirement for government contractors to disclose extensive information about greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate-related financial risk as a condition for receiving a contract.

Congress never granted NASA or the other partnering agencies the statutory authority to set the GHG emission standards for themselves or their contractors, Commerce Republicans wrote in the letter to NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

The lawmakers expressed concern the rule does not benefit NASAs stated mission.

The mission of NASA, the senators wrote, is to explore the unknown in air and space, innovate for the benefit of humanity, and inspire the world through discovery.

Attention to that critical mission will be diverted instead to a highly politicized regulation, the letter said.

After the rule was proposed by the Biden administration during the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Egypt, Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Shalanda Young said the rule was an important step forward to achieve climate goals.

As the worlds largest purchaser of goods and services, the federal government has a critical opportunity to leverage its spending power to help reduce climate risks and safeguard taxpayer dollars, Young said.

The committee, however, noted the regulation would increase costs among federal agencies by almost $4 billion.

As the Senators note, this regulation is estimated to impose substantial costs on federal agencies and contractors, and would empower foreign, non-governmental organizations to make policy decisions without congressional authorization, the Senate Commerce Committee Republican Press Office wrote in a press release on Monday.

The committee raised concerns that the cost to individual contractors, many of which are small businesses, would equal hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars upfront and annually thereafter.

Smaller firms with limited streams of resources compared to larger companies may have to either exit the government contracting market or consolidate with other entities, the senators wrote.

Further concerns were raised that the rule would allow foreign, non-governmental organizations to make decisions outside of congressional approval as well as disregard standards put in place by the Science-Based Target Initiative, an organization that defines and promotes best practice in emissions reductions and net-zero targets in line with climate science.

The rule would require American contractors to adopt arbitrary, vague standards for the measurement, disclosure, and estimation of emissions, risks, and reduction targets that have been created and managed by the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), the letter reads.

The committee noted the rule exempts tribes, non-profit organizations, universities, state and local governments, and entities deriving at least 80 percent of annual revenue from federal management and operating contracts, with no scientific explanation Making it appear the regulation has less to do with science and more to do with political favoritism toward special interest groups.

The senators concluded the rule should be abandoned.

After repeated failed attempts to enact radical environmental policies through legislation, this proposed rule is another example of the administrations strategy to implement its agenda through unelected bureaucrats, the letter reads. Such undemocratic policymaking will only increase costs, reduce progress, and have a chilling effect on needed energy investment in the United States.

NASA did not respond to a request for comment.
South Korea Announces Historic Plan to Compensate Victims of Wartime Forced Labor

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (L) and South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol take part in the ASEAN-Plus Three Summit as part of the 40th and 41st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summits in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Nov. 12, 2022. (Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP via Getty Images)

South Koreas government announced a plan on Sunday that aims to resolve a long-running dispute on compensating Koreans forced to work under Japans colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula between 1910 and 1945.

The move marks a step toward improving ties between the two nations and comes as South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol seeks to bolster relations with Japan amid ongoing concerns regarding North Koreas ever-increasing nuclear weapons program.

South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin announced the plan at a news conference where he said that the Foundation for Victims of Forced Mobilization by Imperial Japan, a public service corporation established in 2014, will pay damages and interest to the victims using private donations, Reuters reported.

The labor dispute between Japan and South Korea stems from the formers rule of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945, during which hundreds of thousands of Koreans were mobilized as forced laborers for Japanese companies, or as sex slavesalso known as comfort womenat Tokyos military-run brothels during the Second World War.

Shim Kyu-sun, chairperson of the foundation, said in January that the donations would come from South Korean companies that benefited from a 1965 bilateral treaty that normalized relations between the two nations.

That treaty was accompanied by hundreds of millions of dollars in economic aid and loans from Tokyo to Seoul, South Koreathen ruled by President Park Chung-heethat were used for development projects conducted by major South Korean companies, including steelmaker Posco Holdings Inc., state-run Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO), and tobacco maker KT&G, among others, Yonhap News Agency reported.

So far, Posco has donated 4 billion won ($3.1 million) to the foundation.

A statue of a girl symbolizing the issue of comfort women in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, on Dec. 28, 2015. (Chung Sung-jun/Getty Images)

Voluntary Contributions, Comprehensive Apology

The government hopes to work with Japan, our closest neighbor, who shares the universal values of liberal democracies, market economies, rule of law and human rights amid the increasingly severe situation on the Korean Peninsula and amid the current grave international situation, South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin said in prepared remarks, according to The Japan Times.

The foreign minister added that he hopes Japan will positively respond to our major decision today with Japanese companies voluntary contributions and a comprehensive apology.

Mondays plan was welcomed by the United States.

In a statement issued by the White House, President Joe Biden called the announcement a groundbreaking new chapter of cooperation and partnership between two of the United States closest allies.

The United States will continue to support the leaders of Japan and the Republic of Korea as they take steps to translate this new understanding into enduring progress, Biden said, adding that once the plan is fully realized, it will help the United States to uphold and advance our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Separately, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters that the announcement marked the return to a healthy relationship between Japan and South Korea.

Kim Bok-dong (L) and Gil Won-ok, who were forced to serve as sex slaves for Japanese troops during the Second World War, attend a protest with other supporters outside the Japanese embassy in Seoul, South Korea, on Aug. 12, 2015. (Jung Yeon-je/AFP/Getty Images)

The measures announced by the South Korean government are not on the premise that Japanese companies will contribute to the foundation (in South Korea). The Japanese government doesnt have any particular stance on voluntary donations by individuals or private companies both in Japan and abroad, Hayashi said.

Tensions Between Japan, South Korea

The announcement came amid backlash from former forced laborers and their supporters. They had called on Japanese companies in a lawsuit to provide direct compensation and for the government to issue a public apology.

In 2018, South Koreas Supreme Court ruled that Japans Nippon Steel and Mitsubishi Heavy Industry should compensate 100 million Korean won ($77,000) to each of the 15 South Korean victims involved in the lawsuit.

Only three of them are still alive today, and all are in their 90s.

However, Japan insists that all wartime compensation issues were settled under the 1965 treaty that normalized diplomatic relations. None of the victims have yet been compensated.

Shortly after the Supreme Court ruling and amid heightened tensions, Japan in 2019 restricted exports of materials to South Korea that were vital to its semiconductor industry while South Koreans launched a boycott of Japanese goods.

Hayashi told reporters that his governments stance on the treaty resolving the issues had not changed.

Meanwhile, Lim Jae-sung, a lawyer representing some of the former laborers, condemned the government plan.

Basically, the money of South Korean companies would be used to erase the forced laborers rights to receivables, Jae-sung wrote on Facebook, according to NBC News. This is an absolute win by Japan, which insists it cannot spend 1 yen on the forced labor issue.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Taiwan Says China Must Face the Fact of Islands Sovereignty

A CH-47 Chinook helicopter carries a Taiwan flag during national day celebrations in Taipei on Oct. 10, 2021. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images)

The Chinese communist regime must recognize that Taiwan is not a part of China and handle cross-Strait disputes with respect and fairness, the Taiwanese Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said on Sunday.

The MAC made the remarks after outgoing Chinese premier Li Keqiang pledged to advance peaceful reunification with Taiwan while taking resolute steps to oppose Taiwans independence.

At the National Peoples Congress, Li said that Beijing should improve its policies that contribute to the well-being of Taiwan as the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family bound by blood.

The MAC, which is responsible for cross-Strait policies, later responded by saying that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) should face up to the fact that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are not subordinate to each other.

It urged the CCP to respect the Taiwanese peoples commitment to upholding the sovereignty, democracy, and freedom of their island nation, according to a statement.

The MAC also called on Beijing to handle cross-Strait affairs pragmatically in a rational, equal, practical, and mutually respectful manner so as to foster positive interaction between the two sides.

Taiwan has been a self-governing democracy since the Chinese civil war ended in 1949. Still, Beijing regards Taiwan as a breakaway province that must be united with mainland China by any means necessary.

Last year, the CCP staged war games around Taiwan in retaliation for then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosis controversial visit, which the CCP said violated the One China policy.

Taiwan Warns of Sudden Entry by CCP Military

Taiwanese Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng has warned that the CCP military might make a sudden entry into Taiwans contiguous zone this year as Taiwan bolsters its military exchanges with the United States.

Looking forward, they would use force if they really have to, Chiu told Parliament on Monday, Reuters reported.

Chinese incursions into Taiwan have occurred almost daily as the CCP increased military pressure on the self-ruled island. Taiwans military detected 10 Chinese aircraft and four vessels near the island on Monday, with two of the aircraft crossing Taiwans airspace.

But so far, the self-ruled island has not reported any incidents of the Chinese military entering its contiguous zone, which Taiwan defines as 24 nautical miles from its coastline.

Aircraft of the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) conduct joint combat training exercises around Taiwan on Aug. 7, 2022. (Li Bingyu/Xinhua via AP)

During her meeting with a U.S. delegation in Taipei last month, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said that Taiwan would continue to bolster military exchanges with the United States, but she did not elaborate.

Going forward, Taiwan will step up cooperation with the United States and other democratic partners to confront such global challenges as authoritarian expansionism and climate change, Tsai said on Feb. 21.

Tsai has made bolstering Taiwans defense capabilities her top priority but ruled out armed confrontation with China. She had offered talks with the CCP to reach a mutually agreeable arrangement, but Beijing rebuffed them.

CCP Doubts on Taiwan Invasion

William Burns, director of the CIA, claimed that Beijing is doubtful whether its potential invasion of Taiwan would be successful, with the ongoing RussiaUkraine conflict strengthening such concerns.

In an interview with CBS last month, Burns was asked whether China would commit to an outright invasion or seek to slowly strangle Taiwans democracy.

I think our judgment at least is that President Xi [Jinping] and his military leadership have doubts today about whether they could accomplish that invasion, he said. I think, as theyve looked at [Russian President Vladimir] Putins experience in Ukraine, thats probably reinforced some of those doubts as well.

The CIA director noted that the risk of China using force against Taiwan will keep rising during this decade, extending into the next decade as well.

Thats something obviously, that we watch very, very carefully.

Naveen Athrappully contributed to this report.
The China Committee Must Emphasize Political Warfare to Defeat the CCP

Commentary

The House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party led by Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) deserves great praise for describing the Sino-American rivalry as an existential threat. Given the size and scope of the threat, Gallagher has stated that the Committee will examine trade, national security, culture, and human rights issues. Importantly, it must devote the necessary time to analyze political warfare and, in particular, ideology as the main pillar of the Sino-American clash.

Ideology is particularly important to the Chinese regime, the United States, and for providing a U.S. victory in the current Cold War. This is for three reasons.

First, of all political parties the world has witnessed, the Chinese regime is at the forefront of understanding the role ideology plays in gaining and sustaining power, in grasping the relationship between ideology and material power, in legitimizing political power, and as a front in warfare: ideological warfare is to be waged against the enemy as surely as industry or the military are.

The unholy trinity of MarxismLeninismMaoism has long been enshrined as the official guiding ideology for the CCP, one of the largest and most powerful political parties in the world with about 96 million members. For the Communist Party, ideology is significant for six reasons. First, ideology provides the formal rationalization of the Chinese regime. It is a totalitarian party, ruling in the name of a workerpeasant alliance, which provides it with self-justified authority to rule over 1.4 billion people. Second, the ideology of the Chinese regime provides the Partys justification for why the Chinese people are compelled to support the CCPit mobilizes the masses, rules in their nameand so the Chinese people should sacrifice for it. Third, ideology explicates which states are allies and which are foes, and thus the ultimate reason for the struggle with other states: for the Chinese regime, communism is superior to democracy or other forms of government and must be defended against its inevitable class enemies at home and abroad. Thus, the Chinese regimes ideology explains why it started the Cold War with the United States and its allies and why the regime seeks to defeat the United States. Fourth, ideology is the force that unifies and provides cohesion for the Party and like-minded people around the world. Fifth, ideology is also a weapon to be used to expand the influence of the Chinese regime as well as to challenge the legitimacy of liberal democracy and traditional imperial rule in the minds of the Chinese people, their allies, and worldwide. Sixth, Xi uses ideology as leverage to continue consolidating power within the Party and to ensure and legitimize his rule over the Chinese people.

Youths at a rally during the height of the Red Guard upheaval waving copies of Maos Little Red Book and carrying a poster of Karl Marx on Sept. 14, 1966. (AP Photo)

Under Xi Jinping (2012-), ideology has returned to prominence and with a bite not seen since Mao. Xi clearly intends to stay in power until he dies, is incapacitated, or is overthrown, as Mao and Deng did. Xi has moved the pendulum from the leaderships rules of the road of the last two decades to increasingly totalitarian rule by a great leader, using Maos experience as a model.

Second, for the United States, ideology is essential for how it defines and contrasts itself with the Chinese regime. The ideology of political liberalism has provided the principles of American governance, institutions, political culture, and inspired the American people and freedom-loving people around the world to create the best polity the world has known. Second, although the Chinese regime started the fight with the United States, liberalism explains why the United States must win it and defeat the Chinese regime. Liberalism is superior to communism. Hands down. Everyone, in the United States or in the world, should say so and never be reticent about so doing. It is better for the American people, the Chinese people, and the world. The world it created is unmatched for freedom and stability, and the world it wants to sustain is far superior to the Chinese regimes vision. The 21st Century is already defined by the battle between the Chinese regime and the United States, and the centurys dispositive question is which will be victorious. That is a point well worth emphasizing by the Committee, the whole of the U.S. government, and the American people and society.

Third, when the Sino-American Cold War is seen through the lens of political warfare, the profound vulnerabilities of the Chinese regime are revealed. Xi has stated that ideology decides the partys future and existence, as well as long-term stability of the country and national cohesiveness. Thus, he has challenged the Party to be indefatigable and steadfast in its ideological focus. Upon coming to power, Xi immediately tightened his grip on the Partys ideology, which is a major pillar supporting his leadership. Providentially, that pillar is rotten. The Chinese regime has imposed a failed ideology, Marxism-Leninism, on the Chinese people for almost three-quarters of a century. The artificial nature of the ideology could only have been imposed by force, and sustained by brutal, dehumanizing coercive measures. The Chinese regime knows its ideology is illegitimate and perforces its rule. It is past time for U.S. decisionmakers to refuse to accept this illegitimate regime and reject its abuse of the Chinese people.

The responsibilities of the Committee are herculean, but providing the necessary emphasis on political warfare will contribute mightily to the CCPs defeat and provide avenues short of kinetic war for victory over the Chinese regime.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
The Last of Us Showrunners Fail to Understand What Audiences Want

Commentary

The two LGBTQ+ love stories interwoven in episodes of HBOs zombie-horror post-apocalyptic thriller, The Last of Us, are also the lowest-rated episodes in the series.

Billed as one of the only successful adaptations of a video game, the show promised high-end drama and, if were talking about the set design, cinematography, special effects, and castthey have delivered.

Early on, The Last of Us offered its audience many moments where they were left thinking, Yes! Finally! A show! instead of the usual regurgitated drivel that seeps out of the Hollywood vaults. The opening escape through the infected cities was a great piece of pacing and terror, while creeping about in the museum was a masterclass in suspense.

Unfortunately, the showrunners have openly expressed their desire to trick audiences into watching gay romance for long stretches of time, which is not exactly appealing to the average horror-action viewer. Its a strange thematic marriage that is already cracking apart.

Director Peter Hoar told Inverse: Sometimes you have to sort of trick the rest of the world into watching these things before theyre like, Oh, my God, it was two guys. I just realised. I think then they might understand that its all real. Its just the same love.

Others may say its a bit strange that the demographic pursuing trigger warnings and butchering historic fiction to update it for modern sensibilities is the same ideological group that delights in tricking people into watching sexually themed content they dont like or makes them uncomfortable.

Hoars comments were made in relation to episode three: Long, Long Time, in which a standalone love story between a doomsday prepper and random survivor, both middle-aged men, is followed for far too long.

They live and die without advancing the plot except for sending the odd radio message to Joel and providing a weapons cache for later. None of which requires any explanation beyond a few lines.

Forced Upon the Audience

While the LGBTQ+ community swarmed social media to drool over the episode, casual viewers were less than impressed, not least because it ruined the zombie tension and pacing of the first two episodes.

Game of Thrones used to get away with introducing characters only to kill them off shortly after viewers were bullied into caring about them, but The Last of Us doesnt have sufficient audience trust to sustain emotional executions, and certainly not now that it has become a habit.

Redeeming Long, Long Time was the quality of the acting and the scattered plot threads. There were even quotable moments of humour. If we really want to act as apologists, we can say it served as a micro-character development arc for co-lead Joel.

But the sentiment could have been achieved in a 30-minute version, leaving more time for the heroes to continue their journey.

The trend of marching characters to their dramatic end for manufactured emotion mounted the shark (but did not vault it) in episode five: Endure and Survive. If the previous gay love story had been left out, Endure and Survive would not have felt like a repeat.

The showrunners are well aware the gay love story was gratuitous.

There seems to be this attitude in Woke Hollywood that if enough LGBTQ+ content is pushed onto straight viewers, theyll start to love it and seek it out. Like all attempts at conversion therapy, this will never happen.

Over and over and over again, audiences have shown a preference for male-female lead pairings with blistering on-screen chemistry. If not between the leads, then certainly the side characters.

One need only look at BBC giant Doctor Who falling to bits in a few years after gender-swapping the lead and queer-baiting in the Tardis.

Its a similar problem to the demonisation of toxic white males as heroes and the insistence on miscasting empowered females where they feel unrealistic and boring.

Hollywood has been sending itself broke on the #MeToo binge, and streaming services are doing the same thing with their diversity and inclusion program.

The rating rejection of the gay romances in The Last of Us is a warning to the survival of the show. Most people are straight, and straight audiences like to watch straight relationships.

Attempting to sustain a show that prioritises LGBTQ+ content while leaving out straight relationships is doomed to lose viewers. No doubt fans will call this homophobia but, as the Woke like to keep reminding us, audiences like to see themselves on screen.

A majority of men do not choose to watch other men making out for an hour, and youll be hard-pressed to find a large audience of women who are entertained by other women kissing.

The men would rather watch old-fashioned zombie-hacking, and the women want that zombie-hacking done by hot, straight, shirtless blokes.

The most recent episode of The Last of Us has crossed over into dangerous territory. While the teenage lesbian romance in Left Behind between Ellie and new Firefly recruit Riley is part of the video game canon, dragging it on for over an hour has bored audiences who came for the zombie drama and overstretched casual viewers who have no interest in 14-year-old girls kissing.

Carrying the lowest rating on IMDB, the reviews have well and truly turned.

First time Ive been disappointed by this show, wrote one. Most boring episode so far, wrote another.

So meandering that I wanted to turn it off halfway through, said another, who went on to add, Now I question my tastesmaybe this show isnt for me.

One poor sod muttered, I am writing this review while I am watching the episode in an effort to keep from bailing entirely.

Perhaps it is better summarised by the person who wrote, What was this?

However, the access media loved it, heaping praise on the episode that amounted to a pair of girls walking through an abandoned shopping mall for an hour.

At this point, it feels as if they are required to write glowing reviews, or someone will accuse them of being bigots.

Wasted Potential

Genuinely, this was not good writing. The showrunners are hoping that viewers are sufficiently invested in Joels survival to sit through the boring messand they might, but not for much longer.

The greatest sin this episode commits is that it hashes out story content that was already covered. We knew exactly what was going to happen from the start, leaving the viewer with nothing to learn or gainso why is it there?

No one thought Ellie was going to leave Joel behind. By this point, it has been established that she views him as a father figure she is loyal toso the framing of the flashback between Ellie running for the door and returning is a lazy, emotionless bookend.

Its a shame we didnt learn more about the FireFlies from Rileys perspective. We could have been convinced to understand the political conflict from the first two episodes, but it was tacked on as an afterthought.

The showrunners did not even give the audience the satisfaction of watching Ellie forced to turn on her friend and choose to save her own life while waiting for the infection that was never coming.

Where were those scenes? What about Ellie wandering the shopping mall on her own, waiting to turn into a monster? Such wasted potential.

You can trick audiences once, but theyre not going to come back for season two. Were not going gay for zombies.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
The PLAs Futuristic and Hybrid Warfare Unit

Commentary

The Chinese spy balloon is just one small example of the threat posed to U.S. national security by the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA)s Strategic Support Force (SSF) which specializes in new, innovative, high-tech, and hybrid warfare.

In 2015, as part of his push for the modernization of the PLA, Chinese leader Xi Jinping commissioned the SSF, which centralizes space warfare, cyberwarfare, electronic warfare, information warfare, communications, and psychological warfare capabilities.

The website of the Ministry of National Defense of the peoples Republic of China describes the SSF as a new type of combat force and driver for growth of new combat capabilities comprising forces for battlefield environment, information, communications, information security, new technology testing.

Officially, the cyberwarfare unit of the SSF defends CCP and PLA computer systems and networks against hacking, but it could also be used as an offensive weapon. The space warfare unit is responsible for spy satellites as well as Chinas GPS alternative, BeiDou Navigation. The mission of the electronic warfare unit is to disrupt enemy radar systems and communications.

The unit is known to conduct warning and surveillance alongside information-gathering activities in the South China Sea tracking U.S. vessels on Freedom of Navigation tours. The SSF has a strong presence in Wenchang on Hainan Island near the launching point for Chinese satellites. According to a PLA SSF news report, SSF is responsible for unmanned intelligent equipment. Not surprisingly, the group is suspected to have been responsible for the recent spy balloon incident in the United States.

Balloons are used in these types of missions because they can fly at extremely high altitudes, above conventional fighter jets, where they will be undetected. Another advantage of balloons is that they remain in the gravitational field of the earth. Different from satellites that pass over periodically, balloons are capable of fixed-point surveillance.

Brian Kennedy, chairman, Committee on the Present Danger: China, speaks at the event China Threat Briefing: Unrestricted Warfare: The Chinese Communist Partys War against America and the Free World in Washington on May 2, 2019. (Jennifer Zeng/The Epoch Times)

The Ministry of National Defense says that the SSF is in line with the strategic requirements of integrating existing systems and aligning civil and military endeavors, a program that the CCP calls military-civil fusion. Consequently, the SSF is targeting recruits who would not normally have joined the military. The SSF has expanded its online presence and is recruiting college graduates and people with advanced education for skilled work while also targeting vocational and high school graduates for low-level tech positions.

The spy balloon would be a classic example of military-civilian fusion as a civilian company operated the balloon despite being loaded with sophisticated antennas that may have been conducting military surveillance. The involvement of a civilian company provides the CCP with plausible deniability. Beijing claimed that the balloon was a piece of civilian hardware on a benign civilian mission.

The SSF was born from the concept of Unrestricted Warfare, which was the title of a 1999 book written by PLA colonels Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui. The book outlines strategies of asymmetric warfare: how a country at a military, political, and economic disadvantage could take on a superpower like the United States. The book proposes a number of alternatives to direct military engagement, mobilizing competencies from multiple government and private domains. The book essentially spells out how to defeat the United States. The concept is consistent with military-civil fusion in that it integrates all aspects of society. Everything from politics and economics to culture, ideology, and psychology can become weapons.

Another related concept is three warfare, meaning public opinion, psychological, and legal warfare. The two basic components of public opinion are propaganda and misinformation. Propaganda pushes a desired narrative like, The CCP is great and has your best interests at heart, whereas misinformation attempts to convince people that something is true, such as, The U.S. also sent spy balloons over China in the past, but China did not complain.

This form of irregular warfare, in addition to fusing military and civilian resources, would also combine the capabilities of multiple government agencies including the PLA and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which deals with global security. It also involves CCP spy agencies the Ministry of State Security and the Ministry of Public Security. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is responsible for controlling the flow of information. The United Front Work Department, which originally targeted Chinese diaspora, has evolved into a large intelligence and propaganda organ. Other organizations such as state and non-state hackers are also involved.

Ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu said, Every battle is won before it is fought. And this is the SSFs strategy, which could bring all of its competencies to bear, activating its cyber and public opinion warfare before a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. Right now, many Americans approve of U.S. support for Ukraine. If public opinion were to sour on Ukraine, voters would push lawmakers to stop sending money and weapons to Kyiv and the nation would fall. Similarly, the CCP could launch an unrestricted warfare campaign against Taipei in the hope of undermining U.S. support for the island nation. And this is true of any initiative that the CCP wishes to launch against the United States. They could use the SSF to soften the American people and weaken our resistance.

The spy balloon incident has Americans watching the skies, but the SSF could also be lurking in our computers, our telecommunications, our media, our schools and universities, or our political lobby groups.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
UK Anti-Strike Law Fails to Meet Human Rights Obligations, Lawmakers Say

People stand on a picket line during a rail workers strike by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers Union (RMT), outside London Euston station in London on Jan. 6, 2023. (Daniel Leal/AFP via Getty Images)

The UK governments plans to impose minimum service levels on public services during strike action need to be amended as they are likely to be incompatible with human rights law, a parliamentary committee has said.

The government announced the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill on Jan. 5, saying it will ensure minimum safety levels in the most crucial sectors when industrial action takes place.

Trade unions will be bound to follow this legislation and will risk the employer bringing an injunction to prevent the strike from taking place or seeking damages afterwards if they do not comply with their obligations.

The plans have been attacked by trade unions, while the main opposition Labour Party has promised to repeal the law if it wins power.

In its latest report published on March 6, the Joint Committee on Human Rights said that the proposed legislation does not appear to be in compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

ECHR Compliance

The report said: While the European Convention on Human Rights does not include a right to strike, Article 11 which guarantees freedom of association has been interpreted to cover the taking of strike action. This requires that any restrictions on strike action must be in accordance with the law, which requires its consequences to be foreseeable to those affected.

The committee warned that without the government providing specific evidence establishing a pressing social need for minimum service requirements in respect of each of the very broad categories of service set out in the bill, compliance with the requirements of Article 11 ECHR remains unclear.

The lawmakers said the penalties that would be imposed on trade unions for failing to comply with the bill would be severe.

They said in the report: In our view, they may amount to a disproportionate interference with Article 11, particularly in circumstances where the strike does not involve essential services and risks to life and limb.

The government should reconsider whether less severe measures, such as loss of pay or suspension from work for employees who fail to comply with work notices, could be effective.

Strike Disruptions

The bill was announced in January amid waves of industrial actions launched by public sector unions, affecting multiple sectors including railways and the National Health Service (NHS).

Announcing the measures, the government said it will always protect the ability to strike, but it must be balanced with the publics right to life and livelihoods.

The government 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, it said.

Ministers said the proposed measures will see the UK align with many countries across the world such as France and Spain that already have minimum service agreements in place.

Grant Shapps, the then-business secretary, told MPs in January that the public has had enough of the constant, most unwelcome, frankly dangerous, disruption to their lives.

He said, There comes a time when we cant let this continue and that is why we need minimum safety and service levelsto keep livelihoods and lives safe, and its frankly irresponsible, even surprising, for the opposition opposite to suggest otherwise.

Deep Flaws

But Joanna Cherry, a Scottish National Party MP who chairs the Joint Committee on Human Rights, said the bill needs amending to address some of the deep flaws.

She said: Heavy-handed sanctions are compounded by vague rules that would leave striking workers and unions in confusion as to whether they had been met or not.

The sectors included in the bill are also ill-defined, risking over-reach into areas only tangentially linked to the maintenance of vital public services. This means the bill, in our view, is likely to be incompatible with human rights law which provides a right to association and with it, protection for strike action.

She called on the government to think again and come back with legislation that better respects the protections guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights.

Angela Rayner, deputy leader of the Labour Party, said the committee is just the latest expert body to conclude the governments shoddy bill is not just unworkable but likely unlawful.

She added, Its time for ministers to go back to the drawing board, not plough on with a dogs dinner of a policy that will do nothing to resolve disputes and instead risks pouring petrol on the fire.

A government spokesperson said: The purpose of this legislation is to protect the lives and livelihoods of the public and ensure they can continue to access vital public services.

We note this report and will consider it in full, but the government needs to maintain a reasonable balance between the ability of workers to strike and the rights of the public, who work hard and expect essential services to be there when they need them.

PA Media contributed to this report.
Senators to Introduce Bill to Add TikTok to Foreign Tech Ban

The download page for the TikTok app is displayed on an Apple iPhone in Washington on Aug. 7, 2020. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Two U.S. senators will file legislation this week that would pave the way for the government to ban or prohibit foreign technology businesses in the United Statesincluding the Chinese video-sharing app TikTok, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) said.

TikTok would be one of the potentials for consideration under the proposed bipartisan legislation, Warner, the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told Fox News Sunday on March 5.

Warner raised his concern that TikTok could be a propaganda tool  to promote ideological issues based on the types of videos it allows users to see.

According to Warner, the proposed legislation would state that in terms of foreign technology coming into America, weve got to have a systemic approach to make sure we can ban or prohibit it when necessary.

He compared the content that TikTok offers young users in China to that which the application pushes to users in America.

If you look at what TikTok shows to the Chinese kids, which is all about science and engineering, versus what our kids see, theres a radical difference, he said.

Warner declared that he would submit the bill this week alongside Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.). A representative for Warner stated that an announcement was anticipated for March 7.

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, speaks to reporters in the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 28, 2020. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Bipartisan Efforts to Purge TikTok

TikTok has long been the subject of congressional scrutiny due to its ties to the CCP and its alleged practice of sending user data to the servers of its parent company, ByteDance, in China.

There have been ongoing legal efforts to purge the popular Chinese app from the devices of members of Congress and employees of the executive branch of the U.S. government.

On Feb. 27, the White House ordered the removal of the Chinese-owned TikTok app from all government devices and systems within 30 days in a bid to keep government data safe.

The White Houses Office of Management and Budget (OMB) said on Twitter that the Biden administration has made advancing our nations cybersecurity a top priority.

Today, OMB is releasing guidance on implementation of the No TikTok on Government Devices Act, requiring agencies to cease using the app except in select circumstances, the agency wrote.

OMB Director Shalanda Young issued the guidance to all federal agencies, requiring them to prohibit internet traffic from reaching the Chinese-owned company as part of the purge.

According to an OMB document, agencies have 90 days to remedy any TikTok usage by IT suppliers under contracts. They also have to add a new TikTok ban to all new solicitations within 120 days.

The memo states that while specific applications of the software on government devices, such as those related to security research, law enforcement, or national security may be allowed, broad exclusions from the rule for entire agencies wouldnt be allowed.

Furthermore, agency leaders must approve any such activity, according to the memo.

Meanwhile, Rep. Mike McCaul (R-Texas), chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced a bill (pdf) at the end of Februarythe Deterring Americas Technological Adversaries Actthat would give President Joe Biden the authority to ban TikTok from all devices in the United States.

He described TikTok as a spy balloon into your phone.

Currently, the courts have questioned the administrations authority to sanction TikTok. My bill empowers the administration to ban TikTok or any software applications that threaten U.S. national security, McCaul said in a statement to The Epoch Times.

And make no mistakeTikTok is a security threat. It allows the CCP to manipulate and monitor its users while it gobbles up Americans data to be used for their malign activities, he continued. Anyone with TikTok downloaded on their device has given the CCP a backdoor to all their personal information.

A congressional omnibus bill approved on Dec. 23, 2022, includes legislation that would ban TikTok from federal government devices. At that time, the No TikTok on Government Devices Act had already been approved unanimously by the Senate.

Ban in Multiple Countries

India, Taiwan, the European Union, and several U.S. states have already ordered similar bans. Canada also announced a ban earlier on March 6.

Mona Fortier, president of the Canadian Treasury Board, announced on Feb. 28 that the nation would ban TikTok that same day on all devices provided by the government because of concern that the apps data collection leaves users vulnerable to cyberattacks.

On Feb. 25, in line with the United States and other nations, the European Union ordered a ban on TikTok across all corporate and individual devices used by the European Commission.

To increase its cybersecurity, the [European] Commissions Corporate Management Board has decided to suspend the use of the TikTok application on its corporate devices and on personal devices enrolled in the Commission mobile device service, the Commission said in a statement.

This measure aims to protect the Commission against cybersecurity threats and actions which may be exploited for cyber-attacks against the corporate environment of the Commission.

Caden Pearson contributed to this report.
US Blacklists 37 Companies, Including Chinas BGI, Inspur

The logo of Chinese gene firm BGI Group at its building in Beijing, on March 25, 2021. (Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters)

The Biden administration on Thursday added 37 companies to a trade, including units of Chinese genetics company BGI and Chinese cloud computing firm Inspur, in a move that promises to further ratchet up tensions with Beijing.

The Commerce Department, which oversees export controls, added BGI Research and BGI Tech Solutions (Hongkong), over allegations that the units pose a significant risk to contributing to the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) surveillance.

The actions of these entities concerning the collection and analysis of genetic data present a significant risk of diversion to Chinas military programs, it said.

Reuters previously reported BGI was collecting genetic data from millions of women for sweeping research on the traits of populations, and collaborates with the Chinese military.

Also listed was BGIs forensics subsidiary, Forensics Genomics International.

The Commerce Department accused Inspur of acquiring and attempting to acquire U.S. goods to support the CCPs military modernization efforts.

The companies and the Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Commerce added 26 other Chinese entities to the listwhich makes it hard for targeted companies to receive shipments of U.S. goods from suppliers.

The additions included several entities Commerce said were supplying or attempting to supply a sanctioned entity in Iran, and three firms in Russia, Belarus, and Taiwan that Commerce said were contributing to Russias military.

It also targeted companies in China and Burma (also known as Myanmar) for violations of human rights, and went after companies in China and Pakistan for contributing to ballistic missile programs of concern, including Pakistans.

When we identify entities that pose a national security or foreign policy concern for the United States, we add them to the Entity List to ensure we can scrutinize their transactions, Assistant Commerce Secretary Thea Kendler said in a statement.

The latest additions to the trade blacklist are likely to further escalate ill will between Washington and Beijing, which have been locked in a technology war for years.

Tensions have been especially high since the Biden administration last month shot down a Chinese spy balloon that had crossed a broad swath of the United States.

We cannot allow our adversaries to misuse and abuse technology to commit human rights abuses and other acts of oppression, said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Enforcement Matthew Axelrod. Thats why were committed to preventing bad actors from siphoning off our technology. We will take an all-tools approach to combat this threat.

In 2020, the Commerce Department added two units of BGI Group, the worlds largest genomics company, to its economic blacklist over allegations it conducted genetic analyses used to further the repression of Chinas minority Uyghurs.

Beijing has denied wrongdoing. BGI denied allegations of wrongdoing at the time.

By Alexandra Alper and David Shepardson
US Offers Reward of Up to $5 Million for Congos ISIS Leader

A Congolese policeman walks as he responds to protests in the Majengo neighborhood of Goma, Congo, on March 22, 2019, following four deaths and 10 kidnappings the previous night by unknown assailants. (Luke Dennison/AFP via Getty Images)

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina FasoThe United States is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information that could lead to the capture of Congos leading terrorist, who leads an affiliate of the ISIS group.

The Rewards for Justice program, which is run by the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service, is seeking information about Seka Musa Baluku, the U.S. Embassy in Congo said. Balukus group has engaged in brutal violence against Congolese citizens and regional military forces in eastern Congos North Kivu and Ituri provinces, the embassy said.

Two years ago, the United States designated Baluku as a global terrorist and his group, Daesh-DRC, as a foreign terrorist organization, blocking assets and property interests, the embassy said in a statement issued Thursday.

More than 120 armed groups fight for power, influence and resources in eastern Congo, some to protect their communities. The ISIS group Baluku leads, which also adopted the name Allied Democratic Forces, was largely active in North Kivu province but has extended its operations into neighboring Ituri and to the regional capital, Goma.

According to the U.S. Embassy, the group continues to target, kill, maim, rape and abduct civilians, including children. Removing Baluku is key to ongoing counterterrorism efforts in the area, analysts say.

International and national actors are clearly seeking any possible help that could lead to the arrest of a man responsible for multiple tragedies, not only against security forces, but also against civilians, said Rida Lyammouri, senior fellow at the Policy Center for the New South, a Morocco-based think tank.

Since its inception in 1984, the Rewards for Justice program has disbursed more than $250 million to more than 125 individuals who provided actionable information that helped reduce threats to U.S. national security.

By Sam Mednick
Violent Agitators Launch Attack Against Police at Atlanta Training Center; 35 Detained

Construction equipment set on fire by a group protesting the planned public safety training center in Atlanta on March 4, 2023. (Atlanta Police Department via AP)

A group of protestors attacked an up-and-coming new police training center in Atlanta on Sunday, including throwing Molotov cocktails at officers, with the incident leading to the detainment of 35 individuals.

The Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, also derisively called Cop City by critics, is a first responder training facility. Protestors allege that the facility is a sign of rising militarization of police as well as a threat to the environment. Protestors reportedly have used the cover of a peaceful protest against the center to carry out the attack, which also damaged construction equipment, according to a March 5 news release by the Atlanta Police Department.

The protestors entered the construction area and started throwing rocks, bricks, fireworks, and Molotov cocktails at the officers. The agitators destroyed multiple pieces of construction equipment by fire and vandalism, the department said.

Multiple law enforcement agencies deployed to the area and detained several people committing illegal activity  The illegal actions of the agitators could have resulted in bodily harm. Officers exercised restraint and used non-lethal enforcement to conduct arrests.

The department and other law enforcement agencies are planning a multi-layered strategy to handle the protests in the coming days, including making arrests.

A video posted on Facebook by the department shows officers trying to desperately close a gate while under attack from a group of men.

Violent Attacks

According to journalist Andy Ngo, the attacks were carried out by the far-left movement Defend the Atlanta Forest. The pre-planned riot is another revenge attack for law enforcement stopping their violent autonomous zone occupation, Ngo said in a March 6 tweet.

For months, far-left extremists from across the U.S. descended on a forested area southeast of Atlanta to create an autonomous zone in an effort to sabotage the construction of a first responder training facility. Theyre extremely violent & since December have carried out a number of attacks, escalating into a deadly shooting in January & then a downtown Atlanta terror attack, Ngo said.

According to the journalist, Antifas Twitter account @afainatl has kicked off fundraising for their violent comrades who are being arrested.

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said that she will be introducing legislation on Tuesday to officially declare Antifa to be a terrorist organization.

Antifa attacked the Atlanta future Public Safety Training Facility. This is domestic terrorism. It was planned for weeks and announced on social media, Greene said in a March 6 tweet.

Antifa are self-proclaimed communists and consistently organize to attack our government over and over again. They should be taken seriously and not tolerated anymore.

The Atlanta Facility

The Atlanta Public Safety Training Center will include classrooms, training areas, and an amphitheater. Officers will role-play real-life scenarios like high-speed chases and shoot-outs. It is mostly funded by donations from the Atlanta Police Foundation, a nonprofit entity.

The center is being established on 85 acres in DeKalb County that is owned by the city. It was approved by the city council back in June 2021. The facility is located inside 1,000 acres of wooded land that environmentalists want to be turned into a protected green space.

Violent protests erupted in January after a police operation aimed at identifying trespassers ended up killing a protestor. The victim, Manuel Teran, 26, was given verbal commands by the police. However, he did not comply and shot a patrol officer, according to officials from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).

Other officers returned fire. As a result, Teran died on the scene. Rioters then charged through downtown Atlanta on Jan. 21, damaging buildings in the process. Activists have raised questions about the police version of the incident, also pointing to the lack of body camera footage.
When the CCP Opens Its Economy, Its Never Out of Friendliness

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong meeting Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang on the sidelines of the G20 summit in New Delhi, India, on March 2, 2023. (AAP Image/Office of the Minister for Foreign Affairs)

Commentary

The prospect of a return to the previous era of trade between Australia and China has been the subject of considerable speculation in recent weeks following meetings between officials from both nations.

The prospective thaw in relations saw corporate executives, including university vice-chancellors, flocking back to China with excited alacrity, eager to recreate the business model of the past.

While some commentators have concluded that the thaw in trade relations was due to a new, more conciliatory approach by the Labor government to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the reality is that the regime is acting out of its economic interests.

Products that China relied on, such as gas and iron ore, were not subject to sanctions.

The reopening of coal exports is a response to Chinas needs and party leader Xi Jinpings new drive to bolster the economy.

The Global Times recently quoted a Chinese industry insider who claimed it was a good time to resume coal imports from Australia. In January, the cost, insurance, and freight (CIF) of Australian coal stood at 2,450 yuan (US$361.3) per ton, while the CIF of coal produced in North Chinas Shanxi Province was 2,700 yuan per ton, he said.

A general view of Yallourn Power Stations open-cut brown coal mine in Yallourn, Australia, on Aug. 16, 2022. (Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images)

While lobster and wine sales were impacted, other exports, such as barley, were unaffected as Australian producers turned to other markets.

Overall, Chinas trade sanctions were mixed. While the share of Australias goods exports to China fell from 47 percent to 27 percent in June 2022, China remains a significant market.

Many business leaders considered Xi Jinpings remarks to the Central Economic Work Conference in December, referencing market-oriented policies and reversals of some regulations, a portend for the future.

A Number of Reasons to Be Very Cautious

While Xi needs foreign capital to jumpstart his economy, the reopening of trade has also stalled in many respects. Hedge funds have become more guarded. Few believe in a wholescale return to the pre-trade war era.

There is widespread mistrust of Xis common prosperity agendaand its impact on business.

The overly optimistic view of many in the business community that the Chinese economic miracle is about to return is contrary to the much more cautious view of the countrys retiring Premier Li Keqiang.

In his final report to the CCP plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the CCP, Li noted that the world is undergoing rapid changes unseen in a century, the world has entered a new period of turmoil and change, and that my countrys development has entered a period of coexistence and strategic opportunities, risks and challenges, and increasing uncertainties and unpredictable factors.

My countrys reform, development, and stability still face many deep-seated contradictions. The triple pressure of demand contraction, supply shock, and weakening expectations is still relatively large. The foundation for economic recovery is not yet solid, and various factors may occur at any time, he reportedly said.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang attends a session of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on Jan. 21, 2015. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images)

Secondly, many companies that have been reliant on China have a more conservative approach today.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Chinas 2023 survey is sobering. For the first time in the Business Climate Surveys 25-year history, China is no longer seen as a top-three market for most member companies.

U.S.-China relations were seen as critical to the commercial relationship, but expectations for improved ties remain low.

Some 46 percent of member companies say they are pessimistic about the future of U.S.-China relations in 2023, and 73 percent report that trade tensions have impacted their companies.

The survey found a 10 percent increase in the number of companies considering or already starting to relocate their manufacturing and sourcing outside of China.

Despite the survey finding that a large majority of companies say they have no plans to relocate operations elsewhere due to market opportunities, the 10 percent increase is telling.

Apple, for example, has moved some of its manufacturing from China.

Taiwanese firms that traditionally relied on China have also been moving to other locations, including the United States. Companies long established in China are also moving to Mexico.

Hong Kongs exports have plunged.

The founder of TSMC, the worlds largest chip manufacturer, Morris Chang, remarked last year that free trade is almost dead and globalization is almost dead.

A lot of people still wish they would come back, but I dont think they will be back, he added.

A logo of TSMC at its headquarters in Hsinchu city, Taiwan, on Aug. 31, 2018. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters)

Pot Calling the Kettle Black

Thirdly, the CCP has shown itself willing to penalize nations that question its record, whether about the origins of COVID, its human rights record, or its naked regional aggression.

The 14 grievances that the Chinese Embassy in Canberra issued in 2020 described Australias call for an independent inquiry into the origins of COVID-19 as political manipulation echoing the U.S. attack on China.

Yet the CCP continues to resist any independent investigation into the virus that, according to official figures, has killed 6.87 million people and caused the illness of 675 million people, some with long-lasting health consequences.

When the U.S. Energy Department and the Director of the FBI, Christopher Wray, pointed to a laboratory leak as the source of the infections, the CCP reacted with its usual bluster.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning in turn, accused the United States of political manipulation when the world just wanted to know where the virus had come from.

We underestimate the preparedness of the CCP to punish its critics at our own peril.

If Xi Jinping has eased his ideological crusade to concentrate on financial management, it is only because the CCP itself is at risk if the domestic economy falters.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
World Bank: Quake Caused Damage Worth $5.1 Billion in Syria

People walk past collapsed buildings following a devastating earthquake in the town of Jinderis, Aleppo Province, Syria, on Feb. 9, 2023. (Ghaith Alsayed/AP Photo)

BEIRUTThe World Bank said Friday that Syria sustained an estimated $5.1 billion in damages in last months massive earthquake that struck southeast Turkey and northern parts of the war-torn country.

The quake killed at least 50,000 people, including about 6,000 in Syria, according to the United Nations. Tens of thousands are still missing and hundreds of thousands were left homeless.

In a report released Friday, the World Bank says the level of the damage in Syria is about 10 percent of the countrys gross domestic product.

Syrias northern province of Aleppo was the most severely hit region, accounting for 45 percent of the total damages in Syria and amounting to about $2.3 billion in damages. Also badly hit was the rebel-held region in the northwest, home to some 4.6 million people, many of them previously displaced by Syrias war.

Aleppo was followed by the northwestern province of Idlib, with estimated damages of $1.9 billion and Latakia, government-controlled territory on the coast, with $549 million.

The earthquake has also compounded myriad other troubles in Syria, where the nearly 12-year civil war has killed nearly half a million people and displaced half the countrys pre-war population of 23 million.

The World Bank cautioned that there is still a significant degree of uncertainty around its preliminary assessment.

The disaster will cause a decline in economic activity that will further weigh on Syrias growth prospects, said Jean-Christophe Carret, World Bank head for the Middle East.

The damages assessed in the report include both in the residential and nonresidential sectors, such as direct damages to buildings and structures, as well as damage to cultural heritage sites, which is especially challenging to qualify.

In an earlier assessment report, the World Bank said on Feb. 27 that the damages in Turkey from last months earthquake are estimated at $34.2 billion.
That release could not be found.
Police called in to hunt down alleged black taxi

PHUKET: Police in Cherng Talay were called in to track down a man wanted for using a private car to pick up tourists at Bang Tao after being booked through the Grab app.

tourismtransportcrimepolice

By The Phuket News

Monday 6 March 2023, 06:17PM

Photo: PR Phuket

Officers from the Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) arrived at the beach to investigate an incident posted on social media on Friday (Mar 3), the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department (PR Phuket) reported yesterday (Mar 5).

The post showed what appeared to be a private car picking up tourists from in front of a store near Bang Tao Beach in Cherng Talay.

The PLTO officers spoke with taxi drivers in the area, who told them that the tourists booked the taxi through the Grab app, PR Phuket reported.

However, the car used to pick up the tourists did not have any signs or markings indicating that it was a taxi, said the report.

The car was hence presumed to driver illegally operating a black taxi.

According to the report, allegedly there was an argument over the incident. PLTO officers, Cherng Talay Police and the PR Phuket report did not elaborate further on the argument  the word p[previously used by Phuket officials when avoiding any recognition of a physical altercation.

Phuket officials publicly released the name of the man wanted for allegedly operating a black taxi as Weerayut Kaewpan. Phuket officials also publicly reported his cars licence plate number.

However, no officials named any of the taxi drivers questioned or even involved in the argument.

Phuket officials were happy to report that Lt Col Sutham Ratsawangwong, Deputy Chief of Cherng Talay Police, was formally requested to track down Mr Weerayut and have him brought to Cherng Talay Police Station.

In an attempt to be seen as fair, the PR Phuket report described the officials intention as inviting both parties to clarify the facts at Cherng Talay Police Station regarding the relevant laws.

Officials did not report what action was taken against Mr Weerayut or specify the law that was broken.

The PLTO with any explanation posted two national regulations last month relevant to operating taxis. One of the regulations, issued by Department of Land Transport Director-General Chirut Wisanchit on Dec 2, 2021, mandated that EV taxis must be white, and that non-EV taxis must be yellow in colour  with an exemption for non-EV taxis registered before that date.

The PLTO campaign targetting illegal taxi drivers, with special focus on out of province taxi drivers, was launched within hours of taxi drivers from Phukets powerful taxi cooperatives and associations staging a protest at Provincial Hall on Feb 2.

The drivers complained that non-Phuket drivers and other drivers presumed to be illegal  especially if they operated outside of the Phuket "public transport cartel organisations  were charging less than local Phuket drivers, and hence costing the local cartel drivers passengers and income.
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House Speaker Kevin McCarthy along with Rep. Mike Lawler visited various communities in the area of Rockland County on Sunday, fulfilling a promise made to the Orthodox Jewish community to return to their communities as Speaker.

The trip was McCarthys first of the new Congress to benefit a GOP congressman; in this case, to benefit Rep. Mike Lawler, who is up for reelection in 2024.

McCarthy and Lawler first attended an event in Forshay, with Rabbi Rottenberg of Forshay, Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel of Agudath Israel, and many other community leaders and askanim in attendance.

At the event, McCarthy and Lawler were shown a short video from Agudath Israel which spelled out the statistics of Jewish education across the country. Rabbi Rottenberg hailed McCarthy and Lawler as brave representatives who are willing to take on difficult challenges that many other politicians avoid at all costs.

McCarthy then spoke at length about freedom of education and school, his work to combat antisemitism, his support for Israel, and announced his plans to visit the Jewish State and address the Knesset in May in celebration of the anniversary of Israels founding.

The Speaker also addressed the need for a united front to ensure the reelection of Rep. Lawler, and committed himself to doing all that is within his power to keep Lawler in the House of Representatives beyond 2024.

McCarthy was then presented with a megillah which he deeply appreciated and promised to place in the Speakers office.

At the conclusion of the Forshay event, McCarthy and Lawler traveled to New Square, where a massive crowd numbering in the thousands were gathered to greet them. McCarthy addressed the kehilla on a specially built outdoor stage, flanked by leaders from the village and kehillah.

The two congressmen then visited the Skver Rebbes home, where they met with the roshei kehilla and then privately with the rebbe, before departing for another fundraiser in Westchester benefitting Rep. Lawler.

Just prior to departing the rebbes home, McCarthy was shown a 3-D model of the new grand shul being built by Skver. The Speaker expressed amazement at the beauty of the building and said he would like to return to see it himself once construction is completed, which is expected to conclude in approximately a year.

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A crisis over suspected poisonings targeting Iranian schoolgirls escalated Sunday as authorities acknowledged over 50 schools were struck in a wave of possible cases. The poisonings have spread further fear among parents as Iran has faced months of unrest.

It remains unclear who or what is responsible since the alleged poisonings began in November in the Shiite holy city of Qom. Reports now suggest schools across 21 of Irans 30 provinces have seen suspected cases, with girls schools the site of nearly all the incidents.

The attacks have raised fears that other girls could be poisoned, apparently just for going to school. Education for girls has never been challenged in the more than 40 years since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iran has been calling on the Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan to allow girls and women return to school and universities.

Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi on Saturday said, without elaborating, that investigators recovered suspicious samples in the course of their investigations into the incidents, according to the state-run IRNA news agency. He called for calm among the public, while also accusing the enemys media terrorism of inciting more panic over the alleged poisonings.

However, it wasnt until the poisonings received international media attention that hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi announced an investigation into the incidents on Wednesday.

Vahidi said at least 52 schools had been affected by suspected poisonings. Iranian media reports have put the number of schools at over 60. At least one boys school reportedly has been affected.

Videos of upset parents and schoolgirls in emergency rooms with IVs in their arms have flooded social media. Making sense of the crisis remains challenging, given that nearly 100 journalists have been detained by Iran since the start of protests in September over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. She had been detained by the countrys morality police and later died.

The security force crackdown on those protests has seen at least 530 people killed and 19,700 others detained, according to Human Rights Activists in Iran.

The children affected in the poisonings reportedly complained of headaches, heart palpitations, feeling lethargic or otherwise unable to move. Some described smelling tangerines, chlorine or cleaning agents.

Reports suggest at least 400 schoolchildren have fallen ill since November. Vahidi, the interior minister, said in his statement that two girls remain in hospital because of underlying chronic conditions.

As more attacks were reported Sunday, videos were posted on social media showing children complaining about pain in the legs, abdomen and dizziness. State media have mainly referred to these as hysteric reactions.

Since the outbreak, no one was reported in critical condition and there have been no reports of fatalities.

Attacks on women have happened in the past in Iran, most recently with a wave of acid attacks in 2014 around the city of Isfahan, at the time believed to have been carried out by hard-liners targeting women for how they dressed.

Speculation in Irans tightly controlled state media has focused on the possibility of exile groups or foreign powers being behind the poisonings. That was also repeatedly alleged during the recent protests without evidence. In recent days, Germanys foreign minister, a White House official and others have called on Iran to do more to protect schoolgirls  a concern Irans Foreign Ministry has dismissed as crocodile tears.

However, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom noted that Iran has continued to tolerate attacks against women and girls for months amid the recent protests.

These poisonings are occurring in an environment where Iranian officials have impunity for the harassment, assault, rape, torture and execution of women peacefully asserting their freedom of religion or belief, Sharon Kleinbaum of the commission said in a statement.

Suspicion in Iran has fallen on possible hard-liners for carrying out the suspected poisonings. Iranian journalists, including Jamileh Kadivar, a prominent former reformist lawmaker at Tehrans Ettelaat newspaper, have cited a supposed communique from a group calling itself Fidayeen Velayat that purportedly said that girls education is considered forbidden and threatened to spread the poisoning of girls throughout Iran if girls schools remain open.

Iranian officials have not acknowledged any group called Fidayeen Velayat, which roughly translates to English as Devotees of the Guardianship. However, Kadivars mention of the threat in print comes as she remains influential within Iranian politics and has ties to its theocratic ruling class. The head of the Ettelaat newspaper also is appointed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Kadivar wrote Saturday that another possibility is mass hysteria. There have been previous cases of this over the last decades, most recently in Afghanistan from 2009 through 2012. Then, the World Health Organization wrote about so-called mass psychogenic illnesses affecting hundreds of girls in schools across the country.

Reports of stench smells preceding the appearance of symptoms have given credit to the theory of mass poisoning, WHO wrote at the time. However, investigations into the causes of these outbreaks have yielded no such evidence so far.

Iran has not acknowledged asking the world health body for assistance in its investigation. WHO did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday.

However, Kadivar also noted that hard-liners in Iranian governments in the past carried out so-called chain murders of activists and others in the 1990s. She also referenced the killings by Islamic vigilantes in 2002 in the city of Kerman, when one victim was stoned to death and others were tied up and thrown into a swimming pool, where they drowned. She described those vigilantes as being members of the Basij, an all-volunteer force in Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.

The common denominator of all of them is their extreme thinking, intellectual stagnation and rigid religious view that allowed them to have committed such violent actions, Kadivar wrote.

(AP)




Russian shelling destroyed homes and killed one person in northern Ukraines Kharkiv province, the regions governor said Sunday, while fighting raged in the fiercely contested eastern city of Bakhmut.

The town of Kupiansk is about 30 kilometers (18 miles) from the Russian border; the region has come under frequent attacks even though Russian ground forces withdrew from the area nearly six months ago. Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said at least five homes were razed in the latest attack that left a 65-year-old man dead.

Two civilians were killed over the past day in Bakhmut, Donetsk province Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said. Russian forces have spent months trying to capture the city as part of their offensive in eastern Ukraine, and the area has seen some of the bloodiest ground fighting of the war.

In recent days, Ukrainian units destroyed two key bridges just outside Bakhmut, including one linking it to the nearby town of Chasiv Yar along the last remaining Ukrainian resupply route, according to U.K. military intelligence officials and other Western analysts.

Associated Press journalists near Bakhmut on Saturday saw a pontoon bridge set up by Ukrainian soldiers to help the few remaining residents reach the nearby village of Khromove. Later, the AP team saw at least five houses on fire as a result of attacks in Khromove, a nearby settlement.

The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, assessed last week that Kyivs actions may point to a looming pullout from parts of the city. It said Ukrainian troops may conduct a limited and controlled withdrawal from particularly difficult sections of eastern Bakhmut, while seeking to inhibit Russian movement there and limit exit routes to the west.

Capturing Bakhmut would not only give Russian fighters a rare battlefield gain after months of setbacks but might rupture Ukraines supply lines and allow the Kremlins forces to press on toward other Ukrainian strongholds in Donetsk province.

In southern Ukraine, a woman and two children were killed in a residential building in the Kherson region village of Poniativka, the Ukrainian presidents office reported. A Russian artillery shell hit a car in Burdarky, another Kharkiv province village, killing a man and his wife, the regional prosecutors office said.

Casualties increased from an attack earlier in the week. Ukraines emergency services reported Sunday that the death toll from a Russian missile strike that hit a five-story apartment building in southern Ukraine on Thursday rose to 13.

One of the few areas where Russia and Ukraine have cooperated during the war is grain shipments. On that front, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Sunday his country is engaged in intense efforts to extend an agreement that allowed Ukraine to export grain from its Black Sea ports.

The deal, which the U.N. and Turkey brokered in July 2022 and was extended by four months in November, is set to expire March 18.

In a speech at the opening of the U.N. Conference on Least Developed Countries in Doha, Qatar, Cavusoglu said he had discussed another extension with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

The agreement, which also allows Russia to export food and fertilizers, has helped temper rising global food prices. However, Russian officials have complained that shipments of the countrys fertilizer were not being facilitated under the agreement, leaving the deals renewal in question.

(AP)




by Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com

Yes, you can bathe and shower. And yes, you can brush your teeth. Here is why.

HISTORICAL OVERVIEW

During the time of Mordechai and Esther , the Jews united on the 13th of Adar to fight and wage war, standing up for their lives. They fasted during the day of battle to beseech Hashem for mercy. This is the explanation for Taanis Esther given by Rabbeinu Tam (cited in Rosh Megillah 1:1). Hashem sees and hears every person during his or her time of need, when they fast and return to Hashem with all their heart. In order to remember that Hashem does this, all of Israel accepted upon themselves the fast of Esther.

****HERE IS VERY WORTHY CAUSE FOR MATANOS LEVYONIM****

https://thechesedfund.com/zechornilah/almanah-with-four-kids-needs-help

Others explain that the fast was inaugurated to commemorate Esthers personal fast. Esther herself fasted for three days, but she did so during the month of Nissan. However, since Nissan is the special month when we were redeemed, and it is also when the Mishkan was erected, Chazal determined that the fast should be observed in Adar.

Taanis Esther is not as stringent as the four written fasts found in the Neviim. As an aside, the fast is not mentioned in Neviim or Ksuvim (even Megilas Esther) nor in the Mishna or Gemorah. Indeed, the Rif, Rabbi Yitzchok Alfasi does not discuss it at all either. This, perhaps, is the basis for the aforementioned leniencies.

Once the 13th of Adar was known as The Day of Niknor and it was actually forbidden to fast on this day (as stated in Megillas Taanis). That day was a time when the Chashmonayim were victorious over a Greek enemy and it was established as a mini-Holiday. Eventually, all the holidays mentioned in Megilas Taanis were abrogated, with the exception of Chanukah and Purim.

Although the Day of Niknor was negated, the Megilas Taanis states that one is forbidden to fast the day before a holiday as well. So even though the Day of Niknor was negated, the issue of fasting must still be addressed. The Orchos Chaim (Rav Aharon of Luniel) in his Hilchos Megillah UPurim (chapter 25) addresses this issue and suggests that only a Taanis Tzaar  a fast of affliction is forbidden but Taanis Esther is not a fast of affliction but rather a commemorative fast.

The Gemorah in Megillah 2a does mention that the 13th of Adar is known as a day of gathering  Yom Kehillah. However, the first mention of Taanis Esther as we know it is in the Sheiltos of Rav Achai Gaon in Parshas VaYakhel (67:18). He translates the Gemorah in Megillah 2a to mean that it is a fast day. Yet it is strange that there is no mention of a fast in the Talmud itself. It seems that the Minhag developed during the time of the Gaonim in Bavel. In Eretz Yisroel the fast commemorating Esther actually occurred after Purim, and took place three times as we see in Meseches Sofrim (17:4), a post-Talmudic Eretz Yisroel source.

The Rambams wording of Taanis Esther indicates the later origin of Taanis Esther, when he uses the expression Bazmanim Ailu  in our times (See Hilchos Taanis 5:5).

The machzor Vitri 245 attributes to Rashi the quote that it is lo midivrei Torah velo midivrei sofrim ellah shenahagu ham kain  neither of Torah origin nor of Rabbinic origin, rather the nation conducted itself thus. Regardless, the practice is now universal and has become normative halacha.

HALACHIC ASPECTS

Because Taanis Esther is not as stringent, when necessary, therefore, one may be lenient as in the case of expecting or nursing mothers. Also, if someone has a severe headache or something similar, one can be lenient too. Others, however, should not separate themselves from the community and should fast. The custom among some groups in Klal Yisroel for the women not to fast is incorrect and should be stopped.

Rav Moshe Feinstein writes that if a person is having difficulty fasting, he or she may eat a small amount of food 41 minutes after sunset  even before the Megillah reading.

When reading the Torah at Mincha of Taanis Esther, only those who are fasting should receive an Aliyah. If there is no Levi present who is fasting, then the Kohain should be called twice.

One may bathe on this fast (See SA 550:2).

When Taanis Esther is observed early on a Thursday before Sunday Purim, Tachanun and Avinu Malkeinu are recited at Mincha. Mchatzis HaShekel is also still given on this day as well.

The author can be reached at [email protected]

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Multiple Orthodox Jewish residents in Baltimore were harassed and verbally assaulted in the Pickwick Apartments neighborhood this past Shabbos.

Witnesses said that individuals in a dark-colored Chevrolet Cruze approached members of the Jewish community near shuls and began spewing anti-Semitic statements at them while also demanding money.

When alerted to the incidents, Baltimore Shomrim immediately informed law enforcement, who responded to the general area and are now investigating the incidents. Shomrims Community Watch Camera project captured some of these incidents and has supplied relevant footage to law enforcement to assist in identifying those responsible.

If you or anyone you know is a victim of one of these or similar incidents, please contact Shomrim immediately. Please be on the lookout for vehicles matching the description noted. If you identify the vehicle in question, use extreme caution, do not approach the vehicle, and contact Shomrim 410-358-9999 and 911 immediately.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)




The organizers of protests against the governments judicial reform plan are offering Israelis payment to join a protest that will bring traffic at Ben-Gurion Airport to a halt.

After the National Disruption Day last week, a new protest was called for this Thursday at Ben-Gurion Airport. Following the announcement, a Whatsapp message was sent to various groups offering people payment to join the protest.

You want to make a few shekels this Thursday? Come shut down Ben-Gurion Airport for NIS 250 plus gas!

This Thursday (3/9) at 9 a.m., people from all over Israel will arrive at Ben-Gurion and take action with a simple tactic: well drive slowly between the entrances of the airport and Terminal 3 and back, again and again.

The more cars there are, the more we can impact the airports operations for many hours. The goal is to enjoy a leisurely drive around the airport. Bring music and podcasts.

The message also warns: Whoever does not coordinate with the managers of the protests wont receive payment! You must send the managers your full name and type of vehicle in order to register to receive payment.

Walla reporter Yaki Adamker discovered that one of the people involved in offering payment to protesters at the airport is former El Al captain Ofer Lapidot, who was involved in an attempt to organize a similar protest in 2020 against Netanyahus flight to the United Arab Emirates.

Previous reports related similar instances of payments offered to those willing to join anti-government protests.

The New Israel Fund, a US-based left-wing NGO, has admitted to financially backing anti-Netanyahu protests in Israel.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
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By C.B. Weinfeld

I sensed it would happen for me on Shabbos afternoon, that magical moment when it all comes together.

Once again, I wasnt disappointed.

Based on past experience, I knew that regardless of the packed schedule of classes, and my desire for a short nap, there was only one place I would be on Shabbos afternoon after the mealat the International Ballroom, (a.k.a. shul,) absorbing Founding Director Rabbi Chaim Sampsons exceptional presentation, Women like you doing amazing things for Klal Yisroel.

It was at the symposium, where ordinary women shared their initiatives in bringing their sisters one step closer, that I met Milana Feldman, an intelligent and articulate immigrant from the former Soviet Union.

I had already heard her husband, Igor, speak to a packed audience on Friday night, describing how a Project Inspire trip to the Holy Land set a chain of events that culminated in an entire family transforming their way of life.

As Milana expressed, My husband and I met, got married, and raised a family. Though my father became religious over the years, Igor was hesitant. I encouraged him to go on the Project Inspire trip to Israel, and the rest is history.

That groundbreaking trip to Israel was the start of a lifelong relationship with his Project Inspire mentors. Today Igor and Milana are the parents of four children; a married daughter who covers her hair, two sons in yeshiva, and a daughter in Bais Yaakov. And, whats more, they founded a Chabad House in the Poconos, where they spend their summers, to inspire their fellow Jews as they were inspired! Talk about payback time

This, in a nutshell, is the power of Project Inspire, where we learn the power of a smile, a kind word, a Shabbos invite. Not only can a casual encounter transform someones life, but leave an impact for generations.

Rav Uri Tigger, a distinguished talmid chochom who spent many hours editing Rav Chaim Kanievskys seforim, brought the house down with his powerful address, depicting his background as a secular Israeli boy who knew nothing about Yiddishkeit, and who, by sheer force of his extraordinary willpower, and the support of his role models, became the gadol hadors right hand man.

You dont have to be a kiruv expert or highly trained to reach out to our unaffiliated fellow Jews. You can simply be a sweet, eidel eighth grade bochur at Yeshiva Torah Vodaas. Just ask Yaakov Yehuda Kramer, who made a surprise appearance at the Motzoei Shabbos Grand Convention presentation.

Yaakov Yehuda made headlines last year when he studied for hours for his social studies test, because his teacher, Mr. Berger, promised to put on tefillin every day until the end of the year if he scores a 100%. The young bochur aced the testand Mr. Berger kept his promise!

One small act, with everlasting repercussions.

Theres something unique and real about a Project Inspire convention. It isnt only the delicious spread, or the spectacular program, showcasing mesmerizing speakers from across the globe, including Rav Nissan Kaplan, Rabbi Meir Yedid, Rebetzin Yemima Mizrachi, Rav Gav and Charlie Harary.

Its the dedication of the attendees, regular Jews from across the United States and beyond, who are committed to the welfare of the 73 percent, of their Jewish co-workers, neighbors, cashiers and fellow commuters on the subway.

As Rabbi Sampson expressed, Youd think that after fourteen years, the message would be cliche, but instead it remains as fresh and relevant as ever. Somehow, the convention produces a sublime feeling thats created when so many yidden come together, being inspired by Torah with the goal of be mekadesh Shem Shamayim. Its an experience of ruchnius, and its palpable! And of course, everyone leaves asking the burning question, What can I do to keep my fellow Jews closer? It never grows old.

Today is the perfect moment to reach out and inspire your fellow Yid. It doesnt require sophistication, know-how, or expert training. All it requires is a caring heart, a listening ear, and a few caring moments to transform someones world.

Judging by the powerful vibes emanating from the sold-out crowd of 1200 at the Armon Hotel, which was wrapped by a massive unity, community, and continuity banner addressing the theme, this groundbreaking 14th annual retreat was the start of many lifelong connections. Because, after all is said and done, We are our Brothers Keeper.
Outsourcing giant Capita has struck a 21million deal to sell its three human resourcing businesses to a private equity firm.

London-based Inspirit Capital is set to buy Capita Resourcing, HR Solutions and ThirtyThree, which together boast nearly 2,000 clients, including Capita itself, helping them attract, hiring and retain staff.

The buyer has agreed to pay 17million in cash, with an additional deferred payment of 7million by the end of November.

Sale: The three human resourcing divisions boast nearly 2,000 clients, including Capita itself

As part of the deal, which is subject to approval under the National Security and Investment Act, staff and senior management teams will transfer to Inspirit Capital.

Capita, which runs an array of public services, including the London congestion charge and the ultra low emissions zone, is shifting focus onto its two key divisions - Capita public service and Capita experience.

It recently sold its Pay360 payments processing business, two real estate and infrastructure consultancy companies, Optima Legal and Capita Translation and Interpreting.

Capita, which has around 50,000 employees, returned to an adjusted profit in 2022, driven by contract wins and an improved order book.

Last week, it posted a full-year adjusted pre-tax profit of 73.8million, against a pre-tax loss of 122.8million a year earlier.

Jon Lewis, chief executive of Capita, said the latest sale 'marks another significant step towards reducing Capita's debt, as we continue to simplify and strengthen the organisation, and become a more successful business for the long term'.

'We remain focused on selling the majority of the remaining non-core portfolio businesses throughout the first half of 2023 depending on general market conditions,' he added.

Capita shares were 5.1 per cent higher at 41.14p in afternoon trading on Monday. They have risen by nearly 100 per cent over the last year.
March 06, 2023





There is much debate and discussion about the safety of torrent sites. Some people believe torrents are dangerous to use, while others believe they are safe. The answer to this question is not so simple.

On the one hand, torrents can be dangerous because on such sites you can download files that may contain viruses or malicious programs. In addition, unwanted applications may be downloaded along with the files and installed on your computer without your consent.







On the other hand, many torrent sites provide reliable and safe files that you can download without fear. In addition, some sites check downloaded files for viruses and malware.

However, to keep yourself safe when using torrents, you need to follow some rules. First of all, you should use reliable anti-virus software and update it regularly. You should also choose torrent sites that have a good reputation and check the downloaded files.

In addition, you should carefully read reviews and comments about the file you are going to download. If most of the reviews are positive, it may be a reliable sign that the file is safe to download.

The Pirate Bay Freedom Symbol

The Pirate Bay is one of the most popular torrent trackers in the world. It was created in 2003 in Sweden and quickly became one of the most visited sites for downloading files from the Internet. On the Pirate Bay, you can find and download many different files - from movies and music to programs and games.

However, Pirate Bay site has not always been accessible to users. In 2006, its servers were seized by the police, and the site was shut down. But a few days later, it was available again thanks to a move to other servers and the use of new domain names.

Since then, The Pirate Bay has become a symbol of Internet freedom and the fight against censorship. It has been repeatedly attacked by governments and corporations, but it has continued to function and help millions of people around the world download files.

What is the appeal of this project?

The Pirate Bay is one of the most popular torrent trackers in the world. It provides users with access to a huge database of files, including movies, music, games, software, and much more. The Pirate Bay attracts users from all over the world because of its ease of use, the large number of files available, and the ability to download content for free.

Even though The Pirate Bay has repeatedly faced lawsuits and blockages in different countries, it continues to be one of the most popular torrent resources. Users usually use VPN services and other blocking circumvention methods to access the site.

One of the main reasons for The Pirate Bay's appeal is that users can download content for free. This especially appeals to those who don't want to pay for content on other platforms. In addition, The Pirate Bay provides access to a large number of files, including those that are rare and unavailable elsewhere.

Some users are also attracted to The Pirate Bay because of the ability to share files and create a community with other like-minded people. This can be especially useful for those who are interested in rare or niche topics and want to find other people who share their interests.

The main advantages of The Pirate Bay project

The key advantages of this service, which simplifies the search for torrents, can be named:
[March 05, 2023] Briocean celebrates remarkable growth at its Annual Gala

SHENZHEN, China, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Briocean, the world's leading distributor of electronic components, celebrated its Annual Gala ceremony, a key milestone in its successful journey since its establishment in 2008. The event, which was attended by over 500 staff members including colleagues from other Asian countries, was a celebration of the company's remarkable growth and global success. Briocean has seen tremendous growth over the years, with a 300% growth in 2022. This success can be attributed to the company's expertise and commitment to delivering quality assurance to clients from various industries worldwide. Moreover, Briocean takes pride in their strong supply chain network, offering clients with a 5-year warranty and flexible payment plan to overcome their electronic component needs within a short lead time. In addition to its global presence, the company is also planning to expand its operations in the Asia-Pacific region, recognizing the development potential in the region. This expansion will enable Briocean to better serve its customers in the region and strengthen its position as a global leader in electronic components distribution. "The company's exceptional supply chain services are a significant factor in its success", said Sharon, CEO of Briocean. "We have upheld the values of Integrity, Profesionalism, Conscientiousness and achieving a win-win situation since our inception, and we will continue to do so together as a team to work towards our shared goals and overcome all challenges ahead."



At the gala ceremony, Sharon reiterated the company's commitment to delivering value and trust to our clients by offering services such as quality assurance through strict testing procedures, cost reduction on electronic components, shortage sourcing for clients on difficult parts, small-batch kitting, and excess inventory management. Briocean's services are tailored to meet the specific needs of clients, and the company works closely with our strong network of trusted suppliers to ensure all our clients receive reliable, timely and cost-effective solutions on their electronic component needs. As Briocean looks to the future, it remains committed to its values and mission, recognizing that they are the key to its success. About Briocean

With over 4,000 global suppliers as partners, a rigid supplier management system, and strict quality processes, Briocean's expertise and commitment to quality service has earned the company a reputation as a trusted partner for electronic component distribution. Briocean's services include: Cost reduction on your components, providing customised cost saving solution

on your components, providing customised cost saving solution Shortage sourcing on your required components within a short lead time

on your required components within a short lead time Small-batch kitting , giving you flexibility on small production runs

, giving you flexibility on small production runs Excess inventory management to minimise your inventory turnover For more information about Briocean and its services, visit www.briocean.com to learn more. Follow Briocean's social media for the company's latest update and happenings:

LinkedIn: @BrioceanTechnology

Facebook: @BrioceanTechnology

Twitter: @BrioceanTech Media Contact EMAIL:

(1) [email protected] (2) [email protected] SOURCE Briocean Technology

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[March 05, 2023]

Award-winning UK school launches innovative IB Diploma College in Singapore for aspiring leaders and changemakers

Westbourne College Singapore is part of the world's first global network of academically elite IBDP schools, with students ranking in top 1% globally

SINGAPORE, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- With a mission to prepare leaders of the future for the careers of the future within the fields of business, entrepreneurship and STEM, the Westbourne brand of award-winning academic excellence launches in Singapore this April.

This follows the first cohort success of Westbourne College Sydney, which shot straight to 1st in Australia for the highest proportion of 44+ IBDP Point grades. Westbourne's rapidly expanding network of global IB Diploma colleges aims to rank in the top 3 colleges in each of its markets within three years of operations, establishin a worldwide reputation for a groundbreaking STEM and innovation-led, IB-only, co-ed, future-focused model.







Built on foundations of 127 years of academic excellence, Westbourne School UK has led the UK leagues tables for over 5 years in a row, and was named IB School of the Year in 2019 by the Sunday Times.

Westbourne College Singapore boasts a formidable leadership and teaching team, who will lead students, aged 15-18, in small group teaching similar to university-style tutorials, ensuring a highly personalised approach.

Founding Principal, Mr Stephen Keegan, said:

"This is an exciting time in Westbourne's evolution, where we have a unique opportunity to build on our reputation for providing a world-class education for ambitious young learners, supported by the latest in technology and innovation, with unmatched global learning links."

Westbourne has a longstanding reputation for outstanding student outcomes at IGCSE and in the IBDP. 90% of UK graduates secure Russell Group university places or international equivalents, including Oxbridge and Ivy League.

Mr Keegan continued:

"We offer a future-ready approach, leveraged by exceptional relationships with universities globally, as well as with world-leading business school INSEAD."

"Combined with cutting-edge technology and STEM excellence, and you have a powerful offering that produces university-ready young people poised to make their mark in leading global industries. We provide the bridge to university and a successful career."

Westbourne College Singapore students benefit from access to world-leading thinkers and global exchange trips. The College will offer the 1-year IGCSE, 2-year IBDP and an innovative 12-week academic booster programme, PreIB. Students are supported to pursue leadership roles, in STEM & business, globally.

SOURCE Westbourne College Singapore
[March 05, 2023] Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Technology Association Held Commendation Conference, YouLianCloud achieved the "Outstanding Contribution of Year 2022" award

SHANGHAI, March 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Technology Association (SAITA) announced the list of advanced enterprises to be commended of 2022. The categories of enterprise awards in 2022 offered by SAITA include Science & Technology Innovation Awards, Emerging Innovation Awards as well as Outstanding Contribution Awards. Among them, YouLianCloud Information Service (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. ("YouLianCloud" ) is recognized as the winner of "Outstanding Contribution of Year 2022". As the industry-leading intelligent financial information engine in China, YouLianCloud takes ecological connection as the core, deeply cultivates the financial industry and AIGC. By combining natural language processing, big data and knowledge graph technology, YouLianCloud provides its users with intelligent application for multiple scenarios such as sales, marketing, investment research and risk control.



With decades of deep understanding of the financial field and rich insight of the demanding, the team furthers its research in the field of financial AIGC. Embedded with natural language processing, knowledge graph and generative AI technologies, the platform reaches the produciton of Intelligent Content such as intelligent financial information and intelligent financial videos. Meanwhile, it also solves the difficulties of data capture, materials searching and inefficient creation. At present, YouLianCloud has provided a wide range of digital and intelligent services for hundreds of large financial institutions and listed companies. It has been honored as the "Most Commercial Cooperation Value Winner of 2022 " in the field of Knowledge Graph.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shanghai-artificial-intelligence-technology-association-held-commendation-conference-youliancloud-achieved-the-outstanding-contribution-of-year-2022-award-301762950.html SOURCE YouLianCloud

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[March 05, 2023] The Cambridge English Qualifications are widely recognised as the gold standard in language testing.

SINGAPORE, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Cambridge English Qualifications have been trusted by hundreds of institutions all over the world for many years and are widely regarded as the gold standard when it comes to evaluating language skills. The number of organisations who acknowledge Cambridge English Qualifications surpassed 25,000, further solidifying the company's position as the industry's preeminent provider of English language tests. Learners have the opportunity to demonstrate their language skills and stand out in a competitive job market by obtaining Cambridge English Qualifications, which are widely recognised by universities, corporations, and governments around the world. The certifications are available to learners of any age and from any background since they cover a wide range of skills and abilities, beginning with the most basic and progressing to the most advanced. The reading, writing, listening, and speaking abilities of candidates are just some of the aspects of their English proficiency that are evaluated by Cambridge English Qualifications. They offer a dependable and objective measurement of linguistic ability, which enables institutions to make educated decisions regarding admissions, recruiting, and training. The fact that Cambridge English Qualifications have reached the landmark number of 25,000 institutions that recognise them is evidence of the high standards and quality of the exams. The significance of a Cambridge English qualification, as well as the competitive advantage it offers to students, is widely acknowledged by educational establishments. A representative at Cambridge University Press & Assessment made the following statement: "We are overjoyed to have reached this important milestone, which demonstrates the faith and confidence that institutions from all around the world have in the credentials that we offer. The Cambridge English Qualifications give a rigorous and trustworthy measure of a language learner's competency, and we are happy to be able to provide students and candidates with a direct route to accomplishing the language goals they have set for themselves." The Cambridge English Qualifications are becoming increasingly important as the need for people who are proficient in the English language increases all around the world. Learners have the chance to advance their language skills, realise their ambitions, and get access to previously unavailable academic and professional prospects as a result of these opportunities. Cambridge English. Where your world grows. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69WCsc7FbtA Cambridge English tests that are completely in line with the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is a framework that is widely recognised and is used to describe language ability across Europe and beyond. It makes it easier for students, teachers, and employers to communicate about language skills by providing a common language for describing language proficiency and providing a common language for describing language proficiency. Exams given by Cambridge English provide a clear indication of a candidate's level of language proficiency in accordance with the CEFR's six levels: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, and C2. This alignment was necessary in order to facilitate this. This alignment will help students and teachers better understand their strengths and areas in which they can improve, and it will make it simpler for employers to evaluate the linguistic abilities of job applicants What is the ommon European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)?





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liE1Tp3Ta8M According to a representative of Cambridge, "Cambridge English is committed to providing accurate and reliable assessments of English language ability. By conforming our examinations to the CEFR, we are ensuring that our tests are in line with international standards. As a result, our candidates will be able to have full faith in the results that they are given," The alignment of Cambridge English with the CEFR is the result of a comprehensive review of the examinations and assessment criteria used by Cambridge English. To ensure that the exams accurately reflect the levels that are outlined in the CEFR, the process included consultation with language experts, teachers, and other stakeholders. The alignment is part of Cambridge English's ongoing commitment to providing high-quality language assessments tailored to meet the requirements of students, educators, and employers worldwide. Cambridge English is confident that this alignment will help learners achieve their language goals and make it easier for employers to find candidates with the required language skills. Cambridge English is also confident that this alignment will help employers find candidates with the language skills they need. Evaluating Impact at Cambridge English https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ENYVWsplus Visit the website of Cambridge English for additional information regarding Cambridge English Qualifications. https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-tests/linguaskill/

https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/my/exams-and-tests/linguaskill/

https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/jp/exams-and-tests/linguaskill/

https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/vn/exams-and-tests/linguaskill/

https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/id/

https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/th/

https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/kr/ About Cambridge University Press & Assessment To learn English is to enjoy and experience a language that opens up opportunities across the world. Together with teachers and our partners, we're here to engage and inspire millions of people throughout their entire English language learning journey, helping them confidently prove their skills to the world. As part of a university with global reputation for academic excellence, we create insights derived from deep research, expertise and experiences. This ensures our unique approach meets the real-life needs of learners through inclusive and accessible products and services. As a global language, English unlocks a lifetime of experiences, and  because language is at the heart of being human  we help people everywhere connect, communicate and come closer together. Where your world grows. Cambridge English is the producer and proud co-owner of IELTS, the world's leading English test for migration and higher education. We help millions of people learn English and prove their skills to the world. Part of the University of Cambridge, we provide the world's leading range of qualifications and tests for learners and teachers of English. For us, learning English is more than just exams and grades. It's about having the confidence to communicate and access a lifetime of enriching experiences and opportunities. Whether you're planning to live, work or study in your own country or abroad, we can give you the English language skills to succeed. We provide the world's leading range of qualifications and tests for learners and teachers of English. Globally recognised by more than 25,000 leading universities, employers and governments, our research-based assessments are a mark of excellence that open doors. English is spoken in every corner of the globe: from cafes to campuses, markets to meeting rooms and everywhere in between. We deliver exams in over 130 countries to over 5.5 million people every year. We offer comprehensive preparation, support materials and resources for learning and teaching English. Through years of research, we have gained indepth understanding of how people learn languages. This enables us to design assessments that help learners acquire the right skills based on how people use English today. Our work is supported around the world by a network of 2,800 exam centres, over 50,000 schools and tens of thousands of examiners, teachers, education experts and publishers. Working together, we inspire learners to go further. With the right support, learning a language is an exhilarating journey. We're with you every step of the way. What we believe  To learn English is to enjoy and experience a language that opens up opportunities across the world. What we offer  Together with teachers and our partners, we're here to engage and inspire millions of people throughout their entire English language learning journey, helping them confidently prove their skills to the world. How we do things and the impact we have  As part of a university with global reputation for academic excellence, we create insights derived from deep research, expertise and experiences. This ensures our unique approach meets the real-life needs of learners through inclusive and accessible products and services. The global role of English  As a global language, English unlocks a lifetime of experiences, and  because language is at the heart of being human  we help people everywhere connect, communicate and come closer together. What we promise  Where your world grows. SOURCE Cambridge University Press & Assessment

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[March 06, 2023] PsiQuantum Opens UK-Based Research Facility to Develop Next-Generation High-Power Cryogenic Systems for Large-Scale Quantum Computing

PsiQuantum announced today the opening of its UK-based advanced R&D facility at STFC's Daresbury Laboratory in the north west of England. This effort is backed by 9M of funding from the UK government's Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), and gives PsiQuantum access to one of Europe's largest liquid-helium (approx. -270C) cryogenic plants. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230303005312/en/ PsiQuantum's modularized quantum computing system networks individual cryogenic units using conventional fiber optics. (Photo: Business Wire) PsiQuantum has teamed up with STFC's Daresbury Laboratory to develop the next generation of high-power cryogenic modules which will be necessary to scale photonic quantum computers to millions of qubits. PsiQuantum will work with Daresbury Laboratory experts specialized in large-scale cryogenic infrastructure to develop advanced cryogenic systems. This partnership will deliver quantum computing subsystems with the highest cryogenic cooling power deployed to date, representing a major step towards large-scale quantum computers capable of solving commercially relevant problems. PsiQuantum is building an error-corrected quantum computer which harnesses the quantum mechanical properties of single particles of light (photons). Like all leading quantum computing efforts, this requires cryogenic cooling but the advantage of a photonic approach is that the cooling requirements are far less demanding. PsiQuantum's approach requires cryogenic cooling to operate extremely sensitive single-photon detectors, which are used to read the state of the photonic qubit. These devices operate at temperatures just a few degrees above absolute zero - equivalent to the temperature of deep space. Although cold, the operating temperature is hundreds of times hotter than the milli-Kelvin temperatures required by many other quantum computing technologies, thus circumventing the unprecedented challenge of developing large-scale milli-Kelvin dilution refrigeration. Working with SFC's Daresbury Laboratory will increase PsiQuantum's cryogenic capabilities 100-fold, with single cryogenic modules capable of delivering 100W of cooling power at liquid-helium temperatures. In addition to supporting larger arrays of quantum chips, this additional cooling power will allow PsiQuantum to implement power-hungry features that are essential for scaling-up quantum computers, including chip-to-chip networking and integrated control electronics.



This collaboration between PsiQuantum, STFC and the UK National Quantum Computing Centre will accelerate PsiQuantum's roadmap by leveraging the UK's well-established infrastructure and skill-base, including: Collaboration with UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)

Access to one of Europe's largest liquid-helium cryogenic plants

Access to SciTech Daresbury's large-scale R&D engineering facilities and workshops

Cryogenic module development - providing 100W of cooling power

Access to highly-skilled UK talent and knowledge in cryogenic engineering

9M of funding from the UK government (DSIT) Mark Thompson, Chief Technologist and Co-Founder at PsiQuantum, said:

"We are very excited to be setting up a lab in the UK in collaboration with the STFC's Daresbury Laboratory. The UK has a long history in quantum technologies and a talent pool of exceptional quantum engineers. The STFC team and facilities are world class, with a deep history of accomplishments in large-scale scientific infrastructure. Access to existing cryogenic infrastructure and expertise accelerates PsiQuantum's mission to deliver a large-scale quantum computer." Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan said: "Attracting companies like PsiQuantum to our shores to build new research facilities like this one in Daresbury will transform the way we tackle many of the challenges facing us today, from ground-breaking medicinal discoveries to tackling climate change. "The establishment of this facility is a huge vote of confidence in the UK's unrivalled expertise in innovation, demonstrating how the UK is spearheading crucial breakthroughs in quantum technologies." Dr Michael Cuthbert, Director of the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) "It is great to see PsiQuantum recognise the strengths of the UK's quantum ecosystem and set up here to work with our leading talent and companies. The NQCC look forward to collaborating with PsiQuantum to support the development of fault tolerant quantum computing, strengthening the UK supply chain and maturing the UK user community." Dr Neil Geddes, Executive Director, National Laboratories, Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) "We are pleased that PsiQuantum has chosen to locate at STFC's Daresbury Laboratory, where they will capitalise on our existing cryogenic infrastructure and expertise in their mission to deliver a large-scale quantum computer. Their investment will strengthen the tech cluster in the North West, creating supply chain and collaborative opportunities for other businesses." Paul Vernon, Head of STFC's Daresbury Laboratory, said: "PsiQuantum is a shining example of how STFC is supporting pioneering businesses in their mission to develop the technologies that have the potential to change the world we live in, to transform industry and change our lives for the better. "I am really excited to welcome PsiQuantum to Daresbury Laboratory, where our cutting edge technologies, facilities and expertise are contributing towards what could be a critical milestone in quantum computing for the world." About PsiQuantum Powered by breakthroughs in silicon photonics and fault-tolerant quantum architecture, PsiQuantum is building the first utility-scale quantum computer to solve some of the world's most important challenges. PsiQuantum's approach is based on single-photon qubits, which have significant advantages at the scale required to deliver a fault-tolerant, general-purpose quantum computer. With their photonic chips manufactured in a world-leading semiconductor fab, PsiQuantum is uniquely positioned to deliver quantum capabilities reaching the scale needed to drive advances in climate technologies, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, finance, energy, agriculture, transportation, communications, and beyond. To learn more, visit www.psiquantum.com. Follow PsiQuantum: LinkedIn About The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), funds and supports research in particle and nuclear physics, astronomy, gravitational research and astrophysics, and space science. It operates a network of five national laboratories as well as supporting UK research at a number of international research facilities including CERN, FERMILAB and the ESO telescopes in Chile. STFC is keeping the UK at the forefront of international science and has a broad science portfolio, working with the academic and industrial communities to share its expertise.  2023 PsiQuantum. PsiQuantum and the PsiQuantum logo are registered or pending registration trademarks of PsiQuantum, Corp., in the United States and other countries. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230303005312/en/

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[March 06, 2023] Durlston Partners and Imperial College London Launch 2023 Career Workshop Series

Durlston Partners, an expert talent advisory firm specialising in technology, quantitative finance and data science, and the Department of Computing at Imperial College London, the world-class university in science, engineering, medicine and business, are delighted to announce that they have launched their 2023 series of workshops to help students enrolled in the university's computer science programmes navigate the path from education to starting a career. The 2023 workshop series starts this year with mock interview workshops for graduating computer science students. The programme additionally offers bespoke career guidance, as well as CV writing and interview training workshops. These modules are delivered by Durlston's team of talent advisory experts and are intended to educate students on the different career paths available. Durlston hopes the training will ensure Imperial's computer science students stand out amid increasingly fierce competition in the technology, finance, data science and digital assets sectors. As part of this programme with Imperial's Department of Computing, Durlston is leveraging its network of contacts in all relevant sectors to encourage its clients and other organisations, including hedge funds, family offices, digital asset firms and banks, to offer more internship and employment opportunities to the university's graduates. Imperial College London's Department of Computing was rated the best department in the subject of Computer Science and Informaticsin the 2021 Research Excellence Framework. All new opportunities that arise will be accessible to Imperial's computer science students through the university's campus structured recruitment programme.



Tom Curtin, Industrial Liaison Officer at Department of Computing, Imperial College London, said: "Imperial College London is committed to helping its students find the very best career paths. We are thrilled that our computer science students have the opportunity to work with leading talent advisory Durlston Partners, giving our students the best chance of securing first-class employment following their time at Imperial. The first workshop on mock interviews was a great success and we're looking forward to the remainder and seeing the benefits they bring to our community." Meraj Bahram, Managing Partner at Durlston Partners, said: "Moving from education to the workforce is not easy, particularly for graduating students looking to enter highly competitive employment sectors. We can, however, help them with this transition. By working with Imperial's Department of Computing to provide computer science students with career guidance and hands-on workshops, as well as seeding more internship and employment opportunities for graduates through our network, we are playing an important role in helping the next generation of leaders stand out from the competition and launch their careers. We are delighted to have welcomed the new cohort of students to our first training session and we look forward to working with them throughout the workshop series."

About Durlston Partners Founded in 2010, Durlston Partners is an expert talent advisory and delivery firm specialising in the technology, quantitative finance, data science and digital asset sectors. The firm leverages its proprietary technology, deep experience and strong network to help clients find the highest-performing professionals. Durlston's clients range from high-net-worth individuals, hedge funds and family offices to digital asset firms and banks. Headquartered in London, Durlston Partners is led by an accomplished team of Partners with decades of combined experience in talent recruitment and advisory. www.durlstonpartners.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230306005227/en/

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[March 06, 2023] First Capital Enters into Agreement with Sandpiper and Artis

First Capital REIT ("First Capital" or the "REIT") (TSX: FCR.UN) today announced that it has entered into an agreement (the "Agreement") with Sandpiper Group ("Sandpiper") and Artis Real Estate Investment Trust ("Artis"). Under the terms of the Agreement, Sandpiper and Artis will withdraw their previous meeting requisition, as well as their nominees for election to the board of trustees of First Capital (the "Board"). The Agreement contains customary standstill and other provisions, but does not provide for further changes to the Board. "First Capital is pleased to have reached an agreement with Sandpiper and Artis that the Board believes is in the best interests of all unitholders. Our refreshed Board and management team will focus on continuing to enhance and unlock value across the REIT's portfolio as we execute on the Optimization Plan," said Paul C. Douglas, Chair of the Board. "We are pleased to have arrived at a settlement with First Capital. First Capital represents the highest quality grocery anchored retail REIT in Canada. There is strong momentum in this asset class and with the recent Board changes, including the appointment of a new chair, we look forward to a renewed commitment to govern and steward the REIT in a manner that will enhance value for all unitholders," said Samir Manji, Founder and CEO, Sandpiper Group. "As a significant owner of First Capital, we will continue to collaborate with the Board and provide constructive input and ideas for their consideration," continued Mr. Manji. The annual and special meeting (the "Meeting") of unitholders that was to be held on arch 28, 2023 will be rescheduled. First Capital will announce the date of the rescheduled Meeting shortly.



The Agreement will be filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com Advisors

Kingsdale Advisors is acting as strategic shareholder advisor to First Capital. Gagnier Communications is acting as communications advisor to First Capital. Stikeman Elliott LLP is acting as legal counsel to the Board. RBC Capital Markets is acting as financial advisor to First Capital. About First Capital REIT (TSX: FCR.UN) First Capital owns, operates and develops grocery-anchored, open-air centres in neighbourhoods with the strongest demographics in Canada. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT ADVISORY This press release contains forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of applicable securities law, including but not limited to the Meeting and related matters. These forward- looking statements are not historical facts but, rather, reflect First Capital's current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the outcome to differ materially from current expectations. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, general economic conditions; tenant financial difficulties, defaults and bankruptcies; increases in operating costs, property taxes and income taxes; First Capital's ability to maintain occupancy and to lease or release space at current or anticipated rents; development, intensification and acquisition activities; residential development, sales and leasing; risks in joint ventures; environmental liability and compliance costs and uninsured losses; and risks and uncertainties related to the impact of the ongoing pandemic, epidemics or other outbreaks on First Capital which are described in First Capital's MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2022 under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties - Ongoing Pandemic, Epidemics or New Outbreaks". Additionally, forward- looking statements are subject to those risks and uncertainties discussed in First Capital's MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2022, and in its current Annual Information Form. Readers, therefore, should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. First Capital undertakes no obligation to publicly update any such forward-looking statement or to reflect new information or the occurrence of future events or circumstances except as required by applicable securities law. All forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date hereof and are qualified by these cautionary statements. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230306005268/en/

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[March 06, 2023] Air Lease Corporation Announces Lease Placement of Three New Airbus A350-900 Aircraft with Air France

Today Air Lease Corporation (NYSE: AL) announced long-term lease placements for three new Airbus A350-900 widebody aircraft with Air France. The aircraft are scheduled to deliver to Air France in the second quarter of 2024 from ALC's order book with Airbus. "This strategic lease placement of three new A350-900s is another important step in the long-haul fleet modernization of Air France," said Steven Udvar-Hazy, Executive Chairman of Air Lease Corporation. "The Air France-KLM Group is our largest European airline leasing customer, encompassing not only Air France and KLM, but also includes Transavia Netherlands and Transavia France. ALC also has nine new Airbus A321neo aircraft delivering to the Group between late 2023 and 2026, and five Boeing 737s delivering to Transavia during the first half of this year, all on long-term leases." Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including expected delivery dates. Such statements are based on current expectations and projections about our future results, prospects and opportunities and are not guarantees of future performance. Such statements will not be updatd unless required by law. Actual results and performance may differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including those discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.



About Air Lease Corporation (NYSE: AL) Air Lease Corporation is a leading global aircraft leasing company based in Los Angeles, California that has airline customers throughout the world. ALC and its team of dedicated and experienced professionals are principally engaged in purchasing new commercial aircraft and leasing them to its airline customers worldwide through customized aircraft leasing and financing solutions. The company routinely posts information that may be important to investors in the "Investors" section of its website at www.airleasecorp.com. Investors and potential investors are encouraged to consult Air Lease Corporation's website regularly for important information. The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, ALC's website is not incorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this press release.

About Air France Since 1933, Air France has been promoting and highlighting France throughout the world. With an activity divided between passenger transport, cargo transport and aeronautical maintenance, Air France is a major air transport player. More than 42,000 staff that make up its workforce are committed on a daily basis to offering each customer a unique travel experience. Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Transavia make up the Air France-KLM Group. The leading group in terms of intercontinental traffic on departure from Europe, Air France-KLM is a major player in the global air transport industry. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230303005406/en/

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[March 06, 2023] EdgeConneX Expands Global Reach and International Interconnection Opportunities with New AFR-IX Cable Landing Station Connection in Barcelona

AFR-IX is the Largest Pan-African Exchange and the New Connection into the EdgeConneX Barcelona Facility Will Help Provide Multi-Continent Connectivity Across the Mediterranean for Customers HERNDON, Va., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- EdgeConneX, the pioneer in global Hyperlocal to Hyperscale Data Center Solutions, announces that it has connected its data center located in Sant Boi de Llobregat, (Barcelona) Spain, to the AFR-IX Barcelona Cable Landing Station (CLS)  a critical entry and exit point between Barcelona, Europe, Africa, and the rest of the World. Opened in 2021, the 9MW EdgeConneX carrier-neutral data center facility in Barcelona provides essential, local, cloud and content access as well as highly secure server collocation in a carbon-neutral facility employing renewable energy strategies. "The Barcelona CLS connection enables EdgeConneX customers to access new international routes through the submarine cables hosted by the AFR-IX Barcelona CLS," said Bart Verdouw, Senior Director Solutions Architecture EMEA at EdgeConneX "Importantly, the connection also enables alternative routs to EdgeConneX data centers throughout Europe, including Dublin, Brussels, Amsterdam and Munich. The agreement between AFR-IX telecom and EdgeConneX is an example of how a whole digital ecosystem that will eventually consolidate Barcelona and its metropolitan area as a relevant digital hub in Southern Europe.



EdgeConneX is continuing its push to bring the Edge closer to those that need it most, where they need it most. It's a customer centric philosophy that runs companywide and takes the company to places like Barcelona where it can have an immediate and positive impact on overall business opportunity, community and edge market growth. "There is a great demand from many companies for data centers in the Barcelona metropolitan region to connect to Barcelona CLS to improve their connectivity and access to international routes through submarine cables," said Miguel Angel Acero, CTO of Barcelona CLS and AFR-IX telecom. "The connection between EdgeConneX and Barcelona CLS will be beneficial for both companies and will improve the digital economy, not only in this region, but across Europe and Africa."

For more information about EdgeConneX and its leading Edge of network infrastructure solutions for expanding and improving access to data, content, and communications anywhere, anytime, at any scale, visit edgeconnex.com or email [email protected]. About EdgeConneX

Backed by EQT Infrastructure , part of the global investment organization EQT , EdgeConneX provides a full range of sustainable data center solutions worldwide. We work closely with our customers to offer choices in location, scale and type of facility, from Hyperlocal to Hyperscale. EdgeConneX is a global leader in anytime, anywhere, and any scale data center services for a diverse portfolio of industries, including Content, Cloud, Networks, Gaming, Automotive, SaaS, IoT, HPC, Security, and more. With a mission predicated on taking care of our customers, our people, and our planet, EdgeConneX strives to Empower Your Edge. For more information, please visit edgeconnex.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/edgeconnex-expands-global-reach-and-international-interconnection-opportunities-with-new-afr-ix-cable-landing-station-connection-in-barcelona-301761352.html SOURCE EdgeConneX

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[March 06, 2023] Alpha Motor Corporation Releases Information About its Move Humanity Brand and Vision

IRVINE, Calif., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Alpha Motor Corporation (Alpha) released today information about its company to raise awareness of its California-based Move Humanity brand and vision. History Alpha Motor Corporation (Alpha) is a privately held U.S. automobile and mobility technology company based in Irvine, California. Alpha was founded by Edward Lee and Jada Lee. Edward Lee is an award-winning American automotive designer with over 20 years of automotive industry experience and is credited as the lead inventor of the Lexus LC Flagship Luxury Coupe and Convertible (U.S. Patents D891989-S, D806609-S, D671458-S). Jada Lee is Co-Founder and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors at Alpha Motor Corporation and carries over 16 years of business and corporate law experience. Alpha was founded in 2020 and initially self-funded until 2021 when convertibles notes were issued. The company achieved profitability in 2022. Alpha recently opened a Reg CF equity offering on StartEngine, a private investment platform regulated by the SEC. In 2023, Alpha received The Certificate of Congressional Recognition from the United States House of Representatives for its technology patents and dedication to sustainable transportation. Alpha was also recognized as the "Electric Vehicle Manufacturer of the Year  California," by Corporate LiveWire Global Awards. Present Day Alpha Motor Corporation (Alpha) is an award-winning American automobile company focused on manufacturing mobility solutions that Move Humanity. Following a successful market introduction in 2020 and backed by over 52,500 vehicle preorder indications, Alpha is advancing to pre-production vehicle development in 2023. Alpha is backed by: Patented Technology - Alpha has proprietary advantages in technology, design, and process enabling speed-to-market efficiency of award-winning EV designs. Strong Market Demand  Alpha has received over 52,500 vehicle preorder indications to date in addition to distribution agreements in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Experience And Ability to Execute - Alpha's automotive business proficiency comes from decades of experience at major corporations. Alpha has formed OEM-level strategic partnerships in the U.S. to efficiently develop and manufacture highly competitive EVs. Alpha is led by automotive professionals working to commercialize its award-winning EV designs. Alpha's patented technology enables speed-to-market efficiency with an aim to manufacture for the EV mass market, which is expected to surpass US$1.5 trillion by 2030. EV Revolution Led by Alpha Leveraging award-winning designs alongside patented technology and production methods, Alpha is efficiently creating the next generation of electric vehicles to be equipped with quality performance that is enjoyable and accessible. Alpha's multi-purpose vehicle system enables shared solutions to streamline EV development. Alpha's unique vehicle system includes dimensionally adjustable chassis, interchangeable power components, interchangeable interior components, interchangeable subsystem components, interchangeable user interface control system, interchangeable body modules enabling vehicle variants, and other patented methodologies, designs, and sustainable industrial practices. The Alpha lineup encompasses multiple categories for the consumer market  including Utility, Sport, and Adventure Series vehicles. Alpha's patented modular vehicle system allows the company to rapidly create and develop a variety of EV solutions. Alpha is committed to creating the kinds ofelectric vehicles it believes the world has always wanted to see but that have not existed  until now.



Green Economy Driven by EVs On a global scale, gasoline-powered vehicles contribute massively to the deterioration of our planet's atmosphere and are not sustainable as we move towards a net zero green economy. Alpha believes that the electrification of cars is the way forward, offering significant savings in fuel, maintenance, and overall ownership costs, compared to gasoline vehicles. Alpha's vision to Move Humanity places focus on sustainability with an emphasis on the impact on consumers. Alpha is convinced that the decisions involving sustainability should consider accountability and values that stand the test of time.

In order to move the needle forward on mass adoption trends, it is Alpha's observation that the current market is lacking in stylish, affordable, and functional EV options, and the company is striving to fill the void. The EV Advantage Alpha's technology is backed by a level of experience and expertise that we believe is rare to the emerging EV industry. Alpha's Leadership and Advisory Board carries an impressive track record of scaling business growth for top EV companies including Tesla. They believe in Alpha's potential to become a highly influential brand and will further support the company to achieve significant milestones. Through decades of automotive research and technical development, company founder, Edward Lee, a multi-award-winning American automotive designer, has worked with some of the world's most well-known automobile manufacturers including Toyota, Lexus, and Audi. Mr. Lee has been recognized by The Center for Leadership at CSU Fullerton for "Excellence in Executive Leadership in Innovation" and was named "Most Motivational Motor Vehicle Manufacturing Chairperson (USA)" by CEO Monthly. Designed in California with U.S. Manufacturing Power Since being introduced to the market, Alpha's designs have caught the attention of consumers and industry experts. In 2021, the company's Wolf Electric Truck was exhibited in concept form to the public at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles and has remained on display by popular demand until very recently. This exhibition marked the successful completion of Alpha's proof-of-concept stage generating over 9,600 initial preorder indications for Wolf Electric Truck series alone. Combining proprietary technology, patented design, and a differentiated go-to-market strategy led by the company's most popular vehicles, Alpha believes it may be poised for international distribution with an end goal of streamlining mass market delivery starting in 2025. At present, the company is actively working towards mass production and is experiencing overwhelming demand, having received a total of over 52,500 vehicle preorder indications to date. Alpha expects its total production capacity to swiftly fulfill market demand. Separately, Alpha has distribution agreements in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia for 3,150 cars annually, which is in addition to the 52,000 vehicle preorder indications by the direct consumers. That figure is expected to increase on a yearly basis and not representative of Alpha's projected total production capacity. The company also anticipates economic and capital advantages from lean manufacturing operations, tax credits, and government-backed incentives to boost EV sales. Alpha has formed OEM-level strategic partnerships in the U.S. including UHI, which has a 406,000 sq. ft vehicle manufacturing plant based in Sterling Heights, Michigan. Moreover, Alpha has secured multiple patents, which protects proprietary design, patented technology, and development process to streamline expansion. Alpha believes that this unique advantage may enable the company to swiftly fulfill market demand and gain market share. Move Humanity Together! From its early inception, Alpha has caught the attention of consumers and industry experts alike, winning awards for its designs and amassing substantial preorder demand. As the company moves to become a leader in the EV industry, Alpha plans to focus on successful commercialization and expansion well into the future with its diverse, differentiated, and accessible vehicle solutions. Simply put, Alpha builds cars for the wellness of people and to bring focus to a greener economy. Alpha is a new American EV brand, producing some of the market's most in-demand electric vehicle solutions, and the company looks forward to Moving Humanity. "Alpha Motor Corporation's vision to Move Humanity provides anyone who wishes to contribute to furthering its goals with a growth opportunity, purpose to exert influence, and scintillating adventure to follow one's passion. Creating a culture that positively reinforces giving recognition where it is due and bestowing responsibility where appropriate is essential to building a venture that will shape the way people are motivated and inspired. The underlying philosophy is intended to reward meaningful contributions, which consequently brings about remarkable innovations. Personally, this journey provides a chance to listen, connect, inspire and lead by example. It affords us with the mandate to not only motivate others but to influence the way in which people are inspired. I revere the opportunity to pave the way for the next generation and welcome the responsibility to make conscientious decisions that will touch the lives of many. Success of Alpha Motor Corporation will hinge on its being authentic, respectful, encouraging and empowering in all of its endeavors. My aspiration for our company is to be able to transform the fundamental principles, which shall be fortified by accepting challenges, achieving milestones and extending purpose. Our company is built on principles that will lead to its triumph and realization of its ambitions and is created by those who understand the significance of upholding such values. We invite the world to experience what will indeed become evident to all," said Jada Lee, Co-Founder and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Alpha Motor Corporation. About Alpha Motor Corporation (Alpha) is an award-winning American automobile company focused on manufacturing mobility solutions that Move Humanity. We innovate sustainable transportation for the wellness of people and our environment by implementing advanced automotive technologies and disruptive industrial practices. Based in Irvine, California, Alpha is committed to creating the kinds of electric vehicles we believe the world has always wanted to see but that have not existed  until now. Industry and Business Automotive, Car Manufacturer, Mobility Technology Organization Private U.S. Corporation (Founders - Edward Lee, Jada Lee) Edward Lee (Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer) Founded 2020 Corporate Headquarters 9551 Irvine Center Drive Irvine, CA 92618 Recent Awards and Recognition 2023 Certificate of Congressional Recognition Issued by The United States House of Representatives 2023 Electric Vehicle Manufacturer of the Year  California Issued by Corporate LiveWire Global Awards Please contact [email protected] for more information. Related Links https://www.alphamotorinc.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/alpha-motor-corporation-releases-information-about-its-move-humanity-brand-and-vision-301763157.html SOURCE Alpha Motor Corporation

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[March 06, 2023] RANOVUS demonstrates industry's lowest power consumption 800Gbps Ethernet interoperable link to scale AMD adaptive SoCs for AI/ML

OFC--RANOVUS Inc. ("RANOVUS") today announced interoperability of AMD Versal adaptive SoCs with the co-packaged Odin 800G direct-drive optical engine and third party 800G DR8+ retimed pluggable modules. The interoperability demonstration is part of OFC 2023, the leading optical networking event in North America, and highlights the versatility of RANOVUS's Odin portfolio for AI/ML and communications applications. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230306005142/en/ AMD Versal ACAP co-packaged with Ranovus' Odin direct-drive CPO 2.0 (left). Third-party 800Gbps DR8+ pluggable module and Ranovus 800Gbps DR8+ pluggable module. (Photo: Business Wire) RANOVUS' Odin is a low latency, high density, protocol agnostic, and standards-based optical engine that delivers massive optical interconnect bandwidth with industry-leading cost and power efficiency. Built on GlobalFoundries Fotonix monolithic RF/CMOS silicon photonics (SiPh) platform, Odin incorporates RANOVUS's proprietary RF CMOS, silicon photonics, laser, and advanced packaging technologies for volume manufacturing. Odin is well suited for next-generation data center architectures built on co-packaged optics, near-packaged optics, and pluggable OSFP/QSFP-DD/OSFP XD optical modules. "We announced the first generation of our Odin optical interconnect at OFC 2022 for proprietary AI/ML applications. We are thrilled to showcase our standards-based Odin optical interconnect product with 5pJ/bit for a direct-drive CPO solution," said Dr. Christoph Schulien, head of Systems and High-Speed IC R&D of RANOVUS. "Its inherent versatility enables hyperscale data center providers to drastically reduce power consumption and optimize density and cost as they deploy novel hybrid data center architectures in response to the insatiable growth in AI/ML workloads." "RANOVUS' demonstration of interoperability between our Versal adaptive SoCs co-packaged with Odin 800G direct-drive CPO 2.0 and third party 800G DR8+ retimed pluggable modules underlines the flexibility and scalability of RANOVUS' technology," said Yohan Frans, vice president, Engineering at AMD. "We are proud of our collaboration with RANOVUS in demonstrating the performance and versatility of monolithic silicon photonics interconnects as data center and 5G customers deploy highly efficient and cost-effective systems for next generation workloads." "RANOVUS' demonstration of interoperability between CPO and pluggable modules is a key proof point that their interconnect technology supports the flexibility and scalability with the lowest power consumption sought by hyperscalers as they optimize their data centers for AI/ML workloads," said Vladimir Kozlov the founder and CEO of LIGHTCOUNTING. RANOVUS will be demonstrating its Odin optical interconnect CPO, NPO and 800Gbps DR8+ pluggable module portfolio at RANOVUS' OFC 2023 booth #2019 and at GlobalFoundries' booth #5216. Please also join RANOVUS for panel discussions on "Advanced Packaging Technologies for Optical Modules" (8 March, 8:00am) and "Enabling Next Generation Co-Packaging Solutions" (9 March, 12:15pm). About RANOVUS RANOVUS, with operations in Ottawa, Canada, Nuremberg, Germany and Sunnyvale, USA, develops and manufactures advanced photonics interconnect solutions to support the next generation of AI/ML workloads in data centers and communication networks. Our team has extensive experience in product development and commercialization of optoelectronics subsystems for the information technology industry. RANOVUS' current disruptive portfolio of IP Cores includes Multi-Wavelength Quantum Dot Laser technology and advanced digital and silicon photonics integrated circuit technologies that set a new industry benchmark for the lowest power dissipation, size, and cost for the next generation of optical interconnect solutions. RANOVUS' Odin platform is the enabling technology for a new data center architecture optimized for AI/ML and communications workloads. The company has received funding from leading venture capital firms, strategic investors, Sustainable Development Technology Canada, and Strategic Innovation Fund of Canada. Information about RANOVUS can be found at www.ranovus.com.







AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, Versal, and combinations thereof are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230306005142/en/

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[March 06, 2023] AtData Enters Strategic Partnership with Zirous!

AtData, today announced they have entered into a strategic partnership with Zirous. AtData's goal is to help Zirous improve digital outreach and enhance marketing results for their customers. DEDHAM, Mass., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AtData, The Email Address Experts, today announced they have entered into a strategic partnership with Zirous, a tech firm that enables their clients to overcome marketing challenges stemming from new technology and customer demands. The goal of working together is to help Zirous improve digital outreach and enhance marketing results for their customers. "AtData enjoys being at the forefront in the digital space. Looking at a company like Zirous, it was a natural partnership, with their strategy-focused guidance on helping their customers leverage cutting-edge technology. We know our data can further help as they increase their clients' efficiency, productivity, and profitability."- Phil Davis, CBO Zirous has expertise in data and platform management and will automate data enrichment from AtData directly into the tools their clients use every day like CRMs, marketing automation platforms, customer data platforms, and web forms. Through this partnership, Zirous will have an expanded tool set with a good foundation of industry leading email-centric data. Partnership

AtData's SafeToSend solution improves data quality by valdating email addresses to ensure that only accurate and up-to-date information is used for marketing and outreach purposes. AtData aims to help Zirous deliver in its mission to empower its customers to maximize the value of their data, improving marketing campaign effectiveness, and ultimately leading to better business outcomes.



"I really feel that together, AtData and Zirous can and will deliver a range of digital transformation solutions to help enhance accuracy, comprehensiveness, and the reliability of our clients' data. We want our customers to maximize the value of their data so their digital marketing can perform optimally." - Zirous About AtData

AtData, the Email Address Experts, is the leader in email address intelligence. Powered by 1.5 billion historical email and postal addresses and billions of monthly activity signals, we not only validate and verify our customers' first-party data, but we also enable those organizations to develop actionable customer profiles and assess risk resulting in an increase in customer engagement, sales, and customer retention. To learn more please visit: https://www.atdata.com/.

About Zirous

For over 35 years, Zirous, headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa, has served as an IT consulting firm specializing in data analytics and engineering, enterprise integration, identity management and the development and infrastructure needed to implement them. Zirous is a strategy-focused company that is not afraid to challenge the status quo. Zirous' goal is to create success that works for your organization for years to come, and our philosophy is a business-first approach. Our valued partnerships with world class software vendors in each service area guarantee the perfect solution for your business. Zirous was recognized as a Top Workplace by the Des Moines Register for four consecutive years, and a finalist for Young Professional Organization of the Year. To learn more please visit: https://www.zirous.com/. Contact:

April Paige, Marketing & Communications Manager

c 941-586-6550

[email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/atdata-enters-strategic-partnership-with-zirous-301762696.html SOURCE AtData

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[March 06, 2023]

AIM ImmunoTech Issues Letter to Stockholders

Year marked by noteworthy operational execution and clinical development progress across pipeline



Company reiterates commitment to continued communication and activity with the investment and scientific communities

Poised to achieve multiple clinical and regulatory value-driving milestones in 2023

OCALA, Fla., March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AIM ImmunoTech Inc. (NYSE American: AIM) (AIM or the Company), an immuno-pharma company focused on the research and development of therapeutics to treat multiple types of cancers, immune disorders, and viral diseases, including COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, today issued a letter to stockholders highlighting key accomplishments in 2022 and outlining corporate objectives for 2023.

The full text of the letter is as follows:

March 6, 2023

To our valued stockholders,

Over the course of the past year, the AIM management team and Board have worked dedicatedly to position the Company for continued success. In 2022, our team successfully executed across our clinical development programs, including the initiation of clinical studies and commenced patient enrollment, as well as noteworthy progress on the corporate front. I am incredibly proud of our team and pleased with the advancements weve made. As we come to the new year and milestones ahead, I think its worth reviewing some of the key accomplishments made in 2022, highlighted below:

PUBLICATIONS

We have continued to be encouraged by the data we have seen to date demonstrating Ampligens potential for the treatment of multiple types of cancers, immune disorders, and viral diseases, including COVID-19, and continue to establish a growing body of data as a priority. With 10 active clinical programs, 2023 is poised to be a busy and exciting year. In addition to a number of publications for pipeline data expected throughout the year, anticipated upcoming milestones include:

Q1 2023

Post-COVID Conditions: Commence Phase 2 study

Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer: Enroll first patient in Phase 2 study

Q2 2023

Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer: Dose first patient in Phase 2 study

Post-COVID Conditions: Enroll and dose first patient in Phase 2 study

Q3 2023

Advanced Recurrent Ovarian Cancer: Announce Formal interim results



Q4 2023

Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer: Begin clinical trial

Post-COVID Conditions: Complete patient enrollment in Phase 2 study

In addition to executing on our clinical development, we have a number of corporate initiatives we are committed to in 2023, which include building diversity among our Board of Directors. We are actively working to identify individuals with key leadership and expertise and look forward to providing updates as those plans come to fruition. Another priority for us is to maintain active communication with the investment community. With this in mind, we plan to commence quarterly conference calls in the first quarter of 2023. We also plan to continue engaging with the scientific and investment communities by actively participating in meetings and key conferences throughout the year. We encourage you to stay up to date with our activities by visiting our website, aimimmuno.com and connecting with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

We had a truly transformative 2022, but believe 2023 holds significant potential as we advance toward a number of targeted milestones ahead. On behalf of the entire Company, we are grateful for the continued support of our stockholders and remain committed to generating near- and long-term value for all stakeholders.



About AIM ImmunoTech Inc.



AIM ImmunoTech Inc. is an immuno-pharma company focused on the research and development of therapeutics to treat multiple types of cancers, immune disorders, and viral diseases, including COVID-19. The Companys lead product, Ampligen (rintatolimod) is an immuno-modulator with broad spectrum activity being developed for globally important cancers, viral diseases and disorders of the immune system.

Ampligen is currently being used to treat pancreatic cancer patients in an Early Access Program (EAP) approved by the Inspectorate of Healthcare in the Netherlands at Erasmus Medical Center and AIM has commenced a Phase 2 clinical study in locally advanced pancreatic cancer. The Company also has multiple ongoing clinical trials to evaluate Ampligen as a combinational therapy for the treatment of a variety of solid tumor types both underway and planned at major cancer research centers. Additionally, Ampligen is approved in Argentina for the treatment of severe chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and is currently being evaluated in many aspects of SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and Post COVID Conditions.



For more information, please visit aimimmuno.com and connect with the Company on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.



Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Words and expressions reflecting optimism, satisfaction or disappointment with current prospects, as well as words such as believes, hopes, intends, estimates, expects, projects, plans, anticipates and variations thereof, or the use of future tense, identify forward-looking statements, but their absence does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. The Companys forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance, and actual results could vary materially from those contained in or expressed by such statements due to risks, uncertainties and other factors. The Company urges investors to consider specifically the various risk factors identified in its most recent Form 10-K, and any risk factors or cautionary statements included in any subsequent Form 10-Q or Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any responsibility to update any forward-looking statements to take into account events or circumstances that occur after the date of this press release. The information found on our website is not incorporated by reference into this press release and is included for reference purposes only.

Investor Contacts: JTC Team, LLC Jenene Thomas 833-475-8247 [email protected]
[March 06, 2023] Working Smarter, Not Harder: HubSpot CRM Introduces New AI-Powered Tools to Boost Productivity and Save Time

HubSpot, the customer relationship management (CRM) platform for scaling companies, today announced the launch of two new tools powered by artificial intelligence (AI)-content assistant and ChatSpot.ai-to help its customers save time while creating better connections with their audiences. The introduction of content assistant and ChatSpot.ai builds on HubSpot's earlier investments in AI including conversation intelligence, data quality tooling, data enrichment, predictive AI, content optimization, and more. Powered by industry-leading artificial intelligence systems from OpenAI, content assistant and ChatSpot.ai create efficiencies for marketing, sales, and customer service professionals. Content Assistant : Launching today in private beta, content assistant helps marketing and sales teams ideate, create, and share quality content in a matter of minutes, if not seconds. Among many options, content assistant can: Suggest blog titles related to a product or service, then generate a complete blog post outline for that title; Write content in a flash for blog posts, landing pages, website pages, sales and marketing emails, and knowledge base articles; Streamline content marketing workflows into one place, saving eams time and energy.

: Launching today in private beta, content assistant helps marketing and sales teams ideate, create, and share quality content in a matter of minutes, if not seconds. Among many options, content assistant can: ChatSpot.ai: Launching today in public alpha, ChatSpot.ai helps HubSpot customers complete a variety of tasks using a natural language chat-based user experience. The tool helps users: Add contacts and companies to the HubSpot CRM; Create custom reports related to marketing, sales and customer service; Draft professional, effective sales emails personalized to the recipient.

Launching today in public alpha, ChatSpot.ai helps HubSpot customers complete a variety of tasks using a natural language chat-based user experience. The tool helps users:



Sign up for the content assistant beta or ChatSpot.ai alpha here.

About HubSpot HubSpot (NYSE: HUBS) is a leading customer relationship management (CRM) platform that provides software and support to help companies grow better. The platform includes marketing, sales, service, operations, and website management products that start free and scale to meet our customers' needs at any stage of growth. Today, more than 167,000 customers across more than 120 countries use HubSpot's powerful and easy-to-use tools and integrations to attract, engage, and delight customers. Named Glassdoor's #2 Best Place to Work in 2022, HubSpot has been recognized for its award-winning culture by Great Place to Work, Comparably, Fortune, Entrepreneur, Inc., and more. HubSpot was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The company's thousands of employees work across the globe in HubSpot offices and remotely. Learn more at www.hubspot.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230306005151/en/

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[March 06, 2023] Intracom Telecom Signs Multimillion Agreement with Maxnet in Sudan

The Company provides its WiBAS Wireless Access System at 28 GHz for network modernization ATHENS, Greece, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Intracom Telecom, a global telecommunication systems and solutions vendor, announced the signing of a frame contract agreement with Maxnet, a provider of internet & data connectivity services in Sudan, for the supply of the WiBAS wireless access systems. The project is anticipated to be completed by 2025. Within the framework of this multimillion US dollars agreement, Intracom Telecom supplies its latest generation of WiBAS-Connect Terminals and OSDR Hubs, a Point-to-Multipoint (PMP) wireless system capable of connecting up to 120 subscribers to a base station sector, along with company's network lifecycle management and automation system, uni|MS. Maxnet, in line with its network modernization strategy, embraces Intracom Telecom's superior technology at 28 GHz spectrum, aims to replace unlicensed band radios and older technology & infrastructure and expands its network coverage and performance. Intracom Telecom has been already providing the WiBAS technology to Maxnet since 2021, building a pioneering PMP network for the banking sector in Sudan, and upgrading connectivity for top residential and enterprise customers in the country. The network is interoperable and compatible with company's latest technology, the WiBAS G5, which is expected to be inclued in the deliveries.



Elrashied Abdalla Mahmoud, Maxnet General Manager, stated: "We are very excited to deploy Intracom Telecom's ultra-broadband FWA solution WiBAS in Sudan. WiBAS has enabled Maxnet to provide broadband connectivity with growing capacity demands at high speed and quality of service. Our customers are very happy & satisfied with MaxNet services, and we are very grateful to Intracom Telecom for their support." John Tenidis, Marketing Director of Intracom Telecom's wireless solutions portfolio, commented: "We are pleased to further enhance our partnership with Maxnet, which started in 2021, honored to be part of their business success and ready to provide better quality connection for private networks in Sudan, for enterprise customers with top quality of reliable connectivity. Our WiBAS technology provides the highest capacity in the industry, the best radio technology for uninterrupted service and the widest set of networking functions to meet Maxnet's strict list of requirements."

About Intracom Telecom Intracom Telecom is a global telecommunication systems and solutions vendor operating for 45 years in the market. The company has become the benchmark in fixed wireless access and it successfully innovates in the 5G/4G wireless RAN transport and small-cell SON backhaul international arena. Intracom Telecom offers a comprehensive revenue-generating software solutions portfolio and a complete range of ICT services, focusing on IoT, SDN/NFV, Big Data analytics & data-driven intelligence, and Smart City solutions. Moreover, it addresses the Energy & Utilities industry, emphasizing on smart metering and end-to-end IT solutions. Intracom Telecom is also active in the defense systems sector providing security integrated systems for critical infrastructure protection and border surveillance. The company has extensive know-how and a proven track record in the market, serving fixed and mobile telecom operators, public authorities and large public and private enterprises. Intracom Telecom maintains its own R&D and production facilities, and operates subsidiaries worldwide. For more information please visit www.intracom-telecom.com View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/intracom-telecom-signs-multimillion-agreement-with-maxnet-in-sudan-301763349.html SOURCE Intracom Telecom

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[March 06, 2023] Black Lotus Labs uncovers another new malware that targets compromised routers

HiatusRAT has been targeting business-grade routers to covertly spy on victims since July 2022 DENVER, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- For the second time in nine months, Black Lotus Labs  the threat research team at Lumen Technologies (NYSE: LUMN)  has uncovered a complex new malware campaign that has been exploiting compromised routers. The latest research delves into a complex, never-before-seen campaign called "Hiatus," which has been targeting business-grade routers since June 2022. It comes on the heels of the team's other recent discovery  a novel malware called ZuoRAT  which targeted SOHO (small office/home office) routers. Black Lotus Labs does not currently believe the two campaigns are related. For the second time, Black Lotus Lab has uncovered a new malware campaign that exploits compromised routers. Some of the industries targeted in the Hiatus campaign include pharmaceuticals, and IT services and consulting firms. Researchers suspect the IT firms were chosen to give the threat actor downstream access to the victims' customers' environments. Read the full research report: New HiatusRAT router malware covertly spies on victims "The rise of hybrid work has led to increased dependency on relatively low-cost routers that enable VPN access  especially for many small- and medium-sized businesses." said Mark Dehus, director of threat intelligence for Lumen Black Lotus Labs. "These devices typically live outside the traditional security perimeter, which means they usually are not monitored or updated. This helps the actor establish and maintain long-term persistence without detection.



HiatusRAT research findings: The threat actors behind the Hiatus campaign primarily target DrayTek Vigor router models 2960 and 3900 that are at their end of life.

As of mid-February 2023 , approximately 4,100 DrayTek models 2960 and 3900 were exposed on the internet, and Hiatus had compromised approximately 100 of them in Latin America , Europe and North America .

, approximately 4,100 DrayTek models 2960 and 3900 were exposed on the internet, and Hiatus had compromised approximately 100 of them in , and . Upon infection, the malware intercepts data transiting the infected router. It does this by deploying a binary that captures network packets from the compromised device and sends them to actor-controlled infrastructure.

At the same time, the malware deploys a Remote Access Trojan (RAT) dubbed "HiatusRAT" which displays a highly unusual feature: it converts the compromised machine into a bot that can proxy malicious traffic transmitted by the adversary to victims on additional networks. Dehus continued, "The discovery of Hiatus confirms that actors are continuing to pursue router exploitation. These campaigns demonstrate the need to secure the router ecosystem, and routers should be regularly monitored, rebooted, and updated, while end-of-life devices should be replaced."

Black Lotus Labs' response: Black Lotus Labs has null-routed Hiatus C2s across the Lumen global backbone and added the Indicators of Compromise (IoCs) from this campaign into Rapid Threat Defense   the automated threat detection and response capability that fuels Lumen's security product portfolio by blocking threats before they reach the customer's network.

 the automated threat detection and response capability that fuels Lumen's security product portfolio by blocking threats before they reach the customer's network. The team will continue to monitor for new Hiatus infrastructure, targeting activity, and expanding tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs), and share this information with the security research community. Recommendations: Consumers with self-managed routers should follow best practices and regularly monitor, reboot, and install security updates and patches. End-of-life devices should be replaced.

Businesses should consider comprehensive Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) or similar solutions that utilize VPN-based access to protect data and bolster their security posture.

Users should only use secure email services that help protect data in transit. Additional Resources: Read the full HiatusRAT blog titled: New HiatusRAT router malware covertly spies on victims.

See Black Lotus Labs' ZuoRAT research: ZuoRAT hijacks SOHO routers to silently stalk networks.

For more Black Lotus Labs research, visit the blog archive.

See how Black Lotus Labs sees more, so we can stop more.

Learn how to simplify network access, security and management with SASE solutions on the Lumen Platform. About Lumen Technologies: Lumen is guided by our belief that humanity is at its best when technology advances the way we live and work. With approximately 400,000 route fiber miles and serving customers in more than 60 countries, we deliver the fastest, most secure platform for applications and data to help businesses, government and communities deliver amazing experiences. Learn more about the Lumen network, edge cloud, security, communication and collaboration solutions and our purpose to further human progress through technology at news.lumen.com/home, LinkedIn: /lumentechnologies, Twitter: @lumentechco, Facebook: /lumentechnologies, Instagram: @lumentechnologies and YouTube: /lumentechnologies. Lumen and Lumen Technologies are registered trademarks in the United States. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/black-lotus-labs-uncovers-another-new-malware-that-targets-compromised-routers-301762772.html SOURCE Lumen Black Lotus Labs

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[March 06, 2023] LambdaTest Partners with LinkedIn to Offer Test Automation Professional Certificate on LinkedIn Learning

LambdaTest, the leading digital experience testing cloud platform, has partnered with LinkedIn to offer the LambdaTest Test Automation Professional Certificate exclusively available on LinkedIn Learning, as part of its mission to support the testing and QA community. Through this Professional Certificate course, learners will acquire fundamental knowledge of test automation, including various tools and best practices, in a highly engaging manner from Meaghan Lewis, Technical Program Manager at Microsoft. More importantly, learners will be able to implement and optimize test automation in their jobs after this course. To earn their LambdaTest Test Automation Professional Certificate, learners will have to complete all courses and content in the learning path and pass the final exam. Learners can access their certificates immediately after they pass the final exam and seamlessly showcase their certificate on LinkedIn. "We are excited to partner with LambdaTest to provide our customers and learners additional, credible paths to upskilling as well as broaden the audience for the LambdaTest Test Automation Professional Certificate to the world's largest talent marketplace," said Dan Brodnitz, Sr. Director of Global Content Strategy at LinkedIn Learning. As LinkedIn Learning students for the LambdaTest Test Automation Professional Certificate, learners can get free trial access to the LambdaTest platform. This enables learners to get hands-on experience and implement the concepts. "Enterprises, all over the world, are automating their testing to ensure a better digital experience for their users. Learning test automation will open up various career avenues for learners. We are also happy to offer free access to the LambdaTest platform to enable students to get hands-on experience. We are excited to play our role in enabling thousands of learners to achieve their career goals," said Maneesh Sharma, Chief Operating Officer, LambdaTest. LambdaTest recently announced the launch of digital experience testing cloud for enterprises. The offering will enable enterprises to accelerate their digital transformation by providing a best-in-class, 360-degree test execution and orchestration platform coupled with insightful test analytics and customizable deployment option.



Also, Satya Nadella, Chairman & CEO of Microsoft, delivered the keynote address at the Microsoft Future Ready Technology Summit 2023, Bengaluru, where he said that "LambdaTest is doing for test automation what Kubernetes did for container orchestration - creating that next level of efficiency around test automation so that people can actually focus on testing versus test orchestration." To know more, visit: https://www.lambdatest.com/certifications/linkedin-learning

Notes to the editor For further information please contact the LambdaTest press office: [email protected]. About LambdaTest LambdaTest is a leading digital experience testing cloud that helps developers and testers ship code faster. Over 10,000+ enterprise customers and 2+ million users across 130+ countries rely on LambdaTest for their testing needs. LambdaTest platform provides secure, scalable, and insightful test orchestration for customers at different points in their DevOps (CI/CD) lifecycle: ? Cross Browser Testing Cloud

LambdaTest test execution platform allows users to run both manual and automated tests across 3000+ different browsers, real devices, and operating system environments. It enables developers to test their websites, web applications, and native apps without requiring to install or maintain an internal lab of virtual machines, real devices, emulators, or simulators. ? Real Device Testing Cloud

With LambdaTest's Real Devices Testing Cloud, you can now test unhandled errors, UI/UX, performance, and functionality of your native, web, and hybrid apps before they get released into production. Test on the widest range of mobile and OTT devices (iOS, Android, iPad, Amazon Fire TV, Roku TV & Apple TV). With seamless cross-functional team collaboration across the mobile app development lifecycle, you can release quality mobile apps in shorter development cycles which enables you to innovate and scale rapidly. ? Continuous Testing Cloud - HyperExecute

An IP-led next-gen cloud test execution and orchestration platform that helps enterprises run end-to-end automation tests at the fastest speed possible, thereby enabling them to achieve quicker time-to-market, and deliver a quality digital experience. Achieve 70% faster test execution times and zero flakiness with HyperExecute. ? Visual Regression cloud

Perform Regression Testing in just one click using LambdaTest. Compare the screenshots of your application's webpages taken from two different browsers to view/detect any visual deviations. Increase browser coverage by running automation scripts on a cloud of 3000+ different desktop and mobile environments. ? Test Intelligence at Scale

Test execution insights are critical for digital transformation as they provide enterprises with more profound insight into the quality of releases and trends. By analyzing the test execution data, LambdaTest's Integrated Test Intelligence delivers enterprises with insights into patterns and trends that can lead to informed decisions about future development and improve application quality. For more information, please visit: https://lambdatest.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230306005067/en/

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[March 06, 2023] Butler County, altafiber Announce Fiber Partnership

Butler County and altafiber have announced a new partnership that will bring gigabit high-speed broadband fiber Internet access to approximately 60,000 addresses over the next 36-48 months. Upon completion of the project, 100 percent of Butler County's 150,000 single-family residences will have access to fiber-based Internet. altafiber's total investment in the project will be approximately $100 million, which includes bringing fiber to 50,000 Single Family Units, as well as 8,000 Multi-Dwelling Units. Butler County's Board of Commissioners have approved an additional $10 million of American Rescue Plan Act funding to support the project. In addition, altafiber's Smart City organization, UniCity, will provide Butler County with up to $300,000 in funding to construct public Wi-Fi improvements. Butler County can utilize the funding on a project of its choice, such as providing Wi-Fi in public parks or on public transit. altafiber is the leading supplier of fiber-based services in Greater Cincinnati and has invested more than $1.5 billion into expandig its fiber network across the region. Broadband Internet plays a critical role in driving economic development opportunities, creating digital equity, and supporting the public sector's commitment to improving the quality of life for visitors and residents.



Please click this link for more information about this partnership. About altafiber

Cincinnati Bell is now doing business as "altafiber" in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. The Company delivers integrated communications solutions to residential and business customers over its fiber-optic network including high-speed internet, video, voice and data. The Company also provides service in Hawai'i under the brand Hawaiian Telcom. In addition, the Company's enterprise customers across the United States and Canada rely on CBTS and OnX, wholly-owned subsidiaries, for efficient, scalable office communications systems and end-to-end IT solutions. For more information, please visit www.altafiber.com. The information on the Company's website is not incorporated by reference in this press release. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230306005687/en/

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[March 06, 2023] MINISO ramps up UK openings with 18th shop and more

LONDON, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- MINISO, the fun-inspired lifestyle shops where 70 percent of products (SKUs) cost under 10, accelerates its expansion with at least ten new stores nationwide in 2023. The next is Wandsworth London on 10 March, which will be the 18th UK store since launching in 2019. Grand openings reflect MINISO's exuberant brand personality. New and established stores such as Manchester and Cardiff attract regular clientele looking for everyday items and gifts that are simpler, smarter and with a modern design-led style. MINISO is listed on the NYSE and HKEX. Its UK master franchisor and franchisee business is bucking consumer trends and is acknowledged as a trailblazer by its international founders who have built MINISO globally, with 5,300 stores in 105 countries. MINISO has a vast offering of household gadgets, toys, including plushies, to games, personal accessories such as water bottles and tech, travel, leisure and fitness essentials, cosmetics through to snacks - all at affordable prices. Original, designs from MINISO concept teams transform familiar items into desirable treats and gifts. Popular lines include: Plushies (soft toys)  1 is bouht every 4 minutes.





Stylish lunch and bento boxes reflect a trend to prepare lunch at home to eat 'al desko '.

Sanrio ( My Melody , Cinnamoroll etc) has been the fastest selling brand from the licensed products sector so far this year. Selected products are also available online.

Saad Usman COO of MINISO in the UK adds, "Everyone wants a bit of fun and joy in their lives, and MINISO is focused on our light-hearted mission of bringing this to all generations. We offer well-designed, affordable, enjoyable, gifts and gadgets, which you can see for yourself in-store." The first MINISO store in the UK opened in Ealing London in 2019, and others are Westfield London White City (flagship), Brent Cross, Ealing, Lewisham  and Basingstoke, Birmingham, Brighton, Cambridge, Cardiff, Gateshead, Harrow, Leeds, Manchester, Nottingham, Oxford, Reading, Solihull.

Wandsworth, Southside Centre, London, opens in March.

www.minisoshop.co.uk

Instagram: @miniso_uk The average annual turnover of an established MINISO store in the UK is 800,000. MINISO was founded by CEO Ye Guofo in 2013 and operates in the UK, US, Canada, Australia, Spain, UAE, India, and Mexico. Writers are welcome to request a UK store show around. For press information: Su-Lin Ong

PR for MINISO in the UK

07973 519176

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[March 06, 2023] Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc. Announces Offering of Shares of Common Stock

Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc. (the "Company" or "GS BDC") (NYSE: GSBD) announced today that it plans to conduct an offering of 6,500,000 shares of its common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the "Shares"). The Company also plans to grant the underwriters for the offering an option to purchase up to an additional 975,000 Shares. The completion of the proposed offering depends upon several factors, including market and other conditions, and there can be no assurance as to whether or when the offering may be completed, or as to the size or terms of the offering. The Company intends to use the net proceeds of this offering to repay a portion of its outstanding debt under its revolving credit facility. However, through reborrowings under its revolving credit facility, the Company intends to make new investments in accordance with its investment objective and strategies. BofA Securities, Morgan Stanley, and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC are acting as joint book-running managers for this offering. Investors are advised to carefully consider the investment objective, risks, charges and expenses of the Company before investing. The preliminary prospectus supplement dated March 6, 2023, the accompanying prospectus dated November 19, 2020, each of which have been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), any related free writing prospectus, and any information incorporated by reference in each, contain this and other information about the Company and should be read carefully before investing. The information in the preliminary prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and this press release is not complete and may be changed. The preliminary prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and this press release are not offers to sell any securities of the Company and are no soliciting an offer to buy such securities in any jurisdiction where such offer and sale is not permitted.



A shelf registration statement relating to these securities is on file with the SEC and effective. The offering may be made only by means of a preliminary prospectus supplement and an accompanying prospectus, copies of which may be obtained from BofA Securities, NC1-004-03-43, 200 North College Street, 3rd floor, Charlotte NC 28255-0001, Attn: Prospectus Department, or email [email protected]; and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, 180 Varick Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10014, Attn: Prospectus Department. ABOUT GOLDMAN SACHS BDC, INC.

Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc. is a specialty finance company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. GS BDC was formed by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. ("Goldman Sachs") to invest primarily in middle-market companies in the United States, and is externally managed by Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P., an SEC-registered investment adviser and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Goldman Sachs. GS BDC seeks to generate current income and, to a lesser extent, capital appreciation primarily through direct originations of secured debt, including first lien, first lien/last-out unitranche and second lien debt, and unsecured debt, including mezzanine debt, as well as through select equity investments. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. These statements include the possible sale of the Shares and expected terms. You can identify these statements by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "expect," "anticipate," "project," "target," "estimate," "intend," "continue," or "believe" or the negatives thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology. You should read statements that contain these words carefully because they discuss our plans, strategies, prospects and expectations concerning our business, operating results, financial condition and other similar matters. These statements represent GS BDC's belief regarding future events that, by their nature, are uncertain and outside of GS BDC's control. There are likely to be events in the future, however, that we are not able to predict accurately or control. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this press release speaks only as of the date on which we make it. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ, possibly materially from our expectations, include, but are not limited to, market conditions and the risks, uncertainties and other factors we identify in the sections entitled "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" in filings we make with the SEC, and it is not possible for us to predict or identify all of them. We undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230306005823/en/

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Early morning report of more KCMO gunfire after two people shot to death over the weekend . . .

Here's one more sign that the 30 MILLION BUCKS is just an employment program for sociology & education majors . . . Take a peek . . .



"Officers responded to the incident at 3:55 a.m., finding one person suffering from gunshot wounds. That person was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. No suspect is in custody, according to the Kansas City Police Department."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Critical shooting on Kansas City's east side Monday morning KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Police are investigating after a person was critically injured in a shooting on Kansas City's east side early Monday morning. Officers responded to the incident at 3:55 a.m., finding one person suffering from gunshot wounds. That person was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Kansas City, Missouri, police respond to life-threatening shooting at 35th, Prospect KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department responded to a life-threatening shooting Monday morning at 35th Street and Prospect Avenue. The shooting was reported at around 3:55 a.m. Monday. Police say the shooting is life-threatening. The number of victims in the shooting, or whether any suspects are in custody is not known at this time.

Early morning shooting injures one person Hide Transcript Show Transcript HESITATION STILL LEFTOVER. CODY. APPRECIATE IT, JAMIE. THANK YOU. WE'RE FOLLOWING BREAKING NEWS THIS MORNING. ONE PERSON IS FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIFE AFTER A SHOOTING OVERNIGHT. THIS HAPPENED JUST BEFORE FOUR THIS MORNING NEAR 35TH. AND PROSPECT IN CASEY, MO. POLICE TELL US THE VICTIM'S BADLY HURT.

Developing . . .
Tax season is upon us and with it comes the ever-present threat of fraud. Canadians should be wary of scammers posing as Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) employees who will trick their victims into sending them money or providing personal information that can be used to take over a bank account.
For many of his loved ones, the death of Chaguanas Businessman Rishard Ali came as a shock. 
Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas has said at a meeting with Ukraine's First Deputy Defense Minister, Lieutenant General Oleksandr Pavlyuk, who arrived in Lithuania, that a new aid package for Ukraine is being prepared.

That's according to a statement posted on the website of the Lithuanian Defense Ministry, Ukrinform reports.

"The lessons learned in Ukraine help us develop our military capabilities in a purposive manner. We also strongly stand by the position to support Ukraine in every way we can as the next assistance package is already in the making," Anusauskas said.

He also added that Lithuania was actively preparing for the NATO Summit in Vilnius in July where NATO membership prospects for Ukraine will be placed among the other critical agenda points.

So far, Lithuania has sent nearly EUR 409 million worth of military assistance to Ukraine and the next package of assistance is being formed already. A significant part of Lithuania's support to Ukraine is training assistance. About 1,600 Ukrainian troops are expected to undergo training this year. Lithuanian military instructors are providing the assistance both at the national level and via international efforts  the EU Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine) and Operation Interflex. It is also planned to deliver demining courses in Lithuania in cooperation with the Nordic countries.

According to the report, Lieutenant General Pavlyuk arrived in Lithuania to share the lessons learned while integrating paramilitary organizations into the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin and President of Latvia Egils Levits discussed possible ways of creating a specialized tribunal to prosecute the crime of Russian aggression against Ukraine.

As the Prosecutor General's Office posted on Telegram, the parties also touched upon the main developments and agreements reached at the United for Justice international conference held in Lviv.

The Prosecutor General thanked Levits for his deep understanding and strong political messages in support of holding the Russian Federation fully accountable for international crimes in Ukraine.

Kostin thanked the President of Latvia for joining the conference.

As reported, the United for Justice international conference was held in Lviv on March 4. The main goal of the event was to consider the ways to hold the Russian invaders, who have been committing war crimes and crimes against humanity during the aggression against Ukraine and in the temporarily occupied territories, to account.

The conference participants also discussed the possibility of creating a special tribunal in The Hague to condemn the crime of aggression against Ukraine and bring the highest political and military leadership of the Russian Federation to justice.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal of Ukraine on Monday held a meeting in Kyiv with the co-chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, Lars Klingbeil, and leader of the Social Democratic faction in the Bundestag, Rolf Mutzenich, to discuss weapon deliveries, energy recovery, and humanitarian demining.

Thats according to Shmyhals posting on Telegram, seen by Ukrinform.

He noted that Germany is Europes leader in terms of the amount of aid provided to Ukraine in all areas, and thanked co-chairmen Klingbeil and Mutzenich for their solidarity.

"We discussed our needs and arms supplies to Ukraine. German weapons today are saving lives and paving the way to victory and peace. We also highly appreciate Germany's help in restoring our energy infrastructure and their readiness to provide support in humanitarian demining," the Head of Government wrote.

He added that the parties also raised, among other things, the issue of sanctions against Russias nuclear industry and the creation of a special international tribunal for Russias crimes committed in Ukraine.

Shmyhal received assurances from German partners that Berlin would continue to support Kyiv in all sectors.

As reported earlier, Co-chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, Lars Klingbeil, and leader of the Social Democratic faction in the Bundestag, Rolf Mutzenich, arrived in Kyiv. Their agenda includes negotiations with government officials and lawmakers.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has met with the leaders of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) to discuss supplies of weapons to Ukraine, prosecution for international crimes, calling on the lawmakers to support the launch of the dialogue on Ukraine's accession to the EU by the end of the year.

The Ukrainian foreign policy chief said this at a press conference following his meeting with the head of the Social Democratic Party faction in the Bundestag, Rolf Mutzenich, and co-leader of the party, Lars Klingbeil, in Kyiv on Monday, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"I see this visit as a political signal and a signal of commitment to Ukraine by the Christian Democrats. We discussed a number of issues where, in my opinion, the Bundestag can play an important political role," Kuleba said.

He added that the parties had discussed the role of the Bundestag in holding a debate in German politics and improving the implementation of decisions made by the Federal Government, which includes the supply of weapons from Germany to Ukraine.

"I especially emphasized artillery shells," the minister said.

Kuleba said the participants in the meeting had also discussed Germany's participation in the prosecution of the Russian military and officials for international crimes committed in Ukraine. He also called on his German colleagues to support the launch of the dialogue on Ukraine's accession to the EU by the end of the year.

He also said he hopes that German government officials and politicians realize that Europe will be a safe place to live only if Ukraine wins.

Kuleba expressed confidence that Germany and other partners would continue to support Ukraine, as they understand that what is happening here also concerns their security.

"Europe, and Germany in particular, will not be a safe place to live if Ukraine does not win this war. The only way to a safe and prosperous Europe is the victory of Ukraine. I think that our colleagues in the German government and German politicians, including the SPD party, understand this," Kuleba said.

The minister thanked German lawmakers for playing an important role in ensuring that the Holodomor was recognized as genocide against the Ukrainian people.
Ouagadougou, March 6 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Mar, 2023 ) :Between 12 and 14 people were killed last week in northern Burkina Faso, a region that has been battered by the insurgents, local inhabitants said Monday.

"A group of terrorists" on Thursday attacked the village of Aorema, near the town of Ouahigouya, one of the locals told AFP. The attack was confirmed by a security source, who did not give a toll.

"The attackers opened fire on a group of young people" sitting at an informal restaurant, one inhabitant said.

"Seven died on the spot and three died in their homes where they were hit by stray rounds. Two other people died of wounds," the source said.

Another inhabitant said the fatality toll rose to 14 from others who subsequently died of wounds.

The source said that "the terrorists" had previously made incursions into the village and warned youngsters not to gather at the restaurant.

A source in the security forces, who confirmed the attack, said "operations were underway" against the assailants.

The day after the attack, the authorities placed the North region, and also parts of the centre-east region, under a 10 pm to 5 am curfew until March 31.

More than 10,000 people have lost their lives in Burkina Faso since militants swept in from neighbouring Mali in 2015, more than two million people have fled their homes and at least a third of the country is controlled by the insurgents.
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BELGOROD (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th March, 2023) The governor of Russia's Belgorod Region, which borders Ukraine, says that air defense was triggered in the town of Novy Oskol and that one person was injured.

"Our air defense system got activated in Novy Oskol. Three missiles were shot down. The consequences on the ground are getting verified. We already know about one victim, a man with shrapnel wounds to his hand. The ambulance is on its way," Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram on Monday.

The governor specified that some power lines and building fronts were damaged in several villages in the Novy Oskol district.

At the end of January, Gladkov told Russian President Vladimir Putin that 25 people had been killed in the region and 96 had been wounded since the beginning of shelling by Ukraine. Some 6,500 residents have been resettled from their homes and a state of emergency was in effect in 15 cities and towns in the region. Over a dozen schools have been hit by Ukrainian shelling in the Belgorod Region.
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US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met with Jordanian King Abdullah II during his trip to Amman to discuss a political settlement in Syria, the situation in Iraq and other regional security issues, the Pentagon said on Monday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th March, 2023) US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met with Jordanian King Abdullah II during his trip to Amman to discuss a political settlement in Syria, the situation in Iraq and other regional security issues, the Pentagon said on Monday.

Austin departed for a trip to the Middle East over the weekend, with stops in Jordan, Egypt and Israel. The US defense chief met with the Jordanian king on Sunday.

"Secretary Austin shared his concerns on a range of shared challenges, including the importance of reaching a just political solution in Syria, maintaining focus on security and stability in Iraq, and countering other destabilizing activities in the region," the statement said.

Austin also discussed his concern over the escalation in tensions in the West Bank and Jerusalem. He pointed out the importance of a restoration of calm in the area, the Pentagon added.

In addition, the two discussed regional security cooperation and initiatives to strengthen their bilateral security relationship, while Austin reaffirmed Washington's intent to deepen economic and military cooperation with Jordan, according to the statement.
When British fashion designer Paul Smith was asked to oversee a rehang of the Picasso Museum in Paris to mark 50 years since the artist's death, he decided to have some fun

Paris, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Mar, 2023 ) :When British fashion designer Paul Smith was asked to oversee a rehang of the Picasso Museum in Paris to mark 50 years since the artist's death, he decided to have some fun.

The 76-year-old designer's playful approach does away with the usual art gallery white cube and piles on the colour.

It is simple yet highly effective: Pablo Picasso's blue period is presented in a room painted and carpeted in rich dark blue, the bullfighting sketches on blood-red walls, the "Luncheon on the Grass" in verdant green.

"I had carte blanche to do whatever I want in the whole museum, which was obviously fantastic but also quite scary," Smith told AFP.

The museum approached him five years ago with the commission, and Smith spent months trawling through some 200,000 works from its archives.

He has plucked out little-seen items, including silly and lewd doodles that Picasso made over magazine ads -- signs of a mind that was always working.

"He never really stopped," said Smith. "There were drawings on magazines, on napkins, on newspapers. He was constantly thinking about creating shapes." - 'Fascinating' - It's a fun way to start off the exhibition, along with Smith's favourite piece: a bicycle seat and handlebars that Picasso put together to look like a bull's head.

"The way he thought about things was fascinating and very interesting," he said.

"I made it very decorative because the idea is that young school children and teenagers will come and see his work in a different light. Many of us have already seen Picasso many times around the world, so we hope to show it in a new way." Six living artists are also featured, including a Black Lives Matter-inspired piece by New Yorker Mickalene Thomas that sits alongside Picasso's wartime work.

And of course, the trademark Paul Smith coloured stripes also crop up.

"To stay in fashion as an independent company... to stay relevant for all these years, means you're constantly reassessing, rethinking, which is probably one of the reasons why I got asked to do this exhibition," Smith said.

- 'Not a mausoleum' - The museum faces a constant challenge in finding new ways of venerating an artist whose work is so omnipresent, and whose decidedly old-school views on women have led to some severe #MeToo reappraisals.

"This museum's job is not to serve as a mausoleum to a great man," its director Cecile Debray told AFP.

"We want to be open to debates and reflection on Picasso so as to reconsider his work and show its continued vitality." Smith's playful rehang is mostly an opportunity to see the masterpieces in a way that shows how fun and contemporary they still look, but doesn't entirely shy away from the controversies.

Paintings by Congolese artist Cheri Samba and Nigeria's Obi Okigbo highlight the debt Picasso owed to African traditions.

Some have accused him of appropriation, though Smith saw an artist who was very open about his inspirations.

"He was never afraid to admit that he took it from Cezanne or took influence from the classics or from Manet," said the designer. "A lot of creators today don't really ever admit that somebody's been an influence."Born in October 1881 in Malaga, Spain, Picasso spent most of his life in France and died on April 8, 1973, on the Cote d'Azur, aged 91.

Dozens of exhibitions and conferences are marking the 50th anniversary of his death around the world, with a new research centre to be opened near the Paris museum in the autumn.
WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th March, 2023) Republican lawmakers have accused former US chief medical advisor Anthony Fauci of requesting a publication that was meant to disprove the theory that the SARS-CoV-2 virus leaked from a laboratory in China, the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic Majority Staff said in a new memo.

"New evidence released by the Select Subcommittee today suggests that Dr. Fauci 'prompted' the drafting of a publication that would 'disprove' the lab leak theory, the authors of this paper skewed available evidence to achieve that goal," the memo says, as quoted by Fox news on Sunday.

According to the memo, Fauci was warned during a February 2020 phone call with several scientists about the possibility that COVID-19 may have leaked from a lab in Wuhan, China.

Nonetheless, soon after the conference call, "Fauci 'prompted' Dr. Kristian Andersen, Professor, Scripps Research (Scripps), to write (an article titled 'The) Proximal Origin (of SARS-CoV-2') and that the goal was to 'disprove' any lab leak theory," the memo says.

In February, Republican lawmakers re-requested information from the Biden administration on the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the select subcommittee investigation. They also renewed a request for a classified briefing on the matter from the US intelligence community.

Earlier this month, the US Senate passed a bill requiring that the Biden administration declassify intelligence about any alleged potential links between China's Wuhan Institute of Virology and the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th March, 2023) A prominent international human rights organization on Monday urged the United Nations Human Rights Council to extend the mandate of the group of rights experts in Nicaragua to enable further investigation of alleged abuses committed by the government under President Daniel Ortega.

The group was established in March 2022 with a one-year mandate to look into potential violation of human rights in the country. On Monday, it presented a report, saying that the Nicaraguan government had committed "widespread and systematic" human rights abuses, ranging from persecution on political grounds to murder and sexual violence.

"Extending the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua's mandate for two years would send a strong message to the Ortega government that the international community is paying attention and will not give those clinging to power a blank check to continue committing abuses," Tamara Taraciuk Broner, acting Americas director at Human Rights Watch (HRW), said.

The organization stated that renewing the mandate would allow the group of experts to further report on current dynamics regarding the situation with human rights in the country and provide "recommendations for necessary action.

"

For many years, Nicaragua under president Ortega has been criticized by Western countries for violations of human rights and the oppression of political opposition. Ortega is currently serving his fourth term as the country's president.

The Nicaraguan leader has denied that peaceful protests and human rights in the country had ever been attacked, once calling accusations against the government a "campaign of lies."

In early February, Nicaragua released 222 political prisoners, including political and business leaders, journalists, civil society representatives, and students, accused of threatening the sovereignty and independence of the state, inciting violence and terrorism. All those released were stripped of their rights, declared traitors of the state, stripped of their nationality, and sent to the United States. The move was widely condemned by other countries in the region, with Chile, Argentina and Colombia offering their citizenship to those expelled from Nicaragua.
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The Russian Prosecutor General's Office said on Monday that it had recognized the activities of Transparency International as undesirable in Russia.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th March, 2023) The Russian Prosecutor General's Office said on Monday that it had recognized the activities of Transparency International as undesirable in Russia.

"Based on the results of the study of the received materials, the Russian Prosecutor General's Office decided to recognize the activities of Transparncy International with the headquarters in Berlin, the management of which is carried out by citizens of foreign countries, as undesirable in Russia," the statement said.

The activities of this organization went beyond the declared goals and objectives.

"The organization interfered in Russia's internal affairs, which poses a threat to the foundations of the constitutional system and the security of Russia under the guise of fighting corruption around the world," the statement read.

Information about the decision was sent to the Russian Ministry of Justice to add the company to the list of foreign and international non-governmental organizations whose activities are recognized as undesirable in Russia.
US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Kritenbrink will travel to Indonesia and Malaysia this week for meetings with ASEAN counterparts and government officials, the State Department said on Monday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th March, 2023) US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Kritenbrink will travel to Indonesia and Malaysia this week for meetings with ASEAN counterparts and government officials, the State Department said on Monday.

"Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel J. Kritenbrink will travel to Jakarta, Indonesia, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on March 7-11. During his travel, Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink will participate in the ASEAN-U.S. Dialogue and the ASEAN East Asian Summit Senior Officials Meeting in Jakarta," the statement read.

During the first stop of the trip in Jakarta, Kritenbrink will also commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative and meet with the new Philippines Permanent Representative to ASEAN.

He will also discuss the US-Indonesia Strategic Partnership and bilateral economic, security, climate, and energy initiatives with senior officials.

While in Malaysia, Kritenbrink will meet with senior Malaysian government officials to discuss strategic priorities and ways to expand bilateral partnership, the statement read. This includes cooperation in such areas as law enforcement and counterterrorism, democracy, human rights, anti-corruption, combatting trafficking in persons, refugees, cybercrime, maritime security, and initiatives related to critical minerals, it added.
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WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th March, 2023) US President Joe Biden will not undergo a mental competency test, and the idea to make politicians aged over 75 take it is "ridiculous," First Lady Jill Biden said.

In February, former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley announced her candidacy for the 2024 presidential election. In her first speech as a presidential candidate, Haley proposed a mandatory competency test for politicians aged over 75, which was considered as a jab at Biden and former president Donald Trump, Haley's competitor in the Republican primaries.

"Ridiculous ... We would never even discuss something like that," Biden told CNN when asked if her husband would consider taking such a test if he is reelected in 2024.

The first lady pushed back on concerns over her husband's age, citing his busy travel schedule, including recent trips to Poland and Ukraine.

"How many 30-year-olds could travel to Poland, get on the train? Go nine more hours, go to Ukraine, meet with President (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy?" Biden added.

Biden turned 80 in November 2022. He was the oldest person inaugurated in the office, taking the presidential oath at the age of 78. If Biden seeks reelection in 2024 and wins the race, he will turn 86 before completing a second term as president. The president previously said that he would be upfront with the American people, telling them about his health problems if he had any.
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MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th March, 2023) Western countries are unlikely to facilitate exports of Russian grain under the so-called Black Sea grain deal, Cagri Erhan, a member of the Turkish Presidential Security and Foreign Policy Committee, told Sputnik.

Earlier in the day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the West of "shamelessly burying" the grain deal, saying that the exports of Russian agricultural products around the world is being blatantly hindered. The Russian Mission to the United Nations previously stated the country's fertilizers have not been shipped and cannot enter places like Syria even in the form of humanitarian aid.

"Americans and their Western allies will continue to make it difficult for Russia for any kind of revenue gaining, including the grain deal. However in final analysis this is a humanitarian thing.

So the United Nations must do their best to prevent the grain deal from any kind of sanctions. It is not similar to any other thing like oil exporting or weapon exporting. It is something human life is depending on," Erhan said.

The counselor also noted that Ankara was doing its utmost to extend the deal, not only for Turkey's sake but also for countries in Africa that are fully dependent on Russian and Ukrainian grain and fertilizers.

The United Nations-brokered grain export agreement, originally set to expire on November 19, 2022, was renewed for another 120 days until March 18, unless it is extended once again. Russia has repeatedly criticized the agreement for failing to ensure unimpeded exports of Russian grain and fertilizer amid Western sanctions.
Afghan universities reopened on Monday after a winter break, but only men returned to class with a "heartbreaking" ban by the Taliban authorities on women in higher education still in force

Kabul, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Mar, 2023 ) :Afghan universities reopened on Monday after a winter break, but only men returned to class with a "heartbreaking" ban by the Taliban authorities on women in higher education still in force.

The university ban is one of several restrictions imposed on women since the Taliban stormed back to power in August 2021 and has sparked global outrage -- including across the Muslim world.

"It's heartbreaking to see boys going to the university while we have to stay at home," said Rahela, 22, from the central province of Ghor.

"This is gender discrimination against girls, because islam allows us to pursue higher education. Nobody should stop us from learning." The Taliban government imposed the ban after accusing women students of ignoring a strict dress code and a requirement to be accompanied by a male relative to and from campus.

Most universities had already introduced gender-segregated entrances and classrooms, as well as allowing women to be taught only by female professors or elderly men.

Ejatullah Nejati, an engineering student at Kabul University, Afghanistan's largest, said it was women's fundamental right to study.

"Even if they attend classes on separate days, it's not a problem. They have a right to education and that right should be given to them," he said as he entered the university campus.

- Government fear - Waheeda Durrani, a journalism student in Herat until she was barred from university last year, said the Taliban government wanted women to remain uneducated.

"If Afghan girls and women get educated, they will never accept a government that exploits Islam and the Quran," she said.

"They will stand for their rights. That's the fear the government has." At the capital's private Rana University, male students trickled back to classes on Monday.

"My sister, unfortunately, cannot come to the university. She is trying to study at home," said Ebratullah Rahimi, another journalism student.

Posters dating from before the ban showing how women needed to dress were still on display in the university corridors.

"I feel like a lesser human being," said Negah Khan, a university student from eastern Afghanistan.

"When you have dreams but are subjected to imprisonment within the four walls of your house and made to serve people like a servant, it is disappointing."In an open letter, a group of women students urged male students and professors to "boycott" classes, one of the writers, Zahra Mandagar, told AFP.

"The Taliban group has invited only you to come to the classrooms ... this is against our common aspirations to build a progressive, self-sufficient, free and equal Afghanistan," the letter said.
National Addiction Expert Guest Speaker for Online Presentation March 9 at USM

Mon, 03/06/2023 - 04:09pm | By: David Tisdale

Dr. John Kelly, a nationally recognized expert on substance use and addictions, will be the guest speaker for an online talk, titled Deconstructing Stigma: Drugs, Treatment, and Policy to be presented Thursday, March 9 at 4 p.m. on The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) Hattiesburg campus in Owings-McQuagge Hall, room 227. Admission is free and members of the University and local communities are invited.



This event will be presented by the USM Shatterproof Student Association (SSA) and the School of Psychology. The SSA is a group of USM students devoted to combating the stigma of substance use disorder (addiction) through peer-based education and takes its lead from the national organization, Shatterproof, whose mission is to reverse the addiction crisis in the U.S. by transforming addiction treatment, ending addiction stigma and empowering and educating communities.

Dr. Kelly is the Elizabeth R. Spallin Professor of Psychiatry in Addiction Medicine at Harvard University Medical School. With more than 200 peer-reviewed articles, chapters, and books in the field of addiction medicine, his work has focused on addiction treatment and the recovery process, mechanisms of behavior change, and reducing stigma and discrimination among individuals suffering from addiction.

Dr. Kelly is a leading addiction psychologist and one of the most prominent researchers to address addiction stigma, said Dr. Michael Madson, professor of psychology at USM and advisor to SSA. Were thrilled to have him make this virtual presentation for us and attendees of his talk.

In addition to his work at Harvard, Dr. Kelly is the director of the Recovery Research Institute at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), the associate director of the Center for Addiction Medicine at MGH, and the program director of the Addiction Recovery Management Service. A former president of the American Psychological Association's (APA) Society of Addiction Psychology, he is also a fellow of the APA and a diplomate of the American Board of Professional Psychology. Dr. Kelly has served as a consultant to U.S. federal agencies and non-federal institutions, as well as foreign governments and the United Nations.

The SSA is really looking forward to Dr. Kellys presentation, said Sophie Denton, a junior psychology major from Meridian, Mississippi, and president of USM SSA. Stigma is an important topic that needs increased awareness, so we welcome students and other members of the campus and local communities to join us for this important talk to learn more.

For questions or more information about this event, contact Denton at sophie.dentonFREEMississippi or Dr. Madson at michael.madsonFREEMississippi. For information about the USM School of Psychology, which is housed in the College of Education and Human Sciences, visit usm.edu/psychology.
EU Due Diligence Directive and Supply Chains in Vietnam

New rules in the EU will ensure that businesses act responsibly with respect to workers and the environment inside, as well as outside, of the EU. With a large number of EU companies in Vietnam, heres what local and foreign firms need to be aware of.

In February of this year, the EU Commission issued a directive on corporate sustainability and due diligence. The directive requires EU member states to create laws that monitor environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues in their global supply chains.

In the case of Vietnam, EU investors have registered more than US$26 billion for nearly 2,250 projects since the Europe-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) came into force. The Lego Group from Denmark, for example, was licensed to invest more than US$1 billion to build a carbon-neutral factory on 44 hectares of land in Binh Duong just last year.

See also: Why Binh Duong is a magnet for FDI in Vietnam

This reflects the rapidly growing presence of EU companies in Vietnam as the two economies become more greatly intertwined  an outcome of geopolitical de-risking and expansion of Asian bases of operation.

It is in this context that understanding how the proposed diligence laws could impact Vietnam becomes important  both EU firms doing business with Vietnam as well as domestic manufacturers involved in EU supply chains. For example, Germanys Adidas has 51 contract suppliers in Vietnam employing over 190,000 staff.

The objective for the corporate sustainability and due diligence laws is ensuring better protection of worker rights and the environment in Vietnam. This is hoped to facilitate the adoption of best international practices and open better access to remedies for victims of harmful corporate practices.

The eventual outcomes, however, will depend on how the EU countries frame relevant laws and what are their standards of compliance.

In the meantime, based on the information currently available, heres what foreign and domestic firms need to know.

What are the obligations of companies and their directors?

Related Services Gain intelligence about diversifying your Asia supply chain 

This is in line with a broader move to ensure ESG plays a more significant role in corporate operations  its based on the UNs Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprise. Furthermore, it also aligns with the Paris Agreement and internationally recognized human rights and labor standards.

To meet the requirements of Brussels directive, companies are required to:

Integrate due diligence into their policies;

Identify actual or potential adverse human rights and environmental impacts in their operations;

Prevent or mitigate potential impacts of any problems identified;.

Bring to an end or minimize actual impact;

Establish and maintain a complaints procedure;

Monitor the effectiveness of their due diligence policies; and,

Publicly communicate the results of their due diligence programs.

Which companies in Vietnam will the new proposed EU rules apply to?

Under the scope of this proposal, EU companies in Vietnam which fall into one of these two groups shall be subject to the law:

Group 1

Large, economically powerful and highly profitable European limited liability companies. These are defined as companies earning more than EU150 million (US$160 million) in net turnover and with more than 500 employees worldwide.

Group 2

Two years after this directive takes effect, the new rules will also be extended to limited liability companies operating in predefined high-impact sectors. These are companies that show EU40 million (US$42 million) in net turnover and have more than 250 employees worldwide.

Some EU companies in Vietnam that may be impacted by the directive

Bosch Vietnam

Bosch is a German appliance manufacturer that established its first representative office in Vietnam, in Ho Chi Minh City, in 2007.

Since then, the company has expanded its operations to two other branch offices in Hanoi and Da Nang.

In addition, Bosch operates R&D centers for technology and enterprise solutions and R&D centers for automotive technology in both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

In the 2021 fiscal year, Bosch recorded a consolidated revenue of approximately EU192 million (US$204 million) in Vietnam. It also employed more than 5,000 associates through its diversified business operations in Vietnam.

Mercedes-Benz Vietnam Co., Ltd.

Mercedes-Benz Vietnam Co., Ltd. is a subsidiary of the well-known German luxury automobile manufacturer. The company arrived in Vietnam in 1995.

In addition to manufacturing and distributing vehicles, Mercedes-Benz Vietnam is also committed to promoting sustainable development and environmental protection in Vietnam. The company has implemented several initiatives to reduce its environmental impact. For instance, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, conserving energy and water resources, and minimizing waste generation.

In 2022, Mercedes-Benz had revenue of EU150 billion (US$160 million) worldwide with 172,000 employees.

Enforcement mechanisms

The EU directive on corporate sustainability and due diligence has two key provisions for enforcement. These are:

Administrative supervision

EU members need to designate an institution to supervise and impose sanctions, including fines and compliance orders, that are effective, proportionate, and dissuasive. Furthermore, a European Network of Supervisory Authorities will be established to bring together representatives of the national bodies.

Civil liability

Victims of non-compliance will receive compensation for damages. In addition, they will have the opportunity to take legal action for damages that could have been avoided with appropriate due diligence measures.

Vietnams commitment to corporate sustainability

But EU laws are not the only ESG protections in place for supply chains in Vietnam. The burgeoning Southeast Asian nation also has several key laws, regulations, and arrangements in place to fulfill its own ESG goals.

Laws in Vietnam related to due diligence and corporate sustainability

Vietnams Law on Enterprises 2020, which forms the backbone of the countrys business law, does not mention the term corporate sustainability. Neither does it have any article that governs corporate due diligence. However, the law does contain provisions that encourage the corporate sustainability of enterprises operating in Vietnam.

For example, it specifically mentions that companies should protect the legitimate rights of employees and prevent discrimination and harassment.

It also encourages enterprises to develop and implement their own corporate sustainability policies and activities that include environmental protection, social welfare programs, and philanthropic activities.

Furthermore, the Vietnamese government has implemented various other laws and regulations related to environmental protection and labor rights. These include:

Institutional ESG framework in Vietnam

On June 4, 2019, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 681/QD-TTg approving the Roadmap for the implementation of Vietnams sustainable development goals to 2030. In particular, the Roadmap sets out 119 targets to monitor the progress made toward achieving the UNs Sustainable Development Goals. These goals include environmental and human rights targets, along with labor rights.

More recently, the One Strategic Framework for Sustainable Development Cooperation was signed in August 2022. This outlines how the United Nations and the Government of Vietnam will collaborate on Vietnams sustainable development. The agreement covers social development, climate change, disaster preparedness, and environmental sustainability.

Vietnam has also established a Corporate Sustainability Index, which ranks businesses based on several key sustainability criteria. In 2022, 130 indicators were used to determine participant sustainability. These were developed in accordance with the Labor Law, Environmental Law, Vietnams commitments at COP21 and COP26, the Global Reporting Initiative, and ISO 26000 standards, as well as a wide range of ESG requirements embedded in Vietnams numerous free trade agreements.

See also: ESG in Vietnam: Challenges but Significant Potential

Current due diligence laws in the EU

Germanys Supply Chain Due Diligence Law (LkSG)

Germanys Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (the LkSG) came into force in January 2023. This law makes it mandatory for larger businesses to conduct supply chain risk analyses to closely examine risks and violations.

This law applies to:

Businesses with 3000 or more employees from 2023; and

Businesses with 1000 or more employees from 2024.

These firms must:

Develop a risk management system;

Appoint a person to be responsible within the company;

Conduct regular risk analyses and preventive measurements in its own operations, subsidiaries, direct suppliers, and indirect suppliers;

Create a complaints mechanism and take corrective action where necessary; and

Create progress reports and submit them to the appropriate authorities annually and publish them on its website.

Frances Corporate Duty of Vigilance Law (Loi de Vigilance)

In 2017, France passed legislation requiring large corporations to conduct human rights and environmental due diligence and to publish an annual Vigilance Plan. The law was enacted to ensure that large French corporations take steps to identify and prevent human rights and environmental abuses.

This law applies to:

French companies that employ more than 10,000 employees worldwide; and

Foreign companies operating in France with more than 10,000 employees worldwide.

These firms must:

Establish and effectively implement a vigilance plan that includes: risk mapping: identification, analysis, and ranking of potential risks; steps implemented to address, mitigate, and prevent risks and violations; outline of procedures implemented for periodically assessing the companys subsidiaries, subcontractors, and suppliers compliance; a method for identifying existing or potential risks in collaboration with relevant trade unions; and a method for identifying existing or potential risks;

Establish a monitoring scheme to follow up on the measures implemented and assess their efficiency; and

Publish their Vigilance Plan annually.

EU organizations and due diligence in Vietnam moving forward

The EUs directive on corporate sustainability and due diligence is a significant development in the global effort to promote sustainable development.

This directive is, however, only a guide and the full impact will depend on what laws are enacted in the EU among its member states and how they are implemented in external supply chains.

Regardless, as a major trading partner with the EU, Vietnams own efforts to regulate corporate sustainability and social responsibility are likely to receive a welcome boost. Its workers and environment should also see greater protection creating more sustainable supply chains.
Strong Ties Between Hainan and Vietnam to Boost Trade for Both

As the worlds biggest free trade port, Chinas Hainan province will undoubtedly play a key role in bilateral trade between Vietnam and China moving forward. Heres what trade between the two looks like now.

Shen Xiaoming, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Peoples Congress of Hainan Province, met with Vietnams Foreign Minister, Bui Thanh Son, late last month on a visit to Vietnam.

Among a range of topics, the Chinese provincial leader and Vietnams foreign minister discussed trade between the province and its neighbor to the south and the potential for Hainans port, one of the biggest in the world, to boost trade for both China and Vietnam.

In particular, Secretary Shen Xiaoming expressed a desire to turn Hainan into a gateway for Chinese firms to penetrate Vietnams market and vice versa.

Notably, import and export turnover of goods between Vietnam and Hainan in 2022 reached US$1.35 billion, 56 percent higher than the same period a year earlier. This is a sizable increase and a strong foundation on which to build further trade ties.

Trade relations between Vietnam and Hainan

Free trade agreements

Trade between Hainan and Vietnam is governed by two free trade agreements  of which both Vietnam and China are a part.

The ASEAN  China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA)

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)

Trade promotion office

Vietnam and Hainan are in the process of establishing a Vietnam Trade Promotion Office in Hainan. The office will connect the two-sides to grow cross-border investment and support businesses on both sides to strengthen ties with each other.

Hainans (China) exports to Vietnam

Related Services Get business intelligence you can trust  US$698 million of exports from the Chinese province, up 171.1 percent compared to the year before.

Furthermore, this number is expected to grow with Hainan expected to become one of Chinas biggest economic centers.

In this light, understanding Hainans exports to Vietnam can be best understood in the context of Chinas trade with Vietnam more broadly with key goods transiting through the province like electronics, iron and steel, and plastics.

Electronics and machinery

Export turnover to Vietnam of electronics and machinery accounted for 5 percent of Chinas total exports in 2021.

This is in line with major electronics manufacturers diversifying parts of their supply chains out of China and into Vietnam. A large number of electronics components are still made in China with assembly taking place in Vietnam.

See also: Vietnams Diversification of Trade and the China Plus One Strategy

Iron and steel

China is one of the largest iron and steel exporters in the world and it is geographically close to Vietnam. It is therefore a key supplier of iron and steel to Vietnam.

Total imports of iron and steel from China in 2022 reached 5.1 million tons, up nearly 2 percent compared to the previous year.

Plastics

Plastics imported into Vietnam from China are a key component of a number of finished goods that Vietnam exports. Over US$7 billion worth of plastics were imported into Vietnam from China in 2021.

Top 5 exports from China to Vietnam in 2021

Description Value (billions) Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers, and parts and accessories of such articles US$46,542 Machinery, mechanical appliances, nuclear reactors, boilers; parts thereof US$14,758 Plastics and articles thereof US$7,088 Knitted or crocheted fabrics US$5,149 Iron and steel US$5,132

Source: Trade Map

Vietnams exports to Hainan (China)

According to the Hainan government, import turnover from Vietnam reached US$658 million, in 2022, an increase of 7.5 percent. Among these imports were products like textiles, wood, and rubber.

Textiles

China is the second largest market for Vietnams textiles after the US. Chinese products imported from Vietnam include all kinds of yarns, jackets, shirts, and childrens clothes.

Wood and wooden products

The export value of wood and wooden products to the Chinese market in 2022 increased strongly, reaching US$2.15 billion, up 43.8 percent over last year, according to statistics from the General Department of Customs.

Rubber and articles thereof

With more than 938 thousand hectares of rubber trees, Vietnam is the third largest rubber exporter in the world and Vietnamese rubber is exported to 80 countries and territories.

China is the biggest consumer of Vietnamese rubber with 1.5 million tons worth US$2.34 billion imported in 2022.

Top 5 exports from Vietnam to China (2021)

Description Value (billions) Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television US$30,264 Cotton US$2,777 Rubber and articles thereof US$2,391 Machinery, mechanical appliances, nuclear reactors, boilers; parts thereof US$2,226 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruit or melons US$2,080

Source: Trade Map

See also: Vietnam Import Export Tracker: January 2023 Update

China FDI projects in Vietnam

From 2015-2022, the total registered FDI from China into Vietnam increased at an average compound growth rate of 17 percent a year.

In 2021, China invested more than US$2.13 billion in Vietnam and ranked seventh highest among all countries investing in Vietnam. Figures from the Ministry of Planning and Investment show that in 2022, FDI from China into Vietnam reached US$2.5 billion, ranking it 4th after Singapore, Japan, and South Korea.

As of December 20, 2022, China had 3,567 valid FDI projects in Vietnam with registered capital equivalent to US$23.3 billion.

See also: Vietnam FDI Tracker

Notably, in recent years, Chinese investment in Vietnam has shifted from light industry and consumer goods to construction and manufacturing. This is being driven by lower wages in Vietnam and, in some instances, a means to circumvent trade restrictions imposed on Chinese exports (See: Explainer: Countervailing and Antidumping Duties in Vietnam).

Future trade between Vietnam and Hainan

The meeting in February between Shen Xiaoming and Bui Thanh Son further affirms a strong trade relationship between the Chinese province of Hainan and Vietnam. Moving forward, as Hainans port becomes an ever more important hub for imports and exports in the region, this relationship will likely grow stronger with both sides realizing a myriad of benefits.
Australian Air Force chiefs have revealed that pilots are being offered counseling after they encounter Chinese military jets over the South China Sea.

Under Operation Gateway, Australia carries out maritime surveillance patrols in the North Indian Ocean and the South China Sea.

Most patrols are routine, but some have caused alarm. In May 2022, a Royal Australian Air Force surveillance plane was intercepted by a Chinese military aircraft which released aluminum chaff, that was ingested into the engine of the Australian plane. At the time, officials in Canberra accused Beijing of intimidation but Australian air force officials now believe the encounter might have been caused by a miscalculation by the Chinese J-16 fighter pilot.

Other unspecified encounters with Chinese forces have been reported since then.

Australian Air Vice Marshal Darren Goldie told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Monday that it is important air crews are properly debriefed after stressful missions.

The mental health of our aviators and people that are coming in contact with things like intercepts or challenges on the radio  it is important that when we bring them back, we talk to them about the experience, and we talk to them about what services are available should they be troubled by the experiences they saw, Goldie said.

The South China Sea lies to Australias north. It has vital shipping lanes and has been a regional flashpoint for years. Several countries claim ownership of its small islands and access to natural resources. In recent years, Beijing has been increasingly assertive in the region.

Australian air force patrols are part of Canberras efforts to establish a viable rules-based strategic order in the Indo-Pacific region.

Tensions in the region have been part of deteriorating diplomatic relations between Australia and China in recent years. There has been friction over democracy in Hong Kong, human rights in Chinas Xinjiang Province, the future of Taiwan, and Beijings ambitions in the South Pacific.

However, a center-left government that won an election in Australia in May 2022 has been eager to reduce tensions with the countrys biggest trading partner.

High-profile meetings between senior government officials in recent months have been interpreted as a sign that diplomatic frictions are being eased. But analysts believe the potential for aggressive military encounters in the South China Sea show that vigilance is needed.

China accounts for about a third of Australia's global trade. Government data shows that the export of Australian goods and services to China were worth $123 billion in 2020-21.
Burkina Faso has put the North and parts of the Center East region under curfew to aid the fight against jihadis, according to official documents seen Sunday by AFP.

The long-running insurgency in the impoverished Sahel nation has left thousands of civilians, police and soldiers dead and forced more than two million people to flee their homes.

"In the framework of the fight against terrorism, a curfew is established from 22:00 to 05:00 across all the regional territory from Friday March 3 to Friday 31 March," said a note from the secretary-general of the governorate for the North, Kouilga Albert Zongo.

The curfews ban the movement overnight of people and the use of two and four-wheeled vehicles.

Zongo said the curfew would help the army in the region bordering Mali, from where the insurgency swept in back in 2015.

A curfew was also set up for March over Koulpelogo province, under an administrative communique from the high commission in the area close to Ghana and Togo, as well as the central-northern Bam region.

In mid-February, an overnight curfew set up in 2019 in the East region was extended for three months to May 21.

Jihadi assaults have increased this year, leaving dozens of civilians and members of the security forces dead every week.

The army announced a provisional death toll of 51 in a February 17 ambush in the far north for which the Islamic State group claimed responsibility.

It was the deadliest attack in Burkina since army captain Ibrahim Traore seized power in a coup late last September.

Around 40% of the nation's territory lies outside government control.

Anger within the Burkinabe military at failures to roll back the insurgency led to two coups last year.

Adding to the regional instability was the setting ablaze at the weekend of a police border post on the Niger side of the border.

Local sources reported Sunday that unidentified "heavily armed men" on motorbikes attacked the station Saturday at Makalondi, several kilometers behind the Burkinabe border, with police saying one civilian suffered gunshot wounds.

A local official told AFP there had been substantial material damage.

The station had previously been targeted in December 2021 in an attack by presumed jihadis which left six people dead.

Makalondi is in the tri-border zone near the frontiers with Burkina Faso and Mali and prone to attacks from armed jihadi groups  notably the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS).
A military court in Cameroon over the weekend charged a media mogul, a military officer, and a police commissioner with complicity in the January torture and killing of journalist Martinez Zogo. Cameroon laws state that crimes involving the use of weapons especially guns can be handled by a military court.

Cameroon President Paul Biya also ordered the military court to carry out the investigation into Zogo's death which led to media owner Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga, a police boss, and several officers being detained last month.

Journalists in Cameroon are calling for justice despite receiving threats since Zogos killing and, just days later, the killing of a radio host who was also calling for justice.

Cameroon media reported Saturday that business tycoon and media mogul Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga, Lieutenant-Colonel Justin Danwe, and Police Commissioner Maxime Eko Eko are being held in a maximum-security prison in pre-trial detention along with several policemen and civilians.

A Yaounde military tribunal charged the three men Saturday with complicity in the torture that led to the death of journalist Martinez Zogo in January.

Zogos mutilated remains were found five days after his abduction in the capital, Yaounde.

Seven other suspects detained in a series of February raids, including one on Belingas house, were released Saturday without charges.

What (we have) to retain is the strong message that the Cameroon judiciary is sending to the national and international community that Cameroon is a state of law, everyone can be held criminally responsible for his acts. Even though they still benefit from the presumption of innocence, they are now henceforth known as defendants and if after findings, there are sufficient evidence, the charges may move from accomplice to maybe, the perpetrators of torture on the journalist, said Richard Tamfu, a human rights lawyer and member of the Cameroon Bar Council.

But journalists in Cameroon say they feel like they are under attack.

Just two weeks after Zogos killing, the body of another journalist, Jean Jacques Ola Bebe, was found in the capital.

The radio host and Catholic priest had called for justice for Zogo and told journalists he was receiving death threats.

Cameroons government has yet to issue a statement on the death of Bebe.

The Cameroon Journalists Trade Union says it has recorded scores of reporters saying they and their relatives have been threatened since the killings of Zogo and Bebe and many suspect officials are involved.

Royal FM reporter in Yaounde Mapalah Zita says she has received several hostile phone calls, the most recent one on Sunday.

"It is like we will even end up being scared of executing our job the way it is supposed to be done. You are sending out the right information and you are being threatened for it. Seriously, what we need is that the government should give us that liberty which we deserve so that we can practice in full freedom. Let us be free to carry out our job without any threat, without any fear of the unknown.

Journalists say they have reported the threats to the police. The police have not said if investigations into the allegations have been opened or not but told VOA that they will protect all journalists exercising their duties.

Cameroons communication minister and government spokesman Rene Emmanuel Sadi last week warned journalists against what he described as emotional reporting on the Zogo and Bebe investigations.



He said there was no deliberate attempt to withhold information as reporters are claiming, adding that any communication while investigations are ongoing are by law to remain confidential.
A special Egyptian court on Sunday sentenced four veteran human rights activists to prison terms up to 15 years for "terrorism," several rights groups said.

Mohammed Abu Horayra, a lawyer, received a 15-year sentence, according to the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights and other groups.

They said his wife, Aisha Khairat al-Shater, the daughter of former Muslim Brotherhood leader Khairat al-Shater, got 10 years in prison.

Khairat al-Shater was arrested in a crackdown on the now-outlawed Brotherhood after the military led by current President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi ousted President Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

The late Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood had won national elections, but he was toppled following mass protests against his one-year rule.

Egypt subsequently branded the Brotherhood a "terrorist organization."

Hoda Abdelmoneim, also a lawyer, received a five-year prison sentence, which cannot be appealed, the rights groups said.

In her 60s, Abdelmoneim had been a member of the state's official National Human Rights Council before being arrested in 2018. She was also a spokesperson for Egypt's Women Revolutionary Coalition  a group close to the Muslim Brotherhood.

Ezzat Ghoneim, another lawyer, received a 15-year prison term, the groups said.

All four were part of the Egyptian Coordination for Rights and Freedoms, a nongovernmental group that suspended its activities in 2018 when Abdelmoneim, Shater and other activists were arrested.

Mary Lawlor, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights defenders, had on Saturday tweeted that she would closely follow the verdict for the four activists.

She said they had been "arbitrarily detained in 2018, forcibly disappeared, tortured & charged in unfair trial with joining a terrorist group."

Egypt regularly uses accusations of support or financing of "terrorism" to hold activists and opposition figures as long as possible in pretrial detention.

The two-year time limit on such detention is regularly exceeded, say rights groups who count around 60,000 political prisoners in the country.

Many face brutal conditions in overcrowded cells.

Egypt has long been criticized for its rights record.

In September 2021, el-Sissi launched a national human rights strategy, after reactivating a presidential pardon committee.

He has also promised to hold a national dialogue to revive the country's crushed political opposition before next year's presidential election.
Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi held talks Sunday with Iraq's prime minister in Cairo as the two countries seek to deepen ties and reinforce a regional alliance with Jordan.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani landed in the Egyptian capital and was greeted at the airport by his counterpart, Mustafa Madbouly. Al-Sudani and Madbouly inspected an honor guard and bands played the national anthems of the two countries.

The Iraqi premier then met with el-Sissi at the presidential palace. Their talks focused on economic cooperation and security ties between the two countries, according to Egyptian presidential spokesman Ahmed Fahmy.

Fahmy said in a statement that the two leaders also discussed regional issues, including their cooperation with Jordan. The statement did not elaborate. Foreign and trade ministers from both countries attended the talks, Fahmy said.

The trip marked al-Sudani's first to Cairo since his Cabinet was approved by the Iraqi parliament in October, ending a yearlong political stalemate. Al-Sudani's predecessor, former Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, had forged a close relationship with el-Sissi and King Abdullah II of Jordan.

El-Sissi traveled to Baghdad in June 2021, becoming the first Egyptian head of state to visit Iraq since the 1990s, when ties between the two countries were severed after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait.

Egypt, Iraq and Jordan have intensified their ties, with their leaders holding five summits since 2019, most recently at the Dead Sea in Jordan in December to discuss implementing strategic projects. Those include building gas pipelines between Iraq and Egypt through Jordan, and an industrial city on the Iraq-Jordan border, Egypt's state-run Al-Ahram daily reported Sunday.

Al-Kadhimi has also sought to strengthen his country's standing in the Middle East as a mediator capable of bringing even the staunchest of foes to the negotiating table. Baghdad recently hosted talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia that were focused on mending ties between the two regional foes, and on the war in Yemen.
Azerbaijani troops and ethnic Armenians exchanged gunfire on Sunday in Azerbaijan's contested region of Nagorno-Karabakh, killing at least five people, according to reports from Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Nagorno-Karabakh was the focal point of two wars that have pitted Azerbaijan against Armenia in the more than 30 years since both ex-Soviet states have achieved attendance.

Azerbaijan's defense ministry said two servicemen were killed in an exchange of fire after Azerbaijani troops stopped a convoy it suspected of carrying weapons from the region's main town to outlying areas. It said the convoy had used an unauthorized road.

Armenia's foreign ministry said three officials from the Karabakh interior ministry were killed. It said the convoy had been carrying documents and a service pistol and dismissed as "absurd" Azerbaijani allegations that weapons were being carried.

Nagorno-Karabakh has long been recognized internationally as part of Azerbaijan, though its population is made up predominantly of ethnic Armenians.

Armenian forces took control of Karabakh in a war that gripped the region as Soviet rule was collapsing in the early 1990s. Azerbaijan recaptured large swathes of territory in a six-week conflict in 2020 that ended with a truce and the dispatch of Russian peacekeepers, who remain in the region.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan have met several times as part of efforts to resolve the conflict, but periodic violence has hurt peace efforts.

For the past three months, Azeri environmentalists have been blockading the Lachin corridor linking Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, saying they oppose mining operations in the region.

Armenia says the protesters are political activists acting at the behest of Azerbaijan's authorities.

The World Court ordered Azerbaijan last month on Wednesday to ensure free movement through the Lachin corridor.
Several hundred thousand Russian citizens are thought to have fled their home country since February 2022, when the Kremlin launched the invasion of Ukraine. Critics of the war face imprisonment for "discrediting" the Russian military. Henry Ridgwell spoke to a Russian artist who has found sanctuary in London, and whose latest work addresses the war in Ukraine.
India's Supreme Court has dismissed a Hindu nationalist leader's petition to rename all cities and historical places of the country, which he said had been named after those he called "barbaric foreign invaders" several centuries ago.

In his petition, Ashwini Upadhyay, a lawyer and the leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), sought permission from the court to appoint a "renaming commission" to prepare a list of "ancient (Hindu) historical-cultural religious places" named after the Muslim rulers during their rule and offer Hindu names.

In dismissing Upadhyay's petition, the two-judge bench said the proposal went against the principle of secularism enshrined in the Constitution.

"We are secular and supposed to protect the Constitution. You are concerned about the past and dig it up to place its burden on the present generation. Each thing you do in this manner will create more disharmony," the bench said.

Beginning in the 12th century, a succession of Muslim empires  most notably the Delhi sultanate and the Mughal empire  dominated the Indian subcontinent for almost seven centuries. During Muslim rule, the growth of trade and commerce was accompanied by the brisk growth of towns and cities across the country.

The Muslim rulers established many towns, naming them after themselves or their ancestors.

Historian Syed Ali Nadeem Rezavi, a professor of medieval history at India's Aligarh Muslim University, agrees.

"This way, we find names of places linked to (named after) Muslim as well as Hindu builders or their progenitors. Religion was certainly not the basis for naming places [in] those days," Rezavi told VOA.

Some places already renamed

In the last few years, several places with Muslim-sounding names have been renamed by BJP governments. In 2018, the north Indian city of Allahabad, founded by Mughal emperor Akbar, was changed to Prayagraj. Mughalsarai, a nearby historic railway junction, was renamed Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction. Pandit Upadhyaya was a 20th century Hindu nationalist leader.

A week ago, Aurangabad  a city named by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in western India  was renamed Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar. Chhatrapati Sambhaji was the son of Hindu warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji.

With the rise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Hindutva  nationalist groups  have increased demands for renaming many Muslim-sounding locations.

In his petition, BJP leader Upadhyay claimed that historical locations found in ancient Hindu religious texts are known by the names of so-called "foreign looters."

"Successive governments have not taken steps to correct the barbaric act of invaders and the injury is continuing," Upadhyay's petition stated.

Justice K.M. Joseph remarked that Upadhyay's petition was looking at the past selectively, targeting Muslims  India's largest religious minority  specifically.

"India is today a secular country. Your fingers being pointed at a particular community, termed barbaric. Do you want to keep the country on the boil?" he asked.

Alok Vats, a senior BJP leader, defended Upadhyay's petition.

Vats told VOA, "The tyrannical Muslim rulers who demolished Hindu temples and forcibly converted Hindus to Islam are in no way to be revered and remembered hence the name change is justified. The same applies to the colonial rulers. Now, under the present BJP leadership, the Hindu sentiment is at its peak. The Sanatanis (Hindus) are out to undo all the nefarious and anti-Hindu doings of the past."

Muslim-sounding names at risk

Muslim leaders and activists in India, though relieved by the Supreme Court's rejection of Upadhyay's petition, are worried about the rise of Hindutva evident in the country since BJP came into power.

Zafarul-Islam Khan, former chairman of the Delhi Minorities Commission, told VOA that the Supreme Court's refusal to accept a petition to order the setting up of a renaming commission is reassuring.

"At least it clearly defines that it is wrong to change [the] names of historical places, but I do not think that the present dispensation will be deterred," he said.

Khan said, sooner or later, Hindutva forces would try to obliterate all Muslim-sounding names of cities, towns, villages and roads, in a bid to make Islam and Muslims in India invisible.

"This goes hand in hand with deleting passages and chapters from Indian textbooks and fabricating a new history. Future generations will think that Muslims did nothing while ruling India for [seven] centuries," Khan added.

Historian Rezavi said, unlike today, religion was not a criterion for naming places founded in the medieval period by the elite  for either Muslims or Hindus.

"Even old 'Hindu' names were continued (by Muslim rulers) without giving a thought that [they] were not Muslim. (In the 16th century,) Mughal emperor Akbar established a city and named it Ilahbas, meaning 'Abode of Hindu goddess Ila.' Akbar was Muslim. But he named the city after a Hindu goddess," Rezavi said. The British rulers converted the name of the city from Ilahbas to Allahabad, meaning 'city of Allah.'"

Audrey Truschke, historian and associate professor of South Asian history at Rutgers University in New Jersey, told VOA that the renaming of historical places with Hindu-sounding names is part of a larger "genocidal project."

"The BJP seems to be accelerating their loathsome calls for a Muslim-free India, in both the past and the present.  They scream of barbarians in the past that are so far removed from historical figures that they are better described as figments of the Hindu nationalist imagination. Such demonization bodes ill for Indian religious minorities," she said.
Iran's Supreme Leader on Monday described a series of suspected poisonings at girls' schools as an "unforgiveable crime."

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said if authorities determine they were deliberate poisonings, "those behind this crime should be sentenced to capital punishment, and there will be no amnesty for them," according to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).

It was the first time Khamenei had spoken publicly about the suspected poisonings of hundreds of children, which have sparked a wave of public anger in Iran.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi last week ordered an investigation into the illnesses among schoolgirls at more than 50 schools dating back to November.

The illnesses were spread among at least 21 of Iran's 30 provinces.

In Washington, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday, "The possibility that girls in Iran are being possibly poisoned simply for trying to get an education is shameful. It's unacceptable."

She called for "a credible independent investigation" into the suspected poisonings and said such a probe could fall under the purview of the United Nations.

"If these poisonings are related to participation in protests, then it is well within the mandate of the U.N. independent international fact-finding mission on Iran to investigate," she said.

The suspected poisonings come after months of protests in Iran sparked by the death of a young woman who had been detained by morality police for allegedly breaching the country's strict dress code for women.

Some activists who have been involved in the protests have accused the authorities of carrying out the poisonings to retaliate against schoolgirls who have participated in the demonstrations.

Iranian authorities have not provided any details on the suspected poisonings or who might be behind them.

Officials have accused unnamed "enemies" of the country of using the attacks to undermine Iran's government.

On Monday, Iranian media reported that authorities arrested a journalist based out of Qom, Ali Pourtabatabaei, who had been regularly reporting on the suspected poisonings.

Some information for this story came from The Associated Press, Reuters, and Agence-France Presse.
For full coverage of the crisis in Ukraine, visit Flashpoint Ukraine.

The latest developments in Russia's war on Ukraine. All times EST.

11 p.m.: A Czech company that produces inflatable tanks and other decoy military weapons has seen a huge increase in demand since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Reuters had the full story.

10:18 p.m.: U.S. benchmark wheat futures dropped below $7 per bushel on Monday for the first time in 17 months, pressured by reminders of adequate global supplies and optimism that the safe corridor to export grain from war-torn Ukraine will be extended, traders said, according to a Reuters report.

Corn futures also declined. But soybeans rose as Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) soymeal futures hit life-of-contract highs on worries about Argentina's drought-hit crops.

8:57 p.m.: Ukraine's top prosecutor said on Monday that a criminal investigation had been launched into what he called the "brutal and brazen shooting of an unarmed person" depicted in a video shared on social media, and accused Russia of ignoring the laws of war, Reuters reported.

8:11 p.m.: A Ukrainian military commander has described "hellish" conditions in and around Bakhmut, but he and others vowed to continue the bloody fight for the eastern city, while Russia's defense minister kept up a morale-building effort in the war zone and the head of the Wagner mercenary group stoked further tensions with Russian military commanders, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports.

"The situation in Bakhmut and around it is utter hell, as it is on the entire eastern front," Volodymyr Nazarenko, a commander of troops in Bakhmut, said in a Telegram video on March 6 amid reports that some Ukrainian forces were beginning tactical withdrawals from frontline positions.

7:21 p.m.: Ukraine has brought 307 children out of Russia-occupied territories, the country's human rights ombudsman said on Monday, including an 8-year-old boy who was recently reunited with his grandmother, Reuters reported.

Ukraine's authorities estimate more than 16,000 children have been deported to Russia since the start of the war a year ago. Russia has said it has been evacuating people voluntarily from Ukraine.

"At the end of February, the office of the Commissioner for Human Rights received a request to help bring back a child who was in the territory temporarily occupied by Russia," Dmytro Lubinets, the ombudsman, said on the Telegram messaging platform.

6:18 p.m.: Dramatic footage has emerged from the first days of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine a year ago. TV cameraman Serhiy Kylymnyk was using amateur equipment to document how Russian troops were attacking his town when a tank opened fire on the window he was filming from. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has the report.

5:35 p.m.: NATO intelligence estimates that for every Ukrainian soldier killed defending Bakhmut, Russian forces have lost at least five, a military official with the North Atlantic alliance told CNN on Monday.

The official cautioned that the five-to-one ratio was an informed estimate based on intelligence.

The official spoke to CNN on the condition of anonymity because they are not allowed to discuss this intelligence. Despite the favorable ratio, they also said Ukraine was suffering significant losses defending the city.

Ukrainian officials have repeatedly claimed they were inflicting heavy losses on Russia as Moscow tried to take Bakhmut.

Our defenders inflicted significant losses on the enemy, destroyed a large number of vehicles, forced Wagner's best assault units to fight and reduced the enemy's offensive potential, Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of the Ukraines land forces, said after a visit to Bakhmut on Sunday.

5:05 p.m.: Ukraine has broadened a request for controversial cluster bombs from the United States

Kyiv has urged members of Congress to press the White House to approve sending cluster bombs against Russian forces. Cluster munitions, have been banned by more than 120 countries, normally release large numbers of smaller bomblets that can kill indiscriminately over a wide area, threatening civilians.

Ukraine is seeking the MK-20, an air-delivered cluster bomb, to release its individual explosives from drones, said U.S. Representatives Jason Crow and Adam Smith, who both serve on the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee. That is in addition to 155 mm artillery cluster shells that Ukraine already has requested, they said.

Ukraine hopes its petition for MK-20s  also known as CBU-100s  cluster munitions will give it an edge in the grinding fight against Russian forces in eastern Ukraine.

According to Reuters, the petition for these munitions has not been reported previously.

The Ukrainian Embassy referred Reuters to the defense ministry in Kyiv, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

4:30 p.m.: A program by Sixty Minutes focuses on stories of freed Ukrainian prisoners of war. Andriy Yermak, President Volodymyr Zelenskyys Chief of Staff, says although 1,800 Ukrainians have been freed, an estimated 4,000 remain.

4:05 p.m.: In his nightly video address, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy refuted reports that said there is division of opinion among military brass on whether Ukraine should keep defending Bakhmut or withdraw from the besieged city. Zelenskyy said the decision to keep defending the devastated city was unanimously backed by the Staff. There is no part of Ukraine about which one can say that it can be abandoned. There is no Ukrainian trench in which the resilience and heroism of our warriors would be disregarded, said Zelenskyy. We are defending and will continue to defend every part of Ukraine. When the time comes, we will liberate every city and village of our country. And we will hold the occupier accountable for every shot against Ukraine, for every meanness against Ukrainians, he added.

2:55 p.m.:

2:20 p.m.: The United States' list of recently sanctioned entities for alleged support for Russia's war effort in Ukraine includes two Canadian companies, U.S. and Canadian authorities said Monday.

Reuters reports, the two Montreal-based electronics distribution companies - Cpunto Inc and Electronic Network Inc - were listed for "acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States" and are subject to U.S. export restrictions, according to the U.S. Commerce Department.

The U.S. government on Thursday asked companies to ensure they comply with Russia-related sanctions imposed after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, warning that a failure to do so could lead to potential prosecution or enforcement actions.

The Commerce Department recently imposed export restrictions on nearly 90 Russian and third-country companies and prohibited them from buying items such as semiconductors.

The Canada Border Services Agency told CBC News on Monday that the two sanctioned companies were identified as part of a "global effort" to support Russia. The agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Commerce Department list did not mention what the two companies shipped or attempted to ship that triggered U.S. action.

1:15 p.m.: A Belarusian "court" has sentenced opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya in absentia to 15 years in prison. Ukrainska Pravda reports. The accused were found guilty of "conspiracy committed with the aim of seizing state power in an unconstitutional way," according to Belarussian state publication Belta.

In a twitter post Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who ran against Lukashenko for the presidency in 2020 calling for release of political prisoners and strengthening democratic institutions in Belarus, said Today I don't think about my own sentence. I think about thousands of innocents, detained & sentenced to real prison terms."

12:35 p.m.: The oil market has stabilized as worst fears about shortages of crude, gas and fuel in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine have been allayed, Gunvor Chief Executive Torbjorn Tornqvist said Monday.

"Last year, there was an enormous amount of disruptions, a global energy crisis: coal, gas, oil looked very, very tight," Tornqvist told an audience at the CERAWeek energy conference in Houston.

Swiss-based Gunvor is one of the world's top oil traders, moving around 3.2 million barrels per day of oil, Reuters reports.

"The worst fears about winter, gas or diesel shortage, didn't come true," Tornqvist said.

12:10 p.m.: Three Russian soldiers have been identified as reportedly being involved in the shooting of Ukrainian civilians trying to escape the Ukrainian city of Irpin in March 2022. Ivan Dulkai, senior investigator from the Main Investigative Department of the National Police, said Russian soldiers threw a grenade into the first car of an evacuation convoy, which included a family with a 1.5-year-old child. The driver died on the spot and the front-seat passenger later succumbed to his injuries. The woman with her child survived.

The Kyiv Independent reports, Russian soldiers continued to shoot at other defenseless vehicles in the convoy. They then took the survivors and held them for several hours in a captured house, but "they did not allow anyone to take away the severely wounded who were lying on the ground and slowly dying, nor did they allow the bodies of the dead to be taken away," said Dulkai.

11:45 a.m.: A Czech company that produces more than 30 different inflatable military decoys, including tanks, armored vehicles, aircraft and howitzers, has seen sales soar over the past year. Its products include U.S.-made HIMARS rocket systems, the weapons that were among the billions of dollars in Western military aid that has helped Ukraine fight off the Russians since the Feb. 24 invasion. Inflatech chief executive Vojtech Fresser won't say if his decoys are used by Ukrainian forces. The decoys can deceive enemy cameras, thermo-cameras and radars into believing they have pinpointed a valuable target and use expensive missiles to destroy it, AP reports.

11:15 a.m.: U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Monday that if the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut fell, it would not presuppose that Moscow had regained the initiative in the war.

"I think it is more of a symbolic value than it is strategic and operational value," Austin told reporters while visiting Jordan. "The fall of Bakhmut won't necessarily mean that the Russians have changed the tide of this fight," he said. He added that he would not predict whether or when Bakhmut might fall.

Volodymyr Nazarenko, a Ukrainian commander in Bakhmut, said there had been no order to retreat and "the defense is holding," albeit in conditions of "utter hell," Reuters reports.

Russian artillery has been barraging the last routes out of the city, aiming to complete its encirclement, but Yevgeni Prighozin, the founder of the Wagner mercenary group leading the assault, has said his troops are dont have enough ammunition.

10:15 a.m.: Estonia's center-right Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has won reelection. AP reports, Kallas is one of Europes most outspoken supporters of Ukraine. Her Reform Party overwhelmingly won the Baltic countrys general election on Sunday. A far-right populist challenger focusing on national security and the economy lost the vote. According to preliminary returns from a completed ballot count showed the Reform Party received 31.2% of the vote. That translates into 37 seats at Estonias 101-seat Parliament and an increase of three seats from the 2019 election, AP reports.

9:42 a.m.: Ukraine's Reintegration Ministry has announced the creation of the National Corpus of the Crimean Tatar language, a database of texts in Crimean Tatar for the purpose of language research, the ministry said. This online platform for language research was established four months ago. The research will be based on data from textual materials in Crimean Tatar language.

During this time, 675 materials by more than 180 authors have been processed and included in the catalog. This is more than 50,000 printed pages (40 million characters). Among them are works by famous authors, newspapers, magazines, textbooks, scientific articles, international legal documents, reads the announcement.

Currently, the oldest work dates back to the 13th century, and the most modern one to the 21st century (2023)

9:27 a.m.: Russian founder of the mercenary group Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said his representative had been denied access to the headquarters of Russia's military command in Ukraine Monday, deepening his rift with the Russias defense establishment, Reuters reports.

Prigozhin said the incident came the day after he urgently requested ammunition supplies from the commander of what Russia calls its "special military operation" (SMO).

"On March 5, I wrote a letter to the commander of the SMO grouping about the urgent need to allocate ammunition. On March 6, at 8 a.m., my representative at the headquarters had his pass canceled and was denied access," Prigozhin said via his press service on Telegram.

Since mid-January, Russia's campaign in Ukraine has been commanded personally by the chief of the general staff, Army General Valery Gerasimov.

Prigozhin's private militia, Wagner, has led much of the heaviest fighting for the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, but he has complained openly for weeks that the military leadership is belittling its contribution.

In a video published at the weekend, he repeated earlier complaints that his men were being deprived of ammunition.

"If Wagner retreats from Bakhmut now, the whole front will collapse," Prigozhin said in the video, apparently filmed in a bunker. "The situation will not be sweet for all military formations protecting Russian interests," he said.

8:55 a.m.: Ukrainian military brass vowed to keep defending Bakhmut even as Russian forces continue to encroach on the besieged eastern Ukrainian city. Intense Russian shelling targeted the Donetsk region city and nearby villages Monday as Moscow deployed more troops there trying to crack Bakhmuts resistance. Local officials say civilians are fleeing the region.

Although Bakhmut does not have strategic significance, it has psychological importance. If Russian forces prevail there, Vladimir Putin, will finally deliver some good news from the battlefield. If Ukrainians succeed repelling the enemy, their display of grit and defiance will reinforce the message that Ukraine deserves continuing support among its Western allies, AP reports.

8:12 a.m.: Car sales in Russia collapsed by 62.1% year-on-year in February, the Association of European Businesses (AEB) said on Monday, as Western sanctions continued to cause problems for the industry.

According to Reuters, the AEB said 41,851 vehicles had been sold during February, compared with 110,441 vehicles in February 2022.

Russia's auto industry has been one of the hardest-hit sections of the economy following Western sanctions last year after Moscow ordered its troops into Ukraine. Car sales imploded by 58.8% last year, according to the AEB, which surveys Russian car manufacturers.

The industry had previously been heavily reliant on Western investment, joint partnerships, supply chains and parts - all of which remain significantly disrupted.

7:40 a.m.: As Ukraine is awaiting to receive more help from its Westen allies, Kyiv appointed a new top anti-corruption investigator Monday.

The European Union has made tackling corruption a priority for Kyiv as it tries to join the bloc and regards the appointment of a new director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) as paramount in that effort.

Semen Kryvonos, until now the chief of the State Inspection of Architecture and Urban Planning, will serve a seven-year term as director of NABU, one of several bodies set up in recent years to tackle corruption.

In a video statement, Kryvonos said he would create conditions for officials to "fear God, the people of Ukraine and NABU."

According to Reuters, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal chose Kryvonos from a pool of three finalists and was supported by his cabinet.

"Our team is committed to the principle of zero-tolerance to corruption and supporting anti-corruption institutions," Shmyhal said.

5:40 a.m.: Reuters reported that the Ukrainian government named a new head of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) during a live-streamed cabinet meeting on Monday, part of efforts to show its determination to crack down on graft.

The new NABU chief named was Semen Kryvonos, who had been serving as head of the State Inspection of Architecture and Urban Planning. The European Union has made fighting corruption a top priority for Ukraine as it seeks membership.

5:10 a.m.: U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Monday that the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut was of more than symbolic importance than an operational one and it would not necessarily mean that Moscow had regained the momentum in its year long war effort.

"I think it is more of a symbolic value than it is strategic and operational value," Austin told reporters while visiting Jordan, adding that he would not predict if or when Bakhmut would be taken by Russian forces.

"The fall of Bakhmut won't necessarily mean that the Russians have changed the tide of this fight," Austin added according to Reuters.

4:30 a.m.: Agence France-Presse reported that Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has visited the war-battered city of Mariupol in southern Ukraine, his ministry announced Monday, one year after his forces besieged the city, levelling it to the ground.

The ministry said Shoigu, one of the highest-ranking officials to visit east Ukraine, had toured the destroyed port city to oversee reconstruction efforts.

Shoigu "inspected work carried out by the... defense ministry to restore infrastructure in Donbas," the ministry said, without specifying the timing of the visit.

Russia launched a scorched-earth campaign against Mariupol at the start of its campaign last year, destroying the Azovstal steel works, which was the last holdout of Ukraine forces in the city.

Investigative teams linked to jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny have reported that defense ministry officials are profiting personally from reconstruction efforts in Mariupol.

The ministry's announcement comes one day after it said Shoigu had met with Russian soldiers deployed to a "command post in" eastern Ukraine.

4:05 a.m.: Far from the Ukraine war's frontlines, only the whirring of generator-powered ski lifts disturbs the calm at Bukovel in the country's west, a winter resort nestled in the pine-forested Carpathian Mountains.

For Liliya, an English interpreter from Ukraine's Sumy region just 20 kilometres from the Russian border, who declined to give her surname for safety reasons, a first-time skiing holiday offered welcome if only brief respite.

"Here we try to forget about the war," she told AFP while adjusting her eight-year-old daughter's ski goggles.

"Although my mobile phone alerts me three or four times a day about sirens back home," she said wearily.

Agence France-Presse had the full report.

3:30 a.m.: Most of Ukraine's winter grain crops  winter wheat and barley  are in good condition and could produce a good harvest, Ukraine's academy of agricultural science was quoted as saying on Monday.

"The analysis of the viability of winter wheat ... showed that the vast majority of plants  92% to 97%, depending on the predecessor and sowing date  were in relatively good condition," the APK-Inform consultancy quoted a report by the academy as saying, despite Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine is a traditional grower of winter wheat which accounts for around 95% of the country's overall wheat output, and key for both local consumption and exports.

"There are good reasons to make preliminary forecasts for the formation of yields that will be close to the average long-term average," the report said.

The scientists say the reserves of productive moisture in the soil under winter crops remained "quite significant and did not cause concern."

The winter wheat area sown for the 2023 harvest decreased to around 4.1 million hectares from more than 6 million sown a year earlier because of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24 last year.

Of the winter wheat sown last year, only 4.9 million hectares were harvested in Ukrainian-controlled territory, as Russian forces occupied some areas.

Ukraine's wheat harvest declined to 20.2 million tons in 2022 from 32.2 million tons in 2021. Overall grain output fell to around 54 million tons from a record 86 million in 2021.

A top agriculture ministry official told Reuters on Thursday that the 2023 wheat crop could total 16 to 18 million tons but Ukraine saw no need to limit wheat exports for the upcoming 2023/24 July-June season.

3 a.m.: More than a year after the Ukrainian military flooded his village to halt Russia's lightning march on Kyiv, Ivan Kukuruza's basement is still submerged and his patience is running out.

Authorities sacrificed his hamlet of Demydiv, 35 kilometers (22 miles) north of Kyiv, last February by blowing up a nearby dam in a bid to bog down Russia's invading army.

And while the last-ditch effort helped spare the capital a Russian takeover, the authorities' clean-up efforts have proved much less ingenious and much less speedy.

"Just lower the water levels by half. Even then, no tank could pass through here," Kukuruza, 69, told AFP.

Agence France-Presse had the full report.

2:20 a.m.: Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk dedicated her first WTA singles title to those "fighting and dying" in her home country amid Russia's ongoing invasion after she defeated Russian Varvara Gracheva 6-3 7-5 to win the inaugural Austin Open on Sunday.

Reuters reported that the 20-year-old collapsed on the court and covered her face with her hands after securing the title but declined to shake the hand of her Russian opponent at the net.

"Everyone who is in the stands and everyone who is watching, especially in Ukraine, I want to say 'Slava Ukraini,'" Kostyuk said during the trophy ceremony. The Ukrainian phrase translates to "Glory to Ukraine."

"Being in the position that I'm in right now it's extremely special to win this title. I want to dedicate this title to Ukraine and all of the people who are fighting and dying right now."

1:45 a.m.:

12:35 a.m.: The Kyiv Independent tweeted that a Russian propagandist claims he came under fire in Donetsk Oblast.

12:01 a.m.: Put off by the Estonian government's hawkish stance on Russia, many Russian speakers are expected to stay away from elections on Sunday even though they oppose the war in Ukraine, Agence France-Presse reported.

Russian speakers, who make up a quarter of the population, are also concerned about the support of almost all the main parties for a new law for Estonian-only education in schools.

"A very big part of the Russian-speaking population of Estonia has definitely kept strong ties to Russia," said Rein Toomla, a political expert from the Johan Skytte Institute.

The results have now been called.

Some information in this report came from Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
Hundreds of supporters of Nigeria's opposition People's Democratic Party chanted as they marched to the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, or INEC, on Monday to protest the official results of the recent presidential election.

The demonstration, led by presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar and other party officials, was organized to protest last week's declaration of ruling party candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the winner of the February 25 presidential polls.

Protesters, mostly in black, chanted that Abubakar won the vote and said INEC is a fraud that subverted the will of the people.

"We have evidence that we won this election by our own collation but what we're saying, what we're demanding, is that as at this moment, Mahmood Yakubu has not done a review of that collation; he should review the collation. That's our demand," said Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP presidential campaign committee spokesperson.

Yakubu is chairman of INEC, and has been in office since November 2015.

Paul Ibe, a media adviser to Abubakar, also protested Monday.

"This is the worst conducted election in our democratic history," Ibe said. "There were a lot of expectations. Nigerians were looking for a leader that will bring them together and begin the process of recovery. What we have is actually a robbery."

Heavily armed police prevented the protesters from invading the INEC premises. INEC officials did not at the time address the aggrieved party members.

INEC officials later responded to the protesters and said their grievances will be addressed.

The presidential and parliamentary elections were characterized by staff delays and system failures. INEC said delays were caused by logistics issues and security threats in some areas.

But INEC's newly introduced voter accreditation machines failed to function properly across many states.

Over the weekend, INEC held a briefing with officials to review the election and better prepare for the gubernatorial polls on March 11.

"As we approach the governorship and state assemblies elections, we must work harder to overcome the challenges experienced in the last elections. Nothing else will be acceptable to Nigerians," Yakubu said at the briefing.

Last week, third-party candidate Peter Obi announced he also won the election and will prove it to Nigerians in court.

On Sunday, the U.S. ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, said the presidential election failed to meet expectations.

Tinubu has called for unity and says he wants all parties to work with him for a better country.

Experts say that regardless of how things play out, the president will have big issues to deal with, including widespread insecurity, a weak economy, and troubled health and education systems.
The director of a hospital in Las Anod, a disputed border town in Somalia's breakaway region of Somaliland, says about 200 people have been killed and hundreds more wounded in weeks of intense fighting.

For about a month now, the Somaliland army has been fighting with clan militias for control of Las Anod. Somaliland, which broke away from Somalia three decades ago, has controlled the town since 2008, but the local clans support Somalia's federal government and wish to be governed by it.

Despite local and international calls for a cease-fire, fighting has continued, raising fears of a full-blown humanitarian crisis amid a biting drought that has already affected thousands of people in the contested region.

Dr. Ismail Mohamoud, director of Gargaar Hospital in Las Anod, said the number of wounded patients is close to 1,000, while more than 200 people have been killed in the fighting. Most of the victims are civilians, he added.

Mohamoud said the situation in the city has gotten worse due to the shelling of hospitals. The main Las Anod Hospital has suffered the most with virtually all the departments destroyed by shelling from Somaliland forces, he said.

The U.N. Security Council last month called for a de-escalation of violence in Las Anod, adding to similar calls from the federal government in Mogadishu. Those calls have gone unheeded as both sides continued exchanging heavy fire.

Matt Bryden, founder of Sahan Research, a security and political think tank focusing on the Horn of Africa, told VOA why peace remains elusive in Las Anod.

"At this moment, there appears to be little possibility of an imminent resolution of the conflict," he said. "The multiplicity of actors and interests makes it extremely difficult to find a middle ground."

He said Somaliland will not easily relinquish its claim to the Sool region, in which Las Anod is located, because that would undermine the territory's push to be recognized as an independent country.

According to Bryden, a military victory for either side may pave the way for dialogue. He said demands by the Dhulbahante clan in Las Anod for their own regional government could upset the federal structure in Somalia. He said this could motivate other clans which may not be happy with their respective regional governments to follow suit.

"The first victim of this conflict is probably Somaliland's electoral calendar. It's hard to see how party and presidential elections could take place this year if much of Sool region is excluded from voting," Bryden said. "And this in turn would have wider ramifications for Somaliland's claim to be an electoral democracy, which has already taken a beating due to widespread criticism of its actions in Las Anod."

Ahmed Hadi, founder of a Mogadishu-based governance think tank, told VOA the competing interests between Somaliland, Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region and the clans within the Sool region mean the fighting could continue for a long time.

The main challenges are linked ones, he said, as Puntland state wants to dislodge Somaliland from the territories while Somaliland wants to control these areas to tell the world it is ready for recognition. Also, clans in this area are struggling for independence from both sides.

Hadi said the fighting and the casualties among civilians will hurt Somaliland's reputation and complicate its long-standing push for international recognition.
Pope Francis called on authorities Sunday to stop human traffickers operating in the Mediterranean, as he expressed his sorrow over last week's migrant boat disaster off Italy's Calabrian coast, in which dozens of people were killed.

"I renew my appeal to prevent such tragedies from happening again. May traffickers of human beings be stopped," the pope said in his weekly address to crowds in St. Peter's Square.

Local authorities said 70 bodies had so far been recovered following the incident. The migrants had departed from Turkey and were from countries including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Somalia and Syria.

"May journeys of hope never again turn into journeys of death, may the clear waters of the Mediterranean no longer be bloodied by such dramatic accidents," the pope said.

Around 80 people survived after the boat broke up and sank in rough seas near Steccato di Cutro, a resort on the Calabria region's eastern coast. Authorities estimated it had carried up to 200 migrants.

Three alleged traffickers were arrested this week and prosecutors began looking into the way emergency services responded to the disaster, after accusations that authorities were slow to react.

"I pray for the many victims of the shipwreck, for their families and for those who survived," the pope said.

Right-wing Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who this week called on fellow European Union leaders to do more to halt illegal immigration, praised the pope's remarks.

The government was "continuing to deploy all necessary forces to combat human traffickers and stop deaths at sea," she said in a post on Facebook.
Syria's foreign ministry Sunday condemned a surprise visit by the United States' top military officer to an army base in the Kurdish-held northeast, dubbing it "illegal," state media said.

In his snap visit Saturday, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley met U.S. troops stationed in areas of war-torn Syria under the control of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

About 900 U.S. troops are deployed in several bases and posts across northeastern Syria as part of the fight against Islamic State group remnants.

The official news agency SANA quoted a foreign ministry official as saying, "Syria strongly condemns the illegal visit of the American chairman of the chiefs of staff to an illegal American military base in northeast Syria."

Milley's visit was "a flagrant violation of the sovereignty and integrity" of Syrian territory, the official added according to SANA, calling on "the U.S. administration to immediately cease its systematic and continued violation of international law and support for separatist armed groups."

President Bashar al-Assad's government views the deployment of U.S. forces in SDF-held territory as "occupation" and accuses U.S.-aligned Kurdish forces of "separatist tendencies."

Kurdish officials deny any separatist aspirations and say they seek to preserve their self-rule, which Damascus does not recognize.

Milley's spokesperson, Col. Dave Butler, told AFP the U.S. general "visited northeast Syria Saturday... to meet with commanders and troops."

It was Milley's first trip to Syria since assuming the chairmanship in 2019. He visited the country before as an army chief, the spokesperson said.

During the visit, Milley "received updates on the counter-ISIS mission," Butler added using an alternative acronym for the IS jihadis.

The general also "inspected force protection measures and asserted repatriation efforts for the Al Hol refugee camp, home to more than 50,000 people, including family members of suspected foreign IS militants whose home countries have not taken them back.

The U.S.-led coalition battling IS provides support for SDF, spearheaded by the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG).

After the jihadis lost their last territory to SDF-led forces in 2019, SDF has cracked down on remnants of IS, whose members still launch deadly attacks in Syria.

U.S. forces have killed or arrested IS figures in numerous operations, including the group's leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, in 2019.

On February 19, the U.S. military said troops working with SDF captured an IS provincial official.

The raid came a day after four U.S. troops were wounded as they conducted another raid to kill a senior IS group leader in northeastern Syria, the U.S. military's Central Command said.
Tunisia's president denounced racism on Sunday and pointed to possible legal consequences for perpetrators 10 days after announcing a crackdown on illegal migration using language the African Union condemned as "racialized hate speech."

During a statement on February 21 telling security forces to expel all illegal immigrants, President Kais Saied called migration a conspiracy to change Tunisia's demographics by making it more African and less Arab.

Police detained hundreds of migrants, landlords summarily evicted hundreds from their homes and hundreds of others were fired from work, rights groups say.

Many migrants said they had been attacked, including being pelted with stones by gangs of youths in their neighborhoods, and rights groups said police had been slow to respond to such assaults.

While Saied denied racism in a statement on February 23, he repeated his view of immigration as a demographic plot. Before Sunday, Saied had not publicly warned of any legal consequences for the attacks.

In Sunday's statement he described the accusations of racism as a campaign against the country "from known sources," without elaborating.

But he added that Tunisia was honored to be an African country and announced a relaxation of visa rules for African citizens, allowing stays of up to six months instead of three without seeking residency, and of a year for students.

He said migrants who had overstayed could leave without penalty after many of those authorities sought to deport had proven unable to pay fines for late stays.

He painted his crackdown on illegal migration as being a campaign against human trafficking and pointed to a law passed in 2018 against discrimination to say that any verbal or physical attacks on foreigners would be prosecuted.

Opposition parties and rights groups have said Saied's crackdown on immigrants, which coincided with arrests of senior opposition figures, was aimed at distracting from Tunisia's economic crisis.

Saied seized most powers in 2021, shutting down the elected parliament, moving to rule by decree and rewriting the constitution, steps his foes including the main political parties call a coup.

He has said his actions were legal and needed to save Tunisia from chaos.
Turkey's right wing IYI Party has proposed that the mayors of Ankara and Istanbul serve as vice presidents if the opposition wins the May election, a spokesperson said Monday, after the party left the main opposition alliance last week.

The suggestion could pave the way for IYI to return to the bloc.

IYI, which was the second-biggest party in the alliance of six parties, exited the group last week after its leader Meral Aksener rejected the expected nomination of Kemal Kilicdaroglu, head of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) as the blocs presidential candidate.

Instead she had proposed that either Ekrem Imamoglu or Mansur Yavas, mayors of Istanbul and Ankara, be the candidate, saying opinion polls showed they would win against Erdogan by a large margin.

Hours before the five remaining parties of the alliance were to announce Kilicdaroglu as their candidate, the two mayors held a brief meeting with Aksener who conveyed to them a fresh proposal for them to serve as vice presidents should the bloc win the May 14 election.

Aksener put forward an "inclusive" proposal, IYI spokesperson Kursad Zorlu told reporters, moments after the two mayors finished their meeting.

"She has conveyed the proposal that the two mayors serve as executive vice presidents," Zorlu said. "Our leader will convey this proposal to Kilicdaroglu in the coming moments," he added.

The opposition drama comes two months before presidential and parliamentary elections. A major factor for voters is expected to be last month's devastating earthquake, which killed more than 45,000 people and left millions homeless.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said Monday that Kyiv had fulfilled all the recommendations of the European Union as his war-battered nation pushes to begin talks to join the bloc.

Ukraine, which held a pro-EU revolution in 2014, has been battling a Russian invasion for over a year. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said his country "deserves" to start talks to join the bloc this year.

Shmygal said Ukraine had appointed a new head of its National Anti-Corruption Bureau, thereby completing a set of reforms required by the EU.

"Ukraine has fulfilled all seven EU recommendations," he tweeted. "This demonstrates our determination to move on to the start of accession negotiations this year."

He announced that Semen Kryvonos, 40, was the new chief of the anti-corruption agency.

Kryvonos previously headed Ukraine's ministry in charge of town planning.

Brussels granted Kyiv formal candidate status in June last year, four months after Russia launched an all-out invasion.

But the EU said at the time that Kyiv must implement seven reforms, including ramping up the fight against corruption and limiting "the excessive influence of oligarchs."

The process of joining the European Union could take years.

A final decision on Ukraine's accession will depend on EU member state governments.

Some of the 27 EU states are skeptical that Kyiv can recover from Moscow's invasion or implement the necessary democratic and anti-corruption reforms to qualify for membership any time soon.
The United Nations secretary-general warned Monday at the start of a major womens conference that at the current pace, gender equality is projected to be 300 years away.

Progress won over decades is vanishing before our eyes, Antonio Guterres said at the start of the Commission on the Status of Women.

The CSW, as it is known, is expected to draw more than 4,000 government ministers, diplomats and civil society members for the annual two-week-long gathering to discuss how to improve the lives of women around the world. It is the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic that the conference is fully in person.

Guterres told the opening session that the CSW takes on even greater significance at a time when womens rights are being abused, threatened and violated around the world.

This years theme is Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. The conference and its dozens of side events will look at how a disproportionate lack of access to the internet is holding back women and girls globally.

Three billion people are still unconnected to the internet, the majority of them women and girls in developing countries, Guterres said. In least developed countries, just 19% of women are online.

Globally, the U.N. says men outnumber women 2-to-1 in the tech industry, while only 28% of engineering graduates and 22% of artificial intelligence (AI) workers are women. There is also a significant gender pay gap of 21%.

The digital divide can limit womens access to life-saving information, mobile money products, agricultural extension or online public services, said Sima Bahous, executive director of U.N. Women. In turn, this fundamentally influences whether a woman completes her education, owns her own bank account, makes informed decisions about her body, feeds her family or gains productive employment.

Bahous said these inequalities have created a new kind of digital poverty.

We will not achieve gender equality without closing the digital gap, she said.

Women and girls also experience more harassment and sexual abuse online, the U.N. reported.

Afghanistan

This week, the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan, where the Taliban has taken away many of their rights since seizing power in August 2021, will be in the spotlight.

Guterres said women and girls have been erased from public life there.

In January, he dispatched the deputy secretary-general and Bahous to the country with what he said was a clear message for the Taliban.

Women and girls have fundamental human rights, and we will never give up fighting for them, the secretary-general said.

At a side event on Monday, several Afghan female activists took the podium, making a clear call for the international community to turn up the pressure to help reverse the Talibans more than 30 edicts. The orders include banning women from secondary school and university, working outside the home, travel without a male chaperon and taking part in any political or cultural activities.

The intolerable reality of a terrorist group seizing power has resulted in a complete breakdown of law and order in Afghanistan, said Fariha Easer, an activist and womens rights researcher who was evacuated from Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover. The state of absolute chaos has led to anarchy and utter lawlessness, leaving women completely vulnerable and with nowhere to turn for justice.

Easer said the situation is beyond dire and choked back tears as she said Afghan women are committing suicide and are victims of gender-based violence.

Its so hard to talk about todays realities of Afghanistan, she said to supportive applause and a standing ovation.

On Wednesday, which is International Womens Day, Pakistan is hosting a conference on the sidelines of the CSW on the challenges facing Muslim women. It will seek to dispel some perceptions of Islam as a religion that oppresses and discriminates against women, highlighting the contributions of Muslim women throughout history. And it will address obstacles to the empowerment of women.
A report submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Council Monday accuses Afghanistans de facto Taliban rulers of pursuing a policy tantamount to gender apartheid."

Richard Bennett, U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, told the council that the Talibans intentional and calculated policy is to repudiate the human rights of women and girls and to erase them from public life.

It may amount to the crime of gender persecution, for which the authorities can be held accountable.

The Taliban regained power in Afghanistan in August 2021 as U.S.-led Western forces left the country after nearly 20 years of war.

Bennett said conditions in Afghanistan have continued to deteriorate since he submitted his initial report to the council back in September and noted, Afghans are trapped in a human rights crisis that the world seemed powerless to address.

Based on subsequent visits to the country in October and December, Bennett said he observed a harsher crackdown on any form of dissent and increasing attacks on the rights of women and girls, as well as ethnic and religious minorities.

Not only are women and girls barred from visiting parks, gyms, and public baths, but new edicts issued by the Taliban have prevented women from attending universities and banning them from working with non-governmental organizations.

The abysmal treatment of women and girls is intolerable and unjustifiable on any ground, including religion, he said.

No country can function with half its adult population effectively imprisoned at home, he added, saying the ban imposed on female NGO workers was adding to nationwide economic, social and cultural distress.

The United Nations reports that since the Taliban takeover of the country in 2021, the poverty rate has doubled with 28 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, including more than six million Afghans on the brink of famine.

Bennett accuses the Taliban of interfering in the delivery of aid instead of intensifying its efforts to remedy the situation.

I urge them to immediately cease actions that disrupt equitable and speedy access to humanitarian aid to those most in need, particularly women and children, he said. The role of women employees is critical in aid delivery. I urge the de facto authorities to immediately lift the ban on women working for NGOs.

Bennett reported on widespread human rights violations, on the flogging in public of hundreds of women, children and men for alleged crimes including theft and so-called illegitimate relationships. He said he had received credible reports of multiple extrajudicial killings of fighters by the Taliban, of arbitrary arrests, torture, and ill treatment.

There must be consequences for those responsible for serious human rights violations, he said. Longstanding impunity needs to be challenged for past as well as present crimes.

The United Nations does not recognize the Taliban as the legitimate rulers of Afghanistan, so the previous government continues to represent the Afghan people at this international body.

Nasir Ahmad Andisha, ambassador and permanent representative of Afghanistan at the United Nations in Geneva, took the floor before the council, validating the litany of severe abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law described by the special rapporteur.

Andisha said the arbitrary arrests and forceful detentions of peaceful human rights defenders, university professors and activists should be investigated as gender persecution  a crime against humanity.

He called for the establishment of an independent investigative mechanism that could collect, analyze, and preserve evidence of human rights violations of Afghans, especially those of women, children, and vulnerable groups.

His words were echoed by the human rights organization Amnesty International, which is calling for the creation of a fact-finding mission like those already in place in countries such as Ethiopia, Iran, and Myanmar.

The human rights situation in Afghanistan is deteriorating rapidly, and the Talibans relentless abuses continue every single day, said Agnes Callamard, Amnesty Internationals secretary general.

Callamard said an investigative mechanism is required to meet the enormous challenge of documenting and recording human rights abuses in Afghanistan.

The creation of a fact-finding mission is essential, with a focus on the collection and preservation of evidence to ensure justice is delivered, she said, adding that all those found guilty of violations are held accountable in fair trials before ordinary civilian courts or international criminal courts.

Callamard warned that the current accountability gap is allowing grave violations and abuses in Afghanistan to continue unabated, and it must be urgently closed.

Ayaz Gul contributed to this report.
The U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria acknowledged in a statement Sunday that following the African nations recent election, there are many angry and frustrated Nigerians as well as many who are celebrating victories.

Mary Beth Leonard urged that the legally established process for resolving challenges to the election be allowed to take its course.

As much as it can be unsatisfying to end an electoral process in a courtroom, in a constitutional democracy bound by the rule of law, Leonard said, that is where electoral conflicts may appropriately conclude."

Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Bola Ahmed Tinubu the next president of Nigeria.

INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu said Tinubu, the ruling All Progressives Congress party candidate, received almost 8.8 million votes to win the most hotly contested race since Nigeria became a democracy.

Opposition leaders called the election a sham and have pledged to go to court to challenge the outcome.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Monday if Russian troops manage to seize control of the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, that would not represent a decisive shift in the conflict.

"I think it is more of a symbolic value than it is strategic and operational value," Austin told reporters during a visit to Jordan.

Bakhmut has been the site of months of intense fighting with Russia pushing to take control of the area in Ukraines Donetsk province.

Austin said Monday he would not view a Ukrainian decision to reposition its troops to the west of the city as a strategic setback for Ukraine.

Ukraine, however, publicly suggested it would continue to defend Bakhmut. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the countrys top generals and his office later released a statement, saying, They spoke in favor of continuing the defensive operation and further strengthening our positions in Bakhmut.

The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington research organization, said Ukrainian forces are likely conducting a limited tactical withdrawal in Bakhmut, although it is still too early to assess Ukrainian intentions concerning a complete withdrawal from the city.



The analysts said Ukraines defense of Bakhmut remains strategically sound as it continues to consume Russian manpower and equipment as long as Ukrainian forces do not suffer excessive casualties.



The analysts added that Ukrainian forces are unlikely to withdraw from Bakhmut all at once and may pursue a gradual fighting withdrawal to exhaust Russian forces through continued urban warfare.



They said that Russian forces are unlikely to quickly secure significant territorial gains when conducting urban warfare, which usually favors the defender and can allow Ukrainian forces to inflict high casualties on advancing Russian unitseven as Ukrainian forces are actively withdrawing.



The institute concluded that endemic personnel and equipment constraints will likely prevent Russian forces from launching another prolonged offensive operation like the battle for Bakhmut in the coming months.

Ukraines military on Monday also reported a fresh round of Russian attacks using Iran-made drones.

The Ukrainian defense ministry tweeted that its forces shot down 13 of 15 drones.

Russia has used the Shahed drones to crash into targets in areas across Ukraine, including infrastructure sites.

Meanwhile, Russia said Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited Russian soldiers and a medical center Monday in southern Ukraine.

The defense ministry said Shoigus visit to Mariupol included a tour of the city, which Russia leveled last year, in order to oversee reconstruction efforts. The ministry did not specify when the visit took place.

Some information in this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
U.S. lawmakers took an important step toward repealing the decades-old authorization of presidential war powers Wednesday, as an effort to reassert Congress role appears to have growing support.

By a vote of 13-8, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee advanced a repeal of the 1991 and 2002 authorizations for the use of military force, or AUMFs, that would formally end the Gulf and Iraq wars.

These two AUMFs are outdated, do not address current threats to U.S. interests and should not be used to justify large-scale use of military force. Their repeal is in the U.S. national interest and in the interest of our strategic partnership with Iraq and the region, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez said in a statement.

Lawmakers have attempted in recent years to repeal the 2001 and 2002 AUMFs that were passed in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, giving U.S. presidents broad powers to conduct military operations without Congress constitutional right to approval.

To date, each attempt has failed amid criticism that repealing those authorizations endangers U.S. national security and U.S. forces abroad.

"Both Democrats and Republicans have come to the same conclusion: we need to put the Iraq war squarely behind us once and for all. And doing that means we should extinguish the legal authority that initiated the war to begin with," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor last week, praising the bipartisan effort.

In addition to repealing the AUMF authorizing the 2003 war in Iraq, the legislation under consideration this week in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee would also repeal the 1991 AUMF that authorized President George Herbert Walker Bush to send forces into Iraq.

"Iraq is a strategic partner of the United States in advancing the security and stability of the Middle East. Sadly, according to these laws that are still on the books, Iraq is still technically an enemy of the United States," Republican Senator Todd Young, a co-sponsor of the legislation, said in a statement. "This inconsistency and inaccuracy should be corrected. Congress must do its job and take seriously the decision to not just commit America to war, but to affirmatively say that we are no longer at war."

Presidents of both parties have used the 2002 AUMF as justification for military actions far beyond the scope of its original purpose. In 2014, Democratic President Barack Obama used the AUMF to justify airstrikes without congressional approval against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria. Republican President Donald Trump used that same AUMF in 2020 to authorize the airstrike that killed Iranian General Qassim Suleimani in Iraq.

A broad range of U.S. lawmakers now support the legislation, arguing that Congress has neglected its constitutional responsibilities for several decades. The last time Congress formally used its powers to declare war was in 1942 against Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary. Since that time, it has granted U.S. presidents broader authority to conduct military operations.

"Congress is responsible for both declaring wars and ending them because decisions as important as whether or not to send our troops into harm's way warrant careful deliberation and consensus," said Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, another co-sponsor of the legislation. "The 1991 and 2002 AUMFs are no longer necessary, serve no operational purpose, and run the risk of potential misuse."

The legislation could come up for a full floor vote in the Democratic-majority Senate as early as next week. It is expected to have enough Republican support to overcome a filibuster.

The chances of a repeal in the Republican-majority U.S. House of Representatives is much narrower. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has said he will allow an open amendment process, meaning any Senate-passed repeal would likely be added on to the annual National Defense Authorization for consideration later this year.

The Democratic-majority House of Representatives repealed the 2002 AUMF by a vote of 268-161 in June 2021 but it failed to pass the Senate. The 2001 AUMF authorizing the U.S. war in Afghanistan also remains law, despite earlier attempts at a repeal.
Since the launch of a U.S. government program called Uniting for Ukraine in April 2022, more than 113,000 Ukrainians have arrived in the US, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Karina Bafradzhian met with one Ukrainian family who arrived as part of that program.
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Congressional Republicans have fired yet another volley in their ongoing battle against environmentally and socially conscious investing. Although their effort to influence retirement-plan managers is more political than consequential, President Joe Biden is right to veto it. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight At issue is the extent to which private-sector retirement plans, which hold some $12 trillion in assets, can explicitly consider environmental, social and governance issues in selecting investments. In late 2020, the Trump administration adopted a rule aimed at discouraging such behavior: It placed a greater burden on fiduciaries  the people who, say, oversee a company pension fund or 401(k) plan  to demonstrate that any ESG-related considerations were purely pecuniary, potentially exposing them to added litigation risk. Certain ESG choices, for example, would require extra documentation showing that they were economically indistinguishable from a non-ESG alternative.

Its hard to know what effect the rule wouldve had, because the Biden administration quickly announced plans for a redo. Its version, issued late last year, eliminated the added documentation and specifically designated factors such as the economic effects of climate change as potentially relevant to investment analysis. This shift in emphasis makes it easier for fiduciaries to expressly consider ESG issues and offer ESG funds, but does not require them to do so. The rule still requires them to act in plan participants financial interests.

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Whats most important is where the Trump and Biden rules agree: A fiduciarys primary goal should be prudent, diversified investments for future retirees, enabling the most advantageous combination of risk and return. This should exclude stuff like crypto. But its in no way incompatible with ESG investing. If, for example, a companys profits depend too heavily on activities that contribute to climate change, any asset manager might reasonably see that as a threat to its value. Thats just investing, whatever the label. Under no circumstances are plan fiduciaries allowed to accept greater risk or less return in pursuit of ESG goals (an approach that does exist in the broader investment world). Separately, they should ensure that ESG-labeled funds are what they purport to be  something that often hasnt been the case.

But Republicans often seem more interested in attacking ESG as woke capitalism than in the finer points of portfolio selection. To that end, theyve mustered the necessary House and Senate votes to advance a resolution that will strike down the Biden rule. Given the similarities between the two rules, this is a much bigger deal for the culture wars than it would be for finance. Nonetheless, theres a chance that the resolution could create enough uncertainty to chill otherwise useful investments if it stands.

Biden should use his veto, as he has pledged to do.

More From Bloomberg Opinion:

 Your Local Solar Panel Plant May Be Holding Back Net Zero: David Fickling

 Republicans Are Splitting Their Party Over Clean Energy: Carl Pope

 The Year That Redrew the Energy Map: Clara Ferreira Marques

The Editors are members of the Bloomberg Opinion editorial board.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

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China set a modest economic growth target of around 5% for the year, with the nations top leaders avoiding any large stimulus to spur a consumer-driven recovery already underway, suggesting less of a growth boost to an ailing world economy. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight At his final government work report to the National Peoples Congress  the annual parliamentary gathering  Premier Li Keqiang also said China will target disorderly expansion in the property sector and ensure effective risk prevention and mitigation for the countrys leading developers.

In other major announcements, China said its defense spending would grow by 7.2% this year, the fastest pace since 2019. At the same time, it will seek peaceful reunification with Taiwan. With US tech curbs biting, Beijing reiterated a whole nation stance to achieve self-reliance.

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The NPC, which kicked off Sunday and will conclude on March 13, promises a shakeup at the top echelons of government that could further consolidate President Xi Jinpings power.

Market reaction:

 Chinese Stocks Decline as Congress Sets Modest Growth Target

 Property Shares Fall After China Targets Unregulated Expansion

 Metals Feel Chill as Beijing Shies Away From Major Stimulus

 Iron Ore Most-Exposed Among Commodities From NPC

 Chinas Yuan, 10-Year Yields Fall as Growth Target Disappoints

 China Bonds In For Tough Year Is Messaging From NPC

What to Know:

 Click here to read more on this years NPC

 What to watch out for this year (video)

 A QuickTake explainer on the NPC

 Insights on incoming officials, NPC delegates

Key Upcoming Events:

Key NPC/CPPCC events that have been announced so far include:

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 March 6 - Delegates review government work report

 March 7  New Foreign Minister Qin Gang holds briefing; An explanatory report about reform plan for government institutions will be delivered by State Councilor Xiao Jie in the afternoon

 March 10: The countrys president and vice president will be decided. Xi is expected to get a norm-busting third term as Chinas president

 March 11-12: Delegates will decide on the countrys next premier and ministers, including central bank governor. Li Qiang is expected to replace Li Keqiang as the new premier when the decision is announced on March 11. Vice premiers and state councilors will be appointed on March 12 along with ministers and the PBOC governor

 March 13  NPC closing session. New premiers press conference likely to follow

Latest developments: (Time-stamps are local time in Beijing):

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China May Exceed GDP Target, Ex-PBOC Official Says (1:49 p.m. Monday)

Chances are high Chinas government will meet or exceed its relatively modest economic growth target for this year, a former central bank official said, with a more stable property market helping to underpin the recovery.

The gross domestic product growth goal of around 5%  released by the government on Sunday  is a relatively prudent, pragmatic target, Sheng Songcheng, the former head of the statistics and analysis department at the Peoples Bank of China, said in an interview.

It gives the government more leeway, he said, adding that a much higher goal would hamper Chinas efforts to keep inflation at 3% or below.

UBS Upgrades Chinas Growth Forecast (11:11 a.m. Monday)

UBS Group AG raised its forecast for Chinas economic growth for this year and next, citing a stronger-than-expected recovery after Covid restrictions were dropped and an expected boost to consumer confidence.

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Gross domestic product is now projected to expand 5.4% in 2023, up from an earlier estimate of 4.9%, UBS economists including Wang Tao wrote in a note Monday. The economic re-opening is proceeding better than forecast, with a second wave of Covid infections not materializing and little sign of supply disruption, they said. The housing market is also recovering.

China Says Consumption Is Rebounding (11:02 a.m. Monday)

Chinese consumption in travel, dining and retail sales is rebounding from the Spring Festival holiday in late January, and growth will likely pick up gradually in the first half, Li Chunlin, vice head of the National Development and Reform Commission, the countrys economic planning agency, said at a briefing.

Chinas GDP growth target of about 5% is in line with the nations current growth momentum, another vice head Zhao Chenxin said.

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No Blue Skies in Beijing as Smog Hangs Over Landmark Meeting (11:08 a.m. Monday)

In a sharp departure from the blue skies that typically glisten for Beijings landmark events, the start of this years parliamentary session has been marked by smog, with the annual meeting suffering its worst air quality in at least a decade.

Levels of small particulates in the air jumped to 182 micrograms per cubic meter on Sunday as the National Peoples Congress got underway, according to monitoring by the US Embassy. Thats well into the range considered unhealthy by medical experts and compares with an average level of less than 30 last year. The smog is palpable in the city of more than 20 million people, reducing visibility and causing people to cancel outdoor activities.

Auto Executive Urges Further Support of NEVs (9 a.m. Monday)

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China needs a series of supportive measures to boost the countrys new energy vehicle industry, including a reform of the current consumption tax system on gasoline automobiles, the Securities Times reported, citing Zhu Huarong, chairman of Chongqing Changan Automobile and an NPC delegate.

Zhus proposals include ensuring healthy and coordinated development of NEVs, promoting data sharing of smart vehicles, reforming the consumption tax of gasoline vehicles, building a fair and reasonable industry standards for smart vehicles, and encouraging the purchase of NEVs by the public sector.

Xi Says China to Boost High-End Manufacturing (8:11 a.m. Monday)

China will take forceful measures to support the development of high-end manufacturing industry, Xinhua reported, citing President Xi Jinpings comment at a meeting with delegates from Jiangsu province.

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Xi also talked about high-quality development in the country, CCTV reported Sunday night. That involves enhancing self-reliance in technology, fostering small and medium-sized enterprises, and building globally influential centers for innovation. The Chinese leader also addressed the need to ensure a stable supply of grain and other key produce, and to expand channels for farmers to make money.

Crackdown on Carbon Data Fraud (12:39 p.m. Sunday)

Authorities in China will crack down on carbon data fraud as they try to strengthen the nations ailing emissions trading system ahead of a planned expansion.

Officials will improve statistics and accounting of carbon emissions, the National Development and Reform Commission said on Sunday. The market, which currently includes more than 2,000 major power plants and covers more emissions than any other trading system, has been beset by low prices, thin liquidity and accusations of data fabrication.

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Whole Nation Stance on Tech (12:11 p.m. Sunday)

China pledged to pool together all of the nations resources to achieve self-reliance in technology, underscoring the governments determination to secure key breakthroughs in areas such as semiconductors as tensions with the US escalate.

In his last government work report, outgoing Premier Li Keqiang reiterated the call for a whole nation strategy to edge out Washington on basic scientific research and advanced technologies ranging from advanced intelligence to space. His remarks come days after the Biden administration blacklisted more Chinese companies in the chip and genome industries.

GDP Goal Seen by Analysts as a Sign of Caution (12:09 p.m. Sunday)

Chinas economic growth target for 2023 is a conservative goal that suggests the government is wary of challenges that may weigh on the economy and wants to account for risks to a recovery that is steadily building momentum.

Thats according to economists who weighed in after Sundays announcement that Beijing will target gross domestic product expansion of around 5% for the year. The goal is somewhat more muted than expectations among economists that China would set a growth target that was higher than 5%. Its also below the median estimate for an expansion of 5.3%, according to economists surveyed by Bloomberg.

More Mega Renewable Projects (10:46 a.m. Sunday)

China will push ahead with the expansion of massive desert-based solar and wind projects and upgrade power grids as part of its priorities for 2023, the National Development and Reform Commission said in a report.

The nation will begin construction on a second batch of wind and solar bases and facilitate construction approvals for a third set of projects, it said.

China Seeks Peaceful Reunification With Taiwan (10:37 a.m. Sunday)

China largely kept its language regarding Taiwan the same in an annual report to the nations legislature, suggesting that President Xi Jinping is maintaining its policy toward the self-ruled island even as global tensions increase.

We should promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and advance the process of Chinas peaceful reunification, Premier Li Keqiang said.

China Defense Spending to Rise 7.2% (10:11 a.m. Sunday)

China said its defense spending would grow by 7.2% this year  the fastest pace since 2019 amid increasing tensions with the US on a range of issues, including Taiwan.

Military expenditure is expected to rise to 1.55 trillion yuan ($225 billion) in 2023, according the Ministry of Finances annual report. Spending on the Peoples Liberation Army has increased by at least 6.6% each year for the past three decades, keeping pace or often exceeding economic growth, although the figure is far surpassed by the USs military expenditures.

China Vows to Rein in Unregulated Expansion in Property Market (9:45 a.m. Sunday)

China said it will target disorderly expansion in the property sector, as policy makers seek to strike a balance between boosting economic growth and defusing financial risks.

Efforts should be made to prevent unregulated expansion in the property market to promote its stable development, Premier Li Keqiang said. The government also pledged to ensure effective risk prevention and mitigation in leading high-quality developers and help shore up their balance sheets, Li said.

China Vows to Control Fossil Fuels (9:33 a.m. Sunday)

China, the worlds top clean energy market, will aim to move faster to develop a new energy system, and plans to prioritize efforts to control fossil fuel consumption, according to a government work report.

Development targets for this year include continued reductions in energy consumption per unit of GDP and in the discharge of major pollutants, the document said.

China Aims to Increase Grain Output (9:22 a.m. Sunday)

China plans to increase grain production to more than 650 million tons this year, according to a government work report. The country also aims to keep grain acreage at stable level and promote production of oilseed crops, the report said.

China Sets Modest Growth Target (9:10 a.m. Sunday)

China set a modest economic growth target for the year, a sign the nations top leaders are still concerned about the countrys recovery, given weak consumer confidence, declining exports and a housing market still under pressure.

Beijing will target gross domestic product expansion of around 5% for 2023, Premier Li Keqiang said in his final government work report to the National Peoples Congress. The budget deficit goal was set at 3% of GDP for 2023.

Limited Access for Foreign Media (8:30 a.m. Sunday)

Although this is the first NPC/CPPCC since the end of Covid Zero, some foreign journalists complained about a lack of access to the event. Organizers maintained some elements of the restrictions that were put in place during the pandemic, including obligatory PCR testing and quarantines.

On Sunday, reporters lucky enough to get the very limited spots for the opening ceremony had to stay at a hotel the night before to gain access to the Great Hall of the People  although quarantine rules were enforced less rigorously than was before.

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In the early years of Facebook, the startups motto was move fast and break things. This was before the Cambridge Analytica scandal, before the platform was used to spread election and COVID-19 vaccine misinformation  essentially before we knew how much potential social media really had to, well, break things. But the problem with breaking things is that you need someone to eventually come along and clean up the mess.

Enter Sheryl Sandberg. Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg never hid the fact that he brought on Sandberg as COO to handle  things I dont want to. That included figuring out how the company would make money, but also acting as the antidote to his hoodie-wearing, college-dropout persona. Fifteen years Zuckerbergs senior, Sandberg was literally and figuratively the grown up in the room. The troika of Eric Schmidt, Larry Page and Sergey Brin popularized the term  adult supervision at Google, but it was Sandberg at Facebook who really came to embody it.

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Sandberg stepped down as COO of Facebooks parent company Meta Platforms Inc. late last year, the first of a recent string of departures among senior women in tech and media that culminated with YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki and Vice Media Inc. CEO Nancy Dubuc announcing last month that they would be leaving their respective roles. With none jumping into new high-profile gigs, they leave behind a complicated legacy when it comes to women who have reached the top in the business world.

One of the chief questions left to disentangle is why the path for these high-achieving women, especially in the tech world, so often requires that they play the role of Adult. Its a label that implies a certain kind of executive; one who ensures everyone is well-behaved and on schedule, who brings stability and credibility  but not necessarily big vision. For a generation of women, that may have been the only way in the door. But amid these recent departures, its time to examine just how limiting that label can be in perpetuating a false image of women as incomplete leaders and shouldering them with the kind of office housework thats not career advancing.

It comes down to this: If the default for men in tech is boy genius, for senior women  particularly at the highest level  it is still way too often office mom. Its damaging, Laura Kray, a professor of leadership at the Haas School of Business told me. It adds an additional layer of complexity to the job: Make us a bazillion dollars but be nice while you do it, and also make us cookies.

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Take Dubuc, who joined Vice from A + E Networks in 2018. At the time, the digital media startup was grappling with allegations of fostering a toxic bro-culture under its founder Shane Smith. Shes strategically portrayed as the mother hen, AdAge wrote a year after she took over, the grown-up meant to shepherd the grungy, skateboard-toting Vicers who previously had little adult supervision. Never mind that in addition to transforming the companys culture, she was also given the impossible task of turning around Vices finances and selling off the company amid a struggling digital media industry.

Even Wojcicki, one of Googles first employees who in February said she would be leaving the company after 25 years, has been called all of the things that adult supervision is meant to signal  even if not overtly getting pinned as a grown up: nonthreatening, the most measured person in tech, exceedingly normal, bordering on boring, less a visionary thinker than an open-minded and analytical one, and the  mother of Google. Never mind that she pushed the company to acquire YouTube and, as its CEO, turned it into a massive streaming business (albeit a problematic one). And despite being the mother of Google, she never made it to the top job at Alphabet Inc. When the board named Wojcickis colleague Ruth Porat CFO in 2015, The New York Times trumpeted that Adult Supervision is back at Google. The piece, which mentioned discipline nine times, noted Porat was perfect for the job as Google was maturing and looking for more credibility with investors.

One reason the trope of adult supervision became rampant in Silicon Valley was the rise of the startup founder-as-God mindset in the 2000s. The ethos was perpetuated by Andreessen Horowitz, whose venture capital firm grew its reputation and business on the belief that founders must remain CEO to uphold a companys mission. But that often meant bringing in a seasoned executive who could fill in all the gaps where the inexperienced founder was lacking  in other words, a Sheryl Sandberg.

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This model became so dominant that Christa Quarles, CEO of software company Alludo, told me that when shed been looking to make her latest career move, she was shocked by the number of people who told her to go be a Sheryl to someones Mark. They wanted her to be the CEO without the title, the economics, or the moral authority. I dont know how many men they would have said this to, she told me. (Its worth noting that although Schmidt seemed to embrace his duties of adult supervision at Google, he at least got to be CEO.)

Subsequently chief operating officer became one of the few high-level senior roles women in tech could land, a phenomenon my then-colleague Leigh Gallagher detailed in a 2018 piece in Fortune. Gallagher posed the question of whether the influx of female COOs would give rise to a new generation of female CEOs, or instead turn into its own kind of glass ceiling  a position from which accomplished women leaders stoke the industrys growth, in a perpetual supporting role, without breaking into the CEO boys club.

I followed up on the COOs Gallaghers piece mentions and, so far at least, the latter seems to be true. Few have moved into chief executive roles. Not even Sandberg, whose name at one time was tossed around as a possible contender to lead the likes of Walt Disney Co. or even as a presidential candidate. No one seems to talk about those options for her anymore. Its still possible shell pop up as CEO of a Fortune 500 company. But its just as likely shes been too tainted by the Meta scandals that, yes, in many cases she did help create, but was primarily responsible for cleaning up.

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If the tech worlds answer to this dilemma is that women should just launch and run their own companies, it might want to start by actually investing in them. Last year female-founded startups raised a paltry 1.9% of all venture capital funds. There are signs, however, that the old paradigm of never replacing a founder with more seasoned leadership is finally starting to crack. Jana Rich, CEO and founder of executive search firm Rich Talent Group, told me that shes never seen so much CEO recruitment activity. That could eventually mean a new path for women to the corner office that doesnt require the baggage that comes with being labeled the adult. If that happens, it might finally be a sign that Silicon Valley is growing up.

More From Bloomberg Opinion:

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 Cardi B Uproar Shouldnt Be About Family Values: Leticia Miranda

 An Iconic Brand Pulls New CEO Off the Glass Cliff: Beth Kowitt

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Beth Kowitt is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering corporate America. She was previously a senior writer and editor at Fortune Magazine.

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The misstatements are part of a pattern that has raised questions about how the justice views his obligation to report details about his finances to the public.
The corporate regulator ASIC is using an automated system to dismiss allegations of serious wrongdoing by company directors in as little as 38 seconds, allowing thousands of bosses who oversaw failed firms to escape scrutiny over the past five years.

One report lodged by veteran liquidator Michael Brereton, of firm William Buck, accused the directors of a company that failed while owing creditors up to $250,000 of withholding records, trading while insolvent for more than two years, and breaching their legal duties.

ASIC only fully investigates less than 3 per cent of liquidators reports that include allegations of offences by directors. Credit: Fairfax

Despite Brereton telling the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) that he had documentary evidence to back up his claims, the regulator responded with an auto-generated email sent just 38 seconds later declining to investigate.

New figures from ASIC show that of the more than 30,000 reports from liquidators it received between the 2018 and 2022 financial years, more than 28,000 included allegations that directors had broken the law.
The TV Week Logie Awards are headed back to Sydney, with Australian TVs night of nights returning to the city after 37 years.

The last time Sydney hosted the event was in 1986 when the ceremony was held at the State Theatre and hosted by the late Bert Newton.

The TV WEEK Logie Awards are headed back to Sydney with Australian TVs night of nights returning to the city after 37 years. Credit: Seven

Since then, the event has predominantly been held in Melbourne. It shifted to the Gold Coast in 2018 with support from the Queensland government, but that deal ended in 2022. The move to Sydney follows the change in broadcast partner, with Seven replacing Nine* as the home of the TV Week Logie Awards.

In a statement, Seven West Media Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer James Warburton, said: The time was right to find a new home for the Logies and bringing them back to Sydney after more than 30 years made perfect sense.
Victoria has recorded two new cases and one death linked to Murray Valley encephalitis, as health authorities say they are investigating multiple suspected infections of the tropical virus.

Last month, health authorities said Victorias first human case of Murray Valley encephalitis in nearly 50 years had been discovered in the states north as they warned the risk of more cases of mosquito-borne disease in the region was very high.

The state Health Department reported that a Buloke Shire woman, aged in her 60s, died in early February as a result of the tropical virus. She was the first person recorded to have contracted the disease in Victoria since 1974.

Today, the department said it had confirmed two new cases of the virus and one new death - also a woman in her 60s - in Victoria.

A total of three cases of MVE virus infection and two deaths have been reported in Victoria this mosquito season. A number of suspected cases are under investigation, the department said.

The second case is a woman in her sixties who died in late February, and the third case is a man in his seventies who is receiving treatment in hospital. Both cases were likely exposed to mosquitoes in northern Victoria.

Authorities have said the risk of mosquito-borne diseases such as Japanese encephalitis (JE), Murray Valley encephalitis and West Nile (Kunjin) virus infections is high this summer, particularly in northern Victoria where viruses are being detected in mosquitoes.

The viruses can cause a rare but potentially serious infection of the central nervous system and are spread to humans by infected mosquitoes.

The health department has strongly advised residents and people visiting northern Victoria, particularly inland riverine regions and near the Murray River, to reduce their risk of mosquito bites.

Symptoms may include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting and muscle aches, although most infected people do not have symptoms. In serious cases, people can develop meningitis or encephalitis which can be fatal. Anyone with symptoms should seek urgent medical care, the department said.

Clinicians have been advised to test for JE virus and MVE virus in patients with a compatible illness and to notify the Department of Health of suspected cases immediately by calling 1300 651 160.
As prime minister, Anthony Albanese gets plenty of generous gifts and advice, solicited or unsolicited. The latest item to land on Albos desk? A copy of Dick Smiths memoir My Adventurous Life, sent by the eccentric, folksy entrepreneur-cum-anti-immigration campaigner himself.

Smith told CBD he considered Albanese a mate since the now-PMs days as infrastructure and transport minister and felt the book might be up Albaneses alley.

Illustration: Joe Benke Credit:

I think Albos a good bloke, and I reckon hed appreciate some light reading, he said.

There was even a slightly subtle policy-related message for the PM. Smiths book has a chapter called Dont complain about your tax, which is a plea for more taxes on the wealthy.
CBD is intrigued to learn of the latest item to land on Prime Minister Anthony Albaneses desk, a copy of Dick Smiths memoir My Adventurous Life, sent by the eccentric, folksy entrepreneur and anti-immigration campaigner himself.

Smith told CBD he considered Albanese a mate since the now-PMs days as infrastructure and transport minister, and felt the book might be up Albaneses alley.

I think Albos a good bloke, and I reckon hed appreciate some light reading, Smith said.

There was even a subtle policy message for the PM. Smiths book has a chapter called Dont Complain About Your Tax, which is a plea for more taxes on the wealthy.

Ive always been pro the wealthy paying more tax, he said.
The infant Buddha was brought out in ceremonies to celebrate Buddhas birthday, with purified water or tea poured across its shoulders. Young said as a Ming Dynasty piece without such a story, it would probably carry a presale estimate of 3000-5000 ($5000-$9000) but given its historical importance  what remains unclear is whether it has links to a 15th-century Chinese treasure expedition, or whether it was left on the beach more recently  it could fetch much more. Shayne Thompson and Leon Deschamps of FINN Films found a Ming Dynasty Buddha figurine in Shark Bay, Western Australia. Antiques Roadshows Lee Young has confirmed its provenance. Credit: FINN Films He would not be surprised, he said, if the hammer fell at 10,000 ($18,000) or 50,000 ($90,000). All of us collectors are history hunters. And I can see people getting sort of scooped up in this, he said.

Even if it made 100,000 [$175,000] I dont think Id be that surprised. Because there is only one of these with that story. I mean, I just, Im actually honoured to have been as close to this as I am ... its history-making and for you to have made that incredible journey with him, you know to be here today. Leon Deschamps and Shayne Thomson, who run aquatic filming company FINN Films, were exploring a public roadside with a metal detector in 2018 when they discovered the Buddha, which weighs more than a kilogram despite its small size, and which now belongs to them under relevant laws. When their metal detectors indicated something large and close to the surface they set up cameras and GPS markers to record their discovery. The pair say they have spent more than $50,000 on laboratory research and travel to interview scientists and academics in their attempts to uncover its origins, and the same amount again in man-hours, since the find which was also exclusively reported by this masthead. This was how they arrived at their decided auction reserve price. Following the find, they engaged with all possible stakeholders including police, local and state government, the WA Maritime Museum, the ambassador to China and Museum of Chinese Australian History, antique dealers, art historians, various Chinese associations, archaeologists and local Indigenous elders.

Retired WA Museum fellow and respected corrosion expert Dr Ian McLeod tested the effect of the dirt on the corrosion present on the Buddha and publicly stated it had been buried at the exact location of its roadside discovery and could not have been planted. It is not possible, even with the most sophisticated chemical methods, to develop a complex patina such as found on the Shark Bay bronze object, he wrote. It can be reasonably estimated that the object has been in that environment for very many decades, that is, it has not been planted on the site, in an attempt to lure metal detector operators into the

belief that they have found some ancient object. He publicly stated his belief it had been buried for more than 100 years. The finders said their research had shown that the verge was in a geologically turbulent area close to coastal sand dunes subject to strong winds and tides and the Buddha could therefore have been buried and uncovered several times, making it possible the figurine lay at the location long before its final burial.

The most exciting possible explanation for the objects presence in WA is that it came on the 1421 Ming treasure voyage, when the Chinese emperor sent the great explorer Zheng He to travel the world. Leon Deschamps with Antiques Roadshows Lee Young. Credit: FINN Films This could mean the Chinese visited the region almost 200 years before Dutchman Dirk Hartog landed in 1616. A less potentially geopolitically sensitive explanation is that it arrived in the 150 or so years since the 1870s, when the Chinese are first known to have come to the north-west coast. The finders, Leon Deschamps and Shayne Thomson, say the site is under surveillance and has not been further disturbed since their discovery.

They hope it could contain the Buddhas missing index fingers, which Dr McLeods report said had been glued in and might have been made of ivory. He recommended further work at the site. They hope governments will work with the Chinese community and local Indigenous custodians to co-fund an archaeological dig; that the Buddha will find a culturally appropriate home; and that museum-quality replicas could be made to tell its story in Australia. This story is only a positive one telling the history of the journeys of incredibly brave sailors along ancient trade routes, they said in a statement. They added it was not to be regarded as a European colonial-style object used to claim land tenure as Buddhists did not believe in possession of wealth. This has been reinforced strongly in all our dealings with Chinese academics, they said.

In the last four years, it has cost us significant personal capital and time to be able to investigate and protect the Buddha appropriately. The Buddha is currently offshore in an expensive high security private commercial location. We want it to find a home with a culturally appropriate owner who will hopefully publicly display the Buddha in either Australia or China. Loading If we had not continued with our self-funded research then this discovery would never have been confirmed as a priceless antiquity and an incredible and proud part of Australia and Chinas shared regional history. Depending on the final hammer price we hope to use part of the proceeds, once we have recovered our costs, to help fund initiatives to help protect our local cultural heritage sites, both Indigenous and Asian and European. It is also our dream to continue to support the new local Malgana sea rangers initiative on their journey to protect cultural sites within our home, as well as potentially be involved in providing replicas, our research catalogues and funding for future museum exhibits and any future archaeological digs.
Well, what a dispiriting week! Has there been a more perfect demonstration of the hopelessly petty place to which Australian politics has descended? It is probably too early to give up on politics altogether; but if, eventually, that is what it comes to, then surely our minds will return to last week and think, The signs were clear. That was when we should have known.

The summary is simple. The government proposed a minor change to the way earnings on superannuation held by rich people are taxed. Quickly, the opposition summoned outrage. The media went in several directions: some sided with the opposition, declaring it a betrayal, a mistake and a harbinger of awful things to come; some said it was responsible, even important in some ways; others that it was not significant but still fundamentally suggestive of a serious government. There did seem to be consensus, however, that this was an important moment, deserving of lengthy and serious discussion.

Illustration by Jim Pavlidis Credit:

It wasnt. Still, you can understand how each of the individual groups reached its conclusion. The government wants to start a discussion, it is always telling us, and action is better than words for doing so. The opposition is desperate for something, anything, to attack on. The media can be forgiven for giving attention to something the prime minister and treasurer decided to announce together.

The point is not that any of them were, individually, mistaken. The point is the awful place the country has reached, together, made obvious in a plain description of the facts: a government doing very little, facing an opposition determined to oppose that very little, judged by a media willing to describe that very little as huge.
Coopes marketing describes it as a Californian mission residence with formal and informal living areas set around a central courtyard and fronting north-east facing terraces overlooking the harbour, as well as a pool, cabana, wine cellar and bar. Up the river Not since Toad of Toad Hall has riverfront real estate commanded such lavish housing and lured so many buyers with deep pockets. Yellowstone is set on a north-facing riverfront block of 1300 square metres and designed by Oikos Architects. Credit: Domain Upstream of the Harbour Bridge the fairytale prices were once limited to the Lane Cove River, where homes on the north-facing Hunters Hill peninsula could command up to $22.18 million, as it did for the historic Vailele mansion in 2017.

This side of the pandemic, however, the Parramatta River has come into its own, led by the surprise $25 million sale in 2021 for the Abbotsford estate bought by e-commerce entrepreneur Eddie Machaalani, and more recently followed by a slew of sales in the double-digit millions by the likes of Wallabies pub king Bill Young. Former Wallaby prop Bill Young has bought the most expensive house in Cabarita. Credit: Ross Land Sources say the Wallabies legend is behind the purchase of the Cabarita house known as Yellowstone, designed by Oikos Architects on a vast waterfront block of 1300 square metres that sold under the hammer for $14.62 million, smashing the suburb high by $6.3 million. Agent Ben Horwood declined to comment on Youngs purchase, but said he listed it with hopes in the early teens despite being told by locals he would be lucky to get $10 million. It was a similarly bullish result on the Drummoyne waterfront when Get Fish director Antonio Muollo, 23, and his dad, De Costi retail outlet owner Tony Muollo sold their house almost a year after they bought it.

The Drummoyne residence known as Oceans Mansion was sold by the Muollo family for more than the $14 million guide. The Muollos paid $13.125 million for the waterfront house in 2021, and soon after they settled on it put it back up for sale given plans to remain in the east. Sources say the Muollos are back in the black having sold for more than the $14 million guide for CobdenHaysons Daniel Patterson. Television businessman and president of the Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Fabio Grassia and his wife Monia Cavalli are touted as the buyers, and have already listed their waterfront home in Hunters Hill with BresicWhitneys Nicholas McEvoy with a $9 million guide.

The deep waterfront residence, purchased in 2014 for $3.9 million, is one of two neighbouring houses owned by Cavalli, of which the house next door is also for sale by McEvoy with a $3.5 million guide. Prominent lawyer Sue Gilchrist and Stephen Taylor have sold their Chiswick home for $12 million after two buyers competed at auction, forcing the result well past the $9 million guide originally offered by Matthew Ward. Return to buyers Meanwhile, the buyer of Youngs former home in Northwood, printing industry boss Anthony Karam and his wife, TMA Group director Corriene Karam are set to test the enduring strength of the local market this weekend when their newly purchased home goes to auction. Anthony and Corriene Karam had no sooner purchased the Hamptons-style house in Northwood than it is returned to the market. Credit: Domain

Karam, the chairman TMA Group, bought into Northwood at the height of the boom last year, offering a winning bid of $9.65 million at auction for a Hamptons-style house through Belles Simon Harrison. But no sooner did Karam take the keys to his new home than an even better house a few doors away, Youngs Federation mansion Yandama, hit the market for $14 million through Ray Whites Chris Wilkins. It was too good to refuse, prompting Karam to buy Yandama, and return his newly purchased, Hamptons-style house to the market, again with a $9 million guide. Safe as houses The Woollahra home of socialite and interior designer Sally Tilley and financier Adam Tilley goes to auction on March 28.

The couples home since 2014 has mercifully escaped the headlines of their former digs in Point Piper, which was bought on a structured deal from convicted murderer Ron Medich and reportedly later firebombed by the late businessman Michael McGurk, who was charged over the matter, but the charges were later dropped. Interior designer Sally Tilley has renovated the Woollahra terrace. Credit: Simon Alekna The house was meant to be part of a development project after Tilley purchased it from Medich in 2004 for $12.5 million on a structured deal. The project never got off the ground and descended into a protracted load dispute that later prompted Medich to organise the murder of McGurk, for which he is currently serving more than 30 years jail. Ultimately, the Point Piper house turned into the deal of a decade but only for Sevens Bruce McWilliam who bought it in 2013 for $10.65 million and sold it two years ago for $32.5 million.

The Tilleys, meanwhile, retreated to Woollahra, paying $4.11 million for the home of Paris-based expat Dominique Ogilvie, and undertaking a dramatic renovation of it since then. Ray Whites Randall Kemp has the listing. One for the car collector As garages go, that owned by Active Medias Michael Ryan and nutritionist Zoe Bingley-Pullin is one of the best. What was previously a sea-plane engine workshop in the 1950s was purchased by the North Bondi-based couple in 2019 for $1.76 million and converted into what one property watcher described as the ultimate man cave. Michael Ryan and Zoe Bingley-Pullin purchased the one-time sea plane workshop in 2019. Credit: Marco Del Grande

Gendered stereotypes aside, the description isnt wrong. It has space for 15 cars, a working bench, showroom, lounge, and a loft bedroom, all of which make it ideal for any car collector. Ryan, who trained Hugh Jackman for his role as Wolverine in the X-Men film series, has listed it with 1st City Double Bays Brad Caldwell-Eyles and Julian Hasemer and a $3 million to $3.3 million guide. Troy Malcolm was appointed national head of sales at McGrath Estate Agents last year. Credit: Market confidence Theres clearly confidence in the real estate market when the national general manager of sales at McGrath Estate Agents is buying. Troy Malcolm, who was a high-profile addition to the national real estate shop last year, has coughed up $6.025 million for new digs in Redfern.
London: Britains Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle have received an invitation to his father King Charless coronation but will not yet confirm publicly whether they will attend, a spokesperson for Harry says.

Preparations for the event in May have been overshadowed by the couples damning revelations about the King, Harrys elder brother Prince William and other royals in his recent memoir, a Netflix documentary and a series of TV interviews.

Invited: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Credit: AP

His recent high-profile and stinging criticism of his family had led to speculation over whether Harry, who stepped down from royal duties in 2020, would be invited to the coronation and, if he was, whether he would attend.

I can confirm The Duke has recently received email correspondence from His Majestys office regarding the coronation, a spokesperson for Harry said on Sunday (US time).
London: The Russian gymnast believed to be Vladimir Putins lover said she was with her ideal man who bought her fur coats in an unearthed interview.

Alina Kabaeva and the president have never admitted to being romantically involved despite persistent allegations since 2008 when a Moscow-based newspaper first reported the romance.

Former gymnast Alina Kabaeva and her ideal man Russian President Vladimir Putin. Credit: AP

That year, it appears Kabaeva, a celebrated athlete, did once publicly speak about her relationship without naming the president.

In the 2008 video, first reported by Mail Online, Kabaeva, who was aged 24 at the time, takes questions from an audience of young Russians.
Kviv: The head of Russias Wagner mercenary force has warned that Russias position around the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut was in peril unless his troops got ammunition, the latest sign of tension between the Kremlin and the private militia chief.

Ukrainian military officials and analysts also reported leaders of Russias 155th Brigade fighting near the town of Vuhledar, south of Bakhmut, were resisting orders to attack after sustaining severe losses in attempts to capture it.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the owner of the Wagner Group military company, has complained about a lack of support from Moscow. Credit: AP

For its part, the Russian Defence Ministry on Sunday (Russian time) said Russian forces had hit a command centre of the Ukrainian Azov Regiment in south-eastern Zaporizhzhia region. The ministry did not elaborate on the attack.

Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield accounts.
San Juan, Puerto Rico: A Pennsylvania woman who went missing more than 30 years ago in a case that stumped authorities who later declared her legally dead has been found living in a nursing home in Puerto Rico.

Patricia Kopta left behind a husband and siblings and meandered through northern Puerto Rico for a while before she was taken as a person in need to the adult care home in 1999, according to details announced at a news conference this week in Ross Township, where she once lived.

Patricia Kopta, who went missing more than 30 years ago and whose family believed she was dead, has been found alive in Puerto Rico.

Kopta, once known as a street preacher in her home town, initially kept her past secret while in Puerto Rico. But she began to divulge details as she suffered progressively from dementia, Ross Township Deputy Police Chief Brian Kohlhepp said.

By last year, a social worker at the home had enough information to alert authorities back home about the now-83-year-old woman. A DNA test has confirmed her identity, Kohlhepp said.
The 22nd session of the WCO Integrity Sub-Committee (ISC), under the theme "Harnessing data for integrity, was held in hybrid format from 27 to 28 February 2023. The session was chaired by Mr. Marcelin Djeuwo from Cameroon Customs. It attracted the participation of over 250 delegates representing 112 WCO Members worldwide. WCO development partners, academia and other stakeholders also attended the meeting.

In his opening address, Mr. Taeil Kang, WCO Director of Capacity Building, welcomed delegates (both in person at WCO Headquarters and online via the Zoom platform) to the 22nd session of the ISC. He outlined that integrity is one of the foundations of Customs and critical for advancing the role of Customs. He underscored that integrity in Customs is a priority for the WCO and well placed in the organizations agenda. The Director further emphasized that in combating different forms of lack of integrity Customs, Administrations should explore adopting various solutions, including an approach which considers data analytics as a vital mechanism to address challenges related to integrity in Customs.

The Director pointed out that data analytics can serve as an effective tool, offering opportunities for detecting and measuring corruption and fraudulent activities and recommending prevention measures. He indicated that this tool could be helpful in finding other types of integrity-related irregularities, including conflicts of interest.

The 22nd session of ISC discussed and provided direction on various crucial issues related to integrity development and anti-corruption, including data-driven decision-making, corruption risk management and Customs relationship with external control agencies. In addition, the session endorsed the ISC Work Programme as part of the overall WCO Strategic Planning and reporting cycle.

It is important to highlight that the ISC Work Programme aims to consolidate topics which the ISC have been discussing and provides direction on the activities of the upcoming three-years, taking into account the need for consistency with the WCO Strategic Plan 2022-2025 and its implementation plans.

At the end of the session, Mr. Marcelin Djeuwo from the Customs Administration of Cameron, and Mr. Alvaro Fernandes, from the Customs Administration of Spain, were re-elected as the Chairperson and the Vice-Chairperson, respectively, for the next ISC session, scheduled for 2024.

The Secretariat will provide information on the date and place for the Committees next session later.

For more information, please contact capacity.building@wcoomd.org.
On 1 and 2 March 2023, Member representatives responsible for coordinating the WCO Anti-Corruption and Integrity Promotion (A-CIP) Programme across the 23 active partner administrations met at the WCO Secretariat in Brussels for the first time since 2020.

The participants were welcomed by the WCO Secretary General, Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, as well as Mr. Alain Gendron, Ambassador of Canada to Belgium, and Ms. Toril Iren Pedersen, Assistant Director at the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), representing the A-CIP Programmes two funding partners.

In his opening remarks, the WCO Secretary General reminded the audience that the WCO A-CIP Programme provides dedicated technical assistance and capacity building support to Members seeking to implement initiatives in line with the WCO Revised Arusha Declaration. While commending the work done by the A-CIP Programme in setting standards, creating a pool of integrity experts, providing tools and fostering cooperation through the sharing of best practices, he also underlined the efforts made to identify and promote institution-specific responses to corruption. Finally, he thanked the A-CIP donors: Norway, via the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, and the government of Canada.

Ms. Toril Iren Pedersen particularly praised the A-CIP Programmes innovative Customs Integrity Perception Survey (CIPS) and its several thousands of respondents among Customs and the private sector. She went on to say that the A-CIP Programme could be a model for other capacity building programmes in its use of data. Ms. Pedersen also commended the A-CIP Programme for the tools and instruments it created and contributed to develop, including the internal control training curriculum and the recently released internal affairs e-learning module, all those contributing to moving the WCO integrity agenda forward.

Ambassador Gendron emphasized Canadas strong support to combat corruption and illicit trade and valued the work of the WCO to strengthen Customs institutions. He also underlined the support provided by the Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) in assisting A-CIPs beneficiary countries in fighting against corruption, increasing regional security and responding to the threats posed by transnational organized crime. He noted that maintaining strong partnerships is crucial to all Customs administrations, as they help to foster and align common values and goals; and provide opportunities to share knowledge, experiences and successes. These elements contribute to strengthening Customs administrations for the future. Meetings like the present annual Coordinators Meeting, are perfect opportunities to strengthen these partnerships.

During the two-day meeting, A-CIP partners had the opportunity to share their experiences and best practices with the Programme so far, focusing in particular on their efforts in the areas of collective action, data analysis and performance measurement, as well as synergies with other initiatives. Discussions also focused on communities of practice, particularly in the WCO Americas/Caribbean region and around the several e-learning events conducted by the A-CIP Programme. Special attention was given to the WCO Performance Measurement Mechanism and how A-CIP beneficiaries could ensure results through tools like the Customs Integrity Perception Survey.

For more information on the WCO A-CIP Programme, please contact capacity.building@wcoomd.org.
Allentown, PA (18103)

Today

Clouds and some drizzle or fog possible early, then clouds break for sun..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy and breezy with a round of showers overnight and perhaps a thunderstorm.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - The co-founder of a violent sex-trafficking organization operating out of a Reading boarding house was sentenced Monday.

31-year-old Alexander Malave received a sentence of life imprisonment plus ten years for his role as a leader of the Sevens gang.

The organization took control over a 50-room boarding house on South 4th Street in Reading and used the building at the base of its criminal operation.

Malave was one of 14 defendants charged with crimes committed on behalf the gang and was convicted in June of last year of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud and related offenses.

Authorities say Malave was one of the gangs most violent members, and that he kidnapped, maimed, assaulted, shot, stabbed and imprisoned those he sought to intimidate.

Todays sentencing ensures the permanent end of Malaves reign of terror over the City of Reading and the demise of the Sevens gang, said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Romero. We will continue to partner with our local counterparts to bring the resources necessary to investigate, prosecute and dismantle violent gangs."

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Reading Police Department.
"One of the largest redevelopments in Bethlehem history" will be considered by the city's Planning Commission on Thursday.

Serfass Development proposes 240 apartments for a four-acre site at 119 Technology Drive, not far from the Fahy Bridge. The land is zoned for industry and has been occupied by IQE Plc. That United Kingdom-based maker of semiconductor wafers is due to close the Bethlehem location by 2024.

The building was listed for sale earlier for $6.95 million. The land is better suited for residences, according to a memo to Bethlehem City Council from Kevin Serfass of the development company.

"The current industrial zoning does not fit the vibrant, trendy and diverse community that the Southside has transformed into over the past decade," his memo says. The document is available on the city website. The Serfass memo uses the "largest redevelopments" term.

The note says the housing will suit an arts district. ArtsQuest's SteelStacks is to the east of the building. Serfass's memo mentions Seattle's SoDo (south of downtown) and Miami's Wynwood District as inspirations for the proposal.

"We are not seeking any tax abatement or other subsidies from the city," Serfass's note says, while projecting tax revenue of $600,000 annually.

An estimated 300-plus people would live in the complex, if approvals go through.

The property is zoned for Industrial Redevelopment now. Serfass Development seeks to have it changed to Central Business, which would allow the residential development.

The Planning Commission is scheduled to meet at 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 9 in the rotunda at City Hall.
BETHLEHEM TWP., Pa. - Bethlehem Township is seeking to fill a vacancy on its Board of Commissioners for the second time in five months.

Commissioner Dale Sourbeck died Feb. 26 at age 79. He joined the board in 2020.

"The Bethlehem Township Board of Commissioners must within 30 days appoint a commissioner for the first ward of the township," according to a statement on the municipal website. "The appointment will run through the remainder of Mr. Sourbeck's term, ending in January 2024."

Applicants must live in the township's first ward voting district. Interested residents should send a letter of interest (a resume is welcome but not required) to the board via the email address of Township Manager Doug Bruce. Applications can also be sent by regular mail to Board of Commissioners, Bethlehem Township, 4225 Easton Ave., Bethlehem, PA 18020.

Letters of interest will be accepted through Friday, March 17.

Commissioner Malissa Davis died at age 78 in October. Luke Verdes was appointed to fill that vacancy.

Sourbeck, who was married for 58 years to Joyce (Lamirande) Sourbeck, was born Dec. 7, 1943, in Michigan. He held managerial posts with Ford Motor Co. during a career that spanned more than 30 years.

He was active as a Boy Scout leader and with Meals on Wheels of the Greater Lehigh Valley.

A celebration of Sourbeck's life will be held Saturday, March 18, at East Hills Moravian Church on Butztown Road, Bethlehem, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Cantelmi Long Funeral Home, Bethlehem, is handling arrangements.

Sourbeck was an advocate for open space and public engagement, while acknowledging that township government's role in development was limited.

He wanted residents to show up at meetings and express their opinions, and he promised to do his best to serve Bethlehem Township.

"I believe in trying," he said during an interview in 2022. "You don't know until you try."
ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Billing issues with PPL Electric Utilities could soon be coming to an end.

Back in January, customers were receiving bills from the Allentown electric company that were double, triple or even 12 times their average monthly usage.

PPL says a technical issue on their end landed customers with bills based on an estimated electrical usage, instead of actual usage.

Since then, some customers have already received an updated bill, and PPL says this should be cleared up soon.

But, some customers in February actually received very low bills. That's because some of them got delivery charges, but incomplete or no supplier charges. That means these low bills will be followed by another bill soon for the electricity.

The company also said it will not shut off power for non-payment through March 31, and is waiving all late fees in January and February.

Customers who still have questions and concerns over the accuracy of their bills will have the opportunity to raise them one-on-one with PPL representatives.

Pennsylvania State Rep. Ryan Mackenzie is partnering with PPL to hold one-on-one office hours for customers on March 16 in Lower Macungie Township.

You can bring in your bill and have it reviewed to ensure you're getting the best deal on electricity supply, while learning about programs available to assist customers on low or fixed incomes.

Reservations are required and can be made through Mackenzie's office.
Many survivors of the earthquake that devastated parts of Turkey and Syria lost nearly everything.

Now, people from across the Lehigh Valley are doing their part to get them the essential items they need.

On Sunday, at DeSales University, an assembly line of dedicated students, faculty and community members sorted through countless boxes and bags of donations.

"Clothing, boots shoes, as well as men's, toddler and baby, but right now, actually, a lot of baby food and formula and diapers in Turkey are lacking," explained Kubra Saymez, a freshman and the president of DeSales Muslim Student Association (MSA).

Saymez says they're also in need of blankets, tents, sleeping bags and other essentials -- that are now difficult to find and afford.

"In Turkey, medication is very expensive, and right now, because the infrastructure, because the way it's now crushed, they're in need of all these things," she explained. "I'm actually Turkish myself. I have a lot of Turkish friends, families. I have a lot of Syrian friends. A part of my family in Turkey was affected, so it does hit a bit close to home just seeing them struggling and living in devastation in the cold weather right now."

MSA and Muslim Youth LV are among the local youth groups and schools working to gather the essentials and financial donations to send overseas.

"We're all one body. All Muslims are one body. When one limb is affected, we all feel the pain," said Naila Amana, a freshman and the vice president of MSA. "This is personal for us and it's also our duty as Muslims to help other people in need whether they're Muslim or non-Muslim."

The students started in a smaller space but had to move into the DeSales University Center because of the number of donations received. Their efforts have not gone unnoticed by DeSales faculty and staff.

"The university is on spring break, but I can't say no to the kids," said Dr. Brian Mauro. "They wanted to spend their spring break helping others rather than going out and having some fun, sleeping in. They wanted to serve."

"It's overwhelming but in the best way possible," added Amana.

They've been collecting items for the past two weeks.

It runs through March 31st; people interested in helping out can bring new and kindly used items to the collection sites located at Geo Halal in Whitehall, DeSales University, Penn State Lehigh Valley and Cedar Crest University.
Some big names have joined the new film

Jenna Fischer and Ashley Park

( Left: Greg2600, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons, right: David Gordon)

It doesn't seem like a week goes by without more Mean Girls musical movie news.

The new flick  which is based on the Broadway stage show, which is based on the cult classic movie, which is based on a novel  is currently in development and is adding more and more names to proceedings.

Returning from the original film will be Tina Fey (Ms Norbury) and Tim Meadows (Principal Duval), while Renee Rapp, who played the role of Regina George on Broadway, will now play the role on screen.

Angourie Rice (Spiderman: Far From Home) will play Cady, with Auli'i Cravalho (Moana in Moana) as Janice, and Jaquel Spivey (leading star in A Strange Loop on Broadway) as Damian.

Joining them are Avantika (Senior Year) as Karen, with Bebe Wood (Love, Victor) as Gretchen  rounding out the famous trio of "Plastics" alongside Rapp's Regina. Also cast is Christopher Briney (The Summer I Turned Pretty), playing love interest Aaron.

Now announced in the movie are Jenna Fischer (The Office), set to play Cady's Mom Mrs Heron, while Busy Philips (White Chicks) will play Regina's Mom Mrs George (played iconically by Amy Poehler in the original movie).

Also joining will be Ashley Park (Emily in Paris) who originated the role of Gretchen on Broadway  though her new role for the movie is to be revealed.

There is still hope that, at some point, the stage show will reach the West End  it features many of the original film's much-loved quotes and has songs including "Meet the Plastics", "Apex Predator" and "Revenge Party".

Married directorial team Arturo Perez Jr and Samantha Jayne are the new movie's directors. Mean Girls will mark the pair's first full-length feature, though they've done a whole wad of exciting material across the film, music video and television space, including the much-lauded Quarter Life Poetry.

The film is overseen by producers Paramount Players alongside Lorne Michaels and Fey. Fey has penned the script, with music by Jeff Richmond and lyrics by Nell Benjamin. Kyle Hanagami will choreograph.
Pippa Ailion, Andrew Bruce, Amanda Parker and Peter Wilson have been honoured

Olivier Awards 2023 Industry Recognition Award recipients: Pippa Ailion, Andrew Bruce, Amanda Parker and Peter Wilson

( Society of London Theatre)

The Oliviers and the Society of London Theatre have revealed the 2023 Industry Recognition Award recipients.

These include casting director Pippa Ailion, founder and owner of Autograph Sound Andrew Bruce, founder and former director of Inc Arts UK Amanda Parker and executive chairman and joint chief executive of PW Productions Peter Wilson.

Eleanor Lloyd, independent theatre producer and President of SOLT, commented:We are delighted to be honouring such deserving recipients in the Industry Recognition category.

Our 2023 winners more than meet the award criteria, inciting real industry change, and paving the way for generations to come in their fields. Thank you to all four recipients for being hard-working patrons of the industry.

Ailion is currently represented in the West End by Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Tina  The Tina Turner Musical, The Book of Mormon, Disney's The Lion King and the upcoming production of Aint Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations. She began her career in theatre in 1972, working as an actor, production assistant, company manager and resident director and went on to serve as resident associate director at the Old Vic (1987 to 1991) and head of the BA Acting course at London's Central School of Speech and Drama (1994 to 1997). She has cast over 200 productions worldwide.

Bruce began his theatre career at Glyndebourne Festival Opera in 1968, before being appointed head of sound at the Royal Opera House in 1971. He co-founded Autograph Sound Recording a year later and, five decades later, his credits include the likes of Les Miserables, Mamma Mia!, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Mary Poppins.

Parker has championed the creative, contractual and economic rights of the UKs ethnically diverse arts sector workforce through the foundation of Inc Arts UK. She has also worked extensively in equality, diversity and inclusion roles at the BBC and Directors UK.

Wilson's first West End production was Arnold Weskers Annie Wobbler in 1985. He has since produced a 33-year tenure of The Woman in Black at the Fortune Theatre, alongside titles such as An Inspector Calls. He previously ran the Theatre Royal in Norwich and currently sits on the baord of Theatre Royal Stratford East.

The recipients will be honoured at a special Nominees Celebration event at The Londoner Hotel on 17 March.

The Olivier Awards ceremony is set to take place at the Royal Albert Hall on 2 April, hosted by Hannah Waddingham.

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The cast of Sleepova at Bush Theatre

( Helen Murray)

Four girls gather in a bedroom to celebrate the 16th birthday of Shan, with popcorn and Haribos to mark the rite of passage. Thats the starting point for this effervescently absorbing new play by Matilda Feyisayo Ibini, which follows a quartet of four east London school friends over two eventful years as they grow into womanhood.

They face individual challenges. Shan (Aliyah Odoffin) has sickle cell disease which causes her physical and psychological torment; Rey (Amber Grappy) is defiantly queer but is still grieving for her mother who died when she was a toddler; Elle (Shayde Sinclair), a strong Christian finds herself in conflict with her strict parents; Funmi (Bukky Bakray) longs for a boyfriend to make her feel less invisible  and is seeking ways to rediscover her Yoruba heritage.

But they are also like all teenagers everywhere, just trying to grow up in a complicated world, waiting for their exam results, planning their futures, seeking to preserve their sense of individuality and their self-esteem in a society that seems designed to rob them of both.

There are almost too many ideas floating around on Cara Evans turquoise-carpeted set, and some dont land quite as strongly as they might or have enough time to be explored. Reys sudden transformation from confidence to doubt is never fully explained; Elles discovery of her own sexuality and her parents brutal reaction is resolved too neatly. A bereavement and a near-death experience happen without too much comment.

But maybe that sense of events rushing by, with little chance for contemplation, is as true to life as everything about this vivid production, directed with a fine sense of pace by Jade Lewis. Its impact stems from its sense of honesty and also from performances that shine with integrity.

Bakray, who became a BAFTA Rising Star thanks to her performance in the wonderful movie Rocks (about a group of south London school girls), is the headline star and she is astounding as the witty, direct, disaffected Funmi. She has this quality of seeming just to be, yet there is subtlety and skill in her handling of the switches in Funmis moods; she makes you see how her desperate longing to seduce a boy at the prom  with the use of magic, if necessary  is part of her desire simply to escape the poverty and low expectations that are holding her back.

When it is her who recognises that the quartet are amazing, gorgeous black babes and leads them in a ritual of affirmation and friendship, it is all the more convincing because Bakray has convinced you of the odds that her character is trying to overcome.

But all the performances are equally convincing. Sinclair is both touching and funny as Elle who begins the play quoting from Proverbs and ends it by promising to make the next year her bitch; Odoffin beautifully conveys the confusion of a girl whose future is blighted by illness and Grappy makes Reys temporary abandonment of her friends entirely convincing.

Throughout, Ibini writes with insight and humour conjuring the texture of their lives. Nothing is laid on too heavily. They are four girls bound by love and friendship who together negotiate the problems of early adulthood. It is a pleasure to be in their company.

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The River Haven Homeless Shelter in Portage is eyeing expansion to bring transitional housing to the community for the first time.

Transitional housing is for people who have been homeless and have found employment but may have trouble finding housing. It will be a place for people to live temporarily as they find permanent housing, Angie Braddock said.

Braddock is the vice chairperson of the River Haven board of directors. She started with the organization in the early 2000s. River Haven operates a mens shelter on West Pleasant Street and a family/womens shelter on East Pleasant Street near downtown Portage.

There is nothing like this in Columbia County, Braddock said of transitional housing. Adding transitional housing in Portage will help with our mission of getting people the resources they need to remove barriers to find permanent housing. Its really important for everyone in our community to have safe and secure housing.

Those barriers include alcohol and drug use, lack of employment or renting issues in the past.

How to help River Haven is looking for volunteers. Anyone interested in donating to River Haven, learning more about River Haven or has interest in serving on a fundraising or building committee should email rhhsboard@riverhavenshelter.org.

Transitional housing can really benefit people that have found a job but may not be able to find housing or have that renting issue and just need a place to stay until they find something and take that next step, Braddock said.

Everyone at River Haven is assigned a case manager that will look for the gaps where someone may need resources, Braddock said. If they need to establish rental history that can be done at the transitional housing.

River Haven is now looking at a two- to five-year plan to get obtain property and build a new shelter, with the shelter on East Pleasant Street to be converted to transitional housing.

First we want to find a property where we can build a shelter. Then the goal is to convert the current family/womens shelter into transitional housing, Braddock said.

One of River Havens goals is for the new property to be Portage, partially due to the central location in the county and also because of the support the community has given the shelter.

People has been extremely passionate about River Haven ever since it opened. Weve got a lot of support here, Braddock said. We always get positive responses across the county for the work.

Braddock believes that River Haven also has benefits to the community. She said it has a trickledown effect. If someones living situation isnt stable it can reverberate across the board with countless issues.

These issues range from unstable families not sending children to school, to increased crime and drug and alcohol abuse, to an increase in domestic abuse, Braddock said.

At a meeting in January, River Haven treasurer Tracy Fuqua asked the Information Services and Property committee if the county would consider donating land to the shelter.

Fuqua reported in 2021 River Haven helped 10 families, 36 women and 56 men. In 2022 they helped nine families, 56 women and 38 men.

Braddock said that the region including Adams, Columbia, Dodge, Juneau and Sauk counties had almost 3,200 homeless individuals last year.

River Haven securing more space means accommodating more people. We believe people in crisis and need the services and get a safe and stable place to live, Braddock said. We also help them find the tools that will make them successful.

Columbia County owns the property on East Pleasant Street, and it is leased to River Haven for $1. In January, Fuqua asked if the land parcel along with an adjoining parcel, where a parking lot for the courthouse sits, could be donated to the organization to build a shelter on to serve as the family/womens shelter.

Braddock said River Haven has not moved forward with this idea.

River Haven is in the process of planning a number of events and fundraisers this year.

Well be holding events throughout the year, Braddock said. Some will be community events, and some will be fundraisers. The goal is to have them throughout the year as we start this new project.

This story has been updated.
The FBI is seeking the public's help in locating the four Americans kidnapped in Matamoros, Mexico, on Friday. Pictured are members of the National Guard in the border city of Matamoros, Mexico, in 2021.
President Joe Biden's decision to allow Congress to potentially nix reforms to the criminal code of Washington, DC, has left him facing criticism from his own party as he prepares to launch his reelection campaign.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, left, speaks with US forces at a US military base in northeast Syria during an unannounced visit on March 4, 2023.
Howie, a Maltese show dog, tragically spent five years in a puppy mill where his teeth were pulled and vocal cords cut. Fortunately, one Asheville family was able to take him in when he was rescued. Now, he's a contender for this year's Cadbury Bunny Tryouts.
For over a month, 750 Temple University graduate teaching assistants and research assistants have been on strike. They are demanding an increase from their average current rate of pay of $19,500 a year to a base wage of $32,800, affordable healthcare for their dependents, improved parental and bereavement leave, and improvements in work assignments and the amount of work.

Temple has responded ruthlessly to the strike. On February 8, just over a week into the walkout, the university announced an end to healthcare coverage and tuition waivers (costing about $20,000 on an annual basis) for those on strike. The university also announced that tuition for the Spring semester would be due by March 8 for the strikers.

Undergraduates rallying in support of Temple University graduate workers [Photo: WSWS]

Temples graduate and research assistants, whose work is fundamental to the functioning of the university, are engaged not only in a struggle against Temple, but against the Democratic Party, which controls state and local politics, has heavy influence on Temples Board of Trustees, and has strong ties with the union which purportedly represents the striking workers.

Pennsylvanias governor is Democrat Josh Shapiro, and the Democrats are the majority party in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Philadelphia, where Temple is located, is overwhelmingly dominated by Democrats, from the mayor to a 14-3 majority on the city council.

The state has had a Democratic governor for 16 of the last 20 years. State funding for public higher education institutions such as Temple has declined by over 34 percent in the period 2007-2017, the fourth sharpest decline of any state, according to the Center on Budget Policies and Priorities. This has led to the state providing only 10 percent of all funding for Temple in 2019, down from 65 percent in 2011.

The university has been forced to offset these declines, delivered by the Democratic Party, by both gouging its students through cuts to education and hikes in tuition and service fee increases, and as the strike has shown, by impoverishing university workers.

Temples Board of Trustees has a strong Democratic Party presence, along with an assortment of wealthy individuals in banking, finance, communications, insurance and real estate. A few biographies of Board members will suffice to show the close ties of Temples leadership with the Democratic Party and the financial elite.

The trade union bureaucracy

Board member Patrick Eiding recently retired as President of the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO, where he served as Philadelphias top labor bureaucrat from January 2002 until January 2023. Eiding was reappointed to the Board by then-Governor Tom Wolf, a Democrat, in 2020.

For years, Eiding served as the secretary-treasurer for the Philadelphia Building & Construction Trades Council. Last November, John Dougherty, the top union official for the council, was sentenced for embezzling funds and workers dues money as well as having corrupt relations with city officials.

Pat Eiding (center), former President of the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO and current Temple Board member. [Photo: @PhillyAFLCIO]

Eidings only public statement on the strike came one day after it was launched. According to The Temple Times, on February 1 Eiding stated at the end of a Board of Trustees meeting, Do we see any end to this discussion? I had tried to find some help on both sides and wasnt able to get anything back, but its kind of getting to a point where I think its not a good thing for Temple or for anybody else involved. Of course, Eidings muted concerns havent caused him to utter a word in defense of the university workers.

As head of the citys AFL-CIO council, Eiding hosted the misnamed Workers Presidential Summit in 2019, inviting all the Democratic contenders for US President to the event. Announcing the event, Eiding stated that Pennsylvanias working families will begin to decide who, as the Democratic nominee for President, is best suited to bring about the changes necessary to deliver more union jobs and greater equality to our state and to our nation.

In 2019 while campaigning for president, Joe Biden issued a statement declaring that he is as proud to call Patrick Eiding a friend as his campaign is to call Philadelphia home, as part of his effort to promote state relations with the corrupt trade union apparatus and contain working class anger.

No part of the AFL, or the parent union of the striking graduate students, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), has offered any meaningful assistance to the struggle. The strike has been intentionally isolated, though it is crystal clear that a defeat of the graduate student workers will set the stage for new attacks on other sections of the university workforce, and on educators everywhere.

The Democratic Party operatives

The isolation of TUGSA by the AFL and the AFT is an expression of the total subordination of the unions to the Democratic Partywhich is also abundantly represented on the Temple Board of Trustees.

Christine M. Tartaglione has been a Democratic state senator since 1995, serving as a delegate to the 2000 Democratic National Convention. She currently is a member of the Labor and Industry Committee in the Pennsylvania Senate, but has not seen fit to issue any statement on the strike.

On March 1 she tweeted, We are fighting not just for healthcare equity, reproductive justice, and to end maternal mortality, but for all marginalized Pennsylvanians. For Senator Tartaglione, marginalized Pennsylvanians do not include graduate teaching assistants scraping by on $19,000 a year, nor does healthcare equity include providing affordable dependent coverage for them.

John Street is the former Democratic mayor of Philadelphia, serving from 2000-2008. As mayor, Street played a leading role in the largest attack on public education in Philadelphias history, agreeing in 2001 to the full privatization of 60 of the citys then-264 public schools.

Leonard Barrack served as the national finance chairman for the Democratic National Committee from 1998 to 2004. Barrack also has his own private foundation, the Barrack Foundation.

In 2015, the Foundation provided $36,000 to the American Israel Education Fund, the non-profit affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). AIPAC is a right-wing lobbying organization which unreservedly supports Israels apartheid regime against the Palestinians and has enormous influence over Republican and Democratic politicians alike. In the same year, his foundation gave $250,000 to American Friends of LIBI, which provides direct support to Israeli soldiers.

In 2015, Nelson Diaz ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for mayor of Philadelphia. Diaz has long-standing ties to the Democrats, dating to his time as a special assistant to Vice President Walter Mondale, in 1977. In 1993, Bill Clinton appointed him general counsel to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. Also, from 2001 to 2004 he worked for the aforementioned Mayor Street as Philadelphias solicitor.

Big business

Mitchell Morgan, chair of the Temple Board of Trustees, is the founder and CEO of Morgan Properties. According to the company website, it is the third largest multifamily property owner in the country, owning over 350 apartment communities and over 95,000 units in 19 states, with $16 billion in assets. Temples Morgan Hall, a 1,250-bed, 27-story residence hall, is named after him.

Phillip Richards is the vice chair of Temples Board. He is also the executive chairman and founder of the affiliated companies that comprise North Star Resource Group, a finance company. According to the company web site, Richards company administers assets exceeding $10 billion.

The vice chairman of the Temple Boards Budget and Finance Committee is Citigroup executive Christopher McNichol. At Citigroup he heads the Mid-Atlantic Public Finance region and is a primary coverage banker for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of Maryland.

Citigroup played a major role in precipitating the 2008 financial crisis, which devastated the working class. After the banking giants stock price plummeted, it was provided with a $45 billion bailout, the largest received by any single financial institution from the federal government that year.

Anthony McIntire founded a retail insurance brokerage firm in 2002 that was bought by another multinational insurance firm, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co, in 2013. McIntire remains an executive with the firm. In 2022, Gallagher reported over $8 billion in revenue.

Joseph Coradino has been the CEO of PREIT since 2012, a real estate investment trust that owns and operates over 22 million square feet of retail space in the United States.

Bret Perkins is Senior Vice President of External and Government Affairs for Comcast Corporation. As of 2020, Comcast was the second largest internet provider in the US and third largest cable television provider. Perkins is also a member of the Board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia and serves on the Board and Executive Committee of the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia.

Tamron Hall [Photo by Behind The Velvet Rope TV / CC BY 3.0

Tamron Hall is an American broadcast journalist and television talk show host who has hosted her own syndicated daytime talk show since 2019. Before that she worked in various journalism roles at NBC and MSNBC. She hosted Hillary Clinton on her show on March 2. Presumably they did not discuss the ongoing class struggle at Temple. Her shows official Twitter account has not issued any statement on the ongoing strike.

The American Federation of Teachers

The striking workers are led by the Temple University Graduate Students Association (TUGSA) Local 6290, which is affiliated to the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). The AFT is de facto a faction of the Democratic Party. The AFT President, Randi Weingarten (annual compensation: $487,953), is a member of the Democratic National Committee, the leadership body of the national Democratic Party.

Come election time, massive AFT resources, extracted from poorly paid teachers, are directed into electing Democratic officials. According to the latest LM-2 filing with the Department of Labor, the AFT spent $35,762,365 on political activities and lobbying for the 12 month period July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022. Revealing their central role as strikebreakers, the AFT did not spend a single penny on strike benefits during the same time period.

When a major wave of teacher strikes broke out in 2018, Weingarten and other teacher union bureaucrats systematically worked to isolate and smother each strike, calling on teachers and their supporters to remember in November and vote for Democrats.

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, talks during a news conference in front of the Richard R. Green High School of Teaching, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, in New York [Credit: AP Photo/Mark Lennihan]

The AFT is playing the same strike-breaking role at Temple. While graduate students continue to strike, faculty in another AFT affiliate, the Temple Association of University Professionals, remain on the job.

TUGSA and the AFT, despite chanting demagogically that Philadelphia is a union town, have made no appeal to the broader working class in the city or Pennsylvania to join in the strike. Minor actions of solidarity, such as local Teamsters choice not to cross the picket line, have not fundamentally undermined Temples operations. Instead, the grad students association has invited a slew of Democratic Party politicians to visit the picket line, giving disingenuous pledges of solidarity as they plan the eventual sellout.

On February 17, TUGSA brought back a tentative agreement which addressed none of the workers demands. The agreement was rejected by 92 percent of those voting.

For its part, the AFT joined the chorus of capitalist institutions that tried to frame the TA as the end of the strike itself. The AFTs state affiliates Twitter account wrote Congratulations TUGSA on coming to a tentative agreement with Temple University and ending your strike! Similarly, the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) tweeted, Outstanding news this Friday evening! Congratulations and solidarity forever!

Conclusion: Build a rank-and-file committee to expand the struggle!

Graduate and research assistants at Temple must understand the class and political forces arrayed against them. They face powerful political and financial interests that run the university, linked closely to the Democratic Party, the AFL-CIO bureaucracy, and major corporate interests. These forces are fixated on seeing the graduate students isolated and defeated.

Graduate student workers are hindered in their struggle by a union that is tied to the Democratic Party, the same political party which exerts enormous influence on the Temple Board of Trustees and is one of the two main parties of American capitalism.

Undergraduates rallying in support of Temple University graduate workers [Photo: WSWS]

For the Temple strike to succeed, it is vital that the graduate and research assistants understand that their allies are not to be found in the political offices of the Democratic Party, but in the working class. Workers and undergraduate students have rallied to the graduate employees defense, but a further mobilization is required. Without this, the strike will be defeated.

To break out of the straitjacket imposed by the Democratic Party-aligned trade union apparatus, striking workers need to form a rank-and-file committee to broaden the struggle and bring the university to a full closure. Such a committee must reach out for common action to graduate workers and faculty at other institutions, who face the same conditions and the same antagonists.

Only through such a rank-and-file committee will graduate and research assistants be able to make the broadest possible appeal to all sections of the working class, and overcome efforts by the AFT to isolate and shut down the strike.
The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) is holding its final public meeting for the New South Wales (NSW) state election campaign on Thursday, March 23 at 7 p.m. (AEDT). Register now for the online meeting!

In a campaign dominated by lies, mudslinging and diversion, the SEPs campaign is alone in taking forward the fight by the working class against the policies of war, austerity and let it rip COVID policies supported by every other party.

[Photo: WSWS]

The SEP is alone in raising the critical issue of war, under conditions where a major conflict is already underway. Throughout its campaign, the SEP has explained that the war in Ukraine is not an isolated, regional conflict. Instead, it is the opening shot of a Third World War that threatens nuclear catastrophe.

The US and NATO are waging what is, in all but name, a war against Russia. Having provoked Putins reactionary invasion, the US has done everything to escalate the conflict. It has poured over a hundred billion dollars of military aid into Ukraine, including tanks and other offensive weaponry. For the strategists of the Pentagon, the aim is to inflict a military defeat on Russia, as the prelude to a war against China, which is viewed as the chief rival of American imperialism.

Australia, with the support of Labor, the Coalition and the Greens, is a significant contributor to the US-NATO war effort in Ukraine. In the Indo-Pacific, Australia has been placed on the frontlines of the war drive against China.

Together with our sister parties internationally, the SEP is building an international anti-war movement of the working class directed against the source of war, the capitalist system itself.

In its campaign, the SEP alone is drawing the connection between this militarist program and the social catastrophe facing millions of workers. While governments provide hundreds of billions to the war machine, they claim that there is no money for education, healthcare and other vital social services.

The social crisis has been exacerbated by the unchecked spread of COVID-19. All the official parties claim the pandemic is over, but this is an outright lie. More Australians died in the first two weeks of 2023 than in 2020 and 2021 combined and as many as 25,000 lost their lives last year. The NSW Liberal government, with the crucial backing of Labor, removed all successful mitigation measures and let the virus rip.

Since May, this offensive has been overseen by the federal Labor government, which has presided over most of the deaths in the entire pandemic.

The SEP demands the immediate reintroduction of all safety measures and the placing of health and life before profit. The pandemic can and must be brought to an end, but this can only be done based on a scientific policy that is not subordinated to profit accumulation.

The SEP tells workers the truth. None of the issues they confront will be resolved in this election. They are international in scope and cannot be addressed within national borders or the framework of capitalism. Workers need their own revolutionary party, with a clear socialist and international perspective based on the lessons of history.

At the meeting, our candidates who are leading members of the SEP will outline the global context within which the election is occurring and will present its socialist and internationalist program. Ample time will be provided for questions and discussion. Register today!

Contact the SEP

Phone: (02) 8218 3222

Email: sep@sep.org.au

Facebook: SocialistEqualityPartyAustralia

Twitter: @SEP_Australia

Instagram: socialistequalityparty_au

TikTok: @sep_australia

Authorised by Cheryl Crisp for the Socialist Equality Party, Suite 906, 185 Elizabeth Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000
On February 21, the US Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case of Gonzalez v. Google. The lawsuit seeks to hold Googles YouTube responsible for the death of Nohemi Gonzalez, a 23-year-old college student who was killed during a terrorist attack in Paris in November 2015.

The suitwhich was dismissed by the Northern District Court of California and the dismissal then upheld by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appealswas brought by the Gonzalez family in 2016. The family asserted that videos produced by ISIS and posted on YouTube were promoted by the platforms algorithms and, therefore, violated US laws against aiding and abetting terrorists.

The lawsuit asserts that YouTube helped to spread the ISIS video content, contributed to the radicalization of users and their recruitment as terrorists and, therefore, assisted the deadly attack in Paris that killed Nohemi Gonzalez.

For its part, Google has argued that the Gonzalez familys claims that YouTube gave support to terrorists are based on threadbare assertions and speculative arguments. The Electronic Frontier Foundation and the American Civil Liberties Union have filed amicus briefs supporting Google on the grounds that the lawsuit represents a threat to First Amendment rights and freedom of speech online.

The legal issue at the heart of the case is the federal law known as Section 230 of the Communications Decency Actpart of the Telecommunications Act of 1996which protects online services from liability for the content posted by users of their platforms. The 1996 law was an update to the Communications Act of 1934 that created the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and regulated telephone, telegraph and radio communications in that era.

The core language of Section 230 is as follows: No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider. To the extent that the courts have adhered to this aspect of the law, Section 230 has functioned as a shield that protects internet companies from being liable for establishing the legal or illegal character of speech on their platforms.

While the law has significant First Amendment implications, its original intent was to ensure that the opportunity of online and internet technical innovation did not become stifled by costly litigation. The law was passed at a time when the World Wide Web was in its infancy, and proprietary messaging boards and online services such as CompuServe, Prodigy and America Online (AOL) dominated the internet. In 1996, there were 36 million users of online services or 0.9 percent of the worlds population.

The 1996 law was influenced by an environment when information and news distribution were still dominated by print media. In that era, a liability line had been drawn between publishers and distributors of content such that a publisher was legally responsible for the material being printed while a distributor would be unaware of it and immune from any liability.

During the ensuing 27 years, new forms of online communications have revealed significant contradictions within Section 230. For example, the categories of interactive computer service, publisher or speaker and information content provider have undergone a profound transformation brought on by the wireless and mobile technologies used by more than 5.5 billion people or 69 percent of the worlds population.

In this environment where nearly every individual on earth is an online consumer as well as a publisher or content providerwith added facilities for sharing and/or liking the content of othersthe rules established by Section 230 have become obsolete. Meanwhile, the demarcation between an internet computer service and a publisher has been blurred by algorithms that recommend content to users and accelerate circulation, or throttle it, based on what brings in the most advertising revenue.

What the transformation of global online activity and technology since 1996 has demonstratedand this can never be addressed by the US Supreme Court or Congressis the need for platforms such as Google, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter to be made public utilities. The continued ownership of these advanced technologies by a handful of billionaires for the purpose of increasing their personal wealth threatens both free speech and the transformation of the platforms into tools of authoritarianism.

The provisions of Section 230 that are the subject of conflict within the political establishment and being argued by the Supreme Court are what are known as Good Samaritan protections. Contradicting the shield portion of the law, this requirement demands that online services remove or moderate content that is deemed obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, excessively violent, harassing, or otherwise objectionable, whether or not such material is constitutionally protected.

In other words, according to this broad definition of what is objectionable material, online services are expected to violate the First Amendment and censor content on their platformswith the proviso that they act in good faithwithout fear of being prosecuted for acts against free speech.

Along these lines, an aspect of the Gonzalez v. Google case before the Supreme Court is the assertion that YouTube failed to find and remove the objectionable ISIS content. The case says that the platform recommended the terrorist videos through its user-persuasion algorithm. These attention-getting-and-holding techniques are not based on an evaluation of the content itself but preoccupied with the advertising revenue they generate.

While the lower courts have upheld the immunity shield of Section 230 in Gonzalez v Google, the decision of the right-wing dominated Supreme Court to hear the case comes at a time when political censorship and control of online content is being sought by all factions of the political establishment.

On this question, one faction of the ruling establishment considers the content moderation rules part of the old, buccaneering, freewheeling and early Wild West internet that have become insufficient and need to be abolished in favor of a more effective regime of censorship.

Another faction of the political establishment that is more closely aligned with the tech giantsespecially the massive profits they generate for billionaires on Wall Streetis saying that Section 230 can and should be utilized more effectively for censorship. They are arguing that the law does not need to be abolished because the tech platforms are more than capable of doing the job of imposing the regulation and control being demanded by the entire ruling class. These objectives are also behind the various congressional and regulatory initiatives aimed at taking down big tech.

The political offensive against both Section 230 and the technology monopolies is directed, above all, against the growth of anti-war, anti-imperialist, left-wing and socialist politics online. It is additionally focused on blocking the working class from using the social media platforms to organize their struggles against the capitalist system.

The major reasons for the ongoing public campaigns against big tech are that sections of the intelligence and political establishment are dissatisfied with the progress of self-imposed censorship and fear that large numbers of their employees are sympathetic to left and socialist politics.

Significant in this regard is the censorship by Google, beginning in the spring of 2017, that suppressed socialist, left-wing and alternative news sources. After a campaign was mounted by the WSWS against it, the CEO of Google Sundar Pichai admitted during congressional testimony that the number one search engine was indeed censoring socialists online.

Meanwhile, in the atmosphere of the fake news hysteria whipped up during the first year of the coronavirus pandemic and the 2020 presidential elections, far-right Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas said it behooves the court to find a case to review Section 230.

Thomas said the courts have broadly interpreted the law to confer sweeping immunity on some of the largest companies in the world. In a 2021 opinion, Justice Thomas suggested that Donald Trumps Twitter account, shut down by the platform after he used it to attempt the overthrow of the US Constitution on January 6, 2021, resembles a constitutionally protected public forum.

The news coverage of the arguments before the Supreme Court on February 21 emphasize that it is difficult to determine how the majority will decide on the crucial case or if it will rule at all. As with the original intent of Section 230, several of the justices expressed concerns about the financial impact on the corporations of lifting the liability shield.

A report on CNBC entitled, Supreme Court justices in Google case express hesitation about upending Section 230, said, Justices across the ideological spectrum expressed concern with breaking the delicate balance set by Section 230, and some justices suggested, a narrower reading of the liability shield could sometimes make sense.

Eric Goldman, a professor at Santa Clara University School of Law, told CNBC he felt more optimistic that the high court would uphold Section 230 while he was concerned for the future of the law. I remain petrified that the opinion is going to put all of us in an unexpected circumstance, Goldman said.
Protests and strikes over the Tempi valley train crash continue in Greece, threatening the survival of the right-wing New Democracy (ND) government. Almost a week after the crash which killed 57 peoplewith six still critically injured in hospitalan initial one-day rail strike was extended into its sixth day Monday and will continue at least until Wednesday.

People gather during a protest at Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, March 5, 2023. Tens of thousands of protesters took part in rallies around the country for a fifth day, protesting the conditions that led the deaths of 57 people late Tuesday, in Greece's worst recorded rail accident. [AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis]

The Greek Civil Servants Confederation (ADEDY) has announced a 24-hour nationwide strike in the public sector for March 8 and a mass demonstration to be held at noon in Klafthmonos Square in the capital, Athens. Such has been the outpouring of anger among millions of workers that ADEDY said the strike was to demand - together with all the workers and the people - an end to the policy of privatization, and that the real responsibilities for the murderous crime of the Tempi train crash be attributed.

Strikes have been announced for the same day by the Panhellenic Seamens Federation (PNO) and the Greek Primary Teachers Federation (DOE).

The train crash occurred just before midnight last Tuesday when an InterCity 62 (IC62) passenger train heading north from Athens to Thessaloniki and carrying around 350 mainly young people crashed head-on into a southbound freight train.

The crash is the deadliest in Greek history, and the worst in the country for more than 50 yearssurpassing the 34 deaths resulting from a head-on collision between two passenger trains near Corinth in 1968. It is the worst in Europe since 80 people were killed in a derailment in Spain in 2013.

Over the weekend, many rail workers, youth and students demonstrated throughout the country, with tens of thousands massing outside parliament in Athens Syntagma square.

People gather during a protest outside the Greek parliament, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, March 5, 2023. Tens of thousands of protesters take part in rallies around the country for a fifth day, protesting the conditions that led the deaths of dozens of people late Tuesday, in Greece's worst recorded rail accident. The main banner held by rail workers reads "It wasn't human error." [AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis]

A large banner (see photo above) held by rail workers read, 'It wasn't human error.' A banner from the Union of Attica Metalworkers and the Greek Shipworkers Industry, referring to the development policies of successive governments in which vast portions of state industry were sold off, read, The rails of development were drenched in blood. Through struggle the train victims will be vindicated. Other placards read, Down with killer governments, and Their policies cost human lives.

In Thessaloniki, a banner held up by a student showed a bloodied hand alongside the words, Were all in the same carriage.

Protesters in both cities were brutally attacked by riot police using tear gas, stun grenades and batons. During their assault riot police even threw a tear gas canister into an Athens underground station. The central Syntagma Square was cleared of protesters within minutes.

Protests continued Monday, with several thousand students marching in the port city Piraeus. A banner (see tweet below) from the Coordinating Committee of Piraeus Students warned the government, We will become the voice of all the dead, the new generation does not forgive you.

In Athens, student associations assembled 57 chairs outside the Transport Ministry, symbolizing those killed.

Within 24 hours of the crash the ND government and its media backers sought to evade all responsibility for the deaths, and claimed that human error by Vassilis Samaras, a 59-year-old station master in Larissa, was primarily responsible.

There was an angry backlash. Millions understand that ND and other governments including the social democratic PASOK and SYRIZA (Coalition of the Radical Left) are responsible for creating an unsafe rail system stripped to the bone by over a decade of austerity cuts and run with a fraction of staff required. On Sunday Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was compelled to issue an apology.

General elections must be held in Greece before July and a first round date of April 9 had been pencilled in. But this will now coincide with a planned 40-day memorial ceremony for the victims. The Euractiv website commented Monday, New Democracy has so far been leading all polls. But the train tragedy is expected to have a considerable electoral impact.

On Sunday, Samaras was charged with negligent homicide and jailed pending trial, after giving testimony for seven-and-a-half hours to an examining magistrate. The station masters lawyer, Stephanos Pantzartzidis, said afterwards, My client testified truthfully, without fearing if doing so would incriminate him.

Just how dangerous Greeces rail network is was made clear by Pantzartzidis. He said of his client, For 20 minutes, he was in charge of (train) safety in all central Greece.

The Greek Reporter noted Monday that the station master Samaras, is reported to have said that on the night of the incident, at around 11 pm, his colleagues left their posts, leaving him to manage the network on his own.

On Monday, Reuters published a valuable expose confirming that it was a question of when, not if deaths on the horrific scale of Tempi would occur. The report, Greece train disaster exposes rail network neglect, by Angeliki Koutantou and Michele Kambas, noted, Some rail workers and industry sources who spoke to Reuters pointed to remote surveillance and signalling systems, which control train traffic and guide drivers, saying they had not been functioning properly for years.

The authors explained, Larissa station had a local signalling system that tracked trains for a distance of about 5 km (3 miles)  That meant station masters had to communicate with each other and drivers by radio to cover gaps and signals were operated manually.

According to a railway source, That section [where the trains collided] has been a black hole and remote surveillance and signalling systems had not yet been set up.

Reuters reports the devastating fact that this section of trackbetween the countrys two largest cities and connecting millions of peoplewas once covered with remote surveillance under the previously state-owned Hellenic Railways Organisation (TrainOSE). But this became a victim of the savage austerity demanded by the hated European Union/International Monetary Fund/European Central Bank troika and imposed by successive governments from 2008.

An anti-austerity protest in Syntagma Square, Athens in 2015 [Photo: WSWS]

The report explains, OSE did have remote surveillance in place from 2007 until 2010 at the section where the accident happened, Yiannis Kollatos, a former station master with the company who set up and operated the technology in Larissa, told Reuters.

But in the years after 2010, that system gradually creaked, with underfunding and workforce cuts leading to faulty maintenance of the equipment, the railway source said.

Panagiotis Terezakis, a management consultant to OSE, concurred, saying, After 2011 this system started gradually to collapse. It was not maintained, to the point where the telecommanding system collapsed almost in its entirety.

Reuters points out that TrainOSE, was broken up in 2010 under the terms of Greeces first bailoutthe first of three shock therapy austerity packages. In 2014, OSE ordered a revamp of the remote traffic control and signalling system that was due to be completed in 2016. But nearly a decade later, the equipment has not been installed throughout the 2,500 km (1,550 miles) rail network.

The authors note the outcome of the brutal downsizing of Greeces rail network workforce, which stood at more than 6,000 at the onset of the austerity drive. Successive government sacked thousands of rail workers. Following its sale to an Italian firm by SYRIZA in 2017 for the giveaway price of 45 million euros, the entire national workforce stood at just 750 last week.

The report explains, Rail workers, who began a strike last week in response to the disaster, have repeatedly complained about understaffing. There are currently 133 station masters, while there should have been 411, said a third official from OSE. Staffing was at such criminally low levels that Weeks before the accident, OSE had sought to hire 73 temporary station masters for six months starting April, according to a company document.
25 years ago: Pinochet made senator for life

Pinochet, left, and US President George H. W. Bush in 1990

On March 11, 1998, thousands of demonstrators clashed with riot police in the Chilean capital of Santiago and in the Pacific port city of Valparaiso for two days running as Gen. Augusto Pinochet, leader of the bloody 1973 military coup, traded his position as commander of the armed forces for a lifetime post in Chiles Senate, which carried with it lifetime immunity from prosecution.

Pinochet was sworn in together with other new legislators in Valparaiso on March 11. The ceremony was delayed both by violent clashes outside the Senate and by a protest mounted by some of the other legislators who booed and held up enlarged photographs of people who were executed or disappeared under Pinochet's reign.

A day before the swearing-in ceremony, the military organized its own farewell for Pinochet at the Military School of Santiago, one of the many institutions which were transformed into concentration camps and torture centers in the coup of 1973.

Speaking before thousands of Chilean officers and troops as well as Chilean government officials, including President Eduardo Frei, the 82-year-old general declared: We in the armed forces can now declare: Mission accomplished!

Referring to his own rise to power 25 years before, the former dictator declared that the armed forces had been compelled to take over because of an ever more extensive, sharp and uncontrollable public conflict gripping the country. He claimed that military rule had resulted in the social, political and economic reconstruction of the country.

While there was widespread feeling in Chile that Pinochet should be going to jail rather than taking a seat in the Senate, he sought even greater protection than the blanket amnesty for crimes committed by military assassins and torturers, since this could be overturned by the courts.

Pinochet surrendered his military command after 25 years in the post, but was guaranteed his lifetime Senate seat by the constitution he himself had forced on Chile in 1980, which reserved a lifetime Senate seat for former presidents with at least six years in office. Pinochet was the only figure who fell in this category, having proclaimed himself president in 1974 and surrendering the office only in 1989.

50 years ago: Nixon cites executive privilege to defy congressional inquiry into Watergate

Photo from US Senate Watergate hearings. From left to right: minority counsel Fred Thompson, ranking member Howard Baker, and chair Sam Ervin of the Senate Watergate Committee.

On March 12, 1973, US president Richard Nixon released a statement declaring that he was invoking the principle of executive privilege and refusing to allow two of his aides, John W. Dean and Dwight L. Chapin, to testify before Congress. The subject of the congressional investigation was the burglary of the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate complex in Washington D.C., on June 17, 1972.

Congress had only begun hearings into the Watergate scandal in February following the sentencing of G. Gordon Liddy and James W. McCord Jr., two other Nixon aides and former intelligence agents who had been arrested immediately following the break-in. With Liddy and McCord found guilty, the contours of Nixons conspiracy began to come into focus. Nixons own role in the plot, however, remained unclear. The details of the break-in at Watergate, who was behind its organization, and its motives, remained murky. The congressional select committee was established to find the answers to these questions.

Nixon was of course the chief organizer of Watergate and a whole slew of other dirty tricks operations carried out against anyone believed to be a political threat. In addition to the DNC, Nixon carried out these operations against thousands of Americans involved in left-wing and antiwar organizations.

Testimony from those within his administration before Congress would have rapidly brought the truth into the open and hastened the collapse of his presidency.

Hoping to keep any further damaging information from coming to light Nixon refused to cooperate in the congressional investigation or allow his staff to be questioned. He claimed that the president has the right to withhold information that he alone determined might harm the national security.

In his statement Nixon said, Under the doctrine of separation of powers, the manner in which the President personally exercises his assigned executive powers is not subject to questioning by another branch of government. If the President is not subject to such questioning, it is equally inappropriate that members of his staff not be so questioned, for their roles are in effect an extension of the Presidency.

Nixon would continue to invoke executive privilege against the congressional investigation and refuse to provide requested evidence, including tape recordings of White House conversations.

The use of executive privilege delayed the investigation into Watergate but ultimately failed in preventing the truth from becoming known. In July 1974, the claim of executive privilege would be struck down by the Supreme Court, which ordered Nixon to release the tape recordings. Nixon would resign on August 9, 1974.

75 years ago: Nazi officials convicted over criminal racial policies

Photo from the first day of the RuSHA trial of Nazis, October 20, 1947

On March 10, 1948, American judges handed down guilty verdicts after presiding over a year-long trial of Nazi state officials accused of playing a central role in implementing the Third Reichs criminal racial policies. The hearings were the eighth of twelve held after the Nuremberg Trials. They were conducted by the American military.

There were 14 defendants in the trial that ended in March. All had played a prominent role in German state organizations controlled by the SS, the Nazi paramilitary wing. The organizations included the Race and Settlement Main Office (RuSHA), the office of the Reich Commissioner for the Consolidation of German Nationhood, the Repatriation Office for Ethnic Germans and the Lebensborn society.

The defendants were charged with crimes against humanity, war crimes and membership in a criminal organization, that is the SS. The indictment explained that among the offenses were the kidnapping of Aryan children to participate in racial purity programs; coercing woman of mixed racial backgrounds into abortions; the displacement of entire populations because of their ethnic background and their replacement by Aryan Germans; the dispatch of those accused of inter-racial relationships to the concentration camps; and general participation in the persecution of the Jews in the context of the Holocaust.

The RuSHA was the main SS branch responsible for maintaining racial purity of the paramilitary organization. It would supervise SS marriages, carrying out extensive genealogical studies of prospective spouses. It played a broader role after the outbreak of World War II. Following the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, the RuSHA was involved in the Germanization of occupied territories, involving killings and settlement.

The Lebensborn were a network of maternity centers established by the RuSHA and explicitly based on racist principles. The task was to accommodate and look after racially and genetically valuable expectant mothers. The Lebensborn employed Joseph Mengele before his notorious acts of medical torture at the Auschwitz concentration camp and elsewhere.

Of the defendants, who included the executive officers of all of these organizations, eight were found guilty of the three charges. Five more were found guilty of at least one charge, while a female official who had served as a deputy was acquitted.

As with other US military trials concluding in 1948, the hearings were remarkable for their leniency. Of the defendants, only Richard Hildebrandt, the head of the RuSHA, was executed, after he was handed over to Polish authorities for his ethnic cleansing operations in that country. Five defendants in American custody were released on the basis of time served. Of the rest, one died of natural causes behind bars in 1949. All of the others, including those who received nominally hefty sentences, such as 25 years imprisonment, were at liberty by 1954.

The approach of the court was a political one, dictated by the turn of American imperialism towards an aggressive confrontation with the Soviet Union in the Cold War. This program increasingly involved an orientation to extreme right-wing and fascistic forces in Western Europe.

100 years ago: Lenin suffers third stroke

Detail of Man, Controller of the Universe, (1934) Diego Rivera fresco depicting Lenin at Mexico Citys Palacio de Bellas Artes

On March 9, 1923, V.I. Lenin, the founder of the Bolshevik Party and head of the Soviet state, suffered a third stroke. His previous two took place on May 25 and December 16, 1922. He had been convalescing and under strict orders by his doctors not to have visitors. Joseph Stalin, the leader of the bureaucratic faction in the Communist Party, attempted to ensure that Lenin was isolated from the party.

The new stroke paralyzed half of Lenins body and deprived him of the ability to speak.

It was in December 1922 and January 1923 that Lenin dictated the notes that have come to be known as his testament, in which he urged the party leadership to remove Stalin from leadership positions and take up a struggle against the increasing independence of the state and party bureaucracy from the working class.

January and February had been productive months for Lenin, according to historian Moshe Lewin, who noted that despite his illness he worked out a vast program of political strategy for the Party Congress that was to be held a few weeks later.

It was on March 4 that Pravda published his crucial essay, Better Fewer, But Better, a part of a letter to the 12th Congress of the party. It was to be Lenins last article. It dealt with the problems of the cultural and economic development of the USSR and the role that a Workers and Peasants Inspection commissariat, fused with the partys Central Control Commission, could play in fighting bureaucracy. As Lewin observed, Lenin hoped it would become an institution of an ability and efficiency unequaled in the state, a unique super-commissariat of organization and supervision, whose function would be to diffuse correct methods at every level of public administration.

As Lenin himself suggested in Better Fewer, But Better:

We must reduce our state apparatus to the utmost degree of economy. We must banish from it all traces of extravagance, of which so much has been left over from tsarist Russia, from its bureaucratic capitalist state machine.

Lenins third stroke put an end to this work. Even though by May he was regaining his ability to read, he was not able to speak. He died on January 21, 1924 of a fourth stroke.
March 1 marked 50 years since the release of The Dark Side of the Moon by the English rock band Pink Floyd, among the most influential and significant albums in the history of popular music.

Recorded during a period of significant social and political unrest in the early 1970s, The Dark Side of the Moon (or Dark Side) paints a picture of conditions in modern capitalist society that has consistently resonated with tens of millions globally.

The Dark Side of the Moon

The themes addressed in the albums 10 songsincluding class conflict, war, mental illness and deathaccount in large measure for the 45 million-plus copies of Dark Side that have been sold over the past half-century.

Although it is not the best-selling album of all time, Dark Side is by far the longest charting record in music history. Remarkably, the album has been on the Billboard Top 200 for a total of 971 weeks, including a continuous stretch of 741 weeks14 years and three monthsfrom its original vinyl release in 1973 well into the compact disc era in 1987.

Explaining the wide appeal of Dark Side, Roger Waters, former Pink Floyd bassist and creative force behind the album concept and song lyrics, explained to music critic and journalist John Harris in 2005 that the whole record might be about the pressures and preoccupations that divert us from our potential for positive action, if you like.

The artistic maturity of Waters, 28 or 29 years old at the time, is evident in the lyrics of the song Time, for example, which address the subject of mortality and the importance of using ones time wisely. Members of at least three generations of young people have memorized these lines:

Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day

Fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way

Kicking around on a piece of ground in your hometown

Waiting for someone or something to show you the way

Tired of lying in the sunshine, staying home to watch the rain

You are young and life is long, and there is time to kill today

And then one day you find ten years have got behind you

No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun

Similarly, on Money, which became a hit single in 1973, Waters parrots the greed and attitude of the wealthy elite to the inequality inherent within capitalist society:

Money

Get back

Im alright, Jack, keep your hands off of my stack

Money

Its a hit

Dont give me that do goody good bullshit

Im in the high-fidelity first-class traveling set

And I think I need a Lear jet

On Us and Them, Waters addresses the class divisions in society:

Down and out

It cant be helped

But theres a lot of it about

With, without

And wholl deny

Its what the fightings all about

In addition to Waters, the other band membersDavid Gilmour on guitar and vocals, Nick Mason on drums and Richard Wright on keyboardsall made important contributions to the music. Their creative input is evident on the opening instrumental track Speak to Me by Mason, the guitar solo on Money and vocals throughout by Gilmour and the keyboards on the instrumental Any Colour You Like by Wright.

Other notable contributions by studio musicians include the stunning and memorable vocal improvisation by Clare Torry on the Great Gig in the Sky and the iconic tenor sax solo by Dick Parry on Money.

Pink Floyd, 1968

Along with its thematic and musical elements, Dark Side is also significant for its sound qualities. Produced during the rise of 1970s progressive rock music and the concept album format with which Pink Floyd became identified, Dark Side excels as a cohesive audio masterpiece. The album is groundbreaking for its intermingling of both simple and complex musical arrangements with audio collages and loops, sound effects and spoken word samples.

Dark Side was recorded over an eight-month period, from May 31, 1972 to February 9, 1973, at Abbey Road Studios in London. The band was assigned studio staff engineer Alan Parsons, who had worked with Pink Floyd on their 1970 album Atom Heart Mother and on the Beatles Abbey Road (1969) and Let It Be (1970) albums. Parsons would go on to establish himself as a successful songwriter and musician in his own right with The Alan Parsons Project later in the 1970s.

Parsons, responsible for including the audio loops of clock sounds at the beginning of Time and the coin and cash register sounds at the beginning of Money, told music journalist Martin Popoff, Being an engineer for Pink Floyd was arguably the biggest challenge I ever gave myself. Theyre so sound oriented; they used the studio to the absolute maximum.

Another audio component introduced by Waters was the use of a series of questions on cue cards asked of various people around the studio. The questions included, Are you afraid of dying? and When was the last time you were violent? Were you in the right? The best responses came from the Abbey Road Studio doorman Jerry ODriscoll, who can be heard on The Great Gig in the Sky saying, Im not frightened of dying, any time will do, and on Speak to Me, saying, Ive always been mad, I know Ive been mad.

In addition to taking advantage of the first solid stateas opposed to vacuum-tubemixing board and state-of-the-art 16-track analog tape, the band made use of synthesizers for special keyboard and sound effects. The album was recorded and then mixed for quadrophonic sound and was one of the earliest LPs issued in this format in December 1973.

The fold-out album cover design by Storm Thorgersen and graphic arts studio Hipgnosis, with its abstract prism spectrum image on the front cover that transitions into an oscilloscopic image of a heartbeat on the interior, also played an important role in the presentation of the concept of the record and absorption of its meaning by the public.

There is no question but that the success of Pink Floyds Dark Side was bound up with the rising popularity of the progressive rock music of bands such as Yes, Genesis, Emerson, Lake and Palmer and Jethro Tull. They all benefited from the emergence of stereo FM radio and what became known as album-oriented radio (AOR).

Reflecting the desire of audiences for a more substantial listening experience and, one might add, more challenging compositions and lyrical content, away from the pop music hits of top 40 AM radio, AOR helped drive the record business from the era of 45 singles in the 1950s and early 60s to the album era of the mid-1960s to the late 1970s.

The eighth studio album of the group founded in 1965 as the Pink Floyd Soundafter the African American blues artists Pink Anderson and Floyd CounselDark Side catapulted the band and individual members into the status of rock music superstardom. They would go on to make three more highly successful records in the 1970s that contributed to their progressive rock credentials, Wish You Were Here (1975), Animals (1977) and The Wall (1979), all of which were envisioned and written primarily by Roger Waters.

Although Waters left Pink Floyd in 1985 to pursue a solo career one year after the release of The Final Cut, the group continued in the form of Gilmour, Mason and Wright (who died in 2008) and released three more albums, A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987), The Division Bell (1994) and Endless River (2014).

As a solo artist, Waters has produced significant records, which have developed many of the themes present on Dark Side, such as Amused to Death (1992) and Is This the Life We Really Want? (2017). Waters lesser known post-Pink Floyd creative activity include a classical music opera called Ca Ira (2005), about the French Revolution, and an adaptation of the narration for Igor Stravinskys 1918 theatrical work The Soldiers Tale (2018).

In February of this year, Waters announced that he had rerecorded Dark Side as a solo project and would be releasing it to mark the 50th anniversary. He has said he intends to clarify and readdress the political and emotional message of the whole album.

Further commenting on the new recording, Waters commented on YouTube, Its not a replacement for the original which, obviously, is irreplaceable. But it is a way for the 79-year-old man to look back across the intervening 50 years into the eyes of the 29-year-old.  And also, it is a way for me to honor a recording that Nick and Rick and Dave and I have every right to be very proud of.

Many articles have appeared in the corporate media on the Dark Side anniversary and, with varying success, have attempted to explain the lasting popularity of the record. Typical is the review by New York Times chief popular music critic Jon Pareles, who asserts that Waters effort to emphasize a positive or redeeming message in the original album is revisionist. Pareles writes that Dark Side luxuriates in alienation, futility and desperation. Its persistence reveals just how many listeners feel the same.

Pareles also takes a deceitful, right-wing political swipe at Waters for his steadfast opposition to the US-NATO war against Russia in Ukraine over the past year, writing that Waters would go on to spout cranky, conspiracy-theory-minded, pro-Russia political statements that many former fans abhorred. When Dark Side appeared, all that was far in the future.

Waters has, in fact, not made pro-Russian political statements but instead has consistently denounced the Putin regimes invasion of Ukraine, while also pointing out that the Moscow government was provoked into the war by the US and European powers.

Anyone familiar with Waters artistic development over the past five decades recognizes the connection between the issues raised on Dark Side and his subsequent generally left-wing and antiwar political positions. While Pareles and many others in the official music press will not acknowledge it, there are large numbers of Pink Floyd fans all over the world who agree with Waters on the war in Ukraine and support the stand he has taken on many issues, including his demand that UK authorities release WikiLeaks founder and editor Julian Assange.

The truth is that the enduring attraction of The Dark Side of the Moon comes from the fact that its themes continue to speak to the problems of life facing millions in the 21st century as much or more than they did in 1973.
The Socialist Equality Partys campaign in the March 25 New South Wales state election is exposing, on many fronts, the unbridgeable gulf between the sham promises being made by the establishment partiesLabor, the Liberal-Nationals and the Greensand the realities confronting the working class.

That includes, in particular, the unbearable cost-of-living, the danger of a US-led war against both Russia and China, the ongoing impact of the COVID pandemic and the failure of governments to protect the population from floods, bushfires and other climate-related disasters.

The fraud of the official election campaign is clearly evident across the states Northern Rivers region. Thousands of residentsboth homeowners and rentersremain homeless or living in caravans, tents or government pods, a year after floods devastated homes throughout low-lying areas.

A $700 million resilient homes scheme was jointly announced last October by Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Liberal-National state Premier Dominic Perrottet to try to quell discontent by holding out hopes of house buybacks, or lift or repair grants. But it has left the vast majority of flood victims living in limbo.

So far, the Albanese-Perrottet Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation, the formation of which the Greens also backed, has reportedly offered only one buyback. Officials are now saying that the program will take five years to complete, prolonging the catastrophe.

Insurance companies are also disputing claims, even for those who were able to afford exorbitant premiums. As a result of the government and corporate response, many people are living in the shattered shells of houses, or in caravans on-site, alongside abandoned or totally ruined homes.

Last week, Perrottet and NSW Labor opposition leader Chris Minns put on another bipartisan display, adding insult to injury by appearing together at a one-year anniversary memorial and healing service in the regional city of Lismore. Minns patted Perrottet on the back, even as the right-wing premier continued to defend the government scheme, saying that the grants process could not happen overnight.

Although Lismore is the epicentre of the disaster, it extends to other regional centres such as Ballina, Casino, Mullumbimby and Murwillumbah, as well as communities like Wardell, Woodburn, Broadwater, Coraki, Cabarita, Chinderah, Nimbin and Bungawalbin. Residents in other flood-stricken regions of the state, including working-class suburbs of Sydney and areas across the Murray-Darling river basin, have not even been included in the resilient homes scheme.

SEP election candidate Mike Head with Jedd [Photo: WSWS]

I discussed these issues with flood victims and other workers last weekend in Lismore. Jedd, a construction and roads worker, began by raising the cost-of-living crisis.

We are pretty much all slaves and were working our lives away to make someone else rich, Jedd commented. Were barely making enough to survive. The price of everything is going up, so its hard living.

Im struggling. I work 50 hours plus a week and thats just enough to barely pay the bills. Its everything. Petrol and the price of food and everything is going up. Greedy rich people are buying up all the farmland.

When I said the working class was being made to pay for the billions handed to business during the COVID pandemic, and for the let it rip policy to get everyone back into workplaces to make profits, Jedd agreed. Yes, its hard, he commented. You dont have much time to think about too much because its all work and trying to figure out how you are going to pay your bills.

Im renting. Its hard to imagine being able to afford to buy a house these days. Im paying $300 a week and thats one of the cheaper rentals Ive got a little studio apartment that Im getting a bit cheaper through a mate. I couldnt afford to pay any more. Im struggling to pay that each week.

Jedds apartment was not damaged but he was affected by not being able to work and he knew heaps of people who were flooded. Its pretty bad the way they have been treated, he said. Everyone seems to be in the same boat, waiting for things to happen.

Jedd spoke about his sons grandfather, whose home was wrecked. Hes in his 70s and hes lived here for 30 years. Now he cant live in his house, and its a bit hard for him to move anywhere. He was lucky to have a friend to stay with, but its only temporary accommodation. In between, he had a caravan in his front yard. Its just an old caravan but he cant afford anything else because hes not working, hes on a pension.

Steven and Jeff [Photo: WSWS]

Jeff, a retired truck driver, and his son Steven, a labourer, are among the 8,000 residents across the Northern Rivers who have yet to hear anything about their applications for grants under the resilient homes scheme. I spoke to them in South Lismore in front of Jeffs half-repaired house, much of which still lacks internal walls.

I havent got anything out of them, Jeff said. Ive just been arguing with insurance companies to get something happening. Its very hard and disheartening. My house was insured but not for flood. It would have been another $12,000 a year for flood insurance. Its out of hand. People cant afford that.

Commenting on the role of Albanese and Perrottet, Jeff said: They came, they spoke and they were gone. This is not just Lismore but whole parts of Australia. All the grant money will disappear, like when the bushfires went through.

Jeff added: Youve got to have money behind you to fix your house. The only ones who can do that are the rich. Ive already spent around $100,000 on this house, and got just over $23,000 in government grants. I pulled all my super out just to have some money to live, and I didnt have much super anyway. A lot of people cant afford to move back in. Theyve got nothing. I dont know how it will finish up. Lismore will never be the same.

Steven said: Weve heard nothing. Were on the backburner People are living in caravans and tents. Its not good. If youve got no money, youre buggered Rents are skyrocketing here. Jeff added: I dont know how people can afford $500 or $600 a week. Its frightening all round.

Jeff and Steven recalled the life-threatening events of February 28, 2022. We had to get rescued ourselves, Jeff said. The SES [State Emergency Service] did nothing. My son got some of his mates round to rescue us. Steven recalled: The water was up to my chest and we could not get through to 000. Nothing was done. People were on their roofs, if they could get on them. People were stuck in their ceilings.

They said they had moved back into the semi-repaired house after 10 months, just before Christmas. Basic problems exposed by the floods remained, such as the faulty sewage system, drains that do not function when it rains and broken water gauges.

I explained that the SEP is fighting for a socialist program, that is, to overturn the entire system based on private profit that dominates every aspect of life. Steven responded: Thats right, the rich get richer. And faster. How much money do you need?

As our election statement outlines, the SEP is the only party advancing a socialist program to reorganise society to meet the pressing social needs of the vast majority, not the private profits of the super-rich. Not a single major social problem can be addressed, let alone resolved, so long as the world is dominated by the tiny capitalist elite and the governments that represent it, it explains.

We appeal to all workers and young people to promote and participate in our campaign, and to join the SEP to build the mass working-class party needed for this struggle.

Contact the SEP:

Phone: (02) 8218 3222

Email: sep@sep.org.au

Facebook: SocialistEqualityPartyAustralia

Twitter: @SEP_Australia

Instagram: socialistequalityparty_au

TikTok: @sep_australia

Authorised by Cheryl Crisp for the Socialist Equality Party, Suite 906, 185 Elizabeth Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000.
As the Biden administration attempts to rapidly draw the curtains on the COVID pandemic, a critical study published last week in the Journal of the American Medical Association has only offered further confirmation that infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has dire long-term implications.

The study in JAMA Health Forum conducted by Dr. Andrea DeVries and colleagues from Elevance Health, Inc. Indianapolis, Indiana, utilizing a large commercial insurance database, found that people who developed the post-acute phase of COVID-19 (Long COVID) suffered increased risk of cardiovascular events and excess all-cause mortality.

To conduct their study, the authors compared and contrasted two groups. One comprised 13,435 individuals who had experienced post-COVID conditions and the other 26,870 without evidence of COVID-19. Additional analyses were performed on a subgroup of persons who had experienced Long COVID after severe acute infections that required them to be hospitalized within a month of their infection.

What is significant about their study is how well its subjects matched the US population, allowing one to generalize its findings to the US population.

The compelling investigation conducted by Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly and his team at Washington University in St. Louis last year among veterans highlighted the increased risk of heart attacks associated with COVID infections but had been criticized for the predominance of an older male population (median age 60 and 90 percent male), inevitable given the population from which the data was drawn.

Supporters of the Long COVID and ME/CFS awareness organization #MEAction demonstrate at the White House, Monday, September 19, 2022. [Photo: Kate Travis]

In the latest study, all adult age groups (mean age of 50) are well represented from every region of the country. Women account for 58 percent of the study population.

The largest age-group is represented by those who are 45 to 64 years-old, comprising nearly 52 percent. More than 40 percent were in the lower socioeconomic indices and over half the subjects had two or more health co-morbidities. Also, approximately 27 percent of those with post-COVID syndrome had been hospitalized after their infection.

The findings were staggering. Among those with Long COVID one month after their infection up to twelve months from first testing positive, rates of cardiac arrhythmias were 2.35-fold higher. Pulmonary embolism, which is a blood clot that travels to the lungs, occurred in eight percent of the Long COVID patients, a rate that was 3.64 times higher than purportedly non-infected individuals. Ischemic strokes occurred at nearly twice the rate, affecting almost 4 percent. Coronary artery disease affected 17 percent of the Long COVID group, nearly twice the rate. Rates of heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and asthma had all doubled.

Beside the morbidity associated with Long COVID and higher utilization of medical care, there was a pronounced jump in mortality associated with COVID 30 days after the acute phase of infection, with the curves diverging more slowly after day 90 from first infection. One year later, among the Long COVID group, 2.8 percent had died, compared to 1.2 percent in the non-COVID group. This translates to an excess death rate of 16.4 per 1,000 or a rate, more than 2.3 times higher than those that remained uninfected.

Some of the most prevalent symptoms of Long COVID [Photo: WSWS]

The authors note in their summary, Results from this study [indicate] a statistically significant increased risk for a range of cardiovascular conditions as well as mortality. While these risks were heightened for individuals who experienced a more severe acute episode of COVID-19, it is essential to note that most individuals (72.5 percent) in the cohort did not experience hospitalization during the acute phase. Many of these conditions will have lasting effects on quality of life.

Many who died from complications associated with their post-acute COVID syndrome initially were either asymptomatic or had only mild to moderate COVID. It also becomes clear that their death although not characterized by the health system and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a COVID death, when it actually was directly related to complications caused by COVID infection.

Arguably, the alarming findings from this study alone should compel the government and the entire public health structure to resume population-based testing and tracking, including the critical variant sequencing to detect viral evolution. Such information is vital for researchers, epidemiologists, and the medical community as a whole such that they can continue quantifying the impact of COVID. More than funding Long COVID studies, long-term observational studies on the impact of the pandemic over the next several decades will be instructive.

In light of the present discussion, the relevance of the Al-Aly et al., study in November 2022 on the impact of COVID reinfection has particular significance. A second infection with SARS-CoV-2 caused more harm to organ systems and in the post-acute phase, was more lethal than the first infection, regardless of vaccination status. The accumulating evidence bears out the warnings made by principled scientists early in the course of the pandemic to observe the precautionary principle.

Most egregious and criminal is the part played by the Trump and Biden administrations to dismiss and minimize the conclusions of these evidence-based studies. They sought to ensure business operations and schools returned to normal operations as expeditiously as possible regardless of the dangers it posed to the public.

In a recent study published in Nature Cardiovascular Research that reviewed excess cardiovascular (CVD) deaths in the US from March 2020 to March 2022, the authors wrote, That the COVID-19 pandemic indirectly led to increased CVD deaths has been reported in many countries during the initial phase of the pandemic  After more than two years of living with the pandemic we found that, nationwide, increased CVD deaths have persisted throughout the two years and the trajectory of excess CVD deaths was almost coincident with the COVID-19 death waves in the United States.

Cardiologist and researcher at Scripps Research Translational Institute Dr. Eric Topol recently reviewed the evidence behind heart attacks and strokes following after COVID. In a table format, he summarized six large population-based studies that, when combined, conclusively demonstrate the late impact COVID has on the heart, well after the initial phase of the infection has cleared.

According to a Kaiser Family Foundation report published on January 26, 2023, on the latest Long COVID figures, the number of people currently suffering from Long COVID has declined in the last seven months from 19 percent to 11 percent. Among those who have ever had Long COVID, over half are no longer reporting symptoms.

Still, if we assume that the vast majority of the population has been previously infected, this roughly amounts to possibly more than 20 million of whom 27 percent characterize their symptoms as significantly limiting. This remains on par with the estimates provided by the Brookings Institution in August 2022 that as many as four million people are out of work due to their long-term COVID condition.

In an opinion piece published in early February in the New York Times, David Wallace-Wells asked why so many Americans were still dying. After taking account that about 1.1 million had officially died during the pandemic, he remarked that the CDC estimated more than 300,000 additional Americans [had] died over the past three years whom we would not have expected to in more normal times.

He added, Over the last three years, the countrys large excess mortality has been mostly attributed to COVID-19. But perhaps a quarter of the total, and at times a larger share than that, has been chalked up to other causes. This gap Wallace-Wells call the excess excess mortality or extra unexpected deaths. After explaining that although COVID-19 death tolls have declined due in part to immunity acquired from vaccination and even natural immunity from surviving COVID infections, he notes, But the gap between COVID-19 mortality and overall excess mortality has proved remarkable, and mystifyingly, persistent.

Although Wallace-Wells offers multiple hypotheses and favors undiagnosed COVID deaths as the most likely cause, the evidence cited by these ongoing studies suggest that the COVID pandemic as a mass-debilitating event destroyed even more lives than publicly acknowledged.

That is why the Biden administration is shutting down all metrics to track COVID infections and ending any mitigation measures against its spread. Having declared COVID a forever disease, they now proceed to pretend it no longer exists.
Do you work at Norfolk Southern or another Class I railway? Do you live in East Palestine or a neighboring community? Tell us what you know about the Norfolk Southern disaster by filling out the form at the bottom of this article. All submissions will be kept anonymous.

Last Thursday, environmental activist Erin Brockovich held her second town hall meeting in East Palestine, Ohio. The meeting was organized with several law firms involved in preparing a class-action lawsuit against Norfolk Southern (NS) over the catastrophic derailment and release of toxic chemicals into the atmosphere and water supply in the eastern Ohio town.

Brockovichs meeting was held the afternoon before a second meeting in town, where residents confronted officials from NS and the Environmental Protection Agency. Anger and frustration over the disaster and ongoing cover-up were evident at both meetings.

Stephanie Malik and Belinda Puchajda [Photo: WSWS]

Theres a lot of things that theyre not telling us, so thats concerning, Stephanie Malik and Belinda Puchadaja, from nearby Lisbon, told the WSWS. Theyre keeping a lot of other information that people need. Its all about the money. Theyre gonna try to get off as cheap as they can and theyre gonna hurt a lot of people.

As if to drive the point home, a second massive derailment of a NS train occurred in the state on Saturday, in Springfield. Residents were told to shelter in place while emergency crews assessed the situation. Springfield has a population of more than 58,000, roughly 10 times that of East Palestine, and is the center of a metropolitan area with more than 130,000.

About 20 cars in a 212-car train derailed, including four tanker cars. Officials claim there was no leakage from those cars, two of which contained diesel exhaust fluid and the other two residual amounts of polyacrylamide water solution.

The dangerous length of the train, at around two miles long and more than 50 cars longer than the train which derailed in East Palestine, underscores that nothing is being done to address any of the underlying safety issues which led to the disaster, and that Norfolk Southern and the other railroads are being allowed by the government to carry on as they had before.

Government counter-terror office brands opposition as special interest extremism

Brockovichs second town hall was addressed by numerous lawyers and experts who presented extensive information on the science of the chemicals released, the naked profiteering by the railroads and neglect of basic safety measures. The World Socialist Web Site will report on these details soon. The presentations included 150 slides from attorney Mikal Watts on the role of Norfolk Southern in the accident. He pointed to the railroads push for increased profits, which jumped 62 percent in just two years, from $2 billion in 2020 to $3.2 billion last year, based on forcing workers to work longer hours and cuts in maintenance and safety.

Watts revealed that Norfolk Southern alone had 3,397 train derailments in a 20-year period, approximately 170 derailments a year. This amounts to nearly one derailment every two days, at only one of the seven major Class I railroads.

Nearly a month following the February 3 derailment, the EPA finally announced Thursday that it would require NS to begin testing for dioxins, a class of highly toxic chemicals that were almost certainly released into the atmosphere by the controlled release and burn of a derailed tanker car following the accident.

Meanwhile, government counter-terrorism experts have been far more closely following the activities of Brockovich in the region. Late last month, before her first town hall in East Palestine, a joint federal and state counter-terror fusion center issued a bulletin warning that her placing blame solely on Norfolk Southern would lead to [increased] tensions within the community and a rise in special interest extremism. The potential activities branded by the report as extremist consisted entirely of legally-protected activities such as protests in/around East Palestine and/or at the Statehouse in Columbus which called for for changes in governmental policy.

Weve got no answers, no support

Residents from East Palestine and neighboring communities spoke with the World Socialist Web Site on their way into the Brockovich meeting.

Dean and Hannah Leisure live in East Liverpool, about 13 miles from East Palestine, where Beaver Creek flows into the Ohio River. They explained that their dogs and cats are losing their hair and their chickens have died.

Dean and Hannah Leisure [Photo: WSWS]

Both he and his wife have been to the hospital several times since the accident. Dean is wearing a patch behind his ear for vertigo and his wife has to walk with a cane. They could see the cloud of smoke from the burn which drifted over their home. They are most worried about their 5-year-old son who already suffers from a compromised immune system.

If you took a tongue depressor and look back in his throat, theres a little tiny hole that he breathes through, explained Dean. Everything else is all swollen up red and white. He is especially exposed to this.

Kirk Kennety came because he is worried about his brother and the future generation. Im worried about the future generation drinking this water, living here and eating the vegetables.

Kirk Kenney [Photo: WSWS]

Kirk didnt like the fact that the EPA allowed Norfolk Southern to do whatever they wanna do thats what they did and now you feel people are paying the price for that. What I saw going on down there at the scene, its like whatever the railroad decided, thats what were all just gonna fall in line and do.

Linda Crooks and her son Rhys [Photo: WSWS]

Linda Crooks said, Were concerned for the long-term well-being and also the local agriculture and of wildlife. She pointed out that the chemicals will be entering the water table and wants to know how they are going to move through the ground. I have no doubt that it had an impact. Im more concerned with long term effects on us.

She called the response of Norfolk Southern, willful negligence. I think they were not performing the necessary safety measures, preventative measures. My assumption is that it probably has been what they need to do to have the least financial impact on their stockholders, not the citizens of this little town.

Zsuzsa Gyenes and her nine-year-old son live about a mile from the derailment site. We have been in a hotel for going on a month now, Zsuzsa says. We left the night that it happened, Friday the 3rd, and we still cant go back.

I smelled our house yesterday, its horrible. Feels like a chemical bath. Theyve tested our air as being safe. But I get violently sick. Ive not brought my 9-year-old son back because he got sick the same night that we left. Weve got no answers, no support. The assistance center for Norfolk not reimbursing anything anymore since our air was tested OK.

Tested, Zsuzsa pointed out, by [Norfolk Southerns] contracted air quality team.

She says the assistance center is also not calling me back. Its very hard. Were kind of left in the dark right now trying to fight for answers. Screaming into the void. The air quality people who are going door to door testing homes, they are contracted by Norfolk. Once they test your air is OK you are cut off from support.

Brian Crossman and Zsuzsa Gyenes [Photo: WSWS]

Zsuzsa describes the testing process. They cover everything, Theyre not very sensitive devices. Theyre not giving even numerical values, its just kind of like yes or no. I dont think theyre sensitive enough. People are getting sick with the same CDC symptoms for chemical exposures and theyre telling everyone theyre safe based on these readings.

[Norfork Southern] have spent 20 years lobbying against safety features, cutting workers. They knew exactly what they were in for. The railroads workers when theyre talking about strike, this is exactly what they were warning about, something like this happening.

We see the campaign donations to people like DeWine, so why would we trust him? Why would we trust anybody from Norfolk? Why did they leave Norfolk in charge of this at all? Thats what I wanna know. I wanna know why theyre not being penalized for their violations and why wasnt the train marked hazardous?

Its gonna keep happening all over America and it has happened all over America.
On Friday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz flew to Washington for a secret, one-hour war summit at the White House. Scholz flew alone, without journalists, and met with US President Joe Biden in private, with no members of his staff present.

Neither the Biden administration nor the German government has explained the reason for this extraordinary trip. What agenda required the physical presence of the chancellor, in the most secure building in the world, and without any of his aides present? It is clear that the US government wanted to exclude the possibility of any information regarding the content of the meeting being leaked.

President Joe Biden listens as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Friday, March 3, 2023. [AP Photo/Susan Walsh]

No German chancellor has participated in a meeting of this character since Hitler traveled to meet his generals in East Prussia in 1944. Indeed, one might add that the secrecy of the meeting has more in common with wartime encounters between the fascist leaders Hitler and Mussolini than between leaders of supposedly democratic states.

There is no way to avoid the conclusion that the purpose of the summit was to review with and obtain from Scholz his explicit signed approval for a massive escalation of the US-NATO war against Russia.

Under conditions in which Ukrainian forces are confronting a major debacle in the strategic city of Bakhmut, Biden and Scholz met to discuss emergency military action by the NATO powers, up to and including the deployment of NATO troops.

The coverage of the war by the New York Times and other major media has consisted entirely of propaganda, centered on sustaining the narrative of great Ukrainian resistance. But the casualties have been horrific, and the Ukrainians are now facing a major defeat in Bakhmut, a key strategic city into which Ukraine has pumped reinforcements, only to be encircled and destroyed by advancing Russian forces.

It is a general rule that the more significant the development, the less is said of it in the US media. In the case of Scholzs visit with Biden, no serious questions are being asked, let alone answered.

Was this meeting held to coordinate joint military decision-making and action between the two countries in order to avoid the confusion and public divisions that emerged over the deployment of Abrams and Leopard tanks to Ukraine?

Did Scholz agree to the deployment of NATO troops to Ukraine or to Belarus? Did he provide Biden with a guarantee that German forces would be sent into battle? Nothing can be ruled out.

Did Scholz obtain from Biden an assurance that the United States would support a new demand that Russia evacuate Kaliningrad, which was the German city of Konigsberg until being ceded to the Soviet Union at the end of World War II?

Three things are clear. First, NATO as a whole, and American imperialism, have committed their entire credibility to the war in Ukraine. Hundreds of billions of dollars have been thrown into the conflict. Given this level of commitment, a defeat in Ukraine would be viewed as nothing less than a political and strategic catastrophe for the US and NATO.

In January, the US pledged to liberate all of Ukrainian territory, and last month, US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland pledged to demilitarize the Crimean peninsula.

The war has acquired an existential character for the US and NATO, which is driving the logic of escalation. Articles have begun to appear in the media floating the necessity of the deployment of ground troops in what is now clearly a NATO war with Russia.

Such an action would follow the long US tradition when faced with a military disaster to turn it into a catastrophe through reckless escalation.

Second, the decision to fly Scholz to Washington for the war summit was intended as a warning to Putin that NATO will not be held back in escalating the conflict. The Russian president will certainly interpret the meeting in this way. It also serves to send a message to Chinese President Xi Jinping and any other potential allies of Russia in the conflict.

Third, the American and European working class is being lied to and kept in the dark as to what is being planned, while it is left to the corrupt, state-controlled media to justify whatever action is decided. The widespread opposition to the war is being simply ignored by the US and European governments.

The meeting evokes disturbing and sinister historical recollections. At the end of World War II, there were elements in the US military who favored a last-minute US-German alliance against the Soviet Union. Churchill, we now know, wanted to arm 50,000 German soldiers alongside Allied forces to fight the Russians.

The war summit in Washington is also reminiscent of the secret diplomacy of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. At that time, the imperialist powers concluded numerous secret treaties that contributed significantly to the escalation of the First World War in 1914. The public learned of this only when Lenin and Trotsky published the secret treaties after the October Revolution in 1917.

The war summit of Biden and Scholz, and the secrecy in which it is shrouded, underline that the NATO war in Ukraine and the danger of a nuclear catastrophe cannot be stopped by pacifist appeals to the warring governments.

They are driven by the insoluble contradictions of capitalismthe intensification of class antagonisms and the struggle for raw materials, markets and world power. The imperialist powers stagger, as they did a century ago, towards world war and dictatorship.

The objective conditions for a movement in the international working class against war are developing rapidly all over the world with the intensification of the class struggle. But subjectively, the capitalists still hold the advantage: They are aware of their interests, have the levers of state power in their hands and have a large number of auxiliary forcesfrom the right-wing and supposedly left-wing parties to the trade unions and the war-mongering media.

The disruption of the plans for escalation can be achieved only through the building of a massive international antiwar movement of the working class and young people.
Former President Donald Trump speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC 2023, Saturday, March 4, 2023, at National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland. [AP Photo/Alex Brandon]

The Conservative Political Action Conference held over the weekend in Maryland was dominated by ex-president Donald Trump, who delivered a fascist rant on Saturday night and won the straw poll of delegates with 60 percent of the vote.

Trump was preceded by the former president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, who has taken up residence in Florida following the fascistic assault by his supporters on government buildings in the capital a week after his successor Lula took office two months ago.

There were also speeches by various Trump acolytes like Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz. Trump praised them in his own remarks, particularly for supporting those jailed for the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Trumps speech, nearly two hours long, was clearly the main event. It was devoted to a combination of obsessive self-praise and virulent and repeated attacks on socialism, Marxism and communism. He attributed these terms to the Biden administration and the Democratic Party, which are both thoroughly and unshakably committed to the defense of capitalism and American imperialism.

Behind the incessant denunciations of socialismboth capitalist parties passed a resolution through Congress repudiating socialism only a month agois the fear of the mounting radicalization of the working class. The growth of strikes and social anger among working people, displayed most recently in East Palestine, Ohio, where residents flocked to a town meeting to denounce Norfolk Southern Railroad for spilling huge quantities of toxic chemicals, terrifies the ruling elite.

Trump echoed the language of his fascist supporters who claim there is a deliberate plot to use a flood of immigrants to replace the (white) population of the United States. He did not attribute this plot, as they do, to Jewish billionaires, but he singled out one Jewish billionaire, George Soros, a frequent target of the neo-Nazis because of his financial support for the Democratic Party. The inference was certainly not lost on his audience, particularly given the violence of Trumps language.

Trump took his vituperation of immigrants to a new level, claiming that the United States was becoming a socialist dumping ground for criminals, junkies, Marxists, thugs, radicals, dangerous refugees that no other country wants, and that Bidens policies had created a lawless open borders crime-ridden filthy communist nightmare.

He thanked the leadership of the Border Patrol union, and promised to use all necessary state, federal and legal resources to carry out the largest domestic deportation operation in American history. Gang members would be deported summarily, without any judicial procedure.

In the style of fascist leaders of the 20th century, he combined this vilification of those he treated as subhuman with a pretense of concern for the living standards of working people. He claimed to defend Social Security and Medicare and to oppose major cuts in these programs, long a staple of Republican Party leaders.

He also pretended to oppose imperialist war, declaring he would expel the warmongers (without identifying any of them, since many of them are in the US military, which he praised to the skies). I am the only candidate who can make this promise: I will prevent, and very easilyWorld War III, he said. Very easily.

Trump did not actually condemn the US-NATO war against Russia in Ukraine, but he criticized the European countries for allegedly not paying their fair share of the cost. He claimed he could settle the war in one day, through his personal influence on Putin and the awe which both Putin and Xi would feel for a United States under his leadership.

The substance of this was an argument that he would build up the power of the armed forces to such an extent that no world leader, even in Russia and China, would dare to oppose the will of the American president. If Trump were to return to power, he seemed to say, he would effectively rule the world from his White House throne.

The real target of such a military buildup would be the working class at home. Trump made this clear when he called for the mobilization of the National Guard in every city in the United States which had a significant crime problem. Cities where theres been a complete breakdown of public safety, I will send in federal assets including the national guard until law and order is restored, he threatened.

Trump combined this visceral fear of a political struggle of the working class against capitalism, which is the substance of genuine socialism, with attempts to split the working class along the lines of race, gender and nationality. He made ferocious denunciations of immigrants, gays and lesbians, and particularly the transgendered. The latter make up a small proportion of the US population, but have become the preferred targets of Republican governors, state legislatures, and the leading candidate for the Republican presidential nomination.

He closed with a Nazi-style characterization of the cities as centers of filth and moral pollution, which he would cleanse, and a pledge to build new freedom cities along the frontier and support baby bonuses for a new baby boom.

There was more than a whiff of Nazi lebensraum in the last comment, and the speech as a whole suggested that Trump had consulted the book of Hitlers speeches which his first wife said was the only volume he had in his nightstand and which he regularly read.

The CPAC conference as a whole was an orgy of fascist reaction. It is notable that among the participants was former Democratic Party Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who only two weeks ago participated in the Rage Against the War Machine rally, which was characterized by an orientation of sections of the middle class to the extreme right.

Trump and the Republicans are seeking to capitalize politically on the war-mongering policy of the Democratic Party and the Biden administration, which is focused entirely on the escalation of the US-NATO war against Russia. At the same time, the Democrats have worked to politically rehabilitate their colleagues in the Republican Party in the aftermath of the January 6 coup, on the basis of waging war abroad and war on the working class at home.
As the vote count ended over the weekend in the illegitimate United Auto Workers runoff election between longtime bureaucrat Shawn Fain and incumbent UAW President Ray Curry, Fain clung to a narrow 645 vote advantage.

No winner has been announced pending the resolution of a dispute involving 1,608 challenged ballots. According to a statement from Fains campaign, The majority of the challenged ballots revolve around questions of membership eligibility, a time-consuming process to resolve. The vote count will resume this week in Dayton, Ohio with observers from Unite All Workers for Democracy (UAWD), a group which is backing Fain, and the Curry campaign.

The abysmal overall turnout of about 12 percent and the razor-close vote results reflect the hostility of UAW members to both candidates. Whatever the final outcome, the winner will have no mandate to lead, securing the backing of just 7 percent of eligible UAW voters.

Ray Curry (left) and Shawn Fain (right) [Photo by AP/Shawn Fain]

In the runoff election for Region 9 Director, Daniel Vicente, a supporter of UAWD, beat Lauren Farrell, the current Region 9 assistant director. In the runoff for international vice president, Chuck Browning, a member of the Curry slate, won by a wide margin. Browning is currently the head of the UAW Ford department as well as the Agricultural-Implement Department, where he oversaw the betrayal of CNH workers and is currently seeking to ram through a sellout contract at Caterpillar. Previously, Browning had served as executive administrative assistant to UAW President Dennis D. Williams, who was sentenced to prison for stealing members dues money.

The election campaign was not a contest for the hearts and minds of workers, but essentially a rigged ugly contest between various sections of the apparatus, with Fain and Curry seeking to mobilize their bureaucratic supporters in a fight over control of the UAWs massive $1 billion-plus in assets.

Curry won in Region 1A, which includes Fords Dearborn Truck, Michigan Assembly, Livonia transmission and smaller plants in southeast Michigan. Fain won in Region 2B covering Ohio and Indiana, including Stellantis Kokomo Transmission, Allison Transmission, GM Fort Wayne Assembly and the Stellantis Jeep complex in Toledo, Ohio.

Fain also held an edge in most Detroit-area Stellantis plants, including the massive Detroit Manufacturing Complex, Sterling Heights Assembly and Warren Truck.

Currys margin of victory in Local 600, which includes Dearborn Truck, was 4,134 to just 1,474 for Fain. This contrasts to the vote in other Detroit area auto plants where Fain won the majority or the vote was close. Browning on the Curry slate also won Local 600, winning by a margin of 4,358 to 1,098.

The nearly 50 percent jump in the ballots cast at Local 600 from the first to the second round of voting has raised suspicion among workers. In 2015, the vote at Local 600 was at the center of controversy, with many rank-and-file workers charging vote rigging by the UAW in connection with the sellout agreement with Ford. The contract had appeared to be heading for defeat until the tally at Local 600 provided a thin margin of victory for the contract.

The 2023 runoff vote took place amid a cloud of scandal. The UAW monitor decided to allow the runoff to go forward despite the fact that the first round vote has not yet been certified due to the protest by Mack Trucks worker Will Lehman, one of the candidates.

Lehman presented a mountain of evidence that the first round was illegitimate due to widespread and systematic voter suppression by the UAW apparatus. The apparatus did nothing to update voter lists and addresses in defiance of the UAW monitor nor did the International or locals make any real effort to inform members about the first-ever direct election. Irregularities documented by Will Lehman included UAW officials falsely telling temp workers they were not eligible to vote, despite the stipulation by the UAW monitor that temp workers as well as retirees were eligible.

Then, in February, reports surfaced that a UAW donor to Fains election campaign received an appointment to a $174,000-a-year position as an assistant regional director shortly after giving Fain $25,000. UAWD confirmed that the donor, UAW Local 2320 Vice President Vail Kohnert-Yount, received an appointment as Assistant Director of Region 9A. Curry had authorized the appointment, but claimed to have not known about the large donation.

Will Lehman (left) speaking to Ford Kentucky Truck workers in August 2022 [Photo: WSWS]

After doing nothing to publicize the first round of the elections, once the field was narrowed to just Fain and Curry, the candidates of the apparatus, the UAW leadership made more of an effort to promote the election by sending out emails and postering around the plants. Despite this, turnout only increased marginally. This reflected above all the alienation of masses of rank-and-file workers from the entire corrupt UAW apparatus that has overseen decades of concessions and daily colludes with management in the plant against the rights of workers.

Commenting on the UAW runoff, Will Lehman told the World Socialist Web Site, The outcome of the election doesnt change the basic issues, the need to abolish the whole corrupt apparatus and transfer power to the rank and file.

If he squeaks into office, workers should place no confidence in the hollow promises of reforms from yet another career bureaucrat Shawn Fain. Nothing will change until we, the rank and file, build a movement to take power from them and return decision-making power and control of union resources to the workers on the shop floor.

This vote takes place under conditions in which the UAW is trying to force through a sellout contract at Caterpillar and the mass firings at Dana Driveline in Toledo. The UAW is not only refusing to defend workers, they are telling Dana management who to fire.

In just a few months contract negotiations will begin for 150,000 autoworkers.

In all these struggles rank and file workers must take the initiative by linking up across plants and across industries in a network of democratically controlled committees through which we can leverage our strength and overcome the domination of the union bureaucracies.
Posing as champions of democratic and social rights, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National Peoples Power (NPP) in Sri Lanka is intensifying its campaign for an immediate general election.

JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake addressing meeting of retired military personnel called by the JVP-NPP on 11 February 2023. Retired military hierarchy and technocrats are seated behind the JVP leader. [Photo: WSWS]

The NPP and the main opposition party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), are both attempting to exploit the rising mass opposition to the Wickremesinghe governments austerity measures and associated attacks on democratic rights. Two weeks ago, the government blocked local government elections, violating the Sri Lankan constitution and the peoples elementary right to vote.

The NPP and SJB are both calling for a general election, not because of their love for democratic rights, but because they fear the Wickremesinghe regime will not be able to prevent a resumption of the mass working-class struggles that eight months ago brought down the former President Gotabhaya Rajapakse and his government. Both parties want to divert the rising popular anger into parliamentary electoral politics and a new bourgeois government to implement the same IMF-dictated measures.

The NPP is a parliamentary front launched by the JVP in 2015, bringing together sections of the upper-middle class, including academics, professionals and a layer of small businessmen. The organisation is being used to hide the JVPs discredited pastits support for the 26-year anti-Tamil communal war since 1983 and its support for, and participation in, various bourgeois coalition governments. Anura Kumara Dissanayake is the leader of both the JVP and NPP.

In January, the NPP met with business representatives to explain how its policies will boost profits. Last month, it held a conference of retired military officers and soldiers. Both events reveal the sort of ruthless pro-capitalist regime the NPP will impose on workers and the poor if it comes to power.

Pledges for big business

The business event, entitled National Economic Forum, was held on January 24 at the four-star Galadhari Hotel in Colombo. Around 500 people attended, ranging from big business representatives to small and medium entrepreneurs.

Dissanayake told participants that the main purpose of the meeting was to dispel any doubts that the business community has about his party and its economic policies. He clearly had in mind the JVPs false claims, long in the past, to be fighting for socialism.

The concept of equal distribution of economic benefits among the masses, he declared, was a utopia, adding: Some say we will confiscate the major corporations if we come to power. These [claims] are utter lies.

The production economy concentrated in Colombo will be expanded to remote areas, he said, assuring participants that proper infrastructure facilities would be provided to investors in these areas.

The state, he continued, will only engage in the energy and financial sectors, with private investors given full opportunities to invest in all the other fields, including the health and education sectors. In other words, what remains of free public education and health will be placed on the chopping block.

We have to change our lifestyle for a brief period, he said, insisting, If we want to come out from this crisis, we must do it. We will be forced to take painful actions.

Dissanayake did not spell out these painful actions but they are the very same IMF measures now being imposed by the Wickremesinghe government. Dissanayake used the same phrases as Wickremesinghepeople must endure painful measures and change their lifestylebecause capitalism has only one solution to the economic crisis: impose the burden on working people.

Appearing on the Swarnavahini television talk show on October 17, Dissanayake said Sri Lanka had no other alternative to going to the IMF because the country had defaulted on foreign loans. He also told another talk show that the economic crisis that hit Greece in 2008 indicated the sort of painful measures required, including limiting daily food consumption to two buns a day.

Dissanayake assured National Economic Forum participants that if the people bring a new government to power telling it to please save us from this crisis, the people will give time to such a government. We can implement our program in such a situation!

However, workers and the poor will inevitably come into struggle against the unbearable IMF-dictated policies. Like any capitalist government, an NPP regime will attempt to suppress these struggles through the trade union apparatuses and by unleashing the police and the military.

Dissanayake told the meeting that the root cause of Sri Lankas economic crisis was the countrys political culture, which, under successive governments, was mired in corruption, fraud, cronyism and wastage. The NPP, he argued, consists of clean people, free of corruption, who will eliminate this.

In reality, the economic and social crisis in Sri Lanka is a product of the profound historic crisis of global capitalism that has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the US-NATO war against Russia.

JVP calls for the militarys support

On February 11, the NPP held a 1,000-strong conference of retired senior military officers and the lower ranks at the National Youth Council Auditorium located in Maharagama, Colombo. A retired female brigadier told the event that the NPP had begun work among these layers to form a Collective of Tri-Forces.

A section of the meeting of retired security forces personnel called by JVP-NPP on 11 February 2023. [Photo: WSWS]

Dissanayake, the main speaker, declared that the party had entered a new mode of freedom struggle in which we will accelerate economic development under law and order, and sovereignty.

Many soldiers in the audience were participants in the bloody communal war against the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Some were disabled.

At the same time, Dissanayake feigned concern about the plight of Tamils in the north and the families of dead soldiers in the south, declaring that the Tamil and Sinhala people in the countrys north and south have their own stories.

In reality, the JVP, which has always been mired in Sinhala populism and chauvinism, was the most strident backer of the war throughout its nearly three decades. It repeatedly demanded the military be boosted and defended its crimes and atrocities.

Dissanayake directly appealed to the military participants at the conference, saying they would be a mainspring of the partys work. It is you who can accomplish the main task of the change we are expecting. You are an organised force... [ and] such a force is needed to make this change, he said. The military is a trained human resource... an organisation spread in every sphere.

Dissanayake also announced that Aruna Jayasekera, a retired major general and former commander of the Eastern Province, would be the defence minister in a future NPP government. Jayasekera was on the conference stage.

Retired Major General Aruna Jayasekara outlining the NPP's security plan at meeting of retired security forces personnel on 11 February 2023. [Photo: WSWS]

Jayasekera made clear that an NPP government would lean heavily on the military to ensure there was no political interference in the implementation of its program. We consider the law and order as a main factor for the existence of a society, he said.

While Jayasekera did not elaborate on what he meant by political interference, it is clear that there will be no room for working-class opposition under an NPP government.

This unprecedented turn to ex-soldiers and Dissanayakes emphasis on the role of the military under an NPP government is a warning to the working class. It is another sign that the ruling class is readying the military to suppress any working-class upsurge.

SJB leader Sajith Premadasa denounced the NPP on February 17, declaring that it had a revolutionary program and would abolish all private property. It was a desperate attempt to block support for the NPP from big business and sections of the middle class.

Furious at Premadasas accusation, Dissanayake dismissed the allegations as outdated slanders taken from a 1980 JVP document. Vast changes have taken place in the world including collapse of the socialist camp. Communication and technology have changed by leaps. Today is a different world from 1980, he said.

We are a flexible political movement that understands the changes happening in the world, society and economy very well, assimilates them, and can make changes accordingly, he said.

Dissanayake, however, could not explain the real history of the JVP. Since its inception as a petty-bourgeois radical group in 1966, the JVP was based on a toxic ideological mixture of Maoism, Castroism and Sinhala populism. It had nothing to do with Marxism or socialism but used socialistic phrases to hoodwink the masses.

There have indeed been vast changes to the world since the 1980s. The globalisation of production undermined the basis for national economic regulation which led to the collapse of Stalinist regimes in Eastern Europe, the liquidation of the Soviet Union, and a sharp turn to the right by bourgeois nationalist organisations around the world.

Like many other petty-bourgeois radical outfits, the JVP responded by exchanging its guerilla combat fatigues and socialist phraseology for comfortable parliamentary seats and integrating itself into the capitalist political establishment.

Last year it played a major role in politically derailing the mass anti-government uprising, proposing an interim bourgeois regime and a general election. Similar proposals were made by the SJB. This agenda was embraced by the trade unions and various pseudo-left groups, and the mass movement betrayed with Wickremesinghe elevated into the presidency.

The workers and youth should reject the JVP-NPPs reactionary campaign for a new capitalist government to implement the IMF dictates. The only way forward for Sri Lankan workers and youth is by fighting for the independent mobilisation of the working class on the revolutionary socialist program advanced by the Socialist Equality Party.

The SEP calls on workers to form of their own action committees, independent of all capitalist parties and trade unions, in every workplace, factory and plantation and the building of a Democratic and Socialist Congress of Workers and Rural Masses. Such a congress will create the basis for a mass revolutionary movement of the working class, rally the rural poor, to establish a government of workers and peasants committed to a socialist program, as a part of broader struggle for socialism in South Asia and internationally.
A recent publication on the Institute for New Economic Thinking web site has provided some important information on how financial parasitism in the high-tech sector of the US economy is a key driving force for the developing war of US imperialism against China.

A worker assembles electronic devices at an Alco Electronics factory in Houjie Town, Dongguan City, in the Guangdong province of China. [AP Photo/Ng Han Guan]

The political establishment, both the Democrat and Republican parties, as well as state intelligence agencies and numerous imperialist think tanks have made it clear that high-tech development in China is an existential threat to the position of the US and must be countered by all means necessary, including war.

The question which immediately arises is why the US is in danger of falling behind?

The article by Marie Carpenter and William Lazonik on the history of the major US corporation, Cisco Systems, described by the authors as once the global leader in telecommunications systems and the Internet, provides some answers to this question.

They note that the US has fallen behind global competitors in mobile communication infrastructure and what they call this national failure has created socio-economic and geopolitical tensions.

Lazonick has long carried out research into the way in which giant US corporations have engaged in financial operations to boost the profits of shareholders and investors, starving their industries of the necessary funds for research and development.

His basic perspective is that if this process can be slowed or even reversed, then US industry can resume the dominant economic position it held in the past. However, notwithstanding this outlook, based on the conception that the wheel of capitalism development can be turned back so that the US recovers its glory days, the article provides significant information.

The authors maintain the key reason the US has fallen behind is the dereliction of key US-based corporations to take the lead in making the investments in organizational learning required to generate cutting edge communication-infrastructure products.

No company in the US exemplifies this deficiency more than Cisco Systems, founded in 1984 and which had explosive growth in the 1990s to become the foremost global enterprise networking vendor in the Internet revolution.

In the last 20 years, however, the modus operandi of the company has changed significantly.

Since 2001, Ciscos top management has chosen to allocate corporate cash to open-market share repurchasesaka stock buybacksfor the purpose of giving manipulative boosts to the companys stock price rather than make the investments in organizational learning required to become a world leader in communication equipment for the era of 5G and IoT (Internet of Things).

From October 2001 to October 2022, Cisco spent $152 billion, some 95 percent of its net income over the period, on stock buybacks to prop up its share price.

In addition to the funds spent on maximizing shareholder value, Cisco paid out $55.5 billion in dividends to shareholders, representing another 35 percent of net income. Such were the extent of these operations that the company had to sometimes go into debt to finance them.

The boosting of the companys stock price after 2001 became an important means through which it could take over other companies and pay its top employees and executives.

The article noted that Cisco has not been the only communication-based technology company to go down the road of financialization. Lucent Technologies, at one time an industry leader, went in that direction but failed and was acquired by the French-based firm Alcatel in 2006.

There was a significant incident in the development of high-tech financial parasitism in March 2018 when president Trump issued an executive order on the grounds of national security that banned the takeover of the tech giant Qualcomm by Broadcom.

The objection to Broadcom was not that it was a foreign companyit had started operations in Singapore but then relocated to the USbut its record showed that it would further financialise Qualcomm operations and drastically reduce spending on research and development.

The authors conclude that the impact of financialization in the sector has left the United States without the capacity to innovate in the development of a communication infrastructure network. US policymakers have chosen to respond to the US loss of competitiveness with aggressive protectionist measures against Chinese competitors.

These measures started under Trump but have been considerably accelerated under the Biden administration The strategy centres on the banning of vital chip technologies aimed at crippling companies such as Huawei as well as seeking to impose global industry standards favouring US, Japanese and Korean companies.

The authors maintain, however, that this mounting confrontation could have been avoided, saying: Given its trajectory at the turn of the century, Cisco could have played a central role in an industry policy aimed at maintaining and enhancing US global strength in this critical sector.

US policymakers could have recognised the need to develop these innovative capabilities in an era that one might now call Americas lost decades. A company such as Huawei did not impose this loss of global leadership on the United States. Hundreds of billions of dollars wasted on stock buybacks did.

The basic flaw in this analysis, which presents the issue of share buybacks as the result of bad choices made by top company officials, is that it ignores the dynamic forces operating in the US economy and its financial system as a whole.

As Lazonick in particular knows well, because he has documented it, the type of parasitic operations carried by Cisco go across broad sections of the US corporate world. This cannot be put down to choices, just as a cancer cluster in any area cannot be ascribed to the health problems of individuals.

Parasitism is the outcome of the domination of finance capital over all sections of the US economy. Corporations are faced with the choice that unless they meet its demands for increased shareholder value, they will be the subject of hostile takeovers or restructuring operations.

These parasitic activities express at the highest level the essential logic of the capitalist system which, as Marx drew out, is the transformation of money into still greater quantities of money, not the development of the productive forces or new technologies per se.

This predatory activity, lodged within the very DNA of the capitalist system and the drive for private profit, has consequences as can be seen in the further erosion of the economic position of the USa decline which it seeks to overcome through military means against what it sees as potentially its greatest rival, China.

It underscores the fact that world war, the essential logic of this process, can only be prevented through the fight for an anti-war program grounded on a socialist program aimed at the overthrow of the capitalist profit system which now threatens the very destruction of civilisation.
Apparently false fears of a shooting at a rap concert in Rochester, New York, sent a crowd surging toward the exits, killing one person and injuring nine others, police said.

The injuries at Sunday nights concert featuring rappers GloRilla and Finesse2tymes were caused by people being trampled, Police Chief David M. Smith said at a news briefing Monday. We do not have any evidence of gunshots being fired or of anyone being shot or stabbed at the scene, Smith said.

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As the concert at Rochesters Main Street Armory ended just after 11 p.m., people exiting the venue began to surge dangerously, Smith said. Police made their way inside and found three women with critical injuries, he said.

A 33-year-old woman died at a hospital, and the other women two were in critical condition Monday, police said said. Seven additional people were taken to hospitals and treated for injuries that were not life-threatening, Smith said.

What began last night as a night of live music and fun for the performer GloRilla ended in tragedy with one person dead and two more fighting for their lives, the chief said.

While there is no evidence of shots being fired, Smith said, police are investigating several possible causes of the fatal surge, including possibly crowd size, shots fired, pepper spray and other contributing factors.

Mayor Malik Evans called the fatal stampede a tragedy of epic proportions and promised a through investigation. We are going to hold people accountable for what happened last night, period, Evans said.

GloRilla reacted to the news of the tragedy in an early morning Monday tweet. Praying everybody is ok, she wrote in part.

Im just now hearing about what happened wtf praying everybody is ok   GloRilla  (@GloTheofficial) March 6, 2023

GloRilla, a Memphis native whose 2022 song F.N.F. (Lets Go) with Hitkidd was nominated for a Grammy for best rap performance, tweeted that she was praying everybody is ok.

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Fatal crowd surges have been a recurring disaster at concerts and other large events in the U.S. and around the world, including a 2021 concert by rapper Travis Scott in which 10 people died.

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One seafarers loss could be your gain.

The government of Antigua and Barbuda is looking to auction off one of the most recognized superyachts of the early 2000s after it was abandoned in the Caribbean country at the beginning of the Russo-Ukrainian War.

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The 267-footer in question, which goes by the name of Alfa Nero, was moored at Antigua Yacht Club Marina back in February 2022. Following Russias invasion of Ukraine, the vessel was barred from leaving Falmouth Harbour until authorities confirmed whether the owner had been named on international sanction lists. The government said the search proved unsuccessful and has deemed the unmaintained vessel a hazard to shipping and the harbor. As a result, the yacht will be auctioned off to the highest bidder unless the owner comes forward within a 10-day timeframe.

The stern of Oceancos Alfa Nero.

A notice to the newspapers and other media will be published for a period of 10 days, notifying the sale of the Alfa Nero vessel in order to satisfy the requirements under the law for a forced sale, a statement from the Office of the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda read. If the owner fails to claim the vessel within that time period, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda will sell it to the highest bidder.

Delivered in 2007 by Oceanco, Alfa Nero features a striking exterior by Nuvolari Lenard and interior styling by Alberto Pinto that together have landed the yacht a number of awards. The beautiful behemoth notably features six staterooms, accommodation for 28 crew, a hydraulically operated pool and a large helipad aft. Alfa Nero was sold in 2011 to its current owner with an asking price of $115 million, according to Marine Industry News. The Guardian has previously reported that the yacht is linked to the Russian oligarch (and Putin ally) Andrey Guryev.

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The Antigua and Barbuda government reportedly consulted with the US authorities prior to taking the action. During a media briefing, Information Minister Melford Nicholas told reporters that any proceeds from the sale of Alfa Nero would remain in the Antiguan governments hands, but the US could request access to the funds in the future.

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DEBBIE (GEORGIA) & OUSSAMA (MOROCCO) 90 Day fiance

TLC

On Sunday's, 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way's Debbie was ready to make a big leap for love  no matter how intensely her children objected.

This week's episode gave fans their first glimpse of Debbie's boyfriend Oussama and his life in Khemisset, Morocco. He enjoys skateboarding, even showing off his skills at the start of his introduction segment. He is a lover of art and poetry. He is also very passionate about his hometown.

"When someone I meet ask me about Khemisset, I told them, 'If you want to die, go to die there,'" said the 24-year-old.

Oussama feels very "comfortable" around cats, admitting he "sometimes" prefers felines to humans while describing himself as "a loner." And though he helps out around his family's small farm, he doesn't have an actual job.

RELATED: 90 Day: Crystal-Loving 67-Year-Old Debbie Defends Love for 24-Year-Old Oussama as Son Says It 'Makes Me Sick'

Oussama had not been looking for love prior to connecting with Debbie, 67  in fact, he "wanted to be alone." But he still prayed for "someone who can understand me or who can love me truly as I am," he explained.

"I know that Debbie is very older than me. But I believe age is a number, and the soul never grow. And if there is a feeling or something between two persons, it's between the souls, it's not the bodies," he continued. "Debbie has that young spirit, and we understand each other. I think that she's my woman I want to stay with."

But Oussama admitted that not everything was perfect between the two. "In the past, in the social media, we would have fights. She gets emotional, block me in Facebook, we broke up," he revealed. "We take, like, one week, five days, and after we talk and we fix. It's happened to us always before."

Oussama was "excited" for Debbie to visit him in Morocco, but he wanted to get to know her more and admitted to not being "ready to marry her"  a hesitation he hadn't yet told Debbie.

DEBBIE (GEORGIA) & OUSSAMA (MOROCCO) 90 Day fiance

TLC

RELATED: 90 Day: Debbie's Son Mocks 'Manipulating' Oussama, Calls Age-Gap Love 'Stupidest Thing I've Heard in My Life'

Meanwhile, as Debbie prepared to travel to Morocco, her son Julian remained unsupportive of her decision, saying in a confessional that he believed his mother was making a "horrible decision."

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"She's not thinking like a normal person," he said. "She's so infatuated with this fairy tale and someone loving her and someone showing her attention that she's willing to go around the world to get it."

On their way to the airport, Debbie expressed how "excited" she was to begin her next chapter abroad with Oussama. But Julian was quick to voice his disapproval.

Debbie's daughter Sandy, who called during the ride to the airport, also made it clear she didn't think her mother was "making a good decision."

"You're very strong-willed, so you're just gonna do what you wanna do," Sandy said. "Even though we don't want you to. Even though we're advising otherwise."

While Debbie appreciated her children's concerns, she said she wished they "had more faith" in her choices.

"Leaving the United States, it's a mixture of emotions," she explained in a confessional. "When Sandy and Julian express their doubts and concerns, naturally, some of that seeps into the crack of my soul. Those scary parts. We're afraid of rejection, but I'm flying to Morocco and I'm getting married. I want that happily ever after. This is what it takes and I've got to be courageous."

RELATED VIDEO: 90 Day's Sumit and Jenny Appear to Spend Christmas with Family Members After Being Disowned

RELATED: 90 Day: The Other Way Season 4 Features Coming Out Story, 43-Year Age Gap and 'Surreal' Life Changes

Upon escorting his mother into the airport, Julian said what she was doing was "not cool" and that he was "scared" of what could potentially happen. "I'm scared you're going to get hurt, I'm scared something bad might happen," he said, later telling cameras that Oussama "stole our mom from us."

And while Debbie assured her son "nothing bad's gonna happen," she still expressed her dissatisfaction with Julian not being "happy" for her. Julian countered, "In a different situation, I'd be super ecstatic for you. But it just to me doesn't add up right. He's young, mom."

Before hugging goodbye, Debbie assured her son that she would be "safe" and reiterated that her mind was "made up."

"I know my family doesn't support my move to Morocco or my relationship with Oussama or my plans to marry him. And I admit, it's extremely risky," she later told the cameras. "But I am motivated by love and determination that this is going to be a good thing for the rest of my life."

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90 Day Fiance: The Other Way airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on TLC.
Daniel Rossi-Keen

As you have undoubtedly heard by now, a significant environmental disaster recently took place in East Palestine, Ohio, mere feet from the Pennsylvania state line.

A scan of national and international media coverage about this story rightly directs ones attention to the city of East Palestine. However, often lost in the coverage of this tragedy is the fact that the derailment in East Palestine occurred less than 600 feet from the Beaver County line, implicating residents of our county in substantial and profound ways.

The immediate and long-term consequences of this environmental tragedy are unfolding in real-time, and not only on the Ohio side of the border. Children and families have been displaced, possibly forever. Illness is being reported each day. Dead fish, pets, livestock and other wildlife have been documented. Residents far and wide are worried about contamination in their air, soil and water. And, fueled by a culture that increasingly distrusts institutions, misinformation is being weaponized at the hyperlocal and national levels.

Over the last few weeks, RiverWise, which is the nonprofit organization I lead, has been working to understand how best to respond to needs unfolding on the ground in northwest Beaver County. These efforts are modest at best, and I do not want to suggest that what is described below can begin to address the mountain of need facing some of our neighbors.

Instead, I am sharing what follows to demonstrate the value of nimble community-based organizations that focus on generating community resilience in times of community crisis. Though the work of RiverWise is a wholly inadequate addendum to a much larger story, for those who care about community movement there are nevertheless some modest lessons to learn from reflecting on how RiverWise  and a growing team of partner organizations  has quickly mobilized to do what we can with what we have.

Since Feb. 6, RiverWise staff have been on the ground both in East Palestine and in northern Beaver County on a number of occasions. We have also been in ongoing communication and planning with a growing number of organizations committed to helping as they are able. A quick scan of our social media accounts illustrates the list of organizations that have been central to these efforts.

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To date, our modest coalition has scheduled residents to testify before the Senate Emergency Preparedness Committee, set up a fundraiser to secure items needed by the community, arranged a community supply drive, aggregated supplies and set up a drop point for community donations, created a simple website that includes an online form to collect unmet needs, produced a flier that we handed out to over 200 residents at a PA Senate hearing, arranged and funded a free food truck for 250 residents and volunteers, interviewed numerous residents about their experience and needs, and begun organizing a community storytelling forum where residents can share their experiences and ongoing needs.

In addition to the activities listed above, RiverWise has committed itself publicly to producing long-form storytelling about the experiences of Beaver County residents as they move through the various stages of recovery. We have already begun capturing and publishing stories of this sort.

And we are actively planning and building the kinds of relationships required to demonstrate the ongoing personal and community impact of this disaster, so that we can show what happens in the life of an affected community after the national media presence goes away and catalog the process of recovering from such a tragedy over the long haul.

The goal of such ongoing storytelling work will be to continue to surface community needs, to identify gaps in services, to communicate resources to those affected by this tragedy, and to share with the broader public how residents have been impacted by this environmental disaster and are finding solutions through advocacy to protect their communities. To accomplish this, we will follow families as they undergo ongoing water, air, and soil testing, bringing their stories to light and highlighting learnings for the broader community and public. We will capture and show their efforts at navigating systems, agencies, and processes set in place to meet their needs. And we will document their experiences, challenges, and insights learned while undergoing such extraordinary circumstances.

We anticipate that such efforts will generate numerous shorter community stories as well as a longer-form documentary video. At each stage of the project, we will utilize local stories to highlight insights of value to other communities, policymakers, environmental advocates and other stakeholders.

While focused on capturing the experiences of Beaver County residents, we anticipate that at least some of what we assemble will be stories for all of America and beyond. More than a mere catalog of unfortunate events, the stories will represent a cautionary tale about the dangers of industry, deregulation, unchecked corporate power, environmental catastrophe, and so much more.

If you have read this far and are wondering how or whether you might step into this unfolding story, let me conclude with four tangible ways that various readers of this column can get more involved.

First, if you are a resident of northwest Beaver County and you are in need of help or are experiencing gaps in services, please go to getriverwise.com/derailment and complete the online form you will find there. RiverWise is committed to elevating gaps in services and doing what we can to help.

Second, if you are a resident of northwest Beaver County and you would like to share your story with our team of storytellers, please send an email to info@getriverwise.com so we can reach out to learn more.

Third, if you are an individual or business who wants to help support ongoing storytelling efforts related to recovery from the derailment, please reach out to info@getriverwise.com and we will get back to you shortly.

Finally, if you would like to contribute to an online fundraiser focused on meeting needs identified by residents of northwest Beaver County, please go to gofundme.com and search for Beaver County to find the Train Derailment Response Fund. Note that all funds will be used exclusively to meet needs identified by residents of northwest Beaver County.

Never is the value of a community felt more than during a time of crisis. And never is its absence experienced so profoundly as it is during a time of need.

Together, lets do all we can to assist our neighbors in northwest Beaver County.

Daniel Rossi-Keen, Ph.D., is the co-owner of eQuip Books, a community bookstore in Aliquippa and the executive director of RiverWise, a nonprofit employing sustainable development practices to create a regional identity around the rivers of Beaver County. You can reach Daniel at daniel@getriverwise.com.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Community Matters: Beyond East Palestine
A group of friends was deep-sea fishing when they suddenly found themselves in a scary situation: A massive school of sharks not only appeared in the water beneath them but also quickly swam toward their boat, surrounding it on all sides.

The TikTok was shared by Kaitlyn Dix (@kaitlyndix), a Jacksonville, Florida, woman who frequently shares videos of her fishing trips and even runs an Etsy shop selling handmade shark-tooth jewelry. That may be why Dix was more stunned than terrified, writing in her post caption that shed never seen anything like it.

But according to CBS News, the video was actually filmed by her boyfriend, Dillon May, who was equally amazed by what he saw.

The couple was reportedly fishing about 15 miles off the coast of Venice, Louisiana, in search of yellowfin tuna. But when the water around them started moving rapidly, they realized they might be in the presence of more than just a school of tuna.

Apparently, it was a group of hungry sharks in a feeding frenzy. And though they didnt pose a threat to the fishermen, all the water they were splashing around seemed to have made its way on board. At one point during the video, you can hear a voice say, Its soaking wet!

As the video continues to go viral, its received a wide range of responses in the comments section.

Some people couldnt help but make jokes about the wild scene.

When you change your status to single,' one person wrote.

when just 1 girl shows up at the party, another person joked.

Dam. Can yall take my ex wife fishing, asked someone else.

But most commenters simply couldnt hide their shock over the video, with many saying they would be absolutely terrified if they had been in that boat themselves.

This would give me so much anxiety that I wouldnt trust myself not to fall over so Id have to lay down unfortunately, one person wrote.

Im scared just watching this, admitted someone else.

In The Know is now available on Apple News  follow us here!

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The post Couple records wild moment school of sharks surrounds their boat: So much anxiety appeared first on In The Know.

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For a good while now, Creed III director and star Michael B. Jordan has been quite open about his love for anime. The star has discussed how he infused that love for anime into the Creed sequels style, and now that its playing in theaters, fans have been able to see just how much anime influence made it into the film.

To start, designer and concept artist Raphael Phillips took to Twitter to reveal that Adonis Creeds shorts in the sequel took inspiration from Akira protagonist Shotaro Kanedas iconic red jacket.

So, @thebigbadwolf44 hits me one Sunday afternoon in 2021 and was like: Raph! Michael loves anime so much, what if we pitch him some Akira inspired shorts? We took inspo from the design lines of Kanedas classic fit, and he loved it ? #CreedIII pic.twitter.com/Hl7HlBHxsT  Its Still Raph ? (@Jehutysan) March 3, 2023

The huge gut-punch that Creed takes from Dame in the final battle brings to mind similar strikes from many anime that leave the recipient winded  especially given the specific camera angle  but a particularly famous use of this attack comes in the form of Gokus Meteor Smash against Frieza.

One of the most memorable moments from that last fight was the symmetrical punch that Dame and Creed exchanged  a moment that can be seen in quite a few anime, but was specifically confirmed by Jordan to be in reference to Naruto and Sasukes own exchange of punches. That said, it also appears in Dragon Ball Super and in series like Fairy Tail and Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds.

The star and director also mentioned that the void, the scene in the final fight where Creed and Dame are suddenly in an empty stadium of sorts, was the biggest anime swing he took. Jordan specifically compared the moment to the scene in Naruto: Shippuden where Narutos rival, Sasuke Uchiha, first meets the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon Kurama inside Naruto. Jordan said that scene in particular made him think, Oh man, that would be dope, if I could figure out a way to get these two guys into a void, and thats where they were really having their final battle at.

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Even outside of these bigger thematic references, Adonis childhood room at the start of the film is filled with anime merchandise. From Lupin the Third, Naruto, and Robotech posters to Gundam models, its clear that Jordan is fond of all sorts of different anime of different eras and genres.

Taking anime themes and visuals and adapting them into a major movie in a way that is accessible to non-anime fans is no easy task, but Michael B. Jordan has gone the distance and crafted a film that uses the best and most recognizable anime tropes to great effect. Now we just need to wait and see if Adonis will get a JoJo Stand in Creed IV.

The post Creed III Anime References to Dragon Ball, Akira, Naruto, & More Explained appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
Two women are dead and eight others are injured, with one suffering life-threatening injuries, from a crowd-related incident following a rap concert in Rochester, New York.

The Memphis rap stars GloRilla and Finesse2tymes had finished performing Sunday night at Rochester's Main Street Armory when people exiting the venue just after 11 p.m. began to surge dangerously, Police Chief David M. Smith said at a news briefing Monday.

We do not have any evidence of gunshots being fired or of anyone being shot or stabbed at the scene, Smith said.

Police have identified one of the deceased women as Rhondesia Belton of Buffalo. Police did not share the identity of the second victim. Another woman remains hospitalized in critical condition, police said in a press release Monday afternoon.

The other two victims were listed in critical condition with life-threatening injuries as of Monday morning, said Lt. Nicholas Adams of the Rochester Police Department. Seven additional people were treated at area hospitals for injuries that were not life-threatening.

A GloRilla concert in upstate New York had a deadly stampede amid false claims of gunshots.

Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses will stop throwing mic into crowd after fan was allegedly injured

Just after 11 p.m. after GloRilla and Finesse2Tymes' concert ended, concert-goers were leaving the venue, and the crowd started to surge and rush toward the exit, said Rochester Police Chief David Smith. There were reports that shots were fired inside the Main Street Armory, a venue at 900 Main St., "causing the crowd to panic," he said.

"What began last night as a night of live music and fun for the performer GloRilla ended in tragedy with one person dead and two more fighting for their lives," the chief said.

However, upon arriving on the scene, police said it was determined that none of the injuries sustained by the victims were consistent with a person being shot.

The injuries, according to police, appear to be the result of a large crowd pushing towards the building's exits following accounts of individuals hearing what they believed to be gunshots.

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The incident is currently under investigation.

Memphis rapper GloRilla shared after the incident on Twitter early Monday that she was just learning what happened at the venue after the show and said she is "praying everybody is ok."

Built from 1905 to 1907 and initially used by the U.S. Army, Rochester's armory hosted sporting events throughout the 20th century before being shut down for several years starting in the late 1990s, partly because it lacked a fire suppression system at the time.

It reopened after extensive renovations and began hosting concerts and other events in 2005. Its main arena is meant to have a capacity of around 5,000 people, Smith said. The city's fire marshal will work with police to determine whether that capacity was exceeded Sunday, he said.

Mayor Evans said it was too early to say whether the venue's next scheduled show, a Saturday performance by the rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, would be allowed to take place.

If you go to a concert you do not expect to be trampled," Evans said. Your loved ones expect you to be able to come home and talk about the experience that you had at that great concert.

Fatal crowd surges have been a recurring disaster at concerts and other large events in the U.S. and around the world, including a 2021 concert by rapper Travis Scott in which 10 people died.

Related: A year after Travis Scott's Astroworld disaster left 10 dead, are crowded concerts any safer?

Contributing: Karen Matthews, Associated Press

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: GloRilla concert in Rochester: 2 dead, 8 injured after crowd surge
Image Credit: NJPW

A new chapter in the illustrious history of Bullet Club has begun, as David Finlay has joined the group.

Previously, former Bullet Club leader Jay White was forced to leave NJPW. Hikuleo beat him in a Loser Leaves Japan match at NJPW The New Beginning in Osaka, and Eddie Kingston defeated him to exile the former champion at NJPW Battle in the Valley. This outcome left the groups future up in the air, though the next step was tesed when David Finlay attacked White at NJPW Battle in the Valley.

At NJPWs 51st Anniversary show on March 6, Finlay confirmed his allegiance to Bullet Club, as he officially joined the group and Gedo accompanied him to the ring.

https://twitter.com/njpwworld/status/1632719224593612800?s=20

Whites eventful night continued as he defeated Tomohiro Ishii to advance in the New Japan Cup . He will face Great-O-Khan in a second-round matchup on March 15.

Elsewhere at NJPW 51st Anniversary, Shota Umino punched his ticket to the next round by defeating Yujiro Takahashi; on March 15, he will take on Zack Sabre Jr. in the second round.

RELATED: NJPW 51st Anniversary Results (3/6): Okada And Tanahashi Team Up

The post David Finlay Joins Bullet Club At NJPW 51st Anniversary appeared first on Wrestlezone.
EXCLUSIVE: Gersh has signed Kelley Kali, the filmmaker best known for co-writing, co-directing, producing and starring in the 2021 dramedy Im Fine (Thanks for Asking), which garnered her SXSWs inaugural Special Jury Recognition for Multi-Hyphenate Storyteller upon its world premiere at the Austin, TX festival.

Currently streaming on BET+, BET Her and Showtime, Im Fine tells the story of Danny (Kali), a recently widowed hairdresser who finds herself living on the streets with her eight-year-old daughter Wes (Wesley Moss). As Danny works to secure the funds that will allow her to lock down an apartment, she also aims to protect her child from the reality of their situation. The film was released theatrically in the UK and Ireland, also selling to HBO Europe.

More from Deadline

Kali also recently completed the documentary short I Am Not Your Hero, focused on health inequities and the high rate of physician suicide that plagues Americas medical system, which was nominated for Best Documentary Short at the Pan African Film Festival.

She previously wrote, directed and produced the live-action short Lalos House, which went on to win the 45th Annual Student Academy Award and was in consideration for the 91st Academy Awards. The filmmaker was prior to that selected to work with Ron Howard and Brian Grazers New Form to develop her web series, The Discovery of Dit Dodson.

An alum of Howard University and USCs School of Cinematic Arts, Kalis mission is to use the art of filmmaking to address issues within marginalized communities, creating dialogue and action towards positive change. She gained her first experience in television while working for National Geographic Television and Film, following her time at Howard, and launched her career by becoming the only woman selected to direct on Belizes first Creole dramatic series, Noh Matta Wat.

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A recipient of the 2021 Academy Gold Fellowship for Women in directing, Kali has also seen her work recognized with the Actors Equity Foundations Paul Robeson Award, the DGA Student Filmmaker Award, the KCET Fine Cut Award, Shadow & Acts Rising Award, the Programmers Award at the Oscar-qualifying Pan African Film Festival, and the Jury Award at the Diversity in Cannes Showcase sponsored by Viola Davis and Julius Tennons JuVee Productions, among other accolades.

She recently finished directing the feature Jagged Mind for 20th Digital Studio, is currently in post on the MPI/BET Original Feature Kemba, based on true events, and continues to be represented by manager Capella Fahoome and Del Shaw Moonves.

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ILLENIUM | Supplied

US producer ILLENIUM has announced three Australian headline shows for November and December 2023. Hell being in Sydney at the Hordern Pavilion on Saturday, 25th November, before playing in Melbourne and Brisbane one week later (sorry, everyone on the west coast). Theyll be ILLENIUMs first shows in the country since early 2020.

The announcement comes ahead of the producers fifth album, self-titled, which will hit virtual shelves on Friday, 28th April. ILLENIUM  born Nick Miller  has just dropped another single from the release, Luv Me A Little, which you can hear below.

ILLENIUM: Luv Me A Little

ILLENIUM is the follow-up to Millers 2021 album Fallen Embers, which earned him a Grammy nod for Best Dance/Electronic Album. The award ultimately went to South African DJ Black Coffees Subconsciously.

Weve heard a stack of singles from the upcoming record, including Shivering (featuring Spiritbox), All That Really Matters (with Teddy Swims), and From The Ashes (featuring Skylar Grey). Australian pop artist Vera Blue will also guest on the record, offering vocal duties for the track Other Side.

To me, a self-titled album is the core sound of who I am, ILLENIUM has said of the release. I see this album and its story as a prequel to the Trilogy, where I get to explore my original musical inspirations and blend something that truly feels fresh.

The trilogy that Miller refers to comprises his first three records, Ashes, Awake, and Ascend, the last of which arrived in 2019.

ILLENIUM Australian Tour 2023

Saturday, 25th November  Hordern Pavilion, Sydney NSW

Friday, 1st December  John Cain Arena, Melbourne VIC

Saturday, 2nd December  The Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane QLD

General tickets go on sale Tuesday, 7th March at 11am local time via Frontier Touring.

Further Reading

Illenium On His New Record Ascend, Being Candid About His Personal Experiences & Australian Tour Plans

KUCKA Announces Australian Tour and New Single, Cry Cry Cry

Basement Jaxx Announce 2023 Australian DJ Sets  Rescheduled From April 2022

The post ILLENIUM to Play a Trio of Australian Headline Shows in Late 2023 appeared first on Music Feeds.
Jennifer Lopez. Courtesy of Intimissimi

Courtesy of Intimissimi Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez has a sexy new gig.

On Monday, Italian lingerie and intimate apparel brand Intimissimi announced that the multi-talented Lopez will be the face of their Spring/Summer 2023 campaign.

The stunning campaign features photos of the star modeling different pieces from the new collection including silk bras, underwear, PJs, and kimonos.

In a press release, Lopez revealed she discovered the brand while traveling in Italy last year.

Jennifer Lopez. Courtesy of Intimissimi

Courtesy of Intimissimi

RELATED: Shawn Mendes Named New David Yurman Ambassador  See the Sexy Photos Behind His 'Effortless' Collab

"I love Italy  the people, the fashion, the culture, the food and the storied history," she said. "When I discovered Intimissimi, I was immediately drawn to their precious silks, romantic lace, beautiful cuts, flattering fits and intricate designs."

"I'm proud to be an Intimissimi woman and honored that they view me as someone who emulates their own qualities of confident, lively and strong," Lopez continued.

According to the brand, Lopez is the perfect representation of an Intimissimi woman. "Today's women are savvy, successful role models who inspire us to work hard and follow our dreams. Lopez is the ultimate ambassador for Intimissimi as she brings a strong and modern sexiness to the brand and communicates their core values."

Jennifer Lopez. Courtesy of Intimissimi

Courtesy of Intimissimi Jennifer Lopez

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The brand's new campaign is reminiscent of an Italian seaside town. Riccardo Ruini, the brand's creative director, "captures the essence of a dreamy and vibrant Italian summer using cinematic imagery to transform the colors of Positano" in the new collection.

The brand added: "Hues of fuchsia representing the bougainvillea, orange for the glowing sun and turquoise symbolizing the Mediterranean Sea are weaved throughout the new range."

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The new collection is available today at www.intimissimi.com and at all Intimissimi locations.

Jennifer Lopez. Courtesy of Intimissimi

Courtesy of Intimissimi Jennifer Lopez

RELATED: Melissa Barrera on Becoming Clinique's First Latina Brand Ambassador: 'It Fills My Heart'

Lopez recently showed off her stylish side at the Grammy Awards in February where she rocked a glamorous Gucci gown.

The Shotgun Wedding star was on hand to present the award for best pop vocal album (which was won by Harry Styles), and she did so in a dramatic Gucci look, which her stylist Rob Zangardi shared on his Instagram Stories.

RELATED VIDEO: Jennifer Lopez Sparkles in Gold at Shotgun Wedding Los Angeles Premiere

Her dark blue gown was covered in ruffles with a voluminous train, thigh-high slit and rhinestone fringe. She capped off her look with Bulgari jewels and silver JLO Jennifer Lopez heels to tie all the sparkles together.

After she finished her presenting duties, Lopez settled back into her seat with husband Ben Affleck, who gave her a sweet kiss when she was done with her stage moment.

Late last year, the singer announced her ninth studio album, This Is MeNow, 20 years after the release of This Is MeThen  which was dedicated to Affleck.

The star's new project "chronicles the emotional, spiritual and psychological journey that she has taken over the past two decades." The 13 songs include the title track as well as various entries that allude to her relationship with the actor, including "Dear Ben pt. II" and "Midnight Trip to Vegas," which references the couple's first marriage ceremony in July 2022.
Photo Credit: Getty Images

Mercedes Mone will go anywhere that has the biggest bag.

Speaking with Mojo Muhtadi on TMZ Sports, Mercedes Mone made it clear that she will face anyone. As for whats next, Mercedes mentioned AZM has been calling her out as of late. The IWGP Womens Champion also confirmed her appearance at Sakura Genesis in April.

I mean, besides taking it on carpets and autograph signings, all over the world, I want to see what little promotions pop up too. I know next on my plate is April 8 in Tokyo, Japan for Sakura Genesis. I have a girl named AZM calling me out, so Ive been putting the offer on the table for whos next on the list. I want to see who is running from Mercedes Mone because I turn down to nobody. Im always here for the check, Im always here for the bag, and whoever has the biggest bag is where Im going to go.

Dave Meltzer reported in the February 27 edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (via F4WOnline.com) that Mercedes Mones next match would be a match with AZM at Sakura Genesis. Additionally, Meltzer said Mercedes was scheduled to face Mayu Iwatani at the STARDOM event on April 23, two of her remaining confirmed dates in Japan.

Mercedes Mone also commented on her experience at Battle In The Valley, the site of her first match in nearly nine months.

It was a moment Im always going to remember, Mone said. Its probably my second favorite moment of my career thus far and thats saying a lot because Ive done so much in professional wrestling.

If you use this transcription, credit TMZ Sports, h/t WrestleZone and link back to this post.

The post Mercedes Mone Confirms Where Her Next Match Will Take Place appeared first on Wrestlezone.
Netflix is forecasted to grow its revenue in the Asia-Pacific region by 12 percent in 2023, hitting $4 billion, according to a new report from regional research and analysis firm Media Partners Asia. Performance in Asias major economies and population centers has become a vital metric for Netflix as subscriber growth and revenue per user has largely plateaued in North America and Western Europe.

The growth rate forecasted by MPA would represent a sizable uptick from Netflixs 2022 APAC revenue increase of 9 percent. The research firm also projects that Netflixs local content spending in the region will reach $1.9 billion, representing 47 percent of revenues.

More from The Hollywood Reporter

Media Partners Asias analysts see three primary factors driving the gains in the East: A rebound in the lucrative but saturated Australia market, where Netflixs recently launched ad-supported subscription tier will gradually bolster sales; robust levels of growth in the developed East Asian markets of Japan and Korea, where revenue per user tends to be high; and material gains and contributions from the developing markets of India, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand.

MPAs executive director Vivek Couto noted that Netflixs ad tier has gotten off to a slow start in APAC, but said that Australia is expected to see greater momentum through 2023, helping boost subscribers and revenues in a market where churn has been increasing.

Japan is seen as particularly critical to Netflixs prospects in the region, given that the country contributed over a quarter of Netflixs total APAC revenues in 2023. Couto noted that Japan will continue to grow as Netflix strives to grow impact with new scripted non-anime shows produced in the country.

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According to MPAs estimates, India, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines collectively will contribute over 20 percent of Netflixs APAC revenues in 2023. The firm sees the South East Asian nations contributions growing more in the second half of 2023, however, through a mix of subscriber and ARPU growth.

MPAs researchers also noted the power of Korean content and Japanese anime in driving growth across the region. In 2022, Netflix released 29 exclusive Korean dramas, of which six were among the top 10 reaching titles in APAC in 2022, according to estimates from MPA subsidiary AMPD Research.

The companys inhouse research suggests that Korean dramas captured 28 percent of total viewership on Netflix in APAC in 2022, followed by U.S. series with 25 percent, U.S. films with 12 percent, Japanese anime with 10 percent and other English-language content at six percent, followed by other regional content categories with smaller slices of the pie (Southeast Asian content at 5 percent, Chinese-language with 3 percent and Indian at 2 percent).

Netflixs APAC content investments have global impact, said Dhivya T, lead analyst and head of content insights at MPA. Leading Japanese series and anime together with Korean dramas and movies as well as movies from Indonesia and India have ranked among the globally top-streamed titles over the past 12 months through Jan. 2023.

In early 2023, unscripted titles such as season two of Singles Inferno and Physical 100 have trended strongly, Dhivya added. Netflixs English global hit originals have also performed well in APAC, led by Stranger Things and Wednesday. Indian (Mismatched), Taiwanese (Mom, Dont Do That!) and Indonesian (The Big 4) originals had travelability with regional impact in 2022.

MPA also noted that Netflixs coming password-sharing crackdown could bring gains in the APAC region. The firms research indicates that password sharing in the East is at its highest in Indonesia, Korea, Philippines, Thailand and India. In Feb. 2023, Netflix also announced price adjustments in Southeast Asia  a move that could further boost subscriber acquisition and upsell in these markets, as well as likely prepare the region for the password sharing crackdown in second half of 2023.

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Lets begin with the cover. Frank Zappa knew exactly what he was doing by lampooning The Beatles Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, released just seven months previously. While his previous album, Absolutely Free, had seen Zappa beginning to attack the counter-culture as well as the establishment, Were Only In It For The Money was a sustained and hilarious interrogation of hippiedom. And what better way was there to grab the worlds attention than with a jab at the darlings of the pop world?

Ever the contrarian, not to mention an astute self-publicist, Zappa was aware of the fuss that the cover might cause. In an interview with Stereo Review from 1979, the composer looked back at the furor hed caused, If you stop and think about it, putting out an album like that would be a very courageous thing in the middle of hippie hysteria. I did two things that were definitely a no-no then. One, making fun of The Beatles, you couldnt do that; and two, I made fun of the hippies, and you couldnt do that either Looking at it now, maybe it was an easy target. But you try it in 1967.

Listen to Frank Zappa and The Mothers Of Invention's We're Only In It For The Money now.

Zappa had a telephone conversation with Paul McCartney about the sleeve before Money was released, at which point the Beatle  who was known to be a fan of Zappa and the Mothers debut album, Freak Out!, and later claimed to have no problem with the sleeve  suggested it was a subject for the acts respective managements to discuss. Zappa publicly chastised McCartney for his reluctance to talk business and blamed record company politics for a delay in the albums release, despite it coming so soon after Sgt Peppers.

Then there was that title. The very idea that an album as daring as Were Only In It For The Money was made with the sole intention of making Zappa and the Mothers filthy rich was preposterous. It begins in uncompromising fashion with the creeped-out ASMR of Are You Hung Up? (whispers courtesy of engineer Gary Kellgren) before bombarding the listener with a thrilling sound collage-like approach that lasts the duration of the album. Its packed with dramatic and unpredictable shifts of genre, spoken word, backward tapes, musique concrete, and (of course, this was Zappa) doo-wop. This was not an easy listen, it was complex and subversive. It was not made with radio hits in mind. Zappa pointed out the obvious sarcasm of the title in a 1972 interview with Down Beat Yearbook, If we were only in it for the money, we'd be doing something else! I mean, to look at that cover and to see the people on that cover and say that these guys are only in it for the money I thought that was the funniest thing we could have put together.

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Zappas lyrics sealed the deal. Were Only In It For The Money has a bleakness at its heart that its predecessors lacked, and hed not return to often. This was most evident on Concentration Moon, a melodramatic-sounding campfire singalong interrupted by a fab beat group passage and a deeply unsettling lyric. Zappa imagines a US in which the marginalized are taken to camps in buses, while the perspective shifts between hippies and cops. The song dealt explicitly with police brutality (as did the disconsolate psych ballad Mom & Dad) and was based on real-life events, as Zappa explained to Studs Terkel in a 1968 Chicago radio interview, saying the song was, A make-believe story about some very real concentration camps that the United States government built to house Japanese people during World War II But the camps are still there. And it was a popular myth  lets hope it was a myth  among the hippies on the West coast that very soon, any dissatisfied, potentially nonconforming person in the United States is about to be rounded up by the government and stashed away in these camps. Concentration Moon is a tough listen today, even though the events of World War II are only a distant memory  back then, the war was relatively fresh in the collective psyche, and only an extremely brave and ferociously intelligent writer would dare go there. Frank Zappa, in other words.

Less foreboding but equally cutting were the near-constant digs on Were Only In It For The Money at what Zappa perceived as an inherent phoniness at the core of the hippie movement. Who Needs The Peace Corps, Absolutely Free, and Flower Punk are among the most potent putdowns of the tie-dye brigade. Speaking about the latter to David Reitman, Zappa was unrepentant, I didnt really expect any group who was singing about flower power to believe in it. And thats the thing that was really bugging me about the whole thing, because the audience that was going along with the fad of flower power was being fed all this garbage and never stopped for a moment to question the integrity of the people who were whipping it on em. And when I made my statement of Flower Punk I got cast in a negative light as being some sort of ghoul who wouldnt go along with the sweetness and light that was pervading the United States in 1967.

Who Needs The Police Cops? was just as damning, sarcasm dripping from Zappas voice as he sings, Every town must have a place/Where phony hippies meet/Psychedelic dungeons/Popping up on every street/Go to San Francisco. Later in the song, Zappa pours scorn on how calculated and fashionable hippiedom had become, First I'll buy some beads/And then perhaps a leather band to go around my head/Some feathers and bells/And a book of Indian lore I will wander around barefoot/I will have a psychedelic gleam in my eye at all times.

Taken as a whole, the album is one of Zappas most satisfying statements, a masterclass in composition, editing, and production with a lyrical sting in the tail. It was even added to the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress in 2005. Next would come the audacious Lumpy Gravy, featuring music that Zappa later admitted he would have liked to have included in Were Only In It For The Money. After this, anything was possible.

Listen to Frank Zappa and The Mothers Of Invention's We're Only In It For The Money now.

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uDiscover Music is operated by Universal Music Group (UMG). Some recording artists included in uDiscover Music articles are affiliated with UMG.
From social justice to adolescent romance, this years Oscar-nominated shorts filmmakers dont take long to make their points. The 2023 field of nominees include films from virtually every corner of the world, including Ireland, Iran, India, Norway, Italy and, of course, the U.S.

From left, An Irish Goodbye, Ivalu, Le Pupille, Night Ride and The Red Suitcase.

LIVE ACTION SHORTS

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An Irish Goodbye, written and directed by Tom Berkeley and Ross White, is a dark comedy that follows a pair of estranged brothers who must learn to get along after their mothers untimely death. Berkeleys own views of loss inspired the films exploration of love and grief. Its about reconnection, redemption and the idea of how, in the darkest moments for those two characters, they end up finding each other through their commitment to their mom and their moms memory, he says. Grief is something that we think of as a very personal, individual journey, but its something that you dont necessarily have to go through alone, and grieving with another person can lead to healing.

For Iranian director Cyrus Neshvad, bringing the story of The Red Suitcase to life was urgent. The film follows the harrowing journey of a 16-year-old Iranian girl as she attempts to flee an airport undetected by the man that shes been sent off to marry. An instrumental scene involves the girl removing her hijab for her safety, but at the risk of defying her culture. Women are disappearing and never coming back, sometimes because of how the hijab is worn on their hair, Neshvad says. I was terrified, but I wanted to talk about it because its also my home country. When I did this movie, I said, I want a woman who has the choice to take this off, even if its for her freedom, for her free will.

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Eirik Tveitens Norwegian short Night Ride begins after a late-night mishap. Ebba accidentally steals a local tram, and along the way, she picks up Ariel, who attracts the attention of a man sitting nearby. Things get hostile when the man uncovers that Ariel is a transgender woman. Along with witnessing passengers, Ebba must decide if shed rather stay out of the kerfuffle or risk getting involved. Norway is the best country in the world to live in, but we struggle with the same issues of prejudice, producer Heidi Arnesen says. Eirik came to us with this idea about social responsibility, and we have to act when someone is being treated unjustly.

The Greenlandic tale Ivalu focuses on a young girl searching for her missing older sister. Adapting a story centered around the sexual abuse of children was a delicate matter for director Anders Walter. Taking on a story like this, youre very much aware that youre dealing with something that affects a lot of young people, and its a very sensitive subject matter, he says. Its always a balance because you dont want to come across as naive, because that would be the worst thing if the victims couldnt recognize themselves in the story. And by talking to people working with children in this situation, they talk about the community around these victims.

Le Pupille, an Italian religious comedy, written and directed by Alice Rohrwacher, is set at an all-girls Catholic orphanage during 1940s wartime. While on Christmas break, the girls face the greatest temptation, trying not to eat a delicious zuppa inglese cake. I wanted to create a film that was out of time, she says. That was classic but also handmade. I wanted to show the girls that you can have something magical without incredible things. Destiny Jackson

From left, The Boy, the Mole the Fox and the Horse, The Flying Sailor, Ice Merchants, My Year of Dicks and An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It.

ANIMATED SHORTS

After receiving such a positive response to his 2019 book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, creator Charlie Mackesy was excited to bring his book to life and allow the story to affect people in a more stimulating way. Strangely, before I even made the book I felt they could move, he says. The animated short follows a boy searching for a home. Along the way, he meets three animals who are also looking for a place to belong and begin to develop a bond. The inspiration was the desire to make people, friends or whoever, feel better about things, he says. All of us were struggling at the time with things and it seemed good to be able to lay out those issues in a conversation.

Filmmakers Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis were inspired to make The Flying Sailor from a small blurb about a sailor they found while researching the Halifax explosion of 1917. He was launched and flew for two kilometers and landed unharmed and naked except for one boot, says Tilby. As they were captivated by the flight aspect, their animated short takes a slowed down look at life flashing before a mans eyes as his balletic movements are underscored by a beautiful piano. The animation style blends 2D and 3D elements, which Forbis says created a cartoony opening sequence that contrasts the tragedy of the situation.

Like many of his other films, Joao Gonzalezs Ice Merchants began with an image from his subconscious. It was an image of a tiny house attached to a cliff, he says. I knew the theme of the film was going to be about loss, but all the tiny details of the narrative are about finding joy. The short follows a father and son living on a house attached to the side of a mountain. While animated digitally, the artistic style emulates a hand-drawn pencil on paper look with bold shadows and a limited color palette that contrasts the human side of the characters with the cold, harsh colors of the outside.

Based on a chapter of Pamela Ribons memoir Notes to Boys: And Other Things I Shouldnt Share in Public, My Year of Dicks follows a 15-year-old Pam on a comedic journey to find the right boy to lose her virginity to. I was raised on romance novels and films in the 80s, Ribon says, so I was ready to get it done because thats what I thought you were supposed to doyou only became a woman once you lost your virginity. The short was split into five different chapters, following different boys with unique styles of animation to simulate the overwhelming, all-encompassing feeling of a crush. I always imagined him in a very different light than anybody else did, she says, in whatever phase I was going through at the time.

Lachlan Pendragon began his work on An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It from a research perspective by questioning what he found appealing about stop-motion. For me, stop-motion is all about those tactile qualities and imperfections, he says. He admits that he went a bit too far with it and ended up creating a ridiculously meta and very self-referential short about an office worker spiraling after an Ostrich reveals that he is in a stop-motion animation. As Neil, voiced by Pendragon, learns of the nature of his world from an ostrich, he starts to notice things that confirm the suspicion. It sounds very horrific when you think about a stop-motion character finding out their face can fall off, Pendragon says. Ryan Fleming

From left, The Elephant Whisperers, Haulout, How Do You Measure a Year?, The Martha Mitchell Effect and Stranger at the Gate.

DOCUMENTARY SHORTS

Filmmaker Jay Rosenblatt enjoyed a lengthy and distinguished career in documentary without ever being honored with an Oscar nomination. He ended that drought last year with When We Were Bullies, and now finds himself an Oscar nominee for the second consecutive year, this time for another personal story, How Do You Measure a Year? The short film comprises interviews with his daughter Ella recorded as she grew up. Once a year on her birthday, from age two to 18, Rosenblatt asked her the same set of questionslike, what are dreams? What is power? I had no idea this would be a film, the director observes. I didnt even look at the footage [for 17 years]. Each year, I would just film it, put it away and just hope for the best.

Joining Rosenblatts latest in the short documentary category are two films from NetflixThe Elephant Whisperers and The Martha Mitchell Effect. The latter film, directed by Anne Alvergue and Debra McClutchy, examines a woman who helped expose the Watergate scandal that ultimately destroyed Richard Nixons presidency. As the outspoken wife of John MitchellNixons former attorney general, and head of his 1972 reelection committeeMartha Mitchell was in a position to reveal secrets about the scandal. As a result, the presidents men deliberately besmirched her as an unstable alcoholic. She was essentially a victim of a gaslighting campaign from the Nixon administration to silence her and stop shedding the spotlight on the Watergate scandal, Alvergue says.

The Elephant Whisperers earned filmmaker Kartiki Gonsalves her first Oscar nomination. Its the story of a couple charged with raising orphaned elephant calves in a nature reserve in South India. Youngsters like the rambunctious elephant Raghu need a lot of affection and receive it in abundant supply from partners Bomman and Belli. Raghu felt like he was with a mother, he had a father, Gonsalves says of the relationship between the pachyderm and his human caregivers. That gave him that family feeling, which they usually have because elephants are very emotional, sentient beings and they emote so much love and care toward their babies.

Human and animal interaction of a different sort constitutes the theme of another nominated documentary short, Haulout. The film, directed by sister and brother Evgenia Arbugaeva and Maxim Arbugaev, follows a researcher in a very remote outpost of the Siberian Arctic. Marine biologist Maxim Chakilev studies walruses, which congregate in massive numbers at Cape Serdtse-Kamen. Warming seas have placed enormous pressure on the giant creatures, who no longer encounter floating ice where they can take a breather while feeding. It was just the three of us feeling our smallness, among this huge amount of animals, Arbugaeva tells The New Yorker, which distributed the film. Sometimes that line between human and animal was blurry. You start to tune into what they potentially could feel.

Read the digital edition of Deadlines Oscar Nominees issue here.

The New Yorker also released Stranger at the Gate, directed by Joshua Seftel. It centers on Richard Mac McKinney, a Marine Corps veteran who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. After he left the service, he harbored deep suspicion and hatred towards Muslims and hatched a plan to attack an Islamic Center in his hometown of Muncie, Indiana. But while conducting reconnaissance for his bombing plot, he met congregants and, somehow, they reached his heart, gradually transforming his fury into love. This is a story I believe we need right now, Seftel says. Its about America, and its deep problems. But its also about hope. Matt Carey

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Screenshot of a TV ad from Commonwealth PAC (an unauthorized campaign committee supporting Republican Kelly Craft's campaign for governor), which hits GOP rival Daniel Cameron as a "soft, establishment teddy bear."

The Republican gubernatorial primary in Kentucky has been a mostly cordial affair between the candidates over the past year, but it veered into the negative Monday with new TV attack ads against Daniel Cameron by a PAC supporting Kelly Craft.

The TV ad from Commonwealth PAC  an unauthorized campaign committee  says Cameron "is nice, but he's no strong Kentucky conservative," criticizing him for not joining other Republican attorneys general in suing President Joe Biden's administration when they tried to "stop construction of the border wall."

"With illegals and deadly fentanyl flowing across Biden's open borders, who would we rather have leading Kentucky?" the ad narrator asks. "A conservative grizzly bear? Or Daniel Cameron, Kentucky's soft, establishment teddy bear."

The ad features a loud grizzly bear with its roar shaking the screen  though not identifying which candidate would fit the description of such a bear  then morphs a photo of Cameron into a teddy bear wearing a suit.

More:Kentucky GOP primary for governor will be expensive. This new PAC may help one candidate

Commonwealth PAC has spent $600,000 to run the ad statewide on TV for the next two weeks, starting Monday.

Not much is known about who runs or funds Commonwealth PAC, as its chairman  Greg Couch, the Lexington-based founder of Meridian Wealth Management  has not responded to inquiries about the PAC since it formed in February.

Unauthorized campaign committees  which can support or oppose candidates, but not legally coordinate with any campaigns  do not have to file reports with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance until April 18, so the financial backers of the PAC will likely remain unknown until then.

With just 71 days until the primary election, the most recent independent polling from January shows Cameron with a sizable lead over his GOP rivals.

Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy found that 39% of Republican respondents supported Cameron in the GOP primary, followed by Craft with 13%. Following them were Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles with 8%, state Auditor Mike Harmon with 5% and Somerset Mayor Alan Keck with 2%.

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More:Poll: Andy Beshear tops 4 key Republican candidates in 2023 Kentucky governor's election

Responding to the new attack ads, Cameron issued a statement suggesting he's being attacked because of his strong lead in the polls.

"It's flattering to be attacked this early because it shows the strength of our lead, and also lays bare the fact that my opponents know they can't win on their own merits," Cameron said. "I know voters are smart  theyll see this for what it is  silliness."

Cameron went on to note that he has successfully sued Biden and Gov. Andy Beshear  the likely Democratic nominee in the general election  which is "why President Donald Trump has endorsed my campaign for Governor."

"President Trump endorsed me over candidates who used to work for him," Cameron said, a reference to Craft, who served as ambassador to Canada and to the United Nations under Trump. "Why? Because he knows that I do more than talk. He knows I've taken action. And Trump knows I have the courage and the skill to fight and win."

In a fundraising email later that day highlighting the ads attacking him, Cameron said "they're spending $600,000 to lie about me," adding "I've been working hard to slay the BEAR that is the liberal left's woke agenda."

Spokespersons for Craft's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Commonwealth PAC ad on Monday.

More:Kelly Craft takes over fundraising lead among GOP candidates in Kentucky governor race

The attack also came on the eve of the first Republican debate in the primary race for governor  which Craft declined to attend after being invited.

The Jefferson County Republican Party invited five of the GOP candidates to participate in their debate Tuesday night, with Cameron, Quarles, Harmon and Keck accepting.

While Craft is not participating in the debate, her campaign led all GOP candidates in fundraising by the end of 2022 and has spent well over $1 million on TV ads running since late December.

Cameron placed just behind Craft in fundraising at year's end and has an unauthorized campaign committee supporting his candidacy, though neither the PAC nor his campaign have made any significant ad buys yet.

The Mason-Dixon poll from January found Beshear had a significant lead over Cameron, Craft, Quarles and Harmon in a hypothetical general election matchup. Beshear faces two longshot challengers in the Democratic primary.

Reach reporter Joe Sonka at jsonka@courierjournal.com and follow him on Twitter at @joesonka.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Pro-Kelly Craft PAC hits Daniel Cameron in attack ad as 'teddy bear'
PROVIDENCE  On the subject of abortion, there is no middle ground between the religious and moral convictions of those on one side of this perennial State House debate and the convictions  and pre-Roe horror stories  of Rhode Island women with long and painful memories.

The intractable debate played out once again Monday, during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on a trio of abortion-related bills, including "H5006" to repeal the current legal barriers that prevent the state from providing insurance coverage to state employees and Medicaid recipients seeking abortions.

Two other bills on the agenda seek harsh punishments for medical professionals who fail to provide "reasonable medical care and treatment to an infant born alive."

But most of the public comment centered on the so-called "Equality in Abortion Coverage Act (EACA)" backed by Gov. Dan McKee.

The Rev. Elizabeth Chandler Felts, senior minister at the Beneficent Congregational Church, came to the State House with story of what happened to her maternal grandmother, Jessie, that made access to safe, legal abortion deeply personal for her.

In 1936, after sending "my mother off to summer camp ... [Jessie] had an illegal abortion ... During the procedure something went wrong ... Jessie died of [blood poisoning] ... An unsafe abortion shattered the life of my young mother and robbed me of a grandmother I would never meet."

"Whenever abortion care is inaccessible either because it has been criminalized or because it is financially prohibitive, it does not mean people will not seek abortions," she warned. "They'll just seek expensive and often unsafe abortions. Some will die."

Former state Rep. Bill McKenna  an opponent of the legislation  asked the lawmakers to imagine the bill "dealt with kittens instead of babies.

"Imagine that the bill called for public funding for the burning, crushing, beheading, dismemberment, poisoning or brain suctioning of kittens."

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"Where is the moral outrage over this proposal which is basically authorizing the state to pay for hitmen to kill babies in their mother's womb?"

"Would you vote for it?" he asked.

What will the Equality in Abortion Coverage Act do?

McKee included $592,405 in his proposed 2023-24 budget to provide abortion coverage for an estimated 80,000 women of child bearing age enrolled in Medicaid and another $29,500 to add abortion coverage to the state employee health insurance plan for an estimated 6,500 women.

The legislation sponsored by House Majority Whip Katherine Kazarian has 44 co-sponsors in the 75-member House.

McKee: 'Rhode Island is a state that protects a woman's right to reproductive healthcare'

No vote is expected Monday, but that leaves the unanswered question: will House leaders, at some later point, seek a stand-alone vote on the bill or wait until the end-of-session rollout and vote on the reworked, legislative version of the proposed new state budget?

In his own letter to the lawmakers, Democrat McKee wrote: "Rhode Island is a state that protects a woman's right to reproductive health care, including abortions.

"This bill ensures that everyone in the state has equitable access to this right. Whether a person is receiving medical assistance through Medicaid or through a state employee health plan, that person should not be barred from accessing all aspects of reproductive health care."

Earlier this year, McKee noted, he joined the Reproductive Freedom Alliance, a coalition of 20 governors from across the nation, including the governors of Massachusetts and Connecticut, "to collaborate and strengthen reproductive freedom and equitable access to reproductive health care."

What are people against the bill saying?

Before Monday's hearing even started, dozens of people sent their written testimony in advance.

"We need to save babies, not kill them. NO! to tax-payer funded abortion. It will make a difference come re-electiontime!" warned David Aucoin, who identifies himself as the president of the Rhode Island Family Institute which, in turn, is part of a national alliance "networked with...other well-known and effective Faith and Family ministries."

Other letters to state lawmakers said much the same: "My name is Daria Spezzano and I am a resident of Lincoln, RI. I strongly oppose any efforts to use my tax dollars to pay for the taking of innocent human life. That is an unjust use of my money for something I absolutely reject on moral grounds."

"My name is Jacqueline Provost ... Let's stop this insanity and agree that it is an innocent human life that is at risk not just cells" she wrote.

"The first job of government is to protect its citizens. This is not protection  it is murder and you want me to pay for it with my tax dollars. No thank you!!!!" she continued.

"Many in this state have a moral conviction that abortion is immoral. Please respect pluralism and do not imposeyour convictions that it is acceptable and furthermore that we all should pay for it on the entire population of this state," wrote Kathryn Colasante.

What are people who support the bill saying?

From the other side came this argument from Candace Santos of North Kingstown: "This bill makes surethat state employees and low-income people can afford care by getting rid of discriminatory bans on healthcoverage for abortion.

"We should eliminate barriers to health services, not make it harder to get," she wrote.

She also urged the lawmakers to reject the two "copycat bills from other states [that are also on the agenda] that denigrate abortion providers and insert vague language that could meddle with the provision of abortion andother pregnancy related care."

Others sent almost identically worded emails, while Joseph Burgio, the director of Rhode Island Atheists, wrote:

"It is your duty to ignore faith and outdated moral appeals ... We trust women to make their own decisions about their bodies and about when they become a parent or add to their families. This is not something the government should meddle with."

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Bill for RI abortion coverage for state workers, Medicaid users heard
Photo Credit: All Elite Wrestling

Ruby Soho discusses her respect for Saraya.

Soho and Saraya will face off at AEW Revolution; they will clash with AEW Womens World Champion Jamie Hayter in a three-way match for the title.

Speaking on Fightfuls Grapsody podcast with Will Washington, Righteous Reg, and Phil Lindsey, Soho discussed the upcoming title match. When asked about working with Saraya, Soho stated that she has always been a fan of hers. She noted that Saraya, among others, paved the way for women like her to be accepted in wrestling. Soho emphasized that she has a lot of respect for Saraya, and shes looking forward to sharing the ring with her.

Ive always been a fan of Saraya. Ive always looked at her as someone who kind of paved the way for a woman like me to be accepted in the wrestling industry. I feel like alternative women, with people like her and Lita, if it wasnt for them, that I would not have been as accepted as I have been over the last few years. So I definitely have a monumental amount of respect for her, and obviously when my hair was longer and it was black, because women can only be seen as similar by the color and length of their hair, I was compared to her a lot throughout my early days of my career.

While that was an honor, to be compared to somebody with the talent caliber of her, I was definitely out to show that I was different, and that we are two very different competitors. I think one of the reasons that that is also a dream scenario for people is to see how different we really are, and the one way you can prove that is to step into a ring together. So Im excited myself to see exactly how that interaction takes place. Im also excited to step into the ring with somebody Ive had a lot of respect for for a really long time.

WrestleZone will have coverage of AEW Revolution as it airs.

RELATED: Ruby Soho: If I Had To Choose A Side, Im Choosing My Side

If you use any of these quotes, please credit the original source and link back to WrestleZone for the transcription.

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Editor's note: This article has been updated to clarify that the Rev. Jesse Jackson arrived to Selma in the days following Bloody Sunday in 1965.

President Joe Biden on Sunday told a crowd in storm-battered Selma that the march for voting rights continues today, 58 years after the events of Bloody Sunday jolted the nation into securing the Black right to vote and providing equal access for all.

Biden also led the annual march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, walking the same path that the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis did on March 7, 1965, and that the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. continued two weeks later.

No matter how hard some people try, we cant just choose what we want to know and not what we should know, Biden said. Everyone should know the truth of Selma.

Selma was a reckoning, Biden said. The right to vote, to have your vote counted, is the threshold of democracy.

U.S. President Joe Biden arrives during the 58th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery March at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, on Sunday, March 5, 2023.

The president said voting rights are inextricably intertwined with economic justice and civil rights for Black Americans, saying he and Vice President Kamala Harris have been committed to protecting the right to vote in free and fair elections.

More:'We are those who persevere': Selma sermon urges all to fight for voting rights

Honoring history

Sun beat down on thousands of attendees as they crossed the bridge in peace, to honor the struggle of those who marched into violence and tear gas 58 years ago. Some of them were there that day in 1965.

Selmas original foot soldiers, who experienced Bloody Sunday for themselves, still show up in waning numbers for the annual celebration. Many civil rights activists, like the Rev. Jesse Jackson, havent missed a commemorative march since 1965  though they did go virtual in 2021 because of the pandemic.

Foot soldier Charles Mauldin introduces President Joe Biden during his visit to the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, on Sunday, March 5, 2023, to commemorate the 58th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday bridge crossing.

Charles Mauldin, an original foot soldier, introduced the president, emphasizing the importance of the people who marched that first day in 1965.

Had it not been for foot soldiers, there would not have been a movement, Mauldin said. Where theres common determination, theres common power.

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Past presidents have attended the Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee as well, but Biden is the first president in attendance since Barack Obamas visit in 2015.

Still, this wasnt Bidens first Jubilee. He attended the ceremony in 2013 as vice president and again in 2020 while on the campaign trail for president.

President Joe Biden visits the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, on Sunday, March 5, 2023, to commemorate the 58th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday bridge crossing.

'As long as it takes': Biden on the Selma tornado

Some Alabamians believe Biden returned this year because Selma is hurting. Almost two months ago, a strong tornado swept through the city, tearing away roofs, windows and cars as it went. Selmas major historic sites were left unharmed, but its people werent.

With hundreds of homes damaged and dozens of families displaced, the storm left Selma bordering on an emergency housing crisis.

President Biden and I have discussed Selma. I have shared with him our vision, direction, opportunities and our needs, Selma Mayor James Perkins Jr. said Sunday before Biden took the stage. We remain Selma strong.

In the weeks since the storm, Selma has slowly but surely been repairing itself with local, federal and nonprofit support. Perkins thanked Biden for approving 100% federal reimbursement of eligible disaster recovery efforts.

To date, weve provided $8 million in recovery, and were just getting started, Biden said. Well be here as long as it takes.

Biden spoke about broader topics, including support for the people of Africa, broadband expansion in Dallas County and water infrastructure repairs in the Black Belt. He also talked about beating big pharma and his mission to ban assault weapons.

President Joe Biden and U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell of Alabama visit the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, on Sunday, March 5, 2023, to commemorate the 58th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday bridge crossing.

When Biden first announced his visit earlier this week, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell said his presence would send a clear message that the community is not alone. Indeed, loud cheers erupted as Biden walked off stage. People yelled, Bring it home, Biden.

I want you to know that during this time of crisis, we need your help, Sewell said Sunday, addressing Biden. We need everything in Selma, Alabama. We are committed to not only rebuilding better and fairer, but to reimagine what Selma could be.

Bidens Bloody Sunday executive order

Before making his way to Selma on Sunday, Biden in a White House statement emphasized his commitment to protecting voting rights.

While campaigning for president, Biden promised to support legislation to bolster the protection of voting rights, and in 2021, he supported the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. The legislation passed in the U.S. House of Representatives, but it failed in the Democrat-majority Senate.

On Sunday he reiterated his support for the act, which included provisions to restrict gerrymandering of congressional districts and to make the campaign finance system more transparent.

On last years anniversary of Bloody Sunday, Biden signed an executive order directing all government agencies to promote access to voting. The White House statement outlined the impact of that order and resources available.

Among them: The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is working to update its policy guidance on best practices for voter registration services, the U.S. Department of Education will soon link to vote.gov on its website, and the Department of the Interior is designated as the voter registration agency.

Prior to Bidens arrival in Selma, the crowd carefully watched every person of importance cross in front of the bridge, headed to a space for VIPs. Those whom the crowd cheered on included U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, the Rev. Al Sharpton, the Rev. William Barber and Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed.

How the anniversary ended

When speeches stopped and the presidential motorcade drove off, Selma was still there. Its people still celebrated the citys importance and the powerful movement that was born in those streets.

Many attendees moseyed their way back across the bridge, back toward the noise. The street festival still bustled with music, children playing carnival games and families buying hotdogs or funnel cakes. Some people headed to their cars, trying to rush to an award ceremony happening at the Selma Center for Nonviolence, Truth & Reconciliation.

The countrys eyes were on Selma on Sunday  for the president, for the history of voting rights, for the tornado damage  but as those eyes turn away, the city and its people are still there, still rebuilding.

Hadley Hitson covers the rural South for the Montgomery Advertiser and Report for America. She can be reached at hhitson@gannett.com. To support her work, subscribe to the Advertiser or donate to Report for America.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Biden honors Bloody Sunday, voting rights anniversary in Selma
texas-secession-vote.jpg Democratic Legislators Flee Texas To Stop Votes In Current Special Session - Credit: Sergio Flores/Getty Images

Texas state Rep. Bryan Slaton has introduced a bill that would place a referendum for Texas secession from the United States on the 2024 ballot. H.B. 3596 would allow Texans to vote on whether or not the State should investigate the possibility of Texas independence, and present potential plans to the Legislature.

In a statement released on Twitter, Slaton wrote that after decades of continuous abuse of our rights and liberties by the federal government, it is time to let the people of Texas make their voices heard.

More from Rolling Stone

Today, I filed HB 3596, which is commonly known as the Texas Independence Referendum Act," or TEXIT



If passed, it will place a referendum on the ballot during the next general election, allowing the people of Texas to vote on whether or not the State https://t.co/WWnGUi4btL https://t.co/KyfozJMRc4 pic.twitter.com/OJbrWySnWa  Bryan Slaton (@BryanforHD2) March 6, 2023

If the referendum were to succeed, it would establish a committee tasked with investigating the feasibility of independence from the Union and propose options and potential plans

for independence to the Texas Legislature. The state representative included a petition supporting the bills passage in his announcement of the proposal.

Slaton has been at the center of various hardline conservative legislative proposals in Texas. He has introduced bills attempting to make abortion a criminal offense punishable by death, proposed rules to block Texas Democrats from holding committee chairmanships, floated tax benefits for heterosexual couples, and introduced measures to criminalize gender-affirming health care for minors.

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Throughout its history as an independent republic, then annexed territory-turned-state, calls for Texas independence have remained constant. However, following the defeat of the confederacy in the Civil War, the 1869 Supreme Court case Texas v. White established that a state could not unilaterally secede from the nation. Despite the clear cut laws surrounding the territorial integrity of the United States, in 2022 the states Republican convention called for a referendum similar to the one proposed by Slaton.

Slatons suggestion of a Texit referendum comes on the heels of U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greenes call for a national divorce. The Georgia representative began pushing for an official split between red states and blue states in February. The nonsensical proposal essentially calls for one-party rule in every state, while maintaining a skeletal federal government to enforce borders and military defense. Greene went so far as to propose that Democrats who moved to red states be barred from voting for five years.

While Greenes fantasy misunderstands virtually every aspect of how representative government operates  particularly that most states are not wholly conservative or wholly liberal  the GOPs growing interest in cleaving the country apart speaks to how far theyre willing to go to impose their ideology, or, as Greene put it recently, to create safe spaces for conservatives.

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Toblerone at Beyond the Butcher Block hosted by Pat LaFrieda with Rich Torrisi and Mario Carbone as a part of the Bank of America Dinner Series during the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival Presented By FOOD & WINE at Noir NYC on October 16, 2014 in New York City.

Michael N. Todaro/Getty

Toblerone is no longer going to be the Matterhorn of chocolate.

The Swiss milk chocolate brand announced Sunday that it will be dropping the iconic Alpine mountain design from its candy bars because it's shifting some of its production out of Switzerland.

Under strict "Swissness' regulations introduced in 2017, this means the chocolate maker can no longer feature key symbols of Swiss provenance such as the country's red-and-white flag or the famous 14,690ft Matterhorn, The Guardian reported.

Additionally, the Toblerone packaging will now read "established in Switzerland," rather than "of Switzerland," CNN added of the switch, and include a more generic mountain summit design on their logo.

"The packaging redesign introduces a modernized and streamlined mountain logo that aligns with the geometric and triangular aesthetic," a rep for Mondelez, the confectionary brand's U.S. owner, told the Aargauer Zeitung newspaper, per The Guardian.

PEOPLE did not immediately receive a response from Mondelez for information on the planned changes.

RELATED: Company Creates Cocoa-Free 'Chocolate' to Curb Industry's Environmental and Child Labor Issues

Matterhorn mountain looms above the valley that includes the village of Zermatt on January 7, 2022 near Zermatt, Switzerland. Zermatt is a popular tourist destination both in winter and summer.

Sean Gallup/Getty Matterhorn mountain

The announcement follows a 2022 decision by Mondelez to move some of its Toblerone production to nearby Slovakia, where the company produces Milka chocolate  also originally made in Switzerland.

It will end a 115-year association between the mountain and the candy bar since it was created by Theodor Tobler and his cousin Emil Baumann in Bern, Switzerland in 1908. Yet the influence of the craggy peak will not vanish completely. The company's website states that the chocolate's signature triangular shape was inspired by the Matterhorn, which rests in Tobler's mountainous homeland.

The chocolate's brand name is also play on Tobler's name and 'torrone,' the Italian word for honey and almond nougat.

RELATED: Toblerone Changed the Shape of Its Chocolate and the Internet Is Not Happy

The candy company's announcement is not the first major change to the design of Toblerone in recent years.

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In 2016, the British government was asked to explain why the troughs between the bar's chocolate peaks had become wider, The Washington Post reported Monday. The company explained at the time that this had been prompted by a "long-planned" reduction in weight due to the rising cost of some ingredients.

"Toblerone remains one of the best value and most delicious Swiss chocolate products in the market," the company announced on the Toblerone Facebook page at the time, per CNBC. "This is because we always work hard to ensure we offer value for money for our consumers, but like many other companies, we are experiencing higher costs for numerous ingredients."

Never miss a story  sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

"We carry these costs for as long as possible," the statement continued, "but to ensure Toblerone remains on-shelf, is affordable and retains the triangular shape, we have had to reduce the weight of just two of our bars in the UK, from the wider range of available Toblerone products."

The company's social media channels have not yet updated the brand's latest news or revealed Toblerone's new non-Matterhorn design.
Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) said on Sunday that that there would be an inexhaustible source of weapons if China started to aid Russia in its invasion of Ukraine.

The problem with China entering this is because youve got the West giving weapons to Ukraine, Turner told Chuck Todd on NBCs Meet the Press. Youve got Russia depleting their stores. We obviously  the West together have an ability to impact Ukraine greater than Russia alone does.

But that could change if Beijing began supplying Moscows war, he added.

That would be an inexhaustible source of weapons if China in its production capacity supported Russia and that would change the dynamic, Turner said.

The U.S. has warned China of unspecific consequences if it provides lethal aid to Russia in its conflict with Ukraine. Sanctions would be a likely start to that response.

China has fired back against U.S. claims that it is considering sending lethal aid to Russia, saying that the country is on the side of peace and dialogue.

China called for a cease-fire in the Russia-Ukraine war last month and outlined a 12-point peace plan to negotiate a resolution between the two countries.

President Biden said last month that a proposed peace plan by China is not rational, adding that the only country the plan would benefit is Russia.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A Twitter engineer says at least 2 bodyguards accompany Elon Musk around Twitter HQ  even to the restroom

Elon Musk, right, is accompanied around Twitter HQ by at least two bodyguards, an employee told the BBC. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Elon Musk is accompanied around Twitter HQ by at least two bodyguards, an engineer told the BBC.

The engineer said the bodyguards are "tall" and "bulky" and like they're from a "Hollywood movie."

The bodyguards even accompany Musk to the restroom, the engineer added.

Elon Musk is accompanied around Twitter's headquarters by at least two bodyguards who even follow him to the restroom, an engineer at the social-media company has told the BBC.

The engineer, who spoke to the BBC on condition of anonymity to protect their employment, said the bodyguards were "bulky" and "tall" and like they're from a "Hollywood movie."

It's not uncommon for high-flying executives and CEOs to be accompanied by bodyguards, or for companies to spend considerable amounts of money providing them with security details.

The engineer said he thought that Musk's use of bodyguards inside Twitter's HQ in San Francisco, suggested a lack of trust in the company's employees, per the BBC report published Sunday.

Twitter didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, made outside US business hours.

Musk's father, Errol, said in January that he feared for his son's safety even though he was protected by "100 security guards." Musk had upgraded Errol's security system for his South Africa home with 24-hour armed guards, cameras, and electric fencing, Errol said.

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, was handed an annual personal security allowance of $14 million for 2023, according to a recent disclosure with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. This covers staff, equipment, and residential improvements to help keep Zuckerberg and his family safe, according to the filing.

Shortly after acquiring Twitter in October, Musk laid off thousands of the company's employees as part of a broad cost-cutting drive.

He tweeted in May that owning Twitter "probably won't increase my life expectancy." He was responding to a Twitter user who said that Musk should "add more security guards to your team."

Musk's security detail came into the spotlight in December after Musk said a "crazy stalker" jumped on a car carrying his son in Los Angeles. The South Pasadena Police Department later said it believed the suspect in the case "to be a member of Elon Musk's security team."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Anger over a same-track collision between two trains in Greece that killed nearly 60 people spilled onto the streets of Athens Sunday as a massive protest devolved into chaos when some demonstrators hurled Molotov cocktails at police who responded with tear gas and stun grenades.

Shouting "That crime won't be forgotten" and "Their policies cost human lives," protesters packed the heart of Greece's capital city, demanding the immediate bolstering of safety standards on the nation's rail system that they contend have eroded since the country's debt crisis from 2009 to 2018.

An estimated gathering of 12,000 protesters, most of them students and railway workers, filled Syntagma Square in the shadows of the Greek Parliament building and released black balloons into the sky to recognize those killed.

PHOTO: A riot police officer walks next to flames as clashes take place during a demonstration following the collision of two trains, near the city of Larissa, in Athens, Greece, March 5, 2023. (Alkis Konstantinidis/Reuters)

The peaceful protest escalated into chaos when a small group of demonstrators threw Molotov cocktails at police, according to Reuters. Video footage from the scene showed thousands of protesters dispersing from the square in all directions amidst a cloud of tear gas smoke.

Five people were arrested and seven police officers were injured when a group of more than 200 masked, black-clad individuals started throwing pieces of marble, rocks, bottles and firebombs at officers, according to the Athens Police Department.

Police officers responded to the incident with "limited use of the necessary, appropriate means" -- including tear gas and stun grenades, the police department said.

The clashes between police and protesters came as Pope Francis prayed for those killed and injured in the train collision.

"I pray for the dead, I am close to the injured and their relatives, and may Our Lady comfort them," Pope Francis said during his weekly Sunday service in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican.

The fervor of the demonstrations has grown since the deadly collision early Tuesday between a freight train and passenger train traveling on the same track in the town of Tempi, along the Athens-Thessaloniki route at the entrance to the Vale of Tempe, a tree-lined gorge that separates the northern Greek regions of Thessaly and Macedonia.

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About 350 crew and passengers, many of them students returning to college after a Greek Orthodox holiday break, were aboard the train that was moving at more than 100 mph when it plowed into the freight train, authorities said. Investigators blamed the collision on human error and said the two trains were running on the same line for 12 minutes, or a distance of about 11 miles, when the head-on crash occurred.

PHOTO: A petrol bomb explodes next to riot police as clashes take place during a demonstration following the collision of two trains, near the city of Larissa, in Athens, Greece, March 5, 2023. (Alkis Konstantinidis/Reuters)

As of Saturday, the death toll from the crash had climbed to 57, authorities said. At least 80 people were injured.

In the aftermath of the crash, railway workers have staged job walkouts to protest cost-cutting on rail infrastructure they say is jeopardizing them and the public.

MORE: East Palestine derailment: Timeline of key events in toxic train disaster

On Sunday, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis apologized to his country in a Facebook post.

"As prime minister, I owe everyone, but most of all the relatives of the victims, an apology," wrote Mitsotakis, who was elected in July 2019. "Justice will very fast investigate the tragedy and determine liabilities."

A station master in the city of Larissa, which is near the crash site, was arrested and charged with endangering lives and disrupting public transport. During a hearing Sunday before a magistrate judge, an attorney for the station master, whose name has not been made public, was granted more time to respond to the charges. The hearing was rescheduled for Saturday.

PHOTO: Protesters clash with riot police as an employee of the Athens Metro tries to intervene at the entrance of a station, during a demonstration following the collision of two trains, near the city of Larissa, in Athens, Greece, March 5, 2023. (Alkis Konstantinidis/Reuters)

The station master's lawyer, Stefanos Pantzartzidis, said Sunday that his client has been ordered to be temporarily held in custody as the investigation continues.

"The accused said everything, he told the truth, he was devastated," Pantzartzidis said. "He said exactly what happened without fear that his words would make him bear more responsibility. If from what he said there is evidence that constitutes criminal offenses against him, it is something that justice will decide."

Unions for the railway workers have cited numerous safety deficiencies with the railway network, including previous problems arising from its signaling system and its insufficient surveillance system. The unions are demanding the government come up with a speedy timetable for reforming safety protocols.

MORE: Train carrying propane tanker derails in Florida, no leakage reported

In his Facebook statement Sunday, Mitsotakis said had there been a remote surveillance system in place throughout the rail network "it would have been, in practice, impossible for the accident to happen."

Mitsotakis announced his administration would seek help from the European Commission and other countries to bolster Greece's rail safety.

ABC News' Will Gretsky contributed to this report.

Violent protests erupt over train collision in Greece that killed 57 originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Over the years, the Oscar for best documentary feature has provided the Academy Awards with some of the ceremonys most contentious and divisive moments: In 1975, when the Vietnam War doc Hearts and Minds claimed the prize, producer Bert Schneider read a letter of thanks from the Viet Cong, so incensing hosts Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra that they took it upon themselves later in the broadcast to apologize for any political references. In 2003, while accepting his Oscar for the anti-gun doc Bowling for Columbine, Michael Moore was greeted with both cheers and boos when he cried Shame on you, Mr. Bush for launching the war in Iraq.

In the past couple of years, as Academy membership has grown larger and more diverse, the feature documentary results have been a lot more mellow, with crowd-pleasing choices  like the 2021 concert film Summer of Soul and the 2020 nature doc My Octopus Teacher  prevailing. This suggested to Oscar handicappers that if the race has a favorite, it must be whichever film appears to be the most likable and accessible of the contenders.

More from The Hollywood Reporter

But this year, that rule of thumb has been tossed aside. Thats because, in a competition crowded with quality docs, some of the most audience-friendly movies, somewhat inexplicably, didnt make the cut. Ryan Whites Good Night Oppy, which imaginatively re-created the life of two Mars rovers, won the top prize at the Critics Choice Documentary Awards but was left off the Academys shortlist of 15 films, from which the five nominees were chosen. Two well-regarded music docs  Brett Morgens celebration of David Bowie, Moonage Daydream, and Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfines Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song  made the shortlist but didnt secure nominations.

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The five nominees that remain in consideration all come armed with plenty of prizes and critics endorsements. They tackle serious issues, feature quietly heroic protagonists and are not without their moments of triumph, some bittersweet. But not one of them is exactly warm and cuddly. And that makes predicting which might exert the broadest appeal among the Academys far-flung membership more difficult.

Sara Dosas Fire of Love, which focuses on the lives of French volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft, is both an account of scientific exploration and a love story. The Nat Geo/Neon entry displays some of the same nail- biting man-against-nature suspense that earned the rock-climbing doc Free Solo, another Nat Geo production, an Oscar in 2019. It reportedly has left some audiences misty-eyed. And it just won the Directors Guilds best doc trophy, which raises its profile.

While Fire of Love roams around the world, Shaunak Sens All That Breathes zeroes in on a dingy basement in Delhi, India, where brothers Mohammad Saud and Nadeem Shehzad have established a bird rescue to treat and care for the hundreds of black kites that fall from the polluted sky. They live in what quite literally could be considered an urban jungle, where animal species, from the magisterial kites to scurrying rats, have had to adjust to the man-made environment. The film earned documentary honors at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, having earlier won the world documentary grand jury prize at Sundance, where HBO Documentary Films, a longtime player in the Oscar game, picked up worldwide TV rights.

HBO Docs also acquired rights to Participants All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, which was distributed theatrically by Neon. Arguably the most ambitious of this years nominees, it centers on photographer Nan Goldin in her campaign to have museums around the world remove the Sackler family name from their walls because of the role the Sacklers company Purdue Pharma played in promoting OxyContin, triggering an epidemic of opioid addiction. But beyond the subject of addiction, it also takes unflinching looks at suicide, domestic abuse and the AIDS crisis. Its definitely a critics favorite, having collected kudos from both New York and Los Angeles film critics groups. And in its director, Laura Poitras, it has a previously minted Oscar winner: She earned that prize for 2014s Citizenfour  although that factor could be a mixed blessing given that the documentary category rarely opts for repeat winners.

This year, if the Academy is looking to make a statement  as it has done in the past with movies like Davis Guggenheims 2006 An Inconvenient Truth  All the Beauty isnt the only option.

The most modest of this years crop, Giant Pictures A House Made of Splinters, is set in a shelter for abandoned children in the city of Lysychansk in eastern Ukraine. Debuting at the 2022 edition of Sundance, where its helmer, Simon Lereng Wilmot, won directing laurels, it was filmed before the Russian invasion. But an added layer of sadness lies over the film, because as difficult as the lives of the kids it depicts are, they now might be worse off, with that area of the Donbas region under intense fighting.

Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, who has been imprisoned since January 2021, is the subject of CNN Films Navalny, which traces his 2020 poisoning, his recovery in Germany and decision to return to Russia, where he was immediately arrested. The film, directed by Daniel Roher, picked up an audience award at Sundance, was awarded a BAFTA as best documentary and received the PGAs top doc award. And if the Academy is in the mood for a real-life thriller  as it was when it favored Citizenfour  Navalny fits that bill, even if, like the rest of this years serious-minded nominees, it isnt exactly a feel-good film.

This story first appeared in the March 1 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.

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Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have received an invitation for the coronation of Harry's father, King Charles III, their spokesperson has confirmed.

The confirmation of Harry and Meghan's invitation answers a longstanding question of whether they would be invited to the king's coronation after Harry's explosive memoir, released in January, appeared to further the distance between him and his royal family members.

It still remains to be seen, however, whether the California-based Sussexes will travel to England to attend the coronation, scheduled to take place on May 6 at Westminster Abbey.

The day of the coronation is also the fourth birthday of Harry and Meghan's son, Archie. The couple also has a 1-year-old daughter, Lilibet.

"I can confirm The Duke has recently received email correspondence from His Majesty's office regarding the coronation," a spokesperson for the Sussexes told ABC News on Sunday. "An immediate decision on whether The Duke and Duchess will attend will not be disclosed by us at this time."

PHOTO: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex visit Nuku'alofa, Tonga, Oct. 26, 2016. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images, FILE)

Buckingham Palace has not commented on Harry and Meghan's invitation to the coronation.

A palace spokesperson confirmed to ABC News Monday that save-the-date emails and correspondence for the coronation have started rolling out, while formal invitations will not be sent until closer to the date.

The news of Harry and Meghan's invitation comes less than one week since the Sussexes' spokesperson confirmed that the couple had been asked "to vacate" Frogmore Cottage, their official residence in the United Kingdom since 2019.

Buckingham Palace has not commented on the Harry and Meghan being asked to move out of Frogmore Cottage, a royal residence located on the grounds of Windsor Castle.

PHOTO: King Charles III and Prince Harry attend the 'Our Planet' global premiere at the Natural History Museum,April 4, 2019, in London. (Samir Hussein/WireImage via Getty Images)

Charles is said to have made the decision to move his son and daughter-in-law out of their home in January, shortly after Harry's memoir "Spare" was released, according to ABC News contributor Omid Scobie.

MORE: King Charles III's coronation: What to expect, the traditions and symbolism explained

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According to Scobie and The Sun newspaper, Frogmore Cottage has instead been offered to Charles' younger brother, Prince Andrew, who is no longer a working royal after facing scrutiny over his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Harry and Meghan are also no longer senior working royals after choosing to step down from their roles in 2020, becoming financially independent and moving to California.

The reported changes with Frogmore Cottage come less than six months after the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September, at which point Charles, her eldest son, became king.

The queen's funeral in September was the last time Harry and Meghan appeared publicly with the royal family. The period of mourning for the queen also marked the first time in two years the couple was seen together publicly with Charles and Harry's brother, Prince William, and other senior royals.

PHOTO: In this Sept. 10, 2022 file photo William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex walk outside Windsor Castle, following the passing of Britain's Queen Elizabeth, in Windsor, Britain. (Peter Nicholls/Reuters, FILE)

In his memoir, Harry described tensions within his family, particularly between himself and his father and brother.

MORE: Prince Harry says Princess Diana would be 'sad' about rift between her sons

Harry told "Good Morning America" co-anchor Michael Strahan in an interview prior to the memoir's release that he did not believe the details he shared in "Spare" could make things any worse with his family.

"I have thought about it long and hard," Harry said. "And as far as I see it, the divide couldn't be greater before this book."

Neither Kensington Palace -- the office of William and Kate, the Princess of Wales -- nor Buckingham Palace, the office of Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort, have commented on the claims Harry made in "Spare."

Prince Harry, Meghan share news about King Charles' coronation originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com
A man has been charged in the death of Cashay Henderson, a Black transgender woman who was found shot dead in her Milwaukee, Wisconsin apartment on Feb. 26.

According to a criminal complaint, the Milwaukee Fire Department was responding to a fire in her apartment she was found unconscious and not breathing, with a gunshot wound. Henderson, 31, was discovered "after the fire was extinguished and the apartment was vented."

An autopsy found that the cause of death was "was multiple gunshot wounds" to her head and neck, and the manner of death was ruled a homicide. Officials say the cause of the fire was arson.

PHOTO: A photo of Cashay Henderson, a transgender woman, who died by homicide, is shown at a vigil on March 1, 2023. (Ebony Cox/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via USA Today Network)

Cordell M. Howze was charged on Sunday with "first degree reckless homicide, habitual criminality repeater, use of a dangerous weapon" as well as "possession of a firearm by a felon."

If convicted of these charges, he could face up to 85 years in prison and could be fined up to $25,000, officials say.

MORE: Public drag performances restricted in Tennessee

"His arrest represents one step forward in delivering justice to Cashay and reassuring the community, especially the LGBTQIA+ community, that MPD is committed to serving all persons inclusively," the Milwaukee Police Department said in a statement. "The Milwaukee Police Department sends our condolences to Cashays family and loved ones, the LGBTQIA+ community, and all members of the public that were impacted by this tragic incident."

PHOTO: Elle Halo speaks during the vigil for Cashay Henderson, a transgender woman who died by homicide, on March 1, 2023. (Ebony Cox/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via USA Today Network)

MORE: Map: Where gender-affirming care is being targeted in the US

Henderson's family want her to be remembered as "a jokester," "independent," "unapologetic," and someone who "walks to the beat of her own drum."

Henderson, originally from Chicago, was a well-known figure in the Milwaukee LGBTQ+ community and was known for her advocacy.

"I'm proud of her. I'm proud that she made an impact on our community," Levette Whitlock, Henderson's cousin, told ABC News in an interview. "I'm proud people are standing up for her. I love that her community is coming and helping us."

She is the fourth transgender person in the past year to be killed in the Milwaukee.

Suspect charged in killing of Cashay Henderson, a Black transgender woman originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
One woman is dead and two others critically injured after a large crowd surged following a concert featuring GloRilla and Finesse2Tymes at the Main Street Armory in Rochester, New York.

Three women were taken by ambulance to Strong Memorial Hospital, where one of three  a 33-year-old woman  was pronounced dead, according to Rochester police.

The other two victims were listed in critical condition with life-threatening injuries as of Monday morning.

Seven additional concert-goers were dropped off by private vehicles at area hospitals with injuries that were not considered life-threatening, but were related to the same incident, police said.

Just after 11 p.m., after the concert ended, concert-goers were leaving the venue when the crowd started to surge and rush toward the exit, said Rochester Police Chief David Smith. There were reports of individuals hearing what they believed to be gunshots inside the venue, at 900 E. Main St., "causing the crowd to panic," he said.

Smith said there was no evidence that anyone fired a gun inside the venue, or that anyone at the venue was shot or stabbed. The injuries, Smith said, "were caused from being trampled," Smith said.

Police, along with other city departments including the Fire Marshal, Code Enforcement Office and Rochester's Corporate Counsel, are investigating the fatal stampede and are currently interviewing concert-goers, injured victims, security, among others. Police are looking into numerous contributing factors including crowd size, shots fired, pepper spray, as part of the investigation.

Smith said the city is also working with the state Liquor Authority to verify compliance with regulatory safety measures.

The agencies, he said, will not only determine what happened, but will "bring accountability to those who are culpable for last night's tragedy," Smith said.

Rochester Mayor Malik Evans, who along with Smith at the scene early Monday morning, said the situation both "breaks my heart and is totally unacceptable."

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"This is a tragedy of epic proportions," Evans said at a news conference Monday. "It's something that all of us who love concerts worry about... When you go to a concert you do not expect to be trampled. Your loved ones expect you to be able to come home and talk about the experience you had at that great concert."

It was not immediately known how many people attended the concert. Smith said the building has a capacity for approximately 5,000 people.

It is also not yet clear whether shows on the Main Street Armory's schedule  including the next concert scheduled to be held Saturday, March 11  will take place as planned as the investigation is underway.

GloRilla, a Memphis native whose 2022 song F.N.F. (Lets Go) with Hitkidd was nominated for a Grammy for best rap performance, tweeted that she was praying everybody is ok.

Im just now hearing about what happened wtf praying everybody is ok   GloRilla  (@GloTheofficial) March 6, 2023

Fatal crowd surges have been a recurring disaster at concerts and other large events in the U.S. and around the world, including a 2021 concert by rapper Travis Scott in which 10 people died.

Police are asking anyone with video, photos or other details on the concert and its aftermath that can help police in their investigation to call 911 or email PSI@CityofRochester.gov.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: GloRilla concert in Rochester: 1 dead, 9 injured. What we know
Fire up your devices fast. (Photo: Amazon)

A cell phone thats on 1% while youre stuck in traffic. A tablet that runs out of juice during a long and dreary commute. A laptop that decides to die while youre just trying to get some work done on the go. These are just a few scenarios that teach you never to leave home without a spare charger. Luckily, you can save up to 40% today on select Anker charging accessories  including lightweight power banks, durable cords and more. Don't miss these deals.

Amazon Anker PowerCore Solar 20000 $49 $70 Save $21 This genius gadget uses solar power to juice up your devices, making it a must for beach-goers, hikers and campers. It's water-, dust-, and shock-resistant, and it comes with a built-in flashlight. $49 at Amazon

"This thing is a beast," said a five-star reviewer. "I purchased this battery bank before a recent trip to Mexico. I took it with me to Cenote Maya, Ek Balam and a few other places while I was there. I charged it once before I left and it had enough juice to allow for charging my iPhone 12 Pro and iPad Air a couple of times on the plane, in the airport and on the go before the battery was down to one dot. It's VERY well built."

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EAST PALESTINE, Ohio  A month has passed since the controlled release of toxic chemicals occurred from a derailed Norfolk Southern train, but the conversation around railroad safety and the long-term effects of the incident is far from over.

What is the plan?:Are communities in Beaver County prepared for a train derailment like East Palestine?

As state and federal agencies continue to monitor the region around East Palestine, residents are calling upon lawmakers to hold Norfolk Southern accountable and take steps to prevent similar accidents from occurring again. While the process of recovering from the Feb. 3 train accident could take years to complete, the past month was a whirlwind for residents and officials hoping to help residents through this healing process.

A mural in East Palestine, Ohio.

Federal agencies began the process of holding the railroad company accountable after the changing temperatures inside of a burning railcar required the controlled release of the vinyl chloride on Feb. 6. After the mandatory 1-mile evacuation was lifted, officials began to disclose issues with the communication process with Norfolk Southern personnel and the early breakdown of the Unified Command at the scene, which caused significant delays in that process.

More:Gov. Shapiro says Norfolk Southern had 'poor handling' of derailment response in open letter

Residents from the region have remained critical of the emergency response, prompting various discussions about the procedures around the state. While only 22 families were inside of the evacuation zone in Darlington Township, many people around the region have been concerned about the potential spread of these chemicals and the short amount of time allocated for life affecting decision-making.

This photo taken with a drone shows portions of a Norfolk and Southern freight train that derailed Friday night in East Palestine, Ohio, are still on fire at mid-day Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

In Beaver County, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is in the process of testing all private drinking water wells within a 2-mile radius of the derailment site, and municipal water suppliers continue to perform routine tests out of an abundance of caution. At this point, no concerning levels of contamination have been detected in air or water tests, according to Gov. Josh Shapiro.

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Still, some residents in Darlington Township have reported lingering respiratory irritation, headaches and cough. Its unclear if these symptoms are related to the disaster, but Shapiro on Monday announced the Pennsylvania Department of Health would open a health resource center in Darlington Township for those with concerns. The DEP will be on hand to help residents sign up for independent water testing.

More:Beaver Countians near East Palestine train crash rush to confirm safe water

There have been no confirmed reports of fishkill or wildlife impact in Pennsylvania at this time.

Federal investigations are currently underway to determine the exact scope of the incident, but many residents affected by the evacuation have also turned to civil lawsuits to hold the railroad company accountable for the disruption in their lives. Several class action lawsuits have been filed throughout the region, with each containing varying areas that were allegedly affected by the accident.

More:Lawsuit filed against Norfolk Southern by East Palestine residents forced to evacuate

The derailment site has been a frequent spot for political stops, which includes visits from former president Donald Trump, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigeig, Shapiro and state Sen. Doug Mastriano. Both political parties have called on Norfolk Southern to properly address community concerns, which include the full remediation of the soil and water around the village.

EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan outlines the EPA orders for Norfolk Southern during a news conference at the East Palestine community center. Work continues to clean up the vinyl chloride chemical spill from the Norfolk Southern train derailment on Feb. 3.

Lawmakers are also asking questions on how to prevent similar incidents from occurring around the country, ensuring hazardous materials are safely handled. One hearing on Pennsylvania's role in the emergency response was held at Community College of Beaver County's dome on Feb. 23, with members of the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee inviting residents and local emergency officials to speak on the process.

At this hearing, residents shared their concerns about the chemical release and the prolonged effects it may have on the community members in the evacuation zone. Members from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency were also present to talk about the decisions made on-site, detailing some of the communications issues that had occurred with Norfolk Southern during this process.

More:Residents share concerns about train derailment, chemical effects at CCBC hearing

The call for increased safety during the transportation of hazardous materials on the nation's railways is also seeing some action in federal legislation as well. One bipartisan bill that was recently introduced to the Senate, known as the Railway Safety Act of 2023, seeks to add a variety of safety requirements to trains transporting hazardous materials and would require railroad companies to notify states when hazardous chemicals come through their jurisdiction.

A black plume rises over East Palestine, Ohio, as a result of a controlled detonation of a portion of the derailed Norfolk Southern train on Feb. 6, 2023.

Previous derailments in the region have proven this process of remediation can take up to a decade to complete, but these increased calls for change across the nation hold the potential to create change in the way hazardous materials are transported in the nation. As the practice remains fairly unregulated, the incident in the small Ohio town could have happened in countless American towns.

Don't let residents be forgotten:Patrick O'Shea: East Palestine should never be forgotten

As the situation continues to develop, residents hope that the incident in East Palestine will stay in peoples' minds and officials will continue to address the potential long-term effects of the derailment on public health.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Calls for change, accountability in Beaver Valley continue one month after Ohio train derailment
A fundraiser for Guadalupe Huapilla-Perez has raised nearly $500,000. The Michigan State University student was one of the five students critically injured in the shooting on MSU's campus Feb. 13, according to her sister. GoFundMe has verified the account.

LANSING  One of the Michigan State University students injured in a Feb. 13 campus shooting is making significant steps toward recovery but faces additional surgeries, according to a Sunday update from her family.

Guadalupe Huapilla-Perez was one of five students injured in the shooting. Three others were killed.

She is "finding comfort in doing her own hair care routine, FaceTiming nieces and nephews back in Florida, and playing with the therapy dogs that come by and visit!" according to the update to her verified GoFundMe page from her older sister Selena Huapilla-Perez.

The fundraiser has raised nearly $500,000.

Her appetite is returning and she is making progress in physical and occupational therapy, Selena wrote.

The update implied that Huapilla-Perez remains at the hospital. Troy Forbush, who was wounded in the shooting, went home after being hospitalized for more than a week. Two other students were released by Friday, according to university police

Two other students remain in the hospital  one in fair condition, another in critical, according to a Friday update from MSU police.

MSU and Sparrow have not released the names of the students who were injured.

"She is challenging herself to take more walks and go longer distances," Selena added. "She's gone from walks in her room to walks in the hallway of our floor.

"Guadalupe's wounds require two follow-up surgeries which are pending in the near future."

Contact Mike Ellis mellis@lsj.com or on Twitter @MikeEllis_AIM

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Family of Guadalupe Huapilla-Perez says she is recovering, faces surgeries
Netflix is looking to tell authentic stories from various countries now that hit programming doesnt need to come out of Hollywood alone anymore, Larry Tanz, vp, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) content at the global streaming giant, said on Monday.

Great stories really can come from anywhere, the executive shared during an event for reporters and Netflix partners and stakeholders at the streamers European headquarters in Amsterdam. Until a few years ago, to have something  successful creators felt like it had to be in English and had to go to Hollywood and sell it there, Tanz said. The widely held thought was that that was the only way, he continued. Everything has changed just in the last five years or so where you can film a series in Spain and get it made in Spain with our team in Madrid. And it is a global phenomenon. And that is true in a bunch of our countries, and it is incredible.

More from The Hollywood Reporter

So, nowadays, people dont have to fly out to Los Angeles to pitch a movie or series and make it in English, but can tell a story in their local language, such as All Quiet on the Western Front, he concluded.

Doing that authentically is key, he highlighted. Authentic means a story like The Empress, Netflixs Germany- and Austria-set hit drama, Tanz also explained. The key goal is to appeal to local audiences who can enjoy seeing local stories told authentically, which then can also appeal to viewers elsewhere.

Do people in different European countries or regions mostly watch a single genre? Tanz said that is not the case. For example, fans of French hit series Lupin also watch such genres as comedies, dramas, thrillers and others. As a further example, he also mentioned that the old stereotype that audiences in the Nordics only like Nordic noir clearly isnt true. Our members watch an average of six different genres every month, he shared.

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After highlighting that Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) is now the biggest region for Netflix in terms of subscribers, the executive was asked what his teams next focus was. We have a lot to do to satisfy and bring a ton to bring joy to our members here in terms of bringing great films and series to them, Tanz said.

In 2019, Netflix announced its move to the bigger Amsterdam office as of May 2020 after unveiling new digs in Berlin, Paris and London. The company, which ended 2022 with 230.75 million subscribers, has been expanding its presence and production operations in various international markets.

EMEA quietly became the streamers biggest region in terms of subscribers in 2022, overtaking the combined user figure of 74.3 million for the U.S. and Canada with its 76.7 million. Its revenue for last year reached $9.75 billion, with average revenue per user (ARPU) of $10.99, compared to $15.86 for the U.S. and Canada.

In early 2021, Ampere Analysis said that Netflix had become the second-largest TV company in Europe in terms of European revenue in 2020. It accounted for 6.1 percent of total European TV revenue back then, only ranking behind Comcasts 12.0 percent. In 2022, Comcast represented 10.3 percent of all European TV revenue across subscription streaming, pay TV, public TV and TV advertising, the firm has told THR, while Netflix had grown to 7.7 percent before including online video advertising revenue, which the streamer just started recording.

While 70 percent of Netflix approximately 12,800 full-time employees as of Dec. 31, 2022, were based in the U.S. and Canada, according to the companys annual report, EMEA ranked second with 2,000, or 16 percent.

Netflix on Monday also unveiled two new Dutch comedy titles, the film The Dadchelor from Jon Karthaus and Daan van den Nouweland and Bad Boas from Jandino Asporaat, who also plays the lead role in the film. The Dadchelor tells the story of uber-responsible Mark, who is about to become a father and goes on a seemingly innocent Dadchelor weekend, that spirals out of control and even puts the life of his friends on the line.

Bad Boas is a film in collaboration with Asporaat, one of the most popular comedians in the Netherlands who also plays the lead role of Ramon, a well-meaning but barely effective BOA (extraordinary investigation officers that are officers who help the police to supervise local order and safety), is told that he has a terminal illness, according to a plot summary.

Click here to read the full article.
Republican lawmakers in North Carolina say they have reached an agreement on expanding Medicaid in the state.

The deal enacted would remove North Carolina from the small list of states that have not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.

North Carolina is one of 11 states that have not expanded Medicaid coverage since the Obama-era law. It is a push that has faced significant conservative opposition in the states where it has not been adopted.

In North Carolina, Republicans in the House and Senate had agreed on the need to expand the program, but disagreed over how to do so.

The basic disagreement between Republicans in the two chambers was that Senate Republicans wanted to attach to the bill some larger changes to health care regulations in the state, a move that House lawmakers bulked at, according to WRAL News.

Lawmakers said at a press conference on Thursday that some but not all of the regulatory changes sought by Senate Republicans would be in the compromise, including a partial repeal of laws that limit competition in the health care industry.

Both chambers of the North Carolina legislature have strong Republican majorities. The move to adopt the Medicaid expansion comes as the federal government in recent years has added even more incentives for holdout states to adopt it. Under the Affordable Care Act expansion, the federal government pays 90 percent of the costs for states that expand the program.

But the 2021 American Rescue Plan, which is one of the landmark achievements of the Biden administration, sweetened the deal even more for states.

Under that law, the federal government will cover 95 percent of costs for two years for new expansion states, with hospitals and insurers covering the rest. Proponents of expansion in the state see it as a way to help boost the states overall health care system, especially rural health care services.

While lawmakers said they had reached an agreement, it will take until a new budget is passed for the expansion to take effect.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Promising Start to Assistance Dogs Project in Portuguese Hospital

(Picture Credit: Isaac Lane Koval/Corbis/VCG / Getty Images)

Since it began last October, the assistance dog project in the pediatric ward at the Sao Joao Hospital in the Portuguese city of Porto has been going from strength to strength, providing a much-needed boost for everyone involved, Portugal Resident reports.

Rave Reviews for Assistance Dogs

Zazu, a two-year-old Golden Retriever, and Tika, a three-year-old Labrador Retriever, have benefited both the young patients and the healthcare professionals at the hospital too, contributing to moments of relaxation and affection.

We began to realize that, besides direct benefits for the children, the dogs also helped their families, health professionals, and the entire hospital, said Catarina Cascais, Zazus handler.

Hospital staff have found that even just five minutes of petting one of the therapy dogs can be useful. In fact, it could be as valuable as a 20-minute rest or nap. It happens to us in the corridors, Catarina continued. We meet health professionals who tell us that this is their favorite day of the week.

Catarina is a volunteer with Animas, an organization that trains assistance dogs for people who need them. Once volunteers have trained the canines, the organization gives them free of charge to their new owners.

Nurse Madelena Pacheco described the new initiative as one thats been needed for a long time. It helps children, parents, and healthcare professionals alike.

Hospital Dogs Becoming More Popular

While there have been a number of projects like this one in the US, its still quite new for Portugal. But it looks as though other places may come on board soon.

In Canada too, therapy dogs have begun to appear in hospitals. Cambridge Memorial Hospital, in the Ontario city of Cambridge, welcomed Ember last year  the canine supports the staff at the facility, providing comfort and even improving their mental health.

While there will always be hygiene concerns around dogs in hospitals, it looks as if they could well and truly be here to stay.

The post Promising Start to Assistance Dogs Project in Portuguese Hospital appeared first on DogTime.
This past weekend, the Oklahoma Sooners hosted a number of prospects in the 2024 and 2025 recruiting classes. The weekend is beginning to pay dividends. The Sooners received several predictions over the last couple of days that have them trending in a positive direction.

Oklahoma received projections for 2024 running back Xavier Robinson and 2025 defensive back Maliek Hawkins. And late Sunday night, the Sooners received a crystal ball for 2024 five-star defensive lineman Williams Nwaneri.

Though Oklahoma hasnt received a commitment yet in the 2024 cycle, this weekend and the others theyll host this spring will go a long way to laying the foundation for the 2024 recruiting class. The on-campus recruiting staff, led by Lee Davis, put together another fantastic weekend for prospects from around the country.

Bennett Warren - 4-Star OT - Sugar Land, Texas

I want to thank everybody I met in Norman for a great experience and give thanks to all the coaches I met and the relationships that we are building. Thank you Norman! #OUDNA #BoomerSooner  pic.twitter.com/cG9rROZWnN  Bennett Warren (@BenzWarren76) March 5, 2023

Xavier Robinson - 3-Star RB - Midwest City, Okla.

K.J. Daniels - 3-Star WR - Franklinton, La.

Story continues

Had a great!! time at OU this weekend  #24K OU Fans show me love on IG https://t.co/PzjaMrGKoS  pic.twitter.com/Wc5qgef4NL  KJ Daniels (@KJDaniels10) March 6, 2023

LaDainian Fields - Oklahoma City, Okla.

Isaiah Mozee - 4-Star WR - Lee's Summit, Mo.

Joseph Jonah-Ajonye - 4-Star DE - Conroe, Texas

Mrs. Hawkins

We had an amazing time in OU! We are so grateful for the opportunity that was given to Maliek words cant explain how proud I am of you! THANK YOU @MaliekHawkins37 @mikehawkinsj @CoachVenables @JayValai @OU_Football @leewdavis17 #boomer pic.twitter.com/YrFaAZrz4B  Annabelle Hawkins (@abhawkinss) March 5, 2023

Mr. Hawkins

God is good. Truly blessed  https://t.co/RHHOvbitWp  Mike Hawkins (@HawkIcanNfl) March 6, 2023

Maliek Hawkins - 2025 Defensive Back - Frisco, Texas

Jake Helms - 5-Star Long Snapper - Austin, Texas

Had a great time @OU_Football Junior Day. Thanks again @nunez_jay for the invitation and a great experience. pic.twitter.com/pvCBBL4cB9  Jake Helms (@JakeHelms2024) March 5, 2023

Tavaris Banks - 4-Star Safety - Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Michael Boganowski - 3-Star Linebacker - Junction City, Kan.

Aquavious Dunbar - 3-Star Linebacker - Lake Village, Ark.

Had a great day at the Palace for Junior Day! Thank you @CoachTedRoof @CoachVenables @OU_Football for the hospitality! And motivation. pic.twitter.com/9GiVqvYz9q  Aquavious Dunbar (@AquaviousDunba1) March 5, 2023

Harrison Utley - 3-Star OL - Norman, Okla.

Micho Lavine - 2024 Running Back - Millwood, Okla.

Spencer Barnett - 5-Star Kicker - Austin, Texas

Had a great time visiting with @OU_Football. Big thanks to coach @nunez_jay for inviting me up! pic.twitter.com/EvGUC2WMlT  Spencer Barnett (@SpencerBarnet) March 5, 2023

Tony-Louis Nkuba - 4-Star CB - Lewisville, Texas

Next Generation of Bedenbaugh Linemen?

Kobe Black - 5-Star Cornerback - Waco, Texas

@OU_Football show love and follow me on Instagram. Had a great visit at Oklahoma cant wait to get back! @JayValai @CoachVenables pic.twitter.com/NALX6FVYMH  Kobe Black (@lilkb2xx) March 6, 2023

Eddrick Houston - 5-Star DL - Buford, Ga.

Tovani Mizell - 4-Star RB - Hyattsville, Md.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1367]

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Story originally appeared on Sooners Wire
Guns, knives and drugs are some of the typical items the Transportation Security Administration often reports finding in people's carry-on bags.

In a twist last week, TSA agents said they found something alive inside a passenger's bag at a security checkpoint in Virginia.

On Friday, a cat was discovered inside a passengers carry-on bag during a screening at Norfolk International Airport. And it's not the first time that has happened.

TSA released an X-ray photo of the cat, which appears to be hunched down inside a bag.

"Just when you thought it was safe to bring your pet cat on a trip... A traveler left their pet cat in its travel carrying case at a @TSA checkpoint this morning at @NorfolkAirport," TSA spokesperson Lisa Farbstein posted. "Attention pet owners: Please do not send your pet through the X-ray unit. Cat-astrophic mistake!"

Just when you thought it was safe to bring your pet cat on a trip. . . A traveler left their pet cat in its travel carrying case at a @TSA checkpoint this morning at @NorfolkAirport. Attention pet owners: Please do not send your pet through the X-ray unit. Cat-astrophic mistake! pic.twitter.com/tko6DP2vXx  Lisa Farbstein, TSA Spokesperson (@TSA_Northeast) March 3, 2023

Farbstein, a spokesperson for the TSA, told CNN the owner knew their pet was in a carry-on bag, because it was in a pet travel case.

It appears that the individual either did not know to remove the pet from the carry-on travel case before going through the checkpoint or forgot to do so, Farbstein told the outlet.

Americans kidnapped in Mexico: Four US citizens kidnapped by armed men after crossing border into Mexico, FBI says

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A 'hiss-toric find'

The incident was not the first of its kind, the TSA said.

In December, TSA agents found a dog inside a carry-on backpack that was "accidentally sent through the X-ray" at an airport in Madison, Wisconsin.

In a tweet, TSA Great Lakes shared an image of the backpack in a bin at airport security and its X-ray  which shows the outline of the dog in the traveler's carry-on at Dane County Regional Airport. The dog was OK when it emerged, TSA said, and the traveler was "unaware" about screening protocols required for animals.

A cat was discovered inside a passengers carry-on bag during a security screening at Norfolk International Airport in Virginia on March 3, 2023.

About a month earlier, in what agents dubbed a "hiss-toric find," a cat was found inside a traveler's checked luggage at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport.

The TSA retrieved the cat, which was alive, and notified police, who asked the traveler if he knew about the cat.

"From the sound of it, this was ... unintentional," Farbstein said, noting the traveler said he was unaware of the cat being in his luggage. The traveler told officials the cat belonged to someone else who lived in his household, Farbstein said.

Don't send pets through X-ray machines

On its website, TSA provides travelers information about guidelines on traveling with pets stating they should never be put through an airport's X-ray tunnel.

Dogs and cats, for example, can either be screened privately in a separate room or walk with a traveler through the metal detector on a leash, Farbstein told USA TODAY. But an empty pet carrier will still need to go through security's X-ray to ensure there are no prohibited items.

Each airline's policy for traveling with animals is different, so check with your carrier before you get to the airport about carry-on policies or special shipping options. Different rules apply to certain pets.

Contributing: Wyatte Grantham-Philips, USA TODAY

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: TSA finds cat inside carry-on bag at Norfolk International Airport
The alliance serves over 340 million passengers and over 1,088 annually.

Courtesy of Virgin Atlantic Airways

Virgin Atlantic customers now have access to perks and benefits of over a dozen other airlines as the United Kingdom-based carrier has joined the SkyTeam Alliance network.

We want to reward those who choose to fly with Virgin Atlantic and our Flying Club members deserve the very best loyalty proposition," CEO of Virgin Atlantic, Shai Weiss, said in a statement on Thursday. "Our SkyTeam membership offers this through a global network of maximized reward opportunities, alongside enhanced services on the ground and in the skies.

The current members of the SkyTeam alliance include: Aerolineas Argentinas, Aeromexico, Air Europa, Air France, China Airlines, China Eastern, Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Garuda Indonesia, ITA Airways, Kenya Airways, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Korean Air, Middle East Airlines, Saudia, TAROM, Vietnam Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and Xiamen Airlines.

The alliance serves over 340 million passengers and over 1,088 annually.

For customers of participating airlines, Virgin Atlantic points out that members of the SkyTeam Elite Plus tier of the SkyTeam program will soon have access to Virgin Atlantics Clubhouse airline lounge inside of London Heathrow. The Clubhouse is a 12,000 multi-story lounge which includes dining and a full spa.

Started in 1990, the SkyTeam alliance was originally formed by four airlines: Aeromexico, Air France, Delta, and Korean Air. Passengers who maintain loyalty to airline alliances, such as SkyTeam or its competitor Star Alliance, can enjoy the opportunity to redeem frequent flier miles on select partner airline flights within the alliance, a more seamless travel experience, or more flight availability through carrier agreements.



Virgin Atlantic is a popular London-based carrier started by Sir Richard Branson in 1984, and currently operates routes to 28 destinations over four continents. The airline recently announced they would be re-starting flights between London and Shanghai, China on May 1.



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Read the original article on Travel & Leisure.
King Charles and President Biden

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The planning behind the White House's involvement with King Charles III's coronation is still in the works.

President Joe Biden's travel plans were first questioned after a report by Time magazine surfaced on Friday indicating that the president was unlikely to be in attendance.

RELATED: King Charles and Queen Camilla's Coronation Oil Consecrated in Jerusalem as Countdown Continues

On Friday, a senior administration official confirmed to PEOPLE that "the U.S. will be represented at the coronation." Still, there is nothing to share "regarding presidential travel or regarding potential delegation at this time."

The president has expressed his wishes to "continue a close relationship with the King" as he takes on his new role.

King Charles

EDDIE MULHOLLAND/Getty

After the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II, Biden voiced his support for the British monarch and "recalled fondly the Queen's kindness and hospitality, including when she hosted him and the First Lady at Windsor Castle last June."

"He also conveyed the great admiration of the American people for the Queen, whose dignity and constancy deepened the enduring friendship and special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom," he shared in a statement from the White House.

RELATED: King Charles III's Coronation: Everything to Know About the Ceremony and Celebration

Although the monarch, 74, became the country's new leader immediately upon the death of his mother on Sept. 8, 2022, the ceremony will be his official crowning.

"Charles became King Charles the moment his mother died, but the coronation is to do with the job and being the monarch in the eyes of all the people," royal historian Robert Lacey told PEOPLE.

His wife Camilla, 75, will also be crowned as Queen Consort during the ceremony.

Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

On Friday, Buckingham Palace announced that Charles and Camilla would travel to France and Germany before the coronation for the first overseas visits of the new reign.

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The tour, which kicks off with the couple's arrival in France on Sunday, March 26, will see Charles and Camilla take on between 25 to 30 different engagements across the two countries during a five-day visit.

"The visit will celebrate the U.K.'s relationship with France and Germany, marking our shared histories, culture and values," a palace spokesperson said. "It is also a chance to look forwards and show the many ways our countries are working in partnership, whether that be to tackle climate change; respond to the conflict in Ukraine; seize trade and investment opportunities or share the best of our arts and culture."

"As well as speaking to the strength of the United Kingdom's bilateral relationships with France and Germany, Their Majesties' visit will include engagements highlighting the importance of sustainability and community  key themes which have been embraced by citizens of all our countries. There will also be opportunities to reflect on the sacrifices and challenges of our shared past, out of which has come an enduring legacy of cooperation and reconciliation," the spokesperson said.
Lee en espanol

More than 1.7 million Cubans have fled to the United States since Fidel Castro's revolution took power on Jan. 1, 1959.

But the more than 300,00 Cubans who have come to the U.S. in the past 12 months represent the largest exodus in Cuba's history.

It surpasses the 250,000 Cuban exiles who fled from 1959 to 1962 in the immediate aftermath of Castro's toppling of dictator Fulgencio Batista, according to the Migration Policy Institute.

The newest wave is larger than the 260,000 Cubans who fled to the U.S. on so-called Freedom Flights from 1965 to 1975, when the Castro regime allowed Cubans to leave to quell discontent and the U.S. agreed to finance the twice-daily trips from Havana to Miami to help Cuban refugees with relatives in the U.S. escape the Communist regime.

Since then, several other large waves of Cubans have come to the U.S.

Why did Cuban immigrants come to America?

Some 125,000 Cubans fled on boats from Cuba to Florida during the Mariel boatlift from April to September 1980, when Castro declared any Cuban who wanted to leave could amid a downturn in the economy and rising civil unrest. And 32,000 Cuban "balseros"  rafters  came on makeshift rafts during the 1994 Cuban rafter crisis after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

In response to the rafter crisis, the Clinton administration created the "wet foot, dry foot" policy that generally allowed Cubans who reached U.S. soil to be paroled into the U.S., where after one year and one day they became eligible to apply for permanent residency under the 1996 Cuban Adjustment Act. Cubans caught at sea attempting to reach the U.S., however, would be sent back to Cuba, under the policy.

As a result, Cuban migration to the U.S. shifted from sea to land, with more Cubans traveling through Mexico and then entering through legal ports of entry, primarily in Texas and Arizona, where they were typically paroled into the U.S.

A different destination:Arizona's Cuban population grows as people fleeing economic, political crisis look beyond Florida

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Why are more Cuban immigrants trying to cross the southern US border?

In 2017, President Barack Obama ended "wet foot, dry foot" as part of the normalization of relations with Cuba.

Now the worst economic crisis in decades and mounting political repression to quell dissent are driving more Cubans to flee on smuggling boats to reach Florida 90 miles away through the Florida Straits, where they risk being caught by the U.S Coast Guard and sent back.

As a result, the vast majority of Cubans fleeing their country have instead chosen a far longer and more dangerous route, flying first to Nicaragua and then paying coyotes to travel on land through Central America and Mexico to reach the U.S. southern border, where until recently they had a much better chance of being allowed to enter and remain in the U.S. after turning themselves over to border authorities.

What is humanitarian parole?

To deter unauthorized migrants from making the perilous journey through Mexico, the Biden administration announced in January a new program that allows up to 30,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans with U.S. sponsors to enter the U.S. legally with permits through a process known as humanitarian parole. At the same time, Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans who cross the border without authorization now face immediate expulsion under Title 42, a pandemic-era border policy.

The parole program is administered by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Starting Jan. 6, Cubans, Haitians, Venezuelans and Nicaraguans can apply for the parole program online.

To be eligible, they must have a sponsor in the U.S. who agrees to support them financially for the duration of their time in the U.S. as a parolee and undergo a "clear robust security vetting," according to the USCIS. Sponsors in the U.S. must a form for each person they wish to sponsor. There is no fee for either applicants or sponsors.

Sponsors must be U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (green card holders) or hold some other legal status in the U.S., pass a security and background check, and show they have sufficient resources to "receive, maintain, and support the individuals they are agreeing to support for the duration of their parole period."

Cubans are expected to receive most of the 30,000 parole permits allocated per month because they tend to have more ties to relatives in the U.S. with money and the know-how to apply as sponsors, said Ariel Ruiz, a policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute.

What's more, Cubans who enter the U.S. with humanitarian parole are eligible to apply for a green card  legal permanent residency  after living in the U.S. for one year and one day under the Cuban Adjustment Act, said William Desantiago, an immigration lawyer at Catholic Charities in Phoenix.

Five years after receiving a green card, they will be eligible to apply for citizenship, Desantiago said.

Changes at the border:Once welcomed into the US, Cubans arriving at southern border now expelled under new Biden policy

How does the 1966 Cuban Adjustment Act apply now?

Only Cubans are eligible to apply for permanent residency under the 1966 Cuban Adjustment Act. The law was intended to destabilize the Castro regime and help Cubans escaping communism. The same benefit is not available to immigrants from other countries, Desantiago said.

To get a green card, Haitians, Venezuelans and Nicaraguans who come to the U.S. through Biden's parole program will have to apply for asylum, or have an immediate family member who is a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident who can sponsor them for permanent residency, Desantiago said.

"They do not qualify for the Cuban Adjustment Act, and there is no similar statute relating to them," he said.

Most Cubans who previously came through the southern border were granted humanitarian parole to enter the U.S. and therefore will also be eligible to apply for a green card after one year and one day under the Cuban Adjustment Act, Desantiago said.

Those not granted humanitarian parole but allowed into the U.S. were released on bond or an I-220A order of recognizance, he said.

"The only real option" Cubans released on bond or by an order of recognizance have is to apply for asylum, Desantiago said.

What happens to Cuban migrants apprehended at the border?

There is some legal dispute, however, whether Cubans released on orders of recognizance are also eligible to apply for a green card under the Cuban Adjustment Act, he said.

In the past, even Cubans who were ordered deported remained in the U.S. because Cuba refused to accept Cuban deportees.

In November, Cuba agreed to begin accepting deportation flights with Cubans apprehended at the U.S. southern border, NBC News reported.

In December, the Los Angeles Times reported that the Department of Homeland Security had inadvertently informed the Cuban government that some of the Cubans the U.S. was trying to send back to Cuba had expressed fear of persecution and torture, putting them at risk of retaliation by the Cuban government if sent back.

Reach the reporter at daniel.gonzalez@arizonarepublic.com or at 602-444-8312. Follow him on Twitter @azdangonzalez.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Why and how did Cuban immigrants start to come to America?
Those who have eyes that can see, ears that can hear and a brain that works should be aware, and moved, by the disaster that is to befall the cities of Gadsden, Attalla, Glencoe, Rainbow City and Southside. All are part of Etowah County in Northeast Alabama.

There are other areas in Alabama that will be the beneficiaries of this manmade disaster, but we limit our focus upon Etowah County. The other affected cities will undoubtedly fend off the impending disaster themselves.

The disaster that I speak of is the untenable position held by a single person to rid these cities of a large portion of their operating budgets provided by the unfair occupational tax.

Elaine Harris Spearman

Sen. Andrew Jones, R-Centre, is unmoved in his quest to help people. I have referred to Jones in this space as the Roman senator, forever posturing and seeking notice from taking positions that are so bad that it leaves thinking people shaking their heads and asking What is he thinking?

As we travel this rocky road of possibilities, should the bad idea not come to fruition, do not fall on your knees thanking the senator for not destroying our cities. This kind of behavior falls within the realm of the savior complex. Create a disaster for which only you can provide a solution.

It is unsettling to most people when the powers vested in those elected to office comes full circle and can affect people individually and collectively. It is indeed involving a fear factor when a senator from Cherokee County proposes legislation that so clearly impacts people residing in Etowah County.

Ephesians 6:12: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. So many are aware of this verse and those that follow. We do have to defend, withstand the evil day and, having done all, stand for what is right and just.

Gadsden Mayor Craig Ford has apparently done just that as he held a town hall meeting that had city department heads and mayors of all of the cities impacted, minus one, give firsthand information on the impact of the occupational tax loss.

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The overflow crowd at The Venue at Coosa Landing heard real-time, factual information about what will happen to city services if the senator moves forward with his dark, hateful plan.

What was missing from the huge crowd at The Venue? From my perspective, and anyone who can see, it was a large part of the community that will be impacted as much as anyone in the community, if not more.

The senator himself has brought up his 2018 campaign where people allegedly were tired of business as usual in Etowah County, and part of the discussion included, concerns about occupational taxes.

The concerns were from residents of unincorporated areas of the county, not in any of its municipalities, who have no voice in how the cities they work in operate.

Well, dear God. If you are coming into Gadsden from elsewhere to work, you have no business having a say in how its government works. You would have a lot to say if you came out and your vehicle was missing, and no police officer responded. You would have a lot to say if the place where you worked burned down, and no first responders came to help you personally, or your place of employment. Do you throw trash along the roadways?

Who do these complainers sound like? Their refrain is familiar. As the 2018 campaign dragged on, there were African Americans and others persuaded by the senator to get on board this ill-fated train and use whatever means they had to have others get on board. They must be held to account and do not deserve to hold any public office.

Know this: Whatever affects the whole, affects the portions, some more than others. The possibility exists of replacement of the lost revenue with higher property taxes. If people are raging and complaining now, I have no idea what they will do if property taxes rise.

I am aware of what some conniving. greedy people will do. Look at the rolls for property to take from those who did not pay taxes, whatever the reason. I am aware of specific instances of this behavior.

The mayors are united in the fight against this coup, seeking to essentially rob municipal officials of their ability to take care of residents and visitors alike.

From the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor that enraged American public opinion comes a statement attributed to Japanese Admiral Yamamoto: I fear that all we have done is awaken a sleeping giant and filled him with a terrible resolve.

Elaine Harris Spearman, Esq., a Gadsden native, is an attorney and is the retired legal advisor to the comptroller of the City of St. Louis. The views reflected are her own.

This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Elaine Harris Spearman looks at occupational tax
The Decorative Arts Center of Ohio is hosting "Flower Power: Flora in Fashion," an exhibit of some 60 women's dresses and accessories, through April 23.

LANCASTER - Those who are anxious for spring and its floral finery will find a welcome sight at the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio.

The art center, in the historic Reese-Peters House, is hosting through April 23 Flower Power: Flora in Fashion. The exhibit of about 60 womens dresses and accessories - couture clothing from the 1920s to the 1960s  bursts with color and high style. The garments, hats, purses, gloves and other accessories  all with floral themes  are from the Historic Costume and Textiles Collection at Ohio State University.

Its a smile on your face, feel-good, spring is coming back kind of exhibit, said Gayle Strege, exhibit curator and curator of the Historic Costume and Textiles Collection.

Displayed on the corner pedestal is a white lace gown designed by Mollie Parnis, worn by Lady Bird Johnson.

The dresses are displayed according to color in the various rooms of the Reese-Peters House. Blue and purple gowns in one room give way to pink gowns in the next room, then dresses made from natural fibers in the green room give way to a brown and black room, and finally, a multicolor room that celebrates all the splashy hues of spring flowers.

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There are some breathtaking dresses, whimsical accessories and historic connections in this entertaining show.

Designer Hattie Carnegies purple velvet gown from the 1930s is sleek and slinky. George Stavropoulos is represented with several dresses including a remarkable white organza gown with blue floral appliques and descending plant tendrils. A Philippine wedding dress from the 1960s is gorgeous and impossibly made from pineapple fiber cloth.

Purple velvet gown with applique flower hem designed by Hattie Carnegie, 1930-39

Theres also a pink and tan sundress made from burlap. Designer Donald Brooks used the fluorescent pinks, oranges, aquas and greens of the psychedelic 60s to create a one-shoulder strap, full-length gown that observers might need sunglasses to look at.

Among the accessories: a comical dandelions hair comb made of silk and plastic, a burlap shoe that went with the burlap sundress, and a sweet rose petal hat worn in the 1960s by Annie Glenn (wife of Sen. John Glenn) at a Washington, D.C. luncheon hosted by Lady Bird Johnson.

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Columbus couture:'Bringing couture to Columbus': A look at the city's fashion community

Lady Bird Johnson is also represented with a full-length Mollie Parnis lace gown that the first lady wore at her 59th birthday party hosted by President Lyndon B. Johnson. A number of Ohio women wore some of the gowns in the exhibit, including Dorothy Peters (of the Reese-Peters House) and her Sophie Gimbel silk gown adorned with purple violets; Dorothy Firestone Galbreath (of Darby Dan Farms fame) and her floral print gown designed by Norell-Tassell; and Terre Blair Hamlisch (former Columbus television personality and wife of composer Marvin Hamlisch) and her poofy Yves St. Laurent purple and white silk taffeta dress.

Festive colors are represented in the show, like this pink and orange one-shoulder gown designed by Donald Brooks.

Accompanying the dress exhibit is Botany in Buttons, framed displays of hundreds of buttons from the Ann W. Rudolph Button collection, which also is part of the Historic Costume and Textiles Collection. These buttons  with images of roses, pansies, lilies, poppies, irises and more on metal, glass, ceramic and other materials  are handsomely set against a wallpaper background of colorful spring flowers.

The items on display in Flower Power, Strege said, represent only a fraction of OSUs collection that numbers more than 12,000 objects.

In the gray, often drizzly days of Ohios late winter and emerging spring, this is a welcome sampling that demonstrates the power of flowers to inspire dress designers and find their creative way into feminine apparel.

negilson@gmail.com

At a glance

Flower Power: Flora in Fashion continues through April 23 at the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio, 145 E. Main St., Lancaster. Hours: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays, 1 to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Call 740-681-1423 or visit decartsohio.org.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Flower Power: Flora in Fashion exhibits dresses from 1920s to 1960s
KEY WEST, Fla.  I am a descendent of two Hoosiers who fought in the American Civil War. Two of my great-great grandfathers enlisted in Indiana regiments to preserve the United States.

When an emerging Republican congressional "leader"  U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia  used "Presidents Day" to call for a "national divorce," my first instinct was to take this offense personally.

We need a national divorce. We need to separate by red states and blue states and shrink the federal government, Greene said. Everyone I talk to says this. From the sick and disgusting woke culture issues shoved down our throats to the Democrats traitorous America Last policies, we are done.

The reaction from Indiana's Republican dominated congressional delegation was mute.

It would be easy to dismiss Greene's ranting as one more crazy thing she has said. A year ago, she called out "Nancy Pelosi's Gazpacho Police" (I think she meant Nazi Germany's "Gestapo" as opposed to a force consisting of cold soup made of blended vegetables). She described the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection as a "little riot" instead of the attempted coup d'etat that it was. She suggested on Fox News that joining the U.S. military is "like throwing your life away."

During the last war of secession, one of my great-great grandfathers, Harvey Hopping Platt, was a private in Infantry Company G, 7th Indiana Volunteers. The second was Jacob Wesley Main, who was a private in Company D, 104th Indiana Infantry. Both were born in 1838 and were 23 years old when 11 southern states formed the Confederacy.

Pvt. Platt was wounded in the head, on May 12, 1864, at Battle Laurel Hill, part of the Wilderness campaign near Spotsylvania Courthouse in Virginia. He received his discharge on Jan. 20, 1865, returning home with a steel plate in his head. A farmer near Aurora in Dearborn County, he wore a cork hat when working in the sun, and he died on June 27, 1873, from effects of the wound.

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Jacob Main was a Ripley County farmer working the land carved out of a forest. He mustered in on July 10, 1863, one of six brothers who served in Indiana regiments. One of those brothers, Charles, was killed in the Battle of Mark's Mill in July 1864 in Arkansas as a member of the 43rd Indiana regiment.

According to the Indiana Historical Bureau, Pvts. Platt and Main were two of the 196,363 Hoosier men served in the Civil War, the second highest among Union states.

Most recruiting was carried out at community meetings and by individuals like Benjamin Harrison and Lew Wallace. Companies generally assembled at county seats or other large towns. Fairgrounds were turned into military camps. The departures of companies were often marked by community celebrations or public meals.

Our family has scant information on why they chose to serve. Some ardently opposed slavery and its expansion to the western frontier. Theodore Upson expressed himself in this way, according to the Historic Bureau: This Union your ancestors and mine helped to make must be saved from destruction. Henry C. Marsh wrote: I miss home the Church and my friends very much but am willing to give them all up for my country in this great struggle for Liber[t]y.

Or as Ara Fraizer put it, I, with thousands of others ... periled our lives for the sole purpose of putting down the rebellion, & to maintain this Government, the best that the world ever knew .

Secession has stalked this grand, but fragile, American experiment from the beginning. Founding fathers John Adams and Thomas Jefferson pondered a federal breakup reflecting their intense rivalry. U.S. Rep. John Quincy Adams  the former president  once introduced a petition demanding the dissolution of the United States.

"The trend is old in the sense that American politics is starting to look rather similar to the way it was in the beginning, which was extremely fractured, totally dysfunctional," said Richard Kreitner, the author of the 2020 book "Break It Up: Secession, Division, and the Secret History of Americas Imperfect Union."

In an interview with Elaine Godfrey in The Atlantic, Kreitner adds, That it keeps coming up suggests there is something to it. It represents an impulse that cannot be simply wished away or ignored.

Peter Wehner, a veteran of the Reagan and both Bush administrations, observes that Greene is now an influential ally of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. He writes in The Atlantic, "My response to Greene is not 'I must remain united with this person at any cost,' but 'Why would I want to be part of a government where this person is a leading figure? Why would I want to remain loyal to a Constitution so patently broken that somebody like this ascends to the highest ranks of power?'

"Greene and McCarthy  one crazed, the other cowardly  embody a large swath of the modern-day GOP," Wehner continues. "Any party that makes room for seditionists and secessionists is sick and dangerous."

Founding Father Benjamin Franklin was asked if America was a republic or a monarchy. "A republic, if you can keep it," he famously responded.

When I was a young man, I believed that America was a relatively young empire that would last for centuries. Now, if I came face to face with Pvts. Platt and Main, I would have to admit to them that I no longer believe that to be the case.

The columnist is managing editor of Howey Politics Indiana/State Affairs at StateAffairs.com/pro/Indiana. Find Howey on Facebook and Twitter @hwypol.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: My Hoosier ancestors fought to preserve our republic. Will it survive?
Air ravelers make their way through the Indianapolis International Airport on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022.

For executive director Mario Rodriguez, the reason why Indianapolis International Airport keeps winning "Best Airport in North America" boils down to its workforce, which is aging, but delivers the kind of service that consistently wins awards.

On Tuesday, Indy's airport announced it had been named "Best Airport" for the 11th year in a row, a recognition it earned among other airports that accommodate 5-15 million passengers annually. The awards recognizes airports of different sizes and different regions of the world, according to a news release.

"Our people are so wonderful," Rodriguez said. "Our human capital is what helps us win."

But earning top recognition next year and beyond might hinge on the human capital who plan on retiring, an issue Rodriguez said officials will need to deal with soon.

"I call it the 'silver tsunami'," Rodriguez said, adding officials are taking steps to attract a younger workforce.

"We have programs bringing apprentices to the airport," he said, which include positions in accounting, engineering, architecture, and public safety. "We pay for their education. We've got an agreement with Ivy Tech and Indiana Wesleyan. For colleges outside those places, you pay upfront and we reimburse you."

More:Statehouse roundup: These bills survived the first half of session

Other benefits Rodriguez hopes will bolster the workforce include paying for child care and education.

Indianapolis Airport Authority employees can receive benefits like child care reimbursement up to $10,000 per year and tuition assistance up to $5,250 annually, as well as free healthcare and 5% retirement plan matching, a news release stated.

"If we win, everybody wins. It's incredibly valuable to the community to have an award-winning airport," Rodriguez said.

The Best Airport in North America title is determined each year by Airports Council International-North America as part of its Airport Service Quality Awards, which recognizes the best airports for customer experience worldwide, according to a news release.

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Air travelers grab some food at Shake Shack, a modern-day roadside burger stand, on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022, located insdie Concourse B at the Indianapolis International Airport.

More:Black Indy Charter school leaders want to see more state dollars go to charters

The "Best Airport" award is based upon passenger surveys on the day of their travel, who rate their experience in more than 30 areas, such as the ease of finding their way through the airport, check-in, shopping and dining offerings and cleanliness of overall facilities, a news release stated.

The Indy airport is more than just a place where aircraft take off and land. Its very much like a city within a city, Rodriguez said in the news release. It takes a breadth of dedicated employees from across a broad spectrum of professional backgrounds  even beyond that of aviation  to deliver a world-class customer experience.

Those interested in working at the the Indianapolis International Airport can learn more online at: www.ind.com/work-with-us.

John Tufts covers evening breaking and trending news for the Indianapolis Star. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com. IndyStar reporter Kayla Dwyer contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis Airport wins 'Best Airport in North America'
This is a story about a man. And a mustache.

This is a story about the man, his mustache and TikTok.

Meet Josh Roberson. He is from the Hattiesburg area, where he works as a firefighter most days. The married father of three may seem low-key and down to earth, but in his time off he is a viral sensation on TikTok, the social media platform for short-form user-generated video.

So, what came first? The mustache or the TikTok?

According to Roberson, it was the mustache. The 33-year-old began working on his mustache during a competition held by Sully's restaurant when it was at its former location.

"I had just a little 'Magnum P.I.' mustache," he said. "By the end of the competition, I had little curls at the ends that kind of went out and stuck straight up. I was on top of the world with it."

He didn't win the event, but it gave him the 'stache bug, so he decided to continue shaping and contouring his facial hair to create works of art.

He participated in other competitive events in the area. Eventually, he and a group of friends started the Hattiesburg Facial Hair Society and hosted their own events at Hub City Beers.

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Change in career led to change in facial hair design

Roberson was a welder and worked as a cook before the job market took a downturn and he was laid off.

"It's not anything I ever thought about doing, but I needed a job and needed some security  I was going to do it for a little bit until I could get back on my feet cooking or welding, but actually, I fell in love with it," Roberson said. "At this point, I can't see me doing anything else."

He had a full beard as a young adult, but the facial hair had to go when he changed careers 10 years ago. Instead, he cultivated and contoured his mustache.

At the same time, social media was evolving and video was starting to become more popular. Roberson began making a variety of videos and sharing them on a previous TikTok profile, before discovering what would eventually make him a TikTok celebrity. He is now known on most social media networks as TheAntiquatedGent.

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He began shooting videos of himself demonstrating his wet-shaving techniques, which somehow resonated with the TikTok audience.

Hattiesburg-area firefighter Josh Roberson makes videos to share on TikTok demonstrating his wet shave techniques. His username on social media is TheAntiquatedGent.

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2020 was the start of viral videos for The Antiquated Gent

In 2020, the videos took off. The number of views didn't just take off and soar, they shot up like a rocket heading to the moon. Today, Roberson has over 1.5 million followers and his videos have nearly 45 million views.

At the same time, Roberson was sharing similar content on Instagram, and he began to notice he was getting messages on the social media platforms from younger viewers who asked questions about his techniques and how-tos.

"I got a lot of messages from some of these younger folks that may or may not have that person in that life who, you know, 'How do you tie a tie' when you're getting ready for your prom or 'How do you do this with a razor,"' Roberson said. "A lot of that behind-the-scenes stuff really makes it worth doing this."

Occasionally, Roberson will film how-tos on these types of subjects to add to his profile for other followers who might have similar questions.

So what is his secret?

If you ask Roberson, he is at a loss.

"I have no idea what I'm doing over there," he said. "It's literally just me doing what I do on a regular basis  making soup in a bowl and shaving with old timey razors."

Roberson doesn't have any special equipment. He just uses the camera on his phone. Most of the videos take place in his bathroom or in his yard, where he goes live on occasion.

"I usually post once a day," he said.

That's not always easy working for two fire departments and an ambulance company. Sometimes he shoots a few videos at the same time so he has backups that he can post on the days he is working.

"I work really hard to keep my professional life separate from my personal," Roberson said.

The latest series he is working on arose from a viewer question on how much water he uses to shave. He takes small amounts of water  sometimes very small amounts  and tries to make it work for shaving. Sometimes the amount of water he uses works, sometimes it doesn't.

Josh Roberson, who goes by The Antiquated Gent on social media, poses with an antique bicycle outside Moore's Bicycle Shop in Hattiesburg, Miss., Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023.

Most proceeds from TikTok, local fundraisers help children

Roberson said he makes a little money from his TikTok popularity, but most of that goes to his charitable work, doing fundraisers for organizations like St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital and the Movember Foundation.

He also has a few brand sponsors who help with the fundraising and he sells coffee and other merchandise on his website, theantiquatedgent.com.

He dresses the part of an antiquated gentleman, scouring thrift stores and flea markets for costumes and props that help him maintain his persona, reminiscent of the character Arthur Shelby in the British TV series "Peaky Blinders," now showing on Netflix.

Roberson is working on establishing a 501c3 nonprofit organization for the money he raises, including the in-person event, the Great Cycle Challenge where cyclists ride 100 miles for donations that go to fight childhood cancers.

As a cyclist, Roberson teamed up with Moore's Bicycle Shop owner James Moore, who works with people in recovery from drug addiction and other addiction-related causes.

"Here they've got the Road to Recovery that they do that is absolutely fantastic," Roberson said. "What they do for the community and what they do with Narcan it's all really an invaluable tool."

Hattiesburg-area firefighter Josh Roberson makes videos to share on TikTok demonstrating his wet shave techniques using old-fashioned shaving gear. His username on social media is TheAntiquatedGent.

Roberson said while his wife doesn't join in on the social media fun, she is supportive of what he does.

"She doesn't understand a thing (about going viral on TikTok), but she thinks it's really, really cool," he said.

What do his three sons, ages 12, 9 and 7, think about The Antiquated Gent sensation?

"The oldest thinks I'm entirely too old to be on social media, and I agree," Roberson said. "The other two think it's awesome that their dad is 'TikTok famous.'"

Looking back on all the support he's gotten from family and friends and others across the globe, Roberson said he's glad he is able to do something fun and make a positive impact on others in such a big way.

"It's definitely been a journey," he said.

Do you have a story to share? Contact Lici Beveridge at lbeveridge@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @licibev or Facebook at facebook.com/licibeveridge.

This article originally appeared on Hattiesburg American: Josh Roberson videos as TheAntiquatedGent go viral on TikTok
If youve gotten used to taking advantage of plastic utensils and polystyrene foam containers offered at Delaware food restaurants when you order, the days of these supplies could be numbered.

Senate Bill 51 was introduced in Delaware's Senate on Feb. 17 and would prohibit food establishments from giving customers beverages or ready-to-eat food in polystyrene foam containers, according to a bill summary on the Delaware General Assembly website.

Single-use plastic drink stirrers, cocktail picks and sandwich picks also would be prohibited. Plastic straws would be available only upon request by customers, according to the bill, which is sponsored by Sen. Trey Paradee, D-Dover, who cites environmental concerns as the driving factor for the proposed restrictions.

A polystyrene foam box holds an order of roast pork, rice and salad on March 14, 2019. A Delaware bill would ban most plastics used at restaurants, including polystyrene foam containers.

Are there exceptions to the bill?

Plastic straws will still be allowed for hospital patients and residents of long-term care facilities, or those attached to products like juice boxes.

Food news: 3 new Delaware restaurants include new barbecue takeout, bake shop and noodle house

Other exemptions to SB51 include cooler or ice chest packaging used for shipping seafood, eggs, raw meat, vegetables and fruits.

Packaging and utensil restrictions would not apply to health care providers that offer long-term, acute and outpatient health care service; fire companies; and nonprofit organizations, including religious institutions.

What does the restaurant industry think?

Carrie Leishman, president and CEO of the Delaware Restaurant Association, does not support SB51 and feels it targets the restaurant industry and creates a field of haves and have nots based on who can afford adjusted costs associated with the bill, making it more of a political move than an environmental initiative.

Some of our smaller and ethnic restaurants are telling us they cannot afford it right now, Leishman said. Any increase to their bottom line is really a hardship.

She adds that while various restaurants already have switched to more eco-friendly dining materials, anti-small business legislation like SB51 puts small-business owners at risk.

Story continues

Restaurant news: Wilmington's Chancery Market to open outdoor patio this spring

Plastic Not Fantastic:You won't believe how some Delaware shoppers are dealing with plastic bag ban

Third attempt for ban

Two previous iterations of legislation that would ban polystyrene use in restaurants did not pass during the 151st General Assembly.

Attempts at reaching the Delaware General Assembly for clarification about why the previous two bills proposing a ban on polystyrene use did not pass were unsuccessful.

If the bill is passed and signed by Gov. John Carney, restrictions would go into effect on July 1, 2025.

The bill has been assigned to the Senate Environment, Energy & Transportation committee for further consideration.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: In Delaware, are days of plastic utensils, foam containers numbered?
Saturday, Day 2 of the star-studded Rolling Loud California festival, was built on anticipation and surprise. Whisperings about Travis Scotts return to the U.S. festival circuit filled the Hollywood Park grounds as avid fans camped out to be as close as possible for his set  and any new music from his long-delayed album Utopia  while rumors were rife that across the fields, Lil Wayne would bring out Nicki Minaj  which he did, during a set filled with nearly 20 years of hits.

While the festival was packed with A-list talent  Playboi Carti, Future, Lil Baby, Kodak Black, Tippie Redd, Lil Uzi Vert and dozens more  Scotts set was guaranteed to be the most watched, not just due to his headliner status, but also because it marks his return a major U.S. festival stage for the first time since Astroworld, the Houston festival where, in November 2021, 10 people died and hundreds were injured in a crowd crush as Scott performed his headlining set.

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But Scott ended up performing for just half an hour: He took the stage just before 10:30 p.m. (30 minutes) and his sound was cut off abruptly, mid-way through his biggest hit, Sicko Mode, at exactly 11 p.m. A rep for Scott tells Variety that the set ended at the conclusion of the show (11pm), which has been publicized on the Rolling Loud run of show for Saturday since the acts were announced.

While lights and pyro continued operating, Scott continued rapping, with only the house monitors giving off sound. But then the video screen changed to a goodbye message, wishing all in attendance a good night and safe return home, signaling the official end of the event. The thousands who made it out to Sofi Stadiums Hollywood Park on a cold night began heading toward the exits.

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Organizers say that the performance time was adjusted for the curfew, but the abrupt stop left many in attendance confused, as shared on social media. Even more confusing, a livestream of the set, posted to YouTube an hour later, features the two last songs  Sicko Mode and Goosebumps, performed in their entirety, presumably with a mix captured on the stage. In that sense at least, fans watching online did get to see the full performance as Scott intended.

But even with the truncated set time, Scott did manage to make his way through more than 10 songs, including fan favorites Highest in the Room and Stargazing. The start of Sicko Mode had the crowd anxiously peering for a Drake appearance, but that was not in the Rolling Loud cards for this night.

The festival did, however, bring out a bevy of big names throughout the day, including Nicki Minaj, who took the stage with Lil Wayne (and experienced some sound issues of her own), and Justin Bieber, Kali Uchis and James Blake, who joined Don Toliver on Private Landing, 4 Me and Let Her Go, respectively.

Lil Babys set at the festival felt like a victory lap, walking out to his verse on Drakes Wants and Needs, strutting through a setlist that brought Atlanta to L.A. Against his white shirt and designer jeans, Babys diamond-studded jewelry sparkled to the crowd, glistening in sync to the lyrics of songs like We Paid. Performing for a little over half of his allotted hour, Lil Baby languidly rapped songs like his recent sensation Heyy to Pure Cocaine to a Gunna-less, Drip Too Hard. Suspicion filled the audience as Lil Baby performed Yes Indeed and Girls Want Girls, subtly posing the question: Where is Drake?

Lil Wayne, billed on the lineup as a special guest, headlined his own stage at the same time as Scott. Weezy arrived in a Camron-like pink fur coat, reciting the lyrics to Blunt Blowin beside a live drummer, with flames and a Young Money-engraved ashtray flashing on the screen. Thanking the audience at the end of every song, Lil Waynes performance felt sentimental, spotlighting his closest collaborators after rapping for over 25 years. Tunechi began by bringing out 2 Chainz, who went on-stage right before him, to perform Rich as Fuck, Duffle Bag Boy, and Watch Out together.

Wayne dived into his classics from Tha Carter volumes III and IV, including 6 Foot 7 Foot and Ms. Officer, and as he went deeper into his Young Money catalog, Nicki Minaj slowly walked onto the stage to rap her verse on BedRock. The crowd roared at this rare appearance as Tunechi announced Nicki as the Queen of Hip-Hop. The pair cycled through over a decades work of collaborations, from Truffle Butter to High School. Minaj experienced some technical difficulties, where her earpiece wasnt synchronized with the speakers (according to an Instagram Live post following the performance, she didnt intend on rapping over her own vocals). Despite this, Minaj seemed ecstatic to support Weezy, repeatedly describing him as the greatest rapper alive.

Along with career-defining tracks, Lollipop and A Milli, Wayne shuffled through a total of six songs that featured Drake  adding to the sense that, even though the Toronto rapper wasnt actually performing at the festival, he might as well have been.

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Gov. Greg Abbott stumps for school choice proposals Thursday night at San Jacinto Christian Academy in Amarillo.

A recent University of Texas poll of voters statewide found only 8% thought vouchers and school choice were the top education priority that lawmakers should tackle this legislative session, a figured dwarfed by the importance that respondents placed on school safety and teacher pay.

The Texas Politics Project at UT found that school safety is the only education issue that a majority of Texans  55%  said was extremely important for the Legislature to address. And 42% said teacher pay was "extremely important."

However, school choice has dominated the education debate in the 88th legislative session, and Gov. Greg Abbott has set out on a tour of Texas towns to rally support for voucher programs  using public school funding for private education  under the banner of parental empowerment.

Parents in Texas already have school choice  they can send their children to public schools, charter schools, magnet schools, private schools or homeschool  but some GOP lawmakers want to allow parents to dip into the public school funding pool to pay for private school tuition.

Proponents and opponents point to power and money, rather than educational outcomes, as the source for partisan divide in the school choice and voucher debate.

Proponents argue the proposed policies would put power in parents hands to make education choices for their children, while opponents worry these programs would divert money from public schools and not have oversight from a locally elected school board.

Several lawmakers  including Sens. Angela Paxton, R-McKinney; Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston; and Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston  have proposed education savings accounts, voucher-like programs that would allow the state to place public funding in an account that parents can access for specific school-related purposes, including tuition, tutoring and textbooks.

Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, who chairs the Senate Education Committee, touted voucher-like programs and school choice during last weeks Texas Policy Summit, hosted by conservative think tank Texas Public Policy Foundation.

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There is no reason why Utah and Arizona and Iowa should be leading the conversation nationally in America right now on school choice alternatives, Creighton said. Texas should be leading that conversation.

But Republican and Democratic voters in Texas would rather have lawmakers concentrate on other education issues, according to the Texas Politics Project poll, which surveyed 1,200 self-declared registered Texas voters Feb. 10-21 with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.83 percentage points.

Fourteen percent of Republican and 2% of Democratic respondents thought vouchers were the most important education issue this year, according to the poll. Fifty-four percent of Republicans and 34% of Democrats thought it was "extremely" or "very important" to address school choice issues during this session. That's compared with 83% of all voters who thought it was "extremely" or "very important" to address school safety.

'Claims on both sides'

The Legislature has for decades deliberated school choice and voucher proposals, but the COVID-19 pandemic brought those issues into sharper focus due to school closures amid the public health crisis, along with fights over library materials and curriculum content, which have in recent years become GOP linchpins.

Voucher proposals also often get wrapped into political battles billed as parental rights versus attacks on public schools.

There are some who are very critical and anti-public schools out there, said Christy Rome, executive director of Texas School Coalition, a public education advocacy group. To some degree, they'll criticize public schools in many forms and fashions to make the case for why privatization should occur.

Those critics might want more children in religious schools or might already have children in private schools and would financially benefit from voucher programs, she said.

However, not every school choice proponent welcomes an anti-public school philosophy, and social issues like banning books in libraries also distract from their mission, said Scott Jensen, senior adviser with the American Federation for Children, a group that has supported public funding for private school in several states.

We have seen some of the cultural battles bring energy and more support to our side, Jensen said. We are at times a little uncomfortable with that because we think our coalition is more broad-based.

For Jensen, school choice should be bipartisan.

You will hear claims on both sides that are not true, whether its the proponents selling it or the critics predicting gloom and doom, Jensen said.

Opposition

Teacher unions have taken up the fight against school voucher proposals, and some argue that their involvement thrusts the matter into a polarized stage.

They are often the most influential actors in the Democratic Party because of their ability to mobilize large numbers of people, said Mark P. Jones, a Rice University political science professor.

Jones was among the authors of a study earlier this year that concluded that a majority of respondents favored a voucher program. He said Democrats in primary races are often fearful of drawing teacher unions' ire should the candidate come out in favor of vouchers, despite many Texans supporting some sort of mechanism for public funding for private schools.

In rural counties, Republicans also have traditionally been opposed to voucher programs since public schools are a center of public life and a major employer, Jones said. Public schools also are often the only education choice in rural communities.

Thats largely why Abbott is taking a tour around rural Texas, visiting private schools from Temple to Amarillo to Corpus Christi to promote school choice, Jones said.

It's a way to show those state senators and state representatives from rural areas that you don't need to worry about your school choice vote coming back to haunt you next year, Jones said. They support it.

The rhetoric

On Feb. 27, hundreds of public school employees and supporters marched in front of the Capitol, rallying for myriad issues, including stepping up opposition to voucher proposals.

Last month, Steve Lecholop, deputy commissioner of governance for the Texas Education Agency  the state agency that oversees public education in the state  came under fire for asking a parent who was upset at her local school district to advocate for vouchers.

In a recording of the phone call released on YouTube, the parent expressed frustration with a public district near Dallas over her child's special education services, as first reported by the Texas Tribune.

Lecholop encouraged the woman to share her story in one of Abbotts speeches supporting vouchers as a way to stick it to her childs district.

You cannot work with the traditional public school, Lecholop said. They will not work for you. Youre still paying taxes. Your tax money should be allowed to go to your childs education.

When asked about the call, the TEA said in a statement to news outlets, including the American-Statesman, that the parent had expressed a need for another education option.

The conversation in question took place to help address concerns raised by a parent and to connect her with an opportunity to share more about her childs educational experience, the TEA said in the statement.

Lecholop, in a statement, said he supports public schools.

Due to the nature of the accusations and frustrations levied by the parent, I made comments about a particular school system that were emotionally charged and unbecoming of someone serving in my position, Lecholop said. For that, I am truly sorry.

Ultimately, the polarization around vouchers isnt helpful to proponents' cause, Jensen said.

I didnt think it was helpful to advancing school choice, Jensen said.

The money

The issue is also about money, according to Jaime Puente, director of economic opportunity at Every Texan, an Austin-based nonprofit, nonpartisan policy institute.

Texas spends $60 billion every two years on public education.

Thats a lot of money, Puente said. If you can put it in somebodys private pockets the way we could with the health care system, then people will get very, very rich off that. Its a cash grab.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: School choice, vouchers debate of money, power, both sides say
UPDATE March 7: A second person has died as a result of a large crowd surge following the Rochester, New York, concert of rapper GloRilla concert Sunday night, Rochester police have confirmed.

The 35-year-old female victim has not yet been identified by police, but she was one of two people described earlier as being in critical condition at Strong Memorial Hospital immediately following the incident.

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A third woman remains in critical condition, and seven others were treated for non-life-threatening injuries following the concert.

The first surge casualty was identified by police yesterday as 33-year-old Rhondesia Belton, who was pronounced dead at a hospital shortly after the concert.

Last night, the 23-year-old GloRilla  the stage name for Gloria Hallelujah Woods  responded to the deaths, writing, I am devastated & heartbroken over the tragic deaths that happened after Sundays show. My fans mean the world to me. Praying for their families & for a speedy recovery of everyone affected.

I am devastated & heartbroken over the tragic deaths that happened after Sundays show. My fans mean the world to me praying for their families & for a speedy recovery of everyone affected   GloRilla  (@GloTheofficial) March 7, 2023

MONDAY, March 6: One person is dead and nine were injured, two seriously, in whats being described as a stampede at a GloRilla concert in Rochester, New York, last night.

Two of the injured were described by Rochester police as being in critical, life-threatening condition. Also performing at the concert was Finesse2tymes.

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According to Rochester Police Chief David M. Smith, the concert at Rochesters Main Street Armory had just ended around 11 p.m. ET when concertgoers began heading to the exits. The crowd began to surge after what some reports suggest were the sounds of gunshots.

Smith said in a statement that reports of gunshots have not been confirmed by police. See the full statement below.

What began as a night of live music and fun for the performer GloRilla ended in tragedy with one person dead and two more fighting for their lives, began Smiths statement. The police chief noted that police officers detailed outside the venue were eventually able to make their way inside, where they located three females with significant injuries.

Officers, Security, and EMS provided life-saving measures on the three females before they were transported to Strong Hospital. Sadly, one of the victims passed away and the other two are currently in critical condition, fighting for their lives. The fatality has been reported to be a 33-year-old woman.

Smith said that as the night went on, an additional seven people arrived at local hospitals with non-life threatening injuries from the event.

Preliminary reports from people at the scene indicate that these injuries were caused from being trampled, Smith said. We do not have any evidence of gunshots being fired or anyone being shot or stabbed.

In a tweet last night, rapper GloRilla  the stage name for Gloria Hallelujah Woods  wrote, Im just now hearing about what happened wtf. Praying everybody is ok.

GloRilla rose to prominence after releasing her 2022 song F.N.F. (Lets Go), which received a Best Rap Performance nomination at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards. Her single Tomorrow 2 (featuring Cardi B), made the Top Ten on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Update from last night's tragedy at the Main Street Armory. pic.twitter.com/DWYOX7FRB7  Rochester NY Police (@RochesterNYPD) March 6, 2023

Im just now hearing about what happened wtf praying everybody is ok   GloRilla  (@GloTheofficial) March 6, 2023

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Last Sunday, Riley Ramirez and Cole White were dropped off for what was supposed to be a 10-day hike through part of the Pacific Crest Trail. The 17-year-old boys were experienced hikers, but were ill-prepared for the late February snowstorm about to slam into the Southern California mountains, burying some areas in up to seven feet of snow.

They knew there was weather. But I dont think they expected the amount, San Bernardino County sheriff s Sgt. John Scalise told the Associated Press.

The boys family lost contact with them a few days into the hike, and Ramirezs alarmed father alerted the sheriffs department, Scalise said. A search and rescue operation was launched, with a helicopter crew eventually spotting the pair along a remote section of the trail near San Gorgonio Mountain, the highest peak in Southern California.

By the time the teenagers were found, slightly hypothermic but alive, their tent was broken and Riley had lost his jacket, his father, Cesar Ramirez, told the AP. Theyve told us, We were already convinced we were going to die.

The pair survived the ordeal by huddling together for warmth through three harrowing nights, authorities said.

The recent storms that battered and half-buried Southern Californias mountain communities left roads closed, roofs collapsed, and residents trapped in their homes. Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency across 13 counties, including San Bernardino, to help authorities that were working into the weekend to clear the roads, rescue the stranded, and distribute survival supplies.

If you planned on visiting our local mountains for fun this weekend, please reconsider your plans, the sheriffs department tweeted.

The slow response from authorities hampered by the treacherous conditions has frustrated increasingly desperate residents. Aerial footage shot by ABC7 Los Angeles on Friday captured a large message written in the snow: HELP US!!

DESPERATE FOR HELP: AIR7 HD flew over the Lake Gregory area of Crestline and captured a large message written out in the snow that read "HELP US!!" as many are still struggling with the impact of this weeks massive snowstorm. https://t.co/NgIDa6iK3T pic.twitter.com/7sUCIjqoeP  ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) March 4, 2023

People are panicking left and right. Weve had roofs starting to cave in. Houses are blowing up because of gas leaks and catching on fire. And these are real things that are happening here, a Lake Arrowhead resident told FOX 11 on Friday.

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Over seven days, Lake Arrowhead saw a snowfall total of 109 inches; the communitys yearly average usually totals around 22 inches. The San Bernardino County Fire Department has received seven fire calls in the last week and more than 70 reports of gas leaks, its battalion chief told the Los Angeles Times. One fire after a gas leak caused an explosion landed two people in the hospital and killed their cat on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the couple said.

This is real and this is scary, another resident told the Times on Thursday. I just dont think people realize how bad it is. This is catastrophic up here.

A winter storm warning in the area remains in effect through early Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

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DARLINGTON TWP.  As residents in the region continue to grapple with the effects of the recent Norfolk Southern train derailment across the state border, the latest political visit had one federal lawmaker calling for action on a new bill.

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey talks with local officials about what he and other politicians are doing in order to hold Norfolk Southern accountable for the costs that the residents of Pennsylvania have incurred after the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment.

Pennsylvania's U.S. Sen. Bob Casey toured the Darlington Volunteer Fire Department and spoke with township officials Monday morning, using the visit to discuss the recent impact of the Norfolk Southern train derailment on residents in the region around East Palestine, Ohio. Throughout his visit, the senator called upon other lawmakers to vote on the Railway Safety Act and hold Norfolk Southern accountable for the damage it has done to the community.

Money offered:Norfolk Southern agrees to pay millions to PA for initial impact of train derailment

"People want to be heard, that's what I heard over and over again," Casey said. "It's critically important that when they have a concern about their water, the soil, their quality of life or what's happening to their family, they need to be heard. And it's not enough just to hear them, we've got to act. We've got to make sure that we're doing everything possible, at the federal level and at the state level, to provide that help."

According to Casey, he heard from residents around the township who were concerned with the long-term effects of the derailment on water and soil in the region. As a rural area with a large number of farms, local food producers in the region shared their worries about the impacts on the coming growing seasons and making sure their crops are safe to go to the market.

Despite the small size of the community, the response from Norfolk Southern has not directly addressed the needs of residents within the township. Until this point, a large source of community support has come from smaller organizations around the region, such as churches and other nonprofit organizations. While touring the fire station, firefighters showed the senator the supplies that they have been distributing from the municipal building, discussing the constant need for cleaning supplies, food and bottled water.

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U.S. Sen. Bob Casey talks with Darlington Township Fire Chief Chris Laderer, right, and township Supervisor Mike Carreon Monday morning at the township fire station.

"I'm inspired by what people have done already to lift up their own community and not say 'we need help from this far-off agency, I'm going to do my own part, take my own responsibility' and that's what they've done," Casey said. "The supplies behind us are a testament to the spirit of people here in Darlington Township, here in Beaver County and throughout the region."

Local resources:Resources for Beaver Countians near East Palestine train derailment

Casey's visit came within the same hour as Gov. Josh Shapiro's announcement that the company had agreed to pay an initial commitment of over $7.3 million to first responders and families from Beaver and Lawrence counties. While this is a starting point for economic recovery in the region, it does not remove the company from liability for the incident and lawmakers continue to call for a more direct form of assistance to residents from the company.

"Look at Darlington Township, it has about 1,800 people, about 750 households, this isn't a huge universe of families," Casey said. "They need to speak directly to those families and say 'What do you need right now to be made whole? What are you going to need six months from now? What are you gonna need a year or two from now?' And if they do that, we'd be satisfied. But there's no indication so far that Norfolk Southern is fully committed to these families. They have to prove that to these families."

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey talks with local officials about what he and other politicians are doing in order to hold Norfolk Southern accountable for the costs that the residents of Pennsylvania have incurred after the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment.

One of the ways that Casey hopes to see change is through the Railway Safety Act, a bipartisan bill that was introduced in the U.S. Senate last month. If implemented, the bill would give the Department of Transportation more control over railroad safety guidelines, allow for larger fines against railroads for safety violations and states' emergency agencies would receive advanced notice of when hazardous materials enter their jurisdiction.

What's the plan?:Are communities in Beaver County prepared for a train derailment like East Palestine?

"There are a lot of technical things that can be done to reduce the likelihood of a derailment, but it's also just getting the safety requirements in place ahead of time, and frankly, forcing rail companies to do what they should be doing anyway," Casey said. "There are few lobbies more powerful in Washington over the decades than the rail lobby and they're already starting their work to oppose this bill. We have to stop them from doing that, we have to defeat the lobby to pass this bill."

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: US Sen. Bob Casey visits Darlington Twp. residents affected by derailment
Willis Gordon

Canton mayoral hopeful Willis Gordon will appear on the May 2 ballot after all.

The Stark County Board of Elections on Monday certified Gordons candidacy petition after initially declaring him ineligible last month, administrative assistant Susan Verble said.

Gordon, who serves as veterans affairs chairman for the Ohio NAACP, is one of five Democratic candidates running for Canton mayor. The others are paralegal Kimberly D. Bell; Canton City Council President William V. Sherer II; Canton Councilman At-Large Bill Smuckler; and Thomas West, a former state representative and Ward 2 councilman. Roy Scott DePew is the only Republican running for the post.

Canton mayor's race:Canton Repository, Chamber to host forum for mayoral Democratic candidates

The Board of Elections previously ruled Gordon ineligible after staff determined only 42 of the 82 signatures on his petition were valid, leaving him eight short of the 50 required signatures. Gordon asked the board to reconsider its decision during a Board of Elections meeting in February and submitted nine signed and notarized affidavits from individuals stating they signed his candidacy petition.

The board determined seven of the nine submitted affidavits proved the signatures to be valid, but that two signatures did not match names in the Board of Election's voter registration database. Gordon told the board the two individuals go by nicknames, which they signed as their first names on his candidacy petition. The board gave him until March 6 to submit curated affidavits or bring witnesses to show the signatures are valid.

Verble said Gordon filed one additional affidavit, which was approved by the board and gave him the required number of signatures to run for mayor.

Reach Paige at 330-580-8577, pmbennett@gannett.com or on Twitter @paigembenn.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Stark Board of Elections certifies Willis Gordon for May primary
Robin Jones scoops breakfast potatoes onto a tray at the Foodworks Alliance kitchen in Zanesville recently. Foodworks offers a variety of services and programs in the former Maysville Middle School building.

Coming Tuesday: More information on Executive Director Amy Aurore can be found in this week's Aces of Trades.

ZANESVILLE  The Foodworks Alliance is an incubator of small businesses, ideas, and better lives.

The alliance is built around a kitchen in the former Maysville Middle School, in what is currently the Muskingum Valley Health Center. Operating from the kitchen are a number of small businesses, including Sweet Life Bakery and Recovery with Purpose.

"Foodworks Alliance is a nonprofit kitchen incubator, where we help small businesses and aspiring food entrepreneurs who need a licensed kitchen to work out of," said Executive Director Amy Aurore, who's hoping the community will help support all three entities.

The location bridges the gap between having an idea for a product and store shelves, Aurore said. Ohio's cottage food laws are good for baked goods and things like jellies and jams, but for prepared food a registered kitchen is needed, which comes with a substantial price tag, she added.

Membership in the alliance includes access to the kitchen, which can be rented by the hour, and dry, refrigerated or frozen storage. In addition, members can hire workers from the Recovery With a Purpose program to help with cooking, cleaning, packaging or anything else food work requires.

The Recovery With a Purpose program was created in 2019 in conjunction with Sweet Life Bakery, although the programs are two separate entities. "Recovery With a Purpose hires women in recovery to go through a 12-week training program to learn basic kitchen skills, life skills, hygiene in the kitchen, how to make a resume, basic work skills that they may not have," Aurore said.

Workers do a variety of computer modules and get ServSafe Training, training they can take to into the workforce. They work in the kitchen for Foodworks Alliance members, or with Sweet Life Bakery.

Felecia Allen, right, Laura Moses and Cristy Spencer mix breakfast potatoes at Foodworks Alliance in Zanesville.

Sweet Life Bakery workers bake primarily Bundt cakes, which they sell at various markets around the area or for pickup at the alliance kitchen. They are the public face of the Recovery With a Purpose program. "They keep our face in the community," Aurore said, but the the economic model does not fully fund the program. The kitchen pays for itself through membership, but with funding drying up for Recovery With a Purpose and Sweet Life Bakery, Aurore is scrambling to find a way to fill the gap.

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"Recovery With a Purpose has proven to be a valuable program," Aurore said. Since starting at the kitchen last year, graduates have gone on to find full-time work, been reunited with their children or move out of group homes and into independent housing. Worker schedules are flexible, allowing them to make court hearing and other appointments. Most regular nine to five jobs can't accommodate that kind of flexibility, Aurore said.

"Having a place to work fulfills not only the obligations of probation or Job and Family Services, what I have witnessed is the confidence building," Aurore said. Women who once said they had never done anything in their lives are excited to graduate from the ServSafe program, she said, which is valuable to people who are exiting a period of their lives where they may have been considered a disappointment.

"It is a nice gap between treatment, not working and bridging that gap to whatever is next," Aurore said.

Victoria Reed-Bebout started as production assistant with Sweet Life, and then moved into marketing, and is now the executive for Foodworks Alliance and Sweet Life Bakery and program manager for Recovery With a Purpose. She can relate to the women she works with. Out of the workforce for 12 years, she ended up in recovery after the death of her husband. She started at Sweet Life Bakery while living in Naomi House, a sober living home for women in Duncan Falls.

"It is really scary to restart a life, and restart a job, and restart living honestly," she said. The programs, both Recovery With a Purpose and Sweet Life, "are hugely important," she said. Since finishing the program she has moved out of Naomi House and gotten an apartment. "I'm living how I should be living. I stayed here because I believe in what we do, and I get to help girls that were in the same position I was in when I started, help them gather skills to take in their future, whether that is a thing to put on their resume, or a way to feed their family."

Kitchen Manager Holly Denny said the program goes beyond teaching cooking skills, but skills like teamwork and responsibility. In turn, the program, and those taking part, provide a support system.

It is essential for those in recovery to have someone to relate to, Denny said. Her job is to teach them how to deal with the inevitable hiccups in life, and how to move on. "There is a lot more than learning how to cook here," she said. "We hire ladies that are in recovery, and they go from being in active addiction to try and be sober and learn how to live a regular life." That means learning how to balance all the things that make up what she describes as a normal life  the balance between work, recovery and living life. "Life is life," she said, "You have to be able to work and pay bills and have a normal life. It is awesome when I get to see them walk out of here."

Aurore said the next step for the three organizations is not clear.

They are intertwined, but also separate entities. While the kitchen pays for itself, the current economic model for Sweet Life does not, and there is a budget gap between what is earned selling Bundt cakes and the costs associated with the program, including paying the staff and trainees. Aurore said she would like to see more small businesses take advantage of the kitchen and its various services.

She is particularly interested in bridging the gap between producer and consumer and helping eliminate food waste by finding ways to get excess produce to those in need. The kitchen and its staff can be used in a variety of ways, she said, including processing food, turning it from raw produce into ready-to-eat meals. The staff was doing that recently when it was making breakfast potatoes for a local shelter. Foodworks Alliance also does training, including manager-level ServSafe training.

For more information about Foodwork Alliance, Sweet Life Bakery and Recovery With a Purpose, visit the Foodworks Alliance website or call 740-280-6805.

ccrook@gannett.com

740-868-3708

@crookphoto

This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Foodworks Alliance helps small businesses grow and women in recovery
Deborah Griffin from Glen Saint Mary, Ga., makes her way to the Bed Bath & Beyond in Jacksonville's Argyle Forest area on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. The store is one of two locations in the Jacksonville area slated to close as the company deals with financial problems.

A day after Bed Bath & Beyond announced that 87 additional locations would close, sales have already begun at two Jacksonville stores scheduled to shutter.

On Wednesday morning, shoppers arrived at the home goods retailers Argyle Forest store to find going out of business signs on its front doors advertising 20% off everything in the store at 6001-24 Argyle Forest Blvd.

The store has been a fixture at the Southwest Jacksonville shopping center for more than 20 years since its opening in 2002.

Closing time:Bed Bath & Beyond closing 87 additional stores, including 2 in Jacksonville

From 2020:Jacksonville-based Stein Mart files for bankruptcy; store closures coming

The second store on the chains closing list is on the citys Northside, at 13221 City Station Drive at River City Marketplace. The store opened in 2006 as one of the first tenants of the sprawling regional shopping center.

A closing date for the two stores has not been announced.

Two other Bed Bath & Beyond stores in the Jacksonville area will remain open: 4054 3rd St. S. in Jacksonville Beach, and 8801 Southside Blvd. on the citys Southside. The latter was Northeast Floridas first Bed Bath & Beyond store when it opened in 1997 at Timberlin Village, where PetsMart, OfficeMax and the area's first Borders bookstore would follow. The OfficeMax store would later close and transition into andThat!, a subsidiary of Bed Bath & Beyond until 2020; the Borders store, too, closed, and is now a buybuy Baby store, which is owned by parent company Bed Bath & Beyond.

The retailer said the new closures expand an ongoing program to close 150 of its lowest-performing stores. Earlier announcements in September and January identified more than 110 stores slated to close. The retailer said in its third-quarter results report in January that it had seen net sales drop 33% to $1.26 billion, and announced an expected $500 million in general annualized cost cuts.

Story continues

Impacted by the latest announcement are stores in more than 30 states, including Florida, where 11 stores will close.

Bed Bath & Beyond in Jacksonville's Argyle Forest area is one of two locations in Northeast Florida slated to close, the company announced Jan. 30.

Which Bed Bath and Beyond stores are closing in Florida?

Other Florida stores on the latest closings list include:

1460 W 49th St., Hialeah

320 Brandon Town Center Drive, Brandon

20560 State Road 7, Boca Raton

371 N. Congress Ave., Boynton Beach

397 N. Alafaya Trail, Orlando

4631 N. University Drive, Coral Springs

540 N. State Road 7, Royal Palm Beach

6001-24 Argyle Forest Blvd., Jacksonville

13221 City Station Drive, Suite 125, Jacksonville

14824 S. Military Trail, Delray Beach

2239 E. Semoran Blvd., Apopka

This report contains information from USA TODAY.

If you're a subscriber, thank you. If not, become a subscriber to get the latest restaurant and retail news and more.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Bed Bath & Beyond: Going out of business sales begin at select stores
Crime and Courts Reporter

Donald W. Meyers is a multimedia journalist at the Yakima Herald-Republic covering crime and courts. He is also the writer behind It Happened Here, a weekly history column. Before coming to Yakima, Meyers covered a wide variety of beats at The Salt Lake Tribune, Daily Herald, and daily and weekly newspapers across New Jersey. He is also a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, serving as a regional officer in the organization as well as on the national Freedom of Information Committee.
Yakima County Government, Lower Valley Reporter

Hi, Im Phil Ferolito, longtime reporter with the Yakima Herald-Republic, where I have gained an array of experience from covering small city governments and school districts to big-picture issues concerning county government, crime and the Yakama Nation, a federally recognized tribe with important historical and cultural ties to the land. I began with the Herald-Republic in Oct. 2000 as a copy editor, designing pages, writing headlines and proof-reading stories. Over the years I have covered four Lower Valley municipalities, Granger, Toppenish, Wapato and Harrah, and the Yakama Nation. My goal always has been to shine a light in dark places and bring readers closer to concerning issues, important people, and other events in our community.
New bill would help Washington nurses get treatment for PTSD
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U.S. Marines leave the helicopter to search for the enemy in hills near a former U.S. base at Khe Sanh in South Vietnam in Oct. 1968 during the Vietnam War. The Marines, with their South Vietnamese allies, are part of a 3,500 man force sweeping the western edge of the demilitarized zone where heavy fighting took place earlier this year. (AP Photo)
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Prosecutorial investigators are investigating nine people in connection with suspected bribery pertaining to European Union tenders, bringing the overall number of suspects to 34, the Central Investigative Prosecutors Office said.

Last April, prosecutorial investigators questioned 18 people suspected of corruption related to tenders involving Hungarian state budget and European Union funds as part of the Economic Development and Innovation Operational Programme (GINOP), and the prosecutors office also seized ill-gotten assets.



On March 2, the authorities carried out further raids at the headquarters of business companies and other places in 17 locations nationwide, conducting searches and seizures.



These raids were also made in connection with applications submitted within the framework of the Health Industry Support Programme, with 400 million forints (EUR 1.1m) being the minimum possible support, the statement said.



The bribery cases involve nine officials and 11 other individuals. In April last year, prosecutors examined graft around applications for tenders in the region of ten billion forints. Three finance ministry employees were suspected of accepting bribes and other crimes.



Gergely Gulyas, the head of the Prime Ministers Office, said at the time that the highest-ranking suspect was a head of department at the PMs office who was involved in assessing applications, but this individual had been suspected of minor fraud.
Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said talks under way between Hungary and the EU on community funding were frustrating.

He said the EUs freezing the funds due to Hungary was no problem in terms of the budget, but it was a matter of principle.



Funds to members from the EU budget are not humanitarian donations and refusing to make those payments for political reasons is unacceptable, he insisted.



The conflict between Hungary and the EU arises from the fact that Brussels does not like the way the government rules the country, he said, adding that the government opposes federalism and supports national competencies.



We are a right-wing, patriotic and Christian government running fully against the mainstream and Brussels cannot swallow that, he said.



Concerning Finlands and Swedens NATO membership, Szijjarto said the Hungarian government supported their bids, adding he thought parliament would support a relevant proposal by the government now before the assembly.



Asked about Hungarys support for the Bosnian Serb Republic, Szijjarto said Hungary had very good relations with Serbia, and considered stability in the Western Balkans crucial.



Economic stability is a key component, that is why the Hungarian government supports small and medium-sized companies in the Bosnian republic, he added.



Kover: EU, NATO Not Taking Steps Towards Peace



Neither the European Union nor NATO are taking steps towards peace in Ukraine, but rather increasing escalation, Speaker of Parliament Laszlo Kover told commercial HirTV.



Concerning the criticisms levelled at Hungarys parliament over not having debated Sweden and Finlands NATO accession bids until now, Kover said Hungary was a sovereign country whose parliament sets its agenda at its own discretion.



Sweden and Finland will not be able to join the alliance until Turkiye gives its approval, the speaker said, adding that this was unlikely to happen until it holds elections later this year. Kover said it could take until the summer NATO summit for both countries to be ratified by all member states.



He said the reason why Hungary was sending parliamentary delegations to Sweden and Finland was because the ruling Fidesz and Christian Democrat parliamentary groups had expressed concern and did not consider the decision on the ratification to be an automatic one.



At the same time, he added, it should be clarified that Hungary is a sovereign member of both NATO and the EU and had joined both organisations voluntarily. Hungary does not believe that its position within these alliances has changed over the last decades, he said.



The politicians who are now asking for Hungarys support have behaved in a way that would have been considered harsh even coming from our enemies, Kover said.



It should be made clear that they have no right to interfere in Hungarian politics, Kover said, adding that an alliance involves trust, which was thoroughly undermined before the accession.



He said support for Sweden and Finlands NATO accession was not a question of good manners or sensitivity, insisting that the two countries had insulted Hungary for years and had caused damage to its national interests.



They are now pressuring EU institutions not to give Hungary the funding it is entitled to, he added. Kover said the Hungarian delegation will meet with the Swedish and Finnish parliamentary speakers, relevant committees and foreign ministers on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.



The delegation will be headed by Fidesz lawmaker Csaba Hende and will include Zsolt Nemeth, the head of parliaments foreign affairs committee, and MEPs Eniko Gyori and Erno Schaller-Baross, he added.



Kover said the Swedish and Finnish armies were well-prepared and well-equipped and would strengthen NATO. He added, at the same time, that the 1,340km border NATO and Russia will share because of Finland increased the risk of a future military conflict between them.



He said the 60 billion US dollars worth of weapons EU and NATO member states had sent to Ukraine made them party to the conflict. Peace, he said, was ultimately dependent on Russia and Ukraine.



Neither the EU nor NATO are taking steps towards peace, but rather increasing escalation, the speaker said. Kover urged a compromise that takes into consideration both Ukraines territorial integrity and Russias security expectations.
Opinions diverge on the rights and wrongs of the Hungarian government, but commentators agree that there is growing friction between Hungary and its partners in the Western alliance.

In Magyar Hang, Szabolcs Szereto accuses the government of spectacularly ignoring its own promises to the European Union by fast-tracking the new law on the Chamber of Physicians early last week.



During the rule-of-law conditionality talks with the European Commission, he recalls, it promised to limit fast-track legislation to the strict minimum, but in this case, the law scrapping compulsory Chamber membership for physicians was passed within 24 hours after the bill was tabled.



By contrast, Szereto adds, the decision on the ratification of Finlands and Swedens NATO membership has been postponed by another two weeks.



In one of its three editorials this week, Magyar Narancs likens the procedure used by the government against the Chamber of Physicians to the practices of the darkest communist era. Compulsory membership in the Chamber was scrapped after it called on doctors to sabotage the new on-call system being introduced by the ministry.



Continued Chamber membership, Magyar Narancs writes, will thus amount to a demonstration of hostility towards the government, and they believe this will deter many doctors working in the public health system.



Heti Vilaggazdasag carries an interview with Anna Luhrmann, who is in charge of European affairs within the German Foreign Ministry as a Minister of State. She tells the liberal weekly that relations between Germany and Hungary are tense at present because rule-of-law and foreign policy problems have isolated Hungary within the European Union. She describes the long-drawn-out process of NATO ratification as a bad sign.



In Jelen, Tamas Foti writes about the growing unease of EU member countries with Hungarys reticence over the sanctions being imposed on Russia because of the war in Ukraine. The latest case was Hungarys attempt to take four Russian individuals off the list drawn up as part of the 11th sanctions package.



Foti suggests that they were religious leaders. (After the sanctions were approved by the European Council, Russia suspended visa-free travel for Hungarian diplomats.) The liberal commentator reports that angry EU politicians proposed to renew sanctions on Russia once a year rather than every six months in order to avoid repeated debates with Hungary. He believes that sanctions will eventually be renewed every nine months as a compromise.



In his Mandiner editorial, Matyas Kohan rejects the accusation that the Hungarian government sides with Russia when it demands an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine. He argues that the first time Hungary put forward that demand was when Russian troops were advancing, and the Hungarian side has always urged the parties to put an end to the fighting regardless of who was advancing and who was retreating.



He believes that after a ceasefire, internationally supervised referenda should be held in disputed territories to decide where the border between the two countries should run. He calls such a stance clearly pro-Ukrainian as it is first and foremost the Ukrainian population that is suffering as a result of the war.



In Demokrata, Gabor Bencsik condemns the Russian aggression on Ukraine but believes that leading Western politicians have failed to think with the head of the Russians. Western intellectuals, whom he deems extremely influential among policymakers, should have known what the Russian reaction would be to Ukraines increasing commitment to an alliance with the West, and therefore, a compromise acceptable for all parties should have been found. Now, he predicts the war will drag on until one of the parties is exhausted  and the price will not be paid by those leading Western intellectuals.



Vote to approve Sweden and Finlands NATO bids postponed



Commentators take it for granted that despite a two-week delay, parliament will ratify the request of the two Nordic countries to join NATO.



Reporting on the decision to delay the final vote by two weeks, Magyar Nemzets Patrik Mate writes that repeated rude and baseless insults against Hungary by Swedish and Finnish politicians make it necessary for Hungarian legislators to send a delegation to settle the dispute.



The delegation will leave for Helsinki and Stockholm next Tuesday 7 March and the final vote will take place two weeks later. The government, he writes, is committed to approving Finlands and Swedens NATO membership, which is only opposed by the far-right Mi Hazank party in Parliament.



On the HVG website, Tibor Lengyel interprets the delay as well as the trip of the delegation to Sweden and Finland as a political move rather than an opportunity for serious negotiations.



Once all representatives of the ruling party have expressed support for the two countries membership, Lengyel sees no reason why Parliament should vote otherwise, regardless of the results of the talks the delegation will conduct in the two Nordic capitals.



This opinion does not necessarily represent the views of XpatLoop.com or the publisher.



Your opinions are welcome too - for editorial review before possible publication online.



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Four applicants shortlisted for the Hungarian astronaut programme dubbed Hungarian to Orbit (HUNOR) were presented on Tuesday, and they will start a two-year training programme, the foreign ministry said.

The four-member team includes a doctor and three engineers, and one of them will spend nearly one month on the international space station, the statement said.



Gabor Magyari, who is in charge of astronaut recruitment and training in HUNOR, told the event that 240 valid applications had been assessed in line with the requirements of the European Space Agency, NASA, the International Space Station and the programmes private company partner, Axiom Space.



The shortlisted applicants include 33-year-old electrical engineer Gyula Cserenyi, 31-year-old space development engineer Tibor Kapu, clinical orthopaedic surgeon Adam Schlegl and 40-year-old aviation design engineer Andras Szakaly.



Race to Be Next Hungarian in Space Hots Up



Hungarys shortlist of candidates to become the countrys next astronaut and participate in a 30-day mission at the International Space Station in late 2024 or early 2025 has been narrowed down to four, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said.



A shortlist of eight candidates was selected out of more than 240 applicants, who were then tested at the Kecskemet airbase of the Hungarian Armed Forces, Szijjarto said on Facebook.



It was on the basis of these tests that the expert body conducting the selection process narrowed down the list of candidates to four, the minister added.

The Hungarian astronauts mission will involve testing Hungarian space equipment on the ISS as well as conducting experiments for Hungarian research groups, Szijjarto said.



The remaining four candidates will be subjected to further training and testing over the coming year, he added.



Projections show the space industry as being one of the fastest-developing sectors of the 21st century, Szijjarto said. Hungary aims to play a part in this with the astronaut programme it has established as part of its space strategy, the minister said.
You can find Lisa, her husband Alex Kubik, and their two-year-old daughter Kennedy near Traer, Iowa, surrounded by cropland and a herd of grazing mama cows. You can also find a young family willing to change for the benefit of their soil and livestock.

We are the fourth generation to live on my husbands family farm, she began. We have a cow/calf operation, as well as a few meat goats. We also put up a lot of grass and alfalfa hay and raise corn and soybeans too.

Near Lake Mills, on a North Central Iowa farm, is where Kubik hails from, My dad and brother still farm there raising corn and soybeans. Growing up, I was involved in 4-H and FFA and showed pigs and horses at the county fair. I honestly grew up in a part of the state where conventional farming was most prevalent. Things like cover crops and no-till were not implemented as often.

Kubik attended Iowa State University and pursued a degree in agricultural business, with minors in agronomy and animal science. She has always had a passion for conservation and finding ways to farm better. Thats why the National Corn Growers Soil Health Partnership and her role today with an ag carbon company became such great steps in her professional journey.

As part of the Soil Health Partnership, I worked with farmers to conduct on-farm research to test the feasibility of practices such as cover crops and no-till as well as nutrient management. I remember one of the farmers enrolled in our research program very well. I was visiting him one day while we were doing a cover crop trial on his farm, Lisa began relaying the story. It had been raining and he told me he wanted to go out to the research field. There was a corner of the field that always had a really wet spot on it. We went out to the field and this time there was no water standing in that corner, while right across the fence line on his neighbors farm, there was water. He attributed that change to the cover crops. It is fun to see results like this in the field.

Kubik appreciates the chance to tell farmers there are real economic incentives to changing their operation by broadening their conservation mindset, I had a farmer approach me recently at a farm show who said, Okay, so tell me about this carbon market thing. Because, as much as we may or may not want to do this, I think were going to have to at some point.

Because Kubik and her husband are also daily assessing how to improve their own ag operation, she can relate wholeheartedly to the farmers and ranchers she is serving through her work in the carbon industry. She believes participating in carbon markets only enhances the conservation work being done on farms and ranches across the nation and world, We raise a commercial cow herd made up of primarily Angus, Simmental and some Charolais. We share the herd between Alex, myself and his father. His sister has purchased a few cows also. My husband and I rotationally graze our pasture with a system we built from scratch. In that pasture, we see a lot more productivity of both the grass and the cattle. The cows are coming off of the rotationally grazed land more conditioned and seem to breed back better. The system is definitely working. We are also doing inter-seeding of clovers, alfalfa, and a couple other grass species this year.

On the row crop side of things, Kubik said they have found a lot of success with cereal rye. The cover crops also make great feed for cattle and great cover for the soil too, We have cows out in the cornfield around our home place all winter. When the crop residue is gone and the ground is thawing, it can be pretty muddy. Part of the cornfield we use as our calving pasture. The last couple of years we have been fencing a portion of the field off and allowing the cereal rye to grow. When it hits March, they have a nice stand of fresh pasture to graze and calve on.

Theres nothing better for Kubik than helping other farmers and ranchers find success, all while creating community and genuine relationships between neighbors, Being farmers ourselves, I hope we can continue to share our experiences making changes on the farm and ranch with others. One of the best parts is learning from other farmers too  sharing tips and picking up knowledge and successes from each other. Thats what its all about.
Arvind Kejriwal, the chief minister of Delhi, on Monday officially opened the Ashram flyover extension, which would significantly ease traffic between Noida and Delhi. Anant Kumar, chief engineer for PWD, announced that light cars will initially be permitted on the enlarged flyover. It is to be noted that the construction work for the Ashram flyover extension began in June 2020 and was scheduled to be inaugurated on February 28 but was postponed. The project is completed at the cost of Rs 128.25 crore.

"Woes of people have ended, those coming from Noida can reach AIIMS (hospital) sooner after Ashram flyover extension opening," Kejriwal said. He also criticised the tardy pace of work during previous years, saying 27 flyovers have been built under the rule of his Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi but only 84 flyovers were built in the last 65 years.

Also read: Bill Gates Drives Mahindra Electric Rickshaw, Says 'India's Innovation Never Ceases to Amaze'

Kejriwal said 15 more big projects are in the pipeline. The AAP supremo also spoke on the CBI visit to former Bihar CM Rabri Devi's residence on Monday. He said targetting and harassing of opposition leaders is wrong.

CBI officials said a team visited Rabri Devi's residence in connection with "further probe" in the land-for-jobs scam case but there is no search or raid taking place.

Only light cars leaving the DND and heading towards Gurugram, Chirag Delhi, Kalkaji, Khanpur, Greater Kailash, Saket, AIIMS, INA, and Safdarjung are recommended to use the Ashram Flyover rather than the Barapulla Flyover, according to a traffic advice from the Delhi Police.

"Heavy vehicles such as buses, trucks, etc., still not allowed on both carriageway of Ashram Flyover till further information. Commuters coming from Sarai Kale Khan are advised not to use the Ashram Flyover," the advisory added.

With PTI Inputs
Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport has been awarded the title of 'Best Airport over 40 million passengers category in Asia-Pacific. In addition, the airport has also been given the title of the 'Cleanest Airport' in the Asia-Pacific region. This is the fifth time in a row IGIA has bagged the award for the best airport in the Asia-Pacific region. It is to be noted that the airport received the award from the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Best Airport recognition for 2022 from Airports Council International (ACI).

In the past, Delhi Airport was recognised as the finest airport in the Asia-Pacific area for four years in a row in the highest category of more than 40 MPPA in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. Incheon, Republic of Korea, will host the annual ASQ Forum and Customer Experience Global Conference on September 6, 2023, which will include the ASQ Awards Ceremony.

Also read: Mumbai International Airport Becomes Asia-Pacific's Best Airport In 'Over 40 Million Passengers' Category

Meanwhile, other Indian airports also got awards in different categories. For instance, Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport also received the award for the best airport in the Asia-Pacific region, the airport was awarded the title of the best airport in the over 40 million passengers category.

Similarly, Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport received the award for the best airport at arrivals globally. Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport got the award for the best airport for the 15 to 25 million passengers category in the Asia-Pacific region. The Tiruchirapalli International Airport also received the best airport under 2 million passengers in the Asia-Pacific category.

Meanwhile, other international airports in the world received awards for being the best airports in different categories. For instance, Abu Dhabi International Airport received the ward for the best airport at arrivals globally.
On Sunday, IndiGo announced that it is considering using its alliance with Turkish Airlines to enable codeshare access to the US and Canada. The airline has been given permission by the civil aviation ministry to wet lease up to two aircraft to operate flights to the United States and Canada, a senior official told on Friday.

In response to queries on the same, IndiGo on Sunday said it constantly evaluates and discusses opportunities with aircraft manufacturers, but at this stage, it is pure speculation. "At present, our objective is to enable codeshare connectivity to the US and Canada via our partnership with Turkish Airlines after the required application and approval process," the statement said.

Also read: American Airlines Pee-Gate: Accused Aryan Vohra Came Delhi To Attend Sister's Wedding

Codesharing allows an airline to book its passengers on its partner carriers and provide seamless travel to destinations where it has no presence. The airline's plans also come against the backdrop of Air India starting to ramp up its international operations and expanding its fleet with new aircraft orders.

IndiGo started operating the wide-body Boeing 777 on the Delhi-Istanbul route in February. The plane has been taken on wet lease from Turkish Airlines, and it is the first time that the budget carrier has started flying a wide-body aircraft.

Under the wet lease arrangement, planes are leased along with the operating crew and engineers. Generally, wet leasing of planes is allowed for short periods to tackle supply constraints and ensure that airfares do not surge significantly. There are also reports that the airline might place significant orders for new aircraft. Currently, the airline has more than 300 planes in its fleet, and around 500 aircraft are on order.

IndiGo, the country's largest airline in terms of domestic market share and operating around 1,800 flights daily, is focusing on the internationalisation of operations, preparing to fly to more overseas destinations.

In an interview in February, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said the airline has always kept the option of wide-body aircraft open but did not divulge specific details.

"IndiGo has never ruled out any option. We do have a significant order book. We have almost 500 aircraft on order... We have a steady stream of deliveries coming. "Our focus and emphasis will be on that part. We do have the XLRs order that will further stretch the range of operations for IndiGo," he had said.

With PTI Inputs
Bihar Board Exam 2023: The Bihar Board of Secondary Education (BSEB) is likely to announce the BSEB class 12 results soon. However, it should be mentioned that the board has not set an official date for the release of the scorecards. The Bihar Board Class 12 examination was held by the BSEB from February 1 to 11, 2023. Right after the board's formal announcement, candidates can check their scores on the board's official website, biharboardonline.com or secondary.biharboardonline.com. According to past trends, the Bihar Board announces the results within one month, and the Class 12 Result is expected in the second week of March.

However, students are advised to keep a check on the official website and official twitter handle of the BSEB for latest announcements on result date and time.

The Bihar Board held the Class 10 examination from February 14 to February 22. From February 1 to 11, the Bihar Board held the Class 12 examination. The exam was held in two shifts, the first from 9:30 AM to 12:45 PM and the second from 1:45 PM to 5:00 PM.

BSEB Class12th Result 2023: Steps to apply here

Visit the official website of Bihar Board biharboardonline.bihar.gov.in or onlinebseb.in.

Click on the Bihar Board 2022 10th Result Or BSEB 12th Result.

A new login window of class 10th or 12th result 2022 will be displayed on the screen.

Enter roll code and the roll number.

Click on the Search button to submit details.

BSEB 10th and 12th Result 2023 will appear on the screen

Students would need at least 33% to pass the Bihar Inter and Class 10 Exams. The Bihar Board will also hold a compartmental exam for those who score less in the exam.
PATNA: A Central Bureau Of Investigation (CBI) team on Monday arrived at the former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi's residence in Patna in connection with the land-for-jobs scam case. The former chief minister is an accused in the case along with her husband and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) patriarch Lalu Prasad Yadav, and 14 others.

Bihar | A CBI team present at the residence of former CM Rabri Devi in Patna, officials inside her house confirm. Details awaited.



Visuals from outside her residence. pic.twitter.com/dEb74nrEZi  ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2023

According to reports, the CBI team is currently at the residence of Rabri Devi and conducting searches at the moment. The CBI officials are questioning Rabri Devi in connection with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) scam case.

The case relates to alleged appointments made in the railways in return for land parcels gifted or sold to former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav's family when he was the minister of railways between 2004 and 2009.

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and Rabri's sons Tejashwi Yadav, Tej Pratap Yadav and their family lawyers were also present when the central probe agency's team reached the former Bihar CM's residence.

The Rouse Avenue court had earlier issued summons to Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Misa Bharti and others in connection with the scam. Based on CBI's chargesheet, the court had asked them to appear on March 15, but the CBI team reached Rabri's residence ahead of the date. The CBI is expected to call Rabri Devi for further questioning at its office in connection with the case.

The central probe agency had in July 2022 arrested Bhola Yadav, who was the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Lalu Prasad when he was the railway minister, in connection with the case. The chargesheet in the case was filed on October 10 last year for offences related to criminal conspiracy and corruption against 16 accused.
New Delhi: FMCG major Britannia Industries is aiming to increase its women workforce to 50 per cent from the present 41 per cent by 2024, a senior company official said on Sunday. With 15 company-owned manufacturing plants and 35 contract and franchisee units across India having a workforce of over one lakh people, Britannia currently has 41 per cent women employees and would increase the strength to 50 per cent by the end of 2024, Head of Manufacturing, Owned Factories, Indranil Gupta said.

The company has about 1,400 workers in its Madurai unit of which 65 per cent comprise women, Gupta said. The female workforce in the plant will be increased to 70 per cent by 2024, since it produced 190 tonnes of various food products per day, the senior official told journalists.

When asked about the reason behind pushing for more women employees, Gupta said: "They are more hygienic, and more suitable for these type of jobs, which is an important requirement in food making facilities and disciplined compared to male workers." Having a higher representation of women has benefitted the plant operations by increasing efficiency and productivity while it has also helped in reducing attrition, he said.

Diversity is an important pillar of Britannia's sustainability framework to become a responsible global food company, Regional Manufacturing Head, South, C S Guruprasad said. He added that women are confident to continue in the unit since majority of them belong to agricultural background and also supported their families during the worst period of the Covid pandemic when their husbands or parents were out of jobs. Besides, the company has the best working environment in addition to pay and social security measures with transport facilities as the workers have five to 20 years experience, the official added.
Happy Holi 2023: The festival of colours known as Holi takes place at the beginning of the spring season and the end of winter. The celebration symbolizes the victory of good over evil. The colours and excitement of the celebration represent the different parts of life and Holi celebrations will take place on March 8, 2023.

The Holi festival has a bigger purpose in modern society. It's time for us to come together and embrace our diversity and put a stop to all sorts of disparities present in society. The celebration serves as a reminder that despite our differences, humanity unites us all. It is a chance to come together, recognise our similarities, and establish good relationships of mutual respect and empathy.

Although Holi is a Hindu festival, it is celebrated by Indians all across the country. The festival falls on the last full moon day of Phagun according to the Hindu calendar.

The tradition of throwing colours is believed to originate from the mythological love story of Radha-Krishna, this festival of colours has an intimate connection with the divine deities pure love, the Holi of Braj, Barsana, Mathura and Vrindavan is famous all over the world. Here are the celebrations from Dwarkadhish Temple, Mathura Vishram Ghat And Banke Bihari Mandir In Vrindavan.

Holi celebrations at Dwarkadhish Temple, Mathura

The Hindu god Lord Krishna is the centre of the Dwarkadhish temple. Dwarkadhish, which translates to "the King of Dwarka," is the name by which Krishna is worshipped. It is one of the major pilgrimages for Hindus. By the banks of the River Yamuna, the temple is situated in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh.

According to the Hindu scriptures, before migrating to Dwarka, Lord Krishna lived in the city of Mathura from the time he was 10 years old until he was 28. The temple features a stunning black and white marble idol of Radha and Lord Krishna.

A "riot of colours" is the appropriate description for the Holi celebration at the Dwarkadhish temple in Mathura. Holi is celebrated every day in all of Mathura's major Krishna temples throughout the weeklong celebrations. At this temple, Lathmar Holi is celebrated as per tradition. At the Dwarkadhish Temple in Mathura, Holi Day is a sight to behold.

Also Read: Holika Dahan 2023: Why Is The Demoness Holika Worshipped On Holi, Know The Entire Story Behind Holi

Holi celebrations at Banke Bihari Mandir In Vrindavan

The cities of Mathura, Vrindavan, Gokul, Baldev, Barsana, and Nandgaon are all closely linked to Lord Krishna's early years and interests. India also has all the ideal locations for Holi celebrations.

In Vrindavan, Holi festivities are primarily held at the Banke Bihari Temple. While the biggest Holi festival takes place the day before in Banke Bihari Temple, Holi celebrations in Brindavan and Mathura last for about four days (the day before the full moon day). Everyone is welcome to enter the temple and play Holi with Lord Krishna once the doors are opened. Priests hurl holy water and coloured powder at the gathering. Hymns are being sung all around. The atmosphere is completely out of this world.

Both the temple's inside and outside are decorated for the occasion. Simply put, it becomes impossible to avoid colours. It becomes a little challenging to put the feelings into words after witnessing the fullness of this sight and the beauty of the Holi in Mathura and Vrindavan. Holi at the Banke Bihari Temple is a very memorable event and an artist's paradise.

Holi is a high-frequency festival that is joyfully and vivaciously celebrated throughout India. Nonetheless, you must not miss the Holi in Vrindavan, Mathura, or the Braj Bhumi if you want to enjoy authentic Holi celebrations.
New Delhi: Upping the ante against the BJP government at the Centre over the arrest of his deputy Manish Sisodia, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will face the ''curse of the students and the poor people'' for putting in jail a saint and a great soul. Kejriwal made these remarks while addressing a rally of AAP workers at Jora ground on the outskirts of Chhattisgarhs capital Raipur on Sunday.

The AAP chief also alleged that PM Modi is misusing the central agencies to break the opposition parties and has decided not to allow any non-BJP government to function smoothly in states.

The prime minister of a country is supposed to be "a father figure" for the nation but creating a rift in non-BJP parties and toppling their governments in states by misusing the central agencies has become the "working style" of Prime Minister Modi, he charged.

Kejriwal's remarks came after he and eight other opposition leaders, including chief ministers Mamata Banerjee and K Chandrashekar Rao, wrote to the prime minister alleging "blatant misuse" of central agencies against members of the opposition.

The other signatories to the letter were Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), Sharad Pawar (NCP), Farooq Abdullah (Jammu & Kashmir National Conference), Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena, UBT) and Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party.

"The prime minister of our country has decided that if a non-BJP party is voted to power in a state, he will not let its government function under any circumstances. Then, he puts the CBI and ED after all the leaders of that party. They are harassed in many ways. Finally, their party is broken and their government toppled," Kejriwal told reporters.

"The CBI and the ED are being used only to break the Opposition and forcibly form BJP governments. It is happening all over the country. It happened in Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka.... This is the working style of Prime Minister Modi today. It is very dangerous for the country," he added.

Sisodia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the liquor policy scam case on Sunday last. He resigned from the Cabinet on Tuesday. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is probing money laundering charges in the liquor policy scam case.

Kejriwal alleged that the BJP managed to "topple" the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra by "misusing" the ED and the CBI, and formed a coalition government with the Eknath Shinde-led faction of the Shiv Sena.

"Several MLAs were made to break away from Uddhav Thackeray's party. It is said that many of them were under CBI and ED scanner. The moment they switched sides and came with the BJP, all cases against them were put on hold, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener charged.

Kejriwal also accused the BJP-led Centre of using governors to harass non-BJP governments in states and create hurdles in their day-to-day functioning. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin told me that the governor of his state is sitting on more than 20 bills that have been passed by the legislature. In Telangana, chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has gone to the Supreme Court because his governor is sitting on all his files and refusing to sign them," he claimed.

He further accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress of looting Chhattisgarh for the last 23 years and appealed to people to give a chance to his party in the state to get rid of corruption and mafia raj. Kejriwal alleged that PM Modi loves industrialist Gautam Adani like his muh-bola brother and is handing over everything in the country to him.

''The Kerala governor cancelled the appointments of several vice-chancellors approved by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan,'' he said, adding West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar are also "fed up" with the governors of their respective states.

"Delhi LG is openly saying that he does not believe in the Constitution and the Supreme Court," Kejriwal charged, asking, How will this country function in such a situation? If the prime minister of the country does not allow non-BJP governments to work and creates hurdles every day, then it is a very dangerous situation for the country," he added.
New Delhi: Rouse Avenue Court in the national capital on Monday sent former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia to judicial custody till March 20 in the case pertaining to the excise policy case. The court allowed Sisodia to carry a pair of spectacles, a diary, a pen, and the Bhagavad Gita during his judicial custody. The AAP leader, who was produced before special judge MK Nagpal on the expiry of his seven-day custodial interrogation allowed by the court earlier, has also been allowed to have medicines prescribed in his MLC conducted by CBI officials.

As requested by Sisodia's counsel, Court has also directed Jail Superintendent to consider the request of keeping him in the 'Vipassana' cell.

#WATCH | Delhi's former Deputy Chief Minister and AAP leader Manish Sisodia leaves from Rouse Avenue Court



The court sent him to judicial custody till March 20, in the case pertaining to the Delhi excise policy case. pic.twitter.com/0StQJe0xhR  ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2023

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) last week arrested Sisodia in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy for 2021-22.

Following his arrest, he resigned as Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister on February 28.

Earlier, Manish Sisodia had stated in this bail plea that he was being asked the same questions over and over, which was causing him mental distress.

According to the CBI, Sisodia was recalcitrant and evasive during his interrogation.

They also cited lost time during his medical test and the Supreme Court hearing on his bail petition.
New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor today shared a short video clip of his encounter with one of his self-proclaimed "greatest admirers" in Nagaland, where Assembly elections were recently held, in response to her plea to "spill some secrets" on how someone "so astonishingly good-looking and charismatic" can be "brilliant and intelligent" at the same time. "Choose your parents wisely," he said about one's appearance, adding that it's all in the genes, said Shashi Tharoor stating that one should try to boost one's intelligence.

The senior Congress leader claimed that reading became a habit for him as a child and that he "knows a lot" because he recalled a large portion of everything he read. Shashi Tharoor also advised practicing public speaking to improve one's skills. Shashi Tharoor was in Nagaland campaigning for his party in the recent Assembly elections.

A 2-minute sidelight from my recent visit to Nagaland seems to be going around on @WhatsApp: here it is! https://t.co/1Eatgjv7W6  Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) March 6, 2023

The NDPP-BJP combination won 37 seats in the Nagaland Legislature, giving them a strong majority. For the second time in a row, the Congress, once a major force in Nagaland politics, failed to win any Assembly seats. It did, however, increase its vote share by 1.45 percentage points to 3.55 percent.
New Delhi: The Congress on Monday (February 6) took a swipe at the BJP for supporting a government led by NPP chief Conrad Sangma in Meghalaya, saying a few days back his dispensation was considered the "most corrupt" by the top BJP leadership and now "in a fit of amnesia", the party is joining hands with him. The opposition party also alleged that the "BJP washing machine" is now running full speed and it was a "marriage of convenience".

National People's Party president Sangma on Friday called on Meghalaya Governor Phagu Chauhan and submitted to him the letter of support of 32 MLAs, while staking claim to form the government in the northeastern state.

Sangma, the outgoing chief minister, said he has the support of the BJP, Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP) and two independent MLAs, while asserting the tally may go up in the coming days as he is in touch with other parties as well.

"A few days back Conrad Sangma's government in Meghalaya was the MOST corrupt in the country according to both PM & HM. Now of course, BJP in a fit of amnesia I suppose, is joining hands with him. Meghalaya deserves better," Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a tweet. "I should have added that BJP Washing Machine is now running full speed," Ramesh said in another tweet.

Ramesh also shared two videos -- one featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the other Home Minister Amit Shah -- in which they are critical of the Sangma-led Meghalaya government.

Addressing a press conference here, Meghalaya Congress chief Vincent Pala said for the BJP and its allies, it is a "marriage of convenience" in the state.

"What they (the BJP) have said that the NPP is the most corrupt party in India...The prime minister has come to Meghalaya, the home minister has come to Meghalaya and the president of the BJP (J P Nadda) has come to Meghalaya, all of them abused, accused the NPP, but, after the results, when the BJP got only two seats out of 60 seats then the next day they joined hands," he said.

"So this is what the BJP is, how they fool the people of India, and how they fool the people of Meghalaya, that's why, I think...They betrayed the people," he said.

"The prime minister is coming tomorrow and all other BJP leaders to just market the BJP that they are getting a government in Meghalaya. This is totally, how they betray the people of Meghalaya and how they market to the rest of India," Pala said.

The NPP emerged as the single-largest party in the state on Thursday, bagging 26 seats out of the 59 constituencies that went to polls on February 27.

As the party fell short of the magic figure of 31 in the 60-member assembly, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said Sangma sought the support of Shah in forming the new government.

The United Democratic Party (UDP), which was NPP's ally in the Sangma government, emerged as the second-largest party, winning 11 constituencies. It had won only six seats in the 2018 polls. The Congress and the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC won five seats each, while the BJP won two assembly segments.


New Delhi: The Delhi Police will question the principal and the management committee coordinator of a government school over a poster pasted at its main gate supporting former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia following his arrest, officials said on Sunday. An FIR was registered against school management committee coordinator Gazala for allegedly pasting the poster supporting Sisodia.

Sisodia was arrested by the CBI in connection with the liquor policy scam case on Sunday last. He resigned from the Cabinet on Tuesday. "As part of the investigation, we will question both the school principal and its management committee coordinator. They will be questioned related to the incident and bound down in connection with the case," a senior police officer said.

The complaint sent by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) regarding alleged misuse of pictures of children by some leaders will also be probed alongside, he said. The complaint to NCPCR was made by BJP MP Manoj Tiwari. Reacting to the NCPCR action on Tiwari's complaint, AAP national spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj said it was Manoj Tiwari who sang the song 'Baby beer peeke naache' and if someone goes through the lyrics they will understand how disgraceful they are.

"How are children supposed to react to such kind of songs? Why didn't the panel take action against that? Before the Gujarat elections, the prime minister visited the state and clicked pictures in a fake classroom. Won't that impact the mindset of the children? Won't they understand that their prime minister has been building fake classrooms for photos.

"The NCPCR's job is to act on injustice against children. There are several instances across the country where children have been getting sexually exploited every day. These panels are being used politically these days. They should be turned into a neutral body for better utilisation of these institutions," the AAP leader told a press conference.

On Friday morning, Gazala, in connivance with the principal of Sarvodaya Kanya Vidayalaya in Shastri Park, asked the girl students to arrange some desks at the school entrance and pasted a large poster of Sisodia at the main gate, according to the FIR.

The BJP on Thursday claimed that the Delhi government had set up "I love Manish Sisodia" desks in state-run schools to rally support for the arrested leader, a charge denied by the AAP dispensation.

A case was registered against Gazala under section 3 of the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Public Property Act, police said. The principal is in-charge of the school and provided the desks, the FIR said.
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has said that the Central agency is likely to question former Bihar Chief Minister and Union Railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav in connection with the land-for-job case.

CBI has also said that it had also served notice to Yadav a few days ago."A few days ago, CBI had served notice to former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Yadav in connection with the land-for-job case. CBI is likely to question Lalu Yadav soon," a CBI official told ANI on Monday.

Earlier in the morning, CBI reached the residence of former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi in Patna in the alleged case.CBI had filed the chargesheet in October last year, against former Bihar chief ministers Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, their daughter Misa Bharti and 13 others in the land-for-jobs scam.

Chargesheet stated that during the investigation, it was found that the accused in conspiracy with the then GM Central Railways and CPO, Central Railways engaged persons as substitutes in lieu of land either in their name or in the name of their close relatives.

This land was acquired at prices lower than the prevailing circle rate and much lower than the market rate. It was also alleged that the candidates have used false TC and submitted false attested documents to the Ministry of Railways, said the CBI statement.

The alleged scam occurred between 2004 and 2009 when Lalu Yadav was the Railway Minister. Apart from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief, the chargesheet also includes the name of the then Railway General Manager.

CBI stated that the investigation had revealed that the candidates were considered for their engagement without any need for substitutes and there was no urgency for their appointment which was one of the main criteria behind the engagement of substitutes and they joined their duties much later from the approval of their appointment and they were subsequently regularised.

There were several anomalies found in the applications of the candidates and the documents that were enclosed due to which the applications should not have been processed and their engagement should not have been approved but it was done.

Further, in most of the cases, the candidates joined their jobs in their respective divisions on many later dates which defeated the purpose of appointment of Substitutes and in some cases, the candidates could not clear their medical examination under the required category to which their engagement was made and subsequently, they were considered and appointed on the posts where inferior/lower medical category was required, said the CBI.

Recently on February 27, while taking cognizance of the CBI chargesheet, Delhi`s Rouse Avenue Court issued summons against Lalu, his wife Rabri Devi and 14 others in connection with alleged land-for-job scam. (ANI)

(The above article is sourced from news agency ANI. Zeenews.com has made no editorial changes to the article. News agency ANI is solely responsible for the contents of the article)


A three-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a ragpicker at a railway station in Navi Mumbai, an official from the Government Railway Police (GRP) said on Monday.

The incident took place at Panvel railway station in the early hours of March 2, when the child was sleeping with her mother in the premises, senior inspector Pravin Padvai of the Panvel GRP said.

The accused picked the girl up, took her aside and raped her. The mother later found the child crying at a distance, he said.

The child's parents approached the police with a complaint against the accused, who was arrested within hours, the official said.

A case under section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has been registered against the accused, he said.

(The above article is sourced from news agency PTI. Zeenews.com has made no editorial changes to the article. News agency PTI is solely responsible for the contents of the article)
Latur: Three students of a school in Latur in Maharashtra were allegedly caught cheating during the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) English exams on Monday, while two teachers were found using mobile phones, an official said. The students were not allowed to complete the paper and the teachers have been issued notices to explain their conduct, he added.

The incidents came to light when Education Officer (Primary Section) Vandana Phutane and Education Officer (Secondary Section) Nagesh Mapari inspected two schools in Deoni tehsil to check how exams were being conducted in the district, he said.

There are 149 examination centres in Latur district and 29 flying squads make daily rounds to ensure there are no malpractices, the official added.


New Delhi: Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who was sent to CBI custody will be produced in court on Monday following his arrest in the Delhi excise policy case. He was arrested by the investigative agency in a case pertaining to alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy of the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD).

Following the arrest, he resigned from his post as the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi on February 28, Meanwhile, on March 4, the Rouse Avenue Court extended the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) remand of Sisodia in the Delhi liquor scam case. The Special Judge MK Nagpal granted two more days of remand of Manish Sisodia to CBI. The Court also issued notice to CBI on bail moved by 51-year-old Sisodia and listed the matter for March 10.

While seeking further remand of Sisodia, CBI counsel had stated, "He`s still non-cooperative and we need his further custody to confront him with two persons." "A lot of time went in his medicals. One whole day went in the petition he filed in the Supreme Court which was dismissed," CBI had told the Court. Senior Advocate Dayan Krishan had appeared for Sisodia opposing the CBI application seeking an extension of remand and submitted that "What is the difference between what was on day 1 and today? Raids were conducted at my house and my office too... keeping me in CBI custody would produce a document, is this logical???

"Senior Advocate Mohit Mathur had also appeared for Sisodia and submitted that while considering all of this my wife`s medical condition is being kept aside. "The man who is not going to run away has to be seen that way too," he said. During the hearing, Manish Sisodia himself submitted in the court that CBI officials are taking care of me, treating me respectfully and giving all things and not using any third degree.

"But they are making me sit so long 9-10 hours daily and asking the same questions again and again... it is not less not mental harassment," he said. On that, Court directed CBI not to ask repetitive questions. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader his bail petition in a trial court stated that no fruitful purpose would be served to keep him in custody as all the recoveries have already been made.

Sisodia also stated that he has joined the investigation as and when called for by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The other accused persons arrested in this case have already been granted bail. Sisodia further stated that he holds the important constitutional post of Deputy CM of Delhi and has deep roots in the society.

Rouse Avenue Court earlier while sending Sisodia to CBI remand directed that the interrogation of the accused during the remand period shall be conducted at some place having CCTV coverage in accordance with guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court and the said footage shall be preserved by the CBI.

While sending Sisodia to CBI remand, the trial court observed that the accused had joined the investigation of this case on two earlier occasions, but it has also been observed that he has failed to provide satisfactory answers to most of the questions put to him during his examination and interrogation conducted and has thus, failed to legitimately explain the incriminating evidence which has allegedly surfaced against him in the investigation conducted so far.

It is true that he cannot be expected to make self-incriminating statements, but the interests of justice and of a fair investigation require that he should come up with some legitimate answers to the questions which are being put to him by the Investigation officer, said the court.


Actor and National Commission for Women (NCW) member Khushbu Sundar has said she was sexually abused by her father at the age of 8, which she described as the "toughest" thing.

When she was 15 years old, she started revolting against her father who then left the family in the lurch, the actor-politician said at the "We The Women" town hall organised by Mojo Story in Jaipur recently.

"The toughest thing which took me long, not to forget, not to forgive but put it behind me and move forward was the abuse I faced as a child by my father. When a child is abused it scars the child for life," she said.

"My mother's been through the most abusive marriage, a man who beat up his wife, his children, sexually abused his only daughter. He thought it was his birthright, being a man it was his right to do so. And when my abuse started I was just 8 years old and I had the courage to speak against him at the age of 15," Sundar added.

"At 15 I thought that it was enough and when I started revolting against, rebelling...He just left us with whatever we had, literally left us in the lurch. We didn't know where the next food is going to come from and he just left us went." Sundar recalled.

She said she was glad to have stood up against her father because "had he been in the family, I would not have reached so far."

"If I could fight the man at home, I could manage the world very easily," the outspoken actor said.

Sundar, who ruled Tamil cinema in the 1990s and paired opposite top actors including Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, later entered politics. She joined the BJP in 2020 after quitting Congress.

(The above article is sourced from news agency PTI. Zeenews.com has made no editorial changes to the article. News agency PTI is solely responsible for the contents of the article)




New Delhi: As Kerala Police on Sunday (March 5, 2023) carried out a "search" at the office of the Malayalam news channel Asianet News, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly VD Satheesan slammed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and said that the action was "a sign of intolerance against protests, criticism or questioning of those in power" and it has been on a rise in the state. He stated that such actions indicate that there is no difference between the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre and the Pinarayi Vijayan regime in Kerala. Satheesan also referred to Vijayan as the 'mundu (dhoti) wearing Modi'. He said that the prime minister used the income tax to raid BBC offices and the Kerala CM used the crime branch wing of police to search the Asianet News office.

"Kerala Chief Minister is proving that he is 'Modi in dhoti'. What Modi did in the BBC office same was done here in the Asianet News office by the CM. This is a clear signal of intolerance. Both (CM and PM) are trying to frighten critics," Satheesan told the media.

Days after a group of Students' Federation of India (SFI) activists allegedly barged into the Kochi office of Malayalam news channel Asianet News, Kerala Police on Sunday carried out a "search" at the Kozhikode office of the media house office in connection with a case.

A senior police officer, who was leading the team that arrived at the Kozhikode office, later told reporters here that the "search" was carried out as part of the investigation in the case.

"No documents have been taken," he said.

ALSO READ | Rahul Gandhi Speaks To Indian Journalists In London, Says 'If BBC Stops Writing Against Modi Govt...'

According to various news reports, the case registered by police is based on a complaint lodged by a politician alleging that an interview done by the channel of a schoolgirl who was allegedly forced to work as a drug courier was fake news.

Earlier on March 3, SFI activists trespassed into the Kochi office of the news channel and intimidated the staff there.

A case was later registered against 30 SFI activists, the students' wing of the ruling CPI(M) in Kerala, on the basis of a complaint lodged by the channel.

The search was also condemned by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Kerala which termed it as a "fascist approach".

BJP's Kerala unit president K Surendran said the search at the Asianet News office was "an example of the fascist approach" of the state government towards the media.

(With agency inputs)
New Delhi: A day after Sharad Pawar said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) losing its bastion of Kasba Peth in Pune city to the Congress in the recently-held Assembly bypoll indicated that "winds of change were blowing across the country", Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday (March 5, 2023) said the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief is conveniently "ignoring" the poll outcome in three North-eastern states.

"Pawar is selectively looking at the poll results. He is ignoring the outcome of three states from North East region but is talking only about the Kasba Peth assembly segment," Shinde said.

"I hope Pawar won't doubt EVMs after the Kasba result," he added.

The BJP on Thursday failed to retain the Kasba Peth Assembly seat -- its stronghold for nearly three decades -- as Congress candidate Ravindra Dhangekar defeated the saffron party nominee Hemant Rasane in a keenly contested bypoll, which had become a prestige battle between the ruling coalition and the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

The saffron camp has represented Kasba Peth in the state Assembly for the last 28 years.

Girish Bapat, the current BJP Lok Sabha MP from Pune, had won the prestigious seat five times till 2019.

The BJP, however, retained Tripura in the recently-held Assembly elections and will continue to be a ruling alliance partner in Nagaland.

In Meghalaya, the BJP has supported the National People's Party (NPP) of Conrad Sangma to form a government.

It is noteworthy that in Maharashtra, the saffron party shares power with the Eknath Shinde faction, recently recognised as 'Shiv Sena' by the Election Commission.
BENGALURU: Karnataka BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel, who is known for making controversial statements, has once again made a personal attack on Congress MP Rahul Gandhi over his 'single' status and for doubting the Covid-19 vaccine and branding them as the Modi vaccine during the pandemic. Kateel also slammed former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah for his reluctance to take the Covid jab initially and for telling people not to take it. Addressing a gathering in Ramanagara as part of Vijaya Sankalpa Yatra, Kateel took potshots at the Congress leaders for their initial resistance to the Covid-19 vaccines.

During his speech, the Karnataka BJP chief said that Rahul Gandhi and Siddaramaiah asked people not to take vaccines, but they took the Covid jab themselves. He also alleged that the two Congress leaders dissuaded people by saying that they wont have kids if they took the Covid jab.

Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi, he went on to explain the reason why the Congress MP is not getting married. He told the gathering that Rahul Gandhi knows that he cant have kids thats why he is not interested in getting married. He also cited Karnataka MLCs Manjunath to substantiate his claim on Rahul Gandhi.

The video of his controversial speech is being widely shared on Twitter and has evoked a strong response from the users.

WATCH THE CONTROVERSIAL VIDEO HERE

Verbal Diarrhea BJP president @nalinkateel



Rahul asked people not to take Covid19 vaccines saying it would make them infertile, but they secretly took it. Rahul Gandhi is not getting married because he cannot have children"



Where is Indian Media now? pic.twitter.com/1wopqmvudw  Bole Bharat (@bole_bharat) March 6, 2023

BJP has kicked off 4 yatras starting from March 1 aiming to tour all 224 constituencies ahead of the Karnataka Assembly elections. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has been frequently visiting the state and at the beginning of every rally, he has been asking people whether all of them got the free Covid vaccine. The BJP is aiming to use the free vaccination drives to its advantage in the upcoming Assembly elections.

Kateel has sometimes back sparked controversy by asking people to kill the followers and the descendants of the erstwhile ruler of Mysore Tipu Sultan to the and prioritise 'love jihad' over development.

The Karnataka BJP state president a very provocative remark by saying that the followers of 18th-century Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan should not be allowed to live. He even called for killing them all. The Karnataka BJP chief said, " Do you think this state requires Lord Hanuman devotees or descendants of Tipu? I am issuing a challenge - those who are ardent followers of Tipu should not remain alive on this fertile soil."

Kateel, in his warning, reportedly said that the descendants of Tipu Sultan should be chased out to forests. Kateel reiterated that a majority of people think that Tipu Sultan was a bigoted tyrant who forcefully converted thousands. He also attacked the erstwhile Congress government in Karnataka for celebrating his birth anniversary for two consecutive years despite several protests across the state.
London: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has launched a fresh attack on the BJP, saying he is not afraid of the criticism against him as he asserted that it's a fight between courage and cowardice, and love and hatred. The Gandhi scion, who is in London as part of a week-long visit to the UK, made the remarks during his interaction with the Indian diaspora, organised by the Indian Overseas Congress here.

"The more they attack me, the better that is for me, because the more I understand... It's a fight between courage and cowardice. It's a fight between respect and disrespect, between love and hatred. As I said during the Yatra: nafrat ke bazaar mein, hum mohabbat ki dukaan kholne aaye hain (in a market of hatred, we want to set up a shop that spreads love), he said, amid applause.

The 52-year-old Congress MP said he had been invited to deliver a lecture at the University of Cambridge and expressed his regret that an Indian political leader is unable to similarly freely address a university in India.

"It was a nice atmosphere (at Cambridge University) and it made me think, that an Indian political leader can give a talk at Cambridge University, Harvard University but he can't give a talk in an Indian university," said Gandhi, who was greeted with cheers and slogans of zindabad as thousands gathered for the conference themed around Unity, Diversity and Inclusion.

"The reason is that our government simply does not allow any idea of the Opposition, any concept of the Opposition to be discussed. The same happens in Parliament House when there are important things we need to speak about, like demonisation, GST, the fact that the Chinese are sitting inside our territory, we are not allowed to raise them in the House," he said, amid chants of shame, shame from the estimated 2,000-strong crowd.

"It's shameful but it's true and this is not the India that all of us are used to. Our country is an open country, a country where we pride ourselves on our intelligence, respect each other's opinions, listen to each other and that atmosphere has been destroyed, he said.

Gandhi went on to reiterate that he was forced to undertake his Bharat Jodo Yatra', starting down south in Kanyakumari and walking around 4,000-km all the way up to Kashmir in the north of India, because all the institutions that protect democracy and allow an expression of voice have been captured by the BJP.

He said his 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' was demonstrating to the whole country what the real India is about. "What Indian values are? What our religions tell us? What our different languages tell us? What our different cultures tell us (that) we are one country with many, many different ideas. And we have the capability of living together harmoniously without hatred without anger without disrespect. And it's when we do that, we are successful. And that was the message of the Yatra, he said.

He switched between English and Hindi during his address and once again revived his concerns over India-China relations.

Attacking the BJP, the former Congress president said, "On the other side, we have an ideology of hatred and violence, a disrespectful ideology that attacks people because of their ideas. And you must have noticed one thing this is in the nature of BJP and the RSS."

"If you notice the statement of the Foreign Minister, he said China is much more powerful than us. To think China is more powerful than us, how can I pick a fight with them? At the heart of the ideology is cowardice, he said, referring to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's reported remarks during an interview. The BJP has accused Gandhi of maligning India on foreign soil while praising China.

Gandhi's remarks at Cambridge University that Indian democracy is under attack and several politicians, including himself, are under surveillance, has triggered a political slugfest with the BJP accusing him of denigrating India and asking if Gandhi was working as an agent on the payroll of an agency to bring down the country.

The event was organised by the Indian Overseas Congress (IOC) UK chapter, which introduced Gandhi as the next prime minister of India and called upon the diaspora supporters to back the party's vision unleashed by the Bharat Jodo Yatra. "No one has accomplished such a long yatra and looking ahead to 2024 (general elections), the diaspora will play a major role in it. And, by filling this largest hall available in west London from different parts of the UK, that support is visible today, said IOC UK President Kamalpreet Dhaliwal.

India's future lies in the idea of India that the Congress party has, added Sam Pitroda, adviser to former prime minister Manmohan Singh. Gandhi is set to conclude his UK tour this week with an event in the House of Commons complex hosted by UK Opposition Labour Party veteran Indian-origin MP Virendra Sharma and will also address the Chatham House think tank in London on geopolitical issues.
New Delhi: Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Monday (March 6, 2023) attacked Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and said that he has become a "vivaadon ki aandhi" (a storm of controversies). The senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader also alleged that Gandhi has taken "a contract to defame India" from a foreign land. Gandhi's recent remarks at Cambridge University in England that "Indian democracy is under attack" and several politicians, including himself, are under surveillance, has triggered a political slugfest with the ruling BJP accusing him of denigrating India.

"Rahul Gandhi has taken a contract to defame India from a foreign land. His language, thoughts, and work style are suspicious. He has done it again and again...," Anurag Thakur told news agency ANI.

"Rahul Gandhi vivaadon ki aandhi ban chuke hain. Be it, foreign friends, agencies, or foreign land, he's leaving no stone unturned to defame India. To hide his failures, he has taken a contract to defame India from a foreign land in a pre-planned manner," Thakur added.

#WATCH | "...Rahul Gandhi has taken contract to defame India from foreign land. His language, thoughts & work style are suspicious. He has done it again & again...when jawans were martyred, he said, a few people killed in car bomb explosion..," says Union Minister Anurag Thakur pic.twitter.com/YBW8aiz3cG  ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2023

Earlier last week, Rahul Gandhi gave a lecture on "Learning to Listen in the 21st century" at the Cambridge Judge Business School and listed five key aspects of the alleged attack on Indian democracy -- capture and control of media and judiciary; surveillance and intimidation; coercion by federal law enforcement agencies; attacks on minorities, Dalits and tribals; and shutting down of dissent.

Referencing a decline in manufacturing in democratic countries such as India and the US in recent years as production shifted to China, the former Congress President said the shift had produced mass inequality and anger which needed urgent attention and dialogue.

"We simply cannot afford a planet that doesn't produce under democratic systems," the 52-year-old, who is on a week-long tour of the UK, had said.
Mumbai: A day after nine political party leaders wrote a joint letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging "blatant misuse" of central agencies against the opposition, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut likened raids against them by probe bodies with those by the al-Qaeda and Taliban "who use weapons to attack their opponents."

"The way people like the Taliban and the al-Qaeda take up weapons in their hands to eliminate their opponents, in the same way, this government is using weapons like ED-CBI to eliminate its opponents," Raut told reporters here.

Raut alleged that the manner in which the central government is "terrorizing" its opponents by using ED-CBI raids against them is "more than fascism and not democratic."

"That`s why yesterday, the nine prominent leaders of main opposition parties wrote a letter to PM Modi and put this matter in front of him," Raut said.

The Shiv Sena leader however said that the letter was not needed since PM Modi was already aware of all this.

"This [the raids] are happening on his [PM Modi`s] orders," Raut alleged.

Earlier on Sunday, nine leaders of eight political parties wrote to PM Modi on the arrest of former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in the excise policy case, and alleged that the "misuse" of the central agencies suggests that the country has "transitioned from being a democracy to an autocracy".

The leaders alleged that the timings of the lodging of cases or arrests of the Opposition leaders "coincided with elections" which makes it clear that the action taken was "politically motivated".

Among the Opposition leaders who were the signatories of the letter included BRS chief K Chandrashekhar Rao, JKNC chief Farooq Abdullah, AITC chief Mamata Banerjee, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.

However, there were no representations from Congress, JDS, JD (U), and CPI (M) in the letter.
New Delhi: Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Monday (March 6, 2023) said that the situation in Himachal Pradesh's Gurudwara Sahib Manikaran is "totally peaceful" following reports that there was violence in the Kullu district. He also urged people to maintain peace and harmony. Locals and pilgrims from Punjab clashed during a fair in Manikaran town on Sunday and left some houses and vehicles damaged. A video that went viral purportedly showed stick-wielding pilgrims from Punjab pelting stones at the houses of local residents near the Gurudwara. The trigger for the clash was not immediately known.

A case of rioting has been registered and investigations are underway. The situation is under control and there has been no damage to the Gurudwara premises, Superintendent of Police, Kullu, Sakshi Verma told news agency PTI.

"The situation is totally peaceful in Manikaran Sahib and I urge people to maintain peace & harmony. I have spoken to Himachal Pradesh DGP and Punjab Police are working together to maintain Law & Order," Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav said in a tweet.

"Request citizens not to panic or spread fake news or hate speech," he added.

"Pilgrims from all parts of the country are welcome to visit without any fear," the Punjab DGP stated.

The situation is totally peaceful in Manikaran Sahib and I urge people to maintain peace & harmony



I have spoken to DGP @himachalpolice & @PunjabPoliceInd are working together to maintain Law & Order



Request citizens not to panic or spread fake news or hate speech (1/2)  DGP Punjab Police (@DGPPunjabPolice) March 6, 2023

In a tweet, Himachal Police also said that "All tourists and pilgrims are welcome to Himachal Pradesh and HP Police assures hassle-free visit to all the tourists and pilgrims".

"DGP Himachal Sanjay Kundu has spoken to Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav", it added and asked people not to fall prey to fake news and rumour mongering.
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Tripura's incumbent Chief Minister Manik Saha was picked for the top job for a second term BJP Legislative Party meet today. A swearing-in-ceremony of the new Chief Minister and the council of ministers will take place on March 15 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President J.P.Nadda are slated to be in attendance. The BJP`s northeast coordinators Sambit Patra, Manik Saha, BJP President Rajib Bhattacharjee, and Union Minister Pratima Bhowmik among others were present in the meeting.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited Tripura on Saturday and held meetings with Saha, Bhowmik and other BJP leaders and discussed the government formation. Sarma on Sunday visited Delhi and held meetings with Shah and Nadda and discussed about government formation in Tripura and Nagaland, a senior BJP leader told IANS.

In the February 16 Assembly polls, the BJP won 32 seats, one more than the magic figure of 31 in the 60-member Assembly while its ally Indigenous People`s Front of Tripura got one.

The tribal-based Tipra Motha Party, which contested 42 seats on its debut, emerged as the second-largest party securing 13 seats.

The CPI-M won 11 seats while the Congress bagged three.
New Delhi: Disgruntled Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday (March 5, 2023) once again hit out at the Election Commission for allotting the party's name and symbol to the rebel faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and termed the poll body a "slave" of those in power. Thackeray also dubbed the EC a "chuna lagav" commission after losing the party name and election symbol "bow and arrow" to Shinde and said that the poll body can never take away the party -- founded by his father late Bal Thackeray -- from him.

"You (the Election Commission) have taken away the party name and the symbol from us, but you can't take away Shiv Sena from me," Uddhav said during a public rally in Ratnagiri district's Khed.

He also said it was Bal Thackeray who stood with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) when it was politically "untouchable", and dared the former ally to seek votes in Maharashtra only in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi without invoking the Thackeray senior.

Thackeray also stated that he "didn't accept" the EC's decision.

"If the Election Commission is not suffering from cataract, it should come and see the ground situation. The EC is a 'chuna lagao' commission and a slave of those in power. The principle based on which the EC took this decision is wrong,' he reiterated.

He said the party has appealed in the Supreme Court.

BJP trying to finish off Shiv Sena

Uddhav Thackeray said the BJP was trying to "finish off" Shiv Sena brutally and cruelly but won't succeed. He stated that the move to destroy Shiv Sena was akin to the attack on the unity of the Marathi people as well as Hindus.

He said earlier sadhus and sants used to be part of the BJP but the party is now full of opportunists.

"The largest number of corrupt people are in BJP. First, they (BJP) accuse the people in the Opposition of corruption. However, those accused of corruption are then inducted into BJP," he alleged.

"People will have to decide whether they want me or Eknath Shinde. I will accept the verdict of the people but not of the EC. If people say they don't want me, I will leave just like I had left 'Varsha' (the official residence of Maharashtra chief minister after resigning from the post"), Uddhav added.

Targetting BJP, he said like Eknath Shinde who "stole" my (Uddhav Thackeray's) father, the BJP has "stolen Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Subhash Chandra Bose because that party has no icons to bank on".

"When you see someone with a bow and arrow, he is a thief. Will you vote for him (a reference to Shinde)?" he asked the gathering.

He appealed to his Shiv Sainiks to make BJP bite the dust in the elections in Maharashtra.
PRAYAGRAJ: The Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday gunned down an alleged shooter of the Atiq Ahmed gang during an encounter in the Kaudhiyara area of Prayagraj in connection with the Umesh Pal murder case. According to reports, the shooter, who was seriously injured during the encounter and succumbed while being rushed to the hospital, has been identified as Vijay Chaudhary alias 'Usman.' A policeman has also sustained injuries during the encounter and has been taken to hospital for treatment.

The slain shooter is said to be the first among the assailants who attacked Umesh Pal and his security guards on February 24 this year. Usman was rushed to the Swaroop Rani Nehru Medical Hospital after the encounter but he succumbed to his injuries on the way. The UP Police had earlier declared a reward of Rs 50,000 on Usman.

It may be recalled that Umesh Pal, the key witness in the BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case, and his police security guard Sandeep Nishad were shot dead outside his home in the Dhoomanganj area of Prayagraj.

Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed is the prime accused in the Raju Pal murder case and is currently lodged in a Gujarat jail. A reward of Rs 2.5 lakh each for the arrest or giving information for the arrest of five persons involved in the killing of Umesh Pal was announced by UP Police on Sunday.

Based on a complaint lodged by Umesh Pal's wife Jaya Pal, a case was registered at Dhoomanganj police station against Atiq Ahmed, his brother Ashraf, his wife Shaista Parveen, two sons, aides Guddu Muslim and Ghulam, and nine others.

Bounty Declared On All Accused

The Uttar Pradesh Police has announced Rs 2.5 lakh bounty each on all the five accused in the Umesh Pal murder case. Director General of Police (DGP) DS Chauhan said on Sunday that a bounty of Rs 2.5 lakh has been announced on the five accused - Asad, Arma, Gulam, Guddu Muslim and Sabir - in the case.

Cancellation Of Bail Of Accused

The Allahabad High Court has cancelled the bail granted to Farhan, an accused of murdering BSP MLA Raju Pal and two security guards in broad daylight. The bail was granted to Farhan by the Sessions Court on November 24, 2005. There are 26 criminal cases registered against Farhan, which include three cases of murder, three cases of kidnapping, two cases of murderous assaults and raping a minor.

Other than this, cases under Gangster Act, Gunda Act and SC/ST Act are also registered against him."Leaving the petitioner free is putting the life and safety of witnesses and common citizens at risk. The court has cancelled the bail while cancelling the order to release the accused on bail," the court stated.

The Allahabad HC also denied bail to dreaded criminal Mohammad Ashraf alias Khalid Azim, the younger brother of Bahubali mafia don Atiq Ahmed, in the 2015 murder conspiracy case. While rejecting the application, the court said that 51 serious criminal cases had been registered against the accused. He is also accused of the recent murder of Umesh Pal, the eyewitness of the Raju Pal murder.

The Allahabad HC also earlier rejected the bail application of Atiq Ahmed`s son Ali Ahmed in a 2021 extortion case. The court observed that enlarging "such a criminal" on bail would be a threat "not only to the witnesses but also a constant threat to society".Meanwhile, the Prayagraj district administration demolished the property of Atique Ahmed`s aide, Safdar Ali on Thursday.

Property Of Accused Bulldozed

In a related development, the property of an accused in the killing of the key witness in the murder of Raju Pal, a BSP MLA, was also razed to the ground in Prayagraj. An accused - Arbaaz - was shot in an exchange of fire near the Nehru Park area in Prayagraj`s Dhoomanganj earlier. "Accused Arbaaz was shot during the encounter that took place near Nehru Park in Dhoomanganj, Prayagraj. He was driving the car that was used in the murder (of Umesh Pal) and was fired upon," ADG law and order Prashant Kumar had said on Monday.

"Arbaaz died during treatment at the hospital. The UP administration and the police have initiated a campaign against all such miscreants, gangsters, and mafia. There is also a crackdown on those sheltering such people," he added.
Mathura: Clad in white sarees and giving a toss to the orthodox traditions that forbid them from participating in the festival of colours, widows in Vrindavan celebrated Holi at the historic Gopinath temple here on Monday. "Widows of Chaitanya Vihar Ashram, Sharda Ashram and various shelter homes in Vrindavan participated in the Holi of flowers and Gulal," said social reformer and founder of Sulabh International, Bindeshwar Pathak. Owing to inclement weather, this year rose and other flower petals with herbal Gulal were used during Holi celebrations in the land of Radha Rani, he said.

According to an age-old practice, which was prevalent in West Bengal, widows were not only considered virtually untouchable but were deprived of participating in any festival, said Pathak, who supervised the rare feat in Vrindavan.

Such programmes are organised to bring these widows into the mainstream of society and efforts are made to make them self-reliant by training them to prepare herbal Gulal, 'agarbattis' (incense sticks), candles and attire of Thakur Ji, officials of the organisation said.

Eighty-year-old widow Monu Gosh was elated to celebrate Holi at the temple. Chabi Dasi (65) and Ratania Maa were so thrilled and smeared Gulal on each other and tossed rose petals on fellow widows. International tourists were among hundreds of people who witnessed this unique celebration at the historic temple.

It was our seventh attempt to replace gloom with joy in the life of widows, the officials said, adding that the organisation is planning to organise more such events.




Leader of opposition in West Bengal Suvendu Adhikari on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi "expressing concern" that the CBI was not acting against those holding high positions and involved in the decade-old Saradha chit fund scam.

In his letter, Adhikari alleged that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was the "biggest beneficiary" of the scam involving crores of rupees but the CBI was hesitating to act against her because of her post.

Hitting back, the Trinamool Congress alleged Adhikari, who was a minister in Banerjee's cabinet before joining the BJP, himself was named in a declaration by Saradha chief Sudipta Sen as one of the main beneficiaries of the scam.

Adhikari, in the letter, alleged, "The CBI was handed over the responsibility of the investigation, because it was a scam which involved thousands of crores collected from the public allegedly because of the patronage of people occupying high positions in the system."

"The CBI was expected to nail the person occupying the highest position in the system," he wrote.

Adhikari alleged that Banerjee's association with Saradha goes back to the time when she was the railway minister in the UPA-2 government.

"Is this why the CBI is hesitant? Or has the height of her chair made them reluctant to act against her? But wasn't it the primary reason for handing over the investigation to the CBI? So that the position of the high & mighty doesn't deter them from acting against them and bringing them to justice," he said.

TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh told PTI that Adhikari joined the BJP "to wash the stains of his corruption".

"Adhikari should not hurl stones while living in a glasshouse. He was named by Saradha chief Sudipta Sen as one of the main beneficiaries," he said.

"Adhikari got into the washing machine of the BJP for washing the stains of his corruption. It is clear that he is not ashamed of himself. Why are the agencies not acting against Suvendu? The central agencies are showing a bias towards him," Ghosh added.

(The above article is sourced from news agency PTI. Zeenews.com has made no editorial changes to the article. News agency PTI is solely responsible for the contents of the article)
New Delhi: Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan got injured while shooting for his upcoming film Project K in Hyderabad. Taking to his blog on Tumblr, the actor shared a lengthy note in which he spoke about how he got severely injured on the sets.

In Hyderabad at the shoot for Project K, during an action shot, I have got injured .. rib cartilage popped broke and muscle tear to the right rib cage .. canceled shoot .. did Doctor consult and scan by CT at the AIG Hospital in Hyderabad and flown back home .. strapping has been done and rest been advocated .. yes painful .. on movement and breathing .. will take some weeks they say before some normalisation will occur .. some medication is on also for pain .. So all work that was to be done has been suspended and canceled dropped postponed for the moment until healing occurs.

Adding further, he said that he is back at his home in Mumbai and is resting. I rest at Jalsa and am mobile a bit for all the essential activities .. but yes in rest and generally lying around .. It shall be difficult or let me say .. I shall be unable to meet, the well wishers at Jalsa Gate this evening .. so do not come .. and do inform as much as you can to those that intend coming .. All else is well, he wrote.

See how Big B informed about his injuries in his blog

Project K is a Pan-India science film fiction that also stars Prabhas and Deepika Padukone in lead roles alongside Amitabh Bachchan. Other than this, the actor was last seen in Goodbye alongside Rashmika Mandanna, Pavail Gulati and Neena Gupta. Apart from that, he will also headline Ribhu Dasgupta's courtroom drama 'Section 84'.
NEW DELHI: Internet sensation Anjali Arora, who shot to fame after her Kacha Badam video went viral on social media, knows how to keep her Insta fam entertained. The former Lock Upp: 1 contestant often hits the internet with her dance video and continuing the trend, she once again dropped a reel on Instagram where she is seen grooving to 'Koi To Vajah' song.

Anjali is seen dressed in a mini black skirt which she teamed with a white crop top and grooving to the popular Bollywood track. Her sizzling looks and expressions grabbed the attention of followers. The video appears to have been shot in Russia.

Anjali Arora was seen in Kangana Ranaut-hosted reality show 'Lock Upp', a reality show hosted by Kangana Ranaut and produced by Ekta Kapoor. Digital content creator shot to fame with her dance video of the Kacha Badam song. However, recently she made headlines for an alleged MMS viral clip which surfaced online.

The private video went viral and many assumed that the girl in it is Anjali, however, looks like that's not the case. Later, breaking her silence on the alleged intimate video leak, Anjali Arora while talking to Siddharth Kanan, spoke about it. She revealed such things affect her and her family.
New Delhi: Arrested alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar on Monday, in a letter, extended his greetings to Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez on the occasion of Holi, but, rather in a 'personal way'.

"I wish the most fantastic human, the amazing, my ever-beautiful Jacqueline, a very Happy Holi. On this day, festival of colours, I promise you, the colours which faded or disappeared will be brought back to you, a 100x folds," Sukesh wrote in his letter, released through his advocate.

"This year in full jazzy and brightness, my style. I will make sure of that and its my responsibility. You know I will got to all extent, for you my baby girl," he wrote.

"I love you my baby, stay smiling. You know well what you mean to me and how much you mean to me. Love you my princess, miss you loads, my bee. My bomma. My love. My Jackie," he added in his letter.

Sukesh has in the past wished the actor on Valentine's Day while he was being produced before the court. Fernandez has turned witness against him in an EOW case.

Jacqueline has been accused of enjoying over Rs 7 crore in proceeds of crime from Sukesh. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has alleged that Sukesh funded this by extorting Rs 217 crore from Aditi Singh, the wife of former Fortis promoter, Shivinder Singh.

During a hearing of the Rs 200 crore extortion case at Delhi's Patiala Court, Sukesh Chandrashekhar said Jacqueline Fernandez was not involved in the scam and that she need not worry as he was there to 'protect her.' On the other hand, Jacqueline maintained that the conman has made her life hell and ruined her career and livelihood.

Sukesh Chandrashekhar was arrested for duping former Religare promoter Malvinder Singh's wife by posing as the Union home and law secretaries and extorting over Rs 200 crore.
This year marks the 60th year since revolutionaries of the older generation, including Mao Zedong, wrote inscriptions for comrade Lei Feng. Over the past 60 years, the activities of learning-from-Lei Feng have been carried out continuously across the country. Lei Feng's name is well-known to every household, and Lei Feng's spirit has nourished the hearts of generations of Chinese people. No matter how the times change, the spirit of Lei Feng will never go out of date. For a long time, Anhui province has deeply grasped the connotation and practical requirements of the Lei Feng spirit, and has continued to carry out activities of learning from Lei Feng in all parts of the province. Especially since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the activities of learning from Lei Feng in the new era have continued to expand content and innovate forms. From the north of the Huaihe River to the south of the Yangtze River, batches of Lei Feng-style collectives and model figures have emerged, and the spirit of Lei Feng has bloomed more brilliantly in Anhui. On February 28, students from Liu Qi Primary School in Fuyang City participated in the learning from Lei Feng activity. Photo by Wang Biao On March 2, in the Fengshan Group of Fengshan Village, Guandian Town, Mingguang City, Zhou Fuhong, director of the Mingguang Agricultural Technology Promotion Center, taught the villagers the planting technology of stevia. Photo by Li Bo On March 4, students from Wuhe Primary School listened carefully to Lei Feng's story at the Lei Feng Cultural Exhibition Hall in Wuhe County, Bengbu City. Photographed by correspondent Li Xiangqian On February 28, Xu Shengnian, the provincial intangible cultural heritage inheritor of "Wengdun paper-cut", introduced the paper-cut work of "Portrait of Lei Feng" to the students of the East Campus of Renmin Road Primary School in Lu'an City, and publicized Lei Feng's deeds. Photo by correspondent Tian Kaiping On March 4, volunteers from Jiangxin Township, Dangtu County, Ma'anshan City and the "Blue Vest" volunteer service team of China Communications Second Navigational Bureau went to the bank of the Yangtze River to pick up the garbage and protect the river. Photo by Wang Wensheng, Liu Wenting On March 1, Jiajiajingyuan Community, Wulidun Neighbourhood, Shushan District, Hefei City, launched a voluntary service activity of learning from Lei Feng, bringing convenience to the residents of the community. Photo by reporter Fan Bowen On March 2, at the Yongrun Nursing Home in Eshan Town, Fanchang District, Wuhu City, volunteers accompanied the elderly to make dumplings happily. Photo by reporter Xiao Benxiang On March 3, at the Zhuyinli Community Square, Sanli'an Neighbourhood, Shushan District, Hefei City, the volunteer service team of the College of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tui na(a form of massage similar to shiatsu) of Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine provided volunteer services for citizens. Photo by reporter Cheng Zhao

Edited and translated by Zheng Chen
Prayagraj: Ruling BJP lawmakers from Uttar Pradesh have hailed the Yogi Adityanath governments prompt action in the Umesh Pal murder case after the UP Police gunned down an alleged shooter of the Atiq Ahmed gang during an encounter in the Kaundhiyara area of Prayagraj on Monday morning. According to reports, the shooter, who was seriously injured during the encounter, succumbed while being rushed to the hospital. He has been identified as Vijay Chaudhary alias 'Usman.' A policeman has also sustained injuries during the encounter and has been taken to hospital for treatment.

Usman was the first of all the assailants who fired the first shot at Umesh Pal  a key witness in the 2005 former BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case and his police security guards Sandeep Nishad and Raghvendra Singh on February 24 outside his home in the Dhoomanganj area. While Pal died on the same day, both the security personnel died later during treatment.

Reacting to the encounter, Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA Shalabh Mani Tripathi tweeted a the photo of the accused, "Dreaded murderer Usman shot dead in an encounter with Police today."

In another tweet, Tripathi sought to remind Did not we say no one will be spared(Kaha than a ki mitti me mila denge).

        !!                    pic.twitter.com/kSaS5KJ8za  Dr. Shalabh Mani Tripathi (@shalabhmani) March 6, 2023

BJP MP from Gorakhpur Ravi Kishan too hailed the Yogi Adityanath government for swift action in the Umesh Pal murder case.

The slain shooter Vijay Chaudhary alias Usman was shot dead in the Kaundhiyara police station area around 5.30 am, Dhumanganj Station House Officer (SHO) Rajesh Kumar Maurya said on Monday. A police officer said the encounter site was between Gothi and Belwa in Kaundhiyara police station area. Usman suffered bullet injuries in his neck, chest and thigh, he said.

He said Usman's brother Rakesh Chaudhary is lodged in Naini Central Jail and a dozen of cases including that of murder has been registered against him. A constable, Narendra Pal, was also injured in Monday's encounter. He suffered injuries to his hand and has been admitted to the Community Health Centre in Kaundhiyara.

On February 27, Arbaz, who allegedly drove the SUV of the assailants, was killed in an encounter with the police in Prayagraj. Based on a complaint lodged by Umesh Pal's wife Jaya Pal, a case was registered at Dhoomanganj police station against gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed, his brother Ashraf, wife Shaista Parveen, two sons, aides Guddu Muslim and Ghulam and nine others.

They have been booked under Indian Penal Code sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) and provisions of the Explosive Substances Act and the Criminal Law Amendment Act.

Jaya Pal had claimed that her husband was the prime witness in the Raju Pal murder case. In 2006, Atiq Ahmed and his aides abducted him and forced him to give a statement in court in their favour. Umesh Pal had registered a complaint in this regard and the case was ongoing.

Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed is the prime accused in the Raju Pal murder case and is currently lodged in a Gujarat jail. The Uttar Pradesh Police had on Sunday announced a reward of Rs 2.5 lakh for giving information about the five people, including gangster and former MP Atiq Ahmad's son Asad, allegedly involved in the killing of Umesh Pal.

Besides Asad, the other four accused on which reward was announced included Gulam, Guddu and Sabir.
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak has warned that those involved in the murder of Umesh Pal  a key witness in the 2005 Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Raju Pal murder case  will not be "spared". Pathak made these remarks days after UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also warned that all mafias and criminals will be decimated. "An investigation is regularly going on regarding the matter and those who are involved will not be spared. Whosoever is guilty will be punished by the authorities," Pathak said.

Umesh Pal, the prime witness in the 2005 MLA Raju Pal murder case was shot dead by an unidentified man while he was getting out of a Hyundai Creta SUV in Prayagraj, the camera footage showed.

In a major development, the Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday gunned down an alleged shooter of the Atiq Ahmed gang during an encounter in the Kaudhiyara area of Prayagraj in connection with the Umesh Pal murder case. According to reports, the shooter, who was seriously injured during the encounter, succumbed while being rushed to the hospital. He has been identified as Vijay Chaudhary alias 'Usman.' A policeman has also sustained injuries during the encounter and has been taken to hospital for treatment.

The slain shooter is said to be the first among the assailants who attacked Umesh Pal and his security guards on February 24 this year. Usman was rushed to the Swaroop Rani Nehru Medical Hospital after the encounter, but he succumbed to his injuries on the way. The UP Police had earlier declared a reward of Rs 50,000 on Usman.

It may be recalled that Umesh Pal, the key witness in the BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case, and his police security guard Sandeep Nishad were shot dead outside his home in the Dhoomanganj area of Prayagraj.

Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed is the prime accused in the Raju Pal murder case and is currently lodged in a Gujarat jail. A reward of Rs 2.5 lakh each for the arrest or giving information for the arrest of five persons involved in the killing of Umesh Pal was announced by UP Police on Sunday.

Based on a complaint lodged by Umesh Pal's wife Jaya Pal, a case was registered at Dhoomanganj police station against Atiq Ahmed, his brother Ashraf, his wife Shaista Parveen, two sons, aides Guddu Muslim and Ghulam, and nine others.

The Uttar Pradesh police have announced a cash bounty of Rs 2.5 lakh as a reward for finding those accused in the murder. The accused have been identified as Asad Ahmad, Armaan, Ghulam, Guddu Muslim and Sabir. "Many teams of UP police are constantly trying to arrest the accused," the police said.

Property Of Accused Demolished

In a related development, the property of an accused in the killing of the key witness in the murder of Raju Pal, a BSP MLA, was also razed to the ground in Prayagraj. An accused - Arbaaz - was shot in an exchange of fire near the Nehru Park area in Prayagraj`s Dhoomanganj earlier. "Accused Arbaaz was shot during the encounter that took place near Nehru Park in Dhoomanganj, Prayagraj. He was driving the car that was used in the murder (of Umesh Pal) and was fired upon," ADG law and order Prashant Kumar had said on Monday.

"Arbaaz died during treatment at the hospital. The UP administration and the police have initiated a campaign against all such miscreants, gangsters, and mafia. There is also a crackdown on those sheltering such people," he added.
London: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Sunday announced a clamp down on illegal migration with a new proposed law to tackle the issue of migrants crossing over into the UK illegally and dangerously in small boats from across the English Channel. The British Indian leader had made cracking down on this illegal route between the UK's sea border with neighbouring France among his top priorities for the year. Along with his Indian-origin Home Secretary Suella Braverman, the Sunak-led government is now planning to table the legislation in Parliament to address the issue.

"Make no mistake, if you come here illegally, you will not be able to stay," Sunak told the 'Sunday Express' newspaper.

"I have made the issue of illegal migration one of my top five priorities, pledging to stop the boats once and for all. Illegal migration is not fair to British taxpayers, it is not fair to those who come here legally and it is not right that criminal gangs should be allowed to continue their immoral trade. I'm determined to deliver on my promise to stop the boats," he said.

According to the newspaper, Sunak believes he has found the answer to a problem that has dogged the government for the past four years after weeks of work carried out in relative secrecy by senior aides in the UK Home Office and at No. 10 Downing Street.

The group has now drawn up new laws to slam a 'brake' on any abuse of human rights laws that allows illegal migrants to escape deportation from the UK.

It is hoped the new law will stop activist lawyers using the right to family life and legislation created to combat modern slavery to stop their clients being deported.

'Enough is enough': Suella Braverman on migrant crisis

Braverman wrote in the 'Sun on Sunday' to say "enough is enough" and that the British people want the issue solved.

"They're sick of tough talk and inadequate action. We must stop the boats. That's why myself and the Prime Minister have been working flat out to bring forward necessary and effective laws which will tackle this problem, once and for all," she writes.

She adds: "It has to be that if you come here illegally you will be detained and swiftly removed. Our laws will be simple in their intention and practice -- the only route to the UK will be a safe and legal route.

"So far, [Opposition] Labour has opposed every effort to bring a stop to illegal migration. They are not serious about tackling the issue that is only becoming ever more serious and allows criminal gangs to exploit vulnerable people. The Prime Minister and I will do whatever it takes. You can judge us by our actions."

The law is expected to give powers to the Home Secretary to remove anyone who arrives on a small boat "as soon as reasonably practicable" to Rwanda, with which the UK clinched a bilateral agreement or a "safe third country".

Sunak and Braverman are also expected to travel to Paris towards the end of next week for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron to explore an enhanced agreement over the issue of small boats crossing over from Calais in France to Dover in England.
South Africa: Action plan to deal with "grey listing"

Governments International Cooperation, Trade and Security (ICTS) cluster has noted the Financial Action Task Forces (FATF) decision to list South Africa as a jurisdiction under increased monitoring, or more commonly referred to as FATFs grey list.

In a statement on Monday, the cluster said Cabinet has considered the action plan and is committed to actively work with the FATF to swiftly and effectively address all outstanding deficiencies.

South Africa was put on a grey list recently for falling short of certain international standards for the combating of money laundering and other serious financial crimes.

FATF assessed that the country needed to make further and sustained progress in addressing the eight areas of strategic deficiencies related to the effective implementation of South Africas Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) laws as set out in the FATFs statement.

President Cyril Ramaphosa said most of these deficiencies relate to the implementation of laws. For example, the country needs to be able to demonstrate, among other things, an increase in the investigation and prosecution of serious and complex money-laundering and terrorism financing.

This includes an increase in mutual legal assistance requests to other countries, an increase in the use of financial intelligence by law enforcement agencies, and the effective implementation of targeted financial sanctions.

Our action plan to address these deficiencies is aligned with the work we are doing to implement the recommendations of the State Capture Commission as outlined in our submission to Parliament in October last year, the President said.

President Ramaphosa said that like all countries, South Africa is dealing with the shifting sands of globalised crime and criminal syndicates. He added that the challenge facing authorities is to anticipate criminal innovation and to respond swiftly and effectively.

Since the dawn of democracy in 1994, the country has sought to build credible, independent institutions and implement effective laws to deal with complex financial crimes of this nature.

South Africa forged collaborative relationships with transnational entities and global bodies in the financial sector, including the FATF and Interpol.

The country has come a long way when it comes to developing world-class expertise, legislative reform and strengthening state institutions to combat complex financial crime.

We have restored credibility to key institutions like SARS and the NPA to enable them to fulfil their respective mandates. We have bolstered the powers of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) by establishing a Special Tribunal to recover public funds stolen through corruption and fraud, and an Investigative Directorate in the NPA to investigate serious corruption, he said.

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced in the 2023 National Budget that additional funds will be allocated to the police, NPA, SIU and Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) to strengthen the fight against crime and corruption.

The President said one of the countrys most effective tools for combating money laundering and other financial crimes is the multidisciplinary Fusion Centre, established in 2020.

The ICTS Cluster is responsible for Priority 7 of the Medium-term Strategic Framework 2019-2024, A Better Africa and World.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2023-03-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
* The around 5-percent GDP target for 2023 is consistent with the growth potential of the Chinese economy at present and with the capability of resources and production factors to support the economy. * Delivering steady and quality growth is key to realizing the CPC's grand blueprint for building a great modern socialist country by the middle of this century. * While the annual GDP target is an appropriate growth pace required to stabilize expectations and economic expansion, it has indicated that the Chinese economy will continue to focus on high-quality development. * China's economy is staging a steady recovery, with marked improvement in consumer demand, market distribution, industrial production and business expectations, and the economy is demonstrating vast potential and momentum for further growth. The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei) BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- China aims to achieve a faster economic growth of around 5 percent with better quality of development in 2023, as the world's second-largest economy gathers pace to build up recovery momentum and push ahead with its modernization drive. The projected target, higher than the 3-percent growth recorded in the country's gross domestic product (GDP) last year, is one of the key objectives for development laid out in the government work report delivered by Premier Li Keqiang to the national legislature, which began its annual session Sunday. The world is closely watching for new policy moves on China's development, as national lawmakers and political advisors convene for the first annual gathering since the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in October last year. Meanwhile, the country's quick recovery from COVID-19 has raised hopes for wider growth globally, adding to the significance of the event. Delivering steady and quality growth is key to realizing the CPC's grand blueprint for building a great modern socialist country by the middle of this century. "It is imperative to maintain reasonable long-term economic growth while ensuring better quality and efficiency and to sustain our miraculous achievements of fast economic growth and long-term social stability," as the 20th CPC National Congress envisaged increasing the country's per capita GDP to be on par with that of a mid-level developed country by 2035, according to a separate report submitted Sunday by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the top economic planner. The growth target of around 5 percent "is necessary to ensure stable growth, employment and prices," according to the NDRC report on the implementation of the 2022 plan for national economic and social development and on the 2023 draft plan for national economic and social development. "It will be a positive signal to the market and will bolster confidence, guide expectations, expand employment, improve living standards, and prevent and defuse risks while pursuing development," the NDRC report said. This year's GDP target is also consistent with the growth potential of the Chinese economy at present and with the capability of resources and production factors to support the economy, according to the report. "For China, 2023 is a year of economic comeback," said Liu Shouying, dean of the School of Economics at Renmin University of China. While the annual GDP target is an appropriate growth pace required to stabilize expectations and economic expansion, it has indicated that the Chinese economy will continue to focus on high-quality development, Liu said. People visit Jianchang ancient city during the Spring Festival holiday in Xichang, southwest China's Sichuan Province, on Jan. 27, 2023. (Photo by Li Jieyi/Xinhua) REVIVING GROWTH China's economy is staging a steady recovery, with marked improvement in consumer demand, market distribution, industrial production and business expectations, the premier said, noting that the economy is demonstrating vast potential and momentum for further growth. The recovery can be seen and felt in the scenes of busy roads, crowded cinemas and restaurants, and shopping sprees both online and in stores. The latest official data showed that manufacturing activity has returned to the highest level in more than a decade, foreign investment growth rebounded, and monthly new bank lending surged more than expected. While acknowledging past achievements, Li cautioned of difficulties and challenges confronting the economy, including rising uncertainties in the external environment, insufficient domestic demand, and risks and hidden dangers in the real estate market. It is important to "give priority to ensuring stable growth, employment and prices" this year, Li told lawmakers. This year, China aims to create around 12 million new urban jobs, with a surveyed urban unemployment rate of around 5.5 percent, according to the government work report. Other annual objectives include keeping the consumer price index increase at around 3 percent and grain output above 650 million tonnes. The government work report unveiled a raft of measures to shore up growth this year. They include a projected deficit-to-GDP ratio of 3 percent, 0.2 percentage points higher than the level last year, and 3.8 trillion yuan (about 549.8 billion U.S. dollars) of special-purpose bonds to be allocated to local governments. The report also called for making the prudent monetary policy targeted and forceful, noting that the M2 money supply and aggregate financing should increase generally in step with nominal economic growth to support the real economy. To expand domestic demand, China will prioritize the recovery and expansion of consumption, the report said, noting that the incomes of urban and rural residents will be boosted through multiple channels. "China's economy will turn for the better on the whole and its growth rate is more likely than not to reach a normal level," said economist Yu Miaojie, president of Liaoning University and a national legislator. International institutions and investment banks have raised their predictions for China's growth this year. The International Monetary Fund lifted in late January its forecast for China's growth in 2023 to 5.2 percent, up from a previous prediction of 4.4 percent. This aerial photo taken on June 19, 2022 shows wind turbines in a forest park in Raohe County, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. (Xinhua/Xie Jianfei) QUALITY MATTERS While giving weight to economic growth, the Chinese government will not seek growth at all costs. Instead, it wants a greener and more efficient economy. While delivering the government work report, Li once again underscored efforts to pursue high-quality development, outlining policy priorities such as accelerating the modernization of the industrial system and promoting the transition to a green development pattern. China aims to reduce energy consumption per unit of GDP by around 2 percent this year and "will strive for better results in actual work," according to the NDRC report. It unveiled the objectives of continued reductions in the discharge of major pollutants, stronger control over the consumption of fossil fuels, and steady improvements in the natural environment. On boosting the country's technology strength, Li urged pooling quality resources and making concerted efforts to achieve breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields. He also called for efforts to make traditional industries and small and medium-sized enterprises more advanced, smarter, and more eco-friendly. In the face of severe challenges brought by rising protectionism and the COVID-19 flareups in the past few years, China has avoided overreliance on investment as a means of boosting economic growth but stayed focused on helping market entities overcome difficulties and grow. "We have taken decisive measures to step up macro policy support while refraining from adopting a deluge of strong stimulus policies that would eat into our potential for future growth," Li said. High-quality development is deemed "the first and foremost" task in China's modernization endeavor. President Xi Jinping has stressed that instead of taking GDP growth as the sole criterion for success, China is now focusing more on improving the quality and efficiency of growth. As part of the better quality of development, China has seen increased spending on research and development in the past five years, with reduced energy intensity and carbon emissions, according to the government work report. "A modern China should be one with high-quality development," said Han Baojiang, director of the economics department of the National Academy of Governance and a national political advisor. "Only by placing equal emphasis on growth and quality and creating a strong synergy for high-quality development can we build a solid economic foundation for Chinese modernization," Han said. (Video editors: Chen Sihong, Wu Yuzhan, Zhu Jianhui and Peng Ying)
Almost a month has passed since Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh wrote a report saying that US Navy laid the bombs that damaged the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines linking Russia with Germany and other European Union nations, yet most of the Western media have remained mute on the issue. On Feb 3, a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in the United States. Yet hardly any media reported the incident until 10 days later, on which day the scene of a journalist being taken away by the police on site was shown to the public. It is such selective reporting that makes people wonder whether there is really any freedom of the press in the West. Similarly, the Foreign Correspondents Club of China, in which the US plays a major role, published a report on its official website criticizing China for "travel restrictions". The FCCC's complaint about "travel restrictions" during the COVID-19 pandemic is risible. It is common sense that when a major public health threat emerges, every member in a society contributes to the fight against it by sacrificing some convenience to travel. These restrictions in the case of the COVID-19 pandemic applied to everyone. There is no reason for foreign correspondents to expect any exemption. The privilege to travel "freely" as they misunderstand it would pose a risk to everybody, themselves included. The first session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference opened on Saturday, while the First Session of the 14th National People's Congress opened on Sunday. According to official data, about 3,000 journalists have registered to attend this year's two sessions, of which over 1,000 come from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan and foreign countries. The fact that foreign reporters can freely do interviews at the sessions of China's top legislative body and top political advisory body is best evidence against the FCCC report. The FCCC said they want to "tell the China story well", and China welcomes foreign journalists who do that. Unfortunately, some come with other intentions.




"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses its support for the constitutional and democratic government of President Guillermo Lasso, and hopes governance, political stability and social peace will be maintained in the sister Republic of Ecuador," the institution said in a statement.





The government agency pointed out that these conditions are essential for the full validity of the principles and rules on the promotion and strengthening of democracy in the region.





"The Government of Peru expresses its conviction that Ecuadorian political institutions will prioritize democratic dialogue within the framework of the Political Constitution, the principle of legality, and the rule of law," it stated.





The ministry also noted that this year Peru and Ecuador will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Peace Agreements "under which we begin a new stage of friendship, cooperation, and integration between our peoples, for the benefit of their development and well-being."





Last Saturday, Ecuador's National Assembly approved a report presented by a commission that is investigating alleged acts of corruption involving a circle close to President Guillermo Lasso.





The Ecuadorian government has described the measure as an attempt at destabilization.





"This is not an act of control, but obvious destabilization," Ecuador's Government Minister Henry Cucalon said in a video.

(END) GDS/JCR/RMB

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its wish that political stability and governance would prevail in Ecuador, after the National Assembly of said country recommended opening an impeachment process against President Guillermo Lasso.Publicado: 5/3/2023








With the help of a front loader, the authority of the Special Services Unit (USE) and citizens reached the entrance of the city of Sicuani the capital of Canchis Province to remove the dirt and allow buses and heavy-duty vehicles, which remained stranded, to pass through.









However, pickets and blockades have been reported in the districts of Tinta and Combapata, where the Combapata Bridge remains closed, but it is expected to be reopened soon.





Similarly, protests and blockades have been recorded in Cruz Cunca, a town located in Espinar Province.





Meanwhile, the strike is also being observed in the province of Calca, but no incidents have been reported.





As announced last week, a group of civil organizations in Cusco decided to go on a regional strike as of Monday, March 6, with the aim of demanding immediate general elections.





Activities proceed normally





Commercial, financial, as well as public and private transportation activities, including air transportation to and from Alejandro Velasco Astete Airport, are carried out normally in the city of Cusco.





The Cusco-Abancay and Cusco-Sacred Valley roadways are cleared.





Likewise, the Ollantaytambo-Machu Picchu railway service is running without problems.





(END)PHS/TMC/RMB
Hoy colocamos nuestra bandera a media asta en senal de duelo y respeto en memoria de nuestros valerosos cabos @EjercitoPeru Franz Canazas Cahuaya, Alex Quispe Serrano, Elvis Pari Quiso y el soldado Elias Lupaca Inquillas, lamentablemente fallecidos ayer en Puno.Honor y gloria!??? pic.twitter.com/cF6QuCNXWz
STEPANAKERT, MARCH 5, ARMENPRESS. The Nagorno Karabakh authorities said the Azerbaijani sabotage team that ambushed a Nagorno Karabakh police vehicle suffered casualties and was repelled.

The Azerbaijani attack was repelled by joint self-defense actions and countermeasures taken by the police officers together with Defense Army troops who were stationed in an adjacent outpost.

As reported earlier, three police officers were killed and another officer was injured as a result of an attack by an Azerbaijani military sabotage team on an on-duty police vehicle of the Passport and Visa Department of the Police of Nagorno-Karabakh around 10:00 this morning. The Azerbaijani side is spreading fake information claiming that the vehicle was being used to transport weapons from Armenia to Artsakh. Whereas not only no weapons were being transported, furthermore the police officers were en route from Stepanakert to their shift station. The pictures show the scene and the damaged, empty vehicle. It is necessary to underscore that the Azerbaijani side also suffered casualties and was repelled to its initial positions as a result of the self-defense and suppressive actions by the police officers and Defense Army servicemembers stationed in an adjacent position, reads a statement issued by the police of Nagorno Karabakh.

The pictures released by the police show Russian peacekeepers inspecting the bullet-sprayed vehicle.

The Foreign Ministry of Armenia branded the March 5 attack by Azerbaijani military forces in Nagorno Karabakh as terrorism.

The Nagorno Karabakh authorities also released a video showing the Azeri attack.
YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. Ambassador-at-Large Edmon Marukyan expressed caution Monday regarding Azerbaijans disinformation falsely accusing Armenia of opening gunfire, noting that Baku usually does so while preparing for new provocations or attacks.

Yesterday's attack by Azerbaijani sabotage group isn't the last news. Today Azerbaijan spreads fake news about shootings from the Armenian positions, Marukyan tweeted. Azerbaijan always spreads such lies while preparing for new provocation or attack. The Intl community must deter new attacks against Armenia & Nagorno Karabakh.
YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. Nagorno Karabakh authorities announced Monday theyre treating the March 5 ambush by Azeri forces as international terrorism.

In a statement, the General Prosecution of Nagorno Karabakh said it instituted a criminal case under article 415 of the Criminal Code. Article 415 deals with international terrorism cases.

Three Nagorno Karabakh police officers died and one was injured when they were ambushed by the Azerbaijani military while on duty in their police cruiser on March 5.

According to the prosecutors in Nagorno Karabakh, the Azeri ambush sought to destabilize the domestic situation in Nagorno Karabakh by killing or wounding people and destroying or damaging infrastructures and other property. The prosecutors said the attackers had intent to kill and murdered police Lt. Colonel Armen Babayan, police Major Davit Danielyan and police Lieutenant Ararat Gasparyan. Police Lt. Davit Hovsepyan suffered a gunshot wound and is hospitalized.
YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. Parliament Majority Leader (Civil Contract faction) Hayk Konjoryan held a meeting on Monday with the Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergei Kopyrkin.

Together with my colleagues MPs Babken Tunyan and Mikayel Tumasyan, I held a meeting today in parliament with the Ambassador of Russia to Armenia Sergei Kopyrkin, MP Konjoryan said on social media. I drew the ambassadors attention to the sabotage ambush committed by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces on March 5 in Nagorno Karabakh which resulted in three Nagorno Karabakh police officers getting killed and one getting injured. I stated that the Lachin Corridor remains illegally blockaded by Azerbaijan for already 85 days, which constitutes a gross violation of the trilateral statement, and I called for an immediate opening of the Lachin Corridor.

Issues related to economic cooperation between Armenia and Russia were also discussed. Cooperation in the inter-parliamentary format was highlighted.
YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. The United States Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations Louis Bono has said that the United States stands ready to provide further assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan in signing a peace treaty.

The peace treaty must be enduring and come from the two parties, rather than the United States or other countries, Bono said after his meeting with Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev in Baku on Monday, according to Interfax.

According to him, it is important to Washington that Armenia and Azerbaijan interact irrespective of the mediation format. The final goal of the United States is peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Bono said. He noted that both sides would profit from peace, as they reaffirmed the aspiration for peace at a meeting in Munich on February 18, 2023.

Bono said he would go to Armenia on March 7 to encourage the sides to maintain dialogue and to meet again.
YEREVAN, 6 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 6 March, USD exchange rate up by 0.32 drams to 388.49 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 0.77 drams to 412.85 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.01 drams to 5.16 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 0.89 drams to 466.46 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price up by 80.72 drams to 22996.41 drams. Silver price up by 3.84 drams to 263.42 drams. Platinum price stood at 16414.1 drams.
YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, commented on the attack of the Azerbaijani subversive group on the police vehicle of Artsakh.

ARMENPRESS reports, the comment published on the official page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation states: "We express serious concern regarding the increase in tension in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone. Over the past few days, multiple violations of the ceasefire have been reported. On March 5, an armed incident took place, as a result of which both the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides suffered casualties."

Zakharova called on the parties to show restraint and take steps to ease the tension. "We reaffirm the need to strictly observe the provisions of the November 9, 2020 statement by the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia on the complete cessation of fire and all military operations in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone," the message states.

The spokesperson of the Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized in the statement that any security-related issue in the area of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping troops should be resolved peacefully, through communication between the parties, under the auspices of the peacekeeping troops.

"The incident once again confirms the imperative for Baku and Yerevan to immediately return to the negotiations base don the implementation of the provisions of the trilateral statements of the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia on November 9, 2020, January 11, and November 26, 2021, as well as October 31, 2022, as well as the unblocking of regional communications, delimitation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and elaboration of the peace treaty, reads the statement.

Three Nagorno Karabakh police officers were killed as a result of an ambush by a sabotage team of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces on March 5. The officers of the Passport and Visa Department of the Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Nagorno-Karabakh were attacked around 10:00 in the area called Khaypalu. They were in their service vehicle at the time of the ambush.
YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation referred to the firing at a police car in Artsakh by the Azerbaijani armed forces and the death of people, noting that the command of the Russian peacekeeping force is conducting an investigation with the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides.

ARMENPRESS reports, the message released by the ministry says: "The Russian peacekeeping contingent continues to carry out its tasks in the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. In thirty observation posts, Russian peacekeepers monitor the situation around the clock and supervise the maintenance of the ceasefire regime. On March 5, 2023, at 10:00 a.m., the servicemen of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan shot at the car of the law enforcement officers of Nagorno Karabakh in the territory of Dukyanlar settlement. As a result of the clashes, three people were killed, and one was injured. There were also losses on the Azerbaijani side. two dead and one injured. The clash was stopped with the efforts of Russian peacekeepers. In connection with that fact, the command of the Russian peacekeeping military group is conducting an investigation with the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides."

Three Nagorno Karabakh police officers were killed as a result of an ambush by a sabotage team of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces on March 5. The officers of the Passport and Visa Department of the Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Nagorno-Karabakh were attacked around 10:00. They were in their service vehicle at the time of the ambush.
YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. On March 6, Deputy Foreign Minister Vahe Gevorgyan and Representative of Armenia on international legal issues Yeghisheh Kirakosyan held a meeting with the heads of diplomatic missions accredited in Armenia and the representatives of international organizations, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister.

The Deputy Minister briefed foreign diplomats on the details of the ambush by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in Nagorno-Karabakh March 5, as a result of which three servicemen of the Passport and Visa Department of the Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Nagorno-Karabakh were killed, and one was injured.

Vahe Gevorgyan stressed that the aforementioned ambush, which is a gross violation of the cease-fire regime established by the November 9 Trilateral Statement, was pre-planned by Azerbaijan. The video published by the Nagorno-Karabakh authorities was brought to the attention of the participants, which proves the invalidity of the version put forward by Azerbaijan. He also emphasized that the ambush was carried out against a non-military target.

The attention of foreign diplomats has been drawn to the fact that for more than two weeks, the legally binding decision made by the International Court of Justice regarding the opening of the Lachin corridor has been flagrantly disregarded by the Azerbaijani authorities. The fact that this terrorist act is taking place even under the conditions of ignoring the decision proves that Azerbaijan has become a malicious violator of international law.

Vahe Gevorgyan emphasized that Azerbaijan resorts to the use of force on various occasions in order to terrorize and impose one-sided maximalist solutions, and that such repeated incidents prove that dialogue between Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh can succeed only in the presence and involvement of a clear international mechanism.

Yeghisheh Kirakosyan, the Representative of Armenia on international legal issues, in turn added that the decision of the International Court of Justice ordered Azerbaijan to take all necessary measures to ensure unimpeded movement along the Lachin corridor in both directions, as well as the cessation of illegal activities in the Lachin corridor and the restoration of gas and electricity supply to Nagorno-Karabakh.

It was noted that only targeted assessments and clear actions by the international community can help restrain Azerbaijan's aggressive policy and support efforts to establish stability and lasting peace in the region.
YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. Javier Colomina, the special representative of the NATO Secretary General for the Caucasus and Central Asia, referred to the shooting of a police car by the Azerbaijani armed forces and the death of people in Artsakh.

Very concerned with reports of deadly incident in vicinity of Stepanakert. This incident demonstrates the urgency to find solutions for outstanding issues at the negotiation table. NATO supports the normalisation of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, ARMENPRESS reports, Colomina wrote.

Three Nagorno Karabakh police officers were killed as a result of an ambush by a sabotage team of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces on March 5. The officers of the Passport and Visa Department of the Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Nagorno-Karabakh were attacked around 10:00. They were in their service vehicle at the time of the ambush. On March 6, the Russian MoD said in its daily bulletin that the attack was initiated by the Azerbaijani side. Two Azerbaijanis have been also killed, one is injured.
The former State Minister of Nagorno Karabakh Artak Beglaryan critisized the EUs Special Envoy for South Caucasus Toivo Klaar for the latters reaction to the deadly attack by Azerbaijani forces in Artsakh.

March 6, 2023, 10:50 Artak Beglaryan's harsh response to Toivo Klaar's reaction to Azerbaijani sabotage

STEPANAKERT, MARCH 6, ARTSAKHPRESS: My mistrust/doubts to Toivo Klaar get deeper due to his reactions to Azerbaijani crimes, Beglaryan tweeted. He is either: Amateur diplomat, Under Az [Azerbaijani] brainwashing, Corrupt official, With deviated perceptions of European values, interests & human rights. All four options require changes.

Three Artsakh police officers were gunned down by Azeri forces in what Stepanakert and Yerevan described as a terror attack.

Klaar, the EUs Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia, commented on the incident on Twitter in the following way. Back in Baku. Look forward to substantive meetings with [Azerbaijani] leadership to advance peace process after meetings in Munich, Klaar tweeted. The deadly incident today underscores the urgency of pushing forward with negotiations to achieve stability & a fair peace.
April 11, 2023 13:31

ICRC transfers 15 patients from Stepanakert to Yerevan

Due to the blocking by Azerbaijan of the only road connecting Artsakh with Armenia,15 patients from the Republican Medical Center the Republic of Artsakh with serious diseases of the oncology as well as pathologies requiring emergency surgical interventions and post- implantation correction have been transported today, to specialized medical institutions of the Republic of Armenia with the mediation and escort of the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Healthcare Ministry of Artsakh reported.
New U.S. Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations Louis Bono has arrived in Azerbaijan, local media reported on Monday, citing the U.S. Embassy in Baku.

March 6, 2023, 14:42 New US South Caucasus envoy visits Baku

STEPANAKERT, MARCH 6, ARTSAKHPRESS: The U.S. diplomat is expected to meet with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and other government officials during his trip.

He will also travel to Armenia and Georgia.
Carmine Appice, one of the most innovative drummers in rock n roll history, whose style inspired many other legends throughout his nearly si
Former MAFS star Ryan Gallagher and Olympic swimmer Emily Seebohm have confirmed their engagement just three months after taking their relationship public after filming The Challenge Australia together in Argentina last August.

Ryan popped the question to Emily at a dam on his farm outside of Goulburn, NSW, with the reality star choosing a trilogy ring for his fiancee.

MAFS' Ryan Gallagher and Emily Seebohm are engaged after confirming their relationship just three months ago after filming The Challenge. Photo: Getty

The reality star took to Instagram to share a snap of himself and Emily showing off the huge ring, simply captioning the photo, "Yeehaaa," along with a love heart emoji.

Former MAFS star Sarah Roza commented on the snap, writing, "Ohhh WOW!!! Thats very happy news! Congratulations lovebirds!"

RELATED:

The couple's The Challenge co-star David Subritzky added, "Can't wait to be flower girl."

Nikki Osborne wrote, "Yay!! Ive been dying keeping this quiet. Its going to be quite the 2023 for you guys. Thrilled to bits youve found your partner in crime."

Ryan shared this photo, showing off Emily's new huge trilogy ring and confirming the engagement. Photo: Instagram/ryangallaghergram

"When you know, you know," he told Woman's Day, adding he thought it was the perfect spot as she loves swimming in the dam. "I did get nervous though. The [ring] box was making a bit of a bulge in my pocket. So either she knew I was proposing or she just thought I was happy to see her."

Emily told the magazine it was a "big yes", describing it as a "really special, cute moment".

"It definitely had a Ryan flair to it and it's something I'll cherish forever," she added.

The pair shared that they are planning an "intimate" wedding in the next year or two, but will be throwing a "blowout" engagement party.

Ryan and Emily met while filming The Challenge, however, they couldn't get together during the show as the swimmer had a boyfriend at home.

Story continues

The pair confirmed their relationship in December last year. Photo: Instagram/ryangallaghergram

Once they finished filming, Emily made the difficult decision to break up with her boyfriend, admitting both she and Ryan knew there were feelings there.

Once they were able to be together, they travelled overseas to see if they could make it beyond the reality show, with the pair flying to the US for a three-week trip.

Speaking with Yahoo Lifestyle in December last year after announcing she and Ryan were together, the swimmer told us, "Ryan had my back 150 per cent, I had his back 150 per cent. And that's hard to find in a game where you kind of got to lie, you've got to deceive people, you've got to backstab people.

"And we just knew that, from each other, we weren't going to do that. And that was something that doesn't come easy in life either, having someone that you can trust 150 per cent."

"We connected on the show, we were only friends on the show, like nothing happened," she said, adding, "We kept it very clean. But then, after the show, we both met up in Argentina, and we decided to go traveling together. And we've kind of been inseparable since the show, and yeah, I'm super happy. I know I didn't win this show, but I definitely feel like I won."

Never miss a thing. Sign up to Yahoo Lifestyles daily newsletter.

Or if you have a story idea, email us at lifestyle.tips@yahooinc.com.
Auburn Community Hospital has announced the addition of Dr. Aroob Moin, DPM, to affiliate Auburn Podiatry Associates at 77 Nelson St.

Moin joins the Auburn practice from Penobscot Community Health Care at Brewer Medical Center in Maine. Her specialty practice focuses on diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the foot and ankle, including sprains and fractures, as well as diabetic foot care, bunion treatment, heel pain and spurs, hammertoes, neuromas, ingrown and fungal toenails, warts, corns and callouses.

Moin received her undergraduate degree from SUNY Binghamton and her Doctor of Podiatric Medicine from Temple University. She completed a three-year foot and ankle surgical residency at United Health Services Hospitals in Johnson City, where she also served as chief resident. She completed a podiatric dermatology fellowship at St. Luke's University Health Network in Allentown as well.

Dr. Moin has considerable experience practicing at some very respected healthcare systems and is an important addition at to our team of local practitioners and Auburn Community Hospital. Podiatry is an important component of the comprehensive care we offer our community and one that our patients value," hospital president and CEO Scott A. Berlucchi said in a news release.

My family and I are excited to return to central New York and excited to be part of the Auburn Podiatry practice. Auburn Community Hospital has an excellent reputation, and I am thrilled to be a part of this practice and this community, Moin added.

Moin is accepting new patients. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call (315) 567-0797.
Law enforcement officers from multiple agencies were called in recently after Auburn police went to an apartment looking for two men but the people inside refused to come out.

The Auburn Police Department said that three people were eventually arrested more than five hours after police first demanded they cooperate with an attempt to serve a pair of arrest warrants.

In a news release sent Saturday night, the APD said that officers went to the upper apartment of 6 Spring St. at 9 p.m. March 2 to arrest two men wanted for parole violations.

After trying to contact the occupants of the apartment over a PA system and getting no response, officers requested assistance from the Auburn Emergency Response Team, Auburn Police Hostage Negotiation Team, Cayuga County Sheriff's Office K9 unit, Onondaga County Sheriff's Office K9 unit, New York State Parole and the Finger Lakes Drug Task Force.

Police said that special teams began negotiations with the people in the apartment at about midnight and that people began to exit the residence about two hours later.

Six people were initially detained, and the Emergency Response Team then cleared the apartment and the drug task force executed a search warrant. The APD said that two long guns, a Glock-style BB gun, heroin and molly were found inside.

Tyrell Reeder, 38, of 6 Spring St, Upper, Auburn, was charged with felony criminal possession of a controlled substance, and misdemeanor criminal possession of a weapon.

Cierra M. Schroeder, 34, of 6 Spring St., Upper, Auburn, was charged with misdemeanor criminal possession of a weapon.

Kawonjamin Curtis Felton, 41, of 1916 S. Salina St., Syracuse, was charged with misdemeanor criminal possession of a weapon.

The APD said that all three were processed, arraigned in Auburn City Court and remanded to the Cayuga County Jail.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- FAW Groups premium auto brand Hongqi saw the first mass-produced Hongqi H6s roll off the production line on March 2, according to a post on Hongqis WeChat account.

The new model made its debut at the Auto Guangzhou 2022. It is expected for presale at the end of March this year, and will hit the market at the Auto China 2023 held in April in Shanghai.

Photo credit: Hongqi

The front face of the Hongqi H6 adopts Hongqis iconic design with the large-mouthed air intake grille as the most striking feature. The grille uses a dot matrix layout to enhance the tension of the front face. In addition, the design of the fog lamp area looks livelier.

Meanwhile, several waistlines improve the agility of the vehicles side profile. As for the rear, the new model still adopts a through-type taillight design with a large number of curved lines used. The centrally positioned dual exhausts at the bottom are very eye-catching.





Photo credit: Hongqi

Positioned as a B+ segment sedan model, the Hongqi H6 measures 4,990mm in length, 1,880mm in width, and 1,455mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,920mm.

Photo credit: Hongqi

The interior showcases a luxurious and majestic appearance. It features a fully digital instrument cluster with a three-spoke multi-functional steering wheel. With a T-shaped layout, the center console is equipped with a vertically embedded multimedia touchscreen, while some physical buttons are retained below it.

In terms of power, the Hongqi H6 will carry a 2.0T engine, which boasts a maximum net power of 180kW, paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission maybe. Its WLTC-rated fuel consumption is 6.55L/100km.
With Gasgoo Daily, we will offer daily important automotive news in China. For those we have reported, the title of the piece will include a hyperlink, which will provide detailed information.

Xiaomi Auto expects first car to be mass produced in H1 2024

On March 5, Lei Jun, founder and CEO of Xiaomi, disclosed that its automaking progress was moving smoother than expected. The first Xiaomi vehicle model will be mass produced in the first half of 2024.

Foton Motor sees 15.91% YoY increase in Feb. 2023

Chinese commercial vehicle maker, Foton Motor, announced that its February auto sales amounted to 60,037 vehicles, representing a 15.91% increase year-on-year.

ZEEKR launches official used-car platform

On March 6, ZEEKR launched an official used-car sub-brand, ZEEKR Certified, and started operation. The platform offers official assessment, valuation, and pricing system, as well as warranty extension for second-hand vehicles.

Tesla sells 74,402 China-made vehicles in Feb. 2023

In the second month of 2023, Tesla sold 74,402 China-made vehicles via wholesale, representing a 31.65% jump year-on-year, according to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

BYDs FinDreams Technology launches RF1-platform-based mmWave radar

BYD-backed FinDreams Technology successfully launched its new-generation RF1-platform-based forward-looking millimeter-wave radar at the global headquarters of BYD on March 3.

Changan Shenlan officially unveils S7 new energy SUV

Changan Shenlan, the new energy vehicle brand of Changan Automobile, has officially unveiled its second production model, the S7 mid-size SUV, on March 5.

Chery Holdings Feb. 2023 sales surge 71.9% YoY

Chinese major automaker Chery Holding announced today it witnessed its monthly auto sales increased in February 2023 comparing to both the previous year and month.

FAW Groups Hongqi sees mass-produced Hongqi H6 come off line

FAW Groups premium auto brand Hongqi saw the first mass-produced Hongqi H6s roll off the production line on March 2, according to a post on Hongqis WeChat account.

Autoliv, Chery to cement cooperation in vehicle safety field

Autoliv, the worlds leader in vehicle safety systems, signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with Chinese automaker Chery Automobile in early March to help the latter improve its global business layout, according to a post on Autolivs WeChat account.
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif.XR Brands has welcomed Elizabeth L. Porter-Smith onboard as its newest brand ambassador. Known to some by her middle name, Lindsey, Porter-Smith joins the XR Brands team with six years of industry experiencefive of which took place on the retail side of the business.

Previously the manager of an upscale adult retail chains flagship store in Fort Worth, Texas, Porter-Smith brings her talents and education as a manager of a multimillion-dollar brand to XR Brands.

I am excited to join the XR Brands team and to have the opportunity to interact with our awesome customers on a face-to-face level, Porter-Smith said. I believe the best way to increase revenue, encourage repeat customers, create brand loyalty, set and surpass sales standards, and build trust is by creating a space where customers feel safe, educated, and heard. I look forward to doing that for XR Brands customers.

Porter-Smith is ready to educate retail teams on XR Brands products and brands, as well as provide more sexual education that will help guide store employees through the sales process.

Elizabeth has an extensive background in this industry and that is invaluable to the XR Brands team, XR Brands president Rebecca Weinberg said. Her previous experience has equipped her to foster the strong, trusting relationships we always aim to have with our customers. We are thrilled to add her skills to our team.

For retailers interested in a training visit from the XR Brands team, send requests to [email protected].

To view the full XR Brands catalog, visit xrbrands.com.
CBS and Warner Bros. Discovery should be announcing the broadcaster lineup for the 2023 NCAA Tournament this week (fingers crossed), but at least one team will reportedly be changing this tournament.

Per the New York Post, Reggie Miller will be replaced by Stan Van Gundy for this years tournament. The decision was reportedly made by Miller.

In recent years, Miller has worked with Kevin Harlan and Dan Bonner. He didnt work the 2021 tournament, which was held in a regional bubble in Indiana.

The Post reports that Van Gundy for Miller is expected to be a direct swap, with him joining Harlan and Bonner. The Harlan/Bonner/Miller trio has been highly rated by AAs readers in our (somewhat) annual rankings, placing second of eight teams in 2018 and third of eight teams (by a hair) in 2019. In 2021, Harlan and Bonner ranked second of ten teams.

For the final time, the top broadcast team for this years tournament will be Jim Nantz, Grant Hill, and Bill Raftery. Nantz is stepping down from the tournament after 2023 and will be succeeded as the lead voice by Ian Eagle. The futures of Hill, Raftery, and long-time Eagle broadcast partner Jim Spanarkel are currently unknown.

[New York Post]
Press Release

March 6, 2023 Pia: the Senate looks to the Constitution for guidance and to execute what the Charter says

Manifestation of Senator Pia S. Cayetano on SBN 1894, 'An Act Strengthening Professionalism and Promoting the Continuity of Policies and Modernization Initiatives in the Armed Forces of the Philippines Mr. President, I was thinking before I stood up and raised my hand if I would add to this discussion. Like his honor, the Senate President, I'd like to manifest that I respect the opinion of our Minority Floor Leader. In fact, as a lawyer, I would tend to agree with the Minority Floor Leader. However, as the Senate President correctly pointed out, it has been the practice [by] the Senate as a body, although as the Minority Leader pointed out, it's up to the current Senate to decide on what practices we choose to continue or to change. And then, following the discussion, the Senate President pointed out actually what I was waiting to hear. The reason for the urgency is that there are officials [of the AFP] who are required under the Constitution to go through the process of the Commission on Appointments, and they are awaiting the outcome of this. That was the urgency that this representation was waiting to hear. That is the justification this representation was waiting to hear, because I would also appeal to the body to consider this practice if there was no justification, inasmuch as I respect the urgency determined by the Senate, I do believe that as an independent body, we determine on our own what is the urgency. And the Senate President has made of record what that urgency is. So on that message, I join the Majority Floor Leader in his call. But I did want to spread into the record my deep appreciation of the explanation [and] the concern raised by the Minority Floor Leader because we are... members of this esteemed body, and I'd like to believe that we do look to the Constitution not just for guidance, but to understand and to execute what the Constitution states. So I've said my piece. Thank you, Mr. President.




The annual report by the Foreign Correspondents' Club of China (FCCC), which complained that the foreign media in China endured "strict" COVID controls including "harassment and constant surveillance in 2022," is the organization's latest move to discredit China and the US is the country that really restricts foreign media and adopts double standards on freedom of the press, analysts said.

The FCCC released a report on March 1, in which it accused China of heightening COVID controls as well as restricting foreign journalists on health and safety grounds last year. It mentioned problems faced by foreign journalists, as well as "existing challenges to true freedom of the press in China."

This is not the first time for the FCCC to smear China in its annual report. For example, its annual report in 2020 claimed that working conditions for reporters in China had "deteriorated." The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson refuted this and said such a report made by an organization that China has never recognized was "inappropriate and unwise."

China has always welcomed foreign media to report about the country in a comprehensive and objective way as such reports are an important channel for foreigners to find out about China. China has also been providing support and convenience for international journalists to report about China in accordance with international practices and laws.

However, what some foreign journalists were doing in China went against the professional ethics of journalism. In 2020, China revoked the press credentials of three Wall Street Journal reporters stationed in Beijing after the media organization refused to apologize for publishing an article with the headline "China Is the Real Sick Man of Asia."

Some journalists in the Western media do not have a balanced and objective view of China. On the contrary, they take a position in line with Western ideology, Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Friday.

The media can be a factor in Western authorities' interference in China's internal affairs. "I believe that in other countries, such behavior is unlikely to be accepted," Li said.

Their statements have proved that they have not shaken off their "arrogant attitude" of pointing fingers at China's internal affairs even at the cost of distorting the facts, Li noted.

The FCCC has made such reports to discredit China. Actually, the US, which has touted "freedom of the press," has restricted foreign journalists, arrested domestic journalists and hindered the freedom of the press, analysts said.

In 2020, the US State Department announced it would list four more media outlets - China Central Television, China News Service, People's Daily and Global Times - as foreign missions rather than media outlets in the US, bringing the total number of Chinese media outlets designated as "foreign missions" to nine.

Analysts said that listing Chinese media outlets as foreign missions puts them under the full supervision of US administrative departments and strips them of the rights that they are entitled to under domestic and international law. This political move also exposes the US' double standards on so-called "freedom of speech."

Aside from imposing restrictions on foreign journalists, domestic journalists in the US also face increasing risks. In early February, Evan Lambert, a reporter who was covering a news conference on the train derailment in Ohio, was charged with disorderly conduct and criminal trespassing.
With longstanding vacancies in some of the most critical departments, the city of Helena is taking drastic measures to recruit employees and tackle a backlog of work by increasing wages and contracting out tasks previously handled in-house.

Of the total about 337 full-time equivalent positions within the city of Helena, only 33 are vacant, but those 33 positions are of critical importance.

Positions such as city planners, engineers, accountants and transit operators have been vacant for months, and Helena Finance Director Sheila Danielson told city commissioners during a mid-year finance review on Feb. 1 the vacancies are creating backlogs in the respective departments.

"The engineering department is empty pretty much, and the planning department is empty," she said. "It's really impacted operations, and the demand for those services have not gone away and they're going up. I know in engineering they had a huge backlog in there. In community development there's a huge backlog."

Additionally, interim City Manager Tim Burton said during interviews for the full-time position in late February that he is working to contract out the backlog in the city engineering office to Great West Engineering.

City staff did not respond to multiple requests for more information regarding the contract, including any details pertaining to cost, timeline and a bid process.

Local developer Mark Runkle owns Mountain View Meadows LLC, which he said was responsible for about 70% of all owner-occupied new homes sold in Helena in 2022.

Runkle said he has about 300 residential lots in total now in city application limbo due to the lack of staff.

Developers, including Runkle, work with city engineers throughout the development process to draw preliminary plans, review designs and issue final reports.

"It used to be our engineering plans were reviewed within two to four weeks," he said. "Our last one took over four months. That's not acceptable to us."

When asked about the importance of a fully staffed city government to his operations, Runkle said "it's critical."

He said with the supply line issues across the globe, he has had to place orders for materials well in advance and currently has sewer and water pipes at one of his development sites waiting for work to begin.

"We could lose our whole construction schedule," Runkle said.

City planners are also closely tied into such projects.

Helena's Human Resource Director Renee McMahon said the city typically employs three city planners and that at one point all three positions were vacant.

McMahon said one employee has since been promoted to senior planner and that the city has "some good applicants" for the position of planner 1.

Bear in mind, Montana Department of Commerce's population projection models estimate the population of Lewis and Clark County will be roughly 82,000 by 2040.

"Those positions are very critical," she said. "We have lots of community development projects coming up. We're developing at a pretty rapid pace here in Helena, and we have (American Rescue Plan Act) funding we will be distributing soon, so those are critical to plan and execute with planners and engineers."

According to the 2022 Helena Area Real Estate Market Conditions Report prepared by Shaun Moore of residential appraisal firm True Footage Inc., single-family home sales prices within a 15-mile radius of Helena more than doubled since 2015, reaching a median of $460,000.

The report also states available inventory of units has been steadily declining over the past decade as well.

"2022 was another year of historically low inventory and historically high demand," Moore said in his report.

There are about 870 housing units tied to just four developments currently working their ways through city processes. Those include the about 170-unit Westside Woods subdivision, more than 300 units in Mountain View Meadows subdivision, and more than 400 high-density units spread across two separate apartment complexes proposed for Sanders Avenue.

The city's public transportation system, Capital Transit, is feeling the staffing crunch as well. With shortages of bus drivers, the program was completely overhauled, moving away from fixed routes to a hail-a-ride system.

In January, the city had to suspend bus service to East Helena, the last remaining fixed route in the system, with little to no warning, citing vacant positions. The neighboring municipality contributes financially to the public transit program annually.

"We can hire transit operators for our Capital Transit, but we have stiff competition," McMahon said. "We're trying to recruit and retain quality employees, but we've had a revolving door with our transit operators."

Part of the problem is that the city largely shed its upper management throughout the tumultuous past four years. Burton, during his time as interim city manager, hired four department heads, including chiefs of police and fire.

"Leadership has to start at the top," City Commissioner Andy Shirtliff said during a phone interview, citing the offering of the full-time city manager position to Burton, a move made by the commission Tuesday. "With Tim on board, we hired four department heads. We needed to fill those spots first. Now we have people in key positions who can then fill in staff around them."

Though Shirtliff said he believes the recruitment will still be tough sledding.

"Just like every employer in the private sector, we're trying to find good talent," he said.

The largest contributing factor to the city's inability to recruit and retain for these highly skilled jobs is the pay.

McMahon said the city is doing a market wage study looking at not only the market in the greater Helena area but also similarly positioned municipalities in the region and how Helena employee pay stacks up.

"We want to identify those positions that are particularly outside of market competitiveness, and we discovered pretty quickly that our transit operators, that our engineers were further behind market than others," McMahon said. "So we immediately increased those wages and have placed those ads and hopefully that'll garner us better results."

But those city jobs are not the only ones underpaid.

"What we're finding is on average the city of Helena employees are about 90% of market, so 10% below where we want to be," she said. "And that's not even our starting wages. That's for someone who's proficient in the profession. Our starting wages are even lower for someone just entering the workforce or not proficient yet in that particular career."

Now 10% may sound like an easily overlooked discount at the grocery store, but McMahon said in the world of payroll, that 10% is a wide gulf.

"It is far off, again, because we have to correct those that are the outliers from there," she said. "So we have some that are 70 to 75% of market. We're trying to identify those that are really outliers that we need to correct. ... That's really our focus right now."

The next step is determining how to shoehorn increased wages across the seemingly the entire organization into its budget.

"If we want to bring outliers up to say 90% of market and know that institutionally and organizationally we're going to still be 10% below, what will that cost for our budget?" McMahon asked rhetorically. "What about a cost of living? We know the state is proposing an 8% increase, and so if we want to compete with the state or others around on cost of living, what is that going to look like for us?"

She said the city's human resource department must also plan for future increases as well.

"The other thing is we have to keep up with it," she said. "We have to keep up with our cost of living and keep working toward a target of being at market, so it's a moving target. We can't lose sight of that 90%, and those that are way below we have to bring up to that level."

McMahon said the work will factor into the upcoming fiscal year 2024 budget.

"We're still looking at those numbers and considering what that would cost in our budget," she said. "We will present that and be working with our city manager in further vetting and refining those proposals to the city commission."
The Adams County Sheriffs Office is asking for the publics help in the investigation of a fire at a deputys home that is believed to have been intentionally set.

The Friday fire inside a home undergoing remodeling right now is considered arson, Sheriff Jordan Fisher said.

Were still reviewing doorbell camera footage and surveillance footage, trying to see what started it, Fisher said Monday.

The Hettinger home of Chief Deputy Jeff Gooss was unoccupied because of the remodeling project. There was no power to the house, so an electrical fire has been ruled out. Sheriffs Sgt. Ken Finlayson, who was on patrol at the time, responded to the 911 call and used the fire extinguisher in his patrol car to put the fire out. Damage was minimal, according to the sheriff.

It could have turned really bad, Fisher said.

Authorities are asking anyone within a three-block radius of 301 N. Main St. to check doorbell and surveillance footage, especially the time frame of 10-11:30 p.m. on Friday. Anyone with information should call 701-567-2530.
The North Dakota House of Representatives rejected a proposal that would have provided insurance coverage for fertility treatment for public employees.

But an advocate for fertility treatment said she still hasn't given up, and will continue to work to get insurance coverage to help couples who are battling infertility.

"We'll be back every year until they pass this," said Tara Brandner, a Bismarck nurse practitioner and advocate for insurance coverage for fertility treatments. "I won't stop."

House Bill 1146 would have required coverage for fertility health care, including diagnosis and treatment.

In a committee hearing for the bill, couples battling infertility pleaded for the insurance coverage, noting that the treatments are costly and sometimes require multiple rounds of treatment.

In vitro fertilization is the most costly form of treatment, but Brandner said those treatments are rarely needed.

For those who require IVF treatments, however, one round can exhaust the $15,000 or $20,000 limit many insurance policies impose, Brandner said. And couples sometimes must undergo multiple rounds.

The bill didnt impose a dollar limit on fertility treatment, but did cap the number of covered treatments.

The bill would have required coverage for three completed cycles of intrauterine insemination. Coverage also would be required for a maximum of four egg retrievals with unlimited fresh or frozen embryo transfers. The bill also mandated coverage for medical and laboratory services that reduce excess embryo creation through egg cryopreservation and thawing in accordance with a covered individuals religious or ethical beliefs.

The bill would have applied only to the North Dakota Public Employees Retirement System, or NDPERS, but coverage later might have applied to private insurance. NDPERS already offers the benefit, but coverage would have changed under the bill, Brandner said.

The fiscal note attached to the bill estimated the per-biennium cost to the NDPERS insurance program at $13.6 million, or 2.1% of the premium.

Estimates of the premium cost of the fertility treatment coverage mandate range from $1.98 per member per month to $24.85, according to the Sanford Health Plan, while a consultant priced the benefit at $2.38 per member per month.

The national average premium cost for infertility treatment is $1.39 per member per month, and states with $100,000 lifetime maximums have shown an average cost of $1.29 per member per month, according to Brandner.

The House rejected the bill on a vote of 54-39 on Feb. 9. It was the third time in five years that Brandner brought forth the proposal.

Besides working to pass legislation, Brandner's organization, Everlasting Hope, also will work with employers to try to get them to provide insurance coverage for fertility treatments.

Studies have shown that 97% of employers' insurance costs did not go up after adding the coverage, she said.
A bill making its way through the North Dakota Legislature would set up a special group to review suicides in the state, in an effort to better understand how they can be prevented.

House Bill 1390 would establish a suicide fatality review commission made up of members including mental health professionals, a county coroner and state forensic examiner, representatives of a crisis line, schools, veterans organizations, the faith community, law enforcement and tribal nations in the state.

The goal would be to identify risk factors and recommend policies and protocols to improve responses to people at risk of suicide, according to the bill, which passed the House on a 79-12 vote and will now be heard in the Senate.

The legislation comes at a time when suicides are at an all-time high in North Dakota, said the bills author, Rep. Karla Rose Hanson, D-Fargo.

Last year, 159 North Dakotans died by suicide, she said.

Adjusting for population, the rate of suicide in North Dakota remains higher than the national average, and suicide is disproportionately high among rural residents, veterans, young people and people who identify as LGBTQ+, she said.

"While we know who is dying by suicide, we don't know as much about why," Hanson said. "What happened or didn't happen 30 days or 60 days before that death?"

Cass County Coroner Kriste Ross said there were 44 suicides in the county in 2022, compared with 34 suicides each year in 2021 and 2020.

The numbers are even higher in North Dakota's tribal populations, she said.

The Cass-Clay Suicide Prevention Coalition reviews suicides locally, Ross said, but there is no such state panel, although the state does have fatality review panels for deaths involving children, domestic violence, opioid overdose and maternal mortality.

If there isn't any discussion about it, if there aren't all of these people who are very well versed with suicides having these discussions, the numbers will just continue to rise, Ross said.

Factors to look at could include changes in a persons medication, bullying, gender identity and financial situation prior to suicide, Ross said. The commission's focus would be on systems and processes, not on the performance of certain individuals, the bill states.

Hanson said members of that local coalition, including Ross, asked her to introduce a bill that would create a state suicide review commission.

They felt that because suicide is such a significant problem in North Dakota, and it's not getting better, that this could be one more mechanism for us to address the problem, Hanson said.

Members of the suicide review commission would be appointed by the executive director of the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, a position currently held by Chris Jones, who would also choose a presiding officer from the group.

The presiding officer could request health care records pertaining to a suicide, and the commission may access relevant autopsy records, police records, school records, child protective services records, and adult protective services records as needed, the bill states.

All records of the commission would be confidential, except for annual reports.

Ross said personal information, such as names, ages and addresses would be redacted from documents, and instead be presented to the commission in more general terms.

Any conclusions made by the commission would not be admissible in a civil or criminal proceeding, the bill states.

In the first month of each year, the commission would compile an annual report of the commission's findings and recommendations. The report would be posted on the Department of Health and Human Services website, but it would not contain any personally identifiable information regarding suicides.

The bill calls for $15,000 in funding over a two-year period to cover travel expenses for members of the commission to meet twice a year.
The latest North Dakota coronavirus news: anniversary, pandemic grants, federal aid and more.

COVID-19 anniversary

Saturday marks the third anniversary of the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic in North Dakota.

A Ward County man in his 60s was diagnosed with COVID-19 on March 11, 2020 -- the first confirmed case in the state. The first cases in the Bismarck area came six days later.

The first virus-related death in the state happened March 26, 2020, when Roger Lehne, 93, of Fargo, died. The first death in the Bismarck-Mandan area came four days later.

There have since been about 287,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state, along with nearly 2,500 virus-related deaths. November 2020 was perhaps the worst month, with a record 11,656 active cases on Nov. 11, and a record 332 hospitalizations on Nov. 16.

Workforce grants

The application window has opened for the newly launched North Dakota Workforce Innovation Grant program.

The effort aims to help local initiatives that address workforce challenges in a post-pandemic economy, according to the state Commerce Department.

Were seeing locally led solutions impacting communities throughout the state, and we look forward to seeing how this grant makes a difference for the private sector, Commerce Workforce Development Director Katie Ralston Howe said.

The application period ends March 24. Grants are a minimum of $25,000 and a maximum of $250,000. Successful applicants must provide a dollar-for-dollar match.

For more information go to http://bit.ly/3KJW0l7.

Pandemic grants

The state Commerce Department is awarding nearly $6.1 million in Community Development Block Grants to five North Dakota communities, funded with federal CARES Act coronavirus aid.

The program was created to provide financial assistance to help prepare for and respond to the coronavirus pandemic in fiscal years 2019 and 2020.

Fargo is getting $2 million for a building for the Great Plains Food Bank, Ellendale $1.6 million for a new ambulance facility, Mott $1.2 million for a health clinic renovation, Cavalier $1 million for hospital upgrades, and Harvey $276,000 for a community center remodel. The money is pending the submission of a final application.

For more information go to www.commerce.nd.gov/community-services.

Federal aid

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved another $1.1 million in public assistance funding for the COVID-19 response in North Dakota.

The money was given to the state Department of Health and Human Services to buy 219,800 COVID-19 rapid tests that were distributed statewide. The funding covers costs incurred from Dec. 11, 2021, through July 1, 2022.

FEMA has now provided North Dakota with more than $152 million in public assistance funding for the state's pandemic response. More information is at bit.ly/3mchNYF.

Testing and vaccines

A comprehensive list of free public COVID-19 testing offered in North Dakota can be found at bit.ly/3CJUniI. That site also lists where free at-home test kits are being offered.

Information on COVID-19 vaccines is at bit.ly/3GFoEjM.

County-level COVID-19 risks determined by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can be found at https://bit.ly/3Clifrq.

General information is at https://www.health.nd.gov/diseases-conditions/coronavirus and https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.
Budget writers in the Legislature will use an updated state tax revenue forecast this month to better guide their work, including what pay raises to approve for state employees.

The House and Senate appropriations committees are tentatively eyeing 4% raises in each year of the two-year 2023-25 budget cycle. That's subject to change after joint meetings to hear forecast presentations on March 14-15, after which budget writers will adopt a final forecast. The presentations will come from the state Office of Management and Budget and two consulting financial services companies: Moody's and S&P Global.

The Senate last month approved $75 million for a "targeted market equity pool" for boosting salaries to be in line with the overall market. Gov. Doug Burgum asked for $90 million, which he said "will make us more competitive when we're trying to recruit for critical positions."

The 4% raises and the $75 million targeted equity pay are "adjustable" after next week's forecast updates, said Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Brad Bekkedahl, R-Williston.

The 2021 Legislature approved 1.5% and 2% raises for the 2021-23 budget cycle.

Burgum's plea

The governor also asked the Legislature for 6% and 4% performance raises for state employees in the first and second years of the next budget cycle, respectively, costing $211 million.

"If we don't make that investment, we'll spend more than that on training, recruiting and rehiring as we lose the talent that's out here. That's an investment in our future," Burgum told lawmakers in his December budget address.

Turnover in state government was 14% in 2021, a 14-year high, according to the governor.

House Appropriations Committee Chair Don Vigesaa, R-Cooperstown, said the updated forecast likely will be "relatively close" to lawmakers' preliminary forecast adopted in January, with "maybe a minor adjustment up or down."

"With that in mind, I guess we'll just have to discuss with our colleagues here in the chamber and with leadership to see if we want to go that extra step to the 6% and 4%," Vigesaa said. "Right now I would say the chances are that we probably would, but there's so many factors," such as how the House and Senate will adjust and reconcile budgets.

North Dakota United, which represents more than 11,000 public employees and schoolteachers, is advocating for 8% salary increases in each year of the 2021-23 budget cycle.

"Public employees have historically been paid anywhere from 7% to 12% less than their similarly educated and experienced counterparts in the private sector. The state has the resources and now is the time to invest in the workforce that provides the vital public services that North Dakotans deserve and have come to expect," ND United President Nick Archuleta told the Tribune.

A state budget office report released last month showed general fund revenues through January running 24% or $785 million ahead of the Legislatures 2021-23 forecast. The general fund is the state's government's main operating fund.

House and Senate budget writers have included funding for Burgum's recommendation for the state to cover the $78 million premium increase for health insurance, according to Legislative Budget Analyst and Auditor Allen Knudson.

Elected officials

Senate budget writers boosted the salaries of several constitutional elected officers in a move to address longtime pay disparities, Bekkedahl said. The House will consider those proposals.

For example, the secretary of state, insurance commissioner, auditor, tax commissioner and agriculture commissioner would all be brought up to $130,000 a year, with a 4% raise the next year.

"We're just trying to bring everybody up to the same level. We just thought that was fair," Bekkedahl said.

Vigesaa said, "I think there's some merit in getting (the elected officials' salaries) in line with each other," but House budget writers haven't dived into the issue.

North Dakota's highest-paid state elected official is the Supreme Court chief justice, at $173,946; the lowest-paid is the lieutenant governor at $111,727.

The House last month passed the Legislature's budget with 4% raises for lawmakers. The budget goes to the Senate.

Judicial raises

The House last month approved 8% and 4% raises for judicial officers in the 2023-25 budget cycle, including the five Supreme Court justices and 52 state district court judges. That would cost the state over $2.37 million.

The judiciary has asked for 20% and 15% raises, which would cost $6.5 million. Judges and justices say the increases are overdue, would bring North Dakota toward the middle range compared to other states, and would attract more candidates for judicial spots.

House budget writers "wanted to balance that request with how we approach raises across all employees across state government," Rep. Karla Rose Hanson, D-Fargo, told the House.

The court is still asking for the 20% and 15% raises, according to State Court Administrator Sally Holewa.
This is Up and Down, where we give a brief thumbs up or thumbs down on the issues from the past week.

Up

The North Dakota House of Representatives has advanced a bill to approve $500,000 to help build a Fisher House in Fargo. The Fisher House Foundation houses military and veteran families while a loved one is in a Veterans Affairs hospital. A Fisher House is similar to Ronald McDonald Houses for families of hospitalized children. There are more than 80 Fisher Houses around the country, but there isn't one in North Dakota. The Fargo VA Medical Center serves all of North Dakota as well as parts of Minnesota and South Dakota. Some families have to travel long distances, and hotel stays can be expensive. If the Senate approves the bill, groundbreaking for the Fisher House in Fargo could begin in about a year.

Down

School shootings that have happened around the country in recent years have been horrific. That makes hoaxes all the more abhorrent. Hoax reports of active shooter threats on Thursday impacted numerous North Dakota schools including Bismarck and Mandan, along with other schools around the country. They led to extreme measures -- heavy responses by law enforcement, and shelter-in-place orders in schools. For the students and staff, it's terrifying. And with law officers, it's a waste of resources, and could put others in danger if an officer isn't available to respond to another emergency. Whoever is behind the calls should be found and punished severely.

Up

Passenger numbers at North Dakota's eight commercial service airports plummeted to historic lows when the coronavirus pandemic hit three years ago, and they've struggled to rebound since. But they finally have. The state Aeronautics Commission says total boardings in January were above the level before the pandemic for the first time since it began in March 2020. That was largely due to a big jump at Fargo's airport, but it's still a positive sign. Commission Executive Director Kyle Wanner says if the trend continues, the industry should see a full recovery from the pandemic this year.

Down

Yet another black eye for Minot Air Force Base. Six officers who were in charge of caring for the infrastructure, fuel and logistics support for the nuclear base were relieved of command due to a loss of confidence in their ability to carry out their duties. The Air Force says the dismissals were based on noncompliance with safety regulations. It's not the first embarrassing incident for the base in recent years. In 2018, officers lost a container of ammunition for an automatic grenade launcher when it fell off the back of a truck on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, and the same year a machine gun went missing on base. In 2007, a B-52 bomber took off from the base mistakenly loaded with six nuclear-armed cruise missiles and flew across the country to Louisiana.
North Dakota's Game and Fish Department has developed a mobile app that gives outdoors enthusiasts instant access in the field to their licenses, hunting and fishing regulations, and other information.

People can download the app at Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Search NDGF or North Dakota Game and Fish Department. People should then add a profile, said Brian Hosek, the department's business operations manager.

Its basically the same account information that youve added when using the online services, bringing in your first name, last name, date of birth, and adding that profile to the device, he said.

Users also can add the profiles of other hunters and anglers in their household to their mobile device.

We begin the homepage with sunrise, sunset times and some weather forecast information, Hosek said. This information is widely searched on our website, so it was important to bring this information over to the device.

Users can view or download guides, regulations, proclamations and maps through the app, and buy licenses and register watercraft. It uses location services to bring information back to the user.

It could be hunting units, for example, that youre based in depending on your location, Hosek said. Or it could be contact information for the warden in the area that youre in, or the location of the closest Game and Fish district office.

For more information, go to https://gf.nd.gov/mobile-app.
Press Release

March 6, 2023 P.S. RES. NOS. 517, 520 AND 521

ON THE DEATH OF GOVERNOR ROEL RAGAY DEGAMO

CO-SPONSORSHIP SPEECH The life of a public servant is a life of great sacrifice. We, in the government, are mandated to serve our people. In pursuing this calling, we often have rough encounters with the forces of evil, often we are reminded that we are only mere mortals. These past few months, we have all witnessed the spate of killings and violence against some local officials, and innocent private individuals. Local executives who have faithfully served their constituents were either killed or seriously injured by merciless perpetrators whose motives were hatched in the deepest recesses of hell. The impunity and brutality instilled horror, anxiety, and panic among our people. This poses an enormous challenge to our law enforcement authorities, particularly the Philippine National Police. Peace and order must be restored in our communities and ensure that the criminals behind these evil deeds be held accountable. I would like to extend my heartfelt condolences to the family of the late Governor Roel Ragay Degamo of Negros Oriental. Mr. President, during the last Congress, the good Governor appeared before the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs and shed light on the series of killings in his province. Never have I thought that Governor Degamo himself would be a victim of the killings he has condemned. It is unimaginable, unacceptable, and heartbreaking that he would suffer the same tragic end in his home province that he faithfully and lovingly served. He was optimistic and shared his campaign to improve the law and order situation in Negros Oriental--uphill battle that he had to face. I likewise grieve with the families of other local officials who have been victims of savagery and barbarity. Words cannot express the sadness and despair of their families and constituents. To the PNP and other law enforcement agencies, you are expected to rise above and take control of the situation. Re-establish law and order. Today, more than ever, your presence and concerted efforts in providing security to the community are urgently needed. Respond to this call, and be true to your mission in upholding public safety and security for our people. Thank you, Mr. President.
Video Message by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting

March 02, 2023

https://www.g20.org/en/media-resources/speeches/march-23/fmm/

Foreign ministers,



Heads of international organizations,



Excellencies,



I welcome you to India for the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting.



India has selected the theme of One Earth, One Family, One Future for its G20 Presidency.



It signals the need for unity of purpose and unity of action.



I hope that your meeting today will reflect this spirit of coming together, for achieving common and concrete objectives.



Excellencies,



We must all acknowledge that multilateralism is in crisis today.



The architecture of global governance, created after the Second World War, was to serve two functions.



First, to prevent future wars by balancing competing interests.



Second, to foster international cooperation on issues of common interests.



The experience of the last few years  financial crisis, climate change, pandemic, terrorism, and wars  clearly shows that global governance has failed in both its mandates.



We must also admit that the tragic consequences of this failure are being faced most of all by the developing countries.



After years of progress, we are at risk today of moving back on the Sustainable Development Goals.



Many developing countries are struggling with unsustainable debt, while trying to ensure food and energy security for their people.

They are also the ones most affected by global warming caused by richer countries.



This is why Indias G20 Presidency has tried to give a voice to the Global South.



No group can claim global leadership without listening to those most affected by its decisions.



Excellencies,



You are meeting at a time of deep global divisions.



As Foreign Ministers, it is but natural that your discussions are affected by the geopolitical tensions of the day.



We all have our positions and our perspectives on how these tensions should be resolved.



However, as the leading economies of the world, we also have a responsibility towards those who are not in this room.



The world looks upon the G20 to ease the challenges of growth; development; economic resilience; disaster resilience; financial stability; trans-national crime; corruption; terrorism; and food and energy security.



In all these areas, the G20 has capacity to build consensus and deliver concrete results.



We should not allow issues that we cannot resolve together to come in the way of those we can.



As you meet in the land of Gandhi and the Buddha, I pray that you will draw inspiration from Indias civilizational ethos - to focus not on what divides us, but on what unites us.



Excellencies,



In recent times, we have seen the most disastrous pandemic of a century.



We have witnessed thousands of lives lost in natural disasters.



We have seen global supply chains break down during times of stress.



We have seen stable economies suddenly overwhelmed by debt and financial crisis.



These experiences clearly show the need for resilience  in our societies, in our economies, in our healthcare systems, and in our infrastructure.



The G20 has a critical role to play in finding the right balance between growth and efficiency on one hand, and resilience on the other.



We can reach this balance more easily by working together. That is why your meeting is important.



I have full trust in your collective wisdom and ability.



I am sure that todays meeting will be ambitious, inclusive, action-oriented, and will rise above differences.



I thank you and wish you all the best for a productive meeting.

New Delhi

March 02, 2023
From outlawing any classes, curriculum, programs, or any mention of diversity, inclusion, and equity to targeting Transpeople and monitoring menstrual cycles, and most recently, a bill proposing that "any bloggers who write about the governor and legislators to register with the state," politicians are transforming Florida into a "laboratory for fascism."

Mandating that curriculum only include the "history and philosophy of Western Civilization" is not a new phenomenon in the Sunshine State, as Princeton historian Tera A. Hunter points out in "The Long History of Conservative Indoctrination in Florida Schools" for The Nation. Hunter attended schools in Florida and explained that there were only two state-wide requirements for graduation: functional literacy and passing a course named "Americanism vs. Communism."

As Hunter explains, "The concept of "Americanism" dates to the colonial era. It's meant to identify the nation's distinctive historical origins and democratic political idioms. Individuals and groups across the political spectrum have marshaled it for varying purposes, including an inclusive vision of citizenship, but also racist anti-immigrant campaigns during the 1920s. Its capaciousness shrunk considerably during the Cold War as political conservatives used it to buttress exclusive ends. The rise of the Soviet Union and the fear of totalitarianism it provoked was an existential crisis that could only be neutered, they believed, with a contrast nationalist creed: Americanism.

Concerned that high school students were vulnerable to a Soviet plot to control the world, the state of Florida designed the course to ensure no teenager be tempted by communism. It defined Americanism as: "the recognition of the truth that the inherent and fundamental rights of man are derived from God and not from governments, societies, dictators, kings or majorities." Americanism was a system that produced higher wages, a higher standard of living, and "greater personal freedoms and liberty than any other system of economics on earth."

The article outlines the legislative process to concretize the indoctrination of students, the role of The Johns Committee created in 1956 to target and expose Communists and then the LGBTQ communities, and the larger context of denying everyone equal civil and human rights.


If you're looking for a pillow that's soft, cuddly, and a little bit terrifying, Japanese lifestyle brand Felissimo has just the thing for you. Their new nap pillow (~$48 USD), which features a plush red panda in a threatening pose, hits all three of those marks. I'm not sure who thought this was a good idea but, hey, I'm not here to judge. (Spoon & Tamago)

product photo: Felissimo
The cabin of a Southwest Airlines flight headed to Fort Lauderdale from Havana filled up with smoke on Sunday, while passengers made use of oxygen masks. (See video here, posted by Mike Sington.)

The culprit of the smoke: birds colliding with the plane's nose and engine. The pilots quickly returned to Cuba and the passengers used slides to evacuate.

According to a statement from Southwest to CNN:

"Southwest flight #3923 departing Havana, Cuba, for Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Sunday morning reportedly experienced bird strikes to an engine and the aircraft's nose shortly after takeoff  The pilots safely returned to Havana where customers evacuated the aircraft via slides due to the observation of smoke in the cabin. "We commend the swift, professional actions of our pilots and flight attendants in responding to this event. We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience and have reached out to address their needs and offer support."

No injuries to passengers or crew were reported.
Walt Disney's famous quote, "If you can dream it, you can do it," has inspired many to pursue their dreams. And 50-year-old Jeff Reitz of Huntington Beach, California has certainly done just that. He now holds the Guinness World Record for "most consecutive visits to Disneyland."

The Air Force Veteran and former Walt Disney World cast member managed to visit the park for 2,995 consecutive calendar days, a remarkable achievement that came to a halt on Friday March 13, 2020 when the park closed due to COVID. It began in 2011 when he was going through a "long and difficult employment" and received an annual pass as a Christmas present. That's when he set himself a challenge to visit the park every day for a year.

After 60 consecutive visits and some media attention, Jeff decided to continue his streak, and before he knew it, he had spent over eight years visiting Disneyland every single day.

The Guardian:
They say that only two things will survive the(increasingly likely) nuclear apocalypse: twinkies and cockroaches. However, the list should be amended to include Doctor Who. Throughout the storied history of the British sci-fi institution, Doctor Who has faced threats of cancellation almost as frequently as any other member of the titular character's rogue's gallery. From about as far back as the end of the first Doctor's tenure, the series has always been a few inches away from the proverbial chopping block. At one point, under the supervision of the dastardly Micahel Grade, the BBC gave our favorite Timelord the old heave-ho, only to have the series regenerate twice afterward.

Even though it seems like it should be unlikely now, given Doctor Who's fiercely loyal and sizeable fandom, the series still squares off with cancellation more often than it should. According to Comic Book Resources, Doctor Who once again crossed blades with cancellation during the pandemic.
Milferd McGhee, a black employee of oil giant Exxon, found a noose at the company's Baton Rouge plant. He found another a few months laterthe fifth "rope tied into a hangman's noose hanging from a scaffold" in total. The government, after investigating, is suing to stop it happening again.

The lawsuit  filed by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)  alleges the oil giant violated federal law by investigating some but not all of the incidents involving nooses at the Baton Rouge chemical plant, leading to "a racially hostile work environment". "A noose is a longstanding symbol of violence associated with the lynching of African Americans," said Elizabeth Owen, an attorney with the EEOC in New Orleans. "Such symbols are inherently threatening and significantly alter the workplace environment for black Americans."

Exxon spokesman Todd Spitler told the BBC that "We have a zero tolerance policy of any form of harassment or discrimination in the workplace."

Why did it keep happening, then, Todd?
Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has good reason to put himself beyond the reach of the nation's courts: he's on trial on corruption charges. But for his far-right government, bringing judges to heel would be useful for so many other things, too. 400,000 marchers were on the streets Saturday, according to organizers, including IDF reservists. The rallies led to clashes with police.

Police used horse-mounted cops and water cannons against the demonstrators as they sought to disperse them, with the Haaretz news site reporting that this had happened while the protesters were leaving the highway anyway and was not preceded by violence. Officials said at least four were detained. The highway was eventually reopened for traffic after around an hour of closures.

At the same time, protest leaders announced that Thursday, March 9 would serve as the next "day of disruptions" around the country  a repeat of events this past Wednesday when protests and road blockages took place throughout the country, with violence between police and some protesters in Tel Aviv.

Speaking earlier at the Tel Aviv rally, former Likud minister Limor Livnat jokingly greeted demonstrators with the names they've been called by Ben Gvir and other opponents: "Good evening 'anarchists,' good evening 'terrorists'  good evening patriots."
Since 1999, Thomas Tryniski has been diligently scanning newspapers from microfilm to his free online archive, Fulton History. Currently there are over 51 million pages from American and Canadian papers in the collection. He does all of the work by himself from his Fulton, New York home.

I found out about the site from the owner of a historic hotel, TikTokker @thenightingalehall, who starts her 'stan' video by calling it, "the greatest website on the whole internet." She says she used Tryniski's site to learn about her home but remarks that it's also great for researching genealogy. A commenter, Kimberly E, agrees, "For 10 years I was a genealogy librarian and pointed patrons here more than our paid newspaper databases. We loaned him some microfilm."

I had to know more and a search led me to a terrific 2018 Columbia Journalism Review profile on Tryniski:

It started as a hobby; a co-worker gifted him an old postcard and he'd gone to the local library to find out who the people in the photo were. As a kid, he'd obsess about columns in the old Fulton Patriot that featured photos of the town's industrial historyblack-and-white images of men and women in front of massive warehouses and quaint, locally owned storefronts. The archives of the Fulton Patriot brought him back to those times. And with that, Tryniski, a lifelong Fultonian, began an entirely unexpected second career. Fultonhistory.com, which Tryniski coded himself, is frenetic and charmingly outdated; the homepage is swimming with Flash graphics (such as a goldfish that sticks out its human-like tongue) and enough scrolling marquee text to make an early-aughts Xanga page designer nostalgic. He built a chat room where browsers can ask questions and report problems and, on occasion, be terrorized by a crazed, lime-green joker cartoon he controls remotely, mostly for kicks. The entire operation was, in the beginning, routed through a Russian server.

The dream of the nineties internet is alive! Go check it out: FultonHistory.com. Heads up, the site is reportedly slow and "glitchy" with high traffic.

Read more: How Tom Tryniski digitized nearly 50 million pages of newspapers in his living room
Walgreens won't sell abortion pills in states with Republican officials that have threatened legal action, reports Kaitlyn Radde for NPReven if abortion is legal in those states. In a recent letter, it promised Kansas's attorney general "Walgreens does not intend to dispense Mifepristone within your state."

The confirmation came a month after 20 Republican state attorneys general, mostly from states where abortion is banned or heavily restricted, sent letters threatening Walgreens and other pharmacies with legal action if they dispensed mifepristone, an abortion pill.

The Food and Drug Administration finalized a new rule in January allowing retail pharmacies to get certified to distribute the drug, and companies including Walgreens and CVS said they're applying for certification. Medication abortion  not surgery  is the most common way that people terminate pregnancies, especially in the first trimester, when most abortions occur.
CHIZ URGES USE OF INTEL FUNDS TO NEUTRALIZE GUN-FOR-HIRE SYNDICATES

Sen. Chiz Escudero on Monday called on the government to pursue an all-out war against gun-for-hire syndicates "with the full might of intelligence funds."

"Only the identification and dismantling of groups of hired killers can assassinations be stopped," Escudero stressed as he condemned the brazen killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo right in his own home over the weekend.

The Bicolano legislator said the brutal killing of the governor "is among the many signs that paid killings is becoming a cottage industry in the Philippines."

Escudero proposed that the P5.22 billion intelligence funds be distributed across several agencies and "should be tapped in creating an actionable database of these killers."

"And if these perpetrators have pending warrants of arrest and they are armed and dangerous, then that listing could be an order of battle," he pointed out.

"Kaya kahit mahuli pa ang pumatay kay Governor Degamo, hindi garantiya 'yan na walang kasunod kung merong mga kriminal na ginawang negosyo ang pagkitil ng buhay," Escudero said.

"Killings eventually become a revolving door phenomenon if we do not neutralize the actors now and in the long run, fix the kinks in our justice system," he added.

While the Degamo assassination, and those of other elected officials before him, have attracted media attention, the former governor of Sorsogon noted "there are many killings of ordinary people who just remain entries in police blotters."

"Gobernador man o negosyante o manggagawa, parehong sigasig dapat ang ipakita ng kapulisan sa pagbigay hustisya sa kanila," Escudero said.

He said murders done with impunity, which remains unsolved, have given rise "to copycat killings."

"People get emboldened if they see murders go unsolved. Kapag hindi nahuli, it incentivizes future acts. Maraming nagsasabi na bakit pa ipa-papulis o magsasampa ng kaso na gagastos pa na meron naman shortcut. 'Yan ang kalunus-lunos na katotohanan sa maraming lugar, " Escudero said.
What to know about the week ahead

The Town of Niagara Planning Board on Tuesday will review a proposal by Packard Storage owner Arthur Jocoy to construct a new warehouse and self-storage building on the existing parcel at 6410 Packard Road, just west of Jocoy's Collision, on the west side of Packard Road between Military and New roads.

Additionally, the panel will consider a site plan application and environmental statement by AC Power for an inter-municipal solar farm at 5600 Niagara Falls Blvd., using 42 acres of an existing landfill. And Steve's Heating and Cooling owner Steve Fuller wants to add another garage to his property at 3001 Military Road, between Ralph Court and Laur Road, to accommodate HVAC inventory and house new work vehicles.

The Western New York Venture Association will hold its bimonthly meeting from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at the UB Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, 701 Ellicott St. Two local startups, Dalorum Corp. and Nudge, will give a business plan presentation to WNYVA members. For information and to register, visit wnyventure.com.

The Buffalo Career Center Job Fair is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Buffalo Career Center, at 290 Main St. About 30 employers are registered to attend. Attendees are asked to wear professional attire and bring copies of their resumes.

TechBuffalo is hosting a Brainstorming Breakfast on Thursday to discuss how the Buffalo Niagara region is defining tech. Breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m., followed by the topic discussion and networking. The event runs until 9:30 a.m. at the Seneca One building, 1 Seneca St. To register, visit techbuffalo.org/events.

The University at Buffalo is celebrating International Women's Month in March by hosting the Fe-Mail Marketing for Entrepreneurs Academy Thursday through Saturday at UB's Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics & Life Sciences, 701 Ellicott St. The three-day, in-person event is designed to teach female entrepreneurs email marketing integration trends and strategies.

Registration is available through Wednesday, International Womens Day, here. Registration starts at $175 for one day and includes all meals, classes, books, materials and a Spirit Week box.

Niagara County Community College continues to offer assistance with tax filing on Wednesdays through April 12. Anyone who earned $73,000 or less in 2022 qualifies to meet with representatives from the State Department of Taxation and Finance to walk through filing their tax returns online. Sessions take place in-person from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays at the NCCC Lewis Library, 3111 Saunders Settlement Rd., Sanborn, and the Niagara Falls Culinary Institute, 28 Old Falls St., Niagara Falls.

Participants will need to bring their 2022 tax documents, a copy of their 2021 tax return, a valid email address and possess basic computer skills. An NCCC librarian will be on-site to assist with your appointment. To register, visit niagaracc.suny.libcal.com or call 716-614-6786.

THE LATEST

Catch up on the latest news from the Buffalo Niagara economy:

A federal agency says Starbucks must rehire some workers it fired in Buffalo and reopen a store it closed.

Buffalo development officials are hoping to pick a developer for the LaSalle Metro station project within a year.

The state is preparing new rules to crack down on price gouging.

A Buffalo Niagara union leader, who raised concerns about construction work going to out-of-town laborers, is dropping his opposition to Buffalo Bills stadium agreements.

An orthopedic surgeon is suing Wyoming County Community Health System and others over the termination of his firm's contract last year.

Yellow Freight is consolidating its Buffalo Niagara truck terminals in a move that is expected to lead to job losses.

A site in the Northland complex once was coveted by two businesses. Now, neither wants it and the search is on for a business that does.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown is touting $9 billion in development projects over the last decade for the city.

Uniland Development Co. backed out of its deal to buy The Buffalo News office building.

Four apartment projects, involving more than 300 units, are moving forward.

Bitwise is getting $80 million in funding for its technology workforce development programs in 10 cities, including Buffalo.

Niagara University and Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center are launching a Career Pathways Program that will help students get paying jobs at the hospital.

Community health providers, like Evergreen and Neighborhood Health Center, are concerned about losing a critical funding stream if the state makes changes to its Medicaid pharmacy benefit program.

Ciminelli Real Estate Corp. hopes to increase the size of its planned new warehouse facility in Lackawanna's Renaissance Commerce Park by at least 25%.

ICYMI

Five reads from Buffalo Next:

1. For 50 years, fans have been flocking to Highmark Stadium to watch the Buffalo Bills. But the stadium has never spurred much activity around it, and now Orchard Park officials are looking for ways to change that with a new stadium on the way.

2. Focusing on health equity in the City of Buffalo: After the traumatic events that hit the area last year, Rev. George F. Nicholas, CEO of the Buffalo Center for Health Equity, says now is the time to make it a priority.

3. UB resident doctors and fellows feeling 'overworked and underpaid': The group, which includes 810 residents, fellows and interns at the University at Buffalo, has launched a union campaign.

4. Buffalo Niagara struggles to find  and keep  tech workers: Local companies have plenty of open technology jobs, but can't fill them, as computer science grads from area schools move out of town for work.

5. Inside Brooks-TLC's seven-year push for a new hospital: Now, more than ever, it feels like Brooks-TLC Hospital System's plan for a new hospital in Fredonia is at a critical juncture. Could the long-delayed plan finally be moving forward?

The Buffalo Next team gives you the big picture on the regions economic revitalization. Email tips to buffalonext@buffnews.com or reach Buffalo Next Editor David Robinson at 716-849-4435.
Until last week, Daniel Vicente was working as a machine operator at a manufacturing plant outside Philadelphia.

Now, Vicente is preparing for a new job: director of United Auto Workers Region 9, which is based in Amherst. He is also making plans to move to the area with his family.

Vicente won a runoff election against assistant director Lauren Farrell, with unofficial results showing he received 52% of the vote. The position of Region 9 director is currently vacant.

On Monday, Vicente said he is looking forward to getting to work and connecting with UAW members.

"As a worker, I never saw our regional director, not once," he said. "I do not plan to just sit idly and not get in front of the rank and file membership."

For the first time, UAW members voted directly for their top leaders, instead of through a delegate system. A runoff was held for Region 9 director because none of the three candidates in balloting late last year secured a majority of votes.

Region 9's territory encompasses Western and Central New York, New Jersey and most of Pennsylvania. In Western New York, that includes members of UAW locals at two General Motors plants and one Ford Motor Co. plant. Unofficial results showed Vicente captured a majority of the votes cast at each of those three locals.

The Detroit-based UAW International is under the oversight of a court-appointed, independent monitor following a series of corruption scandals involving UAW leaders. The monitor began counting votes last Wednesday. Vicente ran on a UAW Members United reform slate, which included Shawn Fain as its candidate for UAW International president.

The outcome of the race for president is still undetermined. Unofficial results showed Fain ahead of incumbent Ray Curry by 50.2% to 49.8%, a lead of just 645 votes out of nearly 138,000 ballots cast.

The monitor said there were still 1,608 unresolved challenged ballots in that race. Election officials will determine the eligibility of the voters who cast those ballots. The count is scheduled is to resume on Thursday.

The UAW's contracts with the Detroit Three automakers are scheduled to expire Sept. 14. Vicente said he and fellow members of his slate are determined to take a different approach to talks this time around, after the union made concessions amid the recession and the automakers once again prospering.

"Our slate is on the same page as to how we are going to approach these negotiations," he said. "We're moving away from the friendly business management relations that we've taken and plan to have a more militant approach to these negotiations.

"We very much are looking forward to bringing on the [UAW] incumbents that didn't run against anybody in these races," Vicente said. "We're looking to work together with them because at the end of the day, all of us are United Auto Workers and this fight is going to take all of us."

Vicente said he plans to move to the Buffalo area with his wife and four children after the school year ends, to live where Region 9 is based. Vicente visited Western New York during his campaign and was familiar with the UAW's strong presence.

"That's why the headquarters is in Western New York, the density of workers in that region," he said. "It makes sense, just from a practical standpoint."
Boja Kragulj, an accomplished clarinetist who once performed with orchestras in New York, Philadelphia, and Jacksonville, Florida, has already lost four teeth. And she expects to lose at least a dozen more.

Five years ago, seeking to correct her bite and improve her breathing, Kragulj tried a dental device that she was told would put pressure on her upper palate, lengthening her jawbone to fix her issues without surgery, according to an ongoing lawsuit she has filed in federal court. Kragulj said she discovered the device through Facebook, and it sounded miraculous.

What she said happened next was ghastly. Kragulj alleged in her lawsuit that instead of changing her jaw, the device pushed her teeth forward through the bone that anchors their roots in place, which put her front teeth in jeopardy. Dozens of photos provided by her attorney show that over time her teeth bulged out of her mouth, warping her smile into a twisted mess. In the three years since filing her suit, Kragulj has had four unsalvageable teeth removed and two others ground to nubs, she said.

Now Kraguljs only option is to undergo far more extensive surgeries than she faced before, according to her lawsuit. She described pain when eating anything that must be chewed and sometimes struggles to speak clearly through false teeth. And her livelihood is lost: Despite decades of training, Kragulj recently said she can no longer play clarinet well enough to perform or teach.

So now something I had only seen in very old studies that were published in black and white, on animals, I saw in my patients with 3D X-rays. Dr. Marianna Evans, orthodontist and periodontist

More than 10,000 dental patients have been fitted with an Anterior Growth Guidance Appliance, or AGGA, according to court records. But the unproven and unregulated dental device, often costing patients about $7,000, has not been evaluated by the FDA, according to a months-long joint investigation by KHN and CBS News. The FDA relies on device companies to submit new products for evaluation, and because the AGGA was never submitted, it has been sold to patients without that government review.

Theyre still selling it. And still teaching classes. And still putting it in peoples mouths, Kragulj, 42, said in an interview.

Dentists across the country promote the AGGA on their websites, often claiming it can grow, remodel, or expand an adults jaw without surgery, sometimes saying it has the potential to make patients more attractive and treat common ailments like sleep apnea and TMJ. However, after reviewing dental scans that the AGGA inventor submitted in court to prove the device works, eight experts told KHN and CBS News the scans show signs of the AGGA displacing teeth instead of expanding the jaw. Some experts said, based on their experience with former AGGA patients, the device caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage to the patients mouths.

Dr. Marianna Evans, a Philadelphia orthodontist and periodontist who has examined multiple AGGA patients experiencing pain or complications, said she was reminded of gruesome, decades-old experiments that intentionally displaced the teeth of monkeys and dogs to test the limits of orthodontia.

These studies could not be done on humans because it was ethically wrong, Evans said. So now something I had only seen in very old studies that were published in black and white, on animals, I saw in my patients with 3D X-rays.

At least 20 AGGA patients, including Kragulj, have in the past three years filed lawsuits detailing their complaints about the device, claiming it left them with flared teeth, damaged gums, exposed roots, or erosion of the bone that holds teeth in place. Some plaintiffs said in lawsuits they would lose teeth and added in interviews that they no longer have enough healthy bone to replace their teeth with dental implants.

Most of their lawsuits do not name the dentists who installed the device as defendants, but are filed against the AGGAs inventor, its manufacturer, and companies that train dentists to use it, alleging they profit from false claims about a device that does not  and cannot  work.

Galella, 70, a Tennessee dentist who invented the AGGA in the 1990s, declined to be interviewed after being contacted by phone, email, and in person. His attorney, Alan Fumuso, said in a written statement that Galella had not been made aware of any complaints about the device prior to the recent lawsuits.

The [AGGA], when properly used, is safe and can achieve beneficial results for the patient, Fumuso said. This is not only the personal observation and experience of Dr. Galella, but also the experience of other dentists as well.

The plaintiffs do not allege in their lawsuits that Galella treated them but that he or his company consulted with each of their dentists about their AGGA treatment.

For this article, KHN and CBS News journalists interviewed 11 dental patients who said they were harmed by the AGGA  eight of whom have active lawsuits concerning the device  plus attorneys who said they represent or have represented at least 23 others. In every case, the patients said in lawsuits or interviews that they were convinced the device would expand their jaws or improve their breathing and mistakenly assumed the AGGA would not be for sale unless it was proven safe and effective.

None of their jawbones expanded, the patients alleged in lawsuits and interviews.

The entire concept of this device, of this treatment, makes zero sense.  It doesnt grow the jaw. It doesnt widen the jaw. It just pushes the teeth out of their original position. Dr. Kasey Li, maxillofacial surgeon and sleep apnea specialist

Leigh Peterson, 47, of Ohio, spent $7,000 on AGGA treatment in hopes of alleviating her TMJ, or temporomandibular joint disorder, which had caused her pain since she was a teen.

Within months of AGGA use, Peterson said, her teeth were so loose she could feel them move when rubbing moisturizer on her cheeks. Kissing her boyfriend became uncomfortable.

Peterson, who does not have an active lawsuit, said that according to a dental specialist she will need at least one round of bone grafts to stabilize her teeth.

I feel like all I have to look forward to now is treatment and pain and fear and debt, Peterson said. And I just regret it. I wish Id never done any of this.

The AGGA, which was recently rebranded as the Osseo-Restoration Appliance, resembles a retainer and uses springs to apply pressure to the front teeth and upper palate, according to a patent application filed in 2021. The version of AGGA intended for adults is affixed to a patients molars, typically worn for several months, and must be removed by a medical professional. Galella said pressure from the device causes an adults jaw to remodel forward to where the body really wants it to be, according to video footage from one of his dentist trainings produced in discovery in an AGGA lawsuit. In the video, Galella describes this transformation as the key to curing patients and making them more beautiful.

We fix the facial biology, Galella said in the video.

However, in a series of interviews with orthodontists, periodontists, and maxillofacial surgeons  all of whom have more training than the average dentist  these experts said that while it is possible to expand the jaws of children without surgery, jawbones stop growing forward as people mature into adulthood. Experts who have examined patients fitted with an AGGA said the device aggressively moved teeth, sometimes creating an illusion of jaw growth by tilting some teeth forward and forcing gaps between others. In the worst cases, those experts have seen teeth shoved so far out of position that their roots are pushed free of the bone and into the gums.

Dr. Kasey Li, a California maxillofacial surgeon and sleep apnea specialist, last year published a study  the abstract of which appeared on a National Institutes of Health website  describing loose teeth and bone loss among AGGA patients he has examined.

In an interview, Li described the AGGA device as medieval and said using it to try to expand a jaw is not unlike trying to make your house bigger by simply pushing on the wooden framing in the walls.

The entire concept of this device, of this treatment, makes zero sense, Li said. It doesnt grow the jaw. It doesnt widen the jaw. It just pushes the teeth out of their original position.

Rolling Out the AGGA

The AGGA device has been used on patients for about 15 years. Its biggest promoter is Galella, who operates out of a small, unremarkable clinic in a strip mall in the Memphis suburbs.

Galella said in a 2021 sworn deposition in one of the lawsuits that he has applied the AGGA to about 600 patients and prepared treatment plans for patients getting an AGGA from another dentist on about 9,800 occasions, collecting a royalty of $50 to $65 each time the device is made.

The Facial Beauty Institute has also taught an undisclosed number of dentists to use the device during three-day courses costing about $5,000, according to the companys website. The Las Vegas Institute, also known as LVI Global, offered similar AGGA classes for years and lists on its website about 75 dentists across the U.S. and Canada who have taken that class.

Dave Hornblower, 36, of Ontario, who was fitted with an AGGA in 2019 by a dentist who trained at the Las Vegas Institute, now expects to lose multiple teeth, according to his lawsuit against the company, the inventor, and other defendants.

Hornblower said in an interview the AGGA did not improve his breathing and he now feels pain whenever he makes a TH sound, brushing his tongue against the back of his front teeth.

My dentist said hed went to courses, seen the evidence, and he seemed very sure of himself, so I was sure of him, Hornblower said. He told me it would do all that magical stuff, and I believed him.

William Schuller, an attorney for the Las Vegas Institute, said in a phone interview that the Institute disputes claims the AGGA is inherently dangerous or has no utility to adults. Schuller said AGGA training is no longer offered at the institute and disputed that the institute ever taught dentists to use the device.

I wouldnt go so far as to say that LVI directly taught dentists to use the AGGA device ever, he said. LVI is a campus that provides the ability to teach courses in a variety of procedures and techniques. The doctors who taught the courses were associated with Dr. Galella. It was his course and his course materials that he prepared.

However, according to a sworn deposition filed in one of the AGGA lawsuits, the AGGA training at the Las Vegas Institute was for years taught by the companys co-orthodontic directors, Dr. David Buck and Dr. Timothy Gross. Buck said in that deposition he created lectures and wrote materials for the course, which were approved by Galella and the leadership of the institute, which kept 70% of the tuition paid for the trainings. A slideshow presentation from one of these training sessions, filed as an exhibit in another AGGA lawsuit, identifies Buck and Gross as clinical instructor[s] at the institute.

We are not aware of any peer-reviewed articles regarding AGGA working and were not aware of any peer-reviewed articles regarding AGGA not working. William Schuller, attorney

When pressed during his deposition, Galella said he was not aware of any peer-reviewed studies or clinical trials demonstrating that the AGGA works as claimed on patients whose jaws have finished growing. Galella said his confidence in the device comes from years of using it on patients and dental scans he had not published.

It proved it to me, Galella said. But for the rest of the world, I hadnt posted anything. Sorry.

Galellas company has posted a non-peer-reviewed white paper that summarizes the theory behind the AGGA and contains one image from a dental scan of an unidentified, presumably adult patient that describes 1 to 3 millimeters of outward relocation of the upper jawbone after wearing an AGGA for four months. The paper says research on the AGGA takes some time and we have begun this research in earnest.

Schuller acknowledged the lack of peer-reviewed evidence behind the AGGA.

We are not aware of any peer-reviewed articles regarding AGGA working, he said in an interview, and were not aware of any peer-reviewed articles regarding AGGA not working. So my understanding is that there is no literature to speak to it one way or the other.

Faced with the lack of professional studies, a federal judge last year ordered Galella to turn over a sample of his dental scans. Galella was required to provide the plaintiffs with before-and-after scans from five patients over age 30 that demonstrate the AGGA is effective.

Those scans offer no proof, according to an expert witness enlisted by the plaintiffs. In a sworn affidavit filed with the court, Dr. Ricky Harrell, who leads the residency program at the Georgia School of Orthodontics, said Galellas dental scans demonstrate no appreciable growth of the adult jawbones.

KHN and CBS News had those scans reviewed by eight independent experts, including orthodontists, periodontists, maxillofacial surgeons, and faculty from dental colleges at Columbia, Harvard, and the University of Florida. None of these experts was involved in any of the AGGA lawsuits at the time of their interviews.

Every expert had the same response: Galellas scans showed patients teeth had moved but their jaws remained unchanged.

It is proof, said Dr. Richard Roblee, an Arkansas orthodontist who reviewed the scans. Proof that the [AGGA] is not working correctly, not doing what they say. That is the proof that he has given.

Roblee said he has examined at least 15 people he said were harmed by the AGGA and has never seen another dental technique cause this much damage to so many patients.

Dr. George Mandelaris, a Chicago-area periodontist and member of the American Academy of Periodontology Board of Trustees, said Galellas dental scans show harm to the bone that holds teeth in place. Mandelaris said he has consulted with 11 AGGA patients, including Kragulj, who looked as if a bomb went off in her mouth.

Dr. Sercan Akyalcin, the head of orthodontics at Harvard, said the scans showed the patients upper frontmost teeth were pushed forward but did not show that their jawbones expanded.

Dr. Millie Embree, a professor of orthodontics at Columbia, and Dr. Anita Gohel, the head of oral radiology at the University of Florida, each said they saw that patients were losing teeth in the scans that Galella chose to validate the AGGAs effectiveness.

Im a little surprised that this was the best evidence, Gohel said. I wonder what the rest is.

The AGGA appears to be off the radar of the FDA, which is responsible for regulating medical and dental devices in the United States. Device manufacturers are supposed to register new products with the agency, and any devices that pose even a moderate risk to a patient can be required to go through a pre-market review to check if they are safe and effective.

In an emailed statement, the FDA confirmed it had no record of the AGGA being registered in its device database but would not comment on whether the device should have been registered or if it would be investigated. The agency would not say if it was aware of the AGGA prior to being contacted by KHN and CBS News.

The AGGAs exclusive manufacturer, Johns Dental Laboratories, located in Indiana, said in a court document it has no record of communicating with the FDA about the AGGA before beginning to make or sell it. Johns Dental said in court the AGGA falls into the FDAs least-risky classification for devices, similar to a dental retainer, and is exempt from a pre-market clearance under a statutory exemption for dental labs. Johns Dental attorney Jeffrey Oberlies declined to comment.

Galella said in his deposition that he believed the AGGA was outside of the FDAs jurisdiction.

Cara Tenenbaum, a former senior policy adviser in the FDAs device center, said the AGGA is within FDA jurisdiction and it was incredibly problematic that it was not registered, at least in part because that is how the FDA collects reports of negative effects.

If properly registered, Tenenbaum said, the AGGA might be classified with devices that reposition the jaw or prevent snoring, which are in a more tightly regulated category than what Johns Dental cited in court. Tenenbaum said the FDA was most likely unaware of the AGGA and she suspects it will investigate once alerted to allegations of patient harm.

Scott Charnas, a New York attorney who represents numerous AGGA patients, said he believed a more proactive FDA would have discovered and investigated the device years ago.

Its just going to go on and on unless someone does something about it, Charnas said. Somebody needs to step up.

AGGA Inventor: Its OK to Make a Crapload of Money

Both Galella and the Las Vegas Institute have said in dentist trainings that the AGGA can cure TMJ and sleep apnea, according to the AGGA training video footage and a slideshow presentation obtained from the ongoing lawsuits.

Galella is heard in the video telling dentists that customers are gonna beat your door down because the AGGA can cure patients instead of merely treating their symptoms. He says some patients who want to lessen their pain or improve their looks will pay anything  anything!  to have that problem resolved.

Its OK to make a crapload of money, Galella tells dentists in the video. Youre not ripping anybody off. Youre curing them. Youre helping them. Youre making their life totally beautiful forever and ever.

Beauty was also a focal point of AGGA classes at the Las Vegas Institute, where the slideshow presentation features photos of celebrities and models. Images of decorated Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps and Princess of Wales Kate Middleton are shown as examples of the kind of unattractive, underdeveloped midface that the AGGA is claimed to correct. Middleton is specifically described as remarkably not beautiful.

Why are we here? reads the first page of the slideshow. To treat ugly faces.

The Las Vegas Institute frequently promoted the AGGA in a Facebook group where many of the patients interviewed for this story say they were first persuaded to use the device. The group outwardly appears to be a discussion space for people with jaw problems, and membership is controlled by the Las Vegas Institute.

We were looking for this holy grail type of deal, said Karan Gill, who wore an AGGA for months and alleges in a lawsuit his teeth were left loose and sensitive. The people who were promoting the AGGA in these Facebook groups and such  thats the way they were talking about it.

Five former members described the Facebook group as a pro-AGGA echo chamber, where anyone who asked for proof that the AGGA works was hushed or banned.

If you seek the truth outside, you will be excommunicated, said Nick Hamilton, 40, a former member of the Facebook group who has an ongoing lawsuit against Galella. I was asking too many questions. And I started talking openly with other people that were having issues. And they kicked us all out.

A KHN-CBS News review of the Facebook group postings the past six years uncovered at least five posts in which Las Vegas Institute CEO Bill Dickerson said that the AGGA is growing bone or can grow the maxilla, which is another name for the upper jaw.

[I]nstead of just moving teeth  we are growing bone  its awesome, Dickerson wrote in a 2017 post about the AGGA in the Facebook group.

Dickerson has since changed his view. Last year, in a sworn deposition filed in an ongoing lawsuit, Dickerson said he did not believe the AGGA could grow the maxilla and agreed it would be misleading to say it could. Dickerson said in the deposition he began to question the claims of what the AGGA could do in 2020, and after reviewing some patients dental scans, he severed ties with Galella and the Facial Beauty Institute.

Kragulj, the clarinetist from the beginning of this article, said she discovered the AGGA through a Facebook video from Galellas Facial Beauty Institute. According to her lawsuit, she got a device in 2018 and wore it for about 14 months, by which point she had sustained irreversible damage to the bone that holds her teeth in place.

Eventually, Kragulj sought help from the man who knew the AGGA better than anyone: Galella. She said she traveled to his Facial Beauty Institute for a consultation, expecting an elite academic facility but finding only a small clinic with aging wallpaper and broken equipment.

Kragulj said Galella looked in her mouth and, after an audible sigh, offered to fix her for $15,000  plus as much as $15,000 more per tooth. Galella confirmed that meeting and approximate cost in his deposition.

After the meeting, Kragulj decided she was done with Galella, according to her lawsuit. She said she returned to the traditional surgeons and specialists she once eschewed, and the first orthodontist she saw described her teeth as the worst thing hed ever seen.

They were hanging on by a thread, and the bone was gone, Kragulj said in an interview. So it was an extravagant process to get to a place where I could even have fake teeth.

Kragulj said that since abandoning the AGGA treatment she had to remove four front teeth and was fitted with a dental bridge of false teeth. She said she will need surgery to fix the underlying problems in her jaw and will likely need to replace her upper teeth with prosthetics.

Her entire treatment will cost, by her estimate, a minimum of $150,000, followed by a lifetime of maintaining and replacing dental implants, she said.

Kragulj said it is unlikely she will ever play the clarinet professionally again and as of now she cannot play properly for even a minute without pain.

My inner world is very silent, Kragulj said. It was my voice.

___

10 small, healthy things you should do for yourself every day 1. Find one small way to add more steps to your day. 2. Just be  even for five minutes a day. 3. Make sleep a top priority. 4. Refill your water bottle. 5. Take a few deep breaths. 6. Wear something you love. 7. Make something in the kitchen. 8. Deliberately choose a healthy ingredient. 9. Pay attention to your needs. 10. Tell the truth as often as you can.
An already devastating New Year's Eve fire that killed five children has claimed a sixth life.

Lisa Liggans, who saved her 8-month-old granddaughter from their burning Dartmouth Avenue home, died over the weekend, according to a city spokesman.

Liggans, 63, suffered third-degree burns in the fire, a pastor for the family had previously said. She had remained in the burn unit at Erie County Medical Center. The infant survived the blaze, having suffered only minor smoke inhalation.

The blaze killed Aniyah Green, 10; Joelle Liggans, 8; Jalissa Liggans, 7; Denise Keith, 4; and Nehemiah Robinson, 2. The three oldest children died at the scene.

Buffalo fire investigators deemed the cause of the Dec. 31 fire to be accidental, but have yet to determine precisely how it started.

Clarence Liggans, Lisa's husband and the children's grandfather, was delivering newspapers for The Buffalo News when the fire was reported about 7:30 a.m. Two of the couple's adult children also lived in the home and were able to escape.

The children's mother, Kenise Robinson, previously told The News she found some solace in allowing her two children who died at the hospital  Denise and Nehemiah  to be organ donors. Their organs were able to help save five children, Robinson said.
Because of the recent news of injuries due to turbulence, as in the recent Lufthansa incident on March 1, airline passengers may be thinking more about potential hazards in the air.

Some of that consciousness may be a good thing. It may encourage more passengers to do the common sense thing when seated. That is, buckle up and stay buckled up unless you have to walk in the cabin, and only if the captain has turned off the seat belt sign.

Some of the greatest hazards can be presented by clear air turbulence, or CAT. It is the least predictable type of turbulence, and quite invisible to the pilot and first officer in the cockpit on aircraft radar. Aircraft cockpit weather radar can see precipitation and thunderstorms, but the types of turbulence that occur in dry areas near the jet stream, near mountains, or as far as 20 miles away from thunderstorms is not detectable by such radars.

Pilots are trained to fly around, not over or through, thunderstorms because the assumption is such cells will create stronger turbulence. But CAT avoidance requires particular situational awareness on the part of the cockpit crews. They are aware, for example, CAT is more common near and immediately downwind of mountain ranges, such as the Rockies. The CAT can be augmented by low pressure storm systems in the vicinity, adding to vertical wind shear by creating additional updrafts and downdrafts.

This was the case on my Feb. 26 flight from LAX to JFK when the massive Pacific storm that both drenched lower elevations in Southern California and buried the mountains in snow with blizzard conditions had moved inland. The remnant low produced a severe weather outbreak over parts of Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas, but even away from these convective cells, our pilots and others had been warned of an enhanced risk of stronger turbulence from the low. Although aviation forecasting is not my specialty, I had looked at the flight level winds detected by weather balloons at 7 a.m. and knew we were in for a fast ride and, in the West, a bumpy ride.

Our Jet Blue captain was helpfully proactive, warning us it would likely be bumpy in the first couple of hours heading east. When we got closer to the most turbulent part of the flight leg, I suspect he had received pilot and air traffic control reports of stronger turbulence ahead. Even before we ran into the rockiest part of the flight, he ordered flight attendants to stop serving, take their seats and to buckle up as well as for all passengers to get seated and secured. As it turned out, I judged the turbulence was a moderate chop to moderate turbulence, bumpy to the uninitiated flyer but not especially hazardous.

PIREPs (pilot reports) of turbulence in a flight path ahead are vital communications to trailing pilots in order to reduce the risk of being caught unaware, although CAT can occasionally develop suddenly with no warning from PIREPs to guide the pilot in advance, and no aviation forecast from meteorologists advising of the hazard potential. In addition to aviation meteorologists employed by many airlines, pilots can turn to the National Weather Service Aviation Weather Center. The meteorologists in this center relay PIREPs, and they forecast hazards such as low-level wind shear, turbulence intensity, visibility and weather hazards.

Major injuries from flight turbulence have been rare. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, between 2009 and 2021 only 30 U.S. passengers have been seriously injured, with the hazard greater for flight attendants who are attempting to continue service to passengers. There have been 116 serious flight crew injuries. (Last week there was a death in a small private jet over Connecticut.) Severe turbulence itself is rare, too. Dr. Paul Williams, a turbulence researcher at the University of Reading in England, has found during any given moment at flight level, only 3% of the atmosphere has light turbulence, 1% has moderate, and just a few tenths of a percent has severe turbulence.

Despite these reassuring statistics, stronger turbulence is becoming more frequent, most likely due to our warming atmosphere. Williams research shows wind shear, a primary ingredient in turbulence, has increased 15% since 1979. Still, there is no matching clear trend in the number of injuries compared to observed increased turbulence, at least not yet. Much of the increase is in CAT. For nervous flyers, even severe turbulence at flight level can be withstood by airliners without destructive damage. Low-level hazards on final approach and takeoff are better detected by networks of ground instrumentation near the airports and Doppler radars, both helpful in finding low-level wind shear. The best thing passengers can do is to buckle up whenever youre seated, whether the seat belt sign is on or off.

A bit more nuisance snow, and a chilly  but not frigid  stretch

Less impactful than the last couple of rounds of snow and mixed precipitation, some minor accumulating snow is likely Monday night over higher elevations well to the south, with very little sticking on the Niagara Frontier.

A bit of a mix will start late on Monday and likely turn to all snow during the evening, with enough for a few slick spots near Buffalo but a much better chance of slick roads to the south, especially at higher elevations as temps drop to the mid-20s.

Tuesdays more abundant sunshine will be helpful on a cold, breezy day with highs only in the low 30s. A few light snow showers will be possible Tuesday night, followed by a mostly to partly cloudy and seasonably cold Wednesday. Temps will struggle into the low 30s, though with less wind chill than on Tuesday.

With chilly Canadian high pressure still dominating our region Thursday (mid-30s), well have to keep an eye on an area of low pressure approaching us on Friday and passing off to our east during Saturday. As of this writing, temperatures look marginal for any significant snow threat, but if the low takes a slightly more southerly track, enough cold air may remain to deliver some accumulating snow.

The system bears watching, and Im leaning more toward snow rather than rain or a mix in the Friday-Saturday time period.

In the extended range, the Climate Prediction Center still favors below average temperatures in our region in the six- to 10-day and eight- to 14-day periods. Keep in mind the average high by next weekend is getting closer to 40.

The trend continues most days through the end of the month, though there may yet be ups and downs not foreseeable in this time range.

The worst that can be said for this pattern is there continues to be no sign of a warmer breakout in March but, as Ive written in previous articles, with warmer average highs and lows as the month progresses, this does not imply frigid, midwinter cold will be prevailing.
For more than 50 years police files about the 1966 Buffalo murder of Monsignor Francis J. O'Connor remained boxed up, out of sight from the public, with no explanation of why a high-profile murder investigation had gone quiet.

A recent series in The Buffalo News revealed who was suspected of the murder and why some believe the investigation came to a sudden end. Watchdog reporters Dan Herbeck and Lou Michel, along with Watchdog Editor Mike McAndrew, last week discussed reader questions about the series with Executive Editor Sheila Rayam.

Among the topics: What roadblocks the reporters had to overcome; whether the case could be re-investigated and how a new lead could help solve the mystery. Here are some excerpts from the Q&A, edited for space:

Q: Why did the watchdog team investigate this case?

McAndrew: It's a very unusual case. There are a lot of homicides in Buffalo. A lot more now than they were in 1966. But there are a lot of homicides, and a percentage of them every year do go unsolved. This case was unique for some other reasons, though. The victim, Monsignor Francis J. O'Connor, was a very respected priest. And he was also the editor of the Buffalo Diocese weekly newspaper. And for 56 years, it remained a secret that the police had suspected another priest and a diocese employee and another monsignor of being suspects in the monsignors murder. It's the only case we know of in Western New York where a priest emerged as a suspect in a murder. In addition to that, we were hearing allegations that the Buffalo police had prematurely ended their investigation into this crime and had done so at the request of the Buffalo Diocese.

Q: Was there a tip that spiked the team's interest?

Herbeck: I first heard about this case when I was delivering The Buffalo News at age 11. And I used to read the headlines of the paper as I was delivering my papers. And I was a young Catholic boy and I saw this horrible headline about a priest, a beloved priest, being murdered and found facedown in Scajaquada Creek. Fast forward to the year 2016. I started doing cold case stories for The Buffalo News about old unsolved crimes. And I started getting calls from a retired judge, some retired Buffalo police detectives and a Catholic church deacon and other people saying you should be looking into this Monsignor O'Connor murder.

Q: What were some of the roadblocks that you found when you started digging into this?

Michel: When Dan wrote the first cold case story on it in 2018, he had received approximately 30 police reports on it. I had been the police reporter over at Buffalo Police headquarters for 20 years. And I knew a lot of high-ranking officers. And there were actually over 150 reports in the (police) file. The high ranking police official that approved the Freedom of Information Law request for The Buffalo News when I filed it understood the importance of getting the case out there. And he said that 57 years has passed. We should be happy that The Buffalo News is wanting to take a look at it.

Who killed the monsignor? Exploring the murder of Monsignor Francis J. O'Connor, its investigation and its legacy Revealed in the 56-year-old reports on the murder of Monsignor Francis J. O'Connor were shocking secrets  a priest and a diocese journalist had been suspects  and a cache of other never-before released details.

Q: Were there any other roadblocks?

McAndrew: An awful lot of the people who had been most closely involved in the investigation, the detectives, the prosecutor, the DA at the time, as well as the suspects, and many of Monsignor O'Connor's closest friends, they had all passed away. However, because we had two very hard-working reporters, they were able to find people who had been around back then, and did some great interviews. Dan, for instance, he tracked down two (former) nuns in training, who in 1966 had been sitting in the chapel, waiting for Monsignor O'Connor to perform a Mass at a motherhouse on Main Street, and the monsignor never showed up.

Michel: If we hadn't gotten access to the (police) files, we would have never been able to tell the reader that John Lewandowski, a priest, was a suspect, that Robert Armbruster, a journalist who work for Monsignor O'Connor at the Magnificat, was also a suspect. And then later on, through following other leads, we found that Monsignor Kelliher, who was not mentioned in any of the police reports, was also suspected of being involved. He was known as the unofficial disciplinarian of the diocese. And Dan has interviewed retired police officers who are elderly who actually saw Monsignor Kelliher beat up priests, literally beat the daylights out of them for misbehavior, rather than face arrest. So a lot of the things that were in that file, even though some files were still missing, and all of the physical evidence was destroyed, it really helped to to bring fresh news to this 57-year-old case.

Q: I want to ask one of the reader questions. Did the Buffalo Police Department allow the Catholic church and the bishop to bully them into dropping the case?

Herbeck: Well, I am sad to say because I have many good friends who are former police officers, there is a long history of the Buffalo police covering up things that were done by Catholic priests. And I can tell you that because we know that in the history of the Buffalo Police Department and as far as we can determine, they never ever charged any priest with molesting children. Even though the Buffalo Catholic Diocese now says that there have been close to 90 priests credibly accused of abusing children. Now, we were told by sources that spoke to the people who ran this investigation that once they got to the point where a priest was a prime suspect that the bishop of the Buffalo Diocese, Bishop McNulty, asked the Buffalo police to shut down the investigation. And they did. At that time, almost all people in positions of power in the city of Buffalo government and the police department were all Catholic men.

Q: Do you think there's a different philosophy today at the police department and in the diocese regarding honesty and transparency?

Herbeck: I don't think that the kind of things that went on back then are going on today. I've interviewed retired detectives, retired police officers, who told me that on number of occasions, they would catch priests involved in some kind of criminal behavior. And they had standing orders: these priests are not to be arrested. I do not believe that those orders are in effect now because I don't think anyone would stand for it today.

Q: So today, could the Erie County DAs Office do more to look into this murder and possible cover-up, and should they?

Michel: Well, I did interview of John Flynn, the district attorney, who is a devout Catholic. I've often seen him at Mass. And he said that, at this point, unless there's any new information that comes forward, he would not re-investigate the case. The case, because it's a homicide, and it's unsolved, technically remains open. But other lawyers have called me and said that, if you open the case, or re-investigate the case, that's how you find new evidence. I think that there should be an accounting of every piece of evidence at Buffalo Police Headquarters.

Q: Who do you think murdered the monsignor?

Herbeck: I hate to dodge the question. But we really can't answer that. Partly because there's so many files that were missing from the Buffalo Police case file. And also because so many of the people that were around back then are deceased. We do believe that there are people out there in Western New York who know what happened and have not come forward. And we would love to hear from them. And we will keep looking into this. We're still pursuing a number of very promising leads. If anyone out there knows anyone who was working at Sister's Hospital on the night of March 13, 1966, please call us because that one of those people who might know the answer to this mystery.
The cleanup of three contaminated sites in Niagara County used for World War II atomic energy and weapons programs will get another infusion of federal dollars.

Over 25 million pounds of uranium metals and over 30,000 pounds of thorium metals were used and became mixed into the soil at the former Simonds Saw and Steel Co. site in Lockport. The federal government announced $115.6 million will be spent there for work set to begin in 2024.

The Niagara Falls Storage Site in Lewiston will receive $10 million to clean up uranium ore waste used in the production of nuclear weapons as part of the Manhattan Project under the direction of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, with more than $500 million to be spent in coming years. And the Seaway Industrial Park in Tonawanda will get $2 million to support construction of a landfill cap where processed uranium ores from the Manhattan Project were dumped.

The three sites being rid of World War II contamination are the last of 10 sites to be addressed, with the other seven now remediated and restored, said Lt. Col. Colby Krug, the Buffalo District commander for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Cleanup of the Niagara Falls and Lockport sites are expected to be completed in 15 years, with the Seaway Industrial Park cleanup expected to begin in the coming months and conclude in 2028.

The cleanup won't disturb the environment, Krug said.

"All of our cleanup actions are very protective of the groundwater, the soil and the air, and we have very robust monitoring and control programs in place to make sure that material does not move off-site," Krug said. "We have years of investigations and current monitoring to make sure what was placed there decades ago hasn't moved off-site."

The total $139.7 million in U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects also includes $100,000 to back a five-year review of the cleanup of the Tonawanda Landfill in Tonawanda and nearly $24 million for waterway investments in Erie County.

Most of the waterway dollars  $21.2 million  will be used for maintenance and operation of the Black Rock Channel and Tonawanda Harbor and to evaluate the 110-year-old Black Rock lock and fund lock gate installation.

"This is a multimillion-dollar federal investment in clean communities and vibrant Western New York waterways," Rep. Brian Higgins said. "We've made incredible waterfront progress, but to maximize the potential for recreational, commercial and fishing boat activities, investments in the water are just as important as investments along the water's edge."

The work will be carried out by the Buffalo District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

"Our mission is to provide safe navigation, protect vital commerce and ensure the safety of human health and the environment," Krug said. "Investments like this are critical for mission accomplishment."

Buffalo Harbor will get the bulk of the remaining waterway funds, with $2.7 million to support continued dredging along the Outer Harbor of the navigation channel to maintain depths necessary for commercial shipments. Funds will also go for continued repairs to the north, south and west breakwaters. The north breakwall was reconstructed in 2021, and a new seawall was constructed at Ralph Wilson Centennial Park in 2022.

In addition, $710,000 is being allocated for surveillance of northern boundary waters between the United States and Canada. Sturgeon Point will receive $24,000 to support operation and maintenance needs and for sand bypassing and/or dredging to maintain the Sturgeon Point Marina. Olcott Harbor and Wilson Harbor will each get $8,000 for harbor maintenance.

In previously announced allocations, Times Beach Nature Preserve is to receive $10 million in federal infrastructure funds for repair work, along with $10 million secured by Higgins separately for improvements to Bird Island Pier.
The University at Buffalo will not stand in the way of a student group bringing a controversial political commentator to speak at the school.

With general public pressure rising in advance of the upcoming appearance of Michael Knowles, including a letter opposing the event from three faculty members to President Satish Tripathi, UB released a statement Sunday reaffirming freedom of expression.

UB says it does not take a position on the views of those who visit campus and will continue to hold true to its values of promoting a culture of diversity, social justice and inclusion.

We are committed to fostering a safe, welcoming environment at all times  just as we are committed to freedom of speech, the university wrote.

Knowles, who gave a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) over the weekend where he called for transgenderism to be "eradicated" from public life, has been invited to speak Thursday by the Young Americans for Freedom student chapter at UB.

Student government-sponsored clubs have the ability to invite speakers of their choosing, as long as they follow the laws and guidelines concerning public events on campus, the statement from the university notes.

Freedom of expression also gives individuals the right to oppose the opinions of others, but it must be done in such a way that doesnt limit the speaker or interfere with university operations, the statement continues. As we have seen in the past, speakers sometimes hold opinions contrary to university values or make polarizing comments.

On Monday morning, the university updated its statement, adding, "As UB has seen in the past, speakers may hold opinions contrary to its own or make comments that can polarize the campus as they do the nation. This does not change our core beliefs as a university."

"Please know that our commitment to transgender inclusion is stronger than one speaker and one event," Sharon Nolan-Weiss, director, Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, said in the statement. "It is ongoing and will continue through our policies, our educational offerings, our resources, and our interactions."

The statements came as the outrage over Knowles was being expressed on social media and directly to the university.

That included a letter to UB President Tripathi from Carrie Tirado Bramen, professor of English and director of the UB Gender Institute; David Schmid, associate professor of English; and Michael Rembis, associate professor of history and director for the UB Center for Disability Studies.

In the letter sent Sunday, they called on Tripathi to rescind Knowles invitation and cancel the event, so as not to provide a platform for hate speech, while standing by UB's "stated core values of diversity, inclusion, and mutual respect."

Knowles is a conservative political commentator, actor, bestselling author and media host, who hosts a show at the Daily Wire.

Knowles is a notorious right-wing provocateur with a long history of hate speech that implicitly calls for and condones violence against minority and marginalized groups, the three wrote to Tripathi. We believe that this inflammatory language is effectively a call for genocidal violence against members of the transgender community and will, at the very least, encourage acts of violence against members of that community.

The university said it supports the fundamental right of its community and invited guests to peacefully express their views and opinions  even when others disagree.

John Della Contrada, UB's vice president for communications, noted Sunday that "colleges and universities across the country face similar issues when controversial speakers visit."

But the three faculty members believe that canceling the event is the only way UB can prove to its students, staff, faculty, alumni, and the larger Western New York community that the university will not tolerate and will not provide a platform for those who spread hate.

Some students are taking to social media to express their disappointment in the university. For example, Julianne Neely, a Ph.D. candidate at UB, wrote that shes "embarrassed" that the university would allow Knowles to speak there.

All faculty and grad students that oppose this should strike this week and not do an ounce of work for this university, she wrote.

A Ph.D. candidate in English at UB, Lawrence Mullen, who is transgender, contended that freedom of speech was not designed to allow Knowles a platform for his type of speech and suggested that his talk might violate the university's rules on conduct.

"You just can't have civil discourse in that capacity," Mullen said, "when one group does not believe in the humanity of another."
The Transportation Department said Monday it will roll out a "dashboard" to let travelers see at a glance which airlines help families with young children sit together at no extra cost.

The announcement comes as the department works on regulations to prevent families from being separated on planes.

It's the latest salvo in the Biden administration's efforts to clamp down on what it calls "junk fees" and to put pressure on airlines to improve service.

The dashboard rewards airlines with a green check if they guarantee that an adult family member can sit next to their young children if seats are available. On Monday, only three of the 10 U.S. airlines listed on the website received a green check: Alaska, American and Frontier.

The site also includes links to each airline's customer policies.

"Parents traveling with young kids should be able to sit together without an airline forcing them to pay junk fees," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a release announcing the dashboard. He gave his department credit for pressuring airlines, "and now we're seeing some airlines start to make this common-sense change."

Airlines say they try to seat families together, but they have stopped short of making iron-clad promises. This year, several carriers pledged to make changes in their seating policies.

Last month, Frontier Airlines said it would automatically seat at least one parent next to any child under 14.

Last week, American Airlines updated its customer-service plan with a guarantee that children 14 and under would be seated next to an accompanying adult at no extra cost.

United Airlines said it would let families with children under 12 pick adjoining seats at no extra cost starting in early March in certain fare classes.

The announcement seemed to fall short of Transportation standards however, because the department issued a notice last July that it intends to ban extra charges to have a family adult sit next to children up to age 13.
Press Release

March 6, 2023 Hontiveros calls for investigation on political killings Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday filed Philippine Senate Resolution No. 518, urging the Senate to conduct an investigation on the series of political killings, after the assassination of incumbent Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo. "These killers are so emboldened, the violence happens in broad daylight. Wala na silang hiya o takot. Even more disturbing, uniformed personnel are complicit or actively involved. In the case of Gov. Degamo's assassination, at least 5 others were also killed. This culture of impunity is a grave danger to the public," she said. The senator said this is 'not the first time' she called for an investigation on killings in Negros Oriental. In 2019, a weeklong killing spree in Negros Oriental, Oplan Sauron, saw the death of Atty. Anthony Trinidad and several other civilians. "We should be horrified by the frequency of political assassinations. Hindi na COMELEC ang arbiter, kundi ang gatilyo. Historical and worsening violence is corrupting our nation, in once peaceful places like Negros Oriental. Sa mahabang panahon, tumatapang lang ang mga assassins," she said. The senator said that the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) needs to review its processes on settling election-related disputes and violence. "COMELEC's processes have become increasingly ineffective and inefficient. The inordinate delay of COMELEC en banc rulings may have aggravated vindictiveness. Election-related killings tarnish the sanctity of our elections, which COMELEC is responsible for protecting. Their call of duty is beyond election day," she said. Hontiveros said that in the first months of the new administration alone, there have already been 7 killings and attempted assassinations across the country, mostly done in public. These include the attempted assassinations of Cagayan Vice Mayor Rommel Almeda, Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong, Jr., Mayor Ohto Caumbo Montawal of Datu Montawal, Maguindanao del Sur, and the killings of former Vice Mayor Danilo Amat of Quezon, Quezon Province, former Vice Mayor Romeo Sulit from Lobo, Batangas, former Mayor Rosita Furigay of Lamitan City, Basilan and recently Governor Degamo. "A Senate investigation should be conducted not only to exact justice for the victims, but also to identify the underlying drivers of the killings, particularly the failure and inaction of our institutions, including our law enforcement agencies, to address political and election-related violence," her resolution states. The senator said that the killings were becoming 'increasingly disturbing', especially because of the 'complicity and active involvement of men formerly in the uniformed service'. "The virus of impunity continues to proliferate, and our state forces are heavily infected. How can the public trust killers masquerading as law enforcement? Who is giving the marching orders?," she asked. While the Senate investigates, Hontiveros said she hopes Malacanan can speak on the issue beyond individual cases. "Huwag nating gawin normal ang patayan. The past years have encouraged murder as a default way of silencing and manipulating. Our people are not just collateral damage of political agendas. It is time for a rude awakening for those who abuse their power. The government must take a strong stand as an institution to condemn these killings and to take concrete actions to end this savagery," she concluded. **** Please see attached PSR No. 518 in pdf format
SELMA, Ala.  President Joe Biden used the searing memories of Selma's Bloody Sunday to recommit to a cornerstone of democracy, lionizing a seminal moment from the civil rights movement at a time when he has been unable to push enhanced voting protections through Congress and a conservative Supreme Court has undermined a landmark voting law.

Selma is a reckoning. The right to vote ... to have your vote counted is the threshold of democracy and liberty. With it anything's possible, Biden told a crowd of more than 1,000 people seated on one side of the historic Edmund Pettus Bridge, named for a reputed Ku Klux Klan leader.

"This fundamental right remains under assault. The conservative Supreme Court has gutted the Voting Rights Act over the years. Since the 2020 election, a wave of states and dozens and dozens of anti-voting laws fueled by the Big Lie' and the election deniers now elected to office," he said.

As a candidate in 2020, Biden promised to pursue sweeping legislation to bolster protection of voting rights. Two years ago, his 2021 legislation, named after civil right leader John Lewis, the late Georgia congressman, included provisions to restrict partisan gerrymandering of congressional districts, strike down hurdles to voting and bring transparency to a campaign finance system that allows wealthy donors to bankroll political causes anonymously.

It passed the then-Democratic-controlled House, but it failed to draw the 60 votes needed to advance in the Senate even under control of Biden's party. With Republicans now in control of the House, passage of such legislation is highly unlikely.

We know we must get the votes in Congress, Biden said, but there seems no viable path right now.

The visit to Selma was a chance for Biden to speak directly to the current generation of civil rights activists. Many feel let down because of the lack of progress on voting rights and they are eager to see his administration keep the issue in the spotlight.

Few moments have had as lasting importance to the civil rights movement as what happened on March 7, 1965, in Selma and in the weeks that followed.

Some 600 peaceful demonstrators led by Lewis and fellow activist Hosea Williams gathered that day, just weeks after the fatal shooting of a young Black man, Jimmie Lee Jackson, by an Alabama trooper.

Lewis and the others were brutally beaten by Alabama troopers and sheriffs deputies as they tried to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge at the start of what was supposed to be a 54-mile walk to the state Capitol in Montgomery as part of a larger effort to register Black voters in the South.

On this bridge, blood was given to help redeem the soul of America, Biden said.

The images of the police violence sparked outrage across the country. Days later, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. led what became known as the Turnaround Tuesday march, in which marchers approached a wall of police at the bridge and prayed before turning back.

President Lyndon B. Johnson introduced the Voting Rights Act of 1965 eight days after Bloody Sunday, calling Selma one of those rare moments in American history where history and fate meet at a single time. On March 21, King began a third march, under federal protection, that grew by thousands by the time they arrived at the state Capitol. Five months later, Johnson signed the bill into law.

This years commemoration came as the historic city of roughly 18,000 was still digging out from the aftermath of a January EF-2 tornado that destroyed or damaged thousands of properties in and around Selma. The scars of that storm were still evident Sunday. Blocks from the stage where Biden spoke, houses sat crumbled or without roofs. Orange spray paint marked buildings beyond salvage with instructions to tear down.

We remain Selma strong, Mayor James Perkins said, adding that we will build back better. He thanked Biden for approving a disaster declaration that helped the small city with the cost of debris cleanup and removal.

Before Biden's visit, the Rev. William Barber II, a co-chair of Poor Peoples Campaign, and six other activists wrote Biden and members of Congress to express their frustration with the lack of progress on voting rights legislation. They urged Washington politicians visiting Selma not to sully the memories of Lewis and Williams and other civil rights activists with empty platitudes.

Were saying to President Biden, lets frame this to America as a moral issue, and lets show how it effects everybody, Barber said in an interview.

Among those sharing the stage with Biden before the march across the bridge were Barber, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Martin Luther King III and the Rev. Al Sharpton.

Water bottles were passed out to some in the crowd gathered to hear Biden and at least one person was taken away on a stretcher because of the upper-70s heat. Some had waited hours in the sun before relief came from shadows cast from nearby building.

Delores Gresham, 65, a retired health care worker from Birmingham, arrived four hours early, grabbing a front-row spot so her grandchildren could hear the president and see the commemoration.

I want them to know what happened here, she said.

In his remarks, Biden said, Everyone should know the truth of Selma.

The history of voting in the United States The history of voting in the United States 1607: The Jamestown election 1619: Jamestown Church assembly 1776: John Adams' letter to James Sullivan 1787: Ratification of Article I of the Constitution 1792: Criminal disenfranchisement in Kentucky 1812: The first gerrymandered district 1824: The election of John Quincy Adams 1848: The Seneca Falls convention 1856: Property requirement lifted 1866: Civil Rights Act of 1866 1869: Wyoming grants women the right to vote 1869: Edison invents the electric voting machine 1870: Fifteenth Amendment ratified 1877: Georgia institutes poll tax 1881: The 'voting apparatus' debuts 1898: The gear-and-lever voting machine is unveiled 1898: Louisiana enacts first grandfather clause 1908: Northern disenfranchisement on display 1913: Seventeenth Amendment grants direct election of US senators 1920: Nineteenth Amendment grants women's suffrage 1924: Indian Citizenship Act 1952: McCarran-Walter Act lifts ban on Asian citizenship 1961: Twenty-Third Amendment gives DC residents the vote 1961: First punch-card ballot system 1962: Poll taxes are outlawed 1965: Selma to Montgomery march for voting rights 1965: Voting Rights Act 1970: Richard Nixon extends Voting Rights Act 1971: Twenty-Sixth Amendment lowers voting age 1975: Gerald Ford extends the Voting Rights Act 1984: Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act 1986: Uniformed and Overseas Absentee Voting Act 1993: National Voter Registration Act 1996: Voting machine for the blind and illiterate 2000: American citizens in territories denied voting rights 2002: Help America Vote Act 2006: Congress extends Section 5 of Voting Rights Act 2009: Al Franken wins Minnesota by 312 votes 2010: Midterm elections signal new era in voting 2011: The voter ID law era begins 2012: Texas v. Holder 2013: Shelby County v. Holder 2016: New restrictions pile up 2017: More laws target voters 2018: New voting restrictions reach half the country 2018: Supreme Court approves voter purges 2018: Florida removes criminal disenfranchisement 2019: Supreme Court agrees to hear key gerrymandering case 2020: Supreme Court unanimously rules against faithless electors 2020: Mail-in voting soars during the COVID-19 pandemic 2022: Redistricting controversies continue nationwide
DENVER  In a Colorado mountain town, Christine Collins injected herself with black tar heroin while hanging out with friends in a cozy basement a few days after her 30th birthday. Sitting beneath a "Happy Birthday" sign with hearts scrawled in colorful sharpies, she overdosed.

She awoke on the floor, her friends screaming as they fumbled to administer the overdose-reversing naloxone, which pulled Collins back from near death.

Collins, now 33 and clean from heroin, has seen dozens of friends wake up from overdoses, and known dozens more who never did.

"I don't make friends anymore because I don't want to see anyone else die," she said.

Such scenes of terror have increasingly played out from Denver's snow-filled streets to rural West Virginia, with drug overdoses killing an estimated 100,000 people or more in 2021, according federal health official's latest data. That's about one overdose death every five minutes.

The snowballing death toll pushed lawmakers in Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada to consider joining New York and Rhode Island in allowing what are often called "safe injection sites." Also called "overdose prevention centers," these are places where people can use drugs under the supervision of trained staff who could reverse an overdose if necessary.

Democratic lawmakers in Colorado pushed the controversial bill forward in committee Wednesday. While Democrats control the state's legislature, the measure faces steep odds amid broad backlash from police, Republicans, and lingering questions about whether the sites are even legal in the United States.

The idea of sanctioning the use of drugs including heroin and methamphetamine on these sites  an about-face from the long-waged war on drugs  has garnered stiff pushback.

"You're basically sending a message that, 'Hey, it's OK to do this,'" said Colorado Rep. Gabe Evans, a Republican and former police officer.

But proponents argue it's an imperative first step to tackling drug use.

"You can't enter treatment if you are dead," said Dr. Joshua Barocas, an associate professor at the University of Colorado who studies substance use disorder. "All the data suggests that people are going to do drugs regardless.  All we are trying to do is reverse the harm that could come from what people are already doing."

The trend is growing internationally with centers in Canada, Australia and Europe, but in the U.S. questions remain over whether the Department of Justice will permit such programs amid pushback that the sites merely enable illegal drug use and attract the ancillary crime.

Last year, the Justice Department told The Associated Press it was "evaluating" such facilities and talking to regulators about "appropriate guardrails." The department did not immediately respond to requests for updated information from the AP this week.

Being open to evaluating the sites marks a shift from the Justice Department's posture under former President Donald Trump, when the department fought against such a proposal in Pennsylvania, arguing that such facilities violate a 1980s-era law which bans operating a place for taking illegal drugs.

Data from sites both in and outside the U.S. found that they can prevent overdoses, with New York City's centers stopping more than 150 within three months of operating. The centers also typically include equipment, such as sterile syringes, and offer resources for drug users to find treatment.

Existing studies, such as a 2021 report from the Boston-based Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, show that sites are linked to fewer ambulance calls  potentially saving taxpayer dollars  and didn't metastasize various crime rates in neighborhoods of operation.

In Wednesday's hearing, Jason Dunn, a former U.S. attorney for Colorado, pushed back against the data. A life may be saved when an overdose is reversed, said Dunn, but that doesn't mean "these facilities reduce the overdose death rate over the long term or even reduce drug usage over the long term."

In Nevada's Democratic-controlled Legislature, a proposal to legalize safe injection sites is on the table but has yet to get a hearing one year after a similar push failed. In New Mexico, a similar bill faces unknown prospects.

While Democrats in Colorado hold majorities in both chambers, Gov. Jared Polis says he's concerned over the proposal. The governor's spokesperson, Conor Cahill, said in a statement Monday that the governor "would be deeply concerned with any approach that would contribute to more drug use and lawlessness."

State Sen. Kevin Priola, a former Republican who defected to the Democratic Party last year, is one of the bill's sponsors. Priola said he's felt the power of prescription painkillers first hand, having weaned himself early off the drugs after a ski accident that broke his leg.

"I could've been a statistic myself," said Priola, who added that the opposition to such proposals stems from a deep-seated stigma. "People fear what they don't understand, and they've never walked a mile in some of these folks' shoes."

How overdose deaths changed in every state during COVID-19 How overdose deaths changed in every state during the coronavirus #51. South Dakota #50. New Hampshire #49. New Jersey #48. Delaware #47. Massachusetts #46. Connecticut #45. Idaho #44. Iowa #43. Wyoming #42. North Dakota #41. Montana #40. Pennsylvania #39. Illinois #38. Michigan #37. Utah #36. Maryland #35. Hawaii #34. Wisconsin #33. Missouri #32. Oklahoma #31. Maine #30. Rhode Island #29. District of Columbia #28. Ohio #27. New Mexico #26. Florida #25. Arizona #24. New York #23. Kansas #22. Alabama #21. Indiana #20. Texas #19. Alaska #18. Oregon #17. Virginia #16. Colorado #15. Arkansas #14. Georgia #13. Washington #12. Nevada #11. North Carolina #10. Minnesota #9. Nebraska #8. California #7. South Carolina #6. Tennessee #5. Mississippi #4. Louisiana #3. Kentucky #2. West Virginia #1. Vermont
Recent education stories in The News could be titled, the Tale of Two Schools. The first is of a traditional public school with a 100% graduation rate and the other, a charter, about to close as a result of failing to meet its goals.

Leonardo da Vinci High Schools success could be a model for both traditional public and charter schools, which are also public schools.

Da Vinci became the only Buffalo public school to achieve a 100% graduation rate, with no dropouts, for the 2021-2022 academic year. It was the first year students were in the classroom full time following two years of remote and hybrid learning.

Meanwhile, the SUNY Charter Schools Institute, which originally authorized Buffalo Collegiate Charter School, found that the school  did not meet the standard of academic achievement expected of a SUNY-authorized charter school  With that, the Institute issued a preliminary recommendation for non-renewal. Buffalo Collegiate opened at 45 Jewett Ave. in August 2018 with grades four and five. The eventual goal was to educate students in grades four through 12.

The schools founder, Brian Pawloski, would have preferred that extenuating circumstances be considered, such as the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. It is a good point, and one cited by other school administrators whose students still struggle to get back on track. But its also what makes the success at Leonardo da Vinci so laudable.

Principal Greg Lodinsky, in his sixth year as the schools leader, said that one of the keys to the schools success has been its focus on students mental health, an issue that is pervasive across all schools. Students were struggling emotionally even before the pandemic, which made matters worse.

Lodinsky also noted that Da Vinci shares a building with a higher-education partner, DYouville University. Students can take college courses as early as 10th grade and graduate with 24 credits. However, none of that is achievable if students are not getting the care and attention they need.

Amy Crans-Stafford, in her second year as da Vincis school psychologist, spoke to News staff reporter Ben Tsujimoto about guiding high school students through mental health challenges. The student support team includes two guidance counselors, a social worker and an attendance teacher. They meet for an hour each week with an administrator to evaluate referrals submitted by teachers, parents and students. A counselor from BestSelf Behavioral Health is on site once each week and the school employs a parent engagement liaison to connect with families. Adding to this safety net, a full-time psychologist is now the standard for every Buffalo School. School officials make plain that parents also need to be involved in the academic success of their children.

There is always something to learn from successes and disappointments, and so it is with Da Vinci and Buffalo Collegiate. Either way, the adults  including parents  need to ensure that the outcome is the same: high-quality education serving young people throughout their lives.

  

Whats your opinion? Send it to us at lettertoeditor@buffnews.com. Letters should be a maximum of 300 words and must convey an opinion. The column does not print poetry, announcements of community events or thank-you letters. A writer or household may appear only once every 30 days. All letters are subject to fact-checking and editing.
Give this much to Thomas Sibick: He wasnt alone in his willingness to be duped by the former president, a chronic and unrepentant liar. He was just worse than most.

Millions of Americans were willing to believe whatever fell out of Donald Trumps mouth, up to and including his lies about a stolen election. It was an obvious fiction in the moment, even before the repeated recounts and the congressional committee that nailed that coffin shut.

Even still, thousands showed up in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021, eager to be manipulated again by the narcissist-in-chief, who inflamed the crowd before sending it streaming to the Capitol. There, they laid criminal siege to House and Senate, threatened the lives of public officials, assaulted police officers and desecrated the heart of American democracy  all to overturn a fair election that Trump knew he had lost.

Sibick swallowed it all. The Amherst man, now 37, traveled to the capital, where prosecutors say he enthusiastically participated in the violence. He assaulted and robbed a police officer, Michael Fanone, who was dragged down the Capitol steps and into the mob. Sibick stole his badge and radio, later burying the badge in his backyard. Fanone, who suffered a heart attack and brain injury, later resigned from the Metropolitan Police Force.

Sibick bragged about his role in a video made at the scene but his fearlessness vanished as the law closed in. He began lying about his participation, over and over.

Last week, Sibick admitted it all, pleading guilty to two counts of theft and one of assaulting, resisting or impeding an officer. He faces a well-deserved sentence of up to 71 months in prison. He should count that as getting off easy.

Sibick claims to be a changed man. January 6th was a disgrace to our nation that left a scar Trump is ultimately responsible for, but we are strong and will heal from it, Sibick wrote to the judge in his case, asking to be released from the D.C. jail. While many praise Trump I loathe him.

He claimed then that he had been consumed by the mob mentality, though thats not much of a defense and doesnt explain why he bought Trumps lies in the first place. A little skepticism  not to mention common sense  would have made clear that the election wasnt stolen.

Maybe Sibicks conversion is real, although observers would be justified in harboring doubts. He lied repeatedly when he thought it would benefit him and he wouldnt be the first defendant to change his tune as the consequences began to get real.

Still, we hope he and others who served Trumps treachery understand how badly they were used and truly repent. Sibick is likely to have a long time to ponder it.

  

Whats your opinion? Send it to us at lettertoeditor@buffnews.com. Letters should be a maximum of 300 words and must convey an opinion. The column does not print poetry, announcements of community events or thank you letters. A writer or household may appear only once every 30 days. All letters are subject to fact-checking and editing.
With Fleishman is in Trouble, Taffy Brodesser-Akner has sparked a wave of nostalgia for viewers who, like the FX limited series three main characters, Toby, Libby and Seth, met during a study abroad program in Israel. Whether it was Hebrew U. in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv U.or Bar Ilan U., where Brodesser-Akner spent her junior year of college the TV adaption of the best-selling novel is not only an excavation of divorce and parenthood in the modern age, but a vessel through which fans of the show can relive one of the most impressionable periods of their early twenties, that period during which they left America, nurtured their Jewish identity in a foreign country and forged relationships that stretched into their adulthoods.

Fleishman is one of four nominations in the WGA awards limited series category. The Dropout, Pam & Tommy, and The Staircase are also in contention at the event, taking place March 5 at the Fairmont Century City Plaza in Los Angeles.

More from Variety

Fleishman is a personal story, notes Brodesser-Akner, but thats really the only way to write in such a way that captivates a broader audience.

I only know how to write whats in my heartwhats been in my heart, says the journalist-author. And I know someone who gave me [this] great advice a long time ago: your writing will be bad unless its for one person. And if you look at anything I ever wrote for GQ, its different from the things I write for the New York Times. And its not because GQ and the Times are differentits because my editors there are different.

And so, this thing [Fleishman] was the story, she continues. I was very lucky I had a network thats at a studio and producing partners who were like, this is weirdbut we get it. And I think in an era of too much content, the winner, I hope, will be specificity. Because when I see something specific, even if it has nothing to do with me, I admire it.

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In Fleishman, Toby (Jesse Eisenberg), Libby (Lizzy Caplan) and Seth (Adam Brody) meet in 1994, an era pre-social media blitzkrieg. That, too, informs the series pulsating sense of sentimentalism, says Brodesser-Akner. It was a time when you could be whatever you wanted, without fear that a video of you running around knocking back vodka shots or dancing on tables in Jerusalems Russian Compoundfamous for its robust bar scenewould go viral. You could dash naked around the community dining hall of Kibbutz Gezer during Sukkot study break and no one back home would be the wiser. You could make out with the hot, high-ranking paratrooper you met that long, lazy weekend in Dahab and tell you boyfriend at the small liberal arts college you attended you were on an educational tour of the Cave of the Machpelah.

I have a friend whos a mystery writer, and she says that 1996, two years after we were therethat was the last year you could disappear, says Brodesser-Akner. It was the last year you could disappear without a cell phone. In Israel, we were gone for a year. And there are no pictures of me being ridiculous. And it was a special moment.

I think the whole Fleischmann aesthetic is a Jewish aesthetic, she adds. But Brodesser-Akner contends even if Fleishman hadnt taken place in Israel, if the characters had met in, say, Italy or France, that so many viewers are entranced by it indicates that wherever one travels in ones late teens or early twenties, its a time to experiment with self-identity, to try out different versions of oneself whilst straddling that fragile cusp between adolescence and adulthood.

At that age, youre at the beginning of something, says Brodesser-Akner. And what I think is so interesting is that we finished high school, and we were somehow allowed to be grown-ups. In this new country. We were new. It was like, no one is going to know about high school Taffy.

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In order for corporate sustainability approaches to actually work, they need to be genuine and authentic. (Shutterstock)

Not a day goes by without hearing about the fragility of our natural ecosystems and the repercussions that extractive economic activity are having on them.

This state of affairs is not recent  it has been ongoing at the very least since the Club of Rome non-profit warned us back in 1972 that infinite economic growth and rapid demographic development are incompatible with life on Earth.

The situation today is even worse. Despite numerous historical conferences and countless promises to make economic activity more compatible with the capacities of our planet, the environmental progress of the last three decades is not enough to meet the challenges posed by climate change.

While the focus of climate action has often been on greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, we are finally starting to realize the impact of human and industrial activities on biodiversity loss.

Earths diminishing biodiversity is exacerbating climate change by inhibiting Earths ability to protect and regenerate itself. The services biodiversity provides us are countless, and the situation remains clear: nature does not need us, but we need it.

We believe a paradigm shift is possible, and that part of this shift will involve the integration of a true sustainability approach in business. But for this approach to work, it needs to be two things: genuine and authentic.

A landmark report

A true Brundtland moment  in reference to the landmark 1987 report on sustainable development  is how Global Reporting Initiative co-founder Allen White described the United Nations Authentic Sustainability Assessment report.

White argues that historians will look back on this publication a decade from now as a great historical moment in the trajectory of sustainability. Many other leaders and experts in the sustainability ecosystem agree on the importance and relevance of this report.

Earths diminishing biodiversity is exacerbating climate change by inhibiting Earths ability to protect and regenerate itself. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

Released in November 2022, this report represents the first comprehensive guide to using planetary limits as a reference point in business-oriented sustainability reporting. Planetary limits set boundaries that humanity can safely develop and live within, without depleting Earths resources.

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The report is the culmination of more than four years of research, consultation and advocacy for a new generation of accountability tools. It is, at its simplest, a commitment to bring organizational sustainability assessment into a new era of authenticity.

At its core, the report argues that current business practices are inauthentic and insufficient for achieving true sustainability.

Sustainability indicators

Central to the Authentic Sustainability Assessment report is the concept of Sustainable Development Performance Indicators (SDPIs). These indicators measure the sustainability performance of businesses, non-profits and other economic organizations using a new and improved approach.

These indicators move away from the old disclosure approach that relies on the idea of extracting infinite resources from a finite planet. Reports that contain this outdated approach include the Global Reporting Initiative, Sustainability Accounting Standards Board and the more recent International Sustainability Standards Board.

SDPIs take a new approach  one that addresses the underlying conditions that compromise sustainable development. It does this by respecting all planetary limits, whether social, economic or environmental.

Conventional disclosure involves comparing peers in the same industry or geography and disclosing ones good performance in comparison to previous years.

SDPIs, on the other hand, involve comparing companies against a scientifically established, context-based sustainability threshold.

Sustainability thresholds

An organizations sustainability performance is expressed in terms of the organizations impact on vital assets, like planetary limits and social thresholds, compared to sustainability standards. This ensures the well-being of all stakeholders  human and nature alike  that contribute to social, economic and environmental balance.

Stock markets are increasingly requiring publicly traded companies to disclose their sustainability performance. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Tijana Martin

According to the report, it is by comparing actual impacts with normative impacts that true sustainability can be assessed.

Take water, an increasingly scarce commodity, for example. An organization reducing its water consumption by 35 per cent or saving the most water compared to its competitors does not actually tell us anything about the sustainability of that water consumption.

An organization could be the best at saving water in its industry and still perform poorly in terms of sustainability. Sustainability is not measured by effort, but by the capacity of ecosystems  like planetary limits, pollution and biodiversity  to avoid jeopardizing the resilience of the planet.

Instead, SDPIs recommend comparing water consumption to the capacity of ecosystems and to the actual water needs of living species. It is this balance between actual consumption and resource availability, in light of ecosystem capacity, that will determine the true sustainability of an organization.

Achieving true sustainability

As time goes on, businesses will be increasingly required to disclose their sustainability impacts. This will be the case for large European companies starting in 2024, following the enactment of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive.

Stock markets are also moving in this direction, forcing publicly traded companies to disclose their sustainability performance in the United States and Canada.

The widespread and concerted adoption of SDPIs around the world can, as part of this growing momentum of disclosure of sustainability performance, foster authentic sustainability that will bring us closer to meeting the magnitude of the challenges ahead.

We must be collectively ambitious and take advantage of the relevance and originality of these new indicators, which offer a new trajectory towards achieving authentic sustainability.

Ghani Kolli, Managing Partner at Credo Impact, co-authored this article.

This article is republished from The Conversation, an independent nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. The Conversation has a variety of fascinating free newsletters.

It was written by: Sofiane Baba, Universite de Sherbrooke .

Read more:



Sofiane Baba's research projects are regularly funded by MITACS, the Fonds de recherche du Quebec  Societe et culture (FRQSC) and The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
A new lease agreement is in the works that would enable Carlisle Events to continue to maintain public car show access to the Carlisle Fairgrounds from Cavalry Road through the adjoining Pennsylvania Army National Guard facility.

The Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs leases part of its Carlisle Readiness Center property to Carlisle Events, said Joan Zlogar Nissley, communications director for the state agency.

Due to changing National Guard troop placement and force structure realignment, it was determined that the National Guard would need the leased portion of the site, she said.

That includes a parcel between Cavalry Road and Gate 5 of the fairgrounds along with an access road and a point of entry near Gate 6, said Michael Garland, Carlisle Events spokesman. The current lease also covers a building, loading dock and storage compound used by Carlisle Events facilities and maintenance staff, he said.

The National Guard informed Carlisle Events about plans to discontinue its current lease because it will need the land sometime in 2024 to consolidate a unit from Gettysburg, Garland said. Carlisle Events does not anticipate any impact on the upcoming 2023 car show season that starts in April and continues through October, he said.

Traffic concerns

The gates have been available since the shows have been in operation, but drive-in access didnt begin until 2007, Garland said. Previously, vehicles entering the Carlisle Fairgrounds would need to use Carlisle Springs Road and enter by way of Gates 1, 2 or 3.

In the past, this limited access during car shows created traffic congestion and safety problems on Interstate 81, the Pennsylvania Turnpike and municipal streets and roads leading to the Carlisle Springs Road gates.

In the early 2000s, Carlisle Events undertook a traffic study which led to drive-in access [from Cavalry Road] in 2007, Garland said. Since 2007, the traffic impacts on the surrounding community have lessened.

There was concern that rescinding the current lease would mean a return to the traffic problems.

We would be redirecting thousands of cars and guests from Gates 5 and 6 into the community and to the grounds by way of Carlisle Springs Road, Garland said.

Ive heard about the traffic situation before that access was opened, said Janet Anderson, executive director of the Cumberland Area Economic Development Corp. who is relatively new to the area. Traffic would back up into the community as well as onto the interstates causing stoppages. All of that is very disconcerting from a safety standpoint as well as traffic movement and flow as it relates to people into and out of Carlisle.

Anderson said her organization has connected Carlisle Events with people at the legislative level, including state Rep. Barb Gleim, to discuss the issue.

Making connections

In an email Wednesday to The Sentinel, Gleim confirmed that she is aware of the situation.

My office has been working with many local and state officials since we were made aware of the National Guards letter to rescind their lease with Carlisle Events, Gleim wrote. She provided further detail in a message on Thursday.

I organized a multilevel meeting at the Carlisle Borough office that included [the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation], the Turnpike [Commission], [Pennsylvania state police], [North Middleton Township] officials, the National Guard and the borough, Gleim wrote. Everyone shared their current projects that would be impacted and the history of the lease as it relates to the traffic impact study. The reason for the lease in the first place was to relieve the area of traffic flow, addressing vital safety concerns, and traffic flow in and out of many businesses like Karns Food and the [Army] War College.

Since that meeting at the borough, we have had various meetings in the state Capitol with members of the [state] Senate, local officials and the National Guard to work out a compromise, Gleim wrote.

In an email Tuesday, Garland confirmed the efforts to reach a compromise.

We have spoken with Rep. Gleim, CAEDC and other local officials to make them aware of the situation and the potential traffic impacts on the community, Garland said. They understand the implications and are willing to assist in educating the National Guard about the effects these changes may have on the community. We have also maintained an open line of conversation with the National Guard and will continue to do so throughout the process.

Photos: A look at Bill Miller Jr. memorabilia and car collection Close Bill Miller Jr., co-founder and co-owner of Carlisle Events, will auction off his collectable automobiles, including this 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air, this week. Bill Miller Jr., co-owner and co-founder of Carlisle Events, will be auctioning off his fleet of classic automobiles and wide variety of collectibles amassed throughout his life. Bill Miller Jr., co-owner and co-founder of Carlisle Events, will be auctioning off his fleet of classic automobiles and wide variety of collectibles amassed throughout his life. Bill Miller Jr., co-owner and co-founder of Carlisle Events, will be auctioning off his fleet of classic automobiles and wide variety of collectibles amassed throughout his life. Bill Miller Jr., co-owner and co-founder of Carlisle Events, will be auctioning off his fleet of classic automobiles and wide variety of collectibles amassed throughout his life. Bill Miller Jr., co-owner and co-founder of Carlisle Events, will be auctioning off his fleet of classic automobiles and wide variety of collectibles amassed throughout his life. Bill Miller Jr., co-owner and co-founder of Carlisle Events, will be auctioning off his fleet of classic automobiles and wide variety of collectibles amassed throughout his life. Bill Miller Jr., co-owner and co-founder of Carlisle Events, will be auctioning off his fleet of classic automobiles and wide variety of collectibles amassed throughout his life. Bill Miller Jr., co-owner and co-founder of Carlisle Events, will be auctioning off his fleet of classic automobiles and wide variety of collectibles amassed throughout his life. Bill Miller Jr., co-owner and co-founder of Carlisle Events, will be auctioning off his fleet of classic automobiles and wide variety of collectibles amassed throughout his life. Bill Miller Jr., co-owner and co-founder of Carlisle Events, will be auctioning off his fleet of classic automobiles and wide variety of collectibles amassed throughout his life. Bill Miller Jr., co-owner and co-founder of Carlisle Events, will be auctioning off his fleet of classic automobiles and wide variety of collectibles amassed throughout his life. Bill Miller Jr., co-owner and co-founder of Carlisle Events, will be auctioning off his fleet of classic automobiles and wide variety of collectibles amassed throughout his life. Bill Miller Jr., co-founder and co-owner of Carlisle Events, discusses his collection of classic vehicles, which will hit the auction block this week. Bill Miller Jr., co-founder and co-owner of Carlisle Events, will auction off his collection of classic vehicles this week. Bill Miller Jr., co-owner and co-founder of Carlisle Events, will be auctioning off his fleet of classic automobiles and wide variety of collectibles amassed throughout his life. Bill Miller Jr., co-founder and co-owner of Carlisle Events, will auction off his collection of classic vehicles this week. +16 +16 +16 +16 +16 +16 +16 +16 +16 +16

Access continues

On Thursday afternoon, Nissley released a statement from the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs in response to emails from The Sentinel. She identified Carlisle Events as Carlisle Productions  a former name used to describe the company.

In a series of meetings, DMVA senior leadership, Carlisle Productions personnel and local and state officials have worked to address the situation and come up with a solution that would allow for the completion of our proposed project, but still provide Carlisle Productions with an entrance to the fairgrounds, the statement reads. The entrance would be through the commonwealth-owned parcel and will allow Carlisle Productions to maintain an entrance from Cavalry Road.

This project is currently in the design phase and we have been updating Carlisle Productions and local government officials on the status accordingly, Nissley said. The DMVA has agreed to continue to lease the existing site to Carlisle Productions until such time as it is needed for the completion of the project. Details of this project and the new lease agreement are still being finalized.

The Sentinel submitted a list of questions to the National Guard which were forwarded to the state agency for a response. Some of those questions asked for details on what units/functions are housed at Carlisle and Gettysburg, what is meant by consolidation and how the consolidation of units could result in new building projects and infrastructure at the Armory/Readiness Center site.

Nissley did not provide answers to those questions.

The National Guard has always been a good community partner, Gleim wrote in her text. I am thankful to all who are engaged in the matter because Carlisle Events is our areas main economic driver for our local downtown business, and part of the fabric that makes Carlisle such a great place to live.

A resolution between Carlisle Events and the National Guard matters to the local economy, Anderson said. We want to support our local businesses. We want to ensure that they are able to continue to bring visitors to Cumberland County to benefit many business, not just their own.

Photos: Spring Carlisle Collector Car Flea Market & Corral opens at fairgrounds
Mark Grosz has long been fascinated with the stars, but when newly installed lights at a nearby building made those stars less visible, another passion project lit a fire under his feet.

In researching the effect artificial light can have on peoples sleeping cycles and health, as well as on insects, vegetation and bird migration, Grosz has become a local advocate of raising awareness of light pollution. As a member of Mechanicsburg Borough Councils Environmental Advisory Council, hes taken on the task of talking to borough officials about lighting issues.

And since PPL began its borough-approved task of switching the old high pressure sodium lights with new LED lights, Grosz has kept a close watch on the progress and the work.

That close watch meant wandering the streets of the borough at night this past winter, using a light meter app and later a professional light meter to gauge how bright the lights were at nearly every light pole, compiling his data in a spreadsheet.

Along the way, hes voiced concerns about the level of brightness of the new lights and that some are directing light into nearby houses, sometimes as high as the second and third level of a home.

The problem here is that [the streetlights] are so high, he said. To reinstall lighting that was in place 50 years ago  50 years ago we didnt know what the effects were on the environment. Now we do. So why are we still doing that? ... In this neighborhood, lights should not be 3000K [PPLs light brightness standard].

Mechanicsburg Borough Manager Layne Thompson has worked with Grosz and PPL to come up with a solution, and soon, the borough will launch an automated complaint form that will help identify streetlight issues.

The question was, how do we process individual complaints and get this fixed? We have that now, and well launch that next week, Thompson said.

Residents will be able to go to Mechanicsburgs website, mechanicsburgborough.org, or call the borough office at 717-691-3310 and provide the information the borough and PPL will need to dispatch crews to fix the issues. Thompson said residents will need to provide their address as well as the number on the streetlight pole.

For the lights, its about where you are standing where youre looking at it, Thompson said. When they come out to fix it, they have to fix it from that perspective. Guards or shields change how light hits different surfaces. They have to know what residence or business has the issue.

District lights

The new complaint form will only address the hundreds of street lights PPL has already installed, with another 170 up for a transition to LED. Complaints about lights located at businesses or at the school district are another matter.

In January, Mechanicsburg Area School District installed new accent lights at its high school building and switched the nearby track lights to LED. With both of those sets of lights on, local resident Jinger Rider said the light streams into her house and she doesnt have the money to afford landscaping to block it out.

It affects my whole neighborhood, she said. They have pools and decks. You have to wear sunglasses at night to be outside.

Mechanicsburg Superintendent Mark Leidy said the school district has followed the standard that light should not spill over onto adjoining properties. After investigating the area following complaints to the borough, Grosz confirmed that technically the light does not hit the grounds of the nearby properties.

Leidy said he believes the district is in compliance with the standards because of this, although there is a distinction between the standard of light hitting properties and residents seeing the lights from a distance.

Leidy said the district made sure to keep the high school lights pointed downward along the perimeter of the building, and the track lights focus on an area, limiting light spill upward and into a larger area.

In both cases, he cited the lights usefulness in safety and security of the building and those using it and the track, where lights remain on until 10:30 p.m.

These lights are left on so the community can use the track to exercise in a safe and illuminated location, especially in the winter months, Leidy said.

Grosz, however, said he believes that LED lights can sometimes cause more safety concerns.

When youre turning in [Filbert Street], you get blinded by the silly light and it shuts down your irises, and you cant see a pedestrian crossing the road until you turn enough that your lights illuminate them, and thats when youre going to hit them, he said.

In a walk around Mechanicsburg, Grosz pointed to pedestrian crossings that werent adequately lit and nodded toward the series of lights on East Locust Street. The three lights lit up parts of the road, but other areas were in complete darkness, something he says could potentially blind drivers in the light to anything that may be in the darkness, including pedestrians and animals.

These types of business-related lighting and broader light pollution concerns, however, arent as easily fixed by the borough, according to Thompson. The borough manager said Mechanicsburgs light ordinance is a little outdated, but change locally or statewide is something he felt is better handled through legislation, where officials are better able to navigate the issues.

Photos: A look inside Washington Fire Company #1 in Mechanicsburg
Carlisle Area School District was one of 15 top school districts in the region that received the highest funds through Giant Co.s Feeding School Kids initiative.

Giant on Monday announced that its initiative, in partnership with its customers who rounded up their purchases in January and February, raised more than $1.3 million to combat hunger at local public school districts in the communities it serves.

Funds donated by customers benefited the local public school district in the community they were given, and Giant matched funds based on need and the percentage of students in the district who receive free or reduced meals. Overall, Giant also donated $250,000 to the program.

Through the Feeding School Kids initiative, school districts can use funds to support meal programs, such as covering outstanding student meal debt, expanding food distribution programs, creating on-campus food pantries and supplying extra weekend meals.

Carlisle Area School District received $15,420 through the initiative that covered communities in Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland, where Giant has stores. Carlisle was the only Cumberland County school district in the top 15 districts receiving funds. Of other districts in the Midstate, Central Dauphin School District in Dauphin County received $18,407.
Press Release

March 6, 2023 SPEECH OF SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS ON WOMEN'S MONTH CELEBRATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL DEFENSE

DND Chessboard grounds, Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City

March 6, 2023 Sa aking gracious host at isa pang seatmate ngayong umaga, Senior Usec. Charlie, kay Sir Antonio Bautista, ASHR vice chairperson, Acting Chief Chaplain Daniel Tansip, kay Usec. de Leon, at sa inyo pong lahat, mga ginagalang kong kasamang nagtratrabaho sa pamahalaan, magandang umaga sa ating lahat! And of course, a very happy women's month to everyone here at the Department of National Defense. Kung babae po ang katabi ninyo ngayong umaga, batiin niyo po siya ng happy women's month! Pati mga kapamilya, kaibigan, kasama sa bahay, kahit wala dito, maya-maya kapag pwede na, batiin niyo ng happy women's month. Sa mga kapwa ko solo moms, at solo dads narin, mga kapwa ko solo parents, pwede ko po ba kayo marinig ng happy women's month? This is a special morning for me because your agency, the DND, is home to many people close to my heart: My brother David, our bunso in the family, was a Philippine Navy Marine, and my late husband, Frank Baraquel, was a PMA graduate of the Sinagtala class of 1986. David, Frank, and Frank's mistah, my mistah, have always been one of my strongest allies in life. Kaya, maraming, maraming salamat sa pag-imbita sa akin ngayong umaga. Every year, when we celebrate Women's Month, we are encouraged to reflect on what we have gone through, what we have fought, and what we have won, for our women. As you may already know, it was only in 1993 that women were granted the right to become cadets of the Philippine Military Academy, through Republic Act No. 7192 or the Women in Development and Nation-Building Act. The law recognized that women should be full partners of men in nation-building; that real progress is only possible when women are not excluded from spaces of decision-making, governance, and development. Since the passage of RA 7192, it's emboldening to witness women take leadership positions in the DND and the Armed Forces of the Philippines. In 2020, as a member of the Commission on Appointments, we confirmed the promotion of Capt. Luzviminda Camacho to become our first female commodore in the Philippine Navy, and in fact, up to this day, every time we confirm a woman from the AFP in the CA, my heart swells with pride and joy. Hindi maliit na bagay ang mga tagumpay na ito kaya buong-puso ang pagpupugay ko. Bilang kasalukuyang Chairperson ng Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, ang mga batas tulad ng RA 7192 ang nagbibigay sa akin ng inspirasyon at gabay para mas palakasin pa ang mga polisiyang nagsusulong ng karapatan at kapakanan ng ating kababaihan. Whenever I get the chance to talk about the laws we pass, particularly those pushed by our Senate Committee on Women, I try to highlight that these were always in close consultation with women, with girls, whose perspectives and points of view give meaning to our legislation. The Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act, for example, was crafted because we constantly had conversations and discussions with various solo parents, solo parent groups and federations, all of whom belong to the 14 to 15 million solo parents in the entire Philippines, of whom 95% are women. I share this because we cannot empower our women if we do not listen to us, if we do not hear the very real, lived experiences of different kinds of women across the country, including our women in uniform. Kayo po sa DND, bilang tagapagdepensa laban sa mga panlabas at panloob na banta sa Pilipinas, ikalalakas lang ng inyong ahensya ang pakikinig sa ating kababaihan. A diverse team will only make the DND more operationally agile, more efficient, more effective. When we embrace the strengths of the whole population, when women are invited to meaningfully participate and serve, we lift the entire nation. While, yes, we've had many triumphs for our women, I hope that this Women's Month encourages us to do more: more programs, more policies, more measures that can truly level the playing field in all the spaces that men also occupy. Mahaba-haba pa ang laban. We still need to increase female participation in all levels of governance, in politics, in positions of power. In the Senate alone, despite its over 100-year history, we've only had over 20 female senators, and no woman has ever served as Senate President. But even with this small number of female senators, it was actually one of these women, Senator Santanina Rasul, who took the opportunity to craft RA 7192, the law that opened doors for women at the PMA. She co-authored it with former Senator Raul Roco, only demonstrating how powerful it can be when we have women and men, helping each other, hand in hand, in building our nation. Kailangan po natin ang isa't. Tunay nating madedepensahan ang anumang pagbabanta sa ating inang bayan kung walang babae, walang mamamayan, ang naiiwan - ito ang totoong pagkakaisa. Muli, maraming, marami pong salamat sa lahat ng bumubuo ng Department of National Defense sa inyong pag-imbita. Sa inyong mga nanay, tita, ate, manang, happy women's month and my snappy salute! Mabuhay po kayo.
A 2-1 majority of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners took action Thursday to revise the bylaws of the Cumberland Area Economic Development Corporation (CAEDC).

Commissioners Vince DiFilippo and Jean Foschi approved a revision that bars any current and future commissioner from holding a seat on the CAEDC executive committee.

In a separate motion, DiFilippo and Foschi approved a different revision that removes the phrase liaison county commissioner from the bylaws. Gary Eichelberger, the current liaison commissioner, voted against the changes.

The twin motions came weeks after the two commissioners voted in February to overrule Eichelberger and authorize county solicitor Keith Brenneman to draft the revisions.

At the time, Eichelberger accused the other two commissioners of singling him out for removal as the liaison from the executive committee.

In response, DiFilippo and Foschi said that their 2-1 vote in February was driven by the need to address stakeholder concerns and to distance CAEDC staff from the excessive influence of any county commissioner.

The same motion Thursday that removed the phrase liaison county commissioner also revised language to specify that a five-member executive committee be established to include the chairman, vice-chairman, treasurer and secretary of the CAEDC board of directors.

Under this revision, instead of the liaison commissioner, the fifth member of the executive committee will be an individual designated by the majority of the board of directors. This could include a county employee  a prospect that drew criticism from Eichelberger.

Even though the law allows it, I will repeat what I said before that this practice of populating positions with employees who answer to commissioners can have a very negative effect on the objectivity of the organization and potentially skirt the hotel tax law which requires an arms-length distance, Eichelberger said.

In response, Brenneman said Thursday that the role of the executive committee is resolving personnel matters while the implementation of the hotel tax is handled by the board of directors.

I dont have the concern that you do about interjecting a county employee on the executive board, Brenneman told Eichelberger. Im not offering my comment as a debate.

Eichelberger added that CAEDC staff members have suggested that a past chairman be able to fill that fifth member position. The most recent former chair, Crystal Quintin, would be a logical choice given her volunteer efforts as a past leader with CAEDC that included oversight of recent transition initiatives, Eichelberger said.

As a selection method, Foschi suggested that the county put out a call for resumes and letters of interest from local residents who may want to serve on the CAEDC executive committee.

The applicants could then be considered at a future public meeting, Brenneman said. Foschi then made a motion to follow that process and DiFilippo seconded the motion.

Eichelberger voted in favor of this motion, saying that the process of putting out a call for interested applicants is in line with what the county has done for other boards.

I would hope that CAEDC would be provided an opportunity to present fair input, Eichelberger said.
Truman State University has released the names of students who graduated during fall commencement ceremonies, Dec 17.

Students who graduated with honors will have that distinction noted by their names. Cum laude recognizes those who earned a grade point average between 3.50-3.74. Magna cum laude is for graduates with a grade point average between 3.75-3.89. Summa cum laude honors graduates with a grade point average above 3.9.

Masters degree recipients will have that distinction noted by their names.

Desloge, Legacy Grace Huff, Master of Arts

Doe Run, Hali Marie Boyd

Farmington, Rebekah Kimpel, Cum Laude

Fredericktown, Julia Sikes, Master of Arts in Education

Founded in 1867, Truman is Missouris public liberal arts and sciences university. Truman has the highest graduation rate among the states public colleges and universities. U.S. News & World Report has rated Truman as the No. 1 public university in the Midwest region for 26 consecutive years, and Washington Monthly recognized Truman as the No. 7 masters university in the nation.
The Missouri Senate passed its version of postpartum Medicaid extension Thursday, but new language in the bill threatens its implementation.

Sponsored by Sen. Elaine Gannon, R-De Soto, the legislation would extend coverage for women receiving Medicaid benefits through pregnancy and for a year after the pregnancy ends. Currently, coverage ends 60 days after a pregnancy ends. The bill had seen widespread support from across the aisle, but additional wording added to the bill, labeled a poison pill by Democrats, caused senators from both sides of the aisle to question the viability of the legislation.

So this morning, four folks, two Democrats, two Republicans voted no on the bill because the language will not accomplish what you want to accomplish, which is to help keep new moms alive in their first year postpartum, said Sen. Tracy McCreery, D-Olivette.

McCreery had previously helped sponsor the bill and talked positively about the bill on the Senate floor. Sens. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, R-Arnold, Curtis Trent, R-Springfield, and Barbara Washington, D-Kansas City, all voted against the bill, along with McCreery.

The language in question appears twice in the bill: No woman who knowingly receives services that are in violation of state law shall be eligible for benefits under this subdivision.

That wording, added as an amendment during committee consideration of the bill, prompted senators to warn that it would exclude women who get elective abortions from the postpartum coverage. The bill would allow coverage to women who have their pregnancy ended involuntarily or necessarily to save their lives.

McCreery and other Democratic leaders labeled the amendment as a poison pill because they believe even if the bill gets out of the legislature and is signed by the governor, it will not be accepted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the federal agency required to implement the coverage.

That language that was inserted is the example of government overreach  and this is exactly the kind of language that CMS will not approve, we cannot treat different health care recipients differently, McCreery said.

A similar scenario played out in Texas after a bill extending postpartum coverage was passed with language about abortion in 2021. The state has still not received federal approval to implement the extension.

All other Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Sen. John Rizzo, D-Independence, voted for the bill. However, they called on the House to remove the language regarding abortions.

So I have great hope, that my colleagues in the Missouri House in both parties, can figure out a way to get this done, McCreery said.

On the Republican side, Sen. Bill Eigel, R-Weldon Spring, spoke in support of the bill on the Senate floor. He called the bill good conservative policy and pointed out that he went from a hard no last year to a yes.

President Pro Tem Sen. Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, offered insight into why he thought the controversial wording made it into the bill.

The motivation for the language was to try to make sure that there wasnt someone intentionally going to another state or doing something to effectively break our law and then receive these services, Rowden said.

Rowden acknowledged that he does not find the language necessary and that he does not see a way to functionally enforce the language without government overreach.

The weaponization of the government against specific individuals .. pregnant moms in this case, is something that gives me heartburn, Rowden said.
No one was injured, but a structural engineers may want to examine some columns supporting the portico at the north wing of Barracks Road Shopping Center after a BMW driver plowed into the pedestrian pathway Sunday morning.

She hit two columns, said Luke Brown, co-owner of Skyline Cleaners.

Brown said that the incident destroyed some of the decorative woodwork surrounding the metal poles that support the roof over the sidewalk.

Im hoping that there wont be any structural damage, said Brown.

Brown said the cleaners, like the driver, seemed unhurt by the incident although he said the driver seemed embarrassed as she chatted with a Charlottesville Police officer while watching a tow-truck driver hoist her damaged vehicle.

A Charlottesville police spokesman did not reply Sunday when messaged about the incident, but this appears to be at least the fourth time a vehicle has struck a structure this year.

On Jan. 4, a motorist careened down a steep slope and crashed into a vacant meeting room at the DoubleTree hotel off U.S. 29 north in Albemarle County.

On Jan. 30, a motorist crashed her BMW through the front of the Package Depot store in Ivy Square Shopping Center in Charlottesville.

On Feb. 6, a driver smashed through brickwork while destroying a wall of a urology clinic at 155 Riverbend Drive on Pantops Mountain in Albemarle.

Only the Package Depot incident, which injured an employee, appears to have resulted in a summons against the driver. In that case, 71-year-old Charlottesville resident Anne Moore Milnor was charged with reckless driving. She has a hearing slated for Tuesday morning in Charlottesville General District Court.
Lebanon police have arrested a Tillamook man on suspicion of rape and assault.

Officers arrested Rodney Allen Camper, 32, and booked him into the Linn County Jail on Sunday, March 5.

According to court documents, on or between March 1 and 3, Camper engaged in sexual intercourse with a victim by forcible compulsion. This was an act of domestic violence, according to the charging document.

Camper is also accused of causing physical injury to the victim on or around March 2 and placing the victim in fear of serious physical injury on March 2 and 4.

Camper was scheduled to be arraigned in Linn County Circuit Court on Monday afternoon, March 6 on charges of first-degree rape, fourth-degree assault and two counts of menacing.
One of the unlikely heroes  at least, the way author-journalist Michael Lewis puts it in his 2021 book Premonition  of the pandemic will be the keynote speaker for Oregon State Universitys Class of 2023 graduation.

The ceremony will be held at 10:30 a.m. June 17 at Reser Stadium on the Corvallis campus.

Charity Dean was the No. 2 public health officer in California when sketchy reports emerged from China about the novel coronavirus. She and a ragtag group of experts, although no virologists or epidemiologists and known among themselves as the wolverines, worked together to make sense of the news, Lewis writes.

Having experience with prior epidemics, the group concluded that the difference between a virus out of control and thousands of lives saved would be how fast social distancing, masking and work-from-home orders could be issued. So, they leaned on Dean to take action in California when leadership in Washington, D.C., seemed lacking.

Dean served as co-chair of the California Testing Task Force, which executed a strategy to rapidly scale up COVID-19 testing. In that position, she also provided strategic direction and oversight for the Center for Health Care Quality and led public health and health care policy development and implementation for Californians, according to a news release from OSU.

Now in the private sector, she is the CEO and founder of The Public Health Company, which provides a commercial-grade global biosecurity platform to empower enterprises and manage bio-risks at scale.

We are honored that Dr. Dean will give OSUs 2023 commencement address, Jayathi Murthy, Oregon States president, said in a statement. She is passionate about public service and has dedicated her lifes work to public health. These are attributes that will inspire and motivate graduates as they begin their lives beyond OSU.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Corvallis Gazette-Times.

Dean is from Junction City, and Lewis book does not paint a flattering picture of her education or her church, where the elders said I was disobeying Gods will because I wanted to go to a four-year college, Dean is quoted in the book.

She went to OSU as an undergraduate, and then Tulane University School of Medicine for her medical degree and a master of public health and tropical medicine, where the church chastised her for doing so well.

They told me I should be at the 50th percentile of my class. No better, she told Lewis.
South Africa: Health dept condemns disruption at facilities

The Department of Health has condemned in the strongest terms the violent and disruptive actions by some members of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (NEHAWU) at some health facilities around the country this morning.

In a statement, the department said it noted with concern the violent and disruptive actions, which affected access to some facilities, mainly major hospitals.

The department respects the right to strike by members of the trade unions, as enshrined in the Constitution of the country. However, such right should not violate the constitutional rights of others to life and access to healthcare.

Any form of violence and intimidation directed at health workers, patients and infrastructure is condemned in the strongest terms, the department said.

The department said it is working closely with the provincial health authorities and law enforcement agencies to monitor the situation to ensure rapid response and necessary urgent interventions to minimise the impact of the strike on the provision of essential health services.

The participation of employees rendering essential services or maintenance services in the strike during working hours will constitute misconduct, and the principle of 'no-work, no pay' will also be strictly and timeously applied without fear or favour," the department said.

Some of the affected health facilities include Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Leratong Hospital, Tembisa Hospital in Gauteng; Pelonomi and Manapo Hospitals in the Free State, Khayelitsha Hospital in the Western Cape; Tshepong and Moses Kotane Hospitals in the North West, and Kimberly and Upington Hospitals in the Northern Cape.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2023-03-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Press Release

March 6, 2023 Co-sponsorship Speech of Senator Cynthia Villar

Resolution Expressing the Profound Sympathy and Sincere Condolences of the Senate of the Philippines on the Death of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Ragay Degamo

6 March 2023 Mr. President, my dear colleagues in the Senate, good afternoon. I rise to co-sponsor, with a heavy heart, Proposed Senate Resolution No. 520, taking into consideration the Proposed Senate Resolution No 521 I filed, expressing the Senate's profound sympathy and condolences on the untimely demise of Governor Roel Ragal Degamo of Negros Oriental. I join the rest of the nation in strongly condemning the March 4, 2023 atrocious attack by armed assailants, while Governor Degamo was attending to the needs of his constituents at his residence in Pamplona, Negros Oriental and which resulted to his unwarranted death and of eight (8) more individuals at the premises. Their death is senseless and despicable, to say the least, and has no place in a civilized and democratic society. We call on our law enforcement agencies to act with dispatch and fast track the investigation to truthfully identify and catch not just the perpetrators who brutally shot the victims, but also the mastermind/s who instigated the attack on the Governor so that all of them may be held accountable for the atrocity they have committed and so that they may no longer be allowed to do other acts of violence unto others. As we join the collective call that truthful justice be served on the death of Gov. Degamo and of the 8 other people who died with him, we are taking this time to honor Gov. Degamo, who has exemplified kindness, generosity, competence, diligence, hard work, patriotism and bravery while in public service. He was a stalwart of the Nacionalista Party (NP) in Negros Oriental and a true friend of my family. We have discussed the danger on his life (he is facing every day) and it finally came about. I even asked a fellow senator when he was having problem with his security years ago. Gov. Degamo came from humble beginnings - a fisherman's son, who studied hard and equipped himself with perseverance, courage and kindness in order to have a bright future for himself and his family. While his rise to being the Governor of his province in 2011 was initially by virtue of succession or because of the succeeding deaths (due to sickness) of Governor Emilio Macias and Gov. Agustin Perdices, his succeeding election for the post in the following 2013 elections was phenomenal as he won overwhelmingly over his opponents (who were then the political heavyweights in the province), chiefly because of his good performance in office, his being a charismatic leader, and his affinity to the ordinary people. He enjoyed the support of the masses and thus, was also re-elected overwhelmingly in the succeeding elections that followed, including the May 2022 elections that proved to be the most challenging for him. Gov. Degamo will always be remembered as one of this generation's well-loved Philippine Governor - a governor who truly cared for the poor people and who worked hard to uplift the quality of their lives and bring improvement to the remote areas of Negros Oriental. Quoting a heartfelt statement that appeared in the social media - "Gov. Degamo was the voice of the voiceless 'taga-Bukid' who were forsaken for many years". In my personal capacity, on behalf of my family and of the Nacionalista Party (NP), lubos po ang pakikiramay namin sa iniwang pamilya ni Gov. Degamo na pinangungunahan ng kanyang maybahay na si Mayor Janice Degamo ng Pamplona, Negros Oriental at sa ating mga kababayan sa Negros Oriental. We pray for the eternal repose of the soul of Gov. Roel Degamo and for the safety and security of the family he left behind. May the Lord God protect them and always keep them in his loving care. Taimtim rin po ang aming dasal na makamit natin ang hustisya para sa kahindik-hindik na pagpatay kay Governor Degamo at ng walo pang namatay na kasama nya. Maraming salamat po, Mr President and my dear colleagues.
ELLICOTT  Between kisses from Forrest the goat, Jess Sandoval looks up to a slightly concerning sight.

Henry, why are you standing like that? she asks one of the alpacas nearby.

Henry is standing like he might be in distress; a foot looks oddly bent. Sandoval walks toward him. But before she reaches him, he walks along just fine, completely normal. Sandoval sighs in relief.

They do that, like, 30 times a day, she says. And every time, its like, Oh my gosh! Are you OK?

Sandoval wants everyone to be OK at Harleys Haven Ranch here on the plains east of Colorado Springs. Everyone  the dozen or so goats, the dozen or so alpacas, the more than dozen sheep, the seven pigs, the three llamas, the donkeys she counts on one hand and the chickens she would need many hands to count.

There are also nine dogs. They are the ones responsible for this first-year nonprofit, which seeks to give a home to livestock in need. One rescue dog in particular sparked the mission: the late Harley, who Sandoval recalls as her rock and constant when she needed that most.

Previously at her house in the city, she was fostering dogs.

And then I decided I wanted some land, because the more dogs I ended up adopting and fostering, the more room I needed, Sandoval says. And with the land came everything else.

And with the 40 acres came a serendipitous friendship.

Ten miles down the road, along came Audrey Webb, a woman with a similar vision for her future, one with animals, and a similar past in the military.

Sandoval had joined the Army back when she was 18, around the same age Webb joined the Air Force. They joined to escape small towns; Sandoval in Northern California, Webb in Missouri. They joined not really knowing what else to do, certainly not knowing what war would be like in the Middle East.

Turns out we were around the same places around the same time, Webb says.

Flash forward, they retired with aches and pains that would prove burdensome; Sandoval in her hip, Webb in her knees and back. They retired not really knowing what to do next.

I literally grew up in the Air Force, thats all I knew, Webb says. After 24 years, I knew nothing. It was a culture shock. I didnt have military people around me anymore. Anxiety, depression, all of that. But I didnt know that.

She didnt know until she allowed herself quiet introspection. This was what being around horses granted her, she learned. It allowed me to be calm, Webb says.

The prairie away from the city allowed this, too. Where the tumbleweeds rolled, it seemed worries could go along with them, out to the big sky.

People in the military talk about a safe space, Webb says. When I took a first look at the land were on now, thats the first time in my life that was my safe space.

Lo and behold, there was someone nearby whose journey was strikingly similar. Someone who found similar relief here and identified a similar mission going forward. Call it luck or God, Webb says.

Whatever you call it, she and Sandoval are here now for animals. Their purpose is clear as ever: Trying to benefit their lives and giving them as much safety and security and happiness as possible, Sandoval says.

The women connected as people tend to do here on the big plain that feels much smaller once you move to it: through word of mouth or Facebook.

Webb needed help with a llama, and Sandoval came. Later, Sandoval needed help picking up animals whose owners were parting with them  situations she learns about through word of mouth or Facebook of course  and Webb came.

Whether its a fence that needs fixing, a shelter that needs building or more animals that need saving, the two have dropped everything for each other with little to no notice. Thats been despite whatever pain they might be feeling from their past lives.

Its a veteran thing, its a woman thing  you just do, Webb says. You know it has to be done for the animals.

Not long ago, they hurried to Black Forest to take a couple of donkeys and a bunch of alpacas whose owners were separating and leaving the land. Another time, they drove south to Florence, where they picked up two other alpacas, Ruby and Judy, who had been squeezed into a minivan.

Often, people in the city realize they dont want hens after they stop laying eggs after two or three years. Sandoval happily takes those calls. For all calls, she requests some feed and a donation to Harleys Haven Ranch.

She also occasionally makes requests on Facebook, where she might post a sad story. One about a pony, for instance, who came to the ranch with hooves that had been long ignored, along with a nasty injury on her hide. Sandoval posted her hope to help this girl see thru the injustice humans have done to her so she can one day be pain and fear free.

But most of the posts are happy. They are greetings from Barney and Magic, the friendly roosters. Greetings from Laverne and Shirley the llamas, who look very much alike, but Laverne has the fluffier nose and bigger personality, Sandoval wrote.

Here are Betty and Blanche the sheep, happily basking in the sun. Here are piglets thinking they can help with the new fence. Heres Sam the donkey, a new rescue. Welcome to the ranch handsome boy!

The ranch maintains the spirit of its namesake, Sandoval likes to think. She took care of Harley the dog, but actually, she says, Harley took care of her in life after the Army.

It was very difficult, Sandoval says. You have a routine every single day (in the military), you have a purpose. I was looking for my purpose.

Sandoval had been on the move a lot during her service, and she remained so as a civilian. I had gone through a divorce, I had moved across the country, different relationships with friends and family, she says. But Harley was always by my side.

He was always there in the passenger seat. Always there to listen. Always there for warmth on cold nights.

He died two years ago. Sandoval felt alone  but not for long.

Along came the land and everything else. Along came Webb. We are each others backbone now, Sandoval says.

Now Webb has been thinking of starting her own nonprofit down the road. Rockin Vets Ranch, shes thinking. Rescuing animals and a place for veterans to decompress, Webb says.

To feel what she and her new friend have felt.

With the animals, everything disappears, Sandoval says. Everything goes calm.
Update: On Monday morning, the Colorado State Patrol told the Denver Gazette they suspect drugs and excessive speed contributed to the crash. They added the driver of the Corolla allegedly failed to properly follow traffic signals prior to the wreck.

As of 1 p.m., the Aurora Police Department said the injured officer was discharged from the hospital and is at home recovering.

A two-vehicle crash Saturday night in the Meadow Wood neighborhood left one man dead and an Aurora police officer hospitalized, the Aurora Police Department said in a statement.

The APD tweeted at 8:47 p.m., there had been a serious crash at the intersection of East Bates Avenue and South Chambers Road.

At the time of the crash, the officer was responding to a call of a suspicious incident in the 2300 block of South Blackhawk Street with a 911 caller reporting a break-in at a residence, the statement said.

At 8:20 p.m., the officer was driving north on Chambers Road entering the intersection of Bates Avenue when a crash occurred with a Toyota Corolla. The officers vehicle, a marked Chevy Tahoe, rolled after the crash and came to rest on the roof, trapping the officer inside. Aurora Fire Rescue responded to the crash and transported the officer and the driver to a local hospital.

The officer sustained serious injuries, but is expected to recover. The driver of the Corolla succumbed to his injuries shortly after arriving at the hospital.

We are saddened by the tragic loss of life following this incident, Aurora Police Chief Art Acevedo said. Our thoughts are with the family as they grieve the loss of a loved one.

The Colorado State Patrol responded to the scene at the request of the Aurora Police Department and will conduct the crash investigation. Investigators from Aurora Police Department Bureau of Internal Affairs will conduct an internal investigation into the incident. The identity of the driver of the Corolla will be released by the Arapahoe County Coroners Office at a later date.
Axian Telecom expanded its vendor partnership with a deal with Ericsson, for the Swedish vendor to upgrade its network in Madagascan unit Telma.

In a statement, Ericsson detailed that upgrades will be carried out on the RAN, microwave transport infrastructure, and core networks.

The vendor stated the solutions to be deployed would provide Madagascar with faster and more reliable mobile services nationwide, reducing energy consumption and enhancing the 5G ecosystem.

Axian Telecom chairman Hassanein Hiridjee (pictured fifth, from right) said: Under our partnership, we will be boosting digitalization across Madagascar and Tanzania, increasing network capacities, and providing enhanced speeds to our customers. We are looking forward to the deployment of more agile networks that will indeed bring about digital inclusion across Africa.

Axian Telecom also signed a deal with Ericsson last week at Mobile World Congress Barcelona, to upgrade its 4G network and launch 5G in Tanzania, through Axians unit Tigo Tanzania which it acquired from Millicom last year.
Several years of sustained investment in data storage solutions coupled with continuous innovation and significant improvements in vision and execution, mean that Huawei can boast a full set of storage products that ranks it among the market leaders in terms of product competitiveness.

It comes as no surprise therefore that Huaweis OceanStor Dorado primary storage solution has been named a leader in Gartner's Magic Quadrants for Primary Storage for 7 consecutive years.

Huawei selected MWC2023 for a timely and much anticipated presentation by senior company representatives, of recent advances in its key product lines and technology areas. As part of its GUIDE initiative (Gigabit everywhere, Ultra-automation, Intelligent multi-cloud connection, Differentiated Experience, and Environmental Harmony) which the company likens to the pillars of a bridge between 5G and 5.5G, and towards 6G, successive senior speakers from Huawei outlined key developments in their respective business areas.

Announcing a number of new data storage products and solutions, Peter Zhou, President of Huaweis IT Product Line, explained that Huawei would be supporting carriers on a number of fronts.

In addition to OceanStor Dorado, Huawei has already received plaudits for its other storage products including being voted number one among global vendors by Gartner Peer Insights for the OceanStor Scale-Out storage solution, and returning some impressive performance results in Evaluator Groups tests of the OceanProtect backup storage product.

Based on real-world environments, Evaluator Groups rigorous assessment concluded that the Huawei product, introduced in 2022 and designed to help enterprises address data protection pain points related to cost, data growth and continuous uptime requirements, had achieved 3x faster backup and recovery with 49% more data stored in the same space.

Ensuring data mobility and security in a multi-cloud environment

According to Zhou, the emergence of key technologies such as cloud computing, IoT, big data, ToB (business-to-business) video, and blockchain are key factors underlying todays challenges for data storage. The iteration of 5G, AI, and big data technologies have generated mass unstructured data twenty times that of the 4G era, and long-term storage of these massive volumes of data at low cost and with the capability to mine its value for monetization is a significant new challenge.

As the need to support innovative and more abundant applications drives the move to new cloud architectures, operators in turn are discovering that a multi-cloud approach offers them the greater advantages, says Peter. By connecting to the multi-cloud ecosystem, data storage systems can build a bridge for data flow in multi-cloud scenarios, enabling the free interaction between applications in different clouds. Support for data tiering will be provided by Huawei and supported by new products.

Choosing multi-cloud means that sharing data and supporting mobility is increasingly important, but under these conditions concerns about data security will naturally grow, Peter adds. The damage threats to data that have traditionally driven the demand for disaster recovery and backup systems are rapidly being overtaken by artificial factors such as ransomware attacks, which are happening with a frequency of every 12 seconds somewhere in the world. The cost of follow up attacks even after ransom payment can be in the millions of dollars, and defending against ransomware attacks has become a new pain point for data resilience.

New solutions and enhanced performance

In response to these opportunities and challenges, Huawei is releasing multiple new data storage offerings, further improving the storage base capabilities and covering all carrier service scenarios. These products are designed to help carriers migrate from traditional IT or CT services to emerging services, such as cloud and ToB and also support the transformation from on-premises deployment to multi-cloud deployment, says Peter.

By supporting intelligent cross-cloud data tiering, Huaweis Multi-cloud Storage Solution enables different data to be placed in different media to achieve the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO). The solution supports a unified cross-cloud data view enabling all data, including existing data, to be viewed, realizing the free flow of data across the cloud, and protecting customers' existing investments. Interconnection with the container platform ensures that customers' applications can be deployed across clouds, helping them to deploy new services.

For data archiving scenarios, blue-ray storage replaces old-style, more costly alternatives, effectively reducing TCO by 70%. In cloud data center scenarios, Huawei has launched the OceanDisk Smart Disk Enclosure, which helps reduce costs and power consumption by 40%.

In response to the emerging security threat, Huaweis end-to-end ransomware protection effectively prevents ransomware attacks, boasting an impressive attack detection rate of 99.9%. It also offers comprehensive, industry-leading 4-layer protection.

Describing these announcements as a big step for Huawei Data Storage, Peter said Huawei solutions fully embrace cloud native, helping operators build leading data infrastructure in the multi-cloud era.
Intracom Telecom has signed a new deal with Sudanese ISP Maxnet to supply its WiBAS wireless access systems.

The project is expected to be complete by 2025, with Intracom Telecom delivering the latest generation of its WiBAS-Connect Terminals and OSDR Hubs as well as a Point-to-Multipoint (PMP) wireless system capable of connecting up to 120 subscribers to a base station sector. In addition, the firm will provide Maxnet with uni|MS, its network lifecycle management and automation system.

As it pursues its network modernisation strategy, Maxnet is aiming to replace unlicensed band radios and older technology and infrastructure as it expands its network coverage and performance.

Intracom Telecom has provided its WiBAS technology to Maxnet since 2021, building a pioneering PMP network for the banking sector in Sudan, and upgrading connectivity for top residential and enterprise customers in the country. The network is interoperable and compatible with companys latest technology, the WiBAS G5, which is expected to be included in the deliveries.

Elrashied Abdalla Mahmoud, Maxnet General Manager, stated: WiBAS has enabled Maxnet to provide broadband connectivity with growing capacity demands at high speed and quality of service. Our customers are very happy & satisfied with MaxNet services, and we are very grateful to Intracom Telecom for their support.

John Tenidis, Marketing Director of Intracom Telecom's wireless solutions portfolio, added: Our WiBAS technology provides the highest capacity in the industry, the best radio technology for uninterrupted service and the widest set of networking functions to meet Maxnets strict list of requirements.
Vietnams shrimp exports face challenges with prices decreasing this year. Photo by Pixabay

Vietnams shrimp exports face challenges with prices decreasing and competition from Ecuador and India intensifying, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters.

Global prices have been decreasing since the second half of last year and are expected to fall further this year as supply rises sharply to six million tons, VASEP general secretary Truong Dinh Hoe said Friday at a shrimp industry conference.

VASEP general secretary Truong Dinh Hoe says shrimp exporters face fierce competition from Ecuador and India this year. Photo by Anh Minh

The U.S. has large shrimp inventories and so is certain to reduce imports in the first half of this year.

When it increases imports in the second half, it is likely to opt for small shrimp from Ecuador because of the abundant supply and geographical proximity.

Vietnamese exports to European markets will be affected by the economic turmoil there.

Le Van Quang, chairman of Minh Phu Seafood Corp., said Vietnamese shrimp costs are too high due to low aquaculture productivity, making it difficult to compete with Ecuador and India.

A shrimp processing company in the southern province of Ca Mau. Photo by An Minh

"Our shrimp farming success rate is less than 40%. It is over 90% in Ecuador and more than 60% in India."

According to the Directorate of Fisheries, the shrimp output this year is likely to be 1.08 million tons, and exports will fetch US$4.3 billion.

But VASEP forecast exports to be worth only $4 billion out of total seafood exports of $10 billion.

Last year shrimp exports had risen by 11% to $4.3 billion.
What airlines need to speed up their recovery

An aircraft prepares to land at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy

Vietnamese airlines are seeking government support to speed up post-pandemic recovery, including scrapping a ticket price ceiling and relaxing visa policies.

The outlook for the aviation industry seemed bright in a forecast by the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) last month when it said that a full recovery of Vietnams air transport is expected by the end of the year.

CAAV forecast that 80 million passengers and 1.44 million tons of cargo will be transported this year, up 1% and 14.8% respectively from 2019 when Covid-19 had yet to hit Vietnam.

For airlines, however, the forecast seems too optimistic. Last year, Vietnam Airlines posted an accumulated loss of over VND34 trillion ($1.43 billion) while budget airline Vietjet recorded a more than VND2 trillion in loss.

Bamboo Airways and Vietravel Airlines are yet to turn a profit.

Luong Hoai Nam, a member of the Vietnam Tourism Advisory Board, said at a recent event that there is no rosy picture for domestic airlines this year.

"Carriers are deep in debt and are facing an operational crisis," he said.

Now that demand is rising, aircraft leasing companies are seeking to get their jets back, Nam said, adding that if Vietnamese airlines are unable to pay for the lease the jets might be taken away.

Vietjets Deputy CEO Ho Ngoc Yen Phuong said that although some international airlines have become profitable again after the two-year hiatus, Vietnamese carriers are still facing many financial difficulties, and they might lose on their own playground if other carriers increase their presence.

Deputy CEO of Vietnam Airlines Trinh Ngoc Thanh said that the industry will not fully recover until the end of 2024, but he was not sure whether the national flag carrier can survive until than as its "financial health is very weak."

Local airlines, therefore, are proposing several support policies to help them survive and speed up their recovery.

They want the domestic ticket price ceiling removed, saying that this policy is no longer in line with international norms.

The price ceiling has remain unchanged for eight years and this is unreasonable as expenses, including fuel, currency exchange rates and loan interests, have all increased.

Vietnam Airlines and Bamboo Airways proposed that while the ceiling is yet to be removed it should be raised to reflect the hike in operational costs.

Ticket agents are saying that domestic prices on some routes have nearly doubled year-on-year.

A VnExpress survey of 1,600 readers last month found that 51% of respondents want the price ceiling to remain unchanged.

Airlines are also requesting the government relax visa policies and create a national tourism promotion campaign.

"The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism partnered with airlines to promote tourism in other countries in previous years," Thanh said. "But now there is no campaign and carriers do not have the budget to create their own."

The Vietnam Airlines executive also said that the 15-day visa policy for European and American visitors should be doubled to 30-days.

Vietjet wants authorities to untie administrative knots so that Chinese tours can soon travel to Vietnam. Vietnam is yet to be included in the 20 countries that Chinese tourism firms are allowed to send tours to.

Even though China  which accounts for 30% of foreign tourists to Vietnam  has reopened, Vietnamese airlines still have to postpone plans to expand their flight frequency to this country.

Carriers are also seeking reductions in taxes and fees.

Thanh said that the 50% reductions in landing and takeoff fees of domestic airlines and an environmental tax on fuel, which were given during Covid-19, should be maintained to help ease the financial burden for carriers.

Bamboo Airways has proposed for these reductions to last until the end of 2024 or 2025.

Can Van Luc, chief economist at lender BIDV, said that it is unlikely that carriers will get out of losses this year and that they will still need a lot of government support in taxes and fees.
Participants of the Young European Ambassadors in Georgia program issued a statement regarding the draft law on 'foreign agents' bill.The statement reads that the legislative initiative threatens the interests of Georgia and its European course, which is defined by the constitution of the country."The activities of each of us in different countries of the world, over the years, were dictated by the love of our country and the desire to introduce Georgia, as a democratic country, with its distinctive culture and history to as many foreigners as possible. Today, by passing this bill, we are facing the threat of losing democracy and the support of the West, which is disastrous for our country.Also, we believe that the law on 'agents of foreign influence' will limit both Georgian civil society and media organizations.We call on the Parliament of Georgia not to support the presented legislative project and not to jeopardize the prospect of the country's reunification with the European family," the statement reads.Representatives of the medical field joined the movement to release the founder of Mtavari Arkhi TV Company, Nika Gvaramia, and call on President Salome Zourabichvili to pardon him.They note that it would be a 'wise' decision to release Nika Gvaramia as soon as possible."We, doctors, believe that the European future of our country, along with other fundamental issues, largely depends on the release of Nika Gvaramia. Time is running out, now silence and indifference are unacceptable.We, doctors, stand on the side of truth and justice, we think that releasing Nika Gvaramia as soon as possible will be a wise decision, correct both morally and legally, and will help our country on this very important path," the statement reads.
The Ministry of Public Security proposed for ex-convicts to be allowed to borrow up to VND100 million ($4,225) from the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies to start businesses.

A draft on ex-convicts' credit, which would be surveyed within two months starting from March 2, said that ex-convicts should be allowed to borrow money if they had been pardoned or completed their prison sentences.

Ex-convicts who want to borrow money must be a long-time resident and abide by the law. The loan period can be up to five years.

The public security ministry said the maximum amount of loans allowed for job training is up to VND4 million a month, while the maximum amount of loan to start businesses and create jobs would be up to VND100 million.

For a manufacturing business, the maximum amount of loan allowed is up to VND2 billion, with each single ex-convict being allowed to borrow no more than VND100 million.

Since 2010, there have been around 650,000 ex-convicts who completed their prison sentences. As they have been in isolation for so long, they might have trouble re-integrating with the community, the ministry said.

Several surveys have revealed that over 80% of ex-convicts, whose crimes were still on record, manage to secure jobs after getting out of prison, but most of them are manual jobs with salaries of less than VND7 million a month. It is one of the reasons why some ex-convicts return to committing crimes, according to the ministry.
Police officers barricade an office building in HCMC's Go Vap District as they inspect the F88 debt collection firm, March 6, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Quoc Thang

Hundreds of police officers raided the F88 company in HCMCs Go Vap District on Monday to investigate its use of "extortion" measures in debt collection.

Police officers of Go Vap District and HCMC barricaded a section of Nguyen Oanh Street as authorities raided the 7th and 8th floor of an office building, which is the headquarters of the F88 company, a financial firm that allow loans in large scales.

Authorities said the F88 company has hundreds of employees working as debt collectors, threatening debtors and showing signs of extortion.

F88, formed in 2013, claimed itself as the fastest-growing financial service provider in Vietnam. It has 830 branches throughout the country.

Last month, police of the central province of Thanh Hoa had discovered violations at pawnshops of the F88 branches in numerous wards. Violations included mismanagement of data and insufficient business activity reports.

Despite the fact that the pawning and loaning interests of F88 fall within the thresholds allowed by the State Bank of Vietnam, the firm requires its customers to pay multiple fees upon completing procedures, with some whose interests go up to 5% a month, Thanh Hoa police said.

Police forces have been busting multiple debt collecting organizations in recent times, with authorities estimating that hundreds of thousands of people have been terrorized by them.

On Feb. 14, police raided the Phat Viet law firm in HCMC's Tan Binh District and caught 133 people working as debt collectors. Hundreds of PCs, laptops and mobile phones were seized as evidence.

Hanoi police on Sunday arrested 31 people running a debt collection ring involving 330,000 lending contracts worth thousands of billions of bad debt. The ring employed people to make threatening phone calls to the debtors, as well as their families, customers and colleagues, and post their fake pornographic photos on social media to intimidate and exert pressure on them.
One year ago, after months of saber-rattling and denial of the international communitys warnings that a Russian incursion into Ukraine was imminent, Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale military invasion on its sovereign neighbor.

The largest land war in Europe since World War Two had begun. And the principles that had been the cornerstone of peace, prosperity, and stability on this planet for more than 75 years were at risk of being shattered, said President Biden during his recent visit of Poland.



When Russia invaded, it wasnt just Ukraine being tested. The whole world faced a test for the ages, he said. And the questions we faced were as simple as they were profound. Would we respond or would we look the other way?

When President Putin ordered his tanks to roll into Ukraine, he thought we would roll over. He was wrong, said President Biden. The Ukrainian people are too brave. America, Europe, a coalition of nations from the Atlantic to the Pacific  we were too unified. Democracy was too strong.

Instead of an easy victory he perceived and predicted, Putin was left with burnt-out tanks and Russias forces in  disarray, he said. He thought hed get the Finlandization of NATO. Instead, he got the NATOization of Finland  and Sweden. He thought NATO would fracture and divide. Instead, NATO is more united and more unified than ever before.

A dictator bent on rebuilding an empire will never be able to erase the peoples love of liberty, said President Biden. Brutality will never grind down the will of the free. And Ukraine  Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia. Never.

One year after the bombs began to fall and Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine, Ukraine is still independent and free. From Kherson to Kharkiv, Ukrainian fighters have reclaimed their land, he said. In more than 50 percent of the territory Russia held last year, the blue and yellow flag of Ukraine proudly waves once again. President Zelenskyy still leads a democratically elected government that represents the will of the Ukrainian people.

As Ukraine continues to defend itself against the Russian onslaught and launch counter-offensives of its own, there will continue to be hard and very bitter days, victories and tragedies, said President Biden. But Ukraine is steeled for the fight ahead. And the United States, together with our Allies and partners, are going to continue to have Ukraines back as it defends itself.
The United States, in coordination with the United Kingdom, sanctioned a group of seven cyber criminals who have launched a number of ransomware attacks on critical infrastructure in both countries. The U.S. Treasury Departments Office of Foreign Asset Control designated these individuals pursuant to Executive Order 13694, as amended by Executive Order 13757, for their involvement in the Russia-based cybercrime group Trickbot, and activities that pose a significant threat to the national security, foreign policy, or economic health or financial stability of the United States.

Trickbot, first identified in 2016, originally evolved from a trojan virus called Dyre, which targeted online banking of non-Russian entities. Dyre was operated by individuals based in Moscow, Russia. Trickbot later evolved again, into a malware suite with the ability to conduct a variety of illegal cyber activities, including ransomware attacks. It is used by the Russia-based cybercrime gang Trickbot.

Vitaly Kovalev, known online as Bentley or Ben, was a senior figure within the Trickbot Group.

Maksim Mikhailov, or Baget, has been involved in development activity for the Trickbot Group.

Valentin Karyagin, known as Globus, has been involved in the development of ransomware and other malware projects.

Mikhail Iskritskiys online alias is Tropa. He has worked on money-laundering and fraud projects for the Trickbot Group.

Dmitry Pleshevskiy, who worked on injecting malicious code into websites to steal victims credentials, is also known as Iseldor.

Ivan Vakhromeyev, or Mushroom, has worked for the Trickbot Group as a manager.

Valery Sedletski, known as Strix, was an administrator for the Trickbot Group, and also managed servers.

"Russia is a safe haven for cybercriminals, where groups such as Trickbot freely perpetrate malicious cyber activities against the United States, the United Kingdom, and our allies and partners. These activities have targeted critical infrastructure, including hospitals and medical facilities, said Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a written statement.

He stressed that the United States and the United Kingdom are leaders in the global fight against cybercrime and are committed to using all available authorities to defend against cyber threats.

This action, the first under the UKs new cyber sanctions authority, demonstrates our continued commitment to collaborating with partners and allies to address Russia-based cybercrime, and to countering ransomware attacks and their perpetrators, said Secretary Blinken. As Russias illegal war against Ukraine continues, cooperation with our allies and partners is more critical than ever to protect our national security.
ELKO  Elko Police Department is seeking the publics help in identifying suspects following an armed robbery Saturday night.

Officers were called to the Sinclair Gas Station on North Fifth Street at 8 p.m. on a report that two suspects, both dressed in dark clothing and wearing masks, entered the gas station and took money. Both suspects were armed with what appeared to be semi-automatic handguns.

Police said one patron was also inside the business at the time of the robbery and was held at gunpoint.

Before police arrived, the suspects fled the scene in what appeared to be a white, four-door sedan  possibly a Toyota. The car was occupied by one additional person who appeared to be waiting for the pair while the robbery was being committed.

Anyone with information concerning this robbery is asked to contact the Elko Police Department at 775-777-7310 or the Secret Witness Line at 775-322-4900.

According to Elko Daily records, this was the first armed robbery within the city limits in more than a year.

A Battle Mountain man was arrested Dec. 5, 2021, on charges of robbing a convenience store and a gas station mini-mart after police distributed images of him wearing a mask and holding a gun at the counter.

Clifford G. Dixon, 33, was spotted the next day gambling at poker machines in the same gas station that was robbed Saturday, and arrested by police.

Dixon pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and was sentenced in May 2022 by District Judge Al Kacin to two consecutive prison terms totaling four to 10 years. He was also ordered to pay a total of $711 to the two stores.

A document filed in support of Dixons arrest said he admitted to the robberies, telling police he owed money for drugs.
ELKO  Elko police arrested a Carlin man Sunday afternoon on gun and drug charges following a brief foot-chase at a casino.

Officers were conducting a security check at a casino on East Jennings Way when they recognized a subject known to them to have an outstanding felony warrant for narcotics related charges, stated the Elko Police Department.

He was identified as Benjamin J. Thompson, 35.

Thompson fled the casino on foot before being apprehended a short distance away, the EPD reported. During the apprehension, Thompson resisted arrest and was found to be in possession of a concealed firearm, controlled substance, and a substantial amount of cash.

He was booked into Elko County Jail on a warrant for failure to appear after bail on a felony crime, three third-offense felony counts of possession of a controlled substance, two counts of possession to sell a controlled substance, owning a gun by a prohibited person, carrying a concealed weapon without a permit, and resisting a public officer with a firearm.

His bail totaled $80,000.

According to Elko County Jail records, Thompson was arrested Dec. 20 in Elko for possessing a dangerous weapon, May 2 for conspiracy to commit criminal contempt, April 20 for possessing a controlled substance, and in February 2021 for violating probation.

He had been sentenced in December 2021 by District Judge Mason Simons to 121 days in jail after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess a controlled substance.

According to Elko District Court records, Thompson also pleaded guilty to possessing a controlled substance and was sentenced in April 2018 by District Judge Al Kacin to 1-3 years in prison. He was also sentenced earlier in April 2018 to 30-96 months in prison by District Judge Nancy Porter after pleading guilty to drug trafficking, and in February 2018 to 12-30 months for possession of a controlled substance.

According to Nevada Department of Corrections records, Thompson has been incarcerated in seven separate cases over the past 15 years, including a 2015 attempted burglary charge in Churchill County.
Elko County School District Board of Trustees meets at 5:30 p.m. Monday, March 6, at 850 Elm St. In a meeting postponed from last Tuesday, trustees will consider approving the Spring Creek High School Food Science Lab and classroom expansion project. The board will also consider changing policies on reporting of fraud, waste and abuse; use of credit cards; expense reimbursement; academic achievement class rankings; and high school release-time religious instruction.



Elko County Advisory Board to Manage Wildlife will meet at 6 p.m. Monday, March 6, in the Nannini Administration Building. Topics of discussion include the 2024 Predation Management Plan, possession of golden eagles under certain circumstances, and recommendations for seasons, bag limits and special regulations for migratory game birds for the 2022-2023 season.

Elko City Planning Commission meets at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Elko City Hall. The panel will consider scheduling a special meeting March 21 after the Elko Daily Free Press erred in not printing the public hearing notification on the Ash Street Village Tentative Map ahead of this weeks meeting.



Elko County Roads Committee will meet at 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 8, in the Nannini Administration Building. Members will discuss Februarys road report, which included more than $100,000 worth of snow plowing and sanding on county roads. They will also discuss projects planned for March.



Elko County Budget Committee will meet at 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 8, in the Nannini Administration Building. The panel will discuss spending up to $150,000 on a server, and a $353,235 change order that would speed implementation of an attorney and court case management system.
A suspect has been charged with murder in the case of a Utah man who was the subject of a search that included Elko County law enforcement last spring.

James Brenner, 59, was charged Friday in Box Elder County with aggravated murder and desecration of a human body, despite the fact that Dylan Rounds body has not been found.

According to a KMVT news report from Idaho, where Rounds once lived, the 19-year-olds boots were found and one of them had blood stains from Rounds as well as DNA from Brenner.

Court documents also said investigators found a cellphone that belonged to Rounds in a pond, and video on it showed Brenner with blood stains on his arms and shirt as he was cleaning a gun. Rounds DNA was found on the shirt, KMVT reported.

Brenner was living on Rounds property at the time of the May 30 incident. He has been in custody since June on a federal weapons charge.

Brenner has a rap sheet that includes malicious wounding, malicious shooting, and multiple convictions of being a felon in possession of a firearm, stated a Gephardt Daily report out of Salt Lake City.

Elko County Sheriffs deputies helped the Box Elder County Sheriffs Office with the investigation after being called May 31 to Montello, which is about 30 miles from Rounds farm in Lucin, Utah.

Initial reports on social media said Rounds was last seen at a business in Montello on May 26 but cellphone records indicate that he made a call to his parents from Lucin on May 28. He disappeared sometime after making that call from his farm, the Elko sheriffs office reported.

The incident occurred about a month after a 19-year-old from California went missing in eastern Elko County.

Officials believe Aidan Clune wandered into the backcountry off U.S. Highway 93 and deliberately attempted to avoid being found. Volunteer searchers covered more than 157 miles with K-9s, 651 miles with volunteers walking, 85 miles on horseback, 265 miles on ATVs, and several hours with aircraft, but no body has been found.

The Sonoma Index-Tribune reported in October that additional searches had been conducted by a private investigator and Ruby Mountain Rebels off-road volunteers.
Almost a month has passed since Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh wrote a report saying that US Navy laid the bombs that damaged the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines linking Russia with Germany and other European Union nations, yet most of the Western media have remained mute on the issue.

On Feb 3, a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in the United States. Yet hardly any media reported the incident until 10 days later, on which day the scene of a journalist being taken away by the police on site was shown to the public.

It is such selective reporting that makes people wonder whether there is really any freedom of the press in the West.

Similarly, the Foreign Correspondents Club of China, in which the US plays a major role, published a report on its official website criticizing China for "travel restrictions".

The FCCC's complaint about "travel restrictions" during the COVID-19 pandemic is risible. It is common sense that when a major public health threat emerges, every member in a society contributes to the fight against it by sacrificing some convenience to travel. These restrictions in the case of the COVID-19 pandemic applied to everyone. There is no reason for foreign correspondents to expect any exemption. The privilege to travel "freely" as they misunderstand it would pose a risk to everybody, themselves included.

The first session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference opened on Saturday, while the First Session of the 14th National People's Congress opened on Sunday. According to official data, about 3,000 journalists have registered to attend this year's two sessions, of which over 1,000 come from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan and foreign countries.

The fact that foreign reporters can freely do interviews at the sessions of China's top legislative body and top political advisory body is best evidence against the FCCC report. The FCCC said they want to "tell the China story well", and China welcomes foreign journalists who do that. Unfortunately, some come with other intentions.
Shenzhen TV: We have learned that Assistant Foreign Minister Nong Rong will attend the senior officials meetings on East Asia cooperation and visit Vietnam and Laos. Could you share information on that?

Mao Ning: From March 6 to 12, Assistant Foreign Minister Nong Rong will attend the ASEAN Plus Three (China, Japan and the Republic of Korea) Senior Officials Meeting (APT SOM), East Asia Summit Senior Officials Meeting (EAS SOM) in Jakarta, Indonesia and visit Vietnam and Laos.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of President Xi Jinpings proposal of building a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future and the Belt and Road Initiative, which presents us with new opportunities to grow ties between China and ASEAN countries and strengthen East Asia cooperation. During the meetings, participants will focus on the theme ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth, take stock of what has been achieved in East Asia cooperation, envision the future course of relevant mechanisms and exchange ideas on international and regional issues of shared interest, thus preparing the ground for the leaders meetings and foreign ministers meetings on East Asia cooperation to be held later this year. During his visit to Vietnam and Laos, Assistant Foreign Minister Nong will discuss with the two sides joint efforts to implement the important high-level common understandings, renew traditional friendship, consolidate political mutual trust, expand practical cooperation, and achieve new progress in Chinas comprehensive strategic cooperation with the two countries.

CCTV: WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the WHO continues to call for China to be transparent in sharing data, adding that continued politicization of the origins research will make the task harder. What is your comment?

Mao Ning: China has actively supported and participated in global science-based COVID origins-tracing since day one. In the meantime, we have been firmly opposed to all forms of political manipulation on this issue. Since COVID-19 hit, China has twice received WHO experts to work together on origins-tracing, which led to a science-based, authoritative joint report and laid a solid foundation for global origins-tracing. After the WHO established the Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins on Novel Pathogens (SAGO), China recommended experts to join the group and organized events for Chinese experts to share research findings with the WHO Secretariat and SAGO. China has shared more data and research findings than any other country and contributed the most on origins-tracing.

Tracing the origins of the virus is a matter of science. This study should be and can only be conducted jointly by scientists around the world. For some time, the US has been politicizing, weaponizing and instrumentalizing the issue. The US has been spreading myths such as the bio weapon theory and lab leak theory without any supporting evidence, which has seriously poisoned the atmosphere for science-based global origins-tracing.

Identifying the origins of COVID is the common responsibility of all countries in the world. Experts of the WHO-China joint mission, after field trips to the lab in Wuhan and in-depth communication with researchers, reached the conclusion that a laboratory origin of the pandemic was considered to be extremely unlikely, and recommended that related traceability research should be conducted in countries and regions worldwide. The US, however, ignored these science-based conclusions and recommendations and kept pressurizing WHO into repeatedly demanding origins-tracing in China. It is quite clear what the US is trying to achieve. While claiming to take origins-tracing seriously, the US has never invited WHO expert groups to the US for joint study, or shared any early data. Instead, it has turned a blind eye to the worlds concerns about US bio-military bases at Fort Detrick and around the world.

Politicizing origins-tracing would only hamper science-based cooperation on the issue, disrupt united effort to combat the pandemic, and undermine global health governance mechanisms. We hope the WHO Secretariat will take a science-based, objective and just position, not let politicization get in the way, and carry out the origins-tracing study in the US, among other countries, and play a positive role in science-based global origins-tracing. We once again urge the US side to immediately stop political manipulation on this issue, respond to the worlds legitimate concerns soon, voluntarily share the data of suspected early cases in the US with the WHO, disclose information about its bio-labs at Fort Detrick and around the world, and give people of the world the truth they deserve.

Global Times: According to reports, on March 4, the IAEA and the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran issued a joint statement on the Iranian nuclear issue, in which both sides addressed the importance of taking steps in order to facilitate enhanced cooperation and recognized that such positive engagements can pave the way for wider agreements on advancing negotiations on resuming compliance with the JCPOA. Whats Chinas comment?

Mao Ning: China commends Iran and the IAEA for agreeing to strengthen cooperation on the Iranian nuclear issue. We welcome their commitment to addressing the outstanding safeguards issues through dialogue and consultation and support the IAEA in implementing verification and monitoring activities in accordance with its mandate. We hope to see effective implementation of what has been agreed and that there will be an enabling atmosphere for the negotiations on the nuclear issue.

China has always believed that resuming the effective implementation of the JCPOA in its entirety is the right way to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue. The negotiations came to a standstill fundamentally because certain country tried to steer the negotiations in a way that would serve its own geopolitical agenda. Parties concerned need to all exercise restraint, support the IAEAs dialogue and cooperation with Iran, and avoid actions that may escalate the situation. China will continue to promote dialogue and work for the political settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue.

Beijing Daily: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reportedly said on March 3 that the nuclear-contaminated water in Fukushima will be released into the ocean between spring and summer this year. He also said that for the reconstruction of Fukushima, the discharge process cannot be delayed. Japanese media reported on March 5 that TEPCOs examination inside the shell of Unit 1 reactor of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station shows that debris from melt nuclear fuel had not been cleaned up and that strong nuclear radiation is detected. Whats Chinas comment?

Mao Ning: We have noted relevant reports and are gravely concerned. In disregard of the strong concerns of people in Japan and the rest of the world, the Japanese government is set on pushing through the ocean discharge plan despite its obligations under international law. This is an irresponsible act that will endanger the global marine environment and peoples health.

Japan has stored more than 1.3 million tonnes of nuclear-contaminated water, which means its release into the ocean could take as long as 30 years. The water contains over 60 radionuclides, which will be carried through the ocean to all parts of the world in a decade, causing unforeseeable harm to marine environment and peoples health. Japans neighbors, including China, the ROK, the DPRK and Russia, and the Pacific island countries have repeatedly voiced their concerns and firm opposition to the ocean discharge plan.

I need to stress in particular that it is Japans duty under general international law and UNCLOS to prevent environmental pollution, minimize the hazardous effect, fully consult with the countries that might be affected, ensure transparency and engage in international cooperation.

We once again call on Japan to take all parties legitimate concerns seriously, fulfill its obligations, fully consult with the stakeholders and relevant international organizations, handle the nuclear-contaminated water in a science-based, open, transparent and safe manner, including by studying alternatives to ocean discharge, and fully subject itself to international oversight, so as to protect the only planet we humanity call home.

The Paper: We noted that US entrepreneur Bill Gates said at an interview that the US will not be successful at preventing China from having great chips; attempting to do so will only take away American jobs and chips sales. US economist David Goldman also said that the idea that the US can completely decouple from China is a fantasy, and that China will survive US sanctions against its semi-conductor industry. Do you have any comment?

Mao Ning: There have been many concerns and questions from the US business community since the US launched the CHIPS and Science Act. Business leaders and institutions have pointed to the fact that the US semi-conductor industry is highly dependent on the global supply chain; and that decoupling will not only be at odds with the laws of how this industry grows, but also cost the US a great deal both economically and technologically. Boston Consulting Group estimated that US companies could lose 18% of their global market share and 37% of revenues if the US completely bans semiconductor companies from selling to Chinese customers, resulting in a loss of 15,000 to 40,000 highly skilled jobs.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to be in the lead on the high-tech front, but the right way to achieve it is through fair competition, rather than doing whatever it takes just to maintain its tech hegemony and deprive other countries of their right to development, still less should the US seek selfish interests at the expense of the global industrial and supply chains and deal another blow to the already fragile world economy.

More importantly, Chinas development is always built on our own strength. From the two bombs and one satellite project to manned spaceflight, quantum communication and the Beidou navigation system, facts have shown that curbs and bans will not stop Chinas development, but will only strengthen Chinas resolve and capability to seek self-reliance and technological innovation.

Reuters: Taiwan defence minister warned that the island has to be on alert for a sudden entry by the Chinese military into areas close to it amid the rising military tensions across the Taiwan Strait. Do you have any response?

Mao Ning: I need to first make clear that Taiwan is part of China and there is no such thing as a defence minister for Taiwan. Both sides of the Taiwan Strait are Chinas territory. China will firmly defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

CCTV: It was reported that at the Session of the Human Rights Council in Switzerland on March 2, Nakatani Gen, Special Advisor to the Japanese Prime Minister, said that Freedom, respect for human rights, and the rule of law, must also be protected in China, including in Hong Kong and Xinjiang. Japan is deeply concerned about the human rights situation in China, and again strongly urges China to take positive concrete actions to address this situation. What is your response?

Mao Ning: Affairs related to Hong Kong and Xinjiang are purely Chinas internal affairs. No foreign country has the right to interfere in those affairs. Human rights are no legitimate pretext for interfering in other countries internal affairs. As a country that once embraced militarism, waged wars of aggression, committed serious crimes against humanity, and was responsible for inflicting untold suffering on the region and the wider world, Japan needs to first and foremost reflect deeply on its historical crimes, stop trying to reverse the verdict on its history of aggression, and properly address issues left over from history such as the forced recruitment of comfort women and laborers, before lecturing others on human rights.

Reuters: Two US Senators are reportedly introducing a bill this week which will give the government the power to ban foreign tech products such as TikTok. Whats Chinas comment?

Mao Ning: Weve repeatedly made clear our position on this issue. To perpetuate its hegemony, the US habitually politicizes technology and trade issues and uses them as a tool and weapon in the name of national security. Such practice violates the principles of market economy and fair competition. China will closely follow relevant developments. We also support relevant companies in safeguarding their legitimate rights and interests.

Reuters: According to a report, some US officials are concerned that Chinese-made cranes operating at American ports could give Beijing a possible spying tool. Whats your response?

Mao Ning: That claim is entirely paranoia and meant to mislead the American public.

The following question was raised after the press conference: According to reports, today ROK Foreign Minister Park Jin formally announced a plan to have a third party pay the compensation to laborers forcibly recruited by Japan during WWII. Whats Chinas comment?

Mao Ning: Forced recruitment and enslavement of laborers is a grave crime against humanitarian law committed by the Japanese militarism during its aggression and colonial rule against the people of Asian countries, including China and the ROK. The facts are backed by ironclad evidence and shall not be denied or altered. China has all along asked the Japanese government to properly handle relevant issues left over from history with an honest and responsible attitude, which requires Japan to face its history squarely and deeply reflect on it, and show its remorse for the historical crimes and respect for the victims through concrete actions. At the same time, Japan needs to shape a correct view of history among the younger generation. Only by doing so can Japan truly earn the trust of its Asian neighbors and the wider international community.

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The first session of the 14th National Peoples Congress (NPC) will invite Foreign Minister Qin Gang to hold a press conference on Chinas foreign policy and foreign relations at Multi-functional Conference Hall, Media Center at 10:00 am on Tuesday, March 7. The regular press conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be adjourned on March 7 and resumed on Wednesday, March 8.
RIO DE JANEIRO, March 5 (Xinhua) -- "Our outlook for China's economy remains positive, as its long-term fundamentals remain sound and unchanged," said an executive of a leading iron ore producer based in Brazil.

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In 2017, Jilie Ziri, the first college student from the mountainous Abuluoha Village in southwest China's Sichuan Province, decided to give up his job and return to his hometown.

Serving as the secretary of the Communist Party of China's (CPC's) village branch, Jilie Ziri has led local residents in combatting poverty and pursuing a prosperous life. After years of efforts by Jilie Ziri and his fellow villagers, the once isolated town has been linked to the outside world with a paved road, and the people's living standard has been greatly improved.

Now, the young man, born in 1995 and from the Yi ethnic group, is in Beijing for the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), where he and other deputies to the 14th NPC will discuss and decide how to bring a better life to the Chinese people.

As global observers are closely watching the NPC and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), known as the "two sessions," Jilie Ziri's experience provides a personal perspective for them to better understand China's whole-process people's democracy.

POWER IN HANDS OF PEOPLE

"I was following the two sessions last year. There was a driver who was one of the deputies appointed to sit in that body. There were delivery riders, farmers, teachers, cooks, doctors, journalists, who ordinarily will not make it to an institution where laws are made," said Eric Biegon, a journalist at Kenya Broadcasting Corporation. He was deeply impressed by the wide representation of the deputies.

"What captures my attention when it comes to China and (its) politics is that (the Chinese) have chosen a path that tends to bring people at the center of decision-making," he said.

When talking about China's "two sessions," many overseas observers like Biegon spontaneously mention broad representation, which features prominently in China's whole-process people's democracy. In their eyes, broad representation is a necessary requirement for ensuring that the people are the masters of the country.

The 2,977 deputies to the 14th NPC make up a broad cross-section of people, with every region, ethnic group and sector of society having an appropriate number of representatives.

In the new lineup, 497 deputies are workers and farmers, 634 technical personnel, accounting for 16.69 percent and 21.3 percent, respectively.

The 2,172 members of the 14th CPPCC National Committee are from all of China's 56 ethnic groups, and 60.8 percent of them are not CPC members.

Zia Banday, senior research fellow at the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, said deputies and members of the "two sessions" in China represent the interests of the people.

They prepare for a long time each year, put forward opinions and suggestions, conduct deliberations and discussions, and provide ideas for national and people's livelihoods. This unique model ensures that the "two sessions" can fully reflect the voice of the Chinese people, he said.

The decision-making in the "two sessions" is open to all Chinese and friends who are interested in the overall development of the country, said Ronnie Lins, director of the China-Brazil Center for Research and Business and a senior expert on China's decision-making mechanism.

"I think the outcomes that China has achieved in recent years show that the process is broad in opinion and effective in results. The country's economic and social achievements speak for themselves."

FROM THE PEOPLE & FOR THE PEOPLE

Every year, topics discussed at China's "two sessions" are always the focus of international attention.

Development and people's livelihood have always been important issues in China's "two sessions," fully reflecting the importance of "the people" in China's socialist democracy, Patricio Giusto, director of the Sino-Argentine Observatory, told Xinhua.

Last year, 92 changes were made to The Report on the Work of the Government based on the suggestions put forward by the NPC deputies and CPPCC members. Offices and departments under the State Council handled 8,721 suggestions from NPC deputies and 5,865 proposals submitted by CPPCC National Committee members, accounting for 94.8 percent and 95 percent of the total number of suggestions and proposals, respectively.

Sommad Pholsena, vice president of the Lao National Assembly, pointed out that Chinese leaders not only communicate with the NPC deputies and CPPCC members during the "two sessions," but also often conduct research at the grassroots level, which reflects that the thoughts and concerns of the Chinese people are at the heart of the CPC at all times.

The CPC and the government have always given thoughtful and scientific policy responses to the people's needs and appeals through collective thinking, he noted, saying that China's whole-process people's democracy integrates process-oriented democracy with results-oriented democracy, procedural democracy with substantive democracy, direct democracy with indirect democracy, and people's democracy with the will of the state.

Jean Christophe Iseux von Pfetten, president of the Institute for East-West Strategic Studies in Britain, was invited by the then mayor of Changchun to be a specially invited member of the CPPCC.

As a long-time observer of China, Pfetten told Xinhua that through his personal experience, he found that China's democratic practice is devoted to solving practical problems, as he witnessed how the local two sessions focused on addressing issues related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers. The China hand also participated in the discussion with his experience of working for the World Trade Organization.

The NPC deputies and CPPCC members will review the government work report delivered at the beginning of the annual session of the NPC, and make amendments and put forward new proposals and new suggestions and make it a very useful document, said Muhammad Asghar, special correspondent of Associated Press of Pakistan in China.

So, the "two sessions" are very important as they make policies and plans for the next year, said Asghar, noting that they implement all of the plans which are always very beneficial for the people.

Pooling wisdom and seeking benefits for all, China's rapid economic and social development and effective governance cannot be separated from the whole-process people's democracy.

The truth is that with this political system, China has done very well in terms of economic development and social welfare in general, and became the second-largest economy in the world, said Giusto, the Argentina expert.

A NEW PATH OF DEMOCRACY

"I have been to China many times. I understand that China's progress is not accidental. This is due to the unity of the Chinese people, together with the vision of the leadership of the Communist Party of China," said Chea Munyrith, president of the Cambodian Chinese Evolution Researcher Association.

Recalling his visit to Xishuangbanna in the southwestern Chinese province of Yunnan, Munyrith said that "I saw the spirit of development under the image of a united people force, which is a form of democracy with the Chinese characteristic. The development of villages is the decision of the people in the village and with the consultation and guidance of local CPC members."

"I have always admired and shared this picture with the villagers in Cambodia, and I have always talked with my government officials and friends in Cambodia about this good form of democracy," he added.

The Chinese style democratic model adopts an approach featuring consultative democracy under the CPC leadership. Such a system, seeking to bring its people together for a common goal, proves to be a story of success and serves as an inspiring paradigm for other developing countries.

The Chinese democracy has pulled 800 million people out of poverty and contributed to establishing infrastructure and health systems that benefit the Chinese people, said Asghar, the Pakistani journalist.

"I think that the Chinese democratic system is becoming a model for so many countries," Asghar added.

For Munyrith, who was once the head of the translation team for the Cambodian version of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China," what impressed him most about China's democratic system is that the CPC has always put the people first.

"As the ruling party, the Communist Party of China represents the interests of the people, and all policies put the interests of the people first," he added.

Pointing out that there are various types of democratic system models, Pfetten emphasized that the Chinese socialist consultative democracy provides an elegant way of solving the antithesis between equality and liberty.

The British scholar is writing a book on Chinese democracy, elaborating on the achievements of the Chinese democracy to readers based on his individual experience in China.

Sommad Pholsena, vice president of the Lao National Assembly, said that the innovative proposal of whole-process people's democracy demonstrates the self-confidence of the CPC, and offers fresh insights into the democratic building in other countries.




BEIJING, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday called for more efforts to cultivate children's confidence in the path, theory, system and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks while attending a deliberation with his fellow deputies from the delegation of Jiangsu Province at the first session of the 14th National People's Congress, China's national legislature.

Editor: WXL
The 14th National People's Congress (NPC) opens its first session at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Li Qiang, Wang Huning, Han Zheng, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Wang Qishan attended the opening meeting. Zhao Leji, executive chairman of the session's presidium, presided over the meeting. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The 14th National People's Congress (NPC), China's national legislature, opened its first session Sunday morning at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Li Qiang, Wang Huning, Han Zheng, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Wang Qishan attended the opening meeting.

Zhao Leji, executive chairman of the session's presidium, presided over the meeting.

Premier Li Keqiang delivered a government work report at the meeting.

Lawmakers reviewed a report from the State Council on the implementation of the 2022 plan and on the 2023 draft plan for national economic and social development, as well as the draft plan for national economic and social development in 2023.

Also submitted for their review were a report from the State Council on the execution of the central and local budgets for 2022 and on the draft central and local budgets for 2023, as well as the draft central and local budgets for 2023.

Wang Chen, vice chairman of the 13th NPC Standing Committee, explained the draft amendment to the Legislation Law at the opening meeting.

Lawmakers voted to adopt a decision on establishing 10 special committees of the 14th NPC and a voting method for chairpersons, vice chairpersons and members of the special committees.

They also voted to approve chairpersons, vice chairpersons and members of two special committees, namely the Constitution and Law Committee and the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee.

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

Zhao Leji, executive chairman of the presidium of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), presides over the opening meeting of the session at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Yuguo)

Deputies attend the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Jin Haoyuan)

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

Deputies attend the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Yuguo)

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)

Deputies attend the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

Deputies attend the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Yuguo)

Members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) sit in on the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) as non-voting participants at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Deputies attend the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Yuguo)

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Jin Haoyuan)

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua)

Deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC) Wang Yongcheng (2nd L, front), who is visually impaired, attends the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th NPC at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Yuguo)

Deputies to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) walk towards the Great Hall of the People for the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. The 14th NPC, China's national legislature, opened its first session Sunday morning here in Beijing. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Deputies to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) walk towards the Great Hall of the People for the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. The 14th NPC, China's national legislature, opened its first session Sunday morning here in Beijing. (Xinhua/Cao Can)

Deputies to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) walk towards the Great Hall of the People for the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. The 14th NPC, China's national legislature, opened its first session Sunday morning here in Beijing. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)

Deputies to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) walk towards the Great Hall of the People for the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. The 14th NPC, China's national legislature, opened its first session Sunday morning here in Beijing. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Deputies to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) walk towards the Great Hall of the People for the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. The 14th NPC, China's national legislature, opened its first session Sunday morning here in Beijing. (Xinhua/Cao Can)

Deputies to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) walk towards the Great Hall of the People for the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. The 14th NPC, China's national legislature, opened its first session Sunday morning here in Beijing. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

This photo taken on March 5, 2023 shows the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China. The 14th National People's Congress (NPC), China's national legislature, opened its first session Sunday morning here in Beijing. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Editor: WJH
Minister of Industry and Information Technology Jin Zhuanglong gives an interview after the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)

Minister of Industry and Information Technology Jin Zhuanglong gives an interview after the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)

Minister of Industry and Information Technology Jin Zhuanglong gives an interview after the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Jinhai)

Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu gives an interview after the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Jinhai)

Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu gives an interview after the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Jinhai)

Minister of Science and Technology Wang Zhigang gives an interview after the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)

Minister of Science and Technology Wang Zhigang gives an interview after the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)

Minister of Science and Technology Wang Zhigang gives an interview after the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Jinhai)

Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu gives an interview after the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Jinhai)

A journalist with Xinhua News Agency asks a question during an interview with ministers after the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Jinhai)

Editor: WJH
Employees work on a chip production line of a tech company in Shishi, Fujian province. WEI PEIQUAN/XINHUA

Liu highlights formulation of industrial policy in line with national conditions

Vice-Premier Liu He has called for efforts to mobilize resources nationwide to promote the development of integrated circuits, and offer real national treatment to foreign chip experts, which industry insiders interpret as a signal of a new round of more flexible supportive policies for the semiconductor sector amid curbs from the United States.

During a tour to IC enterprises in Beijing, Liu said that to develop the industry, China should take advantage of a new system for mobilizing resources nationwide and should make better use of government and market resources.

He urged the government to formulate industrial policies in line with national conditions and new situations, play an organizational role in areas where the market fails and guide long-term investment in the field.

Also, efforts should be made to form a mechanism to tackle major problems, where companies act as the main players, and rely on entrepreneurs to achieve healthy development of the IC industry.

"It shows that China is now seeking more flexible supportive policy in order to better mobilize resources in the IC industry so as to avoid wasting time and resources while exploring ways to solve bottlenecks," said Roger Sheng, vice-president of research at US market research company Gartner.

Right after the move, smartphone maker Xiaomi Corp and software and cloud company Kingsoft Corp, along with a handful of other investors, set up a 10 billion yuan ($1.45 billion) fund to develop chips and related technologies, a regulatory filing showed on Thursday.

"Amid US chip sanctions, Liu's visit is expected to give strong confidence to companies and the entire chip market. It also sends a signal that a supportive policy for the semiconductor industry is likely to be launched soon," said Wang Peng, a researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences.

In addition, Liu highlighted the necessity of providing equal treatment for domestic talent alongside real national treatment for foreign experts so as to allow companies to accelerate steps to attract and nurture talent in the field.

In particular, the country must be very good at discovering and cherishing leading talent who understand technology and have strong organizational skills, Liu said.

"The remarks made clear that the country will give more preferential policies to high-end talent in the semiconductor sector," Wang added.

As the world's largest chip market, the Chinese mainland consumes more than half of the world's semiconductors, which are then assembled into tech products to be reexported or sold in the domestic market, according to research company Daxue Consulting.

The data proved what Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said recently. During a podcast of Financial Times, Gates said that he did not get the logic of current US sanctions on China and does not think the US will ever be successful in preventing China from having cutting-edge chips.

"Given that China is at scale to catch up fairly quickly and I don't see how that's some gigantic benefit," Gates said.

Editor: JYZ
The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2023. Party and state leaders Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Wang Qishan attended the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC, which was presided over by Wang Huning. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

BEIJING, March 4 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisory body started its annual session Saturday afternoon in Beijing.

Party and state leaders Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Wang Qishan attended the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which was presided over by Wang Huning.

Wang Yang, chairman of the 13th CPPCC National Committee, delivered a work report of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee to the session.

Stressing that the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) charted a grand blueprint for advancing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization, Wang called on the CPPCC to practice the whole-process people's democracy, promote unity among the Chinese people, and make new contributions to the realization of the goals and tasks laid down at the 20th CPC National Congress.

"The past five years since the 19th CPC National Congress were truly extraordinary," Wang said while addressing the 2,100-plus national political advisors.

China has realized its First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects on schedule and secured impressive advances in the cause of the CPC and the nation, said Wang. "The rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is now on an irreversible historical course."

Reviewing the work of the 13th CPPCC National Committee in its five-year term, Wang noted that the top political advisory body has thoroughly studied and implemented Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

The 13th CPPCC National Committee has fulfilled its duties with a focus on the central tasks of the CPC and the country, contributing wisdom and strength to achieving the two centenary goals, Wang added.

Over the past five years, the CPPCC has fully played its role in national governance as a special consultative body. Progresses have been made in gathering broad consensus and strength for the Chinese people to strive for national rejuvenation, Wang said.

On its future work, Wang suggested the political advisors perform their duties in the building of a modern socialist country in all respects and the realization of the Second Centenary Goal, and conduct in-depth consultations on important issues.

They should also consolidate and develop the broadest possible patriotic united front and better mobilize personnel from all ethnic groups and various sectors to rally around the CPC, Wang added.

A total of 29,323 proposals have been submitted in the past five years. Of the 23,818 proposals filed, 99.8 percent had been handled by the end of February, according to a report on proposals.

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

Wang Yang, chairman of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a work report of the Standing Committee of the 13th CPPCC National Committee during the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

Wang Yang, chairman of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a work report of the Standing Committee of the 13th CPPCC National Committee during the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

Wang Huning presides over the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

The opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Jianli)

Editor: WJH
BEIJING -- China plans to launch a new interplanetary mission targeting a small near-Earth asteroid, said the country's space agency.

The scheduled Tianwen-2 mission will sample an asteroid called 2016 HO3, return to Earth, and then head out again to a main-belt comet 311P.

The China National Space Administration revealed the plan in a notice on Thursday, saying that the mission has obtained official approval, and scientists will hold an academic seminar about Tianwen-2 scientific exploration and its data processing technologies in April.

Tianwen-2 is the second mission in China's Tianwen series of planetary endeavors. Launched on July 23, 2020, Tianwen-1, comprised of an orbiter, lander, and rover, arrived on Mars.

Over the past two years, the Tianwen-1 has relayed a torrent of data to Earth, making contributions to many interplanetary exploration discoveries. It will continue to perform multiple tasks related to the red planet, according to the administration.

Editor: JYZ
Matryoshka dolls are on display at a folk arts and crafts fair in Moscow, Russia, on March 3, 2023. The fair is held here from March 1 to March 5 this year. (Photo by Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/Xinhua)

People visit a folk arts and crafts fair in Moscow, Russia, on March 3, 2023. The fair is held here from March 1 to March 5 this year. (Photo by Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/Xinhua)

People take part in a painting class at a folk arts and crafts fair in Moscow, Russia, on March 3, 2023. The fair is held here from March 1 to March 5 this year. (Photo by Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/Xinhua)

People visit a folk arts and crafts fair in Moscow, Russia, on March 3, 2023. The fair is held here from March 1 to March 5 this year. (Photo by Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/Xinhua)

A visitor looks at a wooden toy at a folk arts and crafts fair in Moscow, Russia, on March 3, 2023. The fair is held here from March 1 to March 5 this year. (Photo by Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/Xinhua)

Editor: JYZ
The nuclear and radiation safety at the largest in Europe Zaporizhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP), which has been under the occupation of Russian troops for one year, continues worsening, acting Head of the State Inspectorate for Nuclear Regulation Oleh Korikov has said.

"The goals of the occupiers have nothing to do with nuclear and radiation safety, so the ZNPP has now been turned into a military and repair and military base. Military equipment, explosives, unauthorized personnel are located there," he said during the United News national telethon in Monday.

According to Korikov, even the fact that access to the Zaporizhia NPP is controlled by the occupiers does not meet the norms and rules of nuclear and radiation safety since access to the NPP should be controlled by its owner and its personnel, who are responsible for this.

The head of inspectorate listed a number of security violations by the Russian invaders, in particular, illegal modifications of equipment, for example, plant-wide heat and power supply systems, spent nuclear fuel storage facilities, construction of a backup diesel power plant in the zone, and pressure on personnel.

In addition, according to him, the Ukrainian fire and rescue unit was put in such conditions that "it was forced to leave the plant and does not provide fire and rescue protection."

The head of the inspectorate said that under such conditions, it was forced to limit its operation, which is impossible at power facilities.

At the same time, he said that the presence of a permanent IAEA monitoring mission at ZNPP is a very important component of safety and recognition that ZNPP belongs to Ukraine, and that Energoatom is its operating organization.

"But even the IAEA does not stop the occupiers from their illegal actions in violation of nuclear and radiation safety standards," the head of the inspectorate said.

A day earlier, Ukrainian Minister of Energy Herman Haluschenko said that diplomatic steps to return the ZNPP to Ukraine have not yet been successful.

"Now the situation has reached an impasse. Our position, which we are voicing at all international venues, is that any negotiations on the Zaporizhia NPP should be based: firstly, on the demilitarization of the plant, and secondly, on the exit of Rosatom employees from the ZNPP. Thirdly, Ukrainian personnel must be able to operate a nuclear facility calmly, without pressure. But in response to this, we received Putin's void decree that ZNPP is a "federal" property, with the registration of the corresponding company in Moscow under the name "Zaporozhskaya plant," his words were quoted on the Telegram channel of the ministry.




On 2 March 2023, Ambassador Wang Qing hosted the Reception of the Assumption of Office in Freetown, Sierra Leone. The reception was attended by Honourable Mr. Bundu, the Speaker of Parliament, Honourable Prof. DavidFrancis, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and other cabinet Ministers, friends from all walks of life, various heads of diplomatic missions and representatives from the Chinese community in Sierra Leone .





In his speech, Ambassador Wang Qing said that it is a great honor to be appointed as the new Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone is a beautiful country with friendly people and has seen stable social and economic development in recent years. China-Sierra Leone relations is long standing and well established. The two sides supported each other in their struggles for national liberation and independence, in pursuing economic development and national rejuvenation, and in fighting against the Ebola and COVID-19. China-Sierra Leone relations has scored historical achievements and created an excellent model for China-Africa relations and South-South cooperation. Ambassador Wang Qing expressed his confidence that new progress in the China-Sierra Leone Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership will be achieved through further implementing the important consensuses reached by the Heads of State President Xi Jinping and President Julius Maada Bio, strengthening high level exchanges, synergizing development strategies and deepening practical cooperation. Ambassador Wang Qing also spoke highly of the contributions by the Chinese Community in Sierra Leone for developing the bilateral relations and encouraged them to step up their efforts.





Honorable Minister Prof. David Francis, on behalf of the Sierra Leonean government, extended a warm welcome to Ambassador Wang Qing. Minister Francis expressed his gratitude towards the Chinese Government for the long-standing and generous assistance towards the socioeconomic development of Sierra Leone, reiterated that Sierra Leone will firmly adhere to the One-China policy and support China's efforts to safeguard its sovereignty, security and developmental interests. Sierra Leone will support and actively participate in Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative and welcome Chinas position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis. Sierra Leone is ready to work with China to enhance the bilateral relations and strengthen cooperation in multilateral affairs in order to contribute to the lasting peace and common development in the world.





The Reception of the Assumption of Office proceeded in a warm and friendly atmosphere. Guests at the reception expressed their sincere congratulations and warmly welcome to Ambassador Wang Qing on his new post, wishing that China-Sierra Leone relations will continue to make great progress in the future.




IAEA director general says has intensified consultations on ZNPP safety and security zone

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi told the Board of Governors on Monday that he has intensified consultations on establishing a Nuclear Safety and Security Protection Zone (NSSPZ) around the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP).

"The situation at Zaporizhia NPP underscores the urgent need to establish a nuclear safety and security protection zone at the site. I have intensified my consultations with both parties and rely on your continued active support to achieve this important measure without further delay," Grossi said in a statement.

The Zaporizhia NPP, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe operating six VVER-1000 units, is occupied by Russia.
Finland is ready to help Ukraine with the assessment of the current air monitoring system and the formation of a plan for its modernization, the press service of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources reports.

In addition, it is noted that during the online meeting of Deputy Minister Oleksandr Krasnolutsky with representatives of the Finnish Ministry of the Environment and the Finnish Metrological Institute, the Finnish partners also expressed their readiness to help with the purchase of reference-level stations, launch pilot projects to assess the impact of the war on the environment and contribute to the development of a satellite observation system.

They also announced their readiness to introduce approaches of remote sensor systems for monitoring the state of natural objects.

"The participants agreed to create appropriate working groups for each of the directions. They will develop a list of tasks for the project of international technical assistance to Ukraine, which will be financed by the Government of Finland," the ministry summed up.
Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, will receive 5,700 solar photovoltaic systems manufactured by the Italian company Enel with a capacity of 350 W for the public sector by the summer, the Energy Ministry said.

According to a message on its Telegram channel, such a decision was discussed by Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Haluschenko during an online meeting with EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson and Enel CEO Francesco Starace.

The solar panels will arrive in Ukraine with the logistical support of the civil protection mechanism of the EU and the Energy Community.

"The gradual decentralization of Ukraine's energy system is the key to its security and resistance to attacks from Russia. Implementing this course, the Ministry of Energy will rely on stimulating the development of green energy. In particular, today it is critical to expand the possibilities for autonomous energy supply to facilities that ensure the functioning of the country" Haluschenko said, whose words are given in the ministry's press release.

According to him, the installation of the maximum number of solar panels is very important in the context of preparations for the next heating season.

He thanked Enel, all European companies and the European Commission for their strong support and solidarity with Ukraine.

With this first project, the EU wants to launch a broader initiative to improve Ukraine's energy security by developing its renewable capacity, Simson said.

"This is a prime example of European solidarity in action and how investing in clean technology production can make Europe more energy secure and independent," Simson said, quoted by the Energy Ministry.
On Sunday, March 5, Russian invaders fired at the village of Poniativka (Kherson region) using mortars, as a result of which, according to preliminary information, three civilians were killed, the press service of Kherson Regional Military Administration has said.

"Today the Russian army using mortars hit the village of Poniativka in Daryivska community. According to preliminary information, three civilians from Kherson region were killed because of this enemy attack," the administration said.

It specifies that the enemy deliberately struck a residential building in which there were civilians.

Later, Head of the President's Office of Ukraine Andriy Yermak said a woman and two children were killed as a result of an attack by the invaders.
The world is strong enough to punish Russia for the war, and Ukraine will give the world sufficient tools to do this, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video statement on Sunday, March 5.

"A major conference was held with the participation of many of our partners  lawyers from Ukraine, all over Europe and the world. 'United for justice.' Step by step, we are moving towards ensuring that the terrorist state is fully responsible for what has been committed against our state, against our people. All Russian murderers must be punished, every organizer of this aggression, everyone who ensures the war against our state and terror against our people," he said.

According to the president, "these are the agreements that we are reaching. These are institutions that are already working and will work even more actively for the sake of restoring justice. For the sake of punishing those responsible for the aggression."

"The world is strong enough to punish Russia for the war. And we will give the world enough courage and enough tools to make the punishment occur. And I thank all our partners who help build a network of legal interaction so that the relevant sentences are still pronounced and implemented," Zelensky said.
Leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany Lars Klingbeil and leader of the SPD faction Rolf Mutzenich arrived in Kyiv on Monday, March 6, Tagesschau said.

According to the publication, politicians arrived in Kyiv in the morning by train, on Monday they will hold talks with representatives of the Ukrainian government and parliament.

For security reasons, information about the visit and the exact program has not been published.

This is the first visit by Klingbeil and Mutzenich since the start of a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.

After February 24, 2022, several high-ranking SPD politicians visited Ukraine, most notably Chancellor Olaf Scholz in June 2022. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius arrived in Ukraine just a few days after taking office.
During the day, the Ukrainian military destroyed about 650 personnel of the Russian aggressor army, nine tanks, 11 armored combat vehicles, 15 operational-tactical UAVs, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has said.

"The total combat losses of the enemy from February 24, 2022 to March 6, 2023 approximately amounted to personnel about 153,770 (650 more) people liquidated, tanks some 3,423 (nine more) units, armored combat vehicles some 6,703 (11 more) units, artillery systems some 2,433 (seven more) units, MLRS some 488 units, air defense systems some 250 (two more) units, aircraft some 302 units, helicopters some 289 units, tactical UAVs 2,086 (15 more), cruise missiles some 873, ships and boats some 18 units, vehicles and tankers some 5,307 (eight more) units, special equipment some 234 (two more)," the AFU said in on Facebook.
Shmyhal recommends Kryvonos to consider possibility of appointing Hupiak, Osypchuk to senior positions in NABU

Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal recommended Director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) Semen Kryvonos to consider the possibility of appointing Serhiy Hupiak and Roman Osypchuk to senior positions in NABU.

"I consider all three candidates to be professionally trained persons to work in senior positions in NABU," Prime Minister Shmyhal said at an extraordinary government meeting on Monday.

In this regard, the prime minister said newly appointed head of NABU Kryvonos consider appointing two other candidates, namely Hupiak, an employee of the State Bureau of Investigations in Khmelnytsky region, and Roman Osypchuk, head of the NABU Internal Control Department, to senior positions in NABU.
Detectives from the Bureau of Economic Security (BES), together with employees of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), seized more than 16,000 tonnes of gasoline and diesel fuel following searches at oil depots in Odesa and Cherkasy regions.

"More than 3,000 tonnes of fuel with an estimated cost of almost UAH 144 million have already been seized. In addition, a petition has been prepared to seize 13,000 tonnes of petroleum products worth UAH 640 million. The estimated total cost of the seized fuel is almost UAH 800 million," BES reported on its website on Monday.

The seized oil products are blocked to avoid the possible illegal sale. The issue of further fuel transfer for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is being resolved.

"Thus, the SBU blocked the possibility of illegal sale of these petroleum products, which the former management of these companies illegally removed from Ukrnafta and Ukrtatnafta," the SBU said on its website.

During 2022, representatives of Ukrtatnafta shipped fuel to the addresses of affiliated companies without reflecting operations in tax reporting, the SBU said. Subsequently, filling stations under their control sold wholesale batches of petroleum products without paying excise tax.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a regular meeting of the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief on Monday, during which the leadership of the Ukrainian army called for the continuation of the defensive operation in Bakhmut.

According to the presidential press service, the Headquarters' participants reviewed the situation in Bakhmut in detail.

In particular, assessing the course of the defensive operation, Zelenskyy asked the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhny and the commander of Khortytsia operational-strategic group of troops Oleksandr Syrsky regarding further actions in Bakhmut direction. They spoke in favor of continuing the defensive operation and further strengthening the Ukrainian positions in Bakhmut.

The commanders of the operational-strategic groupings of troops also reported on the situation in the main directions of the frontline.

In addition, the Headquarters' meeting discussed the supply of weapons and equipment and their distribution in operational areas.

The meeting was attended by: Head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak, Head of the Main Intelligence Agency of the Ministry of Defense Kyrylo Budanov; Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal; Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov; commanders of military branches and operational areas. Members of the government, heads of law enforcement agencies and law enforcement agencies joined the meeting of the Headquarters.
The Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression can be established following the example of the Nuremberg Tribunal, with adaptation to modern methods and methods of Russia's waging war against Ukraine, but the main task of Ukraine is to bring the occupiers to justice at the national level, Head of the Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol Ihor Ponochovny has said.

In an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine, speaking about the prospects for creating a tribunal for aggression, Ponochovny said the reason for the need to create such a tribunal is the possibility of investigating the crime of aggression, since the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court cannot investigate this crime.

"When such a tribunal is created, it may be envisaged that it will be able to consider other crimes committed by the occupiers throughout Ukraine, with each passing day the prospects for creating such a tribunal are becoming more real," he said.

Speaking about how he personally imagines this tribunal, the prosecutor of the autonomy noted: "Perhaps, following the example of the Nuremberg Tribunal, this is a classic and almost the only example of a well-known tribunal. The tribunals for Yugoslavia and Rwanda were specific, since they were internal, not international armed conflict."

At the same time, Ponochovny said the tribunal that will be created against Russia "should be adapted to modern methods and methods of Russia's war against Ukraine."

The head of the Crimean prosecutor's office said there were acquittals at the Nuremberg trials, the tribunal did not touch on a significant number of Nazis, and therefore Israel, having a huge request for justice, carried out its own trials.

"Therefore, the task of Ukraine is not to rely on someone, but to independently establish, document, and pronounce sentences on war criminals, even if in absentia for the time being, but we have legal grounds to later find this person in any corner of the world, bring him here and punish him," he said.

The prosecutor of the autonomy said: "How it will be  the way Israel did it against the Nazis, or in another way  time will tell. But we must have legal grounds for carrying out such activities. Because to go to Russia, pull Putin out of the bunker, bring here and condemn  it is now impossible."
The murder of a Ukrainian prisoner of war on camera by Russian occupiers is evidence of the cultivation of war crimes in the Russian Federation and their justification by propaganda, said head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak.

"War crimes are cultivated in Russia. And they are whitened by their propaganda and myths about Nazis. The murder of a captured man is another example of this. And it is also an example of their national insignificance and weakness," Yermak wrote on Telegram on Monday.

He also stressed that "there will be a reckoning for every such war crime." "No one will be able to hide from it," the head of the President's Office added.

Earlier, a video of the murder of an unarmed man in a Ukrainian military uniform without visible identification marks appeared on the network. He looks in the direction where the camera is, a voice-over says, "Catch him on video." To this the prisoner replies: "Glory to Ukraine." After that, numerous shots sound. The video was shot in a forest plantation.
Lithuanian Minister of National Defense Arvydas Anusauskas met with First Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Lieutenant General Oleksandr Pavliuk, who arrived in Vilnius to share the experience gained during the integration of paramilitary structures in the Armed Forces, the press service of the Ministry of Defense of the country reports.

"The lessons learned in Ukraine help us purposefully develop our military capabilities. We also take a firm position on supporting Ukraine in all possible ways and are preparing a new package of assistance to Ukraine," Anusauskas said.

It is noted that at the moment Lithuania has provided Ukraine with military assistance in the amount of almost EUR 409 million. A new aid package is currently being prepared.

"Most of Lithuania's assistance to Ukraine is military training. It is planned to train 1,600 soldiers this year. Lithuanian instructors train Ukrainians both at the national level, in Lithuania, and within the framework of the EU Training Mission and international initiatives such as Interflex. It is also planned to develop a mine clearance course in Lithuania in cooperation with the Nordic countries," the ministry said.

They add that the minister also stressed that Lithuania is intensively preparing for the NATO summit to be held in Vilnius this summer and at which, among other important issues, an agreement on the prospects for Ukraine's membership will be reached.
Some 307 Ukrainian children have been returned to the government-controlled territory of Ukraine from the temporarily occupied territories and from the territory of the Russian Federation, the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets has said.

He noted that on Monday, an 8-year-old boy was returned to Ukraine.

"At the end of February, the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights received an appeal for the return of a child in the temporarily occupied territory of Russia. A few days later, with the assistance and work of the staff of the Ombudsman's Office, Sasha was met by his grandmother. Now the boy is in Ukraine," Lubinets wrote on Telegram.

He noted that according to the National Information Bureau, 307 Ukrainian children have been returned to Ukraine so far.

"We are working to bring every Ukrainian home," the Ombudsman summed up.
The Main Investigative Department of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has registered criminal proceedings in connection with the video of the shooting of an unarmed man in a Ukrainian military uniform that has spread online, Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin said.

"Even war has its laws. There are norms of international law that are systematically neglected by the criminal Russian regime. But sooner or later the crime will be punished. All those involved will be held accountable before the law," Kostin wrote on the Telegram channel.

Criminal proceedings have been opened under Part 2 of Article 438 (violation of the laws and customs of war) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Procedural guidance will be provided by the Office of the Prosecutor General.

As it was reported earlier, a video of the murder of an unarmed man in a Ukrainian military uniform without visible identification marks appeared on the network. He looks in the direction where the camera is, a voice-over says, "Catch him on video." To this the prisoner replies: "Glory to Ukraine." After that, numerous shots sound. The video was shot in a forest plantation.
Zelenskyy dismisses employees in central, two regional SBU depts, appoints new head of SBU in Sumy region  decrees

On Monday, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed decrees on the dismissal of a number of senior employees of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in the central and two regional departments.

The relevant documents have been published on the website of the head of state.

Thus, according to presidential decree No. 130/2023, Oleksandr Yakushev was dismissed from the post of deputy head of the SBU.

According to decree No. 131/2023, Oleksandr Provotorov was dismissed from the post of head of the Department of Economic Support of the SBU.

According to decree No. 132/2023, Ihor Nosko was dismissed from the post of head of the Department of State Secrets Protection and Licensing of the SBU.

In addition, according to decrees No. 133/2023 and No. 134/2023, Borys Bezruky and Eduard Fedorov, respectively, were dismissed from the posts of heads of SBU departments in Zaporizhia and Sumy regions.

At the same time, on Monday, Zelensky also signed decrees appointing Oleh Khramov as the head of the Department for the Protection of State Secrets and Licensing of the SBU and Oleh Krasnoshapka as the head of the SBU department in Sumy region.

Relevant documents No. 135/2023 and No. 136/2023 are also published on the website of the Ukrainian president.
Moldova's opposition Bloc of Communists and Socialists has protested outside the Constitutional Court in Chisinau against changing the name "Moldovan language" to "Romanian language."

Over a hundred opposition activists attended the protest, an Interfax correspondent reported from the scene on Monday. The protesters came with posters saying "Moldova, Moldovans, Moldovan," "Moldova's state language is Moldovan. Article 13 of the constitution." They chanted the slogan "Observe the constitution!" carrying Moldovan national flags.

Lawmaker Vasile Bolea said at the rally that people had come to the Constitutional Court because the ruling Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) "has encroached upon the most sacred thing that every Moldovan has - the language of mothers and grandmothers and grandfathers."

"The language of mothers and ancestors that we speak is the Moldovan language, which is enshrined in the constitution. Last week, the lawmakers of the majority decided at their 'local council' to amend the constitution with a regular bill. If they pass the bill in the second reading, we will be back to the Constitutional Court to protect the Moldovan language," the deputy said.

He said that the text of the fundamental law could be changed or repealed either through a referendum or through complicated parliamentary procedures, with the support of no more than two thirds of MPs.

"During the many crises provoked by PAS and the current head of state, the authorities have found nothing better to do than to bring up the name of the language," the leader of the Party of Communists and former president Vladimir Voronin said.

"The authorities, who promised citizens 'good times,' could do nothing and took up the language. In all the years we have been in power, we have not addressed the constitution or made any changes, not one comma has been changed. In the end, those who violate the constitution today will be held responsible," Voronin said.

Other Socialist lawmakers and public activists who advocate retaining the name "Moldovan language" also spoke at the rally. They promised to continue to protest and prevent the legislation's amendment.

The Moldovan parliament has passed in the first reading a bill making amendments to all national legislation, including the constitution of the Republic of Moldova, to replace the expression "the Moldovan language" with "the Romanian language".

The full title of the bill is "On Implementing the Considerations of Certain Rulings of the Constitutional Court". The bill authors have invoked three Constitutional Court rulings, including the one of December 5, 2013. According to this document, Moldova's state language is Romanian.

The constitution states that constitutional amendments may be adopted "by two thirds of parliamentarians" and "not earlier than six months upon the registration of the relevant draft legislation and only if the Constitutional Court has issued a positive review. Under the constitution of Moldova, "the constitution may not be revised during periods such as state of emergency, state of siege or under martial law."

Members of the ruling PAS faction in the Moldovan parliament argue that the above provisions would apply if constitutional amendments were submitted, while in this case they believe the parliament is dealing with a 'technical decision' to bring the constitution in conformity with the Constitution Court ruling. They emphasize that the rule applied de facto anyway, but there is a formal requirement to amend all legislative acts in accordance with the Constitutional Court ruling.

Previously, the Moldovan Academy of Sciences admitted that the correct name of the language is "Romanian". Romanian has been taught in all Moldovan schools and educational institutions since 1992.
The Defense Ministers of the European Union member states will listen to the information of their Ukrainian counterpart Oleksiy Reznikov about the latest developments on the battlefield, about the needs of the Ukrainian army and discuss ways to accelerate the supply of ammunition and artillery to Ukraine.

On Monday, announcing the upcoming informal meeting of the heads of defense departments, which will be held in Stockholm on March 7-8, a representative of the Swedish government told reporters.

He said that the first session would be devoted to EU support for Ukraine and consists of three parts. At the first one, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov will brief EU ministers: he will talk about the latest developments on the ground and about the most important priorities and needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He expressed hope that Reznikov will personally be able to take part in the meeting.

The second part, according to the interlocutor of the journalists, will be devoted to the discussion of the EU-Ukraine military support mission, in which the military representatives of Poland and Germany will talk about how training is progressing, what challenges and opportunities there are for the military who are trained in this mission. At the third part, he said, the ministers will discuss the possibilities of accelerating the supply and production of artillery ammunition that Ukraine urgently needs, joint purchases and how they will accelerate the capabilities of the European industry for the production of ammunition.

Answering the question of the Interfax-Ukraine agency when an official decision on joint procurement of ammunition can be made, he explained that many options for this specific initiative of Estonia have yet to be agreed and worked out. According to him, the EU Foreign Diplomatic Service hopes that agreements will be reached, at the latest, at the meeting of the Council on Foreign Affairs on March 20. He said they have a hope that at Wednesday's meeting, the defense ministers will be able to better understand the possible aspects that should be taken into account for this initiative: whether this (joint procurement) will be entrusted to the European Defense Agency or it will be the member states, whether it will be a combination and so on - much still needs to be worked out and agreed, including funding from the European peace fund or from another source  which they have not yet decided what it will be. He thinks that at this meeting on Wednesday, the EU member states will talk about the modality to be able to continue working in Brussels. To his mind, March 20 is an ambitious but realistic date when, as they hope, a decision can be made so that it can be confirmed by the European Council later in a couple of days.

Answering the question about possible financing, the interlocutor of the journalists recalled that the proposals of the Foreign Diplomatic Service start with EUR 1 billion for the first track, which is that they select everything from their vaults that they have  it will be for reimbursement. There is also a discussion, he said, that the second billion, which they agreed for the peace fund, will be allocated for the second track  and this is joint purchases. Then there should be a discussion regarding additional money, which will not be easy according to him.

In addition, during the informal meeting, the heads of defense departments intend to get a better understanding of what is still left in the storage facilities of the member states and how quickly production capacities can be accelerated. The commitments (regarding procurement) for the coming years will be a strong political and economic impetus for the industry, he said. According to him, the most important thing now is to discuss how they can supply more ammunition and artillery to Ukraine and even faster than they are doing it now. This is their primary goal.

The ministers will also discuss China and Wagner PMC.
Egyptian authorities released on Monday 31 pretrial detainees, according to an announcement posted on Facebook by lawyer Tarek El-Awady, who is a member of the Presidential Pardon Committee.

The released detainees were jailed pending investigation in different cases between the years 2019-2022.

Among those released on Monday, are socialist Alexandrian activist and author Hassan Mostafa, who was arrested in December 2019. Also among them is painter Amir Abdel-Ghany, who was arrested in September 2022 for joining a terrorist organisation and spreading false news.

Since the reactivation of the Presidential Pardon Committee in April 2022, more than 1,000 pretrial detainees have been released and 12 convicts have been pardoned.

Pardons and release orders have included high-profile figures, including political activists Hossam Mones, Yahia Abdel-Hady, and Hisham Fouad, as well as leftist activist and lawyer Haitham Mohamadein.

The committee was originally established in 2016 to review the cases of those imprisoned for political crimes and others who meet certain criteria set by the committee.

The committee receives appeals from entities and political entities such as the National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) and parliaments Human Rights Committee as well as through its website.

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Egyptian authorities released on Tuesday 35 pretrial detainees, according to an announcement posted on Facebook by lawyer Tarek El-Awady, who is a member of the Presidential Pardon Committee.

The released detainees were jailed pending investigation in different cases between the years 2020 and 2022.

Among those released on Tuesday was photojournalist Mohamed Fawzi, who was arrested in May 2022 on charges of joining a terrorist organisation and spreading false news.

Since the reactivation of the Presidential Pardon Committee in April 2022, more than 1,000 pretrial detainees have been released and 12 convicts have been pardoned.

Pardons and release orders have included high-profile figures, including political activists Hossam Mones, Yahia Abdel-Hady, and Hisham Fouad, as well as leftist activist and lawyer Haitham Mohamadein.

The committee was originally established in 2016 to review the cases of those imprisoned for political crimes and others who meet certain criteria set by the committee.

The committee receives appeals from entities and political entities such as the National Council for Human Rights and parliaments Human Rights Committee as well as through its website.

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Qabil Ashirov

Khayyam Farzaliyev, the deputy chairman of AzerGold CJSC received the delegation led by Mansurkhoja Yusupxocaev, the head of the Strategic Enterprises Transformation Coordination Department of the Agency for Strategic Reforms under the President of Uzbekistan, Azernews reports citing the company.

The meeting discussed the deepening economic relations between the two countries. The delegation noted that Uzbekistan is interested in learning about the experience of economic reforms carried out in Azerbaijan.

Feruz Ahmadov, head of the Interregional Inspectorate for Work with Large Taxpayers of the State Tax Committee under the Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan, spoke about the tax reforms implemented in Uzbekistan and its impact on the development of business, especially industry.

Later, information was exchanged between the two countries in the field of tax legislation to attract investments in the mining sector, and the questions of the guests were answered. Other issues of mutual interest were also discussed at the meeting.
Egyptian authorities are currently finishing the release procedures of 33 pretrial detainees, according to an announcement posted on Facebook on Wednesday by lawyer Tarek El-Awady, who is a member of the Presidential Pardon Committee.

The to-be released detainees were jailed pending investigation in different cases that went back to 2019 and 2020.

According to El-Awady, Al-Masry Al-Youm journalist Ahmed Mohamed Allam, who was arrested in April 2020 for a number of charges, including spreading false news, is among the batch.

Leftist activist Ziyad Abu El-Fadl, Khaled Abdel-Mohsen Abdel-Rahim, Mohamed Sobhy Batikh, Abdo Lotfy Abu Sena and Karim Ahmed are also among the 33 pretrial detainees.

Since the reactivation of the Presidential Pardon Committee in April 2022, more than 1,000 pretrial detainees have been released and 12 convicts have been pardoned.

Pardons and release orders have included high-profile figures, including political activists Hossam Mones, Yahia Abdel-Hady, Hisham Fouad, as well as leftist activist and lawyer Haitham Mohamadein.

The committee was originally established in 2016 to review the cases of those imprisoned for political crimes and others who meet certain criteria set by the committee.

The committee receives appeals from entities and political entities such as the National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) and parliaments Human Rights Committee as well as through its website.

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The proceedings of the 159th session of the Arab League (AL) Council at the level of permanent representatives kicked off on Monday at its headquarters in Cairo under the presidency of Egypt.





The permanent delegates will discuss the draft agenda of the council at the ministerial level on Wednesday also under Egypts presidency.

The prospective agenda includes political, economic and social files. At the top comes pressing issues in Palestine, Yemen, Syria, as well as Arab relations with regional, international and African blocs.

In terms of Palestine, the Arab Labor Organization-a specialized organization affiliated with the AL- had denounced on Sunday, during a meeting at AL headquarters, the Israeli violations against Arab laborers in the occupied Arab, Palestinian territories.

The session is being held amid recent clashes in the West Bank that began this year with Israeli forces' raid on Jenin refugee camp.

The situation has since escalated.

Egypt condemned on Friday an Israeli ministers call to wipe out the Palestinian village of Huwara as a dangerous and unacceptable incitement to violence.

The country also recently reasserted its full support for legitimate rights of Palestinians at the UN in February.

This was in light of Israel's consistent attacks in the past few months against cities of the West Bank that left dozens dead and many injured.

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The foreign minister added that any discussions should focus on the main mission of the organisation in promoting education, science and culture.



Spokesman for the Foreign Ministry Ahmed Abu Zeid said Shoukry welcomed Rastovac who started her tour of the Arab region with Cairo, which hosts the first office of the organisation.



Abu Zeid added that the meeting reviewed ways of promoting the role of UNESCO in backing requests of member states to restore their heritage and stolen cultural properties.



Rastovac, on her part, said she is keen on posting the foreign minister on issues that pose serious challenges to the work of the organisation at present.

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The Egyptian authorities are currently finalising the procedures to release a new batch of 30 pretrial detainees, Tarek El-Khouly, a member of the Presidential Pardon Committee, said on Monday.

The detainees were incarcerated pending investigation into cases not related to violence or terrorism, El-Khouly wrote on Facebook.

Since the reactivation of the Presidential Pardon Committee in April 2022, more than 1,000 pretrial detainees have been released and 12 convicts pardoned.

Pardons and release orders included high-profile figures, such as political activists Hossam Mones, Yahia Abdel-Hady, Hisham Fouad, as well as leftist activist and lawyer Haitham Mohamadein.

The committee was originally established in 2016 to review the cases of those imprisoned for political crimes and others who meet certain criteria set by the committee.

The committee receives appeals from entities and political bodies such as the National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) and parliaments Human Rights Committee as well as through its website.

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The Russian government has donated 20,000 tons of fertilizer to Malawi as part of its efforts to garner diplomatic support from various African nations.

Russia will give 260,000 tons of fertilizer to countries in the continent, Russian Ambassador to Malawi Nikolai Krasilnikov said at a handover ceremony Monday at the capital, Lilongwe.

He said he hopes African leaders will press for the abolition of international sanctions against Russia when they attend the second Russia-Africa summit to be held in St. Petersburg at the end of July.

The Russian manufacturer Uralchem-Ukalkali had produced the fertilizer and made the gift to Malawi, said Dmitry Shornikov, head of the firm's southern Africa branch, who also attended the handover.

The fertilizer should help Malawi achieve its goals of substantially boosting its agricultural production and helping families grow more healthy and nutritious food, said Shornikov.

Malawis minister of Agriculture Kawale said the fertilizer will reach 400,000 farming households and boost their agricultural production.

Also attending the event was a representative of the United Nations World Food Program.

Malawi voted to censure Russia at the United Nations last year for its invasion of Ukraine. More than 15 other African countries abstained from the vote.

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Ukrainian military leaders expressed determination Monday to hold onto Bakhmut as Russian forces encroached on the devastated eastern city they have sought to capture for six months at the cost of thousands of lives.

Less than a week ago, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the defenders might retreat from Bakhmut and fall back to nearby positions.

But Zelenskyys office said Monday that he chaired a meeting in which top military brass spoke in favor of continuing the defense operation and further strengthening our positions in Bakhmut."

Intense Russian shelling targeted the city in the Donetsk region and nearby villages as Moscow pressed a three-sided assault to try to finish off Bakhmuts resistance.

The nearby towns of Chasiv Yar and Kostiantynivka came under heavy shelling, damaging cars and homes and sparking a fire. No casualties were immediately reported.

Police and volunteers evacuated people from Chasiv Yar and other front-line towns in an operation made difficult by the loss of bridges and constant artillery fire that has left barely a house standing.

Russian forces have been unable to deliver a knockout blow that would allow them to seize Bakhmut. Analysts say it does not hold major strategic value and that its capture would be unlikely to serve as a turning point in the conflict.

The Russian push for Bakhmut reflects the Kremlin's broader struggle to achieve battlefield momentum. Moscow's full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, soon stalled, and Ukraine launched a largely successful counteroffensive.

Over the bitterly cold winter months, the fighting has largely been deadlocked.

The city's importance has become mostly symbolic. For Russian President Vladimir Putin, prevailing there would finally deliver some good news from the front.

For Kyiv, the display of grit and defiance reinforces a message that Ukraine is holding on after a year of brutal attacks, justifying continued support from its Western allies.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin endorsed that view Monday, saying during a visit to Jordan that Bakhmut has more of a symbolic value than  strategic and operational value.

Moscow, he added, continues "to pour in a lot of ill-trained and ill-equipped troops into Bakhmut, while Ukraine patiently builds combat power elsewhere with Western military support ahead of a possible spring offensive.

Even so, some analysts question the wisdom of pressing the Ukrainian defenders to hold out much longer. Others suggest that a tactical withdrawal may already be underway.

Michael Kofman, the director of Russia studies at the CAN think tank in Arlington, Virginia, said Ukraines defense of Bakhmut has been effective because it has drained the Russian war effort, but that Kyiv should now look ahead.

"The tenacious defense of Bakhmut achieved a great deal, expending Russian manpower and ammunition, Kofman tweeted late Sunday.

But strategies can reach points of diminishing returns, and given Ukraine is trying to husband resources for an offensive, it could impede the success of a more important operation.

The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, noted that urban warfare favors the defender but that Kyiv's smartest option now may be to withdraw to positions that are easier to defend.

In recent days, Ukrainian units destroyed two key bridges just outside Bakhmut, including one linking it to Chasiv Yar along the last remaining Ukrainian resupply route, according to UK military intelligence officials and other Western analysts. Demolishing the bridges could slow the Russian offensive.

"Ukrainian forces are unlikely to withdraw from Bakhmut all at once and may pursue a gradual fighting withdrawal to exhaust Russian forces through continued urban warfare, the ISW said in an assessment published late Sunday.

The Bakhmut battle has exposed Russian military shortcomings and bitter divisions.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the millionaire owner of the Wagner Group military company that has spearheaded the Bakhmut offensive, has been at loggerheads with the Russian Defense Ministry and repeatedly accused it of failing to provide his forces with ammunition.

On Sunday, he again criticized top military brass for moving slowly to deliver the promised ammunition and questioned whether the delay was caused by red tape or treason."

On Monday, Prigozhin warned in a Russian social media post that the situation in Bakmut will turn out to be a pie: The filling is the parts of the Armed Forces of Ukraine surrounded by us (in the case, of course, if there is a complete encirclement of Bakhmut), and the shell is, in fact, the Wagner Group.

The commander of the Ukrainian land forces, Col.-Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, noted after visiting Bakhmut that the fight has escalated with the deployment of additional Wagner forces.

Ukrainian troops, focused on defending the city's north to prevent its encirclement, have inflicted significant losses to the enemy, destroyed a large amount of equipment, forced the best Wagner assault units to be thrown into battle and reduced the enemys offensive potential."

Bakhmut has taken on almost mythic importance to its defenders. It has become like Mariupol, the port city in the same province that Russia captured last year after an 82-day siege that eventually came down to a mammoth steel mill where determined Ukrainian fighters held out along with civilians.

Moscow looked to cement its rule in Mariupol. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu toured some of the citys rebuilt infrastructure, the Defense Ministry reported Monday. Shoigu was shown a newly built hospital, a rescue center and residential buildings, the ministry said.

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Iran has sentenced to death six men over attacks carried out by an ethnic Arab "terrorist group" active in a province bordering Iraq, the judiciary said Monday.

A court "has sentenced six members of the Harakat al-Nidal terrorist group to death" in Ahvaz, capital of southwestern Khuzestan province, said the judiciary's Mizan Online website.

They were found guilty of "armed operations" between 2017 and 2019 that killed four people, including a soldier and two members of the Basij paramilitary force, the report said.

The six now on death row were named as Ali Mojadam, Mohammad Reza Moghadam, Moein Khanfari, Habib Deris, Adnan Ghobishavi and Salem Mousavi.

Mizan Online said they had "carried out the orders of their European leaders such as Habib Nabgan and Habibullah (Habib) Chaab".

Chaab is an Iranian-Swedish dissident who vanished in Turkey during a 2020 visit and who is now on trial in Iran, which does not recognise dual nationality.

Iran has also accused Harakat al-Nidal of "cooperation with other terrorist groups" in a 2018 attack on a military parade in Ahvaz that authorities said killed 25 and wounded almost 250.

The Islamic Republic of Iran executes more people every year than any other nation except China, according to rights groups including Amnesty International.

Last month, Iran's judiciary put to death a Kurdish militant who had been convicted of killing a police officer, a move condemned by rights groups who called him a political prisoner.

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Sultan al-Jaber, CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., who will lead international climate talks later this year told energy industry power players on Monday that the world must cut emissions 7% every year and eliminate all emissions of methane, strong comments for an oil executive.

But speaking at Ceraweek in Houston, al-Jaber did not directly address emissions from transportation, the destination of most crude oil.

Emissions from transport are the largest contributor to climate change in many countries, including the United States.

Al-Jaber singled out electricity, cement, steel and aluminum as targets for clean up, but not trucks, cars, trains and aircraft. He called for far greater investment to speed the transition to cleaner industries.

According to the IEA, in 2022, the world invested $1.4 trillion in the energy transition, he said. We need over three times that amount.

And he said that investment must flow to the developing world.

Only 15 per cent of clean tech investment reaches developing economies in the global south, and that is where 80 per cent of the population live, he stressed.

Al-Jaber did not call for the phasing out of oil and gas production and use, which is something that scientists and advocates have been demanding unsuccessfully for repeated COPs, short for Conference of the Parties, where nations meet to make climate commitments.

According to the International Energy Agency, to avoid the worst climate changes, there can be no new oil and gas production.

Each year, nations gather at COP to discuss how Paris Agreement goals to limit global warming to just 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) by 2050, can be achieved through international collaboration.

The 28th international or COP28 will be held in Dubai, Nov 30 to Dec. 12. The choice of country has drawn criticism given the nations high, and growing level of crude production.

The Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. pumps approximately 4 million barrels of crude a day and plans on expanding to 5 million barrels daily.

As president of this year's meeting, al-Jaber will have influence over how much pressure is brought to bear on those most reponsible for climate change, countries and companies that produce and burn coal, oil and gas.

Al-Jaber is the United Arab Emirates minister of industry and advanced technology, also serves as the chairman of Masdar, a renewable energy company.

Ceraweek attracts high level oil and gas officials each year and is hosted by S&P Global.

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The leader of Lebanons militant Hezbollah said Monday the group backs a former Cabinet minister and strong ally to become Lebanons next president.

It was the first time that Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah openly named Sleiman Frangieh as the candidate they support to win the top post in the crisis-hit country. Despite Hezbollahs support, Frangieh still needs the backing of other blocs, support that could prove hard to get.

Frangieh, a Maronite Christian, does not have the backing of the largest Christian blocs in parliament and many in the Western-backed coalition oppose him because of his alliance with Hezbollah and his close personal friendship with Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Frangieh, 57, and army commander Gen. Joseph Aoun, are the top candidates for president. Hezbollah is believed to oppose the army chief's bid for president because he enjoys backing by the US.

Lebanons deeply divided parliament has failed to elect a president during 11 sessions held since the term of President Michel Aoun, also a Hezbollah ally, ended in late October.

The natural candidate that we back in the presidential elections and has the specifications that we take into consideration is minister Sleiman Frangieh, Nasrallah said in a speech during a rally honoring the group's wounded fighters. He reiterated that Hezbollah doesnt want a candidate who stabs the resistance (Hezbollah) in the back.

Nasrallah said Hezbollah will not accept that foreign countries impose a president on Lebanon and will also not accept a foreign veto against any candidate, an apparent reference to Frangieh.

Nasrallahs announcement came days after Lebanons Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri also said he backs Frangieh for president. Frangieh has not publicly announced he is running for office.

Despite the support of Hezbollah and Berris Amal Movement, the two largest Shia groups in the country, Frangieh will still need the backing of other parliamentary blocs as no coalition has a majority in the 128-seat legislature.

Frangieh said recently that his close alliances with Hezbollah and Assads government give him an advantage against other candidates as he can speak with them to make concessions for the good of Lebanon.

According to Lebanons power-sharing system, the president must be a Maronite Christian, the prime minister a Sunni Muslim and the parliament speaker a Shia Muslim. The parliament and Cabinet seats are equally divided between Christians and Muslims.

Frangieh, the leader of the Marada Movement, hails from a well-known political family from northern Lebanon. His grandfather, the man whose name he carries, was a former Lebanese president.

When he was 13, his father, Tony Frangieh, was killed along with his mother and sister in an infamous 1978 massacre perpetrated by rival Christian Maronite forces in the mountain resort of Ehden.

In 2018, Frangieh reconciled with Christian leader Samir Geagea who led the raid in Ehden but was seriously wounded and withdrew from the operation.

Geagea, whose Lebanese Forces Party has the largest bloc in parliament, is strongly opposed to Frangieh becoming president and vowed to do all he can to prevent him from obtaining the post.

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Africa, which comprises 71 percent of the world's least developed countries, faces many development challenges related to food security primarily due to the geopolitical crisis facing Eastern Europe, said Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat in her speech delivered on behalf of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi on Monday.

Many countries are unable to achieve self-sufficiency in basic goods and balance supply chains as a result of the conflict, she added at the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, held in Doha, Qatar, from 5 to 9 March.

World leaders, representatives of the private sector, civil society, parliamentarians and youth are participating in the conference to bring forward new ideas, obtain new commitments of support, and stimulate the fulfillment of the commitments agreed through the Doha Programme of Action.

The conference is expected to announce initiatives that will help address the challenges of the least developed countries.

In her opening remarks, Al-Mashat expressed the appreciation of President El-Sisi to Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, crown prince of Qatar and chairperson of the fifth edition of the conference, President Lazarus Chakwera, president of the Republic of Malawi and chairperson of the Least Developed Countries Group, and Antonio Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations, for convening this edition of the conference, which is one of the most important international forums and platforms that monitor the challenges faced by the least developed countries.

The conference also focuses on the international community's efforts to build international and regional partnerships to address these challenges and find solutions that promote the achievement of sustainable development in those countries.

Al-Mashat said that Egypt has been keen to launch a national food and nutrition strategy to achieve security in this regard.

She emphasised Guterres' role to place the UN and its agencies at the forefront of helping developing and least developed countries address their development challenges, to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to ensure that no one is left behind, in accordance with the principles of the UN General Charter.

El-Sisi's speech shed light on the health, economic, and social damages resulting from successive global crises. Addressing the economic, social, and environmental challenges and building on regional and international partnerships are necessary to find sustainable solutions to the crises facing developing countries, Al-Mashat said on behalf of the president.

The speech highlighted Egypt's chairmanship of the current session of Steering the African Union Assembly on AUDA-NEPAD during 2023-2025, which is meant to strengthen cooperation efforts with African countries through a set of specific objectives.

These objectives include intensifying efforts to mobilise financing resources in areas of priority for the continent, including infrastructure development in order to achieve the goals of the African Development Agenda 2036, especially mobilising resources for 69 projects until 2023, including the Lake Victoria project and the Cairo-Cape Town Road.

They also include achieving industrial transformation and building on the outputs of the extraordinary Africa Summit held in Miami last November, and developing continental value chains.

Another goal is accelerating the realisation of the aspirations targeted by the Continental Free Trade Agreement, while supporting African countries to benefit from the opportunities that the agreement will provide for integration into the global economy and the jobs created, especially for youth and women.

The objectives include emphasising the participation of African countries for their expertise in the field of infrastructure. Egypt has contributed to the implementation of many vital projects in Africa, such as the Julius Nyerere Dam in Tanzania.

The speech asserted that climate change and natural disasters would remain important for discussion in the international and regional forums because of the impacts they impose on natural resources and the threat to human life.

It also highlighted Egypt's role during its presidency of the COP27 Climate Change Conference.

Al-Mashat said Egypt has been keen to establish an innovative model for developing and least developed countries to adapt to climate change through mitigation and adaptation projects, such as the Decent Life initiative, a presidential project meant to develop the countryside, eradicate poverty in Egyptian villages, and provide high-quality basic services.

The speech underpinned the UN efforts to share experiences as well as national and international experiences within the framework of cooperation with the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for 2023-2027 through investing in human capital, promoting job creation, supporting the transition to a green economy, developing health and education sectors, strengthening national monitoring and evaluation systems, and localising sustainable development goals.

Al-Mashat said Egypt looks forward to see the achievements of the Doha Programme of Action for the least developed countries.

President El-Sisi's speech concluded by asserting the great importance of effective multilateral development work, which is a lifeline for many developing and least developed countries in light of the economic risks and challenges the world is facing.

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Qabil Ashirov

Azerbaijans Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov met with Hungarian Economic Development Minister Marton Nagy, Azernews reports.

In the meeting, it was emphasized that the relationship between Azerbaijan and Hungary is developed, and the official visits of the heads of state and government, and meetings held within the framework of the official visit of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to Hungary in January 2023, are strengthening the cooperation.

The mutual interest in expanding the partnership between the two countries is indicated by the fact that Azerbaijan-Hungary trade turnover is increasing and beneficial investment cooperation is being implemented.

It was stated that energy, industry, transport, information technology, agriculture, trade, and education, etc. opportunities for strengthening relations in these fields are great, and Azerbaijan is taking necessary measures to realize this potential.

Hungarian Economic Development Minister Marton Nagy spoke about the importance of the projects implemented by Azerbaijan in ensuring the energy security of Europe and shared his views on the expansion of economic and trade relations.

The meeting discussed issues of mutual interest, including prospects of cooperation in the energy field, and opportunities for Hungarian investments in the financial sector.




Amitabh Bachchan said he was injured while shooting a film in southern India and is recovering at home.

The 80-year-old Bollywood superstar posted on his blog Sunday night that he sustained a rib injury while working in Hyderabad on the science-fiction film Project K. It's being made in Hindi and Telugu languages and is slated for release in 2024.

Bachchan wrote that he had broken rib cartilage and a muscle tear. He said the injury was painful and he consulted a doctor before he flew home to Mumbai, where he has been advised to rest.

I shall be unable to meet the well wishers at Jalsa Gate this evening.. so do not come, the actor said to fans who often gather outside his home in Mumbai. All else is well, he wrote.

He said his work on the film was suspended until hes healed.

Bachchan has acted in more than 200 Indian films. His breakthrough came in the 1973 film Zanjeer, or The Chain, and he rose to superstardom playing bold characters, inspiring fans to copy his hairstyle, clothes and deep voice.

The hugely popular actor is also a former politician and a television host.

In January, the legendary actor has been honoured in Saudi Arabia receiving Lifetime Achievement Award at 2023 Joy Awards.

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The seventh edition of the Aswan International Women's Film Festival (AIWFF) kicked off on Sunday, with the attendance of dozens of cultural personas and filmmakers.

Seven years of success and glory, stated Egypts minister of culture Nevine El-Kilani during her speech at the opening ceremony, praising the festivals mission to feature cinema from all over the world that represents women and their causes.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Aswan Governor Ashraf Attia, Head of the European Union Delegation to Egypt Ambassador Christian Berger, Dutch Ambassador in Cairo Han-Maurits Schaapveld, Czech Ambassador to Egypt Ivan Jukl and a number of Egyptian and foreign actors and filmmakers.

During the opening, the festival organisers paid tribute to Egyptian actress Nabila Ebeid, Egyptian media personality Dorria Sharaf El-Din, Spanish actress Cuca Escribano, Dutch director Mijke de Jong and Tunisian producer Salma Bakar.

The AIWFF, which takes place in the Upper Egyptian city until 10 March, will screen 61 films from 37 countries as part of its six competitions.

Ten films are competing in the Feature Film Competition, 18 in the Short Film Competition, five in the Egyptian Film Competition, and seven in the Impact Competition, in addition to 11 films produced by the festivals workshops and 12 films in the Childrens Film Programme.

It is also hosting various workshops such as the New Aswan Cinema Project Programme, the Film Project Development Workshop, Screenwriting, Animation for Adults and Animation for Children.

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China's government announced plans to promote a consumer-led revival of the nation's struggling economy as its legislature opened a session Sunday that will tighten President Xi Jinping's control over business and society.

Premier Li Keqiang, the top economic official, set this year's official growth target "around 5 percent" following the end of anti-virus controls that kept millions of people at home and triggered protests. Growth last year fell to 3 percent, the second-weakest level since at least the 1970s.

"We should give priority to the recovery and expansion of consumption," Li said in a nationally televised speech on government plans before the ceremonial National People's Congress in the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing.

The full meeting of the 2,977 members of the NPC is the year's highest-profile event but its work is limited to endorsing decisions made by the ruling Communist Party and showcasing official initiatives.

This month, the NPC is set to endorse the appointment of a government of Xi loyalists including a new premier after the 69-year-old president expanded his status as China's most powerful figure in decades by awarding himself a third five-year term as party general secretary in October, possibly preparing to become leader for life. Li, an advocate of free enterprise, was forced out as the No. 2 party leader in October.

Xi's new leadership team will face challenges ranging from weak global demand for exports and lingering U.S. tariff hikes in a feud over technology and security to curbs on access to Western processor chips because of security fears. Beijing's relations with Washington and its Asian neighbors have been strained by disputes over technology, security and control of the South China Sea.

In his report Sunday, the premier called for accelerating industrial and technology development, an area in which Beijing's state-led efforts have strained relations with Washington and other trading partners. They complain China steals or pressures foreign companies to hand over technology and improperly subsidizes and shields its fledgling competitors in violation of its market-opening commitments.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says there would be "consequences" if China sent weapons to Russia for Moscow's war in Ukraine, but he's optimistic that Beijing will refrain from doing so.

Scholz's comments came in an interview with CNN that aired Sunday, two days after he met U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington.

U.S. officials have warned recently that China could step off the sidelines and begin providing arms and ammunition to Moscow. Ahead of his trip, Scholz had urged Beijing to refrain from sending weapons and instead use its influence to press Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine.

Asked by CNN if he could imagine sanctioning China if it did aid Russia, Scholz replied, "I think it would have consequences, but we are now in a stage where we are making clear that this should not happen, and I'm relatively optimistic that we will be successful with our request in this case, but we will have to look at (it) and we have to be very, very cautious."

He didn't elaborate on the nature of the consequences. Germany has Europe's biggest economy, and China has been its single biggest trading partner in recent years.
The Biden administration is close to tightening rules on some overseas investments by U.S. companies to limit China's ability to acquire technologies that could improve its military prowess, according to a U.S. official familiar with the deliberations.

The soon-to-be-issued executive order from President Joe Biden will limit American investment in advanced technologies that have national security applications -- such as next-generation military capabilities that could help China improve the speed and accuracy of military decision making, according to the official, who was not authorized to comment and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The expected action is the latest effort by the White House to target China's military and technology sectors at a time of increasingly fraught relations between the world's two biggest economies.

In October, the Biden administration imposed export controls to limit China's ability to access advanced chips, which it says can be used to make weapons, commit human rights abuses and improve the speed and accuracy of its military logistics.

The complicated relationship has become further strained in recent weeks after the U.S. shot down a Chinese spy balloon last month that traversed the country. The Biden administration has also publicized U.S. intelligence findings that raise concern Beijing is weighing providing Russia weaponry for its ongoing war on Ukraine.

The tensions were on display as top diplomats from the Group of 20 industrialized and developing nations ended a contentious meeting in New Delhi on Thursday with no consensus on the Ukraine war and concerns about China's widening global influence dominating much of the talks.
China has scrapped COVID tests on arrival for travelers from Korea after Seoul stopped the requirement for visitors from China last week.

But all arrivals in China including Koreans still have to present a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours of their departure.

The two countries also agreed to increase flights to pre-pandemic levels, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport here.

China slashed flights between the two countries from about 1,100 a week in 2019 to just 60 at the moment. Only 105,000 passengers took the flights in January this year, a mere 7.6 percent of the 1.38 million passengers three years ago.
The government has come up with a proposal to compensate Koreans who were forced to work in Japanese munitions factories and mines in World War II in a bid to improve fraught relations with Japan. The government announced Monday that it will compensate the victims from a government foundation instead of direct payment from responsible Japanese businesses like Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Nippon Steel, which were ordered by the Supreme Court here in 2018 to compensate them. The foundation under the Ministry of Interior and Safety will gather donations from private companies like POSCO and other conglomerates that benefited from lump sum reparations Japan paid under a 1965 treaty.

Foreign Minister Park Jin speaks at a press conference in the Foreign Ministry in Seoul on Monday. /Yonhap

"We hope to take relations with Japan to the next level based on the alliance we have built since the normalization of bilateral ties," Park said. He said the measure will solve the issue, one of the biggest bone of contention between the two nations, and help them "work together to bring peace and prosperity in the region and the world." "We will do our utmost to remedy the pain and sufferings of the victims and their families," the minister added. Separately, Seoul and Tokyo will create a scholarship fund financed by the business lobbies of both countries -- The Federation of Korean Industries and the Japan Business Foundation, according to government sources.

Passers-by look at a statue of a wartime forced labor victim in Seoul on Sunday.

In turn, the Japanese government is expected to promise to uphold a joint declaration by President Kim Dae-jung and Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi in 1998 pledging to overcome the past while Tokyo voiced remorse for its wartime atrocities. Talks are likely to follow to lift Japanese export curbs on certain vital semiconductor materials to Korea, which were put in place in retaliation for the Supreme Court ruling. They will also discuss a visit to Japan by President Yoon Suk-yeol this month to meet Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The opposition has already protested. Park Sung-joon, a spokesman for the main opposition Minjoo Party, said, "Having a third party compensate the victims is a humiliating agreement that only benefits Japan and hides its responsibility. It will inflict fresh pain on the victims, enrage the [Korean] public and be remembered as a historic mistake."
KYODO NEWS - Mar 6, 2023 - 20:03 | All, Japan

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and Nippon Steel Corp. said Monday they respect the Japanese government's view that a wartime compensation dispute with South Korea has already been resolved in a 1965 agreement after Seoul announced a plan to settle the issue.

South Korea said a government-backed foundation will pay compensation to Korean plaintiffs who sued the two companies alleging forced labor during World War II instead of requiring the two Japanese firms to do so as ordered by South Korean court rulings.

In its rulings in 2018, South Korea's Supreme Court ordered the companies to pay damages to former Korean laborers and their relatives.

The two firms have refused to comply with the orders as the Japanese government has maintained that all issues stemming from the country's 1910-1945 colonization of the Korean Peninsula were settled under a bilateral agreement signed in 1965.

"We understand that the issue of former Korean laborers had already been resolved completely and conclusively" in the 1965 agreement, Mitsubishi Heavy said in a statement, adding it is not in a position to comment on South Korea's announcement.

Nippon Steel also said in a statement there is no change to its view that the issue has been resolved under the 1965 accord.

Kazuo Tokura, chairman of the country's biggest business lobby, the Japan Business Federation known as Keidanren, said in a press conference that he welcomes the Japanese government's expression of hope that South Korea's solutions to the wartime labor feud can improve bilateral relations.

South Korean media have reported that the federation and its South Korean counterpart are considering setting up a fund to promote youth exchanges.

Tokura said he wants to "consider what kind of collaboration is possible on various fronts" in the near future.

Related coverage:

South Korea announces solution to wartime labor row with Japan
By Keita Nakamura, KYODO NEWS - Mar 6, 2023 - 22:51 | All, Japan, World

A South Korean government's solution to a wartime labor issue with Japan is realistic but unlikely to fundamentally fix the long-standing thorny problem between the two countries, foreign affairs experts said.

South Korea's decision, announced Monday, centers on a government-backed foundation paying compensation to Korean plaintiffs instead of requiring two Japanese companies to do so, as had been ordered by South Korean court rulings in 2018.

Tokyo, however, is still worried that Seoul may abruptly overturn the plan, as the neighbor has violated bilateral promises in consideration of anti-Japan public opinion, basically helping push up the approval ratings of the nation's administration.

But Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's government should try to deepen cooperation with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol if Tokyo is keen to build normal and healthy ties with Seoul for future generations, the experts said.

South Korea unveiled the solution as Tokyo-Seoul relations have shown signs of improving since Yoon took office in May 2022, pledging to take a future-oriented approach toward Japan.

During the five-year tenure of Yoon's predecessor Moon Jae In, ties between Tokyo and Seoul reached their lowest point in years over wartime labor and other disputes, including a territorial row in the Sea of Japan.

In separate rulings in 2018, the South Korean Supreme Court ordered two Japanese firms -- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and Nippon Steel Corp. -- to pay damages to former Korean laborers and their relatives over alleged forced labor during World War II.

The companies have refused to comply with the requests, as Tokyo has said all issues stemming from Japan's 1910-1945 colonization of the Korean Peninsula were settled "completely and finally" under a 1965 bilateral agreement.

Under the South Korean government's solution, Seoul has voiced hope that Japanese firms will voluntarily contribute to the foundation, but it is believed that Tokyo did not guarantee Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Nippon Steel would join the entity.

Also, Japan has issued no fresh apology for its colonial rule of its neighbor, making it clear that Tokyo stands by previous government statements that expressed remorse over its wartime aggression in Asia.

Susumu Kohari, a professor at the University of Shizuoka, said the solution mapped out by South Korea "has given an impression that Yoon's administration has made concessions," adding Japan has refused to pay compensation or apologize again.

The solution has triggered a strong backlash in South Korea. Before its announcement, a public poll in South Korea in January showed that 64 percent of the respondents opposed the solution, with just 23 percent favoring it.

Meanwhile, South Korean media said business groups from the two countries will create a "future youth fund" to promote exchanges among young people through means such as student scholarships.

The groups are the Federation of Korean Industries, a major South Korean business lobby, and its Japanese equivalent, the Japan Business Federation. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Nippon Steel are members of the organization known as Keidanren.

"As a result, the Japanese corporate defendants will participate in" the framework of the solution, said Kohari, an expert on Korean studies, adding that establishing the foundation is a realistic manner for Tokyo and Seoul to resolve the wartime labor spat.

Tokyo eventually decided to allow the nation's companies to voluntarily donate to the foundation if Seoul retracted its demand for payment from the two defendant firms, according to Japanese government sources.

Nevertheless, Kohari said, technically, the right to compensation has not been abandoned.

In the past, both Japan and South Korea had agreed to settle the so-called comfort women matter "finally and irreversibly," but the accord was effectively scrapped unilaterally by Moon's government in 2019, infuriating Japan.

South Korea claims Koreans were forced to work as "comfort women" in Japanese wartime military brothels.

Kohari said there is concern among Japanese government officials and ruling lawmakers that the wartime labor issue might follow the same pattern as the comfort women quarrel if an anti-Japan administration is launched in South Korea in the future.

"Because the president is Mr. Yoon," who is eager to improve South Korea's bilateral relations with Japan, Seoul made the latest decision on the wartime labor dispute, Kohari said, adding Tokyo should emphasize this fact.

Kohari said Japan should take steps that would enable Yoon's government to receive a high rating in his country, which would, in turn, boost the political foundation of his administration and stabilize ties between Tokyo and Seoul in the long run.

For example, the measures include lifting export restrictions on semiconductor material to South Korea imposed since July 2019 and returning the nation to a "white list" of trusted trade partners as soon as possible, he said.

Related coverage:

Japan, South Korea move to solve wartime labor dispute, other concerns

South Korea announces solution to wartime labor row with Japan

Mitsubishi Heavy, Nippon Steel say they respect gov't wartime labor view
By Antonio Guterres, KYODO NEWS - Mar 6, 2023 - 11:15 | Feature, All, World

Around the world, progress on women's rights is vanishing before our eyes. The latest forecasts estimate that on our current track, it will take another 300 years to reach full gender equality.

Today's cascading crises, from the war in Ukraine to the climate emergency, affect women and girls first and worst. And as part of the global pushback against democracy, women's rights over their bodies and autonomy over their lives are being questioned and denied.

Two statistics make our failure very clear:

Every ten minutes, one woman or girl is murdered by a family member or intimate partner.

And one woman dies every two minutes during pregnancy or childbirth. Most of those deaths are entirely preventable.

On International Women's Day, we must commit to doing better. We need to reverse these horrific trends and stand up for the lives and rights of women and girls, everywhere.

This is one of my core priorities and a central plank of the work of the United Nations around the world.

From South Sudan to Myanmar, we are supporting women and girls in crisis and making sure their voices are heard in peace processes.

The deputy secretary general, Amina Mohammed, recently visited Afghanistan with a message for the authorities: women and girls have fundamental human rights, and we will never give up fighting for them.

This year, International Women's Day focuses on closing gender gaps in science, technology and innovation. Globally, men are 21 percent more likely to be online than women -- and over 50 percent more likely in low-income countries.

But even the richest countries lose out because of gender-based stereotypes and historic bias. In the tech industry, men outnumber women two to one. In artificial intelligence, it's five to one.

Big data is the new gold, and the foundation of today's political and business decisions. But it often ignores gender differences -- or turns a blind eye to women altogether.

We should all be alarmed by products and services that bake in gender inequality right from the start, and digitize patriarchy and misogyny.

The Silicon Valleys of this world must not become Death Valleys for women's rights.

Medical decisions based on data from men's bodies can not only harm women; it can be deadly.

Discrimination against women in science and technology is the result of centuries of patriarchy, discrimination and damaging stereotypes. Women account for just 3 percent of Nobel Prize winners in scientific categories since 1901. And women online -- including scientists and journalists -- are often targeted for sexist hate speech and abuse designed to silence and shame.

But they will not be silenced. Women and girls everywhere are demanding their rights, and their words reverberate around the world.

We need action on several fronts to make sure women and girls can make their full contribution to the world's knowledge through science and technology.

We must break down barriers -- from discriminatory data to stereotypes that push girls away from studying scientific subjects at an early age.

Decision-makers of all kinds must broaden women's participation and leadership in science and technology, through quotas if necessary.

They should be creative, widening the recruitment pipeline and hiring for skills. And they must be persistent. Gender equality will not happen by itself; it has to be prioritized and pursued. This approach is getting results at the United Nations, where we have our own strategy for gender parity among our personnel.

We also need action to create a safe digital environment for women and to hold accountable both the perpetrators of online abuse, and the digital platforms that enable them.

The United Nations is working with governments, civil society, the private sector and others on a code of conduct aimed at reducing harm and increasing accountability on digital platforms, while defending freedom of expression.

Women's rights are not a luxury that can wait until we solve the climate crisis, end poverty and create a better world.

Investing in women and girls is the surest way to uplift all people, communities and countries, and to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Together, let's work for a more inclusive, just, and prosperous world for women and girls, men and boys, everywhere.

(Antonio Guterres, a former Portuguese prime minister and U.N. high commissioner for refugees, is the ninth secretary general of the United Nations who took office in January 2017. He has been serving his second term as the U.N. chief since January 2022.)
Qabil Ashirov

A number of mega-projects implemented by Azerbaijan over recent years have yielded very successful results, elevating it to the status of a central energy hub for Europe.

Azerbaijan's rich energy resources and Europe's drive for diversification of its own supplies are key elements that have pushed Baku to lead the way for the construction of the now operational oil and gas pipelines from the Caspian region to the heart of the shilly-shallying Europe at a time when the relations between Moscow and Brussels were not at the lowest ebb.

Now that the relations between the Kremlin and the West have further deteriorated in the wake of the war in Ukraine, Baku's determination to have independent access to international markets via friendly regional nations has led to the fruition and the number of European nations purchasing Azerbaijani natural resources, in particular, gas is on the rise.

The purpose of the Southern Gas Corridor was to ensure the development of the second stage of the Shah Deniz gas condensate field and firstly, the export of natural gas to Turkiye and then Southern Europe through the extended South Caucasus Gas Pipeline, TANAP, and TAP.

The second stage of the full-scale development of the Shah Deniz project - the Shah Deniz Stage 2 project, a giant project to deliver Azerbaijani gas to Europe and Turkiye, was to supply gas to European markets through the Southern Gas Corridor to improve the energy security of the old continent and this project is already operational.

The main elements of the Southern Gas Corridor project are - the full-scale development of the Shah Deniz gas condensate field; the expansion of the South Caucasus Pipeline (SCPX); The Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) and the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project.

These projects are now operational and in view of an increase in the number of customers of Azerbaijani offshore gas, the latter is determined and ready to develop new deposits to meet the growing need for gas in Europe.

Azerbaijan's green energy projects

Estimates show that Azerbaijan has the potential to produce 200 gigawatts of green energy, which is 25 times more than the countrys currently installed energy capacities. This amount is equal to the energy need of 25 countries in the size of Azerbaijan. The government's recent drive is to add its green energy capacity to its overall strength and have the advantage of selling it to the energy-hungry nations in Europe and bringing back both capital, know-how, and investment for its own needs.

Fast transition in the rapidly growing world

Right after the second Karabakh war of 2020 great opportunities opened for Azerbaijan's way to put the potential of the liberated regions at the service of the nation and meet the worldwide demand for green energy. This meets international demand amid the biggest requirement for safe energy sources and the growing threat to the environment amid climate change. By shifting into another phase of energy export, Azerbaijan invited the world's leading companies to joint production and sale of green energy from both onshore and offshore sources.

In January 2020, Azerbaijan signed a contract with Masdar on the construction of the 230-megawatt Garadagh Solar PV plant. In the same year, Azerbaijan inked an agreement with ACWA Power on the construction wind power plant with an installed capacity of 240 megawatts in the Absheron and Khizi districts. In June 2021, Azerbaijan signed another agreement with bp on the construction of 240 megawatts AC solar power plant in Jabrayil.

Simultaneously, working on green energy projects, the Azerbaijani government held meetings with heads of European nations to work out details of delivering it to the markets by inking agreements on a strategic partnership in the field of green energy development and transmission between the governments of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania, and Hungary on December 17, 2022. The agreement envisaged exporting 3-4 gigawatts of green energy from Azerbaijan through Georgia under the Black Sea to Europe.

However, one should bear in mind that these efforts proved possible through the successful efforts of the Azerbaijani government amid over and covert pressures of regional powers determined to torpedo projects that are not in line with their national interests. The economic opportunities of Azerbaijan are not limited only to the West, these opportunities are also lying in the Far East through Zangazur - part of the Middle Corridor.

Irans rising fear

In parallel with the projects in question, the Azerbaijani government disclosed another route, the Azerbaijan-Zangazur- Turkiye-Europe Energy Corridor, known as the Jabrayil Energy Hub project, which anticipates the export of green energy generated in Karabakh.

As with Azerbaijans oil and gas mega projects, the green energy initiative is upsetting some forces, especially Iran, that want to dictate its own interests by creating problems in the region and pushing Armenia to the uncompromising position over Baku-initiated projects. Iran goes the extra mile to impede the opening of the Zangazur corridor, by threatening Azerbaijan indirectly. Holding military drills on the Azerbaijani border soon after the victory in the second Karabakh war, coupled with the armed attack on the nation's Tehran embassy, and the killing of a security officer, are some of Iran's most recent anti-Azerbaijani moves and the desire to gain upper hand in the South Caucasus as Russia's influence is dwindling in the South Caucasus.

The Zangazur corridor does not only favor the South Caucasus but the wider region and world. The Zangazur corridor will not only provide direct access to Turkiye but also connect Europe with Central Asia and further to southeastern Asia bypassing Iran.




KYODO NEWS - Mar 6, 2023 - 18:34 | World, All, Japan

South Korea announced its solution to a wartime labor compensation dispute with Japan on Monday as momentum builds on both sides toward mending bilateral ties that have soured over the long-standing issue.

The solution centers on a government-backed South Korean foundation paying compensation to Korean plaintiffs instead of requiring two Japanese firms to do so as South Korean court rulings had ordered.

The moves reflect an eagerness on the part of President Yoon Suk Yeol, who took office in May last year, to improve relations with Japan amid heightened missile threats from North Korea, as well as calls for better ties from South Korean businesses.

Yoon was quoted as saying, "The announcement of a solution for the forced labor ruling amid difficulties is a decision to step into a future-oriented relationship with Japan."

"For South Korea-Japan ties to enter a new era, both governments should strive for future generations to play the main role," Yoon said, according to presidential office spokesperson Lee Do Woon.

South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin told a press conference he hopes to develop "future-oriented relations" with Japan, based on the two nations' joint declaration in 1998, saying that ties should not remain "stalled" any longer.

It remains unclear, however, whether the plan will finally resolve the dispute and head off a domestic backlash, with opposition parties and supporters of former Korean laborers demanding the Japanese side offer a fresh apology and compensate plaintiffs.

Lee Jae Myung, a representative of the liberal Democratic Party, called the solution a "secondary victimization" for the South Korean plaintiffs, who have been asking for a sincere apology and compensation from Japan.

"It looks like the Yoon Suk Yeol administration decided to choose the way of betraying the righteousness of history," Lee said earlier in the day.

A civic group that supports the plaintiffs in Seoul held a press conference after the solution was announced and harshly criticized the government's decision.

"The government's solution to forced mobilization announced today effectively neutralizes the 2018 Supreme Court ruling that recognized the illegality of colonial rule and liability for anti-humanitarian illegal activities by war criminal companies," the group said, adding that the administration is forcing victims to make sacrifices again and trampling on their human rights and dignity.

The Japanese government welcomed the announcement and said it stands by past government statements that expressed remorse over Japan's wartime aggression in Asia.

To accommodate Seoul's request for a voluntary "sincere response," Tokyo will allow Japanese firms to donate to the South Korean foundation.

Park said he expects the Japanese government to make a "comprehensive apology" and for Japanese businesses to make a "voluntary contribution" to the foundation.

In response to the South Korean solution announced Monday, the Japanese government plans to lift restrictions on semiconductor material exports to South Korea imposed in July 2019 and to return the country to a "white list" of trusted trading partners that receive preferential treatment.

In separate rulings in 2018, South Korea's Supreme Court ordered machine manufacturer Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and steelmaker Nippon Steel Corp. to pay damages to former Korean laborers and their relatives over forced labor during World War II.

But the two companies refused to comply as the Japanese government has said all issues that stemmed from Japan's 1910-1945 colonization of the Korean Peninsula were settled "completely and finally" under a 1965 bilateral agreement.

The plaintiffs moved to liquidate the Japanese companies' seized assets in South Korea to attain compensation, and decisions by South Korean courts in 2021 ordering their sale heightened concerns in Tokyo over the repercussions and propelled Seoul to look for an alternative solution before the sale took place.

The latest development comes as relations between the two neighbors have shown signs of improvement since Yoon replaced Moon Jae In while pledging to take a future-oriented approach toward Japan.

U.S. President Joe Biden welcomed Monday's announcement, saying South Korea and Japan marked "a groundbreaking new chapter of cooperation and partnership between two of the United States' closest allies."

"As we move ahead, I look forward to continuing to strengthen and enhance the trilateral ties between the Republic of Korea, Japan, and the United States," Biden added.

Under the left-leaning Moon, the bilateral relationship had reached its lowest point in years over wartime labor and a raft of other issues, including trade policy.

The current conservative president has also adopted a hard-line stance on North Korea, which has repeatedly tested ballistic missiles and is believed to be preparing for a seventh nuclear test that would be the first since September 2017.

In November last year, Kishida and Yoon met in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh in the first official summit between the two countries since December 2019, agreeing to cooperate toward an "early settlement" of the wartime labor issue.

The following is a list of recent events related to relations between Japan and South Korea.

Oct. 30, 2018 -- South Korea's Supreme Court orders steelmaker Nippon Steel Corp. to compensate Korean plaintiffs for forced labor during Japan's 1910-1945 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula. The court issues a similar ruling to machinery manufacturer Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. on Nov. 29.

Nov. 21 -- South Korea announces dissolution of a foundation created under a 2015 bilateral agreement that distributed Japanese money to Korean women forced to work in Japanese military brothels during World War II as well as their relatives.

Dec. 21 -- Japan says a South Korean destroyer locked its fire-control radar on a Japanese defense force patrol plane over the Sea of Japan. South Korea denies the accusation.

July 4, 2019 -- Japan tightens the control of exports to South Korea of three materials used for the production of semiconductors and display screens for smartphones.

Aug. 2 -- Japan decides to revoke South Korea's preferential status as a trade partner for the purchase of goods that can be diverted for military use.

Aug. 22 -- South Korea says it has decided to scrap the General Security of Military Information Agreement, an intelligence-sharing pact called GSOMIA, with Japan. The decision is retracted later.

Sept. 27, 2021 -- A South Korean district court orders sale of local assets seized from Mitsubishi Heavy after the company refused to pay damages as ordered. A similar decision on Nippon Steel assets comes on Dec. 30.

May 10, 2022 -- Yoon Suk Yeol becomes South Korean president, replacing Moon Jae In.

Nov. 13 -- Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Yoon meet in Cambodia, the first official summit between the two countries since December 2019, agreeing to work for an "early settlement" of the wartime labor issue.

Jan. 12, 2023 -- South Korea, during a public hearing, unveils a plan centered on a government-backed foundation paying equivalent money to plaintiffs as the most likely solution.

March 6 -- South Korea announces it will implement the solution to the wartime labor dispute.

Related coverage:

Japan hails South Korea's solution to wartime labor compensation dispute

M'bishi Heavy, Nippon Steel say they respect gov't wartime labor view
KYODO NEWS - Mar 6, 2023 - 18:21 | All, Japan, World

Japan will hold talks with Seoul on lifting its controls on exports to South Korea of materials for semiconductor manufacturing, the government said Monday, as momentum built toward mending bilateral ties.

A Japanese trade ministry official said it is the right time to resume talks on the export curbs imposed in 2019, while the South Korean government notified Japan the same day it will suspend a dispute process at the World Trade Organization over the controls.

The steps were taken in the wake of South Korea's announcement Monday of its plan for settling a wartime labor compensation dispute with Japan.

In July 2019, the Japanese government tightened controls on exports to South Korea of three materials -- fluorinated polyimide, resists, and hydrogen fluoride -- used for the production of chips and display screens for smartphones.

Japan has also revoked South Korea's preferential status as a trade partner for the purchase of goods that can be diverted for military use, often referred to as a "white list country."

The removal of South Korea from the list came after the court rulings, which ordered Japanese firms to pay compensation to Korean plaintiffs for forced labor, were delivered.

While Japan insisted the export controls were based on security concerns, South Korea viewed the measures as retaliation against the court rulings and filed a complaint against the export restrictions with the WTO.

The soured bilateral relations also triggered a move to boycott Japan-made goods in South Korea.

Related coverage:

Japan, South Korea announce steps to resolve wartime labor dispute

Mitsubishi Heavy, Nippon Steel say they respect gov't wartime labor view

South Korea announces solution to wartime labor row with Japan
LUSAKA, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Zambia's Ministry of Defense has held a grand medal-awarding ceremony for the 25th Chinese Military Medical Team in Lusaka, the Zambian capital, awarding 11 members of the team "Medal of Foreign Cooperation".

Norman Chipakupaku, permanent secretary in Zambia's Ministry of Defense commended China for sending senior doctors with vast experience and specialization, saying Zambia will continue to value their contribution and knowledge transfer they bring.

The medical teams, he said, have continued to make great contributions to the health of the Zambian people and that their medical skills have earned the trust and respect of many local people. "That is why they have continued to receive high accolades from people of all walks of life in Zambia."

Zambia, he said, appreciates the level of cooperation between the two countries in the health sector and intends to solidify it further in areas of medical equipment, technology and training. He commended the 25th medical team for its hard work, adding that the Zambian government was looking forward to the arrival of the 26th Chinese Military Medical Team and hoped that the new team will uplift the glorious tradition of the outgoing team.

Brigadier-General Bernard Kapatamoyo, commandant at the Maina Soko Medical Center, commended the commitment to duty of the outgoing medical team. He said the team showed innovation in its duty and that through mutual understanding and identifying gaps in delivery of health services, an emergency response team has been established at the hospital which will be responding to the various needs in terms of medical emergency.

He said the formation of the response team will go a long way in providing mentorship to the oncoming medical personnel and help in transfer of skills and knowledge.

Defense Attache at the Chinese Embassy in Zambia, Senior Colonel Jiang Lei, commended the team for carrying forward the spirit of the Chinese medical team by successfully completing their task at the Maina Soko Medical Center where they were based.

He said the Chinese Military Medical Team has become a successful symbol of the cooperation between the two countries since 1984 and deepened the medical cooperation as well as friendship between the peoples of the two countries.

"Chinese military doctors will be remembered by our Zambian friends and all members of our team will bring back to China the valuable experience in Zambia and the friendship of the two brotherly nations," he said. 
BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- In 2017, Jilie Ziri, the first college student from the mountainous Abuluoha Village in southwest China's Sichuan Province, decided to give up his job and return to his hometown.

Serving as the secretary of the Communist Party of China's (CPC's) village branch, Jilie Ziri has led local residents in combatting poverty and pursuing a prosperous life. After years of efforts by Jilie Ziri and his fellow villagers, the once isolated town has been linked to the outside world with a paved road, and the people's living standard has been greatly improved.

Now, the young man, born in 1995 and from the Yi ethnic group, is in Beijing for the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), where he and other deputies to the 14th NPC will discuss and decide how to bring a better life to the Chinese people.

As global observers are closely watching the NPC and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), known as the "two sessions," Jilie Ziri's experience provides a personal perspective for them to better understand China's whole-process people's democracy.

POWER IN HANDS OF PEOPLE

"I was following the two sessions last year. There was a driver who was one of the deputies appointed to sit in that body. There were delivery riders, farmers, teachers, cooks, doctors, journalists, who ordinarily will not make it to an institution where laws are made," said Eric Biegon, a journalist at Kenya Broadcasting Corporation. He was deeply impressed by the wide representation of the deputies.

"What captures my attention when it comes to China and (its) politics is that (the Chinese) have chosen a path that tends to bring people at the center of decision-making," he said.

When talking about China's "two sessions," many overseas observers like Biegon spontaneously mention broad representation, which features prominently in China's whole-process people's democracy. In their eyes, broad representation is a necessary requirement for ensuring that the people are the masters of the country.

The 2,977 deputies to the 14th NPC make up a broad cross-section of people, with every region, ethnic group and sector of society having an appropriate number of representatives.

In the new lineup, 497 deputies are workers and farmers, 634 technical personnel, accounting for 16.69 percent and 21.3 percent, respectively.

The 2,172 members of the 14th CPPCC National Committee are from all of China's 56 ethnic groups, and 60.8 percent of them are not CPC members.

Zia Banday, senior research fellow at the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, said deputies and members of the "two sessions" in China represent the interests of the people.

They prepare for a long time each year, put forward opinions and suggestions, conduct deliberations and discussions, and provide ideas for national and people's livelihoods. This unique model ensures that the "two sessions" can fully reflect the voice of the Chinese people, he said.

The decision-making in the "two sessions" is open to all Chinese and friends who are interested in the overall development of the country, said Ronnie Lins, director of the China-Brazil Center for Research and Business and a senior expert on China's decision-making mechanism.

"I think the outcomes that China has achieved in recent years show that the process is broad in opinion and effective in results. The country's economic and social achievements speak for themselves."

FROM THE PEOPLE & FOR THE PEOPLE

Every year, topics discussed at China's "two sessions" are always the focus of international attention.

Development and people's livelihood have always been important issues in China's "two sessions," fully reflecting the importance of "the people" in China's socialist democracy, Patricio Giusto, director of the Sino-Argentine Observatory, told Xinhua.

Last year, 92 changes were made to The Report on the Work of the Government based on the suggestions put forward by the NPC deputies and CPPCC members. Offices and departments under the State Council handled 8,721 suggestions from NPC deputies and 5,865 proposals submitted by CPPCC National Committee members, accounting for 94.8 percent and 95 percent of the total number of suggestions and proposals, respectively.

Sommad Pholsena, vice president of the Lao National Assembly, pointed out that Chinese leaders not only communicate with the NPC deputies and CPPCC members during the "two sessions," but also often conduct research at the grassroots level, which reflects that the thoughts and concerns of the Chinese people are at the heart of the CPC at all times.

The CPC and the government have always given thoughtful and scientific policy responses to the people's needs and appeals through collective thinking, he noted, saying that China's whole-process people's democracy integrates process-oriented democracy with results-oriented democracy, procedural democracy with substantive democracy, direct democracy with indirect democracy, and people's democracy with the will of the state.

Jean Christophe Iseux von Pfetten, president of the Institute for East-West Strategic Studies in Britain, was invited by the then mayor of Changchun to be a specially invited member of the CPPCC.

As a long-time observer of China, Pfetten told Xinhua that through his personal experience, he found that China's democratic practice is devoted to solving practical problems, as he witnessed how the local two sessions focused on addressing issues related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers. The China hand also participated in the discussion with his experience of working for the World Trade Organization.

The NPC deputies and CPPCC members will review the government work report delivered at the beginning of the annual session of the NPC, and make amendments and put forward new proposals and new suggestions and make it a very useful document, said Muhammad Asghar, special correspondent of Associated Press of Pakistan in China.

So, the "two sessions" are very important as they make policies and plans for the next year, said Asghar, noting that they implement all of the plans which are always very beneficial for the people.

Pooling wisdom and seeking benefits for all, China's rapid economic and social development and effective governance cannot be separated from the whole-process people's democracy.

The truth is that with this political system, China has done very well in terms of economic development and social welfare in general, and became the second-largest economy in the world, said Giusto, the Argentina expert.

A NEW PATH OF DEMOCRACY

"I have been to China many times. I understand that China's progress is not accidental. This is due to the unity of the Chinese people, together with the vision of the leadership of the Communist Party of China," said Chea Munyrith, president of the Cambodian Chinese Evolution Researcher Association.

Recalling his visit to Xishuangbanna in the southwestern Chinese province of Yunnan, Munyrith said that "I saw the spirit of development under the image of a united people force, which is a form of democracy with the Chinese characteristic. The development of villages is the decision of the people in the village and with the consultation and guidance of local CPC members."

"I have always admired and shared this picture with the villagers in Cambodia, and I have always talked with my government officials and friends in Cambodia about this good form of democracy," he added.

The Chinese style democratic model adopts an approach featuring consultative democracy under the CPC leadership. Such a system, seeking to bring its people together for a common goal, proves to be a story of success and serves as an inspiring paradigm for other developing countries.

The Chinese democracy has pulled 800 million people out of poverty and contributed to establishing infrastructure and health systems that benefit the Chinese people, said Asghar, the Pakistani journalist.

"I think that the Chinese democratic system is becoming a model for so many countries," Asghar added.

For Munyrith, who was once the head of the translation team for the Cambodian version of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China," what impressed him most about China's democratic system is that the CPC has always put the people first.

"As the ruling party, the Communist Party of China represents the interests of the people, and all policies put the interests of the people first," he added.

Pointing out that there are various types of democratic system models, Pfetten emphasized that the Chinese socialist consultative democracy provides an elegant way of solving the antithesis between equality and liberty.

The British scholar is writing a book on Chinese democracy, elaborating on the achievements of the Chinese democracy to readers based on his individual experience in China.

Sommad Pholsena, vice president of the Lao National Assembly, said that the innovative proposal of whole-process people's democracy demonstrates the self-confidence of the CPC, and offers fresh insights into the democratic building in other countries. 
CAIRO, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi met with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani here on Sunday to discuss issues of mutual interest.

During the meeting, the two leaders agreed that sustained coordination is a must for facing challenges and restoring peace and stability in the region, according to the Egyptian Presidency.

Sisi highlighted Egypt's unwavering support for Iraq and its people at all levels, particularly in the fight against terrorism and for the country's security and stability.

Egypt is willing to diversify and put into work various frameworks of political, economic, and cultural cooperation with Iraq, Sisi said, stressing the need to intensify cooperation within the framework of the Trilateral Cooperation Mechanism among Egypt, Iraq and Jordan.

For his part, al-Sudani lauded the firm and historical bonds between the two countries and Egypt's efforts to support Iraq at all levels.

In this respect, he appreciated the "prominent role" that Egypt has played in forwarding the mechanisms of joint Arab action to maintain peace and development in spite of challenges in the region. 
DAMASCUS, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian Foreign Ministry on Sunday condemned an "illegitimate" visit of a top U.S. general to a U.S. base in northeastern Syria.

In a statement, the ministry slammed the U.S. Army general Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, for making an unannounced visit to a base to meet U.S. troops in northeastern Syria.

The visit was a "flagrant violation of Syria's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and unity," it said.

The ministry also demanded the U.S. government "immediately stop its systematic and continuous international law violations and its support for armed separatist militias." 
ANKARA, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Turkiye's Foreign Ministry on Monday summoned the U.S. ambassador to Ankara for the visit of a top U.S. commander to a Kurdish-held area in northeastern Syria, the semi-official Anadolu Agency reported.

Ankara "asked for an explanation" regarding the visit of Mark Milley, U.S. chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to northeastern Syria on March 4, the agency quoted anonymous Turkish diplomatic sources as saying.

Milley met U.S. troops stationed there under the control of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), spearheaded by the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG).

Tensions between Ankara and Washington have long simmered over the U.S. backing of the YPG in northern Syria. The Kurdish fighters cooperated with Washington in operations against the Islamic State, but Ankara has long been asking the U.S. to cease its partnership with the YPG.

Ankara sees the Kurdish group as the Syrian branch of the outlawed 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. 
Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits national political advisors from the China National Democratic Construction Association and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, who are attending the first session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), in Beijing, capital of China, March 6, 2023. Xi participated in their joint group meeting, and listened to their comments and suggestions. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

BEIJING, March 6 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, on Monday urged proper guidance for the healthy and high-quality development of the private sector.

Xi made the remarks when visiting national political advisors from the China National Democratic Construction Association and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, who are attending the first session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). He participated in their joint group meeting, and listened to their comments and suggestions.

Xi stressed that the CPC Central Committee always unswervingly consolidates and develops the public sector, and unswervingly encourages, supports and guides the development of the non-public sector.

The CPC Central Committee always maintains that the non-public sector's status and functions in the country's economic and social development have not changed, the principle and policies to unswervingly encourage, support and guide the development of the sector have not changed, and the principle and policies to provide a sound environment and more opportunities to the sector have not changed, Xi said.

He also said the CPC Central Committee always believes that private enterprises and entrepreneurs "belong to our own family."

Xi extended festive greetings and best wishes to the country's women of all ethnic groups and from all walks of life ahead of International Women's Day, which falls on March 8.

Wang Huning, Cai Qi and Ding Xuexiang, members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, joined the visit and discussion.

Xi said that the year 2022 was of great importance in the history of the CPC and the country as it saw fruitful achievements in the cause of the Party and the country.

The past five years have been truly momentous and remarkable, Xi said.

China registered an annual average economic growth rate of 5.2 percent during the period, won the critical battle against poverty as scheduled, finished building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and embarked on a new journey of building a modern socialist country in all respects, he said.

Xi stressed the need to stay calm, maintain resolve, pursue progress while ensuring stability, take active steps, unite as one and have the courage to fight as the country faces profound and complex changes in both the domestic and international landscape.

Xi hailed the private sector as an important force in the endeavor to realize the two centenary goals and the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.

Efforts should be made to optimize the environment for private enterprises' development, remove institutional barriers that impede their participation in market competition in a fair manner, protect their property rights and the rights and interests of entrepreneurs in accordance with the law, and ensure the equal treatment of private enterprises and state-owned enterprises, Xi said.

Xi stressed more effective measures to assist the development of micro, small and medium-sized firms as well as self-employed individuals, and support the platform enterprises in playing a bigger role in creating jobs, expanding consumption and international competition.

Efforts should be made to put in place a cordial and clean relationship between government and business, Xi said.

Private firms should take the initiative to pursue high-quality development, Xi said. The investment of private capital should be energized, and more private capital should be encouraged and attracted into major state projects and key industrial and supply chain projects, he noted.

Xi also underlined the need to regulate all types of capital according to laws and guide their sound development, and effectively prevent and defuse systemic financial risks.

Noting that Chinese modernization is the modernization of common prosperity for all, Xi said both state-owned and private enterprises must shoulder the social responsibility of promoting common prosperity.

Xi called on private enterprises to ensure that all employees share their development outcomes.

Private enterprises and entrepreneurs should operate in accordance with laws and regulations, and actively participate in and launch public welfare and charitable undertakings, Xi said. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits national political advisors from the China National Democratic Construction Association and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, who are attending the first session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), in Beijing, capital of China, March 6, 2023. Xi participated in their joint group meeting, and listened to their comments and suggestions. Wang Huning, Cai Qi and Ding Xuexiang, members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, joined the visit and discussion. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits national political advisors from the China National Democratic Construction Association and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, who are attending the first session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), in Beijing, capital of China, March 6, 2023. Xi participated in their joint group meeting, and listened to their comments and suggestions. Wang Huning, Cai Qi and Ding Xuexiang, members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, joined the visit and discussion. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)
ADEN, Yemen, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Three Yemeni soldiers were killed Monday in a roadside bomb explosion in the country's southern province of Abyan, a security official told Xinhua.

The incident occurred when elements detonated their roadside bomb near an army patrol while passing through a road in the Mudiyah district of Abyan, causing an explosion, the local security official said on condition of anonymity.

The official confirmed that three soldiers were killed and two others injured as a result of the bombing.

Local security soldiers and medical personnel were quickly dispatched to the scene to assist the injured soldiers and secure the area.

The explosion marks the latest in a series of similar attacks against government soldiers in Abyan, with tensions continuing to rise between government forces and terror elements of al-Qaida.

Several areas in Abyan and other neighboring southern provinces have been a hotbed of activity for the al-Qaida group in recent months, with frequent clashes between government forces and militants.

The Yemen-based al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula network has exploited years of deadly conflict between the Yemeni government and the Houthi militia to expand its presence in the war-ravaged Arab country. It has carried out many high-profile attacks against the security forces in the country's southern provinces. 
Qabil Ashirov

A meeting was held between representatives of the Japanese Association for Trade with Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (ROTOBO) and the Center for Economic Reforms Analysis and Communication of Azerbaijan (CAERC), Azernews reports.

The heads of the CAERC departments, Agil Asadov, Ayxan Gadashov, and Ayhan Satici, participated in the meeting, where Azerbaijan's important role in international cargo transportation and transport logistics opportunities was discussed.

The guests were informed about the projects being implemented in Azerbaijan's transport and logistics sector over recent years. The meeting heard that owing to the infrastructure available, positive results were achieved in the direction of reducing operational costs and duration of cargo transportation between the East Asian and European countries.

At the meeting, Daisuke Saito, director of the ROTOBO, Sayumi Mori, a researcher at the Institute, and Ippei Machida, Professor at Meiji University, expressed their interest in cooperation with Azerbaijan and research in this field.

During the meeting, views were also exchanged on the possibilities of the Middle Corridor in the import and export of the main export goods from East Asian countries, including natural resources and agricultural products.

ROTOBO was established in 1967 and currently, the organization has about 200 members from the financial, logistics, manufacturing, and service sectors of different countries.
WASHINGTON, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The entire fleet of F-35 fighter jets will be retrofitted within 90 days to address an engine vibration issue, U.S. media outlets reported, citing the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO).

The office issued a directive last week, detailing retrofit procedures for the aircraft globally.

"While only a small number of aircraft were impacted by the harmonic resonance, the plan is to retrofit the entire fleet," it said in a statement.

F-35 deliveries were halted in December 2022 after a crash involving one of the fighter jets in Fort Worth, Texas, which led to the grounding of some of the aircraft.

An investigation found a vibration issue in the engine which led to the mishap and the JPO said was a "rare occurrence" and that engineers had developed a fix for it.

The F-35, a fifth-generation stealth fighter delivered in three configurations, is the world's most expensive weapons program, with an estimated lifetime cost of 1.6 trillion U.S. dollars.

U.S. Congressman Adam Smith said in March 2021 that he thinks the F-35 is an overly expensive platform with disappointing capabilities.

"I want to stop throwing money down that particular rathole," Smith, then chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said in a virtual event with the Brookings Institution. 
XIAMEN, March 6 (Xinhua) -- In the workshop of Xiamen Golden Dragon Bus Co., Ltd., a leading bus maker in China, workers have been busy at the final assembly line, installing windshields and debugging the systems on new energy buses.

The fleet of 94 buses will soon be shipped from Xiamen Port in east China's Fujian Province, to Norway and Denmark.

"Our main focus this year is to further tap the European market," said An Min, who is in charge of Golden Dragon's overseas sales.

Entering the European market is no easy task for Chinese auto makers, which An described as "teaching fish to swim." On the one hand, the European market has set a demanding criteria for manufacturing accuracy. On the other hand, the market has long been occupied by local brands such as Mercedes-Benz, MAN Truck&Bus and Scania.

But Golden Dragon has made this possible with sedulous research on technology and tailor-made products for the European market.

Since 2002, the company has set up an R&D team focused on new energy buses in China. Together with many famous seats of learning such as Peking University, Xiamen University and Beijing Institute of Technology, the company has successfully launched a series of pure, hybrid electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell powered buses.

"We have mastered the core technologies of battery, electric control and motor, as well as automatic driving, which helped us accumulate an edge in the R&D, production and manufacturing of new energy buses," An said.

In 2020, Golden Dragon exported its first batch of new energy buses to the European market, consisting of 20 units that were shipped to Norway. These buses featured customized designs in materials and technology.

Most of the China-made buses exported to Nordic countries used the same materials to manufacture the body as those used in the domestic market, but Golden Dragon replaced the conventional high-strength steel with stainless steel.

"We made the change after lots of research, during which we found that the snowmelt agent widely used during the lingering snow and ice season in the Nordic countries can easily corrode high-strength steels," said An, adding they frequently invite customers to offer feedback and make corresponding adjustments in subsequent production.

"We have formed a virtuous circle, a kind of joint development between us and the customers. Our products are therefore well recognized and the quality keeps improving," noted An.

In 2022, the company's export value of new energy buses to the European market reached 42 million euros (about 44.7 million U.S. dollars), twice as much as that in 2020.

"In Norway and Denmark, We have more than 150 units running so far. For this year, we planned to import about 140 unites," said Torbjorn Lundebrekke, technical manager of Eurobus Nordic, one of the distributors of Golden Dragon in Europe.

"We are looking at product development and new models and new possibilities in the market for sure. We will also strengthen the existing models and increase both the quality and furnishing level to meet the customers' high requirements," Lundebrekke added.

Other than the European market, Golden Dragon has also expanded its presence in Asia and Africa. According to An, the company received an order for 1,850 new energy buses from Thailand last year, the biggest single order it has ever received in a single market.

In the past decade or so, Golden Dragon's new energy buses have been running in countries and regions including Israel, the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Pakistan, making an important contribution to the development of the global green economy.

Similar to Golden Dragon, many Chinese auto makers are accelerating their pace in exploring more overseas markets. Data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers shows that exports of new energy vehicles (NEVs) increased 1.2 times year on year to 679,000 units in 2022.

Wang Jianling, an associate professor at Xiamen University, said global demand for NEVs remains strong, which leaves a broad development potential for China's NEV manufacturers.

In the past decade, China has formulated a package of supportive policies to boost the development of the NEV industry. And auto companies have actively responded to the call and the overall strength of the industry has continued to grow, noted Wang.

"Now Chinese companies can meet the diversified global market demand not only in terms of the design and quality, but also in the capacity of R&D and production," said Wang, adding more efforts are needed to further raise the core competitiveness and brand image of the domestic brands. 
A new cargo consolidation hub for the China-Europe freight trains on Saturday was put into operation in Shenyang, the capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province.

A train carrying 55 containers left for Russia on Saturday morning, marking the inauguration of the China Railway Express (Shenyang) Hub.

The hub covers a total land area of 92,000 square meters, including 80,000 square meters under customs supervision. The hub is large enough for the storage of 3,000 twenty-foot equivalent units at the same time, with the capacity of handling 1,000 China-Europe freight trains every year, said Li Haiping, deputy manager of the operation department with the China Railway Express (Shenyang) Hub Construction and Operation Co., Ltd.

The operation of the hub can further meet the needs of the development of China-Europe freight trains in Shenyang, and lays a solid foundation to create a "road-rail-sea" multimodal international logistics hub with the logistics services linking Shenyang and sea ports of Yingkou and Dalian in Liaoning, said Li.





Produced by Xinhua Global Service
Deputies attend the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

BEIJING, March 6 (Xinhua) -- With a cabinet institutional reform plan, a new state leadership lineup, and policies concerning social fairness and justice for over 1.4 billion people on the agenda, all eyes are on China's annual key political event, the "two sessions."

The coming days will witness how these major decisions are made through a democratic process, ensuring transparency, accountability and representation for all.

The annual meetings of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) bring together thousands of national legislators and political advisors.

Their main objective is to align the interests and aspirations of the Chinese people with the development of the Party and the nation. With thousands of attendees, these meetings serve as a platform for meaningful discussion and collaboration, as participants work together to shape the future of China.

Representing and addressing the diverse concerns of a country as large as China is no small feat. However, what is truly commendable is the country's ability to foster consensus through effective communication and consultation.

Unlike some Western countries where chaos and tensions caused by wrangling between political parties, polarization, or racial issues are common, the two sessions in China present a different picture.

People attending this key political event witness a peaceful and unified gathering where diverse voices are heard and respected. Here, consensus is sought and common ground is reached through constructive dialogue, rather than being divided by partisan politics. The two sessions serve as a shining example of China's commitment to promoting unity, harmony and progress for its people.

As the Chinese leadership steers the nation through unforeseen circumstances and uncertainties in its development trajectory, the strength and vitality of China's socialist democracy have become increasingly apparent.

In the midst of current events and ongoing developments, this year's two sessions hold particular significance.

It is the first such event held since the Communist Party of China (CPC) unveiled its blueprint for building a modern socialist China in all respects for the following five years and beyond at its 20th National Congress last October.

National legislators and political advisors will review the work of the central government, national legislature, supreme court, and top procuratorate. They will also deliberate on a draft amendment to the Legislation Law and engage in in-depth discussions to ensure that Chinese modernization sets sail with a detailed plan.

DEMOCRACY FOR 1.4 BLN PEOPLE

The CPC has led the Chinese people in finding a new form of democracy that suits China's national conditions, one that Chinese President Xi Jinping has described as "the whole-process people's democracy."

China's whole-process people's democracy includes election, consultation, decision-making, management and oversight. It distinguishes itself from the Western model of democracy which is often plagued by money politics, elite rule and political polarization.

The newly elected 2,977 deputies to the 14th NPC, who serve a five-year term, come from diverse backgrounds. Nearly 17 percent are workers and farmers, including 56 migrant workers from rural areas; 15 percent are from ethnic minorities, representing all of China's 55 ethnic minority groups; more than a quarter are women; and 21.3 percent are technical personnel.

It is rare to see a high rate of representation of rural, blue-collar and ethnic minority individuals in the highest level of state power in Western countries such as the United States. This is because the democratic system in these countries tends to favor the elite capture of power rather than the well-being of the general population.

Among the 2.62 million deputies to people's congresses at the county and township levels, who were directly elected by over 1 billion voters on a one-person-one-vote basis, the proportion of workers, farmers, technicians and women is even higher.

Deputies to the 13th NPC have voted on a range of crucial decisions and policies that have far-reaching significance: they have adopted constitutional amendments and the country's first-ever Civil Code, and approved the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025).

The CPPCC National Committee has held more than 70 consultative forums for specialists over the past five years, focusing on key issues including promoting the implementation of new childbirth policies. This has provided important references for the decision-making of the central authorities.

TACKLING PRESSING PROBLEMS

Over the past five years, the NPC deputies and national political advisors have filed over 70,000 suggestions and proposals covering various areas such as people's livelihoods, social governance, modern economic systems, and green development.

On the basis of their advice, China's cabinet has introduced over 7,800 policy measures.

For instance, Li Li, an NPC deputy who works in central China's Hubei Province, put forth a suggestion for measures to resolve the difficulties faced by the elderly in going outside due to a lack of elevators in their apartment buildings. It has prompted the allocation of a huge amount of funds from the central budget to subsidize the renovation of old residential buildings nationwide, with 69,000 elevators newly installed.

Democracy in China is an integration of the CPC leadership, the running of the country by the people and law-based governance, which is guaranteed by the effective implementation of democratic centralism, the fundamental organizational principle of the CPC and the principle of China's state institutions as stipulated by the country's Constitution.

Under the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation led by the CPC, the CPC and non-communist parties work in cooperation with each other for the advancement of socialism, striving to improve people's standard of living. The relationship maintains political stability and social harmony and ensures efficient policy-making and implementation.

DELIVERING EFFECTIVE OUTCOMES

The ultimate goal of democracy is to ensure happiness for the people.

In China, democracy is not reduced to empty slogans. Instead, it prioritizes addressing the most pressing issues faced by the people and meeting their aspirations for a happy life. These include better access to education, greater job security, more decent incomes, improved social security, enhanced medical and health services, more comfortable living conditions, and a cleaner and more beautiful environment.

High-quality democracy in China has enabled the country to achieve rapid economic development and long-term social stability despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

China has remained the world's second-largest economy with its GDP expanding at an average annual rate of 5.2 percent in the past five years, much higher than the global average.

China's life expectancy has reached 78.2 years and its per capita disposable annual income has more than doubled in the past decade. Over 13 million urban jobs have been created annually on average during the same period.

There is no one-size-fits-all model of democracy, nor is there a single correct form for others to emulate. Democracy should not be privatized, labeled, or politicized.

China's socialist democracy is brimming with vitality as it reflects the will of the people, accords with the country's realities, and enjoys the support of the Chinese people.

China will never blindly copy other models of democracy, but rather make informed decisions based on its unique cultural, social and political context.

Facts have demonstrated that preaching the idea of "human rights above sovereignty" and imposing democratic models on other nations have not yielded stability or prosperity. On the contrary, such approaches have led countries into chaos and disastrous crises.

Now is perhaps the perfect time to champion an open and inclusive philosophy that puts people at the forefront, respects diverse models of democracy, and allows to live and let live. 




BEIJING, March 6 (Xinhua) -- China aims to achieve faster economic growth of around 5 percent with better quality of development in 2023, as it gathers pace to build up recovery momentum and push ahead with its modernization drive.

Experts and business insiders in various countries have expressed confidence in a rosy economic outlook for China.





Produced by Xinhua Global Service
TEHRAN, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Monday held a phone conversation on the latest developments in bilateral economic cooperation.

The two sides exchanged views on economic cooperation and ways to expand it, particularly in the field of international transportation, according to the website of the Iranian president's office.

The two leaders also reviewed initiatives involving regional transportation development, according to Mohammad Jamshidi, deputy chief of staff for political affairs to the Iranian president.

Jamshidi explained in a tweet that the Eurasian integration is the second phase of Raisi's neighborhood policy which includes the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and the International North-South Transport Corridor with Russia.

The goal is to strengthen Iran's geoeconomic role, he added. 
BEIJING, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Once a researcher with China's top academy of sciences, Wei Qiao is now known as a tech-savvy "new farmer" in her hometown in eastern province of Jiangsu, making contributions to rural revitalization with advanced ideas and modern entrepreneurial skills.

Wei is also a national lawmaker who is in Beijing for the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), the national legislature. On Sunday, she got a chance to share with President Xi Jinping about her latest achievements as a farmer in the digital age.

"We have cultivated more than 20,000 mu (about 1,333 hectares) of rice, with each mu yielding 550 kg of grain," Wei told Xi. She noted that by managing the fields with digital methods, work efficiency was greatly improved.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, commended Wei's efforts. "20,000-plus mu is no small number in south China," Xi said, adding that such an area is sufficient to unleash the potential of farm machinery and develop modern protected agriculture.

Their conversation took place when Xi attended a deliberation with his fellow deputies from the delegation of Jiangsu.

Xi is known to take the opportunity of the annual NPC session to communicate with national lawmakers coming from the grassroots level. He uses the meetings to listen to remarks and share his thoughts on multiple issues.

This year at the Jiangsu delegation's deliberation, Xi directed the deputies' attention to the issues of agriculture and food security. He called on Jiangsu to become a vanguard in promoting agricultural modernization and highlighted the province's role in ensuring China's food security.

To make his point clear, Xi related his own experience some three decades ago: "When I was working in Fujian Province, I checked every day whether or not the locals had enough vegetables to eat."

"If not, it would become a political issue," Xi added. He then warned against the tendency among some officials of neglecting the issue of food security. "This just won't do."

Xi's remarks reflected Chinese leaders' heightened attention to agriculture. For them, it is always a daunting and bottom-line task to feed 1.4 billion people.

The country's central authorities have highlighted work on agriculture and rural areas in their annual "No. 1 central document" for 20 consecutive years since 2004.

A government work report being deliberated at the national legislature sets the grain output target for 2023 at over 650 million tonnes.

Xi's itinerary also reflected his concern for agriculture and rural areas. After the 20th CPC National Congress concluded in last October, launching China on a new journey toward modernization, Xi made his first inspection trip to the countryside.

He visited an apple orchard in Shaanxi Province, chatted with locals, asked detailed questions about apple-growing techniques and learned about the development of the local apple industry.

"The most challenging and arduous tasks we face in building a modern socialist China in all respects remain in rural areas," he said.

A few months later, ahead of the 2023 Chinese New Year, Xi extended holiday greetings via video to groups of people across the country. Among them were vendors and customers at a major fresh-produce marketplace in Beijing.

During the virtual talk, Xi stressed the importance of redoubling efforts to ensure the sound production, sales and supply of essential commodities such as grain, cooking oil, meat, eggs, milk, fruits and vegetables.

On Sunday, during conversations with NPC deputies, Xi specifically noted that the redline of China's total farmland area must not be breached.

Should the total farmland area fall below the redline, relevant officials will be held responsible, regardless of retired status, Xi said. "This is where the country's most fundamental interests lie."

"We have in place the system that provincial governors assume responsibility for the 'rice bags' and city mayors for the 'vegetable baskets'," Xi said. "The acreage and grain output can not be reduced anymore."

Of all things, eating matters most, and food is the most basic necessity of people. Currently, agricultural workers like Wei are making efforts to secure more bumper harvests in China's rural areas and facilitate rural revitalization. 
UNITED NATIONS, March 6 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the M23 rebel group to respect the latest ceasefire in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a UN spokesman said on Monday.

Stephane Dujarric, the chief spokesman for Guterres, said the secretary-general urged the M23 to respect the ceasefire beginning on Tuesday to create conditions for its complete and effective withdrawal from all occupied areas in the eastern DRC in line with decisions of the Luanda Mini-Summit held on Nov. 23.

Dujarric said Guterres welcomed the recent engagement by the president of Angola and African Union Champion for Peace and Reconciliation, Joao Lourenco, with the M23, which resulted in the ceasefire in compliance with an African Union Peace and Security Council decision.

"The Secretary-General condemns all violence against civilians and renews his call on all Congolese and foreign armed groups to lay down their weapons and disarm unconditionally," Dujarric said. "He urges all parties to the conflict to ensure immediate and unfettered humanitarian access to the affected population, and to ensure protection of civilians and respect for international humanitarian law."

The spokesman also said Guterres called for an end to hate speech and incitement to violence and reaffirms the continued support of the United Nations.

Dujarric added that over the weekend, Bintou Keita, the head of the UN mission in the DRC, known as MONUSCO, completed her visit to the eastern DRC. In Goma, she outlined that the mission is maintaining a robust presence in M23-controlled areas to protect civilians and continues to provide support to the Congolese armed forces.

Keita echoed calls for rigorous respect of the ceasefire and urged the M23 to withdraw from the occupied areas and disarm unconditionally. 
BEIJING, March 6 (Xinhua) -- China urges Japan to fully consult with the stakeholders and relevant international organizations in terms of its nuclear-contaminated water discharge plan, a spokesperson said on Monday.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at a regular news briefing when asked to comment on media reports that Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said last week that the nuclear-contaminated water in Fukushima will be released into the ocean between spring and summer this year.

"We have noted relevant reports and are gravely concerned. In disregard of the strong concerns of people in Japan and the rest of the world, the Japanese government is set on pushing through the ocean discharge plan despite its obligations under international law. This is an irresponsible act that will endanger the global marine environment and people's health," Mao said.

Japan has stored more than 1.3 million tonnes of nuclear-contaminated water, which means its release into the ocean could take as long as 30 years. The water contains over 60 radionuclides, which will be carried through the ocean to all parts of the world in a decade, causing unforeseeable harm to marine environment and people's health, Mao said.

"Japan's neighbors, including China, the the Republic of Korea, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Russia, and the Pacific island countries have repeatedly voiced their concerns and firm opposition to the ocean discharge plan," the spokesperson said.

She stressed that it is Japan's duty under general international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to prevent environmental pollution, minimize the hazardous effect, fully consult with the countries that might be affected, ensure transparency and engage in international cooperation.

She called on Japan to take all parties' legitimate concerns seriously, fulfill its obligations, fully consult with the stakeholders and relevant international organizations, handle the nuclear-contaminated water in a science-based, open, transparent and safe manner, including by studying alternatives to ocean discharge, and fully subject itself to international oversight, so as to protect the only planet we humanity call home. 
KHARTOUM, March 5 (Xinhua) -- In celebration of the 60th anniversary of sending the first Chinese medical team overseas, the 37th batch of the Chinese medical team in Sudan has set up a free clinic in northern River Nile State.

The free clinic organized Saturday covers 14 specialties, including Traditional Chinese Medicine and general surgery, with 40 medical staff providing services, according to Xing Zhijing, head of the Chinese medical team in Sudan.

The clinic has witnessed a huge turnout from the citizens of Shendi town in the state.

Faisal Balla Al-Bashir, a patient who visited the free clinic, told Xinhua that "we thank the members of the Chinese medical team, who are highly specialized."

Salah Ali, minister of production and resources of the River Nile State, on behalf of the state governor, expressed his appreciation to the Chinese medical team for the free clinic and all their efforts to cure the Sudanese people over the past decades.

"The China-Sudan friendship remains lofty throughout generations, and the medical cooperation between the two sides dated back to as early as the 1970s," he said.

For his part, Guo Hu, commercial counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Sudan, vowed China's commitment to supporting Sudan in the future via medical teams, donation of equipment and vaccines, projects to develop hospitals, and co-hosting seminars and workshops.

"This year marks the 60th anniversary when China sent its first medical team abroad," he said, adding "over the past six decades, China has sent medical teams consisting of 30,000 members to 76 countries and regions across five continents to provide diagnosis and treatment for the local population."

The Chinese medical team in Sudan works in three hospitals: Abu Osher Hospital in central Sudan's Gezira State, Damazin Friendship Hospital in Blue Nile State, and China-Sudan Omdurman Friendship Hospital in Khartoum.

Abdulaziz Hassan Hamad, deputy secretary-general of the Sudanese-Chinese Friendship Society, which co-organized the event, said the free clinic represented the spirit of popular diplomacy and popular communication between the two friendly countries. 
Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan State Film Fund has started screening of Niyazi Badalov's films.

The film screenings were organized within a cycle of retrospective of Azerbaijani films themed Chronicle of Azerbaijani Documentary Cinema, Azernews reports.

The project is timed to the 125th anniversary of Azerbaijani cinema and centenary of AzerbaijanFilm Studio.

The State Film Fund director, Honored Art Worker Jamil Guliyev welcomed the guests of the event.

In his speech, Jamil Guliyev stressed Niyazi Badalov's invaluable role in the history of national cinema.

Niyazi Badalov is considered one of the founders of Azerbaijani documentary cinema.

The film director short dozens of documentaries and newsreels for magazines like Soviet Azerbaijan, Young Generation, News of the Day, Across the Country of Soviets, etc.

Badalov also took part in dubbing Soviet films. He taught film technology at the acting department of the Azerbaijan State Theater College.

Over his life, Niyazi Badalov produced dozens of films, including General Hazi Aslanov (1945), Muhammad Fuzuli (1958), M.F. Akhundov (1962), People's Poet Samad Vurgun (1965), Island in the Mountains (1971), Bridge Over the Caspian Sea (1988) and others.

N.Badalov was also a member of the Union of Cinematographers of the Azerbaijan SSR.

Honored Art Worker Aydin Kazimzade stressed that the outstanding filmmaker contributed to the formation and development of Azerbaijani documentary cinema.

Next, the audience enjoyed Niyazi Badalov's films-150 years. Mirza Fatali Akhundov, Island in the Mountains and Relay Race.
PHNOM PENH, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen on Monday praised a Chinese company over progress in the construction of an international airport in northwest Cambodia's Siem Reap province, a senior official said.

Hun Sen expressed his admiration during a meeting here with Liu Minglin, vice president of Yunnan Investment Group Co., Ltd., which is the developer company of the Siem Reap Angkor International Airport, said Eang Sophalleth, a personal assistant to the Cambodian leader.

"The prime minister expressed his pleasure to see the progress in the construction of the airport," Sophalleth told reporters after the meeting in Phnom Penh.

Hun Sen said the international airport, which can accommodate the landing of all kinds of aircraft, will give a boost to Cambodia's air connectivity and tourism development in Siem Reap province.

Construction work for the airport project began in March 2020.

Liu expressed his hope that the airport will contribute to attracting more tourists and investors to Siem Reap province.

Covering a parcel of 700 hectares, the airport is located in Sotr Nikum district, about 40 km from the UNESCO-listed Angkor Archeological Park and 50 km from Siem Reap provincial town. 
KABUL, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Afghan Police during search operations in Afghanistan's capital Kabul discovered arms and ammunition including five assault rifles on Monday, a police officer Hajji Shir Ali said.

The operation, according to the official, was conducted in Karta-e-Char locality of Police District 3 Monday morning, during which police found five AK-47 assault rifles, two pistols and a few more pieces of military equipment.

In similar operations on Sunday, police collected a huge quantity of arms and ammunition including anti-tank and anti-personnel mines in the northern Jawzjan province. 
RIGA, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Estonia's Reform Party is set to win Sunday's parliamentary election, according to preliminary results.

The Reform Party, led by Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, has won 32 percent of votes after more than 92 percent of ballots had been counted.

Estonians voted on Sunday to elect the 101 members of the country's unicameral legislature, the Riigikogu. 
BRATISLAVA, March 6 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese people have a cultural tradition of collectivism, while the Western culture is usually described as individualistic. Perceiving China through the lens of a culture of individualism is incorrect and leads to misunderstandings, Slovak architect Aurel Fabri believes.

Fabri, who lived in China for 12 years and taught architectural design there, now exhibits 20 of his drawings of traditional Chinese architecture at the Chinese Embassy in Bratislava, capital of Slovakia.

At the opening of the exhibition last month, Fabri said that a positive cultural exchange between the East and the West is not only extremely important but also necessary.

China's Ambassador to Slovakia Sun Lijie agreed, highlighting Fabri's mastery of integrating Western-style sketching techniques with Chinese-style ink painting aesthetics.

Just as painting techniques and buildings with different styles can complement each other, countries with different political systems, histories and cultures can also work towards a win-win situation, Sun said.

"There is quite a difference between the culture of East Asia, including China, and the culture of the West," Fabri said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

In the culture of collectivism, the highest priority is the well-being of a collective, the well-being of a family or society. "That's much more important there than ambitions of individuals."

During the 2009 financial crisis that brought gloom to his industry, Fabri successfully applied for a teaching position at the Raffles Design Institute in Beijing. At that time, he knew almost nothing about China or its culture. The modern, well-developed city made a big impression on him. He liked Beijing, especially because of the harmony between the old and the new parts of the city.

Having stayed there for two years, he moved to Ningbo, a major city in east China's Zhejiang Province, where he taught architectural design at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China for 10 years before returning to Slovakia in 2022.

Fabri spent a lot of his free time in China traveling and drawing interesting places. As he became more familiar with Chinese culture, the influence of that began to show in his drawings.

"I didn't study Chinese drawings at all. But I was living in China and the culture there was extremely strong... You could not escape it," he told Xinhua.

The decade he spent in China left an indelible mark on his style of drawing and also on his architectural design concepts.

One inspiration he recalled came from shelves of orchid flowers in a park in Nanjing in east China's Jiangsu Province. This experience gave rise to his design of a building with many "shelves" and with large openings, where he placed trees. "It was my first step towards sustainable green design in architecture -- applying more greenery in the structure of buildings -- which is quite common today, but was not yet the case at the time," he said.

"In my opinion, such different cultures as East and West, should communicate, understand each other and learn from each other. During my stay in China, I realized that if something is different from what I am used to, that doesn't mean it's wrong. It's just different." 
RIGA, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Estonia's Reform Party is set to win Sunday's parliamentary election, according to preliminary results. 
LONDON, March 6 (Xinhua) -- In leaked audio heard by The Guardian, a manager of one of the U.S. largest rail companies once told a former carman to stop tagging railcars for broken wheel-bearings because doing so delays other cargo.

The report on Friday came as federal agencies were investigating the derailment of a train carrying hazardous chemicals in East Palestine, Ohio. A wheel-bearing failure was cited as the cause of the accident in a preliminary report released by the National Transportation Safety Board.

According to the report, in late 2016, Stephanie Griffin, a former Union Pacific carman, went to her manager with concerns that she was getting pushback for tagging -- or reporting for repair -- railcars, but the manager told her it was OK to skip inspections.

Griffin said the boss wanted to skip the inspection because it increased the dwell time. "It's very obvious that management is not concerned with public safety, and only concerned with making their numbers look good," the report quoted Griffin as saying.

"The regulation at the time stated that a wheel bearing was bad when it had 'visible seepage'. But that was very vague, and the bosses used that vagueness to their advantage," she said.

"Most railroad workers are fighting against an entire system that only exists as a money-making apparatus to the wealthy. Those trains run through our towns, but they do not run next to rich folks' homes, nor next to our politicians' homes. This is a top-down problem," she added. 
Bulgaria transfers to Ukraine weapons worth billions of dollars through third countries 6 March, 07:15 PM Flag of Bulgaria (Photo:sapviktor / pixabay)

Bulgaria has provided arms worth billions of dollars to Ukraine over the past two years despite not a single deal being signed between the two countries at the government level, journalists from Euractiv said in an article published on March 6.

In response to a journalist request, the Bulgarian Minister of Economy said that country has not made ant agreement either with Ukrainian companies or state bodies and no export permissions have been issued in the period from Feb. 24, 2022, until Jan. 19, 2023.

However, last year alone, Bulgaria indirectly exported at least $1 billion worth of weapons to Ukraine. The publication notes that the supply of weapons to Ukraine began even before the full-scale invasion.

Video of day

Bulgarian arms companies do not sell weapons and ammunition directly to Ukrainian companies because there is a practice for this to happen through foreign programmes, Velizar Shalamanov, former acting defence minister, told Euroactiv.

He added that the United Kingdom, the United States and Poland provide significant funding for weapons supplies to Ukraine. They also buy arms for supply to Ukraine from Bulgaria. Logistics were mainly set up for the supply of the arms via Poland.

The German outlet Die Welt wrote on Jan. 18 that Bulgaria secretly provided Ukraine with fuel and ammunition in the first months of the full-scale invasion. In general, Bulgaria has secured one-third of the Ukrainian army's needs in the first half year of the war, with funding coming from the the United Kingdom and the United States.

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Description

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SASKATOON, SK, March 6, 2023 /CNW/ - MAS Gold Corp. ("MAS Gold" or the "Company") (TSXV: MAS) (OTCQB: MSGCF) (FSE: 63G) is pleased to announce an updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the Preview Southwest Gold Deposit ("Preview SW"), located in the La Ronge Gold Belt of northeastern Saskatchewan.

MAS Gold Corp. Logo (CNW Group/MAS Gold Corp)

At a marginal grade cut-off of 0.40 grams per tonne gold/tonne ("g/t Au"), the Preview SW Gold Deposit is estimated to contain an Indicated Mineral Resource of 5.457 M t grading 1.56 g/t Au, for 273,000 oz of gold ("oz Au"), and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 5.852 M t grading 1.40 g/t Au for 263,000 oz of gold. David Thomas, P. Geo., of DKT Geosolutions Inc. is the Qualified Person ("QP", as defined by National Instrument 43-101) for the Preview SW Mineral Resource Estimate update that has an effective date of October 31, 2022.

Table 1: Preview SW Project Mineral Resource Estimate David Thomas, P. Geo. (Effective Date: October 31, 2022)

Category Million Tonnes Gold Grade (g/t Au) Contained Gold (kOz) Indicated 5.457 1.56 273 Inferred 5.852 1.40 263

This updated estimate supersedes the Mineral Resource Estimate detailed in the September 2016 Technical Report (Simpson, 2016) that is available on the Company's website (www.masgoldcorp.com) and on www.sedar.com. The 2023 update was able to increase the total Mineral Resource by 106,900 ounces Au. The 2016 estimate totalled 5.7 Mt at 1.48 g/t Au for 270,800 oz Au, in the Inferred category and 2.607 Mt at 1.89 g/t Au for 158,300 oz Au in the Indicated category.

The updated estimate follows both Comstock Metal's 2017 and 2018 drill programs (7 holes, 1850m) and MAS Gold's 2022, winter drilling program at Preview SW (2 holes, 600 m). With the results of the 2017 and 2018 drill programs reported in Comstock Metals news releases dated August 24th, 2017, November 9th, 2017 and January 10th. 2019. The results of the 2022 drill program were reported in MAS Gold's news release dated August 09, 2022. The upgrade in the classification of the Mineral Resource is an important outcome of the 2017, 2018 and 2022 drilling programs that resulted from tighter drill spacing, strategic testing of both down dip continuity and the northeast strike extent of the deposit, and twinning of historical drill holes.

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Mr. Jim Engdahl, MAS Gold's CEO & Director stated: "This result shows that the Preview SW Deposit was a key acquisition with great value and will greatly contribute to creating a potentially economically viable Hub and Spoke Model."

Mr. Darren Slugoski, Chief Geologist of MAS Gold stated: "The increase in Mineral Resources has transitioned the Preview SW Deposit into MAS Gold's largest gold Mineral Resource. The potential overall value of the Mineral Resource is enhanced by its close proximity to the proposed hub at the North Lake Deposit."

Qualifying Statements

The Preview SW Mineral Resources are constrained within an optimized pit shell with an overall average pit slope angle of 50. A long-term gold price of US$1,700/oz was used, along with a metallurgical recovery of 90%.

A marginal grade cut-off of 0.40 g/t Au was estimated, based on a total process and G&A operating cost of US$19.50/t of mined mineralized material.

The contained gold ounces are in situ. All figures have been rounded, as such the summations within the tables may not agree.

Mineral Resources, which are not Mineral Reserves, do not have demonstrated economic viability. The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by: metal prices and exchange rate assumptions; changes in local interpretations of mineralization geometry and continuity; changes to grade capping, density and domain assignments; changes to geotechnical, mining and metallurgical recovery assumptions; ability to maintain environmental and other regulatory permits and ability to maintain the social license to operate. The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental permitting, legal title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues. Mineral Resources are classified according to Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum ("CIM") Definition Standards (2014) and CIM Best Practices (2019). The Inferred Mineral Resource in this estimate has a lower level of confidence than that applied to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of the Inferred Mineral Resource could be upgraded to an Indicated Mineral Resource with continued exploration.

As part of the estimation process, QP Thomas concluded that the drillhole spacings and historical QA/QC protocols are sufficient to support Mineral Resources in the Inferred and Indicated categories.

Method of Estimation

Domains were modelled in 3D to separate mineralized rock types from surrounding waste rock. The domains were modelled based on structural interpretations of the vein geometries. Probability assisted constrained kriging (PACK) methods were used to further constrain block grade estimates.

Block grades for gold were estimated from the composited assays using ordinary kriging interpolation into 5 m x 5m x 5m blocks coded by domain. Dry bulk densities were assigned average values by lithology.

Grade blocks were classified in accordance with CIM Definition Standards 2014. QP Thomas classified blocks to the Indicated category in areas with an average drill hole spacing of 20 m and Inferred Mineral Resources were classified in areas with a maximum distance of 25 m to the closest drill hole.

Technical Report and Qualified Persons

A Technical Report will be issued within 45 days of the March 3, 2023, news release about the updated Preview SW Mineral Resource Estimate. The Authors, Brian Ray, M.SC, P.Geo, of P&E Mining Consultants Inc., Louis Fourie, P.Geo of Terra Modelling Services and David G. Thomas, P. Geo of DKT Geosolutions are all independent Qualified Persons as defined by NI 43-101. All three QPs are responsible for the preparation of this news release and have read and approved its technical contents.

Preview SW Gold Project

The Preview SW Gold Project contains 6 zones hosting gold mineralization (Not including the Preview SW Deposit): from north to south they are Adit (previously called the Preview North Zone), C, B, A Clearwater A and Clearwater B. In all zones structurally controlled mesothermal lode gold is found in quartz veins within or on the margins of sheared dioritic-gabbroic sills and is associated with sulphides. The area of diorite-gabbro sills extends for 5,200 m in a northeastsouthwest direction across the project and reaches approximately 200 m in width.

The Preview SW Deposit is located to the southwest of the A Zone and is the focus of this new release. Gold mineralization at the Preview SW Deposit is directly related to quartz filled dilatant zones or veins within the structures. The veins are concordant within shear zones and vary considerably in thickness from mm-scale stockwork veins to 1.5 m wide veins. They are typically bull white and vary from pristine to intensively strained and drag folded. Arsenopyrite is commonly associated with the quartz from trace amounts to several percent by volume. It occurs as weak disseminations to semi-massive cm-scale selvages to the veins. Auriferous quartz veins typically contain trace amounts of chalcopyrite, pyrite or pyrrhotite, and locally, pinhead flecks of visible gold

Table 2: Significant assay results from Preview SW Deposit:

Hole** From (m) To (m) Length (m)* Au g/t PR86-17 99.9 100.2 0.3 143.66 PR86-18 50.6 51.1 0.5 179.31 PR87-30 130.9 131.4 0.5 296.57 PR87-31 27.4 28 0.6 157.94 PR87-57 58 58.5 0.5 110.06 PR88-90 144.7 145 0.3 111.43 PR88-92 174.6 175 0.4 358.29 PR89-108 9.7 10.2 0.5 170.63 PR89-108 10.2 10.6 0.4 149.49 PR12-123 147.5 148.2 0.7 258.00 PR13-151 207.26 207.86 0.6 4279.00 *Sample intervals represent core sample length; true thickness is not calculated **All Grades shown were capped for the purposes of the MRE



About MAS Gold Corp.

MAS Gold Corp. is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on advancing its gold exploration projects in the prospective La Ronge Gold Belt of Saskatchewan. MAS Gold is active on four properties in the Belt, including the Preview-North, Greywacke Lake, Elizabeth Lake and Henry Lake Properties totalling 35,175.6 hectares (86,920.8 acres). These properties extend along the geologically prospective La Ronge, Kisseynew and Glennie Domains that make up the La Ronge Gold Belt in north-central Saskatchewan.

MAS Gold currently has five advanced deposits including the North Lake, Greywacke North, Preview SW, Contact Lake and Point gold deposits.

The North Lake Deposit hosts an Indicated Mineral Resource of 13.8 M t averaging 0.88 g/t Au for 389,000 insitu ounces of gold, plus an Inferred Mineral Resource of 3.6 M t averaging 0.82 g/t Au for 95,000 insitu ounces of gold. (Fourie, L. Technical Report on the Mineral Resource Update for the North Lake Gold Project, La Ronge Gold Belt, Saskatchewan, Canada.; effective date January 6, 2023). The Technical Report about the updated North Lake Mineral Resource Estimate was filed on SEDAR February 17, 2023.

The Greywacke North Deposit has a combined open pit and underground Indicated Mineral Resource of 645,000 t averaging 4.90 g/t Au for 101,000 insitu ounces of gold (600,000 t at 4.89 g/t Au, and 45,000t at 5.03 g/t Au, respectively), plus a combined open pit and underground Inferred Mineral Resource of 410,000 t averaging 4.12 g/t Au for 55,000 insitu ounces of gold (35,000 t at 1.97 g/t Au, and 375,000 t at 4.33 g/t Au, respectively). The Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources were estimated using open pit and underground cut-off grades of 0.65 g/t Au and 1.75 g/t Au, respectively (Godden, S, Thomas, D. Tupper, D. Technical Report on the Mineral Resource Updates, North Lake and Greywacke North Gold Projects, La Ronge Gold Belt, Saskatchewan, Canada.; effective date December 1, 2021). The Technical Report regarding the updated Mineral Resource Estimate was filed on SEDAR January 12, 2022.

MAS Gold Corp.

Jim Engdahl

Chief Executive Officer & Director

Jim@masgoldcorp.com

(306) 262-4964

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information and Statements:

Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions, and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. MAS Gold cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond their respective control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to MAS Gold's limited operating history, the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations, results of exploration programs on their projects and those risks and uncertainties identified in each of their annual and interim financial statements and management discussion and analysis. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, MAS Gold undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

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 news release.

SOURCE MAS Gold Corp

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View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/March2023/06/c4165.html
South Africa: Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa appointed Minister of Electricity in the Presidency

President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa as the new Minister in the Presidency for Electricity.

The announcement of the newly established position was made by the President during an address to the nation on Monday evening.

President Ramaphosa said in his new role, Ramokgopas primary goal will be to drive governments programme of significantly reducing the severity and frequency of load shedding as a matter of urgency and to expedite governments work to ensure the full implementation of the Energy Action Plan.

To effectively oversee the electricity crisis response, the appointed Minister will have political responsibility, authority and control over all critical aspects of the Energy Action Plan. This will help to deal with the challenge of fragmentation of responsibility across various departments and Ministers which, while appropriate under normal circumstances, is not conducive to a crisis response.

The Minister will be expected to facilitate the coordination of the numerous departments and entities involved in the crisis response, work with the Eskom leadership to turn around the performance of existing power stations, and accelerate the procurement of new generation capacity, he said.

At the time of his appointment, Ramokgopa held the position of Head of the Investment and Infrastructure Office in the Presidency - a position he held since 2019.

A new role

The new Minister of Electricity in the Presidency will be empowered to carry out his duties through the transfer of certain powers and functions from the President in terms of the Constitution.

President Ramaphosa explained that the Minister of Electricity in the Presidency will also be empowered to carry out urgent actions needed to resolve the energy crisis through the recently gazetted National State of Disaster related to electricity regulations.

The recently published disaster regulations empower the Minister of Electricity to issue directions to, among others, exclude critical facilities from load shedding where technically feasible; expedite various regulatory processes for energy projects; and enable Eskom to undertake critical maintenance more quickly and efficiently.

The Minister in the Presidency for Electricity will liaise with other relevant Ministers to ensure coherence in the issuing of other directions during the national state of disaster, he said.

President Ramaphosa added that the new Minister will stay in office for as long as it is necessary to resolve the electricity crisis.

The SONA announcement

President Ramaphosa initially announced the creation of the portfolio for a Minister of Electricity in the Presidency during the State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Cape Town, last month.

At the time, the President said the new Minister would assume full responsibility for overseeing all aspects of the electricity crisis response, including the work of the National Energy Crisis Committee.

The Minister will focus full-time and work with the Eskom board and management on ending load shedding and ensuring that the Energy Action Plan is implemented without delay, he said during the SONA.

A week later, during his reply to Parliaments debate on the SONA, President Ramaphosa said the new Minister will be driving the coordinated actions of the National Energy Crisis Committee to ensure that load shedding is addressed as a matter of urgency.

The Minister of Electricity will be focused day in and day out only on addressing the load shedding crisis, working together with the management of Eskom and the board. The Minister will be leading the National Energy Crisis Committee and interacting with all other departments in the spirit of cooperative governance.

With the focus that the Minister of Electricity will have on load shedding and the work that is being done by Eskom and the board, I do believe that we stand a much better chance to address this overriding challenge and crisis that our country faces, he said.

At the same debate, President Ramaphosa emphasised that the energy crisis requires the undivided attention of a political principal who does not need to split their time and energies among different important responsibilities.

This appointment will ensure that there is a Minister who is ultimately responsible for resolving load shedding and who is able to work with all fellow Cabinet ministers, departments and entities to do so, he said.

A new portfolio

Before ascending to national government, Ramokgopa worked as the Member of Executive Committee (MEC) for Economic Development, Agriculture and Environment in Gauteng.

At local government level, Ramokgopa became one of the youngest mayors to head up a metropolitan municipality in South Africa when he took up the mayoral chains at the Tshwane municipality in 2010.

He held that position for at least five years.

Ramokgopa was also the CEO of both the Metropolitan Trading Company and the Johannesburg Market and was Deputy Chairperson of the board of Trade and Investment in Limpopo

He earned his Doctorate (PhD) in Public Affairs in 2019 with a dissertation titled: Leadership in establishing the Gauteng City-Region: the Case of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality.

He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, a Masters degree in Public Administration and a Masters Degree in Business Leadership.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2023-03-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Laman Ismayilova

Heydar Aliyev Center will host joint Azerbaijani-Latvian art exhibition on March 9.

Co-organized by Latvian Embassy in Azerbaijan, the exhibition highlights the work of Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi, a prominent poet, who lived in the 13th century, Azernews reports.

Rumi's ideas are devoted to spiritual uplift and perfection. The exhibition, which will last until April 3, will include art works by the Latvian artist Ieva Krumina and the world-famous photographer Reza Deghati.

Ieva Krumina is a member of the Art Academy of Latvia and the Association of Latvian Textile Artists.

In her art, Ieva Krumina relies on the quote of the famous Latvian poet and writer Imants Ziedonis: "Do not live without love, the world is insignificant without love!", trying to study similar, common shades between peoples. Her art works convey to people a message to fix the world with threads of love.

World-famous photojournalist Reza Deghati (known as Reza) sheds light on wars and military conflicts as well as the beauty of humanity.

His works have been published in National Geographic, Time, Stern, Newsweek, and Paris Match magazines.

He is the author of around 30 books and winner of numerous awards. Reza's photo work that illustrates Rumi's ideas revolving around a mystical dance convey the theme of the energy cycle between earth and sky, was published on the cover of National Geographic magazine in 1994.

The photographer was also awarded the National Order of Merit of France and Azerbaijan's Dostlug Order (Order of Friendship).
Vantage Market Research, The North Star for the Working World

WASHINGTON, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to a report by Vantage Market Research, the Global 3D Bioprinting Market is valued at $1.5 Billion in 2021 and is projected to reach a value of $3.7 Billion by 2028 at a CAGR of 20.2% over the forecast period. The market is segmented into medical devices, bioinks, and services, among others.



3D Bioprinting Market Overview

The 3D bioprinting market is a rapidly growing field that involves using 3D printing technology to create living tissues and organs. The market is driven by the increasing demand for organ transplantation, the need for drug discovery and testing, and the potential for personalized medicine.

The medical devices segment dominated the market in 2020, accounting for over 50% of the total revenue. This can be attributed to the increasing demand for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The bioinks segment is expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period, owing to the increasing research and development activities in the field.

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Key Growth Driving Factors

Increasing demand for organ transplantation: There is a growing demand for organs for transplantation worldwide, but there is a shortage of donors. 3D bioprinting technology has the potential to create functional organs that can be used for transplantation, which could significantly reduce the waiting time and improve patient outcomes.

Need for drug discovery and testing: 3D bioprinting can create functional human tissues that can be used for drug discovery and testing. This technology can reduce the reliance on animal testing and provide more accurate results, which could lead to the development of safer and more effective drugs.

Potential for personalized medicine: 3D bioprinting can create personalized tissues and organs that are tailored to individual patients. This could revolutionize the field of medicine, as it could lead to more effective treatments and better outcomes for patients.

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Technological advancements: The 3D bioprinting technology has made significant advancements in recent years, with improved precision and speed of printing. This has led to the development of more complex and functional tissues and organs, which has increased the potential applications of this technology.

Favorable government initiatives: Governments around the world are investing in the development of 3D bioprinting technology, with the aim of improving healthcare outcomes and reducing healthcare costs. This has led to increased funding for research and development, as well as the development of favorable regulatory frameworks.

Scope of the Report:

Report Attributes Details Market Size in 2021 USD 1.5 Billion Revenue Forecast by 2028 USD 3.7 Billion CAGR 20.2% from 2022 to 2028 Base Year 2021 Forecast Year 2022 to 2028 Key Players Envisiontec Inc., Organovo Holdings Inc., Inventia Life Science PTY LTD, Poietis, Vivax Bio LLC, Allevi, Cyfuse Biomedical K.K., 3D Bioprinting Solutions, Cellink Global, Regemat 3D S.L. Customization Options Customized purchase options are available to meet any research needs. Explore customized purchase options

Segmental Analysis:

The 3D bioprinting market can be segmented into various categories based on different factors, including product type, technology, application, and end-users.

Product Type: The market can be segmented into three main categories: Medical Devices, Bioinks, and Services. Medical devices segment dominated the market in 2022, accounting for over 50% of the total revenue. This can be attributed to the increasing demand for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The bioinks segment is expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period, owing to the increasing research and development activities in the field.

Technology: The market can be segmented based on the type of technology used for 3D bioprinting, including inkjet-based, extrusion-based, and laser-based. The extrusion-based segment accounted for the largest share of the market in 2022, owing to the increasing use of this technology for the production of complex tissues and organs.

Application: The market can be segmented based on the application of 3D bioprinting technology, including tissue engineering, drug testing and development, and regenerative medicine. Tissue engineering dominated the market in 2022, owing to the increasing demand for tissue regeneration and repair.

End-Users: The market can be segmented based on the end-users of 3D bioprinting technology, including research institutes, biotechnology companies, and hospitals and clinics. Research institutes accounted for the largest share of the market in 2022, owing to the increasing research and development activities in the field of 3D bioprinting.

Top Players in the 3D Bioprinting Market:

Envisiontec Inc.

Organovo Holdings Inc.

Inventia Life Science PTY LTD

Poietis

Vivax Bio LLC

Allevi

Cyfuse Biomedical K.K.

3D Bioprinting Solutions

Cellink Global

Regemat 3D S.L.

For Additional Information on Adhesives and Sealants Market Players and Detail List, Download a Report PDF Brochure@ https://www.vantagemarketresearch.com/3d-bioprinting-market-1235/request-sample

Recent Developments

SEP 2022 - 3D Systems announced a new 3D bioprinting subsidiary, Systemic Bio, to accelerate drug discovery and development. The new company will leverage 3D Systems recent breakthroughs in the bioprinting of vascularized human organs and tissues to reduce cost, accelerate new drug development, and ultimately reduce or eliminate animal testing. Systemic Bio plans to open a new market for 3D Systems in the pharmaceutical sector, creating a biotech revenue stream that could approach USD 100 million annually over the next five years.

MAY 2022 - Regemat 3D raised over EUR 500,000 to advance its 3D bioprinting technology. The firms portfolio includes software, a bioreactor, materials and accessories, and its flagship BIO V1 and REG4LIFE 3D bioprinters. While the BIO V1 allows for a wide range of movements in the X, Y, and Z axis, providing it with the precision to place cells on varying surface types, the REG4LIFE facilitates independent Z-axis movement, enabling the use of two syringes on multi-well plates. According to the company, the machines are designed to meet disease modeling, drug testing, and organ-on-a-chip applications.

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Geographic Overview

The 3D bioprinting market can also be segmented geographically into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa.

North America: North America dominated the 3D bioprinting market in 2020, owing to the presence of leading market players, increasing investments in research and development, and favorable government initiatives in the region. The United States is the largest market for 3D bioprinting in North America.

Europe: Europe is the second-largest market for 3D bioprinting, owing to the presence of well-established healthcare infrastructure, increasing government funding for research and development, and growing adoption of advanced technologies in the region. Germany, France, and the United Kingdom are the major markets for 3D bioprinting in Europe.

Asia Pacific: The Asia Pacific region is expected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period, owing to the increasing investments in healthcare infrastructure, rising population, and increasing awareness about personalized medicine. China, Japan, and India are the major markets for 3D bioprinting in the Asia Pacific region.

Latin America: The Latin American market for 3D bioprinting is expected to grow at a significant rate, owing to the increasing government funding for healthcare infrastructure, growing demand for organ transplantation, and rising prevalence of chronic diseases in the region. Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina are the major markets for 3D bioprinting in Latin America.

Middle East and Africa: The Middle East and Africa market for 3D bioprinting is also expected to grow at a significant rate, owing to the increasing adoption of advanced technologies, rising government funding for healthcare infrastructure, and growing awareness about personalized medicine. South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates are the major markets for 3D bioprinting in the Middle East and Africa.

Browse Market Data Tables and Figures spread through 176 Pages and in-depth TOC on 3D Bioprinting Market Forecast Report (2022-2028).

Important Questions Answered by Report:

What is the current size and projected growth of the 3D bioprinting market?

What are the key factors driving the growth of the 3D bioprinting market?

What are the major product types, technologies, applications, and end-users in the 3D bioprinting market?

What are the major market trends and challenges facing the 3D bioprinting industry?

Who are the key players in the 3D bioprinting market, and what are their market shares and strategies?

What are the major geographical regions for the 3D bioprinting market, and what are the growth prospects in each region?

What are the regulatory and ethical considerations associated with 3D bioprinting technology?

What are the major opportunities for investors and stakeholders in the 3D bioprinting market?

What are the major research and development activities in the 3D bioprinting industry, and what are the major challenges facing researchers?

What is the future outlook for the 3D bioprinting market, and what are the major trends and opportunities that are likely to emerge in the coming years?

3D Bioprinting Market Segmentation

By Technology

Inkjet-based

Magnetic Levitation

Syringe-based

Laser-based

Other Technologies



By Applications

Medical

Dental

Biosensors

Consumer/ Personal Product Testing

Food & Animal Products

Other Applications

By Components

3D Bioprinters

Bio Inks

By End Users

Research Organizations

Academic Institutes

Biopharmaceuticals Companies

Hospitals

By Materials

Hydrogels

Living Cells

Extracellular Matrices

Other Biomaterials

By Region

North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Latin America

Middle East & Africa



Read Full Report @ https://www.vantagemarketresearch.com/industry-report/3d-bioprinting-market-1235

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3D TSV Packages Market - Global Industry Assessment & Forecast: https://www.vantagemarketresearch.com/industry-report/3d-tsv-packages-market-2004

3D Printer Market - Global Industry Assessment & Forecast: https://www.vantagemarketresearch.com/industry-report/global-3d-printer-market-1405

Biocompatible 3d Printing Materials Market - Global Industry Assessment & Forecast:https://www.vantagemarketresearch.com/industry-report/biocompatible-3d-printing-materials-market-1328

Dental 3D Printing Market - Global Industry Assessment & Forecast: https://www.vantagemarketresearch.com/industry-report/dental-3d-printing-market-1260

3D Printing Ceramic Market - Global Industry Assessment & Forecast: https://www.vantagemarketresearch.com/industry-report/3d-printing-ceramic-market-1190

3D Printed Footwear Market - Global Industry Assessment & Forecast: https://www.vantagemarketresearch.com/industry-report/3d-printed-footwear-market-1595

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We, at Vantage Market Research, provide quantified B2B high quality research on more than 20,000 emerging markets, in turn, helping our clients map out constellation of opportunities for their businesses. We, as a competitive intelligence market research and consulting firm provide end to end solutions to our client enterprises to meet their crucial business objectives. Our clientele base spans across 70% of Global Fortune 500 companies.

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The Insight Partners

The global juice concentrates market size is growing from USD 67.21 billion in 2022 to USD 97.54 billion by 2028, and is registering a CAGR of 6.4% from 2022 to 2028.

New York, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to The Insight Partners,  Juice Concentrates Market Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Global Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Type (Fruit Juice Concentrates and Vegetable Juice Concentrates), Category (Organic and Conventional), Form (Powder and Liquid), and Application (Bakery and Confectionery; Beverages; Soups, Sauces, and Condiments; Dairy and Frozen Dessert; and Others), the global juice concentrates market growth is driven by increasing demand for natural food products, growing application of juice concentrates and demand for organic and clean label products.





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Global Juice Concentrates Market  Report Scope:

Market Size Value in USD 67.21 Billion in 2022 Market Size Value by USD 97.54 Billion by 2028 Growth rate CAGR of 6.4% from 2022 to 2028 Forecast Period 2022-2028 Base Year 2022 No. of Pages 178 No. of Tables 114 No. of Charts & Figures 86 Historical data available Yes Segments covered Type, Category, Form, and Application





Global Juice Concentrates Market: Competitive Landscape and Key Developments

Ciatti Co, Berrifine AS, Archer-Daniels-Midland Co, AGRANA Beteiligungs AG, Dohler GmbH, Kanegrade Ltd, CitroGlobe SRL, SVZ International BV, IPRONA SpA, and Ingredion Inc are a few of the key players operating in the juice concentrates market. These companies have a widespread presence across the world, which allows them to serve a large number of customers.





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Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Global Juice Concentrates Market Growth:

The COVID-19 pandemic affected economies and industries in various countries. Lockdowns, travel restrictions, and business shutdowns in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), South & Central America, and the Middle East & Africa (MEA) hampered the growth of several industries, including the food & beverages industry. The shutdown of manufacturing units disrupted global supply chains, manufacturing activities, delivery schedules, and essential and nonessential product sales. Various companies witnessed delays in product deliveries and a slump in sales of their products in 2020. Moreover, the bans imposed by governments of various countries in Europe, Asia Pacific, and North America on international travel compelled companies to temporarily discontinue their collaboration and partnership plans. All these factors hampered various industries in 2020 and early 2021, thereby restraining the growth of various markets, including the juice concentrates market.

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Before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for juice concentrates was high due to increasing need for bakery products and rising production of different flavored products. However, manufacturing industries faced unprecedented challenges after the emergence of the pandemic in 2020. The manufacturers of juice concentrate experienced many issues due to supply chain constraints caused by nationwide lockdown, trade bans, and travel restrictions. The supply chain disruption created the storage of raw materials, which affected the production and distribution of juice concentrates, leading to increased prices. Further, there was a huge demand and supply gap due to the lockdown and travel restrictions.





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Increasing Demand for Natural Food Products Drives Global Juice Concentrates Market Growth:

The increasing incidence of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes, along with growing trend of health food fads, are a few factors contributing to the rising need for natural and healthy food. Therefore, fruit juice concentrate is increasingly used as a substitute product for refined sugar in a wide variety of applications such as juices, cakes, chocolates, and confectionery items. Fructose in fruit concentrate is a healthier alternative to sucrose for people suffering from diabetes, as it has a lower glycemic index than sucrose. Furthermore, baked goods made with fructose are sweet and incredibly moist because fructose attracts more water than granulated sugar. These advantages of fructose make fruit concentrate a highly attractive natural substitute for sugar in the baking industry.

Europe held the largest share of the juice concentrates market in 2022 . The market growth in the region is attributed to the presence of well-established players such as AGRANA Beteiligungs-AG, Archer Daniels Midland Company, Berrifine A/S, Ingredion Incorporated, and Dohler GmbH. With increasing health consciousness among consumers, the demand for natural products prepared using juice concentrates is expected to continue growing over the forecast period. Further, the demand for on-the-go fruit-based beverages is increasing due to hectic lifestyles of consumers across the region. The rising consumption of juice concentrates and juice concentrates-based products such as soups and sauces and beverages are due to the growing adoption of fruit and vegetable juices over aerated drinks, especially by health-conscious consumers.





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Juice Concentrates Market: Segmental Overview

Based on type , the juice concentrates market is bifurcated into fruit juice concentrates and vegetable juice concentrates. The fruit concentrates segment held a larger market share in 2022, and the vegetable concentrate segment is expected to register a higher CAGR during the forecast period. The growth in the vegetable segment is attributed to increasing number of applications and growing consumer demand for healthy alternatives. Vegetable juice concentrates find applications in bakery products, beverages, cheeses, dips, dressings, functional foods, ready-to-eat gravies, marinades, pickles, plant-based ready meals, salads, soups, stuffings, and toppings. Moreover, with the growing vegan trend, pressed vegetables are extensively incorporated in a smoothie or juices, such as beetroot juice and carrot juice, to make healthy drinks.

Based on category , the juice concentrates market is bifurcated into organic and conventional. The conventional segment held a larger market share in 2022, and the organic segment is expected to register a higher CAGR during the forecast period.

Based on form , the juice concentrates market is divided into powder and liquid. The liquid segment held a larger market share in 2022, and the powder segment is expected to register a higher CAGR during the forecast period.

Based on application , the juice concentrates market is segmented into bakery and confectionery; beverages; soups, sauces, and condiments; dairy and frozen dessert; and others. The beverages segment held the largest market share in 2022, and the bakery and confectionary segment is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Juice concentrates are often used in the bakery & confectionery industry as a sweetener or colorant. Fruit concentrates are also finding applications as icing to decorate cakes, pastries, and muffins. Juice concentrates are widely known for functional and nutritional benefits. Also juice concentrates confer in terms of high quality, safety, and nutrition of processed food products.









Browse other research published by The Insight Partners:

Global B2B Concentrated Fruit Juice Market Size Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis by Type (Orange Juice, Apple Juice, Grape Juice, Strawberry Juice, Others); Application (Retailing Juice, Alcoholic Beverage, Fermented Products, Others) and Geography

Global Apple Juice Concentrates Market Size Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Type (Cloudy, De-Ionized, Clarified); Application (Dairy and Frozen Desserts, Bakery and Confectionery, Beverages, Sauces, Dips and Spreads, Others) and Geography

Global Red and White Grape Juice Concentrate Market Size Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis by Form (Liquid Concentrate, Frozen Concentrate); Application (Food, Beverages, Cosmetics, Pharmaceutical, Others) and Geography

Global Fruit Juice Market Size Forecast to 2028 - Covid-19 Impact and Global Analysis - by Type (100% Fruit Juice, Nectars, Juice Drinks, Concentrates, Powdered Juice, Others); Flavor (Orange, Apple, Mango, Mixed Fruit, Others); Distribution Channel (Supermarkets and Hypermarkets, Convenience Stores, Specialty Stores, Online, Others) and Geography

Global Aloe Vera Juice Market Size Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Category (Organic, Conventional); Distribution Channel (Supermarkets and Hypermarkets, Convenience Stores, Online Retail, Others) and Geography

Global Hemp Juice Market Size Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Category (Organic, Conventional); Distribution Channel (Supermarkets and Hypermarkets, Convenience Stores, Online Retail, Others) and Geography

Global Strawberry Juice Market Size Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Type (With Sugar, Without Sugar); Sales Channel (Online Sales, Offline Sales) and Geography

Global Celery Juice Market Size Forecast to 2028 - Covid-19 Impact and Global Analysis - by Product (Ready-to-drink Juice, Puree); Distribution Channel (Hypermarkets/Supermarkets, Online Retailers, Specialty Stores, Others) and Geography

Global Baby Juice Market Size Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis by Type (Preparation Ready to drink) and Geography

Global Papaya Juice Market Size Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis by Types (With Sugar, Without Sugar); Application (Online Sales, Offline Sales) and Geography

Global Cold Pressed Carrot Juice Market Size Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Product (Organic Juices, Conventional Juices); End users/Applications (Hypermarket/Supermarket, Convenience Stores, Departmental Stores, Specialty Stores, Online Retail, Others) and Geography









About Us:

The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We specialize in industries such as Semiconductor and Electronics, Aerospace and Defense, Automotive and Transportation, Biotechnology, Healthcare IT, Manufacturing and Construction, Medical Device, Technology, Media and Telecommunications, Chemicals and Materials.

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If you have any queries about this report or if you would like further information, please contact us:

Contact Person: Sameer Joshi

E-mail: sales@theinsightpartners.com

Phone: +1-646-491-9876

Press Release: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/pr/juice-concentrates-market




One of Canada's largest consumer goods suppliers ushers in supply chain agility and borderless scalability with Tecsys' SaaS WMS.

MONTREAL, March 6, 2023 /CNW/ -- Tecsys Inc. (TSX: TCS), an industry-leading supply chain management software company, is pleased to announce that ACI Brands, one of Canada's largest multi-divisional suppliers of consumer products, will deploy Tecsys' SaaS-based Elite WMS as part of a multimodal modernization initiative that will enable them to tap into system-driven technologies and automation solutions.

TECSYS (PRNewsfoto/TECSYS)

Founded 40 years ago as a ladies fashion wallet supplier, ACI Brands has developed into a multinational supplier and distributor of consumer products focused on all channels of Canadian and U.S. retail, spanning accessory, beauty and sporting goods divisions, and including brands like Buffalo David Bitton, KISS and Timberland. With its expanding range of products and brands and increasing ecommerce activity, ACI Brands' priority turned to modernizing its technical infrastructure and reducing their internal IT burden to better support the continued growth of their business.

"Tecsys' software has supported our business evolution for decades," explains Helder Valentim, vice president of IT and Operations at ACI Brands. "Despite being a longstanding Tecsys customer, due diligence required us to confirm which solution would best meet our needs as a growing distributor and 3PL with demanding SLAs. With the help of KPMG, we determined that Tecsys was indeed the best WMS to allow us to retain operational efficiencies and robust system capabilities while preparing for more complexity and higher demands on operational resources."

Designed to control all warehouse activities, Elite WMS optimizes inventory management by managing stock levels, improving order fulfillment and purchase requisitions, and reducing order cycle times. With the supply chain disruptions and limitations that have taken place over the past few years during the pandemic, Tecsys solutions continue to be critical in enabling businesses to adapt to changing consumer and client behavior.

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Integrated with ACI Brands' tech stack, Tecsys' SaaS-based supply chain platform will drive unity across data siloes and complex supply chain operations, enabling the company to connect their back-end core supply chain execution activities together with ACI Brand's front-end system.

"Elite WMS is highly agile, feature rich, functionally robust and very intuitive for the user, while allowing us to be flexible in meeting 3PL customer expectations and our internal targets," Valentim continues. "Leveraging Tecsys' Elite WMS gives us operational stability while instilling confidence as we scale and drive toward more automated operations."

Peter Brereton, president and CEO of Tecsys, comments, "We are delighted that ACI Brands is demonstrating their ongoing confidence in Tecsys software by choosing our SaaS platform for their warehouse operations. In today's competitive supply chain landscape, we see this as an important testament to the real-world benefits of our WMS product."

About ACI Brands

From humble beginnings on Buchan St. in Montreal as a ladies fashion wallet supplier in 1981, ACI Brands has developed into one of Canada's largest multi-divisional suppliers of consumer products, focused on all channels of Canadian and U.S. retail. Their goal is to maximize our customers' sales and profitability through strong category management and product assortment, while at the same time seeking out new opportunities for growth and success. The company's headquarters are conveniently located in the Greater Toronto area suburb of Oakville, Ontario, with a 120,000 square foot facility. Internationally, they hold offices in Donguan, China.

About Tecsys

Tecsys is a global provider of cloud-based supply chain solutions that equip the borderless enterprise for growth and competitive advantage. Serving healthcare, distribution and converging commerce industries, and spanning multiple complex, regulated and high-volume markets, Tecsys delivers dynamic and powerful solutions for warehouse management, distribution and transportation management, supply management at point of use, order management and fulfillment, as well as financial management and analytics solutions. Tecsys' shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol TCS. For more information on Tecsys, visit www.tecsys.com.

Cision

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SOURCE Tecsys Inc.

Cision

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/March2023/06/c5046.html
The American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island and Rhode Island Legal Services announced on Wednesday they filed a federal complaint against the Providence Public School District for allegedly failing to give parents of special education students important documents on services they may receive.

According to a news release, the complaint, filed with the U.S. Department of Education, states that the documents "contain student test protocols, which include notes and observations of evaluators that form the basis of reports on the services that must be provided to address the childs special education needs."

"The complaint, on behalf of a Providence parent and her child, was filed as a class administrative complaint on behalf of all children with disabilities or suspected disabilities in the school district," the release said. "The school district has admitted that it has failed to maintain and /or cannot locate evaluation and test protocols for the child and, presumably, other students."

More on PPSD:What's happening with Providence school closings? Everything you need to know

The RIACLU and RI Legal Services said they're seeking "a variety of forms of relief," including trainings for school staff on protocols and an order barring the district from "using evaluations where protocols have been mislaid, lost, or destroyed illegally if a parent or guardian objects to their use."

Reached for comment, Rhode Island Department of Education spokesman Victor Morente said the school district "was recently made aware of the complaint."

"It is under review by PPSD's legal counsel, and they will respond accordingly," he added.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: ACLU, RI Legal Services file complaint against PPSD on special education records
Leading Practice In The Empire State Elevates Patient Centric Approach

ROCKLAND, N.Y., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Advanced Medaesthetic Partners (AMP) proudly announces its newest strategic investment with Advanced Plastic Surgery Center , led by the world-renowned double-board certified plastic surgeon Michael Fiorillo, MD.

Advanced MedAesthetic Partners (PRNewsfoto/Advanced MedAesthetic Partners)

"Advanced Medaesthetic Partners warmly welcomes Advanced Plastic Surgery Center and Dr. Fiorillo to the AMP family," says Nicole Chiaramonte, AMP CEO. "Dr. Fiorillo is an esteemed plastic surgery authority with 25 years of experience. We are elated to grow with such a distinguished practice."

"I have had the honor of treating thousands of patients in New York and New Jersey since 1998," states Dr. Fiorillo. "Every case is unique and every outcome matters. My mission is to be part of a team that takes aesthetic medicine to another level. Partnering with AMP delivers a future growth platform with a powerful team that will scale our learnings and competencies, helping even more people feel and look their best."

Advanced Plastic Surgery Center treats patients with the most sophisticated technology at its two New York City area locations. Dr. Fiorillo is a sought after media contributor and regularly called upon as a complex revision surgery expert.

"We are thrilled to add Dr. Fiorillo to our family of aesthetic powerhouses," states Drew Fine, AMP Chief Commercial Officer. "Patients turn to him for his expertise and results with breast augmentation and body sculpting; he will be an invaluable partner. We look forward to growing with The Advanced Plastic Surgery Center and serving even more happy patients."

Advanced Plastic Surgery Center is the most recent aesthetic practice to join AMP's rapidly growing family. Wth this addition, AMP continues to be the premier platform for aesthetics practice owners looking to grow to the next level.

ABOUT AMP

AMP is comprised of some of the most successful business and clinical leaders in the medical aesthetics industry. AMP support includes managerial, administrative, marketing, clinical training, information technology and numerous other elements to allow practices to focus on what they do best  serving their clients. www.weramp.com

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ADVANCED PLASTIC SURGERY CENTER

Dr. Fiorillo's Advanced Plastic Surgery Center consists of his accredited surgery center and two MedSpas with a variety of top of the line aesthetic services. in two locations in New York and New Jersey servicing thousands of patients since 1998 In 2004, Dr. Fiorillo opened a surgical facility with an operating room and MedSpa. He is affiliated with Good Samaritan Hospital (NY) and Hackensack University Medical Center (NJ).. www.drfiorillo.com

ABOUT MICHAEL FIORILLO, MD

Michael A. Fiorillo, MD, is an ASPS Member plastic surgeon who is board certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery and trained specifically in plastic surgery. Dr. Fiorillo graduated at the very top of his class at Chicago Medical School followed by completing five years of general surgery at Staten Island University Hospital. Dr. Fiorillo concluded his training with a fellowship in plastic surgery at the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ). Dr. Fiorillo was elected President of the Rockland County Medical Society from May 2005-May 2007 and is the proud recipient of the prestigious Castle Connolly Top Doctors award in 2020.

Cision

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SOURCE Advanced MedAesthetic Partners
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Dublin, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Africa & Middle East Social Commerce Market Intelligence and Future Growth Dynamics Databook - 50+ KPIs on Social Commerce Trends by End-Use Sectors, Operational KPIs, Retail Product Dynamics, and Consumer Demographics - Q1 2023 Update" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



Social commerce industry in Africa & Middle East is expected to grow by 39.5% on annual basis to reach US$9638.6 million in 2023.



The social commerce industry is expected to grow steadily over the forecast period, recording a CAGR of 27.1% during 2022-2028. The social commerce GMV in the region will increase from US$9638.6 million in 2023 to reach US$40695.1 million by 2028.



Each report in bundle provides a detailed data centric analysis of social commerce industry, covering market opportunities and risks. With over 50+ KPIs at country level, this report provides a comprehensive understanding of social commerce market dynamics, market size and forecast, and market share statistics.



The research methodology is based on industry best practices. Its unbiased analysis leverages a proprietary analytics platform to offer a detailed view on emerging business and investment market opportunities.



This title is a bundled offering provides detailed 8 reports

Africa & Middle East Social Commerce Market Intelligence and Future Growth Dynamics (Databook)

Egypt Social Commerce Market Intelligence and Future Growth Dynamics (Databook)

Israel Social Commerce Market Intelligence and Future Growth Dynamics (Databook)

Nigeria Social Commerce Market Intelligence and Future Growth Dynamics (Databook)

Saudi Arabia Social Commerce Market Intelligence and Future Growth Dynamics (Databook)

South Africa Social Commerce Market Intelligence and Future Growth Dynamics (Databook)

Turkey Social Commerce Market Intelligence and Future Growth Dynamics (Databook)

United Arab Emirates Social Commerce Market Intelligence and Future Growth Dynamics (Databook)

Story continues

Reasons to buy

In-depth Understanding of Social Commerce Market Dynamics: Understand market opportunities and key trends along with forecast (2019-2028).

Insights into Opportunity by end-use sectors - Get market dynamics by end-use sectors to assess emerging opportunity across various end-use sectors.

Develop Market Specific Strategies: Identify growth segments and target specific opportunities to formulate social commerce strategy; assess market specific key trends, drivers, and risks in the industry.

Scope



Ecommerce Industry Market Size and Future Growth Dynamics by Key Performance Indicators, 2019-2028

Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Future Growth Dynamics by Key Performance Indicators, 2019-2028

Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Retail Product Categories, 2019-2028

Clothing & Footwear

Beauty and Personal Care

Food & Grocery

Appliances and Electronics

Home Improvement

Travel

Hospitality

Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by End Use Segment, 2019-2028

B2B

B2C

C2C

Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by End Use Device, 2019-2028

Mobile

Desktop

Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Location, 2019-2028

Domestic

Cross Border

Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Location, 2019-2028

Tier-1 Cities

Tier-2 Cities

Tier-3 Cities

Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Payment Method, 2019-2028

Credit Card

Debit Card

Bank Transfer

Prepaid Card

Digital & Mobile Wallet

Other Digital Payment

Cash

Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Platforms

Video Commerce

Social Network-Led Commerce

Social Reselling

Group Buying

Product Review Platforms

Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Consumer Demographics & Behaviour, 2022

By Age

By Income Level

By Gender

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/mlghw3

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.

CONTACT: CONTACT: 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




TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / AI/ML Innovations Inc. (CSE:AIML)(OTCQB:AIMLF)(FWB:42FB), a company committed to acquiring and advancing Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning technologies that address urgent societal needs, is pleased to report that its wholly owned subsidiary, Health Gauge Inc., has successfully completed a blood pressure validation study utilizing its best-in-class, wearable health monitoring solution, the "Phoenix".

Bruce Matichuk, CTO of AI/ML Innovations, and Co-founder of Health Gauge Inc. stated, "This is a significant step forward in the refinement and validation of Health Gauge's solution. The next objective for us is completion of the FDA verification process, which would make Health Gauge's Phoenix the only consumer style wearable approved as a Class 2 medical device for blood pressure, and would afford us many significant B2B and direct-to-consumer opportunities."

SALIENT POINTS FROM THE BLOOD PRESSURE STUDY

The study results show Health Gauge's solution to be at or near the benchmark for regulatory certification as a Medical Device.

Health Gauge's patented AI technology for cuffless blood pressure estimation was verified in the scientific study performed by the University of Alberta's ST Innovations. The study demonstrated the effectiveness of machine learning to accurately estimate blood pressure using only Electrocardiogram and Photoplethysmogram data from the Phoenix watch.

Average of All

Study Participants After AI Training

(mmHg) Systolic pressure (MAE) 7.20 Systolic (SD) 6.29 Diastolic pressure (MAE) 6.20 Diastolic (SD) 5.16

*MAE = Mean Absolute Error (relative to a medical-grade BP cuff)

*SD = Standard Deviation

*mmHg = a measurement used to record blood pressure

The study supports Health Gauge's FDA 510k and Health Canada submission processes for clearance as a Class 2 medical device. The STI study demonstrated the efficacy of the Phoenix on a limited user set for estimating blood pressure, while full certification studies will utilize the same protocol with larger participant groups.

Story continues

In addition to Blood Pressure, the Phoenix also tracks heart rate, heart rate variability, sleep, steps, distance, calories, blood oxygen, temperature and respiratory rate. The Health Gauge platform stores data on a user's mobile device and synchronizes this data with a cloud server to enable data sharing with health professionals and care teams. Health Gauge offers a full platform for personal health and monitoring with many medical applications in the home, in hospitals and clinics.

AI/ML Innovations Inc., Monday, March 6, 2023, Press release picture

About Health Gauge www.healthgauge.com

Health Gauge's patented solution is a personal health monitoring & management system, which combines the latest wearable health monitors with sophisticated artificial intelligence software tools and proprietary cloud computing software, to help caregivers, patients, and healthcare professionals access and utilize relevant data, resulting in better recovery outcomes and healthy living objectives through the ability to make immediate and better health choices.

The Health Gauge platform provides the right balance of team and technology with the Health Gauge Phoenix wearable, the mobile Health Gauge App, and our VirtualCare solution that includes secured messaging, health information management and sharing, and virtual client engagement. It blends artificial intelligence with the latest sensors in non-invasive bio signal collection, including activity, sleep monitoring, HR, HR variability, and other rich personal health data through ECG & digital pulse analytics.

AI/ML Innovations Inc., Monday, March 6, 2023, Press release picture

About AI/ML Innovations Inc. https://aiml-innovations.com/

AI/ML Innovations Inc. has realigned its business operations to capitalize on the burgeoning fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), with an initial investment focus on emerging digital health and wellbeing companies that leverage AI, ML, cloud computing and digital platforms to drive transformative healthcare management solutions and precision support delivery across the health continuum. Through strategic partnerships with Health Gauge (100% owned by AIML), Tech2Heal (up to 22% ownership rights, with 9.44% currently owned), AI Rx Inc. (70% owned by AIML) and other planned accretive investments, the Company continues to capitalize on expanding growth areas, to the benefit of all the Company's stakeholders. AI/ML's shares are traded on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol "AIML", the OTCQB Venture Market under "AIMLF", and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under "42FB".

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Tim Daniels, Executive Chairman

For more information about AI/ML Innovations :

For detailed information please see AI/ML's website or the Company's filed documents at www.sedar.com.

For further information, contact: Blake Fallis at (778) 405-0882 or info@aiml-innovations.com.

Corporate video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2QSjo7clXc&feature=youtu.be

Official YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCfOj2P_Fu3TOK6Jl1G9vEQ

Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For AI/ML Innovations Investors

Certain statements made in this press release that are not based on historical information are forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. This press release contains express or implied forward-looking statements relating to, among other things, AI/ML Innovations' expectations concerning management's plans, objectives and strategies, including strategies for defending the Company's intellectual property. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. AI/ML Innovations Inc. undertakes no obligation to update or revise the information contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise except as expressly required by applicable securities law. Further information regarding the uncertainties and risks can be found in the disclosure documents filed by AI/ML with the securities regulatory authorities, available at www.sedar.com.

SOURCE: AI/ML Innovations Inc.





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LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / International Endeavors Corporation "IEC" (OTC PINK:IDVV) announced that its AI division WITech has entered into an agreement with its first client HayCap, a residential and commercial lender with a focus primarily on fix and flip properties in several states.

Terms of the agreement call for the following:

An extensive AI marketing campaign beginning in Southern California and Nevada. Development of lending package for IDVV's solar crypto project clients. The agreement is to be for one year non-exclusive as IDVV plans to expand its services to additional clients. Payment for agreement to come on a quarterly basis based on set monthly fees and lending volume.

Company Vice President Bill Martin stated "We are pleased to announce our first agreement in the AI sector. Based on current models from the client we anticipate yearly revenues in the 500,000 to 1,000,000 range with the potential for expansion. We believe this is just the beginning, we will receive steady deal flow for our AI division. Part of what made this agreement attractive for IDVV is the possibility of creating an in house lending program for our solar crypto project."

News about AI is rapidly spreading and is receiving positive feedback from major institutions. International Endeavors is pleased to welcome its first client as it expands into the AI Sector.

Recently, In a note to clients, Bank of America strategists listed four reasons why AI is about to change the landscape: democratization of data, unprecedented mass adoption, "warp-speed" technological development, and abundant commercial uses

"We are at a defining moment - like the internet in the '90s - where Artificial Intelligence (AI) is moving towards mass adoption, with large language models like ChatGPT finally enabling us to fully capitalize on the data revolution," they stated.

Up until recently, AI could read and write but couldn't understand content, BofA said. Tools like ChatGPT have changed that, however, and its ability to understand natural language has opened the door to huge upside.

Story continues

Ultimately, AI's ability to capitalize on data could boost the world economy by up to $15.7 trillion by 2030, in the investment firms view, and the global AI market comprised of - software, hardware, and services - could reach $900 billion by 2026. The bank also sees a great deal of commercial use cases for AI technology.

"It took ChatGPT just 5 days to reach 1 million users, 1 billion cumulative visits in 3 months and an adoption rate which is 3x TikTok's and 10x Instagram's," BofA said. "The technology is developing exponentially."

We encourage everyone to follow us.

Twitter

https://twitter.com/IDVVcorp

Website

https://IDVVCORP.COM

About Us

International Endeavors Corporation ("IEC") is a technology holdings company focused on Clean Energy, Crypto and A.I.

Specializing in solar technology, battery storage, as well as clean energy crypto mining options for both on & off grid.

We're currently implementing EV2G / Bi-directional charging options, thus allowing you to use your electric vehicle as a means of a backup battery, or to sell power back to the grid.

In 2022 IDVV started to offer its clients a Clean Energy Crypto mining solution. Our Plug-n-Play mining rigs can be installed in existing or current systems and allows the option to sell power back to the grid or mine crypto currency with any power surplus.

In 2023 We acquired WITech as part of an expansion into the AI Sector. We are incorporating AI technology into our crypto offerings, and developing a platform for AI Content Marketing.

The Company currently is reporting its financial information on OTCMarkets.

Our filings can be seen at https://www.otcmarkets.com

Disclaimer

Forward-Looking Statements are included within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements regarding our expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, financing plans, business strategy, products and services, competitive positions, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management for future operations, including words such as "anticipate," "if," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "could," "should," "will," and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements and involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from anticipated results, performance, or achievements. International Endeavors Corporation (IDVV) is under no obligation to (and expressly disclaim any such obligation to) update or alter our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Contact:

Bill Martin, Vice President

Phone: 1-619-343-3199

Email: billmartinidvv@gmail.com

HayCap

Phone 1-760-703-7479

SOURCE: International Endeavors Corporation, Inc.





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/742090/AI-Shows-No-Signs-Of-Slowing-As-IDVV-Announces-First-Agreement-In-AI-Sector




Competition aims to attract high-caliber young minds to become part of Alibaba's global digital commerce workforce

HANGZHOU, China, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Alibaba Group (NYSE: BABA and HKEX: 9988, "Alibaba" or "Alibaba Group") has launched the 2023 Alibaba Global E-Commerce Challenge to identify young talent for the future of its international e-commerce operations. The competition is open to university students around the world who are interested in tackling day-to-day e-commerce business challenges with innovative solutions. Candidates will have an opportunity to receive coaching from dedicated Alibaba mentors, while also standing a chance to gain awards and job opportunities in Alibaba's Global Digital Commerce (GDC) unit.

Alibaba Group logo (PRNewsfoto/Alibaba Group)

"Globalization is one of Alibaba's three main strategic pillars. As we continue to expand our global footprint, we look forward to attracting a more diverse pool of young talent to strengthen our ability to serve merchants and shoppers across our international e-commerce platforms," said Lillian Jiang, Chief People Officer of Alibaba's Global Digital Commerce unit. "Through the Global E-Commerce Challenge, we aim to identify high-caliber business leaders of tomorrow for our operations worldwide. It will also serve as a platform for participants to gain first-hand exposure to our international operations and benefit from cross-cultural exchange, which we believe will be a one-of-a-kind experience."

First introduced in 2021, the Global E-commerce Challenge by Alibaba is targeted at talented technical and business minds of tomorrow. Participants will be tasked to develop creative solutions to problems inspired by some of the real day-to-day businesses scenarios of Alibaba's GDC unit. The challenges in last year's edition ranged from developing ways for AliExpress to tap into a new audience of French female consumers, identifying the next star product for Spanish shoppers on the platform, and addressing the pain points of Japanese small and medium-sized merchants operating on Alibaba.com.

Story continues

This year's competition will begin with a regional round focusing on the East Asia, ASEAN and Americas & Europe regions, which will be conducted online between late March and early April. Eligible candidates will compete in teams and will be assessed based on their ability to identify opportunities and develop creative yet actionable solutions. Three winning teams from each region will eventually compete offline in the final round in late April, for prizes worth up to RMB50,000 as well as internship and placement opportunities in one of Alibaba's international business units. Contestants will also benefit from mentorship by experts from Alibaba's business teams during the course of the competition.

Last year, the Global E-commerce Challenge saw participation from 42 teams of students from around the globe. Eight teams of finalists consisting of students from 13 markets, such as Brazil, France, Japan, South Korea, Spain, the United States and Vietnam, presented their proposals at the virtual finals and tackled challenging questions from senior executives at AliExpress and Alibaba.com.

The 2023 edition of the competition is open for applications from now until 23:59 on March 21, 2023 (Beijing time) to all current students enrolled in a full/part-time university program or those who graduated within the last year. Applicants are encouraged to enrol for the competition as teams of two to four. Fluency in spoken and written English is a must, and proficiency in another language will be an advantage.

To register for the competition or find out more about the entry requirements, please visit www.alibabagec.com.

About Alibaba Group

Alibaba Group's mission is to make it easy to do business anywhere. The company aims to build the future infrastructure of commerce. It envisions that its customers will meet, work and live at Alibaba, and that it will be a good company that lasts for 102 years.

SOURCE Alibaba Group
China's Meituan (OTC: MPNGY) (OTC: MPNGY) plans to restructure its ride-hailing service and reduce the number of staff working on the platform, according to CEO Wang Xing's internal letter.

The Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE: BABA) rival aims to reduce resources dedicated to the service and transfer a portion of the service's staff to other business lines, Reuters reports.

Meituan's main app offers services from food delivery to restaurant bookings.

Meituan relaunched as a standalone app in 2021 after regulators barred the Chinese market's dominant player DiDi Global Inc (OTC: DIDIY), from registering new users.

Meituan's decision also comes as many of its tech peers evaluate non-core businesses and cut costs as the economy slows.

Alibaba slashed its workforce by about 19,000 employees in 2022 for cost efficiency. Alibaba, let go of over 4,000 workers in the year's final quarter.

Price Action: Meituan shares traded higher by 0.94% at $18.31 premarket on the last check Monday.

Don't miss real-time alerts on your stocks - join Benzinga Pro for free! Try the tool that will help you invest smarter, faster, and better.

This article Alibaba's Peer Meituan Eyes Downsizing Workforce, Restructuring Ride Hailing Business originally appeared on Benzinga.com

.

 2023 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received Hungarian Minister of Economic Development Marton Nagy.

Recalling his last visit to Hungary, the head of state once again lauded the hospitality and close cooperation efforts of the Hungarian President and Prime Minister during this trip. Noting that this visit yielded good results, President Ilham Aliyev stressed the importance of Marton Nagy`s visit to Azerbaijan in terms of developing bilateral ties. The head of state said that the visit of the Hungarian Minister for Economic Development created good opportunity for defining the areas of future cooperation based on the agreements reached. Underlining that an agenda of the bilateral relations has expanded, the President of Azerbaijan pointed out that there are already good results in all areas.

Thanking for the reception, Marton Nagy expressed condolences to the head of state over the martyrdom of Azerbaijani soldiers yesterday.

The Minister for Economic Development of Hungary said that his country has always supported the territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and underscored that there is no alternative to peace and negotiations. Marton Nagy noted that President Ilham Aliyev`s visit to Hungary was carried out at a high level and was of great importance in terms of developing the bilateral ties.

They also exchanged views on the prospects for economic cooperation between the two countries.




IRVINE, Calif., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Alpha Motor Corporation (Alpha) released today information about its company to raise awareness of its California-based Move Humanity brand and vision.

Copyright  2023 Alpha Motor Corporation. All rights reserved.

History

Alpha Motor Corporation (Alpha) is a privately held U.S. automobile and mobility technology company based in Irvine, California. Alpha was founded by Edward Lee and Jada Lee.

Edward Lee is an award-winning American automotive designer with over 20 years of automotive industry experience and is credited as the lead inventor of the Lexus LC Flagship Luxury Coupe and Convertible (U.S. Patents D891989-S, D806609-S, D671458-S). Jada Lee is Co-Founder and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors at Alpha Motor Corporation and carries over 16 years of business and corporate law experience.

Alpha was founded in 2020 and initially self-funded until 2021 when convertibles notes were issued. The company achieved profitability in 2022. Alpha recently opened a Reg CF equity offering on StartEngine, a private investment platform regulated by the SEC.

In 2023, Alpha received The Certificate of Congressional Recognition from the United States House of Representatives for its technology patents and dedication to sustainable transportation. Alpha was also recognized as the "Electric Vehicle Manufacturer of the Year  California," by Corporate LiveWire Global Awards.

Present Day

Alpha Motor Corporation (Alpha) is an award-winning American automobile company focused on manufacturing mobility solutions that Move Humanity. Following a successful market introduction in 2020 and backed by over 52,500 vehicle preorder indications, Alpha is advancing to pre-production vehicle development in 2023.

Alpha is backed by:

Patented Technology - Alpha has proprietary advantages in technology, design, and process enabling speed-to-market efficiency of award-winning EV designs.

Strong Market Demand  Alpha has received over 52,500 vehicle preorder indications to date in addition to distribution agreements in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Story continues

Experience And Ability to Execute - Alpha's automotive business proficiency comes from decades of experience at major corporations. Alpha has formed OEM-level strategic partnerships in the U.S. to efficiently develop and manufacture highly competitive EVs.

Alpha is led by automotive professionals working to commercialize its award-winning EV designs. Alpha's patented technology enables speed-to-market efficiency with an aim to manufacture for the EV mass market, which is expected to surpass US$1.5 trillion by 2030.

EV Revolution Led by Alpha

Leveraging award-winning designs alongside patented technology and production methods, Alpha is efficiently creating the next generation of electric vehicles to be equipped with quality performance that is enjoyable and accessible.

Alpha's multi-purpose vehicle system enables shared solutions to streamline EV development. Alpha's unique vehicle system includes dimensionally adjustable chassis, interchangeable power components, interchangeable interior components, interchangeable subsystem components, interchangeable user interface control system, interchangeable body modules enabling vehicle variants, and other patented methodologies, designs, and sustainable industrial practices.

The Alpha lineup encompasses multiple categories for the consumer market  including Utility, Sport, and Adventure Series vehicles. Alpha's patented modular vehicle system allows the company to rapidly create and develop a variety of EV solutions. Alpha is committed to creating the kinds of electric vehicles it believes the world has always wanted to see but that have not existed  until now.

Green Economy Driven by EVs

On a global scale, gasoline-powered vehicles contribute massively to the deterioration of our planet's atmosphere and are not sustainable as we move towards a net zero green economy. Alpha believes that the electrification of cars is the way forward, offering significant savings in fuel, maintenance, and overall ownership costs, compared to gasoline vehicles. Alpha's vision to Move Humanity places focus on sustainability with an emphasis on the impact on consumers. Alpha is convinced that the decisions involving sustainability should consider accountability and values that stand the test of time.

In order to move the needle forward on mass adoption trends, it is Alpha's observation that the current market is lacking in stylish, affordable, and functional EV options, and the company is striving to fill the void.

The EV Advantage

Alpha's technology is backed by a level of experience and expertise that we believe is rare to the emerging EV industry. Alpha's Leadership and Advisory Board carries an impressive track record of scaling business growth for top EV companies including Tesla. They believe in Alpha's potential to become a highly influential brand and will further support the company to achieve significant milestones.

Through decades of automotive research and technical development, company founder, Edward Lee, a multi-award-winning American automotive designer, has worked with some of the world's most well-known automobile manufacturers including Toyota, Lexus, and Audi. Mr. Lee has been recognized by The Center for Leadership at CSU Fullerton for "Excellence in Executive Leadership in Innovation" and was named "Most Motivational Motor Vehicle Manufacturing Chairperson (USA)" by CEO Monthly.

Designed in California with U.S. Manufacturing Power

Since being introduced to the market, Alpha's designs have caught the attention of consumers and industry experts. In 2021, the company's Wolf Electric Truck was exhibited in concept form to the public at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles and has remained on display by popular demand until very recently. This exhibition marked the successful completion of Alpha's proof-of-concept stage generating over 9,600 initial preorder indications for Wolf Electric Truck series alone.

Combining proprietary technology, patented design, and a differentiated go-to-market strategy led by the company's most popular vehicles, Alpha believes it may be poised for international distribution with an end goal of streamlining mass market delivery starting in 2025. At present, the company is actively working towards mass production and is experiencing overwhelming demand, having received a total of over 52,500 vehicle preorder indications to date.

Alpha expects its total production capacity to swiftly fulfill market demand. Separately, Alpha has distribution agreements in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia for 3,150 cars annually, which is in addition to the 52,000 vehicle preorder indications by the direct consumers. That figure is expected to increase on a yearly basis and not representative of Alpha's projected total production capacity. The company also anticipates economic and capital advantages from lean manufacturing operations, tax credits, and government-backed incentives to boost EV sales.

Alpha has formed OEM-level strategic partnerships in the U.S. including UHI, which has a 406,000 sq. ft vehicle manufacturing plant based in Sterling Heights, Michigan. Moreover, Alpha has secured multiple patents, which protects proprietary design, patented technology, and development process to streamline expansion. Alpha believes that this unique advantage may enable the company to swiftly fulfill market demand and gain market share.

Move Humanity Together!

From its early inception, Alpha has caught the attention of consumers and industry experts alike, winning awards for its designs and amassing substantial preorder demand. As the company moves to become a leader in the EV industry, Alpha plans to focus on successful commercialization and expansion well into the future with its diverse, differentiated, and accessible vehicle solutions.

Simply put, Alpha builds cars for the wellness of people and to bring focus to a greener economy. Alpha is a new American EV brand, producing some of the market's most in-demand electric vehicle solutions, and the company looks forward to Moving Humanity.

"Alpha Motor Corporation's vision to Move Humanity provides anyone who wishes to contribute to furthering its goals with a growth opportunity, purpose to exert influence, and scintillating adventure to follow one's passion.

Creating a culture that positively reinforces giving recognition where it is due and bestowing responsibility where appropriate is essential to building a venture that will shape the way people are motivated and inspired. The underlying philosophy is intended to reward meaningful contributions, which consequently brings about remarkable innovations.

Personally, this journey provides a chance to listen, connect, inspire and lead by example. It affords us with the mandate to not only motivate others but to influence the way in which people are inspired.

I revere the opportunity to pave the way for the next generation and welcome the responsibility to make conscientious decisions that will touch the lives of many.

Success of Alpha Motor Corporation will hinge on its being authentic, respectful, encouraging and empowering in all of its endeavors. My aspiration for our company is to be able to transform the fundamental principles, which shall be fortified by accepting challenges, achieving milestones and extending purpose.

Our company is built on principles that will lead to its triumph and realization of its ambitions and is created by those who understand the significance of upholding such values.

We invite the world to experience what will indeed become evident to all," said Jada Lee, Co-Founder and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Alpha Motor Corporation.

About

Alpha Motor Corporation (Alpha) is an award-winning American automobile company focused on manufacturing mobility solutions that Move Humanity. We innovate sustainable transportation for the wellness of people and our environment by implementing advanced automotive technologies and disruptive industrial practices. Based in Irvine, California, Alpha is committed to creating the kinds of electric vehicles we believe the world has always wanted to see but that have not existed  until now.

Industry and Business

Automotive, Car Manufacturer, Mobility Technology

Organization

Private U.S. Corporation (Founders - Edward Lee, Jada Lee)

Edward Lee (Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer)

Founded 2020

Corporate Headquarters

9551 Irvine Center Drive

Irvine, CA 92618

Recent Awards and Recognition

2023 Certificate of Congressional Recognition Issued by The United States House of Representatives

2023 Electric Vehicle Manufacturer of the Year  California Issued by Corporate LiveWire Global Awards

Please contact pr@alphamotorinc.com for more information.

Related Links

https://www.alphamotorinc.com

Copyright  2023 Alpha Motor Corporation. All rights reserved. (PRNewsfoto/Alpha Motor Corporation)

Cision

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SOURCE Alpha Motor Corporation
Amplify Energy Corp.

HOUSTON, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amplify Energy Corp. (Amplify or the Company) (NYSE: AMPY) announced today that the Company will be attending the 35th Annual Roth Capital Conference on Monday, March 13th at the Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel Hotel in Dana Point, CA.



Amplifys President and Chief Executive Officer, Martyn Willsher, will be participating in one-on-one meetings with investors at the conference.

About Amplify Energy

Amplify Energy Corp. is an independent oil and natural gas company engaged in the acquisition, development, exploitation and production of oil and natural gas properties. Amplifys operations are focused in Oklahoma, the Rockies (Bairoil), federal waters offshore Southern California (Beta), East Texas / North Louisiana, and the Eagle Ford (Non-op). For more information, visit www.amplifyenergy.com.

Investor Relations Contacts

Martyn Willsher  President and Chief Executive Officer

(832) 219-9047

martyn.willsher@amplifyenergy.com




ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. today announced that its reinsurance division Gallagher Re has acquired the business and assets of UK-based Bay Risk Services Limited ("Bay Risk"), a member of the Optio Group. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Logo (PRNewsfoto/Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.)

Founded in 2016 as a London-based, independent Lloyd's broker, Bay Risk specializes in structuring and placing contracts of delegated underwriting authority. It serves the needs of niche program managers, managing general agents (MGAs), Lloyd's coverholders and carriers seeking alternative distribution channels across a variety of classes. The business will become part of the global programs practice of Gallagher Re and the team will continue to be led by Andrew Smallshaw and Robin Barker-Hahlo.

"Bay Risk is a highly regarded specialist binder broker that will be a fantastic addition to Gallagher Re and the expanding global programs practice," said J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr., Chairman, President and CEO. "It shares our focus on client excellence and brings a complementary book of delegated underwriting authority business. We are delighted to welcome Andrew, Robin and their colleagues to our growing global team."

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE: AJG), a global insurance brokerage, risk management and consulting services firm, is headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. Gallagher provides these services in approximately 130 countries around the world through its owned operations and a network of correspondent brokers and consultants.

Investors: Ray Iardella

VP  Investor Relations

630-285-3661/ ray_iardella@ajg.com Media: Paul Day

Communications Manager

630-285-5946/ paul_day1@ajg.com

Story continues

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/arthur-j-gallagher--co-acquires-bay-risk-services-limited-301762712.html

SOURCE Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
Visiongain Reports Ltd

Visiongain has published a new report entitled Asia-Pacific Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) 2023-2033. It includes profiles of Asia-Pacific Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Market Segment by Type, (Nearshore, Offsource, Onshore) Market Segment by Service, (Voice Processing, Telemarketing Services, Visualization Services, Other Services) Market Segment by Application, (Customer Care & Demonstrations, Sales & Marketing, Finance & Accounting, Human Resource & Development, Other Application) Market Segment by End-User, (IT & Telecom, BFSI, Healthcare Sector, Manufacturing Sector, Retail & E-Commerce, Other End-User) Market Segment by Region, (Southern Asia, South-Eastern Asia, Eastern Asia, Western Asia, Central Asia) plus COVID-19 Impact Analysis and Recovery Pattern Analysis (V-shaped, W-shaped, U-shaped, L-shaped), Profiles of Leading Companies, Region and Country.



The Asia-Pacific business process outsourcing (BPO) market was valued at US$68.8 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.2% during the forecast period 2023-2033.

An Increase In The Use of BPO Services by Start-ups

Facts have caught up with practices, and business process outsourcing helps start-ups flourish globally (BPO). The idea that BPO is exclusively appropriate for big, established businesses is no longer true. Businesses of all shapes and sizes profit from the new development. Outsourcing, which several start-ups are hesitant to use, could be one such answer. However, a dynamic assessment of a company could reveal a need for cost-cutting, the addition of essential human resources, or the support of specific business processes that lack the requisite infrastructure. The idea that BPO is exclusively appropriate for big, established businesses is no longer true. Businesses of all shapes and sizes profit from the new development. In a 2018 Clutch survey, 37% of small businesses reported outsourcing at least one key business operation, while 52% said they planned to do so the following year. Growth and scaling must be a top strategic priority if you want to achieve the desired unicorn status (worth above $1 billion).

Story continues

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How has COVID-19 had a significant negative impact on the Asia-Pacific Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Market?

Nearly every industry has been negatively impacted by the COVID19 problem, which has resulted in supply chains being disrupted, nationwide lockdowns, and organisations considering the idea of long-term or even permanent remote working. In the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry, contact centre employees take millions of calls daily while working from various places. China was the first nation to request that these individuals work remotely in response to the COVID-19 epidemic, and other nations soon followed. The longevity of these workers depends on a variety of factors, including their capacity for change and willingness to collaborate across functional lines.

According to a recent survey, the COVID-19 epidemic may be affecting our ability to sleep. Since the pandemic began, 70% of people have reported experiencing one or more new sleep difficulties. World Sleep Day raises awareness of the need of sleep for physical and mental health. 13,000 persons in 13 nations were polled for the study by Royal Philips, which examined attitudes, views, and sleeping habits. People all over the world are aware that they are not getting enough sleep, and for some, the pandemic has had a detrimental effect on their sleep.

How will this Report Benefit you?

Visiongains 302-page report provides 157 tables and 158 charts/graphs. Our new study is suitable for anyone requiring commercial, in-depth analyses for the Asia-Pacific business process outsourcing (BPO) market, along with detailed segment analysis in the market. Our new study will help you evaluate the overall regional market for Asia-Pacific Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). Get financial analysis of the overall market and different segments including type, service, application, end-user and company size and capture higher market share. We believe that there are strong opportunities in this fast-growing Asia-Pacific business process outsourcing (BPO) market. See how to use the existing and upcoming opportunities in this market to gain revenue benefits in the near future. Moreover, the report will help you to improve your strategic decision-making, allowing you to frame growth strategies, reinforce the analysis of other market players, and maximise the productivity of the company.

What are the Current Market Drivers?

Growing Demand for Cost-Effective Solutions

Companies in the Asia-Pacific region are looking for cost-effective solutions to reduce their operational costs. Business process outsourcing (BPO) services provide a cost-effective way to outsource non-core business functions such as customer service, human resources, and finance.

Increasing Adoption of Digital Technologies

The adoption of digital technologies such as automation, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing is driving the growth of BPO services in the Asia-Pacific region. These technologies enable BPO providers to offer more efficient and effective services to their clients.

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Where are the Market Opportunities?

Growing Skilled Labour Force in the Region

The Asia-Pacific region has a large pool of skilled labour, particularly in countries such as India, the Philippines, and China. This skilled labour force is a major driver of the BPO market in the region.

Growing Outsourcing Trend and Government Initiatives

Companies in the Asia-Pacific region are increasingly outsourcing their non-core business functions to focus on their core competencies. This trend is driving the growth of the BPO market in the region. Governments in the Asia-Pacific region are promoting the BPO industry through initiatives such as tax incentives, subsidies, and infrastructure development. This is encouraging more companies to invest in BPO services.

Competitive Landscape

The Economic growth in this region is a driving factor for the growth of the BPO market as the companies are expanding and looking for cost-effective solutions to operate their business. The major players operating in the Asia-Pacific business process outsourcing (BPO) market are Accenture Plc, IBM Corporation, Cognizant, Capgemini SE, Infosys Limited, ADP Inc., Amdocs, CBRE Group, Inc., Concentrix Corporation, HCL Technologies Limited. These major players operating in this market have adopted various strategies comprising M&A, investment in R&D, collaborations, partnerships, regional business expansion, and new product launch.

Recent Developments

02 Dec 2022, Fiftyfive5, a customer insights and advisory firm, has been acquired by Accenture (NYSE: ACN). Accenture Song's (formerly Accenture Interactive) ability to help clients tap data insights and performance marketing to accelerate growth and innovation across Australia and New Zealand will be strengthened as a result of the move.

07 Dec 2022, IBM signed an agreement to acquire Octo, a U.S.-based provider of IT modernization and digital transformation services to the federal government, including defence, health, and civilian agencies. The acquisition of Octo by IBM creates one of the federal government's largest digital transformation partners.

To access the data contained in this document please email oliver.davison@visiongain.com

To find more Visiongain research reports on the IT sector, click on the following links:

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About Visiongain

Visiongain is one of the fastest-growing and most innovative independent market intelligence providers around, the company publishes hundreds of market research reports which it adds to its extensive portfolio each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis across 18 industries worldwide. The reports, which cover 10-year forecasts, are hundreds of pages long, with in-depth market analysis and valuable competitive intelligence data. Visiongain works across a range of vertical markets with a lot of synergies. These markets include automotive, aviation, chemicals, cyber, defence, energy, food & drink, materials, packaging, pharmaceutical and utilities sectors. Our customised and syndicated market research reports offer a bespoke piece of market intelligence customised to your very own business needs.

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Global Atmospheric Water Generator Market

Global Atmospheric Water Generator Market

Dublin, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Atmospheric Water Generator Market Size Report by Product (Cooling Condensation, Wet Desiccation), by Application (Industrial, Commercial), by Region (North America, APAC), and Segment Forecasts, 2022-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global atmospheric water generator market size is expected to reach USD 4.56 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 9.0% over the forecast period.

The market is primarily driven by declining freshwater levels, rising technological advancements, and favorable government regulations. The demand for freshwater for industrial and drinking uses is expected to witness growth on account of the declining freshwater levels and depleting water supplies.

Moreover, increasing infrastructural development and rapid industrialization have contributed to water scarcity, thereby augmenting the demand for these products over the forecast period.



Atmospheric water generators (AWGs) are manufactured using two principles, including cooling condensation and wet desiccation. Cooling condensation is the most widely used technique owing to large-scale installations in various industries. The wet desiccation technology is comparatively new and is primarily used in army base camps and large-scale industries.

Atmospheric water generators are mainly utilized in industrial and commercial facilities owing to high installation costs. Initiatives taken by companies across several sectors to implement eco-friendly practices in the business are expected to drive the product demand in the industrial application segment.



Rising research & development activities in this technology are likely to enable manufacturers to develop generators with increased efficiency and reduced ow environmental impact. New product development initiatives undertaken by various manufacturers now integrate onboard power generation units, including wind turbines and solar panels.

Story continues

Many emerging manufacturers, such as Akvo Atmospheric Water Systems Pvt. Ltd. and Drinkable Air, are primarily involved in making domestic AWGs on account of the relatively simple production process. In addition, increasing investments by various governments in water infrastructure is expected to boost the demand for AWGs in residential applications.



Atmospheric Water Generator Market Report Highlights

The cooling condensation segment accounted for the largest revenue share in 2021 owing to the improving technology, along with rising demand for cooling condensation water generators in water-stressed regions.

The industrial sector is expected to witness a significant CAGR from 2022 to 2030 on account of the growing demand for water in electricity generation, papers, mining, textiles, and pharmaceutical drugs applications.

The product demand in Asia Pacific is likely to grow at the fastest CAGR over the forecast period due to water scarcity and depleting freshwater resources coupled with the rising infrastructural activities and rapid industrialization.

In January 2020, Energy and Water Development Corp. (EAWD) sold its self-sufficient energy supply AWG system to a Mexican company engaged in manufacturing bottled waters.

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 110 Forecast Period 2022 - 2030 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2022 $2.29 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030 $4.56 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 9.0% Regions Covered Global



Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1. Methodology and Scope



Chapter 2. Executive Summary



Chapter 3. Atmospheric Water Generator Market Variables, Trends, & Scope



Chapter 4. Atmospheric Water Generator Market: Product Estimates & Trend Analysis

4.1. Atmospheric Water Generator Market: Product Movement Analysis, 2021 & 2030

4.2. Cooling Condensation

4.3. Wet Desiccation



Chapter 5. Atmospheric Water Generator Market: Application Estimates & Trend Analysis

5.1. Atmospheric Water Generator Market: Application Movement Analysis, 2021 & 2030

5.2. Industrial

5.3. Commercial

5.4. Residential



Chapter 6. Atmospheric Water Generator Market: Regional Estimates & Trend Analysis



Chapter 7. Atmospheric Water Generator Market: Competitive Analysis



Chapter 8. Company Profiles



Companies Mentioned

Akvo Atmospheric Water Systems Pvt. Ltd.

Dew Point Manufacturing

Ray Agua

Watermaker India Pvt. Ltd.

Planetswater

Water Technologies International, Inc.

Skywater Air Water Machines

Drinkable Air

Hendrx Water

Energy and Water Development Corp. (Eawc)

Atlantis Solar

Genaq Technologies S.L.

Air 2 Water Solutions

Ecoloblue, Inc.

Watergen

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/p4ryes

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.

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The firm receives high recognition globally for employee quality of life and diversity efforts

BOSTON, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Bain & Company today announced that the firm has received the number one spot each of Vault's 2023 consulting rankings in North America, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia-Pacific (APAC). The firm also ranked highly and was lauded for its commitment to employee quality of life and diversity efforts earning high rankings in those individual categories in its respective regions.

"We're truly honored by this recognition, especially since it is based on direct feedback from our people about the impact of our client work, our culture of close teaming and mentorship, the ability to create a meaningful career path, and more," said Manny Maceda, Bain & Company's worldwide managing partner. "I'm grateful to our global team for the passion, creativity and dedication that they bring every day, making Bain such a special place to work."

With unparalleled expertise and reputation, Bain provides an environment committed to employee growth and advancement. Employees unanimously cite their collaborative teams, the firm's commitment to work/life balance and professional development among the many drivers of firm culture and success. Bain consultants have stated that the transparency at Bain allows them to understand every step of their respective career growth and what it takes to succeed and contribute to the meaningful work that the firm does. Bain's diversity initiatives have been praised internally as receptive and ambitious, with significant acknowledgement around its diversity recruiting efforts.

"We couldn't be more thrilled to earn this recognition from Vault. Our people make our firm what it is, and we will always ensure that Bain remains a company that is supportive, inclusive, and committed to their growth," said Kara Gruver, Bain & Company's chief talent officer. "We're proud of the culture we've built at Bain and these rankings from Vault reaffirms our values, goals and commitment to all of our stakeholders."

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Bain & Company has earned recognition around the world as a great place to work. The firm ranked as the top consulting firm on Glassdoor's list of 100 Best Places to Work, ranking #1 in the UK and #3 among large U.S. companies. It is currently the only company in North America to earn a number one ranking on five separate occasions, and the firm has consistently ranked in the top four since Glassdoor founded the list in 2008. Bain & Company was named as one of Fortune's "100 Best Companies to Work For" and Fortune's "Best Workplaces for Women" in 2022. Additionally, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation recognized Bain as one of the "Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality" in 2022, with the firm earning a perfect score on the organization's annual Corporate Equality Index (CEI) for 16 consecutive years.

Vault's rankings in North America, EMEA and APAC are based on each regions' annual Management and Strategy Consulting Survey. Consulting professionals of all levels assessed their peer consulting firms on a scale of 1 to 10 based on prestige. Respondents were unable to rate their own employers and rated only firms with which they were familiar. Consultants also rated their own firm's quality of life in such categories as firm culture, among others. For the purpose of the Vault rankings, a weighted formula was used to combine findings from both prestige and quality of life rankings to create one "Best to Work For" category.

Editor's Note: For more information or interview requests please contact:

Dan Pinkney (Americas)  tel. +1 646 562 8102, email: dan.pinkney@bain.com

Gary Duncan (London)  tel. +44 7788 163791, email: gary.duncan@bain.com

Ann Lee (APAC)  tel. +65 6228 2960, email: ann.lee@bain.com

About Bain & Company

Bain & Company is a global consultancy that helps the world's most ambitious change makers define the future.

Across 64 cities in 39 countries, we work alongside our clients as one team with a shared ambition to achieve extraordinary results, outperform the competition, and redefine industries. We complement our tailored, integrated expertise with a vibrant ecosystem of digital innovators to deliver better, faster, and more enduring outcomes. Our 10-year commitment to invest more than $1 billion in pro bono services brings our talent, expertise, and insight to organizations tackling today's urgent challenges in education, racial equity, social justice, economic development, and the environment. Since our founding in 1973, we have measured our success by the success of our clients, and we proudly maintain the highest level of client advocacy in the industry.

Cision

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SOURCE Bain & Company
Advisory Board includes global automobile and industry thought leaders such as BMW, PowerCo, Mitsubishi and Bloomberg.

STUTTGART, GERMANY / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / Battery Show Europe, the must-attend trade show connecting the European and international advanced battery and EV/HEV tech community, announces registration for the event is live and revealed new notable show initiatives and educational sessions set to take place May 23-25 at the Messe Stuttgart in Stuttgart, Germany.

INFORMA MARKETS - ENGINEERING, Monday, March 6, 2023, Press release picture

The Battery Show Europe will host its first-ever Advisory Board boasting a list of 20 industry leading experts and top-tier notable brands from global organizations such as: Solid Power, Volta Energy Technologies, Caterpillar Inc., Siemens AG, BMW Group and BloombergNEF. The advisory board serves to educate the EV and battery fields through real-life experiences and tangible solutions across a variety of related verticals.

"Both the advanced battery and electric vehicle markets are projected to grow at a rapid rate over the next few years with keen consumer interest. Battery Show Europe is the global meeting point for international EV experts to share and discover emerging industry insights and trends," says Rob Shelton, Event Director, The Battery Show Europe. "The strategic addition of the Advisory Board will ensure the latest and most innovative information across battery market leaders is accessible to our exhibiting and attending companies."

With the next-generation advanced battery market expected to reach USD 1,631.95 million by the end of this year, The Battery Show Europe, co-located with The Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology Expo Europe, is returning to Stuttgart to focus on real-world commercial solutions, giving attendees concrete takeaways to apply to their organizations. Germany is the European hub for battery manufacturing and is poised to become the second-largest lithium battery producer in the world by 2025. With many brands servicing an international market, technologies and solutions will be shared on a global scale that includes North America.

Story continues

The official roster of accredited media partners covering the event include Batteries International, Cambridge Enertech, Charged, Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology and E-mobility engineering.

The Battery Show Europe is currently at capacity waitlist for any new additional exhibitors. To register as an attendee or press, please visit www.thebatteryshow.eu.

About Informa Markets - Engineering:

Informa Markets' Engineering portfolio is the leading B2B event producer, publisher, and digital media business for the world's $3-trillion advanced, technology-based manufacturing industry. Our print and electronic products deliver trusted information to the engineering market and leverage our proprietary 1.3-million-name database to connect suppliers with buyers and purchase influencers. We produce more than 50 events and conferences in a dozen countries, connecting manufacturing professionals from around the globe. The Engineering portfolio is organized by Informa, the world's leading exhibitions organizer that brings a diverse range of specialist markets to life, unlocking opportunities and helping them to thrive 365 days of the year. For more information, please visit www.informamarkets.com.

About Informa Markets

Informa Markets, a subsidiary of Informa plc (LON:INF), creates platforms for industries and specialist markets to trade, innovate and grow. Our portfolio comprises more than 550 international B2B events and brands in markets including Engineering, Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals, Infrastructure, Construction & Real Estate, Fashion & Apparel, Hospitality, Food & Beverage, and Health & Nutrition, among others. We provide customers and partners around the globe with opportunities to engage, experience and do business through face-to-face exhibitions, specialist digital content and actionable data solutions. As the world's leading exhibitions organizer, we bring a diverse range of specialist markets to life, unlocking opportunities and helping them to thrive 365 days of the year. For more information, visit www.informamarkets.com

Media Contact

Jordan Douglas

Informa Markets Engineering PR

pr.ime@informa.com

SOURCE: INFORMA MARKETS - ENGINEERING





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Market.Us

The biologics market is projected to surpass USD 893 billion by 2032, and it is poised to reach a CAGR of 9.1% from 2023 to 2032, owing to Advancements in Biomedical Sciences and the Rising Occurrence of Chronic Diseases.

Pune, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to Market.us, the global biologics market accounted for USD 382 billion in 2022. and is projected to reach USD 893 billion by 2032, exhibiting a CAGR of 9.1% in the forecast period (2023-2032). Biologics allow cutting-edge scientific research and the latest discoveries. These discoveries could lead to the development of new treatments. Because of a better understanding of certain diseases' genetic and molecular causes, it is possible to create targeted treatments. Recombinant proteins aid the immune system in identifying and attaching foreign substances.



Biologics Market Size

Get additional highlights on major revenue-generating segments, Request a biologics market sample report at https://market.us/report/biologics-market/request-sample/

Key Takeaway:

By source , the microbial segment dominated the market in 2022.

By product , the MAB segment lead the biologics market share in 2022.

By disease , the largest share of the market was occupied by the oncology segment in 2022.

By manufacturing , in-house manufacturing is anticipated to be the preferred method over the forecast period.

North America held the largest market share of 74% in 2022.

During the forecast period, Asia Pacific is predicted to have the highest CAGR for the biologics market.

Biotechnology will experience significant growth due to the decline in productivity of small-molecule drug R&D. These novel and well-known treatments will be more popular with moderate patients due to their increased efficacy in Crohn's disease and rheumatoid diseases. Biopharmaceutical production will increase with the development of manufacturing capabilities. These innovations include single-use systems for manufacturing and processing biopharmaceuticals. Researchers are also trying to find new species and expression methods. Revenue generation of biologics market is expected to be stimulated by the development of cell lines and reagents.

Story continues

Factors affecting the growth of the biologics industry?

Several factors can affect the growth of the biologics industry. Some of these factors include:

Research & Development: Research about new biologic drugs and continuous clinical development of products is amplifying this market's revenue growth.

Technological Advancements: The technological advances in biotechnology are aiding the introduction of better quality products, thus boosting the biologics market's financial growth.

Government initiatives: The increase in investments in R&D activities aimed at the development of high-quality products as well as towards the betterment of healthcare infrastructure, primarily in developing nations, are anticipated to augment this market's profit margins.

Rising prevalence of chronic diseases: Rising prevalence of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart diseases is creating the necessity for biologics, eventually aiding the market's growth.

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Top Trends in Global Biologics Market

The increasing incidence and diagnosis of chronic diseases are ameliorating global biologics sales. As a result, new diagnostics and treatments have been developed over the period of time. Biologics can also be genetically engineered to target inflammation in the immune system. Researchers and scientists are also studying the expression of species to increase the effectiveness and productivity of biological products. For example, researchers are trying to improve oral treatments for Crohn's and other rheumatoid diseases.

Market Growth

Research is being conducted for new biologic drugs, such as nanobodies and fusion proteins, among others. The monoclonal antibody has been the most popular approved biologic drug to date. Several such products are currently in clinical development. Once approved, they are expected to fuel the biologics market growth. For example, the US approvals of Tidvak (an anti-drug conjugate) and Abecma (a cell-based treatment for gene disorders) are expected to drive market growth.

The immense success of biologics has been made possible by biotechnology's rapid advances. Biotech funding, collaborations, rapid biotech advancements, and government initiatives have all contributed to the massive success of biologics. The market is also observing new immunotherapies, antibody-drug conjugates, and cell & gene therapy developments. Biocon Biologics, an Abu Dhabi-based company, was awarded a US$ 75 million investment in January 2021. Such investments are crucial in the growth and advancement of the biotechnology sector, which plays a vital role in expanding the biologics market.

Regional Analysis

The US FDA approved 21 BLAs in 2021. Due to increased R&D spending and various FDA-approved biologics, the US market holds a significant portion of the global biologics market in 2022.

In Europe, the advances in the manufacturing of drugs, favorable reimbursement, multiple drug approvals, and increased target patient population are the factors for this market's expansion. Among all the markets in Europe, Germany holds the largest market share for biologics.

The continual efforts of regulators, policymakers, and the pharmaceutical industry to make biologics more affordable and accessible in China will ensure that the market for Chinese biologics continues to grow, ultimately helping the Asia Pacific market.

Competitive Landscape

Major players like Eli Lilly & Company, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, and Sanofi SA dominate this market.

The pharma-biotech sector requires significant capital investments and is highly dependent on research. Therefore, companies that are innovators must patent their products to protect their intellectual property rights. In addition, companies are creating delivery devices to gain an advantage over their competitors in the market space.

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Scope of the Report

Report Attribute Details Market Value (2022) USD 382.81 Billion Market Size (2032) USD 893.83 Billion CAGR (from 2023 to 2032) 9.10% North America Revenue Share 74% Historic Period 2016 to 2022 Base Year 2022 Forecast Year 2023 to 2032

Market Drivers



The rising prevalence of chronic diseases is one of the major drivers of the global biologics market. Diabetes, heart disease, and cancer are some of the most prevalent chronic conditions. Globocan, predicts that cancer incidence will rise from 19.3 million in 2020 to 24.6 million in 2030. It is also expected that there will be around 587 million diabetes-related patients by 2030. Biotechnology has made it possible to develop biologics for chronic conditions. Products have evolved over a period of time from monoclonal antibodies to targeted drugs such as antibody-drug conjugates and radio immunotherapies. Bispecific antibodies can also be used to target multiple sites simultaneously. As of January 2022, there were 33 biosimilars approved in the United States. Furthermore, biosimilars have saved approximately USD 6.1 million in Europe. Factors such as these are the main drivers of this market's growth.

Market Restraints

Biosimilars are pharmaceuticals with the same properties as approved biological drugs. Biosimilars are being encouraged by governments around the world to reduce healthcare costs. The EU has been approving biosimilar medicines since 2003. These less expensive alternatives to biologics increase the market's competitiveness, lowering market prices and augmenting market value. This can also slow down this market's growth. The approval and uptake of biosimilars will limit the global biologics market growth over the forecast period. Several chronic diseases have been treated with biologic therapy. Biologic therapy can lead to severe infections if side effects are present. Patients taking biologics that alter certain immune functions are at greater risk of developing unwanted illnesses. This could reduce revenue generation prospects and negatively impact the adoption rate for biologic therapy.

Market Opportunities

Technological advancements are expected to create continual opportunities during the forecast period. Eli Lilly and Company and Pfizer Inc., have used Amazon's Elastic Compute Cloud platform (EC2) to create simulation models to aid early drug discovery, and these models were ready within hours. Whereas, traditional models take weeks of preparation time. Lilly also created the Open Innovation Drug Discovery program to increase biologics research and development. These technological advances are expected to reduce costs and speed up the development process of biologics, which is anticipated to enable companies to launch their products at a faster rate.

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Report Segmentation of the Biologics Market

Source Insight

Microbial Expression Systems generated the highest revenue due to the high number of drugs they produce. Microbial expression systems often cover Escherichia Coli and yeast. Products developed by these systems include recombinant insulin, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, platelet-derived growth factor, and recombinant interferon. Novartis and Johnson & Johnson are two companies that have embraced microbial systems.

Product Insight

The monoclonal Antibody segment (MAB) was the largest market for biologics, mainly due to their increasing use in multiple therapeutic areas. Monoclonal antibodies can kill sick cells while not affecting healthy cells. The vaccine industry is expected to grow rapidly in the next few years because they are used as prophylactic measures in infectious diseases.

Disease Insight

Due to an increase in cancer incidence and several R&D projects, the largest R&D investments are made in oncology. Antisense and gene therapies are available for the eradication of cancer. The market will remain dominated by oncology over the forecast period. This is due to the increase in acceptance of products that can lower chemotherapy's negative effects on cancer patients.

Manufacturing Insight

Manufacturing is an important step of biologics production. It is also responsible for a significant share of the market. It is important to consider the manufacturing method, as it encompasses both in-house and outsourced activities. Many companies prefer manufacturing their products rather than purchasing an entity or outsourcing services. This has led to a higher percentage of biologics manufacturing is done in-house. Companies can invest in their bioprocessing capabilities. CMOs have the option to invest in commercial biopharmaceutical manufacturing. Outsourcing contracts are less valuable than the overall market. They wouldn't be able to drive the same growth in the sector as the pharmaceutical market.

Distribution Channel Insight

The hospital pharmacies segment will be a steady source of revenue for the foreseeable future. Also, manufacturers are focused on emerging markets because of the rising popularity of e-commerce platforms in developing nation like China, India, Brazil, etc.

For more insights on the historical and Forecast market data from 2016 to 2032 - download a sample report at https://market.us/report/biologics-market/request-sample/

Market Segmentation

By Source

Microbial

Mammalian

Others

By Product Type

MABs

Vaccines

Hormones

Therapeutic Enzymes

Recombinant Proteins

Antisense, RNAi & Molecular Therapy

Blood Factors and Anticoagulants

Allergenic extracts

Human Cells and Tissues

Proteins

Gene Therapies

Cellular Therapies

Others

By Disease

Oncology

Immunological Disorders

Cardiovascular Disorders

Hematological Disorders

Others

By Manufacturing

Outsourced

In-house

By Distribution Channel

Hospital Pharmacies

Retail Pharmacies

Online Pharmacies

By Geography

North America The US Canada Mexico



Western Europe Germany France The UK Spain Italy Portugal Ireland Austria Switzerland Benelux Nordic Rest of Western Europe

Eastern Europe Russia Poland The Czech Republic Greece Rest of Eastern Europe

APAC China Japan South Korea India Australia & New Zealand Indonesia Malaysia Philippines Singapore Thailand Vietnam Rest of APAC

Latin America Brazil Colombia Chile Argentina Costa Rica Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa Algeria Egypt Israel Kuwait Nigeria Saudi Arabia South Africa Turkey United Arab Emirates Rest of MEA



Key Market Players

Recent Development of the Biologics Market

February 2021: GlaxoSmithKline plc announced a EUR 150 Mn new collaboration with CureVac N.V. to build on their existing relationship. The collaboration aims to develop next-generation mRNA vaccines (COVID-19) jointly and to address evolving variants in a single vaccine.

April 2021: BMS announced plans to build a new Dutch manufacturing facility for its cell therapy division.

Browse More Related Pharmaceuticals Market Research Reports:

Pharmaceutical Excipients Market : size is expected to be worth around USD 11.8 bn by 2032 from USD 6.8 bn in 2022, CAGR of 5.8%

Biosimilars Market : is expected to grow at a CAGR of 14.1% over the next ten years and will reach USD 34.4 Bn in 2032.

Liver Cancer Drugs Market : size is expected to be worth around USD 2,332 Mn by 2032 from USD 980 Mn in 2022, growing at a CAGR of 9.3%

Biopharmaceutical CMO Market: size is expected to be worth around USD 53.08 bn by 2032 from USD 16.2 bn in 2022, CAGR of 12.6%.

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SkyQuest has released a comprehensive research report for the bioplastics and biopolymers market, offering a comprehensive industry analysis using a robust methodology. The report covers various aspects, such as SWOT analysis, technology assessment, economic evaluation, product benchmarking, recent developments, and forecasting, to provide reliable and precise insights into the market. Additionally, the report provides accurate forecasting, which can help businesses make informed decisions about their future investments in the market.

Westford USA, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- North American region is bringing huge growth opportunities for the bioplastics and biopolymers market driven by various factors increasing the demand for sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives to traditional plastics. In addition, governments worldwide are introducing regulations and policies promoting sustainable materials, including bioplastics and biopolymers. As a result, researchers and manufacturers continually improve bioplastics and biopolymers' properties, making them more durable, flexible, and cost-effective. These advancements are enabling bioplastics and biopolymers to be used in a broader range of applications.

The European Union (EU) and the American Chemical Council's Plastics Division have jointly committed to reducing the environmental impact of plastics. The goal is to use 100% recyclable, reusable, and compostable plastics by 2025 and 2040, respectively. The bioplastics and biopolymers market is predicted to benefit greatly from these regulations. Bioplastics are made from renewable resources, making them an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional plastics.

Browse in-depth TOC on "Bioplastics and Biopolymers Market"

Pages - 282

Tables - 70

Figures - 70

Bioplastics and biopolymers are innovative materials gaining popularity as an alternative to traditional plastics. Bioplastics are plastic made from renewable biomass sources, such as plant starches, cellulose, and sugar cane. On the other hand, biopolymers are polymers that are derived from natural sources, such as proteins and carbohydrates.

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Prominent Players in Bioplastics and Biopolymers Market

BASF

Biotec

NatureWorks

Novamont

Braskem

Toray Industries

Total Corbion

Futerro

Plantic Technologies

Mitsubishi Chemical Holding Corporation

Biome Bioplastics

FKUR Kunststoff

Arkema

Cardia Bioplastics

Plantic Technologies

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Packaging Remains the Dominant Segment Thanks to the Increasing Use of Bioplastics and Biopolymers for Developing Sustainable Packaging Solutions

According to a recent market analysis, the packaging segment is predicted to play a significant role in the growth of the global bioplastics and biopolymers market. In 2021, this segment contributed the largest market share and is likely to maintain its leading position through 2028. Bioplastics and biopolymers are eco-friendly alternatives to traditional petroleum-based plastics, and they are increasingly used in the packaging industry to address environmental concerns. This major trend is projected to continue over the coming years as governments worldwide implement stricter regulations to reduce plastic waste and encourage the use of sustainable materials.

The North American region experienced a substantial increase in revenue in 2021, with the expanding utilization of bioplastics and biopolymers across various industries such as automotive, packaging, and consumer goods. According to SkyQuest, with more than 64% of North American consumers showing a willingness to pay extra for packaging that meets their functional needs, there is a clear opportunity for active companies to invest in sustainable packaging solutions. By incorporating bioplastics and biopolymers into their packaging designs, businesses can meet consumers' demands and contribute to a more sustainable future.

Browse summary of the report and Complete Table of Contents (ToC):

https://skyquestt.com/report/bioplastics-and-biopolymers-market

Biodegradable Segment to Witness Higher Traction owing to Rapid Development of New Biodegradable Materials and Technology

According to market research, the biodegradable segment was the leading revenue generator in the bioplastics and biopolymers market in 2021. This trend is expected to continue as the demand for eco-friendly and sustainable materials increases. As a result, the biodegradable segment is projected to experience a robust CAGR between 2022 and 2028. Biodegradable materials are particularly prevalent in the packaging industry, where companies seek alternatives to traditional plastics. Various factors, including government regulations, consumer preferences, and corporate sustainability initiatives, drive the growing popularity of biodegradable materials.

The Asia Pacific region is poised to experience substantial growth bioplastics and biopolymers market by 2028 due to various factors such as rapid economic development, urbanization, and industrial expansion. India's food and grocery market has secured the sixth position globally, as per the research conducted by SkyQuest. With the retail sector contributing to a whopping 74% of the sales, it is undoubtedly one of the most significant industries in the country. Additionally, the food processing industry accounts for 36% of India's total food market and ranks fifth in production, consumption, export, and anticipated growth. The growth potential of the food and grocery market, coupled with the increasing demand for sustainable products, makes it a suitable time for the bioplastics and biopolymers industry to flourish in India and the region.

A recently published research report sheds light on the global bioplastics and biopolymers market. The report provides a key analysis of the market size, share, and key players operating in the industry. It also includes an in-depth assessment of the current market scenario and the impact of significant events and market conditions across different regions. The report, prepared by SkyQuest, highlights the crucial trends affecting the global market's growth rate and valuation estimates and how these trends impact the market's overall performance.

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Key Developments in Bioplastics and Biopolymers Market

Origin Materials, a leading company focusing on creating negative carbon materials, has partnered with Avantium to boost the mass production of furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and polyethylene furanoate (PEF) for advanced chemicals and bioplastics. This partnership is expected to accelerate the commercialization of PEF, a sustainable alternative to traditional PET plastics derived from fossil fuels. PEF has superior barrier properties and thermal resistance, making it an excellent option for applications in packaging, textiles, and other industries.

Kelpi, a promising startup based in England, has recently raised over 3 million in funding. The company plans to utilize the funds to develop further its innovative and eco-friendly packaging made from seaweed, which is fully compostable. The success of Kelpi's fundraising campaign is a testament to the growing awareness and concern among consumers and investors about sustainability and the need to reduce our reliance on non-biodegradable materials.

CJ Biomaterials, a division of CJ CheilJedang, and NatureWorks have joined forces to develop sustainable material solutions using their proprietary biopolymers. The companies have signed a Master Collaboration Agreement (MCA) to explore the potential applications of Phact Biodegradable Polymers and Ingeo biopolymers in various industries. This collaboration aims to provide sustainable materials solutions for compostable food packaging, food serviceware, personal care products, films, and other end products.

Key Questions Answered in Bioplastics and Biopolymers Market Report

What specific factors are hindering the growth of the target market, and how are these factors impacting the overall market performance and projected growth rate?

Among the sub-segments of the target market, which are expected to have the highest growth rate, and what are the key drivers of their growth?

What are the primary strategies top players use to differentiate themselves from their competitors, and how effective are these strategies in contributing to their success or challenges in the market?

How do the demand and supply dynamics of the target market vary across different regions, and what are the implications of these variations for revenue growth in each region?

Related Reports in SkyQuests Library:

Global Soluble Dietary Fiber Market

Global Geosynthetics Market

Global Polysulfones Market

Global Sodium Alginate Market

Global Blue Ammonia Market

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(Bloomberg) -- The Biden administrations blacklisting of Chinas Inspur Group Co. targets a company that US tech giants like Cisco Systems Inc., IBM Corp. and Intel Corp. have worked with to expand their footprint in the worlds second largest economy.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The Commerce Department blacklisted Inspur and more than a dozen other Chinese firms on Thursday in an escalation of a tech-based conflict between Washington and Beijing. That surprise move could exert an unforeseen impact on US tech companies after years of relying on the firm for access to domestic markets.

Once a state-owned electronics factory, Inspur is one of the countrys oldest IT brands: Its transistors went into Chinas first man-made satellite in 1970. The company has since blossomed into a server specialist and joined an informal club of Chinese national champions that include Huawei Technologies Co. and chipmaker Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp.

Inspurs clout and market reach attracted a host of foreign companies that found it difficult to crack the Chinese market. It set up joint ventures with Cisco and IBM several years ago so that their products can more easily gain Chinese approvals and pass security checks  a common practice. In return, Inspur benefits from its US partners longer experience in dealing with international markets.

A representative for Inspur said the company has noticed relevant reports and is working to verify and evaluate, and had no other comment. Spokespeople for Cisco and Intel declined to comment. Representatives for IBM didnt reply to requests for comment.

Inspur established its JV with Ciscos Hong Kong subsidiary in 2016 and the Chinese company owns 51% of the shares, according Tianyancha, a platform that tracks company registration information disclosed by the government. A $145 million venture with IBMs Chinese investment arm was created two years later, with Inspur also owning 51%. It also partnered with Intel last year on cloud technologies, according to the US companys website.

Story continues

Read more: US Expands Crackdown on China With Export Ban on Inspur, BGI

Its unclear how long Washington has kept an eye on Inspur. The Pentagon said in 2020 that its a company controlled by Chinas military.

Inspur, which also provides cloud services, is regarded as integral to the governments effort to replace foreign-made technology and propel domestic innovation.

Its listed arm Inspur Electronic Information Industry Co. fell its daily limit of 10% Friday, on top of losses of between 4% and 17% among other group affiliates listed in Hong Kong and mainland China.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2023 Bloomberg L.P.
Sabina Mammadli

Starting from 15:00 hours on March 5 to 03:10 hours on March 6, using various calibers of weapons, units of the Armenian armed forces fired 19 times at Azerbaijani positions.

This way, units of the Armenian forces stationed in the directions of Guneshli, Ashagi Shorja, Azizli, Zarkand, Yukhari Zagali settlements and Chambarak district of Basarkechar (Gekharkunik) region shelled positions of the Azerbaijani army in Astaf of Dashkasan District, Yellice of Kalbajar District, Mollabairamli, Yukhari Ayrim, and Goyalli of Gadabey District, Azernews reports per Defense Ministry.

Moreover, members of an illegal Armenian armed detachment in the territory of Azerbaijan, where the Russian peacekeepers are temporarily deployed, shelled Azerbaijani Army positions in the direction of the city of Shusha.

The Azerbaijan Army Units took adequate retaliatory measures.

As reported earlier, in the early hours of March 5, the separatist Armenian forces in Karabakh under the temporary control of the Russian peacekeeping contingent committed another provocation.

Operational information was received on the transportation of military equipment, ammunition, and personnel from Armenia to the territory of Azerbaijan along the Xankandi-Xalfali-Tursu dirt road.

On the morning of March 5, in order to verify the information received, the units of the Azerbaijan Army attempted to stop and check vehicles carrying out illegal military transportation.

Service members of the Azerbaijani army, Alibayli Sahriyar, and Huseynov Esqin were killed as a result of the provocation.

Armenia shells Azerbaijani military positions along the state border on a regular basis. Since early September, Azerbaijani positions have been repeatedly targeted by the Armenian forces.
Houston, Texas--(Newsfile Corp. - March 6, 2023) - Bracewell LLP announced today the promotion of five lawyers to senior counsel, effective February 28, 2023. The new senior counsel include: Joseph A. Brazauskas (Washington, DC), Anna K. Miller (Austin), William A. Moss (Houston), Jared Schuettenhelm (Seattle) and Carlton D. Wilde III (Houston).

"These talented lawyers have demonstrated excellence in serving the needs of our clients. I'm pleased to congratulate them on their promotions," said Bracewell Managing Partner Gregory M. Bopp.

2023 Senior Counsel Promotions

Joseph A. Brazauskas, Washington, DC

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Joseph A. Brazauskas, Washington, DC - Brazauskas assists clients with navigating complex federal legislative and regulatory processes, with a focus on energy, environment and natural resources. He also has extensive experience both managing and responding to matters involving Congressional oversight and investigations. Prior to joining Bracewell, Brazauskas served for nearly a decade in the US House of Representatives as a counsel on the House Oversight and Reform Committee and the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. He also served as associate administrator for the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations and as an associate deputy general counsel at the US Environmental Protection Agency. Brazauskas earned his B.A. from Colgate University and his J.D. from American University, Washington College of Law.

Anna K. Miller, Austin

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Anna K. Miller, Austin - Miller focuses on financial transactions, with an emphasis on syndicated, secured and unsecured, and asset-based credit facilities. She also has experience working on loan restructurings and workouts. Miller represents an array of clients, including lenders, arrangers, sponsors, borrowers and guarantors, primarily within the energy industry. She earned her B.B.A. from The University of Texas at Austin and her J.D., magna cum laude, from University of Houston Law Center, where she was Order of the Coif, Order of the Barons and senior articles editor of Houston Law Review.

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William A. Moss, Houston

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William A. Moss, Houston - Moss handles complex commercial litigation matters. His wealth of experience in oil and gas litigation enables him to help resolve and prevent disputes, as well as advise clients navigating the energy transition. Moss interned for the Honorable Frank Montalvo of the US District Court for the Western District of Texas and for the Honorable Reed O'Connor of the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Moss earned his B.A. from Rice University and his J.D., summa cum laude, from South Texas College of Law Houston, where he was a member of South Texas Law Review. In 2022, The Best Lawyers in America named Moss as "One to Watch" in commercial litigation.

Jared Schuettenhelm, Seattle

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Jared Schuettenhelm, Seattle - Schuettenhelm focuses on IP litigation, IP counseling and strategy, technology licensing and transactional matters, patent royalty audits and related due diligence matters. He has represented clients in cases involving a wide array of technologies, including computer operating systems, security and encryption systems, audio processing systems, printing technologies, computer networking systems, medical devices and pharmaceuticals. Schuettenhelm earned his B.A., with honors, from University of California, Santa Cruz, and his J.D., cum laude, from Santa Clara University School of Law, where he was Order of the Coif and managing editor of Santa Clara Computer and High Technology Law Journal. In 2022, Managing Intellectual Property recognized him as a "Rising Star" in Washington and the United States.

Carlton D. Wilde III, Houston

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Carlton D. Wilde III, Houston - Wilde is a trial lawyer with jury experience. He has first and second chair experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants in a diverse range of complex business litigation and arbitration matters in the energy, construction, consumer products, real estate and healthcare industries. Wilde earned his B.B.A. from the University of Mississippi and his J.D., cum laude, from South Texas College of Law Houston, where he was a member of South Texas Law Review. The Best Lawyers in America has named him "One to Watch" in commercial litigation and intellectual property. Wilde also has been named a "Rising Star" by Texas Super Lawyers.

About Bracewell LLP

Bracewell is a leading law and government relations firm primarily serving the energy, infrastructure, finance and technology industries throughout the world. Our industry focus results in comprehensive state-of-the-art knowledge of the commercial, legal and governmental challenges faced by our clients and enables us to provide innovative solutions to facilitate transactions and resolve disputes.

###

Contact:

Jay Plum

T: +1.212.508.6197

E: jay.plum@bracewell.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/157390
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / U.S. Bank



U.S. Bank, Monday, March 6, 2023, Press release picture

Cesar Alejandro Roman Gonzalez (third from left, in navy sweater) with his Route 4 branch team.

Originally published on U.S. Bank company blog

Cesar Alejandro Roman Gonzalez worked as a lawyer, pet store owner and coffee shop entrepreneur before saying goodbye to his native Venezuela, moving to Ohio and starting his banking career at U.S. Bank in 2015.

"As the years went by in Venezuela, I had a decent life, and my businesses were very successful. But things were getting very dangerous and there was a lot of unrest due to the political situation," said Roman, who met his future wife, Frances, in 2007 while studying English at Xavier University in Cincinnati between practicing law and opening his businesses.

"She followed me back to Venezuela and then eventually returned to Cincinnati to find a job and scope out possibilities for us," he said. "We were engaged at that time and had big decisions to make."

While he worked 18-hour days at the pet store and coffee shop, Roman said, she found a job in Cincinnati and things fell into place in the U.S. much more quickly than expected. It was time to decide where to live long-term.

"I called my dad and had a conversation about us moving to America permanently," Roman said. "I expected him to ask me to stay, but he suggested we leave and and look for better things."

Six months later, Roman and his dog, Zeus, boarded a plane and traveled for two days, finally landing in Cincinnati with two bags, a backpack, $3,000 in cash and $1,000 in credit.

"The official exchange rate was controlled by the government so that was all they allowed me to bring," he said. "I didn't know how long the credit card would work so Frances picked me up from the airport and we headed straight to Ikea and loaded up the car so we could furnish our apartment and begin building our life."

Roman immediately took care of his U.S. residency and green card paperwork. In October 2015, he applied for his first job at U.S. Bank.

Story continues

"The branch manager said I was overqualified but encouraged me to apply and get to know the company until additional opportunities opened up," he said.

Roman said it was challenging to start from zero.

"I talked to my wife and she asked me if I wanted to start a career or did I just want a job?" Roman knew his answer so, at 33, he took the position as a branch teller. In less than a year he received his first promotion, followed within a few months by an offer to serve as an assistant branch manager. In 2018, he applied for the branch manager position at the Route 4 location in Fairfield, north of Cincinnati, where he still works today and continues to grow with leadership opportunities in his district.

"When I was applying for different positions, I didn't know much about banking and started reading about the company," Roman said. "I could tell it was a really good company compared to other financial institutions and liked that it had earned awards and was noted for its ethics over the years. It was a dream my family had - the opportunity to be a part of the corporate American dream."

District Manager Joe Albers said, "Cesar is a very charismatic and high energy leader. He works hard to make sure his team and his clients are taken care of. He is deeply committed to the development of his staff and the development of the Hispanic community in Cincinnati."

In 2022, Roman and his branch team, who are all from different parts of Central and South America, earned top performer awards and led U.S. Bank branch teams in various categories.

"A big part of our success is that, when I took over the location, I was aware that there was a Latino population with whom I knew we could make a difference," Roman said. "We were able to strategize, hire the right people, and offer valuable products and services to our community. Today, people drive up to an hour to see us because we can speak their language and have the knowledge to help them understand and reach their financial goals."

Albers added, "For many customers, this is their first experience with banking in the U.S. They are introduced to our checking products, many are put on a savings plan and introduced to credit through our secured credit card products. But this is just the banking side of things. Cesar has personally helped many customers to help put them on the path to citizenship."

Roman said he and his team are excited about the future.

"Our goals keep growing and we're excited. Ultimately, we want to make a difference in our customer's lives every day."

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from U.S. Bank on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: U.S. Bank

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/us-bank

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: U.S. Bank





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/742131/Branch-Manager-Uses-Cross-Cultural-Experience-To-Build-Team-Help-Customers




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Dublin, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Brazil Social Commerce Market Intelligence and Future Growth Dynamics Databook - 50+ KPIs on Social Commerce Trends by End-Use Sectors, Operational KPIs, Retail Product Dynamics, and Consumer Demographics - Q1 2023 Update" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



Social commerce industry in Brazil is expected to grow by 31.5% on annual basis to reach US$2563.6 million in 2023.



The social commerce industry is expected to grow steadily over the forecast period, recording a CAGR of 18.1% during 2022-2028. The social commerce GMV in the country will increase from US$2563.6 million in 2023 to reach US$6940.4 million by 2028.



In Brazil, the rising disposable income along with the wider use of smartphones has resulted in an upsurge in social commerce. The affinity to shop from social channels has resulted in more global firms expanding their presence in Brazil. The presence of global players, including Meta and TikTok, will further drive investment and a competitive landscape in the Brazilian social commerce sector.



To capitalize on the potential growth offered by the social commerce sector in Brazil, global players are forging strategic alliances with domestic creators, which is part of their localization strategy to increase user retention. Furthermore, as the interest in social commerce among brands continue to grow in the Latin American market, more new players including startups are projected to enter the Brazilian industry from the short to medium-term perspective.



Social media giants are making a bigger push in the Brazilian market to accelerate their global growth



With smartphone penetration still relatively low, but growing, the Latin American market has strong growth potential. Consequently, to tap into the market, which is projected to record significant growth over the next three to four years, global social media giants are making a bigger push in the social commerce segment.

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WhatsApp, the chat messaging social app owned by Meta, is making further inroads in the Brazilian social commerce industry. In Q4 2022, Meta announced that it is expanding its directory feature to all businesses in the country. The wide-scale rollout of the service will allow consumers to search for businesses, products, and services on the social platform.



Furthermore, consumers will be able to place orders by adding items to their carts.



The payment service, which WhatsApp has launched in India, is still in the testing phase in Brazil. With millions of consumers using the messaging app daily in the country, the expansion strategy of WhatsApp can accelerate the growth of the social commerce sector significantly from the short to medium-term perspective.



Chinese short-video format social platforms are seeking localization to drive user retention in Brazil



Short-video format social platforms have gained widespread success in China in the social commerce sector. However, they have struggled to replicate their success in global markets, such as Brazil. In their efforts to tap into the growing market size, these firms have adopted a localization strategy to drive user retention.

Kuaishou, the second-largest short video app in China, is seeking to make further inroads in the Brazilian market through its localization strategy. From the short to medium-term perspective, the firm has planned to partner with different third-party firms and local creators to increase user retention, while also driving increasing traffic on its platform. In Brazil, the firm is seeking to partner with creators and working-class users to keep up with the growing competition in the segment.

TikTok, the domestic and global competitor of Kuaishou, is also expanding its presence and investment in the Brazilian market to capitalize on the growing market size. As the firm seeks to drive incremental revenue and sales, the firm is expected to expand its Shop feature in the Latin American market, starting with Brazil. With two of the leading Chinese social commerce players competing for market share, the publisher expects the industry to record strong growth from the short to medium-term perspective.



Domestic social commerce firms are partnering with logistic providers to simplify last-mile delivery service



Convenience is one of the major factors when it comes to online shopping for consumers in Brazil. Consequently, to make the shopping and delivery experience seamless and more convenient, domestic social commerce firms are partnering with logistic providers in Brazil.

In December 2022, Facily, a social commerce firm in Brazil, announced that the firm had entered into a strategic collaboration with Cainiao, the logistic service owned by Alibaba. Under the collaboration, the two firms are launching a network of 1,000 smart lockers in Sao Paulo for parcel pickup. Once the orders are placed through Facily, consumers can select the optimal pickup point based on their convenience and location.

Shoppers can then access the lockers anytime as preferred using the digital code to access the items.

The service is expected to reduce the pickup time significantly compared to other pickup options. The firms are currently testing the service in Sao Paulo. However, it plans to further launch the service in more cities across Brazil.



Scope



Brazil Ecommerce Industry Market Size and Future Growth Dynamics by Key Performance Indicators, 2019-2028

Brazil Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Future Growth Dynamics by Key Performance Indicators, 2019-2028

Brazil Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Retail Product Categories, 2019-2028

Clothing & Footwear

Beauty and Personal Care

Food & Grocery

Appliances and Electronics

Home Improvement

Travel

Hospitality

Brazil Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by End Use Segment, 2019-2028

B2B

B2C

C2C

Brazil Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by End Use Device, 2019-2028

Mobile

Desktop

Brazil Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Location, 2019-2028

Domestic

Cross Border

Brazil Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Location, 2019-2028

Tier-1 Cities

Tier-2 Cities

Tier-3 Cities

Brazil Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Payment Method, 2019-2028

Credit Card

Debit Card

Bank Transfer

Prepaid Card

Digital & Mobile Wallet

Other Digital Payment

Cash

Brazil Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Platforms

Video Commerce

Social Network-Led Commerce

Social Reselling

Group Buying

Product Review Platforms

Brazil Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Consumer Demographics & Behaviour,2022

By Age

By Income Level

By Gender

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/1ezxyb

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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.

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Janssen Pharmaceutica NV

Study findings presented during the American College of Cardiologys 72nd Annual Scientific Session & Expo Together With World Heart Federations World Congress of Cardiology

European Society of Cardiology/European Respiratory Society (ESC/ERS) PH guidelines recommend initial dual combination therapy with macitentan and tadalafil for PAH patients without cardiopulmonary comorbidities1

BEERSE, BELGIUM, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson today announced results from the Phase 3 A DUE study (NCT03904693), which showed an investigational once-daily, single-tablet combination therapy, also known as fixed-dose combination, of macitentan 10 mg and tadalafil 40 mg (M/T STCT), significantly improved pulmonary haemodynamics (blood flow through pulmonary blood vessels) versus macitentan and tadalafil monotherapies in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients with World Health Organization (WHO) functional class (FC) II or III.2 The data were presented today as a Late-Breaking Clinical Trial presentation during the American College of Cardiologys 72nd Annual Scientific Session & Expo Together With World Heart Federations World Congress of Cardiology.

PAH is a rare, progressive and life-threatening blood vessel disorder characterised by the constriction of small pulmonary arteries and elevated blood pressure in the pulmonary circulation that eventually leads to right heart failure.3 Recently updated European Society of Cardiology/European Respiratory Society (ESC/ERS) PH guidelines have strengthened recommendations on initial dual combination therapy with macitentan and tadalafil for PAH patients without cardiopulmonary comorbidities.1 Currently, this requires patients to take multiple pills as no single tablet that combines two or more PAH-specific pathways is available for these patients.

Targeting different pathways in the treatment of PAH has demonstrated clear clinical benefits, yet current treatment regimens are cumbersome and create a significant pill burden for patients, many of whom take a large number of pills each day to treat their PAH and various comorbidities, said Kelly Chin, M.D., Professor of Internal Medicine and Director of the Pulmonary Hypertension Program at UT Southwestern Medical Center, and an investigator in the A DUE study.4,5,6* The results from this study demonstrate that a single-tablet combination has the potential to support initial dual combination therapy and rapid escalation from monotherapy, which may improve functional outcomes and help close the gap from guideline recommendations to clinical practice.2

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The A DUE study is a double-blind, randomised, active-controlled, multi-centre, adaptive parallel-group study designed to compare the efficacy and safety of investigational M/T STCT versus macitentan and tadalafil monotherapies in patients with PAH.7 A total of 187 adult PAH patients from across 148 sites in 19 countries worldwide in WHO FC II or III who were treatment naive or on a stable dose of an endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA) or a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (PDE5i) for at least three months, were enrolled in the study.7 The primary endpoint is pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) measured 16 weeks following initiation of treatment expressed as the ratio of geometric means to baseline.7

Secondary efficacy outcome measures included change from baseline in exercise capacity as measured by change in 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) at the end of double-blind treatment at week 16 compared to baseline.7

Following the double-blind treatment period, patients transitioned to the open-label treatment period for 24 months. Baseline characteristics were balanced across treatment arms except for a higher proportion of WHO FC II patients in the M/T STCT arm and a greater time from diagnosis of PAH in the macitentan arm.7

The guiding light of our PH research is the goal of transforming PAH into a manageable condition, so were constantly looking for ways to improve both clinical outcomes and the treatment experience, said James List, M.D., Ph.D., Global Therapeutic Area Head, Cardiovascular, Metabolism, Retina & Pulmonary Hypertension, Janssen Research & Development, LLC. A single-tablet combination has the potential to be an important new option for helping physicians optimise disease management with the potential to enhance convenience and help improve adherence and outcomes.8

Key A DUE Study Findings

The A DUE study met its co-primary endpoint, demonstrating marked pulmonary haemodynamic improvement as shown by the highly statistically significant, consistent and robust PVR reduction in participants treated with M/T STCT compared to both monotherapies.2 PVR change with M/T STCT (n=70) was significantly greater versus macitentan (n=35, treatment effect: 29 percent; 95 percent confidence limit [CL]: -18 percent, -39 percent; p<0.0001). PVR change with M/T STCT (n=86) was also significantly greater versus tadalafil (n=44, treatment effect: 28 percent; 95 percent CL: -20 percent, -36 percent; p<0.0001).2

Although the A DUE study was not powered to demonstrate a benefit on exercise capacity, there was a clinically relevant improvement in 6MWD.

At week 16, treatment effect was not statistically significant; however a clinically relevant improvement in 6MWD in favour of M/T STCT versus monotherapies was observed. Adjusted treatment effect in 6MWD, change from baseline, in the M/T STCT (n=70) versus macitentan group (n=35) was 16.04m (CL: -17.0, 49.08; p=0.380) and 25.37m in the M/T STCT (n=86) versus tadalafil group (n=44, CL: -0.93, 51.59; p =0.059). 2

The safety profile of M/T STCT was consistent with the known safety profiles of macitentan and tadalafil monotherapies and no new safety observations were made.2

#ENDS#

*Dr. Chin received payment for her participation in the A DUE study.

About Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH)

PAH is a specific, rare form of pulmonary hypertension (PH) with approximately 48-55 cases per million adults, and there is currently no cure.1,3 PAH is a serious, progressive disease with a variety of aetiologies and has a major impact on patients' functioning as well as their physical, psychological and social wellbeing.9,10

PAH evolves silently over years, as symptoms such as breathlessness, dizziness and fatigue are non-specific and can be confused with more common conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).3 On average it takes two years from the onset of symptoms for PAH to be diagnosed, and in some instances up to four years.3,11 This means that by the time a patient is diagnosed, their PAH is typically in an advanced stage with severe symptoms and a poor prognosis.3 However, the last decade has seen significant advances in the understanding of the pathophysiology of PAH, transforming the prognosis for PAH patients from symptomatic improvements in exercise tolerance 10 years ago, to delayed disease progression today.3

About macitentan/tadalafil STCT

Macitentan 10 mg and tadalafil 40 mg STCT is an investigational therapy that combines the ERA, macitentan, and the PDE5i, tadalafil.

About OPSUMIT (macitentan)

OPSUMIT is indicated for the long-term treatment of PAH (WHO Group I) to reduce the risks of disease progression and hospitalisation for PAH. The use of OPSUMIT in patients with PAH (WHO Group I), a type of PH, was demonstrated in the pivotal SERAPHIN trial, the largest (n=742) long-term (average treatment duration=2 years) outcomes-based trial of an ERA in PAH.12

For further information on macitentan, please see the Summary of Product Characteristics at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/opsumit-epar-product-information_en.pdf

About tadalafil

Tadalafil is indicated in adults for the treatment of PAH (WHO Group 1 PH), classified as WHO functional class II and III, to improve exercise capacity. Efficacy has been shown in idiopathic PAH (IPAH) and in PAH related to collagen vascular disease.13

About the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson

At Janssen, were creating a future where disease is a thing of the past. Were the Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, working tirelessly to make that future a reality for patients everywhere by fighting sickness with science, improving access with ingenuity, and healing hopelessness with heart. We focus on areas of medicine where we can make the biggest difference: Cardiovascular, Metabolism, & Retina; Immunology; Infectious Diseases & Vaccines; Neuroscience; Oncology; and Pulmonary Hypertension.

Learn more at www.janssen.com/emea . Follow us at www.twitter.com/janssenEMEA for our latest news. Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, and Janssen Research & Development, LLC are part of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson.

Cautions Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding product development and the potential benefits and treatment impact of macitentan/tadalafil STCT. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialise, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Janssen Research & Development, LLC, any of the other Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies and/or Johnson & Johnson. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: challenges and uncertainties inherent in product research and development, including the uncertainty of clinical success and of obtaining regulatory approvals; uncertainty of commercial success; competition, including technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges to patents; changes in behavior and spending patterns of purchasers of health care products and services; changes to applicable laws and regulations, including global health care reforms; and trends toward health care cost containment. A further list and descriptions of these risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in Johnson & Johnsons Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 1, 2023, including in the sections captioned Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Item 1A. Risk Factors, and in Johnson & Johnsons subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of these filings are available online at www.sec.gov, www.jnj.com or on request from Johnson & Johnson. None of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies nor Johnson & Johnson undertakes to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information or future events or developments.

###

1 2022 ESC/ERS Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary hypertension. Eur Heart J. 2022; 43, 36183731. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehac237 .

2 Chin K, Jansa P, Fan F, et al. Efficacy and safety of macitentan tadalafil fixed dose combination in pulmonary arterial hypertension: results from the randomized controlled phase III A DUE study. Oral presentation at American College of Cardiology (ACC) Scientific Sessions, 4-6 March 2023.

3 Vachiery JL, Gaine S. Challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Eur Respir Rev. 2012; 21:313-20.

4 Grady D, et al. Medication and patient factors associated with adherence to pulmonary hypertension targeted therapies. Pulm Circ 2018; 8:19.

5 Lauffenburger JC, et al. Effect of combination therapy of adherence among US patients initiating therapy for hypertension: a cohort study. J Gen Intern Med 2017; 32(6):61925.

6 Grill S, Bruderer S, Sidharta PN, et al. Bioequivalence of macitentan and tadalafil given as fixed-dose combination or single-component tablets in healthy subjects. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2020;86(12):2424-2434.

7 Clinicaltrials.gov. Clinical Study to Compare the Efficacy and Safety of Macitentan and Tadalafil Monotherapies With the Corresponding Fixed-dose Combination Therapy in Subjects With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) (A DUE). Available at: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03904693 Last accessed: February 2023

8 Shao L, Chan P, Tomlinson B, et al. Single-pill combinations for hypertension: first line treatment for all? Curr Med Res Opin. 2018;35(1):113-115.

9 Hoeper MM, Gibbs JS. The changing landscape of pulmonary arterial hypertension and implications for patient care. Eur Respir Rev. 2014;23:450-457.

10 Chin KM, Maitland MG, Channick RN, et al. Psychometric validation of the Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension-Symptoms and Impact (PAH-SYMPACT) questionnaire: results of the SYMPHONY trial. Chest. 2018;154:848-861.

11 Armstrong I, Billings C, Kiely DG, et al. The patient experience of pulmonary hypertension: a large cross sectional study of UK patients. BMC Pulm Med. 2019;19:67.

12 Opsumit Summary of Product Characteristics. Available at https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/opsumit-epar-product-information_en.pdf Last accessed February 2023.

13 Adcirca Summary of Product Characteristics. Available at https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/adcirca-epar-product-information_en.pdf Last accessed February 2023.





EM-124643

March 2023

CONTACT: Media Contact: Zayn Qureshi Phone: +44 7760 334666 zqureshi@its.jnj.com Investor Contact: Raychel Kruper Phone: +1 732-524-6164 RKruper@its.jnj.com




/NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES./

VANCOUVER, BC, March 6, 2023 /CNW/ - Callinex Mines Inc. (the "Company" or "Callinex") (TSXV: CNX) (OTCQX: CLLXF) is pleased to announce that it has closed the previously announced brokered private placement offering (the "Offering") for gross proceeds of approximately $9.4 million, including the partial exercise of the over-allotment. The Offering was conducted by Research Capital Corporation as lead agent and sole bookrunner, on behalf of a syndicate of agents, including Beacon Securities Limited and Clarus Securities Inc. (collectively, the "Agents").

Callinex Mines Inc. Logo (CNW Group/Callinex Mines Inc.)

Max Porterfield, President and CEO stated, "The Company is now fully funded and focused on expanding the high-grade copper, gold, silver and zinc rich Rainbow and Alchemist discoveries at the Company's Pine Bay Project in Manitoba. We're grateful for the support from new and existing shareholders in this financing which allows us to continue our mission of driving shareholder value through discovery."

In connection with the Offering, the Company issued:

a) 1,120,366 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of $3.15 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one common share in the capital of the Company (a "Common Share") and one-half of one Common Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant").

b) 1,036,900 flow-through units of the Company (the "FT Units") at a price of $5.67 per FT Unit. Each FT Unit consists of one Common Share that will qualify as "flow-through shares" within the meaning of subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Tax Act") and one-half of one Warrant.

Each Warrant shall entitle the holder thereof to purchase one Common Share (a "Warrant Share") at an exercise price of $4.05 per Warrant Share at any time up to two (2) years following the Closing (as defined herein). Provided that if, at any time four months and one day after the date of issuance and prior to the expiry date of the Warrants, the volume weighted average trading price of the Common Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange ("Exchange"), or other principal exchange on which the Common Shares are listed, is greater than $7.87 for 15 consecutive trading days, the Company may, within 10 business days of the occurrence of such event, deliver a notice to the holders of Warrants accelerating the expiry date of the Warrants to the date that is 30 days following the date of such notice (the "Accelerated Exercise Period"). Any unexercised Warrants shall automatically expire at the end of the Accelerated Exercise Period.

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The net proceeds from the sale of Units will be used for the Company's ongoing exploration drilling program, working capital requirements and other general corporate purposes. The gross proceeds from the sale of FT Units will be used for exploration expenses on the Company's Pine Bay project located within the Flin Flon Mining District of Manitoba.

The securities issued under the Offering will be subject to restrictions on resale expiring July 7, 2023.

The Company will renounce such Canadian Exploration Expenses to the purchasers of the FT Units with an effective date of no later than December 31, 2023.

In connection with the Offering, the Agents received an aggregate cash fee of $372,278 and the Agents were granted 93,418 non-transferable compensation warrants (the "Compensation Warrants"). Each Compensation Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one Common Share at an exercise price of $4.05 per Common Share for a period of two (2) years following the closing of the Offering. In addition, the Agents received an aggregate advisory fee of $84,000 and 16,930 advisory broker warrants on the same terms as the Compensation Warrants.

The securities described herein 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 state securities laws, and accordingly, may not be offered or sold within the United States except in compliance with the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities requirements or pursuant to exemptions therefrom. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy any securities in any jurisdiction.

About the Company

Callinex Mines Inc. (TSXV: CNX) (OTCQX: CLLXF) is advancing its portfolio of base and precious metals rich deposits located in established Canadian mining jurisdictions. The focus of the portfolio is highlighted by the rapidly expanding Rainbow and Alchemist deposits at its rich VMS Pine Bay Project located near existing infrastructure in the Flin Flon Mining District. The second asset in the portfolio is the Nash Creek Project located in the VMS-rich Bathurst Mining District of New Brunswick. A 2018 PEA generates a strong economic return with a pre-tax IRR of 34.1% (25.2% post-tax) and NPV8% of $230 million ($128 million post-tax) at $1.25 Zinc. The third asset, 100% owned Point Leamington Deposit in Newfoundland, is located in one of the richest VMS and Gold Districts in Canada. Callinex prepared a pit-constrained Indicated Mineral Resource of 5.0 Mt grading 2.5 g/t AuEq for 402 koz AuEq (145.7 koz gold, 60.0 Mlb copper, 153.5 Mlb zinc, 2.0 Moz silver, 1.5 Mlb lead), an pit-constrained Inferred Mineral Resource of 13.7 Mt grading 2.24 g/t AuEq for 986.5 koz AuEq (354.8 koz gold, 110.2 Mlb copper, 527.3 Mlb zinc, 6.2 Moz silver, 7.0 Mlb lead) and an out-of-pit Inferred Mineral Resource of 1.7 Mt grading 3.06 g/t AuEq for 168.5 koz AuEq (65.4 koz gold, 13.3 Mlb copper, 102.9 Mlb zinc, 1.4 Moz Ag, 2.6 Mlb lead).

Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information

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.

Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements

This news release contains certain "forward looking statements" and certain "forward-looking information" as defined under applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "intend", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "plans" or similar terminology. The forward-looking information contained herein is provided for the purpose of assisting readers in understanding management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. These forwardlooking statements or information relate to, among other things: the use of proceeds of the Offering.

Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual actions, events or results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: the requirement for regulatory approvals; enhanced uncertainty in global financial markets as a result of the current COVID-19 pandemic; unquantifiable risks related to government actions and interventions; stock market volatility; regulatory restrictions; and other related risks and uncertainties.

Forward-looking information are based on management of the parties' reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on such management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect.

The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-looking information represents management's best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.

SOURCE Callinex Mines Inc.

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(Bloomberg) -- China pledged to pool together all of the nations resources to achieve self-reliance in technology, underscoring the governments determination to secure key breakthroughs in areas such as semiconductors as tensions with the US escalate.

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In his government work report released at the start of the annual National Peoples Congress on Sunday, outgoing Premier Li Keqiang reiterated the call for a whole nation strategy to edge out Washington on basic scientific research and advanced technologies ranging from advanced intelligence to space. His remarks come days after the Biden administration blacklisted more Chinese companies in the chip and genome industries.

The new system for mobilizing resources nationwide should be improved, Li said. We should better leverage the role of the government in pooling resources to make key technological breakthroughs, and enterprises should be the principal actors in innovation.

Lis speech, along with recent calls from Chinese President Xi Jinping, signals the top leaderships determination to break choke points for an upper hand in the tech war with the US. Choke points refers to key technologies to make things like chips or jet engines that China lacks and the US and other nations control.

China should encourage private capital to collaborate on major government initiatives and projects aimed at addressing areas of weakness, Li said. Having effectively countered external attempts to suppress and contain Chinas development in the past five years, China should pool quality resources and make concerted efforts to achieve breakthroughs in key technology fields in the future, he said.

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The Chinese governments hefty investment in the chip industry has borne little fruit in recent years, with state champions from Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. to Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. struggling to advance their chip technologies following US blacklisting. Sanction-hit Yangtze Memory Technologies Co., the countrys best shot to make memory chips for smartphones and computers, is also having trouble expanding capacity despite receiving additional state capital.

Xi has ordered the ruling Communist Party to exercise more control over the countrys science and technology agenda, paving the way for the creation of an even more powerful overseer to steer strategically critical industries.

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The development of India into a major smartphone production base has sparked increased concerns across Chinese social media that mainland China is at risk of losing its primary role in Apple's manufacturing supply chain.

That sentiment intensified last week on reports that Apple supplier Foxconn Technology Group plans to invest about US$700 million on a new plant in India to boost local production, signifying an accelerated shift of production away from China amid escalating tensions between Beijing and Washington.

"Foxconn is the weather vane of the manufacturing industry," online economics influencer Gengbaixingjun wrote on Monday in a post on Chinese microblogging service Weibo, where he has more than 600,000 followers.

Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.

"[The company] not only creates many jobs directly, but also indirectly drives many industrial [supply] chains," Gengbaixingjun said, adding that Foxconn's latest initiative in India has made the South Asian country a rival to China in terms of electronics contract manufacturing.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar, India's Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology addresses a press conference in New Delhi on September 22, 2021. Photo: Hindustan Times via Getty Images alt=Rajeev Chandrasekhar, India's Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology addresses a press conference in New Delhi on September 22, 2021. Photo: Hindustan Times via Getty Images>

Other netizens on Monday also expressed their apprehensions about the potential shift of Apple's manufacturing supply chain away from China. Weibo user Miguyuegeqian questioned whether Foxconn would move all of its factories to India, while another user Woniuxingdetuibian posted that it was a "pity" so many businesses are moving to India.

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Such anxiety has only intensified amid senior Indian government officials' public statements on how the country would become a major base for electronics manufacturing.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar, India's Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, said over the weekend that mobile phones will be one of the country's top 10 products for export by next year, up from zero in 2014, according to a report by local news agency Asian News International.

The report also quoted Chandrasekhar as saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid out a vision that "India will be a significant player in the global electronic supply chain", with a target of US$300 billion worth of electronics produced by 2026.

Senior Indian government officials' confidence in attracting more electronics manufacturing to the country reflects the damage done to China's reputation by Taiwan-based Foxconn's recent troubles on the mainland.

Foxconn, formally known as Hon Hai Precision Industry, scrambled to restore full production capacity at its manufacturing complex in the central city of Zhengzhou, home to the world's largest iPhone factory, following severe disruptions that included worker protests that turned violent and the exodus of tens of thousands of employees amid a Covid-19 outbreak that started last October.

In February, senior officials of central Henan province went on a charm offensive in a meeting with Foxconn chairman and chief executive Liu Young-way. They assured the Taiwanese firm that the government will provide comprehensive "services" to its local operations.

While production in Zhengzhou has resumed to about 90 per cent of full capacity as of December 30, there are signs that Foxconn has significantly slowed recruitment for its manufacturing complex in the city. The firm last month revealed plans to build a smart warehouse on a leased plot inside the Zhengzhou Comprehensive Bonded Zone.

The rivalry between China and India has already prompted many mainland social media users to search for comparisons on how the two countries fare as assembly sites for Apple's products.

A search of "Foxconn India" on Weibo showed the top post on Monday was a video showing how slow an Indian worker tapes a box.

Weibo user Lijingpandaoy questioned whether quality can be ensured at Indian factories. Another user commented that Indian labour costs might be lower than in China, but the South Asian country lags behind in terms of efficiency.

Still, other Chinese netizens regarded Foxconn's efforts in India as a result of fair competition. "It's [Foxconn's] decision to invest [wherever they want]," Weibo user Biteweida wrote in a post. "We don't need to beg them to stay. Let's just do our best for those who stay."

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2023 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2023. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
(Bloomberg) -- Chinese internet firm Sina Corp. is close to signing a $400 million syndicated loan, a looming deal that comes amid a historically slow start this year for such financing in Asia.

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The 364-day secured loan, which could be extended by a year, is being finalized with a group of banks led by Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and signing documents are being reviewed, according to people familiar with the matter who requested anonymity discussing private matters.

Calls to Sinas investor relations department went unanswered Monday and an email seeking comment was not responded to. A Hong Kong spokesperson from Goldman Sachs declined to comment.

In a sign of overwhelming demand to participate, some banks final allocation was scaled back from initial requests, according to a Hong Kong-based loan banker involved in the deal. That comes as just $19.9 billion of syndicated loans have been signed in Asia Pacific ex-Japan in 2023, according to data compiled by Bloomberg, a 79% plunge from a year earlier and the least since 2006.

Sina plans to put proceeds from the new financing toward a 2020 loan which helped fund the companys management-led buyout. Only a portion of that loan is being refinanced with the new lending and the company has prepared other sources to pay down the rest, two of the people said.

They added the planned financings margin remains unchanged. Bloomberg reported in January that pricing would be the Secured Overnight Financing Rate plus 145 basis points if the loan lasts for one year and plus 175 basis points if extended for the second year.

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2023 Bloomberg L.P.
Aerodyne instrument provides fast, sensitive readings with 98% accuracy; performance surpasses existing tools, enables mobile measurement from on the ground or in the air for the first time

HOUSTON, March 08, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With hydrogen rising fast on the global energy stage, concern over the impact of hydrogen emissions on the climate means new, more effective technology is needed to measure leaks and other releases with much greater sensitivity than currently possible. Now, Aerodyne Research, Inc. in collaboration with Environmental Defense Fund is unveiling a new instrument that far exceeds the capability of existing tools, opening new horizons for operators to track and reduce the amount of hydrogen escaping from their facilities.

The two teamed up to demonstrate the efficacy of a hydrogen analyzer developed by Aerodyne with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to quantify hydrogen emissions at a facility scale for the first time. They are presenting results of a new field trial to leaders of the global energy industry gathered for CERAWeek, where surging worldwide investment in hydrogen as a climate-friendly energy alternative is a central topic.

"Hydrogen causes powerful warming effects in the atmosphere and leaks easily, but existing tools cant tell us how much is emitted or from where," said EDF Chief Scientist Steven Hamburg. "With hundreds of hydrogen energy projects suddenly being developed around the world, we need an effective way to track and prevent these potent emissions. Results like were seeing from this new instrument are a game-changer."

The Aerodyne analyzer uses laser spectroscopy to detect and quantify hydrogen concentrations as small as 10 parts per billion  at least a hundred-fold improvement over todays monitors which are built to see the very high concentrations that pose immediate safety risk.

In January, researchers from EDF and Cornell University tested the Aerodyne instrument using controlled-release experiments at Colorado State Universitys advanced METEC engineering facility. The new instrument delivered high precision measurements every second with 98% accuracy.

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"The breakthrough is combining high speed with high sensitivity, where previous tools gave you one or the other," said Aerodyne Vice President Scott Herndon. "That makes it possible to track hydrogen emissions at levels that matter to the climate using a piece of mobile equipment that can be driven in a vehicle or flown in small aircraft."

In addition to funding hydrogen sensor development, DOE is letting developers participating in its $8 billion Hydrogen Hub program know that leak monitoring may be required once sensors become commercially available. The California Public Utility Commission says it plans to require assessments of the risks and mitigations for hydrogen leakage, which will necessitate the use of such monitoring technology in the state. The European Union has also solicited better measurement tools.

"Now that we know it works, we can take this instrument to real world facilities to measure how much hydrogen is escaping day to day," says EDF scientist Tianyi Sun. "Right now, we know very, very little about how much hydrogen leaks. That data is critically important for the understanding the climate impacts of switching to hydrogen."

One of the worlds leading international nonprofit organizations, Environmental Defense Fund (edf.org) creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. To do so, EDF links science, economics, law, and innovative private-sector partnerships. With more than 3 million members and offices in the United States, China, Mexico, Indonesia and the European Union, EDFs scientists, economists, attorneys and policy experts are working in 28 countries to turn our solutions into action. Connect with us on Twitter @EnvDefenseFund

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230305005045/en/

Contacts

Jon Coifman, EDF, jcoifman@edf.org or 917/575-1885

Cameron Martin, Aerodyne, cmartin@aerodyne.com or 978/932-0207
VANCOUVER, BC, March 6, 2023 /CNW/ - Coast Copper Corp. ("Coast Copper" or the "Company") (TSXV: COCO) is pleased to provide an update on its 100% owned Scottie West property (the "Property") located in British Columbia's ("B.C.") Golden Triangle district approximately 35 kilometers ("km") northwest of Stewart, B.C. and immediately west of Scottie Resources Corp.'s Scottie Gold Mine project (see Figure 1). The Company also wishes to announce that Jeff Kyba has joined as a technical advisor.

The Property was acquired by staking in May 2020 for $11,128 and optioned to EuroPacific Metals Inc. ("EuroPacific") (formerly known as Goldplay Mining Inc.) on November 23, 2020. As announced November 21, 2022, the Property was returned to the Company as a result of EuroPacific moving its exploration focus to projects in Portugal after spending more than $330,000 in exploration expenditures, making cash payments of $50,000 to Coast Copper and issuing $75,000 worth of shares to Coast Copper in regards to the Property option. EuroPacific completed surface exploration programs as well as completed a National Instrument 43-101 technical report. The conclusion of the 2021 report noted that the surface program identified numerous mineralized showings with at least 13 zones of gold-bearing quartz-carbonate sulphide (pyrite  arsenopyrite  pyrrhotite  chalcopyrite  galena  sphalerite) veining occurring on the Property. These veins host sulphide-rich shoots with highly anomalous gold values and are hosted in a package of andesitic volcanics from the Unuk River Member of the Betty Creek Formation situated adjacent to the contact with the Summit Lake stock, part of the early Jurassic aged Texas Creek Plutonic Suite. This style of mineralization is characteristic of intrusion-related mesothermal veins. The Property occurs along the southwest extension of the apparent mineralized belt that includes Scottie Resources' Blueberry Zone, the Scottie Gold Mine and the recently discovered Domino Zone . Highlights from EuroPacific's 2021 sampling include:

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Rock sample assaying: 5.90 grams per tonne (" g/t ") gold (" Au ") and 155 g/t silver (" Ag ") on the SE Exposure.

Rock sample assaying: 5.29 g/t Au on the Leduc NE Ridge.

Rock sample assaying: 2.19 g/t Au and 119 g/t Ag on the Leduc East Central Ridge.

Rock sample assaying: 0.95 g/t Au, 91.87 g/t Ag, and 2.77% zinc on the East Border Nunatak.

Adam Travis, Coast Copper's CEO comments: "Upon receiving the property back from EuroPacific, we conducted a review of their work in the context of new discoveries and the work being completed on the adjacent Scottie Resources property. We were excited to see gold in rock samples up to 5.29 g/t which were reported from veins and structures. Some of these appear to be associated with structural and magnetic trends consistent with what has been observed on the Scottie Resources property. I've admired Jeff Kyba's work over the last decade, in both government role and industry, particularly in the Golden Triangle where 'Kyba's Red Line' has been an important exploration guide. Jeff joining Coast Copper as a technical advisor speaks volumes about the caliber of our projects and our team. Although Scottie West is not our principal project, and we remain focused on the Empire Mine property, we are very excited to get out on the ground with Jeff and make additional discoveries."

Mr. Kyba's experience spans grassroots exploration to deposit delineation for precious and base metals as well as five years of regional oversight of all exploration and mining projects in northwestern B.C. for the provincial government. During his 5+ year tenure as Regional Geologist, he completed extensive site visits and field work investigating the variety of mineral deposits throughout the region. This work resulted in several government publications and a map identifying favorable areas to explore for minerals, commonly known as the 'Kyba Red Line'; a stratigraphic unconformity located within 2 km of nearly all major deposits in the Stikine Terrane. His map remains in use today.

Jeff Kyba comments: "The Coast Copper team and projects are an inspiring combination. Scottie West is an exciting discovery in an area with a highly prospective geological address and long-lived exploration history. Adam and his team have yet again demonstrated there are more discoveries to be made and I'm looking forward to working with them."

Coast Copper has granted Mr. Kyba a total of 100,000 stock options of the Company pursuant to the Company's 20% fixed Long-Term Incentive Plan, subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval. Each stock option is exercisable into one common share of the Company, subject to certain vesting requirements at an exercise price of $0.07 per share with an expiry of March 3, 2028.

Coast Copper News Release- NR23-03- Figure 1 (CNW Group/Coast Copper Corp.)

Qualified Persons

The technical information contained in this news release has been prepared, reviewed and approved by Wade Barnes, P.Geo. (BC), Coast Copper's geological consultant and a Qualified Person within the context of Canadian Securities Administrators' National Instrument 43-101; Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

About Coast Copper Corp.

Coast Copper's exploration focus is the optioned Empire Mine property, located on northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, which covers three historical open pit mines and two past-producing underground mines that yielded iron, copper, gold and silver. Coast Copper's other properties include its 100% owned Knob Hill NW Property located on northern Vancouver Island, its Home Brew and Shovelnose South Properties in central B.C., and its Scottie West Property located in the "Golden Triangle" of northern B.C. Coast Copper's management team continues to review precious and base metals opportunities in western North America.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors:

"Adam Travis"

Adam Travis, Chief Executive Officer and Director

Cautionary Notes Related to this news release and/or maps

Adjacent Properties: This news release may contain information about adjacent properties on which Coast Copper Corp has no right to explore or mine. Investors are cautioned that mineral deposits on adjacent properties are no indicative of mineral deposits on the Company's properties. Theny, Lucia and Wilkins, Andrew L. (2021) Geological, Geophysical and Geochemical Assessment Report on the Scottie West Property in Northwestern British Columbia, British Columbia Assessment Report 39914 Granduc Mine Production totals: https://news.metal.com/newscontent/100012360/Castle-Resources-to-Acquire-100-Interest-in-the-Granduc-Copper-Mine-Stewart-BC/ Scottie Resources Ltd website: https://scottieresources.com/projects/scottie-gold-mine/geology/ , https://scottieresources.com/projects/scottie-gold-mine/the-domino-zone/ , https://scottieresources.com/projects/scottie-gold-mine/the-blueberry-zone/

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.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

Certain information contained or incorporated by reference in this press release, including any information regarding the proposed Transaction, private placement, board and management changes, as to our strategy, projects, plans or future financial or operating performance, constitutes "forward-looking statements." All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Coast Copper, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, geological and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Although Coast Copper believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance. Known and unknown factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Such factors include but are not limited to: fluctuations in market prices, exploration and exploitation successes, continued availability of capital and financing, changes in national and local government legislation, taxation, controls, regulations, expropriation or nationalization of property and general political, economic, market or business conditions. Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can affect our actual results and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, us. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release, or incorporated by reference, are qualified by these cautionary statements. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Coast Copper Corp.

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Sabina Mammadli

A serviceman of the Azerbaijani army Kamran Huseynov was killed in a mine explosion, Azernews reports per Defense Ministry.

The ministry leadership expressed deep condolences to the family and relatives of the deceased serviceman.

In violation of the 1949 Geneva Convention, during the years of occupation and at the moment of withdrawal from Azerbaijani lands in late 2020 and even after the second Karabakh war, Armenia deliberately and constantly planted mines on Azerbaijani territories, thereby being a major threat to regional peace, security, and cooperation.

Civilians and military personnel are frequently maimed or killed as a result of mine explosions in Azerbaijan's liberated regions.

Armenia deliberately and constantly planted mines on Azerbaijani territories, in violation of the 1949 Geneva Convention, which is a major threat to regional peace, security, and cooperation.
The introduction of a range of footwear with variations in color, design, and price, the adoption of attractive marketing and promotional techniques, and the expansion of sales through online channels drive the growth of the global sneaker market.

PORTLAND, Ore., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Coconut Butter Market by Nature (Organic, Conventional), by End User (Cosmetics and Personal Care Industry, Food and Beverage Industry, Others), by Distribution Channel (Supermarkets/hypermarkets, Convenience stores, Online sales channel, Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2031". According to the report, the global coconut butter industry generated $986.3 million in 2021, and is anticipated to generate $1.9 billion by 2031, witnessing a CAGR of 7.2% from 2022 to 2031.

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Prime determinants of growth

The rise in demand among health-conscious consumers, owing to its high nutritional benefits drive the growth of the global coconut butter market. However, Caribbean and African countries are facing threats of lethal yellowing disease in the coconut plantation, which restricts the market growth. Moreover, organic and gluten-free coconut butter is gaining increased popularity among consumers. This is attributed to the fact that organic coconut butter is high in fiber and contains lauric acid, which lowers bad cholesterol. This factor presents new opportunities in the coming years.

Covid-19 Scenario

The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic had a positive impact on the global coconut butter market, as people became more health-conscious during the lockdown.

However, the pandemic had presented a number of operational difficulties for producers of coconut derivatives.

The conventional segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period

Based on nature, the conventional segment held the highest market share in 2021, accounting for more than half of the global coconut butter market, and is estimated to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period. This segment is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 7.5% from 2022 to 2031. Conventional coconut butter is created using crops that have undergone genetic engineering or other forms of modification to acquire improved properties. Chemical fertilizers and insecticides are used in conventional coconut cultivation to promote healthy growth and production from the trees by fending off illnesses and preventing pest infestations.

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The food and beverage industry segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period

Based on end user, the food and beverage industry segment held the highest market share in 2021, accounting for more than half of the global coconut butter market, and is estimated to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period. However, the cosmetics and personal care products segment is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 8.1% from 2022 to 2031. There are several uses for the nutritional benefits of coconut butter. Most beauticians advise using coconut butter topically on the skin and hair in various ways, to expect positive benefits.

The online sales channel segment to maintain its lead position during the forecast period

Based on distribution channel, the online sales channel segment accounted for the largest share in 2021, contributing to around one-third of the global coconut butter market, and is projected to maintain its lead position during the forecast period. This segment is expected to portray the largest CAGR of 7.5% from 2022 to 2031. This is attributed to easy availability and the benefits such as information about the attributes of the products, time-saving features, and the facility of home delivery provided by the online platform.

Asia-Pacific to maintain its dominance by 2031

Based on region, Asia-Pacific held the highest market share in terms of revenue in 2021, accounting for nearly three-fifths of the global coconut butter market, and is likely to dominate the market during the forecast period. This region is expected to witness the fastest CAGR of 7.6% from 2022 to 2031. The expansion of the regional market is the result of factors including the enormous demand for organic coconut butter from developing nations, the increase in coconut production by big plantations, and the huge domestic use of coconut butter.

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Leading Market Players: -

Nutretiaa Industries,

Dhatu Organics & Naturals,

Hallstar,

Andy Albao Corporation,

Bali Nutra,

Phildesco Inc,

United Foods India,

MaraNatha,

Asia Botanicals Sdn Bhd,

Ceylon Coconut Company

Trending Reports in Food and Beverages Industry

Lactose-Free Dairy Market Expected to Reach $24.36 Billion by 2031

Vegan Cheese Market Expected to Reach, $4,425.6 Million by 2027

Yogurt Market Expected to Reach $171.8 Billion by 2031

Flavored yogurt Market Expected to Reach $92.3 Billion by 2026

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We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.

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SOURCE Allied Market Research
Vancouver --News Direct-- Copper Fox Metals Inc

Copper Fox Metals CEO Elmer Stewart joined Steve Darling from Proactive to share news the company and its partner Teck Resources have announced an aggressive drill program for 2023 at the Schaft Creek project in British Columbia.

Stewart told Proactive the plan is for C$17.2 million in works including a 9,000 metre drill program focused on geotechnical data collection.

That data is focussed on key areas including the proposed pit highwall and life of mine strip ratio to reduce operating costs.

Contact Details

Proactive Canada

+1 604-688-8158

na-editorial@proactiveinvestors.com

View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/copper-fox-metals-prepares-for-9-000-metre-drill-program-at-schaft-creek-project-224711742
Northern Italian firm formerly known as Immobiliare Magri becomes Corcoran Magri Properties

NEW YORK, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Corcoran Group, LLC today announced its continued expansion by welcoming its first European franchise with the launch of Corcoran Magri Properties, owned and led by Maddalena Magri, and based out of Lake Garda, Italy. The announcement, made by Pamela Liebman, President and CEO of The Corcoran Group, is a watershed moment for the fast-growing brand.

Corcoran logo (PRNewsfoto/The Corcoran Group)

Centrally located in Northern Italy, between the major metros of Milan and Venice, Lake Garda is the country's largest lake, known for its enchanting coastal towns, crystal clear waters, and exceptional cuisine. As a prime destination for nearby city dwellers, expatriates, and international vacationers to secure lakeside residences, Lake Garda is an ideal fit for Corcoran's first foray into Europe and continued global expansion.

"As we continue to grow our global footprint and network of exceptional affiliates, I'm thrilled to make our way into the European market, specifically into Italy," said Liebman. "The Magri team has always prided themselves on turning every client's dream of Lake Garda into a reality. Their dedication to client service is exactly what we look for when partnering with affiliates, it perfectly aligns with Corcoran's established culture and core values."

Immobiliare Magri, now Corcoran Magri Properties, was founded in 1987 as a family-run business led by Luigi Magri, whose trustworthy character, sincere business practices, and earnest demeanor made him a renowned agent within the area since the 1950s. From 1993 to today, Luigi's daughter, Maddalena Magri, has led the company's business operations, progressive growth, and overall local influence. In 2000, the company established their current office in Garda, Corso Italia, creating a central meeting place along Lake Garda's east coast for both agents and clients alike.

Maddalena acquired majority control of the company in 2013, and alongside co-owner Francesco Visentin, further developed the organization while protecting the familial values the business is recognized for. Today, Corcoran Magri Properties continues to operate out of their Garda, Corso Italia office and follows the company's long-standing traditions of market expertise, professionalism, and putting client service first.

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"We are excited to introduce the Corcoran brand to our business, our clients, and the entire Lake Garda real estate market," said Francesco Visentin, Co-Owner of Corcoran Magri Properties. "Through the elevated marketing, dedicated support, international network, and educational opportunities provided by Corcoran, we are confident that this partnership will take our business to the next level," he added.

In addition to their real estate endeavors, and as an example of their commitment to serving their community, Corcoran Magri Properties has actively donated their time and resources to charitable works, particularly Mission Bambini. Started in 2000, Mission Bambini aids in providing health services, primary education, and emergency support to underprivileged children across Italy, and abroad.

For 50 years, Corcoran has stood for excellence in real estate, following their tagline, "Live Who You Are," by providing a human-first approach to real estate that has made it one of the industry's most luminous brands. Through the company's strong history of sales, Corcoran has become a leader in their company-owned regions of New York City, where the brokerage has been ranked #1 based on residential sales volume for the last several years1, the Hamptons, as well as Miami and Palm Beach in South Florida  some of America's most luxurious markets.

Expanding upon the brand's presence, Corcoran's affiliate network has grown steadily both domestically and abroad, since its launch in February 2020. In 2022 alone, Corcoran welcomed and expanded affiliates in Florida, Georgia, Connecticut, Washington, Tennessee, New Jersey, the Cayman Islands, and Turks & Caicos.

Corcoran Magri Properties will continue to welcome visitors and clients alike to its current office in Garda, Corso Italia, and will officially launch in the coming weeks.

About The Corcoran Group

The Corcoran Group has been a leading residential real estate brand for 50 years. Through its New York City, Hamptons, and South Florida brokerages, along with its rapidly growing affiliate network, the firm is home to more than 170 offices and more than 4,500 independent salespersons in key urban, suburban, and resort markets worldwide. Corcoran agents earn and keep their clients' trust with an unwavering commitment to white-glove service, expertise, and integrity. In every market served, Corcoran helps you find the home that's just right for you. The Corcoran brand comprises both offices owned by a subsidiary of Anywhere Advisors LLC (f/k/a Realogy Brokerage Group LLC) and franchised offices, which are independently owned and operated. For more information about The Corcoran Group, please visit www.corcoran.com.

1 H. Connery & S. Wall, " NYC's top residential brokerages," The Real Deal, Online, Korangy Publishing, 3/2/2023, https://therealdeal.com/magazine/national-march-2023/nycs-top-residential-brokerages/.

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SOURCE The Corcoran Group
Proficient Market Insights

Pune, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- "Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Market" research report focus on overall information that can help to take decisions on current market situation.

Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Market Report Contains 2023: -

Complete overview of the global Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Market

Top Country data and analysis for United States, Canada, Mexico, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Russia, Italy, China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia, Australia, Brazil and Saudi Arabia, etc. It also throws light on the progress of key regional Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Markets such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America and Middle East and Africa

Description and analysis of Cordless Vacuum Cleaner market potential by type, Deep Dive, disruption, application capacity, end use industry

impact evaluation of most important drivers and restraints, and dynamics of the global Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Market and current trends in the enterprise

Detailed profiles of the Top major players in the industry, including. Bissell,Stanley Black & Decker,TTI,Dyson,GlenDimplex,Bosch,Philips,Electrolux,Gtech,SharkNinja,Puppyoo

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Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Market Segmentation: -

Cordless Vacuum Cleaner market. A vacuum cleaner is a device that uses an air pump to create a partial vacuum to suck up dust and dirt, usually from floors, and from other surfaces such as upholstery and draperies. The dirt is collected by either a dust bag or a cyclone for later disposal. Vacuum cleaners, which are used in homes as well as in industry, exist in a variety of sizes and modelssmall battery-powered hand-held devices, wheeled canister models for home use, domestic central vacuum cleaners, huge stationary industrial appliances that can handle several hundred litres of dust before being emptied, and self-propelled vacuum trucks for recovery of large spills or removal of contaminated soil. Specialized shop vacuums can be used to suck up both dust and liquids.

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Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Industry Forecast looks at past sales and reviews total world Cordless Vacuum Cleaner sales in 2022, providing a comprehensive analysis by region and market sector of projected Cordless Vacuum Cleaner sales for 2023 through 2029. With Cordless Vacuum Cleaner sales broken down by region, market sector and sub-sector, this report provides a detailed analysis in US$ millions of the world Cordless Vacuum Cleaner industry.

This Insight Report provides a comprehensive analysis of the global Cordless Vacuum Cleaner landscape and highlights key trends related to product segmentation, company formation, revenue, and market share, latest development, and M&A activity. This report also analyzes the strategies of leading global companies with a focus on Cordless Vacuum Cleaner portfolios and capabilities, market entry strategies, market positions, and geographic footprints, to better understand these firms' unique position in an accelerating global Cordless Vacuum Cleaner market.

This Insight Report evaluates the key market trends, drivers, and affecting factors shaping the global outlook for Cordless Vacuum Cleaner and breaks down the forecast by type, by application, geography, and market size to highlight emerging pockets of opportunity. With a transparent methodology based on hundreds of bottom-up qualitative and quantitative market inputs, this study forecast offers a highly nuanced view of the current state and future trajectory in the global Cordless Vacuum Cleaner.

The global Cordless Vacuum Cleaner market size is projected to grow from US$ 2007.4 million in 2022 to US$ 4622.8 million in 2029; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4622.8 from 2023 to 2029.

Global Cordless Vacuum Cleaner key players include TTI, Dyson, IRobot, etc. Global top three manufacturers hold a share over 50%.

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North America is the largest market, with a share over 25%, followed by Asia and Europe, both have a share about 40 percent.

In terms of product, Upright is the largest segment, with a share over 25%. And in terms of application, the largest application is Household, followed by Commercial.

This report presents a comprehensive overview, market shares, and growth opportunities of Cordless Vacuum Cleaner market by product type, application, key manufacturers and key regions and countries.

researchers latest report provides a deep insight into the global Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Market covering all its essential aspects. This ranges from a macro overview of the market to micro details of the market size, competitive landscape, development trend, niche market, key market drivers and challenges, SWOT analysis, Porters five forces analysis, value chain analysis, etc.

Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Market segments help decision-makers direct the product, sales, and marketing strategies, and can power your product development cycles by informing how you make product offerings for different segments.

Segmentation by type

Backpack

Canister

Handheld

Robotic

Stick

Upright

Segmentation by application

Household

Commercial

Market segment by Region/Country including: -

North America (United States, Canada, and Mexico)

Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Spain, etc.)

Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, Southeast Asia, etc.)

South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, etc.)

Middle East & Africa (South Africa, UAE, Saudi Arabia, etc.)

Key Players in the Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Market: -

Bissell

Stanley Black & Decker

TTI

Dyson

GlenDimplex

Bosch

Philips

Electrolux

Gtech

SharkNinja

Puppyoo

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Key Benefits of Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Market Research Report:

Types, applications, regions, and key players covered in the study

Industry drivers, restraints, and opportunities covered in the study

Recent industry trends and developments

Competitive landscape & strategies of key players

Historical, current, and projected market size, in terms of value

In-depth analysis of the Artificial Intelligence AI Chips Market

Sales, price, revenue, market share, and growth rate are covered in the report sales channels, distributors, traders, dealers, etc. are covered in the report

Detailed TOC of Global Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Market Growth 2023-2029

1 Scope of the Report

1.1 Market Introduction

1.2 Years Considered

1.3 Research Objectives

1.4 Market Research Methodology

1.5 Research Process and Data Source

1.6 Economic Indicators

1.7 Currency Considered

1.8 Market Estimation Caveats

2 Executive Summary

2.1 World Market Overview

2.1.1 Global Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Annual Sales 2018-2029

2.1.2 World Current & Future Analysis for Cordless Vacuum Cleaner by Geographic Region, 2018, 2022 & 2029

2.1.3 World Current & Future Analysis for Cordless Vacuum Cleaner by Country/Region, 2018, 2022 & 2029

2.2 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Segment by Type

2.2.1 Backpack

2.2.2 Canister

2.2.3 Handheld

2.2.4 Robotic

2.2.5 Stick

2.2.6 Upright

2.3 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Sales by Type

2.3.1 Global Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Sales Market Share by Type (2018-2023)

2.3.2 Global Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Revenue and Market Share by Type (2018-2023)

2.3.3 Global Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Sale Price by Type (2018-2023)

2.4 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Segment by Application

2.4.1 Household

2.4.2 Commercial

2.5 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Sales by Application

2.5.1 Global Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Sale Market Share by Application (2018-2023)

2.5.2 Global Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Revenue and Market Share by Application (2018-2023)

2.5.3 Global Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Sale Price by Application (2018-2023)

And More..

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1.To study and analyze the global Cordless Vacuum Cleanerconsumption (value) by key regions/countries, product type and application

2.To understand the structure of Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Market by identifying its various sub segments.

3.Focuses on the key global Cordless Vacuum Cleanermanufacturers, to define, describe and analyze the value, market share, market competition landscape, Porter's five forces analysis, SWOT analysis and development plans in next few years.

4.To analyze the Cordless Vacuum Cleaner with respect to individual growth trends, future prospects, and their contribution to the total market.

5.To share detailed information about the key factors influencing the growth of the market (growth potential, opportunities, drivers, industry-specific challenges and risks).

6.To project the consumption of Cordless Vacuum Cleaner submarkets, with respect to key regions (along with their respective key countries).

7.To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market.

8.To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategies.

Key Reasons to Purchase

To gain insightful analyses of the market and have comprehensive understanding of the global Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Market and its commercial landscape.

Assess the production processes, major issues, and solutions to mitigate the development risk.

To understand the most affecting driving and restraining forces in the Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Market and its impact in the global market.

Learn about the Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Market strategies that are being adopted by leading respective organizations.

To understand the future outlook and prospects for the Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Market.

Besides the standard structure reports, we also provide custom research according to specific requirements

Client Focus

1. Does this report consider the impact of COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war on the Cordless Vacuum Cleaner market?



Yes. As the COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war are profoundly affecting the global supply chain relationship and raw material price system, we have definitely taken them into consideration throughout the research, and we elaborate at full length on the impact of the pandemic and the war on the Cordless Vacuum Cleaner,Industry.



2. How do you determine the list of the key players included in the report?



With the aim of clearly revealing the competitive situation of the industry, we concretely analyze not only the leading enterprises that have a voice on a global scale, but also the regional small and medium-sized companies that play key roles and have plenty of potential growth.

Please find the key player list in Summary.



3. What are your main data sources?



Both Primary and Secondary data sources are being used while compiling the report.

Primary sources include extensive interviews of key opinion leaders and industry experts (such as experienced front-line staff, directors, CEOs, and marketing executives), downstream distributors, as well as end-users.



Secondary sources include the research of the annual and financial reports of the top companies, public files, new journals, etc. We also cooperate with some third-party databases.



4. Can I modify the scope of the report and customize it to suit my requirements?



Yes. Customized requirements of multi-dimensional, deep-level and high-quality can help our customers precisely grasp market opportunities, effortlessly confront market challenges, properly formulate market strategies and act promptly, thus to win them sufficient time and space for market competition.

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Proficient market insights is an upscale platform to help key personnel in the business world in strategizing and taking visionary decisions based on facts and figures derived from in-depth market research. We are one of the top report resellers in the market, dedicated to bringing you an ingenious concoction of data parameters.

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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / Core Assets Corp., ("Core Assets" or the "Company") (CSE:CC) (FSE:5RJ) (OTC.QB:CCOOF) is pleased to announce assay results from the first four diamond drill holes completed at the Jackie CRD Target during the 2022 exploration program at the Silver Lime Porphyry-CRD Project ("Silver Lime"), central Blue Property ("Property"); Atlin Mining District of NW British Columbia.

A total of 1,299 metres of diamond drilling, representing four of fifteen drill holes project wide, were completed at the Jackie CRD Target in 2022. First-pass diamond drilling at the Jackie CRD Target intersected carbonate replacement mineralization near surface and to drilled depths exceeding 200 meters (Figures 1-3).

Highlights

SLM22-001 intersected 21.65m of 23g/t Ag, 1.0% Zn, 1.2% Pb, and 0.08% Cu from surface, including 1.25m of 215g/t Ag, 9.9% Zn, 8.9% Pb, and 0.36% Cu.

SLM22-002 intersected 5.37m of 51g/t Ag, 4.0% Zn, 1.1% Pb, and 0.19% Cu from 1.10m depth, including 1.47m of 140g/t Ag, 6.3% Zn, 3.3% Pb, and 0.10% Cu.

SLM22-003 intersected 0.93m of 62g/t Ag, 1.6% Zn, and 1.9% Pb from 154.78m depth.

SLM22-004 intersected 7.90m of 46.7g/t Ag, 0.4% Zn, 0.7% Pb, and 0.19% Cu from 190.70m depth, including 2.00m of 126g/t Ag, 0.8% Zn, 2.0% Pb, and 0.60% Cu, and 0.62m of 338g/t Ag, 2.1% Zn, 5.8% Pb, and 1.55% Cu. (Table 1).

2022 drilling results from the Jackie CRD Target also identified gold grades associated with localized base metal sulphide veining and carbonate replacement mineralization.

SLM22-004 intersected carbonate replacement mineralization and sulphide-bearing veinlets over 0.53m that returned 0.57g/t Au, 50.4g/t Ag, 1.8% Pb, and 0.4% Zn from 121.82m depth.

SLM22-004 also intersected 8.00m 0.69g/t Au and 6.5g/t Ag including 2.00m of 5.42g/t Au, and 5.6g/t Ag from 335.00m depth.

Fugitive calcite was observed in both SLM22-004 Au-bearing intercepts.

Core Assets' President & CEO Nick Rodway commented: "In our first drill season at the Jackie Target, we have successfully tested the depth extent and mineralization potential of numerous mineralized structures or "spokes" exposed at surface. With a single drill pad, we have demonstrated that there is a high quantity of metal-rich, carbonate replacement mineralization in the subsurface. We are now confident that we can target these host structures down dip, in hopes of intersecting thicker, and continuous massive sulphide feeders in follow-up drill programs. We are also pleased to announce that we have received the remainder of our assay results from the Sulphide City and Grizzly Targets. Our team is working efficiently to compile this newly acquired data in anticipation for release in the coming weeks."

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The highest-grade massive sulphide occurrences at Jackie appear to be associated with steeply dipping, mineralized felsic dykes that crosscut the folded carbonate stratigraphy and have localized massive sulphide mineralization along proximal faults and splays (Figure 2). All surficial structures hosting massive sulphide at Jackie that were targeted during 2022 drilling are confirmed to host high-grade mineralization at depth. It is inferred that these high-grade sulphide occurrences connect to larger massive sulphide feeder zones. A causative intrusion sourcing the mineralized dykes at the Jackie Target has yet to be identified.

Core Assets has also contracted Terrane Geoscience Inc. to conduct a desk-based structural analysis of the Silver Lime Porphyry-CRD Project to assist with drill targeting, and to develop an oriented core protocol in anticipation of the 2023 exploration program. Additionally, assay results for the remaining 11 diamond drill holes (totalling 4,266 meters) completed at the Sulphide City and Grizzly Targets will be released in the coming weeks.

Core Assets Corp., Sunday, March 5, 2023, Press release picture

Assay results are presented as uncut weighted averages and assume 100% metal recovery. Interval widths represent drilled HQ core lengths and true width is unknown currently. * indicates partial drill hole assay results were previously released. Silver equivalent (AgEq) grades are calculated using metal prices of: silver US$21.25/oz., gold US$1,850/oz, copper US$4.00/lb, lead US$1.00/lb and zinc US$1.40/lb. Silver equivalent grade is calculated as AgEq (g/t) = Ag (g/t) + (Cu (%) * 129.08) + (Pb (%) * 32.27) + (Zn (%) * 45.18) + (Au (g/t) * 87.06).

Core Assets Corp., Sunday, March 5, 2023, Press release picture

Figure 1: Schematic cross-section looking east through the Jackie CRD Target at the Silver Lime Porphyry-CRD Project showing 2022 drilling assay highlights (Ag, Zn) in relation to the inferred depth extent of surficial mineralized structures targeted during the 2022 drilling program.

Core Assets Corp., Sunday, March 5, 2023, Press release picture

Core Assets Corp., Sunday, March 5, 2023, Press release picture

Core Assets Corp., Sunday, March 5, 2023, Press release picture

Figure 3: Schematic plan view map of the Jackie CRD Target at the Silver Lime Porphyry-CRD Project showing 2022 drilling locations, the locations of Au (g/t) drill intercepts (star), surficial mapping and sampling progress with Ag (g/t) highlights, and mineralized structures.

Sampling Protocol, Quality Assurance & Quality Control

All recovered drill core was transported by helicopter to the core logging facility in Atlin, BC for processing. Down hole surveys were conducted on all drill holes upon termination, using a Reflex Gyro Sprint downhole survey tool equipped with an azimuth positioning capability. Drill core was typically sampled over two-meter intervals and occasionally reduced in areas of higher visual sulphide mineralization. Core samples were cut in half with an electric core saw, bagged, labelled, sealed, and submitted to ALS Minerals preparation facility in Whitehorse, YT with the remaining core stored in Atlin, BC. Half core samples were finely crushed and sieved to <75 microns. Samples were then shipped to ALS Geochemistry in North Vancouver, BC where they were analysed for gold by fire assay with an AA finish, over limits for Ag, Pb Cu and Zn and additional elements were analysed using four acid digestion with an ICP-AES or ICP-MS finish.

Blank rock (siliceous river rock), duplicate, and certified reference materials were inserted into the sample stream for at least every 20 samples. Certified reference materials were acquired from OREAS North America Inc. of Sudbury, Ontario and CDN Resource Laboratories Ltd. of Langley, British Columbia for the 2022 diamond drill campaign.

A total of 1,299 metres of HQ-sized diamond drilling was completed at the Jackie CRD Target in 2022.

About the Silver Lime Porphyry-CRD Project

The Silver Lime Porphyry-CRD Project is predominantly hosted in carbonate rocks of the Florence Range Metamorphic Suite (ca. 1150Ma). Target limestone and marble host rocks are intercalated with upper amphibolite grade metapeltic rocks, quartzite, and amphibole-bearing gneiss. The protoliths to the metasedimentary units include continentally derived clastic strata and platform carbonate, whereas the amphibole-bearing gneiss is interpreted as probable basaltic flows, sills, dykes, and tuffaceous units related to early rifting of the ancestral North America continental margin (i.e., Mihalynuk, 1999). Younger felsic to intermediate intrusive rocks are also widespread within the project area and range from Triassic to Eocene in age. Widespread Eocene magmatic activity was associated with Cordillera-wide, brittle strike-slip faulting. Eocene volcano-plutonic centres in the western Cordillera are known to host porphyry, skarn, and epithermal-type mineralization extending from the Golden Triangle in NW BC to the Tally-Ho Shear Zone in the Yukon (>100 kilometers).

Three well-defined target areas exist at the Silver Lime Porphyry-CRD Project and include the Jackie, Sulphide City, and Grizzly targets. The Jackie Target represents a dyke proximal expression of Ag-Pb-Zn-Cu CRM that consists of numerous massive-to-semi massive sulphide occurrences measuring up to 30 metres long and 6 metres wide and comprise an approximate area of 400 metres by 380 metres. Many sulphide occurrences at Jackie are clustered and hosted within NE-SW trending faults and fault splays, proximal to undeformed felsic dykes oriented sub-parallel to faulting. These fault-hosted sulphide bodies are interpreted as "spokes" that typically broaden at depth and express continuity back towards a causative intrusion. The Sulphide City Porphyry-Skarn Target is characterized by multiple semi-massive to massive sulphide occurrences measuring up to 40 metres along strike and 8 metres wide. In 2022, detailed geological mapping and diamond drilling discovered a Mo-Cu-bearing and causative porphyry intrusion. The Sulphide City Target boasts an average surficial grade of 13.3g/t Ag, 0.34% Cu, and 3.9% Zn (83 rock samples) that remains open. The Grizzly Ag-Zn-Pb-Cu-Au CRD Target represents the largest, untested surficial exposure of CRM globally. Carbonate replacement manto, chimney, and dyke-contact skarn mineralization at Grizzly are observable at surface across open strike lengths of up to 1 kilometer, and at widths of over 5 meters. Average surficial grade at the Upper Grizzly CRD Target yields values of 164.7g/t Ag, 0.42% Cu, 3.8% Pb, and 7.1% Zn over 450m strike length, whereas the Lower Grizzly Manto has an average surficial grade of 70 g/t Ag, 0.36% Cu, 0.2% Pb, and 7.1% Zn over an inferred strike length of 1km.

National Instrument 43-101 Disclosure

Nicholas Rodway, P.Geo, (Licence# 46541) (Permit to Practice# 100359) is President, CEO and Director of the Company, and qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Rodway supervised the preparation of the technical information in this news release.

About Core Assets Corp.

Core Assets Corp. is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition and development of mineral projects in British Columbia, Canada. The Company currently holds 100% ownership in the Blue Property, which covers a land area of114,074 hectares (~1,140 km). The project lies within the Atlin Mining District, a well-known gold mining camp located in the unceded territory of the Taku River Tlingit First Nation and the Carcross/Tagish First Nation. The Blue Property hosts a major structural feature known as The Llewellyn Fault Zone ("LFZ"). This structure is approximately 140km in length and runs from the Tally-Ho Shear Zone in the Yukon, south through the Blue Property to the Alaskan Panhandle Juneau Ice Sheet in the United States. Core Assets believes that the south Atlin Lake area and the LFZ has been neglected since the last major exploration campaigns in the 1980's. The LFZ plays an important role in mineralization of near surface metal occurrences across the Blue Property. The past 50 years have seen substantial advancements in the understanding of porphyry, skarn, and carbonate replacement type deposits both globally and in BC's Golden Triangle. The Company has leveraged this information at the Blue Property to tailor an already proven exploration model and believes this could facilitate a major discovery. Core Assets is excited to become one of Atlin Mining District's premier explorers where its team believes there are substantial opportunities for new discoveries and development in the area.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

CORE ASSETS CORP.



"Nicholas Rodway"

President & CEO

Tel: 604.681.1568

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements in this document which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions regarding the future. Forward looking statements in this news release include expectations regarding the pending core assays, including speculative inferences about potential copper, molybdenum, gold, silver, zinc, and lead grades based on preliminary visual observations from results of diamond drilling at the Silver Lime Project; that preliminary results of drilling have exceeded the Company's expectations; the Company's plans to further investigate the geometry and extent of the skarn and carbonate replacement type mineralization continuum at Silver Lime through additional field work and diamond drilling; the proposed diamond drilling program planned for Silver Lime in 2023; that drilling efforts will aim to confirm and extend certain targets and mineralization on the property following schematic assumptions illustrated in diagrams; that the Company's exploration model could facilitate a major discovery at the Blue Property; that the Company anticipates it can become one of the Atlin Mining District's premier explorers and that there are substantial opportunities for new discoveries and development in this area. It is important to note that the Company's actual business outcomes and exploration results could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include that expectations regarding pending core assays based on preliminary visual observations from diamond drilling results at Silver Lime may be found to be inaccurate; that results may indicate Silver Lime does not warrant further exploration efforts; that the Company may be unable to implement its plans to further explore Silver Lime and, in particular, that the proposed diamond drilling program planned for Silver Lime may not proceed as anticipated or at all; that drilling efforts may not confirm and extend any targets or mineralization on the Silver Lime; that the Company's exploration model may fail to facilitate any commercial discovery of minerals at the Blue Property; that the Company may not become one of Atlin Mining District's premier explorers or that the area may be found to lack opportunities for new discoveries and development, as anticipated; that further permits may not be granted in a timely manner, or at all; that the mineral claims may prove to be unworthy of further expenditure; there may not be an economic mineral resource; that certain exploration methods, including the Company's proposed exploration model for the Blue Property, may be ineffective or inadequate in the circumstances; that economic, competitive, governmental, geopolitical, environmental and technological factors may affect the Company's operations, markets, products and prices; our specific plans and timing drilling, field work and other plans may change; we may not have access to or be able to develop any minerals because of cost factors, type of terrain, or availability of equipment and technology; and we may also not raise sufficient funds to carry out or complete our plans. Additional risk factors are discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis for its recently completed fiscal period, which is available under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com . Except as required by law, the Company will not update or revise these forward-looking statements after the date of this document or to revise them to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events.

SOURCE: Core Assets Corp.





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This Press Release Includes the Quote from the CEO

THOMPSON FALLS, MT / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / United States Antimony Corporation ("UAMY", "U.S. Antimony" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Department of Defense ("DOD") and the Defense Logistics Agency ("DLA") have approved the third and final sample of antimony trisulfide supplied by the company. The samples were all taken from material obtained via concentrating feed from mineralized material at the Sierra Guadalupe mines in the state of Zacatecas Mexico. The Company, in Q3 of 2022, entered into an agreement for the ownership of the mining concessions at the Sierra Guadalupe Mines and is currently engaged in negotiations for the surface rights. The mines were worked prior to 1970 and the approved material came from concentrate made from dump rock generated from that mining effort.

"With this approval the Company can now sell antimony trisulfide, sourced from Sierra Guadalupe, to the DOD, or to approved DOD manufacturers. The Company currently has several tons of antimony trisulfide concentrate in inventory that can now be processed and sold to the DOD," said U.S. Antimony CEO John Gustavsen.

The Guadalupe supplied a small amount of high-grade feed to UAMY for direct smelting in 2016-2018 that had an average grade of approximately 32% antimony.

SUMMARY:

The Guadalupe antimony mines, because of the predominance of trisulfide, were acquired for the supply of feed to the Company's Puerto Blanco flotation mill for concentration followed by shipment to the UAMY Montana facilities for synthesis into purified antimony trisulfide crystal.

This approval means that U.S. Antimony now has the only approved North American mine source of antimony for the production and supply of antimony trisulfide to the DOD/DLA for primers in munitions.

Forward Looking Statements: This Press Release contains 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 that are based upon current expectations or beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions about future events, including matters related to the Company's operations, pending contracts and future revenues, ability to execute on its increased production and installation schedules for planned capital expenditures and the size of forecasted deposits. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and the assumptions upon which they are based are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations and assumptions will prove to have been correct. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, as these statements are subject to numerous factors and uncertainties. In addition, other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are discussed in the Company's most recent filings, including Form 10-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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CONTACT:

United States Antimony Corp.

PO Box 643 47 Cox Gulch Rd.

Thompson Falls, Montana 59873-0643

E-Mail: info@unitedstatesantimony.com Phone: 928 234 5227

SOURCE: United States Antimony Corporation





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GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke. GitHub

GitHub Copilot, launched in 2021, uses generative AI to help programmers write code.

The technology was created by OpenAI, the Microsoft-backed creator of ChatGPT.

Programmers say it's led to big productivity gains, but domain knowledge is still necessary.

While ChatGPT has spurred a lot of excitement around artificial intelligence, the conversational chatbot is not the only technology to come from OpenAI.

The Microsoft-backed company has developed a slew of generative-AI products, including one called Codex that's already helping engineers become more productive.

Codex is the basis for GitHub Copilot, a tool that functions as a sort of autocomplete for software engineers. Copilot looks at the code an engineer is writing and suggests the next few lines they might want to write to solve their problem. Users can also write a comment in human language describing the program they want to build, and Copilot will provide a suggested solution.

Software engineers often have to put together scaffolding, or boilerplate code software needs. Because the code is so common, Copilot can easily reproduce it. GitHub has said that in files where it's enabled, Copilot is responsible for upward of 40% of the written code. Engineers who spoke with Insider said it had already proved a major boon for productivity.

Copilot can help developers become more productive

Cyrus Ghazanfar, the chief technology officer at the 401(k)-management startup Beagle, said his company began experimenting with Copilot in recent months. He now requires his team of three engineers to use the tool because he quickly found it saved him plenty of time by eliminating rote work. Already, Copilot has proved useful for creating databases, he said.

"In these frameworks, there's a specific way of creating databases," Ghazanfar said. "I find Copilot super useful because there's a lot of repetition when you do these kinds of things."

For example, many databases have the same properties, like a timestamp that says when the data was created. Ghazanfar said he could now use Copilot to build a database with these properties.

Story continues

Bill Mers, the vice president of engineering at LookDeep Health, said it's "almost creepy" when Copilot figured out exactly what code he's trying to write. Copilot gleans its knowledge from the large corpus of projects on GitHub, but it also uses the context of the project an engineer is working on to suggest tailored code.

Mers estimated that Copilot had saved him 10% of the time he would've normally spent coding. Occasionally, he writes comments inside his code explaining to other engineers what exactly the scripts were designed to do, and Copilot can pick up on that and write human-language descriptions of exactly what the code is doing.

"That was a bunch of typing, a bunch of thinking, I didn't have to do," Mers said.

Copilot is sometimes inaccurate

While Copilot's suggestions are "pretty accurate," using the tool can be a double-edged sword because it's easy to trust it too much, Ghazanfar said, which means the developer must go back and correct errors when the suggested code doesn't work.

Even former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman, who oversaw Copilot's launch, has spoken about the product's flaws. At a recent event in San Francisco, he compared using Copilot to a lottery experience. Programmers write their code, and while Copilot's suggestions are frequently wrong, every now and then it passively suggests an answer that perfectly solves a developer's need, Friedman said.

Though Copilot may be good at solving common programming needs, like ChatGPT, it is prone to "hallucination," a term the AI industry has adopted to describe chatbots confidently suggesting answers that are completely made up.

"Copilot will give you a very compelling answer that looks great, and this code looks great, and these API calls look great. But then it turns out the APIs don't even exist," Mers said, referring to application programming interfaces, which help apps communicate with each other.

In other words, if developers don't already understand what they're looking for, they'll quickly get stuck using Copilot. That's why engineers likely won't go extinct anytime soon.

"Sure, you could create a basic iOS app with Copilot," Ghazanfar said. "But to do more-complicated things you need to know what you're trying to ask, how to fix the suggested code when it's wrong, and the best way to write code when it's not a super opinionated framework where there's just one way of doing things."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Fortune Business Insights

Companies covered in Drone Software Market Are Airware, Inc (U.S.), 3D Robotics (U.S.), Dreamhammer Inc. (U.S.), Drone Volt (France), DroneDeploy Inc. (U.S.), ESRI (U.S.), Pix4D(Switzerland), Precisionhawk Inc. (united states), Sensefly Ltd.(Switzerland), Skyward Ltd. (U.S.), DJI (China) Other Players

Pune India, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global drone software market size is expected to experience exponential growth by reaching USD 5,961.6 million by 2027 while exhibiting an astounding CAGR of 25.05% between 2020 and 2027. This is attributable to the increasing adoption of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning in the development of this software across the globe. Fortune Business Insights, in its latest, report, titled, Drone Software Market Size, Share, and Regional Forecast, 2020-2027, observes that the market stood at USD 1,165.3 million in 2019 and is likely to gain momentum in the forthcoming years.

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List of all the Drone Software Market manufacturers operating in the global market. They are as follows:

Airware, Inc (U.S.)

3D Robotics (U.S.)

Dreamhammer Inc. (U.S.)

Drone Volt (France)

DroneDeploy Inc. (U.S.)

ESRI (U.S.)

Pix4D(Switzerland)

Precisionhawk Inc. (united states)

Sensefly Ltd.(Switzerland)

Skyward Ltd. (U.S.)

DJI (China)

Other Players

Report Scope & Segmentation:

Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2020-2027 Forecast CAGR 25.05 % 2027 Value Projection USD 5,961.6 Million Base Year 2019 Drone Software Market Size in 2019 USD 1,165.3 Billion Historical Data 2016-2018 No. of Pages 200 Segments Covered By Architecture Analysis, By Platform Analysis, By Application Analysis Drone Software Market Growth Drivers Increasing Adoption of Drones for Commercial Purposes to Surge Demand

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https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/get-a-quote/drone-software-market-103527

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Drone software refers to the set of programs and applications that enable drones to perform various functions, such as navigation, data collection, and image processing. The software is typically designed to work with specific drone models and may include features such as autopilot, obstacle avoidance, and real-time video streaming. To ensure the reliability and safety of drone operations, it is crucial that the software used is original and free from plagiarism. Copying or using someone else's code without permission can lead to legal and ethical issues, as well as potentially compromising the drone's functionality and security. Developers of drone software should adhere to best practices for software development, such as conducting regular code reviews, testing for bugs and vulnerabilities, and properly documenting their work. By doing so, they can create high-quality drone software that is both effective and ethical.

What does the Report Include?



The global UAVs software market report includes a detailed assessment of various growth drivers and restraints, opportunities, and challenges that the market will face during the projected horizon. Additionally, the report provides comprehensive research into the regional developments of the market, affecting its growth during the forecast period. It includes information sourced from the advice of expert professionals from the industry by our research analysts using several methodologies. The competitive landscape offers further detailed insights into strategies such as product launches, partnerships, merger and acquisition, and collaborations adopted by the companies to maintain market strongholds between 2020 and 2027.

Drones are extensively adopted in situations where human intervention is deemed difficult or risky. They enable all-round support by reverting back real-time audio-video information of the activities at the ground. They are equipped with advanced drone software features that require high processing power to solve complex applications such as accurate monitoring and surveying services. The software executes and stores data efficiently while ensuring less usage of CPU, and less draining of the battery.

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DRIVING FACTORS

Increasing Adoption of Artificial Intelligence in Drones to Favor Growth

The unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones have a built-in computerized technology such as GPS, programmable controllers, sensors and cameras, and other equipment that facilitate automated flights. In addition to this, the inclusion of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) in drone software is aiding in accurate object tracking, obstacle detection, and prevention, among others. The increasing focus on developing smart cities that include advanced features such as well-connected homes, along with the adoption of AI-based security surveillance is driving the demand for drones. This is expected to further boost the global drone software market growth in the forthcoming years.

SEGMENTATION

Open Source Segment to Remain Dominant; Easy Availability of Open Source Software to Spur Demand

The open source segment, based on architecture, is expected to remain at the forefront and hold the highest market share owing to the easy availability and affordability of the open source drone software during the forecast period. Besides, the closed source segment held a market share of 16.4% in 2019 and is likely to gain momentum owing to the rising demand for customized and secured architecture in UAVs from military purposes.

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REGIONAL INSIGHTS

Presence of Major Companies in North America to Promote Growth

Among all the regions, North America is expected to remain dominant and hold the highest position in the global UAVs market in the forthcoming years. This dominance is attributed to the presence of multiple established commercial UAVs manufacturers in the region. Additionally, the region stood at USD 422.7 million in 2019. The market in Asia-Pacific is expected to showcase a significant growth during the forecast period. This is ascribable to factors such as the increasing adoption of drones that are driving the demand for this software across several industrial applications such as agriculture, construction, and infrastructure, among others between 2020 and 2027.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Collaboration between Major Companies to Consolidate Their Market Positions

The global drone software market is dominated by major companies such as DroneDeploy and Airwave. These companies are collaborating with the other key players to strengthen their positions in the highly competitive global marketplace. The other major companies such as 3D Robotics and Dream hammer, Inc. are set to adopt strategies such as the introduction of new products, merger and acquisition, and partnership to maintain their market presence during the forecast period.

Industry Development

July 2020: Aerodyne Group, a Malaysian drone software company, announced its collaboration with Celcom Axiata Berhad to develop IR 4.0 solutions that focus on the agricultural and urban sectors. The collaboration is aimed at jointly developing innovative drone solutions by adopting automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning technologies.

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TABLE OF CONTENT

Introduction Research Scope Market Segmentation Research Methodology Definitions and Assumptions

Executive Summary

Market Dynamics Market Drivers Market Restraints Market Opportunities

Key Insights Key Industry Developments Mergers, Acquisitions and Partnerships Latest technological Advancements Porters Five Forces Analysis Supply Chain Analysis

Quantitative Insights-Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Global Drone Software Market Impact of COVIC-19 Pandemic on the Global Drone Software Market Steps Taken by the Industry/Companies/Government to Overcome the Impact Key Development in the Industry in Response to COVID-19 Impact



TOC Continued!

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Read Related Insights:

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Market to Worth USD 25.13 Billion by 2027 | UAV Industry to Grow at 12.23% CAGR

With 14.82% CAGR, Military Drone Market to Hit USD 30.86 Billion by 2022-2029 | Expanding Military Spending to Fuel Market Growth

Commercial Drone Market Worth USD 47.38 Billion by 2029 | Increasing Demand for Small Drones in Commercial Applications to Propel Market Growth: Fortune Business Insights

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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 6, 2023) - EMX Royalty Corporation (NYSE American: EMX) (TSXV: EMX) (FSE: 6E9) (the "Company" or "EMX") is pleased to announce the execution of an agreement to sell its Rana battery metal project in Norway (the "Project") (see Figure 1) to Kingsrose Mining Limited, a publicly traded ASX-listed company. The agreement provides EMX with cash payments and work commitments during a one-year option period, and upon exercise of the option, EMX will receive additional work commitments, advance royalty payments, milestone payments and a 2.5% NSR royalty.

The Rana nickel-copper project was acquired by EMX in 2022 as part of a regional assessment program for nickel-copper sulfide deposits and covers a prospective mafic-ultramafic intrusive system in northern Norway with outcropping zones of nickel and copper-rich sulfide mineralization. The Rana project has seen historic production from multiple prospects on the property, but relatively little modern exploration.

Kingsrose is a well-capitalized, Perth-based company that had recent success at the Way Linggo gold and silver deposit in Indonesia. EMX looks forward to working closely with Kingsrose to advance the Rana project.

Commercial Terms Overview. Via an arm's length transaction, Kingsrose can acquire 100% interest in the Rana project by a) making A$30,000 cash payment upon execution and b) making another cash payment of A$100,000 and spending a minimum of A$150,000 on exploration during a 12-month option period. Upon exercise of the option, Kingsrose will:

Provide EMX with a 2.5% NSR royalty interest in the Project. On or before the eighth anniversary after closing, Kingsrose has the option to purchase 0.5% of the NSR on the Project by paying EMX A$1,200,000.

To maintain its interest in the Project, Kingsrose will spend additional exploration expenditures of A$150,000 by the second anniversary, A$350,000 by the third anniversary, and A$350,000 by the fourth anniversary of the agreement, respectively, for a total of A$1,000,000 in exploration expenditures.

EMX will receive annual advance royalty (" AAR ") payments of A$25,000 commencing on the third anniversary of the agreement, with the AAR payment increasing 10% each year thereafter (but capped at an annual payment of A$75,000).

A milestone cash payment of A$250,000 will be made to EMX upon completion of the first 10,000 meters of drilling at the Project.

An additional milestone cash payment of A$500,000, will be made to EMX upon disclosure of a maiden mineral resource.

Story continues

Rana Project Overview. EMX's Rana Project covers the unexplored extension of a well-known mafic-ultramafic intrusion near Narvik, Norway. The intrusion hosts magmatic sulfide nickel-copper mineralization at multiple prospects including the Bruvann Nickel Mine which produced 8.2 million tonnes at an average grade of 0.52% nickel, 0.1% copper, and 0.02% cobalt1 (the Bruvann mine lies to the northwest of the EMX land position - see Figure 2). Patterns of metal enrichment and depletion across the area suggest potential for additional sulfide deposits, including PGE-rich types, elsewhere in the intrusion.

EMX controls a large land position which includes the majority of the intrusive complex, contact zones and peripheral mineral occurrences. Additional unrelated copper and zinc occurrences are found within the license and suggest multiple target styles and a fertile metallogenic district.

More information on the Project can be found at www.EMXroyalty.com.

Comments on Nearby and Adjacent Properties. The historic mines and deposits discussed in this news release provide context for the Projects, which occur in a similar geologic setting, but this is not necessarily indicative that the Projects host similar quantities, grades or styles of mineralization.

Qualified Person. Dr. Eric P. Jensen, CPG, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and employee of the Company, has reviewed, verified and approved the disclosure of the technical information contained in this news release.

About EMX. EMX is a precious, base and battery metals royalty company. EMX's investors are provided with discovery, development, and commodity price optionality, while limiting exposure to risks inherent to operating companies. The Company's common shares are listed on the NYSE American Exchange and the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol EMX, and also trade on the Frankfurt exchange under the symbol "6E9". Please see www.EMXroyalty.com for more information.

For further information contact:

David M. Cole

President and Chief Executive Officer

Phone: (303) 973-8585

Dave@emxroyalty.com

Scott Close

Director of Investor Relations Phone: (303) 973-8585

SClose@emxroyalty.com

Isabel Belger

Investor Relations (Europe)

Phone: +49 178 4909039

IBelger@EMXroyalty.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain "forward looking statements" that reflect the Company's current expectations and projections about its future results. These forward-looking statements may include statements regarding perceived merit of properties, exploration results and budgets, mineral reserve and resource estimates, work programs, capital expenditures, timelines, strategic plans, market prices for precious and base metal, or other statements that are not statements of fact. When used in this news release, words such as "estimate," "intend," "expect," "anticipate," "will", "believe", "potential" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, which, by their very nature, are not guarantees of the Company's future operational or financial performance, and are subject to risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause the Company's actual results, performance, prospects or opportunities to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and factors may include, but are not limited to: unavailability of financing, failure to identify commercially viable mineral reserves, fluctuations in the market valuation for commodities, difficulties in obtaining required approvals for the development of a mineral project, increased regulatory compliance costs, expectations of project funding by joint venture partners and other factors.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release or as of the date otherwise specifically indicated herein. Due to risks and uncertainties, including the risks and uncertainties identified in this news release, and other risk factors and forward-looking statements listed in the Company's MD&A for the quarter ended September 30, 2022 (the "MD&A"), and the most recently filed Revised Annual Information Form (the "AIF") for the year ended December 31, 2021, actual events may differ materially from current expectations. More information about the Company, including the MD&A, the AIF and financial statements of the Company, is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the SEC's EDGAR website at www.sec.gov.





Figure 1: Project Location Map

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1508/157264_901fd7910403da29_002full.jpg





Figure 2: Rana Project Geologic Map

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1508/157264_901fd7910403da29_003full.jpg

1 The past production figures are derived from the government report: Carl Olaf Mathiesen and Rognvald Boyd, 2017: History of exploration of the nickel resources of the Rana Intrusion, Nordland, Norway, NGU Report 2017.31, available at https://www.ngu.no/upload/Publikasjoner/Rapporter/2017/2017_031.pdf.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/157264
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Encompass Health Corp. (NYSE: EHC) today announced it will participate in the Barclays Global Healthcare Conference, which is being held in Miami, Florida, on March 14-16, 2023.

(PRNewsfoto/Encompass Health Corporation)

Encompass Health's President and Chief Executive Officer Mark Tarr and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Doug Coltharp will participate in a fireside chat on Wednesday, March 15, 2023, from 9:00 - 9:25 a.m. ET.

The presentation will be webcast live and available at http://investor.encompasshealth.com .

About Encompass Health

Encompass Health (NYSE: EHC) is the largest owner and operator of rehabilitation hospitals in the United States. With a national footprint that includes 153 hospitals in 36 states and Puerto Rico, the Company provides high-quality, compassionate rehabilitative care for patients recovering from a major injury or illness, using advanced technology and innovative treatments to maximize recovery. Encompass Health is ranked as one of Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For and Modern Healthcare's Best Places to Work in Healthcare. For more information, visit encompasshealth.com , or follow us on our newsroom , Twitter , Instagram and Facebook .

Media Contact:

Casey Winger| 205.970.5912

casey.winger@encompasshealth.com

Investor Relations Contact:

Mark Miller | 205.970.5860

Mark.Miller@encompasshealth.com

Cision

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SOURCE Encompass Health Corp.
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with Djiboutian Foreign Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf within the framework of the fifth UN Conference on Least Developed Countries (LDC), Azernews reports citing MFA.

According to the press release of MFA, top diplomats expressed satisfaction with the development of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Djibouti within the framework of bilateral political and international organizations.

The meeting discussed the prospects of cooperation between the two countries, especially in the economic, transport, educational, and humanitarian fields.

Jeyhun Bayramov thanked the Djiboutian top diplomat for its support to Azerbaijan, territorial integrity, and sovereignty of Azerbaijan at the UN, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Non-Aligned Movement, and other international platforms.

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister also informed his counterpart about the scholarship program provided by Azerbaijan for education and training for the member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Non-Aligned Movement, and they exchanged views on the issues of Djibouti benefiting from these opportunities.

Djibouti's foreign minister noted that his country is interested in comprehensive cooperation with Azerbaijan.

The parties also exchanged views on regional issues of mutual interest.
tax haven

Tax havens offer very low tax rates to foreign and domestic investors. While we often think about the business implications of tax havens, there can also be implications for individuals. Here are common examples, benefits and legal requirements you must be aware of.

For advice or a closer look at your situation, consider working with a financial advisor.

What Are Tax Havens?

Tax havens are countries or jurisdictions that offer favorable tax rates, regulations and other financial incentives to businesses and individuals seeking to reduce their tax liability. These jurisdictions often have low or no taxes on income, capital gains and wealth. In addition, they might have lenient regulations and enforcement mechanisms to protect the privacy and anonymity of their clients.

Tax havens have certain distinct characteristics, such as low tax rates, lack of transparency and stable political environments. Some even have secrecy laws that may limit the disclosure of financial information to foreign authorities or third parties. For instance, if a U.S. company parks its wealth in a tax haven, laws might prevent that jurisdiction from disclosing that financial information to the IRS.

Tax Haven Examples

Many countries and jurisdictions are commonly considered tax havens. Places like Switzerland, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands are some places with regulations favorable to foreign investors. For instance, Switzerland has both low tax rates and secrecy laws, making it an attractive place for investors to park their wealth. Other benefits include a stable political environment and advanced financial technology.

These are just a few examples of the many tax havens around the world. While tax havens are legal in many cases, there are concerns about their impact on global tax systems and the wider economy.

Some suggest that tax havens enable tax evasion, money laundering and other financial crimes. In addition, critics argue that tax havens contribute to global inequality and social injustice. Other say that tax havens promote investment, job creation and economic growth and that they play an important role in global finance and trade.

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Benefits of Tax Havens

Tax havens have many benefits for businesses, individuals and other entities. The biggest benefits are lower tax rates, the protection of privacy and secrecy laws and asset protection.

Lower tax rates allow businesses, individuals and other entities to reduce their tax liability. This may allow businesses to invest more in research & development and to expand their operations. Privacy and secrecy laws have benefits both for businesses and individuals. For businesses, they can provide insulation from lawsuits, creditors and other legal issues. For individuals, privacy can be valuable, especially in the case of celebrities, high-net-worth individuals and other public figures.

In addition, tax havens often have stable political and economic environments. This can provide businesses and individuals with a secure and stable base of operations. For investors in countries with high levels of political and economic uncertainty, tax havens can act as a relatively safe place to keep their wealth.

The Legality of Tax Havens

tax haven

Interpretations as to the legality of tax havens vary. Some suggest they are perfectly legal, while others say they are illegal or at least unethical. However, many factors determine the actual legal status of tax havens. This includes the laws of the home country or jurisdiction, international tax treaties and agreements and the specific tax laws and regulations of the tax haven itself.

Some tax havens may have laws and regulations that explicitly allow for the use of offshore accounts and structures, while others may have more restrictive laws and regulations that require greater transparency and disclosure.

In general, the legality of tax havens depends on a variety of factors, including the specific circumstances of each case and the laws and regulations of the relevant jurisdictions. Its important for individuals and businesses to seek professional advice and guidance when considering the use of tax havens. This will help ensure that businesses and individuals comply with all applicable laws and regulations.

Tax Haven Alternatives

While many businesses and individuals look to tax havens, they arent the only way to reduce your tax liability. Here are a few tax-saving strategies that could be considered as alternatives to tax havens:

Tax-deferred accounts: Tax-deferred accounts, such as 401(k)s, IRAs and other retirement accounts allow individuals to save for retirement while deferring taxes on contributions until retirement. Tax-free municipal bonds: Municipal bonds issued by state and local governments are generally exempt from federal income tax and, in some cases, state and local taxes. Investing in municipal bonds can be a tax-efficient way to generate income and diversify a portfolio. Charitable giving: Charitable donations to qualified organizations can be tax-deductible, reducing the donors taxable income. Additionally, donating appreciated assets, such as stocks or real estate, can provide a tax-efficient way to support charitable causes and potentially reduce capital gains taxes. Tax credits and deductions: Tax credits and deductions, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit and mortgage interest deduction, can provide valuable tax savings for eligible individuals and families.

The Bottom Line

tax haven

Tax havens are as controversial as they are complex. Opinions about them are divided on their legality and ethics. While the use of tax havens can offer several benefits, such as lower tax rates, asset protection and access to global markets, they have their downsides. For instance, tax haves can enable tax evasion, money laundering and other financial crimes.

Before considering a tax haven, one should work with a financial advisor and likely a tax attorney to remain compliant. Ultimately, businesses and individuals should consider the specific circumstances and risks involved. As international cooperation and transparency in tax issues increase, tax havens will likely be subject to greater scrutiny and regulation.

Tax Planning Tips

Planning for your potential tax liability can be daunting. If youre not a professional then it could be difficult to know whats legal and how to navigate your own tax situation. A financial advisor can help with these situations. Finding a financial advisor doesnt have to be hard. SmartAssets free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If youre ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.

A financial advisor who specializes in tax planning can help lower your 1099 income taxes by harvesting your losses. This means that you will be able to use your investment losses to reduce taxes on 1099 income.

Figuring out your taxes can be overwhelming. SmartAssets income tax calculators will help you calculate federal, state and local taxes.

Photo credit: iStock.com/designer491, iStock.com/giuliano2022, iStock.com/kali9

The post Tax Haven Examples, Benefits and Legality appeared first on SmartAsset Blog.
By Alex Lawler

LONDON (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates has been taking more cargoes of Russian crude oil, according to ship tracking data and trading sources, in another example of how Western sanctions on Russia have adjusted traditional energy trade flows.

Russia has been selling both crude and refined products at discounted prices after international sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a "special military operation", left it with fewer buyers.

The development also highlights growing cooperation between Russia and top Gulf oil producers, such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Gulf Arab states have resisted U.S. pressure to help isolate Russia and to pump more oil to help replace Russian supply after it came under Western sanctions.

It is not known exactly when the UAE began importing Russian crude, but tanker tracking data indicates volumes have risen in the wake of Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent Western sanctions on Moscow.

Ship tracking data shows about 1.5 million barrels of Russian crude have gone to the UAE - one of the world's biggest oil producers in its own right - since November 2022, with volumes either beginning or moving higher since early 2022.

According to data from energy analytics firm Kpler, the first shipment of Russian crude to the UAE was in 2019, but shipments increased after April 2022, with a pause between July and October 2022.

Refinitiv Eikon data shows the first Russian crude shipment to the country was in 2022, with a spike in volumes in April 2022.

The UAE and Russian energy ministries did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the data.

GROWING COOPERATION

Saudi Arabia has been importing significant amount of Russian fuel oil to burn at its power plants while freeing up more crude for exports. Only one shipment of Russian crude to the UAE has previously been reported.

China, India and several African and other Middle Eastern nations have also increased Russian crude and products imports, while many countries have banned or discouraged such purchases.

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The UAE has also maintained cooperation with Russia in the alliance of global producers known as OPEC+, which groups the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies.

Data seen by Reuters on Eikon ship tracking showed a shipment of Russian crude arrived at the UAE Ruwais refinery in November 2022.

Another cargo, of Russian Urals crude, is shown as having arrived at the oil hub of Fujairah earlier this month.

Data from Kpler also showed both crude shipments as having taken place. "Shipments to UAE are occasional," a Russian crude trading source said.

(Reporting by Alex Lawler; Additional reporting by Maha El Dahan and Reuters energy team; Editing by Jan Harvey)
CENTENNIAL, Colo., March 6, 2023 /CNW/ -- NioCorp Developments Ltd. ("NioCorp" or the "Company") (TSX:NB) (OTCQX:NIOBF) is pleased to announce the receipt of a Letter of Interest from the Export-Import Bank of the United States ("EXIM") for potential debt financing of up to $800 million through EXIM's "Make More In America" initiative to fund the project costs of NioCorp's proposed Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project.

NioCorp is developing a critical minerals project in Southeast Nebraska that will produce Niobium, Scandium, and Titanium. The Company also is evaluating the potential to produce several rare earth byproducts from the Project. (PRNewsfoto/NioCorp Developments Ltd.)

EXIM's communication to NioCorp states: "We are pleased to extend this Letter of Interest in support of the proposed capital funding plan by Elk Creek Resources Corp. for the Elk Creek Project. Based on the preliminary information submitted on expected exports and jobs supported, EXIM may be able to consider potential financing of up to $800,000,000.00 of the project's costs under EXIM's Make More In America initiative." Elk Creek Resources Corp. is a Nebraska corporation wholly owned by NioCorp.

A project finance letter of interest from EXIM represents only a preliminary step in the formal EXIM application process, and the Letter of Interest states that the communication "does not represent a financing commitment" and "is not an explicit indication of the financial or commercial viability of a transaction."

NioCorp expects to submit an application to EXIM to begin the first phase of the underwriting process ("Phase I") as soon as possible. As stated in the Letter of Interest, "Upon receipt of NioCorp's application for financing, EXIM will conduct all requisite due diligence necessary to determine if a Final Commitment may be issued for this transaction." The process from submission of a Phase I application to a final commitment of financing by EXIM, if any, is expected to take approximately six to nine months and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. See "About NioCorp's Application Process" and "Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimers" below for additional information. As explained in the Letter of Interest, "Any final commitment will be dependent on meeting EXIM's underwriting criteria, authorization process, and finalization and satisfaction of terms and conditions. All Final Commitments must be in compliance with EXIM policies as well as program, legal, and eligibility requirements."

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"We are very pleased with this Letter of Interest from the Export-Import Bank of the United States for NioCorp's Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project, and with the fact that we may qualify for as much as $800 million in debt financing from EXIM," said Mark A. Smith, Chairman and CEO of NioCorp. "We look forward to finalizing and submitting a formal loan application to EXIM and working closely with them through this process."

The debt financing is subject to the satisfactory completion of due diligence, the negotiation and settlement of final terms, and the negotiation of definitive documentation. There can be no assurance that the debt financing will be completed on the terms as described above or at all.

As noted on EXIM's website, in February 2021, President Biden signed Executive Order 14017 directing an all-of-government approach to assessing vulnerabilities in  and strengthening the resilience of  the United States' critical supply chains. From that Executive Order, the White House released findings from its comprehensive 100-day supply chain assessments for four critical products: semiconductor manufacturing and advanced packaging; large capacity batteries, like those for electric vehicles; critical minerals and materials; and pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients.

More information on EXIM's Make More In America initiative can be seen here: https://www.exim.gov/about/special-initiatives/make-more-in-america-initiative

The information on or accessible from any social media postings or sites, or EXIM's website, is not, and will not be deemed to be, incorporated by reference into this press release or any filings with the SEC.

@NioCorp $NB $NIOBF #ElkCreek #Niobium #Scandium #ElkCreek #Nebraska #EXIM #GXII

For More Information

Contact Jim Sims, VP of External Affairs, NioCorp Developments Ltd., 720-639-4650, jim.sims@niocorp.com

About NioCorp

NioCorp is developing a superalloy materials project in Southeast Nebraska that will produce Niobium, Scandium, and Titanium. Niobium is used to produce superalloys as well as High Strength, Low Alloy ("HSLA") steel, which is a lighter, stronger steel used in automotive, structural, and pipeline applications. Scandium is a superalloy material that can be combined with Aluminum to make alloys with increased strength and improved corrosion resistance. Scandium is also a critical component of advanced solid oxide fuel cells. Titanium is used in various superalloys and is a key component of pigments used in paper, paint and plastics and is also used for aerospace applications, armor and medical implants.

About NioCorp's Application Process

EXIM's "Make More in America" initiative allows companies to apply to EXIM for a project finance letter of interest, which letter indicates EXIM's willingness to consider a financing application for a given transaction. In February 2023, NioCorp applied to EXIM for a project finance letter of interest and, following a preliminary review of the Elk Creek Project to determine whether it met the basic criteria for a potential debt financing by EXIM, EXIM issued the Letter of Interest. NioCorp expects to submit a Final Commitment Application to EXIM to begin the Phase I of the underwriting process as soon as possible. The application will require detailed information and analysis from NioCorp regarding the Elk Creek Project, the Feasibility Study prepared by independent qualified persons for the purposes of estimating mineral resources and reserves at the Elk Creek Project, supply and offtake agreements, project costs, annual financial statements, financial model and assumptions, market information, principal risks and benefits, and insurance coverage. Phase I of the underwriting process would involve due diligence by EXIM and their advisors and the payment of certain fees and expenses by NioCorp. If the Phase I evaluation process is satisfactorily completed, EXIM will issue a preliminary project letter, indicating whether or not EXIM is prepared to move forward on a financing offer, as well as the general terms and conditions of such offer, based on the information available at the time of application. After the issuance of a preliminary project letter indicating that EXIM is prepared to move forward on a financing offer, NioCorp and EXIM would commence a second phase ("Phase II") of due diligence, involving additional fees payable by NioCorp, before EXIM determines if it will provide a final commitment of financing. The process from submission of a Phase I application to a final commitment of financing by EXIM, if any, is expected to take six to nine months. Even if NioCorp ultimately receives a final commitment from EXIM for up to $800 million of project financing, NioCorp would still require additional financing to fund the estimated capital costs expected to be required to complete development of the Elk Creek Project and advance it to the production stage.

Additional Information about the Proposed Transaction and Where to Find It

In connection with the proposed business combination between NioCorp and GX Acquisition Corp. II ("GXII") pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement, dated September 25, 2022 (the "Business Combination Agreement"), among NioCorp, GXII and Big Red Merger Sub Ltd. (the transactions contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement, collectively, the "Transaction"), NioCorp has filed a registration statement on Form S-4 (the "registration statement") with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), which includes a document that serves as a prospectus and proxy circular of NioCorp and a proxy statement of GXII, referred to as a "joint proxy statement/prospectus." The definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus has been filed with the SEC as part of the registration statement and, in the case of NioCorp, with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities, and will be sent to all NioCorp shareholders and GXII stockholders as of the applicable record date. Each of NioCorp and GXII may also file other relevant documents regarding the proposed Transaction with the SEC and, in the case of NioCorp, with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING OR INVESTMENT DECISION, INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF NIOCORP AND GXII ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, THE DEFINITIVE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND ALL OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED OR THAT WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC AND, IN THE CASE OF NIOCORP, WITH THE APPLICABLE CANADIAN SECURITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION, INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THESE DOCUMENTS, CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION.

Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the registration statement and the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus and all other relevant documents that are filed or that will be filed with the SEC by NioCorp or GXII through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus and all other relevant documents that are filed or that will be filed with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities by NioCorp through the website maintained by the Canadian Securities Administrators at www.sedar.com. The documents filed by NioCorp and GXII with the SEC and, in the case of NioCorp, with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities also may be obtained by contacting NioCorp at 7000 South Yosemite, Suite 115, Centennial CO 80112, or by calling (720) 639-4650; or GXII at 1325 Avenue of the Americas, 28th Floor, New York, NY 10019, or by calling (212) 616-3700.

No Offer or Solicitation

This press release and the information contained herein do not constitute (i) an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any security, commodity or instrument or related derivative, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which the offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction or (ii) an offer or commitment to lend, syndicate or arrange a financing, underwrite or purchase or act as an agent or advisor or in any other capacity with respect to any transaction, or commit capital, or to participate in any trading strategies. No offer of securities in the United States or to or for the account or benefit of U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or an exemption therefrom. Investors should consult with their counsel as to the applicable requirements for a purchaser to avail itself of any exemption under the Securities Act. In Canada, no offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus in accordance with the requirements of applicable Canadian securities laws or an exemption therefrom. This press release is not, and under no circumstances is it to be construed as, a prospectus, offering memorandum, an advertisement or a public offering in any province or territory of Canada. In Canada, no prospectus has been filed with any securities commission or similar regulatory authority in respect of any of the securities referred to herein.

Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimers

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements regarding NioCorp's plans to submit a Phase I debt financing application to EXIM; the prospects for successfully securing financing from EXIM on acceptable terms, or at all; the expected timing of, and benefits to the Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project of, securing such financing from EXIM; the parties' ability to close the proposed Transaction, including NioCorp and GXII being able to receive all required regulatory, third-party and shareholder approvals for the proposed Transaction; the financial and business performance of NioCorp; NioCorp's anticipated results and developments in the operations of NioCorp in future periods; the adequacy of NioCorp's financial resources; NioCorp's ability to secure sufficient project financing to complete construction and commence operation of the Elk Creek Project; and the creation of full time and contract construction jobs over the construction period of the Elk Creek Project. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as "plan," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "outlook," "estimate," "forecast," "project," "continue," "could," "may," "might," "possible," "potential," "predict," "should," "would" and other similar words and expressions, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking.

The forward-looking statements are based on the current expectations of the management of NioCorp and are inherently subject to uncertainties and changes in circumstances and their potential effects and speak only as of the date of such statement. There can be no assurance that future developments will be those that have been anticipated. Forward-looking statements reflect material expectations and assumptions, including, without limitation, expectations, and assumptions relating to the Company's ability to successfully complete EXIM's Phase I application process and secure project financing on acceptable terms, or at all; the expected timing of, and benefits to the Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project of, securing such financing from EXIM; the future price of metals; the stability of the financial and capital markets; NioCorp and GXII being able to receive all required regulatory, third-party and shareholder approvals for the proposed Transaction; the amount of redemptions by GXII public shareholders; the consummation of the convertible debenture transaction and the stand-by equity purchase facility contemplated by the definitive agreements with YA II PN, Ltd., an investment fund managed by Yorkville Advisors Global, LP (together with YA II PN, Ltd., "Yorkville"); and other current estimates and assumptions regarding the proposed Transaction and its benefits. Such expectations and assumptions are inherently subject to uncertainties and contingencies regarding future events and, as such, are subject to change. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties or other factors that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those discussed and identified in public filings made by NioCorp with the SEC and with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities and the following: NioCorp's ability to submit a complete application to begin the Phase I evaluation process; NioCorp's ability to pay the necessary fees in connection with EXIM's underwriting process, including the expenses of EXIM's or any other lenders' legal and other advisors and NioCorp's own advisors; the completion of the Phase I due diligence process and the receipt of a preliminary project letter indicating that EXIM is prepared to undertake Phase II due diligence; the completion of the Phase II due diligence process; the possibility that, even if NioCorp completes the application process, it does not receive a final commitment of financing from EXIM on the anticipated timeline, on acceptable terms, or at all; the amount of any redemptions by existing holders of GXII Class A Shares being greater than expected, which may reduce the cash in trust available to NioCorp upon the consummation of the Transaction; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Business Combination Agreement and/or payment of the termination fees; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against NioCorp or GXII following announcement of the Business Combination Agreement and the Transaction; the inability to complete the proposed Transaction due to, among other things, the failure to obtain NioCorp shareholder approval or GXII shareholder approval or the consummation of the convertible debenture transaction and the stand-by equity purchase facility contemplated by the definitive agreements with Yorkville; the inability to complete the convertible debenture transaction and the stand-by equity purchase facility contemplated by the definitive agreements with Yorkville due to, among other things, the failure to obtain shareholder approval or regulatory approval; the risk that the announcement and consummation of the proposed Transaction disrupts NioCorp's current plans; the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the proposed Transaction; unexpected costs related to the proposed Transaction; the risks that the consummation of the proposed Transaction is substantially delayed or does not occur, including prior to the date on which GXII is required to liquidate under the terms of its charter documents; NioCorp's ability to operate as a going concern; NioCorp's requirement of significant additional capital; NioCorp's limited operating history; NioCorp's history of losses; cost increases for NioCorp's exploration and, if warranted, development projects; a disruption in, or failure of, NioCorp's information technology systems, including those related to cybersecurity; equipment and supply shortages; current and future off take agreements, joint ventures, and partnerships; NioCorp's ability to attract qualified management; the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic or other global health crises on NioCorp's business plans, financial condition and liquidity; estimates of mineral resources and reserves; mineral exploration and production activities; feasibility study results; changes in demand for and price of commodities (such as fuel and electricity) and currencies; changes or disruptions in the securities markets; legislative, political or economic developments; the need to obtain permits and comply with laws and regulations and other regulatory requirements; the possibility that actual results of work may differ from projections/expectations or may not realize the perceived potential of NioCorp's projects; risks of accidents, equipment breakdowns, and labor disputes or other unanticipated difficulties or interruptions; the possibility of cost overruns or unanticipated expenses in development programs; operating or technical difficulties in connection with exploration, mining, or development activities; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities of grades of reserves and resources; claims on the title to NioCorp's properties; potential future litigation; and NioCorp's lack of insurance covering all of NioCorp's operations.

Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or should any of the assumptions made by the management of NioCorp prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements.

All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning the proposed Transaction or other matters addressed herein and attributable to NioCorp or any person acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to herein. Except to the extent required by applicable law or regulation, NioCorp undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Cision

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SOURCE NioCorp Developments Ltd.

Cision

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Fireweed Metals Corp.

MACMILLAN PASS AND MACTUNG PROJECTS

Map 1: Macmillan Pass Project and Mactung Project locations.

MACMILLAN PASS PROJECT: TOM DRILLING

Map 2: Tom drilling map with drill holes in this release labeled. For green section line, see Long Section TA-TA below.

HQ3 CORE: TOM WEST

Image 1: HQ3 Core from Tom West in TS22-003, 101.0 m to 108.6 m, including an intersection 104.75-108.30 m that graded 8.3% zinc, 23.8% lead, and 396.0 g/t silver within laminated galena-sphalerite-barite (Tables 1 and 2). Image is a high resolution photomosaic from core scanning with core boxes and blocks filtered out.

TOM WEST AND TOM NORTH

Long Section TA-TA: Overview of Tom West and Tom North with 2022 Tom West drilling results. See Map 2 for section line.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FIREWEED METALS CORP. (Fireweed or the Company) (TSXV: FWZ; OTCQB: FWEDF, formerly Fireweed Zinc Ltd.) is pleased to announce the final set of results from the 2022 drill program at Tom, Macmillan Pass, Yukon, Canada (Map 1), stated as estimated true widths. All assay results from the 2022 program have now been released.



Highlights

Multiple wide and high-grade intersections at the Tom deposit.

Hole TS22-009 intersected a true width of 40.6 m at 15.2% zinc, 14.6% lead, and 181.6 g/t silver, including 20.9 m of 20.7% zinc, 22.4% lead, and 280.0 g/t silver.

Hole TS22-001 intersected a true width of 26.9 m of 9.3% zinc, 5.4% lead, and 61.5 g/t silver, including 12.8 m of 11.4% zinc, 8.9% lead, and 114.9 g/t silver.

Hole TS22-002 intersected a true width of 16.9 m of 10.7% zinc, 5.0% lead, and 98.8 g/t silver , including 3.3 m of 18.9% zinc, 14.2% lead, and 324.0 g/t silver.

Many of the 2022 drill holes have demonstrated significantly better grades and/or wider intersections than the current Mineral Resource block model at the same location.



CEO Statement

Brandon Macdonald, CEO, stated We are very pleased to close out the reporting of the 2022 results with some phenomenal grades from our Tom deposit. The holes are infill, yet the grades in most of these holes are significantly higher than what has been estimated in our current Mineral Resource for those intersections. We have hit extremely high zinc, lead, and silver grades in intersections of massive sulphides in the feeder zone that are better than anything that we have seen before at Tom West. We see great potential for growth of the Tom resource.

Tom Drilling Results

The drill results shown in Table 1 are the highlights from the Tom zinc-lead-silver deposit (Maps 1 and 2) drill holes described in this news release. Table 2 shows the full Tom deposit 2022 drill results.

Story continues

Table 1: Tom deposit 2022 Drill Results Highlights

Drill hole From (m) To (m) Type Intersected Width (m) True Width (m) Zinc (%) Lead (%) Silver (g/t) Zinc Equivalent (%) TS22-001



129.28 178.25 primary 48.97 26.93 9.28 5.40 61.5 16.28 148.66 171.85 >incl. 23.19 12.75 11.38 8.93 114.9 23.33 TS22-002



82.62 121.92 primary 39.30 16.90 10.69 5.03 98.8 18.42 82.62 90.25 >incl. 7.63 3.28 18.86 14.16 324.0 42.09 TS22-003







87.58 112.30 primary 24.72 22.99 7.34 9.77 139.2 21.03 98.23 110.24 >incl. 12.01 11.17 8.41 15.49 244.4 30.83 104.75 108.30 >>incl. 3.55 3.30 8.27 23.83 396.0 43.52 TS22-005



6.91 37.18 primary 30.27 24.79 6.78 5.06 70.1 13.76 21.50 30.36 >incl. 8.86 7.26 10.84 8.55 157.0 23.73 TS22-006











152.53 185.55 primary 33.02 23.35 5.94 6.01 80.3 14.12 152.53 171.85 >incl. 19.32 13.66 7.51 9.44 121.4 20.23 154.86 162.90 >>incl. 8.04 5.68 16.17 15.94 235.1 38.47 158.32 162.90 >>>incl 4.58 3.24 19.60 19.85 310.2 47.89 TS22-009







266.06 328.45 primary 62.39* 40.55 15.24 14.62 181.6 34.67 278.00 320.20 >incl. 42.20** 27.43 18.89 18.86 241.0 44.15 282.10 314.20 >>incl. 32.10*** 20.87 20.69 22.40 280.0 50.53

: lead is the single largest value contributor to the zinc equivalent calculation in this intersection; *67% recovery; **59% recovery; ***58% recovery. Numbers in the text may differ slightly from numbers in the table due to rounding. True widths in this news release are estimates based on currently available information. See note below for zinc equivalent grade calculation. Unless otherwise noted, zinc is the single largest value contributor to metal value in the zinc equivalent grade calculation for each intersection in this table.

The Tom zinc-lead-silver deposit

Fireweeds 100% owned, road-accessible Tom and Jason deposits are some of the worlds largest undeveloped zinc deposits* and host combined current Mineral Resources1 of: 11.21 Mt Indicated Resource at 6.59% zinc, 2.48% lead, and 21.33 g/t silver; and 39.47 Mt Inferred Resource at 5.84% zinc, 3.14% lead, and 38.15 g/t silver. The Tom deposit is subdivided into three distinct zones that have current Mineral Resources: Tom West (Main), Tom East, and Tom Southeast (Map 2). Tom North was drilled by Fireweed in 2019, forms a mineralized zone with no currently defined Mineral Resources, and is located at surface adjacent to Tom West (Map 2, Long Section TA-TA). Fireweeds current Mineral Resource was published in early 2018, based on 2017 and earlier drilling only. Boundary Zone, Fireweeds new discovery and the focus of 2022 drill results reported to date, is located 21 kilometres WNW from the Tom deposit.

Tom West

Eight infill holes were drilled at Tom West, focusing mostly on the mineralization around the feeder zone within part of Fireweeds current Mineral Resource. This area is the highest-grade part of the Tom West Mineral Resource and is supported largely by historic drill holes with small diameter core and poor core recovery. Six out of the eight holes drilled at Tom West in 2022 returned grades that are significantly higher than what had been estimated in the current Mineral Resource model for those parts of the deposit. These differences in grade are likely due to better recovery of the higher-grade sections within each intersection in the new, larger diameter drilling compared to the small diameter core drilled in early years which often had poor recoveries. All infill holes demonstrated excellent continuity of mineralization and good grades (see Tables 1 and 2, Long Section TA-TA).

Hole TS22-009 returned spectacularly high grades within an interval of massive sulphide over 40.6 m true width of 15.2% zinc, 14.6% lead, and 181.6 g/t silver, including 20.9 m of 20.7% zinc, 22.4% lead, and 280.0 g/t silver (Table 1).

Hole TS22-001 intersected a true width of 26.9 m of 9.3% zinc, 5.4% lead, and 61.5 g/t silver including 12.8 m of 11.4% zinc, 8.9% lead, and 114.9 g/t silver. The intersection comprised laminated sphalerite-galena-barite-pyrite with minor interbedded cherty black mudstones typical of the stratiform mineralization at Tom West.

Tom West remains open to expansion in multiple directions and there is additional potential to improve upon historic poor-recovery drilling by completing additional infill drill holes that may yield higher grades of zinc, lead, and silver with improved recovery (Long Section TA-TA).

Tom East

Hole TS22-002 was drilled as an infill hole at Tom East, not only confirming the high grades previously known at Tom East, but providing an intersection with grades higher than currently modeled in an equivalent intersection within that part of the current Tom East Mineral Resource model. The estimated true width at the intersection is 16.9 m that returned 10.7% zinc, 5.0% lead, and 98.8 g/t silver including 3.3 m of 18.9% zinc, 14.2% lead, and 324.0 g/t silver, highlighting some of the very high grades present at Tom East.

Qualified Person Statement

Technical information in this news release has been approved by Fireweed Metals Chief Geologist, Jack Milton, Ph.D., P.Geo. (BC), a Qualified Person as defined under Canadian National Instrument 43-101.

About Fireweed Metals Corp. (TSXV: FWZ; OTCQB: FWEDF; FSE:20F): Fireweed Metals is a public mineral exploration company on the leading edge of Critical Minerals project development. Fireweed is well-funded, with a current cash position of approximately C$38,000,000 and is well-positioned to carry out a large 2023 exploration program. The Company has three projects located in Canada:

Macmillan Pass Zinc-Lead-Silver Project: Fireweed owns 100% of the district-scale 940 km 2 Macmillan Pass project in Yukon, Canada, which is host to one of the largest undeveloped zinc resources in the world* where the Tom and Jason zinc-lead-silver deposits have current Mineral Resources 1 (11.21 Mt Indicated Resource at 6.59% zinc, 2.48% lead, and 21.33 g/t silver; and 39.47 Mt Inferred Resource at 5.84% zinc, 3.14% lead, and 38.15 g/t silver) and a Preliminary Economic Assessment 2 (PEA). In addition, Boundary Main, Boundary West, Tom North and End Zone have significant zinc-lead-silver mineralization drilled but not yet classified as mineral resources. The project also includes large blocks of adjacent claims with known showings and significant upside exploration potential.

Mactung Tungsten Project: The Company recently signed a definitive Asset Purchase Agreement and acquired 100% interest in the 37.6 km 2 Mactung Tungsten Project located adjacent to the Macmillan Pass Project. Mactung contains historic resources that make it one of the largest and highest-grade undeveloped resources in the world of the Critical Mineral tungsten*. Located in Canada, it is one of the rare large tungsten resources outside of China. An updated mineral resource is planned for Q2 2023, and re-sampling of historic drill core is continuing and will include assays for previously unreported by-product metals, such as gold, copper, and bismuth, in addition to tungsten.

Gayna River Zinc-Lead-Gallium-Germanium Project: Fireweed has 100% of the 128.75 km2 Gayna River project located 180 kilometres north of the Macmillan Pass project. It is host to extensive mineralization including Critical Minerals zinc, gallium and germanium as well as lead and silver, outlined by 28,000 metres of historic drilling and significant upside potential. The results from the 2022 field program of geochemical sampling, airborne LiDAR topographic surveying and ground geophysics are now being interpreted towards defining drill targets.



In Canada, Fireweed (TSXV: FWZ) trades on the TSX Venture Exchange. In the USA, Fireweed (OTCQB: FWEDF) trades on the OTCQB Venture Market for early stage and developing U.S. and international companies and is DTC eligible for enhanced electronic clearing and settlement. Investors can find Real-Time quotes and market information for the Company on www.otcmarkets.com. In Europe, Fireweed (FSE: 20F) trades on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

Additional information about Fireweed and its projects can be found on the Companys website at FireweedMetals.com and at www.sedar.com.

ON BEHALF OF FIREWEED METALS CORP.

Brandon Macdonald

CEO & Director

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.

Data Verification

The diamond drill core logging and sampling program was carried out under a rigorous quality assurance / quality control program using industry best practices. Drill intersections in this release are HQ3 (split tube) size core (61.1 mm / 2.406-inch diameter) or NQ2 size core (50.5 mm / 1.99-inch diameter) with recoveries typically above 85% unless otherwise noted in the results tables. After drilling, core was cleaned, scanned with a core scanning machine, logged for geology, structure, and geotechnical characteristics, then marked for sampling and photographed on site. The cores for analyses were marked for sampling based on geological intervals with individual samples 2 m or less in length. Drill core was cut lengthwise in half with a core saw; half-core was sent for assays reported in this news release, and the other half is stored on site for reference. Bulk density was determined on site for the entire length of each sample assayed by measurement of mass in air and mass in water. Sample duplicate bulk density determinations and in-house bulk density standard determinations were each made at a rate of 5%. Since 2017, four in-house bulk density standards (mineralized drill core from the Tom deposit that span a range of densities) have been used and show an acceptable long-term precision. Certified standard masses are used to calibrate the scale balance used for bulk density determinations.

A total of 5% assay standards or blanks and 5% core duplicates are included in the sample stream as a quality control measure and are reviewed after analyses are received. Standards and blanks in 2022 drill results to date have been approved as acceptable. Duplicate data add to the long-term estimates of precision for assay data on the project and precision for drill results reported is deemed to be within acceptable levels. Samples were sent to the Bureau Veritas preparation laboratory in Whitehorse, Yukon, where the samples were crushed and a 500 g split was sent to the Bureau Veritas laboratory in Vancouver, British Columbia to be pulverized to 85% passing 200 mesh size pulps. Clean crush material was passed through the crusher and clean silica was pulverized between each sample. The pulps were analyzed by 1:1:1 Aqua Regia digestion followed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-ES/ICP-MS) multi-element analyses (BV Code AQ270). All samples were also analyzed for multiple elements by lithium borate fusion and X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF) finish (BV Code LF725). Over-limit Pb (>25.0%) and Zn (>24.0%) were analyzed by lithium borate fusion with XRF finish (BV Code LF726). Silver is reported in this news release by method AQ270, and zinc and lead are reported by LF725 or LF726. Bureau Veritas (Vancouver) is an independent, international ISO/IEC 17025:2005 accredited laboratory.

Results in this news release are length and bulk-density weighted averages as would be used in a Mineral Resource estimate. Readers are cautioned that in Fireweeds news releases prior to 2020, only length weighted assay averages were reported which may result in slightly lower (under-reported) average values. Length and bulk-density weighted averages have been reported as these most accurately represent the average metal-content of the intersections.

True widths are estimated by measuring perpendicular to strike within the short axis of an approximately tabular shaped wireframe that has been constructed in 3D around the mineralized zone at Tom West based on assay results, geological logging, and bedding measurements from oriented core. The mineralization at the Tom deposit is mostly stratiform (oriented parallel to bedding), therefore the true width, or thickness, of the zone is estimated perpendicular to both the strike and dip direction of bedding.

Zinc Equivalent Calculation

The use of zinc equivalent (ZnEq.) grades in this news release follows the calculation described in Fireweed 2018 Technical Reports1,2, and detailed below:

ZnEq. = (x + y + z + a)/16.16

where x = 16.16*zinc(%); y = 16.08*lead(%); z = (0.05853*silver(g/t))-(0.6146*zinc(%)); and a = (0.447*silver(g/t))-(0.3607*lead(%)). Terms z and a are only included in the calculation of ZnEq. when positive. This ZnEq. calculation assumes metal prices of US$1.17/lb zinc, US$0.99/lb lead, and US$16.95/oz silver. Metal recovery assumptions were: 79% for zinc, 82% for lead, and 85% for silver (whereby 12% would be recovered from a zinc concentrate and 73% would be recovered from a lead concentrate). The ZnEq. calculation includes estimated factors for: metallurgical recoveries, assumed metal prices, and smelter terms including payable factors, treatment charges, and refining charges. The calculation assumes an exchange rate of US$1 = C$1.24.

Cautionary Statements

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and information (forward-looking statements). All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included herein, including, without limitation, statements relating to interpretation of drill results, future work plans, the use of funds, and the potential of the Companys projects, are forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects, "anticipates, "believes, "intends, "estimates, "potential, "possible, and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results "will, "may, "could, or "should occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of Company management, as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to Company management and reflect the beliefs, opinions, and projections on the date the statements are made. Forward-looking statements involve various risks and uncertainties and accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include but are not limited to, exploration and development risks, unanticipated reclamation expenses, expenditure and financing requirements, general economic conditions, changes in financial markets, the ability to properly and efficiently staff the Companys operations, the sufficiency of working capital and funding for continued operations, title matters, First Nations relations, operating hazards, political and economic factors, competitive factors, metal prices, relationships with vendors and strategic partners, governmental regulations and oversight, permitting, seasonality and weather, technological change, industry practices, uncertainties involved in the interpretation of drilling results and laboratory tests, and one-time events. The Company assumes no obligation to update forwardlooking statements or beliefs, opinions, projections or other factors, except as required by law.

Investors are cautioned that the drill intersections that are compared to the current Mineral Resources are not subject to any grade capping, and that grades in mineral resource blocks were calculated based on interpolation between assay composites that have capped grades. In the current Mineral Resource at Tom West zinc was capped at 25%, lead was capped at 25%, and silver was capped at 600 g/t; and at Tom East zinc was capped at 30%, lead capped at 50%, and silver at 600 g/t, as described in Fireweed Technical Reports1,2. Grades in new holes were compared to a length and bulk density weighted calculated grade derived from a stack of blocks from the Current Mineral Resource block model perpendicular to the XY plane of the block model spanning the full thickness of the mineralized zone, located through the mid-point of the reported new intersection.

Footnotes and References

* References to relative size and grade of the Mactung historic resources and Macmillan Pass resources in comparison to other tungsten and zinc deposits elsewhere in the world, respectively, are based on review of the Standard & Poors Global Market Intelligence Capital IQ database.

1: Fireweed Technical Report titled NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Macmillan Pass Zinc-Lead-Silver Project, Watson Lake and Mayo Mining Districts Yukon Territory, Canada filed on www.SEDAR.com on Feb 23, 2018, and Fireweed News Release dated January 10th 2018.

2: Fireweed Technical Report titled NI 43-101 Technical Report Macmillan Pass Project Yukon Territory Canada filed on www.SEDAR.com on July 9th 2018, and Fireweed News Release dated May 23rd, 2018. This Preliminary Economic Analysis includes an economic analysis of mineral resources that is preliminary in nature and does not include any mineral reserves. It is equally emphasized that the mineral resources disclosed within this Technical Report are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability.

Contact:

Brandon Macdonald

Phone: (604) 646-8361



Email: info@fireweedmetals.com

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Table 2: Tom 2022 Full Table of Drill Results for All Holes in this News Release.

Drill hole From (m) To (m) Type Intersected

Width (m) True Width (m) Zinc (%) Lead (%) Silver (g/t) Zinc

Equivalent (%) Bulk

Density (t/m3) TS22-001



129.28 178.25 primary 48.97 26.93 9.28 5.40 61.5 16.28 3.424 148.66 171.85 >incl. 23.19 12.75 11.38 8.93 114.9 23.33 3.528 TS22-002



82.62 121.92 primary 39.30 16.90 10.69 5.03 98.8 18.42 2.897 82.62 90.25 >incl. 7.63 3.28 18.86 14.16 324.0 42.09 3.325 TS22-003







87.58 112.30 primary 24.72 22.99 7.34 9.77 139.2 21.03 3.579 98.23 110.24 >incl. 12.01 11.17 8.41 15.49 244.4 30.83 3.935 104.75 108.30 >>incl. 3.55 3.30 8.27 23.83 396.0 43.52 4.308 TS22-004 157.11 202.00 primary 44.89 22.45 5.95 2.61 15.4 8.93 3.321 TS22-005



6.91 37.18 primary 30.27 24.79 6.78 5.06 70.1 13.76 3.496 21.50 30.36 >incl. 8.86 7.26 10.84 8.55 157.0 23.73 3.923 TS22-006















152.53 185.55 primary 33.02 23.35 5.94 6.01 80.3 14.12 2.985 152.53 171.85 >incl. 19.32 13.66 7.51 9.44 121.4 20.23 3.146 154.86 162.90 >>incl. 8.04 5.68 16.17 15.94 235.1 38.47 3.289 158.32 162.90 >>>incl 4.58 3.24 19.60 19.85 310.2 47.89 3.492 182.70 184.64 >and 1.94 1.37 14.26 1.53 42.0 16.92 3.186 TS22-007



48.56 86.00 primary 37.44 26.47 5.51 1.97 0.9 7.48 3.659 48.56 55.00 >incl. 6.44 4.55 7.84 2.57 2.6 10.43 3.421 TS22-008



24.68 49.00 primary 24.32 18.63 6.95 6.04 12.5 13.18 3.599 39.80 42.80 >incl. 3.00 2.30 6.69 10.82 21.6 17.81 4.086 TS22-009







266.06 328.45 primary 62.39* 40.55 15.24 14.62 181.6 34.67 3.445 278.00 320.20 >incl. 42.20** 27.43 18.89 18.86 241.0 44.15 3.610 282.10 314.20 >>incl. 32.10*** 20.87 20.69 22.40 280.0 50.53 3.618

: lead is the single largest value contributor to the zinc equivalent calculation in this intersection. *67% recovery; **59% recovery; ***58% recovery. Numbers in the text may differ slightly from numbers in the table due to rounding. True widths are estimates. Unless otherwise noted, zinc is the single largest value contributor to metal value in the zinc equivalent calculation for each intersection in this table.

Table 3: Summary of Drill Results from 2022 Program.

Drill hole Zone Hole length

(m) Significant intersections Type NB22-001 BW 463 Reported on Nov 22 2022 Infill & Step-out NB22-002 BW 491 Reported on Nov 22 2022 Step-out & New Discovery NB22-003 BW 64 Hole abandoned - NB22-004 BW 403 Reported on Feb 15 2022 Step-out NB22-005 BM 326 Reported on Jan 31 2023 Step-out NB22-006 BM 375 Reported on Jan 31 2023 Step-out NB22-007 BW 365 Reported on Feb 15 2022 Step-out NB22-008 BM 213 Reported on Jan 31 2023 Step-out & New Discovery NB22-009 BM 147.5 Reported on Feb 27 2023 Infill NB22-010 BM 91 Reported on Feb 27 2023 Infill NB22-011 BM 265.3 Reported on Feb 27 2023 Infill & Step-out NB22-012 BM 353 Reported on Mar 2 2023 Step-out NB22-013 BM 125.4 Reported on Feb 27 2023 Infill NB22-014 BM 31 Hole abandoned - NB22-015 BM 145 Reported on Mar 2 2023 Infill NB22-016 BM 57.4 Hole abandoned - NB22-017 BM 80 Reported on Mar 2 2023 Infill NB22-018 BM 270 Reported on Feb 27 2023 Infill, Step-out & New Discovery NB22-019 BW 340 Reported on Feb 15 2022 Infill & Step-out NB22-020 BM 149 Reported on Feb 27 2023 Infill NB22-021 BM 112 Reported on Feb 27 2023 Infill NB22-022 BM 327 Reported on Mar 2 2023 Step-out & New Discovery NB22-023 BM 367 Reported on Mar 2 2023 Step-out & New Discovery TS22-001 TW 200 Reported in this release Infill TS22-002 TE 170.9 Reported in this release Infill TS22-003 TW 125 Reported in this release Infill TS22-004 TW 214.2 Reported in this release Infill TS22-005 TW 128 Reported in this release Infill TS22-006 TW 190.5 Reported in this release Infill TS22-007 TW 86 Reported in this release Infill TS22-008 TW 61 Reported in this release Infill TS22-009 TW 335 Reported in this release Infill

All 2022 assays have now been reported for the Macmillan Pass Project. BM: Boundary Main; BW: Boundary West; TW: Tom West; TE: Tom East.

Table 4: 2022 Drill Collar Details.

Drill hole Target Length (m) Easting Northing Elevation

(m.s.l) Azimuth () Dip

() NB22-001 Boundary 463 421861 7010461 1178 030 -58 NB22-002 Boundary 491 421940 7010405 1164 033 -57 NB22-003 Boundary 64 422105 7010683 1238 211 -76 NB22-004 Boundary 403 422105 7010683 1238 211 -76 NB22-005 Boundary 326 422230 7010524 1193 214 -50 NB22-006 Boundary 375 422539 7010536 1195 207 -55 NB22-007 Boundary 365 421940 7010405 1164 036 -47 NB22-008 Boundary 213 422274 7010600 1217 209 -68 NB22-009 Boundary 147.5 422438 7010417 1165 208 -50 NB22-010 Boundary 91 422390 7010385 1152 205 -50 NB22-011 Boundary 265.3 422440 7010419 1164 208 -69 NB22-012 Boundary 353 422342 7010620 1219 201 -65 NB22-013 Boundary 125.4 422390 7010386 1150 205 -70 NB22-014 Boundary 31 422330 7010384 1146 212 -50 NB22-015 Boundary 145 422331 7010385 1146 212 -75 NB22-016 Boundary 57.4 422330 7010384 1146 212 -55 NB22-017 Boundary 80 422331 7010385 1147 212 -85 NB22-018 Boundary 270 422308 7010434 1166 216 -58 NB22-019 Boundary 340 421948 7010672 1232 180 -57 NB22-020 Boundary 149 422308 7010435 1166 216 -72 NB22-021 Boundary 112 422309 7010435 1167 216 -82 NB22-022 Boundary 327 422292 7010474 1182 211 -56 NB22-023 Boundary 367 422292 7010474 1182 211 -70 TS22-001 Tom West 200 441994 7003679 1545 060 -80 TS22-002 Tom East 170.9 442063 7004322 1677 060 -90 TS22-003 Tom West 125 441994 7003680 1545 065 -55 TS22-004 Tom West 214.2 441993 7003679 1545 065 -89 TS22-005 Tom West 128 442046 7003767 1533 063 -50 TS22-006 Tom West 190.5 442044 7003582 1581 049 -75 TS22-007 Tom West 86 441943 7003969 1538 066 -80 TS22-008 Tom West 61 441945 7003970 1538 066 -45 TS22-009 Tom West 335 442043 7003581 1581 049 -89

Coordinate reference system: UTM Zone 9 NAD83. North reference: UTM grid north.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2e6107f8-b9d7-46be-bd6b-1469588a53e0

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Jill Biden says the concept floated by GOP presidential hopeful Nikki Haley that any politician over age 75 submit to a mental compentency test is a nonstarter.

Speaking today on CNNs State of the Union, Jill Biden said her 80-year-old husband Joe would never even discuss such a thing, branding it ridiculous.

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The comments were made by Jill Biden in a snippet released Sunday. The full interview will air on CNN Monday at 9 PM ET.

Jill Biden pointed to the presidents recent trip to Ukraine as proof of his stamina and focus.

How many 30-year-olds could travel to Poland, get on the train? Go nine more hours, go to Ukraine, meet with President Zelensky? she said. So, look at the man. Look what hes doing. Look what he continues to do each and every day.

Joe Biden is reportedly gearing up for another presidential bid in 2024. If elected, he would be 82 at inaugeration.

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Las Vegas, Nevada--(Newsfile Corp. - March 6, 2023) - GENERAL EUROPEAN STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS INC. (OTC Pink: GESI) (the "Company or GESI") informs about its licensing activities in Finland and the developments of the Seismic and Electromagnetic Methods for Deep Mineral Exploration Project ("SEEMS DEEP") which is entirely funded by a grant from the European Union. GESI participates in the SEEMS DEEP Project and other projects in Finland through its wholly owned Finnish subsidiary Laakso Minerals Oy ("Laakso").

Laakso has successfully completed its two-year research program on its 7 "reservation" permits in Finland, including 4 areas prospective for Nickel-Copper-Cobalt-Platinum Group Elements (Palladium, Platinum, Gold), 1 area prospective for Phosphorus, Iron and Rare-Earth Elements and 4 areas with discovered diamondiferous kimberlite occurrences. The most prospective parts of the "reservation" permits have been selected and delineated to be converted into a total of 15 exploration permits for the next four years with the possibility of further extension. The corresponding 15 applications for the exploration permits have been submitted to the Finnish Main Mining Authority, TUKES, for approvals.

Korpuajarvi permit (209 km2). The exploration target within this area is the buried part of the Koillismaa Layered Igneous Complex in East-Central Finland, which has been identified by a strong gravity and seismic anomaly and is expected to host massive orthomagmatic Nickel-Copper-Cobalt-Platinum Group Elements (Palladium, Platinum, Gold) and Chrome-Vanadium-Titanium-Iron mineralization, thus opening for Laakso a possibility of discovering a potential World class discovery within its concession. The area of the Korpuajarvi "reservation" permit has been divided into separate parts and was submitted to TUKES for approval of 7 separate exploration licenses. Laakso's Korpuajarvi concession is the area of the EU funded SEEMS DEEP Project. Maunujarvi permit (59 km2). This area represents an eastern extension of the Kaukua South magnetic anomaly, where high-grade disseminated reef-style Ni-Cu-PGE mineralization has been drilled and confirmed by the Toronto, Canada based mining company Palladium One in numerous drill holes. Korpivaara permit (18 km2). Of the initial reservation permit area of 204 km2 an elongated magnetic anomaly stretching southeastwards between PDM One's Kaukua South and GESI-Laakso Mineral's Korpuajarvi magnetic anomalies, representing a potential exploration target for Ni-Cu-PGE mineralization, has been selected, delineated and submitted to TUKES for an exploration license. Mustavaara permit (97 km2). Of the initial "reservation" permit area of 740 km2 a selected area of a series of magnetic anomalies, representing an eastern extension of such anomalies within the Kaukua South and Maunujarvi areas, has been chosen, and hence, representing also a potential exploration target for Ni-Cu-PGE mineralization, has been selected, delineated and submitted to TUKES for an exploration license permit. Naatalammit permit (24 km2). The entire area of the initial reservation permit is prospective for Phosphorus, Iron and Rare-Earth Elements and has been submitted to TUKES for an exploration license permit. Kolkonjarvi permit (204 km2). Four diamondiferous kimberlite occurrences have been discovered so far within this "reservation" permit and this area has been submitted TUKES for an exploration license permit. Kylmalahti permit (17 km2). Seven diamondiferous kimberlite occurrences have been discovered already within this "reservation" permit and have been submitted to TUKES for an exploration license permit. Kaleton permit (5 km2). This diamondiferous kimberlite occurrence has been discovered within the western part of the Mustavaara "reservation" permit and has been also submitted to TUKES for an exploration license permit. Kasmajarvi permit (10 km2). Three diamondiferous kimberlite occurrences have been discovered within this "reservation" permit and this area has been also submitted to TUKES for an exploration license permit.

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Laakso continues its activities within the European Union funded ("EU") SEEMS DEEP Project. This is a 3-year Project (1.5.2022-30.4.2025) funded by ERA-MIN3 Program of the EU entitled Raw materials for the sustainable development and the circular economy, Topic 1: Supply of raw materials from exploration to mining. The goal of the SEEMS DEEP Project is development of a novel workflow integrating seismic and electromagnetic methods to address challenges of deep ore exploration. Its budget is 2.200.000 Euro. Apart from Laakso, the SEEMS DEEP Consortium includes Geological Survey of Finland (GTK), Uppsala University (Sweden), BRGM (France), Institute of Geophysics (Polish Academy of Sciences), Geopartner Geofizyka (Poland), GRM-Services (Finland), IRIS Instruments (France) and Geopool (Finland).

The exploration target of the Project is the buried part of the Koillismaa Layered Igneous Complex in East-Central Finland, which has been identified by a strong gravity and seismic anomaly within GESI-Laakso's Korpuajarvi permit area, and is expected to host massive orthomagmatic Nickel-Copper-Cobalt-Platinum Group Elements (Palladium, Platinum, Gold) and Chrome-Vanadium-Titanium-Iron mineralization, thus opening for Laakso a unique possibility of a potentially World Class mining discovery within its concession.

Currently, the preparations for the field work, which is planned from August 14 to September 3, 2023, are being performed. The geophysical survey design and instrumentations are being prepared by the Participants. The work on permitting, logistics and general organizational activities are being carried out by ERA-Min 3 Partners, including GESI's Finnish subsidiary Laakso Minerals Oy.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This release includes "forward-looking statements". such statements include any that may predict, forecast, indicate, or imply future results, performance or achievements, and may contain the words "estimate", "project", "intend", "forecast", "anticipate", "plan", "planning", "expect", "believe", "likely", "should", "could", "would", "may" or similar words or expressions. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the Company's actual results and financial position to differ materially from those in such statements, which involve risks and uncertainties, including those relating to the Company's ability to grow. Actual results may differ materially from those predicted and any reported should not be considered an indication of future performance. Potential risks and uncertainties include the Company's operating history and resources, together with all usual and common economic, competitive, and equity market conditions/risks.

Contact:

Robert Seguin, V.P., Investor Relations

General European Strategic Investments Inc.

Robert.Seguin@gesi-usa.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/157354
Genius Group Limited

SINGAPORE, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Genius Group Limited (NYSE American: GNS) (Genius Group or the Company), a leading entrepreneur edtech and education group, announces that it has retained attorney Mark R. Basile and his toxic debt litigation firm, The Basile Law Firm P.C., to act as Special Counsel to its legal team in the Companys complaint filed in the United States District Court Southern District of New York, Case Number 1:23-cv-01639 against Alto Opportunity Master Fund, SPC  Segregated Master Portfolio B, Ayrton Capital, LLC and Waqas Khatri (The Parties).



This lawsuit was filed by Warshaw Burstein LLP of New York and Christian Levine Law Group LLC of Texas, two firms that possess extensive experience and achieved considerable success in litigating stock manipulation cases.

Mr. Basile, a former law professor, has been battling convertible toxic debt for the last 7 years. In 2021, his firm secured a landmark decision against a toxic lender (Adar Bays) that has set the standard to save hundreds of public companies tens of millions of dollars. Since that decision, his firm has vacated several federal trial court judgments and consequently many of the toxic lenders have not filed suits against public companies in the last 18 months.

His firm is also pursuing several RICO actions at present against known toxic lenders for the collection of unlawful debt and as a result of his actions the Southern District of New York recently denied a toxic lenders motion to dismiss RICO claims. The firm has also published articles and advice for companies that believe they may be victims of toxic debt, counterfeit shares and market manipulation, a summary of which can be found at: https://www.thebasilelawfirm.com/blog

Roger Hamilton, CEO of Genius Group, said We are pleased to welcome Mr. Basile to our legal team. Mr. Basile understands how toxic loans negatively affect retail shareholders and will be assisting our counsel in this and other litigation we plan.

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About Genius Group

Genius Group is a world leading entrepreneur Edtech and education group, with a mission to disrupt the current education model with a student-centered, life-long learning curriculum that prepares students with the leadership, entrepreneurial and life skills to succeed in todays market. The group has a group user base of 4.3 million users in 200 countries, ranging from ages 0 to 100.

For more information, please visit https://www.geniusgroup.net/

Investor Notice

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the risks, uncertainties and forward-looking statements described in our most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on May 13, 2022. If any of these risks were to occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations would likely suffer. In that event, the value of our securities could decline, and you could lose part or all of your investment. The risks and uncertainties we describe are not the only ones facing us. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business operations. In addition, our past financial performance may not be a reliable indicator of future performance, and historical trends should not be used to anticipate results in the future. See Forward-Looking Statements below.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements made in this press release include 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. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as may, will, plan, should, expect, anticipate, estimate, continue, or comparable terminology. Such forward-looking statements are inherently subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties, many of which the Company cannot predict with accuracy and some of which the Company might not even anticipate and involve factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or suggested. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements and are advised to consider the factors listed above together with the additional factors under the heading Risk Factors in the Companys Annual Reports on Form 20-F, as may be supplemented or amended by the Companys Reports of a Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K. The Company assumes no obligation to update or supplement forward-looking statements that become untrue because of subsequent events, new information or otherwise.

Contacts

Investors:

Flora Hewitt, Vice President of Investor Relations and Mergers and Acquisitions

Email: investor@geniusgroup.net

Media Contacts: Adia PR

Email: gns@adiapr.co.uk

US Investors:

Dave Gentry

RedChip Companies Inc

1-800-RED-CHIP

GNS@redchip.com




GEX Management, Inc.

Dallas, TX., March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GEX Management Inc (OTC Pink: GXXM), a Dallas based management consulting company, today announced a significant growth in its Managed Service Provider (MSP) partnership model, resulting in GEX consultants servicing the largest number of Fortune 100 firms so far in the history of the company. Sri Vanamali, the CEO of GEX Management said, A few years ago, when I announced the shift in the companys focus away from a low margin, backend-staffing business to the higher margin, management consulting business model with a goal of capturing revenue streams from the largest global corporations in the United States, we received a lot of skepticism about the viability of this strategy. Today, I am proud to say that not only have we demonstrated a proven track record of performing successfully in this space, but we have also expanded our MSP partnerships by over 200% over the last four years and, in the process, grown our Fortune 100 end-client base by over 150% during the same time period. At the same time, we have consistently grown our revenue by over 100% each year, despite the various macroeconomic and operational challenges that our business sector has faced over the last few years.



While GEX experimented with a couple of new growth areas in 2021-22, the company under the current leadership has re-focused its efforts on driving revenue via the MSP model and simultaneously announced the launch of its Phase 3 initiatives to fully take advantage of the significantly expanded client relationships. Phase 1 of our strategic roadmap involved building out the Management Consulting business model, while Phase II involved accelerating our MSP partnership model to expand our enterprise corporate client base. I am very excited to announce Phase III of our corporate strategy roadmap which will involve building out our proprietary technology platform and product base to complement our full spectrum of enterprise consulting business suite offerings. This will also be a key component of the value proposition to our fully funded as well as independent sponsor private equity clients as we build out our management consulting service offerings as a key value driver of the PE buy & build strategy. Our focus on value enhancement in the PE model entails the sponsors typical 3-5 year investment horizon as well as developing key strategic partnerships during the post recapitalization period and beyond. said Mr. Vanamali.

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The GEX Value Enhancement Framework along with the companys recent foray into building AI platform competencies via the Enterprise Competency Center (ECC) will be critical drivers of the Phase III strategy as GEX engineers and consultants begin to fully deploy cutting edge AI solution architectures and business process frameworks into the client ecosystems. Building a product-based consulting model is in line with similar frameworks developed by IBM, Salesforce, SAP and other enterprise business behemoths. Phase III will be focused on developing a proprietary enterprise solution architecture that will fully integrate the GEX core business service offerings with a product development approach to create a truly best-in-class business model that will result in rapid expansion of our enterprise clientele across industry verticals while significantly growing our revenue streams in the years to come, said Sri Vanamali. We look forward to making further announcements related to this progress in our Phase III roadmap and I am very excited to work closely with our institutional investors along with our strategic business partners as we strive to achieve phenomenal success while embarking on this new and exciting journey into the future.

About GEX Management

GEX Management, Inc. is a Management Consulting company providing high end Strategy and Enterprise Consulting solutions to public and private companies across a variety of industry sectors. http://www.gexmanagement.com

Information on Forward Looking Statements

The statements contained herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws (Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934). You can identify such forward-looking statements by the words "expects," "intends," "plans," "projects," "believes," "estimates," "likely," "possibly," "probably," "goal," "opportunity," "objective," "target," "assume," "outlook," "guidance," "predicts," "appears," "indicator" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties. In the normal course of business, GEX Management, Inc., in an effort to help keep our stockholders and the public informed about our operations, may from time to time issue such forward-looking statements, either orally or in writing. Generally, these statements relate to business plans or strategies, projected or anticipated benefits or other consequences of such plans or strategies, or projections involving anticipated revenues, earnings, profits, pricing, operating expenses or other aspects of operating results. We base the forward-looking statements on our expectations, estimates, and projections at the time such statements are made. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that we cannot predict. In addition, we have based many of these forward-looking statements on assumptions about future events that may prove to be inaccurate. The actual results of the future events described in such forward-looking statements could differ materially from those stated in such forward-looking statements.

SOURCE GEX Management, Inc.

Media Contact:

John Godwin,

Director, Client Relations

Email address: info@gexmanagement.com




GLOBAL BIOENERGIES

This document may not be distributed, directly or indirectly, in the United States of America, Canada, Australia or Japan.

Global Bioenergies launches 7.5 million capital increase with preferential subscription rights

Subscription price: 2.07 per share, i.e. a discount of 25.7%1

Subscription ratio: 6 new shares per 25 existing shares

Trading period for preferential subscription rights: from 8 March 2023 to 22 March 2023 inclusive

Subscription period: from 10 March 2023 to 24 March 2023 inclusive

75% of the offering is guaranteed by subscription commitments from Marc Delcourt and the LOREAL Group, for a total amount of 1.1million, and by underwriting commitments from qualified investors in the amount of 4.5 million

Evry, 6 March 2023: Global Bioenergies (the Company) is announcing the launch of a capital increase with preferential subscription rights (PSRs) in a gross amount of approximately 7.5 million (the Offering).

The purpose of the Offering is to provide the Company with the means to finance:

working capital requirements for the Horizon 2 production line (approximately 40% of the Offering proceeds);

further preliminary design studies for the Horizon 3 plant, known as ViaViridia (approximately 35%);

additional R&D to further reduce process costs with a view to exploitation at Horizon 4 for the production of sustainable aviation and road fuels (approximately 25%).





If the Offering is only 75% subscribed, i.e. 5.6 million, the proceeds will be allocated first to the Horizon 2 production line (approximately 50% of the proceeds) and the continuation of the preliminary design studies for the ViaViridia plant (approximately 40%), while the Company will adapt the additional funds allocated to R&D in view of Horizon 4 accordingly (approximately 10%).

Samuel Dubruque, Chief Financial Officer of the Company, said: This offering comes at a pivotal time for the Company, which is now priming itself for its foremost objective of achieving strong revenue growth.

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Marc Delcourt, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of the Company, said: New markets are gradually opening up to us, consolidating our roadmap by stages. Our next big battle over the next few months will be to finance the ViaViridia plant, where operations are now scheduled to start in mid-2026. The next battle will take place in biofuels, in the air transportation where we are expecting the ASTM certification soon, and in road transportation when Europe is wavering on its all-electric strategy.

Ana Kljuic. Vice President R&I LOreal for the Future & Green Sciences, said: One of the key objectives of the LOreal for the Future programme is to achieve 95% naturalness in all our products by 2030. Global Bioenergies process is one of the radical innovations that will help us achieve that goal.

Main terms of the Offering

Share details

Name: Global Bioenergies

ISIN code: FR0011052257

Symbol: ALGBE

Listing market: Euronext Growth Paris

LEI: 969500H46XRAMTMVB676

Nature of the Offering

On 6 March 2023, the Board of Directors decided to launch a capital increase by issuing new shares (the New Shares) with preferential subscription rights, on a ratio of 6 New Shares per 25 existing shares with a par value of 0.05 each.

The Offering is being carried out on the basis of the authority delegated under the 8th resolution adopted by the Combined General Meeting of the Companys Shareholders held on 2 June 2022.

A notice to shareholders relating to the Offering will be published in the Bulletin des Annonces Legales et Obligatoires (BALO) on 8 March 2023.

Maximum gross amount of Offering and maximum number of New Shares

The gross amount of the Offering, including the share premium, is 7,472,568 (comprising a par value of 180,497 and a share premium of 7,292,071), corresponding to the issuance of 3,609,936 New Shares.

Depending on the volume of demand, the Company reserves the right to exercise partially the extension clause (Extension Clause) and to increase the number of New Shares to be issued by an additional 254,798 New Shares, thereby bringing the total number of New Shares to be issued under the Offering to a maximum of 3,864,734 New Shares and bringing the maximum gross amount of the Offering to 7,999,999.

The New Shares under the Offering will be the subject of an application for admission to trading on the Euronext Growth market in Paris. They will be immediately fungible with the existing shares of the Company already traded on Euronext Growth Paris and will be tradable, from that date, on the same line as those shares under the same ISIN code (FR0011052257  Symbol: ALGBE).

Subscription price of the New Shares

The subscription price has been set at 2.07 per New Share, comprising a par value of 0.05 and a share premium of 2.02, representing a discount of 25.7% on the closing price on 3 March 2023 (2.785).

Subscription period

The subscription period for the New Shares will run from 10 March 2023 to 24 March 2023 inclusive.

Terms of subscription

Subscription for the New Shares will be reserved, by preference, to (i) holders of existing shares registered in their securities account at close of trading on 7 March 2023, to whom one PSR per existing share held will be allocated on 8 March 2023, and (ii) transferees of PSRs.

Holders of PSRs may subscribe:

to their statutory entitlement on an irreducible basis, at the rate of 6 New Shares per 25 existing shares held,

for additional shares on a reducible basis, for the number of New Shares they wish to buy in addition to their statutory entitlement to New Shares resulting from the exercise of their PSRs on an irreducible basis. Only the New Shares not covered by subscriptions on an irreducible basis will be allocated among subscribers on a reducible basis, within the limit of their requests and in proportion to the number of existing shares whose PSRs have been exercised in order to subscribe on an irreducible basis.

The PSRs may only be exercised in a number allowing the subscription of a whole number of New Shares. Holders of PSRs not holding a sufficient number of existing shares to obtain a whole number of New Shares by way of irreducible subscription will have to buy the number of PSRs required to subscribe for a whole number of New Shares on Euronext Growth Paris.

Fractional PSRs may be sold on Euronext Growth Paris during the PSR trading period.

To exercise their PSRs, holders must make a request to their authorised financial intermediary at any time between 10 March 2023 and 24 March 2023 inclusive and pay the corresponding subscription price. PSRs not exercised will automatically lapse at the end of the subscription period, i.e. on 24 March 2023 at the close of trading. The funds paid in respect of subscriptions will be pooled by Societe Generale Securities Services, which will be responsible for drawing up the certificate of deposit of the funds recording the completion of the capital increase and the issue of the New Shares.

Requests to subscribe on an unrestricted basis

In addition to the possibility of subscribing on an irreducible and reducible basis in accordance with the terms and conditions specified, any natural or legal person, whether or not they hold PSRs, may subscribe to the Offering on an unrestricted basis.

Persons wishing to subscribe on an unrestricted basis must send their request to their authorised financial intermediary at any time during the subscription period and pay the corresponding subscription price.

Pursuant to the provisions of Article L. 225-134 of the French Commercial Code, subscriptions on an unrestricted basis will only be honoured if the subscriptions on an irreducible basis and on a reducible basis do not cover the entirety of the Offering, in which case the Board of Directors will have the option of freely allocating New Shares not subscribed, in whole or in part, among the persons (shareholders or third parties) of its choice who have submitted requests for subscriptions on an unrestricted basis.

Theoretical value of PSR

.0138 (based on the closing share price on 3 March 2023, i.e. 2.785). The subscription price of the New Shares represents a discount of 21.79% on the theoretical value after detachment of the PSR.

Listing of PSRs

The PSRs will be listed and traded on Euronext Growth Paris under ISIN code FR001400GG91 between 8 March 2023 and 22 March 2023 inclusive. If they are not used to subscribe for New Shares or sold, they will lapse at the end of the subscription period and their value will be nil.

PSRs in respect of treasury shares held by the Company

Pursuant to Article L. 225-206 of the French Commercial Code, the Company may not subscribe for its own shares. PSRs corresponding to treasury shares held by the Company at 8 March 2023 will be sold on Euronext Growth Paris before the end of their trading period under the conditions provided for by Article L. 225-210 of the French Commercial Code.

Limit on Offering amount

In the event that the subscriptions received on an irreducible basis, on a reducible basis and on an unrestricted basis do not absorb the entirety of the Offering, the Board of Directors may limit the amount of the Offering to the amount of subscriptions received, in accordance with Article L. 225-134 of the French Commercial Code, provided that subscriptions received represent at least 5,604,426 corresponding to 75% of the initial gross amount of the Offering.

Subscription and underwriting commitments

Marc Delcourt, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of the Company, has undertaken to subscribe for 0.16m.

The LOREAL Group, through its BOLD (Business Opportunities for LOreal Development) private equity fund, has undertaken, subject to certain conditions, to subscribe in proportion to its share of the Companys capital (i.e. 13.1%), for around 980,000.

The Company is not aware of the intentions of its other shareholders.

In addition, pursuant to irrevocable undertakings given to the Company, 12 qualified investors (the Underwriters) have undertaken to subscribe for the New Shares that have not been subscribed for on an irreducible basis, on a reducible basis and on an unrestricted basis, at the end of the subscription period in a maximum amount of 4,482,500, representing a maximum of approximately 60% of the Offering. The New Shares not covered by subscriptions on an irreducible, reducible and unrestricted basis will be distributed and allocated to the Underwriters in proportion to their underwriting commitments and within the limit of 75% of the initial gross amount of the Offering.

The underwriting commitments of the Underwriters are summarised below:

Amount underwritten Alpha Blue Ocean 3,000,000 Nice & Green 500,000 Dynasty AM 300,000 Sully Patrimoine 200,000 Jerome Marsac 142,500 Diede Van Den Ouden 120,500 Other Underwriters 219,500 Total 4,482,500

In respect of these underwriting commitments, the Underwriters will receive a fee in the aggregate amount of 224,125 out of the gross proceeds of the Offering. This fee will be payable in full regardless of the number of New Shares actually purchased by the Underwriters within the framework of the Offering. If the Offering is 75% subscribed, this fee would represent 3.99% of the gross proceeds. If the Offering is 100% subscribed, this fee would represent 2.99% of the gross proceeds.

Furthermore, in case the Underwriters should subscribe to New Shares pursuant to their irrevocable undertakings, an additional fee representing 1% of the amount of the undertakings should be paid by the Company.

Net proceeds from the Offering

Assuming full subscription of the Offering (i.e. an amount of 7.5 million) including 100% of commitments from the Underwriters, the total net proceeds of the Offering (corresponding to the gross amount less all financial, legal and communication fees relating to the Offering) would be approximately 6.9 million. Assuming subscription of the Offering in the proportion of 75% (i.e. an amount of 5.6 million) including 75% of commitments from the Underwriters, the total net proceeds of the Offering (corresponding to the gross amount less all fees relating to the Offering) would be approximately 5.1 million.

Retention and lock-up undertakings

No forbearance or retention commitment has been made.

Guarantee

The Offering is not subject to a performance guarantee within the meaning of Article L. 225-145 of the French Commercial Code. However, it is stipulated that the Company has received subscription undertakings from some of its historical shareholders and underwriting commitments from the Underwriters enabling it to reach the threshold of 75% of the Offering.

Provisional Offering timetable

6 March 2023 Decision of the Board of Directors to launch and set the terms of the Offering



Publication of the press release announcing the launch of the Offering 7 March 2023 Accounting day after which holders of existing shares registered in their securities accounts will be allocated preferential subscription rights 8 March 2023 Detachment of the PSRs



Start of trading of the PSRs on Euronext Growth Paris at the start of trading



Publication in the BALO of the notice relating to the Offering pursuant to Articles R. 225-120 et seq. of the French Commercial Code 10 March 2023 Opening of the subscription period 22 March 2023 End of listing of the PSRs on Euronext Growth Paris 24 March 2023 Closing of the subscription period 29 March 2023 Meeting of the Board of Directors to issue the New Shares and decide on the possible exercise of the Extension Clause



Publication of the press release announcing the final amount of the Offering 31 March 2023 Settlement-delivery of the New Shares



Admission of the New Shares to trading on Euronext Growth Paris

Impact of Offering on existing shareholdings

For information purposes, the impact of the issuance of the New Shares on the shareholding of a shareholder holding 1% of the Companys share capital prior to the Offering and not subscribing for the Offering would be as follows:

Shareholding (%) Undiluted basis Diluted basis2 Before issuance of the New Shares via the Offering3 1% 0.83% After issuance of 3,609,936 New Shares via the Offering 0.81% 0.67% After issuance of 2,707,452 New Shares via the Offering if limited to 75% 0.85% 0.70% After issuance of 3,864,734 New Shares via the Offering with full exercise of the Extension Clause 0.80% 0.66%

Impact of the Offering on equity

As a guideline, the impact of the issuance of the New Shares on the Companys equity (calculated on the basis of consolidated equity at 31 December 2022) would be as follows:

Undiluted basis Diluted basis4 Before issuance of the New Shares via the Offering5 5,373,163 22,724,669 After issuance of 3,609,936 New Shares via the Offering 12,845,731 30,197,237 After issuance of 2,707,452 New Shares via the Offering if limited to 75% 10,977,589 28,329,668 After issuance of 3,864,734 New Shares via the Offering with full exercise of the Extension Clause 13,373,162 30,724,668

Impact of Offering on shareholding structure

The following table shows the breakdown of capital before and after completion of the Offering based on the following assumptions: (i) no shareholder of the Company, with the exception of those who have undertaken to do so (see paragraph above entitled Subscription and underwriting commitments), exercises their PSRs and (ii) the Offering is completed in the proportion of 100% of the amount initially planned.

Before completion of the Offering After completion of the Offering Number of shares and theoretical voting rights Percentage of capital and theoretical voting rights Number of shares and theoretical voting rights Percentage of capital and theoretical voting rights BOLD Business Opportunities for LOreal Development 1,972,206 13.11% 2,445,535 13.11% Marc Delcourt 389,748 2.59% 467,042 2.50% Treasury shares 8,729 0.06% 8,729 0.05% Free float 12,670,726 84.24% 15,730,039 84.34% TOTAL 15,041,409 100% 18,651,345 100%

Risk factors

The Company notes that the risk factors relating to the Company and its business are set out in its 2022 half-year financial report and 2021 annual financial report, which are available free of charge on the Companys website (https://www.global-bioenergies.com/rapport-semestriel-2022/ and https://www.global-bioenergies.com/rapport-financier-annuel-2021/?lang=en).

The materialisation of some or all of these risks could have an adverse impact on the Companys business, financial position, results, development or outlook. The risk factors set out in the aforementioned documents are unchanged at the date of this press release.

Investors should also consider the following risks specific to the Offering:

the market for the PSRs may be characterised by limited liquidity and high volatility;

shareholders who do not exercise their PSRs will see their shareholding in the Company diluted (see Impact of Offering on existing shareholdings above);

the market price of the Companys shares could fluctuate and fall below the subscription price of the New Shares;

the volatility and liquidity of the Companys shares could fluctuate significantly;

in the event of a fall in the market price of the Companys shares, the PSRs could lose value;





The Company has a financial visibility of approximately 8 months at the date of this press release, without taking into account the expected proceeds from the completion of the Offering. Whether the Offering is 75% or 100% subscribed, the Companys visibility would be more than 12 months.

Financial intermediary

TP ICAP Midcap is acting as Global Coordinator.

Prospectus

Pursuant to the provisions of Article L. 411-2-1 1 of the French Monetary and Financial Code and Article 211-2 of the General Regulation of the Autorite des Marches Financiers (AMF), the transaction does not require the submission of a prospectus to the AMF for approval, given that the total amount of the offer calculated over a twelve-month period does not exceed 8 million.

About GLOBAL BIOENERGIES

Global Bioenergies converts plant-derived resources into compounds used in the cosmetics industry, as well as the energy and materials sectors. After launching the first long-lasting and natural make-up brand LAST in 2021, Global Bioenergies is now marketing Isonaturane 12, its key ingredient, to major cosmetics companies to improve the naturalness of their formulas whilst improving their carbon footprint. In the long run, Global Bioenergies is also aiming at cutting CO 2 emissions in the aviation and road sector and thereby curb global warming. Global Bioenergies is listed on Euronext Growth Paris (FR0011052257 - ALGBE).

Receive information about Global Bioenergies directly by subscribing to our news feed on www.global-bioenergies.com

Follow us on LinkedIn: Global Bioenergies

Contacts

GLOBAL BIOENERGIES







augmentationdecapital@global-bioenergies.com







07 70 26 36 45



PRESS RELATIONS







Iva Baytcheva

ibaytcheva@ulysse-communication.com







Nicolas Daniels

ndaniels@ulysse-communication.com





Disclaimer

This press release does not constitute an offer of sale or solicitation of a purchase offer, nor will there be any sale of ordinary shares in any State or jurisdiction where such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful in the absence of registration or approval under the securities laws of said State or jurisdiction.

The distribution of this press release may be subject to specific regulations in some countries. Persons in possession of this document are required to ascertain and comply with any local restrictions.

This press release constitutes a promotional communication and not a prospectus within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 June 2017 (as amended, the Prospectus Regulation).

Pursuant to the provisions of Article L. 411-2-1 1 of the French Monetary and Financial Code and Article 211-2 of the AMF General Regulation, the Offering does not require the submission of a prospectus to the AMF for approval, given that the total amount of the offer calculated over a twelve-month period does not exceed 8,000,000.

In the case of the Member States of the European Economic Area (other than France) and the United Kingdom (the States Concerned), no action has been or will be taken to permit a public offering of securities requiring the publication of a prospectus in any of the States Concerned. Accordingly, the securities may be and will be offered solely to (i) qualified investors within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation, in the case of any investor in a State Concerned, or within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as incorporated into domestic law under the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (the UK Prospectus Regulation), in the case of any investor in the United Kingdom, (ii) fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Regulation or UK Prospectus Regulation, as the case may be), or (iii) in accordance with the exemptions provided for in Article 1(4) of the Prospectus Regulation, or in other cases that do not require Global Bioenergies to publish a prospectus under the Prospectus Regulation, the UK Prospectus Regulation and/or the regulations applicable in these States Concerned.

This press release is not disseminated and has not been approved by an authorised person within the meaning of Section 21(1) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Accordingly, this press release is solely addressed to and intended for persons located outside the United Kingdom, (i) investment professionals within the meaning of Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended, the Order) (ii) persons referred to in Article 49(2) (a) to (d) (high net worth companies, unincorporated associations, etc.) of the Order or (iii) any other persons to whom an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activities (within the meaning of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000) in connection with the issuance or sale of any security may be lawfully disclosed or communicated (all such persons being referred to as Authorised Persons). Any invitation, offer or agreement relating to the subscription, purchase or acquisition of the securities covered by this press release may only be addressed to or entered into with Authorised Persons. All persons other than Authorised Persons shall refrain from using or relying on this press release and the information it contains.

This press release may not be published, distributed or disseminated in the United States (including its territories and possessions). This press release does not constitute an offer or solicitation to purchase, sell or subscribe for securities in the United States. The financial securities mentioned in this press release have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act) or any securities regulation applicable in any state or other jurisdiction in the United States and may not be offered or sold in the United States without registration under the Securities Act, except under an exemption scheme or in connection with a transaction not subject to registration under the Securities Act. Global Bioenergies does not intend to register the offer in whole or in part in the United States under and in accordance with the Securities Act or to make a public offering in the United States.

This press release may not be distributed, directly or indirectly, in the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa or Japan.

This press release contains information on the objectives of the Company as well as forward-looking statements. This information is not historical data and should not be interpreted as a guarantee that the stated facts and data will materialise. This information is based on data, assumptions and estimates considered reasonable by the Company. The Company cannot anticipate all the risks, uncertainties or other factors that may affect its business, their potential impact on its business or the extent to which the materialisation of any risk or combination of risks may cause results to differ significantly from those mentioned in any forward-looking statement. This information is given only as at the date of this press release. The Company makes no commitment to issue updates of this information or the assumptions on which it is based, except as may be required by any legal or regulatory obligation.

Lastly, this press release may be drawn up in French and in English. In the event of a conflict between the two versions, the French version shall prevail.

1 On the closing price on 03 March 2023 of Global Bioenergies shares on Euronext Growth Paris

2 Including the 2,394,616 warrants, 719,499 founders warrants and 65,562 bonus shares awarded by the Company at the time of the present press release

3 Calculations based on the number of shares comprising the share capital at the date of this press release, i.e. 15,041,409 shares

4 Including the 2,444,616 warrants, 661,999 founders warrants and 46,812 bonus shares awarded by the Company as at December 31st, 2022

5 Calculations based on the number of shares comprising the share capital at the date of this press release, i.e. 15,041,409 shares

Attachment




Polaris Market Research & Consulting LLP

[115+ Pages Research Study] According to Polaris Market Research, the global command and control systems market Size & share was valued at USD 34.09 Billion in 2022 and is predicted to increase at a CAGR of 6.6%, to reach USD 64.25 Billion by 2032. The advent of several next-generation technologies & systems and a significant rise in the overall military budget of countries, especially in developing regions, are major prominent factors driving market growth and demand. Some of the key players covered are Honeywell International, General Dynamics Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Leonardo S.p.A., BAE Systems, CACI International and others.

New York, NY, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Polaris Market Research has published a new research report titled Command and Control Systems Market Share, Size, Trends, Industry Analysis Report, By Platform (Land, Maritime, Space, and Airborne); By Solution; By Application; By Region; Segment Forecast, 2023 - 2032 in its research database.

According to the latest research study, the global command and control systems market size & share is anticipated to be valued at approximately USD 34.09 Billion in 2022 and is projected to hit a revenue of around USD 64.25 Billion By 2032, at a CAGR of around 6.6% between 2023 and 2032.

What are Command & Control Systems? How Big is Command & Control Systems Market?

Overview

Command and control are central in all distributed tactical operations, such as rescue and military operations. It occurs in a complex system of humans and artifacts striving to reach common goals. The rapidly rising demand for the command and control systems market can be attributed to high-precision input techniques that reduce the need for zooming and panning in touch screen systems and informative unit representations that make better use of the screen area available.

The C2 technology is extensively used in defense and commercial sectors as the command centers have the ability to bring numerous different disciplines together and establish interconnection between them to successfully perform the operations. The advent of next-generation defense technologies and a significant rise in military budgets of the countries in the Asia Pacific are some of the predominant factors attributed to the rising demand.

Story continues

Request Sample Copy of Command & Control Systems Market Research Report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/command-and-control-systems-market/request-for-sample

(The sample of this report is readily available on request. The report sample contains a brief introduction to the research report, a Table of Contents, a Graphical introduction of regional analysis, Top players in the market with their revenue analysis, and our research methodology.)

Our Sample Report May Includes:

2032 Updated Report Introduction, Overview, and In-depth industry analysis.

115+ Pages Research Report (Inclusion of Updated Research).

Provide Chapter-wise guidance on Requests.

2023 Updated Regional Analysis with Graphical Representation of Size, Share & Trends

Includes Updated List of tables & figures.

Updated Report Includes Top Market Players with their Business Strategy, Sales Volume, and Revenue Analysis.

Key data covered in the market report

Developing a comprehensive understanding of the market landscape, which includes industry structure, value chain, key players, trends, drivers, and challenges.

Drive revenue and market entry strategy by gaining insights into which segments and geographies are the largest and likely to grow the fastest.

Formulate sales and marketing strategies by understanding competitors, their positioning, and strengths and weaknesses.

Develop business and M&A strategies by the understanding latest trends and emerging players in the market.

Some of the Top Market Players Are:

Honeywell International

General Dynamics Corporation

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Leonardo S.p.A.

BAE Systems

CACI International

Rockwell Collins

Elbit Systems

Northrop Grumman Corporation

General Dynamics Corporation

L3harris Technologies

Thales Group

Rolta India

Siemens

For Additional Information on Key Players, Download a PDF Brochure: https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/command-and-control-systems-market/request-for-sample

Key factors driving market growth

Rising multinational military operations to push the market

Growing terrorist influence and incidents in the Middle East and rising multinational military operations are anticipated to fuel the growth of the C2 systems market over the forecast period. The command and control systems market size is expanding due to increasing global awareness regarding technological benefits such as situation assessment, information exchange, and operational control can escalate the demand. Moreover, rapidly evolving defense technology and growing regional conflicts are expected to boost the adoption of these systems in the defense sector.

The commercial sector is adopting C2 technologies to better manage mission-critical operations. Command and control systems market sales are soaring as the airports and manufacturing plants, power plants, oil and gas installation plants, and research labs are widely adopting these technologies for better operations and safety.

Request for a Discount on this Report Before Purchase @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/command-and-control-systems-market/request-for-discount-pricing

Recent trends influencing the market

Rising demand for the space-based command to drive the market

Market revenue growth is primarily driven by factors such as rising demand for space-based command and control facilities for improved connectivity and mission support, increasing modernization of established military facilities and defense systems, and a growing need for interoperability between security technologies.

Technological advancements in command and control systems, such as increasing use of the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, and cloud computing incorporated in C2 systems for making strategic decisions and carrying out military operations, are expected to drive revenue growth of the market.

Segmentation assessment

The land segment dominated the market

Based on the platform, the land segment accounted for the largest market share. Command and control systems market demand is on the rise due to the increasing number of programs associated with military modernization and the procurement of various advanced and innovative defense systems by defense forces worldwide.

The software segment is expected to register the fastest growth

Based on the solution, the software segment is expected to register the fastest growth. Command and control systems market trends include its ability to enable the efficient functioning of intelligence sensors, GPS, and much other software used across command centers. Additionally, the software for command and control centers is easily adaptable and scalable as well to communicate with a variety of external systems in a seamless information flow and could be easily integrated with the database maintained by the government, such as GPS, maps, passports, unified IDs, prison systems, fire departments, and criminal database.

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Command & Control Systems Market: Report Scope

Report Attribute Details Revenue forecast in 2032 USD 64.25 Billion Market size value in 2023 USD 36.21 Billion Expected CAGR Growth 6.6% from 2023  2032 Base Year 2022 Forecast Year 2023  2032 Top Market Players Honeywell International Inc., General Dynamics Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Leonardo S.p.A., BAE Systems, CACI International Inc., Rockwell Collins, Elbit Systems Ltd., Northrop Grumman Corporation, General Dynamics Corporation, L3harris Technologies, Thales Group, Rolta India Ltd., and Siemens AG. Segments Covered By Platform, By Solution, By Application, By Region Customization Options Customized purchase options are available to meet any research needs. Explore customized purchase options

Geographic Overview

Rapidly surging technological developments to propel the North American market

North America held the largest command and control systems market share due to rapidly surging technological developments, and a high concentration of major C2 system providers along with the numerous collaborative multinational military operations implied by the US government in the Middle Eastern regions are key factors contributing to the growth of the regional market.

Asia Pacific region is likely to show remarkable growth during the anticipated period, mainly attributed to an increase in defense expenditure and growth in military modernization and development programs by countries such as India, China, and Indonesia.

Browse the Detail Report Command and Control Systems Market Share, Size, Trends, Industry Analysis Report, By Platform (Land, Maritime, Space, and Airborne); By Solution; By Application; By Region; Segment Forecast, 2023 - 2032 with in-depth TOC: https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/command-and-control-systems-market

For Additional Information OR Media Enquiry, Please Mail At: sales@polarismarketresearch.com

Recent Developments

In October 2022, Leonardo introduced the DSS-IRST system at the Euronaval, developed to provide the larger naval units such as Italian Navys Trieste & Pattugliatori Polivalenti dAltrura along with its robust, established facilities.

In August 2022, Lockheed Martin Australia announced its partnership with Royal Australian Air Force & the Defense Science and Technology Group for the purpose of testing a new military control and command training system that leverages artificial intelligence to support rapid decision-making at tactical levels.

Polaris Market Research has segmented the command and control systems market report based on platform, solution, application, and region:

By Platform Outlook

Land

Maritime

Space

Airborne

By Solution Outlook

Hardware

Software

Services

By Application Outlook

Defense

Commercial

By Region Outlook

North America (U.S., Canada)

Europe (France, Germany, UK, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Russia)

Asia Pacific (Japan, China, India, Malaysia, Indonesia. South Korea)

Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina)

Middle East & Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Israel, South Africa)

Browse More Related Reports:

Ground Support Equipment Market: https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/ground-support-equipment-market

Special Mission Aircraft Market: https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/special-mission-aircraft-market

Airborne SATCOM Market: https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/airborne-satcom-market

Remote Towers Market: https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/remote-towers-market

Space Electronics Market: https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/space-electronics-market

About Polaris Market Research

Polaris Market Research is a global market research and consulting company. The company specializes in providing exceptional market intelligence and in-depth business research services for PMRs clientele spread across different enterprises. We at Polaris are obliged to serve PMRs diverse customer base present across the industries of healthcare, technology, semiconductors, and chemicals among various other industries present around the world. We strive to provide PMRs customers with updated information on innovative technologies, high-growth markets, emerging business environments, and the latest business-centric applications, thereby helping them always to make informed decisions and leverage new opportunities. Adept with a highly competent, experienced, and extremely qualified team of experts comprising SMEs, analysts, and consultants, we at Polaris endeavor to deliver value-added business solutions to PMRs customers.

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Laman Ismayilova

With its awe-inspiring natural wonders, Lankaran gets ready to welcome book lovers on March 10-12.

The book fair is co-organized by the Culture Ministry, Lankaran Executive Power and the Association of Publishing Houses at Heydar Aliyev Center in Lankaran, Azernews reports.

Here book enthusiasts have a chance to enjoy book presentations, autograph sessions, concerts, poetry evenings, Fairy Tale Hour and master classes. Various books will be available for purchase at the exhibition, many of which are discounted.

Moreover, book lovers will meet with famous writers Elxan Elatly, Rovshan Abdullaoglu, narrator Xazar Suleymanli, photographer Vagif Jabbarov, philosopher Mayil Yagub and other cultural figures. Noting that, entrance to the book fair will be free.

Lankaran city is known as one of the country's main cultural spots.

Over the past years, the city has hosted countless events and festivals, aimed at promoting Azerbaijani culture.

Among them are the Theater Festival, Tea, Brown rice and Citrus Fruits Festival, From Regions to regions Art Festival, etc.
Company Logo

Global Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market

Global Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market

Dublin, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market, by Vehicle Type, by Usage ), by End-user, Estimation & Forecast, 2017-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global electric two & three-wheeler market held a market value of USD 14,172.5 Million in 2021 and is estimated to reach USD 41,916.9 Million by the year 2030. The market is anticipated to register a CAGR of 12.7% during the forecast period. The market held a volume of 21,231,575.9 (thousand units) in 2021.



The rising awareness related to the energy-efficient modes of transport is directly boosting the growth rate of this industry. Companies are involved in the usage and production of environmentally safe raw materials and components to target a more extensive customer base.

In February 2021, Electric vehicle battery startup Italvolt (Italy), announced an investment of 4 Billion euros (USD 4.9 Billion) to build a factory in Italy to meet growing demand from Europe's automotive industry.



Further to that, the increase in the number of subsidies, tax rebates offered by the government officials around the world for the purchase of electric vehicles is propelling the growth rate. For instance, the government officials in the state of Maharashtra, India declared an EV policy in 2021. Such a policy offers incentives of USD 65.50 per kilowatt-hour of battery capacity to all types of electric vehicles buyers.



On the other hand, owing to the smaller number of EV charging ports, the end user preference for electric vehicles remain questionable in many economies.

Growth Influencers:

Growing demand for energy-efficient commuting

The rising support from public as well as private organizations in support of energy efficient means of transport is propelling the growth of the market. The rising research as well as consumer awareness. An inclination of electric two and three wheelers in many countries can aid in the reduction of several issues of economy, power, environment. The consumers are preferring routes that decrease the power consumption and aid the environment and energy efficient models.

Story continues

Decreasing Price of Batteries

Regions such as European Union is pushing to boost its battery production on the continent to compete with China, currently home to around 80% of the world's lithium-ion cell manufacturing capacity, with the aim of becoming self-sufficient by 2025. Such strategies direct towards the growing need for safer and efficient components for electric vehicle production, thus creating lucrative opportunities in the near future.



Moreover, the pricing fluctuations and decrease has boosted the market growth. For instance, the price of lithium-ion battery cells declined by 97% in the last three decades. A battery with a capacity of one kilowatt-hour that cost USD 7500 in 1991 costed around USD 181 in 2018.

Segments Overview:

The global electric two & three-wheeler market is segmented into vehicle type, usage, and end user.

By Vehicle Type

2-Wheeler

Three-wheeler

The three-wheeler segment is projected to hold the highest CAGR of 16% owing to the increased sales and awareness of this vehicle type in the developing regions.

By Usage

Personal/ Private

Commercial

Passenger Carrier

Goods Carrier

The personal/ private segment is anticipated to hold an opportunity of more than USD 13,000 Million during 2022 to 2030.

By End User

Individuals (B2C)

Businesses (B2B)

Logistics Companies

Transport (Fleet Operators)

Retail & E-commerce

Utilities

Hospitality

Others

The businesses segment is expected to grow highest with a rate of 13% over the forecast period.

The global electric two & three-wheeler market report answers questions such as:

What is the market size and forecast of the global electric two & three-wheeler market?

What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 on the Global electric two & three-wheeler Market during the assessment period?

Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the assessment period in the global electric two & three-wheeler market?

What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the global electric two & three-wheeler market?

What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the global electric two & three-wheeler market?

What is the market share of the leading players in the global electric two & three-wheeler market?

What modes and strategic moves are considered favorable for entering the global electric two & three-wheeler market?

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 372 Forecast Period 2021 - 2030 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2021 $14172.5 Million Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030 $41916.9 Million Compound Annual Growth Rate 12.7% Regions Covered Global

Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1. Research Framework



Chapter 2. Research Methodology



Chapter 3. Executive Summary: Global Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market



Chapter 4. Global Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Overview



Chapter 5. Global Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis, By Vehicle Type



Chapter 6. Global Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis, By Usage



Chapter 7. Global Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis, By End-user



Chapter 8. Global Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis, By Region/ Country



Chapter 9. North America Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 10. Europe Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 11. Asia Pacific Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 12. Middle East & Africa Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 13. South America Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 14. China Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 15. Japan Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 16. ASEAN Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 17. Nepal Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 18. Bangladesh Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 19. Australia & New Zealand Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 20. Sri Lanka Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 21. India Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 22. UAE Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 23. Saudi Arabia Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 24. South Africa Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 25. Ethiopia Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 26. Egypt Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 27. Turkey Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 28. Nigeria Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 29. UK Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 30. Germany Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 31. Italy Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 32. Spain Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 33. France Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 34. Poland Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 35. Russia Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 36. US Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis **



Chapter 37. Peru Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 38. Argentina Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 39. Brazil Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 40. Colombia Electric Two & Three-Wheeler Market Analysis



Chapter 41. Company Profile



A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes

Scooters India Limited

Atul Auto Limited

Chongqing Zongshen Tricycle Manufacture Co. Ltd.

Bajaj Auto Ltd.

Terra Motors Corporation

Dilli Electric

Force Motors

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd

J.S. Auto Pvt Ltd

Lohia

Kinetic Green Energy & Power Solutions Ltd

Piaggio & C.SpA

Mini Metro

Saera Electric

TVS Motor Company

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/2tyjw2

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

CONTACT: CONTACT: 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




Company Logo

Global Fuel Cell Generator Market

Global Fuel Cell Generator Market

Dublin, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Fuel Cell Generator Market Outlook by Type, End-user - Industry Revenue Estimation and Demand Forecast to 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



In 2022, the fuel cell generator market was worth around USD 330 million, and it is projected to advance at a 17.50% CAGR from 2022 to 2030, hitting USD 1,199 million in 2030, as per the report.



This development can be ascribed to several reasons, including the burgeoning need for the minimalization of CO2 emissions, easy availability of fuel cell generators, and demand for the renewable generation of energy.



Variants that Use Hydrogen Are Highest Revenue Contributors



Hydrogen fuel cell generators have the largest market share, of approximately 55%, mainly because they do not release any damaging gases. This, in turn, removes the prices associated with deploying a dedicated CCUS system. Moreover, these generators are dependable and offer 40-60% output efficiency and scalability.



Numerous nations are targeting to decrease their overall releases of CO2 to zero by 2050. This is because governments' focus has amplified on making a decarbonized future over the past few years. To accomplish this aim, the introduction of renewable sources, including solar, biomass, hydro, wind, and geothermal, is vital.



However, the production of electricity from the sun and wind has a few drawbacks, the biggest of which is the output disparities, as these technologies are reliant on weather conditions.



Fuel Cell Generator Usage in Aquaculture To Grow at Highest Rate



Aquaculture will be the fastest-growing end user, witnessing a CAGR of approximately 19.2%, credited to the increasing aquaculture activities and strong ecological impact ascribed to it due to the high-volume consumption of electricity and water.



Thus, to lessen the environmental effects, governments have taken numerous steps for utilizing fuel-cell-based generators as an alternative to diesel generators.



As per the estimates of the NOAA, the aquaculture sector in the U.S. generates USD 1.5 billion every year and supports 1.7 million people engaged in fisheries.



North America Is Leading the Way in Fuel Cell Generator Usage



North America is dominating the industry, and it is projected to continue with the dominance throughout the decade. This can be ascribed to the acceptance of clean sources for generating heat and electricity.



In North America, the U.S. is leading the market, and it will develop with a CAGR of 18.1%, credited to the solid economic support of the government and the private sector.



The growth in the usage of renewable sources and snowballing electricity needs from the aquaculture and data centers industries are the major factors that will boost the industry in the future.





Story continues

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 160 Forecast Period 2022 - 2030 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2022 $330 Million Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030 $1199 Million Compound Annual Growth Rate 17.5% Regions Covered Global

Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1. Research Scope



Chapter 2. Research Methodology

Chapter 3. Executive Summary



Chapter 4. Voice of Industry Experts/KOLs



Chapter 5. Market Indicators



Chapter 6. Industry Outlook



Chapter 7. Global Market

7.1. Overview

7.2. Market Volume, by Type (2017-2030)

7.3. Market Revenue, by Type (2017-2030)

7.4. Market Revenue, by End-user (2017-2030)

7.5. Market Volume, by Region (2017-2030)

7.6. Market Revenue, by Region (2017-2030)



Chapter 8. North America Market



Chapter 9. Europe Market



Chapter 10. APAC Market



Chapter 11. LATAM Market



Chapter 12. MEA Market



Chapter 13. Competitive Landscape



Chapter 14. Company Profiles



Chapter 15. Appendix



Companies Mentioned

Bloom Energy Corporation

Doosan Fuel Cell Co. Ltd.

PowerCell Sweden AB

Proton Motor Power Systems PLC

Nedstack Fuel Cell Technology BV

Panasonic Holdings Corporation

Siemens Energy

Toyota Motor Corporation

Ballard Power Systems Inc.

Teco 2030 ASA

Cummins Inc.

ABB Ltd.

Powerup Energy Technologies

Plug Power Inc.

SFC Energy AG

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/fhir2e

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

CONTACT: CONTACT: 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




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Dublin, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Pharmaceutical Excipients Global Market - Forecast To 2029" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The pharmaceutical excipients global market is expected to grow at mid single-digit CAGR from 2022 to 2029 to reach $15,439.6 million by 2029. The pharmaceutical excipients market is segmented based on source, products, functionality, and dosage forms.

North America contributed the largest revenue in 2022 due to increasing demand for functional excipients, implementation of novelties like lipid nano particles, increasing usage of oral solid dosage forms, increasing incidence of chronic disorders, elderly population, and favorable reimbursement scenario for drugs.

Also, technological innovations in the manufacturing procedures of excipients have propelled the market growth in North America. Stringent cGMP regulatory guidelines have resulted in a rising demand for high-grade excipients. In North America, the United States and Canada are the major markets observed due to its increasing investments in biopharmaceuticals, the growth in the demand for customized products, and advancements in multifunctional excipients in the market.

Excipients manufacturers in developing countries face major challenges to develop a product with quality at an affordable price, due to the lower price of excipients and a large number of producers, which creates a price-sensitive market. Some manufacturers may compromise the quality of the product to keep prices low and boost sales, while some of the manufacturers having a larger market for their products, can sell their higher volume excipients at a slightly lower price. Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing segment and is expected to grow at high single digit CAGR from 2022 to 2029.

Even though excipients are considered an essential component and have a major role in the drug delivery system, the lack of specific regulations, standardized tests, protocols, and guidelines is affecting the quality evaluation of excipients. Excipient manufacturers should follow WHO initiatives (GTDP, GMP), ICH Q3D, ICH Q1B, QBD requirements, PDG monograph harmonization, Good pharmacopeia practices, US FDA FDASIA, Title VII, E-DMF, and EU FMD.

Story continues

These regulations are compelling pharmaceutical manufacturers to develop a quality product by adopting various standard testing methods. EXCiPACT is a pharmaceutical excipients certification scheme to provide independent third-party certification of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors of pharmaceutical excipients worldwide. EXiPACT certification enables to demonstrate that operations meet the minimum Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and/or Good Distribution Practice (GDP) requirements for excipients.

Presently, there is demand for the development of novel excipients with technological advancements like new chemical entity excipients, new chemically modified grade excipients, and existing excipients with the various route of administration and co-processed excipients.

These novel excipients increase the scope for the development of new formulations and drug delivery systems which are a major gain for the industry, but the high cost and lengthy developmental process along with the safety and quality issues are delaying the excipients approval. Combinational excipients are mostly preferred by the manufacturers as the single excipients do not meet all the functional requirements such as high solubility, stability, and bioavailability.

The pharmaceutical excipients global market is highly competitive hence all the existing players in this market are involved in developing new and advanced therapeutics to maintain their market shares.

Some of the key players

Associated British Foods, plc (Spi Pharma)

Basf Se

Croda International, plc

Dow Chemical

Dupont De Nemours, Inc

Evonik Industries, Ag

Friesland Campina Germany Gmbh(Dfe Pharma)

International Flavors & Fragrances, Inc.

Kerry Group

1 Executive Summary

2 Introduction

2.1 Key Takeaways

2.2 Scope of the Report

2.3 Report Description

2.4 Markets Covered

2.5 Stakeholders

2.6 Research Methodology

3 Market Analysis

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Market Segmentation

3.3 Factors Influencing Market

3.3.1 Drivers and Opportunities

3.3.1.1 Growth in Generics and Biosimilar Drugs

3.3.1.2 Increasing Demand for Oral Solid Dosage Form (Osdf) Excipients

3.3.1.3 Increasing Demand for Multifunctional Excipients

3.3.1.4 Drug-Coated Medical Devices

3.3.1.5 Increasing Demand for Solubility-Enhancing Excipients

3.3.1.6 Rising Demand for Sustained or Controlled-Release Formulations

3.3.1.7 Increasing Prevalence of Chronic Diseases, Rise in the Aging Population

3.3.2 Restraints and Threats

3.3.2.1 Adverse Reactions of Excipients

3.3.2.2 Contamination in Formulations

3.3.2.3 Supply Chain Issues and Geopolitical Scenarios Impacting the Market

3.3.2.4 Challenges in Excipients Innovation

3.4 Regulatory Affairs

3.5 Porter's Five Force Analysis

3.6 Supply Chain Analysis

3.7 Market Share Analysis by Major Players

3.7.1 Pharmaceutical Excipients Global Market Share Analysis

3.8 Novel Excipients

3.9 Polymer-Based Excipients

3.10 Lipid-Based Excipients

3.11 Carboxymethyl Cellulose (Cmc) Production from Lignocellulosic Corn Agro-Waste

3.12 Contamination in Excipients

3.12.1 (N-Nitrosodimethylamine)Ndma Contamination in Medicines

3.12.2 Phthalate Excipients

3.13 Changing Landscape of the Excipients Market

3.14 Pharmaceutical Excipients-Funding Scenario

3.15 Pharmaceutical Excipients-Acquisition

3.16 Molecule Type

3.17 Drug Master Filing (Dmf)

3.18 Excipients Based on Molecule Type

3.19 Excipients Pricing

3.20 Global Pharmaceutical Excipients Production Volume

3.21 Excipients Used in the Global Top 115 Selling Drugs Based on Revenue

3.22 Excipient Manufacturer's Revenue, Product, Functionality and Dosage Forms

4 Pharmaceutical Excipients Global Market, Based on Source

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Animal-Based Excipients

4.3 Plant-Based Excipients

4.4 Mineral-Based Excipients

4.5 Synthetic-Based Excipients

5 Pharmaceutical Excipients Global Market, Based on Product

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Inorganic Excipients

5.2.1 Calcium Salt Excipients

5.2.2 Halite Excipients

5.2.3 Metallic Oxide Excipients

5.2.4 Silicate Excipients

5.2.5 Other Inorganic Chemical Excipients

5.3 Organic Chemical Excipients

5.3.1 Carbohydrate Excipients

5.3.1.1 Sugar Excipients

5.3.1.2 Starch Excipients

5.3.1.3 Cellulose Excipients

5.3.2 Petrochemical Excipients

5.3.2.1 Glycol Excipients

5.3.2.2 Povidone Excipients

5.3.2.3 Mineral Hydrocarbon Excipients

5.3.2.4 Acrylic Polymer Excipients

5.3.2.5 Other Petrochemical Excipients

5.3.3 Oleochemical Excipients

5.3.4 Protein Excipients

5.3.5 Other Organic Chemical Excipients

5.4 Other Excipients

5.4.1 Water for Injection

5.4.2 Purified Water Excipient

6 Pharmaceutical Excipients Global Market, Based on Functionality

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Preservative Excipients

6.3 Solvent Excipients

6.4 Binder & Adhesive Excipients

6.5 Filler & Diluent Excipients

6.6 Suspending Agent Excipients

6.7 Coating Excipients

6.8 Solubilizer Excipients

6.9 Disintegrant Excipients

6.10 Colorant, Flavoring & Sweetener Excipients

6.11 Lubricant & Glidant Excipients

6.12 Other Excipients

7 Pharmaceutical Excipients Global Market, Based on Dosage Forms

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Solid Dosage Forms

7.2.1 Solid Dosage Form Global Market, Based on Manufacturing Process

7.2.1.1 Introduction

7.2.1.2 Granulation

7.2.1.3 Direct Compression

7.3 Injectables

7.4 Semisolids and Other Dosage Forms

8 Regional Analysis

8.1 Introduction

8.2 North America

8.2.1 U.S.

8.2.2 Rest of North America

8.3 Europe

8.3.1 Germany

8.3.2 France

8.3.3 Italy

8.3.4 Rest of Europe

8.4 APAC

8.4.1 China

8.4.2 India

8.4.3 Japan

8.4.4 Rest of APAC

8.5 RoW

8.5.1 Brazil

8.5.2 Rest of Latam

8.5.3 Middle East & Others

9 Major Companies

9.1 Overview

9.2 Financials

9.3 Product Portfolio

9.4 Key Developments

9.5 Business Strategy

9.6 SWOT Analysis



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/60nbog

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DUBLIN, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Pharmaceutical Excipients Global Market - Forecast To 2029" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Research and Markets Logo

The pharmaceutical excipients global market is expected to grow at mid single-digit CAGR from 2022 to 2029 to reach $15,439.6 million by 2029. The pharmaceutical excipients market is segmented based on source, products, functionality, and dosage forms.

North America contributed the largest revenue in 2022 due to increasing demand for functional excipients, implementation of novelties like lipid nano particles, increasing usage of oral solid dosage forms, increasing incidence of chronic disorders, elderly population, and favorable reimbursement scenario for drugs.

Also, technological innovations in the manufacturing procedures of excipients have propelled the market growth in North America. Stringent cGMP regulatory guidelines have resulted in a rising demand for high-grade excipients. In North America, the United States and Canada are the major markets observed due to its increasing investments in biopharmaceuticals, the growth in the demand for customized products, and advancements in multifunctional excipients in the market.

Excipients manufacturers in developing countries face major challenges to develop a product with quality at an affordable price, due to the lower price of excipients and a large number of producers, which creates a price-sensitive market. Some manufacturers may compromise the quality of the product to keep prices low and boost sales, while some of the manufacturers having a larger market for their products, can sell their higher volume excipients at a slightly lower price. Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing segment and is expected to grow at high single digit CAGR from 2022 to 2029.

Even though excipients are considered an essential component and have a major role in the drug delivery system, the lack of specific regulations, standardized tests, protocols, and guidelines is affecting the quality evaluation of excipients. Excipient manufacturers should follow WHO initiatives (GTDP, GMP), ICH Q3D, ICH Q1B, QBD requirements, PDG monograph harmonization, Good pharmacopeia practices, US FDA FDASIA, Title VII, E-DMF, and EU FMD.

Story continues

These regulations are compelling pharmaceutical manufacturers to develop a quality product by adopting various standard testing methods. EXCiPACT is a pharmaceutical excipients certification scheme to provide independent third-party certification of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors of pharmaceutical excipients worldwide. EXiPACT certification enables to demonstrate that operations meet the minimum Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and/or Good Distribution Practice (GDP) requirements for excipients.

Presently, there is demand for the development of novel excipients with technological advancements like new chemical entity excipients, new chemically modified grade excipients, and existing excipients with the various route of administration and co-processed excipients.

These novel excipients increase the scope for the development of new formulations and drug delivery systems which are a major gain for the industry, but the high cost and lengthy developmental process along with the safety and quality issues are delaying the excipients approval. Combinational excipients are mostly preferred by the manufacturers as the single excipients do not meet all the functional requirements such as high solubility, stability, and bioavailability.

The pharmaceutical excipients global market is highly competitive hence all the existing players in this market are involved in developing new and advanced therapeutics to maintain their market shares.

Some of the key players

Associated British Foods, plc (Spi Pharma)

Basf Se

Croda International, plc

Dow Chemical

Dupont De Nemours, Inc

Evonik Industries, Ag

Friesland Campina Germany Gmbh(Dfe Pharma)

International Flavors & Fragrances, Inc.

Kerry Group

1 Executive Summary

2 Introduction

2.1 Key Takeaways

2.2 Scope of the Report

2.3 Report Description

2.4 Markets Covered

2.5 Stakeholders

2.6 Research Methodology

3 Market Analysis

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Market Segmentation

3.3 Factors Influencing Market

3.3.1 Drivers and Opportunities

3.3.1.1 Growth in Generics and Biosimilar Drugs

3.3.1.2 Increasing Demand for Oral Solid Dosage Form (Osdf) Excipients

3.3.1.3 Increasing Demand for Multifunctional Excipients

3.3.1.4 Drug-Coated Medical Devices

3.3.1.5 Increasing Demand for Solubility-Enhancing Excipients

3.3.1.6 Rising Demand for Sustained or Controlled-Release Formulations

3.3.1.7 Increasing Prevalence of Chronic Diseases, Rise in the Aging Population

3.3.2 Restraints and Threats

3.3.2.1 Adverse Reactions of Excipients

3.3.2.2 Contamination in Formulations

3.3.2.3 Supply Chain Issues and Geopolitical Scenarios Impacting the Market

3.3.2.4 Challenges in Excipients Innovation

3.4 Regulatory Affairs

3.5 Porter's Five Force Analysis

3.6 Supply Chain Analysis

3.7 Market Share Analysis by Major Players

3.7.1 Pharmaceutical Excipients Global Market Share Analysis

3.8 Novel Excipients

3.9 Polymer-Based Excipients

3.10 Lipid-Based Excipients

3.11 Carboxymethyl Cellulose (Cmc) Production from Lignocellulosic Corn Agro-Waste

3.12 Contamination in Excipients

3.12.1 (N-Nitrosodimethylamine)Ndma Contamination in Medicines

3.12.2 Phthalate Excipients

3.13 Changing Landscape of the Excipients Market

3.14 Pharmaceutical Excipients-Funding Scenario

3.15 Pharmaceutical Excipients-Acquisition

3.16 Molecule Type

3.17 Drug Master Filing (Dmf)

3.18 Excipients Based on Molecule Type

3.19 Excipients Pricing

3.20 Global Pharmaceutical Excipients Production Volume

3.21 Excipients Used in the Global Top 115 Selling Drugs Based on Revenue

3.22 Excipient Manufacturer's Revenue, Product, Functionality and Dosage Forms

4 Pharmaceutical Excipients Global Market, Based on Source

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Animal-Based Excipients

4.3 Plant-Based Excipients

4.4 Mineral-Based Excipients

4.5 Synthetic-Based Excipients

5 Pharmaceutical Excipients Global Market, Based on Product

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Inorganic Excipients

5.2.1 Calcium Salt Excipients

5.2.2 Halite Excipients

5.2.3 Metallic Oxide Excipients

5.2.4 Silicate Excipients

5.2.5 Other Inorganic Chemical Excipients

5.3 Organic Chemical Excipients

5.3.1 Carbohydrate Excipients

5.3.1.1 Sugar Excipients

5.3.1.2 Starch Excipients

5.3.1.3 Cellulose Excipients

5.3.2 Petrochemical Excipients

5.3.2.1 Glycol Excipients

5.3.2.2 Povidone Excipients

5.3.2.3 Mineral Hydrocarbon Excipients

5.3.2.4 Acrylic Polymer Excipients

5.3.2.5 Other Petrochemical Excipients

5.3.3 Oleochemical Excipients

5.3.4 Protein Excipients

5.3.5 Other Organic Chemical Excipients

5.4 Other Excipients

5.4.1 Water for Injection

5.4.2 Purified Water Excipient

6 Pharmaceutical Excipients Global Market, Based on Functionality

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Preservative Excipients

6.3 Solvent Excipients

6.4 Binder & Adhesive Excipients

6.5 Filler & Diluent Excipients

6.6 Suspending Agent Excipients

6.7 Coating Excipients

6.8 Solubilizer Excipients

6.9 Disintegrant Excipients

6.10 Colorant, Flavoring & Sweetener Excipients

6.11 Lubricant & Glidant Excipients

6.12 Other Excipients

7 Pharmaceutical Excipients Global Market, Based on Dosage Forms

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Solid Dosage Forms

7.2.1 Solid Dosage Form Global Market, Based on Manufacturing Process

7.2.1.1 Introduction

7.2.1.2 Granulation

7.2.1.3 Direct Compression

7.3 Injectables

7.4 Semisolids and Other Dosage Forms

8 Regional Analysis

8.1 Introduction

8.2 North America

8.2.1 U.S.

8.2.2 Rest of North America

8.3 Europe

8.3.1 Germany

8.3.2 France

8.3.3 Italy

8.3.4 Rest of Europe

8.4 APAC

8.4.1 China

8.4.2 India

8.4.3 Japan

8.4.4 Rest of APAC

8.5 RoW

8.5.1 Brazil

8.5.2 Rest of Latam

8.5.3 Middle East & Others

9 Major Companies

9.1 Overview

9.2 Financials

9.3 Product Portfolio

9.4 Key Developments

9.5 Business Strategy

9.6 SWOT Analysis



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/mz9584

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SOURCE Research and Markets
SPHERICAL INSIGHTS LLP

The Global Self-Checkout Systems Market Size was valued at USD 3.90 billion in 2021 and the worldwide self-checkout systems market is expected to reach USD 4.51 billion by 2030, According to a research report published by Spherical Insights & Consulting. Companies Covered: Diebold Nixdorf, Inc., DXC Technology, ECR Software Corporation, Fujitsu, ITAB Group, NCR Corporation, Pan-Oston Corporation, ShelfX Inc., Slabb Inc., and Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions and Others.

New York, United States , March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Global Self-Checkout Systems Market Size is to grow from USD 3.90 billion in 2021 to USD 4.51 billion by 2030, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 15.0% during the forecast period. The cost of retail space is increasing, and customer line-ups to place orders or make payments are growing longer. The shortage of skilled workers in developing nations, rising labour costs, and a penchant for individualized shopping experiences are other factors influencing market growth.

Global Economy: Recession Risk Rising Analysis and Russia-Ukraine Conflict War Impact we have added in the final premium report.

Get a Sample PDF Brochure: https://www.sphericalinsights.com/request-sample/1388

The services segment is witnessing the fastest market growth.

Based on component, the self-checkout systems market is segmented into systems and services. Among these, the services segment is witnessing the fastest market growth over the forecast period. Retailers are being influenced to use consultancy, maintenance, and motivational services by considerations such the need for efficient systems that provide flexibility in the store's front end, quicker processing, and simple system and service integration in traditional checkout systems and self-checkout. The increase in consulting and managed services is also attributed to the demand for customised solutions that take into account store layouts and the ongoing retail in-store transformation. A further factor driving the segment's growth is the demand for expert consulting services to integrate customised or modified software in the systems.

Story continues

Cashless based segment is going to witness the fastest market growth.

On the basis of type, the self-checkout system market is segmented into cash-based and cashless based. Among these, cashless based segment is going to witness the fastest market growth. During the projection period, the segment is anticipated to grow at the fastest CAGR of 14.5%. Millennials and middle-aged consumers are more inclined to use electronic payments, even though cash and paper-based transactions still predominate. The accessibility of digital payment options and the expanding trend of mobile commerce are further factors propelling the market for cashless self-checkout systems.

Browse 55 market data Tables and 60 Figures spread through 205 Pages and in-depth TOC on  Global Self-Checkout Systems Market Size , Share, and COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Component (Systems, Services), By Type (Cash Based, Cashless Based), By Application (Supermarkets & Hypermarkets, Department Stores, Convenience Stores, Others), By Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa), Analysis and Forecast 2021  2030.

Buy Now Full Report: https://www.sphericalinsights.com/checkout/1388

Convenience stores segment to witness fastest market growth.

Based on application, the self-checkout systems market is segmented into Supermarkets & Hypermarkets, Department Stores, Convenience Stores, Others. Among these, convenience stores segment to witness the fastest market growth over the forecast period. Convenience stores are using more modern and complex self-service technologies to offer seamless client service around-the-clock. A large number of shoppers frequent department shops because of the wide variety of products that are available in various departments. To increase customer happiness and enhance the shopping experience, department stores are heavily investing in in-store transformation. Additionally, the availability of more expansive floor space and the requirement to offer consumers efficient checkouts are accelerating the use of self-checkout systems. However, the demand for self-checkout systems is anticipated to increase steadily in light of the department shops' diminishing revenues.

COVID-19 Impact & Analysis

The COVID-19 pandemic had a huge effect on the world economy. Governments all around the world were compelled to adopt many preventative measures as a result of the spread of COVID-19. Numerous merchants adopted business modelsfrom zero-touch procedures to remote workingat a higher rate. These actions paved the way for commercial expansion while also posing obstacles. Additionally, the shortage of workers in retail stores encouraged customers to self-serve their purchases, choosing the items they needed without the assistance of a salesperson who could have explained the specifics of each item. However, due to the suspension of activities, it was difficult for the vendors to source raw materials and components across borders. Due to the suspension of travel and transportation during the lockdown period, the supply of components was interrupted because the majority of suppliers were centred in China and other Asia Pacific nations.

Inquire Before Buying This Research Report: https://www.sphericalinsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/1388

Asia-Pacific to hold a higher CAGR during the forecast period.

The Global self-checkout systems market has been segmented into five major regions: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, The Middle East and Africa. North America is estimated to account for the highest market share in 2022. The presence of several grocery and supermarket chains as well as the growing retail in-store transformation are driving the area market's expansion. Self-checkout systems are being used more frequently in American and Canadian supermarkets and hypermarkets, which has contributed to the growth of the regional category. Employee demand for a better pay range is the key reason for the unfilled employment gap in the United States. As the demand for workers at a competitive wage scale rises, self-checkout systems are becoming more and more common in all types of physical stores.

Competitive Analysis:

The report offers the appropriate analysis of the key organizations/companies involved within the global market along with a comparative evaluation primarily based on their product offering, business overviews, geographic presence, enterprise strategies, segment market share, and SWOT analysis. The report also provides an elaborative analysis focusing on the current news and developments of the companies, which includes product development, innovations, joint ventures, partnerships, mergers & acquisitions, strategic alliances, and others. This allows for the evaluation of the overall competition within the market. Major vendors in the Global self-checkout systems Market size: Diebold Nixdorf, Inc., DXC Technology, ECR Software Corporation, Fujitsu, ITAB Group, NCR Corporation, Pan-Oston Corporation, ShelfX Inc., Slabb Inc., and Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions.

About the Spherical Insights & Consulting

Spherical Insights & Consulting is a market research and consulting firm which provides actionable market research study, quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight especially designed for decision makers and aids ROI.

Which is catering to different industry such as financial sectors, industrial sectors, government organizations, universities, non-profits and corporations. The company's mission is to work with businesses to achieve business objectives and maintain strategic improvements.

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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / Golden Spike Resources Corp. (CSE:GLDS) ("Golden Spike" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has received full analytical results from a program of soil sampling at the Vein Zone target, located in the northern portion of the Gregory River Copper-Gold property (the "Property") in western Newfoundland. In addition, the Company has also received all required Government of Newfoundland and Labrador permits to initiate the 2023 exploration program.

Highlights:

Soil results reveal several westerly-trending, multi-element anomalies with copper, zinc, gold, cobalt and arsenic values.

The linear soil anomalies overlap with, or occur adjacent to, the locations of known veins at the Court A, B, and C prospects, but also continue for more than one kilometre along strike over areas with no previous documented exploration.

The soil survey also reveals additional multi-element anomalies providing compelling exploration targets for new veins.

Golden Spike's President and CEO, Keith Anderson commented,

"We are excited to receive the results from our initial soil sampling program at our 100%-controlled Gregory River Property. These wide-spaced soil samples were initially collected to test the effectiveness of soil surveying over the Vein Zone and the results are very encouraging. Not only did the soil survey results provide anomalous geochemical responses near each of the known vein occurrences, but these anomalies continue for more than one kilometre along strike providing strong exploration targets for vein-style mineralization. The survey also identified several new prospective trends between the known veins, in areas with no previous documented exploration. With all exploration permits now in hand, we look forward to fine-tuning our exploration program and initiating field work for an exciting 2023 field season."

2022 Soil Sampling Program

During late 2022, the Company completed a program of wide-spaced soil sampling over an approximate 1.6-kilometre by 2.0-kilometre grid at the Vein Zone (Figure 1). The survey comprised of 203 samples, collected at 200-metre line spacing and 50-metre sample spacing, targeting the B-horizon soil layer. Due to difficult weather conditions and the boggy terrain overlying much of the Vein Zone, several of the proposed soil sample locations were not successfully collected leaving occasional data gaps in the grid (Figure 2). During the upcoming 2023 field exploration program an attempt will be made to collect additional samples in some of the gaps. In addition, in-fill sampling will be completed in selected areas of the Vein Zone to provide better resolution of the soil anomalies to help determine potential drill targets. The soil grid over the Steep Brook VMS target (Figure 1), which was not completed during 2022 due to poor weather conditions, will also be initiated.

Story continues

The range of analytical values received for each significant element from the Vein Zone soil survey are as follows:

Copper: 6 - 1,040 ppm

Zinc: 20 - 412 ppm

Gold: <5 - 74 ppb

Arsenic: 3 - 329 ppm

Cobalt: 7 - 103 ppm

Contoured soil results for copper show several 50- to 150-metre-wide anomalies (>90 ppm copper) that can be traced intermittently for more than a kilometre along north-northwest to south-southwest trending directions. Higher grade cores (>150 ppm copper) occur in many of the anomalies with copper grades as high as 1,040 ppm. Other significant elements, including zinc, gold, arsenic and cobalt, show similar trends. The contoured soil copper values from the Vein Zone are shown on Figure 2.

The majority of the Vein Zone is covered with post mineral cover, composed of till and soil layers covered with low bushes, grass and moss. Rock outcrops are rare and mostly found in eroded creek beds. Exposures of the vein mineralization are only found at a few locations and mostly occur as one to two-metre-wide, and locally up to five-metre-wide quartz veins and structurally controlled stockwork zones. The northwest to southwest trending veins are hosted predominantly in basalt and gabbro and mineralized with varying amounts of pyrite, chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite and minor bornite and sphalerite. The analytical results from the soil sampling appears to reflect the mineralogy from the veins and are therefore provides an effective exploration technique to trace the potential strike extension of the veins below the overburden.

During 2023 the Company plans to further explore the VMS targets and the vein zone through additional soil sampling, mapping, sampling, trenching, geophysics and diamond drilling.

Exploration Permits

Golden Spike is pleased to announce the receipt of surface exploration permits for the 2023 field season from the Department of Natural Resources, Newfoundland and Labrador. The exploration permit applies to surface fieldwork, including geochemical surveys, ground geophysics, camp establishment, access trail improvements and diamond drilling.

Figure 1: Property and Target Location Map

Figure 2: Copper Soil Sampling Results - Vein Zone

QA/QC and Qualified Person

The Company retained the services of Planet X Exploration Services Ltd., based out of Gander, Newfoundland, to complete the soil sampling survey. All soil samples were submitted to Eastern Analytical, where they were analysed for gold by a 30-gram fire assay and a 34 -element ICP-OES package, using a 4-acid digestion. Samples that were over the upper detection limits for copper, zinc, silver and cobalt were further analysed by atomic absorption, using a 3-acid digestion. The Company follows a rigorous quality assurance/quality control (QAQC) program for the sampling programs that includes the regular insertion of standards, blanks and duplicates into the sample stream.

The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved for disclosure by Mr. Robert Cinits, P.Geo, a director of the Company and a "Qualified Person" within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

About Golden Spike

Golden Spike Resources Corp. (CSE:GLDS) is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on identifying, acquiring and unlocking value in mineral opportunities in Canada and other low-risk jurisdictions. The Company currently holds the rights to acquire 100% interest in the 3,425-hectare Gregory River Property in Newfoundland, strategically centered over an approximate 11-kilometer-long stretch of the Gregory River VMS-belt, a north-northeast trending corridor of very prospective ground with potential to host Cyprus-type polymetallic VMS deposits. In addition, the Property hosts a cluster of historically explored, high-grade, copper gold vein structures.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Keith Anderson

Golden Spike Resources Corp.

830 - 1100 Melville St.,

Vancouver, BC, V6E 4A6

+1 (604) 786-7774

info@goldenspikeresources.com

www.goldenspikeresources.com

"Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE") nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release."

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release may contain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All information contained herein that is not historical in nature may constitute forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements herein include but are not limited to statements relating to the prospects for development of the Company's mineral properties, and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to business, market and economic risks, uncertainties and contingencies that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

SOURCE: Golden Spike Resources Corp.





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/742008/Golden-Spike-Announces-Soil-Sampling-Results-and-Receipt-of-Exploration-Permits




Golden Tag Resources Ltd.

NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES

TORONTO, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Golden Tag Resources Ltd. (Golden Tag or the Company) (TSX.V: GOG) is pleased to announce its intention to complete a non-brokered private placement financing of subscription receipts (each a Subscription Receipt) for gross proceeds of CAD$9.0 million (the Offering).

This Offering is being completed in connection with the previously announced acquisition (the Transaction) of the La Parrilla Silver Mine Complex in Durango State, Mexico (La Parrilla) (as more fully described in the press release dated December 7, 2022 available at www.SEDAR.com).

The Offering

Pursuant to the Offering, the Company intends to issue 45,000,000 Subscription Receipts at a price of CAD$0.20 per Subscription Receipt. Each Subscription Receipt will entitle the holder thereof to receive one unit of the Company (a Unit) pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Subscription Receipt Agreement (as defined below). Each Unit will be comprised of one common share of the Company (a Common Share) and one-half of one Common Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a Warrant). Each whole Warrant shall be exercisable to acquire one Common Share at a price of CAD$0.34 per Common Share (in accordance with TSXV Corporate Finance Policy 4.1) for a period of 36 months from the date of the exchange of the Subscription Receipts.

As part of the Offering, First Majestic Silver Corp. (FMS) will subscribe for US$2.7 million of Subscription Receipts.

Subscription Receipt Agreement

The Subscription Receipts will be created and issued pursuant to the terms of a subscription receipt agreement (the Subscription Receipt Agreement) to be entered into between a subscription receipt agent and the Company. The Escrow Release Conditions will be set forth in the Subscription Receipt Agreement and will provide that if the Escrow Release Conditions are not satisfied on or before the Release Deadline, then the Subscription Receipts shall be cancelled and the subscription receipt agent shall distribute the escrowed funds to the holders of the Subscription Receipts, together with their pro rata share of interest earned thereon.

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The gross proceeds from the sale of the Subscription Receipts will be held in escrow pending satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions, including all conditions to the closing of the Transaction (the Escrow Release Conditions). Upon satisfaction or waiver (as applicable) of the Escrow Release Conditions on or prior to 5:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on August 15, 2023, or such later date as may be determined in accordance with the Subscription Receipt Agreement (the Release Deadline) each Subscription Receipt will be exchanged for one Unit (subject to adjustment in certain events). The Transaction remains subject to a number of conditions, including, but not limited to: (i) the approval of the Companys shareholders as a result of the Transaction creating a new control person; (ii) the receipt of all necessary consents, approvals and authorizations (including approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the TSXV) and the Mexican Antitrust Commission) for the Transaction; (iii) the completion of the Offering for gross proceeds of CAD$9.0 million; and (iv) other conditions which are customary for a transaction of this type.

Other Information Regarding the Offering

The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering to fund drilling and exploration programs at La Parrilla, holding costs, technical work for restart, transaction costs and for working capital and general corporate purposes.

The Subscription Receipts will be offered by way of private placement pursuant to exemptions from prospectus requirements under applicable securities laws. The securities issued and issuable pursuant to the Offering will be subject to a four month and one-day hold period from the date of closing.

The Company may pay finders fees in cash or securities, or a combination of both, as permitted by the policies of the TSXV.

The closing of the Offering is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the completion of documentation and the receipt of all necessary regulatory and other approvals, including the approval of the TSXV.

The securities offered have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or applicable state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold to persons in the United States absent registration or an exemption from such registration requirements. 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 the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About Golden Tag Resources

Golden Tag Resources Ltd. is a Toronto based mineral resource exploration company. The Company holds a 100% interest, subject to a 2% NSR, in the San Diego Project, in Durango, Mexico. The San Diego property is among the largest undeveloped silver assets in Mexico and is located within the prolific Velardena Mining District. Velardena hosts several mines having produced silver, zinc, lead and gold for over 100 years. For more information regarding the San Diego property please visit our website at www.goldentag.ca.

For additional information, please contact:

Greg McKenzie, President & CEO

Ph: 416-504-2024

greg.mckenzie@goldentag.ca

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 news release.

TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements:

Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements are within the meaning of the phrase forward-looking information in the Canadian Securities Administrators National Instrument 51-102  Continuous Disclosure Obligations. Forward-looking statements are not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Companys future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as believes, anticipates, expects, estimates, may, could, would, will, or plan. Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to the Company, the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet managements expectations. Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the completion of Transaction and the Offering on the terms described herein (or if at all), the ability to obtain requisite corporate and regulatory approvals, including, but not limited to, the approval from the TSXV for the Transaction and the Offering, the subscription of FMS under the Offering, the Companys use of the net proceeds of the Offering, and the payment of a finders fee in connection with the Offering.

In making the forward-looking statements included in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including that the Companys financial condition and development plans do not change because of unforeseen events, that future metal prices and the demand and market outlook for metals will remain stable or improve, managements ability to execute its business strategy, the receipt of all necessary approvals, the satisfaction of all closing conditions of the Transaction, the closing of the Offering, and no unexpected or adverse regulatory changes with respect to La Parrilla. Forward-looking statements and information are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the ability of the Company to control or predict, that may cause the Companys actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied thereby, and are developed based on assumptions about such risks, uncertainties and other factors set out herein, including, but not limited to, the risk that the Company is not able to complete the Transaction or the Offering on the terms anticipated by the Company (or at all), the risk that the Company is unable to obtain requisite corporate and regulatory approvals, including but not limited to the approval of the TSXV, the Mexican government, and shareholder approval, the risk that the assumptions referred to above prove not to be valid or reliable, market conditions and volatility and global economic conditions including increased volatility and potentially negative capital raising conditions resulting from the continued or escalation of the COVID-19 pandemic, risk of delay and/or cessation in planned work or changes in the Companys financial condition and development plans; risks associated with the interpretation of data (including in respect of third party mineralized material) regarding the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits, the uncertainty of the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits and the risk of unexpected variations in mineral resources, grade and/or recovery rates; risks related to gold, silver and other commodity price fluctuations; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability and increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour, the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses and permits and the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; risks relating to environmental regulation and liability; the possibility that results will not be consistent with the Companys expectations.

Such forward-looking information represents managements best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed, and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.




OTTAWA, ON, March 6, 2023 /CNW/ - In spring 2015, Saskatchewan experienced serious flooding, with rainfall totaling from 50 to 100 millimeters within many areas in the province. This event had major impacts on local residents and their livelihoods, and resulted in significant damage to homes, farms, non-profit organizations, businesses, and infrastructure across the province.

Today, the Honourable Bill Blair, President of the King's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness, announced an interim payment of $23,666,519 to Saskatchewan through the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) program, to assist with recovery costs associated with the 2015 spring floods.

Eligible expenses under the DFAA include, but are not limited to, evacuation operations, restoring public works and infrastructure to their pre-disaster condition, as well as replacing or repairing basic, essential personal property of individuals, small businesses, and farmsteads.

Quotes

"As the effects of climate change increase the frequency of natural disasters like flooding, we are committed to supporting Canadians, and keeping them safe. This payment will support the province of Saskatchewan with their recovery and rebuilding efforts, as we work together to adapt to the impacts of climate change. Prioritizing our resiliency towards recurring natural disasters will help strengthen our adaptability and our ability to better recover."

- The Honourable Bill Blair, President of the King's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness

"Natural disasters can have lasting negative impacts on individuals, communities and our province as a whole. When disaster strikes, it is imperative for us to be able to offer Saskatchewan families and businesses the financial supports they need to get back on their feet."

- The Honourable Christine Tell, Minister of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety, Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency

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Quick Facts

In 2015, Saskatchewan underwent a spring runoff event which accumulated flooding primarily in west central, central, east central, and the southeast areas of the province.







In the event of a large-scale disaster, the Government of Canada provides financial assistance through the DFAA program to provinces and territories, at their request, for eligible disaster response and recovery expenses that exceed what they could be reasonably expected to bear on their own.







Provincial or territorial governments design, develop and deliver disaster financial assistance, deciding the amounts and types of assistance that will be provided to those who have experienced losses. The DFAA program places no restrictions on governments in this regard.







Provinces and territories provide financial support to impacted communities based on the criteria of their own provincial disaster assistance program's recovery plans and policies.







Under the DFAA, provinces and territories have six months following the end of a disaster event to request financial assistance from the federal government. Once an event has been designated under the DFAA, provinces and territories have up to five years to submit their final claim.







The original five-year limit for this event was 2020, however, requests from the province and the impact of the pandemic on provincial operations contributed to payment extensions. The revised deadline for Saskatchewan to submit the final request for payment to the federal government is December 2025.







The Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF) is a $3.8 billion competitive program to support public infrastructure projects that mitigate current and future climate-related risks and disasters. Since 2018, the Government of Canada has invested $42.1 million in flood mitigation projects in Saskatchewan through DMAF to increase the resilience of its communities. In January 2023, DMAF launched its new round of intake. More than $1 billion in federal funding is currently available.

Associated Links

SOURCE Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada

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View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/March2023/06/c8042.html
Acumen Research and Consulting

Acumen Research and Consulting recently published report titled Gynecological Devices Market Forecast, 2022 - 2030

LOS ANGELES, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Global Gynecological Devices Market Size accounted for USD 9,541 Million in 2021 and is estimated to achieve a market size of USD 18,649 Million by 2030 growing at a CAGR of 7.9% from 2022 to 2030.



Gynecological Devices Market Research Report Highlights and Statistics:

The Global Gynecological Devices Market Size in 2021 stood at USD 9,541 Million and is set to reach USD 18,649 Million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 7.9%

Increasing prevalence of gynecological disorders, growing demand for minimally invasive surgical procedures, rising awareness about women's health, and advancements in technology.

North America holds the largest share of the global market, due to the high prevalence of gynecological disorders, favorable reimbursement scenario, and high healthcare expenditure.

Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period, due to the increasing population and increasing awareness about women's health in the region.

Some of the key players in the market include Hologic, Inc., Boston Scientific Corporation, Medtronic plc, Stryker Corporation, and Olympus Corporation.





Request For Free Sample Report @ https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/request-sample/1197

Gynecological Devices Market Report Coverage:

Market Gynecological Devices Market Gynecological Devices Market Size 2021 USD 9,541 Million Gynecological Devices Market Forecast 2030 USD 18,649 Million Gynecological Devices Market CAGR During 2022 - 2030 7.9% Gynecological Devices Market Analysis Period 2018 - 2030 Gynecological Devices Market Base Year 2021 Gynecological Devices Market Forecast Data 2022 - 2030 Segments Covered By Device, By End-User, And By Geography Gynecological Devices Market Regional Scope North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa Key Companies Profiled Ethicon, Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Olympus Corporation, Boston Scientific Corporation, Medtronic plc, Hologic Inc., Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV, Cooper Surgical Inc., Siemens AG, Richard Wolf GmbH, and Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KG. Report Coverage

Market Trends, Drivers, Restraints, Competitive Analysis, Player Profiling, Regulation Analysis

Gynecological Devices Market Overview:

The gynecological devices market is a burgeoning sector within the healthcare industry, characterized by the growing demand for innovative and effective solutions for diagnosing, treating, and monitoring a broad spectrum of gynecological conditions. The market is poised to witness substantial growth, driven by a multitude of factors such as the increasing prevalence of gynecological disorders, a growing preference for minimally invasive surgical procedures, heightened awareness about women's health, and the advent of cutting-edge technology.

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The gynecological devices market encompasses a wide range of diagnostic and monitoring devices, therapeutic devices, and surgical devices. Each category caters to specific gynecological needs and has its unique applications. For instance, diagnostic and monitoring devices such as ultrasound machines and cervical cancer screening kits help in early detection and monitoring of gynecological disorders. Therapeutic devices like intrauterine devices (IUDs) and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products are utilized for the treatment of various gynecological conditions. Surgical devices, on the other hand, are used in minimally invasive procedures such as laparoscopy, hysteroscopy, and dilation and curettage (D&C).

Trends in the Gynecological Devices Market:

The development of advanced technologies, such as robotics and 3D imaging, is expected to revolutionize the gynecological devices market.

Rising focus on Women's wellbeing and the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of gynecological disorders is driving the growth of the market.

The increasing prevalence of gynecological disorders such as infertility, endometriosis, and cervical cancer is driving the growth of the market.

The growing geriatric population, particularly in developed countries, is driving the demand for gynecological devices for the treatment of age-related gynecological conditions.

The increasing demand for self-diagnostic devices, such as at-home pregnancy tests and ovulation kits, is expected to drive growth in the market.

The growing demand for home-based monitoring devices, such as fertility monitors and menstrual cycle trackers, is expected to drive growth in the market.

Gynecological Devices Market Dynamics:

The increasing adoption of wearable devices, such as menstrual cycle tracking wearables, is expected to drive growth in the market.

The growing demand for telemedicine, particularly in remote and underserved areas, is expected to drive growth in the market.

The increasing demand for non-invasive diagnostic devices, such as pap smear tests and HPV tests, is expected to drive growth in the market.

The favorable reimbursement scenario for gynecological devices in developed countries is driving the growth of the market.

The increasing demand for personalized medicine, particularly in the treatment of gynecological disorders, is expected to drive growth in the market.

The growing investment in R&D by key players in the market is expected to bring new and innovative products to the market.

The increasing demand for long-acting reversible contraceptives, such as IUDs and contraceptive implants, is expected to drive growth in the market.

The increasing demand for devices for the management of menopause, such as HRT products and hot flash relief devices, is expected to drive growth in the market.

The increasing demand for personalized medicine, particularly in the treatment of gynecological disorders, is expected to drive growth in the market.



Growth Hampering Factors in the market for Gynecological Devices:

Cultural and religious restrictions may limit the use of certain gynecological devices, particularly in some developing countries, hindering the growth of the market.

Privacy concerns associated with the use of gynecological devices, particularly in public settings, may limit their adoption, hindering the growth of the market.

In many developing countries, the insufficient healthcare infrastructure may limit the access to advanced gynecological devices, hindering the growth of the market.

The limited reimbursement coverage for gynecological devices in many developing countries may limit their adoption, hindering the growth of the market.

The low adoption rate of gynecological devices in rural areas, particularly in developing countries, may hamper the growth of the market.

The high risk of complications associated with some gynecological devices, such as IUDs, may limit their adoption, hindering the growth of the market.

Competition from alternative therapies, such as natural and herbal remedies, may limit the growth of the market.

The slow adoption of emerging technologies, such as telemedicine and wearable devices, may limit the growth of the market.

Check the detailed table of contents of the report @

https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/table-of-content/gynecological-devices-market

Market Segmentation:

By Device

Surgical Devices Contraceptive Devices Endoscopy Devices Fluid Management Systems Endometrial Ablation Devices Others

Diagnostic Imaging Systems MRI Mammography Ultrasound Others

Hand Held Instruments Tenaculum Curettes Biopsy Forceps Other

Software

Other

By End User

Clinics

Hospitals

Diagnostic Centers

Research Institutes

Others



Gynecological Devices Market Overview by Region:

North Americas Gynecological Devices market share is the highest globally, dominated by the United States and Canada, where advanced healthcare infrastructure and a large patient population contribute to the high demand for these devices. In the United States, the use of laparoscopic devices and hysteroscopes for minimally invasive surgeries has become increasingly popular. Additionally, the growing incidence of conditions such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and cervical cancer is driving the demand for gynecological devices in the region.

The Asia-Pacific regions Gynecological Devices Market share is also huge and is the fastest growing, driven by factors such as the growing aging population, increasing awareness of reproductive health, and improving healthcare infrastructure in countries such as India and China. The use of menstrual cups and other eco-friendly gynecological products is also gaining popularity in the region.

Europe is another key market for Gynecological Devices, characterized by the presence of well-established players and a highly regulated healthcare sector. In this region, the use of devices such as colposcopes and ultrasound machines for the early detection of gynecological conditions is widespread. In addition, the increasing demand for home-based pregnancy and fertility monitoring devices is a significant trend in the region.

The South American and MEA regions have a smaller Gynecological Devices market share due to low levels of penetration in some of the countries in the regions, and low level of healthcare infrastructure and low awareness of reproductive health.

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https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/buy-now/0/1197

Gynecological Devices Market Key Players:

The gynecological devices market is a highly competitive landscape, with numerous players vying for market share. Some of the major players in the market include Johnson & Johnson, Hologic, Boston Scientific, Stryker, Medtronic, Smith & Nephew, Olympus Corporation, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Karl Storz SE & Co. KG, Richard Wolf GmbH, Cook Medical, CooperSurgical, Ethicon (a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson), C. R. Bard, Inc., Fujifilm Holdings Corporation, Argon Medical Devices, Inc., Innova Medical Group, ACMI Corporation, and CONMED Corporation. These companies are constantly striving to develop new and innovative gynecological devices to meet the evolving needs of patients and healthcare providers.

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CAMBRIDGE, Mass., ROTTERDAM, Netherlands and SUZHOU, China, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Harbour BioMed (the "Company"; HKEX: 02142), a global biopharmaceutical company committed to the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel antibody therapeutics focusing on oncology and immunology, announces the positive topline results of its phase III clinical trial of batoclimab (HBM9161) for the treatment of generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG), which is also the first positive pivotal trial outcome for batoclimab worldwide. This marks a major milestone for Harbour BioMed as it is the Company's first product to complete phase III clinical trial and be poised for commercialization to benefit the gMG patients.

Logo (PRNewsfoto/Harbour BioMed)

This pivotal clinical study aimed to confirm the efficacy and safety of batoclimab in patients with gMG in China. Data received from the phase III trial met primary endpoint as well as key secondary endpoints. Meanwhile, batoclimab treatment was overall safe and well-tolerated, no new safety signal was identified.

"Anti-FcRn treatment has received much attention in patients with gMG, and batoclimab is the first anti-FcRn treatment confirmed efficacious and safe in Chinese gMG population. Following the positive results of the phase II clinical study, the phase III clinical study of batoclimab by Harbour BioMed, through the joint efforts of the sponsor, investigators and patients, overcame all difficulties during the pandemic and completed enrollment of 132 subjects in 10 months, with the last subject out visit on January 14, 2023", said the principal investigator Chongbo Zhao, MD, Professor of Neurology at Huashan Hospital of Fudan University in Shanghai. "The pivotal clinical success sets a monumental milestone for the development of new drugs and further reinforces the position of FcRn antagonists in the treatment of MG through high-level evidence-based medicine. It also demonstrates the strong ability of Chinese clinical investigators to independently organize high-quality clinical studies of innovative therapeutics in rare diseases."

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"This breakthrough therapy represents a significant advance in the treatment of multiple pathogenic-IgG mediated autoimmune diseases, where there remains a significant unmet medical need such as gMG indication," said Dr. Jingsong Wang, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Harbour BioMed. "Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, our commitment to developing life-changing therapies remained steadfast. The successful completion of this clinical trial is a testament to the clinical development capabilities and innovative dedication of our entire team, demonstrating the Company's exceptional ever-increasing business potential as well. We are excited to bring this much-needed therapy to patients, and we look forward to continuing to advance our pipeline of next-generation therapeutics to improve the lives of patients worldwide."

Batoclimab received the "Breakthrough Therapy Certificate" from NMPA in early 2021, and subsequently received positive outcome of the proof-of-concept study for the treatment of Chinese gMG patients completed in August 2021. In October 2022, the Company entered into an agreement with NBP Pharma, a wholly owned subsidiary of the CSPC Group, to co-develop batoclimab in Great China. The Company was responsible for developing and operating the full clinical trial of batoclimab for gMG in China, and will receive tiered royalties based on annual net sales of batoclimab in Greater China according to the agreement.

About Generalized Myasthenia Gravis (gMG)

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an acquired autoimmune disease mediated by antibodies such as anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody and anti-muscle-specific tyrosine kinase (Anti-MuSK) IgG, which involves the postsynaptic membrane of the neuromuscular junction, causes impaired transmission at the neuromuscular junction, and presents with skeletal muscle contraction weakness. Patients often have ocular muscle manifestations, and about 85% of patients will show symptoms other than ocular muscles and develop generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG), and some patients even develop myasthenic crisis.

Current main treatments for MG include cholinesterase inhibitors and glucocorticoids and other immunosuppressive drugs, but the efficacy and safety cannot meet the clinical needs of many patients. Targeting reduction of pathogenic IgG autoantibodies is a pathophysiological mechanism driven solution in MG treatment, such as plasmapheresis and intravenous immunoglobulin, however, there still remains a significant unmet need for these treatment options, including the accessibility, safety and economic cost.

About Batoclimab (HBM9161)

Batoclimab (HBM9161), a fully human anti-FcRn mAb, blocks FcRn-IgG interactions, accelerating the degradation of autoantibodies and leads to the treatment of pathogenic IgG-mediated autoimmune diseases. Phase 2 study in myasthenia gravis showed that batoclimab can quickly and significantly alleviate patients' symptoms and improve quality of life. Earlier studies demonstrated that batoclimab is well tolerated and can rapidly reduce total IgG in a wide array of pathogenic IgG-mediated autoimmune diseases.

About Harbour BioMed

Harbour BioMed (HKEX: 02142) is a global biopharmaceutical company committed to the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel antibody therapeutics focusing on immunology and oncology. The Company is building its robust portfolio and differentiated pipeline through internal R&D capability, collaborations with co-discovery and co-development partners, and select acquisitions.

The Company's proprietary antibody technology platforms Harbour Mice generates fully human monoclonal antibodies in two heavy and two light chains (H2L2) format, as well as heavy chain only (HCAb) format. Building upon the HCAb antibodies, the HCAb-based immune cell engagers (HBICE) bispecific antibody technology is capable of delivering tumor-killing effects unachievable by traditional combination therapies. Integrating Harbour Mice, and HBICE with a single B cell cloning platform, our antibody discovery engine is highly unique and efficient for the development of next-generation therapeutic antibodies. For further information, please refer to www.harbourbiomed.com.

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SOURCE Harbour BioMed
Newly-appointed US Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations Louis Bono has arrived in Azerbaijan, Azernews reports, citing US Embassy in Baku.

During his visit to Baku, the official will meet with government officials to advance the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He will underscore the US support for the renewed focus on a peace process, including through direct conversation.

As was reported earlier, SACN L.Bono will also travel to Armenia and Georgia shortly.

Meanwhile, the retirement of the last Senior Adviser for Caucasus Negotiations Philip Reeker was announced on January 5, 2023.




Fortune Business Insights

Healthcare Claims Management Market Size, Share and Analysis by Component (Software and Services), By Delivery Mode (On-premise and Cloud Based), By End-User (Healthcare Providers and Payers), and Regional Forecast, 2023-2030

Pune, India, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Healthcare claims management refers to the multitasking process of organizing, billing, filing, processing, and updating medical claims related to patient diagnosis, medication, and treatment. Health insurance claims management software helps manage medical claims and reimbursement processes in the health insurance industry. The market is driven due to an increased focus on providing high-quality healthcare services to the general population and the rising adoption of technology-related services. Along with this new product, launches by the key players in the market are driving market growth. For instance, in February 2022, Five Sigma collaborated with Medlogix to integrate the platforms, which help insurers to improve decision-making, maximize efficiencies, increase ROI and enhance outcomes in medical claims management.

This information is given by Fortune Business Insights in an upcoming report, titled, Healthcare Claims Management Market 2023-2030.





Get Free Sample PDF Brochure:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/sample/healthcare-claims-management-market-106926





Industry Developments-

In November 2019, Sentry Data Systems, Inc., launched a pharmacy claims management solution to help reduce denials and improve claims processing.

In September 2020, One Team Health launched the PLEXIS Canopy Care Management solution in service of 20,000 insured members to expand its services in healthcare claims management.

In April 2021, Integrated Health Information Systems collaborated with trade associations General Insurance Association Singapore and Life Insurance Association Singapore to create an integrated platform that enables faster processing of hospitalization claims.

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The report will cover the following key insights:

Number of insured population-2021.

Prevalence of oral disorders- for key countries/ regions.

New product launches, by key players.

Impact of COVID-19 on the market.

Key Mergers, Acquisitions, and Partnerships.

The healthcare claims management market is driven by several key factors, including:

Increasing healthcare expenditure: The healthcare expenditure is increasing globally due to the aging population, the rising prevalence of chronic diseases, and the increasing demand for better healthcare services. As a result, the demand for healthcare claims management solutions is also increasing.

Growing number of healthcare insurance claims: The number of healthcare insurance claims is increasing due to the growing population and the rising prevalence of chronic diseases. This is leading to a need for more efficient and accurate claims management solutions.

Implementation of electronic health records (EHRs): The implementation of EHRs is becoming more widespread, which is leading to an increased demand for integrated claims management solutions. EHRs provide a platform for providers and payers to exchange information electronically, which can help to streamline the claims management process.

Adoption of value-based care: The shift towards value-based care is leading to a greater focus on outcomes and cost-effectiveness. As a result, there is a growing demand for claims management solutions that can help to improve the efficiency and accuracy of claims processing.

Increasing need for cost savings: Healthcare providers and payers are under increasing pressure to reduce costs while maintaining high levels of service quality. Claims management solutions can help to reduce costs by improving efficiency and accuracy, reducing errors, and automating manual processes.

Overall, the healthcare claims management market is driven by the need for more efficient and cost-effective healthcare services, which is leading to a growing demand for innovative claims management solutions.





To get to know more about the short-term and long-term impact of COVID-19 on this market, please visit:

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The report consists of the profiles of key players, which include several players, including :

Accenture plc

Allscripts Healthcare Solutions Inc

Athenahealth Inc

Oracle Corporation (Cerner Corporation)

Genpact Limited

Conduent Inc

IBM Corporation

McKesson Corporation

Optum Inc

The healthcare claims management market can be analyzed from a regional perspective, taking into account factors such as healthcare expenditure, healthcare infrastructure, and regulatory environment. Here is an overview of the healthcare claims management market by region:

North America: The North American healthcare claims management market is the largest in the world, due to the high healthcare expenditure, advanced healthcare infrastructure, and the presence of several key players in the market. The United States is the largest market in the region, accounting for the majority of the market share.

Europe: The European healthcare claims management market is also significant, driven by factors such as the increasing healthcare expenditure, aging population, and the adoption of electronic health records. The United Kingdom, Germany, and France are the largest markets in the region.

Asia-Pacific: The Asia-Pacific healthcare claims management market is growing rapidly, due to factors such as the increasing healthcare expenditure, rising awareness about healthcare insurance, and the adoption of digital health technologies. Countries such as China and India are expected to be key markets in the region.

Latin America: The Latin American healthcare claims management market is also growing, driven by factors such as the increasing healthcare expenditure and the adoption of electronic health records. Brazil and Mexico are expected to be the largest markets in the region.

Middle East and Africa: The Middle East and Africa healthcare claims management market is smaller compared to other regions, but is expected to grow in the coming years due to the increasing healthcare expenditure, rising awareness about healthcare insurance, and the adoption of digital health technologies. The United Arab Emirates and South Africa are expected to be key markets in the region.

Overall, the healthcare claims management market is growing globally, driven by the increasing demand for efficient and cost-effective healthcare services. The market is expected to continue to grow in the coming years, particularly in emerging markets such as Asia-Pacific and Latin America.





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Healthcare Claims Management Market Segmentation :

By Component

Software

Services

By Delivery Mode

On Premise

Cloud-based

By End-User

Healthcare Providers

Payers

By Geography

North America (U.S. and Canada)

Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Italy, Spain, and the Rest of Europe)

Asia Pacific (China, India, Australia, and the Rest of Asia Pacific)

Middle East & Africa (UAE, South Africa, and the Rest of the MEA)

Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, and the Rest of LATAM





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Table Of Contents :

Introduction Research Scope Market Segmentation Research Methodology Definitions and Assumptions

Executive Summary

Market Dynamics Market Drivers Market Restraints Market Opportunities

Key Insights Global Statistics  Key Countries New Product Launches Pipeline Analysis Regulatory Scenario  Key Countries Recent Industry Developments  Partnerships, Mergers and Acquisitions

Global Analysis, Insights and Forecast Key Findings/ Summary Market Analysis  By Product Type Market Analysis  By Distribution Channel Market Analysis  By Countries/Sub-regions

Competitive Analysis Key Industry Developments Global Market Share Analysis Competition Dashboard Comparative Analysis  Major Players

Company Profiles Overview Products and Services SWOT Analysis Recent developments Major Investments Regional Market Size and Demand

Strategic Recommendations

TOC Continued!





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Persistence Market Research

Market Study on Heel Liners: Foam-based Products Lead With Over One-third Market Share

New York, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As per this new industry analysis by Persistence Market Research, the global Heel Liners Market was valued at US$ 1.1 billion in 2021 and is projected to expand at a CAGR of 6.3% between 2023 and 2032. The market for heel liners is expected to reach US$ 1.8 billion by 2032.

Heel liners are utilized to provide comfort and prevent the shoes from slipping. They protect the heels from blisters caused by the sole of the shoe rubbing against the heel while exercising or playing sports. As a result, there is an increase in the demand for heel liners by people engaging in outdoor activities.

Heel liners are also worn by patients suffering from plantar fasciitis. This condition causes stabbing pain close to the heel, mainly during walking or standing, and hence, heel liners are used to lessen the pain. Increasing incidences of lifestyle-related disorders, including diabetes and obesity, are also resulting in the growing demand for heel liners.

Click Here to Get Free Sample Copy of this Report@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/32397

Market players are expanding their reach by innovating their products. A variety of heal liners are available in the market, such as medical-grade TPE gel heel liners, hit-and-absorb foot technology heel liners, high elasticity and self-adhesive heel liners, and transparent or colored heel liners.

Key Takeaways from Market Study

Foam heel liners accounted for 38.3% market share in 2021.

The personal comfort segment, in terms of application, held a market value share of 44.8% in 2021.

The adult age group was a leading segment and accounted for 82% sales of heel liners in 2021.

Women customers held a market value share of 46% in 2021.

By distribution channel, the shoe stores segment led in 2021 and is expected to evolve at a CAGR of 5.3% over the forecast period (2022 to 2032.

North America accounted for a market share of 38.8% in 2021.

Story continues

Rising adoption of high heels as a fashion statement, increasing outdoor activities, and availability of a variety of heel liners are projected to stimulate market expansion, says an analyst of Persistence Market Research.

Get Full Access of this Report@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/32397

Market Competition

Scholls Wellness Company

Implus Footcare LLC.

S.C Johnson & Son, Inc.

Meijer, Inc

ZenToes

D3O

Walgreen Co.

Dr.Foot

To boost profitability and strengthen their position in the global market, manufacturers of heel liners are increasingly concentrating on growing their businesses across emerging nations. Key players have initiated promotional activities to introduce novel materials with enhanced efficacy.

In October 2020, private equity company Yellow Wood Partners, based in Boston, announced investments in various consumer brands and companies.

What Does the Report Cover?

Persistence Market Research offers a unique perspective and actionable insights on the heel liners market in its latest study, presenting a historical demand assessment from 2017 to 2021 and projections from 2023 to 2032.

You Can Customize this Report As per Your Requirement Click Here@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/request-customization/32397

The research study is based on

product (gel heel liners, foam heel liners, silicon heel liners),

application (sports & athletes, medical, personal comfort),

age group (adults, pediatrics), sex (men, women, unisex),

distribution channel (shoe stores, multi-brand stores, direct sales, e-Commerce),

across seven key regions of the world.

Request you to Read More-

Persistence Market Researchs Expertise in Life Sciences and Transformational Health

Our expert team of industry analysts comprising management graduates, medical professionals, engineers, and project managers provides insights on emerging therapy areas, diagnostic tools, medical devices and components, reimbursement and market access, biotechnology, and life science research products and services to equip decision-makers with sound inputs and strategic recommendations.

Contact

Rajendra Singh

Persistence Market Research

U.S. Sales Office:

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New York City, NY 10007

+1-646-568-7751

United States

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Novo Resources Corp.

Figure 1

Novos Pilbara tenure, showing location of > 80 km strike extent Egina Gold Camp.

Figure 2

Becher target area showing priority prospects and the position of the De Grey Mallina Gold Project (including Hemi and Withnell)1 to the east-northeast along the interpreted fertile corridor.

Figure 3

Becher target area showing well defined targets (in yellow) generated from gold results > 0.1 g/t, multielement analysis of pathfinder geochemistry and lithogeochemistry and visual logging during AC drilling.

Figure 4

Becher target area showing rock types interpreted from multielement analysis of end-of-hole samples in AC drilling over 1VD high resolution aeromagnetics.

Figure 5

Target map with best AC drill intercepts annotated >0.1 g/t Au, targets derived from AC, Au and multielement assay (yellow), AC (black) and RC (green) drilling to date over SRTM image and structural interpretation.

HIGHLIGHTS

The Becher Project is located ~28 km WSW of De Grey Minings 10.6 Moz Au (JORC 2012) 1 Mallina Gold Project (includes the Hemi deposit) and is Novos focus for its next drilling program.

Analysis of 2022 Becher aircore ( AC ) drilling assay results has identified high-priority structural and intrusion-related targets which appear similar to the Hemi deposit.

Multi-element assays from end-of-hole AC drilling in 2022 identified prospective hornblende-diorite intrusions in targets at Becher. These intrusions are commonly associated with gold deposits in the Mallina Basin.

Multiple target areas based on gold and multi-element anomalies are present across Heckmair, Whillans, Irvine, Bonatti, and Lowe prospects.

Previously released peak AC drilling results include 2 : Irvine prospect: 8 m @ 2.15 g/t Au from 8 m (F0632) 23 m @ 0.56 g/t Au from 0 m (A0034) 2 m @ 0.91 g/t Au from 66 m (A003) Whillans prospect: 8 m @ 0.20 g/t Au from 16 m (F0519) 4 m @ 0.37 g/t Au from 20 m (F1136) Heckmair prospect: 4 m @ 0.40 g/t Au from 12 m (F0738) 3 m @ 0.44 g/t Au from 20 m (F0858)

Best new results from Bonatti prospect include: 4 m @ 0.99 g/t Au from 17 m (F1393) 5 m @ 0.49 g/t Au from 8 m (F1242)

Previously released reverse circulation ( RC ) drilling at Irvine provided peak intercepts of 2 : 33 m @ 0.493 g/t Au from 33 m (G0005) including 5 m @ 1.28 g/t Au 20 m @ 0.406 g/t Au from 32 m (G0016) 24 m @ 0.390 g/t Au from 76 m (G0018)

These standout gold targets are ready for immediate infill AC and deeper RC drill testing.



Note: While certain aspects of Becher mineralisation seem analogous to that at the Mallina Gold Project as disclosed by De Grey1, Mallina Gold Project mineralisation is not necessarily representative of mineralisation throughout the Becher Area or the Egina Gold Camp.

Mike Spreadborough, Novos Executive Co-Chairman, Acting Chief Executive Officer and a director, said, These are very promising developments for Becher. We now have a series of high priority targets that will be the focus of an immediate aggressive drilling campaign. The initial similarities between the geochemistry and intrusion type to De Greys Mallina Gold Project may be extremely promising for our future exploration success in identifying a standalone gold project. Completion of the detailed and systematic AC drilling program and follow-up drilling should put us in the best possible position for a potential discovery.

Story continues

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Novo Resources Corp. (Novo or the Company) (TSX: NVO, NVO.WT & NVO.WT.A) (OTCQX: NSRPF) is pleased to provide a further update on the successful 2022 drilling program at the Companys flagship Becher Project within the Egina Gold Camp, located within Novos 10,500 sq km Pilbara exploration portfolio (Figures 1 and 2). Based on recent analysis of 2022 exploration results, the Egina Gold Camp is one of Novos most exciting exploration areas and includes the highly prospective Becher and Nunyerry North Projects.

Results referred to in this news release, including mineralisation present at De Greys Mallina Gold Project1, are not necessarily representative of mineralisation throughout the Becher Project or the Egina Gold Camp.

OVERVIEW OF BECHER AREA

The Becher Project (northern E47/3673, 100%-owned by Novo) is located ~28 km to the west-southwest of De Grey Mining Limiteds ("De Grey) Mallina Gold Project along an interpreted gold fertile corridor and contains multiple high-priority, orogenic gold targets under shallow cover (Figure 2).

Novos Pilbara tenure, showing location of





Figure 1: Novos Pilbara tenure, showing location of > 80 km strike extent Egina Gold Camp.





Becher target area showing priority prospects and the position of the De Grey Mallina Gold Project (including Hemi and Withnell)1 to the east-northeast along the interpreted fertile corridor.

Figure 2: Becher target area showing priority prospects and the position of the De Grey Mallina Gold Project (including Hemi and Withnell)1 to the east-northeast along the interpreted fertile corridor.

NEW RESULTS RECENTLY RETURNED FROM 2022 DRILLING PROGRAM

All results from systematic broad-spaced AC drilling completed in 2022 within the Becher Area have now been returned. Additional gold prospectivity has been identified in two AC lines in the southern portion of the project area testing the Bonatti Shear Corridor (Figure 3).

Refer to Table 1 below for a list of assay results2. True widths from AC drilling cannot be estimated at this time.

Best results from Bonatti prospect include:

4 m @ 0.99 g/t Au from 17m (F1393)

5 m @ 0.49 g/t Au from 8m (F1242)

4 m @ 0.10 g/t Au from 4m (F1260)

4 m @ 0.10 g/t Au from 4m (F1194)

These intercepts are in addition to previous standout results, including peak AC drilling results of2:

Irvine prospect: 8 m @ 2.15 g/t Au from 8 m (F0632) 23 m @ 0.56 g/t Au from 0 m (A0034) 2 m @ 0.91 g/t Au from 66 m (A003)

Whillans prospect: 8 m @ 0.20 g/t Au from 16 m (F0519) 4 m @ 0.37 g/t Au from 20 m (F1136)

Heckmair prospect: 4 m @ 0.40 g/t Au from 12 m (F0738) 3 m @ 0.44 g/t Au from 20 m (F0858)



Peak RC drilling results include2:

33 m @ 0.493 g/t Au from 33 m (G0005) including 5 m @ 1.28 g/t Au

20 m @ 0.406 g/t Au from 32 m (G0016)

24 m @ 0.390 g/t Au from 76 m (G0018)



Becher target area showing well defined targets (in yellow) generated from gold results





Figure 3: Becher target area showing well defined targets (in yellow) generated from gold results > 0.1 g/t, multielement analysis of pathfinder geochemistry and lithogeochemistry and visual logging during AC drilling.



Multi-element geochemical analyses from the end-of-hole samples taken during the 2022 AC program have identified a number of hornblende diorite intrusions. The chemistry of these rocks indicates that they belong to a magmatic suite known as sanukitoids. Critically, sanukitoid intrusions are commonly associated with gold deposits (e.g. Towerana), a well-known association in the Mallina Basin. As well as containing anomalous gold, they are also associated with anomalous levels of arsenic and tungsten, which are key pathfinder associations for gold deposits in this region. The arsenic and tungsten are not confined to the intrusions, but rather the distribution of these elements also maps potentially mineralized shear zones that wrap around the sanukitoid intrusions (e.g. Withnell).

Becher target area showing rock types interpreted from multielement analysis of end-of-hole samples in AC drilling over 1VD high resolution aeromagnetics.

Figure 4: Becher target area showing rock types interpreted from multielement analysis of end-of-hole samples in AC drilling over 1VD high resolution aeromagnetics.

2023 PROGRAM PLANNING

Results from the recent AC drilling have clearly delineated targets including both structurally controlled orogenic gold and intrusion-hosted gold which appear similar to the Mallina Gold Project. All data generated to date is currently being integrated to best design follow up AC and RC programs for Q2 2023.

Figure 5: Target map with best AC drill intercepts annotated >0.1 g/t Au, targets derived from AC, Au and multielement assay (yellow), AC (black) and RC (green) drilling to date over SRTM image and structural interpretation.

ANALYTIC METHODOLOGY

Four-metre composite samples of AC chips were sent to Intertek Genalysis (Intertek) in Perth, Western Australia with the entire sample smart crushed to -3mm (NVO02 prep code), with a 500 g split sample analysed for gold using PhotonAssay (PHXR/AU01). An additional bottom hole sample from each drill hole (1 to 4 m composite representing rock from the bottom of the drill hole) was assayed using four acid digest and 50 g charge fire assay FA50/OE and for 48 multielement using four acid digest  MS finish (4A/MS). AC drill holes with anomalous gold or base metals have been split through a single tier riffle splitter and are assayed using four acid digest and 50 g charge fire assay FA50/OE and for 48 multielement using four acid digest  MS finish (4A/MS).

QAQC procedures for the latter half of the program include insertion of a certified blank approximately every 25 samples (4 per hundred), a certified standard approximately every 50 samples (2 per 100) and duplicate sampling (split of 4m composite) at the rate of 4 per hundred. Intertek inserts customized Chrysos certified standards at the rate of 2 per hundred.

There were no limitations to the verification process and all relevant data was verified by a qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101) by reviewing analytical procedures undertaken by Intertek.

QP STATEMENT

Mr. Iain Groves (MAIG), is the qualified person, as defined under NI 43-101, responsible for, and having reviewed and approved, the technical information contained in this news release other than information concerning De Greys Mallina Gold Project. Mr. Groves is Novos Exploration Manger  West Pilbara.

ABOUT NOVO

Novo explores and develops its prospective land package covering approximately 10,500 square kilometres in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, including the Beatons Creek gold project, along with two joint ventures in the Bendigo region of Victoria, Australia. In addition to the Companys primary focus, Novo seeks to leverage its internal geological expertise to deliver value-accretive opportunities to its stakeholders. For more information, please contact Leo Karabelas at (416) 543-3120 or e-mail leo@novoresources.com.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors,

Novo Resources Corp.

 Michael Spreadborough 

Michael Spreadborough

Executive Co-Chairman and Acting CEO

Forward-looking information

Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information (within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation) including, without limitation, that the Becher Project is Novos primary focus for its next aggressive drilling program, and that AC drilling will also continue on the regional program (640 m lines) focused on ENE trending gold-fertile structural corridors commenced in 2022. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such factors include, without limitation, customary risks of the resource industry and the risk factors identified in Novos managements discussion and analysis for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2022, which is available under Novos profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date those statements are made. Except as required by applicable law, Novo assumes no obligation to update or to publicly announce the results of any change to any forward-looking statement contained or incorporated by reference herein to reflect actual results, future events or developments, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting the forward-looking statements. If Novo updates any forward-looking statement(s), no inference should be drawn that the Company will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.



Table 1: Becher Area  New AC Drilling Intercepts >0.1 g/t Au2

Hole ID Depth From (m) Depth To (m) Width (m) Au (g/t) Assay Technique F1194 4 8 4 0.1 PhotonAssay F1242 8 13 5 0.49 PhotonAssay F1242 9 13 4 0.32 Fire assay F1260 4 8 4 0.1 PhotonAssay F1393 16 21 5 0.29 PhotonAssay F1393 17 21 4 0.99 Fire assay



1 De Grey has reported that its Mallina Gold Project is comprised of Measured Mineral Resources of 4.7 Mt @ 1.7 g/t Au for 265 koz Au, Indicated Mineral Resources of 153.4 Mt @ 1.3 g/t Au for 6,590 koz Au, and Inferred Mineral Resources of 92.6 Mt @ 1.3 g/t Au for 3,779 koz Au, as those categories are defined in the JORC Code (as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects). Refer to De Greys public disclosure record for further details. No assurance can be given that a similar or any mineral resource estimate will be determined at Novos Becher Project or the Egina Gold Camp.

2 Refer to the Companys news releases dated February 14, 2023.




LINE 2 FEASIBILITY STUDY CONTRACTS AWARDED TO DOUBLE PRODUCTION AT ARAGUAIA

HIGHLIGHTS:

Awarded Araguaia Line 2 Feasibility Study, aiming to double nickel production to 29,000 tpa;

Anticipated low capital intensity through leveraging the shared infrastructure and services from Line 1;

AACEI Class 3 standard cost estimate;

Line 2 process plant sits within the existing industrial area;

Trade off to allow a percentage of production to be converted to nickel matte; and

Targeting 2H 2023 publication of Line 2 Feasibility Study.

LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / Horizonte Minerals Plc (AIM:HZM)(TSX:HZM) ("Horizonte" or the "Company")a nickel company developing two Tier 1 assets in Brazil, reports that it has awarded contracts for the Line 2 Feasibility Study ("FS") at its Araguaia Nickel Project ("Araguaia" or "the Project"). The second line at Araguaia is expected to increase production by 100% to 29,000 tonnes of nickel per year through the construction of a duplicate RKEF processing facility ("Line 2").

The aim of the FS is to produce a NI 43-101 Feasibility Report supported by a AACEI Class 3-quality cost estimate, and project execution plan. The Company is targeting publication of the results of the study in 2H 2023. The principal contractors for this work are:

Snowden - geology, mine design, mine planning and NI 43-101 reporting;

Environment Resources Management (ERM)- environmental permitting outline planning;

Reta Engineering - cost estimation, execution scheduling and planning services;

Draft Solutions - lead engineer, basic engineering design and documentation; and

 Afry Poyry - Process engineering support.

These groups are all key contributors to the engineering, costing and construction work currently underway on Line 1 at Araguaia and have extensive knowledge and understanding of the Project.

The Line 2 FS is expected to demonstrate a mine life of over 25 years with a production capacity of approximately 29,000 tonnes of nickel per year at Araguaia. Line 2 will deliver greater production flexibility, lower capital intensity and increased operating margins. As part of the FS, an option will be designed into the flow sheet to allow a portion of the furnace product from Line 2 to be converted to nickel matte allowing Araguaia not only to produce high-grade low impurity ferronickel but also matte that can be upgraded to feed directly into the electric vehicle battery chemistry supply chain.

Story continues

The Araguaia Plant has been designed and optimised to allow for the build out of Line 2 with key fixed infrastructure sized to support both lines, reducing the overall cost of developing Line 2.

Jeremy Martin, CEO of Horizonte, commented:

"The award of the Line 2 FS is an important step in achieving our goal of Araguaia becoming a scalable, low-cost nickel operation. Line 1 and Line 2 together are designed to produce 29,000 tpa of nickel with the overall resource of 119 million tonnes able to support this scenario with the potential to increase the mine life in the future. We are also excited about the potential of having the option to produce nickel matte giving us the ability to participate in different parts of the nickel market.

"We are making solid progress on the construction of Araguaia Line 1, which remains on-budget and on-schedule to produce first nickel in 1Q 2024, whilst simultaneously preparing for our next growth phase with Vermelho's Feasibility Study expected to be finalised in 2024."

For further information, visit www.horizonteminerals.com or contact:

Horizonte Minerals plc Jeremy Martin (CEO) Simon Retter (CFO) Patrick Chambers (Head of IR) info@horizonteminerals.com +44 (0) 203 356 2901 Peel Hunt LLP (Nominated Adviser & Joint Broker) Ross Allister David McKeown +44 (0)20 7418 8900 BMO (Joint Broker) Thomas Rider Pascal Lussier Duquette Andrew Cameron +44 (0) 20 7236 1010 Tavistock (Financial PR) Emily Moss Cath Drummond +44 (0) 20 7920 3150

ABOUT HORIZONTE MINERALS

Horizonte Minerals plc (AIM & TSX: HZM) is developing two 100%-owned, Tier 1 projects in Para state, Brazil, the Araguaia Nickel Project and the Vermelho Nickel-Cobalt Project. Both projects are large scale, high-grade, low-cost, low-carbon and scalable. Araguaia is under construction with first metal scheduled for early 2024, when fully ramped up with Line 1 and Line 2, is forecast to produce 29,000 tonnes of nickel per year. Vermelho is at feasibility study stage and is expected to produce 25,000 tonnes of nickel and 1,250 tonnes of cobalt to supply the EV battery market. Horizonte's combined near-term production profile of over 60,000 tonnes of nickel per year positions the Company as a globally significant nickel producer. Horizonte's top three shareholders are La Mancha Investments S.a r.l., Glencore plc and Orion Resource Partners LLP.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

Except for statements of historical fact relating to the Company, certain information contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information 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 statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information is based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, and are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to risks related to: the ability of the Company to complete the acquisition of required equipment, on time or at all, the costs and timing for delivery of the necessary equipment to be purchased, the estimation of mineral resources and reserves and the ability of the Company to achieve its goals in respect of growing its mineral resources; the realization of mineral resource and reserve estimates and achieving production in accordance with the Company's potential production profile or at all, the success of exploration and mining activities; cost and timing of future exploration, production and development, the ability of the Company to expand production lines on the timeline contemplated or at all, exploration and mining risks, competition from competitors with greater capital; the Company's lack of experience with respect to development-stage mining operations; fluctuations in metal prices; uninsured risks; environmental and other regulatory requirements; exploration, mining and other licences; the Company's future payment obligations; potential disputes with respect to the Company's title to, and the area of, its mining concessions; the Company's dependence on its ability to obtain sufficient financing in the future; the Company's dependence on its relationships with third parties; the potential of currency fluctuations and political or economic instability in countries in which the Company operates; currency exchange fluctuations; the Company's ability to manage its growth effectively; the trading market for the ordinary shares of the Company; uncertainty with respect to the Company's plans to continue to develop its operations and new projects; the Company's dependence on key personnel; possible conflicts of interest of directors and officers of the Company, and various risks associated with the legal and regulatory framework within which the Company operates, together with the risks identified and disclosed in the Company's disclosure record available on the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, including without limitation, the annual information form of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2021, the Araguaia Report and the Vermelho Report. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause 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.

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.

SOURCE: Horizonte Minerals PLC





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/742078/Horizonte-Minerals-PLC--Araguaia-Line2-Feasibility-Study-Contracts-Awarded




Hoylu AB

On 23 November 2022, Hoylu AB (publ) (Hoylu or the Company) announced a provision of SEK 4,475,000 due to a potential tax surcharge. The Swedish Tax Agency has now informed Hoylu of its decision to impose the Company with a tax surcharge of the said amount. The Company intends to appeal the decision.

As published through a press release on 23 November 2022, Hoylu made a provision of SEK 4,475,000 due to a potential tax surcharge as a result of an ongoing tax audit by the Swedish Tax Agency. The Swedish Tax Agency has now resolved to impose the Company with a surcharge of SEK 4,475,000. The decision from the Swedish Tax Agency can be appealed until 27 March 2023.

The Company intends to appeal the decision.

For more information, please contact:

Truls Baklid, CEO Hoylu AB

Tel: +47 924 38 900

Email: tob@hoylu.com



Certified Adviser:

Mangold Fondkommission AB

About Hoylu

Hoylus visual collaboration technology empowers distributed teams to translate ideas into actions. Large enterprises as well as small and medium companies rely on Hoylu to run projects, programs, and initiatives across time zones and continents as seamlessly as when working in the same room.

For more information: www.hoylu.com

Publication

The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons set out above, at 10:00 PM CET on March 6, 2023.




Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 6, 2023) - INCA ONE GOLD CORP. (TSXV: INCA) (OTCQB: INCAF) (FSE: SU92) ("Inca One" or the "Company"), a gold producer operating two mineral processing facilities in Peru, announces that, further to its news release dated January 30, 2023 (the "January News Release"), the Company has completed the issuance of an aggregate of 466,000 common shares of the Company (the "Settlement Shares") in settlement (the "Debt Settlement") of indebtedness in the aggregate total of $81,384 (the "Debt"). The Company also clarifies from the January News Release, that 366,000 Settlement Shares were issued at a deemed price of $0.168 per share in settlement of $61,384 of debt and 100,000 Settlement Shares were issued at a deemed price of $0.20 per share in settlement of $20,000 of debt.

The TSX Venture Exchange has approved the Debt Settlement and by issuing the Settlement Shares, the Debt has been definitively extinguished. The Settlement Shares are subject to a statutory hold period of four months from the date of issuance in accordance with applicable securities legislation.

About Inca One

Inca One Gold Corp is an established gold producer operating two fully permitted, gold mineral processing facilities in Peru. The Company possesses a combined 450 TPD permitted operating capacity at its two fully integrated plants, Chala One and Kori One and has produced more than 130,000 ounces of gold, generating over US$200 million in sales from its processing operations. Inca One is led by an experienced and capable management team that has established the Company as a trusted leader in servicing permitted, artisanal and small-scale miners (ASM) in Peru. Peru is one of the world's largest producers of gold, and its ASM sector is estimated by government officials to be valued in the billions of dollars annually. To learn more, visit www.incaone.com.





Figure 1. Inca One's gold processing facilities in Peru (left: Chala One facility; right: Kori One facility)



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On behalf of the Board,

Edward Kelly

President and CEO

Inca One Gold Corp.

For More Information Contact:

Konstantine Tsakumis

ktsakumis@incaone.com

604-568-4877

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/157416
BETHESDA, Md., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine and genetics professionals from around the world will be on hand Friday, March 17th from 10:00  10:30 AM in the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah to present bicycles to local Salt Lake City-area children from Shriners Children's Salt Lake City as part of the 2023 ACMG Annual Clinical Genetics Meeting.

The ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine is a national nonprofit foundation dedicated to facilitating the integration of genetics and genomics into medical practice. Its programs www.acmgfoundation.org

The annual ACMG Foundation Day of Caring is made possible by a grant from PerkinElmer to the ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine, a prominent national nonprofit genetics foundation based in Bethesda, Maryland.

"We love helping children with orthopedic conditions participate in typical developmental activities," said Mark Lange, MPT, Shriners Children's Salt Lake City physical therapist. "The 'Day of Caring' assists us in providing adaptive bikes to children who wouldn't otherwise experience the pure joy of riding a bike. We are extremely grateful for the ACMG Foundation's generosity."

"Attendees at the ACMG Clinical Genetics Meeting always look forward to the Day of Caring event. It's a way to pause from the science and remember the people who live with genetic conditions every day. The experience is inspiring and reminds us of why we are dedicated to the field of medical genetics and genomics," said Bruce R. Korf, MD, PhD, FACMG, president of the ACMG Foundation.

The ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine, whose tenet is Better Health through Genetics, supports education, research and a variety of other programs to translate genetic research into better health for all individuals. The ACMG Foundation 2023 Day of Caring is supported by PerkinElmer, members of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) and the ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine.

Note to assignment desks, news desks and editors: This is a wonderful photo, television and video opportunity. To arrange interviews with experts in medical genetics, local Salt Lake City-area families participating in the 2023 Day of Caring or to receive a complimentary pass to attend and cover the ACMG Annual Clinical Genetics Meeting, March 14-18, 2023 at the Salt Palace Convention Center, contact Reymar Santos, ACMG Senior Communications Coordinator, at rsantos@acmg.net.

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About the ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine

The ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is a community of supporters and contributors who understand the importance of medical genetics and genomics in healthcare. Established in 1992, the ACMG Foundation supports the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) mission to "translate genes into health." Through its work, the ACMG Foundation fosters charitable giving, promotes training opportunities to attract future medical geneticists and genetic counselors to the field, shares information about medical genetics and genomics, and sponsors important research. To learn more and support the ACMG Foundation mission to create "Better Health through Genetics" visit www.acmgfoundation.org.

Reymar Delos Santos

rsantos@acmg.net

Cision

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SOURCE American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics
Maker of LEDVANCE & SYLVANIA General Lighting Continues to Meet Needs of Electrical Industry

LEDVANCE PHASE EV Chargers

LEDVANCE PHASE EV Chargers

WILMINGTON, Mass., March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LEDVANCE LLC, the maker of LEDVANCE and SYLVANIA General Lighting in the US and Canada, announced it is launching LEDVANCE PHASE EV Level 2 Commercial Charging Stations in the US this spring. With powerful software integration from AmpUp, LEDVANCE PHASE EV combines performance and value to deliver fast charging at an affordable price. LEDVANCE PHASE EV is better for facility managers because they can monetize and profit from EV charging with a versatile, attractive, and turn-key solution while maximizing their installation ROI through incentive programs. It is also better for a contractor because it offers them peace of mind, for example, by having contractor-ready installation tools. It also helps them increase revenue by offering a solution in a growing category from a partner with over a century of expertise in the electrical industry.

Perfect for facility managers of office, multi-residential, retail, education, hospitality, and other business locations, LEDVANCE PHASE EV is offered in wall mounted units or a free-standing pedestal where two units can be mounted side-by-side or back-to-back. There are three colors to choose from (orange, gray & white), and custom branding is available on the pedestal. The stylish unit has a large LCD screen with a color changing bar that shows the charging status. A facility manager can effortlessly tailor their PHASE EV stations energy use and how much customers and employees pay for EV charging to better meet their companys needs using AmpUp.

LEDVANCE PHASE EV delivers contractors peace of mind because it is easy to install and commission. The advanced but easy-to-use AmpUp software walks contractors through the set up and is simple to manage. Unlike some other charging stations, the SIM card is pre-installed which prevents fumbling with or losing the small piece. LEDVANCE PHASE EV can be activated in the field in minutes due to factory pre-commissioning of the software and SIM card, significantly saving an electrician time. LEDVANCE PHASE EV is also worry free with its 5-year no quibble warranty1 and robust cellular connection which automatically connects to the strongest national cellular carrier at the installed location.

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LEDVANCE has been a leader in the electrical industry for over a century in North America, and today marks the next phase of us meeting our customers needs with our new LEDVANCE PHASE EV Commercial Charging Stations, said Alex Truong, product marketing manager, LEDVANCE LLC.

Additional Features & Benefits:

Level 2 fast charging with 11.5 kW maximum power output

ENERGY STAR & CTEP for California rated

The rugged NEMA 4 hardware enclosure is certified for outdoor and indoor use and has IK08 impact protection.

The AmpUp software offers must-have property manager features including: revenue collection, user management, real-time analytics, 24/7 driver and host customer support, multi-site management, power load management, and time-of-use pricing.

4G, ethernet & WiFi connectivity

Todays announcement follows other recent innovative launches from LEDVANCE including:

LEDVANCE LINK, a contractor-friendly, wirelessly connected, indoor/outdoor lighting solution that is simple, flexible, and cost-effective with easy-to-deploy LEDVANCE LINK Bluetooth Mesh technology, and

the award-winning LEDVANCE tapTronic Field-Programmable LED Drivers, the first broad portfolio of 100% field-programmable LED drivers that come with the latest data transfer communication interface; cover various wattages within each of the compact, linear, and outdoor model series; are more customizable where others are limited or restrictive; and are field-programmable via a free app available on both the Google Play and Apple (Exclusive) App Stores.

For the latest on SYLVANIA general lighting & LEDVANCE innovations, visit www.ledvanceUS.com or follow LEDVANCE on social media on LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

ABOUT LEDVANCE LLC

With offices in more than 50 countries and business activities in more than 140 countries, LEDVANCE is one of the world's leading general lighting providers for professional users and end consumers. In North America, LEDVANCE LLC offers a wide range of LEDVANCE and SYLVANIA LED luminaires for various applications, intelligent lighting products for Smart Homes and Buildings, one of the largest LED lamps portfolios in the industry, and traditional light sources. The SYLVANIA brand leadership is a result of over 100 years of lighting experience and paves the way for future success. Further information can be found at www.ledvanceUS.com.

ABOUT AMPUP

AmpUp makes charging effortless. Our mission is to enable customers to achieve their electrification goals faster and easier than they imagined possible. With headquarters in Cupertino, CA, AmpUps network of thousands of charge stations have been deployed for customers across North America, including JLL, CBRE, Dominos Pizza, Goodyear, Under Armour, Hilton, and more. For more information on AmpUp, visit www.ampup.io.

[1] Consult warranty for specific details.

# # #

Attachment

CONTACT: Glen Gracia LEDVANCE LLC: Head of Communications & Brand, USC 978-395-7902 glen.gracia@ledvance.com Gabriel Leon-Reyes Birchall & Associates PR 647-361-4262 gabriel@birchallpr.com




Lleida.net

MADRID, Spain, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The technology services company Lleida.net (BME:LLN) (EPA:ALLLN) (OTCQX:LLEIF) has received three patents in three of Europe's leading economies: Germany, Austria and Switzerland.



These three new patents follow on from the one received in mid-February 2022 for its method for electronic contract signing.

With these patents, the Spanish company, a European leader in the registered electronic signature, notification and contracting industry, has now obtained 224 international recognitions.

The authors of the patents are the CEO of the company, Sisco Sapena, and Carolina Sola, part of the technical team of Lleida.net.

The three patents are valid for 20 years in a region with more than 100 million inhabitants, and which represents an important part of the continent's economic engine.

"Obtaining these three patents in three important countries is a further demonstration of our commitment to innovation and the protection of our intellectual property. This allows us to continue to lead in the registered electronic signature, notification and contracting industry in Europe and to continue offering quality technological solutions to our clients," explained Sapena, who founded the company in 1995.

The company, which is listed on Euronext Growth in Paris, BME Growth in Madrid and OTCQX in New York, has been granted patent recognition in more than 60 countries.

These include the European Union, the United States, China, Russia, India, Mexico, Japan, Colombia, Argentina, Peru, South Africa, Nigeria, Australia and New Zealand.

Its intellectual property portfolio is one of the strongest in the sector worldwide.

Lleida.net's growth strategy in the electronic signature, notification and contracting market in the countries in which it is present and those in which it plans to be in the future, includes a solid growth policy in intellectual property and R&D, as well as a reinforcement of its internationalization policy.

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CONTACT: Pedrosa IR ir@pedrosa.uk




Veteran emerging-markets investor Mark Mobius said that investors should be very, very careful investing in China, after struggling to get his money out of the country.

More from Fortune:

Mobius, founder of Mobius Capital Partners, has been a longtime booster of Chinese equities, yet revealed why hed changed his mind in an interview with Fox Business on Thursday.

The investor revealed that he had funds trapped in an account with HSBC in Shanghai. I cant get my money out. The government is restricting the flow of money out of the country, he said.

Mobius continued that the Chinese government was putting all kinds of barriers in his way. They dont say, No, you cant get your money out, but they say, Give us all the records from 20 years of how youve made this money, and so forth. Its crazy.

In China, individuals and businesses trying to move money out of the country have to comply with policies and restrictions set by regulators like the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE), which governs Chinas foreign exchange market.

Those restrictions differ from more open economies where money can be freely moved in and out, such as those of the U.S. or Hong Kong, the semiautonomous Chinese city.

On Fox Business, Mobius said his team was investing in China through Hong Kong, which Mobius characterized as a little more open than China. The city allows overseas investors to invest in both Chinese equities and bonds through local financial institutions.

Chinas economy

Foreign companies and investors soured on the Chinese economy throughout 2022, following an official crackdown on major private sector companies and economic damage caused by strict COVID-zero policies, leading to monthly capital outflows of billions of dollars as investors dumped bonds and equities.

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Yet Chinas rapid reopening is encouraging analysts to give more bullish predictions for both Chinas economy and its equity markets. In late February, Goldman Sachs estimated that China stocks could rise by as much as 24% by the end of the year, as sentiments shift from reopening to recovery.

Such renewed optimism is far from universal, however.

On Sunday, China said it would target GDP growth of 5% for 2023, lower than what economists expected.

And earlier this month, the American Chamber of Commerce in China reported that only 45% of over 300 firms surveyed between October and November 2022 considered China a top-three investment destination, down from 60% a year earlier.

Mobius on Thursday warned that Chinese officials were trying to exert greater oversight of Chinas private companies, including through golden shares, or nominal shares bought by government-affiliated entities to gain board representation and veto rights.

I dont think its a very good picture to see the government becoming more and more control-oriented in the economy, Mobius said.

Mobius suggested that he was now looking at other possible investment destinations, India, in particular. Youve got a billion people; they can do the same thing that the Chinese do. They can do the same kind of manufacturing and so forth, Mobius said.

Manufacturers are considering moving production outside China, in part owing to concerns about worsening tensions between Beijing and Washington. Before the weekend, Apple supplier Foxconn reportedly agreed to invest $700 million in a new Indian plant in Karnataka.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

More from Fortune:






President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received US Department of State Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations Louis L. Bono.

The head of state hailed the results of a meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, and thanked U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken for his continues efforts in this direction.

Louis Bono conveyed the U.S. Secretary of State`s greetings to President Ilham Aliyev, and emphasized that Antony Blinken is also of the opinion that the Munich meeting was fruitful.

The head of state thanked for the greetings, and asked Louis Bono to pass on his greetings to Antony Blinken.

During the conversation, they exchanged views on the normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the process of negotiations on a peace treaty.





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Ontario Federation of Labour

TORONTO, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chris Smalls, founder and president of the Amazon Labor Union (ALU), will be the keynote speaker at the Ontario Federation of Labours Toronto & York Region launch of Enough Is Enough , a campaign to tackle the cost-of-living crisis in Ontario.



The event, taking place on Friday, March 10 at York University, is being hosted in collaboration with the Toronto and York Region Labour Council, York Federation of Students, Justice for Workers, and Gig Workers United. This will be Chriss first trip to Canada, after he recently travelled to the UK to share solidarity with striking workers.

Topics of discussion will include: fighting for higher wages, decent work, and the need for unionization  especially for those workers not yet in unions.

Date: Friday, March 10, 2023

Time: 7:00 p.m.

Location: Accolade East 102, York University, Keele Campus

Learn more: https://ofl.ca/event/eie-toronto-york-region-launch/

For more information, please contact:

Melissa Palermo

Director of Communications

Ontario Federation of Labour

mpalermo@ofl.ca l 416-894-3456

cj/COPE343




ACC.23/WCC late-breaking data: PULSED AF, one of the most rigorously executed PFA clinical studies to date, exceeds safety and efficacy performance goals in the treatment of paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation

DUBLIN and NEW ORLEANS, March 6, 2023 /CNW/ -- Medtronic plc (NYSE: MDT), a global leader in healthcare technology, today announced that its PulseSelect Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA) System exceeded its safety performance goal, with an adverse event rate of 0.7%, one of the lowest adverse event rates of any prior U.S. FDA Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) trial for atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation or any multi-center PFA study. PULSED AF exceeded the threshold for its efficacy performance goal and further, clinical success, freedom from recurrence of any symptomatic atrial arrhythmias, was at least 80% for each patient cohort. Findings from the PULSED AF Pivotal Trial were presented as a late-breaking trial today at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session Together with World Congress of Cardiology (ACC.23/WCC) and simultaneously published in Circulation.

Medtronic PulseSelect PFA System demonstrates impressive results in landmark PULSED AF global IDE trial

PULSED AF is the first and only completed, global, and multi-center clinical study with IDE approval to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of PFA technology for AF ablation. PFA is a breakthrough ablation technology that uses pulsed electric fields to efficiently isolate the pulmonary veins for the treatment of patients with paroxysmal or persistent AF.

PULSED AF is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the PulseSelect System for the treatment of AF in adult patients with a history of drug refractory, recurrent and symptomatic paroxysmal or persistent AF. The trial is a prospective, single arm, multi-center clinical trial that treated 300 patients (150 with paroxysmal AF and 150 with persistent AF). Patients were enrolled across 41 sites in nine countries with 67 operators throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, and Japan.

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Study Results: Safety

The study exceeded its performance goal of freedom from a composite of serious procedure and device-related adverse events with a 0.7% (p=0.002) rate of primary adverse events in both patient cohorts. There were no esophageal events, instances of pulmonary vein stenosis, or phrenic nerve injury.

"Uniquely, these results represent the first prospective, global, large-scale study with two different, rigorously monitored patient populations that demonstrates an impressively low adverse event rate of 0.7%," said Atul Verma, M.D., electrophysiologist and director, Division of Cardiology, McGill University Health Centre in Montreal and principal investigator (PI) for the PULSED AF study. "The results of PFA trials have been highly anticipated among the EP community to help us treat the growing number of AF patients around the world. The high rate of 80% or more in clinical success and the promising safety and efficiency results from PULSED AF will help establish PFA as an exciting new option for patients."

Study Results: Efficacy

PULSED AF exceeded the threshold for efficacy performance at 66% efficacy in paroxysmal AF patients and 55% in persistent AF patients (p<0.001), based on the pre-specified performance goals of >50% (paroxysmal) and >40% (persistent) at 12 months. The PULSED AF primary effectiveness endpoint included a composite of measures based on efficacy endpoints across multiple studies of radiofrequency (RF) and cryoablation energy sources. The composite endpoint included freedom from acute procedural failure, arrhythmia recurrence, repeat ablation, direct current cardioversion, left atrial surgery, or antiarrhythmic escalation through twelve months, excluding a 3-month blanking period.

Freedom from atrial arrhythmia recurrence at 12 months was 70% in the paroxysmal cohort and 62% in the persistent. Additionally, clinical success, freedom from recurrence of any symptomatic atrial arrhythmias, was 80% for paroxysmal and 81% for the persistent cohort.

"Today's findings demonstrate a critical achievement in the decade-long commitment we have made to researching PFA and underscores our confidence in the PulseSelect System," said Rebecca Seidel, president, Cardiac Ablation Solutions business, which is part of the Cardiovascular Portfolio at Medtronic. "We are taking the same comprehensive approach to PFA that we took with the introduction of the single-shot Arctic Front Advance cryoballoon, and that involves building a deep, extensive body of clinical evidence and strong collaboration with clinicians globally. The single-shot PulseSelect System, together with the focal Affera Sphere-9 mapping and ablation catheter, will allow us to offer a complementary suite of PFA technologies to help treat patients with AF and other arrhythmias."

About Patient Monitoring Strategies

Published PFA studies utilize different monitoring frequency and endpoints. For PULSED AF, patients underwent rigorous arrhythmia monitoring with assessments at three, six, and 12 months, and weekly symptomatic trans-telephonic monitoring. 96% (287) of patients completed the 12-month follow up. PFA study results cannot be directly compared; however, to show the impact of how monitoring differences affect outcome measurements, Medtronic analyzed its own data using the monitoring frequency and endpoints used in other PFA studies9 and found the PULSED AF outcomes to be higher when using those metrics.

The single-shot PulseSelect System delivers pulsed electric fields through an ablation catheter designed specifically to interrupt irregular electrical pathways in the heart that trigger AF. However, unlike traditional methods of ablation that heat (radiofrequency ablation) or cool (cryoablation) the atrial tissue, the PulseSelect System uses a non-thermal approach and preferentially targets heart tissue with the goal of avoiding unwanted injury to surrounding structures, a risk of current ablation technologies. Worldwide, the PulseSelect System is investigational and not approved for sale or distribution. For more information on PULSED AF, visit Medtronic.com/PFA.

AF is one of the most common and undertreated heart rhythm disorders, affecting more than 60 million people worldwide.1 AF is a progressive disease meaning it can become worse over time and can increase the risk of serious complications including heart failure, stroke and increased risk of death2-5. Antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) therapy has been the current standard first-line treatment, however, AAD therapy is ineffective at controlling AF in approximately half of patients treated with drug therapy.6-8

Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic's periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results.



About Medtronic

Bold thinking. Bolder actions. We are Medtronic. Medtronic plc, headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is the leading global healthcare technology company that boldly attacks the most challenging health problems facing humanity by searching out and finding solutions. Our Mission  to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life  unites a global team of 90,000+ passionate people across 150 countries. Our technologies and therapies treat 70 health conditions and include cardiac devices, surgical robotics, insulin pumps, surgical tools, patient monitoring systems, and more. Powered by our diverse knowledge, insatiable curiosity, and desire to help all those who need it, we deliver innovative technologies that transform the lives of two people every second, every hour, every day. Expect more from us as we empower insight-driven care, experiences that put people first, and better outcomes for our world. In everything we do, we are engineering the extraordinary. For more information on Medtronic (NYSE:MDT), visit www.Medtronic.com and follow @Medtronic on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Roth GA, Mensah GA, Johnson CO et al. Global Burden of Cardiovascular Diseases and Risk Factors, 1990-2019: Update From the GBD 2019 Study. J Am Coll Cardiol 2020;76:2982-3021. Miyasaka Y, Barnes ME, Bailey KR, et al. Mortality trends in patients diagnosed with first atrial fibrillation: a 21-year community-based study. J Am Coll Cardiol 2007;49:986-92. Hindricks G, Potpara T, Dagres N, et al. 2020 ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of atrial fibrillation developed in collaboration with the European Association of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS). Eur Heart J 2020. Wolf PA, Abbott RD, Kannel WB. Atrial fibrillation as an independent risk factor for stroke: the Framingham Study. Stroke 1991;22:983-8. Lubitz SA, Moser C, Sullivan L, et al. Atrial fibrillation patterns and risks of subsequent stroke, heart failure, or death in the community. J Am Heart Assoc 2013;2:e000126 Wazni OM, Dandamudi G, Sood N, et al. Cryoballoon Ablation as Initial Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation. N Engl J Med. January 28, 2021;384(4):316-324. Kuniss M, Pavlovic N, Velagic V, et al. Cryoballoon ablation vs. antiarrhythmic drugs: first-line therapy for patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Europace. March 17, 2021:euab029. Andrade JG, Wells GA, Deyell MW, et al. Cryoablation or Drug Therapy for Initial Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation. N Engl J Med. January 28, 2021;384(4):305-315. Medtronic data on file March 2023. Post-hoc Medtronic analysis efficacy of 70.9% and 91.3% for the paroxysmal cohort using inspIRE and MANIFEST monitoring protocol and endpoints, respectively, and 86.3% in the persistent cohort using the MANIFEST monitoring protocol and endpoints. The analysis is based on publicly available published or presented monitoring methods from Biosense Webster inspIRE and Boston Scientific FARAPULSE MANIFEST-PF Survey. These outcome rates should not be used to compare the Pulsed AF results to other trial results, as the results have not been adjusted for patient characteristics.

Contacts:





Allison Kyriagis Ryan Weispfenning Public Relations Investor Relations +1-612-750-6061 +1-763-505-4626

Cision

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SOURCE Medtronic plc

Cision

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After-Tax NPV 5 of USD 573 million, 58.4% IRR & 10.6 Month Payback

LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / Meridian Mining UK S (TSX:MNO)(Frankfurt/Tradegate:2MM)(OTCQB:MRRDF) ("Meridian" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the positive results of the Preliminary Economic Assessment led by Ausenco Engineering Canada Inc. ("Ausenco") for the Cabacal gold-copper deposit in Brazil ("Cabacal" or the "Project"). The PEA study confirms the economic potential of the project, positioning it as a promising growth opportunity for the company.

Cabacal 2023 PEA Highlights: (All amounts are in United States Dollars unless otherwise stated)

Base case after-tax NPV 5 of $573M (CAD 1 $778M) and 58.4% IRR using $1,650/oz gold, $3.59/lb copper, and $21.35/oz silver (Table 1);

Spot case after-tax NPV 5 of $745M (CAD 1 $1.01B) and 69.7% IRR using 3 $1,841/oz gold, $4.13/lb copper, and $21.35/oz silver;

High-grade year 1 mill feed of 2.3 g/t gold and 0.29% copper which generates high after-tax first year free cash flow of $204M, leading to capital repayment in 10.6 months;

Average grade of 0.64 g/t gold and 0.31% copper over the life of mine - which demonstrates the efficiency of the flowsheet in recovering the gold, copper and silver;

Average annual gold equivalent production of 131,100 ounces at AISC of $670.70/oz AuEq 2 for years 1-5;Total LOM (22.3 years) production of 1.02M ounces gold, 353 Mlbs of copper and 1.76M ounces of silver;

Pre-production CAPEX of $179.6M (CAD 1 $244.1M);

Low life-of-mine strip ratio of 2.1:1;

After tax NPV 5 :CAPEX Ratio of 3.2:1; and

Significant potential for future economic optimization and project upside remains through engineering optimizations, increased throughput and additional resources that could be identified through the ongoing drill programs.

Exchange Rate USD/CAD of 1.35889. See technical notes for gold equivalent equation. Spot prices on London close on 1st March, 2023.

Meridian will host a Live Webcast to discuss the Cabacal PEA Results on March 6, 2023 at 10:30am EST (7:30am PST). A presentation by management will be followed by Q&A.

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Conference Call Webcast and Dial in Details:

Webcast URL with Audio: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/2958/47803

Telephone Numbers: US/Canada Free: 888-506-0062 ; International: 973-528-0011 ; Access Code: 624154

Dr. Adrian McArthur, Meridian's CEO commented, "The PEA demonstrates Cabacal's exceptional potential as a sustainable, low-cost open-pit mining operation capable of supplying both industrial and precious metals to the global market. The PEA study has shown exceptionally high-margin and meaningful returns, confirming both the quality of the asset and the expertise of our technical team. Within just two years of acquiring Cabacal, we have produced our first economic study, outlining an after-tax NPV 5 of $573m, which is a testament to our commitment to swift and effective progress.

"The PEA lays a solid foundation for expansion, as the Company anticipates that optimization studies will confirm the potential for superior economic returns by increasing annual throughput from 2.5Mt to ~4Mt after year four, while still using the same resource. What excites us even more is the potential for further growth, not only at Cabacal, but also at our other satellite targets, including the nearby St Helena mine within trucking distance. This presents a genuine opportunity for us to advance Cabacal, as outlined in our PEA, and to systematically develop a cornerstone asset in a significant new gold and copper camp over time."

"We are pleased to have a team of mining professionals already stationed in Brazil to advance Cabacal through feasibility following the completion of the PEA. We extend our gratitude to Meridian's team, as well as Ausenco and GE21, for their role in delivering this report and contributing to the revival of the Cabacal gold and copper mine."

Table 1: Summary of Cabacal PEA's NPV 5 and IRR sensitivities to metal prices

Meridian Mining UK S, Sunday, March 5, 2023, Press release picture

PEA Results Summary

Meridian Mining UK S, Sunday, March 5, 2023, Press release picture

Meridian Mining UK S, Sunday, March 5, 2023, Press release picture

Figure 1: Cabacal project annual and cumulative cash flow

Meridian Mining UK S, Sunday, March 5, 2023, Press release picture

Meridian Mining UK S, Sunday, March 5, 2023, Press release picture

Figure 2: NPV 5 Sensitivity to costs and metal prices.

Meridian Mining UK S, Sunday, March 5, 2023, Press release picture

Figure 3: IRR sensitivity to costs and metal prices.

Meridian Mining UK S, Sunday, March 5, 2023, Press release picture

Figure 4: Payback sensitivity to costs and metal prices.

Meridian Mining UK S, Sunday, March 5, 2023, Press release picture

Study Contributors

The PEA team was led by Ausenco, a global provider of consulting and engineering services for mining projects. Ausenco were supported by H&S Consultants Pty Ltd (resource estimation), GE21 Mineral Consultants Ltd (mine plan and schedule), SGS Lakefield Canada (metallurgy), Sete Solucoes e Tecnologia Ambiental Ltda (environmental studies) and Hidrovia Hidrogeologia e Meio Ambiente Ltda (hydrological studies).

Cabacal Resource Estimate1

Table 7: Cabacal Mineral Resource (Effective Date August 21st, 2022, 0.3 g/t AuEq cut-off)

Meridian Mining UK S, Sunday, March 5, 2023, Press release picture

Estimates are based on the Technical Report titled, "Independent Technical Report, Mineral Resource Estimate for the Cabacal VMS deposit, Cabacal Project, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil". The Mineral Resource estimate in the table above was prepared by specialist group, H&S Consultants Pty Ltd ("H&SC") and announced by Meridian on September 26, 2022. A technical report was filed on the Company's website and SEDAR within 45 days of this disclosure.

Mineral Resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability; and

Minor variations may occur during the addition of rounded numbers.

Significantly, the Mineral Resource is near-surface, and extends over 1.9km along strike with a prominent high-grade shallow gold zone in the Cabacal Northwest Extension. Ongoing drilling on the margins of the Mineal Resource has intercepted significant zones of copper-gold mineralization. Further drill results are pending.

The Mineral Resource estimate included in the PEA is reported according to the classification criteria set out in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Reserves ("CIM Definition Standards"). These standards are internationally recognized and allow the reader to compare the Mineral Resource with that reported for similar projects.

The PEA is preliminary in nature. The PEA mine schedule and economic assessment includes numerous assumptions and is based on both Indicated and Inferred mineral resources. Inferred resources are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the project economic assessments described herein will be achieved or that the PEA results will be realized. Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. Additional exploration will be required to potentially upgrade the classification of the Inferred Mineral Resources to be considered in future project evaluation studies.

Mining

22.3-year shallow open pit mining operation proposed at with total feed inventory of 55.6 Mt;

High-grade year 1 mill feed of 2.3 g/t gold and 0.3% copper with average grade of 0.64 g/t gold and 0.31% copper over the life of mine; and

Low life-of-mine strip ratio of 2.1.

Cabacal will be mined using the open pit method in 3 alternating shifts, operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The mining movements were designed to produce enough ROM to feed a mineralized material processing plant with a nominal capacity of 2.5Mtpy and LOM of 22 years and 4 months.

The mining will operate with block model of 10x10x5m and slope angle in the hang wall of 48 and following the mineralized material slope in the foot wall.

Mining will be fully outsourced in the operations of mechanical blasting, loading and haulage. With a soft mineralized material - average WI of 11.8 - blasting will be carried out with a load ratio of 350g/t for mineralized material and 280g/t for waste. A dilution factor of 3% and mining recovery of 97% were considered. The transport distance from the mine to the ROM yard varies from 1.49Km in the pre-stripping to a maximum of 2.50Km in year 18. For the waste the transport distance will range from 1.02Km to 4.02Km in year 18.

The transport of the mineralized material and waste will be carried out by 42t trucks manufactured in Brazil, a fact that contributes to the reduction of CAPEX and OPEX costs. For work associated with these trucks, 8.1t hydraulic excavators were dimensioned, which means 4.7 passes per truck loaded with mineralized material and 5.1 passes per truck loaded with waste.

Trucks will transport the mineralized material for discharge directly into the crusher or to the ROM stockyard. When necessary to recover mineralized material from the ROM stockyard, a 13.7t wheel loader will be used. The waste will direct to the 3 projected waste dumps, each trip being directed to the pile closest to the pit region in mining activities at that time. From the 16th year onwards mining in the northwest extension of the pit will have been completed, thus permitting the return of waste material to this area and thereby reducing costs and environmental impacts.

The table below shows annually, since pre-stripping, the mining plan (0.3 g/t AuEq. Cut-off) and the mineralized material feeding plan in the beneficiation plant. A mining plan was adopted that allows the plant to be fed with mineralized material of high gold content equivalent in the first years of production, storing low-grade mineralized material (LG) to be fed later. This allowed the elaboration of a plan optimizing the economic model of the project. The mining strip ratio results in an average value of 2.12.

Table 8: Cabacal mining schedule

Meridian Mining UK S, Sunday, March 5, 2023, Press release picture

Figure 5: The final pit shell of the Cabacal mine.

Meridian Mining UK S, Sunday, March 5, 2023, Press release picture

Metallurgical Testing

Testwork supports production of a high-grade copper concentrate of 28.4% with payable gold and silver;

High metallurgical recoveries of 87.39% for gold and 92.4% for copper;

Circa 30 % of gold recovered via a gravimetric circuit;

Copper flotation is effective;

Rougher concentrate is reground to 40 microns prior to cleaning to enhance grades and recoveries; and

Waste rock and mill tailings projected to be non-acid generating.

In 2022, Meridian selected samples from seven metallurgical drill holes to confirm historical Cabacal process performance in a testwork program at SGS Lakefield, Canada. The holes provided samples from the four known main VMS systems at Cabacal and most of the samples were within the expected head grade range for the deposit. A key feature of the Cabacal mineralization is the low S:Cu ratio, which implies low pyrite/pyrrhotite content. The average feed would be expected to be ~ 1.5 S:Cu which confirms the historical mineralogy, suggesting that chalcopyrite is about 65% of the sulphides in the sulphide assemblage. Comminution tests were conducted. The average Bond Work Index was 11.2 which is considered to be relatively soft and not atypical for VMS deposits. The average Abrasion Index was 0.28 which suggests moderate abrasion. Samples were considered to be of medium to hard competency for SAG milling (average SMC A x b was 44.5). A three stage Gravity Recoverable Gold ("GRG") test was conducted on the Master Composite sample. The final GRG number is 64.3, which is considered quite high and is an indication that this material is amenable to gravity gold recovery. It is anticipated that gold not recovered in the gravity circuit will be picked up in the downstream flotation circuit. Rougher conditions for flotation testwork used natural pH, potassium amyl xanthate ("PAX") collector and Methyl Isobutyl Carbinol ("MIBC") frother. Sulphur recovery was typically around 95% leaving a non-acid generating tailing, which was typically less than 0.1% in sulphur content. Mass pull for the Master Composite was around 5 to 6 percent by weight. The rougher flotation was conducted mostly in solids percent around 35%. The slope between recovery and concentrate grade is quite flat, which indicates that the Cabacal mineralization could produce higher grade concentrates. A 24.8 % copper concentrate was produced with 94.4% copper recovery, 87.2% gold recovery (gravity + float) and 81.9% silver recovery (gravity + float). The recoveries achieved are in line with the historic metallurgy. A pyrite concentrate was produced from the cleaner tailings to remove the acid generating minerals. The concentrate assayed 44% of sulphur with notable levels of gold and silver which could have market potential.

A gravity circuit recovers the free gold which is converted to a dore product for sale. The sulphide minerals including copper, in the form of chalcopyrite, and associated gold and silver will be recovered by rougher flotation. The rougher concentrate is reground to 40 microns to separate the gangue material and lime is added to suppress the pyrite. The rougher and cleaner tails are expected to be low in sulphides, therefore non-acid generating and are combined for disposal together in a dry stacked facility. The pyrite float will either be sold or separately stored.

Mineral Processing

2.5Mtpa mill capacity designed with conventional flowsheet;

P80 grind size of 200 micron and moderate to soft rock hardness requires only a SAG mill and 1 stage crushing.

Based on the SGS testwork results, Ausenco designed a new process plant to process 2.5Mtpa of run-of-mine (ROM) feed from the Cabacal open pit. The process comprises crushing and grinding to reduce the RoM material to a characteristic grind (P80) of 200 microns (). Cleaning then occurs in a Jameson cell followed by a single stage cleaner flotation cell. The Process flowsheet is illustrated in Figure 6.

Figure 6: Cabacal Process flowsheet diagram

Meridian Mining UK S, Sunday, March 5, 2023, Press release picture

Figure 7: Cabacal process plant layout

Meridian Mining UK S, Sunday, March 5, 2023, Press release picture

Access and infrastructure

Infrastructure associated with the historic Cabacal Mine has been removed from site, aside from some old buildings which are being converted to field offices and core processing / storage facilities. The PEA therefore assumes that the new Cabacal mine is effectively a greenfields project.

Cabacal is well supported by existing public infrastructure. It is located in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil. It is accessed by sealed roads approximately 320 km west-north-west of the state capital Cuiaba, then a 30km all-weather gravel road from the Company's administrative base in the town of Sao Jose dos Quatro Marcos.

The region is currently supplied by a high-voltage 34.5kV power line. Several hydroelectric power stations operate in the region. A potential route for the construction of an electric line of sufficient capacity for the Cabacal project from the Araputanga substation to the Project area has been identified, extending over 21 km.

Subject to permitting, water is potentially available from the nearby Cabacal river. The process facility aims to recover and re-use as much process water as possible. All rainwater that comes in contact with mining operations is planned to be collected and either used on site or treated to required standards then released.

Mine services and labour are readily available, primarily from nearby towns.

The Cabacal site plan is shown in Figure 8. The major project facilities include the open pit mines, tailings management facility (TMF), waste rock facilities, mine services and access roads. Site selection took into consideration the following factors:

Locate the process plant on competent flat ground and in an area with minimal potential to be mineralized;

Locate the process plant and other facilities at a safe distance from the mine pit and blasting operations; and

Locate the process plant and waste storage facilities to minimise transport distances.

Figure 8: Cabacal mine site layout

Meridian Mining UK S, Sunday, March 5, 2023, Press release picture

Several areas have been identified to store waste rock from the mine. Three waste rock storage facilities (WRSF) have been identified in the PEA. The tailings will be filtered to produce a dry cake that will be trucked from the filter plant and stacked in two DSTFs. The DSTFs have been design to international standards for the PEA. Initial studies indicate that waste rock and tailings are potentially non-acid generating. Detailed waste material characterisation studies are planned for optimization of the long-term storage facility design for construction, safe operation and eventual closure.

Environmental, Permitting & Stakeholder Engagement

Meridian commenced baseline environmental and social impact data collection in January 2022. Meridian has engaged the Sete Solucoes e Tecnologia Ambiental Ltda to undertake environmental studies, Hidrovia Hidrogeologia e Meio Ambiente Ltda has been engaged to undertake hydrogeological studies and Totem Consultoria em Arqueologia Ltda has been engaged to perform archaeological studies of the Cabacal project area. These studies are ongoing and expected to be completed this year to enable the permitting application process to commence later this year.

Meridian also undertakes its own stakeholder engagement processes which commenced on acquiring the Cabacal project in 2021. The Cabacal project is located within farming land, with no artisanal mining activity. Aside from local farmhouses, there are no settlements or population clusters within the project's active area. The nearest indigenous land is located 80km distant from Cabacal to the northwest (Terra Indigena Figueiras). The project is located more than 25 km away from areas classified as Quilombolas (settlements first established by escaped slaves in Brazil, whose descendants have recognized land rights). No areas classified as of special tourist importance are present. Since commencement of activities, the Company has established written or verbal exploration access agreements with thirty-one landowners and continues to engage with others progressively along the trend of the licences.

Upside and optimisation

The PEA results provide a high-level estimate of the potential economic value of the mineral resources discovered to August 2022. In completing the PEA a number of opportunities were identified that would potentially enhance the Cabacal project, subject to completing the necessary assessment. Some of this work is already underway These include:

Resource infill and extensional drilling has been underway since the cut off for the initial resource in August 2022. The primary aim is to improve the confidence of the Mineral Resource estimate and to test zones that currently have little information;

The Cabacal resource is open to the NW and SE and sits in a corridor of 11km of prospective ground with numerous targets. Exploration drilling will progressively test the targets generated and geophysics and geochemistry will be used to identify additional targets;

A Geotechnical study of the proposed Cabacal pit will be conducted to enhance knowledge of the competency of the rock mass in which the Cabacal deposit is hosted. Conservative pit wall slopes were assumed for the PEA and subject to the results of the geotechnical study these angles may be made steeper, thereby reducing the quantity of waste rock needing to be mined;

A Geotechnical study for the proposed infrastructure (Process Plant, DSTF, WRSF and other ancillary facilities will be conducted to enhance knowledge of the subgrade and foundation conditions for the proposed facilities. Conservative assumptions were assumed for the PEA and subject to the results of the geotechnical study these may change based on the geotechnical program;

The PEA did not have the opportunity to undertake a processing scale optimisation study. The Mineral Resource estimate published in September 2022 was more than 2 times larger than the previous historic resource, producing a 22 year mine life for the PEA. An optimisation study would determine if processing at a higher rate would further improve the project economics; and

24.7Mt @ 0.22g/t AuEq of mineralized material between 0.15 to 0.3 g/t gold equivalent was categorised as waste rock for the purposes of the PEA. Further study is warranted to establish if this could be economically processed, thereby reducing the amount of waste requiring disposal.

Non-International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") Financial Measures

The Company has included certain non-IFRS financial measures in this news release, such as initial capital cost, sustaining capital cost, total capital cost, AISC, and capital intensity, which are not measures recognized under IFRS and do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS. As a result, these measures may not be comparable to similar measures reported by other corporations. Each of these measures used are intended to provide additional information to the user and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures prepared in accordance with IFRS. Non-IFRS financial measures used in this news release and common to the gold mining industry are defined below.

Total Cash Costs and Total Cash Costs per Ounce

Total cash costs are reflective of the cost of production. Total cash costs reported in the PEA include mining costs, processing and water treatment costs, general and administrative costs of the mine, off-site costs, refining costs, transportation costs and royalties. Total cash costs per ounce is calculated as total cash costs divided by payable gold ounces.

AISC and AISC per Ounce

AISC is reflective of all of the expenditures that are required to produce an ounce of gold from operations. AISC reported in the PEA includes total cash costs, sustaining capital, closure costs and salvage, but excludes corporate general and administrative costs. AISC per ounce is calculated as AISC divided by payable gold ounces.

Qualified Person Statement

The PEA Study has an effective date of 01 March, 2023. It was authored by independent Qualified Persons and is in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. The following Qualified Persons ("QPs") are responsible for the PEA Study and have reviewed the information in this news release that is summarized from the PEA Study in their areas of expertise:

Robert Raponi (P. Eng), Principal Metallurgist with Ausenco Engineering) is responsible for project infrastructure, recovery methods, capital and operating costs relating to processing, and economic analysis.

Scott Elfen (P. E.), Global Lead Geotechnical and Civil Services with Ausenco Engineering) is responsible for tailings infrastructure, capital and operating costs relating tailings infrastructure and environmental.

Simon Tear (PGeo, EurGeol), Principal Geological Consultant of H&S Consultants Pty Ltd, is responsible for the geological setting, deposit type, exploration, drilling, sample preparation, data verification, Mineral Resource estimation, and adjacent properties.

Joseph Keane (Mineral Processing Engineer; P.E), of SGS North America Inc, is responsible for the project laboratory testing methodology and interpretation.

Guilherme Gomides Ferreira (Mine Engineer MAIG), of GE21 Consultoria Mineral, is responsible for mining method, capital and operating costs related to the mine.

Dr Adrian McArthur, Chief Executive Officer of Meridian Mining UK, a QP as defined in NI 43-101, has reviewed the PEA Study on behalf of the Company and has approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release. The PEA Study is summarized into a technical report that will be filed on the Company's website at www.meridianmining.co and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com in accordance with NI 43-101 within 45 days of this news release.

Technical Notes

Gold equivalents are calculated as: AuEq(g/t) = (Au(g/t) * %Recovery) + (1.492*(Cu% * %Recovery)) + (0.013*(Ag(g/t) * %Recovery)), where:

Au_recovery_ppm = 5.4368ln(Au_Grade_ppm)+88.856

Cu_recovery_pct = 2.0006ln(Cu_Grade_pct)+94.686

Ag_recovery_ppm = 13.342ln(Ag_Grade_ppm)+71.037

Recoveries based on 2022 metallurgical testwork on core submitted to SGS Lakefield.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information

All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release constitute "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of certain securities laws and are based on expectations and projections as of the date of this press release. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include particularly, but without limitation, those related to the PEA Study results (as such results are set out in the various graphs and tables featured above, and are commented in the text of this press release), such as the Project's production profile, LOM, construction and payback periods, NPV, IRR, (direct/indirect, before/after tax) capital costs, contingency, industry leading operating costs, AISC, sustaining capital costs, free cash flows, M&I resources, open pit mineralization and waste extraction, mill feed, milling process and recovery, power supply arrangements and power consumption, and closure costs.

Forward-looking statements are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the time of this press release. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon several estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the time of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business and economic uncertainties and contingencies. These estimates and assumptions may prove to be incorrect.

Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can directly or indirectly affect, and could cause, actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements. As future events and results could differ materially what is currently anticipated by the Company, notably (but without limitation) in the PEA Study, there can be no assurance that the PEA Study results will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events can differ materially from those anticipated in the PEA Study.

By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that estimates, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that assumptions do not reflect future experience. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as several important risk factors and future events could cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the beliefs, plans, objectives, expectations, anticipations, estimates, assumptions, and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements.

All forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and those made in the Company's other filings with the securities regulators of Canada including, but not limited to, the cautionary statements made in the relevant section of the Company's Management Discussion & Analysis. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive, and new, unforeseeable risks may arise from time to time. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law.

About Cabacal

In November 2020, Meridian signed a Purchase Agreement to acquire 100% ownership of certain licences covering the historical Cabacal and Santa Helena mines and the along-strike licences, from two private Brazilian companies ("Vendors"). Subsequently, Meridian expanded its land tenure to today's 50km of strike length. Cabacal had two historical, shallow, high-grade selectively mined underground mines that cumulatively produced ~34 million pounds of copper, ~170,108 ounces of gold, ~1,033,532 ounces of silver and ~103 million pounds of zinc via conventional flotation and gravity metallurgical processes.

Meridian has defined an open trend of shallow copper-gold mineralization centred on the Cabacal Mine. This mineralization trends Northwest-Southeast, sub-crops along its Northeast limits, dips to the southwest at 26 and is up to 90m thick; presenting excellent open-pit geometry and mineral endowment. Meridian is currently focused on infill drilling along a 2,000m corridor along this trend.

Cabacal's base and precious metal-rich mineralization is hosted by volcanogenic type, massive, semi-massive, stringer, and disseminated sulphides within units of deformed metavolcanic-sedimentary rocks ("VMS"). A later-stage sub-vertical gold overprint event has emplaced high-grade gold mineralization truncating the dipping VMS layers. It was explored and developed by BP Minerals/Rio-Tinto from 1983 to 1991 and then by the Vendors in the mid-2000's. This historical exploration database includes over 83,000 metres of drilling, extensive regional mapping, soil surveys, metallurgy from production reports, and both surface and airborne geophysics. The majority of Cabacal's prospects remain to be tested.

Cabacal has excellent infrastructure with access by all-weather roads, clean electricity provided by nearby hydroelectric power stations, and local communities provide mining services and employees. Cabacal consists of 1 mining license, 1 mining lease application, and 7 exploration claims which total 44,265 hectares. The September 2022 Cabacal Mineral Resource estimate consists of Indicated resources of 52.9Mt @ 0.6g/t Au, 0.3% Cu and 1.4g/t Ag and Inferred resources of 9.0Mt @ 0.7g/t Au, 0.2% Cu & 1.1g/t Ag2, with strong optionality for targeting higher grade mineralization for the future development studies.

About Meridian

Meridian Mining UK S is focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development activities in Brazil. The Company is currently focused on resource development of the Cabacal VMS goldcopper project, the regional scale exploration of the Cabacal VMS belt, the exploration in the Jauru & Araputanga Greenstone belts all located in the state of Mato Grosso and exploring the Espigao polymetallic project in the State of Rondonia Brazil.

About Ausenco Engineering

Ausenco is a global company redefining what's possible'. Its team is based across 26 offices in 14 countries, with projects in over 80 locations worldwide. Combining their deep technical expertise with a 30-year track record, Ausenco provides innovative, value-add consulting and engineering studies and project delivery, asset operations and maintenance solutions to the mining & metals, oil & gas, and industrial sectors.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Meridian Mining UK S

Dr. Adrian McArthur

CEO and Director

Meridian Mining UK S

Email: info@meridianmining.net.br

Ph: +1 (778) 715-6410 (PST)

Stay up to date by subscribing for news alerts here: https://meridianmining.co/contact/

Follow Meridian on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MeridianMining

Further information can be found at: www.meridianmining.co

1See Meridian news release September 26, 2022 https://meridianmining.co/press-releases/

2Meridian Mining News Release of September 26, 2022

SOURCE: Meridian Mining UK S





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Global Meta Aramid Fiber Market

Global Meta Aramid Fiber Market

Dublin, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Meta-aramid Fiber Market by Type (Staple, Filament, Paper), Application (Nonwoven Bagfilter, Apparel, Turbohose, Electric Insulation, Honeycomb Reinforcement), and Region (Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, MEA, South America) - Global Forecast to 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.





The meta-aramid fiber market is projected to reach USD 2.3 Billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 10.6% from USD 1.4 Billion in 2022.

The major drivers of this market are the rising demand from the homeland security coupled with the increasing demand for meta-aramid fibers in electrical insulation applications drive the market. Increasing demand for homeland security and advancement in aramid materials manufacturing processes, are the significant growth opportunities for the market. However, its high cost of production and available alternatives restrict the market's growth.

Staple is estimated to be the largest type in the meta-aramid fiber market in 2021, in terms of value

The staple segment dominated the meta-aramid fiber market in terms of both value and volume. Growth in the market size of staple fiber is attributed to the increased demand for protective clothing across the globe. Government authorities in developed countries are increasingly concerned about the health and safety of the workers.

Honeycomb reinforcement was the second-fastest growing application for meta-aramid fiber market during the forecast period

A honeycomb core comprises of a sandwich structure that is covered with facings or skins. The function of the core that is used as a filling is to add strength without adding weight to the final components. Honeycomb core materials are made of thermoplastic, aramid, aluminum, fiberglass, paper, carbon, and stainless steel. Meta-aramid fiber for honeycomb reinforcement adds benefits such as low weight, rigidity, durability, and toughness.

Story continues

APAC is projected to be the fastest growing meta-aramid fiber market during the forecast period, in terms of value

Asia Pacific is projected to be the fastest-growing meta-aramid fiber market, in terms of both value and volume, during the forecast period. The region is a global manufacturing hub and has one of the world's largest numbers of on-road vehicles. Rising incomes, standards of living, population, and exports support the growth of the meta-aramid fiber market in the region. Emerging economies, such as China, India, Indonesia, and Thailand, are expected to witness robust expansion in terms of urbanization and infrastructure as well as investments in the manufacturing sector.

Market Dynamics

Drivers

Increasing Demand for Lightweight Materials in Security & Protection Applications

Rising Need for Lightweight Materials to Reduce Emissions from Vehicles

Potential Substitute for Steel and Asbestos

Restraints

High R&D Cost

Non-Biodegradability of Meta-Aramid Fiber

Opportunities

Increasing Demand for Homeland Security

Growing Aerospace & Defense Sector

Advancement in Aramid Material Manufacturing Technology

Challenges

High Cost of Production

Available Alternatives with Similar Properties

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 214 Forecast Period 2022 - 2027 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2022 $1.4 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2027 $2.3 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 10.6% Regions Covered Global



Key Topics Covered:

1 Introduction

2 Research Methodology

3 Executive Summary

4 Premium Insights

5 Market Overview

6 Meta-Aramid Fiber Market, by Type

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Staple

6.3 Paper

6.4 Filament

7 Meta-Aramid Fiber Market, by Application

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Nonwoven Bag Filter

7.3 Apparel

7.4 Turbo Hose

7.5 Electric Insulation

7.6 Honeycomb Reinforcement

7.7 Others

8 Meta-Aramid Fiber Market, by End-Use Industry

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Automotive

8.3 Aerospace & Defense

8.4 Electrical & Electronics

8.5 Oil & Gas

8.6 Industrial

8.7 Others

9 Meta-Aramid Fiber Market, by Region

10 Competitive Landscape

11 Company Profiles

12 Adjacent & Related Markets

13 Appendix

Companies Mentioned

Aramid HPM, LLC

Barnet Intelligent Materials

CNV Special Chemical Fiber Co. Ltd.

Coats Group plc

Dupont De Nemours, Inc.

GD Textiles (Madurai). Pvt. Ltd.

Huvis Corporation

Kermel

Labon Technical Fiber

Lydall Industrial Filtration

Pro-Systems Spa

Shanghai J&S New Materials Co. Ltd.

Teijin Ltd.

Toray Industries, Inc.

X-Fiper New Material Co. Ltd.

Yantai Tayho Advanced Materials Co. Ltd.

YF International Bv

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ohen53

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MAXIMIZE MARKET RESEARCH PRIVATE LIMITED

The growing demand from the automotive and construction industry is expected to drive the Methanol market growth. The growth factor of the market is the use of petrochemicals in end-use industries such as automotive and construction.

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The report on Methanol Market provides an overview of the market structure and the competitive landscape prevailing in the industry. Key insights provided in the report include the major divers of the market along with its various applications. The market size and growth rate are presented in the report that is estimated using a bottom-up approach.

For a competitive landscape of the Methanol Market, key players in the market are listed for the analysis. Along with key competitors, new entrants in the Methanol Market are also included in the report for a comprehensive research. Growth indicators such as the revenue generated, credit ratings, technological advancements, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and geographical presence are taken into account for conducting the analysis.

Story continues

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Methanol Market Overview

Methanol, also known as Methyl alcohol is an organic chemical and simplest aliphatic alcohol, with formula CH3OH. Methanol is a colorless, flammable liquid with a distinctive odor. It is used in automotive industry and consumer products including antifreeze, solvents, fuels and as a feedstock in manufacturing of other chemicals. The growing demand from the automotive and construction industry is expected to drive the Methanol market growth over the forecast period.

Methanol Market Dynamics

Use of petrochemicals in end-use industries such as automotive and construction have been witnessing a rise. There are immense applications of methanol in day-to-day products which are expected to present lucrative opportunities for the market growth over the forecast period. Use of Methanol for the production of chemicals such as acetic acid and formaldehyde, in manufacturing of foams, windshield washer fluids and plywood subfloors are the factors expected to influence the Methanol Market growth. Production of olefins from methanol, use of methyl alcohol as a precursor in adhesives, plastics, textiles, and insulation material are expected to fuel the Methanol Market growth.

Detrimental effect of Methanol as solvent, alternative fuel source and pesticide, also it naturally occurs in foods, fruits, and human body, which causes poisoning, which is expected to restrain the Methanol Market growth. Consumption of Methanol can lead to blindness, accumulation of acid in blood and death. Increasing demand of Ethanol and Bioethanol over Methanol, however, is expected to restrain the market growth.

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Methanol Market Regional Insights

The Methanol Market in the Asia Pacific region is expected to grow at a high CAGR during the forecast period. This growth of the market is expected majorly due to the shifting consumer preference towards sustainable fuels in the region. The demand for methanol is high in China, Japan, and other Southeast Asian countries because of the growing chemical construction, automotive and electronics industries. The regional Methanol Market is majorly growing because China is the largest producer of methanol in the world.

The Methanol Market in the North America region is also expected to grow at a high rate during the forecast period due to the presence of major key manufacturers in the region. This growth of the market is also expected because of the high demand for fuelling applications like fuel blending and the production of green fuels.

Methanol Market Segmentation

By Feedstock:

Coal

Natural Gas

Others



By Derivatives:

Gasoline

MTO/MTP

Formaldehyde

Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE)

Acetic Acid

Dimethyl Ether (DME)

Methyl Methacrylate (MMA)

Biodiesel

Others



By Sub-Derivatives:

Gasoline additives

Olefins

UF/PF resins

VAM

Polyacetals

MDI

PTA

Acetate Esters

Acetic anhydride

Fuels

By End-User:

Construction

Automotive

Electronics

Appliances

Paints & Coatings

Insulation

Pharmaceuticals

Packaging (PET bottles)

Solvents



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Methanol Market Key Competitors include:

Atlantic Methanol Production Company

BASF SE

Celanese Corporation

Eastman Chemical Company

Methanex Corporation

Methanol Holdings Limited

Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Co., Inc.

Mitsui & Co., Ltd

Petroliam Nasional Berhad

SABIC

Zagros Petrochemical Company

HELM AG

Southern Chemical Corporation

PETRONAS

Simalin Chemical Industries Pvt Ltd.

Metafrax Chemicals

Yanzhou Coal Mining Company Ltd.

Shanghai Huayi (Group) Company

Ningxia Baofeng Energy Group Co. Ltd.

Celanese Corporation

Key questions answered in the Methanol Market are:

What is Methanol?

What is the current growth rate of the Methanol Market?

Who are the key players in the Methanol Market?

What are the factors affecting growth in the Methanol Market?

Who held the largest market share in Methanol Market?

What is the demand pattern for the Methanol Market?

What are the opportunities for the Methanol Market?

What are the strategies used by competitors in the Methanol Market?

What are the growth prospects in developing countries for the Methanol Market t?

Which segment is expected to witness the fastest growth and why in the Methanol Market?

Key Offerings:

Past Market Size and Competitive Landscape (2018 to 2021)

Past Pricing and price curve by region (2018 to 2021)

Market Size, Share, Size & Forecast by different segment | 20222029

Market Dynamics  Growth Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities, and Key Trends by region

Market Segmentation  A detailed analysis of the market by Feedstock, Derivatives, Sub-Derivatives, End-User and Region

Competitive Landscape  Profiles of selected key players by region from a strategic perspective Competitive landscape  Market Leaders, Market Followers, Regional player Competitive benchmarking of key players by region

PESTLE Analysis

PORTERs analysis

Value chain and supply chain analysis

Legal Aspects of business by region

Maximize Market Research is leading material and chemical research firm, has also published the following reports:

Ethanol Market -The market size is expected to reach USD 152.2 billion by 2029 at a CAGR of 5.5 percent during the forecast period. It is expected to be driven Growing interest in using the substance as a biofuel and rise in the use of alcohol.

Bioethanol Market -The market size is expected to reach USD 111.48 billion by 2029 at a CAGR of 14.21 percent during the forecast period. It is expected to be driven by increasing use of renewable sources of energy and the ease with which it can be integrated into the existing road transportation fuel system.

Phenoxyethanol Market -The market size is expected to reach USD 269 Mn by 2029 at a CAGR of 4.31 percent during the forecast period. It is expected to be driven by increasing demand for phenoxyethanol from the personal care and the cosmetics industry

Aminoethylethanolamine Market -The market size is expected to reach USD 328.93 Mn by 2029 at a CAGR of 4.7 percent during the forecast period. It is expected to be driven by increasing applications of aminoethylethanolamine in end-use industries to improve dye sorption, adhesion, and flameproofing and abrasion resistance.

Trifluoroethanol Market -The market size is expected to reach USD 911.5 million by 2029 at a CAGR of 5.80 percent during the forecast period. It is expected to be driven by increasing need for efficient use of resources and research and development.

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Maximize Market Research is a multifaceted market research and consulting company with professionals from several industries. Some of the industries we cover include medical devices, pharmaceutical manufacturers, science and engineering, electronic components, industrial equipment, technology and communication, cars and automobiles, chemical products and substances, general merchandise, beverages, personal care, and automated systems. To mention a few, we provide market-verified industry estimations, technical trend analysis, crucial market research, strategic advice, competition analysis, production and demand analysis, and client impact studies.

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The Brainy Insights

The demand for services from end users, including manufacturing industries, e-commerce platforms, and general retailers, is also growing quickly, propelling the micro fulfillment market's expansion. North America emerged as the highest in the global micro fulfillment market, with a share of 33.64% and valued at USD 1.64 billion in 2022. Several large corporations are investing significantly in micro facilities, including Amazon, Walmart, and Alibaba.

Newark, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brainy Insights estimates that the USD 4.89 billion in 2022 micro fulfillment market will reach USD 18.23 billion by 2032. Because of how easy it can be to shop online, and the wide range of products offered, the e-commerce industry is expanding at an exponential rate. A speedy and efficient delivery is possible with this idea of small-scale warehousing. Additionally, because of the population's proximity, the delivery technique is more efficient due to the shorter journey distance and lower fuel use. Additionally, perishable items like groceries are already included in the scope of e-commerce due to the micro fulfillment facilities. The micro fulfillment market is growing due to these benefits of micro fulfillment facilities.



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Key Insight of the Micro Fulfillment Market



Europe is expected to show the highest growth, with a CAGR of 18.74% over the forecasted period.



Over the projected period, Europe is anticipated to experience the highest growth, with a CAGR of 18.74%. It is because of the latest advancements in their e-commerce industry's micro fulfillment technology. Additionally, several e-commerce centres in the Europe region have turned their attention to this micro fulfillment approach due to automation in various industries, including groceries, food & beverage, retail, etc. This has also fueled the expansion of the micro fulfillment market in the Europe region.



Story continues

The mobile AMR segment is expected to show the highest growth with a CAGR of 16.37% over the forecasted period.



Over the anticipated period, the mobile AMR segment is predicted to grow at the fastest CAGR of 16.37%. Robotics, automation, and artificial intelligence have all advanced quickly in recent years. An autonomous mobile robot is a particular kind of robot programmed with algorithms that allow it to navigate a specified path and understand its environment without human supervision. Increasing design, enhancing speed, and improving precision are top priorities for the micro fulfillment market and logistical operations. AMRs are becoming increasingly crucial to micro fulfillment businesses. AMRs employ a combination of sensors, software, algorithms, AI, and machine learning to plan their paths across the workplace.



The small size segment is expected to show the highest growth, with a CAGR of 17.22% over the forecasted period.



Over the anticipated period, the small size segment is predicted to grow at the fastest CAGR of 17.22%. Because of their tiny size, micro fulfillment warehouses are ideal for growth in hubs like cities, suburbs, and metropolitan areas. Due to this consumer's proximity, the centre will be able to reach the end user more quickly. In small warehouses, more than 50% of micro fulfillment installations are aimed at centres between 5,000 and 10,000 square feet in size. These warehouse hubs have completely automated storage spaces close to the consumer. Many businesses are making significant investments in shipping infrastructure. For example, Walmart has opened more than 5000 small stores in the United States to facilitate faster order delivery. On the other hand, Amazon made enormous investments in building the infrastructure and committed USD 1.5 billion to a Kentucky air hub.



The industries segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR of 16.95% over the forecasted period.



Over the anticipated period, the industries segment is predicted to grow at the highest CAGR of 16.95%. Industrialists are already turning to micro fulfillment services as they need to keep their supplies and inventory. Because they have a lot of stock but not enough storage space, industries are employing large-scale warehouses.



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Market Dynamics



Driver: Micro fulfillment centres are being used more often in e-groceries



In e-commerce and e-grocery operations, the number of MFC is rapidly expanding. Small and medium-sized MFC help online e-grocery platforms provide their customers with the service of items and groceries by delivering the goods to their doorstep. These considerations will likely cause the micro fulfillment business to expand. The market is mainly driven by large international e-commerce companies like Amazon, Walmart, Kroger, Alibaba, and Ocado. The micro fulfillment market is growing due to the rapidly rising demand for services from end users like the manufacturing sector, e-commerce platforms, and traditional retailers.



Restraint: The fulfillment centres are located outside of the city



The fact that the current fulfillment facilities are dispersed across the main cities has a minor negative impact on the micro fulfillment market. In the e-commerce, supermarket, and food and beverage sectors, this results in higher logistics and transportation costs and longer delivery times than anticipated by clients. Residential regions don't have much storage space, so fulfillment centres need extensive facilities. To operate, warehouses are built outside of cities, negatively impacting the micro fulfillment market.



Opportunity: Micro fulfillment centres' technological advancements are opening up new possibilities



Among other technological advancements, using automation and robotics in micro fulfillment centres expands the market's opportunities for new businesses. A specific kind of mobile robot, known as an automated mobile robot, is programmed with algorithms to understand its surroundings, handle them without the support of a human operator, and follow the path. The micro fulfillment market and logistics businesses' key priorities are enhancing design, increasing speed, and boosting accuracy and efficiency. Companies engaged in micro fulfillment typically consult AMRs. To design their routes throughout the office, AMRs use a combination of sensors, software, algorithms, AI, and machine learning. A piece-picking robot automatically removes items from stock containers and deposits them on an order collection conveyer. The fact that the piece-picking robots work automatically contributes to saving time and money. Developers are driven to make faster, safer robots due to the increased demand from warehouses. The micro fulfillment market will be significantly boosted by these favourable factors worldwide.



Challenge: Labour issues



The high turnover rates significantly hamper digital transformation and the quick adoption of automated warehouse procedures by a lack of trained workers and rising minimum salaries. By applying specific algorithms, labour management software may be able to recognize behaviours that indicate to a staff who is on leave. Based on real-time labour optimization results, operators can decide whether to keep top players or proactively replace them with systems.



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Some of the major players operating in the micro fulfillment market are:



 Ahold Delhaize

 Davinci Micro Fulfillment

 Flowspace

 Honeywell International Inc

 Instacart

 LOCAD

 PACK and SEND Holdings Pty Ltd

 Swisslog

 Alert Innovation, Inc.

 Dematic

 HORMANN

 OPEX

 The Kroger Company

 Bastian Solutions, LLC

 KPI Integrated Solutions

 PACLINE OVERHEAD CONVEYORS

 Fortna Inc.



Key Segments cover in the market:



By Technology:



 Mobile AMR

 Traditional WMS

 Piece Picking Robots



By Warehouse:



 Large Size

 Small Size



By End-user:



 Industries

 E-Commerce

 General Stores



By Region



 North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico)

 Europe (Germany, France, U.K., Italy, Spain, Rest of Europe)

 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, Rest of APAC)

 South America (Brazil and the Rest of South America)

 The Middle East and Africa (UAE, South Africa, Rest of MEA)



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About the report:



The market is analyzed based on value (USD Billion). All the segments have been analyzed worldwide, regional, and country basis. The study includes the analysis of more than 30 countries for each part. The report analyzes driving factors, opportunities, restraints, and challenges for gaining critical insight into the market. The study includes porter's five forces model, attractiveness analysis, product analysis, supply, and demand analysis, competitor position grid analysis, distribution, and marketing channels analysis.



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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 6, 2023) - Millennial Potash Corp. (TSXV: MLP) ("MLP" "Millennial" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that Mr. Rick Lacroix has joined the Company's Board of Directors as MLP continues to strengthen its Board with veterans of the potash industry.

Farhad Abasov, Millennial's Chair, commented, "We are very pleased that Mr. Rick Lacroix has decided to join the Millennial Potash Board. Rick brings a wealth of potash expertise from extraction to marketing and transportation through top-level positions within Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan (now Nutrien) and Canpotex, a potash marketing organization of Canadian potash producers. Rick also was a member of Allana Potash Corp. and was instrumental in Allana's efforts in developing its potash project in Africa. More recently Rick was part of the Board of Directors of Millennial Lithium Corp. where he was involved in all aspects of Millennial Lithium Corp.'s Pastos Grandes Project which was acquired by Lithium Americas in early 2022. We are looking forward to Rick's contributions to our Board as we accelerate our exploration and development activities at our Banio Potash Project in Gabon."

Mr. Lacroix has a B.Sc. Electrical Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan. Mr. Lacroix began his potash career in 1981 and has extensive experience in all aspects of potash mining, processing, and marketing, highlighted by 30+ years with Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan (now Nutrien). Mr. Lacroix is a former Senior Vice President of Potash Corp of Saskatchewan (Nutrien) and former Director of Canpotex and former Chairman of Canpotex Bulk Terminals. Most recently, Mr. Lacroix served as a Director for Allana Potash Corp. He was also a director in Millennial Lithium Corp. In addition to a comprehensive career in potash, Mr. Lacroix has also been involved in base metal mining operations in northern Canada and Ontario. Mr. Lacroix brings a wealth of experience in large-scale potash mining operations, product marketing, distribution, and transportation to the Company.

Story continues

GRANT OF 100,000 INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS

The Company also wishes to announce that it has granted a total of 100,000 incentive stock options exercisable for a period of five (5) years at an exercise price of $0.50 per share.

TERMINATION OF OPTION TO ACQUIRE MOHAVE GOLD PROJECT

The Company also wishes to announce that it has elected to terminate its option on the Mohave Gold Project and has provided notice of termination to M3 Metals Corp. ("M3M"). M3M has acknowledged receipt of the termination notice and the Company and M3M have entered into a mutual release concerning the Mohave Gold Project. The Company has no further obligations to M3M regarding the Mohave Gold Project.

MARCH 1, 2023 NEWS RELEASE (CLOSING OF PRIVATE PLACEMENT)

In some of the disseminated copies of the Company's news release dated March 1, 2023, it was stated that the proceeds of the Company's private placement were $3,951,500. This is incorrect. The correct proceeds (as stated in the title of the news release) were $3,591,500.

To find out more about Millennial Potash Corp., please contact Investor Relations at (604) 662-8184 or email at info@millennialpotashcorp.com.

MILLENNIAL POTASH CORP.

"Farhad Abasov"

Chair of the Board of Directors

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 news release may contain certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target, "plan", "forecast", "intend", "may", "schedule" and similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information may relate to future prices of commodities, accuracy of mineral or resource exploration activity, reserves or resources, regulatory or government requirements or approvals including approvals of title and mining rights or licenses and environmental, local community or indigenous community approvals, the reliability of third party information, continued access to mineral properties or infrastructure, changes in laws, rules and regulations in Gabon or any other jurisdiction which may impact upon the Company or its properties or the commercial exploitation of those properties, currency risks including the exchange rate of USD$ for Cdn$ or other currencies, fluctuations in the market for gold/silver and potash or potash related products, changes in exploration costs and government royalties, export policies or taxes in Gabon or any other jurisdiction and other factors or information. The Company's current plans, expectations and intentions with respect to development of its business and of the Banio Potash Project may be impacted by economic uncertainties arising out of Covid-19 pandemic or by the impact of current financial and other market conditions on its ability to secure further financing or funding of the Banio Potash Project. Such statements represent the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political, environmental and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affections such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/157324
Company Logo

Dublin, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Molecular Diagnostics at the Point of Care. By Application, Technology, Place, Product and by Country. With Executive Guides and Customization 2023 - 2027 " report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Learn about this market including the issues and outlooks. The two key trends of Point of Care Testing and Molecular Diagnostics are merging with spectacular success. It could possibly displace most frontline test protocols AND save money at the same time. The report forecasts the market size out for five years.

Infectious disease Dx is changing and will change more in the future. Can a rapidly growing market expand even faster? Find out all about it in this comprehensive report on Molecular Diagnostics at the Point of Care.

Are targeted tests for specific pathogens going to be obsolete? Will diagnostics replace physicians? Will Point of Care testing move into the Physician's Office or even the Home?

Point of Care testing is proving itself in the market. Players are reporting double-digit growth. Lowering costs, improving outcomes and even helping in the battle against Anti Microbial Resistance.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Market Guides

1.1 Strategic Situation Analysis

1.2 Guide for Executives, Marketing and Business Development Staff

1.3 Guide for Management Consultants and Investment Advisors

2 Introduction and Market Definition

2.1 What are Molecular Diagnostics at the Point of Care?

2.2 The Diagnostics Revolution

2.3 Market Definition

2.3.1 Revenues

2.4 Methodology

2.5 Perspective: Healthcare and the IVD Industry

2.5.1 Global Healthcare Spending

2.5.2 Spending on Diagnostics

2.5.3 Important Role of Insurance for Diagnostics

3 Instrumentation, Automation and Diagnostic Trends

3.1 Instrumentation and Automation

3.1.1 Traditional Automation and Centralization

3.1.2 The New Automation, Decentralization and Point Of Care

3.1.3 Instruments Key to Market Share

3.1.4 Bioinformatics Plays a Role

3.1.5 PCR Takes Command

3.1.6 Next Generation Sequencing Fuels a Revolution

3.1.7 NGS Impact on Pricing

3.1.8 Whole Genome Sequencing, A Brave New World

3.1.9 Companion Diagnostics Blurs Diagnosis and Treatment

Story continues

4 Industry Overview

4.1 Players in a Dynamic Market

4.1.1 Academic Research Lab

4.1.2 Diagnostic Test Developer

4.1.3 Instrumentation Supplier

4.1.4 Chemical/Reagent Supplier

4.1.5 Pathology Supplier

4.1.6 Independent Clinical Laboratory

4.1.7 Public National/regional Laboratory

4.1.8 Hospital Laboratory

4.1.9 Physicians Office Lab (POLS)

4.1.10 Audit Body

4.1.11 Certification Body.

4.2 The Clinical Laboratory Market Segments

4.2.1 Traditional Market Segmentation

4.2.2 Laboratory Focus and Segmentation

4.3 Industry Structure

4.3.1 Hospital Testing Share

4.3.2 Economies of Scale

4.3.2.1 Hospital vs. Central Lab

4.3.3 Physician Office Lab's

4.3.4 Physician's and POCT

5 Profiles of Key MDx Companies

5.1 Abacus Diagnostica

5.2 Abbott Laboratories

5.3 Accelerate Diagnostics

5.4 Access Bio

5.5 Ador Diagnostics

5.6 ADT Biotech

5.7 Akonni Biosystems

5.8 Alveo Technologies

5.9 Antelope Dx

5.10 Applied BioCode

5.11 Aureum Diagnostics

5.12 Aus Diagnostics

5.13 Baebies

5.14 Beckman Coulter Diagnostics

5.15 Becton, Dickinson and Company

5.16 Binx Health

5.17 Biocartis

5.18 BioFire Diagnostics (bioMerieux)

5.19 bioMerieux Diagnostics

5.20 Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.

5.21 Bosch Healthcare Solutions GmbH

5.22 Cepheid (Danaher)

5.23 Credo Diagnostics Biomedical

5.24 Cue Health

5.25 Curetis N.V./Curetis GmbH

5.26 Detect

5.27 Diagenode Diagnostics

5.28 Diasorin S.p.A.

5.29 Enzo Biochem

5.30 Eurofins Scientific

5.31 Fluxergy

5.32 Fusion Genomics.

5.33 Genedrive

5.34 Genetic Signatures

5.35 GenMark Dx (Roche)

5.36 Getlabs

5.37 Grip Molecular Technologies

5.38 Hibergene Diagnostics

5.39 Hologic

5.40 Immunexpress

5.41 Inflammatix

5.42 Invetech

5.43 Janssen Diagnostics

5.44 Karius

5.45 Lexagene

5.46 LightDeck Diagnostics

5.47 Lucira Health

5.48 Luminex Corp

5.49 LumiraDx

5.50 Maxim Biomedical

5.51 Meridian Bioscience

5.52 Mesa Biotech (Thermo Fisher)

5.53 Millipore Sigma

5.54 Mobidiag (Hologic)

5.55 Molbio Diagnostics

5.56 Nanomix

5.57 Novacyt

5.58 Novel Microdevices

5.59 Operon

5.60 Ortho Clinical Diagnostics

5.61 Oxford Nanopore Technologies

5.62 Panagene

5.63 Perkin Elmer

5.64 Prenetics

5.65 Primerdesign (Novacyt)

5.66 Prominex

5.67 Qiagen

5.68 QuantuMDx

5.69 Quidel

5.70 Roche Molecular Diagnostics

5.71 Salignostics

5.72 Saw Diagnostics

5.73 SD Biosensor

5.74 Seegene

5.75 Siemens Healthineers

5.76 Sona Nanotech

5.77 SpeeDx

5.78 T2 Biosystems

5.79 Talis Biomedical

5.80 Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

5.81 Veramarx

5.82 XCR Diagnostics

5.83 Zhejiang Orient Gene Biotech

6 Market Trends

6.1 Factors Driving Growth

6.1.1 New Genotypes Creating New Markets

6.1.2 Aging Population a Boon for All Diagnostics

6.1.3 Developing World Driving ID Dx Growth

6.1.4 Point of Care - Why Centralization is Losing Steam

6.1.5 Self Testing

6.1.6 The Need for Speed

6.2 Factors Limiting Growth

6.2.1 Lower Costs

6.2.2 Infectious Disease is Declining

6.2.3 Wellness Hurts

6.2.4 Economic Growth improves Living Standards

7 Molecular Dx - Infectious Disease Recent Developments

7.1 Recent Developments - Importance and How to Use This Section

7.1.1 Importance of These Developments

7.1.2 How to Use This Section

7.2 Sherlock Biosciences Adds to Infectious Disease Dx Toolkit

7.3 NanoDx Prepares for Point-of-Care Commercialization

7.4 Paragraf to Study New POC Test to Guide Antibiotic Selection

7.5 MicroGEM to Expand 30-Minute RT-PCR System

7.6 Startup Detect to Roll Out Next-Gen Molecular Instrument

7.7 Diagnostics for the Real World Third-Generation POC Platform

7.8 Salignostics Closes Funding Round

7.9 Cue Health Targets DTC Market in 2022

7.10 Grip Molecular Developing Home Respiratory Panel

7.11 Mainz Biomed Developing Home ColoAlert Assay

7.12 MFB Fertility Closes Series A Financing Round

7.13 Home Test Company Prenetics to go Public

7.14 Roche to Acquire TIB Molbiol to Expand Infectious Disease Portfolio

7.15 BforCure Preparing Multiple Panels for Point-of-Care qPCR Platform

7.16 Talis Biomedical Discusses Point-of-Care

7.17 Roche to Acquire GenMark Diagnostics for $1.8B

7.18 Pandemic Pushes Handheld qPCR Devices Closer to Commercialization

7.19 Hologic to Acquire Mobidiag

7.20 Lucira Health Focuses on User Friendly Approach to Home Testing

7.21 Infectious Disease Dx Firm Talis Biomedical Raises $254M in IPO

7.22 Fluidigm Plans 'Durable' Diagnostics, Clinical Business

7.23 Thermo Fisher Scientific to Acquire Mesa Biotech for Up to $550M

7.24 Mammoth Biosciences Developing Pathogen Detection Tech

7.25 Illumina, IDbyDNA Developing Sequencing-Based Respiratory Tests

7.26 Scanogen Developing 90 Minute Infection Test

7.27 Malaria Assays Use CRISPR for Point-of-Care Multispecies Detection

7.28 FDA Provides Self Testing SARS-CoV-2 EAU Guidance

7.29 Mammoth Biosciences Announces Rapid, CRISPR-Based COVID-19 Diagnostic

7.30 Genetic Signatures Gets CE Mark for Coronavirus Molecular Test

7.31 Qiagen Respiratory Panel with Coronavirus Receives CE Mark

7.32 Lumos Diagnostics Closes $15M Series A Funding

8 The Global Market for Molecular Diagnostics at the Point of Care

8.1 Global Market Overview by Country

8.2 Global Market by Application - Overview

8.3 Global Market by Technology - Overview

8.4 Global Market by Place - Overview

8.5 Global Market by Product - Overview

9 Global MDx at the Point of Care Markets By Application

9.1 Respiratory Infectious Disease

9.2 Gastrointestinal Infectious Disease

9.3 Sexually Transmitted Disease

9.4 Other Application

10 Global MDx Markets at the Point of Care by Technology

10.1 PCR

10.2 NGS/Probe

10.3 Other Technology

11 Global MDx at the Point of Care Markets by Place

11.1 Hospital Point of Care

11.2 Clinic or Physician Office Lab

11.3 Seniors Facility

11.4 Other Place

12 Global MDx at the Point of Care Markets by Product

12.1 Instrument

12.2 Cartridge

12.3 Other Product

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/hq8g8a

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LONDON, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Monevium, the UK based, authorised payment institution, offering a modern and straightforward way to manage money, has recently announced the launch of their intuitive mobile app. This latest feature gives Monevium users the ability to control their entire account from just a single app.

Monevium Logo

The FCA regulated company provides fast and secure payment facilities to manage everyday finances. With the Monevium Euro IBAN account, users can send and receive funds worldwide, as well as transfer funds between Monevium customers, and the launch of the mobile app makes this process even simpler.

Monevium account holders can access the full functionality of their account by simply logging in using Face ID from the home screen of the app.

Among the comprehensive range of functions within the mobile application are features which help to make the most of the mobile application in the increasingly 'mobile-first' world that we now live in, including the ability to order virtual debit cards as well as physical debit cards directly from within the application.

Monevium customers can view all card and account statements on a real-time basis from within the application, as well as retrieve previous statements with ease.

Gone are the days of having to write a PIN number associated with a debit card which is often required to either make cash withdrawals from automated tellers or to verify in-store purchases with a physical debit card, as the Monevium application securely hosts the PIN number associated with your card, meaning that Monevium account holders can look it up on the application securely at any time, without the concern that it may be mislaid or accessed by unauthorised people, as would be the case with PIN numbers written on paper files.

Should a Monevium account holder have to report a physical card missing, there is no need to have to contact customer service, as it is often vital that a card is disabled immediately upon noticing that it is not present. Instead, Monevium account holders can instantly freeze the use of any Monevium physical card via the application, and then should the card be located, it can be reactivated again via the application instantly.

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In keeping with the truly global nature of today's economy, Monevium account holders can make international payments via the SWIFT network or Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) system from within the application, something which is very much avantgarde compared with many traditional banking systems which require their customers to log onto web pages in order to conduct international transactions rather than facilitating them via a mobile application in the way that Monevium does.

Monevium account holders can transact quickly and easily between each other via the peer to peer (P2P) payment functionality available in the Monevium application which allows Monevium customers to make internal payments.

Ordering new or replacement cards can be conducted from within the mobile application, and the details of the cards can be displayed at the touch of a button, making online purchases easy without having to carry additional paraphernalia.

Alexey Stepanov, the Managing Director of Monevium, comments "The Monevium mobile application is here to further the 'mobile-first' nature of everyday life in the modern economy. Monevium customers are very much at the forefront of the modern way of living, and the array of features provided by the mobile application make keeping track of transactions as well as managing new ones effortless, regardless of location, all in one place, on one user-friendly platform."

"This is just the first step in our mobile journey. We have a vast amount of features planned to roll out over the coming months, which include a corporate app with corporate cards; balance top ups from debit cards; support for more currencies; and many more, which will only serve to improve the experience our users have with Monevium."

Users interested in opening a current account with Monevium can visit www.monevium.com and sign up for an account in minutes.

About Monevium:

Monevium is a trading name of Advanced Wallet Solutions Limited, which is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as an authorised payment institution. Unlike a traditional bank, users from Europe or the UK can open a Euro IBAN current account online in minutes, to send and receive funds worldwide, regardless of citizenship or financial history.

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Sabina Mammadli

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Director of the UN Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries Taffere Tesfachiu discussed the role of technological assistance in the development of these countries in various fields.

According to Azernews, the meeting was held within the framework of the Fifth UN Conference on Least Developed Countries (LDC5) on March 5.

The Azerbaijani official informed his interlocutor about the projects and initiatives implemented by the country in the direction of providing humanitarian aid, including development assistance to the least developed countries. In this regard, he also emphasized that projects aimed at the development of human capital in the least developed countries are of priority importance.

Azerbaijani minister also pointed out that Azerbaijans International Development Assistance Agency, operating under Foreign Ministry, implements international aid programs in various spheres, including education, health, infrastructure, and management. He then briefed about the current situation in the region in the post-conflict period, the large-scale restoration and construction work carried out by Azerbaijan in its liberated territories, including the efforts made by Azerbaijan in the direction of advancing the peace agenda, and the provocations of the Armenian side.

In turn, Tesfachiu underlined that the Banks main goal is to support its economic and social development by providing technological assistance to the least developed countries of the world. He also stated that Azerbaijan's international aid policy in this direction is commendable and emphasized the importance of strengthening global efforts in this regard.
Market.Us

According to Market.us, global neuroendoscopy devices market size is projected to surpass around USD 326 million by 2032, and it is anticipated to registered a CAGR of 5.3% from 2023 to 2032. The Increasing Prevalence of Neurological Diseases, Together with the Rising Demand for Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures, and the Higher Success Rate Associated with them, are Driving the Global Neuroendoscopy Devices Market.

New York, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global neuroendoscopy devices market size accounted for USD 197 million in 2022 and is expected to reach approximately USD 326 million in 2032, growing at a CAGR of slightly above 5.30% between 2023 and 2032. Global neuroendoscopy devices are minimally invasive medical instruments used to examine and treat diseases of the brain, spinal cord, head and neck regions. They consist of a light source, an endoscope, and additional tools such as forceps, scissors, and suction devices. They are used to perform endoscopic techniques such as biopsies, removal of tumors, and providing access to the central nervous system. Neuroendoscopic procedures are increasingly used in the diagnosis and treatment of many neurological diseases, such as hydrocephalus, pituitary tumors, and arteriovenous malformations. The devices are designed to minimize risk to the patient, minimize trauma to the tissue, and maximize visualization.

Global Neuroendoscopy Devices Market

Get additional highlights on major revenue-generating segments; request a neuroendoscopy devices market sample report at https://market.us/report/neuroendoscopy-devices-market/request-sample/

Key Takeaway:

By Type , The Rigid Neuroendoscope segment is dominated the neuroendoscopy devices market throughout the forecast period (2023-2032).

By Surgery , Transnasal Neuroendoscopy segment witness positive growth owing to increasing prevalence of brain tumors.

By Usability , Reusable segment dominates the neuroendoscopy devices market during forecast period (2023-2032).

By End-user , The Hospital segment held the majority of the market share in the neuroendoscopy devices market.

In 2022, North America dominated the market with the highest revenue share of 38.5% .

Europe is predicted to schedule substantial expansion during the forecast period due to an increase in the approval of cloud and voice recognition technologies in healthcare.

Asia-Pacific region is expected to register the highest CAGR due to increased awareness of clinical documentation.

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Neuroendoscopy market is currently at its developing stage of growth due to its complex growth. The slowdown in healthcare services and non-emergency procedures has significantly impacted some healthcare segments. While there have been declines in the healthcare sector in some markets, neuroendoscopy devices market has seen a moderate effect from the coronavirus pandemic.

Factors Affecting the Growth of the Neuroendoscopy Devices Market Industry?

There are several factors that can affect the growth of the global neuroendoscopy devices market. Some of these factors include:

Increasing prevalence of neurological diseases: The increasing prevalence of neurological diseases such as stroke, Parkinsons disease, Alzheimers disease, epilepsy, and brain tumors has increased the demand for neuroendoscopy devices.

Rising geriatric population: The rising geriatric population, which is more prone to developing neurological diseases, is increasing the demand for neuroendoscopy devices.

Technological advancements: Technological advancements in neuroendoscopy devices such as the development of high-definition endoscopes and robotic systems are also driving the growth of the market.

Growing demand for minimally invasive surgeries: The increasing preference for minimally invasive surgeries over traditional open surgeries is driving the growth of the market.

Favorable government initiatives and funding: Government across the globe are providing financial support to research and development activities related to the development of new and advanced neuroendoscopy devices. This is expected to drive the growth of the market.

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Top Trends in the Neuroendoscopy Devices Market

The growing preference for minimally invasive surgeries has led to the development of sophisticated neuroendoscopy technologies. Advancements in the field of endoscopy imaging and visualization systems have enabled surgeons to perform surgeries with greater accuracy and precision. The development of 3D endoscopy technologies and 4K ultra-high-definition monitors have further enhanced the visualization capabilities of neuroendoscopic surgeries. In addition, the advent of robotic-assisted endoscopy systems has paved the way for the automation of endoscopic procedures, resulting in improved patient outcomes. Furthermore, the introduction of intelligent navigation systems and augmented reality tools has enabled surgeons to perform complex surgeries with greater accuracy.

Market Growth

Increasing incidence of neurological disorders, technological advancements, and increasing number of minimally invasive surgeries are some of the major factors driving the growth of global neuroendoscopy devices market. In addition, the growing demand for endoscopy procedures and increasing adoption of neuroendoscopy devices in various surgical procedures are further propelling the growth of the global neuroendoscopy devices market.

Regional Analysis

Global neuroendoscopy devices market is segmented into regions such as North America, Estern Europe, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. North America region leading the global neuroendoscopy devices market. However, the presence of a well-developed healthcare infrastructure, a high amount of research and development activities and the increasing number of patients suffering from neurological disorders. Europe is expected to be the second-largest market due to the presence of a well-developed healthcare sector and the availability of advanced technology. Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the fastest-growing region due to the increasing number of patients suffering from neurological disorders and the presence of a large population base. Latin America and Middle East and Africa are expected to witness a moderate growth rate during the forecast period.

Scope of the Report

Report Attribute Details Market Value (2022) USD 197 million Market Size (2032) USD 326 million CAGR (from 2023 to 2032) 5.30% North America Revenue Share 38.5% Historic Period 2016 to 2022 Base Year 2022 Forecast Year 2023 to 2032

Have Queries? Speak to an expert or To Download/Request a Sample, Click here.

Market Drivers

Driving factors of the global neuroendoscopy devices market include the increasing prevalence of neurological disorders, technological advancements in neuroendoscopy devices, growing preference for minimally invasive surgeries, and increasing awareness about neuroendoscopy treatments. The prevalence of neurological disorders, such as Alzheimers disease and Parkinsons disease, is increasing globally, which is driving the demand for neuroendoscopy devices. Neuroendoscopy devices help diagnose and treat various brain and spine disorders, which are associated with neurological disorders. The increasing technological advancements in neuroendoscopy devices are also driving the market growth. These advancements help improve the accuracy of diagnosis and reduce the complexity of surgeries. In addition, the rising preference for minimally invasive surgeries is driving the market growth. Neuroendoscopy devices assist in performing minimally invasive surgeries. This helps reduce the risk of complications and trauma. Furthermore, increasing awareness about the benefits of neuroendoscopy is also driving the market growth. With the increasing awareness, patients are opting for neuroendoscopy treatments, which is contributing to the growth of the market.

Market Restraints

Restraining factors for the global neuroendoscopy devices market include the high cost of the devices, the limited availability of skilled personnel, and the associated risks. The high cost of the devices is a major obstacle for the market since most of the neuroendoscopy devices are expensive and difficult to afford for a large population segment. The limited availability of skilled personnel is also a restraining factor since the procedure requires special expertise and skill. Moreover, the associated risks associated with the procedure such as infection and damage to the surrounding tissues is a major concern for market growth.

Market Opportunities

The global neuroendoscopy devices market is projected to grow during the forecast period due to increased brain tumor cases worldwide. Radiation exposure, and a family history of brain tumors are risk factors. However, the aging population, which is prostate to a neurological disorder, is predicted to contribute to the global neuroendoscopic device market growth. There is also growing awareness among the general public associability of effective treatment options for neurological treatments., thereby strengthening the market growth. The advancement in neuroendoscopy technology can cause a shift in the neuroendoscopy device market trends. The new surgeries were found to have the highest success rate.

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Report Segmentation of the Neuroendoscopy Devices Market

Type Insight

On the basis of type, the market is categorized into rigid neuroendoscope , flexible endoscopes, and other endoscopes. Rigid endoscopes are the most common type of neuroendoscopes used in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. These endoscopes are generally used for procedures such as the removal of intraventricular tumors, cyst drainage, and third ventriculostomy. Flexible endoscopes are used for the treatment of deep-seated lesions, such as tumors in the third ventricle, fourth ventricle, and aqueduct. Other endoscopes, such as miniature endoscopes, are used extensively in pediatric neurosurgery.

Surgery Insight

The global neuroendoscopy devices market is segmented based on surgery type into intraventricular, transnasal, and transcranial. The transnasal neuroendoscopy segment is estimated to hold the dominat share in the market during the forecast period. Transnasal neuroendoscopy devices are used to diagnose and treat sinus, skull base, and pituitary gland conditions. These devices allow surgeons to access the nasal cavity and sinuses to remove tumors, repair structural defects, and remove obstructions. Intraventricular neuroendoscopy devices are used to diagnose and treat hydrocephalus and other conditions affecting the brain. These devices allow surgeons to access the brain's ventricles and intraventricular spaces to remove tumors, repair structural defects, and remove obstructions. Transcranial neuroendoscopy devices are used to diagnose and treat conditions affecting the brain. These devices allow surgeons to access the brain through a small hole in the skull and remove tumors, repair structural defects, and remove obstructions.

Usability Insight

The global neuroendoscopy devices market is segmented by usability into reusable and disposable. The reusable segment is estimated to dominate the market in terms of revenue in the forecast period. Reusable devices are those which are used multiple times in a single patient. They are easy to use and maintain and are more cost effective as compared to disposable devices. The reusable devices segment is expected to grow at a higher CAGR during the forecast period. On the other hand, the disposable segment is estimated to occupy a smaller market share in terms of revenue in the forecast period. Disposable devices are those which are used once and then discarded. They are more convenient and hygienic as compared to reusable devices.

End-User Insight

The global neuroendoscopy devices market is segmented on the basis of end-user into hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, research centers, and other end-users. The hospitals segment held the largest market share in 2022, and it is expected to remain dominant during the forecast period. This is attributed to the increasing number of patients undergoing neuroendoscopy procedures in hospitals, as well as the availability of specialized medical personnel and infrastructure. Furthermore, the increase in the number of hospitals and operating rooms dedicated to neuroendoscopy procedures is expected to boost the segment growth. The ambulatory surgical centers segment is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period, owing to the increasing preference for ambulatory surgical centers for the treatment of neurological disorders.

For more insights on the historical and Forecast market data from 2016 to 2032 - download a sample report at https://market.us/report/neuroendoscopy-devices-market/request-sample/

Market Segmentation

Based on Type

Rigid

Flexible

Other Types

Based on Surgery

Intraventricular

Transnasal

Transcranial

Based on Usability

Reusable

Disposable

Based on End-User

Hospitals

Diagnostic Centres

Ambulatory Surgical Centers

Other End-Users

By Geography

North America

The US

Canada

Mexico

Eastern Europe

Russia

Poland

The Czech Republic

Greece

Rest of Eastern Europe

Western Europe

Germany

France

The UK

Spain

Italy

Portugal

Ireland

Austria

Switzerland

Benelux

Nordic

Rest of Western Europe

APAC

China

Japan

South Korea

India

Australia & New Zealand

Indonesia

Malaysia

Philippines

Singapore

Thailand

Vietnam

Rest of APAC

Latin America

Brazil

Colombia

Chile

Argentina

Costa Rica

Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa

Algeria

Egypt

Israel

Kuwait

Nigeria

Saudi Arabia

South Africa

Turkey

United Arab Emirates

Rest of MEA

Competitive Landscape:

The competitive landscape of the market has also been examined in this report. Some of the major players include,

Ackermann Instrumente GmbH

Clarus Medical LLC

Schindlerendoskopie technologie GmbH

Braun Aesculap

HAWK

KARLSTORZSE & Co. KG

Tonglu WANHE Medical Instrument

Adeor medical AG

Machida Endoscope

Nevro Corporation

Other Key Players

Recent Development of the Neuroendoscopy Devices Market

In April 2021, Olympus Corporation launched a new 4K-capable neuroendoscope with a large-diameter optical system to provide improved visibility of anatomical structures during endoscopic procedures.

In January 2021, KARL STORZ SE & Co. KG, a Germany-based company, partnered with Brainlab, a Germany-based company, to develop a robotic-assisted navigation system for improving the efficiency of neuroendoscopic procedures.

In December 2020, Stryker Corporation, a US-based company, acquired K2M Group Holdings, a US-based company, to expand its product portfolio in the neuroendoscopy devices market.

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TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / Nextech AR Solutions Corp . ("Nextech" or the "Company") (OTCQX:NEXCF)(CSE:NTAR)(FSE:EP2), an Augmented Reality (AR), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and 3D model supplier for Amazon and other major e-commerce retailers and brands is pleased to announce that CEO Evan Gappelberg will present at the Emerging Growth Conference on March 8, 2023.

This live, interactive online event will give existing shareholders and the investment community the opportunity to interact with the Company's CEO, Evan Gappelberg in real time.

Nextech AR Solutions invites individual and institutional investors, as well as advisors and analysts, to attend CEO Evan Gappelberg's real-time, interactive presentation, showcasing Nextech's groundbreaking 3D modeling and AR wayfinding technologies. Using breakthrough AI, Nextech AR is able to quickly, easily, and affordably create vast quantities and varieties of existing assets at scale making products, people and places ready for interactive 3D use.

After the presentation, Evan Gappelberg may subsequently open the floor for an investor question and answer period. Please submit your questions in advance to questions@EmergingGrowth.com or ask your questions during the event, and Evan Gappelberg will do his best to get through as many of them as possible.

Conference Presentation Details

Date: Wednesday, March 8, 2023

Time: 10:15 - 10:45 a.m (Eastern Time)

Registration Link: https://goto.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1595542&tp_key=9ac5970e97&sti=nexcf

Please register here to ensure you are able to attend the conference and receive any updates that are released.

If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available to registered attendees on EmergingGrowth.com and on the Emerging Growth YouTube Channel, http://www.YouTube.com/EmergingGrowthConference .

Latest Nextech AR News

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About the Emerging Growth Conference

The Emerging Growth conference is an effective way for public companies to present and communicate their new products, services and other major announcements to the investment community from the convenience of their office, in a time efficient manner.

The Conference focus and coverage includes companies in a wide range of growth sectors, with strong management teams, innovative products & services, focused strategy, execution, and the overall potential for long term growth. Its audience includes potentially tens of thousands of Individual and Institutional investors, as well as Investment advisors and analysts.

To learn more about Nextech AR Solutions, please follow us on Twitter , YouTube , Instagram , LinkedIn , and Facebook , or visit our website: https://www.Nextechar.com .

For further information, please contact:

Investor Relations Contact

Lindsay Betts

investor.relations@Nextechar.com

866-ARITIZE (274-8493) Ext 7201

Nextech AR Solutions Corp.

Evan Gappelberg

CEO and Director

866-ARITIZE (274-8493)

About Nextech AR

Nextech AR Solutions (OTCQX: NEXCF) (CSE: NTAR) (FSE: EP2) is a diversified augmented reality, AI technology company that leverages proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) to create 3D experiences for the metaverse. Its main businesses are creating 3D WebAR photorealistic models for the Prime Ecommerce Marketplace as well as many other online retailers. The Company develops or acquires what it believes are disruptive technologies and once commercialized, spins them out as stand-alone public Companies issuing a stock dividend to shareholders while retaining a significant ownership stake in the public spin-out.

On October 26, 2022 Nextech AR spun out its spatial computing platform, "ARway" as a stand alone public Company. Nextech AR retained a control ownership in ARway Corp. with 13 million shares, or a 50% stake, and distributed 4 million shares to Nextech AR Shareholders. ARway is currently listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE:ARWY), in USA on the (OTC: ARWYF) and Internationally on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE: E65). ARway Corp. is disrupting the augmented reality wayfinding market with a no-code, no beacon spatial computing platform enabled by visual marker tracking. To learn more about ARway, visit https://www.arway.ai/

On December 14, 2022 Nextech AR announced its second spinout of Toggle3D, an AI-powered 3D design studio to compete with Adobe. Toggle3D is expected to be public in the first half of 2023.

Forward-looking Statements

The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Certain information contained herein may constitute "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as, "will be" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements regarding the completion of the transaction are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Nextech will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE: Nextech AR Solutions Corp.





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TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / NOA Lithium Brines Inc. (TSXV:NOAL) ("NOA" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company's common shares commenced trading on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSX-V") at the opening of market on Friday, March 3, 2023 under the symbol "NOAL". This follows the closing of the Company's previously announced reverse take-over transaction of Navion Capital Inc.

Taj Singh, President and CEO of NOA comments, "We are very pleased to commence trading on the TSX-V and we look forward to presenting exciting results in the coming weeks and months. NOA has an impressive portfolio of projects, all located in the most prolific lithium-producing region of the world, led by a team with extensive in-country and resource development experience. NOA's projects have high prospectivity based on surrounding historic drilling and geophysics, and the sheer size of the claims packages offers significant unexplored potential."

Projects' Highlights

NOA has three lithium projects, all of which are located in the heart of the prolific Lithium Triangle, in the mining-friendly province of Salta, Argentina, in close proximity to a multitude of projects / operations owned by some of the largest players in the lithium industry. NOA has rapidly consolidated one of the largest lithium brine claim portfolios in this region, not owned by a producing company, with key positions on three prospective salars (Rio Grande, Arizaro, Salinas Grandes) totalling over 100,000 hectares ("ha").

The Company's flagship Rio Grande project (43,000 ha) is located adjacent to / surrounding a project with an existing resource (Pluspetrol S.A.).The key opportunities for NOA at Rio Grande are: (1) deeper drilling where recent geophysical testing has identified lithium brine to a depth of 500 metres ("m"), as historical drilling at the salar has only drilled to depths of 100 m or less; and (2) exploration of the broader salar basin (salar under alluvial cover) which shows brine potential from geophysics completed by NOA and others.

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NOA also has significant positions on the Arizaro (44,000 ha) and the Salinas Grandes (9,200 ha) salars. Both of these salars have had exploration work carried out on them and are host to projects owned by several large lithium producers / developers.

2023 Work Plan

At the Rio Grande Project, NOA plans to drill approximately 3,000 meters in 5-7 wells on its claims with an aim to release a maiden mineral resource estimate in early 2024. The Company recently received all required drill permits, and drilling activities at site are expected to commence imminently.

The Company will also carry out geophysical testing at the Arizaro project and the Salinas Grandes project for drill targeting, and plans to drill a second salar project (besides the Rio Grande Project) in Q4 2023 / Q1 2024.

About NOA Lithium Brines Inc.

NOA Lithium Brines Inc. is a lithium exploration and development company formed to acquire assets with significant resource potential. NOA currently possesses a large portfolio of prospective projects at major lithium brine salars and is focused on advancing its material projects: the Rio Grande Project, the Arizaro Project, and the Salinas Grandes Project. All NOA's claims are located in the South American "Lithium Triangle," widely considered the most prolific region in the world for lithium deposits, containing over half of the world's known lithium reserves and responsible for over 60% of the world's current lithium production. All of NOA's claims are located in the mining-friendly province of Salta, Argentina, well-known as one of the top mining jurisdictions in the world. NOA has a claim package portfolio totaling over 100,000 hectares, one of the largest lithium brine land portfolios in this region not owned by a major lithium company.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors,

Taj Singh, M.Eng, P.Eng, CPA

President & CEO, Director

Email: info@noalithium.com

Telephone: 416-568-1027

For further information visit:www.noalithium.com

Qualified Person

Taj Singh, P.Eng, President & CEO, NOA Lithium Brines Inc., is the Company's designated Qualified Person for this news release within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and has reviewed and validated that the information contained in this news release is accurate.

Technical Notes & Forward-Looking Statements

The most recent technical report for NOA's Rio Grande Project is the 2022 Technical Report which was completed by Montgomery & Associates. The full document is available on NOA's website and on NOA Lithium Brines Inc. SEDAR profile.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may include forward-looking statements that are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. All statements within this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements including, but not limited to NOA's future plans and objectives regarding its projects, which constitute forward looking information that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although NOA believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements include fluctuations in market prices, including metal prices, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. NOA does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required under applicable laws.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: NOA Lithium Brines Inc.





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GoldQuest Mining Corp.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GoldQuest Mining Corp. (TSXV: GQC GoldQuest or the Company) is very pleased to announce that has received the final report of a poll/survey commissioned to measure the social support within the San Juan province to carry on with the EIA for its Romero Project. It shows 67.7% of the population of the San Juan province supports the EIA studies for the project. The survey was conducted by Gallup, a world-renowned polling consultant.



CEO Luis Pereyra Santana commented:

When I first joined GoldQuest in September 2022, the social situation in the province of San Juan regarding GoldQuest and our Romero Project was one of straight up rejection, fear and distrust. We are now pleased to inform all stakeholders that the situation today has turned around significantly. As certified by Gallup, we now see support from the San Juan community to proceed with the Romero project. The Romero project and the potential benefits that the full development of this project would bring to better the lives of the people of San Juan and the Dominican Republic is now well understood by over 2/3rds of the community.

Since my arrival into my country of birth, Dominican Republic, we have been engaging on a regular basis with the local community in San Juan and very high level officials of the National Government.

We look forward to the National Governments feedback as they digest this very clear message being sent to them from the San Juan Community. We have been and will continue to seek government approval granting us the permit which will allow for the EIA phase of Romero to begin ASAP.

About GoldQuest:

GoldQuest is a Canadian based mineral exploration and development company with projects in the Dominican Republic. GoldQuest is traded on the TSXV under the symbol GQC. The Company is well funded to carry out exploration programs and to advance the development of its Romero gold/copper discovery, located in the Geological Tireo Formation of the Dominican Republic.

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For further information, please contact:

GoldQuest Mining Corp.

Luis Santana, Chief Executive Officer

1 (829) 919-8705




GUANGZHOU, China, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- "Foreign investment in Guangdong mainly falls into three types: foreign trade-oriented, manufacturing-oriented, and service-oriented. Service-oriented foreign-funded enterprises have shown a rapidly increasing trend in recent years," Joanne Wang, Guangdong Markets Leader of PwC China, told GDToday and Lianhe Zaobao at a joint interview on the high-quality development in Guangdong, the province perceived as the economic engine of China.

The GAC TOYOTA production line in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China (PRNewsfoto/GDToday)

She took Shenzhen as an example, saying that the city's actual use of foreign investment in the high-tech industry hit 4.5 billion USD in 2022, accounting for 41 percent of the city's total. The actual use of foreign investment in the high-tech service industry increased by 13 percent year-on-year, indicating a rise in the quantity and quality of foreign investment.

Manufacturing industry to see "qualitative breakthrough"

The Guangdong government vowed to boost high-quality development at a grand conference held on January 28, the first working day after the Chinese New Year holiday, which indicates a shift in focus from quantitative economic indicators to sustainable and environmentally-friendly growth.

The province emphasized the role of manufacturing industry in its new round of development, and highlighted its 8 industrial clusters with more than 1-trillion output, including new-generation electronic information, green petrochemicals, intelligent home appliances, advanced materials, modern light industry and textiles, software and information services, modern agriculture and food, and automobiles.

"Guangdong's OEM service took off 45 years ago and drove the province's foreign trade and overall development for years. Now that Guangdong's manufacturing industry has achieved leapfrog development, it needs a qualitative breakthrough to drive further growth," said Guo Wanda, Executive Vice President of China Development Institute (CDI).

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Wang Jun, Former President of the Guangdong Academy of Social Sciences, analyzed that Guangdong is now driving the quality of its manufacturing industry through increasing the investment in basic research, saying, "It indicates that the province attaches great importance to original technological innovation."

According to the Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province, Guangdong's basic research funding accounts for 4.23 percent of the total research and experimental development (R&D) expenditure in 2018, which is relatively low nationwide. The number grew up to 5.87 percent in 2020 and 7.64 percent in 2022, and is expected to reach 10 percent by 2025 and 13 percent by 2030.

In addition, Wang believes that the electronic information industry which is a pillar industry of Guangdong, will provide the technologies and industrial facilities needed for smart manufacturing.

Position in global supply chain maintained with focus shifted

To draw in investment and boost the economy, emphasis is also placed on efforts to improve the business environment for foreign companies. Guangdong Governor Wang Weizhong said the province would implement the national treatment of foreign-funded enterprises and expand their market access.

Joanne Wang explained that policy transparency, government efficiency and tax costs are the three factors that foreign-funded enterprises are concerned with most when evaluating a business environment.

Klaus Zenkel, Vice President of the EU Chamber of Commerce in China and Chairman of the European Chamber South China Chapter, added that factors such as intellectual property rights protection, tax incentives as well as the supply of green energy are key to foreign companies when it comes to high-quality and sustainable development.

Guangdong is drafting an action plan to optimize the business environment, addressing issues such as the inadequate implementation of policy documents and prominent feedback from enterprises, according to Huang Huadong, Deputy Director-general of the Guangdong Development and Reform Commission.

Some foreign companies, including Toshiba and Samsung, have relocated their production lines from China to Vietnam, Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries over the past two years, sparking discussions about China's changing position in the global supply chain.

Zenkel considers it a China Plus One Strategy that has been adopted by most multinational companies, that is, setting up factories in both China and other countries, to ensure a more flexible and complete supply chain ecology. "Our Business Confidence Survey shows most companies would like to stay in China and have no plan to move away from the country," he said.

"China has maintained an important position in the global supply chain and served the global market for a long time with a complete range of industries, well-developed infrastructure and abundant industrial professionals. Southeast Asian countries lack these elements, as a result of which, the relocated manufacturers have not yet shown particularly good economic benefits," said Joanne Wang.

Based on the Government Work Report, Guangdong will adopt a new pattern of investment promotion in 2023 and attract domestic and foreign capital to the entire industrial chain. It will prioritize technological and manufacturing enterprises with strong competitiveness.

Wang Jun said that compared with the labor-intensive industries such as furniture, clothing, and textiles in the 1980s and 1990s, future competition and opportunities lie in high-tech manufacturing and services. Provinces and regions of China are now putting solid efforts into attracting foreign investment in these sectors.

SOURCE GDToday
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / Orchid Ventures, Inc. (the "Company" or "Orchid") (CSE:ORCD)(OTC:ORVRF), a vaporizer innovation company, announced today that it has scheduled a shareholder update call. Details of the call are listed below..

Orchid has scheduled an investor conference call for March 10, 2023 at 9:00am Pacific Standard Time dial in and login details are below. During the call Orchid CEO Corey Mangold will provide an update on the status of operations, the status of the 2022 Annual Audit as well as other sales and financial related updates.

The company has continued to operate with limited funds and operations. The company has maintained a strong partnership with Orchid Brands licensing partner, Nimble Distribution in Oregon, and the sales of Orchid products in Oregon have continued to grow and are now sold in over 200 retail locations throughout the state. Although there has been an increase in sales of products, with continued price compression, the profit margins are below 15% thus limiting the companies ability to add to the balance sheet in a substantial enough way to reduce debt. The company still holds approximately $130,000 in operating capital and is unable to service its debt in a manner sufficient to reduce its debt. The company with limited funds is still unable to complete its 2022 Annual Audit at this time, but is pursuing options, and has received a further AGM extension to June 30, 2023.

The company still does not have sufficient insurance coverage to give the comfort needed to add independent directors to its Board of Directors.

Time: Mar 10, 2023 9:00 AM Los Angeles Time

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89358613914?pwd=WS9GMmprdHMzVkNtWjJPb0ZkWGJFdz09

Meeting ID: 893 5861 3914

Passcode: 641034

Dial by your location: +1 669 444 9171 US

Meeting ID: 893 5861 3914

Passcode: 641034

ABOUT ORCHID VENTURES

Orchid Ventures is a California-based cannabis innovation company that has developed a mass-market brand and loyal consumer following with its premium cannabis products and unique vape hardware delivery systems. Orchid also owns 100% of PurTec Delivery Systems, a company that produces, markets and sells clean vaporizer hardware that has been emissions tested against the most stringent standards in the world set forth by the EU, and has unrivaled product quality and value pricing. Orchid's management brings significant branding, product development and distribution experience with a proven track record of scaling businesses and building sustainable revenue growth through value-generating partnerships and innovation that creates enterprise value. Learn more at https://purtecdesigns.com/

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ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS - ORCHID VENTURES, INC.

Corey Mangold

Founder, CEO and Chairman

investors@orchidventures.com

Investor Relations

Corey Mangold

1-949-357-5818

corey@orchidventures.com

The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Safe Harbor Statement

Except for historical information contained herein, statements in this release may be forward-looking and made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to Orchid Ventures, Inc. and Orchid Essentials any of its affiliates or subsidiaries (collectively, the "Company") or its management, identify forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the Company's business based, in part, on assumptions made by management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may, and probably will, differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements due to numerous factors, including those described above and those risks discussed from time to time in the Company's Canadian securities regulatory filings with sedar.com, Factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include such factors as (i) the development and protection of our brands and other intellectual property, (ii) the need to raise capital to meet business requirements, (iii) significant fluctuations in marketing expenses, (iv) the ability to achieve and expand significant levels of revenues, or recognize net income, from the sale of our products and services, (v) the Company's ability to conduct the business if there are changes in laws, regulations, or government policies related to cannabis, (vi) management's ability to attract and maintain qualified personnel necessary for the development and commercialization of its planned products, and (vii) other information that may be detailed from time to time in the Company's Canadian securities regulatory filings with sedar.com. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE: Orchid Ventures, Inc.





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/742243/Orchid-Ventures-Announces-Shareholder-Update-Conference-Call




P2 Gold Inc.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- P2 Gold Inc. (P2 or the Company) (TSX-V:PGLD) (OTCQB:PGLDF) reports that, subject to TSX Venture Exchange (the Exchange) approval, it has restructured the outstanding payment terms for the acquisition of the Gabbs Project located on the Walker-Lane Trend in the Fairplay Mining District of Nye County, Nevada. (See the Companys news releases dated February 23, 2021, announcing the acquisition of the Gabbs Project, and May 5, 2021 and April 28, 2022, announcing amendments to the terms of the acquisition of the Gabbs Project).

We appreciate Watertons support in restructuring the payment terms for the acquisition of our Gabbs Project, commented Joe Ovsenek, President and CEO of P2. Under the prior terms, US$8.9 million was due this May. Now, the majority of the payments have been pushed off for over three years, giving us time to advance Gabbs to the point where we can sell a royalty or stream to fund the payments due to Waterton to complete the purchase of Gabbs.

As part of the restructuring, P2 has entered into an amending agreement (the Amending Agreement) with Waterton Nevada Splitter, LLC (Waterton), an affiliate of Waterton Precious Metals Fund II Cayman, LP pursuant to which P2 will now issue or pay to Waterton (a) 2,659,748 shares in the capital of the Company following Exchange approval of the Amending Agreement, (b) US$150,000 on or before December 31, 2023, (c) US$250,000 on or before December 31, 2024, (d) US$2 million on or before December 31, 2025 and (e) US$2.4 million on or before December 31, 2026. The Amending Agreement also contemplates, (x) if P2 raises, through the issuance of debt or equity, in excess of C$7.5 million (excluding flow-through funds), 10% of the funds raised will be paid to Waterton against the longest dated milestone payment and (y) on the sale of an interest in, or of, Gabbs, the proceeds will be paid to Waterton up to the amount outstanding at the time.

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In addition, P2 will issue to Waterton a US$4,000,000, zero coupon convertible note (the Note) with a four-year term convertible at a price of C$0.30 per share provided that the Note cannot be converted if all payments due under the Amending Agreement have been made at the time the Note is called (other than if a change of control is to occur prior to repayment of the Note). The Note can be called at any time on payment of 115% in the first year, 130% in the second year and 150% thereafter and is due on maturity, an event of default or a change of control. Also, under the Note, approval by the shareholders of the Company is required if conversion of the Note would make Waterton a Control Person (as defined in the Exchanges Corporate Finance Manual).

If the Exchange fails to provide approval of the Amending Agreement and the Note and the transactions contemplated thereunder in accordance with applicable rules and policies of the Exchange by March 31, 2023, the Amending Agreement and the Note shall be deemed to be null and void.

Waterton currently has beneficial ownership of, and control or direction over, 15,000,000 common shares of the Company (Shares), representing approximately 16.9% of the issued and outstanding Shares. Following the issuance of 2,659,748 Shares to Waterton under the Amending Agreement, Waterton will have beneficial ownership of, and control or direction over, 17,659,748 Shares, representing approximately 19.9% of the issued and outstanding Shares following the restructuring. An early warning report will be filed with the applicable securities commission in each jurisdiction where the Company is reporting and will be available at www.sedar.com.

About P2 Gold Inc.

P2 Gold is a mineral exploration and development company focused on advancing precious metals and copper discoveries and acquisitions in the western United States and British Columbia.

For further information, please contact:

Joseph Ovsenek

President & CEO

(778) 731-1055



P2 Gold Inc.

Suite 1100, 355 Burrard Street

Vancouver, BC

V6C 2G8

info@p2gold.com

(SEDAR filings: P2 Gold Inc.) Michelle Romero

Executive Vice President

(778) 731-1060





Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward Looking Information

This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws that is intended to be covered by the safe harbours created by those laws. Forward-looking information includes statements that use forward-looking terminology such as may, will, expect, anticipate, believe, continue, potential or the negative thereof or other variations thereof or comparable terminology. Such forward-looking information includes, without limitation, information with respect to the Companys expectations, strategies and plans for the Gabbs Project including the Companys planned expenditures and exploration activities.

Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and is based upon a number of estimates and assumptions of management at the date the statements are made. Furthermore, such forward-looking information involves a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. See Risk Factors in the Companys annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2021, dated March 31, 2022 filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com for a discussion of these risks.

The Company cautions that there can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Except as required by law, the Company does not assume any obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking information contained in this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.




Transparency Market Research

Significant strides in the BRIC countries' use of paper-based flexible packaging are likely to open up a potential market for paper packaging material manufacturers

Wilmington, Delaware, United States, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Transparency Market Research Inc. - The global paper packaging materials market was worth US$ 359.5 Bn in 2020. Market forecast projects the global market to grow at a CAGR of 4.4% during the forecast period from 2021 to 2031 and reach US$ 553.1 Bn by 2031. Companies in the global paper packaging materials market are expected to make water-soluble board stock more widely available since it satisfies the ASTM D6868-11 testing protocol and can be composted in 40 days. Additionally, more R&D is expected to be conducted on materials that have proven to be entirely and rapidly biodegradable in aquatic settings by making products that comply with the global OECD 301B testing protocol.



Increase in use of paper packaging materials in various industries, such as pet food, cosmetics, fast food, beverages, dairy & bakery, frozen food, and pharmaceuticals, is expected to drive revenue opportunities for market players. Based on application, the beverages segment has been dominating the global market in the past few years. The combined market share of fresh foods, fast foods, and frozen foods, on the other hand, is large and is predicted to expand at a high CAGR during the forecast period.

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Significant need for wrapping food products is expected to drive the usage of paper packaging materials in fresh foods, fast food, and frozen foods businesses. Additionally, recently developed paper packaging materials along with developments in manufacturing techniques have given rise to highly functional packaging solutions such as leakproof packaging.

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Key Findings of Market Report

In 2020, the corrugated cases segment held the highest market share based on products utilized to make paper packaging. Corrugated cases are extensively used in inter-trade operations and retail packaging, which is predicted to fuel their high demand. Robustness of packaging and recyclable nature of these cases can be credited for their widespread popularity. Corrugated boxes for packing are also portable and reusable. This is anticipated to drive market demand for paper packaging materials.





Demand for paper packaging materials is expected to grow at an exceptional rate, driving up use of cartons and folding boxes. Carton and paper folding demand is anticipated to increase with the need for decorative and bulk packaging.



Global Paper Packaging Materials Market: Growth Opportunities

Manufacturers are constantly working to meet consumer demand in the rapidly expanding e-commerce industry. Business operations are expected to regain their usual pace owing to continuous development in international trade and commerce. Manufacturers are developing healthy relationships with their vendors and ecosystem partners in order to ensure that projects are executed smoothly.





Recent developments in the packaging industry have fueled demand for sustainable and eco-friendly packaging materials for a variety of end-use applications. This is a major aspect influencing how the market for paper packaging materials is developing. A prominent trend driving market development is rise in need for flexible packaging in industries including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food and beverage (F&B).



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Global Paper Packaging Materials Market: Regional Landscape

Asia Pacific accounted for the largest market share in 2020. The market in Asia Pacific is expected to expand at an accelerating rate during the forecast period, despite the fact that North America and Europe together held more than 50% of the global market. Major breakthroughs achieved in packaging business in several countries are expected to drive industry growth in Asia Pacific.



Global Paper Packaging Materials Market: Key Players

Hood Packaging Corporation

The Mayr-Melnhof Group

Georgia-Pacific Corporation

Smurfit Kappa Group Plc

DS Smith PLC

Stora Enso Oyj

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Global Paper Packaging Materials Market: Segmentation

Product

Liquid Packaging Cartons

Corrugated Cases

Cartons & Folding Boxes

Others

Application

Beverages

Fast Food

Fresh Food

Dairy & Bakery

Frozen Food

Others

About Transparency Market Research

Transparency Market Research, a global market research company registered at Wilmington, Delaware, United States, provides custom research and consulting services. The firm scrutinizes factors shaping the dynamics of demand in various markets. The insights and perspectives on the markets evaluate opportunities in various segments. The opportunities in the segments based on source, application, demographics, sales channel, and end-use are analysed, which will determine growth in the markets over the next decade.

Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insights for thousands of decision-makers, made possible by experienced teams of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants. The proprietary data sources and various tools & techniques we use always reflect the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in all of its business reports.

For More Research Insights on Leading Industries, Visit our YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8e-z-g23-TdDMuODiL8BKQ

Contact Us

Nikhil Sawlani

Transparency Market Research Inc.

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2023 Aims Focus on FDA Reforms and Sustaining Surveillance, Medical Research and Patient Care Gains Achieved Over the Past Two Decades

WASHINGTON, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time since 2020, advocates for Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD), a nonprofit organization leading the fight to end Duchenne muscular dystrophy (Duchenne), will be back in person in Washington, D.C. for the organization's annual Advocacy Conference, March 5-7, to make their voices heard in the fight to end Duchenne.

Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy logo. (PRNewsfoto/Parent Project Muscular Dystr...)

Over 130 advocates  people with Duchenne, parents, siblings, grandparents, and other family members and friends will join PPMD on Capitol Hill for the annual meeting that continued on a virtual basis for the last two years during the COVID-19 pandemic. That persistence and commitment by advocates enabled PPMD and the broader Duchenne community to make continued progress on federal public policy priorities despite the challenging times and circumstances.

"There is no substitute for being face-to-face in Washington, D.C., especially this year. I am so grateful that once again our advocates will be able to gather in person for our annual Advocacy Conference," said Pat Furlong, PPMD Founding President and CEO.

"For more than 20 years, PPMD advocates have brought a unified voice to Washington, D.C. Through these advocacy efforts, our community began the journey that resulted in the enactment of the Muscular Dystrophy Community Assistance, Research, and Education (MD-CARE) Act back in 2001, and together we have built upon and strengthened the federal commitment to Duchenne and broader muscular dystrophy research, public health, patient and caregiver support, and other activities. I am so thrilled we are back in person while also providing a virtual option for those who are unable to travel to Washington so they can still make their voices heard and foster relationships with members of Congress and staff," Furlong added.

This year's agenda will focus on bipartisan legislation to update current Food and Drug Administration (FDA) law to require that the all-important patient experience and related data points associated with candidate therapies be a core component of the FDA's benefit-risk assessment. This would build upon recent laws and enshrine experience data into the statute to provide a state of permanence while also providing additional transparency into how such information is being used by reviewers.

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"Congress has done so much over the past two decades to create and refine the field of patient engagement and to ensure such inputs are used by FDA in a meaningful way. The bipartisan BENEFIT Act, sponsored by our longtime champions and friends Sens. Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Reps. Doris Matsui (D-CA) and Brad Wenstrup (R-OH), would achieve this goal. I urge Congress to enact this bill into law this year," Furlong said.

In addition to the BENEFIT Act, advocates will be urging their Representatives and Senators to support the annual Duchenne appropriations requests to strengthen medical research, public health, and patient care priorities. The 2023 (Fiscal Year 2024) request includes:

Increasing to $8 million from $7.5 million funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Muscular Dystrophy program to support muscular dystrophy surveillance and caregiver education, including ways to incorporate essential Duchenne care considerations into electronic health record (EHR) tools.

Reporting by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on medical research programs focused on muscular dystrophy so the community can fully understand the work of the past two decades as well as increasing to $15 million the annual fund available through the Department of Defense to support Duchenne research.

Direction from Congress to advance consideration of adding newborn screening for Duchenne to the list of recommended tests to reduce the time to diagnosis and maximize the likelihood that all individuals with Duchenne can receive clinically recommended care as early as possible.

"For more than two decades, PPMD's Advocacy Conference has been an essential component of our overall advocacy strategy that has resulted in much progress for our community. While we have made many gains, we have much more to do and I am so thrilled that our advocates will be working so aggressively for continued progress," Furlong said.

About Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy

Duchenne is a genetic disorder that slowly robs people of their muscle strength. Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD) fights every single battle necessary to end Duchenne.

We demand optimal care standards and ensure every family has access to expert healthcare providers, cutting edge treatments, and a community of support. We invest deeply in treatments for this generation of Duchenne patients and in research that will benefit future generations. Our advocacy efforts have secured hundreds of millions of dollars in funding and won five FDA approvals.

Everything we doand everything we have done since our founding in 1994helps those with Duchenne live longer, stronger lives. We will not rest until we end Duchenne for every single person affected by the disease. Join our fight against Duchenne at EndDuchenne.org. Follow PPMD on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/parent-project-muscular-dystrophy-advocates-head-to-capitol-hill-to-advance-duchenne-public-policy-priorities-301763371.html

SOURCE Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD)
PartsBase, Inc.

BOCA RATON, Fla., March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PartsBase, the industry leading Aerospace and Defense Community of 7,400 companies, announces a new transactional marketplace, PartStore 2.0. The new PartStore 2.0 has been completely reimagined as the industrys first transactional marketplace which undertook a multi-year, multi-million-dollar investment into technology.



The new PartStore 2.0 builds upon the immense community footprint of the PartsBase family of brands by introducing a true E-commerce experience. Many large OEMs and Aviation Distributors are migrating their inventory, images, and pricing to the new platform.

The new PartStore creates an online platform for the aviation industry to buy and sell parts in a transactional way, says Rodrigo Garcia, Chief Operating Officer of PartsBase. PartsBase completely overhauled and revamped the way Buyers and Sellers engage and launched a much-needed digital channel to add to the experience of our customers and vendor partners.

PartStore 2.0 is powered by Oro Inc., the leading B2B Ecommerce platform for the modern purchasing experience. Oro works in the background to drive the new functionality of the marketplace, allowing our customers to manage their inventories and orders in real time. Additionally, customers can take advantage of matrix ordering, so they can purchase multiple vendor inventories in a single shopping cart, a first for the Aviation industry.

Along with these innovative solutions, buyers can checkout utilizing a secure transaction and sellers are issued sales orders, all via the PartStore, added Garcia.

Additional notable features of the PartStore include expanded data fields, images, as well as extended shipping options. The platform is configurable, meaning additional transactional services can be easily implemented. Example future expandability into payment services (including credit lines), shipping enhancements, insurance, and blockchain are slated on the development roadmap identified by the PartStore Customer Advisory Council.

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Finally, the new PartStore integrates with the PartsBase family of brands, therefore leveraging a strong digital footprint in terms of search engine optimization and multi-channel clicks for buyers and sellers.

To learn more about the new PartStore 2.0, visit https://partstore.partsbase.com/

PartsBase is announcing the new PartStore 2.0 at the PBEXPO 2023. PBEXPO 2023 is the largest free networking event in the aviation and aerospace industries and is set to attract over 5,000 attendees, including representatives from 38 major airlines. The show will be held at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Florida on March 9th and 10th  registration can be made via the website, pbexpo.org, or through this link: https://bit.ly/pbexpo-press.

About PartsBase

PartsBase is the worlds most active online community of aviation buyers and sellers. The PartsBase technology suite provides industry-leading tools, services, and specialized solutions to advance supply-chain efficiencies for businesses and professionals across the aviation, aerospace, and defense industries. The PartsBase community represents over 7,400 companies in over 130 countries and is expanding rapidly. To learn more about PartsBase, please visit: www.partsbase.com

Media Contact:

Julia Polaniecki, jpolaniecki@partsbase.com, 561.703.4195




Sabina Mammadli

US Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations Louis Bono said that the objective of his visit is to bring Azerbaijan and Armenia together, Azernews reports.

He made the comments addressing local reporters.

"I am here to meet with officials from Azerbaijan. Tomorrow I will be meeting with officials from Yerevan in an effort to bring them together as soon as possible, he added.

The official noted that the Munich meeting left him feeling optimistic about the two leaders being committed to peace. He also stressed that the US supports the early achievement of peace between the two states.

"The goal of my country is to bring an end to this suffering so that the people of Armenia and the people of Azerbaijan can live together peacefully; they can enjoy mutual peace, but also mutual prosperity. We need to bring it to an end," he said.

He also underlined that in this scenario, the US is not playing a role of a mediator in the peace process, but rather a facilitator.

In order for a peace agreement to be sustainable, to be durable, it needs to come from the parties, not from the US, or anyone else. Our goal is to get parties talking so that they are putting forward the language, they are exchanging proposal," the US official added.

Bono recalled that a few weeks ago he accompanied Secretary Blinken to Munich, where he held a trilateral meeting with President Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

"The secretary felt that the meeting was very constructive. I think this was a sentiment shared by all the participants in the meeting. Following the meeting, I had a conversation with the Secretary, and he asked me to come out as soon as possible to advance the peace process. Thats why I am here now," he said.
SAN FRANCISCO, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The global perimeter security market size is expected to reach USD 132.4 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 9.4% from 2023 to 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The increasing insecurities among civilians and the rising illegal activities, such as planned crimes, thefts, smuggling, and human trafficking, have led to a rise in the adoption of perimeter security systems. Technological proliferation has led to the growth of smart cities and smart infrastructure. Owing to this, the implementation of security systems at commercial complexes, entertainment hubs, and public sites is on the rise. The integration of security systems with the internet and the latest mobile devices has made surveillance easier. The latest technology has also led to the introduction of infrared, microwave, radar, and seismic sensors.

Grand_View_Research_Logo

Key Industry Insights & Findings from the report:

The system integration & consulting services segment dominated the market in 2022 and is estimated to generate high revenue by 2030.

System integration & consulting services help businesses create opportunities to drive high performance and accelerate business innovation; thereby creating growth opportunities for the segment.

The demand for perimeter security systems arises in the energy sector for securing power plants and protecting them against external threats and technology misuse, especially in nuclear power plants. In an attempt to enhance security, organizations install internet-based and automated security systems.

Increasing concerns regarding public security & safety, growing demand for spy cameras, and rising adoption of IP cameras are driving the video surveillance systems segment.

The Asia Pacific regional market is expected to witness the fastest CAGR during the forecast period due to the increasing infrastructure developments.

Read 216-page market research report, "Perimeter Security Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By System (Access Control Systems, Intrusion Detection Systems, Video Surveillance Systems), By Service, By End-use, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2023 - 2030", published by Grand View Research.

Perimeter Security Market Growth & Trends

The video surveillance systems segment is expected to register the fastest CAGR over the forecast period due to the large-scale investments in smart infrastructure projects by various nations. The global need to improve safety and security across many industries is considerably contributing to the market growth. In comparison to the preceding decade, the surveillance market has changed due to significant advances in cloud hosting and video surveillance software. The alarms & notification systems are expected to grow at a slow pace in the market over the forecast period. The maintenance & support systems are anticipated to witness the fastest growth over the next eight years. Perimeter security systems are expected to find major applications in the transportation end-use segment.

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The growth in terrorist threat and cross-border intrusions has forced governments to enact strict regulations regarding national safety, leading to market expansion. The fast-paced development of smart cities and smart infrastructure in Europe and the U.S. is one of the key factors driving the market. The government increasingly favors installing various security systems in strategic sites. Technological development related to automation has accelerated the adoption of the latest methods, such as video analytics and aerial drones, to produce better results.

Perimeter Security Market Segmentation

Grand View Research has segmented the global perimeter security market based on system, service, end use, and region

Perimeter Security Market - System Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2017 - 2030)

Access Control Systems

Alarms & Notification Systems

Intrusion Detection Systems

Video Surveillance Systems

Barrier Systems

Others

Perimeter Security Market - Service Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2017 - 2030)

System Integration & Consulting

Risk Assessment & Analysis

Managed Services

Maintenance & Support

Perimeter Security Market - End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2017 - 2030)

Commercial

Government

Industrial

Military & Defense

Transportation

Others

Perimeter Security Market - Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2017 - 2030)

North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Latin America

Middle East & Africa

List of Key Players of the Perimeter Security Market

Axis Communications AB

Barrier1 Systems, Inc.

Optex, Inc.

Honeywell International, Inc.

Tyco International Ltd.

Puretech Systems

Senstar Corporation

Delta Scientific Corporation

RBtec Perimeter Security Systems

Cias Elettronica Srl

Check out more related studies published by Grand View Research:

Video Analytics Market - The global video analytics market size is expected to reach USD 9.4 billion by 2025, according to a new study by Grand View Research, Inc., registering a 22.8% CAGR over the forecast period. Increasing demand for intelligent security surveillance systems, which can be used for estimating key trends and deriving patterns, is the key factor driving the market growth. In addition, increasing concerns over public safety and the use of video analytics in criminal investigations are positively impacting demand for video analytics solutions.

Automated Fingerprint Identification System Market - The global automated fingerprint identification system (AFIS) market size is projected to reach USD 12.46 billion by 2025, according to a new study conducted by Grand View Research, Inc. It is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 18.4% over the forecast period. Increasing demand for advanced security systems across various business domains is expected to boost the growth. In addition, rising adoption of mobile payment solutions and demand for integrated AFIS solutions are expected to fuel the expansion.

Night Vision Device Market - The global night vision device market size is expected to reach USD 10.05 billion by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. It is projected to register a CAGR of 8.1% during the forecast period. Increasing popularity of night vision devices for civil applications such as construction sites, camping, firefighting, and monitoring has notably benefitted the market in the past few years. In addition, increased use of advanced technologies such as imaging intensifier and thermal imaging in security and surveillance devices has stimulated the market growth in commercial sector.

Browse through Grand View Research's Electronic Security Industry Research Reports.

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research Helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead.

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SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc.
BANGKOK, Thailand, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Farmers in Thailand still largely use chemical herbicides, especially paraquat and atrazine, to control weeds on their farms. According to research by the Office of Agricultural Economics, in 2019, Thailand imported almost 10 million kilograms of paraquat and close to 3.5 million kilograms of atrazine. The residues of these herbicides cause harm to the environment, living creatures, and our health.

As head of the research project on pesticide residues in water test kit for sustainable and safe agriculture, Associate Professor Dr. Thanyalak Chaisuwan, Deputy Dean for Research, The Petroleum and Petrochemical College, Chulalongkorn University, has collaborated with Assistant Professor Dr. Luxsana Dubas, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, in developing a test kit to measure pesticide contaminants in water. The kit employs synthesized porous nano carbon materials together with color analysis techniques to achieve accuracy and reduce problems from herbicide residues. The research is conducted by Ph.D. students of the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, forming a dual field research to solve the problems of pesticide contamination in water, which is hard to detect.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thanyalak explained that Thailand is an agricultural country, resulting in heavy use of pesticides and chemicals in the production of agricultural products. In 2021, Thailand ranked 7 in the world for the number of pesticides and chemicals used in agriculture, amounting to 0.65 kilograms of such substances per rai. Research has shown that chemicals like paraquat and atrazine can lead to Parkinson's disease and cancer if accumulated in the body. This has led to the development of a pesticide contaminant in water test kits, which uses absorbent materials and compares colors that are sensitive to paraquat and atrazine in small amounts. The materials used are made from synthetic polymer, achieved by burning organic chemistry materials in inert air until they become coal-like. The result is light-weight porous carbon with holes too small for the naked eye and the diameter of which is measured in nanometers. The research yielded satisfactory results. In the future, the research will be furthered by applying the materials to detect other substances.

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Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thanyalak added that Thailand has over 150 million rai of farmland, with revenue from agriculture accounting for 10% of the country's GDP. The government's push to reduce the income gap and low income per capita, as well as their support of Smart Farming, requires technology. The development of a test kit for pesticide contaminants in water will be truly beneficial for sustainable and safe agriculture.

As of now, this test kit is a prototype which can be tested in actual conditions.

Interested individuals can contact Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thanyalak Chaisuwan, The Petroleum and Petrochemical College, Chulalongkorn University, at +66-2218-4124 or e-mail: thanyalak.c@chula.ac.th

For the full release and more images, please visit: https://www.chula.ac.th/en/highlight/106656/

About Chulalongkorn University

Chulalongkorn University sets the standard as a university of innovations for society and is listed in the World's Top 100 Universities for Academic Reputation, in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings 2021.

***********************

If you would like more information about this topic,

please contact Miss Thanita Wangvanichapan at (+66) 2218 3280 or email thanita.w@chula.ac.th

***********************

SOURCE Chulalongkorn University
Market.Us

According to Market.us, the Global Pharmaceutical Excipients Market size is projected to surpass around US$ 11.8 billion by 2032, and it is poised to reach a registered CAGR of 5.8% from 2023 to 2032, The Demand for Pharmaceutical Excipients Will Rise Majorly due to The Increase in the Use of Generic Drugs as well as the Development of Multi-Functional Excipients.

Pune, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global Pharmaceutical Excipients market size was USD 6.8 Billion in 2022. and is projected to reach USD 11.8 billion by 2032, exhibiting a CAGR of 5.8% in the forecast period (2023-2032). Excipients in pharmaceutical products are added to dosage forms for support, protection, stability, or enhancement of bioavailability. Excipients are key components of pharmaceuticals that aid in the solubility of drugs, drug delivery, the conversion of pharmaceutical ingredients into usable dosages, and improve the taste. Because patients don't want to feel pain and it is easy to use, oral drugs have been popular in recent years. Patients-oriented industries have replaced hard-to-take, solid tablets with innovative drugs like ODG, chewable tablets, and lozenges.



Global-Pharmaceutical-Excipients-Market

Get additional highlights on major revenue-generating segments, Request a pharmaceutical excipients market sample report at https://market.us/report/pharmaceutical-excipients-market/request-sample/

Key Takeaway:

By product type , in 2022, the Pharmaceutical Excipients market was dominated by the organic chemicals segment due to their non-toxic nature and efficiency.

By formulation type , the oral formulations segment dominated the market share due to its enormous advantages and efficiency in dominating diseases.

By functionality type , the fillers and diluents hold the largest market share owing to their use in the formulation of tablets and capsules

In 2022, Europe dominated the market with the highest revenue share of over 38%.

APAC is expected to grow at a higher pace among all the regions covered in the report.

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Factors affecting the growth of the Pharmaceutical Excipients industry?

Several factors can have an impact on the growth of the Pharmaceutical Excipients industry. Some of these factors include:

Novel Drugs : The demand for novel substances to support nanoparticle drug delivery is increasing. This will allow for better stability and greater adoption of drugs.

New Discoveries : Several companies are currently working to optimize excipients for drug delivery and formulations. These factors will have a significant impact on the future marketing and development of these products.

Multi-Functional Excipients : An increase in the investments towards the development of multi-function excipients is also a factor contributing to the rapid growth of the target market.

Increased Use of Generic Drugs: In recent years, generic drugs have seen a significant increase in popularity. It is likely that the rise of generic drugs will be attributed to the availability of cheaper alternatives to branded drugs.

To understand how our pharmaceutical excipients market report can bring a difference to your business strategy, Inquire about a brochure at https://market.us/report/pharmaceutical-excipients-market/#inquiry

Market Growth

The COVID-19 pandemic brought several problems for excipients organizations, including a shortage of medical supplies. The global supply chain was affected by many failures, such as those that impeded the distribution, purchase, and obtaining of drug products. Key market players took various initiatives during the pandemic. Croda International Plc entered into an agreement with Pfizer Inc. in November 2020 to supply additional substances for its COVID-19 vaccine. This arrangement saw the UK-based specialty chemical organization reach a record high. Croda has had an agreement with Pfizer for a significant time. It grants Croda stock rights for four excipients used in the creation of the vaccine. These associations could have a positive impact in the near future.

Regional Analysis

Europe held 38% of the global pharmaceutical excipients market in 2022. The government schemes help to lower drug prices, increase investment in biologics discoveries, and develop dosage forms. The contribution of the European market healthcare industry to pharmaceuticals' overall growth will increase as there is more demand for new excipients. The Asia-Pacific region will see a significant increase in its market share over the forecast period. This is due to growth factors like the low cost of raw materials and the availability of low-cost workers in the region. These factors can also help to expand the market for pharmaceutical excipients. In the future, countries such as India or China will offer huge market growth opportunities.

Have Queries? Speak to an expert or To Download/Request a Sample, Click here.

Pharmaceutical Excipients Market: Scope of the Report

Report Attribute Details Market Value (2022) USD 6.8 Billion Market Size (2032) USD 11.8 Billion CAGR (from 2023 to 2032) 5.8% Europe Revenue Share 38% Historic Period 2016 to 2022 Base Year 2022 Forecast Year 2023 to 2032

Market Drivers



Generic drugs can have the same effects as branded drugs. Customers may also trust generic drugs because they offer the same safety guarantee as branded drugs. The lower costs of generics are driving the market growth in pharmaceutical excipients. Generic drugs have saved the US healthcare system up to US$ 1.7 trillion over the past ten years. Generic medicines are increasingly being promoted by several countries due to such advantages. According to the Association for Accessible Medicines, 90% of US prescriptions include generic drugs. Several players, such as Merck, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Novartis, among others, will lose patents on more than 50 types of drugs between 2019-2022. Generic drugs are able to meet the growing market demand for cheaper generic drugs at a low price, which is advantageous.

Market Restraints

CBRA estimates that the process of manufacturing new drugs takes between 10 and 12 years to complete. Toxicology studies for a specific drug only by an industry expert take 5-6 years. Only 10 drugs will be accepted for pre-clinical testing. Only 2 of these drugs will be approved for human testing. Biologic production has seen rapid development in the past, which is why there are high initial investments for the forecast period.

Market Opportunities

Many companies that offer pharmaceutical excipients solutions are limiting their operations to developed markets. This leaves the vast potential of emerging markets untapped. There are many countries such as China and India, Australia, the Middle East, and Africa that have a large population at high risk for certain diseases. This presents a huge opportunity to expand the market for Pharmaceutical Excipients.

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Report Segmentation of the Pharmaceutical Excipients Market

Product Type Insight

The overall market was led by the organic chemicals segment during the forecast period. This segment also has the highest CAGR when compared with inorganic chemicals. This is due to their non-toxic nature and efficiency as excipients for oral formulations.

Formulation Type Insight

The formulations types segment of the pharmaceutical excipients market is divided into tablets, capsules, tablets, liquid, parenteral, oral, and other formulations types. The market's largest share is held by the oral formulations segment due to its huge advantages and effectiveness in tackling diseases. Healthcare experts stated that antiviral medications are crucial in covid-19. These drugs were highly in demand during the pandemic. To increase the effectiveness against pneumonia and other diseases, tablets are available in tablet form. Tablets for oral use are growing in popularity due to their less intrusive nature. This increases overall market growth.

Functionality Type Insight

The pharmaceutical excipients market can be divided into fillers and diluents, suspending and viscosity agents, binders, flavoring and sweetener agents, preservatives, coating agents, and other functionality types. Fillers and diluents occupied the largest market share of all these functionalities. These are used to make capsules and tablets.

For more insights on the historical and Forecast market data from 2016 to 2032 - download a sample report at https://market.us/report/pharmaceutical-excipients-market/request-sample/

Pharmaceutical Excipients Market Segmentation

By Product Type

Inorganic Chemicals

Organic Chemicals

By Formulation Type

Capsules Formulation

Tablets Formulation

Liquid Formulation

Parenteral Formulation

Oral Formulation

Other Formulation Types

By Functionality Type

Fillers & Diluents

Suspending and Viscosity Agent

Binders

Flavoring Agents and Sweeteners

Preservatives

Coating Agents

Other Functionality Types

By Geography

North America

The US Canada Mexico



Western Europe

Germany France The UK Spain Italy Portugal Ireland Austria Switzerland Benelux Nordic Rest of Western Europe



Eastern Europe

Russia Poland The Czech Republic Greece Rest of Eastern Europe

APAC China Japan South Korea India Australia & New Zealand Indonesia Malaysia Philippines Singapore Thailand Vietnam Rest of APAC



Latin America

Brazil Colombia Chile Argentina Costa Rica Rest of Latin America



Middle East & Africa

Algeria Egypt Israel Kuwait Nigeria Saudi Arabia South Africa Turkey United Arab Emirates Rest of MEA



Competitive Landscape

Market share is dominated by key players such as America's Ashland Global Holdings, Inc., International Flavors & Fragrances, Inc., FMC Corporation), Germany (BASF SE, Evonik Industry AG), France (Roquette Freres), etc.

Some of the major players include:

Ashland Global Holdings

BASF SE

DuPont

Roquette Feres

Evonik Industries AG

Associated British Foods

Archer Daniels Midland Company

Lubrizol Corporation

Kerry Group

Croda International PLC

Roquette Freres

FMC Corporation

Other Key Players

Recent Development of the Pharmaceutical Excipients Market

In 2022, Less bio-availability, a long-time problem, can be solved using CD formulation in ongoing clinical trials by increasing bio-availability excipients.

In 2022, Kerry Group Plc., superior nutrition and taste company, has most extensive growth acquired two leading biotechnology companies, c-LEcta, an innovation in a biotechnology company, and Enmex, an enzyme manufacturer.

In 2022, klucel xtend HPC company manufacturing drugs with new technological advancements like matrix polymer.

In 2022, the Use of twin-screw melt granulation for hydroxypropyl cellulose and Mannitol.

In 2021, the Product launching of BioHale solved the global supply problem by DFE Pharma.

In 2020, Colorcon launched the Acryl-EZE II film coating line, which extends the pH range.

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Three flavors of Hope and Sesame Sesamemilk are featured in the first curated assortment of breakthrough new food and beverage products at Pop Up Grocer's new permanent flagship location in New York City's Greenwich Village

Hope and Sesame Sesamemilk is featured at Coffee Fest New York City this week, March 5-7th at Javits Center

CHICAGO, IL and VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / The Planting Hope Company Inc. (TSXV:MYLK)(OTCQB:MYLKF)(FRA:J94) ("Planting Hope" or the "Company"), a plant-based food and beverage company focused on producing the world's most nutritious and planet-friendly products, is pleased to announce that three Stock Keeping Units ("SKUs") of the Company's Hope and Sesame Sesamemilk are being featured in the first curated food and beverage assortment at the new Pop Up Grocer flagship location in New York City. The featured Hope and Sesame flavors are Unsweetened Vanilla, Chocolate, and Barista Blend Sesamemilk, packaged in 32 oz aseptic cartons.

"We have partnered with Pop Up Grocer at several of their regional pop up' temporary locations across the US over the past two years, including Miami and Denver, and we are thrilled that Hope and Sesame Sesamemilk is featured in the first curated assortment at their new permanent flagship location in New York City," said Julia Stamberger, co-founder and CEO of Planting Hope. "Pop Up Grocer is known for expert curation of the latest and greatest up-and-coming brands, offering customers a unique opportunity to discover and connect new food and beverage brands right before they hit the mainstream."

At the first permanent location for the retail concept the Miami New Times called "all of the buzziest brands on Instagram under one roof," Pop Up Grocer is featuring a highly curated assortment of 400 shelf-stable and refrigerated food and beverage items. This selection represents just 1% of the assortment size in the average grocery store, which typically contains more than 40,000 product SKUs.

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"We are focused on curating the best new up-and-coming food and beverage products to feature in Pop Up Grocer's highly selective assortment," said Emily Schildt, founder of Pop Up Grocer. "We seek out the exciting new food and beverage items, enabling the curious, conscious consumer to discover great new items to expand their kitchen pantries, deliciously! Hope and Sesame Sesamemilk fits with the qualities we look for in product selection, including quality ingredients, great story, and excellent branding and packaging."

Pop Up Grocer's permanent location opened Friday, March 3rd, at 205 Bleeker Street in Manhattan's Greenwich Village neighborhood and is open daily from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Prominently featured in both the store's street-level display window and on-shelf, Hope and Sesame Sesamemilk will be available for purchase by customers at this location throughout Pop Up Grocer's first 3-month rotating product cycle.

More information on Pop Up Grocer is available on the Pop Up Grocer website and the Pop Up Grocer Instagram page.

The Planting Hope Company Inc., Monday, March 6, 2023, Press release picture

Hope and Sesame Sesamemilk is featured prominently in the street-level display window at the new Pop Up Grocer flagship location

The Planting Hope Company Inc., Monday, March 6, 2023, Press release picture

Three flavors of Hope and Sesame, including signature Barista Blend Sesamemilk, optimized for performance in hot and iced drinks, are featured at the new Pop Up Grocery location in Greenwich Village

Hope and Sesame Sesamemilk at Coffee Fest New York 2023

Hope and Sesame is back at Coffee Fest NYC for the second year in a row, showcasing our breakthrough Hope and Sesame Barista Blend Sesamemilk, optimized for excellent performance in iced and hot beverages, with a delicious taste and creamy texture. Hope and Sesame Barista Blend Sesamemilk won the Best Product Award at Coffee Fest Chicago 2022 last June.

Several thousand distributors, independent coffee shops, baristas, and other members of the coffee foodservice and independent cafe industry are expected to attend this year's Coffee Fest NYC, co-located with the International Restaurant and Foodservice Show of New York. Open to the trade, Coffee Fest is located at Manhattan's Javits Center, with exhibit hall hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday March 6th and Monday March 7th, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 8th. The Hope and Sesame booth is #2228 in Hall #1A. More on Coffee Fest New York 2023 is available at this link.

The Planting Hope Company Inc., Monday, March 6, 2023, Press release picture

Hope and Sesame Barista Blend Sesamemilk on display at Coffee Fest New York 2023

About Hope and Sesame

Hope and Sesame has cracked the code on unlocking the dense nutrition in tiny sesame seeds to create a plant milk that's good-for-you, planet-friendly, and delicious! Sesame is highly sustainable, thriving in arid climates with very little water, is naturally drought- and pest-resistant, and can self-pollinate. Nutritionally comparable to dairy milk, Hope and Sesame Sesamemilk delivers 8g of complete protein per serving (including all nine essential amino acids) - that's 8x the protein in most almond and nut milks and 2x the protein in most oat milks! Developed for and approved by top baristas, Hope and Sesame Barista Blend Sesamemilk froths, steams, and foams like a dream, is great for latte art, and delivers 4g of complete protein per 8oz serving. Sesamemilk is an excellent source of both vitamin D and calcium, and its core ingredient is the ultra-nutritious pulp upcycled from sesame oil extraction. All Hope and Sesame products are vegan, Certified Gluten-Free and Certified Kosher, free from soy and dairy, Non-GMO Project Verified, and Certified by the Plant Based Foods Association. Hope and Sesame Sesamemilk is the only plant milk globally that is Upcycled Certified by the Upcycled Food Association. Available in both refrigerated 48 oz bottles (three flavors) as well as shelf-stable long-life recyclable aseptic cartons (seven flavors, including Barista Blend) in both US and Canadian bilingual packaging.



Hope and Sesame products have received myriad industry and consumer awards, and they keep coming: Hope and Sesame Barista Blend Sesamemilk was awarded Best Novel Creamer by Good Housekeeping in their 2022 Best Coffee Awards, won Best Product at Coffee Fest Chicago 2022, received the international Gama 2022 Innovation Award for Best Hospitality Product, and was a finalist for Best Product of the Year at the 2022 Specialty Coffee Awards. Additionally, Hope and Sesame Unsweetened Sesamemilk received the Best Plant Milk award at Hong Kong LOHAS Expo 2023, won Best Milk Alternative and Best Plant-Based Sustainability in FoodBev's 2021 World Plant-Based Food Awards, and signature Chocolate Hazelnut Sesamemilk flavor received the 2020 Sofi Award for Best New Product, Plant-Based Milk from the Specialty Food Association.



About The Planting Hope Company Inc.

Planting Hope develops, launches, and scales uniquely innovative plant-based and planet-friendly food and beverage brands. Planting Hope's award-winning and cutting-edge products fill key unmet needs in the skyrocketing plant-based food and beverage space. The Planting Hope brand family includes Hope and Sesame Sesamemilk, Barista Blend Sesamemilk, and Sesamilk creamers, RightRice Veggie Rice, Mozaics Real Veggie Chips, and Veggicopia Veggie Snacks. Planting Hope products are currently found in more than 15,000 retail doors and 70,000 total distribution points across North America. Founded by experienced food industry entrepreneurs, Planting Hope is a women-managed and woman-led company focused on nutrition, sustainability, and representation.



For more information about Planting Hope please visit plantinghopecompany.com, sign up for Planting Hope news emails HERE and follow on LinkedIn.



An informational webinar on The Planting Hope Company from CEO and Co-founder Julia Stamberger is available HERE.



To follow the brands on Instagram and Facebook, please visit: @hopeandsesameco, @rightrice, @mozaicschips, @veggicopia.



To find Planting Hope products at a store near you in the United States or Canada, please visit the store locator at each brand website: Hope and Sesame store locator, RightRice store locator, Mozaics store locator. Planting Hope products are also available at plantinghopebrands.com and ecommerce retailers including Amazon.com and Amazon.ca.



Contacts

Company Contact:

Julia Stamberger

CEO and Co-founder

(773) 492-2243

julia@plantinghopecompany.com



Investor Relations Contact:

Glen Akselrod, Bristol Capital

(905) 326-1888 ext. 1

glen@bristolir.com



Media Contact:

Alex Jessup, Jessup PR

(323) 529-3541

alex.jessup@jessuppr.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.



Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively referred to hereafter as "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements that address activities, events, or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will, or may, occur in the future, including statements about the Company's ability to execute on its goals, the timing pertaining to these goals the potential demand for the Company's products, the timing and success of anticipated product launches and distribution of the Company's products, and the Company's business prospects, future trends, plans and strategies. In some cases, forward looking statements are preceded by, followed by, or include words such as "may", "will," "would", "could", "should", "believes", "estimates", "projects", "potential", "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "continues", or the negative of those words or other similar or comparable words. In preparing the forward looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, the assumption that demand for the Company's product will be sustained or increase in accordance with management's projections, that the Company's internal research and analysis is indicative of broader market trends and the Company's anticipated future demand for its products, that changes in consumer preferences in the plant-based food industry will continue in accordance with the Company's expectations, that the Company's current business objectives can be achieved and that its other corporate activities will proceed as expected, and that general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner. Although the management of the Company believes that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any forward-looking statement herein will prove to be accurate. 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. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. Risks and uncertainties applicable to the Company, as well as trends identified by the Company affecting its industry can be found in the Company's annual information form dated January 6, 2022 and the Company's continuous disclosure record available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Such cautionary statements qualify all forward-looking statements made in this news release. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

SOURCE: The Planting Hope Company Inc.





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https://www.accesswire.com/742059/Planting-Hopes-Hope-and-SesameR-Sesamemilk-Featured-in-Launch-of-Pop-Up-Grocer-Flagship-New-York-City-Store-and-at-Coffee-Fest-New-York-2023




The parent company of Hilary's PrimePlants and Sol Cuisine will sample next-gen plant-forward foods exclusively at Expo West

ANAHEIM, Calif., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- PlantPlus Foods is excited to showcase a range of new plant-forward food experiences during its presence at this year's Expo West (booth number 4908) from March 9th to 11th, 2023. Featuring products from PlantPlus Foods and the company's two leading plant-forward retail brands, Hilary's PrimePlants and Sol Cuisine, visitors of the booth will have the opportunity to sample new delicious foods before these products are officially launched in stores this Summer 2023.

Nourishing the power of choice

Celebrating the launch, the company -- including its Chief Executive Officer, John Pinto, and Chief Marketing Officer, Ana Ferrell -- will host a happy hour on Thursday, March 9th at 4 pm, when visitors are encouraged to try all of the offerings paired with superfood-based mocktails. The menu of samples includes PlantPlus Foods' sausage patties, Hilary's PrimePlants' burgers, bites, and fritters, and Sol Cuisine's buffalo cauliflower wings and falafel.

PlantPlus Foods, with its retail brands Hilary's PrimePlants and Sol Cuisine, is a bet on the future of the sector. "Our company is uniquely poised and committed to nourishing the power of choices  from retail to private label and foodservice. Our portfolio range is all about promoting delicious foods in different forms and with Hilary's PrimePlants, we dialed up on nutrition with purpose behind superfoods.", says John Pinto, CEO of PlantPlus Foods. The company is connected all the way to growers bringing farm to fork solutions across a multitude of innovative retail products and menu items that don't sacrifice taste, texture and variety in the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle - craveable for any occasion.

As more American shoppers are including plant-rich foods to their plates, the plant-based space continues to thrive. In 2022, Bloomberg increased its 10-year market forecast , projecting the plant-based meat industry to grow from just under $11 billion to $120 billion in less than a decade. Additionally, the global frozen food category is experiencing skyrocketing growth since the pandemic and revenue is expected to reach $504.4 billion by 2030, a 74% increase since 2021. More diners are packing their freezers with foods that they see are healthy and convenient.

Story continues

While the plant-based boom is undeniable, the future of the sector often doesn't taste that great, according to diners, as almost 50 percent of plant-based consumers are unsatisfied with the options, saying they are still looking for more diverse flavors and products.

The company's newest launch behind its retail brand Hilary's PrimePlants, underscores the company's ongoing commitment to nourishing the power of choice by offering a continuously expanding array of options for every taste and occasion. "Our company was created to deliver great tasting foods made with plant-forward, wholesome ingredients. The new Hilary's PrimePlants line is powered by nutritious superfoods and brings convenient, delicious foods in formats that can perfectly fit flexible lifestyles, as consumers are looking for a variety of great tasting options across dayparts," says Ana Ferrell.

For more information, please contact PlantPlusPR@CoactAgency.com or visit the company's website at plantplusfoodsnorthamerica.com. Attendees are encouraged to stop by the Happy Hour to meet the team at Expo West, or visit the booth at any time between March 9th and 11th at the Anaheim Convention Center (located at 800 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA 92802).

PlantPlus Foods:

PlantPlus Foods offers the next generation of chef-inspired, plant-forward foods. We are not a meat analogue company. Instead, we believe that eating great means fueling your body with the nutrients it needs, while enjoying every bite. We're on a mission to nourish the power of choice, so consumers can enjoy plant-forward foods that are flavorful and nutritious. We've cooked up a wide array of delicious, exciting options for every taste and occasion: snackable and shareable appetizers, entrees, nuggets, wings, grounds, meatballs, burgers, and more. Customers can find us under several brands, including Hilary's PrimePlants, Sol Cuisine, and PlantPlus Foods (with focus in PL and Foodservice solutions), at our retail and restaurant partners. Learn more at plantplusfoodsnorthamerica.com.

Hilary's PrimePlants

Hilary's PrimePlants harnesses the whole power of plants to help people thrive today and tomorrow. Our tasty, allergen-friendly choices are made with real vegetables, grains, herbs, and spices designed to keep you feeling energized and joyful. It all started in a restaurant in Kansas, where customers called our founder's house-made veggie burger "The Best in the World." Now, 17 years later, our inventive vegetable burgers, patties, bites, and poppers can be found nationwide. All of our nutritious options are free from gluten, soy, dairy, eggs, nuts, and artificial ingredients. Find us in the freezer aisle of your local grocery store.

Sol Cuisine

Sol Cuisine is a trusted legacy brand that crafts creative, plant-based cuisine worth sharing. Our chef-made and curated foods combine unexpected ingredients to deliver superior taste without compromise. From mouth-watering plant-based burgers, meatballs, chik'n and f'sh filets, to wings, bites and more, our foods serve as the perfect addition to any social gathering, menu, or standalone protein-packed snack  each designed to help our community create new experiences, flavors, and cuisines. We use only the best-possible ingredients and offer options that are kosher, halal, gluten-free, and soy-free. Learn more at solcuisine.com.

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/plantplus-foods-powers-up-choices-and-unveils-new-superfoods-line-up-and-chef-inspired-appetizers-301763670.html

SOURCE COACT LLC
Market.Us

According to Market.us, the Global Plasma Fractionation Market size is estimated to surpass around US$ 57.0 billion by 2032 and it is poised to register a CAGR of 7.3% from 2023 to 2032, owing to increasing Incidences of Immunodeficiency Disorders

New York, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Global Plasma Fractionation Market was estimated to be worth USD 28.7 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 57.0 billion by 2032, exhibiting a CAGR of 7.3% in the forecast period (2023-2032). This market is anticipated to experience a CAGR of 7.3% between 2023 and 2032. During fractionation, a mixture is split up into different components. Plasma derivatives like albumin and immunoglobulin are created by fractionating the blood's plasma component.



Plasma Fractionation Market Value

Get additional highlights on major revenue-generating segments, Request a plasma fractionation market sample report at https://market.us/report/plasma-fractionation-market/request-sample/

Key Takeaway:

The immunoglobulins segment is anticipated to witness a significant growth rate of 8.9% from 2023 to 2032.

By Method , the centrifugation method segment has dominated the market with the highest share of 34.32% in 2022.

In 2022, North America dominated the market with the highest revenue share of 53.5%.

By End-User , the hospital's segment has dominated the market with the highest share of more than 35.4% in 2022.

Europe has held a 23.3% revenue share in 2022.

Products made from the plasma of animals have therapeutic properties and are used to treat a variety of blood plasma-related disorders. For instance, the plasma derivative of coagulation factor VIII is essential for the treatment and prevention of haemophilia. Additionally, during surgery, it reduces excessive bleeding. On the other hand, immunoglobulins are utilised to treat both primary and secondary immunological deficits.

Factors affecting the growth of Plasma Fractionation industry?

There are several factors that can affect the growth of the Plasma Fractionation market. Some of these factors include:

Rising Incidences of Immunodeficiency Disorders: The key growth factor for the plasma fractionation market is the growing population of elderly people around the world, who are more prone to rare disorders and need plasma fractionation treatment. Plasma-derived immunoglobulins are increasingly being used therapeutically, notably for autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. The increased use of immunoglobulins and alpha-1-antitrypsin in numerous medical sectors worldwide contributes to the growing demand for plasma fractionation.

Advances in technology: The significant main players in the plasma fractionation demand are increasingly focusing on producing highly advanced and technologically developed results in order to raise their market value at the industry level. For instance, Novoeight, a plasma fractionation-based medication created by Novo Nordisk, was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) in December 2018.

Growing awareness of blood donation: There is a growing awareness of the importance of blood donation by conducting campaigns among individuals is predicated to propel this target market.

Government support and funding: Governments around the world are increasingly providing financial support and funding for Plasma Fractionation research, which is driving growth in the industry.

Increasing investment by major key players: During the anticipated period, market expansion is likely to be supported by increased expenditures made by leading players in the creation of cutting-edge & efficient therapies. For instance, in April 2020, CSL Behring and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. teamed together with Biotest, BPL, LFB, and Octapharma to develop a workable plasma-derived drug for treating COVID-19.

Story continues

To understand how our plasma fractionation market report can bring a difference to your business strategy, Inquire about a brochure at https://market.us/report/plasma-fractionation-market/#inquiry

Top Trends in Global Plasma Fractionation Market

This procedure involves breaking down plasma into several specific proteins, such as albumin, immunoglobulin and coagulation factor, and protease inhibitor, for clinical use. The largest market participants have their own plasma fractionation facilities where they can draw out these proteins. The present need for plasma-derived medicines has prompted the development of a number of technologies that can speed up the procedure. For instance, GEA provided new separator technology to Biopharma S.A. in April 2021 for use in the company's new factory in Bila Tserkva, Ukraine.

Market Growth

It is also projected that greater government spending and business involvement in plasma therapy research and development will accelerate market expansion. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has given biotechnology and biopharma companies various opportunities to take part in R&D studies concerning plasma therapies. Many companies are collaborating to study the efficacy of fractionation therapy for COVID-19 patients. For instance, Grifols, a biopharma company that specialises in producing medications made from plasma, collaborated with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Biomedical Advanced Research Development Authority (BARDA) in March 2020 to research treatments for COVID-19.

Regional Analysis

In 2022, North America possessed 53.5% of the regional share. Due to the viability of plasma collection and distribution, the presence of key players also helps the regional market's expansion, increasing the number of plasma collection facilities, boosting immunoglobulin demand, and raising the capacity to supply plasma. Due to increased funding for research and development from both public and private sources, favourable government regulations, an increase in the use of immunoglobulins, and an increase in the prevalence of targeted diseases in a geriatric population with blood-related conditions, the market for plasma fractionation products in the Asia-Pacific region is expanding.

Competitive Landscape

The competitive landscape of the market has also been examined in this report. Some of the major players include Bio Products Laboratory, Biotest AG, China Biologic, Intas Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Products Holdings Inc., CSL Limited, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Green Cross Corporation, Grifols, Japan Blood Products Organization, Kedrion, LFB group, Octapharma AG, Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation, Other Key Players.

Have Queries? Speak to an expert or To Download/Request a Sample, Click here.

Plasma Fractionation Market: Scope of the Report

Report Attribute Details Market Value (2022) USD 28.7 billion Market Size (2032) USD 57.0 billion CAGR (from 2023 to 2032) 7.3% Europe Revenue Share 23.3% North America Revenue Share 53.5% Historic Period 2016 to 2022 Base Year 2022 Forecast Year 2023 to 2032

Market Drivers



Supportive government actions to raise awareness of the use of plasma-derived products are also advancing the market. For instance, the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines will include several plasma-derived medicinal products (PDMPs) in March 2021. This list identifies these drugs as those that are deemed to be the most effective and secure for addressing the most fundamental needs in a health system and offers recommendations on how to increase the supply of PDMPs in low- and middle-income countries.

Market Restraints

Expression of similar proteins in cells created through genetic engineering results in recombinant products that perform similarly to plasma-derived products. Because it prevents the possible spread of blood borne diseases, it is safer than goods generated from plasma. The expansion has been restrained by the emergence of recombinant therapies as an alternative to plasma-derived medications. In recent years, several plasma-driven therapies have developed numerous recombinant possibilities. Recombinant products used for prevention are less immunogenic than products produced from plasma. In addition to these, the development series also contains numerous other longer-acting replacement elements. The solutions offer substantial advantages such a low requirement for repeat administration and are more effective as a prophylactic strategy. They are therefore more reliable than products formed from plasma as a result of their property, which restricts the growth of their global market.

Market Opportunities

New disease outbreaks have been attributed to a variety of variables, such as population growth, environmental trade, and increased human-animal contact. Patients were treated with blood plasma therapy in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic to guarantee full recovery without specialised care. Additionally, the plasma procedure's success in treating diseases augurs well for the market's future growth. As a result, the market expanded 14.4% in 2020, and it is anticipated to grow further over the next years. This has a significant effect on the global plasma fractionation market.

Grow your profit margin with Market.us - Purchase This Premium Plasma Fractionation Market Report at https://market.us/purchase-report/?report_id=17742

Report Segmentation of the Plasma Fractionation Market

Product Type Insight

Due of the various ways immunoglobulins are used to treat issues like primary and secondary immunological deficiencies, autoimmune illnesses, and inflammatory diseases, this phase has increased. Another factor influencing the growth of the immunoglobulin market is the worldwide, exponential advancement of immunology research. The enormous market for plasma-derived immunoglobulins against a variety of products and the rising use of immunoglobulins, particularly in immunodeficiency, have been credited with the segment's expansion.

Method Insight

The centrifugation segment had the highest percentage of 34.32% in 2021 and the fastest growth rate over the course of the projection period. An important step in obtaining excellent blood supernatant is centrifugation. Additionally, it provides superior patient clinical outcomes and reliable blood partition for scientists. Consequently, the market's growth would be aided by the growing interest in centrifugation equipment.

Application Insight

the neurology category dominated the global market in 2022. One of the main factors propelling market expansion is the increase in neurological illnesses' incidence worldwide. For instance, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 795,000 Americans suffer from strokes annually. Additionally, the prevalence of neurovascular diseases like stroke is at risk due to the aging population. Additionally, the chance of having a stroke doubles beyond the age of 55, which promotes the use of plasma-based products for therapy and fosters market growth.

End-User Insight

Especially in nations like Germany, the UK, China, and India, the provision of complete services for a range of medical needs under one roof, as well as acquisitions and joint ventures. In addition, expanding hospital populations, rising healthcare spending, and expanding use of plasma-based products in numerous therapeutic fields are some of the key factors promoting this market's expansion. Hospitals and clinics, academic institutions, and clinical research laboratories make up the market segments. The hospital and clinical sector is predicted to rule the global plasma fractionation market in 2022.

For more insights on the historical and Forecast Plasma Fractionation Market data from 2016 to 2032 - download a sample report at https://market.us/report/plasma-fractionation-market/request-sample/

Market Segmentation

Based on Product Type

Albumin

Immunoglobulins

Coagulation Factors

Protease Inhibitors

Other Product Types

Based on Method

Centrifugation

Depth Filtration

Chromatography

Other Methods

Based on Application

Neurology

Hematology

Oncology

Immunology

Pulmonology

Other Applications

Based on End-User

Hospitals

Clinical Research Laboratories

Other End-Users

By Geography

North America

The US Canada Mexico



Western Europe

Germany France The UK Spain Italy Portugal Ireland Austria Switzerland Benelux Nordic Rest of Western Europe



Eastern Europe

Russia Poland The Czech Republic Greece Rest of Eastern Europe

APAC China Japan South Korea India Australia & New Zealand Indonesia Malaysia Philippines Singapore Thailand Vietnam Rest of APAC



Latin America

Brazil Colombia Chile Argentina Costa Rica Rest of Latin America



Middle East & Africa

Algeria Egypt Israel Kuwait Nigeria Saudi Arabia South Africa Turkey United Arab Emirates Rest of MEA



Market Key Players

Bio Products Laboratory Biotest AG

China Biologic

Intas Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

Products Holdings Inc.

CSL Limited

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited

Green Cross Corporation

Grifols

Other Key Players

Recent Development of the Plasma Fractionation Market

In January 2022, Permira announced a collaboration with the Marucci family and FSI, Kedrion S.p.'s current stockholders, in order to acquire Kedrion and incorporate Bio Products Laboratory. The collaboration of the two companies would create a world leader in human plasma-derived pharmaceuticals for the treatment of uncommon and fatal diseases.

The Kedrion Sp. - January 2022 A. and LFB decided on industrial partnership to increase the accessibility of immunoglobulins for patients in France. Following the agreement, hospitals in this area will receive Kedrion S.p. immunoglobulins as well as their immunoglobulins, LFB, from France.

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DefSpace, a global platform for Defence, Space and Aerospace will lease four Safe Entry Stations over four-year term primarily utilizing Safe Entry's impairment detection screening

Each of the four Safe Entry Station's to generate $2500 per month in recurring revenue for an initial four-year term, approximating a total of $500,000

The Global workplace safety market is expected to generate $39 billion by 20311

TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / Predictmedix Inc. ("Predictmedix" or the "Company") (CSE:PMED)(OTCQB:PMEDF)(FRA:3QP), an emerging provider of rapid health screening solutions powered by a proprietary artificial intelligence (AI), today announced a purchase agreement with Defspace, an India based global platform for defence, space and aerospace for the company's Safe Entry's Fit for Duty screening. Defspace will lease four Safe Entry Stations which will be used by their clients in the defence and aerospace sector to screen their workforce for signs of impairment - an issue that hinders productivity and threatens health and safety across all operations. The total value of the purchase order is approximately $500,000 for the entire term.

DefSpace operates an exclusive global platform for Defence, Space and Aerospace. The platform offers secured and authorised connections between buyers and sellers, Investment opportunities, job opportunities and many services that add significant value to companies who are already working in Defence, Space and Aerospace Sector or for those just entering the field. "The technology developed by Predictmedix addresses a key unmet need in several sectors which not only includes healthcare and workplace but also the defence and aerospace industry. We are excited and confident of the positive impact the technology will be making in the defence sector", commented Anushka Shah, Jiwanshi Shah, Founders at DefSpace.

"Impairment is a huge concern for many industries and sectors worldwide. Safe Entry's Fit for Duty screening ensures workforces are fit for duty by screening individuals key vital signs. When an individual is impaired by alcohol or cannabis, Safe Entry will let you know. The multi-spectral cameras and AI-algorithms scan for a multitude of physiological factors and behaviors - indicating intoxication, impairment, sickness, and extreme fatigue. Safe Entry is a strong line of defence against encumbered employees, and we are excited to announce our first contract in the defence sector," commented Dr. Rahul Kushwah, Chief Operating Officer at Predictmedix.

Story continues

"We are excited to be moving ahead with commercialization in the defence space with DefSpace and are seeing tremendous interest across multiple verticals", commented Guru Bakshish Singh Sehgal, Head of Indian operations at Predictmedix.

1https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/workplace-safety-market-A31780#:~:text=The%20global%20workplace%20safety%20market,home%20culture%20across%20the%20globe.

About Predictmedix Inc.

Predictmedix (CSE: PMED) (OTCQB: PMEDF) (FRA:3QP) is an emerging provider of rapid health screening and remote patient care solutions globally. The Company's Safe Entry Stations - powered by a proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) - use multispectral cameras to analyze physiological data patterns and predict a variety of health issues including infectious diseases such as COVID-19, impairment by drugs or alcohol, fatique or various mental illnesses. Predictmedix's proprietary remote patient care platform empowers medical professionals with a suite of AI-powered tools to improve patient health outcomes. To learn more, please visit our website at www.Predictmedix.com or follow us on Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn.

Public Relations Contact

For further media information or to set up an interview, please contact:

Nelson Hudes

Hudes Communications International

(905) 660 9155

Nelson@hudescommunications.com

Dr. Rahul Kushwah

(647) 889 6916

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information:

This news release may contain forward-looking statements and information based on current expectations. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results of the Company. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. Although such statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be correct. We assume no responsibility to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. The Company's securities have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or applicable state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or "U.S. Persons", as such term is defined in Regulations under the U.S. Securities Act, absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. 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 the securities in the United States or any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any Page 4 of 4 future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein, such as, but not limited to dependence on obtaining regulatory approvals; the ability to obtain intellectual property rights related to its technology; limited operating history; general business, economic, competitive, political, regulatory and social uncertainties, and in particular, uncertainties related to COVID-19; risks related to factors beyond the control of the Company, including risks related to COVID-19; risks related to the Company's shares, including price volatility due to events that may or may not be within such party's control; reliance on management; and the emergency of additional competitors in the industry.

All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except required by law.

Disclaimer: "The Company is not making any express or implied claims that its product has the ability to diagnose, eliminate, cure or contain the COVID-19 (or SARS-2 Coronavirus) at this time."

THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED NOR DOES IT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

SOURCE: Predictmedix Inc.





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/742055/Predictmedix-Announces-a-Purchase-Order-for-Safe-Entrys-Fit-for-Duty-Screening-in-the-Defence-Sector




Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 6, 2023) - Prismo Metals Inc. (CSE: PRIZ) (OTCQB: PMOMF) ("Prismo" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has received authorization to drill the approximately 70% of the Palos Verdes vein strike length that was not previously accessible for drilling. The drill program is slated to commence in early April. The Palos Verdes is located in the historic Panuco-Copala district of the state of Sinaloa, Mexico, and is contiguous to Vizsla's property.

A crew has already been mobilized to prepare this new phase of drilling at the Palos Verdes project. Work is focusing on the installation of drill sites for a portable drill rig. A total of 2,500 meters of drilling is planned to test the strike length of the Palos Verdes vein that was not previously accessible until now.

Regarding the drill program, Dr. Craig Gibson, President and CEO of the Company, said: "We are pleased to be able to access the remaining portion of the Palos Verdes concession to conduct a program to test the Palos Verdes vein along strike from the previous drilling. The program is designed to expand on the positive results from our past drilling and expand the area of the high-grade mineralized shoot to the northeast of the Palos Verdes tunnel."

He added: "In January, Vizsla Silver Corp. (TSXV: VZLA) concluded a strategic investment in Prismo which resulted in Vizsla owning 10.1% of Prismo. In connection with the investment, Prismo and Vizsla have agreed to form a technical committee to pursue district-scale exploration of the Panuco silver-gold district. We look forward to working with Vizsla's Vice President of Exploration Jesus Velador and his team to design our next phase of drilling at Palos Verdes."





Geologic map of the Palos Verdes concession showing past drill sites and locations

included in the most recent drill permit application.

The new drill sites, shown in blue, are primarily located to the northeast of the area of past drilling. The main target is the Palos Verdes vein, but mapped parallel and cross cutting veins may also be tested.



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7434/157298_099009ccb40ecbfb_0002full.jpg



Story continues





Longitudinal vein projection of the Palos Verdes vein showing interpreted mineralization

and areas to be explored by drilling in 2023.



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7434/157298_099009ccb40ecbfb_0003full.jpg

Past drilling on the Palos Verdes vein has shown the presence of a large mineralized shoot. The planned drill program will test the area to the northeast along strike to expand the mineralized body.

Dr. Craig Gibson, PhD., CPG., a Qualified Person as defined by NI-43-01 regulations and President, CEO and a director of the Company, has reviewed and approved the technical disclosures in this news release.

About Palos Verdes

The Palos Verdes project is located in the historic Panuco-Copala silver-gold district in southern Sinaloa, Mexico, approximately 65 kilometers NE of Mazatlan, Sinaloa, in the Municipality of Concordia. The Palos Verdes concession (claim) covers 700 meters of strike length of the Palos Verdes vein, a member of the north-easterly trending vein family located in the eastern part of the district outside of the area of modern exploration. Shallow drilling (<100m) conducted in 2018 on the Palos Verdes Vein was targeted 30 to 50 meters beneath largely barren vein outcrops and cut a well mineralized multistage vein two to seven metres wide with narrow intervals of high-grade precious metal values and subordinate base metals (see table of intercepts at www.prismometals.com). This mineralization is open in all directions and the currently planned drilling program is designed to follow it along strike and to depth.

About Prismo

Prismo (CSE: PRIZ) is mining exploration company focused on two precious metal projects in Mexico (Palos Verdes and Los Pavitos) and a copper project in Arizona (Hot Breccia).

Please follow @PrismoMetals on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube

Prismo Metals Inc.

1100 - 1111 Melville St., Vancouver, British Columbia V6E 3V6

Contact:

Craig Gibson, President & Chief Executive Officer craig.gibson@prismometals.com

Jason Frame, Manager of Communications jason.frame@prismometals.com

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements other than statements of historical fact, including without limitation, statements regarding the anticipated content, commencement and exploration program results, the ability to complete future financings, required permitting, exploration programs and drilling, and the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.

The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, the state of the financial markets for the Company's equity securities, the state of the commodity markets generally, variations in the nature, the analytical results from surface trenching and sampling program, including diamond drilling programs, the results of IP surveying, the results of soil and till sampling program. the quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located, variations in the market price of any mineral products the Company may produce or plan to produce, the inability of the Company to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required, including CSE acceptance, for its planned activities, the inability of the Company to produce minerals from its properties successfully or profitably, to continue its projected growth, to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies, the potential impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) on the Company's exploration program and on the Company's general business, operations and financial condition, and other risks and uncertainties. All of the Company's Canadian public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedar.com and readers are urged to review these materials, including the technical reports filed with respect to the Company's mineral properties.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/157298
Company Logo

Dublin, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Denmark Social Commerce Market Intelligence and Future Growth Dynamics Databook - 50+ KPIs on Social Commerce Trends by End-Use Sectors, Operational KPIs, Retail Product Dynamics, and Consumer Demographics - Q1 2023 Update" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



According to the publisher, social commerce industry in Denmark is expected to grow by 27.4% on annual basis to reach US$1019.8 million in 2023.



The social commerce industry is expected to grow steadily over the forecast period, recording a CAGR of 17.7% during 2022-2028. The social commerce GMV in the country will increase from US$1019.8 million in 2023 to reach US$2712.6 million by 2028.



This report provides a detailed data centric analysis of social commerce industry, covering market opportunities and risks. With over 50+ KPIs at country level, this report provides a comprehensive understanding of social commerce market dynamics, market size and forecast, and market share statistics.



The research methodology is based on industry best practices. Its unbiased analysis leverages a proprietary analytics platform to offer a detailed view on emerging business and investment market opportunities.

Reasons to buy

In-depth Understanding of Social Commerce Market Dynamics: Understand market opportunities and key trends along with forecast (2019-2028).

Insights into Opportunity by end-use sectors - Get market dynamics by end-use sectors to assess emerging opportunity across various end-use sectors.

Develop Market Specific Strategies: Identify growth segments and target specific opportunities to formulate social commerce strategy; assess market specific key trends, drivers, and risks in the industry.

Scope



This report provides in-depth, data-centric analysis of social commerce in Denmark. Below is a summary of key market segments:



Denmark Ecommerce Industry Market Size and Future Growth Dynamics by Key Performance Indicators, 2019-2028

Denmark Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Future Growth Dynamics by Key Performance Indicators, 2019-2028

Denmark Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Retail Product Categories, 2019-2028

Clothing & Footwear

Beauty and Personal Care

Food & Grocery

Appliances and Electronics

Home Improvement

Travel

Hospitality

Story continues

Denmark Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by End Use Segment, 2019-2028

B2B

B2C

C2C

Denmark Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by End Use Device, 2019-2028

Mobile

Desktop

Denmark Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Location, 2019-2028

Domestic

Cross Border

Denmark Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Location, 2019-2028

Tier-1 Cities

Tier-2 Cities

Tier-3 Cities

Denmark Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Payment Method, 2019-2028

Credit Card

Debit Card

Bank Transfer

Prepaid Card

Digital & Mobile Wallet

Other Digital Payment

Cash

Denmark Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Platforms

Video Commerce

Social Network-Led Commerce

Social Reselling

Group Buying

Product Review Platforms

Denmark Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Consumer Demographics & Behaviour,2022

By Age

By Income Level

By Gender

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Precedence Research

The radio frequency (RF) components market is expanding at a CAGR of 12.32%, the size of the market is projected to increase to USD 101.09 billion in 2032.

Ottawa, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As per study by Precedence Research, the radio frequency (RF) components market size was valued at USD 31.64 billion in 2022. The need for consumer electronics is expanding driven by the emergence of new technologies and materials suitable for advancing devices are the key factors propelling the RF components market expansion.



Furthermore, the factors driving this market ahead are the downsizing feature of RF components. Additionally, the industry has seen a significant increase in demand for tuners and switchers due to improvements in universal mobile telecommunication networks, which provide precise functionality to other radio frequency devices like demodulators and power amplifiers.

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Key Insights:

Asia Pacific has generated revenue share of around 33% in 2022.

By product, the power amplifiers segment has accounted revenue share of over 35% in 2022.

By application, the consumer electronics segment has held 64% of total revenue share in 2022.





Product Landscape

Based on the products, the RF component market is divided into filters, power amplifiers, modulators & demodulators, antenna switches, and duplexers. Duplexers are predicted to exhibit potential growth during the projected period among these segments. The cellular sector is expanding owing to rising lifestyle spending in developing nations. The demand for wireless communication and military applications is on the rise and is attributed to the expansion of duplexers in the RF component market.

Since they provide bi-directional communication, duplexers are currently in higher demand in electronic devices, including tablets, smartphones, set-top boxes, and laptops. As a result, it is encouraging the use of wireless communication and military technology. Therefore, the aspects mentioned earlier are fostering market revenue.

Story continues

Application Landscape

Based on the applications, the RF component market is segmented into automotive, consumer electronics, wireless communication, and military. Automobiles with RF electronic components are significantly safer, more effective, and networked. The detonation of RF-built vehicle systems is wider than customer-oriented functionality. These days, automotive radar frequently takes the shape of a module that houses an RF board and a signal processing board. The RF section, antenna, power section, and high-speed digital interface are the five main structural components of a conventional vehicle radar module. Additionally, businesses have recently concentrated on creating 5G communication modules, which are essential to autonomous vehicles (AVs) and assist the market's expansion.

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Scope of the report

Report Coverage Details Market Size in 2032 USD 101.09 Billion Asia Pacific Revenue Share 33% in 2022 Power Amplifiers Segment Share 35% in 2022 Consumer Electronics Segment Share 64% in 2022 By Product Filters

Power amplifier

Modulators and demodulators

Antenna switches

Duplexer

Others By Application Automotive

Consumer electronics

Wireless communication

Military

Others By Region North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Latin America

Middle East and Africa Key Players Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Toshiba Electronics Devices & Storage Corporation, Broadcom, Inc., Texas Instruments Inc., TDK Corporation, NXP Semiconductors N.V., Fujitsu LTD., Renesas Electronics Corporation, Skyworks Solution Inc., ROHM Co., Ltd. and Others

Regional Landscape

The Europe RF components market is anticipated to rise due to technological advancements in wireless communication and the production of RF components utilizing materials like silicon germanium (SiGe) and gallium arsenide (GaAs). Due to its widespread use in wireless communication applications, including wireless networks (WLAN) and mobile communication, radio frequency electronics make up the largest application segment in the relevant market.

Given its significance to the operation of the modern economy, interest in semiconductors has skyrocketed recently, with an average annual growth of more than 30% over the previous five years and a record gain of +53.7% in 2021 as compared to 2020 in the European region, where the market capitalization of semiconductor businesses increased up to 2.5 trillion EUR in 2021.

The European Chips Act is also being adopted by the European Commission in 2022 to increase the EU's market share of semiconductors from 10% to at least 20% by 2030. For instance, due to investor investments, Germany is predicted to overtake other European countries as the region's top semiconductor producer. The sources claim that German businesses invest substantial sums of money in semiconductor production and research. Over the following ten years, investments are anticipated to total more than half a trillion dollars. As a result, the European nation has high RF component production due to the availability of semiconductors. Thus, these aspects are behind expanding the RF component market in the European region.

Market Dynamics:

Market Driver:

Upgrades in Technology of High-Power RF Components

The RF component market is flooded with wireless communication systems, which has decreased demand for conventional wired communication technologies. Advanced technological features like the IoT and AI have entered the market as the development of smart home appliances increases. For industrial IoT, it is crucial that embedded systems leverage developments in amplifiers, connectivity, and software. Smart cities and smart grids are becoming extremely advanced as organizations aspire for increased lower costs, operational efficiency, and improved decision-making capabilities.

Several industries are implementing connectivity models using wireless technologies. New consumer and industrial products can now be created owing to recent advancements in circuit implementation, semiconductor technology, and radio architecture. Therefore, the need for sophisticated RF products will increase as advanced technology is more widely accepted in industries.

Market Restraint:

Hurdles in Manufacturing and Installation

Designing highly integrated components for radio frequency applications presents unique problems for system engineers, designers, and commissioning engineers. The distinction between chip, package, and board is gradually collapsing on contemporary components. Parts of the functionality are increasingly being relocated to the package or the board. In some circumstances, the needs have grown so that operation can only be ensured through seamless communication between chips, packaging, and board. A variety of physical factors must be considered with special testing, and their influence must be assessed to guarantee a sturdy and reliable design for such components. In addition to the typical effects seen in other details, such as timing and voltage, etc., and the related testing, these impacts are also considered to hamper the market growth.

Market Opportunity:

Growing Product Utilization will Encourage RF Components Market Growth

Due to the numerous benefits of the components, they are employed in various industries, including high-energy physics, medical devices, space & military, and communication. The method comprises medical examinations like MRIs and radiofrequency ablations, which rely on RF components such as amplifiers for exact and accurate data collection. The RF power amplifier, for instance, might be expressly designed for original equipment manufacturing (OEM) uses. The device has various applications in various industries; thus, the market will expand rapidly in the near future.

Key Developments in the RF Components Market

In February 2022, The Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) low-power, near-field communication standard was supported by two 2.4 GHz RF transceiver technology developed by Renesas Electronics Corporation. Additionally, the new technologies enable a smaller mounting surface and greater power effectiveness. Renesas presented these innovations during the International Solid-State Circuits Conference 2022 (ISSCC 2022), which took place in San Francisco.

In April 2021, with full Bluetooth 5.0 Low Energy functionality for system control and wireless communication on IoT endpoint devices, Renesas Electronics Corporation unveiled the RX23W Module. The new rx23w Module, which includes the RX23W 32-bit RX MCU supporting a fully integrated Bluetooth low-energy connection, is furnished with an antenna, an oscillator, and a specially designed circuit.

In April 2021, the infrastructure and the automotive divisions of Silicon Labs were purchased by Skyworks Solutions, Inc. Skyworks' expansion in 5G and wireless infrastructure was aided by this acquisition.





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South Africa: Paul Mashatile appointed as Deputy President

Paul Mashatile has been appointed as South Africas new Deputy President.

President Cyril Ramaphosa made the announcement via a televised address to the nation on Monday evening, where he made changes to the National Executive.

As I indicated in my reply to the State of the Nation Debate on the 16th of February, Deputy President David Mabuza asked to step down from that position.



I am grateful for his support over the five years of his tenure and for his dedicated service to the government and people of South Africa. I have decided to appoint Mr Paul Mashatile as Deputy President of the Republic, the President said.

Mashatiles appointment follows the resignation of former Deputy President David Mabuza, last week.

Former Deputy President David Mabuza resigned as a Member of Parliament (MP) on 1 March 2023, following his request to President Ramaphosa to resign from his position.

In his reply to the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on 16 February, President Ramaphosa extended his appreciation and gratitude to the former Deputy President for his support over the past five years. At the time the President indicated that he was attending to Mabuzas request.

The Deputy President has undertaken the responsibilities of his office with dedication. I am grateful for the support he has provided to me throughout his term and for the leadership he has provided to the work of government, said the President at the time.

He added that Mabuzas contribution was valued by the many constituencies with which he has engaged, including Traditional Leaders, Military Veterans, civil society formations and international bodies.

As Leader of Government Business, he has ably managed the relationship between the Executive and Parliament, working to ensure that the transformative legislative programme of this Administration is advanced, the President said at that time.

In his tribute, President Ramaphosa lauded Mabuza for ably leading the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) and extensive engagements with military veterans and traditional leaders.

The 61-year-old Mashatile is a veteran politician from the governing party, the African National Congress (ANC) who has occupied senior positions and portfolios in government. He rose through the ranks of the governing party, serving as Deputy President of the ANC since December 2022.

Prior to his election as Treasurer General of the ANC in 2017, Mashatile was serving as the Provincial Chairperson of the ANC in the Gauteng Province.

Mashatile has previously held several portfolios in government, having served as Minister of Arts and Culture, Gauteng Premier and the MEC for Human Settlement and Cooperative Governance.

The Deputy President, who is the Leader of Government Business in Parliament, assists the President in executing government functions.

The Deputy President also plays a role as the leader of the SANAC and the country's integrated response to the challenges of HIV and AIDS, amongst others.

The SANAC is a multi-sectoral body that brings together government, civil society and the private sector to create a collective response to HIV, TB and STIs. - SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2023-03-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Qabil Ashirov

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with Qatars Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Azernews reports, citing MFA.

The meeting was held within the framework of a business trip to Qatar to participate in the Fifth UN Conference on Least Developed Countries (LDC5) on March 6.

The meeting discussed the prospects of future cooperation in the economic-trade, investment, finance, industry, energy, transport, education, tourism, culture, and other fields.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry elaborated that Minister Jeyhun Bayramov gave detailed information about the current situation in the region, the restoration and construction activities being carried out by the Azerbaijani government in the liberated territories, the transport and communication projects being implemented in the region with the initiative and participation of Azerbaijan. Moreover, opportunities for cooperation within the Alat Free Economic Zone were discussed as well.

For his turn, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim noted that Qatar is interested in comprehensive cooperation with Azerbaijan.
(Reuters) -Rio Tinto said on Tuesday it had agreed to pay a $15 million civil penalty to settle an investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, relating to an alleged bribery scheme involving a consultant in Guinea.

The company, fined for violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, said the investigation involved certain contractual payments made to a former consultant over a decade ago.

The U.S. SEC investigation found in July 2011 the company had hired a French investment banker, a close friend of a former senior Guinean government official, as a consultant to help Rio Tinto retain its mining rights in the Simandou region in Guinea.

The miner, one of the world's top iron ore producers, said it would pay the charges without admitting to or denying the SEC's findings that it violated the books and records and internal accounting controls provisions.

"When Rio became aware of the issue, an internal investigation was immediately launched, and we proactively notified the appropriate authorities," Chairman Dominic Barton said on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Riya Sharma in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)
Future Market Insights Global and Consulting Pvt. Ltd.

USA Fluoropolymer Films Market is anticipated to grow between 2022 and 2032 at a magnitude of 6.2% CAGR. East Asia is projected to lead the fluoropolymers films market over the forecast period. Construction Sector Considered As a Largest Consumer of Fluoropolymer Films

NEWARK, Del, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global fluoropolymer films market is predicted to expand at a positive CAGR of 6.4% from 2022 to 2032. The market will accumulate an estimated revenue of US$ 3,120.3 million in 2032, rising from US$ 1,986.4 million in 2022. Valued at US$ 1,873.2 million in 2021, the market grew at a CAGR of 6% from 2017 to 2021.



The steady growth of the fluoropolymer films market can be attributed to the superior quality of the product which promotes its extensive use across different industries and the swift deployment and advancement of solar photovoltaic modules in the upcoming years as fluoropolymer films are used as front sheets in solar PV modules. Thus, the market looks ahead to bright prospects.

Fluoropolymer films mainly gain application as raw material in the manufacturing of machine parts, semiconductors, electronic parts, and automobile parts. Hence, an upsurge in demand for semiconductors, consumer electronics, and industrial electronics results in a spike in the demand for fluoropolymer films.

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Furthermore, the product witnesses heightened demand from the packaging sector because of its excellent quality. Other industrial verticals like construction, aerospace, automotive, pharmaceutical, and renewable energy, among others, further spur the demand for fluoropolymer films in the forthcoming years.

Considered to be biocompatible due to their exceptional chemical inertness, fluoropolymer films have the ability to prevent adverse reactions when in contact with the human body. Moreover, their low moisture absorption, durability against weather conditions, and little to no chemical change or degradation when exposed to medical fluids open new avenues of growth for the fluoropolymer films market as they find usage in blister packaging and in fluid bags for biological liquids.

Story continues

Again, increasing technological progress and greater demand for pure goods in the medical and pharmaceutical sectors aid market growth. All of these considerations propel the fluoropolymer films market forward during the assessment period.

Key Takeaways:

High costs of the films due to fluctuating prices of raw materials and processing costs may stymie the growth of the fluoropolymer films market.

The swift advancement of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules will strengthen prospects for the fluoropolymer films market.

Owing to its excellent physical and chemical properties, the PTFE product type will remain popular with a 26.5% market share.

By end-user, the packaging industry will dominate the global marketplace with ownership of 29% of the market share.

The fluoropolymer films market in the US will expand at a CAGR of 6.2% due to widespread use in important end-use industries.

Chinas fluoropolymer films market will benefit from rapid urbanization and the strong presence of key players.

Competitive Landscape

DAIKIN INDUSTRIES Ltd., Asahi Glass Co., Ltd, 3M Company, The Chemours Company, Arkema Group, Solvay SA, Dongyue Group Ltd., and Honeywell International Inc., among others, are some of the leading players in the fluoropolymer films market profiled in the full version of the report.

In an intensely consolidated environment, dominant market players are focusing on increasing investment in research and development activities to produce new and innovative products which will meet the need of the consumers. These companies also adopt mergers, acquisitions, and partnership strategies to expand their business and gain a competitive edge.

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Key Segments Profiled In The Fluoropolymers Films Market Report Fluoropolymers Films Market

By Product Type, the Market is segmented as:

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)

Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene (FEP)

Perfluoroalkoxy Alkane (PFA)

Polyvinyl Fluoride (PVF)

Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF)

Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE)

Others (ECTFE, PCTFE, etc.)



By End Use, the Market is segmented as:

Automotive and Aerospace

Electrical and Electronics

Industrial and Equipment

Packaging

Building and Construction

Others

By Region, the Market is segmented as:

North America

Latin America

Europe

South Asia & Pacific

East Asia

Middle East & Africa

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More Insights into Fluoropolymer Films Market

FMI offers the latest, unbiased, and detailed analysis of the global fluoropolymer films market, providing historical data from 2017 to 2021 and forecast statistics for 2022 to 2032. For a comprehensive understanding of the global market potential, growth, and scope, the market is segmented on the basis of product type, application, end-user, and region.

According to the reports, based on segmentation, the packaging sector will likely generate the highest demand for the market. It is estimated that this category will hold about 29% of the global market share on the basis of application. In terms of product type, the PTFE segment will hold 26.5% of the market share.

Based on region, the fluoropolymer films market will display impressive growth in the US. The target market in this region will grow at a CAGR of 6.2%. This growth can be attributed to increasing demand for the product from multiple industry verticals, the presence of illustrious market players, the availability of plenty of resources, and increasing investments in product innovations. Besides the US, China, too, will make notable contributions to the global growth of the fluoropolymer films market.

Table of Content

1. Executive Summary

1.1. Global Market Outlook

1.2. Demand Side Trends

1.3. Supply Side Trends

1.4. Analysis and Recommendations

2. Market Overview

2.1. Market Coverage / Taxonomy

2.2. Market Definition / Scope / Limitations

3. Key Market Trends

3.1. Key Trends Impacting the Market

4. Key Success Factors

4.1. Product Adoption / Usage Analysis

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Explore FMIs Extensive Ongoing Coverage in the Chemicals & Materials Domain

Fluoropolymer Market Overview: The global fluoropolymer market is anticipated to witness significant growth during the assessment period, starting from 2021 to 2031.

Structure Directing Agents Market Size: The global structure directing agents market is expected to register a CAGR of 7.6% from 2023 to 2033, expected to accumulate a value of US$ 1,167.04 million by the end of the said forecast period.

Glycerol Monostearate Market Value: Global demand for Glycerol Monostearate Market is expected to reach a market valuation of US$ 0.5 Billion by the end of the year 2023, accelerating at a CAGR of 5.5% over the forecast period (2023 to 2033).

Acid Orange Market Growth: The global acid orange market is expected to reach a market valuation of US$ 500 million by the end of the year 2023, accelerating at a CAGR of 5.5% over the forecast period (2023 to 2033).

Sorbitan Laurate Market Share: The global sorbitan laurate market is expected to register a CAGR of 7% by garnering a market value of US$ 9.64 million by the end of 2033. By the end of 2023, a valuation of US$ 4.9 million is expected for the market.

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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.

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BRISTOL, England, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- We are delighted to announce Paul McGuire as Non-Executive Director at Saragossa.

Paul McGuire

Saragossa Co-Founder Jimmy Lloyd:

"We're delighted to welcome Paul to the organisation. His professional credentials speak for themselves, having built a successful career both within a FTSE business and then having founded and guided his own brand from inception to exit. Whilst the transfer of staffing industry knowledge appears obvious, we believe that, in particular, Paul's commitment to the power of culture and brand will supercharge our business from within. Our commitment to providing exceptional experiences to our clients and community has been constant since launch. With Paul's guidance, we feel confident we can create a blueprint for this, allowing us to scale without compromise."

Paul has invaluable knowledge and expertise in this sector. He was the Founder, CEO and Chair of the global Life Sciences recruitment company Meet and formerly Director of SThree PLC.

Talking of his new role, Paul said;

"Saragossa is at the sweet spot in their growth - expanding their team from 50 - 100, establishing themselves on an international stage and pushing their brand to new places. What excites me is that their ambitions reach far beyond being a successful recruitment agency. They want to offer clients operating in the investment management space a broader consultancy and talent acquisition service. I look forward to working with the Senior Leadership team as they take this next step."

Paul's experience and passion for brand and culture will be invaluable during this next exciting chapter for the company.

Paul will join Donald Reid, who took up his position as Non-Executive last year with the business.

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DUBLIN, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Saudi Arabia Air Duct Market Analysis by Material, Shape, Application - Global Industry Demand forecast to 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Research and Markets Logo

In 2021, the size of the Saudi Arabian air duct market was $36.4 million, which will witness an 8.4% CAGR from 2021 to 2030, to hit $74.8 million in 2030.



The growing demand for comfort and effective airflow control is resulting in the increasing sale of such products in the country. The industry is projected to grow mainly because of the snowballing ventilation requirement throughout the country.



These products are used in several industries, including pharmaceutical, hospitality, food & beverage, aerospace & defense, semiconductor, and electronics.

Largest Share Is Captured by Galvanized Steel

The market is divided into aluminum, polymers, fiberglass, and galvanized steel, based on material. In this segment, a share of roughly 55% is held by galvanized steel. This can be credited to the toughness, longer life, cost-effective maintenance, and many other qualities of this material.

Hospitality Category Will Grow Rapidly

The hospitality division will likely advance at the highest rate, of about 10%, in the coming years. This is because of the strong efforts of the Government of Saudi Arabia to boost the value of the nation as a tourist destination.

Market in Western Saudi Arabia Will Grow Fastest

Western Saudi Arabia, in the terms of sales value, will grow at the highest rate, of more than 9%, in the coming years. The western coast is designated to be developed as a new vacation place in the nation because of its astonishing biodiversity. This will promote tourism and the construction of hospitals, thereby driving HVAC and associated component sales.

Rapid Adoption of Smart HVAC Systems

The surging acceptance of intelligent HVAC systems is driving the demand for air ducts in Saudi Arabia. The design advancements in these appliances' electrical & mechanical components and controls & operations have allowed for a reduction in their energy usage, without resetting the operating parameters, such as air humidity and temperature, and compromising on comfort.



Further, the country is focusing on catering to the growing housing demands with energy efficiency and better qualities, which is propelling green building construction. Such buildings, additionally, use recyclable and recycled materials for improved durability.



These benefits of green buildings are fascinating the government and several commercial and residential architects and attracting them to incorporate smart appliances and systems.



Therefore, in the recent past, there has been a rapid rise in the count of green industrial, commercial, and residential buildings in Saudi Arabia, which is contributing to the growing sale of advanced air ducts.

Story continues

Market Dynamics

Trends

Installation of smart HVAC systems

Drivers

Increasing infrastructure development activities

Growing number of data centers

Expanding hospitality sector

Increasing adoption of green building technology

Impact Analysis of Drivers on Market Forecast

Restraints

Intense competition from ductless HVAC systems in residential segment

Impact Analysis of Restraints on Market Forecast

Opportunities

Rising application of geothermal heat pumps

Companies Covered

Zamil Air Conditioners

Trane Technologies plc

Al Salem Johnson Controls

Cold Oasis Group (COG)

Technical Duct Factory

Air Duct Factory

Saudi Akhwan Ducting Factory Co. Ltd.

NAVCO

Century Mechanical Systems Group (CMS)

Sharqawi Air Distribution System Factory

Safid Co. Ltd.

Arabian Thermal Aire Industries Co. Ltd.

Gulf Heavy Industries Co.

Empower Air Technologies

Key Topics Covered:

Chapter 1. Research Background

1.1 Research Objectives

1.2 Market Definition

1.3 Analysis Period

1.4 Market Data Reporting Unit

1.5 Market Size Breakdown by Segment

1.6 Key Stakeholders



Chapter 2. Research Methodology

2.1 Secondary Research

2.2 Primary Research

2.3 Market Size Estimation

2.4 Data Triangulation



Chapter 3. Executive Summary



Chapter 4. Voice of Industry Experts/KOLs



Chapter 5. Saudi Arabia Air Duct Market Ecosystem



Chapter 6. Market Indicators

6.1 Growing Tourism in Saudi Arabia



Chapter 7. Definition of Market Segments

7.1 By Material

7.1.1 Galvanized Steel

7.1.2 Aluminum

7.1.3 Fiberglass

7.1.4 Polymer

7.2 By Shape

7.2.1 Round

7.2.2 Half Round

7.2.3 Triangular

7.2.4 Square/Rectangular

7.2.5 Others

7.3 By Application

7.3.1 Residential

7.3.2 Commercial Buildings and Offices

7.3.3 Transportation and Public Infrastructure

7.3.4 Retail

7.3.5 Hospitality

7.3.6 Healthcare

7.3.7 Industrial

7.3.8 Others



Chapter 8. Industry Outlook

8.1 Market Dynamics

8.1.1 Trends

8.1.2 Drivers

8.1.3 Impact Analysis of Drivers on Market Forecast

8.1.4 Restraints

8.1.5 Impact Analysis of Restraints on Market Forecast

8.1.6 Opportunities

8.2 Impact of COVID-19

8.3 Industry Lifecycle

8.4 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

8.5 List of Raw Material Suppliers

8.6 Cost Analysis of Air Ducts



Chapter 9. Saudi Arabia Air Duct Market

9.1 Overview

9.2 Market Revenue, by Material (2017-2030)

9.3 Market Revenue, by Shape (2017-2030)

9.4 Market Revenue, by Application (2017-2030)

9.5 Market Revenue, by Region (2017-2030)



Chapter 10. Competitive Landscape

10.1 Competitive Benchmarking of Key Players

10.2 Market Share Analysis of Key Players



Chapter 11. Company Profiles

11.1 Business Overview

11.2 Product and Service Offerings

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SOURCE Research and Markets
Future Market Insights Global and Consulting Pvt. Ltd.

Blood glucose testing to hold prominent share in self-testing market, owing to high prevalence rate of diabetes. Self-testing kits for testing urine and blood samples to account for greater demand through 2033. The convenience of self-testers is one of the most important factors to drive the market demand for self-testing market

NEWARK, Del, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The self-testing market is estimated to secure a valuation of US$ 7.89 billion in 2023. The market is predicted to rise to US$ 13.6 billion by 2033, securing a CAGR of 5.6% during the forecast period.



The following several factors advancing the market growth, including:

1. Self-testing products have become more sophisticated and accurate due to technological advancements. For example, home diagnostic kits now use molecular testing techniques that provide highly accurate results in minutes.

2. Consumers increasingly seek personalized healthcare solutions catering to their needs. Self-testing products allow individuals to take control of their health by providing easy access to diagnostic tests and medical monitoring devices.

3. Chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer are rising globally. Self-testing products enable individuals to monitor their health and detect potential health problems early on, which can improve treatment outcomes and quality of life.

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4. Healthcare costs are rising globally, and self-testing products offer a cost-effective alternative to traditional healthcare services. Self-testing products can help reduce healthcare costs and improve access to healthcare by enabling individuals to monitor their health at home.

5. Self-testing products are highly convenient and accessible, as they can use at home and are easy to carry while traveling. It makes it easier for individuals to monitor their health regularly and stay on top of potential health problems.

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Overall, the advancing factors in the market drive the industry's growth and create new opportunities for manufacturers, suppliers, and other stakeholders. The market is expected to grow with continued technological advancements and increasing demand for personalized healthcare.

How Manufacturers are Developing New Products in the Market

Manufacturers in the self-testing market are constantly innovating new products to meet the evolving needs of consumers. Ways they are innovating new products include:

1. Developing New Testing Technologies: Manufacturers are investing in research and development to create new technologies that provide more accurate and reliable results. For instance, Glucometer, a self-testing diabetes monitor machine that measures blood glucose levels.

2. User-friendly Gadgets: Manufacturers create products that consumers can easily handle and use. For instance, home diagnostic kits with clear instructions and intuitive interfaces that guide users through testing.

3. Expanding Product Lines: Manufacturers are expanding their product lines to include a wider range of self-testing products. For example, they are developing medical monitoring devices that enable individuals to monitor their health conditions at home.

4. Developing Self-testing Platforms: Manufacturers are developing self-testing platforms that provide remote patient monitoring and support. For example, smartphone apps enable individuals to track their health data and receive personalized health recommendations.

5. Enhancing Data Security and Privacy: Manufacturers are enhancing the security and privacy of self-testing products to protect sensitive health information. For use of encryption technologies to secure sensitive data transmission and storage.

Overall, manufacturers are innovating new products by developing new testing technologies, creating user-friendly designs, developing self-testing platforms, and enhancing data security. These innovations drive growth in the market and create new opportunities for manufacturers and other stakeholders.

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Key Takeaways:

The self-testing market is expected to have a valuation of US$ 13.6 billion by 2033.

With a CAGR of 5.6%, the global market is increasing during the forecast period.

The market in the United States is anticipated to dominate the global market through 2033.

Historically, the market captured a valuation of US$ 7.51 billion between 2017 and 2022.

Who is Winning?

The market is a rapidly growing industry with the potential to revolutionize healthcare by empowering individuals to take control of their health monitoring. Key players in this market are strategically shaping the industry by introducing innovative products and technologies and expanding their distribution networks and partnerships.

Here are some examples of how key players are playing a strategic role in the self-testing market:

1. Abbott Laboratories: Abbott Laboratories is a global healthcare company that offers a wide range of diagnostic products, including self-testing devices. Abbott has been expanding its self-testing portfolio by introducing new products that offer accurate and convenient testing for various health conditions, such as diabetes, HIV, and COVID-19. The company has also invested in digital technologies to enhance the user experience and improve data management.

2. Roche Diagnostics: Roche Diagnostics is a leading provider of diagnostic solutions for healthcare professionals and patients. Roche has been actively investing in research and development to bring innovative self-testing products to the market. The company has introduced several self-testing devices for diabetes, blood coagulation, and pregnancy testing. Roche has also been expanding its distribution network to ensure its products are widely available to consumers.

3. Quest Diagnostics: Quest Diagnostics is a leading provider of diagnostic testing services in the United States. Quest has been leveraging its expertise in laboratory testing to develop self-testing products that offer accurate and reliable results. The company has introduced self-testing devices for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases and wellness testing for individuals who want to monitor their health status.

4. Siemens Healthineers: Siemens Healthineers is a global provider of medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics, and healthcare IT solutions. Siemens has been focusing on developing self-testing products that offer accurate and reliable results while being easy to use. The company has introduced self-testing devices for diabetes, thyroid function, and pregnancy testing. Siemens has also invested in digital solutions to enhance the user experience and improve data management.

Key players in the self-testing market play a crucial role in shaping the industry by introducing innovative products, expanding distribution networks, and investing in digital technologies. As the market grows, these players drive the industry forward and empower individuals to control their health monitoring.

Other Prominent Vendors in the Global Market are ACON Laboratories Inc., ARKRAY Inc, Assure Tech (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd., Becton, Dickinson & Company, Bionime Corporation, Roche Holding AG, Quidel Corporation, True Diagnostics Inc.

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Self-testing Market by Category

By Product Type:

Digital Monitoring Instruments

Self-testing Cassettes

Self-testing Midstream

Self-testing Strips

Self-testing Cups

Self-testing Dip Cards

Self-testing Panels

Others

By Application:

Blood Glucose Testing

Pregnancy & Fertility Testing

Cancer Testing

Drug Abuse Testing

STD/STI Testing

Cholesterol Testing

HIV Testing

Thyroid Testing

Others



By Sample:

Urine, Blood

Saliva

Stool

Vaginal Swabs

Semen



By Distribution Channel:

Retail Pharmacies

Drug Stores

Online Pharmacies

Supermarkets/hypermarkets

Table of Content

1. Executive Summary | Self-testing Market

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

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Old Source: Self-testing Market is Extrapolated to Reach a Value of US$ 11.55 Bn by 2030




Fortune Business Insights

Serverless Computing Market is Rising at Rapid Growth Rate : Increasing Popularity of Cloud-based Microservices to Foster Growth, states Fortune Business Insights

Pune, India, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The growing need for serverless computing to reduce complexity and infrastructure costs is expected to drive the global serverless computing market during the forecast period, states Fortune Business Insights, in a report, titled Serverless Computing Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Services (Monitoring Services, API Management Services, Integration Services, Security, Support and Maintenance, Others), By Deployment (Public Cloud, Private Cloud), By Enterprise Size (Large Enterprises, Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs), Start-up Firms) , By Industry (BFSI, It and Telecom, Retail, Healthcare)and Regional Forecast, 2023-2030 The rising emphasis to reduce servers is expected to aid the expansion of the market.



Serverless computing is an emerging trend in the technology industry, where cloud computing providers manage the infrastructure and automatically allocate resources to execute code without the need for server management. This type of computing allows developers to focus solely on the application logic and not worry about the underlying infrastructure.

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List of the Key Companies in the Serverless Computing Market:



Microsoft Corporation

Amazon Web Services, Inc.

Google LLC.

Firebase

Alibaba Group

IBM Corporation

Oracle Corporation

Platform9 Systems, Inc.

Rackspace Inc.

Market Drivers & Restraints:



Rising Popularity of Serverless Computing to Boost Market

The growing implementation of cloud-based microservice architecture is expected to aid the growth of the market during the forecast period. The shift from the server model to the on-premise serverless computing model is expected to promote the growth of the market. The growing knowledge about the benefits of serverless computing such as reduced setup and maintenance cost is likely to enable speedy expansion of the market. The rapid adoption of serverless computing for effective database management and server support is expected to further spur opportunities for the market in the foreseeable future. The built-in scalability of serverless computing is expected to incite its deployment, thus aiding the market.

Story continues

Technological advancements to reduce operational time in serverless computing are expected to foster the healthy growth of the market. Moreover, serverless computing has capabilities to eliminate infrastructure management tasks, reduce operating system maintenance costs, and encourage capacity provisioning and patching. Besides, the rising focus of companies towards serverless infrastructure is likely to offer lucrative opportunities for the market.

However, security-related issues associated with serverless computing is expected to dampen the growth of the market during the forecast period.

Covid- 19 Impact:

The occurrence of coronavirus has caused enormous damage to various businesses across the world. We understand that this health emergency has negatively impacted various sectors across the globe. Rising support from governments and several companies can help in the fight against this highly infectious virus. There are some industries that are struggling and some are thriving. More or less, nearly every sector is estimated to be impacted by this pandemic.

We are perpetually working on our reports to help uplift businesses in this crucial time. Our expertise and experience can offer enormous benefits to help regain during this global pandemic.

Click here to get the short-term and long-term impact of COVID-19 on this Market. Please visit: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/serverless-computing-market-103034

The report on the serverless computing market features:

Outstanding insights into the market

All-encompassing facts and figures

Latest industry development

Information about the prominent players

Dominating regions in the market

Regional Insights:

Rapid Technological Advancement to Favor Growth in North America

The market in North America is expected to grow exponentially owing to the rapid technological advancement in the region. The presence of a large server user base in industries such as IT & Telecom, BFSI, retail, healthcare, and, manufacturing is expected to support the growth of the market in the region. Europe is expected to hold a significant share owing to the growing adoption of cloud-based services in the U.K., Germany, France. The rising digitalization is expected to create opportunities for the market.

Asia Pacific is expected to witness a high growth rate owing to the emergence of many small, medium enterprises in the region. The Middle East and Africa are expected to hold a considerable share owing to the rising awareness about serverless computers.

Segmentation of Report:

The serverless computing market can be analyzed based on various factors such as services, deployment, enterprise size, and industry.

In terms of services, the market can be segmented into monitoring services, API management services, integration services, security, support and maintenance, and others. Monitoring services help track the performance of serverless applications, while API management services provide tools to manage APIs used in serverless applications. Integration services allow for the integration of serverless functions with other applications, while security services ensure the security of serverless applications. Support and maintenance services provide assistance to developers using serverless computing services, and other services include consulting and training.

Based on deployment, the market can be categorized into public cloud and private cloud. Public cloud deployment refers to serverless computing services offered by cloud providers to the public, while private cloud deployment involves the use of serverless computing services within a private network.

Enterprise size is another factor that can be used to analyze the serverless computing market, with the market being segmented into large enterprises, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and start-up firms. Large enterprises typically have more complex serverless computing requirements and require more sophisticated solutions, while SMEs and start-ups may have more limited computing needs.

Finally, the serverless computing market can be analyzed based on industry, with major sectors including banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI), information technology and telecommunications (IT and telecom), retail, and healthcare. Each industry may have specific serverless computing requirements based on their unique needs and challenges.

Key Development:



Google LLC introduced a new version of cloud function for Firebase SDK to enhance functions of debugging, implementation, and management in applications.

Pivotal Software, Inc. unveiled a new serverless computing product, named Pivotal Function Service.

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TipRanks

While last year saw a wicked bear market, coupled with high volatility, investors have had an easier time of it so far in 2023. Volatility remains an issue, but it has moderated  and both the NASDAQ and the S&P 500 are up nicely year-to-date. The NASDAQ has gained over 16%, and the S&P is up more than 8%. The Dow is the laggard here, having gained only 2.2% in the same time. Its a market environment thats sure to present opportunities for gains  so long as investors can cut through the noise
Future Market Insights Global and Consulting Pvt. Ltd.

The unmanned vehicles segment of the market for border security technologies is likely to see huge demand between 2022 and 2032. The United States Border Security Technologies Market size is expected to be valued at US$ 293.6 billion in 2032

NEWARK, Del, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In 2022, the worldwide border security technologies market is expected to be worth $ 48.0 billion . The market is expected to grow significantly between 2022 and 2032, at a staggering 35.4% CAGR. This would boost the market's worth to an incredible US$ 1.0 trillion in 2032.



While governments all across the world are attempting to protect the peace, border clashes have occurred on occasion in recent years. Border security technologies are the systems that governments use to secure their borders. It is difficult to overestimate the importance of national security in this day and age.

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Border security technologies include radar systems, video systems, perimeter incursion detection systems, and manned and unmanned vehicles. Future Market Insights (FMI) sees significant government-backed investments in border security technologies as countries seek to avert repeat clashes.

According to FMI, China, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and South Korea are likely to capture the global market between 2022 and 2032. On the basis of application, the ground-based segment is expected to lead the market and expand at a 35.2% CAGR. Based on systems, FMI expects the unmanned vehicles segment to dominate the market in the coming years.

Key Takeaways from the Border Security Technologies Market Study

Between 2022 and 2032, the global market for border security technologies is likely to generate a US$ 945.0 billion absolute dollar opportunity.

The United States market should accelerate at a CAGR of 33.9% in the coming years.

The United Kingdom market is likely to surpass a valuation of US$ 42.3 billion in 2032.

The market for border security technologies in China should register expansion at a CAGR of 36.6% between 2022 and 2032.

Border security technologies demand should surge at a CAGR of 34.7% in Japan from 2022 to 2032.

Sales of border security technologies should accelerate at a CAGR of 35.9% in the years ahead.

Story continues

Partnerships between prominent border security technologies companies and IT giants are probable from 2022 to 2032. This is owing to the increasing deployment of efficient software systems to promote automation across the global defense industry.  Says an FMI Analyst

Who is Winning?

Key companies in the border security technologies market are reaping rewards in the form of lucrative contracts. Through these contracts, manufacturers can offer their high-end products and strengthen defenses of several economies that are focused on enhancing their existing military infrastructure.

Thales, Teledyne FLIR, SITA, Saab, Raytheon Technologies, Moog Inc., Lockheed Martin, Leonardo, Leidos, Indra Sistemas S.A, IDEMIA, General Atomics, G+D, Elbit Systems, Controp Precision Technologies, and Atos are prominent players in the global market for border security technologies.

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Get More Valuable Insights

Future Market Insights, in its new offering, presents an unbiased analysis of the Border Security Technologies Market, presenting historical market data (2017 to 2021) and forecast statistics for the period from 2022 to 2032. The study divulges compelling insights on the border security technologies market based on systems (radar systems, laser systems, camera systems, unmanned vehicles, wide band wireless communication systems, command and control systems, biometric systems, drones, optical surveillance systems, electric fencing systems), and application (ground based, aerial based, naval based) across seven regions.

Global Border Security Technologies Market by Category

By Systems:

Radar Systems

Laser systems

Camera systems

Unmanned Vehicles

Wide Band Wireless Communication Systems

Command and Control Systems

Biometric Systems

Drones

Optical Surveillance Systems

Electric Fencing Systems

By Application:

Ground Based

Aerial Based

Naval Based



By Region:

North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Latin America

Middle East and Africa



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Table of Content

1. Executive Summary | Border Security Technologies Market

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

Click Here for Border Security Technologies Market 250 pages TOC Report

About the Technology Division at Future Market Insights

Future Market Insights' highly experienced Technology team aids companies from all over the world with their specific business intelligence needs through professional research, actionable insights, and strategic recommendations. With a library of over a thousand research and 1 million+ data points, the team has spent over a decade analyzing the technology business across 50+ countries. From start to end, the company provides unrivalled research and consulting services. Please get in touch with us to see how we can help.

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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.

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Gianni Versace's favorite spot to sip coffee, read the morning newspaper, and people-watch returns refreshed but true to its roots

MIAMI, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- News Cafe, the famed restaurant, bar, and newsstand that contributed to South Beach's resurgence in the 1980s, reopened at its original location on the ground floor of The Tony Hotel at 804 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach. Operated by Vida & Estilo Restaurant Group, the iconic landmark will boast an elevated design and Mediterranean-American menu.

The brainchild of renowned restaurateur Mark Soyka, News Cafe debuted in 1988 as one of the only restaurants in Ocean Drive's Art Deco district, an infamously dilapidated area at the time. The 350-seat restaurant quickly became a go-to destination for locals and tourists alike, including Gianni Versace who notoriously frequented the restaurant daily for his breakfast and newspaper. The concept thrived for nearly 30 years, open 24 hours and servicing between four and five thousand patrons a day.

"The News Cafe was essential to South Beach," said Jamil Dib, Founder and Co-Owner of Vida & Estilo Restaurant Group. "If you visited without going to News Cafe, you didn't experience the real South Beach. We have the honor of restoring the restaurant and therefore a responsibility to its legacy, which we are confident the new concept pays homage to."

In tandem with the News Cafe's success, founder of Goldman Properties and late visionary Tony Goldman pioneered a renaissance in South Beach. He renovated and revitalized a portfolio of Art Deco hotels and properties in the neighborhood, including The Tony Hotel. The new developments attracted locals, tourists, and businesses to the neighborhood that ushered in a new era of prosperity which continues there today. Goldman Properties acquired the News Cafe brand in 2021 and is partnering with Vida & Estilo for the reopening.

"Tony had a unique ability for placemaking. He built diverse communities where local businesses thrived and tourism flourished," said Scott Srebnick, CEO of Goldman Properties. "We strive to honor Tony's legacy by continuing to restore and preserve historic establishments like the News Cafe."

Story continues

In tribute to the original menu, News Cafe will return with beloved classics alongside new dishes conceived by Chef Henry Hane, Founder of Brickell's popular B Bistro. Open all day, News Cafe will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner inspired by Mediterranean and American cuisine. Its ingredients will be sourced from local purveyors and artisans well-known for their craft, including fresh pastries, honey, and vegetables.

"As a local, I remember eating at News Cafe with my family every Friday," said Chef Henry Hane. "I know I'm not the only one who has felt its absence since it closed, so I'm humbled to support its renaissance."

Encouraging nostalgia, the menu will recreate the original Tony's tomato soup, tuna melt, Aegean-Mediterranean plate, and eggs benedict. New additions include indulgent dishes like the Ocean Drive bacon, egg, and cheese; pina colada pancakes with grilled pineapple and coconut syrup; loaded fries; and a delicious burger with red wine demi sauce, smoked gouda, and caramelized onions. Lunch and dinner menus pair exceptionally well with an extensive beverage menu that includes iced and frozen cocktails, still and sparkling wines, and an assortment of beers.

The same sentimental green awning with its "News Cafe" logo that has welcomed guests since 1988 will remain above the entrance to the eatery. Its namesake and legendary newsstand will be populated with local, national, and international papers for diners to buy and read over a cup of coffee, as was typical of its past patrons. Wall decor includes framed portraits of 90s icons, including Gianni Versace and Tony Goldman, in addition to vintage images of News Cafe's early years. Guests will be seated at marble tables or can request to dine in the "Fashion Corner," featuring an homage to Versace.

Next-door to the News Cafe, Vida & Estilo Restaurant Group just opened the doors to its third Oh! Mexico location, serving Mexican dishes made with fresh ingredients and house-made tortillas. Since 1997, Oh! Mexico has provided authentic Mexican fare to its patrons on Espanola Way. The 804 Ocean Drive concept, Oh! Mexico Taco Shop will operate as a classic taco shop, welcoming beachgoers and pedestrians to enjoy a casual bite and a frosty margarita.

About Vida & Estilo Restaurant Group:



The hospitality group Vida & Estilo, which translates to Life and Style, has operated restaurants since 1996 with the goal of reflecting Miami Beach's melting pot of cultures. Its restaurants offer a variety of cuisines, including Cuban, Mexican, Italian, American, and Japanese. One of the largest hospitality groups in South Florida, V&E operates 19 dining establishments in Miami and an additional three in Las Vegas, consisting of full-service restaurants and three Cuban Coffee Shops. V&E is a team of international industry professionals that successfully tie together traditional, lifestyle, and nightlife concepts into one vision. This talented group of creators are behind some of the most recognized and entertaining restaurants in Miami and Las Vegas and have demonstrated proven expertise through its diverse portfolio.

Media contact: vye@quinn.pr

South Beachs Iconic News Cafe to Reopen on Ocean Drive

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/south-beachs-iconic-news-cafe-reopens-on-ocean-drive-301762889.html

SOURCE News Cafe
A Republican lawmaker from Louisville has filed a bill in the Kentucky General Assembly to require special elections to fill vacant Metro Council seats in certain cases after some residents and candidates critiqued the current appointment process.

House Bill 191, which state Rep. Jared Bauman, R-Louisville, filed Tuesday, would require a special election to fill a vacant Metro Council seat if the vacancy occurs more than three months before a regular election.

The bill would require a special election to take place 60 days after a seat becomes vacant. HB 191 currently has seven Republican sponsors who all represent parts of Jefferson County.

This year alone we have filled two vacancies by appointment, leaving almost 50,000 people out of the process entirely," Bauman said in a news release, referring to Metro Council members voting last week to appoint Kumar Rashad and Phillip Baker to the District 3 and District 6 seats vacated by Keisha Dorsey and David James, respectively, as they joined Mayor Craig Greenberg's administration.

Who will replace Morgan McGarvey?What to know about special election

"Those who live in Metro Louisville should have the opportunity to choose their elected representatives. This is a basic and fundamental promise of our government, said Bauman, who defeated incumbent Charles Miller in November to take over the 28th House District seat.

The release on Bauman's bill added that "keeping track of applicants, deadlines and the appointment process is also unnecessarily burdensome for constituents as well as potential candidates."

State Rep. Jared Bauman, R-Louisville

"There seems to be a great deal of agreement that this process needs to change," Bauman said. "As the legislative branch of local government, the council plays a major role in setting public policy for the states largest city, including voting on billion-dollar budgets and addressing public safety issues. This isnt a partisan issue  both sides have called the existing process 'anti-democratic' because voters play no role in choosing immediate replacements to the council."

Story continues

Bauman added his bill would not disregard Section 152 of the Kentucky Constitution, which allows the Metro Council president to appoint someone to fill a seat if a vacancy occurs within three months of the end of an outgoing council member's term.

But HB 191 would exclude those who have filed to run in the regular election from being appointed to the seat.

"I have no issue with putting the decision in the hands of voters," Metro Council President Markus Winkler, D-17th, told The Courier Journal in an email Wednesday. "I do have a concern when Louisville is singled out for legislative action. Doesnt this same issue exist for all offices across the state? If so, shouldnt a change like this apply to every elected office?"

In response, Bauman told The Courier Journal in an email that "as a legislator representing Louisville, Im focused on our community and continue to hear from constituents about this particular issue.

"Im certainly open to working with anyone interested in broadening the language, but dont want to see our communitys needs take a backseat," Bauman said.

Stephen Haag, director of the Metro Council's Minority Caucus, which is made up of nine Republicans, told The Courier Journal the GOP members "support anything that helps bring the decision process closer to the people of the District that are affected by the vacancy."

More Metro Council news:Ordinance targets non-disclosure agreements after Racing Louisville scandal

"We have previously taken efforts to move the replacement process to a vote of the people, through Metro Council resolutions, but it is our understanding that those proposed laws have met legal roadblocks at the state," Haag wrote in an email. "Support to change the process for filling a Metro vacancy has been led by members of both parties and includes the passage of a resolution in 2018 calling for a change in the process."

State law surrounding consolidated local governments in Kentucky, such as Louisville and Lexington, says council members, not voters, must appoint a qualified resident of the council district no later than 30 days after the vacancy occurs. The appointment process involves applicants submitting resumes and then undergoing public interviews before Metro Council members, who can ask them questions about their backgrounds and priorities, for example.

After the recent appointments of Rashad and Baker, Metro Council has 17 Democrats and nine Republicans.

If Metro Councilwoman Cassie Chambers Armstrong, D-8th, wins the Feb. 21 special election to fill U.S. Rep. Morgan McGarvey's state Senate seat, then Metro Council will have another vacancy.

Reach Billy Kobin at bkobin@courierjournal.com

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky bill aims to change Metro Council vacancy appointments
By Azernews

Qabil Ashirov

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with US Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Michele Sison, Azernews reports, citing the Foreign Ministry.

The meeting was held within the framework of a business trip to Qatar to participate in the Fifth UN Conference on Least Developed Countries (LDC5) on March 6.

The meeting discussed the current situation in the region, bilateral relations between the two countries, as well as issues of cooperation on multilateral platforms.

At the meeting, Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said that Azerbaijan plays an active role in a number of international organizations, is currently a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, the Economic Cooperation Organization, and takes large-scale initiatives. He also spoke about the March 2 Non-Aligned Movement Summit in Baku and its results.

Besides that, the minister gave detailed information about Azerbaijans aid and scholarship programs for the least developed countries.

The minister spoke about the post-conflict situation in the region, Azerbaijans peace-building steps, the restoration and construction work in the liberated territories, and the current land-mine threat.

He emphasized that despite Azerbaijan's peace-building efforts, Armenia does not stop provocations and continues to threaten mines in violation of its commitments.

During the meeting, the parties also exchanged views on other issues of mutual interest.
The ultra-not-expensive airline looks forward to connecting Canadians from coast to coast this summer with new routes and added capacity

CALGARY, AB, March 6, 2023 /CNW/ - Swoop, Canada's leading ultra-low-cost airline, is excited to announce its expanded summer schedule, with several new routes and added flight frequencies, offering Canadians more affordable options for domestic travel.

Swoop logo | FlySwoop.com (CNW Group/Swoop Inc.)

"As Canada's leading ultra-not-expensive airline, we're proud to be expanding our footprint from coast to coast with our summer schedule," said Bob Cummings, President of Swoop. "Convenience and affordability are paramount, so we're focusing our ultra-not-expensive flights in true ULCC markets that enable more Canadians to explore their big, beautiful backyard."

As part of this summer's domestic expansion, Swoop will be adding new service between London, ON (YXU) and Abbotsford (YXX), and will restart seasonal service between Hamilton (YHM) and Charlottetown (YYG). The ULCC will also return popular service to Deer Lake, NL (YDF) with enhanced connectivity from southern Ontario, with flights operating six times weekly from Hamilton (YHM) and Toronto (YYZ).

"This summer we're thrilled to add significant frequencies on our top performing routes," continued Cummings. "With daily service in many key leisure markets, we're making it easier than ever for Canadians access our ultra-convenient and ultra-affordable flights."

Swoop is also signalling that winter is not over yet, with new seasonal extensions for its most popular sun-flying routes. Canadians can escape to the beach through the end of June with ultra-not-expensive flights from Edmonton (YEG) and Abbotsford (YXX) to Puerto Vallarta (PVR) and Los Cabos (SJD) for as low as $119.00 CAD all-in one-way*.

"The London International Airport is thrilled to announce non-stop service to beautiful Abbotsford, British Columbia with Swoop this summer" said Scott McFadzean, President and CEO of the London International Airport. "London and the surrounding region continue to look for more exciting destinations directly from YXU's easy and comfortable airport. We're looking forward to the spring and the launch of Abbotsford service with Swoop."

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"We are excited to welcome Swoop back for its second year to Deer Lake for the Summer 2023. Swoop provides affordable air travel, making it easier for families and friends to reconnect more often from Hamilton and Toronto, Ontario with opportunity for connection beyond. It increases access for tourists to take in the many great experiences we offer in Western Newfoundland & Labrador." said Tammy Priddle President and CEO Deer Lake Regional Airport. "2022 was a great season with Swoop and we are confident 2023 will be another terrific year for travellers to start their adventures with Swoop at YDF".

Swoop's fleet growth in 2022 has enabled the ULCC to grow its presence across Canada, with a strong focus in Atlantic Canada where affordable air travel options are lean. Swoop will operate daily flights from southern Ontario into Halifax (YHZ) and St. John's (NL) and near daily flights to Charlottetown (YYG). West coast connectivity will continue to soar with a 67% increase in flights operating to Abbotsford (YXX).

With one-way all-in prices starting from just $39 CAD*, there's never been a better time to start planning a great Canadian adventure.

Route Peak

Weekly

Frequency Lowest one-

way total

price (CAD) Base

Fare

(CAD) Taxes &

Fees (CAD) Hamilton to Deer Lake 2x weekly $59.00 $15.23 $43.77 Deer Lake to Hamilton 2x weekly $59.00 $16.14 $42.86 Toronto to Deer Lake 4x weekly $79.00 $28.84 $50.16 Deer Lake to Toronto 4x weekly $79.00 $32.62 $46.38 Hamilton to Charlottetown 3x weekly $59.00 $16.14 $42.87 Charlottetown to Hamilton 3x weekly $49.00 $11.53 $37.47 London to Abbotsford 4x weekly $49.00 $25.29 $23.71 Abbotsford to London 4x weekly $39.00 $22.84 $16.16 Toronto to Los Cabos 2x weekly $179.00 $65.88 $113.12 Edmonton to Los Cabos 2x weekly $119.00 $8.68 $113.32 Abbotsford to Los Cabos 1x weekly $109.00 $35.43 $73.57 Edmonton to Puerto Vallarta 2x weekly $139.00 $28.66 $110.34 Abbotsford to Puerto Vallarta 2x weekly $119.00 $55.43 $73.57

*Seasonal start and end dates apply and are indicated in the booking flow. | Fares are valid until March 7, 2023 or while seats last. | Prices displayed are subject to change and are not guaranteed until payment is made and accepted. | Seats at these fares are limited, and may not be available on all flights. | Non-refundable.

About Swoop

Swoop is on a mission to make travel more affordable and accessible for all Canadians. Established in 2018 as an independent subsidiary of the WestJet Group of Companies, Swoop is Canada's ultra-not-expensive airline. Offering scheduled service to destinations in Canada, the U.S., Mexico and the Caribbean, Swoop's unbundled fares put travellers in control of purchasing only the products and services they desire.

Swoop's fleet of ten Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft expanded in 2022 to add six Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, for a total of 16 aircraft.

At FlySwoop.com travellers can quickly and easily book flights, manage bookings, check-in, view boarding passes, and track flights.

SOURCE Swoop Inc.

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Carson City, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Carson City, Nevada -

Talisman Casualty Insurance

Company is helping American businesses that operate in specialty sectors by offering them complete peace of mind while taking the measured risks they need to expand and thrive.

Talisman Casualty is a protected cell captive insurance company with over 7000 captives worldwide and over $55 billion of global captive premiums. In Nevada, the state where Talisman Casualty Insurance Company is domiciled, it has over 200 captives and over $4 billion of captive premiums. The company serves the specialty insurance sector by offering protected cells to underwriters who have seasoned books of business and need a regulated vehicle to transfer risk as well as direct access to capacity through reinsurance and alternative risk finance markets.

One of the companys greatest business advantages is its claims management technology which enables efficient claims processing for each of its cell programs. Talisman Casualty can provide insureds immediate feedback on the overall impact of claims and reduce the time needed to make adjustments due to the simple aggregation of data within a cell captive. This reduces a majority of a captives expenses and gives them an edge over traditional insurers. Moreover, its proprietary technology can be integrated into a cell captive program without incurring the exorbitant costs associated with licensed software that is designed and marketed to large commercial insurers.

The company offers several programs that serve the needs of a wide range of industries. Its surety program offers three kinds of surety bonds  Payment and Performance, Compliance and Licensing, and Court and Legal. The surety bonds are underwritten the same way that general credit is underwritten and the insured has to go through a financial and skill qualification when the performance is being bonded.

The companys Marine Program is a cell captive aimed at marine contractors, fishing operations, and many other types of businesses that have assets on the water and need coverage that fits their objectives. The program focuses on small to medium-sized marine accounts and provides Maritime Employers Liability (MEL), Hull and Protection & Indemnity (Hull / P&I), and Comprehensive General Liability (CGL) with admission into the programs cell.

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Talisman Casualtys Pet Professional Program combines risk expertise and unique claims management to serve emerging small businesses such as pet sitters, trainers, and professionals who offer pet-related services. Participants in the companys Pet Professional Program are assured a high degree of insured interaction with underwriters and claims personnel.

The coverage quality and customer service that Talisman Casualty offers have resulted in many of its clients giving it an overwhelmingly positive 4.9 out of 5.0 overall rating on its Google Business Profile. The companys reviews cite its affordable rates, ease of doing business, and the helpful nature of its representatives.

One of the latest reviews says, Talisman Casualty is, and always has been, a reliable marine insurance provider to work with. Their rates are very reasonable, and their customer service is outstanding. We have no hesitation in recommending them to others. Another reviewer thanked the agent they worked with by saying, Exceptional provider of surety bonds. They quickly walked me through the process and were able to issue a surety bond very fast. To our agent, many thanks. He is the best person you will ever meet.

Talisman Casualty Insurance Company is an alternative risk transfer option for liability and property insurance. Talisman insurance policies and bonds are duly licensed, regulated, and authorized insurance transactions governed by the laws of the state of Nevada. Bonds and insurance policies are made available to principals who join the captive as participants by executing a participation agreement and becoming a shareholder. All Talisman capital, surplus, reserves, and financial records are maintained per the provisions and regulations of NRS Chapter 694 C (Captive Insurers).

Readers can contact the companys representatives at (800) 318-5317 or write to it at info@talismancasualty.com to inquire about its services and technology. Interested clients are also urged to ask about how Talisman Casualty lawsuit avoidance strategies lead to quicker resolution of claims.

###

For more information about Talisman Casualty Insurance Company, contact the company here:



Talisman Casualty Insurance Company

800-318-5317

info@talismancasualty.com

7881 W. Charleston Blvd, Suite 210 Las Vegas, NV 89117






The newly renovated Burn Center and ICU will support both caregivers and patients with expanded

spaces and enhanced technologies.

TAMPA, Fla., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Tampa General Hospital (TGH)  the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and west central Florida's only Level I trauma center  today announced the opening of its newly renovated regional Burn Center, including its connected, specialized Burn Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for critically ill burn patients. Tampa General's 18-bed Burn Center includes a six-bed intensive care unit, a 12-bed wound care unit, treatment rooms and a burn operating room located within the unit.

Tampa General Hospital (TGH)  the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and west central Florida's only Level I trauma center  today announced the opening of its newly renovated regional Burn Center, including its connected, specialized Burn Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for critically ill burn patients. Tampa Generals Burn Center ICU features new patient rooms of the future, which increase the efficiency of care with advanced technologies.

"As one of the leading academic health systems in the country, each day we provide world-class care and leading-edge therapies to all who enter our doors. We are able to do this, in part, through our ongoing and significant investments in building physical patient care environments that leverage next-generation technologies to enhance care, support patients and families, and improve outcomes," said John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General. "The enhancement to our Burn Center  especially our Burn ICU  exemplifies this investment and, like the other components in our Master Facility Plan, will allow us to continue to offer transformational care in state-of-the-art spaces that serve patients from across our community and beyond."

Tampa General's Burn Center, which treats critically burned patients from emergency admission through rehabilitation, is one of just five burn centers in Florida to have earned verification by the American Burn Association (ABA)/American College of Surgeons (ACS) and one of only two ABA-verified adult and pediatric burn centers in Florida. This distinction means the center has met stringent guidelines for patient care procedures, facilities, and staffing.

The academic medical center's Burn Center has nurses and physicians who are highly trained in the care of patients who have experienced a burn trauma from fire, chemicals, oil, or electricity over more than 10% of their body. All nurses within the unit have Advanced Burn Life Support (ABLS) certification. Specialized care provided in Tampa General's Burn ICU includes intravenous fluid replacement, breathing support, pain control and treatment of burn wounds. The ICU is equipped with state-of-the-art monitoring equipment.

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To streamline care, the newly renovated Burn ICU has added a room specifically for ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation). ECMO is a heart-lung machine that removes carbon dioxide and sends oxygen-filled blood back to tissues in the body, allowing the heart and lungs to rest and heal.

Within the updated center, care is truly multidisciplinary and focused on the specific needs of the burn patient. Physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, and therapists provide expertise in infection prevention, nutrition, wound care, reconstruction and rehabilitation. Tampa General also has a Burn Survivor program for patients that provides support after their initial injury.

A major feature within the renovation of the Burn Center's ICU will be Tampa General's new "patient rooms of the future," which increase the efficiency of care with advanced technologies and allow caregivers to quickly receive the information they need to provide better patient care. The new technology in the Burn Center's ICU aims to simultaneously support quality care, improve patient satisfaction, and increase team member efficiency. An example is the transformation of a standard manual whiteboard to an electronic patient dashboard called an eWhiteboard.

The eWhiteboard automatically updates pertinent patient information and also serves as a dashboard during patient rounding. Another innovation is the Digital Door Sign. Essentially a wall-mounted iPad outside the patient room door, it provides the care team with the most up-to-date information on the patient. This provides efficiency and standardization across the hospital for important data, including the patient's status/requirements, patient-specific alerts, and special instructions to enhance the quality of care and safety.

"This renovation is more than an investment in patient care, but also in patient experience," said Dr. Jared Troy, assistant professor in the Department of Plastic Surgery in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, and medical director of the Tampa General Burn Center. "When patients are in our care, especially for long-term treatment as is often the case for burn patients, we want them to feel at home and at ease. To achieve this, we designed the space to have a sleek, modern feel that promotes the health and healing of our patients, and provides the space to be close to their loved ones."

Tampa General's Burn Center and ICU treat more than 500 adult burn patients and about 300 pediatric burn patients each year and this newly remodeled unit provides the team with more space to work and care for burn patients, as well as for patients with other skin conditions.

"This renovation extends beyond the physical space and focuses on how we can best serve our community as one of the nation's leading academic medical centers tackling challenging and complex procedures and care," said Kelly Cullen, executive vice president and COO, Tampa General. "We've collaborated to ensure every detail of the unit provides our team members with the resources they need to deliver exceptional care."

The renovated Burn Center and ICU make up one part of Tampa General's Master Facility Plan, announced in September 2021. Tampa General's comprehensive Master Facility Plan is the largest in the hospital's history and is the cornerstone of the academic medical center's commitment to developing Tampa Bay's first Medical and Research District to serve the region's increasing health care needs.

ABOUT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL

Tampa General Hospital, a 1,040-bed, not-for-profit, academic medical center, is one of the largest hospitals in America and delivers world-class care as the region's only center for Level l trauma and comprehensive burn care. Tampa General Hospital is the highest-ranked hospital in the market in U.S. News & World Report's 2022-23 Best Hospitals, and is tied as the third highest-ranked hospital in Florida, with seven specialties ranking among the best programs in the United States. Tampa General Hospital has been designated as a model of excellence by the 2022 Fortune/Merative 100 Top Hospitals list. The academic medical center's commitment to growing and developing its team members is recognized by two prestigious Forbes magazine rankings  first nationally in the 2022 America's Best Employers for Women and sixth out of 100 Florida companies in the 2022 America's Best Employers by State. Tampa General is the safety net hospital for the region, caring for everyone regardless of their ability to pay, and in fiscal year 2021, provided a net community benefit worth more than $224.5 million in the form of health care for underinsured patients, community education, and financial support to community health organizations in Tampa Bay. It is one of the nation's busiest adult solid organ transplant centers and is the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. With six medical helicopters, Tampa General Hospital transports critically injured or ill patients from 23 surrounding counties to receive the advanced care they need. Tampa General houses a nationally accredited comprehensive stroke center, and its 32-bed Neuroscience, Intensive Care Unit is the largest on the West Coast of Florida. It also is home to the Jennifer Leigh Muma 82-bed neonatal intensive care unit, and a nationally accredited rehabilitation center. Tampa General Hospital's footprint includes 17 Tampa General Medical Group Primary Care offices, TGH Family Care Center Kennedy, TGH Brandon Healthplex, TGH Virtual Health, and 21 TGH Imaging powered by Tower outpatient radiology centers throughout Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Palm Beach counties. Tampa Bay area residents also receive world-class care from the TGH Urgent Care powered by Fast Track network of clinics. To see a medical care professional live anytime, anywhere on a smartphone, tablet or computer, visit Virtual Health | Tampa General Hospital (tgh.org). As one of the largest hospitals in the country, Tampa General Hospital is the first in Florida to partner with GE Healthcare and open a clinical command center that provides real-time situational awareness to improve and better coordinate patient care at a lower cost. For more information, go to www.tgh.org.

Media Contact: Beth Hardy, APR

Senior Communications Specialist

(813) 844-7322 (direct)

(813) 510-6363 (cell)

ehardy@tgh.org

Tampa General Hospital logo. (PRNewsFoto/Tampa General Hospital)

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SOURCE Tampa General Hospital
SCHAFFHAUSEN, Switzerland, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Another nine students will join TE Connectivity, a world leader in connectors and sensors, this summer as part of its African Heritage Scholarship Program.

TE Connectivity Ltd. Logo. (PRNewsFoto/TE Connectivity Ltd.) (PRNewsfoto/TE Connectivity Ltd.)

The $3.5 million program, now in its second of five years, is an investment in the company's efforts to further diversify its workforce and bring new opportunities in the technology industry to top-performing Black and African American students in the United States.

"It is imperative that we build an inclusive and diverse workforce that allows people from different backgrounds to work together to advance innovation," said CEO Terrence Curtin. "Thanks to the leadership of our African Heritage Employee Resource Group, the scholarship program allows TE to attract a talented group of young people to help us create a safer, sustainable, productive and connected future."

The students will complete 10- to 12-week internships at TE sites throughout the U.S. Upon successful completion of the internship, the students will receive a scholarship of up to $22,500 for their junior year, based on financial need, and will be invited back for a second internship at TE the following summer. The scholarship would then be eligible for renewal for their senior year.

This year's cohort of students join TE from universities across the country: Alabama A&M University, Lawrence Technological University, Louisiana Tech University, North Carolina A&T University, Old Dominion University, Stevenson University, University of Central Florida and University of North Dakota. The interns will work in engineering, product management, marketing, sales and operations.

They will join ten students from the first year of the program returning to TE this summer to complete their second summer internship.

For more information, visit te.com/scholarships .

ABOUT TE CONNECTIVITY

TE Connectivity (NYSE: TEL) is a global industrial technology leader creating a safer, sustainable, productive and connected future. Our broad range of connectivity and sensor solutions, proven in the harshest environments, enable advancements in transportation, industrial applications, medical technology, energy, data communications and the home. With more than 85,000 employees, including over 8,000 engineers, working alongside customers in approximately 140 countries, TE ensures that EVERY CONNECTION COUNTS. Learn more at www.te.com and on LinkedIn , Facebook , WeChat and Twitter .

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SOURCE TE Connectivity Ltd.
Lawmakers are pushing forward with new legislation aimed at cracking down on TikTok and simplifying Social Security terminology, plus Norfolk Southern's CEO is set to testify this week following a second train derailment in Ohio.

Here are three things to watch at the intersection of business and politics:

TikTok ban to be introduced

Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Mark Warner (D-VA) is expected to introduce bipartisan legislation with Sen. John Thune (R-SD) that will give the U.S. broad authority to restrict China-based apps such as ByteDance's TikTok.

A wide bipartisan coalition of lawmakers has raised concerns about China's ability to push anti-America propaganda through the platform  especially to young people  in a sometimes covert way.

In this photo illustration, a TikTok logo is displayed on an iPhone on February 28, 2023, in London, England. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Warner, a former telecom executive, noted that the algorithms TikTok deploys in China are different than those in the U.S. TikTok shows content to Chinese children that "is all about science and engineering," Warner told Fox News over the weekend, "versus what our kids see, theres a radical difference."

They are taking data from Americans, not keeping it safe," Warner added. "But what worries me more with TikTok is that this can be a propaganda tool. We have never had a potential adversary like China. The Soviet Union, Russia, was military or ideological; China is investing in economic areas. They have $500 billion in intellectual property theft, and we are in a competition not just on a national security basis but on a technology basis."

"That's why national security now includes telecommunications, satellites, artificial intelligence, quantum computing," he continued. For "each of these domains, we have got to make the kind of investments to stay ahead."

Norfolk Southern CEO testifies before Congress

Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw will testify before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Thursday as lawmakers address the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. And a second train derailment in Ohio last weekend has only increased scrutiny over rail safety measures.

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Members of Congress have said they want Norfolk Southern (NSC) to pay for the cleanup in East Palestine. But there's also a growing push for broader legislation that would put more regulations in place for companies like Norfolk Southern.

Norfolk Southern President and CEO Alan Shaw speaks to reporters, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023, near the site where a freight train derailed Feb. 3 in East Palestine, Ohio, (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

There seems to be bipartisan support in the Senate for new rail regulations; however, it's unknown if the Republican-controlled House will back it.

Meanwhile, Republicans have criticized Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg's handling of the derailment. Buttigieg, a rising star in the Democratic Party who may still harbor presidential ambitions, pushed back against those criticisms in an interview last week with CNN.

"It's really rich to see some of these folks  the former president [Donald Trump], these Fox hosts  who are literally lifelong card-carrying members of the East Coast elite, whose top economic policy priority has always been tax cuts for the wealthy, and who wouldnt know their way around a T.J. Maxx if their life depended on it, to be presenting themselves as if they genuinely care about the forgotten middle of the country," Buttigieg said.

Lawmakers introduce retirement legislation

A new bipartisan push from lawmakers would bring back paper communication in an effort to help retiring seniors access retirement savings and make better financial choices.

Sens. Chris Coons (D-DE) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) are pushing for legislation that would better inform seniors that if they opt to wait a few years to access Social Security, they will receive larger payments, Yahoo Finance's Ben Werschkul reported.

In this May 8, 2008, file photo, checks are printed at the Kansas City Regional Financial Center in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner, File)

On average, retirees in the U.S. miss out on about $111,000 per household by opting into receiving Social Security payments at 62 years old  oftentimes a financially sub-optimal time, Werschkul noted.

Lawmakers are calling for a drastic redesign and simplification of the process that would seek to make it much easier for retiring seniors to understand their financial choices as it relates to Social Security.

Kevin Cirilli is a visiting media fellow at the Atlantic Council's Global China Hub. You can follow him on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Click here for politics news related to business and money

Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 6, 2023 / Tinka Resources Limited ("Tinka" or the "Company") (TSXV:TK)(BVL:TK)(OTCQB:TKRFF) is pleased to announce results for six recent drill holes from the Company's ongoing infill and resource expansion drill program at the Ayawilca project in Peru. All six drill holes are infill holes from the South Ayawilca area. Hole A23-212 returned much better than expected results with a thick and high-grade zinc intersection of 145.2 metres grading 10.9% zinc (estimated true thickness of ~ 100 metres) including 29.3 metres grading 20.2% zinc from a shallow depth of 158 metres. The drill program at South Ayawilca continues to exceed our expectations with respect to the continuity of the ultra high zinc grades. Drilling is expected to continue with two rigs until the end of April.

Key highlights of recent South Ayawilca drill holes

Hole A23-212: 145.2 metres at 10.9% zinc from 158.2 metres depth, including: 29.3 metres at 20.2% zinc from 158.2 metres depth, and 10.6 metres at 14.9% zinc from 200.8 metres depth, and 9.8 metres at 15.1% zinc from 239.1 metres depth, and 3.6 metres at 35.0% zinc from 262.6 metres depth, and 25.8 metres at 13.1% zinc from 277.6 metres depth. The wide interval includes 4.4 metres of no recovery assumed zero grade in three separate zones.

Hole A22-208: 4.6 metres at 32.4% zinc from 105.2 metres depth; and 9.9 metres at 9.7% zinc from 142.1 metres depth; and 71.2 metres at 8.8% zinc from 168.8 metres depth, including: 37.7 metres at 12.8% zinc from 194.0 metres depth, including 2.7 metres at 45.2% zinc from 188.0 metres depth, and 20.0 metres at 16.9% zinc from 211.9 metres depth; and 1.7 metres at 36.3% zinc from 265.9 metres depth.

Hole A22-206: 37.8 metres at 10.5% zinc from 153.5 metres depth, including: 23.4 metres at 15.2% zinc from 168.0 metres depth; and 2.7 metres at 45.2% zinc from 188.0 metres depth and 1.7 metres at 15.9% zinc from 200.3 metres.

Hole A23-215: 5.2 metres at 11.2% zinc from 144.4 metres depth; and 4.1 metres at 33.6% zinc from 190.0 metres depth; and 30.1 metres at 8.6% zinc from 263.4 metres depth, including 5.6 metres at 21.3% zinc from 264.5 metres depth.

Hole A22-210: 2.7 metres at 16.2% zinc from 85.6 metres depth.

Hole A22-201: An extension of hole A17-066 (extended by 59 m) did not intersect significant mineralization.

A total of 10,000 metres have now been drilled for 30 drill holes in the 2022-23 drill program with a further 1,000 metres (approximately) to be completed. Seven holes have results pending.

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True thicknesses of the mineralized intercepts are estimated to be at least 70% of the downhole thicknesses.

Dr. Graham Carman, Tinka's President and CEO, stated: "Hole A23-212 is without doubt Tinka's best ever hole at Ayawilca in terms of thickness and grade of the zinc mineralization - the hole intercepted a continuous zone of massive sulphide mineralization grading 11% zinc over an interpreted true thickness of approximately 100 metres. This hole is one of five fan holes reported here, following-up on the spectacular high-grade intercept of 39 metres grading 20% zinc including 10.4 metres at 42% zinc in hole A22-202 (link to news release). The results of these fan holes prove that there is excellent continuity of the high-grade zinc mineralization along a 200-metre strike length of folded limestone at the western extremity of the South Ayawilca deposit. This ultra high-grade zinc zone, which we are continuing to define and extend with more drilling, is expected to be very important for the project as it is located at the shallowest part of the South Ayawilca resource and therefore likely to be accessed early in the mine plan."

"Importantly, exploration opportunities still exist to expand this ultra high-grade mineralization. The drill program will continue until April with at least two more holes to be drilled at South Ayawilca. Several additional holes remain to be reported including five holes from West Ayawilca. Next steps for the project, following completion of the drill program, include an update of the mineral resource estimations and the evaluation of alternatives to fast track Ayawilca towards development."

Discussion of the geology

Table 1 summarises the highlighted drill intercepts for the six drill holes from South Ayawilca in this news release. The Company has now completed approximately 10,000 metres of drilling in 30 holes in the 2022-2023 resource definition-expansion program (see Table 2). A total of 23 holes have now been reported (see also previous releases Oct 11 2022 , Nov 21 2022 , Jan 9 2023 and Jan 24 2023. Table 2 summarises the complete list of holes drilled in the 2022-23 drill program. A drill hole map is presented in Figure 1.

This news release includes five holes drilled in a fan pattern from the same platform (holes A22-206, 208, 210, A23-212 and 215) targeting the core of an overturned fold anticline' covering approximately 200 metres of strike length (north-south). An impermeable quartz sandstone, a unit of the local Goyllar formation, forms the footwall to the massive sulphide zone which has replaced the favourable Pucara limestone in the core of the anticline with substantial quantities of zinc. The sandstone is folded around the Pucara limestone forming an efficient trap which has concentrated the zinc mineralization in the hinge of the fold and along the contacts with the sandstone. High-grade zinc is associated with semi-massive sulphide (30-70% sulphides) to massive sulphide (70-100% sulphides) mineralization as sulphide replacements of the limestone and as veins into the sandstone. The sulphides are dominated by sphalerite, pyrite, and iron-rich carbonates (siderite) with minor magnetite, pyrrhotite, and quartz. Sphalerite (both high and low-iron varieties) typically comprises between 30% and 90% of the total sulphides.

An interpretation of the zinc mineralization in the recent drill holes is highlighted in Figure 2. The massive sulphide body dips at a moderate angle to the east. A major northeast-southwest trending fault located at the northern edge of the sulphide body truncates the mineralization to the north. This "060 Fault" (shown in Figure 2) could also be an important conduit for the mineralization at Ayawilca.

Figure 3 is an example of the ultra high-grade zinc cores from A23-212.

The final hole reported in this news release, A22-201, is a deepened exploration hole from 2017 (A17-077) to 430 m depth, targeting the possible extension of high-grade zinc mineralization intersected in nearby hole A22-195 (6m at 18.8% Zn from 392.6m depth) on the eastern side of South Ayawilca (see link). On this occasion, A22-201 did not intersect any significant mineralization possibly as a result of the thinning out of the manto structure in A22-195.

Table 1. Summary of drill hole results in this release from South Ayawilca

Hole From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Zinc % Lead % Silver g/t Indium ppm Notes A22-201 no significant results Extension of hole A17-066 A22-206 153.55 191.35 37.80 10.54 0.06 17 181 incl 168.00 191.35 23.35 15.23 0.07 22 284 incl 188.00 190.65 2.65 45.21 0.14 76 1730 and 200.30 202.00 1.70 15.92 0.02 9 187 A22-208 105.20 109.75 4.55 32.39 0.04 32 354 and 125.40 127.25 1.85 17.33 0.04 15 87 and 142.15 152.00 9.85 9.74 0.19 20 97 and 168.80 240.00 71.20 8.75 0.51 33 55 incl 194.00 231.65 37.65 12.76 0.75 44 89 incl 211.70 231.65 19.95 16.92 0.01 6 87 and 265.90 267.55 1.65 36.30 0.15 88 2940 A22-210 85.60 88.30 2.70 16.22 0.39 92 216 and 157.20 164.20 7.00 4.39 0.45 79 4 A23-212 124.30 126.10 1.80 32.74 0.02 21 58 and 158.20 303.40 145.20 10.86 0.19 31 229 1 incl 158.20 187.45 29.25 20.17 0.04 21 418 incl 200.80 211.40 10.60 14.87 0.20 48 426 2 incl 239.10 248.85 9.75 15.14 0.04 19 244 incl 262.60 266.20 3.60 34.96 0.07 50 868 incl 277.60 303.40 25.80 13.06 0.61 86 312 3 A23-215 144.35 149.50 5.15 11.24 0.01 22 247 incl 144.35 145.45 1.10 31.46 0.03 32 811 and 190.00 194.10 4.10 33.59 0.19 72 1263 incl 190.70 192.80 2.10 42.82 0.34 118 1629 and 263.40 293.50 30.10 8.61 0.14 38 91 incl 264.50 270.10 5.60 21.34 0.06 36 451 incl 283.10 292.60 9.50 12.78 0.29 58 9

1 includes 4.4 m of no recovery assumed zero grade 2 includes 0.8 m of no recovery assumed zero grade 3 includes 3.6 m of no recovery assumed zero grade

Figure 1. Drill hole map of Ayawilca highlighting drill holes released here in RED

Tinka Resources Ltd., Monday, March 6, 2023, Press release picture

Figure 2.

Tinka Resources Ltd., Monday, March 6, 2023, Press release picture

Figure 3. An example of high-grade zinc mineralization in hole A23-212. The interval 205.5 - 208.5 metres has an average grade of 31.3% zinc, 90 g/t silver, and 0.13% lead.

Tinka Resources Ltd., Monday, March 6, 2023, Press release picture





Note on sampling and assaying

Drill holes are diamond HQ size core holes with recoveries generally above 80% and often close to 100%. The drill core is marked up, logged, and photographed on site. The cores are cut in half at the Company's core storage facility, with half-cores stored as a future reference. Half-core was bagged on average over 1 to 2 metre composite intervals and sent to SGS laboratory in Lima for assay in batches. Standards and blanks were inserted by Tinka into each batch prior to departure from the core storage facilities. At the laboratory samples are dried, crushed to 100% passing 2mm, then 500 grams pulverized for multi-element analysis by ICPMS using multi-acid digestion. Samples assaying over 1% zinc, lead, or copper and over 100 g/t silver were re-assayed using precise ore-grade AAS techniques. Samples within massive sulphide zones were also assayed for tin using fusion and AAS finish.

The Qualified Person, Dr. Graham Carman, Tinka's President and CEO, and a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, has reviewed and verified the technical contents of this release.

Readers are encouraged to read the NI 43-101 Technical Report entitled "Ayawilca Polymetallic Project, Central Peru, NI 43-101 Technical Report on Updated Preliminary Economic Assessment" available for download on Tinka's website at www.tinkaresources.com. The Technical Report was prepared by Mining Plus Peru S.A.C. ("Mining Plus") as principal consultant, Transmin Metallurgical Consultants ("Transmin"), Envis E.I.R.L ("Envis"), and SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd ("SLR").

Table 2. Drill hole details for 2022-2023 drill program including drill collar coordinate information

Drill hole Easting Northing Elevation Azimuth Dip Depth Area Comment A22-190 333281 8845755 4167 180 -50 498.95 Central Results reported A22-191 333169 8845799 4182 180 -55 478.80 Central Results reported A22-192 333345 8845195 4208 232 -74 385.90 South Results reported A22-193 332766 8845659 4237 68 -65 365.40 West Results reported A22-194 333143 8845231 4226 135 -73 380.20 South Results reported A22-195 333149 8845353 4221 148 -65 426.90 South Results reported A22-196 333035 8845307 4235 174 -45 382.10 South Results reported A22-197 332912 8845693 4220 264 -55 412.60 West Results reported A22-198 332900 8845768 4222 265 -53 451.10 West Results reported A22-199 333046 8845067 4195 303 -66 344.10 South Results reported A22-200 332821 8845889 4246 260 -58 352.00 West Results reported A22-201 333342 8845195 4208 310 -73 58.90 South Results HERE A22-202 333046 8845066 4197 283 -52 270.15 South Results reported A22-203 332839 8845685 4228 264 -60 350.00 West Results reported A22-204 333090 8845061 4196 307 -60 334.30 South Results reported A22-205 332839 8845685 4227 244 -72 352.70 West Results reported A22-206 333044 8845064 4197 270 -58 217.30 South Results HERE A22-207 332710 8845883 4252 254 -74 332.00 West Results reported A22-208 333044 8845064 4197 270 -70 282.55 South Results HERE A22-209 332738 8845927 4251 257 -68 314.15 West Results reported A22-210 333047 8845065 4197 297 -48 259.80 South Results HERE A22-211 332785 8845707 4236 260 -75 295.00 West Results pending A23-212 333047 8845065 4197 228 -79 324.30 South Results HERE A23-213 332853 8845650 4225 258 -65 316.00 West Results pending A23-214 332710 8845883 4252 255 -67 287.10 West Results pending A23-215 333047 8845065 4197 180 -80 295.10 South Results HERE A23-216 332710 8845883 4252 220 -73 310.00 West Results pending A23-217 332853 8845650 4225 240 -78 300.00 West Results pending A23-218 333109 8845020 4190 330 -75 323.70 South Results pending A23-219 333219 8845582 4182 180 -85 336.80 Central Results pending TOTAL 10037.90

Notes: Datum for coordinates is WGS84 Zone 18S. Azimuth is true azimuth

On behalf of the Board,

"Graham Carman"

Dr. Graham Carman, President & CEO

Further Information:

www.tinkaresources.com

Mariana Bermudez 1.604.685.9316

info@tinkaresources.com

Stay up to date by subscribing for news alerts at Contact Tinka and by following Tinka on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

About Tinka Resources Limited

Tinka is an exploration and development company with its flagship property being the 100%-owned Ayawilca zinc-silver-tin project in central Peru. The Zinc Zone deposit has an estimated Indicated Mineral Resource of 19.0 Mt @ 7.15% Zn, 16.8 g/t Ag & 0.2% Pb and Inferred Mineral Resource of 47.9 Mt @ 5.4% Zn, 20.0 g/t Ag & 0.4% Pb (dated August 30, 2021). The Ayawilca Tin Zone has an estimated Inferred Mineral Resource of 8.4 Mt grading 1.0% Sn.

Forward Looking Statements: Certain information in this news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively "forward-looking statements"). All statements, other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs and expectations of Tinka as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to Tinka's management. Such statements reflect the current risks, uncertainties and assumptions related to certain factors including, without limitations: timing of planned work programs and results varying from expectations; delay in obtaining results; changes in equity markets; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future; equipment failure, unexpected geological conditions; imprecision in resource estimates or metal recoveries; success of future development initiatives; competition and operating performance; environmental and safety risks; the Company's expectations regarding the Ayawilca Project PEA; the political environment in which the Company operates continuing to support the development and operation of mining projects; risks related to negative publicity with respect to the Company or the mining industry in general; the threat associated with outbreaks of viruses and infectious diseases, including the novel COVID-19 virus; delays in obtaining or failure to obtain necessary permits and approvals from local authorities; community agreements and relations; and, other development and operating risks. Should any one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein. Although Tinka believes that assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. Except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Tinka disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement.

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 news release

SOURCE: Tinka Resources Ltd.





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/742021/Tinka-Drills-145-Metres-at-109-Zinc-Including-29-Metres-at-20-Zinc-at-Ayawilca




NUSA DUA, Indonesia, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- With the continuous deepening of digitalization and application of artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing and other technologies, the global digital economy has entered a new stage featuring faster integration of the digital and real economies, ushering in a golden period for digital transformation in various industries in the digital age.

Against such a backdrop, H3C kicked off its grand annual flagship event, H3C NAVIGATE 2023 International Business Summit in Bali, Indonesia. The summit brought together industry experts, business leaders, customers and ecological partners from many countries, who shared their views on the future of global digital transformation.

The Partner Forum of the summit, which included interpretation of strategy, case sharing, panel discussion, and awards ceremony, recently concluded with great success in Indonesia. The Partner Forum was aimed at calling on representatives from all parties in ICT industry to jointly build and share resources, and explore a partnership characterized by openness, win-win results and in-depth cooperation.

Working together to continuously advance global digital economy with a focus on scenarios and ecosystems

Gary Huang, Co-president and President of International Business of H3C, delivered the opening speech at the Partner Forum.

"In 2022, H3C steadily expanded overseas business with the support of partners and customers. In the future, we will intensify efforts to promote the localization of talents, technologies and ecosystems in a bid to create more scenario-based solutions in various countries, continuously provide high-quality products and services for global customers, and further improve H3C's corporate image as one of the best partners for global digital transformation," Huang said.

Gary Huang, Co-president and President of International Business ofH3C, delivers the opening speech at the Partner Forum of H3C NAVIGATE 2023 International Business Summit. (PRNewsfoto/H3C)

Angela Shen, Director of H3C International Channel Management Department, made a keynote speech  Together, Accelerating Your Business Growth at the forum.

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In 2023, H3C will remain committed to jointly exploring global and regional cooperation models and mechanisms with global partners, and work with various parties to push the global economy toward digitalization and intelligentization with a more open attitude, Shen said.

At the same time, H3C will upgrade its incentives for partners and launch a partner incentive program to strengthen the cultivation of partnership and deeply empower the development of partners, so as to ensure H3C partners' sustainable profitability, help them reduce costs and increase economic benefits, and facilitate their efforts to continuously progress down the path to digital transformation.

Qiao Yan, Vice President of H3C International Business and General Manager of the Product Solution and Marketing, delivered a speech  Shared Technologies, Localized Solutions at the forum.

While elaborating on the topic, he unveiled a wide range of flagship products for scenario-based solutions, and explained how H3C is able to leverage its globally shared cloud and AI native technologies to provide world-leading customized technologies and professional services for local governments and people, and help local customers improve their endogenous driving force for digital transformation.

Since its expansion into overseas markets in 2019, H3C has continuously pressed ahead with its course of internationalization through targeted strategies, and has successfully found ways to tap into overseas markets, such as extending its own channel network and collaborating in digital infrastructure construction with other Chinese enterprises that seek to go global.

H3C has gradually established and steadily improved its overseas channel ecosystem, laying the foundation for the vigorous and healthy development of its international business.

H3C has made continuous efforts to deepen its Cloud & AI Native strategy, and brought its mature technologies and leading solutions to the international market, helping local partners and customers carry out digital construction, transformation and upgrading.

Given H3C's favorable policies, cutting-edge technologies, talent training programs and other resources, local enterprises and partners can not only get customized and high-value solutions and services from H3C, but also enhance their core competitiveness by participating in a variety of empowerment training sessions and activities for ecosystem partners held by H3C.

Creating win-win-win situation and jointly building collaborative ecosystem featuring openness, win-win results and common prosperity

During the forum, Rockies Ma, General Manager of H3C Malaysia, joined a riveting panel discussion with representatives of outstanding partners from multiple markets. Participants in the discussion shared their understanding of H3C and experiences of cooperating with the company, and exchanged ideas for and summarized ways of carrying out in-depth cooperation and further promoting the digital transformation in the international market.

At the event, H3C presented a series of awards to a number of exceptional local partners in recognition of their pioneering spirit and outstanding contributions to local digitalization projects. The awards included Excellent Partner, Sustained Contribution Partner, Excellent Service Partner, Fast Growing Partner, Best Capability Partner, Industry Breakthrough Partner, and Best Marketing Partner of 2022.

As a leader in digital solutions and one of the most trustworthy partners for global digital transformation, H3C will adhere to its strategy of Think Globally, Act Locally and its principle of Partner First, and ensure the in-depth implementation of its new strategy of localization for international business development, thus helping build full-fledged local ICT talent systems. By doing so, the company aims to create a win-win-win situation for its partners and customers and itself, build a collaborative ecosystem featuring openness, win-win results and common prosperity, and make concerted efforts with its partners and customers to shape a green and sustainable digital future.

SOURCE H3C
Tryg A/S

Tryg Forsikring A/S, rated A1 by Moodys, has mandated Danske Bank and Nordea as Joint Lead Managers to arrange a digital fixed income investor meeting on Monday 6 March 2023 at 14:00 CET, and to explore subsequent issuance of one or more Perpetual Restricted Tier 1 Capital Notes (the Notes). The Notes may be denominated in any of the Nordic currencies and carry a fixed and/or variable rate of interest for the targeted [5] year maturity to first call, subject to market conditions. The Notes are expected to be rated Baa3 by Moodys and will feature a principal write-down loss absorption mechanism with a discretionary reinstatement condition.





In connection with the contemplated issuance of the Notes, the Issuer is contemplating to purchase some or all of its outstanding SEK 700,000,000 Floating Rate Perpetual Restricted Tier 1 Capital Notes (kapitalbeviser) with ISIN DK0030418249 (the Existing Notes) on the secondary market. Any purchase by the Issuer of Existing Notes will be executed in the absolute and sole discretion and determination of the Issuer and any such purchase shall be conditional upon (i) the successful completion of the issuance and settlement of the Notes, (ii) receipt by the Issuer of the proceeds of the issuance of the Notes, (iii) that the Issuers purchase of the Existing Notes is funded out of the proceeds of the Notes and (iv) the satisfaction of each of the Redemption and Purchase Conditions as set out and as defined in the terms and conditions of the Existing Notes (together the Purchase Conditions). The Danish Financial Supervisory Authority has given its pre-approval to the Issuers purchase of the Existing Notes. The Existing Notes will (subject to satisfaction of the Purchase Conditions and the Minimum Settlement Unit (as defined in the terms and conditions of the Existing Notes) be purchased at [100] per cent. of their Outstanding Principal Amount (as defined in the terms and conditions of the Existing Notes) at the date of settlement of the purchase together with any accrued and unpaid interest to (but excluding) the date of settlement of the purchase.

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MIFID II product governance / Professional investors and eligible counterparties only target market / No PRIIPs KID: The target investors of the Notes are only eligible counterparties and professional clients (all distribution channels). No packaged retail and insurance-based investment products ("PRIIPs") key information document ("KID") has been prepared as the Notes are not available to retail investors in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom.

Attachment




Physician's Choice

Companies on the 2023 Inc. 5000 Regionals: Rocky Mountain list had an average growth rate of 414 percent

WHEAT RIDGE, Colo., March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On February 28th, 2023 Inc. magazine revealed that Physicians Choice is No. 29 on its third annual Inc. 5000 Regionals: Rocky Mountain list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing Rocky Mountain private companies, based in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming. Born of the annual Inc. 5000 franchise, this regional list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the Rocky Mountain economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses.



We are excited to be part of this terrific group of Rocky Mountain companies that are driving growth. Our results are a testament to the extraordinary Physicians Choice team whose passion for improving consumers lives is our company Northstar, said CEO Rich Baruch.

The companies on this list show a remarkable rate of growth across all industries in the Rocky Mountain region. Between 2019 and 2021, these 59 private companies had an average growth rate of 414 percent and, in 2021 alone, they added 3,399 jobs and nearly $1.3 billion to the Rocky Mountain regions economy. Companies based in Las Vegas, Nevada, Boise, Idaho and Vail, Colorado had the highest growth rates overall.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Regionals: Rocky Mountain, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, metro area, and other criteria, can be found at inc.com/rocky-mountain starting February 28, 2023.

This years Inc. 5000 Regional winners represent one of the most exceptional and exciting lists of Americas off-the-charts growth companies. Theyre disruptors and job creators, and all delivered an outsize impact on the economy. Remember their names and follow their lead. These are the companies youll be hearing about for years to come, said Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. magazine.

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At Physicians Choice, we are passionate about empowering all people to live better everyday. We partner with leading Physicians to develop top-quality, effective probiotic supplements, formulated with purpose to do what they say. Our mission is to remove the guesswork from probiotic supplements, guiding you through our portfolio of expertly formulated solutions that you can trust and understand, all at a remarkable value. In 2022, Physicians Choice earned the top spot as Amazons #1 selling probiotic and continues to expand its sales channels as consumer demand mounts for its innovative supplements. Find out more at physicianschoice.com

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Regionals

Methodology

The 2023 Inc. 5000 Regionals are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2019 and 2021. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2019. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2021. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2019 is $100,000; the minimum for 2021 is $1 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons.

About Inc. Media

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent.



The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com .

CONTACT: Contact: Liz Hyman, lizh@physicianschoice.com, 407-913-1818




Documentary The First Code, which explores how Ukrainian techies are an integral pillar of the global IT industry, will debut in the spring.

The film, from EASE (the European Association of Software Engineering), chronicles the birth and formation of Ukrainian IT, from the creation of the first computer by Ukrainian engineers in the 1950s to the present day, where it has become a powerful industry and an important front in the war with Russia.

More from Variety

The film was made based on interviews with representatives of leading Ukrainian IT companies, including EPAM Ukraine, 3DLOOK, ELEKS, Looksery, Techiia holding, Sigma Software Group, SoftServe, Uklon, Infopulse Ukraine and Preply. The V. M. Glushkov Institute of Cybernetics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and the Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, Mykhailo Fedorov, have also participated in the film.

The First Code is directed by Arthur Lerman, with Lyubov Mochalova serving as creative producer and Yevhen Usanov as DoP. Tetyana Burenko and global IT entrepreneur Vladyslav Savchenko share writing credits with the latter also being the producer.

The film, which is currently in post, was started in late 2021 and continued despite the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It is budgeted at UAH8 million ($217,000).

Ukrainian IT specialists and development engineers participated in almost all significant global projects  from writing systems for the most famous German IT company SAP to the first release of Windows. Our IT has long been a part of the global ecosystem. But more importantly, it is our ability to maintain productivity and continue to grow despite everything, even now. Such events have not happened yet. This is a phenomenon when there is a full-scale war going on in the country, and we continue to act and give results to the whole world. especially now you understand how necessary and relevant it is to record every second that we live. Therefore, this film is our attempt to capture for a global audience all that we went through in the formative phase and continue to struggle with today, said Savchenko.

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We collected almost a thousand facts, and it was very difficult to combine them into one idea and into the plane of the film. Thats why we consulted with film specialists, documentary filmmaking experts, and researchers, and were testing information carriers from different eras. Actors were chosen based on photos of their IT prototypes in their youth, and there was no need to look for props  the old equipment is still available, Savchenko added.

The films music by Tvorchi  who will represent Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest in May  features the single Hidden Code. The Hidden Code track is about the supermen of the IT industry who are working non-stop behind the scenes, creating a new history of Ukrainian resistance to the enemy. From the first day of the full-scale war, our cyber troops have demonstrated unreal strength and unity for a common victory, Tvorchi said.

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Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.
By Azernews

Sabina Mammadli





Whether Armenia likes it or not, the current developments in the region have created a vicious circle. The ongoing peaceful protests on the Lachin-Khankandi road, which seem to deeply upset Armenia, were initially triggered by the misuse of the road by Armenia starting from the end of the Second Karabakh War. Despite that, Armenia still continues smuggling arms, landmines, manpower & military supplies to the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan through other alternative unpaved roads. Such provocations cant possibly go without response and when Azerbaijan tried to check an Armenian vehicle, the illegal armed group opened fire causing casualties on both sides.

Currently, despite the obligations in the tripartite statements, there are thousands of illegal Armenian troops in Azerbaijani territory, which Armenia has not withdrawn.

In her comment to Azernews, Azerbaijani political expert Ayten Gurbanova underlined that these provocations were expected and Azerbaijan took adequate countermeasures. She pointed out that to prevent similar events from occurring in the future, all armed Armenian illegal groups should be removed from Karabakh.

The main responsibility for the measures to be taken in this direction lies on the Russian peacekeepers because their specific obligations are clearly stated in paragraph 4 of the tripartite statement. Otherwise, such provocations, which have become permanent, can be prevented only by a large-scale anti-terrorist operation to be carried out by the Azerbaijani army, the pundit emphasized.

Recalling President Ilham Aliyev's proposal regarding the establishment of checkpoints on the Azerbaijan-Armenia border during the Munich Security Conference, the pundit stated that this could be the optimal solution to prevent possible provocations under the current conditions. Gurbanova argued that such a conclusion can be made taking in made the facts that led to an almost three-month-long rally of Azerbaijani eco-activists on the Shusha-Khankandi road, as well as other successive provocations demonstrating that the temporarily deployed Russian peacekeepers not only do not take a neutral position regarding the provision of territorial security and national interests to Azerbaijan but also dont fulfill their obligations.

Therefore, Azerbaijan has the full right to control the use of the Lachin road only for humanitarian purposes. These mechanisms can be implemented in the regions of their temporary deployment, in accordance with the order agreed with the command of the peacekeeping contingent. Moreover, such measures as enhanced entry and exit checks and security measures with the help of certain technical equipment may actually be enough to prevent sabotage, the political analyst underlined.

Speaking about the failure of Russian peacekeepers in fulfilling their obligations, Gurbanova expressed that such facts as the exploitation of Azerbaijan's national resources, organization of illegal visits of citizens of third countries to Karabakh, and arming of Armenian subversive groups are clear violations of the tripartite declaration.

Although the official Moscow tries to present it in a different form, the Russian peacekeepers are also responsible for the provocations on the border along with the Armenians. When approached from this point of view, according to repeated statements of president Ilham Aliyev, the issue of Azerbaijan's refusing to fulfill its obligations from the tripartite statement could also come up. In such a case, the activity of the peacekeeping mission will be reconsidered.
Virtual Investor Conferences

Company invites individual and institutional investors, as well as advisors and analysts, to attend real-time, interactive presentations on VirtualInvestorConferences.com

MONTREAL, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Valeo Pharma Inc. (TSX:VPH, OTCQB: VPHIF, FSE: VP2) (Valeo or the Company), a Canadian pharmaceutical company, today announced that Steve Saviuk, CEO, will present live at the Life Science Investor Forum, hosted by VirtualInvestorConferences.com, on March 9th, 2023.



DATE: March 9th, 2023

TIME: 11:30am

LINK: https://bit.ly/3IoXpvP

Available for 1x1 meetings: March 9-10, 13-14

This will be a live, interactive online event where investors are invited to ask the company questions in real-time. If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available after the event.

It is recommended that investors pre-register and run the online system check to expedite participation and receive event updates.

Learn more about the event at www.virtualinvestorconferences.com .

Recent Company Highlights

Record quarterly revenues of $12.7 million in Q4-22, up 274% over Q4-21

Record revenues in 2022 of $27.7 million, up 105% over 2021

Record revenues forecasted in Q1-23

In excess of $60 million raised in financings in 2022

About Valeo Pharma

Valeo Pharma is a Canadian pharmaceutical company dedicated to the commercialization of innovative prescription products in Canada with a focus on Respiratory/Allergy, Ophthalmology and Hospital Specialty Products. Headquartered in Kirkland, Quebec Valeo Pharma has all the necessary capabilities and a complete infrastructure to register and manage its growing product portfolio through all stages of commercialization. For more information, please visit www.valeopharma.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

About Virtual Investor Conferences

Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC) is the leading proprietary investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for publicly traded companies to seamlessly present directly to investors.

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Providing a real-time investor engagement solution, VIC is specifically designed to offer companies more efficient investor access. Replicating the components of an on-site investor conference, VIC offers companies enhanced capabilities to connect with investors, schedule targeted one-on-one meetings and enhance their presentations with dynamic video content. Accelerating the next level of investor engagement, Virtual Investor Conferences delivers leading investor communications to a global network of retail and institutional investors.

CONTACTS:

Valeo Pharma

Frederic Dumais

Director, Communications and Investor Relations

514-693-8847

dumais@valeopharma.com

Virtual Investor Conferences

John M. Viglotti

SVP Corporate Services, Investor Access

OTC Markets Group

(212) 220-2221

johnv@otcmarkets.com




PHILADELPHIA, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Virion Therapeutics, LLC, a clinical-stage biotech company focused on the development of novel, adaptable, and accessible CD8+ T cell-based technologies focused on cancers and infectious diseases, presented data today of a genetically encoded checkpoint modifier-based immunotherapy, which enhances CD8+ T cell activation, in a fast-growing preclinical tumor model at the ESMO Target Anticancer Therapies Congress in Paris France.

Virion Logo

Top line results, following a single intramuscular injection of this novel immunotherapy include:

Enhanced immune responses (10- to 15-fold) to oncogenic antigens

At study completion, 100% survival (n=30/30), 100% initial tumor clearance (n=30/30), and 93% of animals were tumor free (n=28/30)

These results were durable and reproducible across multiple treatment groups and studies

"Glycoprotein D (gD), when genetically expressed as a fusion protein with antigen(s) of choice, enhances, broadens, and prolongs CD8+ T cell responses. In this preclinical model of fast-growing HPV-16-associated tumors, a gD-based immunotherapy against HPV-16 provided incredibly strong protection against tumor growth and death," said Hildegund Ertl, MD, Professor, Vaccine & Immunotherapy Center, at The Wistar Institute in Philadelphia PA and Scientific Co-Founder of Virion Therapeutics. "Targeting different checkpoints of early T cell activation represents a novel approach to overcoming T cell impairments during tumor progression and these data further support its potential application, alone or in combination with other checkpoint inhibitors, for a wide range of cancers."

"These preclinical oncology data demonstrated treatment responses which were profound, durable, and reproducible - and show clear differentiation to any other immunotherapy or vaccine in development. We are excited to be advancing our checkpoint modifier pipeline, not only with IND-enabling activities for our oncology program, but also, VRON-0200, for chronic HBV, which is heading to the clinic this summer," said Andrew Luber, Pharm.D., President, and chief executive officer of Virion.

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Presentation Details

Presentation Title: "Therapeutic vaccination with HPV-16 proteins fused into a checkpoint modifier or early T cell activation protects against HPV-associated tumors in a preclinical model." Poster #36P

Abstract Number: 277

Presenting Author: Sue Currie, PhD

Presentation Date: March 6, 2023

The above presentation is available via the ESMO TAT meeting website, https://www.esmo.org/meeting-calendar/esmo-tat-2023/, and on Virion's website at https://www.viriontx.com/science/presentations-publications/.

About Genetically Encoded Checkpoint Modifiers (gCPM)

Virion is developing a series of novel gCPMs which act at different stages of T cell activation. The lead gCPM, glycoprotein D (gD), works by blocking an inhibitory signal of early activation (e.g., BTLA/CD160), thereby allowing a co-stimulatory signal to predominate (e.g., LIGHT)  the resultant CD8+ T cells that are induced to the target antigen(s) are enhanced, broadened and prolonged and they are more resistant to becoming impaired over time. This novel mechanism of early checkpoint modification that acts locally at the onset of the immune response has shown promising therapeutic efficacy in several settings, including animal models of fast and slow growing tumors, with viral or human cancer antigens, in young and older animals, and when inserted into DNA or adenovirus vaccine delivery platforms (both human and chimpanzee).

About Virion Therapeutics (Virion)

Virion Therapeutics, LLC, is a science driven company whose mission is to cure cancer and chronic infectious diseases through the development of novel and accessible CD8+ T cell-based immunotherapies. Our proprietary technologies combine genetically encoded checkpoint modifiers with selected and optimized target-specific antigens that are inserted into viral vectors to promote potent, prolonged, and broad CD8+ T cell responses. Founded in early 2018 to advance technology licensed from The Wistar Institute, an international leader in biomedical research with special expertise in vaccine, cancer and infectious disease research, Virion has built a best-in-class, experienced biotechnology management team, augmented by its advisory board that has extensive domain knowledge in antiviral, vaccine, and oncology therapeutic arenas.

www.VirionTx.com

Contact:

Virion Therapeutics, LLC.

Dr. Sue Currie

Chief Operating Officer

scurrie@viriontx.com

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/virion-therapeutics-presents-promising-preclinical-cancer-data-when-using-a-novel-genetically-encoded-checkpoint-modifier-based-immunotherapy-301762092.html

SOURCE Virion Therapeutics, LLC
Market Research Future

Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing region in the virtual router market due to growing penetration of software defined networking (SDN) and network function virtualization (NFV) in countries such as China, India, Japan, and others.

New York, US, March 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to a comprehensive research report by Market Research Future (MRFR),  Virtual Router Market By Component, By Type, By End- Users, By Region  Forecast till 2030, the market is predicted to thrive substantially during the assessment era from 2022 to 2030 at a healthy CAGR of approximately 20.35% to attain a valuation of around USD 1.4 Billion by the end of 2030.

Market Competitive Analysis

Active players in the global Virtual Router Market are:

Cisco Systems, Inc. (Cisco)

Ericsson Inc. (Ericson)

Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei)

Nokia Corporation (Nokia) Juniper Networks, Inc. (Juniper)

International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

netElastic Systems (netElastic)

Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. (Brocade)

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (HPE)

Arista Networks, Inc. (Arista Networks)

ZTE Corporation; Carbyne LTD (Carbyne)

Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (Palo Alto Networks)

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (Check Point)

Ross Video Limited (Ross Video)

6WIND; Inventum Technologies Private Limited (Inventum)

DRIVENETS; 128 Technology, Inc. (128 Technology)

TRENDnet, Inc. (TRENDnet)

Belkin International, Inc. (Linksys)

TIME dotCom Bhd (413292-P) (TIME)

ACCESS CO., LTD. (ACCESS)

Allied Telesis, Inc. (Allied Telesis)

Connectify, Inc. (Connectify)

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Virtual Router Market Report Scope:

Report Metrics Details Virtual Router Market Size by 2030 USD 1.4 Billion (2030) Virtual Router Market CAGR during 2022-2030 20.35% Base Year 2021 Forecast 2022-2030 Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Key Market Drivers Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing region in the virtual router market due to growing penetration of software defined networking (SDN) and network function virtualization (NFV) in countries such as China, India, Japan, and others.

Whereas businesses strive to cut costs, hardware routers are a nuisance since they require adequate maintenance, which adds to the cost. As a result, the need for virtual routers in network environments is rapidly growing. It is the hardware router in virtual form. It is an instance of software that mimics all the features of a hardware router. Through the use of a software programme, a server or computer can now execute the network and packet routing functions of a hardware router by incorporating VRRP.

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The network's reliability is also improved by this piece of software. The growth of the virtual router market is due to a router's simplicity of use.

Most industry have had difficulties as a result of the COVID-19 epidemic. Governments' forced indefinite shutdown has prompted organisations to adopt a new workplace culture. Organizations are attempting to reduce maintenance costs across network environments as well. As a result, this new circumstance is giving the market a boost. Also, it offers greater dependability and functionality.

The hardware router incurs additional costs at a time when businesses are primarily focused on decreasing costs. Moreover, virtual routers are more reliable than hardware ones.

Except for a physical body, it has all the features of a real router. The market for virtual routers has been greatly boosted by their affordability and utility.

Businesses are also migrating towards the virtual routing system due to the cloud-based network's many benefits, including privacy and security, customisation, and efficiency. Using the virtual solution can significantly aid the originations in improving management while cutting costs.

The Virtual Router Market's most difficult task is implementing the virtual router. It lacks the knowledge and experience necessary to put the next generation's virtual routing system into place. The main market constraint is the resistance to adopting virtual routing solutions.

Several service providers, including telecom and internet service providers, still use hardware routers, which are not only dangerous but also require additional maintenance expenses. Moreover, the physical router does not offer the same compatibility as the virtual router.

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Segmentation Overview

Based on the market's expansion and Virtual Router Market Size, the Market Component, Type, End-user, and Region.

By Component, the market is further segmented into Solution and Service.

Based on type, the market is further segmented into Pre-defined and Custom.

Based on end-user, the virtual router industry is further segmented into Service Provider and enterprises. The service provider segment is further segmented into Telecom, Data Center, and Cloud.

Based on the geographic Virtual Router Market Segments, the market is majorly divided in- North America, Europe, APAC, Latin America and MEA.

In the global market for virtual routers, North America is expected to have the largest market growth due to the quickly expanding need for virtual routing solutions for the improvement of network infrastructure.

North America's regional market is predicted to be dominated by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, which are also predicted to have the fastest rates of economic growth. The industry is receiving significant investment from several well-known key companies, including IBM Corporation, Juniper Networks, Cisco Networks, and others, and the adoption of virtual routers by service providers is fueling market expansion. By adopting virtual routing, a number of industries, including healthcare, IT and telecommunication, BFSI, and government agencies, are also making contributions to the industry.

On the other hand, Asia-Pacific is anticipated to surpass North America as the region with the second-highest market value in the global regional market for virtual routers. The rapid development of software defined networking (SDN) and network function virtualization (NVF) is the cause of the market growth in nations like India, China, and Japan (SDN). The numerous small and medium-sized businesses, who manage enormous amounts of data, will also be a major factor in the market's growth during the course of the projection year.

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During the projection period, the European market is anticipated to grow the fastest. The virtual router market is experiencing growth due to the vastly expanding acceptance of virtual routing solutions in European nations like the UK, Germany, Italy, France, and Spain.

Moreover, a moderate rise is anticipated for the MEA and Latin American markets during the forecast period. Throughout the projection period, the market in the Middle East and Africa is anticipated to have a sizable CAGR.

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SkyQuest Technology Consulting Pvt. Ltd.

SkyQuest, a renowned research firm, has recently released a comprehensive report on the white inorganic pigment market, providing trustworthy insights into the major trends and developments in the global industry. The report assesses the competitive landscape, growth opportunities, and effective strategies for achieving growth, making it an indispensable guide for businesses seeking to enter or expand in the market.

Westford, USA,, March 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The white inorganic pigment market is currently dominated by the Asia Pacific region and is expected to maintain its leading position in the coming years. The growth is driven by several factors, including the growing demand for improved aesthetics and the increasing need for these pigments in the construction industry. The construction of buildings, offices, and public infrastructure has also contributed significantly to the rise in demand for white inorganic pigments. These pigments are used in various industries, such as paints and coatings, plastics, printing inks, cosmetics, etc. Moreover, the manufacturing sector has witnessed a rise in collaborations, which is expected to support the industry's growth.

The paints and coatings industry is anticipated to grow tremendously in the coming years, with the market predicted to surpass USD 222.4 billion by 2028. This growth is set to drive high demand for the white inorganic pigment market, as it is a key ingredient in many paint and coating formulations.

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Browse in-depth TOC on "White Inorganic Pigment Market"

Pages - 278

Tables - 94

Figures - 71

Inorganic pigments are widely used to provide color, lightness, and opacity to various products. Among these pigments, white inorganic pigments are particularly notable for their ability to provide excellent coverage and brightness. As a result, white inorganic pigments, also known as opaque pigments, are used extensively in manufacturing paints, coatings, plastics, and paper. These pigments impart a bright, clean appearance to these products and also help to improve their durability and resistance to fading.

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Prominent Players in White Inorganic Pigment Market

BASF SE

EL DuPont de Nemours and Company

China Hongqiao Group Limited

Tata Pigments Ltd.

Heubach GmbH

Cristal Global

Ferro Corporation

PPG Industries, Inc.

LANXESS

Venator Materials plc. UK.

Cathay Industries Group. Kronos Worldwide, Inc. US

Tronox Limited

The Chemours Company, US

Altana AG

DIC Corporation

Ferro Corporation

Huntsman International LLC

Paints and Coatings Segment to Drive Traction Thanks to White Inorganics Pigment, Which Improves Light Scattering Properties of the Coating

According to market research, the paints and coatings industry dominated the white inorganic pigment market in 2021, accounting for the largest share. This trend is expected to continue with a significant compound annual growth rate projected from 2022 to 2028. The growing demand for paints and coatings, particularly in the construction and automotive sectors, is driving the market's growth. The construction sector is a major consumer of white inorganics pigments, as these are used in the production of architectural paints and coatings for interior and exterior applications.

In 2021, the Asia Pacific region established its dominance in the global white inorganic pigment market, a trend that is expected to continue until 2028. The white inorganic pigment industry has experienced significant growth in recent years, with the Asia Pacific region leading the way in production and consumption. As per SkyQuest's report, Japan is experiencing significant growth in planning and constructing tall buildings. Several construction projects are underway, including developing two high-rise towers for Tokyo Stations. The first tower is expected to be 37 stories tall, with a height of 230 meters, and will serve as an office tower. The second tower will be even taller, standing at 61 stories and reaching a height of 390 meters. It is also designed as an office tower and is set to be completed by 2027-2028.

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Titanium Dioxide Segment Emerges as Major Revenue Contributor owing to Its Extensive Application in the Construction and Automotive Sectors

According to market research, the white inorganic pigment market was dominated by the titanium dioxide segment in 2021. Furthermore, the titanium dioxide segment is expected to maintain its lead in the market from 2022 to 2028. This segment captured the largest share of the market due to its high demand and widespread use in various industries. Titanium dioxide is known for its excellent opacity, brightness, and whiteness, making it a popular choice for products requiring white pigment. SkyQuest's market analysis shows that the titanium dioxide sector is expected to surge significantly, with a projected value of more than USD 25.83 billion. This development is projected to impact the titanium dioxide industry as a whole positively. Titanium dioxide is widely used in various industries, including paint, coatings, plastics, and paper.

SkyQuest has recently released a research report that provides in-depth insights into the white inorganic pigment market. Whether you are an established industry player or a new entrant looking to gain a foothold in this market, this report will equip you with the crucial information you need to make informed strategic decisions to help you stay ahead of the competition. In addition, by providing invaluable insights into the latest trends and developments in the global market, the report can help you identify new opportunities and potential threats that may impact your business.

Key Developments in White Inorganic Pigment Market

Cathay Industries has recently announced that it has entered into a purchase agreement with Venator Materials PLC to acquire its iron oxide pigment business. Venator is a leading global chemical company that produces various products, including pigments and additives. This strategic move is expected to significantly reinforce Cathay Industries' position as a global leader in the inorganic pigment industry and enhance its ability to provide complete color solutions to its customers. In addition, the acquisition of Venator's iron oxide pigment business will provide Cathay Industries with access to new markets and expand its product portfolio, enabling it to offer a broader range of color solutions to its customers.

Clariant, a renowned global provider of specialty chemicals, has introduced its latest innovation as a universal polymeric dispersing agent. This agent is specially designed for high-quality pigment preparations and can incorporate organic and inorganic pigments. In addition, the dispersing agent is compatible with all types of water-based paint systems, making it a versatile solution for the paint industry. The new product, Dispersogen Flex 100, offers a range of benefits for the paint industry. It improves the dispersion of pigments and provides excellent color strength, which leads to superior color performance in finished products.

Consumer Product Testing (CPT) is introducing an innovative way to estimate ocular irritation potential by offering a vegan in vitro test method known as the Irritection Assay System. This quantitative test measure changes in relevant macromolecules to predict the ocular irritancy of chemicals, mixtures, and product formulations. By leveraging this cutting-edge technology, companies can gain valuable insights into their products' safety while demonstrating their commitment to sustainability and ethical practices.

Key Questions Answered in White Inorganic Pigment Market Report

What are the major challenges and opportunities in the global market, and how are they impacting its growth trajectory?

How has the global market evolved, and what key drivers have influenced its historical performance?

Who are the most promising players in the global market, and what key strategies are they employing to gain a competitive edge?

What new trends are emerging in the global market, and how are they expected to shape its growth and innovation prospects?

Related Reports in SkyQuests Library:

Global eSIM Market

Global Personal Development Market

Global Integrated Telecommunication Services Market

Global Access Control Market

Global Telecom Billing Revenue Management System Market

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RICHMOND  Legislative efforts to tackle spiking eviction notices, housing and utility costs were mostly shot down during the Virginia General Assembly session.

Almost 193,000 eviction filings have been made in Virginia since March 2020. The monthly-updated data comes from the Princeton Eviction Lab, a group that makes nationwide eviction data public to increase awareness about housing, eviction and poverty. Not all eviction filings lead to an eviction, according to the lab. Among the 10 states tracked by the lab, Virginia ranks second, behind Pennsylvania.

Eviction filings and judgments are below pre-pandemic levels in Virginia, but Alexandria and the city of Richmond surpassed pre-pandemic levels by 7% and 6%, respectively, from October to December 2022. That is according to a quarterly data report from the RVA Eviction Lab, an organization at Virginia Commonwealth University that gathers eviction data.

Virginia renters and landlords deserve common-sense and clear rules of the road to ensure everyone gets money theyre owed and to prevent unnecessary evictions, stated Congresswoman-elect Jennifer McClellan via a text statement, in reference to two housing bills. McClellan announced her resignation as a state senator, effective March 7.

Utility costs are also increasing, but the General Assembly passed legislation aimed to protect consumers from rate hikes.

Del. Lee Ware, RPowhatan, introduced House Bill 1604, which allows the SCC to regulate utility rates when revenues exceed the utilitys authorized rate of return. This bill is identical to Senate Bill 1321, introduced by McClellan.

The passage of HB 1604 and SB 1321 reflect the success of many efforts over the years to restore the authority of the SCC to lower electric rates when utilities overcharge customers, stated Kajsa Foskey, economic justice outreach coordinator for the Virginia Poverty Law Center.

Sen. Mamie Locke, DHampton, had her bill SB 839 passed, which allows the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development director to conduct a comprehensive statewide housing needs assessment at least every five years. The director will develop a statewide housing plan with updates.

This bill is an important first step in documenting the need for affordable housing in Virginia, said co-patron Del. Kaye Kory, DFairfax. It could help the General Assembly be more willing to allocate more money to affordable housing, Kory said.

Failed housing and utility bills

Capital News Service also reached out to lawmakers and advocates to get their take on the legislation that did not advance.

Bills to protect tenants that did not advance this session included:

SB 941: Required landlords to fully refund security deposits to tenants within 15 business days, instead of 45 business days of a move-out inspection  if the tenant attended the inspection and they dont owe rent as of the inspection date. There must not be damages beyond wear and tear. Im encouraged by the momentum and I hope to see them pass both chambers in coming years, McClellan stated, about SB 1330 and SB 941.

SB 1127: Assembled a work group to evaluate policies to protect vulnerable rental occupants if facing eviction for noncompliance. Sen. Joe Morrissey, DRichmond, did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

SB 1141: Authorized any locality in Virginia to provide an affordable housing program by amending the localitys zoning ordinance. The bill would help bring jobs and housing into balance to make them more accessible and affordable, said Kathryn Howell, associate professor and co-director of RVA Eviction Lab at Virginia Commonwealth University. Weve got all these jobs for people who are earning  less than 60% of the area median income, Howell said. We want to have housing that matches that.

SB 1330: Increased from five days to 14 days the mandatory waiting period after a landlord serves a tenant a written pay or quit notice. Emergency provisions were put in place during the pandemic to expand the waiting period. Advocates have made repeated efforts to make the mandatory waiting period permanent, said Laura Dobbs, a housing advocacy attorney with the Virginia Poverty Law Center.

SB 1340: Prohibited a landlord from performing background and credit checks on a rental applicant unless the landlord met the outlined requirements. One requirement was an established written rental application policy that included a disclosure of all nonrefundable application fees and deposits.

SB 1447: The SCC would establish limitations on the authority of investor-owned utilities to disconnect service for nonpayment of bills or fees during a statewide emergency declared by the governor, during temperature weather extremes, or on a Friday, weekend, state holiday, or day immediately before a state holiday. During instances of public emergency  everyone needs access to water, everyone needs access to heat in a snowstorm, everyone needs access to AC during a heatwave, said Sheila Herlihy Hennessee, faith organizer with the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy. The organization primarily lobbies in support of racial, social, and economic justice policies. It is more efficient to keep people in their homes and protect folks where they are, Herlihy Hennessee said.

HB 1532 is similar to SB 1278: Allowed localities to adopt rent stabilization provisions. Despite the bills failing, at least we were able to  start having that conversation about out of control rent in Virginia, Dobbs said. Sen. Jennifer Boysko, DFairfax, did not respond to multiple requests for comment about SB 1278.

HB 1875: Delayed utility disconnection for residential customers with certain serious medical conditions and households including residents under 12 months old, over 65 years old, or with disabilities. This bill would directly benefit all consumers, said Foskey, with the Virginia Poverty Law Center. Utility shut-off data should be more accessible to see who is being affected, because it is an essential measure for consumer protection, she said.

Change takes time, Del. Kory said. Even if a bill is only heard in a subcommittee, it is a good first step. The information being shared could still help change legislators minds, she said.

We just have to work towards it and elect people who think its an important goal, Kory said.
Fredericksburg police are investigating an incident Sunday afternoon during which a man was shot multiple times.

City police spokeswoman Sarah Morris said the shooting occurred about 4:15 p.m. near the Express Food Mart on Fall Hill Avenue. Responding officers found the victim with multiple gunshot wounds. The victim was treated at the scene before being rushed to Mary Washington Hospital, where he was in stable condition Monday morning.

At the same time callers were reporting the shooting, a man called 911 and reported that he had just shot an acquaintance outside his home on nearby Ivanhoe Court, Morris said. The caller claimed that the acquaintance had tried to attack him with a knife.

Morris said officers went to the shooters home, interviewed him and other witnesses and recovered the gun that was used in the shooting. No charges had been filed as of Monday.
The Spotsylvania School Board on Monday afternoon canceled its regular monthly meeting scheduled for Monday evening.

According to the School Board's deputy clerk, Patty Boller, Chair Lisa Phelps cancelled the meeting because, "The chair and vice chair have advised that a quorum is not anticipated due to member illness, a family situation, and other unexpected circumstances."

This is at least the third time in the past year that the School Board has cancelled a regularly scheduled meeting.

The board approves a meeting schedule for the entire year at the first regular meeting each January.

Monday's meeting would have been the first since School Board member Kirk Twigg was indicted by a grand jury and charged with felony forgery of a public record on Feb. 23.

The agenda for the cancelled meeting includes approval of minutes from the July 11 and Sept. 12, 2022, meetings; recognition of the division spelling bee winners; approval of a regulation governing response to suspected opioid overdose; and approval to seek funding through the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services for eight additional school security officers.
There was a time when any FXBG sticker seen on the back of a car or in a store window came from a box in the back of Nick Bienecks red Ford Explorer.

In 1999, Bieneck, then a high school senior, was the first FXBG sticker salesman. Hed go door-to-door among downtown Fredericksurg businesses hawking the stickers, which were designed by his dad, Bjorn Bieneck.

The white, oval stickers came in two sizes, with FXBG in large black letters in the middle and Fredericksburg, VA underneath. In tiny letters at the bottom was the phrase Bieneck International, Inc.

There was no real intention to try to copyright the phrase, it just made it look all official to us, Nick Bieneck said.

Bieneck said the FXBG stickers were inspired by the OBX stickers that started popping up in the 1990s.

White, oval car decals bearing country initials used to be required in Europe, where countries are relatively small and drivers frequently cross borders, so they were familiar to Bjorn Bieneck, a native of Sweden.

I was driving back to Fredericksburg from North Carolina with my dad one time, just him and me in the car, Nick Bieneck recalled. This was 199899 when the OBX stickers were all the rage and we were seeing them on cars all over the place. We were thinking that Fredericksburg has a similar kind of sound as Outer Banks.

Bjorn offered to design and invest in printing FXBG stickers if Nick would go around selling them.

It was a lemonade-stand type of business, Nick Bieneck said.

He spent his senior year of high school selling the stickers. Hed leave sample stickers and an order form, and businesses would fax in their orders  it was very 90s, he said.

The Made in Virginia store was the first business to place a large order, Bieneck said. The Ben Franklin store, which was located at 925 Caroline Street, also carried the stickers, as did Apple Music, where he took guitar lessons.

It was pretty lucrative, Bieneck said. I think there was some charm in me being a kid and the popularity of those regional stickers. I remember once boasting to my friends that I made $800 in one week.

He was able to save enough for a summer trip to Europe following graduating from high school.

After Bieneck left home, his brother took over selling the stickers for several years, and when he graduated, their father donated the remaining stock to the Fredericksburg Visitors Center.

That was our last direct involvement, Bieneck said. We never copyrighted the design. The initial print had a copyright logo on it, but that didnt hold anything.

Todays FXBG stickers are produced and sourced by someone else, but occasionally Bieneck still sees one of the originals with his familys copyright.

The farthest afield hes ever seen one was in Amsterdam, Holland, in 2008.

Over the years, FXBG has been used to refer to the city in more and more permanent ways, and its now part of the citys official branding.

Its taken on a life of its own, and we couldnt be prouder, Bieneck said. Our little impact is pretty cool.

Bieneck now lives in Floyd, but his parents still work and live in downtown Fredericksburg.

Im also proud of my dad for taking a chance and creating something that has become beloved to the town hes called home for 30 years, Bieneck said.
A family escaped a fire that destroyed their Arlington Road home and left a dog dead Monday morning.

The fire at 611 Arlington Road was reported at about 5:45 a.m., with arriving firefighters seeing heavy flames and smoke coming from the home, said Richie Guill, assistant fire marshal for Danville.

Firefighters entered the home to fight the blaze, but had to get out of house when the roof started to collapse, Guill said.

"They had to evacuate and we had to go on the defensive attack," he said.

It took about two or three hours to bring the fire under control, Guill said. Going on the defensive makes a fire more difficult to extinguish, he said.

There were five family members  a grandmother, grandfather, mother and two children  inside the home when the fire started. At least two people jumped from a second-story window to escape and were unharmed, Guill said.

The entire family was able to evacuate, however a dog perished in the blaze, he said.

The American Red Cross is providing assistance to the family.

The house was a total loss.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, along with the delegation, left on Sunday for Berlin to launch 2023 ITB Berlin, the worlds leading travel trade show, Azernews reports citing Agenda.

Garibashvili, as the head of the Host Country of the exhibition, will address the audience at the official opening ceremony on Monday, the day before the start of the exhibition, the Government Administration said.

About 2,500 guests will be involved in the opening show under the heading Infinite Georgian Culture - From the Beginnings of Viticulture to Modern Avant-garde Art.

ITB Berlin is set to run between March 7-9 in the German capital.
A new Buc-ee's Travel Center is in the works for New Kent County.

Buc-ees is planning a new travel center on Interstate 64 at Exit 211, according to New Kent County Virginia Economic Development.

The company plans to construct a 74,000 square foot store with 120 fueling positions, 557 parking spaces, 24 Tesla charging spaces and 10 bus/RV parking spaces.

The anticipated opening date is 2027. It is the Texas-based chain's first Virginia location.

The company, which started in 1982, has locations in Texas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Buc-ees Travel Center is a family-focused travel center featuring a wide range of freshly prepared foods including home-crafted barbecue, custom made sandwiches, fresh salads and fruits, baked goods, and sweets as well as a unique collection of gifts, housewares, clothing, and weekend get-away gear," the company said in a statement.

"Buc-ees is open 24/7 and provides our guests with the cleanest restrooms and friendliest staff to be found anywhere; much less on I-64. Buc-ees is not a truck stop; 18 wheelers are not allowed on the property. Buc-ees is a one-of-a-kind destination. Buc-ees will employ (full time with benefits) over 175 residents earning an average minimum wage of $16-18 per hour," according to company.

A conditional use permit has been submitted to the countys Planning and Zoning Department. The applicants request is solely limited to the review and approval of a proposed sign plan.

The Buc-ees development team is currently working closely with VDOT and County planning staff to evaluate transportation improvements required for the travel center, according to New Kent County Virginia Economic Development.

Photos: Buc-ees locations across the U.S.
Train will return to Pinewood Bowl on Aug. 4.

In 2012, the Grammy winning San Francisco pop rockers were the second band to play the Pioneers Park amphitheater, drawing a sellout crowd of more than 4,000 to the revitalized venue.

Formed in the mid 90s, Train broke out with its self-titled debut album, initially released independently then picked up by Columbia Records. The 1998 record went platinum, selling more than a million copies and setting the stage for 2001s Drops of Jupiter, a double-platinum, double-Grammy winner for the single Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me).

After a two-year split, Train returned with its biggest record ever, 2009s quadruple platinum Save Me, San Francisco and the hit Hey Soul Sister that was the most downloaded song on iTunes in 2010, the best-selling single in Columbia Records history at the time and won a Grammy.

Train released its latest album, AM Gold, last year.

Better Than Ezra will open the 7 p.m. concert. Tickets start at $34 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at ticketmaster.com and on the Ticketmaster app. Tickets also will be available at the Pinnacle Bank Arena ticket office on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. beginning March 14.

The Train concert is the eighth show announced for Pinewood Bowl this summer. About a dozen shows are expected to play the bowl between May and September.

Close Train guitarist Jimmy Stafford and drummer Scott Underwood perform on Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012, at Pinewood Bowl in Pioneers Park. Train drummer Scott Underwood, an ordained minister, married Sarah Willnerd and Chris Ferdico of Lincoln onstage during the band's performance Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012, at Pinewood Bowl. Train drummer Scott Underwood rumbles through a drum fill during the opening song Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012, at Pinewood Bowl. Photos: Train rocks Pinewood Bowl Train guitarist Jimmy Stafford and drummer Scott Underwood perform on Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012, at Pinewood Bowl in Pioneers Park. Train drummer Scott Underwood, an ordained minister, married Sarah Willnerd and Chris Ferdico of Lincoln onstage during the band's performance Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012, at Pinewood Bowl. Train drummer Scott Underwood rumbles through a drum fill during the opening song Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012, at Pinewood Bowl.
Beth Corymb is a fourth-generation farmer living in Scottsbluff. Although she grew up on her familys farm, she was not always sure that was the life she wanted to pursue.

I left for 37 years because I wanted to experience something different, but I told myself never to forget, Corymb said.

She went to college to study music, but after taking an ecological course, she said her mind was opened to the reality of what was happening to the earth. She was soon introduced to the concept of biodynamics.

Biodynamic farming combines the relationship between the plants, animals and soil to use a farms resources instead of importing materials. It includes using herbs, minerals and cow manure to fertilize crops and growing most of the feed and bedding for the livestock.

I found out about a couple of intentional communities where they had biodynamic training, Corymb said.

These communities were run by a social initiative called Camphill, a worldwide organization of communities including people with and without special needs working to foster holistic wellness and growing the majority of the communitys food using biodynamic practices. It was here where she first learned the fundamentals surrounding biodynamic farming.

History of biodynamics

The early concepts of biodynamic farming were formed in 1924 by Austrian scientist and philosopher Rudolf Steiner. He gave a series of lectures in response to a complaint by a group of European farmers who were noticing a quick decline in soil conditions, crop quality and animal health due to the use of chemical pesticides.

Steiner presented the farm as a living organism that is self-sustainable, with its crop growth, soil vitality and livestock all interconnected. In 1928, The Demeter Biodynamic Standard for certification was established and is currently regulated by Demeter International.

In the United States, Demeter USA manages biodynamic certification.

Farming is a significant part of the impact on the environment. Biodynamics has some tools that can bring back the vitality of the soil, said Evrett Lunquist, director of Certification for Demeter USA and co-owner of Common Good biodynamic farm in Raymond, Nebraska. Lunquist founded Common Good in 1996 along with his wife, Ruth Chantry, who is board president of the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society.

Lunquist studied agronomy in college, and while doing a comparison study between two farms, he first learned about biodynamic agriculture.

It was the piece that had been missing in my college studies, Lunquist said.

Difference between organic and biodynamic

While organic farming mainly focuses on farming without synthetic chemicals, biodynamic agriculture takes it one step further.

For the certification for biodynamic, you look at the whole farm, Lunquist said.

The Demeter Biodynamic Farm Standard requires that the whole farm is certified, not just a specific crop. For organic farms, one field could be organic, and another could be conventional. Biodynamic farms work to not only produce high-quality food but also improve the health of the entire farm ecosystem.

Biodynamic farms must meet all the organic requirements, as well as the additional standards laid out by Demeter. This includes dedicating at least 10% of the land as a wildland reserve, generating the farms fertility, and using biodynamic preparations like field sprays and composting. The goal is sustainability, where the waste of one part of the farm becomes energy for another part.

Instead of having a huge carbon footprint, youre actually refocusing on having a carbon negative footprint, Lunquist said.

With minimal use of imported materials, the farm generates its own fertility instead of relying on transported fertilizers, unlike many organic farms.

Although biodynamic farms may not be as common as organic farms, the number continues to rise. According to Demeter International, biodynamic farms worldwide increased by more than 47% between 2000 and 2018. In 2019, there were 118 Biodynamic certified farms in the U.S., including the two in Nebraska.

Right now, there are about 140 certified biodynamic farms, Lunquist said. We are looking forward to more sustainable growth.

After returning to Scottsbluff in 2010, Corymb and her husband Nathan started a biodynamic seed company. Their farm, Meadowlark Hearth, received the biodynamic certification one year later. They now own 540 acres of land, with 150 acres designated as a natural reserve to encourage the biodiversity of plants and animals.

Where the produce is sold

The Corymbs sell their produce at farmers markets, as well as through Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, where consumers purchase produce shares at the beginning of the year. Lunquist and his wife have also used farmers markets and CSA; however, more recently, they have used email lists and grocery stores.

For example, Common Good offers an option to pre-order their produce, meat and eggs for farm pickup, and they also sell their eggs at Natural Grocers and The Mercato in Lincoln.

However, one of their long-time partners is Open Harvest, a co-op grocery store in south Lincoln. Common Good has been selling its eggs, produce, meat and plant seedlings there for more 24 years.

Open Harvest is the only co-op grocery store in Lincoln, and its mission is to provide access to nutritious, local and organic foods. They have been in business for 48 years and have sold 269,052 Common Good eggs in just the past five years.

People go nuts. We cant keep them on the shelf, said Amy Tabor, general manager of Open Harvest.

Every year, Open Harvest also hosts a large plant sale with Common Good, where they bring in vegetables, herbs and flowers from the farm to sell during the spring and early summer.

They do a fantastic job with the variety they offer, and the quality is really good, Tabor said.

Lunquist said there is value in buying locally and when customers become acquainted with the farms name.

When you eat the food, its nourishment. But then theres another nourishment that comes from eating food where you have either been to the farm, or you know the farmer. It is part of the experience, Lunquist said. Instead of being just food for the body, Lunquist said biodynamic agriculture produces food for the soul.

Photos, video: New life on Nebraska farms, ranches Sheep Heart calf Foal Watch now: Newborn calf stands up for the first time Quest, stud colt Lambs Baby bison Calf Calving Baby lambs Angus calf Calf Near Beaver Crossing New calf New calf New calf New calf New calf New calf New calf New calf New calf New calf New calf New calf New calf New calf New calf New calf New calf New calf New calf Calf Calves New life New life New life Calving Calving New calf
Two Nebraska sheriffs and a sheriff's captain have been fined $1,000 apiece for appearing in uniform in an ad for former gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbster's campaign.

Seward County Sheriff Michael Vance, Lincoln County Sheriff Jerome Kramer and York County Sheriff's Capt. Joshua Gillespie each agreed to pay a $1,000 civil penalty in settlements that were approved unanimously by members of the State of Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission.

Under the agreements, the commission found that the three law enforcement officials had violated a state law barring the use of public resources for campaign purposes, in this case their uniforms being the public resources.

The advertisement ran on television stations in February and March of last year before being pulled by Herbster's campaign. That decision followed an inquiry from the Omaha World-Herald regarding concerns the ad may have violated state law. A Herbster campaign spokesperson at the time said the campaign did not believe the advertisement violated state statute.

No taxpayer funds were used in the making or airing of our advertisement. Nebraska Sheriffs are elected officials and have earned the right to proudly wear their uniforms and, as elected leaders, to have a voice on important matters and issues," the spokesperson wrote in an email.

York County Sheriff Paul Vrbka, who also appeared in uniform in the Herbster ad, agreed to a $1,000 fine in a similar settlement approved in January. Vrbka in his settlement said it was not his intent to violate state law and, had he known it would be a possible violation, he would not have agreed to appear in the ad.

Both Vance and Kramer and Capt. Gillespie included identical statements in their settlements. None of the three men could be reached for comment Friday.

All four of the complaints were filed by Cynthia Hartley. The initial complaint against Vrbka was filed in March 2022. The other three were filed in January, just days after the NDAC announced the settlement with Vrbka.

All four of the law enforcement officials could have faced a maximum penalty of $5,000. Their cooperation resulted in the lower penalty.

Herbster ultimately finished second in the GOP gubernatorial primary behind Jim Pillen, who went on to win election as governor in November.

Top Journal Star photos for February 2023
The El Paso County Planning Commission on Thursday unanimously voted to approve a recommendation for a request to rezone property slated for the development of apartment buildings just northeast of Colorado Springs.

The 31-acre tract, known as the Schmidt property and currently zoned for 5-acre residential lots, will now be poised to support a maximum of 30 dwelling units per acre and lies directly west of Vollmer Road, east of Black Forest Road and directly north of the Trails at Forest Meadows subdivision.

While only the rezoning request was approved and no sketch plan for the apartment units has been presented, Thursday's presentation by a representative of applicant Turkey Canon Quarry outlined plans to extend Marksheffel Road just north of the Schmidt property and widen Vollmer Road to become major arterial roads serving the northeast portion of the county.

The proposal has drawn the ire of neighboring residents who've expressed concern over traffic congestion, negative impacts to rural lifestyle, increased crime, waste and light pollution, and insufficient water supply, said Andrea Barlow of N.E.S., representing the developer. The developer has received 30 letters of opposition to the project, Barlow said.

But the Planning Commission ultimately ruled in favor of the rezoning and potential apartment complex, saying the property lies in what the county's Master Plan for growth says is a critical "area of change" that is expected to be "completely transformed" in coming years.

"We know there's going to be a very high, very intense intersection (at Marksheffel and Vollmer roads) that is going to mitigate a lot of the problems that many of the letters in opposition pointed out in terms of the traffic," commission Vice Chair Thomas Bailey said. "You can't have the roads without some development around it to support it. The plans that we've seen here ... adequately represent that."

Barlow said that while a maximum of 30 units per acre would be permitted, the applicant would limit development to 25 units per acre and that of the 31 acres, only 23.7 acres would be built up to allow for storm-water retention ponds. While sketch plans are in the works, she said 22-24 buildings are planned, as well as "substantial" amenities like a dog park, pool, clubhouse and more.

"(Zoning standards allow) a maximum high of 40 feet, which is actually a lower height than many multifamily zones," Barlow said. "That's probably going to accommodate, at max, a three-story building."

According to project documents, the rezone area falls within the Sterling Ranch Service of the Falcon Area Water and Wastewater Authority, which has a net deficit of over 155 acre-feet of available water for residents. Construction of a "major pipeline" is needed to take water from northern districts to meet demand, the documents show.

Barlow said the 25-unit-per-acre complex could generate about 3,800 average daily trips in the area, and that access roads into the complex would be determined in future plans.

The ponds, along with the expansion of Vollmer and Marksheffel roads to four lanes, would serve as buffers between the apartment complex and the single-family residential subdivision to the south and rural residential plots of Silver Ponds and Highland Park subdivisions to the north.

Neighbors expressed concern at the meeting that the apartment complex is too stark a contrast with surrounding zoning and that a neighboring residential 5-acre lot  also part of the Schmidt property but is not slated for rezoning  could also lose its rural integrity.

"Nobody has a problem with residential development, and everybody wants more single-family homes," said Doug Halverson, a real-estate agent and Trails at Forest Meadows resident. "The fear is that it's just going to be more apartments. Once one apartment's in, there's going to be another one and another one."

Barlow said developers do plan to keep the 5-acre zone of the Schmidt property to mostly single-family detached homes but "possibly with some single-family attached" residences, a slow blend of zoning is not always possible.

"I'm not sure the intent of zoning has ever been to say that you start 'here' and progressively go through all the zones to get 'here,'" Barlow said. "This property has been consistently identified for future residential development."
Authorities are cracking down on trespassing and camping complaints among the homeless population in southeast Colorado Springs as camp cleanup efforts continue throughout the week, according to the Colorado Springs Police Department.

Police said the cleanup is being conducted by Colorado Springs Quality of Life Team, with the assistance of crews from the Colorado Department of Transportation.

According to authorities, Homeless Outreach Team officers had posted notices to the camps near the 1800 block of Hancock Drive multiple times in the last several weeks to advise the trespassers of the clean-up coming soon to the area.

Officers said they provided exact dates that officers and the clean-up crew would begin the process of dismantling camps located on Colorado Springs, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad and CDOT property.

Police said that during Feb. 27 and 28, there were 29 adults cited for trespassing, and 15 were transported to the Criminal Justice Center, clearing out 15 misdemeanor and seven felony warrants. Authorities also made two narcotics-related arrests, and transported a sex offender for address verification, CSPD said.

According to CSPD Sgt. Olav Chaney, cleanup work will continue through the week, if weather prevails, with a possibility of crews working into next week.

As of late Wednesday morning, CDOT crews were moving cleanup efforts to the north side of the Leon Young Service Center, Chaney said.
A lawsuit filed in federal court alleges that a former Colorado Springs police officer sustained injuries that forced him to retire as a result of a "reckless" car chase by the El Paso County Sheriff's Office.

The lawsuit, filed by the Antero Law offices in the U.S. District Court of Colorado on Oct. 15, 2022, is seeking relief for damages incurred by former officer Steven Wren in the 2019 accident.

"We are seeking justice for Mr. Wren and to hold (the El Paso County Sheriff's Office) accountable for failing to follow its own policies and procedures governing vehicle pursuits," Antero attorney Zachary Mugge wrote in a statement to The Gazette. "The pursuit put the lives and safety of the community in danger, and it was not a question of if, but when, someone would be hurt. "

The incident began on Oct. 18, 2019, when the Sheriff's Office witnessed Kaleb Miles driving a stolen truck in the Falcon area.

Miles' and his girlfriend Brooke Macklin's interaction with law enforcement began when the couple drove by a sheriff's deputy's vehicle, and the deputy began to pursue. However, the lawsuit alleges the deputy "called off the pursuit out of concerns over creating an unreasonable risk of danger to those involved and to innocent bystanders," due to the dangerous speed at which Miles was driving.

Later the same day, the Sheriff's Office was notified of Miles and Macklin being seen stealing gasoline at a Safeway in Falcon, according to the lawsuit, and responded by sending deputies in pursuit.

The second pursuit of Miles would result in deputies chasing Miles as he drove upward of 70 mph, even reaching speeds of 100 mph at times, according to the lawsuit, and driving into oncoming traffic.

The lawsuit claims that CSPD was asked to join the pursuit, but that CSPD determined the pursuit was too dangerous and declined.

The lawsuit goes on to claim that several sheriff's deputies also deemed the pursuit too dangerous and backed off, while other deputies did not. The lawsuit claims that the Sheriff's Office violated its own policies in continuing the pursuit.

"(The El Paso County Sheriff's Office)s vehicle pursuit policies and procedures required the Lieutenant and Deputies to properly weigh the risks of danger and harm to the public," Mugge said via statement. "Instead of doing so, (the Sheriff's Office)s chase reached speeds of 100 mph, blew through red lights and stop signs, drove into oncoming lanes of traffic, and cut through medians and over curbs.

"Traffic conditions that Friday afternoon were heavy, and countless civilians had to swerve off the road and slam on their brakes to avoid collisions."

The second pursuit of Miles lasted nearly an hour and resulted in three multicar collisions, one in the county and two in Colorado Springs, with the third multicar collision occurring when Miles captured and arrested by sheriff's deputies.

The lawsuit alleges that on the afternoon of Oct. 18, Wren was sitting at a red light at the intersection of North Academy Boulevard and Austin Bluffs Parkway when the stolen truck "came barreling down Austin Bluffs Parkway traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes and blew through a red light at a high rate of speed into cross-traffic traveling with the green signal, all while two (sheriff's) vehicles driven by Deputy Scott Brettell and Nicholas Witherite, respectively, continued in pursuit."

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Miles' truck hit a vehicle driving through the intersection before crashing into the driver's-side door of Wren, who was still sitting at the red light, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit says the collision resulted in Wren suffering a multilevel compression fracture of his thoracic spine, as well as injuries to his left shoulder, arm and hand.

"The Fire and Police Pension Association determined that Mr. Wren suffered a Permanent Occupational Disability, and Mr. Wren, who was 37 years old at the time of the collision, was medically retired from the Colorado Springs Police Department," the lawsuit says.

CSPD spokesperson Lt. Pamela Castro confirmed a Steven Wren was a former officer with the department, but retired in 2021. Castro said it's against CSPD policy to disclose why Wren retired or if medical status played a part.

The lawsuit alleges that Wren has not been able to "return to meaningful work," due to the injuries suffered in the collision, Mugge said.

Previous reporting from The Gazette says that on Oct. 15, 2019, Miles approached a couple at a Walmart, attempted to steal their car, and a shotgun into the bumper of the car when the couple refused to give them the keys.

Previous reporting also confirms Miles was part of a car chase with the Sheriff's Office on Oct. 18, 2019, and that he plowed his pickup truck "through at least a dozen cars as he fled sheriffs deputies."

Inmate records show Miles is currently in the Crowley County Correctional Facility on a 28-year prison sentence split between three different 2019 cases in El Paso County, including convictions in to the theft and law enforcement pursuit on Oct. 18.

Wren and his attorneys have made a jury demand over the claims listed in the lawsuit, which names the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, El Paso County, former Sheriff Bill Elder and four sheriff's deputies as defendants.

Sheriff's spokesperson Lt. Deb Mynatt told The Gazette: "Per Sheriffs Office policy, we do not provide comment to pending litigation."

In the scheduling order for the case filed in February, it's stated that it's the position of the defendants that all injuries sustained by Wren were at the direct fault of Miles, and not the Sheriff's Office or its deputies.

The document also states its the position of the defendants that "the injuries [suffered] by Plaintiff following the collision with the Miles vehicle, if any occurred, preexisted that October 18, 2019, collision," and "defendants dispute the nature and extent of the Plaintiffs damages as well as the causation of any claimed damages and/or injuries."

The lawsuit against the Sheriff's Office remains open, with discovery from both parties due on Aug. 31.
Firefighters battled a house fire in southeast Colorado Springs Sunday night, according to a tweet from the Colorado Springs Fire Department.

The blaze was located at 1921 Saratoga Drive and was reported just after 6 p.m.

Gazette news partner KKTV reported that fire officials were able to quickly put out the fire.

It is unknown at this time if there are any injuries or what caused the fire.

This article will be updated as more information becomes available.
Residents of Flying Horse on Colorado Springs' north side have concerns and questions about millions in debt they owe to local metro districts and the limited resident oversight on boards that oversee property tax spending in the sprawling upscale neighborhood.

Dan Mulloy, a resident and board member with Flying Horse Metro District 2, said he is concerned about the $58 million in debt the district owes, the likelihood of debt ballooning with interest and the potential need to raise taxes to pay it back.

The district encompasses 1,599 homes and owners pay about 40% of their property taxes to the district to cover the debt that financed infrastructure, such as streets, water and sewer mains and parks.

In addition to the overall debt, Mulloy and Bill Graziano, a resident and former certified public accountant, said they also question millions in expenses charged to the district and believe the developer of the neighborhood has too much control over the district. The agreements that allow the district to review the proposed budgets and construction schedules also have not been honored, Mulloy said.

The district that Mulloy and Graziano live in is one of three districts set up by Classic Homes, the developer of Flying Horse and all of them have been governed solely by Classic Homes employees since 2004 until recently.

Developer control is one of the key problems for Mulloy and Graziano, because even if residents gain more control on the District 2 board during an upcoming election, they will have limited oversight. Flying Horse District 1 governs the two other districts, has the right to spend their money, and residents are not allowed to run for its board.

"This is a classic feudalistic system. This goes back to medieval times.  We get the cost. They own everything and run everything," Graziano said. Colorado Springs banned small governing metro districts, like the one in Flying Horse, last year in all new developments.

Classic Homes CEO Doug Stimple responded in a letter to The Gazette about concerns raised by the residents, saying the Flying Horse Metro Districts funds have been properly spent on eligible public infrastructure and the governance structure granting District 1 control over spending allows for cohesive management of the community.

"Everything we have done has complied with law and we have gone further than the law even required," he said in a brief phone interview.

Stimple said he does not expect to see a need to ask voters to raise taxes to cover debt.

Millions owed across city

The Flying Horse Metro Districts are three of more than 100 metro districts across Colorado Springs that collectively owe about $700 million for public infrastructure, such as roads, that will be paid back through property taxes over time, said Carl Schueler, comprehensive planning manager for the city. The districts are a form of local government, such as a library district.

However, the metro districts are set up by developers who often continue to control the districts as board members after residents move in. A city auditor's report found in 2021 fewer than 10 metro districts have transitioned to resident owner representation. Schueler did not have an updated number of boards with resident representation.

Metro districts have become highly controversial in the state legislature, in part, because developers sometimes buy and profit from the bonds used to finance their projects. State lawmakers are debating a measure this year that could ban the practice.

In recent years, the state has passed some reforms to help residents better understand and get involved in metro districts, such as requiring the districts to maintain websites and inform residents of board elections.

Mulloy joined the Flying Horse Metro District 2 board because of the rule requiring metro districts to inform residents about elections.

Educating people about the metro district is a process for Mulloy because residents tend to confuse it with the homeowners' association. He often points out to his neighbors they are paying 40% of their tax bill to the district and that tends to prompt questions.

Once they understand the metro district is run by the developer that built the neighborhood and oversaw the construction of the improvements and is getting reimbursed by the board they run, they are concerned that's allowed, he said.

"People get upset about it, when they know about it," he said.

Flying Horse spending

Since joining the board, Mulloy has requested detailed records of the projects the district is paying off and found expenses he has questioned because they don't appear valid.

For example, the district was charged $2 million for a buried electric line, $1.8 million in a 5% management fee and $1.145 million for the Flying Horse edifices, including elaborate features such as a clock tower. None of those expenses are specified in the service plan approved by the Colorado Springs City Council that governs District 2, Mulloy said.

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In addition, a contract does not exist for the 5% management fee that was charged on each line item from 2005 to 2015, he said.

In response, Stimple said, the electric line needed to be relocated and the district contributed to that cost to allow for the construction of roads and other infrastructure.

Electric lines are not listed as eligible improvements in a copy of the service plan provided the city gave to The Gazette.

Stimple also stated the entryway monuments are listed in the service plan; however, the document simply lists entryways.

As to the 5% management fee, Classic Homes charged it for overseeing proper installation and completion of the infrastructure and a third-party engineer deemed it reasonable, and it is less than the going rate, Stimple said.

In his review of district documents, Mulloy found a third-party engineer hired to make sure the infrastructure is eligible for taxpayer reimbursement wrote reports that were inconsistent and incomplete. In November, he proposed the board pay for a review of all the projects.

I wanted to get a third-party forensic accountant to take a look at all of these transactions and figure out if everything was fine.  The vote was one non-Classic Homes employee for the third party and four Classic Homes employees against, he said. Mulloy is the only non-Classic employee on the board.

John Henderson, with the activist group Coloradans for Metro District Reform, said in other metro districts in Colorado the third-party reviews have been problematic, because the engineers are hired by the developers and they don't provide objective reports.

Stimple said such a review would cost tens of thousands and is unnecessary because the spending has received multiple legal reviews.

'Extraordinary' ratio

District 2 brings in about $3.4 million in revenue to pay off its $58 million in debt, the 2023 budget showed.

Thats an extraordinary ratio and an unacceptable ratio, Graziano said. He expects property taxes will need to go up to pay for the debt.

Metro District 1 is also carrying $17 million in debt, according to its 2023 budget. But it doesnt generate any revenue on its own, so those debts probably will have to be paid back by either Flying Horse Metro District 2 or District 3.

Additional business and home development would generate additional property tax revenue that could help pay off the debt, Mulloy said. For example, a King Soopers is planned in District 3. At the same time, the real estate market is slowing.

Stimple said he did not expect a property tax increase would be needed to cover the debt and that revenues would rise as construction in Flying Horse nears completion.

Resident oversight

Mulloy said he should be educated on revenue projections and construction plans because under an intergovernmental agreement District 1 is supposed to consult with other districts on critical documents, such as estimates of operations and maintenance costs, a proposed construction schedule for the budget year, estimates of capital costs for the year, and actual construction contracts, among others.

Mulloy said reviews of those documents did not happen last year. Stimple disagreed.

City governments can intervene when metro districts fail to follow a service plan or an intergovernmental agreement, Henderson, with the metro district reform group, said. For example, they could take away the district's right to issue bonds, he said.

Colorado Springs city councilmembers have emphasized residents should get involved in their metro districts to provide needed oversight.

More residents could be elected to the Flying Horse Metro District 2 board in May with six residents and three Classic Homes employees, including Stimple, running for three seats.

Stimple said it was important for employees to stay on the board, because their expertise and historical knowledge is important to the operation of the districts.

Mulloy countered that residents provide important insight.

"We think we can run the districts better, because we are residents and taxpayers of the districts," he said.
A devastating fire swept through several camps of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh's southeastern Cox's Bazar district Sunday, destroying about 2,000 homes and leaving thousands of people homeless, Azernews reports citing Xinhua.

No casualties have so far been reported, according to local media.

Emdadul Haque, duty officer at the Fire Service Control Room in Chattogram, told reporters that the fire started at camp No. 10 and subsequently spread to two other camps No. 11 and 12.

On information, 10 firefighting units rushed to the area and brought the blaze under control at around 5:00 p.m. local time.

The cause of the fire, which broke out at around 2:45 p.m. local time, has not been ascertained with officials yet to comment on the accident.

Local media reports put the number of shanties destroyed fully or partially in the fire at about 2,000.
Armenia and the separatist regime in Karabakh have once again aggravated tension in part of Karabakh under the temporary control of the Russian peacekeeping contingent.

The Azerbaijani Defence Ministry has blamed Armenia for the transportation of military equipment, ammunition and personnel to Karabakh through the unpaved road from Armenia.

In a statement, the ministry said that operational information was received about the transportation of military equipment, ammunition, and personnel from Armenia to Azerbaijani territories under the temporary control of the Russian peacekeepers, using the Xankandi-Xalfali-Tursu dirt road.

In the morning of 5 March, to verify the received information, units of the Azerbaijani army attempted to stop and inspect vehicles transporting illegal military supplies. The opposing side opened fire and there were casualties and injuries from both sides as a result of the firefight, the statement said.

Later the Defence Ministry confirmed that two of its servicemen were killed, naming them as senior lieutenant Alibayli Sahriyar, and Huseynov Esqin.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry in a statement accused Armenia of hypocrisy and reluctance to quit occupying policies.

Such acts of aggression and provocations demonstrate that Armenia has not abandoned its occupation policy against Azerbaijan, that Armenia's views on the peace agenda are nothing but hypocrisy, and that Armenia is not interested in establishing peace and security in the region. These actions once again prove the necessity of applying the border control-exit regime between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

In order to prevent such military provocations, Azerbaijan demands the implementation of the Trilateral Declaration, an end to the transportation of illegal weapons and ammunition, personnel, and mines from Armenia, and the immediate withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the territories of Azerbaijan, the Foreign Ministry added.

Today's armed incident once again confirms that the Armenian military-political leadership continues to commit sabotage and provocations against Azerbaijan, supplying weapons and ammunition, as well as manpower, to Azerbaijani territory. It is obvious that Yerevan continues the policy of aggression, despite the pseudo-peaceful rhetoric of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Azerbaijan brought to the attention of the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent that the fulfillment of the clauses of the trilateral declaration must be unconditionally and fully ensured, the Defense Ministry said, adding that the only road that can be used between the Karabakh economic region and Armenia is the Xankandi-Lacin road.

The ministry once again reminded the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent that the transportation of goods for military and other purposes on other routes is absolutely inadmissible, adding that facts of the transportation of weapons, ammunition, and other military equipment, including mines, fuel, and manpower from Armenia to the Karabakh economic region have been established before.

Azerbaijan has repeatedly warned the international community about the transportation of mines along the mentioned route.




During an affordable housing crisis, a state legislator wants a law that would reduce rental stock, increase rents and leave more pets without families and homes. Political voodoo doesnt get much goofier than House Bill 23-1068. We can laugh, but this bill would do real harm to animals and humans.

Most have witnessed individuals experiencing homelessness along with a dog on a cold winter night. Finding basic shelter is expensive and difficult in Colorado, where demand far exceeds supply. Beloved pets cause additional hurdles for people in need of affordable housing.

Rep. Alex Valdez, a Denver Democrat, wants to rescue renters and their pets. At least, he wants the appearance of doing so. Valdez introduced HB-1068 and titled it Pet Animal Ownership In Housing.

The meat of the bill is simple to grasp. It flat-out prohibits security deposits or rent for pet animals. Just make a law and these costs will vanish.

Finally, someone figured out the art of governing to make life easier for humans, dogs, cats, green alligators, long-necked geese, cats and rats and elephants ... and lets not forget the unicorn. The law would force fat cat landlords to eat the cost when a poorly trained animal destroys the carpets or scratches up the doors. The only possible equation for this bill is more make-believe than ingenious: landlords bad + tenants good x animals adorable = affordable housing bill for pets.

If politicians can do this, think what else they could do. They could pass a law to forbid rent and make housing free. A new law could tell homeless people to just buy a house. If legislation can dramatically alter human transactions and defy economic principles, we need more utopian mandates like the Pet Ownership In Housing act.

Of course, HB 1068 would not cause the desired effect. It would, beyond question, reduce the rental stock for people with pets. More humans with dogs would live outside. Even the most pet-friendly landlords encounter tenants who allow one or more pets to destroy a living space.

Heres the good news. In economies built on voluntary trade, renters and tenants work things out among themselves.

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Those willing to accept the risks of tenants with pets are free to absorb the costs of unfortunate outcomes. They are free to declare no pets. They are free to accept only lightweight dogs, or cats but not dogs. In the vast middle, landlords, hotel managers and bed-and-breakfast owners allow pets for anyone willing to pay a damage deposit. If something goes wrong, the deposit covers all or most of it.

Pets create costs, including damage deposits. Those who cannot afford the costs should forgo pets until their fortunes change.

In a clumsy effort to correct faulty economic equation, HB-1068 would establish The Pet-friendly Landlord Damage Mitigation Program. The state would pay landlords up to $1,000 for damages caused by pets.

Theres one small catch. It would help landlords on a first come, first served basis, which means funding only for those who prove their cases before the money runs out.

The bill would force any landlord seeking the states Affordable Housing Tax Credit to accept pets, with no deposits or questions allowed and no limitation on sizes or breeds. This, of course, would reduce the incentive for property owners to participate in a program intended to expand affordable housing. The math: landlords in tax-credit program + costly new mandate = less affordable housing (squared).

The bill would prohibit insurers from considering any homeowners dog breed when assessing risk and setting rates. That would render insurers unable to mitigate the potential costs of injuries or fatalities caused by dog attacks. Instead, insurers would spread that risk among all homeowners. The dogless would subsidize the dogged, increasing the cost of homeowners coverage.

House Bill 1068 should inspire a childrens book, call it Fido-nomics, to show how regulatory fantasies pose more harm than good  for humans and our four-legged friends.
As Colorado communities grapple with the growing ranks of the homeless, especially those thronging the streets and camping in public spaces, political and civic leaders have been searching the country for success stories in cities facing similar challenges.

It turns out a possible model for effectively tackling homelessness can be found in the middle of the Front Range at the foot of Pikes Peak. An analysis of the numbers of the homeless around the state suggests Colorado Springs offers new hope.

Colorados Common Sense Institute studied years of results from the annual homelessness census, the Point in Time survey  used by communities to tap federal funding for homeless services. It concluded unlike several places in the Denver metro area and the region as a whole, Colorado Springs is not experiencing a significant rise in its homeless population.

Common Sense issued a report late last month summarizing the Colorado Springs findings and comparing them with data from Denver, where homelessness and spending on it continue to rise. Common Sense projected last fall that the Denver metro area will spend an astounding $660 million in public and private dollars this year on homeless services.

By contrast, the new report found Colorado Springs is facing much more promising trends, with respect to its homeless population and shelter supply, than the Denver metro area.

The data on Colorado Springs show:

The overall homeless population is stable.

The population of those living on the streets is rapidly decreasing.

The homeless population has dropped over the last five years.

To what does the report attribute those patterns?

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Much of Colorado Springs success traces to the $18 million expansion of the Springs Rescue Mission, the citys largest homeless shelter, the report says. The expansion turned the facility into a secure, 14-acre campus offering wide-ranging services to the homeless. Its shelter capacity grew from accommodations for 37 people to 450.

The report notes other Colorado cities, particularly Aurora, are looking at the Colorado Springs model of a one-stop campus that can connect homeless people with an assortment of services such as addiction counseling, mental health care and employment.

The citys experience offers evidence that local policy innovations, good governance, and strong public-private partnerships can lead to improved outcomes, the report says.

To that, wed add that it also requires willpower by local authorities in any city to lead people in need to a place such as a homeless-services campus where their needs can be met. That means moving the chronically homeless out of the urban camps that feed their addictions and foster crime and violence.

A lack of such resolve by City Hall in Denver could be another reason the city has been less successful than Colorado Springs in addressing homelessness.

As Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers observed in a Gazette report the other day on the Common Sense data, It is very clear to me that they are not enforcing the camping bans in Denver  and frankly, I dont understand why.

Many Denver residents would agree.

It makes sense for Colorado communities to work together on homelessness not only to coordinate resources and responses but also to learn from each others experiences in mapping out a broader strategy.

The quest begins with an effort such as Common Sense Institutes, compiling the most accurate and meaningful statistics available on the homeless. In todays Gazette Perspective section, the institutes executive director, Kelly Caufield, provides an overview of that effort, focusing on Colorado Springs and Denver as well as Grand Junction. Its well worth reading.

The Gazette Editorial Board
El Paso County GOP

This is in response to the New GOP an extreme movement by Russell McPadden from Feb. 22. McPadden is upset because he wasnt reelected to two positions in the El Paso County GOP. He blames Vickie Tonkins and her anti-establishment followers. What he fails to mention is that when Tonkins was first elected, she inherited a 35% vacancy rate for Precinct Leaders. She and her staff did their job to fill most of these vacancies. Patriots, such as myself, stepped forward by attending Caucus and were voted in by their neighbors to represent their precinct.

My motivation to get involved and attend Caucus last year is the result of the anomalies from the 2020 and now the 2022 elections. Evidence of wrongdoing is overwhelming and still being reported.

Just this week a limited audit of scanned ballots from the 2020 election in Alleghany County, Pa., reported that 50,000 ballots were scanned (and counted) more than once. And the most recent hearing by the Arizona Legislature on election integrity exposed the racketeering and corruption of election officials, politicians, judges, and money laundering by the cartels. It wasnt Tonkins that motivated me, it was the fact that nothing was going to change if patriots didnt get involved at the local level. Only five people for my precinct showed up at Caucus. Due to a lack of interest and by default, I was elected as the second Precinct Leader.

The establishment challenged the appointment of many of these new precinct leaders before the State Convention last year and again most recently before the El Paso County Central Committee meeting earlier this month. They failed and Vickie was reelected for a third term.

So, yes, I am one of those patriots that stood in the gap at the precinct level and hope to make the GOP better and more effective, by selecting strong conservatives for elected positions.

Nancy Murray

Colorado Springs

About delusion and division

Re: Down the Middle, page 2, by Eric Sondermann, Wednesday, March 1: I couldnt agree more: the county GOP chair Vickie Tonkins and her mob has to go! Unfortunately by her heavy hand and my-way-or-the-highway mentality got her elected to another chairmanship term. This is going to lead us to more disasters.

Two years ago I wrote her emails which she didnt like; her response was Sir I dont know who you are but stop writing me. So out of fear of possible litigation by her I did stop. But no longer!

As Sondermann wrote  Tonkins and her slate of loyalists  are more about delusion and division than about making the party more attractive to wavering masses. Good-by Tonkins and your cronies; get with our Republican agenda instead of your personal gain.

Otherwise, well never see a GOP in a Colorado state office again.

Bill Clewe

Monument

Student loans are legitimate debts

I began getting student loans when I was 17 and starting college. I worked 40 hours a week (while doing A grade work on my 20 credit hours) to pay for those loans. I paid them all off. Later when I was 50, I left my great job and went back to school and again took on student loans. I paid all of those back as well with part-time jobs. For part of that time I was married with four kids. It was a financial struggle for the family, but I managed it.

Student loans are legitimate debts. No less than car payments and mortgage payments are legitimate debts.

How about giving mortgage loan forgiveness to adult taxpayers? Sixty-three percent of American homeowners have a mortgage. Yeah. Lets have mortgage loan forgiveness, Mr. Biden. Mortgage loan forgiveness would help thousands of Americans.

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Marge Baker

Colorado Springs

Put money into our citizens

The Biden administration just gave another 1.2 billion dollars to Ukraine, and there will

be no accounting on how that money will be spent. How about we put it into the SNAP food program that is being discontinued in the USA, and taking care of our citizens?

Gordon Strike

Colorado Springs

Horrendous piece of legislation

Re: House Bill 1167. Thank you for enlightening us on this horrendous piece of legislation. Letting the supplier of a lethal means to kill anyone they want off the hook when their client over doses simply because they called 911, is the same as letting any mass shooting suspect off the hook as long as they were the one that had called 911.

To every voter in Colorado, think about this one during the next election cycle. Stop voting the party line and stand up for common sense.

Dan Spohn

Black Forest

Huge commitment by the USA

Regarding articles in Saturdays Gazette about Ukraine, heres what is really at stake: If Russian wins, or more likely settles for a border compromise, the West will be viewed as weak and not able to stop China invading Taiwan. That war will be more difficult to fight, cost American deaths, a larger military outlay, and possibly a loss.

Committing to Ukraine now, and winning that war, sends a message to China that invading Taiwan is a loser. But wining in Ukraine now, means a greater commitment by the US and the rest of NATO. No more half-hearted support resulting in prolonged war, where more Ukrainians die and more of their country is destroyed. We must give Ukraine all the military support they really need and start it right now.

This will require a huge commitment by the USA and cajoling NATO to step up. Stronger sanctions will make Russian a world pariah. For Europe, it means Russian will be forever deterred from invading neighboring countries. For the rest of the world (namely China) it sends the critical message that unilaterally invading other counties will not be countenanced. If China knows their sanctions will be the rest of the world not buying Chinese goods, what a great deterrent.

Erik Lessing

Colorado Springs
FLORISSANT  Out of the bright visitor center and into the night, David Warner asks you to stop.

Look around, he says here at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. You might feel disoriented, he says. Thats normal  its a staggering change from that kind of light to this kind of darkness.

We were just inside, and our eyes were what we called bleached, says Warner, with the Colorado Springs Astronomical Society. We need to now let our eyes get adjusted to being able to see all there is to see.

Soon enough, everything shines and sparkles above: the sky like a black canvas splashed in glitter. The stars, the planets, the nebulas, the galaxies deep in the cosmos  here beyond the hills west of Colorado Springs, the clarity is rare, a show that some in the crowd never have beheld.

Its a crowd of maybe 50 (no earthly glow around makes counting hard). Its a crowd gathered around Mark Harter, a ranger here at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument.

He welcomes all to the park of prehistoric intrigue  of massive, redwood tree stumps and other subtropical life fossilized from a volcanic era some 34 million years ago.

We have a saying here, Harter says. Half the park is after dark.

After dark, ancient time above mingles with ancient time below in an experience unique to this often-overlooked preserve.

Its an experience unique to 201 places around the world that have achieved International Dark Sky status. In Colorado, the number is 15.

Two years ago, the International Dark Sky Association added Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument to a list that today includes just 114 other parks on the planet deemed worthy of the designation. These are parks the organization measures to be mostly spared by light pollution, affording close to the kind of view our earliest ancestors had.

When conditions allow, the Colorado Springs Astronomical Society hosts these gatherings at the national monument once a month. Now, star chasers from all over flock to this isolated place, where Pikes Peak and the broader Rampart Range stand to protect against city glares to the east.

In the prime summer and fall months, people number in the hundreds at these star parties led by astronomers with big, powerful telescopes. We have people from dozens of states, plus foreign countries, Harter says.

Tonight, one is from New York City. Yeah, I dont see this, she says under the celestial glory.

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Not many do.

In 2016, after years of collecting satellite data and widespread ground observations, Italy-based Light Pollution Science and Technology Institute determined 83% of Earths population lived under polluted, blotted skies. That included 99% of Americans and Europeans. A third of mankind, the report added, was unable to see the Milky Way.

With population growth, the beauty is increasingly hard to appreciate in Colorado, a leader of the states International Dark Sky Association chapter previously told The Gazette.

Were losing the ability to really appreciate what makes Colorado Colorado, Ryan Parker said. We have so much development thats happening, and were eroding that natural landscape, including that natural night scape, by adding more unshielded, extra bright lighting. Were creating these glare bombs.

They can be seen this night at Florissant Fossil Beds. Lenticular clouds, like flying saucers, are hovering over Colorado Springs about 40 miles away and over Denver about 90 miles away, and they are clogged with light. An unfortunate circumstance, says Bruce Bookout, an adjunct professor of astronomy at Pikes Peak State College.

Still, he has plenty to point out with his green laser. His listeners tilt their heads.

Theres Polaris, the North Star. Theres Ursa Major, the Big Dipper. Heres Orion, the great hunter, and his beastly foe, Taurus. Heres a queen and king and princess chained to a rock

The hero is actually straight up above your head, Bookout says. Theres Perseus. And theres his noble steed, Pegasus.

Bookout points to another cluster, faint but unmistakable. Say hello to the Andromeda galaxy!

The galaxy would take 2.5 million years to reach at the speed of light. Thats more than 19 trillion miles away.

And youre seeing it with your naked eye, Bookout says. Thats pretty cool.

Now he tells his audience to go peer through the telescopes. Theres one trained on other galaxies, Messier 81 and 82, each more than 12 million light-years away. Another telescope is focused on Jupiter and its moons. Another on the constellation known as the Seven Sisters. Another on a comet believed to only come around every 50,000 years or so.

Theres a sense of euphoria you get from looking at something like that, says Warner, with the astronomical society. Its like, Oh my gosh, Im seeing something that hasnt ever been seen before.

Its more than euphoria, he says. Its something science has tried to pinpoint, he says  that feeling of awe and its neurological and biological impact.

Whether thats going up and enjoying nature in the mountains, or seeing some cool wildlife here in Colorado, or seeing the beauty of the Milky Way with the naked eye ... it triggers a response in your brain that lasts for a period of time. Its a sense of well-being that you get, Warner says. And science doesnt know exactly how long that benefit acts for. So my suggestion is just keep doing it.
Woodland Parks latest interim superintendent had a tumultuous entrance into the school district. Students protested outside of their high school. Parents shouted at school board meetings. Not everybody in the district has been supportive of his vision.

Nevertheless, he isnt discouraged.

Ken Witt, whose interim term lasts only the first six months of the year, said he is planning for the districts long-term success. Hes already made big moves on his top three priorities: improving student success, utilizing facilities, and recognizing and attracting great teachers.

Theres nothing better I could be doing, Witt said, and Im delighted to be doing it.

Pioneer in education

Woodland Park has endured a series of superintendent shake ups in recent times. Former Superintendent Matthew Neal resigned last year, and in 2020, former Superintendent Steve Woolf mutually agreed with the district to terminate his contract after an arrest on charges of driving under the influence.

After two district administration members occupied the interim role for the first half of this school year, the school board voted unanimously in December to install Witt as interim while it searched for a more permanent fix.

Board Vice President David Illingworth II described Witt as a "pioneer in education" with a proven record for obtaining desired results, having worked with schools of all sorts.

Illingworth refers to Witts role as executive director for Education reEnvisioned BOCES, an organization that authorizes and oversees schools including conventional brick and mortar, online and homeschool enrichment programs.

Witt has worked with BOCES to cater to a broad portfolio of student needs, he said. The organization has created homeschool programs such as equine and forestry, and has implemented a school for dyslexic children. Under his vision, BOCES has also implemented a half-high school for juniors and seniors, where all classes are dual enrollment and students can fast track their college credit earnings.

But Witts most high-profile role in education thus far  and his most controversial  was in Colorados second-largest school district, where he served as school board president from 2013-2015. Witt and two other Jefferson County Public Schools board members were ousted halfway through their terms via a recall vote due in large part to their proposal to review a new Advanced Placement U.S. history curriculum. The proposal would have promoted patriotism and downplayed social disorder, The Associated Press reported.

Hundreds of students left class in protest, and the board ultimately backed down.

Sitting in his Woodland Park office, however, Witt said his past experiences have little to do with his current goals. Woodland Park is neither BOCES nor Jefferson County.

I think its always dangerous to compare something else to something now, he said. If youre constantly looking backwards to see what somebody did last time or what you did last time, youre missing the most important point, which is, what does the information you have tell you about whats needed here and now? And thats what were gonna focus on.

The loudest voices

Dozens of students staged a protest outside of Woodland Park High School in December following the school boards announcement that Witt was the sole finalist for interim superintendent.

Witts vision on the Jeffco School Board was patriotism and whitewashing history, student Jacob DeScmidt told the Pikes Peak Courier. He has proved in the Jefferson schools that he is vastly, vastly incompetent.

Parents and students alike echoed those concerns at a board meeting the following week, where Witt was officially selected for the job. Board members spoke over riled crowd members who turned their backs as the board announced its decision and yelled as it explained its reasoning.

Though vocal, Witt said, those community members do not represent the popular opinion.

The loudest voices are rarely the majority, Witt said, and we have clear evidence that the loudest voices that have been opposing this board and its direction were not the majority because, in fact, the voters said something different.

Several Woodland Park school board members, whom protestors decried for their decision to appoint Witt, faced their own recall push earlier last year. Recalls require the signatures of at least 40% of votes cast for all candidates for school board director in the preceding election, which for the November 2021 election in Woodland Park RE-2 amounted to around 2,700 signatures per board member.

The effort failed to gain enough community support to be included on last falls ballot, indicating a majority of the communitys values still aligned with the board it elected to represent it, Witt said.

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I wont stop caring

Witts role at BOCES connected him with Woodland Park for the first time in 2021.

BOCES helped Merit Academy open as a contract school after a previous Woodland Park school board had turned down its charter application. Witt played an important role in introducing Merit Academy to its current home within Woodland Park Middle School.

Since stepping into his new role, he has already gotten to work on his top priorities through two notable changes he said align with the conservative boards communicated mission and values.

Within a month of taking office, Witt worked with the district to implement the American Birthright curriculum standard for social studies courses. Though the change was Witts idea, he said the board had spent its first year in office establishing its core beliefs and priorities. He felt American Birthright best reflected those values, a sentiment with which the board agreed.

American Birthright was created by the Civics Alliance, a conservative coalition with the stated mission of combating a new civics approach of the progressive left that it says prioritizes activism over the responsibilities of American citizenship.

The Colorado State Board of Education introduced a proposal in October that would have adopted American Birthright as Colorados base standard. The board ultimately rejected the proposal in a 4-3 vote along partisan lines, but Witt said it was nonetheless proposed and vetted by some of the best minds of Colorado state education before Woodland Park adopted it for district use.

Its been implemented to mixed reactions.

Change is hard, Witt said. Anytime you step in and say, Weve adopted a new standard. Were going to hold ourselves accountable to it, then everybody has to think about what thats going to look like.

Since its adoption, Witt has stated on several occasions that he does not anticipate pervasive curriculum changes. AP courses will not be impacted, nor are graduation requirements expected to be. Only one course to date has been flagged under the new standards: civil disobedience, a class exploring the foundations of protest movements using nonfiction texts throughout history.

A required class reading material, Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates, was in clear violation of the new standards, Witt said. The book depicts the Black experience in modern America using language that critics say demonizes white Americans.

We will not teach racism in our schools, Witt said.

Last week, the district also announced sixth grade students would move from the congested middle school  which began sharing space with Merit Academy charter school in 2021  to the three existing elementary schools. The move is a step in Witts stated goal of maximizing the use of district facilities and resources.

Some elementary schools are operating at just 50%, he said. Meanwhile, the district is experiencing growth for the first time, with most of that growth occurring within the middle school.

The move is as much a response to current conditions as it is planning for the future should growth continue. Nearly 300 more students enrolled in Woodland Park schools this year than last, a percent change of 15.8% in the roughly 2,100-student district, according to Colorado Department of Education data. The district remains more than 500 students short of where it was a decade ago.

It's by far the best choice for the sixth graders, Witt said. Sixth graders perform much better academically, socially, behaviorally, when they're put with the elementary students than when they're moved up into a combined middle school high school context.  We have to make some facilities decisions, and we're gonna make the best decision for our students.

The decision was not met with universal praise as school district members again took to protesting. More than two dozen teachers called in sick in protest on Wednesday.

Even so, Witt and the school board remain on the same page about the decision.

Since 2012, school boards have discussed consolidating because of declining enrollment, school board President David Rusterholtz told the Pikes Peak Courier. All of our schools are approximately half full.  We had to do something.

As Witt moves into the third month of his six-month tenure, and as he grapples with mixed reactions to his decisions, he said his goal remains unchanged from when he assumed the role: to make Woodland Park the educational destination of the area.

I care a whole lot about Woodland Park School District, he said, and I wont stop caring in four months.
The entire fleet of F-35 fighter jets will be retrofitted within 90 days to address an engine vibration issue, U.S. media outlets reported, citing the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO).

The office issued a directive last week, detailing retrofit procedures for the aircraft globally.

"While only a small number of aircraft were impacted by the harmonic resonance, the plan is to retrofit the entire fleet," it said in a statement.

F-35 deliveries were halted in December 2022 after a crash involving one of the fighter jets in Fort Worth, Texas, which led to the grounding of some of the aircraft.

An investigation found a vibration issue in the engine which led to the mishap and the JPO said was a "rare occurrence" and that engineers had developed a fix for it.

The F-35, a fifth-generation stealth fighter delivered in three configurations, is the world's most expensive weapons program, with an estimated lifetime cost of 1.6 trillion U.S. dollars.

U.S. Congressman Adam Smith said in March 2021 that he thinks the F-35 is an overly expensive platform with disappointing capabilities.

"I want to stop throwing money down that particular rathole," Smith, then chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said in a virtual event with the Brookings Institution.
A bill giving Iowans more control over their personal data online is one step closer to law after passing in the Senate on Monday.

The Iowa Senate passed Senate File 262 unanimously on Monday. If signed into law, Iowa would be the sixth state in the United States to establish data privacy rights.

Sen. Chris Cournoyer, R-LeClaire, who chairs the Senate Technology Committee, said the bill is designed to increase protections for Iowa consumers in the absence of a federal law that regulates how companies can collect data.

While I expect this may eventually be preempted by federal legislation, I would also expect that what we pass here will influence what Congress does in the future and used as a potential model, Cournoyer said.

The bill requires companies that control the personal data of at least 100,000 Iowans  or 25,000 when half of their revenue comes from selling data  to notify consumers of their data collection practices and provide them with the data upon request.

Under the bill, consumers would be able to request a company to provide a copy of their personal data or delete the data collected on them.

Companies would also need to notify users about the type of personal data they collect, what they use the data for and whether they share the data with third parties. If a company sells data or uses targeted advertising, it would be required to disclose that and allow users to opt out.

It includes a raft of exemptions, including data related to health records and information collected for research.

The bill is modeled after laws passed in states like Virginia and Utah that impose similar requirements on companies collecting consumer data. California, Colorado and Connecticut have similar data protection laws.

The bill was supported by the Technology Association of Iowa, which represents technology-based companies in the state. Mollie Ross, the groups vice president of operations, said the measure would give Iowans control over their data and provide consistency for companies that operate in the state.

This is a big step forward in granting (Iowans) some rights for their data, she said. And also from an industry perspective, it lays some guidelines, sets up groundwork so that everybody is playing within the same boundaries.

As the bill has made its way through the legislative process, lawmakers and representatives for technology companies said they would prefer to see data privacy measures enacted at the federal level, but the bill is an attempt to set out parameters until a nationwide law is passed.

This may be used as a format the federal government could take on, but at least getting it passed here in the state would be a good first step, Ross said.

The attorney general would have exclusive jurisdiction over enforcing the provisions of the bill. The requirements would take effect in 2025, which Ross said would give companies enough time to adjust to the requirements.

A companion bill in the House, House File 346, advanced out of a committee last month but has yet to be passed by the chamber.
Dozens of people gathered at the Historic Park Inn Hotel in Mason City on Saturday for a wine-tasting event to raise money to help prevent homelessness in the area.

The event, put on by the Sunrise Rotary, benefitted Friends of the Family, a multi-county organization that helps those experiencing homelessness to find permanent housing. Friends of the Family also does outreach to residents without homes, providing care packages.

The Friends of the Family is an incredible organization doing much-needed work here in Cerro Gordo County and elsewhere in North Iowa, Rotarian co-chair Dennis Renner said in a statement. There is an actual homelessness problem in the area, and Friends of the Family works in multiple ways to address it."

Tickets sold for $50 each, and while the total amount raised isn't yet known, according to Friends of the Family Director of Community Engagement Michelle Simon, the event had garnered around $12,000 in sponsorships alone.

"We have recently increased our funding and want to grow our presence. Events like this give us an opportunity to talk to people about what we do and grow support," Simon said.

Director of Programs Will Bird said he was grateful for the Sunrise Rotary and its decision to make Friends of the Family the beneficiary of the fundraiser. "I'm really thankful for the community support," Bird said. "Every dollar raised goes toward individuals and families experiencing homelessness to connect with permanent housing.

Friends of the Family's mission is to provide safe shelter, confidential services, and housing assistance to individuals in crisis due to homelessness, domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.
It wasn't the astronaut who had Montana Democrats over the moon Saturday night at the 45th annual Mansfield Metcalf Dinner in Helena, but the farmer.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Tester announced in late February he will run for re-election to a fourth term in 2024, and used the 45th annual fundraising dinner for the Montana Democratic Party held at the Lewis and Clark County Fairgrounds to kick-start his latest campaign.

"I know the people in Washington don't understand what a hard day's work looks like; they often don't understand the challenges that working families are facing," Tester said to the crowd during his speech. "But that is exactly why I'm running. I am running to keep fighting for you, to keep fighting for Montana values, the state that we all love."

Tester got a little help from keynote speaker of the evening, U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Arizona.

"He wants to put the American people ahead of the American corporation," Kelly said of his fellow senator. "So that's why I'm here today  it's very simple  to help a man who is the right choice for Montana and he's the right choice for this country."

Kelly, a retired U.S. Navy combat pilot, engineer and NASA astronaut, said the current balance of power in the Senate hinges on Tester's 2024 campaign.

"If we want to hold onto the Senate, we need to make sure that Jon Tester wins this election," he said.

Kelly, who is married to former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords, D-Arizona, took office in December 2020 after Arizonans elected him to fill out the remainder of the late Sen. John McCains term. And in 2022, Arizonans elected him to a full six-year term in the Senate.

Tester's speech highlighted campaign priorities, including reproductive health rights and the cost of prescription drugs.

"They forgot that just four months ago Montanans overwhelmingly rejected their attempts to tell women what they can do with their own body," he said, alluding to the Republican contingent of the state's delegation and the defeat of the Montana Born-Alive Infant Protection Act on the 2022 ballot.

The barbs against U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, and Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Montana, were plentiful throughout the event.

Tester, who has said he is the "only working farmer in the U.S. Senate," called them and others "a bunch of multimillionaires" who are "focused on empty political rhetoric instead of fighting for working families across this country."

Kelly said Tester's re-election bid will need the support of Montana's Democrats.

"It wasn't easy," he said, speaking of his own bid for re-election in 2022. "There was about $100 million spent attacking me, that and Steve Daines. He actually only came (to Arizona to campaign against Kelly) for a day. I don't want to make a big deal of it."

Tester also made an appeal to the rank-and-file in the room.

"In order to win this thing, I'm going to need your help both with shoe leather and with resources," he said. "It has never been easy in past elections, and this one ain't gonna be easy either, but I will tell you that most things worth fighting for aren't easy."

But the rank-and-file Montana Democrats look different than in years past.

Cody Marney is the chairman of the Teton County Democrats, headquartered in Choteau, and made the drive to Helena for the event.

Marney said he wants to see highly-qualified candidates with experience in addition to younger candidates with "new ideas and new opinions."

"Ultimately, they are the ones will will be leading us," he said.

As treasurer of the Park County Democratic Central Committee, Judy Lewis, who also attended Saturday's event, said her organization was proud to have elected state Rep. Laurie Bishop, a Democrat, to the Montana House of Representatives for a third term in 2020.

Lewis said it was accomplished with a "hardcore" group made up of "a lot of younger people."

Izzy Milch, who works for a local nonprofit, also attended the dinner and said she keeps regularly involved in politics.

Milch said she hears "a lot of whispering" among younger Democrats and is hopeful the inevitable changing of the guard "will make things better."

But for now, it's Tester, and the majority of Montana Dems are happy to have the only working farmer in Washington's back.

Chief of Staff for the Montana Senate Democratic Caucus George Wilcott said while Tester was expected to run for another term, "it's always good to know he is."

"The energy in the room is strong," Wilcott said. "He's got a good chance, and there's a lot of people behind him."

Lee Enterprises.
If Brendan Fraser wins the Best Actor Oscar for The Whale, it wont be because he wore a fat suit.

Revealing the inner emotions of an obese man, he captures the loneliness, the fear and regret of someone who is staring down a challenge.

Interestingly, students in his characters class have no idea what Charlie looks like. He teaches by Zoom (video off), but they can tell hes a stickler, particularly when it comes to criticizing their writing.

When the class is over, we see the disconnect. Charlie is a morbidly obese man who doesnt look like he has left his chair in weeks. Discipline seems out of reach; death is imminent. Before that happens, others drift in to try to save him.

In The Whale, director Darren Aronofsky isnt afraid to address the elephant in the room but cant quite pull off an intervention.

One after another, those who come into the dark, depressing home try to get through to Charlie. Nothing seems to work.

Still, theres a daughter, Ellie (Sadie Sink), who has the best argument. She hasnt had a relationship with her father since he left her mother for a student.

Charlie makes his case to a missionary from Iowa (Ty Simpkins), his caretaker (Hong Chau), his ex-wife (Samantha Morton) and, for good measure, a pizza delivery guy.

No one is buying, however.

Just when you think you can be sympathetic, Aronofsky muddies the water and makes it impossible to cheer for Charlie. He made his bed. Now, hes lying in it.

Those around him practically scream their intentions. And thats how Frasers performance stands out.

Underplaying most everything, he emerges with a performance thats nuanced and real. When he offers that beaten, tear-filled look, we can almost hear his cry for help. And yet, he wont even get out of that chair. He chokes several times, struggles to catch his breath repeatedly.

Theres a recognizable man in Frasers hands. Unfortunately, everyone else is so screechy (and preachy), they dont register. You can see why he doesnt listen.

Based on a play by Samuel D. Hunter, The Whale has a message to impart. Aronofsky just isnt sure what it is.

A nice moment with Ellie hints at what could have been but The Whale isnt biting. Instead, those Zoom classes are merely a taste of a better film. The two Charlies melt into one. Neither wants rescuing. Instead, we see those choking sessions, the porn addiction and the outline of a man who might have been.

The film succeeds only because Fraser is so good at finding this character. His makeup is good, too. But beyond those elements, Aronofsky comes up empty-handed.

The Whale is a good character study. It just needs a story to make that character come to life.
DECATUR  Medical providers in Decatur are working to ensure OB-GYN services are available across the community, but options for pregnant patients and new parents are in short supply after HSHS St. Marys Hospital announced plans to discontinue these services.

In January, St. Mary's applied for permission from the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board to discontinue health services including obstetrics, advanced inpatient rehabilitation, newborn nursery, pediatrics and inpatient behavioral health services. The review board is scheduled to consider St. Mary's plans at its regular meeting in May, St. Mary's leaders said.

In a statement Thursday, hospital leaders said since announcing these plans, St. Mary's has been working closely with other care providers throughout the community including Crossing Healthcare, Heritage Behavioral Health Center and Decatur Memorial Hospital to help patients affected by these changes to transition service providers to meet their needs.

Tanya Andricks, CEO of Crossing Healthcare, said leaders at St. Mary's including President and CEO Theresa Rutherford have been in communication with Crossing and spoke with Crossing leaders ahead of the initial announcement so they were aware of the changes.

"My initial reaction was really disappointment for the community, for HSHS St. Mary's, for the staff there and for the patients," Andricks said. "Certainly when you learn that services are going to be reduced, that will have an impact on so many people."

Crossing Healthcare currently has a physician contracted from St. Mary's for OB-GYN services, but Andricks said it's unclear how long that physician will be contracted to Crossing.

Physicians and other health care workers at St. Mary's who could be affected by the changes in service were notified of St. Mary's plans, and the hospital is "exploring opportunities to transition them to other roles," according to the statement from the hospital.

"St. Marys Hospital sincerely hopes to retain these compassionate and caring professionals within HSHS," the news release said. "If these service discontinuation requests are approved by the state, impacted patients will be directly notified in coming months."

To prepare for the discontinuation at St. Mary's, Andricks said Crossing Healthcare is working with Decatur Memorial Hospital to ensure OB-GYN services, including pre- and postnatal care and other health care needs, will still be provided regardless of whether patients use Medicaid or private insurance.

"I can assure that our entire team is very committed along with Decatur Memorial Hospital in making sure that we maintain the health care services necessary to serve women in the community, and, if necessary, we recruit more of those caregivers to the community to make sure that we have what this community needs," Andricks said.

There were at least 89 obstetric unit closures in rural hospitals across the country from 2015 till 2019. By 2020, about half of rural community hospitals did not provide obstetrics care, according to the American Hospital Association.

In 2022, Crossing Healthcare served 1,200 women patients from across Macon County, and of those, 500 were prenatal patients. This accounted for 5,000 women's health appointments, of which 3,326 were for prenatal services.

Other local agencies, including New Life Pregnancy Center, are working to help pregnant patients and new parents find the care they need, but they have already started to notice the effects of St. Marys closing OBGYN services.

Beth Ellingson, nurse manager at New Life, said pregnant patients, especially those who use Medicaid, now have fewer options in town for their obstetrics provider, leading some to find care in Springfield.

Its definitely already impacting our early gestation moms.  I hear it regularly, she said. Those patients are having difficulty getting in for their first prenatal appointment, and our fear is that they wont be able to get those labs done and the things that need to be done in that first trimester.

New Life helps to connect new parents and pregnant patients with services through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infant and Children (WIC) and to make referrals to begin the Medicaid process, Ellingson said.

If a person is already on Medicaid, typically prenatal visits are not covered unless proof of pregnancy has been established, she said.

New Life helps with that process to ensure patients first prenatal visits are covered.

The center also offers parenting classes and lactation support, said Ellingson, who is a certified lactation consultant.

She said other private medical providers in town offer care for pregnant patients who use Medicaid but not necessarily obstetrics services. That can include monitoring throughout the pregnancy, delivery babies and caring for parents and babies after birth.

"Throughout all of this, all of the health care providers have been working closely together and communicating," Andricks said. "Everyone has the same goal in mind and that is to make sure that we continue to provide high quality care and meet the needs of everyone in the community."

Other patient services at St. Marys Hospital are available for other medical needs. A list of these services can be found at hshs.org/StMarysDecatur/Services.

Federally qualified health centers can be found online at findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov.

Jim Taylor, Decatur Citizen of the Year, through the years Holman_Lloyd 1 04.24.20.JPG Taylor_Jim 11.5.18 (copy) Taylor_Jim 11.3.17.jpg Walker_Dr Thomas 11.3.17.jpg WORKERS MEMORIAL SPH 20130428 TAYLOR Others shared a dream: Local activists remember their hopes, struggles for racial equality CAT retirees deliver food to six agencies
DECATUR  Reglo G. Logan is facing a charge of arson after police accused him of piling up $900 worth of his ex-girlfriends clothes and shoes and setting fire to them last spring in the home they used to share.

A sworn affidavit from the Decatur Police Department said patrol officers arrived at an address in the 2100 block of Evandale Drive to find smoke pouring out of the house.

Officers observed pillows, clothes and other miscellaneous items smoldering on the living room floor and in the basement of the residence, the affidavit added.

Officers said they then spoke to Logans 36-year-old former girlfriend who said she was confronted by Logan, also aged 36, and he had then "started her items on fire. She had earlier gone to the house to "retrieve the remainder of items still inside as she was moving out."

The woman is quoted as telling police she estimated the stuff burned up in the living room was worth $300 while three pairs of her Jordan-brand shoes blazing in the basement were valued at $600.

The incident dates to the evening of May 6, but police said they found and arrested Logan Jan. 30. He appeared in Macon County Circuit Court for arraignment March 2 and has yet to enter a formal plea. Judge Lindsey Shelton agreed to Logans request for time to hire a defense lawyer and told him to be back in court with his attorney April 14.

Logan, who faces unrelated preliminary charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and other traffic offenses, is free on bail. His bail conditions forbid him to contact his former girlfriend and order him to stay away from the home on Evandale Drive.

All preliminary charges are subject to review by the office of the state's attorney.

Updated mugshots from the Herald & Review Joseph A. Williams William A. Hosea Randolph Hayes Byron D. Theus Jetrevius O. Jarrett Phillip Gehrken Emmanuel White Aaron L. Hand
DECATUR  Brandi Binkley, who led the Macon County Health Department during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, has been named senior vice president and chief human resources officer at Land of Lincoln Credit Union.

Binkleys career change comes nearly two months after she announced her resignation as the health departments top administrator. The credit union said her extensive public health experience is an asset to the company.

She brings extensive experience, and more importantly, compassion, to the role, both of which will undoubtedly enhance our employee experience and culture, said Robert Areas, president and CEO of the credit union, in a news release.

Binkley served as Macon Countys public health administrator from May 2019 to January, placing her directly in the public spotlight as the community adjusted to rapidly changing knowledge and mitigation efforts related to the pandemic. She had worked in the department since 2005 in a variety of roles, including chief human resource officer and director of human resources.

The credit union said Binkley will oversee various human resources initiatives, such as training, culture enhancement and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. She will also oversee human resources for all personnel in the credit unions 28-county service area in Central Illinois but will be based in Decatur.

In a news release, Binkley said she had been impressed by the credit unions dedication and commitment to community service efforts before she took the job.

I know the same spirit of service is extended to LLCU employees, she said, and I look forward to further developing and enhancing employee experience at LLCU.

Binkleys resignation was closely followed by the exits of two other county health department leaders. The county health board appointed an interim administrator, Lindsey Munsterman, at the end of January.
DECATUR  A Decatur man bought a mini bulldozer for $60,000, tried to pay for it with a bounced check and then sold it to someone else before stealing it back again, police report.

A sworn affidavit said the customer the 36-year-old man sold it to also paid $60,000 for the John Deere bulldozer on May 3, 2022. He agreed to lend it back to the man on Nov. 5 after he had said he needed to borrow it, and told Macon County Sheriffs Office deputies he has not seen the man or the bulldozer since.

After multiple text messages went unanswered, the customer finally filed a complaint with police on Jan. 4, and the man was found and arrested Feb. 12 and booked on a preliminary charge of theft.

The affidavit said police investigations discovered the man had bought the bulldozer Jan. 28, 2022, from Roland Machinery, a used equipment dealer in Springfield.

(The man) attempted to pay Roland with a $60,000 check which bounced three separate times, said the affidavit. (The man) eventually delivered the (bulldozer) back to Roland Machinery on Nov. 5. This was the day he had requested to borrow it (from the man he had resold it to)

Police quoted the man as denying buying the machine from Roland and then stating he did not wish to speak any further regarding the incident.

A check of Macon County Jail records show the man was released from custody Feb. 14 after paying a $1,500 bond on bail set at $15,000. His bail conditions order him to stay away from the man to whom he resold the bulldozer.

All preliminary charges are subject to review by the office of the state's attorney.

Updated mugshots from the Herald & Review Joseph A. Williams William A. Hosea Randolph Hayes Byron D. Theus Jetrevius O. Jarrett Phillip Gehrken Emmanuel White Aaron L. Hand
Dozens of Israel's air force reservists announced Sunday that they will not show up to duty for a training day in protest of the government's planned judicial overhaul.

In an open letter, 37 of the 40 reservist pilots of Squadron 69, an elite air force unit, said they will not take part in an exercise scheduled for Wednesday.

The military did not comment on the letter, but Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said in a video statement that "any call for military disobedience harms the functioning of the army and its ability to carry out its duties."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's extreme-right coalition government is pressing on with judiciary overhaul to "curb the overly activist Supreme Court."

Fearing that Netanyahu, who faces an ongoing trial over corruption charges, wishes to gain excessive power over the legal system, tens of thousands of Israeli have been staging weekly public demonstrations over the past two months.

The Israeli air force has counted heavily on reservists on the battlefield, particularly pilots, navigators and other aircrew members. The reservists have been called for training several times a year to maintain the air force's readiness.
DECATUR  Aleshia D. Lowe is denying charges she is an armed dealer after police said they fished two stolen guns and a variety of street drugs out of the Decatur womans backpack following a traffic stop.

Lowe, 22, appeared in Macon County Circuit Court March 1 and waived a preliminary hearing on two counts of armed violence and charges she dealt in cocaine, methamphetamine and other drugs.

A sworn affidavit said Lowe had refused to divulge the combination to a lock on her backpack after a car she was riding in was pulled over by police patrols Feb. 8. Officer Travis Wolfe, who signed the affidavit, said cops had their eye on the car after earlier seeing indicators of criminal behavior while it was parked in the 200 block of North 22nd Street.

Wolfe said the bag was forced open and he logged the following contents: two stolen 9mm semi-automatic handguns; 195 grams (6 ounces) of cocaine; 151 grams (5 ounces) of meth; 46 tablets of suspected fentanyl pills; and 928 grams (2 pounds) of cannabis.

Also present in the bag was $8,845, a fully functional digital scale and documents and pill bottles with Lowes name on them, Wolfe added.

Police quote Lowe as claiming the driver of the vehicle had handed her the weapons and drugs when he realized he was being pulled over. She had said that would explain why her fingerprints and DNA would be present on the drugs and guns.

After going over the defendants rights and noting her not guilty pleas, Judge Lindsey Shelton scheduled the case against her for a pretrial hearing April 5.

Lowe remained in the custody of the Macon County Jail Sunday with bail set at $300,000, requiring her to post a bond of $30,000 to be freed.

Updated mugshots from the Herald & Review Joseph A. Williams William A. Hosea Randolph Hayes Byron D. Theus Jetrevius O. Jarrett Phillip Gehrken Emmanuel White Aaron L. Hand
DECATUR  Christopher M. Clay, accused of severely beating, raping and threatening to kill a Decatur woman, is now beginning a nine-year prison sentence.

Clay, 44, had been due to face a trial in Macon County Circuit Court on Monday but changed his mind and took a plea deal negotiated by defense attorney Susan Moorehead after making a surprise court appearance on Friday.

The defendant admitted a charge of inflicting aggravated battery causing great bodily harm. Presiding Judge Thomas Griffith then agreed to dismiss two charges of aggravated criminal sexual assault, one count of aggravated domestic battery and a charge of unlawful restraint.

A sworn affidavit from Decatur Police about the case said the 31-year-old victim flagged down a passing squad car on West Macon Street just after 8 a.m. June 18.

Officers observed that both of her eyes were swollen shut, that her lips were bleeding and swollen, and her entire face and head were extremely swollen, said Officer Austin Clark who signed the affidavit.

(She) stated that she had been held against her will at the apartment of Christopher Clay and beaten and sexually assaulted by Christopher.

Police took the woman straight to HSHS St. Marys Hospital, where she was later diagnosed with a broken nose among numerous injuries to her head that left both eyes swollen shut.

The woman said she had known Clay and had gone to his home to have a drink with him the night before she was found. She described them having consensual sex at first but said he had become enraged when she told him to stop because she felt she was too drunk and too tired and wanted to sleep.

Clay had responded by repeatedly beating and raping all night long as he held her prisoner, refusing to let her leave. At one point, the woman said, he had pulled a gun and threatened her with it.

He let her go the next morning and, dropping her off near her own home, threatened to murder her if she called the police, she said.

A check of Clays criminal record shows he is already classified as a sexual predator after being sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2007 for raping and injuring a 21-year-old victim.

Clay had been facing an additional charge of violating sex offender registry rules by failing to report an address change, but that charge was also dismissed as part of his plea deal.

Updated mugshots from the Herald & Review Joseph A. Williams William A. Hosea Randolph Hayes Byron D. Theus Jetrevius O. Jarrett Phillip Gehrken Emmanuel White Aaron L. Hand
DECATUR  A newly married Decatur man, just home from the hospital, ended up going right back there after he was beaten up by his wife, police report.

A sworn affidavit from the Decatur Police Department doesnt describe why the 57-year-old man had been in the hospital the first time. It said he got back at 2 a.m. Jan. 6 and was confronted by his 27-year-old wife of three months.

(He) stated (she) let him in the apartment and immediately started an argument with him, said Officer Donald Larson, who signed the affidavit.

(He) said she grabbed him by the hair and threw him to the floor face first. He went to the bedroom to lay down on the bed. She entered the room, got on top of him and started punching him in his face approximately seven to eight times. He said she also slapped him with her open hand three to four times.

He ended up going to the hospital to be treated for a head injury.

Larson said he questioned the wife, who did not deny hitting her new husband. ...She advised she did strike him in the bedroom but it was light and playful, Larson added.

For some reason not explained in the affidavit, the husband did not report the attack until Feb. 1. He had taken pictures of injuries sustained to his left eye and face, however, which Larson said he showed to police.

The woman was booked on a preliminary charge of domestic battery and released from the Macon County Jail Feb. 2. She paid a $200 bond on bail set at $2,000; prosecutors had asked for bail to be set at $3,000.

Her bail conditions forbid her to reside in the family home or have any contact with her husband.

All preliminary charges are subject to review by the office of the states attorney.

Updated mugshots from the Herald & Review Joseph A. Williams William A. Hosea Randolph Hayes Byron D. Theus Jetrevius O. Jarrett Phillip Gehrken Emmanuel White Aaron L. Hand
CHICAGO  The last time Reyna Cristina Ical Seb saw her family, she promised them she would send enough money to fix their small home in a rural Indigenous town in Guatemala. At just 20 years old, she made her way north, crossing several borders before settling in Chicago last October.

Ical Seb was hopeful she would be able to help her parents after finding a job shortly after arriving in the city where she had no other family, only colleagues from other towns in her native country.

She just had many dreams, just like all of us, said her friend, Josue Isaias Caal.

But she couldnt keep her promise to her parents.

On her birthday, Feb. 22, Ical Seb was found dead in a dark alley in the Little Village neighborhood. She had been killed while making her way home from work, her friend said.

Her death brought together the Guatemalan community in Chicago to raise money to ensure that Reinas remains could make it back home to her parents, and to honor the sacrifice that the young woman made by migrating to the United States, eager to work.

She had made it so far, and came here to die, said Caal.

Like Ical Seb, most of the Guatemalans who attended her Feb. 27 funeral service in Chicago are from Indigenous towns. Many have recently arrived in the city and only speak Mayan. They have found a community in La Villita, or Little Village, the predominantly Mexican immigrant neighborhood on the Southwest Side.

While staring at her coffin, draped in an American flag, hundreds lamented Ical Sebs death, and encouraged each other to take care of one another.

On March 3, her body was repatriated to her hometown. Hundreds of Guatemalans waited alongside her parents for the return of her body to pay tribute to the woman who has become a symbol in the country of the dangers of migrating north, said Mario Caz Yaxcal, a friend of the family that assisted Ical Sebs parents with translating information in Spanish to Mayan.

Young girls from her hometown held American and Guatemalan flags as they walked through the streets before the burial. Caz is also a journalist in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, the municipality where her family lives. Aldea Chantaca in San Pedro Carcha has nearly 100 families, he said and their livelihoods depend on agriculture.

Theyre a very humble family, Caz said. They cant comprehend what happened to their daughter.

More than two weeks since her body was found, the Chicago Police Department says the investigation is ongoing and have not provided information on any leads. A neighbor discovered her body while returning home from work about 2:55 a.m. Feb. 22 in the 2200 block of South Drake Avenue. She died several blocks from where she lived in the 4100 block of West 24th Place, said police and the Cook County medical examiners office.

Ical Seb died of a gunshot wound to the head, according to the medical examiners office. Her death was ruled a homicide.

Her family, and those who knew the young woman, are in shock at the killing, still trying to find answers and praying for resolution, said Caz. They learned of her death after several people in Chicago watched a news report about the lifeless body and suspected it was Ical Seb after realizing she was missing from her home.

Caal, one of the few friends that Ical Seb had in Chicago, said he is heartbroken and in disbelief. He was the one who went into the morgue to identify her body after communicating with her family in her hometown.

I wish we werent sending her back home in a coffin, he said.

Ical Seb, who was found on her 21st birthday, was quiet and sweet, her friends said. She was hardworking and while living in her hometown, spent most of her time in church.

Her family does not believe that the killing was targeted, Caz said. She didnt deserve that. And though nothing will ease their pain, they hope to get some clarity of the murder. Why Reyna? he asked.

Local leaders, immigrant-rights advocates and Guatemalan social media influencers have demanded that the investigation continue and that police solve her slaying.

Pablo Pineda, president of the Coalicion Coordinadora Guatemalteca in Chicago, said that the killing has sparked fear and concern among the citys growing Guatemalan community. But it has also shown them that they are not alone, he said.

They may not have family here, but we have each other, Pineda said.

More than 1,000 people attended Ical Sebs funeral service in Chicago. Most were from neighboring towns in Guatemala, some were her friends and others just wanted to support and pay tribute to the young woman.

Tenemos que compartir el dolor, said Rutilia Coc, We must share the pain.

I hope that we learn to take care of each other, she added. Coc did not know Ical Seb but can see her younger self in her story, she said.

We all come here hoping to change our life and the lives of those who we love, she said. Even though she arrived in Chicago five years ago, she still wears her traditional huipil and it wasnt until recently that she learned Spanish.

Pineda made a call to local leaders to be more aware of the needs of recent migrants in their neighborhoods and promote public safety by encouraging them to be aware of their surroundings and always share their location.

But he also hopes leaders in Guatemala feel the pain of the family of Ical Seb to begin making moves to create jobs and stability in their town and avoid pushing them to migrate north.
A Marion man was killed and a Lenoir man was injured in a head-on collision on Union Grove Road in Caldwell County, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.

The crash occurred around 11:30 p.m. on Friday.

Lenoir resident Izaiah James Thomas Hartsell, 18, lost control of his Chevrolet S-10 and hit a Chevrolet Colorado driven by Marion resident Johnny Cleveland Davis, 67, after crossing over the center line, according to the release.

Davis, who was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, died at the scene. Hartsell suffered non-life-threatening injuries, according to the release.

The collision is still under investigation and troopers will consult with the DAs office about possible charges, Master Trooper Christopher Casey said Monday.

He added, Im confident charges are forthcoming.

Alcohol or drugs did not appear to be a factor in the crash, according to the release.
Businesses should be enthusiatically supporting a government digital ID system to help address their cyber security challenges, outgoing NSW digital services minister Victor Dominello told a tech industry gathering in Sydney last Thursday.

Dominello was giving his final public speech as a minister when asked about the business benefits in his push for Australian governments to adopt digital IDs.

You're sitting on a bank of PDFs of passports and drivers licences and don't have a secure cyber framework around that. Isn't that a contingent liability to think about? So organisations should be jumping onto this, to make sure they don't need to record it.

We're already speaking to industry. For example, one of those use cases that will be gratefully using this are renters. I had the tenants union in New South Wales, in a room together with industry reps, and the Real Estate Institute.

We showed videos of where we are now with the beta and its ready to roll, subject to legislation by the law this year. And they all want to be part of this  the renters because they don't want a copy of their passports and driver license going to twenty different real estate agents as they try to find a place to live. So, it's a huge risk for them.

On the other side, the Real Estate institute is saying, we can't afford for a cyber attack for our brand to be smashed. So this de-risks and frees up business.

The retiring minister's call to industry comes as the federal government mulls a national digital ID scheme as part of its response to last year's Medibank and Optus privacy breaches, a move Dominello endorsed while dismissing parallels with the abandoned Australia Card proposal of the 1980s.

"We can't allow some people that are misinformed to say 'this is back to the Australia Card debate'. The Australia Card debate took place in a world without the Internet," he stated.

"This is the opposite of the Australia Card, this is empowering individuals for tech and privacy, not the other way around and we need to make sure that we're advocates because that's true. This will strengthen our country."

Despite leaving politics at the upcoming NSW election, Dominello was as enthusiastic as ever about the benefits of government digital transformation, saying, this is huge microeconomic reform on any scale, huge. Remember this conversation in five years time and see where we're at. It will be a different experience.

Dominello was also effusive towards his interstate and federal colleagues, calling out commonwealth ministers Clare ONeill, Bill Shorten and Katy Gallagher for the work theyve been doing around digitising government services and in cyber security.

The key, Dominello believes, is in ensuring data formats are standardised across states, territories and federally so identities can be validated effectively.

New South Wales will lead the way and Victoria will probably be the next cab off the rank, but it will become commonplace," he said.

So basically, national corporations like Telstra, or the banks can say, all right, I can move into this with confidence knowing that everyone's going to be the same eventually.

On his future moves, Dominello indicated he is going to remain in the tech industry saying, I'm going to do some scuba diving and I've been approached by a number of universities, so they want to do something because I have so much scar tissue being in politics for the past twelve years. I'd like to give back to the tech sector.

My advice to the person that follows me  whoever it is  is you do you. I want to see what their vision is, their take on things. It's not for me tell them  there's nothing worse that a former minister telling them what to do.

"I will be standing outside in twenty-five days and I'll be part of the cheer squad saying 'please continue, please'.


include_once "/home/jwreview/public_html/$theme/includes/sidebar.php"; ?> The Left's outright lies about Governor Ron DeSantis (R  Florida) suggest that they fear him and aim to sandbag him through their usual methods: Rampant deceit and racial division.

First, CBS News' 60 Minutes concocted an elaborate fiction in which DeSantis supposedly arranged for Palm Beach County seniors to receive COVID-19 vaccines through Publix, as a payoff for the grocery chain's $100,000 donation to his re-election campaign. This pay-to-play fantasy began to unravel when Publix explained that its stores had administered seasonal flu shots for years, and the company had volunteered to offer COVID shots on a non-exclusive basis.

Next, Left-wing journalists, politicians, and the neo-radical Walt Disney Company accused DeSantis of signing the so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill and dragging gay rights back to the dark ages before 1969's Stonewall Riots.

In fact, nowhere in the 1,307-word Parental Rights in Education Act does "gay" appear. This statute is as silent as the Sphinx about "gay," "straight," and "celibate."

This law does say that "classroom instructionon sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3," a perfectly reasonable position that normal Americans overwhelmingly support. So, DeSantis' enemies flat-out lied about this measure, to tar him as a monstrous homophobe.

Third, Leftists play the race card as routinely as most Americans breathe. So, naturally, when DeSantis objected to the College Board's Advanced Placement Black Studies curriculum, they accused him of  what else?  a racist conspiracy to whitewash slavery.

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MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell outrageously claimed that DeSantis "says that slavery and the aftermath of slavery should not be taught to Florida school children." After DeSantis' press team screamed bloody murder, Mrs. Alan Greenspan conceded that her execrable comments were "imprecise"  much as it would be imprecise to call Florida a Canadian province. Mitchell full-on lied.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also lied about DeSantis: "If you think about the study of black Americans, that is what he wants to block."

DeSantis, in fact, signed legislation that requires teaching slavery.

As DeSantis' Press Secretary Bryan Griffin told me, the governor "proposed, championed, and signed" Individual Freedom  House Bill 7. Approved last April 22, the "Stop WOKE Act" established "Required instruction" in K-12 government schools including "the enslavement experience, abolition,...the vital contributions of African Americans to build and strengthen American society and celebrate the inspirational stories of African Americans who prospered, even in the most difficult circumstances."

This law also encourages teachers to discuss "slavery, racial oppression, racial segregation, and racial discrimination"

DeSantis also signed House Bill 1213 on June 23, 2020 mandating that Florida students learn about the 1920 Ocoee Massacre, an atrocity perpetrated by Democrat Ku Klux Klan members and some 250 white racists who fatally shot, burned, and lynched an estimated 30 to 35 black Floridians to stop them from voting and scare others from the polls.

After implementing what he supports, DeSantis recently opposed specific topics within the AP course that go far beyond slavery into something resembling, at best, Black Lives Matter propaganda. A small sample:

 "Intersectionality and Activism" features readings by former Black Panther Angela Davis, the 1980 and 1984 vice presidential nominee of the Communist Party USA.

 "Movement for Black Lives" highlights Rutgers sociology professor Leslie Kay Jones who whined about "the white supremacist superstructures that oppress us."

 "Black Queer Studies" showcases Yale Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies professor Roderick Ferguson who explains: "It means building forms of queerness that reject the given realities of the government and the market."

"Florida statute requires the teaching of slavery and its aftermath," DeSantis' deputy press secretary Jeremy Redfern noted February 22 via Twitter. "We just know that 'queer studies' has nothing to do with Jim Crow."

The Democrats' intellectual and public-policy bankruptcy is confirmed by the fact that Leftist politicians and journalists do not challenge Ron DeSantis' pro-American, pro-freedom, pro-market governing philosophy. Instead, they yell, "Homophobe!" "Racist!" and lie, lie, lie as loudly as possible.
The Mattoon Chamber was honored to partner with Alexander Benishek to give a presentation at the 34th annual Rural Community Economic Development Conference in Springfield on Feb. 23. The conference is presented by the Illinois Institute of Rural Affairs, Western Illinois University and the Governors Rural Affairs Council.

The conference was chaired by Lt. Gov. Julianna Stratton, who singled out Mattoon in her introduction with a shout-out for all the great things happening in our community. Stratton visited Mattoon in January of this year during the previous GRAC conference at Elevate CCIC Inc.

We were asked to present information on the success generated from the Move To Mattoon program that was developed through the chamber, Benishek and Mattoon in Motion. Benishek was an AmeriCorps Fellow who was selected to work in Mattoon for a year during his fellowship. Once he completed the program, he was hired by the City of Mattoon in a new role as the director of community development and planning.

Benishek was instrumental in developing the Move to Mattoon program during his fellowship with Mattoon in Motion. He worked closely with Carolyn Cloyd and I on creating a valuable incentive package to recruit remote workers to our community. Businesses in Mattoon were very generous in supporting the program, which led to a package valued over $11,000.

The incentive package includes $5,000 cash toward moving incentives, $500 in local restaurant vouchers, a years free membership at the Elevate CCIC Inc. co-working space, six months free membership at the YMCA and numerous other local business incentives. The full list is available at www.makemymove.com/moving-living/mattoon-il.

The goal of the program is to get people who live 100 miles or more from Coles County and work remotely to make Mattoon their family home. Benishek found that the number of remote workers has increased over tenfold in the past five years, especially during the pandemic. We decided it makes sense to encourage remote workers to make Mattoon their home.

The average salary of remote workers closes in on $100,000. By bringing remote workers and their families to Mattoon, we are able to increase disposable income spending, sales of houses and apartment rentals, our local tax base, and the diverse cultural experiences they bring to our community.

To date we have had over 250 people apply to the program and we have reached our goal of having five families agree to move to Mattoon this year. The program has generated great publicity for Mattoon and we have been mentioned directly or indirectly in articles in Fortune.com, Governance Magazine and the Wall Street Journal.

We were able to share our experiences and successes with the Move to Mattoon program during multiple sessions at the IIRA and GRAC conference in Springfield. Mattoon continues to be in motion and we look forward to welcoming the new families to our community.
An activist hedge-fund group is attempting to apply pressure on Primo Water Corp.s board of directors to add its four representatives even though it holds just a 1.5% stake in the company.

Legion Partners Asset Management LLC, based in Beverly Hills, Calif, issued its demands Monday in a letter to shareholders.

The hedge fund called itself a significant shareholder in Primo even though its 1.43 million shares ranks 22nd in ownership by MSNMoney.com.

BlackRock has the largest stake at just more than 13 million shares, or 8.1% of the $160.75 million outstanding shares.

At the proposed four board representatives, Legion would control 40% of the 10-member board.

Legion said in its statement that we have attempted to meaningfully engage with the Primo management team on multiple occasions around accelerating growth and improving profitability, but have seen little action taken by the companys board of directors.

We believe this lack of progress is a symptom of a stale board that lacks the skills required to drive significant performance improvement and has enabled a culture of complacency at the highest levels of the company.

Legion said it has nominated four representatives in part because of its claims of a history of underperformance by the current board.

We believe that substantial shareholder-driven change in the boardroom is long overdue and necessary at the 2023 annual meeting of shareholders in order for Primo to achieve its full potential.

Primo said in a statement that "we maintain a regular dialogue with our shareowners, including Legion."

"We are disappointed and surprised that Legion has decided to take this action without first having a meaningful conversation with us to share its perspective on our board composition and strategy.

"In fact, we have had no substantive outreach or contact from Legion in two months."

Primo said it will engage with Legion on its proposal.

"We welcome the views of all of our shareowners and are always open to ideas that may support our success.," the company said.

"We look forward to engaging further with Legion and learning more about their ideas to increase value.

On Feb. 23, Primo released its fourth-quarter and fiscal 2022 financial report in which it had a modest increase in fourth-quarter sales.

Primo had adjusted net income of $25.3 million and adjusted earnings of 16 cents.

The average earnings forecast was 17 cents by four analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research. Analysts typically do not include one-time gains and charges in their forecast.

For the full year, net income was $29.8 million and adjusted net income was $108.2 million.

Fiscal year 2022 was another successful year for our pure-play water company, Tom Harrington, Primos chief executive, said in a statement.

The continued investment in our digital platforms, increased dispenser sell-through driving connectivity of dispensers to our water solutions, and continued optimization of our route-based operations provides a strong foundation to achieve our long-term growth targets.

Cott Corp., operating out of Tampa, Fla., completed its $775 million purchase of Primo of Winston-Salem in March 2020, keeping the Primo corporate name and brand.

In September and October 2019, Legion submitted letters to Primo shareholders that were harshly critical of then-chief executive Matt Sheehan, then chairman and founder Billy Prim and several board members. Sheehan succeeded Prim as chief executive in May 2017.

Legion owned at that time 9.1% of Primo, or 3.57 million shares, trailing only Capital Research Global Investors of Los Angeles, which held a 10.6% stake.

On Monday, Legion said it is very excited about Primos future. We believe Primo has attractive end markets in the water business and a strong market position in the United States.

We believe that over the next decade households could increasingly turn to Primo for their hydration needs as municipal water sources are woefully in need of repair given that unsafe drinking water unfortunately generates new headlines with an alarming frequency.

The market opportunity for Primo has never been stronger, and the right board is needed to capitalize on it.

Bowman Gray IV, a local independent stockbroker, said Legions main goal may be to persuade Blackrock and Vanguard , s the two largest shareholders in Primo, to support their push for new directors.

While I am always an advocate for a strong board that truly represents shareholder interests, the stock performance has been relatively flat over the last year or so, which is not out of step with the broader market, Gray said.

While clearly there is a communication gap between Primo and Legion, I think Legion may have difficulty making their case given that the stock has held up during a market downturn, and they increased their dividend in February.

I would think that this coming year will be a better barometer of both the companys ability to execute and the boards ability to affect proper governance and oversight, Gray said.
The European Union is no longer dependent on gas and oil from Russia, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Sunday.

"Europes dependence on supplies of Russian oil and gas is in the past now," she told a joint news conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. "Russia cut gas exports to Europe by 80% within eight months. We have managed to compensate for it thanks to laborious efforts. Naturally, our good friends, such as the United States and Norway, helped us and supported us by liquefied and pipeline gas supplies."

According to the European Commission President, Moscow allegedly sought to break the European Unions unity by means of cutting supplies of energy sources. "But an opposite thing has happened," she stressed.

Von der Leyen took part in a German government meeting on Sunday as a guest of honor.
Wells Fargo & Co. has plans to close another 13 branches nationwide  though none in North Carolina  according to its latest disclosure to federal regulator U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

There have been at least 54 Wells Fargo branch closings in North Carolina since July 2020.

That includes Winston-Salem branches at 100 N. Main St. and 720 Coliseum Drive, as well as two locations in Greensboro and one in Blowing Rock and Dobson.

Overall, Wells Fargo has dropped from more than 6,600 branches in 2009, when it acquired a collapsing Wachovia Corp. and gained an East Coast presence.

The branch count was at 4,598 as of Dec. 31, down from 4,612 on Sept. 30 and from 4,777 on Dec. 31, 2021.
Dram & Draught is now open at 486 N. Patterson Ave. in Bailey Power Plant.

Dram & Draught, based in Raleigh, opened Feb. 16 and is still waiting for delivery of its signage before it holds its grand opening.

This is the sixth Dram & Draught, a bar concept originated by Kevin Barrett and Drew Schenck in Raleigh in 2016.

From the beginning, Schenck said, Dram & Draught has sought to be a neighborhood bar first.

The company has had a Greensboro location since 2018, and it has opened four bars in the last year and a half, with a Charlotte location set to open in the next few months.

Dram & Draught is next to Anchor Coffee, between Alma Mexicana and Six Hundred, with large windows facing Patterson Avenue.

Dram & Draught is best-known for its cocktails and extensive selection of whiskeys, said Lentz Ison, the companys director of operations.

Cocktails are about 80% of our sales, and whiskey is our biggest seller, followed probably by tequila, Ison said.

Ison grew up in Winston-Salem, attending North Forsyth High School. His first food-and-beverage job was at Red Lobster in Winston-Salem before he moved out of the area. He said that Winston was a natural choice for Dram & Draught as it expands.

Tates (on Fourth Street) was one of the first craft cocktail places. Theres just a good culture here, he said.

The Winston location has more than 3,000 square feet, including a prep room for bartenders in the back and a private room for meetings and parties.

I think it has the longest bar in Winston-Salem, Ison said, noting that it can sit 31 at the bar.

All along the entire bar is shelving for liquor bottles that extends all the way to the high ceiling.

The bar can seat a total of 184 inside and plans to add patio seating for 22 as the weather warms up.

It is currently closed Mondays, Ison said, but that will change after the grand opening.

The bar emphasis is on liquor, but it does have 15 beer taps. They include mostly N.C. craft beers. The current list includes Wisemans Tropical Shirt Sour, Deep Rivers Mango Tango Foxtrot and New Sarums Yadkin River Lager as well as Guinness and Pabst Blue Ribbon.

The short wine list offers nine wines available by the glass or the bottle.

The liquor selection is extensive. Most of our locations have at least a couple hundred whiskeys. I think the Raleigh location has over 400 right now, Barrett said.

The cocktail menu is divided into six sections.

Most cocktails run $13 or $14.

Signature cocktails include Bobby Babylon with Overproof bourbon, grapefruit, lime, cinnamon, Falernum syrup and Angostura bitters; and the Small Axe with blanco tequila, mezcal, Cap Corse Blanc aperitif wine, lime, passionfruit, Orgeat almond syrup and Angostura bitters.

Classic Renditions include an old-fashioned made with Dram & Draughts private select label bourbon, plus a gin and tonic, vieux carre, jungle bird and shakerato.

Among the Dram Favorites are the Broken Clay Pot with grapefruit-infused vodka, Aperol, cinnamon and prosecco; and Barrel of Monkeys, with Monkey Shoulder scotch, Montenegro liqueur, Cappelletti aperitif and mole bitters.

Local specialties include the Anchored Martini, a collaboration with Anchor Coffee that includes vodka, Amaro Montenegro, Anchors cold brew and vanilla demerara syrup.

The menu also lists a few boilermakers and spirit-free cocktails.

The menu conveniently lists the percentage of ABV (alcohol by volume) for all cocktails.

Dram & Draught also changes its menu seasonally and is set to introduce a spring/summer one on March 23. When we put out a new menu  thats a collaboration between the people we work with at all of the locations, Barrett said. That way you can really curate the best of the best from every location.

There is a pretty high standard. If its going to be on the menu, its really got to pop.
Q: My wife was diagnosed with dementia six months ago and has started to have hallucinations. Is this common and what should I do about them?

Answer: Disturbances in reality are common with dementia and can take many forms. These can be true hallucinations where people hear and see things that are not real. The hallucinations can also manifest as false beliefs that result from cognitive confusion such as forgetting that certain family members are deceased and referring to them as if they are still alive, or fixed false beliefs: believing family members are stealing from them, believing that a spouse is having an affair.

Another common hallucination is an individual requesting to go home when they are already home. In these situations, it is important to remain calm and patient. Trying to reason with, convince or change the mind of the person having hallucinations does not work.

It is important to know whether the hallucinations are causing fear or anxiety for your loved one. The primary goal is to make them feel safe and secure, and there are several approaches you can try to help with that. The first and safest approach is reassurance and redirection. If they are seeing animals, remind them of pets that they once had. If they believe there is a prowler, tell them that you will go and ask them to leave. You might also change the subject or get them involved in an activity that you know they can do.

For someone who is used to doing the laundry, suggest that they fold the clothes. If the person is interested, adult coloring can be a wonderful distracting and soothing activity. You can also play their favorite music in the car or at home in order to calm them. Remember, for a person living with dementia, the music that may be most impactful could be the tunes they enjoyed when they were 18 to 30 years old. It is important to reassure them and re-orient them to reality while avoiding confrontation or arguing.

Consider documenting instances of hallucination to share with your loved ones doctor, either through video or detailed written notes. Sharing with a trusted medical professional the extent, frequency and severity of hallucinations may allow them to offer some assistance and suggestions for approaches and strategies that can help. A written record of the hallucinations will tell the doctor about the type and the frequency. Recording the behavior would allow the doctor to actually observe how your loved one is being impacted. If you do record, be careful not to upset the person.

There are several resources available to help people caring for a person living with dementia find help, information and advice. The Senior Services Memory Connections project offers several ways to help including Care Consultations, Opening Minds Through Art, Caregiver Training, and more. Contact 336-721-6966 to learn more.

The Adult Children of Aging Parents (ACAP) support group in Winston-Salem provides information on dementia and other challenges that caregivers face in a supportive and friendly environment. Meetings are held the third Tuesday of each month at Highland Presbyterian Church (2380 Cloverdale Ave., Winston-Salem, NC 27103) from 5:30 until 7 p.m.. Email info@ACAPWinston-Salem.org or call 336-652-0474 or visit there website: www.acapwinston-salem.org for more information.

Q: I dont have a basement. Where should I go if there is a tornado?

-YT

Answer: With severe weather season fast approaching, its smart to have a plan of what you will do in the event of severe weather. First, dont wait until you think you see a tornado to take action. Even if the storm hits during the daytime, you will want to take cover long before you are able to perceive immediate danger with your own eyes. Second, in addition to having a tornado preparedness plan, you should be aware of what an issued watch vs. warning means when receiving weather alerts, and learn how to act on them.

A tornado watch in your area means that no tornado has been sighted, but the conditions are right for a severe storm or tornado. Always take these alerts seriously. Be sure to pay close attention to any updates from whatever weather news outlet you have available to you.

The best way to follow severe weather is to listen to your local area radio, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) radio, or local TV stations for the latest information and updates. If you have a smart device, there are weather apps that will push notifications to you while monitoring severe weather alerts. Think about where you may be during the time of a watch, and plan accordingly to follow the weather from a safe location.

A tornado warning is issued, when a tornado is either imminent or is expected to develop. If possible, you should immediately move to an underground shelter, basement or safe room. If you dont have a basement, the safest alternative would be a small, windowless interior room or hallway on the lowest level of your home. This is often a bathroom, closet, or beneath a stairwell. Flying debris is the biggest danger with tornados, so you can plan ahead to have protective coverings within reach, such as a helmet, mattress or blankets.

Remember, mobile homes are especially susceptible to damage during a tornado. Its important to have a tornado evacuation plan and know the location of nearest emergency center and know how you will get there quickly.

For more information about tornado safety, visit the Storm Predication Center website at http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/safety.html.
Busy Monday right out of the gate.

Early morning commuters headed into downtown Winston-Salem from Lewisville, Clemmons and points west this morning ran headlong into a closed road on U.S. 421 that resulted from a car chase and an officer involved shooting with deputies from the Forsyth County Sheriffs Office.

A few details, per the sheriffs office, has it that a deputy attempted to stop a gray Toyota Tacoma shortly after 2 a.m. as its driver was pulling onto 421 Southbound at Lewisville-Clemmons Road.

Lord knows why, but the driver refused to stop and sped away. During the chase, the driver fired at deputies.

Officers with the Winston-Salem Police Department and state troopers responded to the scene as well.

The chase ended 10 minutes after it started when the driver of the Tacoma, who apparently got off 421 at Peace Haven Road and re-entered the highway headed northbound crashed.

The driver, the sheriffs office said, continued to shoot at deputies and they returned fire.

Three deputies, as is the norm with officer-involved shooting cases, were placed on administrative leave while the State Bureau of Investigation looks into the incident.

U.S. 421 is expected to re-open around 9 a.m.

While the sheriffs office was quick to explain the root cause of closing a major highway - it was difficult to miss - its PR folks omitted a few crucial details.

They reported that EMTs responded to attend to a Deputy and the driver of the Toyota Tacoma without saying whether either had been hit by gunfire, injured in the crash or, particularly in the case of the deputy, overwhelmed by the serious life-and-death circumstances of working a difficult job for not nearly enough compensation.

Granted, disseminating information about an incident - even four hours after the fact - isnt an immediate priority for investigators - nor should it be.

But details, particularly when a law-enforcement officer needed to be attended to by an EMT as the result of the job, do matter.

If youre so inclined, a short word of prayer or silent reflection for all involved would be appropriate.

Performative politics

RALEIGH - Gov. Roy Cooper, as governors do this time of year, is scheduled to give his final State of the State address this evening at 7 p.m. before leaving office next year.

In it, Cooper will likely lay out his legislative wishlist - fat chance any of it passes in a radically gerrymandered House and Senate heavily tilted in favor of Republicans - and offer a sneak peek at his budget proposal, which also will be largely ignored.

The State of the State, like its big brother in Washington, is mostly performative politics and posturing with very little that will matter in your day-to-day life.

Underscoring the nakedly political nature of an event few outside Raleigh will be aware of is the fact that Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, an ambitious and far-right Republican mostly notable for outrageous, mean-spirited commentary geared toward stirring culture wars, will be giving the Republican response rather than, say, a senator or a state representative.

Math Holiday

WINSTON-SALEM - Give the creative minds at the citys Recreation and Parks Department credit for this one.

An expo of sorts with games and demonstrations has been scheduled to celebrate Pi Day on March 14 at the Miller Park Community Center from 5 to 7 p.m.

It sounds a little like something Leslie Knope might come up with for TV town Pawnee, Indiana but thats OK. It sounds fun.

And if youre still not clear why Pi Day is being celebrated - hint: 3.14 - then perhaps a call to your high-school math teacher is in order.

Or at least a Google search.
A South Carolina man who allegedly fired on law enforcement officers during and after a chase on U.S. 421 near Peace Haven Road was fatally shot by officers on Monday, authorities said.

A Forsyth County Sheriffs deputy received cuts to his face when his patrol vehicle window was shattered by gunfire, but the deputy did not receive life-threatening wounds. No other people were injured.

The dead man was identified as Alexander Parks Holland, 29, of Charleston, S.C.

The chase began shortly after 2 a.m. when a Forsyth County deputy tried to stop a Toyota Tacoma on Lewisville-Clemmons Road as the driver was pulling onto U.S. 421 southbound toward Winston-Salem, authorities said.

The sheriffs office said the deputy tried to stop the Tacoma because of a motor vehicle violation.

During the short chase that followed, the driver fired at deputies from the vehicle he was driving, the sheriffs office said. Officers with the Winston-Salem Police Department and troopers with the N.C. Highway Patrol responded as well.

Multiple patrol vehicles, including one of the police departments vehicles, were struck by gunfire during the chase.

During the chase, the Tacoma apparently exited U.S. 421 onto Peace Haven Road, and then turned onto the ramp leading to northbound U.S. 421, where the Tacoma crashed and rolled over.

The chase ended about 2:21 a.m., Winston-Salem Police said, when the sheriffs deputies used a pursuit intervention technique that caused the Tacoma to crash. Police said that after the crash, the Tacoma driver got out and was holding a rifle. The sheriffs office said the Tacoma driver continued to shoot at deputies, who returned fire.

Authorities said that after Holland was shot  he also received injuries from the crash  law enforcement officers tried life-saving measures until emergency medical services personnel arrived. Holland died on the scene, authorities said.

U.S. 421 northbound at Peace Haven Road was closed until shortly after noon on Monday.

The deputy injured by broken windshield glass was treated at a local hospital and released. The sheriffs office did not release the name of the injured deputy, nor did it name three deputies who were involved in the shooting and who are now on administrative leave, which is standard procedure in officer-involved shootings.

Online court records from Charleston show that Holland was actually scheduled to appear in court there on Monday, in connection with driving under the influence and simple possession of marijuana. Holland was also scheduled to appear in court on March 31 in connection with a charge of disobeying a lawful order and another marijuana charge.

The simple possession charge was made against Holland by Charleston city police on Sept. 19, 2021, when Holland was also charged with the unlawful carrying of a pistol, and with the count of disobeying a lawful order. Hollands bond was set at $26,080, mostly because of the gun charge, which came with a bond amount of $25,000.

Holland appears to have made bail on Sept. 21 or 22, 2021. The court record shows a dismissal in the gun case that was filed Oct. 26, 2022. An order for the forfeiture of a weapon was made in the case on Nov. 8, 2022.

In the aftermath of Mondays shooting, the State Bureau of Investigation took over the investigation of the death of the suspect, which is also standard procedure.

Police said two of its officers are on administrative duty as they fired their weapons during the incident. The officers were identified as J.C. Lancaster, a five-year veteran of the police force, and A.J. Perrell, a four-year veteran.

Police officials said its own investigators would be probing the assault on city police officers and that an administrative investigation would be carried out by the police professional standards division.

Kimbrough released a statement expressing condolences to the family and friends of Holland. The sheriff said the incident is a reminder of the danger that law enforcement officers encounter every day.

Because of our love and our commitment to the community, you can rest assured that we are proud to serve and protect, and will continue to do so, Kimbrough said. All that we ask in return is your continued prayers and support.

The last time a Forsyth County sheriffs deputy was involved in an officer-involved shooting was on March 24, 2020.

That afternoon, deputies shot Christopher Joel Mock, 45, following a car chase that ended at a convenience store on Lewisville-Clemmons Road. Mock died in the emergency room at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Hospital.

In that case, deputies were attempting to stop a Dodge pickup truck that matched the description of a vehicle officers were searching in a missing persons case.

Winston-Salem police officers later discovered the body of Toni Renee Handy, who had been reported missing, inside her home on Kimball Lane.
For four decades, the Esther Freshman Memorial Scholarship has provided awards of $2,500 to students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln who are academically qualified, of good moral character, and show promise of becoming leaders in their chosen field.

A provision in the last will and testament of Ida Freshman, who bequeathed $195,000 to the University of Nebraska Foundation in honor of her late sister in 1979, will require a court-ordered change after it was determined that it did not comply with federal law, however.

Ida Freshmans last will, as amended in 1970, stipulated that an applicant need not be a resident of the State of Nebraska, but must be a natural born citizen of the United States."

In 1977, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Nyquist v. Mauclet, held that it was unconstitutional for a state program providing scholarships for education to discriminate against resident aliens who otherwise qualified for financial aid.

The NU Foundation, with approval of the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office, applied to Lancaster County District Court in late January to make the change to say an applicant "must be a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States."

As the provision of the Freshman Will restricting scholarship recipients to natural born United States citizens has become unlawful, the (foundation) seeks to modify the Freshman Will to conform with applicable laws, the application states.

The change is part of managing more than 11,000 funds providing everything from scholarships to students to endowed positions for faculty to construction of new campus facilities, the NU Foundation said in a statement.

Donors create the criteria under which theyd like their funds to be awarded, and foundation staff continually monitor and audit these donor funds to ensure they follow all applicable laws, a foundation spokeswoman said.

Because the Nyquist case focused on financial aid offered by the state of New York and not a private entity like the NU Foundation, the Esther Freshman Scholarship remained as is for more than 40 years.

Further consideration of this case in the last few years led to a change in our position, said the foundation, a nonprofit organization that manages an endowment of $2.1 billion.

We now believe that even though this and other foundation scholarships are private funds, since they are awarded to students of a public institution, it is prudent to apply this decision to foundation scholarships.

The NU Foundation said it identified the unlawful provision of the Freshman Scholarship during an internal audit done in 2022.

Because Ida Freshman, who split her estate between the NU Foundation and the Johns Hopkins Fund, died in 1977, a decade after the scholarships namesake, the foundation worked with an attorney to draft a petition to modify the will.

In a Jan. 24 letter, the attorney generals office said the change to the will to bring it in line with current law was allowed under state statute.

Based on the representations made and the information provided, the Office of the Attorney General finds no reason to object to the modification, Assistant Attorney General Justin McCully wrote.

Both Esther and Ida Freshman grew up in Beatrice and became teachers before retiring to Los Angeles, California.

Top Journal Star photos for March 2023
Cedar Rapids, Nebraska, a village of around 400 in Boone County, has a school, a church, a few local shops and a very unique grocery store.

"You've got to have a grocery store," said Tom Bethscheider, owner of Bethscheider's Market.

His grandfather, Carl Bethscheider, opened the store in 1918, later passing it to Tom's father, Carroll, who passed it to Tom in 1975. Tom, of course, worked there for a while before becoming taking the reins.

"I've been in it all my life, so I just kind of grew up with it," he said. "I was probably in grade school when I started. I've been here a long time."

But after 48 years, he and his wife Chris are ready for life's next chapter. They want to travel and spend more time with family.

And so, the store reopened this month without a member of the Bethscheider family in charge for the first time ever.

Connor Spelic and his family, operators of Spelic's Market and Meats in Spalding, bought the store.

"(We took) a chance to sell it and not lose having a grocery store in this town because a town needs a grocery store," Tom said.

Spelic said he saw an opportunity to keep another small-town grocery store alive, for the same reason.

We "have seen what happens to small towns when they lose a grocery store, we have a strong passion for keeping small towns together, shopping local because it seems like as soon as you lose schools, grocery stores, bars, it starts going down quick," Spelic said. "We want to keep it alive, keep the money local."

The margins on a grocery store are slim and it's a competitive industry, even in a small towns where there isn't a lot of competition.

"We tried different things, like we had a gift shop, when that wasn't working so good, we had an ice cream shop with food," Chris said. "We had that for like nine years. You just keep trying new things."

While they had a crew they could depend on, they felt like it was time to move on and let somebody else take the reins.

"There is a lot of competition and staffing is getting harder," Tom said. "We've been very fortunate we have very dependable help right now but as we get older, we need young guys to help us lift things and stuff and its harder to get that."

The Bethscheiders had their last day in the store in late February. They said they'll miss the customers.

"They're like family. You know their kids, we've seen all their families grow up," Chris said. "That's the hard part of leaving the business, it's kind of your social time, too."

A lot of changes will come in the next few months as it merges with his current system at Spelic's Market and Meats.

"The building and store should look very different when we're done," Spelic said.
When local talk turns to historic buildings, North Platte residents still talk about the building that isnt there.

It disappeared the afternoon of Nov. 1, 1973, when a steel wrecking ball crashed into the sides of the 1918 Union Pacific Depot, home to North Plattes 1941-46 World War II Canteen.

Eleventh-hour efforts to save the depot apparently had succeeded. Then the wrecking balls showed up anyway.

They rang down the curtain  if the depots brick walls can be called a curtain  on a building where human dramas had played out both before and after the Canteen.

First 2 depots end in flames

That curtain had in fact risen before the 1918 depot was even existed It revealed the smoldering ruins of its immediate predecessor.

That depot had opened in December 1869, three years after U.P. Chief Engineer Grenville Dodge platted North Platte and the transcontinental railroad track gangs reached the brand-new townsite in November 1866.

They left the next spring, but a few remained to build a roundhouse, shops and hotel befitting U.P.s choice of North Platte as a division point.

That first hotel, which likely doubled as the depot, had burned to the ground earlier in 1869. The T-shaped, all-wood Union Pacific Depot and Hotel took its place, serving passengers for 46 years.

But by fall 1915, city leaders had been urging its replacement for three years.

Passengers, residents and U.P. leaders are a unit in declaring that the present depot is inadequate, unsanitary (and) a blot on the otherwise well-kept condition of the Union Pacific and a discredit to a town of over 6,000 people, Semi-Weekly Tribune Editor Ira L. Bare wrote that Sept. 17.

On Nov. 4, The Telegraph reported a promise by U.P. President A.L. Mohler that the 1869 depot would be replaced.

The need soon became imperative.

A live cinder fell from the stack of a U.P. locomotive and lodged between a platform and the depots north wall about 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 17, 1915, the Tribune reported two days later.

Fanned by a strong gale, it ignited the siding. Workers doused it with a hose, but they were not aware that the flames had crept up the studding and found their way to the attic, and it was not until an hour later that smoke was seen issuing from the eves of the building with wonderful rapidity.

The strong wind engulfed the west wing in a seething mass of flames, the Tribune wrote. Railroaders and hotel guests were ushered out, but by 8 p.m., the only part of the building standing were two chimneys built from the ground and a few charred timbers.

While a temporary depot was built, plans for a $126,900 replacement were under way by Novembers end, driven by North Platte native and future U.P. President and William M. Jeffers.

Then the lines general superintendent, Jeffers is anxious to see this city have a depot that will be alike creditable to the Union Pacific and to North Platte, Bare wrote.

Grand WWI debut

Workers broke ground for the new all-brick depot on Oct. 28, 1916. Its two-story nucleus was 90 feet high and wide, covering 280 feet as its two one-story wings stretched out on either side.

The 60-foot-long east wing handled baggage and express traffic, while the 90-foot-long west wing had a lunch counter, kitchen and 120-seat dining room  the future Canteen Room.

Visitors walked on tile floors in the dining room and the 50-foot by 100-foot-plus central waiting room, where the ceiling towered 30 feet high. A newsstand shared that space with the ticket office, with U.P. offices above.

On March 17, 1918, the Union Pacific Depot opened for business. U.P. officials  though not Jeffers, who couldnt be there  were among the 1,000 who attended a March 16 dedication ceremony that doubled as a Red Cross fundraiser.

With World War I raging, the main room was artistically decorated with flags and flowers (and) statues of Uncle Sam, the Goddess of Liberty and a Red Cross nurse attracted much attention, The Telegraph reported March 16.

The new depot, as it will long be called, is an edifice of our pride and should kindle a new spark of civic pride.  It is modern in every respect, well built and beautifully finished and furnished.

It would not, however, house North Plattes World War I Red Cross Canteen that opened July 13 and lasted until September 1919. Jeffers instead donated use of the telegraph office, which had been temporary depot and then moved west out of the new depots way.

Dramas large and small

During its 55 years and 7 months, the 1918 depot hosted the humble, the great, the unusual and the unforgettable among its countless visitors.

It was 1 years old in December 1919, when both North Platte papers noted that the depot had become a refuge after a local fuel shortage led to rationing.

The U.P. depot is the scene of many men who gather there to keep warm, The Telegraph wrote Dec. 9 after temperatures fell to 25 below zero.

These men are not loafers in most cases, but railroad men and those who have regular employment in the city but have no place to go since the closing of the places of amusement, pool halls and theatres and choose the warm depot to their cold rooming houses.

Locals could read in February 1920 about Harvey C. Wallace, a convict who got away from a Wyoming deputy taking him back to Rawlins state prison after a previous escape.

Having kept him the previous night in the Lincoln County Jail, the deputy had hauled Wallace to the depot to catch a 1 a.m. train, The Telegraph wrote.

But he granted his prisoner leave to go into the lavatory, (and) the prisoner, who was carrying a 16-pound foot weight, went into the smoking room adjoining the lavatory and, raising the window, jumped out and was gone several minutes before the officer discovered the loss of his prisoner.

If that was a lowlight in the depots history, visits by sitting U.S. presidents  and even a dead one  had to occupy the opposite end of the scale.

More than 4,000 people met an evening train on Aug. 5, 1923, carrying the body of Warren G. Harding, who had died three days earlier in San Francisco. City leaders and service clubs presented floral arrangements.

Another huge crowd greeted Herbert Hoover when he stopped for 12 minutes on Nov. 6, 1932, two days before his re-election loss to Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Roosevelt himself dropped by for 20 minutes on Sept. 29, 1935. More than 3,000 welcomed successor Harry S. Truman on June 6, 1948, a Sunday during one of his whistle stop train trips that enabled him to upset Thomas E. Dewey in that falls election.

The 1918 depot regularly hosted local railroad union meetings and U.P. clubs. When Jeffers was promoted to vice president in charge of operations, his townsmen treated him to a banquet in the dining room on Nov. 1, 1928. (They would throw an even larger one at Jeffers Pavilion on Sept. 30, 1937, the night before he became U.P. president.)

When Cecil B. DeMilles 1939 movie Union Pacific debuted in Omaha, Jeffers shared the hoopla with his hometown.

Jeffers, DeMille and most of the films cast greeted more than 5,000 people at the depot on April 26, kicking off a four-day Days of 69 bash. Union Pacific premiered at the Fox Theatre April 29, the day after its Omaha world premiere.

Canteen

Some 500 people gathered at the depot on Dec. 17, 1941, 10 days after Pearl Harbor. Their arms were laden with food, treats and Christmas packages for North Plattes Nebraska National Guard Company D of the U.S. Armys 134th Infantry Regiment, expected to stop there briefly.

They were let down  for a moment  upon learning the Kansas Guards Company D of the 137th Infantry was on the train instead. They bestowed their gifts on the Kansas Guardsmen, inspiring 25-year-old Rae Wilson to rally her hometown and launch the Canteen on Christmas Day.

It was only a few days old when Wilson learned that Jeffers was coming by train. She went to his private car, told him about the Canteen and said, The dining room of the Union Pacific depot has been empty for a number of years, and we would like to use it.

Take over tomorrow, he replied.

Between then and the Canteens closure on April 1, 1946, Jeffers redecorated and equipped the dining room and paid for two janitors to keep it clean.

His hometowns impromptu home-front service project would involve 55,000 people from 125 Nebraska and Colorado communities, serving some 6 million U.S. and Allied service members as U.P. troop trains made water stops.

Philippines President Manuel Quezon, in exile from Japanese occupation, was a Canteen customer during a 10-minute water stop on May 11, 1942.

Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King visited the Canteen on April 21, 1945, as he and some 300 press correspondents paused en route to the San Francisco conference that formed the United Nations.

North Plattes first coast-to-coast radio broadcast originated from the depot on Dec. 19, 1943, as KODY-AM and NBC broadcast the presentation of a U.S. War Department Meritorious Service Award to Canteen leaders.

And a U.S. Army Signal Corps film crew captured the Canteen in action in late July and early August 1945, preserving an invaluable visual record of the depots most immortal memory.

Quieter times

Those days fell just about halfway between the depots birth and death.

Familiar patterns returned after the war. Passengers came and went. The Red Cross held its monthly Bloodmobile donation drive in the Canteen Room. When Nebraskaland Days moved to North Platte in 1968, Frontier Revue performances in the state celebrations early years were staged there.

Downtown parades would start from or end at the depot. And North Platte, which had welcomed circuses there between the wars, welcomed in 1953 the best-known circus of all.

Traveling 1,400 strong (with about as many animals) in three trains, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus  The Greatest Show on Earth  played two shows that Aug. 26 in its Big Top at West Seventh and Willow streets. Emmett Kelly, the nationally famous circus clown and film actor, was among the featured performers.

And, now and again, North Platte remembered and honored the wartime miracle that took place at the depot.

It fully revived the Canteen for three days on Jan. 5-7, 1949, when the epic Blizzard of 1949 stranded a U.P. troop train for two days. Canteen veterans fed, housed and entertained them, then welcomed 200 bus passengers hungry from their ordeal during the storm.

The Canteen Room hosted one-week revivals in May, June and July 1967 to mark Nebraskas statehood centennial. It saw another Canteen reunion in May 1973, marking North Plattes centennial of incorporation as a city.

It would be the last Canteen event in the place where it all happened.

Painful demise

A Union Pacific passenger train had stopped at the depot for the last time on May 1, 1971. Bailey Yard, originated when a retarder yard opened in 1948, grew 20 years later into what became the worlds largest rail yard.

U.P. leaders decided that the grand old depot, like many a more modest one, had outlived its time.

Depot to go, UP says, a front-page Telegraph headline announced on Oct. 12, 1973. Despite local proposals to save the depot as a museum or youth recreation center, railroad officials had decided to tear it down.

O.A. Durrant, U.P.s eastern district general manager, said those ideas would have resulted in large numbers of persons occupying the building much of the time. He told The Telegraph the safety of those persons could not be assured because of the closeness of the building to the railroads main line and the high volume of traffic moving over the line.

Half a centurys worth of train traffic also had taken a toll, Bob Phares, North Plattes boy mayor at the time, said in December 2017.

After the depot was gone, longtime North Platte construction executive Jim Simon later told Phares he had inspected the brick depot before its demolition at U.P.s request. He found substantial structural weaknesses caused by decades of vibrations from passing trains.

Phares, who had contacted U.P. leaders about the depots future even before passenger service ceased, joined local and state leaders in final bids to save the 1918 jewel.

The Nebraska State Historical Society planned to resubmit the depot, stressing its Canteen heritage, for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. Director Martin Kivett said the National Park Service earlier turned it down because it lacked architectural distinction, The Telegraph wrote.

Unreported at the time was Phares last-ditch journey to Omaha to give U.P. President John Kenefick a plan for the railroad to donate the depot to the city.

The Canteen space would have been re-created, with the county historical society occupying the rest of the ground level and nonprofits perhaps renting the second floor for the cost of utilities.

The city was willing to put up a fence between the depot and the tracks, which was required by the U.P., Phares said in 2017. He and Kenefick shook hands on that issue, and he said, Youll hear from our attorney, who needs to work with your attorney to put this together in formal fashion that we can approve and your (City) Council can approve.

The mayor returned to North Platte feeling very, very good  until a friend who worked for the railroad told him the U.P. had approved a demolition contract.

Im trying to get ahold of the president of the U.P. to stop the destruction, Phares recalled, and I couldnt reach him.

The Nov. 2, 1973, Telegraph showed the heartbreaking photo of the wrecking ball gouging the depots east side.

In the aftermath, Phares said, another U.P. official said Kenefick and his staff had no knowledge that the railroads buildings and grounds department was moving toward letting that demolition contract as Phares presented his pitch.

Fifteen years later, Telegraph Editor Keith Blackledge wrote that former U.P. President Edd Bailey  who worked in North Platte during World War II  had told journalist Jim Cornwell: Its a real shame we didnt realize then how well remembered the Canteen would be.

Remnants

In announcing the depots imminent death that Nov. 1, The Telegraph quoted Durrant, the regional U.P. general manager, as saying the railroad would build a mini-park on its site in honor of the Canteen and its workers.

That promise was kept. Dedicated on July 23, 1975, the park stands today, its U.S. and U.P. flags directing viewers on the nearby Jeffers Viaduct to where the depot once proudly stood.

The railroad saved a few keepsakes at local groups requests. Best-known are the trainside doors through which most of the Canteens 6 million customers passed  the doors that welcome visitors to the Lincoln County Historical Museum near William F. Buffalo Bill Codys Scouts Rest Ranch.

Museum leaders announced plans in 2019 to again reuse them as the front doors of a two-story, false-front scale replica of the 1918 depots trainside entrance, fronting an addition including a scale replica of the Canteen room.

While designs and fundraising plans continue, North Plattes depot speaks 50 years after its loss of the incredible outpourings of kindness it witnessed when the world was last at war.

***

Editors note: This story incorporates material from the authors Telegraph books Canteen: As It Happened (2019) and Canteen: The Letters (2022) and his stories in The Telegraph and its former Revisited magazine.
The total value of real estate projects planned or underway across the GCC currently stands at $1.36 trillion, of which Saudi Arabia has the lion's share of 64.5% equating to around $877 billion projects followed by UAE with 21.6% share of the total regional projects, according to leading real estate expert CBRE.

CBRE in its recent '2023 Middle East Real Estate Market Outlook' stated that its anticipates a positive outlook for the real estate sectors across the Middle East this year, as elevated oil prices and resolute economic growth are expected to support strong levels of occupier and investment activity.

The economies of GCC countries are expected to continue to record strong rates of growth in 2023. Both the hydrocarbon and non-hydrocarbon sectors are expected to continue to provide material contributions to headline growth rates. The average GDP growth across GCC countries in 2023 is set to reach 2.7%, it added.

CBRE pointed out that the price performance in the GCCs residential sector was fragmented last year.

"First, on a positive note, where we have seen prices decline, it has been relatively marginal. However, price growth in Dubai and Riyadh have significantly outpaced the regional average. In 2022, the UAE was the only market to record price growth and transaction volume growth across all cities and sectors," it stated in the report.

"In Dubai, whilst we do expect transaction volumes to soften year-on-year, we expect that prices will continue to increase, across both the apartment and villas segments of the market, albeit at a slower rate. In Abu Dhabi, we are forecasting growth in both the volume of transactions and the rate of price growth over the course of the coming year," it added.

On Bahrain, CBRE said the villa prices are expected to record low-single digit price growth. In the apartment segment of the market, given new launches and existing levels of supply, prices are forecast to decrease more substantially.

In Saudi Arabia, price performance in both the apartment and villa segment of the market is likely to become more polarised over the coming year.

Villa prices are expected to continue to increase, albeit at slower rates, whereas apartment prices are likely to continue to soften. However, we do not anticipate this trend occurring in Riyadh, where the rate of price growth is expected to moderate, stated the property expert.

On par with trends in its sales market, in Bahrain, we are expecting villa rents to increase marginally in 2023, whereas, over the same period, average rents are forecast to decrease further, it added.

According to CBRE, Dubais residential rents reached their highest level on record in 2022. Throughout this period, average apartment rents increased by 27.1%, and average villa rents rose by 24.9%.

Demand has also increased significantly with the number of tenancy contracts registered increasing by 10.8% year-on-year, however, new registrations fell by 7.0%. In 2023, rents in Dubai will continue to increase uniformly, however we will not see this happen at the same pace, stated the industry expert.

"For Abu Dhabi, in the villa segment of the market, we expect that the rate of growth is likely to remain positive, although will remain in the low single digits. In the apartments segment of the market, we are forecasting for positive rental growth to return over the course of the year, however, the growth rates will not be material," it added.-TradeArabia News Service
The Legislature strode immediately into its next filibuster Monday as senators launched debate on a bill that would provide state income tax credits for donations to fund scholarships to attend parochial schools in Nebraska.

The bill (LB753), authored by Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn and supported by Gov. Jim Pillen, began the day with 31 legislative sponsors, just two senators short of the 33 that eventually will be required to free the proposal from a filibuster and move it on to second-stage consideration.

Monday's standoff followed on the heels of last week's filibuster of a bill to allow concealed carrying of handguns without permits or safety training, a blockage that was broken Friday after three days of debate.

"Every child in Nebraska deserves the best possible education," Linehan said, arguing that there is abundant evidence that public schools are not the best fit for every student.

While higher-income Nebraskans can afford to make the choice of sending their children to private or parochial schools, low-income families do not have the same option, Linehan said.

"This would level the playing field," she said.

"Our kids are our future and we need to give them every educational opportunity possible to help them succeed," Pillen said in a news release.

"LB753 gives kids in need, including kids in poverty, kids in foster care and kids of military veterans, more choices when identifying a school which best meets their needs."

First-year tax credits would be capped at $25 million, with an accompanying reduction in state revenue that is projected to rise to $39 million by fiscal 2026-27.

Failure to enact the bill would "jeopardize funding for all Nebraska students," the governor said.

Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, a supporter, argued that "kids in North Omaha" should have the same opportunity to find the educational home that fits them best as the children of higher-income Nebraskans already do.

The Legislature should "give their parents a choice" in seeking what's best for their children, Wayne said. He represents a largely Black and low-income constituency.

"Only privileged people have choice now," Linehan said.

"It's not about choice," Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha countered.

"It's about incentivizing donations to private schools  and giving a tax credit to wealthy donors."

Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha said he will propose an amendment that assures that those private scholarships could go "only to those with low family income  only to kids in need."

Cavanaugh said his children currently attend private Catholic schools, but he and his wife will move them into Omaha-area public schools next year.

"Private schools can discriminate, and they do," he said.

That is counter to "my beliefs and my values," Cavanaugh said.

Sen. George Dungan of Lincoln questioned whether the bill could withstand a constitutional challenge by providing what he said amounts to "appropriation of funds to private schools."

Sen. Suzanne Geist of Lincoln said the bill provides an avenue for parents to "have a choice because of philanthropy (if) a school is failing their children."

Providing an opportunity for children to attend schools that "better fit their needs  will not harm public education one bit," Sen. Tom Briese of Albion said.

Opponents can consume eight hours of debate before the bill's supporters could force a vote to end the filibuster and attempt to move the proposal forward. That vote would likely come Wednesday.

The bill would provide income tax credits for both corporate and individual contributors.

Meet the Nebraska state senators making laws in 2023
RACINE  The barber who killed his client after a haircut was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on Friday in Racine County Circuit Court.

Tamir Williams, 35, admitted to shooting and killing his client, Andre Sandoval, 21, in the parking lot of Angels Salon, 2221 Durand Ave., Mount Pleasant, on Aug. 28, 2021.

Initially, investigators said Williams killed Sandoval because he did not pay the $25 for his haircut.

Williams claimed he suspected Sandoval was possessed by the Antichrist, and he had been commanded by God to kill the Antichrist.

The defense sought a mental defect verdict. Williams was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder-bipolar spectrum by the psychologist who examined him.

In December, Judge Robert Repischak ruled that while the defendant did suffer from mental illness, he was capable of conforming his behavior to the law and substantially understanding the wrongfulness of his actions.

He convicted Williams of first-degree intentional homicide.

Sentencing

In court on Friday, Repischak called the shooting of Sandoval unnecessary and callous  repeating the fact that Williams continued to shoot Sandoval when he was on the ground.

Repischak reviewed the comments Williams made to his family while he was in the Racine County Jail talking on a recorded line.

Williams can be heard saying, I did the crime. I have no problem doing the time. It is what it is.

Williams also understood the penalty for shooting and killing someone was life in prison.

So he clearly  when talking to his family  knew what he did, Repischak said. He did not sound very contrite, very remorseful.

Repischak also directly addressed Williams.

When you took this young mans life, you also mortally wounded his family and friends and the community, he said. I cant have a person like that in the community. I need to protect the public. I need to address the gravity of this offense and in doing so, I must remove you from the community.

You took a life and will pay with a life  your own.

Remembering Andre

Family members and a friend of Sandovals made victim impact statements before the sentencing.

Maria Sandoval, his mother, spoke about his commitment to his family and service, which included travel to help other communities in New Orleans and Dominican Republic.

He was a very special person in every way, she said.

She told the judge there was a deep scar on my heart that will never be healed.

Maria Sandoval called Williams a cold-blooded murderer who deserves to be locked up and never let out.

Guadalupe Sandoval described the family as broken after the murder of his son by a cold-blooded killer.

He asked the judge to protect the community by giving Williams a life sentence.

The family rejected the claim by the defense that the murder stemmed from mental illness. They claimed it was just a bad haircut that Andre Sandoval did not want to pay for.

All of Andre Sandovals family and friends wore red shirts to court with End Gun Violence written on the back.

Mental illness

Schizoaffective disorder symptoms vary from patient to patient, but generally those who suffer from the illness may have hallucinations, delusions and some symptoms of thought disorder.

According to trial testimony, Williams mental health had been deteriorating for at least two years, and he had previously attacked a man walking down the street who he suspected was possessed by a demonic force.

Williams told psychologists he believed he had been touched by the devil 18 months before the shooting, and as a result, he had come to believe in God.

He believed God had chosen him to participate in the ongoing war in the unseen world between good and evil.

He traveled to Israel to look for signs of what was to come in the war. Williams purchased the gun on a command from God to prepare for what was coming.

Williams was described as quietly psychotic.

Although at times he was manic, there were not many obvious behavior manifestations of his illness.

His hallucinations were based in mainstream Christian theology. He said he communicated with God, but that was not something that might have raised red flags, as many people say they communicate with God.

He had hallucinations and heard voices, but his illness did not include physical behaviors that might have raised red flags.

Williams was described as high functioning and had learned to cope with his mental illness. For example, he wore earbuds while he cut hair to keep the voices at bay.

He was estranged from his family, lived alone and had no close friends who noticed his deteriorating mental condition.

While he could travel and attend a party, video of which was played during the trial, Williams was described as a loner.

In photos & videos: Remembering young man killed over haircut dispute as a 'gentle giant' and devout Catholic Watch now: Vigil for Andre Sandoval Remembering Andre Sandoval Remembering Andre Sandoval Remembering Andre Sandoval Remembering Andre Sandoval Watch now: Gentle giant Remembering Andre Sandoval Remembering Andre Sandoval Remembering Andre Sandoval Remembering Andre Sandoval Remembering Andre Sandoval Watch now: Singing for Andre Sandoval Remembering Andre Sandoval Remembering Andre Sandoval Remembering Andre Sandoval Remembering Andre Sandoval Watch now: Song and prayer for Andre Sandoval
UNION GROVE  Aiming to duplicate 15 years of success in Racine County, Shepherds College is making plans to expand with new campuses serving special-needs students far from its Wisconsin base.

Officials on the Union Grove campus for developmentally disabled adults are planning outreaches this summer to assess the potential for establishing operations in both the Dallas and Atlanta metropolitan areas.

Shepherds College has created a unique product by offering disabled students the chance for an authentic college experience, those officials say, and the same formula could prove equally successful in other parts of the country.

Although the campus in Union Grove attracts students from several surrounding states, many families are reluctant to venture far from home when seeking educational opportunities for their loved ones with autism, Down syndrome or other developmental challenges.

Tracy Terrill, president of the private, faith-based college, said he feels a moral obligation to branch out and reach new populations of special-needs students who are stuck without a way to keep learning and achieve independence after high school.

We need to do more, Terrill said.

Shepherds College has partnered with churches near Dallas and Atlanta to meet this summer with families of disabled students in both metropolitan areas with the hope of interesting them in a new college option for their loved ones.

If the weeklong recruitment efforts are successful, officials plan to establish commuter colleges starting next year, and then perhaps later build brick-and-mortar residential campuses to fully duplicate the Shepherds College experience.

The tentative plan calls for launching one commuter campus in 2024 and another the following year.

Kevin Bloye, outreach director of West Ridge Church in suburban Atlanta, said he is certain that families will welcome Shepherds College to Georgia, and that many of them will jump at the chance to enroll their sons and daughters.

West Ridge Church specializes in serving families with developmentally disabled children, currently representing about 150 families in a congregation of 3,500 people.

The church hosts a prom every year for special-needs students who are graduating from high school in the area. And a new $5 million facility being built for the churchs special-needs ministry could become home for the new Shepherds College commuter campus.

Although many universities have programs for disabled students, Bloye said, none of them can match Shepherds Colleges profile as a stand-alone institution providing specialized education and job training in a faith-based environment.

Weve never heard of anything like Shepherds College, he said. And thats one of the things we hear from our parents.

Opened in 1964 under the name Shepherds Home and School, the faith-based Christian boarding school at 1805 15th Ave. started with 36 children with intellectual disabilities.

After changing temporarily to an adult residential facility, it evolved into Shepherds College in 2008.

With 80 teachers and other staff, the college currently serves about 75 students in three-year programs to prepare them for careers in culinary arts, horticulture or technology.

The cost of attending Shepherds College is about $55,000 a year.

Accredited by the Atlanta-based Council on Occupational Education, Shepherds College has a graduation rate of about 75%. And four out of five graduates are employed, many in the restaurants, greenhouses, and office settings for which they are trained.

With students arriving from throughout Wisconsin, as well as Illinois, Minnesota and elsewhere, the campus includes dormitories, food service, healthcare, extracurriculars and other features common in traditional university campuses.

Three years at Shepherds College, Terrill said, takes disabled young adults who might otherwise feel lost or forgotten and transforms them into men and women who are prepared to start careers and to strive for independence and fulfillment.

Were changing the trajectory of their lives, Terrill said. Its profound.

Not long after Shepherds College got started 15 years ago, officials began talking about branching out to other parts of the United States.

Recruiting students on a nationwide level was challenging, but officials also knew that young people with developmental disabilities had few, if any, choices in their own communities quite like Union Groves special college.

Brian Canright, who was then the colleges director of recruitment, decided to make Shepherds College expansion the topic of his masters degree thesis at Concordia University near Milwaukee.

After his graduation in 2017, Canrights 115-page report became a blueprint for the colleges current growth strategy.

Now vice president of expansion, Canright said he concluded that Shepherds College is so unlike other postsecondary education programs that it can successfully create new campuses in big cities throughout the country.

We have the culture. We have the mission, he said. We have the people to do it.

About a dozen staff members from Union Grove are traveling this July to present the Shepherds College Preview Experience, a weeklong recruitment program scheduled first in Texas and then in Georgia.

Officials at Prestonwood Baptist Church in suburban Dallas could not be reached for comment.

Bloye said his church learned about Shepherds College about a year ago from one church family who had made the decision to send their disabled child all the way to Wisconsin for college.

The family was so happy with the experience that they suggested a partnership that would somehow bring Shepherds College down to Georgia.

The more church leaders learned about Shepherds College, Bloye said, the more they were interested in introducing the school to the churchs special-needs families.

They just really connect with who we are as a church, he said of Union Groves college. This opens up opportunities for a lot of our students.

College officials initially had discussed simply choosing a location and then building an entire new campus.

Only later did their thinking evolve into first testing the waters with temporary commuter colleges before deciding whether to make the investment in permanent brick-and-mortar operations with dormitories and all the rest.

They currently plan to start with one- or two-year programs providing a generalized curriculum rather than the three-year programs specializing in culinary arts or others.

If the demand is there, officials say, the program offerings could grow rather quickly. And Shepherds College could branch out into other cities as well.

Were all just kind of taking one step at a time, Canright said.

Terrill said reading Canrights masters thesis persuaded him that taking Shepherds College national was not only plausible and feasible, it was a moral duty.

He cited statistics showing that about 150,000 young people with developmental disabilities graduate from high school every year in the United States.

If most of them would never consider coming to Wisconsin for college, Terrill said, the college must go to them.

I felt compelled that we needed to move this forward, he said. Touching more lives is what its all about.

Photos: Graduation day at Union Grove's private college for students with disabilities Graduate Melodee Phagan gets help with cap at Shepherds College Graduate Emma Kraft walks down the aisle for Shepherds College ceremony Staff gather on stage at Shepherds College for graduation ceremony Graduates line up after receiving certificates at Shepherds College Graduate Jared Watkins and teacher Sarah Rodgers at Shepherds College Audience applauds during belated graduation ceremonies for Class of 2020 Shepherds College President Tracy Terrill addresses graduation audience Class of 2020 lines up to turn tassels at Shepherds College graduation Staff line up to deliver high fives to Shepherds College graduates Graduate Abigail Gassman gets high fives at Shepherds College graduation Graduate Justin Craig in high-five receiving line at Shepherds College graduation Graduate Anthony Jackson greets well wishers at Shepherds College ceremony Graduate Matthew Gilliland enjoys high fives at Shepherds College graduation Cellphone picture at Shepherds College graduation ceremony for Class of 2020 Shepherds College entrance to Union Grove campus
1. Yes. Switching back and forth every spring and fall is cumbersome and annoying.

2. Yes. It makes sense, although it would take a bit of getting used to at first.

3. No. The bill isnt enforceable. The federal government would have to approve the switch.

4. No. If other states dont follow suit, it could make long-distance travel problematic.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say without knowing all the impacts of the proposed change.

Vote

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COLUMBUS  Nebraska Public Power District will be hosting public meetings in Kearney and other communities across the state, both in-person and online, to share a draft of its latest Integrated Resource Plan.

NPPD puts together an IRP every five years to analyze what the districts generation mix may look like in the future.

The IRP is a great tool for our board members and leadership team, but it is not a concrete plan for NPPDs future generation mix, said NPPD Resource Planning and Risk Manager Jim Fehr. As we move through the next several decades its possible new technologies and advancements could impact our generation mix. This IRP is intended to identify directionally correct resource plans to meet NPPDs projected future electric load and ensure reliable, resilient, affordable, and sustainable service to our customers, under a range of conditions.

NPPD will present the draft of the IRP to attendees at the meetings, followed by an opportunity for attendees to provide feedback.

The public meetings will be 6-8 p.m. at the Holiday Inn in Kearney on March 21, the Best Western Plus Hotel in North Platte on March 22, The Holthus Convention Center in York on March 23 and at the Divots Conference Center in Norfolk on March 28.

A fifth virtual meeting will be streamed live on nppd.com/IRP from 6-8 p.m. on March 29. If customers are unable to watch the virtual meeting from home, it will also be streamed live at the city clerks office in Ainsworth, the Sheridan Training Center in Auburn, the Custer Public Power District Office in Broken Bow, the Cedar-Knox Public Power District Office in Hartington, the Cobblestone Inn in McCook and at the NPPD offices in Columbus, Chadron, Plattsmouth and Scottsbluff.

Customers who do not attend a meeting can review the draft IRP and provide feedback, at a time that works best for them, using the same website listed above. A recording of the virtual meeting will be available to view after March 29. All feedback will need to be submitted by April 12.

Getting customer feedback is an important part of developing an IRP, and I hope customers will take the time to either attend one of the meetings or take advantage of the online options to watch or review the presentation and provide feedback, said Fehr.
The bulk of food and drinks sold by four out of five global producers across three major markets are unhealthy, according to a survey, with Kraft Heinz Co. faring the worst.

The analysis conducted by the World Action on Salt, Sugar & Health, an NGO, selected 2,346 products sold by Danone, Kellogg Co., Kraft Heinz, Nestle SA and Unilever Plc in Australia, France and Mexico. It ranked them on the basis of the most widely used standards  Health Star Rating, Nutri-Score and Warning Labels. Apart from Danone, all others sold a greater proportion of unhealthy food.

Improving the nutritional content of food and drink by reformulating recipes with less salt, sugar and saturated fat is by far the most important strategy that any company should make to improve public health, Mhairi Brown, policy and public affairs lead with WASSH, said in a statement. However, by relying solely on industrys willingness and without government enforcement, we are unlikely to see a meaningful shift.

Producers are under pressure to make their portfolios healthier because obesity is already a public health crisis in countries like the U.S., and on the rise in the developing world. The worldwide economic impact of excess body weight will more than double to $4.27 trillion in 2035 from 2020 levels as prevalence of the condition continues to rise, according to a report.

Reducing the salt and sugar content of their foods could also insulate company revenues from laws restricting the sale and marketing of junk food. A greater emphasis on environmental, social and governance among investors is an added motivation for making portfolios healthier.

Four-fifths of Kraft Heinz products didnt meet health standards across the three markets, with its entire sample in Mexico failing to make the grade. Some 72% of the products surveyed that were made by Kelloggs didnt meet the health criteria. The Crunchy Nut maker last year failed to legally challenge regulations that would ban it from advertising its sugary cereals in the UK.

Activia yogurt maker Danone bucked the trend. Only 35% of products scored below the standard definitions of healthy. Earlier this week, it promised that at least 90% of products by volume of sales in the UK and Ireland will not be high in sugar, salt or fat, as defined by the government policy.

A Unilever spokesperson said the company is committed to giving consumers healthier choices and termed the findings of the survey incomplete and misleading as they were based on a small subset of their portfolio. Kraft Heinz is committed to reducing sugar and salt in its products, while noting that there isnt a globally aligned model yet for judging how healthy food items are, according to its spokesperson.

Others did not immediately comment on the report.

The selection of products was based on the lines mentioned on companies country websites and major retailers, the report said.

Groups like ShareAction, an investor campaign group which supported the research, have been calling on companies to be more transparent about the healthiness of their portfolios to help investors scrutinize their offerings and evaluate the threat of potential anti-junk food legislation on sales.

Danone and Unilever report on their portfolios content according to government-approved nutrition models while Nestle committed to the same in its 2022 annual report, but the others are yet to follow suit, making it harder to get a full picture for comparison.

Food manufacturers must be more transparent and disclose what proportion of their sales can be classed as healthier, Holly Gabriel, a campaigner at ShareAction said. This disclosure must be followed with meaningful targets to grow the proportion of sales coming from healthier food and drink.

These are Trader Joe's customer's favorite items Top overall Chili & Lime Flavored Rolled Tortilla Chips, spicy corn chips, swept the competition this year, taking home the top prize. Runners-up included the hash browns, chicken soup dumplings, Everything but the Bagel sesame seasoning blend, and chocolate croissants. The chips also won in the poll's favorite snack category. Customers were also fans of the Organic Elote Corn Chip Dippers, Organic Corn Chip Dippers, World's Puffiest White Cheddar Corn Puffs and Crunchy Curls, which were all among the top vote-getters. Top beverage The Sparkling Honeycrisp Apple Juice was the fans' favorite beverage, though it is seasonal. The canned drink is a simple three-ingredient blend of apple juice, water and bubbles. Following is the Triple Ginger Brew, Sparkling Peach Black Tea with peach juice, Sparkling Cranberry & Ginger Beverage and the Non-Dairy Brown Sugar Oat Creamer. Top cheese Now that Hall of Famer Unexpected Cheddar is no longer an option in the poll, the store's cheddar cheese with caramelized onions took home top accolades. Runners-up included Syrah Soaked Toscano, seasonal Baked Lemon Ricotta, Blueberry & Vanilla Chevre and its various bries. Top entree Replacing the longtime Mandarin Orange Chicken is Trader Joe's Butter Chicken -- spiced chicken in a tomato and cream sauce with basmati rice. Indian is popular with Trader Joe's customers. Second runner-up was Chicken Tikka Masala, followed by Kung Pao Chicken, Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese and BBQ Teriyaki Chicken. Top household item Seasonal candles won out in this category. Its seasonal scents include Peony Blossom, Cedar Balsam, Honeycrisp Apple and Vanilla Pumpkin. Runners-up: Daily Facial Sunscreen, Ultra-Moisturizing Hand Cream, Tea Tree Tingle Shampoo & Conditioner, and Shea Butter & Coconut Oil Hair Mask. Top produce Unsurprisingly, customers voted bananas as their top choice. The chain is known for its 25-cent organic bananas and 19-cent regular bananas. Following choices were Teeny Tiny Avocados, Honeycrisp Apples, Brussels Sprouts and Organic Carrots of Many Colors. Top dessert The tiny and crunchy Hold the Cone! Mini Ice Cream Cones won top dessert, followed by Danish Kringle, Sublime Ice Cream Sandwiches, Chocolate Lava Cakes and Brookie. Top vegan/vegetarian Among its many vegan and vegetarian options, the Vegan Kale, Cashew & Basil Pesto came out on top. Vegetable Fried Rice, Beefless Bulgogi, Palak Paneer, Cauliflower Gnocchi followed.
March has arrived and is well known for the Irish holiday of St. Patricks Day. Did you know there is lesser celebrated saint that shares this holiday with St. Patrick?

St. Gertrude of Nivelles was born in the city of Landen, Belgium in 626. She devoted herself to her faith and tending to those in need. People swore by her energy to chase away anything disease-ridden and she was canonized after she passed away on March 17th at age 33. In remembrance, many Catholics celebrate St. Gertrudes feast day on March 17 alongside St. Patricks Day.

St. Gertrude is the patron saint of cats and in celebration of the cat lady of the Catholic church, all our felines are $17 for the month of March. Meet three of these feisty felines:

Jack

Jack is a handsome sleek 9-month-old male. He adores people and wants to be in your lap or carried around in your arms. Jack loves his friend Cordelia here at the shelter and would do well in a home with other animals and kids!

Cordelia

Cordelia is as sweet as they come at just 10 months old! She loves humans and cant get enough of your attention. Cordelia enjoys other kitties, and her pal Jack is her best buddy. Might you consider giving this dynamic duo a home?

Sassy

Sassy is a sweet 3-year-old that was initially shy but has become a very affectionate girl. Sassy loves the indoor/outdoor life. Sassy has lived well in a home with dogs, but is selective with other felines. Sassy is ready for her forever home!

***

Are you unable to provide a forever home to a cat or dog, but would love to offer a temporary home to an animal in need? DHS is formally launching a foster program to unite some of our special need dogs and cats with temporary families. To learn more about our program and if it is a good fit for you, email Aliyah Bass, Foster Coordinator, at dhsfoster@gmail.com.

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The Driftless Humane Society is located at 1150 Nelson Parkway, Viroqua. To find out more about the adoptable pets, visit www.driftlesshumanesociety.com or call 608-637-6955. The humane society is open Monday and Wednesday from 2 to 6 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
National Marine Dredging Group (NMDC Group) has signed an agreement with Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI) for a joint initiative that is aimed at maximising procurement opportunities and act as a catalyst for the development and growth of currently qualified and willing to qualify Abu Dhabi-based businesses through their participation across NMDC Groups wide portfolio of national and international projects.

The MoU comes in line with the Abu Dhabi Chambers strategy launched in February, which centres on empowering the private sector in the emirate and enhancing its competitiveness, to make the UAE capital the first choice in the Mena region for doing business by 2025.

Through its role as a Networker, the chamber supports the Lets Grow Together initiative by facilitating connections between businesses, suppliers, and other relevant entities, paving the way for strategic partnerships that contribute to the emirates growth and prosperity.

As part of the deal, the duo will exchange information, data and experiences related to strategies, policies and plans to ensure clarity of the requirements for the Abu Dhabi supply chain, which will lead to increased opportunities and growth across the private sector of Abu Dhabi.

The MoU has the following key mutual objectives:

To communicate the requirements for qualification to participate in NMDC Groups projects

To identify development and growth opportunities in the private sector

To enable the maximization of potential across the supply chain

The agreement was signed by Engineer Yasser Zaghloul, Group CEO of NMDC and Mohamed Helal Al Mheiri, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Chamber.

On the key initiative, Chairman Abdulla Mohamed Al Mazrui said: "The Abu Dhabi Chamber is a major contributor to driving the emirate's economic growth and developing a diverse and knowledge-based economy, in line with its wise leaderships vision."

As such, the chamber is committed to fostering strategic networking opportunities for its members, enabling them to explore new avenues for operational success and contribute to the country's economic growth.

"Our ultimate goal is to establish Abu Dhabi as a leading global destination for business, and we will continue to work tirelessly to achieve this," he noted.

NMDC Group Chairman Mohammed Thani Murshid Ghannam Al Rumaithi said: "We have always sought high-impact initiatives that can benefit the business, the Abu Dhabi economy and very importantly our shareholders. Through this MoU, the group will be poised to enhance its supply chain ecosystem, support the broader diversification of Abu Dhabis private sector and ultimately maximize shareholder value."

Zaghloul said the MoU is the formalizing of NMDC Group and ADCCIs shared vision to ensure the growth and development of Abu Dhabis private sector.

"Through this initiative we aim to highlight the growth opportunities that small and medium-sized businesses in Abu Dhabi can capture as part of our ongoing AED54 billion projects as well as capitalize on additional awards expected over the next five years and equip these SMEs with the toolkit needed to join NMDC Group on its ambitious growth journey. It also exemplifies our efforts to support sustainable development, drive economic growth in the UAE, and create a strong and self-sufficient supply chain ecosystem," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Guest readers were welcomed to Viroqua Elementary School and Viroqua Area Montessori School, Thursday, to celebrate Read Across America Day.

About 20 community business owners, managers and leaders read to students in their classrooms.

Students in Deb Clarks 4-year-old-kindergarten classroom were visited by Jared Rahr, a member of the Viroqua Fire Department, who read The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak.

After Rahrs son, Tucker, introduced him to the class, Clark asked him about reading at work. Rahr said he works in the citys Public Works Department, and some of the on-the-job reading includes reading water meters. Rahr added he is currently studying for a license and is doing a lot of reading.

Rahr told the students his son picked out the book and it was a favorite of theirs. As Rahr read silly words and sounds, the students belly laughed and giggled.

Vernon County Sheriff Roy Torgerson read My Lucky Day by Keiko Kasza to Branigan Sanwicks third-grade students. He said reading is important in his job, as he reads such things as laws and court cases every day.

The students loved having the guest readers come to read aloud a book to their class, Nanette Oldenburg, reading/math interventionist, reading specialist, wrote in an email. They were excited to hear about their job and what they do!

Oldenburg said its important for business community leaders to come and read to the students. The students get to ask questions (of) the guest readers about their occupations. What do they do for their job? Why do they do this job and do they like it? She said students also ask how reading is important for their job/occupation.

In addition to the guest readers on Thursday, Read Across America week included school-wide dress-up days and each class doing their own special activities. The theme was Read Across the Midwest. Oldenburg said there were four books to pick from the library to read to classes that week. Also, the library had other books for the classrooms to read to their students with the same similar themes.

There was also a Fun Student Reading Challenge sheet set up by Oldenburg for the month of March with activities to do for 31 days. On Read Across America Day, the students played bingo using the challenge sheet. She supplied the classroom teachers with treats for students when they completed a bingo from the Reading Challenge sheet.

Each day has a different activity to do with reading a book, Oldenburg said. Then, the students take the Reading Challenge sheet home to complete the rest of the activities. If the students finish the rest of the challenge activities they get their picture taken along with their Student Reading Challenge sheet.

The photo is then put up on the Reading Wall of Fame Oldenburg has on the wall beside the health office for the month of March. They love this and are so proud of themselves to have their picture on the Wall of Fame! ...
Gov. Tony Evers has declared 2023 the Year of Mental Health for Wisconsin, highlighting what he calls a burgeoning crisis.

While the psychological and emotional effects of the pandemic are not a surprise, just how profoundly they have affected the population  particularly children and teens  troubles health officials. Combined with the stresses of political divide, social justice issues and social media, youth are overwhelmed. And a shortage of supports and resources  statewide, there is only one mental health provider per 440 individuals of any age  is causing an increasing number to turn to drugs, self-harm and other dangerous practices to cope.

The Office of Childrens Mental Healths 2022 report found some 33% of state youth experienced feelings of sadness or hopelessness most days, a 10% increase over the past decade. Over 50% reported anxiety and nearly 25% had engaged in self-harm. In July 2022, the month Wisconsins 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline launched, the service received 6,000 calls.

Evers believes the state of mental health in Wisconsin will have catastrophic consequences for generations if we dont treat it with the urgency it requires.

$500 million proposed

In effort to interrupt the alarming trend, the 2023-25 state executive budget proposes allocating $500 million to expand access to mental and behavioral health initiatives, including in-school services.

We all want to improve outcomes and ensure our kids are prepared for success, Evers said. And I believe that together we will. And well start by making sure our kids can bring their full and best selves to our schools and our classrooms.

Youth whose mental health needs go unmet, Evers says, may be distracted in class and thus unable to keep up, but providing the help they need can improve attendance and learning outcomes. In addition, improved mental health can reduce bullying, risky behaviors, violence and substance abuse.

Through the Get Kids Ahead initiative, $30 million in federal pandemic relief funds were dedicated to expanding mental health services in public schools, and the program has now been made permanent, with a proposed investment of $270 million.

As around 75% of the mental health treatment youth receive is in the school setting, the funding will prove essential in fighting the crisis. During the pandemic, the School District of La Crosse implemented the Student Family Assistance Program, a partnership with Gundersen Health System  and with the Wisconsin Office of Childrens Mental Health emphasizing the importance of peer support services, area schools are considering implementing such programs.

Teaming up

In February 2021, the School District of La Crosse and Gundersen Health System introduced the Student Family Assistance Program, or SFAP, funded through part of a $2.5 million, multi-year Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education) grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Project AWARE, which is currently grant funded through spring 2024, aims to increase awareness of mental health issues among school-aged youth and provide training for staff and other adults to help identify and respond to concerns. In addition, the program helps connect students with behavioral health issues, and their families, with necessary services.

Two Gundersen licensed clinical therapists were hired for the SFAP, with Barbara Eisenmenger serving preschool and elementary students and Tara Allert working with middle and high schoolers. Teachers, families and school counselors can offer referrals for students they believe would benefit from mental health support, with each student able to have five sessions with a therapist, either in a private room at their school or at a Gundersen facility, at no charge. Additional appointments are referred to other community agencies.

The SFAP, supplemental to existing school counseling and mental health services, helps address the hurdles some students face in seeking help, such as transportation, insurance coverage, cost of care or scheduling logistics, says Allert.

Thus far, Allert and Eisenmenger have assisted nearly 70 students across 12 La Crosse schools, with Gundersen named to the Wisconsin Association of School Boards 2022 Business Honor Roll for its work on the program. Gundersen in 2022 applied for American Rescue Plan Act funding to expand mental health service access and increase telehealth opportunities, and with the grant plans to work with the district to set up teletherapy rooms in each La Crosse public school.

Allert believes the SFAP program has made it possible for student services staff to connect students with the appropriate level of care more seamlessly since we are embedded in the district and buildings.

Among tween and teen students, Allert says, anxiety tops the list of mental health concerns, which in turn can result in poor attendance. She also sees students struggling with mood-related issues, potentially associated with self-harm or suicidal ideation, as well as grief or family stresses.

Moreover, experiences of trauma often intersect with these presentations, Allert says.

Missing resources

For some, the pandemic has caused trauma-like effects. Curt Teff, director of community services for the School District of La Crosse, says COVID-related closures of schools and community venues, combined with social distancing, has had a negative impact on child development and relationships, a problem made greater by the lack of resources that otherwise help buffer adversity in a childs life.

Having mental health professionals onsite, Teff says, helps ensure students are able to find help at the first moment of concern.

Students served in the program have been able to access the right care at the right time to help them get back on track, or have used the program to get connected to the right kind of community care to support their needs, says Teff.

Josh Court, clinical operations director for Gundersen Behavioral Health, says Gundersen  the largest provider of such services in the area  is struggling to keep up with demand, making in-school care all the more essential.

There is a lot time and energy that parents need to put into getting a student mental health care, says Court. Moving services upstream and outside of the walls of Gundersen reduces barriers and provides services more quickly.

The services also alleviate some of the strain on teachers and administrators, who already have a lot on (their) plates, says Court.

We are very proud to be able to provide this expertise to allow our schools to focus on education while we support them in their mental health efforts, Court says.

Peer support

The Wisconsin Office of Childrens Mental Health last month issued new fact sheets to draw attention to peer support programs. Director Linda Hall stated, In a period when most psychologists have used peer consultations to manage burnout, and the nations leading mental health organizations encourage the use of peer support, we need to elevate the role of peer support.

Peer support, Hall says, provides a sense of belonging, supportive relationships and the understanding that comes from mutual experiences. It also helps fill in gaps due to a shortage of mental health professionals, especially those of diverse races and cultures.

Leveraging peer expertise is resiliency in action, Hall stated. Witnessing resilient peers can provide hope to youth who are struggling. Whats more, peer support offers a critical social connection.

La Crosse County currently has 63 certified peer specialists, trained to support adults with substance abuse or mental health concerns, and certified parent peer specialists, who have undergone a certification program to help other parents whose children are struggling with behavioral health issues.

While over 200 schools in Wisconsin have peer-led wellness programs, per the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, La Crosse County does not have any.

There have been many and frequent conversations within the district about implementation of peer-to-peer models of support, says Allert, noting Project AWARE has been instrumental in moving these conversations forward and advocating for peer support.

Allert is fully supportive of peer-to-peer support services, as research indicates such models help to fill gaps of services, empower students and provide necessary knowledge and skill sets to youth who are supporting their peers.

Aimee Zabrowski, director of student services for the School District of La Crosse, notes, We want to ensure that students are equipped to support their peers.

Teff says students have expressed that in some situations they are more likely to share concerns with a friend before they share those concerns with a trusted adult. Knowing this, peer support services are important to consider to make sure there is no wrong door when a youth reaches out for help.

Says Allert, I am hopeful and confident that we will have more peer-led models of support locally throughout the next few years.

Photos: Amid ChatGPT outcry, some teachers are inviting AI to class
Four US citizens were assaulted and kidnapped by gunmen in northeastern Mexico on Friday in a case of mistaken identity, a US official with knowledge of the investigation told CNN.

The Americans are believed to have been targeted by mistake and were not the intended victims, the official said. Investigators believe a Mexican cartel likely mistook them for Haitian drug smugglers, the official said, adding investigators have not identified any concerning criminal history on the part of the Americans.

The Americans had traveled to the border city of Matamoros for medical procedures, the official said, citing receipts found in the vehicle.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador offered a similar explanation.

"The information we have is that they crossed the border to buy medicines in Mexico, there was a confrontation between groups and they were detained," the president said. "The whole government is working on it."

The incident highlights the ongoing violence in some Mexican cities, which have been wracked by organized crime at least since the Mexican Drug War began in 2006, as well as the growing business of what's known as "medical tourism."

The missing Americans, who were not identified, drove into Matamoros on Friday in a white minivan with North Carolina plates, the FBI in San Antonio said. There, they were fired upon by unidentified gunmen and were "placed in a vehicle and taken from the scene by armed men," the FBI said.

An innocent Mexican citizen was killed in the encounter, US Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said.

"We have no higher priority than the safety of our citizens," Salazar said. "This is the most fundamental role of the US government. Officials from various US law enforcement agencies are working with Mexican authorities at all levels of government to achieve the safe return of our compatriots."

The FBI is seeking the public's help finding them and identifying those responsible. The agency announced a reward of $50,000 for their return and the arrest of those involved. The FBI said it is cooperating with other federal partners and Mexican law enforcement agencies to investigate the kidnapping.

Officials in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas said federal and local resources have been activated to locate the missing people.

"From the first moment, communication was established between state and federal authorities to address the criminal event, in which two affected vehicles were located, one of them with license plates from the US state of North Carolina," Tamaulipas Attorney General Irving Barrios Mojica said at a news conference.

An investigation was underway, authorities said. Investigators are processing vehicles, obtaining ballistics and fingerprint data, taking biological samples for genetic profiles, and gathering surveillance camera footage.

"We had a problem, despite which the prosecutor's office opened a file, which is that we have no report of the disappearance of these people, so there was speculation about where they came from," Tamaulipas Public Security Minister Sergio Chavez said. "But today there is already some information that was found in the same van -- a credential and other documents -- on this basis the prosecutor's office is orienting the search for these missing people."

CNN has reached out to the FBI, the Tamaulipas Secretary of Public Security's office and the Mexican Attorney General's Office for more information.

Photos show car crashed prior to abductions

Photos obtained by CNN show the car believed to have been driven by the Americans crashed with another vehicle before they were taken at gunpoint from the scene.

The FBI would not confirm the authenticity of the images, but CNN has confirmed the authenticity of the photos and video with a US official with knowledge of the investigation. CNN has also geolocated the images.

The photos show a woman looking and then sitting next to three unmoving people lying on the ground outside a white minivan. All the doors of the van were open. It is unclear whether the four people in the photos were the US citizens.

The woman then appears to have been loaded onto the bed of a white pickup truck, the photos show. Several unmoving people could be seen lying on the street next to the pickup truck, the photos show.

One photo shows that an ambulance arrived, but it's unclear if medical attention was being provided.

Matamoros, a city of more than 500,000 people, is located just across the Rio Grande from Brownsville, Texas. The US State Department has issued a "Level 4: Do Not Travel" advisory for US citizens thinking of going to Tamaulipas, citing crime and kidnapping.

"Criminal groups target public and private passenger buses, as well as private automobiles traveling through Tamaulipas, often taking passengers and demanding ransom payments," the State Department advisory says.

On the same day as the alleged kidnappings, for example, police issued a warning to parents to keep their kids home from school due to two shootings in the city.

Matamoros was also the site of a large tent encampment of migrants -- mostly Venezuelans and Haitians -- hoping to cross into the US to request asylum.

In addition, Mexico is a popular destination for "medical tourism," the term for traveling to another country for medical care, generally for lower costs or for an unapproved procedure.

The-CNN-Wire

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Conservative Dan Kelly and liberal Janet Protasiewicz have agreed to one Wisconsin Supreme Court debate before they face off in a crucial election to decide the courts ideological balance.

The announcement of the March 21 debate  co-hosted by the State Bar of Wisconsin, WisPolitics.com and WISC-TV (Ch. 3)  follows several forums or debates being canceled or adjusted after Protasiewicz declined to participate in them.

The candidates will face off in an April 4 election for a 10-year term on the states highest court.

The race is already the most-expensive judicial election ever in American history.

The winning candidate will join the court as it appears slated to weigh in on the future of abortion in Wisconsin. It also could decide how the states legislative maps are drawn, the 2024 presidential election and have the final say on other policies as the Republican-controlled Legislature and Democratic governors office continue to clash.

The State Bar of Wisconsin debate, which will begin at 12:45 p.m. and be broadcast at 4 p.m. on WISC-TV (Ch. 3), so far is the only scheduled post-primary debate featuring both candidates.

Other meetings set

Kelly and Protasiewicz have agreed to meet separately with the Wisconsin State Journal and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial boards. Protasiewiczs campaign said she also agreed to participate in a March 28 forum hosted by All Voting is Local, Campus Vote Project and VoteRiders. Kelly couldnt participate in that forum because of a scheduling conflict, a spokesperson said.

Judge Protasiewicz looks forward to the opportunity to participate in the State Bar of Wisconsins debate and these other forums, and highlight her three decades of experience and service to the state, campaign spokesperson Sam Roecker said in a statement.

Most of the hosts of the events Protasiewicz declined to attend have welcomed Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates in the past.

Contenders for public office across the country are increasingly less likely to participate in debates, often to avoid the risk of public gaffes or allowing opponents to voice attacks that can be publicized later.

Of the many proposed debates, Kellys campaign tweeted that he is ready to be at all of them.

Kelly spokesperson Ben Voelkel said in a statement that Protasiewicz isnt willing to defend or explain her record.

Strategy involved

Given Protasiewiczs first-place finish in the Wisconsin Supreme Court primary followed by liberals outspending conservatives so far in the general election, the difference in Protasiewicz and Kellys willingness to debate is consistent with recent campaigns debate strategy, said Anthony Chergosky, a UW-La Crosse political scientist.

When a candidate has a huge spending advantage and is leading in the campaign, they may be unwilling to take the risk of the unpredictable environment of a debate, he said. And meanwhile, a candidate who is being outspent and is trailing in the polls will be eager to participate in a debate.

Some examples:

Kelly agreed to participate in an event hosted by the liberal American Constitution Society, but Roecker said Protasiewicz couldnt make it due to a scheduling conflict. The organization hosted a pre-primary debate in 2019, months before then-Justice Kelly lost to liberal Justice Jill Karofsky.

Protasiewiczs campaign also said scheduling conflicts would keep her from participating in a nonpartisan Milwaukee Press Club event, where the candidates were scheduled to take questions from a media panel and the audience on March 14, according to Club President Maryann Lazarski. Kelly will still participate in the panel, which is co-hosted by WisPolitics.com and the Rotary Club of Milwaukee.

The Milwaukee Press Club hosted conservative Justice Brian Hagedorn in 2019; his challenger, Appeals Judge Lisa Neubauer, didnt accept the invitation to appear at the same event.

On Wednesday, WISN-TV announced Protasiewicz declined to participate in its debate; Kelly had agreed to it. Hagedorn and Neubauer appeared at a WISN debate in 2019, which was co-hosted by Marquette University.

A planned forum at Marquette University also was cancelled, a university spokesperson told the Kelly campaign in an email, without specifying why.

Replying to the cancellation email, Voelkel said, We are happy to do this at any date, time or location, even if Protasiewicz does not participate.

A Marquette spokesperson didnt respond to a request for comment about why the event was cancelled.

Both candidates were invited to participate in a PBS Wisconsin debate, which has hosted Wisconsin Supreme Court debates since at least 1995, but only Kelly has agreed to the debate so far, said Frederica Freyberg, the executive producer of news for PBS Wisconsin.

Trend toward fewer

In the past, voters could assume that debates would happen in high-profile campaigns, Chergosky said.

They can no longer make that assumption, he added.

Aside from campaigns political priorities, political observers have pointed to a clear loser produced by candidates continued unwillingness to debate: the public.

Though such debates may be a casualty of electoral calculus, their diminishing frequency means the loss of a valuable democratic institution that encourages principled policy engagement and dialogue in an ideas-challenged political moment, Colby Galliher, a senior research analyst at the Washington, D.C., based think tank Brookings Institution, said in a report about declining debate participation rates across America.

Last year, Wisconsins U.S. Senate candidates participated in two debates after the primary. They stuck close to their campaign talking points in the first one and were more animated in the second one. The gubernatorial candidates participated in just one debate, also sticking close to their talking points.

Thats in line with national trends.

In 2010, contenders in the top-five U.S. Senate elections debated 17 times, according to the Brookings Institution. By 2022, contenders in the top-five U.S. Senate contests only debated six times.

Even if debates ultimately dont decide elections, they still matter as a ritual in democracy, and they still matter as a norm in our political system, Chergosky said.
Shuri from Middlesex University Dubai beat seven teams to win the Manipulation challenge of the first edition of Emirates Robotics Competition. Robo Tigers from RIT Dubai came second and RobAuto from Heriot-Watt University Dubai came third.

As for the Navigation challenge, in which 14 university teams participated, Cognizance from Manipal University Dubai won first place and Piston Sparks from University of Stirling RAK came second, while ACMBITS from BITS Pilani Dubai came in third place.

Some 21 teams from 12 universities had qualified for the final stage of the competition in two major challenges  Navigation and Manipulation.

This was announced by Dubai Future Labs (DFL) an initiative of Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), in partnership with Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and Khalifa University (KU).

A total of 52 teams representing 17 local and international universities registered to be part of the competition.

Autonomous robotic systems

The competition involved the teams demonstrating the capabilities of the autonomous robotic systems they developed to accomplish certain tasks, including moving independently, analysing their immediate surroundings, navigating a specific course, avoiding obstacles, and picking up and placing objects.

The Emirates Robotics Competition is in line with DFFs efforts to empower promising talents in the field of robotics and artificial intelligence. The competition reflects DFFs efforts to partner with top research and academic institutions to support the objectives of the Dubai Robotics and Automation Programme launched by His Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Council, and Executive Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation. The programme aims to accelerate the adoption of advanced technology applications in various economic sectors.

The winners were honoured at the end of the competition, which was hosted by RIT, in the presence of Meghan Gregonis, US Consul-General Dubai, and a number of presidents and directors of local and international universities in the UAE.

Young talents

Dr Yousef Al Assaf, President of RIT said: Hosting the Emirates Robotics Competition at our campus reflects the eagerness we have at RIT for nurturing young talents. Our collaboration with Dubai Future Labs along with Khalifa University represents an exemplary partnership between academia and industry. It also paves the way for young individuals to hone their skills for the future and contribute to diversifying the economy. We were so thrilled with the number of female students participating in the competition, reflecting its inclusion and diversity. We congratulate all students who participated and look forward to the future of the competition.

Dr Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University said: Congratulations to the winners and students who participated in the Emirates Robotics Competition with such enthusiasm. The autonomous robotic systems developed by the winning teams are capable of performing challenging tasks. They demonstrate the creative skills and innovative spirit of each of the participants. With Khalifa University hosting the second edition of this competition next year, we are delighted that our collaboration with Dubai Future Labs and the RIT has resulted not only in generating great interest but also in bringing out the best from students.

Khalifa Al Qama, Director of DFL, said: Empowering youth by providing the opportunity to develop their skills in robotics and artificial intelligence is a pivotal pillar in strengthening the role of Dubai and the UAE in driving global technological transformations. We at DFF are keen to launch initiatives and activities that help consolidate the countrys effort in positioning the UAE as a global center for robotics and artificial intelligence.

Robotic innovations

He added: "We witnessed a great number of commendable robotic innovations in the Emirates Robotics Competition, which provided a platform to highlight technological skills and talents in the field of robotics, programming and artificial intelligence. It contributed to enhancing the culture of innovation, knowledge acquisition and skills development among the participating students, as well as encouraging them to work together to develop new robotic systems that keep pace with the rapid transformations."

The winners were selected according to a set of criteria set by a panel of judges. The judges included Mohammad Al Shamsi, CEO of RoboHitec; Dr Vinicius Goncalves, Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, New York University Abu Dhabi; Dr Raouf Fareh, Associate Professor, University of Sharjah; Dr Hamad Karki, Associate Professor, Khalifa University; Mohamed Aboud, VP for Membership Development, University of Dubai; Maitha Al Mhairi, R&D, Dubai Police; Ahmad AlAttar, Robotics Researcher, Dubai Future Labs; and Omar AlHammadi, Robotics Engineer, Dubai Future Labs.-- TradeArabia News Service
Syrian Ambassador to China Documents Theft of Syrian Oil under Protection of Occupying U.S. Military

March 5, 2023, 2022 (EIRNS)The United States, its allies, and its mercenaries are stealing Syrias oil in the northeastern part of the country, under the guard of 900 illegally stationed U.S. armed forces. In a Sept. 14, 2022 interview with Global Times, Syrian Ambassador to China Mohammed Hasanein Khaddam revealed what is involved in the robbery. In stinging language, Khaddam told Global Times:

The U.S. stealing of Syrian national treasure is a long-time crime. In fact, the U.S. occupation forces on Syrian territories have continued what ISIS was doingstealing and destroying oil fields and pipelines machinery. The U.S. occupation forces learned all that from ISIS, and followed the same ISIS deeds, no difference whatsoever, to steal the Syrian oil in tanks on weekly, and sometimes daily basis, and smuggle it outside the country. What matters for the Syrian people is they are deprived of their natural wealth.... The crime is stealing, and the thief is the leader of the free world or the worst terrorist group. They share the same vision and policies and commit the same crimes. Please notice that the U.S. is the richest country in the world, stealing from a third world country, and imposing illegal unilateral measures to suffocate the economy and people of this country, and starve and freeze the people to death as one U.S. politician described U.S. policies in Syria.

According to the Syrian Oil Ministry and Khaddam, the U.S. and its allies are stealing an average of 66,000 barrels/day (24 million barrels/year), four-fifths of Syrias current oil production of 80,000 barrels/day. The bulk of the oil production is located in that portion of the northeastern governorate of Deir Ezzor, east of the Euphrates River, which is under control of the U.S.-backed Kurdish militia, Syrian Democratic Front (SDF). The United States has 500 stationed of its 900 forces in Syria in the Deir Ezzor oil fields from which the oil is being stolen. (There are also crucial wheat fields there, which the U.S. is likewise stealing from Syrian mouths.)

Ambassador Khaddam made clear the enormous losses suffered by the Syrian people whose legal government could use the oil revenues for the countrys development. He states:

There are direct losses of $24.2 billion until the end of the first half of 2022. Among them, $18.2 billion result from extraction, smuggling and illegal trade in Syrian oil, gas and mineral resources under the auspices, protection and support of the U.S. forces illegally present in Syria. $3.2 billion result from sabotage and theft of facilities for the extraction and transportation of Syrian oil, gas and mineral resources by armed terrorist groups, and $2.8 billion result from bombing and aggression carried out by the forces of the so-called illegal international coalition on the Syrian oil and gas facilities.

Khaddam further details the additional indirect losses:

The indirect losses totaled $82.9 billion which represents the value of lost Syrian production of crude oil, natural gas, LNG, various oil derivatives, and mineral wealth. The decline in production of planned rates within the framework of normal working conditions, came as a result of the crimes of sabotage, destruction, theft and illegal trade....

The combined direct and indirect losses total $107.1 billion. The indirect losses may include a substantial portion of Syrias production from before the Anglo-American 2011 regime-change war, that along with their Islamic State and al-Nusra assets sought to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad. It is not widely known that before 2011, Syria produced 385,000 barrels/day, nearly five times todays production. Much of Syrias 2011 production capacity was bombed or shut down. Prior to 2011, Syria ran an oil production surplus, and exported oil and natural gas.

But the effect of the war, the Caesar sanctions (with a follow-on specifically targetting the Syrian oil industry), and the outright theft of oil today, is devastating. Ambassador Khaddam reported:

The U.S. aim of stealing Syrian oil is to cut Syria from its own oil. While we used to export electricity to Jordan and Lebanon, now we dont have the oil to generate electricity. We were sufficient in gas. Now gas is a treasure for Syrian families.... In winter nights, the temperature is always minus in many parts of Syria. Its really cold. We dont have the heating oil, and we dont have the electricity to use for heating and cooking.

The 900 U.S. troops that have been illegally occupying Syria for eight years now, must be removed. The Caesar sanctions must be stopped. Syria must be allowed to return to producing growth and providing for its peoples future.
EIR LEAD EDITORIAL FOR MONDAY MARCH 6, 2023

Join the Fight Against the Sanctions That Are Killing Syria

March 5, 2023, 2022 (EIRNS)From an article in this weeks Executive Intelligence Review:

March 4Following the 7.8- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes which struck Turkiye and Syria Feb. 6, killing as many as 6,000 Syrians and more than 40,000 in Turkiye, the Anglo-American policy of using economic sanctions to impose genocidal conditions upon the nation of Syria has come under increasing scrutiny. The weeks ahead may be decisive for the survival of this beleaguered nation.

Over the past decade, the NATO War Party has become increasingly frustrated over its failure to impose regime change on the Syrian government. It galled them that their efforts to engage the Obama Administration in a hot war with Syria in 2013 were deflected by the diplomacy of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The standard neocon/neoliberal tactic of cultivating extremist groups within a target nation in order to destabilize its government, such as the nurturing of ISIS/ISIL and the al-Nusra Front (Jabhat Fatah al-Sham) in Syria, had also failed.

To punish Syria for failing to lose the U.S.-sponsored proxy war which began in 2011, the U.S. Congress passed the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019, which was signed into law by President Donald Trump. It intentionally sanctions any individual or group that engages in economic activity that would allow any reconstruction of Syria in the wake of the war. (See EIR, Feb. 17, 2023, Earthquake Shows Why U.S. Syria Sanctions Must Be Overturned. )

The Caesar Sanctions have effectively prevented emergency aid from reaching the citizens of Syria following the earthquakes. The day of the quakes, a month ago, the Schiller Institute released a statement, Take This Tragedy as the Opportunity To Lift All Sanctions Against Syria, which said, in part:

This situation confronts us, as Western nations, with our responsibility to uphold the values we claim to embody. Are we going to continue to apply the measures that we very well know have led to the unimaginable suffering, misfortune, and death of innocent people? Or are we going to finally make the decision to lift these criminal sanctions?

The following day, the Middle East Council of Churches issued a similar statement, calling for sanctions to be lifted so sanctions may not turn into a crime against humanity.

A long-time State Department official responded with a remarkably brazen opinion piece in the Washington Post, published Feb. 9 under the title, Lifting Sanctions on Syria Wont Help Earthquake Victims. Also on Feb. 9, the U.S. Department of the Treasury issued Treasury Issues Syria General License 23 To Aid In Earthquake Disaster Relief Efforts, which claimed to be relief, for 180 days, from the sanctions. But it keeps in place sanctions against any private parties that might dare to transport relief materials or transmit funds.

The World Council of Churches, along with UN Human Rights officials, publicly stated that the sanctions still hamper earthquake relief efforts and rebuilding, and demanded they be suspended entirely. UN World Food Program Executive Director David Beasley characterized the situation in Syria as a catastrophe on top of a catastrophe, referring to the past 12 years of civil war. He stressed the urgency of scaling up food deliveries to Syria through all routeswithout any restrictions.

The Schiller Institute has held rallies beginning Feb. 18 and including March 4 in Los Angeles and in New York City. Diane Sare, candidate for U.S. Senate for New York, briefed the crowd in on the need to stop the U.S. warfare against Syria, and the entire Global NATO onslaught.

On Feb. 21, a Schiller Institute forum on Syrian Sanctions Must Be Lifted featured founder Helga Zepp-LaRouche, former head of the Armys Criminal Law Division at the Pentagon and former Virginia State Senator Col. Richard H. Black (ret.), Malaysian human rights activist Chandra Muzaffar, and independent journalists Vanessa Beeley in Damascus and Marwa Osman in Beirut. Moderator Dennis Speed accused the Anglosphere of weaponizing the earthquake.

The Congressional leadership responded to this mobilization, but cynically, with House Resolution 132 on Feb. 27, full of whereases of sympathy for the victims of the earthquakes and support for relief efforts, but actually concluding as follows:

Whereas the Assad regime has shamefully used the earthquake to call for the lifting of United States sanctions, falsely claiming that such sanctions impede the aid response.... Resolved, That the House of Representatives ... urges the Biden Administration to remain committed to the protection of the Syrian people including by implementing the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019

maintaining all the sanctions!

This week the Schiller Institute will be in Congress pushing for the counter to that, the Feb. 21 House Concurrent Resolution 20 by Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, which mandates removing the 900 U.S. troops still in Syria since 2015, and must be voted on in the coming two weeks. Join the mobilization for this resolution and organize with the Schiller Institute to end the sanctions, and endless wars.
European space officials have called for establishing a separate time zone on the moon.

The European Space Agency (ESA) said the idea was discussed at a recent meeting held at the agencys Space Research and Technology Centre in the Netherlands.

ESA said the effort is part of a larger project to create a complete communication and navigation system for the moon. Space officials say such a system will be necessary to support a growing number of planned launches to the moon in coming years.

A series of space operations around the moon will require spacecraft and controllers to communicate together and fix their positions independently from Earth, ESA said in a statement. Currently, moon operations run on the time of the country that launched the spacecraft. But ESA officials say this will have to change when more countries and private space companies start launching their own moon missions.

ESA has partnered with the American space agency NASA on several planned lunar projects, or missions. ESA helped build NASAs Orion spacecraft, which is expected to transport American astronauts back to the moon by the mid-2020s. NASA reported it was pleased with Orions last uncrewed test mission late last year.

ESA has also been involved in planning and development operations for a lunar project called Gateway. Private companies have been asked to develop living spaces, called habitats, for NASA and ESA, as part of the Gateway project.

NASA has described Gateway as a small spaceship that would remain in orbit around the moon. It would be designed as a living space for astronauts and as a laboratory for science activities. Gateway would give the astronauts a base for making trips to the moon, and possibly in the future to Mars.

Pietro Giordano is a navigation system engineer for ESA. He said after the issue was considered at the recent ESA meeting, a joint international effort is now being launched to establish a lunar time zone.

ESA says the planned lunar communications and navigation systems will perform much better if they employ the same timescale, along with the many other crewed and uncrewed missions they will support.

NASA also had to deal with the time question while designing and building the International Space Station (ISS), which is nearing the 25th anniversary of the launch of its first piece.

The ISS does not have its own time zone. Instead, it runs on Coordinated Universal Time, or UTC, which is based on time kept by atomic clocks. This helps ease the time difference between NASA and the Canadian Space Agency, as well as other space partners in Russia, Japan and Europe.

ESA says the international team looking at establishing a lunar time zone is debating whether a single organization should set and keep time on the moon.

There are also technical questions to consider. For example, clocks run faster on the moon than on Earth, gaining about 56 microseconds each day, officials said. The exact difference depends on the position of the clock and whether it is in orbit or on the lunar surface.

One of the most important things to consider is whether separate lunar time will be helpful and effective for the astronauts working there, said ESA official Bernhard Hufenbach.

This will be quite a challenge, Hufenbach said in a statement. He noted that a day on the moon lasts as long as 29.5 days on Earth. Hufenbach added that after successfully establishing a working time system for the moon, we can go on to do the same for other planetary destinations.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from the European Space Agency, The Associated Press and NASA.

Quiz - European Space Agency Calls for Giving Moon its Own Time Zone Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

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Words in This Story

navigate  v. to find the right direction for traveling by using maps or other equipment

uncrewed adj. (neologism) without a crew, not operated by people

time zone n. one of the worlds 24 divisions where a certain time is officially observed

challenge  n. a difficult task or problem; something that is hard to do

destination  n. the place where someone or something is going

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The recent 7.8 earthquake magnitude earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria caused major physical destruction and loss of life in both countries. Health experts now warn that the disaster will also cause major mental health damage as well.

Officials say tens of thousands of people died and over 1.5 million were left homeless in cold winter conditions. Many have lost family members, jobs and their hopes for the future.

Tugce Seren Gul's aunt and grandmother were killed in Antakya in Turkey's southeast. Every night, she waits until 4:17 am in the morning, the exact time that the disaster hit, to try to go to sleep.

"I keep thinking another disaster will strike at that time and just wait for it to pass," said the 28-year-old Gul. She escaped by running out of her family house with her mother moments before the walls collapsed.

Gul said the horror has weighed heavily on the mental health of survivors who "lost everything" in the city of Antakya.

She wants to one day seek professional mental health help to deal with the trauma. But for now, she is establishing a new life for herself and her family.

Children at risk

Experts fear children will be hardest hit. The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) said many of the more than 5.4 million children who live across the area affected by the earthquake were at risk of developing anxiety, depression and other disorders.

"We know how important learning and routine is for children and their recovery," UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia Afshan Khan said after a visit to Turkey.

"They need to be able to resume their education, and they urgently need" psychological "support to help deal with the trauma they have experienced."

Mehmet Sari is a government social support worker. He said he and others in his team have seen signs of trauma in children.

They need long-term support to recover from trauma, he said.

Turkey's Ministry of Family and Social Services said it has sent more than 3,700 social workers to support those affected by the earthquake.

The stress is chronic

Psychologist and professor at MEF University, Ayse Bilge Selcuk, said the Turkish people have already been under pressure. She said rising poverty and the COVID-19 pandemic have hurt the country.

"The stress is chronic," Selcuk said, meaning that the tension continues over time. "For this nation to get back on its feet, we need to find that strength within us and that starts with our psychology," she added.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has promised to rebuild homes within a year. But it will still be many months before thousands can leave temporary shelters.

People look numb, likely a defense process to deal with stress, said Selcuk. Anxiety, helplessness and depression are likely to be common and young people could feel anger.

Rebuilding efforts should include mental health, Selcuk said. She urged the government to provide money for training psychologists to be sent to the earthquake areas to stay there.

"We shouldn't withdraw our attention three months later," she said.

Im Mario Ritter, Jr.

Humeyra Pamuk and Timour Azhari reported this story for Reuters. Mario Ritter, Jr. adapted it for VOA Learning English.

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Words in This Story

psychological adj. relating to the study or treatment of the mind

anxiety v. fear or tension about the future

routine n. something that is done every day or very regularly

resume v. to begin again or go back to

trauma n. an experience that causes injury or an extreme shock that causes long-term harm

stress n. a physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be involved in causing some diseases

chronic adj. continuing or happening again and again for a long time

get back on (your) feet idiom to get healthy again after a period of sickness

numb adj. lacking in emotion: indifferent

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Penn Station Shoe Repair and Shoe Shine is a small shoeshining business in New York City. On a recent weekday, customers sat down at the shoeshine business and pulled out newspapers and phones to read while their shoes got shined. The shoeshiners cleaned the footwear and added an oily substance to protect the shoes leather material. When finished, the customers paid eight dollars for the work.

A sign hanging at the little business reads, Were not God, but we do save soles.

Shoeshining has a long history in the United States, dating back hundreds of years. But today, the tradition of getting a quick shine is weakening. Shoeshine stands are disappearing in cities and towns across the country.

The COVID-19 pandemic intensified the business decline. More people work from home than in the past. And it has become popular to wear more casual work clothes. All this means fewer customers for shoeshining businesses.

Nisan Khaimov owns the Penn Station stand. He said his stand would shine 80 to 100 shoes each workday before the pandemic. Now it is between 30 to 50 from Tuesday to Thursday and even fewer on Mondays and Fridays. The work-from-home model that is common across America is hurting his business.

Until people come back to work, the problems will not be solved, said Khaimov.

Rory Heenan is a 38-year-old accountant from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He said as a young boy he would take the train with his father on his way to work one Friday each month and watch him get a shoeshine.

I would just sit here as a little guy, you know, observing, he said. And here I am, you know, 30 years later, doing the same thing. So, its certainly something thats passed down over time.

Across town, Jairo Cardenas is also feeling the losses. Business at Alpha Shoes Repair Corporation is down 75 percent from before the pandemic. His business used to shine 60 or 70 shoes a day. Now, on a good day, he shines shoes for 10 to 15 customers.

Shoe repairs generally bring in more money than shines. At David Mesquitas Leather Spa, which operates five shoe repair and shine businesses in the area, the repairs are the major part of its sales. But shoeshines are still an important offering to bring people in as most shoe repair businesses do not have the service.

Before the pandemic, Leather Spa had four shoeshine chairs at its business inside New Yorks Grand Central Terminal. It employed six shoeshiners. Together, they would complete about 120 shines a day. Now, there are three shoeshiners who do 40 or 50 shines a day at most.

But Mesquita is seeing people slowly coming back. His December 2022 shoeshine numbers were up 52 percent compared with December 2021.

Traffic is slowly coming back in, were seeing the commuters come in and everything, but were still not back 100 percent of what we were, Mesquita said.

He added that shoeshining is not something that will ever fully go away.

People like to treat themselves, he said, whether its once a week or twice a week or, you know, once every two weeks. Its just nice.

Im Caty Weaver.

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Words in This Story

customer n. one that buys a product or service

sole n. the part of a shoe on which the bottom of the foot rests.

decline n. to become less in amount

commuter n. to travel from home and back on a usual basis for work (often between a suburb and a city)

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South Korea announced a new plan Monday to pay Koreans who performed forced labor for Japan during World War II.

The plan does not require Japanese companies to provide any of the payments, also called reparations. South Koreas Foreign Minister Park Jin told reporters that a local state-run foundation would use civilian donations to pay the victims.

The move is part of an effort by President Yoon Suk Yeol to improve ties with Japan. It is also an effort to solidify security cooperation with both Japan and the United States to better deal with nuclear threats from North Korea.

The plan uses money raised in South Korea. However, former forced laborers and their supporters criticized the move. So have opposition Democratic Party politicians. They have demanded direct payment from Japanese companies and a new apology from the Japanese government.

Japan colonized the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945. The colonial rulers forced many thousands of Koreans to work for Japanese companies during World War II. Many of those forced to work have already died and survivors are now in their 90s.

A group of 15 victims brought a legal case in 2018 that affected relations between the neighboring countries. A South Korean court ordered Japans Nippon Steel and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to pay the victims. But the ruling caused tensions between the countries.

Japan said that a 1965 treaty settled wartime compensation issues. It reacted by placing export controls on chemicals important to South Koreas computer technology industry in 2019.

Then-President Moon Jae-in answered by threatening to end military intelligence-sharing agreements with Japan.

The dispute troubled American efforts to strengthen cooperation among South Korea, Japan and the U.S. in dealing with China and North Korea.

U.S. President Joe Biden welcomed news of the compensation plan, calling it a new chapter in cooperation and saying, Our countries are strongerwhen we stand together.

A glass half full

Describing the plan, Park said, If we compare it to a glass of water, I think that the glass is more than half full with water. He added, We expect that the glass will be further filled moving forward based on Japans sincere response.

Later Monday, Yoon called the South Korean step a move toward future-oriented Korea-Japan ties. He said both governments must aim to enter a new period in their relations.

South Korean officials did not give details about which companies would finance the foundation. But, in January, Shim Kyu-sun, the chairperson of the Foundation for Victims of Forced Mobilization by Imperial Japan, said money would come from companies that gained from the 1965 treaty. The treaty normalized relations between South Korea and Japan and provided economic aid and loans to South Korea.

The main liberal opposition Democratic Party voiced opposition to Yoons new plan. When the party was in power, led by Moon, it took steps to cancel a foundation supported by Japan that was to pay women used as sex slaves during World War II.

Bong Young-shik is an expert at the Yonsei Institute for North Korean Studies. Bong said Yoon likely felt pressure to improve defense ties because of North Koreas increasing missile threats.

Choi Eun-mi is a Japan expert at South Koreas Asan Institute for Policy Studies. Choi said a plan paid for by third parties was the best answer for money to get to victims who are now in their 90s.

Choi noted that the negotiations have gone extended for nearly a year and the plaintiffs would have had the most to lose if the issue isnt resolved now.

Im Mario Ritter, Jr.

And I'm Caty Weaver.

Kim Tong-Hyung and Hyung-Jin Kim reported this story with contributions from Mari Yamaguchi for the Associated Press. Mario Ritter, Jr. adapted it for VOA Learning English.

___________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

compensation n. something that is given to make up for damage or trouble

foundation n. an organization supported by donations that is meant to do something good for society

sincere adj. what is expressed in a true and honest way

response n. a return communication; an answer

future-oriented adj. aimed at the future, not the past

plaintiff n. (legal) a person who brings a legal action

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Editors Note: This is the last of a two part series about the First Presbyterian Churchs 150th year history in Plum Creek and Lexington.

LEXINGTON  The First Presbyterian Church in Lexington is celebrating 150 years of service this year and can trace its roots to Plum Creek. Their current church in Lexington was built after a 1931 fire.

From the Ashes

On Jan. 14, 1931, the second Presbyterian Church and all of its contents were destroyed in a fire.

The members of the congregation were no doubt devastated by the loss of the church building that so many had contributed toward. Many of the records kept in the church were also lost.

The Odd Fellows Hall was secured to host church services after the fire and the congregation resolved to build again. A building committee was appointed soon after the fire.

The men appointed to the building committee were G. E. Stuckey, chairman; Jesse Bancroft, George Anthony, J.C. Smith, W. W. Waters and F. C. Warnemunde. The largest contribution to the church building was $10,000 given by Mrs. I. W. Olive.

On May 17, 1931, the 58th anniversary of the church, the cornerstone was laid for the present day church.

An article from the Dawson County Pioneer offered a preview of the event. A brief history of the church was offered by George Anthony while the address was offered by E. M. Steen of the First Presbyterian Church of North Platte.

Along with the placing of the corner stone, a time capsule was also placed. The items were combined with a capsule that had been placed in 1906.

The new items included a Bible, paper describing the fire and a picture of the second church, current issues of the Dawson County Pioneer and Clipper-Citizen, a brief history of the church, names of the officers of the church, names of the building committee, name of the minister, names of the presidents of all the organizations, copy of the Ladies League annual yearbook, cost of the building, list of all the subscribers to the building and a copy of the service.

The current church building was erected at the site of the second church, on 8th and Lincoln St.

A dedicatory service for the newly constructed church was held on Nov. 1, 1931 with over 700 people in attendance. The cost of construction at the time was $58,567.

A contemporary article from the time provided details about the new church. The church is a magnificent structure both from outward appearance, as well as inside. The pipe organ is one of the best to be found between Lincoln and Denver, with its chimes and sweet tone.

The pipe organ was built by the M.P. Moller Organ Company of Hagerstown, Md. The organ is composed of a Swell organ, a Great organ and Pedal organ. A special feature was its cathedral chimes. It cost $4,000 at the time.

Sunday school and other activity rooms are completely outfitted to care for every phase of the church work. The tiny tots room is especially impressive with its rows of graduated chairs and midget piano, the 1931 article reported.

The main auditorium is capable of seating 240 people and the room at the back with chairs will seat more than 400 while the balcony will care for between 70 and 80. At the south end of the auditorium is the pulpit and choir seats, the article stated.

The article also detailed the dedication, J. W. Pressly of Omaha delivered the sermon at the dedicatory service, the choir of 21 voices, garbed in their black robes and white collars made an impressive picture as they marched slowly up the aisle to their position back of the pulpit. Many splendid numbers were given by the choir with the organ accompaniment.

Keys to the splendid new edifice were transferred to the board of trustees from the architect who erected the building. Services will be held throughout the week in dedication of this fine church, the article noted. Tours of the church were also offered to members of the public.

Forward and Onward

A Lexington Presbyterian church history noted that Almost immediately following the completion of the new church came the drought years of 1923-1933. Nebraska, along with the rest of the United States, was also suffering from the Great Depression.

During this time, Rev. P. M. Orr, the pastor, asked the Session to reduce his salary to $150 per month in order that his financial straits would be commensurate with those of the congregation, the history noted.

As Lexington was a farming community, members of the congregation helped make ends meet and pay church pledges by selling cream, eggs, chicken and other livestock. Women canned quantities of fruits and vegetables, most of them were homegrown. Some parishioners even turned to using kerosene stoves to save electricity.

It was noted the church made slow but steady growth until 1944 when membership numbered around 510. At the congregational meeting in April 1947, the membership had grown to 715.

A church history noted that one of the notable dates in the churchs history was April 16, 1944. $12,500.00 was paid on the debt during the previous years. The canceled mortgage was burned during a very impressive service.

Also in 1944, the church adopted their first missionary, Mason Vaugh of Allahabad Agricultural Institute in Allahabad, India. At first the church contributed a third of his support, later raised to half.

After World War II, a chime system was installed in the church tower to honor the five young men in the church who were killed in action during the war. They included:

John Miller, May 24, 1943, in the Aleutians

Ronald Morgan, Nov. 19, 1943, in Brazil

Peter Miller, July 9, 1944

Ejnar Pedersen, Aug. 8, 1944, in France

Richard Hume, Sept. 19, 1944, in Africa

The name of the church was changed from the Plum Creek Presbyterian Church to the First Presbyterian Church of Lexington in July 1952.

In the spring of 1955, the church began hosting two worship services each Sunday morning.

In the 1950s, churches and schools were being greatly expanded to accommodate the growing population, and organized religion was in its heyday.

On a typical Sunday morning in the period from 1955-58, almost half of all Americans were attending church, the highest percentage in U.S. history. During the 1950s, nationwide church membership grew at a faster rate than the population, from 57 percent of the U.S. population in 1950 to 63.3 percent in 1960, stated a report by the University of Southern California.

Due to the rapid increase in the enrollment in our Sunday school, a new educational unit was built in 1957, a church history stated.

In 1968, the church began a radio ministry with KRVN and a community nursery school for children who could benefit from the experience. The next year the church was fully air conditioned and there was a completed refurbishing of the sanctuary.

Anniversaries

In 1973 the First Presbyterian Church celebrated its 100th anniversary. Events were held over a three day period, May 13-15.

Give thanks for the past and praise God for the future, was the slogan of the three-day 100th anniversary observance of the First Presbyterian Church in Lexington, a North Platte Telegraph article stated.

The Rev. Dr. Charlie Shedd of Jekyll Island, Ga., who served the Lexington congregation from 1942-47, was the featured speaker, talking with about 160 youth from a number of churches in an afternoon rally, the North Platte Telegraph reported.

In 1975 a long time tradition would start for the church, the First Presbyterian Churchs new choir director at the time wanted to have the Chancel Choir perform a cantata for the Easter service.

The director Jean Blecha McGee, who was also a music teacher in the Lexington School system, the cantata she chose for the choir to perform was Come Together.

This tradition would be carried on for 40 years with various directors taking on the directing task.

Jean held the choir director position until 2001 when she and her family moved to Omaha. From that time until present, the choir directors have been Amanda Keebler, in 2001, Ruth Strackbein from 2002-2005, Betty Erickson in 2006, Connie Smets from 2007-2009, and Holly Rickertsen since 2010 have fearlessly led the choir to the singing challenge. Hollys first cantata in 2010 was Once and for All.

From its beginning in 1873 to its present day existence in 1990, the First Presbyterian Church of Plum Creek, now Lexington, has been loved by generations of people for 117 years. Over that span of years its members have been people committed to their church and Christ. Through the years it has been a leader in its ministry both to the local community and the church at large, a church history stated.

The First Presbyterian Church would also celebrate its 125th anniversary in 1998; commemorative plates were made in honor of the event.

Pastor Eddie Mariel has been serving the First Presbyterian Church since Jan. 7, 2018.

Mariel said looking on the churchs 150 years of service to the community; it is a testimony to the faithfulness of the congregation members throughout the years, including current members.

He said it takes faithfulness and devotion and a commitment to serve. He noted after the second church building burned down in 1931, it was a tough time for the church but they rebuilt and continued their mission in the community.

His message as the church celebrates its 150th anniversary. is that it is good to reflect and celebrate their, wonderful history. It is also important, when looking toward the future, to discern what changes can and should be made to better serve the diverse and vibrant community of Lexington for 150 more years.

Mariel said change can be uncomfortable, but it is a challenge worth taking on.

To commemorate their one hundred and fifty years of faith and history, a special event has been planned for each month of 2023. The third special event is coming up on Sunday, March 19 when there will be a Church Cookbook Potluck.

Members of the congregation are invited to find a beloved recipe or a new-to-them recipe from one of the numerous church cookbooks and prepare that dish to share at a potluck following worship. The community is welcome to join these events.

The following events will be celebrated throughout the year: April  Celebration of Childrens Ministries; May  Ice Cream Social; June 11  Special Church Service at the original church site; July  Progressive Dinner; August  High Tea, date to be announced; Sept. 10  Rally Day BBQ; Oct. 15  Harvest Party; Nov. 12  Formal Dinner Celebration and Dec. 17  Matins Service.
Leaders from the University of Nebraska and two prominent industry groups asked members of the Legislature's Appropriations Committee on Friday to fund the full state appropriations request over the next biennium.

Last August, the NU Board of Regents approved a proposal to seek a 3% increase in state appropriations from the Legislature for each of the next two years.

The increase sought by NU would have boosted state support to $665 million in 2023-24 and $696 million in 2024-25.

Gov. Jim Pillen  who was a member of the Board of Regents that approved that request before he won the gubernatorial election last November  included a 2% increase to the university system in his budget proposal.

The Appropriations Committee's initial budget reflected Pillen's proposed support for NU with a 2% increase in state support.

Speaking to committee members, NU President Ted Carter described the university's request as "carefully considered, balancing the basic needs of the university with our commitment to being good partners to you."

Carter said the budget request would not cover all of NU's needs and suggested the university would look at some combination of modest tuition increases and budget cuts in order to close any funding gaps.

He added NU has already slashed $75 million from its budget over the last five years to keep its budget balanced, which has eliminated any "low-hanging fruit" the university could cut.

"It is too early to know what kind of tuition increase we might bring to the board," Carter said. "We will not make that decision until after you and your colleagues have completed your work, but I can tell you that we will not balance our budget on the backs of students."

Regent Tim Clare of Lincoln, who serves as chairman of the board this year, told the committee that "a stable base of state support is crucial to our ability to keep tuition affordable."

In turn, he added, affordable tuition would keep NU accessible to students from Nebraska and elsewhere as the state seeks workers to fill tens of thousands of open positions.

"We need to remain affordable and accessible so every student who wants to pursue a university degree can do so," Clare said. "At the end of the day, more access for students means more workforce for Nebraska."

Bryan Slone, president of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce, said the university was key to developing the state's workforce and attracting talent to the state.

"This has always been the case, but as we face a growing workforce shortage and a decrease in college enrollment in our institutions of higher education, it's more important than ever that we look to increase enrollment in our colleges and university campuses, to develop our talent pipeline," Slone said.

He also told lawmakers that NU was doing its part to be a good steward of public resources and increase the impact its teaching, research and outreach has on the state.

Nebraska Farm Bureau President Mark McHargue said the university also played an important role in supporting the state's largest industry  agriculture.

Reducing the reliance on property taxes to fund government remains Nebraska Farm Bureau's top priority, McHargue said, but the organization also backs "maintaining a strong and future-focused university system."

McHargue said the university trains agronomists that work with Nebraska farmers, as well as mechanical engineers and veterinarians that work with producers. In the future, agriculture is going to need more data scientists and computer programmers, he added, all of which are trained at places like NU.

The committee also heard from a pair of student regents, including Nicole Kent, who told senators about her experience at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, which offered her a path to the University of Nebraska Medical Center, where she is now in her third year in the College of Medicine.

"The University of Nebraska provides opportunities for students like me to rise and achieve all that we are capable of," Kent said, "but it takes support from lawmakers like yourselves to maintain high-quality, affordable education."

Photos: Historic UNL buildings University of Nebraska-Lincoln buildings; Architectural Hall UNL CBA building UNL Temple Building UNL Morrill Hall University of Nebraska-Lincoln buildings; Architectural Hall University of Nebraska-Lincoln buildings; Architectural Hall UNL Architecture Hall Cather Hall, Pound Hall
Engie, a global low-carbon energy company, has become a Corporate Member of Louvre Abu Dhabi, the first universal museum in the Arab World,

As part of the Corporate Membership programme with the museum, Engie held its E4 event, which provided government and industry leaders with valuable insights into how to accelerate the journey to net zero.

Led by CEO Catherine MacGregor, E4 showcased the most impactful and cost-effective decarbonisation solutions being put into practice today and other innovative solutions that support industries and businesses in overcoming decarbonisation challenges. The event provided attendees with an unrivalled opportunity to network with peers.

Perfect setting

Headquartered in France and an energy partner to the Middle East, Engie is delighted to be a corporate member of Louvre Abu Dhabi, which features important artworks and artefacts spanning the entirety of human history around the world, said Frederic Claux, Thermal and Supply Managing Director for Asia, Middle East and Africa at Engie.

With this in mind, Louvre Abu Dhabi provides the perfect setting to discuss the regional path to net zero ahead of COP28, which will be hosted in the UAE. Climate change is now one of humanitys most pressing concerns. Still, with the commitment, skills and technical capabilities of government and business leaders in the Middle East, the region can lead global decarbonisation efforts, Claux added.

Commenting on this partnership, Manuel Rabate, Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi said: As a mindful museum open to the sea and connected to its natural environment, Louvre Abu Dhabi is committed to raising awareness on sustainability. Our partnership with Engie affirms our commitment to supporting innovative and ground-breaking initiatives. Engie has constantly demonstrated its involvement and dedication to the region and, by working together, we believe that we can create a more sustainable future for Abu Dhabi and the wider community.

With ambitions to achieve net zero by 2045, Engies strategic objectives are closely aligned with the net zero goals of regional governments. The company is the Middle Easts energy partner and works closely with its stakeholders to support its decarbonisation efforts.-- TradeArabia News Service
A driver was killed in a head-on crash after crossing the center line of Highway 67 near Clinton on Sunday morning, the Rock County Sheriffs Office reported.

The crash happened at about 7:10 a.m. Sunday on Highway 67 about 0.2 miles east of South Northrup Road, Sgt. David Rossmiller said in a statement.

The investigation determined that a man was driving a 2001 Ford Explorer east on Highway 67 when he crossed the center line into the path of a westbound 2015 Ford Taurus driven by a 24-year-old male from Sharon, Rossmiller said.

The vehicles collided and came to rest in the westbound lane of traffic and north shoulder. The Explorer caught fire and was fully engulfed when emergency personnel arrived at the scene, Rossmiller said.

The Explorer driver was pronounced dead at the scene, while the Taurus driver was taken to Javon Bea Hospital in Rockford, Illinois for treatment of serious injuries, Rossmiller said.

The crash remains under investigation, no charges or citations are anticipated, and the name of the driver who died will be released by the Rock County Medical Examiners Office at a later date, Rossmiller said.

Highway 67 was closed for about 4 hours due to the crash.
I keep recalling the immortal line Humphrey Bogart delivered in the 1946 movie, The Big Sleep: Such a lot of guns around town and so few brains. Youre the second guy Ive met today that seems to think a gat in the hand means the world by the tail.

He said that just before  or was it just after?  disarming him.

The cause for remembrance is  you knew this was coming  a bill in the Idaho Legislature. This one is Senate Bill 1056, which would repeal the long-standing (for most of a century) state law that has prohibited private militia groups from associating and parading in public with firearms  presumably, that is, loaded firearms. The bill is at this writing set for a vote on the Senate floor.

The sponsor, Sen. Dan Foreman, represents the city of Moscow, a place where public safety is more or less Topic A these days. He offers the rationale that, we cannot deny people their Second Amendment rights out of fear.

It is a fig leaf only, for two reasons. One is that the longstanding Idaho law is almost certainly constitutional. Idaho legislators have in hand a letter from Mary McCord, legal director of the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown Law and former U.S. assistant attorney general for national security, saying flatly, Idahos prohibition against unauthorized paramilitary organizations is fully consistent with the First and Second Amendments to the U.S. Constitution and with the Idaho Constitution. The Supreme Court has specifically decided as much.

In a radio interview, McCord also pointed out this: All 50 states have some provision in their state law, whether its their state constitution or their state statutes, that prohibits private militia, private paramilitary activity.

The second reason is that the way people challenge denial of their rights under the Constitution in this country is by taking the issue to court, not legislating the answer. This is not about protecting someones rights; this is about reshaping Idaho law to create something new.

What is this about? With the usual caveat about avoiding mind-reading, the only plausible explanation seems to be broad support of extreme right-wing militia activity  and the intimidation factor some of their backers seem to want to encourage.

Some legislators have said this out loud. Sen. James Ruchti of Pocatello, for one: We are sending a message to militias: Free rein, have at it, start training. Were sending a message to hate groups to show up in our communities and share your message with us under arms. Bring your weapons.

Theres that, and more.

One problem is a blurring of who actually has law enforcement authority; another is the pursuit of flat-out illegal acts (the attempted kidnapping and murder of the governor of Michigan, for example).

More broadly, one police organization summarized this way: The normalization of the gathering of these groups in public and the possible appearance of these groups alignment with police agencies presents unique challenges to public and officer safety. During 2020, unauthorized armed groups protested public health lockdowns, opposed racial justice protestors, conspired to abduct state governors and kill law enforcement officers, and in an event indelibly imprinted on the country, participated in the siege of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, during which five people died.

I would add one more problem: The appearance of armed gangs (which is what they are) around polling places and other election activities disrupts our voting processes  as, apparently, they are intended to do (and seems to have been tried in some states). There is here a specific agenda to attack our right to govern ourselves  or to vote for anyone unapproved of by the gang.

In the end, this kind of thing will fail, because as Bogart reminded us so long ago, a gat in the hand does not mean the world by the tail.

But if some Idaho legislators get their way, well have a lot more painful experiences, and threats to our common rights to govern ourselves, before we come to a broad-enough acceptance of that truth.
To those who witnessed the fall of Roe v. Wade and the implementation of Idahos total abortion ban, the medical community accepts that broad access to abortion is no longer an option in Idaho.

What most do not realize is the dramatic impact that criminalizing medical care is having on recruitment and retention of physicians who care for Idahos pregnant women. We need the citizens and legislators to fully understand and appreciate what is at stake now, and act before it is too late.

As the medical director of womens health care at St. Lukes Health System, I am witnessing first-hand the impact of these laws on all physicians who give advice and care to pregnant women. These providers are terrified and constantly second-guessing their decisions. Not because of the restrictions on broad access to abortion, but because they can no longer safely manage and advise their patients who have pregnancy complications.

Complicated pregnancies are not rare; the average is 30 per week for the St. Lukes Health System alone. These complications may require the termination of the pregnancy to protect the health of the mother or end a fatal fetal defect. But physicians dealing with these complications could be facing felony charges from such care and have no choice but to defend these medical decisions in court.

What reasonable physician wants to take that chance? Many are deciding it is not worth the risk.

A recent survey shows that more than 45% of OBGYN physicians are considering or exploring relocation out of Idaho. In the last six months, three of the maternal fetal medicine physicians (high-risk pregnancy specialists) in our state have decided to leave Idaho. Family medicine and generalist OBGYN physicians, who manage the vast majority of pregnant patients in our state, are also signaling a desire to limit their practice, retire early or leave Idaho.

Recruitment of new physicians to Idaho has been virtually impossible since late summer 2022, which should be setting off alarm bells throughout Idaho.

Again, it is NOT the restrictions on elective abortion that are driving this unfolding nightmare. Physicians do not want to practice in Idaho; they do not want to live and raise a family in a state that criminalizes care that is both medically appropriate and necessary.

It is not too late. Legislators in this session could make simple changes in the laws and allow for appropriate and medically necessary exceptions in the cases of terminations. This would allow the doctor and the patient to make these often heart-wrenching decisions, without the fear of prosecution hanging over their heads.

Obstetrical care is complex, and a nuanced approach is required. If we do not rewrite these laws during this legislative session, we will lose more physicians. Recruitment will remain difficult  if not impossible. This will lead to provider shortages, increased access issues, substandard and unsafe care.

Please contact your representatives and ask them to prioritize this issue.
The Cape Verdean government will sign a contract with Portuguese cement company Cimpor for the exploration of pozzolana on the island of Santo Antao, anticipating the creation of over 100 direct jobs, announced the Prime Minister, Ulisses Correia e Silva. The information was provided after the four-day visit that the Head of Government made to that island, until Saturday, referring Ulisses Correia e Silva to the extraction of pozzolana (one of the components of cement found in volcanic ash) in Porto Novo, which dates back to the colonial period, but which has been paralyzed for more than seven years.

In 2005 the company Cabocem, owned by Italian investors, was installed there to produce pozzolanic cement, but it ended up closing in June 2013, despite the fact that local authorities estimate that there are deposits in that area of around ten million tons of pozzolan. We will sign a contract with Cimpor for the exploitation of pozzolana and the creation of more than 100 direct jobs and several indirect jobs, announced Ulisses Correia e Silva.

It was reported in May 2022 that Cimpor presented the Cape Verdean government with an investment plan worth 5,500 million escudos (48 million euros) to strengthen the strategic partnership it has been developing in the archipelago for 18 years.

In a statement sent to news agencies at the time, Cimpor already anticipated that this investment plan includes a proposal to obtain a concession for pozzolan exploration on the island of Santo Antao, but also port management and concession, as well as renewable energy production. For the Portuguese cement company, this is a crucial investment for the development of its business, as well as for the growth of the local economy.
Burundian authorities recently arrested 24 people for homosexual practices, a judicial source and a human rights activist said.

The arrests took place on February 23 in the capital Gitega, where members of MUCO Burundi, an NGO involved in the fight against AIDS, were holding a seminar, an activist said on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.

They are accused of homosexual practices and incitement to homosexual practices towards adolescent boys and girls to whom they give money, said the activist, denouncing absurd and baseless accusations.

The governor of Gitega province, Venant Manirambona, confirmed the arrests but declined to provide details, saying the judicial investigation was ongoing. A judicial source said neighbors alerted security services after seeing teenagers of both sexes at MUCO headquarters.

Police found condoms and documents on gay rights at the scene, the source added, confirming that the 24 people were arrested on suspicion of homosexual practices and incitement to homosexual practices.

The penal code promulgated in 2009 by the late President Pierre Nkurunziza, who ruled the country with an iron fist, punishes sexual relations with a person of the same sex, punishable by three months to two years in prison. His successor, Evariste Ndayishimiye, in a speech Wednesday blasted homosexuals, even those living outside the country.

In East Africa, as in many countries on the continent, LGBTQ people face precarity and discrimination in conservative societies, whether predominantly Christian or Muslim, where homosexuality is taboo.
The Supreme Court on Friday extended the validity of old banknotes in Nigeria, invalidating a government directive that has been causing a severe cash shortage in Africas most populous country for weeks.

In a ruling handed down, it said that President Muhammadu Buhari, whose government decided to outlaw old naira bills from February, did so without consultation, which makes him a dictator.

In October, the Nigerian authorities had suddenly announced the coming change of banknotes (including their color), and decided that the old bills would no longer be valid at the end of January, a date that was later postponed to 10 February due to shortages and popular pressure.

For more than a month, huge queues have formed in front of banks, unable to distribute sufficient new banknotes, plunging the population (half of whom live in extreme poverty) into immense distress. Many Nigerians work in the informal sector of the economy and rely solely on cash for their daily transactions.

Several regional authorities in Nigeria filed a lawsuit against the federal government, seeking to allow people to use both old and new banknotes until the banks had received enough new bills.

In its ruling, the Supreme Court agreed, stating that the directive to stop the circulation of old bills is declared invalid. It thus extends their use alongside the new bills until 31 December 2023.

The Court deplored the lack of consultation and the fact that no adequate notice was given to Nigerians before the withdrawal of the existing banknotes and the reintroduction of the new ones. According to her, as a representative of the Federation, the President has a duty to consult. She added: Not to do so makes him a dictator.

According to the government, the reform was intended to make monetary policies more efficient, but also to limit vote buying before the February 25 presidential election, a common practice in Nigeria.
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Felix Tshisekedi urged visiting French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday Marcg 4 to sanction neighboring Rwanda for its alleged military support to M23 rebels, as police cracked down on a march protesting against Macrons visit aimed at renewing frayed ties with Kinshasa.

A clash between the French president and his DRC counterpart played out during a joint press conference. Despite the frayed ties and anti-French sentiments running high across the region, Tshisekedi called for an equal partnership between the two states and also urged France to pursue international sanctions against Rwanda over the ongoing violent crisis on its eastern region of Goma.

Macron responded by appealing to the DRCs government to take responsibility over the violence that has cascaded through the region for years. Since 1994, and it is not Frances fault  you have not been able to restore the sovereignty, neither military, nor security, nor administrative, of your country. This is also a reality. We must not look for culprits outside this affair, said the French president.

The DRC government has long accused Rwanda of backing the militia group M23, which re-emerged from dormancy in late 2021, subsequently occupying swathes of territory in North Kivu region.

Independent UN experts, the United States, France and other western countries agree with Kinshasas assessment, but Rwanda denies the charge.

Meanwhile, at a rally protesting against Macrons visit, many of the demonstrators held up Russian flags and banners with slogans, including one asking Mr Putin for help. Anti-French sentiment runs high in some former African colonies, as the continent becomes a renewed diplomatic battleground with Russian and Chinese influence growing. Last week, Macron said the era of French interference in Africa had ended and there was no desire to return to the past.
Several EU reports and journalistic information reported by media outlets such as CNN and Le Monde indicate that the Algerian regimes intention is to facilitate the installation of Russian military bases in the Sahel with the help of Iran.

The Algerian regime is said to be receiving a significant supply of drones from Iran, which would go directly to the armed militia of the Polisario Front, a group that enjoys the Algerian authorities support, in its struggle against Morocco.

Iran, which operates in a similar way by supplying the terrorist group Hezbollah, intends to establish the most radical branch of its Islamism in the Sahel and Sahara, using the Algerian military systems support.

Le Monde reported that the Algerian government had allowed the Wagner mercenary group (currently fighting in Ukraine under Putins orders) to penetrate the Sahel to reach Mali. This presence led to Frances departure from the African country and dealt a significant blow to the U.S.-led coalition to end terrorism in the region.

The Algerian government has become a firm ally of Russia, and it is estimated that it buys some $10 billion worth of arms from Russia annually, which would finance Putins war against Ukraine. For the year 2023, Algeria plans to allocate $23 billion to arms purchases, more than half of which would be Russian-made.

In September 2022, the United States already expressed concern about Algerias financing of Russias war against Ukraine and called for sanctions against the North African country.

The military alliance has been reflected in recent times in the joint exercises, mainly maritime ones, conducted between the two countries in the Mediterranean. Algiers has made its ports and ships available to Russia. It has also participated in other military exercises conducted by both countries in the past, both in the Caucasus and in Siberia, as well as in North Africa.

Jesus Sanchez Lambas, Vice President of the Coordinates Institute for Governance and Applied Economics, points out that the information available allows us to predict a double scenario of instability that would allow Russia to have a stranglehold on the European Union: Ukraine in the North and the Sahara in the South, aggravating the energy supply crisis.

While the humanitarian drama in the North focuses all US and EU political and media attention, the situation in the South is perceived as something distant and culturally alien to the West.

Western powers must anticipate the foreseeable catastrophe by strengthening their relations with the few reliable partners in the region, such as Morocco. It is getting late.
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:

With cannabis poisoning soaring among U.S. children, an expert from Children's Hospital Los Angeles offers tips for keeping kids safe from so-called "edibles."

"The best way to keep your kids safe from marijuana edibles is not to have them in your home," Dr. Colleen Kraft, an attending physician in the Department of Pediatrics, said in a hospital news release.

However, if you do have them at home, store them where your children can't get them.

Between 2017 and 2021, more than 7,000 children younger than 6 were exposed to edible cannabis, according to the National Poison Data System.

The number of incidents rose during that span by 1,375%from 207 incidents a year to 3,054. About 1 in 4 of those kids was hospitalized, many with severe complications such as breathing difficulties and critical care stays.

In more than 90% of cases, children found the toxic edibles at home.

Treat edible marijuana like you would any medication, Kraft said. Remove the edibles from their packaging and put them in child-resistant containers.

Put a "marijuana edibles" label on the containers and place them in a locked cabinet, Kraft added.

It may also help to buy edibles in packaging that is less enticing to children and doesn't look like a treat.

"These products often come in 'copycat' packaging that looks like real candy," Kraft said. "This is particularly dangerous for kids who are too young to read."

Also, do not eat these products in front of your kids. Since edibles can trigger children's curiosity, it's better to consume them where your kids can't see you.

Ask other adults in households where your child visits to do the same. Talk with them about storing edibles safely. It is important that they listen.

"If family and friends use these products, they need to take the same precautions you would take," Kraft said.

If your child consumes a marijuana edible, look at its wrapper to see how much tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) it contains.

"Just one cookie or candy bar can lead to an overdose," Kraft said, noting the small size and weight of children.

The body takes longer to process ingested THC than inhaled THC, Kraft said. Symptoms of marijuana poisoning, such as vomiting, slurred speech and breathing difficulties, may not appear until hours after the edible is consumed, Kraft said.

Call the poison control hotline if you think your child has ingested edible marijuana. It can be reached at 1-800-222-1222. If your child's symptoms are severe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately.

More information: The American Academy of Pediatrics has more on the dangers of edible marijuana for children.

Copyright  2023 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
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

What explains persistent racial disparities in policing, despite police departments' repeated investments in bias-training programs? A wide range of data indicate that police in the United States tend to stop, arrest, injure, or kill more Black people than White people. Calvin K. Lai (Washington University in St. Louis) and Jaclyn A. Lisnek (University of Virginia) analyzed the effectiveness of a day-long implicit-bias-oriented diversity training session designed to increase U.S. police officers' knowledge of bias, concerns about bias, and use of evidence-based strategies to mitigate bias.

Their findings, recently published in Psychological Science, suggest that "diversity trainings as they are currently practiced are unlikely to change police behavior."

Immediately after these trainings, police officers have strong intentions to use the strategies they've learned, explained Lai in a forthcoming interview on Under the Cortex, the APS podcast. But "one month later there wasn't that kind of follow through."

In 2020 and 2021, Lai and Lisnek evaluated 251 training sessions (in-person or remote) in which 24 different educators taught the Managing Bias programdeveloped by the Anti-Defamation League to reduce the influence of biases in the behaviors of police officers, improve the relationship between the community and the police, and increase safetyto different police departments with a history of BlackWhite racial disparities in policing.

This day-long training consists of an interactive workshop, led by two educators, that uses activities to educate officers about the origins and differences between explicit and implicit bias, how biases may affect their behavior, and gaps in understanding between police and the community. After learning about biases, officers were trained on strategies and skills to reduce biased behavior.

Lai, a recipient of the APS 2023 Janet Taylor Spence Award for Early Career Contributions, and Lisnek surveyed police officers immediately before the training to establish a baseline, assessing knowledge and concern about bias, usage of strategies to manage bias, and characteristics relevant to police training (e.g., centrality of police identity, expectations of respect from community members).

A second survey, administered immediately after the training, evaluated knowledge and concern about bias plus the intention to use the strategies to manage bias.

Results indicated that before the training, officers showed low understanding of and concern about bias, but the training immediately increased their knowledge and concern about bias. Right after the training, officers reported feeling empowered and motivated to use the strategies they learned to manage bias.

However, another survey one month later found that officers' concerns about bias had returned to pre-intervention levels and their use of these strategies had declined compared with their reported intentions immediately after training. Nevertheless, their general understanding of biases remained as high as immediately after the training.

Future research, Lai said, will attempt "to close that gap between officers really being motivated but not finding ways to follow through using some of these bias mitigation strategies."

The researchers also identified characteristics of diversity training that might affect its efficacy. For instance, previous literature has suggested embedding such efforts with other organizational initiatives, having managers reinforce them, and evaluating expected behavior as a part of job performance. The training examined in this study was implemented and administered by an external organization. Adding booster sessions instead of a one-and-done training model could also increase effectiveness, Lai and Lisnek said.

Finally, the strategies taught could have had low applicability outside of a lab in real-world policing, another factor that can also undermine training effectiveness. "One of the things we're finding is that there might not be these great one-size-fits-all solutions for combating bias at work," said Lai. It may be necessary "to think very concretely and specifically" about the daily work activities where police officers may be inclined to discriminateand then provide "super-tailored strategies" to mitigate those behaviors.

More information: Calvin K. Lai et al, The Impact of Implicit-Bias-Oriented Diversity Training on Police Officers' Beliefs, Motivations, and Actions, Psychological Science (2023). DOI: 10.1177/09567976221150617 Journal information: Psychological Science
Dubai International Chamber, one of the three Chambers operating under Dubai Chamber, has launched New Horizons, a new initiative to drive international expansion of its members to new markets.

'New Horizons' allows companies to join roadshows to gain first-hand knowledge of how to establish and do business in various select countries and priority markets.

The first in a series of New Horizons events will see a large delegation of Dubai business leaders heading to Central Asia between March 14 and 21, 2023, to better understand and explore business opportunities in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

26 Dubai-based companies

The delegation, headed by Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President & CEO of Dubai Chambers, will feature 26 Dubai-based companies representing 16 sectors. The delegates gathered today at Dubai Chambers headquarters for a pre-Trade Mission briefing, during which details of the trip, and further information on the economic outlook of the three nations was revealed.

New Horizons builds on the In Focus scheme. Both initiatives aim to assist in driving members international expansion while supporting Dubais plan to increase the emirates foreign trade to AED2 trillion ($540 billion) by 2026. One of the Chamber's key objectives is to support 100 businesses to expand globally within the next two years.

'In Focus' events, held in Dubai, aim to connect Dubai businesses with public and private sector leaders of select countries to drive their interest in those regions as potential destinations for international business expansion and guide them through every stage of their international growth journey. The first In Focus event was held in December 2022 and put Central Asia market under the spotlight.

New opportunities

Lootah said: "The In Focus and New Horizon initiatives reflect our ongoing efforts to connect our members to new opportunities for business growth in priority markets worldwide. Through the events in Dubai and in the market or country in focus, we aim to encourage domestic businesses to build an international presence, while promoting Dubai as a thriving global investment hub and encouraging FDI and new partnerships from the markets we visit."

Lootah added that the upcoming Trade Mission will provide the participating business leaders from Dubai with insight, information, and guidance on exporting to or investing in Central Asia. We will soon embark on this exciting Trade Mission which includes local expert talks, pre-arranged business matching activities, networking meetings and site visits to industrial and economic zones, alongside cultural and engagement activities. New Horizons to Central Asia will enable us all to engage in focused and meaningful discussions with decision makers from the government and private sectors in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, he added.

In the three nations, the largest contributors to GDP include manufacturing, trade, transport, agriculture and construction. UAE exports to these Central Asian nations include electronics, vehicles, machinery and tobacco. Central Asia is already an important market for Dubai: in 2021, Dubais non-oil trade with the three countries reached $2.4 billion.

Trading partners

The trip offers the chance for companies in a variety of sectors to seek out trading partners and develop new bilateral trade agreements. Several opportunities exist for Dubai-based businesses in areas including agriculture, metallurgy, tourism and construction.

The Trade Mission is a golden opportunity to engage with both public and private sector leaders to promote cross-border partnerships and drive mutual business growth. The eight-day roadshow takes in four cities: Tashkent, Uzbekistan; Astana and Almaty, Kazakhstan; and Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan.

Dubai Chambers is committed to supporting its members to globally expand into strategic markets across the world as well as attract foreign investments and international companies  including those from Central Asia - to the emirate and enhance Dubais reputation as a global business and trade hub.-- TradeArabia News Service
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

A new review paper titled "What is hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocyte, platelet (HALP) score? A comprehensive literature review of HALP's prognostic ability in different cancer types" has been published in Oncotarget

Since its inception, the Hemoglobin, Albumin, Lymphocyte, Platelet (HALP) Score has gained attention as a new prognostic biomarker to predict several clinical outcomes in a multitude of cancers.

"HALP is a novel immune-nutritional marker that integrates several routinely collected indicators of immune status, such as the platelet and lymphocyte count, nutritional status, such as albumin, and hemoglobin, a marker for anemia," the researchers state.

In this new review, researchers Christian Mark Farag, Ryan Antar, Sinan Akosman, Matthew Ng, and Michael J. Whalen from George Washington University School of Medicine searched PubMed for articles on HALP, from the first paper in 2015 through September 2022. Their search yielded a total of 32 studies that evaluated HALP's association with various cancers, including gastric, colorectal, bladder, prostate, kidney, esophageal, pharyngeal, lung, breast, cervical cancer and others.

The researchers explain, "This review highlights the collective association HALP has with demographic factors such as age and sex in addition to TNM staging, grade, and tumor size."

Furthermore, this review summarizes HALP's prognostic ability to predict overall, progression-free and recurrence-free survival, among other outcomes. In some studies, HALP has also predicted response to immunotherapy and chemotherapy.

The review article additionally aims to serve as a comprehensive and encyclopedic report on the literature that has evaluated HALP as a biomarker in various cancers, highlighting the heterogeneity surrounding HALP's utilization.

"Because HALP requires only a complete blood count and albuminalready routinely collected for cancer patientsHALP shows potential as a cost-effective biomarker to aid clinicians in improving outcomes for immuno-nutritionally deficient patients," the researchers summarize.

More information: Christian Mark Farag et al, What is hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocyte, platelet (HALP) score? A comprehensive literature review of HALP's prognostic ability in different cancer types, Oncotarget (2023). DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.28367 Journal information: Oncotarget

Provided by Impact Journals LLC
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Before smoking took off in the early 20th century, lung cancer was a rarity. Credit: Shutterstock

When smoking first became popular we were told it was healthy, it was heavily marketed (including to young people) as being cool, and the time it took for us to learn otherwise was long, and came too late for many. Unfortunately, it seems history is repeating itself with vaping.

Before the invention of machines to make cigarettes, they were hand-rolledwith an experienced roller making around 240 cigarettes an hour. When mechanization arrived in the late nineteenth century, early machines could make 12,000 per hour. Eventually, they could churn out 1.2 million an hour.

This made smoking immensely affordable, accessible to those on even meager incomes. These machines would go on to become perhaps the worst development in public health history.

Combined with mass cigarette advertising, including the infamous 1940s "More doctors smoke Camel than any other cigarette" which successfully distracted the population from early concerns about harm, cheap cigarettes saw smoking prevalence skyrocket globally.

Two in three long-term smokers died from their addiction.

Ever since, governments have been struggling to introduce potent controls on Big Tobacco. The World Health Organization's 2003 Framework Convention on Tobacco Control has an entire section devoted to ways of minimizing industry interference.

Lung cancer was rare

Despite heavy industrial air pollution in cities dating from the early 1800s, lung cancer was a rare disease. US surgeon Alton Ochsner, recalling attendance at his first lung cancer autopsy in 1919, was told he and his fellow interns "might never see another such case as long as we lived."

He saw no further cases until 1936, and then saw another nine cases in six months. Given the smoking boom that occurred in the US with World War I, Ochsner was quick to assume cigarettes were to blame.

Since the 1960s, lung cancer has been (by far) the world's leading cause of cancer death. Lung cancer (almost all of which can be attributed to smoking) was responsible for 18% of all cancer deaths in 2020, with the next most frequent killer, liver cancer, at 8.3%.

Most public health graduates in recent decades are familiar with a famous 1994 graph illustrating the shape of the tobacco-caused disease epidemic across time. The graph shows four stages of the smoking and disease epidemics.

Credit: Tobacco Control 1994

Nations in the first 20 year-long stage have accelerating smoking but negligible tobacco-caused disease. By the fourth stage, smoking is declining but disease is growing more rapidly than ever. These gaps are known as latency periods in epidemiology.

Mesothelioma caused by breathing asbestos fibers also follows this pattern. The latency period between initial exposure and the onset of symptoms can be up to 50 years.

Enter nicotine vaping products

Vaping has only been widespread for about ten years. So, if it causes serious diseases such as lung cancer, cardiovascular or respiratory disease, we would expect very few cases by now. This has not stopped cavalier declarations that vaping is "95% less dangerous than smoking."

This statistic is still used by many, despite the paper that gave birth to this factoid admitting there is a lack of evidence for most of the criteria used to assess vaping's harms.

There is a great deal of early evidence now available that vaping is likely to be anything but benign. For example, recent reviews on vapes have found they contain carcinogens known to cause lung cancer, are correlated with asthma, and impair our vascular systems.

Knowledge about the deadly toxicology of tobacco smoke emerged over decades. By contrast, the many thousands of flavoring chemicals in vapes present bewildering challenges for regulators.

In 2021, the US Flavor and Extracts Manufacturing Association declared "E-cigarette manufacturers should not represent or suggest that the flavor ingredients used in their products are safe [] because such statements are false and misleading." Regulators have never allowed asthma drug inhalers to contain flavorants.

All forms of tobacco advertising and promotion have long been banned or seriously restricted in many nations. But vaping emerged in the internet era where regulation presents formidable barriers. Social media today are awash with vaping promotions, with illegal vapes flagrantly being sold as "fruit" on Facebook Marketplace.

Research has shown indoor areas with many vapers contain airborne particulate matter concentrations higher than crowded bars in the days when smoking was permitted. No airline in the world permits in-flight vaping.

Graphic health warnings now dominate cigarette packets free of branding. But it took 40 years to get here. Credit: ACCC Product Safety Supplier Guide, CC BY

Repeating the same mistakes

With children's vaping accelerating dramatically in Australia, Canada, the US, United Kingdom and New Zealand, governments are scrambling to find solutions to the problem they created by rash, rushed policies.

Vaping advocates argue laws and regulations for vapes should be no more harsh than those that apply to cigarettes. So with no restrictions on where cigarettes can be sold, we see tobacco industry-led efforts today in Australia trying to allow vapes to be sold under the same conditions.

The first baby steps in Australian tobacco control were tiny health warnings that appeared in 1973. It then took 40 years to fight for all the policies and quit campaign funding that have together taken smoking down to its lowest ever levels.

This 40 years was due to both early ignorance of the latent size of the emerging smoking disease epidemic, and sustained pressure from the tobacco industry to defeat, delay and dilute every policy that threatened to reduce smoking.

Just as the tobacco industry for decades denied targeting children, we are seeing almost identical claims and strategies being used by vaping industries today. And it's important to note all major tobacco companies are now also manufacturing vapes, so it's not just the same game, it's the same players.

It's often said that if cigarettes were invented tomorrow, and we knew now what we didn't know then, no government in the world would permit their sale (let alone allow them to be sold in every convenience store). But this is what is happening now with vapes.

With pharmaceutical products that save lives, treat illness and reduce severe pain, we allow only people with a four-year pharmacy degree to sell them, and only to those with a temporary license (a dose- and time-limited prescription) issued by a doctor. With cigarettes, we foolishly allowed them to be sold everywhere.

All health departments in Australia, most major political parties, nearly every health and medical agency in Australia and many internationally, including the WHO, are saying vapes should be strongly regulated.

Vaping advocates argue we need vapes to help smokers quit, but the evidence they do that is weak.

Currently vaping devices are widely available, but those including vaping liquids containing nicotine are only legally available with a prescription in Australia. This doesn't stop people buying them easily online or from many convenience stores blatantly breaking the law.

The previous health minister tried to ban personal importation of nicotine vapes and liquid, and the current one expressed interest in doing the same before a period of public consultation via the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

As with Australia pioneering plain packaging laws in 2012, if the import ban is implemented we will again quickly be emulated by other nations. And again detested by the tobacco giants.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Credit: CC0 Public Domain

A global team of researchers has created an algorithmic tool that can identify existing drugs in order to combat future pandemics. The work, reported in the Cell Press journal Heliyon, offers the possibility of responding more quickly to public-health crises.

"There is no silver bullet to defeat the COVID pandemic as it takes us over a public-health roller-coaster of deaths and devastation," explains Naomi Maria, an immunologist, a visiting scientist at New York University's Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, and the paper's lead author. "However, using this AI tool, coupled with in vitro data and other resources, we've been able to model the SARS-CoV-2 infection and identify several COVID-19 drugs currently available as potentially effective in battling the next outbreak."

"Drug repurposing strategies provide an attractive and effective approach for quickly targeting potential new interventions," adds Bud Mishra, a professor at NYU's Courant and one of the paper's senior authors. "Identifying and selecting ahead of time the best candidates, prior to costly and laborious in vitro and in vivo experiments and ensuing clinical trials, could significantly improve disease-specific drug development."

COVID-19 has shown to be a daunting challenge over the past three years, even though vaccines and hygienic practices have, over time, lessened its severity. However, despite these tools to combat it, SARS-CoV-2the virus that causes COVID-19continues to spread and take lives. This is due, in part, to its ability to rapidly diversify in its target cell-types, immune-response pathways, and modes of transmission. These traits make traditional approaches to vaccine and drug design less effective than in the pastand especially when the virus co-infects with other pathogens, such as RSV and influenza.

Recognizing that current methods leave us chasing the virus, the teamwhich also included researchers from the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research at Northwell Health in New York, the Red Cross Blood Bank Foundation Curacao, the Curacao Biomedical Health and Research Institute, the Netherlands' University Medical Center Groningen, and Catania University's Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine in Sicilyconceived an approach aimed at closing the gap in future pandemics: repurposing existing drugs to fight back.

To do so, they developed a systems biology tool, the PHENotype SIMulator (PHENSIM). PHENSIM simulates tissue-specific infection of host cells of SARS-CoV-2 and then performs, through a series of computeror in silicoexperiments to identify drugs that would be candidates for repurposing. The algorithm computes, taking into account selected cells, cell lines, and tissues and under an array of contexts, by propagating the effects and alterations of biomoleculessuch as differentially expressed genes, proteins, and microRNAsand then calculates antiviral effects. The team confirmed the validity of the tool by comparing its results with recently published in vitro studies, demonstrating PHENSIM's potential power in aiding effective drug repurposing.

The researchers are part of RxCoveaa multi-disciplinary group of immunologists, biologists, chemists, data scientists, game theorists, geneticists, mathematicians, and physicians, among others, that seeks to develop innovative strategies to address COVID-19.

More information: Application of the PHENotype SIMulator for Rapid Identification of Potential Candidates in Effective COVID-19 Drug Repurposing, Heliyon (2023). doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14115 Journal information: Heliyon
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Among the most common reasons cited by parents for misleading others about their children having COVID-19 were an inability to stay home from work to care for their sick children and wanting to make decisions about their childs health care without input from outside authorities. Angie Fagerlin, PhD, (left), and graduate student Holly Shoemaker (right). Credit: Jen Pilgreen

More than 25% of parents surveyed report that they were less than truthful about their children's COVID-19 status or that they didn't follow the disease's preventive guidelines during the pandemic for their offspring, according to a nationwide study led in part by University of Utah scientists.

Among the most common reasons cited were an inability to stay home from work to care for their sick children and wanting to make decisions about their child's health care without input from outside authorities. In some cases, parents had a different motivation for lying. Some parents of younger children lied about their child's age so they could get vaccinated.

The study appears in the March 6, 2023, issue of JAMA Network Open.

The finding raises concerns that parental reluctance to disclose that their children had the disease or didn't adhere to COVID-19 prevention protocols could have contributed to the spread of the infection and exacerbated its high rates of hospitalization and death, according to Angela Fagerlin, Ph.D., senior author of the study and chair of the Department of Population Health Sciences at U of U Health.

"The pandemic created tremendous stress for all of us, particularly parents," says Andrea Gurmankin Levy, Ph.D., co-first author of the study and a professor of social sciences at Middlesex Community College in Connecticut. In addition to Levy, Fagerlin and her colleagues at U of U Health conducted the study in conjunction with researchers in Colorado, Iowa, and Great Britain.

"Like everyone else, parents worried about getting sick with COVID-19 or about losing their job, but parents also had to manage juggling job responsibilities while their children were home in quarantine," Levy says. "And it's quite possible that some parents misrepresented their child's COVID-19 status or didn't adhere to testing or quarantine rules in an attempt to ease some of this burden."

The new study follows up on earlier findings by the same research team that concluded four of 10 American adults misled others about whether they had COVID-19 or adhered to public health measures to help corral the disease.

A subset of 580 participants in the original study who reported being parents or guardians of children younger than 18 years old living with them during the pandemic were asked additional survey questions about COVID-19 choices they made on behalf of their offspring.

However, the researchers emphasize that comparing the results of the two studies is difficult because they asked the parents different questions, which were specifically about their children.

Parents had many motivations for lying

Overall, about 26% of parents misrepresented a child's COVID-19 status in some way. Of those:

About 60% reported that they deceived others about their child's vaccination status when they wanted their unvaccinated children to participate in an activity that required vaccination.

Among parents who reported misleading others about their child having COVID-19 or not following public health recommendations, more than 50% reported doing so because they wanted the freedom to do what they thought best for their family.

Nearly 43% of parents said they didn't tell others that their children had COVID-19 because they didn't want them to miss school.

About 35% of parents didn't disclose that their child had COVID-19 because, in part, they could not afford to miss work to care for them.

"Based on our study, it appears that many parents were concerned about their children missing school, and as a parent of three school-aged kids, I can understand that," Fagerlin says. "Yet, at the same time, they're potentially exposing other kids to a serious illness. So, it's tricky because what you might think is best for your child might not be best for other children in the classroom."

Some parents misled others but did so in ways that were unlikely to harm others, according to the researchers. For instance, some parents told health care workers that their child was older than they actually were so they could be vaccinated.

"Parents might have thought that fibbing about their child's age was a good thing because it would help them stay healthy and safe from the virus and potentially protect others around them," Fagerlin says. "But there was a cut-off age for a reason. The vaccine hadn't been tested in younger aged children and it wasn't clear that it would be safe or effective for them."

About 70% of the participants were women, indicating that the study doesn't fully represent the demographic makeup of the United Statesan important consideration when interpreting the findings, according to Alistair Thorpe, Ph.D., co-first author of the study, a former post-doctoral student at U of U Health, and currently a post-doctoral research scientist at University College London. The researchers also suspect that some participants may have fudged some of their survey answers.

"Lying about lying is certainly a possibility," Fagerlin says. "If anything, 26% is probably the minimum number of parents who misrepresented their children's COVID-19 status during the pandemic."

In the future, the researchers conclude, health officials will need to develop policies and technologies that don't depend on the honor system or jeopardize privacy to protect public health.

"We need to do a better job of providing support mechanisms like paid sick leave for family illness so that parents don't feel like their only option is to engage in misrepresentation or non-adherence to public health guidelines during a future infectious disease outbreak that matches or exceeds the magnitude of COVID-19," Levy says.

More information: Parental Nonadherence to Health Policy Recommendations for Prevention of COVID-19 Transmission Among Children, JAMA Network Open (2023). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.1587 Journal information: JAMA Network Open
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Age-Adjusted Trends in the Prevalence of Hypertension, Diabetes, Hyperlipidemia, Obesity, and Smoking History Among US Adults Aged 20 to 44 Years by Race and Ethnicity, 20092010 to 2017March 2020 Nationally representative estimates of US adults aged 20 to 44 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2009 to March 2020. Estimates are shown by race and ethnicity; whiskers indicate 95% confidence intervals. Race and ethnicity were based on self-report to closed-ended questions. Asian, Black, and White adults included only those self-reporting as non-Hispanic. Other Hispanic adults included those self-reporting as Hispanic but not as Mexican American. Data for Asian adults were collected only from 2011 onward. Credit: JAMA (2023). DOI: 10.1001/jama.2023.2307

In the United States, one person dies every 34 seconds from cardiovascular disease, making it the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups. While medical advances prompted steady declines in cardiovascular mortality throughout the second half of the 20th century, that progress has stalled over the past decade.

Public health experts have expressed concern that these trends may reflect worsening cardiovascular health among younger adults in their 20s, 30s and 40s. However, no study to date has comprehensively evaluated changes in the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among this group, nor have recent trends among younger adults been examined by race and ethnicity.

In a study published in JAMA and presented at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions, researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) analyzed more than a decade's worth of data to examine rates of cardiovascular risk factorssuch as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and smokingamong U.S. adults from 2009 to March 2020. They also looked at treatment rates for these risk factors and whether the treatments successfully controlled high blood pressure and elevated blood sugar.

The researchers observed a rise in hypertension and significant increases in diabetes and obesity rates among young adults, with no significant improvement in control of blood pressure or blood sugar. The scientists also observed substantial variation in these trends by race and ethnicity.

"The onset of cardiovascular risk factors early in life is associated with a higher risk of heart disease and acute events, such as heart attack and stroke, resulting in the substantial loss of quality of life and years of life," said corresponding author Rishi K. Wadhera, MD, MPP, MPhil, section head of Health Policy and Equity at the Smith Center for Outcomes Research in Cardiology at BIDMC. "Therefore, the substantial rise in the burden of cardiovascular risk factors among young adults will have major public health implications as the population ages."

This serial cross-sectional study included medical data and self-reported information from 12,924 young adults aged 2044 who participated in the long-running National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The group was 51% female, 57% white, 12% Mexican American, 8% other Hispanic, 13% Black and 10% other race and ethnicities.

Wadhera and colleagues observed that the prevalence of hypertension increased from 9% during 20092010 to 12% a decade later. Similarly, the researchers saw statistically significant increases in rates of diabetes, which climbed from three to four percent, and obesity, which rose from 33% to 41% during the study period. The percentage of young adults with a smoking history was high and did not change. In contrast, rates of high cholesterol declined from 41% in 200910 to 36% in 201720, a decrease the scientists suggest reflects government regulation of the use of trans fatty acids and other partially hydrogenated oils in packaged convenience foods and fast-food restaurants.

The researchers found substantial variation in prevalence of risk factors by race and ethnicity. Mexican Americans were the only group to experience a significant increase in diabetes. Obesity significantly increased across all racial and ethnic groups except Black adults. While rates of hypertension increased among Mexican Americans and other Hispanic adults, Black adults experienced the highest rates of hypertension.

"Hypertension prevalence in young Black adults was at least two times more likely than in all other racial and ethnic groups, with no improvement over the study period," said first-author Rahul Aggarwal, MD, a research fellow at the Smith Center and a cardiology fellow at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

"Black adults have high rates of stroke, heart failure and hypertensive renal disease, as well as the highest premature cardiovascular mortality rates in the countryin part due to a high burden of hypertension. These inequities are rooted in structural racism. Scalable and realistic solutions are neededboth community-based programs and large-scale health system initiatives that screen for and treat uncontrolled blood pressure in young Black adults, in combination with concerted policy efforts to address socioeconomic disparities."

The researchers also examined cardiovascular risk factor treatment and control rates among young adults. Treatment rates for hypertension did not significantly change during the study, with only approximately 55% of young adults with high blood pressure receiving treatment. However, among those receiving treatment, more than three-quarters of people achieved target blood pressure in 201720. Rates of diabetes treatment were also low, with one out of two young adults on therapy for their diabetes. Nearly half of young adults on treatment for diabetes had poor blood sugar control.

"The suboptimal treatment rates for high blood pressure and diabetes are concerning, and may be because many young adults aren't aware of their diagnosis," said Wadhera, who is also an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. "The rise in cardiovascular risk factors that we observed could result in higher lifetime rates of heart attack, stroke, and heart failure, and have major public health implications over the long-term. Our findings should be a call-to-action to intensify public health and clinical interventions focused on the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular risk factors in young adults."

More information: Rahul Aggarwal et al, Cardiovascular Risk Factor Prevalence, Treatment, and Control in US Adults Aged 20 to 44 Years, 2009 to March 2020, JAMA (2023). DOI: 10.1001/jama.2023.2307 Journal information: Journal of the American Medical Association
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Credit: CC0 Public Domain

The negative mental and physical effects of withholding gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) from transgender people may outweigh the risk of GAHT-associated venous thromboembolism (VTE), underscoring the need for a thorough upfront discussion by healthcare provider and patient, according to a study led by investigators from Massachusetts General Hospital, other Mass General Brigham hospitals, and transgender health experts from across the country.

The team's findings, published in Endocrine Practice, provide the foundation for new guidance for assessing, managing, and treating VTE (potentially serious blood clots that form in deep veins) in transgender patients of all ages receiving feminizing hormone therapy.

"Considerable data have emerged over the past three years showing that not providing GAHT results in poor mental and physical health outcomes and increases the risk of suicidality in transgender patients," says Robbie Goldstein, MD, Ph.D., founder and former medical director of the MGH Transgender Health Program. "Our review found that VTE can be managed in most cases with anticoagulation therapy, and that discontinuing hormone therapy is not always the right answer, and in many cases, may be the wrong answer."

The new recommendations from a national team of transgender health specialists are the most comprehensive to date in a field of medicine that has undergone enormous change in recent years, driven by an adult transgender population now estimated at 1.4 million people in the U.S.

A challenge for researchers is gathering evidence in an area where little data exist, given the paucity of trial data for transgender patients on hormone therapy undergoing various gender affirming surgical procedures.

Data extrapolated from the cisgender population (i.e., individuals whose sex at birth corresponds to their current gender identify) indicate that the risk of VTE in patients receiving GAHT, specifically estrogen, was slightly elevatedthough still minimalcompared to cisgender women not on hormone therapy.

Duration of hormone therapy and route of administration may increase the risk of VTE in the transgender population, especially around the time of procedures such as vaginoplasty, facial feminization, or breast augmentation.

The protocols outlined in the paper specifically address treatment after a thrombotic event. The team of experts recommended that transgender people who develop VTE while on GAHT be treated with the same regimen as cisgender patients, that is, direct oral anticoagulation over vitamin K antagonists or low-molecular-weight heparin to minimize the threat of bleeding.

"Many people diagnosed with VTE are taken off hormone therapy by their healthcare providers and never restarted," notes co-author Nathan Connell, MD, MPH, chief of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital, and a hematologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

"This practice is based on limited data, however, and we found evidence to suggest that hormone therapy can be continued in patients, even those with a VTE history, as long as full-intensity anticoagulation is also continued."

As Goldstein points out, it's crucial for the growing numbers of clinicians who treat transgender patients to become more informed and better prepared in an increasingly specialized field.

"It's incumbent on the medical community to build trust within the transgender community," he says, "and we're hopeful that our guidance will help change practice for many primary care providers, hematologists and endocrinologists, resulting in direct and positive impacts on the mortality and morbidity of transgender patients."

More information: Renata Arrington-Sanders et al, Assessing and Addressing the Risk of Venous Thromboembolism Across the Spectrum of Gender Affirming Care: A Review, Endocrine Practice (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.eprac.2022.12.008
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Credit: Michigan State University

Picture the breathtaking aerial view of Victoria Falls in Zambiawatch as water falling more than 300 feet into a seemingly endless abyss comes into focus and listen to the soothing sounds of soft music playing in the background. Relax as steam billows from the waterfall that natives call Mosi-oa-Tunya, "the smoke that thunders."

Seated in a procedure room in East Lansing and wearing a set of virtual reality goggles, patient James Klunzinger, 79, finally stops fidgeting as he becomes immersed in the experience, his left arm extended as his doctor, James Clarkson cleans and preps his hand for a carpal tunnel release surgery.

Less than 20 minutes later, Klunzinger walks out of the room, his left hand wrapped in bandages, with a smile on his face.

"That was a lot better than having to watch the surgery," he says. "It was distracting, which is good. I would give it a thumbs up."

Like Klunzinger, patients immersed in VR, or virtual reality, while undergoing wide-awake surgery experience more joy and less anxiety than those who underwent the surgery in a traditional operating room setting, according to an MSU study published in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive SurgeryGlobal Open.

"For patients immersed in the VR experience, we definitely saw an increase in joy," said James Clarkson, the senior author of the study and an assistant professor of surgery at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. "And for patients with an anxiety disorder, we saw decreased anxiety and their joy levels significantly increased," said Clarkson, a hand surgeon at MSU Health Care.

Researchers wanted to compare patients who had undergone a traditional carpal tunnel release surgery in a hospital, requiring monitored anesthesia care or general anesthetic against those who had the surgery while awake, using local anesthesia with no tourniquet in the office environment and with the option of having a virtual reality immersion.

In a retrospective study, the researchers looked at 404 patients who had procedures at three locations in Michigan between August 2017 and March 2021.

The survey showed that patients who went through a traditional surgery in an operating room were twice as likely to report a neutral or negative experience compared to patients who had the awake surgery (23% versus 11%). Patients undergoing traditional surgery also reported significantly lower enjoyment scores (44% versus 20%) and higher anxiety (42% versus 26%).

Patients who had the awake surgery in an office setting and opted to use VR experienced higher enjoyment than those who did not use VR (85% versus 73%). Patients reporting an anxiety disorder were more likely to choose the VR experience and, when they did, they experienced decreased anxiety (79% versus 47%) and increased enjoyment (90% versus 59%).

Innovating to keep patients happy and reduce costs

Clarkson said a few years back, doctors in Canada developed a method for carpal tunnel release surgery that avoided using a tourniquetsidestepping the need for a hospital operating room, costly procedures, patient fasting and anesthesia requirements and a post-procedure driver for the patient. But time and again, Clarkson's patients rejected the idea of being awake during the surgery, preferring to be put to sleep instead.

"Thepatients were saying 'just put me out, doc; I don't want to know anything about it.' We were still putting them through these incredibly expensive, time-consuming, sterile procedures in major hospital settings."

In 2016, Clarkson was watching his children play at home with a VR system when he realized a potential solution right in front of him.

"I had an immediate sense of 'this is exactly what my patients need,'" said Clarkson, who had been looking for ways to keep his patients awake and distracted during the surgery. "I could tell them, 'I won't put you out, but I can put you somewhere else.'"

After that initial "aha!" moment, Clarkson went on to study the effect of patients using VR and published a trial. He was later approached by others interested in the development of this technology and, together, they started the company Wide Awake VR to adapt its use for surgical needs.

"VR transformed the experience of the patient," he said. "They no longer had to starve from midnight, and they could drive the same dayhave surgery and go home just like you do with the dentist."

Carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway of bones and ligaments at the base of the palm, including the media nerve, which runs from the forearm into the palm. When this middle nerve becomes squeezed at the wrist, it leads to sensation of "pin and needles," pain and tingling.

If left untreated, carpal tunnel syndrome can cause atrophy of the nerves. Often, the condition is treated by resting and immobilizing the hand, pain medication and by treating underlying conditions, but in the most extreme cases surgery is needed.

Back in East Lansing and as Clarkson and a nurse prepared for the procedure, Klunzinger donned the VR goggles and started watching a tour of the International Space Station. However, Klunzinger still seemed uncomfortable, turning his head to follow movement in the space station and stretching his left hand to relieve the pain.

"Would you like me to take you to East Africa instead? You don't strike me as a NASA guy," Clarkson says, indicating to the nurse to change the VR experience on a nearby iPad. "Is that better?" Clarkson asks as the iPad lights up, showing the vibrant colors of a rainbow that now shines over the waterfall.

With the VR goggles, Klunzinger sees the same video and smiles, finally calming down.

"It's not the Masters, but it will do," he says as Clarkson makes an incision about an inch long near the base of the palm to begin the procedure.

A few stiches later, Klunzinger is ready to leave. In two weeks, he will return for a checkup, and if things don't work out the way he hopes, he'll have to undergo surgery on his right hand next.

If that's the case, he says he will choose the VR experience again.

"It really was something else," he adds, gathering his personal items and getting ready to drive himself home.

More information: McKenzie B. Miller et al, Virtual Reality Improves Patient Experience and Anxiety During In-office Carpal Tunnel Release, Plastic and Reconstructive SurgeryGlobal Open (2022). DOI: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000004426
Eighth graders from Carlsbad Municipal Schools learn about the oil and gas industry at a mobile learning lab sponsored by Coterra Energy and the American Petroleum Institute, March 2, 2023 at Eddy Alternative School in Carlsbad.

CARLSBAD  Carlsbad's eighth graders spent Feb. 27 through March 3 visiting the Mobile Energy Learning Unit at Eddy Alternative School.

The MELU was sponsored by Coterra Energy and API. It provided students the opportunity to engage with science and technology via 24 learning stations.

"Having the opportunity to offer a hands-on learning experience to our students about the heart of the industry that has built our community is incredibly exciting," said Dr. Lesly Galyas, the K-12 science curriculum and instruction specialist for Carlsbad schools.

"Having the MELU on the school's campus allows students to take advantage of the activities."

Eighth graders from Carlsbad Municipal Schools learn about the oil and gas industry at a mobile learning lab sponsored by Coterra Energy and the American Petroleum Institute, March 2, 2023 at Eddy Alternative School in Carlsbad.

Carlsbad is one stop of many for the MELU which provides a pathway for STEM concepts and energy careers.

Dusty Burger, Permian East Region manager at Coterra said the MELU helps students engage with the subject.

"The New Mexico school districts are a natural partner for this initiative and we're looking forward to the middle-school and intermediate students who will get to experience this in the coming weeks."

This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: Carlsbad middle schoolers visit mobile energy learning unit
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose speaks during an election night party for Republican candidates at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Columbus in November.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose joined a national GOP conference on Saturday to tout Ohio elections alongside Republicans who have amplified false claims of election fraud.

The panel, dubbed "They Stole It From Us Legally," was part of the Conservative Political Action Conference that gives Republicans a platform to shape policy priorities and often throw red meat to their base. LaRose was among four Ohio Republicans who appeared at the multi-day event, which concluded Saturday night with remarks from former President Donald Trump.

Cleveland.com first reported LaRose's plans to participate in the panel. He was also a table host for a dinner featuring Kari Lake, a vocal election denier who lost the race for Arizona governor in November.

Join CPACs all-star list of table hosts who will be at the Ronald Reagan Dinner and come hear @KariLake speak on Friday, March 3rdhttps://t.co/VDtCzuXZ6i pic.twitter.com/D4mbrYXHqP  CPAC (@CPAC) February 27, 2023

LaRose's time at CPAC underscored the tightrope he walks on election integrity as he mulls a U.S. Senate run in 2024. The secretary of state frequently touts Ohio's elections as safe and secure, and his office showed little patience for conspiracy theorists who questioned the state's 2020 results. He used most of his speaking time Saturday to discuss proposed legislation that would centralize voter data and ensure it's available to the public.

We run elections so well in Ohio  transparently, honestly  we run them so well that even the loser knows they lost," LaRose said. "Thats part of that idea that on election night, you should be able to know you trust and can believe those results.

CPAC initially presented the panel topic to LaRose's office as "Easy to Vote, Hard to Cheat," according to a document obtained by the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau. Organizers later changed the title.

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LaRose takes CPAC stage with election deniers

Still, CPAC illustrated LaRose's willingness to associate with Republicans who have cast doubt on recent elections. His fellow panelists included Lee Zeldin, a former New York congressman and Trump ally who objected to the 2020 results, and Abe Hamadeh, who claims there were election irregularities in his 2022 loss for Arizona attorney general.

The panel's moderator was Hogan Gidley, a former Trump campaign spokesman who promoted conspiracies about how states counted mail-in ballots in 2020. Gidley is affiliated with the Trump-aligned America First Policy Institute, which is working with LaRose on his election data initiative.

The policies you want implemented, you have to have the people elected you want to implement those policies," Gidley said during the panel. "Its getting more difficult in this country to elect those folks if we have countless examples of irregularities, illegalities, anomalies, and yes, fraud, in our election system."

LaRose also jumped at the opportunity to go after U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown when asked about his Senate ambitions.

"(Brown has) passed himself off at this workingmans hero," LaRose said. "Everybody in Ohio knows better. 2024 is the year we beat him. Our party needs to nominate a good candidate that can actually take it to him and finally defeat this guy. Its something Im looking at, but no announcement here on the CPAC stage."

Its easy to refute the garbage claims of Stacy Abrams, Sherrod Brown and fringe Leftists without paling around with election deniers and conspiracy theorists. There's a reason why Republicans who do tend to lose elections. Voters are sick of it. https://t.co/bXvikHNtX8  Christopher Maloney (@CHRISMAL0NEY) March 4, 2023

If LaRose enters the race, he could face a primary with state Sen. Matt Dolan, R-Chagrin Falls, and other possible GOP contenders. Dolan has urged the Republican Party to move on from the 2020 election, and his campaign appeared to take a shot at LaRose's CPAC debut on Saturday.

"It's easy to refute the garbage claims of Stacy Abrams, Sherrod Brown and fringe Leftists without paling around with election deniers and conspiracy theorists," tweeted Dolan's campaign strategist, Chris Maloney. "There's a reason why Republicans who do tend to lose elections. Voters are sick of it."

U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance expresses his frustration about the Norfolk Southern train derailment outside Centenary United Methodist Church in East Palestine on Feb. 16.

Dave Yost, J.D. Vance among CPAC guests

Aside from LaRose, CPAC attendees heard from several other Ohioans: Attorney General Dave Yost, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Urbana, and presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy. Yost, who is seen as a possible candidate for governor in 2026, ripped into efforts to allow noncitizens to vote during a border security panel on Saturday.

Illegals shouldnt be in the country," Yost said. "Why are we even talking about voting?

Yost also pledged to go after a Democratic attorney whos suing Ohio over its new voter ID law, one of the most restrictive in the country.

Earlier in the week, Vance joined U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas to talk about a range of issues from the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic to the future of the GOP.

Ohio's new junior senator has shown some willingness to work across the aisle since taking office, particularly when it comes to the train derailment in East Palestine. He and Brown introduced rail safety legislation and have penned multiple letters together in search of ways to help their constituents.

But that didn't stop Vance from joking that Democrats working less would be better for the country. He also laughed along as Cruz went after the Biden administration for its response to the derailment.

"Democrats don't give a damn about East Palestine because it's a blue-collar, red place, and they're like, 'To hell with you,'" Cruz said. "If you were a bunch of transgender tech workers, you'd have the entire Biden cabinet down there for a listening session and sit-in to feel their pain."

Vance replied: "That's right."

Haley BeMiller is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal 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 The Columbus Dispatch: CPAC: Frank LaRose, Ohio Republicans attend national GOP conference
After winter storms slowed business at the Capitol to a crawl, the Senate Committee on Finance on Friday restarted its work, sifting through state agency budget requests.

Committee members heard a variety of requests from the Veterans Commission, Library and Archives Commission, and the Commission on the Arts along with wish lists from the offices of the governor, attorney general and secretary of state.

Many of the agencies that will be shepherded through the Finance Committee in the coming weeks will take time to explain their additional requests not included in the Senate's current base budget  Senate Bill 1  as well as field questions from lawmakers on any issues facing the agency that might require a legislative remedy.

More:How much of Texas' unprecedented budget surplus will be spent? That's up to Republicans

One recurring concern for several state agencies is recruiting and retaining employees, for which they're asking for additional money. Those requests come on top of a proposed $1.8 billion in the budget for an across-the-board pay raise for state employees.

The chair of the Finance Committee, Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, will lead budget meetings throughout next week as the $188 billion biennium budget continues taking shape.

Here are a few takeaways from Friday's meeting:

Paxton: 'I can't compete'

Attorney General Ken Paxton made clear that his office is not immune to retention and recruitment problems experienced in other state agencies before fielding senators' questions on border issues and opioid abatement funds.

The Senate's current 2024-25 budget proposal gives the attorney general's office $1.3 billion  a $7.8 million decrease from the current budget, according to the Legislative Budget Board  with more than $47 million going toward salary adjustments.

More:Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in settlement talks with 3 of 4 whistleblowers

For Paxton, addressing salaries is key since one of the biggest frustrations facing his office is losing litigators to the University of Texas and other state agencies that can pay more.

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"I can't compete," Paxton told the Finance Committee on Friday. "It's frustrating to build a really talented litigation section and see it just pulled apart by the fact that we cannot compete against another state agency that you fund; it's very frustrating."

Outside of personnel, Paxton addressed questions from recently reelected Sen. Pete Flores, R-Pleasanton, on how best to tackle border-related crime and whether it would be possible to use victim compensation funds to address property damage in South Texas related to unauthorized border crossings.

More:Texas Republicans vow to crack down on 'rogue' prosecutors  here's why

In response, Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, said she is working with Sen. Cesar Blanco, D-El Paso, on a bill that would allow for that type of compensation.

"We'd be very open to that," Paxton said.

Additionally, Paxton said his office is still keen on seeing roughly $2.9 billion in opioid settlement funds being sent out to local governments and entities that are fighting the fentanyl crisis.

More:Texas lawmakers want to address the fentanyl overdose crisis. Here's what they propose.

More than $1 billion of that money will be sent out via the Texas Opioid Abatement Fund Council  which was formed to ensure money recovered through those settlement agreements is used to remediate the opioid crisis and has deliberately been slow to release the funds  and Comptroller Glenn Hegar's office.

On Monday, Hegar addressed his office's support to distribute the money from the Opioid Abatement Settlement Fund, which was created in 2021 to recover money and manage payments the state receives from settlements against opioid manufacturers, distributors or other parties.

The funds have not yet been distributed, Hegar told the Senate Finance committee Monday.

"My hope in getting this money quickly was that that money would be disbursed more quickly so that we would start impacting lives and saving lives," Paxton said.

More:Gov. Greg Abbott names 'border czar' to crack down on illegal immigration, lethal drugs

Capitol construction

Kolkhorst asked the question most Austin politicos have been thinking about since the early days of the 88th legislative session: When will the scaffolding come down and construction be done at the Capitol?

Scaffolding stands outside the Capitol during work in the building's roof. The end of 2024 is the current target date for completing the work, Roderick Welsh, executive director of the State Preservation Board, told the Senate Finance Committee on Friday.

Currently, crews are working to replace the roof of the Pink Dome, which was last addressed in 1949 when the original roof of the building, constructed in 1888, was first replaced.

"So we have 70-some odd years of use of this roof, and we have a lot of leaks," Roderick Welsh, executive director of the State Preservation Board, said during the board's budget presentation. "It's about a two-year project and basically replacing 85,000 square feet of copper on the existing roof."

Welsh said he anticipates the project moving from the east side of the building, where the work is currently focused, to the west side of the Capitol later in the year.

Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, says she is working with Sen. Cesar Blanco, D-El Paso, on a bill that could allow for using victim compensation funds to address property damage in South Texas related to unauthorized border crossings.

As for when the project will be completed, it looks as if the end of 2024 is the target date.

"I hope it will be done before we see you again in January of 25," Welsh said.

Looking ahead

The Senate Finance Committee will meet at 10 a.m. Monday to begin a week of hearing education-related requests, starting with public education and the Texas Education Agency.

The committee's hearings Tuesday and Wednesday are slated to address higher education.

More:Texas Senate: Here's who will chair committees in the 88th legislative session

The Finance Committee also plans to meet over the course of the next two weeks, with meetings scheduled each weekday until Feb. 17.

In response to the winter storms that left hundreds of thousands of Central Texans without power for several days, the Senate Committee on Business and Commerce on Tuesday will meet to discuss local effects and response, and will take up discussion of the state's electrical grid.

Much of the storm damage in the Austin area was due to ice-covered tree limbs knocking down power lines, leaving about 30% of the city's energy customers in the dark.

More:Austin Energy reports 123K+ still without power; no estimate on restoration time

The storms did not create issues in power generation or with the grid's output. However, the conversation around the grid will continue to look at the Public Utility Commission's vote last month to overhaul the state's system.

On Tuesday, the Texas Senate will convene at 11 a.m., with the House beginning its session at 2 p.m.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas Legislature: Senate Finance Committee weighs budget requests
International Data Corporation (IDC) has partnered with Saudi Arabia's Communications, Space, and Technology Commission (CST) for the annual ICT Indicators Forum 2023 that will take place on March 8.

For the second year running, this strategic event will incorporate IDC's signature 'IDC Directions 2023 Saudi Arabia' industry forum within its agenda. The enthralling programme will feature an impressive lineup of speakers, including the leadership of ICT-enabling public sector entities from across the kingdom, senior local and global management from IDC, and representatives of prominent telecom operators and ICT vendors, to name just a few.

The forum will combine presentations, panel discussions, and real-life use cases to give delegates a bird's eye view of the current market situation. It will shine a light on Saudi Arabias journey towards becoming a digital economy by highlighting the impact of government initiatives on digital transformation enablement across various sectors of the kingdom's economy.

Digital transformation

"The Saudi government has been at the forefront of embedding digital transformation initiatives into its transformation journey and the results are there for all to see," says Hamza Naqshbandi, IDCs associate vice president for Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. "As the execution phase of Vision 2030 approaches, the impetus on revamping and implementing digital strategies will be a key priority for Saudi organisations.

"For the last eight years, IDC Directions has provided an essential platform for executives from across the ICT ecosystem to converge and discover IDC's outlook and predictions for the kingdom's technology markets. It is our pleasure to collaborate with CST once again as we showcase the true value of effective public-private partnerships."

Central to IDC's involvement will be a keynote presented by Naqshbandi and IDC's group vice president and regional managing director for the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa, Jyoti Lalchandani. Together, they will detail IDC's technology market outlook for Saudi Arabia in a session titled 'Navigating the Storms of Disruption in 2023 and Beyond'.

Panel discussion

Lalchandani will also moderate a panel discussion on the theme 'Scaling the Digital Business to Support the Digital Economy Aspirations of Saudi Arabia' that will feature invaluable insights and perspectives from:

Salman A. Faqeeh, Managing Director, Saudi Arabia, Cisco

Thamer AlHarbi, President, Microsoft Arabia

Eng Majed Abdulaziz AlOtaibi, Chief Business Officer, Mobily

Othman Alhokail, Founding Partner, Merak Capital

The ICT Indicators Forum 2023 will examine the progress made in enhancing the efficiency of Saudi Arabia's digital infrastructure and reaffirm the importance of scaling digital businesses to support the Kingdom's digital economy aspirations. It will explore the emerging trends that are shaping the future of Saudi Arabia's ICT markets, dissect the sector's financial performance, and present key findings from the latest 'Saudi Internet' report, which seeks to provide reliable statistics on Internet infrastructure and usage in the kingdom and serve as a catalyst for growing the digital economy.-- TradeArabia News Service
Longtime grocery store closes (Friday, March 9, 1973)

Wilson Kincaid is leaving the grocery business after 32 years of owning a store in Morganton and 22 years of operating Kincaids Suprette at the same location on North Sterling St.

He started in the grocery business in a neighborhood store on East Avenue in 1941. He moved downtown a few years later and remained four years in the old Dixie store building. After losing his lease there, he built a store building on NC 181, but two years later moved to North Green Street, then to his current location on North Sterling Street.

Kincaid said he is retiring from the grocery business because he wants a little leisure before he is too old to enjoy it. He has a herd of purebred Angus cattle and wants more time to work with them. He is holding a sale to reduce his inventory before he sells his business.

Burke girl picked for year in Africa (Wednesday, March 7, 1973)

Joyce Morris of Morganton, a senior at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, has been selected to participate in the Youth Development Program of the Agriculture Extension Service and will spend a year in Botswana in southern Africa.

She was one of only three young people chosen from North Carolina to take part. Before arriving in Botswana, she will complete a two-month orientation with other YDP delegates. She will leave June 11 and work with young people in 4-H-type activities. The North Carolina 4-H Foundation Development Fund will fund part of the trip, and her home county must furnish $550.

Morris graduated from Oak Hill High School and has been active in 4-H work in Burke County for eight years, at one time serving as county 4-H council president. She was the first female student to be named to the state 4-H Honor Club.

Emergency service cost set at $580,000 (Tuesday, March 6, 2023)

Cost estimates for Phase One of a countywide emergency medical service were placed at $580,837 in a final report reviewed by the Burke County Board of Commissioners Monday night.

The recommendations in the report reflected the view that during the first phase of the project, the attempt should be made to create more than just a countywide ambulance service. The commission members who compiled the report also said they would like to ensure professional emergency room coverage. An estimated $150,000 of the total figure submitted would be for emergency room staff.

The report recommends that the new Grace Hospital be the hub of the program, since it will be outfitted with five emergency rooms and two trauma centers. The commission also suggested the creation of a permanent emergency medical service council to advise and assist in the setting up and operation of the program.

City council approves airport expansion (Tuesday, March 6, 2023)

The Morganton-Lenior Airport Authority can now move ahead with needed expansion at the airport, whose facilities are now taxed to capacity.

The Morganton city council last night approved an appropriation of $50,000 from non-tax revenue for an expansion project at the airport. The money will be made available after July 1.

The project will include expanding the parking ramp area and various other capital expansions and will cost approximately $200,000, according to Alex Bernhardt, chair of the airport authority. The FAA has agreed to grant the authority $100,000 if matching local funds are secured. The Lenoir city council has agreed to furnish $50,000 for the project if the Morganton city council appropriated at least the same amount. Bernhardt noted that is has been at least five years since the cities have been asked for any funds for the airport.

Among us Morgantonians: J. Gordon Queen (Tuesday, March 6, 1973)

We note that another church is to be built in Morganton. It will be the St. Johns Holiness Church and will be located at 107 Branch St. We do not know details yet, but will try to get them.

Come to think of it, the Easter season is getting nearer. Want to do something helpful, girls? Buy that pretty outfit here at home and keep the money circulation at home.

Ingle Development Inc. has a permit to build another home on the South Forest Development on Bethel Road. That development is really going to be something one of these days, meaning Morganton will grow whether we like it or not. And we like it!
The Morganton Improv Group celebrated its fifth anniversary Saturday night with a performance at The Levee Brewery & Pub in Valdese. The troupe had the crowd rolling with laughter with its witty, zany and clever improv as it acted out scenarios suggested by the crowd throughout the night. Founded in March 2018 by Abigail Taylor, the group performs short- and long-form improv shows around Western North Carolina. Morganton Improv also hosts team-building workshops and other community events, according to their Facebook page. Learn more about the group at www.facebook.com/morgantonimprov.
Aggravated assault

Dale Michael Reynolds, 22, of Butte was booked into jail just before 3 a.m. Saturday for felony aggravated assault.

According to the police report, a fight broke out outside the Acoma Lounge, 60 E. Broadway St., where an unidentified man with facial injuries was transported to the hospital by ambulance.

Speeding down Harrison

An officer reportedly clocked Steven John Wilcox, 36, of Butte going 76 miles per hour as he drove down Harrison Avenue at about 9 p.m. Saturday.

Wilcox, who appeared to be intoxicated, was stopped at the Walmart parking lot. He was arrested in connection with the misdemeanor offenses of driving under the influence, reckless driving and open container in vehicle.

No headlights

Andrew Nicholas Doiron, 33, of Butte was driving near the intersection of Broadway and Main streets at around 11:30 p.m. Thursday when he was pulled over by an officer for driving without headlights.

Doiron reportedly appeared to be intoxicated and was taken to jail. He was jailed on a warrant for felony probation violation and the misdemeanor offenses of driving under the influence (second offense) traffic stop and failure to have headlights on.

Under arrest

Ashlyn Nicole Lewis, 24, of Butte was placed under arrest Thursday afternoon in the 2600 block of Ottawa Street for misdemeanor partner or family member assault. The alleged victim was a female family member.

Warrants issued

Tauteana Tita Marie Matt, 28, of Billings was arrested early Thursday afternoon at the Napton Apartments, 25 E. Granite St., on a felony warrant out of Yellowstone County.

Douglas William Smith, 38, of Butte was arrested in the 800 block of South Main Street Sunday morning on felony and misdemeanor warrants out of Lewis & Clark County.

Abigail Angelina Gates, 21, of Butte was arrested Saturday morning in the 27800 block of Locust on two misdemeanor warrants for criminal contempt.

Accident on Dewey

At around 9:30 p.m. Saturday, police were called to an accident near the U.S. Post Office, 701 Dewey Blvd.

A man, who was later identified as Samuel Robert Medina, 46, of Butte, allegedly drove his van over a nearby curb and got it stuck in a snow bank. He then exited the vehicle and started walking. A witness told police the van was swerving back and forth prior to the accident.

Officers found multiple alcohol containers in the vehicle and caught up to Medina, who was just a short distance away. He was taken to jail where a baggie of suspected drugs was found in his pocket, and was jailed for felony possession of dangerous drugs, and the misdemeanor offenses of reckless driving and driving with a suspended or revoked drivers license.

Felony DUI

A car was in the parking lot at the Thriftway, 1900 S. Montana St., but still running. An officer stopped to check and determined that the driver, Dennis Scott Schock, 60, of Butte was intoxicated.

At the Butte Detention Center, Schock failed sobriety maneuvers and was jailed for felony driving under the influence, fourth or subsequent offense.

Recent reports

A car parked in the 200 block of Curtis Street had two windows broken out.

An air compressor and nail gun were stolen from a home being worked on in the 900 block of 16th Street.

A license plate was stolen from a car parked in the 1300 block of Joy Lane.

A stereo speaker was stolen from a car parked in the 700 block of West Park Street.

A male student at Butte High School tackled another male student at Butte High School, 401 S. Wyoming St., and was then cited for misdemeanor simple assault.

A female student slammed another girl up against the wall at Butte High School, 401 S. Wyoming St., and was also cited for misdemeanor simple assault.

A father and son living in the 2900 block of Dexter Street were loudly yelling at each other but had quit before officers arrived.

A vehicle was reported broken into while it was parked near Cinz Bar, 301 E. Mercury St. Taken was a pistol that had been in the center console.

Gas was siphoned from a vehicle parked at St. James Healthcare, 400 S. Clark St.

Ear buds and headphones were taken from a home in the 1600 block of Lowell Avenue.

A landlord contacted the police to report that a renter who was living at a residence in the 2800 block of Silver Bow Boulevard damaged the property.

A wallet was reportedly stolen from a home in the 2900 block of Hecla Street.

A man was making a general nuisance of himself and yelling at patrons of Jims Bar, 2720 Elm St., so the police were called. He left before officers arrived.

A woman living in the 3000 block of Busch Street allegedly kicked her neighbors door but reportedly had no reason to do so.

Some people living in the 100 block of Trinity Loop were reportedly very loud and neighbors complained. The loud neighbors decided to settle down.
Leland F. Prescott followed his uncle, Alonzo Prescott, both to Montana and into the stonecutting business. The Scottish-Irish Prescott family was from Grafton County, New Hampshire, one of many granite-quarrying centers in that state.

Alonzo came to Helena in 1883, answering an ad for a stonecutter, but despite his New Hampshire heritage, he was a novice in the stonecutting business. After training back east, he returned to Helena in 1884 together with imported marble to begin selling monuments, tables, headstones, coping, etc. Within a few years, he dominated the business in Helena and had branched out to Butte.

Leland, Alonzos nephew, was born in New Hampshire in 1872, but came west with his family in 1886 when they moved successively to Minnesota and Idaho as farmers. When Leland was 23, he came to Montana to be a traveling salesman for his uncle, and a year later, in 1896, he began managing the Butte branch of Prescotts stoneworks.

Alonzo retired from the Butte business about 1897, and the company name changed to L.F. Prescotts Marble Works.

The Butte office and yard were located at 425 S. Montana St., just north of the corner with Gold Street. The building is gone today. Although the focus was on marble (both Italian and American), the company also offered Scottish and American granite and iron fencing.

Leland lived at 521 W. Diamond, a location that is part of St. James Hospitals parking lot today. He was joined for a time in the Prescott stone business by Robert A. Ketchin, who lived at 623 S. Dakota St. Ketchin also came from a Scottish-Irish New England stonecarving family, starting work at age 13 in Connecticut. But in 1900, Ketchin was working as a marble cutter with James E. Tuite at 304-326 S. Montana. Tuite alternated the management position with Ketchin, comprising one of two Butte competitors of Prescotts in 1900, though Prescott dominated the business in Montana until about 1905.

Alonzo had a long history in the Helena area, where among other things he served as the longtime librarian for the Montana Sons of the American Revolution. He moved from the stone business into mining and livestock, with ranches near Choteau and in Hill, Liberty, and Meagher counties. He served as one of the first presidents of the Montana Woolgrowers Association. He died in 1930.

Leland left Butte about 1905 for southwestern Idaho, where his father had established a real estate business. Leland had a hardware and furniture store at Glenns Ferry and connections in Nampa. He died in 1946.
Charles S. Chuck Johnson, a journalist who covered Treasure State politics for nearly half a century and was known as the dean of the capitol press corps, has died.

Johnsons wife, Pat, told friends he was supposed to have dinner over the weekend with his relatives and, when he did not show, they did a welfare check and found him gone, friends said.

Services are pending and will be held at St. Peters Episcopal Cathedral. He will join his parents in the Memorial Garden, the Very Rev. Scott Anderson said.

Johnson, 74, a graduate of the University of Montana School of Journalism, covered the 1972 constitutional convention and was a walking history book of Montana politics who was generous in sharing his knowledge with other reporters.

Gov. Greg Gianforte said he and wife, Susan, were deeply saddened to learn of Johnsons death. He said Johnson was our friend and a giant in political journalism.

From the countless reporters whom he mentored generously to the state he loved so dearly, Montana has lost a legend, Gianforte said in an email. For over four decades, Chuck served the people of Montana as a fair, honest, affable, tenacious journalist with a deep passion for his craft.

In 2022, Johnson received an honorary doctorate in humane letters from Montana State University. It was noted by MSU at the time he had covered 22 Montana legislative sessions, seven governors, nine U.S. senators and 10 U.S. representatives, in addition to countless state legislators, elections, conventions and policies. He was believed to be the longest-serving statehouse reporter in Montana.

Johnson, who used Charles S. in his byline but was known to all as Chuck, was born in Great Falls and raised in Helena. He began reporting in 1974 for the Lee Newspapers State Bureau in Helena, then at the Great Falls Tribune Capitol Bureau in Helena, and served as bureau chief from 1984-1992.

From 1992-2015, he was bureau chief for the Lee Newspapers State Bureau, writing for Lee newspapers across Montana, including the Billings Gazette, Montana Standard, Helena Independent Record, Missoulian and Ravalli Republic.

Johnson retired in 2015. He came out of retirement to cover the 2017 session of the Montana Legislature for the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. He confided in a fellow reporter that even though the Chronicle was paying him to cover the session, he would have done it for free. He enjoyed it that much.

I began to wonder if he would ever really retire, said Michael Wright, managing editor of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle who was a reporter for the paper at the time. He just loved the job. And his love for it was infectious.

Tom Kotynski, a journalist who competed against Johnson for another newspaper in the capitol press corps, spoke Monday about his friend.

The guy is truly a legend, not only as a journalist but also for his historical knowledge, he said. He was tough to compete against, he was so good.

Chuck Butler, another friend, called Johnsons death a deep loss for Montana.

He was the giant in the Montana newsroom and will be remembered far and wide throughout Montana as one of the great, outstanding reporters of Montana politics, politicians and government, Butler said in an email. Im so glad he was honored last May by Montana State University for his incredible career.

Johnson was an incredibly inclusive journalist who believed the more people covering state politics the better.

He was a generous mentor to me and many other reporters who covered the Capitol for UMs Community News Service as college students, Wright recalled. He never treated us like college kids  to him, we were full-fledged members of the Capitol press corps. That will always mean a lot to me.

Johnsons younger brother, Peter, was also a longtime Montana journalist and retired from the Great Falls Tribune in 2017 after 40 years as a reporter.

I followed Chucks footsteps into journalism and couldnt have had a better role model, Peter Johnson said.

He said his brother competitively bird-dogged stories, wrote fairly with insight and style and enjoyed showing the ropes to young reporters.

He also had a sense of fun that he shared with colleagues and family members, Peter Johnson said, adding the family was glad Chuck had a chance to see his beloved Cubs play recently at a couple of spring training games in Arizona.

Most recently, Johnson served as the board president of the Montana Free Press, an online independent, nonprofit source for Montana news, information and analysis.

Im devastated by the news of Chucks passing, said John S. Adams, its executive director and editor-in-chief. He was a beloved friend to so many people throughout Montana. His impact on the state is immeasurable. He mentored dozens, if not hundreds, of young reporters throughout his decades as a journalist, and he was always humble, gracious, respectful and fair. Getting to know Chuck more personally in recent years was one of the great joys of my life. The treasure state has lost one of its greatest treasures.

University of Montana journalism professor Dennis Swibold first met Johnson when he covered the 1983 Legislature. As the journalism school sent young reporters to cover the session, Johnson was often one of the first reporters they would meet and he was happy to offer guidance.

Johnson also hired many journalists that would go on to impactful careers, Swibold said.

He was a real mentor for me and so many journalists in Montana that covered politics and the Legislature, he said. He was eager to share ideas and give us enough background to keep us from looking silly. ... He had the biggest hard drive of knowledge, this long memory and nothing escaped it and he seemed to just be able to recall so many stories.

As a journalist, Swibold said Johnson was a meticulous practitioner who was not afraid to ask tough questions and hold those in power accountable if the story demanded it. Johnson often had the best tips and while there was a level of collaboration among statehouse reporters, Johnson would occasionally go missing for a day or two and that is when you knew a scoop was coming, he said.

I think he was scrupulously fair and honest, Swibold said. He had a tough streak when it needed to be done, he had no qualms about asking those questions, but I think people respected him in the long term in a way thats hard to imagine today.

Journalist Mike Dennison, who covered Montana politics with Johnson for 30 years, said Johnsons legacy will be the mentorship and assistance he would offer others.

He said Johnson would unhesitatingly help people out to understand the Legislature and political process. Hed pass that on to just about everybody and help everyone, even competitors.

He wanted coverage in Montana to be good and to be carried on not just him, but other people, Dennison said.

He and Johnson worked together for 10 years at Lee Newspapers.

I dont think I would have had a career if not for Chuck Johnson, he said. I feel honored to have worked with him as long as I did. Its one of those things in life: How did I get so lucky?

Sally Mauk said Johnson and Dennison joined her on Montana Public Radio for Capitol Talk during several sessions of the Montana Legislature to discuss the latest political news. She said Johnson was much beloved by listeners. She said they did the show at a time when such analysis shows were rare.

David McCumber, local news director for Lee Enterprises in the Western United States, praised Johnson.

Chuck Johnson was a journalists journalist  someone who knew the right questions to ask, and asked them, who knew how to write stories, and wrote them, well and often, he said. That also made him a readers journalist who took our public trust seriously and told people what they needed and deserved to know about their government. He did amazing work for Lee Enterprises and many others, and I wish I could have worked with him.

Longtime Associated Press statehouse reporter Bob Anez first met Johnson in the late 1970s when Anez worked at the Great Falls Tribune and edited Johnsons copy. They grew to be friends and respected colleagues and Anez remembered Johnson as a journalist who set the standard.

I wanted to be as good as Chuck, I wanted to be better and he was my role model, he was my hero, Anez said. If you wanted to be a good journalist, hes the guy I aimed for and wanted to emulate.

Anez admired Johnsons commitment to fairness and unbiased reporting. And while journalists might have a reputation for stoicism, he also recalled Johnsons humanity, and that he did not particularly enjoy making calls for stories that he knew would put the subject in a negative light.

The way he managed to cultivate sources, just his personality and reputation, people liked to talk to him, Anez said. He made an art out of developing relationship, not friendships but relationships with sources and people trusted him and talked to him.

Shaylee Ragar, statehouse reporter for Montana Public Radio, said on social media that Johnson was so kind and so generous to all of us. I feel so lucky to have known him and will miss him dearly. The loss to our community and Montana cant be understated.

Author and journalist Kathleen McLaughlin said the news was devastating.

Chuck hired me at 22 years old to cover the Montana Legislature, one of the only women do to so, and he had my back as a mentor and friend since, she wrote on Twitter. He was a walking encyclopedia who knew more about Montana politics and history than anyone.

Jonathan Ambarian, senior political reporter for Montana Television Network, said he was stunned by the news.

Chuck was a great mentor to me, and also a great friend, he said. He took me and so many other young journalists in this state under his wing when we were starting out, and we all owe him so much.

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, was among those who praised Johnson.

Chuck Johnson was a reporters reporter  always prepared, and always speaking truth to power, he said in an email. As a journalist, his integrity, commitment to truth, and willingness to hold people accountable earned him the respect of readers and elected officials alike, from both sides of the aisle. Chuck was a great reporter and even better man  and after keeping Montanans informed for decades, he will be sorely missed by family, friends, and countless others in the Treasure State.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Montana, said Montana lost a trusted and respected voice with the passing of Johnson.Few knew the inner workings of our government and could plainly explain how the happenings in Helena affect all Montanans better than Chuck, Zinke said in an email. There is no doubt Chuck is one of the greats. I always knew him to be comprehensive, fair and informed. He wielded his power of the pen to uphold the Founders vision of the Fourth Estate, and he has my deepest respect. Rest In Peace, Chuck. You will be missed.

A lover of history, Johnson served on the Montana Historical Societys board of trustees from 2015 until 2021.

Molly Kruckenberg, director of the Montana Historical Society, said he was a thoughtful and committed member.

His incredible insights into Montana history were invaluable to the work of the Society, she said. Chuck will be missed as a trustee, an historian, and as a friend.

Johnson, who had an extensive collection of political campaign buttons, participated in last years 50th anniversary celebration of the Montana Constitutional Convention, which he covered for the Associated Press.

As I think about it now, it was a pretty huge assignment, he said in May to about 70 people during a speech. I dont think I fully appreciated the significance.

Tom Kuglin, deputy bureau chief of Montana State News Bureau and Montana State University News Bureau, contributed to this story.
Jamie Sherman spends her summers walking barley fields.

She's the director of the barley breeding program at Montana State University, and she walks the lengthy rows of MSU research farms, looking for the best performing plants.

Those that are too tall and falling over don't make the cut. Neither do any infested with disease, or that seed at the wrong time. The breeding program  which analyzes some 50,000 barley lines a year  seeks to fine-tune barley varieties for growers in Montana by breeding them for drought and disease resistance.

Shermans decisions are fast and instinctual. Scanning the crop variations with her eyes, Sherman said the process is almost like an art form  one that comes naturally from having done this kind of work for so many years.

But Sherman isnt alone in making her breeding decisions. A drone overhead has already scanned the same field Sherman has, and it has a special camera to take measurements that humans cant.

The lab, which has used drones to gather data for the past few years, is comparing drone data to human observations. If the drone measurements prove reliable, they could help speed up the breeding process and reduce lab and labor costs.

The barley drones are just one use of precision agriculture technology thats gaining steam at MSU right now.

Outstanding in its field

Using technology to collect data  and then using that data for agricultural decision-making  is a burgeoning field, and its helping researchers answer questions they couldnt before. But there are still economic and technological barriers limiting the widespread adoption of precision agriculture, and some farmers worry machines will replace them.

Researchers don't see it that way  if done right, they see it as a way to help them.

Shermans lab wants to use drone data to help breed barley with deeper root systems, which can access soil water more efficiently and be more successful in drought. To do that, researchers can measure how much water the plant leaves are giving off as a proxy for soil water.

Thats a measurement nearly impossible for a human to do at scale  but for a multispectral camera, its a piece of cake.

Scott Powell, an environmental spatial analysis professor at MSU, said multispectral images show how a plant reflects light in ways the human eye can't see. The images can help researchers answer more difficult questions about plant health.

Essentially, were collecting data across different portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, including the visible bands like red, green and blue that our eyes can see, Powell said.

But importantly for crop monitoring, we collect data in the near infrared position of the spectrum, which is non-visible to us, " he said.

Healthy, green plants follow a certain spectral signature that researchers can see in the imagery  something that changes if a plant becomes stressed.

Using that data, researchers can map the variability of plant health across one field. That variability could be related to moisture limitations, nutrient limitations, or differences in soil chemistry, among other factors, Powell said.

Math and ag

In the past, conventional agriculture treated fields as a single unit, and applied fertilizer and pesticide at one standard rate.

But now, researchers can create mathematical models for input application based on differences in plant health in one field.

That means data can show which sections, for example, have enough nitrogen in the soil  so producers can skip applying fertilizer there and put it in other areas that are under-fertilized.

The same logic goes for other chemicals like herbicide and pesticide. Reducing their use saves producers money and reduces environmental damage.

Bruce Maxwell, an agroecology professor in the land resources and environmental sciences department at MSU, has been experimenting with different rates of nitrogen on farmland for years.

Chuck Merja, a wheat farmer in Cascade County and one of the producers working with Maxwell, said the research has both improved his yields and saved him money.

By tracking yield information across his fields for several years, Merja could understand where the low and high yielding areas were. His initial goal was to improve the areas with lower yield.

But after several seasons experimenting with different fertilizer rates and seeing no improvement, Merja tried a different approach  moving nitrogen he would have put on low yielding areas to high yielding sections instead.

There are some areas that are just not going to put out a crop no matter how many resources you throw at them, Merja said. Instead we can put that nitrogen on areas that have a proven high performance.

Efficiency in the barley

Using resources efficiently is the backbone of precision agriculture. Its also what Maxwell and other researchers are trying to automate, so that farmers dont have to figure out the optimal rate and location for inputs themselves.

So much of precision agriculture has gotten focused on new gadgets that we can add to machines to monitor and measure things, but without thinking about exactly what youre measuring and why, Maxwell said.

If those fancy gadgets dont help you make better decisions  better meaning, you make more money and reduce pollution  theyre not useful, he said.

Thats why Maxwells team is spearheading technology that can actually help farmers make decisions, rather than just collect data.

Feeding the technology years of a fields yield information, input rates and weather conditions allows it to make a predictive model of optimal input rates based on what happened in years past. The more data, the more accurate the model.

The whole thing is automated down to the point where it basically spits out a map that says, heres what the optimum would be given the data so far, Maxwell said.

But Maxwell said that sometimes when he presents his research, people bring up concerns that automation will cost farmers their jobs.

Its important to remember that many farmers have generational knowledge that cant be replaced by machines, Maxwell said.

I want to see that traditional knowledge combined with the new approaches, Maxwell said.

How people interpret whats happening on their farm and have for years and years through generations has a lot of value. We should be careful not to lose that.

Students of technology

More and more students at MSU are interested in learning about precision agriculture technology.

Some want to gain that expertise so they can integrate tech into their own family farms, said Paul Nugent, an agricultural engineering professor whos working on creating a precision agriculture minor for MSU.

Nugent and his colleague Jasmine Neupane joined MSU last spring to build the precision agriculture program. This year, theyve offered four classes covering the basics of the field, and are waiting to hear student feedback before finalizing the minor.

There are still other courses that dial into the specifics of precision agriculture, like one that teaches students how to build and fly their own drones.

Mike Walach, a professor in agriculture technology who focuses on aviation, said in order to do useful work in precision agriculture, people first must learn how to collect data.

The most challenging part of the field is then knowing what to do with that massive amount of data, Walach said.

Processing speed is another obstacle. While much improved from just five years ago, it can still take hours or even days to process the thousands of images taken by drones.

Thats one of the barriers to a lot of precision agriculture  just dealing with that data quick enough for it to be useful, Walach said.

Drones at a cost

And, while the cost of drones and cameras has dropped dramatically in recent years, it's still expensive.

The high-end consumer and low-end professional drones can cost anywhere between $2,500 and $6,000, depending on its camera and other components, Walach said. Users also typically need a subscription to processing software, which can cost thousands.

Were not at the point of huge adoption of a lot of this tech, Walach said. I think at the end of the day, the question is  what is it going to do for me? Will I be able to save money? Will it increase my yield? There has to be a benefit. Otherwise, its just another gadget.

Aside from using drones to monitor crop health, some MSU researchers are experimenting with technology to better understand animal behavior and livestock interactions with predators.

Having a clearer picture of how cattle use landscapes and rangeland helps ranchers manage herds more efficiently, said Tim DelCurto, a professor in range beef cattle and management at MSU.

DelCurto said that new technology is helping researchers answer questions that they couldnt before  like how grazing patterns are affected by the weather and which animals in a herd eat the most supplemental feed.

What were finding is that a lot of our previous assumptions about animal behavior were wrong, DelCurto said.

Livestock are equipped with GPS collars that send out a geo-stamped location every five minutes. Researchers are also putting accelerometers into cattle ear tags  essentially a Fitbit for cows that can track their movements and activity, DelCurto said.

That technology can also use cameras to monitor what livestock are eating and even their interactions with predators.

Please fence me in

Virtual fencing is another upcoming technology  GPS collars restricted to defined fencing areas could someday replace barbed wire, DelCurto said.

While the upfront cost is high, the price for virtual fencing is comparable to traditional fences over time, because paying for additions or repairs wouldnt be necessary.

We could someday be in a situation where a rancher could sit in his office and move cattle to new pasture, DelCurto said.

Still others are focused on improving existing technology, like cameras that capture predator movement in real time for ranchers.

Since 2020, MSU wildlife biologist Jared Beaver has been working to improve game cameras so that they only capture helpful images. Thats because with current game cameras, 90% of the images are empty with no animals  effectively useless to ranchers, unless they have time to sort through thousands of photos.

But Beavers team has created an automated camera that only captures images when a predator is nearby, automatically alerting the rancher in real time so they can respond quickly.

The camera is still in its early stages, and the team is working to improve the automation so it can categorize the type of predator and trigger a response.

To Beaver, the goal of new technology is to improve existing management strategies, not replace them.

Thats really what drives my work  when there seems to be a need for it, Beaver said.

None of this is meant to replace the other tools. Our toolbox is not finite. Its really a question of, how can we grow that toolbox to make the current tools we have that much more effective.
U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale said he unwittingly posed for a photo with high profile members of the neo-Nazi movement last week walking between congressional hearings.

The photo taken March 1 in front of the Capitol shows Rosendale, a two-term lawmaker, posing with Ryan Sanchez, formerly of the white supremacist street-fighting gang RAM, or Rise Above Movement, and Greyson Arnold, a Nazi sympathizer and podcaster present at the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Arnold has called Adolf Hitler a "misunderstood" and complicated historical figure."

By week's end, the image was being widely circulated on social media, both on Twitter and Mastodon. The post was most often attributed to Vishal P. Singh, publisher of the website "VPS Reports, Civil Rights and Anti-Fascist News."

"I absolutely condemn and have zero tolerance for hate groups, hate speech, and violence. I did not take a meeting with these individuals, Rosendale said in an email. I was asked for a photo while walking between hearings, accommodating as I do for all photo requests, and was not aware of the individuals' identity or affiliation with these hate groups that stand in stark contrast to my personal beliefs."

The congressman was outside between hearings, usually held in the same building, because was returning to the House from the joint Veterans Affairs hearing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building, according to his staff.

Independent sources tell Lee Montana Newspapers Rosendale was absent for the first 90 minutes of the joint VA meeting, during which members of the American Legion testified. Veterans present did recall seeing Rosendale during a second 90-minute panel of witnesses.

None of the other committees to which Rosendale is assigned had scheduled meetings that day.

The Montana Human Rights Network said it's glad that Rosendale, whose comments on immigrants often do offend, denounced the men in the photo as dangerous. The photo took place in the public square, not at a scheduled meeting in the Republican's office, MRHN spokesperson Cherilyn DeVries said. White nationalists do seek such interactions because photos with public figures give them the veneer of credibility.

"MHRN knows that white nationalists frequently lie in order to get more credibility," DeVries said. "The upshot is that we're very glad Rosendale and his staff understand that these people are dangerous and that these aren't people he wants to be associated with. And, he's clearly denounced them. We're grateful people are watching these forums where these photos were being published and held Mr. Rosendale accountable."

Sharing the group photo on Instagram, Arnold called Rosendale "a real America First representative with backbone."

America First at its simplest is an isolationist and non-interventionist policy reflected by Rosendale in his opposition to U.S. military assistance to Ukraine and for the construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

However, on the extremes America First has been adopted by a white nationalist movement fueled by xenophobia, antisemitism and persecution of the other.

White nationalist groups have also protested Juneteenth, a celebration of the emancipation of enslaved African Americans, which Congress voted to make a federal holiday in 2021.

Rosendale, while insisting he wasn't being racist, drew national attention after the June 2021 vote by suggesting the June 19 holiday was part of a decades-long attempt to replace the Fourth of July.

A third point of intersection is the "stop the steal" movement built around Donald Trumps's bogus claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him. White nationalists have rallied around "stop the steal," while praising Republican lawmakers who voted against recognizing the election outcome in key states Trump lost, as Rosendale did.

This isn't Rosendale's first compromising photo with rightwing extremists. The Eastern Montana representative is trolled constantly on social media with a 2014 photo of Rosendale speaking at an Oath Keepers rally in Kalispell.

Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes, who lives in the Kalispell area, was convicted of seditious conspiracy last November for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol. Later that day, Rosendale and 146 other House Republicans rejected the election results from a handful of states critical to Trump's bogus stolen election narrative.

In 2022 Rosendale was photographed trying on gear at a Montana body armor factory, whose owner argues that America is on the cusp of economic and social collapse and that Montana should secede from the United States.

The men posing in the Capitol photo arent low-profile. Arnold was the host of Pure Politics a YouTube program that interviewed GOP candidates and officials in the Pacific Northwest during the 2022 election. In April 2021, Arnold toured the U.S.-Mexico border with Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar, a member of the Republican House Freedom Caucus, of which Rosendale participates. Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican and Freedom Caucus member, has also posed for photos with Arnold. Like Rosendale, these are politicians who perpetuate the bogus claim of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election.

Kari Lake, Arizona's 2022 Republican candidate for governor, posed with Arnold at an "election integrity" event in 2021. Lake has repeatedly and falsely said that Donald Trump won the 2020 presidential election.

The Seattle Times reports that Washington Republican Party finance reports show Arnold on "payroll" for about $800 compensation.

In the Rosendale photo, Sanchez, director of the "Nationalist Network" appears to be wearing a World War II-era M36 German officer trench coat. Other Capitol images of Sanchez, Arnold and three other men show them studying a contoured map of the Capitol complex.

On the social media site "Gab," where Sanchez posts under the handle "Culture War Criminal," he posted an image of himself peering over the Capitol complex map with his index finger on the ellipse. He captioned the photo with one word: "schwerpunkt," a phrase coined by military strategist Clause von Clausewitz to indicate "a maximum effort and force at an enemy's weakest spot."

Sanchez has defended participants in the Jan. 6, 2021, assault of the Capitol, including an appearance on One America News Network before the 2022 election to defend Christian Secor, a UCLA student sentenced to prison for his role in the insurrection. Secor was a follower of the "America First" anti-immigrant, anti-Semitic movement lead by Nick Fuentes, a white supremacist and holocaust denier.

The Conservative Political Action Coalition, better known as CPAC, was in Washington, D.C., last week, headlined by former president Donald Trump, who declared himself the "retribution" of conservatives feeling victimized by society. Sanchez is quoted in a Washington Examiner article about the event.

Online, Sanchez said the real conservative event was a rally the men attended, which was organized by Fuentes, host of the America First Show and creator of the America First Foundation.
Genesis Health System has officially joined MercyOne.

The news was announced Wednesday, following a September announcement that MercyOne and Genesis signed a letter of intent to develop a partnership. With the closing, all interests and operations of Davenport-based Genesis will become part of MercyOne.

In a Zoom meeting Wednesday afternoon, hospital officials said Genesis will retain its name. Officials also ensured that all services, including contraceptive care, would continue at Genesis.

We are excited to welcome Genesis to MercyOne and look forward to shaping a framework to enhance access to personalized, convenient health care across Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois, said Bob Ritz, president and chief executive officer at MercyOne. Together, we are stronger and will deliver the highest quality care and the best patient experience to all those we serve.

The Genesis Health System Board of Directors unanimously selected MercyOne as its choice for a partner after an exploration process that began in December 2021. The Quad-Cities' third-largest employer, Genesis announced late last year that it was looking for a partner that could help expand its services.

At the time, Genesis CEO Doug Cropper and Board of Directors Chair Steven Bahls said the not-for-profit health system was "strong" and the potential move "is about positioning for the future."

Beginning that month, Genesis invited more than 30 health care systems to submit proposals aimed at helping Genesis expand, whether through a merger or acquisition or some other arrangement. Genesis employs 5,100 in the Quad-Cities, behind only the Rock Island Arsenal and John Deere. All existing employees will retain their positions under the MercyOne umbrella, Cropper said.

Wednesday, Cropper said in a news release that the partnership would benefit patients and the workforce as a whole.

As part of MercyOne, Genesis will be able to leverage the skill, talent and scale of national and regional resources while retaining our local leadership and focus, said Cropper. We will deepen our commitment to quality, safety and patient experience and strengthen our workforce retention and recruitment efforts. By joining MercyOne, Genesis will continue our ability to grow, thrive and deliver more integrated care in the region.

In December, Cropper announced his time with the hospital was coming to a close. He will retire on June 1 and will be followed by Dr. Kurt Andersen, chief clinical officer/chief medical officer for Genesis.

Andersen began working at Genesis in 1997 as a resident in the Genesis Quad Cities Family Medicine Residency Program. He has remained a practicing Genesis family physician and has previously served as an executive of Genesis Health Group before his current role.

Cropper has been with Genesis for 15 years this month. He is retiring to serve full-time as a church leader with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Along with his wife, Lynne, the couple will embark on a three-year assignment.

As part of the merger, Genesis Philanthropy and the Genesis Health Services Foundation will continue to serve the Quad-Cities-area communities, according to a news release. Genesis Philanthropy will operate under a new name, the Better Health Foundation, and will be independent from the health system.

Among the commitments made as part of joining MercyOne, Genesis Health System provided the Better Health Foundation with $40 million in funds, ensuring its future as one of the region's preeminent granting organizations, hospital system officials said. The Better Health Foundation will be fully operational on July 1.

MercyOne is a member of Trinity Health, headquartered in Livonia, Michigan. Trinity Health is one of the largest not-for-profit health care systems in the country with 88 hospitals across 26 states. Trinity Health is not affiliated with any Iowa-based entities currently using the name Trinity or Trinity Health.
When drugmaker Eli Lilly announced Wednesday it will slash the list price for some of its insulin products following years of criticism from lawmakers and activists that the price of the lifesaving hormone had become unaffordable, the news raised questions about what will happen to other efforts to provide low-cost insulin.

Civica, a nonprofit drugmaker based in Utah, for example, has said it plans to begin selling biosimilar insulin for roughly $30 per vial by 2024  $5 more than the new price of Eli Lillys generic insulin.

In December, billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban said his new company, the Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Co., planned to sell low-cost insulin. And California is poised to launch an ambitious program to manufacture its own brand of the hormone, as well as generics of other high-priced prescription drugs.

Drug pricing experts welcomed the Eli Lilly news, predicting the move wont undercut those efforts. And these other initiatives to bring lower-cost insulin to market, in turn, would put pressure on Eli Lilly to keep its prices down. Together these will help, not hamper, what could become a race to the bottom on insulin prices.

The more competition, the more stable this solution will be so that five to 10 years from now the prices wont go up again, said Dr. Vincent Rajkumar, a Mayo Clinic oncologist who has been a critic of high drug costs.

The pressure could cause further ripples. Following Eli Lillys news, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) sent letters to the two other major insulin makers, Sanofi and Novo Nordisk, calling on them to follow suit.

People with diabetes, especially those with Type 1 who need the drug to survive, will benefit. Yet even while some of Eli Lillys persistent critics praised the move, they noted work remains to make insulin widely affordable.

Additional competition and other accountability moves are still incredibly necessary because the companies can raise their list price again at any time, said Elizabeth Pfiester, founder of T1International, a nonprofit that advocates for people with diabetes. Thats why the government also needs to regulate insulin manufacturers to hold them accountable.

Cubans company did not respond to requests for comment on how the Eli Lilly cuts might affect its efforts. But Civicas plan remains unchanged following the news, said spokesperson Debbi Ford.

From the beginning, we have said we are not entering medicine markets for market share, Ford said. We are participating for market impact.

Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom tweeted Wednesday that sky high prices for insulin have put it out of reach for too many and his state will manufacture its OWN insulin and ensure all who need access to this medicine can afford it.

Now, Eli Lilly is lowering their cost, Newsom wrote. Lets keep it up.

Last year, California lawmakers approved $100 million for the state to contract for cheaper insulin and make the lifesaving drug, cutting out drugmakers and go-between companies that add to the price consumers pay. Newsom has said that Californias insulin would be available at a cheaper price, close to at cost. Officials havent said when the states insulin will be available, though, or exactly how much it will cost.

Californias goal was to get competition into the market however they can manage it, said Robin Feldman, a professor at the University of California College of the Law-San Francisco who studies the insulin market. If Californias entry results in bringing prices down from other manufacturers, that will be a good thing.

Eli Lillys price cuts apply to what it described as its most commonly prescribed insulins, but Feldman noted those are older insulin products. Although California officials havent released details about which insulin products would be included in its program, Feldman said she expects the state will offer a variety to cover the market.

Its not aimed at any one company or any one drug, she said. Its aimed at making affordable insulin available to market and putting pressure on other companies.

Washington and Maine are also exploring ways to bring cheap insulin to consumers, and large insurance companies pledged millions in an agreement with Civica to manufacture cheaper insulin.

The cadre of newcomers aim to break open the insulin market because three pharmaceutical companies  Eli Lilly and Co., Sanofi, and Novo Nordisk  have long dominated the U.S. insulin supply and allowed their prices to escalate. The price of one of Eli Lillys products, for example, rose from $21 to $255 per vial between 1996 and 2016.

St. Louis University law professor Dr. Michael Sinha said Eli Lilly may have seen a threat from the discount insulin initiatives.

This might be a response to some of those initiatives and the looming threat of really steep losses in terms of market share, Sinha said.

Beginning in 2024, Hernandez said, drugmakers could be on the hook to pay fees, known as rebates, to Medicaid for drugs like insulin that have had steep price hikes. By lowering the list price of insulin, Eli Lilly could avoid those costs, Hernandez said.

Hernandez said that understanding the incentives behind Eli Lillys decision to cut list prices could help lower the price of other drugs that patients have trouble affording. If the makers of those other drugs also slash their list prices ahead of 2024, it could show the effectiveness of the new federal policy. If they dont, it might underscore the importance of factors unique to insulin like public pressure by politicians and activists or market competition from initiatives like Californias.

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10 small, healthy things you should do for yourself every day 1. Find one small way to add more steps to your day. 2. Just be  even for five minutes a day. 3. Make sleep a top priority. 4. Refill your water bottle. 5. Take a few deep breaths. 6. Wear something you love. 7. Make something in the kitchen. 8. Deliberately choose a healthy ingredient. 9. Pay attention to your needs. 10. Tell the truth as often as you can.
MONDAY, March 6, 2023 (HealthDay News)  After receiving a warning letter from Republican attorneys general in 20 states, Walgreens said it does not plan to distribute abortion pills in those states  even in the ones where abortion is still legal.

The letter warned the company it could face legal consequences if it sold the abortion medication in their states.

The company responded to each attorney general, telling them it wouldnt sell abortion pills by mail or in stores in those states, NBC News reported.

"This is a very complex and in flux area of the law, and we are taking that into account as we seek certification to dispense mifepristone," Fraser Engerman, Walgreens' senior director of external relations, told NBC News.

"We are not dispensing mifepristone at this time. We intend to become a certified pharmacy under the program, however we will only dispense in those jurisdictions where it is legal to do if we are certified," Engerman added.

Many other pharmacies were also sent letters but did not respond immediately to a request for comment. Those were Albertsons, Costco, CVS, Kroger, Rite Aid and Walmart.

The attorneys general who sent the letter were in states where abortion is illegal, including Kentucky, Mississippi, South Dakota, Texas and West Virginia, as well as states where abortion is still legal, such as Alaska, Florida, Iowa and Montana, NBC News reported.

"We emphasize that it is our responsibility as State Attorneys General to uphold the law and protect the health, safety, and well-being of women and unborn children in our states," the letter said.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey said on Facebook that he wants to ensure "that pharmacies throughout the nation arent subverting state and federal statute to ship abortion pills in the mail."

More than half of U.S. abortions in 2020 were completed by medication instead of surgery, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that advocates for abortion access.

While the abortion pills are legal in 37 states, in 15 of those states they must be prescribed by a doctor rather than other health workers, NBC News reported.

More information

The Association of American Medical Colleges has more on medication abortion.

SOURCE: NBC News
Cinturion Corp Ltd, a global provider of scalable, subsea and terrestrial capacity-based network solutions, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Alliance Networks to be its Landing Party partner in Bahrain.

Alliance Networks has been granted by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Bahrain a licence for the international telecommunication services.

As a provider of international and high-speed services in Bahrain and the region and with onward interconnections in the region, the partnership of Cinturion and Alliance will provide customers with leading edge data connectivity and international reach.

Advanced submarine and terrestrial network

Cinturions TEAS  Trans Europe Asia System, is the most advanced submarine and terrestrial network, enabling high-speed, resilient, and secure connections. TEAS system consists of two separate connections across the Mediterranean Sea, continuing with two paths inter-linking the Middle East, with multiple routes across the Arabian Peninsula, and a route through the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea.

TEAS, the first new dual path system of its kind, provides geographically diverse routes enabling new services with its unique optical capabilities to support modern Data Centre deployments, bringing broadband and low latency access to the European, Middle East, African and Indian markets.

Alliance Networks provides telecommunications services to national and international providers. With access to domestic and regional fiber optic networks, Alliance Networks, in the telecommunications market, currently offers diverse fibre connectivity between Bahrain and other Gulf Countries, leveraging its position as a carrier-neutral hub.

International bandwidth

Greg Varisco, Chief Executive Officer of Cinturion says: The partnership with Alliance Networks and Cinturion will provide the most advanced, secure and innovative technologies to West Asia through Bahrain, addressing the rising global demand for high quality international bandwidth.

Adel Al Daylami, Alliance Networks CEO says: The strategic partnership with Centurion will link and position Bahrain and the region to the multiple layers of infrastructure diversity, which include establishing new subsea landing stations and crossing routes that will cater for the rising regional demand for international capacities.-- TradeArabia News Service
WAPELLO  Wapello Fire and Rescue (WFR) personnel have been trying to replace the citys aging fire station with a new building for almost 20 years. At Thursdays City Council meeting, a professional services agreement was approved with Shive-Hattery, Cedar Rapids, which should provide a design for a new station.

The estimated cost for the agreement is $44,750 and will include building drawings and narratives on civil, structural, architecture, mechanical, electrical and plumbing components.

A client kickoff meeting is scheduled for March 23, with the schematic design delivered to the city by May 25.

According to the agreement and earlier discussions, the new station is expected to be located on city property near the intersection of Spruce Drive and Mulberry Street.

Earlier design work completed by VSP Engineering, Coralville, will be incorporated into the Shive-Hattery work, according to the agreement.

The new 16,640-square-foot fire station is expected to measure 80 feet by 208 feet and include the following spaces: classroom, office, staff workstations, closets/storage, restrooms, kitchen, workshop with breathing air and medical room, ambulance storage room with offices equipped with restrooms for the ambulance director and assistant director, as well a recommended enclosed turn-out gear room separated from the apparatus bay.

In other action involving WFR, the council approved a $320,000 budget to purchase a replacement ladder firetruck. The replacement unit is expected to be a used vehicle, WFR Chief Damon Moore had previously reported.

The citys previous ladder truck was damaged in a fire and disposed of through a $120,000 insurance settlement.

In his presentation on the budget to the council at Thursdays meeting, Moore provided additional details on the budget.

He said the budget would include the insurance settlement; a previous $10,000 donation from Farmers Elevator and Exchange and $40,000 from the fire departments reserve account.

The other key proposed funding will hopefully come from a $150,000 loan from the Iowa Fire Service Training Bureau Revolving Loan program, Moore said.

The City Council approved the departments application for the funding, which has 0% interest, a 1% origination fee and a 10-year term.

Moore said the departments application would be reviewed in April, with award notification expected by the end of the month.

In other financial action, the council set an April 6 public hearing on a proposed amendment to the citys Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 budget. According to the notice of public hearing on the amendment, an additional $424,448 in revenue is projected to be added to the budget; along with $722,250 in additional expenditures.

The extra revenue comes from the insurance payment for the damaged ladder truck; the anticipated fire truck loan and $149,448 in American Rescue Plan funding.

The additional expenditures will include the proposed ladder truck purchase, additional asphalt work, replastering of the swimming pool, fire station design work and other costs.

The council also approved a $50 donation to the Wapello Community Club for the Wapello Easter Egg Hunt

Moore and Assistant Ambulance Service Director Sam Gillip respectively provided updates on fire department and ambulance service calls and other issues.

Mayor Pro-Tem Brett Shafer also reported the deed for the former City Hall at 337 N. Second had been delivered to the city. Shafer had previously reported the transfer had been presented to prior owner Dean Jensen as an option to facing additional legal issues related to the buildings condition.
Evan Huegel is worried about his future in Iowa.

Huegel joined hundreds of Iowans to protest a surge of legislation that state lawmakers are considering this year that targets LGBTQ Iowans and topics in schools on Sunday, bills he says will negatively affect him.

A transgender sophomore at Ankeny High School, Huegel said he faces bullying in school and lack of acceptance from some family members, but proposals to ban gender-affirming care for minors and restrict LGBTQ topics and students in other ways will make things even harder.

Im going to stand up and fight this because I dont want to live the rest of my school years in misery, he said. I dont want to live the rest of my life in misery. This seriously impacts my future, how Im going to grow up being a trans guy.

The recent increase in bills focused on LGBTQ issues in Iowa has made it hard for Huegel to see a future in Iowa. He was considering going to college at the University of Iowa or Iowa State University, but now hes having second thoughts.

Now I'm having to look at colleges out of state and be far away from my family, just so that I can be who I am, Huegel said. Which I am not looking forward to.

Several hundred people crowded the west steps of the Iowa State Capitol to protest LGBTQ-related bills lawmakers are considering this year. They held signs that said trans people belong in Iowa and referenced the states motto  Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain  and flew rainbow and trans pride flags.

Democratic lawmakers, teachers, LGBTQ organizers and students who spoke at the rally said the bills being advanced by the states Republican majority contradict with notions of freedom and liberty they champion in other areas.

Real liberty is the ability to read what you want, said Aime Wichtendahl, a Hiawatha City Council member and transgender woman. Real liberty is having control over your own body. Real liberty is the ability to marry the person you love.

Lawmakers have advanced bills out of committees this year banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors, prohibiting instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation in early grades, requiring school employees to notify parents if they believe a child is transgender and requiring students to use only bathrooms that align with their biological sex.

Republicans supporting the bills said they were a reaction to concerns brought by constituents and parents, and they give parents more input in their childs education. On the bill to ban gender-affirming care for minors, Republican House Speaker Pat Grassley said last week the lawmakers are taking a cautious approach to the issue, despite advice from medical experts last month to keep health care options in place for transgender youth.

Part of why we are here where we are today is I was surprised to find out that some of our major health care providers in the state were actually doing this when we inquired about it, Grassley said, ... So we feel very strongly about our position that were taking on this issue.

Teachers and education advocates said at the rally that the bills that dealt with LGBTQ issues in education were censorship and restricted the ability of teachers to be a trusted resource for their students.

Under a bill proposed by Gov. Kim Reynolds, any school employee would need to notify parents if a student expresses a gender identity different from their biological sex, and schools would need parents permission to refer to a student by a different name or set of pronouns. Republicans have said the provisions would give parents information about important decisions their child is making, but some teachers said the bill could put students in harms way if their parents do not accept them.

They prevent educators from fulfilling our important societal role of being trusted, safe adults for all students, said Stacy Schmidt, a teacher and chair of the Iowa State Education Associations LGBTQ+ Task Force. We are often the first adults that young people go to to ask questions about any number of topics.

A group of students who organized a statewide school walkout last week spoke at the rally, saying they plan to continue to oppose the legislation. The Iowa Queer Student Alliance is hosting another rally in the state Capitol this coming Wednesday, the group said.

We have shown up time after time, and were not going away, Emma Mitchell, the groups founder, said.
He Jiankui has not been seen publicly since January, his work has not been published and nothing is known about the health of the babies.

"That's the story  it's all cloaked in secrecy, which is not productive for the advance of understanding," said Stanford bioethicist Dr. William Hurlbut.

He talked with Hurlbut many times before He revealed at a Hong Kong science conference that he had used a tool called CRISPR to alter a gene in embryos to try to help them resist infection with the AIDS virus. The work, which He discussed in exclusive interviews with The Associated Press, was denounced as medically unnecessary and unethical because of possible harm to other genes and because the DNA changes can pass to future generations.

Since then, many people have called for regulations or a moratorium on similar work, but committees have bogged down over who should set standards and how to enforce them.

"Nothing has changed," said Dr. Kiran Musunuru, a University of Pennsylvania geneticist who just published a book about gene editing and the CRISPR babies case.

"I think we're farther from governing this" now than a year ago, said Hurlbut, who disapproves of what He did. However, so much effort has focused on demonizing He that it has distracted from how to move forward, he said.
By the time March hits, what I am really thinking about is the start of the Tuesday market on April 4. Faithful shoppers know that during the winter months of January, February, and March, the Saturday market feels more like a Tuesday market because of its smaller size and varying customer count.

I am excited to share that we had the most customers ever (2,402) for a winter market on Feb. 18. The next week, because of the wet weather, attendance dropped to just over 1,000, which, all things considered is still a fantastic showing.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register.

Look, I get it. During the winter months, the farmer section of the market aisles does not generate the same level of excitement as the first signs of spring or the seductive pull of summer. That said, we are extremely lucky to live in California, whose climate can support year-round farmers markets.

It is strange to think back to a time when the Napa Farmers Market was not year-round on Saturdays, just five years ago. Since launching the first winter season at the end of 2018 and surviving the pandemic, our year-round markets growth and success depended upon three important factors: the support of the Napa Farmers Market as an organization, the hard work of our farmers and vendors, and the dedication of our local shoppers, especially those willing to brave the elements for the sake of the freshest produce in Napa.

Inspired by the recent snowstorm creating stunning views up and down our valley, I am including a recipe inspired by Kenchin-jiru to warm you up from the inside out. Kenchin-jiru is a Japanese vegetable soup traditionally prepared with shiitake mushrooms, tofu and a variety of root vegetables, including, daikon radish, taro root, potatoes and carrot. Try stir-frying the vegetables and roots to reduces their moisture content to intensify their earthy flavors.

The real star of the show will be the shiitake mushrooms, readily available at Far West Fungi every Saturday. Although delicious as a vegan dish, you can always add pork or chicken, if so inclined.

Temple Vegetarian Soup

inspired by Kenchin-jiru

This recipe is adapted from EatFresh.org, an online recipe and nutrition resource developed for CalFresh eligible individuals and families, and an excellent tool for anyone interested in eating healthier on a budget.

2 pieces dried konbu 2 by 3 inches

6 shiitake mushrooms

3 cups vegetable broth

3 cups water

2 carrots, medium

2 taro roots, small or red potatoes, medium

1 Daikon or rutabaga

12 ounces firm tofu

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

2 stalks green onion, sliced thinly

In a large pot, combine konbu, mushrooms, stock and water. Bring just to a boil. Then, lower heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, peel and cut the vegetables into 1-inch pieces. Break (or cut) the tofu into similar sized pieces.

Remove the mushrooms with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool. Add the root vegetables to the mushroom broth. Return the soup to a boil. Then, simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally and skim any foam that rises.

When the mushrooms are cool enough to cut, trim off their stems and quarter their caps. Add mushrooms and tofu to the soup. Simmer another 10 minutes.

Season with soy sauce and sesame oil. Sprinkle with green onions

New members of the Farmers Market board

The Napa Farmers Market board of directors has elected new officers: Chairwoman Lilea Heine and Vice Chairwoman Carine Hines; and welcomed two new board members: Tarinder Khatkar and Wendi Moore.

Lilea Heine is the executive director of First 5 Napa County. Prior to this, Lilea served as the community programs and network manager at First 5 Napa County. She held prior positions as a site supervisor and child development teacher at preschools in Napa County and brings leadership experience on several local nonprofit boards including the Napa Farmers Market and Community Resources for Children. Lilea has a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education from Brandman University. She and her family have lived in Napa County since 2008.

Carine Hines comes from a long line of farmers in California and Southern France. In 2015 Carine and her husband, Robert, started Sun Tracker Farm in Yolo Countys Capay Valley. Sun Tracker Farm is a small organic farm that implements regenerative farming practices to grow annual fruits and vegetables and raise pastured poultry. In addition, Hines works for a non-profit organization, Kitchen Table Advisors, as a farm business advisor, helping small sustainable farms in Northern California achieve economic viability. Despite the many hats she wears, her favorite is being a mother to two boys who join her everywhere from harvesting melons, to selling at the farmers market, or to exploring their backyard creek.

Tarinder Kathkar is chief nursing officer at Queen of the Valley Medical Center with almost two decades of experience as a registered nurse. During her career, she has served in leadership roles in California and Texas, overseeing a variety of service lines, including cardiology, neuroscience oncology, orthopedics, rehabilitation, and womens services.

Wendi Moore is community engagement coordinator for Adobe Services, which is working to end homelessness in the Napa community. Her Napa Farmers Market roots sprouted 26 years ago when, new to town, she came to the market with her toddler in search of healthy veggies. Moore served on the Blue Oak School board of trustees for six years, three as chair; was board president of the St. Helena Cooperative Nursery School and of the Vichy Elementary School Parent Club. She is a UC Berkeley alum and earned her Master's degree in Latin American Studies from New York University.

Visit napafarmersmarket.org/about/board-staff for more information.

Micros Market Farm in Napa County grows diverse array of veggies Micros Market Farm, along Soda Canyon Road Patrick Deasy of Micros Market Farm Deasy slices open radish at Micros Market Carrot and lettuce leaves from Micros Market garden Microgreens inside the Micros Market greenhouse
Customers of Pacific Gas & Electric Co. can expect a significant decrease in their March natural gas bills after the utility distributed a biannual credit earlier than usual, the company announced Thursday.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register.

After three months of unusually high natural gas bills, the California Public Utilities Commission decided to distribute its California Climate Credit a month early. The credit, which comes from the state's emission allowance program, is handed out to California residents every spring and fall.

Alongside the credit distribution, a significant market price drop and lower customer usage as temperatures rise are contributing to a projected 75% decrease in customer bills this month, said PG&E.

The average residential customer bill is expected to be about $37 after the $52.78 climate credit. Last month, the average bill was about $150.

"We supported the California Public Utilities Commission's decision to distribute the statewide Climate Credit earlier than previous years, and we're grateful to pass on that savings to our customers," said Vincent Davis, vice president of PG&E's Customer Operations and Enablement team. "Even with this bill credit, we know that after three months of sustained high natural gas prices, some customers may have difficulty paying their bills, and we're here to help with individualized customer support, including payment plans."

 Bay City News Service
Over 6,000 British to play role in Charles III and Camilla Coronation

9 patients transported from Artsakh to Armenia thanks to ICRC

Washington forces Yerevan to join anti-Russian sanctions

Gyumri - Yerevan train crashes into truck and derails

Group brawl due to traffic accident

SK military prevent North Korean patrol chasing boat

Russian peacekeepers celebrate Easter in Artsakh

Traffic on Getap-Martuni road one-way due to risk of bridge collapse

RA Ministry of Finance delegation visits Washington

$230 million damage to Artsakh economy due to blockade

The Danish ambassador was summoned to the Turkish Foreign Ministry: Ankara has made a demand

Bloomberg: New pandemic possible in coming decade

44-year-old man found hanging from a tree

Yerevan Metro Police detain armed young man

Poland receives Bayraktar from Turkey

4.2 magnitude earthquake in Turkish Adana

Ukraine preparing a counteroffensive

Azerbaijani Armed Forces open fire at Sotk Gold Mine

Sudanese army blocks presidential palace entrances in Khartoum

No safety threat to Azerbaijani athletes nor could there ever be

Dozens of Tegh families in difficult social situation

12 patients transported from Artsakh to Armenia, 8  back in Artsakh

Azerbaijan and Iran FMs announce possible continuation of negotiations

Tigran Abrahamyan: Citizens of Artsakh remain alone in their worries

Azerbaijani athletes to leave EWF Championships

Suspect of Wakayama incident arrested

Macron signs pension reform bill

Aram Nikolyan: My only desire is to ensure that Azerbaijan's flag doesn't fly in Yerevan

IMF and World Bank unable to reach agreement on communique

Biden demands stricter protection of secret information

Moodys reaffirms "Export Insurance Agency of Armenia"s rating

The newly appointed Human Rights Defender conducted fact-finding activities in Tegh village

Armenia ambassador to Canada, newly elected mayor of Ottawa discuss cooperation

Investigative Committee: Criminal proceeding launched into wounded soldiers case

Woman who threw umbrella at Armenia premier is charged

Zakharova responds to Armenia parliament majority faction secretary: They probably mistranslated it to him

shamshyan.com: Man found dead, car found on train tracks in Yerevan

Matviyenko: Russia hopes Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty will be signed soon as possible

Armenia, Russia FMs discuss matter of Yerevan-Baku relations normalization

Smart solution from AraratBank: electric car loans at an interest rate starting at 9%

Armenian legislature speaker: We call on international community to clearly condemn Azerbaijan aggressive actions

Ameriabank CEO Artak Hanesyan sums up Triple Best campaign: We believe in potential of our team, Armenia

Armenia MOD: Soldier wounded by own weapon

Karabakh NSS deputy director, head of presidential Central Information Department are dismissed

Armenia official: I wouldn't call this a vector change, I would call it a search for certain security guarantees

Armenia parliament speaker expresses concern to Ashimbayev regarding Kazakhstan collaboration with Azerbaijan

Armenia, Russia FMs meet in Uzbekistan

GeoProMining Gold develops social cooperation with Ararat region

Armenia Security Council chief briefs OSCE Minsk Group US co-chair on Azerbaijan provocation near Tegh village

CIS FMs next meeting slated for October in Kyrgyzstan

Armenia Security Council secretary: International presence needed to resolve many security issues in Karabakh

Armenia ruling force lawmaker: PMs orders are mandatory for execution

Armenia police hand over Azerbaijani found in Kapan city area to National Security Service

Security Council head on CSTO: Not possible that Armenia be offered arms, ammunition help and it refuses

Armenia ruling force MP to Zakharova: If we hadn't fought, given casualties, Russia MFA could call as much as it wants

USD depreciating against several other major currencies

Armenia Security Council chief on Azerbaijan border stability: We expect Brussels to take appropriate steps

Armenia Security Council head: There were arrangements with Azerbaijan but most of them were broken

CIS FMs to hold meeting in Uzbekistan

Armenia Security Council chief: Azerbaijan is preparing for military escalation

Newspaper: Army General Staff chief admits that Tegh village incident was Armenian sides omission as well

Armenia MOD: Sanitary vehicle staff not hospitalized

shamshyan.com: Armenia MOD driver, 2 medical assistants hospitalized after truck, MOD sanitary vehicle collide

Brazil's president in China called for abandoning the dollar

Artsakh's Ombudsman expresses dissatisfaction to OSCE chairman for attitude of international community

Ararat Mirzoyan will go on a working visit to Uzbekistan

Police and demonstrators clash on the 12th day of demonstrations in France

Anahit Manasyan had a phone conversation with the Human Rights Ombudsman of Artsakh

The 12th protest against pension reform takes place in France

Russia MOD: No ceasefire violations recorded in Karabakh during last 24 hours

Lemkin Institute issues statement on Azerbaijan noncompliance with ICJ order to unblock Lachin corridor

MFA: Shushi is Artsakhs integral part in territorial, cultural, economic, historical aspects

An earthquake of magnitude 4.3 occurred in southeastern Turkey

Charles Michel explains his activeness in Armenia-Azerbaijan relations normalization process

Armenia PM to Bujar Osmani: This visit is good opportunity to get familiarized with complicated situation

South Korea bans its citizens from traveling to Armenia-Azerbaijan border region

Karabakh President convenes working consultation, security challenges discussed

OSCE Chairman-in-Office: I am here to find out if there is possibility to build bridges between Yerevan and Baku

Armenia PM chief of staff: Azerbaijanis are already in Yerevan, we have ensured their safety

Chairman-in-Office: OSCE toolkit provides mechanisms to assist peace process between Armenians and Azerbaijanis

Osmani: We are ready for any efforts to achieve positive dynamics between Azerbaijan and Armenia

Armenia FM: Replacing army with guards on Azerbaijan border should be part of final settlement

Armenia MFA: Rumors about OSCE Minsk Group activities termination are greatly exaggerated

168.am: Who is the Azerbaijani already rendered ineffective in Armenia? What does he say in video?

Armenia village youth tell how they caught Azerbaijani

Armenia Investigative Committee issues statement on murder of security guard, 56, in Syunik Province

Azerbaijani who crossed border into Armenia is caught by locals, found in Achanan village territory

2nd Azerbaijan soldier found, detained in Armenia

Armenian health minister: Wounded soldier in critical condition due to Azerbaijan provocation has stabilized

Which Armenia company is put on US sanctions list?

Premier: Armenia ready for reopening of transport links, delimitation of borders

Pashinyan: We are ready to withdraw troops to safe distance along Armenia-Azerbaijan 1991 border

Armenia to have trade attache in Germany

Azerbaijan MFA accuses France foreign ministry of smear campaign and unfair position

Armenia PM: It failed to deploy border guards without escalation of tension

Newly elected Armenia ombudsperson announces her priority objective in this capacity

Armenia deputy PM, US Deputy Secretary of Treasury acknowledge high level of cooperation between both countries

Newspaper: Karabakh soldiers who showed necessary resistance to Azerbaijan military are rewarded

Armenia FM, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office tete-a-tete kicks off (PHOTOS)

Armenia deputy PM, USAID official discuss opportunities for deepening cooperation
Abdul Latif Jameel Finance and Careem, the regions leading multi-service platform, have launched a financing programme to allow Saudi Careem Captains in the kingdom to finance their own cars.

Abdul Latif Jameel Finance is opening the door for the Captains to continue earning an income in a reliable manner by providing a financing solution that allows them to obtain a new vehicle.

The programme provides Careem Captains, many whose main source of income is through the ride hailing app, with flexible payment plans and installments to obtain any new model from several brands including Toyota, Lexus, KIA, Hyundai, Geely, Suzuki, and MG vehicles.

Alignment with Vision 2030

This financing programme is also in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030 goals and initiatives to support employment rates and improve living standards in the kingdom.

Dr Khalid D Al Karimy, CEO, Abdul Latif Jameel Finance, said: We continuously endeavour to find ways to support our community. We are aware of the various challenges facing self-employed Captains, which is why we have worked on developing this innovative programme that will help them reap the full benefits from their work.

Ahmad Arrabi, General Manager of Careem Saudi Arabia, said: Our cooperating with Abdul Latif Jameel Finance will make it easier for Careem Captains to obtain new models of Toyota, Lexus, KIA, Hyundai, Geely, Suzuki, and MG vehicles. This cooperation will enable more Saudi nationals to access flexible earnings through the Careem platform.

Technical support

Careem offers Captains in Saudi Arabia 24-hour technical support, special discounts on car cleaning, and in-ride insurance coverage. Careem launched in Saudi Arabia in 2013, commencing operations in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Dhahran and Khobar before expanding to reach 29 cities across the kingdom.

More than 194,000 Saudi Careem use the app to earn a flexible income and over 75% of the Captains in the kingdom own their cars. To date, Careem Captains have completed over 250 million trips. In 2022, earnings for Captains in Saudi Arabia totalled over SR529 million ($141 million).-- TradeArabia News Service
A criminal case has been launched into Sundays criminal activities carried out by the Azerbaijani sabotage group against Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) police officers. The Prosecutor's Office of Artsakh informed about this in a statement.

A criminal investigation is underway, the Prosecutor's Office added.

On Sunday morning, the Artsakh Defense Army issued a statement informing that at around 10am, a sabotage group of the Azerbaijani armed forces targeted and opened fire on a shift vehicle of the staff of the Passport and Visa Department of the Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Artsakh.

A little later, the Ministry of Internal Affairs announced the names of the police officers who were attacked. Accordingly Police Lieutenant Colonel Armen Babayan, Police Major Davit Danielyan, and Police Lieutenant Ararat Gasparyan were killed as a result of the adversary's aforesaid actions. And Police Lieutenant Davit Hovsepyan received a gunshot wound to the chest.

Later, the Artsakh Ministry of Health informed that the injured policeman was under medical supervision in a hospital intensive care unit, and he was in severe but stable condition.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman stressed that following the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossis recent visit to Tehran, a new chapter was opened in bilateral cooperation between Iran and the agency, ISNA reported

Speaking at a weekly press conference on Monday, Nasser said, We expect that the IAEA to fulfill its responsibilities and obligations in defending and protecting the rights of its members.

Iran has utilized all political and legal rights to maintain its rights when it comes to its cooperation with the IAEA, he added.

Following Grossis recent visit to Tehran, a new chapter was opened in bilateral cooperation between Iran and the IAEA, the Iranian MFA spokesman went on to say.

Last Friday and Saturday, Grossi was in Tehran on an official visit. He held talks with Mohammad Eslami, director of Atomic Energy Agency of Iran. Also, Grossi announced that the IAEA is preparing to sign a deal with Iran that will help restart the 2015 nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
US comprehends Azerbaijans security interests on Lachin road, said US Department of State Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations Louis Bono, who is on a visit to Azerbaijani capital Baku today, APA reports.

Certainly, we understand security interests of Azerbaijan. In fact, we understand the security interests of all parties," the American diplomat stressed.

He pointed out that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced his position in Munich regarding the situation around the Lachin road.

To remind, despite the "comprehending", the US, among other countries, calls on Azerbaijan to immediately stop its blockade of the Lachin corridor, the only road that connects Nagorno-Karabakh with the outside world.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) CJSC to get acquainted with its's 2022 activity report, the Prime Minister's Office informs Armenian News-NEWS.am

The management staff of the Armenian NPP presented a report and presented the work carried out in last year. It was noted that the design period of operation of power unit No. 2 of the NPP expired in 2016, but thanks to the large-scale modernization work, the operation period of this power unit has been extended by 10 years. As a result, for the first time since 1995, the nuclear power plant works at 100 percent thermal capacity, instead of 92 percent.

It was reported that the project of double extension of the operation period of power unit is in progress. The work will be carried out in 2023-2026. As a result, the 2nd power unit of the Armenian NPP is expected to operate safely until 2036.

There was also a reference to the prospects of Armenias energy sector strategy, which plans to develop energy production with low carbon emissions by the year 2040, with renewable and nuclear energy production. In this context, international leading experience was presented.

The Prime Minister, in the context of the development of Armenia energy sector, emphasized the consistent work towards the safe and reliable operation of the nuclear power plant and the continuous improvement of management efficiency.

Also, the PM toured the nuclear power plant.
President Arayik Harutyunyan on Monday convened an extended meeting of the Security Council of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), with the participation of the political forces of the National Assembly and heads of regional administrations.

Before starting the meeting, the attendees observed a moment of silence to honor the memory of the policemen of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Artsakh who died as a result of the Azerbaijani sabotage on Sunday, after which President Harutyunyan made a statement, the Artsakh President's office informs Armenian News-NEWS.am.

According to the Head of the State, the Artsakh side met with the Azerbaijani side on February 24 with the mediation and presence of the command staff of the Russian peacekeeping contingent deployed in Artsakh in order to discuss the humanitarian and infrastructural issues arising from the situation.

An agreement was reached regarding the second meeting, which took place on March 1 under the leadership of Security Council Secretary Samvel Shahramanyan. Four issues were on the agenda of the meetings: unblocking of the Lachin Corridor, restoration of electricity supply from Armenia to Artsakh, uninterrupted supply of natural gas, and re-exploitation of the Kashen mine. During the second meeting, the representative of Azerbaijan attempted to discuss political topics using the word integration, but Mr. Shahramanyan prevented that, saying that if they should discuss political issues, it should be the topic of recognition of the independence of Artsakh by Azerbaijan. He added that they are not authorized to discuss political issues and cannot discuss such issues at this meeting," A. Harutyunyan noted. According to the Head of the State, after that, the Azerbaijani side conveyed through its channels that we either accept the integration policy, or there will be no solution to the existing problems, on the contrary, there will be tougher and sharper steps.

"We did not accept, we do not accept and today I want to state again that it is not only a decision of the Security Council, but the overwhelming majority of our people accept that we will not deviate from our right to independence and self-determination. And that means that in the near future we will have various developments, situations that we have to face. We choose to either continue the struggle that we have embarked on, or if there are such moods in the public that we should accept the proposal presented by Azerbaijan, then they have the opportunity to speak up within the scope of their civil rights and say that the path we have chosen is wrong, try to shape those moods, and form a new government in the country.

But since we have chosen the path of struggle, please first of all respect our decision and do not react to any such phenomena and do not attach any internal political implications," said the President. Touching upon the tragic case of the killing of police officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Artsakh as a result of an Azerbaijani sabotage on Sunday, the President of Artsakh noted that, unfortunately, such provocations are not excluded in the near future.

"We must realize the fact that we have to struggle for a long time and within the framework of that struggle there will be such situations, and we should take preventive measures. I have discussed our problems with the State Minister and today I want to instruct the Government by the decision of the Security Council to develop a program in the directions of food security and energy security, as we have to calculate all scenarios," said Arayik Harutyunyan.

At the meeting of the Security Council, Defense Minister Kamo Vardanyan delivered a report on the operational situation. Subsequently, there was an exchange of ideas, and a number of decisions were made as per the agenda.
Qatar Electricity & Water Company (QEWC) said it has signed a contract with GE Gas Power to provide upgrades and maintenance services for a period of nine years to three of its 9F gas turbines installed at the Ras Abu Fontas B2 (RAF B2) Cogeneration Plant, located 10km south of the capital, Doha.

The agreement was signed by Mohammed N. Al-Hajri, Managing Director and General Manager of QEWC and Joseph Anis, President & CEO of GE Gas Power Europe, Middle East, and Africa.

Qatar's main supplier of electricity and desalinated water, QEWC, said it is pleased to continue its long association with GE to improve plant performance, reduce operating costs, and support vital operations to strengthen Qatars water and energy security.

GEs partnership with QEWC began with the construction of the RAF B2 Cogeneration Plant, as one of the EPC contractors, and continued through the provision of long-term maintenance services, since the plant began commercial operations in 2008.

The three units covered under the service agreement have a total generation capacity of up to 609 megawatts and equip one of the most important power facilities in Qatar, supporting the countrys electricity network.

Since, its inception, QEWC has been playing a pivotal role in meeting the electricity and water needs of Qatar and currently holds, together with its joint venture partners, a total portfolio of over 11 GW of power capacity and 540 million imperial gallons per day (MIGD) of water capacity in Qatar, said Mohammed N. Al-Hajri, the Managing Director and General Manager of QEWC after signing the deal with Joseph Anis, the President & CEO of GE Gas Power Europe, Middle East, and Africa.

"Today, QEWC supplies up to 55% of Qatars electricity, and 73% of the countrys water needs. The smooth execution of their operations is critical to support people and the economy, and to enable national progress," stated Al Hajri.

Anis said: "We at GE, are honored to continue working closely with QEWC to further strengthen the countrys energy infrastructure and provide access to dependable, flexible gas power to meet the needs of residents and businesses."

GE, he stated, has supported the development of key energy infrastructure across Qatar for more than 50 years.

"We have the largest operating and most experienced F-class fleet in the world. There are more than 450 GE 9F gas turbines deployed in over 40 countries," stated Anis.

"The technology delivers consistent performance and accommodates a diverse range of fuels  including being up to 80 percent hydrogen capable - making it an excellent fit for various combined cycle and combined heat and power (CHP) applications," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
After the escalation of tension in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, Moscow expresses serious concern, said Maria Zakharova, official representative of the Russian foreign ministry, RIA Novosti reports.

"We express serious concern regarding the escalation of tension in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone. During the last few days, repeated violations of the ceasefire regime have been registered. On March 5, an armed incident took place, as a result of which there were human casualties on both the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides," said Zakharova.

The official representative of the Russian foreign ministry added that Moscow calls on the parties to take steps for restraint and de-escalation, as well as confirms the need to observe the provisions of the November 9, 2020 statement by the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia on a complete ceasefire and military operations in the conflict zone.

"The incident [on Sunday] once again confirms the imperative of Baku and Yerevan to return as soon as possible to the trilateral talkswithin the framework of the implementation of the provisions of the statements by the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia on November 9, January 11, 2020, November 26, 2021, as well as October 31, 2022, including those related to the unblocking of regional communications, the delimitation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, and the preparation of a peace treaty," concluded the official representative of the Russian foreign ministry.
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 6 (ANI/PRNewswire): India consumes almost a quarter of the groundwater available around the world. With the increase in population and crop demand, the requirement of water for irrigation has increased. Groundwater alone meets the majority of the water needs in agriculture. Hence, it will not be wrong to say that rural India survives on groundwater. The issue of groundwater crisis and its causes Continuous groundwater usage doesn't give it enough time to replenish itself through the natural phenomenon of rain. Most rainwater thus doesn't seep into the soil and is not stored for further usage by farmers. For this reason, groundwater levels have seen a considerable dip in the past decade. High demand for crops with the increase in population and change in eating habits of the people in India has led to a rise in the extraction of water by farmers. Drought-hit areas in the country are being affected by waterlogging Waterlogging and droughts have become recurring phenomena in India. These natural occurrences further damage the soil and worsen the farmers' situation. Many areas in the country are prone to droughts every year. It makes the ground baked and dry, thus minimizing the rainwater absorption rate by the soil. Whenever it rains in such regions, water has nowhere to escape, and it runs off slopes, causing waterlogging. Droughts and waterlogging impact the soil health The soil eroded due to waterlogging takes away many nutrients and organic matter. The sediments deposited may increase the soil's nitrogen, phosphorous, silicon, and potassium level. Hence, the soil loses its fertility in waterlogging, as in droughts. Droughts make the soil dry and increase its temperature. The lack of moisture, thus, harms nutrient processing and microbial activities, which play a pivotal role in grain production. Farmers: The way to a solution for groundwater crisis Farmers all over the country are the first to be affected by waterlogging, droughts, or depletion in groundwater levels. They work directly in contact with the same, and their livelihood is at stake regarding the quantity and quality of crop production. When seeking a solution to this nationwide problem of depleting groundwater levels, it is essential to keep the farmers in the loop of every plan. That is only when one can hope to eradicate the problem from its root by replenishing groundwater levels regularly and creating a better situation for agriculture. JalTara: Fighting against a severe water crisis in the nation The Art of Living, under the guidance of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, is working towards solving the problem of depleting groundwater levels by acting at the local level through its JalTara project. In the scheme of things of this far-sighted vision, farmers are being educated about the whole process. Every village needs to have numerous recharge structures at the lowest level of each field to store rainwater. It has been decided to employ two Jal Sevaks per three villages so that the recharge structure-digging and rock-filling process runs smoothly and on time just before the rains. The procedure lasts about six months and includes sevak training, farmer mobilization, digging, and rock filling. The recharge structures are filled with pebbles or rocks to facilitate the absorption of rainwater, with one recharge structure excavated per acre of land. The estimated groundwater impact per recharge structure is around 6.06 lakh litres. Till now, 50 villages have 20,000 JalTara recharge structures. The efforts in this direction have amounted to approximately 1212 crore litres of water being added, with a groundwater level rise of 14 feet. Simple enough to understand for anyone, the process of recharge structure digging being done nationwide is proving mighty effective and has shown positive results. Tree plantation is also part of the project, and 40,000 trees have been planted so far. Tree plantation has helped improve the soil's health by enabling the rain water bypass the top soil & preventing erosion. The monitoring of the water levels is done through the wells present in the villages. The nationwide reach of the project and its direct connectivity with farmers makes its simple yet effective philosophy work. The Art of Living, a non-profit, educational and humanitarian organization founded in 1981 by the world-renowned humanitarian and spiritual leader - Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, working towards solving India's impending water crisis and eradicating water poverty. For more updates: Follow us at: https://www.instagram.com/artofliving.sp/Tweet us at: https://twitter.com/artofliving_spPlease message us at: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/artofliving-sp Shamika Gandhi9986557389shamika.gandhi@projects.artofliving.org This story is provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PRNewswire)
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 6 (ANI/TP): Women entrepreneurs in India are boosting the start-up ecosystem. India saw the most number of women-led startups turning unicorns in 2021-22. In the past decade, India has experienced rapid growth in entrepreneurship, with women in business having made much progress. Thus, these entrepreneurs need to be celebrated, empowered and supported every day. "Women entrepreneurs today, are aggressively changing the entrepreneurial ecosystem by spearheading profitable businesses, expanding their footprints, and designing unique business models. We strongly believe that more representation of women is needed as investors and on boards of Companies to bring parity in the entire ecosystem. TiE Mumbai encourages all women to live their entrepreneurial aspirations and dreams. TiE Mumbai is keenly focused on facilitating entrepreneurs through its network, ensuring access to capital and investors, organizing educative workshops on business building, financial & legal and constantly helps in encouraging innovation and disruption." said Amit Mookim, President - TiE Mumbai. With Women's Day just round the corner, women entrepreneurs share their thoughts on entrepreneurship- "The recent years have seen a surge in the number of women entrepreneurs in India. According to a recent report by NASSCOM, 18 per cent of startups in India are led by at least one-woman founder or co-founder. The report also stated that between 2019 and 2022, 17 per cent of investment deals in India were raised by startups with women leaders. This data is a clear indication that the increasing presence of women as entrepreneurs will lead to significant business and economic growth in the country. India is poised to witness a major shift, with women dominating the workforce as well as shaping and enhancing the future of the country and motivating the next generation of women founders. Azent is India's leading study abroad platform, with a strong focus on technology, credibility with students, universities & alliance partners and effective student processes. We aim to grow multifold over the next 18 months. At Azent, a sizable percentage of our workforce is female. With our inclusive workplace policies and focus on diversity we are committed to enabling young women in realizing their potential." said Priyanka Nishar, Founder & Managing Director- Azent Overseas Education. "Today, on my 4th Social-Impact start-up, I have been hurt, twice, by Economic Downturns, this taught me the importance of building a company that can pivot, innovate and reimagine growth. Funding is always a challenge for Women Entrepreneurs, we are not seen as "ambitious enough" but collaborations and networks can catapult us. Tech is important to scale, data gives us oversight, but communication gives us insight to know and grow. Working with over 2000 women, I have learnt every woman has a fearless founder within her, she may entrepreneur or intrapreneur, but we need to fearlessly give ourselves the wings to fly." said Soniya Kirpalani - Founder - Sprocket Science Films Kinjal Vora, Head of Marketing, DronaHQ added, "DronaHQ is a Low code developer toolset helping IT deliver projects efficiently and democratizes digital initiatives in an organization. Over the recent years, tech and software have been more welcoming to women, providing diverse opportunities and career choices. Although our company is still growing in terms of its employee strength, DronaHQ, has women leading important domains like customer success, HR, marketing, apart from all the fabulous team leaders and individual contributors in other departments. We as a company believe in providing equal opportunity to all employees to excel and grow." "As a woman leader and mompreneur, I faced the challenge of balancing my business and motherhood. To achieve success, I remained focused on my goals and built a strong support network with mentors and positive people. Participation in learning communities and organizations like TIE can provide valuable lessons and a supportive community. Remember that success involves creating a business aligned with your values, so stay true to your vision and celebrate achievements. Happy International Women's Day!" said Shubhi, Co-Founder, Locobuzz. Devangi Parekh, Managing Director- AzaFashions.com said, "The rise of women as founders, investors, and leaders across domains would catalyse a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem in India. Women building high growth businesses could in turn make sizeable investments to support other female founders, thus helping overcome one of the key hurdles for female entrepreneurs - access to capital. A McKinsey study estimates that addressing gender inequality and levelling the playing field could add USD 770 billion to the Indian economy by 2025. Given that Indian women are more likely than men to see entrepreneurship as a positive career path according to a study by Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, there is in fact tremendous scope for female-led start-ups. As a company founded and led by women (my mother and I), Aza has always fostered a culture of inspiring and supporting women to be decision-makers and leaders of tomorrow, both within our organization as well as externally, through the designers we nurture and craftspeople we support. As trusted pioneers of luxury retail, we pride ourselves in being a one-stop destination for home-grown designer creations that caters to women across the globe." Namrata Wanvari - Co-Founder, Chocohollics added, "As per recent figures, women comprise 14 per cent of the total entrepreneurs in India, which works out to 8 million. Also, 10 per cent of all formal enterprises are owned by women. Although small, the figures represent a steady rise. With more women building billion-dollar businesses on their own, taking risks and raising investments despite daunting social limitations, India can become a hub for women entrepreneurs. Chocohollics is a brand that enables businesses to ensure a full-suite of services for corporate cakes, confectionaries and chocolates. We are a one stop solution for all gifting needs. We are passionate about mentoring and motivating young talent instilling in them a spirit of entrepreneurship." Sonam Motwani, Founder & CEO of Karkhana.io said, "Karkhana.io is a tech-enabled marketplace for custom manufacturing, transforming one of the largest industries in the world. Our platform enables OEMs to source custom-built parts and assemblies efficiently and empowers sellers of manufacturing services to grow their business. Traditionally, there have been very few women in manufacturing, be it on the shop floor or in leadership positions. It has the perception of being a man's world. So, I don't find it surprising anymore when someone asks me - why I chose to build a startup in manufacturing. The question inspires me to work everyday to build a workplace at Karkhana.io that reflects a culture of no-bias, that is welcoming for all genders equally. This hasn't been an easy task. Even as a woman leader, I do not have many women in my team yet. We have a long way to go, and we'll consider it a success if through our efforts we are able to transform the perception of manufacturing to a modern, aspirational and equal one." "Women entrepreneurs bring a unique perspective in intuitive problem-solving. They think globally about the environment at large and act locally to enhance their solution's impact. With the passion and grit of Women today combined with timely guidance and expertise such as that available in the TIE Mumbai network, we can create scalable and profitable businesses. Maini Renewables offers a scalable small hydro solution that harnesses the power found in the natural flow of water without the need for a dam. Our system incorporates proprietary rotors with improved efficiencies dramatically reducing costs while improving reliability." said Swati Maini, Founder, Maini Renewables. "Hailing from a small town in Rajasthan, and having experienced the need for nutritious snacks, I had a single goal to Un-Junk India's foods. Open Secret was born out of this thought and we hustle really hard to make the mission of UnJunking F&B for every Indian family, a reality! We have grown to be India ki UnJunk Dukaan retailing over 100 brands and 300+ healthy products through online and offline channels. My message to all the women founders is to have a purpose bigger than yourself and build towards it. Be resilient, keep hustling, and keep rising until your dream becomes a reality!" added Ahana Gautam - Co-founder, Open Secret The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE), was founded in 1992 in Silicon Valley by a group of successful entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and senior professionals with roots in the Indus region. Since 1992. TiE has been supporting entrepreneurs by offering education, mentorship, networking and funding opportunities. The mission of TiE is to foster entrepreneurship globally through the 5 pillars of TiE : mentoring, networking and education, funding and incubation. Dedicated to the virtuous cycle of wealth creation and giving back to the community. TiE's focus area is to generate enable the next generation of entrepreneurs. There are currently 11,000 members, including over 2,500 charter members in 60 chapters across 17 countries. TiE's mission is to foster entrepreneurship globally through mentoring, networking, and education. Dedicated to the virtuous cycle of wealth creation and giving back to the community, TiE's focus is on generating and nurturing our next generation of entrepreneurs. For more information visit https://mumbai.tie.org/ Media Contact Jacqueline Patel 9967040369 jacquelinepatel@yahoo.com This story has been provided by Techpro Ventures. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/TP)
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 6 (ANI/PRNewswire): In a bid to further increase its sustainability efforts, STL , a leading optical and digital solutions company, today announced the adoption of Science-based Targets initiative (SBTi), for more transparent and granular carbon monitoring, control, and disclosure. STL is now among the 0.01% of the Indian companies that have committed to SBTi. This underscores the company's bold ambition to become Net-Zero by 2030 and drive towards UN Sustainable Development Goals. Since STL announced its Net-Zero ambition, the company has accomplished some significant milestones. 8 out of STL's 11 global plants are now Zero Waste and 6 are Zero Liquid Discharge plants. STL has increased indigenous sustainable procurement in cable manufacturing from 55% in FY21 to 61% in FY22 and recycled over 1,45,000 m3 of water at its facilities. Now with SBTi, STL will join a stellar group of ~4,500 companies globally to decarbonise at scale in a target-based manner. These targets will be published on the SBTi website following validation, triggering an iterative annual disclosure procedure. This will ensure an entirely new dimension of transparency to STL's sustainability initiatives. Internet and digital networks are responsible for ~2% of the global carbon output[1], thereby significantly contributing to global climate change. SBTi is a global body enabling businesses to assess the complexity of ICT and quantify its impact on the environment. It helps them to visualize how quickly they need to shrink their carbon footprint to avert the climate change fallouts and set realistic emissions reduction targets. As a sustainability-first organization, STL is in absolute sync with the ethos of SBTi. Commenting on this achievement, Ankit Agarwal, Managing Director, STL, said: "Our purpose of 'Transforming Billions of Lives by Connecting the World' serves as a north star for our ESG efforts. Adopting SBTi will definitely reinforce STL's sustainability commitment as we always believe in setting targets and measuring them scientifically. At the same time, we also hope to encourage and motivate our peers to take equally bold transformation measures that can have a net positive impact on the present climate realities." STL is a leading global optical and digital solutions company providing advanced offerings to build 5G, Rural, FTTx, Enterprise and Data Centre networks. Read more, Contact us, stl.tech | Twitter | LinkedIn | YouTube [1] According to a study by the Boston Consulting Group This story is provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PRNewswire)
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 6 (ANI/NewsVoir): The recently concluded GO BEYOND Retreat 2023, the flagship event of CEO Clubs India, was a grand success. The three-day event brought together industry stalwarts and thought leaders from various sectors, including technology, finance, healthcare, education, and more. The summit was held in Bengaluru from March 3 to 5, 2023. The event saw some of the most influential personalities, business and thought leaders take the stage to discuss the theme, "Stretch - Seek The Next Level." The opening day saw mega star, actor Yash (KGF fame) give a power talk on "Life is a Stretch", inspiring attendees to explore new opportunities and not be afraid of failure. Yash encouraged attendees to embrace a mindset of exploration and fearlessness. He emphasized that failure is a necessary part of growth, and urged everyone not to be afraid of it. Yash went on to say that "one's failures should be so spectacular that they become a topic of discussion, and stressed that success is ultimately determined by the people behind it, not the size of the industry or company." Some of the distinguished speakers over the three days - Ridham Desai, MD, Morgan Stanley India, and Gauranga Das Prabhu, ISKCON GBC & Director Govardhan Eco Village (GEV), also shared their insights. Day 2 saw Pawan Chandana, Co-founder, Skyroot Aerospace, sharing an interesting take on "Dreamer's Audacity - The Dreamer," followed by Abhishek Kapoor, MD, Puravankara Limited, and Shiv Sehgal, President Nuvama Capital Markets, discussing "Stretch Your Rupee." Baburao of Cafe Niloufer in Hyderabad delivered an inspiring and insightful narrative on Day 3, and the grand finale featured Dr. Arokiaswamy Velumani of Thyrocare, who shared his incredible rags-to-riches life story of building a billion-dollar company from scratch. Dr. Velumani's unforgettable punchlines left the 150+ CEOs mesmerized. Jairaj Kumar Penukonda, National President, CEO Clubs India, said, "This year's theme, Stretch - Seek The Next Level, was woven around experiences that encourage the entrepreneurial spirit by pushing boundaries and taking your business to the next level." The GO BEYOND Retreat 2023 featured a series of interactive sessions, workshops, panel discussions on business, leadership, and innovation. Attendees had an excellent opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals, exchange ideas, and learn from some of the most accomplished leaders in the industry. The Chief Executive Officers Club, India (CEO Clubs India) is a not for profit Section 8 organization which creates a nurturing environment for CEOs dedicated to improving the quality and profitability of their enterprises through shared experience and personal growth. The CEO Clubs India was launched in March 2008 by Hari K. Vallurupalli in Hyderabad under the aegis of its parent organization CEO Clubs International, Inc. As of date it has chapters in Hyderabad, Bangalore, Delhi, Pune, and Ahmedabad with a total of 200+ business leaders as members Chief Executive Officers' (CEO) Clubs is a focused, by-invitation, premium community established to create a nurturing safe-space environment for CEOs dedicated to improving the quality and profitability of their lives, their enterprises, and their communities through shared experience and personal growth. The mission of CEO Clubs is to build cohesive and nurturing communities of well-accomplished CEOs, enable and support initiatives that lead to personal, family, and societal wellbeing. Be an enabling catalyst to India's growth and aspirations. Help explore new opportunities & networks and facilitate value creation and growth. For more information, visit www.ceoclubsindia.org Facebook, LinkedIN & Twitter: @ceoclubsindia. This story has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
New Delhi [India], March 6 (ANI/PNN): Get ready for a healthcare and pharmaceutical extravaganza, as the eighth edition of Vedshiv Business Media's Indian Fharma Fair (IFF) 2023 takes centre stage at Golden Blossom Imperial Resorts, Lucknow, from March 17th to 18th. This event promises to showcase the latest trends and innovations in the Indian healthcare industry, ranging from generic drug manufacturers to Ayurvedic and herbal medicine, cosmetics, technological development, and more. As one of the country's major pharma exhibits, the Indian Fharma Fair will bring together hundreds of industry professionals from around the world to discuss their experiences with goods, customers, businesses, and sales. With attendees from the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries, this is one of the largest B2B trade exhibitions in the business. "This exhibition will focus on expanding the pharmaceutical industry in India, mostly through Third Party Manufacturing, PCD/ Franchise. This event is being organized on such a large scale for the second time in the state and for the first time in Lucknow, where pharmaceutical business people from all over India are expected to join fair. This will not only help the visitors to explore new developments/products/suppliers but will also help in boosting the economy of the state. "B S Bhandari ", IFF's General Manager, stated. Speaking about this mega expo, Shivam Sharma, Business Head, (IFF), said: "The Pharmaceutical Industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in India. To fully exploit this potential, the country needs to diversify its sources of pharmaceutical manufacturing and create a strong value proposition by focusing on perimeters like cost-effectiveness, alternative medicine, clinical outcomes, and patient-centric. Indian Fharma Fair will bring Indian healthcare providers under one roof. It will showcase India's medical capabilities and create opportunities for healthcare providers in India to boost their services. The last six exhibitions have been a great success, and I look forward to the 2023 event being a great facilitator and enabler of Indian pharmaceutical manufacturing." The Indian Fharma Fair 2023 will present the most up-to-date trends and technology in the pharmaceutical, drug, and formulation industries. It will address industry problems, such as rising packaging and freight costs, and strive to find answers to those issues. Over 7000-8000 corporate visitors are expected to attend this two-day event, offering thousands of buyer-seller interactions and partnership opportunities for healthcare providers and their services. So, don't miss out on this amazing opportunity to experience the best of the Indian healthcare industry! This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN)
Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday asked manufacturers, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) providers and consumers to work collectively to revive Indian domestic manufacturing at scale, with high quality and at competitive prices, so that India once again provides a large number of jobs, work opportunities, business opportunities, and meets the aspirations of 1.4 billion people. Addressing the inaugural session of Massmerize 2023 in New Delhi, the Union minister said the government over the next two or three years hoped to significantly ramp up focus on quality by bringing in reasonably strict and compulsory but practical quality standards on many more products so that Indian manufacturing is able to withstand irrational competition, increase the scale of production and become more competitive. The minister said, "As long as we do not recognise the importance of quality in our country, we will not be able to stop this influx of low-quality products. 'Towards that end, we in the government are working to introduce quality standards in a much bigger way." He said: "We have now almost four times the number of quality control orders implemented in the last few years than what we had 10 years ago." The minister opined that the FMCG sector would truly be a driver of economic growth and moving forward, India would be an important consumer market, according to a statement from the ministry of commerce. He called for the creation and strengthening of a virtuous circle with massive amounts of investment and focus both on the public sector and the private sector to create the necessary building blocks or infrastructure to help the Indian economy grow rapidly. He called for renewed investments in infrastructure, in manufacturing, in innovation, in research and development and in quality. Goyal observed that developed economies had become developed by ensuring significant internationalisation of their economies, by engaging with the world in a bigger way, by focusing on scale, so that they can be more competitive, by building their domestic logistics ecosystem, where infrastructure investments play an important role, by focusing their energies on providing what the consumer really wished for, good high-quality products at competitive prices and in the current context, sustainable goods. Goyal said sustainability would drive demand in the days ahead. He noted that the government had been focusing relentlessly on sustainabilty accross sectors The Minister noted that the consumer industry in India, FMCGs and other such products have been victims of indiscriminate low-quality imports, because of which India has suffered and Indians have suffered. He said that though India had liberalised its economy and a number of foreign companies and foreign suppliers did come into the country with some of them manufacturing in India, most of them had imported goods into India. Goyal said that it should have been a period where quality Indian manufacturing at scale had to be strengthened. 'I think we lost out by allowing a lot of indiscriminate, low quality, low-cost goods coming into the country, he rued. The Minister referred to Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) and said that it would help our small retail survive the onslaught of large tech based e-commerce companies. "Our effort will be to encourage more and more startups and small companies even at the local level, small retail the mom and pop stores integrated into the e- commerce ecosystem. And just like UPI was able to democratize payment systems we do hope that ONDC will democratise the e-commerce ecosystem and take its benefits to the people at large," he added. (ANI)
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have received their invitation to King Charles III's coronation -- but whether they'll head to the United Kingdom for the May 6 crowning ceremony is still unclear. According to People, a US-based media company, a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said in a statement this weekend, "I can confirm The Duke has recently received email correspondence from His Majesty's office regarding the coronation. An immediate decision on whether The Duke and Duchess will attend will not be disclosed by us at this time." Buckingham Palace has not made any official comment about it so far. Relations between the Sussexes, who relocated to Meghan's home state of California in 2020, and the royal family have remained strained after Prince Harry's memoir released this January. In an interview with ITV's Tom Bradby surrounding the book, Harry said of the coronation, "There's 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." King Charles, 74, was said to be eager for the situation "calm down" in time for his coronation. As reported by People, a source close to the royal household revealed: "It is such a momentous occasion for Charles, and he would want his son to be at the coronation to witness it. He would like to have Harry back in the family. If they don't sort it out, it will always be part of the King's reign and how he has left his family disjointed. He has had a reputation as a distant parent, and it would be awful for him for that to continue." The news of Meghan and Harry receiving an invitation to the coronation comes just days after a spokesperson for the couple's Archewell Foundation confirmed that they have been asked to leave their UK home. "We can confirm The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been requested to vacate their residence at Frogmore Cottage," the spokesperson said. Royal historian Robert Lacey pointed out that despite tensions, the family has been able to unite before. "There have been some very grave disagreements between them," Lacey recently said. "But the Platinum Jubilee and the funerals of the Queen and Prince Philip did demonstrate that they could put personal enmity aside for the sake of the bigger cause. And that is what the coronation will be all about." (ANI)
Taking a stroll down memory lane, Kiara dropped a string of stories on Instagram remembering her performance in 'Guilty'.

In one of the stories, she wrote, "3 years of Guilty! A film I am so grateful for and an experience that I will always cherish ... shout out to the amazing team who made this journey so memorable."

She also thanked the team for creating her "coolest" look.

"The coolest look I have ever had for a film conceptualised and executed...," Kiara added.

Produced by Karan Johar under Dharmatic, the digital arm of his banner Dharma Productions, the thriller also starred Taher Shabbir and Akansha Ranjan Kapoor in the lead roles. Ruchi Narain helmed it.

Set against the backdrop of a college in Delhi, Guilty revolves around a rape case wherein a student Tanu accuses the college heart throb VJ of raping her. Nanki played by Kiara Advani is VJ's girlfriend who believes in his innocence but is still determined to find out what exactly happened that fateful night.

In the upcoming months, Kiara will be seen sharing screen space with Ram Charan in 'RC 15'. She also has 'Satyaprem ki Katha' with Kartik Aaryan in her kitty. Helmed by Sameer Vidhwans, and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, 'Satyaprem ki Katha' is all set to hit the theatres on June 29, 2023. (ANI)
Global passenger traffic is forecast to reach 92% (or 8.4 billion passengers) of 2019 levels in 2023, said the Airports Council International (ACI) World in its latest quarterly airport traffic outlook.



The report shows an upsurge in air travel demand across many markets amidst heightened macroeconomic risks. The quarterly update is released in tandem with the annual ACI World Airport Traffic Forecasts, revealing expected air traffic to 2041.



Highlights from the 12th Advisory Bulletin on the impact of Covid-19 on the airport business:

 With the removal of travel restrictions and quarantine requirements for vaccinated travellers in 2022, there has been an upsurge in demand across many markets.

 Global passenger traffic finished the year at 72% of 2019 levels, or a total of 6.5 billion passengers.

 Market segments vary markedly  international passenger numbers were at 60% of 2019 levels whereas domestic were at 79% in 2022.

 The recovery in passenger volumes in 2022 remained uneven across the globe with Latin American-Caribbean markets reaching 91% of 2019 levels whereas the Asia-Pacific region lagged at 52%.

 The baseline projections for global passenger traffic indicate that the industry will recover to 2019 levels by 2024, driven mainly by domestic travel.



ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira said: The surge in air travel following the lifting of restrictions in 2022 continues into 2023. We know from our Global Traveller Survey covering 4,125 respondents across 30 countries, that 86% of respondents plan to travel by air in 2023this is the highest intention to travel score since the beginning of the pandemic.



However, we are cognizant that the speed of the recovery depends on several factors. On the one hand, the possible slowing in GDP growth in major economies coupled with the rise in airfares due to higher jet fuel prices weigh negatively on demand. On the other hand, a strong labour market and the re-opening of China, the second largest aviation market after the United States, represents an important boost to global passenger traffic.



The ACI World Airport Traffic Forecasts 20222041 reveals:



 Passenger traffic worldwide is expected to reach 19.3 billion in 2041.

 In 2041, airports are predicted to handle almost 200 million tonnes of air cargo worldwide. The US and China will remain the two largest markets, together accounting for 40% of global cargo.

 Airports worldwide will see 153.8 million aircraft movements by 2041. The United States, China, and India are predicted to be the leading markets for aircraft movements in 2041, respectively, hosting 23%, 16%, and 4% of global aircraft movements.  TradeArabia News Service






Taking to Instagram, Hrithik dropped a fun in-flight video with the 'Fighter' team.

In the clip, the whole crew is seen chanting the film's title to celebrate the successful completion of the schedule.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CpcORCjP5jP/?hl=en

The video ended with Hrithik and director Siddharth Anand striking a salute pose.

"#fighter @marflix_pictures," Hrithik captioned the post.

The film's woman protagonist, Deepika Padukone, was, however, missing in the clip.

'Fighter' will be India's first aerial action film. It will also be the first time that Hrithik will share screen space with Deepika.

The film is tipped to cater to a global audience with a story deeply that is rooted in India. Anil Kapoor would also feature in a pivotal role in the action flick.

Presented by Viacom18 studios in association with Siddharth Anand's Marflix Pictures, 'Fighter' is set to release on January 25, 2024. (ANI)
Sandalwood actress Saptami Gowda, who created waves with her earnest performance in the surprise pan-India hit 'Kantara', has been selected by the makers for their upcoming Kannada movie 'Yuva'. Helmed by Santosh Anandram, the movie marks the screen debut of the late Kannada thespian Raj Kumar's grandson. Taking to its social media, Hombale Films shared the welcome onboard poster of its upcoming film. It further jotted down the caption in Kannada - "A warm welcome to the 'Yuva' raja's queen. Get ready to witness the magic of the graceful @gowda_sapthami once again! With her raw talent and dedication to the craft, we knew she was the perfect fit for #Yuva." 'Yuva' is scheduled to be out on December 22 this year and will primarily be released in the Kannada language. Plans to release the movie in other languages are also under consideration. The production house has a reputation for nurturing and promoting new talent and delivering engaging stories that resonate with audiences. They have had a successful run in 2022 with 'KGF 2' and 'Kantara' among the biggest blockbusters the country has ever seen after the post-Covid scenario. Hombale Films will also be coming out with its new action thriller Salaar' with rebel star Prabhas in September this year. Hombale intends to make it a blockbuster year again with a plan of releasing four more movies this year. --IANS pvn/arm ( 245 Words) 2023-03-06-20:00:05 (IANS)
Actor Mohit Anand, who was last seen in 'Panipat' as Sanjay Dutt's son, next will be seen in Aditya Roy Kapoor and Mrunal Thakur starrer criminal thriller 'Gumraah', helmed by director Vardhan Ketkar, shared his working experience with the Bollywood actor in the film. Sharing his working experience with Aditya and others, Mohit said: "I missed the opportunity to work with Mrunal and Ronit sir on this project. I hope I get to work with them soon! All my scenes in the film are with Aditya and I can go on about how cool that guy is. Being the star he is, Aditya never made my input look minuscule, in fact, he added to it and made them look better. "I remember one of my scenes in the film was just a line but Aditya being the 'yaaron ka yaar' I mentioned earlier, discussed this (graph of the scene) with the director and made this into a proper dialogue! It is amazing to work with a humble star like him. Vedika Pinto was great as well, we had some common friends and bonded easily. Didn't have much with her but the song we shot together was super fun," he said. Talking about how he grabbed the opportunity, Mohit said: "For the longest time I have been auditioning in Aram Nagar, and trying to make contacts in several casting circles. This story is quite fun as I also happen to work with Ashutosh Gowariker and assisted him for five years now, we were in a meeting when I got a call asking for a few pictures of my current look from an assistant called Pooja Vyas at Mukesh Chhabra Casting. I thought it was just one of those messages so I didn't even share a portfolio picture, it was a lift selfie I shared." He said: "In some time, my agent Inder Sagoo had asked me that the director wants to test you on a few scenes and so I asked Ashutosh (who is the most supportive mentor one can have) asked me to leave everything and go audition. I tested for the part and the next day I got to know that I was on. The funny part is my audition was not good. I was informed by an AD but it was my passion the director saw with the variations I gave that landed me the part." Despite coming from a film background but with no connections it wasn't a cakewalk for Mohit to make it here. Mohit said: "Firstly, there are challenges for everyone, outsider or insider, just the challenge is different. Having said that, I belong to a film family, my grandfather Nirmal Anand was a producer who had made films with legends like Jitendra, one of my favourites is 'Madadgaar'. Then my father Bunty Anand was launched as an actor as well in a film called 'Bhai No.1' but soon he decided to part ways from acting and when I decided to enter the same field I was 6." "I have no connections at all but I must say the journey has been amazing! Lots to learn and to move forward! One thing I would say is difficult is to get auditioned for parts, what i mean is even getting a test itself is tough until one is not known as a face that is well established, I hope things change for me after 'Gumraah'," he added. --IANS ila/prw/pgh ( 587 Words) 2023-03-06-21:30:05 (IANS)
The government is soon going to create a strong health support and emergency management infrastructure for the pilgrims embarking on Cham Dham yatra from across the country. This will be a three-layered structure to ensure that the pilgrims are provided for during their journey from a medical point of view. This was said by Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, on Monday, after meeting Dhan Singh Rawat, Health Minister of Uttarakhand. Rawat had called on the Union Minister and requested support from the Central government for developing a health and emergency infrastructure for the lakhs of pilgrims who undertake the Char Dham yatra every year. He informed the Union Health Minister of the health challenges faced by pilgrims along the strenuous route, and the number of pilgrim deaths in the past few months due to health emergencies such as stroke etc. Many of these casualties were pilgrims who suffered from co-morbidities, he added. Mandaviya assured "full support of the Centre", saying "the best possible healthcare and health emergency infrastructure will be provided for the visiting pilgrims". He said that a strong network of advanced ambulances and stroke vans is planned to ensure that stroke management and treatment can start on the way to the health facility. These ambulances will be stationed at different points on the yatra route, he added. PG students from medical colleges from across the country are proposed to be deployed as part of the strengthened healthcare infrastructure who will act as first responders. "This experience will also act as a skilling and capacity building exercise for the PG students," Mandaviya said. In addition to this, drones will also be used to provide emergency medicine in the higher locales of the yatra. --IANS kvm/pgh ( 306 Words) 2023-03-06-22:08:02 (IANS)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Harnath Singh Yadav on Sunday made a scathing attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and compared him to Khalistanis. The BJP MP said this while reacting to the remark of the Congress leader that "BJP wants India to be silent." Speaking to ANI, Yadav said, "Rahul Gandhi is the enemy of the country, he is against the country. As much as the country is in danger from China, Pakistan, BBC, and Khalistanis, equally the country is in danger from Rahul Gandhi. The country should become alert." The BJP MP further accused Rahul Gandhi of supporting China at a time when the Chinese army and the Indian army stand face to face. "He further said that it must be understood for whom Rahul Gandhi works. For them, China is the country that creates harmony in the world. When the Chinese army and the Indian army stand face to face, at that time Rahul Gandhi shows friendly behaviour with China. He took crores of rupees from China in the name of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation. When the Indian Army conducts an air strike, they speak the language of Pakistan, the language of the BBC and the language of those who are enemies of the country," he said. Yadav said that when Rahul Gandhi speaks, all the enemies sitting inside or outside the country have smiles on their faces. "Even if Rahul Gandhi is an Indian, Rahul Gandhi's body is here but his soul is in China and Pakistan. Acharya Chanakya had said that foreign blood can never be a patriot. There is foreign-mixed blood in Rahul Gandhi. His blood is not of pure India. He is playing with the honour and self-respect of the country," said the BJP MP. Notably, Rahul Gandhi had said that anybody who raises questions against the BJP government is attacked and the same happened with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). He further said that the BJP wants India to be silent. "Opposition in India is no longer fighting a political party, rather we are fighting with the institutional structures of India," the Congress MP added. (ANI)
After facing flak over alleged violence against migrant workers from the state in Tamil Nadu, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday blamed the Centre for not taking initiative on the issue. Tejashwi Yadav earlier had cited the statement of Tamil Nadu DGP to tell the Assembly that no violence had taken place with Bihari labourers in the southern state. However, several video clips appeared on social media purportedly showing Tamil youths assaulting Bihari labourers, forcing them, as a result, to leave Tamil Nadu. "If any such incidents of violence happened with Bihari labourers in Tamil Nadu, why is the Modi government silent on it? There is a dispute arising between the two states, the Centre should resolve it. "A team from Bihar was sent to Tamil Nadu to investigate the ground situation. That team will bring the truth. People of the country can go anywhere. We have to be alert from those trying to create division in the society," Tejashwi Yadav said. He also quoted the statement of BJP state President Sanjay Jaiswal, who was reportedly talked to his Tamil Nadu counterpart K. Annamalai, who also claimed that no violence with Bihari labourers had taken place. Meanwhile, Lok Janshakti Party Ram Vilas (LJPR) President Chirag Paswan targeted Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over the Tamil Nadu incidents. He said that he will go to Chennai on Monday morning and meet the Bihari labourers. "After the meeting with Bihari labourers in Chennai, I will hold a press conference on this issue. I will also hand over a memorandum to Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi and return to Patna in the evening," Paswan said. --IANS ajk/vd ( 291 Words) 2023-03-05-20:18:08 (IANS)
The Congress' Karnataka unit has given a call for state-wide bandh on March 9 to oppose "loot" and "corruption" in the state, a party release said on Sunday. State President D.K. Shivakumar termed as "disgusting" the corruption practiced by BJP in the state. "The 40 per cent commission has destroyed the life of all sections of the society... Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai government is by the corrupt, for the corruption and to the corruption," he claimed. The achievements of the BJP government are taking 40 per cent commission in every tender, 40 per cent commission in all school funds, 30 per cent commission in funds released to religious mutts, and bribe for every posting and transfer, Shivakumar alleged. There were scandals in recruitment of sub-inspectors of police, associate professors, assistant engineers, junior engineers and a recent addition is the rampant corruption that came to light in the Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Ltd (KSDL), he said. Shivakumar said that to avoid inconvenience to the public, the protest will be staged symbolically between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. and education institutions, hospitals, transport and other services are kept out of bandh. "Our demand is that CM Bommai should be sacked or he should resign from his post," he demanded. --IANS mka/vd ( 222 Words) 2023-03-05-20:24:05 (IANS)
Sindhu Sooryakumar, Executive Editor of Asianet News on Sunday said in a statement that the channel "will do free and fair journalism without fear" adding that it will cooperate with the investigation process. "Asianet news will cooperate with any investigation as per law. The investigation is against a story as part of the campaign against the drugs mafia which is gaining strength. There are allegations in the FIR that attempts to defame the image of government were made," Sooryakumar said. "The fight against the drug mafia is in the interest of society. The government using its powers is an encroachment on media freedom. The speed of action on the complaint of a ruling MLA has to be specifically mentioned. Asianet news is making its stand clear that even before starting the investigation, entering into the office and acting goondaism is not suitable for a democratic culture. Asianet news will do free and fair journalism without fear," Sooryakumar added. The crime branch police team raided the Asianet News office, one of the leading news channels in Malayalam, based on a complaint by MLA PV Anvar. The channel telecasted a report titled 'Narcotics is a dirty business ' on November 10. The MLA alleged this report is fabricated and submitted a written complaint to DGP. Based on this, the police registered a case naming four people from Asianet as accused. Two days back SFI activists had barged into the Asianet office in Kochi. Today's raid by crime branch Assistant Commissioner V. Suresh and seven cops is a continuation of the incidents. A case was registered under sections of POCSO and the Indian Penal Code. (ANI)
JD-S leader and former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy on Sunday questioned Karnataka's ruling BJP government to clarify whether the announcement regarding Foxconn by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai was a publicity stunt, or was an MoU actually signed. Taking to social media, Kumaraswamy charged the BJP government with the policy of "maximum publicity and zero result policy", saying that the government is busy with publicity ads and it does not have any care towards welfare of people, development and generation of employment. "Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and two other ministers took free publicity on Friday by stating that iPhone manufacturer Foxconn company from Taiwan has come to the state for investment. They held the signed letters in their hands stating the MOU had been signed and posed before the media," he said. The Taiwanese company, on the other hand, clarified that there were no binding or definitive agreements to invest in Karnataka. "If this is the case, what really happened in the presence of CM Bommai on Friday? Was it a publicity gimmick or agreement? They need to clarify before the people," the JD-S leader demanded. "There is importance attached to the foreign investments in the post-Covid phase. The government should tread cautiously. The state lost the Ola company because of its own mistakes. Rs 7,614 crore investment went to Tamil Nadu. "The life of people is more important than elections and publicity. For the BJP government in Karnataka above all comes power and rest is not so important. There is no end to the woes of Kannadigas," Kumaraswamy alleged. Earlier, Chief Minister Bommai had claimed that the MOU with Foxconn is a big boost to India's Atmanirbhar Bharat ambitions and a testimony to Karnataka's success in drawing investments to the state in the electronics manufacturing and assembly segment. "Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn) has announced a major investment in Karnataka. The 300 acres of land has been identified for this purpose near the Bengaluru International Airport, in Doddaballapura and Devanahalli taluks," he had said. A Foxconn team, led by CEO and Chairman Young Liu and comprising 16 senior leaders, were in Bengaluru on Friday where they were welcomed at the airport by IT and BT Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan. They met Large and Medium Industries Minister Dr. Murugesh R. Nirani, and Chief Secretary Vandita Sharma, before a dinner hosted by Bommai, where he and Liu were reported to have discussed Foxconn's investment plans and Bommai assured full support for the project, as per a state government spokesman. --IANS mka/vd ( 434 Words) 2023-03-05-20:48:02 (IANS)
The leaders, which also included MP and former Union Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan, former Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi, Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Ramveer Singh Bidhuri and Delhi BJP Working President Virender Sachdeva, paid floral tributes to Kohli.

In his address, Nadda said that he considered himself fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with Prof Kohli in the field of politics and education. "Prof Kohli ji was not just a politician but he was an organiser and thinker...", he said, adding that he had worked to establish nationalist ideology in Delhi University, especially among the teachers.

Hosabale recalled his association with Kohli and especially stressed on how he treated everyone equally.

Prof Kohli's children Vishu Kohli and Ritu Kohli thanked those who attended the programme.

--IANS dr/vd

( 189 Words)

2023-03-05-22:10:02 (IANS)
Dubai-based Aleph Hospitality, a top hotel management company, has signed an exclusive agreement with France-based Fauchon Hospitality to grow and operate the brands luxury hotel portfolio in the Middle East and Africa.



The agreement signed recently in Paris names Aleph Hospitality as the exclusive developer and operator of the glamourous Fauchon LHotel portfolio in the Middle East and Africa.



The world-renowned Fauchon brand is a luxury contemporary gastronomy leader with a unique French DNA, comprising a collection of over 100 retail boutiques, gourmet cafes and restaurants in 50 countries. Fauchon Hospitality currently has five glamourous boutique hotels in the pipeline with the aim to become a global hospitality company with a luxury collection of 20 hotels by 2030.



Bani Haddad, Founder and Managing Director of Aleph Hospitality, said: We are well aware that an opportunity of this grandeur doesnt happen very often. We are excited and humbled to be partnering with Fauchon Hospitality. We look forward to delivering the brands legendary glamorous Parisian art the vivre experience to hotel guests in the Middle East and Africa. We believe the region has tremendous potential for the aspirational and sophisticated brand experience offered by Fauchon LHotel.



With a focus on cosmopolitan cities and luxury leisure destinations, the Fauchon LHotel portfolio will comprise boutique hotels, retreats, beach clubs and residences in exceptional locations with superior culinary concepts and indulgent private services beyond the usual five-star hospitality experience.



The unique brand promise and concept is centred around the acronym GLAM: Gourmet, featuring Fauchons bespoke reinvented in-room mini bar, the Gourmet Bar; Location for a lively and luxurious lifestyle; Arty & Artisans for creative hotel services and experiences with a Fauchon touch, and Mesdames, the brands unique female touch personified by the Fauchon Beauty Spa, French beauty brands as amenities, in-room lighting and vibrant signature walk-in wardrobes. Each hotel or resort will also feature signature Fauchon F&B concepts such as the Grand Cafe Fauchon and retail.



Jacques-Olivier Chauvin, CEO of Fauchon Hospitality, noted: We are delighted to have partnered with Aleph for development in the Middle East and Africa, which brings world-class hotel management professionalism and credibility to our owners and investors. This region is important to Fauchon Hospitality because a large part of our customer base is located in this area and familiar with our existing Fauchon retail outlets.



With Aleph, we can be confident our signature Fauchon style and service will be flawlessly delivered to customers across the region as we grow our hospitality business. I am excited about the potential of this partnership which unites a powerful, globally recognised brand together with an operating company noted for its excellence and dynamic management style.



Aleph Hospitality, which has targeted 50 hotels in the Middle East and Africa by 2026, manages hotels directly for owners, either with a franchise for branded properties or as a white label operator for independently branded hotels.  TradeArabia News Service
In a big jolt to the Trinamool Congress and the Congress, which were looking for avenues for an alternate formation to keep Conrad Sangma's National People's Party (NPP) out of power in Meghalaya, the United Democratic Party (UDP) -- that emerged the second-largest, on Sunday extended its support to the NPP for the next government formation in the northeastern state. Metbah Lyndoh, the president of UDP that bagged 11 seats to finish second behind the NPP (26), in a letter to Conrad Sangma mentioned: "Congratulations on your party's performance, resulting in the resounding victory. In light of the people's mandate, I on behalf of the parliamentary party of the United Democratic Party, do hereby extend support for government formation." The UDP was also an ally in the previous NPP-led government in Meghalaya. Meanwhile, People's Democratic Front (PDF), which was earlier holding talks with Trinamool Congress leader Mukul Sangma for an alternative formation, also joined the UDP to tender support to the NPP. Following the fresh developments, the NPP now has the support of 45 MLAs in the 60-member Assembly in the state. The election was held on February 27 while the result was announced on March 2. --IANS tdr/pgh ( 214 Words) 2023-03-05-22:28:03 (IANS)
The BrahMos was fired from a Kolkata class guided missile destroyer warship on Sunday evening.

The Defence Ministry said the missile is equipped with an indigenous booster designed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation.

The Navy said that the BrahMos missile strengthens India's commitment towards 'Atmanirbhartra' (self-reliance).

Earlier, the Indian Air Force had also successfully tested the BrahMos missile from the Sukhoi Su-30 MKI aircraft.

The missile was test-fired in December last year.

The Air Force has said that the air-launched missile can hit targets within a range of around 400 km.

--IANS gcb/pgh

( 137 Words)

2023-03-05-22:58:02 (IANS)
Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly VD Satheesan targeted Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and said that the CM is proving that he is a "Modi in dhoti" after the crime branch police team raided the Asianet News office. The raids were conducted at the office of one of the leading Malayalam news channels based on a complaint by MLA PV Anvar. "Kerala Chief Minister is proving that he is 'Modi in dhoti'. What Modi did in the BBC office same was done here in the Asianet News office by the CM. This is a clear signal of intolerance. Both (CM and PM) are trying to frighten critics," Satheesan said while talking to the media on Sunday. Notably, Asianet telecasted a report titled 'Narcotics is a dirty business ' on November 10. The MLA alleged this report is fabricated and submitted a written complaint to DGP. Based on this, the police registered a case making four people from Asianet accused. Two days back SFI activists had barged into the Asianet office in Kochi. Today's raid by crime branch Assistant Commissioner V. Suresh and seven cops is a continuation of the incidents. A case was registered under sections of POCSO and the Indian Penal Code. Meanwhile, Sindhu Sooryakumar, Executive Editor of Asianet News on Sunday said in a statement that the channel "will do free and fair journalism without fear" adding that it will cooperate with the investigation process. "Asianet news will cooperate with any investigation as per law. The investigation is against a story as part of the campaign against the drug mafia which is gaining strength. There are allegations in the FIR that attempts to defame the image of government were made," Sooryakumar said. "The fight against the drug mafia is in the interest of society. The government using its powers is an encroachment on media freedom. The speed of action on the complaint of a ruling MLA has to be specifically mentioned. Asianet News is making its stand clear that even before starting the investigation, entering into the office and goondaism is not suitable for a democratic culture. Asianet News will do free and fair journalism without fear," Sooryakumar added. (ANI)
The unidentified miscreants held hostage the two armed security guards posted in the godown.

The police are currently investigating the case.

According to police, the miscreants in an unknown vehicle stole goods worth Rs 37 lakh last night from the store of the construction organization of the Namami Gange project.

Admin Manager of the Namami Gange Project, Amit Kumar Srivastava has appealed to the police to expose the incident.

Amit Kumar said, "Police have started the investigation by registering a case against four unknown people. While inspecting the site of the incident, the top police officers collected the evidence by calling a finger expert team and the forensic team. They also questioned the security guards posted there."

Upon receiving information about the incident, Inspector General (IG) Kanpur, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), and other top officials reached the spot.

SSP Sanjay Kumar Verma said, "Some brass items had come under the Namami Gange Project. Around 58 boxes of which are missing. Some miscreants have executed the incident. The incident will be disclosed soon and the strictest action will be taken against the miscreants." (ANI)
A police party of Police Station Udhampur while performing vehicle checking duty at Jakhani Check naka on NH-44 signalled a truck bearing registration number RJ 07 GA-3981 which was coming from the Valley and moving towards Punjab to stop during checking, the police said.

The police recovered 100 kg of poppy straw and arrested the driver and co-driver of the truck.

According to the police, a case under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act has been registered at Police Station Udhampur and further investigation is underway. (ANI)
Attacking the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government, the Tamil Nadu chief of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) K Annamalai on Monday demanded a CBI probe into the Tirupur clash. In a statement, the BJP state chief said, "DMK R S Bharathi is saying I am playing a double standards role. But DMK is not doing a double act, they can do even 20 different roles." Referring to the alleged clash in Tirupur, the BJP state chief called the incident "unfortunate". "When one unfortunate incident happened in Tirupur because of hate politics, why did the police not take action?" Alleging a delay in the investigation, Annamalai demanded a CBI probe into the matter. "Why was there a delay in the investigation? Do the police officials, DMK and Tamil Nadu CM have any link between that incident? CBI should take up that case and find out who delayed the investigation," he said. He further asked in the statement, "Why DGP didn't inspect Thirupur following the specific incident? What was Intelligence doing at Thirupur?" Annamalai said that BJP would always encourage national integrity and harmony without any separation. A statewide panic was created among migrant workers, working in Tamil Nadu, after several purported videos, showing attacks on migrant workers, circulated on social media. The panic was triggered after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday, raised concerns and took note of the purported videos of "attacks". The panic affected the industries in Tamil Nadu, which rely on migrant workers, badly as many workers stayed off work. Taking cognizance of the panic, Tamil Nadu's Director General of Police Sylendra Babu released a statement, saying that the video doing rounds of social media was "false" and "mischievous". "Somebody in Bihar posted false and mischievous videos saying that migrant workers were attacked in Tamil Nadu. Two videos were posted. Both are false as these incidents happened at an earlier date in Tiruppur and Coimbatore. One was a clash between two groups of migrant workers from Bihar while another was from a clash between two local residents in Coimbatore," the top cop said. In January, a video went viral, in which a group of people was seen fighting. The incident happened on January 14 but the video went viral on January 26 claiming that Tamil workers are being attacked by migrant labourers. Following that, many social media posts claimed those videos as a clash between migrant labourers and Tamil workers. Following the escalation of the issue, on January 27, Tirupur Police's official release mentioned, "While no one has lodged a complaint with Police. We have started a detailed inquiry into the incident and appropriate action will be taken against the people involved in the clash". Meanwhile, on January 30 another official release from Tirupur Police mentioned reads, "Two people were arrested in connection with the January 14 incident following the viral video and they have been sent to judicial custody. Teams have been formed to arrest more people on this incident". Tirupur police also warned of action against fake and rumours being spread on social media on that issue. (ANI)
Justice Amit Sharma on Monday took oath as a permanent judge of Delhi High Court. Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court Satish Chandra Sharma administered the oath. He was earlier appointed as an additional Judge of the Delhi High Court. He had taken oath as an additional judge of the High Court in June 2022. Ministry of Law and Justice last week notified Justice Sharma's appointment as a permanent judge. The Supreme Court Collegium recently recommended names of various Additional Judges for appointing them as Permanent Judges in different high courts including one in Delhi HC. The Supreme Court Collegium in its resolution has recommended the appointment of Justice Amit Sharma, Additional Judge, as a Permanent Judge of the High Court of Delhi. In the file related to the proposal for the appointment of Justice Amit Sharma, Additional Judge, as a Permanent Judge of the High Court of Delhi, the collegium said that it is of the considered view that Justice Amit Sharma, Additional Judge, is suitable for being appointed as a Permanent Judge of the High Court of Delhi and recommended him to be appointed as a Permanent Judge of the High Court of Delhi against an existing vacancy. On January 9, 2023, the Collegium of the High Court of Delhi unanimously recommended the name of Justice Amit Sharma, Additional Judge, for his appointment as a Permanent Judge of that High Court. In order to ascertain the fitness and suitability of Justice Amit Sharma, for being appointed as a Permanent Judge, consultation was held with a view to ascertain his suitability for elevation in terms of the Memorandum of Procedure, with Judges of the Supreme Court conversant with the affairs of the High Court of Delhi. The Committee constituted in terms of the Resolution dated 26 October 2017 of the Supreme Court Collegium to assess the Judgments of Shri Justice Amit Sharma, has submitted its report. "With a view to assess the merit and suitability of Justice Amit Sharma for his appointment as a Permanent Judge, the Collegium has scrutinized and evaluated the material placed on record including the observations made by the Department of Justice in the file as well as the report of the Judgment Evaluation Committee," the resolution said. (ANI)
The Kerala High Court on Monday dismissed the bail plea of Sunil NS, popularly known as Pulsar Suni, the prime accused in the 2017 actress assault case. A single Bench of Justice PV Kunhikrishnan passed the order. Offences under Sections 120 (B), 109, 342, 366, 354, 354B, 357, 376D, 201, and 212 read with Section 34 of the IPC and Sections 66 A and 66 E of the IT act were charged against Suni, who is in jail for the past six years. He had earlier approached the High Court for bail in March 2022. The same bench had on March 29, 2022, rejected the plea. When he approached the Supreme Court against this, it also rejected the same and directed him to approach the High Court if the trial has not concluded in a reasonable time. In the plea, Sunil contended, "There is absolutely no chance of the trial being concluded in the near future. The applicant has not moved any other court seeking the same relief and shall not move a similar application during the pendency of this application. The petitioner is not in a position to defend his case properly by consulting and discussing with his lawyer, since he is not on bail and is not being produced in court every day. The basic right of the applicant to defend his case properly itself is defeated." The case pertains that, the actress, who worked in Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu films, was allegedly abducted and molested inside her car by a group of men who had forced their way into the vehicle on the night of February 17, 2017. Dileep who is a famous Malayalam actor and producer is the eighth accused in this case. There are a total of 10 accused in the case. (ANI)
Launching a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party over 'rumoured attacks' on migrant labourers in Tamil Nadu, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha on Sunday said that this was done through a manufactured agenda and that this fake news factory should be shut. RJD leader's remarks while he was responding to the filing of cases against BJP leader and journalists on the charges of spreading "false" news regarding 'attacks' on Bihar-based migrant workers in the southern state. "This was done under a manufactured agenda. Labourers of Bihar work everywhere and they contribute to the building of the nation. We have never heard of any such incident before in Tamil Nadu. Should people not close their factories of fake news? Yesterday CJI said that fake news is killing the truth in the country," Manoj Jha said, adding that we are watching the truth getting killed. Earlier on Sunday Tamil Nadu Police registered a case against four persons including a BJP spokesperson Prashant Umrao and two journalists on the charges of spreading false news over alleged attacks on migrant workers in the state. Prashant Umrao, an Editor with Dainik Bhaskar, a Patna-based journalist, owner of 'Tanvir Post' Twitter handle Mohammad Tanvir, and Shubam Shukla were booked at different police stations on the charges of spreading "false" news regarding attacks on migrant labourers in Tamil Nadu. A statewide panic was created among migrant workers, working in Tamil Nadu, after several purported videos, showing attacks on migrant workers, circulated on social media. The panic was triggered after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on March 2, raised concerns and took note of the purported videos of "attacks". The panic affected the industries in Tamil Nadu, which rely on migrant workers, badly as many workers stayed off work. Taking cognizance of the panic, Tamil Nadu's Director General of Police Sylendra Babu released a statement, saying that the video doing rounds of social media was "false" and "mischievous". "Somebody in Bihar posted false and mischievous videos saying that migrant workers were attacked in Tamil Nadu. Two videos were posted. Both are false as these incidents happened at an earlier date in Tiruppur and Coimbatore. One was a clash between two groups of migrant workers from Bihar while another was from a clash between two local residents in Coimbatore," the top cop said. The DGP also said that the persons behind this rumour-driven panic will not be spared. (ANI)
The first 'SCO B2B Conference and Expo on Traditional Medicine' came to a successful end as it created a platform for buyers and sellers from different countries to explore trade potential to serve the needs of the people an official release stated upon the completion of the four days expo on Sunday. It further detailed the incremental trade interest of over Rs 590 crores generated during the first two days of intense meetings among buyers and sellers at the conference. This first-of-its-kind conference & Expo under the SCO initiative was inaugurated by the Union Minister of Ayush and Ports, Shipping & Waterways Shri Sarbananda Sonowal on 2nd March 2023 at Guwahati, Assam. More than 150 delegates from 17 countries attended the two-day conference and four-day Expo. Addressing the occasion, Union Minister of AYUSH Sarbananda Sonowal said, "It is a moment of great realization that this wonderful initiative has borne fruit with trade interest of more than Rs590 crores generated during the event. While this marks the immediate success of the Expo, the conference also laid the foundation for further interaction & expansion of cooperation among the states under the SCO initiative. I must thank PM Narendra Modi ji at this point as his vision brought this concept of expanding the horizon of traditional medicine among the member states of SCO, leading to the event's successful hosting. While the scope of trade in the Ayush market remains buoyant, the event helped expand its horizon to a wider international audience with a noble aim to provide an enriched quality of life with the help of traditional medicine. This is a huge shot in the arm for the Indian Ayush market as this event provided the platform to further the trade potential among the SCO member states for improving the quality of lives of people." Held under the aegis of the Ministry of AYUSH, Under the aegis of the Ministry of Ayush, Invest India conducted B2B meetings in a dedicated B2B lounge at the event with the support of Ayushexcil (Ayush Export Promotion Council). More than 56 exhibitors - who participated in the Expo - and buyers from 19 countries discussed and expressed their interest in trade in traditional medicine. Over 75 meetings took place on Day 2 of the event, where participants from India, Tajikistan, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Bahrain & Sri Lanka engaged. The trade interest of Rs590 crores was received in the B2B meetings from companies like Damaira Pharma, AIMIL Global, Herbal Strategi Homecare, Almaty, Dindayal Industries, Fidalgo Healthcare, and many more. The trade interest was received across product categories like Ayurvedic gels & oils, capsules, Ayurvedic hair remedy products, nutraceuticals, Ayurvedic home care, and Hygiene & Veterinary products. The industry received as many as 9 Letters of Intent (LOIs). The PIB release further stated that the conference and Exo provided an opportunity for regulators, industries, and business leaders in all the SCO and partner countries to deliberate on various aspects of Traditional Medicine, such as products, services, education, skill development, cosmetics, and Policies. The discussion aimed at understanding trade patterns and market scenarios from Pharma & drug manufacturers' points of view. It was expected that the showcase of products of native importance & popularity, opportunity for trade, and discussion on innovation would foster an environment for deeper cooperation and economic partnerships with broader market access among the SCO countries. Notably, India assumed the Presidency of the SCO Council of Heads of State for the year 2023 on September 17 at Samarkand in Uzbekistan. Indian PM Narendra Modi at the SCO summit at Samarkand remarked that India would take the initiative for a new SCO Expert Working Group on Traditional Medicine. Over to that the release further detailed that the Ministry of Ayush has been working on various initiatives under the SCO mandate. Earlier, in February this year, a virtual conference of experts and practitioners of traditional medicine was held where members from 25 countries participated. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), or Shanghai Pact, is a Eurasian political, economic, and security alliance of an eight-member multilateral organization, established on June 15, 2001, in Shanghai, China. SCO includes 8 member states, 3 observers, and 14 dialogue partner countries. India was granted Observer status at the July 2005 Astana Summit and the status of a full member 12 years later on June 9, 2017, at the SCO Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan. (ANI)